South Africa: Treasury notes IMF SA economy assessment Government recognises the need to address deep-rooted socio-economic challenges, including unemployment, inequality, and poverty, while stabilising government debt. The comment was made by the National Treasury in response to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) assessment of the countrys economy. From 26 May - 6 June, IMF staff held meetings with South Africa as part of their routine economic surveillance function, as prescribed in the IMFs Articles of Agreement. Economic developments in the country were under discussion during the meetings with IMF staff, government, the South African Reserve Bank, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), business and academia. The visit by IMF staff did not result in a board discussion or publication of a report on South Africas economy, said Treasury in a statement. In its findings, the IMF was of the view that South Africas economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic should continue this year as some sectors such as tourism, hospitality and construction, gradually improve. The staff noted that South Africa was benefiting from favourable commodity prices, which had raised exports. Nonetheless, the IMF pointed to various shocks that continue to affect the countrys economic outlook. These include the KwaZulu-Natal floods, uncertainty arising from the conflict in Ukraine, tightening of global financial conditions and lower economic growth in China. The IMF staff acknowledges progress made in implementing structural reforms and encouraged South Africa to deepen and speed up implementation of structural reforms to address a number of obstacles. Areas needing urgent attention include growth, load shedding, and addressing deficiencies in the transportation system, which limit the benefits from the higher commodity prices, said Treasury. Other key reform areas highlighted include improving procurement processes, transforming network industries, fostering competition to attract private investment; and advancing the functioning of the labour market. In addition, IMF staff underscored that operations, finances and governance of Eskom and Transnet should be improved to contribute to the sustainability of public finances. The staff emphasised the need to implement growth-friendly fiscal consolidation to ensure that the countrys debt as a percentage of GDP is on a declining and sustainable path. Containment of compensation costs and streamlining transfers to SOEs were some of the recommendations tabled. In addition, the staff underscored that operations, finances and governance of Eskom and Transnet should be improved to contribute to the sustainability of public finances, read the statement. Economic recovery Responding to this, Treasury said governments steadfast commitment to restoring sustainability to public finances was supported by better than expected revenue collection, albeit temporary, and fiscal restraint. As stated in the 2022 Budget, government is using a portion of the additional revenue to reduce the fiscal deficit and stabilise debt, with the majority targeted to address urgent social needs, promote job creation through the presidential employment initiative, and support the public health sector, it said. It said there was faster implementation of economic and SOE reforms, accompanied by fiscal consolidation to provide a stable foundation for growth, easing of investor concerns, and support a faster recovery and higher levels of economic growth. The National Treasury acknowledged that South Africas economic recovery had been uneven and that risks remain high. In general, it said, the IMFs concerns were aligned with governments response programme to stimulate economic growth, which was guided by South Africas Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) as well as commitment towards growth and fiscal sustainability. On fiscal risks posed by some SOEs, the department said the Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council was considering their value add and which SOEs would be rationalised or consolidated to reduce their continuing demand on South Africas public resources. The National Treasury is working on a sustainable solution to deal with Eskoms debt in a manner that is equitable and fair to all stakeholders. Any solution will be contingent on continued progress to reform South Africas electricity sector and Eskoms own progress on its turnaround plan and its restructuring, it said. Structural reforms Treasury said it remains committed to fast-tracking structural reforms to foster job-led growth, as supported through Operation Vulindlela. In this regard, 26 structural reforms were prioritised. Of these, eight reforms had been completed while another 11 are progressing well. Key achievements to include: concluding the spectrum auction, opening bid windows five and six of the renewable energy programme publishing the draft electricity regulation amendment bill Cabinet approval of the white paper on the National Rail Policy publishing of the Green Drop report to ensure better monitoring of water and wastewater treatment quality publishing the revised critical skills list issuing of the RFP (Request For Proposal) to initiate third party access to the freight rail network. The department said work was also underway to reform the procurement system as well as the launching of the e-Visa system in 14 countries. On energy security, the Treasury said the process of unbundling Eskom was underway. On 17 December 2021 the National Transmission Company South Africa SOC Limited (NTCSA) was executed. Eskom has also applied to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa for the transmission license for the Transmission Company. On environmental matters, South Africa remains committed to address climate change based on science, equity and sustainable development. South Africas Presidential Climate Finance Task Team will advise the country on the execution of the Just Energy Transition (JET), said Treasury. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Vietnam arrests former senior officials linked to Viet A test kit scandal The Police Investigation Agency under the Ministry of Public Security on June 7 detained Nguyen Thanh Long, former Minister of Health, and Chu Ngoc Anh former Hanoi Mayor, to investigate their violations related to the Viet A test kit scam. Three former high-ranking officials Chu ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thanh Long and Pham Cong Tac (from left to right) have been detained for wrongdoings linked to notorious Viet A test kit scam. The police also executed search warrants at the home of the three former officials. The arrests come after the Party Central Committee expelled both former officials from the Party and the National Assembly dismissed them from their posts. The same day, the Police Investigation Agency also issued a decision to prosecute former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac. He was investigated for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste. The COVID-19 test kit case at Viet A Technologies was discovered in mid-December 2021 and was put under close scrutiny by the Central Steering Committee for Corruption and Negative Phenomena Prevention and Control. Last December the police arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Phan Quoc Viet, general director of Viet A Technologies, for raising the price of RT-PCR COVID-19 test kits and giving bribery to health officials to sell their test kits. The Ministry of Public Security found signs of wrongdoings in the management, research and transfer of the scientific project on COVID-19 test kits at the Ministry of Science and Technology and in licensing the circulation of the test kits and the negotiation of COVID-19 test kit price with Viet A Technologies at the Ministry of Health. This is considered the most serious economic and corruption case, with many high-ranking officials arrested. According to the Ministry of Public Security, former Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long abused his position and authority to violate the law relating to the issuance of circulation registration numbers and price negotiations of COVID-19 test kits, causing particularly serious damage to state property. Meanwhile, former Hanoi Mayor Chu Ngoc Anh who was also former Minister of Science and Technology, was arrested for violating regulations on management and use of State assets, causing loss and waste under the 2017 Penal Code (amended). The Viet A test kit scam erupted when both Anh and Long took the helm of the Party leaderships at the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health in the 2016-2021 tenure respectively. 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. Honor launched in South Africa on 5 May 2022, and the company has big plans to achieve Huaweis success in the country within two to three years. Part of that goal is beating Samsungs flagship smartphone market share within three device generations roughly three years. Honors CEO for the Middle East and Africa, Likun Zhao, said that he achieved that goal at Huawei, where he worked until 2020. He hopes to replicate that success at Honor. The company took first place in China for the first quarter of 2022. Honors new flagship smartphone, the Magic4 Pro, was officially launched in South Africa on Wednesday, 8 June 2022. The company also plans to launch a laptop, smartwatch, and additional handsets by year-end. Part of Honors investment in the country includes establishing a warehouse, which it hopes to launch by the end of 2022. Zhao said the warehouse would supply devices to several markets in southern Africa in collaboration with its local partners. After the company has established its warehouse in the country, Honor wants to launch service centres to initially cover three major metropolitans Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. Zhao also said that Honor would consider developing a trade-in programme for its devices once its service centres are completed. Honor was a subsidiary of Huawei from 2013 to 2020. It cut ties amid increasing economic pressure from the United States on the Chinese tech giant. Zhao explained that its South African operations are entirely independent of Huawei. He explained this allows Honor to set itself apart from Huawei through collaborations with international service providers and manufacturers like Google and Qualcomm. As a result, the Honor Magic4 Pro features Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and has complete access to Google Mobile Services. Zhao said that Honor would offer smartphones for all budget ranges in South Africa, with its X ranges pricing ranging from $100 to $400 (R1,530 to R6,120 excl. VAT), and its mid-range Digital range is priced from $400 to $600 (R6,120 to R9,200 excl. VAT). Honors flagship Magic range is priced from $800 to $1,000 (R12,250 to R15,300 excl. VAT). South African pricing will be revealed when the devices are launched in the country. Zhao said the company also plans to launch a foldable smartphone in the first half of 2023. He added that Honor plans to partner with local companies and already pre-loads several South African applications on its devices to help companies reach consumers in other countries. Essentially, devices supplied from the South African warehouse to other African markets will be pre-loaded with a range of local apps. Norway has also conducted training for the Ukrainian military on the use of this weapon. The training took place in Germany. Norway has handed over 22 155-mm M109 howitzers to Ukraine, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense said. In addition, the Ukrainian army was also provided with equipment, spare parts and ammunition. It is noted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine depend on Western support and need weapons and equipment to withstand Russian attacks. "Ukraine has specially invited this type of weapon. The development of the war in Ukraine now implies that it is also necessary to provide heavier artillery and weapons systems, "said Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram. M109 howitzers to Ukraine Photo: regjeringen.no. Read also: In the Kharkiv region, the Russians have not taken the remnants of their 64th brigade for more than a month Fighters of the 24th OMBR named after King Daniel destroyed the invaders in the trench (VIDEO) The Ukrainian military was exposed to German DM22 mines Lviv paratroopers in a 14-hour battle killed half a hundred occupiers of the "elite" regiment of Russia (VIDEO) SSO soldiers shot down an enemy RPG armored vehicle (VIDEO) The death of a Russian general in the Donbass: social networks have found a photo and the name of a probable "candidate" National Guard Hulk defeats Rosarmia equipment from Corsair ATGM (VIDEO) "Azov" showed unique melee footage with the occupiers in Zaporozhye (VIDEO) Ukrainian military eliminated the famous Buryat "Wahoo" near Kharkov - rossmi Ukrainian fighters installed multiple rocket launchers on pickups The United Kingdom will hand over drone detection radars to Ukraine for the needs of the Armed Forces. This was announced on its website by Blighter Surveillance Systems. British developer and manufacturer of radar systems Blighter Surveillance Systems, will provide a significant number of its A422 radars as a means of detecting UAVs. The supply of these radars to Ukraine is part of military and technical assistance from the United Kingdom to support Ukrainian troops in hostilities against the Russian aggressor. The manufacturer notes that the first delivery of radars will take place this month. Radar system A422. Photo: Blighter Surveillance Systems Blighter CEO James Long said: We are proud to be part of a broad package of military support that the UK provides to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The versatility and reliability of the Blighter A422 radar as part of a well-proven ability to combat UAVs is very well suited to support and strengthen Ukraine's operations on the battlefield. " Blighter "A422 Deployable Radar System" is a fully integrated ready-made system for drone detection and ground surveillance. Its main mission is to detect nano- and microdrones, which are now widely used for reconnaissance on battlefields and in urban combat zones. This tactical radar detects air and ground targets at a distance of up to 20 km. The system is designed for rapid deployment from a transport position. The radar can be used for reconnaissance of the battlefield, remote surveillance abroad and perimeter protection. Components of the A422 radar system. Photo: Blighter Surveillance Systems The fully integrated system includes mast mounting equipment, system cables, mains power supply and a reliable laptop for remote system operation via wired network connection. The A422 radar system covers the horizontal azimuthal scanning sector by 180 . For 360 observation, you can use a configuration with two A422 "back to back". The system uses Blighter W20S antennas, which provide a wide vertical coverage at an angle of up to 30 . We remind you that the United Kingdom will hand over MLRS M270 missile systems (MLRS) and M31A1 ammunition to Ukraine. Read also: The Russians installed SAM "Thor" on the patrol ship "Vasily Bykov" Ukrainian Su-25 from 299 tactical aviation brigade launch missiles at Russian targets Losses on the 105th day of defense: the Russian army was reduced by 31,500 soldiers Norway handed over 22 M109 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine In the Kharkiv region, the Russians have not taken the remnants of their 64th brigade for more than a month Fighters of the 24th OMBR named after King Daniel destroyed the invaders in the trench (VIDEO) The Ukrainian military was exposed to German DM22 mines Lviv paratroopers in a 14-hour battle killed half a hundred occupiers of the "elite" regiment of Russia (VIDEO) SSO soldiers shot down an enemy RPG armored vehicle (VIDEO) The death of a Russian general in the Donbass: social networks have found a photo and the name of a probable "candidate" Astros Agility dog training is looking for new room to run. The dog training business will close its gates at Valley Brook Equestrian Center in Napa July 14, and needs to find a new location, preferably indoors. While Astros school has enjoyed seven wonderful years at Valley Brook Equestrian Center, the schools growth has necessitated taking the space back for their needs, forcing Astros to move on, said a news release from owner Laura Dayton. Astros, home to more than 100 Napa club members, is said to have the Bay Areas only full-scale agility course. It also offers American Kennel Club (AKC) STAR Puppy training, Paws for Healing certification, AKC Canine Good Citizenship training and even trick training. Running dogs on an intense agility course during the summer heat is near impossible, said Dayton, who has trained dogs in the sport for more than 25 years. This is like track and field, and the dogs are low to the ground and cant do it when temps are in the 80s and 90s. I cant afford to enclose an outdoor field, (so) what I would love to find is an old warehouse or barn. 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 nonprofit offers a tax deduction for landlords, and our solid following of volunteers guarantees small repairs and upgrades at any property it leases, said Dayton. Astros requires no utilities; it runs off a small generator for lights and brings in its own water for the dogs. Theyll even provide their own flooring or AstroTurf. Leaving big paw prints Astros leaves big paw prints after spending seven years at Valley Brook on El Centro Avenue. Their Tuesday Nite Fun Runs have provided an outlet for amateur agility enthusiasts to run their dogs for fun and free admission for Napans to come and watch. Junior champions range from Sarah Moritz, who has competed for three years, to their newest junior champion Olivia Mergardt, with her 9-month old puppy Bella. Ken Sjordal and his dog Phil have been competing for four years. We even have seats with our names on them. Emily Goweia with her Corgi Penny have been competing almost as long and the four are amongst the schools fastest runners. Jeanine Christofferson credits Astros with getting her through COVID, giving her a place to go with her poodle Long Tall Sally, and being able to talk to a group of friends outside her house. To reach Astros Agility: astrosagility@gmail.com 707-704-3863 Susan Jones, who got Rosebud as a pup and has been coming to Astros for three years, found her third Springer Spaniel a bit more than she could handle at her advanced age. Laura held my hand through every stage, we bought a pinch collar so she wouldnt pull me over, and now I come with my daughter Val every Sunday. I dont know what well do without Astros. Astros is one of the only agility schools featuring all 20 obstacles in competition for AKC, North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) and Canine Performance Events Inc (CPE) competitions in the greater Bay Area, leaving a big hole for anyone wanting to compete in the sport of agility, said the release. Astros is also unique in providing a school that offers classes in AKC Canine Good Citizenship to socialize dogs with other dogs and people so their pets have good leash and people manners in public and at dog parks. To reach Astros Agility: astrosagility@gmail.com 707-704-3863 Astros is the only local school accredited to train dogs to be certified by Paws for Healing to go into hospice, hospitals, private-care homes, juvenile retention facilities and other incarceration facilities to bring the joy of canine companionship to those who cannot otherwise experience it. Dayton said that in lieu of an enclosed facility, a partially shaded flat area of land anywhere from 6,500 to 9,000 square feet would suit Astros needs. Astro's can be reached at astrosagility@gmail.com or 707-704-3863. St. Helenas Native Sons of the Golden West, Parlor 53, will hold a pasta feed on Saturday, June 18, at the Native Sons Hall, 1313 Spring St. The doors open at 5 p.m., with a no-host bar. Dinner is at 7 and includes all-you-can-eat pasta, salad, garlic bread and dessert, with wine on the table. Its like our crab feed without the crab, said Phil Murphy, the clubs president. There will be a silent auction and a 50-50 raffle. Tickets are $35. No tickets will be sold at the door. For tickets, call Murphy at 326-9701. Weve recently interviewed three outgoing leaders whove strengthened some of St. Helenas most important institutions: City Manager Mark Prestwich, Rianda House Executive Director Julie Spencer, and now school Superintendent Marylou Wilson. Like Prestwich and Spencer, Wilson built leadership teams and organizational structures that will survive beyond her tenure. Best of all, she tamped down the drama. When Wilson arrived in 2014, the school district was still recovering from the school board recall and a series of superintendent transitions that had left the district grasping for a sense of direction. Flush with money from a recent facilities bond, the district was clearly focused on project management. The school board never lost sight of academics, but $16 million worth of construction projects were sucking up all the oxygen in the districts upper ranks and creating some angst in the community. Enter Wilson. She defused the tension surrounding the new high school pool by filling it with a neighbors well water instead of city water. She reached out to people who were distraught over the demise of the old elementary school play structure and let community members play a role in designing the new one. She mended the districts relationship with the city. Over the next few years, she finished the big capital projects with minimal fuss and admirable financial oversight, and put the spotlight back on educating kids. During her tenure, Wilson built a leadership team that consistently impressed us with its professionalism and ability to execute. Their guiding principle was removing barriers to success for every student. They enshrined that principle in the districts Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and implemented it by expanding access to dual enrollment classes at the high school (in collaboration with Napa Valley College) and no longer charging students for necessities like PE uniforms and art supplies. Most notable from the broader community perspective, Wilsons team did so with zero drama no small accomplishment in a district that had seen a no-confidence vote and a recall. The pandemic brought unprecedented uncertainties but also, we can see looking back, these challenges also brought out the best in Wilsons team. Determined from the start to get kids back in the classroom, they resumed full-time instruction on Nov. 2, 2020, when many California districts were still bickering with teachers unions and scrambling to secure personal protective equipment. St. Helenas schools would have reopened even sooner if not for the Glass Fire. As Wilson prepares to pass the baton to incoming Superintendent Ruben Aurelio, theres still room in the St. Helena Unified School District for improvement there always will be. Yet Wilson raised the bar of expectations for St. Helena school administrators in terms of performance and stability. Like Prestwich and Spencer, Wilson built a resilient organizational structure that will provide a lasting framework to define problems, reach consensus around a fact-based solution, and put that solution into practice. Retiring SHUSD Superintendent Marylou Wilson made our schools stronger and focused on kids. She kept civility, community engagement, and collaboration as guiding precepts. She has earned our gratitude, and we wish her a happy retirement. Our board looks forward to meeting Aurelio, and we welcome him to our town. The Star editorial board consists of Napa Valley Publishing president Jay Scott, Napa Valley Register editor Dan Evans and community volunteers Norma Ferriz, Shannon Kuleto, Bonnie Long, Peter McCrea, Chuck Meibeyer, Gail Showley and Dave Yewell. Joelle Gallagher took a sizeable early lead over Suzanne Besu Truchard in a race for Napa County Board of Supervisors 1st District seat that could see them both competing in a November runoff. The June 7 primary race featured four candidates: Truchard, Gallagher, David Graves and Garrett Hale. The only way to avoid a November runoff election is for a candidate to claim more than 50% of the vote. 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. As of the 8 p.m. Tuesday first wave of results, Gallagher had 45% of the vote and Truchard 28.4%, putting them in the lead for the two November slots, according to the Napa County Election Division. Trailing were Graves at 15.2% and Hale at 11.4%. More election results will be released by the county in coming days. Gallagher is a county planning commissioner and executive director of First 5 Napa County. She held an election night gathering in the backyard of her house near downtown Napa. Guests ate pizzas. She talked to voters during the campaign about what issues resonated with them. "I talked a lot about working families and housing that's affordable, wages, climate change," she said. People are concerned about the water supplies, Gallagher said. And she found that residents think the balance between addressing the needs of locals and tourists has swung too far to the tourists. Truchard held an election night gathering at the York House, a historic Queen Anne house near downtown Napa owned by relatives. Guests ate food from a taco truck and chatted in the backyard. She too found out what issues resonated with voters during the campaign. "It's so interesting," Truchard said. "It's more on the micro-level." People are concerned about such things as road repair, traffic and homelessness. The locals feel forgotten and want more things to do for families, she said. But there's optimism, added Truchard. For example, she found people in the Hispanic community were glad to see a Latina leader Truchard, an attorney, is the daughter of Cuban immigrants. Countywide, this first count consisted of more than 14,000 ballots turned in through Sunday, Registrar of Voters John Tuteur said. Usually, the first count covers 45% to 50% of the total votes. The 1st District includes much of central city of Napa and the Carneros area. Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht has held the seat since 1999, but didnt run for re-election. Votes from this area included in the first count totaled 2,434. Truchard raised the most money for the campaign, more than $244,833, according to reports filed with the county Election Division. Napa County June 7, 2022 Primary Election Complete Coverage A compilation of the Napa Valley Register and St. Helena Star's coverage of the June 7, 2022 election. Gallagher reported raising more than $164,000 for the campaign. Graves is a former county planning commissioner and co-founder of Saintsbury winery in the Carneros region. He reported raising more than $75,000 for the campaign. Hale is a local businessperson who lists electric contracting, construction, advertising, mining and solar among his endeavors. He reported raising more than $25,000 for the campaign. 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. Dollar, euro rise in Armenia Armenia premier: Karabakh budget recorded unprecedented growth in 2021-2022 Russia MFA: Moscow is ready to facilitate the commission meeting in the nearest future Armenia PM: After Common State idea, issue of exchanging territories appeared on negotiating table Macron: We will do everything to stop military forces of Russia In Kazakhstan, 26 people receive real sentences after January riots Fallen soldiers relatives continue their sit-in at downtown Yerevan Armenia parliament speaker is in Iran on official visit Armenia opposition movement participants reach Prosecutor General's Office building Armenia official: Russia considering possibility of setting up additional checkpoint near Upper Lars Aliyev and Karen Donfried discuss normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia CSTO Committee of Secretaries to meet in Yerevan 16.8% of Armenia state budget expenditures in 2021 goes to defense sector Russia FM to pay working visit to Azerbaijan Armenia FM briefs Bulgarian MPs on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Russia considers Israeli strikes on Syrian territory unacceptable Expert: Armenia must increase country's attractiveness not only for IT specialists Krisp: Preconditions for technological boom have been created in Armenia Report: Key Indicators for Execution of State Budget of Armenia for 2021 North Korea spends $1,221 a minute on nuclear program, analysts estimate Armenia bloc MP: Let's gather in Vardanyan Park on Italy Street Synopsys Armenia: Countrys IT sector has shortage of 4,000 staff Three earthquakes hit Iran's Kish Island this morning Swiss airspace closes due to technical failure Conference held in occupied Armenian Shushi to mark anniversary of so-called 'Shushi Declaration' Armenia FM and Bulgarian NA Speaker discuss possibilities for deepening relations between two countries Newspaper: How was created the right picture from Pashinyan's visit to Ararat region? Prosecutor General of Armenia Artur Davtyan leaves for Russia Russia President to meet with Armenia President at SPIEF SPIEF kicks off in St. Petersburg Armen Avetisyan appointed as new General Director of Viva-MTS Armenian parliament discusses execution of 2021 state budget Global oil prices rise slightly Russia calls on Turkey to peacefully resolve situation in Syria Canada and Denmark settle territorial dispute WhatsApp makes it easier to switch from Android to iPhone Astronomers make most detailed map of Moon Company to pay $2,000 to volunteers to release 100 cockroaches into their home Hungary objects to introduction of global minimum tax in EU Resistance Movement members remove their tents from France Square Some European plants shut down due to skyrocketing global energy prices Erdogan: Turkey must defend its interests in space European leaders visit Israel hoping to reduce dependence on Russian gas Resistance movement to hold information march on Thursday and a rally on Saturday Resistance movement holds procession in Yerevan Slovak PM calls on Scholz to support Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova as EU candidates Armenia ex-President Kocharyan participates in Resistance movement rally German howitzers soon to be delivered to Ukraine Resistance Movement rally starts in Yerevan Turkey President meets with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Media revealed some details of opening of Armenian-Azerbaijani roads HYECoin, Inc. invites conversation among venture capitalist firms open to funding startup tech and crypto projects Three times vaccinated Lithuanian PM tests positive for Covid-19 Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Bulgaria discuss cooperation Austria to allocate 28 billion to compensate population for increased costs Dollar rises after long decline, euro continues to depreciate in Armenia Georgia prosecuting cartographers because of whom David Gareja monastery was to pass to Azerbaijan AraratBank Brings Apple Pay to Customers Moldova decides to analyze pros and cons of participation in CIS Court allows Armenia ex-deputy premier and now lawmaker Armen Gevorgyan to head for Strasbourg 2 people convicted in connection with 9 November 2020 night riots in Yerevan South Korea, US and Japan to conduct missile defense exercises in August in Hawaii Euronews: Forget France, as Armenia is hub of winemaking history Armenian village Norabak deprived of water supply after Azerbaijani invasion Armenia to join CIS agreement on use of military satellite communication systems Biden extends US sanctions regime against North Korea for another year Armenia FM, Bulgaria President discuss prospects for development of bilateral relations Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh to become venue for Azerbaijan conference on cooperation with Turkey Premier meets with Father Emir of Qatar, presents him Order of Friendship of Armenia State council for protection of cultural heritage of Karabakhs occupied territories holds first meeting Premier, Qatar Business Council members discuss implementation of investment programs in Armenia Armenia ex-President Kocharyan, former-deputy PM and now MP Gevorgyan trial to reconvene Armenia PM meets with Qatar FM David Babayan: Artsakh, Armenia are in difficult situation Driver of car that went onto tents at France Square in downtown Yerevan is apprehended Armenia FM meets with Bulgaria President Azerbaijan Security Council chief: Armenia opposition protesting against peace talks will not achieve its goal Armenia-France cooperation in defense sector is discussed Draft statement on Armenia-Azerbaijan, Armenia-Turkey relations not put on legislature agenda Armenia PM to Al Jazeera: We are currently in process of constructing very strategic highway Armenia premier to Al Jazeera: Wording about corridor is unacceptable, red line for us Armenias Pashinyan to Al Jazeera: It is our duty not to betray any of our partners World gold prices going down Armenia PM to Al Jazeera: 9 November 2020 statement does not address Karabakh issue Shootout occurs on Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border Armenia parliament convenes last 4-day sitting of current session Newspaper: What tactics has Armenia opposition developed? Newspaper: US embassy urges Armenia authorities to respect human rights World oil prices dropping Armenia opposition MP: Car drove onto tent where there were people at France Square Explosion at sodium bicarbonate plant in Iran: More than 100 casualties German finance minister does not rule out risk of stagflation Russian Ambassador: EU wants to seize initiative on normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations from Russia Macron: Defense industry cooperation in European Union must be strengthened Erdogan to declare at NATO summit that Turkey will not compromise on Sweden and Finland Deputy PM of Armenia: Peoples of Armenia and Russia are connected by numerous deep threads Expert names reason for dollar devaluation in Armenia and assess its impact on activities of business entities In Armenia number of marriages is decreasing, while number of divorces is increasing Finnish parliament speaker: Finland, Sweden, and Norway should consider joint air defense control Justin Trudeau tests positive for COVID-19 for second time President Arman Dilanyan of the Constitutional Court of Armenia on Tuesday met with the visiting President Claire Bazy Malaurie of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe (CoE). "I want to specially stress in that we attach great importance to our cooperation with the Council of Europe, we attach great importance to our cooperation with the Venice Commission. We have long-standing traditions of cooperation; they have been for decades. I hope that during your presidency not only those ties will be strengthened, but also a new impetus will be given to those relations," Dilanyan said, addressing Malaurie. The President of the Venice Commission, in her turn, said that she is very happy to be in Armenia, and underscored this meeting, especially after the coronavirus pandemic and the renewal of relations with CoE member Armenia. Democrats in the lower house of the US Congress have launched an investigation into the possible concealment of valuable gifts from representatives of foreign governments by members of the administration of former President Donald Trump. The corresponding statement was published on Tuesday on the website of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives of the US Congress. According to the document, State Department officials previously advised committee members that Trump administration officials in the final year of his term did not prioritize meeting commitments" to provide information about receiving gifts from foreign officials. In this regard, the Democrats in the committee of the lower house of Congress had suspicions about the "possible improper influence of foreign governments on President Trump, which could jeopardize national security and US interests in foreign policy. Under US law, US officials are only allowed to accept gifts from foreign governments on behalf of the administration. At the same time, if the value of the gift exceeds $415, the representatives of the administration undertake to transfer it to the ownership of the US government. Gift receipts must be reported to the State Department. In April of this year, the State Department reported that its officials were unable to compile a complete list of gifts received by the Trump administration from foreign representatives. In particular, the US Foreign Office was unable to identify officials who received gifts from representatives of foreign governments, and did not find data on who exactly gave valuable gifts to American officials. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi is in talks to arrange a face-to-face meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe, scheduled to take place in Singapore during the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue international Asia-Pacific security conference there 10-12 June. It will be the first contact between the two countries' military chiefs since December 2019 amid a very chilled relationship between Beijing and Tokyo in recent times, the Yomiuri newspaper reported Wednesday, citing Japanese government sources. According to them, the meeting is expected to include consultations aimed at introducing a direct line of communication between the leadership of the two countries' armed forces within a year in the interest of preventing accidental incidents. The agreement on its creation was reached back in May 2018 amid a confrontation between Chinese and Japanese warships in the area of the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands in the East China Sea, which Beijing disputes from Tokyo. However, the direct communication line is still inoperative due to a number of technical problems and periodically escalating tensions between the two countries. The Japanese government accuses China of non-transparent military preparations, attempts to take control of sea lanes in the region, and increasing tension in the Taiwan area. Beijing, for its part, sees U.S. and Japanese policies as interference in its affairs, attempts to unwind an arms race and escalate tensions in the region. During the conference in Singapore, the Chinese defense minister is also expected to meet personally with Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. The Shangri-La Dialogue is traditionally held every year in Singapore, but the last two years the forum was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. YEREVAN. The foreign ministers exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Norway exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. In his message, Ararat Mirzoyan, Foreign Minister of Armenia, particularly noted that the mutual respect between the two countries, adherence to democratic values, rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as historically rooted warm ties formed a basis for cooperation over the three decades. Foreign Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian people remember with gratitude Fridtjof Nansen, prominent Norwegian humanitarian, faithful and caring friend of Armenians, who epitomizes the collective identity of the Norwegian people for the Armenians. Expressing gratitude for Norway's unprecedented support in the fight against COVID-19, Ararat Mirzoyan expressed his conviction that Armenia and Norway will jointly contribute to the development of cooperation and the expansion of the bilateral agenda. Anniken Huitfeldt, Foreign Minister of Norway, noted that as members of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Armenia and Norway have built bilateral relations on the basis of international commitments, shared values and principles. The Foreign Minister of Norway highlighted the importance of further strengthening relations with Armenia, and reaffirmed the Norwegian Government's readiness to continue cooperation with Armenia based on democratic values and respect for human rights for the benefit of the two nations. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will discuss the implementation of ECHR decisions by a number of countries, including Azerbaijan, at its meetings on 8-10 June. According to Turan, the head of the Media Rights Group, Khalid Aghaliyev, said that eight decisions from two groups, Khadija Ismayilova and Anar Mammadli, would be discussed at the meeting. The first group includes two decisions made by the ECHR on the complaints of a journalist. They are related to the violation of the applicant's right to privacy and freedom of expression. The Government of Azerbaijan informed the Council of Europe that the law enforcement authorities had opened a criminal case regarding the interference in the journalist's private life and the distribution of her intimate videos. However, despite numerous investigative measures, the perpetrators could not be identified and the case was closed in 2017. At the same time, the government indicated in its response that Ismayilova was compensated in both cases. The government also indicated that it had taken the necessary steps to protect journalists' private and family life and freedom of expression. In doing so, the authorities informed about the adoption of a new media law "opening broad opportunities for journalistic freedom." As for the cases from the "Anar Mammadli group," these are the ECHR verdicts in the cases of human rights defenders and activists: Anar Mammadli, Intigam Aliyev, Mammad Azizov, Shahin Novruzlu, Giyas Ibragimov and Bayram Mammadov, and Leila and Arif Yunus, where the rights under Article 18 of the European Convention on Human Rights were found to be violated. That is, the ECHR found that they had been arrested because of their criticism of the authorities and political activities. Despite the recognition of the illegality of the prosecution of these individuals, the Azerbaijani authorities have not yet acquitted them. The Government, in its reply to the Committee of Ministers, indicates that criminal proceedings against all the complainants have been terminated and there are no longer any adverse legal consequences for them. Bayram Mammadov drowned last year in Turkey under unclear circumstances. The Spanish tax authorities are investigating Juan Carlos I because of expenses for hunting, to which he was invited after he abdicated in 2014, the newspaper El Mundo reported. The Spanish Tax Service is asking that the honorary king justify who paid for the expenses related to the hunts. The Department of Finance and Taxation has sent several requests for information to the former head of state over the past year. In particular, Juan Carlos I is being asked to clarify the origin of the funds that paid for flights and other expenses during hunts to which he was invited between 2014 and 2018. As part of this investigation, authorities also want to know about some of the gifts the former head of state received. In August 2020, it became officially known that Juan Carlos I had informed his son, King Philip VI, of his decision to leave the country amid scandals related to him. He has since resided in the UAE. In Spain, several investigations were opened against the 84-year-old honorary monarch, while he was not charged. At the beginning of March, the Spanish prosecutor's office announced the closure of the investigation. As a result, in May of this year for the first time in two years, Juan Carlos I visited the kingdom. After a short visit, the honorary monarch returned to the UAE. A new Kuzgun missile will join the arsenal of the Turkish Anka drone by the end of the month, Turkish Anadolu Agency quoted Omer Yildiz, deputy director general of Turk Havaclk ve Uzay Sanayii (TUSAS) for UAV systems. Anka is a family of drones developed for the Turkish armed forces. The drone is named after the mythological phoenix, which is called Zumrud-u Anka in Turkish. Work on Anka had been underway since 2004. The drone made its first flight in 2010. TUSAS said it is developing two modifications of the drone - Anka-A and Anka-B. The first is designed for surveillance, patrol and reconnaissance. Anka-B will be an attack drone armed with missiles and bombs. The Kuzgun rocket with a jet engine weighs up to 100 kg. The missile can carry a warhead weighing from 60 to 90 kg. The missile is equipped with a solid propulsion system, thanks to which it can overcome long distances. It is reported that the new missile will complement the MAM-C and MAM-L small-size ammunition that Anka uses. The drone will also be able to carry a Sonobuoy device designed to collect acoustic data in the ocean, and SAR radar to detect sea mines. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Armenia today to participate in the session of the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers. Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament from the opposition Ishkhan Saghatelyan wrote about it on his Facebook page. He noted in particular: "The Armenian people have already formed their own agenda, which today is discussed and defended in the streets, squares of Armenia and presented to the international community, including arriving international partners. The priorities emanating from the vital interests of our people have nothing in common with the agenda negotiated behind closed doors by the Armenian authorities. That's why we will gather tomorrow, 9 June, at 09:00 on France Square to once again raise the voice of our people and inform our strategic ally that the person who negotiates with them behind closed doors from a loser's perspective does not express the will of the Armenian people and therefore has no mandate to conduct any process on our behalf, he said. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Claire Bazy Malaurie President of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) on Wednesday, the press service of Armenia PM informed News.am. The Prime Minister noted with satisfaction that the Government of Armenia is actively cooperating with the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission, aiming to continuously improve the quality of the legislative framework necessary for the strengthening of democracy, protection of human rights and the establishment of an independent judiciary. Nikol Pashinyan assessed the partnership with the PACE as effective, the recently adopted resolution of which records the normal and positive process of democratic reforms in Armenia, as well as the fact that the page of election fraud is closed. In the context of cooperation between the Government and European institutions, the Prime Minister also pointed out the consistent work with the ECHR on the return of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detainees held in Azerbaijan after the 44-day war. The President of the Venice Commission thanked for the appreciation, reaffirmed the readiness to support the democratic agenda of the Republic of Armenia, in order to make the legal regulations in our country as strong as possible. The interlocutors exchanged views on the agenda of bilateral cooperation. The Prime Minister stressed that one of the Government's priorities remains the reform of the judiciary as a key institutional reform, for which continuous efforts to ensure the quality of justice, confidence in the judiciary, and social guarantees for judges are important. Claire Bazy Malaurie noted that she shares the view of the Prime Minister, and the Venice Commission will support the Government, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia in this process with its tools. Issues related to the cooperation between the Professional Committee on Constitutional Reforms and the Venice Commission were discussed at the meeting. The sides stressed the importance of involving civil society in the reform process. Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that the Government is determined to implement the reform agenda, attaching importance the support of the Council of Europe and European structures on this path, the statement reads. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the digest of top news of protests in Yerevan as of 08.06.22: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Yerevan on Wednesday on an official visit. The minister flew to the Armenian capital from Ankara, where he held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. During the talks, the sides have conferred about the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Lavrov is scheduled to hold talks with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan and meet with Armenia's PM and president. On Friday, the Russian FM will take part in the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. 10 people were detained in Yerevan in the case of clashes between police and protesters during the protests. On 3 June, there was a clash between law enforcers and supporters of the Resistance Movement at the intersection of Demirchyan and Proshyan streets. The law enforcers used stun grenades against the protesters. In addition, 15 people were brought as defendants. They were charged with organizing mass riots. Ten of them were placed under arrest as a preventive measure. Four more persons were taken to a non-custodial measure. Apart from the 15 people in question, one more citizen was detained. A petition for his arrest has been filed. The preliminary investigation is continuing. The European Parliament commends the recent rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia over the decision to launch bilateral contacts, appoint special representatives and resume flights between the two countries, the report on Turkey, which was adopted today by the European Parliament said. It is noted that MEPs consider this attempt a very positive development with a positive impact on prosperity and security in the region. They urged both sides to continue these efforts with the aim of fully normalizing their relations and call on the EU to actively support this process. Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi expressed condolences in connection with the train crash, which killed 21 people and more than 80 were injured, the Kremlin press service reported. The sides also reaffirmed their commitment to continue working within the framework of the Astana format. The Kremlin reported that Putin and the Iranian president expressed a mutual commitment to the consistent strengthening of Russian-Iranian relations. The conversation between Putin and Raisi noted the need to continue diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement on the Iranian deal. Ankara put forward 10 conditions to Stockholm and Helsinki, the fulfillment of which may prompt the Turkish authorities to reconsider their attitude towards the membership of Sweden and Finland in NATO. The representatives of Sweden and Finland were presented with a package of demands during the talks held on May 25 in Ankara. In particular, both countries must declare support for Ankara in countering terrorist organizations and adopt appropriate legislative acts. Sweden and Finland must close all organizations on their territory that are associated with the PKK banned in Turkey, their assets and media resources, and prevent their re-opening. In addition, Ankara is demanding that Stockholm and Helsinki lift the embargo on defense industry products and extradite people associated with terrorists. The Turkish authorities also proposed to establish cooperation in countering terrorism between the intelligence services of the countries. Spanish company SATLANTIS has proudly announced the agreement with Armenia on Urdaneta satellite. "After the successful launch of Urdaneta from Cape Canaveral, the company announces an agreement for the delivery of a complete Earth observation system to Geocosmos, an Armenian subsidiary of the Armenian Ministry of High Technology Industry. "Urdaneta," working name ARMSAT_1, will be the country's first satellite in space, and Armenia will be a de facto member of the elected club of space nations, the country's prime minister said in a statement. We are proud to transfer our satellite Urdaneta as Armsat_1 the first satellite of the Armenian strategy. We will accompany the government decisions creating jobs, talent and products, Jean-Jacques Dordain, president of the Spanish company said. In addition, several major countries still lack satellites with 2m resolution, such as ARMSAT_1. This is just the beginning of a long-term vision, called the new Armenian Space Strategy, which will develop the national capacity of the industry and the talent of young engineers, replicating the model proposed by SATLANTIS. Thanks to this agreement Armenia is launching a satellite in an incredibly short 8-month period. After the successful launch, the first Armenian Satellite, ARMSAT_1 is in good health and ready to accomplish the public service by delivering actionable data for at least the next 4 years. Details and first results of this space project will be presented to the public at the Starmus Festival in Yerevan, where nine Nobel laureates will take part and present their advanced scientific views for the coming years. The Armsat_1 flight will present Armenia to citizens, scientists and the international community as an advanced country," the company said. Nick Chang, who just completed his second year at Emory, has been selected as the universitys first winner of the competitive Ernest F. Hollings undergraduate scholarship since 2007. Chang, an environmental sciences major, is just the third Emory College student to win the scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that recognizes exceptional students in a broad range of science and math fields. The award comes with $9,500 a year for two years of undergraduate study; a 10-week, full-time, paid summer internship at a NOAA facility in the United States; and funding for research presentation at two national scientific conferences. I get a lot of fulfillment from seeing things that come from my work in ways that benefit local communities and ecosystems, Chang says. I love being able to do research that has an applied outcome. Thats what drew me to the Hollings because whatever research I get to do, it will have an actual impact. If not whales, then salamanders Chang has made an impression at Emory in just two years, but his interest in ecology and biology began as a young child in Florida fascinated with whales. Without ready access to the ocean, Chang settled on investigating the lizards in his backyard to feed his curiosity. When his family moved to North Carolina and then Wisconsin, Changs gaze shifted to salamanders. As he learned more about cellular biology and climate change, his interest became concern about how the increased temperatures, humidity and pollution hurt the amphibians, many of which can breathe through their skin. Chang arrived at Emory when it was quieter than usual due to the ongoing pandemic, giving him the opportunity to roam over the Atlanta campus, including Lullwater Preserve, trying to understand the local environment. He approached John Wegner, a senior lecturer in environmental sciences, about potential breeding ponds where he could search for a spotted salamander. The nocturnal species, while common, can be difficult to find because of its dark skin. Wegner said he hadnt spotted one in years and suggested Chang survey campus for the species. Chang turned in a 60-page paper, a full survey of every species at Emory. No one had done that before. What really makes Nick special is that curiosity and being willing to talk to anybody to get the answers he values, Wegner says. It is amazing how much he is able to get done. Though he was quickly becoming known as Salamander Guy, wearing muddy boots and toting a bucket into different forests, Chang continued to expand his interests. Searching for the amphibians gave him repeated exposure to new plants, which he learned to identify on his own, and habitat degradation on campus. He merged that knowledge with a growing understanding of ecological theory from his courses. A role in the universitys forest management plan He put his knowledge to use on campus by joining the University Senate Committee on the Environment. He is conducting ecological assessments looking at invasive plants, storm water runoff, recreational trails and other systems that interact in an urban landscape to help draft a proposed revision of the universitys forest management plan. Though the plan focuses on big questions about university land use, Chang has taken time to focus on small details. He worked with students in the Emory Ecological Society he founded to coordinate DeKalb County contractors, the Amphibian Foundation and Campus Services to safely relocate salamander egg masses and protect breeding pools threatened by construction at Lullwater. When he cares about something, Nick acts and coordinates in a very sophisticated way to get things done, says Carolyn Keogh, a lecturer in environmental sciences who also serves as chair of the Senate Committee on the Environment. Nick is making this great stewardship happen in real time. Busy summers of study This summer, Chang will look at heavy metal contamination in metro Atlanta streams as a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) researcher. If he finds slag in the waterways, Chang hopes to then study whether the metals are accumulating in invasive river clams. He hopes to continue a similar sort of ecological assessment from a management perspective next summer, when he will work at a NOAA facility as a Hollings Scholar. Chang will learn about those internship opportunities next fall. He is open to conducting research on marine invertebrates or fish, especially in terms of environmental management. He does have one idea to at least ask about from his readings. There is a species of salamander found only in parts of California and Canadas Vancouver Island but not in between. Genetic evidence suggests the amphibians originated in California and somehow floated to the island, even though salt water would kill them through their sensitive skin. Understanding the species distribution would require extensive hands-on field research. Its the kind of mystery I find interesting, Chang says. Its their cryptic behavior that makes them so unnoticed and underappreciated. Kennesaw State researchers work to reduce threat of deadly disease to bats KENNESAW, Ga. (Jun 8, 2022) In November, knee-deep in chilly water, Kennesaw State University graduate students Makayla Ferrari and Jordyn Upton waded into a culvert underneath Interstate 75 near Forsyth, Ga., carrying paper bags, a step ladder and a flashlight. As traffic rumbled overhead, they stopped under a crack in the concrete ceiling and shined the light, pausing at the sight of a few small, furry bodies seemingly stuck in the tight space. There they are, Ferrari said, setting up the ladder. Ferrari climbed the ladder carefully, reached up into the crack and then gingerly extracted tricolored bats one by one with a gloved hand. She placed a bat into a protective sack and handed it to Upton, who noted each bat with a Sharpie marker on the outside of the bags. Steps away from the culvert with tools brought from the lab, they would weigh and measure each bat, take fur samples, evaluate the condition of their wings, and take a few other measurements as well. But their most important mission is to look at the bats exposed skin, primarily their muzzles, feet and wings for any trace of a white substance that has proven deadly for these nocturnal creatures. A killer in the caves Pseudogymnoascus destructans is the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS), a disease that has killed tens of millions of bats in the past decade. The fungus takes hold while the bats hibernate during the winter, killing them slowly. This is a continent-wide problem, Ferrari said. This work is important, and its amazing that our lab gets to be a part of finding a solution to this disease. Kennesaw States BioInnovation Laboratory stands at the forefront of research into WNS. Headed up by associate professor Chris Cornelison and postdoctoral researcher Kyle Gabriel and housed within the College of Science and Mathematics, the scientists focus primarily on the fungus and employ both graduate and undergraduate students in their efforts. While the labs portfolio also includes research into mushroom cultivation and additional emerging fungal pathogens, none of those has attracted the same level of attention and funding of the research into WNS, a problem Cornelison has described as catastrophic. They have partnerships with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The DNR holds permits allowing the researchers to conduct surveys at multiple sites around the state under their guidance. Since founding the lab in 2017, Cornelison and Gabriel have received nearly three-quarters of a million dollars in funding for their work on WNS. The most recent is a $90,000 grant from the Bats for the Future Fund that will go toward the construction of an artificial hibernaculum in Rabun County, Ga., to simulate the caves and culverts where bats hibernate, in order to better investigate the efficacy of the treatment methods theyve developed to mitigate the deadly fungus. Bats provide a number of ecological benefits. One of these is eating large amounts of insects, including many crop pests, Gabriel said. Thanks to bats, we can reduce the amount of toxic pesticides being applied to crops and the environment. Bats fill a unique niche and provide a significant economic and ecological benefit, not only to humans but also other wildlife. According to the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, agriculture is a $70 billion per year industry in the state. Additionally, a 2011 study published in Science Magazine estimated the value of bats to the U.S. agricultural industry to be between $3.7 billion and $5.3 billion per year, which accounts for the reduced cost of pesticides no longer needed due to the insects consumed by bats. A self-professed conservationist, Cornelison approaches the WNS problem from the viewpoint of conservation and acknowledging the importance of all species. Bats have inherent value to the ecosystem, he said. Kyle Gabriel and Chris Cornelison Organisms have value based on biodiversity, he said. The fact that they exist alone presents value worth maintaining those populations. Biodiversity is the most precious commodity on the planet. If there is a way that we can reduce human-mediated species loss with our expertise, it is incumbent upon us to do that. Thats my personal ethos. Gabriels expertise takes in many aspects of science, including engineering and invention, as evidenced by the building of the artificial hibernaculum. Cornelison and Gabriel developed chemical formulations to kill the fungus in the environment and on the bats while they hibernate. The formulation combines two commercially available liquids B23 and decanal that demonstrate significant inhibition of the WNS fungus while having low toxicity to mammals. Gabriel modified an industrial aerosolizer that can autonomously spray an extremely fine mist of the formulation in the hibernaculum without disturbing the bats. The aerosolizer is pulled slowly into the hibernaculum by an electric winch and pulley system attached to a small boat. Cornelisons lifelong love for wildlife led to his interest in bats, and his doctoral project helped him learn about the importance of bats to the ecosystem. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on the fungus that causes WNS and shortly thereafter received his first grant. He also worked as a postdoctoral researcher with the U.S. Forest Service, focusing on the mitigation of WNS. That doesnt make his job any easier, however. Its very difficult to work in conservation biology because everything is dying and things we try to save species sometimes dont work, he said. But I know why it matters, which makes me even more cognizant to it not working, so I focus even harder on finding solutions. Promising signs Gabriel said the data indicate their efforts might be working. From 2017 to 2022, the bat population at Black Diamond Tunnel in north Georgia roughly doubled to a population of 362 at the latest count in January. As with any aspect of science, the process is ongoing and will take years to claim success. Cornelison credits the efforts of his fellow researchers at Georgia DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and undergraduate and graduate students from throughout the College of Science and Mathematics, with advancing the study and providing a constant flow of new energy and perspectives toward solving the problem. Both Ferrari and Upton are in the Masters of Science in Integrative Biology program with theses focused on bat research. Ferraris thesis involves how various types of bat hibernacula affect susceptibility to WNS, while Uptons thesis involves research into the microbiomes found on bat wings. Upton presented at the National Council on Undergraduate Research hosted by KSU in 2018, where she met Cornelison for the first time and, after discussing her project and learning about the BioInnovation Lab, realized that she belonged in the lab and at Kennesaw State. I had mostly done genetic barcoding and population genetics work before, but I was slowly getting more excited by wildlife diseases, Upton said. Since the BioInnovation Lab had projects dedicated to studying white-nose syndrome, I figured it was a good fit and came to study under Dr. Cornelison. I never aimed to study bats for a career, but this is where research has taken me and I love it. At the culvert last fall, Ferrari and Upton worked with four researchers from Georgia DNR. That day, they processed 15 bats, finding no evidence of WNS. Both Ferrari and Upton held the tiny, flying mammals in their hands, examining them one last time before letting each go. Almost immediately, the bats flew back into the culvert, where they would spend the winter hibernating. Dave Shelles Photos by Jason Getz Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The universitys vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. OSU on the forefront of developing higher quality wheat Media Contact: Alisa Boswell-Gore | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-7115 | alisa.gore@okstate.edu Wheat harvest is underway in Oklahoma, and as an appropriate prelude, members of the OSU Wheat Improvement Team are working on stronger, higher quality wheat varieties. Oklahoma State University wheat genetics chair Brett Carver shared with wheat producers at the recent Lahoma Field Day that his team of OSU wheat researchers have been breeding wheat varieties with exceptionally high gluten quality, excellent yield and reliable disease resistance. With wheat, we can look at a lot of different quality factors, but the one that probably stands out the most is the gluten quality, Carver said. The better the gluten quality, the better we can make a loaf of bread. Thats not to discount yield. Were always going to be thinking about yield, but lets bring quality into the conversation. Higher gluten quality could mean more profitability for producers by increasing a wheat crops value, and when that trait is combined with high disease-resistance, producers could also see an increase in yields. These new lines were bred for the purpose of maximizing the strength of the gluten. To do this, we had to use genetics we had never used before with the hard red winter wheat class, Carver said of OSUs new line of wheat varieties with a Gallagher lineage. A variety currently called OK15MASBx7 ARS 8-29 was Carvers primary focus for the days presentation. It was created by cross breeding Gallagher and a Colorado State University variety called Snowmass. OSU agronomists have created this new caliber of Gallagher to use a specific naturally occurring gluten protein that does not exist in other OSU wheat varieties. When you put that particular gluten protein with the Gallagher background, now we have a super strong wheat, Carver said. It was not easy to do. It took 10 years to get here. It was not an overnight success, but I think weve got it in this 8-29 line. And the yield of this would be a little bit higher than Gallagher. The 8-29 variety would serve as an ingredient in bread rather than as a stand-alone crop because its gluten is incredibly strong. The 8-29 variety has a strength equivalent to or better than hard red spring varieties from the northern U.S. and Canada, and it averages 2 bushels more per acre than Gallagher. It is also more resistant to stripe rust than Gallagher. Adoption of the 8-29 variety would change what goes on the ingredient label for bread, Carver said. Vital wheat gluten is being added to bread to bolster the strength to allow for the modern-day, high-speed processing that occurs. We think we can do that naturally in our wheat varieties themselves. Carver said there is nothing wrong with additives in wheat bread, but are they really needed? Getting away from vital wheat gluten to rely on just the wheat itself would be a big boost to the wheat industry because additives are costly. We are evaluating with the industry just how much vital wheat gluten can be replaced in bread with this wheat, Carver said. Carver said the 8-29 variety could also replace dough conditioners that are added to breads. Theres value in that to the baking industry and to the farmer, Carver said. Now, the farmer can produce a lot of bushels of wheat, and there is quality in those bushels that cannot be found in any other bushel of winter wheat. Carver said OSU researchers have started experimenting with four other derivatives of 8-29 that also have a Gallagher background in hopes of creating an even better yield while maintaining the high quality. It just so happened that working with Gallagher not only gave us the agronomic strength, but it gave us the baking strength from certain gluten proteins we were targeting and introducing into that Gallagher background, Carver said. Carver said he expects OSU will release the new Gallagher wheat varieties over the next two years. This is kind of a monumental moment for us. I had no idea in 2012 when we started this cross-breeding program that this is where wed end up in a uniquely functional class of wheat, Carver said. I want to make sure that producers have something they can grow and capture value from, not only just in the baking industry but at the producer level as well. Were trying to figure it out as quickly as we can. OSU Agriculture Field Days are educational events presented by OSU Ag Research and Extension to share research-based information and resources with Oklahomans. Field days showcase current agricultural research and relevant best practices through presentations, tours, hands-on workshops and discussion at little or no cost. Dr. Sabit Ekin received a CAREER grant from DOE Media Contact: Kristi Wheeler | Manager, CEAT Marketing and Communications | 405-744-5831 | kristi.wheeler@okstate.edu Dr. Sabit Ekin, assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering The Office of Science within the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Dr. Sabit Ekin of Oklahoma State University to receive a prestigious research grant of $789,081 as part of departments Early Career Research Program. The DOE Office of Science selected 83 scientists from across the nation to receive significant funding for research. Fifty-six of the recipients are from universities and 27 are from national laboratories. Ekin was awarded for his project entitled Communication-Aware Networks Future Smart Facilities (CommAwareNet). This project aims to conduct fundamental research to design the CommAwareNet architecture for future smart facilities and environments that require unprecedented high-data-rate needs for massive numbers of the machine- and human-type users, Ekin said. The research grants cover salary and research expenses for five years. To my knowledge, this is the first and only award given to the wireless communication area in the history of the DOE's Early Career Research Program, Ekin said. It is a great honor and pleasure to be recognized by DOE with such a prestigious and competitive award. I have full confidence that this award will serve as a major milestone toward achieving my career objectives. Seven years ago, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) started an initiative in the area of the sixth generation (6G) wireless communication networks. As an example, these networks are envisioned to allow users to download full-length videos in a fraction of a second. Professor Ekin was the first assistant professor to be hired under this initiative, said Dr. Jeffrey Young, head of ECE. Over the past six years, he has managed several million dollars of research grants from premier federal agencies like NSF and NASA and now DOE. Ekins research focuses on designing and analyzing wireless communication systems for 5G, 6G and beyond technologies. This career project will develop foundations for energy-efficient, high-data-rate and reliable communication links for next-generation advanced wireless technologies. By awarding Professor Ekin the prestigious CAREER grant, the DOE is placing their imprimatur on Prof. Ekin as the emerging leader and expert in 6G, Young said. ECE is proud to support Dr. Ekins research aspirations and look forward to the many contributions he and his students will make in the coming years. Awardees were selected based on peer review by scientific experts. Selected research topics are aligned with DOEs eight major program offices. Supporting talented researchers early in their career is key to fostering scientific creativity and ingenuity within the national research community, said DOE Office of Science Director Asmeret Asefaw Berhe. Dedicating resources to these focused projects led by well-deserved investigators helps maintain and grow Americas scientific skill set for generations to come. DOE Awards $110 Million for Groundbreaking Resarch Read DOE's full article here! Story By: Bailey Sisk | basisk@okstate.edu Religare Enterprises Ltd's former Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Godhwani was arrested by the Delhi Police's Economic Offence Wing on Tuesday in a Rs 800 crore fraud case, a police official said. Godhwani was already under judicial custody pertaining to an earlier offence. "Yes we have arrested him (Godhwani)," Joint Commissioner of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Chhaya Sharma told IANS. In December last year, Religare's former CEO Krishnan Subramanian was arrested for siphoning off public money to the tune of Rs 2,397 crore. Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL) representative Manpreet Singh Suri had filed a complaint against former promoters Malvinder Singh, and Shivinder Singh, Godhwani and others holding key managerial posts, alleging that having absolute control over Religare Enterprises Ltd and its subsidiaries, these persons put RFL in poor financial condition by way of disbursing loans to companies having no financial standings. In view of the sufficient incriminating evidence on record, Malvinder and Shivinder Singh, along with three others holding key managerial positions in RFL, have already been arrested and charge-sheeted. Police officials privy to the probe say that these companies willfully defaulted in repayments and caused wrongful loss to RFL to the tune of Rs 2,397 crore. This was also pointed out and flagged during the independent audit by the RBI and the SEBI. --IANS uj/vd ( 227 Words) 2022-06-07-21:28:03 (IANS) Chandigarh/Mohali (Punjab) [India], June 8 (ANI/PNN): 'The Wellness City', an iconic environment-friendly project coming up on the Chandigarh-Patiala highway, near here held a plantation drive to commemorate 'World Environment Day'. Those who participated in the plantation drive included the developing company - Prime Land Promoters and Builders, PLPB's, Co-Chairmen - Sanjiv Kumar and Devraj Bansal and MDs' Sumit Singla and Lohit Bansal. The top management was accompanied by the entire team of PLPB. Saplings of medicinal as well as fruit trees were planted. These included - Lemon, Lemon Grass, Tulsi, Insulin, Har Shungar, Guava, Mango, Kinnow, Oxora, Hibiscus, Gulmohar, Kener, Amaltas etc. 'The Wellness City' is the first of its kind 'bioclimatic architecture' based project in the region. Bioclimatic architecture is an environment-friendly architecture based on providing maximum comfort to inhabitants while avoiding high consumption of resources, and it is all about 'being sustainable'. Sanjiv Kumar said, "In very simple terms, bioclimatic architecture is when we design with nature and not against nature. While the project will be spread over 90 acres, 10 acres of green belt will be created. Every fourth sapling we plant will be medicinal." Sumit Singla said, "If your house is well orientated with the sun and the wind, encouraging favored airflow and reducing unfavoured solar radiation, for human comfort, then you can open a window towards a well-shaded planted transitional space instead of using the AC when it gets hot. Most of the buildings in 'The Wellness City' will be properly positioned, oriented, and proportioned to create a favorable microclimate." Lohit Bansal said, "'The Wellness City' is being built by seeking inspiration from the five elements of life - water, earth, fire, air and the soul which is envisaged as an oasis of tranquillity and wellness. The project is being designed by top International architects and will be completed by 2023." Besides other key features, 'The Wellness City' will house a sprawling 25-acre 'Art of Living' Ashram, which is coming up in association with the 'Art of Living Foundation'. This will have a meditation hall, Ayurveda College, Ayurveda Hospital, Panchkarma Centre etc. Recently the renowned founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, also visited 'The Wellness City' to conduct a Mahasatsang. This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Abu Dhabi [UAE], June 8 (ANI/GPRC): 22nd IIFA Awards 2022 was a starry affair enhanced with leading Bollywood personalities. The green carpet walk showed the actors walking in their perspective fashion designers dress. Making her mark in the industry was Neha Shastri who made a stylish appearance on the green carpet wearing Russian designer Erinakuznetsova. The International Indian Film Academy awards, also popularly known as IIFA held in Abu Dhabi this year during the first week of June. The event started on 3rd June with IIFA Rocks events followed by Main Awards held on 4th June. The event was star glazed with personalities like Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Urvashi Rautela, Nora Fatehi, Kriti Sanon, and Vicky Kaushal and many more. Neha Shastri is an Indian model based in Dubai who has been making quite the headlines over the past few years and stunned the IIFA awards 2022 green carpet with some seriously impressive looks. Talking about the grand event, Neha Shastri said "It is a dream come true for a fan like me who has been following IIFA awards since my childhood days. It is an experience of a lifetime to be a part of IIFA Awards and share space with top renowned Bollywood personalities. It was like a wonderland with beautiful theme and beautiful people, indeed purely magical moment to attend the ceremony in Abu Dhabi." Fans from all around the world gather under one roof to see their favourite actors walk the green carpet. Neha left her fans amazed by wearing chic golden brown evening dress with a flowing train at the back. She was wearing beautiful dress from Dubai, designed by famous Russian designer Erinakuznetsova. Her dazzling video over social media has grabbed the attention of the netizens as she looked ravishing at the event. Neha rose to fame as soon as she started her modeling career. She started with winning the fresh face of the year award from the fashion Designing council of India; she got the opportunity to be a part of many photoshoots. Well, this is not the first time she walked over the fame carpet before she was also invited to the Milano film fare festival wherein, she was nominated for the best fashion influencer. The 22nd IIFA Awards made a mark as a comeback award show trending at the top, after the pandemic hit the world. This story is provided by GPRC. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GPRC) New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI/NewsVoir): The small island country of Dominica is emerging as the most popular destination for eco-tourism. The sustainable eco-lodges, resorts and villas are attracting tourists from around the world seeking an escape in the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean". Officially known as the Commonwealth of Dominica, the country has been flourishing in the eco-tourism industry by offering luxurious yet sustainable accommodations. The island has been offering world-class experiences to its tourist with minimal impact on the environment. Dominica is one of the world's must-visit travel destinations. The Caribbean island boasts breath-taking hiking trails, romantic secluded bays, and renowned diving. In this busy world full of chaos, Dominica offers a peaceful environment and natural assets such as waterfalls, more than 365 rivers, the world's second-largest boiling lake, a freshwater lake and so much more than a person cannot get a hold of in a single trip. It is a haven for people looking for a gateway from their hectic lives. Dominica is paying keen attention to building sustainable resorts and villas. When eco-tourism is concerned, Dominica is the leader in the region. It has been making exceptional efforts to preserve its natural habitats and wildlife. Dominica is also known for promoting sustainable tourism, through which the government has been promoting the practice of responsible tourism. Under the practice of responsible tourism, the government is raising awareness among the tourists to protect the natural assets while enjoying their stay in the unspoiled beauty. The government has been working relentlessly to attract tourists and striving to become the most popular destination, among eco-tourists in the world. Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit vowed to rebuild the country as the "World's first climate-resilient nation". Despite its small size, Dominica has big dreams and endeavours to become the world's first climate-resilient nation by building resilient infrastructure such as homes, hospitals, health centres, roads, and schools to name a few. The Commonwealth of Dominica has been developing the country with an eye on nature and the environment. A traveller can have an ultra-luxurious experience by staying at one of the most popular resorts such as Secret Bay, Jungle Bay, Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski and others. These resorts have been making all attempts to promote eco-tourism and sustainable tourism. The beautiful eco-lodges, built with local wood and great refinement, provide an experience of total harmony with nature. Secret Bay is popular for providing sustainable, luxurious lodgings to its tourists. It is known as the Caribbean's one-of-its-kind for offering a 'close to jungle experience'. It is also famous as one of the best hotels in the vanguard of sustainability and encompasses the essence of Caribbean luxury, where guests can enjoy the panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea. Jungle Bay is a nature-inspired luxury escape; Jungle Bay Resort & Spa brims with pure cliff-side beauty, connecting each guest to the soul of Dominica. Dominica is an ideal country for those who want to commune with nature and discover themselves; the Caribbean nature resort offers a dynamic collection of adventure, spa pampering, wellness, yoga, gourmet cuisine, local culture, and history. "Countries around the world are making an effort to reduce global warming. Dominica, in particular, must be commended for making meaningful headway in becoming a climate-resilient nation, Visitors to the nation will most definitely feel how the country is implementing environmentally friendly ways throughout," comments Micha Emmett, CEO at the world's leading government and marketing advisory firm CS Global Partners. The government is encouraging eco-tourism and developing eco-resorts with the funds generated through the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI) of Dominica. The programme has been recognized as World's No. 1 for five consecutive years by Financial Times' PWM magazine in the CBI Index. It was launched in 1993 and is known as one of the fastest, longest-running and most secure CBI programmes. Interested candidates can apply for the alternative citizenship of Dominica by investing through two investment options - Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) and Real Estate. Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) - The government introduced the Economic Diversification Fund to provide financial aid for the development of the country. EDF can be used to fund sectors like education, healthcare as well as infrastructure. Real Estate - The applicant may invest in government-approved real estate, including hotels, spas, and villas. An investor can invest in eco-resorts and lodges to apply for alternative citizenship. Dominica is known as the Nature Island of the Caribbean because of its unspoiled beauty. The Caribbean country is on the list of travel enthusiasts because of the world's second-largest hot spring, called Boiling Lake. The island country has lush mountainous rainforests, and it is the home of many rare plants, animals, and bird species. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Surat (Gujarat) [India], June 8 (ANI/PNN): It is praiseworthy to mention that more than 500 students got A1 grades and more than 830 students got A2 grades by studying online throughout the year with the Vidyakul application and made a new history in the whole of Gujarat. The result of standard 10 of March 2022 was announced yesterday, in which many students of the online education platform Youth Vidyakul got 95 per cent & above. By studying online with the Vidyakul application throughout the year, more than 500 students got A1 grades, and more than 830 students got A2 grades, creating a new history in Gujarat. Whether it is a city or a remote village in Gujarat where getting a good education is concerned, Youth Vidyakul is a dream. More than 6 lakh students from Std. 9 to 12 are getting free education through YouTube, and parents of these children are pretty happy to realize their children's dreams for a bright future. The team of Vidyakul feel it is a privilege to start this small endeavour to provide home education to all the children of Gujarat, today reaching home like a huge banyan tree and educating millions of students. Tarun Saini, CEO of Vidyakul and Rajneeshbhai Kheni and Bhavinbhai Dudhat, state directors of Vidyakul Gujarat, have been working continuously since the year 2019 to spread their efforts toward the children of remote villages of Gujarat. Tarun Saini says, "As the historic result of this year, we are determined to get A1 grade for 2000 students in Gujarat in 2022-23. And by going to Playstore and downloading the Vidyakul application, you can get basic education of standard 9 to 12 for free." For more information, visit http://www.vidyakul.com/ This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Davos [Switzerland], June 8 (ANI/Mediawire): The Maharashtra delegation has had a successful visit to Davos at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022. The state signed over INR 80,000 cr (USD 10.5 Billion) in investment intentions with 24 companies and 3 MoUs of strategic cooperation. Renew Power will invest an astonishing INR 50,000 Cr (USD 6 bn) in Renewable Power generation of 10-12 GW in the state, while Asia Pulp and Paper, an Indonesian firm, will be investing INR 10,500 Cr (USD 1.5 Bn) in Raigad district. In the total 10 editions of Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0, under the leadership of Hon. Chief Minister, Shri Uddhav Thackeray, there have been 122 MoUs signed, totalling INR 2.2 lac crore, potentially generating 4 lac job opportunities in the state. In the previous 9 editions, 98 MoUs were signed in the last 2 years, which are now at various stages of implementation. This is a testament to the state's commitment towards industrial development. Additionally, in last two years from October 2019 to December 2021, Maharashtra received 26 per cent of total FDI, which was the highest in India. Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Aaditya Thackeray, Minister of Industries Subhash Desai and Minister of Energy, Dr Nitin Raut, ACS to Chief Minister Ashish Kumar Singh, ACS Industries Baldev Singh, MD of MSEDCL, Vijay Singhal, CEO of MIDC Dr P. Anbalagan and Jt CEO MIDC, PD Malikner were present during the ceremony along withfrom the signing companies. The Maharashtra delegation inaugurated the Maharashtra Pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos on May 22, 2022. On the subsequent days, the delegation held and participated in several bilateral meetings, discussions, and forums with Global business and political leaders, and experts representing the different sectors. The delegation, on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra, promoted Maharashtra as an ideal investment destination by detailing the business and growth opportunities in the state, while also sharing the state's vision on youth and technology-led development, and the state's core objectives on green, renewable and sustainability-focused development. The Minister of Environment, Aaditya Thackeray was invited to receptions hosted by META (Facebook), Google and Prime Minister of Belgium, Alexader de Croo. Maharashtra was represented on a global stage as an ideal investment and tourism destination and the state's commitment towards sustainability was reaffirmed. The state also signed an MoU with the Global Plastic Action Partnership ("GPAP")and initiated the Maharashtra Plastic Action Partnership (Maharashtra PAP), which will serve as a roadmap for sustainable development in the state. Maharashtra was the first state to ban single-use plastic in 2018 and has been at the forefront in sustainable development with aggressive policies and action plans to balance development and climate change. Earlier this year, Maharashtra was the first state to be awarded the prestigious Inspiring Leadership Award at the COP26 summit held at Glasgow. Additionally, the State Government signed an MoU with Byju's for introducing digital content in the state and municipal schools in Maharashtra. Furthermore, the state also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with World Green Building Council for knowledge sharing and helping the state achieve its net zero-emission targets and for the capacity building of state authorities in Environmental Sustainability Governance. This story is provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Mediawire) New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI/SRV): A 70-year-old citizen who underwent a critical neurosurgery today felicitated the team of doctors and neurosurgeons who conducted the surgery at a special function organised by United Hospital on 7th June 2022 at Jayanagar on World Brain Tumour Day. Hospital Founder Dr Vikram Siddareddy, Executive Director Dr Shanthakumar Muruda, Lead Urologist Dr Rajeev Bashetty, Senior Neurosurgeon Dr Ashis Kumar Chand, Senior Physician Dr Raghavendra Prakash were present on the occasion. World Brain Tumour Day is observed on June 8 to raise awareness about the increased prevalence and incidence of brain tumours, its treatment modalities and good recovery rates. It is also in solidarity with people living with brain tumours and their families globally. This theme for 2022 is "Together we are stronger." "A state-of-the-art Brain Tumour surgical facility is established at United Hospital in Jayanagar. High-end modular operation theatres that reduce surgical infections and increase efficiency are set up. Equipment made available includes dedicated operating neuro microscope and operating table imported from abroad. Using these facilities,and his immense expertise, a skilled neurosurgeon at United Hospital, Jayanagar, saved the life of a 70-year-old patient recently by undertaking a very complex surgery, a brain tumour excision. The very next day after the critical surgery, the patient walked on his own without any support", Dr Vikram Siddareddy, general surgeon, and Chairman and Managing Director, United Hospital said. He said, "Brain tumour diagnosis creates panic and fear among people who feel that life is over. However, there is no need to fear if you are getting treatment with the invention of new therapies. The 70-year-old patient had developed a deep-seated malignant tumour. It is a difficult surgery and even the smallest of errors can be detrimental to a person's life if they damage any adjacent brain area. Our team of skilled neurosurgery doctors managed to perform the 4-hour critical surgery to remove the tumour. That patient recovered well after surgery. He congratulated our team today and said he was very happy." Dr Shanthkumar Muruda, Executive Director of the hospital said'' such events where patients congratulate their doctors are very rewarding and encouraging for us doctors." He said in the case of the above patient the emergency nature of tumor required the surgery to be done on a Sunday. Our pathology services could organise intra-operative diagnosis, that too on a holiday to facilitate the surgical plan. He also explained about another patient who came to the physician with symptoms and a recommendation for surgery from earlier evaluations. With a multidisciplinary approach he was diagnosed with an unusual type of brain tumour which responds to medical management. It was decided to withhold surgery as it was deemed to be not essential. Medical management was started and as of today patient is doing well. Our hospital advises surgery only on inevitable occasions. In some cases, the tumour is effectively controlled by targeted non surgical therapy using a multidisciplinary approach. The patient, who has not had such a surgery, is happy today, he said. We are not focused on commercial aspects and we do what is in the patients best interest. He said extensive damage can be avoided by early detection of any disease. Treating the symptoms of the disease with care can avoid surgery. Dr Muruda said that the Hospital has received the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Labs (NABL) and National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) certificates within a year. Dr Rajeev Bashetty, Lead Urologist Dr Ashis Kumar Chand Senior Neurosurgeon Dr Raghavendra Prakash Senior Physician & other neurosciences consultants United Hospital, Jayanagar were present at the event. This story is provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/SRV) In order to further strengthen the economic relations, India and Nepal are working on three key areas - trade facilitation, deepening energy cooperation, and cross border connectivity, Anurag Srivastava, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs, said. Addressing the India-Nepal Partnership Summit 2022 organised jointly by the Embassy of Nepal in India, India-Nepal Centre (INC) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Srivastava said India and Nepal were keen to further deepen their economic engagement. "India is Nepal's largest trade partner and the largest source of FDI, besides majorly providing transit for third-country trade of Nepal," he said. "Nepal becomes the 4th country to use the RuPay card after UAE, Bhutan and Singapore and the ways are being explored to further support financial connectivity. Also, it is vital to note the progress with the projects like railways (Jayanagar-Bardibas), Terai roads, Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), post-earthquake reconstructions," said Srivastava. "Civilizational links and geographical links are the key elements which can help to energize and reinvent the bilateral relations between India and Nepal," Addressing the summit, K V Rajan, Chairman, India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI & India's Former Ambassador to Nepal, said, "Civilisational links and geographical links are the key elements which can help to energise and reinvent the bilateral relations between India and Nepal." "Tourism is the mainstay of the Nepal economy and religious tourism is one of the key contributors to the Nepalese tourism industry. The relationship between the two countries is very strong but this is the time when we have to think about accommodating the aspirations with changing times and further strengthen it. Our relationship should be nurtured," said Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India. In April 2022, Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited India which generated various opportunities for both the countries and built mutual interests including for infrastructure development and economic partnership, trade, health and power, said Ram Prasad Subedi, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Nepal in India. "For post-pandemic economic rebounding in both countries, a positive environment that is created with the Prime Minister's visits from both sides in recent times will be utmost crucial," Subedi said. "Nepal has already begun exporting 177 MW of energy to India via the power exchange market. The tourism sector of India plays a significant role in the economic multiplier and becomes critical since India has to grow at rapid rates and create employment opportunities for its fellow citizens," he added. "Nepal is facing the challenges with financial liquidity and balance of payment, SBI (through NSBL) is doing its best to support the industry to overcome them. On the other hand, it is also true that SBI's most profitable business outside India is in Nepal and that broadly reflects the bright possibilities Nepal's market offers," Anukool Bhatnagar, Chief General Manager and Head-Nepal Desk, SBI. He added, "SBI is deeply committed to backward-forward linkages, smooth financial transactions, banking safety, financial inclusion and sustainable development goals. With the Arun-III power project and many others, SBI has been contributing to Nepal's development and India-Nepal relations at large." (ANI) Kartik is quite active on social media; he keeps his fans and followers updated with his personal and professional lives. Rooh Baba a.k.a Kartik Aaryan always entertains his fans with quirky captions and posts. Even when he is home in quarantine, the actor never misses a chance to engage with his fans. Recently, when the actor shared his selfie, fans reacted and wish him a speedy recovery from Covid. Alongside the post, Kartik added a quirky caption with an important Covid message for his fans. In the selfie, Kartik was seen dressing in a classic black shirt while doing the 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' signature hand gesture. He wrote, "Rooh baba ki taraf se goodnight. Also Mask Up guys" The fans and followers dropped their love and wishes for 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' on his Instagram post. Director- choreographer Bosco Martis, dropped a comment over Kartik's post. He wrote, "Be negative soon" Another comment by choreographer, Piyush Bhagat reacted to Kartik's post and wrote, "Once you get negative then we can jam a session on Mask off by future nice track tho". His fans also reacted, one fan wrote,"Looking dashing sir !! Just like #roohbaba. I hope you get well soon." Another user wrote, "Good night rooh baba ji". Kartik Aaryan, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, informed his fans about this news through a post on his Instagram handle. Due to Covid, the actor was unable to attend the 22nd edition of the IIFA Awards in Abu Dhabi. The 'Luka Chuppi' actor since his acting debut in Bollywood in 2011 with Pyaar Ka Punchnama, directed by Luv Ranjan. Then followed by his entertaining films from Aakash Vani to his latest 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' making his mark in Bollywood. (ANI) Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut slams Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker over the ongoing #BoycottQatarAirways controversy on Instagram. Kangana on Wednesday shared screenshots of the viral video of Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al Baker's interview, where he is seen mocking an Indian guy Vashudev for starting the '#BycottQatarAirways' trend on Twitter after Qatar stood against India for the ongoing Nupur Sharma controversy. "This idiot of a man has no shame bullying a poor man mocking his insignificance and the place in the world...Vasudev may be poor and insignificant for a rich man like you but he has the right to express his grief, pain and disappointment in whatever context it may be...remember there is a world beyond this world where we all are equal..." Kangana wrote on her Instagram story sharing Akbar al Baker's still from the interview. Not just that, many Indians are also in support of Baker's condemning statement for Vashudev. Kangana in another story slammed Al Baker's Indian supporters calling them 'Bojh on this country'. "All so called Indians who are cheering for this bully for making fun of a poor man remember this is exactly why you all are a big bojh on this overpopulated country," she wrote on her Instagram story. Kangana deleted both stories within 2 hours. A spoof video of Akbar Al Baker's recent interview with Aljazeera is getting viral over social media in which he mocked Indian Guy Vashudev for spreading '#BycottQatarAirways' with the wrong spelling trend on Twitter. " Vashudev is our biggest shareholder with a total investment of 634 rupees and 50 paise. And we don't know how to operate anymore and we have grounded all the flights... we are requesting Vashudev to take this call for boycott back" Baker said in the Interview. Vashudev while sharing his video wrote 'bycott' due to which he suffered a lot of backlash from Baker's Indian supporters. "This is a special kind of boycott because it is b-y-c-o-t-t. Vashudev Habibi, we are willing to give you one whole plane to make your TikTok videos or maybe we can give you two litres of petrol free," Baker added to his statement. Meanwhile, on the work front, Kangana was recently seen in the film 'Dhaakad' and now she has 'Tejas' and 'Emergency' in her pipeline. (ANI) The 25-year-old actor, who is shooting for her upcoming film 'Bawaal' alongside Varun Dhawan in Berlin, never fails to share the details with her fans about her Paris trip. The fun pictures and videos of Janhvi and Varun Dhawan from Paris are trending over social media platforms. Janhvi looks stunning as she poses wearing a white high-thigh slit floral dress with spaghetti style straps. She also shared a couple of pictures of herself posing in front of street art in Berlin. In another picture, Janhvi could be seen standing beside her co-star Varun. She captioned her pictures, "hallo Berlin!". The 'Dhadak' actor, looks adorable while smiling in her sunkissed pictures. As soon as Janhvi posted the pictures, her friends and fans dropped comments on her post. Fashion designer Manish Malhotra and, Shanaya Kapoor among others reacted to her pictures. Her close friend, debutant Shanaya Kapoor, dropped a quirky comment, she wrote, "I'm stealing this dress". Helmed by Nitesh Tiwari, 'Bawaal' is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The drama film is scheduled to hit the big screens on April 7, 2023. (ANI) Actor Boman Irani is all set to make his digital debut with 'Masoom'. On Wednesday, Boman took to Instagram and unveiled a trailer of the show which is directed by Mihir Desai and helmed by Gurmmeet Singh as the showrunner. The project is an Indian rendition of the award-winning Irish series Blood. Touted as a thriller, Masoom is set in Punjab and sees Boman as a mysterious father who looks like he has a murky past. The trailer shows 21-year-old Sana Kapoor (Samara Tijori) instantly deciding to drive down to her estranged family after she received news of her bedridden mother's mysterious death. However, on her arrival, uneasiness greets her as her father, brother, and extended family seem to hide secrets that fuel her suspicions. Once his most loved child, Sana and her father now seem to hold a love-hate relationship as he demands she leave the house as soon as the rituals are over to stop her from digging up dirt in the family. Talking about his character, Boman said, "I made my long-awaited digital debut with Masoom on Disney+ Hotstar, who has been creating some of my favourite series this year. The series is a window that opens a new world for me and helps me reach a wider audience. Playing the father to my reel life daughter Samara was quite challenging as it was intense and gritty. It has been fascinating acting alongside fresh talent like Samara and the extremely talented crew. I had the pleasure of seeing a young actor chisel her art and, in a way, it helped me grow too." Samara Tijori, too, shared more details about her character. "In Masoom, I play a young girl who is on a quest to uncover the truth when everyone around her wishes to leave it buried. Getting to play this role with a veteran actor like Boman Irani as my on-screen father was a great learning experience. As a whole, working with a cast and crew that had so much experience, I grew as a performer and a person. I really hope audiences enjoy the thrill and rush that the story will take you through," she said. Director Mihir Desai said, "A daughter's hunt to know the truth when her whole family tries to conceal it is where the story of Masoom begins. Her mother's untimely death becomes a catalyst in unravelling the secrets of the family. I am happy to have worked with Boman Irani and Samara Tijori, who portray a poignant father-daughter relationship." 'Masoom' will be out on Disney+ Hotstar on June 17. (ANI) India has seen sudden rise in the Covid cases following spike in two states -- Maharashtra and Kerala in the last few days. The national Covid tally crossed 4,000-mark after nearly 3 months. India recorded 4,270 Covid cases on Sunday and the tally rose to 4,518 cases on Monday. However, the cases marginally declined to 3,714 on Tuesday. In the last 24 hours, total 1,194 more active Covid cases have been reported and the total number of active cases stands at 26,974 in the country. With the new rising cases, the Covid positivity rate has also jumped to 1.21 per cent in the country. The maximum number of cases has been reported from three states - Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi. In the last 24 hours, 1,383 cases have been reported in Kerala, 1,036 in Maharashtra and 247 in Delhi. In total, over 70 per cent of the total Covid infections have been reported from these three states only. However, the infections appear to be mild, so hospitalisation and fatalities are low. Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Co-Chairman National IMA COVID task force, said that the rise of cases in two states of Maharashtra and Kerala can be attributed to the environmental factors along with others. "To reach new hosts, the virus needs to hitch a ride from one person to another. Droplets are the vehicles used by the SARS-CoV2 virus for this purpose. Essentially these are like drops of fluid, only smaller and lighter. It is an established fact that respiratory viruses spread more during the monsoon season in tropical countries", he told IANS. This is due to more efficient droplet-based transmission occurring between people during wet humid conditions, said Dr Jayadevan. The other contributing factors in the rise of cases may be the Omicron sub-variants, he said. "Free mobility along with carefree attitude about Covid Appropriate Behaviour are the contributing factors for the rise", he told IANS. Raising concern over slight spike in Covid-19 cases in some states, the Centre on Friday also wrote to Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala to continue monitoring the spread of the infection. "A sustained and significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases has been observed in India over the past 3 months. However, from past 1 week, a slight upsurge in cases is being noticed with 15,708 cases reported in week ending May 27, 2022 rising to 21,055 cases reported in week ending June 3, 2022", health ministry had said in the letter. "Covid cases are definitely increasing with Delhi's positivity going up to 3.47 per cent but the important part is most of these cases are mild, there is hardly any hospitalization and no mortality. This is not unexpected after the escalation of cases in Maharashtra in the last fortnight", said Dr Neetu Jain, Senior Pulmologist. She added that there is a very good recovery rate with most of the patients experiencing short duration fever. All we need to follow is the Covid Appropriate Behaviour. --IANS avr/skp/ ( 509 Words) 2022-06-07-21:06:06 (IANS) Here is some welcome news for the developing countries, which don't have cold storage facilities (minus 70-degree C) to store vaccines such as Pfizers. "Studies are apace on now Phase 3 clinical trials for two novel Covid-19 vaccine platforms," said CBS news in a special dispatch. The studies have been published in the 'New England Journal of Medicine' showing promise of results for two novel Covid-19 vaccine platforms -- a plant-based coronavirus-like particle vaccine, and a receptor-binding domain (RBD)-dimer-based vaccine. The most significant feature of the new vaccines is that neither of them require extreme cold chain storage, which makes them appealing candidates for low and middle-income countries, a key component of global Covid-19 vaccination efforts. Vaccines Perform Well Despite Variants The first vaccine is a plant-based particle vaccine developed by Medicago/GSK, which was tested on participants in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States as early as March 15 to September 2, 2021, CBS said. The vaccine, CoVLP, was administered to candidates in two doses within a frequency of 21 days and the results were compared to placebo. The study continued until at least 160 Covid-19 cases were detected in participants at least seven days following the second dose of vaccine. A total of 24,141 volunteers participated in the trial. Vaccine efficacy was claimed to be 69.5 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval [CI], 56.7 per cent to 78.8 per cent) against any symptomatic Covid-19 caused by five variants that were identified by sequencing, the study found. The results were even stronger for efficacy against moderate-to-severe disease, at 78.8 per cent (95 per cent CI, 55.8 per cent to 90.8 per cent). No severe cases or deaths were recorded in the vaccine group. The vaccine group had more adverse effects, but none were severe, the study reported. "CoVLP+AS03, like all currently deployed vaccines, was designed to target the original viral strain, but no case caused by this strain was identified," the study said, adding, "The context in which vaccines are currently being tested has clearly changed since early in the pandemic." The performance of CoVLP is similar to the current vaccines in use against the current strains. Meaning they are effective against the Alpha, Delta and Kappa variants. The second vaccine, ZF2001, was tested at 31 clinical sites in Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Ecuador, and later in China. The vaccine made by Anhui Zhifei Longcom of China was given to participants in a randomised manner of three doses within 30 days of each one. Only 158 of 12,625 participants in the ZF2001 group contracted Covid-19 during the trial, compared to 580 of 12,568 participants in the placebo group. Vaccine efficacy against infection was 75.7 per cent (95 per cent CI, 71 per cent to 79.8 per cent) and 87.6 per cent (95 per cent CI, 70.6 per cent to 95.7 per cent) against severe to critical disease. Two participants in the vaccine group, and 12 in the placebo group, died of Covid-19, resulting in 86.5 per cent (95 per cent CI, 38.9 per cent to 98.5 per cent) efficacy rate against death, said the study. A Genotype sampling from Covid-19 cases in the study showed that Delta, Alpha and B.1.617.3 variants were the primary ones. The vaccine efficacy was 76.1 per cent (95 per cent CI, 70 per cent to 81.2 per cent) against Delta, 88.3 per cent (95 per cent CI, 66.8 per cent to 97 per cent) against Alpha, and 75.2 per cent (95 per cent CI, 55.3 per cent to 87 per cent) against Kappa. "The high cross-protection conferred by ZF2001 (an antigen based on the Wuhan-Hu-1 sequence) against different SARS-CoV-2 variants is encouraging," the study said. Multiple Vaccine Platforms Need of the Hour Interestingly, neither trial assessed how well the vaccines performed against asymptomatic infections, because both had very few participants over the age of 60. But in an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, Hanna Nohynek, MD, PhD, and Annelies Wilder-Smith, MD, PhD, claim that the results in the trials are encouraging. At present, 31 Covid-19 vaccines are in wide use since conditional approval by national regulatory authorities or under the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing, and, take a breath, more than 300 are currently in development. The most popular Covid-19 vaccines used in India are Covishield, supplied by the Serum Institute of India (Pune) and developed under licence from the Oxford vaccine initiated by AstraZeneca, and Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech, a home-grown company. India launched the world's largest vaccination campaign and close to 400 million have been targeted for inoculation with 18-year olds also being added to the list. Unlike last year (2020-21) when demand outstripped supply, global vaccine supply is now meeting the growing demand. Yet, the emergence of variants that can evade vaccine protection supports a broad range of Covid-19 vaccine platforms, the study claimed. Mix-and-match strategies may prove to be useful in future booster campaigns. And vaccines that don't require specialised cold-chain storage may prove useful in limited-resource settings. "We should remain agile in fine-tuning the best use of Covid-19 vaccines for the greatest effect on global public health by acknowledging trade-offs," the authors Hanna and Wilder Smith said in their report in the journal. "With more vaccine platforms available, we can possibly improve decision making regarding the selection of a vaccine, since different vaccine platforms may be more suitable for certain age groups, certain subpopulations (e.g., those with underlying immune-compromising or other medical conditions), and pregnant women," they added. As Covid-19 cases began to accelerate again this spring, federal data surprisingly suggests the rate of breakthrough Covid infections in April was worse in boosted Americans compared to unboosted Americans -- though rates of deaths and hospitalisations remained the lowest among the boosted. This does not mean unnecessarily that the booster shots are somehow increasing the risk. Ongoing studies continue to provide strong evidence of additional protection offered by booster shots against infection, severe disease, and death. Instead, the shift underscores the growing complexity of measuring vaccine effectiveness at this stage of the pandemic. It comes as officials are weighing key decisions on booster shots and pandemic surveillance, including whether to continue using the "crude case rates" at all. It also serves to illustrate a tricky reality facing the health authorities amid the latest Covid-19 wave: Even many boosted Americans are vulnerable to catching and spreading the virus, at a time when officials are wary of reimposing pandemic measures like mask requirements, said the CBS report even as more and more Americans have discarded wearing the masks in public places such as shopping malls, theaters etc. "During the Omicron wave, we saw an increased number of mild infections -- at-home type of infections, the inconvenience, having a cold, being off work, not great but not the end of the world. And that's because these Omicron variants were able to break through antibody protection and cause these mild infections," John Moore, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Weill Cornell Medical College, was quoted by the CBS News as saying. "So, one of the dynamics here is that people feel, after vaccination and boosting, that they're more protected than they actually are, so they increase their risks. That, I think, is the major driver of these statistics," he said. On the CDC's (Center for Disease Control) dashboard, which is updated monthly, the agency acknowledges several "factors likely affect crude case rates by vaccination and booster dose status, making interpretation of recent trends difficult". The CDC had rolled out the page several months ago, amid demands for better federal tracking of breakthrough cases. It has now grown to encompass data from immunisation records and positive Covid-19 tests from 30 health departments across the US. For the week of April 23, it said the rate of Covid-19 infections among boosted Americans was 119 cases per 100,000 people. That was more than double the rate of infections in those who were vaccinated but unboosted, but a fraction of the levels among unvaccinated Americans. That could be because there is a "higher prevalence of previous infection" right now among those who are unvaccinated and unboosted, the CDC said. More boosted Americans may now have abandoned "prevention behaviours" like wearing masks, leading to an uptick. Some boosted Americans might be more likely to seek out a lab test for Covid-19, as opposed to relying on over-the-counter rapid tests that go largely unreported to health authorities. "Home testing has become, I think, the single biggest concern in developed countries that can interfere with our measurements," CDC's Ruth Link-Gelles told a conference hosted by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases last month. "Moving beyond this crisis, I do think the future is in random sampling. And that's an area that we're looking at closely," Caitlin Rivers, a top official in the agency's disease forecasting team, told an event hosted by the National Academies last week. Meanwhile, federal officials are also preparing for key decisions on future Covid-19 vaccine shots, which might up the odds that additional shots might be able to fend off infections from the latest variants. In the short term, CDC Director Rochelle Walenski recently told reporters that her agency was in talks with the Food and Drug Administration about extending the option for second boosters to more adults. --IANS arm/ ( 1568 Words) 2022-06-07-22:02:02 (IANS) After the controversy following the suggestion of the replacement of long-established Hippocratic Oath by Charak Shapath in medical colleges, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has released draft regulations for the professional conduct of doctors which includes none of that. Instead, the apex medical body NMC has said in the new Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Misconduct) Regulations 2022 that the medical professionals in the country need to take the Declaration of Geneva 2017 called 'The Physician's Pledge'. The suggestion from NMC to replace the Hippocratic Oath with the Charak Shapath months back had sparked severe criticism from the medical fraternity. The Physician's Pledge is a part of the World Medical Association Declaration of Geneva which was adopted by the Second General Assembly of WMA in September 1948. The NMC draft regulations, released on May 23, mention this Physician's Pledge as an inclusion at the end of its 14-point code of ethics. The Pledge reads, "as a member of the medical profession, I solemnly Pledge to dedicate my life to the service of humanity". The Physician's Pledge has 14 more points. The NMC has posted the draft Registered Medical Practitioners (Professional Conduct) Regulations 2022 for comments from the public, experts and stakeholders. --IANS avr/pgh ( 214 Words) 2022-06-07-23:06:03 (IANS) When 107-year-old Jamnaben (name changed) suffered a heart attack, her family was determined to bring her to Ahmedabad. They undertook an eight-hour long road journey from their native village in Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh and brought her to the Marengo CIMS Hospital where her angiography showed a severe 99 per cent blockage of the arteries. A frail Jamnaben presented a significant challenge in conducting angioplasty to restore the normal functioning of her heart. But the doctors surmounted the challenge and treated this very elderly patient. The team was headed by Keyur Parikh, interventional cardiologist and chairman of the hospital, who was assisted by Chintan Sheth, cardiac anaesthesiologist. In the case of Jamnaben, the challenges were beyond age. The radial interventional procedure needed the patient to be healthy enough for the doctors to find a radial artery in the wrist. Parikh said, "Age should never be a limitation to healthcare delivery. The average longevity in India is increasing and is almost at par with Japan and Norway positioned at 74 years and 81 years, respectively (in women). With the changing face of healthcare system, our goal is to deliver healthcare to our geriatric patients just like we do to the younger patients." The family expressed gratitude, saying: "We want our great-grandmother to live many more years. Since the day our grandfather was treated at this hospital for the same procedure, we were sure that our great-grandmother will also recover fast." According to studies, about 40-50 million people in India suffer from Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) and nearly 15-20 per cent deaths are caused by IHD -- a condition when the arteries are narrowed and less blood and oxygen reach the heart, rendering it weak. This ultimately results in heart attack. --IANS asmita/kvd/arm ( 302 Words) 2022-06-07-23:08:02 (IANS) Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Vichitra Veer said in the first operation the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Crime Branch arrested a criminal identified as Akash (28), who was absconding in a robbery case registered at the Vijay Vihar police station. According to the police official, a team was constituted which received a tip-off about the location of the accused, following which a raid was conducted and Akash was apprehended. "During sustained interrogation, he admitted to have committed the above crime along with his associates," the DCP added. During the second operation, the Crime Branch arrested an accused identified as Pradeep alias Shyam Singh alias Sunder, who had jumped parole granted by the Court on grounds of Covid-19 in a murder case at Begumpur police station. Pradeep was arrested after a tip-off was received about his location. He has previously been involved in three criminal cases, including that of murder and under the Arms Act, the official said. --IANS uj/khz/bg ( 202 Words) 2022-06-07-19:54:05 (IANS) "Killed terrorist identified as Nadeem Ahmad Rather alias Kamran of Kulgam, linked with proscribed terror outfit HM. He was involved in several terror crimes including killing of Kulpora Panch and recruitment of youth into terror ranks," Jammu and Kashmir Police quoting Inspector General Police Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar tweeted. This is a second encounter in Kashmir in a single day. Earlier on Tuesday two LeT terrorists were killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Chaktaras Kandi area in North Kashmir's Kupwara district. On Monday, Pakistani terrorist, Hanzalla, was killed in an encounter between terrorists and security forces at Sopore in North Kashmir's Baramulla district. There have been a series of anti terror operations in Kashmir over the last few months in which many terrorists and their commanders have been eliminated. Most of the operations have been jointly conducted by the police and the army on the basis of specific intelligence inputs. --IANS zi/skp/ ( 195 Words) 2022-06-07-20:36:03 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who on Tuesday came under heavy fire after explosive revelations made by Kerala gold smuggling case accused Swapna Suresh, dismissed it as baseless. In a statement issued here by Vijayan soon after he arrived at the airport, where he ducked the media, said all these allegations had been dismissed by the people when it first surfaced and will do the same now also. "The revelation made by an accused which has re-surfaced again due to vested interests has already been dismissed by the people here, earlier. This fresh attempt is a concerted one to destabilise a firm government which is relentlessly working for the good of the people. We are certain that the people who know everything will dismiss this as it did in the past," said Vijayan. Earlier, state Congress president K. Sudhakaran on Tuesday demanded Vijayan's immediate resignation. "In the country such a thing is being heard of for the first time where a Chief Minister is alleged to have smuggled gold in a biriyani vessel. We demand Vijayan to resign and a probe be ordered under the monitoring of a court. There were lots of agencies which probed this and at the end it was a settlement between the BJP and the CPI-M. Even the family members of Vijayan are named. This is really shameless and he should quit," said Sudhakaran and added that the Congress led UDF will meet soon to decide the future course of action. For Vijayan, Kerala Police on Tuesday set up unprecedented security to ensure that no media personnel come anywhere close to him when he arrived at the airport here. The media was present in good numbers, but they were shocked to see that a big rope was tied far away from where the car to pick Vijayan had come. Journalists were shouting at the top of their voice asking what he has to say about the fresh revelation by Swapna Suresh of his role. But Vijayan, feigning ignorance of what was being asked, got into his car and drove away amid unprecedented security. Top Congress legislator and former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala also slammed the role of Vijayan in gold smuggling case. Speaking to the media, Chennithala said his position has now been vindicated. "I had raised then that Vijayan knew everything and he is the prime accused in this case. Whatever he does to hide, the truth will emerge. I raise things only which I am sure of. Had a proper probe then done by the various central agencies, it would have come out then. Then there were speculations that the BJP and the CPI-M were hand in glove. A fresh probe will bring out everything," said Chennithala and added that he has no clue of what Vijayan's family members role was as I don't speak of things I don't know. Earlier in the day, Swapna Suresh who was at Kochi, revealed on Tuesday that she has given a statement under section 164 of the CrPC and in it she has clearly talked about the role of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife Kamala, their daughter Veena, Nalini Netto (former Chief secretary), his secretary C.M. Ravindran and K.T. Jaleel (former State Minister and present legislator) in the gold smuggling case. On Monday, after giving her statement before a local magistrate here she had said that she will speak to media on Tuesday. "I have been advised by the court to show restraint when I speak and hence I am not able to give out everything. It all began in 2016 when Vijayan first went to the UAE. Then M. Sivasankar (his secretary and top IAS official) had asked me to make all arrangements for his visit in the UAE and we did it through our UAE Consulate here," said Swapna. "The next day, I get a call from Sivasankar saying that Vijayan has forgotten a bag and it should be immediately sent to him. We at the Consulate office have a scanner and when we scanned it was filled with currency notes," said Swapna. She then said, on several occasions, a biriyani vessel (round in shape and a big one) was transported from the house of the UAE Consulate General here to the residence of Vijayan. "This has happened on several occasions and it has been found out that it contained metal like objects. This was done under instructions from Sivasankar," added Swapna. She pointed out that in the past also she has said the same thing to the various agencies, but this is being said to the media for the first time. "I have been asked by the court to show restraint and since I respect the court, I am saying only this much now. May be in the coming days I will be revealing more," said Swapna, soon after coming out from the court, where she was giving her statement under section 164. --IANS sg/skp/ ( 838 Words) 2022-06-07-20:46:01 (IANS) The Bhubaneswar cyber police arrested the accused Saroj Kumar Das on Monday from Chandbali area of Bhadrak district and presented him at a court, said a police officer. After their marriage in 2018, Das and his wife were staying in Tamil Nadu. He was working as a plumber there. As he was a habitual drinker, Das used to spend all his earnings on alcohol, said police officer. During the lockdown, he spent everything, and the family went into a financial crisis. Following this, his wife returned to Odisha and started working as housemaid in Bhubaneswar, the police said. Later, Das started demanding money from his wife. However, she refused to give money to him for which he often threatened her that he would make the obscene pictures viral on social media. And one day, he shared such pictures to his wife's relatives. The police said that Saroj Kumar Das is the second husband of the woman. --IANS bbm/pgh ( 194 Words) 2022-06-07-20:52:02 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday convened a meeting of the MLAs in the state and exuded confidence in all the four candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi of winning the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls slated to be held on June 10. Resorting to resort politics, Shiv Sena has already shifted its MLAs to Trident Hotel in Malad on Tuesday ahead of the RS polls. In the hotel, the three alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP held a meeting and discussed the strategy for the upcoming RS polls. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, NCP's Sharad Pawar, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge among others were present at Trident. "No matter how hard anyone tries, MVA's all 4 candidates will go to Delhi as Rajya Sabha MPs. Maharashtra has a tradition of decency, and the same should be maintained by Opposition too," Thackeray said after the meeting. Earlier in the day, Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan expressed confidence in the party candidates registering a win in the June 10 elections. "Congress candidate will certainly be elected. We have no threat, have formed our strategy," Chavan said. Notably, the Congress party has fielded Imran Pratapgarhi for the polls while Praful Patel has been fielded from the NCP. Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar have been given a run in the polls. Sensing the risk of horse-trading and cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha polls, Congress is also resorting to the strategy to herd its Haryana MLAs in a resort in Chhattisgarh. A senior leader of the state, Kuldeep Bishnoi is already upset with the party's recent decisions. Besides this, another problem for the party has come in the form of the candidature of Kartikey Sharma whose father and father-in-law are former Congress leaders and are known to have influence in the state politics. In a bid to avoid horse-trading, the party has once again gone back to resort politics that it resorted to during the Goa elections in 2017 and Madhya Pradesh elections in 2018. (ANI) India already has 49 Ramsar Sites -- wetlands of international importance -- and now, is pushing for 26 more. "Nominations for 23 have already been sent while three more are in the pipeline," said the officials. These wetlands of international importance are called Ramsar Sites in commemoration of the Convention on Wetlands that took place in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. "Union Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav is slated to visit Geneva in near future, where he would be meeting the Ramsar Director personally to pursue the matter," officials added. The 26 wetlands that await the Ramsar tag include Pala wetland (Mizoram); Satkosia Gorge, Tampara Lake, Hirakud Reservoir & Ansupa Lake (Odisha); Sirpur wetland, Sakhya Sagar & Yashwant Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Thane Creek (Maharashtra); Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve & Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve (Jammu & Kashmir); Ranganathituu Bird Sanctuary (Karnataka), and Nanda Lake (Goa). Tamil Nadu has lined up the maximum: Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex, Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary, Vellode Bird Sanctuary, Vembannur Wetland Complex, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary, Pichavaram Mangrove, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Karikili Bird Sanctuary & Pallikaranai Marsh. --IANS niv/pgh ( 236 Words) 2022-06-07-21:10:04 (IANS) Police have been deployed in the Soorsagar area of Rajasthan's Jodhpur after a clash broke out between two groups, according to an official on Tuesday night. Vandita Rana, DCP Jodhpur West, has dismissed the possibility of a communal angle to the clash as the clash occurred between the boys from a particular community. "It was a fight between some boys in the evening. One or two other boys who tried to intervene, were also beaten. The entire incident has been captured on CCTV. An FIR would be registered after which action would be taken," said Vandita Rana, DCP Jodhpur West. Asked if the clash was communal in nature, the police official dismissed the possibility and called it a clash between boys. "It cannot be termed a clash between the two communities as the boys from a particular community were fighting among themselves, and a boy from the other community tried to meddle in between, which would not be appropriate to see a clash between two communities. It was a clash between the boys," she said. Looking at the sensitivity, security arrangements have been made in the area. Further investigation into the matter is underway. The situation was brought under control as soon as the police reached the spot. The police personnel continue to be deployed in the area. The local BJP and Congress leaders were reported to have reached the spot as well. In a similar incident earlier this year, a total of 211 people were arrested in connection with incidents of communal clashes in Jodhpur ahead of Eid celebrations that left several people injured while 19 cases have been registered, said police. Tension gripped Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city. There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured. In Karauli, violence broke out after the stone-pelting incident took place at a religious procession in April this year, while a 300-year-old temple was demolished using a bulldozer in Alwar's Rajgarh. (ANI) Nabaneeta Barman Bothra was arrested on Monday along with her husband Bikash Bothra and four others. The arrests have been made in connection with two separate shooting incidents in which two businessmen -- Sunil Mandal and Anil Ishwari were shot at by unidentified persons. Both are currently undergoing treatment at the hospital. At around 8.30 p.m. on Saturday night, miscreants attacked Mandal while he was at his shop at Narabari in Kokrajhar district. Two motorcycle-borne men wearing helmets fired two rounds at him and fled. The second incident took place at 12.30 a.m. -- after a few hours of the first firing episode, at Amtek Bazaar in Chirang district. Ishwari was asleep at his house when the miscreants called him through the window and shot at him. Kokrajhar police are suspecting KLO links behind the attack on Sunil Mandal. They have arrested two youth -- Uttam Roy and Mridul Roy on Sunday. Later, four others -- Bikash Bothra, Gourchandra Roy, Nirmal Das and Nabaneeta Bothra were also arrested. The police claimed that Nabaneeta Bothra is a close relative of top KLO commander Parthapratim Barman. Gourchandra Roy's nephew -- Nitu Roy, is a member of the KLO who is also a suspect in the shooting incident. The arrested persons were presented at the court on Monday following which the magistrate sent them to police custody for two days. A police officer told IANS: "We are investigating the matter and looking at all aspects of the incident." Meanwhile, no one has been arrested yet in the Anil Ishwari case. "Search operations are on to nab the suspects," a police officer said. --IANS tanuj/pgh ( 305 Words) 2022-06-07-22:30:03 (IANS) BJP President J.P. Nadda on Tuesday slammed the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh for 'lawlessness, corruption and massive debts', and said that time has come for this government to go and for the BJP to come to power. Addressing a public meeting here on the second day of his two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh, Nadda alleged that corruption is at an all-time high in Andhra Pradesh. "Today Andhra Pradesh is known for land mafia, sand mafia and liquor mafia. They have become synonyms of Andhra Pradesh," he said. Nadda also accused the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of diverting funds released by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Stating that Andhra Pradesh needs double-engine growth, he urged people to vote for the BJP whenever the elections are held. Nadda said the Jagan Mohan Reddy government did not maintain financial discipline which resulted in the state's debts mounting to Rs 8 lakh crore. He also targeted the state government for working with a 'vengeful' attitude to crush the opposition. "I want to tell Jagan Mohan Reddy that nothing is going to stop lotus from blooming in the state," he said. The BJP chief alleged that law and order has crumbled in the state and those abusing law and order are going scot-free. "Religious places are being attacked, politics of appeasement is being practised. There is no environment for business. This is a government which is anti-business, working with high-handedness. No investments are coming, no industries are being set up, rather the ones present are leaving the state," he said. Nadda also claimed that there is lack of employment in the state. "How employment will be generated when you don't create a congenial environment? Believing in appeasement politics is not good for democracy," Nadda said. The BJP chief also slammed the YSRCP government for 'discouraging' Telugu language, though the new National Education Policy talks about encouraging regional languages. He claimed that the Modi government had released Rs 27,294 crore for the state in 2014-15, which has gone up to Rs 77,538 crore in 2022. He said though Andhra Pradesh accounts for only 5 per cent of the country's population, the Modi government released 21 per cent of the overall budget of National Highway Authority of India to the state. He also listed out the institutions sanctioned for the state, including AIIMS, IIT, NIT and a tribal university. Nadda reiterated that Narendra Modi has changed the political culture in the country by challenging dynasty parties, nepotism, vote bank and appeasement politics. He claimed that the results of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur show that the governments retained there because of pro-incumbency. --IANS ms/arm ( 463 Words) 2022-06-07-22:38:03 (IANS) Varun Gandhi has uploaded the letter demanding the termination of the BPSC Chairman on his official Twitter account. "The leak of the BPSC question paper amounts to playing with the future of six lakh students. Many students have contacted me seeking help. We demand Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to initiate a thorough investigation into the matter and arrest the main accused. We also demand the termination of the Chairman of BPSC. He should be held responsible for the negligence which resulted in a massive crime," Varun Gandhi wrote. The question paper of BPSC was leaked on May 8 this year. The Home Department of Bihar government has formed an SIT headed by an SP-rank officer from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). So far, 14 accused have been arrested in connection with the case. --IANS ajk/arm ( 178 Words) 2022-06-07-22:58:01 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party national executive meeting will be held on July 2 and 3 in Hyderabad, which is considered a stronghold of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The meeting assumes significance as it will be held months ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in two states. The meeting would be chaired by the party's national president JP Nadda. All the top leaders of the party including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part in the two-day meeting. According to a notification released by National General Secretary Arun Singh on Tuesday, the meeting will commence at 4 pm on July 2 and will conclude at 5 pm on July 3. During the meeting, discussions will be held on the organisational affairs and formulating strategy for the future of the party. The meeting comes months ahead of the commencement of the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat that are slated to go to the polls later this year. Another significant aspect is that the BJP has deliberately chosen Telangana for the meet, which is the TRS bastion, as Bharatiya Janata Party is aiming to defeat the KCR government in the Assembly polls that are slated to be held next year. The last meeting of the BJP national executive took place in New Delhi in November 2021 just before the elections in five states including Uttar Pradesh, where BJP registered a thumping victory in early 2022. Several important discussions including how the party is looking to fare in the upcoming elections and the growth of the organisation, a role that a party sees for itself as a build-up to the 2024 general elections are likely to be on the agenda. In this meeting, the party passes political as well as economic resolutions lauding the work that has been done at the Centre by the Narendra Modi-led government. Recently, the Narendra Modi-led Central government has completed eight years in office with 2019 being a big win over the 2014 general elections. Recently at a public meeting which was held in Telangana, PM Modi spoke about the bright prospects of his party in the state and condemned the dynasty rule of the KCR family. Earlier, BJP national president JP Nadda as well as Union Minister Amit Shah on their recent visit to the state had called out the rule of the KCR family and said that Telangana was looking for a change and could give a chance to the BJP. (ANI) The man, identified as Govind Lamba, was later handed over to Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further questioning. "We spotted him at around 1.20 p.m. During the baggage screening, we noticed images of currency bundles in high volume in the baggage of the passenger," said a CISF official. On being asked, the passenger could not give any satisfactory answer and tried to mislead the CISF officials. Lamba later told the officials that he was associated as Assistant Manager at a travel services company, and he was carrying foreign currency for currency exchange purpose. The CISF officials, however, did not buy his argument, and he was taken to the station control room. Eventually, the ED officials and Delhi Metro officials were informed. The ED officials enquired the matter and they too were not satisfied with the answers given by Lamba who also failed to produce any documents in his defence. "The following foreign currency was worth Rs 2.7 crore... 2,00,000 AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham); $1,20,000; 20,000 Canadian dollars, 25,000 Singapore dollars; 25,000 Euro; 50,000 Australian Dollar; 4,000 Swiss Franc; 30,000 GB Pounds and 12,00,000 Thai Baht," said the CISF official. Lamba was later taken by the ED officials to their office. --IANS atk/pgh ( 244 Words) 2022-06-07-23:24:03 (IANS) SpiceJet already has an ESOP scheme in place for its top management. Notably, the move of the Airline comes at a time when Jet Airways is set to make a comeback and a new airline Akasa Air planning to mark its entry later this year, thus opening scopes for the creation of more jobs in the sector. CMD Ajay Singh has time and again spoken about the contribution, resilience, dedication and hard work of SpiceJet employees which helped SpiceJet surmount the biggest challenge in the aviation industry and human history in recent years. He recently wrote to employees on the airline's 17th anniversary on May 23 (attached). SpiceJet ensured there were zero retrenchments during COVID-19. (ANI) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party took action against Nupur Sharma only when "something happened in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain". "After 10 days PM Narendra Modi said to suspend (Nupur Sharma). No action was taken when we were saying, raising the issue. They acted when something happened in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain," he said while addressing a gathering. The BJP on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma from the party's primary membership after her alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities. Sharma, however, after the party action against her, apologised for her remarks. India, in response to the sharp reactions, said that it had taken strong action against those who made controversial remarks against minorities. The 57-member OIC had raised concerns against the "systematic harassment of minorities in India" on Sunday. Meanwhile, India conveyed to Qatar and Kuwait that it had taken strong action against those who made controversial remarks on Twitter against the minorities. Owaisi questioned the delay in suspending Nupur Sharma. Meanwhile, in the latest development in the Nupur Sharma case, all India Progressive Muslim Welfare Committee on Tuesday filed a complaint in Thane for the registration of an FIR against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma over her controversial religious remarks. The committee has filed a complaint in Ambernath Police Station under sections 153A, 153B, 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Several cases have been registered against the suspended BJP leader under the same set of legal provisions. The complaint alleged that Sharma had used "abusive, false and hurtful words against the Prophet and religion of Islam and hurt the feelings of Muslims" and sought immediate action. Last month, Sharma had allegedly made objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad during a television news debate on an English channel on the Gyanvapi issue. Earlier on May 27, Sharma had alleged that she has been receiving death and rape threats on social media after a "so-called fact-checker" circulated a heavily edited video from one of her recent debates on a TV channel on the Gyanvapi mosque case. Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Tuesday said that it has provided security to the suspended BJP spokesperson after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats following her controversial religious remarks. (ANI) The TDF scheme, executed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), supports the indigenous development of components, products, systems and technologies by MSMEs and start-ups. It may be recalled that 25 per cent of the Defence Research and Development budget was earmarked for private industry, start-ups and academia in Union Budget 2022-23. The enhanced funding is in line with the budget announcement and it will give a further boost to the vision of "Aatmanirbharta in defence", the ministry added.The TDF scheme aims to provide a major fillip to the defence manufacturing sector by encouraging the industry to innovate and develop defence technologies in order to place India on a self-reliance trajectory. The scheme facilitates up to 90 per cent of the total project cost and allows the industry to work in consortium with other industries or academia. With the enhanced funding, the industry and startups will be able to develop more complex technologies for existing and future weapon systems and platforms. To date, 56 projects have been sanctioned under the TDF scheme, the ministry added. (ANI) Former Kerala minister and CPI(M) leader KT Jaleel on Wednesday filed a police complaint against allegations levelled by Kerala gold smuggling case prime accused Swapna Suresh. According to Jaleel, there is a conspiracy hatched by Swapna Suresh and former MLA PC George and BJP. "Allegations against me are baseless. This is a BJP and UDF conspiracy. They are trying to tarnish the image of the existing government. This conspiracy should be investigated," said Jaleel. Swapna Suresh had on Tuesday revealed that she has declared in court about the involvement of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter in the 2020 gold smuggling case. Suresh also alleged that there is a threat to her life and that she has sought protection. "I have already given 164 statements in court about a threat to my life. I have declared in court about all the people involved in this case. I have also filed a petition seeking protection in court. They are considering it. I have declared in the court about what is the involvement of M Sivasankar (then principal secretary to Kerala CMO), the Chief Minister, CM's wife Kamala, CM's daughter Veena, his secretary CM Raveendran, then Chief Secretary Nalini Netto IAS, then minister KT Jaleel," she said. Swapna claimed that baggage containing currency was sent to Vijayan when he was in Dubai in 2016. Earlier today, Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said that it was not the first time that Swapna Suresh had made allegations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "After the government was formed in 2016, this is not the first time allegations are being made. Chief Minister and party Secretary have reacted to this. Our stand is also the same," said Riyas who is also the son-in-law of CM Pinarayi Vijayan. Meanwhile, Vijayan had yesterday dismissed Swapna Suresh's allegations stating that the same statement was being repeated by the accused. "These comments by the accused are part of the political agenda. The public had already dismissed this agenda. After an interval, they are making the accused repeat the same statement. There is not even an iota of facts in this allegation. If you think that by spreading these lies, you can destroy the determination of the government and political leadership, I am reminding you that this is a futile exercise," he said. "I strongly believe that society will give an apt reply to those who think that they can benefit from this," the Chief Minister added. Stating that the public will dismiss the "fake allegations" aimed at tarnishing his government, Vijayan said that it works for the "comprehensive development and social welfare of Kerala".(ANI) Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday launched a fresh attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking his reply on his colleague Satyendar Jain, who is in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case. "I asked ten questions to Kejriwal ji around 12.30 pm on June 1. The eleventh question was whether Kejriwal ji still think that Satyendar Jain did not do theft. Does Kejriwal believe that Satyendar Jain keeps no black money? Does he believe that Jain is innocent? I have not received the reply to any of my questions yet till June 8," Irani asked while speaking to ANI. Mentioning that the ED has recovered around Rs 2.80 crore in cash, and 133 gold coins weighing over 1 kg from the residence of Jain and his aides, Irani asked whether Kejriwal still finds Satyendar Jain "innocent" despite these recoveries. The Union Minister reminded "Kejriwal had said that he checked the papers himself", and asked whether he did not check such huge cash processed by Satyendar Jain. "Did not he check gold in such huge quantity as well as illegal property?" asked the minister. The minister further asked whether the Delhi Chief Minister checked the order of the Delhi High Court on how Satyendar Jain collected Rs 16 crore black money with the help of shell companies and Hawala operators. Irani's attack came as the ED on Tuesday claimed to have seized 2.85 crore cash and 133 gold coins weighing 1.80 kg from Jain's aides during its day-long raid conducted a day ago. During the search conducted on Monday, the ED has said it seized various incriminating documents and digital records. The ED said that the total movable assets were seized from an "unexplained source" and were "found to be secreted" in the raided premises. The assets were seized during a search operation carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 at the premises of Satyendar Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and his accomplices and other persons who had either directly or indirectly assisted him or participated in the processes of money laundering. Those who assisted the Delhi Minister in the money laundering are named Ankush Jain, Vaibhav Jain, Naveen Jain and Siddharth Jain (Directors of Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd), G S Matharoo (Chairman of Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust which runs Prudence Group of Schools), Yogesh Kumar Jain (Director in Ram Prakash Jewellers Pvt Ltd), father-in-law of Ankush Jain and Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust, said the ED. The federal agency's separate teams had carried out the searches at six places in Delhi, including the residence of Jain, and one in Gurugram since morning. The places raided by the ED across Delhi included Ram Prakash jewellers Pvt Ltd in southeast Delhi. The agency conducted raids after it arrested Jain on May 30 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. On May 31, a trial court sent Jain to ED's custody till June 9. The move comes days after the federal agency arrested Jain on May 30. Jain is in the custody of ED till June 9. Investigation revealed that one accomplice member of Lala Sher Singh Jivan Vigyan Trust had provided accommodation entries for the transfer of land from a company beneficially owned by Satyendar Jain to family members of accomplices in order to alienate the property and to frustrate the process of confiscation. The ED had initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of the First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 24, 2017, under Section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Satyendar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain. The CBI filed a chargesheet on December 3, 2018, against Satyendar Kumar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain. The chargesheet mentions that Satyendar Jain while holding the office as a minister in the Government of Delhi, during the period February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, had acquired assets which are disproportionate to his known sources of income. The CBI has accused Satyendar Kumar Jain and others of the commission of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Jain was arrested after the ED in April this year attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore owned by companies named Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 in connection with the disproportionate asset and money laundering case registered against Jain, his wife Poonam Jain, and others. (ANI) Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister prayed for everyone's well-being and prosperity. "Greetings to everyone, especially my Kashmiri Pandit sisters and brothers on Jyeshtha Ashtami. We pray to Mata Kheer Bhawani for everyone's well-being and prosperity," PM Modi tweeted. Kashmiri Pandits offer prayers at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal district in Jammu and Kashmir on this occasion in honour of their patron goddess Ragnya Devi. The Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela at the famous Ragnya Devi temple near Srinagar is being observed after a gap of two years owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Voice for Peace and Justice organization on Tuesday welcomed pilgrims at Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tullamullah Ganderbal. The organization distributed water, juice and roses as a gesture of communal harmony, brotherhood and peace. This is one of the biggest religious gatherings of the displaced community at a temple situated at a distance of 25 kilometres northeast of Srinagar. 'Kheer'- a milk and rice pudding that is offered to propitiate the goddess. Kheer Bhawani is sometimes translated as 'Milk Goddess'. The worship of Kheer Bhawani is universal among the Hindus of Kashmir, most of them worship her as their protective patron deity Kuladevi.(ANI) Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre is behind the controversial remarks of suspended party spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Rao in a statement said, "There is a 'conspiracy' by the BJP government at the Centre behind the controversial remarks by Nupur Sharma. "Already the Arab Countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain strongly condemned the BJP government and complained to the United Nations. The Arab nations have already boycotted the Indian made products," said Rao. He further said merely the action against Sharma and her suspension from the party will not be the solution. "With their controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed, a lot of damage was caused to our country at the international level. BJP leaders like Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal should be arrested immediately. It is all part of making India a Hindu raj. What will be the fate of the Indian youth working in Arab countries? The Indian employees in those countries are being kicked out back to our country because of the actions of BJP leaders," Rao said. The Congress leader further said the BJP government failed to fulfil their promise of providing 2 crore jobs every year. Slamming Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay, he said, "Another BJP activist openly says that the Masjids would be dug. It is nothing but insulting the religious and communal sentiments of minorities. It is the responsibility of the Central government to equally treat every religion and should have a vigil against the leaders indulging in passing insulting statements against the minorities and hurting their sentiments." Rao alleged that the BJP government's actions are contrary to the country's "unity in diversity" fervour. The BJP on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma from the party's primary membership after her alleged inflammatory remarks against minorities. Sharma, however, after the party action against her, apologised for her remarks. The 57-member of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had raised concerns against the "systematic harassment of minorities in India" on Sunday. Meanwhile, India conveyed to Qatar and Kuwait that it had taken strong action against those who made controversial remarks on Twitter against the minorities. Several cases have been registered against the suspended BJP leader under the same set of legal provisions. The complaint alleged that Sharma had used "abusive, false and hurtful words against the Prophet and religion of Islam and hurt the feelings of Muslims" and sought immediate action. Last month, Sharma had allegedly made objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammed during a television news debate on an English channel on the Gyanvapi issue. Earlier on May 27, Sharma had alleged that she has been receiving death and rape threats on social media after a "so-called fact-checker" circulated a heavily edited video from one of her recent debates on a TV channel on the Gyanvapi mosque case. (ANI) One of the accused in the alleged gold smuggling case, Sarith PS was taken into custody by police vigilance in connection with the Kerala Life Mission case on Wednesday. The Life Mission case pertains to spending the foreign fund against the purpose for which it was aimed. Congress MLA Anil Akkara had filed a complaint to the CBI alleging that various middlemen including state representatives and government officials received Rs 4.5 crores as commission. Later, the police released Sarith after seizing his phone. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offences) on 3 December 2020 had sent Kerala gold smuggling case prime accused Swapna Suresh and Sarith to Customs custody till December 8. However, this Tuesday, Swapna had revealed that she has declared in court the involvement of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter in the 2020 gold smuggling case. Suresh also alleged that there is a threat to her life and sought protection. She was released from jail in November last year after spending almost 16 months behind the bars. "I have already given 164 statements in court about a threat to my life. I have declared in court about all the people involved in this case. I have also filed a petition seeking protection in court. They are considering it. I have declared in the court about what is the involvement of M Sivasankar (then principal secretary to Kerala CMO), the Chief Minister, CM's wife Kamala, CM's daughter Veena, his secretary CM Raveendran, then Chief Secretary Nalini Netto IAS, then minister KT Jaleel," she said. Slamming her allegations against Vijayan, Former Kerala minister and CPI(M) leader KT Jaleel has filed a police complaint against Swapna and alleged a conspiracy been hatched by her and the former MLA PC George and the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Allegations against me are baseless. This is a BJP and UDF conspiracy. They are trying to tarnish the image of the existing government. This conspiracy should be investigated," said Jaleel. Earlier today, Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said that it was not the first time that Swapna Suresh had made allegations against the state Chief Minister. Meanwhile, Vijayan had yesterday dismissed Swapna Suresh's allegations stating that the same statement was being repeated by the accused. The Kerala gold smuggling case pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels. It had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the customs department in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5, 2019. The case is being probed by the Enforcement Directorate, National Investigative Agency (NIA) and the customs department. (ANI) As the investigation into the Kerala gold smuggling case intensifies, Swapna Suresh, one of the accused in the case, said on Wednesday that there was no "political or personal agenda" behind her allegation against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stating that the latter had taken a bag full of currency to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2016. This comes after a team of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Wednesday took into custody PS Sarith, another accused in the gold smuggling case, in connection with a case related to the state government housing scheme Life Mission. Suresh raised the allegation before the media in Kochi on Tuesday after giving a statement at a local court as per section 164 of CrPC in a money laundering case that came up during the probe into gold smuggling. Following this, Vijayan refuted the allegation saying that it was part of a "certain agenda" against him. In a conversation with the reporters on Wednesday, she said, "I don't have a good or bad opinion about the honourable Chief Minister of Kerala. I do not have any political or personal agenda behind it. I said earlier that I don't care who rules Kerala. It is not my cup of tea. I am not bothered about politics. I am bothered only about the case. Who am I to give a certificate to Chief Minister for anything. Let people give it." PS Sarith, accused in the gold smuggling case was abducted from her residence, Swapna Suresh alleged on Wednesday. Swapna is another accused in the case. A four-member-gang abducted Sarith from his Palakkad flat by posing as cops, she said. "They did not show any identity card," Swapna said. A probe team under the Palakkad Police has begun a probe into the incident. They reached Sarith's residence and examined the CCTV visuals. Speaking on this, she told reporters, "Let the police watch me. I am doing nothing wrong. I have nothing to fear." (ANI) Hours after terror outfit Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS) threatened to carry out suicide attacks in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Delhi, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar said that such an organisation only works to spread violence. In a conversation with ANI on Wednesday, Kumar said, "The threat sent by Al-Qaeda shows the attitude of AQIS. Such an attitude is 'Anti-Khuda, Anti-Islam, Anti-Mohammed and Anti-Humanity'. Such organisations only work to spread violence." "Even Prophet Muhammad travelled from Mecca to Medina for religious purposes. He aimed to end all disputes in the world. He repeatedly asked his believers to not indulge in any form of war. He always believed that peace can be attained only if all forms of disputes and violence come to an end," he said. He further said, "Therefore, whatever Al Qaeda is doing is not only against God but is also against humanity, Islam and the Prophet. Therefore, to give a befitting reply to such satanic forces, we will also pray that there should be peace in the world. We will pray that there should be harmony in India. We pray that the owner of this terror outfit will attain some wisdom and God teaches a lesson to such evil forces." Terror outfit Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS) threatened suicide attacks in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Delhi to "fight for the dignity of our Prophet" amid a brewing controversy over the remarks by BJP leaders on the founder of Islam. "The saffron terrorists should now await their end in Delhi, Bombay, UP and Gujarat. They should find refuge neither in their homes nor in their fortified army cantonments," a threat letter by the AQIS read. In another incident, one man was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police from the Pudukkottai district on Tuesday for circulating a threat message on WhatsApp that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) offices in Uttar Pradesh will be blown up. Acting on a tip-off from the Uttar Pradesh Police, the Tamil Nadu Police ATS nabbed the accused who have been identified as Raj Mohammad. Speaking on this, the RSS leader said, "I am sure that the state governments will take the strictest action against those who make such threats and the Government of India has taken strict action against them. Those who want to disturb the unity, integrity, peace and harmony of the country will not be able to succeed in their mission." (ANI) As per the fire department, 10 fire tenders were at the spot. "There was a fire in the mini basement of the ground plus 3-storey building in Lajpat Nagar area, the mini basement was specially made for electric panels only. We rescued about 80 people," said Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO), Rajesh Kumar. The mini basement was specially made for electric panels only. Also plastic, wood, and some waste material of the building were also present in the basement when the fire broke out. "Some rules and laws were being violated in this building, although we will investigate whether they had NOC of fire or not, in the initial investigation, some rules and regulations were being violated. Our firemen reached the spot very quickly and controlled the fire, in which our ADO has also suffered an injury," Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gaurav Saini told ANI. Further investigations in the matter are underway. (ANI) The move came in wake of the Drug Destruction day on June 8 The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman virtually witnessed the destruction process. "The drug destruction process was held at 14 locations across the country in a safe and non-hazardous manner through the incineration approved by the State Pollution Control Boards," said CBIC in an official statement. The destruction was conducted at, Kutch in Gujarat, Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Virudhunagar in Tamilnadu, Patna in Bihar and Siliguri in West Bengal. "This event will highlight our commitment to people that we shall be earnest in our job to bring a logical end to every smuggler, both through the court of law and thorough destruction of material which they bring in," tweeted the minister. In another tweet, she said, "Law enforcement agencies are committed to making sure that not even a milligram of the drug enters into the country. I am convinced that field formations of DRI and Customs will work together so that our country remains safe from drugs." The Union Minister interacted with the officers of Customs and of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) present at the destruction sites who narrated the details of seizures and the process of doing destruction. She appreciated the efforts made by the officers of Customs and DRI and congratulated them. (ANI) Restaurant boycotted after online rage about cat massacre Social media is a powerful tool that helps businesses advertise their brands and engage with customers. But it can also be a double-edged sword due to the uncontrollable, unfiltered user-generated content. Screenshot of The Olive Steakhouse's account on TripAdvisor on June 7. The global travel website has issued a message to temporarily suspend reviews for the HCM City-based restaurant. A restaurant in HCM City says it is being put out of business after the owner admitted killing about 20 stray cats that lived in the building where its located. The Olive Steakhouse sits on the second floor of an old residential building on ong Khoi Street in District 1. Several Facebook posts emerged on May 27, accusing the restaurant of killing cats and calling on people to boycott it. Attached were photos of some of the cats, which appeared to have been rescued and being treated at an animal shelter, and hashtags such as #fairformorethan20cats and #boycottTheOliveSteakhouse. A day later, the owner admitted on the restaurants Facebook page to poisoning the cats due to the overwhelming amount of faeces, urine, and the bad odour they left in the building. It was a lengthy post, which was shortened by four-fifths afterwards, where she explained the situation and described the efforts made by co-residents to keep the building clean, and how feeling too tired and pressured for a long time led her to the stupid, negative and foolish action. She also apologised and asked for a chance to make amends. But animal lovers did not let it go. Harsh comments kept coming, analysing, and criticising what she wrote. On June 2, Olive Steakhouses account was removed from Foody.vn, one of the most popular online food delivery platforms in Vietnam. Animal supporting Facebook groups such as Vietnam Animal Eyes and Toi Yeu ong Vat (I Love Animals) asked their thousands of followers to send emails to global companies like Grab and TripAdvisor, asking them to delete the restaurants account from their service and travel platforms. The email template reads: On the behalf of Vietnamese who care about animal welfare in Vietnam, we kindly ask you to remove The Olive Steak House account from your platform. The Olive Steak House killed 20 stray cats living in the building their restaurant is located in after receiving money from a foster and promising to take care of the cats. Their action is cruel, unnecessary, and violates the professional ethics. We urge you to consider and remove this account and ban them forever from your platform. Screenshot of the online food delivery platform Foody.vn, which shows no results were found for a search of "The Olive Steakhouse". Speaking to Vietnam News on Tuesday, the restaurants owner, who preferred to be known as Y.L, stressed that she understood what she did was wrong. After that incident, I realised, yes, my behaviour was so negative, so wrong. Ill have to change and never do that again, because I do feel, personally, that the action was not right, she said. But it was because I was so mad I lost all common sense. I have learned my lesson and will never go down that road again. She added that it was just as wrong for the online community to boycott her business only based on what they read on social media, without making efforts to understand what she had been going through. The consequences it leaves on my business and brand are inevitable. Its inevitable for me to avoid them, she added. I accept that, because theres no point crying over spilt milk, theres nothing I can do. But since the incident happened I have never closed the restaurant. We are still open whether the customers are coming or not, still selling food, and Im still prepared to handle everything, its not that Im scared of what had happened. The more people try to boycott us online, the more I find it irrelevant. It makes me feel like I dont want to use social media ever again because I feel like the purpose they use social media for is even more immoral than what I did. Their insults are terrible. She also claimed that Foody.vn contacted her and asked to temporarily suspend the restaurant's account on their platform, but no authorities had issued any word of warning to her since the incident happened. The owner added: Those who used the building gathered so many times to discuss moving the stray cats away. But there were so many of them there was no way we could do it. Stray cats are not easy to catch. Its not simple." The Peoples Committee of Ben Nghe Ward did not respond to Viet Nam Newss requests for comments. There is no justification for what Y.L did, and animal lovers especially cat enthusiasts have every reason to be furious. But in a way, its such a pity that a service business is being boycotted for reasons that have nothing to do with its services. Running an independent restaurant is hard, especially in the service-centred metropolitan of HCM City where there are nearly eight thousand restaurants of all kinds, including franchises. Earning 4.5 out of 5 stars on Foody and TripAdvisor surely says something about Olive Steakhouses food and service quality. But all those efforts have gone to waste, in only one week, because of the fast, far and wide effect that information about the cat massacre as someone puts it created on social media. This is not to say that if social media didnt exist, killing cats would be a right thing to do. But if social media didnt exist, what Y.L did might have been easily covered up, treated as a community affair, and settled among residents in the neighbourhood. The restaurant might still have a chance of survival. This case should be taken by marketing executives as a prime example of the power of social media and how it can affect businesses. It should also set off alarm bells for businesses in terms of maintaining good professional ethics and investing in crisis communication. As for the Olive Steakhouse, it is hoped that the case will act as a reminder for business owners and everyone that human values should be retained and nurtured, even when no one is looking. The joint cordon and search operation in the area began on June 7 based on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of terrorists in Kandi Bowl, Menganwar in North Kashmir's Baramulla district. The hiding terrorists fired upon the security forces after the cordon around them was tightened. "In the exchange of gunfire, two terrorists, including one Pakistani terrorist were killed. Two AK rifles, seven magazines, 144 AK Rounds, five Grenades, two kgs RDX and other war like stores were recovered from the encounter site," read an official statement. As per JKP, the terrorists were of LeT and have been identified as Tufail from Pakistan and Ishtiaq Lone, a resident of Tral (J&K). The swift and timely execution of the operation by the Army, Para Military and JKP thwarted the larger nefarious conspiracy of Pakistan backed terror module to mount large scale terror attacks across Kashmir, informed the officials. (ANI) The COVID-19 war room was started on the first floor of the Union Health Ministry at the Nirman Bhawan, which was the nerve centre of the pandemic status in the country. But now, the war room will be refurbished as Health Emergency Operation Centre and the inauguration of the centre will be done by the Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya. The Health Emergency Operation Centre will work like a COVID war room 24x7. This centre has been prepared for all types of national health emergency situations. Earlier the COVID war room was only fully focused to keep an eye on the COVID-19 situation in India. (ANI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issues of water-logging and flooding that causes inconvenience to people. This meeting was held for more than an hour that included interaction between the LG, CM, Deputy CM and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. NDMC Chairman, MCD Special Officer, PWD Pr. Secretary, DJB CEO and officials from Environment and Forest Department were also present at this meeting. After reviewing a presentation with regards to the efforts and status of de-silting of drains, laying of alternate pipelines to transport water logged at chronic sites, and deployment of pumps and vans, the Lt. Governor and the Chief Minister asked officials to put in place comprehensive long term measures to deal with the problems of overflowing and water logging rather than dealing with the issue in a 'Crisis Management Mode' as has been happening till now. The Lt. Governor directed officials to simultaneously start the exercise of creating sink holes of 6-8 inches diameter, lined with perforated pipes and covered suitably at the sites prone to water logging along roads and along drains and DJB sewer lines prone to flooding, so that water could be instantly absorbed and used for recharge of groundwater below such locations. The Chief Minister seconded the idea and directed officials to comply with it. While the Lt. Governor stressed upon proactive preparedness on part of the authorities after putting all systems in place and deploying Quick Response Teams (QRT) equipped with all instruments that should be seen to be working on the ground, the Chief Minister underlined the importance of enhancing and improving upon the work being done by various agencies in the capital. It was also decided that the waste is taken out of the drains after de-silting be lifted immediately and transported to designated sites rather than leaving them on the edge of the drains from where they again went into the drain making the whole exercise fruitless. The LG asked for this removal to be photographed, and transportation to be videographed and updated on the websites of the concerned agencies. As far as the long term plan of action is concerned the Lt. Governor and Chief Minister agreed upon a comprehensive study of the city's drains, gradient and catchment areas so that excess water could be transported to natural/artificial pits, depressions and low lands in the City with the purpose of long term storage. The LG and CM directed officials to explore the possibility and come up with a time-bound plan for laying alternate pipelines for stormwater drainage. The Drainage Master Plan that had been pending for years together was instructed to be expeditiously finalized with the help of experts and domain-specific agencies. The Lt. Governor reiterated that the aim should be to ensure the least inconvenience to people if not zero, and all departments/agencies involved should be seen doing so with seamless coordination and cooperation. In this meeting, LG and the CM conveyed it in no uncertain terms that they did not differ on anything aimed at the well-being of the people of Delhi and that the departments should work in sync and in total coordination and let the people know that their government is working for them. We all have to work together for the city they emphasized. (ANI) Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali on Wednesday said the law will take its own course and the guilty will not be spared in the Jubilee Hills gang-rape case. He told reporters that all are equal before police irrespective of their political affiliations. "For police, there are no friends, relatives or enemies. If somebody has done a wrong, he will face the punishment," he said, rejecting allegations by the Opposition that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government is trying to shield the accused which include son of a MLA of its friendly party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). Five juveniles booked in the May 28 gang-rape case include son of a TRS leader who is also chairman of Wakf Board. When asked if the Wakf Board chairman would be removed from the post, Ali said no decision has been taken in this regard. He pointed out that Wakf Board members elect the chairman. Ali said he was pained by such incidents as the youth who are future of the state and the country should desist from indulging in such activities. Ali said it was unfortunate that some people tried to drag the name of his grandson in this case by spreading rumours. "Public representatives should act with responsibility while speaking," he said. The Home Minister lauded the Hyderabad police for comprehensive investigation and breakthrough in the case. On series of incidents of sexual assault reported in Hyderabad, Ali said with smartphones, WhatsApp and other social media, youth were going astray. He appealed to parents to keep a watch on their children saying if they continue to roam freely it will be difficult to stop them. He said a meeting would be held soon with SHE team to work out a strategy to prevent incidents of sexual assault. "Our police department is already doing a good job. It has formed SHE team Bharosa centre which you will not find anywhere else in the country. We will hold a meeting and will try to see how it can be controlled," he said. --IANS ms/pgh ( 355 Words) 2022-06-08-19:04:02 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Minister for Housing and Urban Development, S. Muthusamy has refuted the allegations of state BJP president, K. Annamalai that the government supported a private builder in development projects. The BJP president had alleged that Muthuswamy's ministry was granting permissions at an unusually faster pace for the proposals by a particular real estate developer, G-Square. Annamalai alleged that three projects at Coimbatore, Chengalpattu and Chennai belong to a particular builder. The Minister in a press conference on Wednesday said that the allegations of the BJP state president are incorrect, especially the dates. He said that when the AIADMK government was in power, a person named Siva Manickam had submitted an application for conversion of 125 acres of land and said that the approval by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) for the layouts was granted before the DMK government came to power. He said that in the project at Egattur in Chengalpattu district layout, approval for 7.54 acres of land was submitted in the name of one Mahavir Santh on October 7, 2021, and the same was granted on November 12, 2021. The Minister said that the approval was given in 36 days because of the delegation of powers to the district authorities for land areas of less than 10 acres. He said that the faster approvals by the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA) were due to the fact that the agency was mandated to process applications within 30 days. The Minister also said that the department has not received any application in the name of G-Square builders but added that the projects highlighted by the BJP president would have been sold to G-Square at a later stage. He said that this was immaterial to the ministry. He said that some applications from G-Square were processed by the Greater Chennai Corporation and other local bodies as per law. The minister said, "It is immaterial as to which organization files the application, and what matters is whether we have violated any rules or granted any approvals illegally. We have not done anything illegally." --IANS aal/skp/ ( 361 Words) 2022-06-08-19:28:03 (IANS) Offering his deepest condolences to the bereaved family members, the Lt Governor said Rajni Bala was one of the most loved and admired teachers in the valley. The Lt Governor also assured the family members of every possible support and assistance from the UT administration. DDC Chairman Samba, Keshav Sharma was also present at the residence of slain teacher. The Lt Governor was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar; ADGP Jammu, Mukesh Singh and Deputy Commissioner Samba Anuradha Gupta. --IANS zi/skp/ ( 131 Words) 2022-06-08-19:44:05 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate retired IPS officer and former West Bengal minister Upendranath Biswas, known for probing the fodder scam in Bihar, in connection with the primary teachers' recruitment irregularities scam. The single-judge bench of Justice Avijit Gangopadhyay also ordered the CBI to trace and question a person named Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan, who was named by Biswas in a recent Facebook Live as one of the key operators in the recruitment irregularities scam. Incidentally, Biswas had retired as the Additional Director of CBI. As the Joint Director (East) of CBI, Biswas had relentlessly pursued the Rs 950 crore fodder scam case involving former Bihar Chief Ministers Jagannath Mishra and Lalu Prasad. He was the one who had arrested Lalu Prasad who was later sent to jail. Biswas joined the Trinamool Congress after retirement and contested the 2011 Assembly elections. He also served as the Backward Class Welfare Minister from 2011 to 2016. However, he resigned from Trinamool Congress in 2021. Recently, in a Facebook Live, Biswas referred to Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan as a key operator in the WBSSC recruitment irregularities scam. In the live video, Biswas named one Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan, a resident of Bagda in North 24 Parganas district, who could give primary teacher's jobs even to those who submitted blank papers in the written entrance test against a payment of Rs 15 lakh. In the video, Biswas satirically termed Mandal as an "honest man" who did not fail to return money to the candidate concerned in case his or her appointment could not be arranged. --IANS src/arm ( 292 Words) 2022-06-08-19:58:03 (IANS) Telangana's opposition Congress on Wednesday alleged that Hyderabad police are hiding vital information in the Jubilee Hills gang rape case. State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy wondered why the police have not revealed names of the owners of the Innova and Mercedes cars used by the accused, asking Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand as to why he was trying to shield the owners of the two vehicles. Describing the two vehicles as key evidence in the case, he wondered why the police did not call their owners though it has been established that minors were driving the vehicles. Reddy pointed out that as per Section 133 of the Motor Vehicle Act, when minors found driving the vehicles, notices have to be issued to the owners, they have to be summoned to the police station and cases have to be filed. He pointed out that the Police Commissioner told the media persons that after the Mercedes reached the bakery, the accused with the victim left in the Innova. The Congress leader said the Police Commissioner revealed before the media the sequence of events that happened from May 20 till the incident happened on May 28, but nothing as to what happened after it, where the vehicles were taken, and what was the action taken against the owners. Reddy said there are allegations against the families of the Wakf Board Chairman who is appointed by the Chief Minister and the MLA of MIM whose leader Asaduddin Owaisi reacts to every small incident that happens at national or international level. Claiming that the TRS and the MIM together are running the government, he said: "They are partners in alliance, elections and government and finally they have become partners in rapes and murders." Reddy said the owners of the cars should also be booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He said when the police admitted that the Innova vehicle is a government vehicle and the gang rape happened in this vehicle, why it was not revealing who is its owner. "When the government vehicle was used for anti-social activities, why are the police hiding the information about the vehicle," he asked. He said the police should come out with details like where the Innova was kept for seven days after the gang rape. He alleged that the government sticker was removed from the vehicle and the evidence was tampered with. He said police did not even reveal where the Innova was seized. Meanwhile, women leaders of Congress party staged a silent protest at party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan against the increasing incidents of rapes. Later, a delegation of party leaders ,led by the Mahila Congress acting President Netta D'Souza met Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, and sought strict action against the accused irrespective of their influential background. The delegation demanded that there should be fair investigation in the case and the police should not come under pressure from any quarters. --IANS ms/vd ( 506 Words) 2022-06-08-20:36:02 (IANS) "Was happy to receive Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian for a useful discussion on further development of Centuries-old civilizational links between India and Iran. Our relations have mutually benefited both the countries and have promoted regional security and prosperity," Prime Minister tweeted after the meeting. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who is on an official visit to India, earlier also met Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar. "Wide ranging discussion with FM @Amirabdolahian of Iran. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation, including in trade, connectivity, health and people to people ties. Exchanged views on global and regional issues including JCPOA, Afghanistan and Ukraine," S. Jaishankar tweeted. The Ministry of External Affairs also put out statement after the meeting between the two leaders. "Welcoming the dignitary, Prime Minister warmly recalled the long-standing civilizational and cultural links between India and Iran. The two leaders discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation initiatives. Prime Minister stressed that both countries should work to accelerate exchanges in the post-Covid era," an MEA statement said. "Prime Minister requested the Iran Foreign Minister to also transmit his greetings to His Excellency President Ebrahim Raisi, and looked forward to meeting the President of Iran at an early date," it stated. This is the first visit of a Minister of a Islamic nation since the controversy broke out on Prophet Muhammad. --IANS miz/skp/ ( 258 Words) 2022-06-08-20:44:02 (IANS) The official at the airport had intercepted the woman on May 27 at terminal number 3. She had come to India from Addis Ababa. "She was intercepted after she crossed the green channel and was approaching the exit gate of the international arrivals hall," said the official. Initially, nothing suspicious was found in her bag during the check by airport officials but upon undergoing a medical examination, some material was found to be secreted inside her body. The medical test led to the recovery of 51 cocaine capsules which further resulted in the recovery of a total 607 grams white coloured substance. This substance was later reportedly found to be cocaine worth Rs 9.11 crore. "In view of the above facts it was clear that she had violated provisions of Section 8 of the NDPS Act and had committed an offence punishable under Section 21, 23 and 39 of the Act. Accordingly she was placed under arrest as per section 43(B) of the NDPS Act. The powdered substance, prima facie, found to be cocaine has been seized along with concealing materials under section 43(A) of the Act," the customs official added. --IANS atk/khz/bg ( 237 Words) 2022-06-07-20:30:06 (IANS) Long queues have lined up outside petrol pumps in twin cities -- Islamabad and Rawalpindi -- after oil marketing companies (OMCs) stopped the supply of the essential commodity, the media reported. A representative of the petrol pump association said that the supply has been stopped and tankers have lined up outside oil depots for refilling, Geo News reported. The official asked the OMCs to restart the supply of petroleum products as if the reserves of the petrol pumps run out, then businesses will be severely affected. "We are in talks with oil supply companies regarding the matter," he added. Meanwhile, Chairman Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Abdul Sami Khan said that the reserves of the pumps are running shortly after "Finance Minister Miftah Ismail announced another probable hike in petrol prices". He maintained that the supply to the petrol pumps had not stopped yet, but due to the rush at the filling stations, their reserves might be exhausted soon, Geo News reported. Later, rebutted reports and clarified that the government has no plans to hike the price of petroleum products. "There will be no increase in prices today, and there is no summary or plan to raise prices," the Pakistan finance minister said in a tweet after media reports quoted him as saying that petrol prices will move up further. "In the pre-budget seminar I never even spoke about petroleum prices. Channels running these tickers are doing a disservice to their viewers," the finance minister said. In his address to the one-day long pre-budget business conference, Ismail said that had the government taken decisions in line with former prime minister Imran Khan and former Pakistan finance minister Shaukat Tarin's deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the price of petrol would have stood at Rs 300 per litre. --IANS san/pgh ( 313 Words) 2022-06-07-21:26:02 (IANS) US President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed a bill to provide better access to mammograms for veterans exposed to burn pits as part of nine bills signed into law aimed to improve veterans' health care. He also signed eight other pieces of legislation Tuesday focused on veteran health care, including a bill to improve breast imaging services for veterans regardless of if they're exposed to burn pits or not and to compensate veterans who developed cancer and medical conditions from the World War II-era nuclear programs, The Hill reported. "Less than one per cent of the population risk everything to defend our nation and our values and everything we hold dear. And you know, the 99 per cent of us who don't, we owe them, we owe them big," Biden said at the bill signing. "And that's what today is all about, is paying a debt in my view," he said adding. Biden has been focused on expanding benefits for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and were exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits and has always called it a "sacred obligation" to prepare those serving in the armed forces and to care for them and their families when they return home. The issue of burn pits strikes a personal note for the president who believes related chemicals may have contributed to the brain cancer that ultimately killed his son, Beau Biden, The Hill reported. The legislation aims to ensure that veterans who serve near burn pits get preventative care and requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct breast cancer screenings for women who experience toxic exposures. The Dr Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act was named after Marine Corps Officer Kate Thomas, who served near a burn pit in Iraq and died in April from breast cancer. According to The Hill, Biden honoured her in remarks at the White House and acknowledged her husband and son, who were at the bill signing. Lawmakers who attended the bill signing included Republican Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Joni Ernst (Iowa), and Democratic Sens. John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Jon Tester (Mont.), the report added.(ANI) Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, on his recent visit to Zimbabwe as a part of his African nations tour, met the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Zimbabwe, advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda on Tuesday. Referring to the meeting as 'good', the MoS exchanged views on strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries. "Good meeting with Speaker of the National Assembly of Republic of Zimbabwe Advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda. Exchanged views on further strengthening the bilateral relationship including through more parliamentary exchanges," he tweeted. Muraleedharan is on an official visit to African nations -- Zimbabwe and Malawi -- from June 6 to 9. The MoS will remain in Zimbabwe from June 6-7 and in Malawi from June 8-9. During the visit to Zimbabwe, MoS Muraleedharan will call on Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe and will also meet other senior leaders of the country. Whereas, during his visit to Malawi, the MoS will call on Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of Malawi, and will meet other senior leaders of the country. He will also hold talks with Nancy Tembo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malawi on matters of mutual interest and cooperation. The Minister will also meet a wide cross-section of the Indian community in both the countries and participate in events marking "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations during the visit. Muraleedharan will also review the progress of the development assistance projects under the Government of India Lines of Credit (LoCs) and Grants in both countries. The MoS had a virtual meeting with Dr Frederick Shava, on June 28, 2021. The Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, including political cooperation, cooperation in the fields of health, energy, trade, investments, and multilateral fora. India gifted 10 ambulances, which had been promised during the visit of the Vice President to Zimbabwe in 2018. A consignment of 35,000 Covaxin vaccine doses was provided in the month of March 2021. India also handed over three vehicles for the Indo-Zim Technology Centres, for which the latest technology machines are worth approx. USD 3 million have been supplied under Phase II. India shares excellent bilateral relations with both Zimbabwe and Malawi ranging across political, economic, cultural, and development assistance fields, which have particularly strengthened in the past few years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian leadership maintained close contact with the leadership of both the countries and supported them in their fight against the pandemic. (ANI) Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, illegal trafficking of Afghan children and the illegal sale and purchase of goods is on a subsequent rise in the region. Due to hunger and humanitarian crisis, the illegal buying and selling of goods across the border has increased manifold as little children on the Torkham border carrying sacks on their backs and tying them on their shoulders with ropes and running behind the truck have been spotted with Taliban fighters present at the entrance to Afghanistan. The children, aged between three and 10 years watch every passing truck so that they could somehow get on board and enter Pakistan, where they could sell goods and buy sugar and flour in return. Meanwhile, border security officials chased trucks carrying children. Four or five-year-old children hiding inside the tyres of these large trucks were pulled out by security officials and sent back to the Afghan border, reported The Frontier Post. A customs officer said that there are cigarettes, batteries, food items and some drinks which they give to the locals, however, in return, they get sugar flour, pulses, etc. "Some of the bags contain illicit drugs and narcotics which these children try to sell cheaply here in Pakistan but due to strict checking at the Torkham border, these children are caught." He added that many children die because of accidents due to hiding or hanging in trucks, the Frontier Post quoted, citing the custom agent. Taliban fighters are often seen across the border chasing the children so that they would not cross the gate but hunger and need had taken away all the fear of those innocent children, the report added. In another statement, a local shopkeeper said, "We are at a loss because we buy and sell goods at full price after paying taxes, but some locals also take advantage of these children by buying cheap goods without paying taxes." He said that it was the responsibility of the international community and Human Rights organisations to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and to take some steps for the education of these children so that they do not resort to illegal means in their livelihood as the Taliban's atrocities have been on an incessant rise in the country and its nearby regions. A customs officer told that the issue is raised at the monthly and weekly meetings of the Border management which are attended by security officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan, The Frontier Post reported. Notably, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women and minorities. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan faced criticism inside and outside Afghanistan for imposing restrictions on women. 2021 has been the worst year for the Afghan women as the Taliban after assuming control of Afghanistan has rolled back access to their right to education and work; however, they also snatched it later for an indefinite period of time. Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement for women and girls. As a result of this, women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a human rights crisis, deprived of the fundamental rights to non-discrimination, education, work, public participation and health. The women in the country are staring at a bleak future due to a number of restrictions imposed by the Taliban governing aspects of their lives within ten months of Afghanistan's takeover. Women are no longer allowed to travel unless accompanied by men related to them and are being curtailed from wearing make-up as well as their reproductive rights. In the past few weeks, a series of deadly blasts, especially targetting minorities have hit Afghanistan. The series of blasts and vulnerable security conditions, especially for the minorities has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United Nations (UN), the EU, US and others. (ANI) Russia announced sanctions on 61 US citizens to its travel ban list, including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. "In response to the expanding US sanctions against Russian political and public figures, as well as representatives of domestic business, 61 American citizens from among the heads of leading military-industrial complex corporations, media platforms and rating agencies, aircraft and shipbuilding companies, are included in the 'stop list', as well as individual US State Department officials involved in spreading fake news about 'malicious' Russian cyber attacks," Sputnik reported citing the ministry. Senior executive directors of Moody's and Fitch Group are also included in Russia's travel ban list. The US, along with the G7 nations and European Union (EU) has imposed severe and immediate economic costs on Russia for its "atrocities in Ukraine, including in Bucha". As per an official statement from the White House, as a part of mechanisms to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine, the US has announced economic measures to ban new investment in Russia and imposed severe financial sanctions on Russia's largest bank and several of its most critical state-owned enterprises and on Russian government officials including their family members. In the new economic cost, the US has announced full blocking sanctions on Russia's largest financial institution, Sberbank, and its largest private bank, Alfa Bank. This action will freeze any of Sberbank's and Alfa Bank's assets touching the US financial system and prohibit Americans from doing business with them. United States sanctions on Russia over its military operations in Ukraine can be reversed if Moscow changes its behaviour, a US Treasury official said, ahead of a major economic meeting in Washington this week. "We always want to make sure that any sanctions that we put in place can at some point - if behaviour changes - be reversed in order to make sure that threat actor knows that once sanctions are put in place, the goal is behavioural change ultimately," US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a virtual discussion organized by the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Monday (local time), Sputnik reported.(ANI) A fact-checking organization has exposed the Pakistani media who were spreading fake and deceptive news on Yasin Malik, a separatist leader from Jammu and Kashmir. Digital Forensics Research and Analytics Center (DFRAC) a non-partisan & independent media organization that focuses on fact-checking and identifying hate speech disclosed that as the hearing of Yasin Malik's case was getting closer to its conclusion, the speed of #FreeYasinMalik, #ReleaseYasinMalik, #Pak_StandsWithYasinMalik hashtags were also increased on social media sites. Malik was convicted by Delhi's National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in terror funding cases on May 19 and sentenced to life imprisonment on May 25. Towards the end of the case, the frequency of hashtags was also amplified on social media sites. And, when the court declared Yasin Malik guilty, the hashtags almost reached their peak. Many pictures and videos of Yasin Malik were doing rounds on social media sites and gone massively viral with false claims, reported DFRAC. Both the government and the opposition of Pakistan have unanimously condemned the arrest of Yasin Malik. During this, Mushaal Malik, wife of Yasin Malik, was also very active in organizing press conferences and demonstrations. Mushaal Malik claimed that mild has not happened at all, very much has happened. People are giving an overwhelming response. At the same time, many Pakistani users claimed that in connection with the release of Yasin Malik, a massive freedom march was organized in Srinagar, in which many people participated. Another user, Waqar Ahsan Kashmiri, captioned it on Facebook, "Yeh Hai Azadi March. In Srinagar, release Yasin Malik, release it, it is called Azadi March Naam Nihad Walo! Posted the same picture. Similarly, many users on Twitter have also made the same claim about this picture. However, when DFRAC reverse image searched this image on the internet, it was found that this image is of the 2018 Washington rally. Getty Images captioned it on their website on March 24, 2018," Celebrities joined in March for Our Lives in Washington, DC. The viral claim about Yasin Malik is baseless and misleading, as the image of the freedom march that was organized in Srinagar is of America, which was captured in 2018. Most of the accounts interacting with these hashtags are from Pakistan. It was found that out of 11,000 users, more than 8,100 users were from Pakistan. Yasin Malik was facing serious charges like waging war against the country, criminal conspiracy, and involvement in illegal activities. Yasin Malik was found guilty by the court under Section 16, Section 17, Section 18, and Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). These sections include offenses such as terrorist activity, raising funds for terrorist activity, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, and being a member of a terrorist group or organization. (ANI) The US Army General is on a four-day visit. Upon his arrival, he laid a wreath at National War Memorial and received a Guard of Honour at the South Block. During talks with General Pande, he congratulated him on his recent appointment as India's Chief of Army Staff. "General Charles A. Flynn, Commanding General United States Army Pacific USARPAC called on General Manoj Pande COAS and discussed aspects of Bilateral Defence Cooperation," Indian Army said in a tweet. US General Flynn also held talks with Vice Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General BS Raju and discussed aspects of mutual interests. "General Charles A. Flynn, Commanding General United States Army Pacific USARPAC called on Lieutenant General BS Raju VCOAS & discussed aspects of mutual interests," Army said in another tweet. Underlining the importance of India as a key partner in the region, US General Flynn said that he looks forward to expanding future bilateral cooperation with the Indian Army. "Grateful to VCOAS Lt. Gen. Raju for the warm welcome today at the Indian Army HQ. India is an important partner in the region and I look forward to expanding future bilateral cooperation with USARPAC and Indian Army," he said on Twitter. "On behalf of the United States Army Pacific, I am humbled to begin my visit to India by honouring the Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen whose sacrifice is remembered at the National War Memorial," he added. (ANI) A Chinese company has demanded the revision of the contract in the Aynak Logar copper mining project - at Mes Ayank a site situated 40 km southeast of Kabul in the barren region of Logar Province. The site contains the world's second-largest copper deposit. Bakhtar state news agency reported that the officials of the Chinese state-owned enterprise company, in a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban, Abdul Salam Hanafi called for "solving fundamental issues" to start the Aynak Logar copper mining project. In March, the company demanded a revision of the contract it had signed with the then government of Afghanistan led by Ashraf Ghani in 2008, reported The First 24/7 International News Channel for Afghanistan. Aynak mine is said to be the second-largest copper ore body in the world, with the deposit estimated to contain 5.5 million metric tons of high-grade copper ore. Aynak was one of the Chinese copper industry's first sizeable overseas investments, occurring during the country's 'Go Out' initiative in the early 2000s to promote a national policy of acquiring key assets outside of the country. In 2007, Jiangxi Copper, then the biggest refined copper producer in China, partnered with Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC), a subsidiary of state miner-trader Minmetals, signing a USD 2.83 billion deal with the Afghan government to mine the project for 30 years. However, scenes of human tragedy in Afghanistan crowd newsfeeds following the Taliban's takeover of the country last August, and the fate of its vast metal and mineral reserves, including the Aynak copper mine lies in oblivion. Moreover, deteriorating security has been reported to be one of the causes for the prolonged delay in opening the mine. Logar, where Aynak is found, is listed as one of the insecure provinces in Afghanistan with a strong Taliban presence and other insurgent groups also active in several districts of Logar. Also, it was widely reported in the international media that a Buddhist archaeological site and its remnants in Aynak were in danger and would be demolished by the Chinese miners if action was not taken. The Aynak is a vast complex of over 20 ruin locations, including numerous 5th-6th century Buddhist monasteries, as fortress and evidence of even older Bronze Age settlements buried beneath the rubble of ancient copper mines. (ANI) "Foreign Minister of Iran, Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrives to a warm welcome in India. The visit will further boost our deep historical ties and partnership," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. Iran Foreign Ministry said Hossein will hold talks with India's high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. India's relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour. During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership. The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021. Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran. He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port. The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran. (ANI) A demonstration against the enforced disappearance of Balochs will be organized on Wednesday at Quetta Press Club around 3 pm. Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) said that June 8 marks the 14th anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Zakir Majeed Baloch. It has been 14 years since Baloch student leader Zakir Majeed Baloch was forcibly kidnapped and 'disappeared' by the Pakistani security forces. Zakir Majeed's family will hold a protest in front of Quetta Press Club today against his long enforced disappearance, reported VBMP. Baloch students, no matter whether they are in Balochistan or any other part of Pakistan, always live in the fear of being abducted, tortured, and killed. They cannot roam around freely or take part in normal activities like other students. Most of the time Baloch people become part of the struggle not because of a choice but because of the deprivation, oppression and brutal policies of the deep state. Pakistani forces may have been successful in banning the Baloch political parties on fake charges but they have not been successful in ending the Baloch resistance. The people's resistance is still ongoing and it is getting more powerful day by day. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court has ordered the government to issue notices to all past executives from former president Pervez Musharraf to current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to explain what the court described as "undeclared tacit approval of the policy regarding enforced disappearances." The defence forces in Pakistan are widely accused of being responsible for the 'disappearance' of an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 persons, however, the exclusion of the military from the notice highlights its alleged role in the political turmoil of Pakistan. As per a local media report, the activists from Balochistan province are high on the list of the 'missing'. Baloch 'nationalists', forming many groups, have been fighting the state to oppose curbs on civil rights and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects that they say deprive Balochs of natural resources while giving few jobs. According to Amnesty International, the commission received 3,000 cases of such disappearances. By 2021, the Commission reported that it has received 7,000 cases of forced disappearance since its inception and it has resolved around 5,000 of those cases. The issue of forced disappearance in Pakistan originated during the Musharraf era (1999 to 2008), but the practice continued during subsequent governments. Human rights activists allege that the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan are responsible for the cases of forced disappearance in Pakistan. Enforced disappearances are used as a tool by Pakistani authorities to terrorize people who question the all-powerful army establishment of the country, or seek individual or social rights. Cases of enforced disappearances have been majorly recorded in the Balochistan and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces of the country which host active separatist movements. (ANI) India and Vietnam on Wednesday signed a "Joint Vision Statement" for Defence Partnership towards the year 2030 to enhance the scope and scale of defence cooperation between the countries. This key vision statement was signed during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's official visit to Vietnam. It was signed after the Defence Minister's meeting with his Vietnamese counterpart General Phan Van Giang. "Had an excellent meeting with General Phan Van Giang, the Defence Minister of Vietnam. We renewed interactions on expanding bilateral cooperation. Our close Defence and Security cooperation is an important factor of stability in the Indo-Pacific region," the minister said in a tweet. He said that both sides had a wide-ranging discussion on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and other issues. "After our fruitful deliberations, we signed the 'Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030', which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of our defence cooperation," the Defence Minister said. Earlier today, Rajnath Singh visited the Mausoleum of the Founding Father of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh and paid homage to the leader. The Defence Minister is also scheduled to call on the President of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. At the Hong Ha Shipyard in Hai Phong, Singh will preside over the handing over ceremony of 12 high-speed Guard Boats constructed under the Government of India's USD 100 million Defence Line of Credit to Vietnam. This project is significant in the context of the growing defence industry cooperation with Vietnam. During the visit, the Defence Minister will also visit the training institutions of Vietnam at Nha Trang, including the Telecommunication University where an Army Software Park is being established with USD 5 million grant from the Indian government. He will also attend a community event organized by the Embassy of India, Hanoi and interact with the Indian diaspora in Vietnam. India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including defence policy dialogues, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises. The Defence Minister's visit on the historic occasion of 50 years of establishment of India-Vietnam Diplomatic relations and 75 years of India's Independence will further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. (ANI) Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, on his visit to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, handed over a consignment of 288 boxes of medicines to treat tuberculosis (TB) to the Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare John Mangwiro. Muraleedharan said he is confident that these medicines will help Zimbabwe in its fight against tuberculosis. "From the people of India to the people of Zimbabwe. Happy to hand over a consignment of 288 boxes of medicines to treat Tuberculosis to Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare H.E. John Mangwiro. Confident that it will help Zimbabwe in its fight against TB," he tweeted. Muraleedharan met the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Zimbabwe, advocate Jacob Francis Mudenda on Tuesday. The MoS exchanged views on strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two countries. He is on an official visit to African nations -- Zimbabwe and Malawi -- from June 6 to 9. Muraleedharan will also review the progress of the development assistance projects under the Government of India Lines of Credit (LoCs) and Grants in both countries. The MoS had a virtual meeting with Dr Frederick Shava, on June 28, 2021. The Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, including political cooperation, cooperation in the fields of health, energy, trade, investments, and multilateral fora. India gifted 10 ambulances, which had been promised during the visit of the Vice President to Zimbabwe in 2018. A consignment of 35,000 Covaxin vaccine doses was provided in the month of March 2021. India also handed over three vehicles for the Indo-Zim Technology Centres, for which the latest technology machines are worth approx. USD 3 million have been supplied under Phase II. India shares excellent bilateral relations with both Zimbabwe and Malawi ranging across political, economic, cultural, and development assistance fields, which have particularly strengthened in the past few years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian leadership maintained close contact with the leadership of both the countries and supported them in their fight against the pandemic. (ANI) Amid reports of the growing rift between the Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, the recent changes in appointments of editors in Chinese-state-run news agency - Xinhua highlights Xi's continued efforts to strengthen his control over the propaganda machinery. On Tuesday, Fu Hua was appointed president of Xinhua News Agency and Lu Yansong as the editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, reported local media. This personnel change must be seen together with another high-level personnel shift in which Li Shulei, an important confidant of Xi Jinping, was transferred to the deputy minister of the Central Propaganda Department in charge of daily work on Monday. This is an important move by Xi to continue and strengthen the control over the propaganda machinery, reported the local media. The appointments come amid reports of the growing rift between Xi and Premier Li Keqiang. Li has been brought back to the forefront in order to revive the economy. It is well known that Chinese president Xi exerts significant control on the governance and political frameworks. However, in the recent past, reports in the international media suggest that the Chinese official media are giving more space to the premier, and there is growing speculation that Li is taking control of economic policy. The official Xinhua News Agency recently reported that as of April 30, a total of 3,676 news organizations and 180,075 journalists had passed the annual inspection; while 24 news organizations and 353 journalists had been suspended. However, on May 16, the National Association of Journalists released another report - "Report on the Development of Journalism in China". As of December 2021, China had 194,263 journalists with valid press cards, the report said. The press card is the only legal document for engaging in news gathering and editing in China. According to the regulations of the State Press and Publication Administration, press cards are renewed every five years and must be verified every year. Those who fail to pass the verification will have their press cards cancelled. A comparison of the two shows that there are 14,188 journalists in China who have not passed the annual verification, accounting for 7.3 per cent of the earlier number. This also suggests a tightening grip on the media and propaganda. Moreover, the number of journalists have declined in China. In November 2012, China had 248,101 licensed journalists; in November 2017, it declined to 228,327. Today there are only 180,075 people. In ten years, the number of people decreased by 68,026, accounting for 27.4 per cent decrease from the base year of 2012, reported local media. (ANI) China has tightened its grip over its dissenting citizens by rewarding those who report their behaviour to the security agency giving rise to online policing. Ministry of State Security on Tuesday published "Rules to Reward Citizens Reporting Behavior that Threatens National Security". As per it, anyone who reports a clear target or verifiable lead for actions not already known to the state and considered damaging to national security will be eligible for a reward once it is confirmed by investigators, local media reported. This effectively turns every Chinese (loyal to the Chinese Communist Party) and in need of some money, into the eyes of the online police. There are examples of such measures being implemented on a local level. The official Weibo account of Putian city (Fujian province) online police patrol and enforcement posted that a student of Putian University was surfing the internet. He found that someone was engaging in activities endangering national security and spreading reactionary remarks on the internet. He immediately called 12339 (hotline of the National Security Bureau) to report it. Putian City National Security Bureau successfully stopped this incident from endangering national security and punished the accused accordingly. On July 8, Putian National Security Bureau and Putian school jointly held an award ceremony to commend the student and reward him with 10000 yuan. Putian State Security Bureau officials said that any organization or individual who finds information and clues endangering national security can call 12339 to report to the state organs. If the information and clues reported are verified to be true, then the informant will be rewarded according to their importance, and the informant will be kept strictly confidential, reported the local media. These measures are meant to strengthen national security ahead of the 20th party congress, where President Xi Jinping is expected to win a rare third term in power. The Communist Party has put a priority on ensuring stability in 2022 ahead of the most important event on China's political calendar. Yet disruptions have been rife as virus outbreaks prompted the government to lock down cities, hurting economic growth and rattling markets around the world. (ANI) P8A aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) arrived in Goa on June 6 to undertake coordinated operations with the P8I of the Indian Navy (IN) from June 7-9. The P8I squadron INAS 316 at INS Hansa, Goa will interact with and host the RAAF P8A aircraft. Both aircraft will undertake coordinated operations involving anti-submarine warfare and surface surveillance. Previously, IN P8I aircraft had operated from Darwin, Australia in April 2022 and undertaken coordinated ops with RAAF P8A in Northern Australian waters. "India and Australia will conduct activities in the Indian Ocean Region to build operational maritime domain awareness, practise anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres and bolster military interoperability," the Australian Defence ministry said in a statement. "This builds upon the successful deployment of an Indian P-8I aircraft to Darwin in April this year, when India and Australia undertook coordinated maritime patrols in Northern Australia for the first time," it added. Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Air Vice Marshal Michael Kitcher, said that this maritime surveillance activity paved the way for deeper and more sophisticated operational cooperation between India and Australia. "India is one of our closest security partners and this activity demonstrates the strength of our bilateral defence relationship, the tangible value of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and our shared commitment to an open, secure and prosperous Indo Pacific." "This is an important opportunity for Indian and Australian squadrons to enhance their tactical skills, conduct information-sharing exchanges and further strengthen combined capabilities." According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), India-Australia defence cooperation continued to expand during the year. A 'Joint Guidance for the Australia - India Navy to Navy Relationship' was signed between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy on August 18, 2021. Subsequently, the 'Terms of Reference for the Conduct of Navy-to-Navy Talks' was signed on September 29, 2021. (ANI) Buddhism in Tibet would truly be a tale of yesterday and a history, especially if President Xi Jinping secures an unprecedented third term of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (the first since Mao Zedong). Tenzing Dhamdul, writing in Tibet Rights Collective (TRC) said that the possibility is highly predicted and seems to be more likely than ever, inferring from the several changes in leadership and constitutional amendments carried out by Xi's government. After Xi Jinping became the president of China, there has been a gradual shift in CCP's view and policies over Buddhism in Tibet which, as of recent times, has been attacked through various channels by the government. The CCP under Xi did not appease the religious community but rather adopted a hard-handed approach much like the Machiavellian approach of governance, where fear is used to gain obedience, said Dhamdul. This was followed up by the intentional targeting of tangible Buddhist structures. The destruction of Larung Gar in Tibet - the world's largest Buddhist monastic institution in 2016 - was just the beginning of what was to come. Such draconian measures led to many monks committing self-immolation between 2013 and 2020 because of the dire situation they were placed in when it came to practicing the faith they believed in. Since 2021 when Xi consolidated his power and signalled an era of dictatorship in China, the project of demolishing Buddhism in Tibet has gained further impetus, reported TRC. In late December 2021, a very prominent 99-foot Buddha statue was completely demolished along with the 45-huge prayer wheels surrounding it in Drakgo, Kham, situated in the Chinese demarcated Sichuan province of Tibet. This statue was just completed in 2015 after gaining all the required paperwork from the Chinese government and was constructed because the region and its people sought protection from the frequent earthquakes impacting it. And to many observers, it signalled towards the road ahead under president Xi's confirmed dictatorship. The buck did not stop there as another three-story Maitreya Buddha statue was recently demolished by the CCP in this very region, thereby creating a nexus of demolishing Buddhist structures in Kham. To further highlight the insensitivity of the ruling CCP under Xi, there has been a strong move in preventing the propagation of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet and China. This is clearly seen through the recent announcement by the "Measures on the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services", whereby it gave authorities directives and measures to clamp down on online religious activity. This move impacted the online WeChat groups heavily in Tibet, where the presence of Buddhist groups had grown and had gained huge popularity with the advent of the pandemic. Not stopping there, the most recent attack has been on the Tibetans in Amdo (Chinese demarcated Qinghai province) where Chinese officials have now warned and given notice to Tibetans to not keep any portraits of Tibetan religious teachers in exile. Since Xi's consolidation of power, the CCP has been ruthless and adopted a two-pronged approach of eradicating and Sinicizing Tibet's religion. One, destroying Buddhist structures and two, eradicating the very means and agencies of Buddhist learning, be it online, which had gained much traction during the pandemic. (ANI) The foreign officials belonging to the Far East, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa, met senior officers of the capital police on Monday to discuss security-related issues, sources in the police told Dawn newspaper. A similar meeting was scheduled for Tuesday but it was postponed due to the unavailability of the capital police chief, the report added. During a briefing on Monday, the security staff of some embassies showed concerns over road blockades and sealing of Red Zone which hampered their movements. This comes in the backdrop of the recent protest march organized by former prime minister Imran Khan, that led to large-scale violence in the capital. Against this backdrop, the police provided security cover to diplomats of different countries for over a dozen round trips to the airport from the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad. The Pakistani newspaper said embassy officials complained that the security measures from them were kept secret till the eleventh hour. Embassy staff even asked the police to inform the embassies about security measures prior to any protest gathering so that events could be rescheduled according to the circumstances. They expressed concerns over the security situation in Islamabad. Another security staffer asked if Islamabad was safe for a walk, Dawn reported. Concerns were also raised over the spike in street crime in the federal capital, the report said. As per international standards, countries shared crime statistics of their respective capitals with all embassies located there. As a result of this, requests were made to share the crime statistics while calling for greater transparency. (ANI) "Welcoming FM @Amirabdolahian to New Delhi. Our discussions today will reflect our close and friendly relations," EAM Jaishankar tweeted. Earlier today, the Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi. He is slated to hold talks with India's high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. India's relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour. During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership. The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021. Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran. He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port. The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran. (ANI) The cell was allegedly linked to a network linked to a Pakistani man named Zaheer Hassan Mahmoud, Italy's leading wire service Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) reported. 27-year-old Pakistani was the one who attacked the former offices of the Paris based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Charlie Hebdo is famous for its controversial depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and for reprinting cartoons about the prophet that had been published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Those arrested in Italy and Europe have been charged with conspiracy to commit international terrorism, according to the Italian news agency. The Pakistani man went to Charlie Hebdo's former offices to punish them for re-publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad for which several people were killed in January 2015. Zaheer did not know that the magazine had moved in the meantime. He wounded two staffers of an agency that had taken over the offices. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), France is no stranger to Islamist extremist violence. In January 2015, there were deadly attacks in Paris at Charlie Hebdo's office and a kosher supermarket, and that November at the Stade de France and the Bataclan theatre. On Bastille Day 2016, there was an attack in Nice. Earlier in 2011, the Charlie Hebdo offices were firebombed. (ANI) US President Joseph R Biden will travel to Schloss Elmau in southern Germany on June 25 to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in an official statement on Tuesday. During the summit, the US President Biden and other G-7 leaders will hold discussions on the global issues including the G-7's unwavering support for a democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, tackling the climate crisis, development infrastructure, global health security, and the food and energy crisis caused by Russia's war of aggression, the statement further said. It added that Biden will travel to Madrid in Spain on June 28 for the 2022 NATO Summit where the allied leader will endorse a new Strategic Concept to guide NATO's transformation over the next decade. This will focus on strengthening deterrence and defence, building resilience against transnational threats including cyber and climate and deepening partnerships with democratic partners in Europe and Asia in order to strengthen the rules-based international order. The G7 Summit is scheduled to be held on June 26-28 this year, at Schloss Elmau, a castle resort in the Bavarian Alps in southern Germany. The G7 comprises Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, the United States and Canada. (ANI) The narrow-mindedness of Pakistani society towards its women continues to exhibit itself in the form of brutal killings in the name of honour. Even women of Pakistani origin staying abroad are not spared. Recently, two Pakistani women, who live in Barcelona, Spain were killed in Pakistan's Punjab province May 20 by their relatives for requesting a divorce from their husbands. The women include -- 20-year-old Aneesa Abbas, and 24-year-old her sister Arooj Abbas. Aneesa was forcibly married to her cousin Atiq-ur-Rehman in 2020 and her sister Arooj was married to paternal cousin Hassan in 2019. In an interview to a Spanish news agency, Huma Jamshed Bashir, the president of the Cultural, Educational and Social Association of Pakistani Women in Barcelona, condemned the twin murders. She claimed that women in Pakistan are treated like objects and currency of exchange, adding that presently there were over 30 women in Pakistan who have asked for help in getting a visa to come back to Spain after being falsely abandoned by their husbands or families on pretext of being impure or having extra marital affairs. These women are left without documentation and without their children as "punishment" by their relatives. She attributes these instances to the patriarchal mindset of Pakistani society and viewed that problems begin when women want to become independent, study, earn money, learn languages, and become westernized. Pakistani men apparently could not accept this and they punish and insult women. Talking about the culturaldifference, she highlighted that while Spanish women are capable of answering men, in Pakistan, nobody even dares to do that in many cases. Criticizing the mindset of Pakistani men, she underscored that while many men in Pakistan want a "pure and submissive" woman, at the same time they do whatever they want to and can have other partners. (ANI) In a tweet, Rajnath Singh said the shared Buddhist heritage with Vietnam is a strong link in the modern day relations of both the countries. "Feeling blessed after visiting the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi. Our shared Buddhist heritage with Vietnam is a strong link in our modern day relations," the Defence Minister said. Earlier in the day, the Minister met Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. "Delighted to call on the President of Vietnam, H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi today. India and Vietnam continue to work on the basis of remarkable convergences and deep mutual trust to develop an even stronger cooperative agenda," tweeted the Defence Minister. The Defence Minister described the meeting as an important pillar of Act East Policy and a key partner in the Indo-Pacific vision. He appraised the Vietnamese president on initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral Defence relations between India and Vietnam. Earlier a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Mutual Logistics Support to help enhance engagements between the defence forces of the two countries. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional and global issues were held between the two sides. The Indian defence minister is on an official three-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang. The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest. The defence minister is also scheduled to call on the Prime Minister Mr Pham Minh Chinh. (ANI) Ottawa [Canada], June 8 (ANI/Sputnik): Canada is banning 28 types of consultants from working for Russian oil, gas, and chemical firms, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced on Wednesday. "These new measures impose a ban on the export of 28 services vital for the operation of the oil, gas and chemical industries, including technical, management, accounting and advertising services. The banning of the exportation of oil, gas and chemical services targets an industry that accounts for about 50% of Russia's federal budget revenues," Joly said. "From now on, it'll be prohibited for any person in Canada and any Canadian outside Canada to provide to Russia or to any person in Russia any service referred to in Part 1 of Schedule 8 in relation to any industry referred to in Part 2 of that Schedule," an official document read. (ANI/Sputnik) The 1993-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Srivastava, currently Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, discussed the deployment and working of Sashastra Seema Bal along the India-Nepal border with Thaosen, said the force in a statement. Srivastava held the discussion during his visit to the SSB Headquarters. As Srivastava is expected to take up the assignment shortly, he took a meeting with other senior officers of the force too. The other officers who took part in the meeting included B. Radhika, Additional Director General and PK Gupta, Inspector General (Operations). Last month, India announced the appointment of Srivastava as the next ambassador to Nepal. Srivastava, who headed the East Asia Division in the Ministry, has played a key role in diplomatic and military talks with China to tackle the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020. Srivastava will succeed Vinay Kwatra, who became the foreign secretary last month, as the envoy to Kathmandu. The East Asia division deals with China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Mongolia; and Srivastava is seen as an experienced China hand. This experience is expected to come in handy for his stint in Kathmandu in view of China's stepped up efforts to increase its influence in Nepal's politics and economy. Besides leading the Indian side at meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, Srivastava participated in meetings of Indian and Chinese military commanders to address the standoff on the LAC. He has also served as consul general in Shanghai. (ANI) Those arrested were identified as 44-year-old Phul Bahadur Gurung ofNuwakot and Chinese nationals Auang Zaiking, 50, Zhan Too, 49, Meng Yun Shun, 31, and Maujian Hua, 26. The Spokesperson of District Police Range Kathmandu, Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali said, "They were arrested based on a tipoff while coming to Kathmandu along with the amount. All those arrested have been sent to the Anti-Money Laundering Department for further investigation and actions," Nepal News reported. A team of police personnel from Police Range, Nagdhunga, and Narcotics Control Bureau arrested the five accused as they were transporting the money to Kathmandu from Nuwakot by hiding in two plastic bags. (ANI) Imran Khan has been re-elected as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman once again on Wednesday. Notably, five days ahead of the deadline, given to it by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last year, the PTI fixed June 8 for the intra-party election. The last date for the conduct of intra-party polls for the PTI was June 13, 2021, however, because of a request from the party, it had been given time till June 13, 2022, The News International reported. In 1997, Imran Khan founded his own political party 'Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan contested for a National Assembly seat in October 2002 elections and served as a Member Parliament from NA- 71, Mianwali until 2007. In 2018, Imran Khan stormed to power in Pakistan by winning 176 votes. Prime Minister Imran Khan was voted out of power as he lost the trust vote mandated by the Supreme Court's ruling in April. As many as 174 members voted in favour of the motion in the 342-member House while members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were absent during the voting. The former Prime Minister today said that the incumbent rulers will "not take a stand for the nation" as they have billions of dollars stored in foreign bank accounts. After the Intra-party elections, the former Prime Minister criticized the government and said the incumbent rulers would "not do anything without the approval of the United State. Addressing the party workers and leaders at the PTI's National Council Meeting, the PTI chairman said that they will "not take a stand for the nation" as they have billions of dollars stored in foreign bank accounts, which they will protect at any cost. "They are afraid that if America is disgruntled with them, then they will suffer the same fate as the Russian oligarchs," the PTI chairman said, claiming that from 2008 to 2018, the United States carried out 400 drone attacks on Pakistan, a number that had been unprecedented. (ANI) Indian humanitarian aid en route to Afghanistan was reportedly being smuggled and hoarded by Pakistan, as the wheat consignments take a "return journey" after reaching Afghanistan, as per media reports. According to the Khaama Press report on May 31, the Taliban security officials in Helmand province prevented 50 wheat-laden trucks from unlawfully crossing the border to Pakistan. On May 30, more wheat-laden trucks were captured on the Herat-Kandahar highway, according to Hafiz Rashid Helmandi, the Taliban's Director of Information and Culture for Helmand province. The vehicles were loaded in the company area of Helmand province's Washir district to be taken to Pakistan. Last week, India has sent a team to Kabul to oversee the delivery operations of India's humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and hold discussions with the Taliban over the aid provided by New Delhi. This is the first such visit by the Indian government to Kabul since the Taliban's takeover. India's development and humanitarian assistance have received widespread appreciation across the entire spectrum of Afghan society. In this connection, the Indian team will meet the senior members of the Taliban, and hold discussions on humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. India reportedly sought Afghan consent to send more aid but this time via the Iranian Chabahar port after Afghan media reported that wheat en route to Afghanistan was diverted and hoarded in Pakistan. India reportedly suggested sending more consignments via Mumbai, Kandla, or Mundra ports on the west coast to Chabahar and taking the Iranian land route, reaching Herat. This would avoid the delays on the Punjab border, with trucks lining up and waiting to be off-loaded, to be transported further through Pakistan. As per reports, the Taliban also agreed that the change of the route for the consignment was needed. Earlier, India had announced that it will send 50,000 metric tonnes (MT) of wheat to Afghanistan overland through Pakistan. The first consignment of humanitarian aid of 2,500 tonnes of wheat from India reached Afghanistan's Jalalabad through Pakistan on February 26. The second convoy of India's humanitarian assistance carrying 2,000 MTs of wheat left Attari, Amritsar on March 3 for Jalalabad, Afghanistan, the MEA had said. Moreover, India sent the third consignment of 2,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan in 40 trucks via the Attari-Wagah border on March 8. The fourth consignment of 2,000 metric tonnes of wheat was dispatched for Afghanistan via the Attari-Wagah border on March 15. The Government of Pakistan in November 2021 had approved, as a special gesture to the Afghan people, the transportation of 50,000 MTs of wheat and life-saving medicines as humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan via the Wagah border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes, as per a press release by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The time period granted for transportation of the humanitarian assistance expired on 21 March 2022. The Government of India requested for extension in the time period to complete the transportation process after which India was granted two months extension for the transportation of 50,000 Metric Tonnes (MTs) of wheat and life-saving medicines as humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. (ANI) Welcoming the minister, Prime Minister warmly recalled the long-standing civilizational and cultural links between India and Iran. The two leaders discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation initiatives. The Prime Minister stressed that both countries should work to accelerate exchanges in the post-COVID era, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release. Prime Minister requested the Iran Foreign Minister to also convey his greetings to President Ebrahim Raisi, and said he looked forward to meeting the President of Iran at an early date. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said there was a useful discussion on the development of centuries-old civilisational links between the two countries. "Was happy to receive Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian for a useful discussion on further development of Centuries-old civilizational links between India and Iran. Our relations have mutually benefited both the countries and have promoted regional security and prosperity," the Prime Minister said. Amir-Abdollahian met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar earlier in the day and reviewed the bilateral ties in areas such as trade, connectivity, and health. Both the leaders also exchanged views on global and regional issues including Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Afghanistan and Ukraine.They witnessed the signing of an agreement on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters. Abdollahian is on a three-day visit to India. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran's Foreign Ministry had said in a statement. (ANI) The State-owned Radio Mogadishu said Mustaf Ishak Ali, who has conducted terror attacks in the Bay region, surrendered to the 60th Division of the Somali National Army (SNA) in Baidoa town. "Ali was an al-Shabab militant for two years and has fought in several battles in Bay and Galgaduud regions," it said. The security forces displaced the photos of the terrorist who said has abandoned the militant group's ideology of causing horrific acts of atrocities against the Somali people, Xinhua news agency reported. Ali has since appealed to his fellow fighters to abandon the terror group which has engaged the government and African Union forces in near-daily attacks in a bid to topple the internationally-backed government. Several al-Shabab leaders have surrendered to government forces in the recent past amid intensified security operations across the country. --IANS int/skp/ ( 170 Words) 2022-06-08-20:06:01 (IANS) In an attempt to save energy, the Pakistan National Economic Council (NEC) has decided to order the closure of markets across the country at 8:30 pm, Geo News reported. The NEC took the decision on Wednesday during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which was attended by the chief ministers of all the provinces. The NEC met a day after President Ari Alvi approved the reconstitution of the body with Shehbaz Sharif as its chairman. The meeting was attended by the chief ministers of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was represented by its chief secretary Shehzad Khan. According to a statement, the chief ministers appreciated the steps being taken by the federal government to deal with the energy crisis and the four provinces agreed on the proposal to close markets at 8.30 pm. The statement also said that the chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan have asked for two days to implement the decision as they wish to consult the traders' associations in their respective provinces, Geo News reported. The chief ministers also backed the decisions of the federal cabinet on nationwide measures to deal with the energy crisis and assured their full cooperation in tackling the crisis. Addressing a press conference, Power Minister Khurrum Dastagir said that the early closure of markets and 'work from home' can save electricity. "The electricity being produced in the country is 22,000 MW and the requirement is 26,000 MW," said the minister, adding that the energy shortfall in the country is 4,000 MW. He also assured the media that the industrial sector in the country is being provided with uninterrupted power supply. He added that 1,100 MW will be added to the national grid once the K-2 Nuclear Power Plant starts production. --IANS san/arm ( 312 Words) 2022-06-08-21:48:05 (IANS) For the first time in history, Pakistan's Haj mission will have no female assistants to help women perform the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, media reports said on Wednesday. Every year, some officials, including women, from the Religious Affairs Ministry, accompany the pilgrims to provide guidance and assistance and respond to emergency situations. This year, more than 80,000 pilgrims, including 8,000 women, from Pakistan would perform Haj. However, Federal Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Maulana Abdul Shakoor has decided not to send women officials with the pilgrims, Samaa TV reported. The women officers, who were stopped from accompanying the pilgrims have written a letter to Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment Kashmala Tariq and called the minister's decision "misogynistic" and "discriminatory". In the letter, the women officials claimed they have been subjected to gender discrimination on the directions of the minister who formulated a policy "to ban females from performing Hajj duties". "The illogical ground of this policy is depriving us from our constitutional right of equality, and... resulted in discrimination (and) caused ridicule to all women officers and officials of the ministry," reads the letter bearing the signature of seven officials, Samaa TV reported. The officials said Article 7(A)(ii) of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2022 defines harassment as: "discrimination on basis of gender, which may or may not be sexual in nature, but which may embody discriminatory and prejudicial mind-set or notion, resulting in discriminatory behavior on basis of gender against the complainant". The officials also complained of the "lack of resistance" demonstrated by the Secretary who acts as the administrative head of the ministry. They added that under the ministry's Rule of Business, 1973, the Secretary is usually bound to implement the Minister's decision. However, if they feel the decision could cause "injustice or undue hardship", they may ask the Minister to reconsider it. In case the Minister persists with the decision, the Secretary can request the Minister to refer the case to the Prime Minister, Samaa TV reported. However, in this case, the matter was referred to the Prime Minister's Office which directed the Minister's decision will stand. The women officials said the "competent authorities" in the ministry have surrendered to the "radical mindset" of the Minister. --IANS san/ ( 391 Words) 2022-06-08-22:00:02 (IANS) Pakistan military on Wednesday warned of legal action against journalist Shaheen Sehbai for indulging in spreading 'malicious allegations'against the country's military establishment of asking former finance minister Shaukat Tarin to "betray" former prime minister Imran Khan and help the incumbent premier, Shehbaz Sharif. The military dismissed allegations hurled against its top leadership by senior journalist Shaheen Sehbai, terming them as 'baseless propaganda'. Sehbai, in a tweet, had claimed that former finance minister Shaukat Tarin was asked by the establishment to "betray" former prime minister Imran Khan and help the incumbent premier, Shehbaz Sharif. However, the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), denied the charge in a statement issued today. "The same has also been duly rebutted by Mr Shaukat Tarin himself. Peddling malicious allegations and blatant lies against the institution and its leadership to promote vested interests is condemnable and institution reserves the right to take legal action against those involved." However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator and Former finance minister Tarin also said he was never asked by "anyone in the establishment" to "leave" PTI Chairman Imran Khan, whose term as prime minister came to an unceremonious end in April, Dawn reported. "I categorically deny what has been attributed to me by Shaheen Sehbai. I was never asked by anyone in the establishment to leave Imran Khan and join the Shehbaz Sharif government," he said on Twitter. Sehbai, however, in his tweet did not mention if Tarin was asked to resign or by whom, however, he claimed that Tarin himself had broken the news of being asked to assist the coalition government in dealing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to Dawn, the word neutral, used frequently by Imran Khan and his party, is now widely read as a reference to the military which has been consistently claiming that it remained apolitical and had nothing to do with the mechanics of the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan. However, since Imran's ouster, the army leadership has come under criticism on social media platforms, as the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also took exception to Sehbai's remarks and called them "baseless propaganda". "The insinuations by Shaheen Sehbai and some others on social media quoting the former finance minister are baseless propaganda," a statement issued less than two hours after Tarin's tweet said. Prime Minister Imran Khan was voted out of power as he lost the trust vote mandated by the Supreme Court's ruling in April. As many as 174 members voted in favour of the motion in the 342-member House while members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were absent during the voting. In May, Tarin had claimed that the PML-N-led coalition government sought his expertise to lift the crumbling economy, saying he refused to do so until a caretaker setup was installed and fresh elections were announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dawn reported, quoting local media sources. "Yes they [the current government leaders] did," Tarin had said when asked during a press conference whether any request had been made by the leaders of the new coalition government for help to boost the economy. "But I have made it very clear that I cannot do that," he said, adding that they believe the time has come for fresh elections to put the country's faltering economy into place. (ANI) The crime scene following last weeks shooting (CBS-12) A 10-year-old girl who police say shot and killed a woman who allegedly fought with her mother has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The Orlando Police Department said the girl was apprehended on Tuesday and is facing a charge of second-degree murder for the death of the woman, who has been named as Lashun Rodgers. The 41-year-old was pronounced dead in hospital last week following the shooting on 30 May. Police say Ms Rodgers allegedly fought with the mother of the 10-year-old before she was shot. Both the mother and daughter have not been named. During the incident, police said the mother allegedly gave her daughter a bag with a gun inside and that the girl fired two rounds at Ms Rodgers, who died at a hospital. Police said the mother was arrested last week on charges including manslaughter by culpable negligence, and no further information was provided. The Tampa Bay Times reported that the mother was given an attorney but it was unclear if she had entered a plea on those charges. The girl is meanwhile being held at a local juvenile detention centre. Juvenile records in the state are usually confidential. BERLIN (AP) Authorities in Austria say more than 100 students and teachers on a school trip from Germany had to be airlifted to safety after they followed an online map that directed them onto an unmarked and difficult trail. Police in the western state of Vorarlberg said more than 60 rescuers including the local mayor took part in the rescue late Tuesday. Police said in a statement Wednesday that the group from Ludwigshafen, Germany, became stuck on a ridge leading up to Walmendingerhorn summit after a teacher had found what was described as a classic evening walk using an internet search tool. In fact, the route was partly suspended and involved sections that required climbing, firm shoes and Alpine experience, police said. Due to slippery conditions and the fact that not all students were wearing optimal footwear one teacher decided to turn back. After two students slipped and suffered minor injuries, the teacher dialed emergency services, prompting the rescue operation. Police said the 99 students ages 12 to 14 and eight teachers were plucked from the ridge by helicopter using ropes. Several students were exhausted, chilled, wet and completely distraught, the statement said, adding that a crisis intervention team was brought in to help. Mark Ruffalo in Avengers: Endgame, Elijah Wood in Lord of the Rings and Kate Winslet in Titanic' (Marvel Studios/New Line Cinema/Paramount) Amid the praise for Quentin Tarantinos film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, one eagle-eyed celebrity viewer spotted a glaring historical inaccuracy in the blockbuster flick. The moment occurs towards the end of the film, when Leonardo DiCaprios character Rick Dalton is reported to have arrived back in Hollywood from Europe on a Boeing 747. But it was John Travolta, who is a plane enthusiast and trained pilot, who said that this would have been impossible given the film is set in 1969. Well, the 747 had its test flight in February 1969, but it went into service in January 1970. Theyre nine months off! He would have been on a Boeing 707! he said. We can forgive Tarantino for that. But its hard to believe that some slip-ups whether its Judy Garland without her ruby red shoes in The Wizard of Oz or Julia Roberts eating a croissant that gets swapped for a pancake in Pretty Woman actually made it through the editing process. According to the website Movie Mistakes, Captain Marvel starring Brie Larson features no less than 60 errors over its two-hour duration. Is there a film where somebody hasnt screwed up? Here, we list 29 mistakes in films that you might not have caught. Batman (1989) Batman 1989: 'Gentleman Let's Broaden Our Minds, Lawrence!' The Tim Burton-directed superhero film has multiple mistakes, but a major one happens when Joker and his crew deface paintings at a museum. One of his gang members slaps a painting with his hands that are covered in red paint, but in the next shot, the handprints have disappeared from the artwork. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019) Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood' (Sony) Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, flies back to Hollywood on a Boeing 747. But it would have been a 707. The film was set in 1969 and the 747 went into service in January 1970. The Graduate (1967) (Embassy Pictures) Dustin Hoffmans character drives in the wrong direction across the Bay Bridge in San Francisco on his way to Berkeley, California. He is travelling on the top deck of the bridge for traffic going from California to San Francisco. Story continues Pretty Woman (1990) There is a continuity issue at breakfast when Julia Robertss character takes a bite out of a croissant. Shes in the hotel room with her co-star Richard Gere, but when the camera pans back to her, it transforms into a pancake. Then when she takes a second bite out of the pancake, there is only one bite mark in it. Pretty Woman (Rex Features) North by Northwest (1959) (MGM) One of the children playing an extra in Alfred Hitchcocks film covers his ears a few seconds before Eva Marie Saints character unexpectedly fires a gun at Cary Grants character in the Mount Rushmore cafeteria. Pulp Fiction (1994) (Rex Features) Bullet holes can be seen in the walls of the apartment where John Travolta and Samuel L Jacksons characters go to get a briefcase, but its before the shoot-out has happened. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) (Warner Bros) John Connors Cessnas plane numbers keep changing in the film. When he is in the hanger on the runway it is N3035C, but once its flying, the numbers change to N3413F. The Wizard of Oz (1939) Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (MGM) Judy Garland isnt wearing her iconic ruby red slippers in the scene where the trees pelt Dorothy and the Scarecrow with apples. Instead, she can be seen wearing plain black shoes. American Sniper (2015) The baby that Bradley Cooper holds while adapting to civilian life after the Iraqi War is plastic. In fact, it looked so fake, even he admitted it was nuts. Independence Day (1996) (Claudette Barius/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock) When computer expert David Levinson, played by Jeff Goldblum, is throwing a tantrum in the hanger housing the captured alien craft, he knocks over a bin that is labelled Art Dept. Clearly, a set designer left it there by mistake. The Fast and the Furious (2001) (Univeral Pictures) In a scene when Jesse and Tran race, Tran is wearing a shirt with sleeves, but in the next shot hes in a tank top. Didnt anybody notice when they edited it? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) (Warner Bros) We were always told that Harry Potter had his mothers blue eyes. But when we see Lily Potter as a child, she has brown eyes. Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope (1977) Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in 'Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope' in 1977 (Rex Features) As a group of stormtroopers enter a control room, one of them accidentally bangs his head on a door. The actor responsible, Laurie Good, couldnt believe it made it into the final film. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) (Rex Features) There is a crew member wearing a cowboy hat and looking out to sea behind Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow on the pirate ship. Quantum of Solace (2008) (Rex Features) A street cleaner behind Daniel Craigs James Bond is pretending to sweep the road but is holding his broom several inches off the ground. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) (Buena Vista Pictures) When Bianca accidentally shoots a gym teacher with an arrow, an extra, who is playing a student, runs off to get urgent help but once she thinks she is out of shot, she stops and looks back at the camera. Braveheart (1995) (Rex Features) There is a modern car in the background of a big battle scene. Considering the film is set in the 13th century, its hard to imagine how it stayed in the final cut. Django Unchained (2012) (TWC) Leonardo DiCaprio accidentally cut his hand while filming a scene in which he slams his hand on the table and breaks a glass. But rather than shout cut, he carried on in character. Tarantino liked it so much that he kept it in the film. Captain Marvel (2019) (AP) Many of the mistakes are related to the films 1990s time period. These include computers using a wrongly dated version of Windows and Carol Danverss memories being jogged by a Nirvana song that wasnt out until after she left Earth. Spider-Man (2002) (Rex) Toby McGuires Spider-Man saves Kirsten Dunsts Mary Jane from a group of attackers. He throws them through a set of windows before he kisses her upside down in the rain. But during their romantic embrace, the windows behind her are perfectly intact. Halloween (1978) (*) John Carpenters slasher film starring Jamie Lee Curtis was set in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, but all the cars have Californian number plates and there are shots of palm trees, as the film was shot in Southern California. The Goonies (1985) (Rex Features) At the end of the cult film, Data tells news reporters that the octopus was really scary, but this actually refers to a deleted scene. It was only added back in for the Disney Channel version. Avengers: Endgame (2019) (*) Eagle-eyed fans have noted that Ant-Man can be seen in two places at once during the final battle scene in the van, and in his giant form, fighting alongside the other Avengers. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (Rex) Merry and Pippin are captured by the Orcs at the start of the film, and Pippin is seen in handcuffs. But he doesnt have them anymore in the fight scene. And then they reappear on his wrists a few moments later.Gladiator (1999) (Rex) Ridley Scotts epic film took place many centuries before fuel-powered vehicles. But during the Battle of Carthage, a gas canister can be seen on the back of a chariot when it flips over. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) (Rex) There is a mix up over whether it is day or night at the beginning of the stock market heist scene in Christopher Nolans film. It is clearly daylight, but suddenly, after the police chase, its pitch black. Titantic (1997) (Rex) When Jack (Leonardi DiCaprio) is painting a naked Rose (Kate Winslet) and tells her to go over by the bed, and then says he means the couch, it was DiCaprio flubbing his lines. But James Cameron kept it in the film because it was funny. Jurassic World (2015) (Rex) The blockbuster featured about 33 mistakes, including a scene in which lead actor Chris Pratt talks to co-star Bryce Dallas Howard without his mouth moving. In another scene, a phones broken screen suddenly appears fixed Storyful A bridge on the Yellowstone River in Montana was swept away as severe flooding from unprecedented rainfall caused the waterway to rage on June 13.Yellowstone National Park was hit by mudslides and flooding due to the rainfall, prompting the park to close to all inbound visitor traffic for Tuesday and Wednesday.Ryan Schrope was visiting the area when he filmed the moment the Carbella Bridge (also known as Tom Miner Bridge) was taken by the river. Credit: Ryan Schrope via Storyful The Hollywood Bowl is more than a venue: Its a collection of stories. The morning in 1921 when the Los Angeles Philharmonic played its first Easter sunrise service on a small wooden platform at the hillside site of the future hatch shell. The time in 1964 when the Beatles appeared before 18,700 histrionic fans in a show that sold out in less than four hours. The 1980 debut of Jazz at the Bowl, featuring Joe Williams, Dave Brubeck, George Shearing, B.B. King, Muddy Waters and Big Joe Turner. There are countless more. A river of stories, and music, flowing over the last century toward this moment in time the Bowls 100th anniversary season, set to kick off this summer. The amphitheater will celebrate by paying tribute to its most memorable stories through programming that reflects the legacy of performances past. Here is a sampling of eight centenary offerings that mirror storied moments of Hollywood Bowl history: Then: The first Symphonies Under the Stars concerts, 1922. Now: Ten evenings under the stars with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (various dates): The love affair between the Hollywood Bowl and classical music dates back to 1922, when the Prussian-born conductor Papa Alfred Hertz programmed the first Symphonies Under the Stars. Julia Ward, director of humanities for the L.A. Phil and editor of the new book Hollywood Bowl: The First 100 Years, said Hertz was considered the father of the Bowl and created the template for the type of classical music that would be successful at the venue throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries, including Mozart and Tchaikovsky. It was no accident, Ward said, that the latter composers music ended up being used for the Bowls annual fireworks spectacular. Dudamels appearances this summer during the evenings under the stars will further his streak of having the most Bowl appearances of any music director in the history of the L.A. Phil, said Chief Executive Chad Smith. The count before this summers festivities stands at 151 performances, excluding the performances recorded in a mostly empty Bowl during the pandemic. Story continues Then: Die Walkurie staged with music by the L.A. Phil in 1938. Now: The Industry founder Yuval Sharon directs Act III of Richard Wagners Die Walkurie (July 17): The Golden Age of Hollywood ushered in an era of spectacle not only in film but also onstage. The yearning to create a space capable of staging performances on a grand scale resulted in the Bowls founding, Ward said. In 1938, one of the Bowls most memorable shows was launched in the form of Richard Wagners opera Die Walkurie. It was directed by prominent Italian director Armando Agnini and featured performers dressed as Valkyries holding flames aloft and riding horses down the hill behind the hatch shell. The riders were spotlighted so they appeared to be galloping in the sky. Die Walkurie, Ward said, remains one of the most spectacular Bowl events of all time. It may not be possible to top the 1938 performance, but if anybody can, it's Yuval Sharon. The MacArthur fellow and founding artistic director of L.A.s avant-garde opera company the Industry will stage his own interpretation of Act III of Die Walkurie. Sharon, Smith said, is keeping the details of his plans under wraps, but word is that liberal use of green screens will help to mirror the flash and spectacle of the original event. Yuval is one of the most tirelessly creative people in the world, Smith said. It will be an immersive experience, and it will be very, very special. Then: Decades of Bowl performances by the likes of Martha Graham Dance Company and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Now: Paris Opera Ballet (July 20, 21): The history of dance, not just in Los Angeles, but I would say in the United States, was really impacted by what was happening at the Bowl in the 1920s and 30s, Ward said. Lester Horton, who is credited with launching the modern dance movement in L.A., in 1937 choreographed Stravinskys The Rite of Spring at the Bowl. The event featured the rare sight of barefoot dancers moving in angular, irregular ways and marked the first time Stravinskys work had been choreographed by an American. Works by pioneering choreographers Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Norma Gould, Adolph Bolm, and Agnes de Mille also were performed at the Bowl. Dudamel recently took over as musical director of the Paris Opera and has invited the Paris Opera Ballet to make its Bowl debut this summer, accompanied by the L.A. Phil. Then: In 1943 Frank Sinatra becomes the first pop singer to perform at the Bowl. Now: A tribute to Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra featuring Billie Eilish and Debbie Harry (July 27): Aug. 14, 1943: Frank Sinatra performing at the Hollywood Bowl. (Los Angeles Times) Crooner Frank Sinatra stirred a bit of controversy in 1943 when he became the first pop star to perform at the Hollywood Bowl, and also the first pop star to headline a full symphony orchestra concert at the venue, Ward said. "That was groundbreaking at the time, Ward said. Just combining genres in that way. But he really set a model up for what a pop-and-orchestral collaboration would look like at the Bowl. And that, of course, has just continued. Peggy Lee made her own Bowl history when in 1954 she co-headlined the first live television broadcast from the venue. Billie Eilish and Debbie Harry will star in this summers tribute to Sinatra and Lee. Then: The Leonard Bernstein years, including his 1943 debut and his 1955 leading of the progressive Festival of the Americas. Now: "West Side Story" in concert, a tribute to the music of Leonard Bernstein, with Dudamel and the L.A. Phil (July 12 and 14): Bernsteins relationship to the Hollywood Bowl is among the most storied of any conductor or composer in the venues history, Ward said. He made his first conducting appearance in 1943 in the West Coast premiere of his score to the ballet Fancy Free. He went on to produce the 1955 Festival of the Americas, a multiday celebration of Latin American music and repertoire. Dudamel hails from Venezuela and created his own Pan-America Music Initiative, a five-year endeavor to spotlight the depth and breadth of classical music in Latin America. Dudamel and Bernstein share populist traits that endear them to their fans, so the formers tribute to the latter should be particularly joyful to watch, Ward said. Then: Herbie Hancock's Bowl debut in the 1960s as part of the Miles Davis Quintet, followed by more than 30 additional appearances at the venue. Now: Herbie Hancock (Sept. 28): Herbie Hancock performs at his 70th birthday concert titled, "Seven Decades The Birthday Celebration" at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 1, 2010. (Los Angeles Times) Hancock, 82, is the L.A. Phils creative chair for jazz and has performed every decade at the Bowl in his 60-year career, Smith said. Added Ward: You could do an oral history of the Bowl, just based on Herbie Hancocks use of it. Then: John Williams first appears at the Bowl in 1978 and soon becomes a staple. Now: The Williams tribute concert "Maestro of the Movies" (Sept. 2, 3, 4): One of the most famous film music nights occurred in 1977 when Zubin Mehta conducted the first Star Wars concert. And he did it with like a laser light show, Smith said. I mean, imagine the sensation. Williams himself made his Bowl debut the following year, conducting his own scores, and has been a prominent presence ever since in many ways forming the lasting connective tissue between the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood itself. Williams will celebrate his 90th birthday during the Bowls centenary celebration. Then: The first Sound of Music singalong in 2001, after which it became a Bowl tradition. Now: The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long": (Sept. 17): The journey to the stage for the "Sound of Music" singalong, a beloved Bowl tradition, can be traced to a nursing home in Inverness, Scotland, in the late 90s, Ward said. The nurses wanted to involve the residents in interactive group therapy, so they handed out the song sheets for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And one of the grandchildren of the residents saw it and thought it would be an amazing live show, so he picked Sound of Music, and presented it at a gay and lesbian film festival in London, Ward said. The show went to New York, and finally to the Hollywood Bowl, where it has received its biggest audience yet. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A new season of Love Island has begun, with the producers already shaking things up by introducing brand new faces to the blossoming cast. Following Tuesday (7 June) nights recoupling, in which Davide Sanclimenti picked Gemma Owen, two new bombshells were introduced to the audience. One of them was Afia Tonkmor, a lounge host from London. The 25-year-old has arrived in Spain just in time to get to know Liam Llewellyn, who found himself suddenly single in the final moments of the most recent episode. Afia, who works at a private members club, has yet to see the inside of the villa, but we know shes open to finding love once she gets there. It just seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun and have a bit of a summer romance as well, she said of the chance to appear on Love Island. And we probably shouldnt expect her to play it too cool once shes in the house. I fall in love quickly, too quickly, two dates I am like, OMG I am obsessed with this boy, hes everything, she said. You can find out more about Afias fellow bombell Ekin-Su CuIlcuIlogIlu and the other islanders here. Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2. The United States Postal Service is spreading awareness to Arizona homeowners this week on ways in which they can prevent dog attacks on mail carriers. "We just want to let them know that if we come to their door, please restrain their dogs," said Robert McKinley, a city mail carrier and academy instructor who has been with the post office for 23 years. Dog Bite Awareness Week began on June 5 and will last until June 11. According to the United States Postal Service, 68 postal employees were attacked by dogs in Arizona last year. More than 5,400 postal employees were attacked by dogs nationwide in 2021. Robert McKinley, USPS carrier for 23 years, describes the best practices for owners and carriers in how to avoid dog attacks in Phoenix on June 7, 2022. Of a ranking of 25 cities, Phoenix placed at 14 with a total of 28 dog attacks on mail carriers recorded in 2021. Cleveland, Houston and Kansas City placed in the top three spots, according to USPS. "Any bite, I feel, is severe. None of us want to get bit, we just want to do our job," said McKinley. "Either wait until we leave before they open the door if they have a dog or restrain the dog." McKinley said carriers are trained to use their satchels as a buffer between themselves and a dog looking to attack them. They are also advised to carry around dog spray or a blow horn to scare dogs away. Robert McKinley, USPS carrier for 23 years, describes the best practices for owners and carriers in how to avoid dog attacks in Phoenix on June 7, 2022. Additionally, USPS provided the following tips for dog owners: Keep your family pet secure. Place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors. Do not take mail from carriers in the presence of dogs. Children and other family members should be reminded of this too, as the dog may view the person handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture. Safety of USPS employees is a top priority. If a carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office until the carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. Sign up for Informed Delivery. Know when parcels are being delivered in advance of the actual delivery and take precautions to keep your carrier safe. Story continues Reach breaking news reporter Haleigh Kochanski at hkochanski@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @HaleighKochans. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: USPS asks public to help keep mail carriers safe from dog attacks The front of Nueces County Jail on March 16, 2022, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The ballooning costs associated with housing inmates in out-of-county jails to alleviate overcrowding in the Nueces County Jail will be covered by federal dollars. The Nueces County Commissioners Court on Wednesday unanimously voted to use American Rescue Plan Act funds to recuperate the money spent last fiscal year and through the current fiscal year (until Sept. 30) on out-of-county inmate housing. Since July 2021, agreements to house inmates in the Victoria and Aransas county jails have cost Nueces County more than $420,000. The court discussed revisiting the issue later in the year to extend the allocation of funds should relocation of inmates still be needed past Sept. 30. The allocation was approved by Hagerty Consulting, a firm the county retained to advise commissioners on how to use ARPA funds in accordance with federal rules. This week, Nueces County Sheriff J. C. Hooper said he does not "see an end in sight" in regard to the relocation agreements. "I can't predict that right now," Hooper said. The sheriff said the overpopulation is a result of COVID-19-related stoppages in the criminal justice system in recent years and subsequent court backlogs. "There are many moving parts. ... It's kind of an interesting animal because these other jails (in Texas) are struggling with population and staffing." More: Nueces County has an overpopulated jail and a court backlog. Here's what's being done. Last month, Nueces County judges during their monthly meeting discussed establishing a temporary auxiliary court that would be tasked solely with cases in the backlog. The jail submits monthly population reports to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, a state regulatory agency overseeing Texas county jails. The latest May report shows the Nueces County Jail was at 91% capacity with 1,063 local inmates. Hooper said he considers a jail at or above 90% capacity to be overpopulated. He said that capacity hinders jail staff's ability to process incoming inmates' level of risk and determine where they should be located. Story continues In June 2021, a TCJS state inspector found the jail was non-compliant after discovering inmates were kept in holding cells for more than 48 hours. Hooper said this was a result of overpopulation. The jail regained compliance in part because of arrangements with the Victoria and Aransas county jails to temporarily house up to 20 Nueces County inmates each when the jail population rises above 90%. As of Tuesday, 28 Nueces County inmates were held in out-of-county jails: 21 in Victoria County and seven in Aransas County. Chase Rogers covers local government and industry in South Texas. Contact him at chase.rogers@caller.com or on Twitter @chasedrogers. You can support local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times. This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: ARPA funds to cover out-of-county housing for Nueces County inmates Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) has proposed legislation that would regulate cryptocurrencies. (Mariam Zuhaib / Associated Press) Wide-ranging bipartisan legislation unveiled Tuesday would regulate cryptocurrencies and other digital assets after a series of high-profile busts and failures. Its unclear, though, whether the bill proposed by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) can clear Congress, especially at a time of heightened partisanship ahead of the midterm elections. The bill also comes as cryptocurrency advocates have become bigger and more free-spending players in Washington. The bill, called the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, proposes legal definitions of digital assets and virtual currencies; would require the Internal Revenue Service to adopt guidance on merchant acceptance of digital assets and charitable contributions; and would make a distinction between digital assets that are commodities or securities, which has not been done. The bill creates regulatory clarity for agencies charged with supervising digital asset markets, provides a strong, tailored regulatory framework for stablecoins, and integrates digital assets into our existing tax and banking laws," Lummis said in an emailed statement. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency pegged to a specific value, usually the U.S. dollar, another currency or gold. Lummis has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency development and has invested between $150,002 and $350,000 in bitcoin, according to her financial disclosure. The legislation imposes disclosure requirements on digital asset firms to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions, delineates agency responsibilities over various digital assets such as Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction over bitcoin and requires a study on digital asset energy consumption, among many other proposals. The bill comes at a tumultuous time for cryptocurrencies, including the May meltdown of the terraUSD stablecoin and the luna coin, which traded at a value of less than one ten-thousandth of 1 cent. Story continues Gillibrand said the bill establishes a regulatory framework that spurs innovation, develops clear standards, defines appropriate jurisdictional boundaries and protects consumers." These developments have prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support legislation that more closely scrutinizes digital assets. And crypto lobbying has followed suit. This year, for the first time, industry executives have flooded money into congressional races, spending $20 million, according to records and interviews. Cryptocurrencies have their supporters in Congress. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said at the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington last month that he is drawn to "the exciting potential democratizing effect that can come from creating wider pathways of opportunity for marginalized communities. Despite the risks, about 16% of adult Americans, or 40 million people, have invested in cryptocurrencies, according to a September 2021 Pew Research Center poll. And 43% of men ages 18 to 29 have put money into cryptocurrency. Black Americans are also more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies than white Americans. President Biden signed an executive order in March urging the Federal Reserve to explore whether the central bank should create its own digital currency and directing federal agencies, including the Treasury Department, to study the effects of cryptocurrencies on financial stability and national security. Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in an April speech at American University that more government regulation is needed to police the proliferation of cryptocurrencies and ward off fraudulent or illicit transactions. We have a strong interest in ensuring that innovation does not lead to a fragmentation in international payment architectures, she said, adding that the Treasury Department will work with the White House and other agencies to develop reports and recommendations on digital currencies. Associated Press writer Ken Sweet contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A burger from Shake Shack on a Martin's potato roll. Rachel Askinasi/Insider The family behind Martin's Potato Rolls has donated to Sen. Doug Mastriano, according to Billy Penn. Mastriano is known for his Christian nationalist views and his denial of the 2020 election results. Customers are now calling on Shake Shack to stop using Martin's as its bun supplier. The Shake Shack chain has become synonymous with smashed burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and Martin's Potato Rolls. But the latter has become a cause for concern among customers after local Pennsylvania news site Billy Penn reported that the people behind the bun company have donated thousands of dollars to the front-running Republican candidate for Pennsylvania governor, Sen. Doug Mastriano. Mastriano is regarded as a far-right Republican and recently received President Trump's backing in the race for governor, according to NBC News. Billy Penn reported that he gained popularity as a Trump-supporting election denier with Christian nationalist beliefs. Mastriano was also subpoenaed by the congressional committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. NBC News reported that Mastriano used campaign money to charter buses that brought people to the Capitol. Related video: Peek inside a Shake Shack kitchen to learn how to make their burgers According to Billy Penn, Jim Martin, the former president and current executive chair of Martin's Potato Rolls, gave $110,000 to Mastriano's gubernatorial campaign in 2021 the largest donation to his campaign to date. He also donated $11,000 in 2020, according to the outlet. Billy Penn reported that several other members of the Martin family have also donated to Mastriano, including Jim's wife Donna Martin, who gave an "in-kind donation worth a little over $4,000." Julie Martin, Jim's daughter and the social-media manager for Martin's Potato Rolls, gave $2,000 last year, according to the outlet. Martin's makes a variety of rolls, buns, and breads. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Soleil Ho of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that several Bay Area restaurants will stop purchasing Martin's, and Mike Strauss of Mike's BBQ in Philadelphia told Billy Penn that he plans to stop using the rolls at his burger pop-ups. While Strauss told Billy Penn he "stays out of politics," he said he is "disturbed" by this news and that he "would prefer for my money not to support that." Story continues Strauss is just one of several restaurateurs who spoke with Billy Penn about their concerns and their plans to stop using the buns. Mike Strauss did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Quinnie's, a restaurant and market in Hudson, New York, posted its own photo denouncing the bun company and stating that it will no longer be purchasing them. The eatery also directly called on Shake Shack to join in using other buns. "Doug Mastriano is an open anti-Semitic, election fraud conspirator, anti-abortion, racist, homophobic who attended the insurrection on Jan 6," the caption read. "We don't want to take part in the support of something we so strongly disagree with." Quinnie's declined to comment further when reached by Insider. Joe Rosenthal, a mathematician and food-industry whistleblower, also posted a slideshow on Instagram, which sparked conversation on social media. "I've been a fan and supported Martin's endlessly over the years on social media, and on my website, but Jim Martin's donation can't be separated from Martin's as a brand, and Martin's can't be separated from the far-right Christian nationalism that Mastriano firmly represents," Rosenthal captioned the photos. Industry folks and other followers reshared Rosenthal's post and added their own calls for restaurants, individuals, and chains to stop purchasing the buns. (Rosenthal has saved many of the reshares in a highlight reel titled "Martin's" on his Instagram page.) In two succeeding posts, Rosenthal shared the San Francisco Chronicle's reporting on the company and its close ties to Shake Shack. He called for Danny Meyer (CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group), Randy Garutti (CEO of Shake Shack), and Mark Rosati (culinary director at Shake Shack) to address the controversy and stop the chain's longtime partnership with Martin's as a supplier. "It sucks," Rosenthal told Insider. "I'm not here because I want to hate on a burger bun company." Rosenthal told Insider he is a fan of the buns and included them in a gift guide he published on his website last year. The buns have now been removed from his guide with a note about the controversy. "I like Shake Shack," he continued. "I just want everybody to stop funding a far-right Christian nationalist. It serves to harm so many people that are marginalized. It's scary. It's scary if he wins. If far-right Christian nationalism becomes normalized. That's what this is about." In a statement to Insider, a representative for Shake Shack said they are engaged in conversation with Martin's. "Shake Shack has always championed equality, inclusion, and belonging at our company and we know these values are important to our guests and team members," the statement read. "Shake Shack does not make political donations, nor does the company endorse the political donations of private individuals." "In regards to the actions of individuals associated with the Martin's company and their personal political donations those are the choices of those individuals and do not express the values of Shake Shack," it continued. "We continue to be in active conversations with Martin's to express our concern." On May 17, Martin's posted the above video of an American flag and a Christian nationalism flag on Instagram for primary election day in Pennsylvania. The caption read: "Martin's as a company does not donate to any particular political candidate or party, but we encourage and celebrate the opportunity we all have to vote and share in the election process." A representative for Martin's echoed the above in a statement provided to Insider and said the company is "aware of the criticisms," adding that it will "continue to focus on the values that have made our company successful baking quality products, providing excellent service to our customers, and supporting the communities around us." Read the original article on Insider "General Hospital" star Jack Wagner's son, Harrison, was found dead in a Los Angeles parking lot on Monday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. He was 27. Harrison was pronounced dead on scene at 5:14 a.m. in the 11200 block of Chandler Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley suburb of North Hollywood. The cause of death is currently under investigation and listed as "deferred." The coroner's office told Fox News Digital: "Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies. Once the tests/studies come back, the doctor evaluates the case again and makes the cause of death determination." "Focus. YOU are left with YOU and your thoughts," he captioned his final Instagram post on May 22. BOB SAGET REVEALED MORTALITY FORTUNATELY CHANGED HIM IN INTERVIEW MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEATH Earlier in the year, Harrison shared a photo posing with his famous father on social media, and captioned the image, "like father, like son." Fox News Digital has contacted Wagner's representatives for comment. Jack Wagner attends George Lopez Foundation's 15th annual celebrity golf tournament at Lakeside Golf Club on May 2, 2022, in Toluca Lake, California. Getty Images He struggled with drug addiction in the past, but it's unclear if substance abuse played a part in his death. Jack previously spoke out in fear for his youngest son's addiction issues after he relapsed in 2016 and went missing for one week. "Im going to ask those who want to share their fears, addictions & struggles to do so w me via Twitter. We can face them 2gether, Ill start," Jack tweeted at the time. "I fear for my youngest sons safety. Harrison has struggled w drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. Hes relapsed & is MIA 5days." He gave fans a hopeful update the following day when he announced Harrison had been in contact: "Hes 21 & in charge of his life, ty for the lv & prayers, please continue to share your struggles, it helps us all." HEATHER LOCKLEAR'S EX JACK WAGNER HAS HOPES ACTRESS CAN TURN HER LIFE AROUND AFTER HOSPITALIZATION Story continues Harrison's mother, Kristina Wagner, met Jack while they worked together on "General Hospital." Jack and Kristina Wagner are pictured here in 2015. David Livingston/Getty Images The 64-year-old actor is known for his roles on "Melrose Place," "The Bold and The Beautiful" and "Santa Barbara." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Harrison's mother, Kristina Wagner, is also an actress, and met Jack while working together on "General Hospital." The couple privately married during a ceremony in Lake Tahoe, Nevada in 1993, but divorced years later in 2006. Jack and Kristina also have a son named Peter, and Jack has a daughter, Kerry, from another relationship. Following Jack's divorce, he was in a longtime relationship with Heather Locklear beginning in 2007. The couple, who worked together on "Melrose Place" in the '90s, became engaged in 2011, but called off their nuptials only three months later. She was previously married to Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. TVLine.com As revealed in the official trailer for CBS The Challenge: USA, its contestants are getting a chance to go down in reality competition history. Actually, make that a second chance. A total of 28 familiar faces from The Amazing Race, Big Brother, Love Island and Survivor have been selected to participate in a contest of [] California voters offered an apparent rebuke to progressive politicians this week, dumping a liberal prosecutor in San Francisco and rewarding a tough-on-crime former Republican with a shot at becoming mayor of Los Angeles. Two of the most left-leaning enclaves in the United States seemed to be telling their leaders they are weary of well-meaning policies that have failed to get a handle on rising criminality and spiralling homelessness. And, goes the argument, if that kind of stuff doesn't wash on the liberal West Coast, it won't float anywhere. "The recall of Chesa Boudin overnight is a watershed moment," tweeted Washington Post columnist James Hohman, referring to San Francisco's chief prosecutor, who was booted from office by a healthy majority in Tuesday's citywide vote. "It's not just a rejection of a single [district attorney]. It's a repudiation of the failed soft-on-crime approach that has made so many of our cities less safe." The strong showing of wealthy property developer Rick Caruso in Los Angeles' mayoral election was also heralded as a rejection of touchy-feely politics. Caruso threw more than $40 million of his own money into a primary campaign focused narrowly on combating crime with more police officers, and sweeping away the sprawling homeless encampments that riddle the city. By Wednesday, he had a 42 percent to 37 percent lead over nearest rival and Democratic Party stalwart Karen Bass (who spent just one twelfth of the amount on her campaign). The two will face off in November to become leader of the second biggest city in the United States, when a higher voter turnout could shake things up. The results come on the heels of the election last year of Eric Adams as mayor of Democratic-leaning New York, whose emphasis on crime and homelessness resonated with voters. The Democratic Party appeared to be taking note Wednesday, with President Joe Biden acknowledging crime was a huge issue for the electorate ahead of the November midterms. Story continues "The voters sent a clear message last night. Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence," he told reporters. He called on states and cities to spend billions of dollars allocated "to hire police officers and reform the police departments." It's all a far cry from calls to "defund the police" that rang through the country in the wake of the death two years ago of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a white police officer. - Counterpoint - But away from the headlines of Boudin's spectacular drubbing and Caruso's deep-pocketed insurgency, wider results suggest California won't be turning its back on progressive politics any time soon. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, a one-time reformer who has more recently made a sport of baiting liberals and railing against the "woke left," was nursing an electoral black eye on Wednesday. He looked to be headed for a November runoff, despite having had the megaphone of incumbency and facing a fragmented field of opponents in a contest that never seemed to spark. California's statewide attorney general race also offered a counterpoint. Incumbent Rob Bonta cruised to an easy first place after touting his record on, and ambitions for, criminal justice reform -- the very issue that critics say sank Boudin. And therein lies the problem with the idea that Boudin's defeat is a defeat for progressivism. It's more of a reorientation, veteran Democratic consultant John Whitehurst told the San Francisco Chronicle. "The pendulum has changed from what it was a couple of years ago with George Floyd and Black Lives Matter and total reform," he said. But that's not to say that voters want to go back to lock-em-up-and-ask-no-questions policing. "There's nuances. They're saying, 'We don't want to defund the police, we want to just have cops that don't beat people up and violate people's civil rights.' They don't want to have people behind bars that are in there for drug offenses." Even those pushing to oust Boudin agree that the backlash he faced was perhaps more about style than substance. "This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice," said Mary Jung, chair of the recall campaign, according to the Los Angeles Times. "San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership." hg/ec A pair of Republican House members in Mississippi are in danger of losing renomination after Tuesday's primaries, which saw several other GOP incumbents trying to navigate intra-party challenges as well. Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) got pulled below 50 percent of the vote and into a GOP primary runoff later this month, after a 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe he had misspent campaign funds and used staff to run personal errands. And a Mississippi colleague, GOP Rep. Michael Guest, was also locked in a close Republican primary after voting last year to form a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Republicans have poured in huge sums in California to keep GOP Reps. Young Kim and David Valadao from getting shut out of the top two spots, although both Kim and Valadao led Republican challengers early. But in South Dakotas at-large district, Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson saw off a challenge from a state representative who claimed Johnson had been insufficiently loyal to former President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, San Francisco voted Tuesday to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin part of a series of high-profile California races testing the electorates concern around public safety. In Los Angeles' mayoral primary, Rep. Karen Bass advanced to a November one-on-one runoff against billionaire Rick Caruso, who focused his campaign focused on crime and homelessness. And voters across the state will choose among challengers to Attorney General Rob Bonta who have warned of backsliding on law and order. And the primaries also brought the House battleground map into sharper focus, as both parties selected nominees in more than a dozen competitive swing seats across New Jersey, New Mexico, Iowa and California that could decide the House majority this fall. The GOP is driving hard for the majority and tapped nominees for two of its top 2022 targets, in Des Moines and northern New Jersey. But Democrats are also eyeing several seats that became more favorable to them in redistricting. Story continues Endangered House incumbents Mississippi's Palazzo led his field of challengers but with less than one-third of the vote, an unusually poor showing for an incumbent, even considering Palazzo's ethical issues. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell and businessman Clay Wagner were vying for a second runoff spot as of early Wednesday morning. Two outside groups spent in Palazzos race one for the incumbent and another for state Sen. Brian Wiggins, who finished in a distant fourth place. Guests race was more surprising, and he trailed his challenger, former U.S. Navy pilot Michael Cassidy, for most of the night. Cassidy raised about $262,000 by mid-May, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. And he aired nearly $108,000 in ads, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. First elected in 2018, Guest served as a district attorney before running for Congress. Guest raised nearly $460,000 by mid-May and spent $123,000 on ads. In California, the all-party primary system placed a squeeze on Valadao and Kim in California. Thanks to redistricting, 80 percent of people in Kims district are new to her and Mission Viejo Council Member Greg Raths, a strong Trump supporter, is looking to block her from the top two. National Republicans had to pour some $1.5 million in the race to aid Kim. But Kim was in position early to advance to the November runoff, leading Raths by a double-digit margin on the strength of early returns. Valadao also faces a challenger to his right, businessman Chris Mathys. National Republicans and Democrats both meddled in this primary in the hopes of keeping or blocking the incumbent from the general election. Valadao was holding Mathys off early, though many votes remained to be counted. Democrat Rudy Salas has advanced to the general election. In South Dakota, Johnson defeated state Rep. Taffy Howard. The challenger ran to Johnson's right, citing his vote for a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attacks and his support for Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) to remain in House Leadership as proof he is not an ally of Trump. California campaigns touching on crime and public safety San Francisco voters ousted incumbent District Attorney Chesa Boudin before he completed a full term a ringing repudiation of a broader criminal justice reform movement. Boudin, a former public defender, defeated the mayors chosen candidate in 2019 as voters embraced his platform of alternatives to incarceration, police accountability and lesser sentences for lower-level crimes. But rising fears about crime along with millions of dollars from business, real estate and technology interests fueled a recall attempt that has led in various pre-election polls. Meanwhile, the fact that Los Angeles mayoral contest is as competitive as it is testifies to a fraught public mood as well as the power of a well-funded campaign. Democratic Rep. Karen Bass and ex-Republican magnate Rick Caruso are neck and neck in the vote count so far, with Caruso making his mark on the race by spending millions of dollars to amplify his message of tackling crime and homelessness. Polls have shown Angelenos feel markedly more pessimistic about the status quo on both issues. And statewide, California Attorney General Rob Bontas bid for a full term will also test whether anxiety about public safety has voters ready to reevaluate their embrace of criminal justice reform. Bonta has been a champion in that movement, backing policies like lesser sentencing and bans on cash bail and for-profit prisons. But polls show Californians are feeling markedly more concerned about crime a dynamic Bontas opponents are trying to exploit. The outcome will also show whether an unaffiliated candidate can break through. Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, a Republican-turned-independent, could be Bontas toughest opponent in November but early returns had Schubert far behind Republicans Nathan Hochman and Eric Early. Battleground House districts Iowas primaries will lock in nominees for three swing districts, though Democrats two open primaries are uncontested. State Sen. Liz Mathis is set to take on GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson and Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannon will face Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. Republican, meanwhile, chose state Sen. Zach Nunn to face Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a district that twice went for Donald Trump. Nunn, an Air Force veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, defeated Nicole Hasso, a self-described outsider who grew up poor in the south side of Chicago. In New Jersey, former state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. clinched the nomination to take on Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in a rematch in the most competitive district in the state. Republicans will also choose candidates in two more Democratic-leaning districts held by Reps. Andy Kim and Josh Gottheimer. Former Las Cruces City Councilor Gabe Vasquez will take on Rep. Yvette Herrell in a New Mexico district that became more blue in redistricting. And California will host a series of all-party primaries for both Democratic and Republican-held swing seats. Democrat Jay Chen is the likely opponent of GOP Rep. Michelle Steel in Orange County. Democratic state Assemblyman Rudy Salas is running for Valadaos seat in the Central Valley and physician Asif Mahmood is running for Kims seat in Orange County. In a battleground seat near Los Angeles, two Democrats are vying to take on Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) in one of their partys best pickup opportunities this cycle. Former State Assemblymember Christy Smith, the favorite of the California state party, was leading newcomer Quaye Quartey, a Navy intelligence officer whos picked up endorsements including Rep. Katie Porters (D-Calif.). That would set up a third faceoff between Garcia and Smith. Republicans will tap nominees to take on Porter and fellow Democratic Rep. Mike Levin in two southern California seats that favor Democrats. Former San Juan Capistrano Mayor Bryan Maryott led Orange County Board Lisa Bartlett Bartlett early. Farther north, both parties will choose nominees in two open seats vacated by Reps. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and Josh Harder (D-Calif.). Neither are retiring, but both chose to run in less competitive districts in the state. Newsoms less-contested campaign California Gov. Gavin Newsom is a heavy favorite to win re-election after crushing a recall attempt last year. He will face Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle, who faces a steep fight given Newsom's cash advantage and California's overwhelmingly Democratic electorate. GOP state Sen. Brian Dahle won the nomination, having become Newsom's principal Republican foe after other GOP hopefuls and donors decided to sit this one out. Some Newsom detractors had instead gravitated toward Michael Shellenberger, a Democrat-turned-independent who has become a prominent critic of how Newsom is managing Californias persistent homelessness crisis. Safer open seats Former congressman and Trump-era Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is seeking a comeback in Montana, though he faces a contested Republican primary for one of the states newly drawn seats. And another well-known local name Robert Menendez Jr., the son of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez is the leading contender to succeed retiring Rep. Albio Sires in New Jersey. In California, redistricting and retirements spawned a number of opportunities that turned into crowded primaries. In the open 13th District, voters are very familiar with both Assemblymember Adam Gray and 2020 House candidate Phil Arballo, who are both hoping to represent the newly drawn district with a 14-point Democratic registration advantage. Gray was ahead of Arballo early in a race that had turned acrimonious, with Arballo attacking Gray, one of Sacramentos most moderate Democrats, for his ties to the oil industry. Whichever Democrat prevails will likely face Republican John Duarte, who has secured the national Republican Partys backing. Rep. Jackie Speier joined the retirement wave this year by announcing she would not again seek her Bay Area seat. Democrats immediately lined up to represent the safely blue 15th District. Assemblymember Kevin Mullin, who won Speiers endorsement no surprise given that he had worked for her and San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa were positioned to match up for the seat in a race that looks likely to yield a Democrat-on-Democrat runoff in November. Democrats are also competing for Bass open Los Angeles-area seat and another newly drawn seat left open by retiring Reps. Alan Lowenthal and Lucille Roybal-Allard. Major national super PACs, including one created by AIPAC to back pro-Israel candidates and another funded by crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, have pumped in money supporting Democrats in both districts. Statewide races on the edges of the battlefield New Mexico was a solidly blue state in 2020, but Republicans still want to try to challenge Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham there after selecting TV personality Mark Ronchetti as their nominee in Tuesdays primary. Meanwhile, Democrats fall from competitiveness in Iowa has pushed Gov. Kim Reynolds and Sen. Chuck Grassleys reelection campaigns to the sides of the national battleground map. But Democrats have a competitive Senate primary nonetheless, with Michael Franken defeating former Rep. Abby Finkenauer for the Democratic nomination. Sarah Ferris contributed to this article. Cyber hackers backed by China are successfully targeting U.S. telecommunication companies in major breaches, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned on Tuesday. The FBI, National Security Agency (NSA) and CISA said in an advisory that hackers affiliated with the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) have targeted and compromised major telecommunication companies through easy and known network and system vulnerabilities. The PRC has waged a successful cyber campaign against telecommunication networks since at least 2020, the federal agencies announced in a Tuesday press release. Exploiting these vulnerabilities has allowed them to establish broad infrastructure networks to exploit a wide range of public and private sector targets, the release reads. Along with Russia, China is one of the most lethal and dangerous actors in the cyberspace. In a CrowdStrike report released last year, researchers said a threat group likely linked to China known as LightBasin has targeted global telecommunication companies since at least 2016. CrowdStrike explained in the past two years alone, at least 13 telecommunications groups were successfully compromised in breaches likely sponsored by China. Last August, hackers successfully breached telecom giant T-Mobile, stealing data from 40 million customers, the company said. Syniverse, a company used by major global telecommunication companies to route messages, also said last year that hackers had quietly exploited its network system for years. The state-sponsored Chinese hackers appear to be exploiting open-source tools, such as open router softwares and devices manufactured by companies such as Cisco, Fortinet, and MikroTik, according to the advisory. Once those are exploited, cyberhackers gain a foothold, can scan IP addresses and further exploit systems for data or breaches. Rob Joyce, the cybersecurity director at NSA, said hackers were using telecommunication networks to scale up more sophisticated attacks in the cyber realm. Story continues To kick them out, we must understand the tradecraft and detect them beyond just initial access, Joyce tweeted on Tuesday. In the advisory, the federal agencies recommended several mitigation strategies to combat the cyber intrusions, including patching up systems as soon as possible, disabling unnecessary ports and protocols and replacing outdated infrastructure. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WEDNESDAY, 8 JUNE 2022, 08:41 Until 11 June, Belarusian troops will be learning how to set up strike groups and load them [onto vehicles] for deployment near the Ukrainian border. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a summary on the morning of 8 June Quote: "On the Volyn and Polissia fronts, according to the inspection plan, the Belarusian Armed Forces will be training until 11 June 2022 to create strike groups on one of the fronts and check the readiness of transport infrastructure to carry the units." By Benoit Nyemba KINSHASA (Reuters) -Belgium's King Philippe reaffirmed his deepest regrets on Wednesday for the exploitation, racism and acts of violence during his country's colonisation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, but again stopped short of formally apologising. Philippe became the first Belgian official two years ago to express regret for colonisation, and some Congolese hoped he would issue a formal apology during his first visit to Congo since taking the throne in 2013. "Even though many Belgians invested themselves sincerely, loving Congo and its people deeply, the colonial regime itself was based on exploitation and domination," he told a joint session of parliament in the capital Kinshasa. "This regime was one of unequal relations, unjustifiable in itself, marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism," he said. "It led to violent acts and humiliations. On the occasion of my first trip to Congo, right here, in front of the Congolese people and those who still suffer today, I wish to reaffirm my deepest regrets for those wounds of the past." Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and many politicians have enthusiastically welcomed Philippe's visit. Large numbers of ruling party supporters waved Belgian flags, and a banner hanging from parliament read: "A common history." But others were disappointed by the absence of an apology. By some estimates, killings, famine and disease caused the deaths of up to 10 million Congolese during just the first 23 years of Belgium's rule from 1885 to 1960, when King Leopold II ruled the Congo Free State as a personal fiefdom. Villages that missed rubber collection quotas were notoriously made to provide severed hands instead. "I salute the speech by the Belgian king. However, in the face of the crimes committed by Belgium, regrets are not enough," Congolese opposition Senator Francine Muyumba Nkanga wrote on Twitter. Story continues "We expect an apology and a promise of reparations from him. That is the price to definitively turn the page," she said. Nadia Nsayi, a political scientist specialised in Congo, said she sensed "a lot of nervousness in Belgium regarding a formal apology as Congo might use it to demand financial reparations". MASK RETURN Philippe arrived on Tuesday with his wife, Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo for a week-long visit. Tshisekedi said during a brief news conference with De Croo that he was focused on boosting cooperation with Belgium to attract investment and improve health care in Congo. Relations had soured under Tshisekedi's predecessor, Joseph Kabila, whom Brussels criticised for suppressing dissent and extending his time in power beyond legal limits. "We have not dwelled on the past, which is the past and which is not to be reconsidered, but we need to look to the future," Tshisekedi said. Some Kinshasa residents also said they hoped the visit would bring investments. "Despite what the Belgians did to us during colonisation, we are ready to forgive," said Antoine Mubidiki. Philippe earlier offered a traditional mask of the Suku people to Congo's national museum as an "indefinite loan". The mask has been held for decades by Belgium's Royal Museum for Central Africa. Belgium has traditionally said little about colonialism, and the subject has not been extensively taught in Belgian schools. By contrast, Germany last year apologised to Namibia for its role in the slaughter of Herero and Nama tribespeople more than a century ago, officially described it as genocide for the first time and agreed to fund projects worth over a billion euros. There have been the beginnings of a historical reckoning in Belgium in recent years. During anti-racism protests sparked in 2020 by the police killing in the United States of George Floyd, demonstrators targeted statues of King Leopold II. Belgium's parliament established a commission soon after to examine the historical record. It will issue its final report this year. Belgium will also hand over a tooth, suspected to be the only remains of Congo's first prime minister Patrice Lumumba, to his family this month. The Belgian government took partial responsibility in 2002 for the death of Lumumba, who was assassinated by Belgian-backed secessionists in 1961. (Reporting by Benoit Nyemba and Nellie Peyton; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Alison Williams) The Buffalo Bills havent seen safety Jordan Poyer in some time now. Over the course of the past few weeks, the team has held voluntary workouts. Hes not required to be thereno one is. But most players do show up and because of Poyers known desire for a new contract, its clear why he isnt in the building. Next week, the word voluntary gets dropped. The Bills will hold mandatory minicamp. During OTAs on Tuesday, Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has said he has been in contact with Poyer and mentioned the defensive back is keeping his mind sharp and in a good place mentally. But that wont cut it next week. Poyer is required to be there with his Bills teammates. So will he be there? Buffalo general manager shed light on the current situation. It doesnt sound direct, but Beane said he hasnt heard that Poyer plans to sit out next week. Time will tell if Poyer does. Check out Beanes full comments below via Spectrum News: I asked Brandon Beane if he'd been given any indication as of now whether or not Jordan Poyer will attend #Bills mandatory minicamp next week. "I have not spoken directly to Jordan, I don't have any indication that he won't be here." pic.twitter.com/YdhcS15vmL Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) June 7, 2022 Related Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend the EE British Academy Film Awards on February 16, 2014 in London, England. Dave J Hogan/Getty Images Brad Pitt filed a new lawsuit against ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the sale of her stake in their co-owned vineyard. Last October, Jolie purportedly sold her stake to Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, who owns vodka brand Stoli. Stoli, which was rebranded from Stolichnaya, has previously been boycotted to protest the war in Ukraine. Brad Pitt accused his ex-wife Angelina Jolie of seeking to "inflict harm" after she sold her stake in their couple's French vineyard to a Russian oligarch, according to a new lawsuit. Last week, Pitt filed an amended complaint against his ex-wife, following his initial February lawsuit over selling her stake in their co-owned vineyard, Chateau Miraval, to a subsidiary of the vodka brand Stoli, owned by Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, without her ex-husband's knowledge. In the follow-up lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on June 3, 2022, Pitt echoed his previous claims from the February complaint, claiming Jolie "pursued and then consummated the purported sale in secret, purposely keeping Pitt in the dark, and knowingly violating Pitt's contractual rights." By making the purported sale of her stake to Tenute del Mondo, a subsidiary of Stoli controlled by Shefler, last October, the lawsuit accused Jolie of seeking "to seize profits she had not earned and returns on an investment she did not make" and "to inflict harm on Pitt," according to the 54-page lawsuit obtained by Insider. "Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt's investment in Miraval," the lawsuit continued. "And just as Jolie envisioned, that is exactly what Shefler has done." Pitt went on to invoke Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, saying that Shefler's "relationships and reputation" as a Russian-born billionaire founder of the vodka brand Stoli could pose a commercial risk to Miraval. "Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Miraval's insurer has sought assurances that Shefler is not aligned with Putin and that affiliation with Stoli would not create commercial risk," the lawsuit said. "That inquiry is no surprise; in the wake of Russia's invasion, discarding bottles of Stolichnaya vodka, Stoli's signature product, has come to signify solidarity with Ukraine, and boycotts of Stoli-affiliated products became widespread." Story continues "Long-term distributors of the wine business have expressed concern about Miraval's ties to Shefler and questioned their continued commitment to distribute Miraval rose," according to the lawsuit. "And a newly launched sanctions-advocacy project, developed and sponsored by the Ukrainian government in response to Russia's aggression, has publicly called for sanctioning Shefler." In March, Shefler rebranded Stoli vodka, formerly known as Stolichnaya vodka, as a "direct response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine." Shefler also said he had been exiled from Russia since 2000 after Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to "wrest control" of the vodka brand. Alongside Shefler's Russian ties, Pitt's lawsuit also mentions their vineyard's reputation being put in jeopardy due to the Russian tycoon's "notoriety," which he said was gained through "cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associations." "In violation of the parties' agreement, Jolie has sought to force Pitt into partnership with a stranger, and worse yet, a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions," the lawsuit said. A representative for Pitt declined to comment. Representatives for Tenute del Mondo and Jolie did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Brian Cox And Rose Matafeo Unveiled For Packed Edinburgh TV Festival Lineup Succession star Brian Cox, Starstruck creator Rose Matafeo and the biggest UK broadcasting bosses will feature at this years Edinburgh TV Festival, which unveiled its Alternative MacTaggart speaker. Deaf Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis will deliver the annual alternative address, billed as an uncompromising speech about her experiences as a deaf actress and the stark realities of life as a young person with a disability in this industry. Her speech comes a year after Help scribe Jack Thornes blistering MacTaggart, which blasted the UK TV industry for utterly and totally failing disabled people. Elsewhere, Cox will discuss his lauded career in an in-depth interview and Matafeo will be in conversation with Dolly Alderton, the creator of BBC Ones Everything I Know About Love, which debuted last night. Masterclasses will feature stars from Ghosts and Heartstopper and there will be the usual mix of industry panels and commissioner sessions featuring the biggest names from all the major Public Service Broadcasters, Netflix, Sky, Disney, Amazon Prime Video and UKTV. Journalist and Broadcaster Afua Hirsch is chairing this years festival, the first for three years to take place in person. We have the casts of some of TVs most exciting and loved shows, and of course, the inimitable Brian Cox, as well as sessions discussing urgent industry matters, said Creative Director Stewart Clarke. More announcements are incoming for the event that takes place from 24 to 26 August, including the main MacTaggart lecturer. More from Deadline Indias GoQuest Media Acquires Several European Drama Series Mumbais GoQuest Media has snagged distribution rights to a handful of European drama series. The deals comprise Secrets of the Grapevine from Serbian telecommunications and cable TV operator Telekom Srbija, which is billed as an intimate saga based around two winemaking families; telenovela Crazy in Love from Polish broadcaster TVN; Still Waters from Estonian pubcaster ERR, about a teenage girl who finds herself being blackmailed and Sacrificiul (Sacrificial) from Romanian production company Dream Film Production. It revolves around the extraordinary stories of three sisters who were separated and were only reunited years later by the fortuitous connection of their children. Viaplay Readies Young Adult Drama Live Life Swedish Kristallen winner Hanna Ardehn (Quicksand), Tina Pour Davoy (Eagles) and Doreen Ndagire (Comedy Queen) will headline young adult-focused Viaplay original Live Life. The eight-part drama follows three friends suddenly faced with a devastating turn of events when one is diagnosed with tumor in her stomach. Currently filming in Stockholm, Live Life is produced by FLX and will premiere exclusively on Viaplay in 2023. Susanne Thorson (ALEX) is making his directorial debut. Known in Sweden as Leva Life, the show is written by Carl-Petter Montell, Vera Herngren and Felicia Danielsson and based on an idea by Thorson and Lovisa Strom. The series is produced by Moa Blom Kornblad and the executive producers are FLXs Julia Lennartsson and Jonas Ahlund, and Viaplay Groups Oskar Arulf.Viaplay Content Sales will shop it internationally. Love Nature Unveils Latest Original Slate Linear and streaming channel Love Nature has released its latest slate of originals into the wild. This comprises Planet Shark, a three-part 4K docuseries from Big Wave Productions that National Geographic has also acquired; How the Wild Things Sleep, a single doc from Taglicht Media and Tell Tale Productions for CBC, WDR and Arte about how the animal kingdom sleeps and Coneflower Studios-produced single doc Woodpeckers: The Hole Story. Collaborating with like-minded partners is one part of our strategy in creating ambitious, world-class natural history content that is sought after around the world, said Carlyn Staudt, Global General Manager, Love Nature. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. NextShark A viral video of a 12-year-old girl kneeling and being repeatedly slapped in the face incited a citywide police search for her five assailants in Hong Kong. The 12-year-old victim kneeled as a group of teenagers, aged 12 to 19, took turns slapping her across the face on the rooftop of a five-story building on Luen Yan Street in Tsuen Wan shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Half the Hong Kong people hate [the victim], one attacker can be heard saying. designer491 / Getty Images/iStockphoto We may be a country sorely lacking in financial literacy, but we all have one core principle ingrained in us: We must have an emergency savings fund. Learn: How Much Cash You Need Stashed if a National Emergency Happens Also See: Surprising Things You Can Buy With Food Stamps In theory, it sounds pretty simple: You make a certain amount of income, and set a certain amount of that aside in an account that you only tap into when the going gets especially tough and you need to shell out dough for something like a new car part or a surprise medical bill. But embarking on building a six-month (the recommended amount) emergency fund can be challenging. Where do you begin? With the help of finance experts, we've laid out a multi-step plan of attack. PeopleImages / iStock.com Go In With the Right Mindset "Saving is primarily a mental game that you can win," said Adam Garcia, founder of The Stock Dork. "Setting away even a tiny amount of money on a regular basis can eventually lead you to your objective, no matter how low your starting point is. Time and a little self-control are all that is required." Shutterstock.com Get an Accountability Partner "The journey to starting and faithfully contributing to an emergency fund is more successful when done with a partner," said Lucia Jensen, CEO of WeLoans. "Consider working with your financial advisor to help you stay on track." Live Richer Podcast: How To Get Free Rent and Retire Early mapodile / Getty Images Map Out Your Spending "Take the time to distinguish what your necessary expenses are, and what your discretionary expenses are (i.e. streaming services, shopping for clothes)," said Katie Ross, EVP of American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC). "If you're in a tight spot financially, you may want to cut out some discretionary spending. Your emergency fund should cover your essential needs. After you calculate your total expenses for one month, multiply that number by six. The final number is how much money you should have for your six-month emergency fund." Story continues hapabapa / iStock.com Rethink Subscriptions and Sign Up for Promotions "Whether it's your cable company, cell phone provider, or gym membership, it's time to rethink the value of your subscriptions to their services," said Owen Wilcox, co-founder of USInstallmentLoans. "You have probably forgotten about other subscriptions, yet they continue charging monthly fees. Consider canceling, putting some on hold, or renegotiating the deals to free up critical funds to be redirected to your emergency fund." RyanJLane / Getty Images Start Setting 5%-10% of Your Paycheck Aside "Once you've determined your monthly expenses, it's time to start putting aside money for your emergency fund," Ross said. "If your budget allows, save 5 to 10% of your paycheck. To add even more money to your emergency fund, consider cutting out discretionary spending (such as on coffee or going out to eat) for a few months. If you receive any cash gifts, tax returns, or have leftover money from your budget you didn't spend, redirect all that to your emergency fund." FG Trade / Getty Images Set Small, Inspiring Goals "Instead of one major savings goal, make multiple smaller ones," Garcia said. "Prepare for success from the beginning. Plan for one month's worth of spending rather than three months' worth immediately. Or you could wait a month. Whatever you need to do to make your initial objective seem attainable." Once you accomplish your first goal, you should feel inspired to continue with a slightly bigger goal. "Make your second goal even more challenging, and your third goal even more challenging still," Garcia said. "As time goes on, you'll have developed a habit of saving, and the positive motivation you're generating by achieving modest goals will help propel you toward bigger ones." Goodluz / iStock.com Set a Long-Term Goal, Too "Set a long-term savings goal for an amount that you want to meet," said Dr. Kortney Ziegler, CEO and founder of WellMoney. "Then break that down into smaller daily saving amounts that you can maintain in order to achieve that bigger goal. For example, if you wanted to save $500 over the next six months, you'd set a daily goal of saving -- at minimum -- of approximately $0.34 cents a day." GaudiLab / Shutterstock.com Automate the Process of Saving "The simplest method to conserve money is to keep it out of your sight and mind," Garcia said. "Direct deposit is offered by the majority of employers, and some even allow deposits to be made to more than one account. Your company or bank can automatically deposit the amount you choose into a separate account for your emergency fund." CIT Bank/Dekdoyjaidee Store Funds in a Proper Savings Account "Use a non-checking account like a savings or other form of account that you can't quickly access," Garcia said. "It's highly unlikely that you'll miss it. And don't obsessively monitor your account balance, which will simply slow down your growth. The best way to deal with this situation is to let it go." Dimensions / Getty Images Don't Increase Your Monthly Expenditures or Get a New Credit Card "Don't allow yourself to be lulled into a false feeling of security about your financial situation once you've established automated savings," Garcia said. "In the example of giving up a new pair of shoes every month only to replace it a few months later, you're not saving at all." Shutterstock.com Tap Into the Gig Economy If you're living paycheck to paycheck and saving from your paycheck just isn't going to happen, consider nabbing a side hustle -- the market for those jobs is hot right now. "For those who can, this is a time to take advantage of the high hourly rates many businesses are offering for part-time positions," said Sean Fox, president of Freedom Debt Relief and chief revenue officer of its parent company, Freedom Financial Network. "Working extra hours at a retail store or even your own workplace may not be exciting, but it's a great way to generate extra income and get that fund built up." RichVintage / Getty Images Don't Save Too Much -- Invest the Rest! "Your money is probably sitting in a low-yielding savings account, which means it's earning virtually nothing," Garcia said. "Once you've achieved your final aim, you should stop making contributions to that account. Your retirement funds are a good place to start because they'll be able to bear the most fruit over time if you're patient." More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Heres How To Build a 6-Month Emergency Fund Colorado businessman Timothy Shea exits Manhattan federal court during his fraud trial on Friday in New York. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Associated Press) The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed $25 million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict in a prosecution that once featured former presidential advisor Stephen K. Bannon. The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after jury members reported for a third time that they could not reach a verdict on any count, saying the deadlock was abundantly clear. They said extended deliberations had left them further entrenched in our opposing views. Turmoil during jury deliberations was revealed last week when 11 jurors sent a note to the judge to say one juror who complained about a government witch hunt had exhibited political bias, labeled the rest of them as liberals and complained that the trial should have occurred in a Southern state. U.S. Atty. Damian Williams said in a statement that the mistrial doesnt lessen our resolve in the powerful and compelling evidence that we strongly believe proves his guilt. A retrial is unlikely to occur before the fall. Shea and his lawyer did not comment as they left the courthouse. After two previous notes last week pointed toward a deadlock, the judge had urged jurors to try again. Shea was left to stand trial alone after Bannon, a onetime advisor to then-President Trump, was pardoned, and two other defendants pleaded guilty. The case was prosecuted in New York after it was determined that donors were from across the country, including New York. Conspiracy and falsification of records charges against Shea were filed after questions arose over how donations were spent from a campaign called We Build the Wall that raised about $25 million. Only a few miles of the wall were built. Prosecutors said Shea and other fund organizers promised investors that all donations would fund a wall, but Shea and the others pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves. Story continues Sheas lawyers contended that he acted honorably regarding the fundraising campaign and did not commit a crime. Shea, of Castle Rock, Colo., owns an energy drink company, Winning Energy, whose cans have featured a cartoon superhero image of Trump. Dissension among jurors was first revealed Thursday when 11 jurors said in a note to the judge that they were unanimously requesting that one juror be replaced by an alternate juror. They said the juror had expressed antigovernment bias. In response to the note, the judge questioned the juror with lawyers from both sides present. Among her questions, Torres asked him if he had any biases or personal views that prevent him from being a fair and impartial juror. He said he did not. So she left him on the jury. After twice requesting a mistrial on Thursday, defense attorney John Meringolo renewed his request in writing on Friday. He said the jury had violated secrecy rules by revealing too much in its note seeking the disqualification of one juror, adding that the judge improperly referenced political views when she read them a so-called Allen charge intended to add new energy to deliberations. Meringolo said those instructions could have been understood to be singling out the juror and pressuring him to come to a verdict. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Supermarket chain Carrefour Brasil said Tuesday that its board approved calling a shareholders meeting to elect new board members and update governance standards. Alexandre Bompard was chosen as candidate to be the chairman of Carrefour Brasil's board and Abilio Diniz as candidate for vice chairman, it said in a securities filing. The vote is scheduled for July 7. Bompard is the chairman and chief executive officer of France's Carrefour SA, while Brazilian businessman Diniz holds a stake in the company through his Peninsula investment holding. "Before, Brazil traveled to France, that is, executives from Brazil went to France. Today, French leaders come to Brazil," Diniz told reporters this morning. Both Carrefour and Peninsula, as well as private company Carrefour Nederland BV, have signed the new shareholders agreement as they look to strengthen the company's governance standards, it said. The move comes as Carrefour Brasil, also known as Atacadao SA, completed its acquisition of food retailer Grupo BIG nearly a year after first announcing the deal, which valued BIG at about $1.3 billion. Carrefour Brasil in the filing said the deal gave it a market share more than double that of its nearest rival and coverage of all Brazilian regions. (Reporting by Gabriel Araujo and Carolina Pulice; editing by Jason Neely and Stephen Coates) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its travel alert to level two on Monday, asking travelers to practice enhanced precautions as monkeypox cases have grown to over 1,000 worldwide. The travel alert encourages people traveling to avoid close contact with sick people and animals with skin lesions. The CDC cautions that the risk to the general public is low but anyone who gets an unexplained skin rash should seek medical help. Cases of monkeypox a rare disease from the monkeypox virus that causes skin rashes after symptoms like fever and muscle aches have grown this year. The disease has been spreading undetected, the World Health Organization said last week. The disease occurs throughout Central and West Africa, and infections from the virus occur through skin-to-skin contact, materials with the virus on it, or body fluids, the CDC noted. The CDC initially recommended face masks to prevent the spread of the rare disease but removed the guidance following social media criticism, the Wall Street Journal reported. The CDC said it removed the guidance because it caused confusion, according to the newspaper, but recommends the use of masks for people at high risk of contracting monkeypox. There have been 1,088 confirmed cases of monkeypox in 29 countries this year as of Tuesday, including 302 confirmed cases in the U.K., the CDC reported. Vaccines can be used for the monkeypox virus, including ACAM200 and JYNNEOS vaccines that can reduce symptoms but not prevent the disease, according to the CDC. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... A sheriffs deputy shot and killed a moose Wednesday, June 8, after the animal attacked two people and a dog, Colorado officials told news outlets. A 31-year-old man suffered serious injuries in the attack at 8 a.m. local time near Nederland, Colorado Parks and Wildlife told KMGH. A Boulder County sheriffs deputy responding to the incident twice shot at the moose with non-lethal beanbag rounds and a warning shot after it kept returning, officials told KKTV. When the moose charged a third time as rescuers tried to carry the injured man to safety, the deputy shot and killed it, officials told OutThereColorado. Its the third moose attack in Colorado in two weeks, according to the publication. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers, who also responded to the incident, will investigate, KMGH reported. Nederland is a town near Boulder, northwest of Denver. Protective moose gets stabbed with porcupine quills while defending calf in Colorado Protective moose charges and tramples woman running on Colorado trail, officials say Elk leaves baby on Arizona doorstep but surprised homeowners did everything right SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chilean state-owned Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, said on Wednesday that it stopped its Ventanas smelter and refinery to carry out maintenance after authorities declared an environmental emergency in the region earlier in the week. Chile's environmental regulator ordered provisional measures for the mining company and AES Chile, a power company, on Tuesday after dozens of people in the towns of Quintero and Puchuncavi in central Chile showed signs of poisoning from sulfur dioxide emissions. The measures for Codelco include installing a new temperature sensor to determine thermal inversion and others regarding the quality of ventilation. "To ensure the correct implementation of the measures, this industrial operation will maintain the voluntary suspension of work, which have been stopped since Monday, advancing scheduled maintenance," Codelco said in a statement. "The company hopes that there will be clarity on responsibility after the intoxications that have affected the inhabitants of the area in recent days." Codelco explained that on June 6, when the incident occurred, its air quality stations recorded normal parameters of sulfur dioxide concentrations and smelter has subsequently remained stopped. AES Chile said it would also abide by the regulator's measures and denied responsibility for the environmental incident. Environmental activists have long called Quintero and its surroundings a "sacrifice zone" for successive episodes of pollution that have caused public health emergencies. The town is home to lots of industrial activities that also include the state oil company ENAP and chemical industries. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Alexander Villegas; editing by Grant McCool) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday questioned whether China and Russia had elevated their "no limits" strategic partnership above global security by vetoing more U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches. "We hope these vetoes are not a reflection of that partnership," senior U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis told a meeting of the 193-member U.N. General Assembly in response to the vetoes in the Security Council two weeks ago. "Their explanations for exercising the veto were insufficient, not credible and not convincing. The vetoes were not deployed to serve our collective safety and security," said DeLaurentis, addressing the assembly after China and Russia. China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February, nearly three weeks before Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Their vetoes on North Korea publicly split the U.N. Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang with sanctions in 2006. During a right of reply in the General Assembly later on Wednesday, Chinese diplomat Wu Jianjian said China categorically rejected "presumptious comments and accusations against China's voting position." "China's vote against the U.S.-tabled draft resolution was entirely reasonable and justified," Wu said. "Continuing to increase the sanctions against DPRK (North Korea) would only make the likelihood of political solution even more remote." The Russian U.N. mission did not immediately respond to request for comment on the U.S. remarks. North Korea has carried out dozens of ballistic missile launches this year, including intercontinental rockets commonly known as ICBMs, after breaking a moratorium on tests that it self-imposed in 2018 after leader Kim Jong Un first met then-U.S. President Donald Trump. The United States has warned that North Korea is preparing to conduct a seventh nuclear test, and says it will again push for U.N. sanctions if it takes place. Story continues Earlier on Wednesday in his speech to the General Assembly, China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun blamed a "flip-flop of U.S. policies" for a renewed escalation of tensions, pushing Washington to take action. "There are many things that the U.S. can do, such as easing sanctions on the DPRK (North Korea) in certain areas, and ending joint military exercises (with South Korea). The key is to take actions, not just talk about its readiness for dialogue with no preconditions," said Zhang. DeLaurentis said Washington was "more than prepared to discuss easing sanctions to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." He said the United States has repeatedly tried to restart talks, sending public and private messages, but had not received a response. North Korea defended its development of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons as protection against "direct threats" from the United States. DeLaurentis said Pyongyang's missile launches and nuclear tests were unprovoked. "The measures that the DPRK is taking for bolstering national defense capabilities are an inevitable choice to cope with the hostile threats of the U.S. within the scope of self-defense rights," North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Kim Song told the General Assembly. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Tim Ahmann, Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are teaming up for a new comedy special at Londons O2 arena. Both legendary comedians have been in the spotlight for encountering physical attacks on stage in separate incidents, with Rock getting slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars and Chappelle getting tackled by an audience member. It seems Chrisley may not know best after all. Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty on federal charges including bank fraud and tax evasion on Tuesday. The husband-and-wife duo await sentencing and are currently free on bond, but could get up to 30 years behind bars, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Chrisleys were charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud. Julie was also charged with wire fraud and obstruction of justice, and an accountant for the couple, Peter Tarantino, was also charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns, according to the Associated Press. Like his clients, Tarantino was found guilty and remains out on bond. Bruce Morris, an attorney for Todd Chrisley, told EW in a statement that they were "disappointed in the verdict" and plan to file an appeal. Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley Wilford Harewood/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley The reality stars were found guilty of all the aforementioned charges after a three-week trial, which began mere days after E! announced that Todd would be hosting and executive-producing a matchmaking series for called Love Limo. The couple were first indicted in August 2019 (and denied all charges at the time), and a new indictment was filed earlier this year. Prosecutors alleged that the Chrisleys "conspired to defraud numerous banks by providing the banks with false information such as personal financial statements containing false information, and fabricated bank statements when applying for and receiving millions of dollars in loans." They also allegedly used fabricated bank statements and a fabricated credit report that had been "physically cut and taped or glued together" when applying for a home in California. Prosecutors also said the couple "took steps to obstruct IRS collection efforts, which included hiding income, and lying to third parties about their tax returns." Story continues The Chrisleys are best known for their eponymous reality show, which is in its ninth season on USA Network and was previously renewed for a 10th season. Representatives for USA declined to comment on the verdict. Related content: GOBankingRates Though the United States appears to be coming out of the worst of the pandemic, COVID-19 isn't going away any time soon. And there remains the continued risk of another surge as more states relax... A Collinsville osteopathic physician has admitted to illegally prescribing an anti-anxiety drug and sharing in the profits, a federal prosecutors office said Tuesday. Matthew Steven Miller, 43, pleaded guilty in federal court in St. Louis on Tuesday to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of making a false statement concerning a health care matter, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said. Miller still faces three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and four counts of aggravated battery of a child filed in 2019 in Madison County, where he has a court of date of Aug. 15, according to court records. In this case, Miller is accused of giving cocaine to a 2-year-old girl and sexually assaulting her. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7 in the drug case in St. Louis. Miller admitted illegally writing prescriptions for the anti-anxiety drug Xanax for six people between 2016 and 2018. He did not have a doctor-patient relationship with them, had not examined them, had not determined that they needed the drug and did not document the prescriptions, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release. On some occasions, they sold the drugs and split the money with Miller, the release stated. Prosecutors will drop 11 other counts as part of the plea agreement Miller signed last month, according to court records. Miller was represented in this case by attorney Cira Duffe, who could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White heard Millers guilty plea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dorothy McMurtry is prosecuting the case. Felix Rubio and Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed in the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, appear on a video screen as they testify remotely during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence Wednesday. (Andrew Harnik/Pool) As if to demonstrate that they can get off their duffs when circumstances so require, congressional Republicans moved swiftly Wednesday to demand action on a measure to protect U.S. Supreme Court justices from the threat of violence. They were responding to the arrest of an armed man outside the Maryland home of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. Within minutes of the arrest, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), was on the Senate floor demanding that the House pass a bill increasing security protections for Supreme Court justices and their families "before the sun sets today." "House Democrats need to stop their multiweek blockade against the Supreme Court security bill," McConnell said. Two children, whose bodies had been pulverized by bullets fired at them, decapitated, whose flesh had been ripped apart, that the only clue as to their identities were the blood-spattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none, Uvalde, Texas, pediatrician Roy Guerrero, describing what he saw at the hospital following the massacre Sounds pretty urgent. The only reason we can imagine for any further delay is that House members were tied up during the day Wednesday taking testimony from survivors of and witnesses to the May 24 Uvalde, Texas, school massacre, in which an 18-year-old gunman slaughtered 19 schoolchildren and two adults as law enforcement officers stood uselessly nearby. As CBS News reported, Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in prerecorded testimony that her class was watching a movie when the gunman came into their classroom, "told her teacher, 'Good night,' and shot her in the head." He then shot Cerrillo's classmates. "I grabbed a little blood and put it all over me," Cerrillo said. "I got my teacher's phone and called 911. I told her that we need help, and to send the police in our classroom." They didn't come. Story continues At the hearing, Dr. Roy Guerrero, a Uvalde pediatrician, described what he saw when the bodies of two children killed in the school arrived at his hospital. "Two children, whose bodies had been pulverized by bullets fired at them, decapitated, whose flesh had been ripped apart, that the only clue as to their identities were the blood-spattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none," he said. Felix and Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was slain at Robb Elementary, issued a demand much like McConnell's. "Today, we stand for Lexi, and as her voice, we demand action," Kimberly Rubio said, calling for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. "We understand that for some reason, to people with money, to people who fund political campaigns, guns are more important than children, ... At this moment, we ask for progress." The hearing was part of House Democrats' effort to pass a package of gun laws to raise the minimum age for buying semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 and outlaw high-capacity ammunition magazines. GOP leaders say their members will vote against the bill. That said, McConnell's demand and the House hearing together point to a solution to the GOP's blockade of gun laws: Combine the House package with the Supreme Court protection act the GOP is so insistent on passing into one bill. Pass both, or neither. That's the deal. As we've written before, the only way to move sensible gun safety legislation through Congress is to force the Republicans to vote. Make them stand up and explain why they're opposed to banning the sort of assault weapons that can shred a human body to the point that only a DNA match can identify the victim. And now, they can stand up and explain why a threat to a Supreme Court justice's home should be more urgent than an actual attack on defenseless children. Again: Pass both, or pass neither. And do it before the sun sets today. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Valley voters are sending a new lawmaker to the US Capitol. She's from Tulare Tulare Republican Connie Conway has a 19% lead against Democrat Lourin Hubbard in the race to fill Devin Nunes' 22nd Congressional District seat. The double-digit lead was enough for AP to call the race just after 10 p.m. Tuesday. We did it! Thank you for everyone that has helped over the last few months. Now the real work begins to help get more water, fight inflation, and combat crime in our streets, she posted on social media. Nunes served just shy of 20 years in Washington D.C. before resigning to run former President Donald Trump's social media company. Conway will serve the District until the end of that term, Jan. 3, 2023. She served on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors from 2000 to 2008. She represented Tulare County in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014. In 2010, Conway was elected as the Assembly Republican Leader. She posted on social media Tuesday that she would focus on water and farmers. "Today I toured the progress of the Friant Kern Canals Middle Reach Correction Project. This gravity flow system has lost over 60% of its capacity because of subsidence, but President Trump and local farmers are investing hundreds of millions of dollars for this project along with some state funding," she wrote. "We need to build more canals and reservoirs to keep our water here and get it to our farms and communities." Conway is a former advertising representative for the Tulare Advance-Register. In the 2018 election, Conway dropped out of Californias 16th Senate District seat and made an unsuccessful run for the California Board of Equalization. Her father, John Conway, also served on the Tulare County Board of Supervisors from 1981 until 1991. In 2019, Trump appointed Conway as California's state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency. The job, according to a USDA press release, was responsible for implementing Trump Administration policies and running the day-to-day activities of the state FSA office. The job was a politically appointed post, so her stay was short-lived after Trump lost his 2020 re-election bid. Story continues Conway followed in the footsteps of Nunes, who was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as California State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development section. Nunes went on to successfully run for U.S. Congress in 2002. Hubbard, an operations manager at the California Department of Water Resources Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, is a Fresno State graduate who grew up in Bakersfield. He previously worked at the Fresno County Department of Social Services, where he helped people and families sign up for government assistance programs such as CalFRESH and Medi-Cal. His platform was based on clean water for communities, more water for farmers, cutting federal taxes on overtime pay, investing in education and creating more affordable housing. Hubbard is married and has two young daughters. This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Connie Conway is going to Washington D.C., wins Nunes' seat in Congress Pola_Lopez-7A-1_original - Credit: Michael Benanav/Searchlight New Mexico This story was originally published by Searchlight New Mexico and is published here as part of an ongoing collaboration with Rolling Stone. TIERRA MONTE, NM The air smells of ash and the landscape is leached of color. Spots of green punctuate the valley floor in places. But along the ridges, the powdery residue of charred trees has fallen like snow, accumulating up to four inches deep. These are the slices of forest where the fire burned the hottest, scorching ponderosa pines from crown to root. Once titans, they are now matchsticks. More from Rolling Stone Pola Lopez gestures in their direction, southward toward Hermits Peak. Before a tsunami of flames ripped through this canyon in Tierra Monte, the canopy was so thick that it was impossible to see the nearby mountain. But two prescribed burns set by the U.S. Forest Service one on Hermits Peak, the other in Calf Canyon to the southwest have changed all that. When the blazes merged to form the biggest wildfire in state history, flames engulfed nearly 160 acres of riparian forest that once belonged to her father. It wiped us out, Lopez says. Like so many in the devastation zone, she squarely places the blame on the USFS, not only for starting a prescribed burn in the windy month of April when gusts reached 70 miles per hour but for a century of conflict with rural communities. Known locally as La Floresta, the USFS is often seen as a feudal lord, a faraway government entity that has accumulated vast holdings with little idea of how to properly steward them or enough funds to do the job. The communitys fury runs almost too deep for words, says Antonia Roybal-Mack, a Mora native whose family lost hundreds of acres to the fire. Really pissed off is literally an understatement. In nearly two dozen interviews with people affected by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire, the same sentiments emerge: The USFS has a history, locals argue, of mismanaging the forest. In particular, they say the agency has limited or prohibited people from the long-held tradition of collecting firewood and other timber, the kind of maintenance the forest needed. If they had been able to tend to it the way they had for generations, they believe the conflagration would have been far less devastating. Story continues The prescribed burn was the match, says Roybal-Mack. But the fuel was there for decades when they wouldnt let people into the forest to collect vigas or firewood. Antonia Roybal-Mack at her office in Albuquerque. - Credit: Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Century-old harm Embedded in the tension is the history of land grants in New Mexico, a system that allowed Spanish settlers, Indigenous peoples and others of mixed descent to obtain tracts of land at the edge of the northern frontier, during Spanish and Mexican rule. From the late 1600s forward, scores of these settlers were granted ejidos, or wildland and forest commons. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a mostly Anglo cadre of speculators and profiteers began to claim ownership of the commons, using subterfuge and legal loopholes to essentially transfer the forests to private ownership or the federal government. Well over one million acres eventually ended up in the jurisdiction of the USFS, the University of New Mexicos Land Grant Studies Program estimates. In todays fire zone, the descendants of the dispossessed are among the Forest Services sharpest critics. They are joined in their distress by villagers, small-scale farmers, loggers, foragers of traditional food and medicine, Indigenous peoples and acequia parciantes, caretakers of the age-old irrigation ditches now compromised by flames. The USFS has fallen short of its commitment to the land and those who live alongside it, they say. As the conflagration whips through public and private lands as of June 6, burning nearly 500 square miles anger, frustration and grief define the tenor at public forums, in evacuation centers and on social media. Some locals say that, if given the chance, they would have practiced far more sustainable forest thinning in partnership with the USFS, thereby lessening the impacts of a catastrophic fire. Others criticize the way fire crews heavily relied on backburning, a fire-suppression tactic that involves starting smaller fires to deprive a larger wildfire of fuel. The Santa Fe National Forest, for its part, is committed to working in tandem with local residents and sustaining traditional communities, their cultures, traditions and values, according to spokesperson Julie Anne Overton. Collaboration and partnerships will continue to be the foundation for our work in managing our public lands, she says. But so fierce are the emotions and so profound the losses that Roybal-Mack, a lawyer who now lives in Albuquerque, expects to file a lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of plaintiffs, along with the firm Bauman & Dow. The forests belong to the people, as San Miguel County Commissioner Janice Varela puts it. We locals, we feel like, hell yes, its our forest, says Varela, a long-time water activist. Yeah, we let the Forest Service manage it and we let everybody in the world come here, but its our forest. We have ownership from our proximity to it, from our history and cultural connection to it, from our heart. A hillside burned by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire in northern New Mexico. - Credit: Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico It was Armageddon Chaos ensued when villagers from Mora were ordered to evacuate on May 2, nearly a month after the fire began. It was Armageddon, says Travis Regensberg, a general contractor who towed his bulldozer in from Las Vegas to cut fire lines around homes. The closest command center and evacuation center were 40 minutes away in Las Vegas. Everyone, especially the elderly, felt defenseless and lost, Regensberg says. There seemed to be no one in authority on the ground. Anger reached yet another height in late May, when the Forest Service released the news that it was responsible for the Calf Canyon fire. A botched prescribed burn in January had turned it into a sleeper fire that smoldered for months before leaping to life in April and merging with the Hermits Peak inferno also ignited by a prescribed burn gone wrong. Back-burning, however, has caused the greatest enmity. To fight ferocious blazes, wildland firefighters are trained to set small back fires to burn grasses and other tinder, starving the larger blaze of fuel. In Mora, back-burns were set without private property lines in mind, says Patrick Griego, the owner of a small logging business who stayed behind to protect his property. He saw several of his neighbors lands get back-burned and, determined to save his 400 acres from a similar fate, cut an extensive fire line with his grader. The wildfire was still distant, he says. To his shock, wildland firefighters appeared one night and back-burned a swath of his property anyway. He recalls watching, seething and feeling helpless, as they set his land on fire. The flames shot 30-feet high in places. Forty acres were gone in 15 minutes, he says. I didnt know what to do. I didnt know what to say. He calls the people who set the back-burn arsonists. Patrick Griego stands in what was a creek bed in the burn area on his property. - Credit: Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Some residents say theyve felt like sacrificial lambs, losing their land for what was arguably the greater good. The back-burns, they add, seemed to be excessive. Its not that back-burning isnt helpful, says Guadalupita Volunteer Fire Department Chief Isaac Herrera, who himself lost 130 acres to the fire. Its a great tool when done responsibly, he notes. But Herrera believes there were times in recent weeks when it was done irresponsibly and recklessly, disregarding the deep knowledge of the terrain that he and other locals possess. In response, managers of the wildfire-fighting effort say they had to make decisions amid the chaos. We dont want to burn up anybodys timber, says Jayson Coil, who oversees the Southwest Area Incident Management Team. But theres been a lot of choices that weve been forced to make about whats most important to save. Their first priority is to save homes, for example. If the conditions had afforded firefighters more time and resources, Coil says and if theyd had several choices at hand we would pick something different. Ever-Present History Recovering from the fire will depend to a certain extent on extinguishing pain from the past. And the past can seem omnipresent in Northern New Mexico. Over the past 60 years, intense conflicts have erupted over how the USFS has managed the forests, limiting peoples ability to graze livestock, hunt for food and repair acequia headwaters. Some of the protests are still talked about. In 1966, land-grant activists occupied part of the Carson National Forest, declaring that the land had been appropriated; a year later, they carried out an infamous armed raid on the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse, attempting to win the release of fellow activists. Even a casual conversation in the fire zone can suddenly pivot to the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which promised and failed to protect the rights of land-grantees and allow them to keep their commons. Today, almost one-quarter of the Carson and Santa Fe National Forests are made up of former land-grant commons. In other parts of the state in a district of the Cibola National Forest, for example a staggering 60 percent is made up of these commons, research shows. The Forest Service has taken local needs into account, spokesperson Overton wrote in an email. For example, people with permits are allowed to cut firewood in designated areas. Many employees of the Santa Fe National Forest are members of the community, she adds. They grew up here, they have the same ties to community and cultural heritage as their neighbors. Pola Lopez sits by a hole where a ponderosa pine was vaporized by the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire, noting the underground root tunnels leading away from it. - Credit: Michael Benanav/Searchlight New Mexico Michael Benanav/Searchlight New Mexico But today, this offers little comfort. Pola Lopez can still remember how her father, the late state Sen. Junio Lopez, made it his lifes mission to reunite the dispossessed with their land. He was unable to produce wide-scale change, however, and the purchase of the 157 acres now blackened by the fire was a kind of consolation prize. That land, his daughter says, became his sanctuary. In 2009, Pola had the property designated a conservation easement, to protect the forest from development for what she thought was perpetuity. Now, the willows and scrubby oak are razed and the stream that once flooded the banks of the canyon are completely desiccated. But Lopez is most brokenhearted by the loss of the old-growth forest, the grandfather trees, as she calls them. Some were scorched so badly that only holes full of ash remain. SIDEBAR: Historic Problems, Local Solutions Land grants are inextricably woven into the fabric of northern New Mexico, where heirs trace their lineage to the Spanish footsoldiers, Indigenous cautivos (slaves), people of mixed descent and Pueblo peoples who settled the edges of a colonial empire. The forests saw a lot in the intervening years, including ongoing protests over how the U.S. Forest Service exercised its power. Tensions rose so high that armed dissidents stormed the Tierra Amarilla Courthouse in 1966, an incident that so surprised the USFS that the agency launched a study to investigate. The hard facts are that many of the villagers understanding of Forest Service management objectives, regulations, and policies is harshly at odds with their own concept of how things should be, the report concluded. Mistrust, it went on, was the greatest obstacle. Critics today still see the agencys relationship with locals as shaky and, like the forest, in need of mending. Unhealthy forests look like the USFS almost everywhere, said Joaquin Arguello, a vocal proponent of collaborative forest thinning initiatives, alongside his father, David Arguello. David is a member of the Cerro Negro Forest Council, which manages a community thinning project in the Carson National Forest that is based on the tenets of acequia stewardship. Until there is more community forestry, Joaquin argued, it all looks unhealthy because there is no bond with the land. Smoke rises from the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire in northern New Mexico. - Credit: Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico Nadav Soroker/Searchlight New Mexico The Santa Fe National Forest has made progress along these lines, including recent efforts like the Southwest Jemez Mountains Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project and a similar project in the Rio Chama area. But the region where the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire has been most destructive hasnt seen thinning on a large enough scale, in part because of USFS budget cuts, experts said. Thinning wouldnt necessarily stop a fire from starting or spreading, said Matthew Hurteau, professor of ecology at the University of New Mexico especially with 70-mile-per-hour wind gusts, ongoing drought, climate change and lack of snowpack. But if practiced full throttle, it could lessen the fires most devastating impacts. The scale of the solution, he said, has to match the scale of the problem. Given all the troubles, one local USFS employee predicted 10 years ago that a major conflagration would occur in the area where fires have now been on a two-month rampage, displacing thousands of people, destroying hundreds of homes and erasing the irreplaceable. Its not if, but when we get a large wildfire in the Gallinas canyon, Steve Romero, U.S. Forest Service ranger for the Pecos/Las Vegas district, said in 2012, on a tour of the Gallinas watershed. We anticipate it could be catastrophic. Best of Rolling Stone Click here to read the full article. EXCLUSIVE: Over 50 Republicans in Congress are filing an amicus brief at the Supreme Court calling on the high court to reaffirm constitutionally protected free speech and religious liberty in a closely-watched case pitting religious freedom and artistic expression against LGBTQ rights. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, are leading the Supreme Court filing, which includes 20 Senate and 38 House of Representatives co-signers. The case, 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, involves Colorado -based web designer Lorie Smith, who says her religious beliefs would not allow her to create a custom wedding website for same-sex couples. The Court will decide whether applying a public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment. SUPREME COURT TO TAKE UP CASE OVER FREE SPEECH VS. LGBTQ RIGHTS "A victory in favor of 303 Creative would mean a victory for religious freedom everywhere. Compelled speech against anyones religious beliefs is an egregious infringement on the most fundamental liberties our Constitution protects. Every American should have the freedom to pursue their professions without being forced to sacrifice their religious beliefs," Cruz told Fox News Digital. The case comes after the highly publicized Masterpiece Cakeshop decision in 2018, in which the Supreme Court ruled a baker, Jack Phillips, was treated with anti-religious bias for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. However, the justices did not address a larger question of whether certain businesses can assert a religious liberty claim when refusing to serve certain customers. The Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing designer Smith in the case, had asked the high court to review a 21 decision made in July 2021 by a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit that ruled in favor of Colorados Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). WEB DESIGNER WHO REFUSES TO CREATE SITES FOR SAME-SEX WEDDINGS SAYS COLORADO LAW VIOLATES FREE SPEECH RIGHTS Story continues "The government doesnt have the power to silence or compel creative expression under the threat of punishment," ADF General Counsel Kristen Waggoner, Smiths attorney said after the Supreme Court agreed to take up the case. "Its shocking that the 10th Circuit would permit Colorado to punish artists whose speech isnt in line with state-approved ideology." LAKEWOOD, CO - AUGUST 15: Baker Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, manages his shop in Lakewood, Colo. August 15, 2018. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images) Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images The case has drawn criticism that Smith is on an "anti-LGBTQ crusade," but she insists that is not the case. Lambda Legal senior counsel Jennifer Pizer, who filed an amicus brief in the case, accused Smith and her attorneys of using religion to marginalize the gay community. "We are witness yet again to the unrelenting anti-LGBTQ crusade being waged by self-described Christian fundamentalist legal groups aiming to chip away at the hard-won gains of LGBTQ people by carving out swaths of territory where discrimination can flourish," Pizer said. "The constitutional protections for religious freedom and free speech were never intended as weapons of discrimination for those doing business with the general public." A police officer maintains a watch during a demonstration by victims of gun violence in front of the Supreme Court. Joshua Roberts Smith responded during an interview with Fox News: "I work with all people and I have worked with all people including those who identify as LGBT," she said. "Im unable to promote all messages. And to take it a step further and to clarify, Colorado and the Tenth Circuit Court say they agree that I work with all people. So thats certainly something thats been clarified and agreed to." Oral arguments in the 303 Creative case are expected to be held in the fall. Fox News' Jessica Chasmar and Ronn Blizter contributed to this report. Sir David Attenborough is to be given a second knighthood. (BBC) Sir David Attenborough is to be awarded a second knighthood for services to television and conservation. The 96-year-old broadcaster and naturalist was first knighted by the Queen in 1985 in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. It has now been announced he will be made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael And St George in recognition of his documentaries about the natural world and his work to raise awareness about climate change and its effects. Read more: Why Sir David Attenborough thinks some zoos are justified Sir David is expected to receive the appointment from The Prince of Wales who shares the presenter's passion for the environment at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle, after being named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list 2022. Sir David Attenborough with his wife Jane and daughter Susan after receiving his knighthood from the Queen in 1985. (PA) The new honour comes after Sir David was featured in the Platinum Party at the Palace jubilee concert. Prince William paid tribute to the efforts of "visionary environmentalists" during his speech, as a giant image of the Natural World presenter was projected onto Buckingham Palace. The Duke of Cambridge interviewed the veteran broadcaster about the impact of climate change on the environment at the at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in 2019. Sir David said at the time: There has never been a time when more people have been out of touch with the natural world, than there is now. Sir David Attenborough talks to the Queen at an event in London in 2019. (PA) We have to recognise that every breath of air we take, every mouthful of food we take, comes from the natural world. And if we damage the natural world, we damage ourselves. We are one coherent ecosystem. Its not just a question of beauty, or interest, or wonder its the essential part of human life is a healthy planet. In 2020 Sir David joined Instagram as part of his campaign to raise awareness for sustainable living. Within an hour of his first post, the Green Planet presenter had already gained more than 200,000 followers and he reached 1 million followers in four hours and 44 minutes. Story continues Sir David Attenborough and The Prince of Wales at the premiere of Netflix's Our Planet, held at the Natural History Museum in London. (PA) Sir David brother of the late Hollywood actor Sir Richard Attenborough, who starred in the original Jurassic Park movie began his broadcasting career on the BBC in the 1950s, notably with Zoo Quest. He has gone on to present nature documentaries from all over the world, throughout the decades, moving with the times to use the latest technology and appearing on streaming services such as Netflix as well as the BBC. While he still narrates programmes, he recently admitted he is unlikely to travel to distant locations to film for much longer as he does not enjoy flying. Read more: Sir David Attenborough 'quits' Instagram after just two months He said: Its probably a fact of age, but I was finding my heart was sinking deeper and deeper into my boots every time I walked up into an aircraft and looked down that long line and thought, Im going to be here for another 24 hours." Watch: Sir David Attenborough was named Champion of the Earth by the UN The oil and gas industry is failing to address leaks of a planet-warming gas called methane, House Democrats said in a new report on Wednesday. A report from Democrats on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee found that the industry is not using the latest science to inform its approaches to tackle leaks of the greenhouse gas. Existing oil and gas sector [leak detection and repair] programs are failing to mitigate methane emissions from super-emitting leaks. The principal cause of this failure is the unwillingness of oil and gas companies to prioritize super-emitting leaks, the Democrats wrote. In particular, the committee found that all of the 10 companies it surveyed do not track, identify or maintain records on super-emitting leaks in any organized manner. The committee also found that innovative leak detection and repair technologies were being used in pilot programs but were not yet being used at a wider-scale, limiting how effective it would be. In particular, it cited one case where company researchers supported permanently deploying the technology, but it was rejected by management. It notes that in this case, company researchers described greater awareness of emissions and leaks as one of the risks of deployment. The report also suggested that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measurements undercount methane emissions from oil and gas. It cited a leak from one company in 2020 that it said could be equivalent to more than 80 percent of the total methane emissions the company reported to the EPA from all of its Permian Basin oil and gas activities for that year. The findings of this report make clear that thus far the oil and gas sector is not taking the steps necessary to significantly reduce methane emissions, particularly super-emitting leaks that make up much of the sectors emissions, said committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) in a statement. The oil and gas companies have a key opportunityand a responsibilityto be a part of the solution, Johnson said. Story continues Methane is a greenhouse gas that is the main component of natural gas. During energy production and processing, it may leak accidentally. Separately, companies sometimes let methane escape on purpose through processes called venting and flaring. The gas is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 100 year period, but it spends less time in the atmosphere. The committees report specifically looked at drilling in the Permian Basin an oil producing region in West Texas and southeast New Mexico. It sent letters to 10 companies seeking information on methane leaks: Chevron, ExxonMobil, Admiral Permian Resources Operating, Ameredev II, ConocoPhillips, Coterra Energy, Devon Energy, Mewbourne Oil, Occidental Petroleum and Pioneer Natural Resources It said that all of the companies responded sufficiently. While the committee named the companies that participated, many specific details were anonymous in the report. In a statement to The Hill, the American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas lobbying group, defended the industrys approach to methane emissions. This industry is committed to tackling the challenge of emissions reductions head-on while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable energy. We support accuracy and transparency in reporting GHG emissions and are continuously improving emissions reporting, including the accelerated deployment of cost-effective direct measurement options, said an API spokesperson. The EPA did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. NextShark A pair of identical twins who grew up in separate countries have somehow developed similar personality traits but significantly different IQ levels, a recent study has found. In the study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, researchers from Kookmin University in Seoul and California State University compared the characteristics of a woman who grew up in South Korea to that of her sister, who was raised in the U.S. The adoptee grew up without knowledge of her siblings, until she participated in a South Korean government program that reunited family members. Results from California's primary election underscore how much the issues of crime, homelessness and affordable housing have become major concerns to voters. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Going into election night, a talking point in the national media was whether California voters would rebuke the left and move a bit more to the center. Central to this conversation was a ballot measure to recall progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin, who became a lightning rod for controversies over crime and homelessness in San Francisco. If the famously liberal city ousted Boudin, and billionaire businessman Rick Caruso had a strong showing in the Los Angeles mayoral race, would that represent a shift in blue California? Boudin was recalled by a wide margin, and Caruso advanced to a mayoral runoff, finishing ahead of Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles). Both results underscore how much the issues of crime and homelessness as well as housing affordability have become major concerns in both deep-blue cities, with voters demanding change. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, asked what two issues were most important in deciding whom to support for L.A. mayor. Among likely voters, these were the results: homelessness 49%; crime and public safety 40%; housing affordability 25%. But the election results were far from a sweeping shift to the center. Leading Democrats like Gov. Gavin Newsom, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta had strong showings. And L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, whose politics have made a strong shift to the right, was struggling. Here is a breakdown of the election results: San Francisco The recall decision of Boudin was not even close, with more than 60% of voters supporting it. Critics painted the D.A. as a soft-on-crime prosecutor who doesnt care about public safety. And they tied his criminal reform policies to a wave of high-profile crimes, including a fatal hit-and-run involving a man on parole, a series of smash-and-grab robberies from high-end Union Square stores and a wave of attacks against elderly Asian American residents. This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice, said Mary Jung, chair of the recall campaign. In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership. Story continues Los Angeles With voters in a sour mood after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a seemingly intractable homelessness crisis and increased gun violence, the mayoral race was viewed as a referendum on whether Los Angeles would stick with the liberal Democratic leadership that has been in charge for most of the last half-century. Caruso massively outspent Bass, using his own fortune and hammering a message of solving the homeless crisis and cracking down on crime. While a poll Sunday showed Bass slightly ahead of Caruso, the primary election results were different. Caruso holds the lead, 42% to 37% as of Wednesday morning. They will face a runoff in November. Four members of the Los Angeles City Council were leading in their contests for reelection, while a fifth was looking at a Nov. 8 runoff, according to partial returns. In the closely watched controller's race, progressive activist Kenneth Mejia was the top voter and will face Paul Koretz in the November runoff. Attorney general Progressives did better in the California attorney general's race. Democratic incumbent Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta sailed to an easy victory on the Nov. 8 ballot and likely will face one of two Republicans instead of a high-profile independent prosecutor, Sacramento Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert. Opponents attacked Bonta for his left-leaning legislative record and his support for criminal justice reform laws. Schubert had hoped her relatively centrist politics and experience prosecuting the Golden State Killer and other notorious serial murderers and rapists would convince voters that she could effectively lead the state Department of Justice. Bontas strong showing provided a counterpoint to criticism of the criminal justice reform movement in California, concerns that helped oust Boudin. L.A. County sheriff Villanueva won the office four years ago as a reformer promising to limit the departments cooperation in county jails with federal immigration authorities. But he has made an increasingly hard turn to the right to refashion himself as a conservative law-and-order sheriff. On the campaign trail and on his frequent appearances on Fox News, he has railed against the policies of the woke left, whom he blames for the countys homeless crisis and sharp rise in homicides and other crimes. A major initiative has been to dramatically increase the number of permits issued to allow people to carry concealed guns. His department also has been mired in a series of scandals and faced critics from his own overseers and the Board of Supervisors. As of Wednesday morning, Villanueva had earned only 34% of the vote in a crowded field. He likely will face former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna in a November runoff. Statewide races Newsom crushed a crowded field of scarcely known challengers in Californias statewide primary and will face off against a conservative Northern California Republican, state Sen. Brian Dahle. Padilla, who was appointed by Newsom just over two years ago, is expected to coast through the November election. Lanhee Chen, a candidate for state controller, was the GOPs best chance at winning a statewide office. As the only Republican in the race, the fiscal advisor and educator was favored to come out on top against four Democrats and one independent. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. In protest of France's content streaming rules, Disney has announced that its animated holiday film Strange World (aka Avalonia) will go straight to Disney+ and not appear in theaters in the country. It also gave a strong statement to Deadline decrying France's so-called chronologie des medias rules. "Strange World will be available to all Disney+ subscribers in France, foregoing a French cinematic release. While we support French cinema and have for decades the new, cumbersome media chronology is anti-consumer, ignoring how behavior has evolved over the last several years and puts us at increased risk for piracy. We will continue to make decisions on a film-by-film basis and according to each markets unique conditions," a company spokesperson said. France's laws force studios like Disney to wait 17 months before they can release movies to Disney+ after a theatrical release, following a four month purchase and exclusive six-month Canal+ window. Disney+ can then only keep it for five months, as it goes to free-to-air channels like TF1 and France 2 for a 14-month period. Once that window ends (36 months after the theatrical release), it reverts back to Disney+. Disney's big holiday movie will skip French theaters in release window protest Prior to a new law implemented earlier this year, the situation actually used to be worse for streaming channels, with release windows much longer. Disney has protested because the new rules favor Netflix, giving it a shorter 15-month window before films can revert to its streaming service. It has also said that the laws don't take into account the new reality of how content is consumed in the COVID-19 era. "We believe that the media chronology is not consumer friendly, nor does it establish a balanced or proportionate framework between the various players in the French audiovisual ecosystem. This is especially frustrating as we have been increasing our investment in the creation of original French content while also supporting French cinema through our theatrical releases," Disney said at the time. (Engadget has reached out to France's media regulator for comment.) France's Ministry of Culture and regulatory body CNC juggle the needs of theater chains, studios, streaming services and consumers. At the same time, they're trying to encourage local production and original French content in general. That has been effective of late, with numerous productions like Emily in France shot in the country. At the same time, original French series like Netflix's Lupin and Call My Agent have become hits in the US and elsewhere around the world. Moyers About 200 pages of court documents released Wednesday by the State Attorney's Office reveal new details and insight into the Sept. 23 fatal shooting of Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers. Notable is the firsthand account of the passenger who was there during the traffic stop when it happened. Information from family and friends also explains issues that Patrick Rene McDowell, the 35-year-old charged in the deputy's death, faced in the military and beyond as the case awaits trial. But in her own words, the 24-year-old woman who had gone out with McDowell that day in a stolen minivan described what happened late that night and early into the next morning. She is not being named because of the state's Marsy's Law and since she has not been charged. Deputy killed: Outpouring of grief in Nassau deputys death What we know about Deputy Joshua Moyers: Dying after being shot at a traffic stop She told investigators that McDowell, whom she met through mutual friends about a year ago, picked her up at her Jacksonville home about 8 p.m. They then met up with a couple behind a Southside Big Lots store to purchase methamphetamine, according to one of the supplemental reports. They headed for Georgia where McDowell said "they could ride trails and shoot guns." En route they realized they needed to gas, so they looked for an open station before finding one on U.S. 1 and headed back out. Then about 11:45 p.m. on Sandy Ford Road, south of Callahan, something caught the deputy's attention and he activated his emergency lights, the Sheriff's Office previously said. After McDowell realized they were being pulled over, the woman said he told her "I'm not stopping, I'm not going to jail," according to the report. She said she told him, "You should probably stop." So he stopped the minivan later determined to have been stolen in Jacksonville near railroad tracks west of U.S. 301. Story continues Rest in peace: Nassau County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Moyers laid to rest on Saturday When Moyers spoke with them and asked for registration and IDs, McDowell gave him a bogus name. Once that was learned, the deputy asked McDowell whether he had any weapons and to get out of the vehicle, according to the documents. Moyers was then shot in the face, collapsed to the ground and was shot again. Saying she can't believe what she saw, "or maybe just wish I didn't," the passenger wrote that "Pat pulls a gun out from behind him and shoots the poor innocent man with his whole life ahead of him. I then see Pat reach out of the window and shot him again like the first time wasn't enough??" He kept telling her he was sorry, that "It was either him or me" as they fled briefly in the van before abandoning it. She said they hid for a while until she convinced him to let her go. Once she was far enough away, she called 911 and a deputy saw her walking down the road and she cooperated, according to the reports. During the ensuing multi-agency search, officers and McDowell exchanged gunfire and he and a K-9 were wounded. McDowell, however, remained at large for several days. He had contacted another friend through social media but was being monitored by investigators. He was apprehended outside Callahan Intermediate School on Sept. 28. Breiana Elizabeth Tole, 28, also was charged as an accessory after coming to his location and trying to get him out of the area. Patrick McDowell is loaded into a rescue unit in Callahan after his Sept. 28 arrest in the shooting death of Deputy Joshua Moyers. Recently engaged and only 29, Moyers died a couple of days later on Sept. 26. McDowell, who was on drug-offender probation at the time, remains behind bars in the Duval County jail on charges of murder and injuring a police dog as well as eight more of aggravated assault on an officer, according to his arrest report. Brother speaks of Patrick McDowell's troubled past An FBI report details law enforcement interviews with McDowell's family and reveals information about McDowell's military past.. One is an interview with McDowell's brother, Timothy Jones, who is also an FBI agent in the Norfolk Division. Jones states that McDowell had been combat-deployed to Iraq in 2009 as a U.S. Marine and was honorably discharged in 2010 or 2011. He had severe post-traumatic stress disorder, the brother said. McDowell worked for a private security firm as personal security for dignitaries and others in Iraq for about a year. Coming home, he sought help from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and was put on anti-psychotic medications at one time, his brother said. During one VA session, the counselor told him that the friends he had lost in Iraq were dead and "he needed to get over it," the report said. McDowell "McDowell attacked the counselor and was banned from the property thereafter," the report said. "This occurred prior to 2012." The brother said McDowell then began using cocaine, progressing to heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine, "his drug of choice for the past year," the report said. "Jones described McDowell as being highly aggressive, even prior to his drug use," the FBI report said. "McDowell is a hunter and fisherman and is comfortable with Florida swamps. Jones has never seen McDowell scared of anything or anyone. He has an aggressive demeanor." If he is backed into a corner, Jones said his brother "will not surrender." But he told the agent he did not think his brother was the type of person to shoot a police officer either. McDowell also had been in contact with his mother over the previous month about trying to get straightened out. What we know about Patrick McDowell: Jailed in Nassau Deputy Joshua Moyers' death More on training and drugs In a Florida Department of Law Enforcement interview, another friend and former co-worker provided more insight into McDowell's training, addictions and frame of mind. Patrick Fowler said they worked for the same security company, State Protective Group, where they trained in munitions, survival, target acquisition, weapon retention, disarming, force on force and medical. He said they trained with AR platform rifles, shotguns and handguns, but that McDowell also did additional private training to include long-range and moving-target shooting. The loaded handgun, part of the evidence listed in the Patrick McDowell case. He also said McDowell was contracted by security company Triple Canopy with additional training as well as overseas contract work in Iraq in 2012. Fowler advised he has only seen McDowell in person a few times in the past 10 years but kept up with him over the phone. When he met with him last Aug. 31, he said McDowell appeared to be under the influence of drugs and confirmed he was using methamphetamines and pain pills. Fowler said he looked "very sickly, malnourished, fidgety and just not himself." McDowell told him he was out of work, homeless and living out of a stolen van. So Fowler said he offered to get him into a hotel and a drug rehabilitation facility. McDowell agreed and was supposed to turn in a handgun in his possession before getting admitted. But then he never showed. Fowler also told the investigator McDowell had a close friend from his time in the Marines who committed suicide a couple of years ago and that hurt him mentally. He also was dating a woman addicted to drugs around the same time and thinks that's when he went on a downhill spiral. dscanlan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4549 This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: New details in case of Patrick McDowell, Nassau Deputy Joshua Moyers Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Former president Donald Trump will testify under oath on 15 July in New York attorney general Letitia Jamess investigation into his business practices, according to a court filing released Wednesday. Related: Trump pays $110,000 in fines after being held in contempt of court His daughter Ivanka Trump and son Donald Trump Jr will also testify. News of next months testimony is the latest development in the three-year investigation into the former presidents dealings after he failed in an attempt last month to stop her investigation and ended up paying a $110,000 fine. James has said investigators have found significant evidence of wrongdoing in the investigation, which has homed in on whether the Trump Organization misstated the values of its real estate properties to obtain favorable loans and tax deductions. The attorney general previously said her investigation discovered evidence suggesting that for more than a decade the companys financial statements relied on misleading asset valuations and other misrepresentations to secure economic benefits. The Trumps are scheduled to testify beginning on 15 July, but they have until 13 June to ask New York states highest court, the court of appeals, to further delay any testimony. The testimony would be postponed if that court issued a stay. Trump and his children had earlier argued that testifying in the civil investigation would violate their constitutional rights because their words could be used in a related criminal investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. He has called the investigation a witch-hunt. Reuters contributed to this report Amy Flanagan understands how trauma can wrench a life out of orbit and send it careening down unimagined backroads and alleys. Flanagan, 41, said she has been homeless off and on for the past 23 years after she suffered the twin agonies of losing her 2-year-old child in a house fire and, shortly after, the death of her brother. That was all in a two-year span and it was just too much, she said. Going through the death of my son was the hardest experience Ive ever had to go through, so being homeless is like kiddie play beside the death of a child. Mississippi native Amy Flanagan says she ended up homeless when her life spiraled out of control after the deaths of her son and brother. Flanagan said many of the homeless shes encountered in New Bern have similar stories of physical and mental trauma experienced at an early age. Homelessness in Craven County: The invisible pandemic in plain sight 'Fallen on hard times': Why Craven homeless resort to living in abandoned homes and cemeteries I completely lost it mentally when I lost my son. He passed away two days after Christmas. I became a drug addict for over a year and a half, had three kids while being on drugs but also trying to not use while being pregnant, she admitted. I went down a really deep, dark path. According to a 2015 assessment by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a minimum of 250,000, or 45% of those experiencing homelessness, suffered from some form of mental illness or chronic substance abuse issue, while an estimated 25% were seriously mentally ill. The HUD study found that affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and substance abuse are among the most common types of mental health issues in the homeless population. According to a 2020 report by "Psychiatric Times," homeless people with mental illness are also highly vulnerable to violence. Psychiatric care may include prescribed psychotropics that affect alertness and pose a danger for someone who is at increased risk for victimization and violence, the report states. Furthermore, those who have a history with the legal system, reintegrating into society, parole, or strained finances may further impact their ability to acquire care. Story continues Research by the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness has found that pre-existing mental health problems are amplified when individuals find themselves without shelter. The stress of experiencing homelessness may exacerbate previous mental illness and encourage anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness and substance use. Flanagan said she had just been turned out of the Religious Community Services shelter for three nights after a disagreement with another client. It was just the latest setback for Flanagan, who arrived in New Bern in August 2021 after driving 17 hours from her home state of Mississippi. Spur of the moment road trip. I needed a fresh start and packed everything in my car and I hit the highway, she said. Wherever I landed to sleep was where I planned on staying. Though she got off to a rocky start at RCS, Flanagan says the experience has ultimately been positive. Being here this last Christmas opened my eyes. Everybody around here came together to help me get through it and I couldnt ask for a better family, she said. We live together, we laugh together, we cry together, we scream together. According to RCS Executive Director Zeb Hough, when someone shows up at the facility with clear substance abuse or mental health issues beyond the scope of RCS's care, they immediately contact a local medical or law enforcement agency that can provide help. If that means a gentleman with dementia has to spend some nights at our facility, even though were not equipped to handle that on a large scale; until we can get him to a place where he can be helped, then thats what we do, Hough said. And that only happens because of collaborations with community partners. One person at a time One of the partners RCS relies on is the New Bern Police Department. According to NBPD Chief Patrick Gallagher, when his department gets a call or encounters a homeless individual on the street, they provide them with a ride to RCS. A homeless man sits on the sidewalk beside Howard St. in downtown New Bern. Gallagher said the NBPD is currently partnering with RCS, New Bern Development Services, and local churches and nonprofits to create a homeless outreach team to better meet the needs of the areas homeless population. According to Gallagher, New Bern police officers are trained to handle individuals with mental illness and several have been certified in crisis intervention, or CIT. He said the departments strategies for dealing with persons with mental illness include utilizing the departments Co-response Team, which is made up of trained civilian staff that work directly with New Bern police officers. We are not going to solve homelessness, but we can have an impact and it is one person at a time, Gallagher said. Since 2016, the New Bern Police Department issued 51 citations for charges of aggressive panhandling and solicitation. While panhandling itself is not illegal, approaching someone in a threatening manner while doing so can be grounds for arrest, Gallagher said. Captain Marquie Morrison-Brown, who heads the departments homeless initiative, noted that while the sight of a homeless person sleeping on a park bench may be disturbing to some residents, it is not prohibited by law. Every person should be treated with dignity and respect, said Morrison-Brown. If a violation of the law occurs or someone is clearly in need of emergency care, we recommend that police are contacted immediately to investigate. Gallagher noted that homelessness can affects anyone "from a 5-year-old in a car at Walmart to an individual begging for money in a large city." The point is you have to have the conversation about the problem and continue to make changes," Gallagher said. Asked about her future, Flanagan said change is exactly what she has in mind. She said she is currently attending Craven Community College to study business administration and is soon moving into an apartment at Kensington Park with another RCS client. Ultimately, Flanagan said, she would like to put her education to use helping those who have faced similar struggles in life, namely by opening another local homeless shelter with the help of RCS staff. Theres too many homeless people without resources and even if there are resources theyre running low, she said. And the last thing on her to-do list? Open a plus-sized clothing store, she says, grinning. Us big girls have a hard time finding clothes at Walmart. COVID has led to more homeless, fewer shelter volunteers John Leahy, one of the longest-serving volunteers at Religious Community Services in New Bern, washes dishes in the RCS kitchen. RCS's executive director echoed Flanagans comments about local resources being at a bare minimum. Hough said another health issue, COVID-19, has both increased the number of clients seen by RCS and reduced its essential volunteer staff. He said a county census found that in 2018, RCS assisted 64,000 people across the full range of its services. In 2021 that number jumped to 140,000. At the end of the day were a small-town organization, Hough said. We were never meant to have a $3 million budget, ever. Judy Myrick, RCS, front office coordinator, said the nonprofit lost a number of its older volunteers during the pandemic. In 2019, RCS volunteers logged over 500,000 hours. That number fell by 75% last year. With the downturn in volunteers coinciding with a rise in demand, RCS has been forced to bring on more paid staffers. At one time it wasnt anything to walk through the warehouse and see 15-20 volunteers in there working, Myrick said. One longtime RCS volunteer that has stayed on, John Leahy, said the homeless of Craven County are often invisible to the general public. 'We care about them': These innovative programs are bringing hope to Craven County homeless Related: Five important facts you need to know about Craven County's homeless People don't see homeless, they just dont see it, he asserted. Its the same situation here. Its the same situation around the world. How to handle an encounter with the homeless Though they are often ignored by passersby, it is important to remember that homeless people are still human beings. The United Way offers the following recommendations for how to react if you encounter a homeless individual: Be aware of your body language and be mindful of making eye contact. Homeless advocates stress the importance of making eye contact with a homeless person so they do not feel ashamed of their situation. Something as simple as eye contact or even a smile can brighten their days. Say hello. A basic greeting can turn into a small exchange or conversation. Dont be offended if they dont want to talk. Just keep the conversation respectful. Give money only if you feel comfortable doing so; the catch, however, is to refrain from telling them how to spend it. If youre not comfortable giving money, you can say, I dont have any cash on me but is there another way I can help? Alternatively, ask them if theyre hungry and offer to buy a meal for them. Hand out blessing bags, which consist of small items such as socks, mittens, packages of peanut butter crackers or granola bars, water, or lip balm. You could also include a list of local shelters, warming stations, and other local resources. Let them know that you are keeping them in your thoughts. Be safe. Just as you would with any stranger, make safety your top priority. Instead of offering a ride or providing shelter in your own home, enlist the help of professionals from local organizations. This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Craven County homelessness struggle with mental health (VSO) Florida sheriffs deputies commandeered a familys boat to catch an alleged jet ski thief, and the dramatic incident was caught on bodycam video. The deputies from the Volusia Sheriffs Office were called to the Intracoastal Waterway on Sunday after a suspect made off with the watercraft. Investigators say that Ronald Williams, 48, was unable to get the jets started and instead floated off on it anyway. Deputies came across a family who was about to take their boat out and asked for a ride to apprehend the suspect. The arrest was then captured on the bodycam with one deputy pulling out his gun and pointing it at the suspect as he sat on the jet ski. At one point the deputies tell the suspect to swim over to the boat, and he told them that he didnt know how to. So youre gonna take a jet ski and you dont know how to swim? says one of the incredulous deputies. Just want to say THANK YOU to an Ormond Beach family who let our deputies interrupt their Sunday afternoon to apprehend a suspect on a stolen jet ski. (He was unable to get it started, and floated down the Intracoastal until deputies took him into custody) pic.twitter.com/NS8utl3t3z Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) June 6, 2022 The sheriffs department says that Mr Williams was taken into custody without incident and the jet ski was returned to its owner. Just want to say THANK YOU to an Ormond Beach family who let our deputies interrupt their Sunday afternoon to apprehend a suspect on a stolen jet ski, VSO said on Twitter alongside a video of the incident. Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters German police have arrested the 29-year-old German-Armenian driver of a silver Renault car that hit a crowd of people including a group of 10th grade students in Berlin on Wednesday morning, injuring at least 12 students and killing at least one woman, who is thought to be a teacher of the students. A second teacher was badly injured, according to Berlin police. Late Wednesday afternoon in Berlin, police told reporters that they found a note in the car that leads them to believe this is not an accident. They then evacuated the area around the shopping complex as a precautionary measure based on information garnered from the manwho was known to policeand his connections, they say. Police said five people sustained life-threatening injuriesincluding a pregnant woman with broken hipsand three are in serious condition. Several others were treated on the scene for minor injuries, Berlin police said. Authorities did not immediately confirm whether the act was intentional or an accident, but early indications suggested the drivernow in custodymay have targeted the crowd, according to Bild news outlet. Cops later said he was living in Berlin and had a police record. Photos after the incident show him handcuffed and surrounded by police. At least two witnesses told local media outlets that he tried to flee and passersby stopped him until he could be apprehended. Accounts from witnesses paint a picture of mayhem with the man driving full throttle toward the crowd of students, then backing up and driving several hundred yards down the road before crashing through the window of a Douglas perfume shop. No one was injured inside the shop, but one woman was taken to the hospital in shock, police told reporters late Wednesday. Scottish-American Dr. Who actor John Barrowman, who happened to be on the busy shopping street when the Renault jumped the curb, described a scene of utter chaos that ensued. Its really pretty bad, guys, he said in a video account posted on Twitter. Story continues Update from the horrible situation in BerlinWe are ok. Jb pic.twitter.com/BsMXWP7Us0 John Barrowman MBE (@JohnBarrowman) June 8, 2022 There are police behind us, there are other police cars coming. Theres helicopters coming in. This is bad. This is serious, because theres multiple fatalities, he said, though police have not confirmed more than one dead person. There are hundreds of emergency services that are in the area, blocking city block after city block, off. The cordon keeps expanding. Heavily armed anti-terrorist police forces were immediately dispatched to the scene, according to social media photos. The tragedy unfolded very close to where Anis Amri, a Tunisian with Islamist terror ties, killed 11 people after driving a hijacked semi truck into a Berlin Christmas market on the Kurfuerstendamm shopping district in 2016. Berlin fire service spokesman Stefan Salzwedel confirmed the death of at least one of the people hit. 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. A truck lies upended on a grassy area separating East Moreland Boulevard from two car dealerships west of Main Street early Tuesday afternoon. The truck struck a utility pole, which reportedly trapped the driver. WAUKESHA - A pickup truck Tuesday afternoon crashed into a utility pole off East Moreland Boulevard just west of Main Street, turning over and trapping the driver. The incident was complicated by the discovery that the driver, who authorities believe suffered a "medical event," had a firearm, which delayed a medical response after the driver failed to answer questions by officers. According to a preliminary report, Waukesha police said the driver was involved in an accident that involved two other vehicles in the 1900 block of East Moreland Boulevard about 12:51 p.m. The truck had crossed into oncoming traffic as the driver lost control, crashing just south of the eastbound lanes. The firearm issue caused some safety concerns, police acknowledged. "Our partnership and training with the Waukesha Fire Department was defined today while we ensured a safe scene for them to provide advance medical care to someone suffering from a medical event," Waukesha Police Capt. Dan Baumann said in a statement. Once the accident scene was deemed safe, rescue workers extricated the driver, who was treated at the scene and then transported to a hospital. The incident involved numerous squad and rescue vehicles as officers secured the area and diverted traffic away from the accident site, which was near the lot line separating two car dealerships, Griffin Ford and Boucher Buick GMC, on Waukesha's east side. Eastbound traffic on Moreland was forced to turn left onto Ramona Road and onto Stardust Drive to navigate. The Wisconsin State Patrol also offered assistance. Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli. Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Truck flips after crash on Moreland Boulevard in Waukesha; 1 injured Dont mess with Dwyane Wade. The retired NBA star and activist delivered a fiery message to lawmakers whove signed state laws restricting the rights of trans youth. The father of three also spoke emotionally about his own fears for his 15-year-old transgender daughter Zaya Wade. To me, its a joke, Wade told CNNs Poppy Harlow at the Time100 Summit this week when asked about the hyper-focus lawmakers have on limiting access to gender-affirming medical care for trans youth. This is our life. We live this. When youre out there making rules and youre not experiencing this, if youre not living this and youre just out there signing away and making laws, that's not right, thats a joke. Come and live a day with my daughter, he added. Come and see how it is to walk through this world as her. Wade and his wife, Gabrielle Union, have routinely spoken out in support of their daughter, who came out as trans in 2020 and has since used her platform to shed light on transgender issues. I went years without telling my chef that I dont like cilantro on my burger as an adult, it took me years to have the confidence to say that, Wade said. My daughter, at 8 years old, had the confidence to say This is who I am. This is who I want to be.' Dwyane Wade, daughter Zaya Wade and wife Gabrielle Union have routinely used their platforms to advocate for LGBTQ rights. (Photo: Andrew Toth/Getty Images) The Wade familys voices come at a crucial moment. Just this week, Louisiana banned trans women from competing in womens sports the latest in a string of anti-LGBTQ bills that have been filed this year so far, most of them targeting trans people. When reflecting on the attacks against the trans community, Wade couldn't help but say that we as Americans are losing the human side of us. As sad as it is, as blessed as my daughter is to have parents who can support her, Im still afraid every moment she leaves the house, he acknowledged. And not just because of gun violence, but because of the way people perceive her in this world, the way people out there making decisions have now tried to [limit her]. Story continues It really doesnt make sense to me, he continued, seemingly referring to a wide range of attempts to control students' thoughts and learnings, from book bans to Florida's recent "Don't Say Gay" law. We're in this world right now where... were learning information on social media, we can find everything we want to know about life. Our kids can find all these things. Then its like, Dont talk about this in school, dont do this in school. Why are we not talking about it? he continued. Why are we not educating our kids? Why are we not educating ourselves, instead of trying to close the book on it? You cant close the book on what somebody wants and how they feel they are. Were not gonna close the book on anyone being gay, bisexual, transgender, we cant close the book on it. I personally dont understand. Comprehending the nuances of the trans experience was something Wade had to learn himself. Last year, the basketball player sat down with Trevor Noah to discuss his photographic memoir, Dwyane, during which he explained how he is helping Zaya find herself in a world that continues to evolve around LGBTQ issues. I think when things happen personally to you, when you have a personal connection to something or someone, you take it a little bit more serious, he said at the time. When it happens to you, you have to look at it in the face. You have to. [With] my daughter looking at me across the table, I have to, this is something I need to deal with in the sense of, I dont know everything, he continued. As a parent, you want to make sure when your kids come to you, you have answers, you have the right words, you have the right support, whatever it is, you have the right motivation." Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. The ripple effects of Russia's audacious invasion of Ukraine will wipe out 15 years of economic gains by the end of 2023, a global banking trade group reported Wednesday. The Institute of International Finance estimated the Russian economy will shrink by 15% this year and another 3% in 2023. Historically high oil and and natural gas prices have provided some protection from global sanctions, and the Russian central bank has raised interest rates and imposed capital controls to keep money from fleeing the country. But the institute said the sanctions, partly by encouraging foreign companies to abandon Russia, are unraveling its economy, wiping out more than a decade of economic growth, and some of the most meaningful consequences have yet to be felt. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that sanctions have failed to deter Russia's military ambitions in his country. But sanctions have yet to reach the "top rung of the escalation ladder," the report says. "Western allies could take additional steps in coming weeks and months to keep up pressure on the Russian government," the report says. Debris hangs from a residential building heavily damaged in a Russian bombing in Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. Fighting has raged around Lysychansk and neighboring Sievierodonetsk, the last major cities under Ukrainian control in Luhansk region. USA TODAY ON TELEGRAM: Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates straight to your phone Latest developments: President Joe Biden plans to visit European allies Germany and Spain in late June as he tries to hold together the coalition opposing Russias invasion of Ukraine. The White House said Biden will attend a Group of Seven summit June 25 in the Bavarian Alps and a meeting of NATO countries June 28 in Madrid. Russia has restored fresh-water supply from southern Ukraine to Crimea through the North Crimean Canal, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement, a significant step toward Moscow's goal of connecting territory it controls to the peninsula it annexed in 2014. Almost 30% of Poles favor allowing Ukrainians fleeing the war to settle in Poland permanently and another 64% support providing protection until they can return home, according to a University of Warsaw survey. Story continues Slovakias government has approved a long-term plan to modernize and to increase the number of troops in its armed forces. The NATO member with a population of 5.5 million people should have 22,000 service members by 2035, up from 14,100 this year. War curtails efforts to end extreme poverty as prices of food, energy soar The U.N.'s goal of ending extreme poverty globally by 2030 is taking a major hit from the war in Ukraine, which has contributed to a steep rise in food and energy prices, according to a report the organization released Wednesday. The report by the U.N. Global Crisis Response Group says the war has exacerbated a global cost-of-living crisis unseen in at least a generation. With much of the world still dealing with the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, the war has made conditions nearly untenable for millions of people not directly involved in it. The wars impact on food security, energy and finance is systemic, severe and speeding up, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. The U.N. is trying to arrange a deal that would allow grain exports from Ukraine through the Black Sea and unimpeded access to world markets for Russian food and fertilizers. Guterres said hundreds of millions of people in developing countries could face severe hunger without such an agreement. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of weaponizing food supplies by preventing Ukraine from exporting more than 22 million tons of grain. This is a cold, callous and calculated siege by Putin on some of the most vulnerable countries and people in the world, she said. 'Elite' Russian regiment routed, but Ukraine struggles in Donbas The Ukraine military claims it routed an elite Russian regiment in the Donbas region amid conflicting reports on the fate of the crucial city of Sievierodonetsk. The "invaders" were trying to cut through a strategically important highway in eastern Ukraine when paratroopers from Ukraine's 80th Brigade halted the advance, the brigade said in a Facebook post. "The enemy has not gotten through! Units of the 80th separate paratrooping brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to inflict losses on Russian occupants," the post claimed. "This 'striped elite' retreated, leaving in the forest the bodies of their dead." The Russians made their own claims of success, saying they have restored railways, roads and a canal to connect territory they control in southern Ukraine with the Crimean Peninsula, which they illegally annexed in 2014. The focus of the war has turned to the eastern Donbas, which includes the Luhansk and Donetsk territories. Russia claims to control 97% of Luhansk. Sievierodonetsk is one of just two Luhansk cities not yet completely under Russian control. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai told the Associated Press that maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Haidai suggested that positions across the river, in Lysychansk, could be easier to defend. But in a social media post, Haidai wrote that "nobody is going to surrender Sievierodonetsk!" In Mariupol, an 'endless caravan of death' A search of the bombed-out high-rises in the port city of Mariupol has yielded between 50 and 100 bodies in each, prompting workers to carry them to morgues and landfills in what a mayoral aide called an endless caravan of death. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that about two-fifths of the damaged buildings in the heavily shelled city have been searched. Ukrainian authorities estimate at least 21,000 civilians were killed and hundreds of buildings destroyed during a weekslong Russian siege of Mariupol. Reports have surfaced of mass graves holding thousands of bodies. Mariupol fell to the Russians in May, but not before several weeks of dogged resistance from fighters holed up in a sprawling steel mill that came to symbolize the Ukrainian spirit of defiance against a larger foe. Ribbons in the colors of the Ukraine flag are tied to a building destroyed by attacks in Gorenka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) ORG XMIT: XNP504 British soldiers held by Russian separatists could face death penalty The families of two British soldiers held captive and possibly facing execution at the hands of Russian separatists in Ukraine say the men are not mercenaries and should be treated as prisoners of war. Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 24, had brief court appearances this week in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. They could face the death penalty if convicted on charges of commission of crime by a group, violent seizure of power or retention of power by force, mercenarism and training for terrorist activity. Both families say they are working with the British and Ukraine governments in hopes of winning release. Denis Pushilin, president of the Donetsk People's Republic, told Russian TV the crimes they committed were monstrous." "Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed," his family statement said. "We hope that he will be released very soon." Sides clash over efforts to begin shipping Ukraine grain Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that his nation was willing to provide security for a shipping corridor for Ukrainian agricultural products. An estimated 22 million tons of grains are sitting in silos in Ukraine, aggravating food shortages across much of the developing world. Russia says commercial shipping could resume in the Black Sea if Ukraine removes mines from the area near the port of Odesa and pledged not to use any cleared corridor to attack Ukraine. Kyiv has voiced doubt about that promise. Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday it was the Russians who mined the area and that it would take 3 to 4 months to remove sea mines. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, he said. Russia suspends fishing deal with Japan as their relations turn sour Russia's relationship with Japan continues to deteriorate because of the war in Ukraine. A day after Japan agreed to increased military cooperation with NATO, Russia said it would suspend a deal that allowed Japanese boats to fish in waters near disputed islands in exchange for payment. The fishing agreement in place since 1998 permits Japanese fishing around the Russian-held Kurils, which Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories. Japan has joined the U.S., the European Union and others in imposing sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, and the deal's suspension appears to be retribution for that and the closer military ties with NATO. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said it was regrettable that Russia one-sidedly announced it is suspending the cooperation in this manner. WNBA star Griner's freedom could be linked to another American WNBA star Brittney Griner remains locked in a Russian prison, her case tangled up with that of lesser-known American Paul Whelan. He has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. Whelan was left out of a prisoner exchange in April that brought home yet another detainee, Marine veteran Trevor Reed. That has escalated pressure on the Biden administration to avoid another one-for-one swap that does not include Whelan in favor of Griner, an Olympic gold medalist whose case has drawn global attention. It's still very raw, Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, said of her brother being excluded from the Reed deal. And to think we might have to go through that again if Brittney is brought home first is just terrible. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine live updates: War will cost Russia 15 years of economic gains Some of the oil the EU will forgo under its new embargo could wind up fueling countries in Asia, and President Biden has signed legislation to improve preventative care for veterans exposed to burn pits. This is Overnight Energy & Environment, your source for the latest news focused on energy, the environment and beyond. For The Hill, were Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk. Subscribe here. Asia may provide market for Russian oil after EU ban Countries like China and India have the power to undercut the European Unions latest move to sanction Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, potentially lessening the impact of one the most significant economic actions the West has taken against Moscow thus far. The EU on Friday officially agreed to ban imports of most oil from Russia, joining countries, including the U.S., that have vowed to forgo oil from the country. But experts say the move likely wont push Russia to economic pariah status, as other countries, including major economies like China and India, will still import its fuels and give the Kremlin an alternate income source. Were expecting the bulk of the volumes that Russia currently exports to be taken by other markets, said Alan Gelder, vice president of refining, chemicals and oil markets at energy research firm Wood Mackenzie. If theyre still able to find buyers for their exports, and theyll need to negotiate a price, it does mean that theyre getting a steady revenue stream. If the world all said no, it would be quite different, but the world is not saying that, Gelder added. Greater incentive?: Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said that China and India are likely to be even more incentivized to buy oil after the European embargo. Further complicating the matter, De Haan said, is that Russian oil is of a quality that makes it desirable in international markets. Its the heavier oil that distills into more desirable molecules like diesel, which is what Europe is really craving at this point, he said. Story continues The delay could help Russia, too: Kristine Berzina, head of the geopolitics team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, said the fact the ban doesnt go into effect right away could also undermine its efficacy by giving Russia more time to adjust. She said that alarms in the market may raise oil prices in the near term, giving Russia a benefit as it sells oil for now, and the country will also be able to work with other countries like India that are likely to buy the oil. They can negotiate the pricing there and try to adjust for the fact that theyll have to go to different markets long term, she said. Ben Cahill, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that despite the limitations, the EU sanctions are probably the most significant action that the world has taken to date to limit the use of Russian oil. This definitely is the most consequential move yet in terms of restricting Russian exports, he said. The big question is how much will this knock Russian oil offline and how much will it just redirect Russian oil from Europe to Asia. Read more about what could happen here. Biden signs bill to help those exposed to burn pits President Biden on Tuesday signed legislation to provide better access to mammograms for veterans exposed to burn pits as part of nine bills signed into law aimed at improving veterans health care. The measure aims to ensure that veterans who serve near burn pits get preventative care and requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct breast cancer screenings for women who served near toxic exposures. The Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act was named after Marine Corps Officer Kate Thomas, who served near a burn pit in Iraq and died in April from breast cancer. Biden honored her in remarks at the White House and acknowledged her husband and son who were at the bill signing. Biden has been focused on expanding benefits for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and were exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits. The issue of burn pits strikes a personal note for the president, who believes the chemicals from burn pits may have contributed to the brain cancer that ultimately killed his son Beau Biden. He signed eight other pieces of legislation focused on veteran health care, including a bill to improve breast imaging services for veterans regardless of if theyre exposed to burn pits or not and to compensate veterans who developed cancer and medical conditions from World War II-era nuclear programs. Read more here from The Hills Alex Gangitano. RELATED: ANOTHER TOXICS BILL ADVANCES The Senate on Tuesday voted 86-12 to advance another piece of legislation aimed at helping veterans who were exposed to toxic substances. The Honoring Our PACT Act specifically seeks to expand health care eligibility through the Veterans Affairs department; establish a framework for connecting toxic exposures to military service, which would grant additional benefits to those who were exposed and expand which conditions are presumed to be caused by service. The vote to advance the measure was largely bipartisan, but all of the opposition came from Republicans. The legislation is soon expected to come to a full vote on its passage. VIRTUAL EVENT INVITE Closing the Gaps in Health Insurance, Wednesday, June 8 at 1 p.m. ET A record number of Americans are insured yet many remain vulnerable to significant medical expenses, including high premiums, out-of-pocket costs and prior authorization burdens. The Hill sits down with Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and more to discuss closing the gaps in health insurance. RSVP today. PERSONNEL NEWS At DOE: The Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm Shalanda Baker to direct the Energy Departments Office of Minority Economic Impact. Lawmakers voted 54-45 to confirm her. The vote was largely along party lines, but the Republicans who supported Baker are Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.). Baker is currently the deputy director for Energy Justice at the departments Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. She was previously a professor of law, public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern University. At NWS: The National Weather Service (NWS) got a new leader on Tuesday. The Biden administration announced that Kenneth Graham will lead the weather agency. Since 2018, Graham has directed the National Hurricane Center. He has also held other roles at the agency including serving as meteorologist-in-charge of the NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge office for 10 years. NWS hasnt had an officially named leader since Louis Uccellini left in January. In the interim deputy director, Mary Erickson, has served as the acting director. ON TAP TOMORROW The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing on detecting methane from the oil and gas sector The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on two nominees for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission WHAT WERE READING Why is eco-conscious California spending millions to support natural gas? (Floodlight) ERCOT projects Texas will break electricity demand record this week (The Dallas Morning News) Rio Grande water returns to El Paso this weekend, quenching arid border region (El Paso Times) Shell, the Oil Giant, Will Sell Renewable Energy to Texans (The New York Times) ICYMI Five automakers back CA authority to set stricter vehicle emissions standards Environmental groups sue EPA over California, New Hampshire smog Goldman: Oil could hit $140 a barrel this summer EVs heading into price ranges fit for mass adoption And finally: You dont have to go home but you cant stay here Thats it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hills Energy & Environment page for the latest news and coverage. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. AP Photo Four centuries since the Mayflower shepherded the Pilgrims from England to Massachusetts, its artificial intelligence-powered namesake has become the first autonomous ship to traverse the Atlantic. The Mayflower Autonomous ship docked in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this weekend after 40 days at sea, completing a 3,500-mile journey from the Pilgrims original launch point of Plymouth, U.K., Fast Company reported. The ship is fueled by a solar-driven hybrid electric motor and a backup diesel generator and is steered by artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other technologies, according to the magazine. After the ships team fixes a faulty generator starter on-board, the vessel will sail south to Plymouth, Mass., where the Pilgrims landed in 1620, before arriving to Washington, D.C., in July. The journey she made across was arduous and has taught us a great deal about designing, building, and operating ship of this nature and the future of the maritime enterprise, MAS400 managing director Brett Phaneuf told Fast Company. Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Were Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Send us tips and feedback. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here. On this World Oceans Day, well look at the Biden administrations new ocean conservation initiatives, followed by a call from Americans for more sustainable seafood. Then well examine a Russian-Turkish proposal that could see 22 million tons of much-needed grain released from Ukraines Black Sea ports. Marine sanctuary could line NY, NJ coast The Biden administration announced a series of ocean conservation initiatives in honor of World Oceans Day on Wednesday including a proposed marine sanctuary off the coast of New York and New Jersey, our colleague Zack Budryk reported for The Hill. The potential sanctuary, in the Hudson Canyon, would help conserve the areas rich marine wildlife while creating new research opportunities, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Story continues Whats the Hudson Canyon? Its the biggest underwater canyon along the U.S. Atlantic Coast about 100 miles offshore from New York and New Jersey, around 2 to 2.5 miles deep and up to 7.5 miles wide, a news release from NOAA explained. The canyon houses deep-sea, cold-water coral communities, as well as shipwrecks of freighters and U.S. military radar platforms that date back to the mid-19th century, according to a White House fact sheet. The Hudson Canyon is also a reminder of the power of climate change. The upper portion of the canyon was submerged when a dam broke just before the last ice age more than 10,000 years ago, according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. A bigger preservation plan: President Bidens announcement is part of a broader plan by the administration to preserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, Budryk reported. Details of the protections will be determined during a public comment period, at which time local fishing and offshore energy industries will be able to voice their opinions. Community connections: A sanctuary near one of the most densely populated areas of the Northeast U.S. would connect diverse communities across the region to the ocean, Rich Spinrad, NOAA administrator, said in a statement. I am excited about how this amazing underwater environment can inspire shared interest in conserving our ocean, he added. SCRAPPING SINGLE-USE PLASTICS The Biden administrations Wednesday announcement also included a plan to phase out single-use plastics on public lands and in national parks by 2032, Budryk reported. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland likewise directed department staff to find biodegradable or compostable alternatives for these products. Done with disposable: Single-use plastic products include food containers, straws, cups, cutlery and plastic bags that are designed for disposal, according to the Interior Department. Majority of marine debris: The agency described the ocean as downstream of all pollution sources, stressing that it bears the brunt of the impacts. Of the more than 300 million tons of plastic generated each year, at least 14 million tons end up in the ocean, while plastic makes up 80 percent of all marine debris, according to the Interior Department. A call to do better: As the steward of the nations public lands, Haaland said in a statement, we are uniquely positioned to do better for our Earth. Americans favor sustainable seafood, poll finds Most Americans surveyed in a new poll voiced a preference for both sustainably sourced seafood and transparency as to where that food is being processed. Respondents also expressed bipartisan support for enabling consumers to track their seafood throughout the entire supply chain, according to the poll, conducted by Morning Consult for the Walton Family Foundation. Tracing the supply chain: In total, 72 percent of the 2,210 Americans surveyed at the end of May said that they are in favor of increasing this so-called traceability of seafood. This measure gained the support of 81 percent of Democrats surveyed, 70 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Independents. Building resilient food systems: The Walton Foundation released the results of the poll on Tuesday, ahead of World Oceans Day, citing near-universal agreement on the need to protect oceans in an accompanying press release. The challenges of climate change intersect with building resilient food systems in our worlds oceans, Moira Mcdonald, director of the foundations environment program, said in a statement. Purchasing considerations: Survey respondents also specified which elements of the supply chain are most important to them when it comes to purchasing both seafood and meat. 91 percent cited price as an important consideration 70 percent cited sustainability of food 65 percent cited country of processing 65 percent cited wild versus farmed products 61 percent cited country of origin 61 percent cited legality of food production When asked specifically about seafood, 60 percent of respondents said they would be less likely to purchase these products if slave labor was used to catch the fish, according to the poll. Transparency, collaboration needed: Americans want to know where the seafood they eat comes from and that responsible fishing practices are being used, Mcdonald said. We need industry and government to work together to strengthen our systems so that fishers who are doing the right thing are not at a competitive disadvantage, she added. Turkey proposes path for grain bottled up in Ukraine Russia and NATO-member Turkey suggested a draft plan on Wednesday that would secure ocean passage for 22 million tons of Ukrainian grain out to the wider world before it spoils. The plan could mark a decisive turning point between survival and starvation for millions around the world. Easing the backlog: Russia and Turkey expressed support on Wednesday for a plan that would allow 22 million tons of stored Ukrainian grain to be shipped out of Black Sea ports on Russian vessels, The Associated Press reported. As Turkey, we find this plan reasonable, Turkish foreign affairs minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. An exploding offer: The disruption of those supplies by the Russian invasion has led to food prices spikes and fears of political unrest around the world, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). If left long enough, those supplies will simply rot, the CBC reported. Food deferred: Ukraine exported 5 million metric tons of grain per month before the war, according to Radio Free Europe. Thats about enough to feed 400 million people, per the World Food Program. Looming starvation: Nearly 47 million people worldwide could be at risk of malnutrition and starvation as a result of the war, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. This added risk exacerbates an existing threat of starvation caused by climate shocks and other conflicts, NBC reported on Tuesday. Blocked in: While millions of tons of grain are ready to go, Russian ships have blockaded Ukrainian ports and Ukrainians have also placed explosive mines around them to deter Russian attack, Reuters reported. The Turkish connection: Turkey NATOs largest military member behind the U.S. also called for North America and Europe to ease sanctions against Russian farm exports, according to the AP. Opening that maritime corridor through the Black Sea and therefore through Turkish waters would allow Ankara to continue to control a key grain supply, and would let Russia also export food and fertilizer, the AP reported. Ukraine is skeptical: Kyiv and Ankara also discussed a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday, according to Reuters. But Ukraine demanded guarantees that its coastline would remain secure from Russian attack if it removed the mines, Reuters reported. SPECIAL FEATURE This week The Hill is exploring whats next for electric and autonomous vehicles in the series Driving Into the Future. Articles from Hill reporters and opinion contributors will be posted throughout the week here. Efficiency a key component in cutting emissions The leading international energy group has singled out energy efficiency as an inexplicable blind spot in world campaigns to reach net-zero. Energy efficiency is utterly essential in cutting carbon emissions, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, said in a statement on Wednesday. Whats energy efficiency? Its the ability to get more electric bang out of every buck of greenhouse gases. Double the rate: By doubling the worlds annual increase in efficiency from 4 percent per year to 8 percent, the world can save 95 exajoules (thats 95 followed by 18 zeros) of energy by 2030, according to IEA analysis. In context: Thats equivalent to Chinas annual energy use and saving that much additional energy could get the world about a third of the way toward the emissions reductions needed to reach net-zero by 2050, the IEA found. Added benefits: According to the IEA, doubling gains in efficiency could also Save households around the world $650 billion per year Free up four times the amount of natural gas the E.U. imported from Russia last year Reduce oil consumption by nearly 30 million barrels a day about triple Russias average 2021 production Provide 10 million additional jobs in fields like retrofitting buildings Missing the boat: While 20 nations are meeting today at the IEA to discuss a shared program to raise energy efficiency standards, the U.S. wont be joining them, according to the IEA statement. Water Wednesday Drought rattles California and Utah, while shipwrecks play host to microbes. California orders farms, cities to stop pumping water In the midst of a third year of drought, state regulators ordered thousands of Californian farmers, irrigation districts and municipal water agencies on Tuesday to stop pumping water from rivers and creeks, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, forcing users to find alternatives or go without water entirely. If the Great Salt Lake goes, could Salt Lake City be next? Utahs worsening drought, already the subject of a federal emergency disaster declaration, could lead to toxic arsenic-laced dust storms blowing off the remnants of a dried-out Great Salt Lake, The New York Times reported. Sunken shipwrecks host to thriving communities of microbes The discovery of thriving communities of microbes on two 19th-century shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico suggest that the millions of wooden vessels docked on global sea floors could host treasure troves of tiny life the building blocks of greater ocean biodiversity, according to a new study in Frontiers in Marine Science. Please visit The Hills Sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW FULL VERSION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The families of four students left wounded after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary are suing the alleged gunman for $100 million through his estate. Attorney Thomas Henry filed the suit in Texas district court Monday against the estate of Salvador Ramos, the 18-year-old suspect accused of killing 19 students and two teachers amid the massacre at the primary school in Uvalde. Henry noted while Ramos mother, Adriana Reyes, is the only potential defendant listed so far, he intends to explore all available legal actions against the responsible parties for violations of gun laws and constitutional rights. This initial lawsuit will allow us to discover evidence and possibly add other parties to the lawsuit, if necessary, he said in a statement. The discovery process will focus on the school system, law enforcement, social media, and gun and ammunition manufacturers. According to authorities, Ramos legally purchased a pair of AR-15-style rifles, including the DDM4 V7 rifle he used in the shooting, shortly after his 18th birthday. Henry said he and his team would investigate how the teen was able to obtain able to the weapons in addition to hundreds of rounds of ammunition and whether he has had any history of violence. All four children listed in the court documents, each of them 9 and 10 years old, suffered serious injuries when Ramos open fire inside their classroom the afternoon of May 24. One of the victims was shot in the face, another in the back, while the third was struck in the leg and the fourth was shot in the shoulder. He intentionally injured these young children, stole their innocence, and forever changed their lives, the lawsuit reads. In wake of the violence inside Robb Elementary, authorities said the teen gunman was able to march into the building through a door left open by a teacher. They later walked back the claim, saying that she did close the door, but that it did not lock. An investigation is currently underway as to why the locking mechanism failed to engage. Story continues Authorities have also faced fierce backlash in wake of the massacre, particularly over their decision to wait and engage the gunman. Ramos remained barricaded inside a classroom for nearly an hour before he was shot and killed by a responding agent with the United States Boarder Patrol. Police on scene said they believed it was a barricaded shooter situation and that children were no longer at risk, despite a steady stream of panicked 911calls coming from inside the school. The one thing that is vital in our country right now is ensuring our children go to school and come home safe, Henry added. We want to obtain justice for the families that have been devastated by this shooting and ensure we have swift changes that protect our children while they are at school. The victims are seeking compensation totaling more than $100 million for physical and emotional damages stemming from the shooting. Four families whose children were injured during a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, are suing the estate of the gunman responsible for more than $100 million. The families filed the lawsuit in the 38th Judicial District Court in Uvalde, seeking compensation for physical and emotional damages stemming from the shooting, according to the complaint. The lawsuit seeks compensation in excess of $100 million from the estate of Salvador Ramos. Law enforcement officials shot and killed Ramos after he opened fire inside Robb Elementary School on May 24, killing 19 children and two adults. He also injured 17 additional children and adults during the shooting. The Thomas J. Henry Law is representing four of the families whose children were injured in the shooting. Henry is probing several areas of the shooting, including the purchase of the weapons Ramos used, how he entered the school and the law enforcements response to the shooting. This initial lawsuit will allow us to discover evidence and possibly add other parties to the lawsuit, if necessary, Henry said in a press release. The discovery process will focus on the school system, law enforcement, social media, and gun and ammunition manufacturers. Ramos bought two AR-15-style rifles, including the DDM4 V7 rifle he used in the shooting, from Oasis Outback just days after he turned 18. Daniel Defense, the manufacturers of the DDM4 V7, have come under scrutiny for marketing to children. Ramos entered Robb Elementary School through a back door. While a teacher was initially criticized for not closing the door, it was later revealed that the door did not lock properly. The law enforcement response to the shooting has also been criticized after it was revealed police waited outside the school for more than an hour while the gunman rampaged inside. Police on scene said they believed it was a barricaded shooter situation. The four children in the lawsuit were injured by gunfire in several areas, including in the shoulder, leg, face and back, according to the complaint. They had to undergo extensive medical operations. Story continues The complaint says Ramos intentionally injured these young children, stole their innocence, and forever changed their lives. They witnessed their friends and teachers being shot and dying in front of them. They were locked into the room with Ramos as he shot their friends and were forced to stay there for over 45 minutes, hurt and frightened before police finally entered the room and shot and killed Ramos, the complaint reads. The emotional toll they endured is incomprehensible and will be with them for the remainder of their lives. Henry previously represented the victims of a 2017 mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and won a more than $200 million settlement from the lawsuit. After Uvalde joined Newtown, Conn., Parkland, Fla., and Columbine, Colo., in having a mass shooting at a school, Henry said the lawsuit was a step toward ensuring our children go to school and come home safe. We want to obtain justice for the families that have been devastated by this shooting and ensure we have swift changes that protect our children while they are at school, the lawyer added in a statement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A key federal advisory committee voted Tuesday to recommend emergency authorization of a new COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Maryland biotechnology company Novavax, making it the fourth inoculation against the disease that has killed over 1 million Americans to clear that hurdle in the U.S. The decision comes at a time when two COVID-19 vaccines, made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, have already received full approval by the Food and Drug Administration and more than three-quarters of Americans ages 18 and older are already fully vaccinated. However, approximately 27 million adults remain unvaccinated according to recent CDC data. How effective is the new vaccine? After reviewing the two-dose Novavax vaccines safety and efficacy data, the FDAs panel of experts approved it for emergency use in adults ages 18 and older, recommending that doses be spaced three weeks apart. In clinical trials, the Novavax vaccine was found to be 90% effective at preventing mild, moderate and severe COVID-19. According to FDA briefing documents published ahead of Tuesdays meeting, the most common side effects include injection site pain, fatigue, headache and muscle pain. Some of the FDA experts, however, raised concerns that the vaccine may lead to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, that has been observed in some patients, particularly young men, who have received COVID-19 vaccines. During the Novavax vaccine trials, among nearly 30,000 vaccine recipients, just four cases of myocarditis were observed. We believe that the totality of the clinical evidence here is not enough to establish an overall causal relationship with the vaccine, Novavax chief safety officer Denny Kim told the FDA committee, adding that the company is closely monitoring such cases of myocarditis and gathering more data from its clinical trials as well as the real-world use of its vaccine, which according to the Washington Post, has already been authorized in more than 40 countries. Story continues A health worker in the Netherlands prepares a dose of the Novavax vaccine. (Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images) Does the Novavax vaccine protect against new coronavirus variants? Another concern that was brought up by some members of the FDA committee is that the Novavax vaccine was designed to target the original strain of the coronavirus, and theres currently no data available on how it does against the Omicron variant, or others now spreading quickly across the U.S. One challenge is that the trial occurred before the more transmissible Delta and Omicron variants, so it is probably safe to assume that the effectiveness is somewhat lower given the high contagiousness of these current variants, Dr. Lucy McBride, a Yahoo News Medical Contributor said following the FDA decision. Novavax chief medical officer Filip Dubovsky admitted the company doesnt yet have efficacy data against Omicron or other recent mutations, but he said their vaccine is likely to protect against the new variants as well. Its factual that we dont have efficacy data against Omicron. What we do have is a technology that we think generates a broad immune response, demonstrated against a broad array of variants, Dubovsky said. McBride says the new vaccine will be an important tool to continue to fight the virus. Its important to remember that any vaccine is better than no vaccine, particularly when it comes to high-risk individuals, she told Yahoo News. Even though at the moment Novavax only sought emergency authorization for the primary series of their vaccine, the company has said it plans to seek expanded authorization in the future for use of the shot in adolescents and as a booster. How is the Novavax vaccine different from other COVID-19 vaccines? The Novavax vaccine uses an older and more conventional technology called recombinant protein, which has been used before in other vaccines targeting influenza, shingles, human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B. The mRNA vaccines, such as those manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna, rely on messenger RNA to instruct human cells to produce copies of the COVID-19s spike protein, which is the part of the virus that helps it attach to cells. A vial of the Novavax vaccine. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters) The Novavax vaccine technology, on the other hand, produces copies of the viruss spike protein outside the human body. These lab-made spike copies, which cant replicate or cause COVID, are then inserted into the body in a nanoparticle made of a lipid. The body then produces an immune response that helps protect against the virus. In addition, the Novavax vaccine uses an ingredient called an adjuvant, which helps generate a broader immune response against the virus. Following Mondays FDA committee vote, some members said the new vaccine offered a great opportunity to see how the different COVID-19 inoculations compared to one another over the long term. I see this as an opportunity to widely vaccinate people with a protein vaccine and to compare it with mRNA vaccines, which are relatively new technology, Dr. Jay Portnoy, a committee member said. The vaccine deserves an opportunity to be given and studied and used by individuals who wish to use this vaccine, he added. When will the vaccine be made available in the U.S? Although it is not obliged to do so, the FDA usually follows the committees recommendations. Now that this vote is in, the agency could make a final determination on whether to authorize the vaccine as soon as this week. However, the vaccine will not be available to the public until the CDC also signs off on the shots. This usually occurs after a CDC vaccine expert panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, also meets to review the vaccines safety and efficacy. That meeting, however, has not been scheduled yet. (Reuters) - Some foreign investors returned to China's battered stock and bond markets in May as Beijing stepped up efforts to stimulate the economy following months of COVID lockdowns and heightened global political tensions. Even as tough anti-virus restrictions persisted, foreign investors bought a net $2.5 billion worth of beaten-down China-listed shares last month, the biggest tally in four months, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon and the Hong Kong stock exchange. In the bond market, China saw a net inflow of $2 billion in May, according to data from the Institute of International Finance (IIF). If confirmed by China's official data, it would snap a three-month streak of foreign outflows. Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, said China is among his preferred markets in Asia due to the recent easing in COVID-19 restrictions, government stimulus measures and lower stock valuations. Shanghai ended a two-month virus lockdown on June 1, and the Chinese capital Beijing has also eased COVID-19 restrictions, as policymakers shift their focus back to growth to pull the economy out of a tailspin, though analysts say it could take months for the economy to get back on more solid footing. Expectations of the policy shift helped drive an 8% rebound in China's blue-chip CSI 300 index over the past month. Fears of possible Western sanctions against China, triggered by Russia's military operations in Ukraine, have also receded. Such worries, caused by Beijing's friendship with Moscow, contributed to "unprecedented" capital outflows from China in the first quarter, according to IIF. GRAPHIC: Foreign flows into Chinese stocks via Stock Connect (https://graphics.reuters.com/GLOBAL-MARKETS/jnvwezddnvw/chart.png) According to Refinitiv data, Chinese companies' earnings are estimated to grow 12.42% in 2022 despite fallout from its lockdowns, higher than Asia's average growth of 10.9%. Story continues Chinese companies' forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio is at 9.62, the second lowest in Asia after South Korea, prompting some investors to think about bargain hunting. Chinese shares faced cumulative foreign outflows of $465 million in the first five months of this year, much smaller than India's $20.1 billion, Taiwan's $24.8 billion and South Korea's $11.3 billion. Goldman Sachs said geopolitical tensions and COVID restrictions don't fundamentally change the equation of whether to invest at all in the world's second biggest equity market. However, the Wall Street bank said that over the past year, there has been rising demand for global investors to diversify away from China, or better manage China-related risks. (Reporting By Patturaja Murugaboopathy, Gaurav Dogra; Additional reporting by Samuel Shen and Jason Xue in Shanghai; Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Kim Coghill) Australian magazine praises Phu Quoc as Lovers Island Traveller magazine has praised Phu Quoc, an island in Vietnams southern province of Kien Giang, as Lovers Island. Australian magazine praises Phu Quoc as Lovers Island In its recent article entitled 25 incredible bucket-list islands tourists are yet to discover, the Australian magazine said that Phu Quoc has everything for the honeymoon mood: luxury resort hotels and spas, great seafood restaurants and chic cocktail bars, along with shimmering reefs and castaway islets. Among the two-dozen beaches, Dai (Long) Beach and Khem Beach are sunset-perfect for their white sands and emerald waters, it commented. It also recommended Sao Beach as another corker, but head 10 kilometres north to the hillside Ho Quoc Pagoda and you can prepare to pop the question at sunrise or in the moonlight, when views are ethereal. The best time to visit Phu Quoc is the October-March dry season, it noted. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Phu Quoc welcomed more than 5 million visitors in 2019, including nearly 600,000 foreigners. ABC News A series of photos taken on election night 2020 inside the Trump White House captures the tension as Trump's family and his top aides track election returns and see Trump's early lead fade away. The photos, taken by a White House photographer and published exclusively in the book, "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show," are a visual representation of the testimony of senior Trump advisers who told the House Jan. 6 committee that they did not believe Donald Trump should declare victory on election night. A kickball tournament this weekend in Hagerstown held in honor of a teenager who was the victim of a recent fatal stabbing will benefit The Salvation Army's teen center, one of the organizers said Tuesday. On Wednesday, the teenager accused of killing Daeshon Banks waived his preliminary hearing on the charges. Mark Mefikeh Ngwafon, 17, of Hagerstown, is charged as an adult with one count each of first- and second-degree murder, two counts each of first- and second-degree assault and and two counts of reckless endangerment in the May 8 incident south of Hagerstown. The Kicking for Kids Kickball Classic will honor Daeshon Banks, co-organizer Kalim Johnson said. The Washington County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday confirmed Daeshon was the 17-year-old Hagerstown teen killed during a May 8 stabbing south of Hagerstown, according to Sgt. Carly Hose. Johnson, who said he knows Banks' mom, said the fundraiser is about finding other things for youths to do and how to manage their anger. There are already groups like The Salvation Army and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County doing good, but a lot more can be done, he said. Daeshon was a senior at South Hagerstown High, where he played football during his freshman and sophomore years, according to his obituary. When he was younger, he played football for the Hagerstown Giants, part of the Washington County Junior Football League. The teen was a "fun loving, charismatic, social butterfly that infected everyone with love and kindness," his obituary states. Daeshon Banks Six teams, with 64 players, are set for the kickball tournament, but if someone is still interested in playing there could be an opportunity to play if spots need filling Sunday, Johnson said. The tournament will begin around 1:30 p.m. Sunday at National Little League, 728 Frederick St., Johnson said. The tournament will feature six, six-inning games. The trophy will be a customized kickball featuring Daeshon's name, Johnson said. The artist is Rachel Mock. Story continues Money leftover after costs such as player T-shirts and sponsor banners will be donated to The Salvation Army, Johnson said. Sponsors include A Class Hair Studios and Tucker's Pucker Lemonade. In addition to the $100 per team registration fees and the sponsors, other revenue is expected from vendors donating 10% of their proceeds, Johnson said. Attendees also can make direct donations. Kicking for Kids Kickball Classic The fundraiser is being organized by Johnson, Beth Hoffman Hill and Tribe Cold Press Juice Bar. Vendors at the event will include the juice bar and Tucker's Pucker with its deep-fried hot dogs. Johnson said other vendors are expected, including products like candies, juices, empanadas and more. Two stabbed at birthday party Authorities responded to Brownstone Place in the Westfields subdivision on May 8 for what was originally reported to 911 as a disturbance and then upgraded to a stabbing, authorities said. The Washington County dispatch center received a 911 call at 12:25 a.m. During a May 9 hearing in Washington County District Court, Assistant State's Attorney Christina Palmer told the judge there was a group of people at a birthday party "pushing and shoving each other." A Ring camera and cellphone footage showed the suspect holding a knife "and swinging it toward people," Palmer said. Ngwafon had been in the Washington County Detention Center when he first was arrested, but since has been housed at the Western Maryland Children Center on Roxbury Road. His attorney, Lew Metzner of Hagerstown, declined to comment Wednesday after the case was sent to Washington County Circuit Court. The second victim was later identified through court as Alexander Green. Sheriff's office Detective Sgt. Howard Ward said previously the second victim was around the same age as the other two and also is from Hagerstown. More local crime: Man charged with shooting at deputies denied bail; 23 spent casings, 26 firearms recovered More local happenings: Warplanes land at Hagerstown Aviation Museum More local news: Bowman, Sheetz plan truck stop for Spielman Road; zoning board to conduct hearing This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Kickball tournament to honor Daeshon Banks, benefit teen program BERLIN (Reuters) - German industrial production recovered but rose less than expected in April as pandemic restrictions and war in Ukraine disrupted supply chains, official data showed on Wednesday. Industrial output rose by 0.7% on the month after an upwardly revised fall of 3.7% in March, the Federal Statistics Office said. A Reuters poll had pointed to output as growing 1.0% in April. The Economy Ministry warned that the outlook remained greatly uncertain, with war in Ukraine and higher energy and raw material prices causing shortages in industry. "After the sharp setback in March in direct response to the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the subsequent recovery is a cautiously positive sign," said LBBW bank analyst Elmar Voelker. Voelker said the environment remained difficult, pointing to a sharper than expected fall in industrial orders in April. German industrial orders fell more than expected in April, the third decline in a row, driven by weakened demand and heightened uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Unless the situation in Ukraine escalates again, there are prospects of stabilisation over the summer. However, the extremely strained supply chains will remain an enormous challenge for the foreseeable future," Voelker said. (Reporting by Miranda Murray; editing by Matthias Williams) BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has never given a fixed date when it comes to the delivery of weapons to Ukraine, said a German government spokesperson on Wednesday in response to reports about delays. "What's clear is that everything we have decided to deliver and have announced, we want to deliver as soon as possible," added the spokesperson. Germany still has not received a request from Spain about sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine, added the spokesperson. (Reporting by Paul Carrel and Miranda Murray) Republicans are calling on the House to pass a stalled bill aimed at expanding security protection to the families of Supreme Court justices after police arrested an armed man near the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh early Wednesday morning. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent last month, soon after publication of a leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. The leak sparked protests outside the homes of Chief Justice John Roberts, Kavanaugh and Justice Samuel Alito, who penned the draft opinion. But the legislation has stalled in the House, where top Democrats have said that protection should also be extended to judicial clerks and staff. The 26-year-old man California man who traveled to Kavanaughs house told a detective that he was upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, according to an affadavit. This is exactly exactly why the Senate passed legislation very shortly after the leak to enhance the protection for justices and their families, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday. The Houses Democrats have refused to take it up, McConnell said. That needs to change and it needs to change right now. Right now. House Democrats must pass this bill and they need to do it today. On the House floor Wednesday night, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) accused Democrats of espousing heated rhetoric that has encouraged political pressure on conservative justices. He pointed to statements from former White House press secretary Jen Psaki encouraging peaceful protests outside justices homes and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying that Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch have have released the whirlwind and will pay the price. With words like that, and threats like these, Congress cannot afford to wait. We have a duty to protect the court, the justices, and their families from political violence and intimidation, McCarthy said. Story continues McCarthy requested unanimous consent to pass the bill, but the chair said the request cannot be entertained unless it has been cleared by the bipartisan floor and committee leadership. McCarthy said it had been cleared on the GOP side and Democrats were holding the bill up. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) reiterated to reporters earlier Wednesday that he thinks the legislation should be changed so Supreme Court employees are also protected. But said he had a very positive discussion about the legislation on Tuesday with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who cosponsored the legislation with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Supreme Court Justices are, in fact, being protected right now, Hoyer noted. Hoyer said that he hoped to move on the bill relatively soon, but declined to give a hard estimate on when that would be. We think the employees need to be protected. And, certainly, that ought to be in the judgment of the Supreme Court security officials, not just willy-nilly, just as it is here, Hoyer said. A decision has to be made by the Capitol Police as to whether or not they believe protections are justified. House Republicans have separately introduced a bill to criminalize Supreme Court leaks, led by House GOP Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.). Updated: 9:02 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers had choice words after an armed California man was picked up near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs house Wednesday morning with the intent to kill him. Police have said the arrested man intended to kill Kavanaugh as he walked toward his Maryland home with a gun and a knife. He did not make it to the justices house. GOP lawmakers, in response to the arrest, condemned recent Democratic rhetoric towards the Supreme Court and demanded House Democrats stop stalling a bill that would provide security details to the justices. ARMED CALIFORNIA MAN ARRESTED BY SUPREME COURT JUSTICE BRETT KAVANAUGHS MARYLAND HOME "After the White House said President Biden encouraged protesters to target the private homes of Supreme Court justices, Speaker Pelosi praised their righteous anger and Leader Schumer even threatened that Justice Kavanaugh would pay the price House Democrats promised to pass legislation to protect the justices and their families," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "That was nearly a month ago but no legislation has been passed to date." "What has occurred is exactly what many feared: an armed man targeted Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his private residence," the Republican leader continued. "Fortunately, this assassination plot was foiled, but Democrats have sent an unacceptable message that private homes are no longer off limits." "Speaker Pelosi should bring up for a vote the bill the Senate passed unanimously to provide more security for Supreme Court justices and their families immediately what are Democrats waiting for?" McCarthy added. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., told Fox News Digital that to "the radical left, the ends justify the means" and called on President Biden and the press to condemn the "attempted assassination." The White House did issue a statement condemning the apparent attempt on Kavanuagh's life. "The belligerence and violence from pro-abortion activists need to be strongly condemned by both the press and the President," Scott said. "The fact that Biden fails to condemn the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh because he doesnt agree with him politically is shameful and a threat to our democracy." Story continues Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., said the arrest goes beyond being a Republican or Democrat. "This criminal act transcends any political affiliation or party agenda," he said. "The far-Left will stop at nothing to intimidate our SCOTUS and erode our independent judiciary," he continued. "We must demand accountability for these horrendous threats against our independent judicial branch." Oklahoma Republican Rep. Markwayne Mullin, who is running for Senate, told Fox News Digital that liberal "Democrats refuse to acknowledge that their reckless, abhorrent actions have consequences." "For months, weve watched radical Socialists incite mobs outside of justices homes and green-light intimidation tactics against our Supreme Court," Mullin said. "These lawless radicals would love nothing more than to erode the Court altogether. In 2020, Chuck Schumer even told pro-abortion protesters that Justice Kavanaugh would pay the price for Roe v. Wade. He almost got what he wanted." SPONSOR OF SCOTUS PROTECTION BILL SLAMS DEM 'OBSTRUCTION' FOLLOWING ARREST OF ARMED MAN NEAR KAVANAUGH'S HOME UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 15: Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., speaks during a news conference outside the Capitol to announce the bipartisan I Am Vanessa Guillen Act, on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, named after Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen, who was murdered while stationed at Fort Hood in Texas. The bill calls for reform to the militarys response to missing servicemembers and reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images "This politically-motivated violence is the direct consequence of Joe Bidens failure to condemn threats against Supreme Court justices," the Senate candidate continued. "To the liberal media covering this story: if this threat against SCOTUS comes as a surprise, you havent been paying attention." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tore into the House Democrats in a Senate floor speech for blocking the bill from having a vote. "This mornings disturbing reports are exactly why the Senate unanimously passed a Supreme Court security bill weeks ago. But House Democrats have inexplicably blocked it," McConnell tweeted. "House Democrats need to stop their blockade and pass this uncontroversial bill today." Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, a Republican, also had choice words, praising law enforcement in a Wednesday statement for stopping "this lunatic" and calling political violence "un-American" while demanding Biden condemn the threat. "President Biden needs to personally and forcefully condemn violence and threats against Supreme Court Justices - his oath of office demands nothing less," Sasse said. "Majority Leader Schumer needs to publicly recant of his lunatic shrieking on the steps of the Supreme Court that Brett Kavanaugh will reap the whirlwind. This isnt a lot of passion - someone could get killed." Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, blasted the House Democrats for stalling the bill. "The arrest of this individual proves these threats to the Justices lives are horrifyingly real, and its unconscionable for House Democrats to leave their families without police protection for even one more day," said Sen. Cornyn. "Speaker Pelosi must keep the House in session until they pass my bill. Every day they dont the threat to the Justices grows, the potential for tragedy becomes more likely, and House Democrats achieve a new apex of political dysfunction." Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) speaks on a proposed Democratic tax plan, at the U.S. Capitol on August 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Senators spoke out tax proposal saying that it will hurt job growth and the middle class. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Cornyns Texan colleague Senator Ted Cruz, a fellow Republican, blasted the administration for not condemning the previous protests outside of Supreme Court justices homes in the wake of the Dobbs leak. "The Biden admin encouraged protests outside of justices homes," Cruz tweeted. "Schumer threatened: You have released the whirlwind [and] you will pay the price! Now a would-be assassin went to the home of a Supreme Court Justice." "Biden and the Dems need to stop their irresponsible and incendiary rhetoric on Roe and condemn the violence coming from their supporters," he continued. Alabama Republican Rep. Barry Moore did not mince words on Twitter about the foiled criminal act. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) had harsh words for Democrats after an armed man was arrested outside Justice Kavanaugh's home Reuters "Unhinged pro-abortion activists are so hell-bent on murdering unborn children that they tried to murder a SCOTUS Justice," Moore wrote. "This is weeks after Jen Psaki stated Joe Biden's position that harassment at Justices' homes should continue." White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a Wednesday statement that Biden "condemns the actions of this individual in the strongest terms, and is grateful to law enforcement for quickly taking him into custody." Bates also said the president "has consistently made clear, public officialsincluding judgesmust be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety or that of their families" and that "any violence, threats of violence, or attempts to intimidate justices have no place in our society." The Supreme Court Police Parity Act would give Supreme Court justices their own police details, similar to the presidents Secret Service. UNITED STATES - JULY 22: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., speaks during the House Democrats press conference on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, on legislation to remove the bust of bust of Chief Justice Roger Taney and Confederate Statues from the U.S. Capitol. Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The Senate unanimously passed the bill last month, but the legislation has been sitting in limbo since then and currently sees no signs of being taken up for a vote. Fox News Digital asked House Majority Leader Steny Hoyers office if the Maryland Democrat was planning to expedite a vote on the bill that passed the Senate unanimously. Hoyers office did not immediately respond to the request for comment. ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece has detected its first case of the rare monkeypox virus infection in a traveler, according to initial tests, the country's national health agency EODY said in a statement on Wednesday. The patient, who had recently traveled to Portugal, is in hospital and is in a steady condition, EODY said. Samples have been sent for further confirmation tests. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection similar to human smallpox. Symptoms include fever, headaches and skin rashes. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou) WASHINGTON (AP) Brittney Griner is easily the most prominent American locked up by a foreign country. But the WNBA star's case is tangled up with that of a lesser-known American also imprisoned in Russia. Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. He was left out of a prisoner exchange in April that brought home yet another detainee, Marine veteran Trevor Reed. That has escalated pressure on the Biden administration to avoid another one-for-one swap that does not include Whelan even as it presses for the release of Griner, an Olympic gold medalist whose case has drawn global attention. For Griner and Whelan, the other's case injects something of a wild card into their own, for better or worse. The U.S. government may not agree to a deal in which just one of them is released, potentially complicating negotiations. But Whelan could also benefit from the attention given to Griner, which has cast a spotlight on his case. And though the U.S. may hesitate to give up a high-level Russian prisoner in exchange for Griner, who's charged with a relatively minor drug offense, it's possible it would be more inclined to do so if both she and Whelan were part of any deal. Related video: Trevor Reed speaks at Brittney Griner rally The potential interplay between the cases is not lost on the families and supporters of Whelan and Griner. It's still very raw, Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, said of her brother being excluded from the Reed deal. And to think we might have to go through that again if Brittney is brought home first is just terrible. But what's really bad about feeling that way, she hastened to add, is that she and her family absolutely want Griner released, too. It's not like we don't want her home," she said. "We want everyone out of there, out of Russia and away from that situation. Story continues It all adds up to a sticky wicket, said Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in Russia and is advising the WNBA players' association on Griner's case. If Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, were to leapfrog Whelan in coming home, the administration will face scrutiny from Whelan's supporters. And if Paul Whelan gets out first, you're going to have questions about why isnt Brittney out when Brittney hasn't even been convicted yet, she said. U.S. officials have not said whether swaps are being discussed that could get Griner, Whelan or both home or whether theyd accept a deal that yields the release of one without the other. A spokesman for the State Department office that advocates for wrongfully detained Americans, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, declined to say how the cases might affect each other but said in a statement that the office remains committed to securing the release of both. There's no question that the February arrest of Griner Russian authorities detained her at an airport after they said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis has heightened public awareness around the dozens of Americans who, like Reed and Griner, are classified as wrongfully detained by foreign governments. The seven-time WNBA All-Star is not only one of the most dominant figures in her sport but also a prominent gay, Black woman. That has prompted questions about the role race and sexual identity are playing in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community, and about whether her case would get more attention if it involved a white male athlete. U.S. officials and Griners supporters initially said little publicly about her case, but that changed in May when the State Department designated her as wrongfully detained and transitioned her case to the SPEHA office. Griner's wife, Cherelle, urged the Biden administration in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America to do anything necessary to get Griner home, but also expressed empathy for Whelan. She said that even though there's no connection between the two besides the fact they're both in Russia, I obviously want him back, too. Griners fame cuts both ways, said St. Julian-Varnon. If ever Russia wants to reestablish itself as a country hospitable to foreign athletes like Griner, the country would have significant incentive to release her. But given Griner's political value to Russia, it may also make a huge demand for her release. This is the biggest chip that they have to play, she said. Tamryn Spruill, a freelance journalist and author who launched a Change.org petition demanding Griner's freedom, said in an email that if her case can be leveraged to simultaneously secure Whelans release or vice versa then it is my hope that the president will exploit all of those avenues. Unlike Griner, who is awaiting trial, Whelan has been convicted and sentenced. A corporate security executive from Michigan who was arrested after traveling to Russia for a wedding, Whelan was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He and his family have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.S. government has denounced the charges as false. Reed had also been sentenced well before the swap that freed him. He had been jailed over what Russian authorities say was a drunken physical encounter with police in Moscow and was freed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking conspiracy. U.S. officials cited in part Reed's ailing health as justification for the trade. It's unclear which other Russians, if any, might be part of additional exchanges. Russian state media have for years floated the name of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, though such a deal risks being seen as lending false equivalency between a Russian the U.S. government regards as properly convicted and Americans it considers unjustly detained. Jonathan Franks, a consultant who worked on the Reed case, said it was hard to envision a Griner-Bout deal or a Griner deal that didn't involve Whelan. I truly believe Brittney Griner's fastest path out of Russia is on Air Whelan, he said. Elizabeth Whelan said the early morning call she had to make to her aging parents to tell them Reed was coming home but her brother was not is not an experience she wants to repeat. But she said her family does understand the possibility one prisoner could be freed without the other. Were faced with a situation where these hostile foreign nations can assign different values to each person theyre holding, and can work separate deals. Whichever deal comes through first is often who comes home first, she said, and its not at all a tenable situation. ___ Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. The House Oversight Committee is meeting on Wednesday for its own response to the twin massacres in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York following the Senate Judiciary Committees hearing on Tuesday regarding the rise of domestic terrorism. Loved ones of victims in the two shootings will be on Capitol Hill for the first time since the two tragedies unfolded as a bipartisan group in the Senate meets to discuss a path forward on firearms and school security legislation. Lawmakers are debating a number of potential responses to the two deadly shootings, which both involved AR-15-styled rifles wielded by suspects under the age of 21. The suspect in Buffalo, unlike in Uvalde, is thought to have had a clear racist motive for his attack. But any path to legislation reaching Joe Bidens desk must pass through the evenly-divided Senate, where it will need the votes of at least ten Republicans to pass. On Tuesday, actor Matthew McConnaughey gave an impassioned speech on guns to the White House press briefing. Key Points Matthew McConaughey joins White House press briefing on Tuesday Oversight committee to hear stories of gun violence victims on Wednesday McConaughey denies political ambitions Pro-gun groups warn followers to be ready for battle at Capitol 11-year-old Uvalde student describes nightmare of school shooting before Congress 16:31 , Gustaf Kilander Student Miah Cerrillo, 11, survived the Robb Elementary school shooting on 24 May that took the lives of 21 people. She covered herself in the blood of a dead classmate to avoid being shot. On Wednesday, she described the ordeal in a pre-recorded video played before members of Congress. He shot my friend that was next to me, she said. And I thought he would come back to the room. She used her teachers phone to call 911. I said we needed help, she said. She was asked what she wanted to happen after the mass shooting. To have security, she said, shaking her head when asked if she felt safe at school. I dont want it to happen again. Story continues Her tearful father appeared in person in Washington, DC, saying that she has changed after the attack. I came because I couldve lost my baby girl, Miguel Cerrillo said. And shes not the same little girl that I used to play with and run with and do everything, because she was daddys little girl. I wish something would change, he said. Not only for our kids, but every single kid in the world, because schools are not safe anymore. Mom of Buffalo shooting victim: Mass shootings define America 16:17 , John Bowden Zeneta Everhart, a mom of one of the victims of the Buffalo supermarket shooting, told lawmakers to come help her clean her sons wounds sustained during the attack - which he is expected to face forever. In an emotional moment during Wednesdays testimony Ms Everhart offered to let lawmakers see the damage an AR-15 does to the body up close. If after hearing from me and the other people testifying here today, does not move you to act on gun laws, I invite you to my home to help me clean Zaires wounds so that you may see up close the damage that has been caused to my son and to my community, she declared. Read more from The Independents Rachel Sharp: Buffalo victim mom tells lawmakers to clean sons wounds if they wont tackle guns Chairwoman gavels in hearing with call for colleagues to show courage' 16:10 , John Bowden Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney of the House Oversight Committee gaveled in Wednesdays hearing with a call for her colleagues to find the same courage that she said victims of gun violence showed every day by speaking out about their experiences. My goal for this hearing is simple: I want every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories, said the chairwoman in her opening remarks. THey are displaying incredible courage to come here and ask us to do our jobs, she said, adding: Let us find the same courage to pass commonsense laws aimed at stopping mass gun violence. Katie Porter discusses Laguna shooting 16:05 , John Bowden California congresswoman Katie Porter discussed the differences that high-capacity magazines can make during her opening remarks at Wednesdays hearing. Ms Porter noted how in a recent shooting in Laguna, Californa, a suspect using a handgun was forced to reload. That difference gave a hero, Dr John Chang, a chance to stop the carnage. He sacrificed his life to stop the shooter, she said. Democrats including Joe Biden are calling for AR-15s and other military-style assault weapons to be banned, or at the very least restricted to Americans 21 or over. ICYMI: McConaughey delivers emotional plea 15:42 , John Bowden Actor Matthew McConaughey drew praise as well as some criticism on the right after he made a surprise appearance at Tuesdays White House press briefing. At the briefing, he grew emotional as he shared the stories of victims of the mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas. We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR 15 rifle to 21 We need a waiting period for those rifles. We need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them, he said. These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations. Read more from John Bowden in The Independent: Matthew McConaughey shows Uvalde victims drawings in emotional White House briefing ICYMI: Lawmakers promise gripping tales of gun violence 14:05 , John Bowden Wednesday is set to be the day that the House Oversight Committee responds to the twin shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York. Lawmakers on the highly partisan committee are set to listen to witnesses recount their personal connections to the horrific trend that has gripped American life for decades. After 19 innocent children and two teachers lost their lives in Texas just ten days after the mass shooting in my home state of New York, Im turning my anger into action. Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes, said the committees chair, Carolyn Maloney. It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives. This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that, she added in a statement. My daughter was killed by a shooter. None of us want Republicans thoughts and prayers 13:20 , John Bowden Ever since his daughter was murdered during a TV news live shot in 2015, Andy Parker has campaigned for change in Americas gun laws. Now, Mr Parker is warning that the twin tragedies of Uvalde and Buffalo represent a last chance for America to take the issue of mass shootings seriously, writing in The Independent: If now isnt a time for a call to action, there never will be one. Even in the face of seemingly non-stop mass shootings the latest in Tulsa this morning, at a hospital campus so many members of the GOP turn a blind eye and maintain that any reasonable gun legislation is tantamount to taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves. That is a completely ridiculous assertion, and those who say it need to be voted out of office before its too late, he argues. Read more from Mr Parker in our Voices section: My daughter was killed by a shooter. I dont want Republicans thoughts and prayers Pete Buttigieg calls out Ted Cruzs insanity over door solution for mass shootings 12:24 , John Bowden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Sunday derided suggestions from Republicans including Ted Cruz to limit school buildings to one door in response to a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, at an elementary school. Mr Cruz has faced criticism for complaining about all these unlocked back doors on Fox News in the hours after the shooting in his home state. The idea that us being the only developed country where this happens routinely especially in terms of the mass shootings is somehow a result of the design of the doorways on our school buildings is the definition of insanity, if not the definition of denial, Mr Buttigieg contended on ABCs This Week. Read more from The Independents Gustaf Kilander: Pete Buttigieg calls out Ted Cruzs insanity over door solution for mass shootings Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters blames Black people for gun violence 11:20 , John Bowden A racist remark made by Arizonas GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters is drawing criticism after it was discovered by a reporter for The Daily Beast and reported on Monday. The remark was made by Mr Masters during an interview last month, when he was asked about gun violence in America and laid the blame squarely on inner-city gangs. Its people in Chicago, St. Louis shooting each other. Very often, you know, Black people, frankly, he said, adding that he believes the Democrats dont want to do anything about that, he insisted. Read more from The Independents Eric Garcia: Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters blames Black people for gun violence Homeland Security issues new alert warning US public gatherings could be targets of violence 10:24 , John Bowden Following attacks at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York and an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the Department of Homeland Security is now issuing a warning that Americans should be wary of attempts by attackers to exploit large, crowded events in the months ahead. A bulletin from the agency on Tuesday warned that the United States remains in a heightened threat environment, citing several recent attacks that underscore the threat. In the coming months, we expect the threat environment to become more dynamic as several high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets, the bulletin reads. Find out more in The Independent from Eric Garcia: Homeland Security issues new alert warning US public gatherings could be targets Schumer reiterates vow to hold vote on gun legislation 09:26 , John Bowden As the Senate Judiciary Committee met on Tuesday for a public hearing on the rise of violent domestic extremism and calls continue for action to address mass shootings in schools and other locations, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reiterated that he would bring votes on bills to restrict firearm ownership to the Senate floor. Most bills are likely to be doomed from the start, due to strong resistance from GOP lawmakers to gun control measures, many of which they wrongly characterise as attempts to confiscate guns. In America, we've seen over 250 mass shootings already this yearthis is an epidemic. Senate Democrats are doing everything we can to take action and help break the cycle of gun violence. We WILL vote on gun safety legislation, Mr Schumer declared on Tuesday in a tweet. In America, we've seen over 250 mass shootings already this yearthis is an epidemic. Senate Democrats are doing everything we can to take action and help break the cycle of gun violence. We WILL vote on gun safety legislation. Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 7, 2022 11-year-old Uvalde survivor to testify to Congress 09:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta 11-year-old Miah Cerillo who survived the Uvalde shooting by smearing a deceased classmates blood over her body and playing dead will testify before Congress on Wednesday. She will join those impacted by the Buffalo shooting to speak before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform for a hearing titled The Urgent Need to Address the Gun Violence Epidemic. Miah was one of a group of 4th graders trapped for about an hour in a classroom with Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos. The Independents Josh Marcus has more: Uvalde survivor who covered herself in blood and played dead to testify to Congress ICYMI: Matthew McConaugheys emotional White House briefing speech in full 08:26 , John Bowden Matthew McConaugheys surprise appearance at Tuesdays White House briefing was questioned as potential grandstanding by one reporter in attendance, but to many it was clear that the Uvalde native was speaking from the heart about a horrific tragedy in his hometown. At one point, he came close to tears and pounded on the lectern while describing the victims of the shooting, most of whom were elementary school students. Read his speech in full: Matthew McConaugheys emotional White House briefing speech in full Ben & Jerry's pushes for gun control after mass shootings 08:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta Ice-cream maker Ben & Jerrys has called on corporates in the US to stop financing politicians who oppose gun control measures. Its time for companies and their trade associations to stop political contributions to elected officials who do the gun lobbys bidding, blocking common sense gun laws that nearly all Americans support, the Vermont ice cream maker said in a statement last week. Our leaders are more responsive to the gun lobby than to the grieving families of countless victims. Thoughts and prayers wont save lives; political action can and will. Read our full statement and join us in action: https://t.co/o3ZfZR2E1k pic.twitter.com/n4wXjETVBb Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) May 26, 2022 Senators reaching 'critical' point on gun legislation 07:40 , Sravasti Dasgupta Top Republican and Democratic senators are attempting to stake out common ground on legislation that could reduce future mass shootings in the wake of horrific shootings in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York in recent weeks. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy who is one of the negotiators trying to seek common ground from across the aisle said on Tuesday that discussions are entering a pretty critical stage, reported CBS. He added that his goal is to get an agreement by the end of the week. Mr Murphy said he met president Joe Biden at the White House Tuesday, but did not divulge further details relating to the meeting. Ive failed so many times before in these talks that Im sober-minded about our chances, Mr Murphy said on ABCs The View. But normally, as time goes on, after one of these cataclysmic mass shootings, the momentum fades. The opposite seems to be happening this time. There are more Republicans every single day who want to help us get to a product and so, I am deeply hopeful that perhaps by the end of this week, we can announce a framework that will allow us to take votes. (Reuters) How many senators have shot an AR-15? 07:20 , John Bowden Much of the conversation around potential responses to the massacres in New York and Texas have focused on the high-powered semiautomatic AR-15-style rifles used by the shooters in both attacks. Many Republican are opposed to the idea of raising the age limit for buying AR-15s and other assault-style weapons, while almost all are opposed to banning their sale altogether. The Independents Eric Garcia tracked down Republican members of the Senate with one question as conversations about how to deal with such weapons continue: Have you, personally, shot one? GOP senators with gun control in their hands say whether they own or have shot AR-15 Teacher shot in Uvalde reveals how children called out to coward police 07:00 , Sravasti Dasgupta Arnulfo Reyes, a fourth-grade teacher who was shot during the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, has recounted how children called out for police to help them before they died. Speaking to ABCs Good Morning America, he said that he was in classroom 111 along with his students, which was connected to one of the rooms where the gunman began shooting. Mr Reyes said he heard officers outside the classroom as a child in the other room asked for help, adding that he believes the officer had walked away without hearing the calls for aid. One of the students from the next-door classroom was saying, Officer, were in here. Were in here, Mr Reyes said. But they had already left. Gustaf Kilander has more: Shot Uvalde teacher reveals children called out to coward police before they died Families urge for action and responsibility after Uvalde shooting 06:40 , Sravasti Dasgupta Ahead of the House Oversight Committee meeting on Wednesday to hear stories of gun violences impact on families, those who have lost their children in the shooting have urged for action and responsibility. We need to take some kind of action and have some kind of responsibility and control of what we are doing, said Vincent Salazar, the grandfather of Layla Salazar, who was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting. We need to take some kind of action and have some kind of responsibility and control of what we are doing. Vincent Salazar, the grandfather of Layla Salazar, who was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting, sits down with @ABC Contributor @mariaesalinas. pic.twitter.com/xOourxarrx ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) June 8, 2022 Fox News host attacks Matthew McConaughey over emotional gun control plea 06:20 , John Bowden Fox Newss Sandra Smith mocked Matthew McConaughey, a native of Uvalde, Texas, after he delivered an emotional plea for change on Tuesday in response to nearly two dozen elementary schoolers in his hometown. Falsely describing the actor as coming from Hollywood, the Chicago-born Smith (who lives in New York City, a bastion of the Democratic Party), quipped that the actors gripping remarks about the slain children in Uvalde were an example of Someone from Hollywood calling to restore our family values. Read more in The Independent from Graeme Massie: Fox News host attacks Matthew McConaughey over emotional gun control plea App allegedly used by Uvalde gunman adds new 'safety features' 06:08 , Sravasti Dasgupta Social media app Yubo said on Tuesday that the platform is adding new safety features and updating its usage guidelines following news that the gunman in TexasRobb Elementary School mass shootout allegedly used the app to send disturbing messages. The devastating events of 24 May in Uvalde, Texas, brought to light systemic issues in society that need to be addressed, Yubo CEO Sacha Lazimi said in a statement. In the days since, we have been working to accelerate safety developments in our pipeline and further expand the scope of existing safeguards across our platform. Media reports said that gunman Salvador Ramos appeared to have sent concerning messages regarding his intentions about violence at school on the app. Yubo representatives said that apps risk-detection policy has been updated, reported ABC. They have also enhanced its user-reporting capabilities, and introduced audio-moderation technology for live streams that they say will allow for comprehensive automatic moderation across the platform. Videos of Salvador Ramos have surfaced amid reports he made threats of violence, including rape, online (Screenshot / CNN) Families of children injured in Uvalde school shooting file lawsuit 05:56 , Sravasti Dasgupta The families of four students injured in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, are suing the gunmans estate. A lawsuit was filed by attorney Thomas J. Henry on behalf of the families in a Texas district court on Monday, reported ABC. This initial lawsuit will allow us to discover evidence and possibly add other parties to the lawsuit, if necessary, Mr Henry said in a press release. The discovery process will focus on the school system, law enforcement, social media, and gun and ammunition manufacturers. The lawyers firm will also investigate shooter Salvador Ramos past to see if he had a violent history. In addition, Alfred Garza, the father of Amerie Jo Garza, one of the children killed in the Uvalde shooting, has hired Connecticut lawyers who successfully sued the manufacturer of the gun used in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. (Getty Images) How many Republicans senators have used an AR-15? 05:30 , Sravasti Dasgupta As the powerful AR-15 rifle has received increased attention following the devastating shootings in Buffalo, New York and in Uvalde, Texas, The Independent asked Republican senators if they have used or owned an AR-15. Heres what the Republican senators reached by The Independent said about their own experiences or lack thereof with the powerful rifles. We asked Republican Senators if theyve shot an AR-15. This is what they told us Republican senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs 05:14 , John Bowden Conservatives have come up with all kinds of reasons why the average American needs access to a semiautomatic weapon designed to operate as civilian versions of military rifles. The latest offering, from GOP Senator John Thune, involves the high-powered rifles usage in hunting prarie dogs, small rodents which burrow underground. Some states do not have restrictions on the usage of firearms to hunt such animals, which are considered pests in some areas. But its unclear why a high-powered assault weapon would be needed for such small creatures. Read more from The Independents Gustaf Kilander: Republican senate whip mocked for saying AR-15s are needed to shoot prairie dogs 11-year-old Uvalde survivor to testify to Congress 04:48 , Sravasti Dasgupta 11-year-old Miah Cerillo who survived the Uvalde shooting by smearing a deceased classmates blood over her body and playing dead will testify before Congress on Wednesday. She will join those impacted by the Buffalo shooting to speak before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform for a hearing titled The Urgent Need to Address the Gun Violence Epidemic. Miah was one of a group of 4th graders trapped for about an hour in a classroom with Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos. The Independents Josh Marcus has more: Uvalde survivor who covered herself in blood and played dead to testify to Congress John Cornyn can cut a deal with Democrats on guns but hes got a Ted Cruz problem 04:15 , John Bowden As senators meet to discuss a potential path forward for reforms aimed at stopping the trends of gun violence and mass shootings in America, the lead GOP negotiator is walking a delicate balance between working with Democrats to address a real problem and assuaging his partys far-right base. John Cornyns dangerous job is excacerbated by the presence of Ted Cruz, his Texas colleague and the states junior senator, who has come out strongly against further efforts to restrict firearm ownership. The Independents Eric Garcia takes a look at the behind-the-scenes relationship between the two senators representing the Lone Star State: John Cornyn can cut a deal with Democrats on guns but hes got a Ted Cruz problem Republican senator caught on his phone at opening of emotional hearing into domestic terrorism and Buffalo massacre 03:20 , John Bowden GOP Sen John Cornyn, the lead Republican negotiator on compromise legislation to respond to the horrific trend of gun violence and mass shootings in America, was seen browsing on his phone while witnesses testified at a committee hearing on Tuesday on domestic extremism. Senators met on Tuesday to discuss a rise in domestic terrorism including attacks by the far-right wing, including white supremacists and Islamophobic incidents. The Buffalo shooting is thought to have been committed by an 18-year-old who espoused the racist white replacement theory. Read more from The Independents John Bowden: GOP senator caught on his phone at opening of emotional hearing into Buffalo massacre McConnell open to raising age limit for semiautomatic rifles, CNN reports 02:23 , John Bowden Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has privatedly expressed openness to passing legislation aimed at raising the age necessary to purchase an assault-style rifle like an AR-15, CNN reported on Tuesday. But the provision is not likely to make it to the Senate floor due to resistance from his own caucus, the news outlet further reported. Senators are currently meeting to hammer out compromise legislation aimed at quelling the tide of mass shootings in America. Few areas of compromise are being discussed, and Democrats are cautioning that few of their priorities will likely be in the final legislation. Read more at CNN: Lawmakers turning anger into action with gun violence hearing Wednesday 01:25 , John Bowden Rep Carolyn Maloney, chair of the House Oversight Committee, urged her fellows in the House and Senate to listen with an open mind to stories of victims of gun violence that her committee will hear on Wednesday. After 19 innocent children and two teachers lost their lives in Texas just ten days after the mass shooting in my home state of New York, Im turning my anger into action. Our hearing will examine the terrible impact of gun violence and the urgent need to rein in the weapons of war used to perpetrate these crimes, the chairwoman said in a 3 June statement. It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives. This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that, she continued. Lawmakers in the Senate are currently huddling on a bipartisan compromise which currently looks to be proceeding around the issue of encouraging states to pass red-flag laws. No political ambitions, says McConaughey Wednesday 8 June 2022 00:25 , John Bowden Actor Matthew McConaughey rejected the idea of seeking political office on Tuesday after making an appearance at the days White House press briefing and giving an impassioned speech about the Uvalde shooting. Mr McConaughey told Fox Newss Bret Baier Tuesday evening in an interview: I am not running for political office. But during his remarks earlier in the day, the Uvalde-born actor drew on his Hollywood charisma and played a leaders role, begging the countrys two political parties to come together and make real change that would stop the tide of mass shootings in schools and other venues. Read more from Andrew Feinberg in The Independent: Matthew McConaughey shows Uvalde victims drawings in emotional White House briefing Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address cancer of white supremacy Tuesday 7 June 2022 23:20 , John Bowden Garnell Whitfield Jr took senators to task on Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the issue of domestic extremism. Mr Whitfield Jr spoke to senators about losing his 86-year-old mother in what is thought to have been a rampage by a racist 18-year-old suspect who espoused white supremacist views. He asked the members on Tuesday: Is there nothing that you personally are willing to do to stop the cancer of white supremacy? Because if there is nothing, then respectfully, senators, you should yield your positions of authority and influence to others that are willing to lead on this issue. Read more from The Independents Bevan Hurley: Son of Buffalo shooting victim demands Senate address cancer of white supremacy Arizona police watched a man drown. Uvalde police stood outside the school. What are cops even for? Tuesday 7 June 2022 22:20 , John Bowden After several high-profile incidents in which police officers apparently declined or for some other reason failed to act in situations that would have saved lives, many Americans are reexamining the role of law enforcement in modern society. In The Independent, writer Skylar Baker-Jordan asks: What is the point of the police if they will not rescue an obviously drowning man or even rush in to protect the children of our nation? Arizona police watched a man drown. Uvalde police stood outside. What are cops for? Pro-gun group calls for battle at Capitol complex hours before Jan 6 hearing Tuesday 7 June 2022 21:20 , John Bowden A group that is opposing any firearms restrictions after deadly massacres in New York and Texas is warning its supporters who are descending on Capitol Hill this week to be prepared for battle. The warning came in a fundraising email from the American Firearms Association to its members on Monday, stressing that gun control activists including Moms Demand Action would be on the Hill this week for the hearings. "Our federal legislative team believes that because of the enormity of the battle this week in DC, there will be thousands or even tens of thousands of Bloomberg-funded, red shirt radical, commie mommies all over the Capitol complex," the email said. "This is their Super Bowl. You and I should be looking at this battle in exactly the same way." Read more from The Independents Graig Graziosi: Pro-gun group calls for battle at Capitol complex hours before Jan 6 hearing Matthew McConaughey pounds lectern in emotional call for change after Uvalde massacre Tuesday 7 June 2022 20:18 , John Bowden Texas-born actor Matthew McConaughey delivered emotional remarks to reporters at Tuesdays White House press briefing, calling for bipartisan action to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals which he contended were supported by responsible gun owners. He also told stories of victims of the shooting in his native Uvalde, Texas, leading to an emotional moment where he struck the press secretarys lectern while describing how one young victim was identified only by her signature green Converse sneakers. Jun. 8GRAND FORKS Harrison Feeney will play professionally next season. The former UND goaltender has signed to play for Bollnas in Sweden. Bollnas plays in Division Three. Feeney spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Fighting Hawks, primarily as the third goalie. He got into game action once during his time at UND. It happened at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Pod in Omaha in December 2020. He played for for 3 minutes, 33 seconds against Miami, stopping all three shots he faced. Feeney had one year of college eligibility remaining, but decided to move on instead of battling Kaleb Johnson for the third goalie spot behind returner Jakob Hellsten and transfer Drew DeRidder. The Lafayette Hill, Pa., product put his name into the NCAA transfer portal in April while searching for professional opportunities. He found the opportunity in Sweden. Feeney is one of seven roster departures from last season's team. UND lost three forwards, two defensemen and two goalies. Forward Connor Ford graduated and signed with Henderson, while Ashton Calder transferred to Penn State and Brendan Budy is in the transfer portal. Star defenseman Jake Sanderson signed with the Ottawa Senators, while fellow blue liner Brady Ferner informed the coaching staff he is signing a pro deal. He hasn't inked one yet, though. In net, UND lost starting goalie Zach Driscoll, whose eligibility expired. Driscoll signed with Toledo in the ECHL to end last season and is currently a free agent. UND will bring in four forwards (rookies Jackson Blake, Owen McLaughlin, Dylan James and Ben Strinden), two defensemen (transfers Ty Farmer and Ryan Sidorski) and one goalie next season (DeRidder). The Fighting Hawks will carry three goalies on the roster next season instead of four like 2021-22. UND opens with an exhibition game against the University of Manitoba on Oct. 1. Thousands of Donald Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol after a "Stop the Steal" rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. The protesters broke windows and clashed with police. A judge has set a first court appearance for a Lakeland man arrested Friday on charges related to the U.S. Capitol attack. Brian Boele is set to appear in a virtual hearing Thursday at 1 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui of the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia. Meanwhile: Sixth Polk County resident charged in Jan. 6 Capitol riot Records: Jan. 6 defendant seeking plea deal Also: Prosecution opposes separate trial for Jan. 6 suspect A grand jury indicted Boele, 59, on a felony charge of civil disorder and three related misdemeanor offenses. An FBI team arrested Boele on Friday at his South Lakeland home, the Department of Justice reported. Boele previously lived in Tampa and bought a house in Lakeland in March, according to public records. He is being prosecuted with four other men, including James Brett IV of Clearwater, who was also arrested Friday. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Hearing set Thursday for Lakeland man arrested on Jan. 6 charges Iowa House District 92 With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday, Heather Hora won the Republican nomination in the Iowa House District 92 primary election. House District 92 covers all of Washington County and portions of southern and western Johnson County, including the cities of Lone Tree and Hills. Hora defeated Jaron Rosien. The raw vote count is 1,495 votes (64%) for Hora, and 840 votes (36%) for Rosien. There were two write-in votes and a total 2,337 votes cast in this race. In Johnson County, Hora received 314 votes (79.1%) while Rosien received 82 votes (20.65%). In Washington County, Hora received 1,181 votes (60.9%) and Rosien received 758 votes (39.1%). Hora, 52, is a resident of Washington, where she and her husband Kurt live with their three children on their fifth-generation family farm. Hora was born in Iowa City but grew up in Minneapolis, eventually coming back to Iowa to attend Highland Community School District. Heather Hora, Iowa House District 92 candidate, poses for a photo, Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Kalona, Iowa. Hora and her husband actively participate in political lobbying for Iowa pork and corn production. She also served on the Iowa Pork Producers Association Board while her husband is a former president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association. Read more about the Iowa House District 92 race: Rosien, 37, is serving his fourth year as mayor of Washington. He was born in Washington and graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in psychology. Starting in 2014, he served on the Washington City Council and has owned his own restaurant, JP's 207 off the city square, since 2012. Hora was set to face Democrat Ty Bopp in the general election, but according to the Southeast Iowa Union, Bopp dropped out of the race in April. Bopp still appeared on the ballot after submitting the necessary paperwork and signatures. Story continues Ty Bopp, Iowa House District 92 candidate, poses for a photo, Friday, April 1, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. The district is one of several open seats representing Johnson County on the primary ballot, including three other Iowa House seats and one Iowa Senate seat. Election results are unofficial until certified by the Washington and Johnson County boards of supervisors next week. This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Heather Hora wins House District 92 Republican primary election PALM SPRINGS, Calif. People of all ages were swimming, socializing and seeking shade Wednesday morning at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center. Why so early in the day? It was going to be far too hot later. After 4 or 5 oclock, its really too hot to be out here in the sun and have kids trying to do swim lessons and swim teams. That just doesnt work, said Mike Marshall, the facility operations manager. Were expecting 117-degree weather this weekend, and thats not really good weather for outdoor activity. So swimming in the water does help, but they should limit their exposure. It's not just California's Coachella Valley that will be scorching through the weekend. Temperatures over 100 degrees are expected across the Southwest region of the U.S., including Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. Many states will likely match or break records, and temperatures are even forecast to exceed 110 in some places. WHATS GOING ON WITH THE WEATHER? Subscribe to USA TODAYs free weekly Climate Point newsletter Records are already falling in Texas. San Antonio set a new daily record high from Sunday through Tuesday; it hit 104 on Monday, which broke the old daily record by 3 degrees. Galveston set records for warm overnight temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday with a low of 83 degrees. The National Weather Service has issued several excessive heat warnings for Thursday through Sunday. Related video: Texas storm chasers unexpectedly find themselves in EF-2 tornado Its already been pretty hot so far this month in the Southwest, but thats going to build heading into later this week, AccuWeather meteorologist Renee Duff told USA TODAY on Wednesday. From southeastern California, California Central Valley into Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, that corridor is going to be the hottest weather weve seen this year. The reason for the weekend heat wave is a high-pressure system, in which a large area of sinking, dry air heats up, Duff said. Contributing factors, such as persistent drought and the start of a seasonal change in the atmospheric circulation known as the North American Monsoon, are also partly to blame for rising temperatures. Story continues With dry soil conditions and a rise in moisture that does not evaporate, the suns energy is able to directly heat the ground and the surrounding air. CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT YOUR FAULT: But that doesn't mean you're off the hook One thing to keep in mind with this heat wave, theres not going to be a ton of relief at night, Duff said. Evening temperatures across the region will be in the 70s and 80s. This is a serious heat wave, and people have to take it seriously, NWS meteorologist Alex Tardy told USA TODAY. Whenever we talk about heat warnings and temperatures near records, it needs to be clear that this is unusual. Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California, Texas, Arizona among states facing heat wave into weekend House Democrats failed to override Gov. John Carneys veto on legal marijuana possession on Tuesday night, resulting in a stunning blow to legalization efforts. This was the closest Delaware has been in a decade to legalizing and creating a recreational marijuana industry. Its unclear what the path forward will be, especially as Carney remains in office until 2025. With the failed override attempt, Rep. Ed Osienski, who has spearheaded legalization efforts, said he will not make another attempt to resuscitate the bill to create a recreational marijuana industry in Delaware. This bill failed due to Rep. Larry Mitchell, House majority whip, being ill and he could not vote virtually. WEED IN DELAWARE: Breaking from Carney, Delaware lieutenant governor says she supports marijuana legalization The veto attempt failed on Tuesday night because several Democrats either voted no or did not vote at all. The vote needed 25 votes, but ultimately only reached 20. When the legislation passed in May, 26 lawmakers supported it. Three Democrats Reps. Andria Bennett, William Carson and Sean Matthews voted no on the veto vote, despite voting for the bill previously. Two Republicans, Rep Jeff Spiegelman and Mike Ramone, did the same. House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, who was a co-sponsor on the original bill, did not vote. Reps. Stephanie T. Bolden and Bill Bush as well as House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, who has been vocally against legalization, voted no. James Baldus, of Pike Creek holds a sign in support of decriminalizing marijuana at a rally outside of Legislative Hall in Dover on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. The Delaware Business Times reported on Tuesday that Schwartzkopf told business leaders earlier that day that he would not override the governors veto, and I will not vote for it and I will work against it. Schwartzkopf did support the bill to create a recreational industry in Delaware. This moment is a significant win for Carney, who found himself at odds with many in his party. He announced late last month that he was vetoing the legislation that would legalize the possession of 1 ounce or less for Delawareans ages 21 and older. Story continues It resulted in an uproar in calls from residents, advocates and high-profile Democrats to overrule the governors historic veto. But its incredibly rare for Delaware lawmakers to overturn a governors veto. The last successful attempt was in 1977. Just after the vote, Osienski said on the House floor that he was proud he had been fighting for something that such a large majority of Delawareans wanted." It's kind of what I feel they sent me down there to do, and I am appreciative of all the work I've done with my colleagues, he added. But most of all, he added as his voice began to break, I feel good that I was working for Delaware. State Rep. Ed Osienski is the sponsor of House Bill 371, which would decriminalize marijuana in Delaware. Lawmakers then stood up and gave him a standing ovation. WEED IN DELAWARE: Delaware governor vetoes marijuana legalization bill, setting up historic showdown with Legislature Brian Warnock was one of the several marijuana advocates who had watched the vote in the gallery, waiting for hours as the House returned from a nearly three hour caucus. He was one of more than 100 people to attend a rally outside Legislative Hall in Dover, calling on lawmakers to hold the line and vote to override the veto. Its over, in my opinion, the Frankford resident said of legalization efforts. Its especially disappointing because (Carneys) a Democrat. This was a Democratic bill. The only thing thats going to happen," he added, "is everybody's going to get on the ferry and go over to New Jersey. It's not going to stop anybody from getting pot. Its just going to cost us millions of dollars." Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware marijuana: House Democrats fail to override governors veto Troy Finner said Crumps assertion that the fatal shot entered Randles neck from the back is a false statement. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner called attorney Ben Crumps assertion about the fatal shot to the neck of 29-year-old Jalen Randle a false statement. According to The Houston Chronicle, Crump, who represents Randles family, had an independent autopsy done on the slain mans corpse by Autopsy and Pathology Services, P.A., which claims that a police officers bullet entered Randles neck from the back and left no exit wound. However, Finner claimed that other preliminary autopsy results showed the man was shot in the front of the neck. Houston Chief of Police Troy Finner speaks at a November press conference addressing the cancellation of the Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas. (Photo: Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images) We respect and understand emotions and pain that families who have lost loved ones go through during these investigations. Having said that, the familys attorney, Mr. Ben Crump, whom I respect as an advocate for justice, is claiming Mr. Randle was shot in the back of the neck or head. That is a false statement. To publicly make such a false claim is irresponsible, Finner said, per The Chronicle. According to the newspaper, portions of the official Randle autopsy conducted by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences revealed that he died of a gunshot wound to his neck, but a point of entry is not specified in the documents made public. The full autopsy hasnt yet been released. Crump, in his response, dismissed Finners claims. The Randle family, in the wake of burying Jalen, is now facing the compounded pain of the Houston Police Chief by attempting to discredit legitimate evidence that Jalen was shot in the back of his neck, said the activist attorney. We have four sources of evidence, including the independent autopsy, the officers body camera video, statements made shortly after Jalens death by emergency room medical professionals, and statements made by funeral home directors that all conclude Jalen was shot in the back of his neck. Jalen Randles grieving father, Warren Randle, told The Chronicle, Theyre saying he was shot in the front, but theyre not showing evidence to back up that statement. And it shouldnt even matter where he was shot, because they shot an unarmed man. Are they trying to say it was justified because he was shot in the front? Story continues As previously reported by theGrio, Randle was killed by Houston Police Officer Shane Privette in April after a brief car chase. Supporters of the slain man gathered outside the office of Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg Monday and urged her to charge Privette with murder. While meeting with Randles family, Ogg explained the process for how her office handles police shootings, noting its Civil Rights Division is reviewing evidence from HPDs internal investigation, with plans to present its findings to a grand jury that will decide whether or not to indict the officer. It could take anywhere from six months to a year. Anytime youve lost a child, the trauma is profound, and so much of the meeting is letting them simply express their grief, their frustration with our system and police department and city government, and so I listen, Ogg said. And then we try to convey information that will let them know whats going to happen, not as a result of, but through the process. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Houston police chief says Ben Crump is lying, disputes where cops bullet entered Jalen Randles neck appeared first on TheGrio. Hunter Bidens daughter Naomi has joked that she will personally arrange a phone call between Republican Senator Ron Johnson and her father if the lawmaker votes for tighter gun control. Ms Biden was responding to a comment from the Wisconsin senator who said he wanted to see existing laws enforced against Hunter Biden before he agreed to pass any new legislation on firearms. In a tweet, Ms Biden, 28, wrote: Ron Johnson if you vote for stricter gun control measures, I will personally come into your office and call my dad on speakerphone so that you can confess your undying love for him directly. Senators are working to craft a narrow set of gun safety proposals in response to the nationwide outpouring of grief and anger at the Uvalde high school massacre. Naomi Biden has frequently used her 315,000-strong Twitter following to defend her father from attacks by Republican politicians and right-wing media. Naomi Biden, granddaughter of President Biden, right, with fiance Peter Neal (Getty Images) In September 2020, Ms Biden posted a lengthy Twitter thread seeking to show who her father really was, free of the corrosive influence of power-at-all-costs politics. She also posts regular tributes to her grandfather, President Joe Biden. We bought him some swag since its Presidents Day weekend and hes literally President, she wrote in February 2021 above a photo of Mr Biden in an Air Force One-embroidered bomber jacket. In April, Ms Biden, a Washington DC-based attorney, got engaged to Peter Neal. The couple will celebrate their November nuptials with a reception at the White House hosted by President Biden and first lady Jill. Naomi is the eldest Biden grandchild and is the daughter of Hunter Biden and Kathleen Buhle. Senator Ron Johnson has been one of Mr Bidens most vocal critics in Congress, accusing him of misusing his access to his powerful father to enrich himself. The Department of Justice is investigating Mr Bidens overseas business dealings in China. Naveed and Charlotte Khan were part of the SmallBiz100 in 2020 with their kids clothing store Moo Like a Monkey A nationwide search for the UKs 100 most inspiring small businesses has kicked off, as part of major plans to mark the tenth-year anniversary of Small Business Saturday UK. Organisers are calling on brilliant small businesses from across the country to apply to be featured in this years SmallBiz100, which showcases the best of Britains vibrant small business community, as part of the official countdown to the annual campaign. Now in its tenth year in the UK, Small Business Saturday will return on 3 December 2022 for an extra special extravaganza celebrating small business success and encouraging consumers to shop small and support businesses in their communities. Inclusive dance group DanceSyndrome were celebrated by Small Business Saturday as a SmallBiz100 in 2021 Small Business Saturday is all about shining a light on the UKs fabulous small businesses and the extraordinary contribution they make to the UK and our local areas, said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK. We are excited to be showcasing more incredible small businesses from all over the country again this year, as we mark this amazing ten-year milestone. So, if you run an exciting small firm that brings something special to the community, we want to hear from you! Whether you are online or on the high street, based in an office or at home, supporting consumers or other businesses in the supply chain. On Small Business Saturday customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent shops and restaurants to small service and b2b based businesses like accountants and digital marketeers. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions. The iconic campaign was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, which remains its principal supporter in the UK. My Networking Club, a business networking group, was spotlighted by the campaign last year Over 1000 small businesses have been featured in the campaigns SmallBiz100 since the campaign started in 2013, with firms from virtually all places and sectors represented; from a hairdresser in Brighton and artist studio in Ballycastle, to a gaming retailer in Grimsby and a dog-groomers in Glasgow. Story continues Small Business Saturday attracts huge attention on the day itself, with an impact that lasts all year. Last year the campaign trended at number one in the UK on Twitter, with the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition and the Mayor of London among those publicly supporting the campaign. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign. Dan Edelman, General Manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: Were proud to champion the nations small businesses through Small Business Saturday as well as our upcoming Shop Small campaign, which incentivises our Cardmembers to spend with local independent venues, right across the country. Now more than ever they need our support so were looking forward to celebrating the 10th anniversary of this vital campaign by helping to shine a spotlight on small businesses and the dedicated people running them. To apply for the SmallBiz100 visit https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/small-biz-100 An Arizona grand jury has indicted a man on charges alleging that he shot and killed his wife a professional ballet dancer when she "startled" him in the middle of the night, law enforcement documents show. A grand jury in Maricopa County indicted Hoopes, 36, on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful discharge of a weapon in connection with the May 20 shooting death of his wife, Colleen Hoopes, the county attorneys office announced Friday. The indictment, provided to Fox News Digital on Monday, further outlines the details of the felony charges against Hoopes. READ THE INDICTMENT HERE: Information regarding Hoopes attorney was not immediately available. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell described the 25-year-old victim as "an extremely talented dancer, beloved by her community." "Her life was cut short," Mitchell said in the Friday press release, "and this office will seek justice for her and her family, who are devastated by her death." ARIZONA MAN ACCUSED OF THREATENING MASS SHOOTINGS AT HIGH SCHOOL, POLICE STATION AND MOVIE THEATER Hoopes was a dancer with Ballet Arizona before her unexpected death. Colleen and Christopher Hoopes were married in July 2020, according to a Facebook page that appeared to belong to the victim. Tempe Police have said they received a call around 3:45 a.m. on May 20 "for reports of the shooting." TEMPE, ARIZONA DROWNING: POLICE OFFICER TOLD VICTIM I'M NOT JUMPING IN AFTER YOU, REPORT SAYS "According to Tempe Police Dispatch, the caller, identified as Christopher Hoops (sic), stated he was startled by his wife in the middle of the night and subsequently shot her," police said, Officers arrived to find Colleen Hoopes suffering from a gunshot wound. They rushed the victim to a local hospital, but she could not be saved, police said. Hoopes is accused of shooting his wife two times using a 9mm handgun, local affiliate FOX 10 Phoenix reported, citing investigators. He allegedly called police four minutes later. Story continues He was ordered held on a $750,000 secured bond, FOX 10 reported, adding that he was no longer listed as in custody. Colleen Hoopes father, Ed Buckley, remembered his daughter as "a true light in our lives," FOX 10 reported. In a statement posted on its Facebook page after the news of Hoopes death, Ballet Arizona called the woman "an integral part of the Ballet Arizona family" who would "be missed deeply." "Her kindness and talent always shone through whether she was serving as a dancer, teacher, or friend," the statement reads. "She was passionate and dedicated to her artform and a bright light to us all. Our hearts go out to her loved ones." COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten? Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The company's Norway branch wants to use the brand's experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department. Ikea Norway has built a name bank with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture instead of product numbers since 1948. After all these years, (Ikea) has built up a large catalog to pick from, Ikea Norway said in a statement. Ikea names its products after Swedish towns, lakes and other geographical features, but also uses names that have traditionally gone to people. The branch noted that while retailers saw both a shortage of raw materials and challenges with delivery times during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is at least no shortage of children in Norway. The Scandinavian country registered the births of 56,060 babies last year, or 3,081 more than in 2020. The increase creates a challenge in finding unique names, Ikea Norway said. Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer speaks to supporters to kick off his reelection bid at El Rancho Verde park in January. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer on Wednesday appeared poised to win reelection and avoid a November runoff in a race that was in many ways a test of the county's appetite for criminal justice reform. Early results Wednesday showed Spitzer in a significant 45-percentage-point lead against second-place contender Pete Hardin, a former Orange County prosecutor and Marine veteran. "In our opinion, this race was a landslide," Spitzer campaign spokesman Tim Lineberger said Wednesday. "Orange County voters clearly rejected the policies of Los Angeles and San Francisco on public safety. ... It was a referendum on that, if not anything else." Also seeking the county's top prosecutor job were Mike Jacobs, who spent nearly three decades as a prosecutor in the county, and Bryan Chehock, an attorney for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The race largely centered on the stark ideological divide between Spitzer and Hardin, the only Democratic candidate. Though votes were still being counted, Hardin said in a statement Wednesday that "it appears our effort to bring reform to the Orange County district attorney's office will not be successful." "As a first-time candidate in one of the most populous counties in the country, I always knew that this was going to be an uphill battle," he said. "I am forever grateful to our staff, volunteers and supporters, all of whom were undeterred by the odds and welcomed the opportunity to offer Orange County a modern approach based on facts rather than fear." Spitzer branded himself as a law-and-order candidate, focusing his messaging around punishing criminals to prevent Orange County from becoming like Los Angeles. This election is about one thing: ensuring Orange County remains the safest major county in California, instead of being overrun by the same pro-criminal ideology that has destroyed Los Angeles and San Francisco, Spitzer said in a statement. Orange County voters are sending a loud and clear message that they do not want a George Gascon clone as their D.A." Story continues "I will continue to prioritize the prosecution of violent criminals and hate crimes, while pursuing common-sense criminal justice reforms that do not jeopardize public safety," Spitzer added. Hardin had said that, if elected, he would not seek the death penalty in any prosecutions. He also promised to replace cash bail with a risk-based system and to pull back on charging juveniles as adults. Hardin's ideas align him with some of the more progressive district attorneys in the nation, including Gascon in Los Angeles County. "We may have been unsuccessful at the ballot box, but our movement for reform and integrity very successfully injected commonsense and dignity into difficult conversations that transcend crime, victimization, race, and justice," Hardin's statement read. Jacobs billed himself as a steady hand who could bring reform. Chehock, the only candidate with no connection to the Orange County district attorney's office, pledged to "remove politics from the office." Jodi Balma, a political science professor at Fullerton College, said Wednesday the results were not too surprising and noted that Spitzer "made it very clear he fights hard." "Todd Spitzer has been on the ballot in Orange County since 1992, and he's never lost an election," she said. "He understands Orange County voters really well, and he came out very early to define his opponent, Pete Hardin, and Pete Hardin kind of never really recovered in the eyes of the voters." Balma said Spitzer's "No L.A. in O.C." hashtag spoke to voters who believe Orange County is different from its neighbor and inured to some of its problems. "It's hard to go wrong with Orange County exceptionalism," she said. Spitzer's campaign was not without challenges, however. A former county supervisor, he was elected four years ago on a vow to bring a new era of reform after a scandal involving the use of jailhouse informants. But his opponents say that he has fallen short on his promises and that his missteps show poor judgment. Spitzer faced criticism after racist comments he made while discussing the case of a Black defendant surfaced in February. Spitzer apologized for the comments, but some political groups and fellow district attorneys withdrew their endorsements. On Friday, Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregg Prickett determined that the comments violated the Racial Justice Act. Balma said a new district attorney who had never been elected "likely wouldn't have been able to survive the scandals and the headlines, but Orange County voters this is a guy they know." Though all the votes had yet to be counted, she didn't see any clear path for the outcome to change. With this low voter turnout, I can't figure out any reason that late votes would be fundamentally different. I think if anything, the late voters are more likely to be Republican and therefore for Spitzer," she said. Orange County voters were also deciding who should fill three seats on the Board of Supervisors, including who should represent the county's first Latino majority district. Wednesday returns in the race for District 2, which includes a slice of central Orange County, showed Santa Ana Mayor Vicente Sarmiento ahead of Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Bernice Nguyen. Three other candidates are also vying for the seat. Buena Park Mayor Sunny Park was narrowly ahead of incumbent Supervisor Doug Chaffee in District 4, which includes several northern cities. The county's Democratic Party endorsed Park instead of Chaffee, who is also a Democrat. Brea City Councilman Steve Vargas, a Republican, is also running. In District 5, encompassing much of south Orange County, incumbent Supervisor Katrina Foley, a Democrat, held a significant lead over her three Republican challengers. Among them, state Sen. Pat Bates had a slight lead over former Assemblywoman Diane Harkey. Newport Beach Councilman Kevin Muldoon is also a candidate. The winner could determine which political party controls the five-member board, which has been majority Republican for years. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An earlier version of this story referred incorrectly to an event attendee's hometown. Sarah Ward represents Knightstown. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a different feel today than a week and a half ago when more than 325,000 people gathered to watch the Indianapolis 500. Instead of hoots and hollers and revving engines, a much smaller, local group of people came together for the states news conference to announce its new IN Indiana tourism marketing campaign at one of the state's most popular tourism venues. This is an exciting time for the state of Indiana, said Elaine Bedel, the Indiana Destination Development Corp. Secretary and CEO. This is not a tagline. This is a very different kind of promotional campaign that we need everybody to be a part of. Summer travel for Hoosiers: Here are national parks in driving distance of Indiana The state applied for a federal grant in August and received approval in April for $5.5 million to help create the resources for the campaign. The Department of Commerce is issuing the grants to states to boost tourism following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IDDC and Visit Indiana have created marketing tools and materials and are encouraging schools, businesses, towns, and Hoosiers across the state to download and disseminate them. The materials include the main identifier of the campaign a graphic that reads, IN Indiana along with various headlines to pair with the IN Indiana, some of which read: Explore the State Parks and Life is Better. Individuals can also create their own headlines. Hoosiers must register with an email for access to the materials. Research has shown that people have no perception of Indiana, said Amy Howell, the director of tourism, marketing and communications for the IDDC. To address this, Howell says the states strategy is two-fold: to increase Hoosier pride within the state and to raise perception of Indiana outside of the state. Story continues Story continues below the gallery. Prior to the pandemic, the tourism industry was a critical part of the states economy. In 2019, Indiana saw historically high levels of tourism, increasing for the ninth consecutive year. The number of visitors to the state increased by 2.1%, totaling 82.7 million trips, according to a study conducted by Rockport Analytics. Visitor spending in Indiana produced a $9.6 billion gross domestic product boost for the economy, a 3.5% increase from 2018. In 2020, the pandemic ruined the upward trends in the states tourism industry. The number of visitors to the state decreased by 19%, with a total of 66.7 million person-trips, as reported by Rockport Analytics. Visitor spending declined by $3.5 billion, resulting in an addition of $6.9 billion to the state GDP, a 28% decrease from the prior year. Nationally, the US Department of Commerce reports that 56% of the decline in the countrys GDP in 2020 was due to reduced travel and tourism to and within the US. Now, the goal is for tourism in the state to improve every year, with a focus on attracting people from border states, Howell said. 'Worrisome': Indy housing market is overvalued, study finds. Is a housing crash coming? Gov. Eric Holcomb and Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch also spoke at the event. Doug Boles, the president of the Motor Speedway, introduced them. Indiana Fever President Allison Barber, Knightstown Town Council President Sarah Ward and Indiana State University President Deborah J. Curtis attended. Holcomb spoke of numerous Indiana attractions Indiana Dunes National Park, the Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Notre Dame that many out-of-towners do not realize are native to the state as a reason for why the new campaign is important. The thought that has gone into this," Holcomb said, "has always been: How do we pull together one Indiana, harness that synergy, all of our individual stories that we share just naturally when we are with one another, (to) put that on a global stage? Contact IndyStar Pulliam Fellow Lizzie Kane at ekane@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana launches tourism marketing campaign 'IN Indiana' LONDON Inditex saw net income soar in the first fiscal quarter ended April 30 despite pausing business in Russia and Ukraine due to the conflict in the region. The fast-fashion giant, parent of brands including Zara, Massimo Dutti, and Bershka, posted an 80 percent profit uptick year-on-year to 760 million euros, with robust performance across all regions, and in the U.S. in particular. More from WWD The company said it made a provision of 216 million euros to cover all of the extraordinary costs from the temporary closure of its business in Ukraine and Russia. Stores in the region have been closed since late February. The group said it would have reported net profit of 940 million euros had it not been for the closures. Revenue grew 36 percent to 6.74 billion euros, which Inditex said was underpinned by a sharp recovery in store traffic and a good reception for all seven brands latest collections. China was the only market that underperformed: some 67 stores were closed in the period due to COVID-related restrictions. Inditex said the U.S. is now its second-biggest market after Spain, where it is headquartered. Oscar Garcia Maceiras, CEO of Inditex, said the results were the fruit of a well-differentiated model that is delivering strongly. The strength and adaptability of the business model and the excellent performance of our creative, sales and operating teams are driving that differentiation forward, underpinned by a strategic focus on innovation, digitalization and sustainability. Inditex said the second quarter started on a high note, with sales increasing by 17 percent in constant currency between May 1 and June 5. The company added that it is making constant progress on the delivery of its sustainability targets, with the ultimate goal of using cutting-edge technology to move the textile industry, as a whole, towards circularity. The company said it has signed a three-year agreement worth more than 100 million euros with Infinited Fiber Company, committing to purchase 30 percent of future production of Infinna, a fiber created entirely from textile waste. The project is part of Inditexs Sustainability Hub, an open innovation platform created to promote and to scale up innovation in materials, technologies, processes and sustainable solutions. Courtesy of HBO One day during her pregnancy, activist and Jane Collective founder Heather Booth got the scare of a lifetime. As told by The Janes, a documentary from directors Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes that makes its debut Wednesday on HBO, the Jane Collective was a fearless act of defiance born out of the Womens Liberation Movement in Chicago. Jane operated from 1968 to 1973 as an underground abortion network in the Second City, connecting women with safe health care at a time when Roe v. Wade had not yet sanctified safe, legal abortions as a federally protected right. The Booth anecdote didnt make the final cut, Lessin told The Daily Beast during a recent interview, but it crystallizes the message they wanted their film to drive home. The story goes like this: Booth had stepped away from her duties temporarily due to her pregnancy. One day when she was at home, she received a frightening messageher worst-case scenario. It was the emergency code that indicated that there was trouble, Lessin said. Booth began tearing through files. She tore things up. She dumped the evidence of her groups work in trash cans on her way to their safe house. That alarm could have meant that the group had been busted. It could have meant a woman had been harmed. When Booth finally got to the safe house, Lessin said, she was panting and in complete distress. They opened the door, and it was her baby shower. Alyssa Milano: Biden Must Do More to Protect Abortion Rights Contrary to what some might assume about The Janes work, it was not solely the provenance of single, childless women. Many of the activists had husbands and families and did their work, at one point or another, while pregnant themselves. One of the Janes leaders, the charismatic Jody Parsons, had her kids and their friends sorting medical supplies. The activists goal was not, as some anti-abortion advocates might suggest, to encourage all women to terminate their pregnancies or destroy the American nuclear family as we know it. Story continues There were a lot of people making all sorts of different decisions at all sorts of different phases of their childbearing livesabout adopting, about not having children, about fostering children, Lessin said. All those stories were part of these womens lives at the time that they were helping women make their own personal choices. Lessin and Pildes began work on The Janes after Donald Trumps election win. The relevance of their work has been painfully blatant from the start, as conservatives began packing the courts nationwide. With the Supreme Court preparing to dismantle Roe v. Wade, multiple states are pre-emptively working to outlaw abortion within their borders. Left and right, the signals are clear that while The Janes emerged victorious when Roe passed in 1973, the work they began is far from over. Outlawing abortion doesnt prevent abortions from happening. As The Janes notes, wealthy and well-connected women were able to circumvent the lawand even those without safe options would go to excruciating, often deadly lengths to end their pregnancies when backed into a corner. The justice system and medical establishments refusal to grant women autonomy over their bodies pre-Roe led to disastrous consequences, including septic abortion wards created specifically to treat women whod received illicit procedures from profiteering butchers and quacks. The Janes, Pildes notes, only came to exist because none of the institutions that should have stood up ever did. Some of those involved were as young as 19. This is not something that should have been put on their shoulders, the director said. Theres nothing uncomplicated about the government and the health-care system failing 50 percent of the population and teenagersliteral teenagershaving to take that on. As Pildes put it, the Janes opted to use their privilege to help other peoplebut there was nothing simple about their work. The documentary describes various points during which the women became overwhelmed by the gravity of their mission. When abortions became legal in New York, their clientele surged with women from low-income backgrounds, many of them women of color, who could not afford to travel. In the doc, multiple Janes ruminate on the stark differences between who the Janes were and who the Janes came to serve. More divisive, however, was when the group found out their abortionist, Mike, who had safely operated on countless women, was not a real doctor but had simply learned the trade from someone who was. Pildes praised the Janes interviewed in the doc for their candor about the possible limitations of their workheroic as it undoubtedly was. They were willing to go there, and we were incredibly grateful for that, Pildes said. It was important to Tia and I to really have that be part of the story. This cant be simple; its not. And its important to talk about how not simple it is. Some of the women were not put off by the revelation that their abortionist was not a real doctor. What better way could there be for women to reclaim power from a male-dominated medical establishment that could often be restrictive and condescending toward its female patients? Others were too daunted by the prospect of performing abortions without medical licenses and bowed out. The Janes only worked with Mike in the first place, the doc notes, because Chicago police had arrested their previous go-to licensed physician, Dr. Howard. Members of the Janes, August 1972. HBO Between 1968 and 1973, an endnote on the doc reads, the Janes were able to perform an estimated 11,000 safe, affordable, and yes, illegal, abortions. While todays news cycle churns out plenty of reasons for despair, Pildes said this project has bolstered her belief in the human spiritand in peoples willingness to help one another. Hope is a powerful thing, Pildes said, and out of it is born more willingness to organize and take action. Still, Lessin said, shes terrified and angryMaybe livid is a better word. As someone whose child-bearing years have been defined by the right to plan her own future, she added, I cant imagine my life without having that choice. Our current fight over abortion rights, Lessin said, is about more than health carealthough thats also paramount. Its about our freedomsour autonomy as human beings to decide our fates. I think about the many generations of women growing up taking abortion rights for granted, Lessin said. Theyre in for a shock. 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. By Francois Murphy VIENNA/DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran has begun further expanding its underground uranium enrichment and said on Wednesday it would switch off two of the U.N. nuclear watchdog's cameras, as the watchdog's 35-nation board overwhelmingly passed a resolution criticising Tehran. Only Russia and China opposed the resolution submitted by the United States, Germany, France and Britain saying the Board of Governors "expresses profound concern" that uranium traces found at three undeclared sites remain unexplained due to insufficient cooperation by Iran. It also calls on Tehran to engage with the watchdog "without delay". Iran bristles at such resolutions and had warned beforehand of retaliation, raising the prospect of further damage to already stalled talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Just hours before the closed-door vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency's headquarters, Iran announced a move that diplomats said was most likely either a shot across the bows before more drastic action or a limited early retaliation. "So far, the IAEA has not only been ungrateful for Iran's extensive cooperation but has also considered it as a duty. From today, relevant authorities have ordered that surveillance cameras of the Online Enrichment Monitor (OLEM) be shut down," Iranian state TV said, referring to cameras trained on a machine that measures enrichment levels in real time. The IAEA has, however, not had access to the data collected by such cameras or the OLEM for more than a year. The agency hopes it will gain access to that data, which remains with Iran, at a later date. One European diplomat said the move was "a relatively modest escalation in the grand scheme of things but perhaps an initial warning shot in advance of the resolution being adopted". ADVANCED CENTRIFUGES Later the IAEA informed member states in a report seen by Reuters that Iran had started installing a cascade, or cluster, of advanced IR-6 centrifuges at its underground enrichment plant at Natanz, a longstanding plan it had not acted on for months. Story continues Iran has now also told the agency it plans to install two more such cascades of the uranium-enriching machines, which are much more effective than first-generation IR-1 centrifuges, the only ones the 2015 deal allows Iran to enrich with at the Natanz plant. "Sadly some Board members don't get the sensitivity of the moment, pushing for untimely initiatives like anti-#Iran resolution. Clearly #ViennaTalks taught them nothing: pressuring Tehran entails escalation," Russia's mission to the IAEA tweeted before the vote. Since Washington withdrew from the 2015 deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump and reimposed sanctions, Tehran has breached many of the deal's restrictions on its nuclear activities, including enrichment. It is enriching to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons-grade. Iran says its nuclear aims are wholly peaceful. "We are not taking this action to escalate a confrontation for political purposes. We seek no such escalation," a U.S. statement to the board said, adding that Iran removing cameras would be "extremely regrettable and counterproductive to the diplomatic outcome we seek". (Additiona reprting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Mark Potter Editing by Alex Richardson) BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai court on Wednesday jailed six police officers for life for torturing and killing a drug suspect during interrogation, among them an influential police colonel famously nicknamed "Joe Ferrari" for his collection of luxury sports cars. A Bangkok court initially sentenced the six officers to death for coercion, malfeasance, abuse of authority and death by torture, but commuted that to life imprisonment for their cooperation and attempts to revive the suspect, court documents showed. Superintendent Thitisan "Joe" Uttanapol, 40, a police chief in Nakhon Sawan province, was arrested with six other officers in August, when an interrogation video went viral showing the victim with plastic bags over his head, suffocating while pinned down on the floor. One of the officers was jailed on Wednesday for eight years for malfeasance, commuted to just over five years. The video captured huge attention in Thailand and sparked a debate about abuse and corruption by police and the extent to which powerful law enforcement figures are untouchable. The trial was seen as a test of Thailand's judicial system and its willingness to hold senior police accountable. All of the officers plan to appeal their sentences, Chokchai Angkaew, the lawyer for Thitisan, told Reuters. Thitisan, a career policeman, is also being investigated about the extent and sources of his wealth after the discovery of a dozen luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini and Ferrari, during a raid on his plush Bangkok home. Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, a Thai human rights activist who monitors and documents torture cases, said the verdict was an important precedent for legal cases concerning abuse by state officials. "This is not the first case where state officials torture suspects in this manner. But it is the first time that the justice system managed to bring wrongdoers who are officials to justice," said Pornpen, the director of Cross Cultural Foundation. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Martin Petty) (Photo: HuffPost) (Photo: HuffPost) Arguably one of the most recognized personalities at the intersection of the culinary, Jewish and queer communities, Jake Cohen is a chef and food writer who has made ample use of social media to propel his career forward. And with nearly 600,000 Instagram followers, Cohen is aware that his identity within those communities is part and parcel of his public persona and what actually allowed him to stand out in such a competitive field. Being gay and being Jewish are pretty much everything that has dictated my career, the 28-year-old told Anna Rahmanan in this edition of Voices in Food, in which he also discusses the differences between the two communities, the pros and cons of social media and more. How being Jewish and queer have shaped his life in the kitchen When I think of who I am, its dictated by the fact that I was raised with this understanding of Judaism and not in a traditional sense, as we were raised pretty reformed. Jewish values are focused on hospitality, on being a good community member, on treating others the way you want to be treated, on not bearing false witness, on standing by the truth, on trying to repair the world and I feel like all of these things are what I try to strive toward every day. Being queer has helped me discover my Jewishness and vice versa. There is this concept of finding pride in however you are different and, oftentimes, we think of that through the lens of queerness. In a place like New York and in the mainstream media, it is much cooler to be queer than to be Jewish. Seeing the way I addressed my pride as a gay man has helped me find my pride in being Jewish. Thats completely true in the kitchen, as well. One of the big things that Im fighting for is pride in Jewish food and traditions. I think there was such a push for assimilation when we immigrated to America and a lot of culinary traditions are rooted in the shtetl and times of poverty, times of persecution. I think a huge part of it was trying to distance ourselves from that when we came to America. However, at the same time, there is this excitement around deli culture right now that needs to trickle down and focus to make sure that Jewish food is as respected as any other marginalized cuisine that we see celebrated in food magazines. Story continues Food is a vessel. We always talk about what gay food is, what queer food is and, for me personally, the definition has always been the way food has been connected to stories of queerness. Whether its the meal that you came out to your parents over or the food that you make as you build a queer community, or the first meal you had with your queer partner. All the things that become part of your narrative as a queer person, the same way that so many Jewish foods are foods that came from other cultures and areas that got absorbed by Jews. On the pressure to represent your community I think there is this idea that we need someone to represent each community and its impossible, because these stories are so unique. Everyones connection to their queerness and Jewishness is so beyond nuanced. When you look at someones Jewish identity, you think of where their family came from, and you have all of these stories that have all of these different parts. You have people of mixed heritage and they create a unique narrative that represents themselves and not their community in general. The main drawback to social media is that your followers misinterpret your actual relationship with them. If I owned a restaurant, for example, people would come in and pay to eat. ... On social media, its more of a dinner party. I see the same thing in terms of queerness. Someones relationship to how food and their queerness represents them is super personal and always unique. I think this need for overarching definitions is just never going to happen. How the government needs to protect communities It really comes down to a need for codification around hate in any form, whether its hate for queer people, Jewish people, people of color. Any sort of discrimination. For me, there is not one answer. I am not a politician, I am not a government official, I am not a person who focuses on that. For me, living in the bubble that is New York, compared to somebody from the South or another coast or another part of this country, its so different. But I think that it has to do with the way we talk as a community and a society around what our issues are, where we need to put our attention. What are the things that we are focusing on versus the actual core things that help protect our community? I think the most important thing for both communities, for any community, is safety. What consumers can do to help The issue is that consumers are just one part. I think its really the people who are selling that we need to focus on. Whether its a product, a food, a restaurant, whatever I think leading at the forefront with that identity is such a key part because consumers act and they are looking to support Jewish food, for example, but they need to have these places that are selling be visible and really telling the world that is what they are doing. The pros and cons of social media as a food influencer The main drawback to social media is that your followers misinterpret your actual relationship with them. If I owned a restaurant, for example, people would come in and pay to eat. Theyd be patrons Id be serving. On social media, its more of a dinner party. You are welcoming people into your home and there is a non-monetary-based connection, but you have to have mutual respect respect for the people who are supporting you and letting you do what you love, but also respect for you. You dont owe them to be answering them 24/7 and getting into personal aspects of your life. You get to pick and choose. When you go to someones house, do you expect them to wait on you hand and foot? And yet, incredible blessings have come to my life exclusively through social media and I think that I would do everything all over again because, with all the downfalls, it has allowed me to do what I do. Tips for up-and-coming chefs The concept of being yourself is everything. People can sniff out inauthenticity and if the world likes what youre selling as much as you do, then success will happen for you. It requires a lot of work and an equal amount of luck. The hardest thing is perseverance. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... WASHINGTON (AP) Jill Biden urged graduates of a Los Angeles community college on Tuesday to never forget where you came from, saying they can learn from their past without being defined by it. The first lady, a community college English professor, singled out a few Los Angeles City College graduates in her brief remarks, including a 46-year-old woman who realized a childhood dream of becoming a teacher after losing her 25-year career as a graphic designer during the pandemic. She also told the stories of a woman from the Ivory Coast who went into labor with her third child during her final exam, but still completed her test, and of the U.S. Marine diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour in Afghanistan but found treatment and enrolled at LACC. In her first address of the 2022 commencement season, Biden told the more than 1,000 graduates that you astonish me with your grit and your determination and that is why I love teaching community college. As first lady, she continues to teach at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has taught since 2009. My charge to you is this: Never forget your path, the people who brought you here, or the lessons youve realized along the way, she said. Never forget where you came from. It doesnt have to define you, but it will always have something to teach you. Never forget what made you who you are, and then you will be ready for wherever you choose to go next, she said. Biden visited Los Angeles City College in 2016 to announce the start of the Los Angeles College Promise Program, which offers free tuition for all new, full-time students at the Los Angeles Community College District, including LACC, according to the school's website. Biden and her husband, President Joe Biden, pushed last year for a nationwide program that would provide two years of free community college, but Congress rejected the idea. The first lady was in Los Angeles to help host, with President Biden, the Summit of the Americas, a gathering of leaders of democracies in the Western Hemisphere. Jim Cramer says oil is the only dip that can be bought right now here are 3 blue-chip energy stocks that also provide yields as high as 7.8% With the market down double-digits in 2022, a lot of stocks seem to be on sale. But not all of the beaten-down names are worth buying at the moment, according to CNBCs Jim Cramer. I want to be kind to this market and tell you its the same old buy the dips game plan. But in reality, the only dip that can be bought right now, at least, is the dip in oil, Cramer says. Everything else is, as they now say in a damning way, transactional and nothing more. The Mad Money host notes that when sellers start selling oil stocks, buyers would come in and keep the prices up. And that makes the sector stand out compared to the rest of the market. Prices are going higher at the pump, and nobody but the president can do anything about it and even he cant do all that much, he explains. Either way, the lesson is simple: Just get long on some oil stock. So heres a look at three stocks from the sector that Wall Street finds attractive. They also pay healthy dividends. Exxon Mobil (XOM) Lets start with one of the largest blue-chip stocks in the energy space: Exxon Mobil. Thanks to strong commodity prices, the oil-producing giant gushes profits and cash flow. In Q1, Exxon earned $5.5 billion in profits, a huge increase from the $2.7 billion in the year-ago period. Free cash flow totaled $10.8 billion for the quarter, compared to $6.9 billion in the same period last year. Solid financials allow the company to return cash to investors. Exxon pays quarterly dividends of 88 cents per share, translating to an annual yield of 3.4%. Management has also increased the companys share repurchase program to up to $30 billion through 2023. On Tuesday, Evercore ISI analyst Stephen Richardson upgraded Exxon from in line to outperform and set a price target of $120 implying potential upside of 15%. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) Moving up the yield ladder we have Enterprise Products Partners, which operates approximately 50,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquid (NGL), crude oil, refined products, and petrochemical pipelines. Story continues Structured as a master limited partnership, EPD pays oversized cash distributions to investors and grows them over time. Right now, the stock yields a generous 6.5%. The partnership is outearning its payout. In Q1, EPD generated record distributable cash flow of $1.8 billion, which provided 1.8 times coverage of its quarterly distribution. After EPD reported Q1 results, Mizuho analyst Gabriel Moreen reiterated a Buy rating on the stock and raised the price target from $30 to $32 roughly 12% above where the stock sits today. Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP) Magellan Midstream is another high-yield master limited partnership well-positioned for this commodity cycle. Magellan has 9,800 miles of refined products pipelines, 54 connected terminals, and two marine storage terminals. It also owns around 2,200 miles of crude oil pipelines and storage facilities with an aggregate storage capacity of approximately 39 million barrels. The partnership pays quarterly distributions of $1.0375 per unit, giving the stock an enticing annual yield of 7.8%. Management expects Magellan to generate enough cash to cover its payout 1.24 times this year. Last month, JPMorgan analyst Jeremy Tonet upgraded Magellan from neutral to overweight. He also raised the price target to $57 around 8% higher than the current levels. More from MoneyWise This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Lawyers for actor Johnny Depp attribute his victory in a widely followed trial that pitted him against ex-wife Amber Heard to the Pirates of Caribbean star being candid about his personal problems. Johnny owned his issues. He was very candid about his alcohol and drug issues, attorney Benjamin Chew said during an appearance on NBCs Today show on Wednesday. He was candid about some unfortunate texts that he wrote, and I think it was a sharp contrast to Ms. Heard, who didnt seem, or the jury may have perceived, she didnt take accountability. The attorneys described Depps response to the verdict after a trial that stretched on for six weeks, drawing intense public interest, as one of relief. I was speaking with a mutual friend of Johnny and ours and he said, I havent seen Johnny smile like that in six years,' attorney Camille Vasquez told host Savannah Guthrie. Chew added: The weight of the world is off of his shoulders. Hes got his life back. Depp sued Heard over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post in which Heard described herself, without naming Depp, as a victim of domestic abuse. Depp claimed that the insinuations in the essay hurt his reputation and cost him acting jobs. The trial, which included deeply personal and often lurid details about the former couples relationship, caused a media frenzy and sparked intense interest on social media outlets like TikTok and Twitter, with much of the discussion favoring Depp. The jury ultimately ruled in Depps favor on June 1. Depps attorneys denied speculation that they waged an online campaign to rally support behind the actor, calling such accusations utterly baseless. Chew noted that a previous judge had dismissed claims related to publicity campaigns. Its absolutely absurd and baseless, Chew said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez, the lawyers who represented Johnny Depp in the recent defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, have made joint talk show appearances following the conclusion of the trial. On Wednesday, the two joined ABCs Good Morning America and NBCs The Today Show to discuss the case, which ended last week with both Depp and Heard being awarded compensatory damages, albeit with Depp receiving significantly more. More from Variety On Good Morning America, the attorneys were asked by George Stephanopoulos about two points brought up several times by Heards camp and victims advocate groups. When asked if social media swayed the jury, Chew responded, Social media played no role whatsoever. This was a decision made by the jury on the evidence presented by both sides, and as Camille said [earlier in the interview], it was overwhelmingly in Mr. Depps favor. Savannah Guthrie asked the duo a similar question on Today, and they said that even though social media and the 24/7 news cycle are unavoidable, they believe the jury was not swayed. No, I dont think theres any reason to believe that the jurors violated their oath Chew said. And again, that suggestion was disappointing to hear [from Heards lawyer Elaine Bredehoft]. It is everywhere, but at the same time, they were admonished every single night, Vasquez said. They had a tremendous amount of respect for the court and the process, and they were doing they best that they could. Stephanopoulos also asked the pair about criticism that the verdict will have, as he paraphrased victims advocate groups, a chilling effect on domestic violence victims and its a blow to the #MeToo movement. I think our response to that is we encourage any victim to come forward, Vasquez said. Domestic violence doesnt have a gender. When pressed further, she continued, saying, We do not [think is has any negative impact to the #MeToo movement]. We believe that the verdict speaks for itself, the facts are what they were, the jury made a unanimous decision based on those facts. Story continues The trial began when Depp, the plaintiff in the case, sued Heard for three counts of defamation, claiming that an op-ed she published in the Washington Post in 2018 damaged his reputation and stalled his career, though he was not mentioned by name in the piece. A year prior to the op-eds publication, Heard and Depp divorced after two years of marriage. Heard has alleged that Depp abused her throughout the relationship. In 2020, prior to the American trial, the High Court of London ruled against Depp in a separate defamation case spawned by Depp suing The Sun for writing about the abuse allegations. The U.K. court ruled that he assaulted Heard in 12 of 14 alleged incidents. In spite of the previous verdict, the jury in the U.S. trial ruled in favor of all three counts of defamation brought by Depp and ruled in favor of only one count of defamation brought by Heard in her counterclaim. The verdict has caused significant controversy in the days following the trial. Heards attorney Bredehoft, during a talk show appearance of her own on Today, has publicly stated her client plans to appeal the verdict. Prior to the Chew and Vasquezs appearances, a spokesperson for Heard sent a statement regarding their appearances to Variety. It is as unseemly as it is unprofessional that Johnny Depps legal team has chosen to do a victory lap for setting back decades of how women can be treated in the courtroom, the statement reads. Whats next? A movie deal and merchandising? Since the trial reached its verdict, Heard has largely stayed out of the public eye, releasing only a single social media statement. Depp has been much more active, announcing a new collaborative album with Jeff Beck and joining TikTok, where he thanked his loyal fans for their support. 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. Johnny Depp has released a video message to fans pledging to move forward after winning the high-profile defamation case against ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp had sued Heard for $50m (40m) for allegedly implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed. She pursued a $100m (80m) counterclaim. Last week, the jury found that Heard had defamed Depp on all three counts. He was awarded $10m (8m) in compensatory charges related to lost career opportunities,and $350,000 (280,000) in punitive damages. Heard was awarded $2m (1.6m) in damages for one of her three counterclaims leaving her to owe $8.35m (6.7m) in total to Depp. On Tuesday (7 June), Depp shared a video compilation of footage from his recent UK concerts with Jeff Beck. In the caption, he wrote: To all of my most treasured, loyal and unwavering supporters. Weve been everywhere together, we have seen everything together. We have walked the same road together. We did the right thing together, all because you cared. And now, we will all move forward together. Depp continued: You are, as always, my employers and once again I am whittled down to no way to say thank you, other than just by saying thank you. So, thank you. My love & respect, JD. The Pirates actor had originally posted the video to his newly launched TikTok, which has already surpassed 4m followers. Supermodel Naomi Campbell responded in the Instagram comments with five red hearts and the word wiggles. Her support joins other celebrities, including Winona Ryder, Javier Bardem, and Sia, who have voiced their support for Depp. Meanwhile, Ed Norton and Mia Farrow have been inundated by Depp fans after showing their support for Heard. Since his legal victory, Depp has been spotted on multiple occasions around the UK, including spending time with Sam Fender in a Newcastle pub. Heard has remained fairly under the radar. However, the Aquaman actors sister Whitney Henriquez broke her silence after the verdict to share that she is proud of Heard. Texas Department of Family and Protective Services signage at the agencys office in Austin. U.S. District Judge Janis Jack said Monday she plans to levy substantial fines against Texas for failing to comply with her orders to fix its troubled foster care system. Jack said shed announce at a later time a contempt hearing with a jury to consider sanctions. The state has already been sanctioned twice for violating the judges orders. Im looking at substantial fines for contempt enough that you need to know youre entitled to a jury trial, Jack said. I think the public would like to know in a jury trial about these goings-on. Jack said she was looking to sanction Texas in particular over the high rate of children who are sexually victimized or revictimized in foster care and the states failure in several areas, including its inability to properly punish or shut down unsafe child care placement facilities; to report incidents in which a child is made unsafe; and to obtain approval before placing children in facilities on heightened monitoring, a probationary status that requires the state to more closely scrutinize a facilitys operations and put it on an improvement plan. Jack expressed renewed frustration with Texas lack of compliance with fixes she has ordered as part of an 11-year lawsuit against the states foster care system. Those are just a few things Im looking at for contempt but this has gone on far enough, long enough, without any remedial action by me. And every time I meet with you all, especially DFPS, its: Were looking at that, we recognize theres a problem, its going to change, she said. Now, were going to look into fines and apparently, from what Ive read, Texas has significant money to pay fines. In 2019, Jack fined Texas $50,000 a day and threatened to impose greater fines but ultimately ended them after three days. Jack said the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is failing to properly curb unsafe practices in facilities because the agency has issued citations only to infractors and shies away from doling out stronger sanctions. State-licensed facilities are also failing to properly report instances of abuse or neglect to DFPS despite horrible things happening in these facilities, she said. Story continues Jack said one instance in which DFPS failed to cite an individual for neglect was when a 5-year-old foster child drowned at a pool party while the foster parent was not watching them. DFPS officials said during the hearing the foster parent wasnt cited for neglect because she was in the backyard consistently and because it was an accident. Is that the dumbest thing you can ever imagine? Jack said. The child drowned in a pool in the middle of a party, and you didnt find neglectful supervision? Jack also referenced the case of a boy who claimed he was abused in a facility where DFPS had placed him and ran away. According to the court monitors report, his caretakers located him at his school but couldnt get him to return with them; after attempting to pick him up twice, they left him there. Hours later, the boy was struck by a vehicle after squatting on the road to allegedly tend to an injured dog, the court monitors report said. He told a school law enforcement officer he didnt want to return to the facility he was placed in because he got beaten up. A quarter of children that DFPS identified as victims of sexual abuse were victimized or revictimized after entering foster care, according to court-appointed monitors who act as watchdogs over the system. That is not an acceptable figure, Jack said. I dont know what is an acceptable one but 25% is not. Throughout the hearing, Jack repeatedly expressed frustration because DFPS officials could not immediately provide her with case specifics when she requested them, leading her to ask if they had read the court monitors reports that were provided to them days ago. State officials said yes. The judge referenced an incident in January at the Bastrop-based shelter The Refuge, where a staff member allegedly solicited and sold nude pictures of two girls in the facilitys care. The incident eventually led authorities to shut down the 50-acre ranch while they conduct an investigation. The accused staff member was previously fired from a state juvenile facility for having inappropriate relationships with children in her care but was still hired at The Refuge. Shelter officials say they didnt know about her past infractions; they never verified her employment at the juvenile facility. Jack called on the states child welfare officials to come up with a system to prevent similar situations from arising and to figure out a way to obtain information from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on caretakers who have been found responsible for abuse or neglect. Ahead of the hearing, The Refuge filed two amicus briefs detailing their side of the story but Jack struck them from the record. During the hearing, she cut off The Refuges attorney from interjecting, saying that The Refuge is not a party in the 11-year case against the state. The next regular court hearing in this case is scheduled for December. Join us Sept. 22-24 in person in downtown Austin for The Texas Tribune Festival and experience 100+ conversation events featuring big names you know and others you should from the worlds of politics, public policy, the media and tech all curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Buy tickets. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/06/texas-foster-care-sanctions/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. More: Sometimes a real crisis overtakes the dubious crisis that politicians want you to focus on This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Judge plans to levy 'substantial fines' over Texas foster care A Kansas native who left the U.S. more than a decade ago and later led an all-female battalion of ISIS fighters pleaded guilty Tuesday to participating in a conspiracy to support terrorism, according to federal prosecutors. Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, formerly of Topeka, pleaded guilty to a single felony charge during a hearing in the Eastern District of Virginia. In accepting a plea agreement, Fluke-Ekren admitted that she was once the leader of Khatiba Nusaybah, a female ISIS group tasked with defending ISIS interests in the Syrian city of Raqqa. Established sometime in 2016, the battalion members were instructed how to defend against enemies of ISIS. One of the aspirations of the group was to train fighters to sneak behind enemy positions with AK-47s and detonate explosives after ammunition ran out, according to court papers. Members were also trained in martial arts, medical knowledge, driving through terrain with improvised explosives and prepping a go bag with rifles and other military supplies. Over the course of her time overseas, Fluke-Ekren allegedly helped to teach more than 100 women and girls some as young as 10 or 11 years old to use AK-47s, grenades and suicide belts. Fluke-Ekren studied biology at the University of Kansas and later went on to study education at Earlham College in Indiana, according to a summary of facts filed in the court on Tuesday. After marrying her second husband, she left the U.S. for Egypt sometime in 2008, later making her way through Libya, Iraq and Syria. Other details emerged Tuesday that Fluke-Ekren assisted her husband with reviewing and summarizing documents stolen during the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, where four Americans were killed. She allegedly provided details from the documents to leaders of the terrorist organization Ansar al-Sharia. The husband she left the U.S. with eventually became a leader of ISIS snipers in Syria, according to court papers. He was later killed in a drone strike. She married two other ISIS men who died for the cause, including another killed in a U.S. drone strike. Story continues During interviews with investigators, witnesses who spoke with Fluke-Ekren during her time overseas said she discussed ideas for an attack on U.S. soil. She allegedly thought locations with a high number of people were the best targets and wished terrorist attacks that unfolded in other countries had occurred in the U.S. One idea she raised was parking a vehicle filled with explosives at a shopping mall parking garage and detonating the device from a cellphone. She also discussed ideas for an attack on the campus of a Midwestern college involving explosives, according to court papers. Fluke-Ekren in 2018 asked an ISIS affiliate to help get a message to a family member saying she was dead so that the U.S. government would stop looking for her. She allegedly said she wished to die in Syria as a martyr, according to court papers. Court papers say Fluke-Ekren remained affiliated with ISIS until around May 2019, when she was smuggled out of ISIS territory and married a fifth time. She turned herself over to a local Syrian police force in the summer of 2021 and was kept in a prison until she was extradited to the U.S. in January. Under federal law, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. An attorney for Fluke-Ekren declined to comment to The Star. Los Angeles voters will get to choose between Rick Caruso and Karen Bass in the November mayoral election. (Photo: Getty Images) Los Angeles voters will get to choose between Rick Caruso and Karen Bass in the November mayoral election. (Photo: Getty Images) Rep. Karen Bass and Rick Caruso will progress to Los Angeles mayoral race this fall after claiming the top two spots in Tuesdays nonpartisan primary, setting the stage for a heated battle over the direction of a city at a major inflection point. The candidates, both running as Democrats, beat out 10 other mayoral hopefuls, including City Councilman Kevin de Leon and activist Gina Viola. Bass, a community organizer whos represented Los Angeles in the U.S. House of Representatives for over a decade, and Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer whos served on several government commissions, will both try to sell Angelenos this November on their readiness to tackle the citys seemingly insurmountable homelessness crisis, a recent uptick in violent crime and the politics of a COVID-19 pandemic that just wont go away. One of them will replace Mayor Eric Garcetti, whos being forced out by term limits and hopes to be confirmed as the next ambassador to India. Bass, one of the countrys prominent Black female politicians who was a finalist on President Joe Bidens shortlist of running mates, represents the liberal Democratic establishment in many ways but has promised innovation in solving LAs homelessness crisis, which is one of the most serious in the country. That includes using her connections in Washington to secure more federal housing vouchers and addressing the policy failures that have left so people homeless in the first place, shes said. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) has served in the U.S. House since 2011. (Photo: via Associated Press) Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) has served in the U.S. House since 2011. (Photo: via Associated Press) Housing activists say Bass is uniquely qualified to help the citys homeless population, which comprises more than 40,000 individuals. While working as a physician assistant in the 1980s, Bass began organizing a response to the crack epidemic in South Los Angeles and successfully secured millions in government funding to help communities affected by the crisis. In her mayoral campaign, shes vowed to put resources toward those struggling with addiction, mental illness and homelessness instead of prosecuting them. Story continues But Basss plan to deploy hundreds of new police officers has created tension between her and the citys more progressive wing, including leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement. She says she plans to house 15,000 people in her first year in office if elected. If you tell me that you want to build housing for the homeless, you go to the front of the line, Bass said in April. You should not have to stand in line with somebody that is building luxury housing. We dont need any more luxury housing, in my opinion, in the Los Angeles area. Thats a not-so-subtle dig at Caruso, who made his name developing high-end shopping centers and planned residential communities. This isnt his first foray into government: Hes served as commissioner for the citys Department of Water and Power, a member of the citys Coliseum Commission and president of the citys Board of Police Commissioners. Rick Caruso is the developer behind some of the Los Angeles region's biggest retail centers. (Photo: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images via Getty Images) Rick Caruso is the developer behind some of the Los Angeles region's biggest retail centers. (Photo: MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images via Getty Images) Caruso, who was registered as a Republican three years ago and only registered as a Democrat right before announcing his mayoral campaign, often touts the citys 30% drop in crime when he led the police commission in the early 2000s. Though critics say hes overstating his role in that eras falling crime rates, his position has resonated with plenty of voters, who catapulted him to the front of the race in the weeks leading up to the primary. Spending more than $30 million to flood the airwaves with ads certainly hasnt hurt him, either. That staggering amount totals more than ten times the spending of the entire Bass campaign. In his pledges to voters, Caruso says he hopes to deploy around 1,500 new police officers and build 30,000 new shelter beds within a year. Im going to make L.A. more livable, Caruso told The New York Times recently. Were going to have cleaner streets and better parks, and were going to have lower crime. And youre going to be able to go for a walk and not worry about it. Hes earned the support of some vocal celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow and Snoop Dogg. Bass, meanwhile, boasts endorsements from Ariana Grande, Shonda Rhimes and Steven Spielberg. The two will face off in the general election on Nov. 8. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... An inmate is at-large after escaping custody in Lexington Tuesday afternoon, according to Lexington police. Sgt. Nate Williams said Lexington police received a call from the Nicholas County Sheriffs Office around 3 p.m. for a report that a Nicholas County inmate escaped custody while being transported. The female inmate was last seen in 100 block of E. New Circle Road, according to police. The woman is not considered a threat to the public, according to Williams. She was being held on non-violent charges. After the report came in, police set up a perimeter and brought in K-9 units to track down the inmate, according to Williams. Police cleared the scene shortly afterwards after being unable to locate the inmate. A new King County proposal would create a program that allows anyone with unwanted firearms or ammunition to turn those items in to any King County Sheriffs Office precinct or a storefront operated by the agency. The gun buyback program would be permanent and an attempt to keep guns from getting onto the streets. The proposal currently has the support of 4 out of 9 county councilmembers. Councilmember Rod Dembowski said this proposal was at the top of his mind. Reducing the number of guns in circulation will reduce the number of accidents, injuries and deaths caused by guns. And we know from past experience that people welcome the opportunity to turn unwanted guns over to a responsible part for disposal. This program will make that resource available to residents countywide. The city of Seattle and King County both held gun buyback programs in previous years. In 2013, 716 firearms were turned in to King County and in 1992, 1,172 firearms were turned in to Seattle. Those against the proposal have questioned the effectiveness of the program in lowering gun violence, while those in support call this a step forward. More news from KIRO 7 DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP If you want to know who really controls Nanoco Group plc (LON:NANO), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome. Nanoco Group is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of UK127m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. In the chart below, we can see that institutions own shares in the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Nanoco Group. See our latest analysis for Nanoco Group What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Nanoco Group? Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. Nanoco Group already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Nanoco Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Nanoco Group. Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe) Limited is currently the largest shareholder, with 27% of shares outstanding. Richard Griffiths is the second largest shareholder owning 5.9% of common stock, and Nigel Pickett holds about 3.7% of the company stock. Nigel Pickett, who is the third-largest shareholder, also happens to hold the title of Member of the Board of Directors. Story continues On further inspection, we found that more than half the company's shares are owned by the top 10 shareholders, suggesting that the interests of the larger shareholders are balanced out to an extent by the smaller ones. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There is a little analyst coverage of the stock, but not much. So there is room for it to gain more coverage. Insider Ownership Of Nanoco Group The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of Nanoco Group plc. It has a market capitalization of just UK127m, and insiders have UK13m worth of shares in their own names. We would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 29% stake in Nanoco Group. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Nanoco Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. By Hyonhee Shin and Joori Roh SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea's recent missile tests were "serious, unlawful" provocations, senior officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan said on Wednesday, urging Pyongyang to return to dialogue and accept offers of COVID-19 aid. South Korea Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori made the comments as they gathered in Seoul, days after North Korea conducted the latest in a series of missile tests and signs of preparations for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017. The three-way meeting of the countries' No. 2 diplomats, the first such gathering since November and the first since South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May, highlighted the urgency and gravity of North Korea's intensifying weapons tests. Mori's visit also marked such trip by the Japanese vice foreign minister since late 2017 amid strained bilateral ties over issues including Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula and war-time labour. The trio urged Pyongyang to abide by international sanctions and immediately cease actions that "escalate tensions or destabilise the region," a joint statement said. They also pledged to ramp up trilateral security cooperation to curb the North's threats, with Sherman reaffirming the U.S. defence commitments, including extended deterrence. "They stressed that a path to serious and sustained dialogue remains open and urged the DPRK to return to negotiations, while also expressing their hope that the DPRK will respond positively to international offers of assistance to fight against COVID-19," the statement said, referring to North Korea by its the initials of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. TESTING TIMES North Korea has carried out at least 18 rounds of weapons tests this year, underscoring its evolving nuclear and missile arsenals. Story continues In its latest test, North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles, likely its largest single launch, a day after South Korea and the United States ended joint military drills involving an American aircraft carrier. The allies launched eight surface-to-surface missiles on Monday in their own show of force responding to the North's test. South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, and U.S. President Joe Biden vowed at their recent summit to deploy more U.S. strategic military assets as part of efforts to bolster the extended deterrence. Yoon expressed serious concerns and vowed to sternly respond to the North's illegal actions but said he would leave the door open for dialogue, his office said on Wednesday. He made the comment during a video conference with Nguyen Phu Trong, chief of Vietnam's Communist Party which has long ties with North Korea, asking him to help bring back Pyongyang to the negotiating table. Seoul officials have said Pyongyang has conducted multiple experiments with a detonation device in preparation for its seventh underground nuclear explosion, which Sherman has said would trigger a strong and clear response. The nuclear test could come as early as next week ahead of a planned plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful central committee, some analysts said. "The meeting is primarily designed to review economy and other policy issues, but it could also touch on nuclear policy," said Cheong Seong-chang, director of South Korea's Sejong Institute's North Korea studies centre, referring to previous meetings held shortly after nuclear tests in 2013 and 2017. North Korea has also been grappling with its first confirmed coronavirus outbreak since last month. It has reported more than 4.2 million patients with fever symptoms among its 25 million population, but never confirmed how many tested positive for the virus, lacking in test kits and medical supplies. Seoul and Washington said they had respectively offered COVID aid but Pyongyang did not respond, even as the World Health Organization warned of a worsening COVID-19 situation there. "The United States remains prepared to meet the DPRK without preconditions and we iterate again, we have no possible intent toward the DPRK," Sherman told a joint news conference. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin, Joori Roh and Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday the onus was on Ukraine to solve the problem of resuming grain shipments by de-mining its ports. Lavrov said no action was required on the Russian side because it had already made the necessary commitments. "We state daily that we're ready to guarantee the safety of vessels leaving Ukrainian ports and heading for the (Bosphorus) gulf, we're ready to do that in cooperation with our Turkish colleagues," he said after talks with his Turkish counterpart. "To solve the problem, the only thing needed is for the Ukrainians to let vessels out of their ports, either by demining them or by marking out safe corridors, nothing more is required." Ukraine is one of the world's biggest exporters of grain, and Western countries have accused Russia of creating the risk of global famine by shutting Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Moscow denies responsibility for the international food crisis, blaming Western sanctions. Lavrov said the main problem was that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had "categorically refused" to resolve the problem of the mined ports. "If they've now changed their position, then on our side there are no complications, let's see how the preliminary agreements we discussed yesterday and today can be put into practice." Speaking alongside his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara, Lavrov said he appreciated Turkey's efforts in looking for ways to resolve the situation. Lavrov said Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine was going according to plan and that peace talks would need to resume before there was any chance of talks between President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy. (Reporting by Reuters) Mane wants to leave Liverpool this summer (AFP via Getty Images) Liverpool have rejected a second offer from Bayern Munich for Sadio Mane which only amounted to 30million including bonuses and are sticking by their valuation of 50million (42.5million) for the Senegal forward. Bayern would have had to win the Champions League and Mane the Ballon dOr in each of the next three years to trigger all the bonuses to reach 30million and Liverpool believe that an initial sum of 23.5million is insufficient and that the add-ons are laughable. The German champions are asking for 50million for the Barcelona target Robert Lewandowski who, like Mane, has one season left on his current contract but is three years older than the Liverpool winger. Liverpool consider 50million a benchmark price for a player of Manes proven expertise in the Premier League and the Champions League, especially given the versatility of the Senegalese, who has excelled in all three forward positions in Jurgen Klopps side. While Bayern want a meeting to discuss a deal, Liverpool believe it serves no purpose unless they are willing to make a serious bid. Their first offer for the former Southampton player only came to 25million, including add-ons. Liverpool are adamant that they will only sell Mane if the price is right and if they can secure a replacement. They are interested in Darwin Nunez, but Benfica are demanding 85million for the striker and Liverpool are determined not to get into a bidding war with Manchester United, who are also interested in the Uruguayan. Liverpool also have other attacking targets and, while they signed Luis Diaz in January, want to add a forward if Mane leaves, especially with Divock Origis departure already confirmed and the possibility Takumi Minamino may go. SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Shanghai officials are seeking to revive confidence among multinational companies bruised and frustrated by the city's COVID-19 lockdown by holding multiple meetings with foreign firms and easing a key border requirement for overseas workers. The image of China's most cosmopolitan city and its biggest business hub was badly damaged by the two-month lockdown, with countless expatriates relocating and foreign businesses warning that they are reconsidering investment plans. The Shanghai government plans to hold 20 meetings this month with foreign firms engaged in key industries such as automobiles, trade, semiconductors and biomedicine, a report by the Jiefang Daily, a Shanghai government-backed newspaper, said on Sunday. The report was reposted on the Shanghai city website. The firms would be picked from major investment countries and regions, including the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea. Four online meetings have been held so far since June 1, when the city eased its lockdown, according to Shanghai government statements. The first was attended by executives from U.S. blue chips such as Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, and the second included automakers Tesla, General Motors and Ford. The companies did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Wednesday. In addition, the European Chamber of Commerce said on Tuesday it had been informed during a meeting with the city's vice mayor that Shanghai will no longer require official invitation letters, so-called PU letters, for foreigners returning for work and their dependents, addressing what had become a bugbear for the expat community. China began in early 2020 to require foreigners to obtain PU letters as part of their visa application as it dramatically tightened border controls when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Many firms had complained about the difficulties and long waits in obtaining the document, which impeded the hiring of foreign staff. Story continues 'INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE WORK' The removal of this requirement was "an initiative from central government to encourage work and production resumption in Shanghai", the European Chamber said. Asked for comment on Wednesday, the Shanghai government referred to remarks city official Gu Jun made at a press conference in late May, in which he acknowledged that the epidemic had impacted foreign trade and investment in the city. He said the city would take measures to boost confidence among businesess and support multinationals in setting up regional headquarters and research centres in Shanghai. It did not provide further comment. Tom Simpson, managing director of the China-Britain Business Council, said it was expecting to meet with the Shanghai government in the coming weeks. Shanghai had provided its members "more practical" business resumption support including issuing logistics permits and reopening warehouses, he said. During the lockdown, Shanghai tried to keep factories open under "closed loop" operations but businesses said the arrangements posed numerous difficulties. The lack of flights into China - the vast majority have been cancelled for more than two years - also remains a key hindrance. China has resolutely stuck to a "zero-COVID" policy that aims to eradicate the spread of the virus, an approach that is increasingly out of step with the rest of the world where economies have reopened after vaccination campaigns. Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber, said the zero-COVID policy was not just denting Shanghai's attractiveness, but China as a whole, especially as other rival markets open and try to lure companies away from China. "The world is not going to wait for China to clean this mess," he said. (Reporting by Brenda Goh and Zhang Yan in Shanghai, Martin Pollard, Sophie Yu and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Jamie Freed and Mark Heinrich) LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY'S ROOSEVELT SCHOOL & THE SOCIETY OF PRESIDENTIAL DESCENDANTS HONOR DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN AT INAUGURAL GALA PR Newswire BROOKVILLE, N.Y., June 8, 2022 BROOKVILLE, N.Y., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Roosevelt School and the Society of Presidential Descendants today announced they will host an inaugural gala, honoring Doris Kearns Goodwin, a leading presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times #1 best-selling author, for her career achievements. Doris Kearns Goodwin. Photo by Annie Leibovitz. The inaugural event will be held on June 11 at the LIU Post campus in Brookville. The schedule of events includes: Panel discussions led by the Society of Presidential Descendants entitled "Living in the White House," featuring personal stories of the Descendants' ancestors and reflections on their leadership. Symposium titled "What You Don't Know About Theodore Roosevelt" on the personal life and legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt hosted by his great-grandson Tweed Roosevelt, president and co-founder of The Society of Presidential Descendants, and chairman and professor at The Roosevelt School. "Long Island University is a national leader in presidential studies, service learning, and civic education," said University President Kimberly R. Cline. "Our ambitious academic and research agenda provides opportunities for students to grow as thought leaders and innovators who will serve and inspire their communities." The Gala will take place inside the "White House Experience" at The Roosevelt School, featuring replicas of the executive mansion's most famous rooms. "The gala will be a unique opportunity for participants to hear personal stories direct from family members about their presidential ancestors," said Tweed Roosevelt. "We are proud to honor Doris Kearns Goodwin and bring together such renowned leaders to educate and encourage students to shape the future of our country." For more information about the event, visit https://community.liu.edu/sopd_gala_2022. Story continues The Society of Presidential Descendants includes direct descendants of one or more United States presidents who support the study of the presidency and advocate for civic engagement. The partnership between The Roosevelt School and Society of Presidential Descendants has garnered national recognition for: Founding National Civics Day, celebrated each year on October 27 Awarding the prestigious Biennial Presidential Leadership Book Award in October 2021 to Ted Widmer, author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington Hosting members of the Society as distinguished lecturers during the Roosevelt Conference on Leadership and Service The Roosevelt School includes the Theodore Roosevelt Institute, a nexus for public seminars, research, and educational programs to develop leaders and advance policy while promoting the legacy of President Roosevelt; the Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling, and Analysis, which conducts independent polling, empirical research, and analysis on a wide range of public issues; and the Global Service Institute, which brings together world leaders, dynamic thinkers and top analysts to empower service innovation and education for a sustainable world. About Long Island University (LIU) Long Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, LIU has a network of over 285,000 alumni, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information. A replica Resolute Desk inside the Oval Office of the "White House Experience" exhibit at Long Island University's Roosevelt School. Long Island University (PRNewsfoto/Long Island University) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/long-island-universitys-roosevelt-school--the-society-of-presidential-descendants-honor-doris-kearns-goodwin-at-inaugural-gala-301564091.html SOURCE Long Island University Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, one of the 19 students killed in the May mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, always wore green, high-top Converse sneakers. Matthew McConaughey, an Uvalde native, brought a similar pair of sneakers with him to the White House on Tuesday, using them as a pointed call to action to leaders in Washington to make these lives matter after the horrific shooting by passing new gun laws. Maite wore green, high-top Converse with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature, he said. These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting, he continued, describing the devastation the Uvalde gunmans assault rifle wrought inside the classroom. How about that? Texas School Shooting McConaughey (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) But the 10-year-old left behind more than just a pair of sneakers. There are memories of a sweet, ambitious girl who dreamed of being a marine biologist. There is devastation in the family and community that knew her. And there are pointed calls from those closest to her, insisting that leaders in Texas and beyond finally do something about the gun violence epidemic plaguing children in the US, who are more likely to die from gunfire than active-duty police and military members combined. Rodriguez loved the colour green, getting burgers from Whataburger with jalapenos, and watching the animated show Attack on Titan. She was a bright student, honoured for good grades the day of the 24 May shooting, and hoped to one day study biology at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. This horrific and senseless nightmare that I just cant seem to wake up from has absolutely crushed and debilitated my life and heart, her mother Ana wrote on Facebook after the massacre. The passing of my beautiful daughter has rocked me to my core and I simply cannot wrap my head around what has happened. My deepest condolences to all the families involved. Story continues Texas School Shooting McConaughey (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) She was sweet, charismatic, loving, caring, loyal, free, ambitious, funny, silly, goal driven and best of all my very best friend! Ms Rodriguez added. Her dream to become a marine biologist started in kindergarten. The 10-year-old was a gentle child, good with babies and animals, though her mum said the youngster also had a competitive streak and was known to give it her all in PE. Maite was a sweet girl and those who know and loved her were blessed with her kind, ambitious, friendly and sweet soul, read an obituary of the girl. Ms Rodriguez has said Texas leaders Governor Gregg Abbott are an absolute embarrassment to Texas for being unwilling to change gun laws after the totally predictable tragedy. "How can an 18-year-old buy an AR but he cannot buy beer," she told Rolling Stone. "...In my opinion, nobodys brain is fully developed at the age of 18. Youre still a child, and what would a child do with an AR? I guess we all know now." Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi honoured Rodriguez with a scholarship in her memory, open to an Uvalde student pursuing marine biology. A portrait of Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, one of the 19 school children killed in the May, 2022, mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. (REK Funerals) "Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi wanted to honor the memory of Maite Rodriguez after learning of her desire to become an Islander. The university created a scholarship in her name to ensure she will forever be a part of the Islander family, university president Kelly Miller said last week. A cousin set up a GoFundMe page for her family, to raise funds as they take time to grieve the loss of this sweet smart little girl. McConaughey likely learned about Rodriguezs story during a visit at the end of May to Uvalde, his hometown. The actor didnt publicise the visit, but met with hospital staff and others in the community. The Texas star, himself a gun owner, has been vocally calling for more gun control after the shooting. As you all are aware there was another mass shooting today, this time in my hometown of Uvalde, Texas, the actor wrote on Twitter on 24 May. Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us. We cannot exhale once again, make excuses, and accept these tragic realities as the status quo, he added. Like Rodriguezs mother, McConaughey says an 18-year-old shouldnt be allowed to purchase an assault rifle, calling it a reasonable, practical, tactical regulation. We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21, the actor said at the White House. We need a waiting period for those rifles. We need red flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them. A Washington man was charged with insurance fraud after he was accused of adding a car to his insurance policy shortly after getting into an accident. The Battle Ground man was charged with false claims or proof and attempted theft, according to a June 7 release from the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The agency said he was involved in a two-vehicle crash in April 2019, and that his car wasnt insured at the time. The man added his 2004 Nissan to an existing policy without telling his insurance company that he had just been in an accident, the release said. The other driver filed a claim against his policy the next day, and the insurance company Progressive found that the Clark County Sheriffs Office had responded to the crash 26 minutes before the man had added his car to the policy, the release said. Progressive denied the mans claim for $3,730.03 and reported the incident to the state insurance commissioners criminal investigation unit, the release said. A similar fraud case A Washington woman was charged with insurance fraud under similar circumstances, according to the release. The woman, from Spokane Valley, was involved in a crash in February 2020. She reinstated her Progressive policy at 4:07 p.m. local time and then said she had been in a crash at 4:49 p.m. the same day, the release said. When reinstating her policy, the woman told Progressive that she hadnt been in a collision in the last five years, the release said. The agency later found that the other driver involved reported the accident at 3:53 p.m., before the woman reinstated her policy, the release said. Progressive denied the womans claim for $12,471.10 and referred the case to the state insurance commissioners criminal investigation unit, the release said. She was charged with presenting a false claim for insurance purposes. Insurance companies are legally required to report instances of fraud to the commissioner, the release said. Story continues Customers lost $31 million in gold, silver investments in duos Ponzi scheme, feds say Mans $5 million in COVID loans paid for Malibu home and investment property, feds say Man said stealing buses to offer charter trips was better than selling drugs, feds say Trader Joes employees in Massachusetts who hope to form the grocery chains first union say they have gathered enough signatures from their co-workers to hold an election at their store. The nascent union campaign known as Trader Joes United announced Wednesday that it had filed a petition asking the National Labor Relations Board to hold a vote for the store in Hadley, north of Springfield. The campaign is a new, independent group not affiliated with an established labor union. At least 30% of a workplace needs to sign union authorization cards in order for the NLRB to greenlight an election. Trader Joes United said it had gathered well over that many signatures, without offering an exact figure. The labor board must review the workers petition to determine whether theyve cleared the threshold and are entitled to a vote. A successful union campaign at one Trader Joes store could quickly spread to others within the chain of more than 500 locations. Thats clearly been the case for Starbucks, where workers have unionized more than 120 stores in a matter of months after decades of the company being union-free. We have a ton of support and were just moving forward the best we can.Maeg Yosef, Trader Joe's United A Trader Joes spokesperson told HuffPost earlier this week that it welcomed a vote and would not stand in the way of one. We believe Trader Joes is a great place to work and our compensation, benefits and working conditions are among the best in the grocery business. We welcome a fair vote and are prepared to hold a vote if more than 30% of the Crew wants one, the spokesperson, Nakia Rohde, said in an email, using the company term for workers. Trader Joes has brushed off unionization efforts in the past. In 2020, CEO Dan Bane called a union organizing campaign a distraction, saying a union could not improve on what Trader Joes offers. He invited a union vote wherever employees wanted one. HuffPost reported Tuesday that workers at the Hadley store have filed unfair labor practice charges against the company, accusing managers of interfering with their union efforts. Two workers told HuffPost they had been ordered to remove their union pins or go home for the day without pay. Under NLRB precedent, there are few circumstances in which an employer can legally require a worker to remove union insignia. Story continues Maeg Yosef, a Trader Joes employee of 18 years and spokesperson for the union campaign, told HuffPost she was among those told to remove their pins. She said management had also removed union literature from a break room at one point. Although the campaign does not have staff attorneys, labor attorneys have been advising the workers on their rights, according to Yosef. We have a ton of support and were just moving forward the best we can, she said. Trader Joes has brushed off unionization efforts in the past. In 2020, CEO Dan Bane called a union organizing campaign a distraction, saying a union could not improve on what Trader Joes offers. (Photo: SOPA Images via Getty Images) Trader Joes has brushed off unionization efforts in the past. In 2020, CEO Dan Bane called a union organizing campaign a distraction, saying a union could not improve on what Trader Joes offers. (Photo: SOPA Images via Getty Images) Yosef said many workers perception of Trader Joes has changed in recent years. The grocer has long been seen as a decent place to work with good benefits, but the company has taken some steps that have angered longtime employees. As HuffPost recently reported, this year it slashed retirement benefits by half for many workers, reducing the companys 401(k) contribution from 10% of wages earned in a year down to 5%. Jamie Edwards, an organizer at the Hadley store whos been with Trader Joes for nine years, said the grocer lost much of its sheen while workers toiled through the pandemic, feeling as though their safety concerns werent taken seriously. Edwards retirement contributions were slashed despite having a nearly decade-long tenure. I feel like the company was doing everything they could to make people want to unionize, Edwards said. By declining to affiliate with a known labor group, Trader Joes United is following a path similar to the Amazon Labor Union, which pulled off a stunning upset at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, earlier this year. Independent union efforts typically lack the resources and experience of well-funded labor campaigns, but they are more immune to managements efforts to paint them as a third party, since everyone involved in the union is a worker. Election petitions are sometimes withdrawn after theyve been filed, if the union turns out not to have sufficient support. Such was the case initially with the Amazon Labor Union, which filed for an election, withdrew that petition, then re-filed for the ultimately successful vote in March. A union needs to win a simple majority of votes cast in order to become the workers bargaining representative. Unions typically go for an election once theyve secured the backing of a supermajority in the workplace, assuming the company will run an aggressive anti-union campaign that erodes support. But they can still succeed by filing for an election with only a minority of support, as the Amazon Labor Union did, so long as they continue to organize in the run-up to the vote and grow their base. Yosef said the Hadley store recently received a visit from a Trader Joes executive, Jon Basalone, the chains president of stores. The company said the visit was standard practice, but Yosef said she believes it was certainly tied to the union effort. If theyre coming out here and sending Jon Basalone already, I think it just means that theyre that scared, she said. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Matthew McConaughey told Fox News that the extreme right and extreme left have too much influence in America, and are blocking consensus on urgent issues like gun control. I think were being told were more divided than we are, he told host Bret Baier on Tuesday, part of the actors Washington tour as he hopes to push lawmakers to enact new gun control rules after the mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde. I think that the veil over the masses eyes, I think we got the numbers, Mr McConaughey added. We got to pull that veil off, quit drinking the Kool-Aid, because were hearing it from both sides, extreme right and extreme left, and they have the microphones. The actor, who describes himself as a centrist and a gun-owner, used the example of both him and Mr Baier being fathers. Now, I bet you and I can get something done, talking about being dads, giving a damn about our kids and their futures. I bet we can come to an agreement on that, he said. Earlier that day, the actor spoke at the White House, urging lawmakers to make theses lives matter and remember Maite Yuleana Rodriguez , one of the 19 students who was killed in the Uvalde massacre. Maite wore green, high-top Converse with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature, he said. These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting, he continued, describing the devastation the Uvalde gunmans assault rifle wrought inside the classroom. How about that? A bipartisan group of senators is working on a potential gun deal, the first new set of firearms restrictions in three decades, though any agreement likely wont include the age restrictions on buying assault rifles that Mr McConaugheyas well as Uvalde victims families have been calling for. The package would reportedly include provisions about school security and mental health. This issue is too important not to do everything we can to find a bipartisan way forward, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday . Were giving [Republicans] the opportunity, the chance, to say yes were ready and eager to find common ground on something that can actually help address gun violence. Story continues Mr McConaugheys passionate advocacy around guns follows a period last fall where he was mulling a run for governor. In November, he announced he wouldnt be seeking office . "As a simple kid born in the little town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership," Mr McConaughey said. "Its a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that Im choosing not to take at this moment." Instead, the actor has said hes committed to creating pathways to help people succeed in life." Former German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday defended her years-long policy of detente towards Moscow, saying she had "nothing to apologise for" even as the Ukraine war casts a pall on her legacy. In her first major interview since stepping down six months ago, Merkel insisted she had not been naive in her dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Diplomacy isn't wrong just because it hasn't worked," the 67-year-old said on stage in a Berlin theatre, in an interview broadcast on the Phoenix news channel. She recalled her support for economic sanctions against Russia over its 2014 annexation of Crimea, and the German-French efforts to keep the Minsk peace process for Ukraine alive. "I don't have to blame myself for not trying hard enough," the conservative ex-chancellor said. "I don't see that I have to say 'that was wrong' and that's why I have nothing to apologise for." The veteran leader, who frequently met with Putin during her 16 years in power and championed a commerce-driven, pragmatic approach towards Moscow, said the February 24 invasion of Ukraine had marked a "turning point". - 'Wants to destroy Europe' - There was "no justification whatsoever" for the "brutal" and illegal war of aggression, she said, adding that Putin had made "a big mistake". "He wants to destroy Europe," she warned. "It's very important for the European Union to stick together now." But she batted away criticism that she had been wrong to block Ukraine from joining NATO in 2008, saying it was not ready then and she wanted to avoid "further escalation" with Putin, who was already seething about the military alliance's perceived eastward expansion. She also insisted that the 2014-2015 Minsk peace pacts, which now lie in tatters, were at the time seen as the best bet to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian soldiers. The peace process "brought some calm" that gave Ukraine an extra seven years to develop as a democracy and strengthen its military, she said, in a nod to Kyiv's much praised resistance against the invading Russian troops. Story continues "The courage and passion with which they are fighting for their country is very impressive," Merkel said, adding she had "the highest respect" for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Merkel insisted there was no way to avoid dealing with Putin because Russia, like China, was too big to ignore. "We have to find a way to co-exist despite all our differences," she said. - 'Language of strength' - Confronted with criticism of the "change through trade" policy pushed by successive German governments, Merkel said she was never under the illusion that closer trade links would spur democratic reforms in Russia. "I never thought Putin would change through trade," she said. But in the absence of a political rapprochement, "having some economic ties makes sense". Germany became hugely reliant on Russian energy imports on Merkel's watch, and she long irked Western allies with her backing for the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to double Russian gas deliveries to Germany. The project was shelved by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in late February over Russia's aggression, and Europe's top economy is now joining EU partners in a race to wean itself off Russian oil, gas and coal. In another major reversal, Scholz has pledged to invest 100 billion euros ($107 billion) in modernising Germany's military, seen as chronically underfunded during the Merkel era. Scholz, a Social Democrat who served as finance minister in Merkel's last coalition government, has also vowed to spend more than two percent of annual gross domestic product on defence, surpassing NATO's target. Merkel voiced support for her successor's decisions, saying strength was "the only language Putin understands". During the interview, Merkel -- who remains hugely popular in Germany -- also offered a rare glimpse into her private life since retiring, spending time on her own on the Baltic Sea coast, taking walks and catching up on her reading. After 30 years in politics, Merkel said she was enjoying not having to rush from appointment to appointment. "Personally, I'm doing well," she told the audience, even if she felt sombre about the war in Ukraine, "like so many people". "I had imagined my time after leaving office a bit differently," Merkel said. mfp/mtp While temperature records this spring have already fallen across much of the country, a potentially deadly heat wave will take aim at the southwestern U.S. over the coming days, the National Weather Service is warning. The latest heat wave will affect California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado over the next 24 hours before pushing east into Texas and states in the Central Plains. Heat will build across the southwest into this weekend with plenty of 100+ temps across the southwest and CA central valley. Cooler temperatures return next week as the heat surges eastward into the Plains.https://t.co/asAP108BNk pic.twitter.com/VHpi08J92t National Weather Service (@NWS) June 8, 2022 Triple-digit temperatures are forecast across several states. Las Vegas is expected to hit 111 degrees F on Friday and Saturday. Highs in Phoenix will be even hotter, hitting 113 on Saturday and Sunday, and 114 on Monday. Austin, Texas, could reach 107 over the weekend and Dallas could hit 105 on Sunday. In all, an estimated 22 million people are expected to be affected by the high temperatures over the next few days. On its website, the National Weather Service is advising residents of Phoenix to avoid strenuous activity and to postpone/cancel outdoor activities over the coming days. The National Weather Service is warning residents of a "dangerous and deadly heat wave" that will last through the weekend. (National Weather Service/Yahoo News) The risks to human health from excessive heat are well documented. In 2020, Maricopa County, Ariz., where Phoenix is located, recorded a record 323 heat deaths for a given year. In 2021, a new record was set, with 338 heat-associated deaths reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Heat waves also pose a danger to infrastructure. High heat can deteriorate and buckle pavement, warp or buckle railway tracks, and exceed certain types of aircraft operational limits, the National Weather Service said on its website. Electricity usage increases as air conditioning and refrigeration units in homes and offices work harder to keep indoors cooler. Transmission capacity across electric lines is reduced during high temperatures, further straining the electrical grid. Story continues A Phoenix-area construction worker stays hydrated on the job. (Ralph Freso/Getty Images) With triple-digit temperatures already gripping much of Texas, ERCOT, the states electrical utility, predicted on Tuesday that demand would reach record levels this week as residents crank up air conditioners in an effort to remain cool. The U.S. is far from the only place on Earth to be dealing with excessive heat, and scientists have shown that the increased frequency and intensity of heat waves is a consequence of climate change. Portions of northwest and central India continue to bake, with temperatures in cities like Sri Ganganagar and Brahmapuri hitting 115. Middle East Heat Wave:7 June was even hotter than the previous days with 51.3C at Sulaibiya in Kuwait and 51.1C at Al Wafra. First 50C of 2022 at in Iraq and Iran. Very hot also in Central Asia with 41.8C in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and 40.4C in Kazakhstan at 45N lat. pic.twitter.com/yg32Q484T8 Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) June 8, 2022 In parts of Kuwait, meanwhile, the mercury topped 124 on Wednesday. While residents of the Southwest might be relieved to hear that cooler temperatures are expected to arrive after this weekend, it's worrisome to realize that summer in the Northern Hemisphere doesnt officially begin until June 22. Jun. 8The governor's office says it is considering Portland's request that it form a task force on homelessness, but also is thinking about whether existing state agencies could play a greater role in addressing the issue. The Portland City Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution calling for the creation of a task force to look at ways to respond to homelessness, which the council hopes might include changes to General Assistance law and the creation of a state resettlement office and statewide shelter system. "The governor is committed to addressing emergency housing needs in Maine, and the administration has engaged with the city of Portland, other municipalities, the Legislature, Maine's congressional delegation and community-based organizations consistently over the past several months to that end," Lindsay Crete, a spokesperson for Mills, said in an email. "With respect to the Portland City Council's resolution, the administration is considering its request and is evaluating whether existing entities, like the Statewide Homeless Council and Built for Zero initiative, can be further empowered to serve as the appropriate venue to address the broader problem of homelessness in Maine," Crete said. The Statewide Homeless Council is an advisory committee whose members include appointees of the governor, state officials and appointees chosen jointly by the president of the Maine Senate and the speaker of the House. Its job is to coordinate information, assess statewide needs and provide leadership on ways to end homelessness. Built for Zero is a national initiative that is working to end homelessness through the nonprofit Community Solutions. Maine first got involved in the program about a year ago and in February announced contracts for nine "service hub coordinators" to engage with local officials and coordinate homelessness services in nine geographic areas of the state. Story continues Portland Mayor Kate Snyder said Tuesday that while there already are state efforts to address homelessness and increase housing stock, the city's resolution is also focused on the unique and immediate crisis of an influx of asylum seekers. "It's sort of a new factor and not something we were thinking about a year ago at this time," Snyder said. In her email, Crete listed other efforts the administration has undertaken in recent months to address emergency housing needs, such as including $22 million in the governor's supplemental budget to address homelessness, in part by providing rental assistance or appropriate housing for people staying in hotels, and making $750,000 in grant funding available for wraparound services. The governor also worked with the congressional delegation to secure 100 percent reimbursement from the federal government for eligible General Assistance expenses, including housing, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Crete said, adding that after July 1 municipalities will still be reimbursed 90 percent of their eligible costs indefinitely. The state also has made $10 million available to municipalities and tribes to help them offset potential reductions in federal financial support. Crete said Mills has instructed Greg Payne, her senior housing adviser, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, to work closely with community leaders to help individuals and families struggling with housing and services. "On behalf of the administration, Greg has led a coordinated effort to locate and finance emergency housing for people experiencing homelessness, including those seeking asylum," Crete said. "This work remains ongoing." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at his weekly press conference on June 7, 2022. Drew Angerer/Getty Images The Senate easily passed a one-page bill extending security to Supreme Court justices' families almost a month ago. That came after the leak of a draft opinion showing the court poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Now, McConnell is demanding the House finally pass the bill "before the sun sets today." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is demanding the House pass a one-page bill that increases security protections for Supreme Court justices and their families following the arrest of an armed man who made threats against Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Wednesday. "House Democrats need to stop their multi-week blockade against the Supreme Court security bill and pass it before the sun sets today," the top Republican said in remarks on the Senate floor. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill last month amid the possibility of violence against justices after a leaked draft opinion showed the Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide nearly 50 years ago. The draft triggered a wave of protests outside the Supreme Court and the justices' homes, including Kavanaugh's, last month. The legislation sponsored by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware would extend protections by Supreme Court Police to immediate family members of the justices. The bill gained renewed attention on Capitol Hill on Wednesday after police officers arrested a man near Kavanaugh's Chevy Chase, Maryland home, who said he wanted to kill a Supreme Court justice. McConnell urged the House to take action in light of the "extremely disturbing" news on Wednesday, he said. "This is exactly why the Senate passed legislation very shortly after the leak to enhance the police protection for the Justices and their families," McConnell said in floor remarks. "This is commonsense, non-controversial legislation that passed this chamber unanimously." "But House Democrats have spent weeks blocking it. The House Democratic majority has refused to take it up," he added. "That needs to change. Right now. House Democrats must pass this bill and they must do it today." Story continues Authorities found numerous weapons and burglary tools, including a tactical knife, a pistol, zip ties, and a crowbar, in a suitcase and backpack on the man, who was identified as 26-year-old Nicholas John Roske, according to court documents. Roske told authorities he traveled from California "to kill a specific United States Supreme Court Justice," per court documents. Kavanaugh's name is not mentioned in the records, but a source close to the investigation told Insider that Roske went to the justice's home with the "intent to kill" him. Police arrested Roske on a street near Kavanaugh's home around 1:50 a.m. after he called 911 on himself and told dispatchers "he was having suicidal thoughts and had a firearm in his suitcase," court records show. He was taken to Montgomery County jail, a police department spokesperson said. Roske told a Montgomery County police detective "that he was upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas," court documents say. ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) June 8, 2022 House Democrats have insisted that they want to extend the security protections to Supreme Court clerks and staffers as well, which Cornyn has taken issue with. The Texas Republican argued last month that the bill included "divisive provisions," including "potentially extending police protection to the very person who leaked the draft opinion." Asked about the progress of the legislation on Wednesday, Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said it could be passed "relatively soon," and that he'd discussed the bill with both Cornyn and Coons this week. Screenshot of the entirety of the Supreme Court Policy Parity Act. Congress.gov Read the original article on Business Insider Courtesy of Liesel Teen Liesel Teen is a mom of two and has been a labor and delivery nurse for eight years. She focuses on birth education on her Instagram, which has over half a million followers. This is Teen's story, as told to Kelly Burch. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Liesel Teen. It has been edited for length and clarity. When I saw that a mom had gone viral for giving birth in the ocean, my mind raced through everything that could go wrong. The baby could get too cold in the water, the mother would be at risk for infection, and there could be undercurrents. Then there's the everyday risk of birth, such as excessive bleeding or exhaustion. But I was also worried about the audience: the hundreds of thousands of people who saw this story and might think that a "free birth" could be a good idea for them. I don't recommend it to anyone. Interest in free birth is rising, but it's not a risk I'd take In recent years, I've seen a rising interest in free birth totally unassisted birth at home or in the ocean. These parents don't get any prenatal care and have no professionals at their birth. It's different from a planned home birth with a midwife. Those are safe. A free birth is a risk I wouldn't take. There's too much that could go wrong for both parent and baby. When you're the person giving birth, it's often hard to recognize an emergency until it's too late. Thousands of women and babies die every year because they don't have access to care. So to opt out of care when you're lucky enough to access it is something I struggle to find words for. Oftentimes, I see women interested in free birth after they've had a traumatic experience with the medical establishment. I understand where these women are coming from. They see this as a work-around to avoid dealing with hospitals and doctors. But rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater, I counsel expecting parents to find a provider who listens to them and whom they trust. There are many safe ways to give birth the way you envisioned, including at home with a midwife who is entirely hands-off. Story continues For me, empowered birth is about education Empowered birth, in my opinion, isn't about delivering in the ocean. It's about making informed, evidence-based choices about what's right for you. For some people, that's a cesarean. For others, it's a hospital birth without an epidural. And others choose to give birth at home, with a midwife on standby for emergencies. I try to remind people about nuance. People can be pro-breastfeeding without being anti-formula. They can plan for an intervention-free birth while also learning the questions to ask when complications arise. Social media has changed the discussion around birth Social media has done a lot of good around normalizing birth. There are powerful Instagram accounts where you can see beautiful images of pregnant people. Patients often come into the hospital with a more realistic expectation about what birth is like. The flip side to that is the anecdotal information that spreads like wildfire. If a pregnant person reads about someone's bad experience with an epidural, they might take that to heart though epidurals are safe for both parent and baby. In a more extreme case, they might see a story of someone giving birth in the ocean and think that forgoing medical care would make for a more authentic birthing experience. I hope parents-to-be take the good from social media, but also form trusting, open relationships with their medical providers. That's what it takes to have a birth where both parent and baby are safe. Read the original article on Insider Puget Sound Navy Shipyard's iconic hammerhead crane looms in the background as the Washington State Ferry Walla Walla pulls into the Bremerton ferry dock on Monday. BREMERTON The Navy plans to take down the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's historic hammerhead crane as part of a billion-dollar effort to turn antiquated facilities into a state-of-the-art dry dock for nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. The green steel of the crane has stood over the shipyard and surrounding city for nearly 90 years, becoming an iconic symbol of Bremerton. But the Navy says the crane, which is no longer in use, is due for costly maintenance and is vulnerable in earthquakes. "The crane has also degraded after a quarter-century of non-use and it would be very costly for the Navy to maintain it in a safe condition," the Navy said in documents released Wednesday. More: Navy eyes second aircraft carrier dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard The 25-story crane, built and installed in 1933 by many of the same workers who constructed the Empire State Building in New York, sits on a pier beside the shipyard's dry dock 3, the shipyard's closest dock to the Bremerton ferry terminal. Following a public process, the Navy will remove the crane from the National Historic Register so it can be demolished. The crane, one of the few still standing in the country, was embroidered on police patches, used in organization logos and emblems, and became an identifier for the surrounding city and an industrial workforce that helped win a world war. Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, himself a retired Puget Sound Naval Shipyard worker, said the hammerhead has "been a symbol of industrial might and ingenuity." "Thousands of workers over generations brought the crane to life, and it has served as an important connection to our history and military heritage for the regions residents and visitors," he said. The Washington State Ferry Walla Walla pulls out of the Bremerton ferry dock on Monday The crane was officially retired in 1994 and is today just a relic, though it requires some maintenance and is still rotated about twice a year to ensure large vessels can get by it. Story continues The Navy invested more than $4 million in 1996 to repaint the crane. Millions more would be needed now to ensure its stability, the Navy said. The crane was originally built for about $500,000 under a New Deal program called the National Industrial Recovery Act. The Dravo Company of Pennsylvania, fresh off the Empire State Building project, constructed the massive structure before floating it through the Panama Canal and bringing it to Bremerton. Its steel includes weld identifier marks that indicate it came from Andrew Carnegie's steel companies, according to Kitsap Sun archives. Though historic, Wheeler acknowledged the needs of the Navy in modernizing its infrastructure for a 21st-century world. "The new dry dock will ensure Americas fleet remains ready to protect our national security and preserve our quality of life for decades to come," he said. More: Price tag to ensure safety of carrier dry dock during an earthquake? $667 million Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's iconic hammerhead crane looms in the background as the Washington State Ferry Walla Walla heads for the Bremerton ferry terminal on Monday. Shipyard planning for billions in new infrastructure The Navy is investing billions of dollars into the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the largest of its four public shipyards with a workforce of 15,000. The crane's removal is part of that effort. The Navy plans to construct a new dock at the shipyard for the first time since 1961 to accommodate the Navy's newest nuclear-powered vessels. The Navy said Wednesday it will either be designed for dry dock 3, the shipyard dock closest to the Bremerton ferry terminal, or at Mooring Alpha, a location that would place it at the west end of the shipyard and next to dry dock 6, the existing dry dock for aircraft carriers. The 1919-built dry dock 3, located next to the Bremerton ferry terminal, has limited use that is dwindling toward obsolescence. The fleet of last-generation fast attack submarines, known as the Los Angeles class, will be dismantled entirely in the next decade. But that's not the end of its limitations. It can't handle nuclear fuel, at a shipyard where almost all vessels that enter its six dry docks are nuclear-powered. The dock itself is too shallow; the shipyard must remove weight from subs, wait for the highest tides and over-flood the dock for boats to enter, according to a recent GAO report. Meanwhile, Mooring Alpha presents its own challenges. A mooring would need to be demolished, new wharf constructed, and along with dredging, a new turning basin would be required, the Navy said. More: Here come the funds: Navy inks contracts to bring billions to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard The USS Narwhal, decommissioned in 1999, awaits recycling in dry dock 3 at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The Navy has floated the idea of expanding the 1919-built dry dock, one of six at the shipyard, to handle aircraft carriers. Why the Navy says it needs a new dry dock The Navy says the new multi-mission dry dock will be able to maintain three new classes of nuclear-powered ships in one place: The Ford-class, a new generation of aircraft carrier that currently has no dry dock on the West Coast capable of handling one. The first, the USS Gerald Ford, is based on the East Coast, but subsequent vessels like the USS John F. Kennedy will likely be based on the West Coast. The dry dock could also take in the Navy's Virginia class, a new generation of ship-hunting, fast-attack submarines. And, in the next decade, the nuclear-weapon armed Columbia class submarines, whose sole mission is to provide the world's most powerful weaponry to the country's leaders, could also be serviced in the new dry dock. More than half of the current Ohio class of such vessels is homeported at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. The Navy released Wednesday this map showing what a new multi-mission dry dock would look like at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Building the new dry dock would give the Navy a second-such berth at the shipyard for aircraft carriers, and just the third it has among its public shipyards. That would take pressure off of dry dock 6, the other carrier dry dock, which is in need of hundreds of millions in repairs, including work tackling its seismic vulnerabilities. A public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. June 23 to get public feedback on the Navy's plans. This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard could demolish its iconic crane By MacDonald Dzirutwe ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's ruling party on Wednesday picked former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu as its candidate to run for president in elections scheduled for February 2023. President Muhammadu Buhari will step down next year after leading Africa's most populous country and top oil exporter for the maximum eight years allowed by the constitution. Unlike many outgoing African heads of state, Buhari had not named a successor, leaving the field wide open. Tinubu, 70, defeated 13 other candidates in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries. He won 1,271 APC delegates' votes, compared with 316 for his nearest rival, another ex-governor. Buhari's deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, came a surprisingly weak third with just 235 votes. In his acceptance speech, Tinubu said if elected he would focus on reducing insecurity, a major concern in Nigeria. Other priorities would include boosting local industry and building a large port in the southeastern city of Calabar, he said. "I am a thinker and I am a doer. We will create wealth. We will turn Nigeria around. It will be our Eldorado," he said. The ruling party candidate would usually be considered the favourite in Nigeria, which has a long history of electoral fraud and violence. However, in 2015, Buhari was the opposition candidate when he won an election widely considered among the cleanest the country had seen. Tinubu's main opponent will be the People's Democratic Party candidate Atiku Abubakar, who was vice president from 1999 to 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. "If he wins, Tinubu's presidency will be defined by tackling a lukewarm economy, widespread discontent with the political class, a worsening geopolitical environment in Nigeria's near abroad and escalating security challenges," said risk analyst Ikemesit Effiong. "His programme of action to tackle these challenges remains unclear," said Effiong, who is head of research at risk advisory firm SBM Intelligence. Story continues A wily political operator, Tinubu built a strong support base during his eight years as governor of Lagos from 1999 to 2007. Since stepping down, he has remained highly influential, with many of his loyal proteges in powerful positions in government and business. Supporters portray him as an effective administrator with a knack for picking competent technocrats to get jobs done. Critics denounce him as a godfather figure who doles out lucrative contracts and plum jobs to his friends and is not above sending out street thugs to intimidate opponents if he fails to get his way. He rejects that description. (Reporting by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by James Macharia Chege, Alison Williams and Alex Richardson) By Winni Zhou and Casey Hall SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Nike Inc, the world's largest sportswear maker, is discontinuing its popular Nike Run Club (NRC) App in China from July, the company said on Wednesday, the latest reassessment by a U.S. brand of its offerings to the Chinese market. The U.S. sportswear brand made the announcement to its mainland China users through the app on Wednesday morning and thanked them for their support. It did not give a reason for the decision but a company spokesperson told Reuters that it planned to provide Chinese runners with an "enhanced and localised solution in the future". Nike offers the app, which allows users to track their runs and challenge friends to compete, in several countries. It has more than 8 million users in China, the company's most profitable market. "Thanks for every run together with us!" Nike said in a statement. "It's with sadness that NRC APP will cease service and operation in your market from July 8." Nike told Reuters that it was continuing to invest in its Nike Sport Marketplace in China. "We are creating an ecosystem from China for China, specifically catered to the regions unique consumer needs to serve athletes better," the company spokesperson said. "We will continue to serve Chinese runners with an enhanced and localized digital solution in the future." Other U.S. tech brands, including Linkedin and Yahoo, have in the past year ceased to offer or reduced services to users in mainland China, citing reasons from censorship to increasing compliance requirements. China has put new curbs on internet companies in areas such as content, and has also imposed new laws, such as one on personal information protection designed to protect users' data privacy. Posts on the closing of the NRC app gathered more than 70,000 views on the Weibo social media platform, with many users sad to see the end of the service. "I've been using the app for seven years, and it will discontinue like this," said one user. Story continues "Every step I have run was recorded here," another Weibo user said, ending the post with three tearful emojis. (This story corrects first paragraph to say that the app is being discontinued from July, not Wednesday) (Reporting by Winni Zhou and Casey Hall; Editing by Robert Birsel) The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Latinos may have higher rates of heart disease than previously thought, refuting a well-accepted idea known as the Latino paradox, according to a new study that I was involved in. The crux of the Latino paradox is as follows: A broad body of research shows that Latinos have higher rates of diabetes, obesity and uncontrolled blood pressure and cholesterol levels than non-Hispanic white people. So naturally, it would follow that Latino people should also have higher levels of cardiovascular disease. But for the past 30 years, a wide body of studies has found the opposite: Despite greater risk factors for heart disease, Latinos have lower mortality from rates of heart disease than non-Latino people. We found, however, that both Latino men and women have significantly higher rates of heart disease than non-Hispanic whites. In fact, for men we found rates of heart disease that were even slightly higher than among Black people, a group with the highest rates of heart disease. We found that 9.2% of Latinos had a diagnosis of heart disease, compared with 8.1% among Black people and 7.6% among non-Hispanic white men. To do the analysis, we used data from the All of Us research program, which seeks to enroll at least 1 million people from diverse backgrounds over the next few years. We examined medical record data from the more than 200,000 people who have already signed up for the program, including over 40,000 Latinos. Going into the study, we assumed that we would find evidence in support of the Latino paradox. Prior data on the paradox was based mostly on mortality records or self-reporting, both of which have inherent limitations. For example, without an autopsy, it is often hard to know for certain what led to a persons death. People also may not be aware that they had heart disease, especially if they have not seen a doctor in a long time. Instead, our work looked at medical records and examined diagnoses of heart disease as determined by a physician during health care visits. We think this is a novel approach, as it uses more robust data to examine this issue. Story continues Why it matters The widely accepted Latino paradox has been studied extensively. And until now, most studies have supported it, though none have found a concrete explanation for it. Medical and public health students are often taught about it as an unexplained phenomenon. But our study, using the largest research cohort of Latinos in the United States, seems to refute the paradox. The implications are critical because they suggest that like all groups, Latinos still need to take care of themselves by eating healthily, exercising regularly, watching their weight, avoiding smoking and getting regular check-ups. Those with diabetes, hypertension or cholesterol, need to make sure those conditions are well-controlled. These seemingly straightforward messages are the ones that doctors have been telling all of their patients for decades. Yet this study makes it clear that Latinos dont get a free pass when it comes to heart disease and that they also need to follow health guidelines. And our study highlights the ongoing need for culturally tailored cardiovascular health programs for the Latino community. What is still unknown Although our study analyzed data from the largest existing cohort of Latinos, we do not think ours is the definitive word on the topic. More research is needed, and we need to continue to think creatively about how to get at these questions. It is also important to keep in mind that Latino populations are not homogeneous. Latinos come from many different parts of Latin America, where diets, customs and lifestyles are all unique. For that reason, our team is interested in looking at health data focused on Latino subgroups, as well as comparing U.S.-born Latinos with immigrants. We also hope to examine the Latino paradox when it comes to other conditions such as cancer, which research has also shown occurs less frequently among Latinos than other groups. That is another paradox that we need to reexamine. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Olveen Carrasquillo, University of Miami. Read more: Olveen Carrasquillo receives funding from National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). A Charlotte-Mecklenburg school in northeast Charlotte was placed on a modified lockdown Tuesday after a text threat, the district confirmed. CMS said Governors Village STEM Academy was under a modified lockdown, and extra law enforcement was on campus out of an abundance of caution. No one was hurt. ALSO READ: Unloaded gun found in students backpack at Harding HS, CMS says According to the district, any students who make threats will be disciplined and could be arrested. Authorities are investigating the threat. Full message sent to families: Hello, Governors Village families, This is Principal Garcia with an important message. The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority. We are aware of a text threat to the school. Law enforcement has been notified and is actively investigating. Any student who makes a threat is in violation of the CMS Code of Student Conduct and will be disciplined, with the potential for criminal charges. Out of an abundance of caution, additional law enforcement will be on campus today and we will be under modified lockdown. Please remind your children that all threats have serious consequences and encourage them if they see something to share with you or the school staff. We encourage everyone to help keep our schools safe by reporting concerns immediately. Thank you for supporting Governors Village. (WATCH BELOW: Lancaster County will revamp school safety measures ahead of fall semester) Muslims have protested against controversial remarks made by BJP leaders In April 2020 allegations about a Muslim congregation sparking a cluster of Covid-19 cases in India quickly took an Islamophobic turn. Thousands of preachers from home and abroad had attended the gathering in Delhi by the Tablighi Jamaat, a near-100 year-old Islamic missionary movement. Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government called it a "super-spreader event". Islamophobic memes and hashtags blaming the group for spreading the virus trended on social media, and news networks broadcast incendiary headlines such as "Save the country from Corona jihad". India charged nearly a thousand people who attended the congregation for flouting lockdown protocols. (Eight months later, courts had acquitted the last of the detained preachers, saying they had been "maliciously prosecuted" under directions from the government.) Most of the preachers came from Indonesia, a trading partner of India. Not surprisingly, Indonesia expressed its disquiet over the issue at regional summit meetings. The country's lawmakers alleged that the controversy was being used to taint Muslims in Hindu-majority India. A former Indian diplomat said this was an example of "externalisation" of domestic issues. India's ongoing diplomatic firefighting over offensive comments made by two senior members of the BJP about the Prophet Muhammad is not the first time that Mr Modi's party or government has faced global censure for alleged Islamophobia. Two years ago BJP MP Tejasvi Surya found himself in the centre of a storm when his 2015 tweet on Arab women went viral. Prominent businesspeople, lawyers and commentators in Dubai and Kuwait condemned his remarks. (Mr Surya deleted the tweet later.) In a 2018 public meeting, India's interior minister Amit Shah said that Bangladeshi citizens who had entered India illegally were "infiltrators" who had "eaten our country like termites". Story continues This whipped up a storm in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, where a senior minister described the remark by India' second most powerful leader as "unwanted and uninformed". A Bangladeshi columnist wrote that Mr Shah "had a long history of making hateful, insulting remarks about Bangladesh". Over the past year, India has been hit by a tsunami of hate speech by saffron-robed right-wing Hindu radical leaders against the country's 200 million-strong Muslim community. Some of them have openly exhorted Hindus to take up arms and spoken about genocide of Muslims. In the past, the right-wing has raised the bogey of so called "love jihad", a baseless conspiracy theory accusing Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage. Vigilante Hindu mobs have lynched suspected Muslim cow smugglers and demanded a boycott of businesses owned by the community. On social media, female Muslim journalists and social workers have been ferociously trolled. Muslim women have been put up for sale in fake online auctions. Partisan news networks have added fuel to the fire by provoking participants into taking up extreme positions during shrill talk shows. Some Hindu leaders called for violence against Muslims in December Mr Modi's government has either maintained a studied silence, been slow to respond or blamed "fringe elements" for such actions. All this appears to have emboldened ordinary Hindus to go online and tarnish Muslims. There have been consequences. In 2018, a popular Indian-origin chef working in a Dubai hotel was fired for posting an anti-Islamic tweet. When Indians living in Dubai began posting anti-Tablighi Jamaat tweets in 2020, a local businesswoman with links to the ruling royal family tweeted that "anyone that is openly racist and discriminatory in the UAE will be fined and made to leave". This time too, unsurprisingly, the blowback has been fierce - 15 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar, have lodged protests with India. Making derogatory remarks against the Prophet was clearly "crossing the red line", says Talmiz Ahmad, a former Indian diplomat. Mr Modi's government has been forced to suspend its spokesperson for her remarks. It is a reminder that "targeting minorities with impunity, and hate speech with official sanction, will have repercussions for India's global reputation," notes Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a leading scholar. In private, many BJP leaders believe that the outrage will soon die down, and it will be business as usual. Prime Minister Modi has made relations with Gulf countries a priority After all, India has an old and deep relationship with the Gulf countries. Some 8.5 million Indians work in the six Gulf countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), more than double the number of Pakistanis, the next highest expatriate workforce. Indians also form the largest expat community in each of these countries. They send home some $35bn every year in remittances that support 40 million family members at home, many in some of India's poorest states such as BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. Trade between India and GCC countries is about $87bn. Iraq is the largest exporter of oil to India, followed by Saudi Arabia. More than 40% of India's natural gas comes from Qatar. Prime Minister Modi himself has made relations with Gulf countries a priority. "India has a significant relationship with West Asian countries in terms of energy security, employment of people as migrants and remittances that they send back," says Srinath Raghavan, a professor of history and international relations at the Ashoka University. But India cannot be complacent and take things for granted. "It's a myopic way of looking at things," says Mr Ahmad, the former diplomat who is also author of a new book, West Asia at War. "Indians have built a reputation as an apolitical, law-abiding and technically proficient people in these countries. If such offensive talk continues, employers in the Gulf could quietly start moving away from hiring Indians. Why would they risk hiring a potential zealot?" This time Mr Modi's government, experts believe, appears to have reacted late, but resolutely. "There seems to be an acknowledgement that if these things happen there can be consequences. Domestic and foreign politics are not insulated. The government has to make up its mind. Does it really want to get into rabble rousing?" Prof Raghavan says. This is one article in a series produced in partnership with the Aspen Institutes Weave: The Social Fabric Project, spotlighting educators, mentors and local leaders who see community as the key to student success. See all of the profiles. Long before he arrived in the U.S. at age 16 with just $20 in his pocket and longer still before he rose to prominence as New York States 2019 Teacher of the Year Alhassan Susso would watch and learn how his grandmother in Gambia helped others. She had tremendous influence in the community because she knew everyones story, he said, and used those deep connections to work toward a greater good. Sign up here for The 74s daily newsletter. Donate here to support The 74's independent journalism. She could recount seven generations of their families, Susso said. As a result, people listened to everything she said. I realized, if I know someones story well, Im able to speak to them and understand them. Sussos roots in his South Bronx school community do not stretch back quite so far but the 37-year-old social studies teacher has had a deep impact that spans from his current to his former students, their families and the impoverished neighborhood that surrounds them. He knows that we need him, said Berena Cabarcas, Sussos principal at International Community High School. He is committed to our population. Sussos students have stories that closely resemble his own. Soon after landing in Poughkeepsie, New York and being placed in 11th grade, Sussos living arrangement with an older brother evaporated. He found himself on his own, working at a local grocery store to pay rent, squeezing in school and scrambling to do more than just survive. Sussos students, all of them in this country for less than four years and 99 percent living below the poverty line, come from across the world, with a majority hailing from Latin America, French West Africa and the Middle East. Taken together, they speak dozens of languages including Wolof, spoken in Senegal; Fula, common in West Africa; French and Spanish but are united in their struggle for assimilation and the fight for a better life. Story continues What they share is being new to this land and trying to figure out how to successfully navigate that, Susso said. My job is to help them weave through some of the complex challenges they might face and make sense of their new home. Adama Bah, a 17-year-old senior who hails from Guinea, takes inspiration from her teachers lived experience. Repeated hardships and a series of personal tragedies meant that Susso had to set aside his own ambitions in America to help his family back home, delaying him from graduating college and beginning his career until his late 20s. If he did it, then I can too, Bah said, adding that every step she takes toward success creates a model for her younger sister. Alhassan Susso, who came to the United States from Gambia at age 16, has made a career of serving students just like himself. (International Community School) Susso starts his immigrant students on the path to college and future accomplishment in his now-famous Morning Class, an 8 a.m. gathering whose exceptional results are part of the reason he was named Teacher of the Year. Meeting an hour before school begins, he imparts lessons on everything from time management to personal finance, from mastering mindsets and emotions to creating vision boards and crystallizing goals. Students also get intensive instruction on interpersonal communication skills and leadership. I was writing an essay for a college class and was really struggling, said senior Anarosa Encarnacion. He teaches us to improve our writing and communication every day. But you need to come with a specific question: He makes you think about your work. You cant just ask for the intro or the hook. You have to be specific. In 2015, when the class was first offered, 29 students attended and all went on to college, Susso said. The following year, 42 attended the class and 40 went to college. The Morning Class has since been replicated by his fellow teachers and is now a required course. While other factors are also at work, International Community High Schools graduation rate went from just 31 percent in 2013 to 83 percent the year before the pandemic. One part in a community process Graduating and going onto college can change the trajectory of a students life and their families. But there are also pressing needs in the larger community, including persistent poverty and the threat of crime, that require here-and-now solutions. To that end, Susso has paired his classroom work with broader efforts across the community, partnering with outside organizations like Sauti Yetu, which works to empower low to no-income immigrant women; Peace December, which seeks to curb violence in the Bronx and beyond; and the Center for Urban Pedagogy, which collaborates with designers, educators, advocates and students to explain complex policy issues. Sussos students work and learn beside him in these campaigns that broaden their world view and uplift their neighbors. Susso helped Sauti Yeti develop a curriculum meant to promote healthy relationships and combat teen pregnancy and allowed the organization to collect data from his students who agreed to serve as a focus group. That information then helped to inform workshops for women and girls all over the Bronx. Students volunteered for years to organize Peace Decembers annual conference, setting up the meeting space, serving as ushers and absorbing critical messages meant to help combat the crime that sometimes prompts their fearful parents to keep them indoors. In Africa, we get to be outside, be kids and play around, said Amy Samb, a 17-year-old senior from Senegal. Here, you cant: There are always cars coming and there is so much violence, (parents) would rather us be in the house. We dont really get to be kids. The Center for Urban Pedagogy invited Sussos class to examine several urgent issues, including immigration. For that project, he had his students fan out into the South Bronx to interview residents about the undocumented: Their efforts culminated in a pamphlet students distributed throughout the community explaining the rights of U.S. citizens and non-citizens. The Center later shifted its focus to food stamps and the minimum wage. Just as he did with immigration, Susso required students to ask community members, including local business owners, about the proposed hike to $15 an hour. Such exchanges are critical, Susso said: His students cannot properly work on behalf of others unless they understand their needs. Just as his grandmother did. The people you are advocating for, he said, you want them to be part of the process instead of subjects of the conversation. It is always important to talk to community members to find out what they think about the issue we think they need help with. Instead of being the expert on this issue, you are learning about it and providing meaningful feedback. The comfort of keeping in touch Some 100 former students showed up at the school on the day that Susso was announced 2019 Teacher of the Year. Among them was Fatou Boye, 24 and a preschool teacher at P.S. 96 in the Bronx. Boye graduated from high school in 2016 and credits her former teacher for helping her identify and work toward her goals, particularly through his Morning Class. It made me who I am today, she said. Im very responsible because of the Morning Class. I learned time management, budgeting, finance, how to be successful in college, how to be accountable for my time. Susso and his students are bound together for life, which is why so many remain in contact long after graduation. Six years post-high school, Boye still considers Susso a trusted mentor. It is mandatory for me, at least once or twice a month, to call him, keep him updated about my life, what Im thinking of doing, she said. He gives me advice and when Im stressed and need to release, I just call him. I keep in touch because of the comfort. With all of his experience, he has a lot to bring to his students. Boye still makes vision boards for herself and shares them with him when shes done. And Susso has helped her in other ways, too, she said: As the only girl in her family, Boye was accustomed to soaking up everyones attention, a tendency that made her a less than ideal classmate. Susso noticed this and found a way to reset her thinking, she said. He really helped me understand people, Boye said. When I was in high school, he printed out a book for me: How to Win Friends & Influence People. We went through it for hours, talking about it. Slowly, he started molding me into a better person to interact with my classmates. To this day, when he reads a good book and he likes it, hell share it with me. Susso wants his students to collaborate with their peers and help others the Morning Class also has a community service component where students have volunteered at area homeless shelters and raised money for cancer research. But he also desires for these young people to discover their own agency and capacity to be leaders. At some point in life, whether youre a parent, a teacher, a boss at some organization, the president of a country, he tells his students, you will be either a manager managing every little thing people are doing, including your children or you become a leader, in which you develop the skill of influence. In addition to offering life lessons inside the school, Susso has helped untangle misunderstandings at home. In one instance, a family was worried that their teenage daughters new job would jeopardize their food stamps. The girl, one of Sussos students, enjoyed the responsibility and the money that came with it: She was heartsick when her mother pressured her to quit. After school, I went to the house to speak to the mom, and at the end of the conversation, she had a better understanding, he said. Her daughter was not making enough for the family to no longer qualify for aid. That same student is now a Ph.D. candidate at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, conducting research on bone marrow treatment. Alhassan Susso and his students outside International Community High School in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. (Jo Napolitano) I know there are no accidents Two weeks before Sussos high school graduation, he learned his grandmother, who had raised him and his siblings, had no place to live after her roof collapsed. Though he was slated to begin community college in the fall, he put that dream on hold to pick up a second full-time grocery store job: For six years, he worked 4 p.m. to midnight at one location and midnight to 8 a.m. at another. The schedule was grueling but allowed him enough money to build a house for both his grandmother and his mother. Finally, with that mission complete, he enrolled in college in 2008 when he was 23 years old. But that summer brought new tragedy: His 19-year-old sister contracted Hepatitis B and needed to come to the United States for treatment. But the only way shed be granted a visa was if the family could secure $25,000 toward her medical care. The situation seemed hopeless until one of Sussos managers at Stop & Shop he came from modest means but worked hard and saved money over the course of many years offered to help. To my surprise, he said, Ill bring you the money tomorrow because there should never be a price tag on a human life, Susso recalled. Ultimately, his sisters visa application was denied and she succumbed four months later. Eight hours after her passing, Sussos grandmother died of a heart attack. The young man was devastated by both losses, but also motivated to help those who found themselves similarly stranded. Looking back now, I know there are no accidents, he said. This was my first year of college. I stopped all of my classes to be back home with my family. And then when I got back to the U.S., it became clear what I wanted to study: I wanted to become an immigration lawyer. Alhassan Susso studied at the University of Vermont where his career path changed from lawyer to teacher. (University of Vermont / Facebook) Susso earned a bachelors degree in political science and history from the University of Vermont and took his law school entrance exam, but a trusted advisor steered him in another direction. By the time he would defend immigrant kids in the courtroom, theyd be headed to jail or targeted for deportation, the advisor said. Perhaps, she suggested, there was another way to empower these children. Susso considered her advice and reflected on the wisdom of Nelson Madela, who once called education the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Suddenly, a new plan revealed itself: Susso would become a teacher. My mission was clear: When these kids graduate, they have avenues to have a better quality of life that they mightnt have otherwise, he said. A worthwhile journey Sussos students have already been accepted to numerous area colleges this year, with many aspiring to transfer to bigger-name schools once they master English. Its what they hope will help build their legacy, a frequent topic in Sussos Morning Class. Some of his students arrived in the United States on their own. Others flew across the globe with a single, similarly aged sibling, reuniting with a mother or father whom they hadnt seen in years. Anarosa Encarnacion, the senior who was grappling wih her college essay, has already felt the sting of xenophobia in her new home, most notably when a man told her and her family as they dined in a restaurant that they should speak English. I just stayed quiet, said the teen, who came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. Susso uses these instances as teachable moments, giving his students tools to navigate such painful interactions. One of the things we discuss is that the way people treat you has more to do with them than you, he said. Other peoples reaction to you is really not your issue. Berena Cabarcas, principal of International Community High School in the South Bronx. (International Community High School) Principal Cabarcas said many of the students Susso worked with would have dropped out or taken far longer to graduate without his intervention, including the chance to attend his Morning Class. It was relevant and meaningful, Cabarcas said. Students could put that knowledge to use right away. They really saw how it would affect them both in the moment and in the future. Shes thrilled that the widely recognized social studies teacher has chosen to remain on staff, to make the two-hour commute each way to teach at her school and return to the community that needs him. Susso has had many other job offers and could easily teach closer to home: The father of three still lives in Poughkeepsie because its near his wifes workplace. But no school or neighborhood would have as high a population of newcomer students as his, he said. Why do I commute four hours a day to teach them? he asked. It is a journey that is well worth it. Disclosure: The Walton Family Foundation provides financial support to both the Weave Project and The 74. Lead Image: Alhassan Susso stands with a group of his students in front of a mural outside International Community High School in the South Bronx. Left to Right: Alhassan Susso, Adama Bah, Habi Kane, Amy Samb and Anarosa Encarnacion. (Jo Napolitano) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) A gang in Haiti has released three of eight Turkish citizens kidnapped nearly a month ago in the countrys capital, an official said Wednesday. Hugues Josue, Turkeys honorary consul in Haiti, told The Associated Press that three women were released, adding that he had no further details. The three women were part of a group that included five Turkish men who had boarded a bus in the neighboring Dominican Republic in early May and were kidnapped hours later in the Croix-des-Bouquets neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, which is controlled by the 400 Mawozo gang. It wasnt immediately clear if those responsible for kidnapping the Turkish citizens had been demanding a ransom, or if any was paid. Police did not return requests for comment. The 400 Mawozo gang previously kidnapped 17 members of a U.S.-based missionary group in the same area last October. Most were held until December as the gang demanded $1 million in ransom. Russia produces over 10 million barrels of oil a day and helps Opec keep prices high The world's major oil exporters have agreed to raise their production slightly, to help ease soaring prices. However, members of oil producers' group Opec+ - which includes Russia - are not planning to increase output to the levels requested by oil importing countries. What is Opec+? Opec+ is a group of 23 oil-exporting countries which meets every month in Vienna to decide how much crude oil to sell on the world market. At the core of this group are the 13 members of Opec (the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries), which are mainly Middle Eastern and African countries. Opec was formed in 1960 as a cartel, with the aim of fixing the worldwide supply of oil and its price. Today, Opec nations produce around 30% of the world's crude oil, about 28 million barrels a day. Saudi Arabia is the biggest single oil producer within Opec, producing more than 10 million barrels a day. In 2016, when oil prices were particularly low, Opec joined forces with 10 non-Opec oil producers to create Opec+. Those new members included Russia, which also produces over 10 million barrels a day. Together, these nations produce about 40% of all the world's crude oil. "Opec+ tailors supply and demand to balance the market," says Kate Dourian, of the Energy Institute. "They keep prices high by lowering supplies when the demand for oil slumps." Opec+ could also lower prices by putting more oil onto the market, which is what major importers like the US and UK want it to do. Bar chart showing daily crude output of leading Opec+ members Why are oil prices so high? In spring 2020, as Covid spread around the world and countries went into lockdown, the price of crude oil crashed because of a lack of buyers. "Producers were paying people to take the oil off their hands, because they didn't have enough space to store it all," says Ms Dourian. After this, Opec+ members agreed to slash production by 10m barrels a day, to help drive the price back up. In June 2021, with demand for crude beginning to recover, Opec+ started gradually increasing supply, putting an extra 400,000 barrels a day onto world markets. In July and August, it will supply an extra 600,000. Story continues However, it is still supplying some two and a half million barrels a day less than in spring 2020. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the price of crude soared to well over $100 a barrel, because of panic on the markets. This has caused significant rises in the price of petrol at the pumps. "When Opec+ cut supplies by 10 million barrels a day in May 2020, they cut too deep," says David Fyfe, chief economist at Argus Media. "Now they're increasing supply at a slow rate that does not take into account the effects of the Russia-Ukraine crisis." Brent crude oil price graph There is a fear among oil buyers that the EU will follow the US and impose an embargo on oil imports from Russia, says Mr Fyfe. Europe currently imports over two and a half million barrels of crude a day from Russia. "The threat of an embargo on Russian oil has spooked the markets," he says, "because it could lead to an acute supply squeeze." Why won't Opec+ boost oil output? US President Joe Biden has repeatedly appealed to Saudi Arabia to increase its oil output without success. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also asked Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to boost production. He too was rebuffed. Boris Johnston was unable to persuade Saudi Arabia and others to increase their oil production "Saudi and the UAE have spare capacity, but they are refusing to increase output on their own," says Kate Dourian. "They don't want to be dictated to by the West. "They are saying that the gap between supply and demand is narrowing, and that today's high prices simply reflect panic on the part of oil buyers." Other Opec+ nations are struggling to increase output. "Producers like Nigeria and Angola have been undershooting their production quotas by a collective million barrels a day over the past year," says David Fyfe. "Investment fell off during the pandemic - and oil installations, in some cases, haven't been well maintained. Now, they're discovering they can't actually deliver production increases in full." Russia's Vladimir Putin and Opec's secretary general Mohammad Barkindo What does Russia want? Opec+ also has to respect Russia's wishes, since it is one of the two biggest partners in the alliance. "The Russians are happy with prices at this level," says Carole Nakhle, CEO of Crystol Energy. "They have nothing to gain in seeing them go lower. "Opec wants to keep good relations with Russia, so they are most likely to continue with the agreement they all made last year. That means increasing crude supplies very gradually from now until September." In Oklahoma, it is officially easier to purchase a firearm in order to murder a physician than it is to obtain the health insurance necessary to be seen by a physician in a clinic. On June 1, a disgruntled patient carried an AR-15 style rifle into a building at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where I rotated as a medical student. Among others, he deliberately killed Dr. Preston Phillips, a Harvard-trained orthopedic surgeon who was an active member in the community and beyond, so far as having a hospital named after him in Togo for his volunteer service there. His killer blamed Dr. Phillips for not adequately treating his pain after spine surgery earlier in May. The day after a clinic visit with Dr. Phillips, the shooter purchased the semi-automatic weapon mere hours before returning to the Saint Francis campus, where he instigated the 233rd mass shooting this year in the U.S. When I heard the news about another mass shooting event, this time in my own community, I was heartbroken though unsurprised. As of today, the U.S. has averaged more than 1.5 mass shooting events per day in 2022. Mass shootings have become commonplace occurrences in our country, arguably a shameful yet defining feature of contemporary American culture. We have not had the adequate time to grieve the atrocious shootings and lives stolen at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, and in at least 10 other cities over Memorial Day weekend, according to The Washington Post. Even more sadly, we have become desensitized to such tragedy, even when it is within our own community. A doctor who loved jazz, a mother of two: What we know about the Tulsa shooting victims A Saint Francis Hospital sign is pictured June 2 at a news conference, a day after a gunman entered a medical facility and killed four on the Saint Francis Health System campus in Tulsa. However, when I heard that the event took place at a hospital, with the aggressor specifically targeting his physician, I became outraged. In the wake of the national opioid crisis, Dr. Phillips likely did his due diligence to properly care for his patient by avoiding possibly life-threatening and incredibly addictive pain medications. And this physician was murdered for merely doing his job. Furthermore, his colleague, Dr. Stephanie Hansen, the clinic receptionist Amanda Glenn and even another patient William Love who sacrificed his life to save his wife were all murdered, as well. I am well aware and thankful for the many responsible gun owners in our state. However, the prevailing notion that nothing could have been done to prevent the mass shootings in our own community and in so many others is simply untrue. Every state requires licensure and passing an exam to operate an automobile. Background checks are required to be employed in countless professions, such as schoolteachers, nurses and so forth, in which abuses of power are possible. Requiring a wait period is already required by insurance companies and Medicare before various medical procedures, such as bariatric surgery and sterilization. Basic regulations such as these are common sense measures that are already used successfully in so many arenas. Moreover, these specific measures when used to restrict access to firearms have already been proven in studies to reduce the number of deaths by gun violence and would not strip responsible gun owners of their firearms. Evidence-based measures such as licensure, universal background checks and mandatory wait periods are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American College of Surgeons, among dozens of other organizations in the recognition of gun violence as a national public health crisis requiring intervention. We live in a state that has suffered from severe physician shortages for decades. This has been a frequent conversation in my medical education, which has specifically focused on reducing the health disparities experienced by Oklahomans. The continued, deliberate inaction of our elected officials to intervene in any way on gun violence will only continue to disincentivize the physicians we desperately need from practicing medicine in Oklahoma. More: How to help Tulsa shooting victims, families Anyone can provide thoughts and prayers. Our elected politicians were put in office to do more through policy action. I sincerely hope to practice medicine in Oklahoma one day. Yet, I feel unsafe if I were to stay here for the immediate future. Today, I am thankful for the opportunity to leave our state for residency training to live and work somewhere else where I will have the ability to focus on learning to practice quality medicine with less fear for my own safety. It is unacceptable for physicians to fear for their lives when simply providing standard practices of medical care. The simple solution is that we must keep our state leaders responsible for doing something. Continued inaction will cause permissive violence in our communities and create a hostile environment not only to physicians, but all medical professionals as well as every patient we care for. Simply doing nothing is never the answer in the wake of tragedy. Though, as a life-long Oklahoman, I am pessimistic that any of our elected officials will take action unless we otherwise keep them responsible ourselves. To my fellow healthcare workers and to all my other neighbors alike, I urge you to watch what your legislators do in the coming weeks and vote like your life depends on it in November. Now more than ever, it does. Dr. Auston Stiefer Dr. Auston Stiefer is a native Oklahoman who recently graduated medical school and will begin residency training at Duke University Medical Center later this month. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tulsa shooting opinion: Health workers shouldn't have to fear for lives (Getty Images/iStockphoto) A masterclass on endometriosis has been criticised for not including any women on its panel of experts. A notice for the class, organised by the European Endometriosis League (EEL), was shared on Twitter and shows seven male experts on the panel. Professor Pragya Agarwal, a behaviour and data scientist and visiting professor of social inequities at Loughborough University, posted the notice and questioned why no female experts had been included in EELs masterclass. According to the EELs website, the aim of the class - which is due to take place in The Lister Hospital in Chelsea, London, in November - is to provide certified education and training in diagnosis and therapy of endometriosis for professionals in gynecology with experience in endometriosis. The goal of the organisation, whose board consists of six men and one woman from all over Europe, is to raise awareness and support research around endometriosis, as well as to train and educate medical professionals. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, which can have a major impact on womens lives. Why no women on faculty for an endometriosis masterclass? pic.twitter.com/eWduy1Mwnu Prof Pragya Agarwal (@DrPragyaAgarwal) June 6, 2022 It can affect women of any age and is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, affecting 1.5 million women. Social media users condemned the absence of any female experts on EELs panel, with many saying they were not surprised. Given that there are female specialists in Europe, why on earth is this masterclass delivered by men? one person asked, adding that she was flabbergasted. Another suggested that patriarchy was the reason that the panel did not include any women. Look at that for a 'MANEL' An #endometriosis "masterclass" panel without a single woman on it. For a disease that affects women. You couldn't make it up. Not one of these men have a lived experience of this illness. Exhausted from being in a constant state of rage to be honest https://t.co/7uJutV8KYP Laura Jayne Halton (@LauraJHalton) June 6, 2022 She added: It may sound too simplistic, but men dont know what its like to live in a female body. Therefore, they do everything based on male bodies. But since they think male is the standard, they think they actually know female bodies. Story continues A third said: This is such a typical example for whats going on in research on endometriosis. We need more research, and we especially need much more diversity among researchers in this field. I guess endometriosis must suck for these guys.. oh wait. https://t.co/4GdTflCuME Fluttershy (@dfc1601) June 7, 2022 However, some people said the gender of the doctor mattered less to them than getting a diagnosis for the condition. One person wrote: May I just say I suffered from endometriosis for 25 years and the two women doctors over that time were the dismissive disinterested ones. Yes, this is a masterclass, but from my perspective I really couldnt give two hoots about the specialists gender. According to Endometriosis UK, it takes an average of eight years for women to get a diagnosis of the condition from the onset of symptoms. Symptoms can include debilitating pain during menstruation, pain during or after sex, pain when urinating or defecating during menstruation, feel sick, having constipation or diarrhoea, or blood in the urine during menstruation, and difficulty getting pregnant. The cause of the condition is not known and there is no definite cure. The Independent has contacted EEL for comment. A New York native and Howard University graduate, Haynes was born Gertrude Daniels but was affectionately known in Philly as Miss Trudy. Trudy Haynes, a broadcast journalism pioneer who was the first African American television reporter in Philadelphia, died Tuesday at the age of 95. A native of New York and a graduate of Howard University, Haynes was born Gertrude Daniels but was affectionately known in Philly as Miss Trudy, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. She had interviewed some of Americas most memorable famous personalities, a list including Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Muhammad Ali and Tupac Shakur. Trudy Haynes, a broadcast journalism pioneer who was the first African American television reporter in Philadelphia, died this week at the age of 95. (Photo: Screenshot/YouTube.com) Haynes began her career as a model for Lucky Strike cigarettes before getting into broadcast journalism at a radio station in Inkster, Michigan. She rose through the ranks, starting as a receptionist to eventually becoming the editor of a daily program for women. Her television career began in Detroit as the countrys first Black weather reporter. In 1965, Haynes was recruited by Philadelphias KYW-TV the station that later became CBS 3. In an interview last year with her former Philly station, Haynes claimed she would seek out harder news assignments in Detroit. They didnt send women out on these tough roles, she said. I volunteered for some of them, and I got some of them. At KYW-TV, Haynes became the first Black television reporter in the City of Brotherly Love. Over her lengthy career there, Haynes became a staple in local broadcasting, a heralded journalist and show host who took pride in telling the rich tales of everyday Philadelphians. When I went out on the story, I did what I thought the story should be about. And I made a point when they were edited to include whatever our brown story was, she said in an Inquirer interview earlier this year. We needed to tell our own stories about our own people. Known for her wit and personality, Haynes was an Emmy Award winner who been honored by numerous organizations, including the NAACP. She was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphias Hall of Fame in 1999. Story continues We pause to reflect on the life of legendary Trudy Haynes, Philadelphias first Black TV reporter. Haynes inspired so many lives & was truly a pioneer in our industry, blazing trails & opening doors. We extend our condolences to her loved ones, former colleagues & mentees. https://t.co/PSuBECMkIZ pic.twitter.com/tISIExYDdG #NABJ Headquarters (@NABJ) June 7, 2022 Haynes retired that year, but she was a mentor to younger journalists and hosted a weekly public access show until the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The National Association of Black Journalists recognized Haynes passing on Twitter. We pause to reflect on the life of legendary Trudy Haynes, Philadelphias first Black TV reporter, organization officials tweeted Tuesday. Haynes inspired so many lives & was truly a pioneer in our industry, blazing trails & opening doors. We extend our condolences to her loved ones, former colleagues & mentees. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Phillys first Black TV reporter, Trudy Haynes, has died appeared first on TheGrio. A Phoenix police vehicle on Dec. 7, 2021. Phoenix police identified a teenage boy who was shot and killed over the weekend near 13th and Vogel avenues. He was identified as 15-year-old Damarkus Edison, Phoenix police said Tuesday night. Officers responded to the scene just before midnight where they found Edison, who had "apparently been shot" near the roadway. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. According to the Phoenix Police Department, officers learned the victim went outside his home immediately prior to the shooting. Details of what led to the shooting were not released. As of Tuesday night, an investigation was ongoing, police said. Police asked anyone with information to contact the Phoenix Police Department at 602-262-6151 or Silent Witness at at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (480-837-8446) for Spanish. Edison was one of three people who died during the weekend in three separate shootings. He was also one of two teenagers shot and killed. Reach communities editor Joanna Jacobo Rivera at joanna.jacobo@gannett.com or on Twitter @joajacobo Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix police identify 15-year-old shot, killed during weekend Rick Caruso and wife Tina had good reason to celebrate on election night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass will square off in a November runoff in their costly race to become Los Angeles next mayor, with the two far ahead of the rest of the primary field. Caruso held a narrow but widening lead over Bass in partial returns late Tuesday night. Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon was third, far behind the leaders, with progressive activist Gina Viola fourth. With a November showdown apparently looming, both candidates said the results put them in a good position to win five months from now. Rep. Karen Bass addresses supporters at her election-night party at the W Hotel in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva meets supporters in Boyle Heights on election night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Retired Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, center, and wife Celines celebrate election night with supporters at the couple's home in Long Beach. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) L.A. mayoral candidate Rick Caruso greets supporters at the Grove on election night. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Karen Bass strides to the microphone at her election-night party at the W Hotel in Hollywood. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Rick Caruso leans in to talk on the phone to a friend of Ray Alarid's while getting lunch Tuesday at Al & Bea's in Boyle Heights. Alarid said he'd convinced the friend to vote for Caruso for L.A. mayor. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Mayoral candidate Karen Bass, center, leaves the polling place Tuesday after casting her primary vote with grandson Henry Depaz, 7, and daughter Yvette Lechuga at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Mayoral candidate Kevin de Leon, right, chats with patrons at Arado Japanese restaurant in Koreatown before Tuesday's primary election. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva after voting in California's primary election at the Park in La Habra Heights on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Cameron Porsandeh votes with his bulldog in the primary election at Westminster Elementary on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Meltonya Bell of Leimert Park, right, carries her granddaughter Layla Johnson, 6 months, as Bell and her sister Norene Bell, left, vote at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall on Tuesday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Kalei Taylor-Trim, 38, voted in the primary election at Westminster Elementary on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Janice Slattery puts an "I Voted" sticker on poodle Randy after voting at the Park in La Habra Heights on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Hermilia Bustamante, her son Carlos, 4, and daughter Maria, 7, take a selfie with "I Voted" stickers, after Bustamante voted at the Boyle Heights Senior Citizen Center on Tuesday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Chelsea Martinez, 29, votes in the primary election at Westminster Elementary on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A voter exits after casting their ballot in the primary at the Park in La Habra Heights on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) "I had no idea it was election day. I'm not much of a voter," said Robert Hinkley, 57, a former plumber who has been homeless since 2019 and is now living in temporary housing downtown. "No one [candidate] really inspires me. I guess I'm jaded. They're all corrupt." (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Janice Slattery votes as her poodles, Randy and Trucker-T, wait at the Park in La Habra Heights on Tuesday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Poll worker Sheila Rodgers assists voters at Westminster Elementary on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Derryl James, 34, voted in the primary election at Crenshaw High on Tuesday. He said he voted not for the sticker, but because it was his civic responsibility. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Mayoral candidate Rick Caruso stops to hug his son Justin while filling out his ballot at the Boyle Heights Senior Citizen Center on Tuesday. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the Park in La Habra Heights. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) A voter casts a ballot with his dogs at the James Wood Community Center polling station in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Mayoral candidate Karen Bass, with grandson Henry Depaz, 7, speaks after casting her ballot at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall on Tuesday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) A voter checks in to cast a ballot at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Mall on Tuesday. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The side of a Phoenix police vehicle. Phoenix police identified an 18-year-old man as the suspect in a shooting at a Walmart near the old Metrocenter Mall in north Phoenix that left a woman injured on Tuesday. Diontay Evans was arrested in connection to the shooting, Phoenix police said in a press release on Wednesday. Officials had initially reported an argument between two men led to the shooting, but it was found Evans was arguing with two men he knew. Their relationship is unclear. When the three men were leaving the Walmart, Evans fired "several times back into the store", and struck a 45-year-old woman, according to Phoenix police. Officials believe the woman was an unintended victim. Police said Evans fired more rounds at one of the men he was arguing with and struck a vehicle. An officer working off-duty as secondary security for the store detained Evans. Police have also detained the other man involved in the argument. The woman was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police identify 18-year-old as suspect in shooting at Phoenix Walmart Police stand at the scene of an overnight fire that damaged a building that was being renovated to house a new abortion clinic in Casper, Wyoming, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Police in Casper, Wyoming, on Tuesday released surveillance footage as a part of an arson investigation after they say a person in May attempted to burn down a building set to become the state's only procedural abortion clinic. No injuries were reported in the fire that damaged the inside of the facility. The new footage shows a masked person carrying what appears to be a gas can in the building. Police described the person in the video as a 5 foot, 7 inch tall white woman of medium build. The footage shows the person wearing a dark hoodie and a surgical mask in the early hours of May 25. Police previously considered the potential that the fire was intentionally set, but Tuesday's news disclosed a suspect in an active arson investigation. WATCH: Oklahoma governor signs nation's strictest abortion ban, effective immediately VIDEO: Activists gather across the country to rally for abortion rights, protest Supreme Court The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Denver Field Division joined the Casper police's investigation into the incident and is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for any valuable information that leads to the suspects arrest. Photos from the scene show the future Wellspring Health Access clinic surrounded by police tape. A window was broken and smoke damage can be seen outside. Released footage shows the suspect carry a gas can into the soon-to-be abortion clinic shortly before it caught on fire on May 25. Wyoming currently only has one medication abortion provider located in the city of Jackson, near the Idaho border, according to a website for Wellspring Health Access. The Casper clinic was set to open in mid-June, but organizers on Wednesday released a statement announcing that the opening has been delayed by about six months. Despite these setbacks, we are undeterred in our mission to give the people of Casper access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care, clinic founder Julie Burkhart said in the statement. The arson investigation comes as abortion rights have become a national flashpoint following a leaked Supreme Court's draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Story continues Several states have passed "trigger laws" that would restrict abortions immediately following the court's ruling, should it overturn the historic precedent. Wyoming became one of such states in March, when Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill that would ban most abortions. Abortion-rights advocates nationwide say they have seen a rise in violent acts against clinics. Statistics collected by the National Abortion Federation show a recent increase in clinic trespassing and obstruction, death threats, and mail and internet harassment. Contributing: Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY; The Associated Press. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wyoming abortion clinic fire: police release video, offer reward By Steven Grattan SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is holding a strong lead against incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro for the October election, a Genial/Quaest poll released on Wednesday showed. Lula has 46% voter support in a first-round vote, a 16-percentage-point lead over his far-right rival, with Bolsonaro two points down from his best showing in April. In an expected run-off between them, Lula has widened his advantage to 22 percentage points and would win the election by 54% versus 32% for Bolsonaro, the Genial/Quaest poll said. Other recent polls show Lula maintaining a solid lead in the first round and winning the election comfortably in the second round, by as much as 25 percentage points in the May Datafolha survey and by 10 points in the latest PoderData poll. Analysts have said that Bolsonaro's questioning of Brazil's electronic voting system and clashes with the Supreme Court and the Superior Electoral Tribunal could be costing him the votes of Brazilian moderates and have diminished his gains in April. Lula's lead against Bolsonaro narrowed slightly in some May polls, but he has quickly regained voter support. The Genial/Quaest poll also showed that the negative view of Bolsonaro's government is at 47%, up from 46% in May, while the percentage of those who see the government in a positive light remained at 25%. Pollster Quaest interviewed 2,000 voters in person between June 2 and June 5. The poll has a margin of error of 2 percentage points up or down. (Reporting by Steven Grattan; Editing by Mark Porter) Primary results in California are adding to woes for progressives, who are seeing limits on the political support for their reformist vision of the country. In San Francisco, voters recalled District Attorney Chesa Boudin (D), whose criminal justice and police reforms spooked residents who saw policies like cash bail stripped away under his tenure. At the same time, Rick Caruso, a Republican-turned-Democrat, had a surprisingly strong showing in the Los Angeles mayoral race while funneling tens of millions into a centrist, tough-on-crime platform and will face Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), who has built a progressive reputation, in a runoff election. The bleeding didnt stop there. Just days prior, Texas officials announced anti-abortion rights Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), considered the most conservative Democrat in the House, had defeated activist and attorney Jessica Cisneros by fewer than 300 votes in the Democratic runoff for Texass 28th Congressional District, delivering perhaps the primary cycles biggest blow to progressives. And the week prior, Justice Democrats-backed Rana Abdelhamid suspended her House bid in New York. The left wing saw glimmers of hope last month when longtime Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) lost to liberal challenger Jamie Mcleod-Skinner in Oregons 5th Congressional District. Schrader, one of only two lawmakers President Biden endorsed, was seen as an obstructionist within his own party, and voters declined to reelect him to an eighth term. They also celebrated wins in Pennsylvania. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) won a coveted Senate primary over moderate Rep. Conor Lamb (D), and activist Summer Lee edged out a win for a House seat that covers Pittsburgh. But the latest defeats give a two steps forward, three steps back feeling for dispirited progressives desperate to keep their movements energy intact. The far left was talking a big game at the start of this cycle, but reality has intruded, said Matt Bennett, co-founder of Third Way, a top centrist think tank. Story continues Democratic voters keep saying, over and over, that they do not want what the far left is selling. Deep-blue San Francisco has sent that message twice this year in recall elections. Voters in Minneapolis said the same, as did Democrats in New York City. In San Francisco, crime dominated the discussion. Considered one of the lefts biggest vulnerabilities, the issue proved to be a losing one at the ballot box, and validation for moderates who had for months warned of the electoral problems with the defund the police mentality. For the activists and few progressive officeholders who embraced Boudins platform, an overwhelming number of voters didnt. They rejected a belief that a softer approach on crime was needed in their city and proved that positions messaged toward safety were paramount. Boudin, who came into office just three years ago with much adoration from liberals, was recalled by 61 percent, according to The Associated Press. Ultimately, said Kevin Liao, a political operative with the Democratic consultancy Bryson Gillette, its about making sure to address the feeling of safety that people are going through in their everyday lives. Just a few hundred miles away in Los Angeles, the race to elect the citys next mayor had become more challenging for progressives than some anticipated. They saw Bass, a former leader in Congress close to both activists and party leadership, lose support to Caruso, whose billionaire status allowed him to self-fund his campaign. Much like in San Francisco, crime and unmitigated homelessness drove voters fears and preferences in the primary, though Bass has come out strongly against the progressive defund the police slogan. Bass and Caruso will face off against each other in the fall elections. In the latter weeks of the campaign, Bass tried to tie Caruso to his past support for GOP base issues like guns and abortion. That will only permeate more in the general election, said Liao, who expects to see sharper contrast drawn between both campaigns. Do the big national Democratic figures and groups come out in support of Bass? Do you get [Sens.] Bernie [Sanders] and Elizabeth Warren endorsements and visits? That nationalization of the race will only grow as we get closer to November, he said. No race was perhaps as nationalized as the Texas runoff, where Cisneros mounted a rematch against Cuellar for control of the states conservative-leaning district. Democrats watched in anticipation as votes trickled in from pro-Cuellar and pro-Cisneros counties in what amounted to a too-close-to-call election night. Days later, state officials finally certified the results narrowly in Cuellars favor after the congressman had already declared victory twice. Cisneros is now calling for a recount. Progressives have an uphill battle in this political environment, said Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist and campaign veteran. While Cisneros came up just short of a House seat and potential place in the Squad, some Democrats argue that progressives who are already in office are also coming up short, with voters searching for a common target. Confusion over who contributed to Bidens social spending package tanking and fears of more losses coming in the midterm elections are adding to those concerns. There are a lot of progressives in positions of influence and power at a time where the country is unhappy with its leadership, Payne said. The news on Tuesday wasnt all bad for progressives. Gabriel Vasquez, a progressive former councilman, won a lesser-watched race for a New Mexico House seat to face off against Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell. But without linear traction, liberals are struggling to make the case that their platform is viable. And moderates see an opening in the cracks. If they cant sell their vision to primary voters in the Bay Area or the Bronx, its pretty tough for them to argue that their approach will work in a general election in suburban Richmond, said Bennett of Third Way. Still, progressives are not the only ones facing criticism. Biden is increasingly taking heat from all sides as his approval ratings continue to sink, as domestic problems rip through the country and as his search for a new strategy and message hits up against the midterm clock. The optics of regular infighting dont help. The countys been in a constant state of tumult, Payne said. People are unhappy with everybody and everything right now. And theyre going to reach at the closest thing they can grasp at. Thats usually the incumbent. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Queen Latifah has always projected undeniable self-confidence, but like a lot of people, shes had her struggles with her body image. She opened up about the realities of having a fuller body type on the Red Table Talk, shedding light on weight bias and the harmful stigma surrounding obesity. Latifah revealed that she never saw herself as obese until she worked with celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins. Jenkins told her that scientifically, she was in that category. Shes showing me different body types, and shes like, this is what your BMI is, this is what your weight is, and you fall into this category of obesity,' she said during the Red Table Talk episode. I was mad at that. It pissed me off. I was like, What? Me? I mean, Im just thick. She said you are 30% over where you should be. And Im like, Obesity?' I was like nah, because I didnt see myself that way, she added. And thats the problem, and thats why Im here, because that word brings a connotation with it, and the connotation is the problem. The 52-year-old continued, saying that the negative connotation around obesity prevents people from understanding what causes obesity. Now, Latifah, whos joined forces with Its Bigger Than Me, is working towards changing the narrative surrounding obesity. For me, its not about a weight thing, its about health at the end of the day, she said. I know a lot of people who are actually quite thin and are not healthy. Latifah, along with the hosts of Red Table Talk, also addressed how the Black community and eurocentric beauty standards complicate Black peoples relationship with their bodies. And the end of the day you want people to feel good about who they are, but if its always coming through a lens of someone else, thats not healthy, Latifah said. The 52-year-old said shes been scrutinized her whole career for her weight, specifically when she was acting on Living Single. She recounted hearing that she and her female co-stars needed to lose weight. Story continues The Last Holiday actress also talked about some designers not making clothes that fit her body. The women dived into work bias that impacts people with bigger body types. Host Jada Pinkett Smith cited a Bloomberg article that found for every 6 pounds an average American woman gains, her hourly pay drops 2%. Those things affect you, Latifah said of the article. It crushes people. Latifah concluded the conversation, saying that its important people of color stay in tune with whats happening internally. Black and Brown people are dealing with a lot of stressors, she said. And those things are affecting our health. WASHINGTON As a new generation of western-made arms travels to Ukraines front-line forces, donor nations are assessing the risk of revealing sensitive technology to Russias military if the equipment is captured. Such considerations have become more prevalent as Soviet-age stocks used in the fight dwindle and Ukrainian leaders request weapons with longer ranges and better combat punch, according to British defense officials, who spoke on condition of not being named due to the sensitivity of the subject. The British government is a key driving force in coordinating international military aid to Ukraine. Any weaponry that includes seeker and guidance components for targeting, as well as encryption algorithms, could give clues to Russian forces about how these arms work and, potentially, how to defend against them, said a British Embassy official here. Technology trophies routinely change hands in modern war, and there have been reports of Ukrainian forces turning the tables and gleaning insight from Russian equipment seized on the battlefield. Whats new is that capture risk calculations are becoming more deeply embedded in new donation decisions, as a generational shift in the quality of the weapons flowing into Ukraine gets underway. Nothing is limitless, said another British Embassy official, referring to Soviet-era equipment being ground up in the war. The amount of weapons being expended on a daily basis just to hold back Russia on the eastern flank in the Donbas is substantial. Earlier this month, U.S. and U.K. leaders announced the transfer of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, and M270 Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems, or MLRS, to Ukraine. The weapons are considered crucial in defeating long-range artillery pieces used by the Russians to slice deeper into the Donbas. Given the American and British weapons ranges of 70-80 km, the systems are considered far enough away from the frontline to mitigate immediate capture risks. But losing sophisticated, shorter-range weapons like the British Brimstone missile, which features onboard target recognition technology, would be more worrisome, according to officials. Story continues Photos of a Brimstone purportedly captured intact by Russian forces in southeastern Ukraine first appeared on Twitter in mid-May. Meanwhile, Western defense leaders are expected to meet in Brussels next week to coordinate new arms donations to Ukraine. A naval version of the Brimstone missile, which manufacturer MBDA has marketed for some time, is being considered by the British to fill a crucial gap in Ukraines coastal defenses. That mission has taken on global significance because Russian ships are blocking Ukraines ports, leaving 22 million tons of grain meant for export languishing in silos near the coast, according to the U.S. State Department. Russian ships have reportedly left the area with stolen grain by the hundreds of thousands of tons, agency spokesman Ned Price told ABC News. At the last donor conference on May 23, the Danes agreed to supply Ukraine with U.S.-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles. But more is needed to beef up Ukraines anti-ship capabilities to be able to punch through the Russian blockade, said the second British official. Especially when there has there been so much concern, even at the UN level, about the grain crisis, the official said. Thats significant, and its something we cant let go of and need to focus on more. Dr. Hamid Rabiee of Redding has been convicted of all 63 counts charged against him in connection with the sexual assault of a number of female patients, the Shasta County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday, June 7, 2022. A Shasta County jury Tuesday convicted a Redding neurologist of all 63 counts that accused him of sexually assaulting a number of female patients, the Shasta County District Attorneys Office said. Dr. Hamid Rabiee, 65, was found guilty of the charges, including enhancements, that accused him of touching intimate parts of the womens bodies, the DAs Office said. These acts were done under the guise of legitimate neurological medical treatment, the office said. Each woman came forward independently and did not know of the other women's allegations, according to the DA's Office. (They) were not aware of the other victims allegations, the DAs Office said. The charges involved Rabiee touching the victims breasts, buttocks and vaginal area during exams. Rabiee, who was arrested in February 2018, will be sentenced July 5 in Shasta County Superior Court. The Redding Police Department investigated numerous complaints that accused Rabiee of inappropriate and unwelcome physical contact, the DAs Office said. According to Record Searchlight archives, filings show Redding police reports alleging Rabiee assaulted patients as far back as 2005. A police investigator forwarded a case involving Rabiee to the DA's Office in 2007, but charges were not filed. "There are many reasons cases can be declined. Sex offenses can be particularly difficult to prove because it can be often the word of the perpetrator against the word of the victim," DA Stephanie Bridgett said in 2018. "In this case, once we received additional information, it caused us to reevaluate that prior case and we were able to refile." After news of the allegations came out, Redding police received calls from 26 patients reporting similar abuses from Rabiee, according to an investigative police report filed in court. In March 2018, a judge announced the Shasta County Grand Jury had indicted Rabiee, alleging 18 new victims. In a Record Searchlight article from July 2021, Rabiees lawyer, Jacob Levin, said Rabiee maintained his innocence and that the allegations were the result of a small fraction of patients misinterpreting medical procedures. Story continues More on this case: Prior reporting by former Record Searchlight reporter Matt Brannon was included in this report. Mike Chapman is an award-winning reporter and photographer for the Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif. His newspaper career spans Yreka and Eureka in Northern California and Bellingham, Wash. Support local journalism by subscribing today. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: California doctor Hamid Rabiee convicted of 63 counts of sexual assault Remote Learning for Long COVID teens Getty | mixetto What a difference a year makes. Over the past few weeks, leading up to May 1 National College Decision Day, my Facebook feed was flooded with happy photos of high school seniors declaring what college they will attend. Last year, I was one of the proud parents posting photos of my son smiling, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo of the college he had chosen. But just a year before that, my son could barely leave his bed because the effort to do so left him dizzy and exhausted. Night after night throughout his junior year, I scoured articles about applying for disability benefits and taking the GED, planning for a very different future than the one we'd imagined his freshman year of high school. His remarkable turnaround senior year was due in part to his health improving. But much of his academic success can be attributed to the fact that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his high school went fully online during his senior year. Online Learning May Democratize Education for Kids With Disabilities "A lot of students loved having online education and access to hybrid and remote learning, especially students with chronic health conditions that have flare-ups where they might still be able to engage in classes from bed in their pajamas," says Annie Tulkin, founder and director of Accessible College, a firm that supports students with physical disabilities and chronic health conditions in the transition from high school to college. That was certainly true for my son. After 18 months of medical tests, consultations with multiple specialists, and hours of searching the internet for options, my son was diagnosed with post-orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in his sophomore year of high school. On a good day, my son feels like he has a bad case of the flu, on a bad day (or week or month) he is basically bedbound. In my son's sophomore year, we put a 504 plan in place which provided accommodations, including extra time to complete assignments and take tests and allow him to drink water and use the restroom as needed. He did well academically but continued to miss days and weeks with flare-ups which he spent bed-ridden. When he returned to class, he struggled to make up all the coursework he missed and keep up with current assignments. Early in his junior year, it became clear that he was too ill to attend classes. Story continues At that point, we had to choose between several inadequate options. We opted for the Home and Hospital program which provided tutors two to three times a week in our home, with decidedly mixed results. Some instructors were highly skilled and able to teach him advanced physics and calculus so that he would be on track with his course work should he be able to return to in-person classes. Other tutors could not teach him the IB coursework, so he was behind in his curriculum in those subjects. He did well in the challenging classes and average in the others. He was also increasingly socially isolated because he didn't see his classmates in school and found it hard to maintain his friendships. Although his school's administration, guidance counselor, and several teachers were very sympathetic, it was difficult for the school to deal with his illness. "It's so easy to force kids with complex medical conditions out of school, out of society," says Megan Carmilani, founder of Long Covid Families, a nonprofit that provides support for individuals, caregivers, and children with long-term COVID symptoms. How to Find the Resources Your Child Needs Teens with invisible illnesses are often made further invisible by high schools that aren't adequately equipped to meet their needs. It is difficult for administrators and teachers working in a traditional school setting to provide the flexibility that many chronically ill teens need. Gretchen Kelley lives in South Carolina and found it challenging to get meaningful accommodations when her daughter, now a senior in high school, was diagnosed with Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and dysautonomia during her freshman year. "We went through all the versions of school accommodations, we did homebound study, we did hybrid days, where she would go to her school half the day and attend the other half of the day through South Carolina's state-approved virtual online school," Kelley says. In her junior year, Kelley's daughter attended the virtual online school full-time. In September 2020, when my son started his senior year, his high school, like many others across the country, was fully online. His school was committed to delivering a rigorous IB education to students despite the challenges in doing so. Teachers embraced best practices and mastered new technology over the summer. That year, my son thrived. His absences plummeted and his grades soared. "For some students who were chronically ill and immunocompromised, the pandemic offered a way they could be learning at home and access education as well as their peers in a way they hadn't before," notes Kim Knackstedt, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation and the first director of disability policy for the Biden-Harris administration. Some teens on the higher end of the autism spectrum had similar experiences. "They got a break from the social stressors so there was a lot less anxiety. They were relieved from bullying and could just go on with their school work and go about their lives," says Stephanie Streb, a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Maryland who works with children, teens, and young adults. Unfortunately, my son's positive experience with online learning was not universal. Disabled and chronically ill teens without access to broadband, laptops, or necessary assisted technology fared poorly, Knackstedt cautions. As support services were reduced or eliminated, autistic teens who relied on these services really struggled, Streb adds. Here are some resources to help you get started: It can be difficult to know where to look to determine what kind of accommodations your child can request at school. These resources are good places to start. The National Disability Rights Network protects the legal rights of individuals with disabilities. Each state has an NDRN member who provides legal advocacy and can advise parents about their teens rights via the state, which may be stronger than those provided at the federal level. The Kennedy Krieger Institute researches, cares for, and treats children with developmental and neurological challenges. They have issued guidance on how to support students with long COVID symptoms. Kidshealth has a factsheet for educators about chronic fatigue syndrome, with suggested accommodations for the student. Dysautonomia International provides a detailed list of accommodations for students with dysautonomia, including POTS. When It Comes to Disability and Education, Flexibility Is Key After two years of the pandemic, many parents and teens were delighted to return to traditional schooling. With the onset of long COVID, which experts suggest may affect between 10 to 42.6 percent of young people, flexibility may be more important than ever before. Schools will need to adapt to serve these young people. "People with disabilities have been advocating for remote options foreversince we've had the internet," Tulkin says. With the rise in long COVID, there may be enough voices calling for change that high schools will have to respond. One challenge teens with complex medical conditions faced was that their illnesses were not included in the federal government's definition of disability, used to enforce civil rights. Last July, the Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education released guidance on long COVID and included it as a possible disability. This guidance will help teens with long COVID, as well those with chronic illnesses such as POTS or CFS, which are often linked to long COVID, advocate for equal access to education. According to federal law, schools must provide "free and appropriate" education for students with disabilities in "the least restrictive environment (LRE)." Embracing and building upon the online learning schools quickly developed during the pandemic and providing a hybrid model would allow chronically ill teens to be educated in a less restrictive environment alongside their peers in the classroom and, when necessary, online. To achieve this hybrid model as well as a more supportive environment requires education and advocacy. "Allow the disability community to guide you in how to provide for disabled teens," Carmilani says. Disability advocates suggest training for all school staff on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as on implicit disability bias. Chronically ill teens and young adults should be appointed to school boards to drive the conversation about their needs. Families and teens need a better understanding of their rights under the law. "In some cases, the pandemic allowed teachers to see the value of inclusion in a new way," Knackstedt says. "There is so much evidence that inclusion benefits everyone." LONDON (AP) Portuguese-British artist Paula Rego, who created bold, visceral works inspired by fairy tales, her homeland and her own life, has died at age 87. The Victoria Miro Gallery, which represents Rego, said Wednesday that she died peacefully this morning, after a short illness, at home in north London, surrounded by her family. Regos work spanned styles from naturalism to the abstract, and often included vivid, unnerving depictions of people, animals or both. Among her best-known works are the Dog Woman pastel drawings portraying women in a series of canine poses. Born in Lisbon in 1935, Rego was sent to school in England and went on to study art at the Slade School in London. At the time, Portugal was governed by Antonio Salazars dictatorship and women were second-class citizens without the vote. Rego said her father had told her: Leave Portugal. This is no country for a woman. In the 1960s Rego exhibited alongside rising young artists such as David Hockney as part of the London Group collective. One early painting, the semi-abstract Salazar Vomiting the Homeland, excoriated the dictatorship. Producing it in Portugal at the time would have landed her in jail. Though she lived in Britain for decades, Regos work was infused with the colors and stories of her homeland, and drew on her childhood in conservative Portugal under the Salazar regime. "Our infancy is always with us, isnt it? Rego told The Associated Press in a 2014 interview. On the Portugal of her childhood, she said: It was a fascist state for everyone, but it was especially hard for women. They got a raw deal." A feminist who helped change the way women are depicted in art, Rego challenged expectations of beauty and explored subtexts of sex and violence in Portuguese folk tales and nursery rhymes. A staunch champion of human rights, she memorably produced a series of paintings entitled Abortion, shortly after Portugal had rejected pregnancy termination on demand in a 1998 referendum. In 2008-2009 she created another series, Female Genital Mutilation. Story continues After Portugals transition to democracy in the 1970s, Rego became one of the countrys most famous artists. A museum of her work opened in the seaside town of Cascais in 2009. The Portuguese government decreed a day of national mourning, when flags on government buildings will fly at half-mast in the artist's honor. Her paintings, drawings and engravings contain powerful images that will stay with us and with generations to come, the government said in a statement. It added that Rego was an artist who was acutely alive to the reality of our society. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Rego was the countrys greatest modern artist of the past three decades. He recalled that on a visit to Regos London studio in 2016 he witnessed the enchanting and disturbing power of her work. Rego also was renowned in Britain, where she was the first artist-in-residence at the National Gallery in London. Tate Britain held a major retrospective of her work last year. Tate director Maria Balshaw called Rego an uncompromising artist of extraordinary imaginative power, who uniquely revolutionized the way in which womens lives and stories are represented. Regos work is in the collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale Center for British Art. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II made Rego a dame, the female equivalent of a knight. Rego was married for 29 years to British artist Victor Willing, who died in 1988. She is survived by their children Nick, Caroline and Victoria, and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. ___ Hatton reported from Lisbon. A new report from Endeavor Nigeria reveals that Africas digital economy and tech ecosystem is set to experience exponential growth periods. The report is dubbed The Inflection Point: Africas Digital Economy is Poised to Take Off. It highlights important events in the continents tech ecosystem until this point, compares its journey with other emerging markets and provides guidance into the opportunities within various sectors. The report, which included analysis from McKinsey & Company, says its assertions are backed by an acceleration in strong market fundamentals and the impact of the pandemic. The market size of Africas digital economy is massive and, if projections go as planned, should top $712 billion by 2050. The dynamics that play into this forecast, aside from the impact of COVID, include a youthful population (the youngest globally), rising smartphone adoption and internet penetration that has led to a burgeoning tech ecosystem backed by local and international VC dollars. While many publications and reports have done an excellent job of describing the opportunities that abound on the continent, a few stakeholders like Endeavor believe a more precise picture needs to be painted. New York-based Endeavor is a global community of high-impact founders across almost 40 underserved markets in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The firm also has a fund, Endeavor Catalyst, which has backed many unicorns outside the U.S. and China. From my conversation with many entrepreneurs, we kept hearing the same thing: While we talk about the African story and opportunity, not everyone has the African context, Tosin Faniro-Dada, the managing director and CEO of Endeavor Nigeria, said to TechCrunch on a call. Entrepreneurs will say to me, when we have to go beyond our local markets and walk into rooms to meet investors in San Francisco, New York and London, most of them dont even know what were talking about; they dont understand the African opportunity. Story continues The organizations report intends to shed more light on Africas market dynamics. For investors, it hopes to help them build local market intelligence. And though they are inclined to follow the money, Endeavor wants them to look beyond usual market opportunities and map out exit pathways. Here are a few interesting points from the newly-launched report. Africas digital opportunity The continents $115 billion digital economy is in its early phases. For instance, 33% of individuals use the internet compared to a global average of 63%. The report also pinpoints other metrics such as fixed and mobile broadband connections and mobile cellular network coverage. Much of the growth so far has been concentrated in four key markets: Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt. These markets make up 32% of Africas population, 51% of the continents mobile network connections, 50% of its professional developers and 51% of its GDP. Image Credits: ITU World Telecommunication/IOT indicators database/Endeavor Africas GDP has tripled since 1990; it recorded a 4% CAGR compared to Europes and Latin Americas 1.7% from 2010 to 2019. The report also stated that Africa is also recording faster growth in consumer spending than most other regions: 9.4% CAGR from 2018 to 2023 compared to Eastern Europes 6.9%, Asia Pacifics 6.8%, Western Europes 4%, North Americas 3.5% and Latin Americas 2.8%. By 2030, Africa is expected to have a total of $2.5 trillion in consumer expenditure from over 1.7 billion consumers, the report said. On talent, Endeavors report says two of the top five fastest-growing markets for GitHub contributions are in Africa: Nigeria and Egypt. According to the report, African developers created 40% more open source repositories on the software engineering marketplace in 2019 than in 2018 recording a higher growth percentage than any other continent globally. Other statistics include job projections from various channels: 44 million jobs if internet penetration reaches 75%, 3 million jobs from online marketplaces by 2025 and 1.7 million jobs due to Googles $1 billion investment in the continent. The continents investment story The report first highlights the growth of venture capital on the continent over the past six years; within this period, investments in African startups have grown 18x. From 2020 to 2021, it grew 2x faster than global startup funding, it said. Endeavor also underscores the widely believed theory that Africa lags other emerging markets such as Latin America and Southeast Asia by five years. According to the firm, the continents funding trajectory from 2015 to 2020 is akin to Southeast Asia and Latin Americas 2010 to 2015 periods. Going forward, Africas trajectory looks in line with SEA and faster than Latin America, it said. Image Credits: Crunchbase/Endeavor But as more global investors pay attention to Africas technology scene and local investors step up their game, whats becoming evident is a shortage of capital in the early-growth stages, particularly around Series A investments. According to the report, there is an 84% drop in Series A rounds vs. seed rounds in Africa. This is compared to 37%, 70% and 66% in the U.S., Southeast Asia and Europe. Theres an opportunity here for local funds to invest above seed rounds, for larger Africa-focused firms to double down on Series A and for global funds to go lower than Series B, C and D. The report also highlights how its taking less time for the continent to mint unicorns, the increase in mega rounds, liquidity events and exits (examples exist of local and international acquisitions, traditional IPOs and SPACs). Sectoral transformation There are five main sectors in Africas startup landscape: financial services, commerce, transport, healthcare and education. Endeavors report describes why these sectors are vital to Africas growth, the various pain points startups try to address and how they go about it by providing a "wedge" -- like an entrance to the market -- and building around this wedge to offer more services that address other consumer and business needs. Some examples highlighted in the report include M-Pesa in fintech, Yoco in commerce, Kobo360 in transport, Helium Health in healthcare and uLesson in education. Image Credits: Bill Gates Foundation Gallup report (2014)/Endeavor At the end of the report, Endeavor takes an individualistic perspective and deep dive into Africas largest markets, emphasizing what makes each country stand out. It calls Nigeria Africas largest internet economy and South Africa the continent's most inclusive internet country. It describes Egypt as having one of the most diverse landscapes of digital businesses and lauds Kenyas internet economy for contributing the most to Africa's GDP. The data gathered in this report is clear Africa is the next digital growth frontier, said Faniro-Dada. The combination of our young and digitally savvy population, an emerging technology ecosystem and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on behaviors is set to trigger an inflection point in our digitization journey. We have been excited by the increased levels of funding that our entrepreneurs are attracting, but we want to make it even easier for more investors to bring out their cheque books to catalyze the growth that we believe is pending. Beth Messick, executive director of Jasmine Road, talks with a resident one-on-one Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 in Greenville, S.C. Julie Meredith has helped domestic violence survivors for 14 years. Since the pandemic hit, she's noticed a new intensity and complexity in cases. "From almost the beginning of the pandemic, the calls we are getting and the level of danger that people are facing, the complexities of the abuse, the lethality level, as we call it, has increased exponentially," Meredith said. More: 'You did not deserve to be abused': Partner violence intensifies, Upstate SC data shows She's program director at Safe Harbor, an Upstate organization agency helping domestic violence victims including shelter, counseling and legal support. The Independent Mail talked with a survivor waiting at one of the Safe Harbor shelter locations who said abuse heightened when COVID-19 hit. After enduring pain and fear for years, she sought help and wants to spread the message that resources are available, she said. And there is a need. The year 2022 has proven to be violent in Anderson County as two women have been killed, their intimate partners charged in their deaths. That's the same number as all of 2021, according to data from the Anderson County Coroner's Office. Research from the news last year: In 2020, COVID-19 pandemic worsened rise in domestic violence calls in Anderson County When the Anderson County Coroner's Office files data of domestic homicides and shootings, the suspect isn't always known, but this data comes from when a suspect was identified early in an investigation. This year also had a third case in Anderson County where a woman shot and killed a man in what police reports characterize as potential self-defense from domestic violence. All three of the cases are pending. In 2019, South Carolina had the sixth-highest rate of men killing women among all U.S. states, according to the Violence Policy Center, and 65% of the 57 victims were intimate partners or former intimate partners of the offenders. Resources for survivors Shelters, programs, counseling: All Safe Harbor offers to South Carolina Story continues Other resources found by clicking here: The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233. For survivors of sexual exploitation: Jasmine Road offers transitional housing Anyone can support a survivor to some degree with the right mindset of listening, experts say. Visit safeharborsc.org to learn about ways to support a survivor of domestic violence. Sarah Sheridan is the community reporter in Anderson. She'd appreciate your help telling important stories; reach her at ssheridan@gannett.com or on Twitter @saralinasher. This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Resources to protect against domestic violence in Anderson SC By Conor Humphries MYKOLAIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Russia is attacking food and agriculture targets in Ukraine in order to scare the world into agreeing a deal to reopen the Black Sea on Moscow's terms, the head of the region where a major agricultural storage facility was struck on Sunday said. Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv region, where Russian shelling destroyed the warehouses of one of Ukraine's largest agricultural commodities terminals over the weekend, said Moscow wanted to make global food shortages "look like a catastrophe". "They want to do this because they are trying to trade about opening the Black Sea" in the hope of a deal that might allow Ukrainian and Russian grain to use the waterway, possibly in exchange for an easing of sanctions, Kim told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. "That is why they shoot more. Why they shoot the agricultural enterprises and even fields - just for their own movie that fields are on fire," said Kim, who was speaking outside his former office, which was destroyed by a Russian missile in March, killing at least 35 people. Since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of targeted attacks on infrastructure and agriculture in an effort to provoke a global food crisis and pressure the West. Moscow, which calls the war a special military operation and denies hitting civilian targets, blames Western sanctions on Russia and sea mines set by Ukraine for the drop in food exports and rising global prices. BLACK SEA TALKS Ukraine's southern military command, in a statement on Wednesday, accused Russia of "attacking farmland and infrastructure sites where fires of considerable scale have broken out". A large producer of tomato pulp was also destroyed in Mykolaiv earlier in the conflict, Kim's spokesman said. Kim was speaking as Turkish efforts to ease a global food crisis by negotiating safe passage for grain stuck in ports in the Black Sea were being met by some resistance. Story continues Ukraine said Russia was imposing unreasonable conditions and the Kremlin said free shipment depended on an end to sanctions. The Turkish plan, Kim said, was a good idea, "but it all depends on the cost... what Ukraine should pay for opening the Black Sea", he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday the onus was on Ukraine to solve the issues with grain shipments by de-mining the approaches to its ports. He accused the West of exaggerating the global importance of Ukrainian exports. Ukraine, the world's fourth largest grains exporter, operates dozens of export terminals along the Black Sea, where cities are regularly shelled by Russia. A Russian blockade is preventing Ukraine from using the sea for exports. Ukrainian conglomerate Group DF identified the target of Sunday's Mykolaiv attack as its Nika-Tera port facility in Mykolaiv, saying the attack rendered the port facilities entirely unusable. Kim's spokesman said the shelling hit a warehouse where sunflower meal was stored. (Writing by Conor Humphries; Editing by Alex Richardson) (Bloomberg) -- Russian efforts to rewire trade flows and bypass sanctions for the war in Ukraine cant make up for the collapse in imports thats crippling its economy. Most Read from Bloomberg One stark result so far: For the first time, Belarus, a neighboring country that Russia used to help stage the invasion, in April leapfrogged Germany -- an economy more than 60 times bigger -- by the value of imports to Russia, according to a Bloomberg analysis of the latest data. The market practically crashed this spring, said Andrey Pobezhimov, head of international logistics at SDEK, one of Russias biggest express delivery companies. Today its very difficult to bring a cargo from Europe, sometimes almost impossible. Russia has made it harder to get an accurate read on its economy because it stopped publishing some key statistics including a detailed breakdown of imports and exports. But a picture that emerges from figures made available by Russias biggest counterparts is of a commercial pecking order turned upside down. Sales to Russia from trading partners that together accounted for nearly half its imports in 2021 were down about 40% in April from a year earlier, Bloomberg calculations show. Even those, like China, which havent joined the US and its allies in imposing sanctions, are cutting shipments of merchandise. The invasion in late February was a moment of whiplash for an economy so woven into global commerce after three decades that its imports as a share of gross domestic product in the years before the war were notably higher than in such emerging markets as Brazil, India and China. But since a global backlash against the war severed supply chains and prompted numerous multinationals to pull out, Russians have had to make do or learn how to navigate a new obstacle course -- sourcing ingredients from alternative foreign suppliers, scouring the world for new routes or finding other loopholes to haul in the wares. Otkritie Research estimates the value of imports in April may have plunged to as low as $5 billion, down from nearly $27 billion a year earlier. Story continues What Our Economics Says... The collapse in imports is padding the current account but reflects a painful adjustment that will take time to pass through the economy. Until supply chains are reconfigured, producers will face bottlenecks and living standards are likely to deteriorate further. --Scott Johnson. For full analysis, click here As trade with much of Europe dried up, Belarus is emerging as one of the main beneficiaries. Its exports to Russia of items ranging from construction materials to pet food surged by more than 100% in April when measured by value. Boris, who owns a large supermarket chain and factories across Russia, said processing payments was initially an even bigger challenge than the delivery of shipments. Enough workaround solutions are now available to ensure more shipments trickle through and imports start to recover, said Boris, asking to be identified only by first name to speak candidly about his business. Long Way Down But another major threat looms ahead as the European Unions fifth package of sanctions goes into effect in full next month. Boris, whose company relies on imports for about half the goods it sells, expects 5% of its products to vanish from store shelves. Weve dropped a few steps but that doesnt mean were at the landing yet, he said. The staircase down will be a long one. The collapse in imports has been one of the forces warping Russias wartime economy and driving it toward what its central bank called reverse industrialization. Car factories employing tens of thousands ground to a halt for lack of components and simple paper became scarce because manufacturers didnt have enough whitening agent. The Bank of Russia even expects some imports to shift to the shuttle trade seen in the 1990s, when people en masse traveled abroad to bring back goods to sell on open markets. In the search for new ways to deliver consumer goods from abroad, Fesco, a major Russian cargo carrier, has launched a new maritime line between Vietnamese ports and its Vladivostok terminal on the Pacific coast. Its other new initiatives in April included the start of a container service between Istanbul and Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and rail shipments to western Europe. Yet even in the governments telling, the outlook is bleak. Under the main official forecast, goods imports are set to decline by more than a quarter in real terms in 2022. Besides cheap credit and subsidies for struggling industries, the government has also responded by canceling customs duties on numerous products and legalizing gray market sales, also known as parallel imports. Countries such as Turkey may increasingly become conduits for imports, according to Andrej Golubchik, professor at the Russian Foreign Trade Academy. Shipments have restarted to India and the Persian Gulf by way of Iran, he said. Over the past two and a half months, market participants have come out of their stupor, Golubchik said. The first shock has almost passed. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. via Telegram The bodies of 210 Ukrainian fighters killed in the final battle to save Mariupol have been returned, as Russian proxies in the occupied Donetsk region began their show trial against three foreign fighters taken captive amid heavy fighting in the besieged port city in April. British citizens Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner were trotted out before a judge in the Donetsk Peoples Republics Supreme Court on Tuesday, along with Moroccan citizen Ibrahim Saadun. A brief video released by Russias RBC news agency showed all three seated behind bars in the courtroom as a judge noted that none of the five witnesses against them had bothered to show up. Russian proxies in the occupied region have labeled all three men mercenaries and said they may face the death penalty, even though they were all officially integrated into the Armed Forces of Ukraine and had lived in the country for years prior to the Feb. 24 invasion, according to the independent news outlet Mediazona. Russias Defense Ministry has refused to recognize the three as combatants in the war, and as such, claimed they are not protected under international humanitarian law. Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said they face a long prison term. The trial against the three appears to be part of Russias campaign to shift blame for war crimes in the decimated city onto those fighting for Ukraine; Ukrainian citizens who were forcibly transported to Russia through filtration camps have been hauled in for questioning by Russian investigators who force them to provide testimony confirming Ukraines war crimes, according to volunteers and lawyers cited in independent Russian media reports at the end of May. Ukrainian Marines in Mariupol Issue Desperate Plea Denis Pushilin, the separatist leader of occupied Donetsk, claimed this week that the crimes [Pinner, Aslin, and Saadun] committed were monstrous. The prosecutor generals office run by Russian proxies in the occupied region said current law dictates that the captives may be sentenced to an exceptional measure of punishmentthe death penalty. Story continues In a statement released through the British Foreign Office on Tuesday, Aslins family said they are enduring a very sensitive and emotional time and noted they are working with Ukrainian authorities and the Foreign Office to have the 28-year-old returned home. Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon, the family said. The trial against the men commenced as Ukrainian authorities confirmed the return of the bodies of 210 Ukrainian defenders who spent weeks fending off Russian forces in the city. Most of them had been holed up in the Azovstal steel plant under relentless Russian bombing, a last stand to save the city. In addition to those killed, Russian forces have also taken more than 2,500 Ukrainian fighters from the Azovstal plant as prisoners of war, with Ukrainian authorities currently involved in negotiations to have them returned. Russias TASS news agency cited law-enforcement sources on Tuesday to say an additional 1,000 Ukrainian and foreign fighters who surrendered in Mariupol have been transported to Russia to face questioning, though there was no immediate confirmation of that from the Ukrainian side. Meanwhile, the families of Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia have said theyre being bombarded with violent threats from unknown people calling them from Russian phone numbers. Theyre calling from Russian numbers, sending messages on Telegram, WhatsApp, other messaging services, they mock and threaten, Yulia Fedosyuk, the wife of a captive Azovstal defender, told Ukrainska Pravda. We got to your husband and well get to you too, soon our guys will be in Kyiv, she recalled one of the unidentified people saying, along with threats of rape and death. This has been going on for a month now. Ever since we met with the pope, weve been getting attention. After that, they began to call Telegram and send messages that my husband was already supposedly dead; about whether I want to see his photo or video. Things like that, she said. 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. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine The fight for Ukraines Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts hangs on a knife-edge and the outcome may decide the future of the Donbas for years to come. Driven from Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, pushed back behind the border around Kharkiv in the east, and fought to a standstill outside Ukraines Black Sea port city, Odesa, mauled Russian troops have regrouped around Donbas. Units cobbled together from the surviving remainders of other theaters, backed up by some of Russias newest military hardware, are attempting to capture the entirety of Ukraines eastern Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts two coal and mineral-rich provinces that together form the Donbas region. If successful, Russia would control virtually all of Luhansk and Donetsk. Ukrainian infantry officers on the ground offer frank and unfiltered accounts that paint a vivid picture of the situation. Taking cover in a ditch at the side of a road near Bakhmut in Donetsk and mere kilometers from the front line, Yuri, a gray-bearded Ukrainian officer, explained that it has been a tough fight closer to the front. The Russians hit us with cluster munitions, phosphorus, Yuri explained, rubbing his chin in grim contemplation. Outgoing Ukrainian mortars boomed nearby from behind a thickly wooded area, and the crash of incoming Russian artillery exploded in a field opposite the road. Militaries use white phosphorus to illuminate battlefields and create smoke screens, though deliberately using its toxic properties against people could breach the Chemical Weapons Convention. Ukraine has previously accused Russian forces of using the substance against civilians, but those accusations have been difficult to verify. This war is not like 2014; its like 1941. Its a war of vehicles, Yuri explained. He estimated an armored vehicles lifespan in the war at about two weeks. An injured Ukrainian servicemen is transferred to a medical facility after getting an emergency medical treatment in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) In addition to indiscriminate and constant artillery barrages, Yuris men must contend with Russian helicopters, which they see every day. Yuri explained that we do manage to shoot some of the helicopters down, adding that he and his men have been at or near the front for forty days. The Javelins are good, but we need more tanks. Story continues Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that his forces remain set on recapturing all occupied territories, even though it appears increasingly difficult to do so. At the moment, the Ukrainians are struggling to push Russia back at Severodonetsk and around Sloviansk. U.S. President Joe Biden and his senior officials have maintained that its up to Ukraine to decide when to stop fighting. Its their territory. Im not going to tell them what they should and shouldnt do, Biden said June 3. But it appears to me that, at some point along the line, theres going to have to be a negotiated settlement here. And what that entails, I dont know. Russian troops plunge through Ukraine lines in Donbas as fighting enters decisive week In the meantime, Biden added, the U.S. will continue supplying weapons, but manpower is another hinge point for Ukrainian forces. While Ukraine has broadcast carefully tabulated figures of Russian losses, Ukrainian officials have been extremely tight-lipped about their own casualties, part of the countrys informational campaign to control the wartime narrative. Recently, however, Zelenskyy alluded to his countrys losses, estimating casualties at 60-100 each day, in addition to 500 wounded daily. The toll is most significantly felt in Donbas. During a visit to Lysychansk, the embattled Ukrainian city just behind the front line, a Ukrainian major callsign Spartak, or Spartacus lamented the shortage of tank and artillery ammunition in the east. Ukrainian troops, he said, are forced to conserve their ammunition due to lengthier supply lines. Their Russian adversaries, meanwhile, now benefit from relatively short supply lines. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, awards servicemen close to the front line in Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, June 5, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) The fighting at Lysychansk and Severodonetsk is a meat grinder, Spartak said, adding that he expects the two cities in the east will suffer the same [fate] as Mariupol, a city at the Black Sea flattened by heavy ordnance during the citys siege by the Russians. The SUVs and transport vans many Ukrainian troops rely on in place of armored vehicles are rapidly destroyed in combat, Spartak explained, hampering transport logistics and medical evacuation. Russian forces initially seized over half of Severodonetsk, though Ukrainian media reported a successful counterattack, the details of which remain murky. Russian-language media reports that Russia now controls virtually the entire city, but the situation remains fluid. Despite the Donbas extreme danger, Zelenskyy made a trip to the region on Monday, going to Soledar and as far as Lysychansk to talk with Ukrainian troops and present awards to soldiers. In a video Zelenskyy posted to his Telegram channel, the president alluded to new weaponry reaching the Donbas region, though he refused to delve into specifics. We brought something to the military. I will not talk about it in detail. But we brought confidence, the president said, and strength. Though Ukraine has already taken delivery of some of the most advanced conventional artillery pieces in NATO arsenals, Kyiv has long pleaded for longer-range weaponry from the west which they are poised to receive. During a recent press briefing, a senior American military official explained that the U.S. Department of Defense will send four M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, a long-range rocket artillery system, to Ukraine. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows destroyed buildings in Rubizhne, Ukraine near Severodonetsk, on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Maxar Technologies via AP) What the HIMARS will allow them to do is to get greater standoff. Right now, the howitzers we provided them have about a 30 km range, said Colin H. Kahl, undersecretary of defense for policy. The HIMARS have more than twice that, which will allow them even with fewer systems greater standoff. These are precision guided systems with extended range, Kahl said. For high value targets, that, that allows them to keep some of the pressure off of Ukrainian forces on the front, [which] we think these systems will be very useful. Britain is to join the United States and send M270 multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine, a tracked vehicle similar to the United States wheeled HIMARS that can fire the same long-range ammunition the HIMARS uses. The shortage of heavy, mobile weaponry is acutely felt in Donbas. Alexei and Nikita, a pair of soldiers on leave in Bakhmut, a small city in Donetsk, complained of the lack of heavy weaponry with which to strike back against Russian vehicles. They explained that the war today is drastically different than what they experienced in 2014. Now its mostly artillery. Thats it. The ordinary firearm, the ordinary infantry they are not needed, one soldier said. The Ukrainians on the front are bombed by planes, helicopters, tanks, mortars, Grads a machine gun against a Grad or a tank, or a BTR its the soldier trailed off despondently. Until Ukraine takes delivery of the kind of long-range firepower it is poised to receive from the United States and the United Kingdom, the momentum in Donbas appears to have swung in Russias favor. The Russians appear intent on encircling Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. Stopping the Russians in Donbas will be a grave and costly undertaking. Its the kind of place where you find out what kind of person you are, Yuri said, reflecting on the war and nodding to the soldiers under his command. The guys grow up fast here. One or two battles and the boys become men. Moments later, a blue passenger van screeched to a halt beside us, the driver yelling that he needed four more. A group of Ukrainian soldiers hustled out from the ditch and jumped inside, and the van tore down the road toward the front line. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was projected to be recalled by voters Tuesday, a loss for progressives who supported his mission of criminal justice reform. If Boudin is removed from his position as top prosecutor of the majority-Democratic city, Mayor London Breed will appoint an interim DA until voters weigh in again in the November election. Boudin was elected in 2019 as part of a movement of progressive prosecutors across the country including Larry Krasner in Philadelphia pushing back on decades of tough-on-crime policies that increased mass incarceration and disproportionately criminalized Black and Latinx people. Since entering office, Boudin a former public defender whose parents spent decades in prison has kept his campaign promises of eliminating cash bail, holding police accountable and diverting people from the criminal legal system. The recall effort was led by an organization called San Franciscans for Public Safety, which gathered over 50,000 signatures to put the recall on the ballot. The group has claimed that crime is on the rise in the city and blamed the progressive DA. But a San Francisco Chronicle analysis found that violent crime in San Francisco actually declined during the pandemic. While murders and shootings have increased in recent years, this tracks with trends across major U.S. cities. Most property crimes are also trending toward their pre-pandemic levels. The recall was funded by wealthy donors, including William Oberndorf, a Republican megadonor. The Northern California American Civil Liberties Union and local union chapters of the SEIUsupported Boudin with donations against the recall campaign. Some of Boudins critics pointed to growing anti-Asian violence over the past two years in San Francisco, but such hateful attacks occurred in cities across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Boudins team slammed the recall effort as a political tool being used to reverse a fairly won election. State legislators have pushed to reform the recall system in California, with state Sen. Steve Glazer (D) telling HuffPost last year that voters want a more democratic process that prevents political gamesmanship. Story continues Last year, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom prevailed against an effort to recall him from his seat. But earlier this year, three school board members were successfully recalled from their posts the first recall in San Francisco since 1983. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... CHICAGO Jeanette Taylor joined the citys waitlists for affordable housing in 1993. Last month, her son who wasnt even alive when his mother first sought affordable housing handed her a letter from the Chicago Housing Authority. It said Taylors family could finally apply for a Housing Choice Voucher. I sat on my bed for an hour. Im like, God, you got a sick sense of humor, said Taylor, who now represents the 20th Ward on the City Council. She shared her story with a picture of the letter in a tweet that went viral last week. But Taylor says her experience isnt unique and affordable housing activists agree. Thousands of Chicagoans struggle with decadeslong lulls on waitlists that keep affordable housing out of reach, they say. Taylor is now working with the Chicago Housing Initiative coalition to pass an ordinance that she believes can help address the long waits required to get into affordable housing. Taylor and affordable housing advocates discussed the proposal at a City Hall news conference Tuesday morning. In one of the richest cities in the world, we aint got a money issue. Theres no political will to make sure people are housed, Taylor said. Chicago resident Renee Celestine, who attended the news conference, said she knows firsthand how long the waitlist can feel. She joined the Housing Choice Voucher waitlist in April 2014 when she needed the financial help after taking time off work to care for an elderly family member. She wasnt able to break back into the fast-changing computer science industry, she said. Shes been waiting to get to the top of the waitlist ever since. If they call me 15 years from now, I might not even be on the planet, Celestine, 66, said. At the end of 2021, there were 170,000 families on waitlists for public housing and project-based housing, Chicago Housing Authority spokesman Matthew Aguilar told the Tribune, noting that some people are on multiple waitlists at the same time. Story continues Aguilar said that wait times can range from six months to 25 years. Most properties on a CHA website show expected wait times of 10 years or more. We fully agree that more resources are needed to address the need for affordable housing in Chicago and around the nation, Aguilar said in a statement. Currently, 32,000 families are waiting for Housing Choice vouchers, Aguilar said. The housing vouchers give people the choice of where they want to live, and Aguilar said that the CHA uses nearly all of the vouchers it receives. CHA currently has 47,000 Housing Choice Vouchers that it receives from the federal government. The number allotted has not increased in many years, he said. New families will receive vouchers when families currently in the program stop using them. In 1993, When Taylor joined the CHAs waitlists back when Starter jackets were in vogue and the Chicago Bulls closed out their first three-peat affordable housing promised to give her space to raise a family. At the time she and her three kids shared a one-bedroom apartment with her mother, her sister and her sisters child, Taylor told The Chicago Tribune last week. She said she got no response for 15 years. In the meantime, Taylor worked at a bar at night and went to school during the day. She said she had to choose between paying for after-school programs and shoes for her kids or paying for the gas bill in the winter. And if it wasnt for her mothers support, Taylor said, she and her children might have been homeless. In 2008, the CHA sent her a letter offering housing, Taylor said. She had made it to the top of the waitlist for a property, but it was 60 blocks away, far from the school her kids attended and her mother worked, or the bus stop where Taylor waited to get to her job. Most importantly, the city told her that her son couldnt be on the lease or live in the apartment since he had just graduated from high school and didnt yet have a job, she said. She couldnt move so far away and kick her son out, she said, so she decided to stay on the waitlist. Part of me is ashamed, because Im made to feel ashamed for asking for assistance when I really needed it. But the city should feel ashamed, because it took them 29 years, said Taylor, who was elected to the council in 2019. Since her tweet went viral, people from her ward and beyond have called her office to say they are stuck on CHA waitlists, she said. Its a feature, not a bug, said Don Washington, executive director of the Chicago Housing Initiative, a coalition of organizations that work with and advocate for low-income Chicago renters. The system is set up as an obstacle course. Its not set up to facilitate them getting housing. The people Washingtons organization works with often remain on the CHAs waitlists for Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing or project-based vouchers for at least 10 years, he said. The system can create even more turmoil for people with disabilities who are in need of specific types of housing, according to Cathleen OBrien, a housing-focused community organizer for Access Living, an organization that supports people with disabilities and a member of the Chicago Housing Initiative. OBrien said she worked with one wait-listed woman, who had a disability, who the CHA kept showing inaccessible housing to for 23 years. Each time the woman was shown an inaccessible unit and turned it down, she was sent to the bottom of the waitlist, OBrien said. She said she has never heard of a person with a disability waiting less than six years on a CHA waitlist. Most people wait 10 to 20 years, she added. For people with disabilities in need of housing, the years or decades on the waitlists make it more difficult to get work and medical care, OBrien said. It just means total instability for the duration of that wait, she said. Taylor said the ordinance, which she introduced in late April, would require many of the housing authorities that receive money and tax credits to list their housing stock in a collective registry. Her proposal would also allow organizations that work directly with people seeking housing, such as city ward offices, community organizations and homeless shelters to place those people on a central waitlist and better keep track of the particular needs they might have, she added. The goal is to clarify what housing is actually available, to shift the burden of finding affordable housing from people in need to organizations with resources and to more quickly serve the citys most vulnerable, Washington said . Taylor has no shortage of ideas about how to get more Chicagoans in need into public housing. She wants to use the 4,000 vacant lots in her ward and the unused units across the city to house people and to bring together the major housing authorities of the city to open a dialogue about the reality of affordable housing. Whats affordable to you aint whats affordable to me, she said. Above all, though, she wants affordable housing authorities to listen to the community organizations that have studied what makes affordable housing difficult to secure and hear their ideas to address it. Taylor will not be using that long-awaited Housing Choice Voucher. She said she has a home and wants it to go to a family that actually needs it. Still, for whoever gets the next CHA letter telling them they are at the top of the waitlist, the wait for housing likely wont be over. It often takes people with vouchers over a year to get accepted and moved into an affordable unit, Washington said. Following the death of renowned Indian rapper Sidhu Moose Wala last month, eight people in connection to his murder have been arrested. The suspects, including the man who reportedly asked for a selfie with the 28-year-old artist moments before he was shot and killed, were brought into custody for providing logistic support, conducting [reconnaissance] and harboring the shooters, Punjab police said in a news release on Tuesday. Moose Wala, whose real name was Subhdeep Singh Sidhu, was fatally shot in Mansa in the Indian state of Punjab on May 29 while driving with two other people. Authorities believe that the shooting might have been the result of an "inter-gang rivalry." They have also reportedly identified four shooters who are connected to the murder but currently remain at large. According to the police, one of the arrested suspects posed as a fan of the rapper. He took note of when Moose Wala was unaccompanied by his bodyguards while riding in a vehicle that was not bulletproof. The suspect reportedly asked for a selfie with the artist minutes before the murder. More from NextShark: Police Seek Help Identifying Suspects in Fatal Shooting of Vietnamese American Man in San Jose The remaining suspects purportedly provided logistic support to the alleged assailants, such as arranging for their vehicle and finding a hideout for them. The arrested suspects have been identified as follows: Sandeep Singh, alias Kekda, of Sirsa, Haryana; Manpreet Singh, alias Manna, of Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda; Manpreet Bhau of Dhaipai, Faridkot; Saraj Mintu of Dode Kalsia village, Amritsar; Prabhdeep Sidhu, alias Pabbi, of Takhat-Mall, Haryana; Monu Dagar of Rewli village in Sonipat, Haryana; and Pawan Bishnoi and Naseeb, both from Fatehabad, Haryana. Story continues While being interrogated, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi reportedly named Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar as the conspirator behind the murder of Moose Wala. Authorities also revealed the names of three purported suppliers who helped with the murder, namely: Ranjeet, a resident of Faridkot; Vijay, who currently resides on the Haryana-Rajasthan Border; and Raka. More from NextShark: Sharon Osbourne Called Julie Chen Wonton and Slanty Eyes on 'The Talk', Sources Claim Born on June 11, 1993, in Moosa, a village in the Indian state of Punjab, Moose Wala studied engineering before moving to Canada in 2016, where he released his first track, So High, the following year. The artist chose his stage name as a tribute to his village. Inspired by the gangster rap genre, Moose Wala released three albums and over 60 tracks throughout his career. He became a household name both in his native Punjab as well as among Sikhs living overseas. His most recent track, The Last Ride, was released in late May. Several fans have pointed out that the songs cover art features the location where rap icon Tupac Shakur was shot and killed inside his BMW in 1996. More from NextShark: Asian Man, 59, Beaten and Robbed by 5 Suspects in NYC Moose Wala made headlines in May 2020 after he was taken into custody for firing an AK-47 at a shooting range amid the COVID-19 lockdown. He was also accused of promoting violence and gun culture in songs such as Sanju. Despite getting in trouble with the law, the rapper was never convicted. Besides music, Moose Wala also tried his luck in politics. After becoming an Indian National Congress leader last year, he unsuccessfully ran for Mansa in the 2022 Punjab state assembly election. Thousands of people gathered on Wednesday for Moose Walas funeral in Mansa, where his antim ardas (last prayer) and bhog ceremonies took place. Featured Image via Sidhu Moose Wala A Simi Valley police officer stands outside the Simi Valley home of Nicholas John Roske Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Roske was charged with attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. A Simi Valley man was charged Wednesday with attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after arriving armed outside the justice's Maryland home hours earlier. Nicholas John Roske, 26, appeared in U.S. District Court in Maryland Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan. Roske was found in front of Kavanaugh's home with a gun and other weapons after he called emergency personnel threatening to kill the Supreme Court justice and himself. Pelosi: After threat to Kavanaugh, House to consider bill on Supreme Court security According to a federal affidavit, at 1:18 a.m. Wednesday, two U.S. deputy marshals watched Roske exit a taxi in front of the justice's home. Clad in black clothing, the Simi Valley man carried a backpack and suitcase. The justice cited in the affidavit is Kavanaugh. Roske called the Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center soon after, identified himself and said he was "having suicidal thoughts and had a firearm in his suitcase," according to the affidavit. Roske said he "came from California to kill" Kavanaugh, the documents say. Montgomery County Police Department officers went to the location near Kavanaugh's home, found Roske who was still on the telephone with the communications center and arrested him Authorities later recovered a Glock pistol, a tactical knife, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer and a crow bar from the suitcase and backpack, according to the affidavit. Roske allegedly told Montgomery County police detectives he was upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion, as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. "Roske stated that he began thinking about how to give his life a purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court justice after finding the justice's Montgomery County address on the internet," according to the affidavit. Story continues The Simi man told police he purchased the pistol and other items "for the purpose of breaking into the justice's residence and killing the justice as well as himself," the document said. He repeated the death threats to an FBI agent before he was arrested. In this 2018 file photo, then Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. During Wednesday's court hearing, Roske consented to remain in federal custody for now, the Associated Press reported. He paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing, according to the AP. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldnt say Im thinking clearly. The 26-year-old said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roskes next court date was tentatively set for June 22. Roske faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, according to a federal Department of Justice news release. In Simi Valley Simi Valley Police Department Cmdr. Ritchie Lew said Wednesday the FBI had inquired about Roske and talked to some of their detectives, but he did not have additional information on the discussions. Lew said Roske's criminal record consisted of a minor traffic infraction in 2015, though he no other details. He said the department had received a lot of calls about the Roske residence on Wednesday. On Wednesday night, Simi police helped the FBI execute a federal search warrant at the home around 8:20 p.m., Lew said in a release. But on Wednesday afternoon, the residential area of Roske's home in eastern Simi Valley was quiet. A few neighbors milled about outside in the hot June sun ogling at the media commotion in their usually undisturbed neighborhood. At least four TV news vans were parked along the street of single-story homes. Michael Holbrook, a Simi Valley resident who lives next door, said the family who lived there usually kept to themselves and never caused any problems. "They're great neighbors," Holbrook said. "I'm very dumbfounded." A Simi Valley police officer stood outside the residence briefly while a couple of plainclothes officers canvassed nearby homes. Roske graduated from Simi Valley High School in 2014 and was on the cross country team for at least two years, said Jake Finch, a spokeswoman for Simi Valley Unified School District. He worked at Valley Guard Pest Control in Simi Valley but quit last year, according to a representative from the company who refused to give his full name on Wednesday. Read the full complaint: Nicholas John Roske Criminal Complaint by West Hub on Scribd This story may be updated. Jeremy Childs, reports from USA Today and Associated Press contributed to this story. Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Simi Valley man charged with attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice (Bloomberg) -- Supply Lines is a daily newsletter that tracks disruptions in global trade. Sign up here. Most Read from Bloomberg Thousands of truck drivers in South Korea have gone on strike at major ports and container depots, posing the latest threat to strained global-supply chains. The truckers union, which is seeking to prevent a change to wage rules, is holding protests at 16 locations across the country, according to the International Transport Workers Federation. Transport has slowed or stopped to the Busan New Port, Pyeongtaek Port and Uiwang container depot in Gyeonggi province, the federation said Wednesday. The strike come at a time when global supply chains are struggling to recover from lockdowns in Chinas cities and Russias invasion of Ukraine. While not all of the nations drivers are taking part in the protests, the rallies threaten to slow South Koreas exports of everything from steel to plastics and consumer goods if they go on for weeks, local media said. Busan is the worlds seventh-largest port, handling 23 million container boxes last year, according to Koreas Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. The impact of the strike is already being felt at ports, petrochemical complexes, and other logistics hubs, said the ITF, which is affiliated with the group on strike -- the Cargo Truckers Solidarity division of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers Union. Almost all trucking activity at petrochemical complexes in Ulsan, Yeosu and Daesan has stopped, the union said in an update on its website Wednesday. Posco said it is struggling to ship a total of 35,000 tons of steel from its two plants to points within the country, down from the usual daily delivery of about 100,000 tons. Strikes are taking place at steel ports Pohang and Gwangyang, according to an ITF spokeswoman. Story continues Tire maker Hankook Tire & Technology Co. couldnt move any tires from its plant in Daejeon on Tuesday, compared with its typical daily shipment of about 70 containers. More than 70% of tires produced at the firms two plants in Daejeon and Geumsan are for exports, the company said. Soju maker Hite Jinro is carrying only 38% of normal supply of the Korean liquor, as outsourced truck drivers joined the protest. The damage so far, however, appears to be limited. HMM Co., which operates a terminal in Busan under a joint venture with PSA International, said early Wednesday there have been no major disruptions. Busan Port Authority said it is blocking vehicles that the union is trying to push into the port area, and police are ensuring the smooth movement of vehicles. The first large-scale strike under newly elected President Yoon Suk Yeol came as the truck drivers push the government to not abolish current rules that guarantee minimum wage for the drivers, amid rising fuel prices. Created in 2020, the three-year rule is set to expire this year. The union is demanding that the government extend the scheme to all drivers of freight vehicles, who sometimes resort to overloading their trucks to keep up with the rising costs of living, the ITF said. Its hard to resolve, especially under the new president who came from the conservative party that focuses on economic growth rather than social welfare, said Kim Ki-Chan, a business administration professor at Catholic University of Korea in Seoul. It may take several months for the government and the union to settle on the issue. When asked about the strike Tuesday, Yoon told reporters that he will handle any illegal activities by workers or employers by the law, without elaborating. Police have arrested 25 people so far for blocking some facilities, the ITF spokeswoman said. (Adds comments from the ITF throughout.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. People walk by a Starbucks Coffee outlet in Chongqing, China. Song Mingkun/VCG via Getty Images A Starbucks store in China has been fined for selling expired goods, China Economic Daily reported. The incident is the latest setback for the coffee chain in its second-largest market. Months earlier, a worker at another Starbucks store was spotted replacing expiry date labels. A Starbucks store in China has been fined for selling expired goods, in the latest setback for the company in its second-largest market in the world, China Economic Daily reported on Tuesday. The branch in Hangzhou city was slapped with a fine of 10,000 yuan ($1,500) last month after inspectors found that it was stocking expired coffee powder on its shelves, per the outlet. News of the fine immediately sparked a backlash online among social media users who said they had lost faith in the coffee chain amid its problems in the country. On the Twitter-like Weibo platform, the hashtag "Starbucks fined for expired coffee" has gone on to receive close to 100 million views. "They're expensive and they can't even guarantee food safety. Who dares drink their coffee anymore?" one Weibo user commented. "There have been too many issues with Starbucks. Have they not been fined enough?" another user wrote. Last December, two Starbucks outlets in the Chinese city of Wuxi were found to have used expired cocoa liquid, matcha liquid, and cream and deliberately covered it up, The Beijing News reported following an undercover investigation. According to the news outlet, an employee was spotted removing the expiry label sticker on a bottle of matcha liquid and replacing it with a new one to fraudulently "extend" its shelf life. The two shops forfeited 699,300 yuan in "illegally collected proceeds" and were fined 674,100 yuan, per South China Morning Post (SCMP). In March, Starbucks was also mired in controversy after a customer claimed in a viral online post that their drink came with a live cockroach inside. At the time, Starbucks China responded on its Weibo account that no pest infestation had been found in its stores and that the customer had placed their drinks order through a third-party delivery platform. Story continues With more than 5,400 stores across 200 cities, China is Starbucks' second-largest market outside the United States, per SCMP. Starbucks did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider jetcityimage / iStock.com The federal government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, allows for low-income individuals and families to supplement their food budget and make sure they're getting enough nutritional food to eat. SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food? SNAP 2022: Is My State Giving Out Extra EBT Food Stamp Money in June? While EBT's guidelines are largely the same for what you can purchase in most states (with a few exceptions), foods and chains vary widely from coast to coast. Here are seven surprising things you can buy with your food stamps, specifically on the East Coast. Stephanie Botkin / Shutterstock.com Lobster The East Coast is popular for its fishing and shellfish in abundance, where you can get some of the freshest seafood you'll ever eat in its prime season. Fortunately for SNAP recipients, you can eat like a king, because fresh lobster is among the items you can purchase with EBT (but only if it's fresh and cold; hot prepared lobster does not qualify). It falls under the category of fish and seafood and is exempt from the "no live animals" rule. The only catch is that you'll have to prepare it yourself -- but some people prefer that. POLL: Do You Think the Baby Formula Shortage Will End Soon? Jonathan Weiss / shutterstock.com White Castle Burgers White Castle burger joints are an iconic fast food place in the Midwest but also out east, and one of America's first fast food burger places, opened in 1921. In 2014, Time magazine called their burgers "the most influential burger of all time" according to White Castle's website. While they can't claim credit for creating the hamburger, they definitely popularized it, and you can take advantage of their infamous tasty burgers with your EBT, because it allows for the purchase of fast food. jetcityimage / Getty Images Hudson Valley Gift Baskets In New York's Hudson valley, there are a ton of local businesses, including "distilleries, butchers, cideries, and grocers," according to Hudson Valley Magazine. The magazine recommended a series of food-based gift baskets for holidays and special events, and those on EBT could ostensibly make their own gift baskets from any East Coast shops, so long as the contents are comprised of at least 50% edible foods. Story continues iStock.com Cakes, Cookies and Donuts Being on a budget doesn't mean you should have to miss out on tasty treats or celebratory moments, and the SNAP program agrees, because cakes, cookies and donuts are all acceptable for purchase with food stamps. Some fabulous East Coast bakeries accept EBT, from Bimbo's Bakeries to Pepperidge Farms Outlets to Aldi and Kroger grocery stores. So, you should have no problem finding a place to satisfy your sweet tooth. Malykalexa / Getty Images/iStockphoto Mallomars Mallomars is a cookie that was created in West Hoboken, New Jersey by Nabisco in 1913, according to Thrillist, and about 70% of them are sold in the New York area. The simple cookie is a combination of cookie crust, marshmallow center, covered in a thin layer of chocolate, and it's often in demand because it's only available between September and March every year. That's because the cookie's thin chocolate doesn't hold up well in the heat, and it can't be shipped very far as a result. Fortunately, with EBT you can take advantage of a cookie so tasty, people have a tendency to hoard them. melissamn / Shutterstock.com Chia Pets SNAP incentivizes eating healthy foods, particularly fruits and veggies, and makes it possible for people to grow their own food by purchasing seeds and seedlings with EBT, according to Low Income Relief. One little item that walks the line between food and plant, but is available for purchase with EBT, is a Chia Pet -- those funny little clay figurines you can grow chia plants inside. That's because chia seeds are edible. JStone / Shutterstock.com Dunkin' Donuts Brew at Home Coffee The famed coffee and donuts chain got its start in 1948 in Massachusetts where founder William Rosenberg was determined to sell the best, and cheapest, coffee and donuts around, according to the company's website. By 1955, there were 100 shops around New England and the East Coast. While you can't use your EBT to buy coffee from a Dunkin' Donuts shop, you can use it to buy the brew-at-home version of the iconic coffee, so long as you will be brewing and enjoying it away from the premises where you purchase it. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Surprising Things You Can Buy With Food Stamps on the East Coast CAIRO (AP) Talks aiming at ending Sudans ongoing political deadlock began Wednesday, the United Nations said, although the country's main pro-democracy alliance is boycotting them over a continued police crackdown on those protesting last October's military coup. The joint peace effort is brokered by the U.N. political mission in Sudan, the African Union, and the eight-nation east African regional group Intergovernmental Authority in Development. The effort aims to bring the generals and an array of political and protest groups to the negotiating table. The militarys takeover has upended Sudans short-lived fragile democratic transition and plunged the East African nation into turmoil. Sudan had been transiting to democracy after nearly three decades of repression and international isolation under Islamist-backed strongman Omar al-Bashir. A popular uprising pushed the military to remove al-Bashir in April 2019. Wednesday's talks began with a technical meeting in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, involving the military and civilians. It came after months of separate discussions with an array of groups, including the military and the pro-democracy movement. The U.N. envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, said the process would discuss a transitional program, including the appointment of a civilian prime minister and arrangements for drafting a permeant constitution and elections at the end of the transition. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the leader of the coup who also heads the ruling sovereign council, welcomed the talks as a historic opportunity to complete the transitional phase. In a speech to the nation late Tuesday, he urged all factions to take part in the talks, vowing that the military will implement their outcome. We are fully committed to work with everybody to end the transitional period as soon as possible with fair and transparent elections, he said. Ahead of the talks, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee visited Sudan earlier this week and met with military and civilian leaders in Khartoum to support the negotiating process. She urged all parties to join the talks to achieve a civilian-led path towards democracy for Sudan. Story continues However, the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change an alliance of political parties and protest groups is boycotting the meeting, in a blow to the process. The alliance says the talks should lead to a civilian democratic authority" and criticized the participation of pro-military groups and Islamists who had been allied with al-Bashir's government. It also seeks the the release of coup-related detainees, and the ending of violence against protesters. Two activists said the U.N., the United States and other Western governments were pressuring the pro-democracy alliance to send representatives to the talks. Some factions within the alliance favor participation as the best possible option, given the international support for the talks, they said, but hard-liners, including the influential Communist Party, reject the entire process and demand immediate handover of power to civilians. The activists spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The talks come as the violent crackdown on anti-coup protests continued in Khartoum. A 5-year-old girl was killed Tuesday, when a police vehicle ran her over while chasing protesters. That brought the total deaths among protesters since October to at least 101, according to a medical group tracking the casualties. The coup has triggered near-daily street protests, which authorities have met with a deadly crackdown. Hundreds of people, including prominent politicians and activists, have been detained, although many have been released recently as part of trust-building measures. Under concerted international pressure, Sudan's military leaders late last month lifted the state of emergency they had declared following the coup. An 18-year-old in Indonesia's Tangerang city died on the spot after colliding with a truck while trying to create TikTok content. Getty Images Teenagers in Indonesia have been performing dangerous acts as part of a deadly TikTok challenge. At least two people have died after jumping in front of trucks in the "angel of death" challenge. Videos on the platform seen by Insider also showed people performing stunts on their motorcycles. Teenagers in Indonesia have been jumping in front of moving trucks while taking part in a deadly TikTok challenge that has already killed at least two people, according to local reports. Last Friday, an 18-year-old in the city of Tangerang died on the spot when he was run over by a truck while trying to create social media content, Coconuts Jakarta reported. Tangerang's official Twitter account tweeted a blurred-out video of the incident, writing in Bahasa Indonesia that the "reckless action of teenagers to stop the truck" had killed a person. Local police said as many as 14 minors in the city were detained on the same day on suspicion of carrying out similar activities, according to Indonesia's Sindo News. Per the outlet, the youths are believed to have attempted the death-defying stunts for a local TikTok challenge called "prank malaikat maut," which loosely translates to "the angel of death prank." When Insider did a search for the term on TikTok, numerous videos were found of people filming themselves while performing dangerous acts, many of which were done on motorcycles or scooters. One video, for instance, showed a helmetless youth riding his scooter dangerously close to another rider while racing down a city street. Another video showed a rider dodging vehicles while speeding through a traffic jam. Many of these videos came with a disclaimer stating: "Participating in this activity could result in you or others getting hurt." The events in Tangerang took place just a day after two teenage boys in the city of Bandung reportedly jumped in front of a truck, per Coconuts Jakarta. Per the outlet, the truck struck one of the boys, a 14-year-old, leaving him with a fractured skull and shattered teeth. Story continues Last July, a teenager died while attempting to carry out the same challenge in Bekasi city, per CNN Indonesia. Numerous dangerous challenges regularly pop up on TikTok, resulting in severe injuries or deaths. As Insider previously reported, the platform has struggled in the past to remove dangerous challenges from the app. Last month, a Pennsylvania mother sued TikTok and its parent company ByteDance for allegedly recommending a choking challenge to her daughter. The 10-year-old girl died after taking part in the deadly dare. Read the original article on Insider Salary Hero wants to provide lower-income Thai workers with more financial flexibility. The startup, which focuses on earned wage access and finance education, with plans to add neobanking products as well, announced today it has raised $2.8 million. The funding included participation from Global Founders Capital, M Venture Partners, 500 Global, 1982 Ventures, Titan Capital and Thai corporations and angel investors. Salary Hero was founded in late 2021 by former Bain & Company Bangkok executives Jonathan Nohr and Prabhav Rakhra. Both were also former bankers at Credit Suisse and Barclays. Other members of the founding team include Tep Neeranatpuree, former head of corporate sales at Lalamove, and Thanakij Pechprasarn, former CTO at edtech startup Gantik. Rakhra said that while working at Bain, he and Nohr focused on financial services engagements. With our common backgrounds both being in investment banking, and while working on strategy cases for various banks in Southeast Asia, we experienced how banks continuously de-prioritize lower income customer segments, he told TechCrunch. That is because they arent as profitable as affluent demographics. As a result, Rakhra added, lower-income customers end up paying more than wealthier individuals for the same basic financial services. It seems fundamentally wrong that people with fewer means should pay more for financial services, if they have access at all, he said. We saw an opportunity to use technology to help level the playing field in Thailand and Southeast Asia. By being able to access their earned wages on demand, workers are able to better handle emergencies and unforeseen expenses, instead of being forced to borrow from lenders who charge 10% to 30% interest per month, Rakhra said. These compounding rates lead to cycles of debt that are very hard to break free from, he said. Additionally, financial uncertainty and a lack of a financial safety net creates a lingering feeling of insecurity, and is the main cause of mental stress among workers. He added that 80% of Thai workers who make less than $1,000 USD a month have used loan sharks at some point. Story continues The company says it has seen double-digit week-on-week user growth in 2022 among its clients in the manufacturing, logistics, hospitality and retail sectors. Salary Hero works with companies with as little as 100 staff members on their payroll, but their initial focus is on companies with a full-time headcount of between 500 and 50,000. Rakhra said that by addressing the financial needs of their workers, companies are able to improve employee satisfaction and reduce turnover in a competitive labor market. The company monetizes by charing a low access fee for its earned wage access but does not charge interest or other hidden fees, he said. In the future, Salary Hero plans to add neobanking products, including at-source savings accounts, insurance products, remittances and other financial services like micro-investments and debt-restructuring advice. These other products will go live in 2023, while Salary Heros earned wage access and financial education features are already live. In a prepared statement, M Venture Partners CEO Mayank Parekh said, Were proud to be backing Salary Hero, supporting their innovative solution for employers to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive labor market. The future of payroll is one where we say goodbye to traditional pay cycles. Salary Hero empowers workers, and at the same time, solves immediate challenges for employers-driving retention, recruitment and productivity of their workers. In early returns, Bob Hertzberg and Lindsey Horvath were the top-two finishers in the race for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor's 3rd District. (Rich Pedroncelli; Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) State Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) appeared headed for a runoff election to replace Sheila Kuehl on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, with two candidates in a close contest to be his opponent. In early returns Wednesday, Hertzberg had 34% of the vote in the 3rd District, which covers much of the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath had 25% and state Sen. Henry Stern (D-Malibu) had 22%, with three other candidates in single digits. Unless a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top-two finishers will move to a November runoff. In the 1st District, which includes much of East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley, the early returns showed incumbent Hilda Solis with more than 70% of the vote against four challengers. Although the results will take days, if not weeks, to finalize, Hertzberg and Horvath were already drawing battle lines for the November election. In a statement Wednesday, Horvath's campaign strategist, Eric Hacopian, called the runoff "one of great contrasts, between the solution named Lindsey Horvath and a problem called Grabby Bob Hertzberg." "A failed Sacramento politician who has been in office or running for office for more than 25 years, hes best known for his workplace misconduct and inappropriate actions while the state under his watch was going to hell, Hacopian said in a statement. Hertzberg in his statement Wednesday said the results "speak volumes about voters' desire for decisive action to help solve our biggest and most urgent challenges and to fix the mess in L.A. County" on issues such as homelessness. On Tuesday night, Stern's campaign called the results "a nail biter." The county supervisors are sometimes referred to as the five little kings because of their unglamorous but powerful jobs controlling an annual budget of nearly $39 billion in a county of more than 10 million people. The lines for their districts were redrawn by a citizens committee last year, with some conservative-leaning parts of the San Fernando Valley joining the 3rd District. Story continues Homelessness and crime, as well as the high cost of living, have been among the defining issues in the 3rd District race, which became competitive after Kuehl announced she would not seek a third term. Hertzberg has called for a massive bond measure to help people buy homes, while Horvath has emphasized setting aside a percentage of new housing units for low- and middle-income families. Stern and Horvath have called for the closure of the Aliso Canyon gas facility, which was the site of a massive leak in 2015. Last year, Hertzberg and Stern co-sponsored a bill to close the facility. The election has been marked by the candidates' contrasting backgrounds and personalities, as well as their generational and geographic differences. Hertzberg, 67, served in the state Assembly from 1996 to 2002 and then was elected to the state Senate in 2014, representing an east San Fernando Valley district. In debates and forums, he has emphasized his experience. In Sacramento, Hertzberg was nicknamed Huggy Bear for his love of embraces that made some women uncomfortable. In 2018, three lawmakers accused him of initiating unwanted hugs, and he was reprimanded by the state Senate Rules Committee. Stern, 40, was the first millennial elected to the state Senate in 2016, representing Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Simi Valley and western parts of the San Fernando Valley. He has said that as a relatively young politician, he will bring new ways of thinking to the Board of Supervisors. Horvath, 39, was elected to the West Hollywood City Council in 2015 after serving as an appointed council member between 2009 and 2011. She has said that her experience in local government makes her better equipped to be a county supervisor than her opponents. The latest campaign filings show that Hertzberg has raised more than $1.1 million, Stern has raised $900,000 and Horvath has raised $800,000. As of May 21, a separate political action committee for Horvath has raised $130,000. Two committees for Hertzberg combined have raised about $1.4 million, mostly coming from law enforcement and construction unions, while a Service Employees International Union committee supporting Stern raised about $58,000. For the record: 3:16 p.m. June 8, 2022: A previous version of this story said that state Sen. Bob Hertzberg has not taken a stance on whether to close the Aliso Canyon gas facility. In 2021, Hertzberg co-sponsored a bill to close the facility. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Allison Fluke-Ekren Hours after former Topekan Allison Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty to a federal terrorism charge, a former teacher of hers said Tuesday he is still puzzled as to how she ended up leading an all-female group of ISIS fighters. "I'd just like to know what happened," said Larry Miller. "I don't suppose I ever will." Fluke-Ekren, 42, pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema set sentencing for Oct. 25, when she faces 20 years in prison. Miller taught from 1991 to 2001 at Topeka Collegiate School, where Fluke-Ekren took classes from him in seventh and eighth grades, between 1992 and 1994. She then attended Topeka High School until 1997, according to THS yearbooks. Fluke-Ekren went by her maiden name of Allison Brooks in those days. She went on to become a schoolteacher. More: Allison Fluke-Ekren is one of several ex-Topekans accused of terrorism Topeka teacher last heard from Allison Fluke-Ekren in 2008 Miller, who is retired and lives south of Topeka at Wakarusa, kept in touch with Fluke-Ekren and was still one of her 51 Facebook friends when she was arrested in January. Miller said in January that he and his wife, Suzanne Miller a librarian who died at age 74 in March 2020 were friends with Fluke-Ekren's parents, though he wasn't willing to share their identities. Miller said last January he wasn't questioning prosecutors' assertion that Fluke-Ekren was the leader of a female group of ISIS fighters. "I would just like for people to know that that's not the person I knew when I knew her," he said. He said Fluke-Ekren ended the last email she wrote to him, in February 2008, by saying, My biggest hope is that I can pass on to my students the torch of curiosity and excitement that you gave to me. Fluke-Ekren moved to Egypt in 2008 with her second husband, a now-deceased former member of the terrorist organization Ansar al-Sharia, according to prosecutors. Story continues She moved in 2011 to Libya, where she had lived with her second husband, who claimed to have removed at least one box of documents and an electronic device from the U.S. Special Mission and CIA Annex in Benghazi, when it was attacked Sept. 11, 2012, according to prosecutors. Fluke-Ekren and her second husband moved in 2012 to Syria, where he became a leader of Islamic State snipers, according to prosecutors. In mid-2014, Fluke-Ekren told a government witness about plans to bomb a U.S. shopping mall or college, according to prosecutors. More: Ex-Topeka Collegiate teacher remembers Allison Fluke-Ekren International terrorism charges are rare against women In mid-2016, Fluke-Ekren led and organized an effort to establish a Womens Center in Raqqa, Syria. The center provided medical services, educational services about the Islamic State, childcare, and various training to women and young girls. As the centers leader, Fluke-Ekren also provided and assisted other female ISIS members in providing training to numerous women and young girls on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and explosive suicide belts, according to prosecutors. In late 2016, the ISIS Wali of Raqqa approved the creation of the Khatiba Nusaybah a military battalion to be comprised solely of female ISIS members. Witnesses said the battalion also provided certain members with instruction on physical training including martial arts, medical training and religious classes, and how to pack and prep a travel bag with rifles and other military supplies, according to prosecutors. More: US woman pleads guilty to training women for Islamic State terrorist group in Syria International terrorism charges against women are extremely rare, according to experts, because men tend to dominate the misogynistic groups such as al-Qaida, the lslamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, and related groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world. But a dozen cases over the past decade of U.S. citizens or permanent residents revealed women shedding traditional caretaker roles to recruit fellow warriors, train others to use rifles and explosives, and even kill. Teacher hadn't heard from Fluke-Ekren since arrest Miller said Tuesday he hadn't heard from Fluke-Ekren since her arrest was announced in January. He said he did get a phone call from an attorney representing her. That attorney asked only that Miller confirm the accuracy of an article about an interview with him that was published early this year by The Capital-Journal, he said. Miller said he confirmed the accuracy of that article. Tim Hrenchir can be reached at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934. Bart Jansen of USA Today contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Former Kansan Allison Fluke-Ekren pleads guilty to terrorism charge STORY: South Korea's vice foreign minister Cho Hyun-dong also called on Pyongyang to accept offers of COVID-19 aid, with North Korea grappling with its first confirmed coronavirus outbreak since last month. The three-way meeting of the countries' No. 2 diplomats, the first such gathering since November and the first since South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May, highlighted the urgency and gravity of North Korea's intensifying weapons tests. The trio urged Pyongyang to abide by international sanctions and immediately cease actions that "escalate tensions or destabilise the region," a joint statement said. Seoul and Washington officials have said North Korea is ready for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017, which Sherman has said would trigger a strong and clear response. Vietnamese airports may process over 80 million passengers this year The number of passengers through Vietnamese airports is expected to reach around 8 million this year, said Dinh Viet Son, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam. Son gave the information at the Routes Asia 2022 held in Danang on Tuesday. The event provides a platform for policy-makers from the region's airlines, airports, tourism authorities and aviation stakeholders to come together to develop network strategies and ensure future air service development across Asia-Pacific. Passengers at Noi Bai International Airport WASHINGTON The U.S. Air Force has awarded contracts to three companies for the first phase of a new program to develop an air-to-ground stand-in attack weapon that the F-35 jet could use to destroy enemy air defenses. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies said this week the service selected them for phase one of the SIAW program. The three-month contracts, each for $2 million, were awarded May 25, Lena Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers Armament Directorate, said Wednesday. The Air Force signaled it was preparing to move forward with the SIAW in supporting documents for its proposed fiscal 2023 budget, which for the first time requested $78 million to start procuring 42 of the weapons. The Air Force said this weapon would allow it to strike enemy targets that create an anti-access, area denial environment and can be rapidly moved. These potential targets include integrated air defense systems, ballistic missile launchers, land-attack and anti-ship cruise missile launchers, GPS jammers, and anti-satellite systems. The stand-in weapon would have a shorter range than standoff weapons, which are designed to be fired from a distance outside the range of enemy defenses, typically by an aircraft such as a B-52. An aircraft would fire this stand-in weapon after penetrating enemy airspace and getting closer to the target, Michael Stuart, Northrops director of business development, said in an interview Wednesday. Stuart said the F-35 must carry the stand-in weapon within its bay, rather than on an external mount, to avoid compromising the jets stealth capabilities. He said it is unlikely the F-22 would be able to carry this weapon because its internal bay isnt large enough. The stand-in weapon would also be faster than other weapons the F-35 could carry, Stuart said, which would give the weapon a better chance of hitting its target before enemy defense can intercept it. The Air Forces interest in developing a missile that could hit targets such as enemy air defenses is yet another sign of how its focus is shifting away from the relatively uncontested airspace of the Middle East over the last two decades and toward figuring out how to fight in a contested environment against an advanced enemy such as China. Story continues This first phase of the SIAW program focuses on digital engineering and design. Lockheed said in its release that this is the first time the Air Force has had a fully digital weapons acquisition and development program. Northrop said it will use its experiences from designing and producing the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range, or AARGM-ER, for the U.S. Navy and integrating it on F-35s. L3Harris said in a release Wednesday that its Agile Development Group will lead its SIAW efforts and will take advantage of the groups digital engineering capabilities. The Agile Development Group includes several thousand engineers, program managers, technicians and operations professionals focused on quickly developing solutions to deal with a variety of emerging threats. L3Harris is looking forward to working with the Air Force and industry partners to go fast and deliver superior firepower and advanced capabilities to the warfighter, Dave Duggan, president of L3Harriss Agile Development Group, said in the release. Lockheed said its Missiles and Fire Control division is using advanced digital engineering methods, pioneered by its Skunk Works unit, to design the SIAW. Applying new and emerging technologies to the way we design, build and sustain our products across the enterprise will better equip the warfighter for success today and into the future, the company said. Stuart also said the Air Force wants this program to use an open-system architecture concept that would allow it to plug and play different modular systems. That way, different components could be easily combined without needing a lengthy test and evaluation process, and the weapon could be more easily upgraded. If you have a box that fits into [the Air Forces] architecture, they want to make sure it can communicate fluidly across that entire spectrum of other potential subcomponents that it may need to interact with, Stuart said. (AP) A US Senator says gas prices have become so high that it would be cheaper to buy cocaine and run everywhere instead of Americans using their cars. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana made the wisecrack as he discussed the historic high prices at the pump across the country, where a gallon of gas has now crosed the $5 per gallon threshold in 17 states. President Biden continues to campaign for more economic chaos, meanwhile, I dont know about where you live Jesse, but in my state, the price of gas is so high that it would be cheaper to buy cocaine and just run everywhere, Mr Kennedy told Jesse Watters on Fox News. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo. CTV News Pete Arrendondo has been slammed for law enforcement's slow response to the Robb Elementary School shooting. He had been out of the public eye since, and failed to show up to a Tuesday city council meeting, the AP reported. He was elected to city council weeks before the deadly shooting. The Uvalde school district police chief, who has received widespread criticism for waiting to send officers into Robb Elementary School during the shooting, failed to show up to a city council meeting on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. District Police Chief Pete Arredondo was the incident commander on May 24, when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at the elementary school, killing 19 children and two teachers. Arredondo made the decision to wait more than an hour for backup instead of ordering officers at the scene to immediately confront the shooter, authorities said. The gunman was later killed by US Border Patrol. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw later said this was the "wrong decision, period," CNN reported. It is unclear why Arredondo was not at the council meeting on Tuesday. Mayor Don McLaughlin told AP he could not offer an explanation. Arredondo did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The meeting was supposed to be Arredondo's first city council meeting after he was elected to one of five council seats on May 7, NBC reported. He was sworn into office in a private ceremony a week after the shooting despite facing immense criticism from Uvalde residents, as per NBC. But Arredondo has been out of the public eye since the shooting, and has stopped cooperating with state investigators, McCraw said, The Texas Tribune reported. Alfred Garza III, whose 10-year-old daughter was among the students killed, told reporters that he decided to attend the city council meeting to get more answers about what happened that day. "I have so many questions and not everyone can be answered. They're still collecting data, they're still collecting information on what happened," Garza said. Story continues He said he had "mixed feelings" about Arredondo's absence, the AP reported. "He obviously didn't show up for a reason," Garza said. Read the original article on Insider Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty/Daniel Defense The company that produced the M4 DD7 used by Salvador Ramos to kill 19 schoolkids and two teachers in Uvalde is marketing a new weapon right out of a mass shooters dream. More control, more comfort, more flexibility, the Daniel Defense website says in introducing its latest product. Its what you get with our revolutionary RIII rifles. The site reports that the RIIIs lower receiverits trigger and hammer assemblyis the same youve come to love, trust, and expect from Daniel Defense, only now fully ambidextrous. The major difference seems to be that the rail systemthe sight and accessory mountis both lighter and more durable. The light-weight, heavy hitting RIII is ready for anything, the company says. Uvalde Survivor, Slain Students Dad Put the Heat on Rifle Manufacturer As with its other AR-15 style rifles, the company appeals to the civilian couch commando by noting that its original rifle rail was developed for SOCOM. Implied is that you do not need to be told that SOCOM stands for Special Operations Command; their customers are supposed to be in the know. At least Daniel Defense has been upfront about selling what are essentially military weapons of war to civilians. One of its ads features a photo of prone figures in combat gear who have apparently just been helicoptered into battle and now are peering down the barrels of their rifles. USE WHAT THEY USE, the ad says. Daniel Defense The U.S. government does in fact use Daniel Defense rifle parts. The company started out making just rails and accessories and secured its first contract with SOCOM, specifically with the Navy SEALS, in 2005. The Department of Defense responded to a query about this and other contracts by referring the Daily Beast to the site usaspending.gov. The company has had several contracts across multiple agencies, including the DOD, a defense spokesperson said. The government spending website shows that Daniel Defense has had more than 100 government contracts with the Pentagon, the State Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The most recent was in March with the Navy, for $9.12 million in rifle parts. Story continues But Daniel Defense has also invoked its military connections to feed civilian fantasies that can turn deadly. In March, gun-maker Remingtons appeal to the same vein of violent imaginingsFORCES OF OPPOSITION, BOW DOWN. YOU ARE SINGLE-HANDEDLY OUTNUMBEREDresulted in a $78 million settlement with the families of the 20 children and six adults murdered with one of its AR-15s at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012. A similar lawsuit is beginning to take shape in Uvalde, and Daniel Defense has already received a query from a survivors lawyer about its marketing. That would include a video on its website titled The Next Generation Rifles DD4 RIII. The video begins with the click of a round being jacked into a chamber, followed by gunfire as a civilian in a plaid shirt blazes away with a Daniel Defense rifle on a range. A soundtrack somewhere between that of an action movie and a horror film continues playing as the video cuts to a man in a uniform such as a special forces operator or SWAT team cop might wear. He is sighting down a similar rifle, but is holding his fire as he steps deliberately forward. He proves to be just one of a squad of operators apartment advancing on an objective. The video then cuts back to two other civilians, outdoorsy Alpha males carrying Daniel Defense rifles. They walk one behind the other and then side by side, bonded in the way of off-duty operators. One has a confident smile. The other is just supremely cool. The pair then begins blazing away at the range. The cool one changes a magazine and resumes, just as the empty magazines indicate Ramos must have done while shooting youngsters in Uvalde. The video then returns to the man in the plaid shirt seen at the beginning, firing as before. It closes with the man in the special operator/SWAT uniform, peering down the barrel of his Daniel Defense rifle. The last image is of him cradling the rifle, his hand in tactical gloves such as Ramos was wearing. Daniel Defense, the Maker of the Uvalde Shooters Perfect Rifle, Abruptly Exits the NRA Convention When The Daily Beast asked if the Pentagon was troubled by such use of military titillation to spur gun sales, a spokesman began by quoting a speech by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gave at the Air Force Academy Graduation on May 25: I wish to extend my condolences and those of the entire Department to the people of Uvalde. All of us here today are moms and dads, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters. And our hearts break for them and for the unspeakable grief that they are enduring. We cannot assuage that grief. We know that. But we can endeavor to keep them and the loved ones they lost close to our hearts and deep in our prayers. So today, we are all citizens of Uvalde. A worker helps prepare a Daniel Defense booth at the NRA convention in Indianapolis in 2019. Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty But regarding Daniel Defenses use of what is essentially gun porn to sell weapons of war to civilians, the spokesman said only, As this company is not suspended or debarred, they are not prohibited from doing business with the federal government. In response to a similar query from the Daily Beast, a spokesman for ATF said, We are unable to comment on any contracts ATF might have had in the past, currently, or in the future. A State Department spokesperson said the issue of the Daniel Defense contracts is a matter of laws that regulate access to weapons, As there are ongoing investigations and Congressional review and deliberations, we have no further comments, the spokesperson added. The U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond. Daniel Defense also did not answer a request for comment. As the Daily Beast has previously noted, Daniel Defense tweeted a photo of a youngster cradling one of its AR-15-style rifles on May 16, which happened to be Ramos 18th birthday. He purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P15 the next day. He subsequently made an online purchase of a more expensive DDM4 D7 via the Daniel Defense website. He left the Smith & Wesson behind when he charged into the school with the DDM4 D7, which the company terms the perfect rifle. In the aftermath of the Uvalde killings, the company restricted its Twitter account, but the website remained open to all and continued to offer an array of AR-15-style rifles. The DDM4 D7 was briefly listed as out of stock, but the company did not respond to a query as to whether the weapon was sold out or had been withdrawn. A day later, the rifle was back in stock at the same $1,870 price that Ramos paid on May 20. But as of Tuesday afternoon, only a slightly more expensive, copper-colored version was still available. The black one just like Ramos used was again out of stock. But the RIII rifle is on the way for those who want control, comfort and flexibility such as any school shooter would love. Coming soon, the website says. 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. (Bloomberg) -- Italian oil giant Eni Spa and Spanish refiner Repsol SA are poised to import Venezuelan crude for the first time in two years after the US eased sanctions on the South American country. Most Read from Bloomberg Eni booked two ships provisionally to load oil in Venezuela during June, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The vessels should load a combined 1 million barrels of diluted crude oil, known as DCO, from fields in the Faja region. Together, Eni and Repsol can lift as much as 2 million barrels for now, a person said. The move comes as the US seeks to alleviate a supply crunch following an EU embargo on most Russian crude shipments. Eni and Repsol SA, which co-own the Cardon IV natural gas development in Venezuela, will be able to import crude from Petroleos de Venezuela SA to offset 2022s gas sales from Cardon IV, other people said. The swap agreement was laid out in a comfort-type letter sent by the US Treasury Department to the European companies at the end of May. The companies, which havent been sanctioned, severed commercial ties with the South American country in 2020 in response to intensified US sanctions that threatened to penalize banks, shipping and insurance companies doing business with the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. The relief is good news for Venezuela. Bolstered by $100-a-barrel oil, the OPEC founding member has been increasing production steadily for the first time since sanctions were announced in 2019. With help from ally Iran, output reached 707,000 barrels a day in April, according to OPEC secondary sources. Although thats a far cry from where output was five years ago, when the country was pumping almost 2 million barrels daily, its a 47% increase from a year earlier. The easing of sanctions comes as Venezuela reduced exports in May, following lockdowns in China, the main buyer of its sanctioned oil. Story continues Eni declined to comment while Repsol wasnt immediately available to comment. PDVSA and Venezuelas oil ministry didnt immediately return emails seeking comment. Our Venezuela related sanctions remain in place, a State Department spokesperson said. We will continue to implement and enforce our Venezuela sanctions. Rome-based Eni is expected to take the Venezuelan oil to its own refining system. The company owns three refineries in Italy and has stakes in three other plants in Europe. Its able to process 548,000 barrels of oil a day, according to its website. In 2019, Europe was the destination of almost 10% of all Venezuelan oil sales, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The last time Europe imported Venezuelan barrels was in September 2020, the data shows. (Updates with details on oil loadings in second paragraph, payment details in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido will speak to U.S. President Joe Biden over the phone during the Summit of the Americas this week, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols said on Tuesday. Guaido, who the White House recognizes as Venezuela's interim president, will not attend the summit in person, Nichols said in an interview with Mexican newspaper Milenio. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Adriana Barrera; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) Voters in a new poll are divided in their views about a student loan forgiveness plan reportedly under consideration by the Biden administration. The Morning Consult-Politico survey asked voters about reports that officials are considering forgiving $10,000 in student loan debt for Americans who make $150,000 or less as individuals or $300,000 or less as married couples who jointly file their taxes. About 30 percent of all respondents said that the income threshold was just right, while 13 percent said it is too high and 9 percent said it is too low. Roughly a third 35 percent said that no amount of student debt should be forgiven at all, and 14 percent had no opinion. Of those with student loan debt, 53 percent said that the income threshold was just right, compared to 25 percent of those without student loan debt. Pollsters also discovered that about 40 percent of those without any student loan debt said that no student debt should be forgiven, compared to just 11 percent of those with student loan debt who agreed. On Monday, it was reported that President Biden would likely announce his plans regarding student debt in July or August. The student loan payment moratorium is set to expire on Aug. 31. In April, multiple sources confirmed to The Hill that Biden was considering expunging at least $10,000 per borrower. Though details have yet to be released, the Education Department has confirmed it is additionally working on new regulations that will permanently improve a variety of the existing student loan relief programs, significantly reduce monthly payments, and provide greater protections for students and taxpayers against unaffordable debts. The new poll of 2,006 registered voters, conducted June 4-5, has a margin of error of 2 percentage points. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. On Saturday, June 11, students all across the United States will be organizing to protest the lack of common-sense gun laws in America. Following the Uvalde, Texas, shooting on May 24 at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 students and two teachers, March for Our Lives and Students Demand Action activists have started calling on politicians and demanding serious changes be made to our gun laws. Rows of chairs with photographs of the 21 Uvalde victims with items left in their memory. Nashville student activists have gotten together to host a march in coordination with the national event from March for Our Lives. Carson Ferrara, Shun Ahmed, Sebastian Arredondo and I co-organizers of the Nashville event have been working closely with Nashville officials to ensure the event runs smoothly. We want it to make a large impact by encouraging elected officials to have the necessary conversations surrounding gun violence and pass legislation for common-sense gun laws. Hear more Tennessee voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought-provoking columns. An example of the type of legislation were looking for our legislators to pass can be seen in the 1994 Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act. Although it passed only with the inclusion of sunset provisions (meaning that it would automatically expire in 10 years if not renewed by Congress), mass shootings went down by 43% over the decade that it was in place. Since the ban on assault weapons expired in 2004, the number of mass shootings in the U.S has nearly tripled. Maddie Amberg The leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the U.S is now gun violence. As an organizer of the Nashville march, I want to emphasize that we are not here to try to take away your Second Amendment right to bear arms. Rather, we are gathering to promote common-sense gun laws that any reasonable gun owner would advocate for. Examples of changes that we are looking for in Tennessee include closing the background check loophole, requiring everyone who wants to own a gun to get a permit, raising the legal age to buy a gun from 18 to 21, and requiring safe gun storage from all gun owners. These are not radical policies; in fact, they are policies that the majority of Americans support. Story continues We encourage everyone interested in pursuing change to join us at 11 a.m. on June 11 in Public Square Park. For more information on the event, please head to our Facebook event page. Additionally, for anyone interested in participating but not in the Nashville area, head the March For Our Lives page to find upcoming marches. Maddie Amberg is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University studying political science and public policy. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville students to march for common-sense gun laws Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. Nonetheless, only a fool would ignore the risk that a loss making company burns through its cash too quickly. So should PYC Therapeutics (ASX:PYC) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves. Check out our latest analysis for PYC Therapeutics How Long Is PYC Therapeutics' Cash Runway? A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. In December 2021, PYC Therapeutics had AU$44m in cash, and was debt-free. Importantly, its cash burn was AU$14m over the trailing twelve months. Therefore, from December 2021 it had 3.2 years of cash runway. There's no doubt that this is a reassuringly long runway. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. How Is PYC Therapeutics' Cash Burn Changing Over Time? While PYC Therapeutics did record statutory revenue of AU$9.1m over the last year, it didn't have any revenue from operations. That means we consider it a pre-revenue business, and we will focus our growth analysis on cash burn, for now. Over the last year its cash burn actually increased by 30%, which suggests that management are increasing investment in future growth, but not too quickly. However, the company's true cash runway will therefore be shorter than suggested above, if spending continues to increase. Admittedly, we're a bit cautious of PYC Therapeutics due to its lack of significant operating revenues. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth. Can PYC Therapeutics Raise More Cash Easily? While PYC Therapeutics does have a solid cash runway, its cash burn trajectory may have some shareholders thinking ahead to when the company may need to raise more cash. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate). PYC Therapeutics has a market capitalisation of AU$258m and burnt through AU$14m last year, which is 5.3% of the company's market value. Given that is a rather small percentage, it would probably be really easy for the company to fund another year's growth by issuing some new shares to investors, or even by taking out a loan. How Risky Is PYC Therapeutics' Cash Burn Situation? It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way PYC Therapeutics is burning through its cash. For example, we think its cash runway suggests that the company is on a good path. While its increasing cash burn wasn't great, the other factors mentioned in this article more than make up for weakness on that measure. After taking into account the various metrics mentioned in this report, we're pretty comfortable with how the company is spending its cash, as it seems on track to meet its needs over the medium term. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 2 warning signs for PYC Therapeutics (of which 1 shouldn't be ignored!) you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Former Vice President Mike Pence will not be present when the House Jan. 6 committee holds a prime-time hearing on Thursday, but he will be a central figure as the panel makes its first presentation to the public of what unfolded before and during the riot at the Capitol. Pence has not directly cooperated with the committee, but some of his former aides have. In recent months, a steady stream of new details has come out about Pences actions on Jan. 6, 2021, and he has publicly rebuked former President Trump for saying the election was stolen. I anticipate that we will hear about Mike Pence on Thursday night. You cant tell the story without him, said Norm Eisen, who served as special counsel to Democrats during Trumps first impeachment. Pences role in certifying the Electoral College results on Jan. 6, 2021, hours after hundreds of pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol, has only become more of a flashpoint in the investigation of the days events and in Republican politics more broadly. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a member of the House panel investigating Jan. 6, has emphasized the significance of Pence refusing to leave the Capitol as rioters were inside the building, suggesting to do so would have given an opening for Trumps allies to follow through on their plan in Pences absence. The New York Times reported late last month that at least one witness indicated to the committee that Trump reacted approvingly to chants calling for Pence to be hanged. And the Times also reported in recent days that Pences former chief of staff Marc Short alerted Secret Service the day before the insurrection to warn of the potential security risks to Pence should Trump publicly turn on his vice president. The committee is likely to make the threat to Pence a central part of its presentation to the public as it seeks to capture public attention and lay out the gravity of the situation. The Washington Post reported that Michael Luttig, a conservative lawyer who advised Pence on handling his duties on Jan. 6, as well as former Pence aides Marc Short and Greg Jacob are among those expected to appear as witnesses during Thursdays prime-time hearings. Story continues Eisen said showing how Pence rejected some of the legal arguments concocted by Trumps advisers would help rebuff GOP attempts to brush off the committees findings as partisan. So, the other way that Pence comes in is as a dose of reality in response to these lunatic legal theories that were circulating. So thats an important part of the narrative, Eisen said. Pence himself has grown increasingly willing to break with Trump over the events of Jan. 6 in particular as he charts his own post-White House path. The former vice president repeatedly referred to Jan. 6 as a dark day in history and spoke about upholding his constitutional duty in remarks to various conservative groups after leaving office. As Trump continued to make debunked claims that the 2020 election was rigged, Pence went a step further. In February, Pence explicitly said Trump was wrong to suggest he could overturn the result of the presidential election. Under the Constitution, I had no right to change the outcome of our election. And Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024, Pence said at the time. Still, Pence has personally kept the Jan. 6 committee at arms length in public. In October, Pence suggested the media was focusing on the riot so extensively to distract from the Biden administrations difficulties with the Afghanistan withdrawal and other domestic issues. And while former aides like Short and Keith Kellogg have testified before the panel behind closed doors, Pence himself has yet to come before the committee. A Pence spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, including on whether there had been any communication between Pence and the committee. We have wanted to make sure that we get as much information as possible from as many material witnesses as possible, Raskin said Monday during a Washington Post Live event when asked about the prospect of Pence testifying. We want to figure out exactly what happened. And Vice President Pence was obviously the object of this political onslaught on Jan. 6, so we need to fill in the details as much as possible about what happened there. Asked if Pences life was in danger on Jan. 6, Raskin urged the public to tune in on Thursday night. Watch the hearings, Raskin said. The hearings will tell a story about what took place on that day. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Jun. 7EAST GRAND FORKS East Grand Forks Police have released the identity of the suspect arrested Sunday in connection to a suspected arson at the Est Grand Forks Islamic Center. Suzette Gay Thompson, 57 of Thief River Falls, is being charged with first degree arson in connection with the fire, which was reported early Sunday. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and/or $20,000 fine. Thompson was held at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center in Crookston, Minnesota, on $5,000 bond pending her next hearing. After being alerted about a potential arson at the Islamic Center located at 1500 5th Ave. NE Sunday at 4:38 a.m., police learned that a curtain inside the building was set on fire and the suspect left westbound. Police were able to identify Thompson from surveillance videos and located her a short time later. According to a press release sent out by the East Grand Forks Police Department, because of the quick actions of a bystander damage to the building is minimal and no one was injured. Police said several people were present for morning prayer. The matter remains under investigation with the Minnesota State Fire Marshall's Office. Thompson will make her initial appearance in court on June 14, according to court records. The World Bank announced on Tuesday that it will be providing roughly $1.5 billion in additional financing to Ukraine, money which will go toward paying government and social workers. The aid is being funded from parallel financing from Italy; financing guarantees from Lithuania, the United Kingdom, Latvia and the Netherlands; and expected future guarantees from countries including Denmark. The World Bank noted that the additional financing was part of a more than $4 billion package to Ukraine, with dispersed funds totaling close to $2 billion already. The World Bank Group is providing continuing support for Ukraine and its people in the face of the ongoing war, World Bank Group President David Malpass said in a statement. We are working with donor countries to mobilize financial support and leveraging the flexibility of our various financing instruments to help provide Ukrainians with access to health services, education and social protection. Last month, the United States passed a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine. The Biden administration announced that under the first round of that aid, it would send the country a $700 million weapons package that includes advanced rocket systems. The war in Ukraine has raged on for more than 100 days. After failing to take Kyiv in the opening weeks of its invasion, Russia is seeking to capture territory in Ukraines Donbas region, with fighting ongoing in the city of Sievierodonetsk in the eastern Luhansk region. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. World Bank logo Read also: UWC chief on how Ukrainian diaspora around the world helps their motherland in wartime The project, named Public Expenditure Support for Sustainable Public Administration in Ukraine, received financial guarantees from the UK, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Latvia; parallel funding from Italy, and expected future guarantees from Denmark. Read also: European Commission offers Ukraine new macro aid worth up to 9 billion euros The World Bank noted that this new funding is part of a support package of more than $4 billion that the bank is mobilizing. About $2 billion of these funds have already been disbursed to the Ukrainian state. Read also: Metallica raises $1 million to help Ukrainian refugees On May 8, Ukraine's Ministry of Finance announced that the World Bank would provide a $1.5 billion loan to be used to make up for losses in the payroll for public sector workers. Read also: Biden signs $40bn Ukraine aid bill Ukraines GDP is forecasted to fall by at least 30% this year, due to the full-scale Russian invasion. Help NV continue its work reporting on the Russian invasion By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -An international agreement on waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines is within reach ahead of a global trade meeting next week, the head of the World Trade Organization said on Wednesday. In a telephone interview, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also said an agreement could be reached on fishing subsidies in time for the meeting, when 120 trade ministers from around the world gather at the body's Geneva headquarters. "If we get one or two deliverables that will be good," Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters in a telephone interview. "I think we are within shouting distance of that." Days before the meeting starts, none of the agreements in the three major negotiating areas of agriculture, fish subsidies or intellectual property rights for vaccines have been finalised for ministers to rubber-stamp, trade sources say. Instead, Okonjo-Iweala described a "hectic" atmosphere in Geneva where negotiators had been working late nights and weekends in order to try to resolve outstanding differences. Since she was appointed more than a year ago, Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian minister and chair of the GAVI vaccine alliance board, has prioritised a long-sought deal on a waiver for intellectual property rights for COVID-19 shots. "There's some difficult areas we are dealing with but there's movement," she said on those talks, without elaborating. "I think it's still possible for us to be able to clean that up," she said. Some recent disagreements have centred on the scope of the waiver and China's objection to some of the agreement's wording, trade sources say. The WTO's biennial meeting was twice delayed by COVID-19 and is taking place after a nearly 5-year gap against the backdrop of high geopolitical tensions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some Western members have refused to negotiate directly with Russia, but Okonjo-Iweala said she was confident negotiations could continue through a combination of different meeting sizes. "You cannot minimise the Russia-Ukraine tensions and crisis. We find methodologies that work and we will use the same approaches for MC12," she said, referring to next week's meeting. (Reporting by Emma FargeEditing by Rachel More and Peter Graff) Members of both the Nelson County Board of Supervisors and Nelson County Planning Commission held a kickoff meeting with planning consultants last week to begin discussing an updated comprehensive plan for the county. Nelson County Board of Supervisors Chair Jesse Rutherford said members of the board, along with the planning commission and the Bridgewater-based Berkley Group, took a tour around the county on May 31 visiting Lovingston, Schuyler, Shipman, Afton, Nellysford, Roseland, Montebello, Piney River and Gladstone. It was a great tour and we, of course, look forward to the success for this being the kickoff for the comprehensive plan and how we design the way Nelson County should look and hopefully get some good roadmaps for the future, Rutherford said. Catherine Redfearn, a planner with Berkley Group as well as the project manager for Nelsons comprehensive plan, said a comprehensive plan is a long-range planning document and decision-making guide, a community-guided vision for the future, a showcase of assets and areas for improvement and the guiding framework for the communitys planning tools. It is a legally required document by Virginia State Code and Nelsons will be 20 years old next year with a most recent update from 2014. The county describes the comprehensive plan as a blueprint for Nelson County dealing with change and how it will grow while guiding county officials, state agencies and private developers in providing for Nelsons future needs. The plan states goals for eight key areas: economic development, transportation, education, public and human services, natural and scenic resources, recreation, development areas and rural conservation. Berkley Group Planning Director Kelly Davis said the purpose of the meeting was to hear thoughts and aspirations from the committee before planning multiple open houses to eventually hear from the community over the summer. Redfearn said the future land map is, in her opinion, arguably the most important part of the plan. It brings together all elements including policies and goals and shows them on a map how they will be reflected physically in the community. So transportation, land uses, economy, housing, natural and cultural resources, they all get tied into this map that shows the future built environment of the county, she said. Skip Barton, vice chair of the board of supervisors, asked how much of what the Berkley Group deals with is what will probably happen. Part of the comprehensive plan deals with the problems that we will face, he said. Will you anticipate that part for us? Redfearn said the group would handle that, adding that the plan is about community wants and needs but also data and what future population projections show for the county. So its a twofold process of looking at the facts and then looking at the needs of the community and balancing the two, she said. Barton also expressed his concerns with affordable housing within the county. Redfearn said housing will most likely be a standalone chapter within the plan where housing strategies appropriate for Nelson are addressed based on the conditions or issues in the county surrounding housing. Weve talked a lot about affordable housing on our tour this afternoon, she said in the meeting. So we will address housing and develop strategies that will address the issues or opportunities related to that. She said the group is in phase one of the plan and have completed a diagnostic of Nelsons current comprehensive plan. It is currently in the process of developing plan branding and community engagement efforts and will move on from there to collect existing conditions, data and then drafting the plan. The entire process takes a round 20 months and will have a final draft available by late summer 2023. Later this summer, the group will release a public input survey to glean a better idea from citizens what they hope to see from the county over the next 20 years. I think youre going to hear a lot of different things, Mary Kathryn Allen, chair of the planning commission, said during the meeting. Youre going to get opinions from people who have kids in the schools and I think youre going to get a different view from the people who live in the Afton area. They came here to retire and theyre tired of the [Virginia] 151 corridor. I think were going to get people whove lived here for 50 years and theyre tired of paying high taxes because businesses arent here. To get involved in the countys comprehensive plan or for more information, visit nelson2042.com. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. APRIL 17 Drug Violation/ Driving without a License, Coolwell Road, Amherst; an Amherst man, 25, was charged. Public Intoxication/Obstruction without Force, Savage Drive, Madison Heights; a Lynchburg woman, 30, was charged. Assault and Battery, Silvers Lane, Amherst; an Amherst man, 45, was charged. Grand Larceny, Amelon Expressway, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole a computer from a church. 1 citation for no operators license on U.S. 29 N in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on U.S. 29 N in Amherst, 1 citation for no liability insurance on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for operating vehicle without displaying plates on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 2 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst. APRIL 18 1 citation for improper right turn on red on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to obey a traffic light on U.S. 29 Bus in Madison Heights. APRIL 19 Petit Larceny, River James Shopping Center, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole miscellaneous merchandise from a local business. Petit Larceny, Yankee View Lane, Amherst, an unknown offender stole miscellaneous items from a shed located on personal property. 1 citation for reckless driving by speed on U.S. 29 Business in Madison Heights. APRIL 20 Driving While Intoxicated, U.S. 29 Bypass in Amherst, an Amherst woman, 19, was charged. Shoplifting, S Amherst Hwy., Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole miscellaneous items from a local business. 1 citation for failure to maintain control on Thomas Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving without a license on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 2 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights. APRIL 21 Assault and Battery, Tammy Drive, Madison Heights; a Madison Heights woman, 25, was charged. Assault and Battery, Wildwood Acres Road, Madison Heights; a Madison Heights man, 27, was charged. Unauthorized Use of Vehicle, Sycamore Lane, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole a vehicle parked at a residence. 2 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 2 citations for expired registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to obey lane markings on U.S. 29 S Bypass in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on U.S. 29 S in Amherst, 1 citation for failure to obey stop sign on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving suspended on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for vehicle inspection sticker: make/use counterfeit on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for improper use of dealer plates on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for operating uninsured vehicle on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights. APRIL 22 Petit Larceny, River James Shopping Center, Madison Heights; two unknown offenders stole money from a local business by way of quick change scam. Petit Larceny, Ebenezer Road, Amherst; an unknown offender stole a mountain bike from a residence. APRIL 23 Grand Larceny/Property Damage, Flatwood Roads, Amherst; an unknown offender broke into a home and Shed and stole miscellaneous items Assault and Battery, Shelter Lane, Amherst; an Amherst man, 25, was charged. Assault and Battery, S Oak Drive, Madison Heights; an Appomattox woman, 21, was charged. Maliciously Shoot/Throw at Car, Braxton Ridge Road, Amherst; a juvenile was charged. Driving While Intoxicated, Longview Drive, Madison Heights; a Madison Heights man, 32, was charged. APRIL 24 Driving While Intoxicated, Virginia 130, Monroe; a Lynchburg man, 46, was charged. Property Damage, Izaak Walton Road, Amherst; an unknown offender damaged a vehicle parked at a residence. 1 citation for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 3 citations for speeding on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for reckless driving by speed on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for driving while suspended on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for possess title issued to another on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for operating uninsured vehicle on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for speeding on U.S. 60 in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on U.S. 29 Business in Madison Heights. APRIL 25 Shoplifting, Seminole Drive, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole merchandise from a local store. Petit Larceny, S Coolwell Road, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole license plates from a vehicle parked on the side of the road. Assault and Battery, Flatwoods Road, Amherst; an Amherst man, 27, was charged. 2 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving while license is revoked on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to obtain vehicle registration and title on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for improper display of license plates on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 2 citations for expired registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for not providing proof of insurance on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on Rt. 29 in Amherst, 2 citations for reckless by speed on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights. APRIL 26 Assault ad Battery, Glenway Drive, Amherst; an Amherst man, 39 year, was charged. Grand Larceny, Phyllis Lea Drive, Madison Heights; an unknown offender stole a ladder from a residence. Burglary, Greenwood Drive, Madison Heights; an unknown offender broke into a residence and stole medication. 3 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for reckless by speed on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for farm use violation on U.S. 29 Business in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for use of cellphone while operating a motor vehicle on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired registration on Virginia 163 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for pass stopped school bus on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights. APRIL 27 Drug Violation, S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights; a Rustburg woman, 30, and a Madison Heights man, 43, were charged. Assault: Malicious Injury, Lancer Lane, Amherst, a juvenile was charged. 1 citation for speeding on U.S. 29 Bus in Madison Heights, 7 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for failure to move over for emergency vehicle on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for failure to wear a seatbelt on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for no proof of insurance on Glade Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for improper registration/title or plates on Glade Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired registration on Glade Road in Madison Heights, 6 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 2 citations for no proof of insurance on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 3 citations for expired registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving suspended on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to carry registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving without a license on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Lyttleton Lane in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving while suspended on Lyttleton Lane in Madison Heights, 1 citation for switched decals on Dixie Airport Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for fictitious inspection on Dixie Airport Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving suspended on Dixie Airport Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired inspection on Dixie Airport Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired registration on Dixie Airport Road in Madison Heights, 7 citations for expired inspection on U.S. 29 Business in Madison Heights. APRIL 28 Drug Violation, Sidney Drive, Amherst; a Monroe woman, 61, was charged. 1 citation for speeding on S Main Street in Amherst, 24 citations for Speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 4 citations for failure to move over for emergency vehicle on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for speeding on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 5 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 Bus in Madison Heights, 1 citation for reckless driving by speed on U.S. 29 in Monroe, 3 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on U.S. 29 Bypass in Madison Heights, 3 citations for expired registration on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for improper display of license plates on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for no proof of insurance on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to stop for stop sign on Shearingham Drive in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on U.S. 29 Bypass in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on N Main Street in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on U.S. 29 S in Amherst, 1 citation for expired inspection on S Amherst Hwy in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired inspection on U.S. 60 in Amherst, 1 citation for expired registration on U.S. 60 in Amherst. APRIL 29 Burglary, Autumn View Lane, Madison Heights, an unknown offender stole miscellaneous household items from a residence Driving While Intoxicated/Drug Violation/Driving Suspended, Dixie Airport Road, Madison Heights; a Madison Heights woman, 32, was charged. Driving While Intoxicated/Driving without a License, Virginia 130 in Madison Heights; a Madison Heights man, 38, was charged. Trespass after being Forbidden, Highview Drive, Madison Heights; an Ohio man, 73, and two Buena Vista men, 68 and 45, were charged. 6 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 1 citation for defective equipment on U.S. 29 in Amherst, 4 citations for failure to have vehicle inspected on Izaak Walton Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Elon Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for not providing proof of insurance on Elon Road in Madison Heights, 3 citations for driving suspended on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for expired registration on Izaak Walton Road in Madison Heights, 4 citations for expired inspection on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for no License on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for child restraint violation on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving suspended on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for fictitious inspection on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to yield right of way on Virginia 210 in Madison Heights, 6 citations for speeding on Winesap Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for driving unlicensed on Izaak Walton Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for speeding on Virginia 151 in Amherst, 1 citation for operating vehicle with no insurance on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 6 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 Business in Madison Heights, 1 citation for no seatbelt on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for improper registration on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 1 citation for violation of motorcycle learners permit on Izaak Walton Road in Madison Heights, 1 citation for failure to have vehicle inspected on Izaak Walton Road in Madison Heights. APRIL 30 Obstruction/Resist: without Threat or Force/Disorderly Conduct, U.S. 29 N in Madison Heights; a Lynchburg man, 26, was charged. 1 citation for expired registration on Virginia 130 in Madison Heights, 3 citations for speeding on U.S. 29 in Amherst. Source: Amherst County Sheriffs Office As dark descended, the trees below lit up with thousands of twinkling lights, and an ancient courtship began. Thousands of fireflies signaled for mates while stars popped out overhead as we watched from the High Bridge near Farmville. Our visit to the Firefly Festival at High Bridge Trail State Park four years ago was a night to remember. This year the festival is set for June 17 and 18 from 9 to 11 p.m. Tickets are now required to limit the crowd to 750 per night. The High Bridge sits 125 feet over the Appomattox River with a sea of green in all directions. The bridge is more than 2,400 feet long, the longest recreational span in Virginia and among the longest in the United States. Its the perfect setting to watch fireflies, the magical insects that begin life in their larval stage as glowworms. A chemical in their abdomens, luciferin, combines with magnesium ions, the enzyme adenosine triphosphate, and oxygen to produce light with virtually no heat. This makes fireflies the most efficient light producers on the planet, producing 90% light and only 10% heat. An incandescent lightbulb does the exact opposite. Its generally believed that males light up to attract females that reply with their own species-specific flash. In one species, the female mimics the flash of a different species, and when the male approaches, she bites his head off for a protein snack. The flashing light may also warn predators that fireflies dont taste very good. There are about 2,000 species of fireflies in both warm and temperate regions throughout the world and more than 200 east of the Mississippi River. Not all of them light up. The species in the western portion of the U.S. dont provide the fireworks we see here. Like many insects, adult fireflies live to mate, lay eggs and die, all in a matter of days. Some adults may not eat at all. The females deposit eggs in the ground where the larvae usually live for about a year, hibernating during the winter before the cycle begins anew. The larvae eat worms, slugs and other slimy critters in the soil. Sadly, firefly populations are in decline. Light pollution, pesticide use and habitat destruction are the main culprits. You can help by getting rid of dusk-to-dawn lights, which also interfere with many other nocturnal animals and bird migration, as well as a view of the Milky Way. Pesticides poison insects, while land clearing destroys habitat. If a field where fireflies live is paved over, the fireflies dont migrate; they just disappear. You can also help fireflies by providing a variety of shrubs, high grass and low-growing plants for shelter, as well as flowers for those adults that have time to eat. Though its hard, resist the urge to put fireflies in a jar, which can result in trauma or accidental death. For ticket information about the Firefly Festival, check https://www.eventbrite.com/e/high-bridge-trail-state-park-firefly-festival-2022-tickets-250219231457. If you miss the festival, just look out your window at night. Shannon Brennan can be reached at shannonw481@gmail.com. Lynchburg City Council appointed three people to expiring seats on the Lynchburg City School Board during a special called meeting Tuesday night. Anthony Andrews was appointed to the expiring District 1 seat; Martin Day was appointed to the expiring seat in District 2; and Gloria Preston was appointed to the seat for District 3. Beginning July 1, they will take over the seats of Susan Morrison, District 1; Gary Harvey, District 2; and Michael Nilles, District 3. Interviews with ten candidates for the three school board seats were recorded and are available online at the citys YouTube page, youtube.com/c/LynchburgVATV. Anthony Andrews, the appointee for District 1, is a product of the city school system, graduating from E.C. Glass High School in 1999. He has a background in early childhood education, having worked in the field for about 14 years. He has served as a member of the Education Task Force in Lynchburg as well as a current member of the early childhood task force for the citys Bridges to Progress initiative, which addresses poverty in the city. Launched by the school board and city council in 2019, the Education Task Force makes policy recommendations, as well as helps shape education decisions facing the school system. Andrews has two children in the city school system. During his interview in late May with Lynchburg City Council, Andrews laid out the ways he would work with the superintendent, address pressing issues facing the school system, and how he would handle neighborhood relations to maintain a relationship with parents and students of LCS. During the application process, Andrews said he reached out to 52 members of the community to learn what they would like to see implemented into LCS, something he said is important for the school board going forward. I think that LCS has done what I would say is a decent job as far as conversations with the community, Andrews said, but theres always room for improvement and I feel I can add some value to that. When Andrews was asked by Ward III Councilman Jeff Helgeson during his interview about coronavirus-related shutdowns and remote learning for LCS, Andrews called it a tricky question but clarified the result of the question is the tricky part. He said the achievement gap was made worse because of COVID-19, but it also was exacerbated by the lack of universal pre-K schooling in LCS, which causes students to not engage in high-quality learning early enough. In regards to being asked if he would go along with the rest of the boards policies regarding COVID-19, Andrews said while he didnt disagree with the boards decisions, he wouldnt have gone along with the group; Im always thinking about facts and figures. He later said he chose to close his preschool, Peakland Preschool, during COVID-19 because it was safe for our students, and he would go by the recommendation of our health care providers. He also said he would have voted to keep the mask mandate in place in Lynchburg City Schools when it was eliminated this past January. In District 2, Day, a resident of Lynchburg since 2016, comes with a background in education and mathematics from Virginia Tech. Day has several decades of teaching experience, along with time served as the chair of several committees that address curriculum, personnel and academic policies. He has assisted in GED exam preparation for adults in Lynchburg. Day credited the school system for its work at the Central Virginia Governors School for Science and Technology (CVGS) at Heritage High School, STEM and nontraditional education such as for students with special needs. But, Day said there are several issues facing the school system in the immediate future, namely declining enrollment although he noted LCS isnt the only division facing the issue and its not a blip on the radar either, mentioning it could be here to stay. Day also cited the school systems aging facilities, saying LCS needs to balance what is best for it while accounting for the needs of families should schools need to be closed. Despite those two issues, Day said that isnt why he decided to apply for the board. Im not offering myself to serve because I have a particular issue and, Heres a problem and boy Im going to fix it, Day said during his interview. I dont see any glaring issues. But as I look at school boards across the country, some of them seemed to be inflamed right now. Day is hoping to keep inflammatory rhetoric around school boards out of Lynchburg City Schools during his time on the board. School boards around Virginia and elsewhere have seen several hot-button issues surface, including proposals to ban certain books and disagreements over critical race theory. I dont think the controversy is serving the students well, he said. Id like the school boards focus [to] be on the students and how we can serve them as best we can. In District 3, Preston has served in the field of education in many capacities, working as an English teacher at E.C. Glass for nearly 13 years, a principal at Amelon Elementary School in the Amherst County Public Schools system for roughly six years, and is a retired director of student services for LCS, where she worked for six years. She has multiple degrees from the University of Lynchburg in English, curriculum and instruction, and educational leadership. Asked about the achievement gap in LCS, Preston said, I think its a wake-up call for all of us that we need to be aware that there are students that have difficulties that we never had, sometimes cant imagine, that are foreign nature to us. Preston later said in her interview that building better relationships with the community will help the board figure out how to better address the needs of those in the school system. In regards to how COVID-19 accelerated that achievement gap, Preston pushed back against the question posed by Helgeson, saying, More importantly for me, is that all of those students are alive. Preston said it would have been difficult for her to ignore the pandemic to keep pressing forward in education. She said virtual learning is better than having them not learn at all, but that its not on the same level of being in the classroom with an educator in the room. Its not ideal, but it might be warranted based on the situation we found ourselves in, she said. Mayor MaryJane Dolan asked Preston about the current makeup of the school board and what Dolan said is the opinion of several members of that board that the majority doesnt push the superintendent and administration enough on issues. Preston said if she thought that students were not learning because were not doing what we need to do in a classroom, I would question that. Challenge isnt the word I would use, she said, when asked if she would push other school board members to look deeper at the facts. I learn from you and you learn from me, so we have to consider all of those things, she said. The three appointees will step into their roles on the school board beginning July 1. Their first meeting as board members will be held at 5 p.m. July 13 in the E.C. Glass High School Civic Auditorium. 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. What some people once thought might be impossible has been proven possible with the removal of $25 million in bonds for the Central Virginia Training Center. The process which state and local officials hope will clear the way to redevelop the 350-acre property that served residents with disabilities until the center closed in 2020 will take place between now and October. The states fiscal year 2023-24 biennium budget, which the General Assembly approved June 1, included a request from Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, to relieve all outstanding bonds associated with the training center. The property in Madison Heights across the James River from downtown Lynchburg is currently owned by one state agency and will be transferred to another state agency, which can execute a sale of the site, once the bonds are paid. Amherst County Administrator Dean Rodgers said more than 3,000 residents were once housed at the center, and the center accounted for one quarter of all the jobs in the county. He knew when he was hired eight years ago the training center would be a top priority. Senator Newman has been with us from the very beginning. Now we talked about these $25 million bonds, but there was $800,000 acquired early on for environmental studies and another $4 million for cleanup, Rodgers said. And so hes been on top of this site from the very beginning, not just marshaling forces in Richmond, but also our other delegates and other representatives. And so its been a great effort behind the scenes. Newman has championed the defeasement of the bonds on the center and has been a major supporter of the redevelopment plan. Defeasance is a term related to all methods by which an outstanding bond issue can be made void, legally and financially, by the state. God told us to take care of people who cannot take care of themselves, he said during a June 8 press conference. These were those people, and now they have been moved into communities, and we still love them and this community and the workers here that loved these people and took care of these people for nearly 100 years. And we are grateful for that. But when that time passed, it was time for us to come together as a delegation with Megan [Lucas, CEO of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance] to actually do something different with this property. He said once developed it will be one of the most successful pieces of land in Central Virginia and will be a beautiful community. Lucas said the Central Virginia Training Center Master Redevelopment Plan is telescoping a vision that will expand the regions vibrant urban core with the potential of connecting a twin community between Madison Heights and the city of Lynchburg. Overlooking the James River and downtown Lynchburg, the redevelop site will be a premier location to attract capital investment and talent, thus enhancing our regions urban core, she said. Were trying to create a unique space in the Lynchburg region where people who want to live in a more dense core and businesses who want to locate in a dense urban core have that opportunity. We think that this redevelopment plan is a bold move that will be vital to the region as we attract a workforce who will drive economic growth and success for decades. Although the plan is in the beginning stages, it will be the directive that guides policymakers, developers and stakeholders toward a preferred future of the site. And it all significantly hinges on the defeasement of the $25 million in outstanding bonds currently owned by the commonwealth, she said. The slow closure of the training center began in 2012, when then-Gov. Bob McDonnell was notified the training center, along with four others around the state needed to be closed due to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which sought to have residents in smaller, community-based homes rather than larger institutions. In 2015, the Amherst County Board of Supervisors reached out to the Amherst County Economic Development Authority and asked them to partner with the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance to chart a course forward. In 2020, the Central Virginia Training Center closed, and in 2022 the master redevelopment plan was completed for the center. Our region has a unique opportunity. We can create a vision for this site that can change the future of our region. It is in our hands, Lucas said. The plan is both practical and aspirational. It is a key piece and the continued creation of a vibrant urban core, which we know is critical to attracting both young and seasoned talent and businesses of all sizes. The Alliance has been the catalyst for progressing the vision of the site and creating a plan for redevelopment to make that happen, convening many partners who helped make the redevelopment a reality, she said. The plan features diverse housing options to fit all needs and tastes, a beautiful and central location for shopping and dining and an urban but walkable layout considering both the nature and geography of the location, she said. Creating this urban lifestyle is particularly critical in cities that compete for tech-savvy, creative people and businesses [whose] talents are fueling much of the job creation and growth [in] our country today. She added there are two cemeteries on the site, both owned by the commonwealth, which will continue to be responsible for those cemeteries. Individuals who have loved ones there will always be able to come and visit them as they so wish, and there are no plans otherwise, she said. Although the redevelopment plan was the first of many hurdles, stakeholders were keenly aware of the outstanding bonds on the property and their potential effect on the sale and future redevelopment of the site. In April, when the redevelopment plan was released, Lucas said the outstanding bonds, combined with the blighted buildings and infrastructure of the site, made the property nearly worthless for development. Senator Newmans unwavering support of our region, his vision, his integrity, and his leadership has brought us here today, the champion for our region has helped clear the largest, the highest hurdle that we have for this site, the defeasement of $25 million and outstanding bonds, Lucas said. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Authorities on Indonesia's Sumatra island arrested a Japanese fugitive accused of helping steal USD 7.3 million intended for small businesses in Japan hurt by the coronavirus, police said on Wednesday. Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, 47, was arrested late Tuesday at a house owned by a fish trader in Central Lampung district by immigration officers backed by local police, National Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said. He told the house owner that he wants to invest in fisheries in the area, Prasetyo said, adding that Taniguchi had stayed at the house for about two weeks before authorities located him. Taniguchi was wanted by Japanese police for COVID-19 subsidy fraud and left Japan for Indonesia in October 2020, Prasetyo said. Taniguchi and a group of acquaintances allegedly submitted about 1,700 false applications for COVID-19 relief funds. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department believes they received subsidies for more than 960 of those applications totalling an estimated 960 million yen (USD 7.3 million), Prasetyo said. Taniguchi, who has been wanted by Japanese police since early May, has been handed over to the Directorate of Immigration's Supervision and Enforcement Division, he said. The suspect, wearing a face mask, short pants and an immigration detainee's orange vest, was brought by police to a news conference Wednesday in the capital, Jakarta. He made no comment. Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, an immigration official, said at the news conference that days before the arrest, Japanese Embassy officials informed his office that they had revoked Taniguchi's passport and that the suspect had last been seen in the Lampung area. His presence in Indonesia became illegal after the Japanese authorities revoked his passport, Prasetyo said. ...continue reading Three pairs of candidates faced off in Southwest Iowa primary races for the Iowa House of Representatives, while District 16 incumbent Rep. David Sieck and Republican candidates for Iowa Senate coasted to victory unopposed. In perhaps the closest area race for the Statehouse, Republican Sarah Abdouch defeated Thomas Riley to win the opportunity to run against Democrat Josh Turek in November to represent District 20. Abdouch finished with 549 votes, or 55.85%, while Riley received 430 votes, or 43.74%, according to preliminary results from the Pottawattamie County Auditors Office with 40 of 40 precincts reporting. Abdouch said she was very excited about her victory. You always have to treat every election as if its lost until its won, she said. You never know whats going to happen on Election Day. Now that she has prevailed in the primary, Abdouch is looking forward to campaigning for the general election. I have the energy, I have the agenda that I think will serve Council Bluffs and Carter Lake really well, she said. Abdouch is an advocate for school choice and is determined to move the needle on flood prevention. Were still failing to manage the Missouri River properly, she said. We need some leadership from the state level. Everyone has been impacted by flooding that was a huge issue that resonated with people. Abdouch said she is used to listening to others ideas and collaborating to get things done as part of her job. I think we need some fresh ideas, she said. In the only area legislative race with two Democrats on the ballot, Elizabeth Christensen outdistanced Vergarie Sanford to earn a shot at the District 19 seat by a vote of 539 votes, or 64.17%, to Sanfords 298 votes, or 35.48%. The winner will likely face Republican incumbent Brent Siegrist, who did not get enough signatures in his reshaped district to get on the ballot but is expected to be nominated at the GOP convention. Christensen was excited, while also offering some credit to Sanford. Vergarie has been a wonderful contender, she said. Christensen said she felt good about the campaign. I spent a good deal of time listening to those that I did talk with, she said. I think that was definitely a priority. But I think its a heated time, so I feel like theres always a feeling of intensity. Christensens priorities are transparency in property tax revenue and expenditures, ranked choice voting and promoting participation in the democratic process. She called on fellow Millennials to get involved, saying their generation is next in line. In House District 15, seven-term incumbent and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl easily overcame a challenge by political newcomer Rebecca Wilkerson to win the Republican primary with 1,100 votes, or 69.58%, to her 477 votes, or 30.17%. No Democrats ran for the District 15 seat in the primary, so Windschitl will likely have a cakewalk back to the State Capitol. In District 16, Republican incumbent David Sieck ran unopposed and cornered 867 votes, or 99.54% of those cast. There was no Democrat running for a chance to challenge him this fall. Area Republicans in the Iowa Senate were running unopposed, with no Democrat on the horizon to give them some competition this fall. State Sen. Tom Shipley, the District 9 incumbent, was running unopposed, as were Republican incumbents Brian Best in District 11 and Steven Holt in District 12. None of the three districts had a Democratic candidate Tuesday. DES MOINES The admiral will lead Iowa Democrats into this falls U.S. Senate campaign. In something of an upset, Mike Franken, a U.S. Navy veteran from Sioux City, earned the Democratic nomination Tuesday in Iowas U.S. Senate campaign, handily beating former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids. Franken, who was runner-up in the 2020 Democratic primary for another Iowa U.S. Senate seat, made his second attempt count. As of shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, with 79 of the states 99 counties reporting, Franken had secured 55.3 percent of the votes cast by Iowa Democrats, according to preliminary state elections results. With his victory, Franken earned a date with longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in this falls Nov. 8 general election. Tonight, you have bestowed upon me a great honor. And I assume the responsibility to win this election, Franken told a meeting of a few dozen supporters Tuesday night at a junior high school in Des Moines. What must happen, is we must beat Chuck Grassley. Finkenauer, a former congresswoman and the perceived leader coming into this campaign, had 39.8 percent of the vote. At roughly 9:30 p.m. at her campaigns event in Cedar Rapids, Finkenauer thanked her supporters, telling them she had just congratulated the retired admiral for running one heck of a race. He won in a way that will bring Democrats together to do what has to be done beat Chuck Grassley, she told about two dozen supporters who had gathered at NewBo City Market. Finkenauer, who suffered her second defeat in as many election cycles, told the disappointed backers that because of what the three Democrats did in the primary, talking to folks, educating people about Chuck Grassley and what he has become, a Democrat will beat that man. Glenn Hurst, a physician from Minden and a third Democratic candidate, had earned 4.8 percent of the vote. Grassley staved off a primary challenge Tuesday, winning with 74.1 percent of the votes by Iowa Republicans that were counted as of Tuesday night. Jim Carlin, a lawyer and state legislator from Sioux City, had received 25.8 percent of the vote. The 88-year-old Grassley is seeking an eighth, six-year term in the U.S. Senate. Quite a victory. I love serving the people of Iowa, Grassley said in an audio statement distributed by his campaign. Now that the primarys over, I want everybody to unite so we can have a big victory in November. A big victory in Iowa contributes to Republicans taking over control of the United States Senate and House of Representatives. Grassley will enter the general election campaign as the favorite. His six re-election campaign victories have been by a staggering average of 35 percentage points. Grassleys campaign was quick Tuesday night to allege that Franken is the most liberal Iowa Democrat nominee in history, and asserted that Franken will be another yes-man for (Democratic President Joe) Bidens radical liberal policies that put America on the wrong track. Republicans will seek to pair Franken with Biden in voters eyes because the president has low approval ratings in Iowa. Just 35 percent of Iowans approve of Bidens performance as president while 59 disapprove, according to the most recent Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, from early March. Franken, who grew up in Lebanon, Iowa, argued throughout the primary campaign that he was best-equipped to face Grassley in this falls general election, that he was better-suited than Finkenauer or Hurst to woo middle-of-the-road Iowa voters, and perhaps even pick off some Republicans who feel Grassley has been in the U.S. Senate for too long. On the campaign trail, Franken has highlighted his public service in the U.S. Navy he retired as an admiral. In addition to his command positions, he also worked in the Pentagon for the U.S. Department of Defense, and on U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedys staff. Time for change. Iowans wants something different. Too much of that. Something new, Franken told reporters Tuesday night. I represent a person whos a humanitarian, whos gifted in describing what kind of infrastructure the state can do. Im a farmer at root. Im a grandson of homesteaders. I think that relates to Iowans. And being in the military, that was an occupation that sets well for this as well. Grassley has argued that his experience and tenure in the U.S. Senate are vital to Iowans. He has noted that if he is elected to the Senate and Republicans retain the majority, he would return as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which among other things holds hearings on federal judicial nominations including for the U.S. Supreme Court. So we work hard between now and November the 8th, and by doing that, we will save America from the bad policies of the socialistic endeavors of the progressive left, which President Biden has succumbed to, Grassley said in an audio statement. James Q. Lynch of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau contributed. DES MOINES Todd Halbur, a former state government worker from Clive, appeared to win a close race Tuesday night in the Republican primary in the campaign for state auditor. At just before midnight, with all but one of the states 99 counties reporting, Halbur led Mary Ann Hanusa, 51% to 48.7%, according to preliminary state results. Hanusa, a former state legislator from Council Bluffs, in a statement congratulated Halbur on his victory. Todd Halbur and I ran a spirited campaign for state auditor and I congratulate him on his primary win, Hanusa said in the statement. I am honored by the support of so many Iowans who responded to our message of public service over politics and of restoring credibility and trust to the auditors office. I will be forever grateful for their confidence in me. Halbur will challenge incumbent Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in this falls Nov. 8 general election. During the primary campaign, Halbur said he believes the reporting of fraud, waste and abuse across all government agencies in Iowa needs more training and streamlining. He proposed an anonymous, third-party 800-number for Iowans to report abuses. Halbur also wants to increase the frequency of state audits of smaller local governmental agencies. Currently, Iowa communities under 2,000 population with a budget of less than $1 million are audited at least once every eight years. This is way too long between audits, Halbur said during the campaign. I would work with the Legislature to move this to every two years so we would be able to catch any errors, omissions or fraud quicker, in order for us to take corrective action and save the taxpayer money. Sand is completing his first, four-year term as auditor and is seeking re-election. Two suspects are in custody after leading police first on a car chase, then a foot pursuit that ended on Iowa Western Community Colleges Council Bluffs campus on Wednesday. Jeremy L. Belt, 32, and Jamia D. Sutton, 27, both of Council Bluffs, were both charged with second degree theft, a class D felony. Belt was also charged with eluding law enforcement. According to a news release, at around 10 a.m. Council Bluffs Police officers were looking for a stolen gray Hyundai Santa Fe near Bomgaars at 2803 E. Kanesville Blvd., when they saw the vehicle speeding on East Kanesville. An officer attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle, but broke off the attempt when the Santa Fe fled, driving erratically. The vehicle went off road and headed toward the IWCC campus. Police arrived at the campus and began searching for the vehicle, which they located near the Reiver Tower residence building. The officer who had attempted the traffic stop provided descriptions of the two suspects and the police began to search the perimeter. The suspects were located running through the campus grounds and into the woods and creek bottom. They were both taken into custody after foot pursuits. Police found no guns or other weapons on the suspects and no shots were fired during the incident. There were no reported injuries, according to the news release. During the incident, police maintained contact with IWCC once it was determined that the suspects were heading toward the campus. IWCC put into effect their campus threat protocol. Once the suspects were arrested, police notified IWCC that they could lift the lockdown. Police believe that IWCC quickly engaging its campus lockdown kept the suspects from being able to get into any of the buildings. Belt posted $5,000 bond on June 8, and Sutton is incarcerated at Pottawattamie County Jail. 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. DES MOINES Mike Franken, a retired Navy vice admiral from Sioux City, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday night and the change to challenge Republican Chuck Grassley in what will likely be an uphill effort to defeat one of the Senate's longest-serving members. At 9:13 p.m., the Associated Press projected Franken as the winner of a three-way primary, which also included Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman from northeast Iowa, and Physician Glenn Hurst, a city councilman and active member of the Iowa Democratic Party state central committee. Grassley, 88, easily repelled a GOP primary challenge Tuesday night from Jim Carlin, a state legislator and lawyer from Sioux City. Carlin, who opted not to run for re-election to his state Senate district that includes parts of Sioux City, pitched himself as the true conservative in the race and supporters took to labeling Grassley a Republican in Name Only. The longtime Senator still received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. With all but 2 of the state's 99 counties reporting, Franken led with 55.18 percent, compared to 39.89 percent for Finkenauer and 4.83 percent for Hurst. In his first run for the Senate in 2020, Franken, 64, finished second to nominee Theresa Greenfield, who lost in the fall election to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Franken, a Northwest Iowa native who spent 39 years in the Navy before retiring to Sioux City, presented himself as a progressive on some issues, such as supporting the addition of a public health insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. And though he supports background checks for firearm buyers and red-flag measures to keep them out of the wrong hands, he has stopped short of supporting banning the sale of specific weapons. Finkenauer, who served a single term in the U.S. House, is one of the most prominent Democrats in Iowa. She earned a reputation as a wunderkind in the Legislature and was the second-youngest woman elected to Congress, helping Democrats retake control of the House that year. But she nearly didnt make the primary ballot after Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. He posted stronger first-quarter fundraising figures than Finkenauer and earned endorsements from some well-known former Finkenauer supporters bothered by her declining to accept responsibility for the filing mistakes. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because shes unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. Mahl's top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. Democrat will face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. The 33-year-old Finkenauer has argued that she would bring a fresh perspective to Washington, a reference to the 88-year-old Grassley's age. He is somebody who has been in D.C. for nearly 50 years, Finkenauer said of Grassley during a debate last month. I will never forget where I come from. Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines said he voted for Abby Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Finkenauer has stressed limiting the number of terms a member of the Senate can serve. I do agree with her on term limits," Hollander said. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point." Franken, meanwhile, has pitched himself as someone who could break the partisan tensions that have gripped Washington in recent years. Im also running to dial down political tension to achieve these things, Franken told a crowd of about 600 at a state Democratic Party banquet in Des Moines last month. Grassley has raised more in campaign contributions than Finkenauer and Franken combined in a state in which Republicans control the governorship, state legislature, both U.S. Senate seats and three of the four U.S. House seats. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. The Sioux City Journal's Dave Dreeszen and Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. We lived in Belgium in the late 1960s while my father researched for his dissertation. I was too young to remember, but my mother told me that, while traveling in France, we were greeted by a standing ovation at a restaurant because we were Americans, and American troops had freed their city 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. The Joyce Foundation has announced the 2022 winners of the Joyce Awards, which seek to support artists of color in the Great Lakes area. Nancy Garcia Loza, Nabil Ince, Michael Manson, Aram Han Sifuentes and Pramila Vasudevan will each receive grants of $75,000 to support their projects. Local playwright Garcia Loza will create the play Penjamo: A Pocha Road Trip Story, which is about bicultural identity and ancestral homelands. A live public workshop reading will be hosted at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Advertisement Sifuentes, the other local recipient, is focused on a project titled Citizenship for All: Storytelling for Immigrant Justice through NongGi Making that aims to engage multiple generations of Asian and multiethnic communities. Participants will learn to create protest banners that integrate their own stories into the design. Aram Han Sifuentes at the Alphawood Gallery in Chicago on Oct. 5, 2017, when she created the "Protest Banner Lending Library." (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune) In Indianapolis, Ince will work with residents from three historically Black neighborhoods as part of a songwriting residency at the Harrison Center, while Vasudevans Prairie/Concrete involves a series of workshops and events focused on the Twin Cities land and ecosystem in Minnesota. Advertisement Meanwhile, Manson will work with Living Arts in Detroit to offer the citys Black and Latinx communities workshops and events about the 1970s street dance style Detroit Jit. The Joyce Foundation is a private, grant-making nonprofit foundation based in Chicago. The Moroccan National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have inked a partnership agreement for promoting human rights and strengthening gender equality. The agreement, signed on the sidelines of the ongoing 27th International Book Fair (SIEL) held in Rabat, is meant to strengthen the capacity in human rights education, peace and tolerance, as well as to promote gender equality, non-discrimination and social inclusion. Speaking during the signing ceremony, Secretary General of the CNDH, Mounir Bensalah, stressed that this agreement signed with the UNESCO Office for the Maghreb will achieve a set of objectives including the dissemination of the culture of human rights. He added that the agreement aims to carry out studies and actions for the benefit of civil and institutional actors on a set of issues of common interest, including the issue of the right to information. Acting director of the UNESCO Office in Morocco, Karim Hendili, highlighted the partnership between UNESCO and the CNDH which places the human being at the centre of actions, in accordance with a development approach based on human rights, whose main aim is the promotion of individuals. This partnership, added the UNESCO official, aims to fight all forms of discrimination, and promote gender equality and achieve social inclusion for all categories. The agreement will help promote rights in several areas, including the preservation of cultural heritage, the right to education, especially distance education, and post-covid challenges facing the education sector. Moroccos Permanent Representative to the UN, Omar Hilale, has unveiled, in letters sent to the Security Council and the UN Chief, the truth about the so-called Sultana Khaya, a separatist that Algeria and the polisario exploit against Morocco. In these letters, the ambassador stressed that Sultana Khaya is in no way a human rights defender, but rather an agent of Algeria and the polisario, adding that this separatist multiplies provocative acts and breaches public order and neighborhood tranquility, by publicly calling for hatred and the use of violence, in particular against civilians, public forces and their family members, as well as the destruction of public property and the glorification of armed action. Mr. Hilale who underlined that this constitutes incitement to terrorist acts explained that Khaya embarked on separatist activism and the call for armed action in the Moroccan Sahara, after she had been recruited by the polisario, then trained militarily in Algeria. Khaya, who is in possession of a Moroccan passport, had made since March 2010 thirteen trips to Algeria and to the Tindouf camps, during which she benefited from numerous training sessions to the use of firearms and took part in military exercises led by the polisario separatists. The diplomat added that the separatist was trained by experts, in particular Algerian, into media propaganda techniques, instrumentalization of various facts for political purposes, incitement to violent acts, manipulation and falsification of pictures and video recordings and the use of false complaints to UN mechanisms, with the aim of instrumentalizing them against the Moroccan authorities. Hilale added that in order to finance her activities serving the agenda of Algeria and its separatist armed group the polisario, she receives from them a monthly subsidy of nearly 4,300, in her capacity as president of a so-called non-registered entity, known as the Sahrawi league for the defense of human rights and the protection of natural resources. In April 2021, the polisario sent to this person and her sister additional funding for their activities in support of this armed group (purchase of computers, sound equipment, etc.), he said. The Moroccan diplomat stressed that all the claims regarding alleged attacks on the freedom of movement of the person concerned or her family and on their physical integrity or their home, are baseless and constitute low manoeuvres from Algeria and the polisario. In this regard, he noted that Khaya has a Moroccan passport and travels abroad freely and on a regular basis, where she leads attacks against Morocco and conveys fake news on the situation of human rights in the Moroccan Sahara, without ever being bothered or arrested by the Moroccan authorities upon her return. The diplomat also told the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General that Sultana Khaya has just visited on June 1, 2022, Las Palmas, Spain, and that the separatist was able to carry out all the steps that allow her to leave the Moroccan territory, after obtaining her new Moroccan passport, thus contradicting her baseless allegations regarding an alleged house arrest. Besides, Hilale said, this separatist has never filed a complaint about any type of violation allegedly committed against her. Following the allegations of so-called sexual assaults that she claims to have suffered and of a so-called violation of her home, the Moroccan judicial authorities reacted by opening investigations into these alleged facts, he said, noting that Khaya refused to cooperate, as she systematically declined the visit of the Regional Commission of the National Human Rights Council (CRDH) to Laayoune, which sought to collect her statements and rejected as well the medical assistance which was offered to her. A delegation from the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) including a medical examiner was dispatched to Boujdour on February 14 and 15, 2022, to meet members of Khayas family, he recalled, noting that they have all denied the alleged accusations of sexual assault, as well as the allegation of house arrest by the Moroccan authorities. In addition, recordings on the Internet clearly show that Khaya and her sister were instructed by the polisario to claim baseless sexual assault charges against Moroccan public forces, said Mr. Hilale. The ambassador noted that Saultana Khaya is trying to turn a simple traffic accident involving an intoxicated trucker, driving a vehicle belonging to a private company on his way to his home which hit her home and a nearby house, into an assassination attempt. Sultana Khaya and her sister, Luara Khaya, claim without any evidence that this is a premeditated act against their family, which is by no means the case. Police opened an investigation in this regard and sent summons to the injured parties to collect their statements, he underlined, adding that in a clear demonstration of instrumentalization of this traffic accident, Khaya refused to confirm receipt of the summons from the competent authorities, while her neighbor, whose home was also hit, responded to it. The Moroccan Ambassador also reminded the Security Council and the UN Secretary General that Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, has declined the case of Sultana Khaya, which no longer falls within her mandate. This decision was taken after the confirmation of the authenticity of the pictures showing her in combat fatigues and carrying a Kalashnikov rifle, thus denying the allegations of Algeria and the polisario that the said photos are fake, he pointed. The allegations by Algeria and the polisario about the so-called Sultana Khaya are completely baseless and unfoundedTheir only objective is to mislead the international community and instrumentalize the issue of human rights, the ambassador insisted. The African Lion military exercise 2022, a major US-led multi-national joint exercise planned in Morocco starting June 20, is making Algerian junta hedgy and extremely nervous. To give vent to their frustrations, growing anxiety and setbacks, Algerian Army chief General Said Chanegriha and his corrupt geriatric Generals have carried air-land manoeuvres with live ammunition in Tindouf, Southern Algeria, near borders with Morocco. Tanks, all-terrain military vehicles, helicopters, fighter jets and tanker aircraft have all been used by the Algerian Army in its night drills supervised by Chengriha. In a speech made on this occasion, Gen. Chengriha told his troops that sophisticated weapons do not make an army much more powerful, noting that military strength lies in the psychological and physical capacities of soldiers. A statement suggesting that the morale of Algerian army is hitting rock-bottom. According to some analysts, the Algerian juntas decision to hold this military exercise few days before the African Lion (AL22) shows the deep apprehension of the Algerian top brass as the African Lion military maneuvers, spearheaded by the U.S. and Morocco, will take place in parts of Moroccan Sahara, reaffirming the American and international recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara. African Lion is a critical component for the U.S.-Morocco security partnership. Morocco is a major non-NATO ally, and the countrys strategic location makes it a gateway to Africa. Morocco is the U.S. strong and stable partner in North Africa. In 2020, the two countries renewed their long-standing alliance as a foundation stone for peace in Africa. According to US-Africa Command, thousands of troops from the North and South America, Europe, and across Africa will participate in AL-22 featuring a multi-national combined joint task force command post exercise; a combined arms live-fire exercise; a maritime exercise; an air exercise with U.S. C-130J Super Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker and bomber aircraft. The training also includes a joint forcible entry with paratroopers into a field training exercise; a chemical, biological, radiological & nuclear response exercise; as well as humanitarian and medical missions. Morocco gave a fresh reset for cooperation between African countries bordering the Atlantic coast by convening an event in Rabat bringing together foreign ministers and representatives from 15 states to discuss shared challenges relating to peace, stability and prosperity. In a speech at the opening of the event this Wednesday, foreign minister Nasser Bourita shed light on the economic weight of Africas 23 Atlantic countries, home to 46% of Africas population with an economy that accounts for 55% of the continents GDP. Africas Atlantic coast has however been plagued by a surge in security threats including terrorism and piracy. The minister deplored that 90% of piracy takes place in the African Atlantic waters. Hence, the need for a closer inter-African security cooperation. In terms of vulnerability to climate change, West Africa registered 1.4 million displaced people due to environmental degradation, he said. The minister also cited the need to work together to address challenges relating to food insecurity as well as economic and human development, while urging more foreign direct investments in Atlantic Africa. Africas Atlantic countries should forge closer political cooperation that is based on a common Atlantic Africa strategic outlook, at the heart of which bolstering energy and maritime connectivity as well as shared economic interests to unlock this African regions full potential. Algeria once had 140,000 Jews. Algeria, where are your Jews? The question was raised by Hillel Neuer an outspoken defender of Israel and frequent critic of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Neuers query was met with silence. The primary reason for the departure of Algerian Jews is, of course, that some 850,000 Jews were driven out of nearly a dozen Muslim countries in the 20th Century. Today, in many of the Muslim countries that endangered and expelled Jews, it is Christian populations that are now shrinking dramatically. Like the Jews before them, they are fleeing because their lives are increasingly at risk. Today only an estimated 200 Jews remain in Algeria. They are marginalised by the Islamist state which also discriminates against its Christians particularly those who are converts from Islam. Today about .04 per cent of Algerians identify as Christians; Jews represent less than .01 per cent. There is a well-known slogan among radical Islamist groups. It appears in random graffiti, in online rants, and was even embossed on a flag confiscated during a Jerusalem anti-Israel demonstration. It proclaims in Arabic: On Saturday we kill the Jews, On Sunday we kill the Christians. Saturday people are Jews; Sunday people are Christians. For centuries, across Middle East and North Africa, the largest Muslim communities have been Sunni. Meanwhile, Shiites were (generally speaking) less warlike and devoted to a quietest form of Islam. That changed after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, after which the new Islamist regime strove to export a newly energised and militant form of Shiite Islam. Although Sunni Islam remains numerically dominant in Algeria, in recent years the country has come under the shadow of Irans dogma. As Morocco World News reported in December, 2021: Algeria has been an instrument of power for Iranian campaigns to export destruction and instability to North Africa, as it did in Yemen and Syria. Algerian intelligences close coordination with Iranian and Hezbollah officers represents a present danger to Arab and American interests. Algeria has long been complicit in the Iranian governments grand plan to destabilise Sunni regimes. It has chosen to remain silent on Tehrans atrocious record of violence and mayhem in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. Now, Algeria is using the banner of the Arab League to attack other Arab nations and support the Mullahs incursion in the Maghreb and the African Sahel. Irans hostility to Israel and their assumption that every Jew represents the Jewish State has long made Jews a primary target for abuse and persecution. Meanwhile, Iran is repeatedly listed among the worlds top ten worst persecutors of Christians in the world. And things went from bad to worse when Iranian diplomat Amir Mousavi served as Irans Cultural Attache in Algiers. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) reported in 2018, when Amir Mousavi announced he would leave his position [as cultural attache] after almost four years in Algeria, that The announcement followed accusations by Algerian activists and former officials against the Iranian diplomat over his alleged role in recruiting thousands of Shiite Muslims in Algeria on behalf of Iran. FDD added: Mousavis departure highlights Irans persistent and unwelcome attempts to expand its influence in North Africa. Before his 2014 appointment, Mousavi was reportedly an Iranian intelligence agent as well as a brigadier general affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He also previously served as an Iranian cultural representative in Brussels and Sudan, and is known as a defender of pro-Iran Shiite militias such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq. Although Amir Mousavi himself is no longer present in Algeria, Irans ideology remains a force to be reckoned with in the country. It is even rumored although unverified that for a time Algeria quietly retained the services of Hezbollah to train the Polisario militia. In dramatic contrast, several other largely Sunni states and notably Algerias neighbour Morocco have moved in the opposite direction, away from radical Islamist ideology. In 2020, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan normalised relations with Israel, making a powerful break and a clearly defensive move away from Irans aggressive triumphalism, and Death to Israel mentality. Unsurprisingly, across Algeria, this normalisation is widely viewed as abhorrent, and those who applaud the Abraham Accords as treacherous. As for Algerias Christians, laws regulating non-Muslim worship ban anything that would shake the faith of a Muslim or be used as a means of seduction intending to convert a Muslim to another religion. Consequently, Christians are acutely vulnerable to prosecution under blasphemy and proselytising charges. Since 2017, the Algerian government has ordered the closure of 20 Protestant churches under Ordinance 06-03, which prohibits non-Muslim organisations from establishing places of worship without authorisation. Arrests, imprisonment and crippling fines continue. But far worse are the violent and unchallenged abuses suffered by Christian converts particularly women and girls at the hands of their families and clans. In April, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called for Algeria to be placed on the U.S. State Departments Special Watch List (SWL) as a country where the government engages in or tolerates severe violations of religious freedom. Considering the antisemitic nature of radical Islam, and Irans influence on Algeria, it is unsurprising that only 200 Jews remain in Algeria. Meanwhile, with todays ever-increasing pressure on the Sunday People, another question may soon be raised at the UNHRC: Algeria, where are your Christians? Lela Gilbert is a Fellow at Hudson Institutes Center for Religious Freedom and the author of Saturday People, Sunday People: Israel through the Eyes of a Christian Sojourner. Cape Verde announced Wednesday from Rabat that it will soon set up a Consulate General in the city of Dakhla, confirming thus its support to the Moroccaness of the Sahara. The announcement was made by Cape Verdean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rui Alberto De Figueiredo Soares, who was taking part in in Rabat in the first ministerial meeting of the African Atlantic States, held at the initiative of Morocco. De Figueiredo Soares also announced, following talks with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, the imminent establishment of a resident Embassy of Cape Verde in Rabat. The Cape Verdean top diplomats talks with Bourita covered bilateral relations, and the strong ties of friendship and solidarity existing between the two countries. He reiterated his countrys firm backing to Moroccos autonomy plan offered for a lasting settlement of the Sahara issue, saying this plan is the ONLY credible and realistic solution to resolve this dispute. He also voiced support to the UN exclusive role in handling the Sahara regional dispute The two Ministers hailed the shared determination of Morocco and Cape Verde to contribute to peace and stability in the African continent. Bourita welcomed the decision and thanked Cape Verde for its support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara. He also recalled Cape Verdes commendable participation, at the level of its Ambassador in Dakar, in the African Ministerial Conference on support to the United Nations political process on the regional dispute over the Sahara, held in Marrakech on March 25, 2019. Cape Verdes announcement comes just one day after Togo announced a similar move through the voice of its Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, who reiterated his countrys support for Moroccos territorial integrity and affirmed his backing for the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom. These two new Consulates General will bring to 27 the number of consular representations opened in the cities of Dakhla and Laayoune. LEXINGTON Avamere at Lexington will be closing effective July 31 after the property was sold to a limited liability company from Roswell, New Mexico. The loss of the assisted living facility from the community has been called detrimental. Avamere at Lexington was proactive in assisting employees and residents through this transition, assisting them in finding new employment and homes, Chief Marketing Officer Thomas Cloutier said in a press release from Arete Living. Maria Barajas, executive director of Avamere at Lexington, was instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition. We sincerely thank our employees for their dedication to our residents, Sarah Silva, president of Avamere Communities, said in the press release. Your work directly impacts lives, and I extend my heartfelt thanks for your selfless service. To our residents, thank you for choosing Avamere as your home. Our team has loved getting to know you and serving you. Avamere at Lexington consists of 23 independent living suites and 52 assisted living suites. The Clipper-Herald left several messages for Barajas that were not returned at press time. According to Dawson County real estate records, the sale of the Avamere property took place on May 23. It was sold to United Partners LLC, of New Mexico, which is registered to Narendra Mistry, per the New Mexico Secretary of States Office. According to the Roswell Daily Record, Mistry is a Roswell businessman with 28 years in the hospitality industry. On March 14, 2020, he purchased a former Avamere facility in Roswell with the intent of turning it into a hotel. The closure of Avamere exacerbates an already critical situation around having a safe place that delivers high quality care for our community residents when/if the time comes that they need this level of assistance, said Kirsten Faessler, COO at Lexington Regional Health Center. Faessler said LRHC currently has an extremely difficult time in finding a facility that is able to take our patients from the hospital setting, when they need to transition from their home to a new living facility, that provides additional services and care for them. The loss of Avamere to our community would be detrimental. Faessler represented both a resident at Avamere and LRHC when she attended a meeting called by Avamere to notify residents and their families or representatives of the situation. It was a shock to hear corporate staff from Avamere state that the city and the hospital were made aware of the situation and were unconcerned. That statement is false, she said. Lexington Mayor John Fagot said the city had not been made aware of the situation before last Friday and no information from Avamere had been shared with city staff. Fagot said the closing of the facility would have a negative impact on the community. He said there are discussions to see if a new provider can be found before the facility closes, but was unsure if that was a possibility. Fagot noted that assisted living facilities have been closing all over the country due to a variety of factors, including lack of staff. He said these facilities are important in providing care to residents and ensuring they can stay close to their families. As someone who has worked in health care my entire professional career, advocating for patient and patients rights is something I do on a daily basis, Faessler said, I can assure you that myself, the hospital administration and every hospital employee were astounded and devastated by this announcement. We promise you we will be doing everything we are capable of to advocate for the residents of Avamere, the facility, the Avamere staff and this community. Avamere at Lexington has been in the community since 2018 after it took over ownership of the facility from Brookdale Senior Living Solutions. Brookdale was formerly Park Avenue Estates. The building itself was constructed in 1994, according to the Dawson County GIS site. North Plattes federally subsidized passenger air service to and from Denver will continue to be provided by SkyWest Airlines for the time being. The North Platte Airport Authority board Monday unanimously recommended federal rejection of all three bids from carriers seeking to replace SkyWest as the airports Essential Air Service provider. The Utah-based carrier, citing chronic pilot shortages, filed March 10 to drop EAS service at Lee Bird Field and 28 other U.S. airports in 15 states. The U.S. Department of Transportation ordered SkyWest the next day to maintain its service until a new EAS carrier is found. That hold-in order remains in place, said Airport Authority Chairman Alan Erickson and Airport Manager Sam Seafeldt. After the vote, local SkyWest General Manager Brian Grandy told the board his airline intends to boost its North Platte United Express service to two daily direct round trips starting July 12. A tentative schedule provided by Grandy shows daily North Platte arrivals from Denver International Airport at 9:44 a.m. and 5:34 p.m. CT. Return flights to DIA would leave at 10:20 a.m. and 6:09 p.m. respectively. SkyWests direct mid-morning Denver round trip has been limited to Thursdays through Mondays since April. The carriers daily round trip has left for DIA in the early morning and returned in the late evening. The tentative new schedule would drop any stopovers in both directions at the Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff. Fully regaining direct Denver flights and going from 12 to 14 weekly takeoffs and landings will be a big plus in the minds of (local) people considering flying rather than driving to DIA, Erickson said. Tuesdays 5-0 Airport Authority vote disapproved of bids by Boutique Air, Southern Airways Express and Ravn Alaska (Northern Pacific Airways) to take over the Lee Bird-to-DIA EAS route. Both Boutique and Southern proposed to fly the route with nine-seat, single-engine aircraft similar to those used by a procession of local EAS carriers before SkyWest. Ravn Alaska offered to fly twice daily to and from Denver with 50-seat turbo-prop aircraft. But its early-morning flight would have originated in Kearney, with its late-night flight ending there as well. Based on talks with Kearney Regional Airport leaders, theyre not interested in (Ravn Alaskas) operation or partnering with us, Erickson told board members. Meanwhile, he added, Boutiques and Southerns nine-seater proposals would be a step backward from SkyWests 50-seat jet service to and from DIA. Scottsbluffs airport board members spoke similarly in voting May 18 to recommend rejection of its own EAS proposals from Boutique and Southern. Ravn Alaska did not bid to serve Scottsbluff. Seafeldt, who participated Tuesday by phone from Washington state, said its up to the U.S. DOT to officially reject North Plattes three EAS bids. But its likely the agency will do so, he added. The March hold-in order, Seafeldt said, extends SkyWests EAS service on a month-to-month basis while North Plattes next subsidized carrier remains unknown. The federal DOT is expected to take bids for North Plattes next regular EAS contract in September, he added. SkyWests current three-year contract was set to expire Jan. 31. Erickson told the board that SkyWest is exploring an alternative that would keep serving North Platte with Bombardier jets, but with up to 30 passengers instead of 50. Seafeldt said SkyWest presented its idea to North Platte airport leaders Friday. Lee Birds existing carrier, he added, was the unidentified airline he had referred to in disclosing plans for the meeting last month. Erickson said SkyWests alternative would have it operate under a different section of federal regulations. That section caps passenger loads at 30 but allows less experienced copilots alongside senior pilots. That ideally would help SkyWest cope with its pilot shortage, Erickson told Airport Authority members. Theyre optimistic, but Im not sure theyre realistic, he added. Seafeldt said SkyWest is expected to let airport leaders know by June 24 whether it decides to pursue the 30-seat alternative. And still its up to the DOT to approve that, he said. Thats not something they can do on their own. Theyd need support from the DOT and the airport. The airport board would rather keep SkyWest and its current 50-seat service on the North Platte-to-Denver route, Erickson said later Tuesday. We like SkyWest. Theyve put us into the next generation of what were doing here, he said. Our economys coming up. We need them. We dont want to go backward. 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 North Platte City Council approved redevelopment plans Tuesday to further build out Twin Rivers Business Park and sell land for a shovel-ready 51-lot housing development on the citys north side. After public hearings on both, council members voted 6-2 for the housing plan and 5-3 for the Twin Rivers proposal. Both would grant tax increment financing to help offset the North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp.s infrastructure costs for both projects. The council also gave 6-2 first-round approval to an ordinance changing zoning for the housing site at West 17th Street and Adams Avenue from A-1 transitional agriculture to R-2 residential. Before taking up the TIF projects, members gave 5-3 final approval to an unrelated ordinance updating the citys residential zoning regulations. The citys Community Redevelopment Authority, which recommended both projects, must meet once more soon to finalize TIF arrangements with the chamber. With Tuesdays votes, the chamber will receive $2.8 million in TIF aid to add more streets and utilities at its 19-year-old business park off East State Farm Road. The city will sell the chamber the northern 13.2 acres of the 23 acres it owns between 17th Street and the North Platte Cemetery. The southern part will be retained for future cemetery expansion. The chamber will get $1.87 million in TIF assistance to help recoup its costs of installing streets and utilities to lure homebuilders to help relieve North Plattes acute housing shortage. Prebuilt modular homes remain most likely to take up the bulk of the 51 lots, said chamber President and CEO Gary Person. But builders of duplexes, townhomes and traditional onsite stick-built homes also would be welcomed, he told the council. The housing site, now tax-exempt, would come onto North Plattes property tax rolls once sold. Local governments would split taxes from the sites initial taxable value, with taxes from future higher valuations used to help cover the infrastructure costs. Chamber leaders also want to add east-west and north-south streets in its undeveloped areas of Twin Rivers, Person said. The original development area along Twin Rivers Drive is nearly full. Council members Donna Tryon and Mark Woods voted against both TIF proposals, as well as the zoning-change ordinance needed for the housing project. Councilman Ed Rieker joined them in opposing TIF for Twin Rivers, but he voted in favor of both the housing project and its accompanying zoning ordinance. Voting yes on all three chamber-related measures were Council President Jim Nisley and Councilmen Pete Volz, Ty Lucas, Brad Garrick and Jim Carman. The same five also voted for final approval for the unrelated ordinance updating the types of and allowed uses in residential zoning districts. Rieker, Tryon and Woods again voted against the zoning package. Please see Thursdays Telegraph and nptelegraph.com for more details on Tuesday nights TIF debates. 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 A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaughs house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske of Simi Valley, California, who was identified in a criminal complaint charging him with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice, was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. Advertisement Roske, 26, had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaughs house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. Advertisement The court currently is weighing a challenge to New Yorks requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justices address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters Wednesday. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman in Greenbelt, Maryland, contributed to this report. The Nebraska Bankers Association is offering an award up to $20,000 for information that may lead to the arrest of anyone involved in recent bank robberies in York and Geneva. The bank robbery in York occurred on May 20, right before 5 p.m., when a man entered the north branch of Cornerstone Bank and left with an undisclosed amount of money. He was described as a white man, tall with a slender build. Then on June 3, around 1 p.m., Fillmore County Sheriffs deputies were called to the Heartland Bank in Geneva. Investigators say a masked man with short dark hair, who was also white and over 6-foot-tall with a thin build, entered the bank and handed a note to a teller. He left with an unknown amount of money. No one was hurt in either robbery. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with both law enforcement agencies in these investigations. Here in America, when one of our regular mass-shooting events occurs on a sufficiently large or horrifying scale, we often spend a few days debating small-scale reforms that might reduce the frequency of similar atrocities before Republicans vote them down. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise objects to this ritual not the failing, but the trying. He grasped for a comparison to demonstrate the absurdity of being stampeded into enacting safety regulations merely because a ghastly tragedy occurred. He settled, strangely, on 9/11. After that tragedy, he explained, nobody limited access to the weapon that was used, airplanes: Airplanes were used that day as the weapon to kill thousands of people and to inflict terror on our country. There wasnt a conversation about banning airplanes. There was a conversation about connecting the dots. How we can try to figure out if there are signs we can see to stop the next attack from happening. Scalise says there wasnt a conversation about banning airplanes after 9/11 pic.twitter.com/eMyHCp4kw4 Acyn (@Acyn) June 8, 2022 Scalise may have borrowed this comparison from his colleague, Lauren Boebert, who recently asserted, When 9/11 happened, we didnt ban planes. We secured the cockpits. But relying on Boebert as a source of well-grounded, factual analysis is generally not a good idea. In fact, after 9/11, Congress enacted sweeping restrictions on air travel. Before 9/11, you only had to pass through a metal detector to get onto a flight. You didnt need a photo ID, you didnt need to remove your shoes, you didnt need to pass through a body scanner, you could bring liquids on board, and your family could come meet you at the gate. The no-fly list didnt even exist. After Congress passed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, and then beefed up security with a series of subsequent measures, none of that is true. Now, law-abiding citizens are subject to a great deal of hassle. A couple years ago, my wife, who is not a terrorist, was pulled aside and subjected to a pat-down search because she mistakenly included some soup in the meal she packed for her flight. Whether or not one agrees with all these measures, its very clear why they exist: to deny a tiny number of dangerous maniacs access to a dangerous weapon. That is the precise inconvenience Scalise refuses to impose on gun owners. As ridiculous as Scalises assumption that 9/11 did not lead to federal restrictions on access to airplanes is, dont sleep on the next part of his answer. (There was a conversation about connecting the dots. How we can try to figure out if there are signs we can see to stop the next attack from happening.) In fact, the Bush administration connected the dots from the 9/11 attacks to Saddam Husseins Iraq, which had absolutely no connection to the attacks at all. Not a very smart comparison! RAUVA PORTUGAL, UNIPESSOAL, LDA New super-app to deliver country-specific banking and financial management tools to Freelancers and SMEs - targeting over 20 million potential users Rauva Founders Sam Mizrahi and Jon Fath LISBON, Portugal , June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sam Mizrahi, the visionary Canadian-based entrepreneur and Jon Fath, a leading FinTech Executive, announced today that they are jointly launching Rauva . Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading financial super-app for Europes Mediterranean region. The solution is specifically designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated and integrated experience for banking and financial management needs. Rauva plans to tap into a 20 million strong SME and Freelancer market in early 2023 with first launches in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off the development of its new solution. Rauva aims to expand globally over time. We believe that business owners spend too much time focusing on their finances rather than on the job they are passionate about, explains Jon Fath, Rauvas new CEO. We want to take the stress out of their daily financial management in a way that has never been done before - by delivering a super-app that is tailored to their local needs. This powerful new solution will provide a practical, seamless and integrated banking app that offers day-to-day financial management solutions and easy access to credit. Making a regional difference Europes Mediterranean region currently hosts 50% of the European Unions SMEs and freelancers. Yet current banking apps in the Mediterranean remain relatively sparse due to market specificities such as differing tax, legal and banking requirements in the different countries. Rauva will target those 20 million potential customers, delivering a market-specific solution to the region and its dynamic and entrepreneurial customer base. Story continues The world is evolving at a rapid pace, making it increasingly difficult for small enterprises to keep up with change and new global regulations. On top, we see that banking and finance requirements in different countries in Europe, Asia, and North America can still be very different. This requires a tailor-made solution per market, and that is what Rauva is all about, says Sam Mizrahi, the newly founded companys Chairman and Co-founder. Our model is simple - deliver an end-to-end solution that is then individually tailored to the specific market needs of our customers, providing them with a relevant, reliable and practical tool to manage their finances without borders. We can make the lives of a potential 20 million users in the region easier, every day. And we do this by targeting five out of a total of twenty-seven European Union countries - thats huge! Rauva will further differentiate from current competitors in the region by offering an easy to use and practical end-to-end added value banking service, from bookkeeping to cash flow management and prediction to budgeting. To achieve this the super-app will utilize the latest machine learning and AI technologies. The solution will be built with the support of local enterprises through advanced market research and insight gathering. Rauva will be headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal to ensure customer proximity. It will establish its offices at the FinTech House, a leading digital hub, to enable the company to tap into a newly thriving technology community. Portugal offers a lot of potential to tech start-ups which we believe are missed by many, explains Fath. There is a growing community of tech specialists, a strong and modern network, and a powerful infrastructure that we will build on. Cultural diversity as a success factor Rauva is currently looking to hire talent from across the region and will build its staff base from that cultural diversity. We are developing a leading super-app for the Mediterranean, so ensuring we have that powerful and relevant diversity in our teams will be the driving force of our success, Fath concludes. Contact details For more information please reach out to Frederique Depraetere - Head of Public Relations frederique@rauva.com (+32 472/027525) About Rauva Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading super-app designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated, integrated view of banking and financial management needs specifically starting with Europes Mediterranean region and then expanding globally. The company aims to tap into a 20 million strong potential market in early 2023 with first launches planned in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off development of the new solution. More information: Rauva.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/32c61496-32ce-4c4a-bbee-fd2c46337a5e Rob Zombie is reviving The Munsters. On Wednesday, Universal 1440 Entertainment debuted the first teaser trailer for the upcoming reimagining of the 1960s television series about the quirky family living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Rob Zombie, who has directed the gory 2007 Halloween remake among other grown-up fare, wrote and directed this PG-rated movie version of The Munsters "now in living color," as the teaser explains, transforming the iconic characters from black-and-white to their colorized iterations. "It's 100 percent in the spirit of the show. I didn't want it to be different. I wanted to totally retain the vibe that it had in the '60s," Zombie told Entertainment Weekly. The cast includes Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman Munster, Sheri Moon Zombie (Zombie's real-life wife) as Lily Munster, and Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa, plus Jorge Garcia, Richard Brake, Catherine Schell, Sylvester McCoy and Cassandra Petersen, aka Elvira. RELATED: Rob Zombie Shares First Look at The Munsters Remake: 'Newly Completed 1313 Mockingbird Lane' Munsters movie trailer Universal Pictures Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. About the decision to make the film in color, Zombie explained to EW, "I knew that if I went in and demanded 'This movie's going to be in black-and-white or forget it!' we would not be talking about the Munsters right now, because it would have never happened." "But what I did do is I made the colors sort of hyper-real. I noticed when the actors were in their makeup and they were just walking around, getting lunch or whatever, they looked like cartoon characters come to life," he continued. "They were just so insanely colorful. I was like, I have to light the movie in the same fashion. It really seemed at all times like a live-action cartoon, which was really exciting." Back in October, Zombie shared a first look at the movie, which was filmed in Budapest. "Since Halloween is rapidly approaching I thought it was the perfect time to MEET THE MUNSTERS! Direct from the set in good old Hungary I present Herman, Lily and The Count sitting in front of the newly completed 1313 Mockingbird Lane," he wrote at the time. The Munsters is slated for release later this fall. Expansion gives small businesses in Indiana a new option for affordable, high-quality health insurance for employees Sana offers $0 virtual appointments with primary-care and mental-health providers The companys unique model saves small businesses up to 20% AUSTIN, Texas, June 08, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sana, a health care company that provides health benefits to small businesses at affordable prices, today announced its expansion into Indiana. Sana is serving a traditionally underserved market in Indiana. The Health Policy Institute of Ohios 2021 Health Value Dashboard ranked Indiana 43rd among U.S. states, meaning Indianans receive very little in return for their health care spending. Sana will improve the health care value equation across the state through $0 virtual appointments with primary-care, mental-health, pediatric and maternity providers. "Sana is excited to offer affordable and dependable health plans throughout Indiana," said Sana co-founder and CEO Will Young. "More options in the market can only help employers, who have seen their health care costs skyrocket over the last five years. Our goal is to simultaneously improve health outcomes and reduce costs for small businesses across the state." Sanas availability in Indiana means that small and midsize businesses can now get health plans that are purpose-built to meet their specific needs. Anthem and UnitedHealth possess 80% of the small group market, according to 2019 data from the San Francisco-based Kaiser Family Foundation. Sana offers an alternative to those and other legacy insurers. The large, legacy insurers in Indiana may serve as an adequate option for enterprises with thousands of employees, but theyve failed to provide smaller businesses with the support their modest or nonexistent human resources teams require. Additionally, those employers have not been given access to value-based health care models proven to make employees healthier at lower costs. Story continues Only payroll surpasses health benefits as companies largest expense category. Small businesses pay anywhere from 8% to 18% more than a large company for an identical health insurance policy, according to a 2018 National Conference of State Legislatures report. Worse, 40% of small businesses reported that theyve increased the prices of goods and services due to rising health care costs, according to a 2021 survey by Small Business for Americas Future. When Sana enters a market, 40% of its new customers are small businesses that were previously unable to provide health care to employees, largely due to high costs. Launching in Indiana adds 1.2 million employees who can benefit from Sanas health plans. Sana is strengthening its presence in the Midwest, adding Indiana to go along with availability in Illinois and Ohio. Sana is now available in states that compose 25% of the country's small businesses. "Sana changed my company culture and supported my goals of growth with affordable benefits, great service and easy-to-understand health guides," said Heather Jones Taylor, chief consultant at Mad Hat Maven, a Houston-headquartered marketing agency. Those looking for small business health insurance in Indiana will save money on health insurance and attract and retain top talent in a competitive labor market. Sanas customers often save up to 20% compared to legacy insurers, and most receive flat rates at renewal. Starting today, Indiana-based companies can offer their employees health benefits packages with full medical, dental, vision and more without network restrictions or hidden fees. Sana is known for affordable employer health plans, low co-pays and 95% customer-service satisfaction. About Sana Austin-headquartered Sana provides small businesses with dependable health plans at prices they can afford. Through value-based care, the Sana Care ecosystem of world-class providers, direct primary care and more, Sana is reducing the cost of high-quality care. Sana is making it easier than ever to administer benefits for employers, and offers simplified health plans and top-notch customer service to employees. Sana provides health care to small businesses that drives down costs while simultaneously delivering an exceptional quality of care. For more information, visit www.sanabenefits.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005024/en/ Contacts Treble Lindsly Penny sana@treblepr.com Tom Whatley, incumbent Republican candidate for State Senate District 27, has withdrawn his request for a recount at one precinct in Tallapoosa County. No recounts have been filed in Russell or Lee County. Jay Hovey, an Auburn city councilman, led by four votes at the end of election night and clung to a one-vote lead after provisional ballots were added a week later, making him the unofficial winner. Since then, Whatleys father, Charles Whatley, and Dr. Gary Hunt, a campaign contributor from Opelika, filed to contest the results, while Whatleys lawyer requested a recount at the Rocky Creek Baptist Church precinct in Tallapoosa County. Lee County Probate Judge Bill English explained in an earlier interview with Opelika-Auburn News that a recount is the mechanical rerunning of the ballots that only focuses on making sure the machine totaled the votes correctly while a contest is when someone alleges that something was done wrong. The two most common allegations are legal votes were denied or illegal votes were allowed, he said. Terry Martin, the chairman of the Tallapoosa Republican Party, said Whatleys attorney, Joel Blankenship, made the request to recount the votes on June 2, but the reason for the request was not shared with him. They were wanting to do a recount on that box. The attorney never elaborated what it was about, Martin said. On Tuesday around 3 p.m., the Tallapoosa Republican Party received an email from Blankenship stating Whatley wanted to withdraw the recount request, and Martin said he was not told the reason for that decision either. Once they withdraw from the county level, we are through and it moves to the state committee, Martin said. The contest for this election result still stands and the Alabama Republican Party will hold a hearing on June 25. English said in an earlier interview with Opelika-Auburn News that the hearing will be similar to a trial but will be less formal. Whatley will present why the election results should be revoked and Hovey will present why the results should stand. Both candidates will present their arguments before the State Republican Party Executive Committees Candidate Contest Committee, which will eventually declare a winner. English said the committee could decide that the nomination stands with Hovey as the winner, that the race is too close and a new election is needed, or that the nomination shouldnt stand and that Whatley or someone else should be selected, English said. The winner of this race will run against Democrat candidate Sherri Reese of Opelika in the general election in November. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Notice body The Auburn University College of Human Sciences Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies is partnering with the Community Foundation of East Alabama to present a day of training for area nonprofits in Macon County. The program, titled Grow Your Nonprofit: Resources to Maximize Impact, will take place on Thursday, July 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT at the Tuskegee Municipal Complex and will include sessions on nonprofit accounting compliance, resource development and building effective partnerships. Lunch is provided. Registration is $10 and can be found here. For more information, contact Brittany Branyon at brittanybranyon@auburn.edu or 334-844-3557. This program was made possible by the generosity of these sponsors: Community Foundation of East Alabama; Auburn University Outreach; Drummond Thorne Stukes Fund for Excellence in the Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, a community service grant made possible by state senators Tom Whatley and Randy Price and state representative Joe Lovvorn; the United Way of Lee County, Inc.; and Himmelwright, Huguley and Boles, LLC. The Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies is an academic center in Auburn Universitys College of Human Sciences whose programs focus on financial wellness, philanthropy engagement and nonprofit studies. The Cary Center inspires its participants to discover their purpose through learning, giving and growing while empowering all generations to leave an enduring legacy. The Community and Collegiate division of the Cary Center provides capacity-building resources to nonprofits to include educational programming, professional development and networking. WASHINGTON An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmates blood to avoid being shot and just stayed quiet. Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told lawmakers in a pre-recorded video that she watched a teacher get shot in the head before looking for a place to hide. Advertisement I thought he would come back so I covered myself with blood, Miah told the House panel. I put it all over me and I just stayed quiet. She called 911 using the deceased teachers phone and pleaded for help. Nineteen children and two teachers died when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle inside Robb Elementary School on May 24. Advertisement It was the second day lawmakers heard wrenching testimony on the nations gun violence. On Tuesday, a Senate panel heard from the son of an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. Ten people died. In the video Wednesday, Miahs father, Miguel Cerrillo, asked his daughter if she feels safe at school anymore. She shook her head no. Why? he asks. I dont want it to happen again, she responds. The testimony at the House Oversight Committee came as lawmakers work to strike a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures in the aftermath of back-to-back mass shootings. Miguel Cerrillo, father of Miah Cerrillo a fourth grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, tears up as he testifies during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Andrew Harnik/AP) Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panels chairwoman, called the hearing to focus on the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for gun control legislation. I am asking every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives, Maloney said. Our witnesses today have endured pain and loss. Yet they are displaying incredible courage by coming here to ask us to do our jobs. But even as some lawmakers shed tears alongside the witnesses, the hearing displayed the contentious debate over gun control Congress has faced repeatedly after mass shootings. Several Republicans turned the conversation to the individuals who abuse guns and how hardening schools could help protect students. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who owns a gun store, said that one of the things he learned in his military service was that the harder the target you are, the less likely you will be engaged by the enemy. He called on schools to keep doors locked, provide a single point of entry and a volunteer force of well-trained and armed staff, in addition to a school resource officer. Advertisement The parents of victims and survivors implored lawmakers not to let their childrens deaths and pain be in vain. After Miah spoke, her father told lawmakers that he testified because I could have lost my baby girl. But she is not the same little girl that I use to play with, Cerrillo said. Schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change. Also testifying was Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son Zaire was wounded in the Buffalo mass shooting. Everhart told lawmakers it was their duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and other Americans. She said that if they did not find the testimony moving enough to act on gun laws, they had an invitation to go to her home to help her clean her sons wounds. My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg, she said, then paused to compose herself. As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children. The parents of Lexi Rubio, who died in her classroom in Uvalde, also testified. Felix and Kimberly Rubio recounted finding out about their daughters death hours after leaving Lexis school awards ceremony on the morning of the shooting. Advertisement To get to the elementary school, Kimberly Rubio said she ran barefoot for a mile with her sandals in her hand and with her husband by her side. A firefighter eventually gave them a ride back to the civic center. Soon after we received the news that our daughter was among the 19 students and two teachers that died as a result of gun violence, she said, fighting through tears. She said that Lexi would have made a positive change in the world if she had been given the chance. Somewhere out there, theres a mom listening to our testimony, thinking I cant even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now, Kimberly Rubio said. Dr. Roy Guerrero described in stark terms the carnage he witnessed at the local hospital as he tried to treat the injured. He went to the area of the hospital where two dead children had been taken. The bodies were so pulverized, he said, that the only clue to their identities was the blood-splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none. The Democratic-led House is expected to pass legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. Advertisement But the legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. The House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show appeal to a majority. Majorities of U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often if guns were harder to get, and that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago. Chairwoman Maloney ended the lengthy hearing Wednesday telling the loved ones of the victims and survivors that the committees work on this topic will continue. Days after the Uvalde shooting the committee launched an investigation into five leading manufacturers of the semi-automatic weapons used in both the recent shootings. Over the last few days, the committee has received information from these companies that is very troubling, Maloney said. I also intend to hold a second hearing to hear directly from the gun industry, so they can explain to the American people why they continue to sell the weapons of choice for mass murderers. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body The Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, in partnership with several other academic colleges and administrative offices, recently hosted the first cross-laminated timber, or CLT, conference in the southern United States at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. The three-day event, titled The Sustainable Future of CLT in the South: Grow. Design. Build., was held April 27-29, with over 160 attendees participating from across the country, including Texas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and other states in the southern U.S. The conference featured renowned experts in forestry, building sciences, engineering and architecture and design who shared the latest CLT research, trends and developments in the South. CLT is a prefabricated wood panel made from wood stacked and glued crosswise in alternating directions to create pressed layers. This unique engineering gives the panel exceptional strength and strong fire protection while remaining lighter and creating less waste during installation than conventional alternatives, such as concrete and steel. With an abundance of southern pine found in the region, CLT is positioned to be a growth industry in the southern U.S., benefiting the forest industry and the regions economy. This was a unique opportunity and one-of-a-kind event where you had forestry and wood product professionals and manufacturers, landowners, architects, engineers, contractors, insurance professionals, economic development professionals and educators in the same space, said Adam Maggard, conference coordinator, extension specialist and associate professor of forest systems management. The value of this kind of opportunity to learn, network and work together to advance CLT and mass timber products and their use cannot be overstated. Scott Enebak, associate dean and professor in the college, commenced the session with welcoming remarks and introduced James W. Rane, Auburn trustee and the founder and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving Inc., one of the leading producers of pressure-treated lumber in the U.S. With over 23 million acres of forestland in Alabama, the timber industry is a pillar in the state. Weve got the land, weve got the timber, weve got the broader forest industry that puts these pieces together into a strong economic force and a value-added supply chain across the region and country, and that includes the manufacturing sector that is one of the most important industries for rural communities, Rane said during his opening remarks. The forest industry is the largest capital investor in many counties in our state and the largest employer throughout much of rural Alabama and across our region. Following Ranes remarks, Jeff Peters, southeast regional director of WoodWorks Wood Products Council, began his keynote address by asking the audience, Whats your Why? As regional director, Peters provides free technical support to developers and design/construction teams working on commercial or multi-family wood buildings. In terms of advancing cross-laminated timber here in the South, I really think its a massive education gap, said Peters during a recent interview. So, one of the things that we are doing at WoodWorks is trying to break down those barriers by increasing design teams, contractors and developers knowledge on mass timber. The conference design and theme centered on the CLT supply chain. Plenary sessions explored diverse topics, including current and future implications for forest management, the wood products sector, mass timber markets and economies. Later in the conference, attendees chose from two concurrent session tracks with experts who addressed various topics related to CLT manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, design and construction and other factors influencing the use and advancement of CLT in the South. An expert panel discussion, led by Peters, delved into answering numerous questions surrounding CLT. Peters noted that the question of CLT cost arises frequently, and that the conference panel discussion provided the opportunity to explore this in more depth. It was great to have the diverse industry expertise of Derek Ratchford of Smartlam North America and Jeff Morrow of Timberlab Inc. to weigh in on this topic, said Peters. Currently, cost really depends on the complexity of the structure; it depends on the fire-resistance rating and the construction type; and it depends on multiple other factors. We have decades of historical data in terms of cost when it comes to pricing a steel or concrete structure, but very little in comparison to a mass timber building. More information about the conferences speakers is available online. Showcasing current research related to the advancement of mass timber, undergraduate and graduate students presented their research on diverse topics, from predicting the carbon content in wood samples to the use of fiber from reclaimed loblolly pine downed timber to the use of renewable polymers for CLT protection coatings. During the conferences final day, attendees took part in tours that showcased CLT manufacturing and construction in Alabama. One tour visited the SmartLam North America CLT manufacturing plant in Dothan, Alabama, where participants learned how CLT is engineered and prefabricated to a building projects exact specifications and requirements. Another tour visited Auburns recently completed 41,500-square-foot Advanced Structural Engineering Lab to learn about CLT structural testing research. Partially designed using CLT, this laboratory features a 4,700-cubic-foot geotechnical test chamber and a wind testing facility. Following the lab, the local tour continued to the Hey Day Market that is currently under construction at the Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center at Auburn. The 9,000-square-foot building, which will house a dining hall and business center, is being constructed with CLT and glue-laminated timber, or GLT. This conference reflects the significance of CLT and other mass timber products to stakeholders and the growing demand for sustainable building alternatives and advancement of innovative wood products, said Janaki Alavalapati, the colleges dean. The economic impact of CLT and other mass timber products across multiple industries in Alabama, the region, nation and beyond is growing exponentially, and the synergy this conference provided was needed to advance CLT. Attendees said the conference exceeded their expectations. I really enjoyed having several people from different ends of the industry attending. The discussions from supply to design to construction added to the knowledge and understanding of the segment, noted one attendee in a survey. The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment partnered with the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, the Office of Sustainability and the Office of the University Architect to host the event. To view photos and video from the conference, visit Flickr.com and YouTube. (Written by Gracen Carter) Conference sponsors: Platinum Made in Alabama SmartLam North America Gold Alabama Power Forest Landowners The Forest Landowner Foundation Western Wood Structures Westervelt Company Silver Alfa Farmers Federation Rayonier Southeastern Land Group Bronze Simpson Strong Tie Vapro Shield Wood Products Council I believe her 100% I know she's on good terms with him, but he's a creep and a predator and his relationship with his former girlfriend Maiwenn is so vile and such a classic example of grooming I'll frankly believe any woman who comes out against him. Reply Thread Link He dated a 15 year old when he was 31. The fact that people still defend him and act like he isnt a predator is sick. Reply Thread Link got her pregnant at 15/16 and married her at 16. what else do you need. Reply Parent Thread Link But thats legal in France!, says perverts everywhere. Reply Parent Thread Link The actual full version is so much worse. Maiwenn (the fifteen year old in question) was an abused child who was pushed into the film industry by her mother. She met him at the Cesars when she was 15 and he was 32 having a peak career high with La Femme Nikita (there is this weird, weird anecdote Maiwenn tells about holding his hand and his first wife's hand while they cried over their Cesar wins that night, I guess because she was a kid who happened to be sitting near them and was excited for them). Anyway I guess he started grooming her from there which her mother was totally fine with and actually encouraged because she thought it would get her daughter more parts. He wrote Leon about their relationship. She got pregnant at 16 and they stayed together until he left her during the filming of The Fifth Element for Milla Jovovich (who was around the same age, they were both roughly 19 and Besson would have been 36 at this point). Publicly they seem to still have a positive relationship which... I actually get given her background and even the current state of the French media. IDK I wish her the best. She's been through a lot. Edited at 2022-06-08 06:53 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link More than dated He married her with her parents blessings They pratically pushed her into his bed Disgusting all around Reply Parent Thread Link What the actual fuck? Reply Parent Thread Link Why didn't she go to the police, they say. Why? Because even when you do, no one fucking believes you. This is infuriating. Reply Thread Link but sis, you're forgetting: "but she should've gone to the police!" and stir repeat over and over and OVER. the conversation exists in the wonkiest circle ever. Reply Parent Thread Link The plot of Leon is enough to know she is telling the truth. He shouldve been locked up ages ago. I really hope the Belgian police will do something. Reply Thread Link tbh the fact that the scrapped version was even MORE creepy is the real red flag for me. Leon wasn't meant to be boundary pushing or whatever, it's the version he was bargained down to be more socially acceptable. I don't want to know what goes on inside that man's mind. Reply Parent Thread Link Man, when I watched that movie, the summary made me think a hit man was defending and protecting an orphan. I was disgusted by the end. And WTF at Natalie Portman's parents at this film! Reply Parent Thread Link And WTF at Natalie Portman's parents at this film! I remember this interview with the casting director who cast Natalie Portman in Leon and they were like "OMG you discovered Natalie Portman" and she's like "No, I'm the person who convinced Natalie Portman's dad to let her make the film." Anyway her dad was super against it. I think her mom was a little bit of a stage mom tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link the price at which people sell out their kids in hwd is sadly very low Reply Parent Thread Link Even though they (Nats parents) eventually got them to change the script to not include the pedophilia I cant even believe they eventually acquiesced to putting her in that film. Like if some gross director was trying to portray my child like that, Id take them as far away from that director and movie. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link the amount of cishet men who became obsessed with and started harassing poor natalie after that movie Reply Parent Thread Link The fuck @ this dude. Gross . Hope shes alright! Reply Thread Link I was going to say Im glad he seemed to stop working after Anna and since the accusations, but hes currently working on another project. Men stay winning. Reply Thread Link Cancel culture baby!! Reply Parent Thread Link They initially stopped her from going to the hospital. Instead they brought her to the commissioner's office where she was interrogated. This is so blatantly insidious, holy shit. Reply Thread Link I 100% believe her and I hope she gets justice Reply Thread Link Fuck this creepy predator and anyone who enabled him Reply Thread Link Holy shit fuck her friend who told her to think about the rest of the cast. Reply Thread Link You mean the pervert who made the professional is a sexual predator? Quelle surprise! Reply Thread Link luc besson n'est qu'un sale gros porc pedophile qui merite le pire. tout mon soutien pour elle, i wish her nothing but strenghjt, support and the best. Reply Thread Link Please pm lcganlerman, buries or myself for an invite. We ask that you pm us first because LJ has a limit of pms you can send per day and we get blocked from being able to send any more once we reach the limit (which happens a little quickly). Please keep an eye on your spam message inbox afterwards, thats where most links end up. If you are a lurker who wants an invite or have an LJ created in the part year, you can PM us for one but we will ask for another social media account (Tumblr, Twitter, etc.) to verify your identity, as we try to maintain a safe space. Survivors and supporters are welcome. You don't have to ask for an invite now if you're not ready. This invitation is open to anyone at any time when they wish to join (even when we don't post this reminder). We will be posting this reminder in a few posts so that everyone who's angry and wants to talk more about these cases that are starting to crop up thanks to the 60-year-old meow meow Tik Tokker can. Even if you don't see us in a post about an abuse situation or event, please know that that one is one we also wish to talk about and share resources for. (Original text for this comment was by buries This is a reminder that we do have a Discord as a safe space for survivors and supporters to get together and discuss these cases (such as Amber's, Angelina's, FKA Twigs', Evan Rachel Woods', Anthony Rapp's, and unfortunately countless others) in more detail. The Discord server also has some resources that we've all contributed to so that you can be informed when talking about these cases with others. (There are also opportunities to unwind, so it's not all heavy topic-related stuff all the time.)Please pm lcganlerman, buries or myself for an invite. We ask that you pm us first because LJ has a limit of pms you can send per day and we get blocked from being able to send any more once we reach the limit (which happens a little quickly). Please keep an eye on your spam message inbox afterwards, thats where most links end up.If you are a lurker who wants an invite or have an LJ created in the part year, you can PM us for one but we will ask for another social media account (Tumblr, Twitter, etc.) to verify your identity, as we try to maintain a safe space.Survivors and supporters are welcome. You don't have to ask for an invite now if you're not ready. This invitation is open to anyone at any time when they wish to join (even when we don't post this reminder).We will be posting this reminder in a few posts so that everyone who's angry and wants to talk more about these cases that are starting to crop up thanks to the 60-year-old meow meow Tik Tokker can. Even if you don't see us in a post about an abuse situation or event, please know that that one is one we also wish to talk about and share resources for.(Original text for this comment was by, giving credit where it is due.) Reply Thread Link Thank you for this, I forgot the other day when it was first mentioned. Truly love this idea & will for sure be doing this after a lil news cleanse Reply Parent Thread Link miss piggy is welcome any time! Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao, welp, good luck to them trying to replace Amber's screen time with theirs. It was a bad idea even before this lmao Edit to say: I'm not laughing at this situation, it's very serious and fucked up. I'm laughing at the studio for thinking this dude was a okay to keep on board but dropping Amber as fast as possible Edited at 2022-06-08 10:43 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link ia. I wonder what kind of mental gymnastics theyll try to do to promote THE FLUSH without the lead. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm glad that this is the first comment. Reply Parent Thread Link good luck to them trying to replace Amber's screen time with theirs Was that a thing that was brought up? They really aren't even pretending to care about women are they? Reply Parent Thread Link What the fuck. I hope for this childs sake that theyre speaking their truth. But also if its a lie Ezra doesnt need any false accusations to diminish all the other shit they did. Reply Thread Link Has letting your kid jet off with some tv/movie star ever been non-abusive? Ever? Reply Thread Link Also I thought it was strange to let your 14 year old go fly thousands of miles to a 25 year old stranger? I hope they had accompanied their child but the way this is framed its making me think they didnt Reply Parent Thread Link It certainly reads as though they didn't accompany Tokata. They really do seem to have been failed by their parents. Reply Parent Thread Link Pete Davidson seems to be doing ok. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I was gonna say they couldve run away but when I really think about it, if Takota had run away on that trip, the parents statement wouldve said they coerced our child to fly to another country without our knowledge. Soooo yall are right. As my granny would say something in the milk aint clean Reply Parent Thread Expand Link In the article it states the girl went to a private school in Massachusetts so I feel like her parents are of the aloof and affluent variety. Reply Parent Thread Link i was waiting for this to be posted i can't say anything about this kid's relationship with their parents, but ezra is definitely not someone they should be around, especially given the history between them, it's pretty obvious ezra was grooming them Reply Thread Link Their parents sound like they suck at this as well. This kid went from one bad situation to another. Reply Thread Link Yeah, my mom would have been in court if a 25 year old person, celeb or not, tried to get 14 year old me to visit them in another city without my parents. Reply Parent Thread Link Are they trying to get their daddy's attention or something? They're asking for it. Frozen Thread Link Huh? Frozen Parent Thread Link wtf Frozen Parent Thread Link Ew Frozen Parent Thread Link explain yourself Frozen Parent Thread Link Uh Frozen Parent Thread Link Goddamn Ive been on this hellsite so long Ive aged into my parents and forgot how to report comments. Fucking useless. Frozen Parent Thread Link Your comment is completely out of line. Frozen Parent Thread Link I used to really love Ezra Miller - he's such a letdown and a creep. I really hope Takota's refute is true, for their own safety and well being. Reply Thread Link Why did a 24 year old develop a friendship with a 12 year old? Reply Thread Link And why did the parents let said 12 year old hang out with a 24 yr old the next 5 years unsupervised? Reply Parent Thread Link RIGHT!? You can stop your child from flying to another country! Why wouldn't they accompany their child at the very least? Edited at 2022-06-08 11:02 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link When a predator grooms the child, they groom the parents, too. If they have a new home, money, or any Hollywood perks, that's why. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I had a friend whose parents were very nice, loving, educated people. Very Colorado professor types. But also total hippies who believed that art was the most important thing in the world - the most important job, the most essential way to enact change in the world, the most talented and rare people. So when my friend was dating a lovely guy in finance - oh no. Couldn't stand him. When she was dating a deadbeat, alcoholic musician - they were over the moon. Thrilled at the idea that they could have grandchildren with this artist DNA. And it's not like their love for him made them love her less. It was that they lost all sense of normal danger signs, because all that did was further their belief that he was an artist. He lived outside the norms. He was not tied to society's strictures. Drugs and substances helped open him up to the universe. He had to create art, not worry about a paycheck, or being on time, or showing up for a date, or cleaning up after he trashes the house. The frustrations of inspiration coming and going would make anyone temperamental. Why should we feel obligated to be monogamous when music is already the most intimate expression, and he was sharing his with the WORLD. And so on and so forth. When I look at that pic of the mom, it reminds me so much of my friend's mom. Which is totally me projecting, and likely not the exact case at all. But I can totally see that mom - that loving, otherwise responsible mom - saying "Why would I deprive my child of a once in a lifetime cultural experience, or try to smother it by controlling her exploration? Children need to be free to spread their wings and see the world for themselves." Reply Parent Thread Link I had older ~friends when I was a teenager, they were more like mentors, I don't think it's a problem with supervision Reply Parent Thread Link maybe he's an adult baby like michael jackson Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Like I cannot say anything about the parents. But I will say that it's fucking creepy that a 23 year old is forming a friendship with a 12 year old. Like.................................... . That's just creepy. Reply Thread Link Right? When you're 23, everyone younger than you might as well be a toddler. You think, "wtf is wrong with these people younger than me...they're imbeciles and babies." Also creeped out. Reply Parent Thread Link This is a reminder that we do have a Discord as a safe space for survivors and supporters to get together and discuss these cases (such as Amber's, Angelina's, FKA Twigs', Evan Rachel Woods', Anthony Rapp's, and unfortunately countless others) in more detail. The Discord server also has some resources that we've all contributed to so that you can be informed when talking about these cases with others. (There are also opportunities to unwind, so it's not all heavy topic-related stuff all the time.) Please pm lcganlerman, buries or myself for an invite. We ask that you pm us first because LJ has a limit of pms you can send per day and we get blocked from being able to send any more once we reach the limit (which happens a little quickly). Please keep an eye on your spam message inbox afterwards, thats where most links end up. If you are a lurker who wants an invite or have an LJ created in the part year, you can PM us for one but we will ask for another social media account (Tumblr, Twitter, etc.) to verify your identity, as we try to maintain a safe space. Survivors and supporters are welcome. You don't have to ask for an invite now if you're not ready. This invitation is open to anyone at any time when they wish to join (even when we don't post this reminder). We will be posting this reminder in a few posts so that everyone who's angry and wants to talk more about these cases that are starting to crop up thanks to the 60-year-old meow meow Tik Tokker can. Even if you don't see us in a post about an abuse situation or event, please know that that one is one we also wish to talk about and share resources for. (Original text for this comment was by buries, giving credit where it is due.) Aside: Posting this 3x today in relevant posts is depressing. I wish we lived in a kinder world. Reply Thread Link Wowwwww, literally nothing about their relationship has ever been appropriate. Reply Thread Link Obviously a complicated story but this kid visiting Ezra on set at 12 etc etc is very disturbing. Edited at 2022-06-08 10:53 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link this is disgusting Reply Thread Link His mugshot is still one of the creepiest things I've seen in ages. Edited at 2022-06-08 11:03 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Stop letting kids near Hollywood stars. You (presumably) wouldnt let your kid jet off to visit a 20 something year old builder they met and formed a friendship with. Stop doing it with celebs or rich people. People should really need a license to raise a child. Reply Thread Link I read this in Sister Michael's voice. Reply Parent Thread Link You (presumably) wouldnt let your kid jet off to visit a 20 something year old builder they met and formed a friendship with. Stop doing it with celebs or rich people. Honestly there are a surprising amount of people who would. I read the original Lynn Barber essay that An Education was based off of and her parents literally let her go on an overnight trip with a man in his 30s she met at a bus stop at 16 because he joked around with them a few times and said he new C.S. Lewis. Reply Parent Thread Link Companies Pledge to Continue to Improve Worker Mental Health Workers mental health has declined in recent years, many surveys show. Workers mental health has declined since the start of the pandemic. Compared to 2019, many workers are facing more mental health issues. According to a survey from The Standard, an insurance company, 46 percent of people surveyed said they are suffering from mental health issues. Before the pandemic, that number was only 39 percent. More people are also suffering from serious mental illnesses, 11 percent in 2020, up from 7 percent before the pandemic. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) published a survey in 2021 about workers mental health. More than 40 percent of the 1,099 employees surveyed said they felt hopeless, burned out or exhausted. The importance of workers mental health and well-being has been augmented for many employers during the pandemic. Many of these employers are committing to improving their workers mental health. According to a press release, more than 80 companies have signed a pledge to continue to make workers mental health and well-being a priority. The pledge starts with two simple lines: The times are uncertain. Our commitment to mental health is not. Thrive, a technology company, and SHRM started the pledge, which a variety of companies have signed. They include public companies like MetLife and Walmart and private companies and non-profits such as the American Heart Association. Now more than ever, employers must commit and provide adequate resources to support their employees successful mental health and well-being, said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM President and CEO in the press release. Its not just good for their businesses its also the right thing to do. Read the pledge online. Looking for more ways to support workers mental health? Listen to our podcast on employee mental health and wellness. President Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act so that the U.S. can take ownership of its clean energy independence. Solar and fuel cell names are going to continue to be on watchlists this week one day after President Biden prioritized the two sources of energy as part of a manufacturing push in the U.S. On Monday, Biden invoked the Defense Production Act, targeting the country's solar production capacity and fuel cell production, among other forms of green energy. It's the latest "drop in the ocean" response to a massive, looming energy cost crisis that has resulted from out of control money printing and geopolitical volatility. But not unlike releasing more petroleum reserves, the Biden administration has a new plan to try and show the American consumer it is doing something...anything...to try and address the issue. This week Biden invoked the Defense Production Act as a response to rising energy costs in the country, a DOE release Monday noted. The purpose of the Presidential determinations is to "accelerate domestic production of five key energy technologies: (1) solar; (2) transformers and electric grid components; (3) heat pumps; (4) insulation; and (5) electrolyzers, fuel cells, and platinum group metals," the release says. U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm commented: President Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act so that the U.S. can take ownership of its clean energy independence. For too long the nations clean energy supply chain has been over-reliant on foreign sources and adversarial nations. With the new DPA authority, DOE can help strengthen domestic solar, heat pump and grid manufacturing industries while fortifying Americas economic security and creating good-paying jobs, and lowering utility costs along the way. Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks added: Reducing Americas dependence on gas and oil is critical to U.S. national security. In conflict, fossil fuel supply lines are especially vulnerable. The actions President Biden announced today will help strengthen our supply chains and ensure that the United States is a leader in producing the energy technologies that are essential to our future success. They will also help accelerate DoDs transition toward clean energy technologies that can help strengthen military capability while creating good jobs for American workers. This approach allows the Biden team to appear to be responsive to repeated requests for intervention. However, the issue may still be challenged in court, and it is unclear on potential impact of tariffs that may be announced on past shipments, Jeff Osborne, an analyst at Cowen & Co., wrote in a note on June 6. The action focuses on the following areas, per the release: Solar Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy is the largest source of new U.S. electricity generation capacity and the cheapest new electricity source in many regions of the country. However, domestic solar PV production does not meet current demand. By supporting a secure, stable, diversified, and competitive domestic solar supply chain, President Bidens actions will increase national security, promote energy independence, help to address the urgent threat of climate change, and drive down energy costs for American consumers. Transformers and Grid Components The U.S. is highly reliant on foreign-sourced critical electric grid components. Traditional industrial efforts are insufficient to meet the unprecedented growth in electrification necessary to support U.S. decarbonization, defense against cyber-security attacks, and critical infrastructure maintenance, and are not positioned to respond to the demands of U.S. electricity needs in the near-term. By expanding the domestic production of transformers and critical grid components to enable the reliable and increased use of the electric power system, the U.S. would immediately enhance its domestic energy security, decrease vulnerability of U.S. infrastructure, and ultimately support climate security and stability worldwide. Supply chain delays are leading to wait times in rural and urban parts of the U.S. of up to two years for crucial grid components. Independent estimates indicate that we need to expand electricity transmission systems by 60% by 2030 and may need to triple it by 2050 to meet the countrys increase in renewable generation and expanding electrification needs. President Bidens invocation of the DPA will support a robust domestic supply of modern grid components, which is necessary to strengthen and modernize the nations grid and will accelerate customers ability to get electricity from clean sources. Heat Pumps Our nations buildings, homes, offices, schools, hospitals, military bases, and other critical facilities drive more than 40% of all U.S. energy consumption. To reduce the amount of energy needed in our buildings, leading to less reliance by the U.S. and allies on adversaries such as Russia for oil and gas, heat pumps are an important solution. Their use by the U.S. and allies can shrink Russian revenue for war and reduce climate instability. However, currently, U.S. HVAC manufacturers are not producing heat pumps at the rate needed. The Biden-Harris Administration can help American manufacturing expand and expedite the installation of heat pumps in homes and residential buildings by qualified building professionals. Insulation About half of all homes in the U.S. were built before modern-day building energy codes, meaning they lack contemporary insulation, causing energy to seep out. At a time when conserving energy means limiting the reliance by the U.S. and allies on adversaries such as Russia for oil and gas, building retrofits can reduce energy use by 50% or more. In addition to lowering energy costs for families and increasing the domestic clean energy workforce, well-insulated buildings also provide passive survivability, meaning that they can retain a safe indoor temperature for longer in the event of energy disruptions, reducing casualties from extreme weather. While U.S. insulation production is currently sufficient to cover new construction and some retrofits, we must also rapidly insulate older buildings to further reduce energy demand. President Bidens actions will help expand insulation manufacturing to meet this need. Electrolyzers, Fuel Cells, and Platinum Group Metals Electrolyzers, fuel cells, and platinum group metal (PGM) catalysts are vital for increasing domestic production and utilization of clean hydrogen, a versatile energy carrier. Clean hydrogen produced through electrolysis is projected to contribute significantly to achieving U.S. decarbonization goals. President Bidens actions supporting domestic supply chains for electrolyzers, fuel cells, and PGM catalysts will enhance national and energy security by reducing U.S. reliance on imported fossil fuels, particularly Russia (the worlds second-largest producer of PGMs) and China. Consumers will benefit from clean hydrogens price stability relative to fossil fuels, cost reductions as the hydrogen economy scales up, and resilient domestic supply chains. It sure seems like a lot of work to go through just to avoid bringing more oil and gas infrastructure online. But hey, that doesn't sound nearly as good as buzzwords like "fuel cells" and it certainly isn't "ESG"... By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias crude oil output could decline by 18 percent by the end of next year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration has forecast, citing the European Unions planned embargo on Russian oil imports. The U.S. energy authority forecasts that Russian oil output will decline from 11.3 million bpd in the first quarter of 2022 to 9.3 million bpd in the final quarter of 2023 as a result of the EU embargo on both crude oil and refined product imports. The agency noted, however, that This forecast does not reflect restrictions on shipping insurance, as details regarding such restrictions were not available when we finalized this forecast on June 2. The EIA also noted that the sanctions, as well as new punitive action from the West, could push Russias oil production rates even lower, lifting oil prices further. The European Union earlier this month agreed to embargo all seaborne imports of Russian crude oil within six months and of refined oil products within eight months. Oil will continue to flow along the Druzhba pipeline that supplies Central Europe, but Poland and Germany have pledged to quit Russian crude by the end of the year. This would effectively reduce the intake of Russian crude and products into the EU by 90 percent, per plans. Russia has shed some 1 million bpd in crude oil production since the start of what it calls a special military operation in Ukraine, following sanction action from the West. According to Moscow, the decline is already being reversed. According to other sources, including the IEA and OPEC, Russia could see a much deeper decline in its oil output. Some wells that have been shut down since the invasion of Ukraine at the end of February may never return to produce oil again, permanently eroding some of Russias spare production capacity, analysts say. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: After two years of regular oil discoveries in Guyana, it seems its deep waters may hold even more crude, adding to its reputation as the next big oil-producing state. But the government will have to get its agreements in order if it wants to ensure the future financial security of the country, as major international players swoop in to reap the rewards. Guyana is home to the largest oil discovery in the last two decades, after Exxon Corp made several more finds in the offshore Stabroek block last year, bringing their total find to 11 billion barrels of oil. And now Exxon has expanded its exploration zone below the previous 15,000 feet depth to drill at 18,000 feet. Thanks to so many successful consecutive discoveries, Exxon hopes its third platform will be up and running months ahead of schedule, in Q3 2023 rather than in 2024. The deeper exploration is expected to expose billions more barrels of oil reserves, according to John Hess, CEO of Hess, which has a 30 percent stake in the Exxon-led consortium in Guyana. Hess suggested that the Fangtooth discovery well, which was drilled at 18,000 feet earlier in the year, could become a new production unit of its own due to its size. Guyana's Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo expressed the governments eagerness to develop its offshore reserves further, with no plans to conduct more seismic studies on blocks scheduled to be auctioned in September. At the end of May, he stated, The price of oil is high, and I think now is the right time if we go to the auction, so we are angling towards going -- using the current data set -- not generating future data sets. The auction will include Block C, an ultra-deep-water zone that has not been licensed for exploration before. Although, it is uncertain whether the entirety of the 9,500 km2 area will be auctioned as one block or whether it will be split up. It is also uncertain whether Exxon will take part in the auction or if Guyana will favor new players in the market. Even before the recent deep-water discoveries, there was great optimism around Guyanas potential, with the expectation of it becoming a leading world oil producer. Exxon made five discoveries between January and April this year, bringing the total to 31 finds at that point. Its huge reserves are now greater than those of top South American producers Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina. Guyana is now the seventh-largest oil producer in Latin America and the Caribbean and is expected to become a leading top-20 oil-producing nation globally with an estimated output of 1.2 million bpd of crude from its Stabroek block by 2027. Despite the huge finds, Guyana is in no rush to establish a new production sharing agreement (PSA) for its offshore sector according to the Natural Resources Ministry. A new PSA would revisit the existing government agreement with Exxon and partners for the Stabroek block, to raise the countrys royalties for future oil and gas projects. The current PSA has been widely criticized for being too favorable to oil producers. Guyana is, instead, expected to focus on the establishment of an oil and gas regulatory body, which will support the creation of a new PSA and other industry matters. But with upcoming auctions for greater exploration across the region, Guyana may be missing out if it waits too long to establish the new regulator and PSA. Industry experts and environmentalists worry that Exxon and other international players may take advantage of the small South American country if the government doesnt act quickly and decisively. While environmentalists worry about the new fossil fuel production operations, many acknowledge the significant opportunity being presented to Guyana to develop its economy. As one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean, Guyana can use revenues from the oil industry for economic and social development. In addition, as major oil and gas firms move away from several existing oil operations in favor of new oil regions, there is significant potential for the development of low-carbon operations. Yet, many environmentalists worry about the establishment of clear mechanisms for accountability in the case of an oil spill or other oil-related environmental damage but understand the potential Guyana has to develop its economy. Marine conservationist Annette Arjoon explains of her approach to the environment versus the economy, all of those that have exploited their oil resources to develop their countries should not be telling Guyana leave your oil in the ground. This sentiment has been widely stated across the Caribbean and African countries. Meanwhile, Several Guyanese politicians have accused Exxon of cheating the country out of billions of dollars by entering into a contract with an inexperienced government, which offers too little money for Guyanas resources. Oil production could contribute as much as $150 billion to the Guyanese economy over the next three decades. This would support the small population of 800,000, around 40 percent of whom live in poverty. However, for the extensive discoveries to contribute to Guyanas development, the government must act swiftly in its creation of a suitable regulatory body to establish a PSA that offers Guyana the most favorable terms possible. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The OPEC+ group is currently pumping 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil below its target, and efforts to boost output per the monthly plans are "not encouraging," the energy minister of one of OPEC's top producers, the United Arab Emirates, said on Wednesday. "According to last month's report, we have seen the conformity (to output cuts) of the OPEC+ group and the conformity was more than 200%," the UAE's Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said at an energy conference in Jordan as carried by Reuters. Since OPEC+ started reversing last year the record cuts from April 2020, the group has been consistently struggling to meet its production quota as many members lack spare capacity or investment to increase production. The UAE is actually one of the very few with some spare capacity, as is OPEC's top producer Saudi Arabia. The Saudis, OPEC's second-largest producer, Iraq, and the third-largest, the UAE, are believed to be the only producers with enough spare capacity. OPEC's African members Nigeria and Angola are struggling with their targets, while the leader of the non-OPEC producers in the pact, Russia, is trying to stop a production decline as its oil is now under sanctions, bans, and embargoes in the West. OPEC+ decided last week to accelerate its monthly oil production increase to nearly 650,000 bpd for July and August as the group looks to compensate for falling production in Russia amid expectations of strong fuel demand this summer. The higher monthly production hike was seen by the market as not enough to offset supply losses from Russia or to meet what is expected to be a strong summer fuel demand despite record fuel prices in many countries. China is gradually returning from lockdowns in some major cities, also supporting the outlook that demand will strengthen. At today's conference in Jordan, the UAE's al-Mazrouei said, "The risk is when China is back," referring to Chinese demand and OPEC+'s ability to supply as much crude to the world as its pact says. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Joining the UK, the EU has placed a ban on insuring and financing the marine transportation of Russian oil. The EU's embargo on 90 percent of all its oil imports from Russia by the end of the year made most headlines last week after the bloc reached a watered-down deal to ban most of Russia's oil. But the much bigger blow to Russian oil exports that will have dramatic consequences on the global oil tanker market and oil prices comes from provision number two in the latest sanctions packageEU operators will be prohibited from insuring and financing the marine transportation of Russian oil to third countries. With the UK set to join the insurance ban after the UK and the European Union agreeing to jointly shut off Russia's access to oil cargo insurance, Russia will be effectively shut out of more than 90% of the global oil shipment insurance market. The insurance ban is a much bigger deal than the actual EU embargo on Russian oil imports, as it would cripple Russia's ability to export crude anywhere in the world, analysts say. Russian exports from its Arctic oil projects will be especially hit because of the higher risk of liabilities, they note. Moscow struck a defiant tone, and Dmitry Medvedev, a former president and now deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said earlier this week that Russian tankers that cannot get insurance would be provided with state assurance under Russia's trade agreements with other countries. For some buyers, this may not be enough. For most ports in the world, this certainly will not be enough because most of the ports do not allow tankers to dock unless they have full insurance coverage, including insurance from the UK-based International Group of P&I Clubs, which handles 95% of the tanker insurance market and consists mostly of UK, U.S., and European insurers. New York-based ship broker and energy consultancy Poten & Partners says the ban would effectively remove many tankers out of the market for shipping Russian crude, leaving Russia and its willing customers China and India scrambling to find state-controlled vessels and forms of guarantees to move the oil from Russia to China and India. "Finding these vessels and arranging insurance for them outside the EU and UK markets could be very challenging," Poten & Partners said last week, as carried by maritime news outlet Splash. Erik Broekhuizen, head of tanker research at Poten & Partners, told NPR last week that the insurance ban is "a huge deal" in the EU's sanctions package to first ban Russian seaborne imports and then ban insurance coverage on Russian oil. "It's the one-two punch. It's the second one that could be a knockout blow," Broekhuizen said. The insurance ban is also a huge blow to Russia's Arctic oil projects, with Gazprom Neft and Lukoil exporting crude from three projects currently, and the biggest oil producer Rosneft looking to develop the huge Vostok Oil project. Without insurance, or insufficient insurance on the Arctic oil routes eastward to China, a tanker carrying oil in Arctic waters and ice is a disaster waiting to happen, Malte Humpert of High North News writes. China and India are Russia's chance to divert some of the exports that would have gone to its-soon-to-be-former-top-market Europe, but the EU-UK ban on insurance could limit the amount of crude Russia could send to Asia, analysts say. "The EU is not simply saying, OK, we're not going to take the barrels, but we're fine somebody else taking it and hence we don't have any major market disruption. The EU is actually moving to take those barrels off the market, not just move them around. And that is important," Helima Croft, head of commodity strategy at RBC Capital Markets, told NPR. The EU's import and insurance ban will lead to higher shipping and insurance costs on top of removing part of Russia's oil off the market. As a result, oil prices will remain elevated in the near term. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Turkey is in talks with Russia to resume grain shipments, but Russia may not agree unless Western sanctions are lifted. The UN has accused Russia of weaponizing food, warning that its actions could lead to a global food crisis. Supplies of grain from Ukraine have taken a major hit due to Russias blockade of the countrys ports. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, has made progress toward accepting a plan that would restart Ukrainian grain shipments from its seaports to help stave off a looming global food crisis as EU officials again accused Moscow of weaponizing food. Supplies of grain from Ukraine, a major exporter, have been drastically reduced due to Russia's blockade of the country's ports and the targeted bombardment of warehouses as part of its war against Ukraine, launched in late February. Cavusoglu told journalists on June 8 that an international effort will be needed to open a safe passage for Ukraine's agricultural exports but that he believed it was achievable. "Various ideas have been put out for the export of Ukrainian grains to the market and most recently is the U.N. plan (including) a mechanism that can be created between the U.N., Ukraine, Russia, and Turkey," Cavusoglu said. "We see it as reasonable...Of course, both Ukraine and Russia must accept it," he added. Lavrov again blamed Ukraine for the impasse, saying President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had "categorically refused" to resolve the problem of demining areas around Ukraine's ports. Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, threw doubt on any real progress being made on the issue, reiterating on June 8 that any possibility of grain shipments would be conditioned on the lifting of international sanctions against Russia for its unprovoked invasion. Related: Why Nuclear Energy Is More Relevant Than Ever Western governments have ruled out such a move, prompting many of them to accuse Russia of weaponizing the global food-supply crisis. "Food has become now part of the Kremlin's arsenal of terror, and we cannot tolerate this," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on June 8. She added that 20 million tons of grain are currently trapped in Ukraine. Turkey, which has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, has said it is willing to play a role within an "observation mechanism" based in Istanbul if a deal is reached. The director of the Ukrainian grain traders union, Serhiy Ivashchenko, however, said that Turkey alone is not strong enough to be the sole guarantor of grain shipments. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: WASHINGTON The nine members of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection are on diverging political paths as they prepare for public hearings that could become a defining moment in their careers. Working in private rooms in a Capitol office building, the seven Democrats and two Republicans have participated in hours of interviews, hearing testimony from members of former President Donald Trumps family, former Justice Department officials and Trump White House aides. Theyve issued dozens of subpoenas, interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and gathered tens of thousands of pages of documents in an effort to piece together the worst attack on the Capitol in two centuries. Advertisement But as the lawmakers wrap up their investigation, many are at a personal crossroads. Two members have decided to leave Congress after this year. Others are facing difficult reelections. A few are eyeing leadership posts, and one lawmaker is even pondering a potential 2024 presidential run. Advertisement This combination of photos shows the members of the House select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6, attack. Top row from left, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Bottom row from left, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. (AP) A look at the nine lawmakers who soon will be in the limelight: REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, D-MISS. As the committees chairman, Thompson sees his career-long struggle for civil rights as the foundation of his work in leading the investigation. Domestic extremism and its links to white supremacy are a familiar subject for Thompson, not only from his time on the Homeland Security Committee but also from his early involvement in the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The 74-year-old lawmaker was sitting in the upper House gallery on Jan. 6, watching rioters attempts to break through the doors. For him, the experience recalled the unpleasant experiences from his early days as a Black politician in the South. Republicans and Democrats alike last summer pushed Thompson as the right choice to lead the investigation, seeing his understated style as the right fit for an investigation that was certain to be partisan and fraught. In the months that have followed, even as some of his more outspoken counterparts have appeared on television to repeatedly criticize Trump, Thompson has mostly steered clear of the spectacle. Instead, he has made his voice heard in poignant opening remarks at hearings and in language in subpoenas, emphasizing the responsibility of the legislative branch to probe the violent attack on the seat of our democracy. REP. LIZ CHENEY, R-WYO. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is vice chair of the panel and has emerged as its most outspoken member. She broke with most other Republicans after the insurrection, voting for Trumps impeachment and declaring that he lit the flame that ignited the attack. Advertisement The stance led to Cheneys ouster from GOP leadership and censure from the national party. And while the party that made her familys legacy pushed her away, House Democrats have embraced her as a beacon of courage. Speaker Nancy Pelosi recruited her and fellow censured Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger to be the sole GOP members of the panel. In the span of the inquiry, Cheney has become an even more fervent critic of the Republican former president. Trump, in turn, is trying to drive her out of politics by denying her another term in office. Cheney now faces a Trump-backed challenge in Wyoming, which will hold its primary in August. She has set personal fundraising records ahead of the race, in part thanks to her role on the committee, but political strategists have said shell likely need some votes from Democrats and independents to win. Much of the party is now against her reelection, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who drove her out of leadership. Theres also been chatter in Washington about Cheney parlaying her political standing to mount a 2024 presidential run against Trump. REP. STEPHANIE MURPHY, D-FLA. Murphy is one of two lame-duck members seated on the select committee. The 43-year-old joined Kinzinger in announcing this year she would not seek another term. Both lawmakers cited a desire to spend more time with their families after facing an onslaught of threats since the committee was formed. Advertisement Public service is not without personal sacrifice, Murphy said in a statement announcing her decision. And as a mom of two young children, my time away from them has been hard. This was not an easy decision, but it was the right decision, she added. The Florida Democrat, who unseated a 12-term Republican incumbent in 2016 and helped her party flip back the House in 2018, has also been an outspoken critic of the growing partisan nature of Capitol Hill and the rift between moderates like herself and the more left-leaning members of her party. Murphy, who in her nearly four years in Congress was often seen as a bipartisan dealmaker, has also taken a less Trump-focused approach in her role as a member of the committee, instead zeroing in on the impact the former presidents efforts could have on future election integrity and voter enfranchisement. Murphy said she is not done with public service and will continue her work as chair of the Florida Democratic Partys Democracy and Voter Protection Program. REP. PETE AGUILAR, D-CALIF. Aguilar is the only member of the committee currently serving in House leadership. The 42-year-old lawmaker representing Californias Inland Empire is also likely to move up from the No. 6 spot in the Democratic caucus when leadership vacancies arise in the next year. Before coming to Congress in 2014, he was the mayor of Redlands, California. Advertisement When the district became more favorable to Democrats after a round of redistricting, Aguilar ran again and again until he flipped the Republican-held seat. He is currently the highest-ranking Latino in Congress. On the select committee, Aguilar has been able to leverage his spot in leadership as the vice chair of the Democratic caucus to communicate the panels goals and objectives as lawmakers face an onslaught of criticism from Republicans that the investigation is partisan and an abuse of Congress investigatory powers. REP. ADAM KINZINGER, R-ILL. Kinzinger is one of two Republicans serving on the Jan. 6 panel. His willingness to criticize Trump, GOP leadership and lawmakers on the far right has left him with few allies in his party. He opted last fall to not seek reelection rather than run in a primary later this month that would have had him facing off against GOP Rep. Darin LaHood in a newly redrawn congressional district that tilts strongly to the right. Kinzinger was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the Capitol. Trump celebrated Kinzingers decision to retire after serving out his sixth term, crowing 2 down, 8 to go! But Kinzinger isnt going away quietly. He appears to relish taking digs at the former president and at McCarthy, who has worked strenuously to stay in the former presidents good graces. Kinzinger, 44, is a combat veteran who flew missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He continues to serve as a pilot in the Air National Guard with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He has hinted at other political plans, saying upon his retirement that this isnt the end of my political future but the beginning. Advertisement REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF. Schiff is serving his 11th term in Congress and has parlayed that experience into a role as chairman of the Houses intelligence committee. But he is perhaps best known as the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first Senate trial, where he warned senators weighing the charges that they knew they couldnt trust the president to do whats right for the country. You can trust he will do whats right for Donald Trump. Hell do it now. Hes done it before. Hell do it for the next several months. Hell do it in the election if hes allowed to, Schiff warned. Schiff often drew the ire of Trump, who mocked him at his campaign rallies and at White House events. McCarthy has suggested that Schiff will lose his intelligence panel seat if Republicans win the majority in November, a retaliatory move that would follow the Democrats stripping Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar of their committee assignments for their inflammatory rhetoric. Schiffs experience as a federal prosecutor shows in his ability to frame issues and go toe-to-toe with the Republicans rhetorically. He is a confidant of Pelosi and is sometimes mentioned as her possible replacement should she step down. He could also someday run for a statewide office such as governor or senator. REP. ELAINE LURIA, D-VA. Advertisement Luria is serving her second term in office and faces stiff competition for a third in a district that leans Republican. She announced her reelection bid on the first anniversary of the insurrection, 1:46 p.m. to be exact, timed to match when she was being evacuated from her office. She said that the nation was at a crossroads and that Americans must defend our democracy against forces that seek its destruction. Luria is a 20-year Navy veteran whose district is home to a huge number of military personnel and veterans. She has not shied from her work on the Jan. 6 panel but also doesnt brandish it. Her press releases, tweets and floor statements emphasize efforts to boost defense spending and her support for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. She also highlights efforts to work across party lines and touted coming in at No. 26 on one scorekeepers rankings of bipartisanship in the House. The top Republican challengers hoping to win the right to face her in November are also emphasizing issues other than her work on the Jan. 6 investigations, so it doesnt appear to be a front-burner issue in the race for now. REP. JAMIE RASKIN, D-MD. Raskin has emerged as one of the panels leading voices after serving as the lead House manager in Trumps second Senate impeachment trial. He has promised startling revelations in the upcoming hearings. People need to understand how close we came to losing everything on Jan. 6 with both an inside effort at a political coup and an outside effort to violently overthrow the peaceful transfer of power, he said. Raskin served as a constitutional law professor at American Universitys Washington College of Law for more than 25 years. He is a prolific writer who published a memoir about the insurrection, the subsequent impeachment trial and dealing with his sons death. The siege of the Capitol came just days after Raskins 25-year-old son, Tommy, took his own life. Advertisement The Maryland Democrat is just in his third term in office and has already assured himself a leading role on legal issues before the House Judiciary Committee in the years ahead. REP. ZOE LOFGREN, D-CALIF. Lofgren is chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration, which has oversight of the U.S. Capitol Police. She has been a member of the House since 1995 and is an immigration attorney and immigration law professor who participated in the impeachment process for three presidents Trump, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, the latter as a congressional staffer. She said making the Capitol safer is not a substitute for determining what led to the attack on Jan. 6, 2021. She said: Who paid for it? How was it organized? We need to find that out to keep the country safe. Pakistan is reverting back to a five-day work week in an effort to reduce energy and fuel consumption as its energy crisis worsens in the very hot summer months. The new government of Pakistanwhose population is the fifth largest in the world after China, India, the United States, and Indonesiaintroduced a six-day work week in April to increase productivity. But as rolling blackouts continue amid an energy shortage, Pakistan is now going back to the five-day work week, government officials said this week. We are facing a severe crisis... We desperately need to take energy conservation measures. We need to tap on every option to save on energy, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said as carried by Reuters. Since energy prices started soaring at the end of last year, Pakistan has been experiencing an energy crisis as the country cannot afford to import a lot of energy products. In April, soaring prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal on the international markets left Pakistan with having to cut electricity supply to households and industry as the country in a deep political and economic crisis cannot afford to buy more of the expensive fossil fuels. The energy crisis, and the political crisis with the April ousting of Imran Khan as prime minister, have combined to throw the Pakistani state budget and finances into disarray. Pakistan is not the only country looking to conserve energy amid high prices and a global energy shortage. Japan, for example, on Tuesday called on households and companies to conserve as much electricity as possible this summer, seeking to prevent blackouts as spare reserve capacity is expected to drop to critically low levels. In Europe, Spain passed a decree limiting the use of air conditioning in public buildings as part of a strategy to conserve energy and reduce Europes dependence on Russian gas. Switzerland, another country in Europe, although not a part of the EU, would see its power supply uncertain for next winter, and troubles with enough electricity capacity cannot be ruled out, the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission, Elcom, said last week. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Anticipating a winter season defined by severe energy crisis, Ukraine will halt all exports of coal, natural gas and oil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an address to the nation on Wednesday. Ukraine produces natural gas, crude oil and coal but domestic demand exceeds supply by approximately 35%, according to the International Energy Agency. This winter, Zelensky said, will be the most difficult in Ukraines history since independence from the Soviet Union, and all energy resources will be diverted for domestic consumption. In the current situation due to Russias aggression, this will indeed be the most difficult winter of all the years of independence, Zelenksy said. But! Everything is alright. We must go through it so that our people feel the normal work of the state. All domestic production will be directed to the internal needs of our citizens, Zelensky told the nation. Ukraine produces approximately 14.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent of coal, 16.5 Mtoe of natural gas and 2.3 Mtoe of crude oil, rendering the country self-sufficient for 65% of its energy needs, according to IEA figures. Additionally, over half of Ukraines electricity consumption comes from nuclear energy. Ukraine has 15 nuclear power reactors at four separate locations, all of which are under threat of physical or cyber attack from Russia. Zelensky said Ukraine was strategizing on how to increase the countrys electricity exports to boost foreign exchange earnings and make up for halting coal, natural gas and oil exports. And after the historical accession of our country to the unified energy network of Europe, such exports not only allow us to increase our foreign exchange earnings, but also directly influence the stabilization of the energy situation in neighboring countries, which reduce Russian energy consumption, he said. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: An explosion at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Texas has sent natural gas prices downward as emergency crews respond and details continue to flow in. At 11:40 a.m. CT, an explosion rocked the Freeport oil and gas export terminal, with emergency response crews on the scene just over an hour later, according to media reports and Twitter accounts. No injuries have been reported as of the time of writing, and the extent of the damage remains unclear. Freeport LNG has experienced some sort of explosion. Currently, we are NOT under any evacuation. Your Surfside Beach Police Department Marine Division is actively assisting Port Freeport and the US Coast Guard on the waterways, the local police station said in a statement shortly after the explosion. Authorities said an investigation was underway. A local news channel released raw footage of the explosion. The expert terminal, located on Quintana Island off the coast of Upper Texas, has three production units, or trains, to give the facility an LNG liquefaction capacity of some 15 million metric tonnes per year. A fourth train has also been approved and is under development. Overall, the Freeport terminal currently produces around 2 billion cubic feet per day of LNG. Henry Hub natural gas was trading down more than 6% at the time of writing, in the aftermath of news of the explosion. At 2:23 p.m. EST, Henry Hub natural gas prices were at $8.698, down 6.40%. Earlier on Wednesday, natural gas prices hit a 14-year record. On Tuesday, natural gas futures rallied over 10% to close at $9.29. That brought natural gas prices to a 150% increase year-over-year. U.S. exports have experienced a major rise in recent months amid a global energy crisis centered on Russias invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. solar industry has criticized President Bidens plans for setting up a domestic panel production industry to replace controversial imports from Asia as a pittance, noting it will be financed from a fund with barely half a billion dollars in it that are already being used for other things. Military drones and baby formula are among the things being paid for with money from the same fund, Bloomberg noted in a report, citing a spokesman for the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a manufacturing industry group, that Even if they spent all of that on solar panels, its a pittance. The U.S. president earlier this week invoked powers under the Defense Production Act, a Cold War-era piece of legislation, in a bid to jumpstart the domestic production of a range of critical products and technologies, including solar panels. The White House also lifted tariffs on imported solar panels to stimulate the U.S. solar power industry, which has a central role to play in the Biden administrations energy transition plans. The move was supposed to serve to calm the fears in the U.S. solar industry that have been made jittery about the amount of money they must keep on hand to pay what could be potential tariffs down the road. Yet the industry has not exactly praised the administration for its latest effort to help. According to Samantha Sloan, VP of policy at Forst Solar, the Defense Production Act falls short of the policy that the U.S. manufacturing industries need to motivate further growth. We have yet to see this administration put action behind word in supporting US solar manufacturing specifically, she told Bloomberg. That causes some heartburn on where the priorities do lie. According to BloombergNEF, a polysilicon factory with a capacity for 20,000 tons of the solar panel material could alone cost $1 billion. A panel factor with a capacity for just 1.4 GW annually could cost some $170 million. The U.S. imported 24 GW of panels last year. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Azerbaijan's main oil producer, BP, has shut down the oil pipeline it operates to Georgia's Black Sea coast for the month of June due to concerns over the safety of oil tankers in the Black Sea. BP described the closure of the Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa pipeline as "temporary" in a written response to queries from Eurasianet. The company also confirmed that the pipeline had previously been closed for extended periods from March 15 to the end of April, and then for the whole of May. It did not confirm when or if it expects the pipeline to open again. The company said that in the meantime it would be rerouting the crude oil exports that would have gone to Supsa via another route, through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline to Turkeys Mediterranean coast. BP did not directly confirm that the closure was due to the ongoing war in Ukraine but said that the closure was "a precautionary measure" in case "safety concerns" led to a shortage of tankers entering the Black Sea to collect Azerbaijani crude from the pipeline's terminal at Supsa. Commercial shipping in the Black Sea has been significantly disrupted by the war in Ukraine. There have been multiple reports of mines placed by Ukraine to protect its coast having broken free and now presenting a danger to vessels in the sea. BP's confirmation was the first time that an official source has confirmed that Azerbaijan's energy exports have been affected by the war in Ukraine. The UK-based oil giant is Azerbaijan's biggest oil producer. The country produced 11.1 million tons of oil over the first four months of this year, of which 77 percent was produced by BP and the rest by Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR, according to data released in May by Azerbaijan's energy ministry. Rerouting exports from Supsa on the Black Sea to Ceyhan on the Mediterranean should be a relatively simple transition. The BTC pipeline can transit up to 60 million tons of oil a year but has been operating at or around half capacity for some years now; last year it carried only 26.4 million tons. The Baku-Supsa pipeline is much smaller, capable of carrying only around 7.2 million tons a year and last year carried only 4.2 million tons. Although the oil that would have been transported through the Baku-Supsa line can be easily accommodated by the BTC pipeline, it nevertheless comes at a cost. At 1,768 kilometers, BTC is more than double the length of Baku-Supsa, a difference reflected in the fee charged by the pipeline operators. Turkeys state pipeline company Botas in January 2021 hiked the transit fee for its section of the pipeline alone from $0.55 per barrel of oil to between $1.50 and $2. And that does not include the charges from Azerbaijan and Georgia. Transit through the Baku-Supsa pipeline, meanwhile, costs only $0.42 per barrel. That higher cost, though, appears unlikely to impact sales of Azerbaijani crude oil. The ban on imports of Russian crude announced by the European Union on May 31 is expected to lead to greatly increased demand for non-Russian crude and a corresponding spike in oil prices. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: World War II veterans and other visitors gather Monday in Normandy for the 78th D-Day anniversary to pay tribute to the nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the US, Canada and elsewhere who landed there. A stabbing in North Omaha on Wednesday left one man with life-threatening injuries, Omaha police said. Around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Omaha police officers responded to a report of a domestic assault near 22nd Street and Grand Avenue. Officers found a 61-year-old man with life-threatening injuries, according to a press release. The man was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. The suspect, a 56-year-old woman, was at the scene and taken in for questioning, police said. She was booked into the Douglas County Jail Wednesday on suspicion of first degree assault and use of a weapon. 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. Twenty-nine years ago today, Police Chief James Skinner promoted Brenda Smith to deputy chief the first woman to attain a senior command post in the Omaha Police Department. Smith, then Brenda Wallace, was 24 in 1980 when she joined the department the only woman in a recruit class of 15. Her acceptance into the department was a milestone. Not only was she the first Black female officer in the Omaha Police Department, but she was also the first in Nebraska. Other Black officers served as her role models, including Anderson Cousin Jr., a retired lieutenant whose daughter joined the force in 1982. Cousin said it was clear that Smith's ambition would take her somewhere. "She wanted to learn, and she wasn't afraid," Cousin said. Climbing the police ladder meant stepping away from the life of a cruiser officer and making decisions with political implications. Smith cut her teeth in the political ring as a traffic lieutenant when she spoke before the City Council during debate over a Dodge Street and West Dodge Road anti-cruising ordinance. The law was adopted in 1992. Smith also was one of seven deputy chiefs to stand up to then-Mayor Hal Daub in May 1997 during a dispute over accurate crime statistics and the price of the police helicopter. The controversy ended with the resignation of the mayor's aide for public safety and an apology to the deputy chiefs from Daub. A few months later, Smith and Deputy Chief Steve Coufal faced demotion or the loss of their jobs as part of a provision to reduce the police budget. The move rankled officers, who lobbied in force for the deputy chiefs' reinstatement. Before that eventually happened, Smith and Coufal acted as captains for five weeks. "That's how I became the first female captain in the Police Department by demotion," she said. Smith retired from the Police Department in 2005. 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 Academy Awardwinning actor Matthew McConaughey made an appearance at the White House Tuesday to call on Congress to reach a higher ground and pass gun control legislation in honor of the children and teachers killed in last months shooting rampage at an elementary school in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas. In a highly personal 22-minute speech, McConaughey exhorted a gridlocked Congress to pass gun reforms that can save lives without infringing on Second Amendment rights. Advertisement McConaughey, a gun owner himself, used his star power to make an argument for legislation in a fashion that the Biden administration has not been able to muster, offering a clear connection to the small Texas town and vividly detailing the sheer loss of the 19 children and two teachers in the second worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. He specifically called on Congress to bolster background checks for gun purchases and raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15-style rifle to 21 from 18. Advertisement We want secure and safe schools and we want gun laws that wont make it so easy for the bad guys to get the damn guns, McConaughey said. McConaughey, who earlier this year considered a run for governor of Texas before taking a pass, met briefly in private with President Joe Biden before addressing the White House press corps from the James Brady briefing room. McConaughey has also met with key lawmakers this week, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that handles gun legislation, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the panels ranking Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa. Actor Matthew McConaughey holds a picture or Alithia Ramirez, 10, who was killed in the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, as he speaks during a press briefing at the White House, June 7, 2022, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP) Also Tuesday, the son of Ruth Whitfield, an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers in Buffalo, New York, last month, called on Congress to act against the cancer of white supremacy and the nations epidemic of gun violence. Is there nothing that you personally are willing to do to stop the cancer of white supremacy and the domestic terrorism it inspires? Garnell Whitfield Jr. asked members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. McConaughey, who declined to take questions, spoke of his own connections to the town. He said his mother taught kindergarten less than a mile from Uvaldes Robb Elementary School, the site of the May 24 shooting. He also noted that Uvalde was the place where he was taught about responsibilities that come with gun ownership. Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun, he said. McConaughey said he and his wife drove back to Uvalde on the day after the shooting and spent time with the families of some of the victims and others directly affected by the rampage. Advertisement He said every parent he spoke to expressed that they want their childrens dreams to live on. They want to make their loss of life matter, McConaughey said. He related the personal stories of a number of the victims. He told the story of Maite Rodriguez, an aspiring marine biologist. McConaugheys wife, Camila, sitting nearby, held Maites green Converse sneakers, which had a red heart on the right toe to represent her love of nature. These are the same green Converse, on her feet, that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting, McConaughey said. He held up artwork from Alithia Ramirez, who dreamed of attending art school in Paris. And then there was Eliahna Ellie Garcia, who loved dancing and church and already knew how to drive tractors. Ellie was looking forward to reading a Bible verse at an upcoming church service when she was killed. Advertisement McConaughey acknowledged that gun legislation would not end mass shootings but suggested that steps can be taken to lessen the chances of such tragedies happening so frequently. We need to invest in mental healthcare. We need safer schools. We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage. We need to restore our family values. We need to restore our American values and we need responsible gun ownership, McConaughey said. Is this a cure-all? Hell no, but people are hurting. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report. Mississippi lawmaker with ethics woes forced into GOP runoff LOS ANGELES (AP) U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi has advanced to a Republican runoff after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending and he faced his largest-ever field of primary challengers. In heavily Democratic California, Republican House members are facing primary rivals in races that will help determine control of Congress. In Montana, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is competing against several other Republicans for a chance to capture a new U.S. House district. And in Iowa, Republican state Sen. Zach Nunn has won the GOP spot to take on the states lone Democratic House member, Rep. Cindy Axne, in a newly drawn district with a stronger GOP tilt. School police chief a no-show at Uvalde City Council meeting UVALDE, Texas (AP) The school district police chief criticized for waiting too long before ordering law enforcement to confront and kill the gunman during a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school did not appear at a Uvalde City Council meeting, despite being newly elected to the panel. Mayor Don McLaughlin says he's unable to explain why school district police Chief Pete Arredondo wasnt at the brief meeting Tuesday. Two weeks ago, 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details, and have stopped releasing information about the police response. McLaughlin claims he is frustrated with the lack of information. Treasury Secretary Yellen expects inflation to 'remain high' WASHINGTON (AP) Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has acknowledged that she and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell could have used a better word than transitory when describing the expected run of inflation in the U.S. economy. Yellen says she remains hopeful it will decline. But she told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that I do expect inflation to remain high although I very much hope that it will be coming down now." Yellen added that bringing inflation down should be the number one priority. Treasury and the Federal Reserve have been increasingly blamed by legislators and the public for allowing inflation to reach record highs. FBI seizes retired general's data related to Qatar lobbying The FBI has seized the electronic data of a retired four-star general who authorities say made false statements and withheld incriminating documents about his role in an illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of Qatar. Court records obtained by The Associated Press outline a potential criminal case against retired Marine Gen. John R. Allen for violating foreign lobbying laws. Allen led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in late 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution think tank. Allen denies working as a Qatari agent. A spokesperson told AP he voluntarily cooperated with the investigation. Son of Buffalo victim pushes Congress: 'What are you doing?' WASHINGTON (AP) The son of an 86-year-old woman killed in the racist Buffalo mass shooting is calling on Congress to act against domestic terrorism. Garnell Whitfield Jr., whose mother was the oldest of the 10 Buffalo victims, challenged senators at a hearing Tuesday. He asked them: What are you doing? You were elected to protect us. The emotional testimony came against the backdrop of intensifying Senate negotiations on a gun safety bill. The proposals are gaining traction, but also raising concerns from Democrats and some advocacy groups who are pushing senators to do more, faster, to stem the tide of mass shootings across the nation. Russia claims advances in Ukraine amid fierce fighting KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia claims to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up Ukraines Donbas, bringing the Kremlin closer to its goal of fully capturing the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says Moscows forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. And it appears that Russia now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. FDA advisers back Novavax COVID shots as 4th US option A more traditional kind of COVID-19 vaccine is a step closer to becoming the fourth option for U.S. adults. Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted Tuesday to recommend authorization of shots made by Novavax. It's a protein vaccine, a more conventional technology than the dominant Pfizer and Moderna shots, and the lesser-used Johnson & Johnson option. It the FDA ultimately agrees, the Novavax shots could be an option for adults who haven't yet gotten vaccinated. The company eventually hopes to offer its shots as a booster, like they're used in some other countries. Golfers put aside 'reprehensible' Saudi moves to join series ST. ALBANS, England (AP) The stars of the new Saudi-funded golf league have tried to fend off concerns about human rights abuses and signing up to accept hundreds of millions of dollars despite the risk of being banned from long-standing events. After announcing he quit the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf series, Dustin Johnson evaded questioning about the source of the $25 million prize fund for each event flowing from Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund. Graeme McDowell says he accepts it is incredibly polarizing to join the tour. He even offered a reason why, citing the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Human rights groups describe Saudi Arabias efforts as sportswashing its image. Some cancer patients can skip treatments, 2 studies show Some cancer patients can safely skip radiation or chemotherapy after surgery. That's according to two new studies exploring shorter, gentler cancer care. Researchers are looking for ways to precisely predict which patients can avoid unneeded treatment to cut down on harmful side effects and unnecessary costs. One study used a blood test to determine which colon cancer patients could skip chemotherapy after surgery. The other study suggests some low-risk breast cancer patients can omit radiation after lumpectomy. The findings were discussed at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which is wrapping up Tuesday in Chicago. Facing huge inventory, Target cuts vendor orders, prices NEW YORK (AP) Target is canceling orders from suppliers, particularly for home goods and clothing, and its slashing prices further to clear out amassed inventory ahead of the critical fall and holiday shopping seasons. The actions come after a pronounced spending shift by Americans, from investments in their homes to money spent on experience like travel, and nights out for dinner and other pre-pandemic routines. Shoppers are also focusing more on non-discretionary items like groceries as inflation makes them more selective. Thats a change that arrived much faster than major retailers had anticipated. The speed at which Americans pivoted away from pandemic spending was laid bare in the most recent quarterly financial filings from a number of major retailers. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture in the latest verdict against the state agency for destroying citrus trees in the 2000s during an attempt to stop the spread of costly tree diseases. A jury in Orlando last week determined the state agency had destroyed more than 160,000 citrus plants in an effort to stop citrus greening and Gary Mahon deserved the $1.2 million as compensation at fair market value. Mahon's company, Pokeys Lake Gem Citrus Nursery, cultivates fruit trees in Zellwood, Florida. The Department of Agriculture had argued Mahon did not deserve compensation since he could have avoided his losses by moving his citrus plants into greenhouses. Mahon's attorneys disputed that interpretation of the law. In 2008, Florida lawmakers passed legislation requiring citrus plant growers to sell or destroy plants not grown in greenhouses to protect the states citrus industry from citrus greening. Citrus greening is among the biggest threats to the U.S. citrus industry since infected trees produce fruits that are green, misshapen and bitter. The disease can eventually kill infected trees, though it is harmless to humans. While the Florida Legislature and Department of Agriculture meant well by passing and enforcing this law, it had a catastrophic impact on citrus nursery growers," said Alexander Clem, Mahon's attorney. Our client fought for years to get justice for the thousands-upon-thousands of plants he was forced to destroy, and we are thrilled he will be compensated and can move on with his life. In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that it would appeal the case. This case has been long fought by our department, and our position has not changed: the damage to Mr. Mahons citrus crop was a direct result of his failure to come into compliance with state regulations," the statement said. In the past two decades, Florida's citrus industry has been threatened with greening and another disease called citrus canker. Citrus canker can cause the leaves and fruit on citrus trees to drop prematurely and create unappealing lesions on the fruit. The lesions leak bacterial cells that can spread to other trees by wind, rain or contaminated equipment, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With both diseases, state agriculture workers destroyed citrus trees in an effort to stop their destructive spread. Earlier this year, about 18,000 homeowners in Orange County, home to Orlando, won a judgement of $42 million against the state for destroying their citrus trees. Tens of thousands of homeowners in Broward, Lee and Palm Beach counties also have won class action lawsuits against the state over their destroyed trees, and compensations varied by county. A case in Miami-Dade County is still pending. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WASHINGTON (AP) A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. During a court hearing, he consented to remain in federal custody for now. Roske was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and an affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. At his initial appearance in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn't say I'm thinking clearly. Roske said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roske's next court date was tentatively set for June 22. The attempted murder charge carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Earlier Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. Kunzelman reported from Greenbelt, Maryland. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is going public with its findings. Lawmakers hope to show the American public how democracy came to the brink of disaster. The series of hearings that will take place over the next several weeks began with a prime-time opener Thursday night. The second hearing is scheduled for Monday. More than 1,000 people have been interviewed by the panel, and only snippets of that testimony have been revealed to the public, mostly through court filings. MOSCOW (AP) Russian authorities kept up their crackdown against citizens who speak out about the fighting in Ukraine, extending a critics detention on Wednesday, confirming charges against two others and prompting Moscows chief rabbi to flee the country. Russia adopted a law criminalizing spreading allegedly false information about its military shortly after its troops rolled into Ukraine in late February. The offense is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Human rights advocates have counted dozens of cases. Russians must use the term military operation when speaking of the fighting in Ukraine. In the latest development, a Moscow court on Wednesday extended the detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., a journalist and former associate of assassinated Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. The court extended Kara-Murzas detention from June 12 to Aug. 12 on accusations that he spread false information about the countrys armed forces. The activist rejects the charges. Kara-Murza in 2015 and 2017 survived poisonings that he blamed on the authorities. Russian officials have denied responsibility. Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov, who spent years exposing the activities of Russian security agencies and is now living in London, reported this week that a criminal case had been opened against him. Soldatov is accused of spreading false information about the Russian military. Soldatov reported that his bank accounts in Russia have been frozen. Russian authorities confirmed they have filed similar charges against popular Russian fiction writer Dmitry Glukhovsky, who also now lives outside of Russia. Glukhovsky had posted a video showing a tank shelling a residential building in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, along with commentary criticizing Russias military operation. He is a former journalist and author of the best-selling novel Metro-2033. Aside from criminal prosecutions, public figures in Russia have reportedly faced pressure from the authorities to publicly announce their support of the countrys military operations in Ukraine. The latest example is Pinchas Goldschmidt, Moscows chief rabbi. The Times of Israel reports that Goldschmidt refused to make such statements and has now decided to stay in Israel. The newspaper quoted his daughter-in-law Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt. Follow all developments about the fighting in Ukraine 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. LINCOLN A recount Wednesday did not alter the outcome of the primary race for an Omaha-area legislative district, while a second recount for a different district was called off before it started. In both districts, the recounts were between the second- and third-place finishers, with the second-place finisher advancing to take on the primary election front-runner in November. There were no changes in the results of the race for legislative District 18, encompassing Bennington and portions of northwest Omaha, according to the Douglas County Election Commission Wednesday. Christy Armendariz still held a 20-vote lead over Clarice Jackson, who came in third. The results mean Armendariz will face Michael Young, the first-place finisher in the primary, during the general election in November. After nearly a monthlong wait, Armendariz said she was happy to move on to focusing on the general. (Im) just glad that its finally over, Armendariz said. Young said the fact that there were no changes from the unofficial election results indicates that a fair and accurate election took place, and said he is glad to have his win certified. Young finished 120 votes ahead of Armendariz, according to the unofficial results. Jackson said she had not seen the recount results as of Wednesday afternoon, and declined to comment until she saw them. Both Armendariz and Jackson are registered Republicans, while Young is a registered Democrat. All three candidates emphasized education ahead of the primary. The winner of the November general will occupy a seat currently held by State Sen. Brett Lindstrom, who is barred by term limits from seeking a third consecutive term. Meanwhile, a recount was never completed in the race for legislative District 22, which encompasses Platte County and the western third of Stanton County. An official with the Nebraska Secretary of States Office said the third-place candidate, Mike Goos of Columbus, waved the recount Tuesday night. The decision secures a second-place finish for Roy Zach of Genoa, who held a 56-vote lead over Goos. Zach will face off against incumbent Sen. Mike Moser of Columbus in November. Moser came in first in the primary with just over 76% of the vote, according to unofficial results. All the results of other legislative primary races were certified at a State Canvassing Board meeting Monday. Deputy Secretary of State Wayne Bena said the May 10 primary went well even though state, county and election officials had to scramble to redraw district boundaries after the U.S. Census Bureau released the 2020 population figures late. Secretary of State Bob Evnen also praised officials across the state for their work in holding a fair and secure election, the results of which we can have confidence in. 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. Iowa investigators want to interview anyone who may have seen a boat that sank in the Missouri River on May 29 in which an Omaha woman drowned. Emma Olsen, 20, drowned the night of May 29 when a 30-foot boat she was aboard sank in the river near Tyson Bend Wildlife Area about 5 miles west of Modale, Iowa. The boat was recovered May 31 and Olsens body was found June 2. Olsens funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Stonebridge Christian Church, 15801 Butler Ave., in Omaha. Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Humane Society. A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that Olsen had been a passenger on a 30-foot red-and-white Scarab with an Oklahoma registration. Investigators are trying to interview anyone who saw the boat on the river on May 29 between Cottonwood Marina just north of Blair and Pop-n-Docs Marina at Decatur. Witnesses should contact Aaron Johnson, a state conservation officer, at 712-249-2015 or aaron.johnson@dnr.iowa.gov. The witnesses can remain anonymous, the spokesman said. The DNR spokesman said investigators have been interviewing witnesses and examining the craft. Because this is an active investigation, we are not releasing any information, Mick Klemesrud of the DNR said. Once concluded, we will issue a news release on (the investigations) findings including what, if any, charges are filed. The Harrison County (Iowa) Sheriffs Office said it was contacted about 11:55 p.m. about a boat that had sunk. Several people who were on the boat had to be rescued by another craft. Some of the passengers were taken to the Cottonwood Marina. There, they told deputies from the Washington County Sheriffs Office that Olsen had been sleeping in a small cabin when the boat began taking on water. 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. NORMAL An anonymous Illinois State University alum has committed $5 million from their estate to help ISU's College of Education and University High School students. The donation brings planned estate giving to around $105 million and is one of the largest commitments in ISUs history, an announcement from the university said. This is the largest planned gift to the College of Education and among the most significant in all of Illinois State's history, Vice President of Advancement Pat Vickerman told The Pantagraph. "This individual ahs been very generous to us already in their lifetime," he said. The latest gift comes after ISUs announcement in February that it had raised $100 million in planned giving, which included $3.3 million raised between July 2021 and February of this year. The planned giving is called the Heritage Society. The Heritage Society has added around $60 million in the nine years since Vickerman started at the university, he said. There has been more interest and use of planned gifts in recent years. "A lot of it has to do with us talking more openly about the importance of planned gifts," he said. The planned giving also shows support for and a belief in the long-term stability of the college, Vickerman said. Some of the $5 million will go to an existing scholarship for U-High students. The scholarship is one of 28 available to U-High students. The scholarships provide support for college to U-High graduates across various other requirements like family background, high school activities and planned paths of study in college We are honored to be on the receiving end of the donors generosity. Weve already seen the influence of scholarships on our students who go on to pursue higher education degrees with greater confidence and added financial security, U-High Principal Andrea Markert said in the announcement. The other funds from the donation will go toward the College of Education, including for teacher training. Other potential uses include future research and advocacy for teachers, the release said. Thanks to this amazing investment, the College of Education will be well positioned for the future and able to continue to deliver the level of academic excellence for which it has become known, Provost Aondover Tarhule said. Both the College of Education and ISU Lab Schools will have new leaders going into the fall semester. Francis Godwyll stepped into his new role as dean on June 1, joining ISU from Western Illinois University. Former Dean Jim Wolfinger took a job at St. Johns University in New York. Anthony Jones is expected to start as the new director of the Lab Schools on July 1. He is coming to Normal from the Ames Community School District in Iowa. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NORMAL Every graduation ceremony held by The Baby Folds Hammitt Junior-Senior High School is a momentous occasion for each student taking the next steps in their lives. During the most recent graduation on June 1, staff and family members were surprised to see senior Sean Wyrick, who has autism, raise his hand and address the room with an impromptu speech thanking his teachers and offering his advice on the power of communication. "While it may not be everyones preference, you must know that it is great to actually talk to someone when you need it, because you never know when someone could actually help you out," said Wyrick, 18, during his speech. "I learned that this year, and I learned hiding your intentions rather than speaking them out with someone can make you just worse." Sean's mother, Laura Wyrick, said it was "mind-blowing" to see her son take the initiative to address the audience. It speaks volumes to the thanks that he has and how he feels about how far hes come he has a lot of gratitude for what hes achieved and what others at The Baby Fold Hammitt School have helped him to achieve. Sean had been in The Baby Folds Autism Program since 2007, when he was 3 years old. When Sean was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with autism a neurological and developmental condition that affects how individuals interact or communicate with others. Autism affects 1 in 44 children in the United States, and the most common characteristics include repetitive behaviors and impaired communication and social interactions. Although there is no cure, early intervention and therapy can help to reduce symptoms and support development and learning, said Sam Guillory, director of development at The Baby Fold. After Seans initial diagnosis, Laura said she immediately started looking for different types of resources and originally enrolled him in a pre-K program through a local school. But he was unable to speak or stay in the classroom, so she looked to The Baby Fold to get him an education best suited for his needs. As a Normal-based nonprofit, The Baby Fold has been serving children and families since 1902, and approximately 1,200 people every year since then. Through their 12 programs, they offer foster care, adoption support, special education, autism programs, early childhood initiatives, and crisis intervention services. Guillory said Sean could not form words, let alone sentences, when he first entered the program. He was put in a classroom with other children on the autism spectrum who could speak, and little by little, his words became sentences, and eventually he was able to have conversations and communicate his needs. You can understand how hard it is to want something or need something and if youre not able to communicate your need, you try to express that in a different way, and sometimes not in a productive manner, Guillory said. Sean is just one example of The Baby Fold and our impact here in Bloomington-Normal. Teacher therapist assistant Cheryl Shook said she began working with Sean when he reached grade school, but when he first came through the doors, everybody on staff, including herself, took to him almost immediately. He even allowed staff to hold him, something he would normally not like. When the 3-year-olds come through the door, everybody kind of takes them under their wing, and when you see this little towhead 3-year-old walking down the hall, we were all into him, Shook said. Having missed this month's graduation ceremony, Shook said she received a video from Sean's mother and could not believe she was hearing Sean speak unprompted in front of a crowd of people. I believe kids need to talk, and I dont think theres enough of that, Shook said. The Wyricks are amazing people and Im sure they talk at home, but I dont think theres enough of that in other homes. Sean now plans to attend the 18-21 Transition Program at Eugene Field Vocational Training Center in Normal, to learn social and community skills in the morning while doing job training in the afternoon. He said he was holding onto his speech and his story for the day he would graduate, because he wanted to let other kids and their parents know they can learn to be confident, and that it is never too late. Though I felt upset and like a complete lost case, I still didnt give up, and because I didnt give up, I still went on to The Baby Fold, and even when I thought I was going to stop it there, I still tried to not give up, he said. The way I spoke about it made people realize that I could help and that my story could help others. Love 2 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. PONTIAC Edinger's Filling Station, 423 W. Madison St. in Pontiac, is this week's pick for Eats of the Week. Edinger's is a casual dining American restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. Owners Jimm and Becky Edinger opened the restaurant eight years ago. The building's design employs a garage/car theme, an homage to U.S. Route 66. The property previously housed a restaurant, a repair station and a seed house where seed was sold to farmers. The Edingers did a complete renovation that took several months before they opened the restaurant. "Nothing is bought; everything is made. We try to cater to locals as well as tourists," said Becky Edinger, who also works as a teacher. "We have a mural on the side of the building that helps draw people in and a local museum helped us with some of our decor." Jimm Edinger worked for 20 years at a Pontiac restaurant, Mary's, that was owned by his mother before she closed it for health-related reasons. The Edinger's took inspiration from her restaurant and even kept a few recipes on their menu. Jimm's mom even helps out at the restaurant a few days a week, which he said keeps him going. The restaurant also has a banquet room that can host special events such as retirement parties and birthdays. The room even has an old fire door from when it was a repair station that the Edinger's decided to keep. "You can take the boy out of the restaurant, but you can't take the restaurant out of the boy," Jimm Edinger said. "I think we're a popular destination in our community and the community supported us when times were tough, and we try to support the community here with school sports. We get a lot of our customer base from that." The most popular menu items include the Cuban, Honolulu Honey, the finger-licking chicken, chicken pot pie, spaghetti, the O'Sullivanski Skillet and homemade pie, which Jimm or his mom usually make. The most popular pies are the coconut cream and seasonal offerings such as rhubarb, strawberry and peach pie. The sloppy fries, potato salad and fried macaroni are popular sides. The restaurant also does daily lunch and breakfast specials. They offer homemade soup and classic favorites such as meatloaf. "The food and service is good. We have good employees who are loyal and take pride in their work, and we have our regulars, which is a tradition from my mother's restaurant," Jimm Edinger said. Becky also added that their friends don't call Edinger's by name; instead they refer to it as "the restaurant" as if it's the only option in town. The Edinger's hope to pursue online ordering and adding more menu items in the future. The restaurant used to be open seven days a week when it first opened, but they decided to be closed on weekends to maintain a quality-of-life balance. Edinger's Filling Station is open 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, and closed Saturday and Sunday. They offer dining, carryout and delivery services. Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3240. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SALT LAKE CITY If the Great Salt Lake, which has already shrunk by two-thirds, continues to dry up, heres whats in store: The lakes flies and brine shrimp would die off scientists warn it could start as soon as this summer threatening the 10 million migratory birds that stop at the lake annually to feed on the tiny creatures. Ski conditions at the resorts above Salt Lake City, a vital source of revenue, would deteriorate. The lucrative extraction of magnesium and other minerals from the lake could stop. Advertisement Most alarming, the air surrounding Salt Lake City would occasionally turn poisonous. The lake bed contains high levels of arsenic and as more of it becomes exposed, windstorms carry that arsenic into the lungs of nearby residents, who make up three-quarters of Utahs population. Exposed lake bed in the northern part of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, March 14, 2022. (Bryan Tarnowski/The New York Times) We have this potential environmental nuclear bomb thats going to go off if we dont take some pretty dramatic action, said Joel Ferry, a Republican state lawmaker and rancher who lives on the north side of the lake. Advertisement As climate change continues to cause record-breaking drought, there are no easy solutions. Saving the Great Salt Lake would require letting more snowmelt from the mountains flow to the lake, which means less water for residents and farmers. That would threaten the regions breakneck population growth and high-value agriculture something state leaders seem reluctant to do. Utahs dilemma raises a core question as the country heats up: How quickly are Americans willing to adapt to the effects of climate change, even as those effects become urgent, obvious, and potentially catastrophic? The stakes are alarmingly high, according to Timothy D. Hawkes, a Republican lawmaker who wants more aggressive action. Otherwise, he said, the Great Salt Lake risks the same fate as Californias Owens Lake, which went dry decades ago, producing the worst levels of dust pollution in the United States and helping to turn the nearby community into a veritable ghost town. Its not just fearmongering, he said of the lake vanishing. It can actually happen. A Modern Oasis, Under Threat Say you climbed into a car at the edge of the Pacific and started driving east, tracing a line across the middle of the United States. After crossing the Klamath and Cascade mountains in Northern California, green and lush, you would reach the Great Basin Desert of Nevada and western Utah. In one of the driest parts of America, the landscape is a brown so pale, its almost gray. But keep going east, and just shy of Wyoming you would find a modern oasis: a narrow strip of green, stretching some 100 miles from north to south, home to an uninterrupted metropolis beneath snow-capped mountains, sheltered under maple and pear trees. At the edge of that oasis, between the city and the desert, is the Great Salt Lake. Utahns call that metropolis the Wasatch Front, after the 12,000-foot Wasatch Range above it. Extending roughly from Provo in the south to Brigham City in the north, with Salt Lake City at its center, it is one of the fastest-growing urban areas in America home to 2.5 million people, drawn by the natural beauty and relatively modest cost of living. That megacity is possible because of a minor hydrological miracle. Snow that falls in the mountains east of Salt Lake City feeds three rivers the Jordan, Weber, and Bear which provide water for the cities and towns of the Wasatch Front, as well as the cropland nearby, before flowing into the Great Salt Lake. Advertisement Until recently, that hydrological system existed in a delicate balance. In summer, evaporation would cause the lake to drop about 2 feet; in spring, as the snowpack melted, the rivers would replenish it. Now two changes are throwing that system out of balance. One is explosive population growth, diverting more water from those rivers before they reach the lake. The other shift is climate change, according to Robert Gillies, a professor at Utah State University and Utahs state climatologist. Higher temperatures cause more snowpack to transform to water vapor, which then escapes into the atmosphere, rather than turning to liquid and running into rivers. More heat also means greater demand for water for lawns or crops, further reducing the amount that reaches the lake. And a shrinking lake means less snow. As storms pass over the Great Salt Lake, they absorb some of its moisture, which then falls as snow in the mountains. A vanishing lake endangers that pattern. If you dont have water, Gillies said, you dont have industry, you dont have agriculture, you dont have life. At the Precipice Last summer, the water level in the Great Salt Lake reached its lowest point on record, and its likely to fall further this year. The lakes surface area, which covered about 3,300 square miles in the late 1980s, has since shrunk to less than 1,000, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Advertisement The salt content in the part of the lake closest to Salt Lake City used to fluctuate between 9-12%, according to Bonnie Baxter, a biology professor at Westminster College. But as the water in the lake drops, its salt content has increased. If it reaches 17% something Baxter says will happen this summer the algae in the water will struggle, threatening the brine shrimp that consume it. While the ecosystem hasnt collapsed yet, Baxter said, were at the precipice. Its terrifying. The long term risks are even worse. One morning in March, Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, walked out onto land that used to be underwater. He picked at the earth, the color of dried mud, like a beach where the tide went out and never came back. The soil contains arsenic, antimony, copper, zirconium and other dangerous heavy metals, much of it residue from mining in the region. Most of the exposed soil is still protected by a hard crust. But as wind erodes the crust over time, those contaminants become airborne. Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric studies at the University of Utah, walks on land that used to be submerged by the Great Salt Lake in Utah, March 15, 2022. (Bryan Tarnowski/The New York Times) Clouds of dust also make it difficult for people to breathe, particularly those with asthma or other respiratory ailments. Perry pointed to shards of crust that had come apart, lying on the sand like broken china. This is a disaster, Perry said. And the consequences for the ecosystem are absolutely, insanely bad. Advertisement Losing Water, Growing Fast In theory, the fix is simple: Let more water from melting snowpack reach the lake, by sending less toward homes, businesses and farms. But metropolitan Salt Lake City has barely enough water to support its current population. And it is expected to grow almost 50% by 2060. Laura Briefer, director of Salt Lake Citys public utilities department, said the city can increase its water supply in three ways: Divert more water from rivers and streams, recycle more wastewater, or draw more groundwater from wells. Each of those strategies reduces the amount of water that reaches the lake. But without those steps, demand for water in Salt Lake City would exceed supply around 2040, Briefer said. The city is trying to conserve water. Last December, it stopped issuing permits for businesses that require significant water, such as data centers or bottling plants. But city leaders have shied away from another potentially powerful tool: higher prices. Of major U.S. cities, Salt Lake has among the lowest per-gallon water rates, according to a 2017 federal report. It also consumes more water for residential use than other desert cities 96 gallons per person per day last year, compared with 78 in Tucson, Arizona, and 77 in Los Angeles. Advertisement Charge more for water and people use less, said Zachary Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council. Pricing drives consumption, he said. Through a spokesperson, Mayor Erin Mendenhall, elected in 2019 on a pledge to address climate change and air quality, declined an interview. In a statement, she said the city would consider pricing as a way to send a stronger conservation signal. Homes around Salt Lake boast lush, forest-green lawns, despite the drought. And not always by choice. In the suburb of Bluffdale, when Elie El kessrwany stopped watering his lawn in response to the drought, his homeowners association threatened to fine him. I was trying to do the right thing for my community, he said. State Rep. Robert Spendlove, a Republican, introduced a bill this year that would have blocked communities from requiring homeowners to maintain lawns. He said local governments lobbied against the bill, which failed. Joel Ferry, a Republican state lawmaker and rancher who lives on the north side of the Great Salt Lake, in Corrine, Utah, March 16, 2022. (Bryan Tarnowski/The New York Times) In the state legislative session that ended in March, lawmakers approved other measures that start to address the crisis. They funded a study of water needs, made it easier to buy and sell water rights, and required cities and towns to include water in their long-term planning. But lawmakers rejected proposals that would have had an immediate impact, such as requiring water-efficient sinks and showers in new homes or increasing the price of water. Advertisement What the Future May Hold The worst-case scenario for the Great Salt Lake is neither hypothetical nor abstract. Rather, its on display 600 miles southwest, in a narrow valley at the edge of California, where what used to be a lake is now a barely contained disaster. In the early 1900s, Los Angeles, growing fast and running out of water, bought land along the Owens River and built an aqueduct diverting the rivers water 230 miles south to Los Angeles. The river had been the main source of water for what was once Owens Lake, which covered more than 100 square miles. The lake dried up, and then for much of the 20th century it was the worst source of dust pollution in America, according to a 2020 study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. When windstorms hit the dried lake bed, they kick up PM10 particulate matter 10 micrometers or smaller, which can lodge in the lungs when inhaled and has been linked to worsened asthma, heart attacks and premature death. The amount of PM10 in the air around Owens Lake has been as much as 138 times higher than deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Local officials successfully sued Los Angeles, arguing it had violated the rights of nearby communities to clean air. A judge ordered Los Angeles to reduce the dust. That was 25 years ago. Since then, Los Angeles has spent $2.5 billion trying to keep wind from blowing dust off the lake bed. The city has tried different strategies: Covering the lake bed in gravel. Spraying just enough water on the dust to hold it in place. Constantly tilling the dry earth, creating low ridges to catch dust particles before they can become airborne. Advertisement The result is a mix between an industrial site and a science experiment. On a recent morning, workers scurried around, checking valves and sprinklers that continually get plugged with sand. Nearby, inside a complex that resembles a bunker, walls of screens monitored data to alert the operations 70-person staff if something goes wrong. If the carefully calibrated flow of sprinklers is disrupted, for example, dust could quickly start to fly off again. Dust levels near the lake still sometimes exceed federal safety rules. Among Utahs coterie of nervous advocates for the Great Salt Lake, Owens Lake has become shorthand for the risks of failing to act quickly enough and the grave damage if the lake dries up, the contents of its bed spinning into the air. On what used to be the shore of what used to be Owens Lake is whats left of the town of Keeler. When the lake still existed, Keeler was a boom town. Today it consists of an abandoned school, an abandoned train station, a long-closed general store, a post office and about 50 residents who value their space, and have lots of it. Cheap land, said Jim Macey, when asked why he moved to Keeler in 1980. He described that period, before Los Angeles began trying to hold down the lake bed, as the time of dust. He recalled watching entire houses vanish from sight when the wind blew in. We called it the Keeler Death Cloud, Macey said. By the numbers < 1,000: Square miles covered by the Great Salt Lake today, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the 1980s, the lake covered about 3,300 square miles. Advertisement 16%: Salt content of the lake last summer. The salt content used to fluctuate between 9-12%. If the salt content reaches 17%, the algae in the lake will struggle to survive, threatening the entire ecosystem. > 50%: The population of Salt Lake City is expected to grow by more than 50% over the next 50 years. c.2022 The New York Times Company A gunman entered a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, last month and fatally shot 10 people. Just 10 days later, a gunman entered an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and killed 19 students and two teachers. These horrific tragedies have two things in common: teenage suspects were able to legally purchase AR-15-style assault weapons, and the shooters used such guns to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Under current law, a firearms dealer with a federal license may not sell a handgun to a buyer under the age of 21. When that law was passed in 1968, it had broad bipartisan support in the House and the Senate. However, this protection doesnt apply to military-style assault weapons. The minimum age to buy an assault rifle is only 18. Simply put, this disparity costs lives. If you cant buy a six pack of beer or a pack of cigarettes, you shouldnt be able to buy an assault weapon. Its long past time that Congress addresses this incongruence. Thats why we need the Age 21 Act, a bill to prohibit anyone under the age of 21 from purchasing assault weapons. President Joe Biden announced his support for the bill, and Im hopeful we can build bipartisan support for this common-sense measure. I first joined this bill in 2018 when it was introduced by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona after a teenage gunman killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. I reintroduced it last Congress, when perhaps it could have prevented the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings. After the shooting in Buffalo, I introduced the bill again. It has no Republican co-sponsors in the Senate, but it does have broad public support. A recent poll by Politico showed 88% of Democrats and 68% of Republicans support a minimum age of 21 to purchase any firearm. Assault weapons like the AR-15-style rifle have become the weapons of choice for mass shooters, including in most school shootings. And as we have seen, its all too common in recent history for shooters to be teenagers or young adults. A New York Times analysis of mass shootings found that between 1949 and 2017, only two of the 30 deadliest shootings were committed by people under 21. Compare that with the last four years, when the gunman or suspect in six of the nine deadliest mass shootings was a man under the age of 21. Research illustrates why its so important to keep guns away from young people. Brain development extends well into the mid-20s, particularly development of areas of the brain used for judgment and impulse control. Too young to buy a handgun or alcohol and too young to buy assault weapons. There are dozens of gun safety bills before the House and Senate to address our epidemic of gun violence. These include proposals to outlaw hard-to-trace ghost guns, to support states in creating red-flag laws to identify threats, to prevent convicted domestic abusers from buying guns, and to ban silencers, assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. I support many of these measures. But the Age 21 Act in particular would address the problem of school shootings, where so many young perpetrators are often current or recent students, and yet are able to legally obtain weapons of war. I believe the American people are mobilized and motivated to ensure that we pass common-sense gun reform and that should include raising the age to purchase an assault weapon. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, is the senior U.S. senator from California. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 You may think youve seen every horror in Russias kit of war crimes against Ukraine (short of weapons of mass destruction). You havent. Moscow is blockading (or destroying) Ukraines port cities on the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea and preventing them from exporting grain. This has created a global food crisis. With a level of cynicism that makes Machiavelli look angelic, Vladimir Putin is trying to turn a made-in-Moscow food disaster into a weapon. He is blackmailing the West to drop sanctions or concede Russian domination over all Ukrainian ports, including Odesa in return for Russias ending its blockade. Neither NATO members, nor the United Nations, should permit Putin to profit from starving the worlds poor who depend on Ukrainian grain exports. The White House needs to focus on how to break Putins blockade now. On Monday, at a U.N. Security Council meeting, the European Councils president Charles Michel blamed Russia for using the blockade as a stealth missile against developing countries. This week, Russian missiles deliberately destroyed Ukraines second-biggest grain storage facility in the city of Mykolaiv, while Russian bombs and mines are preventing farmers from planting and harvesting. It is not possible for Ukraine to export its grain by rail or road; trains and trucks can carry only a small percentage of what the bulk ships can transport. So what is Putins game in trying to starve much of the world? For starters, Putin is trying to put the blame for the food crisis on Ukraine and on Western sanctions. Nonsense. If Russia hadnt launched its unprovoked attack on Ukraine and closed off Ukraines coast with its warships, Kyivs exports would be flowing. Moreover, Russias grain exports also critical to world supplies are not sanctioned, and can still exit from Russian ports on the Baltic Sea and on the Pacific. The Kremlin is also using the blockade to try to blackmail the West into accepting its control over Ukraines Black Sea coast. Russia has already captured two Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov Mariupol, which it razed to the ground, and Berdyansk. The Kremlins key strategic goal now so far unsuccessful is to seize Ukraines largest port, Odesa, on the Black Sea. Playing savior (from the crisis he created), Putin has proposed that Ukraine hand over its grain to the Russians, who will export it from occupied Mariupol. (Russian forces have already stolen 500,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat from territories they occupy and shipped it out of Russian-controlled Crimea.) Obviously, it is a nonstarter to reward the thief for marketing stolen goods. Putin has made an even more outrageous proposal. If Ukraine demines its coast removing a key defense of its shoreline the Russian naval forces will permit grain exports to leave Odesa. In other words, Putin says the world should recognize Russian control of the Black Sea, which grossly violates international law and threatens the economic survival of Ukraine. While Russian warships in the Black Sea are loaded with missiles, it is very dangerous to open Ukrainian waters for them, I was told by Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya. If Ukrainian mines are disabled, he said, Russia could use this as an excuse even to land on Ukrainian shores. Kyslytsya said Ukraine would only demine its coast (after Russia removes its own mines) if Kyiv were given security guarantees from someone powerful that would escort incoming and outgoing merchant vessels to protect them from Russian attack. That powerful country would also need to guarantee that Russian warships would not make use of the demined channel to attack Odesa once commercial ships left. And this is very important the U.S. and European allies would have to finally deliver the anti-ship missiles that Odesa needs to hold off any Russian attack. What country is in position right now to provide such naval escorts? Only Turkey. A member of NATO, Turkey has reasonably good ties with both Russia and Ukraine. It also has a long Black Sea coast and international legal control over who can enter the Black Sea in wartime (via the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles straits). Will Turkey take on the huge role of shipping escort and security guarantor for Odesa, with or without other NATO members? Will Russia try to block, or misuse, Turkish intervention? Time is of the essence. July is a red line in the south of the Odesa region, I was told by phone by Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian parliament member from Odesa. The harvest starts in July, and by the end of the month, there will be a big problem for grain storage. The farmers have grain but they cant sell it. Left unstored, grain will rot. Putin must not be allowed to succeed in his latest war crime. The time to break the Russian blockade of grain shipments from Odesa is now. Trudy Rubin is a columnist for the The Philadelphia Inquirer. trubin@phillynews.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) says they will embark on an industrial strike action if the government does not commence the payment of their 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) by the end of June. Addressing the media, the Vice President for NAGRAT, Jacob Anaba cataloged a number of reasons for their demand including the current economic hardship in the country. We are per this conference serving notice to those who matter that their in attitude towards the call by the Union to add COLA to the suffering Ghanaians worker is leaving us with no alternative than to respond to the insensate demands of our members. We, therefore, demand that as a matter of urgency the government grant workers a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) of 20% at the end of June 2022. Secondly, we demand that the national tripartite committee, a body mandated by law per Section 113 of the Labor Act 2003 Act 6,5,1 must act as a matter of urgency to determine the new minimum wage for the year 2003 by the middle of June 2022, he added. It comes on the back of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) also demanding the payment of 20% COLA due to the rising cost of living in the country. Thirdly, the public sector joint negotiation committee must kick start processes for the determination of base pay for the year 2023 before 30th June 2022. Leadership will be left with no option than to declare a strike action by the end of July 2022 if all the requests made are not adhered to. We therefore as leaders yield to the demands of our members for positive action beginning with the wearing of red bands by the end of June 2022 if the demands made are not met, the Vice President noted. Mr. Anaba added that We further instruct all our regional and zonal secretariat to hoist red flags in front of our offices with immediate effect. 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 President for the Presbyterian University Ghana, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, has called on the Government to establish a research fund and invest more to help solve certain problems and challenges affecting the Country. He explained that, due to the inability of government to fast track the establishment of the research funds for the universities students, individual researchers have had to rely on their little resources to embark on their research. This according to the president, is a major problem for the students to embark on a holistic research approaches that will help solve some national issues such as the current flooding problems confronting the Country. He was speaking at a Graduation ceremony of the 4th graduation ceremony of Graduate Studies, Akropong Akuapem. He compared that other countries have immensely invested in researches and have been able to come out with concrete solutions to solve major issues and problems confronting their Country. Speaking at the sideline of the 4th graduation ceremony of the school of Graduate Studies at Akuapem Akropong, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu again charged Government to extend scholarships support to the private universities to help develop the human capital needed by the country . He however said the private universities also complement greatly to the public universities in terms of training and development of human capital hence the need for GETFUND to assist the private universities with laboratories and teaching theaters as way of cushioning them to also do better. The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Prof Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante commended the president for raising the status of the Presbyterian university college to chartered status. He however said the aim of the church is to institute a christian university in the country because he believes that education should not be neutral but the one which conforms to the principles of God in order to train God fearing individuals for the country. By which the Church gave a support of 300,000 Ghana cedis to the school. Furthermore , he advised the graduands keep their integrity , be honest in all their endeavours and work hard , this will be a manifestation to the certificates that they have acquired. The Presbyterian Church has Donated a cash Amount of Three Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis to the University for developmental Projects. Source: By Michael Akrofi - Despite Media E/R 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. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Klottey-Korle and Deputy Ranking Member of the Select Committee on Defence and Interior has called on African leaders to invest in border communities to avert the trafficking of illegal arms and tourist attacks. According to her, it is important for all stakeholders including Development Partners to commit more resources towards securing our international boundaries as well as the development of boundary Communities. Developing these areas will go a long way to ensure that our international boundaries are safe from terrorist cells, armed gangs as well as becoming entry routes for trafficking of illegal arms, humans and other commodities. "I also wish to urge the Government of Ghana to as a matter of urgency ratify the Niamey Convention to advance regional integration, improve on peace and security in the region, develop borderlands and border communities, and improve cross border cooperation with our neighbouring countries. In a statement she made on the floor in Parliament to mark the African Union Border Day under the theme Challenges of cross-border cooperation and management of shared resources., Dr. Zanetor said leaders must take note of the language barrier as an invisible border that must be considered as part of managing cross-border issues on the Continent. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings stressed the point that, the porous borders make it absurd for any African country for that matter Ghana to say that we are exempted from the security threats in our sub-region. "Ghana is also bound to the south by the Atlantic Ocean which also introduces a maritime dimension to our boundary issues and International Law of the Sea (ITLOS). Furthermore, the free movement of people within ECOWAS coupled with the widening gap between the rich and the poor increases crime and, yet again, poses a threat to our national security, she added. The African Union Border Day is celebrated annually on the 7th of June. It is a day that was instituted by the African Union as part of the African Union Border Programme. This day is set aside to celebrate the existence and significance of borders in promoting peace as well as regional and continental integration in Africa. The objective is to create awareness on the elimination of all sources of conflicts along international boundaries of Member States and to make border communities peaceful, safe and harmonious for socio-economic integration and cultural development. Also significant is the fact that the Day aims at establishing the importance of the African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, popularly referred to as The Niamey Convention. This Convention is a critical framework for integrated border governance and cross-border cooperation. "Mr. Speaker, despite having such frameworks in place, there are a lot of factors that could be a threat to Ghanas security including the southward drift of violent extremism and terrorism in the sub-region, she added. In a related development, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Member of Parliament for Damongo Samuel Abu Jinapor acknowledged the fact that, the political, social and strategic significance of African borders cannot be overemphasised and Well-defined borders are not only fundamental elements for defining statehood, but their consolidation is one of three major factors essential for building stable states and societies. "They are key instruments for the promotion of peace, security and regional integration, as well as socio-economic development. According to him, the importance of border issues on our Continent is further evidenced in the number of Declarations, Resolutions and Agreements adopted on borders. Key among them are: 1. Resolution 16(1) on Border Disputes Among African States, adopted by the First Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 1964; 2. Resolution 1069 on Peace and Security in Africa through Negotiated Settlement of Border Conflicts, adopted by the Forty-fourth Ordinary Session of Council of Ministers in 1986; and 3. Memorandum of Understanding on the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa, adopted by the Thirty-Eight Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in 2002. 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 Five Cameroon military police were killed in an attack on Tuesday night in the western region of Cameroon, bordering a province where separatists are fighting for a breakaway state, the regional governor said on Wednesday. The attack took place in Njitapon in the district of Kouoptamo, in the West French-speaking region bordering the two Anglophone regions where rebels have been fighting against the French-speaking majority state since 2017. Advertisement Scroll to continue The governor of the West region, Augustine Fonka Awa, confirmed the attack without giving further details. While violence is common in the two Anglophone regions, the separatists rarely wage attacks beyond them. The conflict stems from perceived marginalisation of Cameroon's Anglophone community by the French-speaking majority. The fighting has killed more than 3,000 people and displaced nearly a million, with atrocities committed by both sides. 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 Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has commended the Board and Management of the University of Mines and Technology for helping to train miners in sustainable mining. He underscored the need for best mining practices especially among small-scale miners to ensure the protection of human lives, water bodies, and the environment as a whole. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II made the remark when Management of the University of Mines and Technology, Executive members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, and officials of Minerals Regulatory bodies paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. The visit was to brief Asantehene on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the University and the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners to ensure sustainable and responsible mining in Ghana. Otumfuo Osei Tutu applauded the collaboration between the University of Mines and Technology and the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners to ensure the adoption of best mining practices. He emphasized the importance of stakeholders in the mining sector need to attach to streamlining operations to protect the countrys ecosystem from further destruction. The Vice-Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners, Mr. Sampson Kofi Wiredu said leadership is committed to exposing those involved in illegal mining activities. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Professor Richard Amankwah announced that the University has the technical know-how to reclaim water bodies that have been polluted through illegal mining activities. Source: gbc Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A woman allegedly tracked down her boyfriend at a bar with an Apple AirTag and killed him by ramming him over three times with her car after she saw him with another woman. Apple AirTags are coin-sized devices that can be attached to keys, backpacks, purses and other items to help people track them down via iPhone if theyre misplaced. According to the Indianapolis Star, Gaylyn Morris, 26, allegedly hit her boyfriend Andre Smith, also 26, with her vehicle around 12:30 a.m. on June 3 in the parking lot of an Indianapolis pub called Tilly's in Indiana, US. 'Officers arrived and located Mr. Smith laying on the ground underneath a vehicle,' Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release. 'It appeared he was struck by the vehicle. Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) Engine Company 6 responded and unfortunately pronounced the Mr. Smith deceased at the scene.' A witness said Morris had told her about how she tracked down Smith with an AirTag, according to a probable cause affidavit for Morris' arrest. She also said she was in a relationship with the victim and thought he was cheating on her with another woman, the Indianapolis Star reported. After arriving at Tilly's bar, Morris allegedly grabbed an empty wine bottle and swung it. The bottle did not hit the other woman because Smith caught it but later three of them were asked to leave by staff. The report says witnesses later saw Morris pulling forward and clipping Smith with her car in the parking lot. 'And he went down, at which time... [Morris] then backed over him and then pulled forward and hit him for the third time,' the probable cause affidavit states. As of Sunday night, June 5 Morris is being held behind bars in the Marion County Jail and was preliminarily charged with murder, according to online jail records. The Marion County Prosecutors Office will assess the charges and whether any additional ones are to be filed, local authorities said. The suspect is scheduled to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday, according to Law and Crime. 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 Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who currently is the Chairman of the ECOWAS CTMS Agriculture, has indicated the region has some deficit of fertilizers which needs to be mobilized quickly along the identified corridors and distributed to farmers. This was revealed during the meeting of the Specialised Sub-Committee on Agriculture on Fertiliser supply, facilitation of cross border food and agricultural input transactions, in West Africa and the Sahel, Thursday, June 2. The chairman of the committee revealed a deficit of more than 2 million metric tonnes of fertilizer was available and also insisted on the need to obtain the commitment of the countries, particularly the joint commitment in each country of the Ministers in charge of Agriculture and Finance to judiciously exploit the opportunities and financing facilities offered by the international financial institutions, EBID. He called for the acceleration of all activities, particularly the expression of needs and the formulation of requests to start discussions with suppliers and banks with a view to making up for the delay already recorded in relation to the start of the 2022 agricultural season. He indicated In Ghana, for example, the Government is hopeful that it will be able to catch up with the first and second cropping seasons in the northern and southern regions respectively. Dr. Akoto urged the ministers to come up with realistic solutions to avoid or at best mitigate the looming food crisis. On his part, The ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Sekou Sangare insisted on the implementation of the decisions of the Ministerial session on May 19, 2022. He then drew the attention of the members to the seriousness of the situation and the opportunities for financing the supply of fertilizers and other fertilizers offered by EBID and private sector actors through WAFA. He invited the Ministers present to assess the fertilizer situation in their respective countries, express their needs and accelerate the process of formulating financing requests to EBID, taking into account, if necessary, the coverage of private sector claims on the State. Pursuant to the roadmap adopted on May 19, 2022, the objective of the Sub-Committee meeting was to ensure that its members were aware of its mandate to mobilize all 15 member countries in the implementation of the initiative launched on May 19, 2022, and to work towards the establishment of an urgent mechanism for the supply of fertilizers to farmers in the region for the 2022 agricultural season and, to promote discussions for a solid basis for virtuous cooperation between governments, the private sector, financing banks notably EBID, AfDB, and others. A round table discussion among the participants allowed the Ministers present or their representatives to give a comprehensive overview of the fertiliser supply situation in their countries. Other key participants of the meeting were Professor Balde Moussa, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Infrastructure of the Republic of Senegal, Honourable Dr Abubakarr Karimu, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Honourable Mrs. Jeanine Cooper, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Liberia, Dr. Kwaido Mohamed Sani, representing the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Drame Boubacar, Technical Advisor and representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment of the Republic of Senegal and the consultant Njack KANE. 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 Center for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana says the only way citizens can halt the huge payment of ex-gratia to politicians is through demonstrations and petitions to relevant stakeholders. This comes on the back of the Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV in a statement dated June 6, 2022, disclosed that he has returned GHS365,392.67 paid to him as ex-gratia by the state for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020. According to him, he does not think it is appropriate to be paid ex-gratia since he was paid monthly for serving on the Council of State. Togbui Afede further stated that he is against the payment of ex-gratia and has been looking for ways to return the money when he was notified that it had been paid to him. Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Tuesday, the Senior Programs Officer at CDD-Ghana, Paul Aborampah Mensah commended Torgbui Afede for the move and urged others beneficiaries to emulate him. Especially our Parliamentarians who serve consequently for a number of years and continuously receive these ex-gratia. To me its something we need to look at again as a country. A country that has not been able to meet the needs of the people and I cant also compare it to any developed country that does that. So I commend Torgbuis gesture and I believe our leaders are going to take note of that and act accordingly, the CDD Policy Lead stated. He indicated that for such a norm to be stopped It could be triggered by consensus, advocacy, demand demonstrations, petitions from citizens, you see policy development is taken from different angles. It is taken from research data, its taken by consensus, appeals and taken by so many forms. So if we mobilize ourselves, if we resolve to demand it we can do that as citizens. Of course Parliament is there for us and who elected Parliament to be there and all the leaders that we put in place are expected to serve our interest. Probably they have not realized the mistake they are making. We need to as citizens mobilize ourselves in one form, fight for it demand for it, call for it. Mr. Abrompa further stated that elections are not the only form to use in demanding accountability from leaders, so everybody will say wait and see the next four years I will not vote. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana has confirmed five cases of the Monkeypox virus, the health service said on Wednesday (8 June). Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that can be transmitted from person to person through direct contact with body fluid or monkeypox lesions. Addressing the media on Wednesday, the director-general of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma- Aboagye said no death has been recorded yet out of the five cases. So far since the outbreak in Europe occurred, we tested 12 suspected cases in Ghana since 24 May. Currently, we have confirmed five cases in three regions Eastern, Western and Greater Accra this is where we discovered the five cases, no death has occurred among the cases here, he said. One of the cases has been recorded in a Ghanaian who travelled to the US from Ghana, he might have picked it from here, the GHS boss added. Monkeypox endemic countries are: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana (identified in animals only), Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. Monkeypox can be contained in countries outside of Africa where the virus is not usually detected, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. More than 100 cases of the virus which causes a rash and a fever have been confirmed in Europe, the Americas and Australia. That number is expected to rise still, but experts say the overall risk to the broader population is very low. The virus is most common in remote parts of Central and West Africa. This is a containable situation, the WHOs emerging disease lead Maria Van Kerkhove said at a news conference on Monday. We want to stop human-to-human transmission. We can do this in the non-endemic countries, she added referring to recent cases in Europe and North America. The virus has now been detected in 16 countries outside Africa. Despite being the largest outbreak outside of Africa in 50 years, monkeypox does not spread easily between people and experts say the threat is not comparable to the coronavirus pandemic. Transmission is really happening from skin-to-skin contact, most of the people who have been identified have more of a mild disease, Ms Van Kerkhove said. Another WHO official added that there was no evidence the monkeypox virus had mutated, following earlier speculation over the cause of the current outbreak. Viruses in this group tend not to mutate and they tend to be fairly stable, said Rosamund Lewis, who heads the WHOs smallpox secretariat. 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 Ghanaian broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere believes Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State has more money to refund to the state than the GHC365,000 ex-gratia he returned recently. The traditional leader has been praised by a section of Ghanaians including the former UN special advisor on governance Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah for his gesture. However, reacting to one of such praises by Sulemana Braimah, the executive director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Adom-Otchere said Togbe Afede XIV is being hypocritical. My brother Sulemana, let us watch these things we do as a nation. Tonight, we will show the history behind article 71 from the consultative assembly. We will show that our overlord may have more monies to return, greater in quantum than this one. The facts will speak for themselves, Adom-Otchere said in a comment under Braimahs post on Facebook. He added: We at GEG [Good Evening Ghana] were instrumental in getting him on the BoG board in 2002 through JH Mensah. He is a good man. But we have to build our nation on principles, please find time to watch, if not I will send you the tape. Meanwhile, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a former UN senior governance advisor has commended Togbe Afede XIV for returning the money to the state. Speaking to Kwaku Nhyira-Addo on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (7 June), Agyeman-Duah described the gesture as courageous. This is a very interesting situation, hugely of interest to me, Agyeman-Duah said. Particularly because I have been talking about the Council of State, but you see what Togbe has done is to dramatize one of the ways that this country wastes resources. And as he says in his statement, he comes to the council and you pay him every month with other benefits and after all that something that is voluntary you send GHC365,000. You calculate, if there are 30 members of the council and every four years you are doing it, how much money are we spending on people who might not need it? he asked. So, if we continue to say we are poor and we are constantly lamenting our helplessness in raising revenue, this is one of them So I just like the fact that the Togbe has been courageous to come out to tell the nation this is one of the waste pipelines that we have. I am proud of him, I am very proud of the decision to refund the amount, Agyeman-Duah said. Source: asaaseradio.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 Deputy General Secretary for the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen, has condemned those speaking against Togbe Afede XIV who has returned his Ex-gratia paid him by the state. According to him, over politicization of issues in the country is the reason the country is not developing. The Paramount Chief and the Agbogbomefia of Asogli has become the talk of the town after a statement he released indicated and explained that he had returned an amount of GHC365,392.67 as ex-gratia for his service as a Council of State member from 2017 to 2020. Following this, praises and condemnations alike emerged both on traditional and social media alike. Ghanaian broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere believes Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State has more money to refund to the state than the GHC365,000 ex-gratia he returned recently. He asserts the revered chief attended only 16% of Council of State meetings in four years. Paul Adom-Otchere, said out of 242 meetings held by the Council in 48 months, the former member attended only 39 representing 16%, but despite his failure to attend majority of the meetings, he collected all his salaries and other benefits. But speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, Nana Obiri Boahen explained that people who are condemning Togbe Afedes action have chosen to see the issue through political lenses rather than tackle it from a very fair and objective point of view. "What is wrong about that, what exactly is wrong about that . . . what crime has Togbe Afede committed?" Nana Obiri Boahene rhetorically asked. "Let's stop doing childish politics . . . what they are saying about Togbe Afede they are not being fair to him," he added. He said Togbe Afede is resourceful and as such he can decide to forfeit whatever monies he is given. "For me, I see nothing wrong with Togbe Afedes decision to return state money, It is commendable and that Ghanaians should applaud him for the kind gesture. "Togbe Afede has helped Agyekum Kufour, Atta Mills, Mahama and helped the nation in terms of electricity. Even if he says he is NDC, there is nothing wrong he is a human being, if Obiri Boahen says he is NPP, theres nothing wrong. Let us give credit where it is due," he noted. He urged Ghanaians to move beyond party politics and consider the general well-being and development of the nation when contributing to discussions or debate on critical national issues. Watch video below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Bernard Allotey Jacobs has applauded the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for holding successful Regional elections, though not without reports of aspirants inducing delegates with money to win their votes. Although not subscribing to this culture of vote-buying but as an experienced politician, Allotey Jacobs noted that it is not a novelty for aspirants to dole out things to woo delegates. To him, the important thing that the New Patriotic Party should be focusing on now is how to get their members and supporters to place their differences aside and support a common goal. "The elections have ended. What is important for them is how to unify the various groupings within the party because no matter what you do, every political party has whippings . . . your advice you should give to your people is they should come together because unity is best than any other thing," he advised while speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme. 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 Cineworld has cancelled all UK screenings of a film about the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, after it prompted protests outside some cinemas. The cinema chain said it made the decision to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. More than 120,000 people have signed a petition for The Lady of Heaven film to be pulled from UK cinemas. The Bolton Council of Mosques called the film blasphemous and sectarian. But House of Lords peer Baroness Claire Fox called the decision disastrous for the arts [and] dangerous for free speech, while Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he was very concerned about the growing cancel culture in the UK. In an email to Cineworld, reported by the Bolton News, the chairman of the Bolton Council of Mosques, Asif Patel, said the film was underpinned with a sectarian ideology and misrepresents orthodox historical narratives and disrespects the most esteemed individuals of Islamic history. It came after more than 100 people protested against the film outside the cinema earlier this week, the newspaper reported. The Muslim news site 5Pillars also shared a picture on Twitter of what it said showed 200 Muslims protesting against the film outside a Birmingham branch of Cineworld on Sunday. The films executive producer, Malik Shlibak, said he welcomed people expressing their views but said cinemas should stand up and defend their right to show films that people want to see. I think cinemas are crumbling to the pressure, and taking these decisions to quell the noise, he told the Guardian. Speaking to TalkTV on Wednesday, Mr Javid said: I am very concerned about the growing cancel culture in this country. Theres people out there who think they have a right not to be offended and of course, no-one has that right. You might not like what someones got to say, but they have a right to say it. He pointed out that there are no blasphemy laws in the UK and warned that would be an incredibly dangerous road to go down. What we have in this country is freedom of speech and expression and that is a fundamental value, he added. Criticising calls to cancel the film, Baroness Fox said in a tweet:Same I Find that Offensive cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy. The film, which was released in UK cinemas on 3 June, claims to tell the story of Lady Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. It has been criticised by some groups for depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which is seen as an insult in Islam. The films website says no individual represented a Holy Personality, with performances instead achieved through a unique synthesis of actors, in-camera effects, lighting and visual effects. The Muslim Council of Britain, the UKs largest Muslim umbrella organisation, has described the film as divisive. In a statement on Sunday, the organisation said it supports those scholars and leaders who are advocating for greater unity and for the common good. There are some including many of this films supporters or those engaging in sectarianism in their response whose primary goal is to fuel hatred, the statement added. Screenings of the film were still scheduled for Wednesday at a number of Vue cinemas in London and south-east England. In a statement, a spokesperson said: Vue takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities across the UK. Vue will only show a film once the BBFC (the independent British Board of Film Classification) has assessed and rated a film. The Lady of Heaven has been BBFC accredited and is on show in a number of our cinemas. The company would not confirm whether any screenings had been cancelled, but added: Decisions about how long a film remains on show are taken on a site-by-site basis and based on a variety of commercial and operational factors. A spokesperson for Cineworld said: Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. 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 At an Amazon River port in Iquitos, Peru, a man carries a large, freshwater Arapaima fish away from the landing. Credit: Sebastian Heilpern As the cherished rainforest in South America's Amazon River region continues to shrink, the river itself now presents evidence of other dangers: the overexploitation of freshwater fish. The biodiversity of the Amazon's freshwater species is under strong fishing pressure, according to the first large-scale, pan-Amazonian examination, conducted by a group of international scientists and led by Cornell researchers. Their findingsbased on examining decades of fishery landings (the places such as ports where fishers leave their catch) records from Brazil and Peruindicate a stress that menaces the region's ability to provide protein and other essential nutrients. The new research was published June 8 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. "We are seeing a decline in large-bodied species," said lead author Sebastian Heilpern, a Cornell Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, who works with Peter McIntyre, associate professor, and Alex Flecker, professor, both in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "Large-body species are more vulnerable as they are slower to develop. As they decline, we see they are also being replaced by smaller species," Heilpern said. "This pattern is consistent with overexploitation." Heilpern explained that as fish species are replaced, harvests can be maintained. But eventually, evidence from scientific models suggest that harvests can collapse. "The continued depletion of fish biodiversity reduces the pool of compensating species," he said, "further diminishing the fishery resilience". Effectively overfishing is withdrawing from the natural sustainability savings account and biological security found in diversity. "There is a bank of fish species able to compensate for the loss of one species," Heilpern said. "But as the bank is depleted, we experience a loss of compensatory potential. It indicates that the sustainability is declining." The Amazon River is one of the most productive and diverse freshwater ecosystems on the planet, according to the paper. The people living in the region have some of the highest rates of fish consumption in the world, about 110 pounds per person annually. To gain perspective, the percentage of freshwater fish stocks with biologically sustainable levels was 90% in 1990, according to a 2020 Food and Agricultural Organization (United Nations) report. Sustainability, however, had dropped to 65.8% by 2017. Where fisheries management was absent or ineffective, fish stock status was poor and deteriorating, the FAO report said. In the Amazon, better monitoring, enforcement of regulations and governance are needed to sustain fisheries, Heilpern's paper suggests. "Additionally, expanding protected areas can maintain habitats that are critical for many fish species," he said. "We often see the Amazon from the outside as a massive forest," Heilpern said. "But the Amazon rainforest and the riverand its massive network of tributariesare intimately connected. The health of the river is important for the health of the rainforest and vice versa. Sustainability of the river and its resources is priority." More biodiversity can delay the collapse of fisheries. "While existing landing data provide an incomplete snapshot of long-term dynamics," Helipern said, "our work shows that multispecies exploitation is affecting freshwater biodiversity and eroding fishery resilience in the Amazon." Explore further Declining biodiversity in wild Amazon fisheries threatens human diet More information: Sebastian A. Heilpern et al, Biodiversity underpins fisheries resilience to exploitation in the Amazon river basin, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Sebastian A. Heilpern et al, Biodiversity underpins fisheries resilience to exploitation in the Amazon river basin,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0726 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain As U.S. cities rethink the role of law enforcement in nonviolent 911 emergencies, new Stanford research uncovers the strongest evidence yet that dispatching mental health professionals instead of police officers in some instances can have significant benefits. The study of a pilot 911 response program in Denver, in which mental health specialists responded to calls involving trespassing and other nonviolent events, finds a 34% drop in reported crimes during the six-month trial. The study by Stanford scholars Thomas Dee and Jaymes Pyne also shows that the direct costs of the alternative 911 approach were four times lower than police-only responses. "We provide strong, credible evidence that providing mental health support in targeted, nonviolent emergencies can result in a huge reduction in less serious crimes without increasing violent crimes," says Dee, the Barnett Family Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR). "In our politically divisive times," Dee says, "this first-responder innovation provides a rare opportunity for consensus on meaningfully improving public safety and health." The analysispublished June 8 in Science Advancescomes at a pivotal time in broader national discussions around the performance of police officers who often serve as first responders. Public attention to the challenges of providing humane and effective policing has increased dramatically since George Floyd was killed in 2020 by a Minneapolis police officer after a 911 call over an alleged counterfeit bill, as well as in the wake of concerns over the police responses to school shootings in Parkland, Florida, and, most recently, Uvalde, Texas. This public discourse has also included growing awareness of the possibly counterproductiveand sometimes tragicconsequences of having police as the first responders to nonviolent situations involving individuals in mental-health or substance-abuse crises. Today, a small but growing number of cities around the country are piloting programs that embed mental health care and other social services in their first-responder procedures. In general, police-reform efforts have become highly politicized. For example, while Black Lives Matter proponents call for "defunding the police" in response to police brutality, opponents argue that urban violent crime rates are rising and that reducing police involvement, whether through budget cuts or reallocating resources, will only increase crime rates. Dee says their study's findings indicate that there are sensible ways to reinvent first-responder services and in ways that should have uncommonly universal appeal. A radical pilot, a trove of data Several citiesincluding New York, Austin, Texas, San Francisco, San Mateo, California, and Washington, D.C.are experimenting with new ways of responding to certain types of mental health emergencies through little or no law enforcement involvement. According to Dee and Pyne, cities have been motivated by not only high-profile cases of police brutality, but also estimates that police spend more time responding to "low-priority" calls than any other type of emergency. Those estimates, they write, suggest that as many as two-thirds of these types of 911 calls could be directed to mental-health experts. Cities generally are exploring three alternative emergency responses: In one model, police officers are trained to direct people in crisis to appropriate services. A second approach partners law enforcement with mental health professionals. A third reform, which is more dramatic and less common, removes police altogether for some 911 calls. Descriptive evidence from other studies suggests that these models may be effective. But until now, none have tied the cause-and-effect of these alternative approaches with empirical evidence that they work. Enter Denver. For six months in 2020, the city tested the third, more radical approach by removing police altogether for specific 911 calls. In emergencies involving low-risk infractions such as public intoxication, welfare checks, trespassing, and public disorder, the dispatchers would send a mobile team consisting of one mental health specialist and one paramedic. The pilot program, called the Support Team Assistance Response (STAR), caught Dee's attention. Dee had already been working with several Bay Area cities to evaluate similar 911 reforms as the faculty director at Stanford's John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities, and Pyne is a senior research associate at the Center. They both were intrigued by Denver's more extreme experimentand the fact that the city had already tried the more common tactic of additional training for police officers to better handle mental health cases. "The concern was that maybe simply training police to manage behavioral-health crises wasn't working," Dee says. Strong links to lower crime, lower costs The STAR initiative covered eight precincts in Denver's gentrifying downtown neighborhoods, where 911 calls involving low-income, at-risk individuals in nonviolent situations were expected to be high. The STAR team handled nearly 750 incidents involving mental health, homelessness, and/or substance abuse issues during the pilot period from June to December 2020. Not all incidents started with a 911 call: In some cases, STAR teams were contacted directly by police officers, or they responded to situations they came across on their own. In each case, the STAR team would direct individuals, as needed, to substance-abuse treatment centers or other support services. Because Denver publicly releases granular crime data, the researchers were able to track all the adult criminal offenses reported across all of Denver's 36 police precincts from the period before STAR operations began as well as the time the program was active. Dee and Pyne find that dispatching mental health workers made a dramatic difference. Over the span of the pilot program, reports of less-serious crimes in STAR-patrolled neighborhoods fell by 34% relative to the crime levels observed in neighborhoods where STAR was unavailable. The researchers attribute the drop in crimewhich they estimate as 1,400 fewer criminal offenses based on pre-pilot ratesto fewer citations for public intoxication and other low-level infractions, as well as the likelihood that potential repeat offenders were now getting the help they needed. Dee says the study provides "credibly causal" evidence that it's possible to reinvent 911 responses in ways that are both radical and sensible. "The community-response program has two benefits," Dee says. "One, it directs people in crisis to appropriate mental health care instead of directing them to the criminal justice system. Two, it prevents future criminal activity because the people who are now receiving mental health care are not committing more offenses." In one of several quality checks of their data, Dee and Pyne also look at reports of more serious crimes that police, not STAR teams, responded to in the precincts covered. They find no detectable increase in those crime rates, which suggests that the STAR program drove the decrease in low-level criminal activity. The authors also show the STAR program saved money. They calculate that the direct cost of responding to each offense came to $151 on average, which is four times less than the estimated average $646 direct cost per minor criminal offense. Dee points out that these estimates neither include the follow-up costs of substance abuse treatment or other support services, nor the costs of incarceration. Even so, he says, the benefits far outweigh the costs. "I would also argue that it's simply about doing the right thing. People in mental-health crises need appropriate health care and they are simply less likely to get that when we direct them to the criminal justice system," he says. While the findings are in line with other, less-conclusive evidence from cities experimenting with new emergency response models, Dee says the study gets as close as any research to date has to linking non-police emergency response to drops in crime and costs. "These results are extraordinarily promising," Dee says. He cautions, however, that more pilots and studies are needed to make sure any permanent reforms are done right. "This is not something that every 911 system should be implementing tomorrow," he says. "This reform requires thoughtful and detailed implementationfrom training people who field 911 calls to hiring the right kind of mental health interventionists and coordinating carefully with law enforcement agencies." More information: Thomas S. Dee et al, A community response approach to mental health and substance abuse crises reduced crime, Science Advances (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm2106 Journal information: Science Advances Thomas S. Dee et al, A community response approach to mental health and substance abuse crises reduced crime,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm2106 This photo provided by Stefanie Johnson shows Johnson's private well in Blandinsville, Ill. Her well was contaminated during major flooding in 2013. Johnson's family was without drinking water for nearly two months. She says contaminated wastewater likely drained in through the top, causing her well to test positive for E. coli. Credit: Stefanie Johnson via AP After a record-setting Midwestern rainstorm that damaged thousands of homes and businesses, Stefanie Johnson's farmhouse in Blandinsville, Illinois, didn't have safe drinking water for nearly two months. Flood water poured into her well, turning the water a muddy brown and forcing Johnson, her husband and their two young children to use store-bought supplies. Even after sediment cleared, testing found bacteriaincluding E. coli, which can cause diarrhea. The family boiled water for drinking and cooking. The YMCA was a refuge for showers. "I was pretty strict with the kids," said Johnson, who works with a private well protection program at the local health department. "I'd pour bottled water on their toothbrushes." Though estimates vary, roughly 53 million U.S. residentsabout 17% of the populationrely on private wells, according to a study conducted in part by Environmental Protection Agency researchers. Most live in rural areas. But others are in subdivisions near fast-growing metro regions or otherwise beyond the reach of public water pipes. While many private wells provide safe water, the absence of regulation and treatment afforded by larger municipal systems may expose some users to health risks, from bacteria and viruses to chemicals and lead, studies have found. Risks are elevated after flooding or heavy rainfall, when animal and human feces, dirt, nutrients such as nitrogen and other contaminants can seep into wells. And experts say the threat is growing as the warming climate fuels more intense rainstorms and stronger and wetter hurricanes. "Areas that hadn't been impacted are now. New areas are getting flooded," said Kelsey Pieper, a Northeastern University professor of environmental engineering. "We know the environment is shifting and we're playing catch-up, trying to increase awareness." Pieper is among scientists conducting well testing and education programs in storm-prone areas. After Hurricane Harvey caused widespread flooding along the Texas coast in 2017, sampling of more than 8,800 wells in 44 counties found average E. coli levels nearly three times higher than normal, she said. Sampling of 108 wells in Mississippi following Hurricane Ida in 2021 produced a similar bump in E. coli readings. Other studies turned up higher levels in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018. The following year, above-average snowfall and a March storm unleashed flooding in Nebraska. Levees and dams were breached. Fremont, a city of more than 25,000, turned into an island when the nearby Platte and Elkhorn rivers overflowed. Homes are surrounded by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey in Spring, Texas, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Experts say more intense storms driven by climate change are boosting contamination risks for privately-owned drinking water wells. Credit: AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File The municipal system continued to supply drinking water but some nearby private wells were damaged or contaminated. Julie Hindmarsh's farm was flooded for three days, and it took months to make the well water drinkable again. At times, the cleanup crew wore protective suits. "They didn't know what was in that floodwater," she said. CONTAMINATION RISK Groundwater is often a cleaner source than surface supplies because soil can provide a protective buffer, said Heather Murphy, an epidemiologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. But she said that can give well owners a false sense of security, leading them to forgo testing, maintenance and treatment. "There's a big misconception that it's underground, therefore it's safe," said Murphy, who estimates 1.3 million cases of acute gastrointestinal illness in the U.S. are caused annually by drinking untreated water from private wells. Old, poorly maintained wells are especially vulnerable to floodwaters entering through openings at the top. "It just runs right in and it's full of bacteria," said Steven Wilson, a well expert at the University of Illinois. It doesn't always take a flood or hurricane to pollute wells. Industrial contamination can reach them by seeping into groundwater. Around 1,000 residential wells in Michigan's Kent County were tainted for decades with toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in landfill sludge from footwear company Wolverine World Wide. The pollution, discovered in 2017, spurred lawsuits and a $69.5 million settlement with the state that extended city water lines to affected houses. "We thought we were getting this pristine, straight-from-nature water and it would be much better for us," said Sandy Wynn-Stelt, who has lived across from one of the dump sites since the early 1990s. She said tests detected high levels of PFAS chemicals in her water and blood, leaving her fearful to drink or even brush her teeth with well water. In a suit later settled, she blamed the contamination for her husband's 2016 death from liver cancer. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer four years later. Neil and Bea Jobe pose in their home March 8, 2022, in Primm Springs, Tenn., which sits near Lick Creek. Several times a year, when there is heavy rain and a nearby creek floods, their well water turns "dingy," Bea Jobe said. While estimates vary, roughly 53 million U.S. residents, about 17% of the population, rely on private wells, according to a study done in part by Environmental Protection Agency researchers. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Humphrey LITTLE REGULATION FOR WELL OWNERS While many well owners don't have the option of hooking up to a public water system, others are happy with well water. They might favor the taste or want to avoid monthly bills and government regulation. "What I hear from people is freedom," said Jesse Campbell, private well coordinator for the Midwest Assistance Program Inc., which addresses rural water needs. Private well owners are responsible for them. While public water systems must meet federal safety standards, those rules don't apply to wells that have fewer than 15 connections or serve fewer than 25 people. State and local standards usually involve only construction and design, although some states set tougher rules. New Jersey requires water quality testing before sales of property with private wells. Rhode Island requires testing when new wells are built and when property with a well is sold. But many states rely on public outreach and voluntary action to protect private well users. "There's an overall lack of education," Campbell said. He meets with well owners from Montana to Missouri, providing free inspections and advice. A lot of harm can be prevented if owners make sure the well's top keeps out debris and that the pump is turned off before a storm to keep out floodwaters. Experts recommend testing after a flood and decontaminating wells with chlorine if a problem is found. "People aren't regularly testing," said Riley Mulhern, an environmental engineer at the research group RTI International. Students Wesley Hayes, left, and Lori Parker, of Northeastern University, process water samples while taking part in a testing program sponsored by Mississippi State University, May 12, 2022, in Warren County, Miss. The program tests water provided by well owners for evidence of E. coli and other contaminants. Experts say more intense storms driven by climate change are boosting the risk of tainted water in privately-owned wells, which are largely unregulated. They say regular sampling and simple maintenance can help protect those who drink well water. Credit: Jason Barrett/Mississippi State University via AP Indiana's health department offers testing for bacteria, lead, copper, fluoride and other contaminants. Some land-grant universities and private labs provide similar services. While many owners know how to maintain their wells, others ignore problems even if the water isn't sanitary. Water that tastes fine can still be contaminated. "I wish I had a nickel for everyone who's walked into a workshop and said, 'I've been drinking this water forever and it's fine,'" said Jason Barrett, who directs a Mississippi State University program that educates well owners. It provides free testing. But where such assistance isn't available, costs can run to a few hundred dollars, according to experts. Some owners avoid testing because they are concerned it will reveal an expensive problem. Johnson, the Illinois resident whose well was fouled by the 2013 downpour that killed four people and caused $465 million in flood damage, paid about $3,500 for repairs and upgrades. "Luckily, none of us became ill," she said. Even ordinary rainstorms can carry diseases into groundwater, said Mark Borchardt, a microbiologist formerly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "A lot of times people say, 'Well, no one got sick,'" Borchardt said. "It's hard to see when people get sick unless it is a huge outbreak." Bea and Neil Jobe live in Primm Springs, Tennessee, an hour's drive from Nashville. Several times a year, when there is heavy rain and a nearby creek floods, their well water turns "dingy," Bea Jobe said. The discoloration disappears after a few days but Jobe takes precautions such as keeping bottled water available. "I guess I'm used to it," she said. Explore further Climate change is pushing toxic chemicals into drinking wells 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Research led by the University of Southampton has revealed that an abrupt change in climate conditions in the North Atlantic around 800 years ago played a role in a decline in Atlantic salmon populations returning to rivers. Subsequent human exploitation of salmon combined to reduce their populations still further. Findings point to large-scale changes in the marine habitat, brought on by a transition from a warm to a cold climate and what is now known as the Little Ice Age (approx. 13001850), corresponding with a decline in salmon in the River Spey, Scotland. Lead author, Professor David Sear of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Southampton says that "these results can help us understand some of the controls on salmon populations prior to and during major human exploitation." "Our study shows that historically, beaverscommon in Scotland hundreds of years agodo not appear to have significantly impacted salmon numbers. This is very relevant today, as the animals are being reintroduced to UK rivers and a debate continues about their potential impact on migratory species like salmon." Co-author of the study, Professor Melanie Leng of the British Geological Survey, says that "this research benefited from state-of-the-art geochemistry which enabled us to fingerprint salmon abundance over hundreds of years. We show that climate has been an important influence of salmon numbers, which is very relevant today due to the speed of climate change." Atlantic Salmon lay their eggs in the gravels of headwater streams, where their young live for a year or two before migrating out to sea. Here, they feed and grow into adults, eventually returning to the river to spawn, where many die. The sperm, eggs and carcasses are rich in marine nutrients which can be detected in sediment hundreds of years later. For this study, the scientists took core samples from Loch Insh on the River Speycollecting and measuring Marine Derived Nutrients (MDNs). MDNs give an understanding of the historic population levels of salmon. The researchers used control lakes with no exposure to salmon to determine and compare background nutrient levels. The team also examined a 150-year record of net catch data from the lower Spey to help calibrate the MDN record, with fluctuations in numbers of returning salmon caught in the nets. The scientists were able to construct a 2000 year record of both salmon derived nutrients and variations in climate conditions. Their findings show: Bigger salmon populations (inferred from changes in MDN's) in the past reduced during a cooling climate at around the same time humans began to exploit themleading to a major decline in the fish over the last 800 years; Larger salmon populations in the past occurred at a time when rivers were also inhabited by beaver, which suggests migratory fish are capable of co-existing with beaver, an important concern of anglers for current beaver reintroductions; Migratory fish, such as salmon, bring marine nutrients into our nutrient poor upland rivers and probably represented a major boost to aquatic and wetland ecosystems in the pastwith a decline in nutrients negatively affecting these ecosystems today. This study, published in the international journal The Holocene, is led by the University of Southampton, working with the British Geological Survey. It is the first to use MDNs to measure Atlantic Salmon, although the method has previously been used for Pacific Salmon in northwest U.S. and Canada. Explore further Two pathogens linked to salmon health and survival in British Columbia More information: David Sear et al, Climate and human exploitation have regulated Atlantic salmon populations in the River Spey, Scotland, over the last 2000 years, The Holocene (2022). David Sear et al, Climate and human exploitation have regulated Atlantic salmon populations in the River Spey, Scotland, over the last 2000 years,(2022). DOI: 10.1177/09596836221095983 Scanning electron micrographs images of PLGA microspheres. Representative micrographs of (a) blank PLGA microspheres and (b) the blank microspheres remote-loaded with octreotide (n = 2 independent experiments). Credit: Morgan B. Giles et al, Nature Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30813-7 A new study from the University of Michigan describes one of the first entirely new drug delivery microencapsulation approaches in decades. Microencapsulation in biodegradable polymers allows drugs such as peptide therapeutics to be released over time in the body. Peptides are molecules in the body that are composed of short chains of amino acids, and include messengers, growth factors and well-known hormones such as insulin. Because of their larger size and structure, peptide drugs are rarely given by mouth and must be injected. Microencapsulation is one way to decrease the time needed between injections. One slow-release delivery method for peptide drugs is to encapsulate them within the type of resorbable polymers often used as dissolving sutures, said study co-author Steven Schwendeman, professor of pharmaceutical sciences and biomedical engineering. However, development of polymer dosage forms for delivery of certain peptide drugs has been difficult because the currently available methods to microencapsulate the peptide molecules in the polymer require organic solvents and complex manufacturing. "The Schwendeman group discovered about 10 years ago that peptides can bind and enter the polymer spontaneously from water to microencapsulate the peptide very simply without organic solvent," Schwendeman said. At that time, the group showed that the concept potentially worked, but it was not yet commercially useful, he said. "This paper demonstrates that this concept can be performed to efficiently create equivalent or even improved injectable biodegradable polymer particles relative to existing commercial products, which slowly release several different peptides for more than one month, providing one of the first entirely new microencapsulation approaches in decades," Schwendeman said. Schwendeman and colleagues discovered that if they made the polymer first and equilibrated the peptide with the polymer microspheres in water under certain conditions, they could achieve a very similar result as the conventional organic-solvent based method of drug encapsulation. In the current study, the researchers found that leuprolide encapsulated in this way released peptides for over 56 days in the lab and suppressed testosterone production in rats in a manner equivalent to that of the one-month Lupron Depot injection. Leuprolide injections are used to treat prostate cancer, endometriosis and other conditions. This encapsulation method works with several other peptide drugs on the market and for others that have recently been approved or in development, Schwendeman said. The group is now expanding the ability to encapsulate different types of peptides and other large molecular drugs, delivering the drugs over longer time periods, and developing a second technique to remotely load drugs into the polymer, which is focused on fragile proteins. The study appears in Nature Communications. Co-authors include Anna Schwendeman, professor of pharmaceutical sciences and U-M alumni Morgan Giles, Justin Hong, Yayuan Liu, Jie Tang, Tinghui Li and Avital Beig. Explore further New polymer detection method in the fight against water pollution More information: Morgan B. Giles et al, Efficient aqueous remote loading of peptides in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Morgan B. Giles et al, Efficient aqueous remote loading of peptides in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid),(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30813-7 USAID and KOICA sign first MOU in Vietnam on environmental protection The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation to reduce pollution, mitigate climate change in the Mekong Delta, and accelerate the transition to clean energy in Vietnam. USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock and KOICA Country Director Cho Han Deog signed the MOU. The United States is committed to cooperating with our global partners to collectively address the climate crisis, said Mission Director Yastishock. We are pleased to cooperate with KOICA to deliver on our shared goal with Vietnam of an environmentally resilient future. KOICA is putting environment and climate action at the center of its development cooperation. I believe that we could be more effective in our efforts to save our planet by working together rather than by working alone, said KOICA Country Director Cho Han Deog. By working together at the operational level, USAID and KOICA intend to strengthen the impact and increase the efficiency of their programs and achieve better measurable outcomes for the people of Vietnam. Through cooperation, the two agencies will pursue shared development goals including, but not limited to reducing plastic and other types of pollution and improving solid waste management; enhancing biodiversity; mitigating emissions from the agricultural sector; increasing adaptation strategies of vulnerable populations in the Mekong Delta; and accelerating renewable energy development and deployment at the central and urban levels. USAID has a number of initiatives focusing on combating climate change and strengthening environmental security and protection in Vietnam. This includes developing clean energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting the natural environment including forests and threatened species, and engaging with local communities on environmental pollution issues, such as air pollution, waste management, and water conservation. Since 2010, USAID has provided assistance to Vietnams environment and energy sector. USAID currently implements 11 environment and energy projects in Vietnam, with a total combined value of over $160 million. KOICA is committed to tackling climate change and promoting green growth. It is in the process of increasing its portfolio of related cooperation projects. In Vietnam, particular attention is paid to waste-to-energy, marine plastic pollution, pollution monitoring, and forest conservation and its sustainable management. KOICA is trying to solve these problems through cooperation with various partners including academia, startups and private businesses where possible. Map of our survey plan in and around the Guerrero gap offshore the Pacific coast of Mexico near Acapulco. We are underway on our 48-day long expedition offshore of the west coast of Mexico near Acapulco, where the young Cocos oceanic plate dives beneath the North American plate. Most of this subduction zone, often referred to as "the Mexican segment of the Middle America Trench," has produced large earthquakes in the last 100 years, including the dramatic 8.0-magnitude Michoacan earthquake in 1985 that killed more than 10,000 people in Mexico City. One of the exceptions is the Guerrero seismic gap. This portion of the Mexican subduction zone has not ruptured in a large (M>7) earthquake since at least 1911. Instead, large and relatively shallow slow-slip eventswhich release energy slowly over days to months without generating strong seismic wavesoccur there approximately every 35 years. Up to now, we do not fully understand why the Guerrero gap has a distinct slip behavior than its neighboring segments that regularly rupture in great earthquakes. Fluids (e.g. seawater) delivered into the subduction zone by the incoming oceanic plate are commonly invoked by scientists to explain the occurrence of slow slip events in other subduction zones worldwide, although evidence of fluids in the Guerrero gap and elsewhere remains very limited. With this project, we want to better quantify the volume and distribution of fluids in the incoming oceanic plate, their fate at depth as well as the variations in the amount of fluids between the Guerrero gap and its neighboring segments in order to explore how fluids contribute to the presence of slow-slip events in the shallow part of this gap. During our cruise, we are using sound waves to probe under the seafloor to look for the plate boundary fault zone or "megathrust fault" (where the two tectonic plates meet on the seafloor) down to a depth of about 15 kilometers, and to characterize the architecture and properties of the downgoing and overriding plates. For our investigation, we are making use of Columbia University's R/V Marcus G. Langseth operated by the Office of Marine Operations at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Our survey, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, will be the first-ever active-source seismic imaging study within the Guerrero gap and its neighboring segments. R/V Marcus G. Langseth anchored in the port of Manzanillo, Mexico. Credit: Brandon Shuck In the first part of the cruise, we are using ocean-bottom seismometers from the Ocean Bottom Seismometer Instrument Center at the Woods Hole Institution of Oceanography. We deploy the seismometers on the seafloor along pre-defined profiles to record sound waves generated by the high-quality and powerful sound source of the R/V Marcus G. Langseth. The reflection and refraction of the sound waves through the subseafloor will provide important information about the properties of the different layers in the subsurface (e.g. their composition and presence of fluids). In the second part of the cruise, we will be using the same sound source and will be towing a 15-kilometer-long cable that comprises 1,200 hydrophones spaced 12.5 meters apart. This long cable or "streamer" will record the echoes coming from different layers in the subsurface and produce images of the architecture of the subseafloor, including the amount and style of faulting. This project involves a strong collaboration with Mexican and Japanese collaborators. Mexican collaborators from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Victor Manuel Cruz-Atienza and Jorge Real-Perez, are sailing with us. Since 2017, they have had an amphibious array of broadband seismometers and geodetic stations deployed in the Guerrero gap. This array is able to record small background earthquakes and tectonic tremors, as well as silent deformation associated with slow-slip events or stress build-up. Combining our active-source seismic observations with their passive-source seismic observations will be a very powerful tool to understand how this seismic gap works, with the ultimate goal of better assessing the long-term earthquake potential of this anomalous region and the associated hazards for local Mexican inhabitants. Explore further Innovative approach for investigating subduction slip budgets Provided by State of the Planet Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain For baby boomers, it was Stonewall. For many in Generation X, it was the AIDS crisis and for millennials, it was the legalization of gay marriage. Those battles over whether all Americans have equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation, helped shape each of those generations and experts say Generation Z, where more than 20% of Americans identify as LGBTQ, are reaping the benefits of those fights. "I think we've done a really good job collectively of understanding that you are who you are, like, there's no one right way to be in the community," said 19-year-old Olivia Julianna, a Houston-based activist who identifies as queer. "It's just accepting people for who they are," Julianna said. Overall, a record 7.1% of adults in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, according a Gallup poll released this year. But about 21% of adults in Julianna's generationthose born between 1997 and 2003identified as LBTQ in the poll, compared to 10.5% of millennials, 4.2% of Gen Xers and 2.6% of baby boomers. Changes in attitudes towards LGBTQ identities, increased visibility and access to information through the internet are among the factors that contribute to younger adults feeling more comfortable identifying as LGBTQ, experts said. The LGBTQ community's fights for acceptance and equal rights are still ongoing, and the pending Supreme Court decision on abortion threatens to open a new front in that war. But as more Gen Zers enter adulthood, the proportion of LGBTQ adults will likely keep growing, said Gallup senior editor Jeff Jones. "If the ones who are still 17 and younger are just like the people in the generation who are 18 and older, the numbers should increase. But it's possible, too, that the younger generation might be even more likely to identify than the other part of that generation," Jones said. Generational differences Gen Z has grown up amid the Supreme Court's recognition of same-sex marriage in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and shifts in acceptance of LGBTQ identities. But for that to happen, previous generations paved the way. Baby boomers and Gen Xers were at the frontlines of the LGBTQ liberation movement during the mid-to-late 20th-century and came out of a "generation of repression, violence, institutionalization," said Laura Westengard, coordinator of the gender and sexuality studies program at the New York City College of Technology. Baby boomers, for instance, lived through the 1969 Stonewall uprising, an event catalyzed by a police raid and a turning point in LGBTQ rights. Gen Z is "benefiting from the history of LGBTQ activism and protests," Westengard said. "And that has opened up the possibilities for exploring and naming non-heteronormative ways of being, but also, they are generationally distanced from those circumstances." Unlike previous generations, Gen Z is coming of age online, with access to LGBTQ content and communities without the need of physical proximity. "LGBTQ communities have thrived in certain ways since the advent of internet because it's allowed people to connect with each other and seek out information from the privacy of their home and maybe, you know, clear their browser history and no one has to know about it," Westengard said. Julianna said TikTok allowed her to find "a community that I had never been able to get to because of where I grew up where I lived." "I was able to find people on TikTok, who were open or who would answer questions and talk about their experiences and that allowed me to realize a lot of truths about myself as well," she said. "If I hadn't been on TikTok in the way that I was, I don't know that I would have realized as soon as I did, or I don't know if I ever would have actually realized." Young people were born in a time of changing attitudes towards LGBTQ identities due to several factors, including increased visibility in media, said Amy Adamczyk, a sociology professor at the City University of New York. "In 20 years, we went from 'homosexuality is really problematic' to 'everybody is very liberal on that issue'," Adamczyk said. "I think that's really important for understanding Generation Z, because they are the first cohort that comes into the room and everything is all set for them." 'A lot of work to do' The rise in the number of young people who identify openly as LGBTQ doesn't mean Gen Z is free from oppression and the challenges related to gender and sexuality, Westengard said. "It's amazing that Gen Z has a new relationship with their own gender and sexuality, but they also still have a lot of work to do," Westengard said. LGBTQ youth today face anti-trans bills across the nation, as well as legislation targeting conversations around sexuality and gender identity in schools. Meanwhile, books with LGBTQ characters have been disproportionately targeted in a wave of book-banning in the country. And experts have said the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade could open the door to the reconsideration and reversal of other established rights, including marriage equality. "LGBTQ-plus rights are completely tied to reproductive health care and abortion rights," Julianna said. "The number one thing we can do is...to have support systems in place for ourselves as a community, meaning we can be there for each other emotionally or financially if or when Obergefell v. Hodges or Roe v. Wade is struck down." As an activist, Julianna said she focuses on the candidates who show the best potential for making significant changes in her home state of Texas, particularly around reproductive rights. Last year, she helped sabotage a website meant to take in tips on violations of Texas' six-week abortion ban. Civic engagement, Julianna said, is important to protect LGBTQ rights, but shouldn't be limited to voting in presidential or congressional elections as local races, too, are crucial. "We could increase access to resources," Julianna said, "but we can also start to shift the narrative by having people who were openly allies or openly queer themselves in positions of power, that understand the struggle and can help us maintain our rights and our freedoms." Explore further Mayo Clinic minute: The importance of cancer screenings for the LGBTQ community (c)2022 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Industry and federal efforts to alleviate a baby formula shortage in the U.S. are ramping up, with the import of foreign brands supplementing increased domestic production. It follows a crisis in which mothers, fathers and caregivers across the U.S. have had to scramble to find scarce supplies or drive long distances to buy formula. But are the efforts enough to overcome the supply problemand protect against it happening again in the future? The Conversation asked Dr. Steven Abrams, a leading expert on pediatric health at the University of Texas who has advised both the formula industry and government on infant nutrition, what parents should know about the imported formula. Remind me, what caused the shortage? First, we had a supply chain problem that affected all manner of goods since the onset of the pandemic. Then in February 2022 a major baby formula manufacturing plant in the U.S. went down. The U.S. Food and Drug Association shut down Abbott Nutrition's factory in Michigan after Abbott's nationwide recall of multiple brands of formula amid concerns over bacterial infections. The Michigan plant is the largest producer in the country, so when it went down, it put added strain on the entire U.S. formula distribution system. Are there still shortages? The situation is beginning to improve in some parts of the country. People are reporting fewer incidents of going to stores and finding no formula on the shelves. But it is patchyurban areas seem to be doing better than rural places with one store serving an area. I can see the supply issue easing further in the coming weeks. This is down to three factors: First, the domestic production of baby formula has improved. Second, imported formulaspart of the Biden Administration's Operation Fly Formula missionhave helped supplement the domestic brands. Lastly, there seems to be anecdotal evidence of less hoarding by panicked parents as time goes on. This will all help alleviate the shortage. The good news is, more relief is on the way. The factory that closed had already been allowed to release its stock of specialized formula for babies with severe allergies. And as of June 4, it also restarted production of specialty formulas after being given the green light from the FDA. However, it is expected to take 68 weeks for more routine formulas to be produced from this factory and make it to store shelves. On top of that, more shipments on the way from the U.K. and Australia will add to the shipments of specialty formula from Europe we have already seen from Nestle. Additional shipments from Mexico from Nestle of routine formula are also expected within the next few weeks. We are expecting two shipments in the coming days. It will take a few days to get to stores, but parents should start seeing them on the shelves soon. What do American parents need to know about imported formula? Formula from Europe, Australia and Mexico are labeled differently: as "stage 1" formula for newborns and up to 12 months and "stage 2" for babies over six months. And their mixing instructions are different. For a start, EU and Australia formula uses milliliters rather than ounces. Some, but not all, will have substantially different powder to water ratios. Parents will need to pay attention to this. Anyone preparing imported formula will need to take careful note of the mixing instructionstoo much powder and you will over-concentrate the formula, risking too much salt. Over-diluting will mean too little salt and nutrients. In addition, two of the brands being imported will include formula made from goats milk proteinthe Australian firm Bubs and the U.K. company Kendamil. This isn't uncommon in the rest of the world, but in the U.S., all animal-based infant formula is based on cow's milk. This isn't a bad thing. Some scientific evidence suggests goat's milk is more digestible for babies than cow's milk. The other thing to note is that we are still waiting on the FDA to find out which of the imported formulas will get approved for distribution through the federal food program called WIC. WIC provides formula for a majority of babies in low-income families. How has the shortage affected low-income families? A majority of all parents will feed babies with formula at some point to meet their nutritional needs, especially older infants. At birth and in days immediately after, around 80% of babies receive all their nutrition through breast milk. But by the age of six months, the majority of babies get at least some formula. The proportion of 1-year-old babies receiving formula is even higher. This is largely the result of social dynamics and pressuresmothers going back to work after giving birth, but not receiving sufficient support to produce and store sufficient amounts of breast milk. But the shortage has affected some parents more than others. And not surprisingly, the most affected parents are those on the lowest income. During the shortage, some families drove long distances to find stores selling formula. Obviously that is harder to do for poorer families, as there are costs involved. Likewise, more affluent parents have been able to buy more expensive, so-called elite brand formulas. The other thing to note is that the shortage affected both regular infant formula and specialized versions. Regular or standard formula is the type most families are familiar with, and around 95% of formula-fed babies get the standard type. Specialized formula is for babies with unusual requirements, due to allergies, damaged intestines or special nutritional needs. Why is getting sufficient supplies of formula so important? In the first six months, babies should only have breast milk or formulaanything else fed to them will be nutritionally incomplete. So there is a risk that a shortage will mean that babies will not be getting the nutrition they need to develop. That could lead to a range of health problems affecting their physical growth and brain development. Then there are concerns that parents may be using unsafe alternatives, like watering down their baby's formula. People have been known to try and make their own by mixing powdered milk or vegan milk with vitamins. Not only are these alternatives nutritionally incomplete, they may not be entirely sterile. Indeed, we have seen reports of babies being hospitalized as a result of being fed homemade formula. After the age of six months, things get a little better once the infant is able to start eating solid food. But even then, formula or breast milk remains the primary source of nutrition. So there may still be a risk of nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiencies. Are there any viable alternatives? Over the age of six months of age, for only reasonably short periods of time, parents can feed infants whole cow's milk and look into iron supplements. It isn't ideal, and only applies for older babies. For those under six months old, cow's milk is a real problem. It doesn't have the right protein blend for babies and has next to no ironrisking anemia in very young babies. Cow's milk also has a misbalance of minerals, especially for younger babies. What can be done to prevent this situation from happening again in the U.S.? First we need to help families regain confidence in the formula production and supply system. This will prevent problems such as hoarding or making home brew formulasthe worst thing would be that those who have moved to homemade formulas continue to do so after stocks are supplied. Then we need to look at how to make sure one plant going down doesn't affect the whole system. The federal government can't stockpile formula in the same way it might stockpile oil, as formula has a shelf life. But diversifying infant formula production is a possibility. This would involve making sure multiple factories and companies are making the formulas that this country needs. Competition could potentially drive down prices. One positive to come from the shortage is that it is introducing new entrants into the U.S. market. Meanwhile, there is now a recognition that the U.S. needs to diversify its production of formula. I believe America also needs to look at the country's breastfeeding support system. Don't get me wrong: Some parents will always need formula. But those who want to breastfeed need everything possible done to support them. That includes better family leave policies, and help for low-income mothers who want to pump and store milk while they work. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: UCL Mathematical and Physical Sciences from London, UK - McMurdo Station and Ross Ice Shelf, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50490545 University of Canterbury researchers have published the world's first study confirming the discovery of microplastics in fresh snow in Antarctica. Most people see Antarctica as a pristine, relatively untouched place, but a new study published today (8 June) has revealed the presence of microplasticsplastic pieces much smaller than a grain of ricein freshly fallen Antarctic snow for the first time. These findings, "First evidence of microplastics in Antarctic snow" published in the scientific journal The Cryosphere, bring light to a serious threat to the Antarctic. Research has found that microplastics have negative impacts on environmental health (limiting growth, reproduction, and general biological functions in organisms, as well as negative implications for humans). On a wider scale, the presence of microplastic particles in the air has the potential to influence the climate by accelerating melting of snow and ice. University of Canterbury Ph.D. student Alex Aves collected snow samples from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica in late 2019 as part of Gateway Antarctica's Postgraduate Certificate of Antarctic Studies. (Gateway Antarctica is the Centre for Antarctic Studies and Research at the University of Canterbury.) At the time, there had been few studies investigating the presence of microplastics in the air, and it was unknown how widespread this problem was. "When Alex traveled to Antarctica in 2019, we were optimistic that she wouldn't find any microplastics in such a pristine and remote location," Associate Professor in Environmental Physics Dr. Laura Revell says. In addition to more remote sites, "we asked her to collect snow off the Scott Base and McMurdo Station roadways, so she'd have at least some microplastics to study." Once back in the lab, it quickly became obvious there were plastic particles in every sample from the remote sites on the Ross Ice Shelf too, and that the findings would be of global significance. Aves, who recently graduated with a Master of Antarctic Studies degree with Distinction, says she was shocked by her findings. "It's incredibly sad but finding microplastics in fresh Antarctic snow highlights the extent of plastic pollution into even the most remote regions of the world," she says. "We collected snow samples from 19 sites across the Ross Island region of Antarctica and found microplastics in all of these." "Looking back now, I'm not at all surprised," Associate Professor Revell says. "From the studies published in the last few years we've learned that everywhere we look for airborne microplastics, we find them." Aves analyzed snow samples using a chemical analysis technique (micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to identify the type of plastic particles present. The plastic particles were also looked at under a microscope to identify their color, size and shapeall important observational information for future work. The paper found an average of 29 microplastic particles per liter of melted snow, which is higher than marine concentrations reported previously from the surrounding Ross Sea and in Antarctic sea ice. Immediately next to the scientific bases on Ross Island, Scott Base, and McMurdo Station, the largest station in Antarctica, the density of microplastics was nearly 3-times higher, with similar concentrations to those found in Italian glacier debris. There were 13 different types of plastic found, with the most common being PET, commonly used to make soft drink bottles and clothing. The possible sources of microplastics were examined. "Atmospheric modeling suggested microplastics may have traveled thousands of kilometers through the air, however it is equally likely the presence of humans in Antarctica has established a microplastic 'footprint,'" the researchers say. Antarctica New Zealand environmental advisor Natasha Gardiner has described this UC research as "of huge value." "Alex and her colleagues' research enables Antarctic Treaty Parties to make evidence-based decisions regarding the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution in the future. It improves our understanding of the extent of plastic pollution near to Scott Base and where it's coming from. We can use this information to reduce plastic pollution at its source and inform our broader environmental management practices," she says. "Importantly, this research project also informs policy at the international level, and we have submitted a paper on the findings to the forthcoming Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting." Explore further Microplastics threaten typical remote cryospheric regions More information: Alex R. Aves et al, First evidence of microplastics in Antarctic snow, The Cryosphere (2022). Alex R. Aves et al, First evidence of microplastics in Antarctic snow,(2022). DOI: 10.5194/tc-16-2127-2022 Artist's rendition of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA Micrometeoroid strikes are an unavoidable aspect of operating any spacecraft, which routinely sustain many impacts over the course of long and productive science missions in space. Between May 23 and 25, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact to one of its primary mirror segments. After initial assessments, the team found the telescope is still performing at a level that exceeds all mission requirements despite a marginally detectable effect in the data. Thorough analysis and measurements are ongoing. Impacts will continue to occur throughout the entirety of Webb's lifetime in space; such events were anticipated when building and testing the mirror on the ground. After a successful launch, deployment, and telescope alignment, Webb's beginning-of-life performance is still well above expectations, and the observatory is fully capable of performing the science it was designed to achieve. Webb's mirror was engineered to withstand bombardment from the micrometeoroid environment at its orbit around sun-Earth L2 of dust-sized particles flying at extreme velocities. While the telescope was being built, engineers used a mixture of simulations and actual test impacts on mirror samples to get a clearer idea of how to fortify the observatory for operation in orbit. This most recent impact was larger than was modeled, and beyond what the team could have tested on the ground. "We always knew that Webb would have to weather the space environment, which includes harsh ultraviolet light and charged particles from the sun, cosmic rays from exotic sources in the galaxy, and occasional strikes by micrometeoroids within our solar system," said Paul Geithner, technical deputy project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "We designed and built Webb with performance marginoptical, thermal, electrical, mechanicalto ensure it can perform its ambitious science mission even after many years in space." For example, due to careful work by the launch site teams, Webb's optics were kept cleaner than required while on the ground; their pristine cleanliness improves the overall reflectivity and throughput, thereby improving total sensitivity. This and other performance margins make Webb's science capabilities robust to potential degradations over time. Furthermore, Webb's capability to sense and adjust mirror positions enables partial correction for the result of impacts. By adjusting the position of the affected segment, engineers can cancel out a portion of the distortion. This minimizes the effect of any impact, although not all of the degradation can be canceled out this way. Engineers have already performed a first such adjustment for the recently affected segment C3, and additional planned mirror adjustments will continue to fine tune this correction. These steps will be repeated when needed in response to future events as part of the monitoring and maintenance of the telescope throughout the mission. To protect Webb in orbit, flight teams can use protective maneuvers that intentionally turn the optics away from known meteor showers before they are set to occur. This most recent hit was not a result of a meteor shower and is currently considered an unavoidable chance event. As a result of this impact, a specialized team of engineers has been formed to look at ways to mitigate the effects of further micrometeoroid hits of this scale. Over time, the team will collect invaluable data and work with micrometeoroid prediction experts at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to be able to better predict how performance may change, bearing in mind that the telescope's initial performance is better than expected. Webb's tremendous size and sensitivity make it a highly sensitive detector of micrometeorites; over time Webb will help improve knowledge of the solar system dust particle environment at L2, for this and future missions. "With Webb's mirrors exposed to space, we expected that occasional micrometeoroid impacts would gracefully degrade telescope performance over time," said Lee Feinberg, Webb optical telescope element manager at NASA Goddard. "Since launch, we have had four smaller measurable micrometeoroid strikes that were consistent with expectations and this one more recently that is larger than our degradation predictions assumed. We will use this flight data to update our analysis of performance over time and also develop operational approaches to assure we maximize the imaging performance of Webb to the best extent possible for many years to come." This recent impact caused no change to Webb's operations schedule, as the team continues to check out the science instruments' observing modes and prepares for the release of Webb's first images and the start of science operations. Despite research showing that a majority of Americans support legalized abortion, the Supreme Court is expected to overturn or limit Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Credit: Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash Regardless of race, ethnicity and even political party preference, two separate UCLA-led surveys reveal that majorities of people in each group support access to legal abortion in the United States. Recent large-scale surveys of voters and non-voters by UCLA political scientists Lorrie Frasure, Matt Barreto, Lynn Vavreck and Chris Tausanovitch took a pulse on a variety of policy issues, including abortion. These separate findings support previous research and literature that shows broad support for legal abortion. Data from The Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project, led by Vavreck and Tausanovitch show broad support for abortion across political party lines. Nationscape was a weekly survey fielded from July 2019 through January 2021, reaching nearly 500,000 voters and non-voters representative of the U.S. adult population. Most Democrats and Republicansas well as independentssaid they do not think abortion should be outlawed completely. And, according to Nationscape data, most also agreed that abortion should not be limited only to instances of rape, incest or threat to the life of the mother. Despite the two major political parties' platforms generally taking opposing positions on abortionDemocrats support, Republicans opposethere are people aligned with the Republican party who support legal abortion and people aligned with the Democratic party who oppose abortion. But for these cross-positioned voters, it's important to note that abortion is not their biggest priority, Vavreck said. Credit: UCLA Credit: UCLA Nationscape researchers know this because of a unique approach they employed to test what matters most to the electorate, essentially forcing survey respondents to make choices based on groupings of hot-button topics. The survey included 44 different policy statements and 8 hypothetical attributes of political candidates. A set of these statements were randomized into two groups of options. Survey respondents were asked to choose which group most aligned with their priorities. For example, a Democrat who opposes legal abortion might be faced with two groupings of policy statementsone that included limiting or ending abortion. But, if the other group of policy statements held items that were more important to that person, like not deporting undocumented immigrants, they would select that option. The same held true the other way for Republicans who support legal abortion. If the other bucket of topics included things they cared more about than abortion, that was their choice. "This happens on other issues beside abortion too, and what this tells us is that these voters and potential voters are not cross-pressured within their party. They're not torn. They just have other prioritiesthey are cross-positioned, but not cross-pressured," Vavreck said. "These surveys demonstrate that vast majorities support keeping abortion legal but that doesn't necessarily mean that this issue is going to be pivotal to their vote choice." The fourth and largest installment of the Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, or CMPS, led by Frasure and Barreto, alongside Janelle Wong from University of Maryland, College Park, and Edward Vargas from Arizona State University, asked several questions about abortion, reporting results based on the race of respondents. This survey is conducted after every presidential election, and its questions are drafted by a broad consortium of race and ethnicity politics scholars from across the United States. In 2020, the CMPS was offered in 10 languages to nearly 15,000 respondents. CMPS data, by way of several questions, show broad support for abortion across four self-reported racial groupsAsian, Black, Latino and white. Overall, majorities from all groups reported they either support legal abortion or are neutral on the issue, with broad margins of support across all racial and ethnic groups. Credit: UCLA Credit: UCLA "Although the CMPS data was collected before news of the Supreme Court leak, it nonetheless reaffirms what decades of public opinion research has found across every racial and ethnic group, Americans support safe and legal access to abortion," said Barreto, who added that there are very low rates of opposition to abortion rights for women. "The CMPS study makes clear that among Black, Latino, Asian and White Americans alike, there remains strong support for maintaining the protections of Roe v. Wade," Barreto said. When asked if limiting abortion was a specific priority for their racial community, most respondents said that it was a low priority. Explore further The Lancet warns US Supreme Court over abortion Credit: Shutterstock When COVID forced school closures, many parents found themselves more involved than ever with their children's learning. For some parents, it was hard work but broadly achievable. Many migrant parents, however, found themselves at a distinct disadvantage. Parental engagement is strongly linked to student learning outcomes. With learn-from-home likely to return the next time there is a pandemic or other emergency, it's important we understand why many migrant families found this mode of education delivery so incredibly challengingand how the system can be improved. We interviewed 20 migrant parents from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan who told us about the complex challenges they faced during lockdowns. Language and technological barriers Many of our interviewees told us limited English language proficiency made it hard to engage with their children's learning. Understanding school and government messages was often a struggle. One parent said: "My daughter has a very native accent, and it is difficult for me to understand what she says [] Sometimes I do not understand what she wants or how I should help her. When I approached the school, they sent me English emails that I didn't understand." The pandemic also highlighted Australia's digital divide; some participants struggled to set up their digital devices. Limited parental digital literacy makes difficult to monitor student learning, especially in large families. Some parents told us they knew their kids only pretended they were on school tasks, while really watching YouTube or playing games. Financial pressure and competing demands Our interviewees also reported intense financial stress during lockdowns. As children stayed home for an extended period, grocery and utility bills soared. One parent told us: "You need to spend more. They eat more; they want to play in the bathtub. They watch TV; I have to use the vacuum cleaner and washing machine more often." Parents had to also buy tablet devices and printers for children to participate in remote learning. Worrying their children were not doing schoolwork properly, some paid for tutoring and spent more on books. Many parents worked full time during the pandemic and had limited time to educate their children. One participant reflected: "I have to work and be a teacher at the same time. It is not possible." Another said: "I am a single mum with four kids from Year 1 to year 7. [] I have to deal with four different age groups, four schools, four classes, and four iPads. [] Sometimes, I need to cut my sleep hours, which again makes me wake up tired." Uncertainty and withdrawal Some parents eventually withdrew from their children's education: "I have asked my children to do their duties on their own. [] In the case of my little son, I only know that he progresses through his course, can pass his units, and proceed to the next year, but I am not aware of his academic situation." Reflecting on his inability to support his children's learning during the lockdowns, one parent told us, "it's out of my hands." Another told her child's school: "Look, you need to provide me with simpler guidance. I'm not a teacher; provide me with a bit simpler communication; what they need to study, what they need to learn." A sigh of relief Almost all parents who participated in our study reported remote learning was exhausting. One parent said: "You get tired of your children; you're connected to them, that is good, but now it's too much. I can't wait until they get back to school." Some parents worried about the potential strain of remote schooling on their relationships with their children. One single mother, working full time while her child was home alone, told us: "I had to teach him while he was very impatient and expected me to know the answer for everything. When I was a little unsure about any subject, he got angry and miffed. So, I decided not to help him [] I told him: "Look, do whatever you can and leave the rest undone; when you get back to school, ask your teacher." I came to the conclusion that the bond and the relationships between a son and a mother are far more important than schooling and learning." Others in the study also reiterated the importance of not putting too much pressure on already distressed children. Emergency remote learning may return Our research showed migrant parents faced myriad challenges during the remote learning period, with some only able to engage in a limited way with their children's education. Remote learning may very well return in future when the next disaster strikes, so it's crucial we prepare for such disruption by improving equitable access to education delivered online and at home. To achieve this, we must ensure: all students have access to digital remote learning devices disadvantaged families receive additional support (including financial and language support) during remote learning periods all parents are well informed about their roles and responsibilities, and school messages are easy to understand. Explore further Children's behavior at home worse during remote learning This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. GLENS FALLS The city will host a pair of public information meetings to update residents on the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Program on Monday. The meetings will allow for Mayor Bill Collins and representatives from Bonacio Construction to discuss the progress of the DRI and answer questions from residents in attendance. During the meetings, there will be presentations about the citys new Market Center, which will be the new home of the citys Farmers Market and other events, and information about the buildings that will be renovated the former Hot Shots building at 45 South St., the former Sandys Clam Bar at 41 South St., and the former incubator building at 36 Elm St. Updated sketches were not available on Tuesday, but Collins said that there will be graphic design poster boards created by Albany-based architect firm Envision Architects for the Market Center building on display during the public meetings. The public meetings for the DRI will take place at two different times and places on Monday. The first will be from noon to 2 p.m. in the Christine McDonald Community Room at Crandall Library, and the other will be held at The Park Theater from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Another topic of conversation will be the proposed parking garage, which Collins said would be best placed at the current parking lot on Elm Street. The place that has been examined the most is clearly Elm Street, Collins said. The city recently applied for a $12 million grant to help pay for the garage, which is now considered a transportation hub. According to the current plans for phases one and two of the South Street portion of the DRI, there will be 100 new apartments coming downtown. Bonacio Construction is handling both phases. Collins said that is a reason the city needs more parking. He has heard from stakeholders that there are concerns. Collins said that one business owner told him that the city has enough parking that people dont properly utilize. Collins said that opinion provided helpful insight for the city. We have, right now if you look at downtown Glens Falls, all of the free parking is best parking and the paid parking is the least desirable, he said. Collins said that he doesnt know if most businesses have employees park off of the busier downtown streets like Ridge Street. He said that he asks City Hall employees to do that. To look into a parking solution, Collins said that the city needs a parking study to look at where people are currently parking to come up with a solution, along with the proposed parking garage. When the city paid for LED streetlights in 2021, Collins said that officials obtained technology to add 150 sensors to collect data on what would be considered the best spots in the downtown area. On Ridge, Maple, Glen. All of the key areas, Collins said. While there are no other definite plans in the works, with the study starting in June and not expected to be completed until the fall, Collins said that he believes the study could guide the city into the 21st century. He mentioned that other places, such as Schenectady and Lake George, use parking apps to collect potential payment and show what parking is available. Were going to let the study talk about these things, Collins said. He noted that the city will also learn how much funding, if any, it will receive from the grant that was applied for in the fall. 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 1 Sad 1 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. ATLANTIC CITY The Planning Board on Tuesday gave site plan approval for Phase 1 of a maintenance and operations facility for rsted North America, to be built on the waterfront at the end of a residential street in the Bungalow Park neighborhood. Approval is contingent on rsted installing solar-powered stop signs to make all intersections on New Jersey Avenue, from Route 30 to the site, into four-way stops. It also must consider other traffic calming measures in consultation with the city, said Planning Board attorney Joel Fleishman. rsted is an offshore wind farm developer that has state approval to build two large wind farms off the Atlantic City coast, and promises to provide hundreds of jobs for local and state residents. We all understand there is ongoing controversy, predominantly with transportation through the community, said Planning Board member Anthony Vraim after his yes vote. I think it is a great development for the neighborhood and city, if we can just resolve some of these (concerns) as to traffic and things like that. Phase 1 includes building bulkheads to stabilize the 4.5-acre lot and docks to accommodate six vessels, rsted representatives said. The boats will take engineers and technicians out to build two offshore wind farms, and then maintain and operate them. Ocean City to BPU: Do not approve power line path for offshore wind OCEAN CITY City Council last week took a unanimous stand against a proposal to run power l About 50 to 70 workers will use New Jersey Avenue each day at about 6 a.m. as they arrive to start their 12-hour shift and catch a boat to the worksite. The same number of workers will finish their shift about 6 p.m. and will exit by the same route, according to rsted. Several residents of the area have expressed concern for weeks over the increased traffic the site will generate during its construction and operation, and about how it will affect property values. But the project meets requirements of a 2020 redevelopment plan and does not require variances, board members said. rsted was named the redeveloper of the site a former oil depot for several gas companies in 2020. The use of the site was predetermined in that redevelopment agreement, said Jack Plackter, the attorney representing rsted. Plackter said the company understands neighborhood concerns and will continue to work with residents to alleviate them. Bungalow Park residents skeptical of rsted wind farm maintenance hub ATLANTIC CITY rsted North America representatives tried to reassure residents at a meetin We consider this to be an $18 million to $20 million investment. We are asking for no PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) and no city investment. We will pay property taxes, said rsted executive Richard Grist. We are taking a blighted and contaminated site and redeveloping it and bringing it back into clean uses. He said rsted has an agreement with former owner Exxon Mobil to enable the oil company to complete its cleanup of the site. It was contaminated with petroleum products decades ago. The approval also is subject to rsted getting all needed state approvals for the project, and sending proof of the approvals to the city. Phase 2 of the project, construction of a building and other improvements, will be before the board soon, said city Planning and Development Director Barbara Woolley Dillon. 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. BUENA After disputes over the fate of a 100-year-old fire company sewed strife throughout the community, more change is coming to the borough. Doug Adams, Marina Barsuglia and Joseph Fabrizio won the Republican primary election for Borough Council on Tuesday, according to unofficial numbers posted by Atlantic County. They defeated incumbent Council member Joseph DAlessandro III and former Council President Rosalie Baker. The new Republican nominees are not expected to face competitive Democratic opposition in the November general election. This is awesome, Barsuglia told The Press of Atlantic City on Tuesday night. We just want to get our town back. Adams and Barsuglia received 330 and 327 election-day votes, respectively, for the two full-term council seats, according to the tally collected by Atlantic County. They comfortably surpassed the 122 and 110 election-day votes collected, respectively, by DAlessandro and Baker. Fabrizio, who got 355 election-day votes, was running unopposed to fill a one-year unexpired term of a vacant seat on the council. Tallies posted at the campaign headquarters of Adams, Barsuglia and Fabrizio indicated each of the three received an additional 90 to 110 votes through mail-in and absentee ballots, while DAlessandro and Baker had received 25 and 23 additional votes, respectively. Those results had not yet been posted on the county results web page as of Wednesday afternoon. Volunteers at the winning trios headquarters estimated about 600 ballots had been cast in the GOP council primary a total they said to be a large turnout for the small borough. They added the votes still needed to be certified by the county clerks, which could take several days. While they are new to council, the three winners are not total strangers to public life. Adams, 61, had been the chief of the now defunct Buena Police Department before he retired from the force in 2010. He said he had been asked to run by both Democrats and Republicans in the borough, and that he was excited to take on the new role as a council member. Its humbling, especially with a win like this, Adams said. I just hope to do a good job, be responsible and meet the expectations of the people that voted for me. Fabrizio, president of the Buena Baseball-Softball Association, said he too was approached by a bipartisan group urging him to run. Inspired by his father, who was a Franklin Township clerk for 38 years, Fabrizio said he was eager to bridge recent political divides in the community. The town is in a little bit of a divide, and I thought I could be a voice of common sense, a voice of reason, Fabrizio said. Buena council votes to drop lawsuit against Landisville fire company BUENA The borough is looking to bury the hatchet with its former fire company but the po Barsuglia, 49, is the niece of former Mayor Joseph Baruffi. She said she was running to make sure the communitys voice was heard by a transparent council. Baker, and DAlessandro could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The leadup to the primary had been dominated by disputes over the fate of the 100-year-old Landisville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company. The council unanimously voted in July 2021 to dissolve Buena Fire District No. 1, essentially putting the Landisville fire company out of commission. The territory and responsibilities of Fire District No. 1 were taken over by Buena Fire District No. 2, a municipal entity served by the Minotola Fire Company. The vote was preceded by investigations conducted by the borough and the state Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health that had uncovered more than two dozen code violations at the Landisville company. Supporters of the fire company have argued the dissolution was unfair. They noted that the Landisville company passed a state inspection in June 2021 after the investigations were completed and before the July council vote. The dissolution seems to have provoked a fierce political backlash. Three of the five council members who voted for the dissolution have since lost their bids for reelection. Then-Council President Baker and then-Council member Joseph Mancuso Jr., running as Republican incumbents, were defeated in the 2021 general election by the Democratic challengers, Gina and Patricia Andaloro a remarkable outcome given Bakers approximately 30-year career on the borough governing body and the overall tilt of the New Jersey 2021 elections toward the GOP. Adams declined to comment about particular plans for the fire company. He did say it was clear residents were dissatisfied with the present leadership in borough government. I think the vote tonight shows the overwhelming disappointment with the current administration, Adams said Tuesday. Fabrizio, while recognizing the controversy it has created, echoed his running mates and said he wanted to fully learn about the situation. The borough and Fire District No. 2 had also sued the Landisville company in a dispute over stolen property. The council voted June 2 to drop the lawsuit, although Fire District No. 2 has not given indication that it was ending litigation. Barsuglia said she could not commit to any particular actions pertaining to the Landisville company, adding any such action would likely require a long, formal process. She recognized that the dissolution of the fire district had divided the community and that many in the borough were sad to see the company stop operations. Weather: 25-degree temperature range across South Jersey Wednesday, storms to come Ocean County beaches will need sweaters while those in Cumberland County will sweat in shorts and a t-shirt. There will be a wide range of temperatures Wednesday as a cold front splits the region in two. Severe weather may then be possible late Thursday. She said her focus was not on the fire company alone but also to ensure that Buena residents could openly communicate with their council. We need to have our community be heard, Barsuglia said. No Democratic candidate was running on the ballot for council Tuesday. The county election results page indicates there were only four election-day votes cast in the Democratic council primary. Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. TRENTON State Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, used New Jerseys primary election day to voice his growing fear over voter registration, looking for support in the state Senate on legislation to clean up the states voter database. Testa on Tuesday called on his colleagues in the Senate to hold hearings on a bill he cosponsors with a handful of Republicans that would require the New Jersey secretary of state to form a voter list maintenance and crosscheck program. The bill also would call for a yearly report for the governor and state Legislature on certain voter registration data. The bill was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee on Jan. 11, according to the Legislatures website. Primary election Tuesday, here are the basics Tuesday is the primary election date in New Jersey when folks in South Jersey will decide wh Testas latest worries originate from a study on voter registration performed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a nonprofit founded in 2012 that it says serves as a public interest law firm dedicated to preserving election integrity. The study claims 8,239 New Jersey residents were registered twice or more to vote, using variations of their names. The states voter roll also has 2,398 registrants who appear to be 105 years of age or older. How the study was performed or where its curators obtained its information is unclear. The fact that we are still dealing with incorrect voter registrations after so many calls to fix our voter rolls is as infuriating as it is mystifying, Testa said in a statement Tuesday. The Senate must move forward after four-plus years of Murphy administration inaction to help secure and strengthen the faith of voters in our democratic process. Im calling on Senate leadership to schedule a hearing on legislation I have cosponsored with other members of the Republican caucus to protect the integrity of New Jerseys elections. Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin 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 union representing housekeeping workers at Atlantic Citys casinos says four of the resorts are not complying with a COVID-related requirement that hotel rooms be cleaned daily. Local 54 of the Unite Here union said Wednesday that state officials need to enforce an order issued in 2020 by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy requiring hotel rooms to be cleaned and sanitized daily. It says Caesars, Harrahs, Tropicana and the Golden Nugget don't clean each occupied hotel room each day as required by the order. The Golden Nugget says staff shortages sometimes prevent daily room cleaning, but adds any guest who requests it will get it. MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) The South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs is close to getting land for a new veterans cemetery from a public utility. Santee Cooper would donate 90 acres near its headquarters in Moncks Corner in Berkeley County under a plan approved May 24 by the state legislative panel that oversees capital improvement projects, The State reported. South Carolina has one of the nations largest per capita veteran populations, Veterans Affairs Secretary William Grimsley said. It has three national veterans cemeteries and one state veterans cemetery, and is looking to establish at least one more state veterans burial ground within the next decade, Grimsley said. The state is home to about 400,000 veterans, nearly half of whom are 65 or older, and eight major U.S. military installations. While the veteran population in South Carolina is expected to decline somewhat in the decades ahead, the state should retain a higher concentration of veterans than most others, an advantage for securing federal dollars. One or more new cemeteries would further expand the landscape of veterans services in South Carolina, which recently opened veterans nursing homes in Florence and Cherokee counties and has three more long-term care facilities for veterans in the works. Over the past year, the veterans department has been scouting potential burial sites throughout the state and is attempting to get land donations in several locations, Grimsley said. To qualify, a site must be easily accessible, have at least 60 acres of usable land with potential for expansion, be located more than 75 miles from any other veterans cemetery, among other conditions. Once Veterans Affairs owns the land, the agency can apply for a grant from the National Cemetery Administration to cover development, construction and future burial costs, while the state would be responsible for day-to-day operations, staffing and landscaping, Grimsley said. If Veterans Affairs does not receive federal grant approval, ownership reverts to the donor. Local officials are talking with owners of sites in Bamberg and Union counties about possible donation, Grimsley said. The Moncks Corner site is located along the U.S. Highway 52 bypass overlooking the Tailrace Canal and close to the historic sites of Fort Fairlawn, Stony Landing and the ruins of Biggin Church. Santee Cooper acquired the land in 1991 but subsequently determined it did not need the property and has authorized its donation to Veterans Affairs. Santee Cooper is honored to have the opportunity to play a role in bringing a veterans cemetery to our community, the utilitys general counsel wrote to the state's Joint Bond Review Committee. The land, which currently serves as a recreation area that includes an off-road bicycle trail, has been appraised at nearly $2.2 million. More than 45,000 veterans and their family members are buried in South Carolinas four existing veterans cemeteries, located in Beaufort, Florence, Anderson and at Fort Jackson in Richland County, Grimsley said. Beaufort, Florence and Fort Jackson are national cemeteries, accepting veterans from anywhere in the country. State cemeteries limit burial to South Carolina residents and service members who were stationed in the Palmetto State. In addition to veterans, the cemeteries will accept all eligible dependents of a veteran. All four of South Carolinas veterans cemeteries are active and accepting new burials, but the Beaufort and Florence national cemeteries, which were established in the 19th century, are expected to be at capacity within the next two decades, Grimsley said. M.J. Dolly Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson, which opened in 2007, should remain active in its current configuration until about 2050. Fort Jackson National Cemetery, which opened in 2009, wont be full until 2070, he said. In a previous story published June 5, 2022, The Associated Press erroneously reported veterans cemeteries can only accept one family member for burial. The cemeteries can accept all eligible dependents of a veteran. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The State. Wednesday will be a pain, weather-wise. While it will be mostly dry, its tough to say exactly when those dry windows of time will be. Thursday will bring a solid period of rain, with flooding possible. The reason for this fairly rain-free but never out-of-the-woods day is because a cold front will crawl away from the shore Wednesday. The front is essentially the spark needed to produce showers and thunderstorms. So as long as thats near and were still a bit humid, rain can fall at any point. That said, I can offer a few more details. First, Id say on average, 80% of your day will be dry in Ocean, Cumberland, Atlantic and Cape May counties. Secondly, the rain is most likely to fall before 8 a.m., when the rain that began Tuesday evening will push out, and then from 4 to 8 p.m., when a shower or storm may spark up between the unstable heating of the sun, moisture around and the cold front. Any afternoon activity will be slow moving, so rain will add up if its over you. However, itll just be in isolated areas. Otherwise, expect early clouds to give way to a mix of afternoon sun and clouds. Morning lows will start between 65 and 70 degrees, above average for this time of year. Afternoon highs will top out in the mid-80s inland. The shore will have a south wind, which is a sea breeze for us. Expect mid-70s there. Well get a dry pocket of weather between 8 p.m. and midnight, perfect for any evening plans as temperatures slide through the 70s. Itll be muggy, and probably buggy, too. Then, well get steadier rain to move in around midnight. An organized low-pressure system will move from Ohio into Upstate New York overnight. Winds will pick up from the southwest, tapping into a semi-tropical airmass from the Deep South. That will load up the atmosphere with moisture, and in any thunderstorm, the potential for flooding rains will be there with 1-inch-per-hour rates. The best likelihood for thunderstorms will be between 4 and 8 to 10 a.m. Damaging winds cannot be ruled out as the system sweeps through. Winds will turn from the southwest to the northwest Thursday morning. It will be breezy, with sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts in the 30s along the coast. Daytime highs will rise to the low 80s everywhere, due to a lack of a cooling sea breeze. Cloud cover and dew points will drop throughout the day. A cloudy and stormy morning will give way to a mostly sunny afternoon. Dew points will fall from the muggy upper 60s to the dry upper 50s. That will set us up for a very comfortable Thursday night. Well drop into the 70s and 60s under a mainly clear sky. Outdoor dining and an early start to the weekend look great. As we go overnight, lows will be between 60 and 65 degrees. Winds will still be a tad breezy. In case the wind goes calm, though, expect inland lows to be near 50. Friday will be the fully dry reprieve. Aided by low dew points and a strong June sun, it will feel similar to last weekend. High temperatures will get to around 80 in Deerfield Township and inland areas to the upper 70s in Ventnor, where I will be for part of Wednesday, and the shore. The weekend still looks to be 50-50, with a Saturday coastal storm and a likely dry Sunday. I am optimistic that Saturday wont be a washout. However, temperatures barely budging above 70 degrees, an east wind and at least a few hours of rain will be in the cards. Minor stage coastal flooding is something to keep in mind, too. Keep your outdoor plans for one more day. Ill have the timing in the next column. However, have an indoor backup plan, or rain date, ready. Contact Joe Martucci: 609-272-7247 jmartucci@pressofac.com Twitter @acpressmartucci Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in 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. Dine and Drink The Brewwmuda Triangle, a local brewing trio representing Bent River Brewing, Wake Brewing and Radicle Effect Brewerks have released their first collaborative brew, I Know A Shortcut. Formed two years ago to promote RI breweries, the trio's first release is an India Pale Ale dedicated to all the ships that got lost trying to shave time at sea by navigating through the treacherous triangle. The beer and limited-edition T-shirts, are available while supplies last at Radicle Effect Brewerks, 1340 31st St., Rock Island. Two more limited beer and merchandise releases are expected to be brewed and released at the other two locations later this year. On A Date This is the last weekend to head to Timber Lake Playhouse in Mount Carroll, Illinois, for the regional premiere of the Jimmy Buffett musical, "Escape to Margaritaville." Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all and stay to find something they never expected, features original songs and some of the most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics. On Saturday, June 10, there's a Meet the Company Cabaret after the show on the Lake Stage. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets cost $25 to $35. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 815-244-2035 or visit www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. In Real Time Visitors can drop in to area museums over the weekend and take advantage of Quad-Cities Museum Week specials, including new exhibits, discounted admissions, tours, special programs and more. Participants include Buffalo Bill Museum, Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead, Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House, Colonel Davenport House, Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village, Family Museum, Figge Art Museum, Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, Putnam Museum and the Sawmill Museum. A complete listings of museums and specials can be found at www.qcmuseumweek.com. Visitors are encouraged to post about museum experiences on social media using the hashtag #QCMuseumWeek. With the Family Grab the family and head to Bettendorf on Saturday for a showing of "Jungle Cruise." The movie, shown on a large inflatable screen at Veterans' Memorial Park, 1645 23rd St., is part of Bettendorf's 2022 Movies in the Park series. Movies start at 9 p.m. Admission is free, bring a lawn chair or a blanket. For more information, call 563-344-4113. Schedule includes: Saturday, June 18: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and Saturday, June 25: "Space Jam, A New Legacy." Weather cancellations are announced by 5 p.m. the day of the showing and will be uploaded to the events section on the Bettendorf Parks and Recreation Facebook page. Just For Fun Boyz II Men will bring their R&B show to the Quad-Cities on Saturday. The group redefined popular R&B and continues to create hits that appeal to fans across all generations. The all-ages show will take place at 8 p.m. at Rhythm City Casino Resort, 7077 Elmore Ave., Davenport. Tickets cost $45 to $90. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.rhythmcitycasino.com/event/2021/june/boyzIImen.html. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Davenport man on parole until Aug. 12, 2024, for selling methamphetamine has been sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a handgun. Justin Marion Woods, 48, was sentenced June 2 during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Davenport. In addition to his 77-month prison sentence, Woods also must serve three years on supervised release after he is released from prison. He will be given credit for time served in federal custody while awaiting trial and sentencing on the charge. There is no parole in the federal prison system. According to Scott County District Court and U.S. District Court documents, Woods was arrested July 4, 2020, by Davenport Police Officer Brandon Askew. According to Askews arrest affidavit, at 10:45 p.m., officers were sent to a stabbing that occurred near West 7th and Division streets. Woods was identified by his name and clothing description. Officers located Woods a few minutes later getting out of a Pontiac G6 behind a residence in the 1600 block of West 4th Street. Officers detained Woods after a brief standoff and then began a search of the vehicle. From under the front passenger seat where Woods had been sitting, officers located a High Point .45-caliber handgun. There were two live rounds in the magazine. Federal authorities took over the case and Woods was arrested on the charge on Sept. 9, 2021, just about a month after he was released from the Iowa Department of Corrections and placed on parole for peddling methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to the weapons charge on Feb. 4, 2022, during a hearing in U.S. District Court, Davenport. Woods was arrested on the meth charge on Sept. 18, 2018. On April 18, 2019, during a hearing in Scott County District Court, Woods pleaded guilty to a Class C felony charge of possession with the intent to deliver 3.49 grams of meth, which is 34.9 doses of methamphetamine. Woods appealed his conviction to the Iowa Court of Appeals which affirmed his conviction. Woods was ordered to begin a 10-year prison sentence on July 5, 2020, a day after he was arrested on the gun charge. Woods already had a drug conviction from 2014. He pleaded guilty to drug charges on Feb. 21, 2014, and then was sentenced April 10, 2014, to five years in prison on three Class D drug counts to run concurrently. Woods also already has served time in federal prison, although electronic records no longer indicate what his conviction was for. According to U.S. Bureau of Prisons electronic records, Woods was last released from federal custody on Nov. 29, 2005. The gun case against Woods was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings all levels of law enforcement together to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safe. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A man died early Wednesday after being shot during an encounter with Davenport police officers. At 12:48 a.m., at least one uniformed officer responded to the Caseys Convenience Store, 1691 W. 53rd St., Davenport, to investigate a report of a suspicious person tampering with the air conditioning unit on the side of the building, according to a news release from the Davenport Police Department. The officer found a man, who has not been identified, and checked to see if he was wanted on any warrants, the release states. He was, but they were not described in the release. Police say a confrontation ensued between the man and the officer, and both fired shots. The man was hit by gunfire and pronounced dead at an area hospital. Police say the officer was also injured, but the injuries were not considered life threatening. The officer was not identified but has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy. The Scott County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation will investigate the shooting. Love 6 Funny 1 Wow 4 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. A Davenport man who was released from an Iowa prison in August and is supposed to be on work release under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections was arrested Tuesday in connection with a Monday shooting in Davenport. Timmie Durrell Cole Jr., 23, is charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years, and reckless use of a firearm, a simple misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of 30 days. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Patrick Sievert of the Davenport Police Department, at 7:34 p.m. Monday, officers were sent to the 900 block of Pershing Avenue to investigate a report of shots fired. Officers located Cole, who while in the 200 block of East 9th Street had in his possession a Taurus 9mm handgun. During a post-Miranda interview Cole admitted to police that he fired the gun in the air to scare people away who were chasing his brother. In his affidavit, Sievert said the area is surrounded by an apartment complex, multiple family homes and student housing for Palmer College of Chiropractic. As a convicted felon, Cole is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. According to the affidavit, he has felony convictions in 2012 for second-degree theft and third-degree burglary as a juvenile. On Dec. 3, 2014, at age 16, he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to serve three years probation with deferred adjudication. He violated his probation on that conviction three times. One of those violations occurred when he was arrested for peddling marijuana on April 9, 2017. In that case on June. 27, 2017, he pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to deliver marijuana. He was sentenced in that case on Aug. 24, 2017, to two years on supervised probation. After again violating his probation on the weapon and drug convictions, Cole was sentenced Oct. 12, 2017, to serve 90 days in the Scott County Jail and then began the program in the Residential Correctional Facility in Davenport. On Feb. 2, 2018, Cole failed to return to the Residential Correctional Facility and was charged with Class D felony escape. Cole pleaded guilty to the charge and had his probation revoked in the weapon and drug cases. He was sentenced to five years in prison on the escape charge, and a consecutive five years in prison on the drug and weapon convictions, which ran concurrent to one another. Cole was released from prison on Aug. 17, 2021, and placed on work release at the Residential Correctional Facility, according to Iowa Department of Corrections electronic records. A preliminary hearing on Mondays shooting charge as well as a serious misdemeanor charge from Nov. 28, 2021, of voluntary absence from custody is scheduled for June 17 in Scott County District Court. Cole was being held Tuesday night in the Scott County Jail without bond on a hold from the Residential Correctional Facility, a $1,000 cash-only bond on the absence from custody charge and a $5,300 bond, cash or surety, on the new weapons charges. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. November will be a contest between Democrat Deb VanderGaast, a Tipton registered nurse and child care center director, and Republican Kerry Gruenhagen, a Walcott farmer, for an open Senate seat in a Scott County district. Voters narrowed the field from two Democrats and two Republicans for Iowa Senate District 41, which covers northwester Scott County, including parts of Davenport, north and eastern Muscatine County, and all of Cedar County. VanderGaast bested Mechanicsville Democrat Nikole Tutton, a human resources consultant in diversity and inclusion. VanderGaast led 1,739 votes to Tutton's 606, according to unofficial results from Scott, Muscatine, and Cedar counties reported Tuesday night. Gruenhagen defeated Alan Weets, a Mechanicsville farmer, 2,067 votes to Weets' 1,437 votes. Because of decennial legislative redistricting, no incumbent is running for the district. Sen. Jim Lykam, a Democrat, and Sen. Roby Smith, a Republican, both opted not to run. During the campaign, VanderGaast pitched herself as a pragmatic lawmaker if elected. She's advocated for changes to Iowa's child care system to keep child care centers afloat and said she already has legislation she can work with lawmakers to enact a payroll tax on employers to expand eligibility for a child care grant. For VanderGaast, child care is a core reason she's running. She's closing her child care center for children with special needs, Tipton Adaptive Daycare, she said, because of a lack of workers and increasingly unsustainable costs she said she's been operating at loss of between $5,000 and $7,000 each month for roughly a year. Gruenhagen said his top priorities included supporting law enforcement, "giving more power to parents in education," anti-abortion restrictions, and further tax reductions. Gruenhagen farms in Scott and Muscatine counties and has investments in Davenport and was endorsed by the Iowa chapter of Americans For Prosperity, a libertarian conservative political advocacy group founded by David and Charles Koch. Iowa Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls released a statement congratulating VanderGaast on winning the primary race for a senate district, and called Senate District 41 "one of the most competitive districts in the state." The new district is closely split between active registered Republican, Democrats, and no-party voters, according to June totals from the Iowa Secretary of State's Office of 36,503 active registered voters, 31.9% were Democrats, 31.3% were Republicans, and 35.95% were no-party. "Deb has a real plan to make childcare more affordable and accessible to Iowa parents, and as a small business owner, she knows how to pinch pennies, cut costs, and alleviate the workforce crisis that has gripped our state," Wahls said, according to the release. Deb is a stark contrast to Kerry Gruenhagen who is in lockstep with some of the most extreme elements of the far-right movement. A vote for Deb VanderGaast is a vote for lower costs, a vote for Kerry Gruenhagen is a vote for private school vouchers and more corporate tax giveaways. 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. Similar to many other jobs in the last year, Scott County raised poll worker wages to attract more people to the job, an essential one to administering elections like Tuesday's primary. Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins said the county had roughly 230 precinct election officials who administer the primary elections on Tuesday at 66 polling places in Scott County instructing voters how to vote, checking voter eligibility, and setting up and closing the polling place, etc. Scott County raised poll worker wages from $10 an hour to $12.50 an hour and raised precinct chairs to $15 an hour. With a grant during the pandemic in 2020, the county raised wages to $15 for election workers, but wasn't structured into future budgets at the time. "This wage level is not adequate to attract and retain sufficient numbers of precinct officials, especially quality workers who can fulfill all of the increasing complex tasks expected of them," Tompkins wrote in a letter to county supervisors requesting the wage increases in March. Sue Boedeker, of Park View, chaired a new precinct in Eldridge a product of the decennial redistricting for the first time on Tuesday. She figured it would be a less-busy election to get more familiar with the ropes ahead of the general election. Primary turnout is typically lower than general elections. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the county had a 6.89% turnout. In 2018, the last primary midterm election, turnout reached 10%. Karen Schmitt, of Eldridge, recruited Boedeker after deciding not to chair the new precinct herself, she said. She cited 2021 election laws that are in effect this year that makes it a felony for auditors or other election officials to willfully fail to carry out election laws. Voters in Scott County cast ballots on Tuesday in competitive statewide, local legislative, and county supervisors races. Lynne Bosten of Davenport, said she wanted to make sure she cast her vote for Iowa's long-time senator, Republican Chuck Grassley, who is facing a primary challenge from state Republican lawmaker Jim Carlin. "I really wanted to vote for Chuck Grassley because we can't afford to lose the position he has in the Senate," she said. Grassley is the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. For county office, primary voters are winnowing a field of five Democrats and four Republicans down to three each. Two incumbents are running for reelection to their seats. One supervisor seat is open Democrat Ken Croken is running unopposed for an Iowa House seat representing Davenport. Republican voters in Eldridge, Bettendorf, Riverdale, Panorama Park, and some in LeClaire and Davenport are picking between LeClaire City Council member Barry Long and Bettendorf Alderman Scott Webster to face Bettendorf doctor Mary Kathleen Figaro, a Democrat, in the November general election. In a northwest Davenport statehouse seat, Davenport realtor Sean Hanley and author and speaker Luana Stoltenberg are competing to face former Genesis spokesperson Craig Cooper, a Democrat. And four candidates are on the ballot for a seat representing northwest Scott County, all of Cedar County, and parts of Muscatine County Democrats Nikole Tutton, of Mechanicsville, and Deb VanderGaast, of Tipton and Republicans Kerry Gruenhagen, of Walcott and Alan Weets, of Mechanicsville. 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. After more than three years without several department heads, the city of Moline has filled three key positions. Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati administered oaths of office Tuesday night to Ryan Hvitlk as community and economic development director and David Dryer as director of engineering. Michael Doi has been hired as the new public works director, also starting this week with the city. Longtime Community and Economic Development Director Ray Forsythe resigned three years ago in April 2019 and City Engineer Scott Hinton resigned in January 2020 after 18 years with the city. Public Works Director J.D. Schulte retired in March 2021 after more than 30 years with the city. Hvitlk moved from Hutchinson, Kan., where he was director of planning and development. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from Winthrop University and a masters degree in urban and regional planning from Minnesota State University. Hvitlk also is a Certified Planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners as well as a Certified Floodplain Manager. "There is a lot of work to be done. We're looking forward to the redevelopment of (land) underneath the former I-74 bridge," Hvitlk said Tuesday. "Not only will that be a huge change for the city, but it will be massive development and improvement for the whole Quad-Cities. "We'll also focus on other parts in the city such as SouthPark Mall and places like that," he said. "We'll be working with the owner of the mall, trying to figure out how to fill that mall back up. We are looking at some more creative uses for the mall versus just retail; maybe looking at it being more of a destination." Hvitlk said he also is looking forward to getting the economic development department fully staffed, including the search for an assistant director. Dryer most recently worked as county engineer in Jackson County, Iowa. Originally from Wisconsin, Dryer graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He brings 25 years of experience in public works for municipalities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Alabama and Florida. Doi was formerly the street superintendent in Collinsville, Ill. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in civil engineering from the University of Missouri and holds Professional Engineering Licenses in Missouri and Illinois. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DES MOINES Mike Franken, a retired Navy vice admiral from Sioux City, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday night and the change to challenge Republican Chuck Grassley in what will likely be an uphill effort to defeat one of the Senate's longest-serving members. At 9:13 p.m., the Associated Press projected Franken as the winner of a three-way primary, which also included Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman from northeast Iowa, and Physician Glenn Hurst, a city councilman and active member of the Iowa Democratic Party state central committee. Grassley, 88, easily repelled a GOP primary challenge Tuesday night from Jim Carlin, a state legislator and lawyer from Sioux City. Carlin, who opted not to run for re-election to his state Senate district that includes parts of Sioux City, pitched himself as the true conservative in the race and supporters took to labeling Grassley a Republican in Name Only. The longtime Senator still received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. With all but 2 of the state's 99 counties reporting, Franken led with 55.18 percent, compared to 39.89 percent for Finkenauer and 4.83 percent for Hurst. In his first run for the Senate in 2020, Franken, 64, finished second to nominee Theresa Greenfield, who lost in the fall election to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Franken, a Northwest Iowa native who spent 39 years in the Navy before retiring to Sioux City, presented himself as a progressive on some issues, such as supporting the addition of a public health insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. And though he supports background checks for firearm buyers and red-flag measures to keep them out of the wrong hands, he has stopped short of supporting banning the sale of specific weapons. Finkenauer, who served a single term in the U.S. House, is one of the most prominent Democrats in Iowa. She earned a reputation as a wunderkind in the Legislature and was the second-youngest woman elected to Congress, helping Democrats retake control of the House that year. But she nearly didnt make the primary ballot after Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. He posted stronger first-quarter fundraising figures than Finkenauer and earned endorsements from some well-known former Finkenauer supporters bothered by her declining to accept responsibility for the filing mistakes. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because shes unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. Mahl's top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. Democrat will face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. The 33-year-old Finkenauer has argued that she would bring a fresh perspective to Washington, a reference to the 88-year-old Grassley's age. He is somebody who has been in D.C. for nearly 50 years, Finkenauer said of Grassley during a debate last month. I will never forget where I come from. Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines said he voted for Abby Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Finkenauer has stressed limiting the number of terms a member of the Senate can serve. I do agree with her on term limits," Hollander said. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point." Franken, meanwhile, has pitched himself as someone who could break the partisan tensions that have gripped Washington in recent years. Im also running to dial down political tension to achieve these things, Franken told a crowd of about 600 at a state Democratic Party banquet in Des Moines last month. Grassley has raised more in campaign contributions than Finkenauer and Franken combined in a state in which Republicans control the governorship, state legislature, both U.S. Senate seats and three of the four U.S. House seats. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. The Sioux City Journal's Dave Dreeszen and Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MUSCATINE As the keynote speaker at the Muscatine County Ignite Vitality through Workforce Housing summit, Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority, said Iowas economy is strong but the state is beginning to experience population issues. She said the population problem began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem, which was also addressed earlier in the summit, is the birth rate is declining. Durham said the state needs to have more children and has to bring people into the state to work. She commented this means Iowa needs to build communities that people want to live in not just for Iowans but for people coming from other states. This community looks beautiful, she said of Muscatine. Driving in today every time I visit it seems like you take another step forward. The summit also featured several people from around the county to discuss the impact of the housing market on area economics. Several speakers indicated there will be hundreds of new dwellings for people to live in the next few years in Muscatine County. One area that will see a strong growth in housing is West Liberty, which has several projects to bring new jobs and new workers to the community. Durham said of the state economic business at the heart of it we are in the people business. As a state we are raising the standard of living for all Iowans. She explained the human element is how the authority approaches development. She also stressed the housing issue is an impediment to growth when not enough housing exists. In Muscatine County, the goal is to provide at least 300 more dwellings in the next three years. Durham said the state of Iowa needs about 61,000 more by 2030. She presented several programs the authority provides that can assist businesses in creating more housing, also giving the contact information for the programs. Accompanying Durham to the summit was Michael Gould, manager of business development and insurance development for the authority. Gould served as the director of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1995 to 2001. I really did have a wonderful experience in Muscatine, he said. They taught me a lot of what I learned further down the road in economic development. He encouraged the people in the audience to keep things simple, especially as the chamber is bringing a new director in within the next few months. Gould said they should focus simply on what economic development is and how to use it to benefit the community. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When Afghanistans government fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, 2021, Laila Naseri knew her life was going to be upended. Most Afghans' lives were in different ways, but the threats to her were immediate. As a single woman in her early 20s, she'd be compelled to submit to the strictures of the brutally misogynistic Taliban regime, which is bent on enforcing a radical form of Islamic fundamentalism on women. Suddenly, the now 23-year-old was relegated to home and hijab, the head covering mandated for women by the ruling party. In recent months that has morphed into mandatory head-to-foot coverings in public, including over the face. Anywhere she goes, a woman must now be accompanied by a male relative. There are no exceptions even if she's fleeing domestic violence. Only old women and young girls are exempted from wearing the burqa in public. Violations can result in prison for the father or closest male relative, who can also be fired from government jobs. This clothing decree was depicted by Afghanistan's supreme leader and Taliban chief, Hibatullah Akhundzada, as "traditional and respectful." Its purpose, he said, was "in order to avoid provocation when meeting men who are not mahram [adult close male relatives]." In other words, if men cant control themselves in a womans presence, the onus is on women for dressing provocatively. So imagine how the Taliban feels about female fashion models, strutting down runways, sometimes in Western clothing, sometimes striking sultry poses for television commercials, or even flirting. That had been Laila Naseri's profession for three years when the Taliban took over. If the Taliban knows about the modeling girls, they will kill them, the 23-year-old told me through an interpreter in Des Moines. I couldnt leave the house. Within days she heard women in media jobs were getting evacuated from Afghanistan, so she and a friend went to the Kabul airport to try to tell officials about their situations. She was clutching her modeling documents to show she was legitimately at risk. The security guards they spoke with outside the airport told them to wait while they went inside to confer with superiors. From there it was a whirlwind. When they returned, the men let the women into the airport where, the next day, they were flown to Dubai for four days for processing. Naseri, not expecting such fast action, had no luggage, nothing but the clothes she wore. Her passport had gone to Germany with someone else. They entered the U.S. through Washington, D.C., on Aug. 29 and ultimately arrived in Des Moines via Wisconsin. Naseri was one of some 700 Afghans to be relocated here. Since leaving Afghanistan, she received word that two of the women she had modeled with had been shot to death while leaving Kabul by car. The founder of Modelstan, the first of Afghanistan's modeling agencies, fled to Germany after being warned he would be killed. Hamed Valy had studied in India, and said he returned to Afghanistan hoping to make fashion and glamour more accepted in his home country. Now they bring death threats. In Des Moines, life for Naseri is assuming some semblance of normalcy, and she feels safe and free here. But it was a rocky start, and the future isn't guaranteed. Resettlement of many Afghans was fraught with problems. Many lacked adequate food and services, were living in temporary substandard housing and couldnt get caseworkers from the resettlement agencies to respond to their calls for help. Naseri said it was particularly rough being one of few single women in the group. Im very sad. Im broken. Im suffocating in this room, she told the Register in April. Things have improved since she moved into better housing and has a job. But far from the glamorous, highly competitive one she had posing for the camera, shes doing an overnight shift packaging car parts. During the day she sleeps, and three days a week at 5:30 p.m. she takes English lessons at DMACC through Lutheran Services in Iowas program for refugees. She doesnt speak English, so this interview was done with a friend interpreting. With neither a drivers license nor a car, Naseri depends on others to go anywhere she can't walk to. The Register's Lee Rood has taken her under her wing since witnessing her struggles, and Naseri has many friends. She just wishes her parents and siblings were with her. The Taliban first took over Afghanistan in 1996 after both the U.S. and the former Soviet Union pulled forces out. It remained in control until 2001, when the U.S. invaded in search of Osama bin Laden, following the attacks of Sept. 11. After that, some women's rights were restored so Naseri hadn't personally experienced such repression before. A new constitution was passed, strengthening women's rights, and an Elimination of Violence Against Women law was passed in 2009. But the former Ministry of Womens Affairs has now been replaced by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which gives you a sense of the priorities. In 2009 we at the Register had a visit from a different 23-year-old Afghan woman who had suffered under Taliban extremism when both her parents were killed. She had gone on to write the 2003 book Zoyas Story, using only her first name because of threats on her life. Though she had moved to Pakistan with her grandmother, she wrote and spoke of joining the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan and returning to Afghanistan to help organize underground schools for girls, among other things. But with the Taliban back in power, girls above sixth grade are now barred from attending school. "Is it a sin to be girl, is it sin to seek education?" asked a tearful one captured on a news video. Zoya's trip to America at the time was to encourage the government to pull U.S. troops out. Many Afghans felt the U.S. had turned its back on Afghanistan after the fall of the former Soviet Union, leaving a void into which the Taliban stepped; they didn't want to see history repeat itself. Sadly, it has. Some of the newest refugees believe last year's outcome could have been avoided had the U.S. done more, earlier, to help create a more stable Afghan government and better equip it to resist the Taliban. When NATO troops withdrew last August, the Taliban vowed not to reimpose the same strict rules on women as during its previous tenure. But it has proceeded to do exactly that, prompting the U.S. and other countries to cut development aid there and impose sanctions on the banking system. The newest Afghan emigres are here on two-year humanitarian parole" status. That's granted by the Secretary of Homeland Security to people deemed ineligible for refugee status. But it's given only for emergency, humanitarian and public interest reasons. Everyone must apply within the first year for political asylum to stay on. That requires proof that they'd be targets if they returned. But many lack access to lawyers. Naseri has been lucky enough to get one, and given her past as a model, she should have a strong case. When shes seriously homesick, Naseri says she prays. In Afghanistan under Taliban rule, women arent even allowed to go to mosques. Demanding extreme piety of women without even letting them into places of worship is just another cruel hoax of a government that should never have made a comeback. Yet for all the bloodshed, upheavals, years of foreign intervention and vows to do right by women, and for all the courageous resistance, this brutal, extremist regime is free to victimize women again. Russia, when it was the Soviet Union, helped establish education and jobs for women when it controlled Afghanistan. Now it's busy invading Ukraine. And in America, which went into Afghanistan 21 years ago talking about women's rights, women are bracing for the loss of the most fundamental right over our own bodies. It may be too late to reverse some of the damage done in our wake, but our government can and should grant long-term status to Afghans here who fled. They shouldn't be required to prove they were specifically threatened when we know that Afghan women as a whole are threatened. And so are the men who helped the U.S. military there. There is still time to do the right thing by those forced to flee, and our government should. Rekha Basu is a columnist for the Des Moines Register. Readers may send her email at rbasu@dmreg.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As unofficial results kept streaming in late Tuesday night, clear front runners and winners were apparent in the Republican primaries for House Districts 32 and 34. District 32 Steve Duffy and Becky Drury won the Republican primary for South Dakota House District 32. As of late Tuesday night, Drury had 40% of the counted votes. Duffy had 39%. They beat Jamie Giedd, who had 21% of the vote late Tuesday. Results were still pending from one precinct. Duffy and Drury will go on to the general election in November to compete against Democrat candidates Christine Stephenson and Jonathan M. Old Horse for two seats representing South Dakota House District 32. District 32 encompasses the central core of Rapid City. It was recently redistricted to include more Native American representation. Chris Johnson, one of the district's incumbents, announced he would not seek re-election, leaving one seat open. Originally elected to the House in 2020, Drury was appointed to three House committees taxation, local government and military affairs. Drury represented Ward 1 on the Rapid City Council from 2017 to 2020. She served as the chair of the city's legal and finance committee from 2019-2020 and was the vice chair of the City Council from 2018-2019. Reacting to the election results, Drury said she was thankful to voters who turned out at the polls. "We just had Memorial weekend. We just had D-Day, and we had a lot of people sacrifice for our country, so we have that right to go and get out and vote. And I just am so thankful for everybody that did and I appreciate it," she said. Drury said she looks forward to continuing to meet people face to face as the general election approaches. She plans to focus on having a balanced budget for South Dakota if she returns to the House. "I think one of our bigger issues going forward is we have had so much federal money coming down and that is going to stop at some point in time, and I think everybody realizes that," Drury said. "I think it's just imperative that we continue to have a balanced budget for South Dakota. It's our obligation to do that, and we're going to have to make some hard decisions to make that happen, but I'm just fully engaged in going forward to work on that." Duffy worked as a sales executive at KOTA-TV for 23 years. He is a past co-owner of several radio station in the Rapid City market and also managed South Dakota Cable. He now owns residential properties in the area. His wife, Helene Duhamel, is the senator for District 32. In a statement announcing his bid, Duffy said he spoke to his family about running for office before making the decision. He said observations during his wife's tenure in the Senate inspired him. Duffy said he wanted to focus on "smart growth" for Rapid City and South Dakota when he announced his candidacy. That was a theme he emphasized again on election night. "I suppose the top priority for me is going to be trying to help the smart growth for Rapid City. It just seemed like Rapid City's growing at an unbelievable level for a town this size. And there's a lot of people coming. Well, what I would really like to see is if we could bring companies or create jobs for the people who are already here," Duffy said. Duffy said he is "thrilled" about the results of the election. As far as his campaign, Duffy said the process was more work than he expected. "It was a tough campaign. It was a lot more work than I thought it was, so I'll be straight up with you. This is a ton of work," he told the Journal late Tuesday night. The first-time candidate said campaigning door to door helped him better understand the area where he lives. "The interesting thing for me was you get out and you knock on enough doors and you really start to connect with these people," Duffy said. "I certainly had my share of people that didn't agree with me, but I got to go to parts of town that I hadn't been to, where I've driven through a million times but never stopped and walked. That was enlightening for me." Duffy noted the competitiveness of District 32 going into the general election. "32 is a way different district. It's one of the five most competitive districts between Democrats and Republicans, so it is absolutely going to be a very competitive district. I know Becky, she's a sharp, good representative. I know the Democrats have a couple of good candidates, so I'll get in there and do the best I can," he said. District 34 As of late Tuesday night, unofficial vote counts indicated incumbents Mike Derby and Jess Olson won the Republican primary for South Dakota House District 34, which encompasses most of west Rapid City. Half of the precincts' votes in the district had been counted, with Mike Derby at 41%, Jess Olson at 34% and Jodie Frye at 25%. There were still three precincts left to report results late Tuesday. Derby owns Canyon Lake Resort in Rapid City. He is on House committees for taxation and transportation. He also sits on the executive board for the legislature. If Derby wins in the general election, it will be his fifth term in the legislature. Derby served from 1997-2002 before voters elected him in 2020. When announcing his intent to run for re-election, Derby said he is proud of five bills he sponsored that made it to the governor's desk, and his leadership in the House. Derby has said said if he's re-elected, he will run for House majority leader. Olson has served in the House for four years. She is on the committees for taxation, education, military and veterans affairs, and local government. The fourth-generation South Dakotan owns Stay Graceful, a home healthcare company in Rapid City. She has also served on a number of community boards. Olson said she wants to continue to bring policies that are conducive to economic growth, and she touted a bill that assisted in funding for adoption and foster care. Derby and Olson will go up against Democrats Darla Drew and Jay Shultz in the general election in November. 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. With incomplete election results late Tuesday, the Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education may have two new faces in Areas 3 and 6. With several ballots left to count, unofficial results from the South Dakota Secretary of State's office show Michael Birkeland was leading the race in Area 3 over incumbent Gabe Doney. The same results were shown in Area 6, where Jamie Clapham had the lead over Janyce Hockenbary late Tuesday. The Journal has not called the races as complete, but throughout Tuesday evening, Birkeland and Clapham maintained about a 60% lead over Doney and Hockenbary. Birkeland is a former teacher at Central High School. He is now a teacher at the digital Arizona State University Preparatory Academy. Birkeland is a Rapid City native. He received his math and science teaching degree from Black Hills State University and is now pursuing his master's degree in learning design and technologies from Arizona State University. Birkeland said he left RCAS after six years teaching. He said his resignation was "spurred by wanting to change how the students and teachers were impacted by the school board's decisions." Birkeland said he wants to start with updating facilities. He said when he taught math at Central for six years, it rained in his classroom. Doney was first elected in June 2021. He grew up in Chamberlain and has a degree in industrial engineering from South Dakota Mines. Doney is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and the South Dakota National Guard. He is the assistant chief of the Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the SDSM&T Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, and the Pennington County Fire Service Board-West Central District. Doney ran on a platform of "bringing normalcy and stability in our school system through a strong governing board." In his statement for Tuesday's forum, Doney said he felt students needed to get back to a normal school setting during the COVID-19 pandemic and that parents need better accountability from the district. Clapham is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and is a physical therapist at Monument Health. She received her bachelor's degree from Furman University and a master's degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Georgia. Clapham moved to the Black Hills in 2011 and is the president of the Rapid City PTA Council. Clapham said she believes that a strong public school system is the foundation of a strong community and through her work with the PTA Council and Black Hawk Elementary she is committed to giving back. She said she decided to run because she is in RCAS schools on a weekly basis and sees a need for "urgent changes in this district." Hockenbary is a South Dakota native. She is a retired business owner and currently owns rental properties. Hockenbary attended Black Hills State University and received a cosmetology degree from Headlines Academy in Rapid City. She said she also taught at Headlines Academy and ran an apprenticeship program in Montana. Hockenbary said she decided to run because she prayed about how to get involved and the Lord told her to run. She said she has the time to serve on the RCAS board because she is retired and she feels the position is a "30 to 40 hour a week job." Hockenbary said she is concerned over parental rights in education and the educational practices of teachers. 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 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. Thirty-five year old Ezra Dean Long got a knock on his door at 5 a.m. the morning of June 10, 1972. He was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder, and opened the door to a still-dark sky and a security policeman. Is that your boat? the policeman asked. Long, living on base, was completely unaware of the horror that had transpired over the past five hours in Rapid City 238 dead, over 3,000 injured, 1,335 homes destroyed and 2,820 damaged. More than 200 businesses had been ruined, over 5,000 cars were demolished and the damage had totaled $66 million in Rapid City alone. As far as he knew, theyd experienced heavy rains. When the policeman asked for his boat to assist in a rescue mission, he knew hed missed more than a rainstorm. Without hesitation, Long grabbed his boat and a friend and they began an effort against the swirling waters of Box Elder Creek in search of survivors that would slowly paint the picture of the devastation that had occurred, still fresh in his mind 50 years later. It was about a half a mile wide and rushing along pretty good, Long said of Box Elder Creek. He described a swift current when they encountered their first group of survivors: 11 people perched on top of a trailer roof tipped against a telephone pole. He never asked how they got up there, he said, a common theme of the day there wasnt time to think. Just act. We were just getting people here and there from rooftops, Long said. The team had been told that six or seven people had already drowned in the area. While Box Elder Creek wasnt raging like downtown Rapid City, Long described it as a circuitous route, creating a swirling vortex they battled as they tried to reach the 11 stranded on the trailer roof. I was trying to work towards the trailer and all of a sudden the motor goes and we went swirling downstream, Long said. He lurched a large piece of plastic from the boats propeller that had caused the motor to stall, before taking 10 minutes to regain progress and positioning hed lost in half a minute. Long recalled being vigilant of where the railroad tracks should be, knowing if they hit the motor, theyd be done. Fighting to make headway against the current, they battled their way to the trailer and took two at a time, eventually transporting all 11 safely to solid ground. The base had brought a bus to transport survivors. Their final rescue on Box Elder Creek was an elderly couple taking refuge on the roof of their small white house, the edge of the roof barely higher than the boat. Long was able to lift the woman over the deck and into the boat, with the man sliding backwards over the deck, anchoring himself with leather-soled shoes on the slippery wood. As Long helped him from the deck onto the boat, he told him Im sorry its not a very good rescue boat. And this I wont forget, Long said. He turned around with tears streaming down his face eyes and said, 'Mister, this is the best rescue boat Ive ever seen.' Their final mission in Box Elder led to their first in Rapid City. No sooner had they parked his boat when a radio call came in from Search and Rescue. They needed a small boat downtown near Franklin Street. Long's friend had a small nine-horsepower motor fishing boat, so they made their way into the remnants of downtown Rapid City, finding what had once been solid ground essentially transformed into a small island, trapping 13 people. The National Guard had been trying to throw a line across to the island, coming up short. Long and his friend supplied their fishing boat as a means to reach the island, using a rope and pulley system of sorts to get the little nine-horse motor across the battling current and back. The tedious process involved transporting one person at a time, and Longs friend Gary running the motor wide opened while Long pulled hand over hand on a larger line attached by the National Guard to get the boat back across. Long said he met two heroes on that island. One was already deceased: the body of a fireman who had died trying to warn people of the incoming flood. They took his body last. I didnt know who he was, but he had fireman gear on. Im pretty sure I knew why he was there, Long said. The other was a woman, about 65 years old, with her adult daughter with a disability. The woman had stood through the night, water up to her chest, supporting her daughter on a mattress to keep her from drowning. The woman asked that her daughter be taken across before her, which they did. At one point, as they were making their way across, the current hit wrong, Long said, taking the nose of the fishing boat under. The harder he pulled, the further down it went. Knowing he had to get out, he plunged into the rushing water, holding on for dear life to a safety line that did its job, attached by the National Guard. He eventually got his arm over the side and climbed back in. Like so many moments that day, Long said he didnt have time to think if hed make it back in the boat. Thankfully he did, and they were able to get all 13 across. Long and his friend had one final task a woman they worked with at the base hospital lived in town. They knew where she lived, and wanted to make sure she was OK. They reached what should have been her house in the Braeburn Addition around 6 p.m. All they found was foundations nothing to even identify which house was hers. They would later learn that Frankie, their friend, had made it out the only one in her neighborhood. Long said he talked to her about that night, and learned she had spent the night in their attic with her 96-year-old father-in-law. Looking back, Long remembered how tired he was. He was tired for two weeks after that, he recalled. He also remembered his reliance on his faith. I feel [God] took care of us, Long said, but the question might be, why didnt he take care of everybody else? Thats a hard question. He pondered so many what-ifs that could have brought a different outcome to him or his family, that so many others suffered. We were fortunate, he said. Contact Laura Heckmann at lheckmann@rapidcityjournal.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX FALLS | South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has elevated her national prominence through a hands-off approach to pandemic restrictions, won the Republican primary on Tuesday against a former legislative leader who accused her of using the office to mount a 2024 White House bid. All three Republican incumbents running for reelection to a statewide office Noem, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson held off primary challengers running to their right. Primary voters also soundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have made it more difficult to raise taxes or spend significant public funds. The first-term governors primary win against former South Dakota House Speaker Steve Haugaard gives her a commanding advantage as she seeks another term in November against Democratic state Rep. Jamie Smith, who did not face a primary challenger. In her speech at an election night party, Noem didn't even mention her Democratic gubernatorial challenger's name. Instead, she told the crowd, we're going to have the chance to go into a November election and make sure we're pushing back on Joe Biden's America. She then led them in booing and jeering the president's policies as she drove a comparison between Biden and former President Donald Trump, whose attention she has courted. Today, I'm on defense, she said. Every time I turn around I'm fighting off Joe Biden and the damage he's doing to the state of South Dakota. Noem has used this election fundraising cycle to collect a record amount of money for a South Dakota gubernatorial candidate bringing in more than $15 million from a series of fundraisers all over the country. She was one of the only governors who stood firm in not using the pandemic to increase government intrusions in our lives, said Kerry Larson, a Republican voter from Sioux Falls. It says a lot about her and how she will govern under pressure. But Noem has also struggled to manage Statehouse politics at times, publicly clashing with Republican legislators with whom she disagrees. Haugaard had attempted to turn the tables on Noem's 2018 campaign promise to increase government transparency. He has pointed to ethics complaints she faces for using state-owned airplanes to attend political events and taking a hands-on role in a state agency while it was evaluating her daughter's application for a real estate appraiser license. Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, also won his primary against two challengers who joined the race after Thune drew Trump's ire. Trump speculated the senator's career was over after he made public statements dismissing the former president's lies about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Neither of the challengers was well-funded or well-known in the state, and in a sign that Thune was positioned for victory, Trump steered clear of South Dakota. Thune is a longtime fixture as the state GOPs elder statesman, and if he wins reelection to a fourth term, he is a likely pick to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader. He will face Democrat Brian Bengs, an Air Force veteran and college professor, in November's general election. The senator alluded to his prominence in Washington in a statement celebrating the primary win, saying he would continue putting South Dakota's interests on the national agenda" and labeling Biden's agenda as a radical, left-wing crusade. Thune's status in Washington factored into Republican Sandra Pay's vote, saying it would be crazy to vote out someone with Thune's Senate leadership post. He's got power, she said. Republican Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard in the Republican primary for the states lone House spot. The $300,000 Howard's campaign raised was dwarfed by Johnsons $1.8 million, but a number of national political action committees spent money in the race as it began to look competitive. It will not be deception and New Jersey attacks that carry the day, Johnson said, referring to a political action committee called Drain The Swamp that spent $500,000 opposing Johnson. It will be truth and South Dakota hard work. The congressman has taken a measured approach on most issues and has touted his work with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Howard has tried to challenge him from the right, creating a primary race that showed some momentum behind the more extreme wing of the Republican Party in South Dakota. That intraparty conflict has been fought across a slate of legislative primary races where Republicans have launched attack ads against each other. Establishment Republicans are trying to weed out a group of contrarian lawmakers who have pushed the Legislature further right. However, Republican voter Kim McKoy said Tuesday one thing was on her mind as she cast her vote: Economy, economy, economy. She mostly voted against incumbents. I listen to these people talk and I'm like, Do you care that people are struggling? I just don't think they do," she said. "I think they care about their causes and they've lost their minds. Primary voters defeated an amendment to the state constitution, proposed by Republican lawmakers, that would have made placed a 60% vote threshold on ballot measures to raise taxes or spend more than $10 million within five years of enactment. Democrat Joshua Matzner said he voted against the proposal because it would erode the power of citizens to change laws through the ballot. We prefer to be able to actually make a decision in our government, he said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Hunter Widvey of Rapid City was crowned Miss South Dakota 2022 on Saturday. She will represent South Dakota in the Miss America competition in December. Widvey, 23, is the daughter of Brett and Cami Widvey of Rapid City. Widvey received an $8,000 scholarship for winning the Miss South Dakota competition. Widvey won a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) scholarship of $750. The South Dakota Scholarship Foundation, in partnership with CDI, Inc., of Brookings, sponsored two $750 scholarships to candidates who display dedication to the STEM field. Rio Snyder of Black Hawk also won a STEM scholarship. Snyder was the Miss South Dakota 2022 third runner-up. Snyder will attend the University of South Dakota this fall where she is enrolled in the honors college, majoring in pre-medical biology. Widvey was a preliminary talent competition winner June 3, for which she received $1,000. For her talent, she sang Feelin Good, a hit song known for being recorded by Michael Buble and Nina Simone. Widvey was the overall interview award winner, as well, for which she received $1,000. Im really grateful for this (Miss South Dakota) experience because it really helped me develop different connections with people across the state and even other states, Widvey said. The scholarships are going to help me fund my medical education. Its a really great opportunity for girls and women who are trying to find more scholarships so they can pursue their education. Widvey is a 2017 graduate of Rapid City Stevens High School, and she is a 2021 graduate of Augustana University in Sioux Falls, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in biology and government/international affairs. She has been accepted to Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, though she plans to put medical school on hold for a year so she can fulfill her duties as Miss South Dakota. Widveys social impact initiative as Miss South Dakota is Childhood Cancer Awareness. She plans to become a physician and is interested in specialty fields such as surgery, emergency medicine and rural medicine, she said. This was Widveys third time as a Miss South Dakota contestant. She previously competed in Miss South Dakota in 2019 and 2021. She began competing in 2016, when she entered and won the Miss Rapid City Outstanding Teen event. In 2016, Widvey also was crowned Miss South Dakotas Outstanding Teen. She is the fourth former teen titleholder who has gone on to win the Miss South Dakota crown. Twenty women from across the state competed for Miss South Dakota 2022. The women collectively won scholarships totaling nearly $48,000. Each of the non-semi-finalists received a $1,000 scholarship. Widvey is one of several West River competitors who won scholarships during the Miss South Dakota and Miss South Dakotas Outstanding Teen competitions June 3 and 4. Widvey competed as Miss Huron in the Miss South Dakota 2022 competition. Carly Goodhart of Sisseton competed as Miss Rapid City and was first runner-up. She won $7,750 in scholarships. Goodhart is a nursing graduate of South Dakota State University and works as a neonatal intensive care nurse in Sioux Falls. Her social impact initiative is Woman Up: Upping the Education and Access to Womens Health. Second runner-up Annie Woodmansey of Pierre received a $4,000 scholarship. Third runner-up Snyder received a $3,000 scholarship as well as the $750 STEM scholarship. She also received the Ray Peterson Rookie of the Year award of $500 for being the top-placing first-time candidate. Fourth runner-up Miranda OBryan won $4,000 in scholarships, which includes a $500 scholarship for winning the Social Impact Pitch award after presenting her social impact initiative, Page Turners: Fall in Love with Reading. OBryan graduated from South Dakota State University with degrees in journalism and history and is a reporter/anchor for KOTA News in Rapid City. The rest of the top 10 semi-finalists, who each received a $1,200 scholarship, were Margaret Samp of Sioux Falls, Baylee Dittman of Spearfish, Laney Titze of Mitchell, Emily Deinken of Sioux Center, Iowa, and Maleah Eschenbaum of Aberdeen. Samp also earned a $1,000 preliminary talent award. Breanna Bossman of Humboldt won a $300 scholarship. McKenzie Hassebroek of Westport won a $500 scholarship. Emma Salzwedel of Sioux Falls won a $300 scholarship. Miss South Dakotas Outstanding Teen Olivia Odenbrett of Brandon was crowned Miss South Dakotas Outstanding Teen 2022 on June 3. She received a total of $3,700 in scholarships. First runner-up Natalie Schoeppner of Timber Lake received $1,400 in scholarships. Second runner-up Sydney Lockhart of Hot Springs won $800 in scholarships. Third runner-up Javonte Madsen of Rapid City received a $600 scholarship. Fourth runner-up Karina Novotny of Hot Springs won a $400 scholarship, a $1,250 Johnson Jackrabbit Scholarship and a $200 Community Service award. Miss Fall River Balloon Festivals Outstanding Teen, Amara Bertelson of Rapid City, and Miss Jacks Outstanding Jada Aragon of Ethan tied for the title of Miss Congeniality and shared a $500 scholarship. Briley Steffenson of Yankton received the $1,000 Miss America Empower Scholarship. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 BOZEMAN In a surprisingly close Republican primary for Montana's new western congressional district, former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke held a narrow 2-point lead over former state Sen. Al Olszewski as of 11:40 p.m. in a five-way race. In the Democratic primary, both of Monica Tranel's opponents conceded the race late Tuesday night, meaning she'll face whoever emerges from the GOP primary. Montana added enough population in the 2020 U.S. Census to regain its second seat in the U.S. House after losing it in the 1990s. The primary winners will go on to compete in the November general election. Zinke, a retired Navy SEAL from Whitefish and considered the likely frontrunner, faced four opponents in the GOP primary, including Olszewski. Also in the race were Mary Todd, a church leader and small business owner from Kalispell; Mitch Heuer, a home builder from Whitefish; and Matt Jette, a school teacher from Missoula. Late Tuesday evening Zinke held a roughly 1,000-vote lead for 41% to Olszewski's 39%. Todd had nearly 11%, Jette about 6% and Heuer about 2%. "Were still feeling confident," Zinke campaign manager Heather Swift said late Tuesday. "Montanans know bull when they see it. Were looking forward to the Election Day vote totals. Our volunteers worked hard, made tens of thousands phone calls and knocked thousands of doors to get out the vote." The Secretary of State's website was reporting partial results that included turnout at about 25% statewide, with no results from several counties in the district late Tuesday evening. While Zinke led in several of the counties that reported results Tuesday night, he trailed Olszewski significantly in Flathead County, one of the most populous in the district. Both claim the district as their home, and Olszewski had 49% of the vote there late Tuesday to Zinke's 28%. "I'm honored and excited by our strong showing tonight. This is a very close race and with Lincoln County not reporting tonight due to a technical issue it is clear we won't know who won tonight, Olszewski said in a statement. I look forward to an open and transparent count. We're cautiously optimistic we will emerge from that count victorious. Zinkes high public profile, fundraising and association with former President Donald Trump made him the early favorite in the Republican primary. Along with Trumps endorsement he received high-profile endorsements from Montana Republicans Gov. Greg Gianforte and Sen. Steve Daines. Zinke dominated the money race for both Republicans and Democrats, raising nearly $3 million over the campaign so far. But several of Zinkes opponents lodged sustained attacks, portraying him as too moderate or questioning the amount of time he spends outside Montana his wife owns a home and property in California. Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon from Kalispell, has run twice statewide, losing in GOP primaries for governor and U.S. Senate. He has sought to align himself with the conservative wing of the Republican Party, saying he would double down on votes of Rep. Matt Rosendale, who cruised to victory in the eastern district. Olszewski has been an outspoken Zinke critic, attacking the former congressman on guns, immigration, abortion and ethics issues as well as pushing the narrative that he resides in California. Opponents also focused on Zinkes departure from the Trump administration, resigning after two years amid multiple ethics investigations. An inspector generals report released earlier this year found Zinke misused his authority to help with a commercial project in Whitefish, and then misrepresented his role to investigators. Zinke has characterized those investigations as attempts by the so-called deep state to attack him politically. Zinke also has touted his experience in energy and public lands, and identified housing and immigration as major issues. He cites a need to mend division in the country as motivation for running. On the Democratic side of the primary, Tranel led with 66% of the vote to 27% for Cora Neumann. Tom Winter had 8%. Those tallies led Tranel to claim victory and her opponents to concede and throw their support behind her. "This will be a big, big challenge. We are up against corporate money, we are up against corruption," Tranel told supporters at the Union Club in Missoula. " ... We are going to draw from the strength of Montanans for the last 150 years who have stood up to corporate greed and served the people of Montana and I will be that voice now." In a brief address to supporters in Bozeman late Tuesday, Neumann said she was backing Tranel. "I want to congratulate Monica Tranel on winning this election and all of the candidates for getting in and standing up for a future we can believe in," Neumann said. "Tonight I'm asking everyone to join me in supporting Monica Tranel to fight for what makes Montana so special." Winter's campaign spokesperson said congratulations to Tranel in a tweet and that "we encourage every Montanan to vote for her in the general election." The Democratic primary was the most competitive in terms of the money race, with Neumann pulling in about $1.3 million over the campaign. But Tranel out-raised her in the final reporting period before the election with $207,000 to about $162,000 for Neumann. Winter trailed in campaign contributions significantly. Tranel led Neumann with 59% of the vote to Neumann's 33% in Gallatin County, Neumann's hometown turf and a key county to win, with that county partially reporting from all 32 precincts Tuesday night. Tranel also dominated in Missoula, her home and one of the biggest counties in the district. On the Democratic side, the candidates also sparred over who held the rights to the most authentic Montanan in the race, with a super PAC running ads in support of Tranel criticizing Neumann for moving back to Montana in 2019 after spending years out of state. Tranel grew up in eastern Montana and has spent nearly all of her career in the state. Neumann has said her family was forced to move from Bozeman when she was young for financial reasons and she returned as soon as was feasible. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 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. Holly Michels Head of the Montana State News Bureau State Bureau reporter for Lee Newspapers of Montana. Follow Holly Michels 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 Tom Kuglin State Reporter Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. His coverage focuses on outdoors, recreation and natural resources. Follow Tom Kuglin 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 Editor's note: This story previously reported Ryker Webb as 4-years-old. Per an update on the Lincoln County Sheriffs Facebook page, Webb is 3-years-old. Searchers found a missing child on Sunday morning in Sanders County after an extensive effort that stretched the weekend. Ryker Webb, age 3, was missing for roughly 48 hours after disappearing from his family's yard, Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said in an interview with the Missoulian. He was reported missing to the sheriff's office on Friday afternoon at 4:53 p.m. A concerned neighbor called 911 and said Webb might have gone missing in the Bull Lake area, south of Troy, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office. He was last seen Friday afternoon playing with a family dog in the yard outside of his home near mile marker 18 along Highway 56 on the eastside of Bull Lake. Short said the neighbor called it in while Webbs family were out looking for him. Law enforcement and David Thompson Search and Rescue responded. They determined Webb had already been missing for over two hours. An initial clothing description given to law enforcement proved to be inaccurate it was unknown what Webb was wearing, the post stated. Search managers deployed ground crews and ATV riders, along with several drones, dog teams and a boat unit on the lake. On Saturday, two Montana National Guard helicopters joined search efforts and drones from Flathead County and the Spokane Police Department responded along with more dog teams. Dense vegetation, rain and poor visibility made search conditions difficult, the post stated. A red alert was sent out to neighbors notifying them to search their own properties and structures. A missing person report was also disseminated nationwide. On Sunday, about 53 search personnel were out looking for Webb when law enforcement was notified he was located. Deputies responded to Pine Ridge Road off South Fork Bull River Road in Sanders County. According to the post, Webb was in good spirits and healthy when deputies found him, but he was hungry, thirsty and cold. Short estimated Webb was found about 2.3 miles away from where he went missing from. He found refuge in a log cabin shed. Short thinks the thunderstorm that set in Friday evening prompted the 3-year-old to seek shelter. Short was able to ask Webb simple questions about what happened, and determined Webb wasnt with anyone while he was missing. Roughly 12 agencies responded including: the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, David Thompson Search and Rescue, Bull Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Bull Lake Volunteer Ambulance, Flathead County Search and Rescue, the Flathead County Sheriffs Office, the Spokane Police Department, the Bonner County Sheriffs Office, North Valley Search and Rescue, Two Bear Air, the Montana Air National Guard, Libby Volunteer Fire Department and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Several outdoorsmen and families also assisted in the search. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Hong Kong Palace Museum is set to open to the public on July 2 to mark Hong Kong's 25th anniversary of returning to the motherland, paving the way for the city's lofty goal of bridging Chinese culture with the rest of the world. During the opening exhibitions, 914 treasures borrowed from the Palace Museum in Beijing will be on display at the new 13,000-square-meter attraction on the West Kowloon District harbor-front. Many of the collections will be exhibited in the city for the first time. The loan of the Palace Museum's collection will be the largest since the Beijing museum's establishment in 1925. Spanning nearly 5,000 years, the works on loan are rich and diverse, including paintings, calligraphy, bronzeware, ceramics, jade, metalwork, enamelware, lacquer, seals, costumes, textiles, jewelry, rare books and architecture. About 160 of the items are classified as national treasures. The works will be on display in Hong Kong for a month to over a year. Tickets for the museum will be sold on various online platforms starting next Tuesday. People can pay HK$50 ($6.3) to enjoy thematic exhibitions, or HK$120 for all the collections including special exhibitions. Eligible students and older adults can enjoy a concession of 50 percent of the ticket price, and 150,000 free standard tickets will be sent to disadvantaged groups. The public can enjoy free admission to most exhibitions every Wednesday during the museum's first year of operation. The museum is expected to receive 7,000 people every day, but the number will be capped at about 5,000 amid the epidemic. Bernard Charnwut Chan, chairman of Hong Kong Palace Museum, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the newly built project is a significant gift for Hong Kong's 25th anniversary, and expressed great appreciation for the central government's support for the cultural landmark's birth. "Its opening symbolizes a vital step in Hong Kong's drive to become an exchange hub of Chinese and overseas culture and arts," he said. Funded by a HK$3.5 billion donation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the museum is a collaboration between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum in Beijing. The construction process lasted about three years. Following the opening of the M+museum of visual culture in November last year, the Hong Kong Palace Museum is expected to be a new attraction of the iconic West Kowloon Cultural District, which aims to be a world-class arts district. The Richmond Folk Festival has announced the first group of artists that will perform at the riverfront this fall. This years Folk Festival will take place from Oct. 7 to 9. In past years, the three-day festival has drawn more than 200,000 visitors, depending on the weather. We are looking forward to showcasing downtown Richmonds ever-changing riverfront once again for a beautiful weekend of music, dance, food and crafts with the James River and our city skyline as the perfect backdrop, said Stephen Lecky, director of events at Venture Richmond, in a statement. This event holds a special place in the hearts of so many, and year 18 is shaping up to be one of the best. Over 30 groups will perform at this years Folk Festival. Eight performers have been announced so far. They are: Beoloach from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia: A band of four featuring a fiddle, bagpipe, piano and guitar performing modern arrangements of traditional Scottish and Irish tunes. Black Umfolosi from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: An a cappella group that specializes in imbule singing and traditional Zulu dance that originated in the 1920s among rural mine workers in southern Africa. The vocal style remains popular throughout Zimbabwe today. Bnat el Houariyat & Esraa Warda from Marrakech, Morocco, and New York, N.Y.: An ensemble of women vocalists whose call-and-response vocals celebrate the music of Marrakech. Cedric Burnside from Holly Springs, Miss.: Burnside has performed for over three decades specializing in hill country blues. His music aims to share the stories of his community in North Mississippi. Fran Grace from Toledo, Ohio: Nicknamed Lady Strings, Grace is a skilled sacred steel guitarist. She plays for African American Holiness-Pentecostal worship services. Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago: The Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago performs the traditional Korean dance styles of pungmul and samulnori incorporating the vibrant energy of a harvest festival. Sideline from Raleigh, N.C.: A bluegrass band that began as a side project, their latest album from 2021, Ups, Downs, and No Name Towns, has cemented their reputation as a bluegrass touring band. Son Rompe Pera from Naucalpan de Juarez, Mexico: A traditional marimba band, Son Rompe Pera is known for its explosive blend of cumbia, punk and ska. More information can be found on the Richmond Folk Festival website at richmondfolkfestival.org. A Chicago man accused of directing shipments of 20 to 30 kilos of heroin a week into the Richmond area and laundering the proceeds pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to conspiring to distribute more than a kilo of the drug. Hector Ruiz, 29, told investigators he ran a drug operation out of Richmond beginning in December 2018 that included controlling shipments of heroin supplied by a Mexican drug trafficking cartel. The bulk quantities of heroin usually would arrive on tractor-trailers, and Ruiz would instruct an accomplice to meet with the traffickers to take possession of the drugs, according to an affidavit from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security special agent. The Mexican drug traffickers paid Ruiz $1,000 per kilogram of heroin that was shipped to Richmond, authorities said. Ruiz, who rented a room in a South Richmond house, also served as the main accountant for the resulting drug trafficking proceeds and payments for the kilos of heroin. He admitted that he often would put the drug payments on the same tractor-trailers that delivered the heroin, or he would use a different semi-truck that would pick up the money in Richmond after the heroin was delivered. Additionally, Ruiz would deliver and organize the pick-up of large sums of [money] that was to be wired to Mexico from U.S.-based accounts, the agent wrote in the affidavit. Ruiz kept detailed records of the currency transactions and admitted the ledgers that were discovered by law enforcement in his bedroom were the same ledgers he would take to Mexico to show the heads of the drug trafficking organization. During a hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Hanes convicted Ruiz after accepting his guilty plea. Sentencing was set for Aug. 25. The offense carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. In an event that ultimately led to Ruizs arrest, Homeland Security agents seized 23.8 kilos more than 50 pounds of heroin and almost 4 pounds each of fentanyl and methamphetamine hidden in five commercial tractor-trailer batteries in Brownsville, Texas, on June 5, 2019. Three of the batteries were destined for Richmond and the rest for Chicago. The three batteries headed for Richmond contained almost 40 pounds of heroin, and federal agents, working with Virginia State Police, coordinated a controlled delivery of the heroin to the Travel America truck stop in Ashland on June 7, 2019. The location was prearranged. Before the transfer of the heroin, Ruiz procured a white utility van to pick up the drugs and recruited a person to drive the vehicle and another to ride as a passenger to ensure the transaction went as planned, according to prosecutors statement of facts. The federal agents delivered the batteries to the van occupied by Ruizs accomplices, which included Jose Martin Zavala-Higareda of Guerrero, Mexico who gave the agents $16,500 concealed in a shopping bag for transportation expenses. The van then left but was kept under observation before being stopped by state police on Interstate 95 in Hanover County. Officers found the batteries with the drugs. Following the heroin seizure, investigators executed a search warrant in the 600 block of West 19th Street in Richmond, where Ruiz and Zavala-Higareda rented two rooms from the homeowner from December 2018 to June 2019. Investigators found $30,000 in stacks consistent with drug money proceeds in Zavala-Higaredas room; and they discovered ledgers, assorted documents and transfer receipts in Ruizs room. These documents were reflective of money transfers that Ruiz made in order to assist in the transfer of drugs into the Richmond area and the payment for those drugs to individuals outside of Virginia and outside of the United States, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Anthony said in the governments statement of facts. Zavala-Higareda was sentenced in October 2020 to seven years in prison for his role in trafficking heroin in the Richmond area. Investigators also discovered the Ruiz was not only transferring drug trafficking proceeds through his bank accounts and his business HR Hair and Beauty Products but he also was wiring money directly to Mexico. He also laundered drug proceeds through a Latino party store in Richmond, prosecutors said. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration initiated an investigation of Ruiz and his drug trafficking operation in March 2019 based on several investigations that were being conducted independently by the DEA and the Henrico County Division of Police. During the course of a separate DEA investigation in Miami, a confidential source for the DEA obtained Ruizs telephone number from the Mexican drug cartel that supplied Ruiz with heroin. That led to the discovery of Ruizs drug operation in Richmond. Ruiz fled to Mexico after the June 2019 controlled delivery of heroin to meet with the heads of the Mexican drug organization. But he eventually returned and agreed to cooperate with the DEA in Chicago about drug trafficking in the U.S., authorities said in court papers. Richmond police on Wednesday released the identity of the man shot in Gilpin Court Tuesday. Authorities say the victim is Jermarcus Taylor, 37, of Richmond. Officers were called to the scene in the 300 block of West Charity Street at about 7:28 a.m. They found Taylor laying in an alley between apartment buildings and unresponsive, with an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. The medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death as police's homicide investigation continues. Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call Major Crimes Detective M. Godwin (804) 317-6922 or contact Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones also may be used. All Crime Stoppers reporting methods are anonymous. When Saigon fell in 1975, sheer grit carried Thu Le Pham across the world. She fled via helicopter, aircraft carriers and warships. She once cooked for three U.S. generals and spent a decade fighting to return to her career as an educator, which eventually led Pham to teaching French in Hanover County Public Schools for more than 20 years before retiring. But shes learning Spanish, too, as a volunteer at Bon Secours Care-a-Van, which caters to a predominantly Latino patient population. I know un poquito! she said, grinning. I like to share things because our country needs to be open to more learning other languages. And thats what will get us open. I think its a privilege that we can do that. Inside North Courthouse Library in Chesterfield County on Monday night, Pham was among the four panelists who reflected on their varying immigration journeys to Virginia. The event was organized by Chesterfields Department of Citizen Information and Resources and the Asian American Society of Central Virginia to celebrate June being Immigrant Heritage Month. Former Gov. Ralph Northam issued the proclamation last year to illustrate how the state was dedicated to creating a Virginia that is accepting, welcoming and inclusive of all who chose to call our Commonwealth home. At least 1 in 8 Virginians are immigrants, and over 180 different languages are spoken statewide, according to figures compiled by the states Department of Social Services. More than a third are from Latin America, nearly 42% are from Asia, and roughly 11% are from Africa. Of the 1.1 million residents born outside of the U.S., more than half are citizens. But despite Chesterfield having one of the fastest-growing Latino populations in the state and Henrico County bolstering a rising refugee population, peoples immigration stories have often been relegated to the shadows. That was the motivation behind Marj Mohta speaking on Monday night and appearing alongside the other panelists in Portraits of Immigrant Voices a book started by Colombia-born artist Alfonso Perez and Richmond-based writer Joe Kutchera as a series to show the people behind the numbers. I want to be a voice that can be heard, she said. I want to be a face that can be seen. Each of the 24 portraits, accompanied by the individuals stories, wraps each person in the colors representing their countrys flag. HERE WE SPEAK is written next to their faces with the language they speak. Mohtas portrait says Tagalog with Philippines sketched by her shoulder. Her story begins with a nursing shortage bringing her to Florida in 1982, long before the pandemic made the health care worker shortage even worse, she said. Shes now lived longer in the U.S. than she has where she was born and has been a critical care nurse for almost 40 years. We are all the same even though we are different. We have a common goal, and that is to better ourselves, better our situation for our family, improve your situations in life, Mohta said. Its a two-way street. I learn from you, and they learn from me, too. In an interview in 2020, Perez said the series came at a time when the presidency was marked by a stinging rhetoric against immigration. The portraits were a chance for immigrants to share their truth to dispel lies and show that they were not powerless. On Tuesday night, he shared how it wasnt until two to three years after he immigrated to the U.S. in 2015 that he understood the full complexity of what it means to be an immigrant here in Virginia. I was feeling the narrative around immigration being problematic and just talking in terms of Theres a problem at the border, and theres a problem with the paperwork, Perez continued. Then at the same time, there are people here living a different experience ... that was good. Positive. But nobody was talking about that. But Khushnood Nabizada, a panelist from Afghanistan who arrived in Richmond six months ago, acknowledged that its the bad that reminds him of why the good means so much. Afghanistan has been in war for the last 43 years now ... and all of the achievements, theyre gone, he said. Immigration is not a fantasy. Its just a struggle to escape death. It is the last option. Nabizada reminded the crowd of almost 20 people, which included Chesterfield supervisors Chris Winslow and Jim Holland and Karla Ramos the head of Richmonds Office for Immigrant and Refugee Engagement who helped Perez and Kutchera find locals for the series that immigration is not only the traveling of a body. Its the traveling of a persons soul. Culture. Livelihood. Thats why Ping Chu, another panelist who was born in China and translates academic books from English to Mandarin for fun to learn more about U.S. history, said not letting immigrant stories disappear is critical to understanding one another. For Chi-Nam Pham, Phams son who has lived in Chesterfield for more than 40 years and pushed Pham to join the series, keeping these stories alive is how those who have never met his mother will learn of how incredible she is. And for people who like him a proud son of immigrants he said its a chance to finally be seen. Correction: An earlier version of this story inadvertently omitted a portion of a quote by Khushnood Nabizada. The correct quote is: Immigration is not a fantasy. Its just a struggle to escape death. It is the last option. The story has been updated. Richmond School Board Chair Shonda Harris-Muhammed wants the board to be able to review all Chromebook laptop purchase orders after an internal audit discovered roughly 20,000 RPS laptops are sitting idle and about 1,750 former students are still in possession of a Chromebook. This [situation] is categorized right now in the public as fraud and waste, and I have a problem with that, Harris-Muhammed said during Mondays School Board meeting. There is a train and a line of accountability that has been lost. It is our job to govern that, and it will be governed. Going forward, the School Board will work collaboratively with the administration concerning Chromebooks, she said. The boards policy committee may create policies to correct the wrongs found in the audit. Harris-Muhammed thanked Superintendent Jason Kamras administration for producing the audit. When RPS closed schools in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the division decided to distribute Chromebooks to all students for virtual learning. Thanks to federal funding, the school system purchased enough laptops, plus extras, to ensure each student would have one. The recent audit found that some current and former students have multiple laptops and that the district ordered an extensive number of extra devices. Harris-Muhammed said Monday night that there is a serious problem with our internal controls. In October, 4th District School Board member Jonathan Young proposed a motion to launch an audit into the divisions Chromebook distribution process. The audit stemmed from the possibility that between 7,000 and 9,000 Chromebooks assigned to students were missing. The audit covers July 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2021. The audit found that as of March 14, the division has an inventory of 44,781 Chromebooks, amounting to an estimated value of $12.6 million. Audit findings by the numbers: About 20,672 spare Chromebooks, with a value of $5.8 million, are currently not assigned to students. Roughly 10,435 RPS students do not have a Chromebook assigned to them. Approximately 2,072 active students have between two and five Chromebooks assigned to them. 1,750 inactive RPS students have a Chromebook assigned to them. Sixty-three of the 1,750 inactive students have two or three Chromebooks assigned to them creating a total of 1,816 Chromebooks assigned to students who no longer attend RPS. Young, during Mondays School Board meeting, made a motion to direct the superintendents administration to in every extent possible contact former students in possession of Chromebooks to return them. It is the responsibility of this board, our fiduciary responsibility, to safeguard all of our assets, Young said. Of course, our Chromebooks are but one of many. He added: I think its incumbent on us as a board to make every good faith effort to retrieve those Chromebooks recognizing that the likelihood is a significant percentage relevant to [student] attrition. Milton Parker, RPS senior internal auditor, said Monday that when students are leaving RPS, they are either not being asked to return their laptops or RPS staff is not actively retrieving the laptops. We never track down the Chromebooks for the most part, Parker said. RPS uses Tempest, an asset management software, to account for its Chromebook inventory. According to the software, 10,000 current students do not have a laptop. When visiting schools, Parker noted that some teachers were using internal inventory sheets instead of Tempest, meaning those laptops are not officially accounted for. I just want to be clear for the record that Tempest is the source of truth, Parker said Monday. However, the audit findings state: Technology Services [the divisions technology department] acknowledges that the Tempest system has many shortcomings and a more robust system may be needed for our entire computer inventory. Some School Board members asked for a confirmation if there are in fact 20,000 laptops not in use. At this time, Parker said, the division is basing all of its numbers off of Tempest data. Technology Services is leaning toward assigning laptops directly to students instead of assigning the devices to schools. The department feels this change will have an immediate impact to alleviate many of the record keeping challenges, according to the audit. The technology department is creating a new reporting system so that records are routinely kept concerning new and active students who are not assigned a laptop, active students assigned multiple devices and an inventory of unassigned devices. Technology Services is slated to finalize the reports on June 20. Kamras said in a statement that he is grateful for the Chromebook audit, which he said illuminated the need for better technology management systems. Kamras said that as the pandemic began our primary goal was to distribute Chromebooks to every student as fast as possible. Although we succeeded in that, its clear there were some record keeping missteps. I own that and appreciate the auditors work to help us chart a more rigorous path forward. An 11-year-old boy pulled from the Dan River by rescue crews Tuesday afternoon died, authorities report. The Danville Fire Department responded to the call behind Robert Woodall Nissan shortly before 4 p.m. Two children were playing behind the car dealership when one child turned around and saw that the other was gone, said Danville Fire Department Battalion Chief Bill Smotherman. It's not clear if the children were swimming in the water or playing along the shore. The boy had last been seen in the area behind Woodall Chevrolet, just a little west of the area where crews responded. Within 10 minutes, the fire department had two rescue boats in the water searching for the boy. "The boy was pulled from the river by fire department members and brought to the shore where they began CPR," Smotherman wrote in a news release. Members of the Danville Life Saving Crew were waiting along the shore to help. While continuing CPR, they transported the boy to Sovah Health-Danville where he was pronounced dead, the release stated. About 20-25 personnel from the department and the Danville Life Saving Crew searched for the child, according to Danville Life Saving Crew Deputy Chief Bryan Fox. In addition to the fire department and life saving crew, the Danville Police Department and the Virginia Department of Inland Game and Fisheries responded. Also, agencies from Halifax County and Caswell County, North Carolina, helped by deploying units downstream to help search the river, the release stated. The police department sent out spotters and the life saving crew responded with a drone, dive team and spotters. Nearly six months into his four-year term, Republican Glenn Youngkin having won a few, lost a few and plotting to win a few more is, no doubt, learning what can often frustrate a Virginia governor: Just because voters are on your side doesnt mean their legislators are. Its the difference between campaigning and governing. Even fellow Republicans will say sotto voce, of course, lest they inflame His Nibs and some of his more vindictive operatives that Youngkin often seems to be doing more of the former than the latter. Some of this is perfectly understandable. Youngkins presumably still on a high from bringing low Terry McAuliffe in the 2021 election handicappers didnt believe Youngkin would win. And the chatter, which Youngkin encourages as a Fox News pin-up with a national fundraising apparatus, that hes worthy of the presidency, having carried a blue-ish state, must mean his healthy ego is healthier. Youngkin need only check the polls, public and private. If you consider the average of three surveys conducted since February one each by Christopher Newport University and Roanoke College, the third by Public Policy Polling for a former Democratic House speaker, Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax the governors approval rating is nearly 46%. Brilliant, it aint. But its better than not bad, given the times and the tenor of politics. Plus, Youngkins standing is practically stratospheric compared with that of President Joe Biden. The Democrats average approval rating across the three polls is 37%. Thats anemic for a guy who won Virginia in 2020 by 10 percentage points, more than five times Youngkins majority, 1.9%. Youngkin clearly believes he can do better with Virginians. His continuing push to temporarily suspend the state fuel tax 26.2 cents per gallon for gasoline, 27 cents for diesel says as much. Pretty much everyone in the elective class is blamed for fuel prices surging beyond $4 per gallon. Youngkin figures relief at the pump is key to escaping criticism. That Youngkin still isnt getting traction on the issue though he vowed in Bristol on Monday to jump-start it speaks to a governors dual constituencies and how the twain often dont meet. Put another way: Theres a big difference between what the people want and what the politicians deliver. At this point, the proposed fuel-tax holiday rejected as a drain on transportation spending is more about saving the populist cred of a cheerful multimillionaire governor than saving a few pennies for exasperated working- and middle-class Virginians. Such tax relief it could be both visible and symbolic is easily erased by the spike in prices. The state budget lawmakers sent to the governor last week does not include the temporary rollback of the fuel tax. It was a casualty of the nearly six-month standoff over spending between the Democrats who control the Virginia Senate and the Republicans who rule the House of Delegates. They fussed occasionally, bitterly, and at times, secretly over appropriations for the remaining weeks of the current fiscal period, which ends June 30, as well as those for the next two-year cycle, during which $165 billion would flow to services. Neither package becomes law until signed by the governor. Before that happens, Youngkin can recommend the legislature change this or that. He could veto the bills in their entirety thats unlikely or he could reject specific proposals, using the so-called item veto. Amendments would have to be approved by lawmakers. Vetoes would stand unless rejected by a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate. The narrow partisan split in both bodies suggests a Youngkin veto would survive unless Democrats and Republicans come together, concluding he is needlessly disrupting a hard-fought, two-party spending compromise that cleared both chambers on lopsided votes. Its not that delegates and senators would fault Youngkin for attempting a personal political splash. They do it all the time and often with less subtlety. Its that delegates and senators would fault Youngkin for failing to grasp that policy is fought within an institutional framework that depends on consensus. Concern that this may be lost on Youngkin, a newcomer to government accustomed to the my way-or-the-highway approach of the corpocracy, is widespread among Democrats. And thats expected from the party out of power; in this instance, one furious over Youngkins gratuitous vetoes of Democratic bills passed with broad bipartisan support. Its the skepticism among Republicans thats far more telling. Republicans are thrilled to have one of their own in the governors chair after an eight-year wait. Some of them have come to prize a thing or two while wandering the wilderness, including standing up for the prerogatives of the legislative branch and that the cost of lower taxes an article of faith among Republicans should not be fiscal recklessness. Both principles are embodied by Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Even before Youngkins victory, when he was trying to run on more than a smile and a fleece vest, Knight was publicly expressing skepticism about the nominees tax proposals, a number of which are included in the just-passed budget. Knight, who, as a former hog farmer knows something about fat, raised concerns about their cost, impact on services and that they could handcuff local government. Knight also spoke up for the legislatures duty to fashion a budget that reflected its priorities Republican and Democratic and, on occasion, politely told Youngkin to butt out. Youngkin should listen to Knight. Hell learn more. A $58 million federal grant will put high-speed rail on a fast track between Richmond and Raleigh, North Carolina, but Virginia is fishing for bigger funding opportunities to carry out an $3.7 billion passenger rail plan that depends on construction of a second two-track bridge across the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. The Salem Police Department took a teenager into custody Friday night after photos depicting firearms and threats were posted on social media and brought to the attention of Salem High School administrators. The schools parents and guardians received an email about the incident from Principal Scott Habeeb at around 8 p.m. Sunday. In the email, Habeeb said students brought the concerning photos to the attention of school administrators on Friday afternoon. While these photos were non-school related, we immediately shared them with our School Resource Officer, Habeeb wrote. As a result, Salem police conducted an investigation and took a juvenile into custody, Habeeb said. The principal added that police dont believe there is or was a credible threat to the safety of students or staff. Please do not read this message as a response to an actual or credible threat. We have no evidence that any SHS students or faculty members were ever in danger, Habeeb said in his email. Rather, this message is a response to the fact that we understand social media posts about this have caused considerable concern within the Spartan Family, and we wish to allay those concerns. Mike Stevens, Salems communications director, said the city will not elaborate on the type of charges that have been served. It involves a juvenile and the incident is still under investigation, Stevens said in an email Tuesday. The police department and the high school have encouraged parents to monitor their childrens social media activities and accounts. Thank you to all of the concerned parents who reported the disturbing content directly to school authorities and/or the Salem Police Department, Habeeb said in his email. I thank those of you who took the time to text me. We always prefer direct communication, as we are all on the same team working together to love and serve our young people. Katie Ferguson, whose son attends the high school, shared the concerning photos in a post on Facebook on Friday. Ferguson said her son made her aware of two images shared on Snapchat by a user. One photo features two handguns and one rifle sitting on a table or bed. Between the handguns and the rifle sits drug paraphernalia. A caption reads, thought u could sneak diss and u wont get caught, til i catch u in traffic at the wrong place at the wrong time. The second photo is a selfie of a white male juvenile holding a handgun. The caption in this image covers the subjects eyes. It reads, and if i catch u lackin better pray to god my [expletive] jammed, put a whole in yo [expletive] face if i catch u talkin to the [expletive] jakes. Ferguson said the juvenile pictured is a junior who has recorded and bragged about snorting coke and meth off the bathroom toilet paper dispenser. After showers and scattered thundershowers on Wednesday night, clouds will break for sunshine by Thursday afternoon across metro Richmond. Humidity will remain high at daybreak, but begin to edge back during the afternoon. The slightly less humid air will make for a nice start to Friday, as afternoon temperatures return to the 80s. Rain is likely from a small storm system racing by just to the south of Richmond late Friday and early Saturday. About a quarter- to a half-inch of rain is likely as that system moves through, but most of the data suggests the rain will be done by early afternoon, making for a nice Saturday evening with a clearing sky and temperatures in the 70s. That will make Sunday the sunnier and nicer of the two days this weekend, with fair weather clouds mixing with the sun, moderate humidity, and afternoon temperatures edging into the 80s. A gradual stepping up of the heat will return next week, with highs creeping back into the 90s as early as Tuesday, or by Wednesday at the latest. The worst of the heat will likely hold west of the Appalachians next week, but there is also very little sign of cooling rain once Saturday mornings rain comes to an end. Richmond climate check On Wednesday, NOAA released its monthly temperature and precipitation analysis for the country. Last month was warmer than normal for most of the country, with the exception of the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies. Virginia was among those states warmer than normal, but not quite in record territory. Virginia was also wetter than normal last month. Although Richmond was not substantially wetter than normal, heavier rains west of the Blue Ridge helped bring up the statewide rainfall ranking. So far this calendar year, Virginia is significantly warmer than normal with rainfall very close to normal, so drought is still not a concern. Going a little deeper in the statewide data from May reveals a more pronounced warming trend during the nights over the past 20 years, with some of the warmest monthly May nights on record in Virginia coming during that time. In short, late spring nights are just not cooling as much as they did in the 20th century. As a reporter from the former capital of the Confederacy prepared to depart for the former hub of German Nazism, insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol. In January 2021, public radio reporter Mallory Noe-Payne was headed to Germany as a Fulbright Young Professional Journalist to compare and contrast how Germany and America confronted the sins of their past Germanys attempted extermination of Jewish people and Americas original sin of white supremacy. Seeing America in the midst of an apparent unraveling made me feel like the task was more necessary, Noe-Payne, the Richmond reporter for Radio IQ, said Tuesday, two days before the launch of Memory Wars: A podcast exploring how society confronts sin. She had hoped helping people see historical sins from an outside perspective would lead Americans to confront their own complicity because we can recognize when someone else has perpetrated evil better than we can recognize when we ourselves have, she said before leaving for Germany. I bit off a lot, she said Tuesday. But Im pleased with the fact it has all come together. Im hopeful that people feel like theyve learned something. I also hope its entertaining that people just really want more, that they listen to it all. The five-part Memory Wars, featuring Noe-Paynes interviews and in-depth reporting from her year in Germany, will have a new episode every other Thursday. You can subscribe and listen along all summer, Noe-Payne said. I was delighted when she asked me to co-host the podcast as something of a sounding board. Two Richmonders who witnessed Virginias racial reckoning are observing its backlash and are looking for answers anywhere we can find them. If Germany presented itself as a template in our nations journey from sin to redemption, history, as is often the case, was not quite as neat as imagined. Germans, for one, resisted the prevailing narrative about the unabashed success of their reconstruction. As Noe-Payne put it: Theres very little patting themselves on the back. I was surprised by the depth of the challenges Germany faced and how many Germans are still convinced that they did not do a good job, she said. In hindsight, it was naive to believe rebuilding a society after the horrors of the Holocaust would not be immensely challenging. Its just another example of how we simplify things we dont understand outside of our borders, she said. Still, Germans seem to be earnestly engaged in the work, however difficult and incomplete. They are performing acts of reconciliation and, yes, reparations, that youd be hard-pressed to find in America all done with a humility America could learn from. I was blown away by the extent in which American forces, during Germanys post-war reconstruction, fed that nation a harsh dose of collective guilt. One example was posters, bearing images of dead bodies and concentration camps, with a message that translated into THESE ATROCITIES: YOUR FAULT. The campaign was short-lived and, Germans would argue, ineffective. But, contextually, it was eye-opening. Our nations Reconstruction after the Civil War caved as the nation prioritized the reconciliation of its white citizens over the lives of its new Black citizens. At the same time occupying U.S. forces were serving up guilt to Germans, Black Southerners remained under a reign of terror. Whose fault was that? Noe-Payne said this campaign was important to focus on because it demonstrated Americans selective hearing to some extent what we choose to turn a blind eye to and what we dont. She remains haunted by her visit to the Dachau concentration camp and her time spent in a room designed expressly for killing. And I stood in it and left feeling so nauseous but also with the knowledge that every German school child visits such sites. She recalled childhood car trips up and down Route 5, between her Varina home and Williamsburg, passing the James River plantations that she would never visit. Knowing that I had grown up in Virginia, never having that sort of same visceral reaction at a place of encounter, as part of my education ... I just felt it in such contradiction. If Virginia was once moving toward a more enlightened education, it has done a U-turn. Learning honest and accurate history, particularly about systemic racism, has become a bridge too far for some Republican politicians. Book banning is in vogue. Racism and antisemitism are ascendant. Feels like backward movement, Noe-Payne said. From the Lost Cause movement of the late 19th century to the current backlash of the 21st century, we are still fighting wars over memory competing visions of a past that continues to inform and haunt our present. Too often, America has felt it has little to learn from history and the rest of the world. Our perilous democracy illustrates the folly of myopia and amnesia. This is one war we cant afford to lose. A Montgomery County man who battled child sex abuse accusations for years was vindicated this week by the Virginia Court of Appeals. David Wayne Kingrea, 48, of Pilot, was cleared of an indecent liberties conviction from 2014 in an appeals court order dated June 6. The unusual exoneration will not take effect until the Virginia Attorney Generals office, which opposed Kingreas appeal, decides whether to ask the Virginia Supreme Court to review the case. Accused of molesting his former girlfriends son in 2008, Kingrea served 12 months in jail and was labeled a sex offender, a stigma that he said cost him job opportunities. And the sex offender designation barred Kingrea from schools and other childrens facilities, which hampered his ability to care for his own son, who is profoundly disabled. But in 2020, the boy by then a grown man that had accused Kingrea filed an affidavit saying that he had lied and that Kingrea did not sexually abuse him. Kingrea and his attorney launched a legal process that resulted in the appeals court ruling this week. On Tuesday, Kingrea called the appeals courts decision very beautiful and said it lifted a lot of heartbreak from his family. We won. Truth won. Good beat evil, Kingrea said. He said that he hoped that he and his wife would now be better able to seek various avenues of assistance for their son, who is 7. Attorney Fred Kellerman of Christiansburg, who represented Kingrea at his 2014 trial and in his appeal, said he was tickled to death by the ruling. Im just happy for David and his family. I just want closure for them to undo whats been done to them, Kellerman said. Kingreas case started with a turbulent relationship that he had with a woman who for a time moved into his home with her two young sons. Drugs and violence were part of their time together, according to an account that was part of the appeals courts ruling. But it was not until several years after the relationship ended that Shawn Douglas Smith, a son of Kingreas former girlfriend, told a counselor that when Smith was 10, Kingrea groped him and also made him touch Kingreas genitals. That led to a jury trial where most of the charges against Kingrea were thrown out, but he was found guilty of taking indecent liberties with a minor. In 2018, Smith, by then an adult, was accused of harming his own daughter. In 2020, he was sentenced to serve four years in prison. Behind bars, Smith underwent a religious awakening and began to think about what his false testimony against Kingrea had done, he said during a court hearing in March. I now understand what I put Mr. Kingrea through, Smith said in the affidavit he filed from prison. In the affidavit, Smith recanted his testimony about the sexual abuse. The appeals court noted that Smith said he originally made up the sexual accusations because he wanted revenge for the whippings that Kingrea gave him. In the March court hearing, Smith said that Kingrea was too rough with him, but that there was nothing sexual in their interactions. Kellerman filed a writ of actual innocence with the appeals court asking that Kingreas conviction be thrown out. One of the unusual facets of a writ of actual innocence case is that the defendant is presumed guilty, the opposite of a regular criminal proceeding. But Smiths testimony was the only evidence against Kingrea, the appeals court noted. Without it, the record is entirely devoid of any evidence that incriminates, the appeals court ruling said. On Tuesday, Kellerman called Smiths decision to recant which exposed Smith to possible charges of perjury amazing in and of itself. He certainly tried to undo what hed done, Kellerman said. Better late than never. Kingreas case was governed by a law that Virginia General Assembly passed in 2004. Before then, Virginia barred any newly discovered evidence of innocence unless it came to light within three weeks of sentencing, with the exception of DNA testing. The so-called 21-day rule was widely regarded as the strictest in the nation. Although recantations and other non-biological evidence are generally viewed as less reliable than DNA-based proof, the law allows some relief if petitioners can establish that no rational trier of fact would have found them guilty had the new information been known at the time of their trial. But the legal burden remains high. Shawn Armbrust, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project, said she was aware of only about a half dozen writs of actual innocence granted by the Virginia Court of Appeals since the law was passed. One of the first inmates to invoke the law was Aleck J. Carpitcher of Roanoke County, who in 1999 was sentenced to 38 years in prison for molesting a young girl who later said she made up the allegations. She then recanted her recantation, and the courts held there was no way to find the truth among varying versions of events that she had given. She was the prosecutions only witness. Carpitchers petition was denied and he remained in prison. The Virginia Parole Board granted him geriatric release in 2020, according to Steve Northup, a Richmond attorney who represented him. By then, Carpitcher had been transferred to a prison in Oklahoma, close to family members and the American Indian reservation where he grew up. In poor health at the time of his release, Carpitcher struggled at first with life on the outside, his nephew, Joshua Carpitcher, said Tuesday. Eventually, Carpitcher wound up living in a recreational vehicle in Konawa and was able to get out and enjoy life, his nephew said. Although he didnt talk much about his conviction in Virginia, Carpitcher always maintained his innocence and was constantly looking for a way to completely clear himself of that, Joshua Carpitcher said. On May 14, Carpitcher died in an Oklahoma City hospital of causes that have yet to be fully determined. He was 65. Staff writer Laurence Hammack contributed to this article. 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. Roanoke police have identified the victim of a fatal fight that broke out on a Northwest Roanoke neighborhood street Monday. Berkley C. Bradley, 55, of Roanoke, died after sustaining life-threatening injuries during an altercation with another man in the 1700 block of Melrose Avenue, police confirmed on Twitter and Facebook Tuesday. Officers responding to a 911 call about a man down found Bradley unresponsive and lying on the ground. He was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. The second man involved in the fight was taken to the police department for questioning. Police determined that the two men knew each other and the incident was isolated. The second man has not been identified by the police department, which provided no other updates regarding the investigation of the incident. 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. Delta Airlines began daily nonstop passenger flights to New Yorks LaGuardia Airport from Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport Monday. The new service creates a second option for getting to the New York metropolitan area. The action put pressure on American Airlines, which already flies from Roanoke to LaGuardia every day, to evaluate its fares and they dropped to some degree, airport spokesman Brad Boettcher said. Whats interesting about this is its the first market we have here that has direct competition between American and Delta on it, Boettcher said. There are now more seats in the market, so the more seats you have the better chance you have of getting a low fare. A mid-July weekend round trip was priced at $198 on Delta and $303 on American, according to the online booking service Expedia. The same trip in mid-August was priced at $218 on Delta and $303 on American. The Roanoke airport lost its direct service to LaGuardia around the time the pandemic began and was without it until November 2021 when American resumed the service, Boettcher said. The flights take off around 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Letters to the Editor: Abortion should be considered before gun control; No more career politicians; United States should return money to Afghanistan You are here: China China's social security fund reported steady expansion in terms of revenue and expenditure in 2021, data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security showed. The revenue of the fund topped 6.82 trillion yuan (1.02 trillion U.S. dollars) last year, soaring 34.6 percent from 2020, according to a statistical bulletin released by the ministry. About 6.27 trillion yuan of the fund was spent in the same period, up 8.9 percent from the previous year, the bulletin said. Contributions to the social security fund come from basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance. By the end of 2021, about 1.03 billion people had participated in the basic old-age insurance scheme, and the accumulative balance of the fund neared 6.4 trillion yuan. " " The Galapagos penguin, an endangered species that can live on the equator due in part to cool water flowing from the Humboldt Current, takes a swim off Bartolome Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Wild Horizon/UIG/Getty Images In December 1802, a small sailing ship called the Causino set sail from Callao, Peru northward along the South American coastline toward Guayaquil in present-day Ecuador, a trip of about 700 miles, or 1,127 kilometers. One of the ship's passengers was a 33-year-old Prussian aristocrat, Alexander von Humboldt. A mining engineer by training, Humboldt had an insatiable curiosity about nature that led him to roam the planet, studying plants and animals as well as phenomena ranging from magnetic rocks to river systems and ocean currents. Fresh from studying the value of bat guano as manure in Callao, Humboldt used the sailing trip to investigate a powerful, cold current that flowed from the tip of Chile to northern Peru, ranging from just offshore to about 600 miles (966 kilometers) off the coast. As an 1873 biography of Humboldt details, the current's existence had been known for centuries to sailors and fishermen. But no scientist had ever systematically studied the flow. Humboldt carefully measured the water temperature and the speed, and continued on his journey, which eventually would lead him to Mexico. Advertisement " " Daguerreotype of Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). ullstein bild Dtl/Getty Images Humboldt's work was the beginning of scientific understanding of the Humboldt Current, also known as the Peru Current. The current helps hold warm, moist air off the coast, keeping the climate cool. It also pulls plankton-rich water from deep in the Pacific to the surface, feeding a vast number and variety of fish and birds, and creating the richest marine ecosystem on the planet. Its fishing grounds provide about 6 percent of the world's catch. And as the World Wildlife Fund website notes, the Humboldt Current's nutrients support the marine food chain of the Galapagos Islands and influence its climate as well. It has helped to make possible the archipelago's incredible biodiversity. In that sense, the Humboldt Current also helped shape the development of evolutionary theory. The Galapagos provided the living laboratory for another 19th-century scientist, Charles Darwin, whose paradigm-shifting work "On the Origin of Species" was published in 1859, the year of Humboldt's death. Darwin himself was inspired by the work of Humboldt, who might be the most important scientist that you've probably never heard of. In the early to mid-1800s, though, he might have been the most renowned researcher on the planet, a scientific mind of such esteem that Thomas Jefferson corresponded with him. Humboldt was the first to investigate the relationship between mean temperature and elevation, and came up with the concept of maps with isothermal lines that delineate areas with the same temperature at a given time. He did important early work on the origin of tropical storms. More importantly, Humboldt altered the way that scientists see the natural world, by finding interconnections. As Humboldt biographer Andrea Wulf wrote in this 2015 article, the scientist invented the concept of a web of life, what he called "this great chain of causes and effects." Some consider him to be the first ecologist, a thinker who paved the way for the likes of Rachel Carson. He was ahead of the curve on understanding environmental problems such as deforestation and its effect upon climate, which he first observed around Lake Valencia in Venezuela back in 1800. Aaron Sachs, a history professor at Cornell University and author of "The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century Exploration and the Roots of American Environmentalism," thinks that rather than focusing on Humboldt's specific discoveries, it's more important to look at the insights and approaches to the work that were based upon his research and observations. "To me, his version of ecology was significant, not just because he stressed interconnection but because he combined it with a social and ethical perspective," Sachs writes in an email. "The fact of interconnection had certain implications with regard to human responsibilities toward each other and the environment. It was a cosmopolitan, open-minded ecology." Now That's Interesting Humboldt also was a predecessor to Albert Einstein as a scientist with a strong interest in social justice. As Andrea Wulf notes, he was a critic of colonialism and supported revolutionary movements in South America, and also criticized the U.S. a country he otherwise admired for its institution of slavery. A recently discovered, rare and persistent rapid-fire fast radio burst sourcesending out an occasional and informative cosmic ping from more than 3.5 billion light years awayhelps to reveal the secrets of the broiling hot space between the galaxies. That's according to an international team of astronomers who published their findings in the journal Fast Radio Burst 20190520Ba prolific repeating burst sourcewas first observed in June 2019 by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), in Ghizou province, southwest China. Astronomers generally consider this telescope as the spiritual successor to the now-defunct, Cornell University-built Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. After FAST found the burst, scientists then pinpointed the burst's location using the Very Large Array, Socorro, New Mexico. What excites astronomers about the repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs)since they only burst once, generally speakingis that these quick-fire surges provide a pathway for scientists to comprehend the perplexing, mysterious and million-degree intergalactic medium. "Examining the intergalactic medium is really hard," said co-author Shami Chatterjee, principal research scientist in astronomy at Cornell. "The intergalactic medium is difficult to probe, which is why fast radio bursts are exciting. The bursts let us study the properties of the intergalactic medium." Joining Chatterjee on the Nature paper are James M. Cordes, professor of astronomy and Stella K. Ocker, a doctoral student in astronomy. Co-author Di Li, is the chief scientist of both FAST and the radio division of the National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The observatory has discovered more than 100 pulsars and more than 5 FRBs. Four bursts were detected during the initial 24-second scan in 2019, according to the paper. Between April and September 2020, during follow-up observations, FAST detected 75. Due to the rapidly repeating bursts, astronomers believe that FRB 20190520B may be quite young. "It seems to reside in a complex plasma environment, like that expected in a young supernova remnant," Chatterjee said. "So one possibility is that the highly active source may be a newborn, and if so, it paints an intriguing evolutionary picture of FRB sources, where young burst sources are associated with persistent radio emission. "The persistent emission fades away as the burst repetition rate slows down," Chatterjee said. "This is still very much a hypothesis and we are eager to test it with further examples of repeating FRBs." Astronomers usually assume that FRBs pass through only a modest amount of gas (free electrons) in their host galaxies, which makes counting electrons in the intergalactic medium an easier task. FRB 20190520B shows the opposite: It has encountered far more gas in its host galaxy than scientists expected, calling into question previous assumptions. Ultimately, astronomers want to know how the intergalactic medium is formed. "We want to deconstruct how many free electrons are in the intergalactic medium, because it has been extremely difficult to study," Ocker said. "We don't know much about it." "This particular new repeating FRB behaves in extreme, surprising ways," Ocker said. Other recent Cornell papers related to this research include: "The Large Dispersion and Scattering of FRB 20190520B are Dominated by the Host Galaxy," which was led by Ocker. The astronomers assessed implications of the large dispersion measure (examining the very short FRB signal) to understand the host galaxy. The second paper, "Redshift Estimation and Constraints on Intergalactic and Interstellar Media from Dispersion and Scattering of Fast Radio Bursts," led by Cordes, estimated dispersion measure contributions from host galaxies. Both papers appear in the Astrophysical Journal. More information: C.-H. Niu et al, A repeating fast radio burst associated with a persistent radio source, Nature (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04755-5 Provided by Cornell University Marion Police Chief Tony Flowers said black male walked into TD Bank and presented a teller a note demanding money. The man then left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money, got into a vehicle that was described as an older model sedan that was dark in color, but had a white fender on the right front of the vehicle, leaving the scene heading southbound on Main St. As Democrats prospects in the 2022 mid-term elections dim, the party needs to revive itself with what was once a reliable constituency Hispanic voters. A Wall Street Journal poll taken in December found Hispanic voters split 37 percent to 37 percent if the election were held today. The Journal poll also showed that Hispanic voters mirror the overall voter pool. When asked how Biden is handling his responsibilities, 42 percent approved of the presidents job performance, and 54 percent disapproved in line with the 41 percent approval and 57 percent disapproval among the broader voting public. Since the Journal published its results, conditions in the country have worsened, more bad news for the flailing administration. As of late May, only divine intervention can save Democrats from electoral calamity when November rolls around. A clarifying note: the term Hispanic voter should be interpreted broadly. The Census Bureau includes as Hispanic any person who, when asked, identifies as Hispanic. Included are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, South Americans and other mostly Spanish-language speakers. Continued erosion in the Hispanic vote would leave Democrats chances of maintaining its slim margin in Congress at nil. Equis Labs, which studied the Latino electorate, found that in 2020 swings toward the GOP of 20 points occurred in parts of Floridas Miami-Dade County, 12 points in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and double-digit swings in parts of the Northeast. In South Florida, the move was large enough to flip two congressional seats from Democrat to Republican. Mark Zandi, Moody Analytics chief economist, wrote that, despite a booming jobs market, todays political environment is among the toughest for incumbents that hes ever surveyed. The consensus among political analysts like Zandi is that voters are out to punish incumbents with their Republican vote. If conventional wisdom is correct and if Hispanics continue to abandon Democrats, theyll be the minority in the upcoming 118th Congress. Hispanic voters shifting allegiance took the establishment media by surprise, but not other impartial, national scene observers. First, Hispanic voters have the same goals as other citizens a stable economy, educational opportunities for their children and a good quality of life. Second, and less noted by mainstream journalists, mass immigration, a hallmark of Democratic administrations that Biden has taken to record levels, harms Hispanics and other minorities more than any demographic. The immigrant who arrives today makes yesterdays immigrants efforts to become established more challenging, particularly in his job search or for his school age children who will enroll in ever-more crowded classrooms. The report that Department of Homeland Security tracking has identified as many as 50,000 migrants from Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Haiti, Peru and the Northern Triangle countries waiting in make-shift tents along the Southwest borders Mexican side is terrible news for recently arrived migrants. The most important factors among Hispanics who are fleeing Democrats began during President Obamas two terms, and both of which Biden is pursuing to the extreme. One is a refusal to vigorously carry out interior enforcement, including at the workplace. Weeding out illegal aliens from the job site would make more blue-collar jobs available to minority populations. Second, U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services data obtained through a Freedom of Information request revealed that, from 2009 to 2014, the agency issued 5.5 million new work permits to immigrants, beyond the 1.1 million legal immigrants and 700,000 guest workers admitted to the U.S. each year. Moreover, Biden has begun to give the arriving migrants, as well as Ukrainian refugees and Afghan evacuees, work authorization. Voters who identify as Hispanic will decide if they want to continue with unprecedented record immigration under Democratic leadership that will adversely affect most every aspect of their lives, or if they wish to support sustainable immigration levels that include border and interior enforcement. For now, multiple polls indicate that voters will support candidates that promise to reduce immigration and increase immigration enforcement, a welcome change from Biden and his lieutenants sovereignty-ending agenda. Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org. Vice President Kamala Harris is returning to South Carolina this week to headline a fundraising dinner for Democrats in the state, which plays a key role in the presidential nominating process. State Democratic party officials recently announced Harris will be the keynote speaker at the Blue Palmetto Dinner, planned for Friday in Columbia. Its her first visit to a state party event as vice president, according to South Carolina Party Chair Trav Robertson. The dinner comes just days before South Carolinas primary elections, where the contest for governor tops the statewide Democratic ballot. Five candidates are competing for their partys nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, whose GOP challengers have failed to attract significant fundraising support. Just two hours before the dinner, Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls, including former U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham and state Sen. Mia McLeod, are set to meet for their only primary debate. For months, South Carolina has already been playing host to a myriad of Republicans potentially setting themselves up for 2024 White House bids, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Some native South Carolina Republicans have also been testing the 2024 waters. Nikki Haley, who served the state for six years as governor before joining the Trump administration as U.N. ambassador, lives in the Charleston area and has been visiting other early-voting states, as has U.S. Sen. Tim Scott. Harris campaigned heavily in South Carolina during her own 2020 White House bid but left the race before the states first-in-the-South primary, unable to achieve significant polling support or break through in a field that at one time included two dozen Democratic hopefuls. During that campaign, Harris worked to develop networks among Black voters often not elevated in the states political campaign, such as the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, of which she is a member. South Carolina, where Black voters play an outsized role in the Democratic electorate, ended up being the place where Joe Biden was able to revive his flagging presidential campaign, following a series of losses in other early-voting states. That victory came after a key endorsement for Biden from U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, South Carolinas sole Democrat in Congress and whose backing was seen by some Black voters as a long-awaited signal that Biden would be the candidate best suited to represent them. Earlier this year, Biden committed to tapping Harris as his running mate for the 2024 reelection campaign. COLUMBIA, S.C. U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is beefing up her campaign coffers in an effort to stave off GOP challenger Katie Arrington in the closing days of the Republican primary race for South Carolinas 1st District. The freshman Mace has consistently topped the contest for dollars in the 1st Congressional District, which she won back from Democrats in 2020. Mace has taken in more than $4.1 million in contributions through May 25, the deadline for pre-primary fundraising reports, and has $1.4 million cash on hand. The pre-primary receipts for Arrington, a former state lawmaker who also sought the seat in 2018, amounted to more than $909,000, according to federal filings. More than half of that amount came via a personal loan of $525,000, and Arrington had $607,000 on hand as of May 25. As they vie for their partys nomination, both women have been making their case to voters who are either still mulling which of them to pick, or who are already casting ballots. Early voting in South Carolina has been underway since May 31, and more than 28,000 people have already cast primary ballots overall, according to state officials. Election day is Tuesday. Arrington, who went to work at the Department of Defense after her 2018 loss, has largely portrayed herself as a servant leader loyal to former President Donald Trump, who is supporting her current bid. Trump backed Mace in 2020 but soured on her following the freshman congresswomans critical statements about Trumps role in the Capitol violence. The former president campaigned for Arrington this spring and reiterated his support for her last month. To kick off the GOP primarys only debate, third candidate Lynz Piper-Loomis also threw her support behind Arrington, stripped off her microphone and left the debate stage, whittling down the contest to a head-to-head match. Additionally, Arrington is backed by Ric Grenell, who served as Trumps ambassador to Germany. Breaking with his delegation member Mace, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson has endorsed Arrington, whom he said would be a tireless advocate for our veterans and the military. Along with groups including the National Rifle Association and Club for Growth, Mace is backed by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who also served as Trumps U.N. ambassador, and helped Mace raise $300,000 during an event earlier this year. Mace also has support from Mick Mulvaney, who served as Trumps chief of staff, budget director and special envoy to Northern Ireland, as well as GOP congressional leaders including U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and U.S. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise. A new television ad from Mace wonders if voters can trust Katie Arrington to keep America safe, pointing to the suspension of Arringtons security clearance during a Pentagon probe into the exposure of classified information. Arrington has disputed Maces characterization of the clearance issue, arguing she had been politically targeted as a Trump supporter after the Democratic administration of President Joe Biden took over the Pentagon. Another new spot from a political action committee backing Mace points toward Arringtons support of South Carolinas 2017 gas tax overhaul a stair-step increase aimed at repairing the states crumbling roads and bridges during her single term as a state lawmaker. A recent ad from Arrington featured voters as customers seeking a refund on their choice of Mace because she turned her back on Trump, among other characterizations. The winner of the GOP contest will go on to face Dr. Annie Andrews in the general election. With no primary opposition, the Democrat Andrews has been able to continue raising money more than $920,000, with more than $568,000 on hand as of pre-primary federal filings and let the GOP contenders feud with each other. Many Alabamians have been waiting to get the COVID vaccine until one is approved by U.S. regulators. Pfizer won approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday. Does that change your mind on getting the vaccine? You voted: San Francisco voters recall progressive prosecutor Chesa Boudin by a large margin | Main | Arizona completes its second execution in 2022 for crime committed 35 years prior June 8, 2022 SCOTUS limits reach of Bivens actions against federal government in Egbert v. Boule Via a vote on usual "partisan" lines, the Supreme Court this morning in Egbert v. Boule, No. 21-147 (S. Ct. June 8, 2022) (available here), reversed a lower court ruling allowing a Bivens suit to move forward against a Border Patrol agent. Though not exactly about sentencing, I suspect criminal justice fans may be interested in what was the only opinion handed down by SCOTUS today. Here is how Justice Thomas's opinion for the Court begins: In Bivens v. Six Unknown Fed. Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971), this Court authorized a damages action against federal officials for alleged violations of the Fourth Amendment. Over the past 42 years, however, we have declined 11 times to imply a similar cause of action for other alleged constitutional violations. See Chappell v. Wallace, 462 U.S. 296 (1983); Bush v. Lucas, 462 U.S. 367 (1983); United States v. Stanley, 483 U.S. 669 (1987); Schweiker v. Chilicky, 487 U.S. 412 (1988); FDIC v. Meyer, 510 U.S. 471 (1994); Correctional Services Corp. v. Malesko, 534 U.S. 61 (2001); Wilkie v. Robbins, 551 U.S. 537 (2007); Hui v. Castaneda, 559 U.S. 799 (2010); Minneci v. Pollard, 565 U.S. 118 (2012); Ziglar v. Abbasi, 582 U.S. ___ (2017); Hernandez v. Mesa, 589 U S. ___ (2020). Nevertheless, the Court of Appeals permitted not one, but two constitutional damages actions to proceed against a U. S. Border Patrol agent: a Fourth Amendment excessive-force claim and a First Amendment retaliation claim. Because our cases have made clear that, in all but the most unusual circumstances, prescribing a cause of action is a job for Congress, not the courts, we reverse. The rulings comes with an interesting short concurrence that seems to call for overturning Bivens. And Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Breyer and Kagan, issues a partial dissent that starts this way: Respondent Robert Boule alleges that petitioner Erik Egbert, a U. S. Customs and Border Patrol agent, violated the Fourth Amendment by entering Boules property without a warrant and assaulting him. Existing precedent permits Boule to seek compensation for his injuries in federal court. See Bivens v. Six Unknown Fed. Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971); Ziglar v. Abbasi, 582 U.S. 120 (2017). The Court goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid this result: It rewrites a legal standard it established just five years ago, stretches national-security concerns beyond recognition, and discerns an alternative remedial structure where none exists. T he Courts innovations, taken together, enable it to close the door to Boules claim and, presumably, to others that fall squarely within Bivens ambit. Todays decision does not overrule Bivens. It nevertheless contravenes precedent and will strip many more individuals who suffer injuries at the hands of other federal officers, and whose circumstances are materially indistinguishable from those in Bivens, of an important remedy. I therefore dissent from the Courts disposition of Boules Fourth Amendment claim. I concur in the Courts judgment that Boules First Amendment retaliation claim may not proceed under Bivens, but for reasons grounded in precedent rather than this Courts newly announced test. June 8, 2022 at 10:15 AM | Permalink Comments Post a comment Businesses that fail to incorporate green practices are at risk of being written off as "too little, too late", according to Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. (PHOTO: Temasek) SINGAPORE Businesses that do not incorporate sustainable practices are at risk of being written off, warned Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean on Tuesday (7 June). Teo, who was speaking at the start of Ecosperity Week 2022, a sustainability conference presented by Temasek, said, As demand for sustainable practices increase, first movers will capture upsides while laggards may be written off as doing too little, too late." Teo noted in his speech that businesses will be affected not just by the primary effects of climate change, but also by second- and third-order effects which could disrupt their supply chains and operating models. Growing awareness about the climate crisis has also changed how people define value in business, and what values a company upholds, he added. Also read: Singapores Temasek sees China growth reviving in second half Also read: Singapores Temasek invests in forest fund as carbon tax looms Also read: Microsoft, Temasek invest in ConsenSys at US$7 billion valuation Factors such as climate policies, technological advancements and stakeholder preferences will fundamentally impact the sustainable value of a company, as well as its valuation in the long term. Firms can no longer focus on short term returns from current assets and business lines, as shareholders, creditors, customers and even employees will demand more sustainable practices and plans. Teo said that to remain competitive on the long run, firms will need to incorporate decarbonisation and climate risks into their strategies. Questions will be asked about your companies strategies to avoid stranded assets or legacy lines of production that may be rendered obsolete, he said. He cited the oil and gas industry, which has been under the spotlight in the conversation for climate change. The big five oil giants - Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP and ConocoPhillips - had responded by pledging to reduce emissions. Story continues The first three companies, which have major operations in Singapore, have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Teo noted that the private sector and private finance also play an important role towards a greener economy. The industry could provide investments to plug a financing gap or lead by adopting greener business models. Sustainable private financing and corporate net-zero targets have a powerful mutually reinforcing effect, by drawing capital preferentially towards sustainable projects and new opportunities in the global green economy, said Teo. This would make it more difficult and expensive for firms to obtain financing if their projects are not green. To this end, he referred to GenZero, an investment company focused on carbon markets and accelerating decarbonisation solutions which was launched by Temasek on Monday. Temasek committed S$5 billion to the platform, which will invest in companies across tech-based solutions, nature-based solutions, and carbon ecosystem enablers. Singapore also needed to invest in research and develop innovative ways to to tackle the climate crisis. To do this effectively, the government needed to create a conducive environment that promotes green opportunities, spurring the private sector to invest in emerging technologies and the scientific and research community to focus on developing innovate solutions. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Tom Ford, Bon Jovi, The Kardashians, the Jenners, Rihanna, George and Amal Clooney, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez these are just some names in Nobu restaurants' long list of celebrity clientele. Helmed by maestro chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, the Nobu namesake on his 52 restaurants and 13 hotels has become as famous as the celebrities they serve. And now, Nobu's 51st branch has opened its door at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. There are two key firsts for the Singapore iteration of Nobu. Singapore is the only Nobu location in the world to incorporate a designer outdoor Japanese garden. Secondly, a chefs table is part of a private dining space, which allows for a more intimate experience should one wish for it. Nobu group of restaurants stood out on their take of traditional Japanese dishes with Peruvian influences, a result of Nobu's experiences in Peru during his younger days. His philosophy is that menus should be a constant study in culinary evolution. His signature dishes, such as Black Cod Miso, Yellowtail Jalapeno, Anticucho Peruvian Style Rib Eye Steak and more reflect those sensibilities. Learn more about Nobuyuki Matsuhisa in Nobu, a memoir Here's what we tried. Edamame with Salt, $8 It's an adequate starter, but I'd suggest checking out the Shishito peppers instead. Edamame with Salt (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Shishito Peppers Den Miso, $16 A far more interesting appetiser than it looks. Fragrant and well seasoned, and nary the bitterness I usually associate with this pepper in other restaurants. Shishito Peppers Den Miso (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Yellowtail Jalapeno, $39 The first outlier of the night, every yuzu ponzu-laden bite is enhanced by the fragrance of the jalepeno. Yellowtail Jalapeno (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Salmon Taco, $10 per piece Not the most impressive dish, and found lacking in more ways than one. Salmon Taco (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Whitefish Sashimi Dry Miso, $39 I actually preferred this compared to the yellowtail. The dried brown bits you see on the whitefish? That's the dry miso flakes acting like mini umami bombs. Story continues Whitefish Sashimi Dry Miso (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing, $44 A salad that you would prefer not sharing, and gets better with each bite. Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Rock Shrimp Tempura with Spicy Creamy Sauce, $44 If there's one thing you need to order, it's this crowd-pleaser. While the price tag might seem high, the portion was generous. Rock Shrimp Tempura with Spicy Creamy Sauce (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Off the menu: Pan-fried Scallops with Japaleno Dressing This dish is one of Nobu's earliest creation that was on the menu for many years. If it's anything to go by, this is one of the best sauces I've ever had on a scallop. Pan-fried Scallops with Japaleno Dressing (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Black Cod Miso, $68 Nobu's signature, and for good reasons. Black Cod Miso (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Anticucho Peruvian Style Rib Eye Steak, $75 This is possibly the least Japanese-tasting dish on the menu, but comes in an incredibly generous portion, enough to share for maybe 3-4 pax. The reward? Explosion of flavours in every bite. Anticucho Peruvian Style Rib Eye Steak (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Sushi (Japanese Red Snapper/Tuna/Yellowtail) and Maki (Spicy Tuna/Prawn Tempura/Soft Shell Crab), price varies You cannot go wrong with fresh ingredients and well-seasoned sushi rice. In fact, I found this particular part of the meal a welcome break to remind myself that I am in a Japanese restaurant after all. Sushi (Japanese Red Snapper/Tuna/Yellowtail) and Maki (Spicy Tuna/Prawn Tempura/Soft Shell Crab) (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Still got space for dessert? There are plenty of more-than-adequate dessert on the menu, such as this Nobu Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fondant with Green Tea Ice Cream. Bento Box - Nobu Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fondant with Green Tea Ice Cream (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Nobu Singapore will have a bar programme of craft cocktails that changes seasonally, and a sake bar will also offer sake brewed exclusively for Nobu by Hokusetsu brewery in the Niigata prefecture. Expect sake cocktails and more (PHOTO: Stephanie Zheng/Yahoo Life Singapore for Nobu) Till date, Nobu still flies around the world to ensure that the quality of food is consistent in every restaurant of his. This reliability is part of Nobu's charm you can expect the food to be as good from United States to Dubai to Singapore. While several of Nobu's restaurants had been stripped of their Michelin stars in the past few years Nobu's food, months-long reservations list and accolades show that you don't need to be Michelin-approved to be a success in the culinary world. Nobu Singapore is located at Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Blvd, Level 3, Singapore 248646. For reservations, email dining.singapore@fourseasons.com or call 6831 7653. Our editorial team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Prices were correct at the time of publication. Visit Yahoo Shopping for first dibs on shopping deals Vegan? Don't miss Nobu Vegetarian Cookbook. Thinking of celebrating a special occasion such as a wedding anniversary, proposal or more? Why not throw in a staycation at Four Seasons Singapore? Compare prices below! The pledge by China's top leadership to unleash the positive role of private capital while preventing its unchecked and reckless expansion has underscored top policymakers' desire to refine capital regulations to revive investment activities amid economic downturn while ensuring fair competition and better protection of public interests, experts said. The recent statement by the leadership regarding capital and the private sector has helped restore market confidence, which is urgently needed as the Chinese economy faces mounting pressure from a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The pledge has also significantly reduced regulatory uncertainty and strengthened market consensus regarding the platform economy, a crucial part of China's digital economy including technology and internet companies in areas ranging from e-commerce to social media, they said. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has called for unleashing the positive role of capital under the conditions of China's socialist market economy while effectively reining in its negative effects, in an article recently published in Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee. Xi emphasized the need to strengthen effective regulation of capital to fight against monopolies and unfair competition while affirming the positive role of private capital, and said that China will continue to promote the healthy development of the private sector and the growth of private entrepreneurs. In the meantime, a recent meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee has explicitly called for supporting the healthy development of the platform economy, completing the restructuring of platform enterprises, implementing normalized supervision and regulations, and introducing specific measures to support the healthy and well-regulated development of the sector. Shi Hongxiu, a senior researcher at the National Academy of Governance, said the statement by the top leadership signaled a possible shift in policy focus toward restoring market confidence in the platform economy and refining regulations on capital. Improving regulations on capital will help facilitate the recovery of the internet sector and the platform economy, which will give new impetus to the country's consumption growth and help create more jobs, Shi said. "As long as such expectations are reinforced, it will likely spur and revive the activities of domestic venture capital and it will be helpful in improving the prospects of smaller and innovative companies in China," he said. Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the China Association of Policy Science's economic policy committee, said adopting a "traffic light" approach toward capital, as stated by the leadership, could mean that China is likely to adopt a negative-list approach regarding capital regulation. "Clear policy objectives and greater policy consistency and transparency are conducive to stabilizing market expectations and spurring the vitality of capital. It is crucial for China to provide a level playing field that treats all kinds of capital fairly, including State-owned capital, private capital and foreign capital," Xu said. The internet sector has experienced regulatory tightening since the end of 2020 as China initiated a fresh round of anti-monopoly regulation aimed at reining in the unchecked expansion of capital, unfair competition and misuse of consumers' data and abuse of consumers' privacy by some big technology companies. Concerns about policy uncertainty have triggered sell-offs of the stocks of China's technology titans such as Alibaba and Tencent. The recent rebound in the big tech firms stock prices reflected market confidence in the recovery process after the top leadership sent out clear signals on supporting the healthy development of the platform economy. "More concrete actions and detailed measures are needed to help the market fully regain its confidence and dispel worries about policy uncertainty as capital is still in a wait-and-see mode toward the sector," said Chen Jiahe, chief investment officer at Beijing-based wealth management firm Novem Arcae Technologies. Some researchers said that Beijing's antitrust policy and effective regulation of capital expansion will benefit the Chinese economy in the long term as it will encourage fair market competition and better protect consumers' interests. Such an approach is in line with the people-centered development concept, a key feature and a fundamental principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. "I think one thing China is doing right is the antitrust policy. It seems to me that it has a very sensible and effective approach to stopping big firms from wiping out all their competitors using anti-market business practices," said David Blair, vice-president and senior economist at the Center for China and Globalization. The measures to rein in reckless expansion of capital and ensure fair competition also highlighted Beijing's effort to make market mechanisms work and better handle the relationship between the market and the government, an important part of Xi's economic thought, according to analysts. Capital is inclined to concentrate on the most profitable firms, which are often the ones with the most monopoly power, and not necessarily the firms that are innovative or efficient. This intrinsic nature could lead to monopolies in the absence of necessary regulations, which would kill competition, restrain innovation and impair consumers' interests, Blair said. To further promote antitrust efforts, it is important for China to stick with the rule of law in the process, ensuring that companies understand the relevant rules and obey the rules, he said. 7 WeChat Pay HK 75 4.6 117 3000 133.59 9.38 11 7 13 123.3 21000 3.2%3 21,000 133.59 77.6 NFT 13 54.665 80009000 ... 2 94% LOS ANGELES Vice President Kamala Harris said Tuesday that the Biden administration's work to attract investment to Central America, part of the U.S. effort to reduce migration, has generated $3.2 billion in private-sector commitments. "We know the American people will benefit from stable and prosperous neighbors," she said during remarks on the second day of the Summit of the Americas, which brings together countries from across the hemisphere. "And when we provide economic opportunity for people in Central America, we address an important driver of migration." President Joe Biden, who arrives at the summit on Wednesday, tasked Harris last year with addressing the root causes of migration, which routinely strains U.S. resources at the border with Mexico. Progress has been slow, a reflection of the region's intractable problems and what some critics describe as U.S. neglect. Harris said she would focus on empowering women who face poverty and violence in their home countries. The effort is known as "In Her Hands," and it aims to connect more women to the banking system, help them participate in agriculture and provide them with training in coding and cybersecurity. "When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of families, of her community and of our entire hemisphere," Harris said. Her speech followed a roundtable with women leaders, including entrepreneurs, from Central America. This week's summit, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, is an opportunity for Harris to connect with leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean as she welcomes them to her home state. With her focus on the region, Harris is following in the footsteps of Biden himself, who worked on migration issues when he served as vice president to President Barack Obama. However, Harris has taken just two trips to the region since taking office. In recent days, she and the president have been working the phones to shore up attendance among leftist leaders who have been critical of the U.S. decision to exclude the authoritarian governments of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the Los Angeles summit. But the effort yielded few results. Among those staying home are the presidents of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras the only three leaders Harris has met in her two quick trips to the region. Brian Winter, vice president of the Council of the Americas, said Harris got off on the wrong foot as Biden's point person assigned to address the root social and economic causes driving migrants to the U.S. In a May 2021 policy speech delivered to Winter's international business group from Washington, Harris, a former California prosecutor, mentioned corruption no fewer than 10 times, stirring resentment in a region where leaders are sensitive to taking lectures from U.S. policymakers. "Corruption is a huge problem, but clearly there are more delicate ways to handle this," said Winter. "A lot of doors closed even before she got on the ground." Harris reiterated her anti-corruption goals "we must promote the rule of law" in her remarks Tuesday. The announcement that private-sector commitments have reached $3.2 billion includes $1.2 billion that was announced in December and another $1.9 billion being detailed this week. New initiatives being announced include a $700 million expansion of cellular networks in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador by Miami-based Millicom; a $270 million commitment by Visa to promote digital payments; and a $150 million nearshoring investment by the Gap Inc. that could see as many as 5,000 jobs created closer to the U.S. But the Biden administration's biggest policy proposal in the region a $4 billion aid package for Central America has stalled in Congress with little apparent effort to revive it. Meanwhile, the number of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico has surged to its highest levels in decades, even as the Biden administration has little to show for the Democratic president's promise as a candidate to introduce a "humane" asylum system that would break with Trump-era restrictions. One challenge is finding partners in a region where institutions are weak, gang violence is prolific and corruption is rampant. None of the countries Harris is to work with will be represented at the summit by its president, according to the list of delegations the White House released Tuesday. All three nations are sending their foreign ministers instead. And in recent months, the U.S. has taken a strident tone against El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, whom it accuses of using his popularity to amass power and ride roughshod over democratic checks and balances. Meanwhile, Guatemala President Alejandro Giammettei said last month that he would not attend after the U.S. criticized his decision to reappoint an attorney general it alleged was involved in corruption. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Honduras' President Xiomara Castro, who has won praise from U.S. officials for her decision to extradite her predecessor, Juan Orlando Hernandez, to the U.S. to face federal drug charges. Harris, who attended Castro's inauguration in January, spoke in recent days with Honduras' first female president in a last-ditch effort to persuade her to travel to Los Angeles. But in the end Castro sided with fellow leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico in boycotting the summit. Surely weighing on her decision was the United States' quick recognition of a new government after Honduras' military removed her husband, President Manuel Zelaya, from office in 2009. "It's a far tougher set of actors that the U.S. has to deal with even compared to what the Obama administration faced," said Rebecca Bill Chavez, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The federal government is providing tens of millions of dollars in aid to Nebraska ethanol producers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it is giving more than $700 million in relief to more than 100 biofuel producers and nearly 200 facilities, including nearly $100 million to 11 biofuel producers with Nebraska operations. The largest amount, more than $27.4 million, went to Omaha-based Green Plains Inc., which has facilities in Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Iowa. Chief Industries, which has ethanol plants in Hastings and Lexington, got more than $18 million, while E-Energy Adams received $14 million. The money, which was made available through the Biofuel Producer Program, created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, is meant to help offset losses caused by the pandemic. USDA said in a news release that the U.S. biofuels industry sustained combined losses of 3.7 billion gallons because of the pandemic. "The investments were announcing today will pave the way to economic recovery for Americas biofuel producers, stimulate a critical market for U.S. farmers and ranchers, and support our nations transition to a clean-energy economy, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscow's grinding campaign to capture Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupol's buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldn't do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscow's troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas. This is a very fierce battle, very hard, perhaps one of the most difficult of the entire war, he said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russia's continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may "pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it "off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out." But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. Follow APs 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In South Dakota, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has tried to shape the Legislature to her liking. And in last week's primary, she publicly backed at least a dozen candidates, including several challengers to incumbents who are part of a contrarian group of Republicans. But two-thirds of the governor's favorites lost, and some of the lawmakers who survived her efforts to defeat them wonder why a governor they generally agree with went to such lengths to try to oust them. While endorsements often draw attention and financial resources, they don't always translate into voter support. Its a lesson that Noem ally Donald Trump is learning as he falls short, notably in Georgia, in trying to punish Republicans who've crossed him. SIOUX CITY -- The Iowa Department of Corrections said a man failed to report back to a work release facility in Sioux City on Tuesday According to a new release, Richard Allen Martinez, convicted of robbery in the second degree and other charges in Crawford County, didn't return to the Sioux City Residential Treatment Facility as required. Martinez, 27, is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 172 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on Dec. 17, 2021. Anyone with information on Martinez's whereabouts should contact local police. 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, D.C. -- A Sioux City man who posted online messages that he was ready for civil war to keep Joe Biden from being sworn in as president pleaded guilty Tuesday of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Kenneth Rader, 54, appeared via a Zoom video conference and entered his guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a capitol building. He faces up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 9 in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. He will remain free on bond while awaiting sentencing. As part of a plea agreement, Rader agreed to pay $500 restitution to the Architect of the Capitol to help offset the nearly $1.5 million in damage done to the building during the riot. Rader entered the Capitol during the insurrection, in which hundreds of supporters of former president Donald Trump were protesting the results of the November 2020 election in which Biden had defeated Trump. The mob gathered outside the Capitol before hundreds of protesters broke into the building in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying the electoral college results declaring Biden the winner. In a statement of offense filed Tuesday, Rader admitted traveling to Washington on Jan. 5. He attended the "Stop the Steal" rally the following day and joined others on the west lawn of the Capitol before climbing through scaffolding, walking up stairs to the northwest terrace and entering the building through a broken Senate wing door. Rader stood near the entrance, walked near a broken window, picked up some broken glass and plaster as souvenirs, spoke with some unidentified men and then exited after spending about three minutes inside. Security footage contained in a previous court filing showed Rader, dressed in a blue "Trump 2020" hoodie, entering and leaving the Capitol. In Tuesday's court filings, Rader admitted to posting numerous Facebook messages and comments about resisting Biden's election. In the earliest post, he said he had joined a militia. He commented on other Facebook users' posts in November and December 2020 that blood would be spilled if an attempt was made to inaugurate Biden. He commented on Dec. 21 that if Biden tried to walk into the White House, "I call dibs I'll behead him like ISIS," he said in reference to the Middle East terrorist network. In a private Facebook message on Jan. 5, he said, "I'm on my way to the front line. We are 1 day away from Civil War." Two days after the insurrection, a family member tipped the FBI to Rader's participation, telling agents that Rader had shared videos of himself on the Capitol grounds and inside the building. The FBI arrested him on Jan. 20, 2021, in Sioux City. On Feb. 24, 2021, Rader sent a message to his Facebook friends saying, "I don't care if the feds come arrest me ... When the judge says you're going to prison, I'm going to say, no disrespect, your honor, but I made peace with God before I left, so let's do this." Rader told FBI agents during a September interview that he had attended the Jan. 6 rally but never entered the Capitol. The FBI confirmed Rader's presence in Washington through cellphone records and video footage of him inside the Capitol. In an interview with FBI agents, two of Rader's relatives identified him as the person shown in screen shots of the video footage. Rader also was charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly conduct in a capitol building. Those charges will be dismissed at sentencing. Love 0 Funny 2 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. China's long-awaited regulation to ban minors from getting tattoos will not only better prevent youth from regretting impulsive behaviors in later years and further regulate the industry, but it also requires wisdom from families, schools and the whole society to help the regulation achieve its expected goal, an expert in family psychology said. Tattoo services for minors will be banned in China, according to a guideline unveiled on Monday. The guideline, released by a high-level task force established to coordinate efforts related to the protection of minors under the State Council, China's Cabinet, aims to promote the management of tattoo work to protect minors' legal rights, according to the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The nation and all of society are responsible for helping minors understand the risks of getting tattoos, and parents and guardians should dissuade them from doing so, the guideline said. Enterprises, organizations and individuals are banned from offering tattoo services to minors. Signs displaying the rule should be placed in prominent areas at tattoo shops. Workers should check identification if it is difficult to determine the age of their customers. No advertisements promoting tattoos are allowed to appear at schools or kindergartens, while publications such as books and magazines are not permitted to seduce minors into getting tattoos. Violations of the ban can be reported to civil affairs, business, health and market inspection departments. Punishments will be carried out accordingly. The guideline took effect on Monday. "Minors might not know that some doors of opportunity in the future might be closed at the moment they sit or lie on the chair to get a tattoo. For example, some careers such as the civil service, policing and the military do not welcome applicants with big tattoos. Adolescents might regret their impulsive or rebellious decision for getting a tattoo when they grow up," said Guo Xiamei, associate professor from Xiamen University specializing in family psychology and adolescent development. The decision of getting a tattoo should be big and irreversible, which requires a high level of maturity to make. Most tattoos cannot be removed, or cost pain, time and a fortune to be removed. Despite a tacit rule to refuse offering tattoo services to minors in the industry, some business owners sought to profit from ignoring the unwritten rule, Guo said. "The guideline can better manage the service providers by making it mandatory," she added. However, it is difficult to "manage" people, especially minors, Guo said, warning that overprotection may cause the reverse effect. "It is arguable that a tough guideline can diminish the behavior. Minors, especially teenagers, are rebellious. If they are told not to do a particular thing, they might be more tempted to do so," she said, adding that it requires wisdom to dissuade them so they understand the risks of getting a tattoo. On June 1 last year, a court in Jiangsu province ordered a tattoo parlor to stop inking minors for violating their legitimate rights and interests and infringing upon social welfare. Between June 2017 and April 2020, the owner of the tattoo parlor had tattooed more than 40 minors using ink containing toxic pigments. It was the first public interest lawsuit involving minors after the newly amended Law on the Protection of Minorsgranting better protection to childrenwent into effect on June 1, last year. "Most minors get tattoos out of curiosity or imitation. Once they realize the consequences of getting a tattoo and that it cannot be completely removed, it can cause serious psychological trauma," Di Xiaohua, a law professor from Nanjing University, told China Central Television. SIOUX CITY -- A Texas man found hanging around a Sioux City school was arrested Tuesday and charged with enticing a 13-year-old boy to have sexual contact with him. According to court documents, East Middle School staff members approached Isaac Herrera at about 8:21 a.m., and Herrera told them he was the guardian of the 13-year-old boy and was looking for him. He then gave a fake name to an officer at the scene. Police determined that Herrera had met the boy a year and a half ago through playing online video games. In an interview with police, Herrera said he had been in town since June 1 and had been hanging around with the boy and two other 13-year-old boys at the place he was renting and had taken them shopping, court documents said. A search warrant was executed on Herrera's phone, and communications between Herrera and the boy revealed conversations about the two performing sexual acts on each other. Herrera also had asked the boy to send him nude photos of himself, court documents said. Officers discovered that Herrera had a plane ticket to return to Texas. Herrera, 21, of Brownsville, Texas, was booked into the Woodbury County Jail on charges of enticing a minor, lascivious acts with a child -- solicitation, trespassing and making a false report. He is being held on a $10,000 cash only bond. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 6 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- J.D. Scholten didn't have much to sweat as Tuesday's primary election results for the Iowa legislature rolled in. The Democratic candidate for House District 1, which takes in parts of Sioux City's west and north sides, had no primary challenger and will advance to the November ballot where he won't see any competition from the Republican party. Though this cycle saw redistricting due to the U.S. Census, House District 1 shares some similarities to the current district represented by Democratic Rep. Chris Hall, who decided not to seek another term after more than a decade in office, but is most similar to the district Rep. Steve Hansen (D-Sioux City) currently serves. The unopposed Scholten is one of several Siouxland candidates who, with a non-competitive Tuesday win, will advance to an all-but-certain victory on November 8. State Sen. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) effectively punched his ticket for a November win in Senate District 6 which includes the cities of Carroll, Denison, Harlan and Ida Grove. As did Salix resident Kevin Alons, who appears set to represent Senate District 7 which is comprised of: Anthon, Correctionville, Hinton, Kingsley, Moville, Onawa, Sloan and Whiting, among other towns and cities. Finally, Rep. Tom Jeneary (R-Le Mars) will join Schultz and Alons as presumptive November winners. Jeneary faces no challengers in House District 3. That district runs as far east as Granville and also makes room for Hawarden, Le Mars, Orange City and Westfield. At one point, Jeneary would've faced a challenge from fellow Republican House member Skyler Wheeler until Wheeler opted to run in House District 4 instead. Before the general election, either party could hold a special convention to nominate a candidate for a race that is presently non-competitive. The showdowns Tuesday night, there were six candidates in Siouxland had no challengers in their primaries but will now see competition in the fall. Iowa Senate District 1's general election will pit Democratic incumbent Jackie Smith, who's been in office since 2019, against Republican Rocky DeWitt (a current member of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors first elected in 2016). Their district takes up the northern half of the Sioux City area as well as Leeds, Springdale and Lawton. In Iowa House District 2, Rep. Steve Hansen (D-Sioux City) didn't have anything to worry about as primary results rolled in. But, on the general election ballot, Hansen will have to go up against Republican challenger Bob Henderson. For the 2020 cycle, Hansen defeated Henderson in a House District 14 race to rejoin the legislature after two decades away. Now, as a result of redistricting, the two men are running in a different district which includes a northeastern chunk of Sioux City and Lawton, Leeds and Springdale. For House District 6, which features such cities as Sioux Rapids, Spencer and Storm Lake, Rep. Megan Jones (R-Sioux Rapids) will run against Democrat James Eliason of Storm Lake. Jones has been in office since 2013 and is presently the representative for Iowa House District 2. 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. SIOUX CITY - In a spirited contest between two prosecutors in the Woodbury County Attorney's office, James Loomis narrowly defeated Jacklyn Fox Tuesday night for the Republican nomination and the right to challenge incumbent County Attorney Patrick Jennings this fall. Loomis, an Assistant Woodbury County Attorney for 19 years, beat Fox by 144 votes, 51% to 48%, according to unofficial results. Fox has been an Assistant County Attorney for 10 years. "We worked hard, myself and everyone that helped me, so I was optimistic going into it," Loomis said during a watch party at one of his supporters' homes in Sioux City Tuesday night. "I'm relieved that I can now look ahead to the general election in November." In the other contested primary for a Woodbury County office Tuesday, Jeremy Dumkrieger defeated Maria Rundquist, 55% to 44%, for the Democratic nomination for Woodbury County Board of Supervisors District 2. Dumkrieger, a teacher and chair of the county Democratic Party, will face Republican Dan Bittinger in the November general election. Bittinger, lead pastor at CrossPointe Church, ran unopposed Tuesday for the GOP nomination for the seat held by Republican Justin Wright, who decided not to seek another term. In a high-profile race, Loomis won 3,010 votes, compared to 2,866. As the first results results came in, silence fell over the crowd of Loomis supporters. He sat running his hands through his hair while others chatted, laughed and clapped as more votes were counted. With his victory secured, he yelled "Yes!" to his supporters while pumping his fist in the air. Loomis, who does not drink alcohol, celebrated with a glass of sparkling apple cider. He looked ahead to the general campaign against his current boss, Jennings, who is seeking a fifth, four-year term as county attorney. Jennings was unopposed in Tuesday's Democratic primary. Loomis, who was endorsed by a long list of current and former local law enforcement officials, has said he'll remain in the county attorney's office while running for the top job. "The first step is to continue with the same message that I started with back on Jan. 11," Loomis said. "It's a message that I believe will make the county attorney's office serve more effectively and serve the people better. I am not here to be negative, I am here to bring what I think will make things better, and so that's what my focus is, and it's focused on engagement, communication, and partnership. Not just with law enforcement, but with community leaders so that we know whats going on in the communities." Nearly 33% of registered Republican voters, or 7,669, cast ballots in the GOP county attorney's race. In the Democratic county supervisor's contest, Dumkrieger received 1,488 votes, compared to 1,194 for Rundquist. "I'm thrilled with this win and I'm going to shake things up," Dumkrieger said Tuesday night. "I'm going to make sure rural voters are represented and have the services they need without having to beg and plead. I am going to be available to everyone and when I say, 'Holler if you need something,' I mean it." Rundquist is a community activist and perennial candidate for local office. Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill said Tuesday's turnout was somewhat better than the last mid-term election in 2018, when 8,741 of registered voters cast ballots. On Tuesday, a total of 8,865, or 14 percent of registered voters, participated. The Journal's Dave Dreeszen contributed to this story. Love 0 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. HULL, IOWA -- Third-term state Rep. Skyler Wheeler narrowly withstood a GOP primary challenge Tuesday from recent Dordt University graduate Kendal Zylstra. In unofficial results, Wheeler outdistanced Zylstra by 220 votes, 52.35% to 47.59%, in the newly-drawn Iowa House District 4. The district takes in all of Lyon County and northern Sioux County, including the cities of Sioux Center and Rock Valley. Zylstra, of Larchwood, carried his home county of Lyon, 55.26% to 44.57%, but Wheeler carried his home county of Sioux by an even larger margin, 57% to 43%. Wheeler currently represents District 4, but the boundaries for this year's election changed as a result of redistricting prompted by the 2020 U.S. Census. The district, for example, no longer includes Orange City, where Wheeler previously lived. He now lives in Hull. Because no Democrat filed in the staunchly Republican district, Wheeler is a heavy favorite to win re-election in November. Zylstra, who worked for Rep. Randy Feenstra's campaign in 2020, was bidding to become the youngest member of the Iowa House, a distinction Wheeler himself once held. Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GRANVILLE -- Tuesday night, Iowa's House District 5 GOP race was a strength test for the power of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' endorsements and the candidate she picked came through. With all four counties in the district reporting, Zach Dieken, a Republican state trooper from Granville, had 55.80% of the vote to Cherokee incumbent Dennis Bush's 24.20%. Sibley paralegal Thomas Kuiper garnered 20%. On May 25, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds threw her support behind the 31-year-old Dieken instead of Bush, a 71-year-old first-term state legislator and Cherokee farmer. A primary reason for the endorsement by the sitting governor was that Bush, a former Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn School Board member, was one of the GOP House members who have resisted Reynolds' proposal to provide K-12 students and their parents scholarships for private schools, the so-called "voucher bill," that critics say will shift taxpayer funding away from public schools. The newly-drawn House District 5 takes in all of O'Brien and Osceola counties and parts of Buena Vista and Cherokee counties. Major cities in the district include Cherokee, Hartley, Primghar, Sheldon and Sibley. With no Democratic challenger in the general election, Dieken is the presumptive winner in the fall. Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPIRIT LAKE -- Dave Rowley is poised to serve a full term in the Iowa legislature. At the end of Tuesday night, the state senator from Spirit Lake, who won a special election for Iowa Senate District 1 in December 2021, led challenger Dave Dow, a high school math teacher from Emmetsburg, 67.54% to 32.38%, with all six counties reporting in the Iowa Senate District 5 race. The large newly-drawn district includes all of Dickinson, Emmet, Palo Alto, Kossuth and Winnebago counties, as well as a portion of northern Clay County, including a sliver of Spencer. Major cities in the district include Spirit Lake, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Algona and Forest City. Rowley, an insurance agent and musician who still plays shows at the Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association and Pearson Lake Arts Center in the Iowa Great Lakes region, said the two political issues he was most-focused on in his abbreviated first term in the legislature were tax relief and workforce development. No Democratic candidate filed for the primary in the district dominated by Republican voters so whoever wins the GOP primary will be presumptive winner in the November general election. Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HARTLEY, Iowa -- Spencer Hospital announced Wednesday their plans to open a clinic in the Hartley facility where MercyOne formerly operated. MercyOne on Tuesday announced that their MercyOne Hartley Family Medicine, at 231 N Eighth Ave. W, will close down July 30. In statements Tuesday, MercyOne stressed repeatedly that the closure is occurring due to a terminated lease and that it was not of MercyOne's choosing. "It is not our decision to leave, and we had hoped to continue our Mission in the community of Hartley for years to come," MercyOne said in a statement. The new Hartley clinic, expected to open later this summer, will be named Hartley Family Care of Spencer Hospital and will be managed by Spencer Hospital in collaboration with Avera Medical Group Spencer, according to a statement provided by Spencer Hospital. "Services will be provided in a manner similar to the hospitals rural clinics in the communities of Milford and Sioux Rapids, which have served its area residents for over 20 years," the statement said. MercyOne, for its part, is recommending its Hartley patients transfer to MercyOne's Primghar Family Medicine clinic in the O'Brien County seat of Primghar, about 15 minutes away. The MercyOne clinic had offered urgent care, acute care, preventative care, diabetes care and telehealth services to Hartley, with its population of about 1,600. A spokeswoman with Spencer Hospital said the Community Memorial Health Center Association, the owner of the building where MercyOne operated its Hartley clinic, decided not to renew MercyOne's lease, and that Spencer Hospital was offered the chance to operate a clinic there. Weve appreciated our relationship with MercyOne and the services it offered, Colleen Paulsen, chairperson of the Community Memorial Health Center Board, said in a statement provided by Spencer Hospital. Given how many of our community members utilize a wide range of medical services based in Spencer, our board members believe aligning local primary care services with Spencer Hospital makes sense for the communities we serve. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A 10-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday after authorities say she fatally shot a woman who was arguing with her mother, according to the Orlando Police Department. The child was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, according to police. In a statement following the shooting, State Attorney for Orange and Osceola Counties Monique H. Worrell said her office has began reviewing the case and will "consider all of the facts, including the age of the child, and all of the surrounding circumstances, when making a charging decision." "We want to be clear in stating that no charging decision has been made by our office," the state attorney's statement said, adding the incident was "one of the most tragic cases I have seen in my 22-year career." The child's mother is also in custody, according to Orlando police. Witnesses told police the shooting occurred on the night of May 30, when the child's mother and the victim, Lashun Denise Rodgers, 41, began arguing outside an apartment complex, according to an arrest report. The child was with her mother at the time of the argument, according to the arrest report, which cited witnesses. The mother allegedly initiated a physical altercation by punching Rodgers, who retaliated by punching her back, the arrest report says, citing Rodgers' boyfriend as one witness. The boyfriend told authorities he attempted to break up the fight, but the victim tried to "re-engage" with the mother, according to the report. He then allegedly saw the child holding a black firearm before firing "one to two shots" at Rodgers, an arrest report shows. The child then allegedly yelled "she shouldn't have hit my momma," the boyfriend told police. Rodgers was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center where she later died, according to police spokesperson Heidi Rodriguez. The girl's mother was taken into custody and the child was placed in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families, police said. CNN has reached out to the attorney for the child's mother, but has not received a response. CNN has not been able to obtain attorney information for the child involved. Police said the investigation is ongoing. *** GUN VIOLENCE: A CLOSER LOOK Mass shooters have exploited gun laws and loopholes before their carnage. A look at how suspects in recent mass shootings obtained guns, based on police accounts, court documents and contemporaneous reporting: The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Two incumbent congressmen in Mississippi won party primaries Tuesday, and two are headed to June 28 runoffs. 1ST DISTRICT Republican Rep. Trent Kelly will face Democrat Dianne Black in the Nov. 8 general election in north Mississippi's 1st Congressional District. Kelly defeated Mark D. Strauss in the GOP primary. Kelly won a 2015 special election to Congress after serving as district attorney for several counties in north Mississippi. He was endorsed in Tuesdays primary by former President Donald Trump. Strauss has a picket fence near his home painted with slogans including Trump Won and COVID tests are poison. Black, a business owner, defeated another first-time candidate, Hunter Avery. Black says she wants to expand access to health care and fight climate change. 2ND DISTRICT Mississippi's lone Democrat in Washington, Rep. Bennie Thompson, defeated one primary opponent. Jerry Kerner ran a low-budget campaign and called Thompson a gullible follower of the anti-American House leadership. The Republican primary will go to a runoff between two military veterans, Brian Flowers and Ronald Eller. Thompson is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and co-chairman of a committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Thompson has been in Congress since winning a 1993 special election. The 2nd District now encompasses most of western Mississippi and much of the metro Jackson area. Flowers lost to Thompson in 2020 and now says Thompson is trying to intimidate American patriots by investigating the activities of Jan. 6, 2021. Eller campaigned on free enterprise and limited government. The other 2nd District Republican primary candidates were Michael Carson, a diesel mechanic who cited former President Ronald Reagan as a role model, and Stanford Johnson, a truck driver who advocated congressional term limits. 3RD DISTRICT Two-term Rep. Michael Guest and Former Navy pilot Michael Cassidy are headed to a Republican primary runoff in central Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. Shuwaski A. Young was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He will be on the general election ballot. Guest was first elected to Congress in 2018 after serving as a district attorney in Rankin and Madison counties. He has campaigned on supporting border security and gun rights Cassidy criticizes Guest for being in the minority of Republicans who voted to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a group that would have been separate from the congressional committee now conducting the investigation. Also in the 3rd District Republican primary was Thomas B. Griffin, a business owner who said he wanted to put Christian values into schools. 4TH DISTRICT Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo will face Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell in a runoff. The Republican nominee will advance to the general election ballot to face Democrat Johnny L. DuPree and a Libertarian candidate, Alden Patrick Young. Palazzo is a military veteran who was first elected to Congress when he defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2010. This year, he faced his largest-ever field of challengers, with six other candidates in the GOP primary. A 2021 report by the office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo had abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother, and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. Palazzo declined to fully participate in the investigation, but his spokeswoman at the time, Colleen Kennedy, said the it was based on false allegations made by an opponent in a previous primary. Its an honor to serve south Mississippi, and its something I do not take for granted," Palazzo said in a statement late Tuesday. "Im grateful for our supporters and volunteers who worked hard in this election and who will work hard to help us over the next three weeks. We now turn our attention to the run-off, and we will not be out-worked." Ezell said in a statement that Tuesday's results show most voters in the district want change. The issues are serious, the stakes are high and we now have a clear choice about who can best represent South Mississippi in Congress, Ezell said Wednesday. Now more than ever, we need someone with firsthand law enforcement experience in Congress. In this runoff election, theres a big difference between the candidates in terms of record, experience and work ethic." Also challenging Palazzo for the Republican nomination were Carl Boyanton, a former produce business owner who lost to Palazzo in the 2020 GOP primary and filed the complaint that prompted the ethics investigation of the congressman; Raymond N. Brooks, who has been a Gulfport police officer and said he wants to strengthen border security; Kidron Peterson, a machinist who said he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.; Clay Wagner, a retired banker who said he wants to limit taxation and regulation; and state Sen. Brice Wiggins, who campaigned on border security and has worked to expand access to early childhood education programs. In the Democratic primary, DuPree defeated David Sellers. DuPree is a former Hattiesburg mayor and was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2011. Sellers is a minister who advocated increasing the minimum wage and ending mass incarceration. 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 For Chinese students, gaokao, or the national college entrance examination, means a once-in-a-life opportunity to change their fate and a path to a successful career and life. But for Liang Shi, a 55-year-old man who sat the exam for the 26th time this year, gaokao is more like a passion that never fades. "In the era when I was a school student, every time I heard someone was admitted to university, I felt like a current of electricity run through my scalp," Liang recalled of the admiration and awe he felt toward gaokao winners in the 1980s, when only a small proportion of candidates could pass through the test and college graduates were regarded as the elites of the society. Liang, who was a native of Meishan, Southwest China's Sichuan province, first took the gaokao in 1983 when he was 16. But his score was not good enough for him to be accepted by any college. In the subsequent two years, he also failed the exam. In 1986, he enrolled in a technical school, but he soon dropped out, believing he deserved to go to a university. In the following several years, he worked part-time while preparing for the exam. In 1991, Liang became a full-time worker of a timber company and he married in the same year. Just as his family thought he would begin to settle down and start a life like most people, Liang defied their expectations and continued to apply for the gaokao. That year, Liang was 24. Due to the age limit of gaokao, it was his last chance to sit the test, but he failed once again. He tried his hands in various enterprises in the following years and started selling building materials in 1995 from which he made a good fortune. Despite his success in business, his zeal for higher education stuck with him. In 2001, China canceled the age limit on gaokao candidates (25 years old), and Liang's college dream was reignited. Since then, Liang has been taking part in the exam every year except for a few years when he was too busy to sit for the exam. Liang once scored marks good enough to be enrolled by a university, but he gave up the opportunities offered because he aimed higher: he wanted to study at the prestigious Sichuan University. This year, Liang has taken the national college entrance exam for the 26th time. This time, Liang took the test as a liberal arts student instead of a science student, believing that that would help him perform better. Some netizens questioned his motivations and believed Liang is taking the exam only to grab fame. But Liang has dismissed the distractions and focused on reaching his goal. "Though I am more than 50 years old now, I still feel like I am a middle school student," he said. "I am confident that this year I will achieve a good result." WASHINGTON (AP) A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. During a court hearing, he consented to remain in federal custody for now. Roske was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and an affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. At his initial appearance in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn't say I'm thinking clearly. Roske said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roske's next court date was tentatively set for June 22. The attempted murder charge carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Earlier Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. Kunzelman reported from Greenbelt, Maryland. 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 HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) Former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Martin will be the founding dean of the developing High Point University School of Law, the university announced Tuesday. Martin will return to work in North Carolina after more than three years as the head of the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Martin served as chief justice from September 2014 until early 2019, when he stepped down to take the Regent job. Martin "has led a distinguished judicial career in North Carolina, and hes demonstrated tremendous results as a law school dean, High Point President Nido Qubein said in a news release. Martin, who was appointed to a local judgeship at age 29, made history in his judiciary career by becoming the youngest Court of Appeals judge in state history in 1994 and the youngest justice at age 35 after getting elected in 1998. Republican Gov. Pat McCrory elevated him as the states 28th chief justice, and he won a full term a few months later. Martin called the High Point dean's job that he'll begin officially next week a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The law school was announced in March as part of a $400 million academic expansion plan by the university. The first law school students are expected to enroll in 2023, university spokesperson Allison Lightner said. I look forward to working with a broad array of extraordinary legal scholars and leaders to build a law school of distinction, one with a national reputation for excellence, Martin said. The announcement came the same day that Pat Robertson, Regent's founder and CEO, said faculty member Bradley Lingo will succeed Martin as dean this month. The Harvard Law School graduate co-founded the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law in 2020. Under his proven leadership and extraordinary legal expertise, Regent Law will continue to provide the finest legal education to prepare students who are purpose-driven and practice-ready, Robertson said in a news release, which also revealed that the law school has received a reaffirmation of accreditation from the American Bar Association. The Regent release said the school was grateful for Martin during his tenure, which was marked by increasing student enrollment, new degree programs and national awards. My three years at Regent have truly been a blessing for me and my family," Martin 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 WASHINGTON (AP) Brittney Griner is easily the most prominent American locked up by a foreign country. But the WNBA star's case is tangled up with that of a lesser-known American also imprisoned in Russia. Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. He was left out of a prisoner exchange in April that brought home yet another detainee, Marine veteran Trevor Reed. That has escalated pressure on the Biden administration to avoid another one-for-one swap that does not include Whelan even as it presses for the release of Griner, an Olympic gold medalist whose case has drawn global attention. For Griner and Whelan, the other's case injects something of a wild card into their own, for better or worse. The U.S. government may not agree to a deal in which just one of them is released, potentially complicating negotiations. But Whelan could also benefit from the attention given to Griner, which has cast a spotlight on his case. And though the U.S. may hesitate to give up a high-level Russian prisoner in exchange for Griner, who's charged with a relatively minor drug offense, it's possible it would be more inclined to do so if both she and Whelan were part of any deal. The potential interplay between the cases is not lost on the families and supporters of Whelan and Griner. It's still very raw, Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, said of her brother being excluded from the Reed deal. And to think we might have to go through that again if Brittney is brought home first is just terrible. But what's really bad about feeling that way, she hastened to add, is that she and her family absolutely want Griner released, too. It's not like we don't want her home," she said. "We want everyone out of there, out of Russia and away from that situation. It all adds up to a sticky wicket, said Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in Russia and is advising the WNBA players' association on Griner's case. If Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, were to leapfrog Whelan in coming home, the administration will face scrutiny from Whelan's supporters. And if Paul Whelan gets out first, you're going to have questions about why isnt Brittney out when Brittney hasn't even been convicted yet, she said. U.S. officials have not said whether swaps are being discussed that could get Griner, Whelan or both home or whether theyd accept a deal that yields the release of one without the other. A spokesman for the State Department office that advocates for wrongfully detained Americans, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, declined to say how the cases might affect each other but said in a statement that the office remains committed to securing the release of both. There's no question that the February arrest of Griner Russian authorities detained her at an airport after they said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis has heightened public awareness around the dozens of Americans who, like Reed and Griner, are classified as wrongfully detained by foreign governments. The seven-time WNBA All-Star is not only one of the most dominant figures in her sport but also a prominent gay, Black woman. That has prompted questions about the role race and sexual identity are playing in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community, and about whether her case would get more attention if it involved a white male athlete. U.S. officials and Griners supporters initially said little publicly about her case, but that changed in May when the State Department designated her as wrongfully detained and transitioned her case to the SPEHA office. Griner's wife, Cherelle, urged the Biden administration in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America to do anything necessary to get Griner home, but also expressed empathy for Whelan. She said that even though there's no connection between the two besides the fact they're both in Russia, I obviously want him back, too. Griners fame cuts both ways, said St. Julian-Varnon. If ever Russia wants to reestablish itself as a country hospitable to foreign athletes like Griner, the country would have significant incentive to release her. But given Griner's political value to Russia, it may also make a huge demand for her release. This is the biggest chip that they have to play, she said. Tamryn Spruill, a freelance journalist and author who launched a Change.org petition demanding Griner's freedom, said in an email that if her case can be leveraged to simultaneously secure Whelans release or vice versa then it is my hope that the president will exploit all of those avenues. Unlike Griner, who is awaiting trial, Whelan has been convicted and sentenced. A corporate security executive from Michigan who was arrested after traveling to Russia for a wedding, Whelan was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He and his family have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.S. government has denounced the charges as false. Reed had also been sentenced well before the swap that freed him. He had been jailed over what Russian authorities say was a drunken physical encounter with police in Moscow and was freed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking conspiracy. U.S. officials cited in part Reed's ailing health as justification for the trade. It's unclear which other Russians, if any, might be part of additional exchanges. Russian state media have for years floated the name of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, though such a deal risks being seen as lending false equivalency between a Russian the U.S. government regards as properly convicted and Americans it considers unjustly detained. Jonathan Franks, a consultant who worked on the Reed case, said it was hard to envision a Griner-Bout deal or a Griner deal that didn't involve Whelan. I truly believe Brittney Griner's fastest path out of Russia is on Air Whelan, he said. Elizabeth Whelan said the early morning call she had to make to her aging parents to tell them Reed was coming home but her brother was not is not an experience she wants to repeat. But she said her family does understand the possibility one prisoner could be freed without the other. Were faced with a situation where these hostile foreign nations can assign different values to each person theyre holding, and can work separate deals. Whichever deal comes through first is often who comes home first, she said, and its not at all a tenable situation. Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. 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 ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Russia also demanded that Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraine's other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. But Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldn't use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraine's ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation," said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. "I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal," Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. "Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of "weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic," and he reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Frances D'Emilio in Rome 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS ANGELES (AP) U.S. House battles took shape in heavily Democratic California that could tip the balance of power in Congress, while former Trump administration Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was in a tight match to claim the Republican nomination for a new House seat in Montana. In Mississippi, two Republican congressmen were forced into runoffs to keep their seats. Rep. Steven Palazzo had been dogged by ethics questions over his campaign spending, while Rep. Michael Guest faced a challenger who criticized his vote on a proposal to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Primary elections across seven states Tuesday set up November contests in dozens of races, as Democrats look to protect the party's fragile majority in the House. In a diverse district anchored in California's Orange County, Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, a South Korean immigrant, will face Democrat Jay Chen. The district, which includes the nations largest Vietnamese American community, is widely considered a toss-up. In other districts in the nation's most populous state, two Republican House members were trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support Trump's impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it. A look at results in key U.S. House races Tuesday: BATTLEGROUND CALIFORNIA: TRUMP HISTORY LOOMS IN KEY DISTRICTS In 2020, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia won a narrow victory in a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles. The former Navy fighter pilot was endorsed by Trump that year, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trumps impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. That record will be a focus for Democrat Christy Smith, who earned a chance for a rematch with Garcia, after losing two years ago. In a Democratic-tilting district in the states Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Early returns showed him holding an edge over Republican Chris Mathys, who made Valadaos vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him. The winner will face Democrat Rudy Salas, a state legislator. California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. In the Central Valley, Republican Connie Conway won a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Devin Nunes, who resigned to head Trumps media company. TWO MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSMEN FORCED INTO RUNOFFS A pair of GOP congressmen in Mississippi are headed to June 28 runoffs. U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, first elected in 2010, will face Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell after failing to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50% of the vote. A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated false allegations. In another Mississippi district, U.S. Rep. Michael Guest will face former Navy pilot Michael Cassidy in a district that cuts through parts of central Mississippi. Cassidy criticized Guest for being in the minority of Republicans who voted to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a group that would have been separate from the congressional committee now conducting the investigation. Cassidy also says on his website that President Joe Biden should be impeached. FORMER TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SEEKS RETURN TRIP TO WASHINGTON Montana gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat. Zinke's rivals have been drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. One investigation determined Zinke lied to an agency ethics official about his continued involvement in a commercial real estate deal in his hometown. Hes faced a smear campaign over his military service from the extreme right wing of his party and questions about his residency following revelations that his wife declared a house in California as her primary residence. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and former Montana congressman, was in a tight race Wednesday against former state Sen. Al Doc Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a liberal insider. The results of the race were being delayed because of ballot printing errors that forced officials in one county to count votes by hand. The winner will face Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel, a Democrat, in the general election. IOWA'S SOLE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBER FACES A TOUGH FIGHT A Republican state senator has captured the slot to take on Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a newly drawn district that appears more favorable for the GOP. Axne is the only Democrat in Iowa's House delegation. State Sen. Zach Nunn easily outdistanced rivals Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry, to claim the GOP spot. Nunn, an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes, was the best known among the GOP contenders. In previous elections, Axne was elevated by her strong support in the Des Moines area, even as she struggled in rural counties that typically lean Republican. The new district includes several counties in southern Iowa known to turn out strongly for Republicans, increasing the pressure on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democrat-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs. REMATCH COMING IN NEW JERSEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND In what could be New Jerseys most closely watched contest in the fall, Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr. won their primaries, setting up a rematch of their closely contested 2020 race. Malinowski, a State Department official in the Obama administration, is seeking a third term as his party faces headwinds heading into the general election. His district added more Republican-leaning towns during redistricting, making his reelection bid potentially more difficult. Another complicating factor is an ethics investigation hes facing over stock transactions in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the pandemic response. A report from the Office of Congressional Ethics said the board found substantial reason to believe he failed to properly disclose or report his stock transactions. Malinowski said his failure to initially disclose the transactions was a mistake that I own 100%. He said he didnt direct or even ask questions about trades made by his brokerage firm. Kean, a former state Senate minority leader and the son of the former two-term Republican governor, said in a tweet that he was humbled by his victory and looks forward to seizing the seat in November. SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN BEATS BACK CHALLENGE FROM POLITICAL RIGHT U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota won his states GOP primary contest as he runs for a third term. Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard, who tried to run to his right. He is set for reelection in November because no other candidate has entered the race. Howard repeated Trumps lies that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election and attacked Johnson for certifying the electoral college vote. While Johnson touted his conservative voting record during the primary contest, the congressman has also worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Johnson drew attacks from a pro-Trump political action committee called Drain the DC Swamp, which spent $500,000 trying to knock him from the House. Associated Press writers Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Miss.; Matthew Brown in Billings, Mont.; Mike Catalini in Trenton, N.J.; and Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report. Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BRAWLEY, Calif. (AP) A Marine Corps Osprey aircraft carrying five Marines crashed Wednesday in the Southern California desert and civilian and military emergency crews were responding, but there were no immediate details about any injuries or fatalities, the military said. The MV-22B Osprey belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Camp Pendleton and went down at 12:25 p.m. during training, said Maj. Mason Englehart, spokesman for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, an aviation unit headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) west of the crash site near the community of Glamis in Imperial County. The tiltrotor aircraft can take off and land as a helicopter but transit as a turboprop aircraft. Englehart said he had no further details yet to release about the five Marines who were on board. 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 LONDON (AP) Portuguese-British artist Paula Rego, who created bold, visceral works inspired by fairy tales, her homeland and her own life, has died at age 87. The Victoria Miro Gallery, which represents Rego, said Wednesday that she died peacefully this morning, after a short illness, at home in north London, surrounded by her family. Regos work spanned styles from naturalism to the abstract, and often included vivid, unnerving depictions of people, animals or both. Among her best-known works are the Dog Woman pastel drawings portraying women in a series of canine poses. Born in Lisbon in 1935, Rego was sent to school in England and went on to study art at the Slade School in London. At the time, Portugal was governed by Antonio Salazars dictatorship and women were second-class citizens without the vote. Rego said her father had told her: Leave Portugal. This is no country for a woman. In the 1960s Rego exhibited alongside rising young artists such as David Hockney as part of the London Group collective. One early painting, the semi-abstract Salazar Vomiting the Homeland, excoriated the dictatorship. Producing it in Portugal at the time would have landed her in jail. Though she lived in Britain for decades, Regos work was infused with the colors and stories of her homeland, and drew on her childhood in conservative Portugal under the Salazar regime. "Our infancy is always with us, isnt it? Rego told The Associated Press in a 2014 interview. On the Portugal of her childhood, she said: It was a fascist state for everyone, but it was especially hard for women. They got a raw deal." A feminist who helped change the way women are depicted in art, Rego challenged expectations of beauty and explored subtexts of sex and violence in Portuguese folk tales and nursery rhymes. A staunch champion of human rights, she memorably produced a series of paintings entitled Abortion, shortly after Portugal had rejected pregnancy termination on demand in a 1998 referendum. In 2008-2009 she created another series, Female Genital Mutilation. After Portugals transition to democracy in the 1970s, Rego became one of the countrys most famous artists. A museum of her work opened in the seaside town of Cascais in 2009. The Portuguese government decreed a day of national mourning, when flags on government buildings will fly at half-mast in the artist's honor. Her paintings, drawings and engravings contain powerful images that will stay with us and with generations to come, the government said in a statement. It added that Rego was an artist who was acutely alive to the reality of our society. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Rego was the countrys greatest modern artist of the past three decades. He recalled that on a visit to Regos London studio in 2016 he witnessed the enchanting and disturbing power of her work. Rego also was renowned in Britain, where she was the first artist-in-residence at the National Gallery in London. Tate Britain held a major retrospective of her work last year. Tate director Maria Balshaw called Rego an uncompromising artist of extraordinary imaginative power, who uniquely revolutionized the way in which womens lives and stories are represented. Regos work is in the collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale Center for British Art. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II made Rego a dame, the female equivalent of a knight. Rego was married for 29 years to British artist Victor Willing, who died in 1988. She is survived by their children Nick, Caroline and Victoria, and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. ___ Hatton reported from Lisbon. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) San Francisco residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin following a heated campaign that captivated the country and bitterly divided Democrats over crime, policing and public safety reform in the famously liberal city. Recall proponents cheered the results at a victory party, with California state leaders of the hotel and retailers associations lauding Boudins removal as a sign that visitors, shoppers and workers will be prioritized again in a city that relies heavily on tourism. They rejected Boudins efforts to paint them as Republicans. This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice, said Mary Jung, a chair of the recall campaign, in a statement. In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership. Boudin, 41, was a first-time political candidate who narrowly won office in November 2019 as part of a national wave of progressive prosecutors who pledged to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs and hold police officers to account. But his time in office coincided with a frustrating and frightening pandemic in which viral footage of brazen shoplifting and attacks against Asian American people drove some residents to mount a recall campaign of the former public defender and son of left-wing activists. Partial returns Tuesday night showed about 60% of voters supporting the recall, but Boudin remained defiant in a speech to supporters, saying he was outspent by right-wing billionaires. He said voters were understandably frustrated by the pandemic and a city government that has failed to deliver on safety, housing and equity. We have two cities. We have two systems of justice. We have one for the wealthy and the well connected and a different one for everybody else. And thats exactly what we are fighting to change, he said, adding that justice was on their side. It was unclear Tuesday what the resounding recall of Boudin could mean to the progressive prosecutor movement nationally and in California, where reform candidates were competing against more traditional law-and-order candidates in a handful of races, with mixed results. California's progressive attorney general, Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, was leading with 57% of the vote Tuesday night, easily advancing to the November general election. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, a critic of Boudin who ran as an independent, did not advance. In Los Angeles County, the campaign to recall progressive District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement the results showed that Gascon, the former prosecutor of San Francisco, could be next. But Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, said the movement toward more liberal approaches to criminal justice was growing as more people understand that tough-talking prosecutors do not result in safer communities. If one can read anything into tonights outcome, it should be the distorting impact of a low turnout recall process easily swayed by special interests and coming at a time of deep frustration and trauma, rather than clear and considered opposition to a prosecutor committed to ending failed tough-on-crime policies, she said. Mayor London Breed, who had backed a more moderate Democrat in the 2019 district attorney race, will name Boudins replacement after the results are certified by the elections office and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Boudin could also run in November when the race is back on the ballot. Boudins time in office was marked by a bruising battle with the San Francisco Police Department, which accused his office of withholding evidence in a case against an officer. Boudin shot back that he could not prosecute cases when police failed to bring evidence and made arrests in just 5% of cases. He made headlines when he disclosed that police had used DNA collected from a rape to arrest the victim in an unrelated property crime. San Francisco has long struggled with open drug dealing, vandalism, auto theft and home burglaries. Political experts say the political newcomer who narrowly won in 2019 was in the crosshairs of outside forces that made him an easy target for public frustration. Boudin was a baby when his parents, left-wing Weather Underground radicals, served as drivers in a botched 1981 robbery in New York that left two police officers and a security guard dead. They were sentenced to decades in prison. While campaigning, he spoke of the pain of stepping through metal detectors to hug his parents and vowed to reform a system that tears apart families. Kathy Boudin was released on parole in 2003 and died of cancer in May. David Gilbert was granted parole in October. The recall campaign against Boudin was backed by many of the same people who successfully ousted three liberal members of the San Francisco school board in February. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, however, easily beat a Republican-led recall last year. 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 Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy State inspectors say a troubled Iowa center for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities failed to monitor the fluid intake of a 30-year-old resident who died in February due to dehydration. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has fined the Glenwood Resource Center $10,000 after inspectors found that center staff failed to ensure that the man received about 100 ounces of fluids every day ordered by his doctor after he was hospitalized in November for dehydration. The Glenwood center on Friday referred questions about the man's death to the Iowa Department of Human Services, which did not immediately answer questions on whether any center staff faced discipline, termination or criminal investigation related to the death. Vietnam Australia Centre established The Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on Wednesday signed a Cooperation Agreement at the HCMA to implement the Project: "Establishment and Capacity Building for the Vietnam Australia Centre." The signing ceremony of Subsidiary Agreement for the Establishment and capacity building for the Vietnam Australia Centre project The signing ceremony saw the attendance of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo member, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Ms. Robyn Mudie, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, representatives of the Party External Relations Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government Office, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and officials from the Australian Embassy in Hanoi. The Vietnam Australia Centre (VAC) is established under an agreement between the Prime Minister of Vietnam and the Prime Minister of Australia in August 2019. The Centre aims to contribute to capacity building for Vietnamese leaders and managers to meet the countrys integration and development demands, as well as promoting a close, positive and enduring cooperation relationship between Vietnam and Australia in a new context. Speaking at the ceremony, Prof Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, said that the Vietnam Australia Centre marked an important milestone in the Vietnam - Australia strategic partnership. "The centre helps Vietnam take advantage of Australias expertise and experience in training, researching and capacity building, deepening people-to-people links and cooperation between our countries, he said. Australias Ambassador to Vietnam, HE Robyn Mudie, said Australia is very pleased to be able to support Vietnams endeavours towards becoming a high-income country by 2045. One way of achieving this goal is through the establishment of a vibrant and dynamic centre which serves as a platform to promote knowledge sharing and innovation between Vietnam and Australia. The newly established Vietnam-Australia Centre also creates a symbol of trust between the two nations and is the centrepiece of our development partnership with Vietnam. The Vietnam Australia Centre will be managed under a partnership between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, implemented through the Aus4Skills program. DES MOINES Mike Franken, a retired Navy vice admiral from Sioux City, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday night and the chance to challenge Republican Chuck Grassley in what will likely be an uphill effort to defeat one of the Senate's longest-serving members. At 9:13 p.m., the Associated Press projected Franken as the winner of a three-way primary, which also included Abby Finkenauer, a former congresswoman from northeast Iowa, and Physician Glenn Hurst, a city councilman and active member of the Iowa Democratic Party state central committee. Grassley, 88, easily repelled a GOP primary challenge Tuesday night from Jim Carlin, a state legislator and lawyer from Sioux City. Carlin, who opted not to run for re-election to his state Senate district that includes parts of Sioux City, pitched himself as the true conservative in the race and supporters took to labeling Grassley a Republican in Name Only. The longtime Senator still received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. On Wednesday morning, with all 99 counties reporting, Franken led with 55.15%, compared to 39.91% for Finkenauer and 4.83% for Hurst. In his first run for the Senate in 2020, Franken, 64, finished second to nominee Theresa Greenfield, who lost in the fall election to Republican Sen. Joni Ernst. Franken, a Northwest Iowa native who spent 39 years in the Navy before retiring to Sioux City, presented himself as a progressive on some issues, such as supporting the addition of a public health insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. And though he supports background checks for firearm buyers and red-flag measures to keep them out of the wrong hands, he has stopped short of supporting banning the sale of specific weapons. Finkenauer, who served a single term in the U.S. House, is one of the most prominent Democrats in Iowa. She earned a reputation as a wunderkind in the Legislature and was the second-youngest woman elected to Congress, helping Democrats retake control of the House that year. But she nearly didnt make the primary ballot after Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. He posted stronger first-quarter fundraising figures than Finkenauer and earned endorsements from some well-known former Finkenauer supporters bothered by her declining to accept responsibility for the filing mistakes. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because shes unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. Mahl's top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. Democrat will face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. The 33-year-old Finkenauer has argued that she would bring a fresh perspective to Washington, a reference to the 88-year-old Grassley's age. He is somebody who has been in D.C. for nearly 50 years, Finkenauer said of Grassley during a debate last month. I will never forget where I come from. Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines said he voted for Abby Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Finkenauer has stressed limiting the number of terms a member of the Senate can serve. I do agree with her on term limits," Hollander said. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point." Franken, meanwhile, has pitched himself as someone who could break the partisan tensions that have gripped Washington in recent years. Im also running to dial down political tension to achieve these things, Franken told a crowd of about 600 at a state Democratic Party banquet in Des Moines last month. Grassley has raised more in campaign contributions than Finkenauer and Franken combined in a state in which Republicans control the governorship, state legislature, both U.S. Senate seats and three of the four U.S. House seats. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. The Journal's Dave Dreeszen and Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A man died early Wednesday after being shot during an encounter with Davenport police officers. At 12:48 a.m., at least one uniformed officer responded to the Caseys Convenience Store, 1691 W. 53rd St., Davenport, to investigate a report of a suspicious person tampering with the air conditioning unit on the side of the building, according to a news release from the Davenport Police Department. The officer found the man, who has not been identified, and checked to see if he was wanted on any warrants, the release states. He was, but they were not described in the release. Police say a confrontation ensued between the man and the officer, and both fired shots. The man was hit by gunfire and pronounced dead at an area hospital. Police say the officer was also injured, but the injuries were not considered life threatening. The officer was not identified, but has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy. The Scott County Sheriffs Office and the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation will investigate the shooting. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In a primary battle of two county auditors, Democrat Joel Miller on Tuesday won his partys nomination for secretary of state. Miller, the Linn County auditor since 2007, bested Clinton County Auditor Eric Van Lancker in the Democratic primary. He will face Secretary of State Paul Pate, a former Cedar Rapids mayor, in the Nov. 8 general election. Miller, a former Robins mayor and city council member, said he is running to be an advocate for Iowa voters, adding he is displeased with voting laws the Iowa Legislature has passed in recent years. Im running to make voting easy again, Miller told The Gazette recently. Miller said he was motivated to run after being sued by former President Donald Trumps campaign during the 2020 election campaign. A judge sided with the Trump campaign, invalidating around 50,000 absentee ballot request forms that Miller had mailed to voters It was unfair to be sued over trying to do the right thing, he said. I was making sure people participated in our elections and democracy. The reason for the suit wasnt necessarily because I didnt follow the rules, but to cause confusion and suppress voters. In March, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 413 that shortened the early voting period from 29 to 20 days; added rules about how absentee ballots can be returned and limited county auditors authority within the election process. Iowa Republicans, who control the Legislature, previously shortened the early voting period from 40 days to 29 days in 2017 with the Voter ID law. If elected, Miller said one of the first things he would do would lobby for automatic voter registration for 17-year-olds. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has requested a presidential disaster declaration as the result of damage from a May 12 storm system that included tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding. The request is meant to pave the way for federal funding to help with recovery, although it is not guaranteed. Noem is asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help pay for repairs to public infrastructure. The storms resulted in two deaths. There were 14 reported tornadoes and and wind gusts of more than 100 mph in some places. A preliminary assessment indicates more than $6.7 million in damage was done to public infrastructure in 20 counties and on two reservations. Nearly 70,000 customers experienced power outages. SIOUX FALLS South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has elevated her national prominence through a hands-off approach to pandemic restrictions, won the Republican primary on Tuesday against a former legislative leader who accused her of using the office to mount a 2024 White House bid. All three Republican incumbents running for reelection to a statewide office Noem, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson held off primary challengers running to their right. Primary voters also soundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have made it more difficult to raise taxes or spend significant public funds. The first-term governors primary win against former South Dakota House Speaker Steve Haugaard gives her a commanding advantage as she seeks another term in November against Democratic state Rep. Jamie Smith, who did not face a primary challenger. In her speech at an election night party, Noem didn't even mention her Democratic gubernatorial challenger's name. Instead, she told the crowd, we're going to have the chance to go into a November election and make sure we're pushing back on Joe Biden's America. She then led them in booing and jeering the president's policies as she drove a comparison between Biden and former President Donald Trump, whose attention she has courted. Today, I'm on defense, she said. Every time I turn around I'm fighting off Joe Biden and the damage he's doing to the state of South Dakota. Noem has used this election fundraising cycle to collect a record amount of money for a South Dakota gubernatorial candidate bringing in more than $15 million from a series of fundraisers all over the country. She was one of the only governors who stood firm in not using the pandemic to increase government intrusions in our lives, said Kerry Larson, a Republican voter from Sioux Falls. It says a lot about her and how she will govern under pressure. But Noem has also struggled to manage Statehouse politics at times, publicly clashing with Republican legislators with whom she disagrees. Haugaard had attempted to turn the tables on Noem's 2018 campaign promise to increase government transparency. He has pointed to ethics complaints she faces for using state-owned airplanes to attend political events and taking a hands-on role in a state agency while it was evaluating her daughter's application for a real estate appraiser license. Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, also won his primary against two challengers who joined the race after Thune drew Trump's ire. Trump speculated the senator's career was over after he made public statements dismissing the former president's lies about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Neither of the challengers was well-funded or well-known in the state, and in a sign that Thune was positioned for victory, Trump steered clear of South Dakota. Thune is a longtime fixture as the state GOPs elder statesman, and if he wins reelection to a fourth term, he is a likely pick to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader. He will face Democrat Brian Bengs, an Air Force veteran and college professor, in November's general election. The senator alluded to his prominence in Washington in a statement celebrating the primary win, saying he would continue putting South Dakota's interests on the national agenda" and labeling Biden's agenda as a radical, left-wing crusade. Thune's status in Washington factored into Republican Sandra Pay's vote, saying it would be crazy to vote out someone with Thune's Senate leadership post. He's got power, she said. Republican Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard in the Republican primary for the states lone House spot. The $300,000 Howard's campaign raised was dwarfed by Johnsons $1.8 million, but a number of national political action committees spent money in the race as it began to look competitive. It will not be deception and New Jersey attacks that carry the day, Johnson said, referring to a political action committee called Drain The Swamp that spent $500,000 opposing Johnson. It will be truth and South Dakota hard work. The congressman has taken a measured approach on most issues and has touted his work with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Howard has tried to challenge him from the right, creating a primary race that showed some momentum behind the more extreme wing of the Republican Party in South Dakota. That intraparty conflict has been fought across a slate of legislative primary races where Republicans have launched attack ads against each other. Establishment Republicans are trying to weed out a group of contrarian lawmakers who have pushed the Legislature further right. However, Republican voter Kim McKoy said Tuesday one thing was on her mind as she cast her vote: Economy, economy, economy. She mostly voted against incumbents. I listen to these people talk and I'm like, Do you care that people are struggling? I just don't think they do," she said. "I think they care about their causes and they've lost their minds. Primary voters defeated an amendment to the state constitution, proposed by Republican lawmakers, that would have made placed a 60% vote threshold on ballot measures to raise taxes or spend more than $10 million within five years of enactment. Democrat Joshua Matzner said he voted against the proposal because it would erode the power of citizens to change laws through the ballot. We prefer to be able to actually make a decision in our government, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In 2017, we learned that Eleanor Oliphant was completely fine. As you may recall, there was a bestselling novel all about it, titled, appropriately enough, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Soon, a wave of syntactically similar book titles followed, all involving simple sentences containing the female protagonists name: Evvie Drake started over. Florence Adler swam forever. Eliza started a rumor. Britt-Marie was here. And this year, female protagonists of novels are doing more things than ever, as evidenced by a flood of new and upcoming book titles: Delphine Jones Takes a Chance, Tracy Flick Cant Win, Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic, Kamila Knows Best, Nora Goes Off Script, Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead, and Carrie Soto Is Back, to name just a few. Advertisement Using a characters name has long been a tried-and-true way to come up with a book title; one need look no further than Anna Karenina (or Amelia Bedelia) for proof. And this more specific iterationthe Protagonist Does a Thing formulahas been around at least since Mr. Smith went to Washington. You still see it in moviesMrs. Harris Goes to Paris comes to theaters next monthas well as celebrity profiles and childrens books all the time. Lately, though, it has become the formula du jour for womens fictionso much so that some authors are even renaming their protagonists to fit in with the trend. 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. Novelist Sally Thorne has a book due out in September that uses the Protagonist Does a Thing conventionAngelika Frankenstein Makes Her Matchbut the ubiquity of the construction snuck up on her. I dont think it was on my radar when I titled the book this, she said. But then in retrospect as the dust settled, I did start to realize Im seeing names in titles, like Chloe Brown and Evvie Drake and Evelyn Hugo. I thought, Oh, Ive done it too. Advertisement Advertisement Its been kind of coming on for a few years, observed April Osborn, a senior editor at Mira Books. Originally I think it was in a lot of more womens fiction, a little bit more in the book club space. Then editors like Osborn brought it to the romance world, where the trend is now most visible: When it came time to lock down a title for a romance novel by Taj McCoy that Osborn edited, she and her team made a pretty conscious choice to follow the pattern. When Osborn acquired the book, it was called The Blueprint, but it was published in March with the title Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell. Advertisement We purposely used it on Savvy Sheldon, to give it a little more of that womens fiction angle, while pitching it definitely as a rom-com, Osborn said. Advertisement Angela Kim, an assistant editor at Berkley, has a few Protagonist Does a Thing books on her list too: She edited Februarys Delilah Green Doesnt Care and will publish its sequel, Astrid Parker Doesnt Fail, in November. Delilah Green Doesnt Care actually came in as a submission with a completely different title, Kim said. But then as we read the partial [manuscript] that we got in, we realized that original title didnt really fit with the tone of the book. So the author, agent, and I brainstormed for new titles, and the author came up with this one. They didnt follow the trend on purpose, but we were all aware that this was sort of a thing thats been pretty popular, Kim said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no question that characters names have been used in titles and that maybe theres been an increasing appetite for them in light of Eleanor, said Pamela Dorman, whose eponymous imprint can take credit for the trendsetter and runaway hit Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. Advertisement Advertisement Im always attracted to them, Dorman said of books with characters names in their titles. It immediately captures my attention because I want to know who that character is. This is by no means only a recent phenomenon: She cited in particular the Miss Julia books, a 22-book series by Ann Ross that started in 1999. Every book in the series has a Protagonist Does a Thing title, from Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind onward. Dorman also pointed to non-sentence hit titles like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Bridget Joness Diary as books that were able to draw her in by using a characters name. Advertisement Kerri Buckley, an executive editor at Carina Press, has a theory for why using a characters name or the name-in-a-sentence construction has particularly taken hold in the romance space: Youre really highlighting the personal journey of a character or characters, she said. Were sort of putting the individuals up front and center vs. the plot, which is a bit of an evolution for romance. Buckley edited Januarys DVaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, which was originally called Ready, Set, Wed. The final title is just much more effective in putting the characters first and indicating that there is going to be emphasis on personal growth and development versus solely the romance, Buckley said. Advertisement Advertisement When I see a full name in a title, I know that Im going to lose myself in a unique perspective, said Osborn. Im going into a singular womans story. I think its kind of the opposite of what we see in a lot of the mysteries and thrillers with woman or girl titles. Thorne posited something similar: I wonder if this trend is in response to that trend a couple of years ago where all the books were, like, The Woman in the Window, The Girl on the Train. Advertisement If Eleanor Oliphant was one of the first book clubby titles to have a Protagonist Do a Thing, several people I spoke to pointed to Talia Hibberts Brown Sisters series, including the popular Get a Life, Chloe Brown, as among the most influential in bringing the proper-name convention over to romance. According to Hibberts editor at Avon, Nicole Fischer, there was no grand plan behind it: This was the title that Talia came up with before the project was even on submission, Fischer said. I thought it was sort of a cheeky, catchy title. It had a good ring to it. Advertisement Having a ring to it is, of course, essential for any great title, but when its a proper-name title, that means the name itself has to have a ring to it too. Advertisement Advertisement When we were thinking of Delilah Green Doesnt Care, we were wondering, Delilah Green, does that flow well? remembered Kim. Fischer said the same question came up when her publishing house was finalizing a title for the second book in Hibberts series. They landed on Take a Hint, Dani Brown only after weighing the merits, and the syllable count, of Danica, the main characters full name, vs. Dani, her nickname. Its not completely unheard-of for an author to straight up change a character name so it sounds better in a title. With Taj McCoys second book, Zora Dizon Books Her Happy Ever After, Zoras last name was initially a four-syllable name, Osborn said. When we decided we wanted to move in the direction of a character name driving a title, I went back to Taj and asked if there was another last name shed want to use. Advertisement In Protagonist Does a Thing book titles, after the name of the protagonist comes the, well, doing of a thing. For a long time when I was working on it, the document was just called Angelika Frankenstein, Thorne said of her upcoming novel, a rom-com retelling of Frankenstein. But she knew her title would need more to it to make the book legible. The Makes Her Match part just naturally added on there. The best kind of title is a title where it sums up the entire book. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having just the characters namewere not doing David Copperfield here, said Osborn. Having that full sentence does really give you a lot of leeway to tell the reader what kind of story theyre going to get into and what the vibe of the story is going to be. Advertisement In fact, this is how the much-cited Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine ended up with the second half of its title. When I bought that book, it was just called Eleanor Oliphant, Dorman said. The British editor and I kept talking about it and I think it was actually in the U.K. that they said, You know, we think that there should be a little more to that title. Despite the books success, Dorman said her publishers marketing department hasnt demanded she try to replicate it: I think it gives them something to work with, but theyve never said to me, Oh, give me another book with a name title. So how do publishers decide when this sort of title is called for? Advertisement Im actually going through this right now because I bought a book whose working title is Sylvia 2.0, Dorman said. Its about a middle-aged woman and her best friend who flee Florida to start a new life in New York. Ive been thinking about it and what I want is a title that has her name in it but that somehow gets that idea of a second act into the mix. I definitely want to have a proper-name title if I can for that book. Advertisement Advertisement Then again, the Protagonist Does a Thing formula doesnt work for every text. I publish Jojo Moyes, and Me Before You was a very, very, very selling title. I dont think it would have done as well if it were called Lou Clark and Her Tragic Love Affair, said Dorman. Fischer said that Hibbert has a new series in the pipeline, as yet untitled. As for whether those book titles will include proper names, I would guess that we want to shift away from doing that again, Fischer said. Though the convention doesnt seem played out just yet, theres always that risk. Or to put it another way: Eleanor Oliphant, Chloe Brown, and Evvie Drake Have Been There and Done That. When people write about the Oakland Police Department, they tend to use superlatives: Its the most watched police department in California, a model for the state, a dirty police force thats getting clean. But these superlatives wouldnt apply at all if it werent for two men: a cop named Keith Batt and a suspect named Delphine Allen. Two decades ago, Allen became the named plaintiff in a civil rights lawsuit against the Oakland Police Department, alleging that the behavior of the police officersthe brutal random beatings, planting drugs on peoplewas systematic, said Darwin BondGraham, news editor for the Oaklandside. The truth about the PDs brutality, which Allen and Batt both brought to light during the trial, set in motion legal proceedings that would remake Oaklands police force. Dozens of convictions were overturned, and a federal monitor was put in charge of reforming the cops. Now, after many years, a judge has ruled that the department can enter a probationary period: a year with no screwups, and theyre free from oversight. That has some Oakland residents worried. On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with BondGraham about whats been fixed within Oakland policingand whats still broken. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Harris: It all started in July 2000. Keith Batt was one of the cops who stopped Delphine Allen. But Batt was a rookie, still in training, just 23 years old. He kicked Allen a couple of times, then regretted it. Darwin BondGraham: Delphine Allen was a young man who was stopped by the Oakland police in the summer of 2000. Late at night, he was walking across the street, holding a soda can or maybe a can of beer. He was allegedly kidnaped by two police officers, driven under a freeway bridge in West Oakland, and brutally beaten. There were photographs of his face shown: His eye was bloodshot. He had bruises all over. I mean, Allen had a nightmare experience that night. Advertisement Later on, Keith Batts training officer chastises him and says: Why did you hold back? You should have thrown a few more blows. They had a big argument, and the training officer told him: Youve got to resign. You cant be a police officer. You just cant cut it. So, Betts is putting in his letter of resignation, and this other, older training officer accepting the letter said, You can say this, or you can tell the truth. Advertisement Since then, there are still deep cultural problems at play. The way police officers think about the world, the way they act and the kind of institutions that they buildthats still going to lead to constitutional violations, particularly against vulnerable populations, against communities of color. Advertisement When the Delphine Allen story broke, it became known as the Riders Scandal, because thats what rogue officers were called on the streets: Riders. They emerged from a call for tough-on-crime policing in the late 90s. During that summer of 2000, Oakland residents claimed the Riders terrorized them: planting drugs on suspects, falsifying reports, and dishing out all kinds of violence and abuse. Advertisement Advertisement They would go out in squad carsthey also used an undercover minivanand they would drive around West Oakland and find people who were just hanging out on the corner or sitting on the steps. They would jump out and chase these guys, pat them down, search them and see if they could find narcotics or weapons. That was the thing they loved to do. And they would do it late at night. Advertisement Advertisement Did they represent a new kind of policing, or something distinctive in Oakland, or a distinctive part of the Oakland police? Advertisement Advertisement The Riders were a small group of very aggressive cops who kind of ran roughshod over the community. They were able to get away with this for years on end because other officers in the department would not complain or push back. It was that blue wall of silence, or it was the larger police culture of not wanting to rock the boat. To this day, the police officers who were identified as the Riders, those guys are still friends with a lot of active and retired police in the Bay Area. People credibly accused of beating suspects and planting drugs. Advertisement Exactly. These guys are friends with retired police chiefs, with current police captains. They regularly attend social functions of the Oakland Police Officers Association, the union that represents the Oakland police. Their reputation within the police departments of the Bay Area is not that they were dirty, corrupt, brutal officerstheir reputation is that they were wrongfully accused by this scheming rookie and this overzealous prosecutor, that they were sacrificed because of politics internal to the city of Oakland, and that they didnt do anything wrong. Keith Batts reputation among many police officers is to this day that hes a rat, that hes a bad person, that he turned on fellow officers and did something you shouldnt do. All of that points to the fact that what the Riders Scandal exposed was this culture of policing in which police officers are told very early on, You dont inform on fellow police officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Keith Batt blew the whistle on what hed seen, the Riders were taken to court, but after two of the longest trials in California history, none of them were found guilty of any crimes. Meanwhile, a lot of people in Oakland thought the citys policing issue went beyond these few officersincluding two civil rights attorneys, John Burris and Jim Chanin. These two attorneys had been filing dozens of lawsuits against the Oakland PD for the better part two decades before the Riders case landed in their lap. They were really tired of suing Oakland for police brutality, because they found that no matter how high the financial penalty they were able to win in prior cases, it wasnt effectively pressuring the city to change the way it was policing. So for many years, they had been looking for a case where they could bring a class-action suit to force the city into a settlement that could result in systematic reforms. Advertisement So how was this case different? The Riders case was different for a few reasons: They had more than 100 plaintiffs alleging the same egregious, unconstitutional conduct by multiple police officers. They had the testimony of Keith Batt, the rookie police officer, who gave unimpeachable testimony and evidence that false reports had been written, that drugs had been planted. So when they brought this case and presented it, the citys response was, How do we make this go away? Because the city was afraid that if these 119 plaintiffs went to trial Advertisement Advertisement I imagine it couldve bankrupted the city. Yeah, so the citys incentive was to settle this thing for as low a financial amount as possible. Advertisement I guess that gave the lawyers leverage. They could say, We can get a lower settlement if we can agree to something on paper about how youre going to behave. Advertisement Advertisement Exactly. They had a huge amount of leverage. So they were able to bring in some experts and draft whats called the negotiated settlement agreementessentially a consent decree where the city promised to reform itself under the watchful eye of a federal judge and a court-appointed police monitor. The bargain was basically this: Oakland pays about $10 million to settle the claims of these plaintiffs, and if Oakland does that, it also has to agree to the settlement agreement. For the agreement, the plaintiffs came up with this big list of 52 tasks, everything from, Heres how you fix your internal affairs unit so you ensure police misconduct is properly reported and investigated, to Heres how you set up your administration so that and your management of police so that theres not squads of officers running around Oakland unsupervised, able to just like beat people up and engage in this crazy behavior. The judge and the police monitor are watching over all of this, checking off the boxes when these various reforms are completed. Advertisement Advertisement Its interesting because youve talked about how the original case was focused on these bad apples, a few people who were doing a lot of harm as police officers. But it seems like this negotiated settlement took on the whole department, not just a few people, which is a different and more complicated project. Thats exactly right. The criminal prosecution of the Riders was focused on the individuals. John Burris and Jim Chanin were more interested in showing that that kind of behavior, those sorts of incidents, they didnt happen in a vacuum. They were the product of a bad department. In 2003, this negotiated settlement agreement is ratified, and oversight starts for the Oakland Police Department. How did the police department change? Advertisement Advertisement Not at all. The numerous reforms that they were required to undertake, they did not eagerly embrace these things. Jim Chanin told me once that it was his impression that the leadership at the Oakland PD thought that when they signed the negotiated settlement agreement, the overseers would get tired of it and just sign off and go away. Thats not what happened, of course. Just a couple months after they signed the agreement, the U.S. invasion of Iraq started. There was a protest at the Port of Oakland because these Bay Area activists had figured out that one of the shipping companies, the Port of Oakland, was moving war material to the Middle East. So the Oakland PD showed up to this protest and started shooting the protesters with wooden dowels loaded into shotgun rounds, beanbags, tear gas. The police officers mounted on motorcycles were engaging in this technique where they would ride their motorcycle into a crowd and hit people, and then officers on foot would run up behind them with batons and beat people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cycle of progress and backsliding makes it hard to know how much the department has changed, even after years of interventions. But one reform might have a lasting impact on the way Oakland polices: the creation of a civilian oversight board. Oakland has one of the strongest police commissions in the country. This commission can fire the police chief if it wants to. It gets to set policies around things like whether or not cops can use chokeholds. And these are just civilians. These are just civilians. They have an investigative wing that investigates misconduct cases and recommends discipline. The police commission was set up to be the institution that continues forward with reforms after the negotiated settlement agreement wraps up and the federal judge and monitor go away. So when that has gone, possibly next year. Its the police commission that will undertake the work of accountability and oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Im curious how you reacted when you heard the news that the Oakland PDs oversight might be ending. Weve heard this before. In 2015, the department was readying itself to come out from federal court oversight. But what happened was, a scandal emerged that involved Oakland police officers sexually exploiting a young woman, and the department had covered a lot of that up. That scandal set the department back. Maybe its different this time. But the really hard thing is changing the culture of policing, and I dont think that OPD is quite there. I dont know that any police department is there. If you look at contemporary policing in America, there are still deep cultural problems at play. There are tens of thousands of police departments and law enforcement agencies in America. Its a very long list of cities and counties that are going to have to be visited and engaged in a consent decreetype reform process and also engage in a process of examining police culture. The work has barely begun. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. This story contains graphic images. Jack and Barbara Willke helped launch the pro-life movement when they published the Handbook on Abortion back in 1971. The second episode of this season of Slow Burn tracks the Willkes rise and explores the influence of the handbook and the pamphlets that followed. Below, weve put together a timeline of the Willkes work. Scroll to see what the Handbook on Abortion and the pamphlet Life or Death contained, and how they evolved over time. Advertisement Listen to the full episode here: May 1971: Jack and Barbara Willke, a Catholic couple who worked primarily as sex educators, publish the Handbook on Abortion. The first edition is 141 pages long and contains 42 scientific references. The back of the book is filled with advertisements for the Willkes other educational resources: pro-life books, cassettes, posters, and brochures marketed to parents, teachers, and children. The cover of the book features a photograph of their daughter Marie, who convinced them to write the Handbook. The first print run of 5,000 copies sells out within a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement September 1972: As the Willkes begin to understand the power of photographs of aborted fetuses, they print a brochure thats easier to pass out than the Handbook. Life or Death is primarily distributed in states that are voting on abortion referendums. One of those states is Michigan, which votes down an effort to liberalize abortion laws in November 1972. Pro-life groups in Michigan order hundreds of thousands of copies of this brochure to pass out in the last weeks of the electionthe polling suggests that support for liberalizing abortion dropped by almost twenty points in that same time period. Michigan voters ultimately defeat the effort to liberalize its abortion law. Below, you can scroll through the text and images of the full pamphlet, Life or Death. Advertisement January 1973: The Supreme Court affirms the right to abortion in Roe v. Wade, and the Handbooks sales skyrocket. Two months later, Jack Willke claims the court is denying personhood to fetuses. He compares the Roe decision to the ruling in 1857s Dred Scott v. Sandford, in which the Supreme Court said that enslaved people were not U.S. citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1974: The first translations of the Handbook on Abortion are published, in Spanish, French, and Malay. By 1985, there are 10 total translations in print, including Italian, Chinese, and Portuguese. Advertisement Advertisement June 1975: The Willkes publish a revised version of the Handbook, which extends to 208 pages. In 1979, they revise the Handbook once more, expanding it to a final 210 pages. These later editions also include additional pages of images of abortions. By 1985, the Handbook on Abortion has sold more than one million copies. 1985: The Willkes publish the Handbooks successor: Abortion: Questions & Answers. More than double the original Handbooks length at 342 pages, it includes both new references to scientific papers, and information that had previously been in the original Handbook. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court abolished individuals ability to sue Customs and Border Protection agents who violate their constitutional rights. In the process, the conservative supermajority came close to smothering lawsuits against all federal officers who defy the Constitution, granting them near-impenetrable immunity. The liberal justices, in dissent, took the extraordinary step of identifying the cause of this disturbing development: the addition of new justices appointed by Donald Trump. Wednesdays case, Egbert v. Boule, is the latest and most thorough attack on accountability for federal agents who break the law. The decision arises from a loophole in the federal statute that lets individuals sue law enforcement for damages. This statute authorizes suits against state law enforcement officers who infringe on civil rights. Sheriffs, local cops, highway patrolall can be sued in federal court for constitutional violations. But the statute does not authorize such suits against law enforcement officers who work for the federal government. If the courts do not provide some measure of accountability, these officers can flout the law with near impunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign Up for the Surge The most important political nonsense of the week, delivered to your inbox every Saturday. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. The Supreme Court addressed this problem in 1971s Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, which involved a claim of excessive force against federal narcotics agents. While the Fourth Amendment does not in so many words provide for its enforcement by an award of money damages, a majority held, it is well settled that federal courts may use any available remedy to make good the wrong done. In other words, a right without a remedy is no right at all, so the courts have an obligation to craft one when Congress fails to do so. Conservative justices have been gunning for Bivens for decades, arguing that it runs afoul of the separation of powers between Congress and the judiciary. In recent years, theyve come close to victory. The court has insisted that the precedent applies only when the facts of a case are nearly identical to Bivens. So, in theory, when federal agents use excessive force, they can still be sued. But if that force takes place in some new context with special factorssay, some connection to national securitythe suit will fail. And because there is invariably some distinction between two cases, courts usually had an excuse to toss out Bivens claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Egbert, Justice Clarence Thomas replaced this standard with an even more stringent one. Judges hearing Bivens claims, he wrote for the court, should now simply ask whether there is any reason to think that Congress might be better equipped to create a damages remedy. He then explained why Congress is always better equipped for this task because it implicates a range of policy considerations. By moving the goalposts, Thomas was able to avoid the reality that this case actually does mirror Bivens in every relevant way. The plaintiff, Robert Boule, owned a bed-and-breakfast (cheekily named the Smugglers Inn) on the U.S.-Canada border. He served as an informant for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reporting individuals who illegally crossed the border near his property. The defendant, a CBP agent named Erik Egbert, allegedly walked onto Boules property without a warrant to investigate a guest. When Boule refused consent to a search, Egbert allegedly lifted him up, threw him against an SUV, then violently threw him to the ground, inflicting serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, a federal agent allegedly used excessive force against an American citizen on American soilthe precise scenario to which Bivens ostensibly applies. But no, Thomas wrote: Because the incident occurred so close to Canada, it has implications for national security and border security; as a result, greenlighting Boules lawsuit would constitute a judicial intrusion into Congress policymaking role. Advertisement Advertisement It turns out, however, that proximity to the border doesnt really matter, as Thomas then declared that no one can ever bring a Bivens claim against any Border Patrol agent, because their work inherently implicates national security. There are roughly 20,000 Border Patrol agents working today. Many of them perform routine law enforcement work, such as traffic stops, and operate far from the actual border. These agents are notorious for operating above the law, committing shocking acts of violence against immigrants and citizens alike. Every one of them just received absolute immunity from civil rights suits. Only Congress can restore liability to these agents, and it has no interest in doing so. Advertisement Advertisement Justice Sonia Sotomayors dissent, joined by Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, castigated the majority for shredding precedent in its quest to immunize federal officers from civil suits. The justice complained that a restless and newly constituted court rewrote the law to ensure that victims of federal police brutality have no redress. She also drew attention to the reason for this shift: the replacement of Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, whose addition moved the court far to the right. Advertisement It is exceedingly rare for a justice to call out their colleagues in this blunt manner. Doing so shatters the myth of the Supreme Court as a unified, apolitical institution with special knowledge of constitutional truths, instead painting the (far more accurate) picture of nine lawyers who exercise raw power to achieve their preferred policy goals. Adherence to precedent, in contrast, promotes not just stability but also an appearance of impartiality rooted in the justices willingness to stand by past rulings. When the court abandons this principle, it looks more like a superlegislature whose political composition alone drives its decision-making. There are few good democratic arguments to justify why a handful of life-tenured superlegislators, who have no constituents and face no elections, should have final say over all constitutional law. Advertisement Advertisement Put another way, if the Constitution means whatever a majority says it doesand its meaning is up for grabs after each change in personnelthen it is unclear why the court deserves unlimited authority to impose its will on the entire nation. This concern runs deeper in a case like Egbert, where the majority deploys dubious originalism, shot through with motivated reasoning, to effectively repeal the rights it is meant to protect. The purpose of constitutional rights is to constrain the legislative and executive branches, placing limits on their ability to restrict individual liberty. But in Egbert, the Supreme Court asserted that we cannot enforce our rights against the political branches until the political branches let us. If we must seek permission from Congress to exercise our constitutional libertiespermission that Congress can revoke at any timecan we really say that we have these liberties at all? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be one thing if the conservative justices had hard proof that federal courts lack authority to create remedies. But its support for this proposition is exceedingly weak in light of strong evidence that federal courts had this authority in the founding era. Thomas opinion in Egbert is not only counterintuitive but contrary to historical practice. It is living constitutionalism at its worst, a reflection of the majoritys policy preferences dressed up in the rhetoric of originalism. The most immediate consequence of Egbert is dire: Some 20,000 Border Patrol agents have effectively been freed from the requirements of the Fourth Amendment and can violate the Constitution without fear of a lawsuit. They operate not just at the border but also within 100 miles of it, where two-thirds of Americans live. U.S. citizens will no doubt suffer from Wednesdays decisions, but immigrants will bear the brunt of it; they already face routine abuse at the hands of these agents. Many of these victims may come into the country seeking the protection of the nations vaunted Bill of Rights. They will quickly learn that rights are only as good as the judges who enforce them. It literally only took a matter of days before the United States found itself mourning yet another sporadic act of gun violence in the form of a mass shooting. In the small city of Uvalde, Texas, a shooter attacked Robb Elementary School and killed 21 people, 19 of them children. Armed with an "assault rifle and a backpack crammed with ammunition," Salvador Ramos was just 18 years old when he initiated the attack. However, the local police failed to intervene and stop him, instead cordoning off the school and even forcefully preventing parents from attempting to rescue their children. It was not until United States border patrol units intervened on their own accord that Ramos was neutralized. The tragedy has set off a debate that is all too familiar to U.S. citizens: What is to be done about mass school shootings? The United States witnesses more of these killings than any other country in the developed world. As outlined in a recent survey, "Mass shootings in the U.S. account for 73% of all 139 incidents occurring in developed countries between 1998 to 2019," describing how "101 attacks occurred in the U.S. during this period, leading to 816 deaths." Of course, the "solution" to such travesties is obvious: the imposition of gun control. However, such controls are in fact not a "straightforward" resolution in the theater of American politics, where in spite of all logic and facts, the American constitution, combined with highly conservative politicians and the gun lobby, continues to block the way for serious reforms. The American National Rifle Association, known as the "NRA," is a powerful lobbying group backed by the arms industry, which uses its monetary power to create political resistance to gun control. Quite clearly, it is a business initiative, but it is nonetheless fortified by the U.S. constitutions insistence on the "right to bear arms," which appeals to the American identity. Republicans argue that gun control is an unacceptable infringement on individual liberty by government, with a steadfast sentiment that the right to property, arms, and personal independence is the classic "American way." However, the world has changed, and America is not the 18th- and 19th-century agrarian landowning nation it once was, with unfettered access to guns now used more to facilitate crime than for personal protection. Yet the debate has not moved with the country, and the NRA aggressively fortifies its position by lobbying and investing in the election of Republican politicians. For example, statistics found that the NRA had donated over $1 million dollars to dozens of Republican senators, including up to $13 million to influential figures. This dependency makes it very difficult for these politicians to stand up to the gun lobby. As a result, each shooting event comes with a vow that things will be different, but in fact they never are. The rhetorical response of "thoughts and prayers" has transformed from something meant to express empathy for victims into a satirical and cynical expression of the inability of the U.S. state to prevent such tragedies from occurring. Limited by the constitution, successive Democrat presidents have been unable to stand up to the gun lobby and Congress and initiate proper restrictions on the sale of assault weapons and other firearms that are completely beyond the justification of "personal protection." In many regards, American domestic politics is in a highly dysfunctional gridlock whereby adherence to constitutional literalism combined with ultra-partisan divides makes it impossible to achieve even the most straightforward solutions to everyday issues. This is the real meaning of "American exceptionalism" not so much in terms of moral superiority or ideology, but whereby the wholesale slaughter of schoolchildren is deemed a normal, frequent, and unpreventable occurrence. Meanwhile, the rest of the world looks on baffled, confused, and horrified. Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. He writes on topics pertaining to China, the DPRK, Britain and the U.S. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Michigan is at the forefront of the fight for abortion rights Its one of the many states that has an old law on the books that criminalizes abortion. A judge has suspended the lawbut conservative lawyers want that decision appealed. Should they succeed, the 1931 law could, after Roe is overturned, become enforceable and make anyone who provides abortiona health care serviceguilty of a felony. Abortion rights activists in the state, where I live and have worked as a political reporter, are taking matters into their own hands, and collecting signatures for a ballot initiative that would guarantee abortion rights in the state constitution. Michiganders arent the only ones reverting to the ballot to enshrine abortion rights: in Vermont, theres an effort to make them part of the state constitution (theres no trigger law against abortion in Vermont; this would prevent any future laws from taking away the right to an abortion). In other states, were also seeing the opposite happen: In Kansas and Kentucky they want to pass measures to amend the Constitution to say that there isnt a right to an abortion Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a recent episode of The Waves, Slates podcast on gender and feminism, I spoke with Mark Joseph Stern, Slate senior writer covering the courts and the law. We talked about how ballot initiatives have been used in the past, and just how useful theyll be going forward. Mark also had some very specific advice on what those who want to fight for health care access should be doing urgently. Our conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity. Cheyna Roth: Mark, I feel I usually see anti-abortion groups going to the ballot for measures they want, but are pro-choice groups starting to sort of take a page from their playbook? Mark Joseph Stern: Thats exactly right. For many years, abortion foes have promoted ballot initiatives to restrict access to reproductive healthcare and also override state courts that rule in favor of abortion, and of course, push the limits of Roe v. Wade to see how far the Supreme Court would go to allow abortion restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Since 1970, 84 percent of statewide ballot measures relating to abortion were designed to restrict access, not expand it. That lopsided figure is largely a result of the status quo under Roe, where progressives were generally happy, if not perfectly content, with the baseline guarantee of the right to abortion before viability. Conservatives, on the other hand, used every tool at their disposal to roll back that right, even with Roe still on the books. In a lot of Red States, direct democracy proved to be a pretty potent weapon. Now with Roe about to fall, the energy is really shifting. Suddenly you see almost every red state poised to enact a complete or near total ban on abortion the moment Roe is off the books, but the progressives in blue and purple states are scrambling to enshrine reproductive rights into their state laws once Roes baseline guarantee disappears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Michigan, there have been quite a few anti-abortion ballot initiatives, but I dont know that theres been this level of excitement for either side when it comes to abortion initiatives in the past. They need 425,000 ballot signatures by July 11th, and it sounds like they are very much well on their way to getting enough signatures to potentially get this on the ballot for the people to vote on. I have seen people out there gathering signatures for this initiative in ways that I havent seen for others. So given this level of excitement, Im surprised that more states dont have similar initiatives for the midterms. A big part of that is how Roes imminent demise kind of crept up on a lot of the country. People like me have been screaming since Amy Coney Barrett joined the court, even since Brett Kavanaugh joined the court, that Roe was in serious jeopardy. But for whatever reason that didnt seem to register until first, the Supreme Court allowed the Texas ban to stand back in the late fall. That is the law that allows any stranger to sue an abortion provider or anyone who facilitates an abortion for $10,000 if they perform the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then of course on May 2nd, this draft opinion leaked from the Supreme Court. I think not only reading that draft, but seeing it already laid out in the format of an official opinion really made a dent in peoples psyches. They were like, Oh my God, this is real. The problem here is that the initiative process is often really cumbersome and time-consuming. You have to gather a gazillion signatures. I mean, in Michigan, its 425,000. In other states its even more. Then you have to make sure that enough of them survive the inevitable challenges from your opponents, which can be really time-consuming. Go through signature by signature, making sure its legible, making sure that person is a valid voter, didnt sign twice, whatever. Then you have to make sure your initiative survives other legal challenges in the courts. There are just so many veto points that activists have to make sure that they do literally everything right, and even then thats not always enough. So, it takes years of preparation and execution. Its not the kind of thing you can do off the cuff. Advertisement Advertisement Youve called Michigan the most prominent success story so far when it comes to purple states.What is it doing that other purple states could learn from aside from the ballot initiative? Advertisement Reproductive rights advocates have launched a kind of two-pronged approach. First, they filed a regular lawsuit asking a lower court judge to strike down that 1931 abortion ban. They prevailed. They convinced this lower court judge to issue an injunction that bars the enforcement of that ban from 1931. The attorney general of the state is a Democrat, and she said shes not going to appeal that decision. So, if Roe fell tomorrow, even absent any other action here, Michigan still would not be able to enforce its anti-abortion law because it is on hold in the courts. Advertisement At the same time, the democratic Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, has asked the state Supreme court to declare that as a matter of state law, the Michigan Constitution protects the right to abortion already. If the court agrees, it will not only strike down that 1931 ban, but also potentially a bunch of other restrictions that Republicans have put in place over the last few decades. So, the irony here is that after Roe falls, Michigan might end up with more liberal and permissive abortion laws than it has right now as we speak. While people are debating next moves in this likely-post-Roe world, what do you think is the best thing that everyday citizens should be doing? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donating to abortion funds honestly. Until we get this mess sorted out, which in my view will take the next 30 to 50 years, the most helpful thing that individual advocates for reproductive rights can do is pay to ensure that people in need can terminate their pregnancies. Advertisement Advertisement When I talk to progressive groups about this stuff, they always ask at the end, Well, what can we do? Aside from voting for pro-choice politicians and signing these initiatives and whatever, I say, You need to tithe. Think of this as a tithe. You should be opening your wallet to abortion funds, especially in the South right now, but soon in the Midwest as well, so that women can get the money that they need to hop on a plane and miss work and take unpaid leave to terminate the pregnancy that they got for whatever reason. If you are not actively subsidizing reproductive healthcare and ensuring that people can get the care they need where and when they need it, then you are really kind of betraying them and betraying the cause that you claim to stand for. Vote, then tithe. That fits on a bumper sticker. Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. When I attempted to voluntarily access mental health care upon my return from Iraq, I faced negative career consequences and harassment. My supervisors tried to force my medical providers to alter my care. I was told by my superiors that I wasnt fit to stand in front of soldiers because Id sought treatmenteven though there had never been a negative mark on my service record. My trust in my leaders was forever shaken; the very people who were supposed to look after my well-being were actively working against it. Advertisement I continued with my treatment and eventually left the military. But I will never forget the shock of realizing that my leadersthose who preach about integrity and honorwere looking after their own interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My leaders felt comfortable targeting me for seeking treatment because they were enabled by a system that fails to ensure even the bare minimum of mental health support is provided. At the most fundamental, just finding where to get help is difficult. In a recent investigation, I found that military suicide prevention and mental health resources are or were filled with broken links, inoperable phone numbers, and out-of-date information. Consider the suicide prevention page for Fort Wainwright, Alaska, the current epicenter of the Armys suicide crisis. The page houses a link to a suicide resource matrix, a collection of contact information that says its to be updated and validated four times a year. It hasnt been updated once in almost three years, even after the commander of Army forces in Alaska stated this May that suicide prevention was his top priority. In April, USA Today reported, Suicide among the 11,500 soldiers posted to Alaska reached crisis proportions in 2021. The Army has confirmed or suspects that 17 soldiers died by suicide last year, more than the previous two years combined. On a per capita basis, the death by suicide rate for Army soldiers in the state is 147 per 100,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or take Fort Hood, Texas, base of Spc. Vanessa Guillen, whose murder caused the Department of Defense to fire officials and make statements about changing the installations culture. Experts gathered at the installation in January to discuss suicide prevention; the bases suicide prevention page, however, hasnt been updated since 2012, has broken links, and contains no contact information for the bases therapy services. After I informed the DOD of the issues with this page, it deleted the site. There is also the case of Camp Lejeune, a Marine Corps base in North Carolina that had one of the highest rates of suicide among bases in the nation in 2020. Its website at one point directed users looking for mental health resources to an inoperable link. (After I informed the DOD of the issue, it was fixed.) The USMCs main website for suicide prevention resources is out of date, too: One page has info for the DSTRESS hotline, which was staffed by counselors and former military personnel as a 24-hour available option for those in distress. That sounds greatexcept the DSTRESS line has been inoperable since March. Yet USMC bases such as Camp Pendleton, California, still cite the line as a resource. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not an exhaustive list of the problems on websites; its just the ones that Ive found. I began looking into it after discovering that the DODs own suicide prevention website was broken for more than a year with multiple weblinks that led to nonexistent mental health support webpages. When I asked the DOD about how it ensures these websites are up to date, a spokesperson told me that the department is taking efforts to ensure suicide prevention resources on our website are regularly updated and that it regularly collaborate[s] with a number of resource providers such as the Veterans Crisis Line/Military Crisis Line and Military One Source to provide updated 24/7/365 online crisis and resource availability. When asked about who is responsible for executing these tasks, they said, The Department maintains oversight of content on DSPO.mil. Individual Service suicide prevention resource pages and sites are maintained at the Service and installation level. That would explain why only some of the sites I mentioned have been updated; those are the ones DOD has oversight of. Advertisement Advertisement This response is disappointing, not just for the attempt to shift responsibility on individual services and units, but for its refusal to acknowledge that even the department clearly wasnt maintaining its own websites until I found errors with them. Advertisement It could be that the DOD, branches of the military, and installations often create suicide prevention resources with good intentions and then simply forget to update them continuously due to a sprawling and atomized system that seems to have no central oversight. Establishing a system for mental health outreach online also requires funding to do so, and it is currently unclear how much the DOD receives exactly for mental health treatment, with the most recent report, from 2020, showing about $31 million focused toward providing mental and physical therapy services in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the sprawling nature of the militarys mental health support ecosystem doesnt excuse the lack of upkeep. The military manages many complicated programs and initiatives, ranging from supplying its millions of troops, many in remote regions, to ensuring the security of its operations. There are systems in place to catch threats to operational security or sustainment. Surely if this were a priority, it could carry out an audit and create a system to actually make sure that the resources intended to provide for the mental health and welfare of service members are accessible and up to dateregardless of whether they are the territory of an installation, a service branch, or the DOD. Advertisement Advertisement But the poorly maintained websites are just a symptom of bigger problems with the militarys approach to mental health. Advertisement Karin Orvis, the head of the Defense Suicide Prevention Office, claimed during a Senate Armed Forces committee hearing in April that the DODs adjusted suicide rate is comparable to the national average after accounting for age and sex differences, since the militarys population is younger with a higher population of males (risk factors for attempting suicide). But a study backed by the DODs own health agency in 2018 found that when the U.S. population was adjusted to match the Armys, soldiers were dying by suicide at a higher rate than civilians. Indeed, the death by suicide rate for young service members in 2020 was well over double the rate for their age group and higher than all age demographics in the civilian population. Advertisement When asked about the shortage of mental health specialists at a hearing a day before Orvis, Gen. Mark Milley, the highest-ranking officer in the military, stated that squad leaders, who are usually aged 2025 and lack psychological or medical training, were the mental health specialists for the teams they commanded. Milleys confusing comments are especially troubling because they ignore the fact that it is often a service members own leadership who are the source of stressorsor act to prevent service members from getting care in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement In the past 20 years, the suicide rate among service members has skyrocketed, with more than 30,177 service members and veterans who served during the global war on terror alone dying due to suicide, four times the amount of troops lost in combat during the period. In the past five years, the suicide rate among active duty service members has increased by 41 percent. During 2020, the military suicide rate increased by 16 percent, while the nations suicide rate dropped by 6 percent. The suicide rate in the U.S. Army is the highest it has been in over 100 years. The suicide rate for women in the military is double their national average. For Black service members, it is almost triple the national demographic average. Advertisement Some have theorized that high rates of gun ownership among service members and veterans may be a driver of this crisis. Its true that access to a firearm puts suicide in much closer reach. But that alone cannot explain why the suicide rate for these active duty and veteran populations has surged past the national average since 2004, after decades of being roughly equivalent. Others have advanced claims that its due to failings by those who join the military themselvesa horrifying callback to the past, when many blamed mental issues on a lack of soldier discipline or bravery. Advertisement Advertisement Those outside the military might believe that mental health issues in the armed forces are all related to the trauma of taking part in armed conflict. There are many other ways military service can be traumatic, however. Advertisement The USS George Washington has had 10 suicides among its crew in as many months. The sailors aboard the carrier have for years made note of uninhabitable living conditions like a lack of ventilation, running water, sleeping space, and a culture that does not prioritize mental health supportto no avail. Many attempted to use the ships digital suggestion box to make note of these issues but found that their leadership did not respond to the use of this forum much, if at all. Advertisement Advertisement The DOD didnt announce a majority of the deaths until recently, and when the Navys top enlisted leader visited the ship in late April, afterward he told sailors that the conditions could have been worse and there was nothing he could do to help them. A week later, after a deluge of negative press, the Navy moved hundreds of sailors off the ship. Advertisement According to one study, more than half of women and 35 percent of men in the military are affected by military sexual trauma, and 71 percent of female veterans seek PTSD treatment due to military sexual trauma suffered while serving. Another study analyzing 69 pieces of research found similar results. In May, a report from Military.com detailed how a female National Guard soldier was sexually harassed by members of her unit and then was failed by her leadership and the military justice system. Recently, the Army gave a slap on the wrist to an officer who motorboated a subordinate, his punishment being full retirement with pension and no prosecution. Advertisement A recent DOD survey found that nearly a third of Black service members reported experiencing racial discrimination, harassment, or both during a 12-month period, and decades of DOD efforts to stamp out bias and extremism in the ranks have been ineffective. This discrimination is evident at the highest levels of the military: An Army three-star general was recently relieved and replaced after an investigation into claims of him creating a racist and toxic environment, which included disparaging Black subordinates. If the general felt comfortable after decades in the service making such statements, what does that say about the norms of the system that continued to reward him and promote him? What effect did his behavior have on the mental health of service members of color? Advertisement All of these stories and statistics make the broken links seem less like a problem of web maintenance and more like an indication that what the military says is a priority simply is not. I know what it is like to feel distressed and not know where to turn. I can only imagine being a Marine at Camp Pendleton who is looking for resources and calls the DSTRESS line and gets no answer, or a soldier at Fort Hood in crisis who finds resources from 2012. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, people can turn to other resources when that happensbut if youre in a state of crisis, you shouldnt have to click through several layers of links or find alternate routes to get help. If the military can prosecute wars across the entire planet, it can keep its websites updated. If you need to talk, or if you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Service members and veterans can also reach out to the Military Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (press 1) or its online chat. 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. You are here: Travel Flash China has approved a plan to establish a national park at Qinghai Lake in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local authorities said Tuesday. Gao Jingyu, deputy director of the protection and utilization administration in the Qinghai Lake scenic area, said that the administration will strive to complete the establishment of the Qinghai Lake National Park in 2024. Qinghai Lake, located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the country's largest inland saltwater lake with an area of 4,625.6 square km in 2021. It is an important ecological barrier in northern China and a key stopover site for migrant birds. In recent years, the ecological environment has improved in the area, with biodiversity rapidly restored, according to Gao. The lake is home to over 571,000 water birds of nearly 100 species, making it a major breeding ground for migratory birds in the country, statistics from the administration show. Flash Washington's exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from this week's Summit of the Americas exposes U.S. double standards on democracy, Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday. In a column article published in Mexican daily Excelsior, Ebrard wrote that "the so-called democratic clause" -- which Washington cited as the reason for not inviting those three countries to the regional gathering in Los Angeles, California -- is invoked only when it benefits U.S. interests. "It is not applied equally in all cases, but only in some, when it is convenient," said Ebrard, laying out the reason Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador decided to forgo the summit. The United States has, for example, pursued rapprochement with Southeast Asian nations and "launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, in which several of its members lack regimes with the democratic standards required of Cuba or Venezuela," Ebrard said. "The exclusion of three Latin American countries from the IX Summit of the Americas is inconsistent, if not contradictory, with the reality that prevails in other international organizations of great importance such as the G20 (Group of 20) and the United Nations (UN)," added Ebrard. What's more, taking advantage of its role as summit host to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the gathering is "questionable from a Pan-American legality issue," said Ebrard. The foreign minister also criticized Washington's policy of imposing sanctions against countries whose political systems it disagrees with. "The political and economic sanctions imposed as instruments for changing political regimes have repeatedly failed and, usually, have only caused harm to the civilian population," Ebrard said. Regarding Cuba, he said, it is "impossible" to calculate the human cost of the economic, trade and financial blockade to which the United States has subjected it for more than 60 years. "Thousands of Cuban families have been separated for decades" and "the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has estimated losses to the Cuban economy of 130 billion U.S. dollars due to U.S. sanctions, an amount greater than its GDP (gross domestic product)," Ebrard said. The IX Summit of the Americas could have been the ideal opportunity to relaunch the rapprochement policy between Washington and Havana, which U.S. former President Barack Obama initiated at the 2015 summit in Panama. Such a policy, Ebrard stressed, "is the best example that we must and we can build policies on this continent that benefit our peoples, despite the deepest differences." Carl Jamieson will line up behind the gate with fellow legends for this Sundays $15,000 Legends Day Trot. Driver Wally Hennessey is a late scratch due to travel issues, so he will be replaced by fellow Maritimer Carl Jamieson. Jamieson recorded 1,372 wins as a driver and, as a trainer, he won 1,070 times and purses of more than $26 million. He trained and drove stars such as Breeders Crown winner Santanna Blue Chip, North America Cup champion Up The Credit, fastest two-year-old Ontario Sires Stakes performer Warrawee Needy, stakes winners Elegant Killean, Appleoosa Hanover and many more. Hes won Grand Rivers Battle Of Waterloo an incredible five times. Jamieson will join Doug Brown, Steve Condren, Trevor Ritchie, Ron Waples, Paul MacDonell and Randy Waples behind the gate for the $15,000 Legends Day Trot. This years online auction is live at legendsdayauction.com. Fans can look forward to a fantastic day at the races on June 12 for Legends Day. There are exclusive Legends Day t-shirts for sale for $10, a 50/50 raffle, plus an autograph session with Legends from 2-3 p.m. (With files from Clinton Raceway) Grand Fashion is a full sister to recently crowned New Jersey Sire Stakes champion female trotter Fashion Schooner and half-sister to two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Broadway Donna, but she is her own girl. Grand Fashion was among Wednesdays nine winning two-year-olds during the first of this months weekly qualifiers at Magical Acres training center. Bred and owned by Fashion Farms, the daughter of Walner-Broadway Schooner won in 2:01.4 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky. Grand Fashion winning her qualifying debut at Magical Acres with driver Tim Tetrick I was very happy with the way she went, said trainer Jim Campbell. Her manners were good, she trotted home nice; Timmy liked her a lot. She did everything that we could have asked of her today. Were going to take her up to The Meadowlands a week from Saturday. So, does Grand Fashion share any similarities with her siblings? None, said Campbell, who trained Broadway Donna during her career and now has Fashion Schooner in his stable. She is totally different than any of them. Not in any bad way, but shes just her own. Shes been a tough one. She was tough all winter training, just trying to find the right things that suited her equipment wise and everything like that. But shes always showed that she was very athletic and had speed to her. Fashion Farms was not the only owner to win with a homebred two-year-old at Magical Acres on Wednesday. Trainer Tom Cancelliere sent out two winners male pacer Feel My Wrath and female pacer Absolute Power for his brother, breeder/owner John Cancelliere. Feel My Wrath (Western Shore-Some Kinda Girl) won in 2:00.1 and Absolute Power (Sweet Lou-Power Pack Hanover) won in 1:59.4, both with driver Corey Callahan. Feel My Wrath is from the family of Hall of Fame broodmare Cathedra, his third dam, while Absolute Power is from the family of Grand Circuit winner Panther Hanover. Absolute Power, with driver Corey Callahan, winning her qualifying debut at Magical Acres Also winning two qualifiers was trainer Jonas Czernyson, who scored with male trotters Smooth Landing, in 2:02, and Templeton, in 2:00.4. Both were driven by Daryl Thiessen. Templeton (Muscle Mass-Dornello) was purchased under the name Dominic Hanover for $52,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Czernyson, Aldebaran Park and Lars Berg. Templeton winning his qualifying debut at Magical Acres Smooth Landing (Tactical Landing-Ostrich Blue Chip) was purchased for $40,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale and is owned by J Czernyson Aldebaran Park, Barry Carter, Lars Berg and Geoffrey Dubrowsky. His family includes Quincy Blue Chip, a New York Sire Stakes champion and Empire Breeders Classic winner. Female pacer American Wisdom (American Ideal-Tori Hanover) posted the days fastest time among the two-year-olds, winning in 1:58 for trainer Linda Toscano, driver Scott Zeron and owner Brittany Farms, which also bred the filly. Her family includes OBrien and Dan Patch Award winner American Jewel as well as millionaire Luck Be Withyou. American Wisdom, with driver Scott Zeron, at Magical Acres Rounding out the list of winning two-year-olds were male pacers Handlelikeaporsche and Maskless, and female pacer Rock My Socks. Handlelikeaporsche (Lazarus N-The Signature) won in 2:00.3 for trainer Chris Ryder and driver Dexter Dunn. He was purchased for $100,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Ryder, William Ezzo, Robert Mondillo and Barry Spak. His family includes OBrien Award winner Vegas Vacation. Maskless (Heston Blue Chip-Dance With Danger) won in 2:05 for trainer Nik Drennan and driver James ODonnell. The homebred colt is owned by Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing. Rock My Socks (Boston Red Rocks-Kattimon) won in 2:01.3 for trainer Jake Leamon and driver Dunn. She is owned by Rick Berks and was purchased for $30,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale. She is a half-sister to OBrien Award winner Classic Pro and Grand Circuit winner Devil Child. For complete charts from the qualifiers at Magical Acres, click here. The First Mile, presented by onGait and produced by 412 Communications, provided coverage of the qualifiers live from Magical Acres with harness racing media veteran and series producer James Witherite serving as lead commentator. A replay of the live stream is available below. (USTA) Peoples health problems and ensuing medical debt should not be weaponized against them, North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell said Tuesday, as state lawmakers proposed a bill he helped write that takes aim at hospitals and their billing practices. Folwell, a Republican, noted the bills bipartisan list of sponsors. At one point, he cited Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts when arguing for the bill. Both Folwell and the bills lead sponsor, Republican Rep. Ed Goodwin of Edenton, spoke about experiences they have had with hefty medical bills for thousands of dollars. All of us in here have health insurance, Goodwin told the N.C. House Banking Committee on Tuesday when the bill was up for a hearing. We really do not worry about it that much, I dont think. But imagine going to a hospital and being told, Do you have money to pay? Well no, Im an indigent charity case. When that happens, Goodwin said, patients who cant afford their bills often are given a credit card they can use for their medical bills, groceries or gas. He questioned the ethics behind that and whether it could lead people further into debt especially since hospitals are already allowed to take a loss on such cases and write them off on their taxes, in a process known as charity care or indigent care. The way theyre being treated now, and the way bills are being paid and things that are being done, do not seem to be proper to me, said Goodwin, who represents a large part of Northeastern North Carolina that studies show has been hit particularly hard by medical debt. How big a problem is medical debt? Americans owe about $88 billion in medical debt, according to a report earlier this year from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However, the report also noted that estimating the total is complicated due to the numerous inaccurate bills that health care providers send their patients. Millions of North Carolinians more than a third of the states population were in collections for debt as of the end of 2020, the most recent data available, according to research from the Urban Institute. And in most cases, it was for medical debt specifically. Medical debt alone, not counting credit cards, student loans or other types of debt, has landed over 2 million North Carolinians in collections. The problem varies greatly by geography. In urban counties like Durham and Wake, the percentage of people in collections for unpaid medical debt tends to be in the low teens. That still represents roughly 200,000 people between those two counties. But as a percentage, it pales in comparison to more rural counties, where, in many places, nearly half of the entire county is in collections due to medical debt. Take 43% of Duplin County in the southeastern part of the state, for example, and 41% of Cleveland County, west of Charlotte. A big focus of North Carolinas bill is helping people improve their credit, or avoid a hit to their credit in the first place, by having fewer people sent into collections for unpaid medical bills. The flip side is that it could cost the health care industry hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions. Folwell who has warred with the hospital industry in the past, most notably over the State Health Plan said the cost is worth it. The moral thing to do is to stop weaponizing peoples credit score, he said. Folwell said the bill has several main goals, including expanded opportunities for hospitals to write unpaid bills off as charity. While only uninsured patients can qualify currently, the bill would also allow charity care for under-insured patients, like those with high deductible plans. It would also prevent patients from being sent into collections if theyre appealing their bill. Opposition to the bill Hospitals have strongly opposed similar pushes in the past, and an industry group accused Folwell of demonizing them earlier this year, although no individual hospitals or groups sent a representative to speak on this specific bill Tuesday. That may be in part because the bill didnt get a vote after the hearing, and it appears it will be a while before that happens. Fayetteville Republican Rep. John Szoka criticized pieces of the bill during the hearing and questioned whether some of the information Folwell and Goodwin gave was accurate. There are a number of things in this bill that are, quite frankly, disturbing, he said. For instance, while much of Folwells pitch focused on the claim that a bad credit score could hamper someones upward mobility and potentially even that of their children Szoka said thats not true. He cited his background as a mortgage broker, adding: Ive probably seen more credit reports than every person in this room combined. Szoka also questioned some of the claims supporters made about the special credit cards for medical debt, among other problems he had with the bill. At the end of the meeting, the committees chairman, Rep. Keith Kidwell of Beaufort County, said Szoka should work with Goodwin and Folwells office on revamping the bill to get it to a more agreeable state. Its unclear when, or if, that might happen. Szoka suggested splitting the wide-ranging bill up into multiple pieces, so that some of the less controversial pieces could pass while the heavier lifting remains to be done on the rest. But the bill has support beyond its bipartisan list of co-sponsors. The State Employees Association of North Carolina, or SEANC, supports it. So does the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, whose attorney Skye David said that assault survivors arent supposed to be charged for their rape exam but that they can still be charged, and possibly later sent into collections, for treating injuries they suffered when they were raped. Those costs are not covered, she said. And maybe your survivor doesnt have health insurance, or their insurance isnt going to cover the whole thing. ... I took a look at some of the different bills Ive received from survivors, from hospitals. Some of them were over $6,000. The bill would also undo a rule that spouses can be held liable for each others medical or nursing home debts. An aide to Folwell, Sam Watts, said it dates back to a time when women werent allowed to own property and that most states have since gotten rid of similar rules, but North Carolina has not. Housing prices are still rising despite more available homes entering the local market in May than during any of the last 18 months. A Northwest Multiple Listing Service report shows Cowlitz County had nearly twice as many active homes listings this May as it had in May 2021. Active listings rose from 79 to 157 listings year over year. A similar rise was reported by Pacific Northwest Realty Group, a Longview-based brokerage company that releases its own numbers about housing in Cowlitz County and other southwest Washington counties. According to Pacific Northwest, the number of active listings rose from an average of 58 per week in February to 120 per week in May. The rise in active listings means the county ended May with 1.3 months of housing inventory a measure of how long it would take for the current listings to sell out if no other homes were placed for sale. It marks the first time in nearly two years that the county has reported more than one month of inventory. A balanced housing market would generally be considered to have at least four months of inventory. The Northwest MLS report shows Cowlitz was not the only place in Washington seeing a jump in home listings. Douglas County and Snohomish County both had their active listings more than double from last May. Island and Walla Walla counties saw a similar increase to Cowlitz. Imagine buyers looking at the increased inventory, increased prices and still experiencing serious competition with a plethora of other buyers for most homes. Thats the world of today in Western Washington, Dick Beeson, RE/MAX Northwest managing broker from Gig Harbor, said in Mays report from Northwest MLS. Home prices still high Northwest MLS reports the average sales price in Cowlitz County reached $443,000 in May, up from $388,000 in the same month last year. The median sales price for May was $400,000 but increased at a similar rate. Houses are also still being purchased quickly. The length of time for homes staying on the market has edged down over the course of this year, Pacific Northwest data shows, from an average of 55 days in February to 42 days in May. However, there are signs the rise in home costs may be slowing. Realtor Katie Keaton with Realty ONE Group Pacifica co-hosts a podcast about the local housing market with mortgage adviser and lender LaDonna Page. On Fridays episode, Keaton said that over the last week, listing services started seeing more homes reduce their asking prices. Were still having houses fly off the shelves as far as going pending, but the people who were pie-in-the-sky pricing their houses are having to lower the price, Keaton said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Less than five years after it was first created, the Cowlitz County commissioners are taking the chief-of-staff position off the books. The change will mean more legwork for the commissioners, who also have shifted some responsibilities among department heads. Over the last couple months, the board has planned on how to reorganize its communication structure after interim Chief of Staff Kurt Williams announced his retirement earlier this year. With Williams gone as of May 31, the commissioners dont plan to replace him, therefore removing the chief of staff position. After about seven years in the finance department, Williams took over in August 2021 for the countys first chief of staff, Axel Swanson, who left for another job. Chief of Staff Axel Swanson leaves Cowlitz County Cowlitz County has seen the first change in its chief of staff position since the role was established in 2017. The current or future commissioners could bring back the position if they want, said Commissioner Dennis Weber. There is no requirement for county commissioners to delegate any of their authority to a county administrator but many have chosen to, according to the Municipal Research Service Center, a Seattle-based nonprofit that provides consulting and research for and on local governments. As of 2015, more than half of Washingtons 39 counties did not have an elected or appointed administrator, according to the National Association of Counties. History The question of creating a Cowlitz County administrative position has been around at least since 2016, when most candidates for two commissioner seats spoke in favor of the addition. The board hired former Chief of Staff Axel Swanson in October 2017, after two longtime employees left the county. In September 2017, Auditor Kris Swanson announced she was leaving for another job and suggested the addition of an administrator to help new commissioners learn the ropes. Later that year, Claire Hauge, financial management director and de facto administrator, retired after 30 years with the county. She recommended hiring Axel Swanson for the chief of staff job, according to TDN archives. County financial head Claire Hauge reminisces on 30 years of service Claire Hauge, who helped steer Cowlitz County government through five recessions and won statewide acclaim for excellence, is retiring next we Divided opinions Before his election in 2016, Commissioner Arne Mortensen said he was against the administrator position but came around to supporting hiring Swanson, in part because of Hauges retirement. In 2020, the commissioners voted to make the chief of staff no longer a contracted position, and Mortensen proposed eliminating the position. Mortensen said Thursday he wanted to undo the position for about three years but couldnt get a second commissioner to agree. In the beginning, he thought the position would help the board members who cant speak to each other about county business outside of public meetings improve communication to staff by going through a common point, he said. It didnt work that way for two reasons, one because the staff felt neglected, distanced from commissioners and they didnt like that, Mortensen said. And then communication was now third-hand to us. No matter what intentions are, third-hand communication seldom works to anyones advantage. Weber said Mortensens opposition to the position hurt its success. When we did the research on developing a chief of staff, one of the recommendations from the other counties we consulted was the position needs support from all three commissioners, he said. One commissioner who didnt agree would constantly be undermining, and we ended up experiencing that with Axel. There was a lot of division and things werent very clear in terms of directions. Weber, who joined the board in 2013, said not having an administrative position can make it confusing for staff because it may be unclear who to take orders from because each commissioner is free to talk to any department that reports to them. The position also helped streamline department requests because staff didnt have to repeat the information to each commissioner and then again during an open meeting, Weber said. New roles for other staff To avoid similar problems, the board has set up more regular meetings and each commissioner has taken on a liaison role to certain departments, Weber said. Commissioner John Jabusch said the changes will mean more work for the commissioners, but he and the others are prepared to take it on. Its going to be a more active effort on our part to make sure that communication is solid and we are getting input from the directors, and electeds as well, he said. The commissioners also distributed some of the chief of staff responsibilities to other department heads and reorganized the reporting structure. Elected officials, including the sheriff and the auditor, have more independence and will continue communicating directly with commissioners. Mike Moss, public works director, now also will oversee the building and planning department, as well as facilities maintenance, under the new title of public services director. Moss said the new structure will improve communication among the three departments under the public services umbrella, and help fill the void left in building and planning, which hasnt had a director for a couple years. The three commissioners spoke highly of Moss and his ability to take on the new role. Mortensen said Moss has shown excellent ability to build staff and respond to the needs of the public. Clerk of the Board Tiffany Ostreim also has taken on more responsibilities, including planning out agendas and meeting weekly with each commissioner. Jabusch said she likely will help new commissioners get up to speed. Traci Jackson, formerly administrative services manager, will head up the finance department. Mortensen said he is optimistic about the changes but it will take everyone time to get used to the new structure. I think were putting responsibilities where we should and putting people where we should, he said. Love 1 Funny 1 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. Flash Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is not holding talks with third parties over a peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Monday. "I do not have any negotiations about any plans. Such negotiations are at zero level today," Zelensky told reporters on Monday during a press conference, while commenting on media reports that the EU, the United States and Britain allegedly discussed a peace plan for Ukraine. The international community is having growing fatigue with the conflict, Zelensky said, adding that some countries are trying to convince Ukraine to make unfavorable concessions. "Everyone surely wants to push us, step by step, towards some result that is for sure unprofitable for us, but beneficial for certain parties that have their interests," he said. Meanwhile, he stressed that Ukraine must continue its partnership "with all European countries and the world powers." Turkey can become a mediator in the talks on unblocking Ukrainian ports for grain exports, Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine did not participate in the Turkey-Russia negotiations on the issue. "I have not been invited. The minister of foreign affairs has not been invited, as of today," he said. Zelensky said that Kiev is not considering any alternative to the EU membership, and that its possible agreement with Britain on a defense union is part of Ukraine's security guarantees. The situation in Ukraine remains unpredictable, and hostilities may erupt anywhere if Ukrainian forces lose ground in Donbass, Zelensky said. He added that more than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant were captured by Russia following the end of the battle in Mariupol in May. An Auburn couple was sentenced to prison and ordered to repay more than $30 million each in restitution on Monday in federal court for operating a Ponzi-like scheme through the now-bankrupt Northwest Territorial Mint in Federal Way. The former president of the mint, Bernard Ross Hansen, 61, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and ordered to pay $33.7 million in restitution by U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Jones. Hansen's partner and former manager of the business, Diane Renee Erdmann, 49, was sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay $32.1 million in restitution. The couple were convicted of defrauding more than 3,000 people out of more than $30 million, according to federal prosecutors. The two were arrested in May after they fled on the eve of their sentencing on April 29, according to Seattle FBI, which investigated the case. They were found 11 days later at a motel near Chimacum, outside Port Townsend, when a motel employee recognized them from photographs published in the media. Hansen had been convicted of 14 federal felonies and Erdmann faced sentencing on 13 counts. Federal prosecutors had recommended a more severe sentencing to reflect the manhunt. The Northwest Territorial Mint, which made coins and medallions and bought, sold and stored precious metals, ran out of assets to cover customer orders by 2012, according to the couple's indictment. Prosecutors said the pair then started using investments from new customers to pay for money owed to older customers. "Together, Hansen and his co-conspirator Ms. Erdmann stole decades of savings and financial security from thousands of victims who thought they were making safe investments for themselves and their loved ones," Donald Voiret, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office, said in a statement Monday. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 The growth of services that prize connection over obsession marks a healthy shift in social media. How did Facebook become a business worth $1 trillion at one point last year? Not just by fulfilling its mission of connecting people, but by keeping them hooked on the site, sometimes for hours on end. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc.s YouTube and Twitter Inc. have spent years perfecting the art of building habit-forming products, whether through the social affirmation of likes, the allure of a never-ending newsfeed or the way YouTube hits your dopamine receptors each time it recommends a new video. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: Guillaume Chaslot, an engineer who left Google in 2013 after helping to design YouTubes recommendation algorithm, remembers being told to program it to encourage larger amounts of time spent by people on the site. When you optimize for time spent, then you optimize for addiction, he says. At the time, I did not even realize that. But now, several years into a broad backlash against Big Tech platforms over their safety, more consumer internet services seem to be disregarding the pressure to be sticky, in Silicon Valley parlance, or to reward attention-seeking behavior. Its a promising trend. Some of these services are actually taking off with consumers. BeReal is a social app developed in France where all users are told to post a photo of themselves and their surroundings at one randomly appointed time each day. Instead of perfectly angled selfies on the beach, you get double chins, laptop keyboards and crowds of bus commuters in other words, the mundane moments of everyday lives. As of May 2022, BeReal had been downloaded more than 10 million times and is growing steadily among teens and college students in the US, UK and France, according to app analytics firm data.ai. There are no beautifying filters, and BeReal discourages staged photos. It isnt showing fake lives like some Instagram influencers present, says Alice, a 15-year-old in London who started using BeReal in April after a friend recommended it. Perhaps more importantly, BeReal isnt as addictive as Instagram. You only really need to look at the app once a day, when a flood of new photos gets added. Ive been using BeReal for several months and find it hard to ignore the apps two-minute alerts for everyone to post a photo, but Im not hooked on BeReal in the same way Im compelled to look at Twitter multiple times throughout the day. The once-a-day routine is also what has driven tens of millions of people to play Wordle, the hit puzzle game now owned by New York Times Co. that updates itself daily, and which encourages players to share yellow-and-green grid emojis of their results. Instead of building a constant itch to be checked 24/7, both BeReal and Wordle create anticipation. Instead of showcasing content, the apps encourage a unique, fleeting daily practice that connects users with others. Both web services could be fads, of course. Remember the apps Dispo, YikYak and Peach? If not, thats because social media and internet platforms are a fickle business, filled with flameouts that couldnt attain long-term appeal with consumers. But Wordle and BeReals current success also comes alongside a broader cultural change: a hardening awareness among consumers, and among teens and 20-somethings in particular, of the psychological risks of spending a lot of time on social media. That knowledge has compelled Gen Z to pioneer finsta accounts on Instagram to post more private and authentic photos for their close friends, or to start trends like #filterdrop. Ironically, the biggest company ditching the dopamine model may be Facebook itself. If you find that hard to believe, consider that the metaverse, which Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is pivoting his entire company toward, doesnt seem to have much addictive potential. For one, entering virtual reality is cumbersome. After strapping a headset like the Oculus Quest 2 to your face, you wait several minutes while a game like Beat Saber loads on the headset which, speaking from my own experience of regularly using a Quest 2, becomes noticeably heavy and uncomfortable after about an hour. VR headsets are destined to get lighter and more comfortable. But they will still require far more intention than glancing at a phone and casually thumbing a screen. Various studies have shown the average American checks their phone between 50 and 100 times each day. That probably wont be the case with the metaverse, even when VR devices become sleeker. That is also because visiting VR requires setting time aside to immerse yourself in a virtual space with the same kind of intent you would have to sit down and watch TV in the evening. Its a different story with so-called augmented reality, where information is overlaid onto your view of the real world, and which seems more likely to become addictive with its much more seamless transition between real and digital spaces. Using the metaverse takes time being able to log on, and just the amount of focus you have to spend, Wagner James Au, author of The Making of Second Life, told me in February. It takes a lot of time and attention. You cant, for instance, watch a movie and simultaneously check into the metaverse in the same way you might check your Facebook newsfeed during dull moments of dialogue. Its true that 20 years ago the internets early skeptics argued that getting online was too complicated to plug into our daily lives. But I still dont buy Facebooks vision that people will spend large chunks of their day working, socializing and playing in the metaverse, because the transition from an all-encompassing virtual reality to our physical reality is clunky. The metaverse being built by Facebook has serious problems that need ironing out. There have been incidents of harassment, creepy behavior and a worrying number of children visitors. And Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen has warned that the metaverse will be habit-forming in the future. But I expect it to be about as addictive as computer games, which have been shown to have narrower incidents of addiction disorder, potentially affecting 0.3% - 1% of the population of the US, UK, Canada and Germany, according to one 2016 study. In fact, not only are people not finding themselves lured back to the metaverse over and over as they have with Facebook, metaverse evangelists arent, either. Very few of them actually use the metaverse with the degree of frequency that they say were all going to be using it, Au noted. The moral paradox of Facebook is that its addictive quality has lead to both widespread harm and astonishing financial success. Meta earned $39.4 billion in profit last year, on sales of $117 billion. Its founder is currently the worlds 15th richest person. But its future money-making potential with the metaverse is an open question when putting on a VR headset doesnt hit the same dopamine reward pathways in our brains as glancing at a smartphone dozens of time each day. How will Meta attain the same level of ad revenue from the metaverse if people arent visiting it anywhere near as frequently as Facebook or Instagram? That question may be fueling broader skepticism about the metaverses future business potential: Metas shares have sunk 43% since the start of the year, a sharper decline than Alphabet (down 22%) and Amazon Inc. (down 23%) in the latest tech market rout. The metaverse will continue to cost Zuckerbergs company billions of dollars, but when it comes to creating digital junkies out of us all, Meta and other new apps like BeReal seem to be going in a healthier direction. Parmy Olson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. A former reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes, she is author of We Are Anonymous. The Black Shark 5 series has landed in Malaysia tonight with two models, Black Shark 5 and 5 Pro. Powered by the up-to-date Qualcomm chipsets, the devices are here to deliver better gaming performance than before. Now, let's look at the tech specs and features they offer! The vanilla Black Shark 5 and 5 Pro sport the same 6.67-inch Samsung E4 display with supports for a 144Hz refresh rate and a 720Hz touch sampling rate. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 870 powers the lower variant, while Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 handles the more powerful one. They also get paired with a 4,650mAh battery with 120W Hyper Charge, not to mention they do include a 120W charger in the box. Of course, how can a gaming smartphone comes without awesome gaming features. The Black Shark 5 series comes with Magnetic Pop-up Trigger 2.0, a Sandwich VC cooling system for the vanilla variant, and an Anti-G Dual VC cooling system for the Pro. They also have the Magic Press that works with seven levels of press sensitivty and helps prevent mistouch. For photography, both offer a triple-camera setup. The Black Shark 5 brings a 64MP primary sensor, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro shooter. Meanwhile, the Black Shark 5 Pro has a 108MP primary sensor, a 13MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro shooter. They have the same 16MP camera on the front for selfies and video calls. Other features of the devices include Shark Eye Lightning Effect, support for Dual nano SIM card, Bluetooth 5.2 and more. The Black Shark 5 will go on sale in Malaysia with RM2,299 and RM2,699 for the 8/128GB and 12/256GB configurations respectively. On the other hand, the Pro variant retails for RM3,699 and RM3,999 for the 12/256GB and 16/256GB options. You can also get up to RM338 worth of free gifts by purchasing the devices, so don't wait until it's too late! What do you think about the Black Shark 5 series? Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts, and stay tuned to TechNave.com for more smartphone launches. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Instagram users across the United States will notice a new feature with the popular app. Amber Alerts, which alert the public about a kidnapped child and are primarily sent as notifications on mobile phones accompanied by an alarm, will now also appear on people's Instagram feed. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, will use the city listed on your profile, your IP address, and location services to determine if you're near an active Amber Alert. Whenever a child goes missing in your state, an Amber Alert will pop up on your Instagram feed with a photo and description of the missing child, and any other available information such as the abduction location and color, make, model and license plate of the abductor's car. The alert will also provide a phone number to your local law enforcement agency that you can contact with any relevant information. This alert is complementary to the other type of alert you receive on your phone, and is not a replacement for those. "Instagram is a platform based on the power of photos, making it a perfect fit for the Amber Alert program," Michelle DeLaune, president and CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, stated in a press release. "We know that photos are a critical tool in the search for missing children, and by expanding the reach to the Instagram audience, we'll be able to share photos of missing children with so many more people." The AMBER Alert system was created in 1996 in Dallas-Fort Worth when local broadcasters teamed up with the local police department to develop a warning system for missing children after the kidnapping of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman. Since then, the system has helped recover more than 1,100 children. Instagram had 114.6 million users as of 2020, and that number is expected to hit 127.2 million by 2023. Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, Inc. and which now owns Instagram, released Amber Alerts on Facebook worldwide in 2015. Meta claims that its Amber Alert system on Facebook has assisted in several rescues, such as the rescues of an 11-year-old child in Massachusetts in 2020 and a 4-year-old girl in Memphis, Tennessee. Instagram plans to have Amber Alerts available in 25 countries worldwide in the coming weeks, including Canada and Mexico, and plans to further expand in the future. Explore further Waterloo developing a mobile alert app for missing people with dementia 2022 The Idaho Statesman. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Mechanic Frederic Mistre works on a combustion engine car at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The European Parliament is voting Wednesday on deeper emission cuts by power plants, factories, planes and cars. The legislative package, which includes a proposed EU ban on combustion-engine cars in 2035, aims to slash Europe's greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 levels and put the bloc on a path to climate-neutrality by mid-century. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole The European Parliament on Wednesday threw its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France, to require automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100% by the middle of the next decade. The mandate would amount to a prohibition on the sale in the 27-nation bloc of new cars powered by gasoline or diesel. EU lawmakers also endorsed a 55% reduction in CO 2 from automobiles in 2030 compared with 2021. The move deepens an existing obligation on the car industry to lower CO 2 discharges by 37.5% on average at the end of the decade compared to last year. Environmentalists hailed the parliament's decisions. Transport & Environment, a Brussels-based alliance, said the vote offered "a fighting chance of averting runaway climate change." But Germany's auto industry lobby group VDA criticized the vote, saying it ignored the lack of charging infrastructure in Europe. The group also said the vote was "a decision against innovation and technology" a reference to demands from the industry that synthetic fuels be exempt from the ban, which European lawmakers rejected. Members of the parliament vote on plans to reduce carbon emissions, at the European Parliament, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. The future of car transport in Europe may become clearer and cleaner on Wednesday when the European Parliament decides whether to ban vehicles with a combustion engine starting in the middle of the next decade. Credit: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias If approved by EU nations, the 2035 deadline will be particularly tough on German automakers, who have focused on powerful and expensive vehicles with combustion engines while falling behind foreign rivals when it comes to electric cars. The 2030 CO 2 -reduction target and ban on combustion engines in 2035 were proposed last year by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. Cars account for around 12% of European emissions of greenhouse gases, which are blamed for increasingly frequent and intense heat waves, storms and floods tied to climate change. The governments of EU member nations need to give their verdicts in the coming weeks or months before a final EU agreement on the tougher car emission requirements is approved. The car law is being scrutinized as part of a package of EU draft climate legislation covering a range of other polluting industries. The motor of a combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole An abandoned combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole Combustion engine cars are pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole Members of the parliament vote on plans to reduce carbon emissions, at the European Parliament, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. The future of car transport in Europe may become clearer and cleaner on Wednesday when the European Parliament decides whether to ban vehicles with a combustion engine starting in the middle of the next decade. Credit: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias A mechanic works on a combustion engine car in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. Credit: AP Photo/Daniel Cole Members of the parliament vote on plans to reduce carbon emissions, at the European Parliament, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. The future of car transport in Europe may become clearer and cleaner on Wednesday when the European Parliament decides whether to ban vehicles with a combustion engine starting in the middle of the next decade. Credit: AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias The EU plans to slash greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 rather than by just a previously agreed 40% over the period. A big portion of the cuts would come from power plants and factories. These two sectors, unlike cars, have their greenhouse gases curbed in the EU by a European emissions-trading system that every year reduces the total supply of required pollution permits. Earlier Wednesday, the EU parliament failed to advance that part of the climate package because of a split over the pace at which the free allocation of some emission permitsas opposed to the auctioning of themshould be phased out. The assembly asked its environment committee to reopen deliberations on the matter. As a result, the EU parliament also delayed its decisions on two related initiatives. One is the creation of a Social Climate Fund to help vulnerable households cope with the planned clean-energy revampan issue that has become more politically sensitive as Russia's war in Ukraine has sent fuel prices soaring. The second is an unprecedented import tax known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The planned CBAM is a first-of-its-kind tool that would allow the EU to raise the prices of some imported goodsincluding steel and aluminumthat are spared climate-protection costs faced by manufacturers based in the bloc. 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Gatik A California-based autonomous trucking company will begin making deliveries to 34 Sam's Club locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, beginning in July. Gatik will operate autonomous 26-foot box trucks in North Texas seven days a week as part of the Georgia-Pacific and KBX Logistics transportation network. Gatik is replacing traditional tractor-trailers with non-detachable box trucks, a move it said will increase delivery route sequences and reduce costs. The trucks will carry Georgia-Pacific brands like Quilted Northern bath tissue and Dixie products to Sam's Clubs. Gatik opened a trucking facility in Fort Worth a year ago to serve as its Texas hub. It pledged to create over 500 jobs by 2025. Gautam Narang, CEO and co-founder of Gatik, described the partnership in a statement as a way to transform regional distribution of goods from semitruck deliveries to one "with unparalleled reliability, speed and consistency." The number of product fulfillment runs will increase from once or twice a week to two to four times a week, said Richard Steiner, Gatik's head of policy and communications. "We're going to help to ensure [fewer] out-of-stocks and much more availability and enhanced product flow for Georgia-Pacific's consumers," Steiner said. Initially, Gatik trucks will operate with a safety driver aboard, but it plans to eventually remove the driver. Gatik began testing the technology with Walmart, the parent company of Sam's Club, in December 2020 on a seven-mile loop in Bentonville, Ark. Texas is now a key state for self-driving truck experimentation. In April, California-based self-driving trucking company Kodiak Robotics Inc. partnered with carrier fleet U.S. Xpress to launch an autonomously operated cargo service between Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. TuSimple and Waymo are also conducting tests in the Dallas area. It's a large market to enter, and Gatik expects to add local staff, Steiner said. A medium-duty Gatik truck operates over 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Steiner said each truck will average three runs a day, 50 miles each way. "It's something which is new for the space, and we're excited to be doing it first here in Texas," Steiner said. The trucking industry has faced a driver shortage that the pandemic exacerbated. Walmart said in April that it was raising pay for its private fleet of 12,000 truck drivers, including nearly 2,000 in Texas. The company also launched a fleet development program to train the next generation of drivers at a new facility in Dallas. Explore further Gatik CEO sees future of autonomous trucking in short hauls 2022 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Just two companies, DoorDash and UberEatsboth based in San Franciscoarrange five out of every six restaurant meal deliveries in the U.S. More than half of Americans have used those services, with the typical customer spending more than $200 a month, according to Bloomberg Second Measure. But their charges now consume 25 to 40 cents of every dollar we pay for delivered meals, hurting consumers and cutting deep into restaurant income, said Andrew Simmons, head of the Restaurant Marketing and Delivery Association, a Texas-based national group. His 550 members employ 30,000 local drivers, many of whom also regularly deliver for DoorDash and UberEats. So Simmons' association is challenging Silicon Valley's dominance of the food-delivery world, with online systems built by Zuppler, a 10-year-old, 70-person software shop based in a former glass factory in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. "Zuppler is building out our platform for our new website, LocalDelivery.org," scheduled to go live in mid-June, or whenever his group signs up enough restaurants and delivery services to make it viable, Simmons said. Consumers will use an app to order. Local services cut online ordering and delivery charges by as much as half, he said, making it easier for restaurants to absorb Zuppler's 50-cents-per-order system fee. The system should also improve service by giving users local humans to call when problems arise. The big food-delivery services, which also include Dutch-owned GrubHub, a successor to Philadelphia-based Aramark's pioneering Seamless delivery system, "charge a lot of money, but there's no local ownership when issues come up," Simmons said. And up to now, local delivery services have lacked the speedy software that restaurants and patrons have been trained to expect from the industry giants in the smartphone era. And with Zuppler's new platform, "the money remains in the community." "The biggest problem for independents has been there's no way to compete with DoorDash and GrubHub and Uber," said Chris Heffernan, a former AT&T manager who in 2011 quit to start DLIVRD, a Horsham-based delivery service (and member of Simmons' association) that is now active in 61 U.S. cities. "But with this app, which I've been beta-testing, you can search from any address, it takes you to a list of restaurants in your area, you can order right from their menus, and we deliver, or another local service, wherever you are," Heffernan said. That levels the playing field and eliminates the expensive marketing subsidiesmeal promotions, Super Bowl adsthat Heffernan said have boosted the national delivery giants' costs and charges. LocalDelivery.org is a big step for Zuppler, which earlier evolved its own ordering service for independent restaurants at Zuppler.com. Zuppler's modest success in that businessas a private company it doesn't share financials, but claims rapid growthbrought it to the attention of the delivery association, which negotiated plans with the Zuppler founders to roll out LocalDelivery.org and announced plans at their group's yearly conference in April. Ed Barrett, cofounder of Zuppler with Shiva Srinivasan, said "the big companies such as DoorDash have spent billions changing consumer behavior so they will order online. And restaurants have had to give up a lot of their business in return for getting to where the market is. But the restaurants do not like that the services are so expensive." Barrett said restaurants are at least a decade behind his previous businessthe travel industryin moving online, and are now following a similar path. He worked at Philadelphia-based travel giant Rosenbluth International and headed the team that started its online corporate travel booking services, beginning in 1995, through its 2003 sale to American Express. When he left a few years later, a former Rosenbluth boss referred him to Srinivasan, who had moved to Philadelphia to earn a computer science master's degree at Drexel University. Srinivasan ran technology groups for the former Synygy and for TV Guide. Preferring to be his own boss, Srinivasan dropped out of U.S. corporate life and, with a couple of colleagues, set up an online portal, APlaceToDine, to reserve tables at New Delhi's best restaurants back in India. "We were very successful, in that we had a lot of traffic. The only problem was, we were not making money." Restaurants didn't need the service enough to pay a profitable premium. "We were way too early in India. So I went to launch something in the U.S." Back in the Philadelphia areaand married to the woman who had beaten him out for a Drexel internshipSrinivasan met with Barrett at a Ruby Tuesday. The pair projected an easily-searchable portal that would drive consumer traffic to eating places and arrange delivery. Writing software wasn't their major expense (Zuppler staff includes developers in low-cost India and Romania, as well as Conshohocken). "What's expensive is acquiring customers," Barrett said. "People forget, it was a very expensive proposition, getting [corporate employees] to stop faxing in orders. When DoorDash launched, they flooded the market with millions of postcards to attract online users$25 off your first order!" The first portal the Zuppler team built won a modest, loyal following, said Srinivasan. State-funded Ben Franklin Technology Partners was an early investor. "Our very first order came from Chiangmai, a Thai restaurant here in Conshohocken. They're still a customer of ours. And then a restaurant owner in Chicago liked our online ordering and asked if we could put his menu on our site. Our order volume tripled overnight, just from his restaurant." The pair had a revelation: While tourists might search for restaurants online, most restaurant diners already had places they liked, and mostly don't experiment. "They don't depend on discounts. If they like Thai and they had a good meal at Changmai, they will order online if you make it familiar and convenient. I want to cater to those customersto give them a good online experience using our customer's brand." So Srinivasan and Barrett took down their original portal and turned Zuppler into a service that, as Srinivasan puts it, provides the technology powering online "menus and websites for restaurants they already know and trust. We built that from the ground up." The model was analogous to billionaire Montgomery County clothing retailer Michael Rubin's pioneering company, GSI Commerce, which helped chains compete with Amazon by plugging its own efficient technology into their familiar customer Websites, Srinivasan agreed. "We began to cater to restaurants with good food and bad marketing. To people who know what they want and don't need to pay a 30% commission to DoorDash or UberEats," he added. Even with LocalDelivery.org, Srinivasan said Zuppler doesn't expect to put the well-capitalized industry giants out of business.. "DoorDash in the end is not a tech company or a marketing company. It is a food delivery company. They do a really good job delivering food," he said. But with LocalDelivery.org, restaurants don't end up sharing delivery data with such giants as DoorDash that are developing their own meal services and may become restaurants' competitors. Zuppler set up its own Conshohocken-area delivery service to learn the business better, in 2015, with 15 drivers, including Srinivasan. It gave Zuppler insight into building a better ordering platform for independent restaurants. The founders also set up "loyalty programs," promotions targeting slow days or new menu items. They launched the Little Blue Menu online menu for the Chick-fil-A chain, including a function for speedy customer feedback. Like a lot of independent restaurants, that chain is "obsessive about customer feedback," Srinivasan said. "If they only get a 4.0 out of 5.0, the manager is on the phone to know why. That is a high level of attention. It is the kind of long-lasting customer we want." The pair are certain there's room for their brand of restaurant-centered online delivery. According to Barrett, industry data show that nearly half of U.S. restaurants still lack a website, and there are still regions where online ordering hasn't caught on. "I worked for AT&T. I know it took 70 years for 90% of the population to have a phone," he said. "We're still in a long run. With food there is so much opportunity. Where we're going, you'll be able to order food from your favorite places easily, and pick it up while you're gambling at a casino or when you reach the primate house at the zoo." Explore further DoorDash offers lower-priced delivery plans amid criticism 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain It's a common occurrence: Your phone or computer's operating system runs an automatic update, and all of a sudden things look a little different. Most of us understand that it happens occasionally, and it's no big deal. But for people who've experienced digital stalking or harassment at the hands of a current or former intimate partner, these seemingly innocuous changes can be terrifying. That and other types of computing-related retraumatization can be lessened or avoided in a few low- or no-cost ways, said Nicola Dell, associate professor of information science at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, and in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science. She and colleague Tom Ristenpart, associate professor of computer science at Cornell Tech and in Cornell Bowers CIS, led a research group focused on "trauma-informed computing"an approach that acknowledges trauma's impact and seeks to make technology safer for all users, not just those who've experienced trauma. Janet X. Chen, doctoral student in the field of information science, is co-lead author of "Trauma-Informed Computing: Towards Safer Technology Experiences for All," which the research group presented at CHI '22: Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, held April 29-May 5 in New Orleans. The other lead authors are Allison McDonald and Yixin Zou, doctoral students from the University of Michigan. Dell and her colleagues define trauma-informed computing as "an ongoing commitment to improving the design, development, deployment and support of digital technologies by: explicitly acknowledging trauma and its impact; recognizing that digital technologies can both cause and exacerbate trauma; and actively seeking out ways to avoid technology-related trauma and retraumatization." Several of the paper's co-authors have experience with communities who've experienced trauma, including victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). "Over time, we noticed that there were a lot of survivors who were really just freaked out by technology," Dell said. "They were having responses to what you or I might consider mundane technology thingsa website crashing, a software update or their email changing because Google updated somethingthat would really cause a disproportionate response in how they were reacting to it." "And often, they would assume that it meant that they had been hacked, or that they were being abused," she said, "We started to realize that what they were describing, and many of the reactions we were seeing, correlated very well with well-known trauma or stress reactionsthings like hypervigilance, numbness or hopelessness." The group's framework consists of six principles, adapted from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for the design, development, deployment and evaluation of computing systems. Those principles include safety, trust, collaboration, peer support, enablement (empowerment) and intersectionality (relating to cultural, historical and gender issues). The paperwhich illustrates trauma in computing via three fictional vignettes, based on publicly available accounts as well as the authors' experiencesexplores application of these principles in the areas of user-experience research and design; security and privacy; artificial intelligence and machine learning; and organizational culture in tech companies. "We know from our work with IPV survivors that many of these advocacy organizations, social work organizations, hospitals and schools have really worked to incorporate trauma-informed approaches," Dell said. "For us, it was bringing this idea to the computing community to say, 'What would it take to make your products and technologies more trauma-informed?'" One approach, Dell said, could be to let users manage a list of potential triggers for their trauma. "Everyone knows that Facebook is going to show you ads," she said, "but maybe you can just say, 'Don't show me ads about baby products, because I just experienced pregnancy loss.' Allowing people some control over what they see, and explaining why you don't want to see a certain thing, could help enable and empower people." The authors made 22 such suggestions for ways to make computing safer for all users, such as: conducting user studies in a safe, secure location; providing clear information when software updates are pending, with options for whether and when to install; creating content policies with input from impacted communities; and providing training and resources to help tech workers better interact with trauma survivors. One thing the researchers urge tech companies not to do: seek out people and ask them questions about their traumatic experience. That can cause needless retraumatization, they said. Getting buy-in from the tech community "definitely could be a challenge," Dell said, but some simple steps are achievable. "We've talked quite a bit to various technology companies and have generally received a very enthusiastic response," she said. "I think they're very interested in trying to do some of these things. Certainly we would hope that technology companies don't want to be traumatizing or retraumatizing people." Explore further Computer security researchers aim to prevent tech abuse More information: Janet X. Chen et al, Trauma-Informed Computing: Towards Safer Technology Experiences for All, CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (2022). Janet X. Chen et al, Trauma-Informed Computing: Towards Safer Technology Experiences for All,(2022). DOI: 10.1145/3491102.3517475 Flash The U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas got off to a rough start on Monday following Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's official boycott of the regional gathering over a guest list that excludes Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. "It's time to change the dominant political practice," Lopez Obrador told a daily press conference on Monday, confirming his absence from the summit due to Washington's exclusion of these countries. "So is it going to be the Summit of the Americas, or is it going to be the Summit of the 'Friends of America'?" he questioned. In a column article in Mexican daily Excelsior, Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard, denounced Washington's exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the regional summit as an exposure of U.S. double standards on democracy. For good measure, taking advantage of its role as summit host to bar these countries from the gathering is "questionable from a Pan-American legality issue," Ebrard said. At a press conference prior to his departure for Los Angeles to participate in the June 6-10 summit, Ebrard, who represented Mexico at the summit instead, said that Mexico will press for an end to the "inhumane" decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba during the summit. Lopez Obrador's brush-off of the summit rendered futile months of work by Washington to convince him to attend. Besides Mexico, the restricted guest list has also prompted pleas from Guatemala, Honduras, Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador and some Caribbean countries to either boycott or dispatch lower-level delegations, following Obrador's lead. These came as an embarrassment to the White House, which dismissed last week questions from the press as to why it had yet to publish a list of summit attendees with just hours to go before the summit. Experts believed that Mexico's act alone would discourage Washington from fulfilling its stated objectives, including immigration, on which any action would require Mexico's cooperation. In response to Washington's divisive moves, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has 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. In a statement issued Monday, the Cuban government said that there is no single reason to justify the U.S. government's "undemocratic and arbitrary exclusion" of any country of the hemisphere from the 9th Summit of the Americas. Washington, abusing its privilege of being the host country, decided at a very early stage to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the summit, and used pressure, threats and blackmail against governments in the region, it said. "Cuba appreciates and respects the worthy, courageous and legitimate position of numerous governments in defense of the participation of all, under equal conditions," said the statement. "Our region demands cooperation, not exclusion; solidarity, not meanness; respect, not arrogance; sovereignty and self-determination, not subordination," it added. Meanwhile, having tested positive for COVID-19, Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou on Monday officially canceled his trip to the ninth Summit of the Americas. Members of the United Methodist Action Reach-out Mission by Youth group will visit Bryan-College Station on a mission trip from June 12-18 where 63 students and chaperones will work on home repair projects for those who are physically or financially unable to complete on their own. The U.M. Army is made up of students who are part of various Methodist churches who work together to complete free home repair projects across Texas and Louisiana, according to Jack Matthews, the regional director for U.M. Army Texas/Louisiana. So far the group that will arrive in Bryan has 16 homes on its list to work on. They will arrive on Sunday afternoon and work Monday through Friday on projects in Bryan and in College Station, Matthews said. Some of the projects include painting outside of homes, installing a front door, adding hand rails to a set of steps, redoing the landings on the steps on the front and back door, building a wheelchair ramp and other various outdoor projects. U.M. Army started in 1979 when a couple of churches gathered to make an impact in Texas by doing various projects for those in need, Matthews said. Since then, they have had several thousand students and adults come through the program to try to make a difference in the world, he said. Our participating group comes from all over the state and most of these participants are from the Beaumont area and traveling to Bryan to do these projects, he said. When they come into town they will bring all of the necessary power tools or hand tools with them, and through our program we have set up partnerships with local building supply vendors in order to purchase materials and take those materials and put them to good use on making these home repairs. Any of the homes we go to do these projects, we dont charge [the owners] anything. Matthews said these students enjoy helping others in need and is excited to see the work they complete in town. After growing up in a church that participated in U.M. Army, Matthews said he knew it was his calling to be a part of this group for a long time. I participated in U.M. Army when I was in high school, he said, and being on this side of things, part of my job is to answer a telephone and talk to individuals on the other end of the line and give them that help we can provide is amazing. When I get phone calls from people who are saying I havent been able to get out of my home for the last six months because I am in a wheelchair, people have to bring me food and I cant get out of my home, and I say, I cant promise you anything, but there is a group going to [whichever town] they are in, and to hear in their voice the spark of joy and hope that creeps in, where just a few minutes ago there had been very little, is truly a humbling thing. To be able to just hear the smile on their face when you tell them and they hear somebody out there cares, somebody is listening to them and there is a chance they might get [help]. The U.M. Army group will be housed at the First United Methodist Church in Bryan during their stay. Residents of Bryan-College Station can still request projects to be done, Matthews said, and all projects will be free of charge and the U.M. Army will bring their own tools and materials. To request a service with U.M. Army, contact Rebuilding Together Bryan-College Station at 676-5300. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. As a knot of journalists stood across from a mortuary witnessing a funeral for a child killed in the Uvalde school massacre, some people passing by didnt disguise their anger. Yall are the scum of the Earth, said one woman, surveying the cameras. When tragedy comes to town in the 21st century, the media follows, focusing the worlds eyes on a community during its most difficult hours. Columbine, Sandy Hook, now Uvalde, Texas the list of places synonymous with horrible mass killings keeps growing. Journalists are called upon to explain what happened, and sometimes to ask uncomfortable questions in places where many people want to be left alone to grieve. Is it possible to do it better, to co-exist within a moment no one wants to be part of? Tempers have flared in Uvalde. One female journalist was told, I hope your entire family dies in a massacre. Some are threatened with arrest for trespassing while on public property. A group called Guardians of the Children blocked camera views, often with the encouragement of police. Yet there are also people like Ben Gonzalez, who approached reporters near the mortuary after hearing the woman lash out to say that she doesnt speak for everyone. Thank you for documenting this tragedy, he said. Well look back at the photos you take and appreciate it. The shady courthouse square in Uvalde has been dotted by canopies erected by TV news crews. Journalists have been stationed at Robb Elementary School, where the shooting took place, near a makeshift memorial piled with flowers, stuffed animals and messages. At the local Starbucks, where many journalists go to work, tables are set aside for Uvalde residents. These are the typical signs of the invasion of journalists that accompany such events. I respect the wishes of people if they want me to leave, said Guillermo Contreras, a senior writer at the San Antonio Express-News. By the second day (after the shooting), the people were overwhelmed. The town has been overrun by reporters. There was pretty much nowhere you could go without running into the media. Like most colleagues, Contreras tries to be sensitive to what Uvaldes people are enduring. He has a 10-year-old daughter at home. When you are at the epicenter of a situation like that, you really do need protection, said Michele Gay, who lost her daughter Josephine in the Newtown school shooting a decade ago. You are really not in a state of mind to be offering your feelings in front of the camera. Gay said she had no idea of the extent of attention given to the story until the state trooper assigned to protect her family drove them around town to see the memorials. At first, I was angry, said Gay, co-founder and executive director of Safe and Sound Schools, an advocacy group. It felt invasive. It felt hurtful ... At the same time, there were members of the media who were so thoughtful, caring and compassionate. The sensitivity that most journalists try to bring to such assignments can be undermined by those who stick cameras in the faces of people crying, or ask a grieving parent how it feels. One parent who lost a child in Newtown saw someone outside her home with a camera peering into a window, said Monsignor Robert Weiss of the towns St. Rose of Lima Parish. In general, journalists do a poor job explaining what they do and a poor job putting themselves in the shoes of the people they are interviewing, many on the worst day of their lives, said Joy Mayer, a former journalism professor. Its really valid for people in that community to feel overwhelmed and resentful, said Mayer, the director of Trusting News, which helps members of the media improve their relationship with the public. Kelly McBride, an expert on journalism ethics at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, advises news organizations to better prepare when assigned to these stories. Most interviews on the street indicate this work hasnt been done; people in shock and trauma, she said, shouldnt have to make an on-the-spot decision about dealing with a reporter. She praised CNN for sensitively handling the interview of a young survivor of the shooting who smeared herself in the blood of a dead classmate to appear dead. CNN reported on what the girl said, but didnt show her or play her voice. Ana Rodriguez, who lost her daughter Maite in the shooting, sat at her dining room table to tell The Associated Press about how the girl aspired to become a marine biologist. She didnt want her face to appear on camera to divert attention from her daughter. Sometimes theres little time to prepare. Tony Dokoupil of CBS News was told to get on a plane to Texas. Fast. Dokoupil said he tried to get away from the pack and knock on doors; in one case, he came upon someone close to a child who died who helped arrange an interview with her parents. He found residents polite and respectful even when they didnt want to talk. He was thanked by some people for being there and telling the stories. Gay recommends journalists focus their attention on people who have lost their lives, not perpetrators. There has been a marked effort on the part of news organizations to minimize mentions of shooters, although Gay was concerned that she had seen more after Uvalde. In Uvalde, questions raised about the police response to the shooting have lengthened the time the shooting has lingered in the news and increased hostility toward journalists. CNN used a tag team to stake out Pete Arredondo, the schools police chief who directed operations, and get an ambush interview. You have people who are supportive of law enforcement, Contreras said. Its a small town; people know each other. All of a sudden people are pointing fingers at the officers you know, so theres a division. For people in communities like Newtown and Uvalde in the immediate aftermath of these stories, the sheer repetitiveness is often wearing. If theres been one interview out here theres been 150, said one downtown shopkeeper who, like many in Uvalde, didnt want his name in a news story. I mean, how many times can you interview people who dont know nothing? There are some suggestions of what is known in the industry as a pool where a handful of reporters ask questions of officials and report answers to a larger group. This is used most famously at the White House. But McBride said this inevitably leads to less aggressive journalism. Most reporters are driven by the impulse to get things their competitors dont. It was tried in a few instances in Uvalde and proved unsatisfying, Contreras said. Things grew quieter in Uvalde by this past weekend. Only a television satellite truck remained at the Robb school, and just a handful of journalists were at the courthouse square Saturday as a Hawaiian group presented a giant lei and sang songs. Theres no avoiding the shock an influx of journalists brings to a quiet community. Weiss recalls being swarmed by reporters after emerging from a meeting with parents. He didnt know what to say. But in general, the Catholic monsignor said he found the press respectful and has come to understand the importance of its role. We needed to get the story out there and we needed to keep this story out there, Weiss said. Because in 10 years, what has changed? If anything, it has gotten worse. 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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 Conservation officers are shifting into high gear as the summer season is ramping up at Smith Mountain Lake. As many people are returning to the water, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is asking boaters to stay safe. The recent Memorial Day weekend saw heavy boating traffic, but no major incidents. It was a very safe overall weekend, said Sgt. James Slaughter with the DWR. While the summer has started on a positive trend, Slaughter said he would like to see that continue with an overall decrease in boating incidents this year on Smith Mountain Lake. Boating incidents hit a recent high in 2021 of 19, just one more than the previous year at 18. Slaughter said the most common factor in a majority of the boating incidents at Smith Mountain Lake is inattention or not keeping a proper lookout. He said boat operators should keep a close eye on their surroundings and other boaters. That is especially important for boat operators when towing others. Conservation officers have witnessed several close calls where individuals being towed by a boat or PWC come dangerously close to a dock or shoreline. Slaughter said some boat operators dont factor in the additional 50 feet of rope when turning a corner and assume everyone is at a same distance. There have been multiple boating incidents at Smith Mountain Lake over the years where individuals being towed have struck a dock resulting in serious injuries. Slaughter also asks that passengers inside a boat stay in the seating compartment of the boat. He has seen a growing number of boaters sitting on the stern of boats which can be dangerous. Hitting a wave could result in the passenger being thrown into the water or into the boats propeller. Boat operators can be charged with reckless operation if passengers are not inside the seating area when the boat is underway, Slaughter said. Another growing concern for conservation officers is boaters using docking lights at night to navigate around the lake. Slaughter said boats should only have the green and red light on as well as a 360 degree white light at the tallest point on the boat. Docking lights or spotlights on a vessel are illegal to use other than when docking or to briefly shine into the water to check for any objects near the vessel. The light obscures the vision of other boaters, Slaughter said. The use of decorative lights on a boat is illegal while a boat is moving. Slaughter said the neon lights have become more popular in recent years. The lights can make it difficult for other boaters to tell which way the boat is moving when the lights are on. It is fine when they are not underway, Slaughter said. Slaughter has seen some positive trends in recent years. He said the use of lifejackets is up and the number of boat operators found to be under the influence of drugs and alcohol is down. The use of designated boat operators has increased, according to Slaughter. He would like to see the trend continue, but encourages experienced boat operators to operate the vessel. He said operation is sometimes left to someone with little to no boating experience while others on the boat may be under the influence and not helpful as a lookout. As for lifejackets, Slaughter said he is glad to see the use increase. However, there is still a lot of room to grow, he said. There are a wide variety of lifejackets on the market in recent years. Slaughter said there are lifejackets that suit a variety of activities on the lake. He said the only requirement is that they are U.S. Coast Guard approved. Boaters are only required to have a lifejacket or PFD for everyone on a boat. Passengers are not required to wear lifejackets, but they are strongly encouraged by conservation officers. Not wearing a lifejacket is a common factors in a majority of the boating related fatalities reported in Virginia in recent years. Slaughter said lifejackets greatly improve a persons likelihood of surviving a major boating incident. The arrival of The Moving Wall to Smith Mountain Lake was marked with an opening ceremony at Crazy Horse Marina on June 2. A large crowd of veterans as well as civilians were in attendance to see the start of the half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorials four-day stay at the lake. Stanley Ohneck, a Vietnam Veteran who participated in the Battle of Hamburger Hill, was a special guest speaker for the ceremony. He thanked the many people in attendance for their support. Im honored to be amongst you all, Ohneck said. Hamburger Hill was one of the more bloody battles of the Vietnam War with more than 70 soldiers killed in action and more than 370 wounded. There names are listed as a just a few of the more than 58,000 that make up the memorial. There names are all on that wall there, Ohneck said. The arrival of the memorial to Smith Mountain Lake is because of the efforts of American Legion Post 62. Several of the members spoke briefly during the ceremony about the efforts to bring the wall here to show support for those Vietnam Veterans who reside in the area. Post member Brian Keaton said he hated how veterans of the Vietnam War were treated when he addressed the large crowd on June 2. He said it was far different than his experience as a more recent veteran. You guys were treated like crap, Keaton said. If I could switch it with you I would. Following the ceremony on June 2, attendees were encouraged to walk around the memorial for an up-close view. A few scanned the thousands of names searching for friends or family members. A wild turkey, apparently in the mood for pancakes, showed up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday morning at Grand Islands new IHOP. The turkey wandered onto the scene, surprising the folks gathered in front of the restaurant. Maybe he heard it was the International House of Poultry. The bird soon wandered away, perhapsy frightened by the sight of the giant scissors used for the ribbon-cutting. The restaurant, located at 2248 N. Webb Road, opened for business on Tuesday. Among the people on hand were owner Mohanad Khmous of Manhattan, Kansas. It wasnt hard to spot Khmous vehicle in the parking lot. It was the one with Kansas license plates reading Pancake. The Grand Island restaurant is the ninth IHOP owned by Khmous. He has five in Kansas and three in Missouri. His newest IHOP will be the first of a number of locations he plans for Nebraska. He also has his eye on Kearney, North Platte, Hastings and Fremont. Khmous said he was proud to be part of the Grand Island community, and looking forward to serving people in the area. Customers will be impressed, Khmous said, with IHOPs high standard of customer service. Before the ceremony, a couple of local dignitaries got a chance to flip pancakes in the kitchen. They were Mayor Roger Steele and Cindy Johnson of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce. The restaurant has 70 employees, about half of whom are full time. It measures 4,600 square feet, Khmous said. Brenda Burch will work at the location as district manager. IHOP is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. 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. CHI Health St. Francis invites the community to its free Summer Safety Spectacular from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 11, in the hospitals south parking lot. The annual event, created to help families enjoy outdoor activities safely this summer, will feature games, refreshments, giveaways and summer safety tips from the experts. We are all excited to hit the pool, get back on the lake and enjoy biking. Weve gathered experts staff and community partners to help families have fun while also staying safe this summer, said Mindy Walters, St. Francis Emergency Department. St. Francis takes pride in keeping our community healthyand safe. Family-friendly activities at the outdoor safety event will include: water safety tips, boat safety and life jacket tips, bike safety and free bike helmets while supplies last, teddy bear check-up clinic, meet and greet area first responders including the AirCare flight crew, games, inflatables, CHI Health ride-on train for kids, surprise visit from superheroes and much more Prizes, hot dogs, chips and drinks will also be provided with help from community donors including Dicks Sporting Goods, MEDS, Nebraska State Fair, Pepsi, Sams Club and CHI Healthier Communities & Community Benefit. YORK A 62-year-old man has been sentenced to jail in a case where he was accused of being high on drugs when driving a car involved in an accident during which a passenger broke his neck. The accident happened approximately 4:50 a.m., on Sept. 28, and deputies with the York County Sheriffs Department were dispatched to the scene on Interstate 80 one mile west of the Waco exit. When they arrived, they saw a SUV in the ditch on the north side of the interstate and the driver, identified as Marvin Beckles of Charles City, Iowa, was standing outside the drivers door. Two passengers were injured and were cared for on the scene by local first responders. In court documents, the deputies said it appeared the vehicle had rolled several times and there was a strong odor of burned marijuana throughout the interior of the vehicle. They said Beckles appeared to be disoriented but uninjured. He said he was driver and unaware of how the accident occurred and he could provide no detail as to how the vehicle left the roadway. He agreed to submit to a series of standardized field sobriety tests to ensure he could safely operate a motor vehicle and the deputy said, in his opinion, he showed signs, symptoms and clues of impairment. He admitted to using marijuana earlier, at 9 p.m.; then later he changed his timeframe and admitted to smoking sometime between 10 and 11 p.m. It was noted in court documents, Beckles had a blood alcohol content of .000. The deputy said it was his opinion Beckles was under the influence of cannabis and could not safely operate a motor vehicle. A drug influence evaluation was administered and the conclusion was the same. At the York County Jail, according to court documents, Beckles admitted to jail staff that he used methamphetamine and estimated last use to be four days ago. Due to their injuries, Beckles passengers were taken by ambulance to York General Hospital, with one being diagnosed with a broken neck. It was also found that Beckles drivers license was suspended and he possessed an identification card in California which did not permit him to operate a motor vehicle. They also found Beckles is a multi-state offender with a criminal history in 12 different states: Illinois, California, Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Rhode Island, Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming and South Carolina. It was also found he had a warrant for his arrest in Ohio. This past week in York County District Court, Beckles was sentenced to a year in jail for attempt of a Class 3A felony. He was also given credit for 245 days already served and he was ordered to 12 months of post-release supervision. Paris, TX (75460) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 94F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 76F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. At least 27 Illinoisans 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. SPRINGFIELD A new survey released this week suggests Illinoisans are more moderate on the issue of abortion than the current Democratic-controlled General Assembly, but it is unclear whether that will cost Democrats votes in November. The poll by the Chicago-based firm Ogden & Fry which is owned by a Republican candidate for Cook County Board found that 40 percent of those responding describe themselves as pro-choice with some restrictions, including limits on late-term abortions, while nearly 25 percent describe themselves as pro-life with exceptions for things like rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother. That puts nearly two-thirds of those surveyed somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, with only 21.5 percent describing themselves as 100-percent pro-choice and 14 percent identifying as 100-percent pro-life. Perhaps more importantly, 78 percent of those surveyed said they believe parents should be notified before their minor child receives an abortion, including 35 percent who supported a judicial bypass in situations where parental notification is not possible or not in the childs best interest. Even among self-identified Democrats, 61.6 percent said they support some level of parental notification requirement. Thats important because the General Assembly passed a bill last year, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law, repealing the states Parental Notice of Abortion law. That repeal took effect June 1. The survey of 956 adults, 95 percent of whom said they were likely or very likely to vote in 2022, comes with all the usual polling caveats. First, assuming the respondents were selected completely at random, the sample size would give the poll a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent. Second, the owner of Ogden & Fry, and the person who did the polling, is Matt Podgorski, who is also a Republican candidate for the Cook County Board. Podgorskis firm did not receive a commission to conduct the poll. Retiring state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, who is supporting Podgorskis campaign, said in a phone interview that he suggested doing the poll and thought it would be good publicity for the firm. The polling analysis website FiveThirtyEight gives the firm a grade of B/C, based on its track record in the 2014 gubernatorial race, when it accurately predicted Republican Bruce Rauners margin of victory within a single percentage point, and the 2020 Democratic presidential primary in Illinois, when it overestimated Joe Bidens margin of victory by 8.3 percentage points. A final caveat comes from a political science professor that I used to quote regularly, Patrick Miller: Its one poll. It usually takes multiple polls over an extended period of time before a clear picture begins to emerge. That being said, the Ogden & Fry poll had some other interesting findings. For example, it showed President Biden with a 48.6 percent approval rating in Illinois well above his national averages, but not necessarily surprising in a blue state like Illinois. And Pritzker came in with a 49.4 percent approval rating, including 90 percent among self-identified Democrats; 4.6 percent among Republicans and 35.5 percent among independents. It also found that nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, 65.5 percent, said a candidates position on abortion was either extremely or very important in their voting decision. That number shoots up to nearly 78 percent among Democrats, many of whom may be motivated by the leaked draft U.S. Supreme Court decision suggesting the court may be poised to overturn its landmark 1973 decision in Roe vs. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide. Meanwhile, 52 percent overall, including 22.8 percent of Democrats, said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supports unrestricted abortion while only 27.5 percent overall, and nearly half of Democrats surveyed, said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports unrestricted abortion access. That last statistic, however, requires some context, because in every case, the decision is also affected by who the alternative is. Voters can, and sometimes do, vote for someone who is further to the right or left of them on a particular issue if the alternative is someone they consider utterly unacceptable. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A 28-year-old Orangeburg man was acquitted of a murder charge on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was back in custody and accused of trying to kill COLUMBIA A former Orangeburg County School District employee will serve almost three years in prison after admitting he stole money intended to help students learn during the pandemic. David Cortez Marshall Jr., 31, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis. Hell report to prison in a couple of months. The Orangeburg man was also sentenced to three years of supervised release after he serves his prison term. He also has to pay restitution of $595,132.34. Marshall pleaded guilty to wire fraud in late January. During his sentencing hearing, Marshall said I was raised differently than this. I have no excuse for what I did. Marshall orchestrated a scheme to gain nearly $600,000 from the school district between 2019 and 2021. He told the court that he doesnt have any of the money that he stole and that he gave it away, trying to help others pay for housing and other needs during the financial hardships experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there werent any representatives at the hearing from the victims, Marshall asked for forgiveness from the school district, Owl Labs and B&H Photos. Will you forgive me for stealing from you? Will you forgive me for breaching your trust? Will you forgive me for letting you down? he asked. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brook Andrews explained Marshall operated a sophisticated scheme. He wouldve gotten away with the scheme if one his accounts hadnt gotten frozen, Andrews said. He also noted that Marshalls crime was particularly unconscionable because it was committed in a school district, a poor school district, in a pandemic. School districts across the country received federal funds to assist with virtual learning during the pandemic, Andrews explained. The Orangeburg County School District purchased cameras to help teachers get lessons to their students. As a media communications specialist in the district, Marshall misled the district and camera vendors. He pretended he was the camera vendor to the school district, and he pretended he was the school district to the vendor. Marshall then purchased the cameras and sold them to the school district at a substantial markup. When federal agents confronted Marshall with his crimes he confessed quickly, Andrews noted. Marshalls attorney, Jonathan Harvey, told the court that his client met with federal agents five times and cooperated with their investigation. A host of Marshalls family and friends attended Tuesdays hearing at the Matthew J. Perry Courthouse, including his wife, sister, friends, pastor and church members. Ahead of Tuesdays hearing, Pastor Dr. Shane Wall wrote a letter to the court, testifying to Marshalls character. Wall noted that Marshall assisted him in writing two books and would sometimes travel with him for speaking engagements. Wall, who is pastor at The Feast of the Lord, wrote that he placed Marshall in charge of his product table and sales and never had any issue with any funds being unaccounted for. In recent conversations with David, he has also been expressing his determination to pay back every cent to the school district and the company who both suffered losses due to his actions, Wall wrote. Wall noted that Marshall has continued to be helpful and involved in church activities. Marshall is also facing three state tax evasion charges. The S.C. Department of Revenue alleges Marshall failed to report sales for his company, which totaled $1.1 million. Marshall collected $74,416 in sales tax over that period through misrepresentation and use of shell companies. Warrants claim he didnt pay those taxes to the SCDOR. Marshall resigned from the school district in March 2021. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 8 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. Voters cite lots of reasons for turning out to cast ballots early in South Carolina's June political primaries, with convenience high on the list. Those voting at the Orangeburg County Office of Voter Registration and Elections say people should take advantage of the opportunity to get out and vote early for a number of reasons: to reduce time standing in lines, to simply get it out of the way or to avoid missing scheduled time at work on Tuesday's election day. Sandra Glover, a South Carolina State professor, said, I came out for early voting because I work and I am a professor on campus, so I wanted to make sure I didnt miss any work time. "If you are elderly, especially, you can reduce standing in lines for a long time and it just gives people with disabilities and elderly people an opportunity to come out and not have to worry about the long lines or the heat or anything else that could affect their health. Avoiding long lines and wait time is important to some. Im unable to do a lot of standing, so I would encourage others, like myself, who are not able, to come out and vote, Valerie Singleton said. Tawana Davis said it is best to get your vote in early. I came out to vote early and to just to get it done and over with because it means a lot to me to vote. Voting is very important," she said. In Calhoun County, reasons for voting early mirrored those of Orangeburg residents. I came out for early voting because it is convenient and just in case there is something going on on June 14, I will have it out of the way, Katrina Franklin said. One resident of Calhoun County will be working at the polls on June 14 and thought she should vote early. Ann Coker said, Because Im working the polls next week and it is not in my precinct, I decided to early vote for that reason. A Bamberg native enjoyed his experience early voting at the Bamberg facility and was able to get in and out quickly. It was smooth sailing, no issues. Everyone was very polite ... No issues whatsoever relating to early voting, Thomas Thomas said. Thomas decided to participate in early voting because it was also easily accessible for him and very convenient. He encourages other people to take advantage of the opportunity and vote early. And vote early is exactly what many more are expected to do. Early voters have been coming in at a steady pace. Last week was a little quieter. This week we have seen it pick up slightly and get a little busier as the week goes on, said Shayla Jenkins, Calhoun County director of voter registration. By the time Friday, June 10, comes around, Jenkins predicts there will be a surge of voters that come in to cast their early vote. I think as the week goes on, by the time Friday hits, it will get busier, Jenkins said. The voters expect being able to cast ballots early will increase turnout. I do think early voting increases voter turnout. I think if you have an opportunity to vote early then that takes away the stress of only having one day within a certain window of time to vote, Glover said. Franklin said turnout will increase because of how accessible voting early it is for people. Early voting does increase voter turnout. Honestly, anything that makes it more convenient for people will help, Franklin said. The voters are not just interested in casting a ballot, they say it is important to determine for whom you should vote, paying attention to policies. Davis said, The most important thing about the primaries this year is the policies that they are going to be enforcing and just everything about whats important in this country and what we need for our country to thrive. Valerie Singleton agreed. Its very important to get out and vote because the primaries set the standards for the president and stuff and its important because were in a critical time at this point and our voices need to be heard. Glover said, I would tell every 18-year-old that is getting ready to vote, 'absolutely. The only way that we can change policy and things within our world -- and not only in (this) state, is to vote. Our vote matters. Every vote matters, especially for African Americans, for the young students, the young children, who dont understand that there are people who literally died so that they can have the freedom to voice their opinion. So for a young person not to take advantage of early voting, or voting in general, is a slap in the face to our ancestors. Its absolutely necessary. Ann Coker said early voting is a valuable option and Katrina Franklin agrees. I would encourage people to come out and vote early. Early voting is definitely a valuable option to have in place, Franklin said. Early voting, approved this year by the General Assembly, will continue from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday. Requirements to vote are the same as voting on Election Day. Local voting locations are: Bamberg County Voter Registration and Elections Office: 1234 North St., Bamberg, SC 29003 Bamberg County/Brooker Center: 19 Maple Ave., Denmark, SC 29042 Calhoun County Voter Registration and Elections Office: 102 Courthouse Drive, Suite 115, St. Matthews, SC 29135 Orangeburg County Voter Registration and Elections Office: 1475 Amelia St., Orangeburg, SC 29115 Orangeburg County North Library: 4585 Main St., North, SC 29112 Orangeburg County/Vance Senior Center: 1304 Old Number Six Highway, Vance, SC 29163 A voter must select either the Republican or Democratic primary. A person cannot vote in both, and casting a ballot in one partys primary prohibits you from voting in any runoffs needed in the other partys primary. Which primary you choose has no bearing on voting in the general election on Nov. 8. Lauren Pringle, a 2022 Claflin University mass communications graduate, is reporting for The Times and Democrat as a Lee Enterprises-sponsored summer intern. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Officials with Summerville Medical Center in Dorchester County accepted an infant surrendered under Daniels Law, the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, on Thursday, June 2. The African American baby boy was born on June 1 and weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. The infant was safely surrendered at Summerville Medical Center in Summerville. Under the Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act, Dorchester County DSS took custody of the child, and the infant has been placed in a licensed foster home. A permanency planning hearing will be held on July 21 at 2:30 p.m. at the Dorchester County Courthouse, 212 Deming Way, Summerville, SC 29483. For more information on the hearing, contact the Dorchester County DSS office at 843-821-0444 or the Dorchester County Clerk of Court Office at 843-832-0360. The Department of Social Services has made a dedicated page on the agencys website regarding Daniels Law in South Carolina with current data. This is the third Daniels Law baby surrendered in South Carolina during the 2022 calendar year. A safe abandonment such as this is a perfect time to remind the public that the SC Safe Haven for Abandoned Babies Act provides a safe, legal option to abandonment for babies up to 60 days old. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A long-serving incumbent is being challenged for the S.C. House District 91 seat which represents Allendale and Barnwell counties and a portion of Orangeburg County. S.C. House District 91 Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell, will face Orangeburg resident Dr. Kevin Ray in the June 14 Democratic primary. No Republican filed for the seat. Ray is no stranger to politics. He unsuccessfully challenged longtime Rep. Jerry Govan for the S.C. House District 95 seat in the Democratic primary in 2020. Hosey Hosey, who has been in the House since 1999, says his accomplishments and, more importantly, the relationships he has built in the General Assembly speak for themselves. There's many things that you want to do when you're new... and it's not going to be given to you until you actually establish some reputation with your colleagues. So over the years I've been working on that, the 75-year-old Barnwell resident said. I was told when I first entered the House of Representatives that it does not matter how many degrees you have in education or how much money you might have in your personal account, what matters in there is whether you make friends on the House floor and across the aisle as to whether you will get something out of the General Assembly or not. I've found that to be very true. In doing that, I was able to, in my very first year, get a $25,000 grant for the African-American Heritage Foundation, Hosey said. He noted that one of his biggest reasons for running for re-election is his desire to see the I-95 Corridor Authority Act become law. The bill would establish a 15-member authority representing Orangeburg, Bamberg, Allendale, Barnwell, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter and Williamsburg counties. Hosey said he hopes the authority will help reduce poverty and other issues which have crippled an area which is sometimes referred to as the Corridor of Shame. We're going to put in place a board that's going to cost about $100 million to get started. But they're going to be an investment board, and they're not going to be tied down where they can really invest in big money that comes from federal and other places to help build the Corridor of Shame up, Hosey said. It's past time for our people and our children that live in that corridor, or those counties, to not have to go other places and see fine buildings and big opportunities that they can't find at home. ... We're losing people because they graduate and go where they can find employment, or either go to schools and then go to find employment elsewhere, Hosey said. If the bill doesnt pass this year, we're going to have to carry the bill out next year as soon as we get back because this bill would do a lot of things for education, the economic area and health, he said. The veteran legislator said he is running to work for his constituents, and not himself. I have all of Allendale, all of Barnwell and now I think pretty close to 14,000 people in Orangeburg on the western Orangeburg side that goes from the Springfield area to Neeses, Livingston, Norway, Pine Hill on up to the Limehouse One and Limehouse Two area. When they speak to talk to me about things, then I'm able to try to work and do my best to get it done, he said. He said his accomplishments include securing $100,000 to replace the roof and redo bathrooms at the Barnwell County Courthouse, as well as snagging $100,000 to refurbish five cabins at the Barnwell County State Park and another $100,000 to build the Barnwell County Veterans Park. He said $1 million was also secured to help complete a new Department of Social Services building in Allendale County, but his work is not done yet. He said one of his future goals includes seeing a senior citizens center in Fairfax come to fruition. I need to stay there to try to finish that. What the people of my district want from me is what I try to get. I make no promises that I will deliver, but I do make the promise that I will try, Hosey said. Hes a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. With Ways and Means, I'm able to help direct monies from across the state for all state agencies and programs operated by the state, he said. Hosey has also worked to direct millions to his district from a $525 million settlement the state received for the Savannah River Site. He said projects include $4.5 million to renovate the old C.V. Bing High School in Allendale into a multiservice complex. "That's what I got allocated for this year. I've got to see it through. It's a real deal right now. It's going to happen," Hosey said. Hosey said he and Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, also secured $110 million from the SRS settlement funds to build a Barnwell County Consolidated High School and Career Center. The Dunbarten, S.C. native resides in Barnwell with Doris, his wife of nearly 53 years. Ray Ray, a Charleston native who has lived in Orangeburg since 1993, is the chief executive officer of Physicians Footcare. He said he is running to raise awareness of issues facing rural South Carolinians, including those who may not have even been aware of changes following the recent redistricting process. My neighborhood, which is obviously in Orangeburg, was District 95 for as long as District 95 has been in existence. With the redistricting, now we're District 91, which District 91 is parts of Orangeburg, and then all of Barnwell and all of Allendale, Ray said. He continued, What also happened in that district was our area in Orangeburg was Congressional District 6, which is Jim Clyburn. Now it's in Congressional District 2, which is Joe Wilson. So we've had a significant amount of change that has happened with the new lines that have been drawn. "When I saw that and just kind of looking at what I've done in the past with just really trying to bring more attention to rural South Carolina from a voting perspective, the real impetus and genesis for running is to get people aware of this change because a lot of people don't know that this change happened. He said he would represent the change that rural South Carolina needs. We've had a lot of things happen as it relates to rural South Carolina. We've got to kind of have a tag team approach for rural South Carolina to be successful. Rep. Hosey, I know him personally, love him, great guy, but at some point, he's going to be ready to step down, Ray said. Weve got to make sure that we have people in place that can keep a loud voice in the State House so rural South Carolina can keep getting some of the things that our predecessors have already kind of put in place, he said. Ray said he's the person for the job. People tend to think I'm kind of a rabble-rouser. They call it a community organizer, or a community activist, but some people call it a rabble-rouser. Just from the business perspective, I've been very successful at growing a business here in South Carolina. From the community standpoint, we had a major situation there at our hospital, which is a huge part of our community on so many levels, not just from a health care perspective, but from an economic perspective with our board. I took the lead on that kind of issue to really help bring light to what's going on in our hospitals, he said. Ray was referring, in part, to the RMC boards decision not to renew the contract of its former CEO in 2020. Ray called for more transparency following the decision. Ray said he has experience in understanding what the community issues are. Looking at the things that I've done locally with the hospital on a statewide level in the medical community, I was the president of the S.C. Podiatry Association for a while, and we were able to increase our ability to care for patients with ankle disease, diabetes and things of that nature. That had not happened for over 27 years. So just being able to, number one, understand what the issues of the community are, and, number two, articulate that to the right people to try to promote change. A lot of change has to do with being able to educate the decision-makers on why the change is necessary, Ray said. The physician said he is focused on community engagement. The biggest thing that I hope to accomplish if I win this seat is to make sure that people are well informed about what I'm doing as their elected official and not just what I'm doing, but what others are doing as well, like the entire Orangeburg (legislative) delegation, the entire rural health delegation, he said. Ray said he would do things differently than his challenger. I'm a younger guy, a little more aware of social media and all the things that the younger generation uses to communicate. So one of the things that I hope to do differently is to be able to engage more young people, he said. Ray and his wife, Claysandra, are the parents of three children. Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD 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 people passed away after a head-on collision at the Gluck roundabout in Luxembourg City (Howald/Gasperich) on Wednesday evening. The accident took place at 8.15 pm on Wednesday. Both cars collided and left the driver of each vehicle trapped inside. Emergency services from the capital were sent to the scene to provide assistance, but help came too late for the two motorists. Both drivers were alone in their cars at the time of the accident. A forensics team was later sent to the scene to determine the potential cause of the collision. The road had to remain closed overnight. Belvaux One person was also injured in a collision in Belvaux on Wednesday evening. Two cars were involved in this accident. According to Mayor of Luxembourg City Lydie Polfer, the drug scene in the capital has moved to the old town, particularly around the children's pirate ship playground. Our colleagues investigated. The area around Hamilius and the pirate ship playground are becoming the new drug hotspots, Polfer said in an interview with RTL on Tuesday morning, with needles found regularly in an area where kids play. The City intends to react, said the DP politician. The mediation service a vos cotes, already active in Bonnevoie and Gare, will visit the area, and a private security firm will likely be employed to patrol. New meeting point for drug users and dealers? Our colleagues went to inspect the area to verify the mayor's pronouncements. They did not see any needles, though occasional baggies and pill packaging did point towards drugs being used here. Celine Spithoven/RTL Celine Spithoven/RTL Celine Spithoven/RTL The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. A drug problem as described by the mayor was not immediately obvious, though the City's cleaning services were working in the park and may have already cleared the area. A passerby confirmed that a few weeks ago, there was indeed an increased presence of drug users around the pirate ship, who left needles and other paraphernalia. But with the weather improving and children and families returning to the park, this has changed. Another park regular said that dealers and users could be found further north in the park, not necessarily around the pirate ship. New drug hotspot? After a single visit made during the day, after cleaning teams had done their job, it is hard to draw any definitive conclusions. The same goes for the area around Hamilius, where our reporters did not see any obvious users or dealers. Do you know of any experiences you've had with drug users at Hamilius or the pirate ship? Let us know below. The economy commission should meet urgently to discuss the dismissal of scientist Jeff da Costa, says the CSV. An article in the Luxemburger Wort cites three anonymous former colleagues of the company RSS Hydro who confirm that there was political pressure to dismiss the hydrologist after his criticism of flood management on RTL last year - specifically, from the government and Dudelange mayor Dan Biancalena, and the LSAP. Despite statements from the Minister of State and a parliamentary question, the CSV sees indications that the government intervened in this case. The opposition party is requesting that the Minister for the Economy Franz Fayot explain himself before the Chamber of Deputies. Fayot responded to the allegations on Twitter on Wednesday morning, stating he had never intervened or put pressure on aanyone to dismiss the researcher. He said he did not know da Costa personally and does not remember ever having contact with him. Sanctions against Russia are also having effects in Luxembourg: around 4.3 billion euros linked to Russian individuals and companies have been frozen. The exact amount adds up to 4.267 billion euros and includes money in bank accounts as well as properties. 90 private individuals and around 1,100 legal entities on the company registers were identified as falling under the list of EU sanctions. These numbers were confirmed by Minister for Finance Yuriko Backes to the monitoring committee, which was meeting for an update on the current sanctions situation. The Chamber of Deputies discussed the question of councillors moving out of their municipality during a debate on Tuesday. According to the law, members of a municipal council must live in that municipality: "y habiter d'ordinaire", says the text - 'ordinarily live there'. A recent uproar in Remich brought the question to the fore, as two councillors have allegedly left the municipality in question. Claude Lamberty from the DP wanted to know who was checking up on these situations. The Minister for the Interior, Taina Bofferding, confirmed that when electoral lists are registered, the president of the main election office is responsible for this duty. If a councillor moves out of the municipality during their mandate, it is generally up to them to report this. If this isn't done and there are questions over whether a particular councillor fulfils the legal criteria, it is up to the mayor to launch a procedure. This then allows the police to investigate, Bofferding explained to the MPs. "They look at where the person is staying after work, where potential children go to school and where they are registered. The households energy usage, telephone bills or a tenancy agreement are elements that can help the police." If a council member does not fulfil the conditions of election law, they are committing a criminal offence and risk a prison sentence, Bofferding stressed. The Luxembourgish delegation, led by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs Franz Fayot, arrived in Rwanda on Tuesday for the third and last day of their trip to Africa. On their final day, the delegation visited Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. While the cityscape of Kigali is defined by the presence of Western restaurant chains, large roads, and tall buildings, Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot pointed out that this should not distract from the fact that "the rest of Rwanda is still very poor". "There is still a lot of catching up to do," Fayot stated, "for instance in the agricultural sector". SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. The delegation attended an international telecommunications conference. During the conference, it was pointed out that nearly 3 billion people throughout the world do not have access to the internet. Luxembourg, according to Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, can help connect these people, particularly through Betzdorf-based SES, one of the world's leading satellite owners and operators. The government of Rwanda approached Luxembourg specifically to cooperate in the sectors of finance and digitalisation. Fayot explained that the local government "wants to develop a financial centre in Kigali". This financial centre would "specialise in sustainable finance against climate change" as well as "inclusive finance", which would focus on providing loans to farmers and women in particular. Following the genocide of the Tutsi people in 1994, many women became widows, and numerous children became orphans, according to the Prime Minister. Bettel also acknowledged that the development assistance given to Rwanda differs significantly from that given to Niger. The focus in Niger is on improving water supplies, while in Rwanda, the Grand Duchy is assisting in the development of a financial centre modelled after Luxembourg's. Its a conflict thats been going on for almost 20 years involving one of Caspers most popular trails. And its recently made its way back before the Natrona County commission sans resolution. Casper Mountain landowner Howard Christman has again put pressure on the county to solve his property dispute regarding the Bridle Trail crossing through his land. Christman has been making his case since the early 2000s, when traffic began increasing on the trail. Because no department has made a definitive decision on the conflict, the debate regarding the right of the public to use the land continues. Christman approached the podium in a Natrona County commission meeting on May 17, when he again asked the panel to consider closing the portion of the trail on his land. Temporarily, it was agreed that part of the path would be closed until a final decision was made. Wyoming is based on no trespassing. ... No trespassing should mean something, Christman told the Star-Tribune this week. Ive allowed it because I wanted room to fix the trail, but after I tried to be nice about it, my mistake was that I didnt block it off 15 years ago. Ive bent over backward, I think, to do the right thing. On Tuesday, trail users and property owners shared their thoughts on the matter with the commission. The panel held off on a decision until June 21. Just to save time, if I could, Casper resident Bruce Lamberson said when it was his turn to take the mic. Could I ask a show of hands of those who are here to support the reopening of the Bridle Trail? The majority of the 45 people in the audience raised their hands. Dating back to the late 1930s, the trail was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and has been in use for decades by the public. Its popular with hikers, runners, mountain bikers and snowshoers. Those who travel it follow David Way for a couple hundred feet and then make their way left onto a connecting trail through the Christman property. The intended path isnt always clear, and the mix of branched off trails and lack of signage has caused many travelers to make their way through the property. Thats resulted in footpaths behind Christmans cabin. You give them an inch, theyre going to take a mile, Patricia Bronson, another Casper Mountain resident said during the meeting. I defy anybody to see an easement or a right-of-way that lets any part of Davis Road be used when theres access otherwise, straight out of the park. While Christman himself has never provided a written easement for the sections use, documents dating to before his purchase of the land in 1987 have suggested that the property has been used for the trail for decades, according to a history presented at Tuesdays meeting. If Im a bad guy, you got to tell me, Christman said during the meeting. I want the good people there, I dont want the bad people there. We have to regulate that part. Somehow, someway, we have to regulate the trail, and make sure its safe for people. Christman declined to comment on what sort of damage had been done to his property, but in past interviews with the Star-Tribune, he described littering, vandalism and even someone setting up camp in his yard. As an alternative to the portion of the trail now closed, there is a southern trail thats still available. But that trail, according to people who spoke at the meeting, is significantly steeper than the one on Christmans property. That path could prove difficult for kids, older citizens or people struggling with motor abilities, trail users said. I want you to be aware of the people youre impacting, Casper resident Dorthy Rynman said in the meeting. Youre helping one person, but youre taking away the rights of everyone else in Natrona County that want to use the trail. Both sides also addressed the main reason they felt the conflict has yet to be solved: a lack of communication. If things were clear, there would be a lot less trouble, Casper resident Michael Reed said. Youre going to continually have this problem forever until things are just laid out. ... If everybody knew exactly what it was, where it was and what we were doing, there wouldnt be this fight that we continue to have. Christman agreed, but he felt the miscommunication was also due in part to the public. I want people to understand my position too, Christman said. Taking a raising hand of what side youre on, and what side youre not on, that seems a little immature to me. ... Im not steadfast on anything, Im willing to give a little bit. Commissioners are set to take up the matter at 4 p.m. on June 21. The meeting is open to the public. I keep saying it just comes down to communication. Just come talk to me, Christman added. 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 rejected the latest legal claims of a former Casper gynecologist who is serving 20 to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two patients. The states high court had already denied Paul Harnettys appeal following his 2018 trial, which resulted in his conviction on two counts of second-degree sexual assault. Afterward, Harnetty pursued another legal challenge, called a petition for post-conviction relief, citing, among other things, claims of juror misconduct. Those claims were based on interviews that a legal investigator for Harnetty conducted with jurors in December 2019. During one of those interviews, a juror discussed all that stuff that [Mr. Harnetty] did in Georgia and allegations the doctor had done it before to other women, the high courts ruling states. Ahead of Harnettys trial, a judge had barred those allegations from being admitted as evidence. But those allegations had been written about in the media, including the Star-Tribune, ahead of the trial. The investigator said the same juror told her that some on the jury discussed those allegations in the deliberation room. The investigator also reported that two other jurors had also made comments indicating they may have considered media reports something that jurors are forbidden from doing. Harnettys investigator described her findings in an affidavit that his attorneys used to make their case. The allegations of juror misconduct never made it to an evidentiary hearing. Attorneys representing the state of Wyoming argued that an affidavit written by the investigator was inadmissible because it was based on hearsay, among other things. A district court judge agreed with the state, ruling that Harnetty had not presented admissible evidence of jury misconduct. That prompted an appeal to the high court, which considered whether the jury misconduct claim should have been heard at an evidentiary hearing. In a 4-1 ruling, the justices concluded a hearing was not warranted because Harnettys attorneys had not submitted admissible evidence to support their claims of jury misconduct. Submitting the investigators affidavit was not enough, the court held. He could have petitioned the district court for additional time, requested the opportunity for discovery, or any other appropriate order, the majority stated in its opinion. [The investigators] affidavit, alone, was not sufficient. Justice Lynne Boomgaarden dissented, writing that she would have reversed the lower courts ruling and allowed the evidentiary opinion to happen. The majority opinion, she maintained, set too high of a bar for post-conviction relief. Some post-conviction relief claims, like Mr. Harnettys juror misconduct claim, cannot be resolved on the existing criminal record and need to be developed at an evidentiary hearing before they can be fairly resolved, she wrote. Harnetty, 52, is imprisoned at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington. 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. Two contractors will have to pay a total of around $2 million to the family of a man killed as a result of poor traffic control during construction on an Evansville intersection. Casper resident Bill Gray, 62, had been riding his motorcycle west on Yellowstone Highway on Sept. 12, 2017, when he was hit by a driver making a turn onto Cole Creek Road. Gray was flown to a Denver hospital with serious injuries and died 16 days later. Construction on the highway new asphalt and traffic lights was being done by WYDOT contractor Knife River. That company in turn subcontracted with local company Roadworx, based in Mills, to set up traffic control in the area during the project. Grays family filed a lawsuit against both companies that argued he was killed due to poor traffic control in the construction area around the intersection. The jury found that the traffic control was confusing, with some unnecessary signage and an unusual turning lane. Cars were made to stop far back from the actual intersection, which meant drivers turning left had to make an atypical turn. In Grays case, the driver who hit him began turning left then realized she was heading into the wrong lane. She then did an S-curve move to correct, and was reportedly focused on finding the right lane when she collided head-on with Gray in the intersection. Court documents suggest Gray may have seen the drivers correction and assumed she curved because she saw him coming. By and large if the traffic control had been set up correctly, this would have never happened, said Todd Ingram, an attorney representing the Gray family. Court documents say an engineer had flagged problems with the traffic control setup earlier that day including confusing signs and unacceptable lane closures but changes were made and signed off before the crash that evening. The jury ruled that Roadworx bore 30% of the responsibility for the crash, and Knife River 60% since they were overseeing the subcontractor. Knife Rivers appeal was based on the companys assertion that it should not have been held responsible for the subcontractors mistakes. Jurors awarded a total of $2.2 million to the family in the April 2021 trial, though the actual amount paid will be just under $2 million since the driver will not have to pay her 10% share, as she was not a defendant in the case. After Tuesdays ruling, the companies will be ordered to pay a total of around $1.7 million to Grays widow and another $270,000 to his daughter. Ingram said Grays family was pleased by the high courts decision, but that its still bittersweet. We remain hopeful that tragedies like this can prompt them to pay even more attention to safety, he said, so this doesnt happen to another family. Love 0 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. TELECOMMUNICATIONS Services of T&T (TSTT) is expected to re-issue retrenchment notices to the 376 unionised workers by Friday giving them 45-day notices which will end July 15. TSTT and its recognised majority union, the Communications Workers Union (CWU) came to an agreement outside of the courts on Monday, that will see the organisation continue with its restructuring exercise without delay. It was 110 days ago when five LMCS Ltd diversChristopher Boodram, Fyzal Kurban, Rishi Nagassar, Kazim Ali Jr and Yusuf Henryprepared to go out to the Berth 6 platform off Pointe-a-Pierre to work on that pipeline rising from the sea. Boodram would later recall boarding a barge, reaching the location, and diving into the water with the others to get to the entrance of a hyperbaric chamber (habitat). OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called on United States authorities to investigate whether Attorney General Reginald Armour committed perjury and lied to a Miami court over his role as an attorney in the Piarco International Airport corruption case. This as she maintained at the UNCs Monday night forum that the AG has placed the country in a constitutional crisis and must be fired by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. Below is a version of my letter sent to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), which has requested that complaints about noise pollution be sent directly to them: I am a long-standing resident of Lady Chancellor Apartments a 50-year-old apartment block situated approximately 400 yards from the Lookout on Lady Chancellor Road. Over the years I have watched, with dismay and utter impotence, the complete erosion of a quiet residential area into a noisy, public fete neighbourhood. A Sierra Vista Police Department officer resigned on Tuesday after being indicted on charges of computer tampering for accessing information on the department and state database for personal reasons. On March 9, SVPD received information about the unauthorized database access by Officer Raymond Pyle last August during another investigation, a SVPD news release said. The department requested the Cochise County Sheriffs Office conduct a criminal investigation into the matter. On April 20, SVPD received a brief from detectives that they had evidence showing Pyle had conducted an unauthorized search of the SVPD and state database and would be referring the case to the Cochise County Attorneys Office for review, the news release said. That same day, Pyle was placed on paid administrative leave and SVPD opened an administrative investigation. The Cochise County Attorneys Office presented the case to a grand jury on June 2 and Pyle was indicted on two charges of computer tampering, the news release said. Following the indictment, SVPD sustained violations of department and city policy. Pyle was notified that termination of employment proceedings were being initiated and he resigned effective immediately, the news release said. The case is being forwarded to the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board for its review. Officer Pyles violation of the publics trust by using departmental resources to acquire information for personal use cannot be tolerated, SVPD Police Chief Adam Thrasher said in the news release. Pyle was hired by the department in January 2021. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The hottest temperatures so far this year are expected to start Thursday as the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch for Southeastern Arizona. From Thursday through Sunday, Tucson will be seeing temperatures 3 to 10 degrees above normal, the weather service said. The high for Thursday and Friday is predicted to be around 107 degrees while the weekend will bring close to record temperatures, with highs of 110 degrees. Excessive heat warnings are pretty typical in June, Rob Howlett, a meteorologist from the weather service said. We warm up before the monsoon season kicks in, but this is just a little bit beyond what we see. Howlett said there are also chances of thunderstorms in Tucson on Wednesday and Thursday. We are in this phase where the monsoon season is trying to kick in, but we also got a lot of heat around as well, Howlett said. The weather service said the excessive heat will bring in a high risk of heat-related illness for much of the population, especially those that are heat sensitive and those without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. Dizziness, thirst, heavy sweating, nausea and weakness are all symptoms of heat exhaustion, the NWS said. If you are experiencing these symptoms, the weather service urges you to move to a cooler area, loosen clothing and sip cool water. If you are experiencing confusion, dizziness and become unconscious, then you may be having a heat stroke. The weather service recommends that you call 911, move to a cooler area, loosen clothing and cool with water or ice. To combat heat-related illnesses, the Tucson Fire Department has issued three heat safety tips. They are advising the community to stay hydrated and drink as much water as possible. Since afternoons are hottest, Tucson Fire recommends people limit their sun exposure between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Those who like to exercise or work outside are urged to complete those tasks in the morning or the evening. Tucson Fire also encourages the community to use sun protection. Sunblock, sunglasses, hats and long-sleeve, light weight clothing are all ways to help reduce your body temperature. When temperatures hit at least 110 degrees, the city of Tucson will open cooling shelters in each ward that residents can go to escape the heat. The centers will be open from noon-6 p.m., only on days when the temperature benchmark is met. The centers will be located at Donna Liggins Center, 2160 N. Sixth Ave.; El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road; El Rio Center, 1390 W. Speedway; Morris K. Udall Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road; Randolph Center, 200 S. Alvernon Way; and William M. Clements Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Drive. In addition to the city, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness also has several locations available to seek refuge from the heat and get supplies. For locations, go to www.tpch.net/resources 9 hiking tips to help keep you safe during Tucson summers Bring the essentials Ten essential items to carry on a hike: Navigation: map, compass, GPS Sun protection: hat, sunscreen, long sleeves Insulation: extra clothing such as jacket, fleece Illumination: headlamp, flashlight First-aid kit Fire: matches, lighter Repair kit and tools: multi-tool, whistle, signal mirror Nutrition: extra food Hydration: extra water Emergency shelter: large plastic bag, space blanket In an emergency, call 911 In the event of an emergency, call 911 or send someone to get help. Check your water Bringing water with you should be a given. But it's important to turn around before half of your water is gone. The Pima County Sheriff's Department recommends bringing along around one liter of water for each hour you'll be hiking. Communicate It's always important to communicate with your friends and family. Tell a responsible person where you are hiking and when you expect to be back. Do not hike alone It's always best to hike with other people. Plus, it's more fun to venture into hiking trails when you have friends or family with you. Bring your phone Take a fully charged cell phone with you. Turn your phone off or place it in airplane mode to save its battery life. You never know when you'll need it. Your cell phone may not work in the back country. You may have to move to a higher or more open location to place a call. Check the weather beforehand Plan your hike so you are not hiking during the hottest part of the day or when monsoon storms are likely to cause heavy rains, lightning, and flooding. Always check the day's weather before leaving for your hike. Know your limits Hike within your ability. Know what's within reasonable distance or elevation for you. Stay away from wildlife While on a hike, you're bound to see some animals. The Pima County Sheriff's Department recommends keeping a safe distance from desert wildlife. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. MILLER, Donald "Don" 92, of Tucson passed away peacefully June 2, 2022. He is survived by daughter, Barb; brother, Jerry; granddaughter, Devann; 4 great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his wife, Eileen and sons, John and Richard. Born in the coal mining community of Curtisville, Pennsylvania, Don always enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading and western movies as well as square dancing, card clubs with friends, and family camping trips, vacations, and travels. Don was also very honored to serve his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Our family would like to thank and acknowledge the wonderful care Don received during his final days from the caregivers at St. Joseph's Hospital and Peppi's House Hospice. In lieu of flowers, we suggest donations in Don's memory to the charity of your choice. No services are planned at this time. Arrangements by EVERGREEN MORTUARY. PHOENIX A divided Senate voted Wednesday to require that anyone arrested for any felony provide a DNA sample to police, whether they are ever charged or not, much less convicted. The 20-8 vote on House Bill 2102 came over objections of some lawmakers who questioned whether such an intrusion is justified. Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Apache Junction, said she believes it violates constitutional provisions against warrantless searches. But the majority of senators were swayed by arguments that 18 other states have similar laws, that the intrusion is minimal and that it could lead to Arizona being able to solve cold cases by having a larger DNA database. They noted there are procedures for those who are not charged or convicted to have the profile removed from state records. That didnt sway Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale. If you want to pass things because the ends justify the means, then thats exactly what youre going to do in this case, she said. You want their DNA? Get a warrant and use the process. Current law requires DNA collection following conviction of crimes. It also spells out that police can collect evidence after arresting people in connection with certain specified crimes, including homicide, sex offenses, prostitution and burglary of a residential structure. HB 2102 would extend that to any felony offense. Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said its no big deal because people leave their DNA everywhere. He told lawmakers that someone who wants theirs could simply take it from their papers on their Senate desks or even follow us to the yogurt shop and grab the hundred spoons that we just dropped into the garbage can. All this measure does, Petersen said, is expand the use of an existing tool for law enforcement. He said he doesnt believe there is anything special about DNA. Its like an ID, he said. Its like knowing your name or your address. Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said its no different than when police take someones mug shot and fingerprints after arresting them. The legislation has been a crusade by Jayann Sepich, who has testified in multiple states about the 2003 rape and murder of her 22-year-old daughter, Katie, who was a graduate student at New Mexico State University. Speaking to Arizona lawmakers earlier this year, Sepich said the only evidence in the case was the DNA left under her daughters fingernails after she fought for her life. That evidence led years later to the arrest and conviction of a man whose DNA was on file for prior felonies, Sepich said. During Tuesdays debate, Sen. Victoria Steele, D-Tucson, said she understands how DNA can be misused. But she told colleagues this proposal makes sense. The fact is, every day innocent people are needlessly violated, raped, murdered, shot, knifed by repeat offenders, Steele said. We have the technology now to help prevent some of that, she said. We have the technology now that will help us catch repeat offenders sooner, that will help us prevent violent crimes. Steele said DNA can also be used to exonerate the innocent. Townsend, however, said all that has to be measured against the U.S. Constitution. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, she quoted the document. The amendment says the only way to get a warrant must be upon probable cause. But Petersen said the constitutionality of DNA collection is clear, citing a 5-4 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 that taking samples from a cheek swab as part of the arrest procedure is legal because it serves a legitimate state interest and is minimally invasive. Townsend countered that lawmakers need to recognize people are sometimes wrongfully arrested, possibly because of political motivation, a political hit. Is any one of us at risk of being targeted politically and arrested for a felony that we are later able to prove that we are innocent of? she asked. But, meanwhile, they have forcefully taken our DNA against our will simply because weve been arrested. Townsend wasnt impressed by Petersens argument that people leave DNA around all the time. Just because you can take it off my desk doesnt mean you have a right to take it during an arrest, she said. Existing law requires courts to order the removal of DNA records in cases of people who are not charged, not convicted or whose convictions are overturned. HB 2102 would add language to specifically require any agency that collects DNA to provide both oral and written notice explaining the process, including instruction on how to ask the court to remove the evidence. Sen. Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, in voting for the measure, said he has to err on the side of providing a tool for law enforcement. Im hopeful that my family never has to go through anything to where this is the way they find the perpetrator or anything like that, he said. But if this is going to help any one of my family members, or just anyone at all in our great state ... I want to do the right thing. HB 2102 now goes to the House, which has not considered the measure. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. LOS ANGELES (AP) A little more than two years ago, Juan Guaido was showered with bipartisan applause when President Donald Trump during his state of the union speech praised the Venezuelan opposition leader as a very brave man" who carries on his shoulders the democratic hopes of an entire nation. But in a sign of how far his political fate has fallen, and how quickly U.S. geopolitical calculations can shift, the 38-year-old wasn't even invited to this week's Summit of the Americas despite the Biden administration's persistent promotion of democracy and insistence it recognizes Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. Meanwhile, the man Guaido has been trying to unseat, Nicolas Maduro, is taking something of a victory lap. On a rare foreign trip to Turkey this week, Maduro, who is the target of U.S. sanctions and a federal narcotics indictment, denounced the decision to exclude him and leftist allies from Cuba and Nicaragua from the gathering as a stab in the back of regional cooperation. This is a clear win for Maduro, Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of Americas, said from Los Angeles, where he was attending the summit. Hes seen allies take up his cause at the summit while preventing his primary rival, whom Washington recognizes as president, from attending. In what may be an attempt at damage control, Biden on Wednesday spoke with Guaido. It was the first time the two leaders have spoken and during the call, which lasted around 17 minutes, Biden reiterated his support for Guaido, whose claim to the presidency stems from his role as head of the National Assembly elected in 2015. President Biden expressed his support for Venezuelan-led negotiations as the best path toward a peaceful restoration of democratic institutions, free and fair elections, and respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans, according to a White House readout of the call. They discussed the role the United States and other international partners can play to support a negotiated solution to Venezuelas crisis. President Biden reaffirmed the United States is willing to calibrate sanctions policy as informed by the outcomes of negotiations that empower the Venezuelan people to determine the future of their country. But coming on the heels of weeks of silence from the White House about whether Guaido would be invited or not, the call provided little comfort to Venezuela's pro-democracy movement. We don't want to be seen as party crashers going where we aren't wanted, said one Guaido envoy on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic dealings. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan downplayed suggestions the U.S. was snubbing a staunch ally. Speaking aboard Air Force 1 on its way to Los Angeles, Sullivan insisted the decision to not invite anyone from the Guaido camp, and instead involve civil society activists from Venezuela, was a tactical one to encourage negotiations between Maduro and his opponents that leads to "ultimately a better future for the Venezuelan people. Guaido's possible presence at the summit also appears to have irritated many of the Venezuelan government's allies, including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who decided to skip the summit over the exclusion of Maduro and the leaders of Cuba and Nicaragua. A Mexican official confirmed that his government asked the U.S. to exclude Guaido as part of its back-and-forth with the Biden administration on the guest list, an effort that ultimately failed to persuade Lopez Obrador to partake in the summit. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss diplomatic dealings, said that other countries had done the same. Joining the Mexican leader's boycott were fellow leftist leaders of Bolivia, Grenada, Honduras, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Also staying home in protest, although not in solidarity with Maduro, were the leaders of El Salvador and Guatemala, as well as the president Uruguay, who was exposed to COVID. But it's not just foreign pressure that has Biden wary of inviting Guaido. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a spike in energy prices, the U.S. has started to re-evaluate its policy on Venezuela, a country that sits atop the world's largest petroleum reserves but whose decades-long decline in oil production has been made worse by U.S. sanctions. In March, U.S. officials led by Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council's senior director for the western hemisphere, traveled to Caracas to meet with Maduro. Then, as now, Guaido was kept on the sidelines, with U.S. officials not meeting with him during the several day trip. The goal of the talks was to dangle before Maduro the possibility of sanctions relief in exchange for a return to negotiations in Mexico with his opponents, something that so far hasn't happened. Meanwhile, Guaido continues to fight for change, although his street appearances are less frequent, and crowds greatly diminished from when he launched his challenge to Maduro in 2019. On Saturday, his supporters were met in the western city of Maracaibo, a short distance from Colombia and a flight onward to the U.S., with a barrage of flying plastic chairs and fisticuffs from allies of Maduro. The violent ones were left empty handed, Guaido told a small group of supporters to shouts of Freedom, Freedom, Freedom after the raucous brawl. Let's be clear: we are not going to take a single step backward. Goodman reported from Miami. AP Writer Claudia Torrens from New York and Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Ministry: US hypes up Xinjiang issue to contain China China Daily) 08:09, June 08, 2022 A girl has fun with birds at an amusement park in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, at 7:20 pm on Dec 21, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] China has demanded the United States give a reasonable explanation about US diplomats reportedly acknowledging that Washington has hyped up issues related to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in an attempt to contain China. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a daily news briefing on Monday that any attempt to damage Xinjiang's harmony and stability and contain China's development will never succeed. It was reported, according to a Phoenix TV reporter, that Sheila Carey and Andrew Chira, officials in the Economic and Political Department of the US Consulate General in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, told guests privately at a reception in 2021 that "nothing is wrong" in Xinjiang. Global Times reported that Carey and Chira had said that nothing is wrong about Xinjiang, but to attack their human rights policies is an effective means to make Xinjiang break away from the international industrial chain and to make Uygurs unhappy and restive and then fight against the Chinese government. Zhao said, "I am not surprised at all if the information is authentic," adding, "This is not the first time US officials spoke their true mind". Zhao cited a speech by retired US Army officer Lawrence Wilkerson in 2018, who said that if the US Central Intelligence Agency wanted to destabilize China, the best way to do so would be to foment unrest by using members of the Uygur ethnic group in Xinjiang. In addition, Zhao referred to comments made in 2015 by Sibel Deniz Edmonds, a former contract translator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who said that the US did not care about people in Xinjiang at all. Edmonds had said that allegations were made about Xinjiang in order to disrupt the region. Zhao also pointed to remarks made by former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who had said that "the glory of America's continuous exploration and progress" was based on the fact that "we lie, we cheat, we steal". Zhao said, "The so-called genocide in Xinjiang is the lie of the century concocted by US politicians and the classic masterpiece of the US diplomacy of lies." Xinjiang's ethnic unity, social stability and economic prosperity serve as the best and most forceful challenge to the lies fabricated by the US, he added. Assistant Foreign Minister Hua Chunying said on social media on Sunday that she was waiting for an explanation about the US diplomats' remarks, calling them "a rare truth from US officials who've been lying through their teeth". Zhao said that the US has been obsessed with making Xinjiang an issue to encircle and contain China. The Biden administration will begin enforcing the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" on June 21, which will bar products made with "forced labor" in Xinjiang from being exported to the US. The US State Department released on Thursday the "2021 International Religious Freedom Report", hyping up lies, Zhao said. The US has no justification to point fingers at China, he said. "Every time it releases such a report, the US will further expose its hypocrisy and double standards." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) A prosecutor said he will announce Thursday whether charges will be filed in the death of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man who was on the ground when he was shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer. Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker gave no hints Wednesday, saying only that he would disclose his charging decision at an afternoon news conference in Grand Rapids. Lyoya, 26, a refugee from Congo, was killed by Grand Rapids Officer Christopher Schurr after a traffic stop on April 4. Schurr, who is white, told Lyoya that he stopped him because the license plate didnt match the vehicle, according to video. Lyoya began to run after he was asked for a drivers license. Schurr quickly caught him, but the pair physically struggled across a front lawn in a residential neighborhood while Lyoyas passenger recorded the scene on a phone. Lyoya was on the ground when Schurr shot him. He had demanded that Lyoya take his hand off the officers Taser, video showed. Schurr, who has been on leave since the shooting, has not talked publicly about what happened. Lyoya's parents have demanded that he be charged with crimes and fired. Find the APs full coverage of the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya: https://apnews.com/hub/patrick-lyoya 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. Candidates who would have overturned the 2020 election results could hold top offices in Arizona during the 2024 presidential election. Three statewide elected politicians stopped the previous attempt to steal an election. Gov. Doug Ducey even ignored a call from then-President Donald Trump during the certification. But Republican primaries for those three offices governor, secretary of state and attorney general are chock-full of election deniers, and in almost every case, those who have promised that they would have overturned Joe Bidens 2020 win in Arizona are leading their prospective Republican fields. This November is expected to heavily favor Republicans, and by the time the next presidential election rolls around, Arizona is facing the very real possibility that the decision of whether to accept or reject the results of a democratic election falls to future statewide officials who have sworn to overturn the results of any fraudulent election. Willingness to overturn the results of an election is no longer a fringe ideology relegated to the dark corners of the internet . Its become among the most popular positions within the Republican Party so popular, in fact, that few Republicans have been willing to flat-out say they wouldnt have overturned the 2020 election. For the 2022 elections, none of those election deniers will be in a position of statewide power. But national, state and local Republican parties are aiming to infiltrate the lowest rung of election administration, election workers. And theyre recruiting and training people on how to use election rules to challenge votes, Politico reported recently, based on efforts underway in the fellow swing state of Michigan. The goal, critics say, is to create enough chaos that Republican legislatures will have justification to intervene if the election doesnt go the way they want. Insider threat a concern In Arizona, that idea isnt far-fetched. Late last month, Republican Rep. Neal Carter attempted to force a vote on decertifying the 2020 election based on the debunked documentary 2,000 Mules. Insider threat is the thing Im most concerned about coming up in future elections, Ken Matta, who oversaw Arizonas election security for two decades under both parties, told the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission at a recent meeting. The easiest way they could penetrate into the election process would be through political observers. Secondly, through being poll workers. Its a pretty easy point of entry into the process. They could be replacing election staff in our election offices. And they could be holding the highest election office in the land, the Secretary of States Office position, Matta warned. The burnout election officials, including Matta, are experiencing from years of death threats theyve endured from election deniers is leaving important election administration positions at all levels open to be filled by election deniers and conspiracy theorists who dont share the democratic mission of elections into managing voting locations, Matta said. Across the country, but particularly in battleground states like Arizona, election deniers are seeking higher office and low-level elections jobs. Theyre being trained by political operatives on the arcane intricacies of election law and their power as poll workers. Parties are adding more poll observers to their rosters, too, though observers dont have near the power that poll workers do. Now I need to save the world Ralph Neas, the special counsel on voting rights for progressive think tank The Century Foundation, first talked with us last August, when he warned that the Maricopa County audit was designed to sow doubt in elections in advance of 2024. If anything, he said, his comments then were understated. You got it at the precinct level, you got it at the statewide level. You got it at every level conceivable where theyre trying to take control of the elections apparatus and make sure theres no way they can lose in 2024, Neas said. He calls the attempts by 2020 election deniers to infiltrate the elections process and the threat to subvert voters decisions the clear and present danger to the survival of our democracy. To be sure, poll workers and observers should, and must by law, reflect all political parties. And observers, provided they follow the law and dont interfere with voting, play an important role in overseeing elections. Both Republicans and Democrats recruit and train observers, and active members of both parties sign up as poll workers, who are trained by the county. But poll workers generally believe in the democratic process of casting ballots. Theyre typically longtime local do-gooders who see poll work as a civic duty. But now, as county elections officials work to find poll workers amid a tight job market, theyre facing the possibility that the people they hire could seek to disrupt voting for those who go to the polls. Cochise County Elections Director Lisa Marra said when she opened up applications for temporary election workers, she immediately received a flood of Republican applicants, and that the local party chair was promoting the positions online. Thats great, she said. Being an election worker is a civic duty, much like jury duty, and she wants people to be involved. But many of the applications reflected the broad and growing belief in Republican circles that the election process is rigged. Having somebody inside the office who is actively trying to prove their theory that elections are rigged is a recipe for disaster, she said. A lot of these applications are coming through say, I want to be a poll worker. Im 65, I have never been a poll worker, but now I need to save the world, she said. Its really interesting. Huge request for election records Eric Spencer, an attorney for the Republican National Committee and the former state elections director under Republican Secretary of State Michele Reagan, recently filed records requests with every county in Arizona seeking records about the roles of observers, election plans and rules for poll workers, in addition to seeking a tour of the elections office. Among the trove of documents Spencer and the RNC requested are documents that would show any limitations to serving as a poll worker or otherwise temporary worker based on political views, like their social media posts, whether theyll be asking to disavow certain political views, whether theyd be denied from serving as a poll worker for their views. Inside a polling place, only credentialed observers from political parties and the Department of Justice are allowed, alongside election workers and voters. Other observers need to stay outside the 75-foot barrier of a polling place, and their behavior cant deter voters in any way. Observers inside polling locations, trained by the political parties, can challenge a voter, who then may have to vote a provisional ballot. Unlike partisan observers, election workers are county employees, and have a responsibility to do the work in a nonpartisan fashion. If they have nefarious intentions, they can cause a lot of damage. Even a small act of sabotage, like hiding an extension cord, could create chaos, Marra said. Ben Petersen, the RNCs Arizona communications director, said the groups records requests are nothing unusual and various groups on both sides of the aisle do the same. And in response to the Politico story, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel said while the RNC trains poll watchers, it isnt training poll workers, its just encouraging Republicans to apply. Their efforts are attempting to level the playing field in places like Detroit, where poll workers are overwhelming Democratic. But Arizonas rural counties are no Detroit. Rage and massive distrust Public records show the political makeup of poll workers is heavy on the minds of local party activists, too. Robert Montgomery, the Cochise County Republican Party chairman, demanded at least 50% of election workers in the county be Republicans, and warned if not, there will be rage and massive distrust, according to a log of their communications. Marra responded that thats not how the law works state law requires some positions be filled by people in opposing parties, but contains no overall quota of how many election workers have to be Republicans. At a meeting with the local political party chairs in Yuma County, the GOP chair specifically asked if political observers could call their lawyers to show up to voting locations and support their observers, Yuma County Election Director Tiffany Anderson said. Thats not something theyve ever done before, she said, and it raises several concerns for elections administrators. We were made aware that that was a Republican strategy a couple of months ago, she said, but the broader national strategy outlined in Politico, is very concerning. Ultimately, the county attorney advised that if poll watchers are also lawyers, they can participate. But poll watchers cannot bring in outside help and essentially deputize them as poll watchers. There have been other signals that the partys strategy is to embed activists into low-level election worker positions, she said. AZGOP chair Kelli Ward recently tweeted that election officials are trying to prevent America First Republicans from becoming election workers. But Anderson said that election officials dont have a legal authority to vet people based on their political beliefs. Plus, in Yuma County, all the election worker spots have already been filled and approved by the local board of supervisors, as required by law. Blunting potential bad apples In Maricopa County, however, election officials are still struggling to hire the more than 3,000 temporary workers they need to help carry out the election. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said he understands people are animated about election procedures, and he hopes election skeptics will become a part of the process. It can be a learning experience for them, he said. One of the things Im excited about is bringing in people who had questions about the process Maybe theyll become, if not evangelists, at least more informed and less willing to indulge whatever the latest conspiracy is, he said. As in other counties, Maricopa hires its returning election workers first, he said, meaning most of the positions up for grabs will be filled with people who have been doing it for years. Newbie election workers will be teamed up with people with experience, he said, and teams are bipartisan. And weve taken a number of steps to mitigate any potential bad apples, he said. Those steps include creating a new position of premium poll workers who receive additional training on de-escalation techniques, troubleshooters in the field and a hotline that poll workers can call if things get out of control. The RNC offering its own training for low-level elections workers doesnt worry him, he said, and he appreciates any organization attempting to find temporary workers willing to do the relatively low-paying and stressful job. And at the end of the day, anyone hired will be a temporary county employee. If they create problems or dont do their jobs, hell fire them. Can somebody be disruptive? Of course. But Im hopeful and I havent seen a reasonably specific problem yet at this point, he said. Anderson said she too is less worried about the threat coming from inside the buildings, and is more concerned that the heightened tensions will lead outsiders to attack election officials or voters, especially as lawmakers call for vigilantes to confront suspected election fraudsters. The narrative has only gotten more extreme and almost more mainstream, more accessible in a lot of ways, she said. So I would say my biggest fear is that more somewhat reasonable people believe that theres rampant election fraud (and) that that broader belief is going to lead to vigilantes who believe theyre doing the right thing. I fear that that could get someone hurt, seriously hurt, or that they tried to disrupt an election process that is perfectly legal. I want to keep my people safe. About Arizona Agenda Arizona Agenda is a reader-supported online publication that covers politics across Arizona. Go to arizonaagenda.substack.com to learn more. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. It's summer in Tucson and there's one thing on our minds: monsoon season. As the days get hotter, the clouds begin to build up from the south and move north into the city, where they gift us with glorious, much-needed summer rain. With the last two years bringing some of the most extreme monsoon seasons the second driest in 2020 with a bleak 1.62 inches and the third wettest in 2021 with a whopping 12.79 inches along with coming off of a dry winter, what can we expect this year? Thats the million-dollar question, says Mike Crimmins, a professor and extension specialist at the University of Arizonas Department of Environmental Science, who focuses on applied research and outreach on climate-related issues in the Southwest. What the models are suggesting is that it could be wet up front and then it could kind of peter out through the end of August and into September, he says. Crimmins predicts that this upcoming monsoon will be wetter than usual but not much above the average. The average rainfall for the Tucson monsoon season is 5.55 inches, according to the Arizona Daily Star. Although monsoon season technically starts on June 15, according to the National Weather Service, Crimmins says not to expect monsoon thunderstorms until the last week of June, which he considers early for us, and the first week of July. Typically, we dont see good solid moisture for monsoon activity until around July 4, according to Crimmins. The models are suggesting that we'll have monsoon activity show up maybe a little bit early and maybe robustly in July, he says. So it looks similar to the setup for last year, but that doesn't mean that it will be exactly the same as last year. But right now, I'm pretty optimistic that at least we'll start on time, if not a little early and, hopefully, July will be wet. So, what factors impact the monsoon season? There are three essential elements for a good monsoon having strong weather activity in southern and central Mexico, the Gulf of California heating up and the wind reversing directions, according to Crimmins. These critical factors cause the monsoon thunderstorms that we know and love to build up in the south and make their way up north. Most of the year, it's (the wind) blowing down the Gulf of California and what happens at the beginning of monsoon, it turns around and it starts to blow up the Gulf of California and that's our main fuel source, that's the main moisture source, Crimmins says. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up The average monsoon season will also feature bursts and breaks, Crimmins says. We can have storms and then it can retreat, get a week off, and then you're just expectantly waiting for it to rebuild, and then it will come back in, he says. A good, average monsoon season will have that kind of burst and breakthrough the whole time. While some may think that a monsoon refers to an individual storm, the word monsoon refers to the entire season, which in Tucson ends on Sept. 30. Crimmins says the word monsoon comes from Arabic roots and means reversal of wind, adding thats exactly what we're looking for when we look to the monsoon season to start. Although we are expecting a wetter-than-average monsoon season this year, the warm temperatures are here to stay, thanks to a little thing called climate change. The trend with climate change has made every summer hotter on average than the previous summers, Crimmins says. The trend is there and what really kind of blew my mind last year was when you looked at how wet it was in July and how cloudy it was, it wasn't actually that much cooler. It actually brought the temperatures on average down to about average. So right now, the outlook for the whole summer is still above average, even if we have wetter than average conditions. For all the weather enthusiasts, the University of Arizonas Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies is hosting Southwest Monsoon Fantasy Forecasts, inspired by fantasy sports, where players estimate the total monthly precipitation at each of the five major cities in the U.S. Southwest Monsoon region: Tucson, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Albuquerque and El Paso throughout July, August and September. The two players with the most points by the end of the monsoon season will receive an Ambient Weather automated backyard weather station that has an estimated value of $400, according to the Southwest Monsoon Fantasy Forecasts website. As monsoon begins to make its way to Tucson over the next month, remember to stay safe this season by checking the National Weather Service Tucson's website for the latest weather forecasts, and, of course, "turn around, don't drown," when driving near flooded areas. I'd love to see the wet conditions, as long as it isn't destructive and it doesn't harm anybody, Crimmins says. And that's part of living with the monsoon, is we need to be kind of, you know, respectful of it. But seeing all of that rainfall would be so beneficial in so many ways. Leer en espanol Practicing and teaching capoeira have been two of the driving forces in Anne Pollack's life. She is part of the first generation of women to practice capoeira in the United States and reach the level of master. To her knowledge, she is the only woman with that title in Arizona. Originally from Philadelphia and known in the community by her Portuguese capoeirista name, Mestra Luar do Sertao (Moonlight Over the Desert), this endocrinologist by profession came to Arizona in 1996 and has since led hundreds of children and adults to discover their potential as they advance in the ancient Afro-Brazilian practice. As she describes it, capoeira is a game, it is a dance, and there is a percussion instrument that you learn to play, and songs in Portuguese that you learn to sing. But the most important thing, she says, is that this practice "was created more than 450 years ago by Africans who were enslaved in Brazil, as a fight for freedom." With more than 35 years of dedication to capoeira, Mestra Luar is the heart of Capoeira Mandinga Tucson, an academy located at 605 E. Sixth St., where children, youth and adults take classes three times a week. Her own practice began in San Francisco with the now renowned Mestre Marcelo, from Brazil, when capoeira was just beginning to be practiced in the United States. Capoeira Mandinga Tucson opened its doors in 2006, when Mestra Luar decided to dedicate herself completely to teaching capoeira, leaving behind her work as a scientist and her research in cell biology, she says. In alliance with the nonprofit organization Capoeira Institute Southwest, Mestra Luar also offers programs in public libraries and schools, where low-income youth and families participate. She also conducts workshops, public presentations and festivals that seek to promote cultural ties and encourage balance between mind, body and spirit in participants. Children and capoeira At the beginning of 2020, Adela Pesqueira began taking her daughter Lillee to Mestra Luar's academy. At nine years old and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lillee wanted to stay in touch with a friend from her school who trained capoeira. Very soon, Lillee began to learn the verbal and corporal vocabulary of capoeira. She learned to follow the rhythm of the music while kicking, dodging and doing side flips. She also began to learn songs in Portuguese and to play instruments such as the berimbau, the drum or the tambourine. On her end, Adela began to hear words in Portuguese that she hadn't known until then. From her daughter's mouth came the names of the movements that the teacher taught her and that she did with her body: armed, bencao, martelo, Meia Lua de Frente and Meia Lua de Compasso. They were particular ways of kicking, dodging or reacting to the movements of her opponents. Mestra Luar is very good with children, says Adela. She is very patient, gives them confidence and helps them discover things that they themselves do not know they are capable of doing. In the brief breaks they take to drink water in the middle of a class, its clear that aside from facing each other in a game of capoeira, the children are creating strong bonds of friendship that transcend the academy. They talk about their favorite animals and school anecdotes; they make jokes, they have fun. As Lillee's mother says (Vivaz is her capoeirista name), for this girl, the mestra is good for her soul. With her many years of practice, Mestra Luar who has two children has a great ability to connect with the little ones and transmit her passion and knowledge to them. Children are very good at stopping themselves, she says. They often are afraid to challenge themselves, so what I try to do with kids is give them the opportunity to learn something totally cool where they can face their fears, whether is a simple fear, or simple to me, like making a cart wheel, standing up in front of people and sing, or show other students or people what they can do. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up In her classes, Mestra Luar explains to the children that capoeira is not just about learning to kick or trying to knock down the opponent, but that the purpose is to create a flowing conversation and movement, where the body finds an answer to the move the opponent makes. Capoeira is finding new ways to solve challenges, says Mestra Luar. Behind the scenes Zach Carduce is 20 years old and studies physics at the University of Arizona. His journey in capoeira began in 2009, when he was less than 10 years old and friends invited him to join a summer camp at Capoeira Mandinga Tucson. There he met Mestra Luar, who has been his mentor in this art ever since. Known by his name Cabeca Forte (strong head), Zach finds that capoeira is a very good way to exercise, meet people and feel like a part of the community, he says. After all these years learning from Mestra Luar, he is now one of the instructors at the academy and teaches twice a week. About his teacher, Cabeca Forte says that she is the one who makes everything work, it is because of her that events like this can be held; there's a lot going on behind the scenes." Zach is referring to the most recent event organized by the academy: the Batizado 2022, an Afro-Brazilian festival that took place in Himmel Park on April 29-30, in which capoeira students received a raise in the level of their practice which is displayed in a new color in the uniform cord and where the new students received their name of capoeiristas in Portuguese. Apart from this annual event, Mestra Luar focuses on making capoeira known throughout the city and participating, on behalf of the academy, in cultural events that take place in Tucson. "For me, the important thing is to try to build a multicultural community," says Mestra Luar. I want everyone to feel welcome in the academy. I also want to bring the benefits of capoeira to communities where people really need it, but can't afford it. That is why I started working through a nonprofit organization. Music and social commitment Something that differentiates capoeira from other martial arts is music. Since this practice is also a dance, rhythm plays a central role. When they are not dancing inside the circle, the participants sing and clap while other capoeiristas play percussion, the berimbau and the tambourine. The songs and the percussion are a sort of a mantra of capoeira, says Mestra Luar. They are like a wave that moves your body, your voice and your mind, and that also allows you to build a community. Everyone is clapping, singing, and empowering the people that is playing in the circle. After the complexity of sustaining the academy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Capoeira Mandinga Tucson has resumed the rhythm and strength that it's known for. Today Mestra Luar has students between the ages of 5 and 73, and brings together people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and genders under the same practice. Learning from the difficulties, says Mestra Luar, "My goal is to continue expanding the positive impact of our programs." To learn more about capoeira and about the classes, summer camps and presentations at Capoeira Mandinga Tucson, visit their website. There's an Afro-Brazilian music program being held at Woods Memorial Library from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, June 10. LOS ANGELES U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi advanced to a Republican runoff Tuesday after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending and he faced his largest-ever field of primary challengers. In heavily Democratic California, Republican House members faced primary rivals in races that will help determine control of Congress. The districts will be among the countrys marquee races in November. Two of the House members are trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support the former presidents impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it. Elsewhere Tuesday, former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is competing against several other Republicans for a chance to capture a new U.S. House district in western Montana. In Iowa, Republican state Sen. Zach Nunn won the GOP spot to take on the states lone Democratic House member, Rep. Cindy Axne, in a newly drawn district with a stronger GOP tilt. A look at key U.S. House races as polls closed across the country: Miss. congressman to face runoffRepublican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi is headed to a June 28 runoff. The congressman first elected in 2010 failed to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50% of the vote. His opponent will either be Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell, who is also campaigning on border security, or Clay Wagner, a retired banker who says he wants to limit taxation and regulation. A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated false allegations. Trump a factor in California GOP racesTwo Republican congressmen are facing challenges tied to Trump, but for different reasons. In a Democratic-tilting district in the states Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Republican Chris Mathys has made Valadaos vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him. In a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles, three Democrats are vying for the chance to take on Republican Rep. Mike Garcia, who captured the seat in 2020. Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot who was endorsed by Trump in 2020, joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trumps impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. Two other Republicans are also on the ballot. California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. Former Trump Cabinet member vies for seat Montana gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat. Zinkes rivals have been drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. One investigation determined Zinke lied to an agency ethics official about his continued involvement in a commercial real estate deal in his hometown. Hes faced a smear campaign over his military service from the extreme right wing of his party and questions about his residency following revelations that his wife declared a house in California as her primary residence. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, is widely considered the de facto incumbent, since he twice won elections for the states other House seat before stepping down in 2017 to join the Trump administration. His primary opponents include former state Sen. Al Doc Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a liberal insider. Three Democrats are vying for their partys nomination: public health advocate Cora Neumann, Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel and former state Rep. Tom Winter. Iowa Democratic House member faces fight A Republican state senator has captured the slot to take on Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a newly drawn district that appears more favorable for the GOP. Axne is the only Democrat in Iowas House delegation. State Sen. Zach Nunn easily outdistanced rivals Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry, to claim the GOP spot. Nunn, an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes, was the best known among the GOP contenders. In previous elections, Axne was elevated by her strong support in the Des Moines area, even as she struggled in rural counties that typically lean Republican. The new district includes several counties in southern Iowa known to turn out strongly for Republicans, increasing the pressure on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democrat-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs. GOP matchup for S.D. House seat Trump also is playing into the fight for South Dakotas lone House seat. GOP Rep. Dusty Johnson, a member of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, is facing a challenge from his political right from Republican state lawmaker Taffy Howard. She has echoed Trumps discredited claims of widespread voter fraud and criticized Johnson for voting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. Johnson, however, has maintained a wide fundraising edge. No Democrats are running, so the winner of the GOP primary will likely take the seat. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Legislation criticized by opponents as a vehicle for-profit water companies to take over municipal water authorities in Pennsylvania by imposing expensive regulations on them passed the Republican-controlled state Senate on Tuesday. Opponents also warned that the bill will precipitate ratepayer increases when water authorities must meet the new regulations or after they are forced to sell out to for-profit water companies. The bill passed, 27-23, with the backing of Senate Republican leadership. Opposition crossed party lines. The sponsor, Sen. Pat Stefano, R-Fayette, said the bill will create uniform safety, security and quality standards for all water and wastewater suppliers. The bill goes to the House. Under it, water systems must submit asset management plans to state regulators for approval within a year-and-a-half. The plans are designed to determine when equipment must be upgraded and must include a cybersecurity program that is developed by an accredited professional. During floor debate, one opponent, Sen. John Kean, D-Delaware, said the bill will make it easier for major water companies Pennsylvania subsidiaries of Aqua America and American Water backed the bill to take over municipal water companies, against the interests of rate payers. The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association wrote to senators in April, saying its members worry about a "significant increase in rates to the consumer. Because of the financial burden, this could force low-income communities to sell their rights to clean and reasonably priced water to private industry, the association wrote. In a statement, Pennsylvania American Water said the bill requires water and wastewater systems to adopt standard industry practices that benefit customers and taxpayers. Aqua Pennsylvania said the legislation improves water quality and makes utilities more accountable to their customers. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. TOKYO (AP) Japan on Wednesday criticized Russias announcement that it is suspending an agreement allowing Japanese to fish in waters near disputed islands, as relations between the countries deteriorate over the war in Ukraine. The fishing deal has been in place since 1998 and allows Japanese fishing boats to operate around the Russian-held Kurils, which Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories, in exchange for payments from Japan based on catch quotas and other conditions negotiated annually. Its suspension, apparently in response to Japans sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, raises concern about the safety of Japanese fishing boats in the area. Prior to the agreement, Russian authorities had seized and sometimes shot at Japanese boats. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said it was "regrettable that Russia one-sidedly announced it is suspending the cooperation in this manner. He criticized Moscow for blaming Japans failure to fund unrelated development projects on Sakhalin, Russia's largest island in the Pacific and not part of the territory claimed by Tokyo. Japan has provided development funds for Sakhalin for years as part of its efforts to improve ties with Russia. Matsuno acknowledged that Tokyo had not made its latest payment for the Sakhalin projects, but it wasnt immediately clear if it was related to the sanctions. Matsuno said Tokyo will pursue negotiations to ensure safe operations of Japanese boats under the pact. We will do our utmost to protect the safety of the Japanese fishing operation, he said. The area is a rich fishing ground for pollack, Okhotsk mackerel and octopus. The fishing safety pact is one of four fisheries agreements near the disputed waters. Negotiations on two others one involving Russian salmon and another seaweed were settled earlier this year, while a fourth deal to decide catch quotas in each others economic waters is set for December. The territorial dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities. Russia has already scrapped peace treaty negotiations with Japan in response to the sanctions. Also Wednesday, Japan's Defense Ministry said four suspected Russian fighter jets flew over the Sea of Japan toward Japanese airspace west of the island of Hokkaido on Tuesday night, causing Japan's Air Self-Defense Force to scramble its fighter jets. They did not violate Japanese airspace, the ministry said in a statement. Japan quickly joined the United States and Europe in imposing sanctions against Russia and providing support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion. It fears the crisis may embolden China to increase its assertiveness in the region. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Tulsa run of the Tony Award-winning revival of Oklahoma!, which was scheduled to be at the Tulsa PAC June 17-19, has been postponed. Officials with Celebrity Attractions and the Tulsa PAC made the announcement Wednesday, saying the decision came in light of the recent mass shooting at the Natalie Medical Building on the Saint Francis Health System campus. The new production, conceived and directed by Daniel Fish, gives the familiar story a darkly provocative tone, with unconventional casting, a stripped-down production and emphasis on the sex and violence that underlie this classic musical, including a graphic depiction of gun violence at the shows end. Celebrity Attractions and the Tulsa Performing Arts Center join the greater Tulsa community mourning the victims and the families of last weeks shooting, the statement reads. The upcoming tour production of Oklahoma! is regarded as a revelatory reimagining of our states most beloved musical. It is meant to hold a mirror up to modern American society, the statement reads. Prop guns are featured at various times throughout the production as a storytelling device. There are multiple instances of gunfire in the production, and the show concludes with a graphic depiction of gun violence. The recent spate of mass shootings throughout the country, and the raw emotions those tragedies have engendered, prompted the difficult decision to postpone. While we believe it is our responsibility as a Broadway presenter to inspire and challenge audiences through our programming, we also recognize that many in our community are still grieving a terrible tragedy, the statement reads. It is our hope to bring this production and the conversations it creates to Tulsa at a later date. Oklahoma! was adapted in 1943 by composer Richard Rodgers and writer Oscar Hammerstein II from the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Claremore native Lynn Riggs. It revolutionized American musical theater with the way it incorporated the shows songs and dances into the narrative, which at heart is a simple story of two men a cowboy and a farm laborer vying for the opportunity to take a young woman to a party. Hammerstein credited Riggs play as the well-spring of almost all that is good in Oklahoma! Fishs production, which made few changes to the shows book and lyrics, mirrors the darker, more melodramatic tone of Green Grow the Lilacs. Kristin Dotson, Celebrity Attractions president, said: We have been faced with many difficult decisions over the last couple of years. This was no exception. All of the parties involved agreed it was the right thing to do. We have incredible support and understanding from the producers of Oklahoma!, from their marketing team and from the Tulsa PAC to the sensitivities of our market in light of recent events, Dotson said. This award-winning production of Oklahoma! challenges audiences in new and sometimes shocking ways which can be exciting if the timing is right. We recognize that now is not the right time for Tulsa. Tickets will be automatically refunded from the point of purchase and should be completed within the next 30 days. 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. As soon as a menu was presented to me during a recent visit to Il Seme, I knew the first thing to order was the arancini. Arancini are balls of rice, often made with leftover risotto and filled with cheese (although meats and vegetables can also be used), which have been breaded and fried until golden brown. At Il Seme, they come filled with ground lamb or mozzarella cheese. We opted for the cheese-stuffed version ($7), which arrived at the table in a small bowl, and sitting atop a few generous spoonfuls of a tomato sauce. The exterior crust was very thin, and very crisp, the rice it surrounded was perfectly cooked firm to the tooth without being crunchy and the cheese was gooey and stretchy, as good mozzarella should be. The arancini come two to an order, and my companion and I were quite happy to split the order. What we came close to fighting over, however, was the sauce. It was deeply, richly flavored, and we were so taken with the taste and trying to figure out all the things that might have gone into creating it that we did everything but lick the bowl clean to get every drop. Its a story that makes Lisa Becklund and Linda Ford, the co-owners of Il Seme, laugh heartily. Its funny because that sauce uses just a few ingredients, said Becklund, who also is the restaurants chef. Its just tomatoes, garlic, oil and salt. Those tomatoes, however, are authentic San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy and give whatever dish in which they are used a unique depth of flavor that most domestic tomatoes cant even dream of attaining. Il Seme, which is Italian for seed, is the third concept Becklund and Ford have created. They also run the James Beard Award-nominated Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy in Depew, as well as its urban variant, FarmBar, which was the Tulsa Worlds best new restaurant of 2020. The seed for Il Seme was planted in the wake of misfortune. FarmBar was one of the businesses affected when a neighboring restaurant, Burn Co. BBQ, was destroyed by fire earlier this year. Ford said at first it appeared as if the FarmBar location had not suffered extensive damage, but as repair work began, more issues were discovered. We thought we were going to be able to open relatively soon, and that just wasnt going to be the case, Ford said. Becklund said they were approached by Jackie Price, whose Price family owns a number of downtown buildings, about taking over the space that had been the home of Lassalles New Orleans Deli. It was kind of like a restaurant fairy tale, Ford said, laughing. Everything about getting this place opened just seemed to fall into place inspections, licensing, all the things that usually take forever. We also had a seasoned, well-trained staff with us, which made it easier as well. If we had had to start from scratch, I dont know how long it would take to get open. Jordan Hawley, who previously worked as sous chef and chef de cuisine at Amelias Wood-Fire Grill, is the executive chef at Il Seme. When Lisa first approached me about this idea, I could see her enthusiasm and passion for this concept, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it, Hawley said. Becklund has become famous for the farm-to-table dinners she creates at Living Kitchen, focusing almost exclusively on ingredients from Oklahoma producers. She said Il Seme has that same philosophy, in that most of the meats, vegetables and dairy products used are locally sourced. However, some items those tomatoes, for example, as well as some cheeses, dried pastas and the flours used to make the fresh pastas are imported from Italy. This really is where I live, Becklund said of Italian cuisine. Before moving to Oklahoma, she was chef of an acclaimed Seattle restaurant specializing in southern Italian cuisine. Here we are following the rules of Italian cooking, some which go back centuries, but we are also adapting them to reflect this region of Oklahoma, just as Italian food reflects the regions where it is prepared, Becklund said. The menu at Il Seme has five categories: Antipasto (appetizers), Insalata e Vedura (salad and vegetables), Primi (pastas), Secondi (entrees) and Dolce (desserts). Along with the arancini, we sampled the fried olives stuffed with ground pork ($9) as an appetizer, with the mellow pork balancing the briny tang of the olives, followed by two salads, the Insalata simplice ($9) and the Cavofiori arrosto ($9). The simple salad was just that lettuce, shaved radishes in a lemony dressing while the other featured lightly roasted purple cauliflower along with toasted slices of garlic, plump golden raisins and chopped pecans that mixed the sweet and savory, the earthy and tangy. Our pasta choices were the fettuccini Bolognese ($17) and the linguini Vongole ($18). The Bolognese sauce was surprisingly light, and the ribbons of fresh pasta were not swimming in excess sauce. The linguini, which started out as dried pasta, was a perfect al dente, and complimented with a light, lemony sauce, a topping of toasted breadcrumbs to add texture, and good portion of fresh, tender clams. For the entree, we chose the Pollo arrosto ($28 for two), a half chicken from Grass Roots Farms rubbed with garlic and herbs, and served over roasted spring vegetables. A good roast chicken is hard to beat, and the dark meat was juicy and flavorful and actually tasted like chicken. The white meat, unfortunately, was bone-dry (the leftovers did make for a decent chicken salad the next day). The big surprise of the dish was the roasted vegetables, and the items we at first thought were tiny potatoes were, in fact, baby turnips, which were creamy and sweet. The desserts more than made up for any deficiencies with the entree. The rose panna cotta ($7) was silky smooth, with the faint rose flavor in the custard balanced by the bright tartness of the fresh strawberries. And the strawberry Pavlova ($8) was divine a thin, crisp meringue shell over lightly sweetened whipped cream and delicate lemon curd. The interior has been done over with a deep, cool blue for the foundation color. The atmosphere is casually elegant, although with all the hard surfaces, it can get a little loud. Our server, Ella, was friendly and efficient, and paced the meal well. One thing weve noticed in the relatively short time weve been open is that a lot of our guests are following the menu, trying something from each category, Hawley said. On the other hand, we also have people who come in just for a bowl of pasta, and thats perfectly fine, too. 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. ST. LOUIS (AP) After a record-setting Midwestern rainstorm that damaged thousands of homes and businesses, Stefanie Johnsons farmhouse in Blandinsville, Illinois, didnt have safe drinking water for nearly two months. Flood water poured into her well, turning the water a muddy brown and forcing Johnson, her husband and their two young children to use store-bought supplies. Even after sediment cleared, testing found bacteria including E. coli, which can cause diarrhea. The family boiled water for drinking and cooking. The YMCA was a refuge for showers. I was pretty strict with the kids, said Johnson, who works with a private well protection program at the local health department. Id pour bottled water on their toothbrushes. Though estimates vary, roughly 53 million U.S. residents about 17% of the population rely on private wells, according to a study conducted in part by Environmental Protection Agency researchers. Most live in rural areas. But others are in subdivisions near fast-growing metro regions or otherwise beyond the reach of public water pipes. While many private wells provide safe water, the absence of regulation and treatment afforded by larger municipal systems may expose some users to health risks, from bacteria and viruses to chemicals and lead, studies have found. Risks are elevated after flooding or heavy rainfall, when animal and human feces, dirt, nutrients such as nitrogen and other contaminants can seep into wells. And experts say the threat is growing as the warming climate fuels more intense rainstorms and stronger and wetter hurricanes. Areas that hadn't been impacted are now. New areas are getting flooded, said Kelsey Pieper, a Northeastern University professor of environmental engineering. We know the environment is shifting and we're playing catch-up, trying to increase awareness. Pieper is among scientists conducting well testing and education programs in storm-prone areas. After Hurricane Harvey caused widespread flooding along the Texas coast in 2017, sampling of more than 8,800 wells in 44 counties found average E. coli levels nearly three times higher than normal, she said. Sampling of 108 wells in Mississippi following Hurricane Ida in 2021 produced a similar bump in E. coli readings. Other studies turned up higher levels in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018. The following year, above-average snowfall and a March storm unleashed flooding in Nebraska. Levees and dams were breached. Fremont, a city of more than 25,000, turned into an island when the nearby Platte and Elkhorn rivers overflowed. The municipal system continued to supply drinking water but some nearby private wells were damaged or contaminated. Julie Hindmarsh's farm was flooded for three days, and it took months to make the well water drinkable again. At times, the cleanup crew wore protective suits. They didnt know what was in that floodwater, she said. CONTAMINATION RISK Groundwater is often a cleaner source than surface supplies because soil can provide a protective buffer, said Heather Murphy, an epidemiologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. But she said that can give well owners a false sense of security, leading them to forgo testing, maintenance and treatment. There's a big misconception that it's underground, therefore it's safe, said Murphy, who estimates 1.3 million cases of acute gastrointestinal illness in the U.S. are caused annually by drinking untreated water from private wells. Old, poorly maintained wells are especially vulnerable to floodwaters entering through openings at the top. It just runs right in and its full of bacteria, said Steven Wilson, a well expert at the University of Illinois. It doesnt always take a flood or hurricane to pollute wells. Industrial contamination can reach them by seeping into groundwater. Around 1,000 residential wells in Michigans Kent County were tainted for decades with toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in landfill sludge from footwear company Wolverine World Wide. The pollution, discovered in 2017, spurred lawsuits and a $69.5 million settlement with the state that extended city water lines to affected houses. We thought we were getting this pristine, straight-from-nature water and it would be much better for us, said Sandy Wynn-Stelt, who has lived across from one of the dump sites since the early 1990s. She said tests detected high levels of PFAS chemicals in her water and blood, leaving her fearful to drink or even brush her teeth with well water. In a suit later settled, she blamed the contamination for her husbands 2016 death from liver cancer. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer four years later. LITTLE REGULATION FOR WELL OWNERS While many well owners dont have the option of hooking up to a public water system, others are happy with well water. They might favor the taste or want to avoid monthly bills and government regulation. What I hear from people is freedom, said Jesse Campbell, private well coordinator for the Midwest Assistance Program Inc., which addresses rural water needs. Private well owners are responsible for them. While public water systems must meet federal safety standards, those rules dont apply to wells that have fewer than 15 connections or serve fewer than 25 people. State and local standards usually involve only construction and design, although some states set tougher rules. New Jersey requires water quality testing before sales of property with private wells. Rhode Island requires testing when new wells are built and when property with a well is sold. But many states rely on public outreach and voluntary action to protect private well users. Theres an overall lack of education, Campbell said. He meets with well owners from Montana to Missouri, providing free inspections and advice. A lot of harm can be prevented if owners make sure the well's top keeps out debris and that the pump is turned off before a storm to keep out floodwaters. Experts recommend testing after a flood and decontaminating wells with chlorine if a problem is found. People arent regularly testing, said Riley Mulhern, an environmental engineer at the research group RTI International. Indianas health department offers testing for bacteria, lead, copper, fluoride and other contaminants. Some land-grant universities and private labs provide similar services. While many owners know how to maintain their wells, others ignore problems even if the water isnt sanitary. Water that tastes fine can still be contaminated. I wish I had a nickel for everyone who's walked into a workshop and said, Ive been drinking this water forever and it's fine,' said Jason Barrett, who directs a Mississippi State University program that educates well owners. It provides free testing. But where such assistance isn't available, costs can run to a few hundred dollars, according to experts. Some owners avoid testing because they are concerned it will reveal an expensive problem. Johnson, the Illinois resident whose well was fouled by the 2013 downpour that killed four people and caused $465 million in flood damage, paid about $3,500 for repairs and upgrades. Luckily, none of us became ill, she said. Even ordinary rainstorms can carry diseases into groundwater, said Mark Borchardt, a microbiologist formerly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A lot of times people say, Well, no one got sick,' Borchardt said. It's hard to see when people get sick unless it is a huge outbreak." Bea and Neil Jobe live in Primm Springs, Tennessee, an hours drive from Nashville. Several times a year, when there is heavy rain and a nearby creek floods, their well water turns dingy," Bea Jobe said. The discoloration disappears after a few days but Jobe takes precautions such as keeping bottled water available. I guess Im used to it, she said. Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan. On Twitter follow Phillis @mjphillis and Flesher @JohnFlesher The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/environment Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. MONROE, La. (AP) Former U.S. Rep. John Cooksey, who served three terms representing Louisiana in the House and treated thousands as an eye surgeon, has died at the age of 80. Cooksey, a Republican who served the 5th District from 1997 to 2003, died Saturday. A cause of death has not been released. Louisiana has lost a selfless and dedicated public servant, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, a Republican from Start, said in a statement. During his three terms representing the 5th District in Congress, John Cooksey was a tireless advocate for our region, communities, and people." Letlow's late husband, Luke, worked for Cooksey as his driver while he attended Louisiana Tech University. Ill always be grateful to John Cooksey for giving my late husband Luke his start in politics, instilling a love for the work of Congress in an eager young country boy from Start. For me, he was more than a predecessor; he was a trusted mentor, confidant and friend, the congresswoman said. Gov. John Bel Edwards said he will order flags to fly at half-staff the day of Cookseys funeral, plans for which were pending, The News-Star reported. He said Cooksey leaves behind a long legacy of service to our state and nation that will not soon be forgotten. He has helped and inspired countless young people and worked hard to improve life for others. He served his country and his community in every way he could, from the Air Force to Congress to his medical practice as an ophthalmologist, Edwards said. Cooksey, whose medical practice was based in Monroe, was born in Alexandria and graduated from LaSalle High School in Olla, where his father operated a sawmill, according to his biography. He earned his ophthalmology degree from the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans and earned his MBA from the University of Texas. Cooksey served in the U.S. Air Force, where he was stationed in Texas and Thailand. He also volunteered in the mission field in East Africa, where he provided health care for six years and helped found an eye clinic in Kenya. His race for Congress in 1996 was his first run for public office. He beat Democratic state Rep. Francis Thompson of Delhi in a runoff for the seat. Doc was always looking for ways to help folks with their challenges whether he knew them or not, Camp Kaufman, who helped run Cookseys first two congressional campaigns and served as his communications director, told the newspaper. He wasnt that way just when he was a member of Congress, he was also that way as a member of the community. Theres a hole in a lot of peoples hearts. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The News-Star. A Tulsa man will serve 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in an October hit-and-run crash that killed a dispatch supervisor, a Tulsa County judge ruled this week. Codey Carrell, 28, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter during the commission of a misdemeanor, leaving the scene of a fatal collision, failure to carry insurance and speeding in the Oct. 5, 2021, crash that killed Mary Byers at Admiral Boulevard and Utica Avenue. Prosecutors alleged that Carrell ran a stop light, T-boned Byers vehicle and fled the scene. He reportedly later turned himself in to police. District Judge Michelle Keely ordered Carrell to serve two 10-year sentences in Oklahoma Department of Corrections custody and two 30-day sentences in the Tulsa County jail, all to run concurrently and with credit for time served and earned. Carrell must serve at least 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole; he must also register as a violent offender. Byers, 53, served the Tulsa community for 26 years as a 911 call taker, dispatcher and supervisor, Tulsa police said in a social media post at the time. She began her career as a 911 dispatcher on Aug. 30, 1995, and was promoted to 911 supervisor in November 2017, police wrote. She was remembered for her work ethic and accessibility to others on all shifts over the years, but her last assignment was overnight on graveyard shift, the post stated. Mary was a happy and upbeat person who loved her family and was a good friend to many, the post said. She had a keen sense of humor and was never afraid to speak her mind. She was a bright light to all those who knew her. She will be deeply missed by her 911 family, and we are forever grateful for her service. Carrell remained in the Tulsa County jail on Wednesday. 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. With case numbers trending upward, health experts fear that vulnerable Oklahomans who have not yet obtained a second COVID booster shot are putting themselves at risk for serious illness. I dont have specific data about how many people in Oklahoma who are eligible for the (second booster) have actually received it. But we are concerned that the percentage is quite low, said Dr. Aaron Wendelboe, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health. Wendelboe, who spoke this week as part of a Healthier Oklahoma Coalition virtual panel, added, Unless your health care provider recommends otherwise, its really recommended that you go and get that (second booster). In its most recent advisory two weeks ago, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strengthened its recommendation for the second booster, strongly advising all adults ages 50 and older and anyone 12 and older whos immunocompromised to get the shot if four or more months have passed since their first booster shot. Along with a steady increase in cases nationally over the past month, the CDC cited as concerning a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. The CDC noted that while older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group through first booster doses, in most cases they received their last dose many months ago. Ellen Niemitalo, Tulsa Health Department manager of clinic services, said THD is following CDC guidance and recommends that anyone who is in either of those two categories get a second booster. The booster is really intended to just boost the individuals immune response, she said. Niemitalo added that COVID case rates in Tulsa County have increased but that, thankfully, hospitalizations and deaths have not. Vaccination is an important tool for keeping it that way, she said, as new variants emerge and the health community shifts its focus more to preventing serious illness and death. Why many older Oklahomans might not have followed up with the second booster yet is anyones guess, the Healthy Oklahoma Coalition panelists said. With many of my own patients, its that theyve just simply forgotten that they need to do it. Its more common than you think, said Dr. Jean Hausheer, leader of the coalitions COVID-19 Task Force. Also, after theyve gotten the first two vaccine doses, people can become overconfident, Dr. George Diaz said. They think they should be fine, and thats not the case. Vaccine effectiveness wanes over time, said Diaz, division chief of medicine at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in Everett, Washington. Right now, what were seeing is that usually about four months after a booster you start seeing significant waning of effectiveness. And by about 150 days, you may actually not have much protection at all. Wendelboe said theres been confusion about vaccine effectiveness due to the fact that many vaccinated and boosted people are still getting the Omicron variant. One thing to keep in mind is when we talk about effective against, sometimes were talking about effectiveness against infection, hospitalization and death. And the main point is that these boosters are effective at preventing hospitalization and death, he said. So some people will say, I might still get infected. Well, that might be true, but itll keep you out of the hospital, especially if youre in those higher risk vulnerable groups. The boosters do work, Diaz added. Wendelboe said hes sympathetic to people who just want to put COVID behind them and move on. And theres something to be said about moving on, he said. At the same time, if we completely ignore it, when you forget about public health, that virus can spread unchecked in a community. For more information or to schedule a free COVID vaccination, go to the Tulsa Health Department website at tulsa-health.org or call 918-582-9355. Featured video: Do you have long COVID? Here are some symptoms Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Muskogee man who gunned down his Tulsa doctor and three others before killing himself last week lived in New Jersey before moving to Oklahoma, according to published reports and records here. Michael Louis, 45, lived in New Jersey before moving to Oklahoma in about 2014, according to state records and a published report in the Newark, N.J., Star-Ledger. Police said Louis bought a semi-automatic rifle just hours before he killed Dr. Preston Phillips, 59; Dr. Stephanie Husen, 48; Amanda Glenn, 40; and William Love, 73, on the campus of Saint Francis Health System in Tulsa. No others were shot by Louis, according to Tulsa Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg. Louis blamed Phillips for his ongoing back pain after undergoing a recent surgery by Phillips, according to police. Public records related to Louis are scant. However, one notable public record is of his ex-wifes call to 911 after Louis had just told her in a frantic phone call that he had killed several people, according to audio obtained by the Tulsa World. I forget what all that he said but I heard the killing part, and I heard (the) Dr. Phillips part, and then he hung up on me, Dr. Edith Lubin told a Cherokee County deputy after dialing 911. And I cant reach him after that. Lubin added that she tried to call her ex-husbands doctors office, too. Oklahoma voter records indicate that Louis registered to vote Oct. 22, 2014, at an address in the 3300 block of Park Place North in Muskogee. The house is the residence related to a bomb threat just after the Tulsa mass shooting occurred, according to Muskogee police. Muskogee County Clerks Office records indicate that Lubin, who is a medical doctor, alone purchased the house at Park Place North on Feb. 12, 2014. Lubin and Louis both registered to vote at that address the same year. Lubin, who police say wasnt aware of Louis plans to carry out the slayings in advance, said Louis had told her to check under the pillow perhaps what prompted the bomb threat. The Star-Ledger, quoting an older brother, reported that Louis has been known as Michelet Louis-Baptiste. The older brother said Louis followed him as a youth from Haiti to the United States, where he studied computing at Bloomfield College in New Jersey, according to the Star-Ledger. While the paper did not name Lubin, the brother told the Star-Ledger that Louis married a Haitian doctor he met in New Jersey, later noting that he didnt think they were still married. The brother said he never knew Louis to be violent or to own a gun, saying he last spoke to him about two months ago. Lubin, in her 911 call, expressed a similar sentiment only in that she wasnt aware of Louis ever having a mental disorder. Ive never known him to have a psychiatric disorder, so I really hope not, she said in response to whether she thought Louis might have gone to Phillips office. Police said Louis, a patient of Phillips, had recently been treated for continuing back pain following a May 19 surgery. Police Chief Wendell Franklin said last week that Lubin confirmed with police that he blamed Phillips for his ongoing pain issues after being discharged May 24 following his surgery. Franklin said Phillips saw Louis the day before Louis rampage for a follow-up visit and that a letter found on Louis body after his death made clear that he intended to kill his doctor and anyone who got in his way. Lubin told the Cherokee County deputy that she had no idea where Louis might be. I was hoping that you could help me find him, too, because Im worried about him, Lubin said. He had surgery on the 19th, and he sounds hysterical, and he just said like a couple sentences and then hung up. Louis was previously arrested on misdemeanor complaints in Wagoner County; the undated mugshot was provided by the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office after the shooting in Tulsa. 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. Curtis Killman Staff Writer I'm a member of the Projects Team with an emphasis on database analysis. I also cover federal court news, maintain the Tulsa World database page and develop online interactive graphics. Phone: 918-581-8471 Follow Curtis Killman 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 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The Pennsylvania House voted unanimously on Wednesday to erase the word homosexuality from the definition of prohibited sexual acts in the state Crimes Code. The 198-0 vote was on a bill to clean up language that supporters said does not belong there because homosexuality is not a crime. This bill provides a long overdue update to our crimes code to ensure nobody is prosecuted because of who they love," said the sponsor, Rep. Todd Stephens, R-Montgomery. "Eliminating this archaic language will also help promote a culture of acceptance and inclusion for our LGBTQ community across Pennsylvania. Under prostitution," state law currently defines sexual activity so that it includes homosexual and other deviate sexual relations. Under the bill that was sent to the state Senate, that definition instead includes sexual intercourse and deviate sexual intercourse ... and any touching on the sexual or other intimate parts of an individual for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire of either person. Rep. Dan Frankel, an Allegheny County Democrat who has long fought to expand nondiscrimination protections to LGBTQ people, said the current law's language is cruel and absurd. In this General Assembly, sadly, it's a huge lift to merely agree that being gay shouldn't be illegal, Frankel said, urging members to move on anti-discrimination legislation. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, said under existing law state residents are vulnerable to losing their jobs or homes simply because of who they are and who they love. I hope that we have these same votes for enshrining nondiscrimination protections, which we sorely need to do, Kenyatta said. The bill also cuts homosexuality from the definition of sexual conduct in a section on obscene and other sexual materials and performances." Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. LOS ANGELES (AP) U.S. House battles took shape in heavily Democratic California that could tip the balance of power in Congress, while former Trump administration Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was in a tight match to claim the Republican nomination for a new House seat in Montana. In Mississippi, two Republican congressmen were forced into runoffs to keep their seats. Rep. Steven Palazzo had been dogged by ethics questions over his campaign spending, while Rep. Michael Guest faced a challenger who criticized his vote on a proposal to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Primary elections across seven states Tuesday set up November contests in dozens of races, as Democrats look to protect the party's fragile majority in the House. In a diverse district anchored in California's Orange County, Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, a South Korean immigrant, will face Democrat Jay Chen. The district, which includes the nations largest Vietnamese American community, is widely considered a toss-up. In other districts in the nation's most populous state, two Republican House members were trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support Trump's impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it. A look at results in key U.S. House races Tuesday: BATTLEGROUND CALIFORNIA: TRUMP HISTORY LOOMS IN KEY DISTRICTS In 2020, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia won a narrow victory in a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles. The former Navy fighter pilot was endorsed by Trump that year, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trumps impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. That record will be a focus for Democrat Christy Smith, who earned a chance for a rematch with Garcia, after losing two years ago. In a Democratic-tilting district in the states Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Early returns showed him holding an edge over Republican Chris Mathys, who made Valadaos vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him. The winner will face Democrat Rudy Salas, a state legislator. California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. In the Central Valley, Republican Connie Conway won a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Devin Nunes, who resigned to head Trumps media company. TWO MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSMEN FORCED INTO RUNOFFS A pair of GOP congressmen in Mississippi are headed to June 28 runoffs. U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, first elected in 2010, will face Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell after failing to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50% of the vote. A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated false allegations. In another Mississippi district, U.S. Rep. Michael Guest will face former Navy pilot Michael Cassidy in a district that cuts through parts of central Mississippi. Cassidy criticized Guest for being in the minority of Republicans who voted to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a group that would have been separate from the congressional committee now conducting the investigation. Cassidy also says on his website that President Joe Biden should be impeached. FORMER TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SEEKS RETURN TRIP TO WASHINGTON Montana gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat. Zinke's rivals have been drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. One investigation determined Zinke lied to an agency ethics official about his continued involvement in a commercial real estate deal in his hometown. Hes faced a smear campaign over his military service from the extreme right wing of his party and questions about his residency following revelations that his wife declared a house in California as her primary residence. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and former Montana congressman, was in a tight race Wednesday against former state Sen. Al Doc Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a liberal insider. The results of the race were being delayed because of ballot printing errors that forced officials in one county to count votes by hand. The winner will face Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel, a Democrat, in the general election. IOWA'S SOLE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBER FACES A TOUGH FIGHT A Republican state senator has captured the slot to take on Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a newly drawn district that appears more favorable for the GOP. Axne is the only Democrat in Iowa's House delegation. State Sen. Zach Nunn easily outdistanced rivals Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry, to claim the GOP spot. Nunn, an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes, was the best known among the GOP contenders. In previous elections, Axne was elevated by her strong support in the Des Moines area, even as she struggled in rural counties that typically lean Republican. The new district includes several counties in southern Iowa known to turn out strongly for Republicans, increasing the pressure on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democrat-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs. REMATCH COMING IN NEW JERSEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND In what could be New Jerseys most closely watched contest in the fall, Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr. won their primaries, setting up a rematch of their closely contested 2020 race. Malinowski, a State Department official in the Obama administration, is seeking a third term as his party faces headwinds heading into the general election. His district added more Republican-leaning towns during redistricting, making his reelection bid potentially more difficult. Another complicating factor is an ethics investigation hes facing over stock transactions in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the pandemic response. A report from the Office of Congressional Ethics said the board found substantial reason to believe he failed to properly disclose or report his stock transactions. Malinowski said his failure to initially disclose the transactions was a mistake that I own 100%. He said he didnt direct or even ask questions about trades made by his brokerage firm. Kean, a former state Senate minority leader and the son of the former two-term Republican governor, said in a tweet that he was humbled by his victory and looks forward to seizing the seat in November. SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN BEATS BACK CHALLENGE FROM POLITICAL RIGHT U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota won his states GOP primary contest as he runs for a third term. Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard, who tried to run to his right. He is set for reelection in November because no other candidate has entered the race. Howard repeated Trumps lies that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election and attacked Johnson for certifying the electoral college vote. While Johnson touted his conservative voting record during the primary contest, the congressman has also worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Johnson drew attacks from a pro-Trump political action committee called Drain the DC Swamp, which spent $500,000 trying to knock him from the House. Associated Press writers Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Miss.; Matthew Brown in Billings, Mont.; Mike Catalini in Trenton, N.J.; and Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report. Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Two incumbent congressmen in Mississippi won party primaries Tuesday, and two are headed to June 28 runoffs. 1ST DISTRICT Republican Rep. Trent Kelly will face Democrat Dianne Black in the Nov. 8 general election in north Mississippi's 1st Congressional District. Kelly defeated Mark D. Strauss in the GOP primary. Kelly won a 2015 special election to Congress after serving as district attorney for several counties in north Mississippi. He was endorsed in Tuesdays primary by former President Donald Trump. Strauss has a picket fence near his home painted with slogans including Trump Won and COVID tests are poison. Black, a business owner, defeated another first-time candidate, Hunter Avery. Black says she wants to expand access to health care and fight climate change. 2ND DISTRICT Mississippi's lone Democrat in Washington, Rep. Bennie Thompson, defeated one primary opponent. Jerry Kerner ran a low-budget campaign and called Thompson a gullible follower of the anti-American House leadership. The Republican primary will go to a runoff between two military veterans, Brian Flowers and Ronald Eller. Thompson is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and co-chairman of a committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Thompson has been in Congress since winning a 1993 special election. The 2nd District now encompasses most of western Mississippi and much of the metro Jackson area. Flowers lost to Thompson in 2020 and now says Thompson is trying to intimidate American patriots by investigating the activities of Jan. 6, 2021. Eller campaigned on free enterprise and limited government. The other 2nd District Republican primary candidates were Michael Carson, a diesel mechanic who cited former President Ronald Reagan as a role model, and Stanford Johnson, a truck driver who advocated congressional term limits. 3RD DISTRICT Two-term Rep. Michael Guest and Former Navy pilot Michael Cassidy are headed to a Republican primary runoff in central Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. Shuwaski A. Young was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He will be on the general election ballot. Guest was first elected to Congress in 2018 after serving as a district attorney in Rankin and Madison counties. He has campaigned on supporting border security and gun rights Cassidy criticizes Guest for being in the minority of Republicans who voted to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a group that would have been separate from the congressional committee now conducting the investigation. Also in the 3rd District Republican primary was Thomas B. Griffin, a business owner who said he wanted to put Christian values into schools. 4TH DISTRICT Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo will face Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell in a runoff. The Republican nominee will advance to the general election ballot to face Democrat Johnny L. DuPree and a Libertarian candidate, Alden Patrick Young. Palazzo is a military veteran who was first elected to Congress when he defeated a Democratic incumbent in 2010. This year, he faced his largest-ever field of challengers, with six other candidates in the GOP primary. A 2021 report by the office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo had abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother, and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. Palazzo declined to fully participate in the investigation, but his spokeswoman at the time, Colleen Kennedy, said the it was based on false allegations made by an opponent in a previous primary. Its an honor to serve south Mississippi, and its something I do not take for granted," Palazzo said in a statement late Tuesday. "Im grateful for our supporters and volunteers who worked hard in this election and who will work hard to help us over the next three weeks. We now turn our attention to the run-off, and we will not be out-worked." Ezell said in a statement that Tuesday's results show most voters in the district want change. The issues are serious, the stakes are high and we now have a clear choice about who can best represent South Mississippi in Congress, Ezell said Wednesday. Now more than ever, we need someone with firsthand law enforcement experience in Congress. In this runoff election, theres a big difference between the candidates in terms of record, experience and work ethic." Also challenging Palazzo for the Republican nomination were Carl Boyanton, a former produce business owner who lost to Palazzo in the 2020 GOP primary and filed the complaint that prompted the ethics investigation of the congressman; Raymond N. Brooks, who has been a Gulfport police officer and said he wants to strengthen border security; Kidron Peterson, a machinist who said he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.; Clay Wagner, a retired banker who said he wants to limit taxation and regulation; and state Sen. Brice Wiggins, who campaigned on border security and has worked to expand access to early childhood education programs. In the Democratic primary, DuPree defeated David Sellers. DuPree is a former Hattiesburg mayor and was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2011. Sellers is a minister who advocated increasing the minimum wage and ending mass incarceration. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. OKLAHOMA CITY An internal auditor at the state agency that oversees $2.7 billion in real estate and other investments to support public education was fired less than a week after looking into conflict of interest concerns raised by another top employee about their boss, a gubernatorial appointee. Erin Morgan, who worked at the Commissioners of the Land Office for eight years, formally challenged her Jan. 11 termination by CLO Secretary Elliot Chambers as unlawful or unreasonable. While the Tulsa World was denied access to Morgans formal complaint to the state, the World was able to use the Oklahoma Open Records Act to obtain another record from the CLO showing that the matter was ultimately resolved when Chambers and Morgan signed off on a settlement agreement labeled confidential, forbidding either party from disparaging the other. But after her termination and before the settlement, Morgan took the conflict of interest concerns she had documented from CLOs director of commercial real estate holdings directly to two statewide elected officials who are members of the commission that oversees the CLO: State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister and State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd. The primary concern reported to Morgan in early December concerned a company called Victorum Capital, which was being paid by the CLO as a consultant on investments. Morgan reported being told that CLO Secretary Chambers had an existing, personal investment relationship with Victorum, and that relationship had never been disclosed to the five commissioners of the Land Office. The CLO board is chaired by Gov. Kevin Stitt, and Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell and Agriculture Secretary Blayne Arthur also serve as members. In February, Morgan hand-delivered to Hofmeister and Byrd the documents and notes that the World obtained through a public records request to Hofmeisters office. In her notes, Morgan wrote that in light of the conflict of interest concerns reported to her, it struck her as odd at a Dec. 16 meeting of the commissioners when the state auditor voted no on two items: a new investment plan to allow for direct investments or non-marketable securities and an expansion of Victorums role at CLO to also manage those direct investments. A director in the agency had gone to Morgan and questioned that expanded role because it would mean essentially that Victorum Capital would be monitoring itself. Morgan was fired less than a week after she initially approached Chambers in early January about the concerns. She claims that he acknowledged to her that he pays to participate in Victorum Capitals investment club and that it makes investments on his behalf. I asked him if he saw it as a conflict of interest that he conducted business with Victorum and still conducts business with Victorum outside of the CLO. He stated no, Morgan wrote in the notes she shared with Hofmeister. He was extremely angry and stated that he was alarmed that I was taking this path of questions. He stated that he was offended and that what I was saying was that he was doing the nefarious activities that he was a crook and a bad guy. Morgan wrote that she told Chambers it was her job to assess risks to the agency. When asked if she was conducting an inquiry, she said she told Chambers she was just gathering information ahead of an upcoming CLO Audit Committee meeting in case it was something that I needed to bring to their attention. Public records show that the CLO attorney notified Hofmeisters office on Jan. 11 that Morgans employment had been terminated and that therefore the CLO Internal Audit Committee meeting scheduled for the next day, Jan. 12, had to be canceled. Chambers and Morgan both declined to be interviewed, with Morgans attorney citing the confidentiality agreement. However, the Tulsa World was able to obtain as a public record the March 15 settlement agreement signed by Chambers and Morgan. In exchange for releasing the state from any wrongdoing, Morgan was reinstated temporarily and on administrative leave so that she could become fully vested in her public employee retirement account, agreeing to resign on May 1. She was to receive back pay plus a lump sum payment of about $25,000 from the state, and, additionally, the state was to pay her attorney a lump sum of $15,000. Hofmeister said the commission overseeing the CLO was never informed about the deal and that she is advocating for changes to ensure that the commission has access to the work of the agencys internal watchdog employees moving forward. The concerns raised by the internal auditor are alarming and need to be investigated thoroughly, Hofmeister told the World on Thursday morning. As for the termination and the circumstances surrounding it, we need to take concrete steps to ensure that matters involving the work and employment of an internal auditor are reported to the Commission. Chambers also declined to answer questions about his personal ties and investments with companies doing business with the CLO. But a spokesman said Chambers has disclosed any such relationships to the agencys in-house attorney. The Secretary acted with advice of counsel and the commission in all matters relating to direct investments and will continue to do so when appropriate, said David White, director of communications and legislative affairs at CLO. Vote questioned That Dec. 16 commission vote to approve a new investment plan recommended by Secretary Chambers is the subject of ongoing controversy. With only three of five members present, the vote was 2-1, with Stitt and Pinnell voting for it and Byrd voting against it. When the item was declared to have been approved, Byrd, the state auditor, objected immediately, stating that she interpreted the absence of two other commissioners as two automatic nay votes, official minutes from the meeting state. After the governors attorney researched the issue and consulted with the CLOs staff attorney, it was declared again that the new investment plan passed by a majority of the members present. A subsequent vote was also 2-1 to expand Victorums role at the CLO, another action recommended by Chambers. Consulted by the World about historical voting practices at CLO, former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, said a 2-1 vote would mean a CLO agenda item failed and any related contract would be void and subject to a taxpayer lawsuit if any money was paid on it. Oklahomas Republican former State Auditor Gary Jones, who served as a CLO Commission member, agreed with Edmondsons assessment that any 2-1 votes should have been declared to have failed. He said a majority of members must vote in the affirmative, not a majority of those present. You have five members for a reason, Jones said. The commission didnt meet again until February, and at that time, Hofmeister objected to the adoption of official minutes from the Dec. 16 meeting as an accurate and lawful account because she disagreed that a motion carried with two votes in the affirmative and one vote against. According to the official account of that February meeting, Hofmeister asked that the CLO consider requesting an attorney generals opinion to clarify the matter in the future. But she was informed in late March by the CLOs attorney that Chambers has no plans to seek such an opinion. On May 27, Hofmeister submitted her own formal request for a legal opinion on the matter to Attorney General John OConnor, also an appointee of Gov. Stitt. Controversial start According to data requested from the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services, the CLO has seen the turnover of 56% of its 57 full-time employees since Chambers was appointed CLO secretary by Stitt in July 2020. Morgan is among 32 employees who have left during that time, including terminations and retirements. That figure also includes four directors of accounting, who resigned, as well as other higher-ups. Chambers appointment by Stitt was controversial because he previously had been an executive at two separate companies, White Star Petroleum Holdings LLC and Chesapeake Energy, which were found to have failed to pay or underpaid the Commissioners of the Land Office. He also founded The Aurelian Cos., a multi-industry group of investment companies, which business records with the Oklahoma Secretary of States Office indicate is still active. Byrd and Hofmeister were conspicuous by their absence on the day Chambers appointment was approved by a 3-0 vote of the other commissioners, according to news coverage of the meeting by The Oklahoman newspaper. Featured video: Gov. Kevin Stitt calls for special session to address real tax reform 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. Andrea Eger Staff Writer I'm a projects reporter, examining key education topics and other local issues. Since joining the Tulsa World in 1999, I have been a three-time winner of Oklahomas top award for investigative reporting by an individual. Phone: 918-581-8470 Follow Andrea Eger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Oklahoma Sen. John Haste has become one of Broken Arrows best elected officials, keeping a strict eye on taxpayer funds and embracing advocacy for health care and youth. The Broken Arrow businessman first ran in 2018 for an open seat and quickly found interest in areas of health and human services. His first bill, Senate Bill 446, required the State Education Department to develop educator training programs on student mental health. The bill was inspired after listening to teachers say they needed more help in dealing with the mental health challenges of youths. Thats how Haste works: He listens, then acts. He is a through-and-through conservative without a need to make headlines or create division. Haste deserves to be reelected to the District 36 seat. Boundaries for the Broken Arrow district roughly run from about Garnett Road east to 289th East Avenue and from 23rd Street to 71st Street and neighborhoods that jigsaw south to 91st Street. Haste is co-chair of the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Fundings working group on Health and Human Services. He was integral in the recent passage of a bill to use $55 million of ARPA funds to address the nursing shortage by establishing or expanding programs at 21 state colleges, universities and technology centers. One of his most significant contributions was bringing Dolly Partons Imagination Library to Oklahoma. Haste heard Parton speak about the program in 2019, then sponsored a bill with Rep. Tammy Townley, R-Ardmore, the following year to make it available in the states 77 counties through a revolving fund and community partnerships. Through the program, children from birth to age 5 can receive a free book a month. Haste has been involved in a task force to expand concurrent college enrollment in high schools and has an interest in child care availability as a workforce issue. That doesnt mean weve agreed with all Hastes votes and positions, particularly his support of the failed private school voucher bill. But we dont have to agree on everything to acknowledge the good he has done and work ethic he has shown. Haste has drawn one opponent for the primary, who has not complied with the state-required Ethics Commission reporting for this election. Campaign opposition circulating online has unfortunately mischaracterized and distorted Hastes record into lies and vile accusations. We urge voters to look at his official record. We believe that Haste is a man of his word and strives to represent the interests of all his constituents. Broken Arrow would be well-served by four more years with Haste. 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. The Philippines on Wednesday appealed directly to consumers in its top export market Japan to pay higher prices for imported bananas to help shoulder a surge in production costs. Prices for fuel and agricultural supplies are driving many farmers to the brink of bankruptcy, according to a report by the Philippines' embassy in Tokyo that pleaded for Japanese consumers to share the burden for "sustainable bananas". "It will be unrealistic and unfair for Philippine banana farmers to maintain the status quo," Ambassador Jose C. Laurel V told reporters. Producers have been negotiating with Japanese retailers and trading companies on prices, but were told to take their concerns to the public. "It was impressed upon us that one of the important things that we need to do is to explain to the consumers why there needs to be a price increase," said Robispierre L. Bolivar, second in command at the Philippine embassy. Consumer prices are surging in Japan after decades of deflation, accelerated by the yen's drop to a 20-year low, soaring energy costs and logistical logjams caused by the crisis in Ukraine. Food prices are in particular focus, with everything from snack makers to breweries instituting their first price increases in many years. Researcher Teikoku Databank reported last week that prices on more than 10,000 food items in Japan would rise in 2022. Japan was the top export destination for Philippine bananas in 2020, just exceeding shipments to China, United Nations' trade data showed. Japanese households on average spend 4,387 yen ($32.92) on bananas a year, more than any other fruit, according to data from the agriculture ministry. Prices for Philippine bananas have been flat for seven years, but a surge in production costs amid the Ukraine crisis have made current margins untenable, embassy officials said. Vietnam was elected as one of the Vice-Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)s 77th session, representing the Asia-Pacific region, the Vietnam News Agency reported. The UNGA elected its President and Vice-Presidents for the 77th session during a meeting in New York on Tuesday (local time). Ambassador Csaba Korosi from Hungary was voted as the 77th President of the UNGA, replacing Abdulla Shahid from the Maldives. Vietnam was elected as one of the Vice-Presidents of the 77th session of the UNGA and will take the role for one year starting September 13. The other Vice-Presidents include Benin, Burundi, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, and Zimbabwe representing Africa; Malaysia, Nepal, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan representing the Asia-Pacific region; Chile, El Salvador, and Jamaica representing Latin America; Estonia representing Eastern Europe; and Israel and Australia representing Western Europe and others. The UNGA is one of the six main organs of the UN and the only one of the UN with representatives from all 193 member states. It has broad authority in the fields of political, economic, cultural, and social cooperation, and has the right to discuss and make recommendations on matters within the scope of the Charter or any matter within the competence of the UNs organs with the purpose of promoting international cooperation. During its 45 years of UN membership, Vietnam has taken on many important responsibilities and made substantial and effective contributions. With a multilateral foreign policy in which the UN is the focus, Vietnam, as a Vice-President of the UNGA, will continue to make more contributions to the UNs goals, including settling conflicts and maintaining peace and stability for all the people in the world. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh discussed measures to boost bilateral defense cooperation during their talks in Hanoi on Wednesday. The talks took place within the framework of Minister Singhs official visit to Vietnam from June 7 to 10. During their dialogue, Minister Giang underlined the significance of the visit as it takes place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-India diplomatic relation. The trip also contributes to promoting the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and the two ministries in particular, he added. Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh join talks in Hanoi, June 8, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Singh affirmed that India considers Vietnam as a key partner in its Act East Policy, expressing his hope that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries will continue to thrive and expand to all fields. The two sides agreed on strengthening bilateral collaboration, fully and effectively implementing signed agreements, and increasing contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels. Both sides will maintain and enhance the efficiency of dialogue and consultation mechanisms, especially the defense policy consultation at the deputy defense minister level, while fostering partnership in personnel training and cooperation among armed forces. Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang (L) and his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh sign a statement and a memorandum of understanding after their talks in Hanoi, June 8, 2022. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre The two countries will boost coordination in United Nations peacekeeping operations and strengthen coordination and consultations at multilateral forums. Regarding regional and global issues, the two ministers consented on the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the East Vietnam Sea, the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea (DOC), and expediting negotiations to reach a Code of Conduct (COC) for the maritime area. Following the talks, they signed a statement on a Vietnam-India defense partnership joint vision toward 2030 and a memorandum of understanding on mutual support in logistics between the two ministries. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Japanese court sentenced a Dominican man, who was charged with murder for assaulting and pushing a 21-year-old Vietnamese student into a river in Osaka, Japan in August last year, to 12 years in prison. The Osaka Prefecture Court handed down the sentence to 27-year-old Cruz Cabrera Brian Alberto, a national of the Dominican Republic, at the first instance hearing of the case opened on Monday, the Vietnam News Agency reported. Alberto, an unemployed man with no fixed place of residence, was charged after intentionally attacking and pushing the victim, who was no longer able to resist, into a river. On August 2, 2021, Alberto beat and kicked the victim, T.T.A., a Vietnamese student, into the Dotonbori River in the Namba Park area in Osaka, causing the victims death, according to the indictment. Three days later, Osaka police arrested Alberto and initiated criminal proceedings against him for murder. After performing an autopsy on the recovered body of the victim, local police handed the corpse over to a Vietnamese pagoda in Kobe City to perform rituals for the deceased at the wish of his family. After a funeral conducted at the pagoda for A. on August 12, his ashes were transported to Vietnam. At the hearing, Alberto denied the murder conviction, arguing that he only acted out of justifiable self-defense after being attacked by the Vietnamese student. However, the presiding judge concluded that Alberto, after his initial self-defense, he actively attacked A. and refused to stop his assault even when the victim was no longer able to resist. Alberto then deliberately pushed A. into the river in a state of exhaustion, directly causing the victims death. Emphasizing that such brutal action exceeded the limits of self-defense, the court gave the defendant the 12-year sentence, which is six years less than the term earlier proposed by local prosecutors. The incident caused a wave of anger both in Vietnam and in Vietnamese communities in Japan. Many even said if the 18-year term had been given to the defendant, it would have not been enough. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! After a short peaceful period of time, many streets in Ho Chi Minh City have become unpleasant as noise from restaurants and food stalls is back and getting worse. Music from high-power loudspeakers or portable speakers still echoes through the neighborhoods even though it is past 10:00 pm. Carousing over ear-piercing music until midnight It is a great misery when my home is next to an area crowded with restaurants and beer stalls that make noise around the clock," said a resident living on the Pham Van Dong 'beer avenue.' Every night, they turn on loud music and raise the roof. "I cannot sleep well due to the overly loud music that plunges me into insomnia, a headache, and ineffectiveness at work. I just hope that they tone down the music after 10:00 pm so that residents can take a rest after a hard-working day." After a quiet period, noise has been revived at a series of pubs on Hiep Binh, Pham Van Dong, Nguyen Kiem, and Pham Van Chieu Streets in Thu Duc City, Binh Thanh District, and Go Vap District, causing a disturbance in many residential areas nearby. Although grassroots-level authorities have repeatedly tackled loud noise at beer stalls on Pham Van Dong Boulevard, with a heavy hand, it has not been effective at all. At 11:00 pm, a large number of pubs on the boulevard are still playing deafening music. Stretching a 4.5-kilometer section of Pham Van Dong from Nguyen Thai Son Roundabout to Binh Loi Bridge are more than 25 beer joints of all kinds operating in Go Vap Districts Wards 1 and 11 as well as Ward 13 in Binh Thanh District. Among them, Go Vap Districts Ward 1 sees the highest number of beer places, with numerous huge speakers and DJs playing ear-splitting music. Many female DJs continuously adjust music to attract guests, while employees of the beer stalls spill onto the street to invite customers. The noise at some restaurants and beer clubs is measured at 95-100 decibels by sound meter apps on mobile phones. The figure exceeds the level for the highest fine for making noise (more than 40 decibels). Meanwhile, in some areas in Hiep Binh Chanh Ward, many residents are discontented as their neighbors regularly drink and sing with portable speakers late into the night. Regulation on seizing noise-causing objects is needed A representative of the Binh Thanh Bureau of Natural Resources and Environment told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that noise violation complaints can be made via hotline 1022. The switchboard will send complaints about noise to the authorities of the wards. The ward authorities will handle noise violations before 10:00 pm, while the ward police will be in charge of tackling noise after 10:00 pm. The authorities of Binh Thanh District have tasked the wards with inspecting and checking the activities of restaurants and stalls on Pham Van Dong to impose sanctions on noise violators. The district wants to temporarily impound loudspeakers owned by restaurants and stalls committing noise violations, but the prevailing law excludes this regulation. As such, the district is proposing the Department of Natural Resources and Environment report this issue to the city and the government in order to add some relevant rules. Another solution suggests environmental police assign surveillants to oversee the operation of restaurants and beer stalls and handle noise violations. Lawyer Vo Thi Man from the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association stated that the permitted noise level in special areas is no more than 55 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 45 decibels between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am. Meanwhile, it is no more than 70 decibels from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm and 55 decibels from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am for common areas. It is necessary to impose a heavier penalty for manufacturing and trading businesses that cause a low level of noise, but have been punished several times," Man said. "This is aimed at preventing them from accepting penalties to maintain business operations. Though being at a slight level, noise will affect the quality of life of residents and hurt their health if it is made continuously." In 2022, the Ho Chi Minh Peoples Committee ordered relevant agencies to intensify the handling of noise violations. Under the order, the leaders of wards and districts will take full responsibility for failing to deal with noise pollution due to slack management and poor supervision that lead to negative effects on security and social order. Pursuant to the regulations on administrative penalties, violators shall be fined VND1-5 million (US$43-215) for noise exceeding the standard level by 2-5 decibels, and VND5-20 million ($215-860) for surpassing the standard level by 5-10 decibels. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Ho Chi Minh City arrested a man on suspicion of murdering his own father after the victim refused to give him money. Officers in Phu Nhuan District confirmed on Tuesday they had apprehended Nguyen Anh K., 30, the prime suspect in the murder of his father 72-year-old N.V.B.. Preliminary information showed that B. lived with K. at their home on Thich Quang Duc Street in Ward 5, Phu Nhuan District. B.s relatives reported to local police on Tuesday morning that they had been unable to contact the man for several days. Officers arrived at B.s house at around 11:00 am the same day and found that the door was locked from the outside. The alley where N.V.B.s house is located in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 7, 2022. Photo: Dan Thuan / Tuoi Tre As no one answered their call, the officers decided to break open the door and discovered B.s body inside the residence with multiple injuries. His son was not home at the time. Police launched an investigation into the case and captured K. later the same day as he was staying at a hotel in District 10. At the police station, K. claimed that he asked his father to give him some money, but the latter refused. K. killed B. on Monday afternoon before taking his fathers money and gold. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Representatives of many airlines, airport operators, and international travel agencies on Sunday joined a forum entitled 'Da Nang Asias Potential Destination' to gain insights into investment and cooperation opportunities in Da Nang. This is part of the ongoing Asian route development forum 2022 (Routes Asia 2022) in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang from June 4 to 8. Tran Phuoc Son, deputy chairman of the Da Nang Peoples Committee, said the event marks an important milestone when Vietnam is taking a host of measures to spur its socioeconomic activities after a long hiatus induced by the coronavirus crisis. Son said the tourism sector of Da Nang has staged a relatively good recovery thanks to the citys efforts taken in the first half of 2022. The city has reconnected six carriers and resumed four direct routes between Da Nang and Singapore, Bangkok in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Incheon in South Korea. The deputy chairman expected the event would provide international investors with a new perspective on Da Nang, a destination with infinite potential for tourism and aviation growth. Nguyen Xuan Binh, deputy head of the municipal tourism department, said the coastal city has a convenient location as it is easily accessible by road, rail, sea, and air. Its lodging facilities such as hotels and resorts meet international standards, in addition to abundant natural resources and scenic landscapes such as Son Tra Peninsula, Ba Na Hills, Hai Van Pass, and especially the most beautiful beaches in the world. Da Nang has a high-quality and complete system of travels and services. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre Da Nang is also planning to create an image for itself as a top festival and event destination in Asia. The citys post-pandemic tourism orientation is to focus on attracting visitors from potential and key markets as well as developing high-quality destinations, Binh added. To hit these targets, the city needs to attract more airlines to launch new routes to Da Nang, he stated. According to Cao Tri Dung, chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, Da Nang possesses more outstanding strengths compared to other destinations in Southeast Asia. This coastal city is a dynamic locale with abundant natural resources, unique cultural identity, and a complete infrastructure system. Further, Da Nang has been a driving force for growth in central Vietnam and the Central Highlands. It will be an aviation hub linking to many international destinations in the years to come, Dung said. He stated that his association is willing to coordinate with airlines in locating potential customers to implement promotion plans, while at the same time preparing conditions for sending tourists from Da Nang and the central region to neighboring markets and for bringing more confidence for airlines to open new routes to this city. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A legal case surrounding a 60 Minutes story on Double Bay cosmetic surgeon Joseph Ajaka returned to court today. The story had been promoted by Nine for broadcast last month but Ajaka won a court order at the 11th hour preventing the broadcast, and the publication of articles in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Today Chief Justice Andrew Bell in the New South Wales court of appeal threw out an extraordinary order requiring Nine to hand over copies of the story by Adele Ferguson, prior to broadcast. The appeals court ruled the order was a mistake and should be set aside because there was no such power, jurisdiction or authority for preliminary discovery against a party or parties who were already defendants to proceedings. But not long after that Ajakas barrister, Kieran Smark, SC, returned to the NSW Supreme Court before Justice Stephen Rothman and withdrew the initial proceedings, immediately bringing a second set of proceedings in which he only sought to inspect the draft stories. At the heart of the matter is whether journalists can be compelled to hand over stories ahead of publication, which Nine argues would set a precedent. Ajakas legal team has claimed 60 Minutes was being sensationalist following a promo before he had responded to questions sent by Ferguson. They argued, a genuine publisher would wish to present both sides of the story. Justice Rothman has reserved his decision on the latest arguments until tomorrow. Source: The Guardian, The Age 3 x DVDs of The Madame Blanc Mysteries are up for grabs in this weeks TV Tonight newsletter. Acorn Media has released Season 1 today on DVD & Digital. There are 6 episodes set in Saint Victoire, a town full of treasure and trouble. If you havent yet subscribed to the Friday newsletter you can do so here. When her husband, Rory, dies suddenly while on a business trip abroad, antiques dealer Jean White (Sally Lindsay, Mount Pleasant) is shocked to learn hes left her nearly bankrupt. Grieving and blindsided, she heads to their one remaining asset: a cottage in the French antiques hub of Sainte Victoire. She intends to sell the property and return home, but once in town, Jean discovers that not only are the circumstances of Rorys death suspicious but also that he was having an affair. Aided by sympathetic taxi driver Dom (Steve Edge, Scarborough), Jean begins investigating Rorys death and quickly finds that the colourful locals have a treasure trove of other mysteries for her to assess, too. Release Date: June 8, 2022 Rated: M Mature themes and violence PPR: $34.95 (Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp. employees voted decisively to unionize at a Memphis cafe where seven pro-union coworkers were fired after launching their campaign. Most Read from Bloomberg Employees at the location voted 11 to 3 in favor of the union, Workers United, in ballot-counting Tuesday. The scare tactic obviously didnt work -- I actually think it backfired, one of the fired activists, Nikki Taylor, said at a press conference following the vote. Starbucks will respect the process and will bargain in good faith guided by our principles, Starbucks spokesperson Reggie Borges said in an email. We hope that the union does the same. See also: Union says Starbucks illegally closing New York cafe to retaliate The National Labor Relations Board is currently suing Starbucks in a bid to force the coffee chain to reinstate seven union supporters that the agencys prosecutors allege were illegally fired. The fired group included almost all of the members of the stores organizing committee. Starbucks has denied wrongdoing and said the workers were terminated for violating numerous safety rules. The union has prevailed in votes at more than 100 of the coffee chains 9,000 corporate-run restaurants since securing an initial landmark victory in Buffalo, New York, last December. (Updates to add Starbucks comment in fourth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Two British men captured by Russian forces and accused of being mercenaries have appeared in court on charges that carry a possible death penalty. Aiden Aslin, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, was seen in a Telegram video alongside Shaun Pinner, from Bedfordshire, and Saaudun Brahim from Morocco. They are being held in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, a breakaway region in Ukraine's east. The men say they were serving with regular military units in Mariupol, so should be protected as prisoners of war by the Geneva Convention. A third Briton, Andrew Hill, also faces charges after being captured in the Mykolaiv area. His affiliation is unclear. The president of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, has accused the men of "monstrous" crimes, such as trying to seize power and crimes against groups of people. He said their trial would open at the region's supreme court. Mr Aslin's family said on Tuesday that it was a "very sensitive and emotional time" and that they were working with the Ukrainian government and UK Foreign Office to try to free the 28-year-old. "Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon," they said in a statement. The former care home worker joined Ukraine's armed forces as a marine in 2018 and has applied for citizenship, and has a Ukrainian fiancee. Mr Pinner was filmed in April saying that he had been captured while defending Mariupol, his adopted city. His family stressed at the time that he was "not a volunteer nor a mercenary, but officially serving with the Ukrainian army". The 48-year-old told Sky News a few months before that he was on his fourth tour of duty in Ukraine after serving in the British Army for nine years. He has lived in the country since 2018 and has a Ukrainian wife. Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said on Monday that the British government expected "the laws of armed conflict to be represented" and the Foreign Office would make "all the representations". Story continues Russia's current focus in the war is to capture the eastern Donbas region, made up of Luhansk and Donetsk. Separatists unilaterally set up two breakaway republics there in 2014, but they aren't recognised by Ukraine. Read more: Russian blockade of ports could turn food crisis into catastrophe The war victims given the chance to escape - but who choose to stay put Teenager returns to ruined school in prom dress she never got to wear The thousands of curious sightseers who have driven or walked by the castle at 3300 Austin Ave., known as the Cottonland Castle, will get a chance to step inside for a look beginning late next month as Magnolia will offer guided tours for $50. The tours of the stone residence renovated by Magnolia founders Joanna and Chip Gaines will run from July 21 to Oct. 29 with tickets already on sale at magnolia.com/events. And for anyone who would like to buy the castle outright, the time to act may be coming. Eventually, the house will be made available for purchase under existing residential zoning laws for the neighborhood, the press release announcing the tours says. The price the Gaineses paid for the property when they bought it in 2019 was not disclosed, but the property was listed at $425,000 and had a tax appraisal of $350,700 at the time. It is now appraised at $1,127,470 for tax purposes. The tours will focus on the castles history and the design elements of its renovation by the Gaineses. Tours will be limited to 10 people and will be conducted between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. There are three staircases to climb and no elevator. Tickets are $50, with no tickets required for children 7 younger, and they are sold only online. Magnolia will donate 20% of tour profits to The Cove, a safe space for homeless teenagers. Parking will be available at 161 S. 33rd St., and no on-street parking will be allowed. The tours will be the first to allow fans of Magnolia and the Gaineses popular home renovation series Fixer Upper inside one of the couples renovations, Magnolia Chief Brand Officer Kate Barton said in the press release. Renovation of the three-story, 6,700-square-foot structure will be part of an eight-episode Fixer Upper series beginning in September. Amanda Sawyers history of the structure on the local history website wacohistory.org says stone contractor John Tennant began work on the residence that gives Castle Heights its name in 1890. He ran out of money and sold the unframed structure to cotton broker Ripley Hanrick in 1906. Two years later, Hanrick abandoned the project. Noted Waco architect Roy Lane persuaded Waco businessman Alfred Abeel to buy the home in 1913 with Lane signed on as architect to complete it. His finished residence, modeled after a German castle on the Rhine River, included a tower, servants quarters, eight fireplaces and interior touches such as Italian Carrara marble, Honduran mahogany paneling and Caen stone from France, according to the wacohistory.org account. The house was later home to Wacos first female pharmacist, Pauline Pipkin Garrett, and her husband, Barney. Later owners included Austin Avenue Methodist Church, which used it for youth events before selling it. The building fell into disuse in the 1990s as multiple owners found the cost of maintenance and renovation too high. 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. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) An attorney for state Sen. Omar Fateh told an ethics panel Wednesday that the Minneapolis Democrat was never endorsed by a YouTube channel that serves the local Somali community and that his sponsorship of unsuccessful legislation to give the nonprofit a $500,000 grant was therefore not a reward for the channel's support. The Senate Ethics Subcommittee held the first of at least two meetings to determine whether there's enough probable cause to formally investigate allegations leveled against Fateh by a group of Republican state senators, but did not reach any decisions on the complaints' merits. The GOP senators alleged in a complaint filed last month that Fateh violated Senate rules by failing to disclose a conflict of interest when he sponsored the legislation after receiving what the Republicans claimed was free promotion from Somali TV of Minnesota during his 2020 campaign, when he defeated incumbent Sen. Jeff Hayden in the Democratic primary. But Fateh's attorney, Kristin Hendrick, told the subcommittee there was no conflict of interest to disclose. She said Fateh paid the channel $1,000 to run his ads because it's a popular forum for Minnesota's large Somali community. She produced screenshots from an online payment app that she said proved Fateh made the payments in two $500 installments. She also presented a sworn affidavit from Siyad Salah, the channel's president, saying that Fateh did not ask for or receive any kind of compensation or consideration for running his ads, and that the channel does not endorse candidates. They acknowledged that the ads did not include a required disclaimer saying that Fateh's campaign paid for them. Fateh testified that he provided that language to Salah, who said in his affidavit he forgot to post the disclaimer as Fateh requested. Fateh also acknowledged failing to report the advertising expense on his campaign finance report, but said he filed an amended version Tuesday to correct his error. The subcommittee is made up of two Republicans and two Democrats. Under its rules, three members must vote to pursue an investigation, which means at last one of the Democrats either Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, of Minneapolis, or Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, of Minneapolis would have to side against Fateh. Torres Ray told the panel that after hearing the evidence, she had no reason to doubt Fateh's account. Champion also expressed skepticism about the allegations. The Republicans who filed the complaint, led by Sen. Mark Koran, of North Branch, said they werent satisfied that the documentation disproved their allegations. They and the two Republicans on the panel Senate President David Osmek, of Mound, and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, of Big Lake said they expect to see better paperwork from Fateh next week. Osmek said he wants to question Salah directly. The panel next week is expected to discuss the second count of the GOP complaint, which alleges in vague language that Fateh somehow violated Senate rules by failing to expressly address how he might have been involved in an election fraud case involving his brother-in-law, Muse Mohamud Mohamed, a campaign volunteer who was convicted last month of lying to a federal grand jury and how Fateh's legislative assistant might have been involved. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Waco police arrested a 17-year-old on a gun charge Monday who they said was seen on security footage near the scene of a shooting that sent a woman to a local hospital last month. The teens 52-year-old father was also arrested Monday, but it is unclear whether police believe his father is connected with the shooting. Ashton Brooks-Williams was booked into McLennan County Jail on a Class A misdemeanor charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon and remained in jail Tuesday on $750,000 bond. The shooting happened at 8:14 p.m. May 10 at North 26th Street and Cole Avenue in the Brookview neighborhood, an area that saw a number of shootings last month. An elderly woman was shot in the incident and was taken to an area hospital by ambulance. According to the arrest affidavit, Brooks-Williams was seen on security footage leaving a residence at 2600 Cole Ave. prior to the shooting with a pistol sticking out of his pocket. The affidavit also says the firearm is believed to have been stolen and was given to him by his father, Anthony Lamar Williams. Details of what police believe happened in the shooting are not included in the affidavit, and Brooks-Williams has not been charged in the shooting itself. Anthony Williams was booked into McLennan County Jail on Monday on a third-degree felony charge of deadly conduct and a state jail felony charge of theft of a firearm. He remained in jail Tuesday on bond totaling $400,000. 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. Suzii Paynter March, who has overseen a period of rapid expansion and pandemic-related challenges for Prosper Waco since summer 2019, will step down as its CEO this fall. March last month gave her six-month notice to the board of the nonprofit collective impact initiative, which promotes education, health and financial security in Waco. Prosper Waco board Chair Dr. Jackson Griggs, who is CEO of Waco Family Medicine, informed the board last week that March would serve until November. With vision and immense talent, Suzii led Prosper Waco through the challenges of the pandemic, and the way she aligned community action around shared values will demonstrate enduring benefit, Griggs said in a press release. Suzii has built a strong team and is leaving Prosper Waco in an excellent position for ongoing collective impact. Since March began her role in September 2019, the nonprofit has increased its staffing from 1.5 to 14.5, adding professionals in areas such as demographics, homelessness, education, social work and health care. The board has grown from 13 to 21 members and better reflects Wacos diversity, Prosper Waco officials said. Under Marchs leadership, Prosper Waco has focused on community needs such as mental health, job training and affordable child care, and has recently launched an effort to help low-income families clear titles to homes. March, a 1972 Baylor University graduate, came to Prosper Waco with decades of experience as an educator and education advocate, as well as an official with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. I am grateful to the staff and board for supporting growth in both impact and purpose for Prosper Waco, March said in a statement. I am making this transition with feelings of satisfaction, and I am optimistic about the future and the strength of Prosper Waco. Parkinsons support group The Heart of Texas Parkinsons and Caregivers Support group invites members and the public to hear pharmaceutical representative Kimberly Rivera speak on advancedParkinsons disease and Duopa treatment options. The presentation will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, 1624 Wooded Acres Drive. For details, call Ida McBride at 254-716-4402. NE Riverside Association The North East Riverside Neighborhood Association will host a general meeting, with presentations by the Waco Transit System and Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave. The public is invited. Shakespeare in the Park Wild Imaginings will have its second annual Shakespeare in the Park event Friday through Sunday in the amphitheater at Indian Spring Park, near University Parks Drive and Franklin Avenue. This years performance is Romeo and Juliet and will start at 7:30 p.m. nightly. The show is free. Flag retirement ceremony Lake Shore Funeral Home and Crematory, 5201 Steinbeck Bend Drive, will host a Flag Day celebration followed by a flag retirement ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 14. KWB river cleanup Keep Waco Beautiful will have a river cleanup from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Brazos Park East. The event sponsored by Dos Equis will include outdoor activities, free food and free drinks. For more information, email carole@keepwacobeautiful.org or call 254-855-7087. Perry UMC marks 150th Perry United Methodist Church, 193 Falls County Road 127, will celebrate its 150th anniversary at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. For more information, call 254-447-0995. Submit printed or typed items to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco, 76702-2588; or email goingson@wacotrib.com. WATERLOO A Waterloo teen has been sentenced to prison in connection with a 2021 armed robbery at a home. Taeqwavyon Shawntavious Spates, 17, pleaded to first-degree robbery, carrying weapons and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. On Monday, he was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison on the robbery charge with concurrent sentences for the other charges. Because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime, Spates will not be subject to mandatory minimum time before he is eligible for parole. Authorities allege Spates and two others entered a Byron Avenue home around 4 a.m. on May 23, 2021. One of the resident had a gun held to his head and was struck in the face with the gun, and the assailants took a video game system and a phone. Video footage showed Spates entering and leaving the house with a handgun, according to court records. He remained at large until June 22 when officers with Waterloo Police Departments Violent Crime Apprehension Team searched his home on Randall Street and found a 9 mm SIG Sauer pistol that allegedly belonged to Spates, according to court records. Officers also found a .22-caliber Mossberg rifle and 9 mm Jennings handgun. Photos: Guns in Northeast Iowa crime cases 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. CEDAR FALLS North Cedars Center Street will be getting a complete makeover. Plans for improvements to the road, from Clair Street to West Lone Tree Road, were unanimously approved Monday by the City Council. North Cedar Neighborhood Association President Jim Newcomb gave a glowing review of the project and the efforts of the community and city leading up to this point. Black Hawk County Public Health seeking survey participants WATERLOO The Black Hawk County Public Health Department is seeking participants to complet The association has raised more than $50,000 to cover a portion of the cost as part of the city streetscaping project that originally was billed as a $1.75 million undertaking. Its a good example, I think, of a community working well with the city. Theres a lot of great people out in North Cedar that have really taken this project to heart, said Newcomb, the lone person to comment on the plans during a public hearing. The project has been years in the making. Stakeholders hope it slows vehicular traffic, better accommodates pedestrians and bicyclists, improves drainage, beautifies the corridor, and attracts private investment and families to the area. A lot of great people out there are looking forward to this project. It will look like a Main Street for North Cedar. The plans are beautiful, Newcomb added. New curb and gutters, as well as sidewalks, ADA compliant pedestrian ramps, bioswales, and landscaping will be part of the package. The gravel shoulders also will be removed. The construction cost is estimated at $1,130,649. In addition to the private donations, the project will be covered by funds from the emergency reserve and storm water fund. Cedar Falls Utilities also will pick up some of the bill. The project likely will be awarded during the next council meeting June 20. I think its great. Last week, I camped out at Black Hawk Park, so if you ride your bike from the urban core down Center Street, it is so much safer than it was just a few years ago, said Councilor Kelly Dunn. Councilor Dustin Ganfield had some initial concerns about some $800,000 of emergency reserve funds being expended, but ultimately voted in favor of it. Mayor Rob Green said there were discussions, which predated Ganfields time on council, about using those emergency funds for projects to help restore North Cedar. 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. CEDAR FALLS A committee led by City Administrator Ron Gaines and Mayor Rob Green is recommending a longtime employee be named the permanent replacement for retired Public Safety Director Jeff Olson, the city announced Wednesday. The City Council likely will vote June 20 on the hiring of Craig Berte, who has an extensive resume within Cedar Falls public safety sector dating back to 1991. Acting Police Chief Mark Howard and Lynn Al Fear Jr., a retired veteran of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, were the two other candidates considered finalists. All three were interviewed May 25. Seven applied for the job. In Cedar Falls, Berte has served as a police officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant director/assistant police chief, and police chief. And he has been serving as the interim director since Olsons last day March 11. Berte is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and holds a Bachelor of Arts in criminology. The Public Safety Director Selection Committee was made up of Green, Gaines, Mayor Pro Tem Simon Harding, Administration Committee Chair Kelly Dunn and the city department directors. Green previously said he could have overridden the recommendation of the city administrator and committee if he had another candidate in mind, but noted that was unlikely because of that person working closing with the administrator. The city will continue to provide updates to the community as the selection process moves forward. 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. Joshua Meggers came out on top in Tuesdays Republican primary for Iowa House District 54, and at this point is the only candidate for the seat in the Nov. 8 general election. The 42-year-old Iowa State Patrol sergeant from Grundy Center beat out Robert Nazario, 58. Nazario is a retired Merchant Marine from Iowa Falls. Meggers received 1,736 votes, 57.14% of the total cast, compared with 1,296 for Nazario, according to unofficial results. There were six write-in votes. The House district encompasses all of Hardin and Grundy counties and stretches into the western edge of Black Hawk County. Meggers came out ahead in two of the three counties receiving nearly 66% of the 1,410 votes in Grundy and more than 71% of the 194 votes in Black Hawk. Nazario received just over 53% of the 1,434 votes cast in Hardin County. Meggers said hes looking forward to the general election. People supported me because of my level of engagement with the voters and getting out and learning the local issues and common sense approach, he said. Theres still a lot of campaigning yet and getting to know the people of Hardin, Grundy, and Black Hawk County, and our communities. He also thanked Nazario for running a robust campaign, saying the competition made him a better candidate. There are currently no Democrats running in House District 54. Under Iowa law, political parties with a vacancy may hold a convention to nominate a candidate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NEW ORLEANS (AP) Louisianas top election official asked a federal judge on Tuesday to delay her order that the state come up with a new congressional district map. Republican Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin filed a motion in Baton Rouge saying the Legislature wont be able to convene in special session and complete a new map by the June 20 deadline set by U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick in Monday's order. The filing asks Dick to delay her order while Ardoin's office appeals to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday he will soon call a special legislative session to draw new congressional boundaries. Edwards says the current maps crafted by the Republican-led Legislature should have included a second majority-Black district, noting the state's population is almost one-third Black. He had vetoed the congressional map but lawmakers were able to muster the two-thirds Senate and House majorities needed to override the veto. Edwards told reporters at a news conference Monday after the judge's decision that redrawing the district lines is required by the court order, the Voting Rights Act and by basic fairness and basic math. Ardoin's lawyers said advance notice required for a special session, the number of days required for a bill to go through the legislative process and the likelihood of long debates and numerous amendments all mean the June 20 deadline cannot be met. In addition, they said they would likely win an appeal. The Court after waiting more than three weeks from the preliminary injunction hearing before issuing its ruling gave the Legislature only 14 days to enact a remedial plan, Ardoin's filing says. But he wrote it wouldn't be possibel to comply by the deadline even without the complexities inherent in redistricting. 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 JERUSALEM (AP) Israels justice minister says he will give the government one final chance to approve a contentious bill extending legal protections to West Bank settlers in a last-ditch effort to keep the fractured coalition in power. Justice Minister Gideon Saar said in a series of TV interviews that he will resubmit the bill next Sunday, after the legislation failed to pass earlier this week. Several members of the coalition joined the opposition in defeating the bill. Saar called on his fellow coalition members to get in line or to exit the government a scenario that would likely plunge the country into a fifth election in just three years. As long as they dont make order in their own party, as far as we are concerned, they arent part of the coalition, he told Israel's Kan public broadcaster late Tuesday. The bill was seen as a major test for the coalition, comprised of parties from across the political spectrum, and its defeat has raised questions about the government's long-term viability. Israeli media said that the renegade coalition lawmakers who didn't support the bill are being pressure to change their minds or resign to make way for those who would vote in favor. Emergency regulations in place for decades have created a separate legal system for Jewish settlers in the West Bank. It applies parts of Israeli law to them even though they live in occupied territory and not within sovereign Israeli land while Palestinians live under military rule, now in its sixth decade. If the bill fails to pass again, Jewish settlers living there could see their legal status thrown into question. Critics, including the Palestinians and three prominent human rights groups, have said the situation amounts to apartheid, an allegation Israel rejects as an assault on its legitimacy. The coalition includes nationalistic parties that are strong supporters of the settlements, as well as dovish parties that oppose them. The alliance is the first in Israel's history to include an Arab party, the Islamist Ra'am, whose members abstained or opposed the bill on Monday. Saar, who heads a small pro-settler party, directed much of his criticism at Ra'am. From my perspective, Ra'am has not behaved like a party in the coalition and will pay a price for that, he told Channel 13 TV. There was no indication as to whether Ra'am's members would change how they voted. Another coalition member who voted against the bill, Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, said Wednesday she remained opposed. The coalition was formed a year ago, bringing together eight parties that have little in common beyond their shared animosity to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is now the opposition leader. After a series of coalition defections, parliament is evenly divided 60-60 between the coalition and opposition. In some ways, Monday's vote had less to do with the status of the settlers than with the status of the government. The opposition is dominated by allies of the settlers, yet voted against the legislation and the interests of their constituents in hopes of speeding up the collapse of the government. Dovish members of the government, meanwhile, voted in favor of the bill to shore up the coalition, despite their opposition to the settlements. If the bill fails again next week, the government would not immediately collapse. But the fissures in the coalition will be difficult to mend and its days could be numbered. The government now would find it very difficult to manage the ongoing affairs of state, let alone instigate and initiate major reforms and so on, said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, an Israeli think tank. In this respect, its a missing government, its a very problematic situation for the government. 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 When addressing supporters who gathered to watch the election results Tuesday night, the former congresswoman and state lawmaker from Cedar Rapids did not speak to her future other than to say, I have given as much as I have to this state, to this country, and I asked you to do the same. Finkenauer asked her supporters to step up, and to get up when knocked down. That is who we are as Iowans. That is who we are as Americans, Finkenauer said. So we need to say were going to do everything we can as Iowa Democrats in 2022 because our state and our country and our democracy depends on it. Politics has been Finkenauers life since her teen years as a page in Congress and the Iowa Legislature. She was a volunteer coordinator for then-Sen. Joe Bidens 2008 Iowa caucus campaign and received his endorsement during her congressional race. After serving one term in the U.S. House, Finkenauer lost her bid for re-election in 2020 to Republican Ashley Hinson. However, her time in public office two terms in the Iowa House and two years in the U.S. House have been the honor of my life, she said Tuesday night. When she ran for Congress, Finkenauer said the campaign was personal because she was speaking for people who had been forgotten. The Senate primary was an incredible honor because of the Iowans she met. Some of the most memorable experiences and truly why we all right here tonight must commit to do whatever we can to replace (Gov.) Kim Reynolds, to keep (U.S. Rep.) Cindy Axne, to take back the state House and state Senate, and to beat Chuck Grassley, Finkenauer said. We must all commit to doing everything we can for every single person on that ballot. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES Todd Halbur, a former state government worker from Clive, was victorious in the Republican primary in the campaign for state auditor. At just before midnight Tuesday, with all but one of the states 99 counties reporting, Halbur led Mary Ann Hanusa, 51% to 48.7%, according to preliminary state results. Hanusa conceded the race just before midnight. Halbur will challenge incumbent Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand in this falls Nov. 8 general election. During the primary campaign, Halbur said he believes the reporting of fraud, waste and abuse across all government agencies in Iowa needs more training and streamlining. He proposed an anonymous, third-party 800-number for Iowans to report abuses. Halbur also wants to increase the frequency of state audits of smaller local governmental agencies. Currently, Iowa communities under 2,000 population with a budget of less than $1 million are audited at least once every eight years. This is way too long between audits, Halbur said during the campaign. I would work with the Legislature to move this to every two years so we would be able to catch any errors, omissions or fraud quicker, in order for us to take corrective action and save the taxpayer money. Sand is completing his first, four-year term as auditor and is seeking re-election. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Briefing by Russian Defence Ministry The Ukrainian grouping in Donbass is suffering significant losses in manpower, weapons and military equipment. During the liberation of Svyatogorsk in Donetsk Peoples Republic in three days of fighting alone, Ukrainian troops suffered losses of over 300 nationalists, six tanks, 15 armoured combat vehicles of various types, 36 field artillery guns and mortars, 4 Grad multiple rocket launchers and over 20 automotive equipment. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine. High-precision air-based missiles have hit armoured plant near Kharkov, which have been repairing and restoring tanks and other AFU armoured vehicles. In addition, high-precision air-based missiles have hit 2 command posts, 13 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 1 battery of Uragan multiple-launch rocket systems near Kharkov. 4 weapon and ammunition depots have been destroyed near Malinovka in Kharkov Region, Spornoe in Donetsk Peoples Republic and Zvanovka in Lugansk Peoples Republic. 1 fuel depot for AFU equipment has been destroyed near Chuhuev, Kharkov Region. Operational-tactical aviation have hit 63 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of command post of 14th AFU Mechanized Brigade, over 160 nationalists, 8 tanks, 2 Grad multiple rocket launchers, 1 artillery battery, 1 electronic warfare station and 13 vehicles of various purposes. Russian air defence means have shot down 2 MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force near Snegirevka, Nikolaev Region, as well as 1 Mi-8 helicopter near Belaya Krinitsya, Nikolaev Region. In addition, 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down near Donetsk, Rubtsy, Lozovoe, Krasnorechenskoe, Koroviy Yar, Peski Radkovskoe in Donetsk Peolples Republic, Izyum, Dergachi in Kharkov Region and Chernobaivka in Kherson Region. 3 Tochka-U missiles and 5 Smerch rockets have been intercepted near Chernobaevka, Kherson Region. Missile and artillery have hit 68 command posts, 172 AFU artillery positions, including 2 batteries of Smerch multiple-launch rocket systems near Aleksandrovka and Kutuzovka, 1 battery of Uragan MLRS near Kitsevka, Kharkov region, as well as 261 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 320 nationalists, 4 ammunition depots near Novolenovka in Zaporozhye Region, 9 armoured vehicles, 3 Grad multiple rocket launchers, 15 field artillery and mortars, 14 special vehicles, and Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile launchers near Shelkoplyasy and OSA-AKM in Verhnyaya Roganka in Kharkov Region. In total, 192 Ukrainian airplanes and 130 helicopters, 1,150 unmanned aerial vehicles, 335 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,459 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 489 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,822 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3,488 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation. #MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing @mod_russia_enjoy WtR Weather Alert ...Warm and Windy Week with a Cool Weekend... Temperatures: Plan on a couple of hot days this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Heat Risk levels near Moderate levels with an increased risk of heat health impacts for those without effective cooling or hydration options. Western Nevada valleys will be in the mid 90s, and near 100 for central Nevada locations by Thursday afternoon. Winds: Strong, gusty winds will develop later this week as another system approaches the West. Widespread wind gusts 35 to 50 mph will be possible Thursday into Saturday. Spots along Highway 395 through Mono County and along Highway 95 near Walker Lake may see gusts 60+ mph. Plan on plenty of travel and recreation impacts from Thursday into Saturday, including but not limited to aviation turbulence, high profile vehicle restrictions, choppy lake conditions and areas of blowing dust. The windy and dry conditions may also produce localized critical fire weather conditions, particularly in the eastern Sierra. Be fire safe and smart and avoid activities that may spark a fire. We always want to avoid sparking a fire, but especially so on these during these windy days. Precipitation Chances: Saturday will be quite breezy, but cooler than midweek. The system pushing into the region brings the winds, the cooler temperatures, and chances for precipitation. If you have outdoor recreation plans, be sure to account for the possibility of some showers and possibly a thunderstorm or two. For now, the best chances for showers will be from the Tahoe basin northward into northeastern California and for areas along the Nevada-Oregon border. For areas south of Highway 50, the precipitation potential is looking scarce for now. 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 My mom is Navajo, from Greasewood, Arizona. Her father, my grandpa, was a medicine man. My dad is Mexican, from Winslow, Arizona, where I was born and raised at a time when there was a lot of discrimination. That kind of set the tone, unfortunately, for my reaction when my kids came out, because what I knew about gay people or trans people was that it was bad, or you made fun of it. Those were the two things I knew. Then I had my three children. When my daughter was a senior in high school, I thought she might be seeing a girl. I decided we needed to talk. Are you dating this girl? I asked her one afternoon while picking her up after school. Yes, she said. I thought, This cant be. My daughter cant be a lesbian. I dont understand this. Maybe its because she hasnt been with a boy. Youre confused, I told her. Ill never forget that day. I really wish I wouldve educated myself before I asked her, because my reaction wasnt good. I just wasnt prepared for that conversation. That day, she shared two things that have always stuck with me. The first one was, Mom, why would I choose this when I know society is going to be against me? The second was that she had planned to wait until she went to college to tell us. She was ashamed because, she said, I would be a disappointment. My daughters amazing. She went to school, got her biomedical engineering degree; then she became a dentist. Today she lives with her wife. For her to be afraid to tell me and her dad and to feel like she would be disappointing us, its heartbreaking. That same day, I asked my older son, Are you gay? He denied it at first, but when we got home and he found his sister in tears, he said, Mom, how dare you do this to us? How dare you drag us out of the closet? You dont do that to people. You let them come out at their own time, and you let them share that information with you. I was in shock. All that first week, I was confused, crying. We were Catholic at the time, so we went to talk to our priest. Well, its your house, its your rules, and if they dont follow your rules, call child protective services on them, he said. I was shocked. We heard all kinds of advice from family, from friends, from coworkers some good, some not so good. I then asked my mother to tell me about our Navajo teachings about people who are gay. But my mom was raised in a Catholic boarding school, and she didnt learn those things. She said, The only thing I remember, Sheila, is your grandfather telling me you have to respect everyone. Thats when I started to educate myself about our traditions and our cultural understanding of gender. Were not the only tribe that has multiple genders. There are tribes that have a third gender, multiple genders, all around the world. My understanding is that our Navajo tradition recognizes four genders and has words for each. You have asdzaan, a feminine woman. And then you have hastiin, the masculine man. If you were to put my family in these four genders, I'm definitely asdzaan, and my ex-husband, their father, is hastiin. In the middle, you have dilbaa, a masculine female. And then you have nahleeh, which is a feminine man. I can see how my son and daughter could be recognized as these two genders. DAMASCUS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The security vision recently proposed by China as part of the Global Security Initiative is worthy of thought and respect, while the U.S. unilateralism encourages "the production of wars around the world" under various pretexts, according to Syrian political experts. Osama Danura, a political expert and former member of the Syrian government delegation to the Syria peace talks in Geneva, told Xinhua that the China-proposed vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security deserves to be thought and respected "at both the regional and international level." In Danura's view, even a small crisis can have great repercussions for most countries, since the world is interconnected. It's impossible to achieve security in one certain place without realizing security in the rest of the world, said the expert. Referring to U.S. policy in the region, Danura said that the United States is "a force that lives on producing wars around the world and uses various pretexts in this context, some of which are ideological and some are related to so-called 'spreading democracy,' which are well-known titles." According to the expert, the United States pursues unilateralism and the country's primary goal is to seek its own hegemony with many military bases established worldwide. Danura said that continued American supremacy requires provoking conflicts so that there will be U.S. military intervention based on the aforementioned pretexts and orders for American weapons. The United States has been playing a "destructive role" in the region, especially since 2011, he noted. Danura regards China's vision of security as the real guarantor of world peace and stability, because it seeks cooperation and mutual respect instead of employing internal crises in other countries. He also hoped that the security vision will help the world achieve "stability much greater than what exists today." Meanwhile, Syrian political researcher Muhammad Omari pointed out that China's freshly-proposed security vision depends on means and mechanisms of cooperation, not on unilateral control of political decisions. The American unilateralism has led to the outbreak of wars and invasions in many countries, as happened in the past, Omari stressed, adding that it left grave negative effects on Syria. The U.S. illegal presence and its imposition of economic blockade hit the basic livelihood of the Syrian people, which created humanitarian crises represented by refugee crisis, the expert noted. Omari said that the United States has been impeding the progress of reaching a political solution in Syria. "The United States has been continuing until this moment in trying to rob it (the political solution) of the will of the Syrians, creating a state of chaos permanently, and trying to impose its dictates, whether constitutional, political, or otherwise," Omari told Xinhua. He called for real activation of international organizations, such as the United Nations, and equal cooperation between states, which is "not monopolistic as the United States seeks," while stressing that the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security "is the best to preserve the formula of international collective security." Complementary Exploration Earn-in Agreements with Glencore Brisbane, June 8, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Copper producer Austral Resources Australia Ltd ( ASX:AR1 ) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into reciprocal non-binding exploration earn-in agreements ("Earn-in Agreements") with MIM, a subsidiary of one of the world's largest mining companies, Glencore.The reciprocal nature of the Earn-in Agreements is value generating for both parties. For Austral, this will involve expanding its oxide exploration activity in both the Exploration Area and within MIM's prospective Russell Fault EPM. Under the Earn-in Agreements, the parties agree to share exploration data and certain resources.Under the Earn-in Agreements, MIM will have the rights to earn-in up to a 65% interest of Austral's JV EPM's by spending A$6.3m over four years. Austral retains the right to explore for and commercially exploit oxide copper ore within the Exploration Area. Additionally, under the Earn-in Agreement with MIM, Austral is entitled to earn-in up to 65% interest within MIM's Russell Fault EPM by spending A$2.0m over four years, effectively increasing our copper exploration area by 116km2.The Earn-in Agreements are non-binding and subject to formal documentation being entered into.Austral will keep the market updated on its status as required.Key details of the Earn-in Agreements are contained in the balance of this announcement. The Earn-in Agreements with MIM are the culmination of negotiations held with several parties eager to joint venture into portions of Austral's highly prospective exploration tenure and obtain an option to participate in the Company's future growth potential.Austral's Chief Executive Officer, Steve Tambanis, commented:"We are excited to collaborate with Glencore on this exploration JV in Queensland's Northwest Minerals Province. Both parties hold a significant tenure position within the region, and it makes absolute sense to combine the tenure for an intensive exploration programme. Glencore are our offtake partners for 40,000t of our Anthill copper cathode and we look forward to working together from an exploration perspective.This is a win-win transaction for both Austral and Glencore with the potential to discover new orebodies that can extend operations of both companies in the region. Glencore is focussed on discovering new base/precious metal orebodies in this metal-rich area and Austral believes there is excellent potential to define additional oxide copper resources to be processed at its nearby Mt Kelly SXEW plant.The prospectivity of the area has been significantly enhanced by two new geophysical datasets (Heli-VTEM and a separate fixed wing Falcon Gravity survey) flown by Glencore in late 2021 and processed earlier this year. This new data has generated a number of priority targets for the JV and drilling is expected to commence within months.Of note, Austral has retained its rights to explore for oxide copper mineralisation on its own tenure and has negotiated the right to explore MIM's tenure for oxide copper mineralisation. We believe that the increased drilling activity in this area will yield more shallow copper oxide mineralisation.Of Austral's 2,100km2 of EPM tenure, this Earn-in agreement applies to a 330km2 portion immediately about the Lady Loretta Mine (Figure 1*). Austral retains 1,800km2 of EPMs for other exploration initiatives.Austral recently commenced processing ore from its Anthill Copper Mine - building to rate of 10,000tpa of copper cathode from mid-2022 for a four-year period. This will now allow the Company to increase the pace of its exploration and development activities.We look forward to further updating shareholders as we build copper production from Anthill and scale-up exploration and development activities."*To view full details of the transaction, please visit:About Austral Resources Australia Ltd Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX:AR1) is a copper cathode producer operating in the Mt Isa region, Queensland, Australia. Its Mt Kelly copper oxide heap leach and solvent extraction/electrowinning (SXEW) plant has a nameplate capacity of 30,000tpa of copper cathode. Austral is developing its Anthill oxide copper mine which has an Ore Reserve of 5.06Mt at 0.94% Cu. The Company expects to produce 40,000t of copper cathode over a four-year period from mid-2022. Austral owns a significant copper inventory with a JORC compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of 60Mt at 0.7% Cu and 1,940km2 of highly prospective exploration tenure in the heart of the Mt Isa district, a world class copper and base metals province. The Company is implementing an intensive exploration and development programme designed to extend the life of mine and increase then review options to commercialise its copper resources. The citys Violence Intervention Program has received a $950,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to launch a pilot program at West Mesa High School to address the root causes of violence among students and hopefully prevent further tragedies from occurring. Officials hope the 18-month long program can be expanded across Albuquerque Public Schools. A little over three months ago, in late February, 16-year-old Andrew Burson was fatally shot just outside the West Mesa High campus while classes were in session. Police have charged 14-year-old Marcos Trejo with murder and said the shooting stemmed from a fight over a ghost gun that Burson accused Trejo of stealing from him. Michele Torres, the principal of West Mesa High School, referenced the shooting during a Tuesday news conference announcing the grant award and said students are entering campuses with more trauma than weve ever seen before. If weve learned anything in the past few months its that being reactive is not working, Torres said. We cannot rely on a single solution to prevent this kind of violence. We need a multi-faceted strategy that draws on our existing systems and agencies to support meaningful preventative efforts that center around the well-being of the most at-risk students. She said at-risk students will be identified through an early-warning system and referred to case managers who will help them access the services and resources they need. The city launched the Violence Intervention Program, or VIP, in late March 2020 and it is now part of the Albuquerque Community Safety Department, which launched in the fall of 2021. VIP is modeled after Oaklands Operation Ceasefire and involves custom notifications delivered to people involved in gun violence. They are then connected with the resources they might need to get food, a job, housing and more. The hope is the person will not retaliate or re-offend. On Tuesday, officials said the program has a 90% success rate since it began, and state legislators have provided funding to expand it to other cities in New Mexico. Gerri Bachicha, the VIP program manager, said the new school-based model was developed alongside West Mesa High School staff. Teachers and counselors are stretched thin and cannot provide the long-term, intensive support that the Violence Intervention Program provides students and their families off campus, she said. The program includes on campus peer-to-peer support through community based efforts and it includes intensive long-term case management support for those most at risk for becoming engaged in the cycles of violence and gun violence. District Attorney Raul Torrez of Albuquerque was on his way to winning the Democratic nomination for state Attorney General on Tuesday night after a bruising campaign with state Auditor Brian Colon over qualifications and who could best help remedy the states high crime problem. According to unofficial results, Torrez held solid lead in all but a handful of New Mexicos rural counties and Dona Ana County, a Colon stronghold, according to unofficial results posted to the Secretary of States website. He was leading 53% to 47% for Colon. Projecting a tough persona as an independent crime fighter, Torrez is expected to face Republican attorney Jeremy Gay of Gallup in the November election. In his second term as District Attorney in the states largest county, AG candidate Torrez focused on families of crime victims in his campaign ads, while dismissing Colon as a career politician who endorsed the Defund the Police movement an assertion Colon denied. Both men, who live in Albuquerque, pledged to address concerns of persistently high crime rates while enhancing consumer protections for New Mexicans. But they differed in their approaches. Colon, a former state Democratic Party chair, ran as a watchdog for New Mexico families, while Torrez billed himself as an independent reformer who would rebuild the office. The position is currently held by state Attorney General Hector Balderas, who is term limited. Colon, 52, drew upon his life story to connect with voters. He pointed out how he grew up in poverty in Valencia County, pawning his fathers wedding ring to help pay for college, and he vowed to give back to the community through public service. But his campaign also unleashed negative ads attacking his opponents record as a prosecutor for the states largest DAs office. Colon claimed Torrezs office had a poor conviction rate for violent crimes according to state legislative analysts, an assertion hotly disputed by Torrez, who offered a higher rate and faulted the legislative data as incomplete. Torrez, meanwhile, highlighted his career as a state and federal prosecutor while chiding Colon, who has practiced civil law for 20 years, for lacking prosecutorial experience. Torrez, 45, also attempted to portray his opponent as a supporter of the Defund the Police movement and touted his success in implementing intelligence driven crime reduction strategies, particularly for gun-involved and automobile theft. Torrez also took aim at the practice adopted by Balderas and other attorneys general of hiring national law firms to represent New Mexico in complex multi-state civil litigation, calling it tantamount to pay to play because the firms contribute to the AGs campaign coffers. Colon defended the practice as vital to ensuring the states best interests were represented, and promised transparency in selection of outside attorneys. Colon has served as State Auditor since winning election in 2018. He had unsuccessful bids for Albuquerque mayor in 2017 and for lieutenant governor in 2010 on a ticket with gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish, who served as lieutenant governor in the administration of Gov. Bill Richardson. Torrez won his first bid for public office in 2016 and then was reelected in 2020. He made headlines over the past year for his efforts to reform the pretrial detention system. Attempts to make it easier for judges to hold certain defendants pending trial failed earlier this year. Colon, meanwhile, pointed to his work in public service, and seeking transparency as state auditor. With a background in finance, he touted his offices record of holding public officials accountable, such as the former mayor of Las Vegas who was later convicted of bid rigging and abuse of office. The job of attorney general includes responsibility for enforcing open records and open meetings. The AG also prosecutes and defends cases in the New Mexico Supreme Court, New Mexico Court of Appeals, or any other court or tribunal in which the state is a party or is interested. While the AGs office is the states top law enforcement officer, the agency isnt on the front line of prosecuting crimes. Thats left to district attorneys in the state. But both candidates said they could use the office as a bully-pulpit to campaign for changes in criminal law. This years primary election is the first since 2006 to draw more than one candidate for the Democratic AG nomination. That year, former legislator Gary King emerged from a three-way race to win the nomination and the general election. The winner of this years primary will face Republican attorney Gay of Gallup in the fall general election. The winner of the Democratic primary for Attorney General typically wins the general election, given that only three Republicans have won the seat in the states 110-year-history. The same day an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, two students were found with guns at Metro-area schools. The boy who allegedly brought a handgun to Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho on May 24 was arrested, booked into the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center and the incident was summarily cloaked in secrecy. The 14-year-old boy who allegedly brought a gun fitted with an extended magazine filled with 20 hollow-point bullets to Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque grew more and more irate and slammed his head against the police vehicle plastic divider. He was deemed low risk and released to a guardian. The way each shocking incident was handled fails miserably to send the important message that taking a gun to school has serious consequence. The gun at Cleveland High was reportedly uncovered after a student told a school security officer the boy had a gun. The boy was contacted, and authorities located the handgun and confiscated it. We dont know more about the boy, including his age, because Rio Rancho police are once again hiding behind the state Childrens Code. We know much more about the Volcano Vista High gun incident because the Albuquerque Police Department has released an incident report rather than try to shield details. For instance, we know the boy was 14 and had brought a so-called ghost gun to Volcano Vista High. We know the gun had no serial numbers and was fitted with a 25-round magazine loaded with 20 hollow-point bullets. We also have a much better understanding of the circumstances. An employee of Volcano Vista High School told police a student reported the 14-year-old had a gun. Police officers and school officials searched the parking lot, where they found three teens hiding inside a SUV. Police got two girls and a boy out of the vehicle; the boy left his backpack in the SUV, and a school employee saw a gun sticking out of it. We know the 14-year-old boy tried multiple times to evade an officer and get back in the SUV but was stopped by police. And an APD officer called the juvenile district attorney and was referred to a senior Juvenile Probation-Parole Office representative, who said the boy was a 3, low risk and was not to be arrested. Juvenile probation officers work for the N.M. Children, Youth and Families Department. APD followed JPPOs guidance and released the boy to a guardian after detaining him for less than 20 minutes. Police kept the gun; the school suspended the boy. A CYFD spokesperson says the agency uses a risk assessment tool to decide whether to arrest a youth. But what happens to the boy now? Since he wasnt detained, is he even in the system? Is anyone following up with his guardian to see if he needs help? This is a 14-year-old who told an officer it would have been bad if he had been allowed to get to his backpack with the gun, someone who is possibly a danger to others or himself. And where did he get that gun? Carrying a gun on school grounds in New Mexico is a fourth-degree felony unless kept inside your private vehicle, and you must be at least 19 to possess a handgun unless attending a gun safety course, hunting or trapping, or on your parent, grandparent or legal guardians property. No matter where you stand on new gun laws, its inexplicable that a student would not be detained, if not arrested, under these circumstance at a time when school shootings have become too routine. Albuquerque Public Schools police say there have been almost a dozen gun threats among students between March and mid-May. And its just wrong that Rio Rancho police continue to withhold pertinent basic information as they have since December in the case of a 4-year-old boy who accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old brother with his police-officer fathers handgun. About the only silver lining in both incidents is when a student saw something, they said something, and as a result no one was hurt. But either case could have been so much more tragic. And unfortunately, right now, the message coming through loud and clear to our youngsters is that taking a gun onto a school campus is no big deal. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police on Tuesday said a man and his passenger were arrested after colliding head-on with a New Mexico State Police vehicle that was chasing them over the weekend in Albuquerque. David Marquez, 41, faces charges including aggravated assault upon a peace officer, fleeing from a law enforcement officer, driving while under the influence and possession of a firearm by a felon. Marquezs passenger, 18-year-old Gabriella Ramos, was charged with resisting, evading and obstructing an officer. According to state police, Marquez was driving erratic and traveling 100 miles per hour in a 1997 Buick on Interstate 25 near Paseo Del Norte early Sunday morning when a patrolling officer took notice. The Buick, according to state police, made a turn on Paseo Del Norte and headed west, continuing at its fast pace with officers in pursuit. Eventually, the Buick exited on Coors Boulevard and made a turn back onto Paseo Del Norte heading east. The Buick then exited onto Second Street and turned onto a dirt road. The Buick made a U-turn and headed towards officers, striking a police unit head-on in the process. The Buick eventually crashed into a ditch, according to state police, before a foot pursuit ensued. Marquez and Ramos both of whom are from Clovis were taken into custody, state police said. No officers were injured during the incident. Upon his arrest, Marquez was found wearing a shoulder holster containing a loaded magazine, police said. Officers also found a 9 mm handgun in the Buick. Santa Fe Police have identified the male victim who was found dead over the weekend in the parking lot of a Hopewell Street apartment complex. 19-year-old Juan Emmanuel Vazquez-Salas was found in the parking lot, located at 2001 Hopewell St., on Saturday morning around 5 a.m. with at least one gunshot wound. Patrol officers performed life-saving measures before Vazquez-Salas was pronounced dead on the scene. SFPD is investigating Vazquez-Salas death as a homicide and detectives are currently working active leads to identify a possible suspect. Police are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact Detective Javier Vigil at (505) 955-5412. BAKHMUT, Ukraine Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscows grinding campaign to capture Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupols buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldnt do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscows troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas and perhaps one of the most difficult battles of the war. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. An adviser to Zelenskyys office said Russian forces have changed their tactics in the battle, retreating from the city while pounding it with artillery and airstrikes. As a result, Oleksiy Arestovych said, the city center is deserted, and the artillery hits an empty place. They are hitting hard without any particular success, he said in his daily online interview. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russias continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains, said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out. But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told local reporters last week that even though Democrats wont be able to get their wish list on gun control legislation in the wake of several recent and horrific mass shootings, they may be able to find common ground with Republicans on some issues. Heinrich is part of a bipartisan group of senators who have met multiple times in recent days to negotiate some sort of gun control legislation, though what that will look like remains to be seen. Just because we cant pass exactly what we want, we still have the responsibility to do whatever we can, Heinrich told reporters last week at Kirtland Air Force Base. What really bothers me is, as someone who has been a gun owner all my life, and also has kids who had to go through active shooter drills, that we cant come up with something that we can agree on. At least one Republican negotiating with Heinrich appeared on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday morning and expressed optimism that something could gain Republican support. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said that while Republicans are not likely to get on board to ban assault weapons, hes hopeful members of his party will support expanding background checks. He went so far as to say he thinks about half of the chambers Republicans might consider such a measure. It feels to me that were closer than weve been since Ive been in the Senate, Toomey said. TASK FORCE TO HOBBS: Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M., and other GOP House members held a roundtable discussion in Hobbs last week as House Republicans seek to try to counter Biden administration energy policies. An energy, climate and conservation task force, consisting of all Republicans, appeared in Hobbs alongside industry leaders and other officials. A memo on the groups goals, titled Unlock American Resources, states that energy prices are rising around the world and are expected to increase in the future. Herrell thanked the House members for making the trek to New Mexico. Southern New Mexico is one of the biggest energy producing regions in the United States, and our people deserve the benefits of unleashing all our abundant resources, she said in a statement. Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., said he favors a multi-pronged approach to energy development. Im fully supportive of moving in the direction of renewable energy, the task force chairman said, according to a recording of the meeting. Im fully supportive of moving in the direction of absolutely all-of-the-above energy. The GOPs memo outlining their plans calls for an increase in hydroelectric power. Graves also criticized the closure of American mines that can be used to gather rare-earth minerals, saying such decisions could make the country more dependent on China. New Mexico in 2021 became the countrys second largest crude oil producing state after Texas. The state produces about 11% of the countrys crude-oil, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Ryan Boetel: rboetel@abqjournal.com SANTA FE Former state Rep. Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde appeared poised Tuesday to reclaim his old seat by knocking off incumbent Rep. Roger Montoya of Velarde in a closely watched Democratic primary race in rural northern New Mexico. Two other incumbent legislators Republican Rachel Black of Alamogordo and Democrat Ambrose Castellano of Las Vegas were locked in tight races, according to partial, unofficial results. But a host of Democratic incumbents appeared set to fend off primary challenges across the state, including Reps. Andrea Romero of Santa Fe, Susan Herrera of Embudo and Kristina Ortez of Taos. They had faced opposition from more moderate Democrats, and their victories could maintain the progressive tilt in the majority party caucus that has existed for the last several years. The exception to the trend came in House District 40, where Sanchez had a lead of nearly 600 votes over Montoya. The former representative held the seat from 2019 through 2020 before stepping down to launch an unsuccessful bid for an open congressional seat. A lot of the people I know in the district have the same beliefs I do theyre moderate Democrats, Sanchez said during a Tuesday evening interview. Meanwhile, most House Republicans who faced primary challenges also appeared headed for victory, though Rep. Black was trailing John Block in a House District 51 matchup, according to unofficial results. Block had a 2 percentage point lead in the race 51% to 49% with more than 3,000 votes counted. In northern New Mexico, Castellano had a 2 point edge over Democratic challenger Anita Amalia Gonzales. Open seats in ABQ Tuesdays results will cement the nominees in a number of Democratic-leaning open seats. Art De La Cruz, a former Bernalillo County commissioner who was appointed to the state House earlier this year, was the apparent winner to represent a South Valley-based seat, defeating two challengers. No Republican filed to run for the seat. In southeast Albuquerque, Janelle Anyanonu, an office manager and member of the New Mexico Black Central Organizing Committee, was on her way to winning the Democratic nomination to represent the International District. She would face Republican Kathleen Jackson in the fall. Ex-state Rep. Eleanor Chavez had a substantial lead for an open seat on the West Side of Albuquerque currently held by Democrat Georgene Louis, who is not seeking reelection. She would face Republican Patrick Sais in the general election. What carried us was this was a grassroots-powered campaign, Chavez said in an interview. We knocked on doors. We made phone calls. We got out there and talked to voters. For an open seat in Northwest Albuquerque, Republicans and Democrats both picked nominees Tuesday. Democrat Cynthia Borrego, a former Albuquerque city councilor and business owner, had a big lead for her partys nomination, while Republican Ellis McMath, a concealed carry firearms instructor, was poised to win the GOP nomination. Primaries affect legislature All 70 state House seats are up for election this year, and many of the district boundary lines were redrawn in December during the once-per-decade task of redistricting. The primary ballot featured 22 contested House races. Seven Democratic incumbents faced challengers from within their own party, and four Republican lawmakers had a primary challenge. While the primary election results wont affect political control of the chamber, they could impact policy decisions on abortion, gun control and other issues expected to come before the Legislature during next years 60-day session. Currently, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 45-24 margin in the House. The chamber also has one independent member, Rep. Phelps Anderson of Roswell, who is not seeking reelection this year after leaving the Republican Party in 2021. BEIRUT, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Health Minister Firas Abiad on Wednesday urged residents to adopt precautionary COVID-19 measures as the World Health Organization has warned against new waves of the pandemic. Abiad said that Lebanon's residents must take precautionary measures as the vaccination rate stands at 45 percent and the country is about to receive foreign tourists and expats from countries that have been witnessing a re-surge in cases, according to a statement by the Lebanese Health Ministry. "Precautionary measures in Lebanon have become nearly non-existent which must not be the case," he noted. The minister said people must adopt social distancing measures, hand washing, and wearing a mask, especially in public institutions, gatherings, restaurants, and enclosed places. He also called on citizens to receive the COVID-19 vaccine which has proved to be efficient in curbing deaths from the virus. Lebanon on Tuesday registered 111 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections to 1,100,007. ANKARA, Turkey Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Russia also demanded Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea, and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russias invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraines other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. He told reporters Wednesday the package is essential, especially for millions of people in developing countries facing the threat of an unprecedented wave of hunger. Guterres said saying anything more in public about the talks would jeopardize the chances of success. Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldnt use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraines ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation, said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal, Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic, and he reiterated Ankaras offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. ___ Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frances DEmilio in Rome, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Modernas experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday. COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall to better protect people against future coronavirus surges. Modernas preliminary study results show people given the combination shot experienced a higher boost in omicron-fighting antibodies than if they just got a fourth dose of the original vaccine. We believe strongly that this data supports an update of the vaccine, Dr. Stephen Hoge, Modernas president, said Wednesday. Todays COVID-19 vaccines all are based on the original version of the coronavirus. Theyre still providing strong protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death even after the appearance of the super-contagious omicron variant especially if people have had an initial booster dose. But the virus continues to mutate rapidly in ways that let it evade some of the vaccines protections and cause milder infections. So U.S. regulators, and the World Health Organization, are considering whether to order a change in the vaccine recipe for a new round of booster shots in the fall when cold weather and kids returning to school are expected to drive yet another surge. Key questions: How to make that change without losing the continued strong protection against COVID-19s worst outcomes? And whats the right variant to target? After the huge winter omicron surge, that mutants genetically distinct relatives now are the main threats, including one thats fueling the current U.S. wave of infections. The Food and Drug Administration has set a meeting in late June for its scientific advisers to debate those questions and evaluate data from vaccine makers tests of potential new formulas. Pfizer also is studying a combination shot, what scientists call a bivalent vaccine, with some data expected later this month. Modernas new study tested people whod had three prior vaccinations, giving 377 of them a fourth dose of the original vaccine and another 437 the combo shot. The study wasnt designed to track how well the updated booster prevented COVID-19 cases and it was tested only against omicron, not the variants dominant now. But the bivalent vaccine sparked a nearly eight-fold rise in levels of antibodies capable of fighting omicron. Importantly, that was 1.75 times better than the antibody jump from simply giving a fourth dose of the original vaccine, Moderna said. The data hasnt undergone scientific review, and these initial measurements were taken a month after booster shots. Antibodies naturally wane so its not clear how long that protection could last. Moderna plans to track the levels at three and six months but already is manufacturing doses to be ready if regulators in the U.S. or elsewhere order a change for fall shots. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. WASHINGTON Brittney Griner is easily the most prominent American locked up by a foreign country. But the WNBA stars case is tangled up with that of a lesser-known American also imprisoned in Russia. Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. He was left out of a prisoner exchange in April that brought home yet another detainee, Marine veteran Trevor Reed. That has escalated pressure on the Biden administration to avoid another one-for-one swap that does not include Whelan even as it presses for the release of Griner, an Olympic gold medalist whose case has drawn global attention. For Griner and Whelan, the others case injects something of a wild card into their own, for better or worse. The U.S. government may not agree to a deal in which just one of them is released, potentially complicating negotiations. But Whelan could also benefit from the attention given to Griner, which has cast a spotlight on his case. And though the U.S. may hesitate to give up a high-level Russian prisoner in exchange for Griner, whos charged with a relatively minor drug offense, its possible it would be more inclined to do so if both she and Whelan were part of any deal. The potential interplay between the cases is not lost on the families and supporters of Whelan and Griner. Its still very raw, Whelans sister, Elizabeth Whelan, said of her brother being excluded from the Reed deal. And to think we might have to go through that again if Brittney is brought home first is just terrible. But whats really bad about feeling that way, she hastened to add, is that she and her family absolutely want Griner released, too. Its not like we dont want her home, she said. We want everyone out of there, out of Russia and away from that situation. It all adds up to a sticky wicket, said Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in Russia and is advising the WNBA players association on Griners case. If Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, were to leapfrog Whelan in coming home, the administration will face scrutiny from Whelans supporters. And if Paul Whelan gets out first, youre going to have questions about why isnt Brittney out when Brittney hasnt even been convicted yet, she said. U.S. officials have not said whether swaps are being discussed that could get Griner, Whelan or both home or whether theyd accept a deal that yields the release of one without the other. A spokesman for the State Department office that advocates for wrongfully detained Americans, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, declined to say how the cases might affect each other but said in a statement that the office remains committed to securing the release of both. Theres no question that the February arrest of Griner Russian authorities detained her at an airport after they said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis has heightened public awareness around the dozens of Americans who, like Reed and Griner, are classified as wrongfully detained by foreign governments. The seven-time WNBA All-Star is not only one of the most dominant figures in her sport but also a prominent gay, Black woman. That has prompted questions about the role race and sexual identity are playing in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community, and about whether her case would get more attention if it involved a white male athlete. U.S. officials and Griners supporters initially said little publicly about her case, but that changed in May when the State Department designated her as wrongfully detained and transitioned her case to the SPEHA office. Griners wife, Cherelle, urged the Biden administration in an interview with ABCs Good Morning America to do anything necessary to get Griner home, but also expressed empathy for Whelan. She said that even though theres no connection between the two besides the fact theyre both in Russia, I obviously want him back, too. Griners fame cuts both ways, said St. Julian-Varnon. If ever Russia wants to reestablish itself as a country hospitable to foreign athletes like Griner, the country would have significant incentive to release her. But given Griners political value to Russia, it may also make a huge demand for her release. This is the biggest chip that they have to play, she said. Tamryn Spruill, a freelance journalist and author who launched a Change.org petition demanding Griners freedom, said in an email that if her case can be leveraged to simultaneously secure Whelans release or vice versa then it is my hope that the president will exploit all of those avenues. Unlike Griner, who is awaiting trial, Whelan has been convicted and sentenced. A corporate security executive from Michigan who was arrested after traveling to Russia for a wedding, Whelan was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He and his family have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.S. government has denounced the charges as false. Reed had also been sentenced well before the swap that freed him. He had been jailed over what Russian authorities say was a drunken physical encounter with police in Moscow and was freed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking conspiracy. U.S. officials cited in part Reeds ailing health as justification for the trade. Its unclear which other Russians, if any, might be part of additional exchanges. Russian state media have for years floated the name of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, though such a deal risks being seen as lending false equivalency between a Russian the U.S. government regards as properly convicted and Americans it considers unjustly detained. Jonathan Franks, a consultant who worked on the Reed case, said it was hard to envision a Griner-Bout deal or a Griner deal that didnt involve Whelan. I truly believe Brittney Griners fastest path out of Russia is on Air Whelan, he said. Elizabeth Whelan said the early morning call she had to make to her aging parents to tell them Reed was coming home but her brother was not is not an experience she wants to repeat. But she said her family does understand the possibility one prisoner could be freed without the other. Were faced with a situation where these hostile foreign nations can assign different values to each person theyre holding, and can work separate deals. Whichever deal comes through first is often who comes home first, she said, and its not at all a tenable situation. ___ Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. LOS ANGELES President Joe Biden said Wednesday that democracy is an essential ingredient for the Western Hemispheres future as he welcomed leaders to the Summit of the Americas, an implicit rebuttal to those who boycotted the gathering because authoritarians were not invited. He also drew sharp contrasts around one of the issues central to the summit, immigration, saying safe and orderly migration is good for all of our economies but unlawful forms are unacceptable. We will enforce our borders through innovative, coordinated action with our regional partners, Biden said at the opening ceremony of events that run through Friday in Los Angeles. Biden has tried to ease many of the hardline immigration policies instituted by his predecessor, Donald Trump, and used his first days in office to propose a sweeping immigration proposal that would have created a pathway to U.S. citizenship for millions of people in the U.S. illegally. But it has stalled in Congress and the presidents attention has largely turned to other issues, including spiking inflation and Russias war with Ukraine. His administration insists the summit can be successful despite the absence of several key leaders, as officials sought to highlight efforts on food security, climate and other areas of common interest. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other leaders are staying away because the U.S. excluded Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua all countries that send large numbers of migrants to the U.S. and neighboring countries because they are led by authoritarians. Our region is large and diverse. We dont always agree on everything, Biden said. But because were democracies, we work through our disagreements with mutual respect and dialogue. He also promised that the gathering would involve bold ideas, ambitious actions that would demonstrate to our people the incredible power of democracies to deliver concrete benefits and make life better for everyone. Despite that call for unity, a stark reminder of the boycotts came when the president and first lady Jill Biden stood on the red carpet to greet foreign leaders attending, and few of the arrivals were heads of state. Instead of Guatemalas president, Biden shook hands with the foreign minister. He next greeted the minister of public affairs for El Salvador, the foreign minister for Honduras and the Mexicos secretary of foreign affairs. With migrants increasingly coming from Colombia, Ecuador and other countries outside Mexico and northern Central America, Biden was appealing directly to leaders whose support is critical to any regional strategy on a complicated problem with no clear or immediate solutions. His broad appeal to other leaders to work together on migration marked a contrast with Trump, whose unilateral demands for cooperation included a threat to Mexico to close the border and raise tariffs. Many top Republicans are eager to make an election issue of Bidens failure to meaningfully address large numbers of people fleeing violence and poverty by entering the U.S. through Mexico, even though Trump offered few lasting fixes either. Biden also told those assembled that all of our nations have a responsibility to step up and ease the pressure people are feeling today. Among the new programs he is expected to unveil in the coming days are a $300 million food security financing initiative, a new Caribbean climate partnership that will help Caribbean countries access low-carbon energy sources, and a program to train 500,000 health workers in the Americas over the next five years. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the White House will be putting specific dollars into producing tangible results. When you tally all that up and look at the practical impact of what the summit deliverables from the United States will mean for the public sphere, it is significantly more impactful on the actual lives and livelihoods of the people of this region than the kinds of extractive projects that China has been invested in, Sullivan told reporters Wednesday aboard Air Force One. The Los Angeles Declaration, to be announced while Biden meets with his counterparts from North, Central and South America, is a brief call to action that supporters hope will guide countries on one of the most pressing issues surrounding migration hosting people fleeing violence and persecution and searching for more economic stability. We regard this as an unprecedented set of statements and actions to deal with a hemispheric crisis, Sullivan said. The United States has been the most popular destination for asylum-seekers since 2017, posing a challenge that has stumped Biden and his immediate predecessors, Trump and Barack Obama. But the U.S. is far from alone. Colombia and neighboring South American countries host millions who have fled Venezuela. Mexico fielded more than 130,000 asylum applications last year, many of them Haitians, which was triple from 2020. Many Nicaraguans escape to Costa Rica, while displaced Venezuelans account for about one-sixth the population of tiny Aruba. Countries are already having to do this, so rather than each country trying to sort this out and figure it out for themselves, what were doing is saying, Lets come together in a coherent way and construct a framework so we can all work together to make this situation more humane and more manageable,' said Brian Nichols, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. Biden arrived trailed by questions about how much progress he can make on migration and other issues when some of his counterparts from the region are staying home. The controversy has undermined the start of the summit, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, at a time when China has been trying to make inroads in the region. Some concrete measures may be announced, such as possible funding for development banks. Nichols said in an interview that discussing any specific initiatives would be premature, but officials have made clear that the agreement will be largely aspirational. There is widespread agreement that relief must target growth and stability for entire communities in which migrants live, not just migrants. The agreement may call for more pathways to legal status, mechanisms to reunite families, more efficient and humane border controls and improved information sharing, according to experts who have seen early drafts. Biden also announced a new initiative, Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, to help rebuild the economies of Latin American and Caribbean countries, which suffered the steepest contractions during the pandemic and have struggled with global inflation that followed. The administration wants to draw greater private investment into those countries, including renewed focus on clean energy, stronger supply chains and improved governance on corruption and tax issues. Leaders of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador each critical to any regional migration strategy are skipping the Summit of the Americas, depriving Biden of symbolic heft and unity amid the photo opportunities and pageantry. Upon leaving for Los Angeles on Tuesday, Mexicos Marcelo Ebrard said his nations close relationship with the United States was unchanged and noted that Lopez Obrador will visit Washington in July. President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador said a migration accord would be an important recognition of what governments are facing. (When) you speak about problems and it becomes part of a declaration, a summit as important as this, obviously the problem exists, the problem enters the consciousness of those who should be part of the solution, he told a group of civic activists in Los Angeles. __ Associated Press writers Maria Verza in Mexico City, Gonzalo Solano in Quito, Ecuador, and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report. TEHRAN, Iran Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by U.N. inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republics uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. The move appeared to be a new pressure technique just before the International Atomic Energy Agencys board of governors, meeting in Vienna, approved a resolution to criticize Iran put forward by Western nations. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Irans failure to provide credible information over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country. But Irans latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehrans nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned Iran now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so. The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor and flowmeter. That apparently refers to the IAEAs online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Irans underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for around-the-clock monitoring of the facilitys cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEAs laboratories in Austria, the agency said at the time. Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there. The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, state TV said in its report Wednesday. Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran. Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA safeguard cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEAs inspections and monitoring of a countrys nuclear program. The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Irans move come after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide credible information about unexplained nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. An IAEA report released late Wednesday identified the Iranian sites as Marivan, near the city of Abadeh, and Turquzabad and Varamin just outside of Tehran. The report said Iran alleged the traces came from sabotage by a third country, something the IAEA said Tehran offered no evidence to support. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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 should it decide to do so. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. 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 Tehrans advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said. The censure resolution at the IAEA meeting in Vienna, sponsored by Germany, France, the U.K. and U.S., passed with the support of 30 of 35 governors. Russia and China voted against, Russian ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on Twitter. India, Libya and Pakistan abstained. After the vote, a joint statement from France, Germany, and the U.K. and the U.S. said the censure sends an unambiguous message to Iran that it must meet its safeguards obligations and provide technically credible clarifications on outstanding safeguards issues. Irans Foreign Ministry meanwhile criticized the censure as a political, incorrect and unconstructive action. An Iranian official earlier warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking other measures as well. We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Irans cooperation with cooperation, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate. Wednesday night, a drone exploded in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in its Kurdish region, slightly wounding three people and damaging cars and a nearby restaurant, officials said. While no one immediately claimed the attack, Iran has targeted Irbil in the past amid the regional tensions. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. FLORENCE, Ariz. An Arizona man convicted of murder in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl was put to death Wednesday in the states second execution since officials resumed carrying out the death penalty in May following a nearly eight-year hiatus. Frank Atwood, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, whose body was found in the desert, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement. Vicki Lynne went missing months earlier after leaving her home in Tucson to drop a birthday card in a nearby mailbox. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Atwoods execution Wednesday morning after rejecting a final appeal by his lawyers. He died at 10:16 a.m., Brnovich said, and witnesses reported that the execution went smoothly. Atwood was the second Arizona prisoner to be put to death in less than a month. The execution of Clarence Dixon in May ended Arizonas halt to executions that was blamed on the difficulty of obtaining lethal injection drugs and criticism that a 2014 execution in the state was botched. Death penalty opponents now worry that Arizona will now start executing a steady stream of prisoners who have languished on death row, but state officials didnt provide details when asked about the states future execution plans. We will continue to seek justice for every victim, Brnovich said in another statement. He is among the Arizona Republicans campaigning in a crowded field for an Aug. 2 U.S. Senate GOP primary election. Arizona now has 111 prisoners on death row and Brnovichs office said 22 of them have exhausted all of their appeals. Dan Peitzmeyer, the Arizona death penalty abolition coordinator for Amnesty International USA, expressed concern that the executions of Atwood and Dixon have opened the flood gates. Atwood was accompanied through the preparations for the lethal injection by a Greek Orthodox priest, witnesses to the execution said at a news conference after he died. He had claimed innocence, but did not address the killing with his last words. The witnesses said Atwood thanked the priest for coming today and shepherding me into the faith and added: I pray the Lord will have mercy on all of us and that the Lord will have mercy on me. Bud Foster, a journalist for KOLD-TV who witnessed the execution of Atwood and has witnessed other executions, said the process of setting up IVs into Atwood for the lethal injection went smoothly and that it was probably the most peaceful of any of the executions that I witnessed in the past. Medical personnel preparing Atwood for the execution initially could not locate a vein in Atwoods right arm to put in an IV, but inserted it in his right hand at Atwoods suggestion, said Henry Brean, an Arizona Daily Star reporter who was another execution witness. The girls mother, Debbie Carlson, watched the execution and told reporters after Atwood died that today marks final justice for our daughter, Vicki Lynne. Our family has waited for 37 years, eight months and 22 days for this day to come. She said her daughter was a vibrant little girl with an infectious laugh and a smile that would melt your heart. Carlson added: Her royal blue eyes reflected an old soul of wisdom, and her freckled nose was unique and we are blessed to see it in our grandchildren today. Vicki was a feisty little one that always kept you on your toes and will forever be known as Dennis the Menace, giggling all the way. Judges in recent weeks had rebuffed attempts by Atwoods lawyers to have the execution delayed. In the final weeks of Atwoods life, his attorneys tried unsuccessfully to make new arguments in a bid to overturn his death sentence, saying they discovered an FBI memo describing an anonymous caller claiming to have seen the girl in a vehicle not associated with Atwood, but which could be linked to a woman. Joseph Perkovich, one of Atwoods attorneys, said in a statement that his clients execution doesnt resolve what he said were unanswered questions about the case. The state of Arizona executed Frank Atwood despite lingering doubts about his guilt, Perkovich said. The case against Frank was purely circumstantial and significant evidence pointed to another suspect. Atwoods attorneys told the Supreme Court in court filings that the aggravating factor that made his crime eligible for the death penalty was invalidly applied. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and was convicted of Vicki Lynnes killing in 1987. Judges have rejected that legal argument in the past. They also said Atwood would undergo excruciating suffering strapped to the gurney while lying on his back because he has a degenerative spinal condition. Prosecutors claimed that Atwood was trying to indefinitely postpone his execution through legal maneuvers, saying his pain would be be alleviated by propping him with a pillow on the gurney, which has a tilting function. Atwood did not complain about back pain during the process to prepare him for the lethal injection, Brean said. Authorities have said Atwood kidnapped Vicki Lynne, whose remains were discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Experts could not determine the cause of death from the remains, according to court records. Arizona corrections officials have discretion over which reporters can witness executions. Three Tucson-area news organizations the Arizona Daily Star, KOLD-TV and KVOA-TV were selected to witness Atwoods execution. The Associated Press, which has a long history of witnessing executions in Arizona and served as a witness to Dixons execution, requested that one of its reporters be allowed to witness Atwoods execution, but was denied. Dixon was executed on May 11 for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State University student. His execution was criticized by death penalty experts because it took officials about 30 minutes to insert an IV to deliver the lethal drug and 10 minutes after that to die. They said executions should take seven to 10 minutes from the beginning of the IV insertion process until the moment the prisoner is declared dead. The execution team first tried and failed to insert an IV into Dixons left arm before they were able to connect it in his right arm. They then made an incision in his groin area for another IV line. Dixons execution was the first to be carried out in the state since the July 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over nearly two hours. Wood snorted repeatedly and gasped before he died. His attorney said the execution had been botched. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the execution witness who said Atwood didnt complain about back pain was Arizona Daily Star reporter Henry Brean, not KVOA-TV reporter Lupita Murillo. ___ Billeaud reported from Phoenix. Nickelodeons hit show, The Loud House is making the leap from animation to live action. On Wednesday, the New Mexico Film Office announced the Paramount+ project filming in New Mexico. The Loud House series is based on the Emmy Award-winning animated show. It follows Lincoln Loud, an 11-year-old boy with 10 sisters, as he navigates everyday life with such a large family. Known as the Man with a Plan, Lincoln enlists the help of his best friend Clyde McBride to tackle the obstacles and mayhem that they encounter during their daily adventures. As one of Nicks most beloved animated franchises, The Loud House has made its way into the hearts of millions of fans across the globe, said Shauna Phelan, co-head of Nickelodeon & Awesomeness Live-Action. When we brought the animated world of Royal Woods to life with A Loud House Christmas, it instantly became a holiday favorite for both new and loyal fans alike, and I just know that they will love what our amazing creative team is preparing for this new live-action series. According to the New Mexico Film Office, the production will employ approximately 125 New Mexico crew members, 20 New Mexico principal actors, and approximately 400 New Mexico background talent. Cast members set to reprise their roles are Wolfgang Schaeffer as Lincoln Loud, Jahzir Bruno as Clyde McBride, Brian Stepanek as Lynn Loud Sr., Sophia Woodward as Luna Loud, Catherine Ashmore Bradley as Luan Loud, Aubin Bradley as Lucy Loud, Ella Allan as Lola Loud, Mia Allan as Lana Loud, and Lexi Janicek as Lisa Loud. New cast members set to join the series are Jolie Jenkins as Rita Loud, Eva Carlton as Leni Loud, and Annaka Fourneret as Lynn Loud. I am super excited to bring this large and loud production to Albuquerque, said Jonathan Judge, director and executive producer of the series. Ive really enjoyed meeting local crew and collaborators and Im looking forward to the journey of bringing this series to life. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal There are always bumps in the road with the rolling out of any new industry, but New Mexicos cannabis industry excites those in and around it. Those are the words of cannabis leaders across New Mexico, some of whom presented their hopes, fears and challenges of the recreational cannabis industry at the Economic Forum of Albuquerque on Wednesday. Presenters at the forum included Everest Cannabis Co. CEO Trishelle Kirk, Sen. Katy Duhigg, Azuca CEO Kim Sanchez Rael and moderator Eric Speegle, president of the Verdes Foundation. My hope is that we in New Mexico and in the entire country, reeducate ourselves and are able to bring the true healing and medical benefits of this plant to the human population in a safe and regulated way, Rael said. The good, the bad Recreational cannabis has been legalized for sale since April 1. So far, the industry has realized more than $40 million in revenue and more than $80 million when combined with medical cannabis sales in that same time period. But this new industry has come with some fears, spanning across federal and state regulations and competition with the illicit market. One of those fears, Duhigg said, is that businesses that entered New Mexicos cannabis industry with the passing of the Cannabis Regulation Act may not know what theyre getting into spending their savings on creating a business out of every monetary asset they have. And that can be especially troublesome because businesses in the cannabis space cant declare bankruptcy because cannabis is still considered federally illegal. My greatest worry is that whole lot of people are going to lose their shirts on this, said Duhigg, a Democrat who was involved in the drafting of the Cannabis Regulation Act and an attorney who specializes in cannabis law. Theres a lot of people who have a little bit of savings and think they are going to be millionaires and they are not. Kirk echoed Duhiggs sentiments and said she is also concerned about the complex regulations, from packaging and labeling to zoning and testing requirements. Kirks other concerns include the number of licenses being approved, the conundrum with cannabis taxes and how both can lead to a healthy black market which can prove to be a major competitor to legalized cannabis. (A) theory I have is that we end up with a bigger black market than a legal market, and thats based on what weve seen in some other markets where there are either too many licenses or people are desperate, and, you know, theyre just trying to figure out a way to get the tax bill paid or whatever it is, Kirk said. A lot of times that can revert into a bigger and more sophisticated black market. Kirk said career-wise, the industry is typically more open for growth for employees who may not have a higher education degree, as her company only has about 10% of jobs that require that. About 85% of her employees, too, are under the age of 35 with many eyeing the industry as a career and not a job. They are smart and they are driven, and they dont look at cannabis as a job, Kirk said. They look at it as a career. And people who have careers want to invest in their communities and they want to stay in New Mexico. And thats what I want to see more of. A growth industry Recreational cannabis is an industry that is expected to continue to grow. Rael said the industry, in fact, right now is projected to be at 20% category growth over the next five to seven years. That has held true for companies such as Everest, which employs around 160 people across all operations. Since June 2021, the company has hired 70 employees, or about an 80% increase. But the growth isnt limited to just retail, production and manufacturing. It extends out to other companies entering the cannabis space such as Terra Vera, a company that specializes in agriculture technology that wants to help increase yields and healthier plants, Rael said. We are in a great place in New Mexico to leverage our innovation platforms to support this really rapidly growing global industry, Rael said. Maliaq Kairaiuak is a storyteller. Up until a few years ago, she didnt know which medium she would utilize. Flash forward to today, the University of New Mexico film student is living a dream producing as an intern at New Mexico PBS. If you asked me five years ago if I was going to be a filmmaker, I wouldnt have believed you, Kairaiuak says. Kairaiuak (Yupik & Athabaskan) is the producer behind the Colores! segment featuring Navajo weaver Venancio Aragon. The episode airs at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. Colores! has been around since 1989 and celebrates the creative spirit found in the Land of Enchantment. The weekly TV series shares in-depth and inspirational stories about New Mexicos diverse arts, culture and history. For the piece, she wanted to dig a little deeper in Aragons life. I wanted to connect the artwork and the weaving, she says. When I talked with Venancio, I saw how his formal education and studies with the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe coupled with the teachings of his family and cultural traditions. He was so articulate and had so many powerful things to say. Kairaiuak is entering her senior year at UNM. She moved from Alaska in February 2020 to attend school in Albuquerque. The first year was kind of rough, she says. Most of it was distanced learning. UNM has a great network with the resources. One of my professors introduced me to (executive producer) Michael Kamins and he became my mentor. Kairaiuak then met Tara Walch, Colores! producer, at a Vision Maker Media (VMM) conference in Santa Fe. Vision Maker Media is the premier source of public media by and about Native Americans (since 1976). Their mission is empowering and engaging Native people to share stories. Maliaq is wonderful to work with, Walch says. Shes very aware and gets to the heart of a story. She dove into the projects with such enthusiasm for telling artists stories, and for sharing them with the audience. Kairaiuak is appreciative of NMPBS because of their openness to her ideas. This was my first hands-on experience working with a company, she says. They offered me so many opportunities to hone my skills and find my voice. SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART. On TV The TV series Colores! will feature a segment on Navajo weaver Venancio Aragon. The episode airs at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 11, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. If its June, it must be time for flamenco. For the past 35 years, the National Institute of Flamenco has curated Festival Flamenco de Alburquerque an over a week-long celebration of the genre of dance. This year the festival returns to full capacity and in-person performances. We basically dont stop, says Marisol Encinias, NIF executive director. This is our first time back with a full festival since 2019. Its our 35th year and we decided to do a big festival. The festival runs Saturday, June 11 through June 18 at various locations around Albuquerque. When Encinias says its a big festival, it is. Were bringing in seven Spanish flamenco companies, one company from New York City and our company, Yjastros, Encinias says. Weve also upped the number of free performances in the community. The festival is the largest flamenco event outside of Spain and touches the lives of thousands of participants through workshops, theater shows, tablao performances, lecture series and free public programming. In addition to over 30 workshops and a full array of evening and late-night programming, this years Festival Flamenco boasts seven U.S. premieres, showcasing the dynamic range and expressive power of flamenco, from its most traditional to its most avant-garde interpretations. The seven companies and their concerts are: Estevez/Panos y Compania in LA CONFLUENCIA, Jose Maya and Pastora Galvan in Rizoma, Paloma Fantova in CUNA, Alfonso Losa with invited artists Concha Jareno and Sandra Carrasco in Flamenco: [Espacio Creativo], Nelida Tirado in Dime Quien Soy, Mercedes de Cordoba in Ser Ni Conmigo Ni Sin Mi, and flamencos grande dame Eva Yerbabuena in DMadruga. Encinias says the performances continue with Festival Flamencos Late Night Series, with thrilling, intimate shows at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque, featuring unique nightly casts of Festival artists, and three performances in the X Theatre at the University of New Mexico, showcasing works from Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, Bronx-based Latina artist Tirado, and Sara Cano. Performances are held throughout the week at the University of New Mexicos Rodey Theatre and X Theatre, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, and Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque. The Festival closes with an incredible flourish in the form of Friday and Saturday night gala performances, Fiesta Flamenca, featuring two distinct line-ups of the Festivals powerhouse headlining artists and New Mexicos own Yjastros. The Fiesta Flamenca are the theater shows and are one of the main attractions, Encinias says. Each night half of the invited guests take the stage to do a number. Its like the best of the best. Encinias says there are four free outdoor concerts at four different community centers. Its part of Bernalillo Countys Flamenco in Your Neighborhood series. At 7 p.m. Friday, June 10, there will be flamenco and dance concerts at the Veterans Memorial Park amphitheater, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. NE. Then at 5 p.m. Saturday, June 11, the festivities will move over to the Westside Community Center, 1250 Isleta Blvd. SE. On Monday, June 13, at 5 p.m., the free public dances continue at the Paradise Hills Community Center, 5901 Paradise Blvd. NW. The series ends at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center, 9800 Fourth St. NW. Bernalillo County stepped in and sponsored the free shows for the community, Encinias says. Weve been trying to offer more programming for the community. These events are free and open to the public so that they can experience the beauty of flamenco. Cano will also perform two free shows at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at UNM College of Fine Arts. She will then perform A Palo Seco Redux at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 17, at the Plaza Mayor at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth St. SW. Encinias says the Flamenco New Mexico Lecture Series and Performance Talks is set for three events, which are all also free to the public. At 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16, there will be the festival artist round table at the Wells Fargo Theatre at the NHCC. At 9 a.m. Saturday, June 18, there will be a lecture at the Albuquerque Museum, and at 7 p.m. Festival Flamenco founder Eva Encinias will lead a lecture at the NHCC. We have an impressive line up and its taken a lot of work to get to this point this year and celebrate our 35th anniversary, Marisol Encinias says. It feels very crazy to have the artists ready for theater performances. We present flamenco from all aspects and invite the community to support the artists. CHONGQING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A cooperation plan on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor jointly compiled by China and Singapore was officially released Wednesday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. The plan details cooperation in various fields including trade, industry, infrastructures, supply chains and logistics, financial services and investment, and digitalization. It also highlights cooperation in talent exchanges, culture and tourism, and educational training. The land-sea corridor under the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity is a trade and logistics passage jointly built by the provincial-level regions of western China and ASEAN countries. Chongqing Municipality is the center of operations for the corridor. By 2025, the new land-sea corridor featuring efficient, open, stable and competitive trade logistics, industrial cooperation, and technology and people-to-people exchanges between western China and ASEAN will have been basically established, according to the plan. Trade between ASEAN and Chinese provincial-level regions along the corridor is expected to reach 180 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, with the transport volume of containers moving via the sea-rail transport service reaching 500,000 TEUs and cross-border trains making 2,000 trips, the plan says. As for the long-term target, a modern interconnection network will have been built by 2035 to effectively connect the Eurasian continent and benefit western China, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Europe, it states. If there is any way I can help as an ally, please email me 1 ABQ PrideFest Help the LGBTQIA+ community achieve equality in society and celebrate Pridefest in ABQ. ABQ Pride is excited to put on the 46th Pridefest. The parade is starts at 10 a.m. Saturday in Nob Hill, and the festivities continue from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro NE. Tickets are $15 plus fees and can be purchased at eventbrite.com 2 Backstreet Boys Saturday, June 11, Nick Carter and company hit the Isleta Amphitheater. If you ever owned a CD player, this is your time to shine. The whole band is together so all of the AJ and Howie fans can make their presence felt as well. If you are washed like me, you can rewatch some of their old performances on The View, The Oprah Winfrey Show and the Rosie ODonnell Show. The Backstreet Boys are releasing a Christmas album this year, so if you are attending, please ask them to confirm. I hope they have a modern sound and Nick freestyles over a drill beat. Tickets are available at livenation.com 3 Kombucha Brewing While all your friends are chilling this summer, you are gonna be brewing kombucha. You can learn Saturday at Southwest Grape & Grain as they go over all the ingredients and equipment necessary along with the step-by-step process to ferment your first number. This class is part of the beer, wine and spirits series and the event starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 plus fees and can be purchased at eventbrite.com. 4 Mental Health First Aid Mental health matters and that is why I recommend anyone who is struggling attend Mental Health First Aid from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at Marriott Albuquerque. Tickets are $30 for training only and $80 for training and 8 hours of Continuing Education Units. This course will help you: Assess the risk of suicide or self-harm, listen without judging, give reassurance, encourage necessary professional help, encourage self-help and alternative support strategies. All payments must be submitted directly to PSRANM. Details on how to process the payment will be sent to you via email, after your registration to the class is processed. Registration is available at eventbrite.com 5 Heights Summerfest Celebrate the nice weather with outdoor fun at Albuquerque Summerfest from 5-10 p.m. Saturday at North Domingo Baca Park, 7521 Carmel Ave. NE. Musicians performing include: DK & the Affordables at 5 p.m., Felix y Los Gatos at 6 p.m., ChillHouse with Hillary Smith at 7 p.m. and ending the night is Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8:30 p.m. Summerfest also features local businesses with handcrafted goods in the shops, along with food trucks, libations created by wineries, breweries, and distilleries, and more. 6 Science Cafe Ken Burns Benjamin Franklin At 10 a.m. Saturday at Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, come out to see Ken Burns documentary Benjamin Franklin, that explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th centurys most consequential and compelling personalities. Learn how Franklins work and words unlocked the secrets of electricity and helped found the United States. Refreshments will be served half an hour before showtime. The event is free and you can register at eventbrite.com. 7 Farmhouse Ale Event If you want to get away from Albuquerque this weekend, come out to Loretto Park in Bernalillo from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Saturday for the Farmhouse Ale Event. There will also be multiple musical acts as well including Levi Dean and the Mesa Rats, the Silver Spurs, Nathaniel Krantz and the headliner Kevin Galloway. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for children under 18 and can be purchased at un-17.org/farm_house_ale_event. You can purchase tickets from the site and save $2, or at the location day of the event. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A 20-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday to shooting and killing a postal worker who intervened in a family fight in 2019 on the West Side. Xavier Zamora took the deal offered by prosecutors on charges of second-degree murder of an employee of the United States and using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. In April 2019, Jose Hernandez, 47, was delivering mail to a neighborhood near Tower and 98th when he saw Zamora who was 17 at the time hit his mother during a fight. Hernandez tried to intervene before Zamora became angry and grabbed a handgun, shooting Hernandez in the stomach. The release states Zamora will stay in custody pending sentencing. He faces up to 22 years in prison under the plea deal. Zamoras attorney could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Jose Hernandez died protecting a stranger from violence. His selfless courage in the course of his duties embodies the highest ideals of the Postal Service to bind the nation together, U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Alexander M.M. Uballez said in a released statement. We cannot replace the husband, the father, the friend who was taken in this act of violence, but todays plea represents a significant step toward justice. U.S. Postal Service Inspector in Charge Melisa Llosa, in a statement, described Hernandez as a veteran who cared about the community he served. She said investigating those who commit heinous crimes against employees will always be the highest priority of U.S. Postal Inspectors. The plea agreement wasnt available through online court records. INSTAR IMAGES/Hoo-me.com/Media Punch Celebrity Just days after the 'DONDA' rapper took a trip to the cinema and sat with influencer Monica Corgan, words spreads out that he has split from the model who looks like his ex Kim Kardashian. Jun 8, 2022 AceShowbiz - Kanye West has split from Chaney Jones. Having struck up a relationship with the Kim Kardashian lookalike back in February 2022, the 44-year-old rapper was said to have now called things off with her after returning from a long trip to Japan. "They ended things shortly after a lengthy trip to Japan," a source told TMZ. "It unclear who broke up with who." News of the alleged split comes just days after the "DONDA" rapper, who legally changed his name to Ye back in 2021, took a trip to the cinema and sat with influencer Monica Corgan on Sunday, June 5. Alongside an image of Monica and Kanye, Motta Fied, who took the photo during the screening of "Top Gun: Maverick", wrote on Instagram, "Forgot to mentionwent to see @topgunmovie the other night and sat next to @kanyewest!" Back in May, 24-year-old Chaney got the name "Ye" tattooed onto her left wrist in tribute to the "Jesus Walks" rapper. It came just weeks after Kanye's reality star ex-wife, who has been dating "Saturday Night Live" alum Pete Davidson since October 2021, revealed that her new man had also got a tattoo in her honor. At the time, "The Kardashians" star said, "I think [Pete] was like, 'I want something that's there that I can't, you know, get rid of. 'Cause he's in the process of getting rid of his arm tats and his neck tats. So he's like, 'I don't wanna be able to get rid of it or to cover it up, and I just wanted it, like, there as a scar on me.' " Following their high-profile divorce, Kanye dated "Uncut Gems" actress Julia Fox from January until February 2022. The father of 8-year-old North, 6-year-old Saint, 4-year-old Chicago and 3-year-old Psalm was first spotted with Chaney at a party in Malibu later that month. Instagram Celebrity The 'Chrisley Knows Best' stars have been found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion despite previously pleading not guilty to 12 counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Jun 8, 2022 AceShowbiz - Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley are apparently going to spend years in prison. The "Chrisley Knows Best" stars are facing up to 30 years behind bars after they were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion. The reality stars received the guilty verdict on Tuesday, June 7, according to the Associated Press. The pair were found guilty on all 12 counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Their former accountant Peter Tarantino was also found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns. The couple faces up to 30 years behind bars, according to Insider. They will be sentenced at a later time. Following the guilty verdict, their lawyer Bruce Morris said in a statement that they are "disappointed in the verdict." The attorney further explained that "an appeal is planned." The federal trial against Todd and Julie began on May 16 in Atlanta, where the couple lived for several years before moving to Nashville. The proceedings came after the Chrisleys were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2019 for 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy, all of which they denied. Todd shared a message denying any wrongdoing. "We have nothing to hide and have done nothing to be ashamed of," he wrote on Instagram in August 2019, alongside a picture of his family. "Not only do we know we've done nothing wrong, but we've got a ton of hard evidence and a bunch of corroborating witnesses that proves it." Todd then blamed the legal drama on a former employee who was fired in 2012 after the Chrisleys learned the employee had been "stealing from us big time." He said the worker retaliated against the family by sending "phony documents" to the U.S. attorney's office and telling federal prosecutors that "we had committed all kinds of financial crimes." However, federal prosecutors alleged Todd, his wife Julie and their former accountant Peter, submitted fake bank documents and lied about their wealth when applying for loans from 2007 to 2012. Todd, Julie and Peter were each charged with five counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of tax fraud. Additionally, Julie was charged with one count of obstruction of justice and one count of wire fraud, while the accountant was also hit with two counts of willfully filing false tax returns. INSTAR IMAGES/Fayes Vision Celebrity The Jughead Jones depicter on 'Riverdale' goes nude in the NSFW mirror selfie that sees his naked backside, which seemingly has been edited to appear larger and rounder. Jun 8, 2022 AceShowbiz - Cole Sprouse has sent the Internet into a frenzy. The actor portraying Jughead Jones on the hit series "Riverdale" bared his butt in a cheeky social media post which later made him dubbed "Cole Kardashian." The 29-year-old Disney Channel alum made use of his Instagram account on Tuesday, June 7 to share a naked mirror selfie that captured his nude body from the back. Notably, his backside seems edited to appear larger and rounder. In the snap, Cole sported a goatee and tousled brown locks. The former "The Suite Life on Deck" star also smiled at the camera. "Good Morning to my publicity team," he cheekily captioned the NSFW photo. In the comment section, multiple fans compared the "Five Feet Apart" actor's edited body to the Kardashians. "Cole Kardashian," they shared in response to the risque upload. Someone else added, "Keeping up with the sprouse," while a separate person said, "I thought for a moment and saw Kim Kardashian [laughing with tears emoji]." Skeet Ulrich, who plays Jughead's dad F. P. Jones on "Riverdale", thought the image was hilarious as he left a bunch of laughing with tears emojis. Mark Consuelos, who also stars on the hit CW series, simply wrote, "Yo." Celebrity photographer Sam Damashek commented, "I just did the biggest double take," and several agreed with him since his remark received more than 10,000 likes. Another pal, Damon Baker, then joked, "Why the long bottom." Vanessa Morgan, in the meantime, left a skull emoji. Lana Condor chimed in, "No," while musician Bazzi commented, "Them cheeks are looking COLOSSAL king." One Instagram user quipped, "Cole the Stallion #hotsprousesummer." Cole is known to showcase his sense of humor on social media. The "Moonshot" leading man even created another Instagram account called @camera_duels, solely dedicated to fans sneakily taking pictures of him. The profile's bio read, "This instagram is dedicated to the people out there who secretly take photos of me, and how I take photos of them first. May the fastest camera win." Instagram Celebrity Christopher Gibbons is accused of describing the three-year-old boy, who was born Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, as an 'abomination that should be put down' in an online 'terror' podcast. Jun 9, 2022 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie was targeted by white supremacists "for being mixed race," a court has been told. In an online "terror" podcast, Christopher Gibbons is accused of describing the three-year-old boy, who was born Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, as an "abomination that should be put down." In that podcast, Gibbons and fellow host Tyrone Patten-Walsh, also called for Prince Harry to be prosecuted and "judicially killed for treason" for being married to Meghan, whose mother Doria Ragland is African-American, while her father, Thomas Markle, is Caucasian. The pari are said to have despised mixed-race relationships and used the couple's marriage as an example on their "Black Wolf Radio" show. Gibbons, from Carshalton, South London, and Patten-Walsh, of Romford in East London, deny encouraging acts of extreme right-wing terrorism through their podcast for almost a year between March 3, 2019 and February 9, 2020. He also denies a further accusation of spreading terrorist publications by uploading videos to an online hoard titled "The Radicalisation Library" from April 2018 to February 2020. Prosecutor Anne Whyte QC told Kingston Crown Court both the accused are "dedicated and unapologetic white supremacists" who hold "extreme right-wing views." She claimed, "They thought that if they used the format of a radio show, as good as in plain sight, they could pass off their venture as the legitimate exercise of their freedom of speech. In fact what they were doing was using language designed to encourage others to commit acts of extreme right-wing terrorism against the sections of society that these defendants hated." Gibbons and Patten-Walsh allegedly approved of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, 41, in 2016 by a far-right thug as well as Brenton Tarrant's 2019 shooting spree at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, which left 51 victims dead during Friday prayers. They also referred to victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena suicide bombing that claimed the lives of 22 people as s****, a jury heard. Patten-Walsh allegedly also called the perpetrator of the attack a sand n*****. The accused also allegedly made anti-Semitic remarks and painted black and Asian men as rapists in their podcast. Their trial continues. The vile revelations from the court case come after The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated daughter Lilibets first birthday on Saturday, June 4 during Queen Elizabeth II's long weekend of Platinum Jubilee events. WENN Celebrity In the lawsuit, the 70-year-old disgraced Hollywood mogul says the vehicle 'failed to decelerate' despite his 'application of the vehicle's braking system' as he approached a deer. Jun 9, 2022 AceShowbiz - Harvey Weinstein is suing car maker Chrysler for $5 million over a 2019 crash. Through his lawsuit, the disgraced Hollywood mogul wants compensation for a smash that saw him flip a Jeep Wrangler while trying to swerve a deer. Filed against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, now owned by Stellantis, his lawsuit was lodged at New York Supreme Court on Tuesday, June 7. It claims the car firm provided him with an "unreasonably dangerous" vehicle in exchange for product placement in one of his films. Weinstein, who is serving a 23-year jail sentence following his February 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape, additionally claims the accident left him "catastrophically injured and rendered paralysed" with "significant and continuing conscious pain and suffering." In response to the lawsuit a spokesperson for Stellantis told The Independent, "We do not comment on pending litigation. We intend to vigorously defend our product against these claims." Weinstein says the deer incident happened when he was driving his 2017 Jeep Wrangler at 8.55am through suburban Bedford, New York, around 40 miles outside Manhattan, on 17 August, 2019. He says the vehicle "failed to decelerate" despite his "application of the vehicle's braking system" as he approached the animal. The 70-year-old underwent back surgery that December, and was seen hunched over a walker as he faced trial in New York for sexual assault. His conviction on rape and assault charges was last week upheld by a New York appeals court. A five-judge panel unanimously found in a 45-page ruling that trial Judge James Burke in the lower court did not prejudice the trial in favour of the prosecution during the landmark proceedings against Weinstein, sparked by the #MeToo movement. He is awaiting trial in Los Angeles on other alleged sex crimes from 2004 to 2013. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to those charges, and has denied any non-consensual sexual encounters. The ex-Miramax "Pulp Fiction" producer got into the crash in upstate New York as he was set to face trial for his sexual advances on aspiring female actresses and colleagues. According to the New York Post, witnesses said at the time of his crash the car wound up on its side and Weinstein had to kick his way out. Attorney Gary Kaulich, representing the disgraced producer in the Chrysler lawsuit, says Weinstein's injuries included "severe spine and back" damage. He told the New York Post on Tuesday the fallen film titan has previously tried to settle with Chrysler outside of court, saying, "Negotiations went on for months and months, but Chrysler apparently never had any intention of resolving the case in good faith." A mass of sex assault allegations erupted against Weinstein in 2017, with almost 90 women including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and Gwyneth Paltrow accusing him of harassment or assault. Worlds fastest growing on-chain social app, Chingari powered by $GARI and Disney+ Hotstar collaborated for the recently released Hotstar Specials Escaype Live. The story is based on the lives of six individuals who are embarking on a journey to achieve immense social media success through an app called Escaype Live. Chingari and Disney+ Hotstar hosted a special screening for Chingari Creators. The Chingari creators created videos for the show and gave a shout out to their favorite characters from Escaype Live, giving their fans a glimpse into the show. With content creation being one of the most relevant segments of the media industry in the digital era, Content Creators are ruling the hearts of not just brands, but are also actively stealing the hearts of their audiences across the globe. Perfectly understanding the content creator/ influencers ecosystem in India, show Director Siddharth Kumar Tewary has created a gem for audiences to consume. And just like Escaype Live has been trying to help creators achieve their ambitious goals in reel life, Chingari powered by $GARI has been providing a platform to upcoming creators for them to achieve their goals . As a part of the association, in addition to the special screening, the app also interviewed three very important characters of the show for their popular segment Chingari GupShupp. Hosted by Simrata Singh, the candid conversations and fun games that were played with actor Jaaved Jaaferi aka Ravi Gupta from Escaype Live, was a treat to watch and was greatly appreciated by audiences on the app and other social media platforms. Interview with Sumedh Mudgalkar aka Darkie was the most loved video on social media and Shweta Tripathi Sharma aka Sunaina from Escaype Live, impressively staying in her character gave great life lessons to our viewers in her entertaining interview. Overall the GupShupp videos garnered over 20M+ views on Chingari app and other platforms. Mr. Sumit Ghosh, Co-founder & CEO, Chingari App commented, Disney+ Hotstar is known for their relevant and unique content and they have yet again delivered a gem with Escaype Live. The essence of the series explores the lengths content creators and tech giants are willing to travel to achieve their aspirations. This is where platforms like Chingari come into the picture, we not only provide creators with a platform to make a successful career but also provide them with mental and financial support from the very beginning. Our excellent team of community managers are in constant touch with our creators and help them to grow on the platform by training and grooming them to make entertaining and engaging content, without going into the extreme mode of social media. We are happy of the collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar for Escaype Live and they have been extremely supportive throughout the association One of Indias largest selling hair colour, Godrej Expert Rich Creme, from the house of Godrej Consumer Products Limited, launched its new mini pack at just INR15. To promote this new variant, Godrej Expert Rich Creme has unveiled a TVC campaign featuring actress Anushka Sharma who is also its brand ambassador. The campaign highlights how greying of hair can just be solved in INR 15 with Expert Rich Creme. It offers the goodness of 10X aloe vera and is ammonia-free leading to natural-looking beautiful hair. Conceptualised by Creativeland Asia, the TVC starts with Anushka Sharma and her female friend conversing about how white hair is a badi problem thereby discouraging the friend from posting on social media. This is when Anushka Sharma assures her friend that it is not a badi problem but just '15 rupees wali problem. Anushka emphasizes that Godrej Expert Rich Cremes new mini pack which is available for INR 15. The product comes with the following colour choices - Natural brown and natural black. Speaking about the new TVC, Somasree Bose Awasthi, Chief Marketing Office, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (India)said, With Godrej Expert Rich Creme, we are constantly innovating and making hair colour accessible for everyone at an affordable price point. The newly launched mini pack offers the same goodness of 10X aloe vera and ammonia-free colours. Our ongoing collaboration with Anushka Sharma will help us amplify awareness of the category as well as our product across urban and rural markets. Anushka Sharma, the brand ambassador of Godrej Expert Rich Creme, states,Over the years, Godrej Expert Rich Creme has made hair colour accessible.It is Indias preferred hair colour brand and has become synonymous with care and innovation. With more and more Indians switching to hair colouring at home, this affordable INR.15 new mini-pack provides great value for money with grey coverage and rich colour to give you shiny, beautiful hair. I am thrilled to be a part of this journey with Godrej Expert Rich Creme in providing peoplean experience with a hair colour that abounds nourishment and trust. Yang Jiechi warns of intertwined old, new problems in call with Japanese national security chief (Global Times) 08:15, June 08, 2022 Yang Jiechi Photo/CGTN Old problems in China-Japan relations are intertwined with new ones, and the challenges cannot be ignored if the two countries wish to have "healthy" relations, senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi told Japanese national security chief Takeo Akiba on Tuesday over the phone. The call came as Tokyo is "adopting the most vicious China-policy since ties were normalized," as Japan keeps flirting with China's hot-button issues, such as the Taiwan question, and is reportedly aiming to send an active-duty defense official to Taiwan island to strengthen information-gathering capabilities. The call, according to experts, serves as a warning to Japan to dial down its provocative actions on China's hot-button issues, and also implies the necessity of stabilizing China-Japan relations amid a hostile atmosphere between Beijing and Washington. Yang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, spoke on the phone with Akiba on Tuesday, saying both nations should "grasp the right direction, uphold win-win cooperation, focus on the long term, enhance security and build mutual trust." Yang also said both countries should work together to ensure "stable, healthy and resilient" relations in the next 50 years, and "jointly maintain regional peace and prosperity." According to the readout of China's Foreign Ministry, Yang made clear to Akiba China's stance on issues regarding Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Diaoyu Islands. Akiba vowed to deepen cooperation with China and strengthen communication on sensitive bilateral and hot international issues. The call came as Japan is closely tagging along with US moves to counter Chinain the region. Tokyo recently ruffled Beijing's feathers by upping the ante on the Taiwan question, China's hot-button issue, hyping the China threat theory in the Asia-Pacific region, and preparing to open the door of this region to NATO. Yang's remarks were seen as a warning, which showed China's deep concern and solemn stance on Japan's recent moves, Liu Jiangyong, vice dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. He noted that it can be seen as a signal to Japan that "Don't say I did not send a warning." Observers said it is necessary to stabilize China-Japan relations against the backdrop of deteriorating China-US ties. The golden anniversary of ties can be an opportunity for both sides to push relations closer, they said but noted there should not be high expectations on Japan. Among the latest provocation, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held a meeting on Monday, in which a draft of the Basic Policy for Economic and Fiscal Operation and Reform, known as the "Gutai Policy," was revealed, Japan's Kyodo News reported. A rare reference to the "importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits" was added, but it did not mention the increase in the defense budget. The draft was expected to be finalized at Tuesday's cabinet meeting. Lian Degui, director of the Department of Japanese Studies at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times that it is unnatural to add the Taiwan question into a policy document that focuses on the economy. Experts said it signals Japan's long-term plan of interfering in the Taiwan question, which poses a severe provocation to China's domestic affairs, and will face a strong and fierce response from Beijing. Another warning sign came after media reported that Japan's Ministry of Defense was reportedly planning to send an active-duty defense official to Taiwan from June to September to strengthen information-gathering capabilities, according to local website Sankei. Yet the information has not been confirmed by Japanese officials. Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, said that if confirmed, it will break the current framework of Japan's relations with the island of Taiwan, as the political document between China and Japan clearly states that Japan cannot violate the one-China principle and can only maintain non-official relations with Taiwan. Experts believe such a move is an edge ball, as the defense official who would be sent is a civil official and sending a civil official is less provocative and helps gather information. Although the information has not been confirmed, they suggest China should react strongly to this move, as it is a "sausage cutting" move of Japan to send incumbent civil officials first and then, if they are not met by a strong reaction from the Chinese mainland, send military personnel or even increase the number of people stationed in the island. Japan is also eyeing NATO to back its ambition to seek "autonomous defense" and expand its defense capacity. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is reportedly preparing to attend the NATO summit later this month, and will be the first Japanese leader to participate in the meeting of the military alliance. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that we should pay close attention to Japan's move, because if the information is confirmed, it signals that the US and Japan are preparing military moves in this region. The Russia-Ukraine crisis taught us that even if NATO countries don't send troops to Ukraine, it did not stop them from sharing intelligence, and such moves exert a significant impact on the battlefield, said Fu. China has tools in its tool kit to cut military connections, said Fu, including destroying land- and sea-based infrastructure, electromagnetic detection, and electronic interference. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) People visit the expo of the 4th Industrial Revolution Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 7, 2022. The southwestern African nation on Tuesday commenced with the country's 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) Conference which began with an expo in Windhoek. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua) A visitor tries a virtual reality headset during the expo of the 4th Industrial Revolution Conference in Windhoek, Namibia, on June 7, 2022. The southwestern African nation on Tuesday commenced with the country's 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) Conference which began with an expo in Windhoek. (Photo by Ndalimpinga Iita/Xinhua) Technology is powering more business growth around the world than ever before. And new consumer behaviors are redefining the role technology plays in everyday life. With the surge of video watch time, the increased reliance on Search, and the growth in online shopping. brands and businesses can meet customers where they are today, unlock growth and navigate todays rapidly shifting advertising landscape and building resilience for tomorrow. At the India edition of Google Marketing Live, we announced a suite of product innovations across Ads and Commerce. Here are the highlights: Video action campaigns and App campaigns will automatically scale to YouTube Shorts. YouTube Shorts now averages over 30 billion daily views four times as many as a year ago and Google wants to help marketers reach people immersed in this short-form content. Later this year, marketers will be able to connect product feed to campaigns and make video ads on YouTube Shorts more shoppable. Google has been experimenting with ads in YouTube Shorts since last year, and now gradually rolling that out to all advertisers around the world. This is an exciting milestone for advertisers, and a key step towards developing a long-term YouTube Shorts monetization solution for creators. Performance Max campaigns are an effective tool for meeting customers where they are on Google channels. Advertisers who use Performance Max campaigns in their accounts see a 13 percent increase in total incremental conversions at a comparable cost per action. Google has announced six upcoming updates: More tools for experimentation, to see how Performance Max is driving incremental conversions. Expanded campaign management support in Search Ads 360 and the Google Ads mobile app. Support for store sales goals to optimize for in-store sales, in addition to store visits and local actions. Maximize impact with burst campaigns for a set time period to help meet in-store goals during seasonal events. New insights and explanations, including attribution, audience and auction insights to know whats driving performance. Optimization score and recommendations to improve the campaign Insights page uses machine learning to identify new pockets of consumer demand and provide personalized trend data. Only Google can surface these types of insights, based on the billions of searches and the millions of signals Google analyzes for every ad auction. Today, Google is introducing three new reports that will roll out over the coming months: Attribution insights show how ads work together across Google surfaces like Search, Display and YouTube to drive conversions. Budget insights find new opportunities for budget optimization and show how spend is pacing against budget goals. Audience insights for first-party data show how customer segments, like those created with Customer Match, are driving campaign performance Building resilience in a shifting landscape Google is driven by a shared goal: to be the most helpful company in the world. But the products can only be as helpful as they are safe. That's why Google is launching innovations like My Ad Center later this year to keep users in control of their privacy and online experience. People will be able to pick the types of ads they want to see more or less of, and control how their data informs ads they see across YouTube, Search and Discover. The government is "open" to big tech platforms proposing an effective self-regulatory appellate mechanism that can offer a "better solution" to resolve grievances raised by social media users, said IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday, adding that new social media rules will be finalised before the end of July after extensive consultations. The suggestion is significant since the Centre is considering forming a grievance appellate body to hear appeals submitted by individuals against judgments made by grievance officers of social media sites. Furthermore, the panel must rule on the appeals within 30 days of receiving them, and its judgement would be binding on the intermediaries or significant social media businesses involved, according to the proposed revisions to the IT laws. Click here to attend IMAGEXX 2022 "If the industry suggests...their own method of dealing with grievance appeals, we are open....this is a dialogue... We are open to new ideas if someone has a better, more efficient method," said Chandrasekhar. According to the minister, the proposed modification is intended to provide social media users with "alternative options" for grievance redressal. "Our position is that if the industry and these platforms come up with their own self-regulatory, self-redressal appellate process, we are open to it," the minister added, stressing that users do not currently have such a mechanism to turn to. The government will be receptive to such proposals if the business develops its own system for resolving customer grievances and ensuring accountability. Grievances are not being handled properly in the existing structure, he noted. The question of appellate jurisdiction arises when huge digital platforms violate the spirit of the grievance officer process and the grievance redressal model enshrined in the regulations. "The purpose of a grievance officer was to handle the consumer's concern... that is the whole point of accountability. However, we have heard instances that consumers file letters/complaints to grievance officials and only receive an acknowledgement, but nothing occurs," he stated. Himalaya Wellness Company, one of Indias leading wellness brands, has launched a new equity campaign that inspires consumers across age groups to prioritize health and wellness. The campaign brings to life Himalayas vision of Wellness in Every Home, Happiness in Every Heart. Over the past nine decades, Himalaya has been championing health and wellness, which consumers across the globe want to embrace. Himalaya believes that the world will be a happier place if each of us prioritize our health and wellness. The new campaign aims at drawing attention to the shift in our lifestyles and the importance of preventive health care for good health and well-being. Speaking on the campaign, Mr. Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Director - Consumer Products Division, Himalaya Wellness Company, says, At Himalaya, we believe that wellness is the real happiness. This brand film reiterates our commitment to creating awareness on the role of wellness for healthy and happy living. Himalaya has pioneered and developed a range of head-to-heel consumer products, reinforcing our vision of Wellness in Every Home, Happiness in Every Heart. M. Damodaran Nair, President & Head of Office (FCB Bangalore): Over the past couple of years, weve all realized the importance of health and wellness in some way or the other. It was the right time for a brand like Himalaya, which has pioneered wellness and built its legacy for over 90 years, to reiterate the role of wellness in our daily lives. The old saying health is wealth has never been truer, and Himalaya goes one step further to say, wellness is true happiness. Romit Nair, Executive Creative Head (FCB Bangalore): With the demands of an active lifestyle, consumers have realized the importance of adopting preventive health care for their happiness and well-being. Everyone, at some point in their life, has said kaash (if only), when they realize, they could have done something to avoid a difficult health situation. The Himalaya equity campaign is based on this consumer insight. Kamdhenu Paints, a manufacturer of high-quality paints & emulsion has announced to launch of a special campaign on the companys social media channels from 9th June to 12th June2022. The primary objective of the campaign will be to deliver awareness on the maintenance and protection of building exteriors from the harmful effects of extreme weather conditions. Mr Saurabh Agarwal, Director, Kamdhenu Paints, said, The rising summer temperatures and impending monsoon calls for suitable measures to mitigate their negative impact on building and other structures. Exterior walls are constantly exposed to the elements while protecting the occupants inside. Exposure to the sun and rain can cause UV degradation, colour fading, stains, dampness, algae growth and more such ill effects. Using high quality and specialized Exterior Emulsion Paint can help in protecting exterior from all these issues and help keep walls looking forever new. Kamdhenu Paints produces and sells general purpose decorative paints as well as specialist world-class products at affordable costs to consumers in India. Specially developed Exterior Emulsion products such as Weather Supreme and Weather Classic Max are at par with the best of global products and offer unparalleled protection from extreme humidity and heat, fight the side-effects of heavy rainfall, prevent the growth of Algae & Fungus on walls, alkaline & UV degradation, and more while also protecting the rich look of your walls. These two Exterior Emulsions also deliver benefits such as Anti- fading, Stain Resistance, High Opacity, Anti-Dust Pickup, High SRI value, etc. These properties not only protect the exterior walls from the elements, but they also maintain the lustre and quality of the paints longer to keep your exterior walls perfect. Be it Daisy and Honey Irani or Baby Naaz in the 50s, Neetu Singh and Sarika in the 60s, Master Raju in the 70s, Urmila Matondkar and Jugal Hansraj in the 80s or Kunal Khemu in the 90s, child stars have been an integral part of Hindi cinema. Few films have however successfully captured the true essence of childhood. Here are a few sterling performances by remarkable child actors and films that will remind us all of the wonderful years and the way we were. *1. Hamid:* One of the most moving moments in Aijaz Khan's 'Hamid' is when a seven-year-old Kashmiri child dealing with the trauma of a missing father and a grieving mother, screams into a phone and tells the person he believes to be God, "If you can't help people or make a difference, then why do you exist? Aap hain Kyon?" Set against the backdrop of the unrest in Kashmir, this child, Hamid is the film's most important character as he deals with immense loss and tragedy and yet manages to ultimately retain his faith in life and in God. Talha Arshad Reshi as Hamid is moving beyond words and deservingly won a National Film Award for Best Child Artist. This Yoodlee production and adaptation of the play 'Phone No. 786' by Mohd. Amin Bhatal also went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Urdu. The film stars Rasika Dugal, Vikas Kumar and in major roles. *2. K.D. :* The charm of this gem of a Yoodlee film is packed in the repartee between a young orphan Kutti and a runaway patriarch who wants to live life to the fullest before the inevitable curtain call ends his story. This 2019 Madhumita directorial stars veteran Tamil actor Mu Ramaswamy and young star Nagavishal who plays Kutti with great swag and fills up every frame he is in with great wit and impeccable comic timing. This journey of a lifetime shows that perhaps children are our best teachers and could teach us how to leave behind our baggage and live happier fuller lives. Naga Vishal went on to win the National Award for Best Child Artist for his self-assured performance. *3. Taare Zameen Par:* This path-breaking 2007 film, for the first time explored the subject of dyslexia and learning disabilities in Hindi cinema. At the heart of the film was 8-year-old Ishaan Awasthi, struggling to make sense of an insensitive education system and the expectations of his demanding father. The film based on Amol Gupte's years of research revealed how apathetic educators and ignorant parents can almost succeed in crushing the imagination and latent talent of a child. Ishaan was played with heartbreaking poignance by Darsheel Safary while the teacher who changes his life was played by Aamir Khan who also took the credit for the film's direction and production. *4. Stanley Ka Dabba:* Amol Gupte made his debut as a director and producer with this film and dedicated it to countless orphans who have to fend for themselves from a young age and parent themselves in the face of harsh realities. The story revolves around Stanley, a young boy studying in the Holy Family High School who never brings a tiffin box. He never lets anyone know the real reason why he cannot bring any food and has a caring set of friends who take care of him and share their tiffin meals with him. Who is Stanley and what exactly is his real story, are questions that the film eventually answers and leaves the audience in tears. Partho Gupte, the director's son won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist and the film also starred Amol himself, Divya Dutta, Divya Jagdale, and Raj Zutshi. *5. Bajarangi Bhaijaan:* Director Kabir Khan's pet theme of all-encompassing humanism sparkled through this mega-blockbuster which went on to make over 969.06 crores worldwide. Co-produced by Kabir himself along with lead star Salman Khan and Rockline Venkatesh, the film also starred Kareena Kapoor Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui but the real scene-stealer was debutante Harshaali Malhotra. The young actor played a mute six-year-old Pakistani girl Shahida who develops a bond with Pawan Kumar Chaturvedi, an Indian who begins a momentous journey to safely take her back to her hometown. The child star tugged at millions of hearts with her charm and utter innocence and played a huge part in the film's success. Metro Brands Limited (MBL), among Indias leading footwear specialty retailers, is infusing a fresh new, youthful energy to its sub-brand Metro Shoes with the launch of a new tagline #GoodVibesOnly. With the new look and feel, the brand infuses a breath of fresh air across all Metro Shoes store in India as well as its online presence, striking a chord with the millennials that represent all things positive. The brands previous tagline Metro Shoes #LetThereBeBright saw great success as it was launched at a time when the world was just emerging from a trying time with the pandemic. The brand has also announced its latest Spring-Summer collection that includes Weave, Colour Block, Sneakers and Tie-Dye footwear, all representing this shift in culture. The #GoodVibesOnly tagline will follow a 360-degree focus on digital and social platforms. To reach out to its target group across the nation, Metro Shoes has a new campaign lined up where it has roped in social influencers across verticals to generate the right buzz with a dance hook step. #GoodVibesOnly felt like a natural next step to our #LetThereBeBright campaign, as the world looks forward to a post-pandemic era filled with hope and colour. We wanted the customer to feel the vibes as soon as they see our new collection. Additionally, the groovy song and steps was our version of having fun with a great pair of shoes. We hope this positive energy resonates with every individual looking to spread Good Vibes. This is the spirit we celebrate! said Alisha Malik, President Ecommerce & Marketing, Metro Brands Ltd. Metro Shoes has created the song, lyrics and hook step to the background score for them film from scratch. The models and dancers in the video are all hand-picked by the brand team. The Spring-Summer 2022 fashion footwear collection includes: Tie-Dye Range Metro Shoes in collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India launch its first-ever vegan-friendly shoe collection- Tie-Dye Collection, made with modern, comfortable animal-free materials that are kinder to the planet. The brand has added a hue twist to its footwear collection with this new, vibrant colour spread. Price: Rs. 1490 onwards Link: https://www.metroshoes.net/tie-dye-collection.html Weave Range The Weave collection brings to life Metro Shoes traditional Indian partners giving each pair of shoes under this range a unique look. The shoes accentuate the feet, adding a dash of the contemporary. Price: Rs. 1990 onwards Link: https://www.metroshoes.net/good-vibes-only.html Sneakers Metro Shoes brings a pop of bold colours to its range of sneakers, making white sneakers a thing of the past. Be it home, office, school/college, loungewear and activewear; a pair of these sneakers is a must-have in your wardrobe. Price: Rs. 2490 onwards Link: https://www.metroshoes.net/good-vibes-only.html Education is a country's backbone for it aids technological advancements as well as helps citizens learn a host of skills, values, and gain knowledge. Furthermore, education helps improve citizens' economic and financial well-being, as well as decide their aspirations. Gujarat, with a literacy rate of 78.03% as per the 2011 Census, is advancing in the ideal direction when it comes to educational development. Taking this very thought forward, News18 Gujarati hosted Gyan Ratna Awards 2022, an education summit and awards ceremony, that honoured educational institutions who have effectively contributed to society by providing superior education and future leaders. The daylong event held on 30th May 2022 had Gujarat's Education Minister, Shri Jitu Vaghani as its chief guest. In addition to shedding light on the governments vision and goals for the education sector, the eminent politician also announced the ministrys decision to provide maximum funding to education in the years fiscal budget. He also presented awards to deserving state institutions that have contributed to Gujarat's educational advancement and congratulated the awardees. The Awards also featured several distinguished educators participate in two-panel discussions, where they shared their opinions and road plan for the future of education in Gujarat and India. Dr. D M Patel, Principal, D A Degree Engineering & Technology, Mr. Sameer Pandya, Honorary Secretary, K J Institute of Engg & Technology, Vadodara, and Prof. Snehal Nagarsheth, School of Architecture, Anant National University participated in the first-panel discussion and shared their valuable opinions on the topic 'Engineering opportunities in Gujarat.' This was followed by experts such as Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt, Director - School of Design, Anant National University, and Dr. Dharmesh J Shah, Director Technical Courses, Sankalchand Patel University, Visnagar sharing their expert insights on the topic of 'Foreign Immigration' at the second panel. The Moms Co., India's leading toxin-free & natural personal care D2C brand, has roped in actor Sonam .A. Kapoor as brand ambassador for its skincare & babycare range. A soon-to-be mother and a firm believer of using skincare products that come with proof of performance and meet the highest safety standards, Sonam gracefully represents The Moms Co.s value of Love, Without Compromise. The brand value is further showcased in the brands first-ever national TVC starring brand ambassador Sonam.A.Kapoor who talks about how the products are completely natural, dermatologically tested and 100% of the women who tried them saw clearer skin. Sonam resonates with The Moms Co.s promise of natural, toxin-free and extremely effective products without compromising either on efficacy or safety. With this association, the company will also launch its first-ever TV campaign to promote its skincare products that are natural and come with proof of performance. Actor and soon-to-be-mom Sonam .A. Kapoor was a natural choice for the brand as she is a true believer in making effective and clinically proven skincare choices. Speaking about her association with The Moms Co., Sonam A Kapoor says, The Moms Co. is a brand that was born out of a mothers need to find the best products for her baby and is built on the philosophy of creating products that are natural, effective, clinically tested and one that meets global safety standards. I have been using The Moms Co.s products as part of my daily skincare regime and they have proven extremely effective for me and I look forward to using them for my baby as well. Commenting on the association with Sonam, Malika Sadani, Founder & CEO, The Moms Co. said, Over the past 5 years, The Moms Co. has become Indias go-to brand for safe and effective products and is trusted by over 2 million consumers. In this journey, we have found the perfect partner in Sonam A Kapoor. She is known for her conscious and discerning choices in all aspects of life. The synergy between our brand values and what she represents is remarkable. We are delighted to partner with her to make The Moms Co. reach many more homes." Commenting on this launch Sukhleen Aneja, CEO, Beauty & FMCG Brands at The Good Glamm Group commented The Moms Co. is the first brand The Good Glamm Group acquired, and to see the brand grow and make such bold moves is really exciting. The Moms Co. is one of our most awarded clinically certified brands within our portfolio. It creates clinically proven products encouraging women to love their skin without compromising. With its new campaign, we would like The Moms co to become the first brand of choice for Mom and Baby backed by products that are gentle yet highly effective. In October 2021, The Moms Co. was acquired by South Asias largest Beauty and Personal Care conglomerate and beauty unicorn The Good Glamm Group with the aim to grow The Moms Co. to an Rs. 500 crore revenue run rate in the next two years. The acquisition was one of the largest DTC transactions to have taken place in India. The partnership between The Good Glamm Group and The Moms Co. developed between the founders on a shared vision of leveraging Content-to-Commerce as a growth engine. The real estate sector is a unique and significant part of the economy that concerns both the broader economy and the individual in equal measure. While it is directly linked to the fortunes of multiple labour-intensive sectors such as iron and steel, cement, brick, paint, chemicals, electricals, sanitaryware, interior design items thereby proving employment, it also concerns the individual customer since it is easily the biggest transaction a common citizen conducts in his lifetime and involves a lot of planning and 'dreaming' that one nurtures over the years. While the pandemic affected the real estate sector in the country, a gradual return to normalcy is triggering new growth in this crucial sector, even triggering new patters of demand. It is to recognise and honour the efforts of real estate developers -- people play a crucial role in straddling the domains of the broader economy as well as giving shape to people's dreams -- that TV9 Bangla organised an awards ceremony on May 31 in Kolkata. TV9 Bangla that is a part of the TV9 Group, the undisputed number one news organisation in the country, organised Real Estate Excellence Award 2022 titled Bhalo Basa at ITC Sonar where different real estate companies across various segments were felicitated. A total of six real estate and allied companies were awarded in the evening for their outstanding and exemplary work in the field during the past one year. " The real estate sector plays a huge role in urban planning. Government of West Bengal has extended all possible help to the real estate companies to make the city world class. Specially after the Covid pandemic, a lot of relaxation and support were given to all the players on behalf of the state government, said Firhad Hakim, Minister-In-Charge, Transport, Urban Development and Municipal Affairs and Housing, Government of West Bengal. Minister of State for Finance, Health and Family Welfare, Land and Land Reforms, Refugee and Rehabilitation of the Government of West Bengal Chandrima Bhattacharjee was also present at that event on Tuesday evening. She lauded TV9 Banglas initiative for hosting such an important event. Real estate infrastructure is very important for a state. And we behalf of the state government have extended all possible support to the real estate companies during and after the pandemic. We are currently under RERA and our Honble Chief Minister gave us clear instructions to support the real estate sector since this sector plays a huge role in boosting the states GDP." she said. The awards went to the following categories: In luxury residential segment, Jain Group won TV9 Bangla excellence award. In mid segment Merlin group won the award. The Sun group won the best MIG housing project award and Unimark group won the award for best commercial projects in the state. Excellence in Affordable Housing award was awarded to Raghav Griha Nirman Pvt Ltd and Ms Urvashi Basu's Excellence in Interior Designing was also recognised with an award. Two interesting panel discussions were held during the evening. While one was titled Kathamor Karigor, the other was named Swapner Bari. Prominent personalities such as artist Suvaprasanna, architect Milan Dutta, interior designer Urvashi Basu participated in Swapner Bari that dealt with the need for aesthetics in designing homes at a time when people are spending more and more time indoors due to the exigencies of the pandemic. In Kathamor Karigar, Gaurav Beriwala from Shyam Steel, Nirmalaya Kumar from Berger Paints and Bidisha Sarkar from SBIHM ( Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management) were the speakers. In his welcome speech Amritanshu Bhattacharya, Managing Editor, TV9 Bangla said, The real estate is a sector that has huge multiplier effects. It involves the most expensive transactions of an average citizens life. The sectors that are directly impacted by real estate sales are by themselves big employers. These are, Iron and steel, Cement, Paints, Electricals, Sanitaryware, Interior decoration items and others. The event was co-presented by Dear Lottery and Co-powered by Shyam Steel. Associate Sponsors of Bhalo Basa were Benarasi Niketan and Damro. The Hospitality Partner of the event was Subhas Bose Institute of Hotel Management and Beverage Partner was Dewars Highball Soda Water. WhatsApp India today announced SMBSaathi Utsav - an initiative that aims to support small businesses by helping them adopt digital mediums such as the WhatsApp Business App to run their business. SMBSaathi Utsav has kicked off with a pilot in Jaipurs Johri Bazaar and Bapu Bazaar where 500+ small businesses are being trained on various aspects of running their business online. Launched in collaboration with Josh Talks the intent of this initiative is to educate and help small businesses unlock the potential of their business through WhatsApp. India is home to approximately 6.3 Cr MSMEs accounting for 30% of the countrys GDP and employing over 110 million people at present. During the pandemic, these businesses were severely affected witnessing a 20-50% decline in their overall earnings. One of the major reasons behind this fall was the lack of market access. To help these businesses revive from this downturn, WhatsApp launched the SMBSaathi initiative earlier this year, which showcased inspiring stories of business owners across India who pivoted to digital ways of doing business during the pandemic. For many of these businesses WhatsApp was their first digital gateway and an easier and more effective alternative to building and maintaining a website. The SMBSaathi Utsav is the second phase of the SMBSaathi campaign. As part of the SMBSaathi Utsav, trained volunteers are providing one-on-one digital training to businesses in Johri Bazar and Bapu Bazaar in Jaipur. These trainings involve educating the business owners about building a digital presence on the WhatsApp Business App to help them better manage incoming leads and queries, build a product/services showcase and market to key audiences using online tools. Businesses across sectors such as traditional arts and handicrafts, jewelry, fashion and apparel, food and beverage outlets and several others are being trained on using the various features of the WhatsApp Business App and are being guided on how they can market their product to the right audiences. Abhijit Bose, Head of WhatsApp India said, We are excited to launch the SMBSaathi and SMBSaathi Utsav programmes dedicated to Indias small business community. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and technology has the potential to further boost their business. During the pandemic, we saw several small business owners thriving by using simple platforms such as WhatsApp Business App to stay connected with their customers. A small beauty salon in suburban Mumbai used WhatsApp Business App to keep her regular customers engaged through the lockdown, a dhaba owner in Gurgaon, is directly connecting with his customers using WhatsApp Business App thus driving an overall efficiency in his operations and reaching newer markets. Examples such as these are a testament to the fact that Indias small business owners have the ambition, passion and creativity to leverage simple and reliable technologies. We are committed to finding new ways of increasing awareness about simple digital tools for businesses to support and celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in India. Arvind Sharma, Owner, Rupam Jewelers in Jaipur, said, I always thought that taking my business online would be a difficult and tedious process. As a small business owner, we have earlier focused only on the traditional ways of doing business. However, the pandemic taught us that it is important to innovate and find new ways of running our business on digital platforms as that is where the audience is today. WhatsApp plays a very important role in our everyday communication with our regular customers and now with my business digitally available on the WhatsApp Business App, it will become a lot easier to connect with newer customers and service them quickly. BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China has been paying close attention to the current difficulties and challenges Sri Lanka faces and assisting the country within its capacity, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a relevant query. According to Zhao, China has announced emergency humanitarian assistance worth 500 million yuan (about 74.75 million U.S. dollars) to Sri Lanka. The first batch of medicine has arrived in the country, and the first batch of rice is on its way. China has also provided assistance through various channels including local governments and friendship organizations. After the Sri Lankan government announced the suspension of foreign debt repayment, Chinese financial institutions took the initiative to consult with the Sri Lankan side, expressing their willingness to properly deal with maturing China-related debts and help Sri Lanka cope with the current difficulties, Zhao said. China hopes the Sri Lankan side will actively work with the Chinese side and step up consultations on feasible plans, said Zhao. China is ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to continue to play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka tackle the current difficulties, ease its debt burden, and realize sustainable development, Zhao said. Meanwhile, China believes that Sri Lanka will make its own efforts to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investment and financing partners and maintain the stability and credibility of its investment and financing environment, he added. Neighboring countries, including those in South Asia, are the top priority of China's diplomacy. China attaches great importance to and spares no efforts in consolidating and developing good-neighborly and friendly relations with its neighbors, Zhao said, adding that China and South Asian countries are a community with a shared future. History has shown that China has always stood firmly with South Asian countries to help one another overcome difficulties of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis and global challenges such as the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhao added. Under the current circumstances, China will work with relevant countries to tackle risks and challenges, advance the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, maintain the sound momentum of regional security, stability, cooperation and development, and bring more benefits to the region's people, said Zhao. AMMAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Jordan secured a 38.3-million-U.S. dollars loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development on Wednesday to finance Jordan's public education infrastructure. The loan is part of a new bilateral agreement on supporting Jordan's economic and social development, including building 12 new schools across the kingdom, Jordan's Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation said in a statement. The schools would open 12 to 36 classrooms each to cover the growing demand for public education from kindergarten to secondary school. Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nasser Shraideh said the agreement is part of Kuwait's pledges to support Jordan's economic and social development, adding the government looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Kuwait. TUNIS, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia and Britain signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on British technical and financial support for the development of renewable energies in Tunisia, the Tunisian press agency Tunis Afrique Presse reported on Tuesday. The MoU was signed in the Tunisian capital of Tunis between Tunisian Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Neila Nouira Gonji and Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, minister of state for South and Central Asia, North Africa, United Nations and the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom. Tunisia has set up a program that aims to produce up to 35 percent of domestic needs from renewable energies during the period 2022 to 2025, the Tunisian minister said on the sidelines of the signing ceremony, adding that "the MoU is an opportunity to take advantage of the British expertise in this field." For his part, the British official said that "the United Kingdom now wants to be the largest foreign investor in the energy sector in Tunisia." Homeownership has customarily been one of the core and fundamental pillars of the American dream. The financial benefits that accompany homeownership are plentiful and include the ability to accumulate wealth, access to credit, the accumulation of long-term savings over the cost of renting, and the potential reduction in housing costs through mortgage interest deduction. Home and other asset ownership conventionally improve the well-being of families by empowering them to increase their prosperity and delegate wealth to future generations. Further, owning a home interlaces an individual with their community, providing them a stake that renting simply cannot bestow. It encourages individuals to maintain a commitment to the betterment of the neighborhood. If you have a financial investment in the community, the plausibility of you maintaining a commitment to ensure the community continues to flourish is likely far greater. While the appeal of homeownership remains a priority for many Americans, the attainability of such a goal is steadily becoming loftier and out of reach for a majority of younger generations. In 2020, the Los Angeles Times reported that currently more than 67 million U.S. homeowners are over the age of 55, while a 2018 report by Urban divulged that the homeownership rate among millennials aged from 25 to 34 is eight percentage points lower than baby boomers, and 8.4 percentage points lower than Gen Xers within the same age group. There are many reasons for this grim manifestation ranging from the increased cost of living, the rising debt in younger generations, hidden homeownership costs, and even the glamour of traveling that appeals to many millennials. However, perhaps the most sinister and intrinsically dangerous justification for the millennial decline in homeownership is that the American dream is simply being bought right out from under them. In the first quarter of 2021, one in every seven home purchases was made by an institutional investor (asset managers, pension funds, foreign sovereign wealth funds). Among other things, this prices perspective middle-class homeowners out of the marketplace. HousingWire reported that investor purchases of single-family homes in 2021 rose 4.8% year over year in the first quarter, while investors maintained the largest market share in the multifamily sector by buying 25.8% of multifamily properties that sold. Investors acquired the largest share of lower-priced homes (20.8%), compared to 12.5% of high-priced homes and 11.3% of mid-priced homes. These investors typically pay in cash and often 50% above the asking price, while devouring entire neighborhoods by transforming them from middle-class homes into rental properties. The New York Post has reported that since 2010, 700 houses in Spring Hill, Tennessee have been purchased by just four companies. These investors now own roughly five percent of total houses in the town and have raised occupants' rent in some instances by 35%. Spring Hill is not alone. Cities with the highest market share of investor purchases in the 2021 third quarter included Atlanta (32%), Phoenix (31.7%), Jacksonville (28.3%), and Miami (28.1%). These particular locations are not by accident. Investors are set on purchasing homes in appealing neighborhoods with access to exceptional school districts. These are the same neighborhoods many young couples seek out when they are looking to start and/or raise a family. As corporate homeownership continues to pay top dollar to purchase single-family homes while subjecting tenants to higher living costs during the process, America is quickly becoming a renter nation. These investors are stripping potential homeowners of a place to call their own while robbing them of a pivotal fragment of the American dream in the process. Home-price appreciation has on average been the mechanism behind Americans achieving financial expansion, and these investors are shamelessly bankrupting them off this opportunity. However, perhaps the largest player entrenched in the U.S. real estate market is Blackstone, a giant private equity firm, as well as the largest landlord in America and real estate company worldwide. Blackstone has $881 billion of assets with real estate being its largest focus area, with $279 billion of investor capital under management across a $514 billion global real estate portfolio. Relying on billions in credit from big banks, Blackstone has made a habit of buying tens of thousands of homes at deeply discounted prices and then turning them into single-family rentals. Another merciless attempt at undercutting the middle class. For decades, homeownership was an emblem of duty, responsibility, and a means of security for endless middle-class families across the nation. However, through financial greed, untapped narcissism, and unchecked power, investors have become committed to metamorphosizing America into a nation of renters, inevitably killing the middle class in the process. Why do investors insist on trotting such a reckless course? There could be many reasons, but apart from the vast increase in wealth that no investor or corporation has ever shied away from accumulating, it comes down to control. If the average American is driven out of the housing market, and the bulk of the available housing is owned by investors and cooperations, Americans now become bound to their rule, beholden to the investor, and free of any independence or individual liberty. Remember when the WEF said, You will own nothing and be happy? Correction: Christopher Beattie of the Black Rock Corporste Communications team informs us that a report this article cited that "Over the past decade, the corporation has bought more than 80,000 single-family houses" is incorrect: BlackRock does not buy single-family houses. Please see below for a link to a website we recently launched in response to such inaccurate claims and misperceptions regarding BlackRock and the housing market. BlackRock and Housing: Setting the Record Straight BlackRock is an active investor in the U.S. real estate market, but we are not among the institutional investors buying single-family houses. We regret the error that relied on a published report elsewhere. J.B. Cohle is a graduate student Image: American Advisors Group A 2021 C-SPAN survey of over 100 presidential historians ranked Franklin Roosevelt as our third greatest president, behind only Washington and Lincoln (but watch out, FDR is number three with a bullet). Would FDR rank so high, however, if his racism was considered? Of course, branding someone today as racist is one the most powerful cudgels that can be wielded. But the racism epithet has been appropriated almost exclusively by the left and, not surprisingly, left-of-center racism is rarely considered. So, if FDR was a racist, why does he rank so high? It starts with the myth that he ended the Great Depression with his big government, big spending policies. If these are the main reasons for his high rank, the facts show he failed miserably. Unemployment averaged about 17 percent throughout the Depression, despite massive federal spending and the creation of enormous public works programs. Moreover, Americans suffered needlessly from FDRs big government, anti-business New Deal policies. UCLA economists, Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, concluded that without the National Industrial Recovery Act policies the Great Depression would have ended in 1936, which means that FDRs policies added seven years of misery before the Depression finally ended in 1943. How was this racist? Well, Black Americans were seated at the back of the New Deal bus. National Recovery Administration labor codes, shaped by unions, excluded Blacks from above-market wages. As a result, large numbers of unskilled Black workers were pushed out of the job market. In addition, Black Americans were paid less for the same New Deal work as their white counterparts. And the initial Social Security program didnt cover agricultural and domestic workers, the employment categories for almost 90 percent of Black workers. Moreover, FDR was not going to endanger his electoral majority for the sake of Black Americans. As described in The Nation, The political reality of the Democratic Party is that it catered to the racist wing of the party based in Dixie. Roosevelt felt it imperative to retain the support of politicians like Senator Theodore Bilbo of Mississippi, an open white supremacist who proposed an amendment to the federal work-relief bill on June 6, 1938, that would deport 12 million black Americans to Liberia at federal expense to relieve unemployment. FDR also ignored the historic and persistent victimization of Black Americans. For example, in 1933 24 Black Americans were lynched. These atrocities spurred the drafting of the Costigan-Wagner bill in 1934, which would have made it a federal crime if law enforcement failed to respond professionally to a lynching. But in the face of Southern Democrat opposition, FDR killed the Costigan-Wagner bill with his silence. FDRs neglect of Black Americans continued during World War II when he opted not to desegregate the military. During most of the war, Blacks were assigned to menial positions, such as mess halls and latrine duty. Full desegregation of the military didnt occur until 1948 under the Truman administration. As poorly as Blacks were treated, FDRs racism reached an unimaginable low when he issued Executive Order 9066 in February 1942, becoming the only U.S. president to inter American citizens in concentration camps. FDR issued the order out of the belief that Japanese Americans presented a unique threat to national security. Notably, Americans of German and Italian descent weren't considered similar threats. As a result, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were rounded up and incarcerated in concentration camps. They had no choice but to sell their homes and businesses at discount prices. They lost their professions, livelihoods, and savings. They spent the war in primitive conditions in remote locations, in uninsulated cabins without plumbing, and were fed surplus government food. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, when paranoia was greatest, it would have taken a strong and principled leader to protect the guaranteed rights of Japanese Americans. That leader, however, wasnt FDR. Although Executive order 9066 violated the constitutional rights of Japanese Americans, its interesting that it was upheld by FDRs Supreme Court in the infamous Korematsu v. United States decision. Although FDR had a constitutional responsibility to protect the rights of Black and Japanese Americans, he had no such constitutional responsibility to help European Jews. That said, at a time when moral leadership may have made a profound difference for millions of innocent people, FDR was found lacking. Just as with the Japanese, FDRs attitude toward European Jews was informed by his bigotry. According to historian Rafael Medoff, Roosevelt used almost identical language in recommending that the Jews and the Japanese be forcibly spread thin around the country. I was struck by the similarity between the language FDR used regarding the Japanese, and that which he used in private concerning Jews that they cant be trusted, they wont ever become fully loyal Americans, theyll try to dominate wherever they go. FDRs indifference to the fate of European Jews was probably best symbolized by his handling of the fate of the ill-fated ship, the St. Louis. Although he could have offered a safe haven to the forsaken Jews aboard the St. Louis, FDR not only refused them entry into the U.S. but ordered a Coast Guard cutter to shadow the ship as it forlornly journeyed up the East Coast to prevent any desperate Jew from slipping into the U.S. Furthermore, during World War II FDR made it clear that the U.S. wasnt interested in aiding European Jews. He repeatedly rejected efforts to liberalize the refugee status of the Jews, he didnt warn the Nazis that there would be consequences for their genocidal behavior, and he cajoled Jewish leaders into maintaining their silence in the face of his monstrous anti-Jewish policies. Even late in the war, when the allies enjoyed air superiority and were regularly operating in the vicinity of Auschwitz, the military stubbornly refused to bomb either the Auschwitz death camp or the Auschwitz railways. All FDR offered the Jews was a feckless promise that the only way he could help them was by winning the war. Did it matter that FDR was a racist? It did if you were a Black American and your quest for racial justice was put aside because FDR didnt want to upset the Dixiecrats. It did if you were a Japanese American whose life was upended when FDR illegally incarcerated you because he didnt trust you. And it did if you were a Jew in a death camp whose desperate hopes were crushed because FDR was indifferent to your plight. Moreover, unlike the fake racism, the left regularly inveighs against its opponents, FDRs racism was toxic and had real-world consequences. FDRs Liberty Valance legend has persisted for nine decades; its long past time the legend is replaced by the facts. Eddie Willers is the pen name of a technical writer living in Northern New Jersey. Image: Elias Goldensky, Library of Congress, via Picryl // no known restrictions (Note: I am not a lawyer. This article is not intended to provide legal advice about the types of guns discussed or the laws that apply to them.) The case brought by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association before the Supreme Court presents the following, limited issue: Whether the States denial of petitioners applications for concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment. Thats a pretty tight question. Basically, it asks if New York has the right to deny a concealed carry permit to an otherwise law-abiding citizen. We already know (District of Columbia v. Heller) that carrying a weapon is a right, not a privilege. That would seem to make this an open-and-shut case. Yet, the Court has taken six full months to rule on a case that, on its face, is a complete no-brainer. Whats taking all the time? We already know that, as the Supreme Court said in Heller, the militia is every able-bodied male able to bear arms, and the term well regulated simply means properly disciplined and trained. Further, the statute exists to guarantee the security of a free people, not the government. So, whats up? Is Justice Thomas finally going to wrestle the Second Amendment from its perpetually disfavored status? The Second Amendment protects a very specific right. That right is a freedom of action that belongs to the individual. It is unalienable according to the Declaration of Independence. That means that you cant take it away from me. You cant give it to me, either. Its mine. Period. But New York likes to say that you dont have a good reason in their eyes, so you cant exercise your rights. Thats plain wrong so the case should be a slam dunk decision for the plaintiff. But nothing has been announced. Why? The simplest answer is that SCOTUS takes its time to get every I dotted and T crossed. But I wonder if there isnt something else going on. And that is something called the Courts own motion. This is a mechanism holding that a court can act on a contravention or suspected contravention of the overarching obligations on its own motion. That is, if the Court can act if it sees a larger obligation to settle a set of larger questions, perhaps to make certain that all lower courts apply the law properly. In the case of Heller, weve seen District Courts do backflips to avoid letting law-abiding citizens exercise their rights. Several of these cases reached SCOTUS, only to be batted away, leading to Justice Thomas disgust with the rest of the Justices who treat the Second Amendment as a disfavored right. But the issue wont go away. As lower courts insist on misreading Heller and the Second Amendment, it may be that SCOTUS has made its own motion. We wont know until the decision is published but allow me to speculate a bit. And at the same time, let me throw in some not-so-well-known facts. Federal gun regulation began in 1934 with the passage of the National Firearms Act (NFA). Prohibition arrived in 1920, creating massive profits for gangsters like Al Capone. One of his pet toys was the Chicago Typewriter, A.K.A. the Thompson Submachine Gun or Tommy Gun. It fired a .45 caliber bullet in a fully automatic manner. Pull the trigger once and every cartridge in the gun would be expelled. That bullet was four times the mass of the AR-15 varmint round. Coupled with a 100-round drum magazine, it certainly made bystanders dive for cover. The Tommy Gun wasnt particularly accurate. As GIs learned in World War II, it was good for clearing rooms in house-to-house combat but not much else. It was expensive to acquire and use, but its association with bootleggers made it a symbol of organized crime. So, when Congress decided to do something about organized crime, the Tommy Gun was an easy target. It could be concealed under a trench coat making it seem more sinister. Ultimately, the NFA banned (by taxation) rifles with barrels under 16 inches and shotguns under 18 inches. One must ask how this made the world safer. In short, it didnt because machine guns were rarely used in crime and short-barreled rifles arent either. With the advent of specialized stabilizing braces, the AR-15 platform was adapted to allow severely injured persons to fire these weapons well. Regulations defined what an AR Pistol was, and many thousands or even millions have been manufactured. Heres an example. Image: AR Pistol with a brace. YouTube screen grab. Of particular interest, being injured is not part of the definition. How you shoulder it or dont shoulder it, is also not part of the definition. And heres where things get weird. Lets look at AR pistols, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), and the Tavor, an Israeli battle rifle. Image: AR Pistol with a brace and a vertical foregrip (edited version of previous photo). The photo above, which looks almost identical to the first photo in this article, is also legally an SBR that must be registered with the feds. Why? It has the brace that makes it a pistol but the little vertical piece of plastic attached to the fore-end changes it. If it had a horizontal hand grip, it would be a pistol. Makes perfect sense, doesnt it? And again, without the vertical grip, the above is a perfectly legal pistol. Image: IWI Tavor rifle by Krom8888. CC BY-SA 4.0. And the frightening gun above is a rifle. Its standard issue for the Israeli army. Because of its bullpup design, it has a sixteen-inch barrel, while the other two guns have shorter barrels. They become SBRs if a piece of plastic is changed. But what real difference is there? When the AR pistol has a ten-inch barrel, the Tavor becomes the shortest of the guns at 26 inches long. Thats right, a full-out battle rifle is shorter than a pistol. And because it has a 16-inch barrel, it can have any furniture you want to put on it, and it will stay legal. But you add that furniture to a pistol and it becomes illegal unless you pay $200, wait a year, and get a blessing from the Feds for each piece of plastic you add. Both of those other guns are 27 inches long with a 10-inch barrel. So, the pistol is larger than the rifle. And, by the way, they all fire the same pipsqueak varmint round. Thats right, they are all chambered in .223 Remington caliber, a round well suited for hunting groundhogs and other small game. In many states, its too weak to be lawful against deer. (CO, VA, CT, IL, IA, MA, OH, NJ, WA, WV) If none of this makes sense, youre in good company. Legally, the distinction between rifle or pistol is arbitrary and capricious. Further, the definitions serve no good purpose and are utterly contrary to the Second Amendment. There is no possible lawful distinction between protected civilian firearms and unlawful firearms based on caliber, feed mechanism, magazine size, operating principle, or any other possible consideration. Even fully automatic operation is protected by the Second Amendment. And any law or regulation on firearms must satisfy the Second Amendment, not some politician. Our founding Fathers had cannons. They had the most powerful rifles for war. And when they wrote the Second Amendment, they knew this. They knew that well regulated meant properly disciplined and trained (see, Heller). Thus, there is no constitutional basis for maintaining any sort of restriction on the type of arms that civilians may own. The basic issue is simple. Civilians are not to carry arms for the purpose of frightening or murdering people. Thats it. As the Statute of Northhampton put it, you must not carry arms in affray. Has Justice Thomas persuaded other justices to settle the Second Amendment question permanently and completely? I dont know but Id bet the question has arisen in conversation. Ted Noel MD is a retired Anesthesiologist/Intensivist who podcasts and posts on social media as DoctorTed and @vidzette. His DoctorTed podcasts are available on many podcast channels. Iulia Sabina Joja is a Romanian ex-pat who works for several foreign-policy NGOs and teaches at Georgetown and George Washington Universities. She recently wrote an op-ed titled "We must stop Russia's land bridge to Crimea and destroy the Kerch Strait bridge now." By "land bridge," Prof. Joja meant control of the north coast of the Sea of Azov all the way from Russia proper to the Isthmus of Perekop, which is the only land connection Crimea has with the rest of the world. And by "we," she meant that "[t]he Ukrainian military must destroy the [Azov Sea north shore] bridge. But it can only do so if the Biden administration shows itself ready to finally and properly stand up to Russia." Basically, Prof. Joja wants the Biden administration to send as much in armaments as Ukraine will need to oust Russian forces from all territories on the Ukrainian side of the pre-2014 border with Russia. She asks, "What can be done to prevent Russia from securing the Crimean land bridge?" and answers, "A start would be the destruction of the Kerch Strait bridge connecting Russia with Crimea." After seizing and annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia built an engineering marvel: a 12-mile-long bridge across the Strait of Kerch, connecting the Taman Peninsula to Kerch in Crimea. The bridge didn't exist before 2014, and it was built because Crimea essentially is an island. Prof. Joja wants to destroy not only the "land bridge" along the north shore of the Sea of Azov going through Ukrainian territory, but also the real bridge that now crosses the Kerch Strait. This is a bad idea. In the first place, Ukraine is increasingly unlikely to achieve any such war aims. But let's say plucky Ukraine manages to oust Russia from all Ukrainian territories it now controls. Ukraine is not going to be able to seize Crimea from Russia also. The whole reason why Russia seized Crimea in the first place was that it feared that Crimea was destined to become a NATO forward staging unsinkable aircraft carrier unless it acted. If Ukraine somehow does manage to deprive Russia of control of the land bridge along the north shore of the Sea of Azov, Russia will need the real bridge across the Kerch Strait even more than ever. Destroying this bridge would only harden Russian resolve to fight its war to a successful conclusion. When a burglar invades your house and you confront him, unless you have both the power and determination to kill him at an acceptable cost to yourself, you are better off allowing him to escape. If you trap him and he realizes there is no escape and his only remaining choice is to kill you or die trying, he will fight you to the death. In his own autobiography, Vladimir Putin tells the story of the time when he was a boy and he had cornered a rat that wanted to escape but was unable, so then turned on Putin himself and attacked him, and Putin had to fight him to the death. Destroying the Kerch Strait bridge will force the rat that lives inside Putin to fight Ukraine to the death. Prof. Joja's idea is a terrible idea that can only lead to a wider war. Image: Terra-MODIS. DHS is warning of copycat terrorist acts by extremists, especially with the midterm elections coming. Officials say they have seen misinformation inciting violence. Of course, they don't cite examples. It reminds me of the letter from the Justice Department warning about violence at school board meetings and comparing the parents who were showing up to terrorists. When asked for examples of the violence, somehow the A.G. couldn't come up with any. Basically, he regurgitated talking points from the teachers' union and the White House without doing research. It was purely a political document to shut parents up. During the Obama-Biden reign, they politicized the IRS to target political opponents in the Tea Party who just wanted smaller government and lower taxes. The IRS was used to violate the free speech and freedom of association rights of political opponents. Biden and others compared tea party members to domestic terrorists. Somehow, we don't see a letter from the Justice Department warning the public and prosecutors about gangs and other leftist, extremist groups that terrorize cities throughout the country. The Justice Department doesn't seem to care. We don't see warnings from DHS or the Justice Department about the terrorists, gang members, and other criminals coming across the border because no one in the Biden administration seems interested in stopping the flow from Mexican cartels. The Biden administration is much more worried about political opponents than criminals and terrorists. Nancy Pelosi is out on the Washington Mall talking about 45,000 deaths from guns as if all the deaths were caused by violence. Why doesn't she talk about all the suicides caused by guns or other things, especially of children who got depressed because of the draconian actions of politicians, including the closing of schools? Maybe she could talk about all the people killed by career criminals because Democrats have infected the United States with prosecutors and judges who let career criminals roam the streets. She doesn't appear to care. Maybe Pelosi should talk about the 107,000 drug overdose deaths because she and other Democrats don't really care about enforcing the border and immigration laws. Don't they care about the children who die because of the lax enforcement of laws? The Obama and Biden administrations have politicized the government to target political opponents instead of doing their job. It is a true shame that most of the media ignore the massive criminal activity of government officials as they targeted Trump and continue to pretend that the IRS and the Justice Department act independently and no one is above the law. What a joke! The corruption of Obama, Biden, and Hillary was endless, yet most of the media just cheered! Woodward and Bernstein didn't care that the corruption in 2016 dwarfed Watergate. The Democrats are the party of fear. They need to scare the public about something every day because their policies are so unpopular. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Our friends the Mexicans, as one might call them, have shown their "friendship" with the U.S., and more specifically the Biden administration, by waving through a huge migrant caravan for illegal entry into the U.S. According to Fox News: The organizer of a massive migrant caravan attempting to make its way to the United States says that the Mexican government has offered work visas to migrants, which would allow them to travel freely through the country. Caravan leader Luis Villigran told Fox News that Mexican officials have told him it will begin issuing 1,000 temporary work visas a day to the migrants in the caravan which are estimated to number approximately 12,000 as early as tomorrow. The caravan is headed to the States from southern Mexico, stretches 32 miles, and is said to have up to 15,000 "asylum seekers," waving the flags of the countries they are desperate not to be sent back to. Prior to that, the migrants had been holed up in Tapachula, supposedly awaiting their permits for work in Mexico, or asylum claim adjudication, having largely been stopped and put there after illegally breaking through Mexico's Guatemalan border. Now organizers of the caravan say Mexico is issuing the permits, whose chief value to the migrants is not the opportunity to work, but as a travel pass. News outlets report that most migrants will ignore the work offer and move right on through to the U.S. border. Once they illegally cross, they know that with Joe Biden's border policies, the goodies will flow, and they can stay. Who'd want to stay and work a low-wage job in Mexico instead? It comes just as the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas is on, and Mexico's president has snubbed attending, a big absence, given Mexico's importance to the hemisphere, ostensibly on the grounds that Biden has not invited socialist hellholes Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to the gathering. It was indeed a stupid move, given the potential Biden would have had, as host, of holding up the socialist failures of those places to the other attendees in a big public forum, particularly as large numbers of Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans are fleeing to the U.S. in that caravan. But Biden and Mexico's president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador are socialists themselves, so it is not going to happen. They like the socialism. This isn't the first time Mexico has done this. The Mexicans are obviously sending a message to Biden. Back in September, Mexico released a huge caravan of as many as 15,000 mostly Haitians to cross illegally into the U.S. at Del Rio, Texas, waiting for entry to the States as asylum-seekers and generally getting it. Todd Bensman at the Center for Immigration Studies found that it was a deliberate act by Mexico to send some kind of message: The surprising answer, which the migrants provided independently in different places and at different times, was universal: on Sunday, September 12, the Mexican government effectively sent a mass of migrants it had bottled up for months in its southern states up to the American border. This move, which appears to have been done under the cover of Mexico's independence week of celebration known as El Grito, essentially foisted a humanitarian problem onto the Americans in a single week. Perhaps it was a protest at Joe Biden's disorder-at-the-border policies, releasing a number so huge that the cameras are not going to miss it. Perhaps it was displeasure at other things. What we know for sure is that Biden has mismanaged relations with Mexico, which President Trump was able to handle with migration deals that stopped huge border caravans from coming through. Biden only offers incentives for illegal border-crossing, and as a result, Mexico is flooded with migrants from more than 100 countries who used Mexico as a launch point. Perhaps the message was for Biden to stop and restore the Trump-era agreements on migration, given the burden the waiting migrants pose on Mexico. Perhaps it is another factor. Mexico has shown itself willing to respond to straight talk and a hard shutdown of the border. Biden has offered no such resolution. Now he gets twin humiliations on the public relations front Mexico boycotting the summit, and Mexico sending in the caravans. The loser? The American public. Thanks, Joe you did that, too. Image: Screen shot from Fox News video via YouTube. After Americans survived 30 months of having our lives upended with unfair and unpredictable pandemic restrictions, we should be skeptical as monkeypox is irresponsibly pitched as the "new COVID-19" by the media and some in the medical-industrial complex, headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci. In a recent interview with CNN's Major Garrett, Dr. Fauci's initial reassurance that monkeypox was less transmissible than COVID-19 quickly transitioned to concern for a monkeypox virus, as Fauci chose to describe it, "characterized by pustules." Fauci then pivoted to stockpiled smallpox vaccines and antiviral drugs to treat a potential national epidemic of monkeypox. Adding fuel to the fear-mongering fire, President Biden recently said that monkeypox "is something everyone should be concerned about." The New York Times warns of two high-risk groups with monkeypox. "One comprises infants younger than six months," and the other, "many older adults, the group most likely to succumb to the monkeypox virus, are at least somewhat protected by decades-old smallpox vaccinations." The author adds Fauci's troubling admonition: "We can't guarantee that a person who was vaccinated against smallpox is still going to be protected against monkeypox." A spreading virus lethal to old people and vulnerable infants, requiring a vaccine that might not last, sounds very much like COVID-19. But it isn't. Monkeypox is a zoonotic virus, first identified in 1958. It is rare and extremely difficult to catch, and the prognosis for complete recovery is excellent, with a mortality rate of 1 percent in Africa and virtually zero in the developed world. The World Health Organization and the CDC have been reassuring about monkeypox. Dr. David Heymann, the former head of the WHO's emergency department, said in an interview with the Associated Press that the spread was most likely linked to close, intimate contact among men at two rave parties held in Spain and Belgium and that the outbreak was "unlikely to trigger widespread transmission." All cases in the United States have been in men who traveled outside the country. The Mayo Clinic's Dr. Gregory Poland concludes, "The average person should have near zero concern." How difficult would it be for Fauci to just say the plain truth rather than stoking the fears of justifiably terrified Americans with his gobbledygook? Horribly inaccurate modeling needlessly shuttered hospitals throughout the early days of COVID. This, together with the inability of vaccines to prevent people from catching COVID-19, left Fauci limping into the spring of 2022 with merely 31 percent of the country able to say they trust his advice. Failed policies of the pandemic placed COVID-19-contagious patients in nursing homes, where 200,000 Americans lost their lives while locking down, vaccinating, and masking healthy and virtually immune young people. Those decisions may have helped to create a mental health epidemic that claimed 107,000 lives through overdose in 2021 alone. This or any future administration will need to regain the trust of the public before asking for the sacrifices necessary to rise to the challenge of the next pandemic. Thankfully, monkeypox is not that threat. Fauci, now 81 years old, has served under seven presidents since he was hired for his current job thirty-eight years ago. Perhaps it is time for some fresh leadership when it comes to the nation's top medical adviser. Matt Dean (mdean@heartland.org) is a senior fellow for health care policy outreach with The Heartland Institute. Image: Pixabay. If you listen to conservative media, you get the impression that the Biden administration is "hands down" the worst since our first, and perhaps greatest, president, George Washington, was inaugurated in 1789. Biden's gaffes, creepy whispering, rest home shuffling, and empty gazes make many of us wonder how we got to this sorry state. Many of us wonder why this man is not confined to an elder care facility. It is not fair, however, to claim he has no accomplishments. While we scream and shout about the demise of the country we love, he is busy accomplishing the bidding of the Democrat party and his patrons in Communist China. Joe Biden collects $400,000 a year in salary as president. According to the New York Post, Biden and his family have collected $31 million from China. Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. If Biden has collected $31 million from China, that raises the question: what do the Chinese want in return? Does that $31 million make China his biggest concern? Could it be that his primary job is serving the interests of China, while his role as president is a moonlighting gig? As president, Joe Biden is doing his worst to make sure that America is ruled by his party far into the future. His open border policy is allowing millions of illegals to invade this country. At an opportune moment, his party, with the help of RINOs, will grant amnesty to these lawbreakers, including a path to citizenship. This was Ted Kennedy's demographic dream, and no one in Washington is giving Biden any grief about his part in making Democrats the ruling party in America. Image: Joe Biden (edited). YouTube screen grab. Joe Biden wants fossil fuels to become so expensive that Americans will grudgingly switch over to electric cars and other "green friendly" sources of power. You hear American citizens grumble over these high prices, but again, do you hear Senator Mitch McConnell or Minority Leader McCarthy pounding tables in Washington over the high prices their constituents are paying? As Sgt. Shultz used to say, "I hear nothing." Joe Biden oversees a new America featuring a two-tiered justice system. If you admittedly lie to the FBI and are a Democrat, you get a pass. If you allegedly lie to the FBI, as General Flynn was accused of doing, you will be hounded, harassed, and ruined because he is a Republican. Our coins still say, "In God we trust," but the reality in Washington, D.C. is more like "Republicans need not apply." Biden's popularity for doing the bidding of his party is worrisome for Democrats. Forty-one percent of Americans approve of what he is doing, while 57% disapprove of his leadership. Worse, 23% of Americans believe that the country is on the right track, while 71% of those polled say America is on the wrong track. We are five months from the congressional elections, and it currently appears that the Democrats will lose control of both the House and the Senate. Biden's embrace of open borders and green energy policies is very unpopular with the general public. Still, it's very popular with the far left of his party, who are currently calling the shots. I fear that Biden is too old and feeble to make course corrections as Clinton once did. With Harris as vice president, we are stuck with Moonlight Joe until January 2025. Writing this gives me no pleasure, but "we the people" are not his first concern. He has other employers overseas who pay him much more. It's no secret that COVID is mostly harmful to (ahem) senior citizens. Also, there's a significant decline in the number of participants in the workforce. What is left unmentioned in all of this is the demographic impact of the aging Baby-Boomers. For decades, actuaries have warned of the impending impact of the aging and retirement of a generation often described as "the goat in the python." Social Security and other government-run "guaranteed benefit" pension programs have been behind the eight-ball of impending illiquidity for years...but have, so far, squeaked by without generating dire headlines. Though, within the inner circles of the public sector, much fretting over the future has to be happening. Milton Friedman had no qualms about describing Social Security as "Robin Hood in reverse." He explained that the poorest demographic, by age, is compelled to contribute to the richest. Young folks are just starting out, trying to save up for cars, houses, and families...and they've just begun to pay into the system. Old folks are the beneficiaries of a lifetime of accumulation. Many no longer have mortgages. This from the self-confessed inventor of income tax withholding. All this being said, could it be that Dr. Fauci's alleged financial assistance for the Wuhan lab's work on enhancing the function of viruses actually was carefully thought out? Were the death rate of elderly Boomers to be sped up, wouldn't Social Security possibly dodge the liquidity bullet? The aging Boomers were also expected to put more pressure on the health care infrastructure...especially with the retirement of Boomer doctors and nurses. Yeah, providers have been morphing into consumers...in droves. But then, this may also help clear the landscape of burdensome retirees. I have no actual evidence for this theory. But I have, for years, wondered what was going to happen when the (you know what) eventually hit the fan. Various localities have been grappling with mountains of unfunded pension liability for some years now. Can you say "Chicago"? I have often joked that all Social Security would have to do to be protected from bankruptcy would be to provide free cigarettes to anyone over 55 years of age. Rather, the actuarial dilemma posed by the aging Boomers has been mostly concealed by the minions of the public sector. And the lingering mystery over the origin of the COVID virus provides, at least, a useful context with which to re-emphasize the issue. It is a good thing to provide stability and assurance to those justifiably dependent on a monthly allowance once they are no longer capable of earning a living. The sales pitch for implementing Social Security in the first place relied on the general sympathy felt for the elderly. Ironically, at its beginning, Social Security was the first time a deduction was ever taken out of a worker's paycheck at a time when people were already having a hard time making ends meet. History is full of ironies. The increasing average age of our population, combined with a pandemic that is particularly harmful to the elderly, is more than just interesting. Image via Pixy. KABUL, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Iranian authorities have returned to Afghanistan dozens of vehicles and military equipment which were transported to Iran during the change of regime in Afghanistan last August, the Afghan Ministry of Interior confirmed on Wednesday. Among the items were 32 military vehicles, 17 non-military cars, 57 AK-47 assault rifles, 42 machine guns, 32 rounds of rocket-propelled grenades, along with an amount of ammunition, according to the ministry's statement. The items were handed over to the security officials of the Afghan caretaker government in the bordering Afghan town of Islam Qala, in western Herat province on Tuesday, the statement noted. The handover of the vehicles and equipment came in the wake of recent bilateral talks between Iranian diplomats and officials of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Senate race in Pennsylvania is, perhaps, the most important in 2022. It is, arguably, the best chance for a pickup by Democrats of a seat currently held by retiring senator Pat Toomey (R). Their candidate is Lt. Governor John Fetterman, a 6'8" goateed, tattooed giant whose campaign likes to paint him as a blue-collar outsider, but the truth is that he's held or run for office in Pennsylvania since 2006. Despite his rough-hewn exterior, he's a dedicated leftist progressive in the mold of AOC. His opponent, physician and TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz, is painted as having fewer ties to Pennsylvania, even though he went to school and was married there. Recent events are casting doubts on Mr. Fetterman's ability to run a vigorous campaign: shortly before the Pennsylvania primary, Fetterman suffered a stroke. As a physician, I can tell you that there are strokes, and there are strokes. There is still some question as to which Fetterman suffered. On May 15, 2022 (before the primary election), Fetterman released a statement stating he was feeling much better after doctors "quickly and completely" removed a clot and was well on his way to a "full recovery." Fetterman's statement after the primary was quite different. In it, he said, "I avoided going to the doctor, even though I knew I didn't feel well. As a result, I almost died[.]" So which is it? Most likely, the campaign didn't want any major health questions just before the primary election. Downplaying the seriousness of the issue until afterward was the shrewd, if less than honest, move. Still, a candidate almost dying from a stroke is something that makes you wonder if he can tolerate the rigors of a hotly contested election and, if elected, the next six years. It could have been worse for John Fetterman. His wife noted a drooping of one side of his mouth, a well-known sign of a stroke and the first part of the FAST strategy to diagnose strokes: F ace: Does one side of the face sag? ace: Does one side of the face sag? A rms: Raise both arms. Is one arm higher than the other? rms: Raise both arms. Is one arm higher than the other? S peech: Is it slurred or does it sound strange? peech: Is it slurred or does it sound strange? Time: Call 9-1-1 right away and get help. The longer the period between the stroke event and the beginning of treatment, the worse the prognosis. Luckily for the Democrat candidate, he was only minutes away from a hospital that had a well-known stroke research center. Removing a clot from the brain, while it is serious stuff, isn't the only procedure Fetterman underwent. He also had a combination defibrillator-pacemaker implanted in his chest. It turns out Mr. Fetterman has had atrial fibrillation since 2017. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition where an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) causes turbulence that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Fetterman admits to not taking his meds, apparently for a long time. Patients describe the symptoms of atrial fibrillation as episodes of skipping beats; banging against the chest wall; palpitations; or a racing, quivering heart. Those with the condition can experience weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, and lightheadedness. Atrial fibrillation can be occasional, or it can occur often. Fetterman stated, "I knew I didn't feel well," so it's likely he had had symptoms for quite a while. In addition, his cardiologist, Dr. Ramesh Chandra, also diagnosed a condition called cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the body and can lead to heart failure. The combination of atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy means there is no guarantee that John Fetterman could serve a full six-year term as senator. Not everyone who has a defibrillator-pacemaker and takes blood thinners can. Doctors will be quick to mention that, properly treated, people in Mr. Fetterman's situation can recover well. Even if he resumes the campaign trail, medical issues can be trivialized or swept under the rug. At one point or another, however, it will be clear that he either can or can't do the job. Will the blue-collar folks in the Keystone State vote for a man who isn't at 100 percent? Beyond Fetterman's medical problems, there are also his leftist politics. Once the headlines get past his medical issues, will the folks in the Keystone State vote for a man who, even when well, doesn't represent the values of the average blue-collar Pennsylvanian? It's ironic that Dr. Oz, the Republican candidate, is a cardiac surgeon. The battle for the Pennsylvania senate seat comes down to this: you can vote either for a guy who studied for years to become a heart doctor or someone who neglected his health for years to become a heart patient. I'm glad John Fetterman got help in time, but he ignored serious issues that could have cost him his life. Can he be trusted to take care of himself and his state in the future? Joe Alton, M.D. is the N.Y. Times bestselling author of The Survival Medicine Handbook and founder of the medical preparedness website doomandbloom.net. Image: Governor Tom Wolf via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. "If you want to know who controls you, look at whom you are not allowed to criticize." Voltaire The signs of decline are everywhere: violent crimes, corruption, riots, all with little or no consequences for the perpetrators, election fraud, and medical mandates for vaccines that do not work. "Doctors put drugs of which they know little into bodies of which they know less for diseases of which they know nothing at all." Voltaire All of this is part of the left's grand plan to "transform" American society from the free nation of our founding into something resembling communist China. The one thing they did not plan on was the presidency of Donald Trump. His four-year term in the White House was unexpected because the Democrats were certain that they had that election in the bag. Hillary was on board with their globalist/Marxist plan, and they just knew that all their plans were a go. But they underestimated the America First movement and were gobsmacked by Trump's thoroughly unpredictable victory. That is how blinkered they are. "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire The leftists "know" that if they are doing it, it is the right thing to do. Convince people that there are multiple genders, that men can get pregnant, that it is fair for men to compete against women as women, and that small children can be "trans." Anyone who publicly notes their destructive bent will be called a racist or homophobic or transphobic. That is how they roll, our left. And whom do they blame for all the chaos they incite? The deplorables of course: Trump supporters, patriots, constitutionalists, conservatives of every stripe. "It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong." Voltaire This is their overall strategy. It is right out of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals: "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it." So, we now are confronted with the result of at least fifty years of the left's official campaign against all things traditionally American: family, biology, freedom of religion, reverence for the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, equality under the law, and respect for civil society. They have succeeded wildly. The left happily cheered the Antifa and BLM riots of the summer of 2020 and all the destruction they wrought, the billions of dollars in damage they did. They too were part of their plan. They celebrate drag queen shows for kids and the sexual grooming of very young kids in school. All these co-conspirators were, and remain, on the side of the anti-family crowd, the criminals; they believe that their support of anarchy is their key to permanent power. That is how much contempt they have for the rest of us. Trump derangement upped the ante. Hillary Clinton was so distraught by her unexpected defeat in 2016 that she fabricated several fake scandals to impugn Trump with the unquestioning, criminal assistance of the FBI, the DOJ, and the CIA. Now we know for sure that each of those agencies is corrupt, each an arm of the Marxist Democrat party. They've all been called out, but will there be any consequences for their malfeasance? Not yet. Only time and fair elections will tell. Will there ever again be fair elections? Only Republican endeavor will tell. The Democrats have cheated for so many years and in so many ways that it will take legitimate constitutional judges and a host of honest brokers in Congress to stop what the Democrats do as naturally as they breathe. It will be a long haul. For example, the Democrats want to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens even though they know full well that criminals pay no attention to gun laws. How is it possible that millions of Americans do not know that gun confiscation is what the Nazis did, what Stalin did, and what Mao did before each of them murdered millions of their own people? American education has purposefully not taught the truth about tyrannical, genocidal regimes that took the lives of a hundred million people in the twentieth century alone. We are blighted by two generations who have been so thoroughly indoctrinated with leftist lies that we are hurtling toward an Armageddon of our own making. The illegitimate Biden administration is the worst thing that has ever happened to the United States. He, his handlers, and his mind-numbingly incompetent Cabinet appointees have brought this country to its lowest point in modern history, domestically and internationally. We are suffering a massive third-world invasion on our southern border. The Russian incursion into Ukraine was incited by Biden and his cronies, the ones who get rich on war. We were energy independent under Trump, but Biden put a stop to that on day one and so must go begging to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela for oil. Meanwhile, the price of gasoline for Americans has doubled. The Democrats are thrilled. They have wanted this for a decade. The new press secretary-reader thinks that because gas prices are high in other nations, we should be happy; we've caught up with the rest of the world. But the greenies in this administration could not care less about the environment. They are interested only in power and control over us all. The "climate crisis" is as big a hoax as Russian collusion. Like the "pandemic" and all its unconstitutional restrictions, it's all about power, control, and greed. So what we see going on across the nation the violence, the lawlessness, the anti-police movements, catastrophically rising homicide rates is all part of the WEF/Soros/Democrat/Sino/Russo-globalist scenario for our future. American Marxism will be our downfall unless the American people wake up. The Democrat party long ago joined hands with the forces of the aforementioned evil. Most of those homicide deaths are Black-on-Black murders in Black neighborhoods. Do the Democrats care? Not one bit! Those Black victims of the criminal climate the left has engendered are of no concern to leftists. They are essentially cannon fodder in their quest for power. But let a Black man die in a confrontation with a White cop, and they will make a federal case out of it with the media's gleeful encouragement. Fear-mongering is their number-one tool; the media, electronic and social, are completely on board. Fomenting crime, unnecessary COVID mandates, lockdowns, calculated supply chain shortages, the doubling of gas prices, etc. all these are part of their program to disrupt and destroy what was once the greatest nation on the planet. Despite the seeming randomness of what is happening, it's all part of their plan: wreck America as founded, and reconstitute it as their oligarchic playground. "The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor." Voltaire What to do? Wake up! Vote! Get involved with an election integrity project or a precinct project. Fight back. Say no to medical mandates! Vote out the RINOs like McConnell, Graham, Romney, Cheney, Kinzinger, etc. all the fake conservatives who just want to be part of the swamp long enough to get very rich without offending anyone else in that swamp. We know who they are; Trump exposed them all to the sunlight. Don't believe a word uttered on CNN or MSNBC. Like the networks, their talking heads get their talking points from the Democrat party, and they never deviate, which is why they sound like mindless mimics. There is not a critical thinker among them. They might as well all be Kardashian cut-outs. They are all Alinskyites now. "It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire Let's end this dystopia now before it is really too late. Portrait of Voltaire from the workshop of Nicolas de Largilliere (16561746), created after 1724, 80 65 cm. Carnavalet Museum. Source: Wikimedia. In Junagadh, Gujarat, the confluence of cultural influences in India epitomises in the form of an overlooked monument. Mahabat Maqbaraan epic-looking mausoleum of the 19th centurystands in what was once a no-mans land. From eloquent carvings to spiral staircases, each element of the building displays a unique testimony to various architectural styles. But for all its glory, not many people know about the mausoleum, and even fewer about its history. Photo: Gopikapadia/Wikimedia The History of Mahabat Maqbara The permanent resting place of the Nawabs of Junagadh, Mahabat Maqbara was built over the remains of Junagadh Nawab Mahabat Khan Wazir Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, a chief noble in his court. It was Mahabat Khan II who began its construction in 1878, but Bahadur Khan III who finished the job in 1892. During these years, elements of European, Gothic and India-Islamic architecture found their way into the design. Soon, Mahabat Maqbara was standing as a revered example of blended influences like no other. The location of the mausoleum added to its charm. When India became a British protectorate in 1808, the colonisers divided Saurashtra into 100 princely states. Junagadh was one of them. However, what is known as Junagadhs old town today was back then left out of all states as a neutral territory not controlled by anyone. This was where the monument was built. Photo: Gsuruchi06/Wikimedia By 1947 as India was emerging as an independent country, Mahabat Khan III demanded for Junagadh to join with Pakistan. But a revolting public and a pressuring government led the Nawab to flee to Pakistan alone, leaving Junagadh to reunite with Indian territory. Indo-Islamic onion domes top this stunning monument, which continues to stand on a dusty track in the middle of the city. The sky-reaching tops give way to silver columns and floor-to ceiling French windowselements that were highly characteristic of European styling. The Jama Masjid, erected next to the mausoleum with a likeness to the Taj Mahal, stands out for an unusual quality. Each of the four minarets of the mosque have a staircase spiraling around them. This look is especially reminiscent of Gothic architecture, unlike anything seen across the country. In modern India, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took Mahabat Maqbara under its purview. But the monument has survived mostly due to its creators generosity. The Nawab who had kept aside a bank of Rs8,000 per year, which is handed to the locals annually for the upkeep of the mausoleum. Photo: Dhairyapambhar/Wikimedia Photo: Evgeni Zotov/Flickr Photo: Saurabh Chatterjee/Flickr Photo: Saurabh Chatterjee/Flickr References: # Atlas Obscura # Times Travel # Indian Express Chromebooks have been able to dominate the educational market because of their cheap price tag and suite of Google applications. While thats true, Google wants to further tighten its grip on the market. According to Engadget, Google launched some new ChromeOS features that will help educators better teach their students. Educators can use these new ChromeOS features for video lessons The first new feature comes in the form of a new app. Its called Screencast, and it lets teachers easily record video lessons for students. Youre able to make the video lessons and edit them within the actual app. There, you can trim the videos and add a transcript for kids to read while watching the video. When the videos are complete, theyre uploaded to Google Drive so students will have easy access to them. This is good, as it gives the teacher and the students a unified platform to make and access videos. Advertisement This app doesnt only benefit teachers. The student can also use the app to create video presentations. They can be for presenting projects. That way, the teacher can easily view the work that the students have done. The next feature is called moderator mode. This will give teachers more control when theyre casting their screen wirelessly. It gives teachers the ability to turn off any screencasts that cause a problem. This feature isnt available to the public just yet. Google is going to test it out at a few select schools over the summer. This will give it some good time to test before school starts back again. In Other ChromeOS News: The ChromeOS Gallery Will Implement Google Photos On ChromeOS, theres a gallery app that lets you edit your photos. While there are some useful tools in that app, there could be more. Google is going to test some new flags in ChromeOS that will implement Google Photos into the Gallery app. With that, people will be able to have access to all of the editing tools you find in Google Photos. The Right to Repair has become a very popular subject in the past decade or so, but only recently has it really made some waves. With both Apple and Samsung making it easier for customers to repair their devices, and States starting to pass their own laws for Right to Repair. Its really as simple as it sounds, the right to repair anything and everything that you own. This is something that has been primarily an issue in the US and European Union. In this article, were going to tell you everything you need to know about Right to Repair, and if its something you need to pay attention to. Advertisement What is Right to Repair? The Right to Repair basically refers to the concept of allowing users to freely repair the product(s) in case of any type of issue. There are four requirements that are of particular importance: the device should be constructed and designed in a manner that allows repairs to be made easily end users and independent repair providers should be able to access original spare parts and tools (software as well as physical tools) needed to repair the device at fair market conditions repairs should by design be possible and not hindered by software programming the repairability of a device should be clearly communicated by the manufacturer. Originally, the Right to Repair was driven mostly by the automotive industry. But it has now expanded to basically every industry. A big part of this is due to the tech industry. Especially smartphones. Those screens shatter, but that doesnt mean the rest of the phone needs to be tossed out, creating e-waste. But getting that screen replaced can cost a few hundred dollars, unless you do it yourself. And thats where the Right to Repair lives. The main goal of Right to Repair is to favor repair over replacement. As mentioned, replacing something because it has a broken part, leads to a lot of e-waste, and the world already has a lot of that. Advertisement Brief history of Right to Repair The Right to Repair is actually not new, not at all. The earliest history starts in the 1920s. Which started with automotive companies moving to make it harder to do independent repairs. GM was behind that, with executive Alfred P. Sloan suggesting that continuous changes to its models on a year over year basis would fuel demand for customers to replace their vehicles sooner. Ford, on the other hand preferred a simple and easy way to replace parts. In the 1950s, many manufacturers started making it harder to get access to parts and not just automotive companies. However, in the 2000s, things started to heat up with the Right to Repair. In 2001, the Motor Vehicles Right to Repair Act was brought up and it failed. This was the first of many attempts to establish a Right to Repair for automobiles. Advertisement In 2008, the US Supreme Court favors a class action lawsuit challenging carriers policies against unlocking phones. In 2012, Massachusetts passed a right to repair act for automobiles. And then in 2014, South Dakota passed a Digital right to repair bill. Fast-forward to 2019, about 20 states begin to consider the right to repair bill. Those states include: California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia. Now in 2022, were seeing many more States looking at Right to Repair and looking to pass some legislation there as well. So its nothing new, but it has become a much bigger deal in recent years, compared to the 1920s. Advertisement Does my State have an active Right to Repair bill? They might. If you head to this website, youll learn more about the different Right to Repair bills, and which states have active bills being considered, which ones had them historically, and which ones never had them. Currently, these States have active Right to Repair bills: Advertisement Alabama California Colorado Florida Hawaii Illinois Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Nebraska New Jersey New York Oklahoma Pennsylvania Vermont Virginia Washington You can help get involved and get your Representatives and Congress people to get this bill passed by heading to that site. Just click on your State and you can write to your representatives. You can also call their office and tell them you want this law to pass. Remember, your Representatives and Congress people work for you. Do people even care about Right to Repair? Most normal consumers probably dont care. They arent going to replace a battery in their smartphone themselves, which isnt totally what Right to Repair is. It is also allowing third-party repair shops to fix your products. Instead of having to go directly to Samsung to fix your Galaxy Z Fold 3. You could go to one of those mall kiosks (you know the ones Im talking about), and get it fixed there, for a much cheaper price. And usually faster to. Advertisement Right to Repair is going to allow that mall kiosk to use genuine parts for your Galaxy Z Fold 3 too. So itll be fixed like its brand new. As well as allowing the person to have instructions on how to do it properly. Now as you can imagine, that does eat into a companys sales and profits, especially one like Samsung or Apple the two biggest smartphone makers in the world. Companies have fought against it for years Manufacturers will employ many different tricks to make it nearly impossible to repair your device yourself, should something go wrong. By using proprietary screws, not publishing repair documentation or even gluing parts together. Advertisement iFixit has been great at showing us how well some products are to repair and how bad others are. The iPhone typically has some of the worst repairability scores from iFixit. They also sell some great kits to help you repair your devices and also some great repair guides. Smartphones use a lot of glue internally, and that might not be to keep you from repairing it yourself. But because theres so many little parts inside and most screws wouldnt really work that well. But it could also be to fight against the Right to Repair. Why would anyone be against the Right to Repair? Companies lobbied against a Right to Repair law in New York state back in 2018, these included Facebook (surprisingly), Toyota and Verizon, among others. An Apple lobbyist in 2017 told a Nebraska Senator that the state would suddenly become a hotspot for bad actors, it if had passed a Right to Repair law. Some of the main points for opposition to Right to Repair legislation comes from security risks in giving criminals access to technical information, safety risks from unauthorized repair, and risks to intellectual property. Some of these issues are valid, like the last two. If your laptop got an unauthorized repair and it was not done correctly, that could cause some issues. And since many of these have batteries inside, that could become a hot issue. And the theft of IP or Intellectual Property is a big deal. Thats not something that any company wants to have happen to them. Especially after spending millions and in some cases billions, on R&D for that product. Its mostly companies that are against the Right to Repair. And one reason that was not mentioned, is sales. If youre able to repair your device for a lower cost at another repair shop, youre less likely to buy a new phone. Which is where companies make the majority of their money. Colorado has enacted the first Right to Repair law, others following suite Colorado enacted the first Right to Repair law in early June 2022. Governor Jared Polis signed into legislation, a law that would allow wheelchair owners to get access to parts, software and manuals so they can repair their own wheelchairs. This legislation is only for wheelchairs, but it is a step in the right direction. New York is also about to ratify a Right to Repair bill that would include electronics, making it the first in the country for electronics. The Digital Fair Repair Act, is ready to be signed into law, and itll pave the way for citizens in New York State as well as across the country, to repair their own devices. New Yorks bill mandates customer access to two things: parts from device manufacturers and the ability to hire repair services from whomever they want manufacturers can charge fees for parts, tools, and perhaps even repair manuals, but they must be provided under fair and reasonable terms. This law does have a few exceptions, though it does cover almost all electronics. The exceptions include medical devices (which another law covers), home appliances, auto parts, and industrial hardware including tractors and all-terrain vehicles. This is only the beginning and we expect to hear more States starting to adopt their own Right to Repair laws. President Joe Biden is also planning to do an executive order regarding Right to Repair. Though we have very few details on that right now. Apple & Samsung launching Repair programs Apple has already launched its own repair program and Samsung is gearing up to launch theirs this summer. Its been a rocky road so far for Apple however. In November 2021, Apple announced its Self Service Repair program, and it launched in April of 2022. Apples Self Service Repair program Apple launched its self service repair program in late April of 2022. It was a little odd, as the website that hosts the program looks very outdated, compared to something Apple would launch. But it is legit, and they will sell you parts as well as allow you to borrow the tools needed to do the repairs. YouTuber iUpdate attempted to repair the screen on his iPhone 12, and you can see the full video below. Basically, Apple lets you borrow the tools for $49. Which seems reasonable, though the tools are pretty insane. Apple does also place a hold on your credit card for the tools, so that if they dont get sent back, they charge you the price of them. Some say its a $1200 hold. By the end of the video iUpdate comes to the conclusion that it was actually more expensive to do it himself than to take it to the Apple Genius Bar. And Im sure that was done by design. Samsungs Right to Repair service coming this summer Samsung is launching its own Self-Repair service later this summer, and fingers are crossed that its a bit easier than what Apple has done. Samsung says that the program will be available for the Galaxy S0, S21 and Galaxy Tab S7+ family of devices first. Surprisingly, not the new Galaxy S22 models that were announced earlier this year. Samsung is working with iFixit for this program. As mentioned already, iFixit already has a bunch of teardown and repair guides for Samsung phones, so this is smart. Not to mention, it sells a lot of toolkits too. Should you care about Right to Repair? Yes, you should care. Obviously, not all of us are going to go ahead and repair our own devices by ourself. This is a bit more than you repairing your own device. Its more of allowing third-party repair shops to get access to authentic parts, and repair guides that will allow the repair shop to do the job correctly. Instead of having to go to Google, Samsung, or OnePlus to fix your phone, you can just head to a local repair shop and get it done. Or even do it yourself. Right to repair is actually a very big deal. TEHRAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) announced Wednesday that it has decided to turn off two surveillance cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The AEOI said it has decided to, as of Wednesday, shut off the IAEA's surveillance cameras for the online enrichment monitor (OLEM) and the flow meter, according to state-run IRIB TV. The statement said the AEOI's remedial measures are implemented in reaction to the IAEA's "illegal behaviors." Iran has so far cooperated extensively with the IAEA, it added, "unfortunately the agency has not appreciated Tehran's collaborations, it has, instead, deemed the cooperation to be Iran's duty." Consequently, Iran has decided that the operations of the cameras of OLEM and the IAEA's flow meter must stop as of Wednesday, the statement said, noting that the relevant authorities have been ordered to take the step. The AEOI added that over 80 percent of the IAEA's existing cameras are operating under the Safeguards Agreement, which will remain in place and keep functioning as in the past. In an exclusive report on the same day, Iran's Nour News, affiliated with the country's Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran has placed on agenda a number of remedial measures in reaction to the IAEA's "illegal behaviors" and "political reports". Last Monday, the IAEA released two reports about Tehran's cooperation with the agency claiming that it estimated Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium had grown to more than 18 times the limit laid down in the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Iran rejects the reports as politically motivated and failing to reflect the reality of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA. Albania: Moneyval, progress on assistance in confiscation The country also improved anti-money laundering measures (ANSA) - STRASBOURG, 08 GIU - Albania has made progress on the assistance it can offer other countries in freezing and confiscating assets linked to money laundering and terrorist financing crimes. The news appeared in the latest report published by Moneyval, the Council of Europe body that assesses states' anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing measures. Moneyval determined that Albania has gone from partially compliant to compliant in mutual legal assistance in one year. Strasbourg also underlined that the country has also made progress on measures to prevent the use of legal entities for money laundering and terrorist financing and on the regulation and supervision of financial institutions. In both cases, Albania's rating went from "partially compliant" to "largely compliant." So far, Tirana has achieved compliance with seven recommendations received in July 2018, is "largely compliant" with 29 others, and remains "partially compliant" with four others. Strasbourg has therefore decided to keep the country under "enhanced monitoring" and requested a new report on measures that the government will have taken within two years. (ANSA). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved TUNIS - After Shouftouhonna, the first feminist art festival in Tunisia, the Cite de la Culture in Tunis will host on June 12-14 "Echos Feministes" (Asdaa Nissouia), a new feminist art fest. Created at the initiative of the NGO promoting women's rights, "Aswat Nissa" (Voice of Women), Echos Feministes is organized in cooperation with different partners, in particular the French embassy in Tunisia, the French institute of Tunisia (Ift) and UN Women Tunisia. Theater and music are at the center of this festival's program, whose main objective is to fight against gender stereotypes and violence. The theme of the place of women in modern society and the arts will be at the center of masterclasses and meetings-debates with artists and civil society. "UN Women supports member States of the United Nations in the adoption of international standards to reach gender equality and collaborates with government and civil society to plan laws, policies, programs and services necessary to guarantee the effective implementation of these standards and that women and girls can benefit, all over the world", according to the event's program. TUNIS - The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has tweeted that the "majority of migrants who arrive in Italy by sea depart from Libya (10,932), 4,240 depart from Turkey (half of them Afghans) and 3,708 from Tunisia", reporting on the situation between January 1 and May 31, 2022. IOM described as "concerning" the fact that "7,742 migrants were intercepted at sea and sent back to Libya, where many are often victims of violence and abuse". Moreover, "143 migrants died and 547 others disappeared along the central Mediterranean route" from January until the end of May, stressed IOM Libya in another tweet. WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States has for decades promised more than it can deliver in Latin America, and is now facing a situation where it tries to get hold of a region which has traditionally been considered Washington's backyard, but which now needs it less, U.S. experts said recently. "The United States' reputation across the hemisphere has been in eclipse for more than two decades, largely because of the enormous gap between Washington's claim to meaningful leadership and its simultaneous indifference toward the region," wrote Michael Shifter and Bruno Binetti, two fellows at U.S.-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue, in an article carried by the Foreign Affairs magazine on June 3. The article came on the eve of this year's Summit of the Americas, a once-in-three-years gathering of countries in the Western Hemisphere that the United States hosts for the second time since its inception in 1994. Being held this week in Los Angeles, the event was snubbed by leaders of several regional countries, most notably Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. They criticized the summit's lack of inclusiveness as the Joe Biden administration refused to invite leaders of countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Shifter and Binetti said in their article that the United States has overpromised Latin America on multiple fronts, from pandemic response to economic policy to other hot-button issues such as the migration crisis. The Biden administration, they said, "took months to start donating vaccines, despite an excess of domestic supplies. The lack of attention was striking, given the massive toll the pandemic inflicted on Latin America." Meanwhile, U.S. economic initiatives such as Build Back Better World "are not yet fully operational." Moreover, "U.S. officials' defense of free markets rings hollow, given the Biden administration's continuation of Trump's trade war against China and its high subsidies for American farmers that hurt Latin American products for the U.S. market." "The United States also lacks credibility on issues of democracy and the rule of law," the article said, citing the decades-old embargoes against Cuba that was bolstered in 2017 by former President Donald Trump, who in 2019 also slapped stiff sanctions on Venezuela. "Plus, the United States can no longer pass itself off as a democracy worthy of emulation," the authors wrote. "The country's polarized, inward-looking politics had severely diminished its moral authority even before a democratic election was nearly overturned in January 2021." "Nobody expects U.S. policy toward Latin America to change overnight. Even modest improvements will require difficult and often politically contentious choices," read the article. "But unless the United States faces its credibility problem head-on, its relationship with Latin America will continue to deteriorate." BELGRADE - European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said the initiative 'Open Balkan' can contribute to accelerate the path of the entire region towards full integration within the European Union. "I think that 'Open Balkan' is not only a good idea, that initiative is the possibility for change in the region and for challenges ahead to be overcome. This initiative can represent the possibility of accelerating the path towards the EU", said the commissioner, speaking at the summit 'Open Balkan' ongoing in Ohrid, in North Macedonia. Full integration starts from the economy and from society - observed Varhelyi, stressing how the project 'Open Balkan' started from the region and not from the EU or US. Regional collaboration, he continued, is fundamental to progress in the development of transportation, infrastructure and energy connections, and the western Balkans have huge potential in this regard. The initiative 'Open Balkan' was activated three years ago by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia with the objective of creating a common market in the western Balkans, boosting regional cooperation and favoring the process of European integration of the entire region. With Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Albanian and Macedonian Premiers - Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovacevski - the meeting is attended as observers also by the heads of government of Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dritan Abazovic and Zoran Tegeltija. Kosovo's leadership is against any involvement in the project, which it sees as an attempt by Serbia to extend its hegemony over the Balkans. After initial contacts on Tuesday afternoon and a working dinner, the schedule on Wednesday included several agreements and memoranda in various sectors - from tax to education, from culture to tourism. ANKARA - Russia's request to lift sanctions is "legitimate", Turkey said as part of talks between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov in Ankara on the food crisis. "We have discussed a mechanism formed by the UN, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey" concerning corridors to transport grain from Ukrainian ports", said Cavusoglu during a joint press conference with Lavrov broadcast by State television Trt. Ankara's diplomacy chief said Turkey is available to support the plan. "Technical preparations" to create safe corridors for the transport of grain from Ukraine's ports through the Black Sea "will be completed as soon as possible", added Cavusoglu. The longest-serving High Court judge in England and Wales has been hailed by a judicial head as being ahead of his time at a retirement ceremony. Mr Justice Holman, 74, based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, is stepping down after 27 years on the bench. Judicial chiefs and lawyers paid tribute to him in a ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday. Hearings in family courts, and in the Family Division of the High Court, are normally staged in private to protect children at the centre of disputes. Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Sir James Holman before his valedictory ceremony (Aaron Chown/PA) But, lawyers heard, Mr Justice Holman routinely sat in open court. He has sat in open court in all manner of family cases, said Sir Andrew McFarlane, head of the Family Division of the High Court and the most senior family court judge in England and Wales. In taking this stance he was, I believe, ahead of his time. Mr Justice Holman, whose first name is James, told the ceremony he loved his job, adding: I truly dont want to retire. Being a judge is an immense responsibility, a huge privilege and very, very rewarding and worthwhile. Guests at the ceremony included Mr Justice Holmans sister Christine Hamilton and her husband, former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton. Writers including Alexander McCall Smith, Val McDermid and Julian Barnes and musician Jarvis Cocker will be among those taking part in the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year. There will be more than 600 events during the festival in August, which will feature in excess of 550 authors, performers, musicians and thinkers from 50 countries under the banner All Together Now. The programme will build on the hybrid format developed over the past two years of the pandemic, with live, in-person events, many of which will also be available to stream or to watch at a later date. Those appearing at the festival include Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, Outlander writer Diana Gabaldon, linguist Noam Chomsky and writer and director Armando Iannucci. Sir Ian Rankin will take part in the festival (Jane Barlow/PA) Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will join the festival for two events, interviewing writer Louise Welsh about her new novel The Second Cut, and actor Brian Cox about life on the Scottish stage and his role in hit television series Succession. Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: Weve learned a great deal in the last two years, so that alongside the return of our full-scale in-person festival we can also offer the accessibility and international reach of livestreamed events. The world has changed immeasurably since 2019: were learning to live with the effects of the pandemic and war in Europe but were also beginning to imagine what a better future should look like. Exploring these issues in inspiring conversations with scientists, historians, poets and novelists is exactly where the book festival comes into its own. Glasgow-born writer Douglas Stuart, who won the Booker Prize with his first novel Shuggie Bain, will be back in Scotland to discuss his next book, Young Mungo, while writers Irvine Welsh, Maggie OFarrell and Sir Ian Rankin will also be taking part in the festival. Appearing via screen link from their home countries will be Helen Garner from Australia, and Jonathan Franzen, AM Homes and Jennifer Egan from the US. There will also be events featuring musicians including Martha Wainwright, Jarvis Cocker, Vashti Bunyan, and Deacon Blues Ricky Ross, who will share stories of their journeys through the world of music. Questions around the role of Europe and the impact of war will be discussed at the festival, with Ukrainian historian Serhii Plokhy among those taking part. Val McDermid will be at the festival (John Linton/PA) There will be non-fiction events considering black perspectives, including Lord Simon Woolley, founder and director of Operation Black Vote and the first black man to lead an Oxbridge college, talking about his life with Baroness Lola Young. The festival will also feature a range of LGBTQIA+ voices. Meanwhile the Baillie Gifford Childrens Programme will include writers such as Julia Donaldson, Cressida Cowell and Michael Morpurgo. The book festival, which runs from August 13 to 29, will take place at Edinburgh College of Art again this year and also adds new spaces to accommodate events, such as Central Hall on Lothian Road. Alan Bett, head of literature and publishing at Creative Scotland, said: This fantastic 2022 programme once again brings the literary world to Edinburgh, whether in person or online. It allows readers and audiences in Scotland to engage with important contemporary themes through the work of the worlds best writers. As part of this, Scottish communities, writers and books take their place through innovative programming. This includes Scotland Through Time, using sign language, image and performance to look at Scotlands past, present and future through new books such as Harry Josephine Giless innovative Orcadian sci-fi, Deep Wheel Orcadia, and Chitra Ramaswamys important new blending of biography and memoir, Homelands. Tickets are on sale from 10am on Thursday June 23. By Adam Jourdan, Marco Aquino and Matt Spetalnick BUENOS AIRES/LIMA/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - China has widened the gap on the United States in trade terms in large swathes of Latin America since U.S. President Joe Biden came into office early last year, data show, underscoring how Washington is being pushed onto the back foot in the region. An exclusive Reuters analysis of U.N. trade data from 2015-2021 shows that outside of Mexico, the top U.S. trade partner, China has overtaken the United States in Latin America and widened the gap last year. The trend, driven by countries in resource-rich South America, hammers home how the United States has lost ground in a region long seen as its backyard, even as Biden aims to reset ties at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this week. Mexico and the United States have had a free trade deal since the 1990s and the amount of commerce between the two next-door neighbors alone overshadows Washington's commerce with the rest of Latin America. But the trade gap with the United States in the rest of the region, which first opened up under former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, has grown since Biden took office in January last year, despite a pledge to restore Washington's role as a global leader and to refocus attention on Latin America after years of what he once called "neglect". On the ground current and former officials told Reuters that the United States had been slow to take concrete action and that China, a major buyer of grains and metals, simply offered more to the region in terms of trade and investment. Juan Carlos Capunay, Peru's former ambassador to China, said that Mexico aside, "the most important commercial, economic and technological ties for Latin America are definitely with China, which is the top trade partner for the region, well above the United States." He added though that politically the region still was more aligned with the United States. When excluding Mexico, total trade flows - imports and exports - between Latin America and China hit nearly $247 billion last year, according to the latest available data, well above the $174 billion with the United States. The 2021 data lacks trade numbers from some regional countries but those balance each other out in terms of U.S.-China bias. The outlier in Latin America, Mexico's trade flows with the United States were $607 billion last year, up from $496 billion in 2015. Its trade with China was $110 billion, up from around $75 billion six years before. The White House and U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an apparent effort to present a specific alternative to China, senior U.S. officials said Biden would announce an Americas Partnership plan at the Los Angeles summit focusing on promoting pandemic recovery by building on existing trade agreements. It would aim to mobilize investments, reinvigorate the Inter-American Development Bank, create clean energy jobs and strengthen supply chains, the officials said. But such an initiative could face U.S. protectionist pushback as well as questions about how the regions widely diverse economies could make it work. (Graphic: Latin America trade: US v China - https://graphics.reuters.com/LATAM-USA/CHINA/xmpjoxwkgvr/chart.png) 'LOSING BATTLE' Biden aides who have traveled Latin America have tried to convince partners that Washington is a more reliable and transparent partner for doing business, openly accusing China of using investment to create "debt traps" for countries. But one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, conceded that Washington faced a tough challenge. "As long as China is ready to put its cash on the table, we seem to be fighting a losing battle," the person said. When the huge U.S.-Mexico trade flow is included the United States still comes out on top, but this masks the wider trend in the region where made-in-China products are gaining ground and Beijing is gobbling up soybeans, corn and copper. China leads in Argentina, has extended its lead in Andean copper giants Chile and Peru, and seen a huge advance in Brazil, despite far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's skepticism about Chinese business interests holding too much sway in the country. (Graphic: Latam trade race: China vs USA - https://graphics.reuters.com/LATAM-USA/CHINA/akvezrlajpr/chart.png) Welber Barral, Brazil-based partner at BMJ Consultores Associados, said China often brought investment in transport and infrastructure which helped trade deals in grains and metals, while governments often felt the United States was all rhetoric. "Latin American governments complain that there's a lot of talk but ask 'where is the money'?" he said. The U.S.-hosted Summit in Los Angeles is seen as key platform to counter China, but Biden has already been hit by no-shows including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador over the exclusion of countries like Cuba and Venezuela. Eric Farnsworth, a former White House official now at the Council of the Americas think tank, said soaring commodities prices had boosted Latin America-China trade figures, but acknowledged that a busy U.S. domestic policy agenda and the war in Ukraine had kept Biden's focus elsewhere. "There's bipartisan agreement that the U.S. just hasn't been at the table," he said. "The Summit is part of solving that but there needs to be something concrete that comes out of it. (Reporting by Adam Jourdan in Buenos Aires, Marco Aquino in Lima and Matt Spetalnick in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Washington and Isabel Versiani in Brasilia; Editing by Alistair Bell) Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said Britains plans to act unilaterally over the Northern Ireland Protocol would be deeply damaging and mark a historic low point. Addressing the European Parliament, Mr Martin said the UK Governments proposed legislation to override key parts of the Brexit deal would be to the benefit of absolutely no-one. The Irish leader also said during his visit to Strasbourg that he disagrees with the UK Governments handling of the protocol and accused it of failing to engage with the EU. His comments come amid a stand-off between the UK and the EU over the protocol, an agreement designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland but which instead created fresh checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Mr Martin said: I have said many times that there are solutions to practical problems under the protocol if there is a political will to find them. But that requires partnership. It requires the UK Government to engage with good faith, seriousness, and commitment. Unilateral action to set aside a solemn agreement would be deeply damaging. It would mark a historic low point, signalling a disregard for essential principles of laws which are the foundation of international relations. And it would, quite literally, be to the benefit of absolutely no-one. Without a spirit of partnership, there would have been no peace process in Northern Ireland. Without trust, without engagement, without a willingness to see things from the point of view of others, there would have been no Good Friday Agreement, no quarter-century of peace in Northern Ireland in which young people have been able to grow and to flourish as themselves. All of us in positions of leadership owe it to them not to treat lightly what was so hard-won. He added: I disagree with the approach that the United Kingdom Government has taken in respect of dealing with the protocol and its failure really to engage and to engage in a substantive way with the European Union, and particularly the Commission and Maros Sefcovic. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the UK intends to legislate to override parts of the deal on Northern Ireland, with the details expected to be announced in the coming week. Opposition to that deal has seen the DUP block efforts to restore powersharing in the region. Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns said the legislation will be published soon. He said the protocol has led to ridiculously excessive checks on goods moving within the United Kingdoms internal market. We have been very clear with the EU that, if they can broaden the mandate, if vice-president of the Commission Maros Sefcovic can be given more room by President (Ursula) von der Leyen, the European Council, that we are absolutely determined and willing to engage with the EU to reach a negotiated settlement, that is absolutely in the best interest of both sides, Mr Burns told RTE Morning Ireland. But the vice president has been very clear that he cannot move beyond the mandate of the proposals that he put in place last October and we have been clear with him that those do not go anywhere near far enough in achieving the goals the United Kingdom would like to achieve. We recognise the attractiveness of the protocol and the place that leaves Northern Ireland in, but the reality is that we have now got ridiculously excessive checks on goods that are moving within the United Kingdoms internal market that will never go near the Irish Republic, that are absolutely no threat whatsoever to the integrity of the Single Market. Mr Burns also rejected Mr Martins assertions that the EU has and will continue to be flexible in its negotiations. That is not our lived experience from the conversations that weve been having with the EU over very many months, the Conservative minister added. Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns rejected Micheal Martins assertions that the EU has and will continue to be flexible in its negotiations (David Parry/PA) They talk of flexibility within the terms, within the constraints of the proposals they tabled last October. We have been clear with them that those proposals do not go as far as they would need to go to respect the integrity of the United Kingdoms internal market. Its a very, very simple proposition here. Were simply saying the goods moving within our own country with the exception of live animals, which we can see the need for checks on, obviously the goods moving within our own country should move freely. They pose no risk whatsoever. We are very clear that the proposals that we will put forward, the legislation that we will put to Parliament, will absolutely be lawful and appropriate. Dennis Deapen, then-director of the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, in his office on the USC Health Sciences Campus in 2015. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Cancer researchers fear thatshrinkingfunding for a program that tracks cancer cases across California could threaten its future. The California Cancer Registry gathers information about cancer cases diagnosed in the state, providing crucial information for researchers. The data has helped detect rising cases of breast cancer among Japanese women who moved to the United States; link pesticides to brain tumors in children; and pinpoint racial disparities in cancer diagnosis and outcomes. "Without it, we're just going to be blindfolded in our ability to push back against this disease," saidMatthew Marsom, senior vice president for program and public policy at Public Health Institute, which operates one of the regional registries in the state program. The program has relied in part on state tax revenue from cigarette sales under Proposition 99, a 1988 ballot measure that boosted taxes by 25 cents per pack. As that revenue has fallen, the cancer registry program is expected to see a budget decrease of $1.6 million, driven largely by the decline in tobacco sales, according to figures provided by the California Department of Finance. State officials say the budgeted money that flows through the state for the program including state funds and some federal money is slated to decrease from roughly $12.2 million to $10.7 million. Program representatives say that a portion of that funding goes to the three regional registries for their operations. They argue that the loss in state funding could be magnified dramatically if it jeopardizes federal money from the National Cancer Institute, which is not included in the state budget figures: Marsom said the institute is providing roughly $13 million this budget year to the California registries through contracts spanning a decade, which require the programs to match a specific portion of those federal dollars through other funds. "The risk is that if we're not able to meet those requirements ... we will lose those federal funds," Marsom said. And if the California programs cannot provide timely and complete data, "ultimately we will be at risk of losing our federal funding because we can't deliver what's required," said Lihua Liu, director and principal investigator with the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program. The L.A. registry is run out of USC in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health. As of Tuesday evening, Marsom said that program representatives had met with California Department of Public Health staff and were told that "they believe they will be able to find enough money to keep the regional cancer registries flat funded for the coming year," although "there was not an absolute commitment." CDPH did not immediately respond to questions late Tuesday about whether the registries would remain funded at current levels. If state funding falls, Liu said her program might have to slash hours for its staff. Those employees identify cancer cases that need to be reported to the registry for some medical facilities that contract with the L.A. program; they also make sure that when one cancer patient visits more than one hospital, the registry doesn't end up with duplicate reports for their case, Liu said. Dennis Deapen, former director of the Los Angeles Cancer Surveillance Program, said that the L.A. program has also had analysts who examine cancer risks and diagnoses to "gain the knowledge and share the knowledge of those patterns, not just perform the operation of collecting the data." Faulty or incomplete data could also compromise research that relies on the registry. Its data has been crucial in identifying racial and ethnic gaps in cancer occurrence and outcomes, as well as helping researchers reach out to patients and survivors to participate in studies on those disparities, said Anshu Shrestha, senior epidemiologist at the Cancer Registry of Greater California. For instance, "African American men are almost twice as likely to get prostate cancer, and the prostate cancer in this population tends to be of more aggressive form," but the reasons are "not well known," Shrestha said during a May presentation. To better understand why, researchers have been gathering information from Black men affected by the cancer about possible factors in their lives, as well as collecting samples of saliva and tumor tissue. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has asked for state legislators to instead increase the funding allocation. So has Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), who warned in a March letter that if the federal funding was lost, "cancer surveillance in California would not exist." Carrillo instead called for the state to bolster funding for the program through its general fund, saying that cancer surveillance had already been strained by "flat funding" as costs rose and the programs faced new responsibilities to carry out mandated changes in how cancer cases are reported. "It would be one thing if the state said, 'We can't afford it, we're broke,'" Deapen said, but he and others stressed that California's budget is projected to have a multibillion-dollar surplus through next summer. The timeline for budget changes is short, as lawmakers must send a completed spending plan to Gov. Gavin Newsom by June 15. Even if the state manages to keep funding flat for the program, Marsom argued that a longer-term solution is needed as tax revenues tied to cigarettes are expected to keep falling. Times staff writer John Myers contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. After passing a huge tax cut for the rich, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell blamed Social Security and Medicare for the federal deficit. (Associated Press) The army of perennial doomsayers about the financial condition of Social Security had to be a little crestfallen after the release of the program trustees' annual report last week. That's because the report documented that the program's condition had actually improved in the last year, if modestly. More to the point, the trustees' data underscored that the cost of maintaining Social Security benefits at current levels, or even expanding and improving them, is well within the capacity of the American economy at least to the end of this century, which is as far as the trustees looked. This discussion is really about politics and values, not about affordability. Eric Kingson, Social Security Works To be more specific, the trustees project that the depletion of the Social Security trust funds would take place in 2035 up from 2034 as calculated in last year's report. At that point, enough money would be coming, mostly from payroll taxes, to cover 80% of then-scheduled benefits, up from the 78% projected a year ago. The improvement was due in part to the unexpectedly powerful economic rebound after the brief pandemic-related slowdown in 2020. This slight improvement didn't stop news organizations and budget deficit hawks from sounding their customary alarms. The Washington Post editorial board warned of "the Social Security and Medicare disaster" looming ahead. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a hive of budget hawks, warned that "the latest Social Security projections show the program is quickly headed toward insolvency." The committee has always been closely linked to a foundation established by the billionaire investor Peter G. Peterson, whose hostility to Social Security was a byword. The most important figures in the 268-page trustees report may be those squirreled away in an appendix on page 218. These figures project the cost of Social Security as a percentage of gross domestic product that is, as a share of the U.S. economy. They show that the program is eminently affordable indeed, that there will be plenty of headroom in the economy, thanks to its continued growth, to expand the program and increase benefits. This year, the trustees reckon, Social Security's combined costs for retirees, those with disabilities and their dependents will come to about 4.98% of an economy valued at $25 trillion. Through the turn of the century, that percentage will peak at 6.18% in 2075, when GDP is estimated to be more than $208 trillion, then will fall to about 5.87% in 2100, when GDP is projected to be $574.5 trillion. Is this "unaffordable"? Not by international standards. Some of our closest allies in the developed world spend much more than we do on public retirement and disability programs Japan spends 10.5% of its GDP, France 15.3% and Germany 12.5%. Is spending as much as 6.18% of GDP unsustainable? Given that the U.S. has spent much more on unproductive programs in our recent history, that wouldn't seem so. Military spending reached 9.4% of GDP in 1967, during the Vietnam War, without raising cries that the country was going bankrupt. Defense was still consuming 6.8% of GDP in 1982, seven years after that war ended, and even today counts for about 3.7% of GDP. Somehow, defense spending is treated in Washington as sacrosanct, while the support of seniors, those with disabilities and their families is a threat to the national wealth. The notion that we can't afford Social Security and Medicare is a shibboleth of conservatives, Republicans and their anti-tax constituencies. In 2018, then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), identified entitlements thats Washington-speak for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid as the real drivers of the debt and called for them to be adjusted to the demographics of the future. Translation: He wanted to cut benefits. A year later, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said members of Congress should hold discussions about Social Security behind closed doors ... so were not being scrutinized by this group or the other." She meant "voters." And yes, legislation is always easier when it takes place out of public view. Then there's Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), whose "Rescue America" manifesto calls for sunsetting every federal program, including Social Security, after five years. His plan advocates requiring Congress to "issue a report every year telling the public what they plan to do when Social Security and Medicare go bankrupt." Since those programs can go bankrupt only if Congress connives for that to happen, this is a curiously tautological mandate. Scott, by the way, is the Senate's richest member, with a personal fortune estimated in 2020 at nearly $260 million. "This discussion is really about politics and values, not about affordability," says Eric Kingson, chairman and co-founder of the advocacy group Social Security Works. That point is lost on too many commentators in the media. The Washington Post's editorial board bolstered its alarmist headline with the ludicrous assertion that "the vast expansion of outlays for the elderly" projected for Social Security and Medicare "would hollow out the governments ability to spend on education, infrastructure, anti-poverty programs and other investments in children and working-age adults." The Post repeated the contention, without examining it, that "any plausible future settlement would require some mix of modest benefit adjustments and tax hikes." (What's a "benefit adjustment"? If the editorialists mean benefit cuts, they should say so. This is how conservative attacks on the welfare of ordinary Americans suddenly become "plausible." McConnell, as it happens, had things backward when he implied that the "demographics of the future" justified reducing benefits. The demographics of the future pointed to increased economic inequality, which makes Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid more important to the average American, not less so. That's the point of efforts in Congress to expand and increase Social Security benefits, as would be done by a bill dubbed Social Security 2100, introduced by Rep. John B. Larson and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, both Democrats from Connecticut. The measure would increase benefits across the board by an average 2%, set a minimum retirement benefit at 25% above the federal poverty line and extend dependent benefits for students up to age 26 (the current cutoff is 19), among other improvements. On the revenue side, the bill would eliminate, over time, the existing cap on wages subject to tax, which is $147,000 this year a level that in effect gives the 1% a pass on their obligation to support this universal system. (The payroll tax is 12.4% up to that wage cap, shared equally by employer and employee.) More could be done to provide additional revenue for Social Security. One option would be to make all income, not just wages, subject to the Social Security tax, thus bringing the capital gains and dividends that make up a disproportionate share of income for the wealthiest Americans into the revenue stream. That option doesn't get talked about much, perhaps because politicians know that the wealthy would go to the mat to protect their capital gains from higher taxes. What's unnerving about discussions of Social Security's future in recent years is the emerging assumption that doing something about the program's fiscal situation requires a combination of higher revenues and cuts in benefits. Although the first is imperative, the latter option must be taken off the table. The most misleading claim by those advocating fixes is that they must be done now because waiting will only make the required reforms more stringent. This makes absolutely no sense. Making the program fully solvent for the next 75 years, the CRFB asserts, would require a 3.24 percentage point increase in the payroll tax today but 4.07 percentage points if delayed until 2035. The program could be fixed supposedly, by a 20% benefit cut across the board today, but 25% if deferred to 2035. That means depriving workers of more than a decade of benefits or charging them more than a decade of higher taxes, just to make the ultimate changes more politically palatable. Workers don't gain a thing in those scenarios. It should be obvious that these are "fixes" for Social Security in the same sense that one "fixes" a cat or mobsters "fix" a stool pigeon the improvements aren't felt by the targets, that's for sure. There are sound reasons for shoring up Social Security's financial condition. They get sounder every day as the wealth of the 1% continues to outstrip the income of ordinary families and the household resources fall further behind what's needed for a sustainable, comfortable retirement. Social Security is the most successful program in American history, and surely the most popular. "Part of the reason this program needs to be understood as a public utility and a public good is that it's one of the few things we all agree on, pretty much, and we badly need that today," Kingson told me. "The calm that comes from this year's trustees report is a reminder that we all have a stake in this system, and it works well." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. From New Jersey to California, primaries in seven states Tuesday took voters one step further in shaping the landscape in November's midterm elections and beyond. In particular, political observers took interest in the expensive race for Los Angeles mayor, where a billionaire mall magnate who switched parties seized the lead after pouring millions into the race. One thing missing was former President Donald Trump, who dominated the headlines of previous primaries namely in Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania in important state and federal campaigns through endorsements, rallies and other actions. But this time, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him last year David Valadao of California didn't even have a challenge from a Trump-endorsed opponent. Here are the big things to think about after Tuesday's results. L.A. mayor's race heads to a runoff At the top of the California ballot, Gov. Gavin Newsom easily won his Democratic primary a year after surviving a recall election. The same went for Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, who also coasted to the general election. But what wasn't a slam dunk was the race for the mayorship of one of the Golden State's most important cities, Los Angeles, where U.S. Rep. Karen Bass faced off against billionaire Rick Caruso. Initial results showed Caruso jumping to an early lead but failing to reach the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff. That means the two will have a rematch in November. For months Bass, a physician assistant turned community organizer, was considered the front-runner. That was until the 68-year-old congresswoman was challenged by Caruso, a 63-year-old hotel tycoon and former city commissioner who had been a Republican for most of his life until he changed parties a month before entering the race. Caruso has spent about $13.5 million of his own money in the race, which dwarfs the roughly $3 million Bass has spent. The campaign has become one of the more divisive contests of 2022, with progressives crying foul over the influence of money in politics. Mayoral faceoff: Democratic frontrunners Rick Caruso, Karen Bass advance to November runoff in LA mayor race Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., speaks as the House Judiciary Committee hears investigative findings in the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. San Francisco's DA recall bad sign for Democrats San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin ran on a platform in 2019 to end cash bail, reduce mass incarceration and crack down on police misconduct. The former public defender was part of a wave of progressive prosecutors who embraced left-leaning activists and their demands to reimagine public safety. But those criminal justice reform efforts weren't enough to overcome a severe backlash against Boudin, who was removed from office on Tuesday by voters in arguably the country's most progressive city. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin speaks during a news conference on May 10, 2022. Opponents, including many Democrats, spent roughly $7.8 million to recall the district attorney, citing anxieties over rising property crime, homelessness, drug abuse and a lack of mental health services. Tuesday's results showed more than 60% of San Francisco voters supported removing the district attorney, a rebuke that underscores how salient an issue crime has become for voters. Republicans have already seized on crime and woven it into their 2022 election narrative, and the recall foreshadows how Democrats could face trouble in the fall even as they have tried to distance themselves from the "defund the police" movement that arose from the police brutality protests in 2020. Kristi Noem's win keeps her in 2024 mix South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem easily defeated her GOP primary opponent. That means the first-term governor will continue to be an early name for a possible 2024 presidential bid or as a potential VP nominee. Noem became a star among grassroots conservatives for her hands-off approach to COVID-19 restrictions. She spoke at a pair of Conservative Political Action Conference meetings last year, and she has been on the front lines of many cultural war debates in 2022. Today, I announced legislation blocking Action Civics. Our kids should not be forced to choose one political ideology over another or be forced to protest or lobby as part of their education. In South Dakota, we will focus on education, not indoctrination.https://t.co/9v6kPiHfVi Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) January 10, 2022 During the Mount Rushmore State's legislative session, for instance, she pushed for a legislative package that supported prayer in schools, prohibited critical race theory being taught in classrooms, and banned transgender women and girls from female sports. Opponents have said Noem, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, was inserting issues into the state that didn't pertain to South Dakota to raise her national profile. South Dakota governor Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference held at the Hilton Anatole on July 11 in Dallas, Texas. Trump foes survive If Trump cares at all about Tuesday's result, then the former president could be steaming at New Jersey Republicans for letting two particular House members continue to the fall general election. When the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill passed last year, it gave President Joe Biden one of his few political wins, and Trump lashed out at GOP lawmakers who supported the measure. "Very sad that the RINOs in the House and Senate gave Biden and Democrats a victory on the 'non-Infrastructure' bill. All Republicans who voted for Democrat longevity should be ashamed of themselves," Trump said in a statement at the time. U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, two of the 13 House Republicans who supporters the proposal, survived their primaries. Smith defeated radio talk show host Mike Crispi, who was supported by Trump advisers Roger Stone and Michael Flynn. And Jeff Van Drew, who left the Democratic Party in 2019, beat back two challengers in his Republican primary fight. Is New Mexico's governor vulnerable? New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham didn't have to sweat on primary night, as she didn't have a challenger in her Democratic primary. Lujan Grisham, with help from a Democratic-controlled Legislature, has quietly become one of the party's rising stars, enacting gun control measures and laws that have protected abortion access. Democrats control every statewide elected office, including the five-seat state Supreme Court, but Republicans are salivating at the chance of flipping the governorship now that former meteorologist Mark Ronchetti won the GOP primary on Tuesday. Political observers were quick to say the elections this fall will be more competitive with Ronchetti, a well-known TV personality and a former U.S. Senate candidate who ran as an outsider, as the Republican nominee. "Ronchetti is the only candidate who could make it competitive," Jessica Taylor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report said in a tweet Tuesday. 2020 Sen nominee/weatherman Mark Ronchetti easily wins #NMGov primary to face Gov. Lujan Grisham. The Dem incumbent has $$ but this is just a D+3 state in our PVI and Ronchetti is the only candidate who could make it competitive. Were moving our rating from Likely to Lean D pic.twitter.com/U1VisdeAAl Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) June 8, 2022 As a result, she said, their forecast for the gubernatorial election has shifted from "likely" to "lean" Democratic, which gives the GOP a glimmer of hope. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Primaries in California, N.J. and more: the top election takeaways Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken speaks during the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) On the eve of President Biden's appearance at the Summit of the Americas on Wednesday, activists and politicians worked to make their voices heard above the logistical hubbub, even when it meant going off script. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, completing a round of speeches, addressed a symposium for student journalists to defend press freedoms. But he quickly found himself batting back difficult questions, like why the U.S. deals with governments that allegedly kill journalists while condemning others. Blinken delivered his measured remarks on the importance of a free press and highlighted how dangerous it is for journalists in the Americas, where they are often murdered without being in a war zone. He named a pair of slain journalists from Mexico, where a dozen have been killed this year, and praised others in Honduras, El Salvador and elsewhere in Central America who have worked to expose corruption, then have been jailed or forced to flee. "Today, the right to freedom of expression, including freedom of the press, faces profound challenges in our hemisphere and around the globe," Blinken said. "Challenges that, left unaddressed, could threaten the foundations of our democracies." He cited misinformation that polarizes and poisons societies and said the U.S. government would invest more than $30 million to help sustain free press in the Americas. He also said politicians and leaders had to be prepared for scrutiny, before members of the audience began shouting questions at him. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, center, participates in a panel discussion entitled "A Commitment to Journalistic Freedom" with journalists Marcella Baietto, left, and Madison Thomas on Tuesday. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) A man, who later identified himself as a reporter, questioned why a country like Haiti with a de facto government whose members may have been involved in the recent assassination of its prime minister could be included in the summit. (The U.S. excluded Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the guest list, citing their leaders' undemocratic tendencies, but included Haiti, El Salvador and Brazil.) Blinken did not appear flustered. "In Haiti, we continue to work for a transition," he said. A woman stood to challenge U.S. support for Israel and Saudi Arabia, two governments involved in recent killings of journalists. In one case, a well-known Palestinian American journalist was shot and killed during an Israeli raid on a West Bank city; the case has not been resolved, but some Palestinians blame Israel for the killing. In the other case, a prominent Saudi journalist and U.S. resident, Jamal Khashoggi, was murdered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, and U.S. intelligence officials concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing. The Biden administration has condemned the 2018 killing but now plans to freshen ties with the desert kingdom. The fireworks at the media event, held in the historic building that once housed the Los Angeles Herald Examiner newspaper, were a bit of rare color in a fairly tame series of talks and meetings so far in this first Summit of the Americas to be held on U.S. soil since its inaugural 1994 session. The keynote pieces of the summit start Wednesday with Biden's arrival, along with the presence of about 20 of the region's leaders. Also Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris, in a visit to her home state, held a series of events aimed at highlighting female economic empowerment in northern Central America and showing progress she's made on stemming migration from the region, a high-profile assignment she was tasked with last year. She announced nearly $2 billion in new private investment in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, totaling about $3.2 billion in corporate pledges for investment in the region since she began the initiative last year. Vice President Kamala Harris hosts a roundtable discussion on Tuesday. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of families, of her communities and of the entire hemisphere, she said during an event on the sidelines of the summit. There, she announced a women's empowerment program to connect 1.4 million women to the financial system and digital economy, and a program to train 500,000 women and girls in job skills. Harris also announced the launch of a $50-million Central American Service Corps, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, to create paid community service jobs for young people. The initiatives are a key part of the Biden administration's plan to address the root causes of migration from northern Central America to slow the pace of migration and encourage people to stay home by creating better living conditions and economic opportunities in the region. Biden is also expected to pitch foreign leaders on a new economic plan to mobilize investment in the region, a senior administration official told reporters earlier this week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. TEHRAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people died and 50 more were injured in a train derailment in Iran early Wednesday, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. The incident occurred at 5:30 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) as the train was moving from the eastern city of Tabas to the central province of Yazd, the agency quoted Mehdi Valipour, head of the Red Crescent Rescue and Relief Organization of Iran, as saying. Two teams of rescuers have been dispatched to the site of the incident, which is located 50 kilometers off Tabas, he said, adding that ambulances and helicopters have been sent to the site. There were 430 people on board the train, and 16 of the wounded are in critical condition, said the official. (Reuters) - Moscow's chief rabbi has left Russia after coming under pressure to support its invasion of Ukraine, according to a relative. Swiss-born Pinchas Goldschmidt had served as Moscow's chief rabbi since 1993, while also heading a large European rabbinical group. "Can finally share that my in-laws, Moscow Chief Rabbi @PinchasRabbi @Rebbetzin Dara Goldschmidt, have been put under pressure by authorities to support the 'special operation' in Ukraine - and refused," Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt tweeted on Tuesday. Chizhik-Goldschmidt, a New York-based journalist, said that Goldschmidt flew to Hungary two weeks after the Feb. 24 invasion, raising money for refugees in Eastern Europe before continuing on to Israel. Jewish organisations in Russia have struck a more critical tone on the war in Ukraine than other religious groups, including the powerful Orthodox Church which has backed the campaign. On March 2, Russia's chief rabbi Berel Lazar called for participants in the conflict to "silence the guns and to stop the bombs", although he stopped short of condemning President Vladimir Putin. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Bernadette Baum) NEW YORK (AP) A New York Republican running to represent a congressional district that includes suburbs of Buffalo, New York, shared and deleted a conspiracy-laden Facebook post suggesting a racist mass shooting in Buffalo and other mass killings were part of a plot to take away people's guns. The lengthy June 1 post shared by Buffalo developer Carl Paladino said in almost every mass shooting, including the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo last month and a shooting at a Texas elementary school, there are strange occurrences that are never fully explained. The post also included theories about CIA mind-control and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and John Lennon, and vaccines. Reached on his cellphone Wednesday by The Associated Press, Paladino said Thats all water under the bridge, and I didnt write it, before hanging up. He did not answer a call back. The politician on Tuesday initially told The Buffalo News and WIVB-TV in interviews that he did not personally make the post and it was posted by someone else who had access to his account. But in a follow-up interview with the Buffalo News on Wednesday, he changed his story and said, Yes, I did it. I just didnt remember the fact that I published it; I couldnt remember. It was written by Jeff Briggs, a good friend from Rochester. I published it because he is a friend, he said. Video: NYC mayor urges Congress to pass gun safety bills Paladino told the newspaper that on Wednesday he recalled that he only scanned the post before sharing it and that he sometimes passes on materials with which he does not agree. He said he does not subscribe to the conspiracy theories in the post but accepted some of its points. It was not clear which points he accepted. Paladino was on the Buffalo School Board in December 2016 when he wrote that he wanted to see President Barack Obama dead of mad cow disease and first lady Michelle Obama return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla. Amid an uproar, he said the comments, published in the local Artvoice newspaper, were not meant for publication but he called them inappropriate nevertheless. The state education commissioner removed Paladino from the Buffalo School Board soon after for disclosing confidential school board business. During his unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, Paladino apologized for forwarding emails to friends that included racist jokes and pornography. Paladino is now running in a district currently held by Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs, who announced last week he would not seek reelection after facing backlash from his own party for voicing support for new gun control measures. Jacobs, in the wake of recent mass shootings, said he would vote for a federal assault weapons ban and other measures if he had a chance and expressed support for limiting magazine capacity, banning body armor for civilians and raising the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21. Jacobs currently represents New Yorks 27th Congressional District, but was running for the newly redrawn 23rd District. Before his comments on gun control, he was considered a favorite in the new district, which includes large swaths of new voters, including rural counties. Shortly after Jacobs announcement last week that he would not run, Paladino was endorsed by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of GOP leadership and rising star in the party. Stefaniks campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Paladino's post. ___ Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York contributed to this report. Katelyn Woolcott, right, wears a mask while working at Grand Central Market in Los Angeles. California's coronavirus case rate dipped 6% over the past week. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) The upward track of California's coronavirus case rate may be easing, but contradictory data are muddying the state's outlook as a new pair of Omicron subvariants seen in South Africa are increasingly making appearances here. The case rate dipped 6% over the past week, from 15,800 new cases a day to 14,900, according to a Times analysis of state data released Tuesday. On a per capita basis, California is recording 266 coronavirus cases a week for every 100,000 residents. A weekly transmission rate of 100 cases or more per 100,000 is considered high. But some health officials are not convinced the decline will stay consistent in the coming weeks. In Santa Clara County, Northern California's most populous and home to Silicon Valley, the new case rate has fallen 7% in the last week. But wastewater data show that coronavirus levels are actually continuing to rise. "While it looks like it may be plateauing, it actually isn't," Dr. Sara Cody, the county's public health director and health officer, said Tuesday. In looking at wastewater data an indication of future case rates "every time we see one of those dips, and we can imagine, 'Oh, maybe we're on the way down,' it goes back up. So we are not yet on the way down," Cody said. It's possible the recent plateau is caused by a lag in reporting over the Memorial Day weekend. It also is plausible that transmission will worsen because of gatherings to celebrate the beginning of the summer holiday and the end of the school year and increased vacation travel. Nationally, what appeared to be a reduction in cases has flattened. The U.S. was reporting about 105,000 new cases a day for the seven-day period that ended Tuesday, about the same as the prior week. Santa Clara County has the highest case rate in California 401 new cases a week for every 100,000 residents followed by San Francisco (400) and neighboring San Mateo County (392), according to The Times' coronavirus tracker. The emergence of yet another succession of new Omicron subvariants may prove to be a new wild card in the pandemic. In March, the nation's dominant Omicron subvariant was BA.1.1; by April, it was the more contagious BA.2; and by the end of May, it was the even more contagious BA.2.12.1. Now, BA.4 and BA.5 are starting to show up in noticeable levels nationwide. BA.4 has been detected in Santa Clara County, and "this is the subvariant that caused explosive growth in South Africa," Cody said. BA.4 and BA.5 are still rare in Los Angeles County, but there have been small increases recently, especially for BA.4. "The increases in BA.4 and BA.5 have also been seen across the state," L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said last week. "We will monitor these increases to see whether these new sublineages, known to be highly infectious and evade some of the vaccine protection ... [will] take hold in our communities by crowding out the other dominant strains. "As we continue to see growth of the more transmissible variants in the county, we are mindful about the need to use sensible safety measures to reduce risk," said Ferrer, who has urged residents to get up to date on vaccinations and boosters and wear masks in indoor public settings. Compared to the prior week, coronavirus case rates fell by 3% in San Diego County, 9% in Orange County, 2% in Riverside County and 21% in Ventura County. Case rates increased by 9% in San Bernardino County and 3% in Santa Barbara County. All counties were considered to have high transmission rates. Elsewhere in the state, case rates also declined, falling 6% in the San Francisco Bay Area, 2% in the San Joaquin Valley, 9% in Greater Sacramento and 11% in rural Northern California. But in L.A. County, the case rate was up 10% from the week before, following about a week-long period where it seemed as if cases had flattened or started to decrease. The state's most populous county was averaging about 4,900 cases a day, or 341 cases a week for every 100,000 residents. Coronavirus-positive hospitalizations, meanwhile, are continuing to rise, though they remain at relatively low levels compared to earlier surges. On Tuesday, there were 2,601 coronavirus-positive patients in California's hospitals, up 14% over the past week. The latest number is still lower than the lowest point observed between last summer's Delta wave and the start of the Omicron surge around Thanksgiving. A significant percentage of hospitalized coronavirus-positive patients are being for treated for reasons unrelated to COVID-19. And COVID deaths have remained relatively low and stable in California, averaging about 25 a day. Still, Cody and others say increasing numbers of coronavirus-positive patients can strain hospital systems because they need to be isolated and have extra care and specialized staffing. Hospitalization trends vary by state. New coronavirus-positive hospital admissions are declining in New York and New England but climbing in the Southeast, including in Florida, and elsewhere in the Western U.S., such as in Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Nevada. Nationally, new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations are up 6% over the prior week. Santa Clara County last week was designated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as having a high COVID-19 community level, at which the federal agency recommends universal masking in indoor public settings. The CDC showed the county with 10.1 new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents, just above its threshold of 10 or more for high community level. But unlike neighboring Alameda County, Santa Clara County has not ordered a new universal indoor mask mandate. Alameda County, which is home to Oakland, became the first county in California to reimplement a universal indoor mask order last week following the winter Omicron wave. The mandate does not apply to Berkeley, which has its own public health agency. Ferrer also has continued to express concern about rising rates of hospitalizations in L.A. County. On Thursday, the CDC said there were 5.3 new weekly coronavirus-positive hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents in L.A. County, an 18% increase from the prior week. At that rate, the county could pass the CDC's threshold by the end of June, triggering the recommendation for universal indoor masking. Ferrer has long said that if L.A. County reaches that threshold, a new local universal indoor mask order would be issued for people 2 and older. The most significant impact hospitals are currently reporting is workers being out sick, Cody said. "What we're not seeing so far with this wave is a lot of people who are getting seriously ill and requiring hospitalization for their COVID infection. Of course, we're seeing some of that, but not in the dramatic way that we've seen in other waves." This latest stage of the pandemic is very different from the first waves, in which hospitals were full of patients on ventilators, Cody said. The latest variants are far more contagious, now spreading almost as easily as measles, "which is pretty stunning," she added. In addition, the rapid mutations that lead to other subvariants are also making it harder to forecast what will happen next. Just because deaths aren't increasing now doesn't mean that won't happen in the future, Cody said. While much has been said about the first Omicron subvariant being relatively mild compared to last summer's Delta variant, more people have died during the Omicron surge and far more people were infected. "The subvariants that are circulating keep changing and evolving. It's not just one, it's multiple," Cody said. "And I don't really know what that's going to look like over time." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A doctor treats a severely malnourished 3-year-old boy as his mother assists in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday. (Farah Abdi Warsameh / Associated Press) No mother should have to lose her child. Owliyo Hassan Salaad has watched four die this year. A drought in the Horn of Africa has taken them one by one. Now she cradles her frail and squalling 3-year-old, Ali Osman, whom she carried on a 55-mile walk from her village to Somalias capital, Mogadishu, desperate not to lose him, too. Sitting on the floor of a malnutrition treatment center filled with anxious mothers, she can barely speak about the small bodies buried back home in soil too dry for planting. The dying has begun in the regions worst drought in four decades. Previously unreported data shared with the Associated Press show at least 448 deaths this year at malnutrition treatment centers in Somalia alone. Authorities in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are now shifting to the grim task of trying to prevent famine. Many more people are dying beyond the notice of authorities, like Salaads four children, all younger than 10. Some die in remote pastoral communities. Some die on treks in search of help. Some die even after reaching displacement camps, malnourished beyond aid. Definitely thousands have died, the United Nations' humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, told reporters Tuesday, though the data to support that are yet to come. Salaad left behind another four children with her husband. They were too weak to make the journey to Mogadishu, she said. Drought comes and goes in the Horn of Africa, but this is one like no other. Humanitarian assistance has been sapped by global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and now Russia's war in Ukraine. Prices for staples like wheat and cooking oil are rising quickly, in some places by more than 100%. Millions of the livestock that provide families with milk, meat and wealth have died. Even the therapeutic food to treat hungry people like Salaads son is becoming more expensive and, in some places, might run out. And for the first time, a fifth straight rainy season might fail. An "explosion of child deaths is coming to the Horn of Africa if the world focuses only on the war in Ukraine and doesn't act now, UNICEF said Tuesday. Famine even threatens Somalias capital as displacement camps on Mogadishu's outskirts swell with exhausted new arrivals. Salaad and her son were turned away from a crowded hospital after arriving a week ago. They were sent instead to the treatment center for the extremely malnourished where rooms are full, extra beds have been put out and yet some people must sleep on the floor. Mothers wince, and babies wail, as tiny bodies with sores and protruding ribs are gently checked for signs of recovery. The center is overwhelmed, said Dr. Mustaf Yusuf, a physician there. Admissions more than doubled in May to 122 patients. At least 30 people have died this year through April at the center and six other facilities run by Action Against Hunger, the humanitarian group said. It is seeing the highest admission rates to its hunger treatment centers since it began working in Somalia in 1992, with the number of severely malnourished children up 55% from last year. More broadly, at least 448 people died this year at outpatient and in-patient malnutrition treatment centers across Somalia through April, according to data compiled by humanitarian groups and local authorities. Aid workers warn that the data are incomplete, and the overall death toll from the drought remains elusive. We know from experience that mortality rises suddenly when all the conditions are in place displacement, disease outbreaks, malnutrition all of which we are currently seeing in Somalia, said Biram Ndiaye, UNICEF Somalias chief of nutrition. Mortality surveys conducted in parts of Somalia in December and again in April and May by the U.N.s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit showed a severe and rapid deterioration within a very short time frame. Most alarming was the Bay region in the south, where adult mortality nearly tripled, child mortality more than doubled and the rate of the most severe malnutrition tripled. Deaths and acute malnutrition have reached atypically high levels in much of southern and central Somalia, and admissions of acutely malnourished children under 5 have risen by more than 40% compared to the same period last year, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network. One notable complication in counting deaths is the Shabab extremist group, whose control over large parts of southern and central Somalia is a barrier to aid. Its harsh response to Somalias drought-driven famine from 2010-12 was a factor in more than a quarter-million deaths, half of them children. Another factor was the international communitys slow response. A drama without witnesses, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia said at the time. Now the alarms are sounding again. More than 200,000 people in Somalia face catastrophic hunger and starvation, a drastic increase from the 81,000 forecast in April, a joint statement by U.N. agencies said Monday, noting that a humanitarian response plan for this year is just 18% funded. Somalia isn't alone. In Ethiopias drought-affected regions, the number of children treated for the most severe malnutrition a tip of the crisis" jumped 27% in the first quarter of this year compared with last year, according to UNICEF. The increase was 71% in Kenya, where Doctors Without Borders reported at least 11 deaths in a single countys malnutrition treatment program earlier this year. At one of the overflowing displacement camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu, recent arrivals were anguished as they described watching family members die. I left some of my children behind to care for those suffering, said Amina Abdi Hassan, who came from a village in southern Somalia with her malnourished baby. They're still hungry as aid runs dry, even in the capital. Many others are on the way, she said. Hawa Abdi Osman said she lost children to the drought. Emaciated, and weakened by another pregnancy, she walked five days to Mogadishu. We had to leave some of our relatives behind, and others perished as we watched, said her cousin, Halima Ali Dhubow. More people come to the camp every day, using the last wisps of energy to set up makeshift shelters in the dust, lashing together branches with fabric and plastic. Some walked up to 19 days to reach the capital, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Last night alone, 120 families came in, camp manager Nadifa Hussein said. We are giving them all the little supplies we have, like bread. The number of people is so overwhelming that helping them is beyond our capacity. In the past, aid agencies helped, but now aid is very scarce. Only God can help them," she said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Janice Slattery votes in La Habra Heights as her poodles, Randy and Trucker-T, wait Tuesday morning. (Allen Schaben / Los Angeles Times) When it came time to cast her ballot in California's primary election, Robin Tillman made sure not to vote for a single incumbent. We need to eliminate the people already in because theyre not doing anything, she said. Look at our homeless. As Californians voted across the state Tuesday afternoon, weighing in on an election that will help determine Los Angeles' next mayor, many said they sought to change a landscape beset by a homelessness crisis, crime and skyrocketing housing prices. Early turnout was dismal before polling sites opened, and voting numbers showed few signs of progress Tuesday afternoon. Although every registered voter in the state was mailed a ballot, only 18% had gotten them to election officials or weighed in at early in-person vote centers, according to election data reviewed by consulting firm Political Data Intelligence. For Tillman, homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are among the most serious issues in the city. The 54-year-old, who works as a clerk in the Department of Children and Family Services, said she knows many children in the system who have gone on to live on the streets. People need more support, she said. Tillman's rent-controlled studio in downtown Los Angeles, which cost her $700 a month when she moved in six years ago, has since inched above $800. If someone were to sign a new lease today, it would cost $1,300, she said, adding that similar units in her building, which are listed on Airbnb, get rented out for $2,500 a month. The city, she said, is desperate for change. Democrats, they need to stand up. By being passive, that has cost us a lot, said Tillman, who supported Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) for mayor. Theres a lot of people hurting out here. The L.A. mayor's race, the city's first open mayoral primary in nearly a decade, is among the most closely watched on the ballot as city voters many of whom will be choosing among top candidates billionaire developer Rick Caruso, L.A. City Councilman Kevin de Leon and Bass signaled they were in a pessimistic mood. A hard-knocking fist, said Weldon Ivory, who voted for Caruso. Thats what you need downtown, someone to knock things around, change things. The 73-year-old retired security guard said hed first heard about the real estate developer a few months ago after overhearing someone talk about him at a restaurant. Of the options for mayor, Ivory said, Caruso seems like the best bet to address problems hes noticed in downtown chief among them, he said, homelessness. Another voter, Christina Pak, picked Gina Viola for mayor. The 28-year-old who works in the energy industry first considered voting for Bass who she thought likely had a better chance of beating Caruso but ultimately went with Viola, whose platform aligns more closely with her views. In the City Council race, Pak picked community activist Albert Corado, whose stances on dismantling and defunding systems of policing and expanding tenants rights appealed to her. For city attorney, she picked Faisal Gill, but admitted that she wasnt thrilled about any of the candidates. Seemed like the least worst choice, she said, sighing. The election comes after a frantic few weeks of campaigning across the city, which has included increasingly personal and partisan attacks slung from each camp. Caruso's supporters have attacked Bass attendance record in Congress, while Bass' backers have talked nonstop about the businessman previously being registered as a Republican, as well as his previous ties to politicians who oppose abortion. Since Caruso announced his candidacy in February, the Los Angeles Times polling has found the contest to be largely a two-person race, with Caruso and Bass appealing to contrasting bases of support. Concerns over rising crime have provided the driving force behind Carusos campaign, which early on drew strong support from more conservative Angelenos, especially white voters. Over time, however, he also has won over a growing number of Latino and Black male voters, the poll found. Bass gained ground with the biggest segments of the citys electorate her fellow Democrats, liberals and women. She also has maintained a strong lead among Black women, the poll found. A poll published Sunday showed 38% of likely voters support Bass. Caruso, who has bombarded L.A. airwaves with millions of dollars of advertising, has 32% support. With 15% of likely voters saying they were still undecided, either of the two could still come out on top in the primary, but its unlikely either candidate would win the 50% needed to avoid a November runoff. Voters also will cast their ballots for governor and U.S. senator, though Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Alex Padilla both Democrats are expected to win those races. Tuesday morning, signs of the city's low turnout were clear as poll workers at several centers in L.A. outnumbered voters. "Its been slow," said Cristin Doyle, the lead poll worker at the Lincoln Park Senior Citizen Center in Lincoln Heights. The center, which has been open for more than a week, hasnt seen more than 20 voters per day, Doyle said, adding that she didnt expect more than a few hundred people to come in Tuesday. By the afternoon, Milan Whippa Wiley was determined to cast her provisional ballot to support Bass, or "Auntie Karen." The 39-year-old said she was kicked off the voter roll when she renewed her driver's license and came to her alma mater, Crenshaw High School, to ensure that her choice for mayor would be counted. "I've been to two polling places now I've been dealing with this for hours," she said. "I have to go to work, but I wasn't going to feel OK until I was part of the election process. I do it for my ancestors because I know there are people who died for this." Whippa Wiley said she was friends with Bass when the pair were kids. "My earliest memories of her, she would be in the streets, hitting the pavement," she said of the mayoral candidate. At Congregation Ohel Moshe, a Persian synagogue in Pico Robertson, an armed guard kept watch as dozens of voters lined up to cast their ballots. The line stretched all the way to the street by the time Sharon Soormaghen wheeled her double stroller up to the voting booth. "Had my 4-year-old not colored all over my ballot, I would have voted by mail," she said. Soormaghen said she was excited about City Council candidate Sam Yebri but struggled to thoroughly research most of the down-ballot races. "I'm a working mom of two, and we've just come off a big holiday with three days offline," she said, referring to the Jewish festival of Shavuot, which ended Monday night. "There's so many races and so many candidates, it's hard to keep up." She was also torn on the mayor's race, calling it "a shot in the dark." Soormaghen decided to vote for De Leon when she was in the booth. "I don't think I was totally on the Caruso bandwagon," she said after voting. "You don't want to feel like you're just voting for the person whose name you know." Josh Goldner, 25, was more sure of his vote. "I'm anti-Rick Caruso," he said. "Also, no on [Alex] Villanueva for sheriff. Lots of voting against people, it seems." Lisa Alexander, 60, was happy to vote in person after a long pandemic quarantine. As a mother of 10 and a grandmother, she said the Los Angeles County sheriffs race was especially important. More than a decade ago, her son was shot in a drive-by. He was not a gang member, Alexander said, adding that deputies delayed medical treatment because they were securing the area to ensure no gang members were allowed in. The bullet left her son blind. How are you finding the so-called gangs when you are a gang yourself? Alexander said, referring to the deputy gangs in the Sheriffs Department. She voted for onetime internal affairs investigator Eric Strong, after hearing singer Stevie Wonder endorse him. That was a real motivator for me, she said. The harassment, the disrespect when it comes to Black and brown men in our community. Across L.A., voters also weighed in on a new city attorney and city controller as well as several City Council races. The District 3 Board of Supervisors seat is up for grabs, as are seats on the Los Angeles school board. Among the competitive statewide races is the bid for attorney general, an election that comes amid debate over rising crime and the effects of decades of criminal justice reform in California. Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta is up against an independent, Sacramento Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert, and two Republicans, former Assistant U.S. Atty. Gen. Nathan Hochman and Los Angeles attorney Eric Early. San Francisco voters will decide whether to recall Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin, who was elected in 2019 on a platform of criminal justice reform but has faced backlash over crime and homelessness. Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer, who has weathered criticism after racist comments he made while discussing the case of a Black defendant, faces several challengers. And in the race for California controller, Republicans hope a divided field of Democrats will allow the partys single candidate to emerge on top. But even then, Democrats are likely to have the advantage in November. Republicans have not won a general election for statewide office since 2006, the year Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nabbed reelection and Steve Poizner became insurance commissioner. Times staff writer Cindy Chang contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. From left; Reyna Hernandez is a Mexican immigrant from El Monte, who drives for Uber and Lyft; Teresa Trejo, who is originally from Mexico, is a barista at the convention center for the Summit of the Americas; and Maria Mejia outside the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites where she works in downtown Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon, Al Schaben, Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times) When Ana Diaz, a Salvadoran immigrant who lives in Van Nuys, found out she would be mixing cocktails for world leaders at the ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, she got excited. I could probably serve Mrs. Kamala Harris or Mr. Biden, the 48-year-old said she thought to herself. Diaz is scheduled to work as one of the bartenders serving libations at the closing ceremony Friday evening at the Los Angeles Convention Center the nerve center of the summit, which brings together political leaders, civil society organizations and business executives from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Diaz believes that some good change could come from the leaders talking about important issues, particularly immigration a cornerstone of the summit. Diaz just wishes she had more of a say. Vice President Kamala Harris hosts a roundtable with business executives as part of her Call to Action for northern Central America during the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) I think there should be a seat for people like me an immigrant, she said. This week, domestic and foreign dignitaries from across the Western Hemisphere are delivering speeches and brainstorming big ideas behind closed doors under heavy security, while Latin American immigrants, and their latter-generation U.S.-born children, form the infrastructure that keeps the conference humming. The Latin America diaspora one of the largest immigrant populations in the U.S., with arguably the biggest stake in the summits results was on the periphery. These immigrants served coffee and bused tables at the luncheons and dinners. They made beds and vacuumed hotel rooms where many summit attendees spent the night. They shuttled attendees to events scattered throughout downtown L.A. Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso arrives at an event at the Summit of the Americas. (Chandan Khanna / AFP/Getty Images) While they were grateful for the work, many didnt quite know what the summit was all about. Some felt privileged to be in the room with influential people. A few hoped the summit would result in something positive for them or family and friends living in Latin America. Others didnt think the summit was consequential to their lives, and believed it was more talk than action. But almost all of them felt that they should have more of a voice at the summit. You need to talk with the ordinary people in these countries and ask they what the really need, Diaz said she would tell summit leaders if given an opportunity. On Tuesday, Teresa Trejo, a 48-year-old who lives in Inglewood, spent most of her day setting up and decorating the concession stands at the Los Angeles Convention Center. She is scheduled to whip up lattes, cappuccinos and other specialty coffee drinks at the summit. Teresa Trejo, who is originally from Mexico, is a barista at the convention center for the Summit of the Americas in downtown Los Angeles. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) I see working this summit as a privilege, said Trejo who was born in the U.S. but grew up in Mazatlan,Mexico. Though she previously hadnt known much about the summit, she was excited to discover its importance when she found out about it a few months ago. At 4 a.m. Monday, Blanca Alas, a 59-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, left her Lancaster home for her early morning housekeeping shift at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles, which is hosting many of the summits foreign leaders. Alas usually gets home at 7 p.m. She eats, sleeps and does the same the next workday. She doesnt have much time for the news. She didnt really know much about the summit until her workmates told her about it. She was upset that Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei wouldnt attend and speak with U.S. leaders. So many of our people have left these countries out of necessity because they have to. These countries have many problems, Alas said. These leaders should at least show up to talk with each other about it. Maria Mejia, 55, outside the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites where she works in downtown Los Angeles. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) On the 19th floor of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, Maria Mejia of El Salvador pushed a cart stacked with cleaning supplies, towels and mini soaps. By 8 a.m. she'd started her shift as a housekeeper. Nearby, guests in dapper suits walked briskly to grab the nearest elevator to the lobby floor. Mejia, 55, said shed heard something about the summit at work after managers advised her to leave home early because traffic would probably be more congested than usual. Just outside the Westin, and in the employees' cafeteria, Mejia and her co-workers many of them immigrants from Mexico and Central and South America were abuzz about which leaders werent coming and which had boycotted the summit. A Mexican housekeeper shook her head when she found out Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had declined to attend, in protest against the Biden administration's decision to exclude the autocratic leftist leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the summit. Mejia was disappointed that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele wasnt coming. Shes a fan of the former mayor and businessman, and considers him to be her president. She feels the same about President Biden and is stoked to play a small part in what she described as an important event. Mejia, who fled El Salvador during their civil war in the 1980s, said shes happy with her life here but hopes that she can gain legal residency someday soon. She was able to save up to buy a house in Huntington Park, said shes optimistic about the future and what may come of the summit. For now, she only has temporary protected status, which allows her to work legally in the U.S. and protects her from deportation but must be renewed every few months. I would ask the U.S. leaders to pass some kind of immigration reform and for the Latin American leaders to push them and support them on that, Mejia said. Reyna Hernandez, a Mexican immigrant who drives for Uber and Lyft, drive a customer to their destination. Hernandez has followed the Summit of the Americas for years and thinks leaders just do talking and don't take enough action. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) Reyna Hernandez spent the first two days of the summit shuttling attendees around town. The 61-year-old, who drives for Uber and Lyft, said shes followed the event for years. Shes happy for the work, but she believes not much will result from all those meetings. They just meet within four walls and talk amongst themselves. Thats all, said Hernandez, an immigrant from Puebla, Mexico. Yes, sure, they talk about important themes. Theyve done that for years, but they dont come up with real solutions. I dont really see these governments caring for their people. Hernandez said shes heard something about an immigration declaration but doesnt believe there will be a tangible positive impact for immigrants like her. She rents out a room in a house in El Monte for $700 a month, and has more immediate needs. Shes more worried about soaring gas prices than immigration issues. How am I going to make the rent with gas prices so high? she asked. She scoffed at the theme of the conference: Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future. Hernandez left Puebla for Los Angeles in 1995 when she became a single mother to five children after her husband died. She thought shed find a better life, and, in some ways, she did. But after years of toiling away in low-paying jobs as a nanny, housekeeper and now driver, she no longer believes in the American dream. I think its a lie. To be able to do this to build a sustainable future, wed all have to be employed with the opportunity of good wages that allow us to live with dignity. With good healthcare so we dont have to rush to the emergency rooms for sickness. "Thats not going to happen, she said. Police officers patrol in preparation for the Summit of the Americas at the L.A. Convention Center. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press) This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The man had almost no face left; a bullet had hit his mouth and exploded, blasting through his cheeks, shattering his jaws, ripping out his tongue, a bit of which was hanging down, and the blood gushed abundantly from these horrible wounds, a witness wrote after battle. The man had lived, but he wondered would even his own mother have recognized him in a state like that? Cosmetic surgery , nowadays more commonly associated with elective procedures for the wealthy and vain, in fact evolved under the most brutal conditions and with the noblest of aims. In The Facemaker , Lindsey Fitzharris offers a fascinating medical history of the development of the discipline. Its catalyst was World War I, when modern, mechanized weapons destroyed flesh more efficiently than ever before and doctors struggled to keep up. Unlike amputees, men whose facial features were disfigured were not necessarily celebrated as heroes, Fitzharris writes. Whereas a missing leg might elicit sympathy and respect, a damaged face often caused feelings of revulsion and disgust. The 280,000 men who returned with such injuries were seen to have suffered a fate worse than dying on the battlefield. Referred to as les gueules casees (broken faces) in France, they triggered primal emotions and beliefs about the link between the visage and the soul. Mechanized warfare is the mind-body problem writ large. As the methods of science and engineering progressed to create killing machines , they forced people to distance themselves from the disfigurement that followed. But they also challenged those in medicine to fix the body in ways that could soothe the mind. Physicians who entered this new terrain had to combine the science of medicine with the art of reconstruction, sculpting and healing. Among these pioneers was Harold Gillies, a British doctor who invented techniques to treat horrific facial injuries. Born in 1882, Gillies lived a comfortable life as a London surgeon with a focus on issues of the ear, nose and throat. After the war started, he volunteered and was sent to France in January 1915. There he met Auguste Charles Valadier, a French-American who had returned to France to practice dentistry. On the front, Valadier saw that his dental skills were needed to treat more than rotten molars. Gillies observed the dentist using bone grafts to repair injured jaws and realized they were crucial to rebuilding recognizable faces. Valadier, Fitzharris writes, took a section of a patients rib and inserted it beneath the flesh of his forehead in order to reconstruct the soldiers nose. Once the graft took hold, Valadier reshaped the skin around it. As Fitzharris works her way through various types of trauma missing noses, amputated jaws, burns that charred the entire face she chronicles the rise of the various medical arts brought to bear in treating them. She threads into such discussions cultural commentary and a social history of ableist notions of beauty and health. In the development of rhinoplasty, for example, citing scholars such as Sander Gilman , Fitzharris shows how a persons nose became a marker of their health. Since late-stage syphilis attacked the nose, those so afflicted were seen as bearing proof of moral turpitude. The large-scale maiming of soldiers reminded civilians of the depravity of modern war. World War I had garnered tremendous support across Europe; those who had paid the price for civilians jingoism were treated as monstrous in part, Fitzharris argues, as a manifestation of collective guilt. Sir Harold Gillies (in white coat), the surgeon who pioneered plastic surgery during World War I, accepting a gift of X-ray machines from the Allied Relief Fund of America in 1940. (Associated Press) But the face is more than a symbol; it is the basis of human communication. The visual clues sighted people take from the position of an eyebrow or the perceived sincerity of a smile are given more weight than we acknowledge. Facially injured men were not just objects of revulsion; they were cut off from normative forms of social interaction. Across Europe, the unwounded preferred that such men remove themselves from society. In addition to pioneering surgical techniques during the conflict, Gillies campaigned for specialized hospitals where men with facial wounds could be treated. These hospitals became more than just centers for research; they served as social spaces where patients felt unencumbered by the need to protect those who were repulsed by their wounds. They were rehabilitation centers, providing recreation and access to art, music and drama as well as access to new skills such as woodworking that would serve the men in postwar life. Fitzharris successfully balances the story of plastic surgerys growth with a compassionate attention to those whose wounds made it possible. Photos that document the before and after faces of patients are chosen with due care, including the decision not to publish photographs of those who would later die of their wounds. Fitzharris follows the lives of the patients after they were discharged from the hospital. Many of these stories had happy endings, with Gillies patients going on to satisfying family lives and careers. Histories of World War I are deeply personal to me. My great-grandfather, Robert Raymond, died in October 1917 of wounds sustained at Passchendaele , during a battle that killed or wounded 600,000 soldiers over three months. My grandmother was 10 months old when her father died, a common story in the U.K., which lost nearly 800,000 men and had 1.6 million wounded an entire generation of young men who became casualties of older mens disastrous decisions. Robert died in a clearing station while being tended by the types of caregivers to whom Fitzharris pays tribute. In a time when changing ones look to meet the latest Instagram trend is ridiculously easy for those can afford it, it is jarring to remember the terrible human price paid for the advancement of cosmetic surgery. But those clearing stations are the legacy I honor most. They still operate on the front lines of a society in which we still ask doctors to repair the horrific damage done to body and soul by readily available weapons of war. Berry writes for a number of publications and tweets @BerryFLW. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia drew closer to its goal of fully capturing Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories as the Kremlin claimed to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that Moscows forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. And it appears that Russia now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. After abandoning its bungled attempt to storm Kyiv two months ago, Russia declared that taking the entire Donbas is its main objective. Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian government forces in the Donbas since 2014, and the region has borne the brunt of the Russian onslaught in recent weeks. Early in the war, Russian troops also took control of the entire Kherson region and a large part of the Zaporizhzhia region, both in the south. Russian officials and their local appointees have talked about plans for those regions to either declare their independence or be folded into Russia. But in what may be the latest instance of anti-Russian sabotage inside Ukraine, Russian state media said Tuesday that an explosion at a cafe in the city of Kherson wounded four people. Tass called the apparent bombing in the Russian-occupied city a terror act. Before the Feb. 24 invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7% of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces hold 20% of the country. While Russia has superior firepower, the Ukrainian defenders are entrenched and have shown the ability to counterattack. Ukrainian injured servicemen and an injured civilian wait for medical treatment in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Zelenskyy said Russian forces made no significant advances in the eastern Donbas region over the past day. The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues, he said late Tuesday in his nightly video address. Zelenskyy said the Russians clearly did not expect to meet so much resistance and are now trying to bring in additional troops and equipment. He said the same was true in the Kherson region. Speaking earlier to a Financial Times conference, Zelenskyy insisted on Ukraines need to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also said he is still open to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But a former senior U.S. intelligence officer said the time isnt right. Youre not going to get to the negotiating table until neither side feels they have an advantage that they could push, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. The Russians think they will be able to take the whole of the Donbas and then might use that as the opportunity to call for negotiations, Kendall-Taylor said at an online seminar organized by Columbia and New York universities. Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, said Moscow's forces have seized the residential quarters of Sievierodonetsk and are fighting to take control of an industrial zone on the city's outskirts and nearby towns. Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk have seen heavy fighting in recent weeks. They are among a few cities and towns in the Luhansk region still holding out against the Russian invasion, which is being helped by local pro-Kremlin forces. Shoigu added that Russian troops were pressing their offensive toward the town of Popasna and have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. An injured Ukrainian servicemen is transferred to a medical facility after getting an emergency medical treatment in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak urged his people not to be downhearted about the battlefield reverses. Dont let the news that weve ceded something scare you, he said in a video address. It is clear that tactical maneuvers are ongoing. We cede something, we take something back." Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai conceded that Russian forces control the industrial outskirts of Sievierodonetsk. The toughest street battles continue, with varying degrees of success, Haidai said. The situation constantly changes, but the Ukrainians are repelling attacks. Moscows forces also kept up their artillery barrage of Lysychansk. Haidai said Russian troops shelled a market, a school and a college building, destroying the latter. At least three people were wounded, he said. A total destruction of the city is under way. Russian shelling has intensified significantly over the past 24 hours. Russians are using scorched-earth tactics, Haidai said. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has begun training Ukrainian forces on the sophisticated multiple rocket launchers that the Biden administration agreed last week to provide. The Pentagon said the training is going on at a base in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets, which can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers). Officials said it would take about three weeks of training before they could go to the battlefront. In other developments, Zelenskyy said Ukraine planned to publish a special Book of Executioners next week with information about war crimes committed by the Russian army. These are specific facts about specific people who are guilty of specific cruel crimes against Ukrainians, he said. Those named would include not only people who carried out the crimes but their commanders, he said. Voters in San Francisco recalled embattled progressive Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin. (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) Progressive Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin, who became a lightning rod for controversies over crime and homelessness in San Francisco, will not finish his first term as the city's top prosecutor. Some ballots remained to be counted Wednesday. But among the more than 123,000 votes tallied in the recall election, 60% of voters wanted to oust Boudin from office, an insurmountable margin. The bitter, expensive recall became a referendum on some of San Francisco's most painfully visible social problems, including homelessness, property crime and drug addiction. The recall campaign painted Boudin as a soft-on-crime prosecutor who doesn't care about public safety. And it tied his criminal reform policies to a wave of high-profile crimes, including a fatal hit-and-run involving a man on parole, a series of smash-and-grab robberies from high-end Union Square stores and a wave of attacks against elderly Asian American residents. Mary Jung, the chair of the recall campaign, said Tuesday night that voters sent a "clear message" that they want a new district attorney who will hold "serious, violent and repeat offenders accountable while never forgetting the rights of victims and their families." "This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice," Jung said. "In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership." At The Ramp restaurant in Mission Bay, Boudin told his supporters that the nationwide push for criminal justice reform was larger than any one election or city. "We know that people were writing the obituary of this election before our campaign even started," he said. "But we are just getting started, because we knew that fixing a system that has systematically failed us not just for decades, but for generations, for centuries was not the work of one year, or one term. Its certainly not the work of one man or woman or one office." Mayor London Breed will appoint an interim district attorney shortly after the San Francisco Board of Supervisors accepts the recall election results. Another election will be held in November to determine who will serve as district attorney through 2026. Raj Marwari, 40, who lives in the Marina District and works in finance, said he voted to recall Boudin because "obviously, things have gotten worse in every way," including homelessness. He said he is embarrassed when his parents from Texas visit the city. "Safe is not a word I'd use to describe San Francisco," Marwari said. Removing Boudin from office won't solve everything, he said, but "when the player's doing bad, you've got to pull 'em." Property and violent crimes fell by double-digit percentages during Boudin's first two years in office. But some individual categories of crime surged in the same time frame: Burglaries rose 47%; motor vehicle theft, 36%. Homicides also increased, though the city saw its lowest number of killings in more than a half-century in 2019. Like other prosecutors in the nationwide movement to reimagine the criminal justice system, Boudin ran on a platform to reduce mass incarceration and divert low-level offenders into drug and mental health treatment instead of jail cells. Boudin's loss may have national implications, including for Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon, who is facing his second recall attempt in two years. Supporters of the Gascon recall effort were elated by Tuesday's result. The campaign needs to collect at least 67,000 more signatures over the next month to qualify the recall effort for the ballot in Southern California. Recall campaign spokesperson Tim Lineberger said the news out of the Bay Area would embolden volunteers. "Voters from every community and every walk of life, regardless of political ideology, are rejecting pro-criminal policies that are masked as criminal justice reform," Lineberger said. "George Gascon and Chesa Boudins failed social experiments have destroyed communities while doing nothing to meaningfully reform the system. If L.A. County voters sign and return their recall petitions, Gascon will be walking the same plank in the near future." During Boudin's 2-year tenure as San Francisco's top prosecutor, he has refused to seek the death penalty or try juveniles as adults. He has significantly reduced the use of sentencing enhancements. A San Francisco police officer stood trial for excessive force this year for the first time, though the officer, Terrance Stangel, was acquitted. "It's tough to see this," said Kaylah Williams-May, 29, who was Boudin's campaign manager when he ran for district attorney in 2019, and now works with labor unions. "It's really hard to see the recall being fueled around fear and funded by outside conservative money coming into our progressive city." Spending in the recall surpassed $10 million, according to city ethics filings. More than two-thirds of that about $7.3 million came from recall backers, including a political action committee partly funded by billionaire hedge-fund manager William Oberndorf. Oberndorf has given millions to Republican campaigns including to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnells fund for Republican Senate candidates. Boudin repeatedly tried to brand the recall as a Republican-led effort in dark blue San Francisco, a point he reiterated in defeat Tuesday night. "I want to be very clear about what happened tonight. The right-wing billionaires outspent us 3 to 1. They exploited an environment in which people are appropriately upset. And they created an electoral dynamic where we were literally shadowboxing," Boudin said. "Voters were not asked to choose between criminal justice reform and something else. They were given an opportunity to voice their frustration and their outrage, and they took that opportunity." Debra Walker, who was recently nominated to the San Francisco Police Commission and did not support the recall, said she saw the campaign as a visceral reaction from voters frustrated by the situation on the city's streets, rather than a rebuke of criminal justice reform. The situation, she said, is more nuanced that "policing vs. reform." "People have really had it with things not changing around safety in the streets," Walker said. "I dont know that its anti-progressive, per se. I think its anti-extremist on the left. Just as there are extremes on the right, there are extremes on the left, and in general, they arent working very well." John Burris, a famed Bay Area civil rights attorney who supported Boudin, said he believed the district attorney delivered on his promise to hold police accountable, but struggled with "messaging" during the recall campaign. While critics were able to seize on a number of high-profile crimes, including a series of alarming smash-and-grab robberies at high-end retailers during the Christmas season, Boudin was unable to counter the perception that crime was out of control despite police statistics that said otherwise. "Its a product of bad timing and political machinations. Were in an era now where if you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth," Burris said, adding that he also believed Boudin was blamed for citywide issues, including homelessness, that were beyond his control. Michael Wald, 81, a retired Stanford law professor, voted to keep Boudin in office. Recalls "are a very bad way of addressing public policy," and should be reserved for candidates who have done something unethical or illegal, he said. "Crime is a part of life," said Wald, whose home was burglarized last year. "What I want is the city to adopt policies that make it less likely to get into crime in the first place." Sosa reported from San Francisco, and Nelson and Queally from Los Angeles. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. DETROIT (AP) Former Olympic gymnasts, including gold medalist Simone Biles, are among dozens of assault victims who are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to stop sports doctor Larry Nassar, lawyers said Wednesday. There's no dispute that FBI agents in 2015 knew that Nassar was accused of molesting gymnasts, but they failed to act, leaving him free to continue to target young women and girls for more than a year. "It is time for the FBI to be held accountable, said Maggie Nichols, a national champion gymnast at Oklahoma in 2017-19. Under federal law, a government agency has six months to respond to the tort claims filed Wednesday. Lawsuits could follow, depending on the FBIs response. The Justice Department said in May that it would not pursue criminal charges against former FBI agents who failed to quickly open an investigation. The approximately 90 claimants include Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, all Olympic gold medalists, according to Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, a California law firm. "If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls, including me, said former University of Michigan gymnast Samantha Roy. Dr. Larry Nassar. (AP) Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told local FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar, a team doctor. But the FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan, according to the Justice Department's inspector general, an internal watchdog. Los Angeles FBI agents in 2016 began a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar and interviewed several victims but also didnt alert Michigan authorities, the inspector general said. Nassar wasnt arrested until fall 2016 during an investigation by Michigan State University police. He was a doctor at Michigan State. The Michigan attorney generals office ultimately handled the assault charges against Nassar, while federal prosecutors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, filed a child pornography case. He is serving decades in prison. The FBI declined to comment in April when a smaller batch of claims was filed, referring instead to Director Christopher Wrays remarks to Congress in 2021. Im especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed. And thats inexcusable, Wray told victims at a Senate hearing. Michigan State University, which was also accused of missing chances over many years to stop Nassar, agreed to pay $500 million to more than 300 women and girls who were assaulted. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee made a $380 million settlement. BEIRUT, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese caretaker Public Works Minister Ali Hamieh on Wednesday called for international tenders to construct a new terminal for Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut. "The cost of the new project will amount to 70 million U.S. dollars" but this project is expected "to create hundreds of jobs," Hamieh explained during a joint press conference with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the airport. The new terminal will be designated for domestic flights from Hajj, Umrah, and Ziyarah as well as low-budget airlines, he said, offering no further details about the project. Rafik Hariri International Airport, nine km from the city center of Beirut, is the country's only international airport. The airport reportedly accommodates 8 million passengers annually, with plans to expand its capacity to 20 million by 2030. WASHINGTON A U.S. woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to organizing and leading a female military battalion in Syria, which experts said is rare. Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, a former resident of Kansas, traveled overseas and engaged in terrorism-related activities in Syria, Libya and Iraq from September 2019 through May 2019, according to prosecutors. She eventually served as leader and organizer of a military battalion known as Khatiba Nusaybah, where she trained women to use AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts, according to prosecutors. More than 100 women and children as young as 10 were trained by Fluke-Ekren. Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema set sentencing for Oct. 25, when she faces 20 years in prison. This undated photo provided by the Alexandria, Virginia, Sheriff's Office in January 2022 shows Allison Fluke-Ekren. Fluke-Ekren, 42, who once lived in Kansas, has been arrested after federal prosecutors charged her with joining the Islamic State group and leading an all-female battalion of AK-47 wielding militants. The U.S. Attorney in Alexandria announced Saturday that she has been charged with providing material support to a terrorist organization. International terrorism charges against women are extremely rare, according to experts, because men tend to dominate the misogynistic groups such as al-Qaida, the lslamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, and related groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world. But a dozen cases over the last decade of U.S. citizens or permanent residents revealed women shedding traditional caretaker roles to recruit fellow warriors, train others to use rifles and explosives, and even kill. More: Allison Fluke-Ekren is a rarity to experts: A US woman alleged to have a senior role in ISIS Fluke-Ekren moved to Egypt in 2008 with her second husband, a now-deceased former member of the terrorist organization Ansar al-Sharia, according to prosecutors. She moved in 2011 to Libya, where she had lived with her second husband, who claimed to have removed at least one box of documents and an electronic device from the U.S. Special Mission and CIA Annex in Benghazi, when it was attacked Sept. 11, 2012, according to prosecutors. Fluke-Ekren and her second husband moved in 2012 to Syria, where he became a leader of Islamic State snipers, according to prosecutors. In mid-2014, Fluke-Ekren told a government witness about plans to bomb a U.S. shopping mall or college, according to prosecutors. In mid-2016, Fluke-Ekren led and organized an effort to establish a Womens Center in Raqqa, Syria. The center provided medical services, educational services about the Islamic State, childcare, and various training to women and young girls. As the centers leader, Fluke-Ekren also provided and assisted other female ISIS members in providing training to numerous women and young girls on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and explosive suicide belts, according to prosecutors. In late 2016, the ISIS Wali of Raqqa approved the creation of the Khatiba Nusaybah a military battalion to be comprised solely of female ISIS members. Witnesses said the battalion also provided certain members with instruction on physical training including martial arts, medical training and religious classes, and how to pack and prep a travel bag with rifles and other military supplies, according to prosecutors. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gibbs led the prosecution in the eastern district of Virginia. Anne Speckhard, the director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism, questioned whether Fluke-Ekren should have been charged with or pleaded guilty to such serious terrorism charges. The fact that she admits to being the leader of the Khatiba Nusaybah and organized weapons training for women is a damning confession, said Speckhard, who has worked with U.S., NATO and United Nations counter-terrorism agencies. She has personally interviewed at least 273 ISIS members, mostly in Iraq and Syria. However, as it appears from her statements that she organized these trainings mainly on behalf of self-defense, this brings the battleground context into mind as we all know that ISIS was a heinous and brutal terrorist organization but few realize that (Syrian President Bashar) Assads armies, government and prisons have carried out far more atrocities in Syria than ISIS ever did," Speckhard told USA TODAY. Assads soldiers were known to rape, so it would stand to reason that Fluke-Ekren would organize weapons training and self-defense for the women perhaps not in the name of offensive terrorist acts but for self-defense, especially since ISIS men would typically spend two weeks in battle leaving behind the women and children. That said, Ive heard from one of the ISIS women Ive interviewed, who knew her, and it appears the FBI knows the same, that Fluke-Ekren made statements of being capable and desiring to organize an ISIS attack inside the U.S, Speckhard said. As her case proceeds it will be interesting to learn how much a terrorist she really was and what price she will pay for it. Contributing: Josh M This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US woman, Allison Fluke-Ekren, pleads guilty to helping Islamic State An 11-year-old girl who covered herself in her dead classmates blood and played dead to survive the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, last month told Congress on Wednesday about her harrowing experience during the massacre. In prerecorded testimony during a House Oversight Committee hearing on gun violence, Miah Cerrillo said her fourth-grade class was watching a movie in a classroom shared by two teachers, Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, when one of them received an email alert about an active shooter. When the teacher went to the door, Miah said, the gunman was in the hallway. Her teacher saw the gunman, came back into the classroom, locked the door and said, Go hide. Miah Cerrillo testifies before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. (House TV) The gunman shot his way in, found the teacher and according to Miah told her, Goodnight. He shot her in the head, Miah said. And then he shot some of my classmates and the whiteboard. He shot my friend that was next to me, she continued, and I thought he was gonna come back to the room so I grabbed blood and I put it all over me. Miah said she remained quiet until she was able to grab her teachers phone and call 911. She said she told the dispatcher to send the police in our classroom. The gunman, identified by authorities as an 18-year-old, killed 19 children and two teachers before he was killed by police in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. In her testimony, Miah said she doesnt feel safe at school because I don't want it to happen again but fears it will. Miguel Cerrillo, father of Miah Cerrillo, wipes away tears as he testifies during a hearing on gun violence, on Capitol Hill Wednesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Miah's father, Miguel Cerrillo, delivered emotional testimony in person before the committee. I couldve lost my baby girl, Cerrillo said. She is not the same little girl that I used to play with. The father of five said he hopes something will change not only for our kids but every single kid in the world, because schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change. The hearing, which included testimony from parents of victims and survivors of the mass shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, comes amid ongoing talks of new bipartisan gun legislation. It also comes during an ongoing review by the Justice Department of the police response to the May 24 shootings in Uvalde, as questions about decisions the department made during the massacre continue to mount. Proposed laws to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol are not designed to prop up the Prime Minister or appease hardline Brexiteers, a Government minister has insisted. Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns denied there is a sub agenda behind the legislation and said it is about fixing issues with the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Mr Burns told members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee he wants to take the politics out of the impasse over the protocol and instead refocus on the process issues with its implementation. Committee chairman Simon Hoare praised Mr Burns approach but suggested he is in the minority within Government. Mr Hoare said there is concern the protocol row would be used to create a punch up with the EU and as red meat, dead cats, play-things, distractions either to salve the appetites of the European Research Group, shore up the robustness of the Prime Minister or get editorial red tops on side. Mr Hoare suggested other ministers would use the issue to show a bit of leg and a bit of muscle to further their own leadership ambitions. Mr Burns insisted Boris Johnson is in the space of wanting to fix this. He said the Governments preferred resolution is an agreed settlement with the EU, but said that will not be achievable unless European leaders widened the negotiating mandate of European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic. We cannot just sit back and wait in the hope that the mandate will broaden, he told MPs. So that is why we will get into the legislative space but it will be to fix it and it will not be about propping up or getting headlines or appeasing any particular element within Parliament, be that inside the Government or inside Northern Ireland political parties. On the suggestion the Government is trying to assuage DUP concerns, Mr Burns said: Im an openly gay Catholic born in north Belfast who supports the Union, I dont do things for the DUP. I do things because they are the right things to do for the United Kingdom. And fixing this will have the consequence hopefully of restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland. The NIO minister said he appreciates businesses in Northern Ireland need certainty on their trading environment. We want a negotiated solution to this with the Commission; we think that is by far the best means, the optimum means to do that, he said. But, in the absence of that, in order to provide the level of certainty that we want to deliver to businesses in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the United Kingdom, we will bring forward legislation. We want a spirit of co-operation and partnership with our friends in the EU. One of my ambitions is to drag this protocol stuff maybe out of the politics and back into process, because thats essentially what were talking about. Were talking about how to create a system of checks and regulations that reflect different destinations of different goods and types within these islands. We have long maintained that with a degree of pragmatism and goodwill there should be a negotiated solution that can be found. Regrettably, it cannot be found within the strict mandate that vice president (of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maros) Sefcovic is currently operating under. Conor Burns (centre) said the Prime Minister wanted to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol (Liam McBurney/PA) While creating new checks and processes on the movement of goods between Great Britain and the Northern Ireland, the protocol also offers traders in the region unfettered access to sell both within the UK internal market and into the EU single market. Alliance MP Stephen Farry asked Mr Burns if the Government acknowledges the economic opportunity presented by the dual market access. The minister replied: Were absolutely of the view that this is an amazing opportunity for Northern Ireland. During his evidence session before the committee, Mr Burns was also asked about Government investment programmes in Northern Ireland. There was a particular focus on programmes designed to replace lost EU financial support, such as the Levelling Up fund. Stormont ministers have criticised the Governments policy of directly funding projects in Northern Ireland, expressing concerns the approach could lead to duplication or conflict with the devolved executives funding plans. Mr Burns rejected the criticism of the centralised funding approach. We see it as value added, he said. We see it as adding to, not detracting from, the core responsibilities of the Executive. UK Government plans to override parts of the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland amount to agitator legislation, the Ulster Unionist Party leader has told a House of Lords committee. Doug Beattie told the Lords sub-committee on the Northern Ireland Protocol that while the UK Government plan would have a detrimental impact on relations with the European Union in the short-term, it might drive both sides back to the negotiating table. The UK Government has said it intends to use domestic law to override parts of the protocol. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced plans to legislate last month and the Bill is expected to be published in the coming days. Mr Beattie is in Westminster this week for a series of meetings to discuss the political stalemate in Northern Ireland. The DUP is refusing to enter the powersharing institutions until issues with the post-Brexit settlement for Northern Ireland are addressed. Mr Beattie, who appeared before the committee on Wednesday afternoon, called it agitator legislation. He said: It will really have a detrimental effect on our relationship between Great Britain and the European Union. And we will get a response from the EU in regards to our legislation and then they will back off, and they will back off for two or three months, maybe until after the summer and there will be no negotiations. But what it will do is it will bring people back to the table after the summer, I would imagine. Because of the legislation that is coming forward, things are likely to get worse before they get better, but we believe they will get better if we keep engaging. He said negotiations should not have been allowed to pause ahead of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections. The Ulster Unionist leader, who has been among the voices urging the DUP to return to powersharing, offered his backing for a more risk-based approach to goods moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Quizzed by Lord Hain on hypothetical concerns over chlorinated chicken entering the EU single market through the permeable border on the island of Ireland, Mr Beattie said that was among a number of issues that could be dealt with on the basis of risk. He added: You start to run registers about what the risk items are, so that we take action in regards to it. The Protocol is a problem which needs solved. Unionism needs more engagement, not less. Today the Ulster Unionist Party leader @BeattieDoug met with the Labour Party leader @Keir_Starmer and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland @peterkyle pic.twitter.com/9ZMS3DfYnZ Ulster Unionist (@uuponline) June 7, 2022 He also suggested a greater role for politicians in Northern Ireland in scrutinising EU rules that apply to the region, offering the possibility of a statutory committee at Stormont. They start looking at this and seeing how these EU directives that are going to affect Northern Ireland affect us and how we can mitigate that effect if there is a negative effect. He rejected the suggested of a direct link between Stormont ministers and Brussels on changes to EU rules. I see it coming through a conduit as opposed to direct to the ministers, he said. I think it would be very difficult for Northern Irish ministers, as part of the United Kingdom, to have a direct link to Brussels. I just think if we do that in Northern Ireland, then there is a chance we would have that in all the devolved nations and it could become quite chaotic. Mr Beattie, who told committee members that his party largely opposed Brexit, offered a stark warning of societal instability in the region if unionist concerns over the protocol are not resolved. He acknowledged some businesses are benefitting from the protocol, but he stressed not all are. What we have in Northern is feast or famine, he said. We have people doing very well, we have people on their knees. And you will know that in Northern Ireland society, that does not bode well the haves have and ones who dont dont. It doesnt work well. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is expected to bring fresh legislation on the Northern Ireland Protocol in the coming days (Niall Carson/PA) We dont want to cut off the noses of those who are doing well because of the protocol. But we cant let those who are suffering because of it go to the wall. He told Lord Empey that societal division is getting worse in Northern Ireland. Communities have been coming together but they are slowly being driven apart, he said. There is a small wedge being pushed between them, which is expanding each time because of the protocol. There is a large swathe of unionism where the protocol is deeply damaging for them and they feel their identity is under threat. He warned of potential unrest in the summer months in Northern Ireland if frustrations are left unaddressed. He warned: It doesnt take much to go from a brick to a stone, and from a stone to a petrol bomb, and from a petrol bomb to a bullet, and from a bullet to a coffin. It doesnt take long in Northern Ireland. I am not trying to scare anybody to say that is going to happen. All Im saying is that frustrations could boil over, if we dont do something in regards to fixing the protocol. Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. VIENNA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Wednesday that putting pressure on Iran would not help solve the Iran nuclear issue after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board meeting passed a resolution to censure Tehran. Wang Chang, deputy head of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, said that China voted against the resolution, proposed by the United States, Britain, France and Germany to criticize Iran for its nuclear safeguards issues, at the meeting of the IAEA board of governors earlier in the day. Wang said that China is opposed to relevant countries putting pressure on Iran with the resolution, as the pressure campaign will not help solve problems, but intensify tensions and escalate the situation. Such a confrontational move at the IAEA board meeting will only compromise the Iran-IAEA cooperation and undermine the negotiations on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which is in the final critical stage, he noted. Talks in Vienna over restoring the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have stalled in recent months. The Chinese envoy said that China supports the IAEA and Iran in resolving their disagreements on safeguards issues through dialogue and cooperation. "The pressing task now is to conclude the Iran nuclear talks and bring the JCPOA back on track at an early date," Wang said. "We believe all of Iran's safeguards issues will be solved by then." Wang noted that the United States, as the initiator of the current Iran nuclear crisis, should make political decisions as soon as possible and actively respond to Iran's legitimate concerns to push for an early deal in the nuclear talks. "All relevant parties should create necessary conditions and a sound atmosphere for diplomatic efforts," he added. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. In a new report adopted on June 7, the European Parliament urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide and respect its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage. The report, adopted by 448 votes in favour, 67 against and 107 abstentions, also touched upon the recent efforts aimed at normalizing the relations between Armenia and Turkey. It says that the European Parliament commends the recent rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia with regard to the decision to start bilateral contacts, the appointment of special representatives and the resumption of flights between the two countries. The EP considers this attempt a highly positive development which has a positive impact on prosperity and security in the region; encourages both sides to pursue these efforts with a view to fully normalizing their relations and calls for the EU to actively support this process. MEPs also encouraged Turkey to pave the way for genuine reconciliation between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, including settling the dispute of the Armenian Genocide, and to fully respect its obligations to protect Armenian and other cultural heritage. They expressed the hope that this may lead to a dynamic of normalization of relations in the South Caucasus. The European Parliament encouraged Turkey, once again, to recognize the Armenian Genocide. In the report, MEPs warned that in spite of Turkeys repeated statements that it aims to become an EU member, over the past two years the country has consistently gone back on its commitments in relation to the accession process. The report pointed to the continued deterioration of the human rights situation in Turkey. MEPs also called on the Turkish government to handle Finland and Swedens NATO membership applications in good faith, to engage constructively in efforts to solve possible outstanding issues and to refrain from exerting any undue pressure in this process. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of condolences to President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro over the heavy rains in Pernambuco state that claimed human lives, the PMs Office said. The message reads: Your Excellency, With a deep sorrow I learnt about the dozens of people killed and missing in heavy rains and landslides in Brazils in Pernambuco state. Sharing your grief and the good people of Brazil, I wish speedy recovery to the injured, and tenacity to the relatives of the victims and the entire people of Brazil. Please, Your Excellency, accept the assurances of my highest respect. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received today President of the Council of Europes Venice Commission Claire Bazy Malaurie, the PMs Office said. During the meeting the Prime Minister praised the fact that the government of Armenia is actively cooperating with the Council of Europe and the Venice Commission aimed at constantly improving the quality of legislative field necessary for the strengthening of democracy, protection of human rights and development of independent judiciary. Pashinyan assessed the partnership with PACE effective, the recent resolution of which records the normal and positive course of democratic reforms in Armenia, as well as the fact that the page of falsifying elections has been closed. In the context of the cooperation between the government of Armenia and the European structures, the PM recalled also the consistent work with the ECHR in the direction of the return of Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other persons who are still held in Azerbaijan after the 44-day war. The President of the Venice Commission thanked for the appreciation and reaffirmed the readiness to support Armenias democracy agenda so that the legal regulations in the country will be as firm as possible. The sides exchanged views on the agenda of the bilateral partnership. PM Pashinyan said the reform of the judiciary as an important institutional reform, remains one of the priorities of the government, and in this context the constant efforts for forming trust towards the justice quality, the judiciary, as well as for ensuring social guarantees for judges are important. Claire Bazy Malaurie said she shares the view of the Armenian PM, adding that the Venice Commission will support the Armenian government, the Constitutional Court in this process with all its tools. Issues relating to the cooperation between the Commission on constitutional reforms and the Venice Commission were discussed at the meeting. Both sides emphasized the importance of civil society engagement into the reforms process. Nikol Pashinyan said that the government is determined in implementing the agenda of reforms and highlights on this path the support of the Council of Europe and the European structures. Barren land by Yarlung Zangbo River sees sea of green trees in SW China's Tibet Xinhua) 08:16, June 08, 2022 File photo taken on July 20, 2021 shows Penjig checking saplings at his nursery in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) YAOUNDE, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A new study by Cameroon's Ministry of Public Health has revealed that the Central African nation has witnessed a remarkable drop in new HIV/AIDS infections. The study was presented on Tuesday in the capital, Yaounde during a meeting to evaluate strides made to combat the epidemic in the country. According to the 18-month study, 3.5 million HIV tests were carried out since January last year and 93,000 people were confirmed positive with the South Region having the highest number of confirmed cases. Zoung-Kanyi Bissek, a senior official at the public health ministry said the results indicated a drop in prevalence from 3.3 percent in 2020 to 2.7 percent this year. "This shows that the strategies put in place are well on course and are recording positive results. In those strategies, women and children are particularly targeted," Bissek told reporters. Rev Joseph Shahbazian gets 10 years in prison, plus other penalties, including a ban on travelling abroad. Two converts get six years, while four other Christians can pay a fine to avoid jailtime. During the trial, the presiding judge, Iman Afshari, subjected the defendants to pressures, threats and humiliation. Tehran (AsiaNews) An Iranian court has sentenced an Iranian-Armenian Christian clergyman to 10 years in prison. Along with him, two women coverts from Islam were also given a six-year sentence for their role in house churches. The court decision against Joseph Shahbazian and the two converts (pictured) came yesterday, this according to Article18, an advocacy group that documents religious oppression in Iran. Four other Christians Salar Eshraghi Moghadam, Farhad Khazaee, Somayeh (Sonya) Sadegh and her mother Masoumeh Ghasemi were also given sentences ranging from one to four years but were also offered the option of paying fines ranging from US$ 800 to US$ 1,250 each in order to stay out of prison. In total, the seven Christians were sentenced to 32 years in prison. However, the fate of Rev Joseph Shahbazian, 58, and the two converts Mina Khajavi, 59 and Malihe Nazari, 48, is different. All three will have to go to prison following the sentence imposed on 29 May by Judge Iman Afshari, head of the 26th Branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The harshest sentence was imposed on Rev Shahbazian. In addition to his 10-year prison sentence, the Iranian-Armenian clergyman will serve two years of internal exile in a remote province in south-eastern Iran. After his release, he faces a two-year ban on travelling abroad or membership in any political or social organisation, and must report to Irans intelligence service for two years on an unspecified seasonal basis. In reading the verdict, Judge Afshari, who is building a reputation for convicting Christians, stressed that the clergyman established a group to attract Muslims and under the cover of religious programmes for prayer has propagated Evangelical Christianity. The judge accused the Christian pastor of engaging in illegal activities and unfounded claims and so abused people's inner weaknesses and attracted some of them to his group". Local sources report that, during a trial that lasted no more than four hours, Judge Afshari tried to put pressure on the two women defendants with the promise of a lighter sentence if they blamed Rev Joseph of cajoling them into converting. Faced with their refusal, he threatened to increase their sentences. Using "harsh and sarcastic language, he tried to "humiliate them and denigrate their beliefs. When the defendants' lawyer objected, he replied that he was "only joking." The crackdown against this group of Christians is but the latest in a long series. Last month, another court imposed a 10-year sentence on another Iranian-Armenian, Anooshavan Avedian, for propaganda contrary to and offensive to the holy religion of Islam. Experts and activists are increasingly worried about the escalating violations of religious freedom, which are also affecting Baha'is, Sufis, Sunnis and atheists. Local sources report blatant violations of the right to defence, with insults against people and their religion during trials, as well as "confessions" extorted by force or deception during imprisonment. In recent years, Iranian authorities have arrested thousands of Christians who worship in house churches with hundreds convicted on charges of action against national security. All this refutes claims by the Iranian government and its diplomats that Christians enjoy religious freedom and the right to worship in their churches and dedicate themselves to their own activities. A challenge to Western sanctions on Russia over attack on Kiev. Russian crude oil purchases by China jumped 40% between January to May. The Chinese pay less per barrel than Europeans. With the ongoing economic crisis, it is difficult to say whether Beijing will be able to compensate for the EU's lack of Russian oil purchases. Beijing (AsiaNews) - China is buying more oil from Russia and doing so by exploiting the effects of the war in Ukraine. Restrictions on Russian crude imports adopted by the United States, the European Union and their allies have reduced the pool of buyers, forcing Moscow to charge lower prices for partners such as Beijing and India. According to financial data provider Refinitiv, last month the Chinese bought 800,000 barrels per day of Russian crude oil transported by sea: an increase of 40% compared to January. For China this is a change of direction, after an initial phase in which it seemed careful not to violate the punitive measures imposed by the West on the Kremlin. The US and EU have repeatedly said that there will be consequences if Beijing helps the Russians to circumvent the sanctions. China, like other Asian countries, can buy Russian oil at a price between and per barrel, well below the 5 of Brent, the international benchmark used in the European market. The discounts are not hurting Moscow for the time being, as the cost of its crude oil has in any case risen by 30% since the beginning of the year. Calculations by the International Energy Agency show that from January to April, Russian revenues from oil sales grew by 50%. And the same applies to coal exports. The Russians can also count on trade triangulations to overcome Western bans and sell 'indirectly' in the EU. It remains to be seen whether with these stratagems, and with the help of China, India and other developing countries, Russia will be able to make up the losses from the lucrative European market. Within the next 6-8 months the EU has promised to cut Russian oil imports by 90%. In 2021 Russia sold more than half of its crude oil exports to Europe: 2.2 million barrels per day to EU countries, to which 1.2 million barrels per day of refined products must be added. A 10% export to the US must also be considered in the calculation. China's share of Russian oil exports was 22%. Overall, China imported 1.7 million barrels per day from Russia in May. Covering the European share seems difficult, even with the expansion of the port of Kozmino in the Russian Far East. Much will depend on China's ability to recover from the recent waves of Covid-19 and related lockdowns, which have dealt a severe blow to the national economy. by Vladimir Rozanskij The metropolitan was the Moscow patriarch's "foreign minister". He did not directly support Kirill's pro-Putin positions on the attack on Ukraine. He also tried to keep dialogue with other Churches open, starting with the Vatican. Moved (exiled) to Budapest. Moscow (AsiaNews) - In a rather unexpected decision, in keeping with the impetuous style of Moscow Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev), the Moscow Synod has replaced the head of the Department for External Ecclesiastical Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), with Metropolitan Antonij (Sevrjuk), until now holder of the Russian chair of Paris and Western Europe. This is a real revolution in the patriarchate's leadership and is as of yet, still difficult to interpret. HiIlarion, 58, was the first collaborator of 75-year-old Kirill, and one of his possible natural successors. He was formed within the group of the current patriarch's loyalists, a patrologist and theologian, and represents the most culturally refined wing of the Russian Church's ecclesiastical elite, which he also exalted with his works as a music composer and publications on the History of the Russian Church. He also established the 'Cyril and Methodius' College for the higher education of Russian theologians, where he has now been replaced by a very conservative theologian, Father Maksim Kozlov. A monk since 1987, Hilarion began his ecclesiastical service in Vilnius, Lithuania, and then continued his studies in Moscow and Oxford, where he was sent in 1993, becoming a disciple of one of the most renowned Orthodox theologians of recent decades, Metropolitan Diokleia Kallistos (Ware). Back in Moscow, he worked in the 'Foreign Affairs' department in the team of Kirill, then Metropolitan and head of the sector, becoming his main helper also in the field of teaching theology and the popular dissemination of Orthodoxy also in television broadcasts, a very effective tool of the 'religious revival'. While Kirill had the programme "The Pastor's Voice" on the first channel, Hilarion presented the column "Peace to Your Household" on Tv-Tsentr, both very popular with the general public. Archimandrite and bishop since 2001, Hilarion was sent back to England as the vicar of the legendary Anglo-Russian bishop Antonij (Bloom), who had created a special synthesis of Russian Orthodoxy and British culture. Hilarion fulfilled the task entrusted to him by Kirill, bringing the Russian Church in those parts back to Russian 'normality', showing the line that the Patriarchate has followed so far in all parts of the world: to unify the 'Russian world' on the basis of fidelity to the religious ideal of the Patriarchate, without giving space to local autonomies. Thereafter, Hilarion has remained in various stages on the seesaw of patriarchal favour and hostility, moving from various locations such as Brussels, Vienna and as Budapest, where he has now been exiled again by Kirill. Returning to Moscow, in 2009 he became the vicar of Kirill, who had just ascended the patriarchal throne, and his successor in the Foreign Department, hence his name 'Kirill's heir'. Now his removal certainly indicates a disagreement of views with the patriarch, although it is impossible to determine precisely on what issues. In the dramatic phase of the Ukrainian conflict, Patriarch Kirill, after an initial hesitancy, took increasingly radical and ideological positions in justifying the Putin military operation, partly out of conviction and much, presumably, under pressure from the Kremlin. Hilarion has not supported these positions directly, trying to keep all avenues of dialogue open with the other Churches starting with the Vatican, and the decision to send him to Hungary rather demonstratively coincides with his return from a visit to Budapest in which, thanking Orban for the patriarch's support against sanctions, Ilarion had met with the influential cardinal of Budapest Peter Erdo, a visit perhaps not entirely agreed with Kirill. The synod minutes mention the Budapest meeting without commenting on the dialogue with the cardinal, limiting themselves to thanks for Orban. Now Hilarion is to be replaced by another of Kirill's loyalists, his former personal secretary Antonij, 37, who had already been sent to Paris three years ago to replace another of Kirill's collaborators, Metropolitan Ioann (Roscin) who had shown himself "too weak" in relations with Constantinople and his European partners. The divisions in Orthodoxy continue to surprise at every level, from the universal one in Moscow's break with Constantinople, to the one between Russians and Ukrainians still developing, to the internal one within the Moscow Patriarchate, where new surprises are possible in the future. by Nirmala Carvalho The girls mother and two accomplices were arrested for forcing her to "donate" eggs several times for assisted reproduction. India has strict laws but they are poorly enforced, allowing illegal clinics to proliferate. For Dr Carvalho (Pontifical Academy for Life), The case in Tamil Nadu should jolt us out of our complacency about the thriving egg donation business. Mumbai (AsiaNews) A man and two women have been arrested for forcing an underage girl to "donate" her eggs eight times to private fertility facilities in Erode, a city in Tamil Nadu. Following a complaint from some of the girls other relatives, the police arrested her mother, the latters partner and another woman. The child's mother reportedly separated from her husband and began living with her current partner, a painter, when the victim was three years old. After the girl reached puberty, the mother began selling her eggs. The investigation found that the couple was paid 20,000 rupees (about US$ 260) per egg and 5,000 rupees (US$ 65) as broker fee. Over the past four years, the mother allegedly sold her daughter's eggs eight times to private clinics after falsifying the childs identity papers and using a false name, age and marital status. The girl was also allegedly sexually assaulted by her mother's partner and her mother is said to have threatened her with death if she complained about what was happening. However, last week, the girl found the courage to run away from home and tell other relatives about her situation. Under Indian law, egg donation is subject to strict guidelines. The Surrogacy Regulation Act of 2021 prohibits commercial surrogacy, recommends that donors be no less than 21 years of age and no older than 35. The donor preferably already has a child. Tragically, the egg donation business is thriving, and the violation of the women is never considered due to monetary compensation, said Dr Pascoal Carvalho, a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, speaking to AsiaNews. Profits are huge in the fertility industry, he added. Hence, this has led to unregulated clinics in small cities and towns, which escape government surveillance, making it a profitable private business. Sadly, Commercialising eggs leads to humans being viewed as harvestable for an open marketplace. Laws are in place but the rate of conviction or the level of punishment do not seem to be a deterrent. It seems that only when the procedure goes wrong or when someone goes to court does everyone seem to wake up. In 2010, Sushma Pandey, who was only 17, died two days after she donated eggs to a fertility clinic in Mumbai. In this particular case, in Tamil Nadu, we again have an underage girl, Dr Carvalho noted. And so, We need to make our voices heard to prevent such crimes against humans and society. "The Catholic Church has always defended human life in all its forms and has spoken out against procedures that degrade life. In 1987 the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document known as Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life) to address the [issue of] morality of many modern fertility procedures. Now The case in Tamil Nadu should jolt us out of our complacency. Our concern should not only be for the victim or for the fate of the eggs and the embryos but also for our society, which is capable of inflicting such violence on an innocent girl in the euphemistic guise of helping couples. Francis centred his general audience today on the Gospel passage that refers to Nicodemus. For the pontiff, old age is "a special time to dissolve the future from the technocratic illusion of biological and robotic survival". Quoting the late Italian actress Anna Magnani, he urged the faithful to see wrinkles as a precious symbol of ones life journey. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis continued his cycle of catechesis on old age today during his Wednesday General Audience, centring it on the New Testament figure of Nicodemus and the rebirth from above. In his address to the pilgrims from all over the world, gathered in St Peter's Square, the pontiff spoke about Nicodemus, one of the Jewish leaders who wanted to meet Jesus secretly, and went to see him at night (cfr Jn 3,1-21). Jesus says to Nicodemus that to see the kingdom of God, one needs to be born again from above (cf. v. 3), Francis said. This does not mean starting over from birth, of repeating our coming into the world, hoping that a new reincarnation will open up the chance of having a better life. If this were the case, life would lose all meaning. The birth from above that allows us to enter' the kingdom of God is a generation in the Spirit, a passage through the waters toward the promised land of a creation reconciled with the love of God. Nicodemus, however, misunderstood this, and questioned his old age. Faced with the dream of an eternal youth that invariably withers away, how could he imagine a destiny that took the form of birth? Nicodemuss objection is very instructive for us. We can, in fact, turn it upside down, in the light of Jesuss word, with the discovery of a mission proper to old age. According to the pontiff, being old is not only not an obstacle to birth from above of which Jesus spoke about, but it provides an opportunity to illuminate it. Our epoch and our culture, which demonstrate a worrisome tendency to consider the birth of a child as the simple matter of the production and biological reproduction of the human being, cultivate the myth of eternal youth as the desperate obsession with an incorruptible body. Old age is despised in so many ways because it shows that the myth of eternal youth is not real. Of course, nowadays, we can keep the body alive with medicine and surgery, which slow down, hide, and remove old age. Everything is done to always have this youth so much make-up, so many surgical interventions to appear young. However, The words of a wise Italian actress, [Anna] Magnani, come to mind. Indeed, when they told her she had to remove her wrinkles, she said, No, dont touch them! It took so many years to have them. Wrinkles are a sign of experience, a sign of life, a sign of maturity, a sign of having made a journey. Do not touch them to become young, that your face might look young. What matters is the entire personality; its the heart that matters, and the heart remains with the youth of good wine the more it ages the better it is. Life in the mortal flesh is a beautiful "unfinished business, like certain works of art whose unique charm lies precisely in their incompleteness, Francis noted. What is more, life in our mortal flesh is too small a space and time to keep it intact and to bring to fulfillment in the worlds time the most precious part of our existence. By contrast, faith opens us up to an inner dimension. Once we accept the evangelical proclamation of the Kingdom of God to which we are destined, then we can see the Kingdom of God. From this perspective, old age takes on a unique beauty: that of walking towards the Eternal. It is thus a special time of disassociating the future from the technocratic illusion of a biological and robotic survival, especially because it opens one to the tenderness of the creative and generative womb of God. To this end, the pontiff stressed the tenderness of the elderly, inviting invited us to look at the way grandparents stroke their grandchildren. Such tenderness, free of any human distress, [. . .] has conquered the trials of life and is able to give love freely, the loving nearness of one person to others. This tenderness opens the door toward understanding Gods tenderness. This is what God is like, he knows how to embrace. Following the catechesis, Pope Francis lamented again todays throwaway culture, noting that the elderly are the messengers of the wisdom of lived experience. Finally, greeting Polish-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father noted that today is the feast day of Saint Jadwiga Hedwig), Queen of Poland, Apostle of Lithuania, and foundress of Jagiellonian University, Krakow (Poland). "During her canonisation, Saint John Paul II said that through her work Poland was united with Lithuania and Rus'. Entrust yourselves to her intercession, praying like her at the foot of the Cross for peace in Europe. Photo: Vatican Media 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. NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya Power, the state-owned utility, on Wednesday launched a World Bank-funded laboratory that aims to boost access to electricity. Geoffrey Muli, the acting managing director of Kenya Power, told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the live line laboratory was set up at a cost of 340 million shillings (about 2.91 million U.S. dollars) under the Kenya Electricity Modernization Project (KEMP). "Kenya is the first country in East and Central Africa to deploy the use of live-line technology, which provides for the maintenance of the high and medium voltage networks, without switching off customers," Muli said. He stressed that the laboratory will facilitate the delivery of reliable power to the east African nation. "The live line technology will contribute significantly to a reduction in unserved energy and improved customer satisfaction, especially in industrial areas," Muli observed. He revealed that the laboratory will enable Kenya Power to test and certify live line work tools and equipment and realize savings in terms of payment for these services which were previously outsourced. "It will boost efficiency within the live line maintenance program as these services are now within our control," Muli said. The company intends to expand the scope of the laboratory in the medium term to include insulation verification tests and certifications for other network equipment. Plans are also underway to get the laboratory accredited by the Kenya Accreditation Services (KENAS) to enable it to test rubber insulating equipment for other organizations within the country and the region on a commercial basis. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Wednesday imposed a month-long dusk-to-dawn curfew in parts of three counties in its northwest region over worsening insecurity. The curfew in parts of Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot counties will pave the way for a security operation against banditry and deadly conflicts in the area, said Fred Matiang'i, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination. A disarmament operation will be launched alongside social development interventions to restore order in the areas and other parts of the North Rift, he said. "We are beginning to draw two critical exercises that we want to do, which include reorganizing deployment in that area and declaration of a curfew," Matiang'i said in a gazette notice released in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. According to the notice, the order shall apply during the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and shall remain in effect for 30 days. No public gatherings, processions or movement, either alone or as a group, are allowed during the curfew, it said. Last week, the government said political incitement has led to violence that left dozens of people dead and many others displaced, expressing frustration at the lack of goodwill and cooperation from area leaders. "Criminals are challenging the government's resolve, and we are going to pursue them to the farthest end possible," Matiangi said. "We have exhausted all the means to arrest the situation in that area." "It now requires a whole new approach because we have been left with no option," he said. The approach combines national and local-level security operations to provide urgent interventions to address the wider political, economic, and social drivers of violence, Matiangi said. Clashes between rival cattle-herding pastoralists in the region are common, with herders often carrying guns to protect their animals, but recent fighting has been unusually heavy. A vocal group of more than 60 people gathered outside the Massachusetts State House to demand action on two proposed bills currently before lawmakers. Share This: Collision repair industry leaders, along with a row of tow trucks, paraded outside the Massachusetts State House on May 18 to demand action on two proposed bills before lawmakers that would raise the state's lowest-in-the-nation reimbursement rates. House Bill 1111 and State Bill 709 are an Act to establish a minimum reimbursement rate to insurance claimants" and are currently being argued in a joint committee. According to supporters, both bills would set the rate for repair at approximately $78 per hour for reimbursement. The current reimbursement rate is $40 per hour, which, according to the group, is the lowest in the nation and just $10 more than it was in 1988. Both bills have until June 30 to clear the committee, after which the legislature would have just a month before the end of the session to approve and send them to Gov. Charlie Bakers desk. AASP-MA Executive Director Evangelos Lucky Papageorg is excited about the two proposed bills that might actually level the playing field. He offered a little history on House Bill 1111 and State Bill 709. In 1988, insurance reform led to the reimbursement rate being at $30 an hour, which made Massachusetts have one of the highest-paid reimbursement rates in the country and best reimbursement rates, Papageorg said. But, once the Insurance Reform Act went through, the reimbursement rates actually dropped from $30 to $28 per hour for about five years, based on contractual arrangements that shops had with the insurance companies. Today, they are at $40---35 years later. I wouldnt call that a jump in rates, to say the least. House Bill 1111 and State Bill 709 are essentially identical bills that take away the ability for insurance companies to stagnate the rates in the future, which is what they've effectively done, Papageorg said. It allows the insurance industry and body shops to be able to plan ahead as far as what they can anticipate for expenses and income, because the reimbursement rate will keep pace with the consumer pricing index here, with the language in these bills. Papageorg has witnessed the results of... Most Vettes (approximately 10,500 of them) were equipped with the L75 engine, which was a 327 (5.3-liter) unit with 300 horsepower. Some 7,200 cars were fitted with the L76 with 365 horsepower, while around 1,300 of them used the fuel-injected L84 with 375 horsepower.This 1964 Corvette, however, has something unexpected under the hood. But first things first.As you can see in the photos included in the gallery, the car is a real barn find, and while no specifics have been provided, it looks like it spent a very long time in hiding. More often than not, this means the car ends up suffering from all kinds of metal problems, though this doesnt necessarily seem to be the case with this Vette.Of course, its not a mint Chevrolet Corvette either, but at the end of the day, theres nothing that would stop a full restoration from turning the car into quite a gem.eBay seller sergitosi0 says everything is still there, so the car is still complete, while also selling with an extra set of wheels.Now lets talk engines.The seller says the car is equipped with an LT1 with a displacement of 350 ci (5.7-liter), which should theoretically mean that the original unit is already gone. Unfortunately, no further information on this mysterious engine has been provided, so we dont know if its still running or not. But of course, an in-person inspection is still recommended for every potential buyer.As for the price, its really not a surprise that this Corvette isnt selling for cheap. The seller expects to get no more, no less than $28,500 for it, and if you want to see it in person, its located in Williamsburg, Iowa. The Office of Defects Investigation has received several field reports alleging this very same issue. A few complainants further allege that a jump was required for the vehicle to restart, which is definitely hard to ignore.ODI highlights an estimated population of potentially affected vehicles consisting of 2016 through 2020 models equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed automatic transmission. A total of 194,731 vehicles, that is.The Office of Defects Investigation met with the Japanese automaker on several occasions to discuss the condition presented earlier. Honda claims to have found a correlation with customers allegations for the failure to restart the Pilot when the stop-start function is activated. Whats more, the attached report highlights that a few other nameplates fitted with the 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed automatic gearbox experience a similar failure.If the investigation leads to a recall, then you can bet your sweet bippy that Honda will call back the Odyssey minivan, Acura MDX, and Acura TLX as well. In the meantime, the investigation opened by the Office of Defects Investigation aims to determine the scope and severity of the problem.The Pilot is Hondas fourth best-selling nameplate stateside after the CR-V (361,271 units delivered in 2021), Civic (263,787 units), and Accord (202,676 units). Up 16 percent compared to 2020, the Pilot finished 2021 with 143,062 units to its name in the United States of America. Presently listed at $38,080 excluding destination, the Pilot has a two-row sibling in the guise of the Passport, which can be yours for $38,370 sans freight.Honda is charging $37,340 for the technically similar Odyssey. As for the Acura brand, the redesigned TLX is available at $38,900 while the redesigned MDX can be yours for a cool $48,000 sans destination. Last year marked the anniversary of Bell s 35 years of making helicopters in Canada. In addition to the manufacturing seeing an increased global demand for Canadian-built commercial helicopters, it also secured a major contract for upgrading the entire military fleet of CH-146 Griffons.The original manufacturer of the Griffon was awarded an $800 million CAD ($637 million) contract to extend the life of these aircraft until the mid-2030s. However, it wont be directly in charge of all the 85 aircraft in the fleet. First, Bell will assess and outline all the repairs and design changes that need to be done throughout the fleet. Then, the first nine helicopters will undergo modifications at the manufacturers Mirabel facility.Lastly, other suppliers will be subcontracted for modifying the other 76 helicopters, and Bell will be the one managing the selection process, with an aim to stick to Canadian industry partners.The CH-146 Griffon is a utility tactical-transport helicopter that has proven its efficiency in both domestic and international operations. The 56-foot-long (17 meters) helicopter with a rotor span of 46 feet (14 meters) boasts a maximum gross weight of 11,904 lbs (5,400 kg). It can cover up to 407 miles (656 km) and can reach a top speed of 161.5 mph (260 kph).In addition to its GPS-satellite navigation and Doppler-radar systems, the Griffon is flexible enough to be fitted with various equipment, from self-defense weapons to a hoist for extracting people or cargo from difficult terrain, as well as a powerful searchlight. Thats because the Griffon is known for supporting civilian firefighting and rescue missions. When its deployed internationally, it acts as a key element for peacekeeping or humanitarian operations. EV Lian Yubo, BYDs executive vice president, was in an interview for CGTN, one of the leading state-owned channels in China. According to CNEVPost, the host Kui Yingchun asked him how he rated BYDs vehicles compared to Tesla and brought up how Elon Musk bashed the Chinesemaker in November 2011. She also dismissed that by saying that it does not matter anymore: BYD is the largest EV company in China.Lian answered that as any respectable executive would: politely. He said BYD is friends with Tesla and Elon Musk and that the American EV maker is a source of inspiration. Lian also said that BYD will soon supply him with batteries. CNEVPost published the video, and we embedded it below for our Chinese-speaking readers.Although it seems that BYD has no hard feelings, it must be savoring revenge as a cold dish. And what a moment it is for BYD to sell Tesla batteries: the American competitor promised a revolutionary battery and is yet to deliver it as promised. Peter Rawlinson already said that considering 4680 cells as a breakthrough is a fantasy . A Bosch specialist also raised concerns about heat issues with them. Above all, BYD is much closer to producing 1 TWh in batteries than Tesla and it was the American company that promised to have Terafactories.BYDs Blade Batteries are not prone to thermal runaway and have gone through nail tests without any problems. The only reported fire involving them was allegedly caused by the wrong coolant two days after a crash test in July 2021. Although they have lower energy density than ternary lithium-ion cells, they are cheaper and do not depend on scarce and expensive raw materials.While it is evident that Tesla must ensure it gets all the batteries that it can purchase, buying them from an EV competitor must be a hard pill to swallow. Perhaps it would not look so bad should Musk just have shown some respect even if that was not for real for BYD in 2011. If the Chinese EV maker is having revenge for lunch, Musk is watching while eating his hat. There are all kinds of such places spread throughout the planet, but none of them comes even close in size and scope to the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex. JPARC for short, it covers a total of 67,000 square miles (174,000 km) and a variety of landscapes, from rivers to mountains and from forest to plains.It is here where some of Americas largest military drills are held each year, and they involve soldiers working for the pretty much all branches of the American combat apparatus. Not only them, but also government and non-governmental agencies come to train in what the U.S. Air Force describes as the worlds largest instrumented air, ground and electronic combat training range.It is somewhere over the vastness of the JPARC that the photo of this dead serious F-16 Fighting Falcon was captured, as the plane was taking part in exercise Red Flag-Alaska 22-1 in mid May.Carrying missiles on its wing tips and external fuel tanks closer to the main fuselage, this plane is deployed with the 18th Aggressor Squadron based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.The profile of its mission during the said exercise is not public, but as some of you might already know, aggressor squadrons usually have one task: to become adversaries for USAF pilots, as they train for combat missions.To make sure no one confuses them for friendlies, aggressor planes usually wear a different paint scheme compared to USAF machines, as clearly demonstrated by the pic we have here. Update: Ford's North American Product Communications Director, Mike Levine, said on Twitter that the F-150 Lightning sticker was an error. The MSRP was input twice into the system, although this does not explain why it was marked as market adjustment. Nevertheless, this is not the only F-150 Lightning with a hefty markup sticker.This is inaccurate. The dealer confirmed it was an error and the MSRP was input twice online. In fact this a demo unit and not for sale. The sticker was removed within 24 hours, wrote Levine on Twitter.Dealer markups are the new reality of the past two years. In the case of the most popular models, their value skyrocketed to ridiculous amounts. Its safe to say that dealers make more money from selling these vehicles than carmakers. Electric vehicles from the traditional automakers are a good example because they are produced in very limited numbers.The high demand makes people willing to pay huge amounts of money to be among the first ones to get that vehicle. With 200,000 reservations and the abysmal production of the F-150 Lightning, Ford was guaranteed to face problems fulfilling all those orders. The imbalance between supply and demand was quickly speculated by Ford dealers, which started marking up the Lightning like crazy.The markups started pouring in long before the F-150 Lightning hit the market. As early as last December, some dealers announced to the reservation holders they would charge market adjustment fees as high as $30,000 . But once the deliveries started, the reality was that the dealers wanted more money from these rare electric trucks.In Florida, one Ford dealer got particularly greedy with a $69,554 markup on the MSRP, which is, coincidentally, exactly $69,554. This tongue-in-cheek adjustment made the Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat reach a $140,603 price when factoring in other dealer-installed accessories. This markup is so enticing that the dealer probably doesnt care about repercussions if Ford decides to turn the screw on dealer markups.To be sure, carmakers have very little control over the sales price of a vehicle. Ford has threatened to limit F-150 Lightning unit allocations to dealers that apply markups on the selling price of the cars. The dealers dont seem to care very much about this. They usually take the vehicle from the new cars lot and sell it as a used car for whatever amount of money they want, without worrying about repercussions.Ford is contemplating giving up the dealer sales model completely, at least when it comes to its electric vehicles, but things are moving too slowly. Ford relies on a vast dealer network, and antagonizing them might backfire. On the other hand, dealers need to understand that these insane markups would only lead to their peril SUV Genesis Motor, which is the luxury subsidiary of Korean automaker Hyundai, was founded in 2015, and although it is a young automotive brand, it has established a strong foothold in the premium car market in the United States.The new division for bespoke cars is rumored to be an organization created to support the manufacturers main activities and operations, but to be mainly focused on the one-off vehicle strategy. With this new branch, Genesis is following in the footsteps of other premium brands like Rolls Royce, Porsche, or Bentley.The report from South Korean newspaper The Korean Economic Daily says Genesis One of One arm will initially work on customizations and special edition models of existing vehicles, as well as bullet-proof vehicles for cermemonial purposes.This is a well-known strategy in the automotive world, designed to keep interest in a certain model high or even revive interest in a certain product by offering the possibility to add interior and design tweaks. Actually, it appears customers will be able to customize anything they want from the powertrain and transmission to seating arrangements, interior and exterior colors, and other options.The aim with this move is to make commissioning a bespoke vehicle more affordable and to extend the treatment to the brands full lineup.According to the reports, Genesis plans to announce the One of One division later this month, and it will do so by unveiling the very first models designed under the new One of One branch.These are only rumors for the time being, and until they pan out, we do know for sure that the South Korean luxury automaker already has the Your Genesis ordering program, which it introduced together with the Genesis GV80. Your Genesis lets customers choose what features and specifications they want their premiumto have. In case you are unaware, Porsche also sells electrified bicycles, which are currently made by its long-standing partner, Rotwild. It is important to note that the Zuffenhausen brand will continue to make e-bikes with Rotwild.On top of those activities, Porsche has a collaboration with a Dutch company named Ponooc Investment B.V., which will start a joint venture with the German marque. The resulting company will develop, manufacture, and distribute a future generation of high-quality Porsche eBikes.The same two companies will have another joint venture in the field, which will focus on bringing tech solutions to the micromobility market. Last summer, for example, Porsche Digital, another division of the company, launched an array of digital services for urban mobility with Cyklaer So far, it appears that things are simple, right? Porsche will continue to build eBikes with its current associate while planning to build a new generation of electrified bicycles with the help of a new partner through a new company. The two activities are independent of one another, Porsche notes.Well, this is where things get even more complicated. Porsche also owns a majority stake in a Croatian eBike brand called Greyp . Meanwhile, its latest acquisition, Fazua, is considered a pioneer in the field of lightweight and compact drive systems, and it has just recently unveiled a new product, which is called Ride60, as Porsche underlined.Now, the interesting bit will be to see how Porsche manages to blend the two e-bike companies with its Dutch partner while also selling eBikes that it has already developed. Back in March 2021, Porsche unveiled two new eBikes , called eBike Sport and eBike Cross. Farkhad Akhmedovs superyacht has been frozen in Germany since May after Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office forbade it to leave the Port of Hamburg. One of Russia's numerous oil tycoons, Akhmedov, is a Russian-Azerbaijani oligarch who was once a member of the Russian parliament and who lived in the UK for a while.So its no surprise that he was close to Roman Abramovich, who allegedly gifted him the 374-foot (114 meters) explorer named Luna , now estimated at $460 million. Luna has one of the most outrageous histories of all luxury yachts. Not only a ridiculously-expensive gift, but the luxury explorer would also later become the center of a notorious divorce battle in the UK.Back in 2017, Akhmedov had to pay a considerable amount to his ex-wife but reportedly refused to do so, which ended up with his superyacht being seized and stuck in Dubai for more than two years. A few years later, Luna is stuck again. This time, for entirely different reasons.However, in a bold move, the billionaire pleaded with the EU to get his luxury toy back, stating that the sanctions against him should be dropped. Business Insider reports that Akhmedov publicly denies having any ties to Kremlin and has also cut all ties to the energy industry. This would apparently justify the return of his superyacht and all sanctions against him being dropped. At this time, there is no official comment from the Council of the EU on this matter.The now-frozen Luna is one of the worlds largest explorers, sporting not only two helipads, a swimming pool, and ten large staterooms but also top-notch security features, such as bulletproof windows.Ironically, the superyacht that is now seized by the German authorities was built by Lloyd Werft in Germany 12 years ago. YAOUNDE, June 8 (Xinhua) -- At least five Cameroonian soldiers were killed early Wednesday in an attack by separatist fighters in the country's West region, according to the region's governor, Augustine Awa Fonka. The fighters attacked the gendarmerie checkpoint in Njitapon, a locality in the Noun division of the region in a battle that lasted from Tuesday 11:00 pm to Wednesday 3:30 am local time. "They (fighters) were heavily armed. It is regrettable," Fonka told reporters while visiting the attack site Wednesday morning. The governor also condemned the terrorists for committing such an act on the defense forces who are there to protect the population. "We urged the population to wake up and work, collaborate with defense forces," he added. Separatist leaders who claimed responsibility for the attack said nine soldiers were killed during the raid. Njitapon village shares boundary with the English-speaking region of Northwest where a separatist insurgency is in progress. Government forces have been clashing with separatist fighters since 2017 in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest where separatists seek to create a breakaway state. In late February, Kim Kardashian, a huge lover of everything expensive, added a private jet to her name. The model she chose is customized to her hearts desire and its painted in the same monochromatic gray shade found in her favorite cars and her expensive mansion.And now tech-savvy student Jack Sweeney is interested in tracking her jet, too. But the 19-year-old student thinks the Kardashians love stuff like this, unlike other celebs who want to keep their flight history private."Kardashians, I think, are an interesting one. Some celebrities dont like being followed, but I think they love stuff like this, so instead of being bothered by it like Elon, its the opposite," Sweeney told The US Sun . He added that hes not worried about Kim asking him to stop tracking her jet, "I think she appreciates the exposure."The model Kim chose was a Gulfstream G650ER, which is the extended-range variant of the G650. It comes with twin Rolls-Royce BR725 A1-12 engines, taking the airplane to maximum speeds of 616 kts (709 mph/ 1,141 kph) and a cruising speed of 516 kts (594 mph / 955 kph), with a range of 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 mi / 13,890 km).Depending on its configuration, the Gulfstream G650ER can seat up to 18 people and offers ten places to sleep. It also promises a quiet journey and relaxing journey with enhanced air ionization, so you always breathe outside fresh air.Besides Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, and Russian oligarchs , Jack Sweeneys latest spying technique is also focused on the private planes of Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Yankee star Alex Rodriguez, Floyd Mayweather, and Tom Cruise. EV Thats what happened to an engineer who spent 54,000 ($57,467 at the current exchange rate) on a Model 3 Long Range (LR) in February 2021. When his newneeded to replace the winter tires in spring, he noticed that the underbody had dents and that most of the jacking points were fractured. You can check the damages in our gallery.After investigating the situation, the engineer discovered that more customers had the same issue and learned that a robot at the Fremont factory caused it. In other words, Tesla could not argue that he was the one to damage his car. According to Christoph Lindner, his lawyer, the company even admitted in writing the production process was amended to avoid such defects. Tesla fixed its production process on April 26, 2021.Lindner also told autoevolution that he does not have a precise number of vehicles affected by the cracked jacking points. However, he estimates them to be thousands or even tens of thousands. The attorney created the website TeslaAnwalt (Tesla Attorney) to assist customers affected by the multiple issues presented by the company's EVs. If you have an American Model 3 produced and delivered around the same time, you should verify your vehicles underbody.We learned about this story thanks to EFahrer . The German website named this Tesla customer by a fictitious name because his case is now in court. The Model 3 LR owner tried to solve everything amicably by showing Tesla the damages and asking for the repair. First, the EV maker told him that the issues he found were just cosmetic and tried to fix them by merely painting them.When the engineer rightfully argued that it was not enough, the Tesla Service Center in Berlin told him that the problems were not covered under warranty, which is not true. The EV maker establishes a four-year or a 50,000-mile (80,467-kilometer) limit to correct any defect in material or workmanship in any part manufactured or supplied by Tesla that is used under normal conditions. The Model 3 still respects both conditions, and it came with fractured jacking points, as Tesla itself recognized.Apart from denying him warranty coverage, the Tesla Service Center also said that the only repair possible was replacing the battery pack. That would cost the customer 15,000 ($15,963) if he decided to pay for it, which he didnt. The engineer preferred to ask Lindner for help.The attorney filed a lawsuit at the Munich I District Court in September 2021 and asked for an independent car inspection. The German court assigned a DEKRA expert to check the EV, which was done in April 2022. The conclusion was that the Model 3 would never pass the first of its regular inspections required for any car to be allowed on public roads. Without the necessary repairs, this EV will only be drivable on public roads until 2024.The 34-year-old engineer who bought the Model 3 is not asking for his money back: he wants Tesla to replace the vehicle. However, he will not accept one made in the U.S. anymore. Instead, the Tesla customer wants it to be a Chinese unit and that it is flawless this time.The EV maker now has a deadline to comment on the results. Lindner thinks that the EV maker may try to dispute the DEKRA specialists conclusion. If it recognizes the inspection was correct, it may have to recall thousands of cars to replace the battery pack not only in Germany but also in other countries where the Fremont-made Model 3 may have been sold. Well keep an eye on similar cases and also on this one: it promises to be relevant to more people than just to this Model 3 owner. VTOL So to kill two birds with one stone, we decided to do something for a bit of fun. Let's take a look at some of the weirdest, wackiest, and downright silly airplanes on display at the largest military aviation museum on the planet, the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Get ready, folks. There are some pretty strange birds around those parts.Starting things off with a bang (hopefully not literally), the Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar was as bizarre of a VTOL Concept as ever did exist. Built by a Canadian subsidiary of a classic British aerospace company, the Avrocar was designed by a Brit by the name of John Carver Meadows Frost.A man who's mostly known as one of the brains behind the Acro CF-100, the only Canadian-designed jet fighter ever to enter production. Safe to say, Frost was by no means a foolish man. He was one of the smartest minds in all Anglo-Canadian aviation, in fact. So why he believed it was a good idea to build a shiny metal flying saucer with three Continental J69-T-9 turbojet engines is anyone's guess.Originally intended to be some bizarre fighter/interceptor, the design was scaled back, scaled back again, and then scaled back some more. Until all that was left were two concepts, the Avrocar, and the larger Y-2, both of which were intended to compete in the U.S. Air Force's "flying Jeep"initiative.Test pilots cursed the machine as nearly unflyable, resulting in the project's cancelation by 1962. From there, the remaining airframe spent the rest of its days to present in the experimental wing of the USAF Museum , where it continues to amuse patrons that actual money was spent in great quantities getting this thing off the ground.The U.S. Air Force had a dillema in the late 1940s. They had this shiny new gargantuan of a Convair B-36 Peacemaker to play with, but no equivalent jet fighter that could even remotely match its range. Novel jets like the Lockheed Shooting Star, Grumman Panther, and Republic Thunderjet may have been able to keep up for most of a sortie, but they would all inevitably have to peel off and leave the colossal six-engined bomber to fend off MiGs all on its lonesome.Thus, a new direction was needed to solve this issue. While the notion of just extending the range of normal jet fighters might have been more prudent, we have to remember that we're talking about the United States Military in the very early Cold War, meaning they had money to burn on less traditional ideas. At 14 feet and ten inches (4.52 m) long, 21 feet (6.4-m) wide, and weighing in around the same as a modern fully-load Chevy Suburban, the XF-85 Goblin was an all-new approach to bomber defense.These little fighters would hang from either the wings or the engine bay from bombers like the aforementioned B-36, but also legacy models like the Boeing B-29 and B-50 Superfortress. The idea was that if enemy Soviet jets were detected in the vicinity of an American bomber's objective, these parasite fighters would deploy from their harnesses, engage the threat, and with great difficulty, return to their mothership. If the more astute among you find this to be a stupid idea, that was the very same sentiment Air Force top brass felt about the XF-85 after less than a full year of testing.Okay, so even in the early 1950s, it was understood that sleek, streamlined airframes do infinitely better at supersonic speeds than ones that aren't. But even by streamlining standards, the Douglas X-3 Stiletto was downright outrageous. It was powered by twin Westinghouse XJ34-WE-17 after burning turbojet engines throttling 3,370 lbf (15.0 kN) of thrust each. Good for a top speed, just nudging the speed of sound.Though the X-3 wasn't all that much faster than the Bell X-1 from five years prior, the Stiletto's goal was to fine-tweak vital flight systems needed for long-term sustained flight at the knife-edge of the sound barrier. As it happens, flying supersonic for long spans of time is a lot more complicated than we non-engineers could ever fathom. A notion made obvious when test pilots ran into an absolute devil of a problem called inertia coupling while flying the Stiletto.A phenomenon in which high-speed airplanes with insufficient control surface suddenly get the urge to oscillate violently at high subsonic and supersonic speeds. Somehow, by some miracle, none of the several encounters of inertia coupling found during X-3 flight tests ever killed any test pilots or so much as left a scratch on the airframe. This data led to groundbreaking engineering techniques in jet airplane design that are still very much appreciated to this day. It may have looked like and been named after a women's dress shoe, but it can't be argued this wacky airplane contributed a fair bit in its short life. EV No matter how convenient it is to charge your electric vehicle at home overnight, charging it while driving is way cooler . This allows carmakers to use a much smaller Li-Ion battery, while the range anxiety would be a thing of the past. But is it really possible to have electric vehicles charging while driving down a road?In theory, this is possible, and a pilot project was announced last year to make it a reality in Michigan. The project involves installing both dynamic and stationary wireless EV charging tiles on a one-mile (1.65-km) stretch of road in downtown Detroit. According to an article on SAE.org, MDOT is currently conducting a feasibility study on electrifying a section of Michigan Avenue and/or 14th Street in Detroits Corktown neighborhood.The project, backed by Ford, Michigan utility provider DTE Energy and the City of Detroit, is estimated to cost $1.9 million. A press release published in February by Whitmers office showed that the project would use the technology developed by the Israeli firm Electreon and was projected to be completed by 2023. Electreon CEO Oren Ezer confirmed for SAE.org that the project will now be completed in 2025 instead.Electreon technology uses rubber-coated copper coils embedded into the road surface. The magnetic induction generated when an electric current is applied is used to charge aneither driving on the surface above or parked. This is not much different than the wireless charging pads used for mobile phones, smartwatches, and other gadgets. The technology can be used on various vehicles, from passenger cars to heavy trucks and buses.The driving speed has a negligible effect on the charging performance, Electreon explained to SAE.org. So far, the company has tested its receivers up to a speed of 49.7 mph (80 kph). Speed affects how long the charging road needs to be, though. For instance, a commercial truck with five receivers traveling at 37 mph (60 kph) needs 37 miles (60 km) of electrified road to fully charge the battery. If the vehicle is traveling at 12.4 mph (20 kph), only 12.4 miles (20 km) of electrified road are needed to fully charge the battery. 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. The 33-year-old Edmond Nargizian was struck by a stun grenade when security forces clashed with protesters last Friday after not allowing them to approach the parliament building in Yerevan. He was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery there. I was lucky. Thank God, I stayed alive, Nargizian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service as he continued to recover from his head injury in the hospital. The clashes, which left dozens of protesters and police officers injured, broke out on the 34th day of nonstop anti-government protests organized by Armenias leading opposition groups. The police fired stun grenades as some opposition supporters tried to break through a police cordon. Opposition leaders condemned the police actions. They said that policemen mishandled the stun grenades and wounded many other officers. The police denied that, saying that the special means were fired in the air and did not put peoples lives at risk. Nargizian countered that one of the grenades struck him on the head. The hospitalized man also said that law-enforcement officials have still not visited and spoken to him. He said they instead confiscated his mobile phone when he was being operated on. They wont give back my phone. I dont know why, added Nargizian. Armenias Office of the Prosecutor-General said on Monday that it has ordered an inquiry into the use of the stun grenades and other instances of police brutality alleged by the opposition. The Anti-Corruption Committee, which is supposed to conduct the inquiry, confirmed on Wednesday that it has not indicted any police officers. It has not even opened a formal criminal case with regard to the legality of the police actions. Meanwhile, another law-enforcement agency, the Investigative Committee, is pressing assault charges against 15 participants of Fridays opposition demonstrations. Ten of them are under arrest pending investigation. Opposition leaders reject the accusations as politically motivated. They say the authorities have not presented any video evidence corroborating police claims that some protesters threw stones and other objects. Videos of the clashes publicized by opposition activists showed several policemen punching protesters as the latter were dragged away and arrested by other officers. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Kern County residents have two choices for their next auditor-controller-county clerk-registrar of voters in June: an insider or an outsider. ABUJA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of the southwestern state of Lagos, on Wednesday emerged as the presidential candidate of Nigeria's governing All Progressives Congress (APC) party for next year's general elections. Tinubu, also a national leader of the APC, defeated 13 other aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President Ahmad Lawan, to clinch the party's presidential ticket at a three-day special convention attended by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. The former governor of Lagos polled 1,271 votes, while his closest rivals for the presidential ticket, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past minister of transportation, and Osinbajo polled 316 and 235 votes respectively. A total of 2,322 party delegates were selected from the 774 local government areas of the country to participate in the voting exercise to elect one of 23 aspirants for the APC presidential ticket. However, nine voluntarily stepped down or withdrew their presidential ambition, leaving only 14 aspirants to take part in the final lap of the race. In his address at the Eagle Square, the venue of the special convention, Buhari said the critical task ahead of the governing party was to "continue to forge the unity of purpose among party members and to keep securing needed compromises." Tinubu, in his acceptance speech, acknowledged that the most populous African nation had been saddled with a myriad of challenges. He, however, vowed to revive the economy and rebuild the nation if given the opportunity to emerge as winner of the presidential election slated for February 2023. Members Get Special Honors at Oregon Coast Aquarium Published 06/05/22 at 4:45 AM PST By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Newport, Oregon) For visitors to the beach and residents alike, one organization is showing their support is truly appreciated. (Photos courtesy Oregon Coast Aquarium) Next week, the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport will be honoring those who have been supporting it. Those who have a membership at the aquarium will get some special treats as part of Member Appreciation Week, going from June 13 through June 19. During this week, members will be granted early access to the aquarium, with doors open at 9:15 a.m. for them. Members will also get treated to some swag, with drink coupons, a 20% discount at the Oregon Coast Aquarium gift shop, and an opportunity to talk to staff about the renovations now taking place and its future improvements. Members may also bring a guest at no extra cost, no matter their membership level. Members play a vital role in supporting the aquarium's mission. Membership purchases help fund Aquarium programs and the care of its animals while providing guests with unlimited admission to the Aquarium for an entire year, giving more opportunities to connect with Oregons marine life. Our goal is to continue making the member experience one to remember, said Membership Manager Donna Carter. We wouldnt be here without the support of our loyal members, and I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to those who continue to support us. Guests are eligible to participate in Member Appreciation Week immediately upon purchasing or renewing an aquarium membership. To learn more or to purchase an Aquarium membership, visit aquarium.org/membership. Recently, Oregon Coast Aquarium celebrated its 30th anniversary, having first opened its doors on May 23 in 1992. Eight years of planning and fundraising went into the now-economic powerhouse. Within its first nine months it saw over one million visitors, cementing its contributions to the local economy. In 1996 it saw its moment in the sun, rescuing Keiko the orca whale from less desirable environs. The years of captivity for the movie star whale took its toll on his health and spirits, and it was part of the reason his dorsal fin drooped to one side. Since Keiko's release into the wild, the aquarium has come up with various new and cutting-edge exhibits, such as the Passages of the Deep, a steam-punk marine show, dinosaurs, a much-revered aviary and much more. Oregon Coast Aquarium is located at 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Rd., Newport, OR. aquarium.org, 541-867-3474. Hotels in Newport - Where to eat - Newport Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Eerie Pre-Histories of Seal Rock, Central Oregon Coast Aflame Published 06/03/22 at 7:45 PM PST By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Seal Rock, Oregon) Everything has an origin story, just like superheroes. But on the Oregon coast, the beginnings of certain landmarks can be spooky, even downright frightening. (All photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection) Down between Waldport and Newport, the rocky landmarks known as Seal Rocks (or more commonly Seal Rock) definitely have some fiery beginnings. It all goes back some 15 million years or so, when massive lava flows spewed out from what is now the Idaho / Oregon border, sizzling their way across hundreds of miles, well beyond what was then the coastline and into the sea. Called the Columbia Basalts (because they also formed the basics of the Gorge), they left behind major landmarks like Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Cape Foulweather (and the bulk of Depoe Bay), going as far south as Seal Rock. Seal Rock is not only special because of its incendiary beginnings, but it's also the farthest south on the Oregon coast these lava flows came. Then, fast forward millions of year to just about the time ancient peoples were occupying the area. If you head over to the Curtis St. access in Seal Rock, and under the right conditions in winter you'll find something else a little eerie. The ragged, tortured shapes of ghost forests lie underneath. The theory goes that about 4,000 years ago, a forest here got slowly swallowed up by sand and/or swamp conditions of some sort slow, in human terms, but rather quickly in geologic terms. That could be a few years or a few decades. Because of these getting swallowed up by sand, it choked the life out of the trees but preserved them by keeping them out of the elements, especially oxygen. The result is this ghost forest, which sometimes appears in the Seal Rock area during winters when sand levels get low enough. You see these gnarled, hunched shapes dotting the beach, which look a lot like rocks, but they are wood. The theory that these, like the ones at Neskowin, happened because of a sudden earthquake and abrupt drop of the land has been proven incorrect. In any case, these ghost forests are always a wild and weird discovery. These at the Curtis St. access at Seal Rock are much rarer, only showing during really low sand level events. There are other ghost forests at Moolack Beach near Newport and Sunset Bay near Coos Bay that can be seen year-round. Others may show up in low sand winter events around Hug Point (Cannon Beach), Rockaway Beach, Cape Lookout State Park and Beverly Beach just north of Newport. Hotels in Waldport - Where to eat - Waldport, Seal Rock Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted WASHINGTON (AP) An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmates blood to avoid being shot and just stayed quiet. Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told lawmakers in a prerecorded video that she watched a teacher get shot in the head before looking for a place to hide. I thought he would come back so I covered myself with blood, Miah told the House panel. I put it all over me and I just stayed quiet. She called 911 using the deceased teacher's phone and pleaded for help. Nineteen children and two teachers died when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle inside Robb Elementary School on May 24. It was the second day lawmakers heard wrenching testimony on the nations gun violence. On Tuesday, a Senate panel heard from the son of an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. Ten people died. In the video Wednesday, Miah's father, Miguel Cerrillo, asked his daughter if she feels safe at school anymore. She shook her head no. Why?" he asks. I don't want it to happen again, she responds. The testimony at the House Oversight Committee came as lawmakers work to strike a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures in the aftermath of back-to-back mass shootings. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panel's chairwoman, called the hearing to focus on the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for gun control legislation. I am asking every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives, Maloney said. Our witnesses today have endured pain and loss. Yet they are displaying incredible courage by coming here to ask us to do our jobs. But even as some lawmakers shed tears alongside the witnesses, the hearing displayed the contentious debate over gun control Congress has faced repeatedly after mass shootings. Several Republicans turned the conversation to the individuals who abuse guns and how hardening schools" could help protect students. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who owns a gun store, said that one of the things he learned in his military service was that the harder the target you are, the less likely you will be engaged by the enemy. He called on schools to keep doors locked, provide a single point of entry and a volunteer force of well-trained and armed staff, in addition to a school resource officer. The parents of victims and survivors implored lawmakers not to let their childrens deaths and pain be in vain. After Miah spoke, her father told lawmakers that he testified because I could have lost my baby girl. But she is not the same little girl that I use to play with, Cerrillo said. Schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change. Also testifying was Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son Zaire was wounded in the Buffalo mass shooting. Everhart told lawmakers it was their duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and other Americans. She said that if they did not find the testimony moving enough to act on gun laws, they had an invitation to go to her home to help her clean her sons wounds. My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg, she said, then paused to compose herself. As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children. The parents of Lexi Rubio, who died in her classroom in Uvalde, also testified. Felix and Kimberly Rubio recounted finding out about their daughter's death hours after leaving Lexi's school awards ceremony where she had been recognized as an A-student. To celebrate, they had promised to get her ice cream. To get to the elementary school after the shooting, Kimberly Rubio said she ran barefoot for a mile with her sandals in her hand and with her husband by her side. A firefighter eventually gave them a ride back to the civic center. Soon after we received the news that our daughter was among the 19 students and two teachers that died as a result of gun violence, she said, fighting through tears. She said that Lexi would have made a positive change in the world if she had been given the chance. Somewhere out there, theres a mom listening to our testimony, thinking I cant even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now, Kimberly Rubio said. Dr. Roy Guerrero described in stark terms the carnage he witnessed at the local hospital as he tried to treat the injured. He went to the area of the hospital where two dead children had been taken. The bodies were so pulverized, he said, that the only clue to their identities was the blood-splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none. After the hearing was over, the Democratic-led House passed legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. But the legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. The House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show appeal to a majority. Majorities of U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often if guns were harder to get, and that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago. Chairwoman Maloney ended the lengthy hearing Wednesday telling the loved ones of the victims and survivors that the committee's work on this topic will continue. Days after the Uvalde shooting the committee launched an investigation into five leading manufacturers of the semi-automatic weapons used in both the recent shootings. Over the last few days, the committee has received information from these companies that is very troubling, Maloney said. "I also intend to hold a second hearing to hear directly from the gun industry, so they can explain to the American people why they continue to sell the weapons of choice for mass murderers. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Photo Courtesy of TxDOT Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Interstate 10 lanes will be closed overnight through Thursday night in Orange. The Texas Department of Transportation said the inside lane of I-10 Westbound will be closed from Farm Road 3247 to Adams Bayou from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m for work in the median. NAIROBI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's exports to other African countries rose 20 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2022 as the east African nation's efforts to expand its trade ties with various nations paid off, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said in a report released on Wednesday. The exports increased from 68.7 billion shillings (587 million U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2021 to 702 million dollars in the period under review, the apex bank said. Exports to Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) contributed to the surge. Kenya had signed various cooperation agreements with the DRC last year as well as launched a trade mission to deepen economic ties. Similarly, in December 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Suluhu Hassan signed three agreements and five memoranda of understanding to strengthen bilateral ties. To Tanzania, Kenya exported goods worth 119 million dollars in the first quarter of 2022, an increase from 70 million dollars in a similar period in 2021. On the other hand, exports to DRC rose to 33 million dollars in the first quarter of 2022. Other top destinations of the country's goods are Uganda, Egypt, Rwanda, and Somalia. Kenya's exports to other African nations in 2021 stood at 2.54 billion dollars and have surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels, with Kenya mainly exporting tea, coffee, oil (re-exports), animal, vegetable fats and oils, and live animals, among others. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A federal judge in Milwaukee has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar Republican U.S. Reps. Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany as well as Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson from the 2022 ballot because they supported Donald Trump leading up to the January 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The Capital Times newspaper in Madison reported Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman dismissed the case on Friday. He said the lawsuit wasnt procedurally proper. The lawsuit alleged the three Republicans violated the Disqualification Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The clause prohibits anyone from holding federal office who has taken an oath to protect the Constitution but also has engaged in insurrection against the United States. The provision was enacted after the Civil War to prevent members of Congress who had fought for the Confederacy from returning to Congress. Tiffany and Fitzgerald were among 121 House Republicans who voted to object to counting Joe Bidens presidential electors from Arizona on Jan. 6, 2021. Tiffany and Fitzgerald also were among 138 Republicans who voted to object to Bidens Pennsylvania electors. Johnson was one of eight U.S. senators who signed an objection to counting Arizonas electors, but he ultimately voted to accept them after the riot on the Capitol. Ten Wisconsin citizens filed the lawsuit in March. The effort was funded by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC. It was similar to one rejected by a federal judge earlier that month seeking to keep U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina from seeking reelection this fall. Adelman said the plaintiffs lacked standing in federal court and the challenge would be more appropriate in front of the state elections commission. KAMPALA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- United Nations agencies in Uganda on Wednesday called for relief as more than half a million people go hungry in semi-arid northeastern Uganda also known as Karamoja. The call comes after a report, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), issued here, said the affected population goes without any food for an entire day and night for at least three days a month. The report, compiled by the government, UN agencies and partners, shows that the number of affected people has increased to 518,000 this year, up from 361,000 people registered last year. Marcus Prior, World Food Program (WFP) Deputy Country Director for Uganda told Xinhua in an interview that the report shows that the situation in Karamoja is significantly more serious this year than has been for the last three years. "We are seeing sharply rising rates of malnutrition amongst children, which is most concerning, but also amongst pregnant and breastfeeding women," Prior said. Tim Mateeba, senior nutritionist at the ministry of health said there is need for an urgent action to prevent the region from lapsing into extremely critical acute malnutrition, which may lead to high mortality rates of children. "What needs to be done in the short term is to first identify those children and then offer support in form of giving therapeutic foods but also treat them," Mateeba said. The drivers of food insecurity in semi-arid Karamoja region vary from internal to external. The region has for decades faced persistent drought and when it rains, it floods, leading to crop failure and lack of pasture for livestock. Besides the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the region faced desert locust infestation, animal disease outbreaks, armed cattle rustling, and lately high insecurity. Key among the external drivers is the ongoing Ukraine crisis that has pushed up commodity prices including food and fuel among others. A large part of the Karamoja population has for decades depended on humanitarian food aid, and therefore the escalation of prices is affecting the region. "War in Ukraine is driving the food prices up and this is the real concern for us. Our concern is that by the end of the year, we will see greater spikes in food prices, which is going to affect the poorest of the poor first," said Prior. Prior argued that the food insecurity situation in Karamoja needs international attention, noting that it is part of the wider food insecurity faced by the Horn of Africa. He argued that in the short term, WFP is going to scale up its nutrition program to reach all malnourished children in the targeted districts. "We are looking at what we call a protection ratio, which means that the families of those mothers and children will receive a top-up so that the specialized food that we give to the children does not get shared out amongst the rest of the family," Prior said. "We are looking at the general food distributions to those in the acute phase of nutrition and hunger through the lean season," he added. Antonio Querido, UN Food and Agriculture Organization country representative said the agency in partnership with other relief organizations is going to implement medium and long-term measures to address the persistent food insecurity problem in Karamoja. Querido said the agency is going to support communities with agricultural inputs to enable timely planting, and enhance agricultural extension services through the Farmer Field Schools and Agro-pastoral Farmer Field Schools. He said there is going to be further investment in the provision of water for production. There will also be investment in post-harvest management to reduce losses and support households to keep food stocks through the lean season, according to the UN envoy. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) on Tuesday allocated 4 million U.S. dollars to fight hunger in Karamoja, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "This allocation from CERF will allow us and our partners to support nearly 300,000 people impacted by drought with food and nutrition, water, health care, child protection, and other assistance," the office said. Members of the polices Criminal Investigation Department leave the B.M. Container Depot in the Sitakunda sub-district of Chittagong, Bangladesh, after collecting evidence related to a deadly fire and explosions at the site, June 8, 2022. The operator of a shipping container depot in Bangladesh where a fire and explosions killed dozens over the weekend did not have permission to handle chemical cargo, the home minister told BenarNews on Wednesday. Police posted a complaint alleging negligent death and destruction of property against eight people from the company that ran the facility near the port of Chittagong, where containers filled with hydrogen peroxide caught fire and exploded after a blaze broke out Saturday night, case documents show. The BM container depot had no permission to keep chemicals in the container yard. The yard was for facilitating export-import of apparels and other commodities. They have violated the terms of contract with the government, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who visited the site on Monday. The accident would not have happened had there been no chemical-laden containers, he said. The owners, the officials and other persons responsible for the fire incident must face punishment; they cannot flee the country. The police have already filed a case against the company officials, Khan said. Meanwhile, a Rohingya man who worked illegally at the container yard in Sitakunda sub-district and who was taken to a local hospital on Sunday after suffering burns on the lower half of his body during the disaster has disappeared, his family members told BenarNews on Wednesday. I came to the hospital on Sunday and found him there that day, Muhammad Hashim said of his brother, Muhammad Farooq. He was injured, not dead. Hashim said he went to get food and when he returned, his brother was gone. Now I am looking for him in different places, including the hospital, Hashim said, adding that his brother was still missing on Wednesday. Farooqs cousin, Abu Qayes, who joined Hashim in the search, said about 20 Rohingya had been working at the container yard, adding the others had since returned to refugee camps in Coxs Bazar. Rohingya are not authorized to work outside of camps concentrated in and around the southeastern district near the border with Myanmar. After the fire broke out, firefighters were hampered in bringing it under control by explosions that authorities have blamed on hydrogen peroxide, including some stored in shipping containers. Death toll increases Md. Abul Kalam Azad, the officer-in-charge of the Sitakunda police station, told BenarNews that the fire service officials recovered two more bodies on Wednesday night, bringing the death toll to 46. Authorities have said as many as 200 people were injured. While Sitakunda police filed the complaint against eight B.M. officials, according to the case statement obtained by BenarNews, none have been arrested. Charges listed in the complaint include causing death by negligence, causing injury and grievous injury by act endangering life or personal safety of others and causing financial losses under the Bangladesh Penal Code. The offense of causing death by negligence carries a punishment of up to five years in prison and a fine if convicted, while the other charges each carry a two-year maximum sentence. Safety measures lacking The case document alleges that B.M. authorities had not taken proper safety measures to store dangerous chemicals and had not disclosed the presence of those chemicals. In addition, the yard lacked fire hydrants, firefighting equipment and trained personnel along with proper extinguishers for chemical fires. It said several teams of firefighters were ill prepared and that they rushed to douse the fire with water instead of the proper extinguishers. According to the case document, at one point six to seven chemical-packed containers simultaneously exploded, breaking glass in buildings 2 to 3 km (1.2 to 1.8 miles) away, while shards from the containers killed or injured on-duty firefighters, police and civilians. B.M. spokesman Shamsul Siddiqui said that an employee had called the emergency number 999 to report the fire and inform authorities about the chemical stocks at the yard before firefighters arrived. He said the yard had 37 containers loaded with hydrogen peroxide for export 27 bound for Vietnam and 10 for Pakistan. We have had clearance from the customs at the Chittagong port to export hydrogen peroxide, Siddiqui said. A file photo shows a Rohingya man displaying an identification card belonging to his late son whom he said was slain by members of Myanmar's armed forces in Rakhine state, during an interview at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. Myanmars junta is using identity documents to carry out a genocide of the ethnic Rohingya community, much like those who perpetrated the Holocaust and Rwandan genocide, according to a new report that calls on the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court. The Burmese junta is forcing stateless Rohingya to obtain National Verification Cards (NVCs), effectively stripping them of access to full citizenship rights and protections, Southeast Asia-based human rights advocacy group Fortify Rights alleged in its 63-page report released Wednesday. The report, titled Genocide by Attrition, also draws on case studies from the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides to demonstrate how authoritarian regimes use such documents to systematically identify, persecute, and kill targeted populations on a widespread and massive scale. Perpetrators have long used identification documents in the commission of genocide, said Ken MacLean the reports co-author and a professor at the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Clark University, in a statement accompanying the reports release. Evidence from the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides show striking similarities with the ongoing erasure of the Rohingya identity in Myanmar by the junta. Fortify Rights published its report nearly three months after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken went to the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington to officially declare Myanmars persecution of the Rohingya minority during a military offesnive in 2017 as a genocide. The report found that identification cards such as those used during the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides contributed to genocide by attrition, which it defined as the gradual destruction of a protected group by reducing their strength through sustained, indirect methods of destruction. Such policies have long been in use in Myanmar and continue to play a role in the ongoing genocide of the Rohingyas, the report said, citing interviews with more than 20 Rohingya-genocide survivors, leaked junta documents, and a media analysis of junta-backed news outlets since the militarys Feb. 1, 2021 coup. It said that Rohingya in Western Myanmars Rakhine state described how the junta forced them to carry NVCs to prevent them from identifying as Rohingya, restrict their movement, and curtail their ability to earn a living, creating conditions of life designed to be destructive. Instead, they are made to identify as Bengali immigrants from Bangladesh in what the report said is a bid by authorities to exclude them from citizenship and ethnicity within Myanmar. The report cited the United Nations Office on Genocide Preventions findings that increased politicization of identity and discriminatory measures targeting protected groups are indicators in creating an environment conducive to the commission of atrocity crimes, noting that similar legal and administrative tools were used to facilitate the destruction of the Jewish and Tutsi populations, and are now being used against the Rohingya. Rohingya continue to face existential threats under the military junta, an illegitimate regime responsible for far-reaching atrocities, said John Quinley, senior human rights specialist at Fortify Rights and co-author of the report. The ongoing denial of Rohingya ethnicity and citizenship are indicators of genocide. The [shadow] National Unity Government has committed to ensuring Rohingya citizenship and inclusion. The junta, however, is still using coercive measures to force Rohingya to identify as foreigners, erasing records of their existence. Myanmar immigration officials hand over an identification document to a Rohingya woman at the Taungpyoletwei town repatriation camp in Rakhine state's Maungdaw township, near the Bangladesh border, in a file photo. [AFP] Holding the junta accountable Fortify Rights said that while the connection between identification documents and international crimes is well-recognized, some U.N. officials, embassies, and others in Myanmar have failed to condemn the use of NVCs in targeting Rohingya. In some cases, the group said, they have even endorsed the documents as a solution to the groups statelessness. The reports findings demonstrate links between the NVC process and acts of genocide and should be a focus of investigations and legal proceedings, Fortify Rights said. The violations documented in Genocide by Attrition demonstrate links between the NVC process and genocidal acts and should be a focus of ongoing investigations and legal proceedings, said Fortify Rights. It called on U.N. member-states to cut Myanmars junta off from access to arms, finances, and political legitimacy, and urged the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Myanmar military junta poses an undeniable threat to international peace and security, said Fortifys Quinley. U.N. member-states must wake up and act now to deny the junta the resources it craves and to hold it accountable for all of its crimes including genocide. In 2016, a military crackdown forced some 90,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state and cross into neighboring Bangladesh, while a larger one in 2017 in response to insurgent attacks, killed thousands of members of the ethnic minority and led to an exodus of more than 740,000 across the border. Human rights groups have produced a trove of credible reports based on commercial satellite imagery and extensive interviews with Rohingya about the operations in Rakhine state in 2017, including arbitrary killings, torture, and mass rape. Gambia has accused Myanmars military leadership of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention in Rohingya areas in a case it brought to the Hague-based International Court of Justice. The court is holding hearings to determine whether it has jurisdiction to judge if atrocities committed there constituted a genocide. This report was written by Joshua Lipes for Radio Free Asia, an online news service affiliated with BenarNews. Activists say authorities should investigate who dropped mortar shells from the sky on eight villages in Indonesias rebellious Papua region during counter-insurgency operations last year, and whether the ammunition belonged to the national spy agency. The call for a probe came after the Reuters news agency reported last week that the shells bought for the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) were converted to be air-dropped and used in attacks on the Papuan villages in October 2021, an assault the military denied. BIN, a civilian agency under the direct authority of the president, is barred from functioning as an armed force and can only procure weapons to arm its personnel. A separatist insurgency has simmered for decades in the far-eastern Papua region, but activists have also accused government forces of human rights abuses against residents. Emanuel Gobay, director of the Legal Aid Institute in Papua, urged President Joko Jokowi Widodo to order an audit of BIN. BIN has no power to buy firearms or ammunition of any kind, Gobay said. Gobay also called on the president to order the national police to investigate the alleged shelling of villages by security forces. Military denies Octobers counter-insurgency operations were precipitated by events of a month earlier, when suspected rebels set fire to public buildings, including a health clinic and an elementary school, in Kiwirok district, after government forces killed an insurgent during a gunfight. According to Reuters, which cited a report by Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a London-based group, some of the almost 2,500 Serbia-made 81 mm mortar shells bought for BIN last year were used in the October security operation in the eight Papuan villages. The alleged purchase was not disclosed to the parliamentary committee that approves its budget, Reuters reported, citing three unnamed lawmakers. However, the military commander in Papua, Maj. Gen. Ignatius Yogo Triyono, denied using mortar rounds on villages. He told the news magazine Tempo in November that while his troops did fire mortar rounds, it was on a rebels jungle hideout in Kiwirok for a shock effect, and not on villages. But residents in Kiwirok, in Pegunungan Bintang regency, showed journalists photos of what appeared to be 81 mm mortars that failed to explode during a helicopter raid by security forces in October. Sebby Sambom, a spokesman for the West Papua National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the separatist Free Papua Movement, claimed his group had evidence that mortar shells were used by government forces. Sebby also said some of the rounds burned houses and farms belonging to residents. At that time Kiwirok was bombarded with mortar shells almost every day from Oct. 10 to Oct. 13, he told BenarNews. Mortar shells that didnt explode were collected by residents as evidence, he added. A Kiwirok resident told BenarNews that they saw a helicopter flying over their village on Oct. 11 and then heard loud explosions. The helicopter was used by a joint team of soldiers and police to hunt down separatist rebels whom they accused of attacking health workers and setting fire to government buildings there, said the resident, who declined to be identified for security reasons. Rise in tensions A member of the Papua legislative council, Laurens Kadepa, said councillors were concerned about the report. This report on the use of mortar-type weapons has attracted the attention of the international community and has become our concern, Kadepa said. Violence and tensions in the Papua region made up of the provinces of Papua and West Papua have intensified in recent years. Last year, the government designated separatist rebels as terrorists after insurgents ambushed and killed an army general who headed the regional branch of BIN. The killing prompted President Widodo to order a crackdown. The Free Papua Movement has fought for independence for the mainly Christian region since the 1960s. In 1963, Indonesian forces invaded Papua like Indonesia, a former Dutch colony and annexed the region that makes up the western half of New Guinea island. Papua was incorporated into Indonesia in 1969 after a United Nations-sponsored vote, which locals and activists said was a sham because it involved only about 1,000 people. However, the U.N. accepted the result, which essentially endorsed Jakartas rule. Fishermen from Cato village in Infanta, a town in Pangasinan province, Philippines, unload fish caught in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) after a four-day fishing expedition, April 21, 2022. Updated at 11:59 a.m. ET on 2022-06-09 Filipino fishermen whose boat sank in 2019 after a Chinese trawler rammed into it in disputed South China Sea waters have received six million Philippine pesos (U.S $113,421) in compensation, the Department of Justice said Wednesday. However, a fishers association criticized the settlement for the 22 fishermen and the owner as too little and coming too late. Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay told reporters that the owner of the F/B Gem-Ver 1 boat and the fishermen had received the compensation on May 16, with officials adding that the settlement amount was half of what the victims sought. Full compensation has already been made in favor of the vessel owner and the fishermen, Sugay said in his message. The original amount demanded by the fishermen represented repair costs, other damages, and income lost due to the incident. The owner of the Chinese trawler paid for the compensation, the justice department confirmed, after the Philippine and Chinese governments had been negotiating a settlement for months. Fernando Hicap, head of Pamalakaya, a fishermans group, called the compensation to the 22 fishermen and the owner of the boat that sank long overdue and insufficient. The 22 victimized fishermen have been enduring the loss of their traditional livelihood after the tragic incident in Recto Bank. It took three years before they were improperly compensated. Hicap told BenarNews. Our demand is that the compensation should cover not only the cost of the fishing vessel and their supposed income on the night of the incident, but also the aftermath wherein their livelihood activities have not returned to normal. Hicap also demanded an immediate end to Chinese aggression in the sea region. The government should give full justice to all the Filipino fisherfolk who are victims of Chinese harassment and hostility in our territorial waters, he said. The incident occurred on June 9, 2019 in an area within the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ). After their boat sank, the 22 Filipino fishermen were left floating at sea until a Vietnamese boat rescued them. On June 15, the Chinese embassy in Manila confirmed that a Chinese trawler, Yuemaobinyu 42212, bumped into the Filipino fishing boat, but denied that it was a hit and run incident, as Philippine officials claimed. The incident came mid-way into the term of President Rodrigo Duterte, who had taken steps to appease Chinese leader Xi Jinping, whose government has ignored a 2016 international arbitral verdict on the South China Sea that ruled against Beijing in favor of Manila. At the time, Duterte played down the incident as a little maritime accident that should not get in the way of friendly bilateral relations. China and five other governments Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam have territorial claims in the disputed waterway. While Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the sea overlapping Indonesias EEZ. Dutertes friendly policy towards Beijing is expected to be tested when President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumes office at the end of June. Two weeks ago, Marcos said he would implement the arbitral ruling and assert the Philippines territorial rights in the sea region. Our sovereignty is sacred and we will not compromise it in any way, he said. We are a sovereign nation with a functioning government, so we do not need to be told by anyone how to run our country. This report has been updated to include some more details about the compensation package. Janjira Tanapat (left), mother of Jirapong Tanapat, walks with her husband, police Lt. Chakkrit Klandee, after hearing the sentencing in a Bangkok courthouse of seven Thai police convicted of the fatal torture of their son while in custody last year, June 8, 2022. Six Thai policemen will spend the rest of their lives in prison for the in-custody death of a drug suspect whose brutal interrogation handcuffed, with plastic bags over his head was caught on video last year, a court ruled Wednesday. The most senior officer in the group, former Police Col. Thitisan Utthanaphon, who is nicknamed Jo Ferrari because of his fleet of expensive cars, headed the Muang district police station in Nakhon Sawan province. He and six fellow officers were arrested in August 2021 after CCTV footage showing them allegedly torturing the suspect, Jirapong Tanapat, while trying to extort a bribe of 2 million baht (U.S. $57,900) from him, was leaked and went viral on social media. The case grabbed national headlines too because it is relatively uncommon for police officers in Thailand to be prosecuted and convicted for serious crimes. On Wednesday, the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct in Bangkok found the defendants guilty on all four charges against them. At first, the court condemned them to death but then downgraded their sentences to life behind bars. The court convicted defendants no. 1 to 5 and no. 7 of premeditated killing by way of torture, the most severe charge, and sentenced them to death, according to Section 90 of the Penal Code, according to the court sheet viewed by BenarNews. Because the defendants were helpful during the hearings and tried to save the life of the [suspect] and rushed him to the hospital to regain vital signs though he finally died. Therefore, the [death] sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. A seventh defendant confessed to some of the charges and received a five-year, four-month sentence. Jirapongs parents, who were in the courtroom, cried as they heard the sentences. Im satisfied with the verdict but I cant bear it. It was too much how my son was tortured as the court elaborated, police Lt. Chakkrit Klandee, the dead mans father, told reporters outside the courthouse. I was shocked, [my son] was handcuffed and even fettered at the ankles. That was way too much [to handle]. The victims mother, Janjira Tanapat, said she was not satisfied because the six were not sentenced to death. I would like them gone like my son, she told reporters. Chakkrit said his family plans to sue the defendants for 1.5 million baht ($43,400), adding they had received an initial 330,000 baht ($9,500) for cremation and other costs. All seven defendants faced charges of malfeasance, misconduct, joint murder through torture and group coercion. Thitisan, 40, had confessed to all counts except for the fatal torture, while the other five defendants denied all charges. The defendants remained in Bangkoks Klong Prem Central Prison where they learned their fate through a video conference, and have a month to appeal the verdict, according to their lawyers. Thitisan Utthanaphon, former chief of the Muang district police station, leaves the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok after surrendering to Thai authorities, Aug. 26, 2021. [AFP] The leaked video caused a public uproar because it showed police brutality against a suspect in detention. It showed the officers covering Jirapongs face with plastic bags and demanding he pay the bribe on Aug. 5, 2021, after being taken to the Nakhon Sawan police station the evening before on suspicion of dealing drugs. Police initially claimed he accidently fell and collapsed while trying to escape. Jirapong was pronounced dead at a Nakhon Sawan hospital. The hospital changed its original Aug. 6, 2021, autopsy report to note that he had died of suffocation and not a drug overdose. Those findings were confirmed in October 2021. Setting precedent A former national human rights commissioner said the verdict reflected the findings of the investigation. There was clear evidence in this case. We hope the national police bureau takes it as a lesson to improve their investigation practices to align with the suspects right to protection, Angkhana Neelapaijit told BenarNews. She said it would help create measures to prevent polices torture of people during detention. Another activist said the ruling may set a precedent to hold government officials accountable promptly through a judicial process and face punishment commensurate to the gravity of the crime. This may help address the culture of impunity in other previous cases. It may also allude to the question if the injured parties and their relatives have been appropriately remedied or not, said Pornpen Khongkachonkiet, the director of Cross-Cultural Foundation, an organization documenting torture and abuses. A police officer holds a plastic bag over a drug suspects head in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, Aug. 5, 2021, in this still image obtained from a social media video. [YouTube/Sittra Lawyer/via Reuters] Officer surrendered Thitisan got the nickname from his fleet of at least 29 luxury cars, including a Lamborghini. He also owned a luxury home on a two-acre lot in Bangkok. He surrendered to senior officers on Aug. 26, 2021, after a two-day chase. Questioned by Thai journalists about his wealth, Thitisan, who joined the force in 2004, insisted he was a clean public official. In my civil servant life, I have never been corrupt , he said at the time. After his arrest, national Police Chief Suwat Changyodsuk allowed Thitisan to talk to reporters via speaker phone during a news conference. Thitisan used the opportunity to present what he described as the enhanced interrogation of Jirapong, saying it was undertaken as a public duty to prevent Thai youths from becoming addicts. During their investigation, authorities recovered 131 million baht ($3.8 million) in assets believed to be linked to the seizure and auction of hundreds of cars allegedly imported illegally. We found he allegedly wrongly reported hundreds of arrests involving smuggled cars even though we cannot verify where hundreds of them were coming from, Gen. Suchart Teerasawat, the deputy national police chief, told reporters in November 2021. Police said that during Thitisans 2011-2017 stint as an officer in Narathiwat, a border province in Thailands Deep South, he arrested suspects and confiscated more than 300 cars smuggled in from nearby Malaysia, which had a lower tax rate. The Customs Department said he was eligible for rewards linked to the confiscations. KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's biggest oceanarium Aquaria KLCC marked World Oceans Day on Wednesday with a ceremony here to remind the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean and raise awareness of the importance of sustainable marine management. The event, held in cooperation with the Malaysian Department of Fisheries (DOF) and themed "Revitalizing: Collective Action for The Ocean," kicked off with an underwater mermaid show named "Danger to the Beauty," an underwater story showing how plastic waste in the ocean negatively impacts marine lives. Additionally, in conjunction with World Sea Turtle Day which falls in the same month, Aquaria KLCC treated the visiting school children to a day of interactive activities and workshops aimed at providing a fun and interactive educational experience. Activities such as "Plastic or Jellyfish?" aimed to educate students on how plastic pollution affects sea turtles, as research suggests that 52 percent of the world's turtles have eaten plastic waste as a floating plastic bag can look a lot like jellyfish or algae. The oceanarium also introduced their new jellyfish species on display, the Sea Nettle (Chrysaora Chinensis). It is native to the Indo-Pacific region and can grow up to six meters long, and is a favorite food of sea turtles. Guests and visitors were shown how sea turtles mistakenly eat plastic waste due to its similarity to jellyfish in the water, resulting in their death. Aquaria KLCC's Executive Director Daryl Foong said the oceanarium has always been committed to environmental sustainability through education, and actively encourages the public to think about how they as individuals can lessen their impact on the ocean. "World Oceans Day is another opportunity for us to broadcast this message. Malaysia's natural beauty and biodiversity are a national treasure, and as a nation, we stand to lose the most should we allow our oceans to continue to be polluted," he said. "We must take action to conserve and preserve the ocean to secure a safe, sustainable, and healthy environment for future generations," he added. The DOF said in a statement that Malaysia is one of the countries that have signed the Convention on Biological Diversity and is for the establishment of Marine Protected Areas to address various threats to marine ecosystems. "In line with the aspiration of sustainable development, resource extraction must be balanced by conservation efforts where the development priorities need to be in compliance with the country's aquatic resource conservation obligations," it said. 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. CANBERRA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Ties between the Australian and Chinese people are very strong, which is good for the improvement of the two countries' relationship, said Geoff Raby, former Australian ambassador to China. "The people-to-people links are so strong. I think it's the bedrock where the (bilateral) relationship will be based," he told Xinhua in a recent interview. Raby served as the Australian ambassador to China between 2007 and 2011. Chinese individuals have made a "very big contribution to Australian life and understanding," he said, noting that about 5 percent of the Australian population are ethnic Chinese, and Mandarin is the second most commonly spoken language here. He cited one of his friends, an ethnic Chinese surnamed Wong, who had been involved in a project writing a book about Chinese who worked with Australian troops in World War I. "The Chinese worked alongside the Australian troops and they have not been recognized in Australia's official war history until now," Raby said. "So we have many layers of the relationship to understand and to unfold." The former diplomat still visits China from time to time nowadays and has always been very excited by his traveling there. "It's a huge, immensely rich, diversified country with so much history that is so old as well," he said. "And it's a phenomenally rich country in which to travel for historical, cultural, artistic, culinary (interests), all of these reasons make traveling in China a very fulfilling and satisfying experience." From time to time, he would write in Australian media about his experiences in China to improve people's understanding about the country. Last September, the Australian Financial Review carried one of his articles titled "The remaking of Chinese city Taiyuan into a Singapore on steroids." "It is a microcosm of China's story of the past 10 years -- rapid urbanisation and even more rapidly rising per capita incomes," he wrote in the article about the capital city of Shanxi Province in northern China. "I love the opportunity to be able to write about it, and bring my perspective to a wider foreign audience," he said. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. Raby said he has just finished a book to mark the event. He wished to see the relationship between the two countries improve, saying that apart from massive trade volumes, "the two countries are very much dependent on each other" at the level of tourism, education and service. In terms of regional security, stability, peace and climate change, he said the two countries share interests as well. Recognizing the challenge for Australian policymakers when their ally, the United States administration, sees China's rise as a threat, he said it would come down to Australia "being able to develop and define an independent foreign policy." 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. Four people injured, one seriously, in crash on Route 2 in Florida early Saturday Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Sen. Adams Hinds comes up short in quest to make ballot as lieutenant governor candidate WORCESTER The state senator representing Berkshire County lost his bid this weekend to win to right to compete for the post of lieutenant governor. State Sen. Adam Hinds campaign for lieutenant governor began last October in Pittsfield, but it ended over the weekend in Worcester. Sen. Hinds received 12.4 percent of the delegate vote at the Democrats state convention, falling just short of the 15 percent needed to secure a spot on the ballot for Septembers primary. In the race to see who will win the No. 2 seat in the states executive branch, what little Berkshire County representation there was has dropped to none. Its a tough break for Sen. Hinds, who passed up a reelection bid for the countys only state Senate seat to run for LG. It also underscores the uphill battle facing experienced, capable candidates from Western Massachusetts and particularly the Berkshires who seek statewide office. Before winning election to the state Senate in 2016, Sen. Hinds served on U.S. Rep. John Olvers 2000 reelection team and John Kerrys 2004 presidential campaign, spent nearly a decade working for the United Nations, and held leadership positions in a couple notable Berkshire nonprofits. That a candidate of that caliber cant even keep his name in the mix for the lieutenant gubernatorial primary is a sad political reality for our overlooked and underserved region and anyone from it who would seek to bring leadership and vision to an elected statewide position. Massachusetts Democrats gather for state party convention Massachusetts Democrats gathered in Worcester for their state party convention Saturday as they seek to regain the governors office and retain control of virtually every other source of political power in the state. Attorney General Maura Healey and state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz are both hoping to win the top office in November, but they must first go head-to-head in the fall primary. Healey won the partys endorsement with 71% of the delegate votes Saturday, while Chang-Diaz won 29%, enough to get her name on the September primary ballot. Whoever wins the primary will face off against the victor of the Republican run-off. The Democratic primary for lieutenant governor will still feature one name from the greater Western Mass. region: state Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow. Still, while Sen. Lesser surpassed the 15 percent delegate threshold at the Democratic convention, his 21 percent was the lowest of the three candidates to make the cut; Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll topped the LG field with 41 percent of delegates, securing the state partys endorsement. Based on the results of the Democratic convention, it appears that Sen. Lesser will be the only candidate from west of I-495 who will appear on the Democratic primary ballot for any major statewide contest governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general or state auditor. The Republican primary ballot does not appear to be significantly more geographically representative, either. While Western Massachusetts population is smaller than that of the other half of the state, we arent nonexistent. The commonwealth has plenty of constituents in our neck of the woods who often feel unseen and unrepresented by the decision-making on Beacon Hill. The Democratic state conventions outcome at least partly speaks to why, and that regional inequity will worsen in the near future when redistricting reduces the number Berkshire seats on Beacon Hill and further dilutes the countys state Senate representation, not to mention the eastward expansion of Massachusetts 1st congressional district. When Sen. Hinds announced his run for lieutenant governor, we welcomed the chance for a statewide race to bring some visibility to the issues most affecting Berkshire County residents and Western Massachusetts in general. His candidacy did not survive the convention, but the priorities on which he ran expanding housing access, addressing economic inequality, improving public transportation still resonate deeply here in the Berkshires and throughout the commonwealth. Sen. Hinds ran for lieutenant governor because he has much of substance to say about these important matters, and while it was cut short, we appreciate that his issues-oriented campaign focused on the things impacting his constituents. We need more of that in Boston, D.C. and everywhere in between. Whatever Sen. Hinds next move is, we wish him luck and hope he continues speaking up on these issues and what we can do about them. Activists occupy the sidewalk in front of the State House and affix a banner to the capitol's front gate Wednesday afternoon, following a House supermajority vote to pass the immigrant licensing bill over Gov. Charlie Baker's veto. Student activists gather in Washington, D.C. to demand action after mass shootings Xinhua) 08:23, June 08, 2022 Students wearing bulletproof vests hold a rally near the Capitol Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., the United States, June. 6, 2022. A group of student activists gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday afternoon, calling for actions from U.S. politicians in the wake of mass shootings over the past few weeks. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua) WASHINGTON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- A group of student activists gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday afternoon, calling for actions from U.S. politicians in the wake of mass shootings over the past few weeks. Members of Students Demand Action, an advocacy group committed to ending gun violence in American communities, held a rally near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. With dozens of teenagers wearing bulletproof vests standing on the stage, speakers took the podium one by one to discuss the issue of gun violence. "How many more of us have to die to get the attention of those in office? How many more funerals do we have to attend?" said Manny Macedo, leader of the Los Angeles affiliate of Students Demand Action. The protesters chanted at one point, "Senators, please act. Don't look away. Don't look away. Don't look away." On the north lawn overlooked by the Washington Monument at the National Mall was the Gun Violence Memorial made up of rows of white vases with white and orange flowers. Organizers said the memorial remembers victims of gun violence across the United States, urging the Congress to find the courage to act. A national debate on gun control has been renewed following a spate of recent mass shootings, including a carnage at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead last month. Shannon Watts, founder of the gun safety group, Moms Demand Action, tweeted in response to the Uvalde rampage that school shootings are not acts of nature, like hurricanes and tornadoes. "They're man-made acts of inaction, of cowardice, of corruption by all lawmakers who refuse to pass laws PROVEN BY DATA to stop preventable, senseless shootings like in Uvalde," Watts wrote. Senate Democrats and Republicans have engaged in gun talks but a comprehensive reform is an uphill battle given the political and ideological divides on Capitol Hill. The demonstration in the U.S. capital on Monday came on the heels of another deadly weekend riddled with gun violence. At least 17 people were killed and 62 others injured in 11 mass shootings across the United States over the past weekend. Early Sunday morning, a shooting outside a nightclub in Chattanooga, Tennessee, led to three deaths and 14 injuries. Hours earlier in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, several shooters opened fire at a crowd in a popular nightlife area, killing three while wounding 11 others. The United States has suffered 247 mass shootings over the past five months or so, with more than 18,700 lives lost to gun violence, according to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) PHNOM PENH, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday started an upgrade project in the Ream Naval Base located in the southwestern province of Preah Sihanouk with China's aid, officials said. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian, among around 2,000 people, attended the ground-breaking ceremony. Banh said the project will strengthen Cambodia's naval capacity to protect maritime territorial integrity and combat crimes. "I have a strong conviction that when completed, these modern facilities will importantly contribute to protecting Cambodia's independence, peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to enhancing the image of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) in regional and international affairs," he said in a speech. Banh said the modernization of the Ream Naval Base would also contribute to maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the region. "On behalf of the government and the defense ministry of Cambodia, I'd like to express my profound gratitude to the government, the People's Liberation Army and the people of China for providing kind support to the RCAF," Banh added. "Your assistance has elevated our defense capacities to a new level." Noting that the bond of friendship between China and Cambodia has grown stronger, Wang said the Ream Naval Base upgrade project is a result of mutual respect and equal consultation between the two sides, in line with domestic laws of both countries and relevant international laws and practices. "It is not targeted at any third party," the Chinese ambassador noted. Wang said certain countries keep smearing the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Cambodia, arbitrarily impose unilateral sanctions on Cambodia under the disguise of democracy and human rights, and blatantly interfere in Cambodia's internal affairs through long-arm jurisdiction. "We firmly oppose all these misbehaviors," he said. The ambassador said China will always be a good neighbor, a reliable friend and a trustworthy partner that Cambodia can count upon, and that it is ready to build a closer China-Cambodia community with a shared future, contributing to the well-being of the two peoples and the construction of a China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) community with a shared future. (The Center Square) Crews of incarcerated men from Airway Heights Corrections Center helped battle more than 240 forest fires in 2021. The effort is a result of a partnership between three state agencies that dates back more than 80 years. The Correctional Camps Program is a joint venture of Washingtons Department of Corrections, Department of Natural Resources, and Department of Children, Youth and Families, according to the DNR website. The camps are operated by the DNR with incarcerated persons from the Cedar Creek, Larch, and Olympic Corrections Centers in addition to Airway Heights, the DOC reports. Formed in 1939 to combat idleness and to improve state lands, the Correctional Camps, formerly known as Offender Honor Camps, allow incarcerated individuals to work under the direction of a DNR manager and DOC counselor, according to DNR information. The volunteer crews participate in fire fighting, chainsaw operation, forest maintenance services, and motor vehicle and machine maintenance, according to the DOC. Currently, 225 incarcerated persons take part in the fire suppression program. That number ranges up to 400 when the program is fully staffed. The program benefits Washingtonians by improving the quality of public land. The DOC benefits also, according to Airway Heights Superintendent James Key. The incarcerated workers from the Airway Heights Camp crew alongside their supervisors, aid in making Washington public lands safer and healthier for all to enjoy, he said in a statement. While working on emergency wildfire suppression, crew members are eligible to earn a gratuity equal to Washington State minimum wage, which is currently $14.49 per hour. In addition, this often is the most significant opportunity an incarcerated individual has had to provide an important public service, a DOC spokesperson told The Center Square. Knowing they are doing good works fosters an increased sense of worth and self-esteem. Fire crew experience also provides incarcerated individuals a chance to learn important skills such as teamwork, which is a critical piece of belonging to a fire crew. While in the field, each 10-person crew learns wildfire fighting techniques including attacking the fire, digging handlines, dealing with hotspots, and mobile kitchen operation. Experienced crew members also assist in training new crew members under the direction of DNR crew bosses. The training is equivalent to National Wildfire Coordinating Group Firefighter 2 level. Certificates of completion may aid the individuals in gaining employment fighting wildfires after their release. Crew member Alex Maravilla says the program has given him life skills including leadership, dependability, and communication, according to the DOC. I have been given a great opportunity and, in my opinion, the best part of this program is being able to help people and give back to the community, he said. Nearly 1,900 wildfires destroyed over 674,000 acres in Washington last year, according to the Washington Forest Protection Association. The Schneider Spring fire was the largest, consuming over 107,000 acres. All costs incurred by DOC for fire suppression responses are reimbursed by DNR, according to the DOC. The DNR did not respond to a request for information on the cost of the program. The DOC operates 12 prisons and reports an average daily population of about 13,300. 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 Additional Skill Acquisition Programme will offer subsidised education loans to the students through banks Noida-based Cliniminds has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala, Section 8 Company Under Department of Higher Education, Education Department, Government of Kerala. Under the agreement, Cliniminds would offer job oriented skill training programmes in pharmaceutical business analytics, health economics and outcomes research, healthcare decision analytics, clinical research, pharmacovigilance and data management, prepare students for the job roles and provide placement opportunities to the students. ASAP would also be offering subsidised education loans to the students through banks. Programmes will be offered for life sciences, biotechnology, pharmacy, medical, dental, ayurvedic, homoeopathic, nursing, IT and computer sciences, mathematics and statistics graduates and post graduates from Kerala. Both ASAP and Cliniminds would work closely to make the agreement successful, which would help students from Kerala. When is Father's Day? was the top searched for topic in May by South Africans, while an increase in Monkeypox cases piqued search interest as well. Based on Google search activity in May, the country was also concerned with Eid Mubarak and the Met Gala. Source: iol iol Actor Siyabonga Zubane, who died early in May, made the Google search list twice When is Fathers Day? What is Monkeypox? What is Eid Mubarak? What is the Met Gala? Explain what is meant by the right to freedom of expression? Why is it important for the state to administer prices of certain goods? What is the repo rate? What is the impact of social media on the constitutional right to privacy? When is the Champions League final? What is Africa Day? Samthing Soweto Mpho Moerane Edwin Sodi Mothers Day messages Siyabonga Zubane Champions League final Hillary Gardee Sdumo from Gomora Ray Liotta Italian Open Also of interest was news of the repo rate increasing by 50 basis points last month to 4.75%, which saw many South Africans wanting to find out more about what it is.Several high-profile deaths ranked in the top searched terms including those of former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Moerane, Hillary Gardee, and actor Ray Liotta.Actor Siyabonga Zubane, who died early in May made the list twice, as people also searched for his well-loved character Sdumo, from the showIn the top 10 searches, Mothers Day messages also appeared in the Top 10 searches.Many South Africans searched for more information on what Africa Day, celebrated on 25 May. Citizens were also curious about human rights, with the right to freedom of speech and the impact of social media on the right to privacy both appearing among the top 10 questions searched for in May.On the sporting front, excitement around international events such as the Champions League final which saw Liverpool face off against Real Madrid and the Italian Open, won by Novak Djokovic were among the most searched locally.Search trends information is gathered from data collated by Google based on what South Africans have been searching for. Google processes more than 40,000 search queries every second. This translates to more than a billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide.Top searches indicate searches that topped Googles charts while Most searched queries are the most popular terms for the past 15 years, ranked in order by volume of searches. Live Google search trends data is available at here Appoints Nanzala Mwaura managing director and Rentia Kraucamp as research director. Nanzala Mwaura MetrixLab is excited to open a new office in Johannesburg, South Africa as of 1 June. The South African office marks the global research companys entry into a new continent, and will support the global research companys other AMEA offices in China, Singapore, India, UAE and Australia as the first MetrixLab office in Africa.Nanzala Mwaura will build the business as managing director. With unparalleled experience in building deep relationships with clients across Africa, Mwaura joins the team from her position at Ipsos as chief client officer, SSA. I am very excited to join MetrixLab and I am looking forward to supporting our clients in driving business impact in Africa with new tech-driven solutions. Mwaura will be joined by Rentia Kraucamp, who will direct local research operations for Africa as research director.Rob Valsler, regional managing director of MetrixLab AMEA says: Nanzala is the ideal person to launch our first office in Africa and help our global clients better understand this unique continent. Along with Rentia, they share a combination of energy and experience thats a perfect match for MetrixLabs culture blending evolving technology with passionate experts. MOSCOW, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday expressed common readiness to consistently strengthen bilateral relations, including through the implementation of joint economic and trade projects. Putin and Raisi discussed bilateral cooperation and praised the current level of Russian-Iranian relations during a phone conversation, the Kremlin said in a press release. Considering the situation regarding Iran's nuclear program, the presidents noted the need to continue diplomatic efforts to reach a final agreement that would ensure the preservation and full implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and the UN Security Council Resolution 2231. There's no shortage of comment about how the pandemic fast-tracked digitalisation, where companies that may have been delaying the inevitable had their hands forced by the biggest black swan event in living memory. It's no different for education institutions, many of which had to scramble quickly to enable remote and distance learning and faculty management. Education institutions, so long bastions of tradition, now understand that they must innovate to differentiate in a changed world. Image source: Rungaroon taweeapiradeemunkohg 123RF.com Advisors - whats the point? Where does it go wrong? Everyone, including IT, must come to the cloud party Evangelism - every person, from lecturer to IT administrator, must understand the power that can be unlocked by switching to the cloud. - every person, from lecturer to IT administrator, must understand the power that can be unlocked by switching to the cloud. Education - what do you have, what should you have and how do you use it properly? If you are an IT manager, resisting a move to the cloud will have serious consequences for the institution at large. If Microsoft bills a campus annually and it does not use up the services it was billed for, it is lost. Many millions of rands are lost this way every year. While it cannot be refunded, services can be reserved and so the how and why of reservation becomes a key education focus. - what do you have, what should you have and how do you use it properly? If you are an IT manager, resisting a move to the cloud will have serious consequences for the institution at large. If Microsoft bills a campus annually and it does not use up the services it was billed for, it is lost. Many millions of rands are lost this way every year. While it cannot be refunded, services can be reserved and so the how and why of reservation becomes a key education focus. A change in mindset - a move to the cloud is more than just turning on a computer. Its about understanding that new processes will replace the old and how the move to the cloud will be negatively affected - or even nullified - if this doesnt occur. Perhaps the biggest change is shattering silos and opening institutional communication. How does my cloud usage affect yours, and if I do this, what does it mean for you? - a move to the cloud is more than just turning on a computer. Its about understanding that new processes will replace the old and how the move to the cloud will be negatively affected - or even nullified - if this doesnt occur. Perhaps the biggest change is shattering silos and opening institutional communication. How does my cloud usage affect yours, and if I do this, what does it mean for you? Talk to the right people - the advisors should be speaking to the people who will be using the software, but crucially also those who will be using the subscription and who have administration rights, which means the ability to spin up the services. There needs to be responsibility for data backup and management and protection, among other key cloud considerations. - the advisors should be speaking to the people who will be using the software, but crucially also those who will be using the subscription and who have administration rights, which means the ability to spin up the services. There needs to be responsibility for data backup and management and protection, among other key cloud considerations. Building long-term relationships - An advisor should be having quarterly meetings with institutions at a minimum, while in many instances it would need to be monthly or more. The whole point is to ensure that the organisation buys the products and services that fulfil its objectives. But it doesnt end there. Microsoft has a framework where it signs 36-month contracts. The advisor should be with the organisation along this journey to ensure that the products are being used properly and efficiently, and if there needs to be a change, what it should be and what form it should ideally take to keep costs down and innovation up. Beyond this, there are often changes in human resources and new people need to go through the same education as those before them did. - An advisor should be having quarterly meetings with institutions at a minimum, while in many instances it would need to be monthly or more. The whole point is to ensure that the organisation buys the products and services that fulfil its objectives. But it doesnt end there. Microsoft has a framework where it signs 36-month contracts. The advisor should be with the organisation along this journey to ensure that the products are being used properly and efficiently, and if there needs to be a change, what it should be and what form it should ideally take to keep costs down and innovation up. Beyond this, there are often changes in human resources and new people need to go through the same education as those before them did. The 36-month contract, billed annually - which gives advisors sufficient time to help institutions squeeze out savings - is a good timeframe. It enables campuses and advisors to build long-term relationships that deliver innovation that matters. Whether it's a large public university, a smaller private institution or a Tvet college, institutions of higher learning are faced with the reality of needing to keep up with the world to cater to the generation Zs and millennials that populate campuses. Staff, too, need the best tools to deliver classes and manage internal affairs.The most important digitalisation move that an institution will make is to embrace the cloud, not for the clouds sake, but because its the only way it will be able to deliver excellence in our fast-paced, digital world. However, any institution that has dipped its toes into the world of the cloud knows that its easier said than done because, in almost every instance, there needs to be an entire mindset shift among all users, sufficient education to get the most out of various cloud applications and a healthy dose of budgetary reality.Knowledgeable advisors play a crucial role in the digital journeys of educational institutions - not as salespeople. On the contrary, the ideal conversations between advisors and institutions should centre around providing the best advice, with optimisation front and centre. Thats the barometer, as it were. Whats the point of any investment in the cloud if it has not fundamentally improved an organisation and made it better and more efficient at delivering its services?Lets not beat around the bush. Money is scarce in education - there just isnt an endless stream of budget waiting to be used. Rather, the advisor should be making sure an institution is buying and working with technology that helps it differentiate and innovate - without spending more than it needs to.Software licensing is a complex world and is always evolving and it needs to be demystified lest more organisations find themselves in very deep holes at worst or underwhelmed at best. A good advisor keeps its clients informed and on the front foot so that they are aware of pending changes and updates before the cloud software provider itself makes contact.Lets take a look at some of the common cloud pitfalls in South Africas education institutions. In most instances, users are spinning up cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure, without any control or usage structure. In these instances, our teams work very closely with the organisation to help users understand what they have subscribed to and how to use it. Perhaps the most important part of this process is education on how usage affects costs. A great analogy we use at Altron Karabina is to imagine a tap being turned on. It needs to be turned off or youll continue using, and wasting, water. Users must understand this concept and what turning off the taps would entail in an Azure environment, for example. Just this light bulb moment can result in massive cost savings.Education institutions have a variety of people who are subject matter experts in other fields but have not yet developed enough knowledge about the cloud and what it is. Similarly, IT departments at these institutions have often been running things a certain way for many years. There are instances where there is resistance to a broad move to the cloud out of the misguided fear that it would result in their job insecurity.In addition to this, the very nature of a traditional place of higher learning is that it operates in silos and so communication is all but non-existent.Its important that advisors follow a few key steps to bring organisations up to speed. This includes:Microsoft, for example, offers an array of discounts to education institutions and so more and more campuses will complete their moves into the cloud in the coming months and years. This move is crucial to remaining competitive and relevant as a modern education institution. However, as with all good things, if mismanaged it can go wrong quickly, which comes at a hefty price tag. Thankfully, this pain can be reversed and prevented. Formerly African Utility Week, Enlit Africa kicked off in Cape Town this week with the just energy transition top of the agenda. A keynote panel, featuring Andre de Ruyter, group chief executive, Eskom; Tanja Werheit, consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany; and Bernard Rey, head of cooperation for the EU Delegation to South Africa, unpacked the $8.5bn Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) announced at last year's COP26. $8.5bn not enough Ensuring a just transition Facilitating grid access JETP a multi-decade initiative AU-EU partnership The partnership, among Germany, France, the United Kingdom, United States, the European Union, and South Africa, aims to support SA achieve its revised nationally determined contribution (NDC) to climate change mitigation as part of the Paris Agreement."Essentially, we're seeking to aggregate development finance and partner country ambition, philanthropic resources, and private finance to accelerate the decommission of high-emitting assets while investing in renewable energy and supporting an inclusive and equitable transition for impacted communities," said John Morton, climate counsellor in the US Department of Treasury, in a pre-recorded presentation.Morton acknowledged that while the $8.5bn is a substantial public-donor commitment, it won't be enough to fully support SA's transition. But, he said, it can help unlock greater private sector resources. SA still, however, needs to address the issues around Eskom's solvency, build up its transmission network to support large renewables expansion, and develop a holistic strategy to support communities affected by the transition, he said.De Ruyter noted that while an energy transition has become inevitable, one of the key challenges for South Africa is to make sure it is a just one. "We need to take cognisance of the very legitimate concerns of those who've invested years of financial equity, but also sweat equity, in the coal value chain," he said."We will be remiss if we put a padlock on the gates of our power plants and walk away and embark on an investment programme that leaves those in the lurch that have contributed so much to the South African economy over the 99 years for which Eskom has been in existence."He explained that grid access is the biggest constraint to rapidly connecting new sources of power generation, and that part of the $8.5bn has been earmarked to help address this. However, South Africa needs between 8,000-10,000km of new transmission lines and over 100 new major substations - the development of which will take a very long time."To facilitate earlier grid access, we looked at our existing grid and that grid is, by and large, concentrated in the province of Mpumalanga where our current coal-fired power stations are predominantly located."This presents us with an extremely elegant solution to migrate to a just energy transition by making available grid access where it currently is and migrating new employment opportunities and new economic development in the coal belt where the need is the greatest," said De Ruyter.Werheit highlighted Germany's contribution to the JETP, noting that it is a multi-decade initiative that requires a coordinated, multilateral approach. "This is a big challenge and a huge task but let's not forget that this is also the biggest opportunity of our time. This JETP could become a blueprint for many other countries and many other regions," she said.She emphasised that the partnership was formed to support South Africa and it is up to the country to lead the way forward. Werheit also encouraged private sector engagement and investment in climate action and green, sustainable solutions.Rey highlighted the ongoing partnership between the African Union and the European Union in the green energy transition. "The European Union knows that protecting the environment is necessary... and we cannot do it alone."He said the AU-EU partnership was based on three principles: that renewables cannot provide Africa a complete solution in the short term, no one type of energy resource or fuel type will be sufficient and, lastly, that Africa can develop its energy autonomy but it will require long-term resilient and sustainable energy markets."This is a mutual learning exercise," said Rey. "We have the same problems in Europe and we should not forget that. Together, we can get it peer to peer and gain, mutually, the lessons to get it right." We spoke with Mark Stecker, CEO and cofounder of digital agency Firewater, to find out more about his work and his life beyond being a creative. Image supplied: Mark Stecker Tell us a bit more about what you do? What's really behind your selfie? Growing up, what did you want to do? How did you end up doing what you do now? Tell us about some highlights of your career. When you're not busy working, what are you doing? How do you socialise these days? What are you watching/reading/listening to right now? What's your favourite gif? What does the rest of 2022 hold for you? Im the co-founder of Firewater, a South African digital agency with offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Sydney, Australia. I drive the sales, strategy and account management for the business.A dad, a serious music fan and I love all extreme sports. I cant sit still and am energized by the people in my life both personally and professionally.When I was four, it was a fireman like all busy little boys. Then the older I got, it was an electrical engineer like my dad. Unfortunately, engineering wasnt for me, as the creative bug had bit hard and I was then hooked.I took up art as a subject late in high school and found a true passion in becoming a creative which led me on a discovery path to becoming one in the digital space.I was lucky to join a small agency that gave me access to web development while it was in its infancy. I then went on my own and started Firewater, the rest is history.Its been an interesting and fun ride the true highlights are the people and brands I have been fortunate to work with over the last 20 years.Highlights include the recognition we have received for the work we have done and the challenging projects that we achieved great successes with. Nothing beats the energy of a team completely aligned on a project and of course, the smile on our partners (clients) faces. It also helps that I have fun doing what I love.Im a family man, I love to spend my time with family and friends at any given opportunity. I spend my time between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Now that the world is opening up again after the chaos of the global pandemic, I intend to travel again to see live bands and new places.Im really enjoying the Fly on the Wall and SmartLess podcasts on Spotify. Not reading as much as I would like but I am reading Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr Joe Dispenza. Obsessed with the latest Nothing But Thieves and Cold War Kids tracks.Firewater is on a massive growth trajectory, so we have some big plans. We are growing our international client base and offering - watch this space! Johannesburg, Edenvale, R 20000 - R 25000 per month We are currently on the lookout for Mid-Senior 3D Designer to join our design team. In this role, we will ask you to: Design for display, product mock ups... COPENHAGEN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Participants in the International Energy Agency's (IEA) 7th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency, taking place in Sonderborg in southern Denmark between June 7 and June 9, pledged on Wednesday to "turbocharge energy efficiency progress to combat the energy crisis and meet the climate goals." "Energy efficiency is a critical solution to so many of the world's most urgent challenges -- it can simultaneously make our energy supplies more affordable, more secure and more sustainable," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said . "The oil shocks of the 1970s set in motion major advances in efficiency, and it is utterly essential that efficiency is at the heart of the response to today's global energy crisis." The gravity of the crisis is underscored by the publication of a new IEA report, timed to coincide with the global conference, which urges delegates to seek "a rapid solution to the crippling effects of the spike in energy prices, strengthening energy security and tackling climate change." The analysis says that a "global push on efficiency would help create 10 million additional jobs in fields ranging from building retrofits to manufacturing and transport infrastructure." According to Dan Jorgensen, Denmark's minister of climate, energy and utilities, the current pressure on Europe's energy security makes energy efficiency even more important. "By saving energy, we also reduce demand. So, we are not as dependent as we used to be on fossil fuels," Jorgensen told Xinhua. According to the IEA analysis, doubling the current global rate of energy intensity improvement to 4 percent per year could reduce final energy consumption by 95 exajoules per year by the end of the decade. Global carbon emissions would be reduced by an additional 5 billion tonnes per year by 2030. Jorgensen said he expected Denmark's experiences with renewable energy and energy-efficient solutions to serve as a model for other countries. "China is a huge country with a huge potential for growth in a sustainable way, which is also the goal of the Chinese government," he said. "If we in any way can help with some of our solutions, our technology, then that will be great," he added. This year's global conference is jointly organized by the IEA and Denmark's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, with support from Danish engineering company Danfoss. The conference is attended by approximately 25 ministers from around the world, as well as United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) President Alok Sharma, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Amani Abou-Zeid, and European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. Pelosi has Long Clashed with the Bishops NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League June 8, 2022 NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Rep. Nancy Pelosi's history of clashing with the bishops: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent run-in with San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone is only the latest in a long line of clashes she has had with U.S. bishops. Her record of openly rejecting key moral teachings of the Catholic Church is extensive, calling into question her repeated assertions that she is a "devout Catholic." Here is a partial list of her departures from Church teachings and her interactions with the various bishops. 1990: Rep. Pelosi took umbrage with New York Archbishop John Cardinal O'Connor for raising the possibility of excommunication for Catholic pro-abortion politicians. She replied, "it has to be clear that we are elected officials, and we uphold the law and, we support public positions separate and apart from our Catholic faith." 1995: The bishops objected to having Frances Kissling's pro-abortion and anti-Catholic group, Catholics for a Free Choice, at the U.N. Conference on Women in Beijing. The head of the bishops' conference, William Cardinal Keeler, said, "To use the name Catholic to promote the taking of innocent life is offensive." Pelosi worked hand-in-hand with Kissling. She defended her by saying, "Many women are concerned about freedom of speech and association at the conference. Accreditation should not be a politicized process." 2004: Pelosi defended her pro-abortion stance, saying, "I believe that my position on choice is one that is consistent with my Catholic upbringing, which said that every person has a free will and has the responsibility to live their own lives in a way that they would have to account for in the end." She lashed out at her Catholic critics, commenting, "I'm certainly concerned when the church comes together and says it's going to sanction people in public office for speaking their conscience and what they believe." 2004: Following her party's loss in the election, Pelosi said, "As a devout Catholic, I observe with great regret the intervention of some Catholic bishops who joined evangelical leaders in the political arena." 2005: San Francisco Archbishop William Levada said that Catholics, including Catholic politicians, must accept Church teaching about "the evil of abortion" if they want to remain "in full communion with the faith of the church." Pelosi publicly complained that she was being "singled out" by the bishops for her defiance of Church teaching on abortion. 2006: Pelosi redefines "people of faith" as those who support the federal budget, not the life issues. She defended 114 protesters for blocking the entrance to the Capitol, saying, "They had events in the Capitol, they were arrested on the steps of the Cannon Building...." They were arrested because they broke the law. 2008: Pelosi was asked on "Meet the Press" to comment on when life begins. "I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the Church have not been able to make that definition." Following the show, San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer chided her for misrepresenting Church teaching and asked to see her. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a news release correcting her. Pelosi struck back saying Saint Augustine took a different view. The USCCB answered her with a two-page document outlining the Catholic Church's historical opposition to abortion since the first century. Cardinal George Pell responded by saying Augustine "believed that the embryo was ensouled at 46 days. Nevertheless, he also believed it was gravely wrong to kill a formed or unformed fetus." 2009: Pelosi meets with Pope Benedict XVI and she quickly put a positive spin on it. In fact, she was rebuked by the pope. The Holy See Press Office commented as follows: "His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church's consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in co-operation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development." 2014: Pelosi is awarded Planned Parenthood's highest honor, The Margaret Sanger Award, named after the notorious white racist. 2014: Pelosi is one of 48 Catholic Democrats who signed a letter criticizing the bishops for considering the withdrawal of Holy Communion from pro-abortion Catholic politicians. The dissidents said such a move would be "counterproductive and would bring great harm to the church." 2014: Pelosi publicly lectures San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone on his decision to speak at the March for Marriage, an event that supported marriage as the union between a man and a woman. He had never heretofore publicly criticized her, making plain that she started the public feud between the two of them. 2015: Pelosi received an award from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, bringing her grandchildren to the gala. She falsely claimed that same-sex marriage is perfectly "consistent" with Church teachings. 2015: Pelosi attacked a Louisiana law requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where the abortion is performed. 2015: Pelosi invoked Pope Francis in her remarks defending government funding of Planned Parenthood. A month earlier at the United Nations the pope called for "putting an end as quickly as possible" to such "baneful" practices as "the marketing of human organs and tissues." He called for "respect for the sacredness of every human life," including "the unborn." 2017: Pelosi seeks to restore the Obama administration's Health and Human Services mandate, which Trump rolled back. Thus did she seek again to force the Little Sisters of the Poor to pay for abortion-inducing drugs in their healthcare plans. 2020: Pelosi sought to discriminate against Catholic schools by denying them money awarded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The bishops spoke out against her effort. Yet she defended awarding funds to illegal aliens and sanctuary cities. 2020: Knoxville Bishop Rick Stika said, "It really confuses me that both Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi time and time again state that they are faithful Catholics and yet promote unlimited abortion as well as deny so many of the teachings of our faith." 2021: The USCCB urged Pelosi to withdraw her plan to force taxpayers to pay for abortions in Medicaid and other federal programs. 2021: San Francisco Archbishop Cordileone called on Catholics to join a prayer campaign seeking Pelosi's "conversion to heart" on abortion rights. 2022: Archbishop Cordileone tells Pelosi not to present herself for Communion given her long-standing obstinacy defending abortion rights. 2022: Over a dozen bishops rush to support Archbishop Cordileone. 2022: Santa Rosa Bishop Robert Vasa, Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge, Portland Archbishop Alexander Sample and Tyler, Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland announce that Pelosi is not welcome to receive Communion in their dioceses. 2022: Pelosi goes on TV to say that not only is Cordileone wrong, so are Church teachings on contraception, in vitro fertilization, gay and transgender issues and abortion. There is no Catholic politician who has a record of openly defying the Catholic Church on the issues of women, marriage, the family and sexuality worse than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Worse, she defines herself as a "practicing, devout Catholic," thus giving scandal to the Church by inviting Catholics and non-Catholics alike to believe that one can be a Catholic in good standing with the Church and at the same time reject core moral teachings. There are atheists who are more in harmony with the Church's teachings on these issues than Pelosi is. She sought the confrontationnow she is paying for it. SOURCE Catholic League CONTACT: 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org Share Tweet 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. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is demanding government action to protect First Nations affected by extreme weather in the province. Advertisement Advertise With Us The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is demanding government action to protect First Nations affected by extreme weather in the province. Sixteen Manitoba First Nations have required flood assistance this spring, including Peguis, Roseau River, Sagkeeng, Pauingassi, Long Plain, Ebb and Flow, Pine Creek, Sapotaweyak Cree Nation, Sandy Bay, and Rolling River, according to Indigenous Services Canada. "This year, First Nations citizens are evacuated at alarming rates due to above-average precipitation and severely cold temperatures," said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs acting Grand Chief Cornell McLean of Lake Manitoba First Nation. "We continue to urge the government to engage with First Nations to protect our nations, lands and territories so that we are not existing in a perpetual state of crisis." This isnt the first or last spring First Nations will be confronted by extreme weather, he said. The greatest challenge of the ongoing flooding has been the displacement of First Nations members from their homes and communities. Many have been forced to relocate to Winnipeg or Brandon for an indeterminate amount of time until they can safely return home. "Living in a big city, everything you do costs money. Theres only so much money that they have with the cost of food, the cost of gas, especially being encroached in a small room with multiple family members," McLean said. Some families return to their homes to find them laced with mould and uninhabitable. As extreme weather intensifies, McLean said he believes climate change will have longlasting effects on First Nations. Speaking from what he has seen in the Interlake region, McLean said when it comes to natural disasters, First Nations have faced flooding, tornadoes, ice storms, fires and other crises. He said the province must provide flood mitigation and recovery infrastructure. This includes allowing First Nations to access funding offered to municipalities for road reconstruction, rehabilitation and preservation projects. This $15 million in funding from the province is dispersed across Manitobas 137 municipalities on a per-capita basis. In a statement to the Sun, a provincial spokesperson said First Nations are under the purview of the federal government through Indigenous Services Canada, but it plans to work with federal and First Nation partners on the long-term infrastructure solutions in First Nations to better address potential flood events in the future. Indigenous Services Canada previously invested $80 million to protect First Nations in Manitoba from flooding and recently renewed a one-year agreement with the Canadian Red Cross to support Manitoba First Nations in managing responses and evacuations to flooding. Rolling River First Nation has experienced more serious flooding this spring than it has in recent years, said Chief Wilfred McKay. "The water was higher. The river was pushing an inch within our bridges," McKay said. There are three bridges in the community used daily, which were all affected by rising waters in the area. School buses and water trucks were re-routed during the extreme weather as it was deemed unsafe to cross the bridges as the water crested. Some basements also flooded. Rolling River had declared a state of emergency, which is now over, but the community is worried about the viability of the three bridges now that the floodwaters have receded, he said. He wants the bridges, which are made of timber, to be upgraded to steel. "We want our bridges brought up to a level where the water wont hit the bridge and possibly wash it away," McKay said, adding the roads near the bridges also need upgrades. The most essential bridge to replace is the centre bridge, the oldest in the community, and the chief and council want to see the infrastructure upgrades take place over the summer. One of the girders on the structure has cracked in half and requires replacement, he said. "Thats what we want as chief and council for Rolling River. We want steel bridges," McKay said. "A wooden bridges lifespan is 50 years and ours are there." ckemp@brandonsun.com Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp If walls could talk. And windows and ceilings. They do in the Australian Chamber Orchestras new concert hall, The Neilson, where the surfaces contain secret and coded messages about the power of music. Written in Braille in the waves of soundproofing in the halls walls is a quote by Ludwig van Beethoven: Kant spoke of the moral law in us, and the starry sky above us. What is music? It is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Richard Tognetti, the ACOs chief violinist and artistic director, in the companys new home. Credit:Brook Mitchell Quotes written in Morse code and Braille and references to famous classical musicians written in musical code are dotted across the ACOs offices, concert hall and rehearsal spaces at Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay. They were a response by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects with sound engineers Arup to the acoustic challenges of housing an orchestra in a 100-year-old wharf with large glass windows overlooking Sydney Harbour. When Kate Mulholland decided to leave her husband of 29 years in November, the judgment she got from friends blindsided her. She was expecting the usual sympathy-tinged insults about how shed be lonely, with nothing but Lean Cuisine to keep her warm. What she got was more like an emotional drive-by shooting. I just needed to just be me, says podcaster Kate Mulholland, right, of breaking up with her husband of 29 years, last year. She and comedian Nelly Thomas, left, have a new podcast about midlife breakups. Credit:Penny Stephens Someone asked me if I had taken a vow of poverty, says Mulholland of a friend who asked why shed choose to be single when she was just shy of 50 and lacking a financially secure career. (She recently wound up a 12-year career staging houses.) Another friend chided: the kids would never want this, would they? When personal trainer Brando Hasick catches up with friends, he is often the one who brings up the subject of money. I cant help it. I like surrounding myself with people who are doing interesting things with their money, he says. Brando Hasick and partner Aisha Mulligan. When were out for dinner, I find it fascinating to hear their approach to making it work for them. Its how I learn, he says. The 29-year-old Sydneysiders ultimate dream is to establish a passive income stream maybe shares that pay good dividends that will set him up financially for life. He hopes it would enable him to retire early. It would be nice to think that working is a choice, he says. Uranium ban The Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, moved today to quell a threatened revolt in the Labor Party by announcing a ban on exports of uranium to France, including a shipment due to be made soon. In talks in Paris tomorrow with President Mitterrand and other French leaders, Mr Hawke will use uranium exports as a lever to try to extract concessions on French testing in the Pacific. His tough new stand reverses the position he took before leaving Australia. Test tube triplets After eight years of wanting a baby, four years on an infertility program and one miscarriage, Mrs Elaine Guare gave birth yesterday to the worlds first test tube triplets. She looked up from her bed at the Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide and said: Arent they beautiful? The babies are Chenana Jade Elizabeth, Aaron Michael Anthony and Jessica Rae. The first born, Chenana, was named after the obstetrician, Dr Christopher Chen. Hung up First published in The Age on June 10, 1992 Second bombing raises fear in Wedderburn Police speculate that the same person could be responsible for explosions that have destroyed two shops in the historic gold town of Wedderburn in the past two months. State Emergency Service workers sweep up debris in High Street, Wedderburn, after the early morning bombing of a fish shop. Credit:Neil Hewitt Arson squad detectives, forensic scientists and bomb experts from the police special operations group spent yesterday sifting through the remains of a fish and chip shop that exploded in flames early in the morning. Police said it was too early to establish any positive link with the bombing of a bakery only two doors down from the fish ship in April. Loading The explosion happened about 4 am as the owner, Mr Nick Isihos, 41, and his friend Stan, 39, slept in the premises at the rear of the shop. Both were badly shaken but not injured. The blast sprayed glass and debris across the main street and caused minor structural damage to adjoining buildings in the central Victorian town. The deputy controller of the State Emergency Service, Mr Barrie Johnson, said the explosion was so loud that most of the town heard it. Sometime in the next two weeks, Lyn Osborne will return to her gutted house in the Dandenong Ranges and take a moment to say goodbye. The walls have been stripped back to their bare timber frames, and plastic covers a smashed roof, but Osborne will savour the final moments in the happy family home in Kalorama where she lived for 43 years. Lyn Osborne inspecting the damage to her property in June last year. Credit:Joe Armao Ill talk to it about the good times weve had, and thank it very much for what its given me in my life, she said. I hope its happy for the next people. Thursday marks one year since terrifying storms ripped through the hills, bringing down more than 25,000 trees and damaging 177 properties in the Yarra Ranges, including 76 homes that were rendered uninhabitable. Police have uncovered a suspected Chinese money laundering syndicate headquartered in Victoria and NSW that is moving hundreds of millions of dollars annually to China and across the globe, raising serious questions about whether Beijing is turning a blind eye to organised crime. Australian law enforcement agencies, in partnership with officials from the United States and Canada, have also compiled intelligence that suggests Chinese companies and brokers are supplying the vast majority of precursor chemicals used to make illicit drugs on the Australian market. AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw says some foreign governments are turning a blind eye to money laundering syndicates. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The suspected money laundering syndicate, known as the Chen Organisation, counts as its customers a relative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with Asian triads and bikies, according to briefings from officials. Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Reece Kershaw told his Five Eyes counterparts on Tuesday night that some countries [are] producing precursors at an eye-watering scale, and governments were turning a blind eye to the proceeds of crime washing through their economies. Power giant Origin Energy has warned sky-high energy costs could sink small electricity retailers and blue-collar unions have set the scene for a clash with the government by calling for a new tax on gas exporters ahead of a crisis meeting of ministers on Wednesday. Origin chief executive Frank Calabria said a shortage of coal and recent outages at coal-fired power stations were increasing demand for gas to fill the gap, driving up wholesale electricity and gas prices across the eastern seaboard. State and federal ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to tackle surging power prices. Credit:Fairfax Local issues have been compounded by record global prices as energy companies worldwide scramble to reduce their reliance on Russia to starve Moscow of the revenue it needs to fund its invasion of Ukraine. Wholesale power prices topped $400 a megawatt hour across the east-coast energy grid last week compared to an average of $70 last year, while wholesale gas prices have more than tripled from $10 a gigajoule to between $30 and $50 in recent weeks. London: British prosecutors said they have authorised charges to be brought against former Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein on two counts of indecent assault against a woman 26 years ago. Charges have been authorised against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation, said Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) Special Crime Division. Harvey Weinstein during an appeal against his conviction in the US. Credit:AP The CPS said the alleged assault took place in August 1996 in London. Londons Metropolitan Police said the accusation involved a woman, now aged in her 50s. It is strange and even unhelpful for them to release this information without having interviewed him, given him any previous disclosure regarding the allegations and not producing an actual charge sheet, nor any plan of how they intend to proceed with the matter, a spokesman for Weinstein told Reuters by email. London: She had eagerly looked forward to going home for the holidays and reuniting with friends over dinner and drinks. Instead, Eva Keeling, 19, says, she wound up injected by a stranger with a needle while at a bar in her hometown of Stafford, in northern England, leaving her unable to speak or function. We went outside [the bar] for some fresh air . . . then I ended up losing all control of my body, the ability to walk, hold my head up, I couldnt talk - I was projectile vomiting everywhere, Keeling said. A number of countries have reported incidents of needle spiking in nightclubs and concerts, with victims often unaware until feeling sick or simply discovering needle marks. Credit:AP Days after her April night out, she still felt ill and, while getting dressed, noticed her arm was swollen. Feeling petrified, she rushed to a hospital for blood tests and was screened for diseases such as HIV. Doctors informed her shed been injected with a dirty needle, causing the infection and swelling. A key challenge for brokers, and the industry overall, is the more efficient use of time. Brokers need time to invest in understanding customers objectives, alongside liaising with lenders, collecting customer information, and managing the demands of a thriving business. Read more: Merger brings new era of opportunity Lendi Group has come up with two solutions that will help Aussie brokers address these challenges head on. We are sharply focused on removing the time [spent on these tasks] out of brokers days, so they can focus on value-adding activities, said Brad Cramb, CEO of distribution at Lendi Group. To us, creating a seamless experience for the customer requires us to facilitate great broker experiences first. Our new broker value proposition is set to deliver huge productivity benefits, translating to an improved customer experience. By removing costs out of the business for brokers and allowing them to drive more revenue, they can ultimately be more profitable. The first solution introduced by Lendi Group is the deployment of an in-house associates team. The associates establish first contact with company-generated enquiries, qualifying the customer and either directing them to an appointment with a broker, or into a nurture pipeline for specialised contact. This team gathers all the unique details of the customer and collates the documents so that when the customer meets with the broker, more substantive issues can be immediately addressed. This is a highly efficient process that adds time back into a brokers day, allowing them to focus on building richer and more efficient customer relationships, Cramb said. The other key enhancement is the implementation of Lendi Groups in-house client solutions team, who prepare loan documentation on behalf of the broker. The benefits of these rollouts are already clear, despite only being in the pilot stage, Cramb said. From an associates team point of view, weve seen a doubling of lodgements per month for those brokers who are on the pilot, he said. Ultimately, theyre being more productive in their time and time usage. The client solutions team also saw positive results, with both initiatives soon to be rolled out to the Aussie mobile team on an opt-in basis. Cramb said a key part of delivering these benefits remains the human touch this despite technology being at the heart of broker operations for the wider group. We never lose sight of the fact that this industry, and of course broker interaction, is human-led, he said. Its a very important part of the value proposition, and its a very important part of the model that were building for our brokers. Its through the use of tech to reduce the mundane and repetitious parts of the process that allows brokers to spend more time with customers to gather information in a way that only humans can. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor Air Products, a world leader in industrial gases, on Wednesday said it has signed a long term supply agreement with the state-owned Corporation Limited (IOCL). "Air Products will build, own, and operate (BOO) a new industrial gases complex supplying hydrogen, nitrogen and steam to IOCL's Barauni Refinery in Bihar," the firm said in a statement. It, however, did not reveal the financial details of the contract. The new industrial gas complex will aid Barauni capacity expansion from six to nine million tonnes per annum producing Euro-VI or BS-VI compliant petrol and diesel. "The industrial gas complex will include the latest generation multi-feed hydrogen production facility supplying 70,000 normal cubic metres per hour (Nm3/hr) of hydrogen as well as steam, and a high-efficiency air separation unit producing 4,000 Nm3/hr of nitrogen," it said. Air Products expects the new industrial gas complex for to come onstream in 2024. Once completed, the Barauni project will be Air Products' second BOO project in India, after the Kochi industrial gas complex at BPCL's Kochi refinery in Kerala. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As director of global brand relations at Amazon, Anna Dalla Vals role is to fight the battle against counterfeit at the e-commerce giant. She leads a global team dedicated to working with brands, industry associations, government regulators, and law enforcement to advance Amazons brand protection program. At a time when Amazon, has been under increasing pressure to tackle counterfeit products, Val said that the company has prevented 4 billion bad listings from making it onto its site last year. It also got rid of more than 3 million fake goods last year compared to over 2 million in 2020. Amazons automated technology scanned more than 8 billion attempted changes to product detail pages daily for signs of potential abuse, (compared to more than 5 billion in 2020), said Val in an interview. blocked more than 4 billion bad listings before they were listed in our store. The firm also revealed these insights through its second Brand Protection Report, which highlights Amazons commitment to the authenticity of goods sold in its store and to fighting bad actors. The challenge is huge. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that pirated and counterfeit make up 2.5 per cent of world tradethats $464 billion a year. Thats roughly the gross domestic product of Belgium, said Val. Counterfeit (products) deprive the brand owners, of the value of their intellectual property. Our common objective is ensuring that our customers are protected from counterfeit. An alumnus of Columbia University Law School, Val, prior to joining Amazon, served as VP and global head of intellectual property at New York-based fashion brand Ralph Lauren. and its millions of selling partnersthe vast majority of which are small and medium-sized businessesserve hundreds of millions of customers worldwide. Customers expect that when they purchase an item in Amazons store, sold either by or by one of its third-party selling partners, they will receive an authentic product. In 2021, Amazon invested more than $900 million and had more than 12,000 peopleincluding machine learning scientists, software developers, and expert investigatorswho were dedicated to protecting customers, brands, selling partners, and their store from counterfeit, fraud, and other forms of abuse. A significant number of people from India are also part of such teams at the company. We really use a combination of machine learning and expert human review, said Val. Counterfeiters are relentless and try to circumvent our protection. For example, once machine learning is good at detecting infringing in the images, the counterfeiters started pixelating the images to try and avoid detection. And that's where we continue to scale and improve our machine learning to tackle this new type of abuse. Val said that Amazon is scaling up the protection and technology globally as well as in India to identify those trends and learn from them. Amazon stopped more than 2.5 million attempts to create fraudulent selling accounts, preventing these bad actors from publishing a single product for sale, according to the report. This is down from more than 6 million attempts the prior year, thanks to the robust seller and product vetting, along with efforts to hold bad actors accountable that are deterring them from attempting to sell on Amazon. There is increasing adoption of brand protection tools. Brand Registry, which unlocks a suite of tools to build and protect a brand on Amazon, grew to include more than 700,000 active brands, an increase of 40 per cent from the prior year. At the same time, the average number of valid notices of infringement submitted to Amazon by a brand in Brand Registry decreased by 25 per cent from the prior year, as continued growth in the adoption and efficacy of automated brand protection tools continue to reduce the number of issues that brands are able to find and report. We have built industry-leading tools and I am really pleased to share that they're all available in India, said Val. Amazon is also forging Public-Private Partnerships. It published a blueprint for public and private sector partnerships to stop counterfeiters, building on learning and progress in protecting Amazons store. In India, the consumer affairs ministry reportedly has raised concerns with Amazon related to improving customer services, including complaint redressal as well as selling genuine products. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) which represents about 70 million traders in the country has also been writing to the ministry to ensure that fake goods are not sold online and consumer rights are protected. When asked how Amazon is addressing such issues in India, Val said the company is partnering with a lot of industry associations and the Indian government to share the information. In India specifically, we signed memoranda of understanding (MoU)with leading industry associations, like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Beauty and Hygiene Association (IBHA), said Val. We have worked together to exchange information and conducted sessions to talk about tools and policy. Amazon said its Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) continued to focus on ensuring that counterfeiters are held accountablestopping them from abusing Amazons stores and those of other retailers across the industry. In 2021, Amazons CCU, filed civil litigation against more than 170 counterfeiters in U.S. courts. It sued or referred more than 600 criminals for investigation in the U.S., UK, EU, and China, an increase of more than 300 per cent over 2020. In 2021, Amazon identified, seized, and appropriately disposed of more than 3 million counterfeit products, preventing them from harming customers or being resold elsewhere in the retail supply chain. This includes counterfeits that were sent to Amazons fulfilment centres and situations where Amazon worked with brands and law enforcement to find counterfeiters warehouses and facilities, and get them to shut down. Ayana Renewable Power Pvt Ltd (Ayana) is scaling up its presence in Karnataka by setting up projects totaling 2 gigawatts (GWs) with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore. At present, it has an operational portfolio of 340 megawatt-alternate current (MWAC) in the state, Ayana said in a statement on Wednesday. "The company has signed an expression of interest with the government of Karnataka to develop wind and totaling 2 (GW) capacity with an investment of around Rs 120 billion (Rs 12,000 crore). At present, Ayana has an operational portfolio of 340 megawatt-alternate current (MWAC) in the state," it said. With the addition of 2 GW of green capacities, the company aims to to provide clean energy for nearly 2 million households. Karnataka, under its Policy 2022-27, aims to develop 10 GW of additional projects and Ayana is keen to help achieve the target, Shivanand Nimbargi, MD & CEO, Ayana, said. "Karnataka is a big pull for the renewable energy industry, and we are pleased to have partnered with it to expand the sector further," he said. According to the statement, the (NIIF) is a majority stakeholder in the Bengaluru-based Ayana. British International Investment and EverSource Capital-managed Green Growth Equity Fund are other shareholders in the company. The company is among India's fastest-growing renewable energy producers. (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.) has started an "orderly wind-down" of its business and laying off the workforce in Russia with its Indian-origin CEO Arvind Krishna saying the global IT giant will continue to stand by its employees in the country. In early March, the New York-headquartered multinational technology corporation announced the suspension of its business in Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, prompting the West to impose crippling sanctions on Moscow. The company on Tuesday issued an update on its business operations in Russia, saying it has made the decision to carry out an orderly wind-down of IBM's business in Russia. In the statement, IBM's Chairman, President and CEO Krishna said: On March 7th, I shared with you our decision to suspend IBM's business operations in Russia due to the war in Ukraine. Our focus for months has been on looking after the safety and security of IBMers and their families in impacted regions. We chose to suspend operations so that we could evaluate longer-term options while continuing to pay and provide for our employees in Russia. As the consequences of the war continue to mount and uncertainty about its long-term ramifications grows, the company has now made the decision to carry out an orderly wind-down of IBM's business in Russia. We see this move as both right and necessary, and a natural next step following our business suspension, Krishna said. This process will commence on Tuesday and result in the separation of the local workforce, he said. Our colleagues in Russia have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty. We recognise that this is difficult, and I want to assure them that will continue to stand by them and take all reasonable steps to provide support and make their transition as orderly as possible, he said. Krishna thanked IBMers' everywhere for all they have done to help the company, clients and communities navigate this crisis. Your spirit and generosity have made a difference, and you need look no further for evidence than the nearly USD 2 million in donations that have been made to the International Red Cross thanks to your individual gifts. We remain united in our hope for an end to this war and the restoration of peace, he added. In March, joined many Western like Procter & Gamble, Adidas to suspend business in Russia after President Putin on February 24 ordered a "special military operation" in neighbouring Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The recent comments by Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and Information Technology (IT) that the will be open to the creation of a self-regulatory grievance redress appellate body by is a positive step by the government, observed legal experts. The MoS further clarified that this body will be in place of the governments proposed grievance redress committee from the amendment. An attempt made to reach out to Big Tech players, such as Google, Meta, and Twitter, failed to elicit a response. Meanwhile, the legal fraternity believes that with all the back and forth and backlash the government has received so far on its IT Rules, this is the most positive. This is a very strategic and tactical move by the government in terms of dealing with policy and regulatory challenges, for which due credit has to be given to the government. The government has, on the one hand, tactfully tried to balance competing interests in terms of its requirements for access to user data and the demand of civil society to maintain customer privacy, especially in light of the backlash it received on the recent CERT-In (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) notification and also the earlier IT Rules requirements. On the other, by allowing players to create a self-regulatory body, the government is creating a co-regulatory model, similar to what Germany did, but ultimately its the national regulator that will call the shots. We will have to wait and watch Big Techs reaction, said Salman Waris, partner, TechLegis Advocates & Solicitors. The MoS in his briefing also said that the self-regulatory body will have to respect the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution. He said the government had to introduce the idea of a grievance appellate committee in its draft amendment to the IT Rules, 2021 released recently because citizens lacked avenues to appeal against the decision made by intermediaries and other Big Tech platforms. The minister was of the opinion that since there is no self-regulatory mechanism, the ministry is open to the idea if the industry and social media platforms come up with their own regulation. The users will also have the avenue to reach out to courts if they are not satisfied with the proposed appellate committee. The new amendments/rules with regard to the appellate committees will be finalised before the end of July. However, tech policy lobby players are not happy with the fact that the proposed changes to the IT Rules call for a government-mandated appellate committee. The (IFF) on said: On June 2, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) proposed amendments to IT Rules, 2021, but within hours withdrew the proposal with no explanation. It has now published a fresh proposal, the amendments contained in which are exactly the same as what was published earlier. The thread further read: When the previous (identical) amendment was proposed last week, we warned that the government will sit in appeal on what is permissible on social media. There are several other concerns with the amendments as well. This is proposed to be done through a government-appointed committee that, without any legislative basis, will have the power to censor content on social media on grounds not stated in Section 69A of IT Act, 2000, or blocking rules. MeitY will essentially be able to appoint itself to sit on top of social media platforms and decide what millions of Indians can or cannot say on their Facebook or profiles. This is being done with no transparency or accountability measures built into the Rules, said IFF. The constitution of an appellate grievance redress committee is a significant and progressive move that will provide greater recourse to users, especially in circumstances where they are unhappy with the decision of the grievance officer. Multiple layers of governance are crucial to ensure checks and balances on the powers of each layer. As long as such processes do not lead to overregulation, it is favourable to have an alternate redress mechanism to ensure effective decision-making and accountability of public offices, said Kazim Rizvi, founding director, The Dialogue. He further added that given the crucial nature of the task performed, having further recourse will ensure scope for revisiting decisions that might have wrongly impacted civil rights. In the current scenario as well, the office of the grievance officer shall continue to remain at its place which will be the primary source of seeking redress and the proposed committee will come above it as an appellate body. While the exact composition of the committee will be notified later, it will be paramount that its composition adheres to the foundational principles of independence and transparency as is expected from any public office, said Rizvi. Rizvi also agreed that an industry-led self-regulatory appellate body is a move towards co-regulation. This is one of the most sustainable approaches for collaboratively tackling the emerging challenges in the digital space. This ensures more effective redress of concerns, while also catering to the concerns around overregulation, which often leads to untoward implications for digital rights, he added. The Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has blacklisted pharma major Healthcare for five years for allegedly hiding information while participating in the tender process. The company did not divulge that it was banned by central procurement agencies such as the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) when it participated in the TN procurement agencys tender process, TNMSC said. Healthcare did not respond to Business Standard queries. TNMSC Managing Director Deepak Jacob said the step was taken after a complaint from Paris Legal Cell in Chennai. This is not a ban by TNMSC alone. is already facing a ban from central procurement agencies. Whenever we float a tender, we ask for a self-declaration by the asking if they are blacklisted by any agency. They did not reveal this while participating in the tender, Jacob said. According to the state agency, Abbott was first blacklisted by DGHS reportedly on quality grounds for the supply of a blood thinner called Stromix and another medicine by DGHS in April 2018. Last year, ESIC blacklisted the company for not revealing about the DGHS ban while participating for a tender. After receiving the complaint, we conducted an investigation and found that it was blacklisted by other agencies. We had asked the company for its explanation and the ban happened because we haven't got a satisfactory reply, Jacob added. This is unlikely to have a huge financial impact on the company as the agency was procuring medicines on a requirement basis only. TN was procuring ibuprufin and cardiac stents from the company based on requirement. Jacob added that the agency has alternative supplies in place and availability will not be an issue. The other players blacklisted by the agency are little-known firms like Shrinivas Laboratories, Kanha Biogenetic, Captab Biotech, Zee Laboratories, Jackson Laboratories, Vijay Latex Products and Lenora Glove. The Board of has recommended formation of an alternate Board on the back of the private sector bank attaining turnaround and achieving significant progress post the implementation of Reconstruction Scheme March 2020. Following the recommendation by its largest shareholder State Bank of India (SBI), the Board proposed composition of an alternate board. Names of directors proposed are Atul Malik, Rekha Murthy Sharad Sharma, Nandita Gurjar, Sanjay Kumar Khemani, Sadashiv Srinivas Rao, T Keshav Kumar, Sandeep Tewari and Prashant Kumar, existing managing director and chief executive (MD & CEO). has proposed Prashant Kumars name for MD & CEO's position for a three-year term. The term of two Additional Directors - R Gandhi and Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan, appointed by the RBI, is valid upto March 23, 2023. Sunil Metha, chairman, Yes Bank, and other board members -- Mahesh Krishnamurti and Atul Bheda -- will demit office on formation of the alternate Board. In March 2020, the Reserve Bank of India and the government had framed a restructuring scheme to salvage the troubled private sector bank which was once promoted and run by Rana Kapoor. Commercial Banks led by State Bank of India had infused Rs 10,000 crore under restructuring scheme. The alternate Board is being constituted and will operate under the applicable laws and regulations as against the current Board which was constituted and is functioning under the Reconstruction Scheme, the bank said in a notice to shareholders. The bank has convened the Annual General Meeting of shareholders on July 15, 2022. FY22 was a first full year profit for the Bank at Rs 1,066 crores after two successive years of heavy losses in FY20 and FY21. The lender nearly doubled the deposit book from about Rs 1.05 trillion in Mar 2020 to Rs 1.97 trillion in March 2022. The share of low cost deposits current account and savings account was now in excess of 30 per cent. Its advances stood at Rs 1.81 trillion at the end of March 2022. In FY22, the loan book grew by 9 per cent with gross disbursements of Rs 70,000 crore across all segments. The focus has moved from consolidation of the balance-sheet to growth. There have been significant corrections and improvements in the liquidity position and funding structure. The bank's credit to deposit ratio has improved from 163 per cent to 92 per cent and liquidity coverage ratio rose from 37 per cent to 128 per cent by March 2022. raised Rs 15,000 crore of equity capital in July 2020 through a public issue. Its common equity tier-I improved from 6.3 per cent in March 2020 to 11.6 per cent in March 2022. The intelligence agencies have asked all the states to be on high alert after terror outfit in the Subcontinent (AQIS) in a letter threatened suicide attacks in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai and Delhi amid controversy over the remarks by leaders on Prophet Mohammed. Referring to controversial remarks made by spokesperson Nupur Sharma, the letter, dated June 6, said, A few days ago, the propagators and flag bearers of Hindutva a system and philosophy hostile to the religion and Shariah of Allah insulted and slandered the purest of beings, the most honourable after God himself, Muhammad al Mustafa, Ahmad al Mujtaba, and his noble and pure wife, the mother of the believers, Sayyidah Ayesha bint Abu Bakr as Siddeeq in the most vile and evil manner on an Indian TV channel. In response to this affront, the hearts of Muslim all over the world are bleeding and are filled with feelings of revenge and retribution. We warn every audacious and impudent foul mouth of the world, especially the Hindutva terrorists occupying India that we shall fight for the dignity of our Prophet, we shall urge others to fight and die for the honour of our Prophet, we shall kill those who affront our Prophet and we shall bind explosives with our bodies and the bodies of our children to blow away the ranks of those who dare to dishonour our Prophet," the letter added. The group further threatened that they kill those who insult Prophet and will bind explosives with their bodies to blow away those who dishonour. Sharma's comments, made in a TV debate, and Naveen Jindal's now-deleted tweets, sparked a Twitter trend, with an uproar in Gulf countries condemning her statements and summoning Indian ambassadors. Sharma, who was a national spokesperson, claimed that her comments were a reaction to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev"' (Lord Shiva) as she could not tolerate it. A set of guidelines framed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has a strong message for advertisers: break . Union Minister for Women and Child Development on Wednesday released the eight new guidelines on harmful gender stereotyping in ads, a follow-up to the regulators 2021 GenderNext study in partnership with consulting firm Futurebrands that looked at the depiction of women with an aim to guide brands. The guidelines are a timely intervention, coming only days after the watchdog suspended controversial ads by body spray brand Layerr Shot that drew wide outrage and were viewed as promoting sexual violence against women. One of the new guidelines says that while may feature people undertaking gender-stereotypical roles or displaying gender-stereotypical characteristics, they must not suggest that stereotypical roles or characteristics are: always uniquely associated with a particular gender; the only options available to a particular gender; or never carried out or displayed by another gender(s). The other guidelines include: While may feature glamorous and attractive people, they must not suggest that an individuals happiness or emotional well-being depends on conforming to these idealised gender-stereotypical body shapes or physical features. Ads should not mock people for not conforming to gender stereotypes, their sexual orientation or gender identity, including in a context that is intended to be humorous, hyperbolic or exaggerated. They should not reinforce unrealistic and undesirable gender ideals or expectations. An advertisement may not suggest that a person fails to achieve a task specifically because of their gender. Where an ad features a person with a physique or physical characteristics that do not match an ideal stereotype associated with their gender, it should not imply that their physique or physical characteristics are a significant reason for them not being successful. Ads should not indulge in the sexual objectification of characters of any gender or depict people in a sexualised and objectified way for the purposes of titillating viewers. No gender should be encouraged to exert domination or authority over the other(s) by means of overt or implied threats, actual force or through the use of demeaning language or tone. Ads cannot provoke or trivialise violence (physical or emotional), unlawful or anti-social behaviour based on gender. Additionally, they should not encourage or normalise voyeurism, eve-teasing, stalking, emotional or physical harassment or any similar offences. This does not prevent the ad from showing these depictions as a means to challenge them. Batting for the need for such guidelines to ensure a positive portrayal of gender on screen, Irani said, It is time not only for the men but also for the women in the advertising industry to step up. This is a very important move, and I believe there is a long journey to be undertaken to change the thinking, but its required now. Work in this area must move with more and more speed and organisations like should lead this. Chairman Subhash Kamath added, The new guidelines were created after extensive consultation with partners from the industry and civil society organisations, including the Unstereotype Alliance and UNICEF. They are a big step forward in strengthening ASCIs agenda to shape a more responsible and progressive narrative. In a session with the media, Ranjana Kumari, social activist and writer, reiterated that such guidelines are an attempt to start a discussion and debate around subtle messaging that may go unnoticed. It is also important to push for laws that will appropriately penalise offenders, she added. Gender portrayal is a complex and nuanced issue, and with the new guidelines, aims to address subtle stereotypical messaging in ads that may go unnoticed. A recent study by Kantar revealed that 64 per cent of consumers believe advertising reinforces rather than helps eradicate harmful . South Africa: Long-term solution sought to manage baboon numbers Various stakeholders have pledged their commitment to finding a lasting solution to the issue of baboon management in the City of Cape Town. Baboons occur naturally in the Cape Peninsula and their numbers have grown over the last few decades. Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, urged all stakeholders to forge a close partnership that will be guided by science and research. This will give us the best outcome, the Minister said on Wednesday. The pledge follows a discussion at the stakeholder engagement in Cape Town, led by the Minister, who was joined by the City of Cape Town Deputy Mayor, Eddie Andrews, South African National Parks (SANParks) and Cape Nature. Also in attendance were various interested and affected stakeholders, who have committed to ensuring that sustainable solutions to baboon management in Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town and other protected areas are realised. At this meeting, all three management authorities -- SANParks, Cape Nature and the City of Cape Town agreed: To establish a joint task team; To develop and pursue the development of a sustainable programme for the management of the Chacma baboon population on the Cape Peninsula; and That the first meeting of the task team will happen within the next two week. Residents applauded the Minister for convening the stakeholder engagement and appreciated the spirit of collaboration to address the immediate problem of baboon troops in the area. SANParks, Cape Nature and the city have agreed to work towards a Memorandum of Understanding to govern baboon management in the Cape Peninsula. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China, Russia vow to promote cooperation along Yangtze, Volga rivers Xinhua) 08:47, June 08, 2022 Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong meets with Igor Komarov, Russia's Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District, at a virtual meeting of the chairmen of the Council of Cooperation between the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Volga Federal District, in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia pledged to strengthen cooperation along the Yangtze and Volga rivers at a virtual meeting of the chairmen of the Council of Cooperation between the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Volga Federal District, which was held Tuesday. Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong and Igor Komarov, Russia's Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District, both spoke positively of the new progress under the "Yangtze-Volga" mechanism. They agreed to promote the council mechanism to make new contributions to deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era and consolidate friendship between the two peoples. Wang suggested that the two regions further tap the potential for cooperation, enrich the connotation of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and continuously consolidate and elevate the level of cooperation under new circumstances. For his part, Komarov said Russia is ready to work with China to expand and deepen cooperation and exchanges, so as to bring bilateral cooperation to a new level. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Wednesday rejected a plea by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to disqualify BJP legislator Mukul Roy, saying that he did not find merit in the argument of the petitioner. Banerjee maintained his previous decision on the matter. The Calcutta High Court on April 11 set aside the Speaker's earlier order dismissing a petition by Adhikari which sought disqualification of Roy as a member of the House on the ground of defection and restored the matter for fresh consideration. I heard from both sides, elaborately discussed the earlier rulings cited by the petitioner, and came to the conclusion that the petitioner has failed to prove his contention. The petitioner put the focus on electronic evidence. I took note of those pieces of evidence ad those too failed to prove the charge," Banerjee said. Talking to reporters in his chamber after giving his ruling, Banerjee, a well-known lawyer, said that it is a matter of law" and refused to speak anything more on the issue. TMC sources said that the Speaker's order implies that Roy who represents the Krishnanagar South assembly constituency remains a BJP MLA. Roy had defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress in June 2021 around a month after winning the assembly polls on a BJP ticket. He did not resign as a member of the House. Adhikari then moved a disqualification petition against him before the Speaker under the anti-defection law. In February this year, Speaker Banerjee dismissed the petition. Adhikari, a BJP MLA, then challenged the order in the high court. Ambika Roy, another legislator of the saffron party, had moved the high court in July last year challenging Roy's election as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and prayed for the nomination of an opposition member to the post as per tradition. The case is pending. Banerjee said, "Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and MLA Ambika Roy had questioned the validity of the appointment of as PAC Chairman and sought his disqualification as MLA. They moved court. The matter went to the Supreme Court from the high court but the honourable Supreme Court sent it back to the high court and the honourable high court asked me to pronounce my verdict within a month. The high court order was given on April 11 and the Speaker pronounced his decision on May 12. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president may not appear before the Enforcement Directorate(ED) on Wednesday and has sought more time from the agency as she has not tested Covid-19 negative. Sonia, who was summoned by the ED in a case related to the Herald newspaper, had tested Covid positive on June 2. Her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi has been asked to appear before the the law enforcement agency on June 13 after he sought exemption on an earlier date. The ED had summoned the Gandhis to join the investigation in a case relating to the Herald newspaper and record their statements on June 8. The case has been lodged against various Congress leaders, including Gandhis, for allegedly misappropriating Herald funds. Terming the ED summons "politics of revenge," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had said: "This is a politics of vendetta and revenge by the BJP to target opposition leaders as they have done to other opponents in the country. "National Herald newspaper was started in 1942. At that time the British tried to close it, today the Modi government is also doing the same thing as the Britishers did. Now the ED is being used for this purpose..." As there is no money involved in the case, Congress sources say that the case was closed in 2015. --IANS miz/shb/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister on Wednesday claimed the state has a high detection rate and no criminal is spared. Sawant was responding to a question by reporters here on the recent case of alleged rape of a British woman near the Arambol beach in North district. The woman had lodged a police complaint on Monday and a 32-year-old local man was arrested in the case the same day. Sawant said the detection rate in is "very high" and no criminal is allowed to go scot-free. We have been able to arrest criminals immediately after the detection of crimes, he said. The CM further said the accused in the case of rape of the British woman was also arrested immediately and is currently behind bars. As per the woman's complaint, the accused had allegedly raped her under the pretext of giving her a massage near the Arambol beach on June 2. (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.) Three PWD officers and a police officer have been convicted by the in a contempt of court case for damaging 80 trees at Vikas Marg during construction work last year. The said that 80 trees were damaged while three were cut without permission from the authority. The trees at Vikas Marg were extensively damaged by the PWD officials, who breached the judicial mandate, the court noted. Justice Najmi Waziri on June 7 while sentencing the officers said, The PWD has undertaken construction activities involving deep trenching within one metre radius from the trunk of the trees using heavy machinery, JCB/earth moving machine on Vikas Marg near Swasthya Vihar in East Delhi. No permission has been taken from the tree officer or the for cutting the trees or carrying out the construction work, which evidently was in breach of the courts direction." The PWD officials should have stopped victimisation and cutting down of the trees, the Delhi HC said. The Delhi HC bench said, There cannot be any concretisation of land within a radius of 6 inches around the tree trunks in terms of the directions of this court, Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as circulars issued on 01.03.2021 by PWD. All three PWD officers have chosen not to comply with the courts orders, NGT orders, and indeed of PWDs own circulars." Fact remains that each of the officers named above is complicit in some measure or the other of having breached the courts directions. Accordingly, they are held guilty of committing contempt of court," Justice Waziri said, and listed the matter on July 7 for further consideration. India, in a strong cross-regional joint statement on behalf of 10 nations, including China, on Tuesday asserted that developing countries need to be given an additional time frame beyond 2050 to reach net-zero emissions due to their goals of poverty eradication and development and for this developed nations should do a net-negative by middle of the century and vacate the carbon space for developing countries. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador T S Tirumurti delivered a cross-regional joint statement on behalf of and Bolivia, China, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Mali, Nicaragua, Panama and Syria on "Global Net Zero in the context of combatting climate change. We need a clear recognition that developing countries will need much longer beyond 2050 to reach Net-Zero given their overarching goals of poverty eradication and development and will peak after the developed countries do. They will need to be given additional time-frame to peak and go towards Net-Zero, which will be beyond 2050, the joint statement, delivered by Tirumurti, said. "We, therefore, call on developed countries to do a Net-Negative in 2050 in order to vacate the carbon space in 2050 for developing countries to grow till they too reach Net-Zero. We call on them to do a Net-Zero much earlier than 2050, so that the world does not, in effect, move farther away from achieving the Paris targets, the joint statement said. The statement added that "it becomes clear that a Global Net-Zero, where developing countries take longer to reach Net-Zero, can only be achieved if developed countries reach Net-Zero earlier than 2050. Therefore, developed countries must reach Net Zero well before 2050 in order to achieve overall global net zero target by around mid-century on the basis of equity, Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), poverty eradication and sustainable development. The UN has outlined that in order to keep global warming to no more than 1.5C, as declared in the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by 45 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. The world body has explained that net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow last year that will meet a target of net zero emissions by 2070. In the cross-regional statement delivered on the occasion of the World Environment Day, Tirumurti said the 10 countries welcome the text of the Paris Agreement that provides for global peaking'. He referred to Article 4 of Paris Agreement that states that In order to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2, Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognising that peaking will take longer for developing country Parties. "We believe that the word global peaking' is a conscious and considered insertion in the Paris Agreement text with full recognition of the fact that peaking will take longer for developing countries. The developed countries, given their historical emissions, will have to peak first. That's why the reference is to global peaking and not individual peaking, he said. The statement added that keeping this in mind, it is logical that when developing country parties peak later than developed countries, they will also achieve Net Zero later than developed countries. Consequently, it is the logical conclusion of the Article 4 of the Paris Agreement that when we consider Net Zero, we should only consider Global Net Zero and not Individual Net Zero for 2050. Anything other interpretation will be contrary to Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, the statement said. The joint statement also urged developed countries to undertake clear, time-bound pathways to ensure that they meet their Paris commitments, which include not just mitigation targets but also targets in adaptation, loss and damage, climate-specific finance, technology transfer and capacity building. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recognises that although global tracked climate finance has shown an upward trend, current global financial flows for adaptation, including from public and private finance sources, are insufficient for and constrain implementation of adaptation options especially in developing countries. We, consequently, urge developed countries to raise their ambition in their net-zero target years with clear and short-term targets for mitigation and accelerated delivery of climate finance, technology transfer and other implementation support. The challenges of rapid global warming cannot be met solely through enhanced ambition of mitigation, it said. Further, Global Net Zero is also fully in accordance with principles of CBDR and of Equity, enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Calling out those nations that are demanding a goalpost of an individual net zero, the joint statement said that Consequently, the objective is to arrive at a Global Net Zero in 2050 and not Individual Net Zero that is now being sought to be made as a template for all countries. It noted that recent reports of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscore the highly disproportionate emissions between developed countries and the rest of the world. The joint statement also highlighted that the Leaders' Declaration of the G20 Summit in 2021 referred to the relevance of achieving Global Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions or carbon neutrality by or around mid-century. Prime Minister Modi had said in Glasgow that developed nations must fulfill the promised USD 1 trillion as climate finance, saying this should be tracked the same way as climate mitigation. expects developed countries to make USD 1 trillion available as climate finance as soon as possible. As we track the progress of climate mitigation, we must also track climate finance. Justice would truly be served if pressure is put on those countries that have not lived up to their climate finance commitments, Modi had 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.) Speaking at an event to mark the eight years of the government, External Affairs Minister described as the first responder in many situations and said the country is capable and sensitive to global expectations. Asserting India's readiness to support countries in crisis, he highlighted, " was the first responder during the earthquake in Nepal, the conflict in Yemen, the water crisis in the Maldives, mudslides in Sri Lanka, the typhoon in my Mymmar and the floods of Mozambique as notable examples." Underlining 'Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas,' Jaishankar said that in seeking solutions to larger complicating issues, we believe in Sabka Prayas as well. "We supplied 'Made-in-India' COVID vaccines to 98 countries. Our medical personnel are making contributions abroad in these crucial times, he said, adding that counts 'Vaccine Maitri' as one of its key achievements," he said further. "The global south has narrated the greater attention as well, where Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the Pacific Islands, are concerned as the COVID years disturbed some of the momentums and halted developmental goals of the nation," he added. However, Indian Foreign Policy thinking is displaying greater conceptual and operational clarity and India looks forward to taking initiatives on global concerns that are truly consequential, said the EAM. Jaishankar also said that many of the engagements reflect the importance we give to diplomacy for development, we are foreign technology, capital, best practices and collaborations are directly applied to accelerate our growth including through our flagship programme and initiatives, while he mentioned his "disappointment" with the UN reaffirming its role. "India has always viewed the UN as important to global peace and security development. We currently serve as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and one very active in UN organisation and its peacekeeping, while our endeavours will always remain supportive. We also share the disappointment of the international community about the UN declining effectiveness. Our advocacy of reform multilateralism, therefore, has become even stronger," read the statement by EAM. Jaishakar emphasized, "Indian Foreign Policy has displayed greater conceptual and operational clarity whether during COVID or current economic challenges as India has gone extra mile for its neighbours and will continue to do so. We count Vaccine Maitri as one of our key achievements as India supplied COVID vaccines to 98 countries." He also appreciated the medical personnel for making contributions abroad in these crucial times, in a concluding statement, counting 'Vaccine Maitri' as one of its key achievements. (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.) Finance minister on Wednesday wished chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch a speedy recovery from Covid. Buch was scheduled to attend the event -- 'India's Economic Journey@75' -- being jointly organised by the Department of Economic Affairs and as part of the iconic week celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. "I wish the chairperson quick recovery. I wished she had been here, she could have participated... I am sure she will get well soon," Sitharaman said in her address at the event. During the event, the minister launched 'NETRA (New e-Tracking and Remote Administration)' portal and mobile application for Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS). (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Vietnam on Tuesday signed an MoU on mutual logistics support, the first such major agreement Hanoi has inked with any country towards simplifying procedures for mutually-beneficial logistic support as Defence Minister held wide-ranging discussions with General Phan Van Giang on "effective and practical initiatives" to further bolster defence engagements. Singh, who is in the key Southeast Asian country on a three-day visit from June 8, received a guard of honour at the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam. Singh was also accorded a grand welcome by General Giang. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional and global issues were held between the two sides, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The two defence ministers also signed the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030', which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation, at a time when China is flexing its muscles in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Mutual Logistics Support was inked in the presence of both the ministers, the release said. "In these times of increasing cooperative engagements between the defence forces of the two countries, this is a major step towards simplifying procedures for mutually beneficial logistic support and is the first such major agreement which Vietnam has signed with any country," it said. Both ministers also agreed on the early finalisation of the USD 500-million Defence Line of Credit extended to Vietnam. The implementation of the projects will add substantially to Vietnam's defence capabilities and further Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Make in India, Make for the World', according to the statement. Singh also announced gifting two simulators and a monetary grant towards the setting up of a Language and IT Lab at Air Force Officers Training School for capacity building of the Vietnamese Armed Forces. We renewed interactions on expanding bilateral cooperation. Our close Defence and Security cooperation is an important factor of stability in the Indo-Pacific region, Singh said on Twitter. We had wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral Defence engagements and regional and global issues, he tweeted. After our fruitful deliberations, we signed the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030, which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of our defence cooperation, Singh said in another tweet. Earlier, the defence minister began his official visit by paying respects to the late President and Vietnam's Founding Father Ho Chi Minh at his Mausoleum in Hanoi. He also visited Tran Quoc Pagoda, a revered Buddhist temple which reaffirmed the age-old civilisational and people-to-people linkages between the two countries. India and Vietnam have shared a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Both countries share a rich history of civilisational and cultural linkages spanning over 2,000 years. India and Vietnam continue to have the most trustworthy relations in contemporary times with broader convergence of interests and common concerns. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Defence Policy Dialogues, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN peacekeeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises. In New Delhi, the defence ministry said Singh's visit to Vietnam is aimed at further consolidating the bilateral defence ties as well as the comprehensive strategic partnership. Vietnam, an important country of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), has territorial disputes with China in the strategic South China Sea region. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's aggressive military manoeuvring in the region. China also claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. India has oil exploration projects in the Vietnamese waters in the South China Sea. India and Vietnam are boosting their maritime security cooperation in the last few years to protect common interests. "The defence minister's visit on the historic occasion of 50 years of establishment of India-Vietnam diplomatic relations and 75 years of India's Independence will further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation and the comprehensive strategic partnership," the ministry said. The relations between the two countries were elevated to the level of a "strategic partnership" during the visit of Vietnam's then prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung to India in July 2007. In 2016, during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Vietnam, the bilateral relations were further elevated to a "comprehensive strategic partnership". Vietnam has become an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Recently, Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, visited Vietnam for the 12th round of political consultations and the ninth round of strategic dialogue in Hanoi. (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.) Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to deepen historical ties and partnerships with India. "Foreign Minister of Iran, Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrives to a warm welcome in India. The visit will further boost our deep historical ties and partnership," the (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. Iran Foreign Ministry said Hossein will hold talks with India's high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. India's relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour. During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership. The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021. Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran. He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port. The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran. (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.) national president J P Nadda arrived in for a two-day visit to during which he will hold organisational meetings, a party leader said. Nadda was received at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Dumdum on Tuesday evening by senior leaders including state president Sukanta Majumdar. On Wednesday morning, he will visit Vande Mataram Bhavan at Chinsurah in Hooghly district, where novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay had penned the National Song. He will also visit Rashbehari Bose Research Institute at Chandannagore in the district. Later in the afternoon, the chief will attend the state executive body meeting at National Library in South . On Thursday, Nadda will hold a meeting with public representatives of the party and mandal (local unit) presidents. Nadda's visit takes place at a time when the party looks forward to rejuvenating its organisational machinery, which has witnessed internal squabbling and defections since the 2021 assembly polls. In May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the state and advised the state unit of the BJP to strengthen the organisation to fight the ruling Trinamool Congress. Nadda's visit assumes significance as the party's central leadership plans to strengthen the state unit by addressing the shortcomings ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, party sources said. The state BJP has been plagued by infighting and exodus, with former Union minister Babul Supriyo, Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh, and five MLAs including national vice-president Mukul Roy, joining the TMC in the last one year after the assembly polls. (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 BJP leader was arrested in on Tuesday for his objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad on Twitter. Harshit Srivastava Lala, former secretary of BJP's Youth Wing Yuva Morcha, was arrested as he was 'trying to spoil the atmosphere through his objectionable posts,' said the police. His arrest came four days after violence erupted in Uttar Pradesh's post Friday prayers over remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammed during a TV debate. The ruling- on Sunday suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Jindal for their remarks on the Prophet. The remarks on the Propeth drew massive backlash worldwide as 16 nations condemned the comments. Kanpur BJP district president Sunil Bajaj said that Lala was not holding any post in the party currently. Lala, who was arrested along with 12 others in the connection with the violence, has been booked under IPC 153A (promoting enmity), 295A (deliberate, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and the Information Technology Act, said police. Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Meena said, "We will act against anyone who tries to play with religious sentiments." Kanpur police on Monday had released with 40 images of people involved in the Friday violence. Police are said to have gathered images of the alleged accused through several videos of the incident, including those captured on CCTV and mobile phones. Besides, police have arrested Over 50 people, including key accused Zafar Hayat, in connection with the violence that left 40 injured. Prime Minister is set to lead the celebrations from Mysuru on June 21. He would perform Yoga at the Mysuru Palace premises as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, where as many as 15,000 Yoga enthusiasts are scheduled to join the Prime Minister. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reviewed the preparations for the mega event on Tuesday. He instructed the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) to finalise the participants by June 13. He also asked the DC to ensure that the selection comprises people from all sections of the society as instructed by the Prime Minister's office. The Chief Minister wanted the officials to make arrangements for transport, snacks, drinking water and other facilities for the participants in "perfect" coordination with the Union government. "Extend all the cooperation to the Union AYUSH Ministry, which is keen to organise an exhibition on Yoga on the occasion," Bommai instructed. The state government has constituted 14 committees including a Core Committee headed by the District in-charge minister for smooth and successful conduct of the event. Bommai also told officials of the Police department to ensure foolproof security during the Prime Minister's visit. The celebrations are being held in a big way at 75 prominent Heritage spots of the country. In Karnataka it has been organised at Mysuru, Halebeedu, Hampi, Pattadakal and Vijayapura (Golgumbaz). Prime Minister Modi would inaugurate the event in Mysuru, while Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje would participate in the event at Halebeedu. Union Minister for Coal Prahlad Joshi would join the event at Hampi, Union Minsiter of State for IT Rajeev Chandrashekar at Pattadakal and Union Minister of State Energy Bhagwant Khuba at Vijayapura. Apart from this, Yoga Day celebrations have been organised at 75 places in the state, Bommai said. Ministers Dr K Sudhakar, ST Somashekar, Narayana Gowda, Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma and other senior officers were present during review meeting. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Sberbank said on Tuesday Indian Ltd (IPL) and Belarusian Company (BPC) have been in discussions about settlement details of a sale deal and denied it was responsible for holding up the payments. IPL set up a rupee account with Sberbank's New Delhi branch in early February at the request of the Belarusian company, given steadily toughening U.S. sanctions against Minsk since a 2020 election and a crackdown on pro-democracy protests. According to two people familiar with the issue and a letter seen by Reuters, the Indian company complained to Sberbank that only a "negligible" part of its payment in rupees got converted into roubles. The two companies agreed that IPL would pay for Belarussian potash in rupees rather than dollars. One of the sources told Reuters on Monday that Sberbank had not responded yet to the letter dated May 23. "The information is not true. Both the seller and the buyer have been in discussions over the settlements' details, about which bank is not able to comment," Sberbank said on Tuesday in written comments to Reuters. "There have been no unfulfilled payments, nor claims, neither from the buyer, not from the seller, to the bank." Russian news agency RIA, citing a source "familiar with the situation", said on Tuesday the parties have not been able to agree on who pays fees for the money transfer. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Tomasz Janowski) (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 prime accused in the sensational in diplomatic bags case was on Wednesday morning allegedly forcibly taken away from the residence of Swapna Suresh, another accused in the case, after she told the media that there was a threat to her life and that is why she gave a statement to court about the alleged involvement of others, including the Chief Minister. The prime accused, Sarith P S, was kidnapped by some unknown persons from Suresh' residence, she told reporters. She alleged that the kidnapping occurred minutes after her press conference this morning. "Earlier you asked what the threat was. Now it is no longer threats, the attacks have started. HRDS India staff Sarith has been forcefully kidnapped from my home by 3-4 unknown people. "They have started their attacks. Can you imagine that? I only spoke a little, did not speak in detail and already they have become scared. This is a signal of that. They are confessing on their own through such dirty tactics," she claimed. "Now you know the threats faced by me, my family and Sarith. People of need to realise that anyone can be killed or abducted in broad daylight here." Asked about the reports that Sarith was picked up by Vigilance officials of the state government, she said his lawyer has already initiated legal steps, including filing of a habeas corpus petition, to ensure his release. Suresh, a former employee of the UAE Consulate here, was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) along with another accused Sandeep Nair from Bengaluru on July 11, 2020. The NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Customs conducted separate probes into the racket that was busted with the seizure of gold worth Rs 15 crore from the diplomatic baggage of the UAE Consulate at Thiruvananthapuram airport on July 5, 2020. Several people, including M Sivasankar, the former Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and another ex-employee of the UAE Consulate here, Sarith P S, were arrested in connection with the case. (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 death of 25 tourists in a in has prompted the Madhya Pradesh government to look into issues in the state. The government has decided to set up a three-member panel to prepare a report on road accidents, especially of the passenger buses. This committee will have three cabinet ministers -- Gopal Bhargava (PWD minister), Govind Singh Rajput (transport minister) and Arvind Singh Bhadoria (cooperative and public service minister), who will be tasked to review the activities conducted for . Besides reviewing the causes of road accidents in the state, the committee will also be looking for necessary measures to be adopted for this purpose. A decision on this was taken during the discussion on . At least 25 people from Madhya Pradesh were killed after the bus they were travelling in fell in a deep gorge on Sunday. All those who died in the accident were from Panna-Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh. During a discussion with the cabinet ministers on Tuesday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed his concern over bus mishap in . He stressed upon the need to examine the cause of accidents and also sought suggestions to rectify. The chief minister also expressed the need to analyse the causes of recent road accidents in different districts -- Betul, Khandwa, Rewa and Panna. Subsequently, he directed to constitute a panel of three ministers to prepare a report on issues in the state. A recent bus mishap incident took place on Tuesday in Rewa district where a bus carrying around 30 passengers overturned, leaving more than 15 people injured. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The limit of funding of innovative defence projects under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) has been raised on Wednesday to Rs 50 crore per project, from the present limit of Rs 10 crore. The TDF scheme, executed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), supports indigenous development of components, products, systems and technologies by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and start-ups. To facilitate increased funding for innovative TDF products, the Union Budget for 2022-23 has reserved 25 per cent of the defence R&D budget for private industry, start-ups and academia. The enhanced funding is in line with the budget announcement and it will further boost the vision of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a statement. The scheme aims to provide a major fillip to the defence manufacturing sector by encouraging the industry to innovate and develop defence technologies in order to place India on the self-reliance trajectory. The scheme facilitates up to 90 per cent of the total project cost and allows industry to work in consortium with another industry/academia. With the enhanced funding, the industry and start-ups will be able to develop more complex technologies for existing and future weapon systems and platforms. Till date, 56 projects have been sanctioned under TDF scheme, said the MoD. With increases in funding limits, potent systems will get developed and bigger companies will get supported along with MSMEs. This will be a massive win-win for all. A clear procurement path after development will mean industry can boldly invest in capabilities, says Abhishek Jain of Zeus Numerix, a small firm that has won praise for innovation. There are four schemes under which small defence firms can approach the MoD for funding innovative projects: iDEX (Innovation for Defence Excellence); iDEX Prime; the TDF and Make II and Make III projects, the modalities of which are explained in the Defence Acquisition Policy of 2021 (DAP-2021). The TDF aims at developing products for the military, but also for other strategic industries such as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). As with iDEX products, an order to the prime developer benefits all the MSMEs that function in its supply chain. In the decade between 2009-2019, the TDF was allocated Rs 544 crore. In four of those years, the allocation was zero. iDEX is a smaller scheme, run by the military, which seeks innovative solutions for specified functional challenges that are encountered on the ground. It has a limit of Rs 1.5 crore. For example, an MSME called Zeus Numerix was declared winner of the iDEX challenge during the Aero India 2021 air show in Bengaluru last year, for developing simulation software that makes warships near-invisible to radar. If things go as per plan, Zeus would get funding, typically from iDEX Prime to ease the transition of their innovative product into large-scale manufacturing in large numbers. Meanwhile, an MSME irreverently named BigBangBoom Solutions won the iDEX challenge for developing see-through armour. This allows 360-degree situational awareness to a tank crew by mounting cameras outside the tank, capturing a 360-degree view, and stitching together the separate images from those cameras into a single image through data fusion. The current funding levels under iDEX are insufficient to support cutting-edge innovation. It allows for optimisation of various systems, but not basic fundamental research. For funding projects involving basic research, allocation of Rs 50 crore, which the MoD has just allowed, would be required, says Praveen Dwarkanath, who runs BigBangBoom. The government told Parliament on March 25 that it has provided iDEX with budgetary support of Rs 498 crore for the five years from 2021-2026, with the objective of providing financial support to nearly 300 start-ups/MSMEs/individual innovators. India is confident of achieving the target of running the country's first bullet train by 2026, or at least do a trial run. The deadline of the 508-km project was initially December 2023, but due to delay in land acquisition and onset of Covid-19 pandemic, the date for the project kept on extending. At the current rate, the first phase of the project, a 61-km stretch between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat is likely to be operational only in 2026 and the remaining part of the project in Gujarat is expected to be ready by 2028. Inspecting the progress of the government's ambitious Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday reassured that there has been good progress and the work is being done at a high speed. "We are keeping the target of running the first bullet train between Surat and Bilimora in 2026. The progress is very good, and we are confident of running the train by that time," he said. With the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, there is pressure to speed up the project and take a section up for trial in the state, where the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has already acquired 99 per cent of the land required. So far, the NHSRCL has managed to acquire 71 per cent of the total land requirement for the project. The agency has been unable to acquire land owned by the Maharashtra government or the forest department. The work in Maharashtra will start once the land is handed over to us, but more than that its the intent of the state government for the project, said Vaishnaw. While flagging-off a metro project in April, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray opposed the saying the people of Maharashtra do not need it as the route is not useful for Maharashtra. Instead, he demanded a bullet service train between Mumbai and Nagpur stretch. Earlier in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the effort now is to upgrade Mumbai's capacity for creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and hence, the focus is on creating infrastructure development of the 21st century in Mumbai. In 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and Japan for feasibility study of high-speed railway system. At an estimated cost of Rs 1.1 trillion, the Japan International Cooperation Agency is funding 81 per cent of project. The trains will run on special tracks called the "slab track system", popularly known as HSR technology for construction of tracks, patented by the Japanese. The trials of the bullet train will be conducted at a speed of 350 kilometres per hour, comparable to speed at which airplanes take-off. Pankaj Chowdhary, Minister of State for Finance expressed confidence in industry estimates of the market to reach $150 billion by 2025, as he inaugurated Assochams International Festival here on Wednesday. This is five times the industry's current market size of about $31 billion according to the latest estimates. Choudhary stressed the need to bridge the digital divide and promote broad-based customer participation. With adoption rate at 87 per cent against the global average of 64 per cent, has the potential to fundamentally transform the financial landscape, provide consumers with a greater variety of financial products at competitive prices and improve efficiency, he said. The minister added that Fintech and digital players could function as the fourth segment of the Indian financial system, alongside large and mid-sized banks including niche banks, small finance banks, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks. Top officials of major Fintech companies discussed the industrys future needs on the first day of the three-day-long Fintech Festival organised by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industries of India (Assocham). Industry optimistic about credit-card payments The industry leaders are aiming to expand by setting up new credit lines, as the RBI on Wednesday allowed linking RuPay credit cards with UPI. Ambarish Kenghe, VP - Product, Google Pay said solving for credit meaningfully should be the pillar for the next round of growth and digital payments are just the tip of the iceberg and there is much more to Fintech. As of 2021, penetration remains less than five percent in India, while it is one of the biggest retail forms of credit for consumers in India. That figure in the US is 300 percent because people have multiple credit cards. Kenghe highlighted the scope for expansion through penetration. Crucially this can also become a key revenue driver for banks and fintech players, which will allow them to fuel more innovation, he said. The speakers also pointed out that more than 70 percent of Indians are still not using digital payments and there is a need to convert more cash transactions into digital payments. Dharmender Jhamb, vice president of Paytm said the company was planning to start a buy now, pay later payment system to increase the number of digital transactions in tier-3 and below cities across India. Looking forward to new use cases for Aadhaar version 2.0: UIDAI CEO Dr Saurabh Garg, the CEO of UIDAI said that the authority is looking at new cases of Aadhaar from the private sector. Apart from the payments field, we need to look at the easy means of authentication that Aadhaar provides. It can facilitate new options like micro-investments, micro-pensions, or micro-insurance. Russia's Rosneft is holding back on signing new crude oil deals with two Indian state refiners, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, as it has committed sales to other customers. Indian refiners have been snapping up cheap Russian oil, shunned by western companies and countries since sanctions were imposed against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, which calls a "special military operation". A lack of new term supply deals with Rosneft may push Indian refiners to turn to the spot market for more expensive oil. It also indicates that has managed to keep exporting its oil despite increasing pressure from Western sanctions to choke Moscow's revenue. Drawn to the discounts offered, three Indian state refiners - Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum - opened negotiations with Rosneft earlier this year for six-month supply deals. So far only IOC, the country's top refiner, has signed a deal with Rosneft, which will see it buy 6 million barrels of Russian oil every month, with an option to buy 3 million barrels more. The other two refiners' requests have since been turned down by the Russian producer, the sources said. "Rosneft is non-committal in signing a contract with HPCL and BPCL. They are saying they don't have volumes," said one of the sources. Rosneft, IOC, HPCL and BPCL did not respond to Reuters's requests for comment. is ramping up oil exports from its major eastern port of Kozmino by about a fifth to meet surging demand from Asian buyers and offset the impact of European Union sanctions. Trade sources said Rosneft is pushing barrels into the markets through trading firms such as Everest Energy, Coral Energy, Bellatrix and Sunrise. Bellatrix and Sunrise were not available for comment, while Coral and Everest did not respond to a Reuters email seeking comment. According to the shipping data cited by two traders in the Urals market, all four trading firms acted as suppliers of crude oil purchased from Rosneft to India. China has also boosted its purchases from Russia. Rosneft has awarded 900,000 tonnes (6.66 million barrels) of ESPO Blend crude oil loading in June to Unipec, the trading arm of Asia's top refiner Sinopec Corp, according to four traders. Indian sources said Russian oil is no longer available at deep discounts and they get fewer offers for sale on a Delivered At Port (DAP) basis, an international commercial term in which the seller pays for insurance and freight and ownership is transferred to the buyer only after the cargo is discharged. "Earlier the companies were offering good discounts but that is not available now. Offers have been reduced and discounts are not as good as before, as insurance and freight rates have gone up," another source said. The European Union, which along with Britain and the United States dominate the international marine market, last week announced an immediate ban on new insurance contracts for ships carrying Russian oil, and gave a six-month grace period for existing contracts. The lack of shipping insurance coverage has hit IOC's purchases of Russian oil under a contract it signed with Rosneft last year, sources said. The contract gives IOC an option to buy 2 million tonnes of oil from Rosneft on a free on board (FOB) basis, which requires the buyer to charter ships and pay for insurance to load the cargoes from Russia. India largely buy Russian Urals crude, but the most recent IOC deal includes an option of supplies of ESPO Blend from the Russian port of Kozmino and Sakhalin's Sokol grade as well, one of the sources said. Indian refiners are however continuing to lift some volumes from the spot markets, and HPCL and BPCL might get about 1 million-2 million barrels of Russian oil in July, the sources 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 wait of 1.4 million students to end as the State Board Of Secondary And Higher Secondary (MSBSHSE) will declare its Class 12 or HSC results on Thursday. The Class 12 MSBSHSE students will be able to check their results from 1 pm onwards by entering their roll number and mother's first name. A total of 14,85,191 students have registered for the HSC exam this year out of which 8,17,188 are boys and 6,68,003 are girls. As always, the results will be declared by MSBSHSE in a press meeting first, followed by its publication on websites at 1 pm. Here's how to check 2022 result: Step 1: Students need to log onto the official websites - mahresults.nic.in and others. Step 2: Enter 2022 Roll Number and mother's name in the provided fields and submit these details to obtain the digital scorecard. Step 3: The result will be displayed on the screen as subject-wise marks, grades and total marks scored by the students. Step 4: Finally, students need to download a softcopy / PDF of the digital scorecard and take printout of the same for future reference. Students should note that the passing marks to be secured is 35 if the paper of total 100 marks. For exam papers which were held for only 80 marks, the passing marks would be reduced to 28 marks in total i.e., 35 per cent of the 80 marks. Earlier, Maharashtra Board has released a detailed marking scheme and evaluation policy on the basis of which the MSBSHSE HSC Result 2022 marks are calculated. The final result for Maharashtra Class 12 students is prepared on the basis of their performance in the theory as well as practical exams held in March-April months. Customers borrowing from unregistered apps should approach the local police in case of any issue, Reserve Bank Governor said on Wednesday, making it clear that the central bank will only act against entities registered with it. In remarks that came in the wake of a spate of alleged suicides abetted by harassment by agents or officials of lending apps, Das said most of the apps are not registered with the central bank and operate by themselves. Das said whenever it gets a complaint from any customer, the central bank directs customers of such unregistered apps to approach the local police, which will conduct an investigation and take necessary action on the issue. The website has a list of apps that are registered with it on the website, the governor said, adding that the police in many states have acted against the wrongdoers as per the provisions of the law. Its my humble request to all those using such apps to first check if the app is registered or not. If the app is RBI-registered, the central bank will act immediately in case of any misdoing, I assure you, Das said in the customary post-policy press interaction. (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.) (PSBs) would focus on a specific three-year strategic roadmap, and emphasize on supporting small businesses and agriculture under the Enhanced Access and Service Excellence (EASE) reforms agenda. The next set of reforms EASENext would consist of two key initiatives. One will include common PSB reforms agenda EASE 5.0, and another with a bank specific strategic three-year roadmap based on the individual lenders business priorities. Under EASE 5.0, PSBs will continue to invest in new-age capabilities and respond to evolving customer needs, changing competition, and adoption of newer technologies. The next edition of the PSB reforms agenda will also focus on digital customer experience, integrated and inclusive banking, with emphasis on supporting small businesses and agriculture. Besides this, all PSBs will create a 3-year strategic roadmap that will be based on broad themes of business growth, profitability, risk, customer service, operations, and capability building. In April, during PSB Manthan, the ministry had met PSB chiefs to discuss their strategic three-year roadmap, implementation of base-level reforms, and explore strategies for long-term profitability, Business Standard had earlier reported. Launching the PSB reforms agenda for the year, prepared in collaboration with Indian Association (IBA), Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Malhotra said that now have stronger balance sheets, and must leverage it to significantly increase their competitiveness, according to a statement. The EASE 5.0 Common reforms agenda of EASENext program was launched by Minister Nirmala Sitharaman through video-conferencing, and attended by heads of PSBs. Unveiling the agenda for PSBs, Minister Sitharaman said EASENext is well-positioned to channel reforms with specific focus on customer centric initiatives. Sitharaman advised banks to focus on customer-first strategy--which can be developed by engaging with customers to understand their needs--and employee development. Banks must develop robust security mechanisms while upgrading technology initiatives, Sitharaman was quoted as saying. EASENext reforms should bring ease for customers as well as for employees, Sitharaman said. Use of 10 per cent ethanol-blended petrol has led to a saving of over Rs 41,000 crore in the foreign exchange for the country, minister of state for environment, forest and climate change Ashwini Kumar Choubey said on Wednesday. Speaking at an online event of auto industry body SIAM on sustainable mobility, the minister said the government is working in multiple ways to encourage sustainable mobility. "India recently achieved 10 per cent ethanol blending target 5 months in advance, saving over Rs 41,000 crore worth of fuel imports for the nation," Choubey noted. The initiative has led to sizable benefits for farmers, he added. "Our next target is to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending and it is projected to be completed by 2025-26," Choubey noted. This is a great step towards reducing the country's fuel imports and carbon emissions, he added. India has achieved the target of supplying 10 per cent ethanol-blended petrol five months ahead of schedule in June and is aiming to double the blend by 2025-26 in order to cut oil import dependence and address environmental issues. The original target for doping 10 per cent ethanol, extracted from sugarcane and other agri commodities, in petrol was November 2023 but this has been achieved in June. While earlier fuel-grade ethanol was produced only from sugarcane, since 2018 alternate routes such as sugarcane juice, sugar and sugar syrup, heavy molasses, damaged foodgrains unfit for human consumption, surplus rice and maize, were opened up. As the availability of ethanol increases, the equivalent amount of crude (used for petrol production) import is reduced. Choubey said the PM Gati Shakti - National Master Plan is also playing an important role in environment conservation. He also noted that the adoption of electric vehicles is going up and would be very beneficial for the country in the long run. Earlier speaking at the event, SIAM Sustainable Mobility Group Chairman and MD Cummins India Ashwath Ram said the Indian automotive industry is ramping up to meet the revised target of 2025 to have E20 compatible vehicles. "Flex fuel vehicles are being developed in parallel and are in line with the estimated plan... it is a decade of decarbonisation and decarbonising fuel blends demand a commitment from both the government and as well as from the industry," he stated. Ministry of petroleum and natural gas joint secretary (refinery) Sunil Kumar said he is confident that 20 per cent ethanol blending in gasoline would be achieved by 2025-26. "We aim to achieve these plans uniformly across the country in the targeted years. With the efforts made by the government the existing installed ethanol distilleries have reached around 700 crore litres and likely to reach more than 1,200 crore litres for 20 per cent blending by 2025-26," he noted. Maruti Suzuki India CTO CV Raman said the target of 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2025 would lead to reduction in oil imports while incentivising farmers and reducing emissions. (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.) Academy Awardwinning actor Matthew McConaughey took centre stage at the briefing Tuesday to call on Congress to reach a higher ground" and pass gun control legislation in honour of the children and teachers killed in last month's shooting rampage at an elementary school in his home town of Uvalde, Texas. In a highly personal 22-minute speech, McConaughey offered a full-throated exhortation for a gridlocked Congress to pass gun reforms that can save lives without infringing on Second Amendment rights. McConaughey, a gun owner himself, used his star power to make an argument for legislation in a fashion that the Biden administration has not been able to, offering a clear connection to the small Texas town and vividly detailing the sheer loss of the 19 children and two teachers in the second worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. We want secure and safe schools and we want gun laws that won't make it so easy for the bad guys to get the damn guns, McConaughey said. McConaughey, who earlier this year considered a run for governor in Texas before taking a pass, met briefly with President Joe Biden before addressing the press corps from the James Brady briefing room. McConaughey, who declined to take questions, spoke of his own connections to the town. He said his mother taught kindergarten less than a mile from Uvalde's Robb Elementary School, the site of the May 24 school shooting. He also noted that Uvalde was the place where he was taught about responsibilities that come with gun ownership. Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun. Uvalde is where I learned responsible gun ownership, he said. McConaughey said he and his wife drove back to Uvalde on the day after the shooting and spent time with the families of some of the victims and directly impacted by the rampage. He said every parent he spoke to expressed that they want their children's dreams to live on. They want to make their loss of life matter, McConaughey said. He related the personal stories of a number of the victims. He held up artwork from Alithia Ramirez, who dreamed of attending art school in Paris. He told the story of Maite Rodriguez, an aspiring marine biologist. McConaughey's wife, Camila, sitting nearby for his speech, held the green Converse sneakers Maite regularly wore, one she drew a red heart on the right toe to represent her love for nature. And then there was Eliahna Ellie Garcia, 10, who loved dancing and church and already knew how to drive tractors. Ellie was looking forward to reading a bible verse at an upcoming church service when she was killed. McConaughey acknowledged that gun legislation would not end mass shootings but suggested that steps can be taken to lessen the chances of such tragedies happening so frequently. "We need to invest in mental healthcare. We need safer schools. We need to restrain sensationalised media coverage. We need to restore our family values. We need to restore our American values and we need responsible gun ownership, McConaughey said. Is this a cure all? Hell no, but people are hurting. officials are seeking to revive confidence among multinational companies bruised and frustrated by the city's COVID-19 lockdown by holding multiple meetings with foreign firms and easing a key border requirement for overseas workers. The image of China's most cosmopolitan city and its biggest business hub was badly damaged by the two-month lockdown, with countless expatriates relocating and foreign businesses warning that they are reconsidering investment plans. The government plans to hold 20 meetings this month with foreign firms engaged in key industries such as automobiles, trade, semiconductors and biomedicine, a report by the Jiefang Daily, a government-backed newspaper, said on Sunday. The report was reposted on the Shanghai city website. The firms would be picked from major investment countries and regions, including the United States, Europe, Japan and South Korea. Four online meetings have been held so far since June 1, when the city eased its lockdown, according to Shanghai government statements. The first was attended by executives from U.S. blue chips such as Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, and the second included automakers Tesla, General Motors and Ford. The companies did not respond immediately to requests for comment on Wednesday. In addition, the European Chamber of Commerce said on Tuesday it had been informed during a meeting with the city's vice mayor that Shanghai will no longer require official invitation letters, so-called PU letters, for foreigners returning for work and their dependents, addressing what had become a bugbear for the expat community. began in early 2020 to require foreigners to obtain PU letters as part of their visa application as it dramatically tightened border controls when the pandemic hit. Many firms had complained about the difficulties and long waits in obtaining the document, which impeded the hiring of foreign staff. 'Initiative to encourage work' The removal of this requirement was "an initiative from central government to encourage work and production resumption in Shanghai", the European Chamber said. Asked for comment on Wednesday, the Shanghai government referred to remarks city official Gu Jun made at a press conference in late May, in which he acknowledged that the epidemic had impacted foreign trade and investment in the city. He said the city would take measures to boost confidence among businesess and support multinationals in setting up regional headquarters and research centres in Shanghai. It did not provide further comment. Tom Simpson, managing director of the China-Britain Business Council, said it was expecting to meet with the Shanghai government in the coming weeks. Shanghai had provided its members "more practical" business resumption support including issuing logistics permits and reopening warehouses, he said. During the lockdown, Shanghai tried to keep factories open under "closed loop" operations but businesses said the arrangements posed numerous difficulties. The lack of flights into - the vast majority have been cancelled for more than two years - also remains a key hindrance. has resolutely stuck to a "zero-COVID" policy that aims to eradicate the spread of the virus, an approach that is increasingly out of step with the rest of the world where economies have reopened after vaccination campaigns. Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber, said the zero-COVID policy was not just denting Shanghai's attractiveness, but China as a whole, especially as other rival markets open and try to lure companies away from China. "The world is not going to wait for China to clean this mess," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Facing a severe energy crisis, Pakistan government has announced that it will revert to five-day work week as part of its energy conservation plan. Pakistan's information minister on Tuesday announced that that country's cabinet has approved to end Saturdays as workday, a step that will reduce the nation's energy and fuel consumption as hours-long power outages continue to hit the Shehbaz Sharif-led country. "We are facing a severe crisis... We desperately need to take energy conservation measures. We need to tap on every option to save on energy," Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said. He added, "The decision to restore the Saturday holiday will help save $386 million per annum." Amid heatwaves, is producing 21,000 megawatts of electricity while it has demand of 28,400 megawatts. announced a six-day work week soon after Sharif took over as the new prime minister in April, as the PML-N leader wanted to increase productivity. However, Sharif's step resulted in greater electricity and fuel consumption by government offices and employees. Aurangzeb said that the cabinet has also approved a 40 per cent cut in the official fuel allowance given to ministers and government officials and foreign trips for officials would also be curtailed. Pakistan's energy import costs have doubled in the last few months, as record high global fuel prices have put pressure on the external account as the Pakistani rupee has touched new lows against the US dollar. Aurangzeb added that the cabinet has also approved a plan, in coordination with provincial municipal authorities, to illuminate streetlights on an alternate lighting system". Under this plan, every alternate streetlight will be illuminated instead of all in a row. The deaths of 13 fire fighters - the highest fatalities in a single fire incident - while tackling the blaze and explosions at the Sitakundu BM Container Depot, was due to the lack of proper information and also the wrong way of operating, officials said on Tuesday. According to an official, 150 fire fighters were trained in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia on how to douse chemical fires and identifying chemicals in case of such a fire and have special equipment and chemical protection suits. Skilled fire fighters would not go so near a chemical fire, the official said. The members of this team are stationed at the headquarters and divisional cities. As per the procedure, the fire fighters begin extinguishing the blaze if it is a normal fire. In the case of a chemical fire, the specially-trained hazmat (hazardous materials) unit would go with protective jackets. But none of these 11 trained personnel of the hazmat unit in Agrabad, Chattogram went to Sitakunda industrial area or at Kumira Fire Station, the nearby fire station. Twenty-two normal fire fighters were the first to respond to the fire that broke out in the depot in Chattogram and most of them never made it back. The fire fighters who rushed to BM Container Depot in Sitakunda from two adjacent fire stations were not trained on extinguishing chemical fires. Officials, however, alleged the local fire fighters, without informing the hazmat team in Agrabad, began dousing the blaze considering it a normal fire, as they were not informed about chemical substances at the depot. Hazmat team members only went there after seeing media reports on the explosion. Fire Service officials told the press that they were not informed about chemicals being stored in the depot. If they had known that, they could have taken precautionary and responsive measures accordingly. The loss and number of casualties could be lessened if such trained fire fighters, with hazmat suits, can be kept at fire stations near the factories, said the colleagues of the deceased fire fighters. Besides, the Department of Explosives has mentioned that BM Container Depot did not have any license to store hydrogen peroxide. Local Department of Explosives Inspector Tofazzal Hossain said that special infrastructure is a must for storing such chemicals, but there was no such arrangement in the depot. His department did not know the depot had such chemicals either - and now the depot owner has said that he himself did not know what type of chemicals were stored at his own institution. However, rubbishing this, Fire Service's Agrabad Branch Inspector Mahbub-e-Ilahi said: "The claim of the depot owner that he did not know which chemicals were stored at his own terminal does not make any sense. We have seen owners concealing information on previous fire incidents as well." (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 forces struggled to hold their ground in bloody street-to-street fighting in the eastern frontline city of Sievierodonetsk as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the situation was difficult, also pledging to retake Russia's gains. The days-long battle for the industrial city has emerged as pivotal, with focusing its offensive might in the hope of achieving one of its stated aims - to fully capture surrounding Luhansk province on behalf of Russian-speaking separatists. "We have to achieve a full deoccupation of our entire territory," Zelenskiy said by video link at an event hosted by Britain's Financial Times newspaper on Tuesday. Asked about comments by France's Emmanuel Macron that it was important not to "humiliate" Moscow, interpreted in Ukraine as implying some demands must be accepted, Zelenskiy said: "We are not going to humiliate anyone, we are going to respond in kind." The governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Gaidai, said the defenders were finding it hard to repel Russian attacks in the centre of Sievierodonetsk. Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Popasna remain the most difficult places, Zelenskiy said late on Tuesday. Moscow said its troops have been advancing, while Zelenskiy said the "heroic defence" of Donbas was ongoing. Reuters could not independently verify the situation on the ground. Since being pushed back from Kyiv and Kharkiv, has focused on the region known as the Donbas, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, and closest to the Russian border. Moscow says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour. Ukraine and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities and forced millions of people to flee. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would launch next week a "Book of Executioners" to detail war crimes. "These are concrete facts about concrete individuals guilty of concrete cruel crimes against Ukrainians," he said. says it has gone out of its way to avoid targeting civilians in its operation in Ukraine. Bombardment Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies collected on Monday showed significant damage in Sievierodonetsk and nearby Rubizhne. "Russian multiple rocket launchers, self-propelled and towed artillery are deployed to the northeast and oriented in firing positions toward the cities," the U.S. company said in a release. Ukrainian officials had said their forces staged a surprise counter-attack last week, driving the Russians from part of the city centre. Before that, Russia had seemed on the verge of encircling Ukraine's garrison in Luhansk, attempting to cut off the main road to Sievierodonetsk and its twin city Lysychansk. Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, was also hit by shelling on Tuesday, and the local mayor said one person was killed. The northeastern city had been quieter in recent weeks. Viacheslav Shulga, an employee at a pizzeria in the north of Kharkiv that was hit, said there had been hopes the restaurant could reopen soon. "Everything is destroyed. We are removing equipment, there will be no business here for now," he said. More than two weeks since a siege of the southern city of Mariupol ended, Tass news agency cited a Russian law enforcement source as saying that over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered there have been transferred to Russia for investigation. Global Crisis As the effects of the war are felt around the world, the United States added further sanctions to Moscow by banning U.S. money managers from buying any Russian debt or stocks in secondary markets. The World Bank approved $1.49 billion in fresh funds to help pay wages for government and social workers in Ukraine as it and other countries deal with the damage to its economy. Ukraine is one of the world's biggest exporters of grain, and Western countries accuse Russia of creating the risk of global famine by shutting Ukraine's Black Sea ports. The governor of the region that includes the port of Mykolaiv said weekend shelling had destroyed warehouses in one of Ukraine's largest agricultural commodities terminals. Moscow denies responsibility for the food crisis, blaming Western sanctions. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Russian-occupied Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol were ready to resume grain exports. Ukraine says any such shipments from territory seized by Moscow would amount to illegal looting. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Costas Pitas and Himani Sarkar; Editing by Grant McCool and Michael Perry) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President on Tuesday signed a bill to provide better access to mammograms for veterans exposed to burn pits as part of nine bills signed into law aimed to improve veterans' health care. He also signed eight other pieces of legislation Tuesday focused on veteran health care, including a bill to improve breast imaging services for veterans regardless of if they're exposed to burn pits or not and to compensate veterans who developed cancer and medical conditions from the World War II-era nuclear programs, The Hill reported. "Less than one per cent of the population risk everything to defend our nation and our values and everything we hold dear. And you know, the 99 per cent of us who don't, we owe them, we owe them big," Biden said at the bill signing. "And that's what today is all about, is paying a debt in my view," he said adding. Biden has been focused on expanding benefits for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and were exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits and has always called it a "sacred obligation" to prepare those serving in the armed forces and to care for them and their families when they return home. The issue of burn pits strikes a personal note for the president who believes related chemicals may have contributed to the brain cancer that ultimately killed his son, Beau Biden, The Hill reported. The legislation aims to ensure that veterans who serve near burn pits get preventative care and requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to conduct breast cancer screenings for women who experience toxic exposures. The Dr Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act was named after Marine Corps Officer Kate Thomas, who served near a burn pit in Iraq and died in April from breast cancer. According to The Hill, Biden honoured her in remarks at the White House and acknowledged her husband and son, who were at the bill signing. Lawmakers who attended the bill signing included Republican Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Joni Ernst (Iowa), and Democratic Sens. John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Jon Tester (Mont.), the report 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.) has issued 4.5 million tonnes of quotas for refined fuel exports, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, a top-up to the first issue for 2022 to ease high domestic inventories as demand was dented by COVID-19 lockdowns. The new issue will bring the total of refined fuel export quotas this year to 17.5 million tonnes, still significantly lower than the 29.5 million tonnes allotted under the first issue of 2021. Four firms, including National Petroleum Corp, Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec), China National Offshore Oil Corp and Sinochem Holdings, have been granted the new quotas, the sources said. The quotas will be divided into general trade, at 3.5 million tonnes, and tolling, at 1 million tonnes. Beijing wants to discourage refiners from pumping surplus fuel, an act seen by the government as derailing its long-term emission battle, by slashing quotas for export. But the widespread COVID-19 lockdown, starting in March across several Chinese cities, has hammered Chinese fuel consumption and forced refiners to scale back production amid swelling product inventory. These quotas cover mainly transportation fuels diesel, gasoline and aviation fuel. China separately issues export quotas for very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), used as marine bunker fuel. The ministry of commerce, which is responsible for quota releases, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Below lists the details of 2022 fuel quota issues, excluding VLSFO, with volume in million tonnes. Additional batch First batch Normal trade Tolling Normal trade Tolling CNPC 1.38 0.15 3.71 0.5 Sinopec 1.7 0.7 2.71 1.6 CNOOC 0.42 1.18 Sinochem 0.15 1.66 0.11 China Aviation 0.04 Fuel Zhejiang 1.34 Petrochemical Corp Norinco 0.15 Total 3.5 1 10.79 2.21 (Reporting by Muyu Xu, Florence Tan and Chen Aizhu, Editing by Louise Heavens, Robert Birsel) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) is planning to launch a in for getting inexhaustible power in 2028, two years ahead of the original schedule, a Chinese daily reported. Earlier, aimed to establish a 1 megawatt solar power station in by 2030. Now, as per the updated plan, will launch a satellite in 2028 to test wireless power transmission technology from to the ground from an altitude of 400km, reported the South China Morning Post quoting science journal Chinese Space Science and Technology. The satellite would convert to microwaves or lasers, said the researchers, and added that the energy beams would then be directed to various targets, including fixed locations on Earth and moving satellites. The will 10 kilowatts, enough to meet the needs of a few households, the Chinese daily reported. A 33-acre testing facility is being built in Chongqing's Bishan district and it will be used to theoretical viability of a space-based solar power station. The facility will develop space transmission technologies while studying the effect of microwaves beamed back to Earth on living organisms, said Xie Gengxin, deputy head of the Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Research Institute for Civil-Military Integration in Southwestern China, quoted Forbes. In the journal, Professor Dong Shiwei with the National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Space Microwave under the China Academy of Space Technology in Xian noted that the technology could be scaled up significantly and become "an effective contributor to reaching carbon peak and neutrality goals". The plan was first drafted in 2014, Dong said, adding that technological advances and potential military applications may have renewed government interest. Gunmen with explosives killed at least 38 persons including five children in an attack on a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria, the Ondo State Catholic Diocese has told The Associated Press. Some of the dead "were taken to private hospitals and we have not been able to ascertain the number of casualties for that," said a spokesperson speaking on behalf of Bishop Jude Arogundade of the Ondo Catholic Diocese, suggesting that the death toll could be higher. Kadiri Olanrewaju, head of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Services in Ondo, earlier said on Tuesday that 22 bodies were counted at the morgue while two state lawmakers told AP on Sunday that more than 50 were killed in the attack at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo town in Ondo state. Some bodies were taken away by family members for private burials, residents said. The Catholic church in Ondo verified the names of the 38 persons brought to the Catholic hospital and to the Federal Medical Centre, the church's spokesperson in Ondo told AP. Nigeria, Africa's most populous country with 206 million people, has grappled for more than a decade with an insurgency in the northeast by the Islamic extremist rebels of Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province. The country now is confronted by growing insecurity problems as separatists and pirates are blamed for attacks in the country's south while armed groups frequently launch deadly attacks in the northwest. Before the church attack, Ondo had been considered one of Nigeria's most peaceful states. But now Owo, a small town of traders and government workers located 50 kilometers from the state capital of Akure, is reeling from the violence of the church attack. Schools and public gathering spots remained closed on Tuesday and many residents stayed at home, residents said. The Ondo Police Command has not made any arrests yet nor have they confirmed the identities of the attackers, said to be at least five in number, a spokeswoman said. We can only confirm that explosives were used and we found three undetonated IEDs (improvised explosive devices) at the scene, police spokeswoman Odunlami Funmilayo told the AP. The attackers sneaked into the church premises, said the police. Some of them were disguised as congregants while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions, fired into the church, the police added. There was no warning, no threat, this place has been peaceful, said Sunday Adewale, who works in the palace of the local chief. They just looked for people's soft spot when people are relaxed. Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu described the attackers as bloodthirsty terrorists who unleashed an unforgettable scar on all of us. "The most unfortunate part is the lives of innocent children cut down in their prime and some severely injured by the mindless terrorists," Governor Akeredolu said in a broadcast. Women in the town protested on Tuesday. They also demanded improved security in the area. We are here as market women, we are here to commiserate with the people of Owo, we are to say that enough is enough, said Yemi Mahmud, one of the protesters. In the community, the anger is palpable just as the urge for reprisal is high," said Governor Akeredolu, who promised that we shall commit every available resource to hunt down these mindless assailants and make them pay dearly. (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.) Edge, a San Diego-based self-custody exchange, on Wednesday launched Edge Mastercard, that enables crypto holders to spend with digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin, Litecoin, and Dash from its application. Edge users sell their Bitcoin to the card when adding funds in the app, while merchants receive funds in USD. Edge is a self-custody exchange that supports the most popular on the market. Formerly known as Airbitz, the company was founded in 2014 as a Bitcoin-only wallet. Users register their cards inside the Edge app to start spending, without having to add personal information or pay any fees. The card, powered by Ionia, a fintech and savings platform, connects with mobile pay services Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay. Top ups to the Edge are instant, allowing users to spend their balance immediately without waiting for confirmations or bank transfers. "Using the Edge does not require you to compromise your privacy, as other programs do. There is no name or address associated with your Edge Mastercard, making for completely private transactions when your card is used," the website said. In the initial roll-out, the card will enable spending at more than 10 million merchants in the United States and users can spend the equivalent of up to $1,000 per day. I cant be more excited for the launch of the Edge Mastercard, said Paul Puey, co-founder of Edge. Bitcoin users will finally be able to privately spend at thousands of merchants around the US without compromising ANY personal informaton, and without fees or delays to top up their card," he added. Bitcoin, BitcoinCash, Dash, Doge and Litecoin users will finally be able to spend their currencies at Mastercard accepting merchants in the US," he added. Edge uses official spot exchange rates provided by platforms such as Coinmarketcap, a price-tracking website for digital assets, with no margin taken on exchange rates. The reached a political agreement on a law that would require listed companies to move toward 40% female representation in non-executive director positions by 2026. The European Commission, the blocs executive arm, first proposed the legislation in 2012 and formal adoption still requires approval by the parliament and the 27 member states, expected later this year. Currently, 30.6% of board members in the EU largest publicly listed companies are women and 8.5% of board chairs, according to an EU statement. Ursula von der Leyen has made gender equality a hallmark of her tenure as president of the commission, which is for the first time gender-balanced at the highest level of the so-called college. The business case for having more women in leadership is clear, von der Leyen said in a Tuesday statement. There are plenty of women qualified for top jobs: they should be able to get them. If member states choose to apply the legislation to both executive and non-executive directors, the target would be 33% female representation. Listed companies will be required to report once a year about the gender representation on their boards and, if the objectives have not been met, how they plan to achieve them. Currently, only 9 out of 27 member states have national legislation regarding gender equality on boards. The directive needs teeth, Evelyn Regner, vice president of the European Parliament and the proposals co-rapporteur, said in a news conference on Wednesday. So we put into it penalties. The penalties, which will have to be introduced and implemented at the national level, may include fines. Companies may also face having their selection of board directors annulled by a judicial body if they breach the national provisions. Small and medium-sized enterprises with up to 249 employees will be excluded from the requirements. ex-producer has been charged with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in London dating back over 25 years, the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Wednesday. Weinstein, 70, was charged by Scotland Yard after a review of evidence gathered by the force in its investigation into the alleged offences which are said to have taken place between July and August in 1996. The complainant is now aged in her 50s and the charges have been made contrary to Section 14(1) of the UK's Sexual Offences Act 1956. The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996, said Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division. Charges have been authorised against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial, she said. The CPS highlighted that it is "extremely important" there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice the proceedings in the ensuing court case. It also highlighted that its assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct. It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the CPS 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.) Following a freeze on activities in earlier this year, CEO Arvind Krishna has informed employees that the company is ending all operations in the country and has begun laying off employees. In a letter shared with the employees, Krishna stated that the company's focus for months has been on looking after the safety and security of IBMers and their families in impacted regions. The company suspended operations back in March but kept employees on the payroll. "We chose to suspend operations so that we could evaluate longer-term options while continuing to pay and provide for our employees in Russia," the CEO wrote in the letter. "As the consequences of the war continue to mount and uncertainty about its long-term ramifications grows, we have now made the decision to carry out an orderly wind-down of IBM's business in Russia," he added. He mentioned that the company sees this move as both right and necessary, and a natural next step following business suspension. "This process will commence today and result in the separation of our local workforce. Our colleagues in have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty," Krishna said. "We recognise that this news is difficult, and I want to assure them that will continue to stand by them and take all reasonable steps to provide support and make their transition as orderly as possible," 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.) In a bid to control the damage from the Nupur Sharma comment that cast a slur on the Prophet, the Indian foreign office said Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in India to a warm welcome to hold talks with External Affairs Minister . He also met Prime Minister . Abdollahian is the first leader from an Islamic country to come to New Delhi amid widespread anger in West Asian countries over Sharmas comments that neither Jaishankar nor Modi have reacted to or commented on. His visit comes two days after Iran joined Arab nations in summoning Indian envoys to protest the former Bharatiya Janata Party spokespersons remarks. Many from the retired diplomatic community in India said the comments had done irreparable damage to Indias ties with Islamic nations and undone extensive progress made in ties with these nations in the past eight years. That despite its diplomatic stand on the Islamic slur, Iran went ahead with the visit was interpreted as a minor diplomatic victory. There was no change in Abdollahians schedule he is on a three-day visit and will visit Mumbai and Hyderabad as planned. Analysts put this down to enlightened self-interest on the part of both Iran and India. Ahead of Abdollahian visit, Iranian envoy to India Ali Chegeni was quoted as saying Tehran was ready to meet Indias energy security needs as negotiations continue between the world powers and Tehran on the lifting of sanctions against the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries member. Iran used to be the second-largest oil supplier to India, but New Delhi had to halt imports from Tehran after former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed sanctions on its oil exports. India and Iran have devised a barter-like mechanism to settle trade where Indian refiners were paying for Iranian oil in rupees to a local bank and the funds were used by Tehran to pay for imports from India. There are other common interests as well. India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003, but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MoU translated into a formal 10-year contract for equipping and operating Chabahar Port, which was executed on May 23, 2016, during Modis visit to Tehran. India and Iran have been jointly focusing on improving connectivity between Southeast Asia and Central Asia. Meanwhile, after a nearly 10-day silence, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said Indias strength of co-existence of various communities cannot be harmed by any narrow-minded communal conspiracy, and that the followers of all religions flourish in India in an environment of equality, freedom, and inclusivity. Equal rights, dignity, and prosperity of minorities, including Muslims, is a part of the countrys commitment to tolerance, harmony, and inclusivity, Naqvi told reporters. turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by UN inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. The move appeared to be a new pressure technique as Western nations seek to censure at a meeting this week in Vienna at the Atomic Energy Agency. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Iran's failure to provide credible information over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country. But Iran's latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehran's nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so. The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor ... and flowmeter. That apparently refers to the IAEA's online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Iran's underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for around-the-clock monitoring of the facility's cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEA's laboratories in Austria, the agency said at the time. Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there. The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the Atomic Energy Agency, state TV said in its report Wednesday. Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation ... not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran. Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA safeguard cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEA's inspections and monitoring of a country's nuclear program. However, an Iranian official warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking other measures as well. We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Iran's cooperation with cooperation," said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. "It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate. The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Iran's move come after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide credible information about unexplained, man-made nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. U.S. Ambassador Laura S.H. Holgate identified the Iranian sites in comments Wednesday to the IAEA's board as Marivan, Turquzabad and Varamin. Iran has denied carrying out nuclear work at these locations. Holgate urged Iran to cooperate with U.N. inspectors and said that moving forward with the censure would hold Iran accountable. "Restricting IAEA access and attempts to paint the IAEA as politicized for simply doing its job will serve no purpose," she said. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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 should it decide to do so. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. 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 that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said. In a statement Tuesday to the IAEA, France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned the moves taken by Tehran are further reducing the time Iran would take to break out towards a first nuclear weapon and it is fueling distrust as to Iran's intentions. "The IAEA has been without crucial access to data on centrifuge and component manufacturing for a year and half now," the statement warned. This means that neither the agency, nor the community, know how many centrifuges Iran has in its inventory, how many were built, and where they may be located. The countries urged Iran to stop escalating its nuclear program and to urgently conclude (the) deal that is on the table. But just before the camera announcement, the head of Iran's nuclear organization insisted the country has no secret nuclear activity and accused the West of making a political move by trying to censure Iran. Iran has had maximum cooperation with the IAEA," said Mohammad Eslami, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. has urged the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to avoid "politicising" issues concerning Iran's nuclear programme. Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy chief of the Iranian Judiciary and a former envoy to the IAEA, was quoted by the Iran's Press TV as saying that has cooperated with the agency "in good faith and with transparency" and has provided "adequate explanations" to the IAEA's questions, Xinhua news agency reported. He was in response to the IAEA report issued last week which claimed that "undeclared" nuclear materials found in three Iranian sites still remained unanswered. One reason why the IAEA amplified the issue and put it high on its agenda is the "constant political pressure that the United States and some Western countries have been exerting on the agency," Gharibabadi said. He reiterated Iran's opposition to any anti- resolution at the imminent IAEA Board of Governors' meeting. "I hope that Western countries and the US would come to their senses and opt not to officially submit the resolution because they know the move will further complicate the situation," he added. The US, UK, France and Germany have reportedly prepared a draft resolution concerning Iran's nuclear programme for the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting. --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.) Meta Platforms Inc. is now a leader in another social media trend -- lawsuits claiming the company built algorithms in its platforms that lure young people into destructive addiction. Eight lawsuits filed in courthouses across the US over the last week allege that excessive exposure to platforms including and has led to attempted or actual suicides, eating disorders and sleeplessness, among other issues. These applications could have been designed to minimize potential harm, but instead, a decision was made to aggressively addict adolescents in the name of corporate profits, attorney Andy Birchfield, a principal at Beasley Allen, the law firm that filed the suits, said in a statement Wednesday. The complaints add to a spurt of recent cases against Meta and Snap Inc., including some filed by parents whose children took their own lives. The litigation follows a former employees high-profile testimony in Congress that the company refused to take responsibility for harming the mental health of its youngest users. A spokesperson for didnt immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. Meta said in April that its improving the tools it provides for parents to keep track of what their children are doing on its platforms. The company also said that for teens in particular, it sends a Take A Break reminder that nudges them toward different topics if theyve dwelled on one subject for a long time. One of the new suits was filed by Naomi Charles, a 22-year-old woman who says she started using Meta platforms when she was a minor and that her addiction led to her to attempt suicide and other suffering. Meta misrepresented the safety, utility, and non-addictive properties of their products, according to the complaint in Miami federal court. Charles, like the other users, is seeking monetary damages to compensate for mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and costs of hospitalization and medical bills. The claims in the suits include defective design, failure to warn, fraud and negligence. The complaints were filed in federal courts in Texas, Tennessee, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Missouri. will launch three rockets within weeks from northern for scientific research, authorities said on Wednesday, marking the first time the space agency will fire rockets from a commercial facility outside the United States. The Australian government has granted regulatory approval for the rockets to be launched from privately owned Equatorial Launch Australia's (ELA) Arnhem Space Centre, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. "This is a really exciting project," Albanese said during a media briefing in Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory. "The idea that is directly involved here in should be something of pride for all Australians." The missions will investigate heliophysics, astrophysics and planetary science phenomena that can be only seen from the southern hemisphere. The first rocket will blast off on June 26, while the are planned for July 4 and 12. About 75 NASA personnel will be in for the event, the prime minister said. The launches will be the first by the U.S. space agency from Australia since 1995. The Arnhem Space Centre was recently awarded a launch facilities licence and launch permit for the NASA campaign after a two-year evaluation by the Australian Space Agency. The Northern Territory government has backed the project from its inception, investing A$5 million ($3.6 million) in ELA to develop the Arnhem Space Centre, the company said. "This is a landmark occasion for the Top End," Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyle said, referring to the geographic region at the territory's north. "NASA is adding capacity and rocketing (the region) into the global spotlight for investors." ($1 = 1.3848 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Renju Jose. Editing by Gerry Doyle) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A defiant British Prime Minister insisted Wednesday that he is getting on with his job, as he faced Parliament for the first time since 41% of his own party's lawmakers called for him to quit. Johnson has been left teetering after surviving a no-confidence vote by Conservative Party legislators by a narrower-than-expected margin. A total of 148 of the 359 Tory lawmakers voted against him in Monday's ballot. Johnson says he plans to move on and focus on bread-and-butter issues such as clearing national health care backlogs, tackling crime, easing a cost-of-living crisis and creating high-skilled jobs in a country that has left the European Union. As for jobs, I'm going to get on with mine, he told lawmakers during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in the House of Commons. But Johnson's party opponents say they have not given up on pushing him out. They fear that Johnson, his reputation tarnished by revelations of COVID-19 lockdown-breaching government parties, will doom the party to defeat in the next national election, which is due to be held by 2024. Still, Conservative lawmakers dutifully cheered Johnson during a noisy Prime Minister's Questions, while opponents relished the prime minister's problems. Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said any Conservatives inclined to give Johnson another chance would be disappointed. They want him to change but he can't, Starmer said. Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford called Johnson a lame duck prime minister presiding over a divided party in a disunited kingdom. And Labour lawmaker Angela Eagle asked: If 148 of his own backbenchers don't trust him, why on Earth should the country? Johnson replied that in a long political career so far, I have of course picked up political opponents all over the place. But he said absolutely nothing and no one is going to stop us getting on and delivering for the British people. (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.) drew closer to its goal of fully capturing Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories as the claimed to have taken control of 97 per cent of one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that Moscow's forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. And it appears that now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. After abandoning its bungled attempt to storm Kyiv two months ago, declared that taking the entire Donbas is its main objective. Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian government forces in the Donbas since 2014, and the region has borne the brunt of the Russian onslaught in recent weeks. Early in the war, Russian troops also took control of the entire Kherson region and a large part of the Zaporizhzhia region, both in the south. Russian officials and their local appointees have talked about plans for those regions to either declare their independence or be folded into Russia. But in what may be the latest instance of anti-Russian sabotage inside Ukraine, Russian state media said Tuesday that an explosion at a cafe in the city of Kherson wounded four people. Tass called the apparent bombing in the Russian-occupied city a terror act. Before the Feb. 24 invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7 per cent of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces hold 20 per cent of the country. While Russia has superior firepower, the Ukrainian defenders are entrenched and have shown the ability to counterattack. Zelenskyy said Russian forces made no significant advances in the eastern Donbas region over the past day. The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues, he said late Tuesday in his nightly video address. Zelenskyy said the Russians clearly did not expect to meet so much resistance and are now trying to bring in additional troops and equipment. He said the same was true in the Kherson region. Speaking earlier to a Financial Times conference, Zelenskyy insisted on Ukraine's need to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also said he is still open to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But a former senior US intelligence officer said the time isn't right. You're not going to get to the negotiating table until neither side feels they have an advantage that they could push, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. The Russians think they will be able to take the whole of the Donbas and then might use that as the opportunity to call for negotiations, Kendall-Taylor said at an online seminar organized by Columbia and New York universities. Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, said Moscow's forces have seized the residential quarters of Sievierodonetsk and are fighting to take control of an industrial zone on the city's outskirts and nearby towns. Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk have seen heavy fighting in recent weeks. They are among a few cities and towns in the Luhansk region still holding out against the Russian invasion, which is being helped by local pro- forces. Shoigu added that Russian troops were pressing their offensive toward the town of Popasna and have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak urged his people not to be downhearted about the battlefield reverses. Don't let the news that we've ceded something scare you, he said in a video address. It is clear that tactical maneuvers are ongoing. We cede something, we take something back." Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai conceded that Russian forces control the industrial outskirts of Sievierodonetsk. The toughest street battles continue, with varying degrees of success, Haidai said. The situation constantly changes, but the Ukrainians are repelling attacks. Moscow's forces also kept up their artillery barrage of Lysychansk. Haidai said Russian troops shelled a market, a school and a college building, destroying the latter. At least three people were wounded, he said. A total destruction of the city is under way. Russian shelling has intensified significantly over the past 24 hours. Russians are using scorched-earth tactics, Haidai said. Meanwhile, the US military has begun training Ukrainian forces on the sophisticated multiple rocket launchers that the Biden administration agreed last week to provide. The Pentagon said the training is going on at a base in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets, which can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers). Officials said it would take about three weeks of training before they could go to the battlefront. In other developments, Zelenskyy said Ukraine planned to publish a special Book of Executioners next week with information about war crimes committed by the Russian army. These are specific facts about specific people who are guilty of specific cruel crimes against Ukrainians, he said. Those named would include not only people who carried out the crimes but their commanders, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukraine's military intelligence agency says has so far turned over the bodies of 210 Ukrainian fighters killed in the battle for Mariupol. It says most of them were among the last holdouts in the Azovstal steelworks. The agency did not specify Tuesday how many more bodies are believed to remain in the rubble of the plant. now controls the destroyed port city. It began turning over bodies last week. said Saturday that the two sides had exchanged 320 bodies, with each getting back 160. It is unclear whether any more bodies have been given to . The Ukrainian fighters defended the steelworks for nearly three months before surrendering in May under relentless Russian attacks from the ground, sea and air. Ukrainian forces pulled back to the outskirts of the industrial city of Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday in the face of a fierce Russian assault, the regional governor said, another big swing in momentum in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Russia has concentrated its troops and firepower on the small eastern city in recent weeks to secure the surrounding province on behalf of separatist proxies. has vowed to fight there for as long as possible, saying the battle could help shape the war's future course. After claiming to have pushed Russians back and secured half of the city in a surprise counter-attack last week, the governor of the surrounding Luhansk region said on Wednesday afternoon that most of the city was again in Russian hands. ...Our (forces) now again control only the outskirts of the city. But the fighting is still going on, our (forces) are defending Sievierodonetsk, it is impossible to say the Russians completely control the city, Serhiy Gaidai told RBC- . He said earlier that Russian forces would step up their bombardment of both Sievierodonetsk and its smaller twin city of Lysychansk on the west bank of the Siverskyi Donets River. Russian forces have 10 times more equipment than Ukrainian troops in some areas of Sievierodonetsk, Ukraines Defence Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told a briefing. Reuters could not independently verify the situation on the ground. (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.) and Turkey on Wednesday voiced support for the creation of a safe maritime corridor in the Black Sea so can export grain to global markets amid an escalating world food crisis. A Turkish minister said the move should also be accompanied by the easing of Western sanctions against for its invasion of . Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara for discussions focused on a UN proposal to free Ukraine's Black Sea ports and allow some 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. 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 food supplies to many developing countries. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Ukraine's government was not represented at the Ankara meeting but has expressed concerns that removing mines from its ports to facilitate grain exports could allow to attack its southern coast. Lavrov promised that Russia would not abuse its naval advantage if Ukraine's ports were demined and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Both Russia and Turkey would also benefit from the export plan. The same corridor would also allow Russia to export food and fertiliser. Turkey would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea, Turkish officials say. As Turkey, we find this plan reasonable and see it as a feasible one, Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with Lavrov. The scheme, however, would require negotiation between Moscow and Kyiv, he added. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine if it participates in the UN plan, saying that seemed quite legitimate. If the whole world is in need of the products to be exported by Ukraine and the Russian Federation, then a method needs to be established, he said, adding that he hoped technical preparations could be made as soon as possible. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. It also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of third-country naval forces. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday the Russian military would need to check commercial ships taking the grain to make sure they don't carry weapons. He added that after they are loaded with grain, Russia would help escort the ships to waters. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Tuesday that technical details were still being worked out. Our efforts are continuing concerning the technical planning on such issues as how it will be done, how the mines will be cleared, who will do it, how the corridor will be established and who will escort (ships), Akar said. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Turkey was much more optimistic." Turkey hosted previous talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in March but since then little progress has been made. We see an optimistic atmosphere in terms of going back to the negotiation table, Cavusoglu said, citing recent comments by Zelenskyy. He reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders' summit. Lavrov arrived in Turkey days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. Lavrov's plane was able to fly directly to Turkey over the Black Sea. Lavrov's discussions in the Turkish capital also focused on Turkey's plans to launch a new cross-border offensive in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers to be a security threat. Turkey needs Moscow's approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, despite the two supporting opposite sides in Syria's civil war. In 2020, 37 Turkish soldiers were killed in Russia-backed airstrikes against rebels in Syria's last rebel-held Idlib province. Turkey really needs Russia's blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation (in Syria.) And so I think they're really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side, said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey programme coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. Lavrov's meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finland's recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries' candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but hasn't joined sanctions against Russia. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian Foreign Minister is due to hold talks Wednesday with Turkish officials on a plan that could allow Ukraine to export its grain through the Black Sea to global markets amid an escalating food crisis. 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 food supplies to many developing countries. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. An estimated 22 million tons of grains are sitting in silos in Ukraine. is involved in efforts for the establishment of a UN-led mechanism that would create a secure corridor for the shipment of the Ukrainian grain and for to export food and fertilizer. would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea, Turkish officials have said. A top Russian official said Tuesday that Ukraine needs to remove sea mines near its Black Sea port of Odesa to allow grain exports to resume. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian military would need to check commercial ships taking the grain to make sure they don't carry weapons. He added that after they are loaded with grain, would help escort the ships to waters. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Tuesday that technical details were still being worked out. Our efforts are continuing concerning the technical planning on such issues as how it will be done, how the mines will be cleared, who will do it, how the corridor will be established and who will escort (ships), Akar said. Lavrov arrived in days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. Lavrov's plane was able to fly directly to Turkey over the Black Sea. Lavrov's discussions in the Turkish capital are also expected to focus on Turkey's plans to launch a new cross-border offensive in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara considers to be a security threat. Turkey needs Moscow's approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, despite the two supporting opposite sides in Syria's civil war. In 2020, 37 Turkish soldiers were killed in Russia-backed airstrikes against rebels in Syria's last rebel-held Idlib province. Turkey really needs Russia's blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation (in Syria.) And so I think they're really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side, said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. Lavrov's meeting also comes as Turkey a NATO member has voiced opposition to Sweden and Finland's bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries' candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and . It has criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but hasn't joined sanctions against Russia. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lanka's former Basil has decided to step down from his parliamentary seat, as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that seeks to bar dual citizens from holding any top public office is ready to be tabled in Parliament, according to media reports on Wednesday. Basil Rajapaksa, the younger brother of President Gotabaya and former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a dual American and Sri Lankan citizen and the 21st Amendment (21A) seeks to bar dual citizens from holding parliamentary seats or contest future elections. Ruling Podujana Peramuna party (SLPP) MP Basil has decided to step down from his parliamentary seat by Thursday, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. Basil Rajapaksa, 71, has informed his party members that he would continue to be active in party but would not hold his parliamentary seat, the report said. Basil Rajapaksa was sacked by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on April 4 as the country's economic crisis worsened. He was accused of being partially responsible for the economic crisis in the country. The 21st Amendment is expected to annul the 20A to the Constitution, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament. The proposal met with Opposition from the loyalists of the Rajapaksa family, particularly from the supporters of Basil Rajapaksa. On Monday, Sri Lanka's Cabinet deferred by a week the approval of the proposed 21st Amendment to empower Parliament over the executive president, amidst stiff resistance from some members of the ruling party. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week batted for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, saying it will curb the president's unlimited powers while enhancing the role of Parliament in governing the debt-ridden country which is also facing an unprecedented political turmoil. The powerful Rajapaksa family tightened their grip on power after their massive victory in the general elections in August 2020, which allowed them to amend the Constitution to restore presidential powers and install close family members in key positions. has been grappling with unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. Sri Lanka's economic crisis has created political unrest with protesters demanding President Rajapaksa's resignation. (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 air forces of and conducted a joint drill over the war-torn country Tuesday, the first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three months ago, Syria's Defense Ministry said. The ministry said two Russian SU-35 fighter jets and six Syrian MiG-23 and MiG-29 aircraft simulated facing hostile" warplanes and drones. Syrian pilots dealt with them with cover and support from the Russian warplanes, it said. All illusive targets were monitored and completely destroyed while aerial targets were hit at night for the first time, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement. It also released a video of the warplanes that it said took part in the drill. The announcement came hours after Syrian state television reported that Israeli missiles targeted Syrian army positions south of the capital of Damascus, causing material damage but no casualties. State TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Israeli warplanes fired several missiles while flying over Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights before midnight Monday. It added that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles. There was no comment on the strike from Israel. According to Syrian state media, Israeli missiles targeted central on May 13, killing five people including a civilian, and igniting fires on farmland in the area. became involved militarily in in September 2015 helping to tip the balance of power in favour of President Bashar Assad's forces in the 11-year conflict that has killed half a million people. The Syrian Defense Ministry said that during Tuesday's drill, the Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out joint patrols along the Golan Heights and other parts of southern Syria. The last such joint drill was conducted a week before began its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. In mid-February, the Russian military deployed long-range nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets carrying state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to Syria for massive naval drills in the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. It says it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group that has fighters deployed in Syria and fighting on the side of Assad's government forces, as well as arms shipments believed to be bound for the militias. Vice President said Tuesday that the Biden administration's work to attract investment to Central America, part of the U.S. effort to reduce migration, has generated $3.2 billion in private-sector commitments. We know the American people will benefit from stable and prosperous neighbours," she said during remarks on the second day of the Summit of the Americas, which brings together countries from across the hemisphere. "And when we provide economic opportunity for people in Central America, we address an important driver of . President Joe Biden, who arrives at the summit on Wednesday, tasked Harris last year with addressing the root causes of migration, which routinely strains U.S. resources at the border with Mexico. Progress has been slow, a reflection of the region's intractable problems and what some critics describe as U.S. neglect. Harris said she would focus on empowering women who face poverty and violence in their home countries. The effort is known as In Her Hands, and it aims to connect more women to the banking system, help them participate in agriculture and provide them with training in coding and cybersecurity. When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of families, of her community and of our entire hemisphere," Harris said. Her speech followed a roundtable with women leaders, including entrepreneurs, from Central America. This week's summit, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, is an opportunity for Harris to connect with leaders from and the Caribbean as she welcomes them to her home state. With her focus on the region, Harris is following in the footsteps of Biden himself, who worked on issues when he served as vice president to President Barack Obama. However, Harris has taken just two trips to the region since taking office. In recent days, she and the president have been working the phones to shore up attendance among leftist leaders who have been critical of the U.S. decision to exclude the authoritarian governments of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the Los Angeles summit. But the effort yielded few results. Among those staying home are the presidents of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras the only three leaders Harris has met in her two quick trips to the region. Brian Winter, vice president of the Council of the Americas, said Harris got off on the wrong foot as Biden's point person assigned to address the root social and economic causes driving migrants to the U.S. In a May 2021 policy speech delivered to Winter's business group from Washington, Harris, a former California prosecutor, mentioned corruption no fewer than 10 times, stirring resentment in a region where leaders are sensitive to taking lectures from U.S. policymakers. Corruption is a huge problem, but clearly there are more delicate ways to handle this, said Winter. A lot of doors closed even before she got on the ground. Harris reiterated her anti-corruption goals we must promote the rule of law in her remarks Tuesday. The announcement that private-sector commitments have reached $3.2 billion includes $1.2 billion that was announced in December and another $1.9 billion being detailed this week. New initiatives being announced include a $700 million expansion of cellular networks in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador by Miami-based Millicom; a $270 million commitment by Visa to promote digital payments; and a $150 million nearshoring investment by the Gap Inc. that could see as many as 5,000 jobs created closer to the U.S. But the Biden administration's biggest policy proposal in the region a $4 billion aid package for Central America has stalled in Congress with little apparent effort to revive it. Meanwhile, the number of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico has surged to its highest levels in decades, even as the Biden administration has little to show for the Democratic president's promise as a candidate to introduce a humane asylum system that would break with Trump-era restrictions. One challenge is finding partners in a region where institutions are weak, gang violence is prolific and corruption is rampant. None of the countries Harris is to work with will be represented at the summit by its president, according to the list of delegations the White House released Tuesday. All three nations are sending their foreign ministers instead. And in recent months, the U.S. has taken a strident tone against El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, whom it accuses of using his popularity to amass power and ride roughshod over democratic checks and balances. Meanwhile, Guatemala President Alejandro Giammettei said last month that he would not attend after the U.S. criticised his decision to reappoint an attorney general it alleged was involved in corruption. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Honduras' President Xiomara Castro, who has won praise from U.S. officials for her decision to extradite her predecessor, Juan Orlando Hernndez, to the U.S. to face federal drug charges. Harris, who attended Castro's inauguration in January, spoke in recent days with Honduras' first female president in a last-ditch effort to persuade her to travel to Los Angeles. But in the end Castro sided with fellow leftist Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador of Mexico in boycotting the summit. Surely weighing on her decision was the United States' quick recognition of a new government after Honduras' military removed her husband, President Manuel Zelaya, from office in 2009. It's a far tougher set of actors that the U.S. has to deal with even compared to what the Obama administration faced, said Rebecca Bill Chavez, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. Chavez, who advised Harris on foreign policy during her brief presidential run, welcomed the vice president's focus on gender-based violence and female migrants, something that was missing from past administrations. She's also hopeful that Harris' familial ties to Jamaica her immigrant father's birthplace could help her connect to leaders in the Caribbean who are overlooked even in policy circles. But Biden's record is tough to top. As vice president he made 16 trips to and his presence in the region has loomed large since his days as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when he helped craft Plan Colombia, by far the biggest U.S. military and economic aid package in the region. Chavez said that on issues of climate change, and inclusive economic growth, the Biden administration has the opportunity to lay out a vision with appeal to all countries no matter their ideological bent or bilateral agenda with the U.S. To succeed she and the Biden administration really needs to broaden their scope, said Chavez. Los Angeles is the perfect opportunity for them to show they are so. But it can't be a one and done event. It requires follow-through to become reality. (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.) Ukraine's ambassador is urging to sell its Iron Dome rocket interception system and provide anti-tank missiles to defend civilians against Russia's invasion. Yevgen Korniychuk on Tuesday stopped short of accusing of blocking the sale of the missile defense system. But he wants the Israeli government to back up its verbal support for with military assistance. At a news conference in Tel Aviv, he said wants to buy the Iron Dome system, contending that the United States would not oppose such a sale. The United States has been financially supporting Israel's Iron Dome for about a decade, providing about $1.6 billion for its production and maintenance, according to the Congressional Research Service. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets fired into . Korniychuk also said Israel last week declined a U.S. request for Germany to deliver Israeli-licensed Spike anti-tank missiles to . Israel has limited its support for Ukraine to humanitarian aid and was the only country operating a field hospital inside the country earlier in the year. Israel fears helping Ukraine militarily would inflame Russia, which has a military presence in neighbouring Syria. Israel, which carries out frequent strikes on enemy targets in Syria, relies on Russia for security coordination. The Israeli Defense Ministry had no comment. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Joseph R Biden will travel to Schloss Elmau in southern Germany on June 25 to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in an official statement on Tuesday. During the summit, the US President Biden and other G-7 leaders will hold discussions on the global issues including the G-7's unwavering support for a democratic, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine, economic and democratic resilience, tackling the climate crisis, development infrastructure, global health security, and the food and energy crisis caused by Russia's war of aggression, the statement further said. It added that Biden will travel to Madrid in Spain on June 28 for the 2022 NATO Summit where the allied leader will endorse a new Strategic Concept to guide NATO's transformation over the next decade. This will focus on strengthening deterrence and defence, building resilience against transnational threats including cyber and climate and deepening partnerships with democratic partners in Europe and Asia in order to strengthen the rules-based order. The is scheduled to be held on June 26-28 this year, at Schloss Elmau, a castle resort in the Bavarian Alps in southern Germany. The G7 comprises Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, the United States and Canada. (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 top U.S. securities regulator on Wednesday proposed rule changes to transform how handles retail stock trades after the meme stock mania last year raised questions about whether mom-and-pop investors were getting the best price. The plan, unveiled by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler, would require trading firms to directly compete to execute trades from retail investors to boost competition. The watchdog plans to scrutinize the controversial payment for order flow (PFOF) practice, in which some brokers, like TD Ameritrade, Robinhood and E*Trade, are paid by wholesale market makers for orders. "I asked staff to take a holistic, crossmarket view of how we could update our rules and drive greater efficiencies in our equity markets, particularly for retail investors," Gensler told an industry audience on Wednesday. He said the new SEC rules would mandate market makers disclose more data around the fees these firms earn and the timing of trades for the benefit of investors. Gensler's announcement, the biggest shake-up of U.S. equity market rules in over a decade, will likely lead to formal proposals this fall. The public can then weigh in on them ahead of an SEC vote to adopt them. The intended changes would fundamentally alter the business model of wholesalers. They could also affect brokers' ability to offer commission-free trading to retail investors. Reuters first flagged the reforms in March. PFOF came under regulatory scrutiny last year when an army of retail investors went on a buying spree of ameme stocksa like GameStop and AMC, squeezing hedge funds that had shorted the shares. Many investors purchased shares using commission-free brokers such as Robinhood. The new rules would enhance order-by-order competition, including via potential "open and transparent" auctions, aimed at providing investors better prices. They would include an agency-specific definition of so-called best execution for equities and other securities to ensure broker-dealers and investors benefit from more detail around the procedural standards brokers must meet when handling and executing customer orders. They would require broker dealers and market centers to disclose more data around order execution quality to benefit investors, including a monthly summary of price improvement and other statistics, Gensler said. The rules would also seek to shrink the minimum pricing increment or so-called tick size to better align with off-exchange activity and harmonize the tick size to ensure all trading occurs in the minimum increment. Wholesale Overhaul The proposed rule changes will include an SEC definition of "best execution" requirements that would force retail brokers to send their customers' orders to auctions, run by exchanges or off-exchange trading venues, which would allow market participants to compete to trade against the orders, the sources said. Currently, retail brokerages can send customer orders directly to a wholesale broker to be executed, as long as the broker is matching or bettering the best price available on U.S. exchanges. Large market-makers typically improve on the best price by a fraction of a cent. Gensler has criticized this model as limiting competition for retail orders. The rules would require retail brokers to send PFOF customer orders to the wholesaler offering the best deal, rather than the one that pays the most. This would fundamentally alter the business model of wholesalers, which can make more money by executing retail investor orders internally than they do on public exchanges, where they might find themselves trading with other sophisticated trading firms or institutional investors. Gensler told Reuters in March he wants to ensure brokers execute orders at the best possible price for investors - the highest price for when an investor is selling, or the lowest price if they are buying. "It's great to see the SEC taking a holistic approach to this problem - there's not a single answer, we need changes to different parts of the market," said Dave Lauer, CEO of financial platform Urvin Finance. "We need an order-by-order standard for best execution and open competition for order flow in order to provide the best outcomes for retail investors. This will force greater competition, and could help to end the off-exchange oligopoly that has controlled that market for too long," he added. Investor advocates want to boost exchanges' competitiveness to improve the reliability of the national pricing benchmark, known as the National Best Bid and Offer (NBBO). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister has said that without political stability, there would be no economic stability as he invited all stakeholders to join hands in formulating a long-term plan - a Charter of Economy - to revive the cash-strapped country's ailing economy. Addressing a Pre-Budget Business Conference in Islamabad on Tuesday night, Sharif said the enhancement of exports and agricultural yield, and financial management should be the major components of the plan. "I'm asking for a prudent and comprehensive approach for an economic turnaroundThat is why I am asking all stakeholders to meet the challenge of time to turn the country's economy around," he was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press Pakistan. "No matter what happens, whichever party comes into power, the goals set in the Charter of Economy' will remain unchanged. It will become our sacred trust, which will not change. We need this," he told the conference attended by top industrialists, agriculturists and economists, who gave suggestions to steer the country out of an unprecedented economic crisis. He said that it was important to understand that without political stability, there would be no economic stability and stressed on the need for a charter of economy. Sharif stressed that enhancement of exports, agricultural yield and financial management should be the major components of the plan. "The government will form a task force on agriculture and exports for formulating comprehensive plans," he said. He said that Pakistan lagged behind because of the non-execution of development plans, while other nations like India excelled. "Being rich with resources, human talent and dedication, Pakistan can also achieve excellence through efficiency and modern techniques, he added. The prime minister called for the use of modern technology in the field of agriculture and boosting the performance of the industries and exports. He announced that he would set up a task force to work in these areas. He stressed the need for developing the rural areas, which was home to 65 per cent of the country's population, saying movement from underdeveloped to the developed areas put strains on the resources of cities. "This can only happen when our children get quality education there." Sharif mentioned that after the 18th Amendment, provinces were empowered and the Federation's powers were devolved. He said that the provinces and the Centre would have to work together to develop a comprehensive plan. Comparing the country's information technology (IT) industry with that of India's, the prime minister said that the latter generates around USD 200 billion, while Pakistan's industry was hovering around USD 2.5 billion. "We must go for special export industrial zones," he said. Talking about the tough decisions being taken by the government, Prime Minister Sharif said that the non-productive assets should be taxed. "The windfall profits in the real estate should also be taxed," he said. With the economy in tatters and political instability looming large due to protests by former prime minister Imran Khan, there is increasing threat of Pakistan going the Sri Lankan way if quick measures are not taken. Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves are under severe stress and declined by USD 190 million to USD 10.308 billion during the week ended on May 6, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). The country is heavily dependent on foreign loans but they are not easy to come by. The Ministry of Economic Affairs data last month showed that Pakistan received only USD 248 million in foreign loans in April, including USD 100 million worth of oil on deferred payments from Saudi Arabia. Pakistan is looking towards the Monetary Fund (IMF) to restore a USD 6 billion package agreed in 2019. So far half of the promised money had been given. Pakistan would immediately get a USD 1 billion loan tranche from the IMF once the two sides sort out differences. Separately, Radio Pakistan reported that addressing the same conference Sharif talked about the foreign policy and said the previous government has damaged relations with friendly countries, but the incumbent government is taking practical steps to restore mend the strained ties. (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 World Bank's executive board approved $1.49 billion of additional financing for on Tuesday to help pay wages for government and social workers, expanding the bank's total pledged support to over $4 billion. The said in a statement that the latest funding is supported by financing guarantees from Britain, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Latvia. The project is also being supported by parallel financing from Italy and contributions from a new Multi-Donor Trust Fund. has said that it needs at least $5 billion per month in the near term to keep its government operating in the face of the invasion by Russia in February and fighting that has shut down vast portions of its economy. leaders from the Group of Seven industrial democracies last month pledged $9.5 billion in new funding, bringing their non-military support to nearly $20 billion. The has been working with donor countries to use its various financing programs to support health care, education, social services, power and water supplies and roads. The core services were "essential to preventing further deterioration in living conditions and poverty in beyond the suffering inflicted because of the war," Eastern Europe country director Arup Banerji said in a statement. Such services would also be "the bedrock of any recovery and reconstruction," Banerji added. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shares of Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals (MRPL) continued at their northward movement, surging 9 per cent on the BSE, to hit a over four-year high of Rs 118.55 on the BSE in an otherwise a subdued market on Wednesday. The stock of the refineries & marketing company has surged 31 per cent in the past two trading days on expectation of strong earnings. At 09:30 am, was 6 per cent higher at Rs 114.85, as compared to 0.13 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex. The stock exchanges had revised circuit limit on of from 5 per cent to 20 per cent with effect from Monday. is engaged in the business of refining crude oil, and is a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), which holds 71.63 per cent stake. The ongoing concerns over the supply of refined products and switch from costly gas to oil, led to a rise in SG complex gross refining margin (GRM) to multi-year high. International Energy Agency (IEA) expects the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war to reduce refining throughput by ~1.1mnbopd. This will result in continued high refining margin till supply concerns abate. Given this, standalone refiners like MRPL stand to benefit the most from rising GRMs, analysts said. In the past two months, the market price of MRPL has been more-than-doubled or has zoomed 135 per cent after the company reported strong earning for March quarter (Q4FY22). MRPL quoted its highest level since October 2018. For Q4FY22, MRPL reported standalone net profit of Rs 3,008 crore as against profit of Rs 268 crore in Q4FY21, supported by higher crude output and better gross refining margins. MRPL took multiple initiatives to improve the revenue from marketing margins in domestic, exports and B2B (business to business) arrangements. Given this, gross revenue from operations grew 36 per cent year on year to Rs 28,228 crore from Rs 20,793 crore in Q4FY21. Besides that, the capacity utilization of the refinery improved in Q4 to 116.96 per cent, as compared to 107.50 per cent in Q4FY21, driven by demand recovery. The refinery successfully processed various new crudes such as Tupi Crude (APl-30.2) from Brazil, Amna Crude (APl-37.2) from Libya, Egina Crude (APl-27.6) from Nigeria and Baobab Crude (API- 22.6, High TAN) from Ivory Coast. "Product cracks of transport fuels are currently trading at multi-quarter highs. GRMs are likely to benefit from favourable global refining scenario and the MRPL is expected to report healthy earnings in the near-term," ICICI Securities had said in Q4FY22 result update. ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals (OMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, was amalgamated with MRPL. OMPL is primarily engaged in operating a petrochemicals project consisting of an aromatic complex situated in Mangalore SEZ for production of Paraxylene, Benzene and other products. Oil prices jumped about 3% to a 13-week high on Wednesday as U.S. demand for has kept rising despite record pump prices, on expectations China's oil demand will increase and on growing supply concerns in several countries. Brent futures rose $3.59, or 3.0%, to $124.16 a barrel by 1:02 p.m. EDT (1702 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $3.49, or 2.9%, to $122.90. Brent and WTI were on track for their highest settlements since March 8, which were their highest since 2008. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories rose unexpectedly last week, while crude in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by a record amount as refiners' inputs rose to their highest since January 2020, the Energy Information Administration said. U.S. stocks fell by a surprise 0.8 million barrels as demand for the fuel rose despite sky-high pump prices. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected stocks to rise 1.1 million barrels. [EIA/S] [API/S] "The gasoline draw is a highlight of the report with a tight market place across the U.S.," said Tony Headrick, energy market analyst at CHS Hedging, noting demand remained strong even with pump prices above $5 per gallon in many parts of the country. Auto club AAA said national average retail regular unleaded hit a record $4.955 per gallon on Wednesday. "Oil prices are higher, supported by expectation of China easing the COVID restrictions, translating in higher demand and imports this summer," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. China's major A-share indexes and Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished trade at two-month closing highs. Oil traders expect fuel demand to recover as lockdowns to fight the pandemic are eased in the world's biggest oil importer. On the supply side, traders noted several countries could face problems boosting output. In Norway, a number of oil workers plan to strike from June 12 over pay, putting some crude output at risk of shutdown. Further pressuring the supply outlook, Iran removed two surveillance cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency from one of its nuclear facilities, state television reported. That move will probably raise tensions with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the United States and other countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, hoping for a deal analysts have said could lift sanctions and add 1 million bpd of crude to world supply. Efforts by OPEC+ oil producers to boost output are "not encouraging", United Arab Emirates' energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said, noting the group was currently 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) short of its target. The International Energy Agency, meanwhile, warned that Europe, which has sanctioned Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, could face energy shortages next winter. (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 Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices rose about 2% to a 13-week high on Wednesday as U.S. demand for has kept rising despite record pump prices, on expectations China's oil demand will rise and on supply concerns in several countries. Brent futures rose $2.19, or 1.8%, to $122.76 a barrel by 11:47 a.m. EDT (1547 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.00, or 1.7%, to $121.41. Brent and WTI were on track for their highest settlements since March 8, which were their highest since 2008. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories rose unexpectedly last week, while crude in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by a record amount as refiners' inputs rose to their highest since January 2020, the Energy Information Administration said. U.S. stocks fell by a surprise 0.8 million barrels as demand for the fuel rose despite sky-high pump prices. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected stocks to rise 1.1 million barrels. [EIA/S] [API/S] "The gasoline draw is a highlight of the report with a tight market place across the U.S.," said Tony Headrick, energy market analyst at CHS Hedging, noting demand remained strong even with pump prices above $5 per gallon in many parts of the country. Auto club AAA said national average retail regular unleaded hit a record $4.955 per gallon on Wednesday. "Oil prices are higher, supported by expectation of China easing the COVID restrictions, translating in higher demand and imports this summer," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. China's major A-share indexes and Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished trade at two-month closing highs on hopes for a demand recovery on easing of lockdowns to fight the spread of COVID-19. New game-publishing licenses lifted tech firms in Hong Kong. China is the world's biggest oil importer. On the supply side, traders noted several countries could face problems boosting output. In Norway, a number of oil workers plan to strike from June 12 over pay, putting some crude output at risk of shutdown. Efforts by OPEC+ oil producers to boost output are "not encouraging", United Arab Emirates' energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said, noting the group was currently 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) short of its target. Further pressuring the supply outlook, Iran removed two surveillance cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency from one of its nuclear facilities, state television reported. That move will probably raise tensions with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the United States and other countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, hoping for a deal analysts have said could lift sanctions and add 1 million bpd of crude to world supply. The International Energy Agency, meanwhile, warned that Europe, which has sanctioned Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, could face energy shortages next winter. (Additional reporting by Laura Sanicola in New York, Ahmad Ghaddar in London and Florence Tan and Muyu Xu in Singapore; Editing by Mark Potter and 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.) Today: The BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty are likely to start trade with notable gains as global staged a pullback. As of 07:15 AM, the SGX Nifty futures quoted at 16,500 as against the spot Nifty close of 16,416 on Tuesday. Thereafter, the meet outcome is likely to dictate the market trend for the remainder of the day. Market participants will also take note of the second cut in Indias GDP forecast by World Bank this fiscal year. The World Bank has now lowered its FY23 GDP growth forecast for India to 7.5 per cent. Meanwhile, these are the stocks that are likely to see some action in trades on Wednesday. Banks: Shares of banks, NBFCs and other lenders are likely to be in focus today owing to the review meet. The Central Banker is expected to hike rates up to 50 bps. Further, as per the RBI data, bank credit grew by 11.04 per cent to Rs 120.27 lakh crore and deposits by 9.27 per cent to Rs 165.74 lakh crore in the fortnight ended May 20. HDFC Bank: The private lender hiked its marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by 35 bps across all tenures, effective June 7. HDFC Bank has hiked its MCLR by 60 bps since the off-cycle 40 bps rate hike by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in early May. SBI: The government has appointed Alok Kumar Choudhary as the managing director of the state-run bank for a period of two years. Choudhary, who was deputy managing director (finance) until this appointment, had started his career at SBI as a probationary officer. Reliance: The companys retail arm is still in the process of opening the stores it took over from Future Group towards the end of February. The company had taken control of 947 stores and planned to open them within 45 days. READ MORE Meanwhile, the Mukesh Ambani-led firms telecom arm Reliance Jio has expanded the reach of its 4G services in Ladakh region to a village close to Pangong lake, an area which has been a friction point between India and China in recent years. Mining: The government plans to monetise assets worth Rs 75,200 crore in the coal in FY23. According to the National Monetisation Pipeline, 160 coal mining assets worth of Rs 28,747 crore have been identified for monetisation during FY22-25. The asset monetisation target of NITI Aayog for the coal ministry for FY23 is Rs 6,060 crore. RITES: The company has signed a MoU with Grands Trains DU Senegal, a railroad company of Senegal, on technical cooperation in the railway sector. Punjab National Bank (PNB): The state-run banks board has approved an investment of Rs 500 crore by participating in the rights issue of PNB Housing Finance. The latter is also looking to raise Rs 2,000 crore by issuing non convertible debentures (NCD) on a private placement basis. South India Bank: The banks board has approved a proposal to raise up to Rs 2,000 crore in foreign currencies via public of private issue including GDRs. India Pesticides: The company informed BSE, that it successfully commissioned the first phase of Backward Integration of Pretilachlor Technical 2000 TPA, based on In-House Indigenous R&D Technology and such intermediate was largely imported by the company. The second phase of similar expansion shall start soon. India and Vietnam have signed the 'Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030', which will significantly enhance the scope and scale of existing defence cooperation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Vietnam's Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang in Hanoi on 8 June 2022. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional & global issues were held between the two sides. A Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Logistics Support was also inked. Both Ministers also agreed for early finalisation of $500 million Defence Line of Credit extended to Vietnam. Implementation of the projects shall add substantially to Vietnam's Defence capabilities and further PM Modi's vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World'. In these times of increasing cooperative engagements between the defence forces of the two countries, this is a major step towards simplifying procedures for mutually beneficial logistic support and is the first such major agreement which Vietnam has signed with any country, Ministry of Defence said in a statement. Singh also announced gifting two simulators and monetary grant towards setting up of Language and IT Lab at Air Force Officers Training School for capacity building of Vietnamese Armed Forces. India and Vietnam continue to have most trustworthy relations in contemporary times with broader convergence of interests and common concerns. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Defence Policy Dialogues, military to military exchanges, high level visits, capacity building and training programs, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) on Tuesday announced the signing of a Vivanta hotel in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Located in the heart of the city, the existing hotel will be upgraded into the Vivanta brand post renovation. This is a management contract with the KC Group. The hotel is slated to open at the end of 2022 after completing renovation. The 88-rooms Vivanta hotel is strategically located in the city centre, a short driving distance from the airport as well as all major tourist attractions and commercial districts. Dining options at the hotel will include Mynt, the all-day dining restaurant, and a bar. Recreational facilities will include a pool, fitness center and spa. The hotel will also feature banqueting halls with meeting rooms for social and business gatherings. Commenting on the signing, Suma Venkatesh, executive vice president - real estate & development, IHCL, said, "The signing of this hotel is in line with IHCL's vision of expanding our presence in key domestic markets. Jammu has significant tourism and commercial potential. Vivanta Jammu will be the first IHCL hotel in the city. We are delighted to partner with the KC Group." Jammu, on the banks of the River Tawi, is the winter capital of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also known as the City of Temples for its ancient temples. With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have five hotels in Jammu & Kashmir including three under development. The KC Group is one of the oldest business houses in Jammu. Starting as a timber trading and furniture company before independence, it has diversified and has a footprint across education, automobile dealerships, malls, multiplexes and industrial units. Raju Chowdhary, chairman, K C Group and Siddhant Chowdhary, managing director Hotel KC City Centre said, "We are happy to collaborate with IHCL for this hotel in Jammu. We believe that this Vivanta hotel will leverage the untapped potential of the hospitality landscape in the city with a new and refreshed spirit." IHCL and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. IHCL has a portfolio of 237 hotels including 60 under development globally across 4 continents, 11 countries and in over 100 locations. On a consolidated basis, IHCL reported a net profit of Rs 57.93 crore in Q4 FY22 as against net loss of Rs 116.55 crore in Q4 FY21. Net sales surged 41.8% to Rs 872.08 crore in Q4 March 2022 over Q4 March 2021. Shares of IHCL rose 1.01% to settle at Rs 231.10 on Tuesday. 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 board of Punjab National Bank (PNB) has approved an investment of upto Rs 500 crore by participating in the rights issue of PNB Housing Finance. The public sector bank's board has approved the bank's participation in the proposed rights issue of PNB Housing Finance (PNBHFL) for an amount upto Rs 500 crore, in order to retain bank's shareholding at 30% or below but above 26%, and to retain its status as promoter. Separately, PNB Housing Finance board will meet on 14 June 2022 to consider and approve issuance of non-convertible debentures aggregating up to Rs 2,000 crore on private placement basis. PNB Housing Finance is a deposit-accepting housing finance company, with second largest deposits outstanding within housing finance companies. As on 31 March 2022, Punjab National Bank held 32.57% in PNB Housing Finance. Punjab National Bank is a public sector bank. As on 31 March 2022, the bank had 10,098 number of branches, 13,350 number ATMs and 15,719 business correspondents. The Government of India held 73.15% stake in the bank as on 31 March 2021. Shares Punjab National Bank rose 0.64% to Rs 31.40 , while scrips of PNB Housing Finance rallied 5.23% to Rs 347.20 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.) SBI Cards and Payment Services and One 97 Communications rose by 1.67% to 2.59% after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today allowed payment from Rupay credit cards via UPI. SBI Cards and Payment Services gained 2.59% to Rs 784.10 and One 97 Communications, the owner of PayTM, rose 1.67% to Rs 627.50. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become the most inclusive mode of payment in India. Currently, over 26 crore unique users and 5 crore merchants are onboarded on the UPI platform. In May 2022 alone, 594.63 crore transactions amounting to Rs 10.40 lakh crore were processed through UPI. UPI currently facilitates transactions by linking savings / current accounts through debit cards of users. The interoperability of Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI) has also facilitated access of PPIs to the UPI payment system for undertaking transactions. In order to further deepen the reach and usage, RBI has proposed to allow linking of credit cards to UPI. To start with Rupay credit cards will be enabled with this facility. This arrangement is expected to provide more avenues and convenience to the customers in making payments through UPI platform. This facility would be available after the required system development is complete. Necessary instructions will be issued to NPCI separately, RBI governor Shaktikanta Das said today. Meanwhile, RBI also proposed to enhance limit on e-Mandates on cards for recurring payments from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per recurring payment. Necessary instructions will be issued shortly. This will facilitate payments of larger value like subscriptions, insurance premia, education fee, etc. One 97 Communications, the parent of Paytm is India's payment super App offering consumers and merchants most comprehensive payment services. Paytm enables commerce for small merchants and distributes various financial services offerings to its consumers and merchants in partnership with financial institutions. SBI Cards and Payment Services is a non-banking financial company that offers extensive credit card portfolio to individual cardholders and corporate clients. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister asserted on Wednesday that the coming years will belong to those who have invested in healthcare and said he is proud of the work his government has done to strengthen the sector in the last eight years. Modi made the comments while sharing details tweeted by a government portal on the highlights of his dispensation's measures in this core human development field. It noted that around 3.26 crore people got free medical treatment under Ayushman Bharat, a health insurance scheme for the poor, six new AIIMS were operationalised, the world's "largest, fastest and first-ever digital" vaccination drive was launched to curb Covid and the number of medical colleges had risen by 55 per cent since 2014. The establishment of one medical college for every district has also been targeted, it added. Modi tweeted, "The coming years will belong to those who have invested in healthcare. I am proud of the work our government has done to strengthen the healthcare sector in India." The prime minister also shared a story from his app, dwelling at length on "gamechangers" driving a futuristic revolution in the healthcare sector. It said accessible and affordable quality healthcare has become a reality for citizens. Medical expenditure used to be a severe economic burden for low-income households and often led them into debt traps earlier, it said. "In 2018, the Modi government gave a permanent relief from this burden to nearly 18 crore households by launching the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, the world's largest health insurance programme," it added. It cited the 'PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission' and the 'Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission' as two other important programmes that will build the future of healthcare in India. "Healthcare is among our key focus areas. The last 8 years have been about augmenting health infrastructure, ensuring affordable and quality healthcare access to every Indian, and integrating technology with this sector," the prime minister said on Twitter. The eighth anniversary of the Modi government fell on May 30, and the prime minister has been sharing governance highlights from various fields to mark the milestone. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader on Wednesday hit out at the for calling their former spokespersons as fringe. Citing examples of past statements of some top leaders, said that "Fringe is BJPs core". Rahul Gandhi's remarks came in the wake of a major global pushback mostly from Gulf countries in protest against comments made by spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, who were removed from the party later. The Congress has been on attacking mode since the Indian embassy in Doha issued a statement on the row. The Congress alleged that the Indian embassy has been used for the BJP and questioned the silence of the Prime Minister on the issue. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, attacked the government on the whole issue. "This government has failed to win the confidence of every community, thanks to selective silence and selective outrage." He said, "the fact that the embassy attached a mail of the statement of the BJP is unacceptable." --IANS miz/skp/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting back at Prime Minister over "dynastic misrule" jibe apparently aimed at Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Telangana minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday asked if he is running a government or an NGO. The TRS leader also sought an update on flood relief funds for Hyderabad. "Modi Ji, Community service endeavours?! Are you running a Govt or an NGO? Any update on Flood relief funds for Hyderabad? Any monetary support for Musi rejuvenation or the Hyderabad Metro extension? Any update on ITIR? Mere lip service for Hyderabad or Telangana and funds only for Gujarat," KTR tweeted. This came after Prime Minister on Tuesday said that will work for good governance and to end dynastic misrule in Telangana. The PM's remarks came during his meeting with 47 corporators of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), along with office bearers of the Hyderabad unit and other senior leaders on Tuesday. "Met @BJP4Telanganacorporators in GHMC and other Party leaders from Telangana. We had wide-ranging discussions on how to focus on community service endeavours and help people at the grassroots. will work for good governance and to end dynastic misrule in Telangana," PM Modi tweeted. In response to KTR's remarks, Nizamabad MP D Arvind called him a "born liar" and clarified that the state has already been given Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 crores for Hyderabad cyclone relief. "KTR is a born liar. We have given Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 crores for Hyderabad cyclone relief. His father is also a liar but he (KTR) is a 10 times bigger liar than his father," Arvind 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.) Amid global condemnation over leaders comments on Prophet Mohammad, veteran actor on Wednesday said he hopes good sense prevails and the "hate wave" against Muslims dissipates even if that doesn't happen in his lifetime. In an interview to a news channel, the multiple Award winner also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in and "stop this poison from spreading". "I would appeal to him (PM) to knock some good sense into these people. If he believes what was said at the 'Dharam Sansad' in Rishikesh, then he should say so. If he does not, then he should say so," he said. The on Sunday suspended its spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their controversial remarks against the Prophet. Amid protests by Muslim groups over the remarks, the party also issued a statement aimed at assuaging the concerns of minorities and distancing itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces the insult of any religious personality. The controversial remarks also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world calling for a boycott of Indian products. "What the Indian government did was too little, too late. It was a week before they even opened their mouths and said anything condemning these kinds of statements. "These kinds of statements in a country like Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan, which we hope to include in 'Akhand Bharat' some day, would result in a death sentence because it would be considered blasphemous. Here, there was not a sound from the top and absolutely no acknowledgement of the hurt caused to millions of believers," Shah told NDTV. After her suspension from the ruling party, Sharma issued an "unconditional apology", something the senior actor dubbed "insincere". "It's hardly meant to assuage hurt feelings. I wouldn't be surprised if such a hate speech occurs again. It's ironic you talk of peace and unity, you get locked up in jail for more than a year. You talk of genocide and you get a slap on the wrist. There are double standards working here. It's like the double-think of George Orwell's '1984'." Shah said Sharma was not a "fringe element" as the has claimed. He also argued that it was "high time" that sensible Hindus spoke up against the hate towards the Muslim community. Shah said he puts "complete responsibility" on TV news channels and social media for "propagating hate". "It's a manufactured hate. It's a kind of venom that begins to spew when you are confronted with somebody with an opposite opinion... I wonder how long it is before the shivlings start to be searched under every church," Shah said in an apparent reference to the ongoing case of the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi. He, however, condemned death threats against Sharma and her family, who are now under Delhi Police's protection. "This route (threats) is wrong. That's why Pakistan and Afghanistan are in a mess. We do not want to emulate these countries but willy-nilly are we doing so. Not (for) just slaughtering a cow but on the suspicion of slaughtering a cow people are being lynched, untouchables who were skinning a dead cow are whipped in public. These are not the kinds of things that used to happen in India, but in barbaric Islamic countries." Asked if the Khans - Shah Rukh, Salman and Saif - can open up about their thoughts today, Shah said he can't speak for these Bollywood stars. "They would be risking too much but I don't know how they explain it to their conscience about it. I think they have too much to lose." He also praised Shah Rukh, his co-star of many films such as "Chamatkar" and "Chaahat", for handling media scrutiny with grace last year when his son Aryan was arrested in connection with a drugs case. He also noted that instead of being acknowledged for all the work done during the lockdown, Sonu Sood gets raided. Asked to comment on how the film industry was cozying up to the government, Shah said they want to be on the winning side. "It does look like the BJP is going to stay on the winning side for a while. It's nothing new..." Calling "The Kashmir Files" an "almost fictionalised version of the suffering of the Kashmiri Hindus", the actor said the government is promoting it instead of ensuring the security and rehabilitation for the community. "It is propaganda and people are willingly participating in it. I fear there will be more such pseudo-patriotic films (in future)." Shah further said he doesn't feel marginalised as a Muslim in India as he comes from privilege as a senior actor with social capital. "I'm certainly not disgruntled, or unhappy in the country. This has been the country I've been brought up in, taught to love, the country I've been told I belong to, and I feel I belong to. I'm luckily in a position where I can't be marginalised. "I'm still getting work, it's not that my anti-establishment statements have resulted in me being blacklisted. I just wish that somehow good sense prevails but I'm not optimistic that will happen very soon. This hate wave will dissipate some day. it may not happen in my lifetime, but it will dissipate some day. (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.) BJP national president J P Nadda on Wednesday lashed out at the ruling TMC in Bengal, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee-led party has "no principles or policies, and all it does was to run syndicates". Nadda, who is in Bengal on a two-day visit, also claimed that almost all regional outfits in the country, including the "aunt-nephew party" of the TMC, have become family-run organisations. In an apparent dig at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said that the grand old party, too, has become an organisation run by a brother and a sister. Exuding confidence that the "future belongs to the BJP", he vowed to defeat the TMC in the next elections, "just as we won against the Congress". In there is nothing static, things change. The future belongs to the BJP. The TMC has no principles or policies, it has only syndicates," Nadda said. The ruling party in Bengal has often been accused of backing organised extortion rackets, often referred to as syndicates, mainly in the construction and manufacturing segments. The top BJP leader also said that the Banerjee-led govt in Bengal has not given the details of the MNREGA fund expenditure for the last three years. Earlier in the month, the TMC had held rallies across the state in protest against alleged delay by the Centre in clearing funds that it owed to Bengal under the 100-day work scheme. Banerjee had said that the Centre was yet to clear MGNREGA dues of Rs 6,000 crore. (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 show of solidarity ahead of June 10 election for six Rajya Sabha vacancies from Maharashtra, Chief Minister and president Uddhav Thackeray, supremo and leader held a meeting with MLAs of the three parties here on Tuesday. As leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of the Sena, and held parleys with Independent MLAs and smaller parties to cobble up support, the Sena also decided to shift its legislators to a city hotel to thwart attempts of poaching. The chief minister said during the meeting that our victory is certain and asked the legislators of the three parties to stay united, Sena MLA and spokesperson Sunil Prabhu told PTI in the evening. Also Read: BJP discusses strategy for Rajya Sabha polls; MVA calls MLAs to Mumbai MLAs of smaller parties like the Bachhu Kadu-led Prahar and Independent legislators also attended the meeting, Prabhu added. This was the first such meeting of the MVA MLAs and its leaders after the formation of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government in 2019. In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly (which forms the electorate for the Rajya Sabha polls), smaller parties have 16 MLAs, while the number of Independents is 13. With one Assembly seat lying vacant and two MLAs (Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik) in jail, the quota of votes per winning candidate is 41. A total of seven candidates -- three candidates of the BJP, two of the and one each of NCP and -- are in the fray for six seats, which necessitated election for Rajya Sabha after more than two decades in Maharashtra. The contest for the sixth seat will be between the BJP's Dhananjay Mahadik and Sena's Sanjay Pawar. The BJP has asked its MLAs to come to Mumbai in the next two days. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said the MVA should contact his party if they need support while the Samajwadi Party has sought Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's clarification on the Shiv Sena's language of Hindutva and the government's secular credentials. All 55 legislators of the Sena have been summoned to Mumbai and they will stay together till the polls on June 10, a Sena leader said. "We were at 'The Retreat' (at Madh island in northwest Mumbai) and all our ministers too were present there. That was part of our strategy. We will be moving to hotel Trident (in south Mumbai) today," Sunil Prabhu had said earlier in the day. The Trident is a stone's throw from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly where voting will take place. Senior leader and minister Anil Parab said talks are being held with all parties, be it the AIMIM and Samajwadi Party, who have extended their support to the MVA government. The AIMIM and the SP each have two MLAs in the House. Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh also met Parab. Shaikh told reporters that the SP has written a letter to CM Thackeray, asking him to clarify the government's secular credentials. "The Common Minimum Programme on which the government was formed and the language of Hindutva spoken by the chief minister in his speech...there is so much difference (between CMP and the Hindutva language). So (the CM should) clarify whether the government is secular or if Sena's Hindutva credible or the BJP's," Shaikh said. What has the government done in the last 2.5 years? The minority commission and the Haj Committee have not been formed until now, Shaikh said. When asked whether the Samajwadi Party is with the MVA, Shaikh said, "We are with the MVA, but look at the demands. It is ideological." BJP leader Girish Mahajan on Tuesday met Hitendra Thakur, seeking his support. Thakur's Bahujan Vikas Aghadi has three MLAs and he is known as a supporter of NCP chief . The Sena has fielded Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar while the BJP has nominated Union minister Piyush Goyal, Anil Bonde and Dhananjay Mahadik. The NCP has fielded Praful Patel and Congress nominated Imran Pratapgarhi). Given its strength in the Assembly (106 MLAs), the BJP has enough votes to win two seats, while the Sena, NCP and Congress can win one seat each. The Sena (55), NCP (53) and Congress (44) -- all constituents of the MVA-have enough votes together to ensure the victory for the second candidate of the Sena. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and on Wednesday hoped for the conclusion of the proposed between India and before 2024, an official statement said. India and the EU (European Union) bloc are due to reopen FTA (Free Trade Agreement) talks in Brussels on June 17, the commerce ministry said in a statement. The issue came up for discussions during the meeting between a French delegation with minister of state for commerce and industry Som Parkash. A four-member French delegation led by Special Representative for Bilateral Economic Relations Paul Hermelin called on the minister of state here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, Hermelin said is keen to pursue the FTA negotiations between and India. "Both sides hoped to conclude the agreement before 2024. The pact will pave the way for India to give a boost to trade with the 27-member nation EU bloc, subject to ratification by both sides including the European Parliament," the ministry said. Parkash highlighted India's priorities ahead of the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of the WTO (World Trade Organisation) to be held in Geneva next week. The minister also sought support of the government of for India's proposal seeking TRIPS (Trade related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) waiver in view of the global fight against the Covid pandemic. He also pointed out India's stance on WTO negotiations related to e-commerce and the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions that are due to expire in the run up to the MC12. (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.) Why should investments in the fast growing Indian startup ecosystem be the prerogative of a handful of global venture capitalists and private equity players? Why can't a normal Indian professional who earns a decent income be able to participate in this growth story? Also, how does one ensure these retail investors not only get access to the best founders but also maximise their investments? Or how can professionals with good networks and expertise share their insights with the founder ecosystem? 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 With an aim to empower teachers and students, tech giant on Wednesday announced that it is sharing new updates to Chromebooks, Classroom and Meet. For those using the Google Workspace for Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Google said it is adding features focused on increasing interconnectivity, control and efficiency in the classroom to . "Now, Meet calls can be auto-transcribed directly into a Google Doc for easy lesson reviews and the ability to search for keywords and concepts," Shantanu Sinha, Director, Google for Education, said in a blogpost. Google said that now users can, with Picture in Picture in Meet, where they can navigate other tabs in Chrome while viewing 4 tiles of students in a Meet call. And to keep the class engaged and regularly check for understanding, teachers can now add polls and Q&A to Live-streams, and live-stream directly to YouTube. The company is also adding new features like the Screencast app, built into Chrome OS in M103, where users can record, trim, share and view transcribed screencasts -- and create a custom library of videos automatically saved in Google Drive. "From sharing devices to 1:1, to teachers using Chromebooks alongside students, we're constantly evolving our features to meet the needs of the classroom," Sinha said. Cast moderator is a new mode coming to select devices with Google TV that enables both educators and students to wirelessly share their Chromebook screen to a class display using an access code so that only folks in the same classroom as the display can cast. Google is also rolling out new integrations and tools to improve teachers' day-to-day tasks and help students grow their skills. "Practice sets lean into adaptive learning by giving students instant feedback on their answers and real-time support if they get stuck -- providing automated insights for teachers to identify potential gaps in students' understanding," Sinha mentioned. Practice sets are now globally available in beta, and in English only, for Google Workspace for Education customers with Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade. (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.) Jaipur (Rajasthan)/Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Aayu is more than just a name. It is a cohort of platforms in which consumers are putting their faith. Aayu is growing and providing health services to the people of Bharat at their doorstep in every nook and corner. With the new changes, Aayu is becoming the country's support system for online healthcare. Consumers get consultations from specialist doctors, lab tests, and medicines from the nearest retail chemist stores on a single platform. Aayu is the pioneer and becoming the backbone of India's healthcare as it is creating the country's largest offline chemist stores network, providing medicines to consumers 24X7 in the comfort of their homes. By creating this vast retail store network Aayu is playing the pivotal role of an ally for the chemist stores in growing their business. The Co-Founder of Aayu, Shreyans Mehta stated that Medcords' through Aayu App, SehatSathi App, and Doctors Portal which will henceforth be under one umbrella of 'Aayu' is revolutionizing healthcare by bringing the healthcare services to the doorsteps of the users across Bharat. With this change, Aayu has become a support system for the offline chemist stores as the network of 40,000+ Chemist stores have digitized themselves to reap the benefits of business growth via digital means. 35lakh+ users now depend on Aayu for their healthcare, consultation, and testing needs, and 5000+ specialized doctors are available on the network for the benefit of the consumers, providing on-call consultations. The presence of Aayu in 17+ states and the ambition of covering Bharat in its entirety are aimed at providing meaningful and accessible healthcare facilities to all. Nikhil Baheti, the Co-Founder of Aayu is confident that with this change, Aayu is empowering retail chemist stores to stand fearlessly against the onslaught of online pharmacies. The offline chemist stores are now being digitized, being made technically strong, and provided with a platform to grow their business. Shreyans Mehta mentioned that Aayu is on its way to make healthcare accessible for consumers across the length and breadth of Bharat via offline chemists, doctors, and testing labs. Aayu is becoming the country's support system in offline and online healthcare. The consolidation at the company's end has ensured that Aayu App for consumers, SehatSathi App, now known as Aayu Chemist and Doctors portal now known as Aayu Doctor offer a consistent and exceptional experience for consumers. Consumers will be able to consult a doctor, order medicine, book lab tests, and also save their medical health records digitally on a single platform that is Aayu. With this change in Aayu, the network will increase, and its benefits will be directly available to retail and local chemists. Saida Dhanawat, the Co-Founder of Aayu asserts that along with technical support, attractive features and schemes are being brought through which consumers are and, in the future, more will connect with online healthcare. The trust of consumers will always be with their offline retail chemists because these retail chemists have been doing the business of medicine in their locality and area for decades. They have the trust of the people and to keep this trust, they will continue to serve the consumers in the same way and keep providing medicines to them in their time of need in the new Online + Offline avatar. Aayu will always be with Chemist Stores to make sure that they Grow leaps and bounds and to ensure that Consumers get the best of both the online and offline worlds. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New York [US], June 8 (ANI/NewsVoir): At the onset of Pride Month, Magzter, the World's largest digital reading destination, has reinforced its commitment to acknowledge and celebrate the true meaning of Pride by launching an exclusive magazine category, LGBTQ+ on its platform. Several leading LGBTQ+ magazines are already available under this category and many more exciting titles are expected to be added soon. This new category aims to help millions of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community access their favourite magazines anytime and anywhere. Apart from introducing the new category, Magzter has also added Pride colours to the logos of its Android and iOS apps. Magzter's website will also carry the Pride colours during the entire Pride month. These novel initiatives by Magzter explain why Magzter is considered the most diverse and inclusive reading destination for millions of readers across the globe. Some of the popular LGBTQ+ titles that are currently available on Magzter include Attitude, Q Magazine, Diversity Rules, Transliving, Optimist and Mate. You can explore the entire LGBTQ+ catalogue on Magzter here: (https://www.magzter.com/magazines/lgbtq). "At Magzter, we are proud to identify ourselves as an inclusive brand catering to millions of readers across different types of users and their interests around the globe. In this direction, we are delighted to launch an all-new LGBTQ+ magazine category on our website and app. We are confident that individuals in the LGBTQ+ community will love reading their favourite titles on our platform," Girish Ramdas, CEO, Magzter Inc. "There is a growing need for content that engages and entertains the LGBTQ+ community. At Magzter, we are encouraging all publishers under this genre to publish their titles and cater to the global LGBTQ+ audience. We will continue to add more titles to this category and do all that we can to remain the most loved and inclusive digital reading destination across the globe!" Vijay Radhakrishnan, President, Magzter Inc. To know more, please visit (https://www.magzter.com) or email us at press@magzter.com. Magzter Inc. is the World's largest and fastest-growing self-service, cross-platform digital newsstand with over 80 million users since its inception in 2011, and thousands of magazines and newspapers across 40+ categories and 60+ languages. Headquartered in New York, Magzter has its local presence in Amsterdam, London, Mexico City, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Singapore, and will soon be expanding to other countries. Founded by global entrepreneurs, Girish Ramdas and Vijay Radhakrishnan in June 2011, Magzter enables magazine and newspaper publishers around the world to create and deliver digital editions of their titles to global consumers. The Magzter platform is available as an app on Apple iOS and Android (Google Play), and a website for browser-based reading. Users can buy their magazines and newspapers on any of the devices/platforms mentioned above and seamlessly port their purchases to any other devices, a feature unique to Magzter. Magzter offers the world's largest "All-You-Can-Read" subscription service called Magzter GOLD which gives digital readers unlimited access to 7,500+ magazines and newspapers. Magzter also has the largest number of stories in the world with its game-changing ezRead 2.0 feature for its apps, which enables smartphone and small-screen mobile users to enjoy magazine/newspaper content the way it was meant to be enjoyed, with article text that is easy to read and is accompanied by stunning videos and high-resolution photography. Magzter's game-changing feature based on Geo-Fencing Satellite technology, Magzter Smart Reading Zone, offers unlimited access to thousands of best-selling magazines, newspapers and premium stories on the Magzter app for any location instantly, without the need for users in the location to purchase them individually. Several commercial entities like hotels, hospitals, doctors' clinics, coffee shops, corporate offices and educational institutions have partnered with Magzter and turned their locations into Smart Reading Zones, as they see it as an engaging value-added service for their customers, employees and students respectively. Magzter SRZs are also being proposed for Smart Cities across the globe. The company counts among its publisher customers some marquee names including Dotdash Meredith (USA), Conde Nast (USA), Hearst (USA), A360 Media (USA), Bloomberg (USA), Maxim Inc. (USA), Guardian News & Media (UK), Dennis Publishing (UK), Future (UK), Reach Publishing Services Limited (UK), Media24 (South Africa), Tatler Asia (Singapore), India Today Group (India), The Times Group (India), Worldwide Media (India), HT Digital Streams Limited (India), SPH Media Limited (Singapore), Are Media (Australia) and Grupo Expansion (Mexico). Magzter has been rapidly increasing its publisher base with magazines and newspapers from over 50 countries, making it truly the #1 choice for readers and publishers globally. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi rode to power with the promise of vikas or development. And just four months after taking the oath, on September 25, 2014, he launched the ' Mission' at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The aim was to take the share of the manufacturing sector in GDP to 25% by 2022, up from the then 15%. Eight years on, the share of manufacturing in GDP is 17% now -- way below the target of 25%. It still is a work in progress. The Make in India push got a shot in the arm in 2020, when the government launched Production Linked Incentive scheme. It was later expanded to include more than a dozen sectors-- with an estimated outlay of Rs 2.75 trillion. The governments strategy, combined with a huge domestic market, has helped India become the worlds second-biggest mobile phone producer after China. In a bid to replicate this success with other electronics, and cut imports, especially from China, the government last year launched a worth Rs 7,350 crore to boost local manufacturing and exports of IT products such as laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers and servers. The report card for the first year is in. And production under the scheme has been lacklustre. Only four of the 14 eligible players under the scheme in the first year of operations have succeeded in meeting their production targets and will receive incentives. Business Standard reported on Tuesday that at least one global player is already planning to move out of the scheme after the second year because it feels the is not attractive enough. Imports of and tablets shot through the roof as local production remained way short of expectations. They have gone up sharply by over 53% from $5.2 billion in FY21 to $8.0 billion in FY22. This comes amid strong demand for laptops, especially in the IT sector. China accounts for over 72% of all laptop and tablet imports by value. But, there is a silver lining as, according to market research firm Canalys, Indias PC shipments jumped by 48% in the first quarter of this calendar year to a record 5.8 million units. India now accounts for 5% of global PC shipments, compared with just 3% two years ago. Around 18% of all PCs sold in India are now manufactured locally, Canalys says. But here too a majority of the components used in making PCs are imported. There is no duty on imports of and IT products as India is a signatory to the World Trade Organizations Information Technology Agreement, which India joined in 1997. The plurilateral agreement covers a large number of high technology products, including computers, telecom equipment, semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing and testing equipment, software, scientific instruments, as well as most of the parts and accessories of these products. Mobile phones do not come under ITA. India, on its part, says its experience with the ITA has been most discouraging, almost wiping out the IT industry from the country. The real gainer from the agreement, it says, has been China. In 2015, the government said that ITA has proved to be a barrier to the domestic electronic manufacturing sector's growth. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman, India Cellular and Electronics Association says laptop and PC manufacturing in India has been a sad story. ITA nearly destroyed the electronics manufacturing industry , he says adding that computers should be accorded second-highest priority after smartphones. Govt went ahead with inadequate PLI outlay he believes. India should look at the world market while making policies and companies have been making PCs in India for govt orders. IT hardware production under PLI in the first year (FY22) was Rs 2,000 crore. The Manufacturers Association of Information Technology (MAIT), the apex IT hardware association, had last year said the schemes outlay is insignificant for global players to relocate their facilities from China or other countries to India. MAIT has requested the government to double the duration of the scheme to eight years and increase the incentive from 1-4% to 6.5% for PCs and 8.5% for servers. MAITs analysis show that that the current allocation for IT hardware PLI needs to be increased three-fold to around Rs 21,000-22,000 crore. And this figure is based on the associations more moderate demand to increase the incentive to 5% for five years. The outlay for mobile phone PLI is Rs 40,951 crore over 5 years, with incentives ranging between 4-6% annually. The global PC and tablet market is worth around $230 billion. Although India accounts for a fraction of that at around $11 billion, a right push from the government will indeed go a long way to reduce import dependency and establish the country as an export and manufacturing hub in this space too Whats new: Chinas Ministry of Finance unveiled a plan Monday to sell 23 billion yuan ($3.46 billion) of yuan-denominated treasury bonds in Hong Kong this year. The bonds will be issued in four batches, with the first issue of 7.5 billion yuan of notes set for June 15, the Finance Ministry said. Maturity periods of the bonds will range from two to five years. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority will announce a detailed issuance and subscription plan later, the ministry said. Why it matters: The planned issue will mark the 14th consecutive year for the Finance Ministry to sell treasury bonds in Hong Kong as Beijing seeks to boost the Asian financial hubs status as an offshore yuan center. This years bond sale will be the biggest in years, exceeding 20 billion yuan in 2021 and 15 billion yuan in 2020. As of the end of 2021, the central government sold a total of 238 billion yuan of treasury bonds in Hong Kong. In addition to treasury bonds, Beijing has also been pushing forward local government bond sales in Hong Kong. In October 2021, the Shenzhen city government sold 5 billion yuan of notes in three batches in Hong Kong, the first offshore bond issuance by a local authority. 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. Continuous downpours across the region have killed 30 people and forced many more to relocate since late May. On Tuesday, the rain triggered a landslide in Jiangxi and caused the collapse of a building in Fujian, killing at least three. Neighborhoods were submerged as rivers, including the Pearl River, broke their banks. More rain is expected in the southern and eastern parts of China until late next week Jun 15, 2022 03:32 PM UK PM wins no-confidence vote but "wounded" by revolt, say experts Xinhua) 08:59, June 08, 2022 LONDON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have survived a grueling no-confidence vote but he has been "wounded" by the revolt in his own Conservative Party, casting doubt on his political future, experts told Xinhua. Johnson vowed to carry on at 10 Downing Street after elected Conservative lawmakers voted on Monday by 211 to 148 to continue to have confidence in him. The 148 Members of Parliament (MPs) who voted in a secret ballot that they had lost confidence in his leadership represented 41 percent of Conservative MPs. "Boris Johnson won arithmetically, but he's lost politically because the size of his victory is small enough to cast considerable doubt on his capacity to stay in power," said Professor Iain Begg, a political expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science's (LSE) European Institute. "He is clearly wounded, and it will continue to be to the advantage of the main opposition Labour Party to have an opponent who has 'lame duck' characteristics. The next three weeks until two forthcoming parliamentary by-elections may well be critical for him," Begg said. Johnson has been dogged for months by "partygate" scandals involving him and his staff at Downing Street during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. He received a fine from the British police in April for attending one of the alcohol-fueled parties, making him the first sitting prime minister in the country's history to be penalized for breaking the law. With Monday's win, Johnson will not face another no-confidence vote for a year under current Conservative Party rules. However, experts believe it does not mean the prime minister is totally safe for a year. "If other mechanisms, such as a majority of the cabinet, come together to say to him, it's time for you to go, as they did with Margaret Thatcher, that's how things might change," Begg said. Though the Conservatives, for now, do not have a single leader in waiting who might be thought of as the immediate successor, Begg doubts Johnson can ever resist a build-up of political forces that say "It's time to go." "The outcome will do nothing to improve the position of the Conservatives in the opinion polls and the Conservatives look set to lose one, and perhaps both, of the two parliamentary by-elections taking place on June 23," said Professor Stuart Wilks-Heeg, a political expert at the University of Liverpool. "The pressure on Johnson is only going to intensify in the months ahead. This is the start of the end for him," Wilks-Heeg added. Associate Professor Mark Shanahan from the University of Reading told Xinhua: "Boris Johnson is now very much in the corridor of uncertainty. The vote last night did not enable him to stamp his authority on the party. And what was most interesting is we suspect that the opposition came from all wings of the party." "He is probably finished in terms of whether he will lead the Conservative Party into the next election, but this may be a slow death by a thousand cuts," Shanahan added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) If Hyundai wants to make a big splash here in the Philippines, they should consider this: the first-ever Creta N Line. Confirmed to be a glo... Analysis by Hari Prasad, Program Associate, Conflict Resolution Program Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has had obvious effects on Ukraine and Eastern Europe, but its current and potential destabilizing effects in Syria are not receiving the attention they desperately need. The pre-existing economic crisis in Syria is on the verge of becoming a catastrophe as shortages grow with the interruption of wheat shipments from Russia, Syrias primary source of imported wheat. Russia is a key influencer in Syrias affairs and negotiations, but tensions between NATO and Russia will hamper further diplomatic efforts, and Russias withdrawal from southern Syria is being felt. A drawn-out Russia-Ukraine war could lead to a further shifting of conflict dynamics in Syria, with Iran filling the void; Turkey and the Syrian opposition could increase their pressure on the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF); the Islamic State (ISIS) could face fewer military constraints; and Syrians could even be sent to fight in Eastern Europe. As the world powers focus on how to engage Russia on the issue of Ukraine, it is essential they also consider how the crisis affects the situation in Syria. Food Crisis With heavy sanctions from the U.S. and European Union, Syria relies heavily on the import of Russian wheat. Ukraine, also a significant supplier of wheat in the global marketplace, remains unable to export its grain thus reducing the global supply, leading to shortages and price increases on consumer staples such as bread. The invasion caused food prices to soar in Syria and the region, leading to a massive increase in food insecurity. Other Middle Eastern countries approached large wheat exporters like India to make up for the expected shortfall. India reportedly promised to donate wheat and rice to alleviate Syrias food shortages. However, a heat wave coupled with rising food prices caused the Indian government to ban all wheat exports. If the conflict is sustained, a more severe food shortage in Syria is on the horizon, which will impact political dynamics including between citizens and governing entities. Diminished Russian role in Syria? The political process is hampered by the economic crisis. According to Carter Center/ACLED data, Russian military activity in Syria, where it plays a major role, dropped sharply in the initial weeks of its operations in Ukraine. However, by April, Russias airstrikes in Syria returned to pre-Ukraine war levels. Additionally, there have been a few unconfirmed reports of Russia withdrawing its troops from southern Syria to focus on its war effort in Ukraine, leaving a void that may be filled by Iran. Although reports of a Russian withdrawal remain unconfirmed, the possibility of a Russian-left void remains a concern, and Russias actions are destabilizing Syria regardless. Jordan, Israel, and many former opposition fighters remain hostile to Irans influence in the border region. Russia did give the green light to the Syrian government and pro-Iranian factions to significantly weaken the power of some former opposition outfits during the siege of Daraa al-Balad; the violence continues and could escalate without Russian mediation. Jordan has taken increasingly aggressive measures to curb illicit trade in southern Syria, regularly clashing with drug smugglers and accusing Iran and Syrian government factions of sponsoring the amphetamine trade. In the past, Russia has served as a mediator between Jordan and the government of Syria to discuss border-related security issues. A diminished Russian presence could negatively impact security along the Jordanian-Syrian border, leading to more violence and instability in the region. In northern Syria, Russian airpower continues to reinforce pro-government control, and Russia helps mediate with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. In several areas, Russian forces serve to deter Turkey and its allies from launching new incursions into northern Syria. Russia also serves as one of the main guarantors of the March 2020 cease-fire between the opposition and the Syrian government. Russia is a key player in confronting ISIS within Syrian government-controlled territories, mobilizing militias and airpower alike to fight ISIS in the Badia desert region. Jordans King Abdullah II called Russias presence a stabilizing factor in the border region. As Russia faces economic sanctions, its ability to support the Syrian government financially and diplomatically will be hampered. The worlds attention is focused on Ukraine and moving away from Syria. Escalating tensions between NATO and Russia will likely only hurt the already struggling political process in Syria. For example, the U.N. approval required to operate the Bab al-Hawa humanitarian border crossing may face a Russian veto in July. Syrian Fighters in Ukraine/Russia? Social media accounts of commanders associated with pro- and anti-government forces in Syria reveal a stated desire across the board to go to Russia or Ukraine to fight. Opposition sources in Syria claim that Russia is preparing to draft over 40,000 Syrian soldiers affiliated with regime forces to fight in Ukraine. Prominent Syrian opposition fighters have openly expressed their desire to fight against Russia in Ukraine. The recruitment of Syrians to fight abroad is not without precedent. Since 2020, Turkey and Russia mobilized Syrians to fight in Libya and Armenia/Azerbaijan, fueling international speculation and concerns around the possible presence of Syrians in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Private military corporations associated with Russia and Turkey have maintained active recruitment offices in Syria. Despite numerous rumors and accusations, there is little evidence of Syrians fighting in Ukraine. This pattern is not new. In the past, Russia accused Turkey of supporting the former Al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) fighters in conducting attacks in Russian-held Crimea, despite HTSs stance against fighting alongside Turkish forces overseas. This is not to say that it is unlikely that Syrians will fight in Ukraine. That war could become yet another front that Syrians will fight on, further intertwining the conflict in Syria with that in Eastern Europe. Anticipating the Peace Impacts in Syria The Russia-Ukraine conflict has taken up much of the attention among humanitarians, policymakers, and commentators in North America and Europe. Syrias prospects for peace in a conflict widely viewed by outside observers as stagnant has already been impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war economically and diplomatically. But Syrias prospects for peace are not stagnant. Peace and resolution in Syria are not rendered impossible by shifting Russian priorities, but Russian interlocutors are crucial in the process of a political resolution. There is concern that prioritization of the Ukrainian conflict without understanding how it relates to Syria will come at a further cost to Syria. Learn more about the Center's Conflict Resolution Program Photo: Contributed Tienne Bayrack, pictured here with her dog Arnold, is owner of Seed to Soul in Armstrong. Sativa in the summer, Indica in the winter. Thats a noticeable trend at Seed to Soul Boutique in Armstrong, says owner Tienne Bayrack. While consumer taste for type of flower varies by season, she says. The dominant format remains consistent. We sell a lot of pre-rolls, says Bayrack. Those are probably the most popular at any given time. The popularity of pre-rolls is something that has surprised a lot of cannabis producers and retailers in Canadas legal weed marketplace. Bayrack has been in the cannabis game for 15 years. At one point she had a licensed medical grow facility, which she sold to a major licensed producer before shifting into retail. She says she wanted to support legacy growers and she makes a point of sourcing B.C. products. Seed to Soul has developed a niche in Armstrong helping all demographics. The Friday crowd varies from the Monday crowd, she says. Weve got a lot of people who smoked back in the day and are reintroducing themselves to it. Meanwhile at Seed to Stone (a similarly named but different store), which has several locations in the Lower Mainland, theres been a consumer interest toward concentrates. Jeremy Selby, whos in charge of purchasing for Seed and Stones cannabis stores, says expanded selection and competitive pricing has contributed to that trend. Some of the top concentrate brands are Kolab and Earthwolf Farms. More novelty items have also been catching peoples eye, he says, including hash sticks, moon rocks, and vapes featuring minor cannabinoids, such as CBN. At Spiritleaf in West Kelowna, owner Michael Adams says theres a large base of CBD customers. Gummies are in top spot for edibles, and he says theyre noticing the beverage category gaining popularity. Now that the industry has matured, we are seeing customers gravitate towards larger 28-gram dried flower formats, he adds. PAX pods and 510-thread vape carts, which heat cannabis concentrate into a vapour to be inhaled, have been developed a foothold. With how convenient vapour products are, they have definitely become a store favourite. No lighter, no ash, no smell, no problem. Personally, Adams says hes a fan of B.C. craft cannabis, full-spectrum vapes and sublinguals, adding he also dabbles in concentrates and edibles. David Wylie is publisher of the oz. magazine. For more cannabis trends, go to theounce.ca. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: @westcoastferries/Instagram Ferries at Deas Dock in November 2017 WorkSafeBC has imposed a $674,445.92 fine on BC Ferries after a worker fell and drowned in the Fraser River in 2020. The man was working on a docked ferry at BC Ferries primary ship repair and maintenance location, also known as Deas Dock, just west of the George Massey Tunnel. When he leaned onto a panel of fabric webbing to retrieve a floating item, the panel broke away and he fell into the water. Richmond RCMP and search and rescue crews were called for an extensive search, and the mans body was found the next day. WorkSafeBCs investigations revealed that the worker did not wear a personal flotation device, and that the fabric webbing panels were insufficient at controlling the hazard of falling into the water below. Findings also revealed that there were no safe work procedures developed for retrieving objects that have fallen into the water. The firm failed to ensure the health and safety of all workers at its worksite. The firm also failed to provide its workers with the information, instruction, training, and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety. These were both high-risk violations, said WorkSafeBC. The fine was imposed on May 11, 2022. Photo: The Canadian Press B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming views flooding and mudslide repair and clean up progress on the Coquihalla Highway northeast of Hope, B.C., Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Emergency officials say as many as 20 buildings are flooded in three northwestern British Columbia communities but a break in the weather has slowed rising waterways across the region and evacuation orders are set to be updated. The River Forecast Centre is warning residents of northeastern British Columbia that the Liard River could surge to extremely high flows, creating flood conditions similar to last year. The forecast centre upgraded the river conditions to a flood warning on Tuesday for the area that includes tributaries around Fort Nelson and Highway 97 towards Watson Lake. A flood warning is the most serious in a three-tiered alert system used by the forecast centre and it means flooding is expected. Flood watches remain in effect around the Skeena and Bulkley rivers, while high streamflow advisories cover the province's central Interior and northwest. The forecast centre says flows on the Liard River could exceed 50-year return period levels later this week or early next week. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District in British Columbia's southern Interior also advised residents Tuesday to get ready for rising waters after cool weather delayed snowmelt for many weeks. Kevin Skrepnek, the district's emergency program co-ordinator, says the snowpack remains "extremely high" in certain areas and that has elevated the flood risk, especially on the North and South Thompson rivers. He says smaller tributaries in the same area could also be affected by possible heavy rain events and the regions that were damaged by last year's atmospheric river flooding or wildfires are especially vulnerable. The district has deployed sand and sandbags at several locations in the area where flooding is expected. Evacuation alerts have been posted by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen for 18 properties along a stretch of the Tulameen River as the weather-delayed spring freshet continues. In northwestern B.C., emergency officials say as many as 20 buildings are flooded in three communities. But a break in the weather has slowed rising waterways across the region. The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine ordered the evacuation of the Terrace-area communities of Old Remo, New Remo and Usk on Sunday. It also declared a local state of emergency as the Skeena River flooded low-lying areas, cutting access to the villages. Roughly 300 people are affected and regional district officials say the river must recede enough to ensure safe passage before residents are allowed to return. The City of Terrace has said the flood danger is declining and the risk to the city and surrounding communities is now very low, although Environment Canada is forecasting more rain through to next week. The forecast centre is maintaining a flood watch for the Dean River east of Bella Coola. Rain could cause the Skeena and Bulkley rivers to swell further, but the modelling isn't suggesting significant rises, the forecast centre says. High streamflow advisories cover many other northwest B.C. streams and rivers and the central Interior south to the United States border. Photo: Robert Jago UPDATE: 7:55 p.m. The head of an Indigenous group says members have met with the RCMP in Chilliwack, to discuss how police plan to proceed after the driver of a pickup truck allegedly hit four people participating in a memorial march. Garett Dan, captain of the British Columbia chapter of the Crazy Indians Brotherhood, says the meeting at the Cheam First Nation band office went on for about four hours and got "out of hand" at one point as everyone sat in a circle. Dan says there was anger over the alleged actions of a 77-year-old man who turned himself in on Monday, two days after some members of the group were allegedly hit while marching along a highway to draw attention to survivors of residential schools. He says Andrew Victor, chief of the Cheam First Nation, began the meeting where eight members of the brotherhood met with four RCMP officers, including an inspector and sergeant, from both the Chilliwack and Mission detachments. Dan says Indigenous members were distressed that the suspect was not in custody because they did not think they would be treated the same way. The RCMP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Dan says the Mounties conveyed that an investigation was underway to determine if charges would be laid against the man who turned himself in after the incident. Police said in an earlier news release that two of the four marchers who were struck suffered minor injuries. The RCMP originally described the man in a news release as an "impatient driver" who could not pass marchers in the only eastbound lane of Lougheed Highway, near the former St. Mary's residential institution for Indigenous children. Dan helped organize the weekend memorial march in Mission, and has said the driver was goading marchers even before the walk began. "We never stopped traffic, we slowed it down," he said, adding the driver was telling people to stop the march and get off the road, "stuff like that." Dan says the march to the former institution was emotional because participants were calling for ground-penetrating radar to search the site for possible unmarked graves of children who did not survive their forced attendance at St. Mary's. Despite that, Dan says a man in a pickup told marchers to "get over" residential schools. "Our people went through a lot of trauma and abuse in residential school and it's not like they can just blank that out," said Dan. "It's exactly like telling a vet to get over the war." ORIGINAL: 9:55 a.m. Indigenous leaders have called a meeting with RCMP in Chilliwack to discuss how police intend to proceed after the driver of a pickup allegedly hit four members of a memorial march on Saturday. Garett Dan, captain of the British Columbia chapter of the Crazy Indians Brotherhood, says the meeting will involve the chiefs of several Fraser Valley First Nations. Dan helped organize the weekend memorial march in Mission to draw attention to the issue of residential schools and says a man had been goading marchers even before the walk began. A news release from Mission RCMP said four people were hit by what police initially termed an "impatient driver" who could not pass the marchers in the only eastbound lane of the Lougheed Highway, near the former St. Mary's residential school. Two of the marchers suffered minor injuries, while RCMP said a 77-year-old man came forward on Monday and his truck was seized for examination, but he was not in custody. Dan says the Mounties have said it takes time to conduct an investigation and they have not given any indication that charges are pending. "They are holding his truck more accountable than him. They kept his truck but they let him go home," said Dan, adding police handling of the case makes him very upset. The march to the former residential school was emotional, said Dan, because participants were calling for ground-penetrating radar to search the site for possible unmarked graves of children who did not survive their forced attendance at the St. Mary's institution. Despite that, Dan said a man in a pickup told marchers to "get over" residential schools. "Our people went through a lot of trauma and abuse in residential school and it's not like they can just blank that out," said Dan. "It's exactly like telling a vet to get over the war." Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh stands during a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington, on April 23, 2021. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times via AP, Pool) The Supreme Court said Wednesday that an armed man who made threats against Justice Brett Kavanaugh was arrested near the justice's house in Maryland. The man was arrested about 1:50 a.m., court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said in an email. The California man, in his 20s, was armed with a gun and a knife, according to a law enforcement official. The man, whose identity has not been released, arrived in a taxi early in the morning and told law enforcement officers he wanted to kill Kavanaugh, the official said. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The Washington Post initially reported the arrest, quoting sources who said the man also was carrying burglary tools. He told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the court's landmark abortion case, the Post reported. He was also said to be upset over recent mass shootings, according to the newspaper. The justices have been provided round-the-clock security at their homes amid concerns about violence following the courts ultimate decision. There have been protests at Kavanaugh's house in a Maryland suburb just outside the District of Columbia, and at the homes of other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. Photo: The Canadian Press FILE - Ajmal Haqiqi, right, watches as Mahal Wak, center, practices modeling, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 3, 2017. The Taliban have detained a famous Afghan fashion model along with three colleagues, including Haqiqi, accusing them of disrespecting Islam and the Holy Quran. Haqiqi known among Afghans for his fashion shows, You Tube clips, and modeling events appeared handcuffed in videos posted to Twitter on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, by the Talibans General Directorate of Intelligence, DCI. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul, File) The Taliban have arrested a well-known Afghan fashion model and three of his colleagues, accusing them of disrespecting Islam and the Quran, the Muslim holy book, according to videos released by Afghanistan's new rulers. Ajmal Haqiqi known for his fashion shows, YouTube clips and modeling events appeared handcuffed in videos posted on Twitter by the Taliban intelligence agency on Tuesday. In one widely circulated and contentious video, Haqiqi is seen laughing as his colleague Ghulam Sakhi who is known to have a speech impediment that he uses for humor recites verses of the Quran in Arabic, in a comical voice. After the arrests, the Taliban released a video of Haqiqi and his colleagues, seen standing in light brown jail uniforms and apologizing to the Taliban government and religious scholars. The video was accompanied by a tweet in the Dari language, saying: No one is allowed to insult Quranic verses or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Later Wednesday, Amnesty International released a statement, urging the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release Haqiqi and his colleagues. Amnesty has documented several arbitrary detentions by the Taliban in Afghanistan, often accompanied by coerced statements in an attempt to stifle dissent in the country and deter others from expressing their views. Samira Hamidi, Amnesty's South Asia campaigner, denounced the arrests and said that by detaining Haqiqi and his colleagues and coercing them into apologizing," the Taliban have undertaken a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression." Her statement also condemned the Taliban's "continued censorship of those who wish to freely express their ideas. In Kabul, Taliban officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment and it was not clear what measures the model and his colleagues face under the Taliban-run judiciary. The families of the arrested models could also not immediately be reached for comment. Since they seized power last August in Afghanistan during the final weeks of the U.S. troop pullout from the country, the Taliban have imposed strict measures and edicts according to their harsh interpretation of Islamic law, particularly curbing the rights of women and minorities. The moves have raised international concerns that the radical Islamic group intends to rule as it did the last time the Taliban held power in Afghanistan, in the late 1990s. The Taliban consider criticism and anything perceived as disrespectful of Islam as a punishable crime. Amnesty said that since their takeover, the Taliban have been using intimidation, harassment, and violence on anyone who has expressed support for human rights or modern values, especially human rights defenders, women activists, journalists, and members of academia among others." The rights group also urged the Taliban as the de facto authority in Afghanistan to abide by international human rights law and respect everyones right to freedom of expression without discrimination. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley during the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, Calif., on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The prime minister of Barbados is pleading the case of smaller island nations that are struggling to deal with a "triple crisis" amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mia Mottley says Barbados is dealing with real-world impacts of climate change at the same time as COVID-19 and rising fuel and food prices. Mottley made the comments prior to a bilateral meeting in Los Angeles with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She says she's looking forward to working on sustainable development goals with Canada, and thanked Trudeau for the role his country has played in the growth of her country. Mottley says she wants to be sure the world sees island nations during this week's Summit of the Americas and recognizes the trouble they are in. Trudeau, for his part, acknowledged that the pandemic set the world back significantly in its effort to help developing nations reach their economic and social goals. "It's a triple crisis that we faced in the last few years," Mottley said during a photo opportunity with Trudeau before the meeting. She specifically cited the "existential crisis" of climate, COVID-19 and the soaring cost of fuel and food, triggered by the pandemic but now worsened by the war in Ukraine. Mottley also mentioned the escalating problem of antimicrobial resistance in her part of the world, which renders life-saving medications and treatments ineffective and kills 1.2 million people every year. "Bob Marley would say, 'So much trouble in the world,'" Mottley said. "We don't expect things to change immediately. But what we expect is fairness, what we expect is transparency, what we expect is that just as we want to see people here, we want people to see, feel and hear us as well." Trudeau was scheduled to attend a roundtable later Wednesday with a group of Latin American and Caribbean leaders to discuss climate change, defending democratic values and promoting gender equality. He also met with Shilpan Amin, the president of General Motors International, about electric vehicles, the hemisphere's climate goals and the effort to energize economic growth. In Ottawa, Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said it would serve the people of the hemisphere well for countries to do more together to enhance economic integration and export opportunities. "I think that this is an economic zone where Canada can play a leading role with the Caribbean, with Central America, with South America," Champagne said on his way into a caucus meeting. Re: Canadian Horizons latest proposal for 1050 Spiller Road in Penticton The Naramata Bench is not, nor ever was, noted for sub-divisions, but rather for its green space, rolling hills, vineyards, orchards and B&Bs. If Canadian Horizons intends to build a mega sub-division, why not (build it) closer to Penticton proper near the hospital and amenities? There are many developments in Naramata now: Stonebrook, Kettle Ridge, Workman Place, Outlook, Vista and Grace Estates. The continuous summer traffic is not only due to wineries. Naramata draws tourists every year, including bikers, RVers and boaters. As Naramata Road is the only road to Penticton, increasing vehicles by several hundred would mean more traffic and might require massive roadwork changes for these vehicles going to and coming from Penticton. The proposed area Canadian Horizons is contemplating is considered wine country to both Pentictonites and Naramatians, which is to be accessed from Naramata Road. This will affect all who reside in Naramata. Whether this site is visible or not, there would be hundreds more vehicles using Naramata Road, as well as both Upper and Lower Bench Roads to get to town and back. As previously mentioned, this subdivision would require a new route for fire safety. Would it be at taxpayers cost? And where does water come from to supply hundreds of homes when we are on water rationing all summer. I agree change is inevitable and change can be good, if well-planned and not removing green space and replacing it with a concrete jungle or removing wildlife from their natural habitat in order to make a buck. Petitions with 10,000+ signatures were previously signed by those living in Naramata and Penticton. Those are substantial numbers of people who were against this proposal initially, and probably for this new proposal. I am not in favour of (Penticton city) council spending more time on this ridiculous scheme. Let's continue to be known for rural ambiance and not the look of Surrey or West Kelowna. In closing, an excerpt from Discover Naramata: "The journey to Naramata begins with sinuous curves in the road, warm sunshine, and a growing sense of well-being as you leave behind city life and delve into the heart of wine country". Let's not ruin a good thing. Barbara Smallwood, Naramata Wellington Terminal gets US$6m facelift ICR Newsroom By 08 June 2022 Wellington Terminal in New Zealand is getting a NZD$10m (US$6.45m) upgrade aimed at increasing its shipping capacity and reducing its CO 2 footprint. Each year over 100,000t of cement arrives at the terminal by ship from Golden Bays Northland production facility to be stored and distributed throughout the Wellington and Manawatu regions. By replacing old equipment and introducing greater automation, the terminal will be able to increase capacity and reduce load times, allowing for more transportation by sea and lowering the number of truck movements on New Zealands roads. Golden Bay estimates that the upgrade will result in a decrease of more than 1700 truck movements each year and a corresponding reduction in CO 2 emissions of 90 per cent. Reconfiguration of the site will also ease traffic movement. With demand for cement continuing to grow, the investment will ensure the facility is able to operate at the highest standards to meet the future needs of the region. Our Golden Bay Terminal has served Wellington well for many decades and has contributed to some of the regions biggest infrastructure projects along with countless houses, driveways and other developments, said Nick Traber, chief executive concrete, Fletcher Building. The upgrade is a key part of our strategy to remove bottlenecks in our operations to drive growth and reduce costs, as well as increase the resilience of our supply chain using all modes of transport (ship, rail, road). Published under This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions To combat summer learning loss and support student learning in the home, Governors Early Literacy Foundation is expanding its K-3 Home Library program for a third year in a row. Building off the launch in Summer 2020 and a subsequent delivery in Summer 2021, GELF is expanding its collaboration with Scholastic to deliver 970,000 books to teachers and students statewide this summer, including every rising first and second grader enrolled in a public school in Tennessee. More than 162,000 students and teachers across the state will receive a pack of high-quality, age-appropriate books, delivered directly to their homes, at no cost to families or school districts. To announce the program and kick off GELFs Stop the Slide! summer reading campaign, GELF and Scholastic, the global childrens publishing, education and media company, are having a special read-aloud and book distribution event at Mayfield Elementary on Wednesday. We are honored to help bring the first statewide at-home book delivery program for students and teachers to Tennessee," said James Pond, president of GELF. "Through the K-3 Home Library program, we are meeting thousands of students where they are with the books and resources they need to combat learning loss and support learning in the home. Our goal is to shine a light on Tennessee as a leader in collaborative early literacy efforts, and we hope other states look to us to help promote a culture of reading inside and outside of the classroom. Its more than books. Its the future of Tennessee. Books can be a source of comfort, learning and joy, and Scholastic is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to experience all the benefits of reading, including a sense of ownership by having their own home library," said Chris Hedrick, senior vice president of sales, Scholastic Education Solutions. "We are so proud to be part of this statewide effort in Tennessee and to execute a shared mission in advancing childrens literacy with the Governors Early Literacy Foundation. The Public Education Foundation announced Tuesday the selection of 31 teachers from the Southeast Tennessee region who will participate in the 10th cohort of PEFs STEM Fellow program during the 2022-2023 academic year. The teachers will engage in a year of professional learning about best practices in STEM education and will have numerous opportunities to visit businesses in the region that thrive because of the STEM skills of their employees. We are delighted to announce this years STEM Fellows31 outstanding teachers who will inspire their students and lead their schools and their communities in preparing our children for the nearly infinite opportunities in STEM fields, said Dr. Dan Challener, president of Public Education Foundation. These are 31 extraordinary teachers who will make a true and lasting difference in our region. The fellowship is led by the PEF Innovation Hub in partnership with Hamilton County Schools, Benwood Foundation, and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. Designed to help teacher leaders prepare students for todays workforce, STEM Fellows engage in a series of site visits and structured learning sessions with local business and industry partners including Volkswagen, the Chattanooga Business Development Center, and Branch Technology. STEM Fellows has created a strong, growing network providing teachers opportunities to elevate their practices in new and innovative ways while being able to connect with other innovative educators around the district, Superintendent Justin Robertson said. The program gives teachers the opportunity to connect with community partners and allows them to go deeper into learning, which only increases the quality and quantity of opportunities and access we can provide for our students. This partnership, along with many others in our community, is yet another example of Hamilton County coming together to make sure our students thrive and experience a future without limits. Michael Stone, PEFs vice president of innovative learning, leads the fellowship. STEM Fellows provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to get hands-on experience in the modern workforce as they develop innovative lessons that prepare their students to thrive, Mr. Stone said. We are especially proud that STEM Fellows have helped eight Hamilton County Schools earn the states STEM Designation, the states highest recognition. The fellows also shadow leaders at businesses in their community to develop a deeper understanding of current workforce needs. The previous cohort featured job shadows at a range of businesses including Naturally Knotty Hair Care, Green Spaces, Reflection Riding and TVA. Over the last 10 years, more than 270 teachers from 125 schools and 18 districts have graduated from STEM Fellows. PEF congratulates members of the 2022-2023 STEM Fellows Cohort. STEM Fellows Cohort 10.0: Joyce Baker, Tyner Academy Kayla Bowman, Daisy Elementary Mandy Carter, Lookout Valley Elementary Sarah Conrad, Waterville Community Elementary Robbie Dillard, Orchard Knob Middle Alyssa DiNitto, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences Kimberly Folson, Willow Oaks Elementary Ayana Gustus, Tyner Middle Laycica Harjes, Brown Middle Alden Hawkins, Thrasher Elementary Natasha Hennessey, Brown Academy Emily Hurst, HCS Innovation Team Diane Johnson, East Lake Academy of Fine Arts Patti Jones, East Lake Academy of Fine Arts Olivia Kane, STEM School Chattanooga Ginger King, Ooltewah Middle Chris Kizziah, Red Bank Middle Abby Klett, Dalewood Middle Ashley Lepard, East Side Elementary Antonia Luttrell, Spring Creek Elementary Ricky McEvoy, Thrasher Elementary Amanda Panter, Red Bank High School Ronda Phillips, Donald P. Yates Primary Emily Rossman, Harrison Elementary Stephanie Smith, Hixson Middle Brooke Smith, East Brainerd Elementary Lori Spencer, Brainerd High Bruce Stubblefield, Ooltewah High Jami Thomason, Dalewood Middle Traves Welch, East Lake Academy of Fine Arts Jeannette Yann, Spring Creek Elementary A public hearing was held at the Red Bank Commission meeting for a change to the commercial zone within the city. The issue arose on the heels of the request to subdivide the property commonly referred to as the Save-A-Lot property on Dayton Boulevard, even though that request was later withdrawn. The concern is that many large parcels that are commercially zoned in the city could be subdivided and changed to residential property. There are currently 374 parcels with a C-1 Commercial zone. A single-family residential unit is currently allowed on each of those lots, plus the current zoning would allow any of those properties to be subdivided. City Manager Martin Granum said that staff, planners from SETD and the Red Bank planning commissioners came to a consensus and recommend to wait for the citys pending comprehensive plan to be completed before permanent zoning changes are made. The recommendation that was passed on a vote of four to one prohibits subdivisions but preserves the ability to build one single family residence on a parcel. On the second and final reading, 626 Lullwater Road was rezoned from R-1 Residential to R-TZ Townhouse / Zero Lot Line Residential. Red Bank is transitioning into more digital processes to handle daily business. On Tuesday night, the commission approved the purchase of software that will allow residents to handle many transactions with the Public Works department through the citys website. Among other interactions, residents will be able to get permits, ask for inspections, schedule brush pick-up and other public works related business on the the Red Bank website. A three-year contract with IWORQ will be a total of $60,000 or $20,000 for each year. City Manager Granum said a newsletter will be sent to residents to encourage them to use the system. The Police Department will also be getting an upgraded digital system that integrates 24 Taser units with 20 body cameras and 19 in-car camera kits with hardware, software storage, indexing and retrieval systems. The city will pay $364,460 for the acquisition, purchase, training, maintenance and servicing of this system. New audio/visual interactive displays and conferencing equipment was also approved for the Police Department. It will be installed in the community room and training facility at the cost of $45,960. In 2014 Red Bank accepted a grant to make signalization improvements to Dayton Boulevard. That is in the process of being implemented now with added improvements to the original plan for the intersection of Dayton Boulevard and Morrison Springs Road. The crosswalk and pedestrian island will become ADA accessible and there will be the addition of signs. Additional costs are associated with the changes but they are expected to be done within the current budget for the work. The commissioners approved a change to meeting dates to accommodate two holidays. The first meeting in January and the first meeting in July will be eliminated. The city manager said it is not much of a change since it is usually decided, closer to the time, not to hold those two meetings. The fiscal year 2022 budget was amended to account for unexpected income and expenditures through the year. Finance Director John Alexander said this is done each year as a housekeeping measure. Tracey Perry, city recorder, announced that Red Bank citizens will have access to Care-A-Van service for the elderly or disabled beginning July 1. Applications will be put on the Red Bank website. Carol Smith on the front porch with a neighbor child. Her dog, Beanie, is lying in the front yard. Some details of the house across the street can be seen. Carol Smith with her parents Mixon and Bobbie Smith at their home on Arcadia Avenue on Cameron Hill. Notice the rich woodwork. An Ooltewah woman said a recent Chattanoogan.com article about 519 Arcadia Ave. on Cameron Hill made her perk up. Carol Smith Clapp said of the story on Frances Street Smith, "I, too, lived at that address - from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s. As far as I know, I am not related to the original occupants of the home, although we share a last name. Smith's description of the house is very similar to how I remember it, although I was just a young child when I lived there. My grandmother and uncle lived on the first floor, while my parents and I lived on the second floor. I used to play on the large front porch after my father added a safety gate so I wouldnt fall down the outside steps. "Mrs.Smith's description of the house is very similar to how I remember it, although I was just a young child when I lived there. My grandmother and uncle lived on the first floor, while my parents and I lived on the second floor. I used to play on the large front porch after my father added a safety gate so I wouldnt fall down the outside steps. "Arcadia Avenue was a dead end, and I remember playing in the street with the other neighborhood children. My large dog Beanie enjoyed playing out there with us as well. We also played at the large park on top of Cameron Hill. "I attended first and second grade at H. Clay Evans Elementary School at the foot of Cameron Hill. I rode a city bus back and forth to the school daily. My mother would walk me to the bus stop at the end of Arcadia. "I find it an interesting coincidence that I lived in the Gordon Street house and then later, as a teenager, I volunteered at Mr. Streets summer camp for diabetic children (the Double G Ranch, ongoing to this day), on Chickamauga Lake in Soddy." Carol Smith Clapp told of the circumstances around her family's moving away from there. She said, "I believe my grandmother and my father jointly owned the house. On the day after Christmas, 1953, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away. I think by then that my uncle, who had lived with her on the first floor, had moved to Florida. I suspect that the property had to be sold after my grandmother's death in order to settle her estate. "My father, mother, and I moved from the home in the spring of 1955. A carpenter and subsequently a general contractor, my father Mixon Smith built us a new house in East Brainerd. I suppose by then they all knew that Cameron Hill was scheduled to be taken down for Urban Renewal." Ill bet a dollar to your dime that over 75 percent of people in Hamilton County dont know anything about the Atlas One App. Thats how you submit a tip to the Chattanooga Police Department following two mass shootings over the past two weekends. But even the nine-year-old who was shot Saturday night on Fort Street knows how to dial 423/643-5100 to share confidential information in an effort that will take evil off our streets. This has nothing to do with being a snitch. This is about saving lives, particularly black lives since both mass shootings affected our black community. Our police department is begging people to step forward with any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, because until we start helping one another, the Department of Homeland Security predicts a violent and gruesome summer for the United States. On Monday Chattanoogas tragedy was a highlight in the national news and Mary Louise Kelly, a reporter for All Things Considered on National Public Radio, did an interview with Chattanoogas new police chief Celeste Murphy. Here is the transcript: * * * ITS ILLEGAL GUNS IN THE WRONG HANDS NPR's Mary Louise Kelly of All Things Considered spoke with Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy on Monday about the shooting near a nightclub that killed three and injured 14 others early Sunday morning. MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST: Of the nearly 250 mass shootings in the U.S. this year, two have happened in Chattanooga, Tenn., in the last 10 days. Early on Sunday morning, three people were killed and 14 injured outside a nightclub. A week prior, six people, all teenagers, were shot in an altercation between groups. Chattanooga's police department says these are not linked and that before these last couple of weeks, gun violence was actually down this year. Well, Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy joins me now with more information. Chief Murphy, welcome. CELESTE MURPHY: Yes, thank you so much for having me. KELLY: Let's talk about this - just the most recent shooting this past weekend. Do you have any updates on identifying the suspect or what the motive might have been here? MURPHY: Well, we have a couple of motives that we're working on. We are still, very much so, combing through some leads. It's a complex investigation, so nothing that we want to put out there right now till we completely verify all the facts that we have. But we are still working some good active leads. KELLY: I said that y'all don't believe these are related in any way. But still, two mass shootings in over two weekends, two back-to-back weekends. What do you attribute this to? MURPHY: It's just the access to extremely dangerous illegal firearms in the wrong hands. The one weekend we had very, very young teenagers who had access to guns, and absolutely it's a recipe for disaster. And so, you know, we're just making sure that we just keep, you know, intentionally seeking out and finding as many illegal guns as we can and getting them off the streets and out of the wrong hands. KELLY: And I want to ask for specifics in terms of what your department can do to try to keep things like this from happening again in your city. MURPHY: Right. And I've always - you know, this was one of the - youth was one of the points that I was - you know, worked towards what was going to be my goal here. And, you know, it's a two-pronged effort. It's focused deterrence, you know, making sure that we focus on our youth as well and putting them in programming that's going to give them options to steer them in a better path but not at all being soft on crime. So we will be holding people accountable that have guns in their hands illegally and doing the wrong thing. KELLY: I know your job is to enforce the law, not make laws, but I do want to ask about something that the mayor there said. This is Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, an independent. He was talking to CNN this morning and saying he wants to see what he called common sense approaches to gun regulation laws. Do the measures he is calling for - would they make your job and the job of your officers easier? MURPHY: Absolutely. I mean, it makes sense, right? So, you know, anything that we can, you know, use to help abate some of the situations, you know, we would just - it just appears as though there's just too much easy access to these weapons in the wrong hands. And, you know, we are seizing, you know, guns every day. We're getting guns off the street. Last year in and of itself, we seized, oh, almost 1,200 guns that were illegally obtained by people. And, you know, we're just asking people to please just, you know, secure your weapons and know where your children are. KELLY: Yeah. We just have a few seconds left, but I'm curious what the conversation is like when you speak with your counterparts, with police chiefs in other cities these days? MURPHY: Yeah, we're all seeing the same thing, but we always keep in touch so that we make sure we keep hearing what's best practices and, you know, just giving each other advice and making sure, you know, with business that support measure there for all of us at the same time (ph). KELLY: That is the chief of police in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Celeste Murphy. Chief Murphy, thank you. MURPHY: Thank you. * * * royexum@aol.com More than 170 volunteers, including several members of the Chattanooga Fire Department, have gathered in Mayfield, Kentucky, June 6-18, to build a fully accessible home in only 12 days for a local Army veteran whose house was destroyed by an F5 tornado on Dec. 10, 2021. Senior Firefighter Keith Mosley, Firefighter Jake Case, Firefighter Josh Hixson, Senior Firefighter Mark Coffman, Senior Firefighter Brit Bradshaw, Captain Tyler Swindell, Lt. Joe Fuller, and Firefighter Derek Riley, along with retired CFD members Adam Cannon and Chip ODell, have joined volunteers from around the country to build a 2,300 square foot, mortgage-free accessible home for disabled Army veteran Tim Andreasen and his family. They are part of A Soldiers Journey Home (ASJH), a non-profit organization that builds homes for seriously injured veterans in concert with the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Two weeks before Christmas, Mr. Andreasen, his children, Lane, 8, and Lillie, 10, along with his disabled mother and stepfather, were at home watching the approach of severe weather in their area. At 9:25 p.m., Mr. Andreasen lost power and received an emergency alert. He gathered his children and within seconds, his home was hit by the tornado. Miraculously, his entire family survived, but his home was destroyed and the damage to the surrounding community was catastrophic. Representatives from the Tunnel to Towers Foundation visited Mayfield on Dec. 21, to aid in disaster relief by distributing 15,000 toys to displaced children, barbecuing for the community, and committing millions to the rebuilding effort. When the foundation came to Mayfield just before Christmas last year, we made a promise to the community that we would be back, that we would not forget them. Im proud to say that we have kept that promise, and that in partnership with A Soldiers Journey Home, we will be building a mortgage-free home for one of our nations deserving veterans, a Mayfield native. This is the fourth home we have built with A Soldiers Journey Home, and we could not think of a better team to work with on this build, said Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller. A Soldiers Journey Home has its origins in responding to natural disaster sites to help communities rebuild. When the alarm goes off in the firehouse, its because someone needs help. And thats what were here for, said Patrick Paddy Neville, a Navy veteran, retired FDNY firefighter and A Soldiers Journey Home president. We have more than 170 volunteers from 22 states ready to build Tim and his family a new home. Chattanooga firefighters are an integral part of the ASJH charity. They have been taking part in the house builds for a number of years, traveling across the nation and using their vacation time to help with construction and logistics. The first reading of Collegedales fiscal year 2022-2023 budget took place at the commission meeting Monday night. The proposed budget is posted on the citys website so residents can read it and be prepared to ask questions at the public hearing in two weeks before the final reading and vote take place. The $13,398,000 budget has no property tax increase. Items of interest included in the planned expenses is medic 5 remodels, painting the interior of city hall and relocation of city hall offices. Vehicles and equipment that will be bought in the coming year include a Ford F-150 and four Dodge Durangos, a bucket truck, an excavator, a 4x4 tractor, new mowers and an automated garbage truck. The budget also includes $33,000 for the K-9 start-up program and $200,000 for work on the Greenway and sidewalks. The 2022 budget was amended to account for unbudgeted expenses and income. Upon the request of property owner Don Chastain, principal partner in Grindstone Estates mobile home park, the commission rezoned 278.26 acres located on Edgemon Road. The Collegedale planning commission had recommended the approval. The city commissioners were told that no plans have yet been submitted and that the planned use for the property is unknown. City Attorney Sam Elliott told the commissioners that they would have more control over what goes there after it was annexed. Any development will have to go through the typical processes including public hearings. Emergency funding was approved for replacing a portion of a culvert on Tallant View Terrace, where it had caved in. The work did not go through the normal bidding process because it is an emergency, but needed the commission approval because it was an expense over $30,000. The sewer system will be getting an upgrade. A bid was approved for sewer manhole lining. It is a three- year contract for around $805,400 that will be split over three budget cycles. So far around 100 manholes have been lined with around 500 more to go. Another bid for cleaning and lining the sewers was awarded to the low bidder at $35,564. Over the next 2-3 years the entire system will be done. The city will pay $5,273 for EPB to install a pedestrian light pole and fixture in the right of way on Watkins Street adjacent to the Serv-Pro building. The developer will reimburse the city. The commission also authorized the sale of an abandoned aircraft left at Collegedale Airport. The owner, who lives in Florida, has been sent two notifications for money that is owed to the city, but no response has been received. The account is about one year in arrears. The value of the plane when sold will be used to pay back the city. Two members of the Collegedale Parks and Recreation Board have rolled off and two new members will take their place. At the meeting Monday night, David Eller was appointed for a two-year term and Emily Culberson was appointed for a term of three years. Mayor Katie Lamb asked Police Chief Jack Sapp for reassurances that the department has a plan in place to keep people safe during the citys Fourth of July celebrations after the recent gun violence. She said she has heard concerns from people about the planned activities during the holiday. Chief Sapp replied that the department has had training for the worst-case scenarios in order to be prepared, and a plan will be in place as it is every year. Hamilton Flourishing announces Solemn Prayer Assembly a time for the nation to join in prayer for The Supreme Court Justices as they deliberate Roe v Wade. It will be held on June 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Chapel Chattanooga, 3415 Broad St. The community will join thousands of others across the nation to show solidarity through prayer for the country to take a stand for life and the unborn. Local and national speakers will lead this time of prayer. The history of the fall of Chattanoogas abortion clinic almost 30 years ago will be shared by Doug Daugherty and Charlie Wysong, in memory of the late Dr. Dennis Bizzoco. A live broadcast will be made available with the link promoted prior to the event. A Solemn Assembly is when the people called by God gather to pray and repent for their nation because of current and impending divine judgement, (see Richard Owen Roberts booklet, The Solemn Assembly), said Doug Daugherty, president of Hamilton Flourishing. The impending decision on Roe v. Wade is such a time. The decision is critical to our nation, the states, the people, the land, the mothers and fathers, the church, and the unborn. Co-sponsors of this national gathering include: Hamilton Flourishing Calvary Chapel of Chattanooga Right to Life, Chattanooga Chapter National Memorial to the Unborn Partners for Christian Media, J103 National Prayer Committee Intercessors for America SBA List Family Action Council of Tennessee American Value Gary Bauer Congressional Prayer Caucus Lou Engle and the Call Students for Life Many other National and Political Leaders For more information, please visit HamiltonFlourishing.org or email HamFlourishing@gmail.com. Uninsured, low-income residents of Bradley County will have access to specialized health care thanks to an expansion of Project Access into the Ocoee Region. Southeast Tennessee Project Access, a consortium led by the Bradley and Chattanooga-Hamilton County medical societies, brings together resources to improve the health and well-being of local residents who are dealing with specialized health issues. All care is provided at no cost through volunteer physicians, other providers and partnering medical facilities. Project Access is a physician-led community-based program that coordinates donated medical care and services for uninsured people living on fixed or low income, said Rae Young Bond, executive director of the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga, the nonprofit organization coordinating the Project Access initiative. Project Access is essentially a clinic without walls that allows uninsured patients to receive earlier, less costly treatment. Left untreated, many of these would end up in the emergency room, which is the least efficient, most costly form of care. To qualify for Project Access, patients must: reside in their county for at least 90 days prior to enrolling; not qualify for health insurance, including receive any state or federal medical benefits such as TennCare or Medicaid; have a family income below 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($20,385 for an individual; $34,545 for a household of three); have a current medical problem; and be referred by a participating primary care provider, physician, partner or health care facility. Project Access began in Hamilton County in April 2004 by Dr. Joe Cofer, who was a local surgeon and then president of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society. Currently the program has more than 1,150 volunteer healthcare providers and has coordinated more than $217 million in donated health care services since inception. CHI Memorial, Erlanger and Parkridge health systems, in addition to Kindred and Siskin hospitals, are partners in providing this care. Tennova Healthcare Cleveland is joining the partnership to provide care for Bradley County patients. Project Access has enormous potential to improve the quality of health in the Ocoee Region simply because it brings together all of the key health partners in our area, said Dr. Josh Worthington, local surgeon and volunteer medical director for Project Access in Bradley County. Most importantly, this program will help an important group of people who are working hard, often at a couple of minimum wage jobs, but who arent eligible for health care coverage. It helps people who all too often fall through the cracks. Project Access is a proven resource that improves health care for the uninsured and reduces medical costs long-term. Results include: - Improved health status among the low-income uninsured, which increases their employability and productivity; - Decreasing numbers of Project Access patients in the emergency room; and - Better coordination of services to allow the uninsured to receive care in a more efficient, comprehensive and higher quality system. Doctors and hospitals have always provided charity care, often for patients who lost their jobs which meant they lost their insurance, Ms. Bond said. Project Access validates their need and eligibility, equitably distributes charity services among local providers, and allows these patients to get treatment to restore them to health. How the Program Works: - Patients can be referred by local health centers and clinics, participating providers, hospital partners, or social service agencies. Patients who dont already have a primary care home will be referred to one. Project Access partners with numerous primary care centers, including Karis Community Health, the Bradley County Health Department Clinic, and Ocoee Regional Health Corporation Centers, and 14 health centers in Hamilton County. - Prospective patients are evaluated for eligibility before enrollment. - Project Access patients are referred just as if they had private health insurance to the network of partner physicians and facilities. - Patients enrolled in Project Access are assisted with physician referrals, medication management, and hospital services prescribed by their physician. Project Access makes it easy for us to care for patients, Dr. Worthington said, and that is exactly why I became a physician in the first place. For more information about Project Access, go to www.hcProjectAccess.org or call 423-826-0269. Benny Crawley cringed when he viewed the now-infamous overflowing toilet disaster on Below Deck Down Under. The deckhand woke to a sea of sewage water flooding his cabin at 2 a.m. and woke Captain Jason Chambers to help stop the plumbing mishap. Crawley told Showbiz Cheat Sheet the decision to wake the captain over an overflowing toilet didnt exactly happen the way it played out on Below Deck Down Under. But he already felt comfortable being open with Chambers so he was the lucky one to get the middle-of-the-night call. Benny explains why he woke Captain Jason on Below Deck Down Under Leading up to the exploding toilet, Crawley was frustrated with bosun Jamie Sayed and was on the verge of quitting. The toilet water-filled cabin seemed to almost seal the deal for him. Captain Jason Chambers, Culver Bradbury, Benny Crawley | Laurent Basset/Peacock I mean, its really funny looking at that in hindsight, you know, it actually happened quite differently, he recalled. It happened differently in real life. Im not going to go into it because its the beauty of television. They made it a little bit more suspenseful. But it was actually really funny, to be honest. He shared why he went to Chambers instead of calling an engineer or Sayed. I went to Jason because, in all seriousness, I thought hed help me out, the Below Deck Down Under deckhand admitted. We werent that close with the engineers. And at that point, I obviously didnt feel that I could get that support from my immediate superior. So I went to Jason. And when I watched that, Im like God Im going to the captain at 2 in the morning to help me with a plumbing issue. But because of everything that happened up until then, there was just a lot going on. And I felt safe going to Jason. I knew he could help me out. Captain Jason made Benny feel at ease over the mess Chambers was good-natured and had a sense of humor, despite having to deal with the overflowing toilet. In fact, he shared in a confessional that he previously pursued a career as a plumber so he actually was the right man for the job. RELATED: Below Deck Down Under: Benny Shares Swansong Remarks Crux of the Story Is There Crawley remembered the whole debacle being pretty funny. He looked at me and he said Benny have you been to Thailand? Have you been to India? I said, No, Ive never been to Thailand. [Chambers said ] Sniff it in Benny! Remember the sewage! Were in India. Were going backpacking!' Crawley laughed. And so he got me through it because when youve got 2-by-2 meters of space. And it was my sacred space. I didnt really have much else. I just remember waking up and hearing the noise. And I opened my eyes. And the smell, youre just never really going to understand the smell until youre in there, he recalled. It was just like as if I was in the sewage tank. But I just knew subconsciously what had happened. And I just slowly lowered both of my feet to about an inch of poo water. And it was a lot. Benny said he really bonded with Captain Jason on Below Deck The bond between Chambers and Crawley was very real. Crawley could tell Chambers was kind-hearted from the minute they met. But Crawley emphasized that Chambers had no problem bringing down the hammer when needed. So I worked for a variety of different kinds of captains, but Jason has definitely been my favorite so far. I think he thinks hes 30 in his head so , he laughed. Crawley was also well aware of the hot captain moniker Chambers would be given once the show aired and they had a lot of inside jokes. We have little jokes here and there off-camera and we got along real quickly like that, he said. I think when we first really bonded, we were in the crew mess and he said something to me about like after the show on Instagram. And I said something like, Youre going to be selling the Just for Men hair dye and we had a good laugh. Below Deck Down Under is currently streaming on Peacock with new episodes added on Thursday. RELATED: Below Deck Down Under: Benny Blasts Jamie for Damaging Remarks Drags Him for B****ing Johnny Depp said he feels like hes gotten his life back in the wake of the verdict in his defamation case against his ex Amber Heard. But he was also once involved in getting three other people off death row when he believed they were innocent of the horrific crimes they were accused of. One of those individuals is Damien Echols, who once said Depp became like a brother to him after his release. Read on to find out how Echols and two others landed on death row. Plus, learn how the story inspired a popular character in the fourth season of Netflixs Stranger Things. Damien Echols and Johnny Depp | George Pimentel/WireImage What happened to Damien Echols? Echols was a teenager living in West Memphis, Arkansas, when authorities accused him and two of his peers of a horrific triple homicide. The 1993 crime involved three children, and investigators zeroed in on three teenagers as prime suspects. Some argued the prosecuting team built a case founded on rampant Satanic Panic in the early 90s. Investigators linked their teenage interests to perceived ritualistic aspects of the crime. The argument compelled a court to find them guilty for debatable reasons. They went off to death row in 1994 and eventually became known as the West Memphis Three. But the gradual availability of new testing began casting evidential doubt on their involvement in the crime. A chilling true-crime documentary called Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills drew the attention of Hollywood stars like Depp to the case. There was a considerable effort to convince a court to take another close look at the evidence under the scope of new science. In 2011, the West Memphis Three all walked off death row after approximately 18 years. They accomplished that partly by using money raised by celebrities to pay for tests and legal fees. But they also used an Alford plea, as explained by the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. The Alford plea is treated as a guilty plea for sentencing, yet allows the individual using it to maintain their innocence, they shared. How did Damien Echols influence Stranger Things season 4? STRANGER THINGS 4's Hellfire Club storyline and especially the character Eddie Munson were inspired by the documentary series PARADISE LOST. Eddie is loosely modeled after writer and artist Damien Echols, who was a member of the West Memphis Three. pic.twitter.com/nyUnvZ5B8x Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 28, 2022 Some fans of Stranger Things might notice parts of the story are a bit familiar. And thats because they were used in the fourth season of the show. Ross Duffer said in an interview with Netflix, Something we really wanted to get into this year was the Satanic Panic. So that brought us back to the Paradise Lost documentary series with the [West] Memphis Three, and it brought us back to Damien Echols. We really wanted that character whos a metalhead, hes into Dungeons & Dragons, hes ultimately a true nerd at heart. But from an outsiders point of view, they may go, This is someone that is scary. So thats really where the idea for Eddie came in, he further explained. How does Johnny Depp know Damien Echols? In an AP interview, Depp said the injustice against Echols was one he could not swallow, so he reached out to the accused. Echols said the two-time Sexiest Man Alive didnt just support [them] in prison, he stayed on their side every single step of the way. Echols told E! News, We did the book signing the other night in New York, and he was there for that, you know? Obviously, this isnt helping his career in any way. This is something he is doing entirely to help me. Weve grown to love him dearly. Hes become like a brother to me, he concluded of his friendship with the Edward Scissorhands star. The brotherly friends even got commemorative tattoos. Since Echols was released, he has pushed to re-test evidence in the 1993 case. He said he hopes to prove that he and his co-defendants are innocent and find justice for the victims. RELATED: Was Johnny Depp Acting on the Stand? Attorney Kathleen Zellner Says He Was the Real Deal The Starz hit drama series P-Valley has returned for a second season. The series follows Uncle Clifford (Nicco Annan), the owner of the highly popular strip club, The Pynk. The club is a staple in the fictional town of Chucalissa, Mississippi. In the first season, Uncle Clifford worked to no avail to keep the doors to her club open. The series also followed the lives of her dancers. Headliner, Mercedes (Brandee Evans), was on the verge of retirement, Miss Mississippi (Shannon Thornton) was learning to stand on her own, and newcomer Autumn (Elarica Johnson), was hiding a dark secret. Now in the second season, things have changed drastically for everyone. It even looks like Megan Thee Stallion has even gotten wind of The Pynk. Megan Thee Stallion | Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images RELATED: P-Valley Creator Talks About Mercedes and Autumns Future, Plans for Season 2, and More P-Valley Season 2 just premiered After a two-year hiatus, the second season of P-Valley has just premiered. Fans saw how The Pynk was able to stay afloat amid the pandemic. Moreover, they are seeing how the dynamic between Autumn and Uncle Clifford has changed now that Autumn owns the club. The official logline for season 2 reads, Season two takes audiences deeper into the lives of the Pynks beloved characters as darkness descends upon Chucalissa. Returning cast includes Nicco Annan (This is Us) as Uncle Clifford, Elarica Johnson (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) as Autumn Night, Brandee Evans (The Bobby Brown Story) as Mercedes, Shannon Thornton (Power) as Miss Mississippi, J. Alphonse Nicholson (Chicago P.D.) as Lil Murda, Parker Sawyers (Southside With You) as Andre, Harriett D. Foy (Elementary) as Pastor Woodbine, Dan J. Johnson (Underemployed) as Corbin, Morocco Omari (Empire) as Big L, Dominic DeVore (The Ride)as Duffy, Tyler Lepley (The Haves and the Have Nots) as Diamond, Jordan M. Cox (The Outsider) as Derrick and Skyler Joy (Ma) as Gidget. Recently announced John Clarence Stewart (Zoeys Extraordinary Playlist, What If) asBig Teak, newcomer Miracle Watts as Big Bone, Shamika Cotton (The Wire) as Farrah, Gail Bean (Snowfall) as Roulette and Psalms Salazar (Girl Lost: A Hollywood Thriller) as Whisper, will also join the cast this season. Megan Thee Stallion at the #PValley season 2 premiere pic.twitter.com/emKLMlAsSA MEFeater Magazine (@mefeater) June 4, 2022 Megan Thee Stallion will have new music on the show Katori Hall hinted that Megan Thee Stallion would be contributed to P-Valley Season 2. Weve got this major artist that everyone knows and loves, but Im not going to tell you just yet who that is, she said in the YouTube video. Now, Shadow and Act has confirmed that the rapper is contributing to the series in the form of a new original track. Moreover, fans are speculating that we will also see the self-proclaimed Hot Girl in a forthcoming episode. Baller Alert is reporting that filming for season 2 just wrapped down in Atlanta, and Meg was recently spotted on set. The Texas-born rapper has been linked to P-Valley in the past. For her music video, Movie she had cameos from both Nicco Annon and Brandee Evans. P-Valley Season 2 will focus on several central themes In addition to an appearance by Megan and some brand new characters, this season of P-Valley is set to focus on several central themes. BET is reporting that the new season will unpack, physical and emotional abuse, trust and abandonment issues, and the debilitating matter of police brutality against Black people in America. Moreover, there will be a very special episode highlighted this season. The episode will pay tribute to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and a host of unidentified victims in Michigan, Texas, and California. We should be in for an interesting ride. RELATED: P-Valley Was Rejected by Tons of Networks Before It Landed on Starz Flies, mosquitoes, dust and even microplastics spider webs catch things flying through the air. Researchers at the University of Oldenburg have now for the first time examined the webs for the smallest plastic particles on inner-city streets with varying levels of traffic. They found mainly the plastic PET, presumably from textiles, as well as particles from the abrasion of car tyres and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The amounts of plastic particles found depended on the location. Spider webs, the team concludes, are a simple and inexpensive means of monitoring air pollution by microplastics in the city and identifying particularly polluted areas. The findings have been published in the journal Science of the Total Environment. "Spiders are found all over the world, including in cities. Their sticky webs are an ideal trap for anything that floats through the air," explains Dr Barbara Scholz-Bottcher. The microplastics expert at the University's Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine environment (ICBM) was head of the study. Previous studies have shown that pollutants such as heavy metals or magnetic particles get stuck in the webs, she adds. "However, no one has yet examined spider webs for microplastics," says the geochemist even though the air we breathe is increasingly contaminated with microplastics. To find out whether microplastics can be detected in spider webs and whether there are certain distribution patterns, Rebecca Sumuth, student of Environmental Sciences, collected spider webs from the upper area of semi-covered bus stops at different times for her thesis. The bus stops were located along roads with different levels of traffic in the city of Oldenburg in north-western Germany. The samples were prepared in the laboratory and the particles adhering to the webs were concentrated on filters. The team first examined the filters microscopically and found, for example, fibres presumably stemming from textiles, as well as soot particles. They then heated the samples at very high temperatures in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) and separated the resulting plastic fragments using a gas chromatograph. A downstream mass spectrometer made it possible to assign and determine the different types of plastic. The result: "All the spider webs were contaminated with microplastics," reports Isabel Gomann, who was involved in the study as part of her PhD-thesis. In some cases, the plastic content even accounted for a good tenth of the total weight of a web. Almost 90 per cent of the plastic consisted of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PVC and material from car tyres. The proportion of tyre debris varied greatly depending on the traffic on the adjacent road. "Our results also indicate that the abrasion of road markings is another important source contributing to the microplastic load along roads," explains Scholz-Bottcher. The researchers also found evidence that the small plastic particles accumulate surprisingly quickly in the spider webs. According to Scholz-Bottcher, the method represents a simple alternative to complex measurements for comparing the microplastic content present in the immediate ambient air. This can be particularly important in the context of further toxicological investigations. Live in Munich again at last: When analytica, the worlds leading trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology, opens its doors from June 21 to 24, around 900 exhibitors will present their innovations. The industry is particularly looking forward to in-person dialog. There are ample opportunities for this at the trade fair stands, as well as at the analytica conference, in the forums and during the many other accompanying events. Nothing beats a real get-together, says Armin Wittmann, Exhibition Director for analytica. The attractive analytica supporting program brings the laboratory of tomorrow to life and facilitates the exchange of know-how, experience and ideas. analytica conference: Science meets industry The analytica conference, the scientific high point of analytica, will take place on the first three days of the trade fair in the ICM, right next to the exhibition halls. Whether its nanoplastics, cancer diagnosis or antibiotic-resistant germs in the water cycle: In nearly 200 presentations and a poster show, renowned scientists from all over the world will discuss what modern analytics is capable of today, where its limits currently lie and how these can be overcome in future. The multifaceted program was put together by the German Chemical Society (Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, GDCh), the German Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society (Gesellschaft fur Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, GBM) and the German Society for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine e.V. (Deutsche Vereinte Gesellschaft fur Klinische Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin, DGKL). Special show and Digital Transformation forum: Laboratory 4.0 in action The megatrend of digitalization will be a common thread through the analytica conference program, as well as through the exhibition halls. In the Digital Transformation special show in Hall B2, visitors can experience automated workflows, networked devices and robots in action. In the neighboring forum of the same name, Agilent, Merck, Mettler Toledo, Thermo Fisher Scientific and many other companies will explain their concepts for Laboratory 4.0 in 30-minute presentations. The industry association SPECTARIS will provide an overview of the current status of a uniform OPC-UA interface for German manufacturers. analytica forums: COVID-19 expert rounds, Finance Days and more The Biotech forum (Hall A3), the Occupational Health and Safety forum and the analytica forum (both in Hall B1) likewise invite visitors to practical presentations and podium discussions. Among the highlights in the analytica forum are the expert rounds on COVID-19 research on June 22 and 23, with the likes of Professor Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg and Professor Helga Rubsamen-Schaeff, Leopoldina member and founder and Supervisory Board member of the biopharmaceutical company AiCuris. The exact dates will be announced shortly on the analytica website. The German biotech industry has emerged as a solution to problems during the pandemic and has collected more capital in the past two years than ever before. The Finance Days on June 23 and 24 at the Biotech forum in Hall A3 will cover financing trends in the life sciences sector and answer questions about initial public offerings and global markets. With the personalized medicine themed day on June 24, analytica is also putting a particular focus on this promising sector. Representatives from associations, clusters and companies in the health care sector will discuss the potential of individualized therapies from various perspectives. Occupational Health and Safety Safety in the laboratory is the number one priority in day-to-day work. The Occupational Health and Safety forum in Hall B2 will be devoted to this topic. This year at analytica, the company asecos will once again demonstrate accidents that can happen if hazardous substances are stored incorrectly in the laboratory live in their daily experimental presentations. There will also be presentations on lithium-ion batteries that are increasingly finding their way into laboratories and whose potential dangers should they be mishandled are often underestimated. The program is rounded out by presentations from companies such as Erlab, Bernd Kraft and a1-environsciences. Also: Further training and student information day Anyone who wants to use analytica as a career booster can combine a trade fair visit with further training. The training and consulting firm Dr. Klinkner & Partner will be offering all-day seminars at analytica on selected topics, from laboratory IT to the validation of analytical methods. And last but not least analytica, together with the scientific society GDCh and the VBio, will be supporting young talent in the industry. As usual, the popular student information day will take place on the last day of the trade fair on June 24. Here, high-school graduates can learn about fields of study and occupational areas in chemistry, biotechnology and food chemistry. Churches in California and Iowa. A supermarket in New York. An elementary school in Texas. A hospital in Oklahoma. A funeral service in Wisconsin. Mass shootings have become so quotidian we are at risk of presuming this is simply normal but its not, at least globally. The United States is the only country in the world with more civilian-owned firearms than people. We have a rate of death from gun violence higher than in Somalia, Syria or Afghanistan and far, far higher than in other countries with economically-prosperous democracies: eight times higher than Canada, 100-times higher than in the United Kingdom and 200 times higher than in South Korea or Japan. The tragic commonness of gun violence in the United States is stunning to many people beyond the United States, including many fellow Christians. Over the past several years as part of the research for a new book called Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church Ive had the opportunity to interview a number of evangelical Christian leaders from beyond the United States. I often asked these global Christian leaders what was confusing or surprising to them about American Christianity. One common reply: guns. Whats bewildering to Pastor Luna is the idea that Christians would champion gun ownership. The love of guns, Honduran pastor Luis Luna told me, will always be beyond my understanding. Honduras and other Central American countries also have serious problems with gun violence fueled by drug cartels and criminal gangs so that the U.S. also is plagued by gun violence is not necessarily surprising. Whats bewildering to Pastor Luna is the idea that Christians would champion gun ownership. He reflected on his astonishment at witnessing an American missionary insisting to a local congregation in a violence-marred community that they had a responsibility to arm themselves. My God, no! replied the shocked Honduran Christians, using the Lords name not in vain but in intercession. We associate firearms with killing, explained Nicaraguan evangelical Mario Perez Gutierrez, and its very difficult to conceive of how a Christian could be ready to kill someone. After all, murder is prohibited by the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:13), and Christians believe that human life is sacred, made in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Adrian Hendarta a pastor originally from Indonesia, where gun ownership is strictly regulated notes that Christians there are confused as to why the U.S. government does not similarly limit gun ownership. Like other technology developed in the last millennium, guns are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, of course. But weapons are: the government has been ordained by God to bear the sword (Rom 13:4) and John the Baptist, when advising soldiers, never advises them that they must disarm (Lk 3:14), so most Christians globally accept the role of the government in bearing arms to maintain order and restrain evil. But Jesus response to Peters effort to violently defend him from unjust state action Put your sword back for all who draw the sword will die by the sword (Mt 26:52) seems to most Christians globally the definitive statement on civilian evangelicals use of lethal weapons, or at least those like the semi-automatic rifles used in most recent mass shootings whose primary function is to kill human beings (as opposed to animals). Even if faced with the threat of harm, many global Christians would look to the biblical teachings that we are not to resist an evil person (Mt 5:39) nor repay anyone evil for evil (Rom 12:17). We should not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Mt 10:28) because we are ultimately and eternally secure in Christ while the person whom we might kill in self-defense very likely is not. In the United States, though, white evangelicals are both more likely to own guns than the overall population and less likely to support stricter regulations on gun ownership, and most evangelical gun owners cite protection (not hunting) as the primary motivator. Candidates seeking to appeal to evangelical voters proclaim their support for God and guns in the same breath suggesting a syncretism that many global Christians view as idolatrous. That view is also shared by many non-white evangelicals within the U.S. While few white-majority evangelical denominations have a stated denominational position on gun policy, the Asian American Christian Collaborative responded to the recent string of mass shootings with a biblically-rooted, policy-specific call for reforms that was also affirmed prominent leaders of national networks of Latino and African American Christians. We are called to bring attention to the dangers and sin of political idolatry, the statement says, especially when they lead to the destruction of life. As followers of Christ, our allegiance is primarily to Christ and His Kingdom. Christians must stand together to denounce all forms of idolatrous worship, including the idolatry of individual rights (and all its entailments) over Gods commandment to love our neighbors. Nearly four-in-ten white evangelicals believe that the U.S. Constitution which includes the Second Amendments right to bear arms is divinely inspired. Plenty of non-U.S. Christians admire the U.S. Constitution, but theyre troubled by the seeming equation of this human-composed document with a descriptor they would ascribe only to the Bible. Our sisters and brothers from other parts of the world and from historically marginalized Christian communities within the U.S. are challenging us to recognize guns as a Second Commandment concern, lovingly imploring white Christians to examine whether gun ownership has become an idol for many American Christians. As my coauthors and I argue in Inalienable, the U.S. church has a lot to offer to the world but we also have blind spots, and at a time when the white U.S. evangelical church is in many ways facing a spiraling crisis of moral credibility, we urgently need the humility to learn from and submit to the leadership of other parts of the Body of Christ. In the midst of an epidemic of gun violence, heeding these voices that have historically been on the margins of American Christianity may not just save the U.S. church from syncretism, it may also save lives. 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 Matthew Soerens is a guest lecturer for Wheaton Colleges Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership Masters Program and is the coauthor of Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church (InterVarsity Press, 2022). Mentally disabled Pakistani Christian man released on bail 3 years after blasphemy arrest A court in Pakistans Punjab province has granted bail to 40-year-old Christian man Stephen Masih three years after a Muslim neighbor accused him of committing blasphemy due to an argument over a pigeon. We welcome the courts decision to grant bail to Stephen Masih. We urge the court to also clear Masih of all charges," said Tehmina Arora, director of Asia advocacy for ADF International, the legal organization supporting Masih's case. "The many delays to the hearing of Masihs appeal have already caused him and his family enough suffering." The accusations date back to March 2019 after an argument between Masih, his family members and some Muslim neighbors regarding a pigeon, according to a statement from ADF International. After a reported exchange took place about whether a neighbor was trespassing on Masihs terrace to collect his pigeon, Masih was accused of having blasphemed during the altercation, the group said. The Christian man and his family in Sialkot district were subjected to mob violence. Masih was arrested and charged with blasphemy under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which is punishable by death. Fr. Mario Rodrigues, priest of the Archdiocese of Karachi, told Fides that he is concerned for Masih's safety following his release because a person's life is "always at risk and in danger" once they are accused of blasphemy in Pakistan. Before Masih's arrest, he lived with his older sister and their mother. But after the blasphemy allegation, ADF reports that Masih's family fled after a mob burned down their home. The police broke into Stephens home and arrested him (in 2019) without investigation, and even beat up his mother leaving her with a fractured leg and arm, Joseph Jansen, the head of Voice for Justice, told Fides. Without verifying the authenticity of the accusation, a mob attacked and tortured innocent people. This case is a clear example of abuse of the blasphemy law for personal revenge. In August 2021, a court rejected Masih's previous plea for bail, although the Punjab Institute of Mental Health determined he suffers from bipolar disorder and is unfit to stand trial. The blasphemy laws embedded in Sections 295 and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code are frequently misused for personal revenge. It carries no provision to punish a false accuser or a false witness. Dozens of individuals are imprisoned on blasphemy charges in Pakistan. The law is also abused by Islamist extremists to target religious minorities Christians, Shias, Ahmadiyyas and Hindus. The worlds attention was drawn to Pakistans blasphemy law after Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was sentenced to death and served over 10 years in prison before Pakistans Supreme Court acquitted her in 2018. Her acquittal drew the ire of radical extremist groups as many protested in the streets and threatened to kill the Supreme Court justices responsible. In 2014, Christian couple Shehzad and Shamah Masih were burned to death in a brick kiln over false accusations that they had ripped pages from the Quran. Open Doors USA ranks Pakistan as the eighth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution. The U.S. State Department names Pakistan on its list of "countries of particular concern" that tolerate or engage in egregious violations of religious freedom. Pastor calls murder-suicide at Cornerstone Church worst day of a lot of our lives Mark Vance, lead pastor of Cornerstone Church in Ames, Iowa, where two Iowa State University students were shot dead by a man who took his own life in the churchs parking lot last Thursday, couldn't find a word to describe the heartbreak he's experienced since the worst day of his life. Thursday, June 2, 2022, was the worst day of my life," Vance told his congregation on Sunday. "It was the worst day of a lot of our lives, a lot of people in this room, family members who lost loved ones, many of us who just had one of the most precious places to us shattered by violence. Its the worst day in the life of Cornerstone Church." Vivian Flores, 21, and her friend Eden Montang, 22, were at the church to participate in a worship program for college students known as The Salt Company, Vance said. The Salt Company is a student-led ministry that planted Cornerstone Church in Ames in 1994. Some 1,300 students usually attend the ministrys weekly large group gathering. Montang and Flores were outside the church at approximately 6:50 p.m. when Johnathan Lee Whitlatch, 33, shot them with his Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol before turning the gun on himself, authorities say. According to The Des Moines Register, Montang and Whitlatch, who served in the same Iowa National Guard unit, had been in a romantic relationship that had recently ended. Two days before the shooting, Whitlatch was arrested for allegedly harassing Montang but was released after posting bond. I looked for a word to try to capture how I feel, but I dont have one. Its like Ive known deep grief before. Its like a basement below the depth of grief, Vance told worshipers. Its like the bottom fell out of your world. Instead of celebrating the first full week of summer this week, Eden and Vivian will have their funerals here at Cornerstone. Montangs funeral is scheduled to be held in the main auditorium at Cornerstone Church at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Flores funeral service will follow at the same venue at 2 p.m. on Thursday. Vance said both Montang and Flores were deeply committed Christians who were part of the same connection group at The Salt Company. Thursday, June 2, 2022, they died walking into Salt Company. Precious people. If youve ever walked into Salt Company, if youve ever heard the phrase 'party in a can,' I feel really angry because that innocent place was stolen, Vance said. Those beautiful people. I feel sad. I feel all the things at the same time. I feel things. I dont know when theyre going to hit me. I dont know why I cry when I cry. Vance said he was in the middle of an elders meeting at the church when they received news of the attack in the parking lot. Jason Tuttle, one of our elders in training, is a commander at Ames Police Department and was the first law enforcement official on the scene. As he sprinted out of our elders meeting across the parking lot the rest of us soon followed, he said. It quickly became clear that something terrible had happened. As I arrived and looked over, I saw Salt Company students, who instead of walking into Salt were performing chest compressions before the medical personnel got there." The pastor said students and staff were "running in fear for their lives." "Every one of us there ... saw things we desperately wish we had never seen and wish we could somehow unsee, Vance said. At the end of it all, three people were dead, two of them precious Salt Company leaders Eden Montang, Vivian Flores, and a shooter who took his own life after taking theirs. And all of us now here are heartbroken. Montang's father, Terry Montang, praised his late daughters faith at a June 3 prayer service at Cornerstone. "What I want everyone to know is that she walked the walk. She died for her faith. Im proud to have been her father. I'm not sure what more there is to say than she is with the Lord, he said, according to The Ames Tribune. Flores' siblings told The Des Moines Register that she was active in Valley Church's student ministries before she started college and read the Bible every day. Her favorite song was All Hail King Jesus. "We would pray a lot, especially before going to bed. We would pray together about the day, her fraternal twin, Valarie Flores, said. She used to say, 'First one to Heaven wins.' Theres no doubt in my head that shes in Heaven. Southern Baptists debate how to best be pro-life A debate over the best legal approach to abortion and how it informs resolutions within the Southern Baptist Convention has resurfaced as messengers are set to gather for the denominations annual meeting next week. At last year's annual meeting, a resolution was passed containing disputed language that has distressed some leading Southern Baptists and a divide has arisen over this issue amid the probable reversal of Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1973 that legalized abortion nationwide. A decision in the case Dobbs v. Jackson is expected later this month following the May 2 leak of a draft majority opinion in which Roe was overturned. While many think the recently released Sexual Abuse Task Force report is likely to dominate the agenda of the SBC annual meeting on June 12-15 in Anaheim, California, it's also believed that the contested abortion resolution will be revisited. Some leaders, including an SBC presidential candidate, are contending for a resolution that, to a degree, diminishes the more mainstream approach to pro-life advocacy similar to what happened last year despite strong objections from the platform voiced by leading SBC ethicists and theologians. Nathan Finn, the provost and dean and theology professor at North Greenville University in South Carolina, believes that the rise of the abolitionist movement has come about due to frustration with the pace of incremental gains and that many politicians have opted for pragmatism instead of principle on the issue. I think many pro-life Christians are drawn to the language of abolition because it is so compelling, perhaps not fully understanding everything the movement represents, Finn said in an email to The Christian Post. What are known as incrementalists in the pro-life movement are those who have worked strategically over time with the goal of passing laws and winning court cases to make important legal gains and save as many unborn children as possible given the legal constraints of Roe v. Wade. Incrementalists are also of the view that in addition to the unborn babies, mothers who undergo abortions are victims of the practice, which has been enabled by Roe v. Wade jurisprudence. By contrast, abortion abolitionists believe that incrementalists have compromised with evil and have undermined efforts that would legally abolish abortion immediately. They assert this despite the fact that since 1973 Roe had precluded any state or locality from making abortion illegal prior to viability. Incrementalists then often reply by saying that they are committed to the goal of eliminating 99+% of abortions with the exception of saving the physical life of the mother in rare cases and stress the importance of overturning Roe, a crucial win for which they have been working for decades. Proponents of the abolitionist viewpoint have backed proposals, such as the Abolition of Abortion in Louisiana Act of 2022, which made it out of a state Legislature Committee but was ultimately scuttled. This was due in part to incrementalist leaders who signed a May 12 National Right to Life Committee open letter emphatically urging state lawmakers to reconsider and especially not criminalize mothers who undergo abortions. Among those pro-life leaders who signed the NRLC letter was Brent Leatherwood, acting president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the SBCs policy arm. Finn added that he spoke with many SBC messengers last year who simply thought that abolitionism was another way of affirming the pro-life cause but did not realize the movement is actually an alternative vision that rejects every gain of the past generation. The abolitionist movement callously treats all women who have had abortions as murderers. The abolitionist movement coldly dismisses incremental gains that have saved millions of lives. I am genuinely thankful the abolitionist movement is anti-abortion. I just wish they were also consistently pro-life, he said. Reached by phone Friday, Tom Ascol, an SBC presidential candidate this year and the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, told CP in an interview that the overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists are completely pro-life and want abortion to be illegal and ended immediately and to see the right of personhood legally recognized for the unborn. Yet he disputes the way in which this particular disagreement within the denomination has been framed. Speaking of the letter from the National Right to Life Committee which over 70 pro-life groups and leaders signed, including the SBCs ERLC, Ascol commented: I found that to be disastrous. I thought that was a complete misrepresentation of what most Southern Baptists believe, he added. The ERLC has been planning for over a year the acknowledgment of the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Why not put all of our resources into ending Roe v. Wade before the 50th anniversary?" Ascol reiterated: Its not so much incrementalism versus abolitionism. Anything we can do to save one child, lets do. But lets not take our eye off the prize of ending abortion now. Other incrementalists, such as Richard Land, who served as the ERLC president from 1988 to 2013, and is now president emeritus of the ERLC and the executive editor of this publication, responded in a CP interview by saying, "that is exactly why pro-lifers have been working so hard for the past 48 years to get pro-life Supreme Court justices appointed so that we that could overturn Roe." Leatherwood, the ERLC's acting president, insists that the idea that any SBC leader is not seeking the end of abortion is patently untrue. Every pro-life advocate Ive ever met is striving for the same goal the end of abortion. And it should be stated, we all want that as soon as possible. The approach of the pro-life movement, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the ERLC for all these years has been to support laws that will save one additional life in whatever context, Leatherwood said in an email to CP on Friday. Thankfully, it appears those efforts have brought us to the cusp of what may be the biggest pro-life achievement in 50 years. Yet Ascol disagrees with the assessment of SBC ethicists who say the messengers did not fully comprehend what they were voting on with all of its legal implications contained in its wording. That the messengers overcame the resolution when it was tearfully argued against from the platform, is evidence of this, he says. Several SBC ethicists who have favored and continue to support the more gradual, incremental approach and the eventual abolition of virtually all abortions wrote in the Public Discourse last year why they opposed the resolution. They explained at the time that one of the problems that can happen at annual meetings is that messengers are given far too little time to consider resolutions that may appear noble but are, in fact, layered with complexity. Such was the case in Nashville on the abortion resolution, they stressed. Ascol, however, is convinced that most Southern Baptists did grasp its meaning. There were 7,500 copies of this resolution printed up and distributed to the messengers at the convention. More messengers probably read this resolution than any other resolution that was voted on last year. With full understanding, against all the efforts of the platform, an overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists adopted the strongest anti-abortion resolution in our history, he said. In a May 31 episode of "The Sword and the Trowel" podcast, which Ascol co-hosts with Graham Gunden, the Florida pastors interviewed Bradley Pierce, a constitutional attorney from Texas who is the executive director of the nonprofit Foundation to Abolish Abortion. Pierce was an instrumental force behind the Louisiana bill that was ultimately scrapped and he maintained that among the most substantial opposition to that bill were other pro-life groups. Those groups, he said, misrepresented its provisions. He defended the legal lens he has on this as the one most faithfully grounded in Scripture. Im firmly convinced that God requires equal protection, Pierce told the hosts in the podcast interview. Speaking of his approach, he added: The same laws that protect born people should protect people before theyre born. Under the legal regime that he is proposing, the justice system would consider each case on a case-by-case basis, recognizing the variety of situations in which an abortion happens. In their article outlining their dissent from last years resolution, the SBC ethicists approvingly cited a 2020 essay from Life Training Institutes Scott Klusendorf on why the incremental strategy is the most viable and moral pathway. Pro-lifers are not the ones compromising when we support incremental laws aimed at limiting the evil of abortion. Rather, the pro-abortionist is compromising because hes forced to give ground on the current status quo namely, that any child can be killed at any point in pregnancy for any reason. When pro-lifers chip away at the status quo, they are improving the moral landscape, he wrote in Desiring God at the time. Klusendorf explained in a phone interview with CP that Southern Baptists need not divide theologically over this debate, describing the divisions within the denomination as a very sad thing. We can have an in-house discussion on tactics, on whether we ought to go forward with a more aggressive rate than we have, thats all fair and good. And if abolitionists want to join that discussion in good faith, Im all for it. But thats not what theyve done, he said. Although Klusendorf mostly agrees with Ascol theologically and appreciates his public stances on such issues as critical race theory and opposing the wokeness trend in the denomination, he believes Ascol is poisoning the well by referring to incrementalists as elitists and is doing considerable damage by adopting the language of last years resolution which regards incrementalists as not only mistaken but are in fact party to murder and thus theologically compromised. In a recent Founders Ministries essay, titled Toward a Principled Pro-Life Ethic in Post-Roe America," Ascol argued that the efforts by incrementalists are representative of the contentiousness in other areas of Evangelical life, wherein it is the elite class that is woefully out of step with the rank-and-file believers. These rank-in-file believers, he maintains, want to see the scourge of abortion brought to an immediate end in our nation. Land believes that most Southern Baptists are incrementalists and that it is the most morally consistent pro-life ethic. When asked what he makes of Ascols characterization of the incrementalist approach as an elitist stance, Land replied that he "can think of no more elitist position than to say that its all-or-nothing, that if we cant have it all were going to let babies continue to die. Thats sacrificing unborn babies on the altar of your perceived purity on the position. Land went on to defend the work of the ERLC, saying that state legislators are going to need resources as states are given the opportunity to rework their laws in light of the possible reversal of Roe v. Wade. If indeed it is overturned, the parameters of legal abortion are returned to the state level. In anticipation of the dismantling of Roe, some state governments are likely to enact substantial abortion restrictions. Last years resolution flies in the face of nearly a dozen resolutions passed by the Convention since 1980, which called for the abolition of all legal abortion with the exception of saving the physical life of the mother, Land explained, "and on several occasions, there were attempts to amend the resolutions to include exceptions for rape and incest and they were voted down by the messengers." Klusendorf believes that abolitionism sets forth a policy framework that is an untenable legal quagmire. For example, he told CP that in order to charge an abortionist with murder and also the mother with murder one would have to demonstrate in court that the meeting of the minds legal threshold has been met. One would have to prove that the mothers knowledge matches the abortionist's knowledge and that is seldom the case. Land added that some confusion concerning the ERLC results from a lack of understanding of the ERLC's two-fold assignment from the SBC. "First, we are to call Southern Baptists to be where we think they ought to be on moral issues based on biblical revelation. In that role, we are free to be 'the conscience of the Convention.' Our second role is that once Southern Baptists have reached consensus on an issue, to share that with the three branches of the federal government, with state governments and with the United Nations," Land said. "In the first role, we are free to be prophetic and prescriptive and we are speaking to Southern Baptists. In the second role, we are to be descriptive, speaking about Southern Baptists, even when that description does not match where we would deeply desire Southern Baptists to be. Of course, we are profoundly grateful to our Heavenly Father that Southern Baptists are now the most pro-life major denomination in America at the rank-in-file level." In previous years, the ERLC filed numerous friend of the court amicusbriefson abortion-related cases in which they always added footnotes that said: "While Southern Baptists are overwhelmingly opposed to abortion-on-demand, there is some disagreement about some of the troublesome exceptions such as rape, incest, and the physical life of the mother." "That was our assessment based upon surveys and polling on where Southern Baptists were, which is not necessarily where we would wish them to be," Land explained. "Southern Baptists do expect us to be truth-tellers and so we must attempt to tell the truth as best we perceive it. I do not think most Southern Baptists would wish the ERLC to do otherwise. If we did, we would ultimately lose credibility with Southern Baptists and with the governments we are trying to influence," he said. Yet Ascol insists that many SBC congregants are disappointed with the efforts of the ERLC which joined with other pro-life groups to spike the recent Louisiana bill. One such pastor who shares that view is Christopher Bolt, who concurs with the SBC presidential candidates framing of the discussion. Bolt, pastor-teacher at Elkton Baptist Church, in Elkton, Tennessee, said in a CP phone interview that though he hesitates to call himself an abortion abolitionist, per se, he nevertheless believes that abortion abolitionists have some important points that ought to be more thoroughly considered. I believe in equal protection for the unborn under law. I believe that the unborn child is even more vulnerable, extremely vulnerable, cant even live on his or her own, and we should center the unborn child in the discussion, Bolt explained, echoing Pierce. And the reason that even in criminalizing the fact of abortion when a woman willfully and knowingly does it is that the Bible teaches justice and our laws are to reflect the justice we see in Scripture. Where criminalizing only the abortionist performing the act falls short is that the United States is potentially facing a future where many if not most abortions will be done chemically and at home via the mail, he added. "But when a young woman finds herself [facing a crisis pregnancy] Im not saying, That woman should be punished as a murderer, no ifs, ands or buts. Thats not my view. What I am saying is that we must, at some point, in terms of the increments were pursuing regarding abortion, one of the increments is the end of abortion. Leatherwood told CP that should Roe be reversed, the ERLCs work will be far from over, noting that a major focus of the annual meeting will be how Southern Baptists can engage in pro-life work in their home states. The SBC entity has larger legal and cultural aspirations in mind. The reality is, we long for a day when a national, constitutional protection of life is extended to every person equally, including our preborn neighbors, Leatherwood said. So the bottom line is this, just as the pro-life movement and the Southern Baptist Convention have long stood for, our work will keep these objectives at the forefront: ban abortion, save preborn lives, support mothers, and punish the abortion providers. How can Christians navigate the challenges of an increasingly sexualized world? ERLC panelists discuss The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission held a panel discussion Tuesday focusing on how churches and Christian leaders should disciple their congregations regarding Gods design for human sexuality in an increasingly sexualized world. Hundreds joined a virtual discussion on Zoom addressing how Christian parents, ministry leaders and pastors should navigate the challenges of the sexual revolution and how they can minister to their loved ones and community members who identify as LGBT. ERLC is the public policy arm of Americas largest Protestant denomination. Jason Thacker, the chair of research in technology ethics and the head of ERLCs Research Institute, said he has connected with some local church pastors in recent weeks who have been confused about how to handle situations when people within their congregations or people who visit their churches for the first time identify as LGBT. There are questions swirling around our culture, especially in light of pride month. I think a lot of people when they hear about biblical sexual ethics and the sexual revolution, our minds goes in a thousand different directions. Theres hundreds of questions were being asked especially among our pastors and ministry leaders, Thacker said. Multiple pastors who have come to Thacker have asked questions like: I have a trangender couple, or I have someone who is same-sex-attracted, or I have a question about someone who has transitioned and is wanting to become a church member. Midway through the discussion, Dean Inserra, the pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Florida, said that visitors often question him if his church is LGBT affirming. When it comes to the topics of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, Inserra said he has seen many churches take one of two different approaches. One of the approaches is churches are caving to the culture. They are adopting the cultures views. They are just deciding that love is love, affirming, celebrating pride month, just the full embrace of everything LGBT, he said. Or youre seeing churches just go silent on the matter because they know that, oftentimes in this culture, people are going to leave if you talk about that even though they believe what the Scriptures say concerning these relationships. Inserra is the author of the 2022 bookPure: Why the Bibles Plan for Sexuality Isnt outdated, Irrelevant, or Oppressive. Inserra said the way he approaches these topics with his church is neither through an avoidance method nor by being LGBT affirming. He said its important that all churches begin to discuss these topics in their regular teachings. For our church, we are going to talk about it because weve seen this sort of [remnant] thats growing larger [with] people who actually want to know what the Bible has to say and are tired of the revolution in their face constantly. And theyre trying to raise their kids to think through this in ways they didnt have to when they were in elementary school and middle school and high school, the pastor said. Its not that we talk about it every week, but if you attend our church, especially if youre a member, youre going to know that we believe that God made marriage between a man and a woman, sex is reserved for that sacred union and were unashamed of that. Inserra said he also hears many questions from people who might not be struggling with gender dysphoria or same-sex attraction but are seeking answers from their church about knowing how to approach the LGBT issues with their children. Im not going to hand them this intense book on anthropology. And so were just going to talk and walk them through how they can navigate with their kids these things that are happening right now, Inserra said, saying that his son in the third grade has a classmate who is transgender and taking hormones. I didnt think I was going to have to have the conversation about how were going to talk about this, how were going to treat this individual, how were going to respond, what name were going to use. What about the pronoun issue? Those are the questions that people are asking us: how do I handle this? How do I teach my kids about this? Earlier in the discussion, Katie McCoy, the director of womens ministry at Baptist General Convention in Texas, who holds a Ph.D. in systematic theology, shared what she thinks is at the root of the cultural crisis facing many churches and ministry leaders. I think if we could boil it down to one thing, it is a question of who we are, what our human identity is, and what are the factors that we use to construct that. When we talk about [these issues], we are saying that identity is self-created versus identity is God-given, McCoy said. The human body, according to our culture, is something that is basically irrelevant to human identity or at least incidental and that our sexuality can be without purpose or design that can guide us in how we use it. McCoy said what is taught from Scripture in a biblical worldview is that the body is a distinct aspect of who we are. But she said culture would say that the body is a divisible aspect of who we are, and the body is something people can divide from their true self and determine ones own identity completely separate from the body. Some of the challenges that come out of that are vast and far-reaching, McCoy said. I think of a few being: the relationship between the biological sex and gender, the relationship between gender identity and feelings, your inner sense of who you are. What happens if that is out of alignment with your biological sex? McCoy continued. Some other challenges deal with the prevailing ideas in our culture and how they are affecting the new ethics, the new morality that we see in corporations, education, in medical practice. It is reaching all of those different spheres of society. McCoy said there is another challenge of political forces at work to censor research, to indoctrinate children at a young age with specific views on gender and gender ideology. Another challenge that people are asking is how do we help someone with gender dysphoria? especially children? Medical wisdom says that you would agree with someones self-perception, not attempt to challenge that. Its something that goes entirely unquestioned, she said. And as a result of that approach, you have children going on puberty blockers or doing things like hormone therapy or different socialization changes: changing their hairstyle, their clothes, their name. McCoy stressed that some schools are reintroducing children to their classmates as different genders. In some cases, thats happening without parents' knowledge, certainly not their approval and then thats a short step to cross-sex hormones and surgical procedures most of which have irreversible effects, McCoy said. Thacker said pastors and church leaders often behave as though issues with sexual ethics are not a problem that affects their churches. He maintained that many people face sexual ethics issues within the Church. Andrew Walker, an associate professor of Christian ethics and public theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said culture is a compilation of many different forces that are all pressing upon individuals and institutions. Ideas have consequences, said Walker, an ERLC research fellow. Thats something that we tend to downplay. Ideas shape beliefs, beliefs shape behavior, behavior shapes expectations about what the law is wanting to forbid or allow for. The dominant motif is this idea of expressive individualism. I think if thats the one category thats going to define who we are as a civilization right now, its the primacy of the self, Walker said. Its the idea that the self has to understand that its flourishing is tied to freeing itself of any obligations that the self does not create or doesnt consent to on its own grounds. Complaining about issues of sexual ethics is not the answer for Christians, according to Walker, because there is hope to see ourselves out of this mess. Honestly, we can complain and talk about how bad this is, and it is, he said. But, I actually see glimmers of the secular cracks in the foundation beginning to show because what we are seeing is human nature is not meant to be a load-bearing structure and entity like our society is assuming that it can be. Biden admin. remains complacent about Iran despite escalating threats The Biden administrations dogged determination to revive the dangerously flawed nuclear deal with Iran has not been shaken by a series of attacks launched by Irans Islamist dictatorship against the U.S. and its allies. Far from it. The administration already would have rejoined the nuclear misdeal if not for Tehrans insistence that Washington must also lift sanctions on Irans Revolutionary Guards, a concession that was not part of the original agreement. Simply put, Iran is overplaying its hand. This is in part because President Ebrahim Raisis ultra-hardline regime, installed in August, seeks to extract a better deal for Iran than his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, negotiated in 2015. But a key factor motivating Irans diplomatic overreaching can be traced back to the Biden administrations policy mistakes. Tehran was emboldened by the complacent posture adopted by the administration in not only ending the Trump administrations maximum pressure sanctions strategy but in condemning it as a failure and allowing sanctions to erode by turning a blind eye to Irans illicit oil exports to China. Tehran also was encouraged to think that it could pressure the administration to lift its designation of the Revolutionary Guards as a foreign terrorist organization because the administration unwisely lifted that same designation last year on Ansar Allah, the radical Islamist Yemeni militia supported by Iran. Instead of rejecting Irans demand for whitewashing the Revolutionary Guards, the administration reportedly sought to tie that act of appeasement to a public Iranian promise not to attack American interests. Even that limp, easily discarded commitment apparently was rejected by an Iranian regime bent on revenge for the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed an iconic leader of the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani had long orchestrated Irans proxy-warfare strategy as the commander of the elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards. Soleimanis successor, Gen. Esmail Gaani, in a speech commemorating the second anniversary of Soleimanis death in January, threatened: We will facilitate revenge on Americans in any place, even their own homes and by people close to them, even if we are not present. The U.S. government has taken Gaanis threat seriously. Secret Service protection has been extended to three former Trump administration officials who took hard-line positions against Iran: former National Security Adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former State Department Iran policy coordinator Brian Hook. In addition to threatening U.S. officials, Iran also has launched cyberattacks at critical infrastructure inside the U.S. FBI Director Christopher Wray noted in a speech in Boston on Wednesday that the FBI had taken action to thwart an attempted Iranian government-sponsored cyberattack on Boston Childrens Hospital last year. The hospital is one of the largest pediatric facilities in the United States, and the attack could have led to detrimental effects on services and capabilities. The FBIs Boston field office was able to quickly respond to identify the threat and mitigate the impact on the hospitals computer networks after receiving timely intelligence from a partner. Wray observed it was one of the most despicable cyberattacks Ive ever seen. This isnt the first time Iran has been caught red-handed conducting cyberattacks inside the U.S. Ahead of the 2020 U.S. elections, John Ratcliffe, then-director of national intelligence, released details of Iran obtaining U.S. voter registration information, including sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President [Donald] Trump. Irans cyberattacks arent limited to American targets either. U.S. allies, including Israel, have seen critical infrastructure nodes targeted in recent years. An Israeli municipal water facility was reportedly targeted by Iranian-backed hackers in 2020. In 2021, Iran was identified by the U.S. government as launching disruptive cyberattacks against a range of U.S. companies, including transportation firms and health care providers. Microsoft security analysts warned in a November report that Irans capabilities have grown in recent years across a full range of cyberoperations. The most recent annual threat assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence detailed how Irans growing expertise and willingness to conduct aggressive cyberoperations make it a major threat to the security of U.S. and allied networks and data, and warned that [r]ecent attacks on Israeli and U.S. targets show that Iran is more willing than before to target countries with stronger capabilities. Iran must be opposed, not appeased. The Biden administration squandered the leverage amassed under the Trump administrations maximum pressure Iran policy, relaxed sanctions against Iran, and downplayed the threats posed by proxy militias armed, trained, and often directed by Irans Revolutionary Guards. These complacent policies have emboldened Tehran to make maximalist demands at the nuclear talks in Vienna and take greater risks in orchestrating proxy attacks against U.S. military forces and allies in the Middle East. After a year of mistakenly blaming the Trump administration rather than Iran for rising bilateral tensions, its time for the Biden administration to hold Irans hostile regime accountable for its violations of its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement, terrorist attacks, proxy missile and drone attacks, and cyberattacks against the U.S. and its allies. For more information on this topic: Dangerous Ramifications of Reshuffled Iran Nuclear Deal Iran Escalates Shadow War With US, Israel in Latest Missile Attack What We Know About DarkSide, the Russian Hacker Group That Just Wreaked Havoc on the East Coast 2 Actions US Must Take in Wake of Colonial Pipeline Crisis Iranian Drones Cast Intimidating Shadow Over Iraq Originally published at The Daily Signal. Google annual meeting debates COVID censorship Alphabet, formerly known as Google, recently held its annual meeting on Wednesday, June 1st, and the shareholder proposal section dealt extensively with issues having to do with cancellation and censorship, especially of dissenting views concerning COVID and vaccines. The National Legal and Policy Center submitted a proposal to be voted on by shareholders: "RESOLVED: The shareholders request that Alphabet Inc. provide a report, published on the companys websitethat specifies the Companys policy in responding to requests to remove or take down material from its platforms by the Executive Office of the President, Centers for Disease Control, or any other agency or entity of the United States Government." The proponent in this case is a conservative think tank, and the discussion accompanying the proposal, with a reference to the CDC, makes it clear what the chief concerns are. Further, the statement of support which the conservative think tank included describes a specific incident suggestive that government has been pressuring social media platforms to suppress certain content about the pandemic. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked Can you talk a little bit more about this request for tech companies to be more aggressive in policing misinformation? Has the administration been in touch with any of these companies and are there any actions that the federal government can take to ensure their cooperation, because weve seen, from the start, theres not a lot of action on some of these platforms." She replied: Sure. Well, first, we are in regular touch with these social media platforms, and those engagements typically happen through members of our senior staff, but also members of our COVID-19 team, given, as (Surgeon General) Dr. (Vivek) Murthy conveyed, this is a big issue of misinformation, specifically on the pandemic. There are numerous reasons for this to be a concern, including a letter to the Surgeon General signed by several ranking members of relevant congressional committees. Shockingly, the largest proxy service (the businesses to which many investment funds delegate research and even voting of their shares) recommended that shareholders vote against the resolution based on the claim that the company "has not faced significant controversies from its U.S. content takedowns." However, there have been numerous controversies about such content takedowns, or demonetizations. PragerU, a conservative video creator, was demonetized by YouTube (which is part of Alphabet) and there was not just controversy over this, but a lawsuit. One of the issues in the treatment of PragerU was that it posted views which dissented from the CDC point of view on the pandemic. In addition, the company's CEO has faced serious questioning before congressional committees over the issue. Anyone familiar with conservative media knows well that YouTube is perceived as politically biased, and that includes suppression of discussion about masks and about alternate treatments for COVID, such as supplements and off-label uses of other medications. One not need to be vaccine-hesitant, or a conspiracy theorist, or an advocate of other remedies, to be concerned about the suppression of the debate. Alphabet successfully opposed the resolution, which is the typical outcome. It is rare for management to support shareholder resolutions and it is rare for them to pass. However, the issue is unlikely to go away, especially if there are any shifts in power in the next two elections. In addition, there were three other proposals by left-of-center activists which seemed designed to push for more suppression of content, based on claims about the social cost of disinformation and misinformation and classifying the publication of such views as a human rights violation. They also voiced concerns about conservative radicalization and called for Alphabet to take measures against content which is alleged to create this radicalization. Those proposals, also, were defeated. 70 Georgia churches leave United Methodist Church over homosexuality debate Seventy congregations in Georgia have decided to leave The United Methodist Church due in part to the mainline Protestant denominations ongoing debate over homosexuality. The UMC North Georgia Conference announced last Thursday that 70 congregations representing 9% of its churches and 3% of its members have chosen disaffiliation. The official date of disaffiliation for the churches will be June 30. It is expected that many if not all of these departing congregations will join the newly created Global Methodist Church, which was launched as a conservative alternative to the UMC. Bless these congregations as they depart, prayed North Georgia Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, as quoted by the announcement. I pray that we will be partners in ministry and you will do your mighty work of healing division and overcoming rifts. The 70 churches leaving the North Georgia Conference comes as many other congregations in the United States are leaving the UMC over the ongoing debate on LGBT issues. The UMC Book of Discipline presently labels homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching and prohibits the blessing of same-sex unions or the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals. However, many in the UMC adamantly oppose the Book of Discipline's biblically-based stance and some prominent leaders in the denomination have refused to enforce the rules. In January 2020, a theologically diverse group of UMC leaders agreed to advance a proposal at the next General Conference that would create a new Methodist denomination for those who oppose changing the Book of Discipline. Theological conservatives later created the Global Methodist Church, which was going to serve as the new denomination once the separation proposal was passed at General Conference. Although General Conference had been scheduled for later in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led the UMC to postpone the churchwide legislative gathering multiple times. After the UMC decided to again delay General Conference to 2024, the GMC announced that it would launch on May 1, rather than wait for any separation proposals to be approved. It is anticipated that some theologically conservative local churches will find annual conferences willing to negotiate fair and just exit provisions, while others will, unfortunately, face obstacles placed in their paths, the GMC said in a statement released in March. The Transitional Leadership Council decided it was time to launch the Global Methodist Church, so those who can leave early will have a place to land, to begin building and growing, and making room for others to join later. In addition to the 70 churches in North Georgia leaving the UMC, 35 congregations in Arkansas and over 100 congregations in Florida are undergoing a discernment process to consider possibly leaving the UMC. ELCA trans bishop resigns following allegations of racism, disciplinary process The first trans-identified bishop in the history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has resigned amid allegations of racism and other issues. Bishop Megan Rohrer, who is a female but uses they/them pronouns, posted a statement on Facebook Monday explaining that she was stepping down as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod. Rohrer noted that the official resignation occurred on Saturday, after spending time with family and having a conversation with the Synod Council. The final details of that agreement are still being negotiated, but I believe in light of today's news, this information should be made public, stated Rohrer. Rohrers announcement came about the same time that ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, head of the mainline Protestant denomination, announced that a disciplinary process would be initiated against Rohrer. Eaton, who had initially opposed taking disciplinary measures against Rohrer, announced that the process would be taken during a Sunday evening meeting of the ELCA Conference of Bishops that Rohrer did not attend. I shared that I am initiating the discipline process immediately, including suspension of Bishop Rohrer, based on additional information that has come to light, Eaton explained. The COB strongly affirmed this decision. This process will take time, and I will provide updates as appropriate. I ask for your continued prayers for this church. Rohrer has taken issue with the disciplinary process, claiming in a Facebook post that the process was happening even after I resigned, without providing any specifics about what I allegedly did, and that appears to be in conflict with their own procedures. Last September, Rohrer became the first trans-identified individual to be made a bishop in the ELCA, having previously served as community chaplain coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department and as pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco. Shortly after being installed as bishop, allegations surfaced that Rohrer had engaged in unethical behaviors, including the purportedly racist firing of Pastor Nelson Rabell-Gonzalez of Mision Latina Luterana and litigation surrounding Rohrer's actions as pastor of Grace Lutheran Evangelical Church of San Francisco, among other matters. This led many in the synod to call for Rohrer's resignation, with the presiding bishop agreeing to have a listening team go to the regional body and hear their concerns. Last month, Eaton issued a statement calling for Rohrer to resign as bishop, believing that Rohrer had lost the trust and confidence of many constituents, both within and without the Sierra Pacific Synod. We strive to address the ways that all forms of injustice limit participation and harm people, communities, and the whole body of Christ. That work will never be done, but together, we must continue to do and be better, Eaton said at the time. Some, among them the Latino Ministries Association of the ELCA, took issue with Eatons response, specifically the presiding bishops initial refusal to launch a disciplinary process. In this weak and compassionless statement, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton framed racist actions as unwise decisions and unfortunate events, completely ignoring the suffering of an entire community of color of the church-body she is called to serve, stated the LMA. Communities of color in this church should be concerned about the inability of the presiding bishop to support and protect them against systemic racism. Mennonite Church USA passes resolution allowing pastors to perform gay weddings The Mennonite Church USA has voted to retire denomination-wide Membership Guidelines that prohibited pastors from performing same-sex weddings but will allow local church bodies to maintain the ban. The Membership Guidelines had prohibited pastors from performing same-sex weddings, defined marriage as being between one man and one woman, and labeled homosexual, extramarital and premarital sexual activity as sinful acts. At a special session of the Mennonite Church USAs Delegate Assembly, held May 27-30 in Kansas City, Missouri, the official Membership Guidelines were retired by a vote of 404 in favor, 84 against, and three abstentions. Delegates at the special session also passed a resolution calling for the church to repent of the harm and violence it has done against the LGBT community, which passed by a vote of 267 in favor, 212 against, and nine abstentions. The resolution, titled A Resolution for Repentance and Transformation, defined violence against the LGBT community as when the actions of individuals, institutions, or structures of power intentionally or unintentionally hurt, damage, or destroy the value of an individual or a group. The resolution calling for repentance was non-binding, which was meant more for conferences and churches within the Mennonite Church USA to give opportunities for education and discernment, as well as advocacy. Days before the special session approved the retirement of the Membership Guidelines, Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton wrote a piece saying that doing so would not force member churches to perform same-sex marriages or have openly gay clergy. Congregations have the final authority to hire and fire their pastors as they see fit, wrote Guyton. Conferences have broad latitude in determining membership and credentialing. Pastors in MC USA are always free to not perform any wedding. Inclusion and the membership status of LGTBQ individuals varies widely by conference and congregations. The Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, a document adopted in 1995 that is considered prominent in the Mennonite Church USA, still defines marriage as a covenant between one man and one woman for life. Initially approved in 2001, the Membership Guidelines were a source of debate within the Mennonite Church USA for several years. In 2007, the Constituency Leaders Council attempted to review the document but did not move forward with any action. In 2013, the Mennonite Church USA Executive Board submitted a revised version to delegates as an administrative update, but no vote was taken on the proposal. At its 2015 Delegate Assembly, the Mennonite Church USA adopted a resolution supporting the guidelines, declaring that it shall continue to serve Mennonite Church USA as the guiding document for questions regarding church membership and same-sex relationships/marriages, alongside the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. The Mennonite Church USAs increased acceptance of homosexuality in more recent years has been a source of division within the Anabaptist denomination, with some leaving in protest. In 2018, for example, the Lancaster Mennonite Conference, which was the largest conference in the denomination with around 180 congregations and 70,000 members, split from the denomination. The South Central Mennonite Conference, which has approximately 30 congregations and around 2,800 members, also gave serious consideration to leaving the Mennonite Church USA. However, a vote taken in 2021 failed to reach the necessary two-thirds majority to pass. Michael Todd warns against 'spirit of condemnation': 'In Christ, Im not a cheater' Oklahoma megachurch Pastor Michael Todd said the phrase once a cheater, always a cheater doesnt apply to repentant Christians because "in Christ, Im not a cheater. The pastor of Tulsas Transformation Church recently preached a sermon titled Cuffed to Condemnation that focused on Romans 8:1 which reads, there is no condemnation for those who put their faith and life in Jesus Christ. Todd said that this "no condemnation" for those who are in Christ includes those who have asked God for forgiveness for being unfaithful in their romantic relationships. What the enemy tries to do is cave you into isolation through this spirit of condemnation and many of you have been cuffed to it," Todd preached. "The spirit of condemnation has come to rob you of your life in Christ. I'm not playing with this spirit, because it's robbed so many of you of the freedom that is now yours as a believer of Jesus Christ." Condemnation is an eternal sentence to punishment, Todd said, adding that he believes many Christians fail to realize that God is not a punisher. He doesn't punish, He disciplines." God is coming to free you from condemnation today," he declared. "God's Word is going to uncuff you from condemnation. I've realized that too many of God's children have a life in Christ, but they're living condemned." "Yes, it happened. That's not who I am. Yes, I did it. That's not who I am. Yes, I've repeatedly done it. But that is not who I am. Todd talked about how he met his wife, Natalie, when he was 15, and she was 14. Three years later, when he was about to graduate from high school, Todd said he engaged in exploring other romantic relationships while he was still dating Natalie. I started listening to culture," Todd said. [I] started exploring stuff, broke her heart, sent her into another relationship that was not good for her, went down a spiral, opened up things. We both lost our virginity. We [went] through all of these cycles, he added. Todd said that although he and Natalie eventually got back together, for a long time they struggled to trust each other. After getting back together with Natalie, Todd said he began to allow a spirit of condemnation from the devil to discourage him from staying in his relationship. In that season," Todd called, "I could not see myself out from under the cloud of condemnation because I knew everything I was suffering at that moment was because of decisions I made." "I was cuffed to condemnation, but your boy is free now. And today, I want to offer you the same level of freedom because the enemy will try to convince you thats who you are, he added, citing John 3:17, which reads "God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Todd stressed that "in Christ" he knew that I failed, but I'm not a failure. I messed up, but I'm not a mistake. I lost, but I'm not a loser," and "I cheated, but I'm not a cheater." Uh-oh, I'm coming against culture. Once a cheater, [always a cheater]. According to who? Because in Christ ... You may not be able to give me another chance. You may not be able to forgive me. You may not be able to look beyond my faults and see my need and see that [my cheating] actually came from a trauma that was trying to be covered and saddled to something I didn't have the tools to do. But yeah, I cheated. But I'm not a cheater. Todd frequently noted that Christians who blame God for their feelings of condemnation fail to realize that you're the kid who put yourself in timeout, but added that sinning is a symptom of humanity, not our identity. There's a difference between actively sinning and trying to do it all the time and just whiling out or making a mistake. Or how the Bible defines sin: missing the mark. I missed the mark. I missed the mark, Todd reiterated. Christians are going to miss the mark and struggle with sin every day, Todd maintained, calling it "a symptom of humanity, not your identity." Todd further emphasized that he is not giving anyone "a license to sin," but that he is trying to address how the enemy keeps Christians in a "condemnation cycle" that leads them "back to sin." New York church invites drag queens for Pentecost service: 'Worship is a Drag' Pastor says white Evangelicals 'convinced we are grooming their kids' A church in upstate New York marked LGBT pride month by hosting a pair of drag queens at a worship service. The Park Church in Elmira hosted a Worship is a Drag event Sunday, the first Sunday of the month recognized by LGBT activists as pride month. The church, affiliated with the United Church of Christ, described the event as a special communion worship service with guest presenters in drag. Led by the churchs pastor, Rev. J. Gary Brinn, the service was held to celebrate Pentecost, kick-off LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and come to Christs Table of Love. The church published a flyer promoting the event on Facebook last month, which featured a man wearing womens clothing and makeup. The Park Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Christian Post. In a message shared on his personal website Monday, Brinn swrote: Just as there have always been queers, [there] has always been diversity in gender expression and affectional orientation, so there has always been diversity within Christianity. Brinn dismissed the idea of God as a white male, contending that in a church where older white men had absolute power, God acted like ... an older white man with absolute power and a shocking fragility, for despite Gods supposed omnipotence, he was constantly offended that humans were not properly stroking his ego or following the rules he had implemented to micro-manage our lives. According to Brinn, The culmination of his rage was the ultimate act of domestic violence, conspiracy to murder his only child. Now if that version works for you, that god that small men created in their own image, great. Though if that version does work for you, Im probably not the right pastor for you, for I find that God, angry and violent, disgusting and unworthy of my adoration and praise. That God is a monster, one that I abandoned long ago, he added. The pastor also offered on behalf of the church an extravagant welcome to the LGBTQ+ community, not tolerance but celebration and spoke about fighting racism. He asserted that our sin is not just in what we have done but also in what we have failed to do, and we are determined to sin no more. Brinn whose church bio describes him as a "committed anti-racist," feminist and a gay man also stated that white Evangelicals preached a suicidal anti-science message during the worst of the pandemic, preached insurrection from their pulpits, and are completely and absolutely obsessed with the LGBTQ+ community, convinced we are grooming their kids. Jenny Monroe, who serves as president of the churchs council, told local ABC affiliate WENY that Park Church seeks to be affirming toward those inside and outside the church. The affirming piece is the important part. ... That means that we affirm your choices of gender identity, or sexual preference, or who you love, or what you talk about, how you dress ... all those things, she explained. We affirm who you want to be at church. On its website, Park Church describes its vision as working for social justice with a progressive pulpit and a caring congregation in a landmark structure." The church characterizes itself as an active and hopeful partner in Elmiras renaissance. On two occasions earlier this year, Park Church hosted a Charity Drag Brunch featuring several local performers. Meanwhile, the trend of churches embracing drag queens has become more prevalent across the U.S. A gay man, who is also a drag queen, was confirmed last year by a Methodist church in Illinois as a candidate for ordained ministry. He wore wigs and full makeup while participating in his churchs Drag Sunday event. On May 12, Trinity Lutheran Church in Greenville, South Carolina church hosted an event called "Drag me to Church." The event featured a drag performer known as "The Lady Douche" Another United Methodist Church pastor was recently dismissed after participating as a drag queen in the HBO reality series Were Here. The Rev. Craig Duke, formerly the lead pastor of Newburgh United Methodist Church in Newburgh, Indiana, was relieved of his duties late last year after appearing in a Nov. 8 episode of the docu-series. Celebration Church sues to evict Stovall and Kerri Weems from million dollar waterfront home The 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, continued its legal sparring with founding Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, in a new lawsuit earlier this month demanding that the couple vacate a million dollar waterfront home owned by the church after Weems completely resigned from all work with the church in April. Church officials argued in a lawsuit filed on June 1 that on June 6, 2021, Weems purchased the disputed home located at 16073 Shellcracker Road on behalf of the church and Weems Group, LLC, which he managed himself. The purchase was made without authorization from the churchs board. Redfin reports that the home, which has an estimated value of $1,005,899, was last sold for $1,286,900 The Weemses remain in possession of the property despite Stovall Weems resignation of employment, the Weemses refusal to pay rent and the churchs demands that the Weemses vacate the premises, the lawsuit filed in Duval County Court says. Celebration Church officials noted that they served notice on their founders on April 19, April 26 and May 16, asking them to vacate the home by May 31 so they can market and sell it. But the Weems have refused, claiming that the Parsonage Use License Agreement permits them to reside in the Shellcracker Road property until their deaths. According to the church, that agreement only applied to a $1.5 million home located at 4504 Hunterston Lane, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224. The Weemses broke the agreement when they left the Hunterston Lane home and made the Shellcracker Road property their permanent residence, the churchs legal team said. The Weemses have no legal right to continue possessing or using the Shellcracker property. If they refuse to vacate the property by May 31, Celebration will be forced to have them removed by operation of law, attorney Lee D. Wedekind III of the law firm Nelson Mullins wrote in a letter to the Weemses' legal team. The lawsuit further argues that The Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine doesnt prevent the court from exercising subject-matter jurisdiction over the dispute because the issues here do not involve matters of church government or discipline, and instead relate solely to neutral principles of law involving this property dispute that do not implicate any issues of doctrinal controversy. Weems announced in April that he had resigned from every role he had with the church but would continue to pursue legal action against the churchs board of trustees and officers. In a Feb. 23 lawsuit, the Celebration Church founder claimed he was illegally ousted from his role as senior pastor by the churchs board of trustees earlier this year when he tried to address financial abuse involving one of the trustees. The church, in turn, filed a motion to dismiss the Weemses lawsuit on March 10. The church claims the lawsuit is the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration. Celebration Church would later release an internal report that found the Weemses leadership has been inconsistent and unbiblical" since at least 2019. Investigators allege that Stovall Weems leadership was marked by rampant spiritual and emotional abuse, including manipulation, a profound sense of self-importance and selfishness, superiority and entitlement, overbearing and unreasonable demands on employees time, a lack of accountability or humility, and demands of absolute loyalty. Police arrest armed man near Brett Kavanaugh's home who wanted to kill justice over abortion UPDATED at 2:20 p.m. ET: Law enforcement identified the California man who was arrested near the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Wednesday morning as Nicholas John Roske of Simi Valley. He was found with multiple weapons including a gun, knife and pepper spray. Roske is being charged with attempting to murder a Supreme Court justice. Original report: A man was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after making threats against the justice due to his likely support for overturning Roe v. Wade. The unnamed individual from California is in his 20s, and was detained by police after saying he wanted to kill Kavanaugh and expressed anger over the likely overturning of Roe,according to The Washington Post. The man was arrested around 1:50 a.m. Wednesday near Kavanaugh's home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and was found carrying burglary tools and at least one weapon. I call on leaders in both parties in Washington to strongly condemn these actions in no uncertain terms, said Maryland's Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in a statement. It is vital to our constitutional system that the justices be able to carry out their duties without fear of violence against them and their families. Last month Georgetown professor Josh Chafetz tweeted support for protesters to demonstrate outside the homes of Supreme Court justices with whom they disagree: When the mob is right, some (but not all!) more aggressive tactics are justified, The Wall Street Journal reports, adding that Chafetz also boasted that the university wasn't "going to fire" him over his social media posts regardless of how extreme or controversial they might be. In a statement emailed to supporters on Wednesday, the pro-life group Created Equal demanded that prominent Democrats condemned this and other threats made by abortion-rights extremists. Today, an abortion advocate apparently acted on the incendiary words of Sen. Chuck Schumer that Justice Brett Kavanaugh will pay the price, stated the group, referencing comments Schumer made in 2020. I want to tell you, Justice Kavanaugh and Justice Gorsuch, you have unleashed a whirlwind, and you will pay the price, Schumer said at the time. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions. The pro-life group warned that the inflammatory rhetoric of the Left is leading to violence, and urged the Biden administration to "publicly call for abortion advocates to turn down the temperature. Last month, Politico published a leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito for the case Dobbs v. Jackson, which had the high court overturning Roe by a vote of 5-4. The Dobbs case centers on if Mississippi can ban most abortions after 15 weeks into a pregnancy, which contradicts the Roe precedent of prohibiting states from banning abortions before fetal viability. Although Politico noted that the draft majority opinion was from February and had likely been changed, the news sparked several protests, and numerous acts of vandalism and torching of buildings owned by churches and pro-life pregnancy resource centers. May demonstrations have been held outside the homes of Supreme Court justices who are expected to rule in favor of the Mississippi law, with the members of the high court receiving increased security. A security fence was also constructed last month around the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., in preparation for any violence should the high court decide to overturn Roe. Ministry leader shares 5 ways Christians can fight against 'secret' sexual sin A young adult ministry leader from a Texas megachurch recently shared five ways believers can battle against the temptation of secret sexual sins, such as porn, lust and masturbation. JD Rodgers of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, who serves as the young adults creative director of The Porch Ministry, warned a primarily young adult audience about the perils of sexual freedom, labeling it one of the biggest rip-offs or scams that the world sells us. In a June 1 sermon titled Battling Sexual Sin, Rodgers began by reminding the audience that they were instructed in last weeks sermon to write on a card the thing that makes them most shameful and to submit it to the ministry. Rodgers recalled how when The Porch leaders reviewed the "thousands upon thousands" of cards, a lot of them mentioned struggles with lust, pornography addiction, homosexuality and "past sexual perversion." He then listed five steps that all start with the letter R that young adult Christians can apply in their lives to win the battle against sexual sin: Remember who you are and what you're called to do Recognize where you're susceptible Resist the urge Run to community Respond rightly Remembering requires something mental," Rodgers said. "You will be what you think you are. You will be or you will do based on what you believe you are. Focusing his sermon on the story of King David from 2 Samuel 11, where David was described as a man after Gods own heart," Rodgers noted that David committed adultery with the wife of Uriah because he failed to take time to think about his identity. David clearly forgot who he was and what he was called to do. Because if he remembered, I am a king, anointed and chosen by the God of the universe, called to lead and stand up and be a man and go to war, it would have changed everything about this moment, Rodgers preached. But because he forgot who he was, and his purpose and his calling, because he neglected his character and his calling, he found himself home when everyone else was at war. That is often when you will fall, is when you are at home when you're meant to be in the battle. Rodgers said it's vital for Christians struggling with sexual sin to remember who they are based on what the Bible says about their identity rather than what the world says. That is who you are: chosen, royalty, a nation set apart and you are personally important to God. You are his very own possession, Rodgers added, referring to 1 Peter 2:9. Mentioning step two on his list, Rodgers said that many young adult Christians who struggle with sexual sins often don't think about what is leading to their sinful battle. He advised those gathered to remove from their life the things that cause them to fall into sexual sin. If we're going to fight the battle against sexual sin, we have to recognize where we are susceptible to fall into sexual sin," Rodgers said. "Another way of saying this is we have to look for patterns, [because] patterns often point to problems. If you have a recurring problem in your life, if you have an addiction in your life, look at the pattern that leads to the problem. Rodgers also responded to the question of "what even classifies as sexual sin" and whether things like making out constitute "sexual sin" or if it's acceptable. I'm going to leave that between you and the Lord. I'm not going to say yes or no," he said regarding making out, then listed examples of sexual sin. "Sex, oral sex, sex in ways that shouldn't be sex, getting too handsy, making out while bumping and grinding, getting hot and steamy. You know what I'm talking about. Being alone. Looking at things that cause you to be sexually aroused, entertaining yourself. Rodgers then cited Proverbs 18:1, which says: Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire, adding that he believed that many young adult believers will feed their sexual urges instead of resisting temptation. Resist the urge or feed it," said Rodgers. "And if you continue to feed it, it will only get more and more hungry and it will lead you down a path to destruction. That's what we see in David's life. He could have walked away, but he inquired about the woman." Lastly, Rodgers said, finding community is key in the effort to respond rightly to the temptation of sexual sin, stating that you need people who will lovingly seek to challenge and correct you with compassion and care because they love you and they have your best interest in mind." "That's the kind of people you need around you. You need soldiers in the battle with you. A man who goes to war by himself is sure to fall. But there is strength in numbers. There is strength in the pack. It's he who is isolated that the prowling lion seeks to devour, Rodgers continued. Secular culture, he reiterated, perpetuates the scam that in order to be free, you can do what you want, when you want with your body because it's your body and whatever makes you happy, do it. "We will constantly be battling all types of sin, but specifically in our young adult years, we will really be battling sexual sin, as single young adults, as married young adults. It doesn't go away. But in this battle, I think a lot of us wonder, Can I actually be free? Can I actually defeat this addiction? Can I win the battle against sexual sin? And I want to tell you the answer is through Jesus. Yes, you can, Rodger declared. My hope for this message is that you would see that your story does not end with your sexual past. Your story does not end with what's happened to you sexually. And you are not defined by what you have done or currently are doing sexually. That, you can, with Jesus, defeat your sexual sin. The Porch describes itself as a place where you can come as you are, no matter your past or present, to find authentic friendships and hear messages about dating, relationships, finances, mental health, faith, and more. Waitress gets $777 tip after prayer then donates it to her church A New Orleans waitress who received a $777 tip from a customer shortly after praying to God to help her church repair their broken air conditioning system has donated the entire amount to her congregation. This is not my money, Ava Guan, the 45-year-old devout Christian waitress at HoShun Restaurant on St. Charles Avenue, told Fox 8 Live. The gentleman [who gave the tip] is the angel for me. Guan, who has lived in the New Orleans area for 30 years, attends Olive C. Church in Metairie. Before she went to work at her night shift at Hoshun Restaurant on Saturday, she spent time praying at her church that God would send them the help they needed to repair the building and the air conditioning system. She also donated $300 from her personal funds to the cause. She recalled telling her generous tipper to enjoy his food. The customer tipped her $777 on a $63 bill. In addition to the tip, the bill had a message urging her to take the night off. He gave me the big tips. I dont know why. Its so crazy. A surprise for me, Guan told Fox 8. Still, she humbly received it as a blessing from God, suggesting that He gave me the gift. Remarking that everybody needs an angel, Guan cited the unexpected act of generosity as evidence that God listens and will help you. NOLA.com identified the tipper who became the answer to Guans prayer as 31-year-old businessman Abdul Hamideh, a franchise owner of IHOP and Popeyes. Hamideh told the publication that he had opened a new IHOP location in Thibodaux earlier that day. He maintained that he chose to tip $777 because it has been a rather lucky number for him, and he was thankful for the new restaurant. I had something good happen to me in this world, he said. I wanted to pay it forward. Hamideh said his father was an early franchisee in the IHOP diner chain in the late 1950s. More than six decades later, Hamideh owns a franchise spanning five states that also includes a Popeyes fried chicken restaurant. Hamideh maintained that he only went to Hoshun Restaurant because it wasnt far from his home and he likes sampling menus. When he was at the restaurant, he ordered a number of dishes. While Guan at one point thought he had bought too much food, he assured her that he would take whatever he did not finish home with him. Upon learning that Guan had donated her tip to her church, Hamideh vowed to make sure that the air-conditioning system was repaired. Alex Yang, a leader of the church of 14, expressed gratitude for Hamidehs act of kindness, agreeing with Guan that the generous tip constituted an act of divine intervention. This is what they call God doing miracles, Yang asserted in a statement to NOLA.com. We think God has sent this gentleman to tell her that Christ is here and in control. Supreme Court rejects appeal to hear religious liberty concerns in Catholic school busing case The United States Supreme Court has denied an appeal in a case regarding whether a Catholic school in Wisconsin was discriminated against when a school district prohibited it from participating in a transportation program. In an order released Monday morning, the high court denied a petition to review (writ of certiorari) the case of St. Augustine School et al. v. Underly, Jill, et al., adding that Justice Amy Coney Barrett took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition. Although the court's refusal to hear the appeal leaves in place a decision that was in favor of the Catholic school, some believe that additional religious liberty issues have been left unresolved. In 2016, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) filed a lawsuit against Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers (who is now the governor of Wisconsin) and Friess Lake School District on behalf of St. Augustine and a group of parents. State officials argued that students at St. Augustine were ineligible for public transportation access because another Catholic school was located in its attendance area, a term for the geographic region where a schools students live. WILLs lawsuit argued that the officials wrongfully banned St. Augustine from the program because, while Catholic, the school was independent of the local archdiocese, whereas the other school in the attendance area was not. St. Augustine School is an independent religious school that aligns its teachings to the Catholic faith. It is operated by its independent board of directors and according to its own articles of incorporation and by-laws, WILL explained in a 2016 press release. Despite the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese confirming in writing that St. Augustine is not affiliated with the Archdiocese, Friess Lake and Superintendent Tony Evers disagree. Although initially the lawsuit was defeated at the district court level in 2017 and again at the appeals court level in 2018, the Supreme Court vacated the ruling in 2020 due to the high court ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. In Espinoza, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that religious schools can qualify for a state tax credit program even when the state constitution explicitly bans public aid to religious entities. Last December, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that the lower court was wrong to side with the state, overturning a lower court decision and remanding the case for further proceedings. Seventh Circuit Judge Diane Wood authored the panel opinion, concluding that we can find no reason why the state was entitled to accept St. Augustine's self-characterization as Catholic, while at the same time to reject its vociferous insistence that its understanding of what it means to be Catholic is significantly different from that of the diocesan schools. With the benefit of the guidance we received from the Wisconsin Supreme Court, we conclude that it was error to rule for the state, added Wood. In March, WILL filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, arguing that the Seventh Circuit panel opinion did not resolve the core constitutional questions of religious liberty at stake in the case. Judge allows parents' lawsuit against school district over policy allowing kids to identify as opposite sex A judge overseeing a case involving two sets of Wisconsin parents who filed a lawsuit challenging their school district's policy that allows children to adopt new gender identities without their parents' knowledge or consent denied the district's motion for dismissal, ruling that the parents had a right to bring the suit. Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Maxwell denied the Kettle Moraine School District's motion to dismiss the lawsuit on June 1, stating that the parents' complaint "demonstrates a potential violation of their rights as parents to direct the upbringing of their child and is sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss." The parents filed the lawsuit last November with the help of the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. The set of parents known as T.F. and B.F. claim that they learned in December 2020 that their 12-year-old daughter was struggling with her gender identity. After going through counseling, the daughter informed her parents and the school that she wanted to be addressed by a male name with male pronouns. Parents T.F. and B.F. said they requested that the school's staff not comply with their daughter's request but they refused, citing a district policy that says teachers don't need parental consent to refer to students by a different name or pronoun. Within a few weeks of removing their daughter from school, her attitude changed, and she told her parents that the "affirmative care" she had received that encouraged her to identify as the opposite sex "really messed her up." The school district claimed in its motion that the parents, T.F. and B.F., could not sue them because they had removed their daughter from school and had placed her in another district. However, the judge ruled that the parents removing their daughter is not relevant to the alleged harm that resulted from the school's policy. "Wisconsin courts recognize that parents have a right to make 'decisions regarding the education and upbringing of their children,' 'free from government intervention,'" the judge's order reads. "T.F. and B.F. allege that Kettle Moraine violated their right to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their daughter when they were told by Kettle Moraine that the school would not honor the parents' request to not refer to their daughter by a male name or pronouns." "This allegation, viewed in the light most favorable to T.F. and B.F., demonstrates a potential violation of their rights as parents to direct the upbringing of their child and is sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss on the issue of standing," he continued. Another set of parents, P.W. and S.W., who have two children in the Kettle Moraine School District, joined the lawsuit, fearing that the district's policy could impact their children. The district claimed in its motion that the policy doesn't apply to P.W. and S.W.'s children, who are not struggling with their gender identities, but Maxwell disagreed. According to the judge, P.W. and S.W. are only seeking a "declaratory judgment" that the school district violated their parental rights. "P.W. and S.W. need not wait for potential harm from Kettle Moraine's policy to occur for their children before they are entitled to seek declaratory relief on whether the policy violates their parental rights," he wrote. "P.W. and S.W.['s] allegation of an infringement on their fundamental right to parent their children is a risk of substantial injury to their interests and is sufficient to survive a motion to dismiss." The case will proceed to trial unless a settlement is reached before then. "Parents' rights to direct the upbringing, education and mental health treatment of their children is one of the most basic constitutional rights every parent holds dear, yet we are seeing more and more school districts across the country not only ignoring parents' concerns but actively working against them," Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Roger Brooks wrote in a June 1 press release. "For that reason, we are pleased that the court rejected the school district's request to throw out this case and instead recognized that the argument of our clients' demonstrates a potential violation of their rights as parents to direct the upbringing of their child." "Kettle Moraine should take this opportunity to change its policy, which violates the constitutionally protected rights of parents and isn't in the best interest of children. As the court wrote, 'Wisconsin courts recognize that parents have a right to make 'decisions regarding the education and upbringing of their children,' 'free from government intervention,'" he continued. This case isn't the first time parents have sued a school district for allegedly encouraging children to adopt new gender identities without their parents' knowledge or consent. In April, a pair of parents in 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. One set of parents claims they requested that the school refrain from discussing the issue of gender identity with their children and allow them to "direct the mental health care of their children." The parents, Stephen Foote and Marissa Silvestri had learned from a teacher that their 11-year-old daughter was claiming she was "genderqueer" and her new pronouns were "he/him." They assert that they made it clear to the school they would provide their daughter with the help she needed from a "mental health professional," but they believe the school disregarded their instructions. Foote and Silvestri said their daughter changed her preferred name twice since December 2020 without their knowledge and that the school continued to address her by "whatever iteration of her name she has indicated she prefers" despite their request not to do so. The lawsuit also accused the school of having a "protocol and practice of concealing from parents information related to their children's gender identity." Most Americans think abortion is 'morally acceptable' for the first time, Gallup poll finds A new poll from the nonpartisan polling firm Gallup finds that most Americans believe that legal abortion is "morally acceptable" for the first time, even though an overwhelming majority oppose abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy and most oppose abortion in the second trimester. Gallup released a new survey about Americans' views on abortion last week. While the polling company has inquired about Americans' opinions on abortion annually for more than a quarter-century, this year's polling results come as the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The survey was conducted between May 2 and May 22, which mostly overlaps with the days following the publication of a leaked draft opinion in the U.S. Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health that suggests the court could soon overturn Roe. The poll is based on responses from 1,007 U.S. adults and holds an error margin of plus or minus 4 percentage points. When asked if they viewed abortion as "morally acceptable," most respondents (52%) answered in the affirmative for the first time in the poll's history. A record low share of Americans (38%) characterized abortion as "morally wrong," making this year's poll the first conducted by Gallup to show more Americans viewing abortion as "morally acceptable" than "morally wrong." In an interview with The Christian Post, Michael New, a pro-life scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a professor at the Catholic University of America, attributed the finding to an increase in "moral acceptability of a range of issues that pertain to sexuality" and "sexual conduct." He cited "an increase in people who think that premarital sex is morally acceptable" and an increase in the number of people who believe "same-sex marriage is morally acceptable" as examples of this phenomenon. This year's poll revealed that 55% of Americans identify as "pro-choice," while 39% see themselves as "pro-life" on abortion. The share of Americans identifying as pro-choice nearly matches the record high set in 1995 (56%) and marks a 6 percentage point jump from the 49% who described themselves as pro-choice last year. The percentage of Americans who reported a "pro-life" view on abortion dropped 8 percentage points from 47% between 2021 and 2022. The share of pro-life Americans remains substantially higher than the 33% who claimed that identification in 1995 and the 36% who classified themselves as pro-life the following year. The percentage of Americans identifying as pro-life had not dropped below 40% since then until now. "Fluctuations in public opinion about abortion are often driven by current events," New added. Noting that "a bulk of this poll was taken after Justice [Samuel] Alito's draft opinion on Dobbs was leaked," the professor contends that "most of the media coverage was frankly not favorable to pro-lifers" in the aftermath of that leak. New blamed the polling result on "misinformation," lamenting that "some people still think that a reversal of Roe v. Wade would ban abortion everywhere." A reversal of Roe would allow states to decide the legality of abortion. State laws on abortion vary, with 21 states poised to either completely ban or restrict abortion more severely than they do now if Roe is gutted, 16 states primed to continue allowing abortion because it has been codified into law, 10 states likely to continue enforcing abortion restrictions and three states potentially changing abortion laws via ballot referendums. Gallup asked those surveyed if they supported any restrictions on abortion whatsoever. Thirty-two percent of respondents said they want abortion "legal in any circumstance," while 19% expressed a desire to see abortion banned completely. The rest of the sample took a more nuanced position on abortion. While support for abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy is relatively high (67%), the share of Americans who think abortion should be legal during the third trimester is much lower. About 20% of those surveyed thought women should have the ability to terminate a pregnancy during the third trimester, while 71% don't agree. Thirty-six percent of those surveyed support abortions during the second trimester of pregnancy, in contrast to 55% who do not. The Mississippi law at the center of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health case bans abortions after 15 weeks gestation, a time interval that marks the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy. Although the Gallup poll did not ask Americans for their opinion on the law, the majority opposition to second-trimester abortions suggests that most respondents would support such a measure. Approximately one-third of Americans (35%) want abortion legal in all circumstances and 13% would like to see abortion illegal in all cases. The remainder of Americans thinks abortion should be legal under most circumstances (18%) or legal in just a few circumstances (32%). According to the Gallup poll, all demographic subgroups saw an increase in pro-choice identification over the past year, although the percentage of pro-choice Republicans barely budged from 22% to 23%. Democrats saw a pronounced rise in pro-choice identification over the past year, from 70% to 88%. Fifty-four percent of independents described themselves as pro-life in 2022, a slight uptick from 2021. New said that "most of the gain in support for legal abortion took place amongst people who identify as Democrats," suggesting the poll results "may not matter much politically." He told CP that "self-identified Democrats are likely to be voting Democrat anyway, and the fact that they're more sympathetic to legal abortion doesn't really result in more political support for candidates that support abortion." As Gallup documented, respondents between 18 and 34 years old saw the most significant jump in pro-choice identification, climbing from 55% last year to 67% now. Smaller increases in the percentage of those who identify as pro-choice were recorded among those between 35 and 54 (49% to 58%) and Americans 55 years old or older (46% to 49%). The share of women calling themselves pro-choice rose from 51% to 59% over the past year, while the percentage of men saying the same jumped from 40% to 45%. A Wall Street Journal poll conducted from May 9 to May 17 yielded similar results, finding that 57% of Americans think a woman should be able to obtain an abortion for any reason. Fifty-four percent said the same in a 2021 poll asking the same question. Unlike the Gallup poll, The Wall Street Journal poll specifically asked respondents if they supported a 15-week abortion ban. A plurality (43%) opposed banning abortions after 15 weeks gestation, followed by 34% who supported such a ban and 19% who had no view. New suggested that "what you're seeing from both The Wall Street Journal poll and the Gallup poll" was "driven by current events." He believes "if they had taken that poll a few weeks later, I don't think you would have seen the sizable gain in support for legal abortion." The scholar listed some previous examples of how current events have "shifted public opinion on abortion," recounting an uptick in support for the pro-life movement as Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Acts were debated at the state and federal level in the late 1990s and during the trial of abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell in 2013. On the other hand, he asserted, support for legal abortion rose as the Supreme Court took up cases that could have had the effect of overturning Roe, specifically Planned Parenthood v. Casey, in 1992. Supreme Court abortion case sparks debate over how ruling may impact IVF, fertility industry If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling by upholding Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, some have speculated that the ruling could criminalize certain aspects of the fertility industry, particularly In Vitro Fertilization. IVF consists of manually combining sperm and egg in a laboratory dish before transferring the embryo into a woman's uterus. Pro-life organizations such as Illinois Right to Life have warned that IVF results in the killing of unborn children in multiple ways, citing research that shows embryos often die when they're discarded or fail to survive being frozen or thawed. Mary Szoch, director of the Center for Human Dignity for the socially conservative nonprofit Family Research Council, told The Christian Post that the IVF industry "reveals the truth that human life begins when the sperm fertilizes the egg." "At that moment, the new human life is sacred and must be treated as such," Szoch said in an emailed response to CP. "Every human embryo should be protected regardless of where it is located because every human embryo is a human person. Destroying embryos rejects this fact." The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network President Jennifer Lahl doesn't see a reversal of Roe as having any direct impact on the fertility industry. Lahl is also the director and producer of the 2010 "Eggsploitation" documentary, which examined abusive practices associated with the industry. "Big Fertility is most concerned with assisting in making babies. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, I could imagine the legislative debate will happen at the individual state level, and whether states decide to include the fertility industry in their abortion laws is yet to be seen." Earlier this month, however, Dr. Marcelle Cedars, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, released a statement saying he's "very concerned" about the leaked draft opinion released in May that suggests a majority of the justices would vote to overturn Roe. Cedar believes returning the abortion issue to the states and allowing state lawmakers to enact laws recognizing embryos as human beings could result in the banning of reproductive technologies, including IVF. Dr. Natalie Crawford of FORA Fertility in Austin, Texas, expressed similar concerns when discussing a bill in Louisiana that would criminalize abortion and recognize that the unborn have rights at the moment of fertilization. Other states, such as Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky, have also enacted trigger laws that would ban abortion if Roe is overturned. "A bill like the one that's proposed in Louisiana would prohibit IVF in that state, and that's something we're extremely worried about," Crawford told CNN last month. "We don't think people understand the repercussions from some of these proposed bills." Elizabeth Kirk, director of the Center for Law and the Human Person at the Columbus School of Law, contends that the issue at stake in Dobbs is state-level pre-viability abortion bans, not IVF. "If the court were to overturn the current regime of Roe and Casey, it would mean that states would have latitude to pass laws that restrict abortion or not. It would not be a mandate to ban abortion, or contraception, or IVF, or any other practice," she told CP in an emailed statement. "Moreover, the issue of the personhood of the preborn is not before the court, and therefore it is extremely unlikely to render a holding that requires states to protect children in utero (or ex utero)," she continued. Kirk also noted that no laws in the existing legal regime under Roe prevent states from regulating reproductive technologies such as IVF, as the technologies "do not implicate the same concerns that pregnancy does." "Nevertheless, most states have not chosen to do so; such technologies are notoriously unregulated," she added. "Very rarely have states passed laws protecting extra-uterine embryos and when so doing have focused on their vulnerability to intentional destruction or exploitation through research." The Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act, which passed in 1992, requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to collect and publish data about IVF, but not all clinics report their data to the CDC. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) provide some regulation of fertility clinics and doctors, although, it's reportedly minimal. As Business Insider reported in 2015, practice committees for ASRM and SART write reports about applying new procedures and treatments for reproductive technologies. Practice committees might also provide recommendations about how many embryos should be transferred per cycle depending on the age of the woman undergoing IVF. Doctors are not required to follow these recommendations, and fertility clinics do not have to obtain approval before performing new procedures. The lack of oversight means the industry mostly regulates itself, as Business Insider reported. Kirk stated that some states, such as Kansas, exclude ex utero embryos from protection in its fetal homicide laws to avoid having the laws apply to IVF. "Legislators crafting proposed personhood laws will have to grapple with the complexities raised by reproductive technologies, but generally, there seems to be very little political appetite for laws restricting technologies like IVF, and this is unlikely to change if the Supreme Court declares abortion is not a fundamental right." Do not confuse your bad temper with the burden of the Lord It is true that Jesus drove the money changers out of the Temple and overturned their tables. It is also true that He called the hypocritical religious leaders snakes and blind guides. But He was the Son of God and we are not, and all too often, mean-spirited Christians point to His example in order to justify their carnal behavior. This is a dangerous mistake to make. We confuse human anger with righteous indignation and our bad temper with the burden of the Lord. We think that the louder we shout the more fearless we are and the more extreme our rhetoric the deeper our devotion. In reality, we are sometimes out of control, speaking in the flesh, posting whatever pops into our minds, and giving place to our own frustration and anger. This is anything but the Spirit of the Lord. Put another way, there is a massive difference between venting and being Gods voices. The fact is that we can be bold without being brash. We can be anointed without being obnoxious. We can be courageous without being carnal. We can be immovable without being idiots. But in many circles these days, if youre not nasty youre considered weak. If youre not mean-spirited youre deemed spineless. If you dont curse your enemies or call them names youre a compromiser. How on earth did we get so confused? Jacob (James) said it like this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires (James 1:19-20). Even if the cause is right, if we approach it in the wrong spirit, we will not get the results that God desires. Are there times when we are to rebuke and correct? Absolutely. Are there times when we must call out evil? Without a doubt. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it, a right spirit and a wrong spirit. God forbid that we use spiritual jargon and Christianese to justify our lack of self-control. This is especially important for ministers of the gospel, since we, to a particular degree, are looked at as the Lords representatives. How dare we attribute to His Spirit our fleshly behavior. Paul gave these clear instructions to his spiritual son Timothy: And the Lords servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26). To be contentious and quarrelsome is to be dominated by the flesh. And flesh will only produce more flesh. Count on it. And note this carefully. This is the very same Paul who wrote to this very same Timothy in this very same letter: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2) We can be confrontational. We can correct and rebuke with boldness and clarity. But we do it with divine restraint. We do it with a broken heart. And we do it with love. (If you dont truly love the person you are rebuking, you do not have Gods heart, and if were not patient, were not walking in the Spirit.) Thats why Paul gave these directives to the believers in Rome: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. . . . Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14, 1721) Yet we are so often reactionary, becoming just as ugly as the thing we oppose and sounding just as bigoted as the ones we call out as bigots. Somebody (or something) pushes our button, we vent and go on a tirade (maybe even quoting a verse or two along the way), then we justify it as holy boldness or righteous indignation. In reality, it is nothing more than pride, immaturity, and lack of self-restraint. And what happens when someone comes to give us loving correction and calls us to step higher? We castigate them, calling them spineless cowards, claiming they are afraid of confrontation, and equating their godly opposition with persecution. Youre not going to stop me from preaching what God tells me to preach! we thunder. No way Im backing down. We think were being so bold. In reality, were just being babies. I encourage you to read through the Book of Proverbs, marking every verse dealing with the tongue or with our words. Then mark down every verse dealing with anger or lack of self-restraint. Then, use those verses as guidelines for what to say and how to say it. It might just change your life. As it is written, Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin (Proverbs 13:3). Ilya Shapiro resigns at Georgetown Law, citing untenable status at school Georgetown law professor Ilya Shapiro resigned less than a week after being reinstated by the school. Georgetown Law School placed the constitutional scholar on administrative leave and subjected him to a four-month investigation over a tweet. The tweet, which Shapiro deleted and called inartful, opposed the idea that a Supreme Court justice should be chosen by their race. Shapiro, who previously worked at the libertarian Cato Institute, explained why he believed his job at Georgetown Law was untenable in an article for The Wall Street Journal. His full resignation letter to Georgetown Law can be read here. Specifically, Shapiro wrote that a report from the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action he received after being reinstated confirmed that he needed to leave. Although I scored a technical victory last week and was reinstated, @GeorgetownLaw and its diversicrats created a hostile work environment that made my remaining on the job untenable. https://t.co/F4vo8ZYcMe Ilya Shapiro (@ishapiro) June 6, 2022 Instead of clearing Shapiros name and actually committing to free speech, Georgetown Law said hed be reinstated on a technicality (the offending tweet was a few days before his employment). The school then said it would effectively be watching him for wrongthink. Dean William Treanor cleared me on the technicality that I wasnt an employee when I tweeted, but the [Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action] implicitly repealed Georgetowns Speech and Expression Policy and set me up for discipline the next time I transgress progressive orthodoxy. Instead of participating in that slow-motion firing, Im resigning, Shapiro wrote. Shapiro noted that the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action made it clear that its policies would be far from objective. The report said essentially that if Shapiro made any statement in which people were offended or said they were offended he would be considered in violation of its policies, regardless of his intent. Here are a few examples Shapiro gave that could lead to him being in violation of the schools new rules. I laud Supreme Court decisions that overrule Roe v. Wade and protect the right to carry arms. An activist claims that my comments deny womens humanity and make her feel unsafe and directly threatened with physical violence. When the Supreme Court hears the Harvard and University of North Carolina affirmative-action cases this fall, I opine that the Constitution bans racial preferences. Hundreds of Georgetown stakeholders sign a letter asserting that my comments are antithetical to the work that we do here every day to build inclusion, belonging, and respect for diversity (borrowing the language from Mr. Treanors statements of Jan. 31 and June 2). Given the meltdown that took place at Georgetown Law after the tweet, its almost difficult to see almost anyone operating in or teaching at Georgetown Law without causing offense. Whats worse is that Shapiro would be a target in an environment in which the primary professional and social currency is to be an aggrieved victim. John Malcolm, the vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government at The Heritage Foundation, said in a statement to The Daily Signal that Shapiro is correct in his decision to step away from Georgetown Law: After being reinstated to the faculty based on a technicality by Georgetown Law School, Ilya Shapiro has wisely decided to resign because of the hostile work environment the school has created, especially for conservatives and libertarians and anyone else who says anything that offends the liberal zeitgeist that prevails on campus. While Georgetown may talk the talk about free speech and the robust exchange of ideas, they clearly do not walk the walk. In his resignation letter, Shapiro said that the Dean had put a target on his back and set him up for failure (and additional undeserved ridicule). He is absolutely correct. We at Heritage look forward to continuing to work with Ilya in the future, and look forward to hearing about his next endeavor. There is an immense double standard for how people on the right and left are treated in higher education. Georgetown might be an extreme example, but its far from alone. Our universities are of, by, and for the left, a left that is now immensely intolerant of dissent and is looking to purge everyone on the wrong side of history. Of course, those who are actually victimized by left-wing mobs and bullies are assumed to be villains, unworthy of even basic civility. For all their language about students being harmed by Shapiros tweet, Georgetown Law seemed to have little public concern for how he felt or was being treated by students and faculty. All are welcome, unless you disagree with the extremely rigid but perpetually morphing tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion. And this ideology is ruthlessly enforced by an expensive, taxpayer-subsidized administrative apparatus that has mushroomed in our colleges and universities. Higher education is becoming a mockery of what it once was. Our most prestigious schools now fit a caricature of being the bastion of privileged, unthinking, entirely left-wing elites absorbed with performative, narcissistic displays of offense and grievance. This campus culture festered for decades and now pervades every powerful institution in the country. What happened to Shapiro was shameful but at least it shines a light on the deep rot in modern academia, which is increasingly about ideological credentialing and little else. Originally published at The Daily Signal. When 'black lives' don't matter It looks like weve finally found an example of systemic racism that progressives find acceptable. And not merely acceptable, but one that doesnt go far enough. Before we get to that, recall how the left has purportedly found racial oppression lurking in the shadows of nearly every aspect of life. The cases they cite range from laughable to psychotic. Basic math, grammar, punctuality, private property, the word obesity, and a hard work ethic, for instance, have all been given the R treatment. As have Abraham Lincoln memorials, nonprofit financial disclosure forms, and even confusing sweet potatoes with yams (for real). Weve been told to tolerate mass looting and vandalism in broad daylight because, well, thats just modern-day reparations. Stop complaining and get over it, whitey! Then theres Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who pushed for a trillion-dollar government spending spree because racism was physically built into some of our highways. In short, progressives rarely miss an opportunity to besmirch their American brethren as hardened bigots, where each racial incident becomes an avatar for a larger indictment against the country as a whole. Meanwhile, it has become religious dogma for the same crew to view any disparity between whites and blacks as de facto evidence of discrimination. The topic could be income levels, wealth accumulation, standardized test scores, police altercations, or prison rates it doesnt matter. If a disparity exists between these two groups, there is a mad dash to the media to blame such results on rampant racism. Heck, the Biden administration is allegedly so intent on stamping out systemic racism that the Department of Justice has launched an environmental justice division to combat what they allege is the disproportionate impact of climate change on communities of color. I could go on and on with the parade of absurdities. But I wont. Id hit my word limit without getting to the crux of this article. And that crux is this: the left racializes everything except for abortion. It is on the issue of abortion that we find out surprise, surprise disparities dont equal discrimination. And those disparities are through the roof. Writing in the journal Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, three scholars found that Black women have been experiencing induced abortions at a rate nearly 4 times that of White women for at least 3 decades, and likely much longer. The authors call this racially skewed distribution the most demographically consequential occurrence for the minority population because of its impact on the size and racial composition of the country. Translation: The abortion industry is killing off black Americans en masse, and theres not a peep of concern coming from the folks who never miss an opportunity to chant Black Lives Matter in front of the cameras. To the contrary, progressives are now claiming that overturning Roe v. Wade would harm black Americans! Thats the argument Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made in front of the U.S. Senate. Yellen complained that women may no longer have the ability to regulate their reproductive situation in ways that will enable them to plan lives that are fulfilling and satisfying, an outcome that will mostly affect low-income black women, she added. Yet as the authors of Perceiving and Addressing the Pervasive Racial Disparity in Abortion indicate, maintaining the status quo is unacceptable: Black children in the United States have not had, and do not have today, an equal opportunity to survive until birth. Hey, arent liberals always badgering us about how we need to have an open dialogue about race in America? Okay, lets have one. Lets start with the numbers coming out of Pennsylvania that these researchers crunched. In 2018, abortions accounted for 62.7 percent of all premature black deaths in the Keystone State while abortions for whites totaled only 23.9 percent of all premature white deaths. To put this comparison in perspective, while blacks make up 12% of Pennsylvanias population, their abortion rates are nearly two-thirds higher than that of whites. Seems like a big a deal. The legalized erasure of black Americans has not gone unnoticed by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. In a decision made by the Court in 2019, Thomas noted that, there are areas of New York City in which black children are more likely to be aborted than they are to be born alive and are up to eight times more likely to be aborted than white children in the same area. Could the Ku Klux Klan have devised a better policy than abortion to impact the size and racial composition of blacks in this nation? Sadly, thats not too far from the truth. For all the screeching about how white supremacy is the most lethal threat to our homeland today, as Joe Biden declared, there is utter silence on the racist roots of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States. Planned Parenthood was literally started by a documented eugenics enthusiast who dedicated her professional career to championing birth control as the most constructive and necessary of the means to racial health. That person was Margaret Sanger, and her eugenics advocacy in the 20th century laid the foundations for legalizing abortion, noted Justice Thomas in Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc., a case that dealt with race-specific abortions. Eugenics is a nasty ideology, grounded in Darwinian evolution, that explored political, scientific, and cultural ways of producing a superior human race by cleansing society of the unfit. Justice Thomass opinion is worth reading in its entirety, as it lays out the awful history of eugenics in the early 1900s and its ugly connection to the abortion industry today. That connection is Margaret Sanger, a person who Planned Parenthood, up until recently, celebrated by giving out their highest honor, the Margaret Sanger Award, to public figures and officials who showed outstanding contributions to the reproductive health and rights movement. Former Planned Parenthood presidents have also boasted publicly that they are walking down the path and in the footsteps of Margaret Sanger. So what are those footsteps? Margaret Sanger can tell us in her own words. In an article titled The Eugenic Value of Birth Control Propaganda, the feminist heroine hailed eugenics as the most adequate and thorough avenue to the solution of racial, political and social problems. Her disgust for inferior peoples, however, was only getting warmed up. In her book The Pivot of Civilization, she advocated forced segregation and sterilization to bring about racial regeneration and called for the end of philanthropy because it was the surest sign that our civilization has bred, is breeding and is perpetuating constantly increasing numbers of defectives, delinquents and dependents. In fact, humanitarianism and altruism have produced their full harvest of human waste, she groused. And thats from only two chapters. There are many more pages filled with such hateful diatribes. But Sanger really had it out for blacks, especially blacks living in the South. Justice Thomas detailed how Sanger helped launch the Negro Project in 1939, which was designed to fuel the use of birth control within impoverished black communities. She believed that these women, by refraining from having children, could improve their immediate situation. Hmm, where have we heard that before? Paging Janet Yellen To help Sanger get her campaign off the ground, she co-authored a proposal titled Birth Control and the Negro, wherein blacks were characterized as the great problem of the South because they are the faction with the greatest economic, health, and social problems. Sanger even reportedly cribbed a line from fellow socialist W.E.B. DuBois to argue that her project was needed because blacks still breed carelessly and disastrously. She later urged enlisting black pastors to support this initiative, shrewdly understanding that the minister is the man who could rebuff any charges from rebellious [church] members that we want to exterminate the Negro population. Suspicion from those rebellious members wouldve been warranted. Sanger viewed birth control as an onramp to her goal of engineering the perfect race. Heres what she wrote in Birth Control and Racial Betterment, two decades before the Negro Project: Before eugenists and others who are laboring for racial betterment can succeed, they must first clear the way for Birth Control. Like the advocates of Birth Control, the eugenists, for instance, are seeking to assist the race toward the elimination of the unfit. Both are seeking a single end but they lay emphasis upon different methods. If this woman were around today, shed be in prison yards across America holding recruiting drives for the Aryan Nation: Sign up here for a free tattoo if you want to express your hatred for every black and Jew! Despite Herculean efforts to rehabilitate Sangers revolting past, New York University, which houses the Margaret Sanger Papers Project, conceded that her Negro Project was influenced strongly by both the eugenics movement and the progressive welfare programs of the New Deal era and was, from the outset, largely indifferent to the needs of the black community and constructed in terms and with perceptions that today smack of racism. It took many decades to manifest, but Sangers aim at limiting the growth of the black population was finally realized. Since Roe v. Wade, some 20 million black babies have been slaughtered in the womb and slaughtered at a faster pace than their white counterparts. This is the poisonous legacy of Margaret Sanger and her handmaiden of death, Planned Parenthood. As Christians, we believe that executing the unborn is a heinous evil because we bear Gods very image. Life the life God gives us is in the blood, which is why God detests hands that shed innocent blood, as the Bible states in Proverbs 6:16-17. Moreover, we believe that we are one human race and therefore, unlike the eugenics crowd of Sangers day, reject the credo of racial hierarchies. The Apostle Paul makes this point clear in Acts 17:26: From one man he made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth. Racism is a heinous evil because we are all descendants of that same one man. God is no respecter of persons, according to Acts 10:34, a fact fully embodied by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and through His sacrificial gift of salvation. He loves His children equally regardless of skin color and offers them all the opportunity to enter into a relationship with Him and to have eternal life. Leave it to progressives to combine the two evils of racism and the killing of the unborn, and to dub it a right, no less. When it comes to their holy grail of abortion, black lives, truly, do not matter. Originally published in the Standing for Freedom Center. Youth pastor killed by Muslim extremists who set church on fire in Uganda A 32-year-old youth pastor in Uganda has reportedly died due to injuries he sustained during an attack on his church by alleged Muslim extremists carrying swords, axes and sticks, according to a nonprofit persecution monitoring organization. Sources told Morning Star News that Emmanuel Mugabi from the Bukomero area in Kiboga district near the national capital city of Kampala was beaten during a May 20 attack and succumbed to a blood clot about a week later. Bishop Sserugga John Assaph of Bukomero Miracle Center Church said Mugabi lost consciousness during the attack, which occurred around 5 p.m. Assaph claimed that the attack occured after the church had distributed Bibles and organized an evangelistic outreach. The mob that killed the pastor was allegedly led by Sheikh Musa Lwanga, a resident of the village where the victim had distributed Bibles. During the attack, the extremists shouted the slogan, Allah akbar [God is greater]. They pulled down the building while shouting Allah akbar and thereafter set it on fire with petrol and rubber on timber, burning iron sheets, chairs, Bibles and other church property, Assaph was quoted as saying. Assaph said that he called the police after the building was set on fire. The rescue team found a man in a pool of blood, Assaph told the nonprofit. The police called me to identify the victim, and I found that he was my youth pastor. The pastor stated that the congregation had spent a "huge amount of money" to build the church and purchase equipment. We are requesting well-wishers to extend a love offering for the rebuilding of our church structure so that our members may have a shelter to worship," Assaph stated. Local police chief Lydia Ashaba told Morning Star News that a case has been opened against the assailants. Before his death, Mugabi identified Musa Serunjoji as the first person who hit him on the head with an axe. Others then struck him on the leg, chest and back. A church elder who lives near the church identified Serunjoji and Ahmad Tulyagumanawe as part of the mob. Assaph, his son and Associate Pastor Ivan Serunjoji were also attacked by the extremists when they were on a bridge over the Kiyanja River while returning from the burial of Mugabis body on May 29. They sustained injuries. Assaph said the second attack occured after a man on the bridge stopped them. We thought that maybe he needed assistance from us, Assaph said. As we stopped, we saw other men entering the road from the bush and started shouting, mentioning my name, Bishop Sserugga! Bishop Sserugga! Kill him, kill him. They had long sticks and iron bars, and they started beating us. While most people in Uganda are Christian, some regions in the country have higher concentrations of Muslims. Armed attacks and murders of converts are not uncommon in those regions. Bukomero is a predominantly Muslim area that is home to four large mosques. The Muslims are very hostile to any new religion that comes into the community, Assaph was quoted as saying. The Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures Project estimates that about 11.5% of Ugandas population is Muslim, mostly Sunni, while 86.7% is Christian. Earlier this year, Muslim extremists reportedly beat Christian apologist Charles Kamya unconscious in the Bwaise area of Kampala. The 43-year-old told Morning Star News that he was driving on Jan. 29 when he was stopped by two men. After stopping the car, he claims to have been ambushed by six men in Islamic attire. 'You have been terrorizing our religion. Today Allah has called you, and you are going to meet him,'" Kamya recalled his attackers saying. "Some beat me badly while others cut me with some objects, and I lost a lot of blood as they pulled me out of my car and threw me out." He said he was struck with an iron bar and left in a pool of his blood for two hours until a passerby called the police. The attack occured a couple days after Kamya debated Muslims at a mosque. Local churches organized another debate scheduled for the same day of the attack. On Easter Sunday, a 26-year-old Ugandan mother was stabbed by her Muslim husband because she converted to Christianity earlier in April. The attack occured after she returned from Easter worship service on April 17. Another honor attack occured on April 2 when a Muslim woman in the Nawanjofu village of Butaleja district added poison to her husbands food after he converted to Christianity days earlier. Our home has been under renovation, and we have been out of our home since March. Its an odd feeling to see your home but know that you are unable to return there or to live there. When we did visit our home, it was a mess of debris and dust, leaving it unrecognisable to when we left it. Throughout this time, I was reading 1 Peter, and this got me thinking about the Israelites and their exile, and how we live as exiles in our world. Exile from our home The Bible has multiple stories of people experiencing a few exiles (I realise these are exoduses but grant me this concession for this article) and one major Exile. From Abram leaving his family home in Ur (which was a bustling metropolis for its era), to the Israelites leaving Egypt, and finally, the Israelites getting exiled by Assyria and Babylon, the theme of leaving and exile is a recurrent one throughout Scripture that Peter picks up on in the New Testament. I want to spend some time dwelling on the exiles of the Old Testament for a moment. When Abram was called out of Ur and the Israelites were called out of Egypt, they were called to follow God into a new and unknown future. They were called to forsake the comforts of the familiar and venture with God into new territory. In these exiles, Abram and the Israelites needed to grow in their trust in God to provide for and guide them. This shows that change isnt necessarily a punishment but could be an invitation to grow from God. Side tangent there is a richness to the Israelite exodus from Egypt as God slowly teaches the Israelites who He is over the initial course of their exodus. During the time between the first Passover and Mt. Sinai, God graciously reveals himself to the Israelites through their various complaints of water, food, shelter, and warmth. Only after revealing his character do the Israelites arrive at Mt Sinai, and the covenant is taken by Israel (so they know who they are worshipping and covenanting to). In contrast, the exile of the Israelites by Assyria and Babylon was definitely a punishment and judgement by God for breaking the covenant. God used the exile to impose a rest on the land because the Israelites had been unfaithful in giving the land rest (2 Chronicles chapter 36, verse 21; Jeremiah chapter 25, verse 8-14). God uprooted his people from the unhealthy patterns they were in and removes the familiar and comfortable things the Israelites relied on instead of God. God graciously continues to minister to the Israelites in exile through prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel. In all scenarios, God draws his people out of what is comfortable and familiar, be it unhealthy (as is the case with the Assyrian, Babylonians, or Egyptians), or stagnant (as with Abram). In all scenarios, the invitation from God is for his people to know Him and to trust in him. Bringing it not-home When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, we are accepting Gods invitation to depart the old, comfortable, and familiar lives we had and to follow him. He invites us to know him in new and different ways. We are called out of the world that was our home and into his new kingdom. This is the major thrust of 1 Peter. We are no longer citizens of this world, but citizens of Gods kingdom. We are part of the royal priesthood that defines the covenant community of Jesus Christ. As we know God deeper, and relate to him in new ways, this begins to overflow into the lives of those around us. While being exiled is uncomfortable and new, they are equally exciting as we get to see God show up in wondrous ways. The idea of exile is important because there are aspects of our old lives that will continue to allure us. But we are called away from our old lives, not to depart from what we had before, but to reconsider them in new light. In Jesus, we have new and eternal life, unlike this world which will pass away. Even at the extreme, the heat death of the universe will ensure that all things will pass. All of us, as Christians, are minorities in our culture, like many foreigners who migrate around the world - who we can learn from. Many of these people have gone through their own self-imposed exile, and we can learn some practical things from them. We live as exiles in our current world, and we should treat it as such. We can learn how to engage healthily in our contexts instead of retreating. We can be distinct rather than hiding. We can bring new ways of living because of who we know Jesus Christ. Foreigners and exiles celebrate their culture without losing who they are, while continuing to learn and engage in their new culture. So, my concluding encouragement is this let us ourselves for who we are (exiles), and engage with the world around us for what it is (a new culture to explore) We've hit that time of year when the weather outside makes it almost impossible to get any work done inside. Last Friday was one of those days, and it also happened to be the day I was scheduled to go out to lunch with Tribune staff writer Connor Veenstra for my bi-weekly food column. When our original destination closed early, we decided to head to Lake Street Local in Port Austin. The tavern had recently brought back pirate-themed decor for its patio area, known as The Pirate's Cove, complete with the skeletal Captain Austin hanging out at the bar. The patio was the perfect place to have lunch on such a nice day, the sunshine and slight breeze offering an early taste of summer, and the plastic skeletons adorning the wrought-iron fence at the front of the patio area were a nice touch. Captain Austin stands at the bar, silently welcoming patrons to the Pirates Cove. Hes the perfect mascot, unlikely to ever get MeTood and be party to a high-profile legal circus. And he harkens back to the days of Port Austin High School when the Port Austin Pirates roamed the courts and ballfields of the Thumb. Connor had the good sense to order something called the house chips, freshly deep-fried, thick-cut homemade potato chips. The generous portion was more than we could eat, and we ate quite a few of them because they were so good. Salt and a light seasoning gave them a whole lot of flavor, and they made a perfect appetizer as we looked over the lunch menu. The house chips are a must-order item. I ordered a half-pound cheeseburger, and Connor went with a Coney dog. Even though hes from the greater Detroit area, he wasnt exactly sure what a Coney dog was. He knew what a chili dog was and ordered it with everything. Heres what he had to say about his food: "Lake Street Local has the honor of being the site of my first Coney (Island) hot dog. Breaking new ground there, since my distaste for mustard and aversion of food that just straight-up looks messy has kept me from it so far. This one didnt convert me, unfortunately, though I dont think it was anything unique to the restaurant; mustard continues to be a sticking point and the fact that I need five napkins to keep my fingers and face clean to get through half of it didnt persuade me to get one if I see a stand selling them in Chicago or something. You might like it if you like Coneys, but Im the wrong person the ask. The rest of it tasted fine, though, and the potato dishes more than made up for it. The chips are homemade, covered in salt and something else savory I couldnt put my finger on. Mightve been grill powder you put on burgers or something. The fries were also good, and I wolfed them down before Id gotten two bites into the Coney." Birdsall here. Those fries Connor mentioned also accompanied my burger, and they were just as delicious as he said they were. Have you ever made your own French fries at home? Sliced your own potatoes and deep-fried them in a pot of oil on your stove (or a Fry Daddy)? Theyre awesome, right? Well, if youre craving homemade French fries but dont want to make a mess in your kitchen, head to Lake Street Local. Ketchup is optional but not required. My cheeseburger (with everything on it) was huge, and I had to power through the last couple of bites, but as far as burgers go, it was among the best I've had in the Upper Thumb. It held its own against the Verona Tavern's and the Blue Water Inn's award-winning cheeseburgers, and it's a safe yet delicious choice for the most finicky eaters. If you're heading to the lakeshore this summer and need a place to grab lunch, Lake Street Local is sure to satisfy the scurviest sea dog this side of the Sargasso. Mark Birdsall is assistant editor of the Huron Daily Tribune. Email him at mark.birdsall@hearstnp.com. If you know of a great place to grab lunch, let us know. There may be countless barbecue joints in Houston today, but Pizzitola's Bar-B-Cue was here before them all. The storied restaurant dates back to 1935, when John and Leila Davis opened it with the name Shepherd Drive BBQ. The couple quickly garnered a loyal following for their hickory-smoked meats and tangy barbecue sauce, but during the Jim Crow segregation era, they offered dine-in service only to other Black people, while white guests had to take their barbecue to-go. From a walk-up window behind the restaurant, white patrons would wait long periods to score brisket, sausage and ribs, enjoying their meal at one of the picnic tables on the property. Thomas B. Shea/Contract Photographer So where does the random Italian name come from? One of those devoted white customers was Jerry Pizzitola. He would frequent regularly with his father, and fell in love with the food. The restaurant moved a couple of blocks south when construction for I-10 began in the '50s, but many customers, including Pizzitola, remained loyal. The move was a major one, resulting in the breakdown and rebuilding of their brick pits, after which the Davises finally reopened the restaurant in 1963 in the space where it currently stands today. Nick de la Torre/Houston Chronicle Pizzittola would eventually go on to buy the historic barbecue establishment in 1983, after both John and Leila passed away, renaming it Pizzitola's Bar-B-Cue with the family's approval. He carried on their legacy by serving top-notch barbecue, even shelling out the dough to buy John's famed barbecue sauce recipe from his grandson. He stuck to the time-honored recipes, continued slow-smoking barbecue using the same old brick pits, and made certain a serving of warm barbecue sauce was presented with each platter. All these details likely cemented the restaurant's reputation as being consistently one of the best in town. J.C. Reid / Contributor Pizzitola's Bar-B-Cue changed hands once more in 2019, when veteran restaurateur Willie Madden took the reins. Madden enlisted Robert Quiroga, a rising star who honed his chops at Truth BBQ, in an effort to level up the restaurant as the craft 'cue scene ramped up in Houston. After only two years, Madden died, but he left great leadership at the helm. Michael Starghill, Jr./Photographer Much has changed at Pizzitola's, but much has lovingly stayed the same. After nearly 90 years, nostalgic photos of the Davis family grace the walls of the dining room, keeping their memory alive. The brick pits continue to burn at this institutionone of the only barbecue establishments in Houston grandfathered into being allowed to operate this wayas well as a new steel offset smoker. Houstonians from all walks of life still gather over platters of smoky Texas barbecue and old-fashioned sides. Find it: 1703 Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77007; (713) 227-2283 Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) A 10-year-old girl in central Florida was arrested Tuesday, more than a week after authorities said she shot and killed a woman who had gotten into a fight with her mother. The Orlando Police Department said the girl is facing a charge of second-degree murder. She was taken into custody and placed with a local Juvenile Justice Center. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Two Louisiana sheriffs deputies face charges for allegedly participating in a payroll fraud scheme. The East Baton Rouge Parish sheriffs office said Michael Arthur, 27, and Andre Weber, 25, were arrested on charges of theft and malfeasance in office and fired on Monday, news outlets reported. Both men are suspected of fraudulently receiving payment for security work as well as receiving payment for off-duty security work while simultaneously on-duty for the Sheriffs Office. Arthur is accused of theft of more than $5,000. Weber is accused of theft of less than $1,000, the sheriffs office said in a statement. Court documents show Arthur, a two-year veteran of the agency's Uniform Patrol, was caught on surveillance video clocking himself and Weber, a deputy in the Uniform Patrol for the past year and a half, for a security shift at a business in East Baton Rouge Parish. Arthur was later seen on camera leaving the business without clocking out. Both men were simultaneously working their shift at the sheriffs office, documents show. Arthur later returned to the business to clock himself and Weber out, the records state. It was unknown if either suspect has an attorney who could comment on their behalf. ROBARDS, Ky. (AP) Two workers have died after falling into a drainage system at a western Kentucky power plant, officials said. Big River Electric Corporation spokeswoman Stephanie McCombs confirmed that a company employee and a contractor died Tuesday while working on the companys Sebree Station property near the Green Station power plant in Henderson County, news outlets reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Show More Show Less 3 of 3 ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Firefighters on Tuesday were working to contain wildfires that started west of Talkeetna, including one that was near nine structures. The biggest of the three fires was named the Kichatna Fire and was about 0.06 square miles (0.01 square kilometers), said Alaska Division of Forestry spokesperson Sam Harrel. DOVER, Del. (AP) A bid to override Democratic Gov. John Carneys veto of a bill legalizing possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults for recreational use failed Tuesday in the state House, likely ending efforts this year to establish a state-run marijuana industry in Delaware. Members of the Democrat-controlled chamber split 20-20 on the veto override, with Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst not voting. A simple majority would not have been enough, however, as a three-fifths majority was required to override Carney's veto. Legalization would be a prerequisite for establishing a state-licensed and regulated marijuana industry, a proposal that has failed in the House twice this year. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues feel, you cant regulate whats still illegal, said Rep. Ed Osienski, chief sponsor of both the legalization bill and the companion industry-creation legislation. The bill legalizing possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by adults cleared the House on a 26-14 vote last month, and was then approved in the Democrat-led Senate on a 13-7 party line vote. Sen. Bruce Ennis of Smyrna, a retired state trooper, was the only Democrat joining Senate Republicans in opposing the bill. We did what a majority of Delawareans asked us to do, said Osienski, who urged his colleagues on Tuesday to not ignore the will of the people. Six of Osienskis fellow Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the override, thwarting his plan to rescind the failed roll call on the industry creation bill. Osienski introduced separate legalization and industry-creation bills in late March after the House rejected broader legislation that did both. That cleared the way for passage of the legalization bill, which required only a simple majority. The industry creation bill, meanwhile, failed last month to get the three-fifths supermajority required because it creates a new tax, in the form of a 15% levy on retail sales. Osienski, a Newark Democrat, has argued that the industry bill would create good-paying jobs while striking a blow against the criminal element which profits from the thriving illegal market for marijuana in our state. The bill calls for state officials to initially issue up to 30 retail marijuana licenses, 30 manufacturing licenses, 60 cultivation licenses and five testing licenses. It would prohibit people from growing their own plants for personal consumption. Opponents have argued that legalization and creation of a state marijuana industry would lead to increased marijuana use among teens and young adults, expose business owners to liability, and result in more traffic deaths and injuries. They also say it would do little to eliminate illegal sales. According to Associated Press reports, legalization has done little to discourage black market sales in California, and some licensees there are simultaneously participating in the black market in order to make a profit. The AP also has reported that analysts estimate Californias flourishing black market for marijuana is at least twice the size of the legal one. Currently, recreational marijuana use has been legalized in 19 states and the District of Columbia. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) A speeding bus veered off a narrow mountain road and plummeted into a ravine in a remote area of southwest Pakistan on Wednesday, killing 22 passengers including women and children, a government official said. The accident happened in the district of Qilla Saifullah in Baluchistan province. Deputy District Administrator Mohammad Qasim said rescuers transported the bodies to a nearby hospital. There were apparently no survivors, he added. Qasim initially said 18 people died in the accident but later added that rescuers retrieved four more bodies from the badly destroyed wreckage of the bus. He said relatives of passengers who died in the crash were arriving at a hospital to receive their bodies. The exact cause of the crash was not immediately known. Authorities said the weather was fine at the time of the crash, and that police officers were looking into possible mechanical problems or human error as witnesses said the bus appeared to be speeding when it lost control and fell into a ravine. Eyewitness Abdul Ali told The Associated Press by phone that he was traveling on the same road on motorcycle when he saw a small bus going faster, skidding and falling into a ravine. Ali said that after the bus fell people from a nearby village alerted police, who rushed to the scene. He said he then joined rescuers who were transporting bodies to the hospital in ambulances. Qillah Saifullah is located about 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. Pakistans President Arif Alvi and other government officials expressed sorrow over the tragic accident, and ordered authorities to make arrangements to deliver the bodies of passengers to their families. Deadly road accidents such as this one are common in Pakistan due to poor road infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws, as well as poorly maintained vehicles. In July of last year, a jam-packed bus carrying mostly laborers traveling home for a major Muslim holiday rammed into a container truck on a busy highway in central Pakistan, killing at least 33 people. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) The right to an abortion and to use or refuse contraceptives would be enshrined in the California Constitution under an amendment announced Wednesday by Democratic legislative leaders who are seeking to blunt a possible U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning federal abortion protections. Lawmakers are moving quickly to place the amendment on the November ballot, which would likely boost turnout from both sides of the abortion debate. The announcement of the amendment came a day after a California primary election that produced abysmal turnout. Four conservative states Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia have amended their constitutions to declare abortion is not a protected right. Meanwhile, over a dozen states have at least some abortion protections codified in law, including California, where lawmakers want to extend rights even further into pregnancy and add contraceptives as well. Voters in Vermont will consider an amendment in November that would protect personal reproductive autonomy, but it does not include the word abortion and allows for an exception justified by a compelling State interest achieved by the least restrictive means. Californias proposal goes a step beyond with the language on contraceptives. Some believe that if the high court overturns federal abortion protections, conservative groups will push for a ban on contraceptives. Too many times, history has shown us that human rights must be enshrined in the constitution so that no one can infringe upon them, said Sen. Toni Atkins, a Democrat and president pro tempore of the California Senate. This is one such historic moment, and it must be met with a historic response. California's Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that the state constitution protects abortion, but the new proposal from Democrats would actually add an amendment to specifically list the procedure as a right. In 1972, California voters added a right to privacy to the constitution. One year later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that the U.S. Constitutions implied right to privacy protects a womans right to choose an abortion. Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council that opposes abortion, said the proposed amendment would be redundant because of the California court's previous rulings. I think it just shows how this is a fixation for the Democrats in Sacramento that crowds out a lot of focus on other issues that are really concerning, he said. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case from Mississippi over that states ban on most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. California's Democratic leaders and abortion rights activists were alarmed last month by the leak of a draft court opinion that declared abortion has no sound basis in precedent. That opinion could change when the court issues a final ruling later this month. Recent events have shown us that we must take every measure imaginable to ensure the right to abortion remains possible in California, said Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. No judge, or politician, should be able to rob people of their power to control their own bodies, their own lives, their own futures. The constitutional amendment is among 13 proposed laws California Democrats have put forward this year designed to make California a sanctuary for pregnant people who live in states where abortion could soon be outlawed or severely restricted if the high court strikes down Roe. All the proposals have passed at least one legislative chamber, putting them on track to be signed into law later this year. The amendment requires two-thirds approval in the Senate and Assembly, a threshold that should be easy for Democrats to meet because they control both by wide margins. Lawmakers have to act quickly, however, because the deadline to put the issue on the fall ballot is June 30. WASHINGTON (AP) A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. During a court hearing, he consented to remain in federal custody for now. Roske was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and an affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. At his initial appearance in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn't say I'm thinking clearly. Roske said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roske's next court date was tentatively set for June 22. The attempted murder charge carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Earlier Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. ___ Kunzelman reported from Greenbelt, Maryland. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) A Dutch appeals court upheld Wednesday the conviction and life sentence of a 67-year-old Ethiopian-Dutch man who was found guilty of war crimes committed under a brutal Marxist regime that ruled Ethiopia in the 1970s. Eshetu Alemu, who was too ill to attend the appeal hearings in his case, had sought to have the 2017 convictions quashed. But the international crimes section of the Hague Court of Appeal convicted him for his part in a 1977-78 purge by the Dergue regime of former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam, known as the Red Terror. Some experts say that 150,000 university students, intellectuals and politicians were killed as the regime brutally stamped out opposition groups. Human Rights Watch has described what happened in Ethiopia as one of the most systematic uses of mass murder by a state ever witnessed in Africa. Alemu was the Dergue's representative in Gojam province in 1978 while its forces battled the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party, one of several opposition groups. The court said war crimes were committed in the province with the knowledge and participation of the defendant." According to an English-language summary of the appeals court's ruling, hundreds of victims, many of them young students, were arrested without just cause and detained in inhumane conditions. Some were severely tortured, and the vast majority were sentenced to prison without trial. A number of the victims were sentenced to death. The death sentences were executed at the defendants direction in a brutal manner, the court said. In an emotional speech during his initial trial that led to his 2017 conviction, Alemu accepted blame for crimes by the Dergue but told judges he did not personally commit them. Alemu was tried in a Dutch court because he moved to the Netherlands in the early 1990s and was granted Dutch citizenship in 1998. Mengistu now lives in exile in Zimbabwe. He was convicted in absentia by an Ethiopian court in 2006 of genocide and later sentenced to death. BALTIMORE (AP) A former senior Maryland official has pleaded guilty to bribery relating to information technology contracts with a state agency, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Isabel FitzGerald held several offices in the Maryland state government from February 2007 to August 2013. They included chief information officer of the Department of Human Resources, a consultant indirectly compensated by DHR, and as the agency's deputy secretary of operations. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A former Baton Rouge police officer faces charges after he was accused of dumping three loaded guns into a trash pile behind his home that was subsequently found by a group of children in April, authorities said. Benjamin Zeringue was arrested Monday on three counts each of malfeasance in office, injuring public records and theft. It was unknown if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf. The children found the guns two with extra-long 30-round magazines inside a box in a trash pile outside Zeringue's home in Central, Police Chief Roger Corcoran said, The Advocate reported. The box contained the guns, considered evidence in previous cases, and documents from the Baton Rouge Police Department, investigators said. Were lucky this did not end in tragedy, and were thankful that those kids who found the guns did not shoot themselves or others, Corcoran said. After Zeringue left the Baton Rouge Police Department in 2020, he allegedly had the guns in his possession before they were discovered in the trash pile. The guns that led to his arrest were originally impounded during traffic stops, Baton Rouge Police Deputy Chief Myron Daniels told the newspaper. He allegedly logged the weapons into evidence but did not actually put them there, officials said. As a member of the departments uniform patrol division, Zeringue had faced internal affairs probes into multiple other instances of alleged evidence tampering, Daniels said. There was some accountability. This was not the first issue involving evidence being dropped, Daniels said. He declined to share further details, but said Zeringues resignation came after he learned he would face further discipline. Zeringues law enforcement career included stints with other law enforcement agencies. He served the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office from July 2020 until November 2021, Sheriff Brian Spillman told the newspaper. And a spokesperson for the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office said he worked with that agency from December 2021 until April. We just hope, after this, that Zeringue no longer works in law enforcement, here or anywhere, Corcoran said. The Federal Trade Commission is starting an inquiry into the operations of pharmacy benefit managers who control access to prescription drugs for millions of Americans. The consumer protection agency said Tuesday that that it will order the nations largest PBMs to provide a range of information and records detailing how they do business. Pharmacy benefit managers run prescription drug coverage for big clients that include health insurers and employers that provide coverage. They help decide which drugs make a plans formulary, or list of covered medications. They also can determine where patients go to fill their prescriptions. These businesses, the biggest of which are run by companies that also operate health insurers, have been criticized by doctors and patients over their formularies and other concerns about drug access. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in a statement that PBMs have enormous influence over the countrys prescription drug system. This study will shine a light on these companies practices and their impact on pharmacies, payers, doctors, and patients, Khan said. The FTC said it will seek to learn more from PBMs about drug manufacturer rebates and how they affect formulary design and the cost of drugs. The agency said it also will look at complicated and opaque methods to determine pharmacy reimbursement and how patients are steered toward PBM-owned pharmacies. The agency will seek information from OptumRX, which is part of UnitedHealth Group; CVS Healths Caremark business and the insurer Humana, among other companies. A CVS Health spokesman said the company was looking forward to working cooperatively with the Federal Trade Commission. The federal agency said the FTC Act authorizes it to conduct studies without a specific law enforcement purpose, and the companies will have 90 days from the date they receive an order to respond. DARA, Afghanistan - Taliban forces have been locked for months in a shadowy on-again, off-again battle with opposition fighters based in the Panjshir Valley. Just a few hours' drive north of Kabul, the province has long been an anti-Taliban stronghold and remains the only significant pocket of resistance to the group since the fall of Kabul last August. The Washington Post secured a rare visit to the mountains and villages where the fight is playing out, getting a glimpse of a conflict that the Taliban has gone to great lengths to conceal. Taliban officials flatly deny there is any violence in the area, even though thousands of the group's forces are visible across the valley. "Everything here is fine," insisted Nasrullah Malikzada, the Taliban's local information director in Panjshir. "There is no fighting at all." Yet residents say assaults on Taliban positions are a regular occurrence, and dozens of people have been killed, with some civilians imprisoned in sweeping arrests. Those residents spoke on the condition of anonymity or used only one name for fear of reprisals. The clashes in Panjshir are unlikely to pose an imminent threat to the Taliban's control of the province or the country, but the violent resistance here punctures key narratives propping up the movement's claim to legitimacy: that its rule has brought peace to Afghanistan and that its fighters are capable of maintaining security. When the Taliban swept into Kabul in summer 2021 and the Afghan military melted away, a small band of fighters in the Panjshir held out for weeks. The Taliban claimed to have taken full control of the valley in September, but spokesmen for the National Resistance Front say they never surrendered. Panjshir has a long history of resistance: It was the one province Taliban fighters were never able to pacify after taking Kabul for the first time in 1996. The current anti-Taliban movement is led by Ahmad Massoud - the son of legendary resistance leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was assassinated by al-Qaida two days before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States - and former vice president Amrullah Saleh. Both men fled Afghanistan in late 2021, but they continue to direct operations from exile and are believed to command thousands of fighters. A commander of approximately 100 fighters in Panjshir said the opposition is mostly armed with weapons shipped into Afghanistan across its borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. But the munitions, including heavy weapons such as rocket launchers, are not enough. "We are supported by several countries, but we need more," he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity for security reasons. Taliban leaders have sought to contain news from Panjshir by limiting access to the valley and issuing sweeping denials when confronted with reports of fighting. "Of course no one knows what is happening here," a 62-year-old shopkeeper named Gulzar told The Post on the recent visit to the valley. "No one is allowed to come here; I don't even know how you got here," he said, cautiously watching pickup trucks and armored vehicles packed with Taliban fighters race up and down the hillside. The Post was officially granted access to the valley by Taliban leaders in Kabul and Panjshir, who said they wanted media coverage of security and stability in the area. After a guided tour of the province's capital, The Post team was given permission to travel unaccompanied to villages and to interview civilians. Those interactions offered a small window into an opaque struggle. Gulzar said the most recent wave of fighting spilled into his village. "I was here at my shop when I heard the gunfire begin," he said, pointing to the orchards separating him from his family home on the opposite cliffside. He immediately gathered his relatives and fled to the mountains. The clashes raged for over a day before anti-Taliban fighters ran out of ammunition and surrendered. Gulzar said he watched dozens of men hand over their weapons before being taken away. Two other men from the area confirmed his account. Malikzada, the Taliban information minister, said the fighting Gulzar described was "propaganda from outside forces" and "entirely false." He also denied restricting access to Panjshir, though he admitted to having recently blocked at least one international news outlet from visiting the valley because he thought the organization repeatedly published reports filled with "lies." Under Taliban rule, information that challenges the official line is increasingly difficult to verify. The country's media landscape has shrunk, civil society faces constant intimidation, and human rights groups have either disbanded or operate under severe limitations. In Panjshir, there are competing, one-sided narratives. As the Taliban maintains that all is calm, spokesmen for the resistance post near-daily social media updates on their armed struggle. Residents have learned to be skeptical. "There is a lot of propaganda [on both sides] in the war in Panjshir," said a farmer in Dara village who was once a member of the Afghan police force. The farmer says he often sees the bodies of dead Taliban fighters driven away in the back of trucks after battle, though he thinks claims by the resistance to have killed more than 300 fighters over the past month are greatly exaggerated. "It's a big province. People in one village don't necessarily know what's going on in another every single day," said Ali Maisam Nazary, the head of foreign relations for the resistance. Nazary said the group's information comes from commanders on the ground and informants inside the Taliban. The farmer believes both sides are playing down civilian casualties. After a recent clash, he said he attended back-to-back funerals for 10 people killed in the crossfire in his village alone. Talking to friends and family elsewhere in the valley, he estimated the total number could have been four times that in a single day. Both the Taliban and the National Resistance Front claim that no civilians have been killed in the recent fighting. "Maybe two or three people have died, [but] it was probably from the cold or from falling off a mountain," said Malikzada, the Taliban's information minister. "No one has been killed in clashes." Clashes have increased since the end of the holy month of Ramadan in May, according to residents interviewed by The Post. Spring has always marked the beginning of Afghanistan's fighting season, as the weather in the north becomes milder and makes it easier for fighters to maneuver. The attacks have become more brutal as casualties have mounted on both sides, according to a tribal elder, Tawhidi, who spoke on the condition that he be identified only by his last name for fear of reprisals. He said he has witnessed Taliban fighters carrying out summary executions after suffering losses in an assault and has heard similar reports from other parts of the valley. Faramaraz, who works in a bazaar not far from Dara village, said Taliban fighters left the body of a dead opposition fighter on the side of a main road in late May. "They wanted everyone to see," he said. "And they wouldn't allow the men to move him for burial; they made the women take the body to the cemetery." Malikzada conceded that thousands of Taliban fighters have been dispatched to the province, including some of the group's most elite units. Their forces can be seen everywhere in the valley, and sophisticated military equipment is positioned along otherwise idyllic orchards and rivers. DadMuhammad Battar, a former Taliban Red Unit commander in Laghman, is now one of the group's top special forces leaders in the area. He said he coordinates with similar units attached to the Defense Ministry and a Taliban quick reaction force stationed in the provincial capital. "The situation is completely fine here," he said, seated beside a bouquet of plastic flowers and a dozen American-made M-16 rifles. "We go on patrol, but we haven't conducted any operations. We are mainly here to focus on criminal cases." Along the road just outside Battar's base, dozens of Taliban convoys could be seen weaving in and out of the valley as the sun began to fade. Further down, heavy armored vehicles - Humvees and MRAPs - formed checkpoints along the roads leading to and from villages that residents said had seen the most recent round of fighting. "It's important for the foreigners to trust us," Malikzada said at the end of the guided tour. "We don't lie to the foreign media. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan already proved to the people of Afghanistan that everything we say is the reality." Turning to The Post reporter, he added: "There is no reason for you not to trust us." - - - Tassal reported from Houston. SEATTLE (AP) A judge has ordered the release of 78 photographs of tattoos that cover the body of a suburban Seattle police officer charged with murder, but said prosecutors must redact about half after finding them inflammatory and saying their release could jeopardize the officers right to a fair trial. King County Superior Court Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps on Wednesday said the release of 38 photographs of Auburn Police Department Officer Jeff Nelsons extensive body art does not endanger his defense or violate his right to privacy, The Seattle Times reported. The rest taken by prosecutors as they build their case against Nelson in the 2019 on-duty shooting death of Jesse Sarey must be redacted and cannot be seen in their entirety by the public. The redactions include visible wording inked on his stomach, chest, neck and legs, according to an exhibit filed by the judge after the hearing. The Seattle Times had filed a public disclosure request seeking all photos, and its attorneys tried to persuade the judge that their release was in the public interest, given that Nelson is the first police officer in King County in decades to be charged with homicide for the use of deadly force while on duty. The court is redacting the information because the court finds that the photographs if put into the public domain at this point in the proceedings, the information is more likely than not of a nature that would elicit inflammatory responses, emotional responses, the judge said. That would make it difficult for the court, she added, to be able to effectively and efficiently select jurors that dont have those biases or have been affected by pretrial publicity. The judge also said it was likely that portions of a pretrial hearing where attorneys will argue the admissibility of the photographs in Nelsons trial could be closed to the public a rare move in criminal proceedings. Seattle Times Executive Editor Michele Matassa Flores said the newspaper is considering an appeal of the judges ruling. The judge allowed King County prosecutors to photograph Nelsons tattoos after they argued that the body art was relevant and potentially key evidence in his upcoming murder trial. Nelsons attorneys have argued that the tattoos have no bearing whatsoever on Nelsons decision to shoot and kill 26-year-old Sarey outside an Auburn market on May 31, 2019. Nelson, who joined the Auburn Police Department in 2008, shot Sarey while trying to arrest him on suspicion of disorderly conduct in an interaction that lasted just 67 seconds. Nelson has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and assault. The case was the first filed against an officer since voters in Washington passed legislation in 2019, which was amended by the Legislature, that makes it easier to prosecute police for using deadly force. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Russia also demanded Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea, and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraine's other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. He told reporters Wednesday the package is essential, especially for millions of people in developing countries facing the threat of an unprecedented wave of hunger. Guterres said saying anything more in public about the talks would jeopardize the chances of success." Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldn't use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraine's ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation," said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. "I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal," Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. "Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of "weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic," and he reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. ___ Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frances D'Emilio in Rome, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine CHICAGO (AP) A man has been charged in a Sunday shooting that wounded a Chicago police officer during a traffic stop on the citys South Side, police said Tuesday. Jerome Halsey, 27, of Chicago faces two counts of attempted murder and two firearm-related aggravated battery charges, the Chicago Police Department said. Police said officers were conducting a traffic stop Sunday afternoon when Halsey fired at officers, striking one officer who was hospitalized in serious-but-stable condition. Police returned fire, hitting Halsey several times. He was expected in court later Tuesday, and it was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Sunday's shooting marked the third shooting in a week of a law enforcement officer in Chicago. A Chicago police officer was shot last Wednesday after she tried to make a traffic stop. She was released from a hospital Monday to the cheers of dozens of officers, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Police identified a suspect in her shooting last week, but no arrests have been reported. An officer with the U.S. Marshals Services fugitive apprehension team and his police dog were shot last Thursday on the citys Northwest Side while serving a warrant. The officer was shot in the hand but declined to be taken to a hospital. The dog was taken to an emergency veterinary hospital. A 19-year-old man has been charged in that shooting. SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for a deadly shooting that sent shoppers fleeing for safety inside a northern Indiana shopping mall. Dazhon Howard, 23, also was given a suspended 7.5-year sentence after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter plea for killing Delaney Crosby, 23, inside University Park Mall in Mishawaka in Serptember 2020. Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael Sharrow will receive an $11,000 increase in pay. The Midland Public Schools board approved a renewed contract that proposed an increase to roughly $194,300 per year for Sharrow, a contract which has a term from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025. "We know how impressive you are and what you bring to the district," school board President Scott McFarland said. This item, among others, was approved by the board on Monday in the MPS Administration Center's auditorium. Two board members, Brad Blasy and Patrick Frazee, were absent from the meeting. McFarland explained that Sharrow, despite an approximate increase of $11,200 in pay, will still be on the low end of compensation in comparison to the superintendents of 13 "similar-performing" districts in the state. Other superintendent salaries presented by board Prior to the approval of a renewed contract with Midland Public Schools Superintendent Michael Sharrow, he was earning $183,138.72 prior to the board meeting where the salary was raised to $194,342.01. According to MPS Board President Scott McFarland, the district is measured against 13 other districts in Michigan. As of the 2021-22 school year, some of those superintendents are making more than Sharrow. "Even with this proposed pay increase, Mike will still be squarely in the bottom quartile of his peers," McFarland said in front of the board on Monday. "He's OK with that." McFarland provided the following information in front of the board during the recent meeting: Meridian Public Schools Superintendent $185,556 with a $5,000 renewity and $16,400 in healthcare costs, which Sharrow does not have associated costs for Utica Public Schools Superintendent $203,970 Forest Hills Public Schools Superintendent $207,729 Rockford Public Schools Superintendent $270,042 See More Collapse The MPS summer tax rate is off to the city of Midland after it was approved on Monday. In September 2021, the state legislature reduced the hold-harmless rates, which has led the board to believe that fewer mills will be taken from homestead and qualified agricultural property. The reduction could be .2391 mill after the State of Michigan changed the district's ability to collect taxpayer dollars. As an update, the board presented estimated information in relation to the 2022-23 general operating budget. Associate Superintendent Brian Brutyn said substantial changes are coming to the budget, but the presented information was the best conservative estimate of the budget. The State of Michigan has yet to finalize its budget for its next fiscal year, which is from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023. "This is simply a snapshot in time," Brutyn said, adding he expects changes to follow within a two-week timeframe. In other business, the board approved: payment of the school system's bills of of roughly $6,304,000 for the month of April. renewed workers' compensation coverage policy with Ieuter Insurance Agency of Midland. This is the second renewal of the policy at an annual rate of about $80,000. LEWISTON, Maine (AP) A Maine woman is facing felony charges after her toddler ingested and overdosed on heroin or fentanyl, police said. Officers who discovered a lifeless body at the scene administered the overdose-antidote Narcan on Sunday, and the 1 1/2-year-old boy began to regain consciousness, police said. In the aftermath of mass shootings, the country looks for heroes. In Uvalde, Texas, there have been mere humans - some brave, some flawed, some trying their best. And some gravely wrong. Perhaps some cape-less crusader will emerge in the coming days with a tale of grace and salvation - a narrative to counterbalance the confusion, misstatements, inaccuracies and crushing silences that have managed to heighten the horror of 19 children and two adults killed inside Robb Elementary School. When the experts and the victims testify Wednesday in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, perhaps a hero will be revealed, one who looms large enough that we can believe all this gun violence can be stopped. So we wait. In the aftermath of mass shootings, local leaders are eager to draw attention to the members of law enforcement who first arrived on the scene. The public is offered a timeline of events, a preliminary ticktock, not of why the mayhem unfolded but of how it was put down. The precise number of minutes it took for police to respond, for the gunman to be killed, for the scene to be secured. We are told that as awful as this event is, it could have been worse. More people could have died. Others could have been injured. This is how it was in Buffalo and in Tulsa. And instead of considering this a matter of luck or God's blessing, local leaders attribute it to the men and women in uniform who acted with speed, professionalism and fearlessness. But not in Uvalde. We learned that law enforcement fumbled and hesitated. We're still learning what happened, but we know this much with certainty: Life's tragedies are more nuanced and complex than the stories that Hollywood tells. Cinema has trained us to believe that a few good men and women can be counted on to save the day. If they do their jobs and follow the protocol, everything will be fine. But in Uvalde, things went wrong. The police didn't charge the gunman who was terrorizing the staff and students; they didn't rush into the classroom. The shooter wasn't confronted before he entered the building, and the door through which he entered did not appear to be locked. Instead of a narrative about quick and unflinching action as children called 911 begging for help, there were stories about inaction and fear. There's no excuse for police officers who fail to do their job. But it's also worth asking exactly what the country has been demanding of its first responders and teachers and children and, frankly, all its citizens. In the face of gun violence, we are all being tasked with being heroic, with denying our fears and flaws, and to just keep going about our day as if this mayhem is normal. We are demanding that emergency room physicians be miracle workers and repair shattered bones and blasted organs and all the other damage that AR-15-style weapons wreck on civilian bodies. We're asking police officers to save children - and shoppers and worshipers and partygoers - from mass casualty events that are weekly occurrences, not once-in-a-career tragedies. We are asking children to be heroes. We are teaching them to barricade themselves in classrooms and dive under desks and play dead and not cry. And if they survive the terror, we expect them to carry on and accept a mass shooting as just part of the school day. If certain politicians and gun rights advocates have their way, the schools will become temples of high security with bulletproof windows and limited egress and armed guards clearing everyone who enters through metal detectors. These "good guys with guns" must never flinch, must never step away from their post, never become engrossed in their cellphone or a conversation with a colleague. They must not be afflicted with human flaws. They must be white-hat cowboys who are always first to squeeze the trigger in a shootout. On Tuesday, the actor Matthew McConaughey - gun owner, parent, Uvalde native - swept into the White House in his suit jacket and spectacles for a meeting with the president and then spent some 20 minutes in the White House briefing room delivering a plea for heightened gun regulations using the full-throated charisma of his Texas twang. He came with heartbreaking anecdotes about the children who died - stories about their aspirations and hobbies. He brought photographs of them in moments of joy and powerful words about their families' grief over children "left not only dead but hollow." He came with all of his Hollywood sheen. And his words had the allure and cadence of a talented actor, not the drained exasperation of survivors - survivors who are growing tired of hearing themselves repeat the same pleas for gun regulations to no avail. McConaughey came because he is betting that Americans are as infatuated with celebrities as they are with guns. So maybe he can be a hero, or an impetus or cudgel, and children will no longer have to be. We are willing to look for heroes almost anywhere we can. We turn to the student activists who emerged after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. We turn to the parents of the children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. We turn to those who come to Washington to testify and to bear witness. We look to an actor. But we have long ceased to believe that legislators will show signs of heroism. Finally, in the last weeks, they've come to the table to talk, which is to say they have acknowledged that they have a job to do. But after more than 200 mass shootings this year alone, it's far too late for anyone on Capitol Hill to be a hero. But perhaps this time, there won't be so many cowards. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has convened a political conference where hes expected to review state affairs, including a COVID-19 outbreak, and possibly address relations with Washington and Seoul amid his revived nuclear brinkmanship. The plenary meeting of the ruling Workers Partys Central Committee began Wednesday in the capital, Pyongyang, the official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday, and may last several days. The meeting comes amid signs North Korea is preparing for its first nuclear test explosion in nearly five years, which would further escalate a provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year that has included multiple tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles. KCNA published photos of the meetings participants walking into a party building and said they approved of the agenda that would be discussed, which wasnt specified. State media previously said the meeting would review state affairs and make decisions on a series of important issues. The meeting is likely to address the countrys COVID-19 outbreak. Officials at the World Health Organization said Wednesday they believed the outbreak was worsening and requested more information be shared with the U.N. health agency. South Korean officials and experts have said Kim may address relations with the United States and rival South Korea amid long-stalled diplomacy and double down on his ambitions to build a nuclear arsenal that could threaten U.S. allies and the American homeland. During the party's previous plenary meeting in December, Kim repeated his vow to boost his military nuclear program and order the production of more powerful and sophisticated weapons systems during discussions that lasted a record five days. The North Korean meeting took place as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with her counterparts from South Korea and Japan on Wednesday in Seoul, emphasizing trilateral security cooperation in the face of the accelerating North Korean threat. She warned a swift and forceful response if the North proceeds with a nuclear test but didnt elaborate. Shermans visit to Asia came after North Korea launched a single-day record of eight ballistic missiles into the sea from multiple locations across its territory on Sunday, prompting the U.S. and its Asian allies to respond with tit-for-tat missile launches and aerial demonstrations involving dozens of fighter jets. In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, North Korean envoy Kim Song berated those pushing for strengthened sanctions against the North over its weapons tests. He said his country was exercising its rights to self-defense by modernizing its weapons while facing direct threats by the United States, which is hell bent on reinforcing its military might in the Korean Peninsula and northern Asia. His comments were backed by envoys from China and Russia, who questioned the effectiveness of sanctions in slowing North Koreas nuclear weapons and missile programs. Chinas envoy urged the United States to make significant concessions, such as lifting sanctions in certain areas and halting its joint military exercises with Asian allies that North Korea portrays as invasion rehearsals. Jolting an old pattern of brinkmanship, North Korea has already set an annual record in ballistic launches through the first half of 2022, firing 31 missiles over 18 different launch events, including its first demonstrations of ICBMs since 2017. The unusually fast pace in testing activity underscores Kim Jong Uns dual intent to advance his arsenal and pressure the Biden administration over long-stalled negotiations aimed at leveraging its nukes for badly needed economic benefits and security concessions, experts say. Kim may up the ante soon as U.S. and South Korean officials say North Korea has all but finished preparations to detonate a nuclear device at its testing ground in the northeastern town of Punggye-ri. The site had been inactive since hosting the Norths sixth nuclear test in September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb designed for its ICBMs. Kim Jun-rak, a spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the South Korean and U.S. militaries were closely monitoring North Korean activities at nuclear-related facilities and sites but didn't make specific predictions about the timing of the possible nuclear test. With a new test, North Korea may claim it has acquired an ability to build a bomb small enough to be clustered on a multiwarhead ICBM or on its widening array of short-range missiles threatening South Korea and Japan, analysts say. Kim Jong Un's pressure campaign hasnt been slowed by the COVID-19 outbreak, despite fears it may be severe in a country that has poor public health care and was largely unvaccinated. GAVI, the nonprofit that runs the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program for vaccines, believes North Korea has begun administering doses given by its ally China. But the number of doses and how they were being distributed wasn't known. Some experts say North Korea would prioritize inoculating groups based on the country's economic needs, including workers and soldiers involved in trade or major construction projects Kim considers crucial to his rule. North Korea was believed to have shunned COVAX vaccines because they came with monitoring requirements, such as ensuring fair distribution. While the Biden administration has said it would push for additional sanctions if North Korea conducts another nuclear test, the divisions between permanent members of the U.N. Security Council make the prospects for meaningful punitive measures unclear. Russia and China this year vetoed U.S.-sponsored resolutions that would have increased sanctions, insisting Washington should focus on reviving dialogue. Nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea have stalled since 2019 because of disagreements over easing sanctions in exchange for North Korean disarmament steps, which underscored Kims unwillingness to give away an arsenal he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival. NEW YORK (AP) A New York Republican running to represent a congressional district that includes suburbs of Buffalo, New York, shared and deleted a conspiracy-laden Facebook post suggesting a racist mass shooting in Buffalo and other mass killings were part of a plot to take away people's guns. The lengthy June 1 post shared by Buffalo developer Carl Paladino said in almost every mass shooting, including the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo last month and a shooting at a Texas elementary school, there are strange occurrences that are never fully explained. The post also included theories about CIA mind-control and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and John Lennon, and vaccines. Reached on his cellphone Wednesday by The Associated Press, Paladino said Thats all water under the bridge, and I didnt write it, before hanging up. He did not answer a call back. The politician on Tuesday initially told The Buffalo News and WIVB-TV in interviews that he did not personally make the post and it was posted by someone else who had access to his account. But in a follow-up interview with the Buffalo News on Wednesday, he changed his story and said, Yes, I did it. I just didnt remember the fact that I published it; I couldnt remember. It was written by Jeff Briggs, a good friend from Rochester. I published it because he is a friend, he said. Paladino told the newspaper that on Wednesday he recalled that he only scanned the post before sharing it and that he sometimes passes on materials with which he does not agree. He said he does not subscribe to the conspiracy theories in the post but accepted some of its points. It was not clear which points he accepted. Paladino was on the Buffalo School Board in December 2016 when he wrote that he wanted to see President Barack Obama dead of mad cow disease and first lady Michelle Obama return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla. Amid an uproar, he said the comments, published in the local Artvoice newspaper, were not meant for publication but he called them inappropriate nevertheless. The state education commissioner removed Paladino from the Buffalo School Board soon after for disclosing confidential school board business. During his unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, Paladino apologized for forwarding emails to friends that included racist jokes and pornography. Paladino is now running in a district currently held by Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs, who announced last week he would not seek reelection after facing backlash from his own party for voicing support for new gun control measures. Jacobs, in the wake of recent mass shootings, said he would vote for a federal assault weapons ban and other measures if he had a chance and expressed support for limiting magazine capacity, banning body armor for civilians and raising the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21. Jacobs currently represents New Yorks 27th Congressional District, but was running for the newly redrawn 23rd District. Before his comments on gun control, he was considered a favorite in the new district, which includes large swaths of new voters, including rural counties. Shortly after Jacobs announcement last week that he would not run, Paladino was endorsed by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of GOP leadership and rising star in the party. Stefaniks campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Paladino's post. ___ Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity heart surgeon endorsed by former President Donald Trump, won Pennsylvania's Republican U.S. Senate primary on Wednesday, narrowly defeating former hedge fund CEO David McCormick after a dayslong statewide recount buffeted by litigation that reached the nation's highest court. The recount determined that Oz had eked out victory over McCormick by 951 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast in the May 17 primary election. It came several days after McCormick conceded the race, acknowledging that he was not getting the boost he needed to close the gap. In Novembers general election, Oz will face Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who is off the campaign trail while he recovers from a stroke and a serious heart condition. The race could help determine control of the closely divided Senate, and Democrats view it as perhaps their best opportunity to pick up a seat in the race to replace retiring two-term Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. With the statewide recount officially concluded, its time to focus on how high the stakes are in November," Oz said in a statement. The national parties and Fetterman have begun testing general election campaign strategies and airing TV ads in Pennsylvania, a presidential battleground state still roiled by Trump's baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Trump endorsed Oz about five weeks before the primary, saying his decision was all about winning elections. The former president also had a long personal history with Oz, who is best known as the host of daytime TVs The Dr. Oz Show. Trump said his wife, Melania, was a big fan of the show. Still, Oz barely won despite Trumps boost. In the closing days of the campaign, Trump held a rally for Oz and viciously attacked Ozs closest rivals, including McCormick and conservative activist Kathy Barnette, who finished third. Oz, who has dual citizenship in Turkey, would be the nations first Muslim senator if elected. He has remained relatively quiet and off the campaign trail during the recount. Fetterman, meanwhile, is recovering from a stroke he suffered just days before his own primary, which he easily won. He said last week that he almost died from the stroke, acknowledging that he had ignored warning signs for years and a doctors advice to take blood thinners. His cardiologist also disclosed that Fetterman is being treated for a heart condition that can be fatal. He has remained out of public view and has given no date to return to campaigning. While Fetterman convalesces, his campaign has launched two TV ads in which Fetterman casts himself as a regular guy who will take on Washington" perhaps a nod to political headwinds for President Joe Biden and fellow Democrats as Americans report being skeptical about the economic outlook and Bidens record. In one ad, Fetterman rails against outsourced jobs, closed factories, rising costs and low wages, saying those decisions were made for us by people that don't know us. National Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to tie Fetterman to his party's most liberal members and to the Biden administration. In a statement Wednesday evening, Oz said Pennsylvanians want someone who will stand up to the liberal Biden-Fetterman agenda leading to higher gas prices, record inflation, and unprecedented levels of violent crime. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at twitter.com/timelywriter ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY The 177 seniors in Immaculate High Schools Class of 2022 graduated on Saturday morning. Immaculate, a private Catholic high school in Danbury, held its 57th annual commencement ceremony at Western Connecticut State Universitys ONeill Center. All of the graduates applied and were accepted to colleges and universities, with 95 percent awarded college scholarships and grants totaling $33.5 million. Julong Williams, of Redding, was valedictorian, while Matthew Reeves, of New Milford, was salutatorian. The top 10 percent of students achieved an SAT score average of 1,407. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) A defiant British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted Wednesday that he is getting on with his job, as he faced Parliament for the first time since 41% of his own partys lawmakers called for him to quit. Johnson has been left teetering after surviving a no-confidence vote by Conservative Party legislators by a narrower-than-expected margin. A total of 148 of the 359 Tory lawmakers voted against him in Monday's ballot. Johnson says he plans to move on and focus on bread-and-butter issues such as clearing national health care backlogs, tackling crime, easing a cost-of-living crisis and creating high-skilled jobs in a country that has left the European Union. As for jobs, Im going to get on with mine, he told lawmakers during the weekly Prime Ministers Questions session in the House of Commons. But Johnsons party opponents say they have not given up on pushing him out. They fear that Johnson, his reputation tarnished by revelations of boozy government parties that breached COVID-19 regulations, will doom the party to defeat in the next national election, which is due to be held by 2024. Still, Conservative lawmakers dutifully cheered Johnson during a noisy Prime Ministers Questions, while opponents relished the prime ministers problems. Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said any Conservatives inclined to give Johnson another chance would be disappointed. They want him to change but he cant, Starmer said. Scottish National Party leader Ian Blackford called Johnson a lame duck prime minister presiding over a divided party in a disunited kingdom. Blackford compared Johnson to comedy troupe Monty Python's character the Black Knight, who has his limbs lopped off in battle, all the while proclaiming It's only a flesh wound! And Labour lawmaker Angela Eagle asked: If 148 of his own backbenchers dont trust him, why on Earth should the country? Johnson replied that in a long political career so far, I have of course picked up political opponents all over the place. But he said absolutely nothing and no one is going to stop us getting on and delivering for the British people. While Conservative Party rules bar another no-confidence vote for 12 months, those rules can be changed by a handful of lawmakers who run a key Conservative committee. Johnson also faces a parliamentary ethics probe that could conclude he deliberately misled Parliament over partygate which is traditionally a resigning offense. With opinion polls giving Labour a lead nationally, Johnson will face more pressure if the Conservatives lose special elections later this month for two parliamentary districts where incumbent Tory lawmakers were forced out by sex scandals. Washington Post Executive Editor Sally Buzbee warned employees Tuesday against "attacking colleagues either face to face or online" in a memo she said was meant to reinforce the need for collegiality. "Respect for others is critical to any civil society, including our newsroom," Buzbee wrote, referencing the company's social media policy, which states that employees should "be constructive and collegial" when interacting online, and advised that staffers raise concerns with their co-workers directly. The memo from the newsroom's top editor came after a weekend roiled by a heated public exchange between two Post reporters on Twitter and the suspension of a third for retweeting a heavily circulated post that others decried as sexist. The viral post originated with a lesser-known podcaster and Twitter personality based in Florida. "Every girl is bi," Cam Harless posted last Wednesday. "You just have to figure out if it's polar or sexual." When David Weigel, a national political correspondent for The Post, retweeted it, his colleague Felicia Sonmez took notice. "Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed!" she tweeted Friday afternoon. She also raised questions about the tweet with fellow politics reporters in an internal message board. Weigel deleted his retweet and apologized on Twitter for sharing what he said was "an offensive joke." An editor stepped into the internal message-board discussion to assert that "the newspaper is committed to maintaining a respectful workplace for everyone" and does "not tolerate demeaning language or actions." But the discussion continued to simmer into the weekend, as Sonmez retweeted some critics of Weigel and argued on Twitter that the company enforces social media policies unevenly. On Saturday afternoon, another Washington Post reporter, Jose A. Del Real, tweeted at Sonmez: "Felicia, we all mess up from time to time," he wrote. "Engaging in repeated and targeted public harassment of a colleague is neither a good look nor is it particularly effective. It turns the language of inclusivity into clout chasing and bullying." Sonmez pushed back sharply, and Del Real briefly deleted his Twitter account, after saying that his exchange with Sonmez triggered "a barrage of online abuse directed by one person but carried out by an eager mob." Sharing screenshots of Del Real's thread, Sonmez wrote on Monday night, "It's hard for me to understand why the Washington Post hasn't done anything about these tweets." In the meantime, The Post suspended Weigel for one month without pay for violating the company's social media guidelines, as first reported by CNN on Monday - a decision that drew criticism from some observers outside The Post, who argued it was an overreaction to a lapse in judgment from a writer known for an uninhibited and colorful online persona. The Post has not officially confirmed Weigel's suspension, citing the privacy applied to personnel decisions. But Buzbee wrote in her memo on Tuesday that the company "moved quickly to show our intolerance for a sexist re-tweet sent by an employee last Friday." In July 2021, Sonmez filed a lawsuit against the newspaper and several current and former top editors, alleging that she had been discriminated and retaliated against when editors twice barred her from covering stories related to sexual harassment and assault. Part of her complaint centered on an argument that editors had unfairly chastised her for tweets about sexual misconduct. That lawsuit was dismissed by D.C. Superior Court Judge Anthony C. Epstein in March. Before her Tuesday afternoon memo, Buzbee sent a brief email to the Post staff on Sunday that also called for "respect and kindness" from employees. Both Sonmez and Del Real declined to comment for this story. Buzbee on Tuesday declined to comment beyond what she said in the memo. The union that represents Post employees, the Washington Post Guild, has repeatedly lobbied for The Post to update the company's social media policies, which the guild has described as "outdated" and not sufficiently equitable, and repeated that call on Tuesday. In her memo, Buzbee acknowledged that there are still plans to update the policy but asserted that certain long-standing components remain key: "When it comes to your colleagues, be constructive and collegial: If you have a question or concern about something that has been published, speak to your colleague directly." Buzbee also stated that Post leaders "do not wish to inhibit any employee's right to raise legitimate workplace issues." "We know it takes bravery to call out problems," she wrote. "And we pledge to openly and honestly address problems brought to us." MOSCOW (AP) Russian authorities kept up their crackdown against citizens who speak out about the fighting in Ukraine, extending a critics detention on Wednesday, confirming charges against two others and prompting Moscows chief rabbi to flee the country. Russia adopted a law criminalizing spreading allegedly false information about its military shortly after its troops rolled into Ukraine in late February. The offense is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Human rights advocates have counted dozens of cases. Russians must use the term military operation when speaking of the fighting in Ukraine. In the latest development, a Moscow court on Wednesday extended the detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., a journalist and former associate of assassinated Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. The court extended Kara-Murzas detention from June 12 to Aug. 12 on accusations that he spread false information about the countrys armed forces. The activist rejects the charges. Kara-Murza in 2015 and 2017 survived poisonings that he blamed on the authorities. Russian officials have denied responsibility. Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov, who spent years exposing the activities of Russian security agencies and is now living in London, reported this week that a criminal case had been opened against him. Soldatov is accused of spreading false information about the Russian military. Soldatov reported that his bank accounts in Russia have been frozen. Russian authorities confirmed they have filed similar charges against popular Russian fiction writer Dmitry Glukhovsky, who also now lives outside of Russia. Glukhovsky had posted a video showing a tank shelling a residential building in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, along with commentary criticizing Russias military operation. He is a former journalist and author of the best-selling novel Metro-2033. Aside from criminal prosecutions, public figures in Russia have reportedly faced pressure from the authorities to publicly announce their support of the countrys military operations in Ukraine. The latest example is Pinchas Goldschmidt, Moscows chief rabbi. The Times of Israel reports that Goldschmidt refused to make such statements and has now decided to stay in Israel. The newspaper quoted his daughter-in-law Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt. ___ Follow all developments about the fighting in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscow's grinding campaign to capture Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupol's buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldn't do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscow's troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas and perhaps one of the most difficult battles of the war. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. An adviser to Zelenskyys office said Russian forces have changed their tactics in the battle, retreating from the city while pounding it with artillery and airstrikes. As a result, Oleksiy Arestovych said, the city center is deserted, and the artillery hits an empty place. "They are hitting hard without any particular success, he said in his daily online interview. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russia's continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may "pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it "off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out." But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine RANDOLPH, Vt. (AP) Gov. Phil Scott signed two bills into law Tuesday that invest tens of millions of dollars in housing programs using state and federal pandemic rescue funds. Together, the legislation will deliver more than $45 million to housing programs, Scott's office said in a news release. Investing in housing has been a top priority of my Administration since day one, and these bills take significant steps forward to bolster Vermonts housing stock, said Scott, a Republican who is running for reelection. He also thanked legislators, administration teams and community partners for helping to get the bills passed, as well as the congressional delegation for its effort to secure much of the funding. One measure dedicates $20 million for grants or forgivable loans of up to $50,000 to rehabilitate rental units that are out of compliance with building, housing and health laws so that they can be rented at affordable rates, Scott's office said. The other legislation includes $15 million to provide incentives and support to developers to build modest homes for middle-income Vermonters; $4 million for improvements to manufactured homes; and $2.4 million to expand a tax credit and to create one to make buildings flood-ready, Scott's office said. Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint said she, the House speaker and governor all believe that addressing the state's housing crisis should be a top priority. "Im proud of the work weve done to meet housing needs at every level, from affordable housing to middle-income home ownership, and that includes critical updates to rental units and manufactured homes," said Balint, a Democrat running for the U.S. House. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) An attorney for state Sen. Omar Fateh told an ethics panel Wednesday that the Minneapolis Democrat was never endorsed by a YouTube channel that serves the local Somali community and that his sponsorship of unsuccessful legislation to give the nonprofit a $500,000 grant was therefore not a reward for the channel's support. The Senate Ethics Subcommittee held the first of at least two meetings to determine whether there's enough probable cause to formally investigate allegations leveled against Fateh by a group of Republican state senators, but did not reach any decisions on the complaints' merits. The GOP senators alleged in a complaint filed last month that Fateh violated Senate rules by failing to disclose a conflict of interest when he sponsored the legislation after receiving what the Republicans claimed was free promotion from Somali TV of Minnesota during his 2020 campaign, when he defeated incumbent Sen. Jeff Hayden in the Democratic primary. But Fateh's attorney, Kristin Hendrick, told the subcommittee there was no conflict of interest to disclose. She said Fateh paid the channel $1,000 to run his ads because it's a popular forum for Minnesota's large Somali community. She produced screenshots from an online payment app that she said proved Fateh made the payments in two $500 installments. She also presented a sworn affidavit from Siyad Salah, the channel's president, saying that Fateh did not ask for or receive any kind of compensation or consideration for running his ads, and that the channel does not endorse candidates. They acknowledged that the ads did not include a required disclaimer saying that Fateh's campaign paid for them. Fateh testified that he provided that language to Salah, who said in his affidavit he forgot to post the disclaimer as Fateh requested. Fateh also acknowledged failing to report the advertising expense on his campaign finance report, but said he filed an amended version Tuesday to correct his error. The subcommittee is made up of two Republicans and two Democrats. Under its rules, three members must vote to pursue an investigation, which means at last one of the Democrats either Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, of Minneapolis, or Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, of Minneapolis would have to side against Fateh. Torres Ray told the panel that after hearing the evidence, she had no reason to doubt Fateh's account. Champion also expressed skepticism about the allegations. The Republicans who filed the complaint, led by Sen. Mark Koran, of North Branch, said they werent satisfied that the documentation disproved their allegations. They and the two Republicans on the panel Senate President David Osmek, of Mound, and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, of Big Lake said they expect to see better paperwork from Fateh next week. Osmek said he wants to question Salah directly. The panel next week is expected to discuss the second count of the GOP complaint, which alleges in vague language that Fateh somehow violated Senate rules by failing to expressly address how he might have been involved in an election fraud case involving his brother-in-law, Muse Mohamud Mohamed, a campaign volunteer who was convicted last month of lying to a federal grand jury and how Fateh's legislative assistant might have been involved. U.S. partisan divide on guns grows larger with each tragedy: The Hill Xinhua) 09:08, June 08, 2022 WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The chasm between U.S. congressional lawmakers over the gun issue has deepened after each mass shooting, The Hill recently reported. Democrats believe there should be "fewer guns in fewer hands," for the sake of protecting the public from violent outbursts they consider preventable, according to the report. Republicans, however, are more likely to view gun rights as sacrosanct and any effort to restrict them as unconstitutional. "Their answer to the latest massacre is not fewer guns but more of them, particularly in schools," the report said. The impasse has meant that thousands of mass shootings have taken place in recent years with virtually no legislative response from Congress. "The stalemate has infuriated gun reform advocates, who are all but accusing Republicans of being complicit in murder for their rejection of tougher gun laws," it added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) The Michigan State Police Cadillac Post has five new troopers joining its ranks after 19 troopers graduated late last month from the 141st Trooper Recruit School, which was the departments first recruit school for licensed police officers. Travis House, Michigan State Police Cadillac Post Commander, said at the June Manistee County Public Safety Committee meeting that it takes about 18 weeks to get the new troopers on the road by themselves. According to a news release on the graduates, they participated in an accelerated program designed to acknowledge their prior experience. Recruits received training in patrol techniques, report writing, ethics, cultural diversity and implicit bias, decision making, leadership, first aid, criminal law, crime scene processing, firearms, water safety, defensive tactics and precision driving. The Cadillac Post trooper graduates are as follows: Derek Reed, of Thompsonville; Patrick McClure, of Marion; Michael Ruggles, of Buckley; Cole Vanderpool, of Cadillac; and Benjamin Weber, of Kingsley. Weber received the Team Building and Marksmanship awards, and Ruggles received the Academic Achievement Award. Col. Joe Gasper, Michigan State Police director, said in a news release on the graduation that the class was the first of its kind for the Michigan State Police, created specifically to attract licensed police officers as law enforcement agencies across the country struggle to attract qualified candidates. We are honored to welcome our 19 newest troopers and know they will continue our tradition of delivering the best in public safety and community services, Gasper said. The next recruit school is expected to start on June 26 at the Michigan State Police Training Academy in Lansing, with an expected graduation of Nov. 10. According to the news release, there are hundreds of trooper vacancies due to continued attrition and Michigan State Police is actively recruiting for future trooper recruit schools. Anyone interested should visit michigan.gov/MSPjobs for information on how to apply. The Cadillac Post also covers Manistee County and Benzie County, and House noted that the post plans to hire two resident troopers for the Benzie County area. MADRID (AP) Authorities urged a town to evacuate Wednesday after a wildifire erupted in a hilly area of southern Spain, and three firefighters were injured combating the blaze, one of them with burns over 25% of his body. The town hall of Benahavis told its 9,000 residents to evacuate as a precaution. Local authorities said buses and taxis were ready to help people leave the town in an area of Andalusia about an hours drive northwest of the costal resort of Marbella. Miah Cerrillo used to spend her days playing with her family's dogs and making TikTok videos, relishing the simple joys of being an 11-year-old. After surviving the school shooting in Uvalde, Tex., last month, that little girl now startles at a dog bark, running to hide when one of the family pets gets too loud. "This is not our Miah. This is not our TikTok dancer. This is not our playful Miah, you know? This is not our Miah," her father, Miguel Cerrillo, said in an interview moments after he briefly testified at the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on gun violence Wednesday. "She's outgoing, but it's not . . . it's not our daughter. It's not daddy's little girl anymore. It's a whole different story. She's way different now." Miah was set to testify in person before House members, who will vote late Wednesday on a package of gun measures in response to the recent mass shooting in Buffalo and Uvalde. But the realization of bright lights and camera clicks -- things that now serve as psychological triggers for her - led Miah to break down. Instead, her father spoke briefly to the House panel after video of Miah describing the shooting played in the hearing room. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary School. Miah survived by smearing her best friend's blood over her body and playing dead. In the prerecorded video, Miah, wearing glasses and a tank top that said "Live by the sun," recounted how 18-year-old Salvador Ramos came into her classroom and shot her teacher before turning his AR-15-style rifle on her friends. "He shot my friend that was next to me and I thought he was going to come back to the room, so I grabbed the blood and put it all over me," she recounted. The brief testimony encapsulated the anguish felt by many across the country after a series of mass shootings in recent weeks almost a decade after a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The Uvalde shooting has reignited negotiations between a bipartisan group of senators, who have expressed desire to break the logjam that has long plagued efforts to address gun violence. Miah's testimony was coupled with that of others who have been touched by gun violence, including Zeneta Everhart, whose son was wounded in last month's shooting in Buffalo, and Miah's pediatrician, Roy Guerrero. Felix and Kimberly Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed in Uvalde, testified via Zoom. Kimberly, speaking through tears just two days before she will lay her daughter to rest, recalled saying goodbye to Lexi after celebrating her winning the "Good Citizens Award" at school the day she was killed. "We told her we loved her, and we would pick her up after school. I can still see her, walking with us toward the exit," she said. "I left my daughter at that school, and that decision will haunt me for the rest of my life." Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., wiped away tears as others shook their head in disbelief. In an emotional plea, Rubio asked Congress to ban assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, raise the age to buy a gun to 21, expand background checks and incentivize the nationwide use of red-flag laws. "Somewhere out there, a mom is hearing our testimony and thinking to herself, 'I can't even imagine their pain,' not knowing that our reality will one day be hers, unless we act now," she said as a single tear rolled down her husband's cheek. Another grieving mother, however, disagreed with the panelists who called for Congress to pass more gun-control laws. Lucretia Hughes, of the DC Project -- Women for Gun Rights, lost her son in 2016 after a criminal illegally obtained a firearm. She expressed pessimism that any laws could have changed the outcome, calling lawmakers "delusional." "How about letting me defend myself from evil?" said Hughes, who is Black. "I am a walking testimony of how the criminal justice system and the gun control laws, which is steeped in racism by the way, have failed the Black community." Cerrillo, in an interview with The Washington Post, could not put into words the luck he and his family feel to have Miah walk out of the school a survivor. But as he watched her prerecorded video from the hearing room, he wiped away tears. He did not see her on the screen, a bespectacled little girl in a tank top adorned with bright yellow sunflowers. Instead, he kept flashing back to the first time he laid eyes on her as she evacuated Robb Elementary "covered in blood, scared for her life." Cerrillo recalled receiving a notification on Facebook from the police department and sheriff's office pages he follows alerting him that there was an active shooter around his daughter's school. He called his wife, who had just dropped Miah off after taking her to see Guerrero, her pediatrician, for an ear infection. Around that time, Miah was hiding behind her teacher's desk near stacks of backpacks. She recalled that after the gunman entered an adjoining classroom, he stepped into theirs and immediately shot her teacher in the head before shooting several classmates. Before leaving the room, he shot her best friend sheltering next to her. "I just stayed quiet and then I got my teacher's phone and called 911. I told her that we need help and to send the police in our classroom to have security," Miah testified. Republicans spent a majority of their speaking time at the hearing arguing that more law enforcement officers were necessary to protect schools and quickly respond to threats. But Uvalde parents questioned whether that's the answer. After trying to retrieve his daughter from walking into the school bus, Cerrillo faced the barrel of a rifle held by a police officer who was telling him and other parents to get away. "I told him, 'What, you're big and bad with that assault rifle, but why you didn't go in there and save the little kids?'" he said. "They were ready to shoot parents instead of taking care of the shooter." Guerrero testified he will never forget the "desperation and sobbing" he heard from parents gathered outside of the hospital. When he reached the emergency room, Guerrero said he immediately ran into Miah, who was sitting in shock in the hallway, her whole body shaking. "The white Lilo and Stitch shirt she wore was covered in blood and her shoulder was bleeding from a shrapnel injury. Sweet Miah," he said during his testimony. He later recounted the horror of seeing two students in the hospital who were killed at the school. "Two children, whose bodies had been pulverized by the bullets fired at them, decapitated, whose flesh had ripped apart, that the only clue as to their identities were the blood-spattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them," he said of the deceased children. Cerrillo was finally able to hug Miah when they reunited at the hospital. The happiness he felt was quickly replaced with sadness as he realized his "baby girl" wasn't there. "I just want my baby girl the way she was because we could sit and chitchat and play games all day or go run outside. I love when she used to tell me, 'Dad, you can't run, you're fat.'" he said. "It's not Miah no more. She doesn't tell me stuff like that. I miss that." Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who used to chair the conservative House Freedom Caucus, accused Democrats of exploiting the girl's trauma by asking her to testify. "You just prolonged the agony of that little girl, and for what? Your own political purposes?" he said. But Miah's dad said his daughter acknowledged that, as a survivor, her testimony could be powerful enough to promote change. "She's a brave little girl and she will always be our brave little girl. But you know, I don't know, it's just crazy because I keep replaying it in my head. It just hurts me because I could have lost my baby girl," Miguel Cerrillo said Wednesday. "We tell her, you know, 'You have a couple of friends that are still alive,'" he said. "And she tells us, 'I don't have friends anymore. All my friends are dead.'" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HUIXTLA, Mexico (AP) After walking for two days along rural highways in southern Mexico with several thousand other migrants, Venezuelan Wilber Pires spent what was supposed to be a day of rest for the caravan asking for help to buy medicine for his daughter. Two-year-old Valesca Pires was hospitalized in Huixtla overnight with a high fever. Other children in the extended family of 18 were sick as well and covered with mosquito bites. Under the roof of a covered court where migrants slept side-by-side on sheets spread over concrete, adults tended to battered feet after walking some 25 miles since departing Tapachula Monday. If its hard for an adult imagine it for her, Pires said of his daughter. Venezuelans make up a large proportion of this caravan, the biggest of the year, in contrast to previous ones. A factor appears to be a policy change implemented by Mexico in January requiring Venezuelans to acquire a visa to enter the country. Before that change, Venezuelans had flown to Mexico City or Cancun as tourists and then made their way comfortably to the border. Many made it from home to the U.S. border in as little as four days. Encounters with Venezuelans at the southwest border plunged from 22,779 in January to 3,073 in February, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In April, the most recent month available, there were 4,103 encounters. But the flow of Venezuelan migrants has continued. Since January, more than half of the 34,000 migrants who crossed the treacherous Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama were Venezuelans, according to Panamas National Migration Service. The visa requirement drove the flow of Venezuelans into the shadows. Those traveling in the caravan are just the visible sign of who is traveling through Mexico out of public view. Many other Venezuelans have likely turned to smugglers. It was in January, the same month when Mexico imposed the visa requirement, that Pires and other extended family members spread across two cities in Venezuela began a group chat on a messaging platform that would eventually lead to a decision months later to leave their country en masse. Wildre Pires Alvarez, another cousin traveling with his wife and two children, said it took three months of discussion to decide to leave. I was earning $3 to $6 a week, Pires Alvarez said. But if you ask me how far that reached: a kilo of rice, a kilo of pasta, a kilo of beans and there went my $6. Family members complained of frequent electrical blackouts, scarcity and a lack of basic services. The goal is the United States, he said. The dream is to work and be able to support more family members who stayed in Venezuela. The extended family of 18, including eight children, traveled from Venezuela to Mexicos southern border in 15 days. On the first day of the three it took to navigate the thick jungle of the Darien between Colombia and Panama, Pires cousin Eymar Hernandez, passed out. Flor de los Angeles, Hernandezs 11-year-old daughter, cried at the memory of her unconscious father. He had a problem and they had to help him, give him fluids, air, she said. He was really bad in the jungle and that was really hard for me because I was scared about what would happen. The family requested asylum in Tapachula, but were given appointments in July to begin the process. They said they did not have enough money to be able to wait that long in a city where work and affordable housing have been scarce. Jenny Villamizar, Hernandezs wife, said the constant uncertainty, the overwhelming fear that they will not be able to continue, has been awful. This is terrible anguish not knowing what well be able to achieve, what were going to be able to do, Villamizar said. Negotiations between the migrants, their advocates and the Mexican government continued Wednesday. Recently, the government has dissolved other caravans by offering to move migrants to other cities where they could legalize their status more quickly. Finding consensus on managing migration flows in the region was a top priority for representatives meeting this week at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. Jesus Enrique Gonzalez, another Venezuelan migrant traveling with 10 relatives, including his seven children, said the money he made as a butcher at home was no longer enough to make ends meet with constantly rising prices. So they left and have been traveling for two months. Since Panama, Gonzalezs children have been critical in helping their father continue. He fell while crossing the Darien Gap and broke his left foot, an injury that requires surgery, which he has so far been unable to attain. The 53-year-old man is alternating between crutches and a wheelchair pushed by relatives and friends as the family continues northward. They were the last migrants to reach Huixtla on Tuesday. We fought until the end to stay in our country because everyone loves their country, Gonzalez said. But seeing how everything was a struggle and we never reached a goal, we decided to leave. MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) Gov. Phil Scott has vetoed a bill aimed in part at creating one or more safe injection sites, also called overdose prevention sites, in Vermont where people could legally use drugs under supervision as a way to reduce overdoses. Scott, a Republican, wrote in his veto message to lawmakers on Tuesday that it seems counterintuitive to divert resources from proven harm reduction strategies to plan injection sites without clear data on the effectiveness of this approach. He wrote that the little data that exists is for sites located in large cities, so its not applicable to the vast majority of Vermont. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) The trial of a Colorado businessman on charges that he ripped off thousands of donors who contributed $25 million to a campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border ended Tuesday in a mistrial after jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict in a prosecution that once featured onetime presidential adviser Steve Bannon. The mistrial in the prosecution of Timothy Shea was granted by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres after the jury reported for a third time that it could not reach a verdict on any count, saying the deadlock was abundantly clear. They said extended deliberations had left them further entrenched in our opposing views. Turmoil during jury deliberations was revealed last week when 11 jurors sent a note to the judge to say one juror who complained about a government witch hunt had exhibited political bias, labeled the rest of them as liberals and complained that the trial should have occurred in a southern state. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement that the mistrial in no way lessens our resolve or believe in the powerful and compelling evidence that we strongly believe proves his guilt. He added: We look forward to retrying this case as soon as possible." A retrial, though, was unlikely to occur before the fall. Shea and his lawyer did not comment as they left the courthouse. After two previous notes last week pointed toward a deadlock, the judge had urged jurors to try again. Shea was left to stand trial alone after Bannon, a onetime adviser to then-President Donald Trump, was pardoned. And two other defendants pleaded guilty. The case was prosecuted in New York after it was determined that donors to the fund were from everywhere in the country, including New York. Conspiracy and falsification of records charges against Shea were filed after questions arose over how donations were spent from a We Build The Wall campaign that raised about $25 million for a wall. Only a few miles of wall were built. Prosecutors said Shea and other fund organizers promised investors that all donations would fund a wall, but Shea and the others eventually pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves. Shea's lawyers contended that he acted honorably regarding the fundraising campaign and did not commit a crime. Shea, of Castle Rock, Colorado, owns an energy drink company, Winning Energy, whose cans have featured a cartoon superhero image of Trump and claim to contain 12 oz. of liberal tears. Dissension among jurors was first revealed Thursday when 11 jurors said in their note to the judge that they were unanimously requesting that one juror be replaced by an alternate juror. They said the juror had expressed anti-government bias. In response to the note, the judge questioned the juror in her robing room with lawyers on both sides present. Among her questions, Torres asked him if he had any biases or personal views that prevent him from being a fair and impartial juror. He said he did not. So she left him on the jury. After twice requesting a mistrial on Thursday, defense attorney John Meringolo renewed his request in writing on Friday on many of the same grounds as he had the day before. He said the jury had violated secrecy rules by revealing too much in its note seeking the disqualification of one juror, and he said the judge improperly referenced political views when she read them a so-called Allen charge intended to add new energy to deliberations. Meringolo said those instructions in light of what had occurred earlier Thursday could only have been understood to be singling out the juror and pressuring him to come to a verdict. Google Maps The Freeport LNG natural gas plant on Quintana Island, about 70 miles south of Houston, will shut down for at least three weeks following an explosion that took place late Wednesday morning, according to Reuters. No one was injured in the blast, and all employees and contractors are accounted for, but the facility produces about 20 percent of U.S. liquid natural gas processing, the Guardian reports, so news that operations would not resume for weeks was a blow to global energy markets. Meanwhile, natural gas prices in Europe rose by about 20 percent on Thursday over concerns over U.S. supply. The closure could have a substantial effect on energy prices with increased summer demand, according to the Washington Post. Two weeks after a gunman used an AR-15 to kill 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, one of Congresss top GOP leaders argued semi-automatic weapons should remain legal as a varmint control tool. South Dakota Senator and Senate GOP Whip John Thune told CNN Tuesday that the deadly assault rifles should remain legal so people in his home state can use them to kill prairie dogs. [AR-15s] are a sporting rifle in my state they use them to shoot prairie dogs and, you know, other types of varmints. And so I think there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them, the second-highest ranking GOP senator said Tuesday. I think the challenge you have is that there are literally millions of them available in this country, Thune added in response to questions about the possibility of banning AR-15s. Thune isn't the only senator to defend assault rifles as a vital tool for wild animal control since the May 24 shooting in Uvalde. Two days after the massacre at Robb Elementary, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy told Vice News that AR-15s should remain legal so that his constituents can shoot feral pigs. Do you think there is any room to ban assault weapons in this country? Why does someone need an AR-15? a Vice reporter asked Cassidy on May 26. If you talk to the people that own [assault rifles], killing feral pigs in, whatever, the middle of Louisiana, they wonder why you would take it away from them," Cassidy said, stating that lawful gun owners would view such a ban as a deprivation of rights caused by another's criminal actions. Legally purchased AR-15s continue to be the weapon of choice for mass murderers in the United States in recent years, with May and June 2022 marking three such occasions where a lawfully obtained firearm was implemented in carrying out deadly mass shootings in public spaces. Just 10 days before the Uvalde shooting, an 18-year-old man used an AR-15 to kill 10 people in a Buffalo, NY grocery store. On June 1, a gunman killed four people at a medical facility in Tulsa, OK, using what police say was a legally purchased AR-15. The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security warned on Tuesday that people in online forums known for hosting violent extremist content are lauding the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texasand are pushing others to commit further attacks. Individuals in online forums that routinely promulgate domestic violent extremist and conspiracy theory-related content have praised the May 2022 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas and encouraged copycat attacks, DHS officials wrote in a bulletin released Tuesday morning. DHS officials explained that others have capitalized on the shootingduring which a lone gunman shot and killed 19 children and two teachersto push conspiracy theories, including the false claim that the federal government faked the shooting to boost support for gun control measures. DHS officials also noted that the alleged perpetrator of a mass shooting that killed 10 in a majority-Black neighborhood of Buffalo, NY 10 days before the Uvalde shooting, was motivated by racist conspiracies he found online; the shooter that killed 23 in a majority Latinx neighborhood in El Paso in 2019 was animated by many of the same theories. Officials advised readers to maintain digital and media literacy and practice recognizing false or misleading narratives to protect themselves against proliferating misinformation. Mass shootings have fomented similar conspiracies in the past: after a gunman killed 20 kids at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012, Austin-based far-right provocateur Alex Jones pushed the lie that the federal government had staged the shooting to drum up support for gun control measures. After Buffalo, claims that the shooting was an orchestrated false flag operation bubbled up again. Jones website Infowars trumpeted that hed predicted a false flag operation at a grocery store in the days after; an Arizona state lawmaker is now under investigation for endorsing the conspiracy on Telegram following the shooting. The bulletin comes as evidence of law enforcements calamitous mishandling of the shooting continues to emerge. Officers took more than an hour to enter the school after the attack began, as parents implored them to intervene. One Uvalde mother who rescued her two children from the school while the shooter was still inside said U.S. marshals tried to stop her by threatening her with arrest and handcuffing her. A New York Times story published Friday alleged that Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Chief Pete Arredondo committed disastrous communication errors that slowed law enforcements response as the shooting unfolded. A Houston couple trying to enjoy a morning stroll on Tuesday was confronted by a man spouting a racist and anti-Semitic diatribe in broad daylight, a verbal attack caught on camera and shared across the internet. Andy Tran and his fiancee typically walk the sleepy morning streets of Westchase to get their exercise and enjoy the day before the heat of the afternoon. But on Tuesday, their usual relaxing jaunt along Pagewood Lane near South Gessner Road was interrupted when the manwho remains unidentifiedstarted shouting hate speech and other obscenities from across the street, Tran said in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon. "My bells were getting a little rattled, but we were trying to ignore him," Tran recalled. "We were also thinking it was a joke at first, because this has never happened to us." Tran, who is Asian, and his fiancee, who is white, continued walking. He took note that they were near an elementary school on its last day in session and didn't want to cause a scene in front of the schoolchildren, he said. The man initially turned around and walked away, Tran explained, but a few blocks down the road, the couple turned around and saw him walking toward them again. That's when Tran started recording on his phone. WARNING: The video below contains strong language and can be distressing. Chron has edited the video for content. "He was basically going through the whole racist rhetoric book," Tran said. "He was saying a lot of slurs the first time." Courtesy Andy Tran The man repeatedly used racist slurs for Asian Americans and Black people, as well as derogatorily referred to the couple as "Jews." Then man also took exception for the couple being interracial, calling his fiancee a "white whore" at least once, Tran said. Tran, an Army veteran, tried calling the Houston Police Department's non-emergency line Tuesday morning, but no one answered. Later in the afternoon, he called the non-emergency line again and eventually spoke with a police officer. Tran shared a photo with Chron showing the HPD slip confirming he made the report, which indicated police are investigating the incident as an assault by threat. At one point in the recorded rant, the man told Tran "I'll beat the f--k out of you." The man was seen wearing a green "Be Someone" shirt and had a distinctive tattoo on the inside of his right arm, which could give police clues to his identity. The incident underscores the lack of reliable data on hate crime and hate incidents across the country, including here in Houston. While HPD reports some information about hate crimes to the FBI as part of its annual crime statistics report, the department doesn't report on hate-driven incidents that don't rise to the level of a crime, according to research from Dr. Anita Kalunta-Crumpton, a professor at Texas Southern University. It is unclear if Houston police will consider this a crime. Tran confirmed that he filed a police report after 5 p.m. Tuesday, when a police spokesperson was unavailable. Houston police reported 195 hate crimes occurred between 2010 and 2020, according to FBI statistics. But those instances are likely underreported, according to Kalunta-Crumpton's research titled Hate In Houston commissioned through the Houston Coalition Against Hate in 2020. The report notes that by 2018, hate crime incidents technically decreased, but noted that "hate crimes are largely undercounted, thus suggesting that non-reporting of hate crimes does not automatically mean that hate crimes do not exist." Tran said he was shocked at the outburst. "I've never had any problems," Tran said. "Our neighborhood is actually really diverse. It was just weird. That's why we were laughing, because it was just so out of nowhere." Tran posted the video on Reddit and Nextdoor, where he received a flood of support in the comments. He said they'll still continue their daily walks, albeit with a little more caution. "If anything, I just want this guy to get help," Tran said. "This is all coming from a bad place in his life. Luckily my fiance and I are positive people, fairly light-hearted. If anything, we pity him." Correction: Tran filed his police report Tuesday via a call to HPD's non-emergency line. An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Tran worked with a well-connected neighbor to file the police report after no one answered his first call to HPD's non-emergency line. WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 1141 AM PDT Wed Jun 8 2022 ...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 3 AM PDT THURSDAY... ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the Excessive Heat Warning, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 105 expected. For the Wind Advisory, west winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Antelope Valley. * WHEN...For the Excessive Heat Warning, from 10 AM Friday to 10 PM PDT Saturday. For the Wind Advisory, from 3 PM this afternoon to 3 AM PDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds and reduced visibility from blowing dust will make driving difficult. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 105 * WHERE...Cuyama Valley, Southern Salinas Valley and San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys. * WHEN...From 10 AM Friday to 10 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. 9 AM PDT THURSDAY... ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... * WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, west winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. For the Excessive Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 95 possible. * WHERE...Los Angeles County Mountains. * WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, from 3 PM this afternoon to 9 AM PDT Thursday. For the Excessive Heat Watch, from Friday morning through Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures 95 to 105 possible. * WHERE...Ventura County Mountains, Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley and San Luis Obispo County Mountains. * WHEN...From Friday morning through Saturday evening. * WHAT...Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph * WHERE...Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range and Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast. * WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 3 AM PDT Thursday. result. * WHAT...North winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph * WHERE...Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LOS ANGELES Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard CA 139 PM PDT Wed Jun 8 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 8 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 100 expected. * WHERE...Santa Clarita Valley. * WHEN...From 10 AM Friday to 8 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. ...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM PDT THURSDAY... ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... * WHAT...For the Wind Advisory, west winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. For the Excessive Heat Watch, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 95 possible. * WHERE...Los Angeles County Mountains. * WHEN...For the Wind Advisory, until 9 AM PDT Thursday. For the Excessive Heat Watch, from Friday morning through Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects and make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Be prepared to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air- conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures 95 to 105 possible. * WHERE...Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains, San Luis Obispo County Mountains and Ventura County Mountains. * WHEN...From Friday morning through Saturday evening. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. ...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM PDT THURSDAY... ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...For the Excessive Heat Warning, dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 105 expected. For the Wind Advisory, west winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Antelope Valley. * WHEN...For the Excessive Heat Warning, from 10 AM Friday to 10 PM PDT Saturday. For the Wind Advisory, until 3 AM PDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds and reduced visibility from blowing dust will make driving difficult. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. * WHAT...Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph * WHERE...Santa Ynez Mountains Western Range and Santa Barbara County Southwestern Coast. * WHEN...Until 3 AM PDT Thursday. result. * WHAT...North winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph * WHERE...Santa Ynez Mountains Eastern Range. * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures up to 105 * WHERE...Cuyama Valley, San Luis Obispo County Interior Valleys and Southern Salinas Valley. * WHEN...From 10 AM Friday to 10 PM PDT Saturday. * WHAT...Temperatures of 95 to 100 possible. * WHERE...Lake Casitas, Ojai Valley, Central Ventura County Valleys, Southeastern Ventura County Valleys, Los Angeles County San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southern Wheeler County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southern Gray County in the Panhandle of Texas... Collingsworth County in the Panhandle of Texas... Donley County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 845 AM CDT. * At 742 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 8 miles northwest of Vinson to 7 miles northeast of Lelia Lake to 11 miles west of Brice, moving east at 45 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect some tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. * Locations impacted include... Wellington, Clarendon, Shamrock, Mclean, Howardwick, Hedley, Dodson, Lutie, Lelia Lake, Lake Mcclellan, Lela, Samnorwood, Quail, Dozier, Alanreed and Greenbelt Lake. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN ANGELO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service San Angelo TX 347 PM CDT Wed Jun 8 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Expect temperatures of 100 to 105 degrees this afternoon and evening. * WHERE...Crockett, Schleicher, Sutton, Menard, Kimble and Mason Counties. * WHEN...Until 9 PM CDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. ...HEAT ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... Temperatures have remained below 103 degrees and should remain that way through the rest of the evening. The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... West central Pecos County in southwestern Texas... Northwestern Brewster County in southwestern Texas... Southeastern Jeff Davis County in southwestern Texas... * Until 445 PM CDT. * At 349 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 17 miles south of Balmorhea Lake, or 19 miles northeast of Fort Davis, moving south at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * This severe thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of west central Pecos, northwestern Brewster and southeastern Jeff Davis Counties. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Country singer Dallas Smith returned to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, Thursday night, for a night of high energy entertainment. The Canadian performer had a banner year in 2021 winning the Country Music Awards entertainer of the year, as well as the single of the year. The band is cu Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Something I often hear senior fundraisers say is: Its so tough out there right now; there just arent any good fundraisers available. Rubbish people just dont want to work for you, or you cant retain the good people you have. This is what we need to change. First, we need to look at what we are recruiting for. Were always looking for a proven expert with a background in reaching the impossible while being innovative, dynamic and forward-thinking. Were essentially looking to recruit a unicorn. And dont expect there to be any help or financial contributions towards building or maintaining skills if we do hire you because we have a pooled training budget of next to nothing that no-one can access. Competencies matter, but we are a profession without an understood competency framework. Why should fundraisers be left without the quality training we need to succeed? Second, we need to look at what we are paying people. The old idiom If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys is not meant to denigrate anyone, but simply recognise that talent costs money. The same central London role in corporate fundraising I had a decade ago has just been re-benchmarked and advertised ... at the same salary. Living anywhere costs money and most people do not live to work. Unless you are from a subsidised household it is just unaffordable to do most jobs in fundraising, and not all of us have the bank of mum and dad to live on. If we want great results, we should remunerate better as a profession. And show the damn salary when advertising jobs! The UK and the western world is going into a recession (and quite likely, a depression) and fundraising is about to get tougher still. Well-paid, capable, competent fundraisers are what we need now, not a dreamworld of sunshine and rainbows. Third, we should actually care about our people. Huge swathes of fundraisers were cast aside, furloughed and restructured out of their roles in the last three years. And even before the pandemic, we had forgotten about the wellbeing and safety of the people we had been asking to do this work. Why were we sending fundraisers out into situations that risked sexual assault and abuse? Why did we insist on unachievable KPIs and targets and then berate fundraisers when, having flogged themselves to the point of burnout or worse, they didnt achieve them? Ive recently heard the term fundraising survivor and I see that expressed by so many who have left the profession. We did that to them. There are occupational charities for almost every profession in the UK and yet charity workers, and fundraisers especially, have little or no formal support. Counsellors and case workers have supervision sessions as part of their profession should there be a comparator for fundraisers? Some charities have employee assistance programmes, but not most. This collectively speaks to a culture of not caring about our fundraisers. And finally, we should actively care about who makes up our teams. A good friend of mine once opined: Take the logo off the walls of any major fundraising team office and you couldnt tell which charity you were in. Youll mostly see straight, white, middle-class women being led by straight, white, middle-class men every time. I am a gay, hearing-impaired, working class, noisy introvert man, leading a team of 16 fundraisers. We are a diverse team on geography, culture, race, age, religion, class, personality, nationality, gender, background and sexual orientation, and we are stronger for it (but still need to be more diverse). The PWC/Institute of Fundraising report Who Isnt in the Room was published in 2019 calling for greater diversity within the profession. Times up on changing this and charity fundraising leaders in the top 250 organisations should be called out on their lack of progress. The pandemic has given us an opportunity to change the rules, but only if we are prepared to tackle the problem and not the symptom. Damian Chapman is director of strategic marketing and income generation at the Charity for Civil Servants @damianchapmanuk Fundraising Magazine is a practical and inspiring magazine that provides fundraising professionals with the tools to unlock new revenue streams, yield better results from campaigns and boost donor income. Subscribe today to receive 10 issues per year and access to premium fundraising content on civilsociety.co.uk. Find more information here and subscribe today! is a practical and inspiring magazine that provides fundraising professionals with the tools to unlock new revenue streams, yield better results from campaigns and boost donor income. Subscribe today to receive 10 issues per year and access to premium fundraising content on civilsociety.co.uk. Dzmitry / Adobe Stock Charities in the UK are allowing staff to work fewer hours each week over the next six months without a reduction in pay as part of the worlds largest ever trial of a four-day working week. The Royal Society of Biology, Scotlands International Development Alliance, Stemettes, We Are Purposeful, and Waterwise are piloting the scheme in which employees will receive 100% of their pay for 80% of their usual hours but commit to delivering 100% of their normal productivity. Charity Bank, which provides services to the social and voluntary sector, is also taking part in the trial and has said that the standard five-day working week is outdated and no longer fit for purpose. More than 70 companies and organisations and 3,300 workers across over 30 sectors are taking part in the six-month pilot. It is run by 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit community, and Autonomy, a think tank. A way to minimise burnout Scotlands International Development Alliance, which has seven fulltime staff according to its latest accounts, is joining the trial in an effort to prioritise wellbeing and staff retention its chief executive officer Frances Guy said. She said: The research and evidence supporting the four-day-week as a way to minimise burnout, whilst simultaneously maintaining or increasing productivity, was a key factor in our decision to take part. The transition is not one that we take lightly, so we are glad to have the support of the global pilot to guide us through the process and provide access to crucial support and experience over the next six months. Five-day week no longer fit for purpose Ed Siegel, chief executive of the Charity Bank, which had 52 fulltime equivalent staff as of 31 December 2020, said that a four-day week would improve employees productivity while enhancing [their] physical and mental health. He said: Our decision to pilot a four-day week isnt just about cutting one workday from our weekly calendar. Its about looking out for the people who work for us and considering how we can align our working habits with the best interests of our customers, society and the planet. The 20th-century concept of a five-day working week is no longer the best fit for 21st-century business. We firmly believe that a four-day week with no change to salary or benefits will create a happier workforce and will have an equally positive impact on business productivity and customer experience. A strong tool for attraction In June 2021, Community Integrated Care introduced a four-day week for 300 employees in its finance, human resources and other support functions in a bid to offer staff more flexibility. The large social care charity recently expanded the offer to its operational leaders after it found that it helped attract more workforce. English charity STOPAIDS, which has 12 employees, has also permanently implemented a 28-hour work week after running an 18-month pilot in October 2019. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Peter Pereira Gray, managing partner and chief executive officer of the investments team at Wellcome, has announced that he will retire at the end of September. Pereira Gray joined the trust in 2001 as head of property investment and later held senior leadership roles. He became managing partner in 2016 and chief executive of the investment division the following year. He is understood to be one of the highest earning employees at Wellcome, which paid two members of staff more than 4.5m in the year to September 2020, and in the charity sector overall. Under his leadership, the trusts assets grew almost tripled to 38.2bn as of September 2021. Annualised investment returns have stood at over 10% over the last 20 years. The trust, which is one of the UKs largest charitable donors, has pledged to give 1.2bn to causes in 2023, up from the 274m it gave in 2001. Pereira Gray will continue to be involved in the trusts activities as emeritus partner and chair of Urban&Civic Plc, Premier Marinas Ltd and Wellcomes valuation committee. Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, said: Peter has made an exceptional contribution to Wellcome over many years, for which all of his colleagues are extremely grateful. His leadership has been instrumental in driving the extraordinary performance of our investment portfolio, which is what now enables us to spend 16bn on our mission over the coming decade. He has done more than most to create the Wellcome that exists today. Pereira Gray said: It has been an extraordinary privilege to work for Wellcome for almost 22 years and Im immensely proud of what the investment team has achieved in that time. Wellcome has one of the best long-term investment performance track records anywhere in the world and Im delighted at the contribution that this has made to funding Wellcomes charitable mission. Wellcome has no immediate plans to recruit a replacement for Pereira Gray. Chief investment officer Nick Moakes will continue to lead the investments team, a spokesperson said. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Last week, Dom Phillips, a British journalist based in Brazil who writes regularly for The Guardian and has been working on a book about the environment, set off by boat to interview Indigenous land defenders in the Javari valley, a warren of rivers and forests in a remote corner of the Amazon. Bruno Araujo Pereira, a sometime government official and expert on Indigenous communities, accompanied Phillips. Early on Sunday morning, the pair stopped for a scheduled meeting as they headed back toward the municipality of Atalaia do Norte. They should have reached the latter town within a few hours, but didnt; local Indigenous leaders dispatched a search party to look for them, but it was unsuccessful. On Monday, those leaders raised a loud alarm out of concern for the pairs safety. According to The Guardian, Pereira had been threatened by miners, loggers, and others in the area as recently as last week. Brazils navy said that it would join the search, but it didnt initially use any of its helicopters; meanwhile, Brazils army said that it had not been authorized to intervene, only reversing that position on Monday night. Various journalists criticized the official effort while relatives of the missing people and advocates pleaded for the authorities to do more, with one Indigenous-rights group filing a legal motion to that end. As Phillips and Pereira remained missing yesterday, fears only grew as to their fate, Terrence McCoy, a friend of Phillipss, reported in the Washington Post. McCoy described the area in which the pair were traveling as a lawless region pervaded by violent criminals intent on destroying the forest and extracting resources from itand an Indigenous-rights worker with whom Phillips and Pereira had been in touch said that the latter had taken a photo of an illegal fisherman who had brandished a gun. ICYMI: The limits of Bidens power to cut through in the media For his part, Jair Bolsonaro, Brazils far-right president, appeared to blame Phillips and Pereiras plight on Phillips and Pereira themselves. Two people in a boat, in a completely wild region like this, is an adventure that isnt recommendable for one to do, Bolsonaro said. Anything could happen. An accident could happen. They could have been executed. Since taking office at the beginning of 2019, Bolsonaro has been an unabashed supporter of development projects in the Amazon, as McCoy put it, encouraging mining and deforestation while weakening the Indigenous agency for which Pereira has worked; Beto Marubo, an Indigenous leader, told The Guardian that land invaders have felt empowered by Bolsonaros rule, and have become more organized and aggressive. In September 2019, Maxciel Pereira dos Santos, an Indigenous protection official, was murdered execution-style in a town close to Atalaia do Norte; observers claimed that the killing was retaliatory, but according to Marubo, the official response was lacking, and poachers subsequently invoked dos Santoss fate as a threat against other communities. According to the human rights NGO Global Witness, twenty land and environmental defenders were killed in Brazil in 2020. Those deaths contributed to a broader toll, which predates Bolsonaro, of three hundred seventeen between 2012 and 2020, making Brazil one of the worlds deadliest countries for such defenders. The situation for journalists in Brazil might be described in similar terms: it was dangerous long before Bolsonaro took overReporters Without Borders counted at least thirty killings of media workers between 2010 and 2020, making it the second deadliest country in the region for journalists during that periodbut Bolsonaro has piled on further pressure in a political sense, exposing the press to violent rhetoric, regulatory threats, and online trolling; as RSF concludes, the relationship between the press and the government has greatly deteriorated since Bolsonaro took power. The last time I wrote about him at length in this newsletter, back in 2019, he had just attacked a journalist on Twitter for supposedly plotting to destroy his family; he shared audio that he said proved his case, except it actually exonerated the journalist. One of the articles that I cited debunking Bolsonaros attack was written by Dom Phillips. Sign up for CJR 's daily email This week, Bolsonaro is set to meet with US president Joe Biden at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angelestheir first bilateral sit-down. The Financial Times reports that Bolsonaro, who flirted with skipping the summit, sees a Biden photo-op as a way to rebut criticism that his populist policiesnotably his support for loggers and gold miners in the Amazonhave left Brazil isolated on the global stage as he seeks reelection later this year; Biden, for his part, has been publicly critical of Bolsonaro, a Trump ally and imitator, but also wants to project the sense that he is rallying the wider region. The White House said that the Bolsonaro meeting will focus on food insecurity, climate, and rebuilding after covid, all key priorities for the summit as a whole. Its not clear if Biden will raise the plight of Phillips and Pereiraor threats to journalists and land defenders in Brazil more broadlythough Bolsonaro reportedly conditioned his attendance on Biden not confronting him on bones of contention, including deforestation. At an event in LA yesterday, Antony Blinken, Bidens secretary of state, did speak about press-freedom problems in the wider Americas, saying that no region in the world is more dangerous for journalists. He singled out El Salvador by name, pointing to recent legislation censoring coverage of gangs. He also called out Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuelathe only three countries that the US refused to invite to the summit, citing their lack of democratic space and poor human rights recordsfor criminalizing journalism more broadly. In its most recent global census of imprisoned reporters, the Committee to Protect Journalists found journalists behind bars in three Latin American countries. Cuba and Nicaragua were two. The other was Brazil. In response to the ban on Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the president of Mexico, announced that he would not attend the summit, accusing the White House of interventionism and disrespect. The leaders of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have also declined to attend; all four countries are sending their foreign ministers instead. According to Politicos Jonathan Lemire, US officials have grown frustrated that the back-and-forth soap opera over the guest list has been the definingand onlybreakthrough conversation about the summit in media coverage. Regional press freedom has certainly not been a breakthrough conversation, even though, as Blinken correctly identified, it is in a state of crisis. The Americas, of course, is a broad place, and some countries within it have better press-freedom records than others; Uruguay, for example, hosted this years World Press Freedom Day organized by the United Nations. The overall picture, though, is one of growing threat. A not insignificant portion of that threat relates specifically to coverage of environmental and Indigenous land issues, and cannot easily be separated from the broader threats faced by frontline defenders and activists. In 2019, Forbidden Stories, a journalism group based in Paris, reported, as part of its Green Blood series, that authorities in Guatemala criminally pursued a local reporter who documented the killing of an Indigenous fisherman at a protest against a Swiss-owned mine. Last year, Sasha Chavkin, of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, wrote for CJR about a colleague in Nicaragua who fled that country after reporting on a deforestation crisis that has largely escaped international attention because witnesses, including land defenders, were being silenced. We must hope, now, that Phillips and Pereira might yet be spared mention in this same breath. Unlike with the leaders of Guatemala and Nicaragua, Biden at least has the power to press their case with a fellow president this week. Below, more on press freedom and the Americas: Some news from the home front: Today, CJR is out with a new, digital edition of our magazine, focused on the pandemic and the press. The spine of the issue is a deep dive, which I reported and wrote, tracing coverage of covid from its emergence through the early part of this year, based on my daily observations in this newsletter and interviews with more than forty reporters, editors, pundits, and public health officials, including Anthony Fauci. One journalist featured in the piece has suffered from long covid; another lost two close family members; all attested to the challenges of covering a generation-defining science story in an unbalanced information environment. The issue, designed by Kiel Mutschelknaus and Darrel Frost, also features audio, visual, and written contributions from my CJR colleagues Amanda Darrach, Karen Maniraho, Caleb Pershan, Paroma Soni, and Kyle Pope. You can find it all here. Other notable stories: ICYMI: The Depp-Heard trial and the many factors that shape free speech 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. BERLIN (AP) A Catholic diocese in Germany said Tuesday that a former priest has been convicted in a church trial of sexually abusing a minor over several years almost three decades ago. The man, who wasnt identified, was ordered to pay 10% of his income to a charitable organization that helps victims of abuse, the diocese of Limburg said. While financial payouts have been included in confidential settlements between the church and victims of abuse, the announcement of a financial penalty against a priest as a result of a canonical investigation is unusual. The male victim had filed a complaint about the abuse in 2018 following the publication of a study into sexual abuse within the church. German prosecutors declined to open an investigation because the alleged crimes had passed the 20-year statute of limitations, but church authorities launched a probe. The crimes were committed between 1986 and 1993 in the Limburg diocese. After receiving a dossier from the diocese, the Vatican asked it to open criminal proceedings. The diocese said that the church now considers the man to be a convicted sex offender. It said the man would have been defrocked as part of his conviction, but he left the priesthood during the trial. The verdict cant be appealed. The Limburg diocese made news several years ago when Pope Francis removed its bishop following an uproar over his lavish spending on a new residence complex. His successor became the head of the German Bishops Conference, which in 2020 announced a new system to compensate survivors of sexual abuse by clergy with up to 50,000 euros ($58,400) to each. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday said the state health department can release data on coronavirus outbreak cases, information sought two years ago near the beginning of the pandemic. The court ruled 4-3 against Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the states largest business lobbying group, which had wanted to block release of the records requested in June 2020 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other news outlets. The state health department in the early months of the pandemic in 2020 had planned to release the names of more than 1,000 businesses with more than 25 employees where at least two workers have tested positive for COVID-19. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, along with the Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce and the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce, sued to block the release of the records, saying it would irreparably harm the reputations of their members. It argued that the information being sought is derived from diagnostic test results and the records of contact tracers, and that such information constitutes private medical records that cant be released without the consent of each individual. Attorneys for the state argued that the information contained aggregate numbers only, not personal information, and could be released. A Waukesha County circuit judge sided with the business group and blocked release of the records. A state appeals court in 2021 reversed the lower courts ruling and ordered the case dismissed, saying WMC failed to show a justifiable reason for concealing the records. WMC appealed to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the lower courts ruling. A spokesman for the business lobbying group did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. The ruling was written by Justice Rebecca Dallet, who was joined in the majority by two other liberal justices and conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, who is often a swing vote. The other three conservative justices dissented. The court concluded that WMC did not have a right to ask a court to block the release of the records before they were made public under an open records request from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The state Supreme Court ruled that WMCs position would undo the legislatures choice to preclude pre-release judicial review in most circumstances. But Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, writing for the minority, said the law allows for such challenges and the courts ruling will open the door to the release of personal medical information to the public. She warned that the release of confidential patient files would cause irreparable damage. The ruling closes the courthouse doors to anyone who may wish to challenge the release of personal medical information, Ziegler wrote. This is egregious error. Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, said the dissenting justices were trying to stir up unfounded fears about the disclosure of personal medical information. The only information being released is the name of businesses and number of employees with confirmed infections, he said in a written statement. To try to frighten people into believing that their most personal medical information is now open for all to see seems irresponsible, Lueders said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Tractable admits it used fake names to obtain a license to use CCC Intelligent Solutions auto damage appraisal technology. Whether the London-based insurtech also defrauded CCC and stole trade secrets hasnt been proven, but a federal appellate panel ruled that Tractable cant take advantage of its ruse by invoking the arbitration clause in a user agreement. One of Tractables top United States executives had created an account with CCC while posing as Jason Chen with JA Appraisal. The 7th Circuit Court of Civil Appeals on Monday affirmed a decision by the US District Court in Chicago that Tractable cannot enforce an arbitration clause in CCCs master service agreement because it was not an actual party to the contract. The appellate panel said it was a simple legal dispute to resolve. It is so simple that the courts of Illinois (whose law applies) have not found it necessary to address during the last 80 years the question whether C can claim rights under a contract that has only A and B as parties. Tractable said in an emailed statement Tuesday that the decision means only that a lawsuit filed against it by CCC will proceed in the Northern District of Illinois instead of to binding arbitration. This does not reflect a decision surrounding the merits of CCCs complaint, the company said. The case remains ongoing, fact discovery has not yet begun, and will proceed to district court where Tractable looks forward to obtaining a favorable resolution to CCCs unfounded complaint. The panels opinion, written by Circuit Judge Frank Hoover Easterbrook, includes a concise summary of the allegations made in the lawsuit that CCC filed against Tractable in 2018: CCC is a leader in this business. Tractable tried to catch up by fraud. It dispatched one of its employees to obtain a license to use CCCs software. Using a false name, false physical address, and false email address, the employee purported to represent JA Appraisal, which he falsely described as a small, independent appraiser. The dispatched employee referred to in the decision is Xing Xin, Tractables former US head of business and product development. Attorneys for Tractable admitted in court filings that Xin obtained a license agreement with CCC in 2017 under the name Jason Chen with JA Appraisal. A contract does not lose its legal force because it is signed using an assumed name, its lawyers argued in a brief. The 7th Circuit panel, however, said the terms of the contract which included provisions that barred CCCs licensed users from copying its software or source codes demonstrates that the identity of CCCs trading partner was a vital element of the deal. CCC, based in Chicago, said it first because suspicious when a customer told one of its leaders during an April 2018 industry conference that Tractable had represented it could generate vehicle damage estimates and input them into the CCC One estimating program, which transmits appraisals to insurance carriers. After hearing two similar reports, it queried its database and discovered six licensed users had links to Tractable. An email address ending with @tractable.ai had been used to register JA Appraisal. CCC discovered that no company named JA Appraisal was registered in California or Delaware. The mailing address used for the business was associated with a California guitar repair shop. The individual purporting to be Jason Chen never mentioned Tractable because Tractable did not want CCC to know that JA Appraisal did not actually exist, but was merely a clandestine front for Tractable, which was attempting to gain access to and discern CCCs proprietary data, algorithms and other information, CCCs civil complaint says. The suit says Tractable violated the Illinois Trade Secrets Act of 2016, the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the federal Lanham Act, which governs unfair competition. Tractable denies the allegations.This is a meritless complaint intended to stifle competition and industry innovation, the companys statement says. Photo at top courtesy of CCC. The cop was sent off to the City Armed Reserve (CAR) after he assaulted a 25-year-old youth in Mettuguda in an inhuman manner. (DC) Hyderabad: Disciplinary action has been initiated against a police constable from Chilkalguda police station and he was sent off to the City Armed Reserve (CAR) after he assaulted a 25-year-old youth in Mettuguda in an inhuman manner. ACP (law and order) D.S. Chauhan said the video footage of a few constables trying to take in custody of a person, who was engaging in violent acts in a drunken state, has come to the notice of the top police brass. The inappropriate behaviour of constable A. Srinath was noticed. He was immediately attached to CAR headquarters and disciplinary proceedings were initiated, the ACP said. The incident took place on Saturday night when the accused, Surya Arokyaraj, got drunk and picked up a fight with his neighbour. Following a call by the neighbour, a team of Chilkalguda constables reached the spot. They tried to take him to the police station. The accused abused the cops and attempted to attack them with a bamboo stick. Following this, the constables pinned him down and beat him up. A video clip of the incident went viral on social media platforms. The police was seen kicking, hitting and assaulting Surya while trying to grab the bamboo stick from him. He sustained injuries on his leg during the assault. A case was booked against the youth for attacking the area locals with a bamboo stick and creating nuisance. He attacked the constables first with the stick, local police said. HYDERABAD: The minor son of an MIM MLA was named as an accused, the sixth one so far, in the Jubilee Hills gangrape case of May 28 and arrested. Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand on Tuesday confirmed that all the accused an adult and five minors were in police custody. Officials said that Sadudin Malik, along with four minor boys, were booked for kidnap and rape as well as under the POCSO Act which deals with crimes against minors, and for circulating a video of the victim. The sixth accused was booked for using force to outrage a womans modesty and for causing hurt, apart from the POCSO Act. Briefing media persons on what the investigations had unearthed, Anand said the party titled Euphoria was announced on Instagram by a minor, who was at Bengaluru. The party invite picked up traction and everyone paid Rs 1,200 per head for the ticket. It was revealed that the victim in the case, a 17-year-old, had paid Rs 1,300 and went to the party at Amnesia pub with a female friend. She reached the venue at 1.10 pm and danced till 1.50 pm. She was first approached by one of the minor accused and Sadudin Malik, who misbehaved with her and molested her. The victim and her friend stepped out at 5.10 pm. Sensing danger, her friend booked a cab and left the place, Anand said. Sadudin and gang, who gathered at the pub at 3 pm followed the minor girl outside, planning to take her away in their car to sexually assault her, he added. From the pub, located at Jubilee Hills Road No. 36, the victim left in a red Mercedes Benz with four minors. Malik, along with one minor, two more men and a driver, followed them in an Innova, to a pastry shop nearby. The four minors took turns to kiss the girl inside the Benz and took videos of each other in the act. Once they reached the pastry shop at 5.51 pm, they spent some time at the place. Sadudin Malik and five minors, along with the victim, left from there in the Innova, leaving its driver and two other men behind at 6.15 pm, Anand said. At 6:18 pm, one of the minors, who is named as accused six in the case, returned to the bakery as he got an important phone call, Anand said. The rest took the victim to an isolated area at Road No. 44 behind Peddamma temple and took turns to rape her, before dropping her back at the pub at 7: 31 pm, said Anand. She was picked up by her father at 7.53 pm. After receiving a complaint on May 31 and altering it to gangrape on June 1, officials gathered CCTV footage from the pub and outside it, the city roads and from the pastry shop. All the accused involved in the case are in police custody and with strong evidence, they will be produced in the court for a trial, concluded the official. How it happened May 28 12 noon: Euphoria party begins at Amnesia pub 1:10 pm: Victim enters pub 3 pm: Sadudin Malik and gang gather at pub 3:15 pm: Minors and Malik approach victim; Malik molests her 5:10 pm: Victim steps out with a friend; friend leaves the spot 5:43 pm: Victim and gang leave the pub in two cars 5:51 pm: The two cars reach a pastry shop. 6:15 pm: Seven, including Malik, five minors and victim, leave in an Innova. 6:18 pm: Accused No. 6, a juvenile, returns to the pastry shop, leaving Malik and gang with victim. 7:31 pm: Victim is dropped at the pub. 7:53 pm: She is picked up by her father. The accused identified as Rishik, Chaitanya and Shourya, along with two minors, had been raping the victim in separate lodges for the past five weeks. (Representational image) HYDERABAD: In yet another rape case within a fortnight in the city, the Karkhana police arrested five persons including two juveniles for allegedly raping a minor girl. The accused, a few weeks ago, allegedly trapped the victim in Karkhana area and since then they were repeatedly raping her, the Karkhana police said. After the victim's father had lodged a complaint with the Karkhana police on May 30, the police took up the investigation seriously. The accused identified as Rishik, Chaitanya and Shourya, along with two minors, had been raping the victim in separate lodges for the past five weeks. All the five accused are said to be friends. Two lodge managers were also booked for not checking the age proof of the accused and the victim while renting rooms as per the rules, the police said. According to the police, in May, one of the accused who is also a minor had developed relation with the victim and took her to a lodge and raped her. After the victims father lodged a complaint with the police on May 30, we arrested all the accused and recorded their statements and put rape charges and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and produced them before court, B Ravinder, inspector of Karkhana police said. Hyderabad: Senior counsel appearing for Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar concluded arguments on Tuesday in a batch of writ petitions before the Telangana High Court which challenged the allotment of 15 All India Service Officers to Telangana state. In his arguments, senior counsel D.V. Seetharama Murthy defended Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) orders, which reversed the Union government's decision in allotting Somesh Kumar to Andhra Pradesh. Senior counsel Murthy argued before a division bench comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice S. Nanda that the Pratyush Sinha committee included the name of Dr P.K. Mohanty, the then chief secretary of undivided AP government, in the list of officers to be allocated between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Centre intentionally removed the name of Mohanty from the list depriving Somesh Kumar the opportunity of getting allocated to the Telangana state. Mohanty was in service on 01-6-2014 during which he issued a series of GOs. But the Centres decision to remove him from the list forced Somesh Kumar to get allotted to Andhra Pradesh. The CAT had rightly quashed the Pratyush Sinha guidelines and under these circumstances, when the guidelines were quashed, Somesh Kumar continued to be with Telangana State, argued senior counsel. Denying swapping options to unreserved direct recruit outsiders and giving the same to direct recruit reserved categories regardless of their insider or outsider status violated Article 14. Thus the guidelines were prima facie illegal, Murthy argued. The nomination of Mohanty as the member of the division committee which allocated the officers was illegal and attracted the provisions of the doctrine of bias because of the presence of his own daughter and son-in-law who were looking forward to cadre allocation, Murthy said. Somesh Kumar is an outsider and hails from an unreserved category. Hence, he could not get the benefit of swapping with the officer of same cadre the opportunity and benefit which is given to officers belonging to SC, ST, thereby showing discrimination towards Somesh Kumar, argued senior counsel. After the conclusion of arguments of Somesh Kumar, the bench asked the government to commence its argument. As the state took time to argue its case, the bench posted the case to June 16. Later, the Centre will convey its reply to the arguments of Somesh Kumar and the state. Further hearing was adjourned to June 22, and by that time, the state government has to submit a fresh status report. (Representational Image/ PTI) Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to step up testing for Covid-19 as there is a spike in Coronavirus cases in the state. The court also ordered the government to speed up payment of ex-gratia/compensation to the dependents of all people who died of the pandemic. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was hearing a batch of petitions regarding Covid-19 management in the state. The court took the status report filed by the Telangana state government on record and directed it to adhere to the directives and caution note circulated by the Central government. The court sought a fresh status report from the state government within 15 days, detailing the efforts taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 instances, tests done since June first week and the procedure of paying ex-gratia to the family of the deceased. As the Central government asked Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka to take rigorous steps to combat the rapidly spreading Covid-19, the Telangana High Court asked the government to strictly follow it. According to the Central government's circular, there has been a significant increase in Covid-19 instances in the four states. Further hearing was adjourned to June 22, and by that time, the state government has to submit a fresh status report. Would you like to receive our news updates? Signup today! Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. News and Info from our Community Partners Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. Hyderabad: A division bench of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili directed the TS government to appoint the Commission for Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes within four weeks. If failed in doing so, it also directed the principal secretary to the social welfare department to appear in person before the court and explain the reasons for not appointing the commission despite the fact that the term of the existing commission expired over a year ago. The court was adjudicating a PIL filed by Medipally Satyam, agriculturist and in-charge of Choppadandi constituency for TPCC, Karimnagar district. T. Rajnikanth Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, informed the court that due to non functioning of the SC, ST Comm-ission in TS, people approaching the commission were deprived of timely justice. He further informed the high court that there was no commission during 2014-17 and the term of the existing commission expired on 21 February 2021. You must be logged in to participate in the Show Me the Errors contest. 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 Senior Chinese diplomat, Japanese national security official talk over phone Xinhua) 09:16, June 08, 2022 BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, held a phone conversation on Tuesday with Takeo Akiba, secretary general of Japan's National Security Secretariat. Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan relations, and that bilateral relations have reached a significant historical juncture. In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reached an important consensus on the building of a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era, providing guidance for the development of bilateral relations, Yang said. At present, old and new issues are intertwined in China-Japan relations, and the difficulties and challenges facing bilateral relations cannot be ignored, Yang noted. The two sides should hold on to the right direction, adhere to win-win cooperation, bear in mind the long-term and general situation, enhance mutual security trust, make joint efforts to bring a stable, healthy and strong China-Japan relationship into the next 50 years, and jointly safeguard regional peace and prosperity, he said. For his part, Akiba said the Japanese side is ready to deepen cooperation with China, properly handle differences and strengthen communication on sensitive bilateral issues and international hot issues, so as to jointly build constructive and stable Japan-China relations. Yang clarified China's principled positions on issues involving Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Diaoyu Islands. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Hyderabad-based Icrisat will undertake a pilot study in some selected mandals of Vizianagaram in the ensuing Kharif season. (Representational Photo:DC) Visakhapatnam: In a bid to check losses incurred by farmers, the state government has decided to seek the help of agriculture scientists to guide farmers on adopting best practices to earn good returns. Hyderabad-based Icrisat (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) will undertake a pilot study in some selected mandals of Vizianagaram in the ensuing Kharif season. The project will be expanded to other parts in the state. Icrisat scientists, who have worked in similar projects in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha, will visit Vizianagaram in the next few weeks. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Rajesh Nune, an Icrisat scientist, said that it was the first time for them to conduct the study as per the requests from state government officials. He said that they will guide the farmers from soil testing to marketing of the products. However, he said the role of every stakeholder like agriculture officer, farmer and farm labour is equal in achieving good returns in farming. They would suggest alternative crops to paddy, but they are not against the paddy cultivation, the Icrisat scientist added. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Microsoft today said the shipping version of Windows 11 22H2 has been released to its Insider channel, signifying that the release to manufacturing (RTM), will be generally available later this year. In the meantime, corporate IT departments can get a jump on testing out the version Build 22621 from the Windows Insider Preview Downloads website and begin validating it on systems with the proper hardware requirements. Commercial devices enrolled in the Windows Insider Program for Business within the Release Preview Channel will automatically be offered Windows 11 22H2 as an optional update. Non-commercial Windows Insider devices can manually seek out Build 22621 via Settings > Windows Update. Once an Insider channel subscriber updates a PC to version 22H2, it will continue to automatically receive new servicing updates through Windows Update (the typical monthly update process). Microsoft provides instructions on how to join the Windows Insider Program and join a PC to the Release Preview Channel. In addition to commercial pre-release availability, Microsoft is also offering free support for organizations running the build, meaning IT shops can test the release, and their preferred deployment methods, while continuing to get support prior to availability. Microsoft has not specified when the next version of Windows 11 will arrive, though major updates have traditionally rolled out in October or November. Steve Kleynhans, research vice president for Digital Workplace Infrastructure and Operations at Gartner, said the latest build of Windows 11 isnt the final release in any real sense. "This is a broader preview of the current build of the 22H2 codebase," he said. "It is probably close to complete, but there is still likely to be some polishing and refinement in the coming months. Additionally, there are still some features that havent been released (like the Windows 365 pieces discussed back in April). Microsoft has a lot more flexibility in how it can deliver changes to the user experience without necessarily shipping a new build." It is interesting, Kleynhans said, "that Microsoft chose to move 22H2 to a broad preview this early likely four months before it will be formally released. I suspect the hope is that enterprises will do some testing over the summer and potentially be ready to start broad deployments a little earlier than they currently plan. "Most enterprises arent planning to do rollouts until well into 2023 likely almost a year from now," he said. "I suspect Microsoft would like to pull that forward to 1Q if at all possible." All that said, the current preview is "quite solid: and a lot more polished than the current 21H2 version, and because Microsoft is making it widely available, it shows a level of confidence on the company's part that might entice some early adopters to take the plunge," Kleynhans said. In recent months, Windows 11 adoption rates have tapered off to a trickle, according to recent data from computer monitoring software provider AdDuplex and others. Released in October 2021, Windows 11 reached an overall usage of 19.7% in April, an increase of more than 10% since the beginning of December 2021. An additional 0.6% of users are on a Windows 11 Insider build, according to the latest data from AdDuplex. The usage share of Windows 11 grew by less than 0.4% in April. That's on top of less than 0.2% growth in March, according to AdDuplex. While Windows 11 isn't growing, Windows 10 21H2 added another 6.5%. Microsoft has pushed to get users to upgrade to Windows 11, but the overwhelming majority have chosen to remain on the previous edition, which will continue to receive support until 2025. Of the 80% using Windows 10, the largest number of users are on the two most recent updates, Windows 10 N21U (21H2), released in November 2021 (28.5%) and Windows 10 M21U (21H1), released in March 2021, (26.5%). The remaining 25% are on five older iterations of Windows 10. For the most part, commercial customers are not really diving into the new OS, and we dont expect to see much uptake there until 2023, Kleynhans said. For most consumers who arent PC enthusiasts in some way, this is not really a high priority, and they wont actively seek out the upgrade," he said. "Until Microsoft starts forcing the upgrade, or at least more aggressively marketing it to users on eligible machines, things are bound to stall out a bit. I suspect we will see Microsoft start marketing the update more aggressively over the next few months and really start to push it in the fall." For its part, Microsoft said it has seen strong demand for Windows 11 with people accepting the upgrade offer to the OS at twice the rate the company saw for Windows 10, according to a January blog post by Panos Panay, Microsofts chief product officer for Windows and Devices. Thousands of employees in the UK started a four-day week pilot on Monday with no reduction in pay. The pilot project, the largest trial of its kind to date, involves 3,300 workers at 70 companies ranging from a car parts retailer to an animation studio, marketing agency, and fish and chip shop. Its based on a 100-80-100 principle, which means 100% pay for 80% of time worked with an expectation of 100% productivity. As we emerge from the pandemic, more and more companies are recognizing that the new frontier for competition is quality of life, and that reduced-hour, output-focused working is the vehicle to give them a competitive edge, said Joe O Connor, CEO of 4 Day Week Global, a non-profit organization. The impact of the 'Great Resignation' is now proving that workers from a diverse range of industries can produce better outcomes while working shorter and smarter. The six-month trial is coordinated by 4 Day Week Global, alongside think tank Autonomy and researchers at Cambridge University, Boston College, and Oxford University. It follows the start of a similar scheme in America earlier this year involving 40 companies. There are also pilots in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Advocates of a shorter workweek claim a range of benefits for employees, cutting stress and improving wellbeing. There are potential benefits for employers, too. A survey conducted by Reading Universitys Henley Business School indicated that businesses across the UK that implement a four-day week can reduce sick days, lower staff turnover and bolster productivity. Pilot projects such as the one coordinated by 4 Day Week Global are designed to highlight benefits, but may also help uncover some of the real-world challenges businesses face when adopting a shorter week, said Rita Fontinha, associate professor in Strategic Human Resource Management at the University of Readings Henley Business School We need to understand in greater detail where the savings and costs are and the managerial processes behind the implementation of a 4-day working week therefore this pilot scheme is crucial as it will help answer these questions before moving towards a large-scale policy, Fontinha said in an interview. A four-day week has been bandied about for decades without significant progress, but interest has risen again in recent years, with pilots at companies including Microsoft, Unilever, and Kickstarter. Hospitality gig-work platform Qwick, for example, began a trial last month. Workers have switched from their typical five-day, 38-hour week to 32 hours a week spread over four days with the same level of pay. Some organizations, such as the UKs Wellcome Trust, ran into issues around complexity during its four-day week trial in 2019. Widespread adoption of the idea remains elusive. In March, job-posting site Indeed said that less than 1% of job postings on March 11 included the term four-day week," while a poll of businesses by research firm Gartner in April indicated that just 6% of businesses are currently offering workers a four-day week. Politicians in the US have drawn attention to the idea of a four-day week by attempting to push new legislation. A bill introduced by California Assembly Members Evan Low (D-Dist. 28) and Cristina Garcia (D-Dist. 58) would have required businesses with more than 500 workers to pay employees the same amount for 32 hours as they would for 40. This would enable staff to work the equivalent of four eight-hour days, rather than five. The California State Assemblys Labor and Employment Committee subsequently declined to advance the bill, though Assembly Member Low is apparently reworking proposals, and the bill may at return at a later stage. Similar rules have been proposed at the federal level by US Rep. Mark Takano, (D-CA), who last year proposed legislation that would also shorten the workweek. BJP National President J.P.Nadda addresses the 'Godavari Garjana' meeting held at Arts college grounds in Rajamahendravaram on Tuesday. AP state president S.Veerraju, Party leaders C.M.Ramesh, D.Purandeswari and Jayapradha are seen. (DC) Vijayawada: BJP national president JP Nadda called upon the people of Andhra Pradesh to drive out the ruling YSR Congress government but remained silent on his partys alliance with Jana Sena and blamed the Telugu Desam for having missed the bus to join hands with the BJP. Addressing a large gathering styled as Godavari Garjana in Rajamahendravaram on Tuesday, the BJP chief slammed the Jaganmohan Reddy government for its lack of financial discipline, resulting in a rise in the states debt to Rs 8 lakh crore. He said, I am sorry to say that the YSR Congress government is diverting central funds allotted for implementation of welfare schemes, developmental works and for the gram panchayat projects. It is working with a vengeful attitude and trying to crush the opposition parties. It is unable to maintain law and order and religious institutions are being targeted. There is no congenial atmosphere for investments in the state. He alleged that when the National Education Policy was trying to encourage regional languages, the YSRC government was discouraging promotion of Telugu language. It was also ignoring the welfare of SCs, STs and BCs, he said. He said the YSR Congress government was involved in high-level corruption while the sand, land and liquor mafia ruled the roost across AP. Seeing this huge turnout of people for the public meeting here, I believe the BJP will be elected to power in the state. Nothing is going to stop the BJP from wielding power in this state. Jagan should go and the BJP should be given a chance to run the government. Nadda said. He said the Telugu Desam missed the bus as they lost the BJP leaderships trust. AP needs a double engine growth with the BJP in power in the state and at the Centre. If you want development in the state, I appeal to you all to press the lotus button in the next assembly polls and elect the BJP to power. He remained silent on Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyans three proposals --to have an alliance with either the BJP or the BJP and TD together or Jana Sena to contest the polls alone in the 2024 assembly hustings. Nadda dwelt at length on how the BJP under the leadership of PM Modi introduced several welfare schemes and developmental works during its eight years of rule. Compare this with the terms of the previous Congress governments, till 2014, he said. He said the BJP government at the Centre has achieved many several milestones in various sectors. be it health, GDP, foreign direct investment, manufacture of Covid vaccine, reduction of poverty and illiteracy etc. Congratulations, estillohomes.com got a very good Social Media Impact Score! Show it by adding this HTML code on your site: Estillohomes.com scored 81 Social Media Impact. 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Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK FOUND FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/estillofurnitureindia DESCRIPTION Estillo furniture is a well-known furniture store across India that sells the latest modern and contemporary styles. Visit http://www.estillofurniture.com/ LIKES 7087 PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT 26 PAGE TYPE Furniture TIMELINE PAGE TIMELINE The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. The URL of the found Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK FOUND TWITTER PAGE twitter.com/#!/estillohomes DESCRIPTION ACCOUNT CREATED ON 03 Jan 2015 LOCATION TWEETS 9 FOLLOWERS 5 LISTED 0 Vijayawada: Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has set a target of winning all the assembly seats for the YSR Congress in the 2024 elections. He has asked party leaders to be with the people for eight months to strengthen its relations with the mass. The CM addressed the Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prubhatvam workshop for party functionaries including ministers, regional coordinators, MLAs, district party presidents and others at the party office at Tadepalli on Wednesday. Recalling the landslide wins for the YSRC in the assembly elections and later the local body polls, he said, Nothing is difficult to achieve if we have the will, commitment and readiness to do hard work. Gadapa Gadapa ki Prabuthvam is an ongoing programme through the next eight months. This apart, a workshop would be held by the YSRC every month to discuss the outcome of the programmes based on public feedback. Jagan said the door-to-door campaign should be conducted in every secretariat for 2-3 days from morning to evening. The plan is to cover ten secretariats a month and the fieldwork should be done for at least 20 days each month. In the monthly workshops, suggestions will be taken to focus on improving the mass-contact programme. Special focus should be laid on resolving public grievances during this period, the CM said, and asked party leaders to treat all requests from the people with utmost importance. Asserting that the government has done many good things in the last three years, especially in public welfare, Jagan said winning in all constituencies is not impossible. Let us target winning all the 175 seats, he said. In door-to-door campaign, each of us should go and explain to the people the good initiatives of the government, and how the family was benefitted. Welfare schemes reached all eligible beneficiaries irrespective of their caste, religion or political affiliation. Thus, we are going to every house with letters explaining the governments welfare activities, the CM said. The chief minister said development is visible in each village through RBKs, village secretariats, village clinics and Nadu-Nedu, transforming schools and hospitals. People believe the government is doing good for them and thus they gave a clear majority to us even in municipalities like Kuppam, he said. Jagan said that even during the crisis situations like the Ukraine war, which resulted in the prices of coal rising majorly, the government didn't back off from providing free electricity to farmers. It sanctioned an additional amount of `40 crore every day for purchasing coal, the CM said. The state government has reached benefits of its welfare schemes to 87 per cent of the families in the state without any discrimination and bias. The initiatives like RBKs, Village Clinics, Nadu Nedu programme in schools and Village/Ward Secretariats were new and took governance closer to the people, he said. The CM said it is important for the YSRC leaders to ensure the families give a missed call after meeting them during the door-to-door campaign. We need to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left out of the welfare schemes. The state government is releasing payments twice a year during December and July to the beneficiaries who have applied and become eligible after the launch of the scheme as per the welfare calendar, Jagan said. Minister K.T.Rama Rao along with MPs meeting with Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology at Electranic Niketan in New Delhi on Wednesday, 8 Jun 2022. (DC/ D. Kamraj) Hyderabad: Minister K.T. Rama Rao has sought funds for Telangana State under the Central governments production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes to boost IT hardware and manufacturing sectors in the state, sources in the state government said on Wednesday. The minister met Union minister of state for IT and electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar in New Delhi and appraised the Union minister about the Telangana governments plans to generate around Rs 2.5 lakh crore worth production in the electronics sector. Rama Rao told the Union minister that the state governments plans will create 16 lakh jobs through electronic manufacturing clusters in the next 10 years and sought Centre's assistance to meet these targets. TRS MPs Nama Nageshwar Rao, K.R. Suresh Reddy, IT principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan, and Nalgonda Collector Gaurav Uppal were among those who were present in the meeting along with Rama Rao. He brought to the notice of the Centre that, as part of Make in India and Telangana, the existing two electronic clusters were nearing capacity and urged him to grant two more clusters through EMC 2.0 scheme (Electronics Manufacturing Clusters scheme). Rama Rao also sought the revival of ITIR project to Hyderabad or grant ITIR-type project to help Telangana to achieve further growth in the IT sector and provide more employment opportunities to youth in the country. Microsoft will soon change the mandate to multi-factor authentication (MFA) with changes to Microsoft 365 defaults. As Microsoft points out, When we look at hacked accounts, more than 99.9% dont have MFA, making them vulnerable to password spray, phishing and password reuse. Based on usage patterns, well start [mandating MFA] with organizations that are a good fit for security defaults. Specifically, we will start with customers who arent using Conditional Access, havent used security defaults before, and arent actively using legacy authentication clients. Microsoft will notify global admins of eligible tenants by email. After security defaults are enabled, all users in the tenant are asked to register for MFA. Again, there is a grace period of 14 days for registration. Users are asked to register using the Microsoft Authenticator app, and global administrators are additionally asked for a phone number. If you havent started MFA deployments, this is the time to do so. Attackers are using phishing attacks to go after unprotected accounts and MFA is a key way to protect user access. Can you still disable multi-factor authentication should you decide to accept the risk? Yes, but this means your firm will be low-hanging fruit for phishing campaigns. User accounts and logins are the new entry point for many attacks in a network. Determine multi-factor authentication method MFA deployment means that you need to determine which authentication process you will support. Researchers often claim that SMS messages arent secure. Years ago attackers were able to bypass SMS based MFA using a reverse-proxy component. In reality, you just need to be secure enough. As with many security decisions, you need to perform a risk analysis of who needs best, better and good-enough security. If you believe that some of your users will be targeted the use of MFA applications, you can use devices such as Yubikeys. Users and consultants might point out that MFA is not bulletproof. It can be attacked and spoofed. The idea is that you want to just be a little bit better than the next domain or cloud deployment. Use conditional access rules If you add Azure Active directory P1 license (already included in Microsoft 365 Business premium subscribers), you can add conditional access rules that allow you to provide for whitelisting locations. Thus, you can set up MFA for only remote users to protect remote email access. These conditional access policies can be more granular to allow users to resources while balancing the needs for MFA. For example: Requiring MFA for users with administrative roles Requiring MFA for Azure management tasks Blocking sign-ins for users attempting to use legacy authentication protocols Requiring trusted locations for Azure AD MFA registration Blocking or granting access from specific locations Blocking risky sign-in behaviors Requiring organization-managed devices for specific applications Assess user hardware requirements When deploying MFA keep in mind the hardware you may need. You may need to provide cellular phones to your employees so they can use an MFA application. If you do not provide them with a cell phone and mandate MFA so that they have to use their personal phones, you may need to reimburse them for a reasonable use of their personal assets. States such as California, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia all have passed laws requiring employers to reimburse workers for work-related expenses such as the use of their personal phone in MFA. You can also deploy tokens such as Yubikey, which supports authentication with Azure AD. Consider backup and redeployment needs When deciding on the device or token, you also need to plan on backups and re-deployment. For example, its recommended to have at least two Yubikeys per user so that the person has a backup. Some deployments support more than two such tokens to the user account. If you use Microsoft Authenticator app, you may have to plan on backing it up using a local Microsoft account if you use an iPhone. Also, migration between iPhone and Android is not a direct backup-and-restore process. Your backup is stored in the iCloud for iOS and in Microsoft's cloud storage provider for Android. This means that your backup is unavailable if you switch between Android and iOS devices. If you make the switch, you must manually recreate your accounts within the Microsoft Authenticator app. Ensure that you educate your users of MFA of these deployment issues ahead of time so that they know of the issues and plan accordingly. Microsoft is pushing the bar to protect user authentication. Make it a priority this year to ensure that users are protected from such attacks. A mere username and password are no longer enough. With rapidly evolving threats and increased business risk, security leaders are constantly pressed by the question: Do we have the right technology, people, and processes in place to protect the organization? CSOs Derek Hulitsky sat down with DJ Goldsworthy, VP and global practice lead, security operations and threat management at Aflac at the recent Future of InfoSec Summit to discuss just that. What follows are edited excerpts of the event session on setting up a portfolio rationalization program as part of CSOs recent Future of InfoSec Summit. For more of Goldsworthys insights, watch the full video of the event session embedded below. On the importance of portfolio rationalization: Portfolio rationalization is a very deliberate and focused effort to ensure that you are maximizing and optimizing your investment in security. I would say its important for two key reasons. One is in most cases, funding in cybersecurity is finite. We have our roadmaps and our strategies, and we seek investment for those. And in that process, we have to make sure that we are pursuing the maximum return on investment. And so throughout the lifecycle of technology, things can grow stale. Investments that were relevant prior may not be as relevant today. And so it is important to review those investments very deliberately, and to see where things might need to change. In the same respectnot just from a cost perspective, but rather through the lens of threats and technologies evolving very rapidly, that has a pretty central factor as well. So what has worked in the past for certain types of threats or certain types of new technologies that the company is implementing to support the business may not work anymore. And so we are having to evolve the technology very quickly from a security standpoint to align to the current threats and the current environments and technologies that the business is using. On future program enhancements: Our business partners and our IT partners, they want to continue to accelerate. We want to deliver more features to our customers, we want to enhance their experience, we want to get things to market faster. And as such, we are going to have to adopt a lot of new technologies, and there will be threats waiting at every corner, trying to find ways to exploit weaknesses in how we are approaching things. And so the need to look at how we are spending our security dollars and investments we are making and our focus for what processes we need to be putting at the forefront of our roadmap, that is going to be right there. As we look at the cloud, and DevOps in particular, it really highlights the need for security organizations to take a services-based approach where we are developing services that could be consumed by our partners and ideally where possible in a self-service manner. That is really the way that we are going to get the speed of delivery and the scale of security that we need. So I see the rationalization efforts aligning to that, looking at our capabilities and saying, Where do we need to be building servicessecurity services? An example might be a tokenization service that could be consumed by our developers as they are writing new applications, new code that maybe works with sensitive information. And so you can think about all the different aspects of security that can maybe fit that services model and the type of technology and processes it would take to deliver that. We want to take our rationalization efforts and focus our investment on that type of approach. On setting up for success: A lot of security programs get stuck in the hamster wheel of daily operations. And there is a lot of planning and operations type of initiatives going on that draw attention to the here and now. But it is important to step back and spend some time and effort on these higher-order initiatives. And so the first step is to carve out time from the right team member or members that you want to put on this type of initiative. They are going to have to interview the team and figure out how do we approach everything today? Even your architects are not going to know how everything is done. They will have domains, generally, that they know really well, but you have to look across the entire spectrum of cyber and all the tools and people and processes that are in place. That takes a good bit of time, and you have to commit to that up front. The second step is setting some initial targets. Set some conservative targets, some things that you know you can book quick wins with, and then set some stretch goalsstretch targetsthat if the program is wildly successful, this is what that will look like. And then just manage toward those goals. Try to get those quick wins. It might be looking at how we can get a 10% reduction of our current investments into a pool that we can then appropriate to something new. And maybe the initial effort is just simply looking for duplicative technologies. Where do we have duplications of capabilities where we can do some pretty easy divestment without having to do any full rearchitecting of things. And so those quick wins, they build momentum. They put faith in the program. If you have shown those early wins, then it is really not hard to justify the investment of resources in this type of initiative. This article originally appeared in CIO's Center Stage newsletter. Subscribe today! This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The prestigious Brookings Institution placed its president, retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, on administrative leave Wednesday amid a federal investigation into his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. Brookings announcement came a day after The Associated Press reported on new court filings that show the FBI recently seized Allens electronic data as part of the probe and detailed his behind-the scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors. Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped to lead Brookings in late 2017, has not been charged with any crimes. His spokesman, Beau Phillips, said Wednesday that Allen had done nothing improper or unlawful. Through decades of public service in combat and diplomacy, General Allen has earned an unmatched, sterling reputation for honor and integrity, Phillips said in a statement. We look forward to correcting the falsehoods about General Allen that have been improperly publicized in this matter. Brookings told staffers in an email Wednesday that the institute itself is not under investigation and that the think tanks executive vice president, Ted Gayer, will serve as acting president. We have every confidence in the Brookings teams ability to remain focused on delivering quality, independence, and impact," the email said. Brookings pays Allen more than $1 million a year, according to its most recently available tax records. The email to staff did not say whether Allen would continue to be paid while on leave. The federal investigation involving Allen has already ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have also been interviewed. An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant there was substantial evidence that Allen had knowingly broken a foreign lobbying law, and had made false statements and withheld incriminating documents. Allens behind-the-scenes work involved traveling to Qatar and meeting with the countrys top officials to offer them advice on how to influence U.S. policy, as well as promoting Qatars point of view to top White House officials and Congress, according to the FBI affidavit. The Qatar Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brookings is one of the most influential think thanks in the U.S. and has long had strong ties to Qatar. In 2007, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to fund a Brookings-backed offshoot in Qatar called the Brookings Doha Center. The Qatari government said in a 2012 news release that the centers role included reflecting the bright image of Qatar in the international media, especially the American ones, according to a New York Times report that showed Qatar had given Brookings $14.4 million in donations over a four-year span. As a nonprofit, Brookings does not have to disclose its donations but it voluntarily discloses some data. Its annual reports show Qatar giving at least $2 million a year from 2016 to 2021. Brookings said in a statement that Allen decided in 2019 to stop taking any new donations from Qatar and to close the Brookings Doha Center. Brookings has strong policies in place to prohibit donors from directing research activities, said the email to staffers Wednesday. ____ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian from New Orleans. __ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/ Jeff Swensen / Getty KILLINGLY A Rhode Island grand jury has returned an indictment against a former Connecticut priest, according to the states top prosecutor and cop. Kevin Fisette, 66, of the Dayville section of Killingly, faces one count of first-degree sexual assault, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Col. Darnell S. Weaver said. The indictment was returned on May 25. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Authorities on Indonesias Sumatra island arrested a Japanese fugitive accused of helping steal $7.3 million intended for small businesses in Japan hurt by the coronavirus, police said Wednesday. Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, 47, was arrested late Tuesday at a house owned by a fish trader in Central Lampung district by immigration officers backed by local police, National Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said. He told the house owner that he wants to invest in fisheries in the area, Prasetyo said, adding that Taniguchi had stayed at the house for about two weeks before authorities located him. Taniguchi was wanted by Japanese police for COVID-19 subsidy fraud and left Japan for Indonesia in October 2020, Prasetyo said. Taniguchi and a group of acquaintances allegedly submitted about 1,700 false applications for COVID-19 relief funds. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department believes they received subsidies for more than 960 of those applications totaling an estimated 960 million yen ($7.3 million), Prasetyo said. Taniguchi, who has been wanted by Japanese police since early May, has been handed over to the Directorate of Immigration's Supervision and Enforcement Division, he said. The suspect, wearing a face mask, short pants and an immigration detainees orange vest, was brought by police to a news conference Wednesday in the capital, Jakarta. He made no comment. Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, an immigration official, said at the news conference that days before the arrest, Japanese Embassy officials informed his office that they had revoked Taniguchis passport and that the suspect had last been seen in the Lampung area. His presence in Indonesia became illegal after the Japanese authorities revoked his passport, Prasetyo said. A diplomat at the embassy, Miyagawa Takayuki, said authorities of the two countries are coordinating on his deportation. Tokyo police arrested Taniguchis ex-wife and their two sons on May 30 on suspicion of fraud and placed Taniguchi on an international wanted list, according to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun. It said the three are suspected of defrauding the government of 3 million yen ($22,500) in COVID-19 subsidies from June to August 2020. The scheme was uncovered in August 2020 when the office offering the subsidies consulted with Tokyo police. Taniguchi is believed to have fled Japan two months later, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported. Since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, Connecticut school districts have been required to file annual two-page reports indicating they have conducted lockdown drills but more than a dozen districts have failed to file the report even once. Following the massacre that claimed the lives of 26 people, including 20 first-grade children, state legislators created a School Security and Safety Program that, among other things, requires the states roughly 200 school districts to file annual security plans and also mandates annual crisis management drills, better known as lockdown drills. The law requires school districts to submit a comprehensive security plan for all of their schools by Nov. 1 and a two-page lockdown drill report by July 1, every year. The lockdown drill report indicates when the drills took place and whether emergency protocols were followed. But records obtained by The Connecticut Mirror show that 16 school districts did not turn in school safety plans this year, and while lockdown drill reports arent due until July 1, state officials acknowledged that 16 districts have never submitted a lockdown drill report since the law went into effect nine years ago. State officials wouldnt say whether the 16 districts that havent turned in safety plans this year are the same districts that havent filed lockdown drill reports. Officials declined CT Mirrors request to identify the school districts that havent complied with either law, citing security concerns. I just cant expose or potentially expose or potentially make the schools that have not complied targets, State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner James Rovella said. Id be compromising their security in some fashion. But in light of another mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, Rovella expressed frustration that school districts havent complied with the law while also pointing out there really isnt any recourse he can take. Im not happy that these folks havent submitted their security plans or drill plans, but were after these folks all of the time, Rovella said. I think that gives us a renewed opportunity. Ive touched base with the Commissioner of Education about this, and shes not happy either. Rovella said he doesnt know if the districts that have never submitted lockdown drill reports just arent bothering with the paperwork or arent doing them at all. But, Rovella said, its hard to compel districts to comply because the law has no teeth. Do we want to go out and bite people? Rovella said. No, we want to have them comply because they want to comply, because it shows theyre invested into realizing that their kids, our kids, are the most important asset we have in life. Too much is almost never enough The legislation that required the safety plans and reports also established a funding program so schools could increase security. But while many districts took advantage of the funding, it was out of reach for others. The program called for local school boards to match a percentage of what the state was paying in order to receive any funding. Some districts, particularly smaller ones, didn't have the funds available to provide the required match. An analysis of the grants the state has awarded shows there is a handful of school districts that have received no money. Many of them are smaller districts that feed into regional high schools and only have elementary schools in their districts. For many, the local match of the state funds is the prohibitive factor. Union Superintendent Steve Jackopsic said for his small district of only one elementary school, the matching funds required to get a grant are too much. Union is the smallest school district in the state, with roughly 50 students. "Our whole school budget is about $2 million, so for us to take even $20,000 from that to match a state grant is a lot of money," Jackopsic said. He said he just finished an application for a separate school security grant program funded through the federal government that provides full reimbursement to the community. Putnam, which has its own high school, is one of the larger communities that hasnt received any state funding. Putnam Superintendent of Schools Daniel Sullivan III said the district considered submitting an application for the state funding last year, but it decided against it because the board of education realized it couldn't come up with the matching funds. The district considered adding more security cameras and film that could be applied to windows so that people can't see inside. Those would have improved the safety measures the schools already have in place, like classrooms that can lock from the inside, Sullivan said. "We have security infrastructure, but the incidents of the last week, if not the past years, is a reminder that too much is almost never enough," Sullivan said. 'Really peanuts' Overall, the state has given out 319 grants to school districts since the program was initiated for a total of about $71 million, according to state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security records. Those grants have funded nearly 1,700 individual school building projects overall. Those numbers include grants to private schools as well, according to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Deputy Commissioner Brenda Bergeron. In the first year, 112 security grants were approved and more than $21 million was handed out for security upgrades. The second year, there were 80 grants and $18 million spent. Bergeron said the school security grant program has never stopped and "from 2013 to today, the program has been continually up and running," although the state legislature funded the program only during five years. "Since it is a reimbursement program, each funding year has a multi-year period of performance and projects can be submitted that are retroactive back to 2013," Bergeron said. "So even in the years when 'new' funding was not allocated, projects covered under other rounds of funding were still being implemented." In 2021, there were 28 grants approved and $4.9 million dispersed. Bergeron said there was an additional $5 million earmarked specifically for projects that improve communication between schools and the local law enforcement agency that service them, whether it be local or state police. "With regard to 2021, $10 million was again allocated to this school security grant program and $5 million was allocated to the 'traditional' school security projects of that $5 million ... has been awarded," Bergeron said. "It is a continuous process, we are always working through the different projects under the competitive grant program." "The second $5 million allocated in 2021 is also for school security," Bergeron said. "The focus of this funding, known as the multi-media school security grant program, is on infrastructure that will enhance real time communications between schools and law enforcement." Kenneth Trump, a nationally known school security expert who operates National School Safety and Security Services out of Cleveland, said it's common for lawmakers to immediately provide funding after a mass shooting and then for interest in that program to wane as the years pass, and in many cases the funding doesn't meet the need. It sounds great when the state says they are putting $10 million or $20 million into school security, but when you have to parse that out to schools all over the state, thats really peanuts, Trump said. Target hardening Trump said superintendents and school officials are bombarded now by contractors promising the latest in security measures, whether it be fingerprint-only access keypads to school doors or expensive metal detectors. One of the immediate actions after a school shooting is to throw money at target hardening, but you cant just rely on that, because that might be a quick political fix that shows you are doing something, but the follow through sometimes isnt there, Trump said. Trump does security analysis for districts all over the country, and I cant tell you how many times I got to a school that put 10 security cameras in, and a few years later, four of them arent working, and the district has no money to fix them, he said. Trump was hired by Newtown officials after the Sandy Hook shooting as an expert when a lawsuit was filed against the school by a few parents whose children died in one of the classrooms. The lawsuit, which questioned whether the school was properly prepared for a school shooter, was eventually dismissed. I walked through that school before it was demolished, and I thought what they had in place was reasonable, and their principal was a step ahead of most on security at that time, Trump said. But part of whats missing in many school districts today is how do you deal with the unknowns or things you cant plan for. Trump said the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, two weeks ago is eerily similar to Sandy Hook. The shooter entered through a back door that had originally been opened by a teacher, who authorities now say closed it when she realized the shooter was outside. However, the door didnt lock, and the shooter walked right in, according to recent national news reports. So what was the issue there? Trump asked, adding was the door supposed to lock automatically and didnt because it wasnt working, or was the teacher supposed to manually try to lock the door while a shooter was approaching? Think of all the schools across the country that dont have air conditioning, and someone opens a gymnasium door because its too hot, and now you have an opening for a shooter, he said. When Trump does school security training with staff, the first thing he does is have them close their eyes and try to tell him where the nearest fire extinguisher to their room is. Many people cant answer that, even though they walk by it every day. Trump preaches situational awareness, which he defines as, "What is supposed to be there and what is not?" He also emphasizes "pattern recognition" for example, Trump said, is there a stranger on campus or someone who shouldnt be in the parking lot? Or "is a kid suddenly being isolated at recess? Too much firepower Many Connecticut school districts have received multiple grants, according to the data provided by the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. For example, New Haven has received five grants totaling nearly $5.6 million. Many other mid-size school districts have also taken advantage of the program. Cheshire has also received five grants totaling $1.7 million, records show. We have tried to approach security from a different perspective and not just about hardening of the schools, because, lets face it, someone with an AR-15 is probably going to eventually shoot through that door with that level of firepower, said Cheshire Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Solan. Cheshire has partnered with a retired FBI agent who lives in town to hold seminars with teachers and staff on how to recognize students who may need help or to recognize when something is off within or around a school. Bulletproof glass doesnt prevent deaths, it just minimizes them, but if you invest in mental health, maybe you can prevent it from happening in the first place, Solan said. What the town has done is take the money the state has provided and reinvest it on more security goals. Overall, the town has spent nearly $5 million, including the state funding, on security upgrades. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) With British Prime Minister Boris Johnson dealt a heavy blow after surviving a no-confidence vote from his own Conservative Party, questions already are being asked about who might succeed him if he was forced from office. Conservative lawmakers voted 211-148 to keep Johnson as leader Monday following revelations that he and his staff held Downing Street parties that broke Britain's COVID-19 lockdown rules. But the scale of the revolt was considered more damaging than expected. Although the leadership rules give Johnson a years respite from another such vote, he faces other risks. Party rebels could change the rules to force an early vote; he could be seen as a political liability if Conservatives lose special elections this month; he could be forced out if an ethics committee finds he lied to Parliament over the partygate scandal; or he could simply get fed up and quit. That would trigger a leadership contest to choose his replacement. While there is no single front-runner, here is a look at some possible contenders: ___ LIZ TRUSS, FOREIGN SECRETARY Truss, 46, took on the high-profile Cabinet post in September after serving as trade minister. She has been gaining momentum as a contender since then and has made no secret of her ambitions. As Britain's chief diplomat in the Ukraine crisis, Truss got a frosty reception from her Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to Moscow's Feb. 24 invasion. She is also the U.K.s lead negotiator with the European Union on lingering issues following Britains exit from the bloc. Once a campaigner for remaining in the EU, Truss has become a Brexit champion. Her former role as international trade secretary saw her signing post-Brexit deals around the world and channeling Johnsons ambitions for Global Britain. Truss is popular with many Conservatives, who see echoes of the partys first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, in the the free-market-loving politician. Truss' supporters have coined the slogan, In Liz We Truss. ___ RISHI SUNAK, TREASURY CHIEF Until recently, Sunak was widely regarded as the party's brightest rising star, the best-known of the contenders and the bookies favorite to succeed Johnson. Sunak, 42, was thrust into the spotlight when he became treasury chief in 2020, tasked with the unenviable job of steering the economy through its worst economic slump on record because of the pandemic. He dished out billions of pounds in emergency spending to help businesses and workers, and his policies have generally been seen in a positive light. But partygate changed those fortunes. Like Johnson, he was issued a police fine for attending a lockdown-flouting birthday party at Downing Street in June 2020. He also came under heavy criticism for being slow to respond to Britain's severe cost-of-living crisis. Sunak also faced pressure following revelations that his wife, Akshata Murthy, avoided paying U.K. taxes on her overseas income, and that the former investment banker held on to his U.S. green card while serving in government. If he succeeds, he would be Britains first prime minister of color. Born to Indian parents who moved to the U.K. from East Africa, Sunak attended the exclusive Winchester College private school and studied at Oxford. Some see his elite education and past work for the investment bank Goldman Sachs and a hedge fund as a deficit because he seems out of touch with ordinary voters. ___ JEREMY HUNT, FORMER CABINET MINISTER Hunt, a former health secretary and foreign secretary, ran against Johnson in the 2019 leadership race, billing himself as the more serious candidate. He lost heavily, and was dumped from the Cabinet when Johnson took over. He has openly said he wouldn't back Johnson, warning that keeping him in power would wreck the partys chances in the next general election. He is widely expected to make a new bid for the party leadership. In a January interview, the 55-year-old was quoted as saying that his ambition to lead the country hasn't completely vanished. Hunt has remained a lawmaker, and kept himself in the public eye by grilling ministers and experts as head of Parliament's Health and Social Care Select Committee. As a critic of the governments response to the pandemic, he may appeal to those seeking a change from Johnson, although some look on him unfavorably for implementing unpopular policies as health secretary. ___ BEN WALLACE, DEFENSE SECRETARY Wallace has won admirers for his straight talk, particularly among Conservative lawmakers who pressed for the U.K. to increase its defense spending. A 52-year-old army veteran, Wallace has raised his profile considerably as a key government voice in Britains response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. ___ TOM TUGENDHAT, COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIR Tugendhat, 48, is a non-Cabinet Conservative being mentioned as a possible leadership contender. Although he has no ministerial experience, Tugendhat reportedly is favored by some in the party as a good choice for a new start. An opponent of the 2016 Brexit referendum, the former soldier has been a trenchant critic of Johnson. He is also among a group of key Conservatives urging the U.K. to take a tougher stance on China. ___ NADHIM ZAHAWI, EDUCATION SECRETARY Zahawi, 55, came to prominence as vaccines minister during the pandemic and was credited with playing a key part in the successful rollout of the COVID-19 shot. A co-founder of the market research firm YouGov, Zahawi was elected as lawmaker in 2010. He was born in Iraq to a Kurdish family and came to the U.K. as a child when his parents fled Iraq under Saddam Hussein's rule. He is seen by some as a safe choice if other candidates such as Truss prove too divisive. ___ SAJID JAVID, HEALTH SECRETARY Javid, 52, has been health secretary since June 2021, leading Britains COVID-19 response. Before that, he served as treasury chief, but resigned in early 2020 after clashing with Johnson over his order to fire his team of advisers. The fact that Johnson brought him back into the government to handle the coronavirus response reflects his reputation for competence. The son of Pakistani immigrants, Javid has billed himself as a common-man alternative to his private school-educated rivals although he had a lucrative career in investment banking before entering politics. ___ MICHAEL GOVE, LEVELING UP SECRETARY Gove, a party heavyweight, has held many key Cabinet posts and currently is in charge of delivering on the governments promise to level up Britain to address inequality by increasing opportunities in deprived areas. Gove, 54, played a key role in the Brexit campaign and is widely respected in the party, but is not completely trusted. In the 2016 Conservative leadership campaign, he backed Johnson for leader before deciding to run himself a betrayal that many Conservatives haven't forgotten. ___ PENNY MORDAUNT, TRADE MINISTER Mordaunt, 49, has emerged as a surprise potential contender, with supporters saying she could help heal the party's divisions. Mordaunt played a prominent role in the pro-Brexit campaign and had backed Hunt in the 2019 leadership contest. She was removed as defense secretary as soon as Johnson became prime minister. She has since returned to government as international trade minister and is popular among Conservative lawmakers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new scholarship from a Stamford-based nonprofit intends to help diversify the makeup of Connecticut's mental health care professionals. Laurel House's Social Work Racial Equity Scholarship will award $10,000 to a Black or Hispanic Connecticut resident pursuing a Master's of Social Work degree during the 2022-23 school year. Cash awards of $1,000 and $500 will also be awarded to first and second runners-up. The scholarship is a first-time offering from Laurel House, Inc. The nonprofit has served people with mental health disorders in Fairfield County since 1984. By championing access to employment, education and housing, Laurel House provides its clients with opportunities for a better quality of life in the community. Ninety-five percent of Laurel House clients qualify as low income, and a significant proportion of them are Black and Hispanic, according to Vice President Jay Boll. He explained that many come from communities that value self-reliance, but when someone shows signs of a mental health problem, the first response is not to seek help from a therapist or mental health professional. There are historical inequities built into the system that result in those communities not having equal access to adequate mental health care," Boll said. There are many reasons for that, but one of them is that they dont see enough people on the delivering end of services who look like them and share a common experience. The purpose of the scholarship, according to Laurel House President and CEO Linda Autore, is to increase access to mental health care in communities of color by bringing more people from those communities into the social work profession. According to the National Association of Social Workers, white people make up nearly 67 percent of the nation's licensed social workers. Only 15 percent are Black, and just 12.4 percent are Hispanic or Latino. Additionally, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) present higher rates of some mental health disorders and face greater disparities in getting help than white people due to a lack of access to services, according to the American Psychological Association. Dr. Jessica Welt is the CEO and Clinical Director of The Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut. She said organizations like hers strive to attract clinicians who are representative of the clients they serve, as there is considerable evidence that this is a predictor of improved treatment outcomes. This scholarship will provide invaluable support to BIPOC individuals with a demonstrated commitment to serving communities of color and help reduce health disparities in our state, Welt said. Autore paid tribute to Kathleen Gilbert, LCSW and Resources to Recover Advisory Board Director, as a consummate social worker and the inspiration for the scholarship. Kathy is a role model for all Laurel House clinicians whom she supervised for licensure, augmenting the daily supervision by our own clinicians, Autore said. It's an advantage that so many don't have. Scholarship applicants must be: a Connecticut resident; Black or Hispanic; enrolled in a Master's of Social Work program in Connecticut or New York; able to demonstrate a need for financial assistance; and dedicated to improving access to mental health care for communities of color in Connecticut. Laurel House is accepting applications for the scholarship until June 30. The winner will be announced on July 29. For more information or to apply, visit www.laurelhouse.net/racial-equity-scholarship. The preceding content is a paid advertisement for Laurel House. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) An Arizona man convicted of murder in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl was put to death Wednesday in the states second execution since officials resumed carrying out the death penalty in May following a nearly eight-year hiatus. Frank Atwood, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, whose body was found in the desert, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement. Vicki Lynne went missing months earlier after leaving her home in Tucson to drop a birthday card in a nearby mailbox. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Atwoods execution Wednesday morning after rejecting a final appeal by his lawyers. He died at 10:16 a.m., Brnovich said, and witnesses reported that the execution went smoothly. Atwood was the second Arizona prisoner to be put to death in less than a month. The execution of Clarence Dixon in May ended Arizona's halt to executions that was blamed on the difficulty of obtaining lethal injection drugs and criticism that a 2014 execution in the state was botched. Death penalty opponents now worry that Arizona will now start executing a steady stream of prisoners who have languished on death row, but state officials didnt provide details when asked about the state's future execution plans. We will continue to seek justice for every victim, Brnovich said in another statement. He is among the Arizona Republicans campaigning in a crowded field for an Aug. 2 U.S. Senate GOP primary election. Arizona now has 111 prisoners on death row and Brnovichs office said 22 of them have exhausted all of their appeals. Dan Peitzmeyer, the Arizona death penalty abolition coordinator for Amnesty International USA, expressed concern that the executions of Atwood and Dixon "have opened the flood gates. Atwood was accompanied through the preparations for the lethal injection by a Greek Orthodox priest, witnesses to the execution said at a news conference after he died. He had claimed innocence, but did not address the killing with his last words. The witnesses said Atwood thanked the priest for coming today and shepherding me into the faith and added: "I pray the Lord will have mercy on all of us and that the Lord will have mercy on me. Bud Foster, a journalist for KOLD-TV who witnessed the execution of Atwood and has witnessed other executions, said the process of setting up IVs into Atwood for the lethal injection went smoothly and that it was probably the most peaceful of any of the executions that I witnessed in the past. Medical personnel preparing Atwood for the execution initially could not locate a vein in Atwood's right arm to put in an IV, but inserted it in his right hand at Atwood's suggestion, said Henry Brean, an Arizona Daily Star reporter who was another execution witness. The girl's mother, Debbie Carlson, watched the execution and told reporters after Atwood died that today marks final justice for our daughter, Vicki Lynne. Our family has waited for 37 years, eight months and 22 days for this day to come. She said her daughter was "a vibrant little girl with an infectious laugh and a smile that would melt your heart." Carlson added: "Her royal blue eyes reflected an old soul of wisdom, and her freckled nose was unique and we are blessed to see it in our grandchildren today. Vicki was a feisty little one that always kept you on your toes and will forever be known as Dennis the Menace, giggling all the way. Judges in recent weeks had rebuffed attempts by Atwood's lawyers to have the execution delayed. In the final weeks of Atwoods life, his attorneys tried unsuccessfully to make new arguments in a bid to overturn his death sentence, saying they discovered an FBI memo describing an anonymous caller claiming to have seen the girl in a vehicle not associated with Atwood, but which could be linked to a woman. Joseph Perkovich, one of Atwoods attorneys, said in a statement that his clients execution doesnt resolve what he said were unanswered questions about the case. The state of Arizona executed Frank Atwood despite lingering doubts about his guilt, Perkovich said. The case against Frank was purely circumstantial and significant evidence pointed to another suspect. Atwoods attorneys told the Supreme Court in court filings that the aggravating factor that made his crime eligible for the death penalty was invalidly applied. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and was convicted of Vicki Lynne's killing in 1987. Judges have rejected that legal argument in the past. They also said Atwood would undergo excruciating suffering strapped to the gurney while lying on his back because he has a degenerative spinal condition. Prosecutors claimed that Atwood was trying to indefinitely postpone his execution through legal maneuvers, saying his pain would be be alleviated by propping him with a pillow on the gurney, which has a tilting function. Atwood did not complain about back pain during the process to prepare him for the lethal injection, Brean said. Authorities have said Atwood kidnapped Vicki Lynne, whose remains were discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Experts could not determine the cause of death from the remains, according to court records. Arizona corrections officials have discretion over which reporters can witness executions. Three Tucson-area news organizations the Arizona Daily Star, KOLD-TV and KVOA-TV were selected to witness Atwoods execution. The Associated Press, which has a long history of witnessing executions in Arizona and served as a witness to Dixons execution, requested that one of its reporters be allowed to witness Atwoods execution, but was denied. Dixon was executed on May 11 for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State University student. His execution was criticized by death penalty experts because it took officials about 30 minutes to insert an IV to deliver the lethal drug and 10 minutes after that to die. They said executions should take seven to 10 minutes from the beginning of the IV insertion process until the moment the prisoner is declared dead. The execution team first tried and failed to insert an IV into Dixon's left arm before they were able to connect it in his right arm. They then made an incision in his groin area for another IV line. Dixons execution was the first to be carried out in the state since the July 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over nearly two hours. Wood snorted repeatedly and gasped before he died. His attorney said the execution had been botched. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the execution witness who said Atwood didn't complain about back pain was Arizona Daily Star reporter Henry Brean, not KVOA-TV reporter Lupita Murillo. ___ Billeaud reported from Phoenix. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Despite continued opposition from another veteran tenant, the citys airport commission Tuesday extended Atlantic Aviations lease at Sikorsky Memorial Airport for 20 years. The two to one teleconference vote concluded a several-month effort by Robert Bobby Christoph Jr., owner of Three Wing Aviation and also one of Bridgeports most prominent developers, to try and take over the four 1940s-era hangars Atlantic has operated for several years at the Stratford-based, city-owned Sikorsky. Meanwhile the new terms of the lease will, according to Airport Manager Michelle Muoio, eliminate the airports half million dollar operating deficit ahead of a pending sale to the Connecticut Airport Authority. Considering our current budget, both ... put us closer to breaking even or maybe just a little bit over, so thats really exciting news, Muoio told the commission. Atlantic is a nationwide firm dubbed a fixed base operator in the industry that has managed hangars at Sikorsky for over three decades and provides flyers a host of services, from fueling and de-icing to baggage services, catering and hotel arrangements. Three Wing, purchased by Christoph about three years ago, is a similar, long-standing business. Christoph and his father have also spent years developing the Steelpointe acreage, which currently includes a Bass Pro Shops store, a Starbucks coffee shop, a marina and Boca Oyster Bar restaurant, and other properties along Bridgeports harbor. Christoph successfully earlier this spring convinced the commission to have airport staff launch a competitive bidding process, delaying at that time a vote on a proposal Muoio, who works for Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganims administration, helped negotiate to keep Atlantic in place for another two decades. We just really believe in that airport, see what weve been able to do at Three Wing and want to continue the great growth, Christoph had said. And listen, if we get beat Im happy with that, too. In the end its an overall win for Bridgeport and Stratford by doing this process. Three Wing and Atlantic were the only to entities to submit proposals. Muoio on Tuesday told the commission members present Bridgeport City Clerk Lydia Martinez, Bridgeport Finance Director Ken Flatto and Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick a review committee rated Atlantics plan the best based on four categories: financial strength, relevant experience, aeronautical benefit and revenue/financial benefit. But Christoph at the start of Tuesday's teleconference argued his proposed rent was several hundred thousands more annually than Atlantics and once again expressed frustration with the selection process and claimed it was not benefiting taxpayers. I cant believe I am once again put in this position, fighting for the betterment of the citizens of Bridgeport, Christoph told the commission. He asked them to do right by the people of Bridgeport. Muoio admitted when asked by Flatto that Three Wing offered a higher rent and higher fee payments. But, she said, leasing at an airport, which operates under strict federal guidelines with revenues required to be invested back into the facility, Cant be handled the same way as a typical real estate opportunity. The highest bidder isnt always the best, Muoio said. After Christoph addressed the meeting, Michael Phillips, Atlantics general manager, spoke and urged the lease extension be granted. He emphasized his companys decades worth of experience and vast resources. Atlantic has 99 locations in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Our proposal is designed to maximize value for the city and airport over the terms of the lease, Phillips said. Hoydick voted no because, minutes earlier, the commission had delayed a private effort to establish an air and space center at Sikorsky based in part on questions about its impact on the Connecticut Airport Authoritys potential purchase. So why, Hoydick argued, would her fellow members be comfortable locking the CAA into a 20-year lease with Atlantic? Either we wait for everything for the CAA (deal to conclude) or we move everything forward. Thats how I feel, Hoydick said. In February Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, said in an interview we have no concerns with inheriting Atlantic as a tenant. Flatto Thursday lamented the fact that Atlantic and Three Wing have been at odds. I hate to hear, honestly, a dispute between two really good parties, Flatto said. BRIDGEPORT Former city personnel director David Dunn told a judge Wednesday that he was influenced by others to help Armando Perez cheat his way into becoming police chief. But Dunn, who served just over three months in a federal prison for the cheating scheme, did not name those people. There were numerous people who spoke on his (Perez) behalf to me and wanted him to succeed as chief, he testified. During his trial, in which he is trying to save his nearly $81,000 annual pension from being revoked by the judge, Dunn also downplayed the extent of his actions. Under questioning by Assistant Attorney General Gregory OConnell, he admitted supplying Perez with the questions to the examination in advance and adapting the scoring for the process to benefit Perez. But he said he was unaware that Perez had two other officers take the exam for him. And he was evasive on whether he lied to the FBI about telling one of the panelists scoring the chief selection process that Mayor Joe Ganim wanted Perez to be one of the finalists for the job. When you denied making that statement to the panelist that denial was a lie? OConnell asked Dunn. Thats what I was charged with and thats what I pled guilty to, Dunn replied. Ganims office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last year Dunn was sentenced in U.S. District Court to four months and Perez was sentenced to a year-and-a-day after each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making a false statement to the FBI. Under a 2008 state law, Attorney General William Tong is pursuing a lawsuit to take Dunns pension as well as the pension of Perez. State law requires the attorney general to sue seeking to revoke or reduce pensions of public employees who are convicted of crimes related to their office. Perezs civil trial is scheduled for October. During Wednesdays hearing before Superior Court Judge Charles Reed, Dunns lawyer, Barry C. Knott, presented three witnesses: Dunns criminal lawyer, Frederick Paoletti Jr., Dunns long-time significant other, Joyce Agius, and Dunn. Following the hearing, the judge said he will reserve decision on whether to revoke or reduce Dunns pension after receiving written arguments from both sides in late July. The judge said he saw the central argument of the case as being whether Dunn voluntarily cooperated with the investigation. Testifying remotely from his lawyers office, Dunn said he helped Perez cheat in the selection process because he felt Perez needed the help. I liked him, I wanted to see him succeed. Spanish is his first language, English is his second language and I thought he needed help, Dunn said. He was competing against men who had PhDs, masters degrees. I didnt think he was going to be able to answer the questions as well as they could and he was the favorite of the city. Dunn also testified that he has suffered physically as a result of his incarceration resulting in high blood pressure and a balance disorder. He said for the first 21 days of his imprisonment he was held in a windowless cell with no air conditioning. During that time, he was let out only once for 15 minutes. It was almost totally unbearable, he said. BERLIN (AP) The German government plans to give people prosecuted or investigated under a Nazi-era law criminalizing homosexuality that was still enforced zealously long after World War II another five years to seek compensation, the justice minister said Wednesday. The Cabinet decided to extend the deadline, which was due to expire on July 21, to ensure that any applications that arrive after that date aren't rejected, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement. It is important to me that we continue to keep this route open to the people affected, Buschmann said. The state of law owes them that. German lawmakers in 2017 approved the annulment of thousands of convictions under the so-called Paragraph 175, which remained in force in West Germany in its Nazi-era form until homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969. Lawmakers cleared the way for payments of 3,000 euros ($3,200) per conviction, plus 1,500 euros for every year of jail time those convicted started. In 2019, the government extended compensation to people who were put under investigation or taken into investigative custody but not convicted. It offered payments of 500 euros per investigation opened, 1,500 euros for each year in pre-trial custody, and 1,500 euros for other professional, financial or health disadvantages related to the law. As of September 2021, authorities said they had compensated 249 people, paying out nearly 860,000 euros. The law criminalizing male homosexuality was introduced in the 19th century, toughened under Nazi rule and retained in that form by democratic West Germany, which convicted some 50,000 men between 1949 and 1969. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969, but the legislation wasnt taken off the books entirely until 1994. In 2000, the German parliament approved a resolution regretting the fact that Paragraph 175 was retained after the war. Two years later, it annulled the convictions of gay men under Nazi rule but not the post-war convictions. The compensation also applies to men convicted in communist East Germany, which had a milder version of Paragraph 175 and decriminalized homosexuality in 1968. In all, some 68,300 people were convicted under various forms of Paragraph 175 in both German states. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A missing University of Minnesota student has been found dead in the Mississippi River in St. Paul. The Pioneer Press reported Tuesday that 21-year-old Abdirihman Abdifatah Ali of Prior Lake was last seen June 1 on the U of Ms West Bank. The Ramsey County Sheriffs Offices water patrol recovered his body from the river near Harriet Island on Monday evening. Foul play is not suspected. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) A Tennessee man wanted on a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend has been arrested in Kentucky, officials said. Bradley Miller, 43, was taken into custody late Monday in Ashland, news outlets reported, citing Kentucky State Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SHELTON Two volunteer members of a local fire department including one who is a Trumbull police sergeant have been arrested in connection with a 2020 sexual assault, authorities announced Wednesday. Trumbull police Sgt. Matthew Perkowski is accused of slapping the woman so hard during the assault one of her eardrums was ruptured and she had trouble hearing afterward, according to an arrest warrant. The victim also suffered from multiple bruises and bite marks during the assault, according to the warrant, written by Detective Richard Bango. But a lawyer representing the 33-year-old sergeant said the encounter was 100 percent consensual prior to his clients arraignment Wednesday at state Superior Court in Derby on charges of first-degree sexual assault and second-degree assault. Judge Scott Jones continued the case to June 23 and issued a protective order, barring Perkowski from having any contact with the woman hes accused of raping. According to the warrant, the assault was allegedly initiated by Perkowskis friend and fellow firefighter John Scollin, who was arrested Wednesday on charges of first-degree sexual assault. Perkowski surrendered to police Tuesday and was released after posting a $150,000 bond. He did not speak outside court after his arraignment. Scollin also posted $150,000 bond and is expected to appear in court Thursday. Outside the courthouse, Perkowskis lawyer, Gregory Cerritelli, said his clients arrest was political, noting the initial allegations dated to September 2020, when the case was investigated by Shelton police and the states attorneys office declined to prosecute. I was expecting something new, he said. These are all the same reports that are dated from two years ago. Theres nothing new except somebody wasnt happy with the fact that this guy and Scollin didnt get arrested. The lawyer declined to be more specific about who he thought prompted Perkowskis arrest. In a prepared statement Wednesday afternoon, Scollins lawyer, Christian Young, echoed the sentiment. This is a matter that had, years ago, been thoroughly reviewed by investigating and prosecuting authorities who determined there was no reason to criminally charge or arrest anyone, he said. Asked about the victims injuries as documented by police, Cerritelli noted that his client was not the only one allegedly involved. Firstly, Matt Perkowski was not the only person present there, he said. Secondly, people have their own desires and this may have been a very consensual act between these people. He said Perkowski intends to plead not guilty and take the case to trial. According to the warrant, the alleged victim said Scollin began to call and text her about 1 a.m. Sept. 6, 2020, drunkenly demanding to have sex, then showed up at her house, where he was very intoxicated and aggressive. The woman said Scollin had her drive to the Echo Hose firehouse, where she said Scollin assaulted her in her car outside the building, the warrant stated. The victim stated she said multiple times to stop, but he refused and he forced her to continue, the warrant stated. Eventually, the woman told police, she and Scollin went to Perkowskis Shelton home, where she said both men physically and sexually assaulted her. The woman told police she wasnt sure whether she wanted to press charges, then told police the next week she didnt want to pursue her complaint. According to the warrant, a prosecutor at the courthouse told cops that we would only pursue the matter if the victim wanted to proceed. Then, last March, the warrant stated the woman called Bango extremely upset and crying because Scollin had told her there would be a newspaper article about the case. The victim stated she wanted to come in and say she made the whole thing up to make this go away, the warrant stated. (Bango) advised the victim she could come to the police department, but if she gave a statement that was later found to be untruthful, there could be legal consequences. Last year, Mayor Mark Lauretti and other Shelton officials said they were not notified of the incident until March 2021, when Hearst Connecticut Media Group obtained a copy of the police report through a Freedom of Information Act request. On June 1, 2021, the warrant stated, Bango met with supervisors at the Shelton Police Department and it was determined that the allegations fall within family violence laws. Cerritelli said the passage of time between the initial investigation and Perkowskis arrest was suspicious. To say Im outraged is an understatement, Cerritelli said. This was motivated Im sure by forces greater than we can imagine, but somethings going on here and it certainly doesnt smell very good. Lauretti said Wednesday he doesnt have any power to make arrests and said there was nothing political about the arrests. But if this is their case, the mayor said, Im not there yet. I have been through this for years. You need to cut through the rhetoric to get to the facts of the case. Young said police shouldnt have released the initial report in response to the public records request, saying the city chose to improperly release the confidential investigative materials causing harm to individuals. We look forward to learning more about how and why this previously reviewed matter has years later resulted in an arrest, he said. The fact that they now have persisted in pushing for an arrest is evidence the case was still open, which is further evidence the release of the records of an apparently ongoing investigation was wrong and unjustifiable, Young said. Trumbull police said in a statement Wednesday that Perkowski was placed on administrative leave as a result of the criminal charges, and that his police powers have been suspended. The allegations contained in the Shelton police arrest warrant will be reviewed and investigated by the Office of Internal Affairs in Trumbull to identify any violations of the departments Code of Conduct, and we will await the findings from the court, Trumbull Police Chief Michael Lombardo said in a statement. These accusations present a very serious personnel matter that will be handled appropriately. Trumbull police referred further questions to Shelton police and the states attorneys office. The case drew swift reaction from the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut. Police carry handcuffs and guns, can access peoples sensitive personal information including that of sexual assault survivors and are often tasked with investigating sexual assaults, making the accusations against this person even more concerning and immediately relevant to whether they can or should be a police officer, said Dan Barrett, the organizations legal director. Perkowski and Scollin have been suspended by the fire department since the start of the investigation. Scollin resigned as captain soon after he was suspended. Fire Commission Michael Maglione declined to comment on the arrests. Lauretti said after being notified of the accusations on March 8, 2021, he read the police report, which he described as extremely graphic. Bango noted in the report the Trumbull Police Department was notified about the womans accusations involving Perkowski. After they were notified, Trumbull police conducted an internal investigation that resulted in Lombardo suspending Perkowski for 15 days. Perkowski appealed through a union grievance, but the Trumbull Police Commission unanimously upheld the suspension, calling the accusations against the officer abusive and reprehensible. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WESTPORT Best selling author James Patterson has collaborated with multiple notable people and authors, such as Dolly Parton and former President Bill Clinton. The collaboration has even led to a friendship with Parton where she sang Happy Birthday to him over the phone, he told an audience at the Westport Library on Tuesday. Patterson said she once wrote him a poem where she mentioned her song You Cant Make Old Friends, which she told him she believed until he walked in her door. Now, Patterson is writing about another well known figure closer to home himself. Its been really rewarding, Patterson said at this weeks event, which focused on his new memoir James Patterson by James Patterson. Patterson is a prolific writer, boasting nearly 400 titles under his name. This memoir is the tenth book he has published so far in 2022, and hes far from done. He spoke with fellow author Nina Sankovitch, the facilitator of the night, about various areas of his life, inside and outside of his memoir. Following his talk, two members of the audience were able to ask questions and all audience members were able to get copies of his memoir signed. Patterson had one rule for the night, which he repeated throughout the event: If you like the book, I want you to tell everybody. If you dont like it, keep it to yourself, he joked. His lighthearted banter with the audience began as soon as he took the stage, and looked behind him, noticing the cover of his memoir. Who is that on the cover of my book? he asked, as the crowd laughed. Oh, I know who it is. Thats me when I was 50. Patterson said he decided to pen a memoir from his time writing during the pandemic. During COVID-19, he was stuck in the house and started jotting down ideas, which made him a better writer because he was paying more attention to the sentences he was writing. He also said that hes had more good comments from this book than ever before, including his best friend calling him on the phone, crying over it. He said that this memoir isnt a sad book, but it has its moments. In the memoir, Patterson talks about two of his love stories: the first with his late wife, Jane, and the second with his current wife, Sue. He said that he loved Jane so much. The relationship taught him about love and he learned that he was lovable, which gave him hope. Then, he met Sue about 25 years ago, whom he has a son with. Sue and I, we go to sleep every night holding hands, he said. If Sue leaves me, Im going with her. Patterson also shared other stories from his life, including his time working at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, where he met James Taylor before fame. They also talked about how Patterson did not read much as a child. Though, now, he works to encourage reading among students, particularly young ones. Patterson said it shouldnt just be to get them to read, but to get them to read books they actually enjoy. He said his most important work is Walk in My Combat Boots, a collection of real stories from members of the military he wrote with First Sergeant Matt Eversmann. Patterson said that when they started writing that book, their goal was for readers who were in combat at some point in their life, to sayEversmann and Patterson got it right. Patterson said writing collaborative books isnt as weird as some people may think. Typically, he said, he writes a 50- to 80-page outline, encourages the cowriter to contribute and checks in on the work every few weeks. One of those collaborative works, Run, Rose, Run, which he wrote with Parton, will be turned into a film by Sony, he said. He also has some upcoming works of his own. One book will be entitled Blowback, and focus around an American president going insane while in office. The crowd laughed, to which he said, Whoever youre thinking about, imagine its even worse. This book talk was in partnership with the Darien Library and was available both in person and via livestream. For upcoming book talks and events, visit the Westport Librarys website. kayla.mutchler@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Westport Moms organized a march in downtown Westport on Wednesday against gun violence. The march included community leaders, elected officials and residents many of whom wore orange, the color usually used in regards to gun violence. Advertisement Gold Price Outlook: Gold prices havent done much of anything since mid-May, and have started June constrained in a range. Stability in the US Dollar and US Treasury yields both real and nominal turning higher represent headwinds for gold prices. According to the IG Client Sentiment Index , gold prices nevertheless hold a bullish bias in the near-term. Nothing Gained, Nor Lost Gold prices have eased back from their highs last week, returning to the area around 1850 a familiar area where gold prices have levitated since mid-May. A rebound by the US Dollar, thanks to a rise in both real and nominal US Treasury yields, as well as elevated Fed rate hike odds, have short-circuited golds early-June attempt at sustaining a topside move. It thus remains the case that fundamentally speaking, nothing has changed materiallythe main rationale for not having a longer-term bullish perspective rising US real yields remains valid. Any short-term rallies by gold prices retain a sell the rally mindset, particularly as gold prices dont have a bullish seasonality tendency in June. Gold Volatility Drops, Gold Prices Cant Rally Historically, gold prices have a relationship with volatility unlike other asset classes. While other asset classes like bonds and stocks dont like increased volatility signaling greater uncertainty around cash flows, dividends, coupon payments, etc. gold tends to benefit during periods of higher volatility. Gold volatility falling in recent weeks presents a challenge for gold prices ability to sustain a meaningful turn higher. GVZ (Gold Volatility) Technical Analysis: Daily Price Chart (June 2021 to June 2022) (Chart 1) Gold volatility (as measured by the Cboes gold volatility ETF, GVZ, which tracks the 1-month implied volatility of gold as derived from the GLD option chain) was trading at 16.15 at the time this report was written. The 5-day correlation between GVZ and gold prices is +0.37 while the 20-day correlation is -0.69. One week ago, on June 1, the 5-day correlation was -0.25 and the 20-day correlation was -0.31. Gold Price Rate Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (June 2021 to June 2022) (Chart 2) Last week it was noted that a near-term swing higher towards dynamic support/resistance dating back to November 2021 near 1877 is possible. Gold prices traded above 1874 last week before turning lower anew. Bullion continues to consolidate above the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of the 2015 low/2020 high range at 1832.48, but momentum is lacking. Daily MACD is climbing, but remains below its signal line, and daily Slow Stochastics are moving away from overbought territory. With gold prices intertwined among their daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA envelope, it remains the case that there is not enough technical evidence to think that the worst is over for gold prices. Gold Price Technical Analysis: Weekly Chart (October 2015 to June 2022) (Chart 3) Nothing has changed. The weekly timeframe continues to suggest that a double top is forming for gold prices, with the two peaks carved out by the August 2020 and March 2022 highs. Ever since the bearish outside engulfing bar on the weekly timeframe in late-April, gold prices have not been able to sustain a meaningful bid. IG CLIENT SENTIMENT INDEX: GOLD PRICE FORECAST (June 8, 2022) (Chart 4) Gold: Retail trader data shows 79.50% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 3.88 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 1.62% lower than yesterday and 1.04% lower from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 13.16% higher than yesterday and 10.90% higher from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests Gold prices may continue to fall. Yet traders are less net-long than yesterday and compared with last week. Recent changes in sentiment warn that the current Gold price trend may soon reverse higher despite the fact traders remain net-long. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Strategist News Details Winbond flash memory W77Q is SESIP Level 2 certified Date: 08-06-22 Taiwan based memory chipmaker Winbond Electronics announced that its TrustME W77Q Secure Flash had obtained Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms (SESIP) Level 2 with Physical Attacker Resistance Certification. Winbond says with SESIP level 2 certification, W77Q Secure Flash will provide connected devices a higher level of assurance by simultaneously requiring a vulnerability analysis and actual penetration testing on IoT platform design systems using Secure Flash in compliance with security and functional safety standards simultaneously. Further information shared by Windbond in its release includes: This is the first certification using GlobalPlatform SESIP Profile for Secure External Memories, and NIST 8259A (IoT device cybersecurity capability core baseline). The certification also claims compliance with IEC 62443 (security for industrial automation and control systems). With the prestigious industry-recognized security certification, TrustME W77Q Secure Flash can simultaneously satisfy emerging cybersecurity demands in IoT applications. The W77Q family has also been certified with the Common Criteria EAL2+, Functional safety ISO26262 ASIL-C level and FIPS 140-3 CAVP. W77Q Secure Flash comes in densities of 16Mb, 32Mb, 64Mb and 128Mb; it operates at a frequency of 66MHz in Double Transfer Rate mode and 133MHz in Single Transfer Rate mode. It features a standard single/dual/quad/QPI serial peripheral interface (SPI) and industry-standard packages and pin-outs to facilitate their uses as a drop-in replacement for non-secure SPI NOR Flash devices. W77Q Secure Flash can retain data for over 20 years and perform 100,000 Program/Erase cycles with a wide operating temperature range of -40C to 105C. Security Features: Complementary to the host chip, W77Q Secure Flash provides the security features of secure boot code storage and authentication, secure firmware update, remote attestation for building platform Root of Trust and firmware resiliency. These outstanding security features are enabled by the below security functions from the perspectives of protection, detection, and recovery: Data confidentiality Data and command authentication Code integrity protection Replay protection Cryptographically secured write protection Secure code update with rollback protection DICE-like attestation mechanism Authenticated Watchdog Timer with an optional hardware reset output Secure firmware over-the-air update, via an end-to-end secure channel between an update authority (a.k.a. OTA server) and the W77Q even when the host processor or SoC has been compromised. "We would like to congratulate GlobalPlatform Full Member Winbond for achieving SESIP Level 2 certification," adds Ana Tavares Lattibeaudiere, Executive Director of GlobalPlatform. "SESIP is helping IoT product manufacturers, like Winbond, comply with specific security requirements and regulations. Because the methodology is mappable to other evaluation methodologies, and compliant with many standards and regulations, it reduces the complexity, cost and time-to-market for IoT stakeholders as we all work to bring greater trust to the IoT ecosystem." "In the world of connected devices, security is becoming strategic for risk management, market differentiator and compliance. Many standards and regulations are emerging across regions and verticals. Standards like IEC 62443, NIST 8259A and others are looking to address core security functionality. SESIP has rapidly grown internationally as the recognized certification going beyond the security fragmentation. As an optimized version of CC applied to IoT market, SESIP is providing evidence of secure products by design. The proper protection of stored data is a key element of the overall security of devices." says Carlos Serratos, Director of Strategy at SGS Brightsight. Carlos goes on to say, "SGS Brightsight congratulates Winbond with the successful certification of their W77Q16/32 Secure Flash Memory under SESIP and CC, an achievement on itself that gets enhanced for proving its readiness for applications in the scope of IEC 62443 and NIST 8259A. Glad to be the Winbond partner in its security journey!" Loser's consent graciously accepting the result of a free and fair vote, no matter how vehemently you might disagree with it is essential to a functioning democracy. Troublingly, however, some in British politics seem to believe this noble concept can be disregarded on a whim. After the EU referendum, irreconcilable Remainers strove (indeed, still strive) to overturn Brexit by hook or by crook. Now, another instance of such unsavoury antics. While Boris Johnson's victory in Monday's no-confidence vote means he cannot be challenged for a year, a gaggle of Tory mutineers are petulantly vowing to topple him all the same. What right have these political pygmies to refuse to abide by the expressed will of the majority? If their coup succeeded, it would be one of the most grievous acts of self-harm witnessed in Westminster for a very long time. Only 30 months ago Boris, by sheer force of personality, broke the logjam of a paralysed, Remainer-dominated parliament and gave the Tories their biggest majority in a generation. Boris Johnson addresses his Cabinet ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting in Downing Street on Tuesday Do these disloyal, ungrateful plotters really know better than the 14million who voted for him? If they embark on a guerrilla war to turf him out it will be abundantly clear they are devoid of principles (stand up, Jeremy Hunt) and nothing more than self-serving narcissists (take a bow, David Davis). No, the anti-Johnson gang have had their moment. If they have an iota of integrity, they will take a deep breath and unite behind the Prime Minister. Of course, Partygate was a scandal. But Tory MPs should not be spooked by the tsunami of outrage on 24-hour news. For months, the PM has been ceaselessly and savagely attacked by a shamelessly biased broadcast media. Yet the party only just trails Labour in the polls. Mr Johnson has undoubtedly been badly damaged by the rebellion. But the Daily Mail fervently believes he can rise to the monumental challenges facing the country. After all, in No 10 he has played a fiendishly difficult hand well, dealing with Brexit, Covid and the response to the Ukraine war. Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday) is trying to move on from the Tory confidence vote despite four in 10 MPs calling for him to quit Step one, though, is returning to the Tory values on which he was elected. His promise to cut the eye-popping tax burden, to help grow the economy and ease the cost of living for families, is a welcome start. Just get on with it, PM. He must also begin to fulfil his promises to deport Channel migrants, secure our energy supply and build more homes to give the young a stake in capitalism. Boosterish rhetoric must be matched by reality. That is how the Tories can win the next election and ward off Sir Keir Starmer's ruinous socialist peril. Holding us to ransom The shameful meltdown at our airports that has ruined millions of ordinary people's travel plans is poised to get even worse. British Airways ground staff from the GMB union at Heathrow are threatening to strike during the summer holiday season in a bitter pay dispute, adding to flight chaos. The shameful meltdown at our airports that has ruined millions of ordinary people's travel plans is poised to get even worse. Pictured: Heathrow Airport This, though, is merely the tip of the militant iceberg. Hardline rail workers have called a three-day walkout this month over exaggerated threats to jobs and pensions. These dinosaurs may risibly claim to stand for social justice. But by needlessly and cruelly timing shutdowns to inflict maximum misery on passengers, they expose themselves as holding the public in utter disdain. When the story landed at 9.30pm on Tuesday night, the reaction from Boris Johnsons inner circle was incredulous and blunt. Total b******s! said one ally. Whats going on? asked another. A third talked of ludicrous fantasy politics. The article in question was a front page report in The Daily Telegraph, claiming that the Prime Ministers allies were urging him to offer Jeremy Hunt the job of Chancellor as a dream team to heal rifts within the party following Mr Johnsons narrow confidence vote win on Monday. The suggested move was likened to Gordon Browns decision to bring the Blairite Lord Mandelson into his Cabinet to shore up his administration in 2008. Given that Mr Hunt called this week for Mr Johnson to be deposed because we are no longer trusted by the electorate.... we are set to lose the next general election, it would have amounted to an astonishing volte face by the former health secretary, dubbed Theresa May in Trousers without the charisma by the PMs supporters. When the story landed at 9.30pm on Tuesday night, the reaction from Boris Johnsons inner circle was incredulous and blunt Inside Downing Street, the finger for the story is being pointed at Mr Hunts allies, who they accuse of trying to brief themselves back inside the camp. One source said: Hunt went too soon on Monday, pitching for the job before it became available. There has been a lot of rowing back by them since then. I think his team are trying to use it to get him back in the Cabinet. I can assure you that Jeremy Hunt is not about to become the Chancellor or indeed anything. Mr Johnsons win, by 211 votes to 148, protects him against a further vote for a year assuming the partys 1922 Committee doesnt change the rules to allow an earlier challenge. A key member of the Johnson inner circle said yesterday that Mr Hunt who as the Mail revealed on Monday has been plotting his path to No 10 for over a year by installing advisers and courting disaffected MPs had used up his one bullet. The ally said: You only have one chance to shoot the King. You cant miss. We had been preparing for this for months it didnt take a genius to work out that a challenge was going to come. They triggered it too soon if they had waited until after the by-elections [in Wakefield and in Tiverton and Honiton on June 23rd, which the party is on course to lose] they might have got across the line. The ally added: We were also lucky that the contest kicked in on Monday morning, when our MPs were still scattered around the country in their constituencies. Our plan was to go quickly, before the rebels had the chance to properly mobilise. The article in question was a front page report in The Daily Telegraph, claiming that the Prime Ministers allies were urging him to offer Jeremy Hunt the job of Chancellor as a dream team to heal rifts within the party We had very good intelligence about which way the MPs would be voting, so we worked on those we needed to. Now they have voted we have an even better idea secret ballot notwithstanding. Allies of Mr Hunt, meanwhile, strenuously denied being behind the Telegraph story, claiming: Jeremy is not interested in that role. One said: Jeremy didnt want a contest this week. He didnt put a letter in himself nor did he encourage anyone else to do so. . He wanted this debate to take place in the autumn or even next summer. But, once the vote was happening, he felt he had to say what he honestly believes which is that, as things stand, the Tory party is heading for a catastrophic defeat. Despite the size of the rebellion against him, the PMs team brush away comparisons with Mrs Mays fate. She was toppled seven months after winning a confidence vote with higher support from her MPs than Mr Johnson enjoyed. Mr Johnsons win, by 211 votes to 148, protects him against a further vote for a year assuming the partys 1922 Committee doesnt change the rules to allow an earlier challenge One source said: Theresa said before the vote that she would not lead the party into another election, so she was a terminal case anyway. Boris intends to lead the party into the next election, which will concentrate minds. Mr Hunt came under heavy Tory fire after his change or lose message, with the indefatigable Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries attacking his duplicity right now in destabilising the party and country to serve your own personal ambition. Pro-Boris MPs have pledged to unite behind an ABH (Anyone But Hunt) candidate such as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss or Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi if Mr Hunt enters the race. They warn that the One Nation wing of the party never produces a Prime Minister. A No 10 source said last night: There will not be an imminent reshuffle and when there is one it wont involve Hunt. Rishi is doing a good job as Chancellor. If there are ministerial changes it will be because there is a cold-blooded need to help people with the cost of living or make them safer on their own streets, by putting in effective and loyal people. Not to square off opponents. The extraordinary life of a thrice-married penniless 20th century baroness who once shaved her pubic hair on film is being celebrated in a new exhibition. Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven was a notorious performance artist in Twenties New York; she wore a cake as a hat, spoons as earrings and postage stamps as make-up and lived in poverty due to never monetising her art. Her title was acquired in New York in 1913 after a short marriage to an impoverished German baron, but she refused to bow down to bourgeois behaviour - instead constantly defying convention and becoming a 'downtown Manhattan legend'. She called for people to have sex with whoever they wanted and frequently stepped out in men's clothing, at a time when such behaviour was taboo. Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven was a notorious performance artist in Twenties New York; she wore a cake as a hat, spoons as earrings and postage stamps as make-up and lived in poverty due to never monetising her art The Baroness' sculptures of rugged commonplace items and unconventionally forthright poetry - which is thought to have unsettled members of society at the time - is now being explored in a new exhibition at Londons Mimosa House, The Guardian reported. Baroness Elsa was born Elsa Hildegard Plotz in the city of Swinoujscie, now part of Poland, in 1874, to a middle-class family. She was the eldest of two siblings. Her mother suffered for years with mental health before dying of cancer in 1893. Her father had a history of abusive treatment towards his daughter, which led her to run away to Berlin to live with an aunt. Already a rulebreaker who defied convention, for much of her early teenage years she performed vaudeville in the German city, before becoming part of the inner circle of Munichs Art Nouveau movement. Her first marriage was in 1901 to Berlin architect August Endell. The couple reportedly had an 'open relationship' and soon began travelling Italy with poet and translator Felix Greve, also known as Frederick Grove. Elsa's title was acquired in New York in 1913 after a short marriage to an impoverished German baron, but she refused to bow down to bourgeois behaviour - instead constantly defying convention and becoming a 'downtown Manhattan legend' Elsa and August's marriage ended in divorce in 1906 and the following year she married Greve. Greve was in serious financial trouble and, with Elsa's help, he faked his own death and set off for the US in 1909, where he set up a new life on a Kentucky farm. Elsa joined her husband but was left heartbroken when her husband reportedly left her and moved out of state. To make ends meet, Elsa worked as an artist's model and slowly made her way east across the US to New York. It is here she married her third husband, Leopold von Freytag-Loringhoven, and styled herself 'baroness'. His father, Hugo von Freytag-Loringhoven, was a Prussian general and a writer on military matters, being awarded the Pour le Merite in 1916 for his work as a historian. However von Freytag-Loringhoven was not wealthy and Elsa supported herself by working as an artist's model. Their marriage was short-lived and she did not marry again. Elsa made sculptures and outfits from items she would discover on the streets - including her wedding ring, which was a rusted metal hoop found on the pavement - and penned and performed experimental poetry Elsa made sculptures and outfits from items she would discover on the streets - including her wedding ring, which was a rusted metal hoop found on the pavement - and penned and performed experimental poetry. Some of her most eye-catching costumes included a bra made from tomato soup cans, hats featuring stolen teaspoons and even live birds caged as accessories. The artist also worked with fellow surrealists Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray on the film The Baroness Shaves Her Pubic Hair - with only a few stills surviving the editing process, according to the publication. She is credited with helping invent the readymade - a sculpture created with everyday materials - and showcasing that art can be anything. According to the publication, one painter wrote of a visit to the Baroness studio: It was crowded and reeking with strange relics, which she had purloined over a period of years from the New York gutters. As well as her standout ensembles, which at one point included a tomato-can bra, the shaved head Baroness also refused to obey the law. She was arrested frequently for shoplifting and wearing men's clothing in public during the early 20th century Old bits of ironware, automobile tires, gilded vegetables ash cans, every conceivable horror, which to her tortured yet highly sensitized perception, became objects of formal beauty. However, a scandalous theory hangs over her story - that the Baroness is the uncredited collaborator with Duchamp on his famous Fountain (1917) - an upturned porcelain urinal, signed R Mutt. Various artists and authors have suggested that evidence - such as her life, way of working and sculptures - points to the Baroness being partially responsible for the piece. However, Artsy noted that the Baroness never claimed credit for Fountain - despite not being known for holding back. Due to her financial situation, a lot of her work wasnt preserved and sometimes others even took credit for them. In 1923, the Baroness returned to Germany in the hope of making more money. However, she instead found it devastated following the war. Her father, who had died, had disinherited her, which meant she was left to sell newspapers in Berlin as she tried to make a living. In 1926, she moved to Paris, where she spent the last years of her life penniless. But despite her financial struggles, she made plans to open her own modelling school in the late summer of 1927, labelling it her last dream, according to The Art Story. On December 14, 1927, the artist died of gas suffocation. The circumstances of the Baroness's death remain unresolved. It is unclear if she had simply forgotten to turn the gas off, someone else turned it on, or it was an intentional act. She is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Following her death, her work has been shown in several exhibitions. The Baroness is at Mimosa House, London, until 17 September. Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com may earn an affiliate commission. Bryce Dallas Howard made a glamorous arrival while attending the premiere of her new film Jurassic World: Dominion at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California this week. The actress wore her auburn hair styled with soft curls, with her bangs framing her stunning features. She stood out thanks to her smoky eyeshadow and flawlessly applied makeup. Bryce opted for this black maxi dress by Australian designer Alex Perry for the evening, who also counts Hailey Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez as fans. Chic! Bryce looked incredible in a ravishing figure-hugging black gown with structured shoulders and two front diamond cut-outs that showed off her ample cleavage and toned waist Her dress mixes an elegant silhouette with modern diamond cut outs, structured shoulders and a striking column skirt. Follow her lead and shop this dress linked here for $2600. It's a worthwhile investment and will save the day when you require a formal look. You don't need to spend a fortune to look as amazing as Bryce, simply pick up one of the following lookalike dresses that will give you that same style without the designer price tag. The chaos in our airports this past week has caused anger and heartbreak for thousands of travellers as well as airline staff. Here, Gemma Stephenson, 26, who has worked as cabin crew since 2018, shares her diary of a situation that puts so many to shame . . . Friday, May 27, 8pm Taking a last look at Facebook before setting my alarm for 2.30am proves a bad idea. One of the crew on my morning flight to Tenerife has posted saying that we might not have enough staff on board. It's the start of half term and we have 11 hours until the scheduled departure. I go to sleep hoping 'Crewing' the team that co-ordinates the airline's pilots and cabin crew sorts it out. Saturday, May 28, 3.30am One last check that I haven't missed a call saying that my flight has been cancelled, then I head to the airport. We get informed of delays and cancellations long before the passengers, who might get texted on their way to the airport, or even at check-in. We don't get paid if we get stood down before we've reported for work, meaning it's more important to make sure we don't arrive at the airport when a flight's been delayed than it is to tell passengers to stay at home. 5am Walking towards the terminal, I see a long queue of passengers at a bus stop. An elderly gentleman spots my uniform and rushes over. 'We've been here all night,' he says, gesturing towards his wife and another couple they're supposed to be holidaying in Corfu together. Instead, they're being bussed to a hotel while the airline arranges an alternative flight. 'They're not telling us anything,' he says, bewildered. 'Can you find out for us?' I imagine my grandparents in the same situation and my heart lurches, but sadly I don't have access to the information they need. Time now to bring home a plane full of holidaymakers who've had to wait for us to finally land in Tenerife, delaying their return journey 6am Cabin crew have to go through security like everyone else. On a good day, you're through in ten minutes. Right now, it's taking up to an hour. That's because staffing problems are affecting every element of airport life in the car parks, at the check-in desks, throughout security and even in the shops and cafes. So many people were let go during the pandemic, and it seems enough haven't been re-hired. Staff are stretched so thinly that even normal sickness levels can cause problems. There aren't enough baggage handlers to load luggage onto planes, or enough cabin crew for each flight. Meanwhile, the knock-on effect of delays is that pilots and their co-pilots keep running out of flight hours how many hours they're allowed to fly for in a given period. I race into the crew room for my pre-flight briefing, just in time to hear a manager announce: 'Every flight today is delayed it's a mess.' 9.30am Our 6.30am flight takes off three hours late. Some passengers seem quite tipsy when they board, having spent the delay in one of the bars. Thankfully, the alcohol means that they sleep through the flight. I'm relieved because booze can as easily make a disgruntled passenger turn nasty. 3pm Time now to bring home a plane full of holidaymakers who've had to wait for us to finally land in Tenerife, delaying their return journey. They look tired but happy to be in the air. 'Can you check if our bags are in the hold?' a lady asks me. Sadly, I can't. What she doesn't realise is that her biggest problem will be retrieving them from the carousel when we are back in the UK. My heart sinks as the caterers board the plane and immediately announce that there's no hot food, alcohol and crisps. The only food I can offer is bars of chocolate 9pm We land and send our passengers on their way. As crew we spend another hour on board cleaning up. Passing the carousels, I see the bags from our flight still haven't appeared. I spot the lady who asked me to check on her luggage asleep on the floor. I dread to think how long she'll be waiting. Sunday, May 29, 10am It's my day off, and I'm due at my parents' for lunch. But Crewing calls asking me to work a delayed afternoon flight to Barcelona. Right now, barely any planes are taking off on time. Knowing my presence could stop the plane being cancelled, I say yes, glad to also get double time for the extra shift. 2pm I head to one of the food concessions to grab something on my way to my plane when I feel a tug on my arm. It's an exhausted-looking mum jiggling a baby on her hip, a red-eyed toddler clutching her hand. She's been here since the early hours, waiting for a flight to Rhodes. 'Should I just give up and take the kids home?' she asks. I have no idea what is going to happen to her flight. 'I'm so sorry,' I say. 'I can't help you.' 4pm My heart sinks as the caterers board the plane and immediately announce that there's no hot food, alcohol and crisps. The only food I can offer is bars of chocolate. 'You lot are a joke,' a furious passenger declares when I tell him I haven't got a toastie for his hungry little boy. I apologise and ask, as mildly as possible, if there's anything else I can get for him, praying he doesn't ask for a bag of crisps. I understand he's upset, but it's hard to bear the brunt of passengers' anger when there's nothing we can do. Midnight I crawl into bed, exhausted, glad I'm off tomorrow. I can't believe we're in this much of a mess and the week hasn't even started. Our managers are telling us to fill in fatigue reports forms where you state the extra hours you've worked so that if you make a mistake it's been officially recorded how tired you are, which offers you some protection but also highlights potential issues to the powers that be. My alarm goes off and I see a notification saying there's been a change to my rota my flight is delayed, so I'll need to report for duty later Monday, May 30, 9am I wake to a message from a friend asking me to cover her standby shift meaning I'd potentially get called into work this afternoon. She's exhausted and desperate for a day off. I feel terrible saying no, but I'm working an early flight tomorrow and can't risk getting stranded at a foreign airport. I sleep most of the day. Tuesday, May 31, 2.45am My alarm goes off and I see a notification saying there's been a change to my rota my flight is delayed, so I'll need to report for duty later. A Crewing operator calls and says I should go back to bed and check in with the team at 9am. However, I can't sleep. My stomach's churning thinking about all the upset I'll face if the flight even takes off. 10am I keep my head down and go straight to the crew room it's heartbreaking being asked for information from desperate and tired people, many of whom have been sleeping on the floor, and having none to give them. But first I have to get through security. They've been doing more random bag searches on crew lately, which seems ridiculous under the circumstances, when there aren't enough security staff to keep things flowing smoothly. Today, I get stopped. It's so frustrating and insulting and feels as if our bosses don't trust us. 1pm Our flight, which should have taken off at 6.30am, finally gets into the air. I've heard of fully boarded planes getting cancelled on the runway, meaning the poor passengers get let down at the last hurdle, so it's a relief to take off. As we wait, one couple tells me they won't believe their holiday which has been cancelled twice will actually happen until they land. Wednesday, June 1 I'm on standby today, but don't get called in. I chat with a friend who is now a waitress. She's on a higher hourly wage now than when she worked for the airline we get paid around 1,200 a month basic salary, which gets topped up 4.40 an hour while we're on duty. 'Maybe you should quit too,' she suggests. But you don't do this job for the money you do it because you like people and love being a part of what should be an exciting start to their holiday. Passengers often share stories with us of how special a trip is for them it might be their honeymoon, or a much longed-for break after a difficult period. That's what's so awful. You know that the people sleeping alongside the baggage carousels, queuing out of the airport's doors, getting texts to say their flight has been cancelled, deserve better. Thursday, June 2 I've got two days off now, and, unsurprisingly, I get asked to go in on both of them. I can't. I'm booked in at the dentist for treatment that needed doing weeks ago, but I wasn't allowed to swap my shift. Since the start of May, when things began to get really busy, we've had reminders that rota changes aren't currently allowed. Watching the passengers march on board our three-hour-delayed flight home from Tenerife, my stomach churns. They were delayed on their way out Friday, June 3, 8pm I set my alarm knowing tomorrow will be another day of delays. I'll be bringing home some of the passengers who set off last weekend for their holiday. Hopefully, they'll have had a lovely time, despite the way the bosses of the travel firms they booked with have let them down. Those running the airlines have had months to prepare for this week. I just hope as does every airport worker that enough lessons have been learnt so we can head into this summer in a stronger position. Saturday, June 4, 6am In the crew room a manager tells us that we mustn't engage with any passengers who start quizzing us about compensation as we pass through the airport. I never imagined myself saying this, but I'm starting to feel embarrassed to wear my uniform. 4pm Watching the passengers march on board our three-hour-delayed flight home from Tenerife, my stomach churns. They were delayed on their way out, ruining the first day of their holidays; now we can't get them home on time. Some demand free drinks and food, but we say no otherwise we'd have to give it to everyone. Thankfully, as the flight goes on, they seem to calm down no doubt happy to know they won't be among the passengers who potentially will be so delayed that they'll be stuck abroad next week when they should be back at work and school. Sunday, June 5 I'm off today, but I feel so weary and lacking in energy that I spend the afternoon on the sofa. Crew are now calling in sick with exhaustion, despite running out of sick days, meaning that they face being disciplined Monday, June 6, 9am I'm on standby. Crewing calls telling me to report for duty. When I do, I'm told a taxi will be taking me and two other crew members to another airport a three-hour drive away. To be shunted to other bases isn't all that unusual. As we get into the taxi, one of my colleagues tells the driver to wait a minute. 'I'm exhausted,' he tells us, explaining he'd had a long and stressful working day yesterday, and the thought of sitting in a car for three hours, followed by God knows what we will face at the end of it, is too much. 'I'm not doing it,' he says, leaving the car. The other crew member says she feels the same and gets out too. They stand themselves down a few minutes later I get a call telling me to go home too. Tuesday, June 7 I'm on standby again today. I wonder about my colleagues from yesterday, and whether they will be disciplined for refusing to work. I hope not. They'd clearly reached their limit. We're all exhausted, sick of bearing the brunt of passengers' understandable frustrations; fed up with the delays that have become a routine part of the job and are making every working day a horrible challenge. Crew are now calling in sick with exhaustion, despite running out of sick days, meaning that they face being disciplined. They know that they could lose their jobs but have stopped caring if they get sacked. Doesn't that say it all? Gemma Stephenson's name has been changed. As told to Rachel Halliwell. Emily Mai, 32, from Melbourne, Australia, says every time she gets pregnant her sexual appetite sky rockets - from wanting three orgasms a week to needing over 35 A pregnant mother has revealed she has sex with married couples to combat her soaring libido which sees her craving upwards of five orgasms per day. Emily Mai, 32, from Melbourne, Australia, says every time she gets pregnant her sexual appetite sky rockets - from wanting three orgasms a week to needing over 35. 'I can barely keep up with myself,' the busy mum and Only Fans model admitted. 'Prior to getting pregnant, I would orgasm somewhere between one and three times a week. Now it's at least five times per day.' Emily is polyamorous, which she says helps when it comes to tacking such a high sex drive. 'I have multiple people in my life that help me out with my needs including married couples,' she said. She explained her pleasure preference during this pregnancy is oral sex, which she also desired when pregnant with her now 21-month-old son. Scroll down for video 'I can barely keep up with myself,' the busy mum and Only Fans model admitted After the birth of her first child Emily let her sex drive fall back - but she wants to keep her libido strong this time around. 'I am planning on having a natural birth like I did the first time but obviously that will depend on if any complications arise and if I need to have a caesarian,' she said. 'As soon as I've had the baby and I'm cleared for having sex, I'm going to keep this level of sex up for good.' She says her job on Only Fans has helped her 'open up'. 'I am planning on having a natural birth like I did the first time but obviously that will depend on if any complications arise and if I need to have a caesarian,' she said Emily plans to 'keep her high sex drive up' after having her baby 'There are so many nights where I am in bed alone and rather than getting off by myself, I message my fans and we do it together,' she said. The mum makes about $300,000 per year on the platform which allows her to be flexible for her son. 'Some days it is just a couple of hours but most of the time it is between four and eight hours a day. 'I either work when he is sleeping or work all day until he comes back from daycare.' Costco Australia has come under fire after a job applicant revealed the 'bizarre' employee application questionnaire she received. Sharing the questions on Facebook, the person who was applying for a Front End Cashier role at the Costco Ringwood store described the questions as 'intrusive' and 'confronting'. The Suremploy assessment, which took '21 years to develop', required applicants to answer whether they disagree or agree with the statements, such as 'I often eat too much', 'I like hot spicy food' and 'I often forget my own name'. Sharing the questions on Facebook, the person who was applying for Front End Cashier role at the Costco Ringwood store a described the questions as 'intrusive' and 'confronting' Costco Australia declined providing a comment to FEMAIL The questionnaire asked applicants to answer whether they disagree or agree with the statements, such as 'I often eat too much', 'I like hot spicy food' and 'I often forget my own name' It appears applicants were also asked whether they have a range of mental health issues or disorders. A Suremploy spokesperson defended the questions and told 7NEWS.com.au: 'Our psychometric tool is designed to save lives and improve mental function for workers.' 'And while we understand that in and of themselves the individual questions can seem a little strange, the tool is based on cutting edge science and has been independently verified as one of the most reliable in the world.' Another question also asked applicants to disclose how much they weigh in kilograms. One question also asked applicants to disclose how much they weigh in kilograms. On Facebook, other customers were just as shocked as the applicant Online the confused applicant said she reached out to Costco to discuss the odd request. 'I was wondering what the purpose of these pre-employment questions are and what benefit I get from answering them?' she wrote on Facebook. 'Safe to say I will not be accepting a job offer here.' On Facebook, other customers were just as shocked as the applicant. 'This has gotta be some sorta alien masquerading as a human manager attempting to learn more about humans,' one person wrote. 'That literally makes more sense than this being real.' Another person said the questions are 'common' in the US. Costco Australia declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia. The Duchess of Cambridge had her hands full looking after her youngest son Prince Louis during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in London, but hilarious videos show she had some help from her daughter Princess Charlotte. Clips from several events during the Jubilee, including Sunday's Platinum Pageant and Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, as well as Thursday's carriage ride, show Charlotte, seven, giving her younger brother a dressing down. And even Prince George, eight, isn't immune from his sister's bossiness, with a video showing the future king being told how to pose on the balcony - and immediately heeding Charlotte's instructions. Throughout the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this weekend, Charlotte was seen telling off her two brothers. During the carriage ride, she told Prince Louis to put his hands down (pictured) Princess Charlotte (pictured, centre), was seen telling off her rowdy younger brother, Prince Louis (pictured, left) during Sunday's Platinum Pageant Even future king Prince George (pictured, left) was not immune from a dressing down by Charlotte (right), who told him to stand with his arms by his side when the Cambridges took to Buckingham Palace's balcony on Sunday In a clip from Sunday's Platinum Pageant, shared on Twitter by royal watchers, Charlotte is seen pushing Louis' arm down and away from his mouth, to stop him from sucking his fingers. She then appears to brandish her fist at her younger brother, perhaps warning him against sucking his fingers again. At this point, their mother Kate Middleton steps in, and whispers something to Charlotte. Undeterred by the ticking off, Louis then mocks his old sister, brandishing his own fist in the same way, before his mother gently pushes his arm back onto his lap. After pulling Louis' hand away from his mouth (left), Princess Charlotte appeared to brandish her fist at her younger brother (right) Undeterred by the ticking off, Louis went on to mock his sister Charlotte, waving his own fist in the same way Kate Middleton offers a beaming smile as she joins her three children and the Duchess of Cornwall to head down the Mall; it's thought the royal told her three children: 'Look at these colours and all the flags!' as they headed to Horse Guards Parade Big day for the Cambridges: Kate Middleton is seen chatting to her children, from left, George, Louis and Charlotte, as they leave Buckingham Palace on the first day of the bank holiday celebrations Prince Louis, four, is thought to have spotted his father Prince William, telling his mother 'Look, there's Dad!' The Cambridge children made a number of appearances over the Platinum Jubilee weekend, with Charlotte and George marking their first royal engagement at Cardiff Castle on Saturday Sunday's pageant, which marked the finale of the four-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations, was the last event attended by the Cambridge children. The interchange Louis had with Charlotte was not the only funny moment of the restless royal captured on camera at the event. Four-year-old Louis was also seen pulling faces during the pageant, and gesturing at his mother Kate Middleton. At one point, he even stuck his hand over her mouth, presumably in an attempt to make her stop talking. At times during the Platinum Pageant, Louis was seen clenching his fists, sticking out his tongue, waving his arms in the air, putting his hands over his mother's mouth and standing in his seat for a better view of the spectacle Behind the little prince sat Mike Tindall who entertained the boy with funny faces to keep him amused. 'Shush mother! Louis was snapped placing his hand over his mother's mouth at one point while watching the pageant In an effort to entertain the restless toddler, Mike Tindall, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall, started chatting to the youngster. One image shows former England rugby player Mike, 43, making an 'I have my eyes on you' gesture at Louis, as Kate Middleton looks on, amused. During the four-day weekend, they were seen at several events, starting with Thursday's carriage ride down The Mall, ahead of Trooping the Colour. Charlotte and Louis, as well as their big brother Prince George, eight, shared their ride with their mother Kate Middleton as well as the Duchess of Cornwall. Kate Middleton and Prince William also took Charlotte and George to the Party at the Palace on Saturday night Seven-year-old Princess Charlotte looked delighted and pulled faces as she took her seat next to her big brother George at the event During Sunday's Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, Charlotte was filmed telling her older brother George to straighten his arms After being told to change his pose, George immediately followed his younger sister's instructions, and changed the position of his arms While in the carriage, Charlotte was once again filmed telling off Louis. As the youngest Cambridge waves enthusiastically, Charlotte pushes his hand down. She then says something to him, seemingly telling him to stop waving. Once again unbothered by the stern words, Louis almost immediately starts waving at the assembled crowds once more. During the carriage ride, the children's mother Kate Middleton was seen engaging with them, with a lip reader suggesting the Duchess kept talking to ensure they weren't overwhelmed by the enormity of the big occasion. At one point, the Duchess, 40, appeared to say: 'This is wonderful! Look at all these people!' as she travelled with her three young children and the Duchess of Cornwall towards Horse Guards Parade. Four generations of the Royal Family were on the balcony for the finale of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations The Queen, Prince Charles and the Cambridges appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony, June 5, 2022 The Queen was 'sending a clear message about the future of the monarchy' by making a balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace alongside Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George last night, a royal expert has claimed Meanwhile, another video of the Cambridge children, this time from Sunday's Buckingham Palace balcony appearance, showed that even future king Prince George is not above a dressing down from Charlotte. Prince Charles, Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, George, Charlotte and Louis stood next to the Queen as she was cheered by thousands of well-wishers after stepping on to the balcony following the Platinum Pageant, As the young royals are seen standing on the famous balcony, the seven-year-old princess taps her older brother, before telling him to put his arms by his side. He immediately takes her advice, duly straightening his arms, and posing in the way Charlotte instructed. ........................................................................................................................................... How royals courted 'new fans' with Jubilee Instagram snaps: Princess Eugenie, Mike Tindall and William and Kate adopted an 'A-lister' approach and 'shared candid snaps' to make the Firm 'relevant', expert claims Princess Eugenie, Mike Tindall and William and Kate adopted an 'A-lister' approach and 'shared candid snaps' to make the Firm 'relevant', an expert has claimed. The Duke, 39, and Duchess of Cambridge, 40, took to their official Instagram page earlier this week to share a number of photographs from events across the Jubilee weekend, including images taken backstage at royal events. Meanwhile Princess Eugenie, 31, shared touching photos of her family waving at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee flyover, as well as enjoying the Platinum Pageant on Sunday night, on social media. And Zara Tindall's husband Mike gained 50,000 followers on his Instagram page after sharing images posing in his wife's fascinators and enjoying the festivities. Popular culture expert Nick Ede told FEMAIL the posts were 'synonymous' with the way A-list celebrities share online, explaining: 'This new way of sharing images is a way of creating a relevance and also engaging a new audience to see and feel like they are a part of the Jubilee.' Members of the royal family who offered fans an inside glimpse at their Jubilee celebrations - by revealing behind-the-scenes shots on Instagram (pictured Eugenie and Zara on Friday) While Princess Eugenie shared photographs of her young son August on her Instagram page (left), Mike Tindall's playful antics saw him gain 50,000 new followers over the weekend (right) Meanwhile Prince William and Kate Middleton also shared a glimpse inside their Jubilee celebration as they posted snaps offering a behind-the-scenes look at their 'fantastic' weekend online He explained: 'The royal family are creating a really great way of communicating themselves to a new audience of fans. 'With Mike Tindall sharing candid images of his family behind the scenes and Princess Eugenie giving fans an insight Into the Platinum Jubilee, the use of social media in the Royal Family has never been so prevalent. Kate and William also posted unseen images too.' He compared the use of social media to that of A-list celebrities or reality stars, adding: 'Sharing candid moments allows an all-access insight into the lives of people we look up to and also creates newsworthy content too. 'I think that this sharing culture in the royal family is something we will see more and more of. Princess Eugenie shared a number of gushing posts from parties she attended over the Jubilee weekend (left and right). The young mother posted several snaps of her son August at Trooping the Colour Meanwhile the mother-of-one also posted photographs as she snuggled up with her young son at the Platinum Pageant 'It still allows the family to censor the images and release the images they want people to see, allowing them to steer the narrative and give insights into their lives.' Princess Eugenie posted a number of gushing Instagram posts about the celebration, sharing family shots of her son August at Trooping the Colour and the Platinum Pageant. Meanwhile she has also heaped praise onto her grandmother the Queen, yesterday sharing a number of images and writing: 'Thank you, Your Majesty, Grannie, for 70 years of service, selflessness and dedication. You are such a shining light for us all. 'Just a final roundup of some epic moments of the most special weekend that I was so honoured to be a part of. Former rugby ace Mike Tindall has shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinator over the weekend (left), as well as a snap of the couple posing ahead of the service on Friday (right) The father-of-three also posed in his wife's red fascinator ahead of Trooping the Colour (left) and shared a snap of the couple posing together (right) 'From The Birthday Parade, to celebrating with in Paddington, to showing Augie the colourful pageant and ending cheering loudly for this remarkable woman.' Similarly, Mike also shared several behind-the-scenes shots of events over the weekend. The former England rugby star, 43, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara, has been posting snaps of his celebrations marking the Queen's 70 years on the throne on his Instagram page. The father-of-three shared a snapshot of his wife alongside her cousin Princess Eugenie on his social media, playfully writing: 'When you combine your favourite Starbursts!! Two world class ladies!! #starburst #platinumjubilee.' The father-of-three also shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinators after they attended Trooping the Colour and the Service of Thanksgiving on Friday. Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also posted a number of backstage photos from events on their Instagram page. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to their official Instagram page to share a number of photographs from events across the weekend, including images taken at royal events In images shared online, the family could be seen gathering backstage at official royal events, including Trooping the Colour. In one snap shared by Kate and William, the mother-of-three can be seen waiting with George, Charlotte and Louis on steps of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour. In another, Kate and William can be seen attending a street party in Kensington, just a short walk from her London residency of Kensington Palace, as they chatted with local attendees. Meanwhile the caption hinted at the fun they'd had as a family over the weekend, reading: 'We all had an incredible time, especially Louis'. A number of other photographs showed the couple at a Kensington street party. The Duchess was dressed in a blue dress with white polka dots, which she later changed out of when she appeared at the Royal Box in pink on the fourth day of the Jubilee weekend Four-year-old Prince Louis stole the show at a number of royal events over the weekend. After wowing fans on the Royal balcony, he showed off his star power again while watching the fourth day of Platinum Jubilee celebrations last night. The caption on Prince William and Kate's post read: 'What a fantastic weekend of celebrations. 'Seeing people across the nation coming together with family, friends and loved ones has been extremely special. 'Thank you to everyone who turned out to show their gratitude to The Queen and her inspiring 70 years of leadership. The royals poignantly shared one photograph of Prince George alongside the Queen standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony In snaps posted by the couple, Prince William was seen walking out on stage (left) and backstage with their children (right) 'From the crowds on the Mall to communities hosting street parties up and down the country, we hope you had a weekend to remember.' The caption went on to hint at the fun the youngest Cambridge child had had during the event. Prince Louis wowed royal fans over the weekend and delighted crowds on Thursday as he stood next to his great-grandmother The Queen with his hands covering his ears amid the roaring cries of the public. And as he sat next to the Duchess of Cambridge in the Royal Box at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London, he reacted with similar wonder at all the fuss. At times, he was pictured cocking a snook, put his hands over his mother's mouth, waved his arms in the air and stood on his seat for a better view. He later moved across to his other relatives and sat on his grandfather Prince Charles' lap, who pointed out the spectacles in the parade. Princess Eugenie, Mike Tindall and William and Kate adopted an 'A-lister' approach and 'shared candid snaps' to make the Firm 'relevant', an expert has claimed. The Duke, 39, and Duchess of Cambridge, 40, took to their official Instagram page earlier this week to share a number of photographs from events across the Jubilee weekend, including images taken backstage at royal events. Meanwhile Princess Eugenie, 31, shared touching photos of her family waving at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee flyover, as well as enjoying the Platinum Pageant on Sunday night, on social media. And Zara Tindall's husband Mike gained 50,000 followers on his Instagram page after sharing images posing in his wife's fascinators and enjoying the festivities. Popular culture expert Nick Ede told FEMAIL the posts were 'synonymous' with the way A-list celebrities share online, explaining: 'This new way of sharing images is a way of creating a relevance and also engaging a new audience to see and feel like they are a part of the Jubilee.' Members of the royal family who offered fans an inside glimpse at their Jubilee celebrations - by revealing behind-the-scenes shots on Instagram (pictured Eugenie and Zara on Friday) While Princess Eugenie shared photographs of her young son August on her Instagram page (left), Mike Tindall's playful antics saw him gain 50,000 new followers over the weekend (right) Meanwhile Prince William and Kate Middleton also shared a glimpse inside their Jubilee celebration as they posted snaps offering a behind-the-scenes look at their 'fantastic' weekend online He explained: 'The royal family are creating a really great way of communicating themselves to a new audience of fans. 'With Mike Tindall sharing candid images of his family behind the scenes and Princess Eugenie giving fans an insight Into the Platinum Jubilee, the use of social media in the Royal Family has never been so prevalent. Kate and William also posted unseen images too.' He compared the use of social media to that of A-list celebrities or reality stars, adding: 'Sharing candid moments allows an all-access insight into the lives of people we look up to and also creates newsworthy content too. 'I think that this sharing culture in the royal family is something we will see more and more of. Princess Eugenie shared a number of gushing posts from parties she attended over the Jubilee weekend (left and right). The young mother posted several snaps of her son August at Trooping the Colour Meanwhile the mother-of-one also posted photographs as she snuggled up with her young son at the Platinum Pageant 'It still allows the family to censor the images and release the images they want people to see, allowing them to steer the narrative and give insights into their lives.' Princess Eugenie posted a number of gushing Instagram posts about the celebration, sharing family shots of her son August at Trooping the Colour and the Platinum Pageant. Meanwhile she has also heaped praise onto her grandmother the Queen, yesterday sharing a number of images and writing: 'Thank you, Your Majesty, Grannie, for 70 years of service, selflessness and dedication. You are such a shining light for us all. 'Just a final roundup of some epic moments of the most special weekend that I was so honoured to be a part of. Former rugby ace Mike Tindall has shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinator over the weekend (left), as well as a snap of the couple posing ahead of the service on Friday (right) The father-of-three also posed in his wife's red fascinator ahead of Trooping the Colour (left) and shared a snap of the couple posing together (right) 'From The Birthday Parade, to celebrating with in Paddington, to showing Augie the colourful pageant and ending cheering loudly for this remarkable woman.' Similarly, Mike also shared several behind-the-scenes shots of events over the weekend. The former England rugby star, 43, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara, has been posting snaps of his celebrations marking the Queen's 70 years on the throne on his Instagram page. The father-of-three shared a snapshot of his wife alongside her cousin Princess Eugenie on his social media, playfully writing: 'When you combine your favourite Starbursts!! Two world class ladies!! #starburst #platinumjubilee.' The father-of-three also shared a number of snaps posing in his wife's fascinators after they attended Trooping the Colour and the Service of Thanksgiving on Friday. Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also posted a number of backstage photos from events on their Instagram page. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to their official Instagram page to share a number of photographs from events across the weekend, including images taken at royal events In images shared online, the family could be seen gathering backstage at official royal events, including Trooping the Colour. In one snap shared by Kate and William, the mother-of-three can be seen waiting with George, Charlotte and Louis on steps of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour. In another, Kate and William can be seen attending a street party in Kensington, just a short walk from her London residency of Kensington Palace, as they chatted with local attendees. Meanwhile the caption hinted at the fun they'd had as a family over the weekend, reading: 'We all had an incredible time, especially Louis'. A number of other photographs showed the couple at a Kensington street party. The Duchess was dressed in a blue dress with white polka dots, which she later changed out of when she appeared at the Royal Box in pink on the fourth day of the Jubilee weekend Four-year-old Prince Louis stole the show at a number of royal events over the weekend. After wowing fans on the Royal balcony, he showed off his star power again while watching the fourth day of Platinum Jubilee celebrations last night. The caption on Prince William and Kate's post read: 'What a fantastic weekend of celebrations. 'Seeing people across the nation coming together with family, friends and loved ones has been extremely special. 'Thank you to everyone who turned out to show their gratitude to The Queen and her inspiring 70 years of leadership. The royals poignantly shared one photograph of Prince George alongside the Queen standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony In snaps posted by the couple, Prince William was seen walking out on stage (left) and backstage with their children (right) 'From the crowds on the Mall to communities hosting street parties up and down the country, we hope you had a weekend to remember.' The caption went on to hint at the fun the youngest Cambridge child had had during the event. Prince Louis wowed royal fans over the weekend and delighted crowds on Thursday as he stood next to his great-grandmother The Queen with his hands covering his ears amid the roaring cries of the public. And as he sat next to the Duchess of Cambridge in the Royal Box at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in London, he reacted with similar wonder at all the fuss. At times, he was pictured cocking a snook, put his hands over his mother's mouth, waved his arms in the air and stood on his seat for a better view. He later moved across to his other relatives and sat on his grandfather Prince Charles' lap, who pointed out the spectacles in the parade. The Countess of Wessex put on a glamourous display in a blue gown for an evening event tonight just hours after she her support for Dame Deborah James by wearing one of the bowel cancer campaigner's 'Rebellious Hope' slogan T-shirts on an outing in Gibraltar. Sophie, 57, donned the T-shirt - which raises money for Dame Deborah's Bowelbabe fund - as she joined Edward on a visit to the beach on Wednesday. Dame Deborah, who is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at her parents' home in Surrey, launched the T-shirt last week in collaboration with e-tailer In The Style. Just hours after the show of support, Sophie slipped into a dazzling blue evening gown with cloud prints and opted for a grey open toe-heel and glamourous make-up look for the evening activities. The Countess of Wessex put on a glamourous display in a blue gown for an evening event tonight just hours after she her support for Dame Deborah James by wearing one of the bowel cancer campaigner's 'Rebellious Hope' slogan T-shirts on an outing in Gibraltar. Sophie, 57, donned the t-shirt - which raises money for Dame Deborah's Bowelbabe fund - as she joined Edward on a visit to the beach on Wednesday She added tied her blonde hair back into a glamrous up-do and showed off dangling earrings for the event. It comes hours after Sophie wore the white top with a pair of shorts, sunglasses and sandals. Dame Deborah previously promoted the T-shirt in a sweet Instagram snap with her family. Launching the T-shirts, Deborah said: 'Creating these have really kept me going the last few days and Im so proud of them. 'I talk about this quote a lot 'Rebellious Hope' - it's truly what has got me through the last 5 years and I have been blow away by just how many of you have been supporting and wearing my t-shirt design.' She added: 'I've been up and down over the last couple of days being honest but where Ive had the strength Ive been discussing ideas and we have decided to do these two final designs at your request and its fair to say I absolutely LOVE them!' Earlier, Sophie was a vision in blue as she stepped out this morning to begin day two or her and Prince Edward's visit to Gibraltar. Just hours after the show of support, Sophie slipped into a dazzling blue evening gown with cloud prints and opted for a grey open toe-heel and glamourous make-up look for the evening activities. Dame Deborah, who is receiving end-of-life care for bowel cancer at her parents' home in Surrey, launched the t-shirt last week in collaboration with e-tailer In The Style The Countess of Wessex showed her support for Dame Deborah James by wearing one of the bowel cancer campaigner's 'Rebellious Hope' slogan t-shirts on an outing in Gibraltar Sophie wore the white t-shirt with a pair of shorts, sunglasses and sandals Surfer Sophie! The Countess opted for a 'Rebellious Hope' T-shirt as she joined in on the water sports Sporty Sophie! The royal paid a sweet tribute to Dame Deborah James on her beach outing today It comes hours after Sophie wore the white top with a pair of shorts, sunglasses and sandals. Dame Deborah previously promoted the T-shirt in a sweet Instagram snap with her family. The mother-of-two donned a blue day dress to visit the Moorish Castle Estate, where she and the Earl of Wessex, 58, were greeted by dozens of schoolchildren in uniform. During the joyous walkabout, Sophie was gifted flowers by local schoolgirls and was seen chatting with pupils and their parents. During this busy day, the Countess wowed royal fans with no less than three outfit changes, switching from her initial shirt dress into a floral number and later a sleeveless dress. The Earl of Wessex visited Her Majesty's Naval Base and met with Commander British Forces Commodore What a shot! The Countess of Sussex showed off her shooting skills with a bow and arrow during a visit to a scouting centre this afternoon Laser focus! Sophie put all her concentration in a game that appeared to be an indoor variation of curling What a shot! Sophie looked shocked by her own skill earlier in the day Sporty soph! The Countess of Wessex tried her hand at sport during the day A playful West Highland White puppy tried to snatch the Countess's finger during her walkabout For her day out, Sophie opted for an elegant tiered shirt dress ibn a flattering shade of blue. The number highlighted the Countess's slim shape with a large white leather belt at the waist. Sophie paired the dress with sensible denim espadrilles adorned with white flowers, which matched her accessories, which included blue drop earrings and a white bracelet. The Queen's stylish daughter-in-law was also seen carrying a raffia bag adorned with blue flowers. Sophie was put to work and was seen cutting a cake for the volunteers, left, during her visit. She was also seen pouring some cream into a coffee cup The Countess of Wessex was a real vision in blue as she stepped out this morning to begin day two or her and Prince Edward's visit to Gibraltar Sophie later performed an outfit change to resume the walkabout alongside Gibraltar's Main Street Sophie received a beautiful bouquet of red and white roses and took the time to introduce herself to the pupils Her pair was styled in a practical updo, held by a pin at the back of her head. The mother-of-two was sporting a natural makeup, with just a dash of bronzer and mascara, however, she perfected the look with subtle touches of glamour, including a pastel pink manicure. Meanwhile, the Earl of Wessex looked very dapper in a navy blazer he wore over a crisp white jacket with blue chinos. Sophie seemed in her element as she introduced herself to the schoolchildren who had been awaiting her arrival. The couple were greeted by schoolchildren waving Union Jack flags this morning. Prince Edward, 58, looked very dapper in a navy blaser Older schoolchildren were waving a large Union Jack flag with the Queen's Jubilee's logo for the Wessexes' visit Sophie could not resist stopping to give a special hello to a mother and her baby who had come to the royal walkabout on Main Street She accepted a beautiful bouquet of red and white roses and blooms that was handed to her by the local pupils. The mother-of-two also stopped to greet local mothers and get herself acquainted with their adorable babies. As the morning progressed, the royal couple visited the Moorish Castle Estate, before heading to the mental health charity The Clubhouse. High five! The Countess clapped hands with one of the local boys, who also gifted her with drawings For her day out, Sophie opted for a flattering blue shirt dress cinched with a white belt, her accessories had floral details too Prince Edward was greeted by Gibraltar officials as the couple began the second day of their visit Sophie seemed in her element as local children coyly introduced themselves. Some were waving small Gibraltar flags Divide and conquer! Edward and Sophie kept to their side of the stairs as they began their morning walkabout Mother-of-two Sophie gave a local baby a tender squeeze during the walkabout a she chatted to her mother The Countess of Wessex cut a relaxed yet stylish silhouette this morning, with denim espadrilles and a raffia bag There, Sophie showed off her baking skills as she joined volunteers in the kitchen, where she served coffee and made a cake. She later joined a crafting workshop, making cards with the charity's other volunteers. Later on in the morning, Sophie performed an outfit change and swapped to a floral white and blue dress and nude stilettos before resuming her walkabout around the city with Prince Edward. And after meeting with locals during another walk around the city, Sophie delighted fans with yet another wardrobe switcheroo and swapped the floral dress for a light blue sleeveless number. As the couple proceeded with their tour, they visited the Gibraltar Special Olympics this afternoon. Sporty Sophie took part in a series of activities, and put out a fierce performance at the Special Olympics. She later met with local Girl Guides and Scouts at Gibraltar's Scouts Retreat Centre this afternoon The Countess of Wessex put her travel woes behind her and looked stylish is a simple white dress when she arrived in Gibraltar on behalf of the Queen yesterday. Mother-of-two Sophie visited the Rock to see the Royal Gibraltar Regiment display its new colours during the Queen's Birthday Parade. The couple later headed to the charity Clubhouse, where Sophie helped volunteers with their crafting workshop The Countess sported a subtle glamourous makeup, with just a dash of bronzer and mascara and a glossy lip Expert barista! The Countess was seen pouring coffee from the machine like a pro under the watchful eyes of a volunteer Sophie sat down for coffee with some of the residents and staff at the mental health charity this morning Later this morning, Sophie performed an outfit change and swapped the blue dress for a floral number she paired with nude stilettos The couple stopped to meet one of Gibraltar's elderly resident during a series of engagements this morning Dressed in her beautiful floral dress, Sophie gave one of the toddlers who had come to greet her a friendly stroke on the cheek Got your finger! The Countess seemed amused as the puppy played with her hand during her Gibraltar visit A local child waving a flag got a little bit starstruck during Sophie's walk around the Main Street A little girl stepped forward to give Sophie more flowers during her lunchtime walk earlier today Sophie looked elegantly stylish in an off white short sleeved structured dress with full pleated skirt. She wore her blonde hair neatly, yet casually pinned back, and opted for subtle accessorising with small pearl earrings, gold pendant and two delicate bracelets. It comes as the plane carrying Sophie and her husband Prince Edward was forced to make an unscheduled landing due to what was described as a 'technical issue.' What's so funny, Sophie? The Earl of Wessex and his wife shared a laugh at the end of their walkabout this morning The couple enthusiastically waved at the royal fans who had come out to greet them in Gibraltar Both Prince Edward and his wife Sophiw seemed in great spirit at the end of their morning in Gibraltar The couple were on their way to visit Gibraltar to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee when their flight was disrupted at the last minute. Alternative arrangements were being made for their arrival on the Rock, which took place safely later on Tuesday, Buckingham Palace said. A spokesperson for British Airways said its plane 'landed normally' back at Heathrow following a decision by pilots to return after taking off as a precaution. Edward and Sophie are visiting Gibraltar to see the Royal Gibraltar Regiment display its new colours during the Queen's Birthday Parade, which were approved by Her Majesty. Sophie was seen bursting out laughing while Edward gave the crowd a large grin this morning The couple were standing on top of a flight of stair surrounded by two large Union Jack flags and royal fans Prince Edward had presented the colours at a ceremony at Windsor Castle in March. It has been 25 years since the regiment had new colours. The regiment's flag now bears the Royal prefix, which it gained in 2009. The visit is part of the Royal Family's ongoing tour of the Commonwealth. Laser focus! Sophie put all her concentration in a game that appeared to be an indoor variation of curling The Countess kept a watchful eye on the athletes who had come to train at the gymnasium this afternoon Sophie kept her eyes on the treadmill as one of the athletes showed off his gym skills this afternoon A great shot! Sophie showed she was skilled with a bow and arrow during a series of activities with scouts Sophie met with local Girl Guides and Scouts at Gibraltar's Scouts Retreat Centre this afternoon The royal was put to work when she visited the scouts centre this afternoon, and shovelled this tree's soil The mother-of-two seemed delighted to take part in the girl guides and scouts' activities this afternoon Following their arrival, the Royal Couple crossed the runway to RAF Gibraltar where they were greeted by gun salute from Devil's Tower Camp. The Earl of Wessex then took the Royal Salute and reviewed the Royal Gibraltar Regiment's soldiers. The Commander British Forces Steve Dainton & the Regiment's Commanding Officer Lt Col Simon Dyson were present. Edward and Sophie met members of the Regiment as well as RAF Station Commander Nell Doherty. The visit of the was been delayed after their British Airways flight was turned back to London Heathrow this morning. The BA Press Office confirmed to GBC that pilots on flight 490 decided to return to Heathrow as a precaution due to a minor technical issue, and the aircraft landed normally. It was making arrangements for passengers to be flown to Gibraltar on an alternative aircraft. The Royals did visit the Nautilus Project, to see how researchers are working to protect Gibraltar's marine life. They also met with local people on a walk down Main Street. The couple recently visited Belfast before heading to Bangor in County Down as part of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee. In Belfast, the Earl and Countess met groups of performers, including the Belfast Busking Band. On the beachfront of Bangor, which has newly been awarded city status, the pair joined members of the public at a vintage, seaside funfair. An influencer and ex-Big Brother housemate has warned against 'fox eye' facelifts after claiming he was left in hospital with a serious infection following a freebie treatment. Ryan Ruckledge, 30, from Blackpool, told Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield on This Morning how he was gifted the 20-minute procedure, which is a minimally invasive, non-surgical procedure lifts the brows and outer corners of your eyes. However the influencer said he woke up feeling like he had been hit by a bus afterwards, and two weeks later, his face was so infected it began to swell and leak with pus. He ended up in hospital, with medics at one stage worried the infection, which lasted six months, could have been sepsis. The 30-year-old explained that after the surgery, he woke up at '6am in the morning', saying: 'When I woke up, I was like, "Oh my god have I been hit by a bus?" It was horrific.' Speaking on This Morning, Ryan Ruckledge, 30, from Blackpool, warned against 'fox eye' facelifts after claiming he was left in hospital with a serious infection following a freebie treatment The infection started two weeks after, causing his face to swell and he ended up in hospital, with medics concerned that the infection could have been sepsis Ryan admitted that he was offered the 500 fox eye facelift via a message for free in exchange for promoting the company on his Instagram and did not do any research beforehand Appearing on the programme today, Ryan said he was offered the 500 fox eye facelift via a message for free in exchange for promoting the company on his Instagram and did not do any research beforehand. The 500 treatment uses dissolvable stitches to create almond shaped eyes with a lifted brow tail, and is aimed to giving women a lifted brow and upper eye lid lift without the downtime of surgery as it takes just half an hour - and should heal completely in less than two weeks. Called the fox-eye threadlift, clinics advertise the procedure on social-media sites with videos of patients before and after, with the corner of their eyes swept up and back in dramatic fashion. The looks of American A-list models Bella Hadid and Kim Kardashian's sister Kendall Jenner are often cited as an inspiration, and in the UK, models Katie Price and Danielle Lloyd have admitted having the treatment. After the procedure, Ryan said he woke up feeling as though 'he had been hit by a bus' and he ended up in hospital What is a fox eye facelift? How it works The fox-eye threadlift procedure, which costs between 350 and 500, involves injections of local anaesthetic around the temples before a cannula a thin, blunt-ended hollow tube is pushed beneath the skin. A thread is inserted into the cannula and teased upwards using a needle and careful hand movements. On the bottom of the thread are tiny, corrugated discs which attach to the tissue in the face and allow the skin to be dragged upwards and secured in place. A finger is then placed on the very tip of the thread to ensure it stays tight while the cannula is withdrawn. As the procedure involves a single needle puncture, which heals on its own, it is not technically considered surgery. Down time The suture will dissolve overtime with minimal side effects. The skin folds and needle mark will fully heal over 3-10days leaving behind a natural lift. Cost The cost on average is 500-750. How long does it last? Results last up to a year. How does it differ from surgery? There are no permanent changes to your face and you won't have part of your eyelid cut away as with a blepharoplasty. You can also adapt the changes after the treatment if you'd like a less dramatic look. Advertisement Describing the procedure, he said it wasn't 'too painful' because the area had been numbed beforehand. However he confessed: 'It was quite vigorous. She put a thread in my eyebrow but I also had cheek threads done as well. 'I wanted a more lifted look.' However after he woke up feeling unwell, he explained: 'It started getting swollen after a couple of days but I thought, "That's probably normal." 'The infection started about two weeks after.' He continued: 'I went to the doctors to get antibiotics and they did not work. 'I ended up in hospital on an antibiotic drip. Nothing was getting rid of it.' He continued: 'My body was actually reacting to the thread that was in my eye. 'It was meant to dissolve after a couple of months and heal with this lifted look but because my eye was rejecting it, it was not healing. 'All the pus was coming out and I had to deal with it in my own hands.' As well as doctors worrying he had contracted sepsis, Ryan has previously spoken of how the procedure could have left him 'blind.' After the programme showed photographs of his swollen face and the after effects of the procedure, Ryan quipped: 'Imagine me trying to pull a fella like that, I look like an avatar!' When the presenters asked about the clinic's help following the procedure, Ryan said: 'I don't feel like I was supported in the after care, no.' Ryan added that the experience had really affected his mental health. The 30-year-old said: 'I didn't want to go out. 'When I did go out people were staring at my face like I was some kind of freak. It really did affect me mentally.' And he confessed that he wants to get corrective surgery because he believes that one eyelid is now more droopy than the other and he thinks it makes him look 'old'. Meanwhile Ryan also revealed how he feels guilty for promoting the procedure on his social media. Holly and Philip then spoke to Dr Pamela Benito, a facial aesthetics specialist, who said fox eye lifts do not come without risk, but that they can be done safely. Ryan added that the experience had really affected his mental health and that he did not want to go out because he felt like 'some kind of freak' Holly and Philip then spoke to Dr Pamela Benito, a facial aesthetics specialist, who said fox eye lifts do not come without risk, but that they can be done safely She said it is important that people do their research and find the right practitioner who is clinically qualified and knows what they are doing. She said: 'It's unfortunate that it's gone wrong, and with any medical procedure, there are risks.' Dr Pamela went on to explain that people should also have a consultation before the procedure with them. Princess Eugenie dressed down in an overcoat and sunglasses to visit a regenerative ocean farm. The royal, 32, wore a dark coat underneath a life jacket for the excursion on a boat at Car Y Mor in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with WWF-UK. She looked at the seaweed and shellfish farm and then returned inland to see the seaweed processing facilities. The visit was carried out to mark United Nations World Oceans Day, which is marked on June 8 as a reminder of the destruction caused by human activities such as waste, sewage disposal and oil leaks. It is not known when the visit took place. Princess Eugenie dressed down in an overcoat and sunglasses to visit a regenerative ocean farm. The royal, 32, wore a dark coat underneath a life jacket for the excursion on a boat at Car Y Mor in Pembrokeshire, Wales She was there with WWF-UK and visited the seaweed and shellfish farm then returned inland to see the seaweed processing facilities She looked at the seaweed and shellfish farm and then returned inland to see the seaweed processing facilities. The 32-year-old swept her brunette locks off of her face for the visit, sporting dark sunglasses. She kept her makeup minimal and wore a dark brown corduroy jacket and black trousers. Eugenie attended the ocean farm without husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, and their son August, one. Car-Y-Mor is a community benefit society which aims to improve the coast and people's well being. The regenerative ocean farm is an exemplar site, supported by WWF-UK, delivering no-input, low-impact marine farming. Seaweed is easy to grow, versatile, and can help to restore ocean ecosystems. Farming seaweed is an efficient way to produce highly nutritious food for a global population, and could even help to feed animals and fertilise our land too. Canada first proposed the idea for a World Ocean Day at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The aim of the day is to celebrate the world's ocean and our personal connection to the sea, as well as raising awareness of the role it plays in our lives and the health of the environment. Eugenie attended the ocean farm without husband Jack Brooksbank, 36, and their son August, one. The 32-year-old swept her brunette locks off of her face for the visit, sporting dark sunglasses. She kept her makeup minimal and wore a dark brown corduroy jacket and black trousers Princess Eugenie's appearance at the ocean farm comes after a busy weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations for her grandmother the Queen. Today there are in-person and online events, lectures and activities and the theme is 'Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean'. The events will 'shed light on the communities, ideas and solutions working together to protect and revitalize the ocean and everything it sustains.' Princess Eugenie's appearance at the ocean farm comes after a busy weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations for her grandmother the Queen. On Sunday, she attended the Platinum Jubilee pageant in which her son August made his first official appearance. Eugenie, 32, could be seen bouncing son August, one, on her knee while attending the event alongside her husband Jack Brooksbank, and her sister Beatrice, 33, who was joined by her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son, Christopher, whose nickname is Wolfie, and who he shares with his former partner Dara Huang. Eugenie, 32, could be seen bouncing son August, one, on her knee while attending the event alongside her husband Jack Brooksbank The one-year-old August was wearing a jumper with a Union flag on the front, while Wolfie donned a smart navy jacket while sitting between his father and step-mother. This marks the family's first appearance at the public event - although Beatrice's daughter Sienna, who is just eight-months-old didn't attend Sunday's outing. The sister's - dressed in elegant dresses - were joined by Charles, Camilla, Zara and Mike Tindall, and the Cambridges in the royal box, set at the end of the 2-hour procession outside Buckingham Palace, to mark the end of the celebrations in honour of the Queen's 70 years on the throne. The pageant was split into four acts: For Queen and Country with a military parade; The Time of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion; Let's Celebrate telling the story of the Queen's life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy and Glorious musical spectacle. An ex-member of the fundamentalist Mormon cult - which was run by pedophiles who dubbed themselves as 'prophets' - has revealed how she was forced to marry the group's 85-year-old leader at the age of 19, while her sister was made to wed her cousin when she was just 14. The two siblings, Rebecca and Elissa Wall, opened up about the horrors they faced growing up as members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) in a new Netflix documentary, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey. The docuseries, which premiered on the streaming site on Wednesday, has lifted lid on the heinous crimes that FLDS leaders Rulon Jeffs and his son Warren Jeffs committed while heading up the polygamous cult. Rulon had 20 wives and approximately 60 children when he passed; now, one of his former wives, Rebecca, has spoken out about her forced marriage, describing the moment she had to have sex with the then-octogenarian for the first time while she was still just a teenager. Rebecca remembered him 'rolling on top of her' and telling her to 'spread her legs.' 'At 19, I did not know what it physically took to get pregnant. I did not expect Rulon Jeffs to touch me in any way, shape, or form,' she continued. 'I felt like, this is everything we were told was bad. Why is a man doing this, let alone the prophet of God doing this to me?' An ex-member of a Mormon cult has revealed how she was forced to marry the group's 85-year-old leader at age 19, while her sister had to wed her cousin when she was 14 (pictured) The two women, Rebecca (left) and Elissa Wall (right), opened up about the horrors they faced growing up in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) A new Netflix docuseries has lifted lid on the heinous crimes that Rulon Jeffs - and his son Warren Jeffs (pictured together) - committed during their time as the presidents of FLDS Rulon (pictured) had 20 wives when he passed - and one of those wives was Rebecca, who recalled doing whatever it took to avoid having sex with the then-85-year-old Warren, now 66, became the president of FLDS in 2002 after his father passed away. He is pictured with some of his wives While serving as the self-appointed leader of FLDS, Warren married and sexually assaulted multiple children, and forced other young girls to wed adult men in the community The then-19-year-old also revealed the excused she would come up to avoid having sex with him - like offering to give him a massage - in the hopes that he'd fall asleep before they got around to it. 'I was clever, I knew he was tired so I'd have him get in bed and I'd rub his feet,' she said in the documentary. 'I'd do anything I could to make him fall asleep. And then I'd pass by another night without having him touch me. It worked until it didn't work anymore.' Warren (pictured in 2008) was charged with two felony counts of child sexual assault in 2008, and he had more than 70 wives, 24 of whom were underage, when he was arrested FLDS was created in the early 20th century by a group of Mormons who got ostracized from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they refused to give up polygamy - the act of marrying multiple women. It was first founded in 1930, and Rulon served as its leader from 1986 until he passed away in 2002, which then prompted his son Warren to take over as the group's 'prophet'. While serving as the self-appointed leader, he married and sexually assaulted multiple children, and forced other young girls to wed adult men in the community - before he was ultimately arrested and charged with two felony counts of child sexual assault. He had more than 70 wives, 24 of whom were underage, when he was arrested in 2008. Many of Rulon and Warren's victims have spoken out about the terrible abuse that they faced while growing up in the cult, as part of the four-part Rachel Dretzin-directed docuseries. Other former FLDS members detailed how they were not allowed to have any contact with the outside world and how they were made to believe that the prophet could read their thoughts - and that if they didn't obey him they would die. FLDS was created in the early 20th century by a group of Mormons who got ostracized from the church because they refused to give up polygamy. One of FLDS' bases is pictured Rebecca and Elissa grew up on one of FLDS' bases in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are pictured as kids with some of their siblings Their father had two wives throughout their childhood - his first wife had nine kids, and his second wife, who was their mom, had 12 other kids. Their dad is pictured with his two wives Elissa (pictured with her siblings, her mom, Sharon, and her dad's first wife, Myrna) recalled not leaving the property. She said, 'There wasn't a lot of exposure to the outside world' Polygamy was renounced from the Mormon religion in 1904, when the then-president of the church said it would no longer be allowed in a declaration known as the Second Manifesto. However, some members of the community didn't want to stop the practice since they believed that 'the more wives and children you have, the higher in Heaven you'll be,' according to the documentary. Rebecca and Elissa grew up on one of FLDS' bases in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their father had two wives throughout their childhood - his first wife was a woman named Myrna, who had nine kids, and his second wife was a woman named Sharon, who was their mom and had 12 other kids. 'We didn't really leave our property in Salt Lake City. We didn't go to the movies, we didn't go to theme parks, or any large gatherings,' Elissa said in the doc. 'There wasn't a lot of exposure to the outside world, we just did activities within our group. 'As time went on, we got further and further away from society, and all of us knew that our way of life had to be concealed.' Elissa explained that they were taught that the prophet was a 'representation of God on Earth,' and that he 'would never die.' Rebecca said that when a girl was 'ready to get married,' her parents would bring her to the prophet and say, 'Here's my daughter, do with her as you will.' Her dad is pictured with Rulon When Rebecca was 19 years old, she was told that she had to marry Rulon, who was 85 at the time. They are pictured at their wedding Rebecca (pictured now) said that she was told her 'soul purpose' was to 'be with Rulon, to pray, and to be obedient - to be adoring at all times' She added: 'We believed the prophet knew everything we did, every thought we had. He knew our dreams, knew our wishes, our desires. He was also the one that created all the arranged marriages.' According to Rebecca, when a girl was 'ready to get married,' her parents would bring her to the prophet and say, 'Here's my daughter, do with her as you will. Whatever is God's will.' When Rebecca was 19 years old, she was told that she had to marry Rulon, who was the ruler of FLDS and was 85 at the time. 'My dad was so excited. For any man in the FLDS, to have their daughter marry into the prophet's family was a massive honor,' she recalled. 'But I was just like, "Ew."' Rebecca said that she was told her 'soul purpose' was to 'be with Rulon Jeffs, to pray, and to be obedient - to be adoring at all times,' adding, 'They didn't let us work, they didn't let us go to school.' Alicia Rohbock also married Rulon when she was 20 and he was 86. By the time that they wed, he had 23 other wives already. Alicia said that every night before bed, all of Rulon's wives would form a line outside of his bedroom door so that they could give him a goodnight kiss. But one night, he asked her to stay with him so he could do some 'love making,' but she had no idea what that was. 'You don't know anything. I did not know how babies were born, I just thought you made them when you kissed,' she shared. Alicia Rohbock also married Rulon when she was 20 and he was 86. By the time that they wed, he had 23 other wives already. They are pictured at the wedding Alicia (pictured with Rulon) said that every night before bed, all of Rulon's wives would form a line outside of his bedroom door so that they could give him a goodnight kiss Alicia (seen as a teen) said that one night, Rulon told her wanted to do some 'love making,' but she had no idea what that was, explaining, 'I did not know how babies were born' 'You don't know anything. I did not know how babies were born, I just thought you made them when you kissed,' Alicia (pictured now) shared Rulon had a 'massive stroke' in August 1998, and later passed away in 2002. Warren soon started to 'take over' as prophet, and that's when 'things really took a turn' for the worst, according to Elissa. '[Warren] had this saying, "Obedience is led by a hair." Meaning, hair is so thin, and true obedience meant that you could be led by a hair and you wouldn't break it,' she explained in the doc. 'There could be absolutely no resistance to that obedience because any resistance would pop that hair. 'Anything that had an outside influence was purged. The school libraries, they would take out any book that wasn't specifically approved by Warren himself, those were completely banned. 'Warren created a curriculum that was specifically for the girls in FLDS that he would teach in school.' The women revealed that Warren started making many new rules and prohibiting anything that was considered fun, like watching videos or putting on plays. He also started to control the way the women dressed. 'Before Warren, women dressed anyway we wanted to dress as long as we were covered,' Myrna Wall, the first wife of Elissa and Rebecca's father, explained. Rebecca remembered Rulon (pictured with some of his wives) 'rolling on top of her' and telling her to 'spread her legs' Rulon had a 'massive stroke' in August 1998, and later passed away in 2002. He is seen at his funeral with all of his wives Warren (pictured as a kid) soon started to 'take over' as prophet, and that's when 'things really took a turn' for the worst, according to Elissa 'And then Warren started restricting the clothing and what you wore. We were told, get rid of all your denim and prints. Everyone had to look alike.' She said women had to keep their hair 'immaculate' and cover themselves 'from head to toe.' The women revealed that Warren (pictured with one of his wives) started making many new rules and prohibiting anything that was considered fun. He also controlled the way the women dressed Throughout the years that he ran FLDS - which has bases throughout the Salt Lake City area of Utah, and Colorado City in Arizona, collectively known as Short Creek, as well as one in Eldorado, Texas, which is called the Yearning for Zion Ranch - Warren brainwashed, imprisoned, and abused multiple women and children, earning him a spot on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List. He often used fear to keep them under his control, with Elissa explaining that his teachings were 'so scary' and that he'd 'pound images of blood running down the Salt Lake City drains into their heads.' He also told them that if they didn't 'obtain salvation' they would die. 'I wasn't scared of death, I was scared of disobeying the prophet. I would have rather died than disobeyed,' a former FLDS member, named Erna Black, said during the docuseries. Her husband, Jeff, added, 'She truly believed that if she obeyed, she would have eternal life even if she died.' After Rulon passed away, Warren started to wed all of the women that his father had been married to. And when Rebecca showed resistance, he was not happy about it. She recalled: 'Warren said, "I will break you. You've had too much freedom for too long. I will train you to be a good wife." It felt like the world was caving in on me and I was so scared.' Throughout the years that he ran FLDS, Warren (pictured with his dad) imprisoned and abused multiple women and children, earning him a spot on the FBI's Most Wanted List Warren often used fear to keep them under his control, with Elissa explaining that his teachings were 'so scary,' and that he told them if they didn't 'obtain salvation' they would die When Elissa was just 14 years old, Warren told her that she would have to marry her first cousin, who she had an 'intense dislike for.' She is pictured as a kid She said she pleaded with Warren to not make her marry him but he said, 'Are you questioning the prophet's will? Do you believe you know better than the prophet?' After the wedding, Elissa said she told her husband (pictured) that she didn't want him to touch her - but he told her it 'was his right and her duty,' and proceeded to have sex with her When Elissa was just 14 years old, Warren told her that she would have to marry her first cousin, who she had an 'intense dislike for.' 'There was a feeling I had around him, my skin would crawl and I didn't feel safe in his presence,' she said of her cousin. Elissa (pictured now) voiced her concerns to Warren, who told her she 'needed to go home and cement herself - mind, body, and soul - to her husband' since he was her 'pathway to Heaven' 'I was quite defiant [about the wedding], I said, "I will not do this. I cannot marry him." When I sat and talked to Warren [about it], I felt like I was fighting for my very life. 'I was crying and scared and intimated to be sitting in his presence. He asked me, "Are you questioning the prophet's will? Do you believe you know better than the prophet?" He was immovable. My pleas and my requests were ignored.' After the wedding, Elissa said she told her husband that she didn't want him to touch her - but he told her it 'was his right and her duty,' and proceeded to have sex with her. 'The worst part was, I didn't know what was happening to me. It hurt and it was scary, and I didn't know what was going on,' she shared. 'I didn't have words like "rape" or "violated," those weren't even part of our vocabulary at FLDS. So I just cried and asked him to please stop. 'After it was all over he went to sleep, I pulled myself out of bed and went to the bathroom and cried and cried and sat there trying to find God's will in all of it. In 2005, Warren was charged with sexual assault of a minor, but the charges were eventually dropped. He is seen in 2006 In 2006, he was also charged with felony accomplice to the rape of a teenage girl. He was found guilty, but the conviction was later overturned. He is pictured in 2007 Police arrested Jeffs for a third time in 2008, after they found over 400 children and evidence of abuse on his Texas ranch. Members of the cult are seen leaving the compound after the raid 'I went to see Warren and I told him what was happening in the bedroom because I truly believed in that moment that if he realized what was going on, he would validate that it wasn't supposed to. 'But he didn't do that, instead, he told me that I needed to go home and cement myself - mind, body, and soul - to my husband. That he was my pathway to Heaven. It was the biggest feeling of betrayal.' In 2011, he was sent away for life after he was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault for having sex with two girls aged 12 and 14. He is pictured in 2011 In 2005, Warren was charged with sexual assault of a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual misconduct with a minor after he allegedly forced an unidentified then-14-year-old girl to marry her 19-year-old cousin. During the trial, the young girl claimed that her husband raped and impregnated her numerous times, however, the charges were eventually dismissed. According to CNN, the case was dropped in 2010 by the prosecutor, after Warren was arrested for 'much more serious charges.' In 2006, he was also charged with felony accomplice to the rape of a teenage girl. He was found guilty, however, the conviction was later overturned by the Utah Supreme Court, who claimed there was a mistake in jury instructions. Police stormed the Zion Ranch in 2008 and arrested Warren for a third time, after they found over 400 children and evidence of 'sexual, physical, and psychological abuse,' Rolling Stone reported. In 2011, he was sent away for life after he was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault for having sex with two girls aged 12 and 14. He is currently serving a life sentence plus 20 years for the charges, however, it's been reported that Warren has continued to preach to FLDS' remaining members from his prison cell. As of 2018, the Guardian reported that there were still around 10,000 active members of the church. A former porn star has claimed that she slept with convicted pedophile Josh Duggar back in 2015 after meeting him on cheaters' dating site Ashley Madison - alleging that he 'paid her a generous amount' to have sex with him on multiple occasions. Karlie Brooks, 26, from Kentucky, alleged in a since-deleted TikTok video - which The Sun first reported was reposted on the YouTube account Tuff Talks - that she had several 'meetups' with Duggar, 34, around the same time that he was exposed for having multiple Ashley Madison accounts back in August 2015. 'Speaking of Josh Duggar, I am ashamed to say this but I have slept with him,' Brooks claims in the clip, which she appears to have filmed while sitting in her car. 'A few years ago when the whole Ashley Madison scandal came out, I was one of the women that slept with Josh during that time.' Duggar was originally outed as an Ashley Madison user in the summer of 2015 after the website was hacked and millions of user details were exposed to the world. He later admitted to cheating on his wife Anna, now 33, with women he met via the website, on which he had multiple accounts. A former porn star has claimed that she had sex with convicted pedophile Josh Duggar 'a few years ago' after meeting him on the cheaters' dating site Ashley Madison Karlie Brooks, 26, from Kentucky, alleged that Duggar, now 34, 'paid her a generous amount' for their 'meetups' in a series of since-deleted TikTok videos and comments Brooks said she is 'ashamed' and 'disgusted' to have slept with Duggar (seen in his mugshot) in light of his child pornography conviction; last month he was sentenced to 12 years in jail At the same time, he confessed to having a pornography addiction. Information that was found in the leaked user account data was reported to have listed Duggar's full name and address, as well as some of his alleged sexual preferences, including that he was looking for 'conventional sex, experimenting with sex toys, one-night stands, sharing fantasies, and sex talk'. The Ashley Madison scandal came just over six years before Duggar was arrested and then convicted on charges of downloading child pornography; in May, he was jailed for 12 years by a judge who described the images and videos found on the father-of-seven's computer as being among the 'worst' he had ever seen. Brooks' claims about Duggar appear to have been made in response to his conviction and sentencing, with the OnlyFans star stating in her video: 'Just hearing everything that has gone down with him makes me absolutely sick. 'I am so disgusted that I've been with him.' She went on to allege that the former reality star - who rose to infamy while starring in the TLC series 19 Kids and Counting alongside his 17 siblings and his parents, Jim Bob and Michelle - paid her 'a generous amount' to have sex with him. 'He paid me a generous, a really good amount of money, I'm not going to disclose that on here... But yeah, I slept with Josh Duggar,' she concluded. According to the gossip-based YouTube account that reposted Brooks' video, the adult film star went on to share more alleged details about her so-called 'meetups' with Duggar in a follow-up video and in the comments section. In 2015, Duggar was outed as an Ashley Madison user after the website was hacked and millions of users were exposed. He later admitted to using the site to cheat on his wife Anna Brooks claimed that the convicted pedophile, seen arriving at court with wife Anna, 33, with whom he shares seven children, made her follow several 'bizarre "rules"' for their 'meetups' In one screenshot that the YouTube user claims she took from one of Brooks' posts, the OnlyFans star alleges that Duggar 'had a bunch of weird "rules" she had to do before meetups'. The YouTube user then summarized some of the 'rules' that she says Brooks listed while replying to comments from other TikTok users. 'This woman, Karlie, answered questions from people [who] were curious as to why she continued with a person that was placing such bizarre requests for her, like putting her hair in pigtails, shaving everything on her body, [and] covering up all her tattoos,' the YouTube user claims. 'She also said that Josh picked out panties from the kids' section for her to wear when they would meet up, which is so sick. 'But she claims that she didn't raise any red flags because, for her, being in the industry, it's very common that people would make those requests [so] she didn't think anything of it.' DailyMail.com has contacted Brooks and a spokesperson for Duggar for comment. The OnlyFans star is not the first woman who claims they had sex with Duggar after meeting him on Ashley Madison; in November 2015, former porn star Danica Dillon sued the father-of-seven for $500,000 over accusations that he brutally raped her and assaulted her when they met up for sex on two occasions. In her lawsuit, Dillon claimed she met Duggar in March 2015 at a Philadelphia strip club where he allegedly paid $600 for lap dances from her. Duggar's wife Anna was six-months pregnant at the time and was at home with their three children. Dillon dropped her case against Duggar in 2016 as part of a settlement reached out of court. The OnlyFans star alleges that Duggar (seen with Anna in 2015) made her wear her hair in pigtails and cover her tattoos, and claims he bought her children's underwear to wear Her claims come seven years after former porn star Danica Dillon accused Duggar of brutally raping her. She spoke to DailyMailTV about the alleged ordeal in 2021 (seen) Speaking to DailyMailTV about the alleged ordeal in 2021, Dillon claimed that she repeatedly refused to let Duggar come back to her hotel room after meeting him at the strip club, but eventually agreed - which is when she says he turned on her. 'There was no intimacy, it was, "Get naked now, get down on your knees,"' Dillon told DailyMailTV. 'There was no warning, the back of my head was grabbed, his d**k was shoved into my throat and it was hard, hard, hard, with no remorse, no nothing. Almost as if the look in his eyes went black. It was terrifying. 'I was thrown up on the bed, put in multiple different positions, his hands around my throat. At one point I tried pushing off and his entire body was on top of me with his penis in my mouth and I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even gasp for help.' In 2015, Dillon sued Duggar for $500,000 over accusations that he assaulted her Johnston said she feared she might choke to death during the alleged rape. 'It was just so intense. It was one of the worst encounters in my life I've had sexually,' she said. The latest claims about Duggar were posted on TikTok by Brooks just days before his legal team filed notice to appeal his child pornography conviction after he was sentenced to 12 years behind bars. When sentencing Duggar, the judge in his case stated that he was giving the convicted pedophile a harsher sentence because of the sexual abuse that he had subjected his own sisters to when he was a teenager. Duggar has been in custody since December when a federal jury found the 19 Kids and Counting alum guilty of possession and receipt of child pornography. The possession charge was dropped at his sentencing. 'The images were some of the worst that this court has ever encountered,' Judge Brooks told Duggar, as his wife Anna sat a few yards behind him in the public gallery during his hearing. The court heard in December how the dad-of-seven used the desktop computer at his car dealership to trawl the dark web for hundreds of warped films and photos. One notorious movie, 'Daisy's Destruction', featured the abuse and torture of an infant. Another sequence of images depicted a girl being whipped with a cat o' nine tails, tied up and locked in a dog cage. Advertisement Kate Middleton couldn't stop smiling today as she cut a polished figure in a 50 cream Zara blazer and 550 Kiki Classic Citrine Drop earrings by Kiki McDonough as she visited a children's charity in London in her first outing following a busy Platinum Jubilee weekend. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, looked in high spirits as she visited Little Village Brent at the UNCLE Building earlier this afternoon. The mother-of-three swept her hair from her face as she arrived at the charity, and showed off her natural beauty with simple make-up look, pairing a light layer of foundation with smokey brown eye and pink lipstick. She later was seen inside chatting to charity workers and parents who use the bank. Showing off her caring side, the royal helped a young mum called Sara sort through children's books. The Duchess has long been a fan of the high street brand Zara, and often steps out in pieces from the Spanish retailer for royal events. During her visit, The Duchess met staff and volunteers from the centre as well as a family who are currently receiving support. The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families today Kate looked on in interest as she heard about how the charity is helping local families in the London borough of Brent The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families Kate is seen chatting to parents at the Little Village hub in Brent today The Duchess of Cambridge with a young mum called Sara during a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to Kate Middleton cut a polished figure in a 50 cream Zara blazer and black trousers as she visited a children's charity in London in her first outing following a busy Platinum Jubilee weekend The Duchess of Cambridge , 40, looked in high spirits as she visited Little Village Brent at the UNCLE Building earlier this afternoon The mother-of-three swept her hair from her face as she arrived at the charity, and showed off her natural beauty with simple make-up look, pairing a light layer of foundation with smokey brown eye and pink lipstick Smile and wave! Duchess of Cambridge, leaves the Uncle Building after a visit, in Brent, London today Kate is seen chatting to a worker from the charity that equips families with clothes, toys and essential items for babies and children up to the age of five, including nappies, beds, buggies and toiletries, as well as linking them with key services Little Village is Londons largest baby bank network with eight locations across the capital, providing a warm, supportive community for families who might be going through tough times. The charity equips families with clothes, toys and essential items for babies and children up to the age of five, including nappies, beds, buggies and toiletries, as well as linking them with key services. Families are referred to the charity via a network of professionals such as midwives, health visitors and social workers, and can either receive items through home deliveries or by coming into their local centre. Since launching in 2016, Little Villages team of over 600 volunteers have responded to nearly 20,000 requests for support across London, reaching over 22,000 children. Little Village Brent opened in November 2021 and aims to help around 40 families from the borough of Brent each week. During her visit, The Duchess will meet some of the centres volunteers as they sort through donations, and hear more about how Little Village works with each individual family to understand their personal needs and preferences in order to provide a tailored package of support. All smiles here! Kate looked delighted to be at the centre today as she opted for an all white outfit The very expressive Duchess was back tot business today after a a busy weekend of Platinum Jubilee celebrations Little Village Brent opened in November 2021 and aims to help around 40 families from the borough of Brent each week. The mother-of-three gave a lesson in business chic as she arrived at the children's charity earlier this afternoon in London (left and right) Her visit comes hours after a source claimed Lilibet did not meet her cousins the Cambridges during her first trip to the UK for the Platinum Jubilee because Prince William and Kate snubbed an invitation to her first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families When families visit Little Village hubs in person, the charity works to ensure that they are treated with love, kindness and dignity. The Duchess will meet a family who are being supported by Little Village Brent to hear about their experiences of using the centre, including the impact of being able to choose for themselves the objects that they need from an extensive stock of high-quality donated items. The Duchess visit to Little Village Brent forms part of Her Royal Highness longstanding work to support families. In the summer of 2020, The Duchess brought together nineteen British brands and retailers to donate over 10,000 new items to more than 40 baby banks nationwide, operated by Little Village, Baby Basics and AberNecessities. Her Royal Highness has also previously visited baby banks in Sheffield and West Norfolk where she spent time helping to unload deliveries, sort donations, and spoke with families about their experiences of using their local baby bank services. Her visit comes hours after a source claimed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet did not meet her cousins the Cambridges during her first trip to the UK because Prince William and Kate snubbed an invitation to her first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex invited William, Kate and their children Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, seven and Prince Louis, four, to Lilibet's first birthday party as 'an olive branch' but the Cambridges did not attend, according to Page Six. Kate's appearance comes after a source told the US paper Page Six that things between the warring brothers 'still fraught' and that 'William is still wary of spending any time alone with Harry as you never quite know what may be reported back afterwards.' The party took place on June 4, while the Cambridge family were at Cardiff Castle to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. It comes as Harry and Meghan gave the world a rare glimpse of Lilibet - and the grace-and-favour Windsor home they left for LA - as it is understood they were banned from photographing the one-year-old meeting the Queen for the first time. The Duchess has long been a fan of the high street brand Zara, and often steps out in pieces from the Spanish retailer for royal events Kate is pictured arriving at Little Village, Londons largest baby bank network with eight locations across the capital, providing a warm, supportive community for families who might be going through tough times. The Sussexes released a picture taken of the little girl named in tribute to the Queen, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet in the grounds of Frogmore Cottage where she celebrated her first birthday at Windsor on Saturday with birthday cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks. Guests in attendance include Zara and Mike Tindall and their three children, as well as Peter Phillip's two daughters, but Lilbet's first cousins were not present. Kensington Palace did not comment on the claims. Among the gifts were apparently a pastel pink VW Beetle ride-on car, which costs 75 from Selfridges, while Sussex supporters donated $100,000 to charity in her honour. Prince Charles may have bought her a swing similar to one he bought for Prince George - after an aide to the Sussexes was seen unloading it from their private jet in Santa Barbara. Last night it was claimed that the Queen banned Harry and Meghan from having a photographer capture the Monarch met her great-granddaughter Lilibet for the first time. The photographer has not been named - but it may be their friend Misan Harriman, who has photographed the Sussexes several times since they became a couple around six years ago. The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a visit to Little Village's hub in Brent to hear how the baby bank is supporting local families Windswept and wonderful! The mother-of-three pushed her hair back while enjoying the English spring in London today Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, leaves the Uncle Building after a visit, in Brent, London Investigative journalist Tom Bower, who is working on a biography of the Duchess of Sussex, said: 'Meghan must have been furious when she heard that photographs of their Windsor meeting were forbidden. Banned from the balcony for Trooping the Colour, no shot of her with the Queen in St Paul's and then the final blow was no shot of Lilibet with her great-grandmother. Finally, the Palace is playing a good hand'. He added: 'The Sussexes' contract with Netflix is in jeopardy. The veto of photos will fuel the Sussexes' resentment. Harry's reprisal could be more revelations in his book billed to be published later this year. This is a dangerous game for both sides'. William and Harry have been separated by a rift that began in March 2019 when William reportedly threw Harry and Meghan out of Kensington Palace over the alleged bullying of staff, with the Sussexes breaking up their joint foundation and setting up a new office at Buckingham Palace. The claims emerged in Robert Lacey's book Battle of Brothers, published before Harry and Meghan went on Oprah to accuse the Royal Family of racism and claim they were abandoned when the Duchess of Sussex was suicidal and six months pregnant. Harry also said his brother and father were 'trapped' by the institution of monarchy, and that feels 'really let down' by his father Charles. Martha Stewart fans, mark your calendars! On Wednesday, June 15th the culinary queen will be hosting a follow up auction of items from her highly buzzed about tag sale in April, featuring pieces from her homes in Seal Harbor, Maine, Westport, Connecticut, East Hampton and Katonah, New York. Proceeds will benefit the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Hospital, the same charity that Stewarts tag sale raised funds for. On Wednesday, June 15th Martha Stewart will be hosting a tag sale with proceeds benefitting the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai Hospital. The culinary queen and The Benefit Shop Foundation, Inc. founder Pam Stone pose for a photo on day one of her recent tag sale. The Great American Tag Sale held on April 23-24 was an exclusive affair, with tickets selling out in minutes, despite the $250 price. Pam Stone, founder of The Benefit Stop Foundation Inc., attended and bought the lifestyle guru's vintage poster collection, then came back after the sale ended and took seven truckloads of items back to her auction gallery, which are now crossing the auction block on Wednesday, June 15, at 10 am. Martha looked stylish at the tag sale, donning the Short Sleeve Quilted Down Puffer Vest in silver from her own fashion collection, paired with a turquoise sweater and skinny jeans. She sported her signature warm blonde, short hairstyle and natural makeup. 'Martha Stewarts Great American Tag Sale was an iconic event and we are thrilled to transform it into an single-owner auction that expands its reach online to a global audience,' Stone said The auction will offer a bit of everything to spruce up your living space, including a great selection of furniture Also coming out of the Skylands estate is a striking and large collection of carpets, ranging in price from $150-800 'Martha Stewarts Great American Tag Sale was an iconic event and we are thrilled to transform it into an single-owner auction that expands its reach online to a global audience,' Stone said. 'A maven of style, Martha had so many wonderful pieces from antiques and collectibles to furniture and decorative arts in her homes. Buyers who missed their chance at her exclusive tag sale, where entry tickets sold out within minutes, have another opportunity to acquire some of these pieces.' The auction on June 15 will offer a bit of everything to spruce up your living space, including a great selection of furniture. An antique painted two-piece cabinet hutch ($500-$2,000), standing 72 inches tall, will be up for grabs Up for grabs is the trestle style dining table ($1/2,000) designed by the domestic goddess for her Bernhardt line and used in her Katonah home as her dining table. In addition to an antique painted two-piece cabinet hutch ($500-$2,000), standing 72 inches tall that appeared on her television show. The hutch features windowed doors with three shelves and the lower half has two dovetailed drawers over doors opening to reveal a shelf. A diverse array of seating styles will also be up for auction, some personally designed by Martha. Highlights include a group of five vintage painted chairs with Belgian linen seats ($500-1,100); a pair of vintage Chinese lacquer chairs ($500-1,000) designed by Stewart for her Bernhardt furniture line, and a vintage Midcentury Modern style makeup chair ($50-$200) in gray leather and with chrome tubular arms. Martha's Maine home named Skylands once belonged to Edsel Ford and it came fully-furnished right down to a collection of vintage posters mostly purchased by him Martha kept Edsel Ford's posters on the walls for many years Auction items have come from all of Stewarts homes, including Seal Harbor, Maine, Westport, Connecticut, East Hampton and Katonah, New York. The historic Seal Harbor estate, Skylands, once belonged to Edsel Ford. It came fully-furnished right down to a collection of vintage posters mostly purchased by him. They ranged from travel themes to products such as Peugeot cycles. Stewart kept them on the walls for many years since buying the home in 1997. Posters range from $500-$2,500. The posters at auction retail for $500-$2,500 Also coming out of the Skylands estate is a striking and large collection of carpets, ranging in price from $150-800. From Stewarts Westport, Conn., estate is a vintage handmade Victorian wool rug ($200-$500). Rounding out the auction will be an antique French tapestry fireplace screen ($400-$500). The auction gallery is at 185 Kisco Ave, Suite 201. For more information, click here call or 914-864-0707. Japan's former Princess Mako of Akishino was spotted out and about with her commoner husband, Kei Komuro, in New York City on Tuesday, nearly two months after it was revealed the aspiring lawyer had failed the bar exam for the second time. Mako Komuro, 30, the only daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, gave up her royal title to marry her college sweetheart, Komuro, 30, last October in a small civil ceremony. The couple, who have been living in Manhattan following their wedding, were photographed walking together during a rare sighting this week. Japan's former Princess Mako of Akishino, 30, enjoyed a stroll with her commoner husband, Kei Komuro, 30, in New York City on Tuesday The outing comes nearly two months after it was revealed that Komuro failed the New York State Bar exam for the second time Mako gave up her royal title to marry her college sweetheart last October, and they have since relocated to Manhattan Mako was dressed casually in a plain black T-shirt and baggy jeans that were cuffed at the hem a look that has become somewhat of a uniform for her since her move to the Big Apple. The former royal was photographed wearing a nearly identical outfit and crossbody bag while running errands back in April. This time, she paired her black top and baggy jeans with pale green Adidas sneakers. She also had on a face mask on both occasions, though her husband has not been wearing one outside. Komuro was dressed for work in a black suit paired with a crisp white button-down shirt that was left open at the collar and black dress shoes. His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he carried a leather briefcase while strolling through the city with his wife. He had a smile on his face while chatting with her before they went their separate ways. Mako, the niece of reigning Japanese Emperor Naruhito, was dressed casually in a plain black T-shirt and baggy jeans that were cuffed at the hem She topped off her look with a pair of pale green Adidas sneakers and a crossbody bag Mako had on a face mask while walking outside, though her husband wasn't wearing one Mako was later seen running errands by herself in Hell's Kitchen, including stops at Sullivan Street Bakery and D'Agostino market. She had a reusable Target bag slung over her shoulder, but she opted to carry her bag of goodies from the bakery in her hand while her cellphone stuck out of her back pocket. Mako and Komuro have kept a low profile while living in a luxury one-bedroom apartment in the city, and they are believed to be financially independent. The former princess was entitled to a $1.3 million payout from the Japanese government after giving up her noble status, but she turned it down. Mako, the niece of reigning Emperor Naruhito, has reportedly been making use of her background in art history by reportedly serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Komuro, who has been clerking at a law firm in the city, was dressed for work in a black suit paired with a white button-down shirt that was left open at the collar His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he carried a leather briefcase while strolling through the city with his wife Mako was later seen running errands by herself in Hell's Kitchen, including a stop at Sullivan Street Bakery 'She has specifically been involved in preparing an exhibition of paintings inspired by the life of a 13th-century monk who traveled throughout Japan as he introduced Buddhism,' according to the Japan Times. Mako has a degree in art and cultural heritage from International Christian University in Japan, where she met her husband. She went on to study art history at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland before receiving her master's in art museum and gallery studies from the University of Leicester in England. 'She's qualified and probably handling pieces in the collection. In general, it's work which requires a great deal of preparation and often means spending a lot of time in the library,' a former curator at the Met told People. While she is pursuing a career in the art world, her husband has been struggling to pass the New York State Bar. The former princess had a reusable Target bag slung over her shoulder, but she opted to carry her bag of goodies from the bakery in her hand Mako was also seen pulling up her baggy jeans while leaving D'Agostino market on 54th Street Mako's long dark hair was worn loose around her shoulders and her bangs framed her face Mako, who has an impressive background in art history, has reportedly been serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Komuro graduated from Fordham University's law school in May 2021 and landed a job clerking at Lowenstein Sandler LLP in Manhattan, where he helps counsel companies and investors on venture capital financings, mergers, and acquisitions. The aspiring lawyer first sat for the New York State Bar exam last July, three months before his wedding to Mako, but it was revealed in November that he had failed. According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, he phoned Okuno Yoshihiko the head of a law firm in Japan where he previously worked to tell him he didn't pass. Komuro sat for the exam for the second time in February, but when the results were published online in April, his name was not included among those who had passed. New York does not place a limit or restriction on the number of times a person may attempt to pass the exam, meaning he can take it as many times as he wants. Mako has a degree in art and cultural heritage from International Christian University in Japan, and a master's in art museum and gallery studies from the University of Leicester in England Mako looked every bit the New Yorker in her T-shirt and baggy jeans, where she kept her cellphone stored in her back pocket The look has become somewhat of a uniform for her since her move to the Big Apple. She was photographed wearing a nearly identical outfit and crossbody bag in April Should he choose to try for a third time, he will have to wait until July of this year to re-take the exam, which is only offered twice a year. Komuro previously worked at a bank and at a French restaurant in Japan before relocating to New York for law school. His father died when he was in elementary school, and he was raised by his widowed mother, Kayo. He met Mako in 2013 when they were both studying at the International Christian University outside Tokyo. The couple got 'unofficially engaged' in 2017 and had planned on tying the knot in November 2018. Initially, the news was greeted with delight in Japan, but then a scandal grew up when it was discovered that his mother, Kayo, had not repaid a 4 million yen ($35,000) loan from a former fiance, partly to pay his tuition. The controversy led critics to suggest Komuro was only marrying the princess for money or fame. Komuro issued a 24-page statement about the money, claiming his mother believed it was a gift, not a loan. Eventually, he said he would repay it, though it is not known whether it has ever been returned. Mako and Komuro met as students at International Christian University in 2013 and wed in small civil ceremony in October 2021 (pictured) Mako (pictured at Emperor Naruhito's enthronement ceremony in 2019) had to give up her titles because only male members of the imperial family are allowed to marry non-royals Mako left her home at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo on October 26 (pictured), and she arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York a few weeks later on November 14 A few days after she arrived in New York City, she was seen shopping for hangers and other apartment necessities at a local Bed Bath & Beyond Despite the turmoil, Komuro and Mako's love endured, and she announced that she was moving forward with the marriage in 2020. 'We are irreplaceable to each other someone to rely on during both happy and unhappy times,' she said. 'So a marriage is a necessary choice for us to live while cherishing and protecting our feelings.' Only male members of the Japanese imperial family are allowed to marry commoners, and Mako had to give up more than just her royal title to wed Komuro. She has a surname for the first time in her life following their marriage and is now known as Mako Komuro. She also had to get a passport to travel, something she didn't need as a royal. Mako can no longer live in the Imperial Palace, and if she and Komuro have sons, they will not be in the line of succession for the male-only emperorship. She can never return to the dynasty, even if her marriage ends in divorce. Only three of Mako's relatives can succeed Emperor Naruhito, 62, under the current Imperial Household Law, including his 86-year-old uncle Masahito, Prince Hitachi. The others are Mako's 56-year-old father, Prince Fumihito, who is the emperor's brother, and her 15-year-old brother, Prince Hisahito. The lightbulb moment came, ironically, the first time I had to change a spotlight in the bathroom. The ceilings are high so this had always been my husbands job. But I thought, no need to make a production of this; I wouldnt bother carting the step ladder upstairs. I used a chair and, to steady myself, grabbed the top of the towel rail. This promptly came away in my hands, sending me flying backwards into the bath. I am lucky to be alive to tell the tale. All that was bruised was my ego as I realised how foolish I had been. What also struck me was the fact that I was really and truly on my own and no amount of self-pity was going to change that. My husband, Mark, had died several months before. As devastating as it was, I was no longer his wife of 43 years. I had to find a new path, a new identity. I didnt want just to be a pathetic widow who couldnt change a lightbulb. Anne Sebba explains how her her husband Mark suffered a heart attack in Greece aged 69. Pictured: Anne and Mark Sebba It had all happened so suddenly. A few months after retiring, while we were on holiday in Greece, Mark had suffered a fatal heart attack. He was a young 69. There had been no time to say goodbye. At first I was numbed by the shock of losing the man whod been by my side almost all my adult life. Then came all the bureaucracy involved in the death of a loved one abroad. I soon realised I had to embrace change before it engulfed me; I had to move forward somehow. As an author and historian, Im fascinated by how womens identities constantly shift and change, and by how they respond to the challenges life throws at them from wartime deprivations to divorce or bereavement. Now, suddenly, I was a widow a word I have always hated. I was being forced not only to reconsider my identity but respond to a new way of life for which I was totally unprepared. I felt too young, in my mid-60s, to be defined by my lack of marital status, by the husband I no longer had. Men, I realised, are rarely defined simply as widowers. Mark and I had met as teenagers at a party and married in 1975. Shortly afterwards, I took my new husband to a literary party, certain hed be impressed with the people I knew. UK-based author and historian, Anne (pictured), is fascinated by how womens identities constantly shift and change. She says that she felt too young in her mid-60s to be defined by her lack of martial status, by the husband she no longer had Just ahead of us in the signing-in queue were Mr and Mrs Jilly Cooper. Think how revolutionary it was then for a successful man to submerge his own identity in his wifes. Mr Leo Cooper was a successful and handsome publisher, an alpha male; Jilly, his wife, a novelist. It made me realise how rarely women got to have their own identity put first in a marriage. Ill do that when you have made it as a famous author, my husband promised. Aha, so I had to earn it, I realised. But that was OK. Thats how it was in those days. I was a wife who was proud to be Mrs Mark Sebba, not the other way around. I may have secretly thought I was an independent young woman who had already made it as a successful journalist. I was, after all, a foreign correspondent at Reuters, the first woman they had taken on their graduate trainee scheme. I had lived alone in Italy for a year working in the Rome bureau. But nonetheless I had given up my maiden name and considered what my new husband was offering was generous. Id given up a career to support him and now it was my turn I was happy to be a wife and, soon after, a mother to three children, now 44, 42 and 29. I never stopped working as a freelance journalist and biographer and never felt my identity as a mother was in any way self-denying. In fact, the reverse. I knew I was lucky to have all these wonderful experiences of life. Throughout our marriage, Mark and I complemented each other in traditional ways which I didnt question. He was a trained accountant so it made sense if he did the house admin while I did the kidstuff. If he unloaded the dishwasher, I thanked him. We thought we were modern because we never had a joint bank account. Mostly, it worked and we muddled through. Many years later, in 2015, once I had become a bestselling author and my businessman husband had retired from his position as the hugely successful and popular chief executive of internet shopping hit Net-a-Porter, he was as good as his word and changed his email address to mark@annesebba.com. He was, he happily told anyone who asked, prepared now to be in the service of his wife, my bag carrier when I travelled abroad to give lectures. It was a grand and very public gesture, a signal of how he intended to play out the next phase of our life together. Id given up the big career to support him, now it was my turn. But it was not to be. A few months after retiring, while on holiday in Crete, Mark died suddenly. Although we were busy preparing the villa for four friends to come to stay, we decided we still had time for an early morning swim in the sea. Immediately after a breakfast of Greek salad and coffee, I set to cooking gazpacho, cheese pie and other local dishes I had recently mastered. Mark, meanwhile, attacked household chores, mostly preparing the beds. He always joked that he liked the unskilled tasks. Having made a huge mess in the kitchen, I turned to Mark and asked if, while I set the table outside, he could do the washing-up. Mark and Anne (pictured) met as teenagers at a party and married in 1975. When he retired Mark promised to support Anne in her career If only I could unsay those words and tell him instead all the wonderful things he had meant to me over the years. He never replied and at first, I thought he was just hot. But by the time I had produced a glass of iced water he was slumped in a chair, breathing heavily. I knew something terrible had happened when I saw his hands had turned blue. I must have made some frantic phone calls as first on the scene was the kindest of friends, a neighbour, then the owner of the local taverna, all of us trying to administer CPR, which I had never done before and had to be taught. Nothing seemed to make any difference. After the longest 20 minutes of my life, an ambulance arrived. I saw from the solemn faces of the two paramedics as they set up their defibrillator, there was little hope. At the hospital, a doctor came out. They had not been able to revive Mark and so, in a sterile room of a Greek hospital, I said a final, private goodbye. It was only then, as I realised how ridiculous I looked, still wearing a swimming costume with a damp kaftan over it that I finally let go and wailed. For a few days I lived on autopilot. When I finally started to think again, I was briefly cross with myself for not having talked more about death instead of always joking about who would go first. I decided looking backwards was not for me since whenever I started regretting something not said or done, I felt a lump in my throat. Ethel Rosenberg by Anne Sebba is out in paperback on June 23. (W&N, 9.99) Over time, as I was forced to reassess my identity, I wondered what lessons could be learnt from the women I had written about over the years. After all, I had spent 40 years writing books about the lives of the likes of Laura Ashley, Mother Teresa and Wallis Simpson. Like many baby boomers, I might have another 30 years we are, after all, the lucky generation to benefit from free education, cod liver oil and cheap mortgages and I was determined to meet those years head on. But how? Perhaps I could wholeheartedly embrace being a grandmother? I have six grandchildren aged from three to 14. I adore them all and every minute watching them develop is precious. But, while its an identity I love, and the simple joy of having them for an occasional sleepover or taking a ten-year-old to her music lesson and watching her progress is enormous, just being a grandmother isnt enough. I cant wait for them to be old enough to be travel companions. Then there was my work. I was in the middle of writing a biography about Ethel Rosenberg, an American wife and mother who was electrocuted in 1953, accused of being a spy even though there was no evidence against her beyond the perjury of her brother. One of the most galling aspects of her case was to hear the misogyny of the judge who assumed Ethel was the mastermind simply because she was two-and-a-half years older than her husband Julius, who was a spy. The judge accused her of being a bad mother for putting Communism before her children. (Why are famous men rarely judged according to how good or bad their fathering skills?) On a practical level, the first change I made to my life after Marks death was a more determined effort to keep myself fit. Living alone, I dread not being able to look after myself independently and realise that haphazard attempts to walk 10,000 steps a day are not enough. Since Mark's death Anne has rebuilt her life and is determined to discover herself, not ruling out the possibility of love So I have started regular Pilates classes as well as weight-lifting to strengthen an otherwise degenerative spine. Lifting kettle bells and a 30kg bar is the most empowering feeling imaginable and, although I have a long way to go, I love the sense of progress. Ive become good at mowing the lawn, too once I bought a lightweight electric machine to replace the heavy petrol one my husband had used. I no longer have the professional stripes he was so proud of, but I can live without those. And I've embarked on redecorating. I love entertaining informally in my kitchen but, since I am now cook, waiter and washer-upper, it has to be simpler. So I have turned my basement kitchen into my favourite room with the help of green, patterned wallpaper and lots of new lights. Im not certain this would be to Marks taste but my children like it. I want my life to be light and bright and I hope this will help cure my very bad new habit of grazing during the day and force me to sit down and enjoy cooking even when it is only for me. And I have agreed to go on cruises as a lecturer. I did a couple of cruises decades ago which I loved but Mark hated. Never again, he said. I am so excited to restart these and will be travelling in the footsteps of Byron in October, talking about Greece and Albania. Determined to keep fit, Ive even taken up weightlifting Four years on, I am not ignoring grief. Let no one be fooled learning to live the solitary life after a long and happy marriage is not easy. The sense of loss is often still overwhelming and, if ever I listen to Marks voice on old videos, I instantly feel my eyes welling up. Human beings are not made to be solitary creatures and my work, lucky though I am to have it at 70, is nothing if not solitary, researching in libraries or writing at a desk alone, compounded of course by Covid and lockdown. As for dating, Ive certainly tried and thank you to the many kind friends who have organised lovely introductions, please dont give up on me yet! But a blind date is hard work, trying to explain who you are and what matters to you when you have lived this long. Perhaps Mr-Right-the-second-time-around is out there somewhere. I just havent met him yet. As for my identity, I am neither a merry widow, full-time granny nor an isolated hermit buried in books. But as I think about what makes me joyful, what makes me wake up with a sense of self that I am comfortable with, I realise we all need multiple identities. First and foremost, I am a human being; mother, sister, grandmother, writer, lecturer and yes, widow, but probably not a weightlifter. Just an average 70-year-old trying to keep fit. One who can now even change the odd lightbulb. When I arrived at the Old Bailey in April 2012, I knew I would be the only female among the 16 appointed judges. Whats more, I was only the third woman judge ever to preside full-time over the most famous court in our land. And it was immediately clear my presence was going to take the impressive team of barristers some getting used to. Its the custom that when a new judge enters the courtroom on their first day, the most senior barrister present rises to welcome them on behalf of the Bar. As I walked towards my seat high on the Bench, a man down in counsels row got to his feet and bowed. I bowed back. He straightened his wig. I did, too. Wendy Joseph QC (pictured) looks back at being a young female judge in a male-dominated world. Wendy was the only female judge on the Old Baileys Bench when she joined I was both thrilled and anxious, conscious of the importance of being a woman stepping into an overwhelmingly male domain. This was a significant moment. The barrister cleared his throat. We at the Bar wish to welcome you, My Lord, he said. My Lord! It must have been a slip of the tongue. Concerned it would sound horribly pompous for me to say Actually, its My Lady, I decided to ignore it. Then he did it again. It is a pleasure to have your Lordship amongst us, he said. It wasnt rudeness, I knew that. My Lord was just hardwired into his brain. But for how long could I let this go on? The third time I gave a little sigh, looked slowly down at my cleavage and then back up at him. We stared at each other. First realisation, then a deep blush crossed his face. Poor man. Neither he nor any other barrister made that mistake again. Actually, I wasnt especially surprised or upset. Like it or not, I was a novelty here. And like most professional women, Ive suffered far worse slights during my career. I retired this spring, aged 70. Over the 47 years since I was called to the Bar, there have been huge and positive changes for women across the legal landscape. When I started out in the mid-1970s, while there were a few pioneering and brilliant female barristers who made it to the top, young women like me often just werent taken seriously in what was a mans world. Unwelcome hands around my waist This was made horribly clear when I took my first pupillage in a set of Chambers, shadowing a more senior barrister. The clerk the man who organised the work and arranged each barristers diary made a point of calling me Sir from the moment I walked through the door until the day I left, six months later. No one would get away with that now, or even think about behaving that way. But I didnt complain because it didnt occur to me that I could or should. I hated the patronising tone male colleagues often took with me and the uninvited arms around my shoulders, the unwelcome hands about my waist. But even when, in the tiny lift that rattled its way up the old legal building in the Temple, a hand slid down my hip and onto my bottom, all I did was stop using the lift. This was a male-dominated world, and I can see, looking back, that as a very young woman, I allowed myself to be dominated. Thankfully, I was never more seriously molested, but I know there were others who suffered more. Its hard to see now why we the young women at the Bar didnt get together, exchange our stories and bring our complaints into the light. I suppose we were locked into the system and didnt have the courage or sense to break out. But the bias against women went further than unwanted advances. It was galling when, in 1976 at the end of my year-long pupillage, I watched my male peers being offered permanent positions in their Chambers, while I scrabbled around trying to find one to take me on. I wrote endless applications. No one was interested. My meagre savings were fast running out, and with them my hopes. She tells how she hated the patronising tone male colleagues often took with her and how they would touch her without permission I began to apply for jobs outside of law. One was as a trainee manager at Marks & Spencer, where I was told I was hopelessly over-qualified. I saw an advert for a job in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, reviewing cases. Id be a lawyer, but without ever seeing the inside of a court. Still, I got the job and wrote a letter of acceptance but I couldnt bring myself to post it. Clearly, I wasnt ready to give up yet. Thank goodness, because three months later, I was offered a place in the Chambers of John Roberts QC, the first person of African ancestry to take silk at the Criminal Bar. Im so grateful to John. Without that chance, none of what followed could have happened. There have been many lucky chances along the way. I had a relatively ordinary childhood in Cardiff I was a grammar-school girl, lucky enough to get funding from my local authority to study at Cambridge. My dad sadly died when I was 16, and my mum and grandma worked running a little shop, providing for my younger sister and me. Without those grants, I couldnt have started on the journey that brought me where I am. We didnt have the courage to break out Once called to the Bar, I soon realised that it wasnt only my sex that set me apart from most of my peers. Many of the barristers around me had been to public schools and had a veneer of being part of the club, while my path had been very different. But having got my feet on the ground at my first Chambers, I could forge a path through the legal system. This led, in 2007, at 55, to me making the permanent move from Bar to Bench, first at Londons Snaresbrook Crown Court, probably the biggest and busiest Crown Court in Europe. And then, finally, The Old Bailey. Over the last ten years, I have presided over hundreds of trials. Im sometimes asked if I have special sympathy for women victims or accused, or if I have to force myself not to feel that way. But the truth is, my gender simply doesnt come into it. In the judges head, nothing must be allowed to interfere in the need for universal fairness. In my book, Unlawful Killings, Ive tried to explain what it feels like to sit in a courtroom, to look into the eyes of a 16-year-old in the dock for murder, to see the heartbreak of the mum and dad listening to how their child ended up on a mortuary slab. UK-based judge says in 1976 she watched her male peers being offered permanent positions in their chambers whilst she tried to get one to take her on My career has, in many ways, consumed me. Im married, but we didnt have children. Ill always have a pang of regret that I didnt have a family. But if I had, would I have been able to do either job the way Id have wanted? The Bar is a tough taskmaster and Ive seen too many promising young women barristers horribly stretched or even give up their careers altogether. But for all the struggles women have in the criminal law courts, Im proud to say I am bowing out on a high note for women who work there. I was the only female among 16 on the Old Baileys Bench back in 2012; by the time of my retirement true parity was finally achieved exactly half of the 14 current sitting judges are women. Thats how it should be. The Bench should represent the community it serves. And now at least at the Bailey, and at least in terms of sex it truly does. Reality TV star Todd Chrisley saw his on-screen image ripped apart this week when he and his wife, Julie, were found guilty of running a years-long fraud conspiracy by a jury that saw his ex-business partner confess to helping the couple with their crimes, while also claiming he had a gay affair with the father-of-five. Chrisley, 53, who is best known for starring in the USA Network reality series Chrisley Knows Best alongside his wife and their children, is facing up to 30 years in jail after being convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud. The dramatic conclusion of the trial was matched only by the shocking testimony given by Chrisley's former employee-turned-lover, who told the court in May that he had a year-long gay affair with the reality star in the early 2000s - while they were both married to their respective wives. So who is the man who brought down Chrisley and his long-cultivated public image as a devout Christian and devoted family man? Mark Braddock, 57, a married father and grandfather, sensationally turned against his ex-lover and business partner on the stand, when he told the jury that he had not only been witness to the Chrisleys' crimes, but had helped to commit them. Who is the gay lover who brought the Chrisley family crashing down? Meet man who claimed he had secret affair with Todd Chrisley as he is found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion Chrisley and his wife of 26 years, Julie (pictured in 2015), 49, were recently found guilty of numerous charges and could face up to 30 years of jail time His alleged ex-lover Mark Braddock (pictured with his wife in 2019) told the court that he not only had a romance with Chrisley, but that he also helped the reality star to commit fraud According to Braddock, who was granted immunity in return for testifying, he and Chrisley continued working together for a decade after their secret affair ended, with the businessman describing their close relationship as a 'brotherhood'. However, that brotherhood blew up in Chrisley's face in 2012, when he reportedly threw Braddock out of his office and threatened to call the police on him. Braddock, who had to tell his wife of 34 years about the affair before testifying, then turned the Chrisleys into the FBI for tax fraud. His testimony also saw him confessing not only to his role in the Chrisleys' years-long fraud, but to his infidelity, which he is said to have kept hidden from his wife for years before revealing it all to the world on the stand. Braddock has been married to wife Leslie for more than three decades - with the couple celebrating their 34th anniversary on October 10, 2021, having tied the knot back in 1987. Despite his testimony, she is said to be standing by her husband, with whom she shares two children. According to Media Take Out, Leslie - who is reportedly a real estate agent - has 'forgiven' Braddock for his affair with Chrisley, and intends to stay married to her husband, despite his confession about his affair. Together, Braddock and his wife have welcomed two sons over the years, named Ian and Colin. Ian is married to a woman named Eva, and together, they have a son and daughter. Colin's marital status is unclear. According to his LinkedIn account, Braddock graduated from Radford University with Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Computer Science, Statistics, and Math in 1987. Braddock (pictured with his wife and grandson in 2019), 57, testified that he and Chrisley were in a secret romance for about a year in the early 2000s - while Chrisley was married to Julie Braddock has been married to a woman named Leslie for more than three decades - with the couple celebrating their 34th anniversary in October 2021. They are pictured at the wedding Braddock and his wife have welcomed two sons over the years, named Ian and Colin. Ian has a son and daughter with his wife, Eva. The family is seen in 2014 He started his career in 1984 with a job as a systems engineer at AT&T. He worked there for three years while living in Virginia. According to Media Take Out, Leslie - who is reportedly a real estate agent - has 'forgiven' Braddock for his affair with Chrisley, and intends to stay married to her husband, despite his infidelity. Braddock and Leslie are pictured in May 2021 He then got a job as a systems analyst for a research company called Decision Resources Group, before landing a position at an analytics firm called Cognos, as a sales representative. He also worked for the company SAP Software Solutions from 1989 to 1999. In 2000, Braddock became a partner at the law group, Baer, where he worked for five years. He was then hired as the Vice President of a real estate software company called Executive Asset Management, LLC. - which is where he worked with Chrisley since it is part of Chrisley Asset Management - in 2005, and stayed there until 2012. Braddock (pictured with his wife and son in 2014) worked at places like AT&T and SAP Software Solutions, before landing a job with Chrisley Braddock said he was threatened by blackmailers who claimed to know about their previous affair. They ended up paying $38,000 to keep them quiet. He is seen with his family in 2018 While working at Executive Asset Management, Braddock said in court that he was threatened by blackmailers who claimed to know about his previous affair with Chrisley. However, the former business partners ultimately had a major falling out which led to the end of their professional relationship 'Pay cash and we'll shut up,' he claimed the blackmailer threatened over text. According to Braddock, he and Chrisley ended up paying the blackmailer $38,000 to stay quiet. However, the former business partners ultimately had a major falling out which led to the end of their professional relationship. In 2012, Braddock said Chrisley threw him out of his office and called the police, which caused Braddock to feel vengeful - and he eventually tipped off the FBI about Chrisley and his wife's criminal activity. He went on to became a partner at the Pontchartrain Resources Group - 'a full-service business consulting organization helping executives to manage technology and business process change to achieve maximum efficiencies in their operations' - where he currently still works. Braddock currently resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and often shares snaps to social media with his wife, two sons and two grandchildren. In 2012, Braddock (pictured with his family in 2019) said Chrisley threw him out of his office and called the police. He later tipped off the FBI about Chrisley and his wife's criminal activity Braddock currently resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and he is now a partner at the Pontchartrain Resources Group. He is pictured with his family in 2015 On his USA series Chrisley Knows Best, Chrisley has documented his life as a dedicated father to his and Julie's five children Lindsie, 32; Kyle, 30; Chase, 25; Savannah, 24; and Grayson, 16 On his USA Network series Chrisley Knows Best - which premiered in 2014 and is currently on its ninth season - Chrisley has documented his life as a dedicated father who was focused on raising a family with perfect manners and strong morals alongside with his wife, Julie, and their five children Lindsie, 32; Kyle, 30; Chase, 25; Savannah, 24; and Grayson, 16. Now, he has been convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax fraud. Julie was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, tax fraud, and wire fraud. Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the couple submitted fake documents to banks when applying for loans, and that Julie submitted a fake credit report and fake bank statements when trying to rent a house in California. Additionally, the couple was accused of using a film production company to hide their income in an effort to keep the IRS from collecting $2 million in unpaid taxes Chrisley that owed the federal government. Interview: Strong people-to-people ties good for Australia-China relationship: former Australian ambassador Xinhua) 09:27, June 08, 2022 CANBERRA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Ties between the Australian and Chinese people are very strong, which is good for the improvement of the two countries' relationship, said Geoff Raby, former Australian ambassador to China. "The people-to-people links are so strong. I think it's the bedrock where the (bilateral) relationship will be based," he told Xinhua in a recent interview. Raby served as the Australian ambassador to China between 2007 and 2011. Chinese individuals have made a "very big contribution to Australian life and understanding," he said, noting that about 5 percent of the Australian population are ethnic Chinese, and Mandarin is the second most commonly spoken language here. He cited one of his friends, an ethnic Chinese surnamed Wong, who had been involved in a project writing a book about Chinese who worked with Australian troops in World War I. "The Chinese worked alongside the Australian troops and they have not been recognized in Australia's official war history until now," Raby said. "So we have many layers of the relationship to understand and to unfold." The former diplomat still visits China from time to time nowadays and has always been very excited by his traveling there. "It's a huge, immensely rich, diversified country with so much history that is so old as well," he said. "And it's a phenomenally rich country in which to travel for historical, cultural, artistic, culinary (interests), all of these reasons make traveling in China a very fulfilling and satisfying experience." From time to time, he would write in Australian media about his experiences in China to improve people's understanding about the country. Last September, the Australian Financial Review carried one of his articles titled "The remaking of Chinese city Taiyuan into a Singapore on steroids." "It is a microcosm of China's story of the past 10 years -- rapid urbanisation and even more rapidly rising per capita incomes," he wrote in the article about the capital city of Shanxi Province in northern China. "I love the opportunity to be able to write about it, and bring my perspective to a wider foreign audience," he said. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. Raby said he has just finished a book to mark the event. He wished to see the relationship between the two countries improve, saying that apart from massive trade volumes, "the two countries are very much dependent on each other" at the level of tourism, education and service. In terms of regional security, stability, peace and climate change, he said the two countries share interests as well. Recognizing the challenge for Australian policymakers when their ally, the United States administration, sees China's rise as a threat, he said it would come down to Australia "being able to develop and define an independent foreign policy." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) A top dermal therapist has shared exactly what products he uses to stave off winter dryness and his foolproof plan for reducing the size of pimples in a day. James Vivian, 38, runs his eponymous skincare clinic out of Toorak in Melbourne and has just successfully launched a six-piece cosmeceutical range called Viviology in partnership with Adore Beauty. The business mogul - and beauty buff - got into the industry by accident after studying music at university before taking a part-time sales role at Aesop. 'On my first shift I received a facial from Maria Vovos, one of Melbourne's best facialists. I rose from the treatment bed and said "I want to make people feel like you've just made me feel,"' he told FEMAIL. James Vivian, 38, runs his eponymous skincare clinic out of Toorak in Melbourne and has just successfully launched a six-piece cosmeceutical range called Viviology in partnership with Adore Beauty 'You could say it was a life-changing facial. I then went on to study a Diploma of Beauty Therapy and a Bachelor of Health Science (Dermal Therapies).' During winter when the temperature goes down, we naturally turn the heater up. This can lead to dehydration, skin sensitivities and breakouts. To help counteract this, Mr Vivian recommends switching up your usual moisturiser for a richer formulation, ideally containing ingredients such as ceramides and squalene. Alternatively, if you have a moisturiser you can't live without then add in a drop or two of an oil to boost its hydration and decrease dehydration, such as jojoba or avocado oil. Exfoliation is another way to ensure that your skin is absorbing as much hydration as possible, and opting for an exfoliant containing hydroxy acids helps to not only gently refine the skin but also activate natural hyaluronic acid and ceramides in the skin which make for a healthier skin barrier and hydrated complexion. To help counteract this, Mr Vivian recommends switching up your usual moisturiser for a richer formulation, ideally containing ingredients such as ceramides and squalene (his clients pictured) HOW TO HEAL CRACKED LIPS: A stylist has hailed a $6 balm from an Australian beauty brand the 'best' on the market for soothing chapped lips. Sydney fashion blogger Dani, who posts on social media as 'Luxe and Lemonade', raved about Dermal Therapy lip balm in her latest TikTok video. The Australian-made product, which is sold in pharmacies like Priceline and Chemist Warehouse, is designed to soften 'severely dry lips' with nourishing ingredients such as lanolin and seed butter that hydrate and seal moisture beneath the skin's barrier. Dani, who 'constantly' suffers from chapped lips, said the budget-friendly balm left her pout softer and smoother than any other product she has tried after just one day of use. 'Trust me when I say I will be trying this for years to come,' Dani added. Her endorsement, which has been viewed more than 75,000 times since it was uploaded online on Tuesday, drew dozens of supportive responses. 'Can't live without it. The hand cream is also amazing,' one woman replied. 'Anyone on Accutane knows the holy Dermal brand,' said a second. Accutane is the commercial name for isotretinoin, a potent treatment for chronic acne which causes a host of side effects including severely chapped lips. Advertisement As for a rogue pimple, Mr Vivian claims leaving it alone is best. 'And if you cannot do that, look for the ingredient salicylic acid and use it as a spot treatment to help calm the inflammation and reduce the infection,' he said. 'Attacking a pimple can often result in longer healing times and potential scarring. Repeat after me: a pimple will heal, but a scar can last forever.' Mr Vivian's new skincare brand features products formulated with active ingredients and include a foaming cleanser, liquid exfoliant, retinol serum, niacinamide + HA serum, vitamin C serum, and a ceramide moisturiser, with prices ranging from $35 - $59. Mr Vivian's new skincare brand features products formulated with active ingredients and include a foaming cleanser, liquid exfoliant, retinol serum, niacinamide + HA serum, vitamin C serum, and a ceramide moisturiser, with prices ranging from $35 - $59 'Since the inception of cosmeceuticals in recent years, I've seen clients and consumers faced with an overload of products and information that can leave them and their skin feeling confused and overwhelmed,' he said. 'I was driven to create a brand that made one look and feel great, was straight forward, full of active ingredients and didn't break the bank. 'Skincare should never be boring. We want everyone to look forward to using skincare that they love and understand, which is why I'm very proud of what we've created with Viviology and can't wait for the range to find a home in bathrooms everywhere.' Australian customers have noticed a striking similarity between an established skincare company and a brand new beauty business co-founded by Elsa Pataky, with the products featuring near identical packaging, imagery and website design. Mum and entrepreneur Keira Rumble launched her first clean and sustainable skincare business Habitual Beauty in July 2021, just five days after giving birth to her son Hunter. She is already the proud owner of ingestible beauty company Krumbled Foods and sells a range of collagen-infused powders to add to your morning coffee or smoothie, for an all-round approach to health. Months after launching Habitual Beauty Keira noted a peculiar bulk order from another skincare company directly to their headquarters. They went on to make three more orders. On June 1, a new skincare company called Purely Byron emerged on the market, co-founded by actor Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky and ASX-listed beauty and wellness business BWX, and almost immediately drew the attention of Keira's loyal customers. It also piqued Keira's interest because it was the same company that had ordered her product almost a year before. Mum and entrepreneur Keira Rumble (pictured) launched her first clean and sustainable skincare business Habitual Beauty in July 2021, just five days after giving birth to her son Hunter On June 1, a new skincare company called Purely Byron emerged on the market, co-founded by actor Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky (pictured) and ASX-listed beauty and wellness business BWX Fellow mums and bloggers Jessi and Millie shared a reel to their Instagram page on June 7 comparing Purely Byron's six-product collection to Habitual Beauty's lineup of five skin-targeting, science-backed products. 'I was just scrolling through the news when I noticed Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa has launched a new skincare brand inspired by Australia. And I thought hang on that looks kinds of familiar,' the women said. 'Where have I seen this before? For legal reasons I'm not insinuating they've copied this brand but this is a wild coincidence. Even the websites look similar.' The post drew hundreds of comments and saw multiple social media accounts comparing the two companies, including Estee Laundry and Oz Beauty Expert. On Purely Byron's website, which features a peachy pink and light brown colour palette, there is a Divine Ritual Balm - an overnight moisturiser - for $80, Divine Ritual Boost of Radiance brightening serum ($40), Divine Ritual Boost of Hydration ($40), Divine Ritual Boost of Rejuvenation ($40), Divine Ritual Boost of Balance ($40) and Clay Mask ($80). 'I was just scrolling through the news when I noticed Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa has launched a new skincare brand inspired by Australia. And I thought hang on that looks kinds of familiar,' the women said Fellow mums and bloggers Jessi and Millie shared a reel to their Instagram page on June 7 comparing Purely Byron's six-product collection to Habitual Beauty's lineup of five skin-targeting, science-backed products Habitual Beauty and Purely Byron sell five and six products respectively at present, with Purely Byron said to be launching their new collection soon All of the products are currently available for pre-order alongside a cotton muslin cloth ($20) and a 'face sculptor' ($80). 'Moving to Byron Bay in 2014 I felt an immediate connection to its natural beauty, community and spirit,' Elsa has written on the website. 'And it's here I discovered the incredible range of natural botanicals grown in the Byron Shire. I thought it would be great to use these clinically-effective botanicals in a range of skincare (I am a huge fan of beautiful skincare!) made right here. 'I also wanted to give back to the community that gave me inspiration, so it was essential that it was made locally, with sustainable practices, and a clear plan for supporting the Byron community. 'I'm so excited to launch Purely Byron, a natural skincare range that captures the essence of Byron, celebrating its powerful native botanicals and serene calming spirit.' Purely Byron's products are currently available for pre-order alongside a cotton muslin cloth ($20) and a 'face sculptor' ($80) Habitual Beauty sells a Nourishing Moisturiser ($100), a Hydrating Sleep Mask ($95), Hydrating Serum ($125), Rejuvenating Facial Oil ($120) and Balancing Cleanser ($70) as part of its current collection Habitual Beauty sells a Nourishing Moisturiser ($100), a Hydrating Sleep Mask ($95), Hydrating Serum ($125), Rejuvenating Facial Oil ($120) and Balancing Cleanser ($70) as part of its current collection. Keira addressed the brewing controversy on her Instagram page on the evening of June 7, saying the 'similarities between the two brands are far too similar for her not to talk about it'. 'I got a very generous order for Habitual Beauty a few months after we launched and as a small business owner I go back and check who purchased it... so I wanted to know a little bit more about this person and where in the world they're buying it from,' she explained of her first interaction with the founder of Purely Byron. 'I noticed it was from another skincare company. I did a bit of research and it seemed like they hadn't launched yet so I didn't really think anything of it and then I got three more bulk orders of product directly to their head office. 'I got a very generous order for Habitual Beauty a few months after we launched and as a small business owner I go back and check who purchased it... so I wanted to know a little bit more about this person and where in the world they're buying it from,' she explained of her first interaction with the founder of Purely Byron 'And then I got really busy... my son had just been born and I'd only launched the brand five days after his birth. You all know how much time and I've literally put my entire life savings into this business and it has been a really hard near year of launching in a market.' She was made aware of Purely Byron's launch in early June, namely because some of her customers had pointed out how similar the website, branding, colours, packaging and imagery were to Habitual Beauty. 'This is the same brand that ordered four times from my business and don't get me wrong I'm very well aware that these things happen... I'm currently in Supreme Court for IP theft for my other business Krumbled Foods,' she said. 'To be crystal clear I am a massive fan of the celebrities involved in this matter and I just wish that the other people they got into business with would have the same values as the said celebrities.' The company's General Manager Jacqueline Rosen told FEMAIL that Purely Byron rejects any allegation of sampling or copying, which they claim is evidenced by the imminent release of their new range titled the Native Sunrise Blend Collection On June 8 Purely Byron blocked customers from being able to comment on its Instagram page. The company's General Manager Jacqueline Rosen told FEMAIL that Purely Byron rejects any allegation of sampling or copying, which they claim is evidenced by the imminent release of their new range titled the Native Sunrise Blend Collection. 'Purely Byron is a natural, effective skincare brand created specifically for women who want to see change on their skin,' she said. 'The brand is inspired by Byron Bay beaches, with product creation having started in 2019. 'Each product was created with an original formula over a period of many months in the lead-up to our launch to market last month. 'Part of our due diligence and research of the space was an exploration of the competitive landscape. This is common practice across the industry, and we undertook ours openly, without any subterfuge. 'Ultimately, the packaging and color palette of our products was inspired by nature in line with the conventions of the skincare sector - evidenced by numerous brands globally which utilise the same colours and tones.' The tell-tale signs a person may be rich in Australia have been revealed in an amusing video that's taken the nation by storm. An Adelaide man revealed the traits he believes makes you rich Down Under including driving a Landcruiser, owning an iPhone and wearing designer chunky black trainers. 'POV: You're rich in Australia' the video reads then cycles through a series of images of things people think are a symbol of wealth starting off with the latest iPhone 13 Pro which retails at $1,699. Scroll down for video A TikTokker revealed the traits they think makes you rich in Australia including driving a Landcruiser, and owning an iPhone in a clip that's racked up thousands of views A person wearing chunky black trainers by a designer brand as well as someone who attends a top university or private school could also be considered rich. The video then shows a large double-storey modern home and finishes with a Landcruiser much like those often seen driving around affluent Aussie suburbs. In the comments, many agreed with the 'accurate' observations whereas others joked they never realised they were considered wealthy. The video then shows a large double-storey white modern home as well as an image of a top university 'POV: you're rich everywhere,' one person wrote and another laughed: 'Them shoes tho'. 'I didnt think I was rich,' a third commented. 'I have that car and everyone in my family has that phone. Also I've got better shoes but I don't go to private school,' admitted a fourth. This isn't the first time Aussies have shared what they think makes someone rich - previously a series of clips went viral on TikTok for revealing the 'low-key' traits of a person has plenty of disposable income. 'Low-key' things that are a sign of wealth in Australia * Flying exclusively with Qantas * Shopping at Myer or David Jones * Owning a fridge with an ice dispenser * Having a dishwasher cutlery tray instead of a basket insert * Buying lunch at a theme park instead of bringing your own * Knowing how to ski and holidaying overseas * Living in a two-storey house with an in-ground pool and electric gate Advertisement Podcaster Clare Stephens, 30, reminisced on the subtle things she associated with wealth as a child, including owning a fridge with an ice dispenser, shopping at Myer and flying exclusively with Qantas. In a series of five videos, the author said she always knew a family was well off if they knew how to ski, bought lunch at a fair or theme park instead of bringing their own, or had a sign at the front door asking for shoes to be removed inside. 'It means you've got nice floors or a fancy carpet,' she added. The 'low-key' traits of being rich in Australia have been revealed, including buying lunch in theme parks instead of bringing your own and knowing how to ski Other subtle signs of wealth were said to be flying exclusively with Qantas (left) and shopping at upscale department stores like Myer (right) Ms Stephens said it wasn't until she got to university and discovered people could ski that she realised some had very different types of holidays to the ones her family did. Her observations about the subtle trappings of affluence Down Under, which have been viewed 378,576 times since the first video was uploaded online on Friday, sparked a wave of amusing responses. 'Shopping at David Jones means you're wealthy,' one person replied. A second said living in a two-storey house, having an electric gate, an in-ground pool or a freestanding bathtub, and holidaying overseas are all signs you're rich. Other signs included having a fridge with an ice dispenser (left) and having a sign at the front door asking you to remove your shoes before stepping inside (right) 'When people went on holidays for leisure, and not just to visit relatives interstate,' another noted. Others said people who have kitchens with silver appliances instead of white or a second lounge room are 'elite'. One woman said she had always wished her parents would buy her more expensive ice creams at the beach. 'Being allowed to get a Magnum rather than a Splice, Calippo or Paddle Pop,' she wrote. Ms Stephens shared her agreement, saying: 'Omg YES. Magnums were premium.' Radical plans to raise the legal smoking age to 21 could be unveiled tomorrow, when an independent report is due to land. The review, led by former children's charity chief Javed Khan, was commissioned by Health Secretary Sajid Javid. It has been plagued by repeated delays amid speculation its recommendations have been met with pushback from ministers. As well as controversially raising the legal age, the report is expected to call for new taxes on tobacco firms at a time when Boris Johnson has been urged to cut taxes to save his job. The PM has vowed to get back to the 'fundamental Conservative instinct' of reducing the tax burden, after narrowly surviving a no confidence vote. Last month he scrapped plans for a ban on multibuy junk food after being convinced that now was the wrong time to heap more costs on families already struggling with the cost of living crisis. Any recommendations made in Mr Khan's tobacco report, part of No10's bold plan to turn England smoke-free by 2030, are likely to go out to consultation before they are implemented. It is also likely to suggest that the NHS does more to promote e-cigarettes and vapes to smokers. Radical plans to raise the legal smoking age could be announced on Thursday, when an independent report is due to land (file image) Sir Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, will attend the report's launch on Thursday, along with health minister Maggie Throup and the shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne. Industry sources have described its recommendations as 'quite radical'. Simon Clark, director of the smokers group Forest, said: 'You dont have to be 21 to know that smoking is potentially harmful to your health, its drummed into every child from an early age. 'If you can legally have sex at 16, drive a car at 17 and purchase alcohol at 18, you should be allowed to make an informed choice to buy tobacco at 18. 'In the eyes of the law you are an adult at 18 and you should be treated like one.' It is expected to propose raising the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 but considerations were also made for 25. The minimum age for tobacco purchases was raised from 16 to 18 across Britain in 2007, when it also became illegal to smoke in enclosed spaces. Officials followed up the measures in 2017 with a policy that meant all branded packaging had to be replaced with plain greenish-brown boxes. Smoking has steadily decreased since 1974, with around 15 per cent of the population smoking in 2019. That year, the Government set a target of becoming smoke-free by 2030 Could cigarettes be slapped with INDIVIDUAL warnings? Tobacco manufacturers would have to use eight different warnings in rotation on its sticks and rolling paper under the terms of the Cigarette Stick Health Warnings Bill (a mocked up version of one of a warning) Printing health warnings on individual cigarettes would make England a world leader in eradicating smoking, ministers were told earlier this year. Tobacco manufacturers would have to use eight different warnings in rotation on its sticks and rolling paper under the terms of the Cigarette Stick Health Warnings Bill. These would include 'smoking kills' and other messages to highlight the devastating health effects, the financial cost and contact details for advice on quitting. Conservative peer Lord Young of Cookham has spent four decades lobbying for his proposal to become law. He first raised it as a health minister in Margaret Thatcher's government in 1979. Advertisement Smoking rates in the UK have fallen from about half of the population in the 1970s to just 15 per cent now. But use increased by 25 per cent among the under-30s during the pandemic, the equivalent of more than 600,000 new smokers. The Government aims to slash smoking rates to just 5 per cent by 2030. But Mr Khan, in an interview before his review, warned the target would not be met without action to restrict sales. His report is also rumoured to include a levy on companies that make more than 700 million each year. This will then be used to fund quitting support and e-cigarettes on the NHS, according to sources. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said cutting cigarette use remained one of its top priorities. But the Prime Minister is under pressure from all corners of his own party to move away from nanny-state and high tax policies. Mr Johnson told the Cabinet yesterday he wanted to get back to his Tory instinct of cutting taxes as the next general election approaches. He stressed to Cabinet colleagues that delivering tax cuts would help produce 'considerable growth in employment and economic progress'. The PM also ordered ministers to bring forward new initiatives to slash Government spending in order to free up cash for tax cuts. Mr Johnson introduced a manifesto-busting national insurance hike in April to fund the NHS' recovery from the pandemic. His Government also brought in a windfall tax on gas and oil companies this month to soften the energy crisis for families. A DoH spokesperson said: 'Tackling issues such as smoking is a priority for the office for health improvement and disparities, and a key part of the government's levelling up agenda. 'This is why we launched the independent review of our bold ambition to make England smoke-free by 2030. 'The review will provide independent, evidence-based advice on potential interventions that will inform our approach to tackling the stark health disparities associated with tobacco use and we look forward to seeing the report in due course.' Older people who live alone may be more likely to develop dementia, a major study has found. Socially isolated adults were 26 per cent more likely to develop the memory-robbing condition. The results came from an analysis of 460,000 Britons in their 50s and 60s. Brain scans also showed socially isolated adults had less grey matter in key parts of their brain involved in memory and learning. Experts from the universities of Cambridge, Warwick and Fudan in China described social isolation as a 'serious yet underappreciated public health problem'. As well as living alone, it also applies to people who receive few visits from friends and family or do not engage in social activities. Social isolation has for decades been a problem among elderly people. But Covid intensified this. Professor Edmund Rolls, a neuroscientist from the University of Warwick, said it was technically different to loneliness. He called social isolation 'an objective state of low social connections', whereas the other was 'subjectively perceived social isolation'. The study only shows social isolation, not loneliness, is an independent risk factor for getting dementia, he said. The team called for communities and the Government to 'take action' to ensure older people have regular interactions with others. Social isolation causes memory loss in older age and may lead to dementia, research has shown yet again. Stock photo of a lonely elderly woman The researchers looked at MRI scans and results from thinking and memory tests of Britons in the UK Biobank a database of half a million patients. The participants, who were aged 57, on average, at the beginning of the study, also answered questions on their interactions. People were considered socially isolated if they answered no to two or more of the questions. These included whether participant lived with others, if they had visits with friends or family at least once a month and if they participated in social activities, such as clubs, meetings or volunteering, at least once a week. The participants were monitored for nearly 12 years before the pandemic. The results, published in the journal Neurology, show a tenth of the cohort (41,886 people) reported being socially isolated. And six per cent (29,036 people) felt lonely. Over the course of the study, 4,998 individuals went on to develop dementia. Around 1.55 per cent of socially isolated people developed dementia, compared to 1.03 per cent of the rest. After adjusting their results to account for factors including age, alcohol intake and smoking, as well as conditions including depression, they found the group were 26 per cent more likely to get dementia. Follow-up research, an analysis of brain scans of 30,000 of the same participants, showed socially isolated individuals had lower volume in the brain's grey matter in regions involved with learning and thinking. The researchers did not examine how reductions in grey matter could be triggered by social isolation. But lower levels are thought to be a marker of a decline in cognitive function. Having fewer contacts with others has also been linked with higher risk of stroke and dying early two other factors thought to raise the risk of dementia. More than 850,000 Britons are living with dementia, while 6.5million Americans are suffering from the condition. Professor Jianfeng Feng, a computational biologist from the University of Warwick, said ensuring older adults are not socially isolated will reduce the risk of developing dementia. 'During any future pandemic lockdowns, it is important that individuals, especially older adults, do not experience social isolation,' he said. Professor Barbara Sahakian, a neuroscientist at the university, urged the Government and communities to 'take action' to ensure older people 'have communication and interactions with others on a regular basis'. NHS hospitals may have to start rationing treatment to the sickest patients because of cash constraints, senior health chiefs claimed today. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, under massive pressure to make the struggling NHS more efficient, has promised that 'every pound' will be 'well spent' going forward. But senior NHS officials have described the cost-cutting demands as 'eye-watering', warning they will be forced to 'streamline' services. This could mean closing clinics in some areas and combining them into one, according to NHS Providers. The body, which represents trust leaders, warned the constraints are 'going to have an impact on the thresholds that people need to meet in order to be treated'. Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive at NHSP, said this was already the case for mental health services, which have been notoriously underfunded for years. Health Secretary Sajid Javid, under massive pressure to revolutionise the ailing NHS, has vowed to stamp out both 'waste' and 'wokery' The number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment in England has soared to another record of 6.36million. NHS data shows one in nine people were in the queue for elective operations such as hip and knee replacements and cataracts surgery by March up from 6.18m in February HM Treasury data shows the NHS received 100.4billion in 2010/11 and its budget had grown steadily until 2019. In 2020, the NHS was given 129.7billion of core funding for its usual services, which was topped up with an extra 18billion to help with the pressures from the pandemic. For 2021/22 the Treasury said the health service is set to receive 136.1billion pounds of core funding, as well as 3billion to help with the Covid recovery The NHS, which gets 136billion of taxpayer cash every year, is also getting an extra 12.5bn a year until 2024, funded by a controversial national insurance hike of 1.25 per cent. Waiting lists have soared since the Covid crisis reached Britain and caused havoc on hospitals. Biggest shake-up to NHS management in 40 years 'doesn't go far enough' Sajid Javid unveiled his plans for the biggest shake-up of NHS management in a generation today but critics have already said it does not go far enough. The Health Secretary has ordered the NHS to cut its 'diversity and inclusion' managers, saying their salaries could be better spent on the front line. He has vowed to be 'watchful of any waste or wokery' amid concern that a 12billion a year funding boost raised through a 1.25 per cent National Insurance hike will be swallowed by management salaries. Mr Javid is demanding that bosses divert the salaries of up to 115,000 to patient priorities, such as tackling a record waiting list of 6.4million people. The action comes in response to a major independent review led by a former military chief, which found leadership in the health service was 'institutionally inadequate'. Sir Gordon Messenger's report found 'evidence of poor behaviours and attitudes such as discrimination, bullying and blame cultures' in certain parts of the NHS and social care system that has left some staff 'not feeling comfortable to speak up'. Suzie Bailey, from the Kings Fund health thinktank, said plans to improve health and social care workforces are 'to be welcomed'. But, speaking to BBC Radio 4 this morning, she warned the report does not go far enough to address burnout and staffing shortages that pre-date the pandemic. She said: 'Anything that supports the health and care workforce is to be welcomed. 'However, the elephant in the room is really the deep workforce crisis that predates the pandemic and that the Government has been quite reluctant to face up to. 'There is a huge numbers of vacancies, staff are exhausted, they were exhausted before the pandemic.' She added: 'This review is welcome but my concern is will it actually address the size of the workforce crisis? 'I think it'll make a contribution but I don't think it goes far enough.' Advertisement One in nine people in England are now stuck in the queue for routine treatment such as hip and knee ops. Analysts fear the toll will rise for another two years. The NHS has also come under fire for its 'gridlocked' cancer system, worst-ever A&E performance times and record ambulance delays. Despite the extra cash injection aimed to help the NHS recover from the pandemic, health chiefs have pleaded for more money to address staffing shortages. No extra funds are being given to the health service, however. The Government has set the NHS a target of 'dramatically' boosting productivity in order to claw back 4.5billion per year. Millions of pounds are wasted every year on over-paying for basic supplies, gas and electricity deals, as well as prescribing patients pills they don't need and salaries for management. Mr Javid has already ordered the NHS to cut its 'diversity and inclusion' managers saying their salaries could be better spent on the front line. Department of Health officials tasked the NHS with a 2.2 per cent 'annual efficiency requirement' in 2022/23. But trust bosses say the actual money-saving demands equate to around 4 per cent this year. Ms Cordery told HSJ: 'Trusts are starting to get really concerned about the levels of patient care, versus what they have the capacity to deliver because of what they're being asked to achieve. 'We might see services previously offered in a number of locations possibly being streamlined and offered in one place. 'In some areas, [the savings ask] is going to have an impact on the thresholds that people need to meet in order to be treated.' Pointing to NHS mental health care, she added: 'The knock-on impact of both the financial efficiencies and also huge workforce challenges mean access to services can be constrained.' It comes after Mr Javid, an ally of under-fire Boris Johnson, yesterday compared the NHS to the now-defunct video store Blockbuster. Addressing a Cabinet meeting this morning in the wake of the PM's battering at the hands of Tory rebels, he described it as a 'Blockbuster healthcare system in the age of Netflix'. Mr Javid demanded the public gets the 'level of service they expect', insisting that it was 'no longer simply an option to stick to the status quo'. Asked today whether his Netflix reference meant people would need to start paying for a subscription, he told BBC News: 'Not at all. 'I'm very proud of that we have got an NHS that's free at the point of use, paid out of our general taxation, there for all of us when we need it. 'But what I mean by that particular comment is it needs to modernise. Separate data on A&E performance in April shows a record 24,138 people were forced to wait 12 hours or more to be treated, three times longer than the NHS target and the worst figure on record Ambulance figures for April show waits for paramedics fell compared to March but were higher than nearly all other months since records began. Ambulances took an average of 51 minutes and 22 seconds to respond to category two calls, such as burns, epilepsy and strokes. This is nine minutes and 41 seconds quicker than one month earlier England's Covid backlog in cancer care is set to last another five years without urgent action, a leading cancer charity warned today. Graph shows: The number of patients fewer than expected to receive first cancer treatment since the start of the pandemic (red line) and how long it will take to reduce to zero if treatments continue at the current pace (dotted red line), increase 5 per cent on pre-pandemic levels (dotted green line) or increase 10 per cent on pre-pandemic levels (dotted blue line) NHS England aims to treat 85 per cent of cancer patients who receive an urgent referral from their GP within two months, but in November 2021, the latest available, only 67.5 per cent of patients received treatment in this time frame. While the problem predates the Covid pandemic, the disruption to services caused by the virus has exacerbated the problem 'We need to make sure that we keep modernising that we have a NHS that is looking out towards the 2048, not one that was designed for 1948. 'And the Blockbuster analogy is that, for those those who remember Blockbuster, is it failed to modernise. 'It failed to adapt to changing trends in markets, and therefore it wasn't able to serve its customers and did not survive.' Mr Javid, who took over the Department of Health last June, added: 'No-one wants to see that kind of thing happen to something as important as the NHS. 'That means making sure that the NHS is is looking at the latest demographics, our ageing population, the changes in the burden of disease use and also medicines and the latest technology.' Blockbuster closed its remaining stores in the UK in 2013, after administrators were unable to find a buyer for the chain. It had been hit hard by intense competition from supermarkets, as well as the shift from physical rental and sales to online games, music and films. Arizona and Texas have become the thirteenth and fourteenth states to reported suspected cases of monkeypox, bringing the national tally to 35 cases. Health officials in the Copper State revealed their first likely case of the rash-causing virus late Tuesday in a man in his late 30s from Maricopa County which includes its capital and largest city Phoenix. It was not clear how he caught the disease. In the Lone Star State, a suspected case was reported in Dallas its third largest city in a patient who had returned within the last month from an area 'also reporting monkeypox'. A 'few people' are also being monitored for the illness. A total of four cases were spotted nationwide on Tuesday with one also in New York City and Sacramento, California. Experts warn there are likely already hundreds of monkeypox infections in the U.S., because many are being missed due to mild infections and the arduous testing process. Infections with the rash-causing virus in America are mostly being detected among gay and bisexual men and linked to international travel. But at least two cases are not linked to travel or a known case, suggesting the virus is spreading undetected. It comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday U-turned on guidance for travelers in areas with monkeypox cases to wear face masks just 13 hours after it was reported by the media. The agency later clarified it made the change because the advice was 'sparking confusion'. A 35-year-old HR manager from London, England, also became the first patient in the current outbreak to come forward. James, who is gay, said he likely caught monkeypox from one of his 10 sexual partners over recent weeks. America has now detected a total of 35 cases across 14 states and Washington D.C., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says All four patients detected on Tuesday are now in isolation and recovering, while contact tracing is underway. Revealing the new case in Arizona, the state's medical director for disease control Dr Rebecca Sunenshine said the virus was still 'rare' in the U.S. '[We] are working closely with local health departments throughout Arizona to identify and respond quickly to any potential cases,' she said. America already has 300 monkeypox cases almost ten times official tally, expert says America may already have as many as 300 cases of monkeypox more than nine times the official tally of 31 but has missed hundreds due to a lack of testing, an expert warned Monday. Dr Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University in Georgia, claimed the U.S. likely already has the same number of infections as the UK which is currently the world's monkeypox hotspot. But she said the arduous process of checking swabs which must be sent to one of 74 local labs and then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation was leading to too few being done and many being missed. Other experts say infections may not be detected because cases can be mild and clear up on their own, leading to patients not coming forward, or get misdiagnosed as a sexually transmitted disease like syphilis. Titanji told STAT News: 'The U.S. probably has as many cases as Canada or the UK. 'We're just not testing enough to be able to reliably say that there are only 25 cases. I think we need to be testing way more than we're doing.' Advertisement 'It is important to note that monkeypox is highly controllable through simple precautions.' In Texas, officials said the disease does 'not currently present a risk to the general public'. All cases have tested positive for orthopox viruses the family of viruses that include monkeypox and smallpox. They will now be sent for confirmatory testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), although it is overwhelmingly likely they have the virus. New York City is currently the national hotspot for monkeypox cases, having reported eight to date. It was followed by California where seven have been reported mostly in Sacramento County, and linked to its first case. Other states that have reported monkeypox are: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Washington. Washington D.C. has also detected a suspected case of the virus. Monkeypox which is native to West Africa normally triggers a mild infection, but in around one in 100 cases it can prove fatal. Patients tend to experience a fever within the first 21 days of being infected, medical literature suggests before a rash appears on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body. But CDC officials say in the current outbreak patients are experiencing a rash in the genital area first, which then spreads to the rest of the body. People can only pass on the virus when they have symptoms, and normally transmit it when another touches an infectious skin lesion. In rare cases it can also be spread through breathing in droplets expelled by a patient which are laced with the virus. Infections clear up within two to four weeks, but a patient remains infectious for as long as they have the lesions. On Tuesday an expert warned America may already have 300 cases almost ten times the official tally but that many cases were being missed due to a lack of testing. Dr Boghuma Titanji, an infectious diseases expert at Emory University in Georgia, claimed the U.S. likely already has the same number of infections as the UK which is currently the world's monkeypox hotspot. But she said the arduous process of checking swabs which must be sent to one of 74 local labs and then the CDC for confirmation was leading to too few being done and many being missed. Other experts say infections may not be detected because cases can be mild and clear up on their own, leading to patients not coming forward, or get misdiagnosed as a sexually transmitted disease like syphilis. Warning there may be hundreds of cases of the tropical disease in the country, Titanji told STAT News: 'The U.S. probably has as many cases as Canada or the UK. 'We're just not testing enough to be able to reliably say that there are only 25 cases. I think we need to be testing way more than we're doing.' Titanji spoke to the publication before the tally was updated to 31 cases across 12 states and Washington D.C. The infection often starts with small bumps that scab over and are contagious Officials are urging gay and bisexual men to be aware of new lesions, rashes or scabs and get in contact with a sexual health clinic. They have released these images of cases to alert people to the virus' symptoms Yesterday DailyMail.com revealed the first patient in the current monkeypox outbreak to come forward named only as James M. The London-based HR manager said he tested positive for the virus after being deported from Dubai for testing positive for HIV. He slammed British health chiefs for 'a real lack of any basic process or care to stop the spread' of the tropical virus, which has so far infected more than 300 Britons, mostly gay and bisexual men. James M, 35, has become the first British monkeypox patient to go public James who wished to keep his surname anonymous admitted he is not following self-isolation rules because 'I was told to stay home until UKHSA contacted me... and they never did.' He accused the UK of having a lackadaisical approach to contact tracing, saying it was 'no wonder' Britain had more cases than any other country outside of Africa. There is also a lack of awareness about monkeypox's lesser-known symptoms, he claimed. James was readjusting to life in west London when he began suffering from 'really weird aches' in his lower back, exhaustion, extreme thirst and pain when he used the toilet. He became convinced he had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) after sleeping with around 10 new partners in the weeks before his symptoms started. 'Im a gay man, and having just come back to the UK, I was having a good time,' he told MailOnline. But medics wrongly assumed it wasn't monkeypox because he didn't have the virus' tell-tale rash. James had just returned from Dubai, where being gay is illegal, after four years following a 'shock' HIV diagnosis in February. It saw him lose his job and home. After contacting his local STI clinic in west London, James was sent for tests at a specialist center in Soho on May 25 and was told to avoid public transport or close contact with others. He admitted he is not following self-isolation rules because 'I was told to stay home until UKHSA contacted me... and they never did' It comes after the CDC yesterday backtracked on its advice for Americans to wear face masks while visiting countries reporting cases of monkeypox. Late yesterday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deleted this guidance from its website just 13 hours after it was reported by the media. A spokeswoman for the agency told DailyMail.com today that it was removed because of concerns it was 'causing confusion'. They stressed that the advice to wear coverings was 'specifically for people who are traveling' rather than the general public, and added that any future updates would be accompanied by a public announcement. The CDC had quietly added advice to wear coverings to its Level 2 travel alert encouraging 'enhanced precautions' abroad six days ago. It was only picked up by Fox News late on Monday, alongside other outlets including CNBC and this website. An expert said today it was 'unfortunate' that the CDC had put up and removed the advice, because it was bound to further harm public trust in the agency. Advertisement Health Secretary Sajid Javid called the findings 'stark' and acknowledged parts of NHS leadership 'need to urgently improve'. He noted 'culture and leadership can be the difference between life and death' A landmark report that prompted Sajid Javid to promise the biggest shake-up of NHS leadership in a generation did not recommend axing 'diversity and inclusion' managers, it was claimed today. The Health Secretary, who has vowed to be 'watchful of any waste or wokery', last night suggested an instant crackdown was on the way as he said 'we must reduce the number of these roles' in the wake of the Government-commissioned review. He demanded bosses divert salaries of up to 115,000 to patient priorities like tackling the record waiting list of 6.4million people. However, the Army general who authored the report into the NHS' 'tribal' leadership structure today said he did not recommend cutting the number of diversity jobs. Sir Gordon Messenger, who was tasked with ensuring none of No10's 30billion tax rise for health is wasted, told the Health Service Journal that the need for such roles 'should reduce over time' but a cultural, behavioural and 'functional' shift was required first. It comes after a Daily Mail audit revealed the number of diversity and inclusion jobs within the NHS has soared by nearly 50 per cent in the last year, with some hospital trusts doubling the size of their teams. One advert for a 53,000-a-year equality, diversity and inclusion manager position at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, in North Yorkshire, says the role's purpose is to ensure 'all our colleagues, patients and visitors feel that they can be who they are and bring their whole selves to work and whilst receiving care'. Mr Javid yesterday said: 'There are already far too many roles focused solely on diversity and inclusion. 'At a time when our constituents are facing real pressures around cost of living, we must spend every penny on patients' priorities.' He added: 'As this report sets out, it should be the responsibility of everyone to encourage fairness and equality of opportunity which is why we must reduce the number of these roles.' Mr Javid today added: 'I would like to see fewer managers in terms of diversity managers and things, because I think it should actually be done by all management and all leadership, and not contracted out as some kind of tick-box exercise.' But addressing Mr Javid's comments, Sir Gordon told industry publication HSJ: 'The report does not recommend the reduction of EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) professionals. 'What it does say, is that if one successfully inculcates equality, diversity and inclusion to every leader's responsibilities, then that becomes an accepted, instinctive, understood part of being a leader and a manager at every level, then the requirement for dedicated EDI professionals should reduce over time. 'It doesn't make the recommendation that that should happen before that cultural and behavioural and functional shift has happened.' And John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'While taxpayers welcome commitments to cut down on diversity demagogues in the health service, they will take note if politicians break their promises and the number of non-jobs continues to rise.' More than 400 diversity managers could be working in NHS hospitals, costing taxpayers as much as 12million a year, the Mail's research suggests. Sir Gordon Messenger (pictured in Afghanistan in 2006), who was tasked with ensuring none of No10's 30billion tax rise for health is wasted, told the Health Service Journal that the need for such roles 'should reduce over time' but a cultural, behavioural and 'functional' shift was required first But STILL they keep on hiring There are currently nine vacancies with the word 'diversity' in the title on the NHS jobs website, including: Equality, Diversity And Inclusion Manager Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 47,126 to 53,219 a year It says: We now have a vacancy for an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead to help deliver our Trust's commitment to ensure all our colleagues, patients and visitors feel that they can be who they are and bring their whole selves to work and whilst receiving care. Equality and Diversity Manager Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust 47,126 to 53,219 a year It says: We are looking for a subject matter expert to take accountability for leading us in our staff and patient diversity journey... Job roles include: Advising about the effects of discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion and sexual orientation. Acting as an advocate for and presenting the needs of members of staff across the entire protected characteristics spectrum and human rights. Head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust 47,126 to 53,219 a year It says it is looking for someone educated to masters level or with 'in-depth specialist knowledge and skills to an equivalent standard'. The role focuses on 'enhancing the experience of employees in protected groups, achieving fairness and addressing inequity'. Advertisement There is no central tally of the jobs, but the audit of more than 40 acute trusts across England found 115 staff are now employed in roles covering 'equality, diversity and inclusion', up from just 78 a year earlier. Not all the hospitals that responded to Freedom of Information requests about one in four of the country's total provided information about pay. But the annual salary bill for diversity managers among those that did stands at 3million for the current financial year. Nine of the trusts said they had plans to expand their teams further. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, last night backed Mr Javid's demands, saying how Brits were 'sick of seeing NHS diversity demagogues on sky-high salaries'. It came on the back of a landmark review into health and social care leadership. The report was authored by Dame Linda Pollard alongside Sir Gordon, who led the Royal Marines' invasion of Iraq. The report itself said: 'We must confront the fact that there has developed over time an institutional inadequacy in the way that leadership and management is trained... 'The NHS is itself far from a homogenous unified organisation but rather a federated ecosystem where complex tribal and status dynamics continue to exist.' The pair added: 'We have encountered too many reports to ignore of poor behavioural cultures and incidences of discrimination, bullying, blame cultures and responsibility avoidance.' It made seven recommendations, all accepted by Mr Javid, aimed at improving management, making jobs more attractive to bosses and delivering value for money. It also calls for support and incentives for the best leaders and managers to take on the most difficult roles so they are seen as 'the best jobs rather than the most feared jobs'. But critics have already said it does not go far enough. Suzie Bailey, from the Kings Fund health thinktank, said plans to improve health and social care workforces are 'to be welcomed'. But, speaking to BBC Radio 4 this morning, she warned the report does not go far enough to address burnout and staffing shortages that pre-date the pandemic. The number of people waiting for routine hospital treatment in England has soared to another record of 6.36million. NHS data shows one in nine people were in the queue for elective operations such as hip and knee replacements and cataracts surgery by March up from 6.18m in February HM Treasury data shows the NHS received 100.4billion in 2010/11 and its budget had grown steadily until 2019. In 2020, the NHS was given 129.7billion of core funding for its usual services, which was topped up with an extra 18billion to help with the pressures from the pandemic. For 2021/22 the Treasury said the health service is set to receive 136.1billion pounds of core funding, as well as 3billion to help with the Covid recovery She said: 'Anything that supports the health and care workforce is to be welcomed. 'However, the elephant in the room is really the deep workforce crisis that predates the pandemic and that the Government has been quite reluctant to face up to. 'There is a huge numbers of vacancies, staff are exhausted, they were exhausted before the pandemic.' She added: 'This review is welcome but my concern is will it actually address the size of the workforce crisis? I think it'll make a contribution but I don't think it goes far enough.' Addressing the actual report today, Mr Javid pledged to bring health leadership 'into the 21st century'. He told MPs: 'We must do everything we can in our power to share and promote brilliant, innovative management and to act firmly where standards do fall short. 'This means culture change from the top of the system to the front line.' Another US trading firm is suing the London Metal Exchange this time for 12.2million. Jane Street launched its lawsuit against the LME just a day after fearsome hedge fund Elliott Management kicked off its own 363million claim. The 145-year-old exchange is under fire for cancelling a slew of nickel trades in March. US trading firm Jane Street has launched a 12.2m lawsuit against the London Metal Exchange just a day after fearsome hedge fund Elliott Management kicked off its own 363m claim Both Elliott and Jane Street are seeking a judicial review, hoping that a High Court judge will decide the LMEs decision to erase the trades was illegal. The scandal occurred on March 8, when the price of nickel began to rise due to fears over Russias invasion of Ukraine. Some investors were shorting nickel meaning they were betting that its price would fall. One of the largest shorters was Tsingshan Holding Group, a Chinese nickel producer accused of being an LME crony. When the LME decided to cancel nickel trades as the price of the metal rocketed, this limited the losses suffered by Tsingshan. But it also meant hedge funds and other City firms that stood to benefit from the rising price lost out. Jane Street said: Exchanges function to create an orderly market and a level playing field for investors. 'The LMEs arbitrary decision to cancel nickel trades during a period of heightened volatility severely undermines the integrity of the markets and sets a dangerous precedent that calls future contracts into question. The LMEs owner, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, said the claim was without merit and it would contest it vigorously. Britain sells too many cutting edge chip firms to foreign companies, damaging jobs and the countrys competitiveness, according to a leading technology expert. Alan Banks, chief executive at industry body TechWorks, told a panel of MPs the UK must stop offloading its most promising start-ups to overseas buyers if it wants to become a significant player in the global chip industry. His comments come weeks after Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng launched an inquiry into the proposed takeover of the UKs largest microchip manufacturer Newport Wafer Fab on national security grounds. Security probe: Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has launched an inquiry into the proposed takeover of the UKs largest microchip manufacturer Newport Wafer Fab (pictured) The firm, based in South Wales, is being bought by Chinese-backed Nexperia for 63million. Banks said: When we create intellectual property, were not doing enough to retain it in the UK. We are seeing acquisitions of small companies because they are struggling financially. But then we lose the intellectual property and the skill set overseas. He also called on the Government to create a chip strategy. The UK has 25 chip manufacturing plants but they make individual parts and not finished products. Instead British manufacturing firms buy their finished chips from heavyweights such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and South Koreas SK Hynix. But there are increasing fears that trade between Taiwan and the rest of the world could be in danger as relations between China and the East Asian island have hit their lowest point in decades. Banks said: We need a UK semiconductor strategy led by government to map out what products are needed. We need to be aware of the geopolitical situation as it would take four years for the world to recreate what comes out of Taiwan. Kwarteng is due to make a decision on Newport Wafer Fab next month amid fears selling the firm could hand China access to cutting-edge British chip designs. Earlier this year the Daily Mail launched its Back British Tech campaign, with Tory heavyweights such as Sir Iain Duncan Smith and David Davis and City grandee Martin Gilbert backing the fight. The campaign has also called on Cambridge-based chip designer Arm to be listed in London when it is sold by Japanese owner Softbank. The new chairman of LV is already under pressure to fire its bungling chief executive Mark Hartigan. Simon Moore, a former banker, was appointed to lead the board of the historic mutual insurer yesterday following a four-month hunt. And he faced immediate calls to oust Hartigan over last year's attempt to sell 179-year-old LV to private equity predator Bain Capital. Uncertain future: LV chief exec Mark Hartigan (pictured) is under fire over last year's attempt to sell 179-year-old mutual to private equity predator Bain Capital John Higgins, who has been a member of the life insurer for more than 50 years, said: 'I would hope that getting rid of Mark Hartigan is top of the agenda.' More than 1,000 readers have written to the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday calling for a no confidence vote in Hartigan at LV's annual meeting as they seek to remove him from his job. LV is now on course for an embarrassing showdown with its members over Hartigan's future unless Moore acts first. If Hartigan had succeeded in his attempt to sell the company to Bain, LV would have lost its treasured mutual status a structure which means it is owned by its customers and run for their benefit rather than for investors seeking a profit. Members voted the deal down in December. It followed a Save LV campaign by the Mail backed by members, industry experts and politicians. The collapse of the deal saw chairman Alan Cook pushed out. Hopes are now riding on Moore, 57, to bring in new management. Labour MP Gareth Thomas, who leads the parliamentary group for mutuals, said: 'Given LV's disastrous attempt to sell itself last year, there's a lot of work for Mr Moore to do to rebuild trust in the company. 'Key to that will be finding a new chief executive quickly, and ending the culture of secrecy that characterised LV's communications over the past few years.' Industry insiders reacted with caution to Moore's appointment. Three former LV board directors said they had not come across him before, and noted he had no apparent experience in working for a mutual. Chairman: Simon Moore, a former banker, was appointed to lead the board of the historic mutual insurer yesterday following a four-month hunt One said: 'Never heard of him, which tells you a lot. From what I hear [LV] has really struggled to find anyone to take the job [it was] offered to lots but everyone thought it was a poisoned chalice.' Baroness Altmann, former Tory pensions minister, said: 'I wish the new chairman well. I hope he has the right mindset for mutuality which is so important. It's a different way of working not to worry about profit but about members. 'I hope the members will give him a chance and he won't let them down.' Altmann, who was touted as a potential chairman by some experts, was not approached for the job. Moore claims to be committed to mutuality. He said: 'I was attracted to the strength of the LV brand and mutual ethos, and my focus will be on building a strong and thriving business for the benefit of our members, advisers and employees.' Like Hartigan, Moore began his career in the Army. He moved into finance as a graduate trainee at Lloyds Bank, before spending six years at Chase Manhattan Bank working in London and New York across life and general insurance. Following a brief stint at ABN Amro, he spent almost eight years at Barclays, where he became regional chairman of Wales and the South West. Currently, he is chairman at lenders PCF Group, RCI Bank UK and Cambridge & Counties Bank, owned by Trinity Hall Cambridge and the Cambridgeshire Local Government Pension Fund. Melrose Industries shares jumped on Wednesday after the group unveiled the start of a 500million buyback programme. It follows Monday's announcement that Melrose will sell its Ergotron business to US-based private equity outfit The Sterling Group for 520million. Melrose boss Simon Peckham told investors on Wednesday that the Ergotron sale puts the manufacturing firm in a position to distribute capital to shareholders and it has 'chosen the quickest way to start to achieve that goal'. In charge: The boss of Melrose, Simon Peckham He added: 'We will continue to keep under review the appropriate capital structure of Melrose as we position for continuing success.' Melrose shares have risen sharply, and were up 9 per cent to 154.95p by Wednesday afternoon, having fallen over 15 per cent in the past year. The group's share buyback programme will start on 9 June and will end no later than 31 October 2022. It is intended to reduce Melrose's share capital, with all purchased ordinary shares set for cancellation. Back in March, Melrose said it would leave the timing of a capital return 'under review' amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It had previously planned to announce a 'second capital return' in its annual results published in March. Prior to this, in June 2021, Melrose launched a 730million return to shareholders after completing the disposal of its Nortek Air Management division to Chicago, Illinois-based Madison Industries. In its latest annual results, Melrose announced a final dividend of 1p per share, up by one third on the previous year, giving a full year dividend of 1.75p a share. In its March results, Justin Dowley, chairman of Melrose, said: 'We have realised gains for shareholders by doubling the value of Nortek and significantly outperforming all Group cash generation targets, which has de-risked the route to value realisation from GKN. 'We have transformed the GKN businesses to increase their full potential including investing in sustainable technology and properly funding their pension schemes. With the benefits of significant restructuring increasingly coming through, combined with the strong cash generation, Melrose is positioned to create, and realise, significant value for shareholders.' An investigation has been launched into the mass death of native birds found in a kill 'hotspot'. Bohollow Wildlife Shelter's Kirsty Ramadan visited Barmah, north Victoria, last Wednesday to investigate reports of a few sick long-billed corellas. However when she arrived she found there were 'dozens upon dozens' of birds killed. The Victorian Conservation Regulator is now investigating the horrific discovery. More than 100 long-billed corellas (above) were found dead in Barmah, north Victoria, last Wednesday The birds were found around the river, in puddles, and in the water (above) which suggests extreme thirst triggered by a mass poisoning 'I headed out, not knowing what to expect but when I arrived in Barmah it was clear that something was seriously wrong,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'These birds were dropping dead out of trees, in mid air and falling into the Murray River and puddles due to excessive thirst, which is a symptom of poisoning. 'I was not able to retrieve many dead birds which were floating in the water further along the river. I suspect there may have been more still alive and suffering.' Long-billed corellas (above) are a native bird found in Australia's south-east which are often regarded as a pest by grain farmers in Barmah, Numurkah, Nathalia, and Kyabram Long-billed corellas are a native bird found in Australia's south-east which are often regarding as a pest by farmers. Barmah - along with Numurkah, Nathalia, and Kyabram - are regarded as 'hotspots' for mass bird deaths, including native parrot species. Ms Ramadan said she collected 106 long-billed corella bodies and early investigations suggested the birds were killed from a poison-laced grain. Early investigations suggest the native birds (above) were killed by baited rodent poison grains 'Severe haemorrhaging in the entire intestine and a gizzard full of stained material all points to poisoning,' she said. 'In the past some grain companies as well as farmers have laid out laced grain to poison birds. 'The harsh reality is though, that even if we are able to determine what substance has been used, the likelihood of the culprits being identified and prosecuted is almost zero.' The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said native birds can be attracted to baited grains intended to kill rodents. Wildlife expert Kirst Ramadan said the native birds (above) died with severe haemorrhaging along their entire intestine However it is also investigating whether a disease - such as psittacine beak and feather disease - could have caused the kill. If a person is found guilty of killing wildlife by poison they can face up to $18,174 in fines and six months in prison. While it has not yet been confirmed whether the birds were killed by poison, Ms Ramadan has urged people to stop using poisoned bait because it can lead to the secondary poisoning of native animals. Ms Ramadan said she saw the birds: 'dropping dead out of trees, in mid air and falling into the Murray River' (above) following a suspected mass poisoning 'If you know anything about people doing the wrong thing in relation to poisoning birds, please come forward,' she said. 'We need to reconsider the methods we use for rodent control as well as realise that substances we use end up in the environment.' Pathology tests on the birds will confirm the cause of death in coming weeks. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. An alleged terrorist targeted Prince Harrys son Archie for being mixed race and called him an abomination that should be put down, a court heard yesterday. Depraved Christopher Gibbons, 38, also called for Harry to be 'prosecuted' and 'judicially killed for treason' in the 'Black Wolf Radio' white supremacist podcast he hosted with Tyrone Patten-Walsh, 34, a jury was told. The racist pair are said to have hated mixed race relationships and used Harry's marriage to Meghan as an example. Gibbons and Patten-Walsh also allegedly endorsed the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 and glorified Brenton Tarrant's 2019 shooting spree in Christchurch, New Zealand, when he killed 51 people at two mosques during Friday prayers. A white supremacist described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son Archie as an 'abomination that should be put down' in his online podcast, Kingston Crown Court heard In a discussion of the 2017 Manchester Arena suicide bomb attack, in which 22 people were killed, victims were referred to as 'sluts,' the jury was told. Patten-Walsh allegedly said: 'They start screaming and that's the bit that really pleases me because I hate those people. 'And it's a sign of masculine, even though it was done by a sand n*****, masculine terror against women.' Gibbons, of Carshalton, south London, and Patten-Walsh, of Romford, east London, are on trial at Kingston Crown Court, where they deny encouraging acts of extreme right-wing terrorism through their podcast between March 3 2019 and February 9 2020. Gibbons denies a further count of disseminating terrorist publications by uploading videos to an online stash called 'The Radicalisation Library' between April 2018 and February 2020. Meanwhile, Patten-Walsh is alleged to have used Twitter to post propaganda for a neo-Nazi group called the National Socialist Liberation Front. '(They) are men who hold extreme right-wing views. They are dedicated and unapologetic white supremacists,' prosecutor Anne Whyte QC said. 'They thought that if they used the format of a radio show, as good as in plain sight, they could pass off their venture as the legitimate exercise of their freedom of speech. 'In fact what they were doing was using language designed to encourage others to commit acts of extreme right wing terrorism against the sections of society that these defendants hated.' The pair hated mixed race relationships and used Harry's marriage to Meghan as an example, the court (pictured) was told The court heard that some 23 lengthy audio podcasts, featuring 'quite crude' still background images and interspersed with music, were posted online to an account with 128 subscribers. Ms Whyte said the pair's endorsements of violence came in the 'context of unbridled racism' as the pair bemoaned the existence of black and Asian MPs, made anti-Semitic remarks and depicted black and Asian men as rapists. 'They reserve particular hatred for mixed race relationships, and they use Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's marriage and children as prime examples of this,' she said. 'Christopher Gibbons referred to his views that the Sussex's baby was an abomination that should be put down and Prince Harry should be prosecuted and found guilty and judicially killed for treason.' The trial continues on Thursday. Three 'armed and dangerous' inmates are on the run after escaping a Missouri county jail by cutting holes in the plaster ceiling of their cells and crawling to a maintenance door that led outside. Lance Stephens, 29, Matthew Crawford, 29, and Christopher Blevins, 37, escaped from the Barry County jail in Cassville, Missouri, about 275 miles southwest of St. Louis, early Friday morning, officials said. Barry County Sheriff Danny Boyd told ABC News that the inmates had climbed through holes they'd made in the plaster ceiling - which he noted is old - and left the building through a maintenance door at the back of the prison. The men are armed and dangerous and should not be approached, the Barry County Sheriff's Office warned in a Facebook post. Christopher Blevins, 37, escaped from Barry County Jail in Cassville, Missouri, had been in jail on drug and weapons charges Lance Stephens, 29, who escaped last week had been jailed on drug and weapons charges Matthew Crawford, 29, who escaped from Barry County Jail, was in jail for theft charges Officials offered no information on how long the inmates had been gone before guards noticed they were missing. The men are acquaintances, two of whom shared a cell and the other was in a cell nearby, and are considered armed and dangerous, Boyd told local media. The sheriff told ABC News that there is no indication that an employee or other inmates aided the escape but noted that he is interviewing staff who worked that morning and has pulled surveillance video. Boyd said authorities have received tips that suggest at least two of the inmates have left the state, but no further details were released. Blevins and Stephens were in jail on drug and weapons charges, and Crawford was jailed for theft charges, according to an online roster of inmates. The case has been handed over to the U.S. Marshals Service, according to a Facebook post by the sheriff's office. Officials offered no information on how long the inmates at Barry County Jail (pictured) had been gone before guards noticed they were missing The men are armed and dangerous and should not be approached, the Barry County Sheriff's Office warned. The location of the jail is pictured above 'The situation was turned over to the U.S. Marshals on Friday to conduct the search for the escaped inmates. As of right now from what we have leaned all escapes are not in the area and are still being sought by the Marshals at this time. If you have any information on where the suspects are or where they are heading we welcome your tips and they will be passed on to the Marshals.' The escape comes about two months after an inmate in an Alabama jail escaped with the help of a female corrections officer. In that case, murder suspect Casey White, 38, was helped by Vicky White, 56, a corrections officer who went on the run with him for several weeks. They were not related. Vicky White was caught with her lover after 11 days on the run The corrections officer was believed to be transporting Casey White to the courthouse for a mental evaluation, when they fled together. Casey White was captured after the vehicle he and Vicky White were in crashed following pursuit by federal law enforcement officers in Indiana. Vicky White died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during a showdown with law enforcement. Uhde was sentenced by Roemer to six years in prison on weapons charges in 2005 A family friend said the suspect never showed animosity towards public figures Uhde's nephew said that the suspect was a supporter of Donald Trump and 'an obvious Republican' A 'hit list' was found in Uhde's car that included the name of several politicians He was declared brain-dead on Saturday but stayed on life support until today Uhde allegedly refused to give into law enforcement's demands and shot himself Former Juneau County Judge John Roemer, 68, was reportedly shot at his home A man accused of fatally shooting a retired Wisconsin judge and who had a 'hit list' that included prominent national political figures has died after shooting himself. Career criminal Douglas Uhde, 56, shot former Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer, 68, at the Roemer's home in New Lisbon on Friday before shooting himself, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he had been on life support. Wisconsin Department of Justice spokeswoman Gillian Drummond confirmed Uhde's death. The agency said that Uhde was declared brain-dead on Saturday morning and his body remained on life support until Tuesday morning to allow for organ donation. Uhde had an extensive criminal and prison record dating back at least two decades, including a case when he was sentenced by Roemer to six years of time behind bars on weapons charges. He was released from his last prison stint in April 2020. Police found the 68-year-old Roemer zip-tied to a chair, an official told The Associated Press. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Uhde had a list of potential targets in his vehicle that included Roemer, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Whitmer's office and law enforcement sources said. This March 17, 2020, photo provided by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections shows Douglas K. Uhde, who died three days after being suspected of shooting dead a retired Wisconsin Judge Joh Roemer, who served in Juneau County Former Juneau County Judge John Roemer, 68, was found dead and zip-tied to a chair in his home on June 3. He sentenced to Uhde to six years in prison on weapons charges in 2005 It's unclear how Uhde obtained a gun. Drummond said the Wiscconsin Justice Department is still investigating that aspect of the case. The Juneau County Sheriff's Office received a call that two shots were fired at the judge's home at 6:30 a.m. Friday, according to the Division of Criminal Investigation. The caller had fled the home and made the call from another nearby house. Donna Voss, a neighbor, told The Associated Press she heard law enforcement on a loudspeaker telling the man to surrender and leave the home. Uhde, who had not yet been charged when he died, was found in the basement of the judge's home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul on Friday said the shooting appeared to be a 'targeted act' and that the gunman had selected people who were 'part of the judicial system.' Roemer retired from the bench in 2017. He was first elected in 2004 and was reelected in 2010 and 2016. He previously had served as an assistant district attorney for Juneau County and an assistant state public defender. He also worked in private practice and served as a lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army Reserves. Chip Wilke, pastor at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mauston, where Roemer was president of the congregation and evangelism chairman, described the judge as a 'very loving, very encouraging man with a wonderful sense of humor who will be dearly missed' by the community. Roemer, a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, retired from the bench in 2017 Police officers and a SWAT team found the judge dead at his New Lisbon home on Friday Mitch McConnell and Gretchen Whitmer were high-profile names mentioned on Uhde's hit list, which was found inside his car at the judge's home Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers was also reportedly considered as a target A year after being condemned by Roemer in 2005, Uhde escaped from the minimum security Fox Lake Correctional Institute in Wisconsin. He was finally caught a month later while he was en route to give his girlfriend 'a flower,' according to court documents. Following his captivity, Uhde was held at the maximum security Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage, Wisconsin. The same prison where serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was beaten to death by inmates in 1994. Despite his prison escape, Uhde was released just two years into his six-year sentence after he filed an appeal from jail, arguing that his right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures was violated at the time of his original arrest. Yet, he was arrested shortly after his release, in March 2007, for driving a vehicle without consent, eluding an officer and obstruction. He served 18 months in prison on those charges. Uhde last spent time in prison between March 2019 and April 2020 when he was taken into custody on a parole violation. He also spent time in prison for a parole violation in 2015. Uhde's nephew, who declined to be named, told Heavy.com that the suspect was a supporter of Donald Trump and an 'obvious Republican.' He also described his uncle as a loner, without a wife or kids, who had never had a long term relationship. When asked about his uncle being suspected in the murder of Roemer, he said: 'People are pushed to the extremes. Anyone educated on it, understands it.' 'Any red-blooded American' understands 'we have a failed system.' He denied report however, that Uhde was connected to a militia. The suspect's address was in Friendship, Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections website which listed him as 'Active community supervision.' Friendship is around 30 miles east of Roemer's home in New Lisbon. Uhde's prison escape in 2006 wasn't the first time that he broke out of prison. In 1994, Uhde, then 28, climbed over an and 8-foot tall razor wire fence in Bastrop County jail, Texas. At the time, Uhde was in custody on a parole violation. According to Heavy.com, Uhde had previously been arrested in the Lone Star State on forgery charges. A family friend named Joshua told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that, despite Uhde's criminal record, he was shocked he would allegedly kill a judge. 'Im still kind of expecting someone to say it wasnt him,' he said. Uhde was described as a loner and did not have a family. Pictured: the suspect in April 2020, after his latest release from prison Joshua said that the last time her heard from Uhde, the suspect was moving to start his life over in either Kentucky or Tennessee. Prior to that he had been living with Joshua's family following his 2020 release from prison. Joshua went on to say that he did not know Uhde to be part of a militia nor to have any animosity toward public officials. He said: 'The fact that I'm being told that he did this is gut-wrenching.' Law enforcement always believed Roemer's murder was 'targeted'. It now appears it was tied closely to the sentencing of Uhde's 2001 burglary. In 2002, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and seven years supervision by Judge James Miller. That was in addition to being forced to undergo psychiatric treatment. However, Uhde won an appeal in the case over court procedures as the suspect alleged that he didn't understand the ramifications of pleading not guilty in the case. The case was reopened with Roemer at the helm in February 2005. Uhde was sentenced to six years in prison and nine years of extended supervision in April 2005. Uhde pleaded guilty to the charges. The shooting is being handled as a homicide and a domestic terrorist case and authorities are looking into court records. The frightening moment a footbridge collapsed, sending a mayor and about two dozen other people plunging into a riverbed in the southcentral Mexican state of Morelos was caught on camera. On Tuesday, Cuernavaca mayor Jose Luis Uriostegui was joined on the inaugural walk across the Ribereno Bridge at Porfirio Diaz Park when recently remodeled span suddenly collapsed. About 25 people were injured, according to the city government. A cellphone video of the accident shows a man jumping twice as he walked onto the hanging bridge that is made of wooden boards and metal chains. Then it snaps. The man who leapt up-and-down manages to hold on to the chain line and remains suspended several feet over the rocks and boulders in the streambed. City officials and press members were among those who joined the mayor of the south central Mexico of Cuernavaca to celebrate the inauguration of a footbridge Tuesday moments before it collapsed, sending about two dozen people plunging into a stream At least 25 people were injured after a footbridge collapsed in the south central Mexican city of Cuernavaca on Tuesday. Mayor Jose Luis Uriostegui was joined by his wife, city officials and journalist for the inaugural walk across the Ribereno Bridge at Porfirio Diaz Park when the span that had been recently remodeled collapsed Cuernavaca mayor Jose Luis Uriostegui (left) said his wife Luz Maria Zagal Guzman had an injury to her left femur which required surgery Mayor Uriostegui said after the incident that some of the people accompanying him on the walk had been jumping on the bridge, perhaps in an attempt to make it sway. 'There were a lot of people jumping. That was reckless,' Uriostegui said. The mayor added that the number of officials and journalists could have exceeded the bridge's capacity, causing it to fall apart. 'There were more of us than there should have been there,' he said. The Morelos state government said the Ribereno Bridge was not included in a $340,000 riverwalk construction program that started in 2021 and may have existed prior to that The Cuernavaca city government said in a statement that four city council members, two other city officials and a local reporter were injured and had to be extracted on stretchers from the gully and were taken to local hospitals. Uriostegui himself was taken to a hospital with 'light injuries,' but later spoke to reporters outside. He said his wife Luz Maria Zagal Guzman suffered a left femur injury and was scheduled to undergo surgery. Cuernavaca councilwoman Patricia Torres had surgery to repair an ankle fracture and is in stable condition. Councilman Fernando Carrillo was hospitalized for a head injury and is recovering. Wendi Salinas y Mirna Delgado, who are also part of the Cuernavaca city council, were discharged after receiving medical attention. Red Cross workers tend to some of the people who were injured when a footbridge collapsed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, on Tuesday Four members of the Cuernavaca city council and the mayor's wife were among those who were injured and rushed to local hospitals Still image from a cellphone video captures the frightening moment a footbridge snapped over a stream in Cuernavaca, Mexico, on Tuesday, injuring at least 25 people The Morelos state government said the hanging footbridge was not included in a $340,000 riverwalk construction program that started in 2021 and may have existed prior to that. Cuernavaca, located just 53 miles south of Mexico City, has long been a weekend getaway for capital residents due to its abundance of water and balmy climate. The footbridge was part of a river walk along one of the city's many streams. Cuernavaca has undergone explosive growth and has largely ignored or polluted many of its waterways. The river walk was intended to be part of a revival of the city's natural attractions. A Phoenix suburb is reviewing how it handles water rescues after video of three police officers standing nearby as a homeless man drowned sparked outcry. The Tempe Police Department says the officers are on paid administrative leave after last month's drowning in a town lake. Tempe police on Friday released edited footage from officers' body cameras as well as a transcript of the May 28 incident. The video shows Sean Bickings, 34, climb over a 4-foot fence along Tempe Town Lake. An officer tells him swimming is not permitted. Bickings then goes into the water and starts swimming. Another officer tells police to watch him while he goes to get a boat. The video ends there. But the transcript shows two officers repeatedly tell Bickings to swim to a pylon and 'hold on.' Bickings continuously says 'I can't' and pleads for help. At one point, one of the officers says: 'I'm not jumping in after you.' 'Please help me. Please, please, please. I can't touch. Oh God, Please help me. Help me,' Bickings begs while drowning. Sean Bickings (right) was recorded interacting with one of three Arizona police officers on May 28 before jumping into Tempe town lake after a reported dispute with his wife The 34-year-old (pictured) drowned while three police officers allegedly watched as he pleaded for their help Bickings swam in all for roughly 40 yards under a pedestrian bridge, city officials said. At one point in the video, one of the officers said: 'How far do you think he is going to be able to swim?' The Tempe Officers Association said the public needs to understand officers are not trained for water rescues. These officers followed their training and went to get a boat. In a news release Monday, the Tempe city said officials will reevaluate the protocols around water rescues. They will also look at where rescue equipment like life preservers should be placed relative to the lake or any body of water. Police were originally responding to reports of a fight just after 5 a.m. between Bickings and a female companion, Suzanna, who is believed to be his wife, Fox 10 Phoenix reported. When questioned, both denied any physical altercation had taken place. But officers ran their names through a background check and found Bickings had three outstanding warrants. Bickings leaped over a four-foot fence and asked a police officer if he was free to go before jumping into the lake. The homeless man had three outstanding warrants on his record While observing Bickings treading water (pictured), one officer is heard asking: 'How far do you think he is going to be able to swim?' Authorities say that is when Bickings climbed over the fence and asked the officer: 'I'm going to go for a swim. I'm free to go, right?.' Suzanna then tried to go after him but officers kept her back, according to the transcript. 'I'm just distraught because he's drowning right in front of you and you won't help,' she said. The transcript also claims one of the officers then threatened to put her in his police car unless she calmed down. Firefighters ended up recovering Bickings' body at 11.20 a.m., pronouncing him dead. Three officers had arrived at the town lake in Temple at 5am after reports of the physical altercation, which the couple denied Bickings' wife, Suzanna, denied any physical altercation with her husband prior to the incident The Phoenix suburb of Tempe is reviewing how to handle water rescues after footage of the incident sparked outcry. The Tempe Police Department says the three officers are on administrative paid leave after last month's drowning in the man-made city lake The Arizona Department of Public Safety and police in the neighboring suburb of Scottsdale are investigating the police response. Police Chief Jeff Glover met with Bickings' mother last week. She had asked for any video to be released, the city said. Tempe Town Lake is more than 2 miles long and was built in 1999 by damming a portion of the Salt River. It is a popular spot for jogging, biking, kayaking and other recreational activities. The court stenographer for the Johnny Depp libel case against Amber Heard has said jurors forced to sit through hours of video depositions would often doze off. Judy Bellinger revealed what she observed about the jury in the blockbuster defamation battle over the last few weeks. But it came as she was accused of bias after a photograph emerged of her laughing with the Pirates actor after testimony was over. After less than three days of deliberation, the jury ruled in favor of all three of Depp's defamation claims against Heard, finding that she had falsely accused him of domestic abuse. The lightning-fast verdict came at the culmination of the six-week trial that was the OJ Simpson case for Generation Z: a spectacle that was chopped up and replayed on TikTok in clips that were viewed tens of millions of times. Scroll Down For Video: In an interview court stenographer Judy Bellinger spoke about what she observed about the jurors in the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial Bellinger, who transcribed the lengthy trial, said the jury was listening 'very intently' throughout the trial (pictured smiling at Depp) Supporters of Amber Heard said the footage of Bellinger hugging Depp was proof that she was not impartial #JudyBellinger, the #Depp v. #Heard freelance court reporter, said in an EXCLUSIVE interview that some jurors were dozing off during the defamation trial. pic.twitter.com/4w87MArswy Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) June 6, 2022 It was the second time the former husband and wife squared off in court: Depp lost a libel case against a British newspaper at the High Court in London in 2020 where a judge ruled it was 'substantially true' he was a wife beater. Bellinger, a stenographer for the private firm Planet Depos who transcribed the lengthy trial, told Law and Crime that the jury was listening 'very intently' throughout the trial. Bellinger said when the jury was chosen it was known that some would end up being alternates and not decide on the verdict and that she knew who the alternates names were from the start. But she said she could not remember the alternate's numbers and throughout the six-week trial one juror in particular stood out to her as the 'best juror' because of how attentive she was. In the end, that juror ended up being one of the alternatives chosen at the start of the trial. 'Unfortunately the one alternate that was on there, she was probably the one that listened the most,' Bellinger said. 'I watched her facial expressions, she was deeply into every word that was being said and I thought she would have made a great juror and she did not get to see it to the end.' Both Depp and Heard gave evidence for four days each including a forensic cross examination from the opposition lawyers Johnny Depp took the stand in his blockbuster $100million defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard Over six weeks at the court in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp called 38 witnesses while Heard called 24. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary, turning up on the red carpet together for its London premiere in 2011 Bellinger recalled the juror's exasperated reaction to finding out she was an alternate and said she felt similarly. 'I was like oh man! she was going to be the best juror!' she said. Bellinger said that the alternate juror also stood out to her because unlike the others, she never fell asleep. 'There were a few jurors dozing off,' Bellinger said. 'She never dozed off' She said that jurors from both rows would fade away at times, imitating the jurors with their hands holding up their head and their eyes closing as they sat through hours of deposition. 'It was tough because there was a lot of video deposition. They'd just sit there and all of a sudden I'd see their head drop,' she said. Her interview came after video of Bellinger hugging Depp on the final day of the trial was released. Bellinger denied claims that she 'partied' with Depp and his legal team and told Law and Crime that Depp had requested to meet her after she arranged to pick up her equipment to transcribe the case from the actor's attorney Ben Chew. She said she ended up meeting at the hotel Depp's team was staying at where she met Depp in a hospitality room following the end of the trial. 'Johnny was in there, and so I had to go in there and get my equipment, and I saw him, and they're like 'he really wants to meet you'' Bellinger said. 'I was probably in there for less than 10 minutes, and he just hugged me and thanked me again. And I hugged a couple of other people there, and I got my equipment and I came out, left, and went home.' Supporters of Amber Heard said the footage of Bellinger hugging Depp was proof that she was not impartial. There are also pictures of Bellinger smiling at Depp in court that were widely shared. Both Depp and Heard gave evidence for four days each including a forensic cross examination from the opposition lawyers . The jury saw dozens of texts, photos, videos, medical records and even pages from the former couple's 'Love Journal' they hand wrote to each other. The libel case was so complicated that the verdict sheet had 42 questions the jury had to answer before delivering the verdict: 24 questions for Depp's claims and 18 for Heard's counterclaim. The jury ended up ruling in favor of all three of Depp's defamation claims against Heard and was awarded $15million - $10million in compensation and $5million in punitive damages. Heard won just one of her three countersuit claims, which related to statements made by Depp's lawyer suggesting she and friends had trashed their apartment before calling the police out. She was awarded $2million in compensatory damages out of the $100million she was seeking in her countersuit against her ex-husband and received zero dollars in punitive damages. The judge later reduced Depp's $5million punitive damages award to the Virginia maximum of $350,000, reducing Depp's total to $10,350,000 minus the $2million he was ordered to pay Heard. A leaked report has revealed that Harvard University is in possession of the remains of nearly 7,000 Native Americans and about 20 enslaved people. The draft was put together by a committee over the past year in an attempt to parse out how the university would handle its ties to America's legacy of slavery. The university announced in April that it was setting aside $100million for an endowment fund and other measures to close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism. The 'unfinalized' draft report was leaked this week by The Harvard Crimson. Evelynn M. Hammonds, the chair of the committee expressed disappointment over the leak. A professor of African American studies and the former dean of Harvard College, Hammonds called it 'irresponsible.' A leaked report has revealed that Harvard University is in possession of the remains of nearly 7,000 Native Americans and about 20 enslaved people, many of them held in the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (pictured) The remaining DNA is currently being held at the university's Warren Anatomical Museum She also referred to the document that got out as an 'outdated version that does not reflect weeks of additional information and committee work'. Evelynn M. Hammonds, the chair of the committee expressed disappointment over the leak. A professor of African American studies and the former dean of Harvard College, Hammonds called it 'irresponsible' Hammonds contends that the final report will feature DNA analysis, display and ethical stewardship of human remains and more detailed proposals in terms of what to do with the remains. Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow said in 2021 when he founded the committee that the school's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and Warren Anatomical Museum's hold the remains of over 22,000 individuals. 'We know much about some of these individuals because they were accompanied by detailed records of their unique experiences, but others were afforded no biographical information,' Bacow said in a statement at the time. 'The latter circumstance is a testament, in some cases, to the status of individuals at the times of their deaths or to the standards under which their remains came to be collected.' Dr. Henry Louis Gates - the host of Finding Your Roots and a prominent academic - is one of the members of the committee Professor Jane Pickering is another member of the 16-person committee to determine what to do with the remains The committee was formed after the Peabody Museum conducted a review following protests that claimed they had not fulfilled legal duties requiring institutions to catalogue their various Native American artifacts and remains. It features some fairly well known academics, including Henry Louis Gates Jr., Philip J. Deloria, and Randall L. Kennedy. All museums are required to do so under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The committee, within the draft report, suggested that 'descendants' of the remains should be consulted as to what to actually do with them, though not necessarily the reparations money. They defined descendants as either literal family members or the communities that the Indigenous or enslaved peoples come from. 'The best outcome of provenance research would be identification of lineal descendants but, if that is not possible, research should aim to ascertain descendant or affinity groups that have a direct social, emotional, family, or place-based connection to the individual, that is people who feel a direct responsibility or interest in the individual themselves,' the draft report says. The remains could either be given in a direct transfer to descendants, buried at an appropriate ceremony or gifted back to those communities. The April report that suggested the $100million 'reparations' fund laid out a history of slaves toiling on the campus and of the university benefiting from the slave trade and industries linked to slavery after slavery was outlawed in Massachusetts in 1783 - 147 years after Harvard's founding. The report also documents Harvard excluding black students and its scholars advocating racism. Harvard University is setting aside $100million for an endowment fund and other measures to close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism, the universitys president has said (file photo) Bacow (pictured) said in April that a committee would explore transforming the recommendations into action and that a university governing board had authorized $100 million for implementation, with some of the funds held in an endowment While Harvard had notable figures among abolitionists and in the civil rights movement, the report said, 'the nation's oldest institution of higher education ... helped to perpetuate the era's racial oppression and exploitation.' The report's authors recommended offering descendants of people enslaved at Harvard educational and other support so they 'can recover their histories, tell their stories, and pursue empowering knowledge.' Other recommendations included that the Ivy League school fund summer programs to bring students and faculty from long underfunded historically black colleges and universities to Harvard, and to send Harvard students and faculty to the institutions known as HBCUs, such as Howard University. In his email, Harvard President Bacow said a committee would explore transforming the recommendations into action and that a university governing board had authorized $100 million for implementation, with some of the funds held in an endowment. Interception of a Five Eyes recon plane by a Chinese J-16 fighter in the South China Sea, according to Beijing, was a provocation by US allies. Chinese state media said it was a classic case of the west crying wolf when it's their mistake. China Intercepts Australian Recon Plane A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) maritime reconnaissance flight got intercepted over international airspace in the South China Sea, prompting to lodge a complaint with Beijing, the EurAsian Times reported. According to the Deputy Prime Minister, calling it very dangerous, this incident happened on May 26, noted ABC News. The Australian Defense Department (ADF) statement said the RAAF P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft was intercepted by the J-16 while doing a recon flight over international airspace over the SCS. Defense Minister Richard Marles told the press that the PLA jet went close to the side of the P-8, then fired flares, per First Post. Chaff fired off not to confuse missiles can sabotage a plane in flight. Canberra accused China of firing military lasers at another P-8 in February earlier this year, but Beijing. The allegations come after Canada accused Chinese fighter planes of performing dangerous interceptions over the East China Sea, accusing they could have resulted in a collision with the P-8. Canadian planes are deployed in Japan to push UN sanctions against North Korea. Ottawa reported that the PLAAF conducts unsafe flying near its CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft. One incident involved a Chinese J-16 fighter pilot flashing a middle finger at a Canadian plane. Global News stressed that 60 interceptions by PLAAF were very risky in areas including the South China Sea. Read also: Xi Jinping Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy Is China's President Members of Australia, Canada, the US, the UK, and New Zealand share intel. Two members accused China of dangerous maneuvers but said they were lying. China Denies Provocation Chinese analysts asserted that the PLA fighter jets needed to deal with close-in reconnaissance and confrontational operations by monitoring planes from Canada and Australia in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. According to experts, the two members of the Five Eyes made the first grievance accusing Chinese jets of jeopardizing flight safety. But they're the ones who are to bear responsibility in the first place. State-owned media Global Report states that they are trying to defame China without considering one's own actions. China countered the Canadian claims they weren't doing anything illegal, but their goal was to get intelligence in the East China Sea, even provoking the J-16s. Also, the Chinese pilots were forced to do their jobs. Also, the PLAAF and experts asked Ottawa what business they are getting close to in China, despite the parameters of the UN mission, this is not part of it. Australian Defense Defense Minister Marles will not admit their P-8 was collecting information and want to hide it. The ADF's action endangers its equipment and people. Former Australian Air Force officer Peter Layton told CNN firing chaff could stall a jet engine backing up the ADFs story. The PLA retorted to the ADF's allegation that their plane was protecting Chinese airspace and the P-8 wanted to get intel from the PLA naval drills. A Five Eyes recon plane that a Chinese J-16 fighter forced to leave the South China Sea because it might gather intelligence, and using dangerous flying the PLAAF to escape blame from the incident in the first place. Related Article: India's Astra BVR AAM Hypersonic Missile Capable of Tracking Targets With Improved Sensors for Sure Kill @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Five new polar blasts are set to hit Australia over the next two weeks as the country continues its freezing start to winter - the coldest in 118 years. A massive surge of cold air is forcing temperatures to plunge several degrees below the June average right across the country. The Bureau of Meteorology says even more icy weather will hit the nation's southeast later this week, with frigid winds coming straight off the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Those conditions will combine with a cold, dry surge of air surging in from the Southern Ocean, which will see chilly temperatures last through until next weekend. Brisbane will see minimums as low as 6C for the rest of the week - the lowest temperatures the Queensland capital has seen in early June since 1904. Five new polar blasts are set to hit Australia in the coming weeks as the country continues its freezing start to winter The Bureau of Meteorology says frigid winds will be coming straight off the Antarctic Ice Sheet The coldest of the five blasts is set to hit Tasmania on Saturday evening, before reaching the mainland next week. The low-pressure system bringing the freezing winds will be slow moving, which means icy conditions will last until next weekend. It will also see major cities in the country's southeast endure more days better spent under the doona, while Western Australia will see large periods of rain as another low-pressure trough moves in from the west. Sydney will see an even cooler day on Wednesday than Tuesday, with a minimum of 6C and maximum of just 14C. A low-pressure system bringing the freezing winds to Australia will be slow moving, which will see the conditions extended through next weekend - including rain to WA Australians have woken up to yet another freezing morning as the country's southeast battles through an icy blast Melbourne will be slightly warmer than Tuesday's top of 11C, with a max of 12C expected for the Victorian capital. The miserable conditions are a result of a cold front moving upwards from South Australia, with parts of the country's southeast already seeing fresh dumps of snow. Parts of typically mild Queensland will also be hit hard. In Toowoomba, an hour-and-a-half west of Brisbane, the apparent temperature is set to plummet to as low as -5.4C on Thursday morning according to Weatherzone, with southern parts of Queensland to also suffer through the chilly weather. Multiple capital cities are set to shiver through their coldest week in decades for this early on in the winter season, as temperatures plunge several degrees below the June average Parts of Australia's southeast have already copped fresh dumps of snow In Tasmania those living in Launceston woke to an unbearable -1.6C this morning. This week, Sydneysiders will see the coldest run of days this early on in winter since 1989, according to Weatherzone. In Melbourne, the city will see its coldest week for this time in June since 1982, while Brisbane hasn't seen a week this cold this early on in winter since 1904. Weatherzone forecaster Chris Matthews said Sydneysiders were in for a cold week with the highest temperature forecast at 17C. 'This week will feel much colder because of the wind chill factor,' he earlier told Daily Mail Australia. One Blayney resident in central west NSW is seen holding a pile of snow this week The Bureau of Meteorology said the cold front was moving north into NSW on Tuesday and into central and inland Queensland by Wednesday. The icy blast is set to reach the Top End by Thursday. On top of the freezing air, parts of NSW, Victoria, the ACT and SA will also be hammered with rainfall over the next few days. Adelaide has a high chance of showers over the next few days but is expected to dry up by Sunday. Storms are also on the forecast for Melbourne, while Sydney will have a dry week. The Bureau of Meteorology said the cold front will move north into NSW on Tuesday and into central and inland Queensland by Wednesday (pictured in Blayney, NSW) In parts of the south western slopes and Riverina in NSW, thunderstorms are likely. Hobart will reach a top of just 8C on Tuesday with heavy rainfall forecast. Canberrans will also shiver through the week with a minimum of -1C on Thursday morning. Perth will see a warm and sunny day on Tuesday but will then be battered by rain into the weekend. Darwin will escape both the cold and the bad weather with tops of 34C on Tuesday and a dry and sunny day. George Soros has spent $40 million over the past decade to elect 75 progressive prosecutors, a new report has found - who are now being blamed for soaring crime in some of America's largest cities. The 91-year-old billionaire philanthropist has supported the candidates through his Open Society Foundations - a network of NGOs and think tanks that promote left-leaning policies. They include George Gascon, the controversial Los Angeles district attorney, who was given $4.7 million through the Soros-funded California Justice and Safety PAC for his election campaign in 2020, and is now facing attempts to recall him over a series of lenient prosecutorial decisions. They also include Larry Krasner, the Philadelphia DA, whose campaign received $1.3 million through Soros-backed Color of Change and Pennsylvania Justice and Public Safety PAC. The funding from Soros accounted for over 90 percent of his fundraising total in 2017. George Soros, 91, is pictured on May 24 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He has funded, through his foundation, the election of 75 progressive prosecutors in the last decade Krasner has since 2018 presided over a city which, in 2021, saw more shootings than any year in the city's history, and is on track to match the tally in 2022. Critics blame his emphasis on not pursuing prosecutions for several types of offenses. Jason Johnson, a former deputy police commissioner in Baltimore, is president of the LELDF which published the report 'Soros is using that campaign money and the hundreds of millions more for supporting organizations to quietly transform the criminal justice system for the worse, promoting dangerous policies and anti-police narratives to advance his radical agenda,' said Jason Johnson, a former deputy commissioner of Baltimore police, and president of the pro-police action group Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF). Johnson's group on Tuesday published a 17-page report entitled: 'Justice for sale: How George Soros put radical prosecutors in power'. The report concludes that spending by Soros-backed groups has installed prosecutors now representing 72 million people, or one in five Americans. Larry Krasner, the DA for Philadelphia (left), received $1.3 million through Soros-backed Color of Change and Pennsylvania Justice and Public Safety PAC, while George Gascon (right) received $4.7 million The figure includes about half of America's 50 most populous cities and counties, where 40 percent of homicides occur. The report's authors find that the injection of Soros-backed cash has tilted the scales in elections, to an abnormal level. 'Traditionally, elections for district attorney have been quiet affairs,' the authors write. 'Candidates spent very little on their campaigns, instead jockeying for local endorsements and burnishing their legal qualifications for the top job. 'That changed recently as millions of campaign dollars have flowed into these down ballot contests. 'The bulk of that lavish spending on advertising and consultants has been done by (or on behalf of) 'social justice' candidates.' The report singles out Gascon and Krasner - two of the most high-profile progressive DAs in the country - as well as the newly-elected Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg. Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan DA (left), was backed by Soros, as was Kim Foxx, DA for Cook County, Illinois (right) Buta Biberaj was given $922,000 for her election campaign, to become the district attorney for Loudoun County, Virginia Bragg, who took over from Cyrus Vance on January 1, is the first African American to be Manhattan DA, and has been condemned for his lax approach to prosecution. On taking office, he instructed the assistant district attorneys to stop charging a variety of low-level crimes and to avoid seeking jail time for certain robberies, assaults, and gun-possession cases in which no other crimes were committed. He said that prison time should be reserved only for the most serious offenses, such as murder and sexual assault. Bragg's campaign was given $1.1 million from the New York Justice and Public Safety PAC, and Color of Change. The report also notes that Kim Foxx, the Cook County, Illinois DA - representing Chicago - was handed $2 million for her campaign, through the Illinois Justice and Public Safety PAC. Foxx has faced strong criticism for letting people accused of violent crimes out on electronic monitoring - a policy that Mayor Lori Lightfoot has attempted unsuccessfully to overrule. In Loudoun County, Virginia, Soros backed Buta Biberaj with $922,000 through his New Virginia Majority and Virginia Justice and Public Safety PAC. Biberaj is facing an attempt to recall her this summer, with opponents accusing her of 'letting criminals run rampant on the streets' - in particular, 'wife beaters and child abusers'. 'Most of these prosecutors pursue radical justice policies upon assuming office including eliminating bail, dismissing felony cases, and seeking lenient sentences while creating antagonistic relationships with their public safety partners, especially the police,' the authors state. 'Crime and violence surged following the election of many of these reform prosecutors.' The family of a young woman stabbed to death in a frenzied knife attack metres away from her doorstep refuse to give up hope she will finally get justice after a series of systematic failings. Queensland will launch a commission inquiry into its state-run forensics lab amid concerns the facility failed to test crucial forensic evidence in unsolved cases categorised as 'insufficient for further processing'. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has appointed former Court of Appeal president Walter Sofronoff QC to lead the inquiry into the John Tonge Centre after serious concerns were raised. Monday's announcement has already prompted a Queensland Police review into 50 sexual assault cases as far back as 2018. Potential problems with the lab first came to light as a result of a podcast series about the investigation into the tragic death of Shandee Blackburn. The 23-year-old was stabbed more than 20 times while walking home from work in Mackay in February 2013 and left for dead metres from home. Shandee's mum Vicki has welcomed the new inquiry into unresolved crimes as a coroner's inquest into her daughter's death is reopened. The family of Shandee Blackburn (pictured have renewed hope she will finally get justice 'Right now we're very relieved that the government and everyone now, it's out in the open and everybody can see and hear what failures there are,' Ms Blackburn told the Today show on Wednesday 'We are yet to full understand the full extent of the failures. From what I understand, it goes a long, long way, back so it will be quite extensive. However, this step now is the starting point and hopefully going forward, we can rectify the situation and all those people that have been denied justice through the failures of the lab will hopefully have their chance at justice. Monday's announcement has given Shandee's family renewed hope she too will get justice. Her former boyfriend John Peros, a champion amateur boxer, was charged with murder but acquitted in the Supreme Court in 2017. In 2019 a coronial inquest into Shandee's death heard evidence not presented at Peros' murder trial The following year, the coroner found she died from injuries sustained during an incident involving violence with Mr Peros, who has always maintained his innocence. Shandee Blackburn's mum Vicki has welcomed a commission inquiry into Queensland's state-run forensics lab for the victims of unsolved crimes who have been denied justice until now The coronial inquiry into Shandee's death was reopened earlier this year to consider 'recent issues raised regarding the forensic evidence and testing of evidence in this case'. 'It's something you always hope for, whether it eventuates or not is another matter and is in the hands of the coroner,' Ms Blackburn said. 'I have every faith that he will investigate to his full extent.' 'With the laboratory this week, what's vitally important for us is that all those other people that have been denied their actually get that chance now.' Her comments coincide with the premiere of a new documentary about her daughter's death which also shed light on the systemic failures from the Queensland DNA lab. Shandee's Story: The Search for Justice is based on The Australian's true crime podcast series which also shares new information and fresh perspectives from experts, family and friends. The stabbing murder of Mackay woman Shandee Blackburn (pictured) remains unresolved Queensland detectives are reviewing dozens of sexual assault cases from as far back as 2018 as a result of the new inquiry into the John Tonge Centre. 'It's up to about 50 at this stage that have come back as insufficient DNA for further processing,' Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told ABC radio on Wednesday. 'So what we do is go back, but certainly I know we're still reviewing those numbers, so that wouldn't be all of them.' Ms Carroll said detectives would be 'extraordinarily thorough' in reviewing individual cases, as the public would expect. She said it was difficult to say if perpetrators who should be behind bars were walking free due to the lab's testing failures. 'I'm hoping that's not the case,' the commissioner said. 'I'm hoping that we've all been very, very thorough, but certainly it's our role, it's our responsibility to make sure that we're as thorough as we can be in terms of the testing.' Shandee Blackburn (pictured) was stabbed more than 20 times while walking home from work in Mackay in February 2013 The new inquiry announced by the Queensland government is expected to last six month and will examine all aspects and operations of the state lab. 'It is clear to me that nothing short of a full, open and rigorous commission of inquiry can restore confidence in DNA testing in this state," the premier said. The terms of reference for the Commission of Inquiry will be announced this week. Queensland Council of Civil Liberties had led calls for public hearings to be held. 'An inquiry such as this largely conducted in private would not command the same public confidence as a fully open and public inquisition into the lab's processes and apparent significant problems and shortcomings,' council president Michael Cope said in a statement. A notorious former gang boss used a prison 'shiv' to repeatedly stab a hitman inside a cell at Australia's most secure jail as guards watched on for more than a minute, too afraid to intervene. Horror footage shows the ex-Brothers 4 Life Blacktown chapter leader, Farhad Qaumi, 39, pulling the razor blade out of his pants pocket and slashing at the triple murderer Abuzar Sultani, 33, whose still handcuffed and unable to defend himself. Qaumi pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm for the May 20, 2020, attack at Goulburn Supermax in NSW on Wednesday, that left Sultani bleeding from the face and neck. The two underworld figures share a bloody intertwined history, with Qaumi sentenced to 60 years in jail in 2017 for the execution murder of Joseph Antoun - a standover man Sultani considered a mentor. Later that same year, Sultani and his 'black-ops killing squad' dubbed 'The Afghanis' brazenly shot dead Calabrian crime family gangster Pasquale Barbaro, 35, a one-time associate of Qaumi and B4L. B4L leader Farhad Qaumi (pictured) is serving a maximum 60-year sentence for a murder and a violent crime spree in 2013 Abuzar Sultani 32 (pictured), studied accounting at Sydney's Macquarie University in the day and ran a 'black-ops killing squad' by night The vision of the stabbing shows Qaumi pacing back and forth in a cell before Sultani enters and stands alongside him. The Daily Telegraph reported the two rival gangsters were put in the same room to play chess. The moment guards unlock Qaumi's handcuffs, he slashes at Sultani and slams the door shut. Correctional officers can be seen through the door watching on as Qaumi taunts Sultani waving the make-shift blade across his face. Qaumi eventually backs off , gets to his knees and puts his hands on his head as guards enter the cell. Serious questions have been raised about why the guards took so long to step in. Horror footage shows the Ex-Brothers 4 Life Blacktown chapter leader, Farhad Qaumi, 39 (left), pulling the razor blade out of his pants pocket and slashing at the triple murderer Abuzar Sultani, 33 (right), whose still handcuffed and unable to defend himself Guards at Australia's most secure prison watched on (pictured) for more than a minute too afraid to intervene 'I would always prefer to see officers come home to their families than rush into a situation that endangers their lives,' Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said. 'I always support officers and will ask the Corrective Services Commissioner to review the incident.' Qaumi received and extra 19 months on top of his already lengthy sentence. He will remain behind bars until at least 2056 for his role in the 'violent underworld rampage' that erupted in western Sydney in late 2013. The violence was triggered when the B4L gang split in two and went to war, pitting the mostly Afghan Blacktown chapter against majority Lebanese Bankstown clan - led by founder Mohammed Hamzy. In setting a maximum of 60 years, the judge said Qaumi was the 'undisputed, and feared, leader of the B4 Blacktown' who, more often than not used others to do his bidding. Qaumi eventually backs off , gets to his knees and puts his hands on his head as guards enter the cell (pictured) 'There was evidence he aspired to 'take over Sydney,' he said. 'One person was killed, several others were injured and the lives of at least 10 people placed in jeopardy,' the judge said. Meanwhile, Murder-for-hire boss Sultani 32, who studied accounting at Sydney's Macquarie University in the day and ran what police called a 'black-ops killing squad' by night, will likely die behind bars serving three life sentences. He was convicted of the murders of Barbaro, Rebels bikie Michael 'Ruthless' Davey and drug dealer Mehmet Yilmaz in 2021. Advertisement Movie lovers tonight hit out at protesters who called for a film about Islam and the daughter of the prophet Muhammed to be banned because they feel it is blasphemous. Cinema goers said everyone should be able to see the 12million movie, which was released in the UK last weekend, because shutting it down prevents discussion and instead fuels intolerance. Hundreds of demonstrators turned out in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham and Sheffield to protest venues showing The Lady of Heaven. The movie was released in the UK over the Jubilee weekend but has been pulled by Cineworld from all its branches after staff faced crowds of protesters demanding it was removed from circulation. The movie's executive producer, Malik Shlibak, called the decision to pull it 'unacceptable' and accused the chain of 'bowing down to radical extremists'. Now film fans who watched The Lady of Heaven in London called on cinemas that have pulled it to have a re-think. NHS worker Toqeer Abbas, 47, who watched the film at Vue Cinema in Shepherd's Bush, south west London, said: 'I do not agree with the protests. I think it is sad people have called for it to be banned. Most of those people haven't watched it. 'It is sad that cinemas are not showing it as that allows for any other viewpoint to be restricted. There are certain people that we know that have been against it but this is a conservative view. 'If you shut down dialogue you have nothing. You have a world of ignorance. This film creates a talking point. You don't have to believe it and if you don't you should do your own research. 'Why would you want to ban it? What's the reason for it? 'It's a free country and whatever happens people will find a way to see it but why can't we come here and spend time with our families and chat about it afterwards. 'Talking creates tolerance while shutting things down, no matter how difficult, creates intolerance.' Cinemas have seen protests from Muslims claiming the film The Lady of Heaven is 'blasphemous'. Pictured: Birmingham Some cinemas made the decision to pull the film from theatres following the backlash. Pictured: Cineworld in Birmingham Mr Abbas from south London added: 'Some of it was difficult to watch visually. We have heard the stories that were in the film but we have never seen it before. This is the first time we have had a movie showing these events in this way. 'We've never had anything like this before. This is the first time in 1400 years. For me there was too much imagery. It was made too human. 'We will get in the car and have more conversations about it. It's a talking point and I think it has a positive message.' One cinema-goer said: 'I think the protests are ridiculous. Calling for the movie to be banned is shutting down debate and dialogue. 'Everyone should be allowed to see the film. Although I must say it was a little long and boring at times.' A Muslim woman, who is originally from Lebanon who watched the film on her own, said: 'It was a nice movie.I liked it. It had a positive message. 'People who have been protesting have a different opinion. We don't need to do that. We are all Muslim. I would not want to see it banned from the cinema.' Another man who watched the film but asked not to be named said: 'I think people should at least see the film before passing judgment. Protesters gathered at cinemas to voice opposition to the Lady of Heaven, which was officially released in the UK on June 3 Cineworld has said it has cancelled all showings of the film nationwide 'to ensure the safety of our staff and customers'. Pictured: A crowd of protesters gathered outside the Cineworld in Birmingham on Sunday, June 5, to protest the film's release 'I only came to see what all the fuss was about. It's a low budget movie and there were not many people watching it. 'If anything, any protests and calls for the film to be banned will have the reverse effect with more people going to see it.' In contrast to large scale demonstrations, film-goers who watched the movie in an auditorium, which was half full, were able to do so without having to run the gauntlet from protesters. Cineworld confirmed it had pulled the film to 'ensure the safety of staff and customers' after outcry from protesters who picketed movie theatres and branded it 'blasphemous'. Vue, meanwhile, is still listed as showing the film in a number of its London branches tonight. Made in Britain for 12million, the film opens with the invasion of Iraq by ISIS and features a graphic jihadist murder, before telling the story of Lady Fatima, one of the daughters of the founder of Islam. Islamic tradition forbids the direct portrayal of religious figures, with previous depictions of prophets leading to protests and even murders amid accusations of blasphemy. Director Eli King depicts Fatima as a faceless character, shrouded by a black veil to avoid doing this. But protesters have accused the filmmakers of inaccurately depicting religious history and negatively portraying three of Islam's most important figures. Left to right: Producer Hussein Ashmere, Mehpe Al Hussaini, executive producer Jawad Salah and executive producer Malik Shlibak from Enlightened Kingdom attend the premier of The Lady of Heaven at the Cannes Film Festival last year Pictured: A movie poster for The Lady of Heaven, which has been pulled from cinemas in the UK after days of protests A video from the weekend appears to show a manager at one cinema addressing a crowd confirming the film has been pulled, prompting cries of 'Allahu Akbar'. The people behind The Lady of Heaven Eli King The director of the film, Eli King has no previous movie credits to his name. He has not done any interviews prior to the film's release, and keeps an under the radar profile. Producer Malik Shlibak said they landed on King after meeting with a lot of directors. He told Deadline: 'The majority of the British ones I would say, many of them were very interested, but felt the subject may have been too complex, but we were very lucky at the end.' Malik Shlibak Executive producer Malik Shlibak Based in London, the executive producer has hit back at criticism and accused cinemas of caving to 'extremists' by pulling the film. On Twitter he wrote: 'While I vehemently disagree with what these protestors stand for (death of free speech), I wholeheartedly thank them for the free publicity, we're already seeing an absolute flood of new audience who had never heard of our film.' Speaking last year he said the film had gone to great lengths not to offend Muslims, adding that he was aware the movie was including characters that are 'very holy for close to two billion people'. Hussein Ashmere Producer Hussein Ashmere One of the producers on the film, Ashmere previously said he hoped the film would educate audiences. Speaking to Deadline last year, he said while it was 'an emotional film' it would also be informative for people unfamiliar with the story of Lady Fatima. 'It's all factually correct, so this is one thing I want to reiterate,' he said. 'We spent meticulous time on this particular subject. We wanted to make sure we wrapped this up very well.' Sheikh al-Habib Sheikh Yasser al-Habib The film's writer, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib is a Kuwaiti Shia scholar based in London. He was imprisoned in the Middle Eastern country before being granted asylum in the UK. He has previously angered Sunni Muslims by calling Aisha, the third wife of the Prophet Muhammad, 'an enemy of God'. The film's producer Malik Shlibak described him as 'a brilliant mind, an intellectual, an academic, a scholar, a historian'. Advertisement The film features former Coronation Street actor Ray Fearon and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival last year, but was only released in the UK for the first time on June 3, this year. John Stephenson, who directed the 1999 film Animal Farm and 2004 movie Five Children and It, acted as a creative consultant. And other critics have expressed anger that the negative characters were portrayed by black actors, rather than white, which they say 'stems from the racial bias against darker skinned people'. Those who came out to protest screenings on Monday said they were 'offended' by the film and the way it illustrated the life of revered religious figures. One protester in Bradford, West Yorkshire, said: 'We are very offended. We have a right not to be insulted. 'You talk about freedom of speech but where does your freedom of speech go when it goes to criticising your policies, when it goes to making critical analysis of your version of history. 'You have no right to tell us our history. We will not let this film go on further.' Others carried signs saying: 'It's not ok to offend 1.8 billion #handsoffoursuperheroes' and 'Stop the screening', while using megaphones to get across their message. In Bolton, the local chairman of the Council of Mosques, Asif Patel, wrote a letter to his local branch of Cineworld, where he called the film 'blasphemous'. He said: 'You may well be aware of the recently released film 'Lady of Heaven' which has caused much distress to Muslims across the globe. 'It is underpinned with a sectarian ideology and is blasphemous in nature to the Muslim community. 'It grossly disrespects the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in many ways and is deeply disturbing to every Muslim. 'It also misrepresents orthodox historical narratives and disrespects the most esteemed individuals of Islamic history. 'The storyline begs the question to what extent the producers had considered the huge impact of this film upon the Muslim community and notions of sacredness dearly held by them.' 'In Bolton, we are a very diverse community and are very respectful of each other's culture and honour on community cohesion.' A spokesperson from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) called for 'respectful dialogue' between protesters and the film supporters. They said: 'The MCB, which proudly represents affiliates from across the different schools of thought in our faith, supports those scholars and leaders who are advocating for greater unity and for the common good, as commanded by our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). 'The MCB has always advocated for respectful dialogue of intra-faith relations. 'There are some - including many of this film's supporters or those engaging in sectarianism in their response - whose primary goal is to fuel hatred. 'We must not let them succeed.' But executive producer of the film Mr Shlibak called the decision to pull the film by the cinema chain 'unacceptable'. He said: 'We think that the protests have brought a lot of new found attention to the film that did not exist before from people who hadn't heard about the film, and we are okay with the fact that people protest. 'But I believe it's actually unacceptable in this country what they are calling for - that is the removal of this film from the cinemas due to them being offended. 'That is something quite silly, because everyone has the ability to share their thoughts and enact their freedom of speech. 'I genuinely believe from all sides, from the cinema, perhaps from the Muslim Council of Britain, that there is this succumbing and bowing down to these radical extremists and their demands. 'I think this is more than The Lady of Heaven as an individual film, this is about our British values and how much these mean to us. 'These groups have now been given the power to dictate what the British public can and cannot watch at their local cinemas.' And Claire Fox, who sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Fox of Buckley, tweeted that the decision to cancel the screening showed the 'creep of extra-parliamentary blasphemy law' was now censoring film. She wrote: 'Same 'I Find that Offensive' cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy.' Video on social media appears to show the manager of one cinema addressing a crowd of protesters gathered outside Executive producer Malik Shlibak, pictured here at the Cannes Film Festival last year, blasted the decision to drop the film Meanwhile, a petition to get the film removed from all UK cinemas has been signed by almost 120,000 people. In a statement Cineworld confirmed it was pulling the film from all venues to 'ensure the safety' of staff. A spokesperson from Cineworld said: 'Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.' Vue, which still has screenings for the movie listed on its website, refused to confirm whether the film had been pulled from any of its cinemas. A spokesperson for Vue said: 'Vue takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities across the UK. 'Vue will only show a film once the BBFC (the independent British Board of Film Classification) has assessed and rated a film. The Lady of Heaven has been BBFC accredited and is on show in a number of our cinemas. 'Decisions about how long a film remains on show are taken on a site-by-site basis and based on a variety of commercial and operational factors.' The Tamil family will return to Biloela just in time for their little daughter's fifth birthday - the first year she will celebrate it outside of detention. Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan, and their daughters Kopika, six, and Tharnicaa, four, are scheduled to fly from Perth on Wednesday morning. A beaming Ms Murugappan was seen giving her husband a kiss outside the airport, as their daughters in matching pink jumpers clutched toy cockatoos. 'Me and my family are very happy to start our journey back to my community in Bilo,' the mother-of-two said after extending her thanks to the WA community. The family-of-four then headed towards a plane waiting to return them home to Central Queensland after three years in detention on Christmas Island. The beaming family were seen outside Perth airport on Wednesday morning, with their daughters dressed in matching pink jumpers and holding toy cockatoos Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan, and their daughters Kopika, six, and Tharnicaa, four, are scheduled to arrive back in Queensland on Friday afternoon The Tamil family are expected to return to their beloved country town in Central Queensland on Friday afternoon, just in time for Tharnicaa's fifth birthday on Sunday (pictured centre) They are expected to return to their beloved country town on Friday afternoon, just in time for Tharnicaa's fifth birthday on Sunday. Her previous four birthdays had all been spent in detention, either on Christmas Island or in Melbourne when she was only one. Tharnicaa was just nine months old when her family first entered detention. The family's return to their home in the Banana Shire also coincides with the central Queensland town's annual Flourish multicultural festival. More than $200,000 has been raised to help the family re-establish their life in Queensland, after their story tugged on the heartstrings of Aussies nationwide. A change in government meant the family could return to Biloela, where they will remain on bridging visas while their immigration case is resolved in court. Tharnicaa's last four birthdays had all been spent in detention, either on Christmas Island or in Melbourne when she was only one (she is pictured with her older sister Kopika) The Tamil family was seen heading towards a waiting plane ready to return them to their beloved country town after three years in detention on Christmas Island The family had been fighting to stay in Biloela since they were removed from their home in 2018 after Priya's bridging visa expired and Nades' refugee status claim was rejected. They were taken to a detention centre in Melbourne before going to Christmas Island in August, 2019. The Labor government had promised they would be able to go home if they were elected into government. The family, of which the three eldest members have been granted bridging visas, had been living in Perth awaiting their fate since Tharnicca had to be medically evacuated from the island with a blood infection in June. A beaming Ms Murugappan was seen giving her husband a kiss outside the Perth Airport The little girls were seen taking questions from reporters outside the airport on Wednesday The Tamil family had been in a high-profile battle to remain in Australia after spending years in detention Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan will be able to throw their daughter a real birthday party for her fifth birthday Nadesalingam and Priya Murugappan had fled Sri Lanka after the country's civil war, arriving separately on people-smuggling vessels in 2012 and 2013. The couple met in Australia, married in 2014 and were both granted temporary visas settling in Biloela, where they had two daughters, Kopika, six and Tharunicaa, four. The decision to keep the family in detention sparked widespread outrage across Australia as their community and supporters across Australia rallied to have the family brought home. 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 last month. Labor's interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers last month granted the family bridging visas while they work to receive permanent residencies. '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,' he said. Kopika (left) and Tharnicaa (right) were pulled out of school in Queensland and sent to a detention centre Their high school lies in ruins from the brutal Russian onslaught. But these Ukrainian pupils were still determined to mark their graduation in traditional fashion by dancing a waltz. Members of a graduating class in Ukraine usually dance a waltz in front of the entire school as students hear the bell rung for the last time. For those at School No 134 in Kharkiv this summer, it was a more sombre affair, conducted against the backdrop of their bombed out classrooms as troops from their countrys army looked on. Olena Mosolova, a geography teacher from the school, said: We had imagined a different last bell for our kids, but it is what it is, and we want to have a celebration for the kids. Dressed for defiance: In a billowing red ballgown, pupil Valerie, 16, stands before her shelled-out school in Kharkiv to mark her graduation For those at School No 134 in Kharkiv this summer, it was a more sombre affair, conducted against the backdrop of their bombed out classrooms as troops from their countrys army looked on About a third of the students gathered for the occasion on Sunday, according to Suspilne, a Ukrainian media outlet About a third of the students gathered for the occasion on Sunday, according to Suspilne, a Ukrainian media outlet. One pupil Anna Episheva, 16, who was pictured in a red ball gown amid the rubble, said: There were a lot of friends from school, we were like one big family. With the girls we chose dresses and were glad that everyone would be very beautiful on graduation day. But the Russian world came to us and ruined all our plans which we dreamed of. Two school leavers dance the Waltz together in front of the ruined school 10 graduates stand in front of their ruined school as soldiers look on The former pupils look with their heads down as they stand in formal wear during the graduation party Appears to show family and friends watching the graduation party Ukrainian soldiers look on at the waltz being performed at the ruined school Graduation party was celebrated in destroyed 134th school in Kharkiv, pictured ruined Hlib Opashnian, another of the graduating students, said he had seen the school being destroyed days after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, adding: Im glad to be graduating. Other students have not yet been able to return to the city near the Russian border which was a major target for Vladimir Putins forces early in the invasion. Kostyantyn Nemichev, a soldier who helped to defend the city, said that the school had been the Russian occupiers last outpost before they were pushed out of Kharkiv. A Russian strike on Kharkiv yesterday killed one person and wounded three more, local mayor Ihor Terekhov said on television. Russia does not leave Kharkiv alone and constantly keeps people in fear, Terekhov said. A bitter feud over notorious Bandidos bikie Ricky Chapman's body has been settled in an court battle between his mother and former lover. The Supreme Court of Western Australia awarded Chapman's girlfriend Stacey Schoppe the right to lay him to rest in an emotionally charged hearing on Tuesday, after it was revealed the pair were at one point expecting a baby. Chapman died from a medical episode in April while working at Rio Tinto's Cape Lambert iron ore port, 1,500km north of Perth in northwest WA. He was diagnosed with epilepsy and was working closely with doctors to treat his condition just days before his sudden death, the court heard. Chapman's died 16 months after he survived being hit by the same assassin's bullet that killed Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin's at Perth Motorplex in December 2020. A judge awarded the girlfriend of ex Bandidos bikie Ricky Chapman (left) Stacey Schoppe (right) the right to lay him to rest in a Supreme Court judgement on Tuesday. Chapman's mother Suzanne Britt took the matter to court after her sons death, in a bitter legal battle over who had the right to organise his funeral. Chapman's ex-girlfriend Stacey Schoppe, who is also Martin's stepdaughter, initially started a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his funeral. She raised thousands of dollars for his funeral but those plans were soon halted after Chapman's mother, Suzanne Britt, took the matter of who had the right to organise his funeral to court. Ms Schoppe took the case to the coroner who originally ruled in her favor before Ms Britt appealed the decision, with the matter hauled before the Supreme Court. For the Supreme Court to rule in Ms Schoppe's favor, she was required to prove to the judge that she was in a de facto relationship with Chapman before his death. As part of her evidence, Ms Schoppe presented an affidavit stating the pair were expecting a child in late 2019, a baby he was excited for but they lost in a miscarriage. Nick Martin (middle) pictured with his wife Amanda Martin (left) and daughter Stacey Schoppe (right). Martin was assassinated at the Perth Motorplex in December 2020. Chapman was caught in the crossfire during the assassination of Martin. At the time of his death Chapman was employed as a FIFO worker despite being diagnosed with epilepsy, dying from a medical episode while working at Rio Tinto's Cape Lambert iron ore port in April, which is located approximately 1,500km north of Perth. Ms Schoppe told the court she was only petitioning to organise Chapman's funeral as she knew what he wanted, otherwise she would leave his body to his mother. 'He did a lot of jail and spent a lot of time in misery and I just wanted him to have what he wanted for once,' The West Australian heard in court. Ms Britt's lawyer, Stuart Shepherd, opposed Ms Schoppe's view saying they had actually broken up in November 2021 and was staying in a hotel. He said text messages in February to a young woman about finding a new home showed the pair had not reconciled months later. A Supreme Court judge ultimately decided in favor of Chapman's girlfriend on Tuesday ruling there was enough evidence that they were in a de facto relationship, with a major deciding factor being the pair had previously been expecting a child. Mr Shepherd pointed out that Ms Schoppe said in her victim impact statement about Martin's murder that their relationship 'ended under the pressure' that followed. Justice Jeremy Curthoys ruled the fact that the pair planned to start a family together persuaded him to award in Ms Schoppe's favor. 'Mr Chapman was excited when he found out they were pregnant and devastated when Ms Schoppe miscarried, which indicated they did intend to create a family in a marriage-like relationship,' he said. He noted while there was a period between November and December last year the couple had split, it didn't conclusively prove their relationship completely ended. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet's announcement that Covid vaccine mandates are coming to an end in the state has been welcomed by radio host Ben Fordham. Mr Perrottet said he had 'made it very clear that we are ending vaccine mandates' and had met with top bureaucrats to ask them to do so. 'They are working through those risk-based assessments and I expect them to come back to me shortly,' he said. 'I expect them to implement my direction.' Fordham said on 2GB: 'The worm appears to be turning on the issue of vaccine mandates. And this is an important step in learning to live with the virus.' He pointed out that thousands of Australians are still banned from working, including unvaccinated teachers who are on full pay while sitting at home. A teacher is pictured supervising pupils doing an exam. Unvaccinated teachers in NSW are still on full pay while sitting at home 'At the same time, schools are suffering shortages. For months we've been asking the Premier Dominic Perrottet - when will these teachers be put back to work,' said Fordham. He acknowledged many parents will be cautious about having unvaccinated teachers with their children, but pointed out many have not yet allowed their own kids to be vaccinated. The latest data shows just eight Sydney councils have more than half of primary school-aged children vaccinated against Covid-19. 'I still think there's a strong argument that people working in aged care and health should be fully vaccinated and boosted,' Fordham said. 'They have close contact with elderly people - who are most at risk from coronavirus. 'But if you're driving a truck or working for a building company - what's the justification?' Ben Fordham argued vaccine mandates in most industries should be dropped because some workers have lost their jobs completely, with no money coming in to look after their families He said some workers have lost their jobs completely, with no money coming in to look after their families. Fordham said while vaccine mandates served a purpose when we were encouraging people to get the jab, 'that time has come and gone'. 'Now we're just punishing people for exercising a choice.' He said though he was vaccinated himself, he doesn't want to deprive others of the right to work, pointing out Australia's annual welfare bill is more than $200billion. Some unvaccinated truck drivers are not allowed to deliver to shops that they can still attend as a customer. Pictured are trucks waiting to be loaded He said while there are 800,000 people on the JobSeeker payment, vaccine mandates are forcing more on to the dole, when they genuinely want a job. While public health orders around vaccine mandates have been removed, some government departments and private companies have left them in place. But some experts now say it is time to move on. 'Mandates were very important early on to drive uptake but they have largely passed their usefulness,' Dr Nick Coatsworth, Australia's former Deputy Chief Medical Officer, said. Dr Nick Coatsworth (pictured) said vaccine mandates 'have largely passed their usefulness' 'There are very few people who are likely to change their minds by now.' Greg Dore, an infectious diseases specialist, said he has 'been a vaccine advocate from day one but it's time to move on from passports and mandates outside of healthcare and aged care.' In May, there were 2,110 new hospitalisations for Covid-19 in NSW, with vaccinated people making up about 64 per cent of that number. The reason for this is that 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over in NSW have had at least two vaccine doses. So the unvaccinated five per cent are making up 36 per cent of Covid hospitalisations. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (right) poses with 2GB's Ben Fordham (left) at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Sunday, April 24, 2022. Fordham has backed Mr Perrottet's announcement to end vaccine mandates in NSW There were 376 Covid deaths in NSW during May. Fordham said people should not be complacent about the virus. 'Covid is still with us. And the vaccine is still helping millions of people handle the virus when they get it,' he said. But he pointed out that 'if we're sitting in stadiums surrounded by 80,000 strangers - vaccinated and unvaccinated, why can't people go to work? 'The longer (mandates) remain, the more we'll pay for people to sit at home.' Australia's busiest airport is desperately trying to hire thousands of staff as holiday-starved Aussies race to book a trip away. Sydney Airport will hold a massive jobs fair next Thursday, on June 16, with roles available in security, baggage handling, government agencies, airlines, hospitality and retail. The airport says it's 'urgently recruiting' new team members to help with the influx of passengers hoping to get away after two years of border closures from the Covid pandemic. There are around 800 businesses all operating at Sydney Airport, with masks mandatory inside the terminals. The fair will run between the hours of 10am and 4pm and is taking place in the T1 International Terminal. 'The jobs fair will give you an opportunity to talk to different employers at the airport. Over 40 businesses will be joining us on the day,' the airport said. Sydney Airport is looking to hire thousands of staff as they prepare for an influx of passengers wanting to travel abroad The airport says it's 'urgently recruiting' new team members and will hold a jobs fair next Thursday The urgent callout for staff comes after countless passengers complained about huge wait times before boarding their flights, and even longer delays trying to get their passports. At the end of April passengers at Sydney Airport were seen waiting in lines that stretched to up to 300 metres long, as queues snaked around the security checkpoints. Similar delays were seen earlier that month for travellers planning a trip for the start of school holidays with queues stretching to one kilometre long. Passengers complained of missing their flights while some claimed the long hold-up in the terminals was worsened by queue jumpers barging to the front of the lines. At the end of April passengers were seen waiting in lines that stretched to up to 300 metres long, as queues snaked around the security checkpoints A huge queue of travellers is seen at Sydney Airport in April Airport bosses blamed school holidays, a shortage of security personnel and, remarkably, forgetful passengers out of the habit of removing items from their luggage for scanning. A spokesman told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'We're incredibly grateful to passengers for their ongoing patience and for treating each other and airport workers with kindness and respect. 'We have significant COVID-related staff shortages and we're also working to rebuild our workforce in a really tight jobs market. Unfortunately this is an industry-wide issue and airports and airlines around the world are experiencing similar challenges.' More recently those wanting to travel abroad have been set back by massive delays in getting their passports, or having them renewed. Some have been waiting three months to get their passports, with many fearing they'll have to postpone or cancel their holidays altogether. With 2.4million passports expiring over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, processing times have doubled since October (pictured, lines outside the Sydney passport office) Sydney university student Ed Andronicus has been waiting nine weeks for his new passport which he needs when he travels to Bali next month. A technical glitch at the city's passport office on Tuesday made it all the more difficult, with some residents waiting all day just to be turned away. 'Been waiting at Sydney passport office for almost nine hours today. No communication about what is going on, people being turned away who have been waiting all day with flights tomorrow, because the printers have been turned off now (they were meant to close at 4pm). Appalling,' one woman fumed. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) advised holidaymakers to allow six weeks for their new passport, however many say they have waited longer. Sydney's passport office usually receives 7,000 to 9,000 applications every week, however requests in recent months have ballooned to 12,000. It was a similar story at the Melbourne office, where desperate Aussies - including mothers with children - have spent three hours waiting in the cold. A DFAT spokeswoman has since apologised for the delays and said waiting times should level out 'over the coming weeks'. South Korea and the United States put on an aerial show of military force to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Tuesday, showcasing 20 fighter jets over waters west of the Korean Peninsula in response to Pyongyang's continued missile tests. The two nations sent the aircraft, which include South Korean F-35A, F-15K, and FK-16 fighters, and American F-16s, over the Yellow Sea, also known as the West Sea in South Korea. The spectacle happened on Tuesday morning in the wake of North Korea's launch of eight short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday. South Korea, US, North Korea In a statement on Tuesday, South Korea's Defense Ministry said that it and the U.S. have demonstrated their strong ability and will to strike quickly and accurately against the North's provocations. Authorities noted that the two countries demonstrated their combined defense capabilities and posture through the aerial show. The flight of the aircraft came amid renewed fears that North Korea was on the verge of carrying out a new nuclear weapons test. On Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that Pyongyang may have opened an access way to its underground nuclear testing site, as per CNN. The report follows an assessment made by U.S. military and intelligence agencies last month that claims the North could be ready to resume underground nuclear testing at its Punggye-ri site. These were based on satellite images that showed signs of personnel and vehicle activity in the area. Read Also: South Korea Launches 7 Missiles, USA Sends 1 After North Korea's Scary Provocation: Full Details The area represents the site of all six of North Korea's nuclear tests to date and was partly dismantled in 2018 as part of an agreement between Pyongyang, Washington, and Seoul. The North's nuclear weapons program has been banned by the United Nations, and Pyongyang has not tested a nuclear weapon since 2017. According to NBC News, in a statement, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, who traveled to Seoul to discuss the standoff with South Korean and Japanese allies, warned of a "swift and forceful" response if Pyongyang decides to carry out another nuclear test. Show of Force While United States President Joe Biden's administration has pledged to push for additional international sanctions if North Korea continues with the nuclear test, the prospects of meaningful new punitive measures are unclear with the UN Security Council divided on the matter. Following a meeting with South Korea Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, Sherman said that any nuclear test conducted by the North would be in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions. She added that they continue to urge Pyongyang to cease its destabilizing and provocative activities and choose the path of diplomacy. The situation comes after South Korea and the U.S. also test-fired eight ballistic missiles on Monday following the North's recent activities. The munition included one American missile and seven South Korean missiles that went eastward into the sea to demonstrate the two countries' ability to respond quickly to crisis events, said the U.S. military on Monday. Pyongyang's Sunday barrage of short-range missiles was the 18th round of missile launches this year alone. The nation has conducted an unprecedented number of tests, in line with leader Kim's five-year plan for the program, the Washington Post reported. Related Article: Kim Jong Un Feared To Gear Up with New Nuclear Test After Firing 8 Ballistic Missiles; Here's What Pyongyang Wants From US Administration @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former President Donald Trump's touch didn't extend fully into blue states in a trio of Congressional primaries Tuesday. In New Jersey, Republican voters went against more Trumpian impulses and selected Thomas Kean Jr. to take on embattled Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in the state's seventh Congressional district. In 2020 Malinowski narrowly defeated Kean Jr., the son of a former governor. Not only has the incumbent had to admit failing to properly disclose thousands of dollars in stock trades, which triggered an investigation, his House district has been reshaped into a narrowly Republican one. New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District will see GOP challenger Thomas Kean Jr. (left) go up against Rep. Tom Malinowski (right) in November. Malinowski admitted to failing to properly disclose thousands of dollars in stock trades, which triggered an investigation Rep. Young Kim's place on the ballot in Orange County, California, was threatened by rivals on the right. Kim, a Republican, was the first Korean-American to be elected to Congress Primary voters selected a number of well-known incumbents to keep their jobs including Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom - who survived a recall election last fall. Republican Sen. John Thune easily won his primary, despite Trump encouraging Noem to run for his Senate seat instead of another term in the governor's mansion. On Tuesday night, Kean easily beat more Trump-aligned rivals including Erik Peterson and Philip Rizzo, earning 45.9 per cent of the vote with 80 per cent reporting. The district includes the sort of suburban bloc of voters that helped Democrats flip control of the House in 2018. It's one of the seats Republicans could take back to gain control of the House again in November. In California, Republican Rep. Young Kim is on track to win a run-off spot, pushing out MAGA candidate Greg Raths, a pro-Trump local councilor, who was recently accused of making anti-Semitic comments. As of Wednesday morning she was still in the lead, but the race had still not been called. She'll go up against Democrat Asif Mahmood in the fall. In securing her spot over a right-wing opponent, Kim the first Korean-American elected to Congress will likely keep her seat in GOP hands. Rep. David Valadao was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for former President Donald Trump's impeachment Rep. David Valadao - who voted in favor of Trump's second impeachment - seems to have held off a challenge from Chris Mathys, who put Valadao's impeachment vote at the center of his campaign. As of Wednesday morning he was ahead in his race but it was still too close to call. Early in the vote tallying, the first slot on the fall ballot was called for Democrat Rudy Salas. Democrats had been eyeing this district as an opportunity and were even running ads in favor of the more Trump-aligned Mathys. 'David Valadao claims he's Republican - yet, David Valadao voted to impeach President Trump,' says the narrator of the House Majority PAC ad - paid for by Democrats. 'Yeah, Valadao voted to impeach President Trump.' Trump didn't endorse candidates in these Congressional races. Overall voters from seven states went to the polls this week - including California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota. First Lady Jill Biden delivered a commencement address Tuesday night to three graduating classes from Los Angeles City College, highlighting the stories of community college students who got their degrees against tough odds. At the ceremony, the first lady, students and administrators talked about what the school's students went up against including addiction, homelessness, COVID losses and going to school while pregnant or having young children. 'These stories, your stories of perseverance and resiliance are so inspiring,' said the first lady, who continues to teach English at Northern Virginia Community College. She spoke of three graduating students in her keynote address, including a pregnant woman who recently immigrated to the U.S. named Marie whose water broke during her final exam. 'Now, we all know students who would ask to be excused from a test for a runny nose. But not Marie,' Biden said. 'Through her contractions - praying that her baby would stay put just a little bit longer -she finished her test and then later, delivered a healthy baby boy.' 'That's how much finishing her degree mattered to her,' the first lady added. Biden also spoke about a Marine Corps veteran named Steve, who didn't let his PTSD define him, and was in the graduating class - and also a 46-year-old graphic designer named Ilya who got laid off during the pandemic, enrolled in LACC classes, and is now starting a second career as a teacher. First Lady Jill Biden delivered a commencement address Tuesday night to three graduating classes from Los Angeles City College, highlighting the stories of community college students who got their degrees against tough odds First Lady Jill Biden (right) and Los Angeles City College President Mary Gallagher (left) wave to graduates during the school's commencement ceremony in Los Angeles Graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 from Los Angeles City College listen as First Lady Jill Biden gives a commencement address 'These stories, your stories of perseverance and resiliance are so inspiring,' said the first lady, who continues to teach English at Northern Virginia Community College First Lady Jill Biden (second from left) reacts as director of Los Angeles City College foundation Robert Schwartz (right) shows a poster of Biden at the Los Angeles City College 'She will start a new chapter and bring an old dream to life,' Biden said. Other student speakers spoke of the challenges they overcame to receive those associate degrees Tuesday night, at a ceremony at Los Angeles' open-air Greek Theatre, situated on a hillside below Griffith Observatory. 'I was a drunk, a university dropout, with literally zero future plans,' remarked Stefanie Stone, 2022's president of Associated Student Government. She said after dropping out of a four-year univesrity she 'spiraled into a decade of depression, addiction and self-loathing.' She told the audience she was marking nearly three years sober. She also told her fellow graduates that it's OK not to have everything figured out. 'If someone tells you they have it all figured out, run - they're probably a cult leader,' she joked. Valedictorian Voleak Sip joked about how she and her peers had 'transferred to Zoom university,' during the advent of the COVID pandemic. 'Suddenly my stress about getting a good grade was compounded with the existential threat of a global, societal downfall,' she noted. But she also talked seriously about the personal cost it had on her - losing both her mother and aunt to the disease. 'That semester I happened to have three of the most compassionate professors a student could ask for,' she said. Sip is headed to UCLA next, to get a degree in psychology. LACCD Board Member Andra Hoffman highlighted some of the struggles she knows students face. 'I know that many of you don't have a permanent place to call home and that some of you have had to sleep in your cars,' Hoffman said. 'I know that some of you rely on our food pantry and I know that many of you work two jobs.' 'I know that some of you are raising young children,' she added. And had to battle unreliable internset service, she noted. She joked that degrees from LACC are available to the 'top 100 per cent of students who apply.' 'Our doors are open to anybody who wants to benefit from our programs,' she said. Hoffman pointed out that graduates at the ceremony represented people ages 69 down to 16, and also included some who are DACA receipients and formerly incarcerated. First Lady Jill Biden congratulates the 2022, 2021, 2020 graduates from Los Angeles City College during a Tuesday night ceremony at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles Dr. Jill Biden (left) gives a hug to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (right), who was nominated by her husband to be ambassador to India, but his nomination got hung up in the U.S. Senate Graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 were celebrated Tuesday night, making up for no in-person graduation ceremonies during the pandemic Graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 were celebrated Tuesday night, making up for no in-person graduation ceremonies during the pandemic. School administrators marveled over the fact that Biden chose the East Hollywood-based community college to make a commencment speech. 'Of all the colleges that our first lady could have chosen to be at for commencement, she picked us,' said President of the Los Angeles City College Mary Gallagher. But as second lady she partnered with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti - who was on hand Tuesday evening - for Los Angeles' pilot program to give free tuition to those pursuing community college degrees. Garcetti's nomination for ambassador to India remains tied up in the U.S. Senate. The first lady will also take part in Summit of the Americas events during this trip- with President Joe Biden flying into Los Angeles Wednesday for three days of meetings with leaders from North, Central and South America. One of the plotters attempting to remove Boris Johnson said yesterday that it was a no brainer to rethink leaving the EUs single market. Tobias Ellwood argued the country should opt for a softer Brexit, even if it means accepting the free movement of people. The Bournemouth East MP hit back at criticism from fellow backbenchers concerned that rebels are trying to undermine the countrys exit from the EU. Tobias Ellwood argued the country should opt for a softer Brexit, even if it means accepting the free movement of people He told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: This model of Brexit is not working well. Single market would solve the Northern Ireland crisis, get us back into the Dublin convention so we can return migrants, and improve our trade relationship with Europe. It is actually a no-brainer. But fellow Tory Michael Fabricant dismissed his suggestion. The Lichfield MP tweeted: [Rejoining the single market] would mean our courts losing supremacy to the European Court of Justice, and the producers of goods having to comply with laws set in Brussels. Tobias, that is not Brexit. Victims of the tainted-blood scandal should be urgently compensated 100,000 each as many are 'worryingly unwell' and running out of time, a review has said. Sir Robert Francis QC urged ministers to immediately make the interim payments to those who contracted HIV and hepatitis in what has been called 'the worst treatment disaster in NHS history'. Up to 30,000 Britons were infected in the Seventies and Eighties after being treated with cheap US blood products. Some 3,000 have died but, as the Government never admitted liability, victims did not receive compensation. Wendy Stubbs said it is already too late for the 'love of her life' Stephen, 63, who is rapidly deteriorating as a result of contracting hepatitis C from blood products in the 1980s Sir Robert, who led the Government-ordered review, said he had recommended the measure since many victims fear 'they will not survive long enough to see... the fruits of [compensation]'. Sir Robert wrote in his 195 page report: 'There are those who fear they will not survive long enough to see, let alone enjoy, the fruits of an award of compensation. 'This is a principle reason why I have recommended the unusual measure of an immediate interim award to those infected persons who are already beneficiaries of the existing support schemes, in anticipation of, but before, the scheme has been set up.' Clair Walton (pictured), 59, contracted HIV from her haemophiliac husband Bryan, who died at 34 after receiving infected blood He said that most of the eligible infected people would expect to receive an award of at least 100,000. 'Therefore, I recommend that arrangements should be made immediately through the existing support schemes for an interim lump sum payment of compensation to be made to every living infected person accepted by a support scheme as eligible for annual support payments,' he added. Stephen Stubbs, 63, is among the thousands of people on the existing schemes who will be eligible for the interim payments. The grandfather is rapidly deteriorating after contracting Hepatitis C from contaminated products in the 1980s and is living out his days in a care home. His wife Wendy, welcomed the report last night. She said: 'Its great news but not a celebration, just a relief that all these victims will hopefully get some dignity and security. 'I've been trying to get compensation for my husband for a long time so it is music to my ears but the government needs to act urgently. 'People like Stephen won't be able to do much with it now but it means we can make sure they are comfortable.' Des Collins, a senior partner at Collins Solicitors, which is advising over 1,500 victims of the infected blood scandal, said the review marked a 'historic day' and a 'meaningful step in the right direction'. In March 2021, the then Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt said an independent reviewer would examine the scope of compensation before the Infected Blood Inquiry ends next autumn He said: 'At long last, in Sir Robert's report, it's clear the Government is encouraged to recognise the need to compensate the thousands of victims of this terrible scandal. Mr Collins said however it was important that the Government implement the recommendations as soon as possible. He added: 'That said, this is undoubtedly an historic day for the many campaigners who have fought so hard for up to 40 years, to have their suffering and those of their loved ones recognised and compensated by Government.' Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, called for swift action, adding: 'Thousands have died waiting for government to do the right thing - now the time has come to act. 'The Government must approve an immediate interim payment for those infected to give them and their loved ones some financial security and acknowledge the harm that has been caused.' Cabinet Office minister, Michael Ellis, said in a written statement to Parliament, that government officials were examining the review. He said that the Government would use it to be ready to 'respond quickly' to the final report by the long-running Infected Blood Inquiry which is due to conclude at the end of this year. Tory rebels are pushing for a rule change to allow them to challenge Boris Johnson in as little as six months. At present, a Conservative leader who wins a no-confidence vote cannot face another for 12 months. But figures among the 148 rebels want to shorten this. The rule can be changed by a majority among the backbench 1922 Committee. On Monday, the chairman Sir Graham Brady said: Technically its possible for rules to be changed but the rule at present is there would be a period of grace. A Conservative leader who wins a no-confidence vote cannot face another for 12 months. But figures among the 148 rebels want to shorten the confidence vote time limit After Theresa Mays victory in her no-confidence vote in 2018, some campaigned for the period to be cut to six months, but she resigned within months anyway. One rebel told The Times: There is a majority of 1922 officers who will agree to change the rules when the time is right. They expected the change before Octobers party conference. Another rebel said they wanted a vote straight after this months by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton, which the party is widely tipped to lose. A further MP added: There were lots of MPs who thought hed win by more who now realise how grave the problem is. Anthony Albanese has declared he is fine with firing up more coal power despite campaigning on a plan to phase down fossil fuels to fight climate change. The Prime Minister blamed the Coalition for Australia's energy crisis, insisting the former government failed to properly invest in renewables and the electricity grid during its nine years in office. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages, while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter. With gas supplies dear and energy bills set to skyrocket, Resources Minister Madeleine King on Tuesday called on coal power stations to increase their output as soon as possible. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages. Pictured: A power station in Victoria Speaking in Darwin on his way back from a trip to Indonesia, Mr Albanese denied this move contradicted his lofty climate ambitions. Asked if he is 'uncomfortable' with relying on more coal power, the Prime Minister replied: 'Not at all' and later added: 'Coal is part of our mix right now'. About 60 per cent of Australia's electricity comes from coal, 32 per cent from renewables and eight per cent from gas. Labor wants cheaper renewable sources to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030, claiming this will save households $275 a year by 2025, and $378 by 2030. Mr Albanese admitted that international factors including Russia's invasion of Ukraine were driving up energy prices but said Australia is less able to deal with the shock due to the Coalition's energy policies. 'One of the problems that has occurred here is a failure of investment because the former government had 22 energy policies, and didn't land one,' he said. 'You don't have a grid that's fit for purpose in the 21st century.' Anthony Albanese (pictured today) has declared he is fine with firing up more coal power despite campaigning on a plan to phase down fossil fuels to fight climate change Mr Albanese wants renewables to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030. Pictured: Williamdale Solar Farm, 35km south of Canberra Labor's Rewiring the Nation plan will bring forward $20billion worth of grid upgrades identified by the Australian Energy Market Operator. 'We didn't make this up. This is what the experts... (were) recommending to the Government, and nothing happened,' he said. 'Nothing happened for nine years. And this is a direct consequence of that.' He added: 'There are international factors, but it's also the factor of a failure of the former government to actually have an energy policy.' Mr Albanese said if the grid was 'fit for purpose' and could take in more renewable energy then 'you would have a real alleviation on pressures that are in place right now.' The Greens have blasted Labor's call for more coal and insisted a rapid investment in renewables is the way to go. Leader Adam Bandt said Australia should follow the example of the ACT which has generated all of its electricity from renewables since 2020. While the east coast braces for soaring prices, power bills in the ACT are set to fall from July 1, providing an annual saving to households of $23. Greens leader Adam Bandt (second left) insists that burning more coal is not the answer to rising power prices The ACT is currently paying less than a quarter of the NSW market price for its electricity because it relies on solar and wind and is less vulnerable to global price shocks. There is global pressure on gas prices as nations reject abundant Russian gas following the country's invasion of Ukraine. Germany has drafted laws to prevent coal power stations destined for the scrapheap from being axed, ordering them to be kept on standby instead. Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic also plan to burn more coal as a temporary measure while they reduce reliance on Russian gas, and the UK is drilling for more gas in the North Sea. AGL currently has three coal power stations in NSW and Victoria either offline or on reduced capacity due to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance issues. Origin's Eraring power station, the largest in NSW, has also been crippled by coal production cutbacks at its neighbouring conveyor belt-connected coalmine. It's had to buy coal on the open market as prices surge because of the global crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, which forces electricity prices up further. Queensland's Callide coal power station is also offline after an explosion at the plant, creating a perfect storm just as the bitter cold snap hit Australia's east coast. The maintenance work at affected power stations is not expected to be completed until July at the earliest while Callide is out until December, but Labor is demanding the work is now fast-tracked. Energy Minister Chris Bowen will meet his state and territory counterparts on Wednesday to discuss solutions as the Albanese government considers short- and longer-term solutions to take pressure off prices. The man accused of raping former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will stand trial at the end of the month. Bruce Lehrmann, charged with sexual intercourse without consent, has pleaded not guilty to allegedly assaulting Ms Higgins in an office at Parliament House in March, 2019. He will stand trial on June 27. Mr Lehrmann was previously expected to face a six-week trial starting on June 6. The man accused of sexually assaulting former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will stand trial at the end of the month But days before the trial was due to begin, it has emerged his barrister was unable to appear for him. In a brief pre-trial mention in the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday, Chief Justice Lucy McCallum set the new trial date. It's expected to run for four to six weeks. Bruce Lehrmann, charged with sexual intercourse without consent, has pleaded not guilty Canberra barrister Steven Whybrow will now represent Mr Lehrmann. Chief Justice McCallum had earlier refused an application by Mr Lehrmann's lawyers for a permanent or temporary stay of the trial in late April. Mr Lehrmann will face a jury trial. The result of a confidence vote in his leadership has left Boris Johnson 'rattled' and 'chastened' but determined to deliver an agenda for the British people, an ally and former adviser has said. Lord Marland, a former aide to Johnson, has said the Prime Minister must 'rediscover' his 'X-Factor' and propose policies that appeal to the Conservative party. It comes as Boris is being urged by allies to offer the job of Chancellor to key rival Jeremy Hunt in a bid to stabilise his leadership and put an end to party infighting, the Telegraph has reported. Meanwhile, Hunt's ally says the Prime Minister is still in 'very choppy waters' after this week's developments in Westminster. Despite the Prime Minister securing victory in Monday's ballot, the result saw 148 Conservative MPs declare that they had no confidence in his leadership. The vote was the result of an internal row, largely centred on the Partygate scandal and its fallout. Speaking at an event to commemorate the Falklands War last night, Johnson said 'things are a bit quieter in Westminster' and 'relatively peaceful'. But the number of rebel Tories was higher than Boris's allies had anticipated and, as a result, the PM has been left shaken and must 'rediscover' his 'X-factor', his former advisor has said. Boris Johnson has been left 'rattled' by the result of a confidence ballot held on Monday which saw 148 Tory MPs register votes of no confidence, Lord Marland has said (pictured together) Above: At an event to commemorate the Falklands War's 40th anniversary today, the PM said: 'Now things are a bit quieter in Westminster, perhaps I may be able to go before too long' Lord Marland, a former aide and Conservative Treasurer, told BBC's Newsnight: 'Of course he's rattled. I saw him this afternoon, and he is very rattled by it. 'But I was struck by firstly how chastened he was, and secondly how determined he is to deliver an agenda for the British people, in terms of dealing with food security, dealing with energy security which are going to be the two looming crises. 'And of course his performance on Ukraine has been excellent, and I think we'll see more of that.' 'I think Boris Johnson has got that X factor. He's got to rediscover it. He's got to come out with a series of policies which appeal to the Conservative party on the one hand, he's got to rebuild the Conservative party in alliance with him. 'And secondly those policies that are in the best interests of the country, to solve the crises which he has inherited - food supply, those issues.' Meanwhile, proposals for a 'dream team' with Boris continuing as PM while Jeremy Hunt steps in as Chancellor emerged yesterday in the wake of the confidence ballot, according to the Telegraph. Allies believe the appointment would put an end to infighting within the Conservative party. But a key ally of Jeremy Hunt yesterday warned the bid to oust Boris Johnson was 'not over'. The Prime Minister is being urged by allies to offer the job of Chancellor to former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in a bid to stabilise his leadership and put an end to party infighting Philip Dunne, who ran Mr Hunt's failed leadership campaign in 2019, suggested the question of who would head the party into the next election was not settled. Despite Mr Johnson's confidence vote victory, Mr Dunne claimed the Prime Minister faced some 'very choppy waters' and indicated there would be further attempts to undermine him. It was suggested last night that some Tory rebels could use 'vote strikes' to paralyse the Government. They are said to be threatening to abstain on key pieces of legislation they might otherwise have been pressured into supporting. It was even claimed the action could include abstaining on a bill to override sections of the Northern Ireland protocol, which is expected to be published within days. Some of the Tory MPs who voted against Mr Johnson said yesterday that they needed to accept the result of the confidence vote. But Mr Dunne, MP for Ludlow, who voted against the Prime Minister, said the matter was not closed. He told BBC Radio Shropshire: 'I took the view that it would be better to provide the opportunity for integrity, for a new vision for the party and a new degree of competence at the heart of government. Tory MP Philip Dunne has said despite Boris surviving the vote, the matter is not yet closed The Prime Minister's allies believe Boris and Jeremy Hunt (pictured) would make 'dream team' 'It's not going to happen for now, but we'll have to see what happens in the coming weeks and months. This is not over.' The former minister added that Mr Johnson had 'some very difficult challenges ahead', including by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton at the end of this month, and the privileges committee investigation into whether he misled parliament over Partygate. 'We've got some very tricky conditions ahead through the economy, challenges with the Northern Irish protocol to resolve,' he said. 'There are some very choppy waters ahead and they'd be difficult to navigate for anyone.' Casting doubt on whether Mr Johnson could unite the party, he added: 'We do need to come together and we need to find a way to do that, whether that's under the Prime Minister or somebody else.' But Nigel Mills, Amber Valley MP, told BBC Radio 4's World at One: 'I wanted to see a change made, but I accept the result that my colleagues by a majority of over 60 wanted to keep the Prime Minister effectively saying that we should forgive the indiscretions of the lockdown period and move on. Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills said he accepted the ballot result despite wanting change 'So that I think is the right approach now for the party, the Government and the country. We've got a lot of serious crises that need tackling, we should get behind the Government to do that. 'We've chosen to forgive and move on, we now need to make the case for the country that they need to do the same. It's not obviously what I wanted to happen, but that is the decision that has been made.' Philip Davies, Tory MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire, said: 'You can't have a situation whereby every time somebody loses a vote, they won't accept the result. We saw that with Brexit, and I was opposed to people not accepting that and I'm not going to fall into the same trap as they did.' When asked how Mr Johnson would be able to continue to govern when so many MPs have expressed no confidence in his leadership, Mr Davies said: 'All of us should get behind him and so on and accept he won the vote.' Mr Hunt was silent yesterday following the failed attempt to remove Mr Johnson. Ahead of the confidence vote on Monday, he had broken cover to call for the Prime Minister to be removed from office. He warned MPs the Tories would be defeated at the next election unless the party acted. 'The decision is change or lose. I will be voting for change,' he tweeted. His remarks came just three weeks after he declared that it was not 'the right moment' for a leadership contest. In an interview on the BBC's Sunday Morning programme on May 15, Mr Hunt said: 'Britain has been the most robust member of the Western alliance in the face of the first major war in Europe in our lifetimes and I think the only person who would rejoice if we had a hiatus of several months in the leadership in Britain would be Vladimir Putin.' Mr Dunne accompanied Mr Hunt as he took part in the confidence vote on Monday. He was sacked from his job as a junior minister in January 2018, a day after he suggested overcrowded hospitals that ran out of beds could use seats instead. Last November he faced criticism as it emerged he had called for more military spending without declaring his 425-an-hour job with an aerospace company. NASA will launch rockets from the Northern Territory outback to study astrophysics and planetary science only observable from the southern hemisphere. The launch will be used to investigate heliophysics - the nature and influence of the sun - and astrophysics and planetary science only observable from the southern hemisphere. Three suborbital sounding rockets will ascend from the Arnhem Space Centre between June 26 and July 12 in NASA's first Australian launch since 1995 in Woomera, South Australia. Around 75 NASA personnel will be in Australia for the launch from the remote space centre, which is owned and operated by commercial space launch company Equatorial Launch Australia. NASA will launch rockets from the Northern Territory outback to study astrophysics and planetary science only observable from the southern hemisphere NASA's clean range policy means everything involved in the launch will be removed from the site and any motor cases and payloads will be recovered and returned to the US. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia needed to continue building on the legacy of the country's space industry. 'We can trace Australia's celebrated connection to the space industry back to the 1950s,' he said. 'This project will bring together global and local industry to take Australia's space sector into a new era.' Three suborbital sounding rockets will ascend from the NT between June 26 and July 12 in NASA's first Australian launch since 1995 in Woomera, South Australia (pictured) Australian Space Agency head Enrico Palermo said the launch would help expand Australia's space sector, resulting in more local jobs. 'This is another signal that Australia is go for launch and will further cement our reputation as a nation that global space players want to do business with,' he said. 'The growth of launch related activities in Australia is helping to open up the full value chain of space activities, which will grow the sector and create new businesses and job opportunities here at home.' The launches also extend the country's cooperation with the US as the countries work to maintain the peaceful use of outer space, Mr Palermo said. The announcement comes after Mr Palermo this year told an air and space conference in Canberra that Australia's unique geography, climate and political landscape made it attractive for countries like the US to co-invest in space infrastructure. Backup launch sites can also be stationed in Australia if allies' facilities go down to ensure continued access to space, he told the conference. Communications and navigation systems rely on access to the domain, as do intelligence and surveillance capabilities, banking and the internet. The FBI has seized electronic data of a retired four-star general who made false statements and withheld 'incriminating' documents about his role in an illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar, authorities say. New federal court filings have outlined a potential criminal case against former Marine General John R. Allen, who led US and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being asked in 2017 to lead influential research group Brookings Institution. The findings detail Allen's behind-the-scenes efforts to influence US foreign policy to help Qatar amid a diplomatic crisis between the Qatari royal family and its neighbours. FBI agent Babak Adlip wrote in a search warrant application for Allen, referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act: 'There is substantial evidence that these FARA violations were willful.' Allen is amongst members of Congress being interviewed about the investigation which has seen former ambassador to the UAE and Pakistan, Richard G. Olson, who pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegal lobbying last week. New federal court filings have outlined a potential criminal case against former Marine General John R. Allen (pictured in the East Room of the White House in 2011), who led US and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being asked in 2017 to lead influential research group Brookings Institution Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor, is another of now serving a 12-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax evasion, foreign influence peddling and campaign finance violations. Allen also misrepresented his role in the lobbying campaign to US officials, Adib wrote, and failed to disclose 'that he was simultaneously pursuing multimillion-dollar business deals with the government of Qatar.' The FBI says Allen gave a 'false version of events' about his work for Qatar during a 2020 interview with law enforcement officials and failed to produce relevant email messages in response to an earlier grand jury subpoena. The 77-page search warrant application appears to have been filed in error and was removed from the docket Tuesday after The Associated Press reached out to federal authorities about its contents. Allen declined to comment on the new filings. He has previously denied ever working as a Qatari agent and said his efforts on Qatar in 2017 were motivated to prevent a war from breaking out in the Gulf that would put US troops at risk. Allen spokesperson Beau Phillips told AP last week that Allen 'voluntarily cooperated with the governments investigation into this matter.' Allen, who was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution prior to becoming president, used his official email account at the think tank for some of his Qatar-related communications, the affidavit says. The court papers say Allen (pictured centre left in Afghanistan in 2012) played an important role in shifting the US's response. Specifically, authorities say Allen lobbied then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to have the Trump administration adopt more Qatar-friendly tone Brookings did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Qatar has long been one of Brookings' biggest financial backers, though the institution says it has recently stopped taking Qatari funding. Olson was working with Zuberi on another matter involving Qatar in mid-2017 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries announced a blockade of Qatar over its alleged ties to terror groups and other issues. Shortly after the blockade was announced, then-President Donald Trump appeared to side against Qatar. The court papers say Allen played an important role in shifting the US's response. Specifically, authorities say Allen lobbied then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to have the Trump administration adopt more Qatar-friendly tone. In an email to McMaster, Allen said the Qataris wanted the White House or State Department to issue a statement with language calling on all sides of the Gulf diplomatic crisis to 'act with restraint.' Federal law enforcement officials say then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did just that two days later, issuing a statement that called on other Gulf countries to 'ease the blockade against Qatar' and asked 'that there be no further escalation by the parties in the region.' The Qatar Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As part of the lobbying campaign, federal law enforcement authorities say, Olson and Allen traveled to Qatar to meet with the country's ruling emir and other top officials. At the meeting, Allen provided advice on how to influence US policy and said the Qataris should 'use the full spectrum' of information operations, including 'black and white' operations, the affidavit says. 'Black' operations are typically covert and sometimes illegal. Qatar has been accused of orchestrating hack-and-leak operations of its critics and rivals during the diplomatic crisis, including one targeting a UAE ambassador. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing. Before they went to Doha, Allen wanted to 'have a chat' with Olson and Zuberi about his compensation, the affidavit said. Allen suggested in an email that he be paid a $20,000 'speaker's fee' for the weekend trip - even though he wasnt giving a speech - and then later 'work out a fuller arrangement of a longer-term relationship,' the affidavit says. Zuberi paid Allen's first-class airfare to Qatar, the affidavit said, but there's no indication the speaker's fee was paid. Allen is amongst members of Congress being interviewed about the investigation which has seen former ambassador to the UAE and Pakistan, Richard G. Olson (pictured in 2015), who pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegal lobbying last week Allen's spokesman said previously the general was never paid a fee. It's unclear why. Some of Zuberi's past business associates have accused him of not honoring his financial commitments. Allen also had other financial incentives for helping the Qataris and maintaining strong ties to its top leaders, the FBI said. 'At the same time he was lobbying US government officials on behalf of Qatar, Allen pursued at least one multimillion-dollar business deal with the Qatari government on behalf of a company on whose board of directors he served,' the affidavit says. After returning from their trip to Qatar, Allen and Olson lobbied members of Congress, particularly those who supported a House resolution linking Qatar to terror financing, the FBI said. Among them was Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat who told law enforcement officials he didn't recall exactly what Allen said but that his impression was he was there 'to support the Qatari officials and their position.' In honor of the children and teachers slain in last month's shooting spree at an elementary school in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey visited the White House on Tuesday to call on Congress to take a stand and enact gun control legislation. Matthew McConaughey encouraged a gridlocked Congress to implement gun measures that can save lives without compromising on Second Amendment rights in a profoundly personal 22-minute statement. Matthew McConaughey Makes Emotional Plea for Gun Laws McConaughey, a gun owner himself, used his star power to make an argument for legislation that the Biden administration could not, offering a clear connection to the small Texas town and vividly detailing the sheer loss of the 19 children and two teachers in the country's second-worst mass school shooting. Matthew McConaughey calls for "responsible gun ownership" at the White House briefing, following the Uvalde school shooting. "Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals." pic.twitter.com/BcsfEcC2dj CBS News (@CBSNews) June 7, 2022 He explicitly requested that Congress strengthen background checks for firearms transactions and raise the minimum age to 21 from 18. McConaughey, who explored running for governor of Texas earlier this year before passing, spoke briefly in private with President Joe Biden before addressing the White House press corps from the James Brady briefing room. This week, McConaughey visited with key legislators, including the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the panel's leading Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, according to AP News. Both sides have been attempting to reach an agreement on several topics, including the age at which Americans may purchase assault weapons, background checks, and red-flag rules. McConaughey spoke about the children slain in the tragedy and his talks with their families in heartbreaking remarks delivered from the briefing room platform with the White House emblem behind him. Read Also: Elon Musk Warns of Population Collapse Once Again as China Takes Big Steps to Solve Problem Fox News Host Mocks McConaughey When he mentioned Alithea Ramirez, a 10-year-old girl slain in the atrocity, the actor sobbed. He described Alithea as an artist who aspired to attend art school in Paris. He showed her a sketch she'd drawn, which her parents had permitted him to exhibit. After Matthew McConaughey's heart-wrenching and impassioned speech about Uvalde and guns from the White House podium, one of the reporters asks: "Are you grandstanding?" pic.twitter.com/5GxtcGPgZ2 Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 7, 2022 He mentioned Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, a 10-year-old girl who aspired to be a marine researcher. He motioned to his wife Camila, who was sitting at the far end of the briefing room, clutching a pair of green Converse sneakers with a heart emblazoned on the toe. He stated that Maite wore the shoes every day and that they were the sole concrete evidence that could be used to identify her after the incident. During his roughly 20-minute speech, McConaughey halted at times to collect his calm or wipe his eyes. He also displayed signs of rage while discussing the deaths of children. He did not answer reporters' queries thereafter, as per Daily Mail. Meanwhile, a Fox News host wasted no time criticizing Matthew McConaughey for his impassioned White House gun control plea. Sandra Smith, the show's host, criticized the actor's heartfelt plea as someone from Hollywood seeking to restore our family values in the aftermath of the Texas elementary school tragedy. McConaughey grew up in Uvalde, Texas, where a young shooter entered Robb Elementary School armed with an AR-15 rifle and killed 19 kids and two teachers, Independent reported. Related Article: Joe Biden, White House Staff Gets Bogged Down Due to Failure To Deal With Political Crisis @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The bodies of two sisters who were found decomposing in a Sydney unit may have been there for up to a month before they were found as police admit they still have no idea how the pair died. The women, believed to be foreign nationals aged 23 and 24, were found dead in the apartment on Canton Street, Canterbury in Sydney's west after emergency services arrived at about 9.30am on Tuesday. Police were called to the home by the building manager to perform a welfare check after the pair failed to pay rent for several weeks. In a bizarre detail, police revealed the bodies of the two sisters were found in separate bedrooms. Detectives are still investigating how long the women's bodies were inside their unit and said there were 'no obvious signs of injury'. NSW Police Detective Inspector Claudia Allcroft said while the investigation was in its early stages, the deaths of the sisters appeared to be suspicious. 'There are no obvious signs of injury at this stage. However, we will know more once a post-mortem examination is completed tomorrow,' she said. A black BMW coupe that belonged to one of the women was seen covered in dust as it was towed from the garage of the apartment block on Wednesday afternoon. It did not appear to have been recently used. The bodies of two sisters have been found inside a unit in Canterbury in Sydney's west Residents of the apartment complex woke to hear the shocking news on Wednesday morning Police are investigating all avenues and say there were 'no obvious signs of injury' The women are yet to be identified as police investigate A black BMW coupe covered in dust was removed from the garage of the apartment block on Wednesday afternoon The BMW is seen being taken from the unit complex on Wednesday The black BMW is seen being towed out of the garage from the apartment block after the two bodies were found Police said the bodies had been inside the apartment for 'some time' before they were found Detective Inspector Allcroft said the bodies had been there 'for some time' but police could not yet determine for how long. The women are yet to be identified. 'It's a very tragic scene when we go to any deceased persons, let alone two sisters who are deceased and unfortunately, at this stage, we don't know why,' Detective Inspector Allcroft said. There were no signs of forced entry at the apartment. Police and detectives returned to the scene on Wednesday as they searched the unit for clues. Residents were confronted by the tragic news on Wednesday morning as they strolled out of the building for work or to take their kids to school. 'They're not telling us much,' neighbours said, noting they had to find out about the deaths during the nightly news. Mohamed Saeed, a night shift worker who lives on the first floor, was startled when he learned of the two bodies found on the same level. 'I am just so sad for them,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Police are seen in the carpark of the apartment complex as investigations continue Police are seen at the complex in Canterbury on Wednesday as investigations continue NSW Police Detective Inspector Claudia Allcroft said while the investigation was in its early stages, the deaths of the sisters appeared to be suspicious The bodies of the two women may have been in the unit for weeks before found by police Police and detectives remain at the unit complex in Canterbury on Wednesday as investigations continue A post mortem will be conducted to determine how the women died as police explore all avenues Mother-of-two Kim Bui said she feared for her daughter's safety when she saw police in her building. 'I just want to keep my girls safe,' she said. 'I'm shaking, I'm scared, I'm worried. I'm just trying to protect my kids.' Ms Bui said she did not know the women who died. Police arrived at the unit complex on Tuesday morning where they found the two bodies Police and detectives are seen at the apartment complex in Sydney's west on Wednesday Another neighbour told Sunrise: 'It's sort of scary to know this is what's happening in your own neighbourhood, we hear sirens go up and down all the time ... and then to be so close to home, it's quite scary.' A post mortem will be conducted to determine how the women died as police explore all avenues. Anyone who may have information that could assist detectives is urged to contact Burwood Police Station or Crime Stoppers. Police have discovered an enormous stash of 'sly grog' worth thousands of dollars during a routine traffic stop. Officers seized countless bottles of Midori, Vodka O, Bundaberg, and Jim Beam, more than 600 cans of Emu Export beer and several cans of alcoholic ginger beer. The driver of a Toyota Tarago was pulled over about 5km outside of Fitzroy Crossing on the Great Northern Highway in Western Australia just after 7pm on Friday. The 39-year-old woman passed a random breath test but officers stumbled across the sizeable stash during a search of the vehicle. A photo shows the sizeable stash seized by police after they stopped a 39-year-old woman during a routine traffic stop just outside of Fitzroy Crossing on Friday night The driver of a Toyota Tarago was pulled over about 5km from Fitzroy Crossing on the Great Northern Highway just after 7pm last Friday night (pictured, the Kimberley region) SIZABLE STASH SEIZED Officers found and seized: 22 cartons of Emu Export, 17 x 1L bottles of Bundaberg Rum, 8 x 1L bottles of Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey, 1 x 1L bottle of Vodka O, 8 x cans (330ml) of James Squire Ginger Beer, 3 x 275ml bottles of Midori Illusion 3 x 1.25L bottles of Fat Lamb. Advertisement The alcohol was seized by police under the Liquor Control Act and liquor control regulations (sly grogging). In 2020, the state government imposed limits on the amount of alcohol allowed in cars to prevent bootleggers selling it to 'dry' Aboriginal communities. The law, which covers the 42,000sqm of the Kimberley region, allows police to charge anyone with suspicious quantities of liquor in their cars. The woman was charged with 'carried, in a prescribed area of the state, a kind of liquor in a quantity that exceeded the prescribed quantity'. She is due to appear before the Fitzroy Crossing Magistrates Court on June 21. Operation Regional Shield is a taskforce dedicated to combatting crime in the Kimberley, the northern-most part of WA. Assistant WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the crackdown would continue due to the impact alcohol can have on families, especially those who had experienced domestic violence. He told 6PR radio officers would remain on the lookout for people taking large quantities of alcohol into areas that don't sell takeaway grog. 'Get a load of this, out of the car were 22 cartons of Emu Export, 17 one-litre bottles of Bundaberg Rum, eight one-litre bottles of Jim Beam... it went on and on and on,' he said. 'The photo with the two very proud smiling police officers was very, very impressive because we're pretty strong on that sly grogging... because we know the harm and damage that liquor can cause, particularly around family domestic violence and family dysfunction.' WA Police also moved to restrict the sale of alcohol in March 2020, limiting shoppers to only one carton of beer and three bottles of wine a day (pictured, a Liquorland in Melbourne) WHAT IS SLY GROGGING? 'Sly grogging' is the practice of transporting large quantities of liquor to remote areas of Western Australia. The alcohol is often taken to areas where liquor restrictions are in place, or in 'dry communities'. The alcohol is usually illegally sold vulnerable members of the community. Source: WA Police Advertisement The assistant commissioner was asked if police believed the 39-year-old woman had intended to re-sell the alcohol in regional communities to make a profit. 'That's exactly what we suspect in this matter, obviously now it's before the courts and she's been charged. But that is not an unusual event,' he said. 'They go to areas where they can purchase that alcohol and then go to areas where you can't buy those large quantities and then sell them to the community at a far more inflated price, which just contributes to the damage.' Commissioner Blanch said the crackdown was an effort to protect the community from the effects of serious offences that came as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. He also broke the hearts of drinkers everywhere by confirming the booze would go to waste and not be used for a police staff party. 'That rumour is always out there, that cops would use that alcohol, but it does go down the drain,' he said. 'Unfortunately, we do destroy it.' It also followed ongoing issues around illegal sales which resulted in cartons of beer being sold for up to $200 in areas like Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek. The towns are home to more than 200 remote communities which have been alcohol free for the past decade, under the directive of indigenous leaders. In 2020, the state government imposed limits on the amount of alcohol allowed in cars to prevent bootleggers selling it to 'dry' Aboriginal communities However, sly groggers continue to slip past authorities and sneak alcohol into one of the dry communities. WA Police also moved to restrict the sale of alcohol in March 2020, limiting shoppers to only one carton of beer and three bottles of wine a day. Across the entire Kimberley region, takeaway liquor with an alcohol content of six per cent or more can't be sold in containers of more than one litre. Beer can't be sold in bottles of 400ml or more. The penalty for bringing or possessing liquor in the restricted area is a $2,000 fine. People aged under 40 are being urged to have their hearts checked because they may potentially be at risk of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. The syndrome, known as SADS, has been fatal for all kinds of people regardless of whether they maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. SADS is an 'umbrella term to describe unexpected deaths in young people', said The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, most commonly occurring in people under 40 years of age. People aged under 40 are being urged to have their hearts checked, because they may potentially be at risk of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) (pictured, woman experiencing chest pain while running) The term is used when a post-mortem cannot find an obvious cause of death. The US-based SADS Foundation has said that over half of the 4,000 annual SADS deaths of children, teens or young adults have one of the top two warning signs present. Those signs include a family history of a SADS diagnosis or sudden unexplained death of a family member, and fainting or seizure during exercise, or when excited or startled, reported news.com.au. Last year a 31-year-old woman, Catherine Keane, died in her sleep while living with two friends in Dublin. Catherine Keane (pictured right with her mother Margherita), 31, was found to have died in her sleep while living with two friends in Dublin last year Her mother Margherita Cummins told the Irish Mirror, 'They were all working from home so no one really paid attention when Catherine didn't come down for breakfast.' 'They sent her a text at 11.20am and when she didn't reply, they checked her room and found she had passed. 'Her friend heard a noise in her room at 3.56am and believes now that is when she died.' Ms Cummins stated that her daughter 'went to the gym and walked 10,000 steps every day'. 'I take some comfort in that she went in her sleep and knew no pain and I'm grateful for that. I always worried about the kids driving in the car but never saw this coming. I never thought I'd ever lose a child in my life,' Spokesperson for Melbourne's Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute said: 'there are approximately 750 cases per year of people aged under 50 in Victoria suddenly having their heart stop (cardiac arrest)' (pictured, woman suffering from chest pain) Melbourne's Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute is developing the country's first SADS registry. 'There are approximately 750 cases per year of people aged under 50 in Victoria suddenly having their heart stop (cardiac arrest),' a spokesperson said. 'Of these, approximately 100 young people per year will have no cause found even after extensive investigations such as a full autopsy (SADS phenomenon).' Cardiologist and researcher Dr Elizabeth Paratz said: 'Baker's registry was the first in the country and one of only a few in the world that combined ambulance, hospital and forensics information.' '(It allows you to see) people have had the cardiac arrest and no cause was found on the back end,' Dr Paratz said. She believes the potential lack of awareness may be due to the fact 'a lot of it takes place outside of traditional medical settings'. Cardiologist and researcher Dr Elizabeth Paratz (pictured) said from a public health perspective, combating SADS was 'not as easy as everyone in Australia getting genetically screened' as scientists were still not 100 per cent clear on 'what genes cause this' 'The majority of these SADS events, 90 per cent, occur outside the hospital the person doesn't make it so it's actually ambulance staff and forensics caring for the bulk of these patients,' Dr Paratz said. 'I think even doctors underestimate it. We only see the 10 per cent who survive and make it to hospital. We only see the tip of the iceberg ourselves.' For family and friends of victims, SADS is a 'very hard entity to grasp' because it's a 'diagnosis of nothing', Dr Paratz added. Dr Paratz said that from a public health perspective, combating SADS was 'not as easy as everyone in Australia getting genetically screened' as scientists were still not 100 per cent clear on 'what genes cause this'. 'The best advice would be, if you yourself have had a first-degree relative a parent, sibling, child who's had an unexplained death, it's extremely recommended you see a cardiologist,' she said. Two Australians suspected of terrorist activities will have their citizenship reinstated after the High Court found powers used by the government to cancel them were unconstitutional. Turkish-Australian Delil Alexander, 35, is in jail in Syria after his Australian citizenship was removed on July 2 last year. The identity of the second person is unknown. Alexander's lawyers argued the Sydney-born man was in danger of 'serious human rights violations' including torture while imprisoned in Syria. A majority of the High Court found on Wednesday the citizenship stripping powers legislated by the former coalition government were invalid. The court found it gave the former home affairs minister 'the exclusively judicial function of adjudging and punishing criminal guilt'. The High Court of Australia (pictured) found the laws that gave the former home affairs minister power to cancel citizenship of a dual national had 'punitive character' and was unconstitutional In 2018, Labor criticised the law change as likely to be found to be in breach of the constitution. Two judges found the laws had a 'punitive character', conferring power on the minister 'to cease citizenship as a sanction for past conduct, akin to historical forms of punishment, with significant consequences for the individual', a summary of the judgment said. However, it was found the section of the Citizenship Act giving the minister the power was supported by the constitution's 'aliens power'. Four judges - Chief Justice Susan Kiefel, Patrick Keane, Jacqueline Gleeson and James Edelman - said part of the relief granted to the plaintiff should be a declaration he is an Australian citizen. Justice Simon Steward said in his judgment the laws were valid, as there were sufficient safeguards in place. '(The section) was thus enacted, not as a punishment for a crime, but as a 'political precaution',' he wrote. It is understood Alexander and the other person will have their citizenship restored, but the decision will not impact on people held onshore. Turkish-Australian Delil Alexander, 35, was imprisoned in Syria after his Australian citizenship was removed on July 2 last year when he was suspected of terrorist incursions and recruitment (stock image of an Australian passport) Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement he and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil would examine the judgment and its implications in detail. But he noted there was 'no threat to Australia as a result of the decision'. 'The Australian government has a range of measures available to manage the risk posed to Australians by individuals offshore including the temporary exclusion order regime which can prohibit an individual returning to Australia for up to two years,' he said. Alexander left Australia for Turkey on April 16, 2013, but just over two weeks later he was married in Syria. ASIO assessed he joined terrorist group Islamic State by August 2013 - a qualified security assessment over which he has sought judicial review. In November 2017, he was arrested by Kurdish militia in a place in Syria which was not a declared area under Australian terrorist laws. Alexander was transferred to Syrian custody and given five years in jail for 'unspecified offences under the Syrian Penal Code'. He was pardoned in June last year, having served 18 months of his term. Shortly after he was pardoned, the ASIO director-general provided classified advice to the then home affairs minister which did not recommend citizenship cancellation, the court heard. However, the minister Karen Andrews stripped Alexander's citizenship in July 2021. Since then, he has been in Syrian intelligence custody and his family and lawyers have been unable to contact him, leading to his sister Berivan having to launch the legal action as a 'litigation guardian'. Government lawyers argued the minister met the three required conditions in the decision: a person has engaged in the requisite conduct; the conduct demonstrates the person has repudiated their allegiance to Australia; and it would be contrary to the public interest for them to remain an Australian citizen. Former attorney-general Christian Porter, in introducing the changes in 2018, argued stripping Australian citizenship of people who sought to do the nation harm was an 'an integral part of our ongoing response to international violent extremism and terrorism'. Alexander's lawyers argued the power to cancel the status of an Australian citizen is 'inherently a domestic matter' and should be reserved for a judge. The court heard Alexander retains Turkish citizenship. The Queens man arrested on suspicion of murdering the longtime delivery driver of a local Chinese restaurant over a dispute about duck sauce apparently had an obsession with the condiment. Glenn Hirsch, 51, was arrested last Wednesday at his home near Briarwood and was also charged with criminal possession of a firearm for the deadly shooting of Zhiwen Yan, 45, on April 30, according to a statement from the NYPD. Hirsch appeared again Queens Supreme Court on Wednesday. Both Hirsch's mother and brother, as well as a group of protesters demanding justice for Yan were at the court. Cops found eight guns while searching the home of Hirsch's wife, who he doesn't live with. That wasn't quite what they found at Hirsch's home. Cops apparently discovered his refrigerator packed to the gills with sweet and sour duck sauce. Glenn Hirsch (pictured), 51, was arrested on Wednesday night at his home near Briarwood in Queens for the murder of 45-year-old Zhiwen Yan, who had worked for The Great Wall Chinese restaurant in Queen for more than a decade, known as the Great Wall At Hirsch's home, cops apparently found his refrigerator packed to the gills with the Great Wall's sweet and sour duck sauce 'His whole refrigerator was filled with duck sauce,' a police source told the New York Daily News. 'And other condiments.' 'He's a hoarder. And when you open the refrigerator, it's like, condiments - there's duck sauce, soy sauce, ketchup.' The source suggested the piles of condiments at his apartment on 141st Street in Jamaica are all a part of what was going on in Hirsch's brain to lead him to kill. 'I guess in some pathology people like that take that stuff very seriously - you didn't give him enough duck sauce,' they said. Hirsch, who had nine prior arrests on his record, has pleaded not guilty and his currently being held without bail. Hirsch has not yet been charged with a hate crime in the case, a source of contention for some of the protesters outside Queens Supreme Court Tuesday Both Hirsch's mother and brother are pictured at Queens Supreme Court on Tuesday Supporters of Zhiwen Yan, who was allegedly killed by Glenn Hirsch, 51, hold a demonstration outside Queens Supreme Court The marchers held signs suggesting police did a poor job at protecting Yan, as well as photos of the victim He has not yet been charged with a hate crime in the case, a source of contention for some of the protesters outside Queens Supreme Court Tuesday. The marchers held signs suggesting police did a poor job at protecting Yan, as well as photos of the victim, as well as a sign that said: 'This was a HATE CRIME. Don't ignore that.' There were also protests against gun violence and anti-Asian discrimination. Yan, a father-of-three who moved to New York from more than two decades ago, was doing delivery-rounds on his scooter in Forest Hills, Queens, cops say, when he was blasted in the chest. The shooting saw Yan and Hirsch, who was believed to be driving an older model of a Lexus RX3 SV at the time, briefly exchange words at a traffic light before Yan was hit near 108th Street and 67th Drive, in what is usually a quiet and close-knit area. Zhiwen Yan, 45, (right) in this undated image on the day of his wedding, was making a delivery on his scooter in the Forest Hills neighborhood Queens at around 9:30 pm on April 30, cops say, when he was fatally shot in the chest The altercation, police say, saw Yan and the suspect briefly exchange words before he was shot once in the chest near 108th Street and 67th Drive, in what is usually a quiet, close-knit community. Cops are pictured at the crime scene, looking over Yan's scooter Surveillance video shows Yan getting on his scooter after delivering food to an apartment complex. He pulls out onto 108th street when someone walks up to him and shoots him in the chest. Suspect drives off in a light gray or tan Lexus eastbound on 67 Drive. pic.twitter.com/U3MuDwTnPa Christina Fan (@Christinafantv) May 1, 2022 A witness nearby later told investigators that Hirsch fled the scene. Cops revealed they captured Hirsch on surveillance footage pacing around the restaurant for roughly an hour on the night of the shooting before following Yan. Hirsch's lawyer, Michael Horn, told DailyMail.com that a warrant was issued for his arrest after the grand jury's proceeding last Wednesday. However, he added that the Queens District Attorney's office 'decided not to honor my professional courtesy to bring [Hirsch] in whenever as possible, where's necessary and they basically broke down his door last night and forced their way to a scared man who doesn't know what's going on.' Yan, who worked seven days a week and held three jobs to support his family, had been working at the Great Wall restaurant for more than a decade prior to his death, 53-year-old employee Kai Yang told the New York Daily News. The outlet further reported that Hirsch has an extensive criminal history. He was arrested 9 times between 1995 and 2012, but none of them are disclosed as they are sealed. One of the arrests is related to Hirsch committing a robbery with a gun, police sources told the Daily News. Horn said: 'They're not relevant. We know that accusations are meaningless without any judication... The District Attorney is taking what I consider to be a thin case and trying to put as much garnish as possible to make the sandwich look bigger.' Michael Horn, attorney for Glenn Hirsch, spoke to DailyMail.com outside court on Thursday A restaurant employee, Soi Chung, 70, told DailyMail.com that Hirsch had 'multiple' disputes with staff at the eatery and pulled a gun on staffers during one incident in January. Another incident last year saw the angry customer become peeved over the amount of duck sauce given to him in one of his orders, Chung told The New York Post, spurring a campaign of harassment, vandalism, and threats from the customer. The most brazen threat from the customer, Chung said, came earlier this year, when Hirsch menacingly waved a gun at the restaurant workers, spurring them to call 911. Restaurant owner Kai Yang told the Post that the angry customer was put to the ground by employees, which included Yan, shortly after he came inside with the firearm. Horn said on Thursday: 'If my client had an argument with the manager, then why is he having a fight or assaulted a delivery guy who everybody seems to like. There was no delivery.' Police say the incident transpired immediately after Yan - a father-of-three and Forest Hills resident who moved to New York from China more than two decades ago - had dropped off a delivery at a nearby address in the usually quiet residential neighborhood Meanwhile, Yan leaves behind a wife and three children, aged two, 12, and 14. 'This was a father of three children working three jobs - all food delivery,' Yan's nephew, who identified himself as Michael, said during a presser in April held outside the family's home in neighboring Middle Village. 'He came here in 2001,' the relative went on. 'He has been in this country over 20 years.' He added: 'It's unacceptable that this happened. This is a very peaceful community. This never happened, this kind of issue.' According to a colleague of Yan's at Great Wall restaurant (pictured), a Hirsch had 'multiple' disputes with the Forest Hills eatery, and pulled a gun on staffers during an incident last January Despite Yan's colleagues' claims concerning Hirsch's threatening behavior, it is currently unclear if the delivery man was a specific target. A GoFundMe page was created by Kunying Zhao - Yan's wife. 'I'm starting a fundraiser for my husband because he passed away last night,' Zhao wrote on May 1. 'He was a hardworking delivery man and always provided for his family.' The page surpassed its initial goal of $100,000, raising $212,799 as of Wednesday morning. A New South Wales policeman has been charged with raping one woman and stalking another in a string of allegations dating back eight years. Constable Joshua Alan James Wootton has been stood down but granted bail after he was arrested on Tuesday afternoon. Wootton, from Oran Park in south-west Sydney, was taken into custody at 4.40pm and charged with nine offences at Narellan police station. The 31-year-old, who is attached to a Central Metropolitan Region command, faced Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday morning. Five of the charges relate to one woman and two to another. Both women are 26. New South Wales policeman Joshua Wootton has been charged with raping one woman and stalking another in a string of allegations dating back eight years. He is pictured outside Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday An eighth charge involves allegedly accessing restricted data on a police computer and the last is of misconduct as a police officer. Wootton is charged with having sexual intercourse without consent with the first woman in July 2014 in a Hunter Valley town and in December 2017 in a south-western Sydney suburb. He is charged with the assault occasioning actual bodily harm of that woman between September and December 2018 and damaging her mobile phone in September 2015. Wootton is also charged with two counts of stalking and intimidating the first woman with the intention of causing fear of physical or mental harm in March 2022. He is accused of committing the same offence against the second woman on February 22 and 24 this year at Bondi. A further charge relates to accessing restricted data on the COPS police computer system between 5am and 7am on February 25 at Bondi. That charge relates to allegedly looking up a Bondi address and the name of a man. Wootton, from Oran Park in south-west Sydney, has been charged with nine offences. Five of the charges relate to one woman and two to another. Both are 26. The 31-year-old is on bail The stalking and accessing restricted data charges have resulted in Wootton also being accused of misconduct as a policeman between January and March. Wooton, who is on bail, appeared briefly before magistrate Stephen Olischager who adjourned the matter until August 3. The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions would be taking over the case from police. Strike Force Mattm was formed by Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command to investigate a number of alleged stalking, sexual assault and other offences against two women. A police spokeswoman said Wootton had been stood down from duties while his employment status was under review. A paramedic has recalled the proud moment of seeing a former patient walk down the aisle, seven years after he saved her life. Tayla Bower (nee Vann Cotte), then 16, was given little chance of survival after she was hit by a car and thrown into the air while crossing Albany Highway in Perth in 2015. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent four weeks in an induced coma before the long road to learning how to walk and talk again. The first responder on scene, St John Ambulance metropolitan operations response manager Simon Klass held her twisted and broken body together as the teen struggled to breathe. He was told by the hospital she was unlikely to survive and was shocked to receive a letter from her two years later, wanting to meet and thank him in person. The pair have become part of each other's families since their emotional reunion with Mr Klass on the guestlist at her 21st birthday and recent wedding to partner Steve Bower. Paramedic Simon Klass (right) was a proud guest Steve and Tayla Bower's wedding, seven years after he saved her life The paramedic admits having a tear in his eye on Ms Bowers' big day in March. 'Took my breath away. Genuinely breathtakingly beautiful,' Mr Klass told the Today show on Wednesday. 'I stood up the back because there was so many family and loved ones there but I was a little bit proud. 'I thought I might have something a little bit to do with it all. 'It was one of the best weddings I have been to, it was so lovely.' Lucky to be alive, Ms Bower marks the anniversary of the life-threatening ordeal each year, despite describing the day as the worst of her life. She was determined to track down the man who saved her life following her recovery. 'I just thought like I needed to pay my respects and say thank you, thank you for helping me with like my recovery,' she recalled. 'Really, because if it wasn't for these guys, I wouldn't be here right now.' 'He's got my heart.' Ms Bower also paid tribute to her tight-knit family. 'They helped me push and get stronger each day,' she said. 'I have to give all the credit to my family. If it wasn't for them, I don't know what I would have been. Tayla Bower spent four months in hospital after the near fatal accident, the first in Simon Klass was shocked to learn two years later that Tayla had survived after being told by the hospital there was little hope Mr Klass had to go back through his past records when he received a letter for a woman thanking him for saving her life and was shocked at the thought it may be from the patient he'd assumed didn't make it. 'Every time I still think about it today I get teary eyed,' he recalled. 'I got invited to the family's house for a dinner and I hadn't seen Tayla since she was looking pretty average. The first person who came up and threw their arms around me I assumed what was Tayla and that was lovely and then mum and dad and the rest of the family I got lovely cuddles, gratitude, thanks and an instant family for me.' Mr Klass joked he had to go the wedding to complete the screening process for the groom. 'I had to go and remind him that he has taken over the responsibility of looking after Tayla and I had to remind him that he is punching above his weight as well,' he said. Ms Bower joked Mr Klass will get the task of delivering her future children after saving her life all those years ago. Tayla Bower and paramedic Simon Klass have struck a close bond since saving her life Mr Klass recently penned a heartfelt insight about their special bond publicly shared by St John Ambulance last week. 'You were only 16 years old and had been hit by an inattentive driver while crossing the road,' he wrote. On March 13, 2022 I finally got to shed a tear. I could not believe the stunningly beautiful young woman walking down the aisle on her wedding day was the same person. Not only did you survive; you flourished.' 'I have been privileged to follow your incredible recovery and I allowed myself to feel quietly proud for doing my part in helping you get down the aisle.' A legendary Australian World War II veteran has died at the age of 99. Private Wal Williams was aged 99, and passed away in his sleep at the Narrabeen RSL Village in Sydney on Saturday. He was one of 13,000 Australian soldiers sent to work on the Thai-Burma Railway in October 1942 after they became prisoners of war after the Fall of Singapore during World War 2, which became known as the 'Death Railway'. Around 2,600 diggers were killed, and Williams was one of the final surviving Australians from the Death Railway. Private Wal Williams (second from the right) has passed away at the RSL Village in Narrabeen on Saturday night, aged 99. Private Williams was one of the last surviving Australians from the Death Railway. Private Williams final message to Australia was short yet sweet, when speaking to 2GB host Ben Fordham (pictured) on Anzac Day, 'you have got to have a sense of humor'. Private Williams final message to Australia was inspiring, despite enduring 'hell on earth' as a war prisoner. He said: 'You have got to have a sense of humor,' when when speaking to Ben Fordham on Anzac Day. Private Williams said it is vital that the stories of Prisoner's of War (POW) are told. 'My philosophy has been since I came home from the war is that the story of the POWs should be told,' he said in an interview with Ben Fordham. Mr Fordham paid tribute to Private Williams in a post to Facebook saying despite seeing horrors we will never be able to understand, his attitude was inspiring. 'One of the lucky ones who made it home was Wal Williams', he said. 'We were privileged to be able to speak with him on Anzac Day. 'He had seen horrors we will never be able to understand. 'But his attitude was inspiring'. A Christian anti-abortion group in a suburb of Buffalo, New York, had their offices firebombed and vandalized on Tuesday, in what the company CEO called 'pro-abortion Kristallnacht'. The attackers spray painted the slogan 'Jane Was Here' on the side of the building - a calling card of the activists Jane's Revenge. Similar attacks were carried out in Washington DC on June 3, and in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 8. The Buffalo attack came hours before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned of a rising risk of violence, ahead of an expected Supreme Court overturning of Roe v Wade. CompassCare CEO Jim Harden is seen on Tuesday morning outside the firebombed offices of his company CompassCare's office in Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo, is pictured on Tuesday following the arson attack The offices were burnt out in the firebombing, and two firefighters who responded were injured The attackers left behind graffiti reading 'Jane was here' - believed to be a reference to the violent activist group Jane's Revenge 'Threat actors have recently mobilized to violence due to factors such as personal grievances, reactions to current events, and adherence to violent extremist ideologies, including racially or ethnically motivated or anti-government/antiauthority violent extremism,' said a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin, issued on Tuesday. 'Given a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case about abortion rights, individuals who advocate both for and against abortion have, on public forums, encouraged violence, including against government, religious, and reproductive healthcare personnel and facilities, as well as those with opposing ideologies,' the DHS alert said. A senior official, in the threat alert, warned that 'going forward, we're concerned that grievances related to restricting abortion access in general could fuel a broader response.' The Buffalo organization, CompassCare, pointed out in a statement on Tuesday that the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, has designated funds to protect abortion clinics but not to protect organizations like theirs. 'Ironically, New York's Governor not only ignored the violence but instead earmarked $35 million in taxpayer funds to increase security at abortion clinics,' they said. Jim Harden, the CEO of CompassCare, said the attack was 'the pro-abortion Kristallnacht' Jim Harden, the CEO, likened the attack on his facility to the beginning of the Holocaust. 'This is the pro-abortion Kristallnacht,' said the father of ten. 'Because of this act of violence, the needs of women facing unplanned pregnancy will go unmet and babies will die. 'I wonder if Gov. Hochul will veto the Pregnancy Center Investigation Bill? 'I wonder if Attorney General Letitia James will investigate these cowardly criminals? 'CompassCare will rebuild because women deserve better. CompassCare will not stop serving because pre-born boys and girls deserve protection.' Police in Amherst, the Buffalo suburb, have launched an investigation and are treating the case as an act of arson. Brian Kulpa, Amherst town supervisor, said: 'With reports that this fire was set intentionally, I am disgusted that lives were put at risk.' A Washington DC site, the Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center, was attacked on June 3 Two firefighters who responded to the scene were injured and treated for minor injuries, the Amherst police department. 'Our thoughts are with the firefighters as they recover,' Kulpa said. 'A violent response is never the answer. There is no place in Amherst for such attacks. 'Amherst police are working with our partners to continue its investigation to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.' Jane's Revenge has claimed responsibility for throwing Molotov cocktails into the offices of the Wisconsin Family Action in Madison, as well as vandalizing a pro-life center in Seattle. The group derives its name from an underground abortion network operating in Chicago in the late 1960s and early '70s called the Jane Collective. Australia using more coal power to alleviate the energy crisis will make no difference to global warming because huge nations like China, India and others are building hundreds of new power plants and throwing emissions targets out the window, according to Barnaby Joyce. The new Labor government is urging coal power plants to increase output as soon as possible as the east coast shivers through a freezing winter and global gas prices soar. The Greens - who have blocking power on any government bills in the Senate - have argued this is the wrong approach and have instead called for a massive and rapid investment in renewable energy to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2035. But former deputy prime minister Mr Joyce said Australia's actions will make no difference to global temperatures given both China and India are pushing ahead with more coal power. 'China's had record production of coal in the past two quarters. If Australia were to disappear off the face of the earth, China would cover for us in about a month,' he told Daily Mail Australia. This chart shows how China was behind 56 per cent of new coal power brought online in 2021 This map shows that China and India burn the most coal in the world and Australia is not in the top ten Steam billows out of the cooling towers at a coal-fired power station in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province Barnaby Joyce (pictured) said Australia will make no difference to global temperatures when China and India are pushing ahead with coal power. China makes up about 29 per cent of global CO2 emissions while Australia emits about one per cent. Last year China was responsible for 56 per cent of the world's new coal power capacity, ahead of India on 14 per cent, South Korea on seven per cent and Indonesia on six per cent. Despite holding large reserves of coal, Australia has not built new coal power capacity since 2012 even as energy prices soar. China's new capacity almost offset all the coal plant retirements in the world, according to the Global Energy Monitor. A report last year by think-tank Carbon Tracker found China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Vietnam were planning to build 600 new plants between them. China aims to reach net zero by 2060 but has signalled it will roll back its commitment for emissions to peak in 2030 after suffering power outages causing blackouts in major cities last year. Premier Li Keqiang said in October that energy security is the priority ahead of climate goals. 'Energy security should be the premise on which a modern energy system is built and the capacity for energy self-supply should be enhanced,' he said in a statement as he pledged to build more coal plants and drill for more oil and gas. This pie chart show which nations are most responsible for global CO2 emissions China accounts for roughly 29 per cent of the world's carbon emissions, pumping out twice the amount of the US which makes up about 14 per cent. Pictured: Beijing in February 2021 Last year India ramped up its coal production from 1.94 million to 2 million tonnes per day AUSTRALIA'S 11 STEP PLAN TO MANAGE GAS CRISIS Australia's energy ministers have unanimously agreed to enhance the powers of energy regulators and give the market operator the capacity to procure and store gas supplies. Energy Minister Chris Bowen chaired a roundtable with his state and territory counterparts on Wednesday, where 11 action points were unanimously agreed to. Mr Bowen says the changes will give Australia the tools and capacity to manage the gas crisis going forward. 'No silver bullet, no magic answers, but material steps forward in a very positive fashion,' he told reporters following the meeting. 'The Australian Energy Market Operator could not procure some gas and keep it in reserve to be released for urgent and crisis situations. 'That is technically possible. There's storage facilities around the country. We agreed to work to give AEMO that power and to give them that power expeditiously.' Regulators will also be given more powers to ensure transparency in the market and that retailers work in the best interests of consumers. The Australian Energy Market Commission has been instructed to proceed with the development of the capacity mechanism which ensures power plants are available to generate electricity when needed. The development of a national transition plan for the energy market ahead of the next meeting in July has also been agreed to. 'The reason why we are in this crisis today is because there hasn't been enough planning about the changes that are necessary,' Mr Bowen said. 'That's the result of poor planning and a previous government which didn't see the opportunities for transmission, didn't see the opportunity to renewable energy.' Resources Minister Madeline King says unexpected outages of coal-fired power plants were adding to pressures on the energy grid as gas companies work to increase their output. 'Existing coal fired power stations going offline due to planned and unplanned outages combines to see this extraordinary price,' she told Sky News. NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean said the state's coal-fired power stations needed to increase their output following the unexpected outages, to act as a stopgap with surging gas prices due to the war in Europe. 'When we've got coal-fired power plants that are not in operation due to unscheduled outages, that means gas is filling the gap,' he said. 'We need to get our coal-fired power stations back cranking up. We need our power stations running at full tilt during the winter period, so we're less reliant on gas and can put downward pressure on electricity prices.' The domestic gas supply guarantee coming into play is also helping to provide some relief to the east coast, but prices will not drop substantially overnight, Ms King added. 'The gas ... is going to where it needs to be and that should flow through the system,' she said. 'I'm not saying we're going to see a massive reduction in prices overnight. We're certainly not because we still need those ... existing coal fired power stations to come online. But the gas is moving around, more gas has been supplied.' The ACT is set to become the only Australian jurisdiction to experience a small decrease in electricity prices off the back of large-scale renewable energy projects coming online, its economic regulator says. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said coal would remain a part of the energy mix, while Mr Bowen earlier warned there was no easy fix to the energy crisis as the nation was ill-prepared to manage it. Treasurer Jim Chalmers is awaiting advice from the competition watchdog on the role and impact of coal-fired power plant shutdowns on energy prices and what regulations could be used. - Australian Associated Press Advertisement India, where millions are without electricity, has rejected the 2050 target for net-zero emissions because it would hinder growth and poverty alleviation, and had set 2070 as its target. The south Asian nation is responsible for seven per cent of global emissions, behind the US on 14 per cent but ahead of Russia on five per cent. Coal accounts for nearly 70 percent of India's electricity generation and about three-quarters of the fossil fuel is mined domestically. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia must act to reduce emissions to show 'leadership' on the world stage. But Mr Joyce insisted it was too difficult to get China and India and other nations to follow. 'If you want to show leadership get China to release the Uighurs and get out of the South China Sea, let's see how that goes,' he said in reference to persecuted Muslims in China's west. 'Go and explain to (Indian President) Narendra Modi that 300million people have to stay in poverty.' China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal, and is set to increase its use further before 2030 - after which it has promised to start phasing the fuel out While China's overall coal consumption has increased, viewed as a share of its total energy usage it has started to come down as the country has used more natural gas - and started to develop renewables and nuclear energy The world still has more than 2,400 coal-fired power plants operating across 179 countries, including 19 in Australia and 1,110 in China. In October China increased coal power production after power outages were reported in southern Guangdong province. An additional 16 provinces were forced to ration energy due to a shortage in supply, but avoided full-scale blackouts. In response, Shanxi - China's biggest coal-producing region - ordered its 98 coal mines to raise their annual output capacity by 55.3 million tonnes and allowed 51 coal mines that had hit their maximum annual production levels to keep producing. In China's second biggest coal region, Inner Mongolia, 72 mines were told that they could operate at higher capacities immediately, provided they ensure safe production. This year European nations have ordered increased coal production as a temporary measure to wean themselves off Russian gas following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Germany has drafted laws to prevent coal power stations destined for the scrapheap from being axed, ordering them to be kept on standby instead. Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic also plan to burn more coal and the UK is drilling for more gas in the North Sea. The UN has said if global emissions are not cut by 50 per cent by 2030, the climate crisis will lead to further wide-ranging and more destructive natural disasters, such as flood and drought. Pupils cover their noses after school in heavy smog in December 2015 in Binzhou, China If temperatures continue to rise, there could be devastating effects on Earth, including a dramatic loss of sea-life, an ice-free Arctic and more regular 'extreme' weather About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages. Pictured: A power station in Victoria On Tuesday Anthony Albanese declared he was fine with firing up more coal power despite campaigning on a plan to phase down fossil fuels to fight climate change. The Prime Minister blamed the Coalition for Australia's energy crisis, insisting the former government failed to properly invest in renewables and the electricity grid during its nine years in office. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages, while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter. With gas supplies dear and energy bills set to skyrocket, Resources Minister Madeleine King on Tuesday called on coal power stations to increase their output as soon as possible. Speaking in Darwin on his way back from a trip to Indonesia, Mr Albanese denied this move contradicted his climate ambitions. Asked if he is 'uncomfortable' with relying on more coal power, the Prime Minister replied: 'Not at all' and later added: 'Coal is part of our mix right now'. Anthony Albanese (pictured today) has declared he is fine with firing up more coal power despite campaigning on a plan to phase down fossil fuels to fight climate change Mr Albanese wants renewables to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030. Pictured: Williamdale Solar Farm, 35km south of Canberra About 60 per cent of Australia's electricity comes from coal, 32 per cent from renewables and eight per cent from gas. Labor wants cheaper renewable sources to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030, claiming this will save households $275 a year by 2025, and $378 by 2030. Mr Albanese admitted that international factors including Russia's invasion of Ukraine were driving up energy prices but said Australia is less able to deal with the shock due to the Coalition's energy policies. 'One of the problems that has occurred here is a failure of investment because the former government had 22 energy policies, and didn't land one,' he said. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is currently offline while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter amid soaring price rises 'You don't have a grid that's fit for purpose in the 21st century. Labor's Rewiring the Nation plan will bring forward $20billion worth of grid upgrades identified by the Australian Energy Market Operator. 'We didn't make this up. This is what the experts... (were) recommending to the Government, and nothing happened,' he said. 'Nothing happened for nine years. And this is a direct consequence of that.' He added: 'There are international factors, but it's also the factor of a failure of the former government to actually have an energy policy.' Mr Albanese said if the grid was 'fit for purpose' and could take in more renewable energy then 'you would have a real alleviation on pressures that are in place right now.' Greens leader Adam Bandt (second left) insists that burning more coal is not the answer to rising power prices The Greens have blasted Labor's call for more coal and insisted a rapid investment in renewables is the way to go. 'Propping up these aging plants would be throwing good money after bad,' leader Adam Bandt told Daily Mail Australia. 'No amount of patching up these dirty clunkers will fix the problem.' He said Australia should follow the example of the ACT which has generated all of its electricity from renewables since 2020. While the east coast braces for soaring prices, power bills in the ACT are set to fall from July 1, providing an annual saving to households of $23. The ACT is currently paying less than a quarter of the NSW market price for its electricity because it relies on solar and wind and is less vulnerable to global price shocks. AGL currently has three coal power stations in NSW and Victoria either offline or on reduced capacity due to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance issues. Origin's Eraring power station, the largest in NSW, has also been crippled by coal production cutbacks at its neighbouring conveyor belt-connected coalmine. It's had to buy coal on the open market as prices surge because of the global crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, which forces electricity prices up further. Queensland's Callide coal power station is also offline after an explosion at the plant, creating a perfect storm just as the bitter cold snap hit Australia's east coast. The maintenance work at affected power stations is not expected to be completed until July at the earliest while Callide is out until December, but Labor is demanding the work is now fast-tracked. Zelensky's aide went on the record that Kyiv is still waiting for the 5,000 helmets that never arrived despite Berlin's promise. He added the equipment was expected even before the start of the Russian offensive. Saying that Ukraine's demands have been ignored by German officials incensed Kyiv even more. A tantrum is the least of officials' worries The aide expressed disappointment at how Germany will rather spend 100 billion Euros for its military forces last Tuesday, reported RT. Alexey Arestovich, in an interview with a YouTube blogger, said that he expects assistance from Germany but still insists on the 5,000 helmets. He recognized that Berlin had sent some weapons to Ukraine, such as grenade launchers and anti-tank missiles. However, he said he'd have to check with the defense ministry for a comprehensive list, cited the Press United. The helmets were offered to Ukraine last January before the special operation in Donbas was launched. Unlike the US and the UK, which were airlifting hundreds of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, the German government was apprehensive about becoming more generous. Berlin is against escalating conflicts over weapons supplies, and it doubted Washington's assertions that Russia was preparing a military operation against its neighbor. Ukrainians wanted a more substantial commitment from Berlin; when the helmets were offered, it was considered condescending. Germany Spends for Its Defense In the interview, the Zelensky aide Arestovich reacted to the rearming of the German forces costing billions. It could be alleged that Volodymyr Zelensky expected the EU state to pledge weapons if he asked for it. Why did the 5,000 helmets not arrive yet? Read Also: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency? He added that Berlin is rearming for its glory and that the Bundeswehr will be moving out over uncut fields. Called the investment crazy and twice the yearly military budget of Russia, cited Zomaloma. Commitment To Support Ukraine Chancellor Olaf Scholz's promises to make the German army the largest conventional force in Europe were questioned by Arestovich. He believes that the news deserves far more coverage in the media than it receives and is, therefore, unlikely to be true. Upset that Scholz never followed up on his promises, implying that a leader who does prioritize his people is not trustworthy enough. He said Germans should rethink politicians, thinking the good of their country must be considered. One of the problems is that the German chancellor is not ready to commit to supporting Ukraine, and it makes the Kyiv government unhappy with all the rants that cannot change how things are. Sadly, the Ukraine ambassador to Germany, Andrey Melnik, has resorted to unsavory remarks about German leaders. Ukraine does name-calling any state that does not let it have its way. On week earlier, Scholz indicated that one of Germany's most advanced weapons, the IRIS-T SL air defense system, would be supplied to fortify its military capabilities. According to the German defense ministry, it is so new that its army does not have it yet, but it will have to request it straight from the manufacturer. Arestovich insisted on the 5,000 helmets promised while going on the usual tantrums, which even the Ukrainian leaders do to get the support needed, but Germany is not budging. Related Article: Germany Ignores Zelensky, Worries Arms Shipment Could Worsen Russia - Ukraine Conflict @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Victorian Government is pushing for a national gas reservation rule to shield Australia from high prices in the future as power bills soar. Global gas prices have shot up in recent months as western nations reject Russian supplies following the nation's invasion of Ukraine. Australia is the largest exporter of liquid natural gas in the world but there is no requirement for companies to keep it onshore except in Western Australia. The Victorian Government is pushing for a national gas reservation rule to shield Australia from high prices in the future as power bills soar. Pictured: Premier Daniel Andrews This means households and businesses in eastern Australia are hit by rising global prices, with power bills expected to rise by up to 100 per cent in July. Ahead of a meeting between all state and territory and federal energy ministers on Wednesday, Victoria said it wanted a national reservation scheme. Western Australia has been shielded from high prices because it requires gas exporters to hold back 15 per cent of their production for domestic use. Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters outside state parliament on Wednesday that a similar national scheme should be set up. 'What's been consistent, certainly from me and our government, is the need for Victorian gas, Australian gas to be for Australian businesses and Australian households first. 'That's been my position and I've made that position clear to a number of PMs, including the current one.' Too much of what is produced, certainly to the north of the country, is being exported overseas Victorian Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio Mr Andrews said it was not practical for Victoria to set up its own gas reserve due to the connectivity of the network along Australia's east coast. 'It's not about going it alone,' he said. Victorian Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said Victoria was a net exporter of gas and it was a 'myth' the country was running out. 'The problem has been that too much of what is produced, certainly to the north of the country, is being exported overseas,' Ms D'Ambrosio said. 'NSW has... been very heavily reliant on gas supply. There is a real need for a conversation around how more gas can be released domestically to be pulled into NSW.' But Resources Minister Madeleine King said it would be complicated to introduce a as reservation rule. 'It's difficult to reverse engineer this after the export industry has been established, but that doesn't mean it's off the table,' she said. 'We want to encourage investment. These plants have been developed because of international investment.' She said limiting exports would impact allies including Japan and South Korea and cause 'difficultly filling contracts with international partners'. Ahead of a meeting between all state and territory and federal energy ministers on Wednesday, Victoria said it wanted a national gas reservation scheme. Pictured: A gas site in Gladstone, Queensland In 2017, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull introduced a 'gas trigger' to allow exports to be diverted to domestic supply to limit energy price rises. Mr Andrews said the mechanism, which requires the federal government to ask the Australian Energy Market Operator whether it foresees a domestic supply shortage for the forthcoming calendar year, wasn't the 'simplest way home'. 'At the time there was quite a bit of commentary that that was less than streamlined, but it could be used now and indeed you could go beyond that,' he said. 'It just makes no sense to families across our state, and businesses, that we should be making them compete with the rest of the world for something that comes out of our ground.' Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese has declared he is fine with firing up more coal power despite campaigning on a plan to phase down fossil fuels to fight climate change. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages. Pictured: A power station in Victoria The Prime Minister blamed the Coalition for Australia's energy crisis, insisting the former government failed to properly invest in renewables and the electricity grid during its nine years in office. About a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is offline due to planned and unplanned outages, while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter. With gas supplies dear and energy bills set to skyrocket, Resources Minister Madeleine King on Tuesday called on coal power stations to increase their output as soon as possible. Speaking in Darwin on his way back from a trip to Indonesia, Mr Albanese denied this move contradicted his lofty climate ambitions. Asked if he is 'uncomfortable' with relying on more coal power, the Prime Minister replied: 'Not at all' and later added: 'Coal is part of our mix right now'. About 60 per cent of Australia's electricity comes from coal, 32 per cent from renewables and eight per cent from gas. Labor wants cheaper renewable sources to supply 82 per cent of electricity by 2030, claiming this will save households $275 a year by 2025, and $378 by 2030. Mr Albanese admitted that international factors including Russia's invasion of Ukraine were driving up energy prices but said Australia is less able to deal with the shock due to the Coalition's energy policies. 'One of the problems that has occurred here is a failure of investment because the former government had 22 energy policies, and didn't land one,' he said. 'You don't have a grid that's fit for purpose in the 21st century.' Labor's Rewiring the Nation plan will bring forward $20billion worth of grid upgrades identified by the Australian Energy Market Operator. An Illinois foundry worker died when he accidentally fell into a 2,600-degrees Fahrenheit molten iron crucible, burning half of his body while the other half dropped on the factory floor. Steven Dierkes, 39, was only on the fifth day of his new job on June 2 at Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry in Peoria County when 'he was taking a sample of iron for the met lab and apparently just tripped', an anonymous veteran factory worker identified as 'Ron' told World Socialist Web Site (WSWS). 'He died instantly, but not all of him went in,' the source added. 'Part of his body remained on the deck for the coroner to retrieve. It must have been ghastly for those folks that witnessed it and to wait for the coroner with half of their coworker lying on the floor.' Steven Dierkes, 39 and of Peoria, Illinois, died on Thursday morning after being incinerated by a 2,600-degrees Fahrenheit molten iron crucible that he accidently fell into The victim was only on the fifth day of his new job at Caterpillar Mapleton Foundry, described as 'one of the largest in the United States' (file image) Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said that foul play has been ruled out and that an investigation led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the county's coroner office and sheriff's office is ongoing, the Peoria Journal Star reports. Local authorities were called to the facility at around 10 a.m. on Thursday after an 'occupational accident' had been reported, Peoria County Sheriff's Office Captain Chris Watkins said. An online obituary for Dierkes revealed that the father-of-three died at 9.23 a.m. - nearly half an hour before deputies arrived at the scene of the incident. 'We are deeply saddened by the death of an employee who was involved in a serious incident at our Maple, Illinois, facility on June 2,' Caterpillar spokeswoman Lisa Miller released in a statement obtained by WSWS. 'Our thoughts are with this employee's family, friends and colleagues. The safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is our top priority.' The Mapleton Foundry is one of the largest in the United States, according to its website. 'It can melt up to 1,000 tons of iron each day to produce finished castings ranging from 15lb liners to 22,000lb cylinder blocks. These components are the foundation for the company's 115-6,600hp (86- 4,920 kW) engine platforms.' Ron, who claims to not have been around the main foundry melting area 'in years,' said Dierkes died on 'one of the largest melters in the main foundry melting area.' 'Our melting area is physically connected but operationally independent. Word spread fast and people were gathering trying to find out what happened,' he told WSWS, adding that he was unable to describe conditions in that specific area of the factory. 'I don't know what time it happened but by 10:20 a.m. the entire facility was sent home. I received a text from my boss early evening last night that we were not to return to work until Monday. Presumably the company would have their whitewash mixed by then,' he further said. Another factory worker told WSWS that Dierkes was only on his fifth day on the job when the incident occurred and that he hadn't received 'sufficient training' to be in the melting area. A childhood friend of the victim later shared on Facebook: 'Steven Dierkes lived down the street from me when we were kids, so we naturally grew up together. We were into professional wrestling, so every Friday night, we'd get together with Tim Cyrulik and Johnathan Cox and wed try wrestling moves on each other. Then, wed play video games all night. 'RIP, buddy,' he added. A childhood friend of Dierkes grieved the victim's death on social media, signing off his post with: 'RIP, buddy.' Half of Dierkes' body was burnt in the iron melter while the other half dropped to the factory's floor in a death described as 'ghastly' by one veteran factory worker The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which represent several of the foundry's workers, later announced Dierkes' death, saying: 'Local 974 lost one of our members this morning in a tragic accident at our Mapleton facility. He and his family are in all of our thoughts and prayers.' An obituary made public online reveals that a service celebrating Dierkes' life will be held in Bloomington on June 9. Dierkes leaves behind three daughters and his 'life partner and best friend', Jessica Sutter. He is also survived by his parents, sister and two brothers. 'Steven loved the outdoors and all animals. He was a loving person who enjoyed laughter from any source he could find,' the victim's obituary read. 'He was a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart. He would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. He would have given a stranger the shirt from his back even though that may have been his last shirt,' it further read. Dierkes pictured with his significant other Jessie Sutter. The father-of-three is survived by his daughters, his wife, parents and siblings Dierkes' death is the second fatal incident at the Caterpillar Inc plant in Mapleton, Illinois (shown) in less than six months after another factory worker fell to his death in December 'He was a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart. He would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. He would have given a stranger the shirt from his back even though that may have been his last shirt,' an obituary for Dierkes read Dierkes' death comes six months after a contractor working at the Caterpillar Inc foundry fell to his death when he apparently stepped off a ladder at the plant, authorities said. Scott M. Adams, 50, of East Peoria, was pronounced dead on December 23 after his fall. He was working as a contractor at the foundry from Schaefer Electric in Peoria, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The governmental agency's preliminary investigation revealed that Adams stepped off a ladder before falling 20 feet (6.1 meters) to his death through a hole in the floor. The deaths of the two plant workers within the last year are the third in over 30 years since Ron first started working there. 'They dropped a 10-ton hook and block from an overhead gantry crane on a man during the strike,' he told WSWS of the factory's first death, which reportedly took place in the 1990s although it remains unclear. Safety and health violations have been flagged at the Caterpillar foundry in the last 30 years, according to WSWS. There was a strike at the factory held by employees between 1991-1992 and another 17-month strike in 1994-1995. The Caterpillar Mapleton facility was recently fined $5,750 in 2020 for a safety violation in relation to 'fall protection systems and falling objects.' The foundry was also fined several thousands of dollars on multiple occasions in 2019 and in 2017. A seven-year-old girl has died in hospital from 'serious head injuries' after she allegedly fell from a moving car in central Australia. Northern Territory police believe the girl fell from a moving car at about 4pm on Sunday 25km east of Harts Range - a remote community 215km northeast of Alice Springs. A seven-year-old girl has died after she allegedly fell from a moving car when travelling with her father and 'several other people' 25km east of Harts Range (pictured) in the Northern Territory Police allege the young girl was travelling with her father and 'several other people' when the incident occurred. 'During the journey it is alleged she fell from the moving vehicle suffering serious head injuries,' police said in a statement. The girl was taken to Harts Range clinic but was later airlifted more than 1,600km to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for Women and Children where she died from her injuries. Detectives from the State's Major Crash Investigation Unit travelled to the area to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Australia's skyrocketing energy prices are being fuelled by an extraordinary meltdown of coal-fired power stations across the east coast. For the first time, Daily Mail Australia can reveal the full extent of problems plaguing coal fired power stations from Callide in central Queensland to Loy Yang at the bottom of Victoria. Outages at seven coal power stations are causing chaos to energy grids across the country - and sending electricity bills through the roof. The revelation comes a little over a day after Labor resources minister Madeleine King called on industry chiefs to crank up their offline coal power stations to meet soaring demand as the east coast shivers through a cold snap. Perfect storm of pain: The east coast of Australia is riddled with power station problems At least a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is currently offline while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter amid soaring price rises In the year to March, wholesale electricity prices soared by 141 per cent, prompting one power company boss to urge his 70,000 customers to switch provider. Financial comparison group Finder is predicting electricity prices to climb by up to 100 per cent from July 1, effectively doubling the price. Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association acting chief executive Damian Dwyer told Daily Mail Australia natural gas was central to Australias cleaner energy future. 'We are doing everything we can to look after customers and fill the energy void left by the failure of coal-fired power generators in particular,' he said. 'Our members have already acted to ensure gas flows to where it is needed using the mechanisms put in place to help us do so. ' A major incident at Callide in Queensland combined with another serious incident in Victoria have been compounded by various outages in New South Wales. 'The problems we have seen with the energy system highlight how natural gas is central to Australias cleaner energy future, replacing coal as a lower emissions fuel and stabilising renewables when the wind doesnt blow and the sun doesn't shine,' Mr Dwyer said. 'There has been a 55 per cent increase in gas in the National Electricity Market as more than 800MW of coal and renewables have dropped out of the system.' Queensland's Callide coal power station is offline after an explosion at the plant Labor has begged industry bosses to fire up all their coal-fuelled power stations at full capacity to ease the national energy crisis in a dramatic policy u-turn In his first media conference as treasurer, Jim Chalmers warned of a 'perfect storm' for energy price hikes. 'This perfect storm of energy price spikes is doing enormous damage to our employers, to our households and to our national economy,' he said last week. On Tuesday, Labor demanded the nation's coal power stations be brought back into service as soon as possible. At least a quarter of Australia's coal-fired electricity production is currently offline while the east coast shivers through a freezing winter amid soaring price rises. The global fuel crisis has already forced some nations to abandon their climate change commitments to meet power demands as consumer prices soar. Germany has now started passing laws to prevent coal power stations destined for the scrapheap from being axed, ordering them to be kept on standby instead. Loy Yang brown coal power station in Victoria has suffered a major incident Italy, Bulgaria, Romania and the Czech Republic also plan to burn more coal as a temporary measure while they reduce reliance on Russian gas after its invasion of Ukraine, and the UK is drilling for more gas in the North Sea. AGL currently has three coal power stations in NSW and Victoria either offline or on reduced capacity due to scheduled and unscheduled maintenance issues. Origin's Eraring power station, the largest in NSW, has also been crippled by coal production cutbacks at its neighbouring conveyor belt-connected coalmine. It's had to buy coal on the open market as prices surge because of the global crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine, which forces electricity prices up further. The maintenance work at affected power stations is not expected to be completed until July at the earliest while Callide is out until December, but Labor is demanding the work is now fast-tracked. Just days after promising 'real action on climate change', Labor's resources minister Madeleine King, seen here with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, on Tuesday demanded the nation's coal power stations are all brought back into service as soon as possible Opposition climate change spokesman Ted O'Brien said the Albanese government needed to pull the 'gas trigger' which allows exports to be diverted to domestic supply. But Mr Bowen has argued it is a complex process, and action taken now would not have an effect before January. He blamed the Coalition for leaving 'Australia ill-prepared and our energy markets ill-prepared for the challenges we face today in relation to gas and energy supply.' He added: 'The previous government didn't do the work necessary to increase renewables or storage. 'If we had more storage and renewables and better transmission, we would be much better placed to deal with the current challenges. 'That is exactly what our powering Australia plan seeks to implement but it will take some time to implement. 'As I have said, you don't overturn nine years of dysfunction, denial and delay overnight. But action is necessary.' An elderly man has asked for help finding the brave commuters that rescued him after his wheelchair toppled off a train platform onto the tracks. Gary Stapleton, 62, and his wife Sue were left helpless in early April when a trip to see the ducks at Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, was almost ruined by Mr Stapleton's dangerous fall. Nine News reports the couple, who are both wheelchair bound because of a degenerative disease, were distracted by the death of their grandson earlier that week. Scroll down for the video. Gary Stapleton, 62, and his wife Sue want to find the bystanders that helped rescue Mr Stapleton after he fell onto a Melbourne train track (above) However as Mr Stapleton approached the Jacana station platform he lost control of his electric wheelchair and drove off the platform onto the train tracks below. 'I just screamed, 'help, help', I didn't know what else to do,' Mrs Stapleton said. Two men ran over, jumped down to where Mr Stapleton lay and began lifting him off the track, helped by a third man who pulled the pensioner onto the platform. Mr and Mrs Stapleton (above) are wheelchair bound by a degenerative disease and could only call for help after the dangerous fall Bystanders rushed over to the platform to help pull Mr Stapleton and his electric wheelchair off the train track (above) while train operators watching from CCTV stopped trains in the area Mindful that a train could approach any second, five more commuters jumped onto the track to help lift Mr Stapleton's wheelchair back onto the platform. Thankfully Mr Stapleton was uninjured by his fall and the couple were still able to go through with their trip. Mrs Stapleton said they were both incredibly grateful for the people that helped rescue Mr Stapleton. 'If it wasn't for them I mightn't be here,' Mr Stapleton said. Mr Stapleton (above) said he 'mightn't be here' if it hadn't been for the commuters' help and he hopes to find and thank them again However Mrs Stapleton said the incident was another reminder for commuters to take care around wheelchairs. 'Train stations are not built for wheelchairs. You have to be so careful when you go past the chairs because there is not really enough room on the platform,' she said. The couple's family hope to find the commuters that helped rescue Mr Stapleton and thank them again. Metro Trains Melbourne have also thanked the commuters for helping Mr Stapleton and said they temporarily stopped trains in the area after spotting the elderly man's fall on CCTV. Anthony Albanese's government is plotting a radical change to superannuation that would give every Australia a much biggest nest egg when they retire. Labor wants to raise employer's compulsory contributions from 10 per cent to 15 per cent, giving a worker on $90,000 a year an extra $174,016 when they retire. The Coalition government under Scott Morrison raised it to 12 per cent by 2025, but Labor campaigned on a commitment to boost it beyond that. 'We're focused on 12 but the longer-term objective is 12 to 15,' Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones told Daily Mail Australia last year. Mr Jones on Wednesday confirmed the government would raise the superannuation rate to 15 per cent. Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones is sworn in by Governor-General David Hurley. He confirmed Labor plans to raise super contributions to 15 per cent Labor wants to raise employer's compulsory contributions from 10 per cent to 15 per cent, giving a worker on $90,000 a year an extra $174,016 when they retire (stock image) However, he said when and how that milestone was achieved needed to be investigated over the next few years. 'We'll look at the pathways beyond 12 per cent towards the backend of this term, but there's no present plans for that,' Mr Jones told the Australian Financial Review. Mr Jones said he wanted to 'bed in what we've got in place and look at the circumstances as we approach the end of this term for where we might go for some of those more aspirational things'. Raising super to 15 per cent would boost monthly compulsory contributions from $437 to $625 for a worker earning $50,000, giving them more than $100,000 more in their account by retirement over 42 years. At the other end of the scale, monthly additions would rise from $1,312 to $1,875 for those on $150,000, increasing nest eggs from $1,170,333 to $1,496,613. 'It's clear that the super guarantee rise puts Australians firmly on track to achieve the dignified retirements they deserve,' Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia deputy chief executive and chief policy officer Glen McCrea said. Average superannuation balances for men aged 35 to 39 stood at $83,723 in June 2019, compared with $66,611 for women, figures from the Australian Taxation Office and the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia showed How much super you should have by age 25: $31,000 30: $68,000 35: $112,000 40: $164,000 45: $219,000 50: $285,000 55: $360,000 60: $449,000 65: $535,000 Source: Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia based on ages as of 2020 Advertisement Labor is also considering forcing employers to make the super contributions at the same time as they pay the employee. Many businesses pay the super quarterly to better manage their cashflow, but Mr Jones said this helped led to $4 to $6 billion worth of unpaid super a year. Industry Super Australia claimed forcing companies to pay it immediately would help them keep track of it, and prevent it being unpaid if the company collapsed. But not everyone is in favour of the change, with business groups and some economists warning the extra cost for bosses will limit wage growth and stifle the economy. The Grattan Institute argued workers would end up paying for most, if not all, the superannuation increase in lower wages. 'Our work shows that 80 per cent of the cost of super comes via lower wages within 2-3 years. And the long-term impact could be as high as 100 per cent,' Brendan Coates wrote. 'Forcing the entire workforce to save more for their retirement by increasing compulsory super is not the way to prevent senior Australians suffering poverty in their later years.' The business lobby also raised concerns about the ability of small and medium businesses to afford higher superannuation contributions. Australian wages, however, have been stuck below the long-term average of 3 per cent since mid-2013. The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia said retirees faced the worst cost of living pressure since 2010. A single retiree's annual expenses in the year to March rose by 4.7 per cent to $46,494 (pictured is a stock image) While higher, pre-Covid population growth has boosted economic activity, Mr Jones said there was a link between weak wages growth and elevated immigration levels of 200,000 a year, from 2012 until the pandemic began in 2020. 'It's pretty clear that whilst immigration has added to overall growth, it's suppressed wages particularly in some occupations,' he said. 'Instead of having to pay local workers more to attract or retain them, they've relied on a pool of workers coming in either temporarily or permanently from overseas to meet their labour needs.' From July 1 last year, Australians fortunate enough to get a pay rise were able to put up to $27,500 a year into their retirement savings, up from $25,000, and only pay 15 per cent tax. That is half the usual marginal tax rate of 32.5 per cent for most workers earning between $45,001 and $120,000 a year. Ousted San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin remained defiant after citizens voted overwhelmingly to recall the progressive politician Tuesday, blaming billionaire Republicans and even the city's police force for the loss. 'The right-wing billionaires outspent us three to one,' Boudin said in a speech to supporters following news of the recall results, which saw more than 60 percent of San Franciscans fed-up with the city's crime-ridden state vote to recall him. Boudin, 41, went on to assert that citizens had been 'exploited' by these groups, saying they 'took advantage an environment in which people are appropriately upset.' 'They created an electoral dynamic where we were literally shadowboxing,' Boudin, who narrowly won office in November 2019 as part of a wave of woke prosecutors who vowed to seek alternatives to incarceration, said. The recall campaign against Boudin, which was funded mainly by local business groups, accused the attorney of not doing enough to keep citizens safe, and introducing policies that allowed repeat offenders to commit crimes without fear of incarceration. The crime wave has seen a rise in a particular type of robbery dubbed 'smash-and-grabs', where thieves brazenly raid a store's shelves often in broad daylight, often avoiding charges thanks to Boudin's lax policies. It has forced stores across the city to close down to avoid being victimized in the premeditated - and often coordinated - strikes. Nonetheless, Boudin Tuesday said the successful campaign to dismiss him from office was a coordinated attack organized by Conservatives and the city's police unions, who have been locked in an open battle with the politician over his policies. Scroll down for video: Ousted San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin remained defiant after citizens voted overwhelmingly to recall the progressive politician Tuesday, blaming billionaire Republicans and even the city's police force for the loss during a speech to supporters 'This is a Republican- and police union-led playbook to undermine and attack progressive prosecutors who have been winning elections across the country,' he told The Guardian. 'The playbook involves delegitimizing and fear-mongering and recalling. It's a tactic being used by folks who are increasingly unable to prevail in elections when they put forward their views about public safety and justice.' Boudin did concede that voters were understandably frustrated by the pandemic but thrust the blame on city officials that he said has failed to deliver on safety, housing, and equity, as murders and assaults continue to rise from last year - one of the worst years crime-wise the city had seen in decades. He said Tuesday: 'We have two cities. We have two systems of justice. ' 'We have one for the wealthy and the well connected and a different one for everybody else.' 'And that's exactly what we are fighting to change.' He added: 'This was never about one vote count. It was never about one election night party. This is a movement, not a moment in history.' The politician's statements drew applause from those in attendance, as a visibly emotional Boudin attempted to rile them up. The speech also saw first-time political candidate - whose parents were members of the radical 80s activist group Weather Underground - admit that 'we've made mistakes' - but did not specify what those mistakes were. The turnout for the recall vote was less than expected, with just under a quarter of the city's electorate of 495,000 casting ballots. More than 70,730 of roughly 118,000 citizens voted against the DA, with some ballots remaining to be counted. Detractors - and Boudin himself - have asserted that the recall was a Republican effort designed to undermine his progressive-led reform, which has seen a marked increase in crime, vagrancy, and open drug use in the city over the past two years. The assertions that Republicans organized the effort to force him out are somewhat dubious, with the city being one of the country's most notorious liberal enclaves, that saw 94.9 percent of its citizens vote for Joe Biden in the last presidential election. Boudin, meanwhile, was also bankrolled by billionaires in his own successful electoral run, and wealthy investors from both political parties contributed millions to recall, or retain, the politician amid growing frustration with the city's rapidly deteriorating state. The recall campaign against Boudin, which was funded mainly by local business groups, accused the attorney of not doing enough to keep citizens safe, and introducing policies that allowed repeat offenders to commit crimes without fear of incarceration Boudin was elected on a platform of criminal justice reform, but his notoriously progressive laws have been widely blamed for rising crime and homelessness in the Bay Area since the start of the pandemic - where brazen looters ransacking stores and breaking into cars has become commonplace. So far this year, statistics show that the crime wave has worsened from last year - one of the worst crime years in decades - with the city's murder rate rising 11 percent, and rapes up by nearly 10 percent. Boudin's time in office has also seen a marked rise in vagrancy - a stand-out issue in the Bay Area, where homelessness and brazen open drug use has increased in earnest during the pandemic. But as infection rates plunge and restrictions continue to lessen, the city's crime and seedy underbelly has persisted - frustrating citizens to no end. San Francisco police report 20 murders so far this year, an 11 percent increase from the 18 reported in the same time last year. Larceny theft, meanwhile - which represents the majority of the recent 'smash and grabs' - has skyrocketed under Boudin, with 13,424 cases reported this year, a 20.4 percent rise from the 11,151 reported last year. Assaults have also been on the rise, with 11 percent with 1,035 cases reported so far this year, with rapes also up by a concerning 10 percent. As larceny continues to see the largest increase in crime, the Bay Area has contended with a series of smash-and-grab robberies in the past year, with brazen thieves raiding stores in the middle of day. Video from a Walgreens in San Francisco last month shows three shoplifters empty the store's shelves and pack everything they can into bags, before running out the pharmacy. Recall backers claimed Boudin's policies have made San Francisco less safe. They have aired ads highlighting shocking videos of smash-and-grab robberies and looting from stores in the city. Under Boudin's lax crime laws, the perpetrators regularly avoid prosecution As larceny continues to see the largest increase in crime, the Bay Area has contended with a series of smash-and-grab robberies in the past year, with brazen thieves raiding stores in the middle of day Because of policies implemented by Boudin, whose criminal justice reform policies often allow the offenders off scot-free, the clerks are left only able to watch Drug store chains like Walgreens and CVS have become attractive and easy targets for shoplifters, leading to numerous store closures in the Bay Area. In the area's largest city, San Francisco, low-level offenses, such as retail thefts, have been effectively de-criminalized under Boudin's leadership. In another recent instance, a shoplifter at a San Francisco Walgreens was filmed filling a bag with stolen goods behind the counter as store as staff stood helplessly and watched. The heist took place in March a Walgreens in the Richmond area of the city, and saw the brazen shoplifter hurl bananas and cookies at one man who confronted him. Under Boudin's laws, those who intervene in the attacks receive little to no protection by the law, and risk getting written up as well. In another recent instance, a shoplifter at a San Francisco Walgreens was filmed filling a bag with stolen goods behind the counter as store as staff stood helplessly and watched In April, another brazen thief was filmed walking down the aisles of CVS in San Francisco filling his pockets and a rollaway suitcase, making off with whatever he wanted before walking out of the store unopposed. Proponents of Tuesday's recall have expressed frustration over the rash of incidents In April, another brazen thief was filmed walking down the aisles of CVS in San Francisco filling his pockets and a rollaway suitcase, making off with whatever he wanted before walking out of the store unopposed. Another clip from January showed the moment a Walgreens security guard in San Francisco confronted one shoplifter - who had taken back armfuls of stolen items out of his bags - only to let the thief walk out the door with bags still bulging. Walgreens said last year that retail theft in San Francisco was five times the chain average and security costs were 46 times the chain average, the Chronicle reported. According to the latest available crime data, grand larceny rates in California's liberal bastion were up 26 per cent in mid-April, compared with the same period last year. California Gov Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has vowed to crack down on gangs of retail thieves, despite a controversial 2014 law - Proposition 47 - that barred prosecutors from charging suspected shoplifters accused of stealing less than $950 worth of merchandise with felonies. With that said, many of those backing the recall were Democrats - in a city where Republicans are obviously a distinct minority. The election also holds importance well beyond San Francisco, with national polls showing Americans increasingly worried about violent crime being spurred by policies implemented by city officials elected in recent years. Republicans will hope to seize upon that anxiety in their bid to assume control Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. Republican-backed ads are already running in states such as North Carolina and Wisconsin addressing fears of rising crime. Other large cities in the United States that have elected such progressive officials, including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, have also seen a rise in gun violence and homelessness during the pandemic that's since failed to dissipate. Boudin was elected in 2019 promising to institute criminal justice reforms designed to keep low-level offenders from jail and spare juveniles from facing long prison terms. He refused to seek the death penalty or try juveniles as adults, and his policies sought to push people accused of non-violent crimes into programs to address drug addiction and homelessness instead of giving them jail time. His critics blamed those policies for an uptick in murders, shootings and property crimes, as well as an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans. His defenders said the spike was a function of the pandemic and noted that crime is reverting to norms that existed beforehand. They contended the city's swelling homeless population has distorted some residents' perceptions of security. Boudin's office was only charging people with theft in less than half of all cases since taking office. In comparison, his predecessor George Gascon made such charges in 62 percent of all cases in 2018 and 2019, according to city data. Boudin has an even lower rate in petty crime. Boudin has also convicted far less people of both crimes than Gascon, and has charged people with crimes in less than half percent of all reported cases, while Gascon has a charging rate of 54 percent. The recall effort is San Francisco's second this year. In February, voters ousted three members of the city's school board. In Los Angeles, public safety was the leading issue in the city's mayoral contest on Tuesday. Rick Caruso, a former Republican, and Democrat Karen Bass, a top progressive in Congress, are expected to win the bulk of the votes in the primary. On Tuesday night Caruso, a billionaire Republican-turned-Democrat, was leading Bass, a top progressive in Congress, with 41 percent of the vote to 38 percent, with some 40 percent of votes counted. If neither receives a majority of the vote, they would face off in a run-off election in November. Residents who support the recall say that Boudin's policies have made the liberal California enclave - which has seen vagrancy and crime rates soar in recent months - an increasingly unsafe place to live Boudins time as DA was also marked by a highly publicized battle with San Francisco police department, which accused his office of withholding evidence in a case against an officer that reportedly could have exonerated the cop. The force, along with other recall proponents, has meanwhile said that Boudin is ideologically inflexible and inexperienced, implementing policies that empower criminals instead of victims. Boudin, meanwhile, had argued that police often fail to bring thorough cases to this office for prosecution, making arrests in just 5 percent of cases. But his time in office coincided with a frustrating and frightening pandemic in which viral footage of brazen shoplifting and attacks against Asian American people drove some residents to mount a recall campaign of the former public defender and son of left-wing activists. Recall proponents cheered the news at a victory party, with California state leaders of the hotel and retailers associations lauding Boudin's removal as a sign that visitors, shoppers and employees will be prioritized again in a city that relies heavily on tourism. 'This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice,' said Mary Jung, a chair of the recall campaign, in a statement. 'In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership.' Boudin, a former public defender elected in January 2020, was made the target of a multi-million-dollar recall campaign earlier this year by residents who say the city has become an increasingly unsafe place to live due to his soft-on-crime policies. The districts of Haight-Ashbury, Castro and the Mission backed Boudin, but the rest of the city was against him. London Breed, the Democrat mayor of San Francisco, will choose Boudin's replacement. Boudin embraces supporter Dayday Reynolds Priestly as he canvassed on 3rd Street in the Bayview neighborhood yesterday ahead of the vote Boudin is seen on Tuesday night at an election evening event, as the ballots were counted Boudin and his wife, Valerie Block, are seen at the election night event on Tuesday in San Francisco The end of Boudin's tenure did not come as a surprise, and was as polls predicted .@chesaboudin speaks to supporters at recall results watch party. pic.twitter.com/7gTjO6rdNF Joshua Sharpe (@JoshuaWSharpe) June 8, 2022 Leanna Louie stands with a sign and bullhorn on 19th Avenue urging motorists to recall the District Attorney A South Australian motorcyclist who went viral on Tik Tok has claimed a type of moral victory over the 'hypocrite' police officer who gave him a defect notice - even though it cost him $62. When Theo Glibo was approached at a northwest Adelaide service station to be given a defect notice for his Honda Grom bike he pointed out the police officer's car should also get a notice over a bald tyre, which the officer conceded but did not do. Mr Glibo, 24, filmed the exchanges for Tik Tok and posted three videos, with the first one labelled 'Sapol at it again' gathering 1.5 million views in short order. The first video shows Mr Glibo goading the officer to issue a defect notice for his own right front tyre, which is clearly worn. 'I'm copping a defect and this cop has a bald tyre and he's not even gonna defect his own car,' Mr Glibo says. 'I'm not going to put a sticker on it for something that's going to be dealt with tomorrow,' the officer says as the pair bicker. A motorcyclist who was given a defect notice called out the officer after spotting the tyre on his patrol car was bald The officer agreed the tyre was bald. 'Why not? That's what you're doing with mine, you're a hypocrite,' Mr Glibo says. The argument continues in the second video, which opens with a close-up of the offending tyre. Mr Glibo asks the officer to assess its condition as unroadworthy, which prompts a frank admission. 'You're absolutely right,' the officer says. 'So I will defect that when I get back to my office.' This doesn't go down well. 'If this was anybody's else's car you'd defect it,' Mr Glibo says. 'Where's the wear bar on that?' The officer again says he will do it back in the office but Mr Glibo insists he do it on the spot. In the third video posted by Mr Glibo, he and officer disagree over the defect notice, which was issued because the bike had a blue light under its headlight. Mr Glibo argues that the blue light is a factory setting. 'That's how I bought it sir, he says. The officer does not disagree but still issues the $62 notice. South Australia Police have issued a statement in response to Mr Glibo's videos, which appears to vindicate the assertion the police car was defect worthy. 'South Australia Police are aware of the social media post relating to an interaction between a SAPOL employee and a member of the public where the police vehicle was identified to have a bald tyre, it read. SAPOL have taken steps to address this matter. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but an Australian-first pilot program bringing together rescued greyhounds and aged care residents hopes to prove them wrong. The Hounds Helping Humans pilot is set to be introduced into HammondCare residential aged care homes in coming months. The pilot will build on previous animal engagement programs with seniors that have been found to greatly improve their quality of life by decreasing loneliness and depression, increasing physical activity and improving socialisation. The pilot will build on previous animal engagement programs with seniors (pictured) that have been found to greatly improve their quality of life by decreasing loneliness and depression, increasing physical activity and improving socialisation HammondCare Chief Executive Mike Baird said meaningful involvement with everyday life was crucial to everyone's wellbeing (pictured, previous animal engagement programs) It will also include residents living with dementia. HammondCare Chief Executive Mike Baird said meaningful involvement with everyday life was crucial to everyone's wellbeing. 'What a wonderful outcome if rescued greyhounds can be given a new purpose providing happiness for the those who are older in the community,' he said. Greyhound Rescue President Nat Panzarino said greyhounds were good candidates to assist with wellbeing in aged care services because they are generally calm in nature and tall enough for people in wheelchairs or confined to beds to interact with them. Greyhound Rescue President Nat Panzarino said greyhounds were good candidates to assist with wellbeing in aged care services (pictured, previous animal engagement programs) 'At Greyhound Rescue we know all too well the magic that these incredible hounds can bring to people's lives,' Ms Panzarino said. 'What better way to share this magic with more people than bringing greyhounds to where they are really needed to brighten the lives of people craving connection and companionship.' A 2013 Australian study found aged care residents with dementia and low mood demonstrated significantly improved depression scores after receiving dog-assisted support relative to human-only intervention. A desperate Ukrainian family has seen its bid for a better life in Australia rejected, despite being sponsored by two Queensland doctors. Tatiana 'Tanya' Kovalova, 37, is trying to flee Ukraine with her two children, leaving behind husband Oleh at the Ukranian port city of Odessa. Gold Coast doctor Ines Baptista set up a GoFundMe page in April, securing more than $3,000 to pay for flights to Australia for Tanya, and Veronica, 11 and Vlad, 15. Ms Baptista said they were 'a lovely family just trying to escape the war in Ukraine' and pleaded for kindhearted Australians to help. Tatiana 'Tanya' Kovalova, 37, is trying to flee Ukraine with her two children, leaving behind husband Oleh at the Ukranian port city of Odessa Ms Kovalova, 37 (left) with her husband Oleh (middle) and two children, Vlad, 15 (right) and Veronica, 11 (bottom) She and her partner, Timur Navruzov said that on arrival the Ukrainian refugees would stay with them 'until they can find their feet'. However, their hopes of finding refuge in Australia were dashed last week when the Department of Home Affairs declined their visa requests. The family's visa applications were rejected on the grounds they did not meet the requirements as they did not make it clear they would only visit Australia temporarily. This is not the families first time attempting to flee war, as they were originally living in Donetsk but in 2014 they packed up and left as Russian separatists waged war in the Donbas region in the eastern Ukraine. This led the family to move to Odessa where they shared a one-bedroom apartment and inflatable mattress, before Tanya found work in human resources at a local factory. The factory was forced to shut down in February when the war began, leaving and both her and her husband jobless. Tanya and her two children are attempting to escape Odessa, which is coming under increasing threat as the neighboring city of Mykolaiv (pictured) is bombed Tanya felt the best option was to leave the country with her two children while her husband stayed to fight as required by Ukrainian law. Ms Baptista said when the war started, Ukrainians could apply for a visitor visa and once they arrived on Australian shores could apply for a special refugee visa, but the process has since changed. 'Now you can only apply for the special refugee visa, [but] you can only apply for the special refugee visa if you are in Australia,' Tanya told the Brisbane Times,. 'What has happened in the last three to four weeks is that they've decided that Ukrainians, because they're intending to stay longer, they no longer comply with the visitor visa rules, which state that you need to go back, you're just visiting, you're not staying in Australia.' Elon Musk slammed YouTube on Tuesday, accusing the site of being riddled with fraudulent adverts. Tesla CEO Elon Musk issued a series of tweets about the firm, including a parody attacking YouTube and arguing that it filters things like profanity yet ignores fraud advertisements. According to Omnicore, users on YouTube, which has 122 million daily views, may discover examples of similar frauds across the internet, frequently including the picture of a celebrity or influencer promising free money or items through giveaways, according to Business Insider. Elon Musk Disses YouTube For "Nonstop Fake Ads" The links, more often than not, lead to phishing schemes carried out by bots aiming to defraud victims of their money and personal information. Google stated in a statement about its fraud standards, 'YouTube does not tolerate spam, scams, or other misleading acts that take advantage of the YouTube community.' Musk's complaint about YouTube comes as he battles Twitter over the suspension of his $44 billion takeovers of Twitter. He accused Facebook of violating his right to know what proportion of their user base was made up of bots or false accounts. Bots are automated accounts that send tweets, follow users, and like and retweet others' postings but are unrelated to any one real-life person. Twitter has revealed its bot estimates to the United States. For years, the Securities and Exchange Commission has warned that its assessment may be too low. Twitter has vowed to force Elon Musk to complete the transaction after he threatened to walk away from it, which contained a stipulation requiring him to pay the social media network a $1 billion breakup fee if it fell through. Musk's newest jab at Twitter was directed at its chief legal officer, Vijaya Gadde, and threatened to derail the mega-deal. The Tesla CEO stated that he "reserves all rights" to cancel the buyout if the platform fails to give additional information regarding phony accounts on its website. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also said on Monday that he was investigating Twitter for allegedly deceiving Texans about the number of 'bot' users. Paxton stated that he owes an obligation to Texans to safeguard them from the firm if it is truly misrepresenting bot data to increase revenue. Musk will move to Texas in December 2020. Earlier in the spam account dispute, the social media network claimed it had given the essential information, but Elon Musk disregarded it as just the process for spotting bots. The lawsuit on Monday is not the first time Musk has threatened to cancel the blockbuster offer, which was temporarily paused last month as Musk investigated bogus accounts. He stated that spam bots might account for at least half of Twitter's users, which is more than ten times the official number. He also tweeted last month that he 'cannot move forward with the acquisition unless the needed data is supplied, Daily Mail reported. Read Also: ASML Accuses a Chinese Technology Firm of Stealing Trade Secrets | Engineer Behind IP Theft MrBeast Also Slams YouTube's Fake Ads MrBeast, a YouTube celebrity, is also lashing out against fake ads featuring his picture on YouTube, alleging that he has contracted the site to resolve the issue with no success. Jimmy 'MrBeast' Donaldson is one of the most popular YouTubers right now. The influencer, who has over 96 million followers on his primary channel alone, has become best known for big-budget projects like his viral 'Squid Games' replica and his real-life reproduction of Willy Wonka's fanciful chocolate factory. Given his prominence as a top-tier social media celebrity, it's not surprising that he's attracted a few imitators during his career, but some of these imitators are less than complimentary. A brief swipe through the YouTube app may periodically reveal advertising purportedly from MrBeast, giving a random sum of money to possible lucky winners. It appears to be too wonderful to be true - and it is. In an angry tweet on June 7, Donaldson pointed out these bogus advertising in response to a joke from Tesla CEO Elon Musk condemning YouTube's supposed inactivity on "scam ads." MrBeast has already called out literal garbage accounts for stealing his likeness as their profile photo to post cruel and abusive comments about other YouTubers, as per Dexerto. Related Article: Elon Musk Mocks DOJ, Media With Controversial Jeffrey Epstein Tweet @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Fed-up holidaymakers have reported 'horrendous' queues and 'absolute chaos' at airports this morning, as staffing issues and cancelled flights continue to cause travel misery for thousands of sun-starved Brits hoping for a post-pandemic break. 'Massive' queues, hours-long waits at security and cancellations were reported at the likes of Manchester and Gatwick, with travellers branding the situation 'shameful.' It comes as ministers were last night urged to bring in tougher penalties for airlines which overbook routes, while the boss of Heathrow warned of 18 months of air disruption. And the bedlam is only set to get worse if hundreds of members of the GMB and Unite unions - including check-in and ground operation staff for British Airways - go on strike this summer. A ballot on industrial action is penned for June 23 - the same week the militant Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) is set to organise three days of national rail strikes which threaten to bring the country to a standstill, raising fears of a 'summer of discontent.' A strike in Italy today has only added to the carnage, with dozens of flights cancelled as Italian pilots and cabin crew warned it would be the 'first in a series' of walkouts if a dispute over pay and time off is not resolved. Meanwhile, an aviation source told the Times that airlines were 'resigning themselves' to the chaos, saying they were 'baking in cancellations and giving notice where possible', adding: 'It's not going to wash in the long term.' And pilots' union BALPA warned today that some airlines are 'sailing close to the wind' when it comes to having enough pilots to cope with the demand this summer, as general secretary Martin Chalk blasted some for asking pilots to take pay cuts 'despite the fact they are working just as hard as they were prior to the pandemic.' One passenger shared a picture from Manchester Airport's Terminal 1 this morning, showing a huge check-in queue at 3am, before claiming it took more than two hours to get through security. A video also showed a baggage belt in complete 'disarray', with luggage overflowing and cases seen strewn across the floor. Queues seen at Manchester Airport departures on Wednesday morning, where travellers branded the situation 'absolute chaos' Long snaking queues at Manchester Airport on Wednesday morning as sun-starved Brits look to get away for a post-pandemic break Fed-up holidaymakers report 'horrendous' queues and 'absolute chaos' at airports this morning and overnight, branding the situation 'shameful' and 'horrendous' Strike by aviation workers in Italy causes fresh misery for British holidaymakers A strike by Italian aviation workers is causing more misery for UK travellers. Dozens of flights between the UK and Italy were cancelled on Wednesday, with easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways among the airlines affected. EasyJet axed 20 Gatwick flights, including departures to Bologna, Milan, Naples, Rome and Venice. The airline told passengers: 'Although this is outside of our control, we would like to reassure customers that we are doing all possible to minimise any disruption that may occur as a result of the strike action.' Some 14 flights between London airports and Milan were cancelled by British Airways, while Ryanair scrapped a handful of flights between Italy and Stansted. Pilots and flight attendants who are members of two Italian unions are conducting a strike from 10am until 2pm over various issues including pay, sick pay, time off and refreshments. One of the unions, the Italian Union of Transport Workers (UILT), has warned that if an agreement is not reached, 'this will be only the first of a series of protest actions'. EasyJet and British Airways continued to cancel flights to and from other locations other than Italy due to staff shortages. Advertisement Passengers also reported 'massive queues' at Terminal 2, describing the scenes as 'dreadful' due to 'poor ventilation', while another claimed that at one point just one man was working at passport control, with more than 600 waiting to have their documents checked. At London Gatwick, passengers claimed they were left to 'fend for themselves' after waiting almost two hours for a Wizzair flight that was cancelled. 'Shocking doesn't cover it,' one fumed on Twitter. Another branded the travel hub 'shameful' for having just two border staff working 'the main UK queue' at around midnight last night. Martin Chalk, general secretary of pilots' trade union BALPA, told BBC Radio 4 Today's programme on Wednesday that he believes the late cancellations 'will be resolved relatively quickly', as the companies 'are on top of that.' However he admitted that the current situation 'is a challenge' that is 'extremely difficult' for passengers and 'very frustrating for the staff that wish to give a professional service'. He added that the training system for pilots is currently 'under pressure' as many are returning from being made redundant during the pandemic. He explained: 'Pilots take three or four months to get from not having flown for a while to being productive and as you can imagine it's a complex job, we need for them to be ready and experienced when they do go back onto the line so it does take a while to get through and the training systems at the moment are under pressure.' When asked if airlines have enough pilots for the summer, he replied: 'Some of them do, some are sailing closer to the wind some of them are still asking their pilots to take pay cuts despite the fact they are working just as hard as they were prior to the pandemic.' He also warned that every plane takes 'upwards of 40 people' to 'get it airborne', from ground staff to cabin crew and baggage handlers. He added: 'A lot of that specialist knowledge has been largely lost during the pandemic and will be reacquired again, and it will take time.' It came as ministers were facing growing calls last night to bring in tougher penalties for airlines which overbook flights, as the boss of Heathrow warned of 18 months of air disruption. MPs called for regulator the Civil Aviation Authority to be handed greater powers to crack down on 'cowboy' carriers. The CAA has so far taken no action against airlines despite weeks of cancellations and thousands of passengers being left stranded abroad in recent days. And John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, claimed it 'will take 12 to 18 months for the aviation sector to fully recover capacity'. He told the Financial Times: 'What we saw in some airports over the past few weeks is that supply and demand were out of balance... we need to make sure we are planning much better.' Pictured: Travellers wait in a long queue to pass through the security check at Heathrow on June 1 John Holland-Kaye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, (pictured) claimed it 'will take 12 to 18 months for the aviation sector to fully recover capacity' MPs called for regulator the Civil Aviation Authority to be handed greater powers to crack down on 'cowboy' carriers. Pictured: Heathrow Airport Transport Secretary Grant Shapps suggested last night that beefing up the CAA's powers was an option. He said: 'It's galling to see passengers stranded abroad due to operators selling flights they cannot deliver. 'I've met with the sector to express my concerns... and have made clear this cannot be tolerated. 'We have also run a consultation on consumer rights issues, including additional powers for the CAA, and will publish a response on this in due course.' BA travellers face more chaos as the GMB union is balloting members on a strike over pay. Heathrow check-in staff and ground handlers took ten per cent pay cuts in the pandemic and are demanding they be reversed. The ballot closes on June 23, and they could walk out from July. Nadine Houghton, a GMB officer, told the Times: 'Staff at Heathrow have been verbally and physically abused by angry passengers after British Airways staff shortages and IT failures nearly brought the airport to a standstill. 'On top of that, they had their pay slashed during BA's callous fire and rehire policy. Now they want that money back. Bosses have had it back. Heathrow ground and check in staff want to know why they haven't had it too.' EasyJet cancelled another 80 flights yesterday. BA axed a further 118, but it stressed these were removed from its schedules weeks ago with people re-booked on to other planes. Tui is axing six flights a day from Manchester until the end of the month. EasyJet cancelled another 80 flights yesterday. BA axed a further 118, but it stressed these were removed from its schedules weeks ago with people re-booked on to other planes. pictured: Bristol Airport MPs said ministers should look at giving the CAA the ability to impose multi-million-pound fines. Tory Karl McCartney said 'firmer action' is needed, adding: 'Given the high pay of executives and profit levels, on-the-spot large fines could work.' Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesman, added: 'We need urgent action to address this cowboy behaviour from airlines.' Tim Alderslade, CEO of trade body Airlines UK, said the 'vast majority' of flights are 'operating normally', adding: 'We continue to work around the clock to resolve the issues.' At present, the CAA can't impose fines for breaches of consumer rights, and beefing up its powers would likely require primary legislation being brought before Parliament. The industry has called for aviation workers to be added to the shortage occupation list to alleviate the staff shortage, making it easier to recruit 'cheap' foreign labour from Europe. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, described the situation for those who have had flights cancelled as 'hideous and disappointing.' She said: 'About 30 per cent of all calls our members are receiving now are from customers that are reading the headlines, have bookings for July and August in the school holidays, and they are worried.' It comes as bookings are outnumbering pre-pandemic levels, with the number of Brits jetting off for half-term breaks last week being 21 per cent higher than in 2019. According to Bue-Said, summer holiday bookings are currently at 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels. She added: 'The significant surge has created a bottleneck in the system. The industry is now working really hard to make sure that over the next few weeks we are building resilience and scaling up as much as we can from a workforce point of view to meet customer demand and, frankly, give them a much better experience in some cases than they're experiencing.' A drug-fuelled teenager who killed a couple and their unborn son when he ploughed into them in a stolen car will be released from custody six years after the tragedy. Kate Leadbetter, 31, and her partner Matthew Field, 37, were about to become parents for the first time, to a son they named Miles, when they were run over in Alexandra Hills in eastern Brisbane on Australia Day. The driver, who cannot be named because he was 17 at the time, ran a red light at Alexandra Hills while driving Landcruiser, colliding with a truck before rolling and hitting the couple. Kate Leadbetter, 31, (right) and Matt Field, 37, (left) were walking their dogs in Alexandra Hills, southeast of Brisbane, when a four-wheel-drive ploughed into them The teen was found to have had a blood alcohol content between 0.151 and 0.192 per cent at the time of the crash. He had been drinking and using cannabis from about 10am that day. Mr Field, 37, Ms Leadbetter, 31, and their unborn baby - who was to be named Miles - died at the scene. The teen fled, stealing keys from a nearby house before being caught by a resident and arrested. Justice Martin Burns said the tragedy was as an 'almost inevitable consequence' of the teen's actions in the lead up to the crash. The teenager - who was first charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter and a raft of other charges - stood stony-faced as he was sentenced. Ms Leadbetter and Mr Field were six months pregnant with their first child at the time of the crash Justice Burns said taking into account the teen's protracted period of extremely dangerous driving that culminated in a grossly negligent final act, he regarded the manslaughter offences as 'particularly heinous'. But the teenager had to be sentenced as a child, with the 'grave nature of offending' balanced by his youth. The sentence was also based on the teenager not intending to kill or do grievous bodily harm. 'No sentence will be adequate ... (and) can't do justice to the suffering you have caused,' Justice Burns told the teenager. The then 17-year-old had stolen the Landcruiser 20 minutes before the fatal collision, driving 'dangerously for a sustained period at extreme speeds' with no regard for anyone's safety, Justice Burns said. The teen, who had a learner's permit, drove sometimes at twice the speed limit, on the wrong side of the road, doing a burnout on soccer fields, hitting one vehicle and nearly crashing on numerous occasions. The Toyota Land Cruiser that the teenager was driving at the time of the crash Justice Burns said he was travelling at 102 km/h five seconds before the crash, with his brake lights seen to illuminate just before the collision. The teenager's upbringing was 'marked by significant deprivation and neglect', Justice Burns said. The child safety department intervened when he was aged nine because he was self-harming, left unsupervised, unfed, and exposed to domestic violence and abuse. At times he used cannabis and meth every day, was frequently absent from school, sometimes living in parks. The couple's devastated families fought back tears as they addressed the court on Tuesday. 'Australia Day will now have a whole new meaning for us. It will be a remembrance day,' Matthew's father Russell Field said before taking aim at the teenager. 'How could you create such destruction in people's lives and then do a runner at the first opportunity you had? 'This was a low act, the lowest of lows, a dog act.' Ann Field said her son and Ms Leadbetter were extremely happy and that she now felt paralysed. 'They had a beautiful life together and they were bringing a beautiful life into this world,' Mrs Field said. Ms Leadbetter's mother Jeannie Thorne described her only child as 'the light of our lives, the hope for our future' and broke down while describing the 'unbearable ... gaping hole in our everyday existence'. 'I should be in my other life, the one that's been ripped away, the life of a mother and a grandmother, I should be holding her baby boy,' Ms Thorne said, reports the ABC. 'We will never see our girl again, never have grandchildren. Our family is destroyed.' John Leadbetter said he would never properly move on and would swap places with his daughter in a heartbeat. The family of Tamil asylum seekers yelled out 'Hello Brisbane, hello Queensland' as they arrived in the Sunshine State on the way home to their adopted hometown of Biloela. Speaking from Perth Airport on Wednesday, mother Priya Nadesalingam thanked the community in WA, where the family has spent the past 12 months, before beginning the journey east. 'Me and my family are very happy to start our journey back to my community in Bilo,' she said. Ms Nadesalingam also thanked staff at Perth Children's Hospital who treated her daughter Tharnicaa for a blood infection after she was medically evacuated from Christmas Island last year. The family of Tamil asylum seekers (pictured) yelled out 'Hello Brisbane, hello Queensland' as they arrived in the Sunshine State on the way home to their adopted hometown of Biloela The timing of the journey means Tharnicaa will celebrate her fifth birthday in Biloela on Sunday. She was just nine months old when the family first entered detention. Priya, her husband Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, 6, and Tharnicaa, 4, are expected to arrive in the central Queensland town on Friday afternoon. After touching down in Brisbane, the family was whisked past waiting media after the long flight. 'Hello, Brisbane! Hello, Queensland!,' Nades yelled out at the press pack as the family left the airport. Biloela will celebrate its Flourish multicultural festival on Saturday, which is likely to double as a welcome home. The family has been through protracted legal proceedings in a bid to stay in Australia and were moved from Melbourne to Christmas Island before arriving in Perth. A change in government has paved the way for their return to Biloela. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was proud the family was returning home. 'We grabbed this family in the middle of the night, took them down to Melbourne, then took them to Christmas Island, then they've ended up in Perth,' he said on Wednesday. 'These little girls, who were born in Australia, have got not just mental health issues but physical health issues as well.' The family was taken from Biloela in March 2018 and put in immigration detention, kicking off a campaign by locals for their return which lasted more than 1500 days. Priya, her husband Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, 6, and Tharnicaa, 4, are expected to arrive in the central Queensland town on Friday afternoon A change in government has paved the way for their return to Biloela. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) said he was proud the family was returning home Nearly 600,000 people signed Home to Bilo campaigner Angela Frederick's Change.org petition in support of the family, and more than 53,000 phone calls and emails were made and sent to Australian politicians from the family's supporters across the country. In 2019, courts blocked a coalition attempt to send the family back to Sri Lanka. They were held at the Christmas Island detention centre for two years until then-immigration minister Alex Hawke moved them to community detention in Perth in mid-2021. Following the change of government, interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers exercised his power under Section 195A of the Migration Act to allow the family's passage home. '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,' he said in May. A farmer has been rushed to hospital after he fell and was crushed underneath a front end loader on a remote Australian property. Paramedics were called to the farm in Euabalong in the central west of NSW about 10.45am on Wednesday after reports the man had fallen under construction equipment. Three road crews and the Toll rescue helicopter carrying a specialist critical care doctor and critical care paramedic on board were dispatched to the scene. When the crews arrived they found the man, understood to be in his 40s, trapped against the front end loader. The farmer was found pinned under a front end loader and was airlifted to hospital (file image) The patient was treated at the scene for serious abdominal injuries before being airlifted to The Canberra Hospital in a critical condition. NSW Ambulance inspector Peter Rowlands said that crush injuries were particularly delicate to manage. 'Paramedics worked with the critical care doctor and critical care paramedic to stabilise the dangerous condition and also manage the patient's pain.' 'Thanks to the work of first responders, we were able to get this patient to hospital care as soon as possible.' The wife of a missing British investigative journalist has pleaded for authorities to rescue him and his Brazilian guide after the pair went missing in the Amazon rainforest three days ago. Investigative reporter Dom Phillips, 57, and respected indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, 41, disappeared early on Sunday morning while travelling by boat in Brazil's Javari Valley, near the border with Peru, where Phillips was researching a book. 'I want to make an appeal to the government to intensify the search,' Phillips's Brazilian wife, Alessandra Sampaio, said in a tearful video message. 'We still have some small hope of finding them. Even if I don't find the love of my life alive, please find them,' Mrs Sampaio said, choking back sobs. Speculation has mounted over whether the men could have fallen victims to an accident or foul play. Local activists revealed that the pair received threats last week for their investigative work in the region, which has seen a surge of illegal logging, gold mining, poaching and drug trafficking. Investigative journalist Dom Phillips, 57, vanished in Brazil's Javari Valley on Sunday morning with travelling with guide Bruno Pereira Phillips, who is based in the city of Salvador, had previously accompanied Pereira in 2018 to the Javari Valley for a story in the Guardian newspaper, where he was a regular contributor Bruno Pereira, 41, an expert currently on leave from Brazil's Indigenous affairs agency FUNAI, has spent much of his career fighting illegal activity in the rainforest - making him a target of frequent threats As of last night, authorities had no reports on their whereabouts but Amazonas state civil police said they were questioning one 'suspect' and four other people had testified as 'witnesses,' although no arrests were made. The Brazilian government expressed its 'grave concern' and said police were taking 'all possible measures to find [the men] as quickly as possible.' Pereira, an expert currently on leave from Brazil's Indigenous affairs agency FUNAI, has spent much of his career fighting such invasions - making him a target of frequent threats. 'Time is a key factor in rescue operations, particularly if they are injured,' Pereira's family said in a statement. It said his partner, three children and other relatives were in 'anguish.' 'I want to make an appeal to the government to intensify the search,' Phillips's Brazilian wife, Alessandra Sampaio, said in a tearful video message Brazil's Ministry of Defense stated that since Monday, the army had deployed 150 soldiers who are 'specialists in jungle environment operations' A search team looks for British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira The Javari region is an area notorious for illegal mining and drug trafficking, and the pair had reportedly faced threats before their disappearance The Ministry of Defense stated that since Monday, the army had deployed 150 soldiers who are 'specialists in jungle environment operations, who know the terrain where the searches are being carried out.' Despite this, three Indigenous groups in the region issued a joint statement that just six state police officers were actively working on the operation, and urged the government to deploy helicopters and a task force. 'The Brazilian government was very slow to act, in a situation where acting quickly is absolutely essential,' said a spokesman from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Brazil. Brazil's federal police later said they had deployed a second helicopter to aid the effort. President Jair Bolsonaro drew criticism for appearing to blame the missing men, both of whom have extensive experience in the Amazon rainforest basin. 'Two people in a boat in a region like that, completely wild - it's an unadvisable adventure. Anything can happen,' Bolsonaro said. 'Maybe there was an accident, maybe they were executed.' Dom Phillips takes notes in Aldeia Waikay, a hamlet of the Yekuana tribe in Roraima State, Brazil, in November 2019 Phillips' sister Sian described her brother as a 'talented journalist' who 'cares deeply about the Amazon and the people there' The far-right president has faced accusations of fueling invasions of Indigenous lands in the Amazon with his pro-mining and pro-agribusiness policies. A group of about 40 reporters and friends of Phillips appealed to Brazilian authorities in a letter published in O Globo newspaper to expand the search effort. In addition, 11 press organizations requested an emergency meeting with the justice minister and other high-level officials to get a progress report on the hunt. Phillips, who is based in the city of Salvador, had previously accompanied Pereira in 2018 to the Javari Valley for a story in the Guardian newspaper, where he was a regular contributor. Mr Phillips' sister Sian described her brother as a 'talented journalist' who 'cares deeply about the Amazon and the people there'. She added: 'We have really worried about him and urged the authorities in Brazil to do all they can to search the roots he was following.' The 85,000-square-kilometer (33,000-square-mile) Javari Valley reservation is home to around 6,300 Indigenous people from 26 groups, including 19 with virtually no contact with the outside world. The region has seen a surge of illegal mining, logging and poaching in recent years, and its remoteness makes it a haven for drug traffickers, said Fiona Watson, research director at Indigenous rights group Survival International. 'You're talking about dense tropical forest,' she said. 'The operation to try and locate Bruno and Dom is immensely challenging.' A female teacher kissed a 17-year-old 'three or four times' in a nightclub and held her hand by groin as they danced in a 'sexualised' way, a tribunal hears. Ashley McConnell, then 30, admitted holding hands with the 17-year-old student, known as Pupil A, at Skinandi's nightclub in Thurso, Caithness in Scotland, in March 2018. However, the physics teacher said she did not kiss or dance with the student in a sexualised manner, despite the teenager saying most of the kisses were 'more than a peck'. Other students who were also at the nightclub that evening described the student's dancing with the teacher as 'dirty' and 'sexualised'. Physics teacher Ashley McConnell is alleged to have danced inappropriately with the male pupil at Skinandi's nightclub (pictured) in Thurso, Highland, in March 2018 Dr Fiona Grant, a former head teacher of the school, launched an investigation over the allegations. She found that concerned students approached school bosses with a video of the alleged incident. Describing a still image taken from the video, Dr Grant said that 'Miss McConnell's hand is flat towards pupil A's groin.' Recounting her interview with Pupil A, Dr Grant added that the teen 'indicated that he was the one to stop events between himself and Miss McConnell.' After telling Miss McConnell 'to stop' Pupil A also alleged that the teacher attempted to make eye contact with him, with the student having to turn around to avoid this. Miss McConnell now faces being struck off the The General Teaching Council for Scotland register following the beginning of their hearing. Speaking today Grant told the panel: 'My findings were that there was evidence of flirtatious dancing with Pupil A taking place in the nightclub. 'There was a video shared to me of Pupil B and in the background Pupil A and Miss McConnell were dancing. 'Overall I gathered evidence to support allegations of gross misconduct. 'My professional opinion is that it fall short of the standards expected to find in a teacher registered with the GTCS. 'I could tell by body language that Pupil A was embarrassed and uncomfortable about what had happened. 'He indicated that he was the one to stop events between himself and Miss McConnell. 'He said 'it had gone too far'. He was clearly embarrassed about what he was having to talk about. The physics teacher is also said to have held the pupil's hand and touched his bottom and groin area. Pictured: File image of Thurso High School 'He had danced on three or four occasions with the teacher for around 10 minutes. 'He described the dancing as flirtatious dancing, close at some parts with physical contact between each other's bodies. 'He viewed it as inappropriate, he personally felt it had gone too far and distanced himself from the situation. 'He indicated Miss McConnell kissed him three or four times. 'He then indicated that her attention towards him had gone too far and got annoyed. He told her to stop and blanked her for the rest of the night. Pupil A told Dr Grant: 'She did try to make eye contact with me but I turned away. 'I clearly remember events, it's just something you don't forget. A pupil kissing a teacher. 'Most of them were more than a peck.' Describing a still from a video taken inside the nightclub she said: 'You can see Pupil A and part of Miss McConnell's body. Miss McConnell's hand is close to his groin. 'Miss McConnell's hand is flat towards pupil A's groin. I'm embarrassed looking at the picture describing it. 'Pupil B described the dancing as 'dirty' or 'sexualised'. 'She (Miss McConnell) was clear that it may have happened and that it may not have happened.' The hearing continues. Incest monster Josef Fritzl is set to stay in a high-security prison after court judges reversed plans to move him to a softer jail as he is 'still considered a danger'. The 87-year-old was jailed for life in 2009 after keeping his daughter Elisabeth in a self-built dungeon-like basement chamber in their home in Amstetten, Austria. She was kept down there until 2008 where she was raped thousands of times. This led to Fritzl fathering seven children with his daughter. Now, court judges have reversed plans to move him to a softer jail after spending 23 years in a high-security prison for mentally ill criminals. Austria's Higher Regional Court in Vienna blocked the decision made in April, with the Krems Regional Court confirming that he will remain in Stein Prison. They said: 'The Higher Regional Court (OLG) Vienna has recognised the need for further accommodation in an institution for mentally abnormal lawbreakers.' A court ruled that the notorious Austrian (pictured in a mugshot in 2008), who fathered seven of his daughter's children, should be moved, but now a court has reversed the decision, leaving him to remain in the high-security psychiatric jail Stein Prison Josef Fritzl, an evil 87-year-old (pictured previously in the yard of a prison) who imprisoned and raped his daughter for 24 years is set to stay in a high-security prison after court judges reversed plans to move him in a softer jail Josef Fritzl was jailed for life in 2009 after keeping his daughter Elisabeth Fritzl, pictured, who disappeared aged 18 in 1984 when he lured her down to the self-built dungeon-like basement chamber in their home in Amstetten, Austria The correctional court responsible for Stein Prison - Austria's most secure psychiatric jail - had decided on 1st April to release Fritzl and move him. He was due to be released into a normal prison, where he could even have been eligible for early release. If the Vienna court had upheld the decision for him to be moved to a normal prison, Fritzl could have been eligible to apply to be freed on parole next year in 2023. But the move was blocked when the Krems public prosecutor's office lodged a complaint, backed by senior judges in Vienna. She was kept in the basement of their Austrian home (pictured) until 2008 where she was raped thousands of times. This led to Josef fathering seven children with his daughter And now, court judges have reversed plans to move him to a softer jail after spending 23 years in a high-security prison for mentally ill criminals. Pictured is the prison where Josef Fritzl is currently jailed They stated that the decision to keep Fritzl at the high-security psychiatric prison was justified because he still suffers from a non-treatable serious mental illness. It was reported in 2019 that Fritzl, then 84, was exhibiting signs of dementia and that his mental health was deteriorating. He was said to be extremely unpopular with other inmates at the Krems-Stein prison and spent much of his time in solitary confinement. Meanwhile, Elisabeth has not had any contact with her father since he was jailed and lives under a new alias in an unknown part of Austria with the children conceived during the decades her own father brutally raped her. She disappeared aged 18 in 1984 when her father lured her down to the basement. A photo taken by a forensic team and released by the Austrian police with permission of Austria's prosecution office on April 28, 2008 shows a view into a hidden room in a house in Amstetten, Austria Fritzl's horrific crimes were only discovered when one of the children, Kerstin, slipped into a coma and he took her to hospital where doctors noted her malnourished condition and rotting teeth. Another of the children died at the hands of Fritzl, a matter of days after being born. He disposed of the body in an incinerator. Another three were brought up Fritzl and his wife, Rosemarie. When Elisabeth, now 55, was given permission to finally leave the dungeon to visit Kerstin in hospital, she was arrested and subsequently told the police about the horrific crimes her father had committed. Fritzl said during his trial that he 'actually meant well' before being jailed. Democrat governor Gavin Newsom has secured a decisive victory in the California primary, less than a year after voters tried to recall him from office. The incumbent secured 59 per cent of the votes in the huge victory, with his nearest challenger, Republican Brian Dahle on 15 per cent in the field of 26 candidates. Newsom and Dahle will now face off in a November election according to California's primary system in which the top two candidates advance to the next stage. Dahle, best known for his quest to get a giant new reservoir built in Northern California, is a state senator from the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state. While Newsom has $23million in the bank for the November vote, Dahle has just $400,000 in campaign funds to introduce himself to voters in some of the most expensive media markets in the country. His first task will be to raise the money necessary to compete with Newsom statewide. Democrat governor Gavin Newsom has secured a decisive victory in the California primary, less than a year after voters tried to recall him from office The incumbent secured 59 per cent of the votes in the huge victory, with his nearest challenger Brian Dahle (pictured with his wife Megan last night) on 15 per cent in the field of 26 candidates Just a year ago, it looked as if Newsom could be on his way out as more than 1.7million voters signed a petition to recall him from office, but now experts believe he could use his victory as a bid for the presidency. Dozens lined up to challenge him in the 2021 recall election, eager to take down the Democratic governor of the nation's most populous state ahead of the 2022 midterms. Instead, Newsom defeated the recall in such a decisive way that none of the major contenders from last year filed to challenge him for reelection this year. 'I think this allows Newsom to run a national campaign in California knowing hes going to win,' Levinson said. 'While claiming the thought has never entered his mind to run for the presidency, he can basically run a national campaign talking about the big issues and try it on for size.' Many Republican donors will be loathe to back a longshot candidate such as Dahle when they instead might invest in a handful of congressional races in the state that could determine control of the House. Dahle, best known for his quest to get a giant new reservoir built in Northern California, is a state senator Jessica Levinson, a political commentator and election law professor at Loyola Marymount University, was blunt in her assessment of Dahle's chances: 'The proverbial snowball has a better chance in hell,' she said. 'There is basically nothing to do to change the dynamics of this race,' Levinson said. Dahle told The Associated Press: 'I believe I can win this race.' One of his primary issues will be Californi's nation-leading gas prices, which hit a record $6.37 per gallon on Tuesday. Dahle has demanded Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders temporarily suspend the state's gas tax, which at 51.1 cents per gallon is the second-highest in the country. Newsom has rejected the idea. 'He's an elitist Democrat who doesn't live in the same world everybody else does,' Dahle said of Newsom. 'He's just not focused on the pain I hear form my constituents every day.' Newsom has proposed using a portion of the state's nearly $100billion budget surplus to send checks of up to $800 to people who own cars, plus another $750million to give people free rides on public transit for three months. Dahle receives a hug from his mother, Jeanne Dahle Taber in celebration at an election night gathering in Sacramento Newsom will run on a progressive agenda that includes stricter gun laws and enhanced abortion services. With the U.S. Supreme Court likely to overturn Roe v. Wade, Newsom has vowed to make California a sanctuary for women seeking abortions from other states where the procedure could be outlawed or severely restricted. He's also pushed for a new law that would let people sue gun makers and sellers to enforce a ban on some assault weapons - much like Texas does to enforce its ban on most abortions. 'Across the country Republicans are attacking our fundamental rights as Americans. Destroying democracy, stripping a woman of the right to choose, and standing idly by as gun violence claims too many lives,' Newsom said in a statement released after his primary victory. 'California is the antidote to their cynicism -- leading with compassion, common-sense and science.' Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1 in California and hold every statewide office and have huge majorities in the Legislature and congressional delegation. California hasnt had a Republican U.S. senator since 1992 - a trend that will likely continue as Democratic incumbent Alex Padilla finished far ahead of his Republican primary challengers. Padilla was appointed to the Senate by Newsom last year after Kamala Harris resigned her seat to become vice president. Padilla was on the primary ballot twice - once to complete the final few months of Harris term and another in a race for a full six-year term that begins in January. Padilla had about 55% of the votes in each race, far outpacing the second-place finisher, Republican attorney Mark Meuser, an attorney whose work with the right-leaning Dhillon Law Group has included 22 lawsuits against Newsom claiming he overstepped his authority in imposing coronavirus restrictions. Dahle blames many of the states problems on decades of Democratic dominance in state government. Dahle has served in the Legislature for a decade and also still operates a family farm in Bieber, a community of 145 people about an hours drive from Lassen Volcanic National Park. A signature issue for him in the Legislature has been trying to build a new reservoir in Colusa County - a project he said would help the state survive droughts but has drawn the ire of environmental groups who say the project would pull too much water out of the states rivers and streams. 'Were going to be focused on (Newsoms) record,' Dahle said. 'We have the highest gas prices, we have the highest electricity prices, we have water infrastructure that hasnt been built - just tell me one thing thats working in California.' A detective has revealed that 24 hours of police bungling delayed the hunt for missing teenager Gaia Pope. The 19-year-old college student, who suffered from severe epilepsy, ran away from her aunt Talia Pope's home in Swanage, Dorset on the afternoon of November 7, 2017. Her disappearance sparked a large, prolonged search operation in the area involving the police, Coastguard, National Police Air Service, Dorset Search and Rescue, and members of the public. Eleven days later, Ms Pope's body was found by police search teams in undergrowth between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point, close to the coastline. At an inquest, Detective Inspector Philip Swanton of Dorset said that the overnight officer failed to tell the morning team that Ms Pope was even missing. A review of the enquiry logs around 24 hours after she disappeared indicated that she had likely 'come to some harm at hand of a third person', he added. The college student was originally graded as medium risk before being upgraded by a control-room inspector at about 1.30am the next day. Mr Swanton told Dorset Coroner's Court the case should have been reviewed as a matter of policy by an experienced detective as soon as possible after Ms Pope was graded high-risk to establish important lines of enquiry. Instead, no review had been carried out when he came on call more than 16 hours later on the evening of November 8, he said. Pictured: Gaia Pope, who was reported missing from her home in Swanage in November 2017 Pictured: The last picture of Gaia on the day she went missing A map shows where Ms Pope-Sutherland lived, where she was last seen and the areas where her clothes and body were found While carrying out the review, Mr Swanton said it became clear that not all the relevant information needed in a missing person inquiry had been gathered by officers up until that point. While carrying out the review, Mr Swanton said it became clear that not all the relevant information needed in a missing person inquiry had been gathered by officers up until that point. He said he was concerned about a lack of structure to the investigation and that no one appeared in charge. Nor could he see, from the logs, what actions had or had not been undertaken. Gaia Pope-Sutherland was 19 when she was reported missing from her home in Swanage, Dorset, in 2017. Her naked body was found 11 days later on cliff tops in undergrowth after she had died from hypothermia He told the jury: 'It's very important because there's information that can come in as a result of inquiries. So, it may well be that an inquiry that's raised receives some significant information, which may well take you in a certain direction.' Mr Swanton was asked: 'If you can't have a clear idea of what information has come in, and what's been done, what's the risk?' He replied: 'The risk is that either something's missed, or something's not actioned as quickly as it should or could be. In my personal opinion after reviewing the logs I thought Gaia had probably come to some harm at hand of a third person.' Over four hours, Mr Swanton compiled a list of 23 basic actions for officers to do including tracking down a number of Ms Pope's associates and questioning them about their whereabouts the previous day and searching their addresses, including a Tinder contact. He also made directions to urgently look at her mobile phone logs and usage, carry out financial checks on her bank account, to monitor social media appeals, inform local taxi drivers and follow up specific tips from members of the public. 'We weren't aware of where she was or the full circumstances of why she had gone missing,' Mr Swanton said. 'My thought process there is start establishing who does she know? How does she know them? And when did she last see them?' Undated handout photo issued by Dorset Coroner's Court of Gaia Pope Asked by the coroner if delays had impacted on opportunities to find Ms Pope, DI Swanton said: 'Potentially. The investigation may or may not have gone in a different way. Sadly, we won't ever be able to change that.' The court was previously told there was a near three-hour delay in opening a missing person report after the alarm was raised by the teenager's aunt. A number of witnesses have also testified that Ms Pope should have been graded a high-risk missing person from the beginning. Officers responding to the report have said the resources they were initially given to conduct a thorough search of the area were inadequate. The jury in Bournemouth also heard the acting sergeant in Wareham at the time when the report was made, former police constable Sean Mallon, failed to hand over or inform the night shift sergeant that Ms Pope was missing when he clocked off at 11.30pm. Mr Mallon was disciplined for his role in the case. The inquest continues. Boris Johnson is set to plough ahead with new legislation overwriting part of the EU Brexit agreement covering Northern Ireland amid fresh warnings that the move would break international law. The Prime Minister is set to introduce a law allowing UK ministers to override the Northern Ireland Protocol next week. Such a move could help placate the Tory right, a swathe of which joined Monday night's rebellion against his leadership. But it could also create another trigger point for his internal opponents to rally around. Former minister Jesse Norman warned the law would be 'economically very damaging, politically foolhardy and almost certainly illegal', when he submitted a letter of no confidence on Monday. It would also risk a trade war with Brussels, which has vowed to retaliate if the UK renege on the deal it agreed two years ago. There were also fresh warnings today over the legality of the Government's plans. Sky News reported that Sir James Eadie QC, the First Treasury Counsel, was not consulted about the new law. The Government's independent legal advisor has nonetheless warned ministers that parts of it would be difficult to defend, the broadcaster said. Taoiseach Micheal Martin today said the plans would be 'deeply damaging' and mark a 'historic low point'. Addressing the European Parliament, Mr Martin said the UK Government's proposed legislation to override key parts of the Brexit deal would be 'to the benefit of absolutely no-one'. The Prime Minister is set to introduce a law allowing UK ministers to override the Northern Ireland Protocol, perhaps as soon as this week. The arrangements have been opposed by unionists as a de-facto border in the Irish Sea and they collapsed the Stormont assembly in protest. Sky News reported that Sir James Eadie QC, the First Treasury Counsel, was not consulted about the new law. Mr Martin said: 'Without a spirit of partnership, there would have been no peace process in Northern Ireland. 'Without trust, without engagement, without a willingness to see things from the point of view of others, there would have been no Good Friday Agreement, no quarter-century of peace in Northern Ireland in which young people have been able to grow and to flourish as themselves. 'All of us in positions of leadership owe it to them not to treat lightly what was so hard-won.' Northern Ireland politics has been deadlocked since the spring due to the row over the protocol. It is designed to avoid the need for border customs checks between Ulster and Ireland by moving them to freight arrivals from Great Britain. The arrangements have been opposed by unionists as a de-facto border in the Irish Sea and they collapsed the Stormont assembly in protest. A new power-sharing Executive has not yet been formed, with the DUP saying it will not nominate ministers until the UK Government takes action over its concerns around the Protocol. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson met with a number of Westminster politicians yesterday, including Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, to emphasise the need for action over the protocol. Sir Jeffrey said: 'Real progress is only made in Northern Ireland when there is consensus, yet the protocol was foisted upon the people of Northern Ireland despite every unionist MLA and MP opposing it. 'It was madness to press ahead and ignore the unionist opposition. 'Unlike Westminster, we operate powersharing in Northern Ireland, not majority rule. 'Not one unionist MLA supports the protocol. That represents more than 40% of the votes cast at the recent election.' Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns said the legislation will be published soon. He said the protocol has led to 'ridiculously excessive' checks on goods moving within the United Kingdom's internal market. 'We have been very clear with the EU that, if they can broaden the mandate, if vice-president of the Commission Maros Sefcovic can be given more room by President (Ursula) von der Leyen, the European Council, that we are absolutely determined and willing to engage with the EU to reach a negotiated settlement, that is absolutely in the best interest of both sides,' Mr Burns told RTE Morning Ireland. Taoiseach Micheal Martin today said the plans would be 'deeply damaging' and mark a 'historic low point'. Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns said the legislation had led to 'ridiculously excessive' checks on goods moving within the United Kingdom's internal market. 'But the vice president has been very clear that he cannot move beyond the mandate of the proposals that he put in place last October and we have been clear with him that those do not go anywhere near far enough in achieving the goals the United Kingdom would like to achieve. 'We recognise the attractiveness of the protocol and the place that leaves Northern Ireland in, but the reality is that we have now got ridiculously excessive checks on goods that are moving within the United Kingdom's internal market that will never go near the Irish Republic, that are absolutely no threat whatsoever to the integrity of the Single Market.' Mr Burns also rejected Mr Martin's assertions that the EU has and will continue to be flexible in its negotiations. 'That is not our lived experience from the conversations that we've been having with the EU over very many months,' the Conservative minister added. 'They talk of flexibility within the terms, within the constraints of the proposals they tabled last October. We have been clear with them that those proposals do not go as far as they would need to go to respect the integrity of the United Kingdom's internal market. 'It's a very, very simple proposition here. We're simply saying the goods moving within our own country - with the exception of live animals, which we can see the need for checks on, obviously - the goods moving within our own country should move freely. 'They pose no risk whatsoever. 'We are very clear that the proposals that we will put forward, the legislation that we will put to Parliament, will absolutely be lawful and appropriate.' A LucidTalk poll in Tuesday's Belfast Telegraph found that three-quarters of unionist voters believe the DUP should not return to government at Stormont until there are at least 'significant changes' to the protocol. Sinn Fein Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill - likely to be nominated as First Minister - said she regrets that, five weeks after the Assembly election, the DUP is 'still boycotting' the Executive. She said issues with the protocol can be 'worked on in tandem' with talks on smoothing the protocol while the Stormont Executive functions and urged the DUP to nominate ministers. Moscow reports that it has military control via the campaign in the Donetsk People's Republic is almost complete, but Ukrainian forces are attacking civilians. According to sources, the Donbas town with the burned-down wood monastery is freed from Kyiv's clutches. Russia and its allies have been defeating Zelensky's forces that are getting militarily overwhelmed. Ukrainian Forces Retreat Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu on Tuesday said that 15 communities are under their control, reported RT. The Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) asserts Svyatogorsk as part of its territory, located on the left bank of the Severny Donetsk river. Skete of All Saints, a landmark wooden monastery in the town, was set on fire and razed to the ground last week. Russia alleged Ukrainian forces of setting fire to the building to conceal their escape. This incident has been blamed on Russian troops by Ukrainian officials, per the Press United. Russian Defense Ministry asserted on Monday that enemy troops had blasted up the bridge in the same town, slashing the shortest road link between the town's main north portion and the rest of the DPR territory. Shoigu added the success of the offensive against Kyiv has 97% territory, which is part of Lugansk. He confirmed that Moscow forces control all Severodonetsk residential parts, and combat is in the city's industrial outskirts. Ukrainians are surrendering in droves, rarely fighting, a total of 6,489 POWS are in custody like in the Donetsk People's Republic. Read Also: Vladimir Putin's 'Girlfriend': 5 Things To Know About Alina Kabaeva The city is where the Kyiv-appointed administration of Lugansk is under fire from LPR forces. Combat was intense as LPR militias and Russian forces hammered the enemy, noted Hi India. Kyiv officials alleged that a trap to destroy was set for Russians allowed to enter the city. According to Sergey Gaiday, the head of the Kyiv-allied administration, Ukrainian troops were able to retain as much as half of the city at one point but retreated. Zelensky Denies Loss Experts assert the events in Severodonetsk are a repeat of the humiliation of Kyiv in Mariupol, where Putin's forces triumph and the DPR is in control. The Azov nazis had holed themselves up in the Azovstal plant when Russians locked them in and separated them from the main force. Surrendered in the end as the Severodonetsk garrison and the Azot chemical plant were cornered by Russians. The Russian minister said Mariupol, which the DPR fully seized last month, was gradually returning to peace. News from the Defense Ministry and Russian railway monopoly RZhD stated that rails are ready for travel to Russia, Donbas, Ukraine, and Crimea, added Shoigu. Also, shipments were moving to Mariupol, Berdyansk, and Kherson that Kyiv lost, and this rail system is 1,200 km long as well. Moscow, according to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, confirmed that the Donetsk People's Republic is close to Russian control, while Volodymyr Zelensky is keeping the substantial losses of Ukrainian forces from the press. Related Article: Putin Says Western Arms Delivered to Kyiv Aims To Extend the US Proxy War Against Russia and Replenish Ukraine's Equipment Loss @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A doctor could be struck off after being found guilty of misconduct for asking a Muslim woman to remove her veil and criticising patients for their English language skills. Dr Keith Wolverson was sharply rebuked by a medical tribunal for his behaviour, which took place during an appointment at Royal Stoke University Hospital in 2018. The GP claimed he asked the woman, known as Mrs Q, to lift her veil so he could see her lips to better understand what she was saying, despite her saying she didn't want to. This was followed by an email sent to colleagues in which Dr Wolverson, who also runs a medical clinic in Melbourne, Derbyshire, criticised the patient's ability to speak English. A Medical Practicioner's Tribunal Service (MTPS) panel said that while there were situations where it would be appropriate to ask a patient to remove their veil, this was not one of them. The panel also said that Dr Wolverson had made 'inappropriate' notes on how well his patients could speak English, and that her command of the language was good. It ruled he was guilty of serious misconduct, and will decide later this year what his punishment will be, with options including a suspension or striking him off the medical register available. Dr Keith Wolverson (pictured) could be struck off after a medical tribunal found him guilty of misconduct for asking a Muslim woman to lift her veil during an appointment When contacted by Derbyshire Live in response to the outcome of the latest hearing, Dr Wolverson vowed to carry on treating his patients, despite claiming to the Mail on Sunday in 2019 he was going to quit medicine. Dr Wolverson, who has worked as a GP for more than 25 years and had a previously unblemished record, had faced 28 allegations of misconduct - including 16 relating to the appointment with Mrs Q. A total of 17 were found proven, including 13 relating to the incident involving the veil, which took place on May 13, 2018. During a consultation with Mrs Q, Dr Wolverson asked her to remove her veil as he claimed he could not understand her and hoped that seeing her mouth movements would help. The doctor was criticised for his behaviour during the appointment which took place at Royal Stoke University Hospital (pictured) He repeated the request despite her saying she did not want to remove the veil for religious reasons, the panel found. In an email on May 25, 2018, in response to a complaint from the patient, Dr Wolverson said she 'spoke poor English' and that he was 'struggling to understand her' and was 'trying to look at her mouth movements to aid communication'. It was also found that Dr Wolverson refused to speak to Mrs Q's husband despite his attempts to communicate with the doctor, which Dr Wolverson later claimed was because he 'found his manner aggressive and intimidating'. But the MPTS ruled in early March that Dr Wolverson had changed his evidence during proceedings, as he tried to suggest that he had instead asked for the veil to removed because of Mrs Q's strong Stoke-on-Trent accent. The tribunal said that when Mrs Q came to give evidence, they had no issue understanding her. The General Medical Council, which brought the case against Dr Wolverson to the MPTS, does not have any specific guidelines on how to examine women wearing full-face veils. Duncan Toole, chair of the hearing, said that while ' there would of course be circumstances where this was entirely appropriate', it was deemed that Dr Wolverson 'had made no attempt to make any form of assessment about whether removing the face veil was necessary and whether it served any purpose'. In the ruling Mr Toole said: 'The tribunal could find little evidence that Dr Wolverson had reflected on the impact the words he had used in the email may have had on Mrs Q. A medical tribunal found Dr Wolverson's comments about the ability of his patients to speak English were 'inappropriate' 'For example, there was no recognition or reflection on how upsetting and offensive it might have been for Mrs Q to be described as speaking "poor English", when this was not the case. 'This was particularly so, when Dr Wolverson was in a position of trust and his description was in response to a complaint she had made. 'The reflective statement focused more on the impact on Dr Wolverson's private life, than the impact on Mrs Q. 'This lack of reflection was of concern and demonstrated that Dr Wolverson had very little insight into his conduct.' Some of the allegations related to his work at Derby Urgent Care Centre while others were from when he worked in the Royal Stoke, both as a locum, or temporary doctor. Dr Wolverson qualified as a medical professional in 1996. In a hearing from February 24 to March 4, 2022, Dr Wolverson was found to have criticised the English abilities of 15 patients in their medical notes from January to April 2018. In some of the notes, he said it was 'not acceptable' that one patient brought a family member to a consultation who did not speak English, and said it was 'frankly, not good enough' when speaking about the mother of another patient's language ability. Dr Wolverson previously told the Mail on Sunday he was planning on quitting medicine as a result of the investigation into his behaviour Dr Wolverson will discover his sanction at a hearing scheduled to last from October 12 to October 14. Derbyshire Live spoke briefly to Dr Wolverson, of Derby Private Doctors aesthetics clinic in the Derbyshire village of Melbourne. He declined the opportunity to give his side of the story and said that he would continue to treat patients. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday in 2019, Dr Wolverson said he was thinking about quitting medicine over the investigation into his conduct during the appointment. He claimed he has 'politely' asked the woman to take off the garment for patient safety reasons during a consultation last year because he was unable to hear her explain her sick daughters symptoms. He said he was 'deeply upset' when he was told about the investigation and was disillusioned with medicine. He said: I feel a major injustice has taken place. This is why you are waiting so long to see your GP and doctors are leaving in droves. This country will have no doctors left if we continue to treat them in this manner. Im deeply upset. A doctors quest to perform the very finest consultation for the safety of the patient has been misinterpreted in a duplicitous manner to suggest there has been an act of racism committed. I absolutely no longer want to be a doctor. The safeguarding lead at one of the UK's top independent schools which charges more than 43,000 per year has been suspended after appearing to breach their own safeguarding policies by loudly discussing students' personal details on a busy London train. Philip Evans, Director of Safeguarding at Harrow School, held a phone conversation in which students were identified by their first names and sensitive issues concerning them were discussed, MailOnline can reveal. These included mental health concerns, intimate details of the students' health and wellbeing, their ability to continue in school and other personal matters. Philip Evans is the Director of Safeguarding at Harrow School, which charges parents 43,665 per year per child Mr Evans was openly wearing his Harrow School ID lanyard on the train, which was a South Western Railway service travelling in London. Harrow School expressed regret 'that a trusted staff member who holds such a critical role within our school community may have apparently betrayed that trust.' Mr Evans mentioned the school by name on several occasions during the conversation, which was witnessed by a MailOnline journalist. He proceeded to disclose confidential details of safeguarding concerns around young students, two of whom he named. He commented on one student's mental health while repeatedly referring to them by their first name in the public train carriage, giving exact details as to how the student expressed these feelings. Mr Evans then audibly questioned whether a pupil should continue to attend Harrow and proceeded to share steps the school and the boy's parents are taking in relation to the student. The school's dealings with the NHS were also discussed, specifically details about students' contact with local Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The staff member disclosed that one of the students is not on any medications for their mental health and speculated whether they are receiving any therapy, saying: 'I don't know if he is receiving any kind of CBT or anything'. Issues between peers were addressed too - he gave details of conversations between parents and pupils, saying some had banned their children from contact with another pupil. He even revealed one student's sexuality. The phone conversation was held in a busy train carriage with multiple other people in the vicinity. MailOnline's reporter witnessed the discussion for 10 minutes before leaving the train - but the conversation had not ended at this point. Boys at Harrow School were identified by first name and age group during the conversation as intimate details of their health and wellbeing were discussed on a public train Safeguarding policies are designed to keep children safe and monitor those deemed at risk of harm from any kind of danger such as abuse, mental health issues and harm from peers. The safeguarding policy set out on Harrow School's website states it recognises 'that all matters relating to child protection are sensitive and confidential.' The policy continues: 'The Head Master or the DSL [Designated Safeguarding Lead] will share that information on a "need to know, what and when" basis. 'Concerns about individuals should never be discussed elsewhere, inside or outside the School, unless in confidential meetings for that purpose. 'Members of staff are expected to manage the requirement to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while at the same time liaising with relevant professionals such as the DSL and Children's Services.' Government guidance on information sharing when it comes to matters of children's welfare and safeguarding is set out in its seven 'Golden Rules'. This includes the rule on how information sharing should take place, which states this must be 'necessary, proportionate, relevant, adequate, accurate, timely and secure.' The rule continues: 'Ensure that the information you share is necessary for the purpose for which you are sharing it, is shared only with those individuals who need to have it, is accurate and up-to-date, is shared in a timely fashion, and is shared securely.' The staff member not only named the students concerned but shared identifying details of their care and needs, most of which cannot be published in order to maintain the children's privacy. The private information shared during the course of this phone call would have enabled any of the children mentioned to be identified by those who know them. Government guidance on the role of Designated Safeguarding Lead, which is Mr Evans at Harrow School, adds DSLs should 'take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection.' This includes in matters of information sharing and confidential record storage. Philip Evans has worked at Harrow School for more than 21 years, but has only been the Director of Safeguarding, or Designated Safeguarding Lead, for the last 10 months. Prior to this he was a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, a role he held for three years alongside being the Tutor for Admissions. Mr Evans has worked at Harrow School for 21 years, but has now been suspended pending an investigation He has also been the Governor and Chair of the Safeguarding Committee at Orwell Park School since 2018. According to his social media Mr Evans is responsible for the welfare of more than 830 boys at Harrow, as well as leading other members of the safeguarding team. He also directs Harrow's elite chamber choir, The Byron Consort, and chairs the Pastoral Support Committee. Harrow School is one of the most elite independent schools in the UK and charges parents 14,555 per term. This makes the cost per student, per year 43,665. Harrow School told MailOnline: 'We are deeply concerned to hear that a trusted staff member who holds such a critical role within our school community may have apparently betrayed that trust. 'The individual concerned has been suspended with immediate effect as a neutral act and the school has launched an investigation. 'Our own safeguarding policy clearly states: "Concerns about individuals should never be discussed elsewhere, inside or outside the School, unless in confidential meetings for that purpose", and we will take steps to ensure that all staff members are reminded of this duty. 'We are grateful that whoever overheard this conversation came forward, and to MailOnline for respecting the personal and confidential nature of the conversation and for alerting us so that we were able to take swift and decisive action.' Court of Appeal judges will today hear that domestic abuse victims should be allowed to use the 'Tony Martin defence' of using 'disproportionate force' if they feel their life is in danger. Lawyers for Emma-Jayne Magson, who was convicted of murdering her boyfriend James Knight claim she only used the steak knife as she was being strangled at the time. Magson was handed a life sentence after she was convicted of Knight's murder for a second time. Emma-Jayne Magson, pictured, is appealing her conviction for murdering her boyfriend James Knight in March 2016 Magson's legal team will claim she was entitled to use force to defend herself as James Knight, pictured, was trying to strangle her at the time Her legal team is seeking to overturn her conviction claiming that in March 2016 the then 23-year-old was in fear for her life and stabbed her boyfriend in self defence. 'No rush': Emma-Jayne Magson's chilling 999 call Operator: Can you tell me exactly what's happened? Magson: Umm I don't know, my boyfriend's here, he's making weird noises, I don't know what's going on. Operator: What were you doing up until he's starting what he's doing now? Magson: No, he's been fine, he's come home, he's come home to me, I've been out all night and then he's come home to me and then just collapsed on my floor... he was fine up until about five minutes and then he's just started making noises and now they've stopped and now I'm on the phone to you. Operator: Is he awake and breathing? Magson: Yes, he's breathing. He's breathing fine, he's started to sleep but I don't know why he's making them noises, I don't know if he's done it for my sake. Operator: Do you want an ambulance to come and take him to hospital? Magson: I don't know if there's something up or he's just playing me about. Operator: The only thing I can do is just send an ambulance to come and take him to hospital if that's what he wants? Magson: Yes do that please. Operator: Are his eyes open at all? Is he awake? Is he conscious or... ? Magson: Well, to be honest, it looks like he's sleeping but it ain't how he normally sleeps because I live with him, so it ain't how he normally sleeps if that makes sense... it looks like he's had a fight with someone... I think he's ignoring me on purpose if I'm honest with you. Operator: Alright, well we'll get someone sent over to him, it's been arranged. I mean, it might take a while... I do apologise, it's Bank Holiday weekend and we're getting absolutely... Magson: No, that's fine, don't worry about it. Operator: Try and put him on his side, all right? If he does wake up just reassure him. Do you know what, I wouldn't let him have anything to eat or drink, not even water. Magson: Do you know what? I just think he's too smashed, that's what I think. I just need to be on the safe side, like he's my boyfriend. Advertisement Lawyers representing Magson will argue that victims of domestic violence should be allowed to use 'disproportionate force' to defend themselves from a violent partner, in a similar manner that a homeowner can defend themselves from a burglar using lethal force. The appeal will rely on the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act of 2008 which changed the law following the conviction of Norfolk farmer Tony Martin who was jailed for murdering a teenage burglar at his home. Martin served three years in prison for shooting dead Fred Barras, 16, at his home in Emneth Hungate, Norfolk, in 1999. He was initially found guilty of murder but this was reduced to manslaughter on appeal. Mr Martin was living alone at his farmhouse in Emneth Hungate, nicknamed Bleak House, when he caught Brendon Fearon, then 29, and Mr Barras, 16, inside. He fired his shotgun three times towards the intruders, killing Barras. The case provoked a national debate about the measures homeowners can take to defend their property. The Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) is supporting Magson's appeal which will seek to expand the 'Tony Martin defence' to victims of domestic violence. CWJ Director Harriet Wistrich told the Telegraph: 'The householder defence was introduced in recognition of the heightened level of fear that might be experienced where a person is confronted by an intruder or trespasser in their home, resulting in disproportionate force. 'We have campaigned to extend this defence to circumstances where a victim of domestic violence responds disproportionately, often with a weapon, to defend herself from a man who has used violence towards her in the past. 'We hope this appeal will help open the door to further statutory reform in this area and shine a light on the level of fear experienced by such victims.' Magson, 29, had denied murdering Knight, 26, but was convicted of the killing at Leicester Crown Court in 2016. Magson was jailed for life with a minimum term of 17 years. However, in January 2020, the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial after hearing new psychiatric evidence showing the defence of diminished responsibility would have been available to Magson at her first trial. Her second trial took place at Birmingham Crown Court where a jury again found her guilty of Mr Knights murder, by a majority verdict of 10-2. As the verdict was read out, Magson, wearing a pink top and dark trousers, stood with her hands clasped together, covering the lower part of her face. Afterwards, she swayed momentarily before sitting back down with her shoulders slumped forward. In March 2021 she was again sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years. Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told her: 'I regret I am unconvinced you have, as yet, any real remorse for having caused James Knights death.' Advertisement Defiant Boris Johnson swiped that Tory critics do not like the 'big and remarkable' things his government is doing as MPs lined up behind him at PMQs. The premier was given a solid reception with cheers as he arrived in the Commons for the regular session - the first opportunity to take the temperature in the chamber since the confidence vote showdown. But Mr Johnson responded to Labour jibes that the 148-strong revolt against him meant he was 'loathed' by insisting he has 'barely begun' and will focus on 'delivering for the British people'. 'In a long political career so far barely begun I've of course picked up political opponents all over and that is because this Government has done some very big and very remarkable things which they didn't necessarily approve of,' the PM said. 'And what I want her to know is that absolutely nothing and no-one, least of all her, is going to stop us with getting on delivering for the British people.' The omens are looking better for the premier, with Keir Starmer struggling to land any significant blows during their exchanges. Rebel ringleaders are admitting he has more time after seeing off the coup attempt in the secret ballot on Monday, albeit more narrowly than No10 had hoped. When SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford compared him to the Black Knight from Monty Python, the PM could be seen off-mic saying it was 'not even a flesh wound'. Downing Street has laughed off suggestions that rival Jeremy Hunt - who publicly called for the PM to quit - could be brought in as Chancellor to shore up Mr Johnson's position. Speculation about a reshuffle to restore his authority also seems to have faded. Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt - the trade minister who had been on resignation watch during the drama this week - have both urged unity in articles today. But ministers are under increasing pressure to the tax burden - on track to hit a record high - to restore confidence in the government. Mr Johnson told Cabinet yesterday he wanted to get back to the 'fundamental Conservative instinct' of cutting taxes as the next general election approaches. In a round of interviews this morning, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said many rebels were now 'getting behind the Prime Minister' after the vote. 'It was a clear and decisive win for the Prime Minister, and speaking to colleagues after that vote yesterday, including some that I spoke to that publicly said they didn't support the Prime Minister in the vote, but they're democrats like all of us and they accept the result of the vote and they're getting behind the Prime Minister,' he said. Boris Johnson was given a solid reception with cheers as he arrived in the Commons for PMQs (pictured) - the first opportunity to take the temperature in the chamber since the confidence vote Boris Johnson (left today) will trade blows with Keir Starmer in the Commons at noon - but all eyes will be on his own benches for ongoing signs of dissent. Rishi Sunak (right) has pledged loyalty to the PM In a round of interviews this morning, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said many rebels were now 'getting behind the Prime Minister' after the vote Javid says changing rules for new confidence vote would be 'unfair' Sajid Javid has insisted changing Tory Party rules to allow another confidence vote in Boris Johnson within a year would be 'grossly unfair'. Asked about the prospect, he told Times Radio: 'I think most people would think if you sort of changed the rules it would be grossly unfair, it would be the wrong thing to do. So I wouldn't support that. 'We have very clear, transparent rules and that's important, that they're clear and transparent. 'And if anyone wants to exercise the current rules, which they did, that's totally their right and I respect my colleagues for that, but the decision has been made. 'And I think what everyone wants to now see is that you end this sort of speculation and we just get on with the job.' Advertisement The developments came after Mr Johnson won Monday night's bruising confidence vote by the narrower than expected margin of 211 to 148. He stressed to Cabinet colleagues that delivering tax cuts would help produce 'considerable growth in employment and economic progress'. The PM also ordered ministers to bring forward new initiatives to slash Government spending in order to free up cash for tax cuts. Mr Sunak has repeated his pledge to introduce 'a range of tax cuts' for business in the autumn in order to encourage investment. But senior Tories warned it was now time to turn the rhetoric about cuts into reality in order to boost growth, help families with the cost of living and restore Tory fortunes. It came as: Former Brexit minister Lord Frost said the PM needed to 'change direction' in the wake of the confidence vote. He insisted: 'We're delivering an economic policy that's not going to deliver prosperity and wealth. If he can change that he can get on to a different path and save his premiership and Government.' The Tory peer told the BBC that increases in national insurance and corporation tax should be reversed. He said: 'It is not Conservative to be raising taxes, and it is undermining growth and prosperity. We need to improve productivity and investment, and not weaken it.' Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the Government's agenda now had to include 'getting taxes down and getting the economy going.' At the Cabinet meeting, Mr Johnson said: 'We are able now to draw a line under the issues that our opponents want to talk about.' No 10 acknowledged that the tax burden is 'higher than it has been'. The PM's spokesman said: 'It's always about getting the balance right and the Chancellor and the Prime Minister have been very clear that, as we move away from these unique challenges of the global pandemic and the war in Europe, the intention is to further reduce taxes.' Mr Javid said he would like to see reductions 'where they're possible', and this is something Chancellor Rishi Sunak will look at. Asked if the Government will be moving towards tax cuts this year, especially in the wake of Boris Johnson being challenged in the confidence vote, Mr Javid said: 'I'd like to see us do more on tax cuts and I'm someone just like, I think, every member of the Government, all (of) my colleagues, we want to see taxes as low as possible. 'I'm pleased that there have been targeted tax cuts already. The recent Budget, I think I'm right in saying, (means) some 70 per cent of people, those that are lower paid, will pay less National Insurance than before.' Put to him that overall the tax burden is rising, he said: 'Because of the pandemic there's been challenges to the public finances. I represent the biggest spending department because of health and the challenges in social care. 'But I would like to see cuts where they're possible. And I know that this is something the Government is taking very seriously and I know that it's something that the Chancellor will look at.' No10 sources ridiculed reports that Mr Sunak could be replaced by former foreign secretary Mr Hunt to steady the government. Mr Hunt who was runner-up to Mr Johnson in the 2019 leadership election and is expected to stand again if there is another contest infuriated some in the Cabinet when he announced he would be voting for 'change' in the confidence vote. However, the Telegraph said some of Mr Johnson's allies were arguing that bringing back his rival into the Cabinet would help stabilise Mr Johnson's leadership, heal rifts within the party while binding Mr Hunt to the PM's agenda. A whopping 75 per cent of Londoners say they will never return to the office full time after experiencing working from home (WFH), a major new study has found. A survey by the Policy Institute and King's College London suggests working life in the capital is unlikely to return to pre-Covid patterns any time soon, with 60 per cent of workers still WFH at least once a week. Only 20 per cent of Londoners are currently in the office full time, with 13 per cent WFH entirely. And 80 per cent of home workers say the so-called hybrid system has had a positive impact on their lives, with the lack of a rush hour commute cited as the top benefit. The crippling Tube strikes this week, and in March, are likely to have added to this sentiment after bringing the network to a grinding halt and forcing commuters to board packed out buses and hail pricey Ubers and taxis. It's also clear that coronavirus is still playing on the minds of workers, with just under half (48 per cent) citing it as a main reason for wanting to avoid travelling to work. The cost of commuting and the time it takes to get to the office were also among the main gripes. The strong support for WFH comes despite Boris Johnson's pleas last month for people to return to the office full time. The prime minister claimed that people end up obsessively grazing from the fridge while working from home, admitting that he often found himself spending 'an awful lot of time making another cup of coffee', or 'hacking off a small piece of cheese' before 'forgetting what it was you're doing'. Some 80 per cent of home workers say the so-called hybrid system has had a positive impact on their lives, with the lack of a rush hour commute cited as the top benefit. The crippling Tube strikes this week, and in March, are likely to have added to this sentiment after bringing the network to a grinding halt and forcing commuters to board packed out buses (pictured) and hail pricey Ubers and taxis A survey of by the Policy Institute and King's College London suggests working life in the capital is unlikely to return to the pre-Covid patterns any time soon, with 61 per cent of workers still WFH at least once a week Very few workers believe the working environment will return to its pre-pandemic ways of full time office attendance Commuters on the London Overground this week during a 4,000-strong walkout organised by the RMT union But the poll of 2,015 workers found an overwhelming majority disagreed with his view, with just 16 per cent agreeing that home workers do not work as hard as those based in the office. But while most respondents said they would prefer the option to work at home at least one day a week, more than half (57 per cent) said they still felt positive about being at the office. The majority of these (57 per cent) cited being 'able to see and meet more people' and socilaising with others during breaks. They also listed avoiding the blurring of work and home life, while more than a third said they found it easier to complete work-related tasks. When it came to salary, some 66 per cent of the respondents disagreed with the view that people who work at home should be paid less. It comes after companies have threatened to deduct the pay of employees who choose to WFH, including law firm Stephenson Harwood, which said it would introduce a 20 per cent cut. But despite the widespread support for WFH, Paul Swinney, director of policy at Centre for Cities, said the work environment might soon resemble pre-pandemic life quicker than people predict. Graph shows how working from home has become far more common post Covid Some 61 per cent of workers are currently working from home at least one day a week 'There is a difference between what people's expectations are and what we might see in reality,' he told the Telegraph. 'People are rational to say they don't think they'll do it ever again, but it's hard to make that call. 'They don't know what the world might look like in two years' time.' It comes after a study by the Office of National Statistics at the end of May found that fewer than one in 10 Britons want to return to working in the workplace full-time. However, the data also laid bare the wealth and age gap between people in the office full-time and those working from home. Among workers who earned 40,000 or more, 23 per cent are working from home 38 per cent were in a hybrid pattern, splitting their time between the office and home. On the other hand, among those on 15,000 or less, just six per cent of workers were WFH, while just 14 per cent of people had a hybrid working arrangement. In terms of age, the ONS found that workers aged between 30 to 49 were the most likely to have a hybrid pattern at 29 per cent. Meanwhile, just 23 per cent of workers aged 16 to 29 have a hybrid working arrangement, while that number dropped to 20 per cent for those aged between 50 and 69. Some 84 per cent of Britons want to work-from-home at least occasionally, according to a report released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) at the end of May More than a third (38 per cent) of those earning 40,000 a year or more were splitting their time, compared to eight per cent of those earning 15,000 or below Some 90 per cent of those quizzed by the ONS want to keep working from home at least part-time despite efforts by ministers to get people to return to city centres. And the proportion of those wanting to spend the majority of their working week at home rather than their traditional workplace has also risen by 12 percentage points in the past year since rules were relaxed. The proportion rose from 30 per cent to 42 per cent between April 2021 and February, with the proportion wanting to work permanently from home rising from four to six per cent. At the same time, the proportion planning to commute five days a week fell from 11 per cent to eight per cent. The percentage planning to go to a workplace for the majority of their time also fell, as did those planning an even split. The figures appear to show that workers are ignoring pleas from ministers to return to offices and other sites. The ONS noted that the most common reason given for retaining WFH was that it had become part of workers' 'normal routine'. Boris Johnson is 'surprisingly thin-skinned' and will be in 'absolute hell' after Tory MPs turned on him this week, according to an ex-girlfriend of the Prime Minister. Petronella Wyatt, who once had a four-year affair with Mr Johnson, described the PM as having a 'very soft core' and acknowledged he was 'on the ropes' after his battering by Conservative rebels. She even suggested Mr Johnson was in the 'wrong job' as PM and claimed he would be happier outside of Downing Street if he instead pursued a 'quiet' life of writing. The PM survived a no confidence vote on Monday night, but saw 148 of his Tory MPs attempt to boot him out of Number 10. Mr Johnson is fighting back and has vowed to 'get on with the job' as he seeks to shore up his position. But Ms Wyatt insisted the PM would 'absolutely not' win the next general election, if he manages to remain as Conservative leader until the country next goes to the polls. The 54-year-old daughter of a Labour peer was deputy editor of the Spectator when Mr Johnson was the magazine's editor. In 2004, Mr Johnson was sacked from the Tory front bench for lying about his affair with Ms Wyatt, which happened when he was married to his second wife Marina Wheeler. Petronella Wyatt, who once had a four-year affair with Boris Johnson, described the PM as having a 'very soft core' The PM survived a no confidence vote on Monday night, but saw 148 of his Tory MPs attempt to boot him out of Number 10 In 2004, Mr Johnson was sacked from the Tory front bench for lying about his affair with Ms Wyatt, which happened when he was married to his second wife Marina Wheeler Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Ms Wyatt insisted the PM would not be enjoying the current chaos engulfing him and the Conservative Party. She said: 'First of all, he doesnt enjoy when people dislike him or dont have faith in the Johnson product, and secondly he only enjoys chaos when its of his own making and he can control it. He cant control this.' Ms Wyatt described Mr Johsnon as being 'surprisingly thin skinned, surprisingly sensitive' and 'easily upset by criticism or the thought that people dislike him'. 'I think he has a very soft core - I think this will be absolute hell for him in private,' she added. 'I don't think he's just sitting down with a stiff drink and feeling "well, everything will be alright, I'll tough it out". 'He's a bit of an enigma. I think people have the wrong impression of him - they think he's a hard shell and a hard man when he's surprisingly vulnerable.' Ms Wyatt claimed that Mr Johnson's instincts were 'basically decent' but was 'his own worst enemy' due to being 'very much a people pleaser'. She suggested this led to 'all sorts of problems in Government, because he makes promises he cant keep, he makes enemies of MPs'. 'While you can do that sort of thing in your personal life, it catches up with you in politics,' she added. The PM has faced furious allegations that he lied to MPs over the Partygate scandal by previously insisting that Covid rules were followed at all times in Downing Street during the pandemic. Claims that Mr Johnson deliberately misled Parliament will soon be investigated by the House of Commons' Privileges Committee. And while Ms Wyatt suggested the PM never 'intends' to tell mistruths, she added: 'I think he lies to get out of difficult situations at work.' 'He hates confrontation. He hates rows. He doesnt like telling people anything unpleasant,' she said. 'I don't believe he ever sacked anyone [while at the Spectator]... I'm sure if anyone was sacked somebody else would have to do it. 'In politics you have to be more grown up about it and you have to grit your teeth in the way Margaret Thatcher did, and John Major, [Tony] Blair and even Theresa May. 'His qualities are very endearing but theyre not necessarily the qualities of a great Prime Minister.' Ms Wyatt claimed Mr Johnson was in the 'wrong job' as PM because 'the qualities that made him a very good journalist, and also a TV personality, are not the qualities you need in a Prime Minister, because its a hard slog and he never liked detail'. 'The other thing is, I wouldnt say he was lazy, but being PM does involve a 14-hour day, which isnt really him,' she said. 'He gets bored with things quite quickly as well.' Ms Wyatt claimed that Mr Johnson was now viewed as a 'liability' among Tory MPs, who are 'absolutely terrified' of losing their seats at the next election. Asked if the PM might actually be happier if he is forced out of Downing Street by disgruntled MPs, she replied: 'In the long run yes, but in the short run no. 'In the long run I think so because his forte is in writing and the media. His life will quieten down. He won't see it like that for a long time.' Prior to entering Number 10, Mr Johnson signed a 500,000 deal to write a biography of Shakespeare. At the time, the book was said to be due for publication to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 2016. In April 2019, before Mr Johnson became prime minister, publisher Hodder & Stoughton said the still-to-be-completed book would be published in April 2020. But, later in 2019, on the day Mr Johnson became PM, the publisher admitted it had no plans to publish "Shakespeare: The Riddle of Genius" for the "foreseeable future". Mr Johnson regularly receives royalties from Hodder & Stoughton and other publishers for books he has previously written, which include a biography of Winston Churchill. Angela Merkel defended her approach to Ukraine and Russia during her 16 years as Germany's leader, saying she had 'nothing to apologise for' even as the Ukraine war casts a shadow over her legacy. She said on Tuesday that a much criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine bought Kyiv precious time and she won't apologize for her diplomatic efforts. In her first substantial comments since leaving office six months ago, Merkel said there was 'no justification whatsoever' for the 'brutal' and illegal war of aggression, she said, adding that President Vladimir Putin had made 'a big mistake'. 'He wants to destroy Europe,' she warned. 'It's very important for the European Union to stick together now.' But she batted away criticism that she had been wrong to block Ukraine from joining NATO in 2008, saying it was not ready then. She also said she had wanted to avoid 'further escalation' with Putin, who was already seething about the military alliance's perceived eastward expansion - which has been cited as a primary reason by Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Angela Merkel defended her approach to Ukraine and Russia during her 16 years as Germany's leader, saying she had 'nothing to apologise for' even as the Ukraine war casts a shadow over her legacy. Pictured: Russian President Putin presents flowers to Merkel in August, 2021 In her first substantial comments since leaving office six months ago, Merkel said there was 'no justification whatsoever' for the 'brutal' and illegal war of aggression, she said, adding that President Vladimir Putin had made 'a big mistake' The veteran leader, who frequently met with Putin during her 16 years in power and championed a commerce-driven, pragmatic approach towards Moscow, said the February 24 invasion of Ukraine had marked a 'turning point'. Merkel rejected a suggestion that she and others engaged in appeasement that ultimately enabled the invasion. 'I tried to work toward calamity being averted, and diplomacy was not wrong if it doesn't succeed,' she said in an on-stage interview at a Berlin theatre that was televised live. 'I don't see that I have to say 'that was wrong' and that's why I have nothing to apologise for.' 'It is a matter of great sorrow that it didn't succeed, but I don't blame myself now for trying,' Merkel said. She defended the 2015 peace agreement that she and then-French President Francois Hollande brokered in Minsk, Belarus, aimed at easing fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists. Merkel conceded that it didn't fulfill all of Ukraine's interests and that few people stand by it now, with some saying it was badly negotiated. The peace process 'brought some calm' that gave Ukraine an extra seven years to develop as a democracy and strengthen its military, she said, in a nod to Kyiv's much praised resistance against the invading Russian troops. 'The courage and passion with which they are fighting for their country is very impressive,' Merkel said, adding she had 'the highest respect' for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But Merkel insisted there was no way to avoid dealing with Putin because Russia, like China, was too big to ignore. 'We have to find a way to co-exist despite all our differences,' she said. If there had been no intervention at the time, she added, 'Putin could have wrought gigantic damage in Ukraine.' The veteran leader, who frequently met with Putin during her 16 years in power and championed a commerce-driven, pragmatic approach towards Moscow, said the February 24 invasion of Ukraine had marked a 'turning point'. Pictured: Merkel and Putin speak next to former U.S. President George W. Bush in 2007 at a G8 summit She said that sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea in 2014 'could have been stronger, as far as I'm concerned,' but added that there was no majority sentiment for doing so at the time. 'We didn't do nothing either,' she said, noting that Russia was thrown out of the Group of Eight and that NATO set a target for countries to work toward spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defence. Merkel also strongly defended a decision in 2008 not to put Ukraine directly on track to join NATO, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early April blasted as a 'miscalculation.' NATO pledged in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members. But French and German concern over Russia's reactions dashed their hopes of being granted a 'membership action plan' that would bring them into the alliance within five to 10 years. Merkel said that 'Ukraine was not the one we know today,' saying it was a country very divided and dominated by oligarchs. 'It wasn't an internally democratically stable country,' she said. She suggested a stronger NATO green light for Ukraine in 2008 would have led to faster Russian aggression, with Ukraine less able to resist. 'I was very certain that Putin wouldn't just let it happen,' she said. 'For him, from his perspective, that was a declaration of war... I don't share any of this, but I knew how he thought.' Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets journalist and author Alexander Osang ahead of a talk at the Berliner Ensemble in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 7, 2022 Tuning to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, which she long defended against criticism from the U.S., Ukraine and eastern European allies, Merkel said Putin invaded Ukraine without waiting for it to enter service. Confronted with criticism of the 'change through trade' policy pushed by successive German governments, Merkel said she was never under the illusion that closer trade links would spur democratic reforms in Russia. 'I never thought Putin would change through trade,' she said. But in the absence of a political rapprochement, 'having some economic ties makes sense'. Germany became hugely reliant on Russian energy imports on Merkel's watch, and she long irked Western allies with her backing for the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was to double Russian gas deliveries to Germany. The project was shelved by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz in late February over Russia's aggression, and Europe's top economy is now joining EU partners in a race to wean itself off Russian oil, gas and coal. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak responded to her comments on Thursday by criticising Merkel for deepening Europe's reliance on Russian energy. 'If Chancellor Merkel always knew that Russia was planning a war and Putin's goal is to destroy the EU, then why would (Germany) build the Nord Stream 2 (pipeline),' he wrote on Twitter, referring to the cancelled pipeline. Podolyak said Merkel had 'shoved' Europe towards increased dependency on Russian energy supplies and asked: 'Why does Germany have to fix this mistake now?' In another major reversal, Scholz has pledged to invest 100 billion euros ($107 billion) in modernising Germany's military, seen as chronically underfunded during the Merkel era. Scholz, a Social Democrat who served as finance minister in Merkel's last coalition government, has also vowed to spend more than two percent of annual gross domestic product on defence, surpassing NATO's target. Merkel voiced support for her successor's decisions, saying strength was 'the only language Putin understands'. During the interview, Merkel - who remains hugely popular in Germany - also offered a rare glimpse into her private life since retiring, spending time on her own on the Baltic Sea coast, taking walks and catching up on her reading. After 30 years in politics, Merkel said she was enjoying not having to rush from appointment to appointment. 'Personally, I'm doing well,' she told the audience, even if she felt sombre about the war in Ukraine, 'like so many people'. 'I had imagined my time after leaving office a bit differently,' Merkel said. Merkel's comments came as current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country is ready to increase its military presence in the Baltic region to meet new challenges to regional security. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda visit German troops of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Pabrade, Lithuania June 7, 2022 'We have agreed to strengthen the eastern flank of NATO by creating a new strong brigade here,' Scholz said during a visit on Tuesday to Lithuania. The Baltic country borders Kaliningrad, a Russian region where the country's Baltic Sea fleet is based. A brigade would be 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers Scholz also pledged to continue supplies of necessary weapons and troops' training to Ukraine. He dismissed claims that Germany was hesitating with heavy weaponry supplies, including most modern howitzers, to Ukraine. Lithuania President Gitanas Nauseda welcomed the German plans to deploy more troops in the country. The Russian military threat 'will remain a major source of threat to regional security,' she said. 'Baltic states are in an especially vulnerable position here on the front line of NATO external borders.' Meanwhile, Russia drew closer to its goal of fully capturing Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland as the Kremlin claimed it has taken control of 97 percent of one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas region. Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow's forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. It also appears that Russia now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. A view of the destroyed shopping mall due to shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine on June 08, 2022 After abandoning its attempt to storm Kyiv two months ago, Russian leaders declared that taking the entire Donbas is now its main objective. Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian government forces in the Donbas since 2014, and the region has borne the brunt of the Russian onslaught in recent weeks. Early in the war, Russian troops also took control of the entire Kherson region and a large part of the Zaporizhzhia region, both in the south. Russian officials and their local appointees have talked about plans for those regions to either declare their independence or be folded into Russia. But in what may be the latest instance of anti-Russian sabotage inside Ukraine, Russian state media said on Tuesday that an explosion at a cafe in the city of Kherson wounded four people. The Tass agency called the apparent bombing in the Russian-occupied city a 'terror act'. Before the February 24 invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7% of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces hold 20% of the country. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths on both sides of the conflict. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed and displaced by the brutal invasion, while Russia has lost as many as 30,000 soldiers. Demoralised Russian troops in Ukraine are plotting ways to get out of the country including trying to arrange 'fake marriages', Ukraine's intelligence agency has revealed. Analysts say that the Russian military is overstretched, with low morale and could soon run out of combat-ready units as the war in Ukraine enters its 105th day. A wiretapped recording of a conversation between a Russian soldier and his friend revealed officers 'had no options at all' and many had already made unsuccessful attempts to be discharged. The Russian was heard to say: 'Either you get wounded, killed or there's an official order to withdraw.' He added that he himself had tried to organise a fake marriage in an effort to escape the conflict. A Russian serviceman patrols the destroyed part of the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works in Ukraine's port city of Mariupol on May 18 The man said: 'I already f****** told one of my female friends, "go submit an application to the marriage registration office. Ill f****** tell them about it here". 'She said, "no f****** way, thats not an option". 'Everyone here is trying any possible way [to get out] but theres no way.' The audio footage was released by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), The Telegraph reports. Increasing numbers of Russian soldiers are looking for excuses to return home as commanders tighten restrictions on leave, said a spokesman from the SBU. According to another call intercepted by the intelligence service, a man believed to be a Russian soldier is heard to say that their water supply has stopped. Analysts say that the Russian military is overstretched, demolarised and could soon run out of combat-ready units (Pictured: troops on patrol in Mariupol on May 18) 'Were sitting here without water. Its been hot lately. Now theres the heat and the guys are also sitting in shock. Morally depressed,' the Daily Beast reports. He was also heard to say soldiers are wearing the same uniforms they wore in winter. Elsewhere, an alleged Russian soldier was caught in an audio clip by intelligence department of Ukraines Defense Ministry telling a female relative that 'most' men in his unit were refusing to fight and 'trying to dash away themselves across the Russian border'. 'Right now there are 10 people getting a [truck] ready If theres any b******* [they will immediately] hop in the [truck] and head towards Belgorod, they already got a canister there of diesel fuel and put it in the cargo area. 'I already talked to them and, if anything, theyll grab me on the way and Ill hit the road with them,' he said. Last month, a Russian court ordered 100 National Guard officers to be dismissed after they refused to fight in Ukraine in February. Smoke and dirt rise from shelling in the city of Severodonetsk during fight between Ukrainian and Russian troops in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas on June 7 In his nightly video address on Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces have made no significant advances in the eastern Donbas region over the past day and that 'the absolutely heroic defence of the Donbas continues'. Mr Zelensky added that the Russians clearly did not expect to meet so much resistance and are now trying to bring in additional troops and equipment. He said the same is true in the southern Kherson region, which Russian troops occupied early in the war. The president also stated that Ukraine plans to release a special 'book of executioners' next week with confirmed information about war crimes committed by the Russian army. He said those named will include not only those who carried out war crimes, but also their commanders. Australia's energy ministers have unanimously agreed to enhance the powers of energy regulators and give the market operator the capacity to procure and store gas supplies. Energy Minister Chris Bowen chaired a roundtable with his state and territory counterparts on Wednesday, where 11 action points were unanimously agreed to. Mr Bowen says the changes will give Australia the tools and capacity to manage the gas crisis going forward. Energy Minister Chris Bowen chaired a roundtable with his state and territory counterparts on Wednesday, where 11 action points were unanimously agreed to 'No silver bullet, no magic answers, but material steps forward in a very positive fashion,' he told reporters following the meeting. 'The Australian Energy Market Operator could not procure some gas and keep it in reserve to be released for urgent and crisis situations. 'That is technically possible. There's storage facilities around the country. We agreed to work to give AEMO that power and to give them that power expeditiously.' Regulators will also be given more powers to ensure transparency in the market and that retailers work in the best interests of consumers. The Australian Energy Market Commission has been instructed to proceed with the development of the capacity mechanism which ensures power plants are available to generate electricity when needed. The development of a national transition plan for the energy market ahead of the next meeting in July has also been agreed to. 'The reason why we are in this crisis today is because there hasn't been enough planning about the changes that are necessary,' Mr Bowen said. 'That's the result of poor planning and a previous government which didn't see the opportunities for transmission, didn't see the opportunity to renewable energy.' Resources Minister Madeline King says unexpected outages of coal-fired power plants were adding to pressures on the energy grid as gas companies work to increase their output. 'Existing coal fired power stations going offline due to planned and unplanned outages combines to see this extraordinary price,' she told Sky News. NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean said the state's coal-fired power stations needed to increase their output following the unexpected outages, to act as a stopgap with surging gas prices due to the war in Europe. 'When we've got coal-fired power plants that are not in operation due to unscheduled outages, that means gas is filling the gap,' he said. 'We need to get our coal-fired power stations back cranking up. We need our power stations running at full tilt during the winter period, so we're less reliant on gas and can put downward pressure on electricity prices.' The domestic gas supply guarantee coming into play is also helping to provide some relief to the east coast, but prices will not drop substantially overnight, Ms King added. 'The gas ... is going to where it needs to be and that should flow through the system,' she said. 'I'm not saying we're going to see a massive reduction in prices overnight. We're certainly not because we still need those ... existing coal fired power stations to come online. But the gas is moving around, more gas has been supplied.' The ACT is set to become the only Australian jurisdiction to experience a small decrease in electricity prices off the back of large-scale renewable energy projects coming online, its economic regulator says. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said coal would remain a part of the energy mix, while Mr Bowen earlier warned there was no easy fix to the energy crisis as the nation was ill-prepared to manage it. Treasurer Jim Chalmers is awaiting advice from the competition watchdog on the role and impact of coal-fired power plant shutdowns on energy prices and what regulations could be used. Advertisement A German-Armenian man who killed a teacher and injured her students as he drove 'full throttle' into a crowd of shoppers in Berlin had 'posters expressing views about Turkey' in his car, it emerged tonight. Police are still probing whether this morning's horror was deliberate, but one investigator has now claimed: 'This wasn't an accident'. The 29-year-old driver - named locally as Gor H. due to Germany privacy laws - was arrested shortly after he ploughed his car into the crowds, killing the 51-year-old teacher, who has not yet been named, and injuring 14 of her students, who are believed to be aged 16 and 17, as his car twice veered onto a pavement in a popular shopping district, officials have said. Footage shows police leading him to a black BMW and shutting him inside. Just a short distance away, his own car sits buried in the front window of a perfume shop as badly wounded people he just ran over lie on the pavement. As he is put into the car, the man turns to the man filming and says 'bitte hilf' - which translates as 'please help' -before the man responds What help? You just killed two of us idiot. German newspaper Bild tonight reported that the man was being examined in hospital. They also cited an unnamed investigator as saying: '(This was) by no means an accident - someone on the rampage, an ice-cold killer.' While a source told the paper the man, thought to live in the capital with his sister, is known to police for 'property crimes'. Witnesses say he drove 'very fast' towards the pavement on Tauentzienstrausse - a street lined with shops and cafes - around 10.30am Wednesday before smashing into crowds of shoppers without braking. He then rejoined the road and drove another 600ft - past Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church - before hitting the shop. One eyewitness said: 'He drove at full throttle. At no point did he slow down.' The man tried to flee the scene, witnesses added, but was held by two passersby until police arrived and arrested him. Officers have refused to say whether they believe the crash was deliberate. It was earlier claimed that a confession note had been found inside his vehicle, but these were later reported to be documents relating to Turkey. Berlin's top security official, Iris Sprange said the posters in the man's car 'expressed views' about the country. Meanwhile, the 51-year-old female teacher who was killed is believed to have been on a school trip with her students from a secondary school in the town of Bad Arolsen in northern Hesse. It is understood around 12 of them - believed to be teenagers - are among those hurt. A second teacher with the same class is also said to have been seriously hurt. Six people have life-threatening injuries while three are in serious condition, fire crews said. A pregnant woman also suffered a broken hip. Last night candles were lit outside the Kaulbach-Schule Bad Arolsen. No motive behind the incident has been confirmed. Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik said the driver was in hospital and "at this time, we do not have conclusive evidence of a political act". Iris Spranger, Berlin's interior affairs minister, said this evening: 'The latest evidence suggests this is a case of a mentally ill person running amok'. 'We haven't clarified everything yet,' Berlin's mayor Franziska Giffey told reporters at the scene, while an Interior Ministry spokesperson told a regular federal government news conference in Berlin it was 'too early to speculate' about what caused the incident. She added the crash had brought back terrible memories of the Breirscheidplatz attack. According to Bild, two teams of heavily armed officers entered the apartment of the driver in Charlottenburg, Berlin this evening. So far, the operation was believed to be a security measure. The crash happened just yards from where an Islamist extremist killed 12 people at a Christmas market in 2016 by ramming them with a stolen van. This is the moment police in Germany arrested a 29-year-old German-Armenian man who had crashed his car twice into crowds of pedestrians, leaving at least one person dead and a dozen injured At least one person is dead after a car ploughed into crowds of people on a street packed with shops and cafes in western Berlin around 10.30am Wednesday Pictured: The smashed window screen and front bumper of the vehicle that crashed in Berlin Dozens of people were hurt in the crash, some of them seriously, as local media said the car repeatedly mounted the pavement and hit people before the driver tried to flee Last night two candles were lit outside the Kaulbach-Schule in the small town of Bad Arolsen, where the school trip came from Dozens of firefighters, police and medics rushed to the scene - which is just a short distance from where 13 were killed in the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack Rescue workers help an injured person after a car crashed into a crowd of people in central Berlin, Germany The silver Renault Clio is said to have mounted the pavement several times and rammed into people, before crashing through the front of a perfume shop The approximate route the driver took is outlined in red, before he crashed and was tackled by passersby Actor John Barrowman said he was inside a nearby shop when he heard a 'bang' and ran out to find 'carnage' including a dead body lying in the middle of the road Fire crews help treat two young women who were wounded after a car mounted the pavement and drove into people in western Berlin on Wednesday morning Fire crews strap an injured person to a stretcher after they were wounded by a car which mounted the pavement and ploughed into shoppers in Berlin on Wednesday An air ambulance comes in to land on Rankestrausse, a busy shopping street in central Berlin where a car repeatedly mounted the pavement and drove into people on Wednesday morning Police and fire crews rush to help people injured by a car in Berlin, as the vehicle sits embedded in the front of a perfume shop window. The driver has been arrested Emergency responders stand at the site where a car ploughed into pedestrians in western Berlin on Wednesday morning Armed police stand guard on the Berlin street where a car smashed into pedestrians - leaving at least one person dead Berlin's Mayor Franziska Giffey visits the crime scene where a car crashed into a group of people, near Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022 Berlin's Mayor Franziska Giffey speaks with members of the media, while visiting the crime scene where a car crashed into a group of people, near Breitscheidplatz in Berlin Pictured: The silver Renault Clio that crashed into a group of people near Breitscheidplatz is towed away from the scene, in Berlin, Germany Pictured left and right: The Silver Renault Clio being removed after it was driven into a crowd of shoppers in Berlin Police load the vehicle onto the back of a marked lorry and transport it away fro the scene of the crime Berlin's Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger, said: 'I'm in the situation center and keep myself informed. My thoughts and my deepest sympathy are with all those affected' Germany's history of deadly car attacks 2006: During the football World Cup in Germany in 2006, a German man rammed his car into crowds gathered to watch a match at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, injuring some 20 people. The driver was later committed to a psychiatric hospital. 2016: Twelve died in a Christmas market attack after being rammed by a truck driven by Anis Amri, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, while the 13th victim was the truck's original driver - shot dead by Amri who then stole the vehicle. 2018: In April, a German man crashed his van into people seated outside a restaurant in the city of Muenster, killing five before shooting himself dead. Investigators later said he had mental health problems. 2019: Another German national injured eight people when he drove into crowds on New Year's Eve in the western cities of Bottrop and Essen. He was later taken into psychiatric care. 2020: In February, a German man rammed his car through a carnival procession in the central town of Volkmarsen, injuring dozens of bystanders, including children. He was sentenced to life in jail last year. 2020: A 30-year-old Iraqi man rammed his car into other motorists on the on the Bundesautobahn 100 in Berlin injuring six people in August. He had expressed support for Islamic extremist views, and was suspected of 'in effect hunting down motorcyclists,' officials said at the time. He was later moved to a psychiatric hospital, reports said. 2020: A German man ploughed his car through a pedestrian shopping street in December, in the southwestern city of Trier, killing four adults and a baby. Advertisement Around 130 police officers and 80 firefighters arrived at the scene after the incident. A police spokesperson told Berlin newspaper, Tagesspiegel: We dont know whether this was a deliberate act or a traffic accident. Interior Senator Iris Spranger said: 'We mourn the deceased and fear for the seriously injured in the terrible incident. 'As a sign of sympathy and sympathy, I have ordered mourning flags to be displayed in Berlin tomorrow.' Doctor Who actor John Barrowman, 55, was in the area at the time, and described hearing a 'loud bang' from inside a shop before running out to a scene of 'carnage' with a dead body lying in the road and police 'everywhere'. Posting on Twitter from the street, he said: 'The car came down onto the pavement. Then has come onto the road over there, has hit somebody then has gone down the road and come back onto the pavement and gone through a bunch of people and then right into a store front window.' Speaking to Sky News, he added: 'How horrible that this morning these people got up to just go through a regular day, they were going through their daily business. I mean we were shopping, but if you think if we'd have come out of that store one minute earlier... 'We are no experts but this looks intentional,' he added, speaking alongside husband Scott Gill. Damien Seymour, 73, a British man who witnessed the aftermath of the incident while he was on holiday, told The Daily Telegraph: Were just in a hotel nearby and its shocking really. 'Its quite horrifying, you cant believe it. Theyve got these ramps up sort of to defend the city in the areas for exactly whats happened. And here we go. Its happened again. Frank Vittchen, a witness at the scene, told AFP he was sitting at a fountain nearby when he 'heard a big crash and then also saw a person fly through the air'. The vehicle drove 'at high speed onto the pavement and didn't brake', he said, with its windows shattering from the impact. 'It all happened so fast,' he said. Another witness who declined to be named told AFP the people hit by the car included a group of 15-16-year-olds, and that two teachers were among those injured. Police said: 'A man is believed to have driven into a group of people. It is not yet known whether it was an accident or a deliberate act.' The driver was briefly detained by passers-by before being handed over to police after the car smashed through a shop front, according to police spokesman Thilo Cablitz. 'There are seriously injured people among the more than a dozen injured,' said Cablitz. Six were in a life-threatening condition, and another three were seriously hurt, the fire service said. The German government is 'very concerned and shocked' by the 'terrible incident in Berlin', said a spokeswoman, adding that their thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. Berlin's Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger, said: 'I'm in the situation center and keep myself informed. My thoughts and my deepest sympathy are with all those affected.' A victim is stretchered into the back of am ambulance after a car drove into crowds in a shopping district in western Berlin Medics help a wounded person into the back of an ambulance after they were hit by a car that mounted the pavement in Berlin Rescue workers work at the site where one person was killed and a dozen injured when a car drove into a group of people in western Berlin on Wednesday morning Rescue workers help an injured person after a car crashed into a crowd of people in western Berlin A first-response helicopter is pictured at the site after a car crashed into a group of people in Berlin Emeregency crews work at near site after a car crashed into a group of people before hitting a storefront in Berlin Police officers work at the scene after a car drove into a crowd of people in western Berlin Police officers stand at a cordoned-off area at the site where a car ploughed into a crowd in Berlin A police tactical team secures the area, near a car that crashed into a group of people before hitting a storefront Emergency workers gather next to Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, opposite where the crash happened People attend a memorial service at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, after a car crashed into a group of people, near Breitscheidplatz, in Berlin earlier today Pictured: A memorial service at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on Wednesday evening The crash took place near the main shopping district's Breitscheidplatz, the scene of Berlin's 2016 Christmas market attack in which 13 people were killed. Twelve died after being rammed by a truck driven by Anis Amri, who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, while the 13th victim was the truck's original driver - shot dead by Amri who then stole the vehicle. Meanwhile, the congregation of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church invited their community to hold a memorial service for the victim's of the tragic attack on Wednesday evening. Berlin's Governing Mayor, the Deputy Governing Mayor Bettina Jarasch, Berlin's Interior Senator Iris Spranger and Hesse's Minister for Federal Affairs Lucia Puttrich also attended the church, reports Berliner Morgenpost. Kathrin Oxen, pastor of the Memorial Church, said: None of us want to be here.' She referenced the terrorist attack at Breitscheitplatz six years ago and added: 'We don't want to mourn again in view of such a senseless act. Nevertheless, here we find refuge. Germany has seen several such attacks since the deadly 2016 assault. In December 2020, a German man ploughed his car through a pedestrian shopping street in the southwestern city of Trier, killing four adults and a baby. Earlier the same year, a German man rammed his car through a carnival procession in the central town of Volkmarsen, injuring dozens of bystanders, including children. He was sentenced to life in jail last year. In January 2019, another German national injured eight people when he drove into crowds on New Year's Eve in the western cities of Bottrop and Essen. He was later taken into psychiatric care. In April 2018, a German man crashed his van into people seated outside a restaurant in the city of Muenster, killing five before shooting himself dead. Investigators later said he had mental health problems. During the football World Cup in Germany in 2006, a German man rammed his car into crowds gathered to watch a match at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, injuring some 20 people. The driver was later committed to a psychiatric hospital. Police officers work at the scene after a car drove into a crowd of people in central Berlin, Germany A police officer marks the crime scene at the accident site where a car ploughed into a crowd near Tauentzienstrasse in central Berlin Vice President Kamala Harris broke her lengthy quiet on the border issue on Tuesday, announcing that the private sector will invest roughly $2 billion more in Central America, even though thousands of migrants from the region are making their way to the US-Mexico border. The White House portrayed the $1.9 billion investment proposal as the latest effort to address the root causes of widespread economic migration to the United States. Kamala Harris Unveils Central American Program Miami-based Millicom is investing $700 million to expand cellular networks in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Visa is investing $270 million to promote digital payments, and auto parts supplier Yazaki is investing $110 million to hire more than 14,000 workers in Guatemala and El Salvador by the end of 2026. Whatever the long-term impact of the investment plan, it is not likely to have an impact on the caravan presently traveling through Mexico. At least 6,000 people marched north from Tapachula, Mexico, on Monday, hoping to get into the United States. Figures of the caravan's official size vary. On Monday, organizer Luis Villigran told Fox News that the caravan spanned more than 32 kilometers and that 9,500 people were taking part. The caravan included around 11,000 individuals, with some speculating that the number may rise to 15,000; however, the Mexican government has neither issued an official estimate of the caravan's size nor made any public remark on it, as per New York Post. President Joe Biden tasked Harris with tackling the root causes of migration, especially from the Northern Triangle, which encompasses Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. While Harris travels to Los Angeles for the meeting, thousands of migrants, many of whom are Venezuelans, set off from southern Mexico on Monday in an attempt to reach the United States. This week, at least 6,000 individuals departed the Mexican city of Tapachula near the Guatemalan border on their way north to the United States. All of the Northern Triangle leaders are not attending the meeting this week, and even Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is skipping the activities, despite the country's 2,000-mile border with the United States. The presidents of Guatemala and Honduras have indicated that they would not attend summit sessions this week, instead of sending other officials. During the Summit of the Americas on Tuesday, Harris will also push a private sector woman-focused project to link 1.4 million women to the banking system. It also intends to teach over 500,000 women and girls job skills so that they may more readily enter the labor field and sustain themselves and their families. Also on Tuesday, Harris' office announced the launch of the Central American Service Corps, a $50 million initiative funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that will provide young people in the Northern Triangle nations with paid community service opportunities in areas such as education and violence prevention. According to Daily Mail, White House statement, the expenditures are intended to "give hope for individuals in the area to establish safe and productive lives at home." Read Also: Kim Jong Un Feared To Gear Up with New Nuclear Test After Firing 8 Ballistic Missiles; Here's What Pyongyang Wants From US Administration Judge Calls Out Kamala Harris' on Border Crisis On 'The Five,' Judge Jeanine Pirro slammed Vice President Kamala Harris, stating that she doesn't deserve to be vice president, should quit, and isn't performing her job. On Monday, the co-hosts of the Fox News Channel show asked where Harris has gone as the border crisis escalates out of hand. The greatest migrant caravan in history is apparently approaching the US border, and the vice president is saying nothing about it. "She didn't even call the guy. There's supposed to be diplomatic relations... she's gotta be so lazy," he contended before mocking Harris even more, as per Bizpac Review. Related Article: Germany Ignores Zelensky, Worries Arms Shipment Could Worsen Russia - Ukraine Conflict @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A First World War memorial has been 'desecrated', local residents said today as thousands of travellers descended on Cumbria for the annual Appleby Horse Fair. The event in Appleby and neighbouring Kirkby Stephen is expected to see 30,000 visitors, with 10,000 of them from the gypsy, Roma and traveller community. But locals in Kirkby Stephen are furious after the town's Grade ll-listed war memorial in the market square was left strewn with drink and takeaway containers yesterday. Meanwhile, a haulage firm also claimed yesterday that a field it owns was broken into and a wooden gate damaged so that horses could be grazed on it. While locals claim that it was travellers who left the litter on the memorial, this is not certain and no proof has been provided. Locals in Kirkby Stephen are furious after the town's Grade ll-listed war memorial was left strewn with drink and takeaway containers, prompting accusations of 'desecration' A haulage firm called Lakeland Commercials claimed a field it owns was broken into and a wooden gate damaged so that horses could be grazed on it. A unnamed local businessman said: 'Travellers have desecrated the World War One memorial in Kirkby Stephen. 'Many of us in the town have relatives commemorated on it and it has gone down very badly. Despite raised police patrols no one has been apprehended. Appleby Horse Fair: Historic event tracing its roots back to 1685 The fair is held outside the town of Appleby, at the point where the old Roman Road crosses Long Marton Road, on Gallows Hill, which was named after the public hangings that were once carried out there. It was once thought the fair originated from a royal charter to the borough of Appleby from King James II of England in 1685, although more recent research has found the charter was cancelled before it was ever enacted. The gathering is sometimes known as 'the New Fair' because Appleby's medieval borough fair, held at Whitsuntide, ceased in 1885. The 'New Fair' began in 1775 for sheep and cattle drovers and horse dealers to sell their stock. By the 1900s it had evolved into a major Gypsy/Traveller event which brought families from across the UK and Europe. Advertisement 'A field owned by a local business has also been broken into and numerous horses were let loose for some free grazing.' The haulage company, Lakeland Commercials, posted a picture of the horses on their land yesterday and said: 'We would like to ask Cumbria Police why they are unwilling to act or investigate when our property has been clearly been broken into and filled with horses? 'This has been reported and their response was they would drop us some signs off.' The event - Europe's largest gathering of gypsies and travellers - is set to start tomorrow, a week later than usual to avoid clashing with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This year police have made changes to traffic regulations so local roads can be opened and closed when needed. The number of temporary toilets has also been increased, and there will be daily meetings of the fair's co-ordinating group. In its 250-year history the fair has only been cancelled twice, the first in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak and the second in 2020 due to the pandemic. The gathering is billed as the biggest traditional gypsy fair in Europe and has developed traditions that take place every year. Gypsy horses are washed in the River Eden in Appleby and trotted up and down the 'flashing lane' - a closed off rural road - before being haggled over and bought. There is a market on Jimmy Winter's Field with stalls selling everything from fashion to horse-related wares. People at Barton in Cumbria on their way to the Appleby Horse Fair on Monday. There is no suggestion that those pictured were involved in the damage to the memorial or field Last year there were claims of a sexual assault on a young woman in the grounds of a church and a local man in his 60s was taken to hospital after being assaulted. There were scenes of chaos as fighting broke out on the main street between rival groups of travellers which brought armed police into the streets to restore order. A Cumbria Police spokesman said today: 'Cumbria Police and the wider Multi-Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group are aware of both issues relating to Kirkby Stephen. 'The police and partners work closely with the local community in Kirkby Stephen and the Gypsy and Traveller community in the lead-up to Appleby Horse Fair in an effort to address issues as they arise. People on Monday on their way to the Appleby Horse Fair, at Barton in Cumbria. There is no suggestion that those pictured were involved in the damage to the memorial or field 'People are urged to report matters to the police so they can be acted upon. Issues can be reported to officers in-person to officers based in Kirkby Stephen, online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit or by dialling 101. Regarding the incident related to the Lakeland Commercials land, the police spokesman added: 'We received a report yesterday at around 4.30pm of a wooden gate having been damaged and horses in the field. Officers attended. The horses had been moved on by around 7pm. 'However, the incident is being investigated and police would ask anyone with information to report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit, quoting incident number 167 of 7 June 2022. You can also phone on 101. 'Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.' New Labour guru Peter Mandelson today warned Sir Keir Starmer he had a year to make his mark and put the party within reach of an election win. Tony Blair's former righthand man said the three-term PM's successor needed to make 'some more powerful brushstrokes' to win over voters. His remarks to Times Radio came ahead of a speech in which he is expected to urge Sir Keir to have a far bolder economic policy if he wants a resounding election win in 2024. Lord Mandelson, a former minister and EU Commissioner, will warn the current party leader he needs to show more 'ambition and hard thinking' if we wants to do better than 'sneaking over the finishing line'. He is expected to add that a narrow win would mean ''inertia and decline' for Britain as he struggles to push through his agenda. The former Labour spin chief will also suggest that there is a 'desperate need' for Sir Keir to ape some of the policies of Boris Johnson on research and innovation, when he addresses the North East Chamber of Commerce in Durham later. 'I am glad that Keir Starmer now wants to build on New Labour's legacy. But this requires thinking deeply about how the world has changed since then and the opportunities it offers, as well as assessing realistically what we got right and where we could have done better,' he will say, according to the Times. Lord Mandelson will use a speech today to warn the current party leader he needs to show more 'ambition and hard thinking' if we wants to do better than 'sneaking over the finishing line' at the next election. The former Labour spin chief will also suggest that there is a ''desperate need' for Sir Keir to ape some of the policies of Boris Johnson on research and innovation, when he addresses the North East Chamber of Commerce in Durham later. It is the latest intervention by the former minister and EU commissioner, a key supporter and aide to Blair It is the latest intervention by the former minister and EU commissioner. Last September he confessed he would be 'delighted' to work in a Sir Keir-led Labour government and revealed former Tony Blair is offering advice to the party leader. Lord Mandelson, one of the architects of New Labour, said the former Prime Minister had urged Sir Keir to do more to 'project his personality' in a bid to win round more voters in the next general election and is contact with him 'from time to time'. In an interview with The Telegraph, the former MP for Hartlepool admitted he would 'love' to be back in Government but confessed the likelihood was 'fairly small'. 'I'd love to go back to the government. There's not a day that passes without my missing being in government', the 67-year-old told The Telegraph's weekly politics podcast Chopper's Politics. Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed legislation that finalises Moscow's exit from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights, a rupture provoked by Russia's war in Ukraine, opening the door to the reinstatement of the death penalty. The vote came following Russia's expulsion from the Council of Europe in March after President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24. The move deprived Russians of what many activists saw as the last hope for justice and crushed efforts to integrate the country into the international rights framework, observers say. Parliament's lower house, the Duma, approved two bills - one removing the country from the court's jurisdiction and a second setting March 15 as the cut-off point, with rulings against Russia made after that date not to be implemented. The bills were passed nearly unanimously, with only one deputy from the opposition Communist Party voting against. They must now be signed by President Vladimir Putin before becoming law. The break removes a legal avenue that Russians, including jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have used in the past to raise high-profile cases that had been rejected by national courts. Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed legislation that finalises Moscow's exit from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. Pictured: Russian lawmakers attends a session of the State Duma (file photo) 'The European Court of Human Rights has become an instrument of political battle against our country in the hands of Western politicians,' Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of lower house of parliament, the State Duma, said following the vote. 'Some of its decisions were in direct contradiction to the Russian constitution, our values and our traditions,' he said in a statement. Russia had been under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights - overseen by the continent's top rights organisation - for more than 20 years, becoming its biggest purveyor of cases. As part of the amendments, Russia will not carry out rulings of the ECHR that were issued after March 15, the day Moscow said it would pull out of the Council of Europe after pressure mounted for Moscow to be expelled. Volodin added that any future pay-outs that were ordered before March 15 would only be paid in rubles and into Russian bank accounts. The legislation also stipulates that Russian courts have the power to overrule decisions of the ECHR. The bills were passed nearly unanimously, with only one deputy from the opposition Communist Party voting against. They must now be signed by President Vladimir Putin (pictured on Tuesday in Moscow) before becoming law The so-called 'Ruxit' from the Council of Europe will have far-reaching consequences. Campaigners have warned of a potential intensification of a clampdown on Russia's embattled civil society amid Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, worsening abuse of prisoners, and a possible reinstatement of the death penalty. In 2017, the court ordered Moscow to pay compensation to survivors of a hostage crisis who alleged failings on the part of the security services when they stormed a school seized by Islamist militants in 2004. The siege in the town of Beslan ended in a bloody gun battle in which more than 330 hostages died, including at least 180 children. In February 2021, the ECHR ruled that Navalny, the country's leading opposition figure, should be released from prison after being jailed on charges he described as politically motivated. Russia described the ECHR's ruling as 'unlawful'. Navalny on Tuesday lost an appeal contesting the decision by penitentiary officials to label him as 'inclined to commit crimes of a terrorist or extremist nature.' The break removes a legal avenue that Russians, including jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, have used in the past to raise high-profile cases that had been rejected by national courts Last year, the ECHR also found Russia responsible for the 'assassination' of Aleksandr Litvinenko in London in 2006. The outspoken critic of Putin died after he drank tea poisoned with polonium-210 - a rare and highly radioactive isotope. It was reported last week that Dmitry Kovtun, one of the two primary suspects in the assassination of the British citizen - had died from Covid-19. Russia was admitted to the Council of Europe, which was founded after World War Two to promote human rights and democracy in Europe, under President Boris Yeltsin in 1996. After the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Russia was stripped of its voting rights in the Council's Parliamentary Assembly, which it began to boycott from 2016. On March 15, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe decided to expel Russia from the organisation, of which the ECHR is part, in response to Russia's deployment of troops to Ukraine in February. Russia has said that it independently decided to leave the Council of Europe, with former President Dmitry Medvedev saying that Russia's exit from the organisation represented an opportunity to restore the death penalty. Scandal-hit actor Ezra Miller, 29, has been accused of taking control of a teenage activist, plying her with alcohol, LSD and marijuana, and displaying 'cult-like' behavior toward her. Tokata Iron Eyes, now 18, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, met the Flash star when she was just 12 years old when the then 23-year-old Miller visited their reservation in North Dakota. The film star, who who identifies as non-binary and queer and uses the pronouns they/them, would likely haven been filming Justice League at the time, where one of the sets was located in nearby Illinois. Tokata's parents claim they sparked up an unlikely friendship and Miller even flew her to London two years later to visit the Fantastic Beasts studio. They also claim in a lawsuit that the actor, supplied their underage daughter with drugs and alcohol and disrupted her Massachusetts private schooling to such an extent that she dropped out of in December. They said the actor had exhibited a 'pattern of corrupting a minor.' Her parents also claimed Miller displayed 'cult-like psychological manipulation' and had 'controlling behavior,' according to People. Tokata's father Chase Iron Eyes, a former Democratic House candidate for North Dakota, and his wife, said in their lawsuit: 'Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs to hold sway over a young adolescent Tokata.' The parents are asking the court to intervene and issue an order of protection against Miller on behalf of their daughter. A hearing is set for next month. Scandal-hit actor Ezra Miller (pictured), 29, has been accused of taking control of a teenage activist and separating her from her family Tokata Iron Eyes (pictured in 2018), a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, met the Flash star when she was just 12 years old When they flew to Miller's home in Vermont in January to retrieve Tokata after she dropped out, they allegedly found bruises on her body and she no longer had a driving license, car keys or a bank card, TMZ reported. When the teenager was returned to her parents' home, she fled again to New York to reunite with Miller and they have since allegedly been traveling together to Vermont, Hawaii and Los Angeles. Ezra Miller's hell year: From two arrests in Hawaii to sharing a cryptic message to the KKK January 2022: Threatens the KKK Miller started off their year by posting a now-deleted video on Instagram threatening members of the KKK in North Carolina. March 2022: First arrest in HI They was arrested in a Hilo, Hawaii, karaoke bar after reportedly harassing patrons with belligerent behavior. The actor also allegedly hurled obscenities at a woman singing and attempted to take the microphone. Miller also reported lunged at a 32-year-old man who was playing darts. April 2022: Second arrest in HI He was arrested against after reportedly hurling a chair at a 26-year-old woman after becoming irritated. Authorities said Miller became irate after they were asked to leave a gathering at a residence and threw a chair, striking a 26-year-old woman on the forehead. They were arrested 20 minutes after the attack during a traffic stop and later released. Advertisement Tokata dismissed her parents concerns in a post on social media, writing: 'I'd like to make a statement to acknowledge the tragedy that is the narrative of the general public and the assumptions made on my behalf by my family and friends regarding my stability and otherwise. 'I dropped out of bard five months ago, my friend and comrade William passed shortly there after, my mind was incredibly impacted and I've needed space and time for the processing of grief. 'My comrade Ezra Miller for the entirety of the aforementioned era has only provided loving support and invaluable protection throughout this period of loss.' Tokata began her life as an activist aged nine when she testified against a uranium mine in the Black Hills. She also was a prominent campaigner against the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline and has appeared alongside Greta Thunberg to discuss climate concerns. Miller has been involved in a series of run-ins with the law involving drugs and violence. In Hawaii in March, the actor reportedly hurled obscenities at a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke then tried to grab the microphone from her mid-song at Margarita Village Bar in Hilo. On the same night, they lunged at a 32-year-old man who was playing darts at the bar and spat in his face. Police were eventually called in to deal with the out-of-control star. They later pleaded no contest and were fined $500 for disorderly conduct. Weeks later, Miller became irate after they were asked to leave a gathering and threw a chair, striking a 26-year-old woman on the forehead. The unidentified woman was left with a half-inch cut but refused treatment, police said. The Hollywood star was arrested 20 minutes after the attack during a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 130 and Kukula Street in Kea'au. The couple Miller was staying with bailed them out for $500 but then they issued a restraining order against the actor. The pair said Miller threatened them and robbed them while they were staying in the couple's Hawaii home. The husband, who has not been publicly named, alleged that after returning home, Miller had a breakdown and threatened his wife, saying: 'I will bury you and your s*** wife.' The couple has since dropped the petition for a restraining order. Warner Bros and DC executives held an emergency meeting in March where they agreed to halt any future projects involving Miller, sources told Rolling Stone. Miller, a non-binary actor playing The Flash in the DC Cinematic Universe, has had a series of run-ins with the law Insiders told the publication that Miller, who has a history of 'meltdowns,' will not be involved in any public appearances for the DC Cinematic Universe despite Miller's The Flash slated to premiere next year. Miller previously drew controversy in April 2020 when a video circulated that allegedly showed the actor choking a woman while at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland, Variety reported. Amid the recent scandal, a video resurfaced on Twitter of Miller appearing to choke a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland Tokata was a prominent campaigner against the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline and has appeared alongside Greta Thunberg to discuss climate concerns (pictured together in 2019) In the video, Miller grabs the woman by the throat and attempts to throw her to the ground. 'Woah, bro. Bro,' the person filming says. A source told Variety the incident took place after 'pushy fans' approached Miller and the actor lost their temper. Miller has never publicly addressed the incident. Miller also made headlines in January when they posted a now-deleted video on Instagram threatening members of the Ku Klux Klan operating in Beulaville, North Carolina. Miller was seen telling members of the Klan to kill themselves with their own guns, otherwise 'we'll do it for you if that's what you want.' Miller also had a run in with the law in 2011 where they were arrested for drug possession. The actor, then 19, was the passenger in a vehicle in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when they were pulled over and cops reportedly discovered 20 grams of marijuana on them. A judge would later drop the drug possession charge, but they were charged with two citations of disorderly conduct and ordered to pay a fine of $600. A body found by two mates out in their four-wheel-drive near a track popular with recreational vehicles could have been burnt death, detectives have revealed. The two men discovered the remains on the remote track in the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast about 12pm on Tuesday - but police did not arrive until 8pm because of the remote location. Investigators have since declared a crime scene with Sunshine Coast CIB detective senior sergeant Craig Mansfield saying they are treating the death as suspicious and a lighter was found nearby. He said the driver and his passenger had taken a wrong turn when the made the shocking discovery. Detectives investigate the scene where two mates out on a four-wheel-drive discovered a body off a remote dirt track (pictured) The area near the Sunshine Coast is popular for bushwalkers and recreational vehicle drivers 'They realised the track went no further and it was at this point they came across the skeletal remains. (The body was) not buried in anyway but it's in a heavily decomposed state,' he said, reports the Courier Mail. He said police were having difficulty establishing how long the body had been there because the track was open to weather and there had been significant rain in the area. '(Whether the person) ventured there on their own or was put there... we're not ruling that out.' Specialist pathologists have travelled from Brisbane to assist in the investigation. He said investigators had been unable to confirm if the person was male or female but they were smaller in 'stature' which could indicate a teenager. The two men had driven down a wrong turn and when they stopped they made the grisly discovery off the side of the track (pictured) Sunshine Coast CIB detective senior sergeant Craig Mansfield (pictured) said police were treating the death as suspicious A police statement on Wednesday said the remains would be sent for further analysis which might establish a gender. He also added they have not been able to link the case with any known missing persons and urged the public to contact police if they know of anyone missing in the area. An incident centre was established at Maroochydore Police Station with Sunshine Coast Police to collaborate with other specialist officers. Glass House Mountains is a rural hinterland area in the Sunshine Coast with a population of 5,065 people as recorded in the 2016 Census. The mountains are popular with tourists and locals looking to go on bush walks, climbs, and four-wheel drives on the picturesque tracks. Police have asked that anyone with information contact Crime Stoppers. Advertisement A second cinema chain has joined Cineworld in pulling a film about Islam and the daughter of the Prophet Muhammed from its screens after complaints it is blasphemous, MailOnline can reveal. Why The Lady Of Heaven so controversial? How film touches on tensions between Sunnis and Shias Controversial film Lady of Heaven has been banned from some cinemas in the UK after hundreds of Muslims protested against it. Large crowds appeared outside cinemas in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham and Sheffield in recent days to call for the film to be pulled from theatres. The film and its creators have been accused of blasphemy for depicting Prophet Muhammad and his daughter Fatima. Most schools of Islam ban any depiction of the prophet as they believe it to be against the spirit of the religion, disrespectful and encouraging of the worship of idols. The film has also been accused of inciting hatred between different sects in Islam. Created by Shias, it was nonetheless banned in Shia-majority Iran with the government saying it was aimed at dividing Muslims. The Sunni sect, which makes up 90 per cent of the global Muslim population, have accused the film's creators of deliberately depicting an extremist Shia perspective of Islamic history to create tension. Sunni Muslims are unhappy at the way that some of Islam's holiest figures are portrayed in the film, including the prophet's third wife Aisha and two of his closest companions. Abu Bakr and Omar, who were the first two caliphs and are seen as two of the holiest figures among Sunnis, are depicted as deceitful, conniving and dishonest - characterisation that has caused significant anger among Sunnis. Another complaint has been about how the companions, and Aisha, were portrayed by black actors, leading to accusations of racism. 5Pillars, an Islamic Media organisation, said: 'Most Muslims will find the invective against three of the most beloved companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) shocking and disgusting. But it is also a deeply racist film with all the main negative characters being portrayed by black actors. Whats more, the film directly disrespects the Prophet (pbuh) by showing his face.' There is also anger at the writer of the film, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib, who is a controversial figure in the Muslim world. A Kuwaiti Shia scholar based in London, he has previously angered Sunni Muslims by calling Aisha, the third wife of the Prophet Muhammad, 'an enemy of God'. The cleric was previously jailed in Kuwait and had his citizenship stripped. Senior Iranian clerics have described him as a mad man and accused him of inflaming tensions between Sunnis and Shia. Executive producer Malik Shlibak said the film had gone to great lengths not to offend Muslims, adding that he was aware the movie was including characters that are 'very holy for close to two billion people'. Advertisement Showcase was due to show the movie but is no longer advertising any screenings. When MailOnline contacted one of its cinemas to ask for viewing times an operator said it was no longer being screened. Vue is defiantly continuing to show the film, saying it 'takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content' and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities'. Hundreds of demonstrators have turned out in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham and Sheffield in recent days to protest against venues showing The Lady of Heaven. The 12million movie was released in the UK over the Jubilee weekend but was pulled by Cineworld from all its branches after staff faced crowds of protesters demanding it was removed from circulation. The movie's executive producer, Malik Shlibak, called the decision to pull it 'unacceptable' and accused the chain of 'bowing down to radical extremists'. Today he revealed he had received messages from activists telling him 'I'm going to kill you' on Twitter. But he said he wasn't scared by the threats, which included him being called an 'infidel', an offensive term relating to someone who is unfaithful to their own religion. And he added the massive controversy surrounding its screenings had been 'brilliant' for the film and had brought in 'huge audiences'. He said: 'I've had death threats sent to me, to be very frank with you, I've had death threats for the last five years. 'It's nothing new because I'm involved in this type of work where these radicals don't what you to speak about anything they don't agree with. I don't worry about it - it's just empty threats. 'But I have had threats on Twitter now, being called an 'infidel' and with people saying, 'I'm going to kill you' and all this sort of thing.' It is not the first time images of the Prophet Muhammed have caused controversy. Last year, protests erupted outside Batley Grammar School after a teacher showed pupils an 'inappropriate' cartoon of Muhammed. He was later suspended and forced into hiding. The issue has also sparked violence in the past, including the shooting of 11 people at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine; while in 2020 a teacher was beheaded in Paris for showing cartoons of Muhammed to his pupils. It comes as film fans who watched The Lady of Heaven in London called on cinemas that have pulled it to have a re-think. NHS worker Toqeer Abbas, 47, who watched the film at Vue Cinema in Shepherd's Bush, south west London, said: 'I do not agree with the protests. I think it is sad people have called for it to be banned. Most of those people haven't watched it. 'It is sad that cinemas are not showing it as that allows for any other viewpoint to be restricted. There are certain people that we know that have been against it but this is a conservative view. 'If you shut down dialogue you have nothing. You have a world of ignorance. This film creates a talking point. You don't have to believe it and if you don't you should do your own research. 'Why would you want to ban it? What's the reason for it? 'It's a free country and whatever happens people will find a way to see it but why can't we come here and spend time with our families and chat about it afterwards. 'Talking creates tolerance while shutting things down, no matter how difficult, creates intolerance.' Mr Abbas from south London added: 'Some of it was difficult to watch visually. We have heard the stories that were in the film but we have never seen it before. This is the first time we have had a movie showing these events in this way. 'We've never had anything like this before. This is the first time in 1400 years. 'For me there was too much imagery. It was made too human. We will get in the car and have more conversations about it. It's a talking point and I think it has a positive message.' Cinemas have seen protests from Muslims claiming the film The Lady of Heaven is 'blasphemous'. Pictured: Birmingham Some cinemas made the decision to pull the film from theatres following the backlash. Pictured: Cineworld in Birmingham Protesters gathered at cinemas to voice opposition to the Lady of Heaven, which was officially released in the UK on June 3 Cineworld has said it has cancelled all showings of the film nationwide 'to ensure the safety of our staff and customers'. Pictured: A crowd of protesters gathered outside the Cineworld in Birmingham on Sunday, June 5, to protest the film's release The people behind The Lady of Heaven Eli King The director of the film, Eli King has no previous movie credits to his name. He has not done any interviews prior to the film's release, and keeps an under the radar profile. Producer Malik Shlibak said they landed on King after meeting with a lot of directors. He told Deadline: 'The majority of the British ones I would say, many of them were very interested, but felt the subject may have been too complex, but we were very lucky at the end.' Malik Shlibak Executive producer Malik Shlibak Based in London, the executive producer has hit back at criticism and accused cinemas of caving to 'extremists' by pulling the film. On Twitter he wrote: 'While I vehemently disagree with what these protestors stand for (death of free speech), I wholeheartedly thank them for the free publicity, we're already seeing an absolute flood of new audience who had never heard of our film.' Speaking last year he said the film had gone to great lengths not to offend Muslims, adding that he was aware the movie was including characters that are 'very holy for close to two billion people'. Hussein Ashmere Producer Hussein Ashmere One of the producers on the film, Ashmere previously said he hoped the film would educate audiences. Speaking to Deadline last year, he said while it was 'an emotional film' it would also be informative for people unfamiliar with the story of Lady Fatima. 'It's all factually correct, so this is one thing I want to reiterate,' he said. 'We spent meticulous time on this particular subject. We wanted to make sure we wrapped this up very well.' Sheikh al-Habib Sheikh Yasser al-Habib The film's writer, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib is a Kuwaiti Shia scholar based in London. He was imprisoned in the Middle Eastern country before being granted asylum in the UK. He has previously angered Sunni Muslims by calling Aisha, the third wife of the Prophet Muhammad, 'an enemy of God'. The film's producer Malik Shlibak described him as 'a brilliant mind, an intellectual, an academic, a scholar, a historian'. Advertisement One cinema-goer said: 'I think the protests are ridiculous. Calling for the movie to be banned is shutting down debate and dialogue. 'Everyone should be allowed to see the film. Although I must say it was a little long and boring at times.' A Muslim woman, who is originally from Lebanon who watched the film on her own, said: 'It was a nice movie.I liked it. It had a positive message. 'People who have been protesting have a different opinion. We don't need to do that. We are all Muslim. I would not want to see it banned from the cinema.' Another man who watched the film but asked not to be named said: 'I think people should at least see the film before passing judgment. 'I only came to see what all the fuss was about. It's a low budget movie and there were not many people watching it. 'If anything, any protests and calls for the film to be banned will have the reverse effect with more people going to see it.' In contrast to large scale demonstrations, film-goers who watched the movie in an auditorium, which was half full, were able to do so without having to run the gauntlet from protesters. Cineworld confirmed it had pulled the film to 'ensure the safety of staff and customers' after outcry from protesters who picketed movie theatres and branded it 'blasphemous'. Vue, meanwhile, is still listed as showing the film in a number of its London branches tonight. Made in Britain for 12million, the film opens with the invasion of Iraq by ISIS and features a graphic jihadist murder, before telling the story of Lady Fatima, one of the daughters of the founder of Islam. Islamic tradition forbids the direct portrayal of religious figures, with previous depictions of prophets leading to protests and even murders amid accusations of blasphemy. Director Eli King depicts Fatima as a faceless character, shrouded by a black veil to avoid doing this. But protesters have accused the filmmakers of inaccurately depicting religious history and negatively portraying three of Islam's most important figures. A video from the weekend appears to show a manager at one cinema addressing a crowd confirming the film has been pulled, prompting cries of 'Allahu Akbar'. The film features former Coronation Street actor Ray Fearon and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival last year, but was only released in the UK for the first time on June 3, this year. John Stephenson, who directed the 1999 film Animal Farm and 2004 movie Five Children and It, acted as a creative consultant. And other critics have expressed anger that the negative characters were portrayed by black actors, rather than white, which they say 'stems from the racial bias against darker skinned people'. Those who came out to protest screenings on Monday said they were 'offended' by the film and the way it illustrated the life of revered religious figures. One protester in Bradford, West Yorkshire, said: 'We are very offended. We have a right not to be insulted. 'You talk about freedom of speech but where does your freedom of speech go when it goes to criticising your policies, when it goes to making critical analysis of your version of history. 'You have no right to tell us our history. We will not let this film go on further.' Others carried signs saying: 'It's not ok to offend 1.8 billion #handsoffoursuperheroes' and 'Stop the screening', while using megaphones to get across their message. In Bolton, the local chairman of the Council of Mosques, Asif Patel, wrote a letter to his local branch of Cineworld, where he called the film 'blasphemous'. He said: 'You may well be aware of the recently released film 'Lady of Heaven' which has caused much distress to Muslims across the globe. 'It is underpinned with a sectarian ideology and is blasphemous in nature to the Muslim community. 'It grossly disrespects the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in many ways and is deeply disturbing to every Muslim. 'It also misrepresents orthodox historical narratives and disrespects the most esteemed individuals of Islamic history. 'The storyline begs the question to what extent the producers had considered the huge impact of this film upon the Muslim community and notions of sacredness dearly held by them.' 'In Bolton, we are a very diverse community and are very respectful of each other's culture and honour on community cohesion.' Left to right: Producer Hussein Ashmere, Mehpe Al Hussaini, executive producer Jawad Salah and executive producer Malik Shlibak from Enlightened Kingdom attend the premier of The Lady of Heaven at the Cannes Film Festival last year Pictured: A movie poster for The Lady of Heaven, which has been pulled from cinemas in the UK after days of protests How Prophet Muhammed cartoons have previously sparked controversy and violence Cartoon during RE lesson A teacher was forced into hiding following protests about a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed he showed to pupils during a religious education class. The image, which was shown to children at Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire, sparked days of heated protests by parents and activists at the school gates. The 30-year-old teacher, who was forced to flee his home, was suspended at the time but later cleared when an independent investigation found that he had not intended to cause offence. Earlier this year he was reported to still be in hiding. Charlie Hebdo French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by Islamist fanatics in January 2015, after posting cartoons which were said to have insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Twelve people were killed in the onslaught, including a number of cartoonists who were said to have continually mocked Islam. The magazine is now published from a secret headquarters in Paris - one that is said to be under armed guard at all times. Samuel Paty Teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded outside the gates of the college where he taught in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, north of Paris, in 2020. The killing came after an online campaign led by Muslim parents who were angry at Paty for showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed to students. Paty had shown the cartoons - previously printed in magazine Charlie Hebdo - to pupils as part of a lesson on free speech. Advertisement A spokesman from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) called for 'respectful dialogue' between protesters and the film supporters. They said: 'The MCB, which proudly represents affiliates from across the different schools of thought in our faith, supports those scholars and leaders who are advocating for greater unity and for the common good, as commanded by our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). 'The MCB has always advocated for respectful dialogue of intra-faith relations. 'There are some - including many of this film's supporters or those engaging in sectarianism in their response - whose primary goal is to fuel hatred. 'We must not let them succeed.' But executive producer of the film Mr Shlibak called the decision to pull the film by the cinema chain 'unacceptable'. He said: 'We think that the protests have brought a lot of newfound attention to the film that did not exist before from people who hadn't heard about the film, and we are okay with the fact that people protest. 'But I believe it's actually unacceptable in this country what they are calling for - that is the removal of this film from the cinemas due to them being offended. 'That is something quite silly, because everyone has the ability to share their thoughts and enact their freedom of speech. 'I genuinely believe from all sides, from the cinema, perhaps from the Muslim Council of Britain, that there is this succumbing and bowing down to these radical extremists and their demands. 'I think this is more than The Lady of Heaven as an individual film, this is about our British values and how much these mean to us. 'These groups have now been given the power to dictate what the British public can and cannot watch at their local cinemas.' And Claire Fox, who sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Fox of Buckley, tweeted that the decision to cancel the screening showed the 'creep of extra-parliamentary blasphemy law' was now censoring film. Video on social media appears to show the manager of one cinema addressing a crowd of protesters gathered outside Executive producer Malik Shlibak, pictured here at the Cannes Film Festival last year, blasted the decision to drop the film A lukewarm reaction from film critics While the movie has prompted a strong response from some Muslims, the critics have had a more lukewarm reaction to it. In its two-star review, The Guardian said while production values and sets look good, 'half-baked performances' and a lack of 'poetic flair' drag it down. The review adds: 'For a film that aims to promote religious diversity and freedom of thought, its metronomic alternation between time frames, narrative slavishness and laughable coda have a suffocating sense of orthodoxy.' The Irish Times reacted slightly more warmly, giving it a three-star review, describing it as 'rough around the edges throughout', but 'made with admirable gusto'. It adds: 'The Lady of Heaven is something else altogether. A British independent release, directed by Eli King, it is much concerned with the story of Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, but also takes in wider first millennium history and some contemporary traumas. 'It is made with respect. It has educational value. But the film-makers, working with a modest budget, have made sure to include much head-splitting action.' The New York Times said the film is 'appropriately spectacular', but criticised the 'shoddy script and an overwhelming reliance on cliches' that make it feel cheap. Advertisement She wrote: 'Same 'I Find that Offensive' cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. 'Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy.' Meanwhile, a petition to get the film removed from all UK cinemas has been signed by almost 120,000 people. In a statement Cineworld confirmed it was pulling the film from all venues to 'ensure the safety' of staff. A spokesman said: 'Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.' Vue, which still has screenings for the movie listed on its website, refused to confirm whether the film had been pulled from any of its cinemas. A spokesperson for Vue said: 'Vue takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities across the UK. 'Vue will only show a film once the BBFC (the independent British Board of Film Classification) has assessed and rated a film. 'The Lady of Heaven has been BBFC accredited and is on show in a number of our cinemas. 'Decisions about how long a film remains on show are taken on a site-by-site basis and based on a variety of commercial and operational factors.' MailOnline has contacted Showcase for comment. The government has given all teachers an extra day off to make up for the Platinum Jubilee falling over half term. Staff at schools across the country have been handed the additional break by the Department for Education, who has Nadhim Zahawi as Secretary of State. The government shortened the academic year by one in response to the Queen's historic celebrations. Announcing the change, the National Education Union said: 'Schools not already on half-term break on the day of the bank holiday will be able to close that day. 'Most schools will, however, be on half-term at the time of the bank holiday. 'This change to the regulations will allow maintained schools to be able to close at another time to give staff and students an extra day off.' Most schools have opted to take the extra day on the last week of the year, meaning schools shut on Thursday rather than Friday next month. School children are having another day off to mark the jubilee despite already having half term British Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi departs No 10 yesterday after meeting MailOnline can disclose the extra day off was actually enshrined in law and even went before Parliament. It was called The Education (School Day and School Year) (England) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. And the National Education Union pointed out: 'If the additional bank holiday falls during half-term week, all schools, LA or MAT will be able to identify another day of 'holiday' elsewhere in the year on which the school will be closed and all staff given a day's paid holiday. 'Employers should be consulting with the NEU and making arrangements to ensure that none of our members are treated less favourably.' But parents have responded with disbelief at the extra day's break. Parents have revealed their disbelief after a council awarded teachers another day off - to compensate for missing the Jubilee bank holiday because they were already on half-term Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge watch Paddington Bear and The Queen Crowds gather in The Mall ahead of Platinum Party at the Palace, the live concert which took place outside Buckingham Palace One said: 'They have agreed to give teachers the last day of term off to allow them to "benefit" from last week's jubilee Bank holiday. 'Despite the fact they have missed so much school and you can't take your kids out of School for any reason' 'I wanted to raise this as it beggars belief that School Staff need a day off to compensate them for the Bank holiday falling in half term. Let's hope they don't set a precedent for all Bank Holidays, that fall in school holidays, going forward.' Another added: ''Just realised because the Queen's jubilee bank holiday is during a half term when theyre already on holiday, the teachers at the little ones school have given themselves a bank holiday at the end of July to make up for it. Cracks me up.' A further said: 'Essentially teachers are getting an extra bank holiday to compensate that fact the Queen's platinum jubilee falls during half term next June. 'That's a bit much isn't it?' It comes despite a government study in April finding that the 'effects of the pandemic on pupils, staff and leaders were evident'. The research found pupils' learning and personal development continued to be hindered by school closures during lockdowns and continued to have an impact on attendance levels. And headteachers consulted in the study cited 'the negative impact of the pandemic on pupils' wellbeing and behaviour. The DfE has been approached for comment. Advertisement Fifty years ago today, a nine-year-old girl was happily playing with her cousins in a temple courtyard as planes swooped overhead loaded with lethal chemical weapons. Little did Kim Phuc know that moments later she would become known around the world, immortalized as the tragic face of the Vietnam War when she ran naked towards a photographer screaming 'too hot, too hot' after being doused in napalm in Trang Bang in the south of the war-ravaged country. The searing and unforgettable image taken by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, then aged 21, shocked all who saw it, apart from US President Richard Nixon, who believed it had been 'fixed' to sway public opinion against his brutal campaign. The haunting black-and-white photo ran on the front page of the New York Times the following day, by which time Ut had rushed Kim to hospital with third-degree burns from which she was not expected to survive. Five decades on from one of the most iconic images of the 20th century, Kim is still alive in Toronto, a happily married grandmother running a charity supporting children in conflict. But the 59-year-old insists is 'no longer a victim of war', despite still suffering scars and saying the pain lasts a lifetime. On June 8, 1972, a South Vietnamese plane accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on its own troops and civilians. Nine-year-old Kim Phuc ran naked and screaming as the napalm burned her body in one of the most iconic images of all time Kim meets up with the photographer from that fateful day, Nick Ut, fifty years on after she became immortalized as a symbol of the Vietnam War Kim is still alive in Toronto and says she doesn't want to be remembered as the 'Napalm Girl' and insists she is 'no longer a victim of war' Now 59, Kim still has scars on her back and says she has chronic pain after the chemical attack by South Vietnamese forces Before moving to the West, Kim wanted to become a doctor and studied medicine at a university in Vietnam. She was seen as a 'national symbol of war' and was supervised daily, used in propaganda films and subjected to constant interviews as an example of the barbarism of the West and anti-Communist ideology. Then, the regime decided to send her on a worldwide trip from Havana to Moscow as part of a global propaganda push. During a layover in Canada, she and her husband Bui Huy Toan, a fellow Vietnamese student she met in Cuba, decided to seek asylum and later citizenship, and they had two children in Toronto. She also kept up a friendship with photographer Ut, who she credits with saving her life and speaks on the phone with him every week. She calls him 'Uncle Ut' and he thinks of her as a daughter. Kim wrote in the New York Times: 'Yet I also remember hating him at times. I grew up detesting that photo. I thought to myself, "I am a little girl. I am naked. Why did he take that picture? Why didn't my parents protect me? Why did he print that photo? Why was I the only kid naked while my brothers and cousins in the photo had their clothes on?" I felt ugly and ashamed.' The napalm had been dropped by US-backed South Vietnam accidentally against its own forces and civilians, shedding Kim's clothes as she desperately ran for help, screaming 'too hot, too hot'. It killed two of Kim's cousins and two other villagers, and she would stay in hospital for 14 months, undergoing 17 surgical procedures including skin transplants. The napalm had been dropped by US-backed South Vietnam accidentally against its own forces and civilians, shedding Kim's clothes as she desperately ran for help She was granted asylum by Canada and later had a son there, and kept up a relationship with photographer Ut, who she credits with saving her life The attack that day killed two of Kim's cousins and two other villagers, and she would stay in hospital for 14 months, undergoing 17 surgical procedures including skin transplants Ut said he initially had to plead with the doctors and nurses to treat her after they said there was no space, and told them her photo would be in newspapers around the world the next day and he would publish their faces too if they did not take her in. The burns scarred a third of Kim's body and caused chronic pain and she admits she felt embarrassed by her 'disfigurement', trying to hide her scars under her clothes as she underwent spells of anxiety and depression. She added: 'Children in school recoiled from me. I was a figure of pity to neighbors and, to some extent, my parents. As I got older, I feared that no one would ever love me.' Kim said it was only after moving to Canada and converted to Christianity that she found peace, feeling she could become something more than a mere symbol of war. She now travels around the world offering medical and psychological assistance to child war victims, drawing from her own gruesome experiences. The KIM Foundation is a non-profit which helps 'heal the wounds suffered by innocent children' and seeks to 'restore hope and happiness to their lives'. The charity has helped raise funds for orphanages and schools around the world, and even a learning center in Kim's home town of Trang Bang. The burns scarred a third of Kim's body and caused chronic pain and she admits she felt embarrassed by her 'disfigurement' Kim said it was only after moving to Canada and converted to Christianity that she found peace, feeling she could become something more than a mere symbol of war Ut's photo won a Pulitzer Prize and came at a time when public opinion against the war in the US was near its strongest A Vietnamese mother carries a child along the street in Trang Bang after the horrific napalm attack, which killed four civilians The war survivor says she recognises the horrors now in Ukraine, where many civilians are dying at the hands of merciless Russian forces. She said: 'You dont grow out of the scars, physically or mentally. I am grateful now for the power of that photograph of me as a 9-year-old, as I am of the journey I have taken as a person. My horror which I barely remember became universal. Im proud that, in time, I have become a symbol of peace.' Ut's photo won a Pulitzer Prize and came at a time when public opinion against the war in the US was near its strongest, coming just six months before the signing of the Paris Peace Accords which in effect removed all remaining US Forces. The photo proved controversial for its depiction of nudity, even as recently as 2016 when it was censored by Facebook. But Ut told The Toronto Star: 'That photo represents the war and I'm very proud of it. That photo that I took of Kim Phuc really changed the conditions of the war and how people saw the war in Vietnam.' Kim said last month: 'Fifty years later, I am no longer a victim of war. I am a mother, a grandmother and a survivor calling out for peace.' Advertisement Tony Blair's son Euan has seen his tech firm's valuation double in eight months to 1.35 billion after securing 175 million in funding for Multiverse. The 38-year-old's personal stake in the 'EdTech' company, which aims to get young people into apprenticeships, is believed to be worth around 380million. It comes 22 years after his unfortunate brush with the law, when he was arrested as a teenager for being drunk after a night out in London celebrating his GCSE results. The 16-year-old Euan Blair made a public apology in 2000, backed by his Prime Minister father, following the police reprimand. The chief executive, who bought himself a 22million mansion last month, founded the business just six years ago and in the last eight months it has doubled its previous valuation of 700million. The company works with more than 500 employers to get students from underrepresented backgrounds into professional services through apprenticeships. Last week he was awarded an MBE for services to education in the Queen's birthday honours list, six months after his father was awarded a controversial knighthood. Euan Blair's education company Multiverse is now valued at 1.35billion, with his own stake thought to be worth around 380million in 2000, Euan Blair (pictured with his father Tony as a teenager in 1999) had to publicly apologise after he was arrested for being drunk and incapable in Leicester Square after celebrating his GCSE results A petition to cancel the former Prime Minister's knighthood over the Iraq War got 1million signatures in six days but despite this Tony Blair was made Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Aged 16, Euan was found by police 'drunk and incapable' and vomiting in Leicester Square after celebrating the completion of his GCSE exams a little too hard. Having initially given a false name and address, telling officers he was called Euan John, was aged 18, and lived at his old home in Islington. Only days earlier his father had been speaking out against hooligan behaviour, calling for police to be given powers to levy on-the-spot fines on drunken youths. As a young boy, Euan was occasionally photographed outside the steps of Downing Street with his mother, father and siblings Nicholas and Kathryn (all pictured). His youngest brother, Leo, was born in 2000 After seeing the inside of a cell, he was released without charge and driven home by special branch officers. Then Alastair Campbell read out a prepared statement of apology from Euan to the public. He said he was 'very sorry for the inconvenience he caused to the police'. Speaking after the funding was announced, Euan Blair, chief executive and founder of Multiverse, said: 'There has never been a more pressing time to create an alternative to university education that is equitable and inclusive and there is an incredible opportunity before us to change the status quo with apprenticeships. 'This funding will help us bring more people without degrees or in need of re-skilling into tech careers and ultimately create a more diverse group of future leaders.' Previously Euan has suggested GCSEs should be scrapped because he thinks they are not a good indicator of future work performance and had failed to create a fairer society. Tony Blair's son Euan, pictured with wife Suzanne Ashman on their wedding day in 2013 in Wotton Underwood The announcement comes just six months after Euan's father Tony was given a knighthood His remarks and business set him apart from his father, who called for seven in 10 young people to go to university - saying an increase from the current 53 per cent was key to the UK competing with 'high-innovation economies'. Euan said Tony had congratulated him on his new funding, speaking to the Evening Standard he said: 'Of course he has he's hugely supportive of apprenticeships.' Jeremy Duggan, president and board member at Multiverse, said: 'The Multiverse journey so far has been characterised not only by rapid growth, but also by creating a real and actionable solution to the challenges of diversity in the workplace.' Euan also said on LinkedIn, according to the Finanical Times, that he never 'set out' to complete a found round and also said: 'We raised record-breaking sums twice in 2021. Ultimately, Im a firm believer in raising well before you think you might need it. Building an outstanding alternative to university is not a small endeavour.' The Daily Mail revealed last month that Euan had bought himself a five-storey west London townhouse costing 22m which features an iceberg basement with a swimming pool. He was able to make the purchase after venture capitalist investors last year allowed him to sell 320million-worth of shares to buy a home. His seven-bedroom house, originally two terrace properties, has a basement, 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. 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 (his 2005 graduation) The property was converted from two town houses and has seven bedrooms Tony and Cherie Blair also has a country house in Buckinghamshire, pictured 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 What has happened to Tony Blair's other children? Tony Blair with his family on the doorstep of 10 Ten Downing Street. L-R, sons, Nicky , Euan, wife Cherie, son Leo, Tony Blair and daughter Kathryn Nicky Blair, 36, is a successful football agent and married divorce lawyer Alexandra Bevir. Nicky, who trained to be a teacher, tied the knot with Alex with a reception at the Blairs Buckinghamshire home South Pavilion. The couple have a young child together. Nickys agency, Magnitude, was accused of trading on the Blair name to sign players in the footballing hotbed of Brazil including youngsters from countrys impoverished favelas, The Sun has claimed previously. In 2018 Nicky splashed out 2.75million on a new London property. Kathryn Blair, 34, is a successful barrister. The PMs only daughter married long-term boyfriend James Haslam in Sardinia in 2019. In preparation for marital bliss, barrister Kathryn and James bought a five-bedroom West London townhouse for 2.4 million. She also has another home in London worth some 1.4million, bought in 2015. Baby of the family Leo Blair is 22. He owns a 800,000 home close to the Blairs' country seat. It is in the grounds of this house. Advertisement He is starting to match his father's 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: 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. He did an unpaid Capitol Hill internship with Republican David Dreier and Republican Party staff at the United States House of Representatives but left early moving onto London public relations company Finsbury Limited. Then he got an M.A. in International Relations with a 50,000 scholarship at Yale University, it was reported by the Daily Mail in 2008, but claims higher education taught him nothing that proved useful. He said: '[Graduates and him] had no divine right to be there... it was a consequence of a system that was obsessed with using academics, with all the latent biases and problems inherent in that, to select people. Euan also joined the world of investment banking, with a graduate job at Morgan Stanley and was reported to be a runner in the film V for Vendetta. Leo Blair (centre), the youngest son of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Cherie Blair (right), listen to Mr Blair during a speech to mark the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Labour party in February Nicky Blair, pictured with his mum, is a football agent and gave his parents their first grandchild The father of one was introduced to his wife by former defence secretary Geoff Hoon while she was on work experience. Suzanne Ashman, the daughter of motor racing entrepreneur Jonathan Ashman, married Euan in 2013 after seven years together. She is now a partner at venture capital firm Local Globe. In 2017, at the age of 29, his wife was listed as a prominent European financier on prestigious business publication Forbess 30 under 30 list. Euan is not the only successful Blair child, with all of them millionaires through property alone after their parents gave them a leg up on to the property ladder. Tony Blairs second son Nicky is a successful football agent while his only daughter Kathryn followed in her mother's footsteps and became a barrister. Their youngest child Leo is a Labour party member, having joined when Jeremy Corbyn was leader. All of them have been helped on to the property ladder by their parents, who have a 37million property empire. Inside Euan Blair's billion pound Multiverse company - which used to be called WhiteHat and has achieved 'unicorn' status It is the UK's first EdTech firm to achieve unicorn status after being valued at 1.7 billion US dollars (1.4 billion) in its latest fund round. A unicorn is when a startup that is privately owned has a valuation that exceeds $1 billion. Euan created his business, Multiverse, with merchant banking friend Sophie Adelman 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. The latest funding injection of 220 million US dollars (175 million) has come from US investment firm StepStone Group, and previous investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. Euan Blair co-founded the start-up with friend Sophie Adelman in 2016. Pictured with Multiverse board member and president, Jeremy Duggan (right) The former PM and his wife own a magnificent townhouse in London - although it is smaller than their son's It is understood Euan (pictured when company was WhiteHat) has a stake of between 25% and 50% of the business, now worth up to 677 million on paper It is understood Euan has a stake of between 25% and 50% of the business, now worth up to 677 million on paper. The education tech firm formerly known as WhiteHat, works with business ranging from Facebook and Zoopla to Warner Bros and BP, matching young people with apprenticeships based on their skills. It set the record for the UK's largest EdTech venture round in 2021 and has had injections of capital from General Catalyst, Google Ventures, Index Ventures, Audacious Ventures, Latitude and SemperVirens. These institutions were supported by angel investors including John W. Thomson, Chairman of Microsoft, and Jeremy Darroch, Chairman of Sky. But it has had its setbacks as well. Multiverse Group Ltd, lost 10.9 million in 2021 on top of more than 5 million in 2020, the Daily Mail's Richard Eden revealed. Including its previous years' losses, the total reaches 18.8 million. Multiverse said in December: 'The movement in net loss year-on-year reflects the ongoing investment in the business and our commitment to building support functions that will allow the organisation to scale. 'We have made significant investments across all teams at Multiverse to set ourselves up for greater scale.' The Multiverse offers an alternative to university as the path to a tech career and it has helped more than 8,000 into apprenticeships globally. Its website states: 'Our mission is to create a diverse group of future leaders. To achieve this, we provide high-quality apprenticeship programmes that combine work, training and community. 'Since starting in 2016, we've grown across the UK, training over 5,000 apprentices in partnership with more than 200 of the world's best employers. 'Focusing on the skills of the future, our programmes range from business operations to data science and software engineering. Our mission is global, so in 2021 we launched in the US.' 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 Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair poses for photographers along with his family (L-R) sons Nicky, Euan, wife Cherie, son Leo and daughter Kathryn in 2005 Apprentices are offered a minimum 15,000 salary (18 to 21k on average) while being placed at top firms by Muiltverse which it promises will likely lead to a job in their field. It claims 95% of apprentices who completed our programmes landed a job within 90 days. It gives these trainees free application and interview advice for the advanced data, data, digital marketing, software engineering and digital business accelerator fellowships. One Data Fellowship Apprentice, Cartomu, said: 'Multiverse apprenticeships give young people like me more options. We don't have to worry about our financial situation, whilst getting an education that's relevant and useful.' For its employers it matches employers with apprentices through data promising to reach 'high potential, underrepresented talent that is typically hard to reach' and offering an outstanding-rated Ofsted teaching programme to help apprentices succeed. It works with Morgan Stanley, Capital, the NHS, Citi Bank, KPMG and Laing O'Rourke. The group claims that 56% of the apprentices it has placed are people of colour, more than half are women and 34% come from economically under-served communities. The company which operates in the US wants to help those without higher education as two-thirds of Americans do not have a college degree, even though 65% of jobs require some college of a bachelor's degree. Multiverse said this disproportionately excludes black and Hispanic Americans, while it also means companies are missing out on reaching a pool of potential talent and new recruits at a time when hiring is challenging. The parents of a 12-year-old boy at the centre of a High Court battle over whether doctors should continue his life support treatment will make their closing pleas today. Archie Battersbee has not regained consciousness after suffering 'catastrophic' brain damage when he was found unresponsive with a ligature around his neck at his home in Southend, Essex on April 7. Specialists treating Archie at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London think it is 'highly likely' that Archie is brain dead and argue that life support treatment should end. However, parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee disagree and are fighting to keep him alive. This photo shows Archie Battersbee and his mother Hollie Dance Undated handout photo of 12-year-old Archie, a keen gymnast Lawyers representing the Royal London Hospital's governing trust, Barts Health NHS Trust, have asked Mrs Justice Arbuthnot to decide what moves are in Archie's best interests. Giving evidence this week, a specialist told the judge about a number of concerns noted by Archie's treating team. She said tests had shown no 'discernible' brain activity, but revealed 'significant areas of tissue necrosis', and added: 'We believe that it is very likely that he is brain-stem dead.' Mrs Justice Arbuthnot has heard that Archie suffered brain damage in an incident at home in early April. Undated family handout file photo of Archie Battersbee Ms Dance has told how she found him unconscious with a ligature over his head in April and thinks he might have been taking part in an online challenge. The youngster has not regained consciousness. Lawyers representing Archie's family have told the judge that his heart is still beating. They also say there was an issue as to whether 'the correct procedure' had been followed, and whether the 'family's views' had been taken into account. The judge had been told by a specialist at an earlier hearing that the brain stem was responsible for the functions that kept people alive. A campaign organisation called the Christian Legal Centre is supporting Archie's family. The hearing continues. In ambiguous support for Russia, China warned on Monday against giving arms to Ukraine or putting sanctions on Moscow during the conflict. China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Dai Bing, said in a presentation to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during the session on Sexual Violence and Human Trafficking in Ukraine that such actions would only perpetuate and deepen the war. China Refuses To Back Russia He believes that the world community should work together to encourage peace discussions. The deputy permanent representative of China to the United Nations stated that Ukrainians and people in other poor nations should not bear the price of geopolitical and blockade conflicts. Russian authorities are increasingly upset by China's apparent unwillingness to give greater assistance to Moscow during the conflict with Ukraine. Over 100 days after the conflict began in February, the bulk of the West supported Kyiv while a few nations, like China and Belarus, officially supported Moscow. However, in an intriguing twist, a Chinese official was cited in the media as portraying Beijing's conversations with Russia as strained, Republic World reported. According to an analyst, China is more powerful than Russia because of its seismic effect on global trade, and the West is beginning to see that it may have to forsake its strategy of strategic ambiguity to prevent Chinese growth. Professor Zeno Leoni, a military studies lecturer at King's College London, stated that convincing Western governments that China represents a "threat" to the rest of the world due to its monopoly on global exports is "very tough." Opposition to China, which provides roughly 15% of all commodities and services in the globe, is "extremely tough," according to Prof Leoni. And he said that the West is in a "real quandary" about how to curb China's military buildup without generating havoc on the global trading floor. US President Joe Biden became the latest global politician to throw shade on the principle of strategic ambiguity employed towards China, a practice that looks to contain Xi Jinping's military expansion of China without destroying trade relations. Throughout a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo last week, Biden was asked if the US was prepared to "get engaged militarily to defend Taiwan" if China invaded, as per Express. Read Also: Foreign Fighters Insufficiently Armed, Refuse To Fight for Ukraine, Media Claims Russia-Ukraine War Ignites China's Aim To Invade Taiwan China has significant military supremacy over Taiwan, as Russia has over Ukraine, but an amphibious attack on an island 100 miles distant is no easy task. Taiwan, backed by the US, would be able to strike any crossing boats, and any landing against well-entrenched forces would be risky for the untested People's Liberation Army. Xi Jinping will not tolerate the massive fatalities that Russia is inflicting on Ukraine. On the other hand, many Taiwanese strategists have been astounded by Russia's quick military expansion and the terrible results. For the time being, Taiwan's overarching sentiment is one of caution. Given Russia's terrible performance in Ukraine, the island's senior spymaster stated last month that Beijing would be more careful about its war plans. "Similarly, Taiwan will learn how to progress itself," stated National Security Bureau head Chen Ming-tong. China has publicly campaigned for peaceful reunification with Taiwan, but it has also vowed to capture the island militarily if necessary. There is no set timetable for this, but before the Ukraine war, US authorities predicted a Chinese invasion of Taiwan within the next six to ten years. Chinese planes and bombers repeatedly invading Taiwan's air defense zone have exacerbated tensions, according to Politico. Related Article: Russia Allegedly Steals Ukraine Grains To Use for Profit and Blackmail Scheme Against West To Lift Sanctions @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Sir Andrew Pollard (pictured today after being knighted by the Prince of Wales for services to public health), who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, said that while the tropical virus outbreak does not pose the same threat as Covid, a strong response is needed to control it The UK's monkeypox outbreak requires a 'substantial public health response', one of the country's leading Covid experts argued today as cases in Britain hit 321. Sir Andrew Pollard, who helped develop the AstraZeneca vaccine, said that the tropical virus outbreak does not pose the same threat as Covid. However, he warned that actions were still needed to contain it. Sir Andrew did not specify what he meant. Speaking after being knighted by the Prince of Wales for services to public health, he noted that monkeypox 'doesn't spread as well as Covid' and 'rarely' causes severe disease. His comments come as UK Health Security Agency bosses today confirmed 18 more infections in England since Monday, and one in Scotland. It brings the UK total to 321. No further details were given but gay and bisexual men 'remain disproportionately affected', officials said. London remains the epicentre of the outbreak, which has now almost reached 40 countries. Since the virus was first detected on May 6, 305 cases have been logged in England, while Scotland has reported 11, two have been spotted in Northern Ireland and three in Wales. The UK has recorded the most cases in the ever-growing worldwide cluster, followed by Spain (199), Portugal (166) and Canada (100). Monkeypox is now a notifiable disease in England and Northern Ireland, meaning all medics must alert local health authorities to suspected cases. The tropical virus now carries the same legal status as the plague, rabies and measles. 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 infection 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. MAY 29, 2022: World Health Organization (WHO) says risk of monkeypox is 'moderate', citing concerns about virus infecting children and immunosuppressed people if it becomes more widespread. MAY 30, 2022: The UK detects another 71 monkeypox cases, bringing the UK total to 179. Cases jumped 70 per cent in just three days. MAY 31, 2022: Eleven infections are spotted across the UK, bringing the infection toll to 190. JUNE 1, 2022: Another five cases are spotted in England and one is detected in Scotland, meaning the UK has now logged 196. JUNE 2, 2022: The UK spots another 11 cases in England, bringing the UK total to 207. JUNE 3, 2022: A further 18 cases are logged - 15 in England and three in Scotland, bringing Britain's monkeypox infection toll to 225. JUNE 6, 2022: Seventy-three cases are spotted in England, 2 in Scotland and 2 in Wales, bringing the UK total to 302. JUNE 8, 2022: Some 18 people in England and one in Scotland test positive, meaning 321 people have had infections confirmed. Advertisement Sir Andrew said: 'The monkeypox virus doesn't spread as well as Covid does, it also very rarely causes the severity of disease that Covid does, and so spread in the general population is extremely unlikely. 'That doesn't mean that we don't need a substantial public health response to control it but it's not a threat to the whole of public health in the way Covid was.' He was knighted at Windsor Castle today for his services during the pandemic. On being knighted, Sir Andrew said: 'Absolutely wonderful to be here at Windsor Castle and to receive a knighthood, which I really feel has been on behalf of a huge number of people that have been involved in the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. 'I think one of the other very nice things in speaking with the Prince of Wales was that he also recognised how important the team was. 'And he actually asked about the team of staff that we have at the Oxford Vaccine Group who have been working so hard over the last few years and extended his thanks to them for all the work they did.' Meanwhile, the UKHSA advised Britons to contact their sexual health clinic if they have a rash with blisters and have been in close contact with a suspected or confirmed monkeypox case or have been in West or Central Africa in the last three weeks. A large proportion of cases so far have been identified in the gay, bisexual and men who have sex with other men community. But anyone can get monkeypox if they have had close contact with an infected person. Monkeypox is not normally a sexually-transmitted infection, but it can be passed on by direct contact during sex. It can also be spread through touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with the monkeypox rash. According to the UKHSA, monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people and the overall risk to the UK population remains low. The disease is usually mild but can cause severe illness in some cases. 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. It comes as the UKHSA yesterday declared the virus a notifiable disease. It said laboratories must also tell it if the virus is identified in a sample. Wendi Shepherd, monkeypox incident director at UKHSA, said: 'Rapid diagnosis and reporting is the key to interrupting transmission and containing any further spread of monkeypox. 'This new legislation will support us and our health partners to swiftly identify, treat and control the disease. 'It also supports us with the swift collection and analysis of data which enables us to detect possible outbreaks of the disease and trace close contacts rapidly, whilst offering vaccinations where appropriate to limit onward transmission.' Professor David Heymann, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'Making monkeypox a notifiable disease suggests a desire to be sure to have reporting from all sectors (public and private) and all parts of the NHS. 'It suggests that the Government wants to focus surveillance on the entire population not only on the risk groups identified so far. 'This will permit clear identification of all risk groups and help better understand the epidemiology and extent of spread.' Making monkeypox a notifiable disease will also help businesses who could suffer financial losses from the outbreak. The same move was made for Covid before the first lockdown. Officials said at the time it would 'help companies seek compensation through their insurance policies in the event of any cancellations that they may have to make as a result of the spread of the virus'. Northern Ireland today followed suit, with the nation's chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride saying health chiefs have been 'working closely with trusts and GPs to raise awareness of the disease and this move formalises that arrangement.' Meanwhile, MailOnline yesterday revealed the first British monkeypox patient to go public is an HR manager from London. James M, 35, spoke out after claiming that health chiefs had not contacted him despite being diagnosed with monkeypox nearly a fortnight ago. He was readjusting to life in west London when he began suffering from 'really weird aches' in his lower back, exhaustion, extreme thirst and pain when he used the toilet. James who wished to keep his surname anonymous became convinced he had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) after sleeping with around 10 new partners in the weeks before his symptoms started. But medics wrongly assumed it wasn't monkeypox because he didn't have the virus' tell-tale rash. He had just returned from Dubai, where being gay is illegal, after four years following a 'shock' HIV diagnosis in February. It saw him lose his job and home. 'I'm a gay man, and having just come back to the UK, I was having a good time,' he told MailOnline. After contacting his local STI clinic in west London, James was sent for tests at a specialist centre in Soho on May 25 and was told to avoid public transport or close contact with others. 'When I got to the clinic I was told to go and wait outside the main door and call them, they said they were going to put on PPE and they told me not to touch door handles,' he said. 'The whole experience kind of heightens your sense of, 'oh this must be really serious'. I remember going to Covid centres and it wasn't as daunting or overwhelming as this.' At the time, several dozen people had already been diagnosed with the mystery monkeypox virus and it was clear the virus was spreading in London among gay and bisexual men. But James claims he was assured by medics that his symptoms could not be the rare disease because he did not have its hallmark lesions, scabs or spots. On May 28, three days later, a PCR test confirmed that he was in fact infected with monkeypox. A letter sent by Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, seen by MailOnline, instructed him to 'stay in isolation at home until further review from the team' at UKHSA. James yesterday said he had still not been contacted, despite eight days passing since the letter was issued. He claims he has phoned his local STI clinic every day since the diagnosis. The UKHSA claims it has tried on multiple attempts to get in touch with James. James slammed the UKHSA for 'a real lack of any basic process or care to stop the spread' of the tropical virus. The infection often starts with small bumps that scab over and are contagious Officials are urging gay and bisexual men to be aware of new lesions, rashes or scabs and get in contact with a sexual health clinic. They have released these images of cases to alert people to the virus' symptoms Pictured: First monkeypox patient to go public is a gay HR manager from London The first British monkeypox patient to go public is an HR manager from London who caught the virus after being deported from Dubai for testing positive for HIV, MailOnline can reveal. James M, 35, has spoken out after claiming that health chiefs still haven't contacted him despite being diagnosed with monkeypox nearly a fortnight ago. He slammed the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for 'a real lack of any basic process or care to stop the spread' of the tropical virus, which has so far infected more than 300 Britons, mostly gay and bisexual men. James who wished to keep his surname anonymous admitted he is not following self-isolation rules because 'I was told to stay home until UKHSA contacted me... and they never did.' He accused the UK of having a lackadaisical approach to contact tracing, saying it was 'no wonder' Britain had more cases than any other country outside of Africa. There is also a lack of awareness about monkeypox's lesser-known symptoms, he claimed. James was readjusting to life in west London when he began suffering from 'really weird aches' in his lower back, exhaustion, extreme thirst and pain when he used the toilet. He became convinced he had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) after sleeping with around 10 new partners in the weeks before his symptoms started. 'I'm a gay man, and having just come back to the UK, I was having a good time,' he told MailOnline. But medics wrongly assumed it wasn't monkeypox because he didn't have the virus' tell-tale rash. James M, 35, has become the first British monkeypox patient to go public Advertisement He admitted he is not following self-isolation rules because 'I was told to stay home until UKHSA contacted me... and they never did.' James told MailOnline: 'It's no wonder now we're getting so many more infections if no contact tracing or awareness about you not needing the spots to have the virus being told to people. 'No-one's asked me who I've been in contact with. I was told that within 24 hours of my diagnosis someone from UKHSA would call me. 'I've called the clinic every day, asking 'why aren't they calling me, I'm not allowed outside and not allowed to go work. The UKHSA is not calling me, someone needs to document this.'' The UKHSA says its teams are contacting high-risk contacts of confirmed cases and advising them to self-isolate at home for three weeks and avoid contact with children. Officials said they have linked the outbreak back to 'gay bars, saunas and the use of dating apps in the UK and abroad'. MailOnline revealed last month that the world's biggest gay dating app Grindr had alerted to users of monkeypox symptoms. Both confirmed cases and close contacts in the UK 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. The jab is thought to reduce a person's chance of catching monkeypox by up to 85 per cent. Analysis by the UKHSA last week revealed that more than 60 per cent of domestic infections have been among gay and bisexual men. Almost nine in 10 were based in the epicentre London and only two cases have been women. Most of the UK's infections 87 per cent were among people aged 20 to 49. And the majority of UK patients caught the virus in the UK rather than abroad. Monkeypox, which was 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. But the milder strain causing the current outbreak kills one in 100 similar to when Covid first hit. No monkeypox deaths linked with the ongoing outbreak have yet been reported. The virus has an incubation period of anywhere up to 21 days, meaning it can take three weeks for symptoms to appear. Experts have warned that monkeypox could spread to pets and wildlife and become endemic in Europe. In Africa, where monkeypox is well established, the virus is often in rodents including squirrels and hedgehogs. The UKHSA is already quarantining pet guinea pigs, rats and mice of infected people for three weeks. Other household pets like cats and dogs should be kept isolated at home but receive regular vet checks to ensure they are not infected Jim Jordan alleged the FBI is engaged in a 'purge' of conservative agents in a letter to the agency's director Tuesday where the Ohio Republican lawmaker again demanded just two days before the January 6 hearings kick off a briefing on the matter. 'We continue to investigate allegations that the Federal Bureau of Investigation is retaliating against FBI employees for engaging in disfavored political speech,' wrote Jordan, who is the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. Specifically, the lawmaker said FBI employees are being retaliated against with suspension or pushed out regarding their speech about the January 6 Capitol attack last year. The correspondence to FBI Director Christopher Wray from Jordan is a follow up from a letter from the month prior detailing examples of the FBI suspending security clearances of employees for 'protected First Amendment activity.' 'Since our May 6 letter, we have received new protected whistleblower disclosures that suggest the FBI's actions are far more pervasive than previously known,' the congressman alleged. 'Multiple whistleblowers have called it a 'purge' of FBI employees holding conservative views.' Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz were both sent copies of the letter. One example Jordan included in the letter, which redacted the name and positions of the individuals, was about an employee who had his security clearance suspended by the FBI and eventually was 'indefinitely suspended from duty and pay.' Representative Jim Jordan sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray again alleging the agency is retaliating against agents with 'conservative views' He said that the agency is engaged in a 'purge' that suspends or places agents on leave for shring 'protected First Amendment' speech '[REDACTED] had apparently shared personal views that the FBI was not being entirely forthcoming about the events of January 6,' Jordan wrote. 'As a result, the FBI determined that [REDACTED] had 'espoused conspiratorial views' and 'promoted unreliable information which indicates support for the events of January 6,' and therefore the FBI questioned allegiance to the United States.' The Trump ally also said a separate 'whistleblower, who has since left the FBI' told him about retaliation they received for criticizing the FBI in an anonymous survey taken of employees following January 6, 2021. 'The FBI allegedly escalated an adverse personnel action against this employee after [REDACTED] commented on the survey, which sought feedback about the [REDACTED] actions 'during the recent crisis/command post' event,' Jordan wrote. He said that the employee had never received disciplinary action under after he criticized the FBI. Jordan also told Fox News; Laura Ingraham on Tuesday evening that a total of six FBI officials have approached the committee about retaliation from the agency related to their conservative viewpoints. Two individuals brought issues related to a school board's memo and the four others were related to January 6. The letter to Wray, sent Tuesday, comes just two days before the House select committee probing the January 6 attack is set to begin its public hearings that will attempt to peg the event on former President Donald Trump's rhetoric surrounding the 2020 election. The first hearing will take place on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. and is being produced by former ABC News President James Goldston. Jordan was subpoenaed to appear before the panel for the high profile hearings, but pushed back against the Democratic-led investigation. He asked the committee in a letter last month to provide him with all of the materials it plans on using to question him ahead of any deposition as well as an explanation of the legal authority the committee relied on in issuing the subpoena. 'I write to strongly contest the constitutionality and validity of the subpoena in several respects,' Jordan wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN. Jordan is just one of five House Republicans the committee subpoenaed in May. The others are House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Mo Brooks of Alabama. The House Judiciary Republicans said in their letter Tuesday that they are 'conducting oversight to ensure the FBI is not retaliating against FBI employees for exercising their First Amendment rights and engaging in disfavored political speech.' 'We reiterate our earlier requests for your personal assurance that the FBI will cooperate fully with the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General's examination of these matters and for a briefing on the FBI's purge of employees holding disfavored viewpoints,' Jordan demanded. Wray has opposed claims against the FBI for political bias of right-wing voices and has defended investigations into people involved in the Capitol riot last year. New York City police are on the hunt for an armed thief, who ambushed a NYC delivery driver in broad daylight before shooting the man in the leg and stealing his $8,000 gold chain. The NYPD released footage of the incident, showing the tall, slender gunman in a gray zip-up approaching the delivery driver, 55, and pulling out a gun on East 129th Street in East Harlem around 1.30pm on Monday. In the video, the unidentified attacker, who is believed to be in his 30s, is shown running up to the victim, as he opened the back of his delivery truck. The gunman draws his weapon and reaches toward the man's neck, grabbing onto his chain. The two men briefly struggle and the assailant points the handgun at the man's chest. The delivery driver pushes the weapons away as they continue to struggle. The gunman then shots the man in leg, according to police, before ripping the expensive necklace off his neck and fleeing in a black BMW. A shameless robber held a delivery driver, 55, at gunpoint to steal an $8,000 gold chain off the man's neck The two struggled as they fought over the necklace. The assailant, believed to be in his 30s, eventually shot the man in the leg before ripping off the chain and fleeing the scene The victim was transported to NYC Health + Hospital in Harlem, where he was treated and released, according to police. The NYPD is now asking for the public's help in identifying the gunman, who was described by police as having a 'dark complexion, [weighing around] 180 pounds, approximately 5-foot-9-inches tall with a thin build.' 'He was last seen wearing gray sweat jacket, light blue jeans and white sneakers,' the NYPD said in a statement. The incident is just another shameless crime happening in New York City, as the Big Apple continues to rot. Overall violent crime is up 38.4 percent in the city, with robbery up almost 40 percent. Shootings have actually declined in recent months, down 7.1 percent compared to the same time last year, but the occurrence of these incidents are still historically high. Mayor Eric Adams, 61, has vowed to lower crimes in New York and even wore an 'End Gun Violence' blazer to the Met Gala last month. However, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani criticized the new mayor, who has only been in office since January, saying he 'hasn't done a damn thing' to solve the ongoing problem. Giuliani, who was mayor between January 1994 and December 2001, also poured scorn on the mayor's social calendar and continual partying - whether it be showing up at theatre premieres, heading to the West Coast to hobnob with celebrities and billionaires or attending the Met Gala. 'Adams hasn't done a damn thing,' Giuliani told the New York Post last month. 'So far, he's the biggest failure of a new mayor in America. He's the worst failure of any new first-year mayor in New York City in my lifetime.' Giuliani, who earned the title of America's Mayor after ushering the city through the horrors of 9/11 before becoming a punching bag for his support of Donald Trump, also suggested Adams should lie low when it comes to his social engagements until he has made some real progress. Boris Johnson today pleaded for unity among warring Tory MPs - as Downing Street denied it had authorised the most vicious assault on Conservative rebel-in-chief Jeremy Hunt. The Prime Minister called for Conservatives to end their blue-on-blue attacks in the wake of his survival of a no confidence vote among MPs on Monday. The hours leading up to the crunch vote, which could have seen Mr Johnson toppled from power, saw bitter verbal warfare break out between the PM's loyalists and Tory rebels. Mr Hunt, the former health secretary, was subject to some of the most savage attacks after he publicly declared he wanted Mr Johnson removed from Downing Street. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, one of the PM's uber-loyalist Cabinet ministers, launched a fierece counter-attack on Mr Hunt - branding him 'duplicitous' and tearing into his past record in Government. She claimed Mr Hunt had been 'wrong about almost everything' on issues such as Brexit and Covid. Ms Dorries, a former health minister, also accused Mr Hunt of leaving Britain underprepared for the Coronavirus pandemic following his five-and-a-half years in charge of the Department of Health. It has been claimed her barrage against Mr Hunt, conducted through a series of Twitter posts and broadcast interviews, was authorised by Downing Street. But Number 10 today denied those reports. Boris Johnson today pleaded for unity among warring Tory MPs following blue-on-blue attacks in the lead-up to Monday's no confidence vote Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, one of the PM's uber-loyalist Cabinet ministers, launched a fierece counter-attack on rebel-in-chief Jeremy Hunt Mr Hunt was subject to some of the most savage attacks after he publicly declared he wanted Mr Johnson removed from Downing Street Asked about the outbreak of Tory warfare before Monday's vote, the PM's press secretary said: 'I think there were various things that were said ahead of the votes. 'But the vote has taken place and now it's time for us to unite and focus entirely on our job which is delivering for the public.' Asked if Ms Dorries' attack on Mr Hunt was sanctioned by No10, they replied: 'I'm not aware of that, no.' Mr Johnson's press secretary added that the PM believed Mr Hunt had been 'a good health secretary'. In her fierce criticism of Mr Hunt - which came within an hour of him calling for Tory MPs to vote for 'change' from Mr Johnson - Ms Dorries claimed the ex-health secretary had once championed Britain copying the example of China in dealing with Covid. She said Mr Hunt had proposed the removal of Coronavirus-positive Britons into isolation hotels for two weeks. Ms Dorries also blasted his 'inadequate' pandemic planning and accused Mr Hunt of 'destabilising' the Tory party for 'personal ambition'. She later defended her attack on Mr Hunt - who had stood against the PM for the Tory leadership in 2019 - and claimed her criticism of him was 'not personal'. Voters moved to recall San Francisco's woke district attorney on Tuesday, leaving residents to wonder who will next be tasked with tackling the city's soaring crime. Mayor London Breed, who never shied from voicing her disapproval of ousted DA Chesa Boudin, will solely appoint the city's next prosecutor. Analysts predict the centrist Democrat will select a candidate with a tough-on-crime stance and whose views are more ideologically-aligned with her own. Boudin, 41, was cast out Tuesday by a more than 60 percent vote in the recall election. He had been widely expected to lose his job after residents of the California enclave had become increasingly worried about violent crime. The former public defender was elected in January 2020. He was made the target of a multi-million-dollar recall campaign earlier this year by residents who say the city has become an increasingly unsafe place to live due to his soft-on-crime policies. Voters moved to recall woke San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin (pictured in September 2019) on Tuesday, leaving residents to wonder who will next be tasked with tackling the city's soaring crime Mayor London Breed (pictured in May), who never shied from voicing her disapproval of ousted Boudin, will solely appoint the city's next prosecutor. She has not yet said who she would like to serve as the city's interim caretaker Breed, 47, has not yet said who she would like to serve as the city's interim caretaker, but analysts speculate her top choice may be a longtime prosecutor who previously launched a bid for the job. Nancy Tung ran against Boudin in the 2019 election, coming in third with 19.3 percent of the vote. Despite having lost in the prior election, she has said she would likely run again in 2023, The San Francisco Standard reported. Tung, a trial prosecutor and former Deputy California Attorney General, is notoriously tough on crime and publicly issued her support for a federal crackdown on San Francisco's open-air drug markets. Last December, Breed declared a state of emergency in the Tenderloin neighborhood, one of the city's poorest and most drug-infested areas, and announced a sweeping crackdown on open air drug use and drug dealing in the downtown community. The mayor also nominated Tung for a position on the police commission in 2020, but her candidacy was rejected by the Board of Supervisors with a 10-1 vote. The liberal board, voting amid a nationwide movement for police reform following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, argued she lacked a track record of police reform actions, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. Tung said in March she would seek the DA position if Boudin was recalled, citing a platform of 'community-centered justice.' 'What that really means is that prosecution priorities should be greatly focused on what is most important to the community,' she said at the time. Analysts speculate Breed's top choice may be a longtime prosecutor Nancy Tung (pictured) who previously launched a bid for DA. Tung is notoriously tough on crime and publicly issued her support for a federal crackdown on San Francisco's open-air drug markets Former San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Brooke Jenkins (pictured in May) may also be on the mayor's short list to replace Boudin. She was among the more than 50 attorneys in Boudin's office who quit in October 2021 due to his lack of commitment to prosecuting crimes Experts argue former San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Brooke Jenkins may be on the mayor's short list to replace Boudin. Jenkins was among the more than 50 attorneys who had worked in Boudin's office and quit in October 2021 due to his lack of commitment to prosecuting crimes. At the time, Jenkins accused Boudin of making San Francisco more dangerous by regularly handing down more lenient sentences than are prescribed by law, releasing criminals early and in some cases not filing charges at all. Jenkins was a prominent voice and leader in the campaign to recall Boudin. Over the weekend, in an interview with KPIX, she called on residents to vote him out of office, claiming: 'Chesa doesn't prioritize public safety in his decision making.' Jenkins was a prominent voice and leader in the campaign to recall Boudin She also criticized his office for being unethical in its handling of cases. 'When I meet Chesa supporters they often tell me that he is holding police accountable. That's dead wrong,' she said. 'What cop has he successfully prosecuted and what police case has he filed that isn't riddled with claims of unethical conduct by his office? He's failing at this. 'Police accountability can't be political. It has to be based on law and done the right way. The case he took to trial ended in a not guilty verdict and was stained by scandal. That's not an accomplishment.' She added: 'We live in a society where there must be accountability for our actions. Accountability can take many different forms in the criminal justice system and does not equate to prison in every case - despite Chesa supporters trying to mischaracterize that statement. 'Many people who commit serious crimes are in desperate need of rehabilitation and deserve that chance. Chesa is failing require offenders to get that help. He thinks a free pass is the answer and it's not and never will be.' Breed may also opt to appoint former cop Joe Alioto Veronese (pictured) who said he would be running for San Francisco DA in 2023. Veronese promised to aggressively prosecute misdemeanors and particularly thefts, which have plagued the city in recent months Breed may also opt to appoint former cop Joe Alioto Veronese who has previously said he would be running for San Francisco DA in 2023. Veronese, the son of former city supervisor and mayoral candidate Angela Alioto, already filed the paperwork allowing him to bid for the position in the next election and has positioned himself as a 'criminal justice reformer' who can 'work well with police.' 'What I would immediately do is I would stand shoulder to shoulder with the San Francisco Police Department and let them know that I will support you, and I will back you, as long as you operate within your training,' he told the Chronicle. He also argued his 'unique experience' of having served as police commissioner under then-mayor Gavin Newsom, a fire commissioner and a civil rights attorney for more than two decades puts him in a position to excel at the job. 'I come to this position with a unique experience of having both the civil rights practice as well as the police experience,' he argued. Veronese was among the politicians rooting for Boudin to be ousted Veronese promised to aggressively prosecute misdemeanors and particularly thefts, which have plagued the city in recent months. 'A year in jail is a long time for someone who steals who goes into Walgreens and fills a bag,' he stated. 'That is plenty of leverage to hold against an individual.' He also said he opposes no-knock warrants and civil asset forfeitures, two issues popular with progressives, and os open to reintroducing gang enhancements. Boudin has essentially eliminated gang enhancements which can add years to a criminal's sentence if prosecutors believe they committed their crime as part of their role within a gang. Gang enhancements have been criticized for having 'inherent racial bias.' Analysts predict Breed may also be considering Catherine Stefani (pictured), who currently sits on the city's Board of Supervisors. She led an effort last year trying to force Boudin's office to release data outlining how often he punishes violent criminals Analysts predict Breed may also be considering Catherine Stefani, who currently sits on the city's Board of Supervisors. Stefani was the first elected official to publicly support the effort to recall Boudin. However, when asked by the Chronicle if she would want to replace the DA, she declined to comment. She also led an effort last year trying to force Boudin's office to release data outlining how often he punishes violent criminals. 'Doing nothing doesn't work,' Stefani told NBC Bay Area in October. 'There's not a lot of transparency right now coming out of the DA's office.' She also criticized Boudin's soft-of-crime policies, calling the DA 'incompetent.' 'If he thinks lack of prosecution is the answer, I'd like to know why,' said Stefani. 'I think it's incompetence - the fact that these cases are being brought to him and not charged and no interventions made.' Stefani also recently introduced a measure that could create a city office for the victims of violent crimes, even if the incident wasn't reported to law enforcement. 'Many victims of crime aren't even served through the D.A.'s Office, because either the crime isn't reported or no arrest is made or no charge is filed,' she told the Chronicle, suggesting that the proposed ballot measure stemmed from her dissatisfaction with Boudin and his policies. Last Friday, Stefani participated in a walk to end gun violence. She posted about the event on Twitter, saying: 'We are fearless, we are determined, and we will keep fighting for a future free from gun violence!' The moderate Democrat was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2018 after having previously served as a prosecutor. She also touts herself as a gun violence prevention activist and uses her social media platforms to advocate for stricter gun control. Last Friday, she participated in a walk to end gun violence, telling her followers: 'Today we wear orange for National Gun Violence Awareness Day to honor the victims and survivors of gun violence and to demand an end to the carnage tormenting communities across our country. 'We are fearless, we are determined, and we will keep fighting for a future free from gun violence!' The Chronicle argues Breed may opt against selected Stefani to replace Boudin because having her act as DA would be a 'double-edged sword.' Breed would benefit from having a prosecutor who would back her tough-on-crime initiatives, but would then lose a crucial ally on the Board of Supervisors, which is dominantly progressive. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was voted out of office on Tuesday, with citizens irate over the city's crime ridden state pushing out the progressive politician San Francisco on Tuesday voted to recall Boudin amid rising anger at the city's crime-ridden state. He had been widely expected to lose his job and 60.5 per cent of voters made their feelings clear over his woke policies by deciding to recall him. Only 24 percent of the city's electorate of 495,000 turned out, with 70,730 voting against the DA, with some ballots remaining to be counted. Recall proponents cheered the news at a victory party, with California state leaders of the hotel and retailers associations lauding Boudin's removal as a sign that visitors, shoppers and employees will be prioritized again in a city that relies heavily on tourism. 'This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice,' Mary Jung, a chair of the recall campaign, said in a statement Tuesday. 'In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership.' Leanna Louie stands with a sign and bullhorn on 19th Avenue urging motorists to recall the District Attorney Boudin embraces supporter Dayday Reynolds Priestly as he canvassed on 3rd Street in the Bayview neighborhood yesterday ahead of the vote The districts of Haight-Ashbury, Castro and the Mission backed Boudin, but the rest of the city was against him. Boudin remained defiant in a speech to supporters, saying he was outspent by 'right-wing billionaires.' He said voters were understandably frustrated by the pandemic and a city government that has failed to deliver on safety, housing and equity. 'We have two cities. We have two systems of justice. We have one for the wealthy and the well connected and a different one for everybody else,' he said on Tuesday night. 'And that's exactly what we are fighting to change.' Boudin is seen on Tuesday night at an election evening event, as the ballots were counted Boudin addresses his supporters at the election night party on Tuesday Boudin and his wife, Valerie Block, are seen at the election night event on Tuesday in San Francisco The end of Boudin's tenure did not come as a surprise, and was as polls predicted Boudin said the recall effort was driven by right-wing businesspeople and by less-than-liberal police officers. 'This is a Republican- and police union-led playbook to undermine and attack progressive prosecutors who have been winning elections across the country,' he told The Guardian. 'The playbook involves delegitimizing and fear-mongering and recalling. It's a tactic being used by folks who are increasingly unable to prevail in elections when they put forward their views about public safety and justice.' However, Boudin was elected on a platform of criminal justice reform and his notoriously progressive laws have been widely blamed for rising crime and homelessness in the Bay Area since the start of the pandemic, where brazen looters have been seen ransacking stores and breaking into cars in greater numbers. So far this year, statistics show that the crime wave has worsened, with the city's murder rate rising 11 percent, and rapes up by nearly 10 percent. Boudin's time in office has also seen a marked rise in vagrancy - a stand-out issue in the Bay Area, where homelessness and drug use has run rampant under Boudin's watch. San Francisco police report 20 murders so far this year, an 11 percent increase from the 18 reported in the same time last year. Larceny theft, meanwhile, has skyrocketed under Boudin, with 13,424 cases reported this year - a 20.4 percent rise from the 11,151 reported last year. Assaults also saw a spike of 11 percent with 1,035 cases reported so far this year, and rapes have gone up by nearly 10 percent, with police reporting 97 cases in 2022 - compared to the 89 seen this time last year. As larceny continues to see the largest increase in crime, the Bay Area has contended with a series of smash-and-grab robberies in the past year, with brazen thieves raiding stores in the middle of day. Video from a Walgreens in San Francisco last month shows three shoplifters empty the store's shelves and pack everything they can into bags, before running out the pharmacy. Recall backers claimed Boudin's policies have made San Francisco less safe. They have aired ads highlighting shocking videos of smash-and-grab robberies and looting from stores in the city. Under Boudin's lax crime laws, the perpetrators regularly avoid prosecution As larceny continues to see the largest increase in crime, the Bay Area has contended with a series of smash-and-grab robberies in the past year, with brazen thieves raiding stores in the middle of day Because of policies implemented by Boudin, whose criminal justice reform policies often allow the offenders off scot-free, the clerks are left only able to watch Drug store chains like Walgreens and CVS have become attractive and easy targets for shoplifters, leading to numerous store closures in the Bay Area. In the area's largest city, San Francisco, low-level offenses, such as retail thefts, have been effectively de-criminalized under Boudin's leadership. Walgreens said last year that retail theft in San Francisco was five times the chain average and security costs were 46 times the chain average, the Chronicle reported. According to the latest available crime data, grand larceny rates in California's liberal bastion were up 26 per cent in mid-April, compared with the same period last year. California Gov Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has vowed to crack down on gangs of retail thieves, despite a controversial 2014 law - Proposition 47 - that barred prosecutors from charging suspected shoplifters accused of stealing less than $950 worth of merchandise with felonies. A Chicago woman who listed her home on the market has revealed she found a stranger living in it who refuses to leave, claiming she already signed a lease and paid $8,000 in rent upfront. Danielle Cruz said she was shocked when she found the alleged squatter in her Chatham neighborhood home, and she suffered another horrid surprise when police told her they couldn't do anything about it, ABC reported. 'They said unfortunately they couldn't prove she was trespassing,' Cruz said. 'We have to go to court and follow the eviction process.' According to Cook County and Illinois State law, landlords must go through the courts to evict illegal squatters found living in their homes as police cannot determine whether a lease is fraudulent or not. Upon learning the law, Cruz said she was devastated because she must now go through lengthy court proceedings to get rid of the alleged squatter to sale her $175,000, three-bedroom home. Danielle Cruz said police could not remove an alleged squatter living in her family's $175,000 Chicago home that was going up for sale The Chatham neighborhood home had been renovated as Cruz and her family prepared to list the home for sale, but a repair man found a woman living inside with the locks changed Cruz said the woman suddenly appeared in the vacant home claiming to have signed a lease and paid $8,000 upfront to a man who said he was the landlord HOW SQUATTERS AVOID BEING KICKED OUT IN CHICAGO According to Cook County and Illinois State law, evicting a squatter who presents a lease for the home they're living in must be done through eviction court. The law dictates that if police cannot determine the validity of a lease or if the squatter is a home invader, they cannot pursue the incident as a criminal case and must treat it as a civil matter. The squatter and landlord must then go to eviction court and present their case, and upon a judge's determination, the Cook County Sheriff's Office will be instructed to remove the squatter. The process can take anywhere from three months to half-a-year to conclude, according to Chicago real estate attorney Mo Dadkhah, who says such cases are becoming more and more common in Chicago. Advertisement She told ABC that her family had renovated the house before moving out and deciding to sell it, but the excitement turned to confusion when a contractor they hired to make some final repairs on the home alerted them that someone was living there. 'We honestly thought he was joking because we knew the house was vacant,' Cruz said. 'My husband just repaired the house completely with his own money.' 'So, we show up with the cops, and there's a young woman in there with all of her belongings.' Cruz said the woman claimed to have seen the home up for sale online and signed a month-to-month lease with the landlord, paying $8,000 up front to move in. Although Cruz said she never met the woman nor listed the home for rent, police said the woman had a lease document, making the case a civil matter that needed to be settled in eviction court. 'I definitely do feel violated,' Cruz told ABC. 'I own this house, and it feels like if anyone can just break into your house and kind of take over, that's a scary feeling.' In a statement, the Chicago Police Department said the woman living in Cruz's home had met with an unidentified man claiming to be the landlord of the residence and signed the lease, getting the keys to the home. The Cook County Sheriff's Office, which carries out evictions, said in a statement that removing squatters requires a civil process and order from a judge. Chicago Police explained that they could not determine whether the lease was fake, so Cruz must go through eviction court. Pictured, the kitchen inside the three-bedroom home A local real estate attorney said such cases are becoming more and more common in Cook County and urged property owners to check their vacant homes regularly Chicago real estate attorney Mo Dadkhah told the news outlet that such cases are becoming more and more common in Cook County and can occur through one of two scenarios. Dadkhah said someone can break into a vacant home and create a bogus lease to present for police, or, just as likely, an intruder can changed the locks and pretend to be a landlord to rent out the home. 'So, generally speaking, squatters have to figure out a way to show some sort of residency,' he told ABC. ' 'If somebody gets into the property in the middle of the night, nobody sees them get in the property, they have a lease in hand. Well, a police officer can't determine - they're not a judge.' The incident has not only left Cruz shaken, but also her neighbors. 'It's disgusting,' neighbor Chiron Baux told ABC. 'It's stealing and it's not right.' 'It's frightening,' added neighbor Quintara Smith. 'I mean, that can happen to anybody.' Advertisement A flytipper who dumped 51 tons of tyres which were set alight by someone else then caused flights to be disrupted has been jailed. Declan Clarke, 30, was charging garage owners a pound to get rid of old tyres - but his illegal enterprise cost the taxpayer 130,000 for debris to be cleared up. Hundreds of tyres were dumped on wasteland in Drumchapel, Glasgow, while others were torched in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire between June and November 2020. Clarke was illegally taking tyres from garage owners and charging either 1 or 2 to get rid of them. In a message dated November 18 2020 he told a client 'it's getting a bit hot to get rid of them.' Two days later was arrested after hiding under a bed at his home in Drumchapel when cops raided his flat. Declan Clarke (pictured outside Glasgow Sheriff Court wearing a suit and tie), 30, was charging garage owners a pound to get rid of old tyres - but his illegal enterprise cost the taxpayer 130,000 for debris to be cleared up. He was arrested after hiding under a bed at his home in Drumchapel when cops raided his flat In October 2020 around 500 tyres were dumped at Gartloch Farm, near Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, and more were stashed there in November. Toxic plumes of smoke from around 51 tons of tyres which were set alight in Drumchapel caused flights from Glasgow Airport to be cancelled on July 24 2020, along with 17 tonnes of household waste which was set alight Glasgow City Council cleansing staff believed the volume of waste was significantly reduced by the fire and cost was 7,245.16 to clear up. The estimated cost of cleaning up Gartloch Farm is 120,000 and a further 2,800 to dispose of the remaining tyres. Pictured: The amount of tyres dumped at the farm Clarke was jailed today for 11 months after pleading guilty to an environmental breach, at Glasgow Sheriff Court. The court heard that between June and August 2020 a large number of tyres were fly-tipped on wasteland near Aldi in Drumchapel (pictured the tyres nearby a van) Clarke was jailed today for 11 months after pleading guilty to an environmental breach, at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Toxic plumes of smoke from around 51 tons of tyres which were set alight in Drumchapel caused flights from Glasgow Airport to be cancelled on July 24 2020, along with 17 tonnes of household waste which was set alight. The court heard that between June and August 2020 a large number of tyres were fly-tipped on wasteland near Aldi in Drumchapel. In October 2020 around 500 tyres were dumped at Gartloch Farm, near Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire, and more were stashed there in November. Wildlife camera have been installed on the land due to persistent flytipping, and captured Clarke using a number of different hire vans dumping tyres there. When police raided the home on November 20, 2020 they found a key for another hire van which was parked outside his flat and was found to be full of tyres. Wildlife camera have been installed on the land due to persistent flytipping, and captured Clarke using a number of different hire vans dumping tyres there. Pictured: A van is seen and captured on CCTV while a man is seen walking in the grass area The court was advised that on the evening of July 24 2020 much of the waste at Dalsetter Crescent, Drumchapel, was consumed by fire with smoke disrupting flights at Glasgow Airport. Glasgow City Council cleansing staff believed the volume of waste was significantly reduced by the fire and cost was 7,245.16 to clear up. The estimated cost of cleaning up Gartloch Farm is 120,000 and a further 2,800 to dispose of the remaining tyres. Fiona Caldwell, Procurator Fiscal, Wildlife and Environment, said: 'Fly tipping causes the public real and legitimate concern. 'It is criminal behaviour which creates an eyesore and is costly to clear up and one that the local council must often carry. 'Declan Clarke's deliberate and criminal action showed a lack of consideration for the environment and undermines legitimate waste management companies. 'There is no excuse for illegal dumping of waste and those who choose to engage in it will be brought to account for their actions.' A 24-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting an air stewardess on a British Airways flight just before it took off from London Heathrow Airport. The BA service to Barbados was already boarded and ready to leave when police were called and detained the man before cautioning him for common assault. The flight on Monday morning was due to take off at 11.45am but officers were called at 12.40pm and it eventually took off nearly two hours late at 1.38pm. A British Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner plane at London Heathrow Airport in August 2021 The cabin crew employee - who was not injured - gave a statement to police after the incident at terminal three of Heathrow, according to London World. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident to MailOnline today, with a spokesman saying: 'A man has been arrested for assault on a member of flight crew. 'Officers were called at 12.40pm on Monday, June 6 to Terminal 3, Heathrow. A 24-year-old man was reported to have assaulted a member of flight crew. No injury was caused. The man was arrested and subsequently cautioned for common assault.' The flight involved was BA255 from Heathrow to Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados, which eventually arrived one hour and 48 minutes late. Passengers queue to check-in at Heathrow last Friday during the bank holiday weekend And a BA spokesman told MailOnline today: 'Disruptive or abusive behaviour is never tolerated and the appropriate action will always be taken.' MailOnline has also asked Heathrow Airport for comment on the incident. BA is among the airlines that has cancelled flights to and from UK airports in recent months due to staff shortages as many passengers face long queues in terminals. And a strike by Italian aviation workers caused more misery for UK travellers today, with BA among those cancelling flights between Britain and Italy. Downing Street today dismissed calls to make Jeremy Hunt a 'unity' Chancellor after he spearheaded the Tory revolt. The PM's spokesman said there is 'no vacancy' in No11 and Rishi Sunak is doing an 'excellent' job after the prospect was touted. Ex-Foreign Secretary Mr Hunt lost to Boris Johnson in the 2019 leadership contest, and has been accused of being 'on manoeuvres' again for months. He broke cover on Monday to say he would be voting against the premier in the dramatic confidence ballot - sparking fury from ministers. However, some of Mr Johnson's allies have reportedly urged him to bring Mr Hunt back into the government replacing Mr Sunak. No10 aides have ridiculed the idea. And the PM's press secretary said this afternoon: 'There is no vacancy for this role. We have an excellent Chancellor.' Downing Street today dismissed the idea of Boris Johnson (right) making Jeremy Hunt (left) a 'unity' Chancellor after he spearheaded the Tory revolt The PM's spokesman said there is 'no vacancy' in No11 and Rishi Sunak (pictured) is doing an 'excellent' job after the prospect was touted Mr Hunt called for 'change' in the run-up to the confidence vote, saying: 'Anyone who believes our country is stronger, fairer & more prosperous when led by Conservatives should reflect that the consequence of not changing will be to hand the country to others who do not share those values. Today's decision is change or lose. I will be voting for change.' But an incensed Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries took to Twitter and gave interviews slating him and his record as Health Secretary, saying he had left the country 'wanting and unprepared' for the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Your handling of the pandemic would have been a disaster,' she said. 'Your pandemic preparation during six years as health secretary was found wanting and inadequate. Your duplicity right now in destabilising the party and country to serve your own personal ambition, more so... 'If you had been leader you'd have handed the keys of No10 to Corbyn. You've been wrong about almost everything, you are wrong again now.' No10 tried to cool the row today, denying Ms Dorries had been sent out to attack Mr Hunt and stressing her comments were before vote. Aides insisted the PM wants to unify the party and believes Mr Hunt was a good Health Secretary. Mr Johnson swiped that Tory critics do not like the 'big and remarkable' things his government is doing as MPs lined up behind him at PMQs. The premier was given a solid reception with cheers as he arrived in the Commons for the regular session - the first opportunity to take the temperature in the chamber since the confidence vote showdown. But Mr Johnson responded to Labour jibes that the 148-strong revolt against him meant he was 'loathed' by insisting he has 'barely begun' and will focus on 'delivering for the British people'. 'In a long political career so far barely begun I've of course picked up political opponents all over and that is because this Government has done some very big and very remarkable things which they didn't necessarily approve of,' the PM said. 'And what I want her to know is that absolutely nothing and no-one, least of all her, is going to stop us with getting on delivering for the British people.' The omens are looking better for the premier, with Keir Starmer struggling to land any significant blows during their exchanges. Rebel ringleaders are admitting he has more time after seeing off the coup attempt in the secret ballot on Monday, albeit more narrowly than No10 had hoped. When SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford compared him to the Black Knight from Monty Python, the PM could be seen off-mic saying it was 'not even a flesh wound'. Jeremy Hunt (left) - who lost the last leadership contest to Mr Johnson - tweeted before the confidence vote that he was going against the PM. Police are searching for three men who attacked a Brooklyn bus driver, including one suspect who allegedly stabbed him after he was confronted for busting through the backdoor of the bus. On Tuesday, shortly after midnight, a 39-year-old bus driver was operating a shuttle bus in Brooklyn when a man forced open the back door in between stops, police said. The suspect damaged the doors, forcing the bus driver to suspend bus service and to eject the man. During a fight with the bus driver the suspect stabbed the 39-year-old in the stomach and slashed his face, leaving a gash above one of his eyes After one of the suspects stabbed the bus driver in the stomach (wound pictured) all three suspects fled the scene and the bus driver was taken to a local hospital where he is in stable condition After getting booted from the bus the upset suspect (pictured) made his way back onto the bust while it was stopped at an intersection and brandished a knife at the bus driver 'He wanted to get on between stops, and the guy was irate and obviously extremely angry,' TWU Local 100 Vice President J.P. Patafio said. 'Ripped open the back door, and that's when everything started.' After getting booted the upset suspect made his way back onto the bus while it was stopped at an intersection and brandished a knife at the bus driver, police said. During a fight, the suspect stabbed the 39-year-old in the stomach and slashed his face, leaving a gash above one of his eyes. As the attack was taking place two other men boarded the bus and threatened the bus driver with a box cutter. All three suspects fled the scene, and the bus driver was taken to a local hospital where he is in stable condition. Police released surveillance footage of the three suspects as they continue to search for them. But the attack has led MTA workers to call for legislation to protect transit workers, the New York Daily News reported. 'We are working closely with investigators who are determining the facts of this incident,' MTA Chief Safety and Security Officer Pat Warren said. 'Violence against transit employees or riders is never acceptable, which is why we worked so hard in Albany to pass a new assault protection bill.' During the attack two other men boarded the bus and threatened the 39-year-old with a box cutter On Tuesday shortly after midnight a 39-year-old bus driver was operating a free shuttle bus in Brooklyn when a man forced open the back door in between stops The head of a bus driver union even threatened a walk out if more is not done. 'We missed a tragedy by inches,' Patafio said at a press conference outside the hospital the bus driver was being treated. 'There is a deep frustration and anger that has welled up. We're tired of coming to work scared. Either we get the protection we need, or Brooklyn won't get the service they need.' The incident comes as transit crime in New York City has sky rocketed in 2022 compared to 2021, with a 57.5 per cent increase. Last Wednesday, a man had his wrist slashed and arteries severed in the Bronx subway following an argument over loud music, according to a criminal complaint. And just over a week ago a violent thug pulled out a knife on a man in the subway at Atlantic Avenue, after a 'dispute' and then stabbed him multiple times in the head and torso. The 43-year-old victim was taken to the hospital in a stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery, while the attacker, who was wearing a Supreme beanie, is still on the run. Last month, a Goldman Sachs worker Daniel Enriquez was killed after being randomly shot in the head on his way to Sunday brunch. The attacker, Andrew Abdullah, had no motive and shot him in full view of other passengers before walking off the train at the next station. He remained on the run for days before he turned himself in with the help of a Brooklyn minister. And in April, subway shooter Frank James was on the run for two days despite being the most wanted man in the city. New York Mayor Eric Adams, who was an ex-cop elected on a promise to stop crime in the city, has been slammed along with the NYPD for their failure to do so. According to NYPD data, while murders and shooting are down 9.9 and 7.9 per cent, respectively, from last year, overall crime is up nearly 40 per cent so far in 2022. That includes a whopping 40 per cent rise in robberies, a 19 per cent increase in felony assaults and a 14.8 per cent increase in rapes. Transit crimes are up the highest, though, at 57.5 per cent - with 907 reported through May 22, 2022, compared to 576 reported at the same time last year. Yesterday Mayor Adams fumed at prosecutors and judges for cutting loose suspected shooters, allowing them to unleash more gunfire in New York saying the 'bad guys no longer take them seriously.' During a news conference with NYPD officials in Brooklyn, Adams praised cops for being 'laser-focused on the shooters' and making arrests but demanded that 'the other team must do their part.' 'The courts have to prosecute. Judges have to make sure they stay in,' he said. 'Everyone has to do their part. If not, they go out and come back.' Industrial Internet facilitates intelligent manufacturing in Chinas textile industry 09:56, June 08, 2022 By Ye Zi ( People's Daily Industrial Internet, among other new-generation information technologies, is facilitating the transformation and upgrading of Chinese textile enterprises toward digitalization and intelligentization. A worker checks weaving machines at a smart factory of a textile company in Jinjiang city, east Chinas Fujian province, March 8, 2022. (Peoples Daily Online/ Dong Yanjun) It is often seen in textile factories that rows of machines run at high speed while a few workers occasionally walk through them to inspect their operation; and that a fully automated logistics and packaging system carries cone yarn just off the production line to the packaging workshop, then it is piled up, handled, packaged and sent to warehouse smoothly. Now we can see clearly how much yarn is left in the weaving machine and when we need to change the cloth, said Qiu Haibin, chairman of Zhejiang Xinhai Textiles Co., Ltd., standing in front of a large screen displaying data on the operation of each weaving machine of the company. The company is based in Lanxi city, east Chinas Zhejiang province, where textiles are a pillar industry. In the past, weaving machines and equipment in Lanxi were unable to interact with each other and had low efficiency as they were imported from different countries and varied in sizes and communications protocols. After digital transformation, all equipment used in the whole production process in textile companies have been connected to the Internet, allowing managers and workers to monitor production status in real time and assign and receive production tasks through devices such as digital screens in workshops, mobile phones, and wristbands. In this way, production status can be managed in real time, data can be automatically recorded, and report forms can be automatically sorted, which help cut the workload of statisticians by 60 percent and improve the efficiency of production scheduling by 30 percent. Besides, the emergence of new technologies, such as intelligent fabric inspection, intelligent logistics and warehouses, automated guided vehicles and numerical control of equipment, has brought the textile companies in Lanxi onto a road of intelligent manufacturing, with smart production line, factory and workshop becoming a common sight. A worker carries out patrol inspection on an electric tricycle at a factory of Zhejiang Wanzhou Holding Group Co., Ltd. in Lanxi city, east Chinas Zhejiang province, Nov. 29, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/ Hu Xiaofei) Many companies have also adopted enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and manufacturing execution system (MES), thus realizing digital management. As a matter of fact, industrial Internet has brought far more positive changes to the textile industry. Statistics suggested that the size of Chinas industrial Internet industry exceeded one trillion yuan ($150 billion) during the first quarter of 2022, and industrial Internet had been widely applied in research and development, design, manufacturing, operation and management. As industrial Internet is increasingly deeply integrated into textiles, it is also accelerating the digital transformation and development of enterprises in the industry. Jiaojiang district, Taizhou city, Zhejiang province, has launched an industrial brain for sewing equipment, a government-funded platform designed to help companies speed up digital transformation and improve operational efficiency. After inputting their needs on the platform, companies can receive accurate information and analysis of industrial value and upstream and downstream companies provided by the platform. Besides, companies can also consult experts about problems troubling their digital operations via the platform, which can help save more than 60 percent of the costs of digital transformation for enterprises. East Chinas Shandong province will support the creation of typical application scenarios in the industry, intensify efforts to cultivate and promote industrial Internet platforms, guide more enterprises to joining and using these platforms, and facilitate the docking and reconstruction of the industrial chain. South Chinas Guangdong province plans to cultivate industrial Internet platforms in low-concentration traditional characteristic industrial clusters, such as those in light industry and textiles, and promote the digital transformation of upstream and downstream enterprises of these clusters under unified standards. Industrial Internet connects every link in the production process of factories, from order receiving, material allocation, production equipment, energy consumption management to emission monitoring and inventory management, helping improve enterprises management efficiency, said Song Huasheng, deputy director of the Beijing Research Center, Zhejiang University. It can also assist managers in decision-making, Song noted, explaining that it can realize intelligent production through functions including intelligent production scheduling and intelligent color matching, thus solving the contradiction between mass production and personalized customization. Photo taken on Feb. 18, 2021 shows a worker busy working in a workshop of a textile company in Haian city, east Chinas Jiangsu province. (Peoples Daily Online/Xiang Zhonglin) Industrial Internet can also efficiently link textile companies with upstream suppliers and downstream customers so that they can adjust product layout according to downstream demands more quickly, select suppliers more reasonably, and deal with supply chain risks more effectively. In recent years, China has witnessed remarkable achievements in the development of industrial Internet. As of the end of 2021, China had over 100 industrial Internet platforms with certain industry and regional influence, which connected over 76 million sets of equipment and served over 1.6 million companies. The application scope of industrial Internet has expanded from certain industries to key industries of the national economy, which has effectively facilitated the integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries. With the implementation of supportive measures including improving infrastructure, deepening integrated applications and strengthening technological innovations, industrial Internet is expected to empower more industries in the future. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) According to an intercepted phone call revealed Tuesday by Ukraine's intelligence service, Russian soldiers sought to plan fake marriages in order to escape the conflict in Ukraine. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a Russian soldier was overheard discussing an effort to stage a fake marriage proposal as an alternative to warfare. After more than 100 days of fighting, Russian forces are believed to be becoming frustrated. Russian Soldiers Want To Escape From Ukraine War The Russian soldier can be heard saying how he asked his colleague to "go to the registry office and file a marriage proposal" in order to avoid the conflict, according to the SBU. However, the soldier was advised that his plan would fail and that the Russian military had recently stepped up its crackdown on defectors, as per Newsweek via MSN. The SBU allegation is not the first time Russian soldiers have attempted to flee the conflict. According to Ukrainian sources, a Russian officer went so far as to shoot himself in the leg to avoid coming to the front lines. In other incidents, Russian soldiers are said to have refused instructions and even damaged their own combat machines. Soldiers have been heard complaining that the fight will likely linger on for months and that Russia will continue to suffer large losses. Russia has handed over the remains of 210 Ukrainian fighters killed in the battle for Mariupol, according to Ukraine's military intelligence service. According to the report, the majority of them were among the final holdouts at the Azovstal steelworks. The agency did not say how many additional remains are believed to be among the plant's ruins on Tuesday. The damaged port city is currently under Russian hands. It started dumping bodies last week. Ukraine announced on Saturday that the two sides had swapped 320 bodies, with each receiving 160 in return. It's unknown whether Russia has received any additional bodies, AP News reported. Read Also: Kim Jong Un Feared To Gear Up with New Nuclear Test After Firing 8 Ballistic Missiles; Here's What Pyongyang Wants From US Administration Ukraine Plans To Release "Book of Executioners" Under constant Russian ground, marine, and air strikes, Ukrainian forces fought the steelworks for over three months before surrendering in May. Russian forces have made no significant progress in the eastern Donbas area, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "The incredibly amazing defense of the Donbas continues," Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly video address. Zelenskyy believes the Russians evidently did not expect to face so much opposition and are now seeking to bring in extra troops and equipment. He claims that the same is true in the southern Kherson area, which was seized by Russian soldiers early in the conflict. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine plans to create a distinct "Book of Executioners" next week containing proven material concerning Russian army war crimes. He claims that those mentioned will include not just war criminals, but also their leaders. Per Express, Ukrainian official indicated that Russian forces may be leaving from Melitopol in the south as part of a rotation. Oleksandr Starukh, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration (Oblast State Administration), made the remarks when it appeared that Russian personnel had mysteriously vanished from checkpoints. Meanwhile, amid the ruins of Severodonetsk on Tuesday, Ukrainian forces fought Russians street-to-street, attempting to cling on to gains from a surprise counter-offensive that had turned the tide in one of the war's deadliest ground engagements. The struggle for the small industrial city has become a critical conflict in eastern Ukraine, with Russia concentrating its offensive power there in the hopes of fulfilling one of its stated war goals: totally seizing the neighboring Luhansk region on behalf of separatist proxies. Following a virtually complete withdrawal from the city in the face of Russian advances, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise counter-offensive last week, forcing the Russians out of areas of the city center. Since then, the two armies have fought across boulevards, both claiming to have killed a large number of people. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Threatens New Missile Targets If US Continues Helping Ukraine with Military Weapons @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A 19-year-old girl and her family are suing social media giant Meta, claiming that it knowingly created 'addictive' features that caused her to develop an eating disorder and suicidal feelings at a young age. The first-of-its-kind lawsuit, filed Monday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, relies heavily on a trove of leaked internal Meta documents that revealed the tech giant knew Instagram was harmful to young girls' mental health. The lawsuit, obtained by DailyMail.com, was filed by the Social Media Victims Law Center, a Seattle-based group that advocates for families of teens harmed online, on behalf of 19-year-old Alexis Spence - who created her first Instagram account at the age of 11 without her parents' consent and in violation of the platform's minimum age requirement of 13. It alleges that Instagram's artificial intelligence steered the then fifth-grader to accounts glorifying anorexia and self-cutting, while the platform also rolled out new features designed to make the app more addictive. Spence has been hospitalized for depression, anxiety and anorexia as a result, her lawyers argue and 'fights to stay in recovery everyday' as a result of 'the harmful content and features Instagram relentlessly promoted and provided to her.' Instagram officials declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com. Alexis Spence, 19, is suing Instagram's parent company - Meta - claiming it knowingly created 'addictive' features that caused her to develop an eating disorder and suicidal feelings at a young age. She is pictured with her therapy dog, Draco Alexis is now living with her parents and her dog on Long Island, New York The lawsuit claims Alexis started using Instagram at a young age and was soon steered to accounts glorifying anorexia and self-harm The lawsuit claims 'Alexis was a confident and happy child, who loved reading, writing and helping people and animals. 'She dreamed about becoming a veterinarian. She was active in singing competitions, theater and enjoyed being in the spotlight and looked for opportunities to shine.' It points to her 2012 notebooks, which were filled with photos of her and her family smiling and enjoying vacations. She then got her first Internet-enabled tablet device for Christmas in 2012 when she was 10 years old. At the time, she mainly used the device to play with Webkinz - stuffed animals that came with a code to play online, and make Webkinz videos. But as she entered the fifth-grade, the lawsuit claims, she started getting teased by her friends for not having an Instagram, and 'her friends told her that she needed to open an account and could open one even if her parents said "no."' So in 2013, at the age of 11, Alexis opened her first Instagram account, posting regularly about her age, writing: 'Hello, I'm 12 years old and love Webkinz.' By that November, the lawsuit alleges, she started showing signs of depression and her parents sought mental health treatment, but did not know she was on social media at that time. Alexis had saw content from other users explaining how to obtain your parents' passcode to disable parental blocks, and applications you would need to download to hide Instagram. The application she used made the Instagram icon look like a calculator, which she moved next to other utility applications. By May 23, 2014, Alexis opened her second Instagram account using a school-issued email address which she did not have inbox access to and could therefore not authenticate - but was still able to use the app, according to the lawsuit. Soon, it claims, she began to see her mother as overprotective, irrational and wrong as she tried to limit Alexis' screen time. Spence and her mother, Kathleen, spoke about the negative affects of Instagram on young users in an interview with NBC News Facebook research shown last March displaying how Instagram is harming young people In December 2013, Alexis was able to get her first cellphone - a slide-phone her parents gave her in case she needed to contact them when she stayed after school, but at Alexis' begging her parents got her a smartphone the following year at a cheap price. They installed parental controls and did not allow her to take her phone into her room at night. They also reportedly put parental controls on their home computer, but 'Alexis used what she learned on Instagram to bypass those protections and obtained even more access to Instagram, because now she could use Instagram all day while at school on her cell phone,' the lawsuit claims. Just four months later, the lawsuit says, she drew a picture of herself crying on the floor next to her phone with words like 'stupid, ugly, fat,' emanating from the screen, and 'kill yourself' in a thought bubble. The site had pushed extreme weight loss content and bulimic purging instructions on her at that point, the suit claims, and started recommending pages featuring emaciated young women and models. Those pages then led her to the terms 'ana' and 'pro-ana' in hashtags - abbreviations for anorexia, and recommended she 'friend' people with eating disorders. Soon, Alexis would save the anorexic model photos as 'motivation' whenever she was feeling hungry and started purging, according to the lawsuit. Eventually, it says, her parents found out she was on social media, but she was already above the age of 13 at that point - and she had only disclosed that she had one account. By the age of 12, Alexis drew a picture of her herself crying on the floor next to her phone with words like 'stupid, ugly, fat,' emanating from the screen, and 'kill yourself' in a thought bubble. By early 2018, Alexis' mother was called to her school after officials became aware of Instagram posts in which she expressed a desire to commit self-harm and detailing suicidal ideation By early 2018, the lawsuit states, Alexis's parents became aware of her self-harm and an eating disorder, at which point they got her help and a therapy dog they named 'Draco.' Still, on May 8, 2018, Alexis' school called her mother, Kathleen, about photos and Instagram posts Alexis made expressing a desire to commit self-harm and detailing suicidal ideation. In the posts, she wrote: 'I hate myself and I hate my body, and I'm sitting on the bathroom floor crying. 'Please stop caring about me, I'm a waste of time and space, and everything would be better without me, all I do is bring people down.' Alexis was then reportedly hospitalized for 10 days in connection with 'Anorexia Nervosa and associated habits of purging, as well as major depressive disorder and anxiety.' She is now in remission, and started at St. Joseph's University in September 2020 - but shortly after she began her college career, the lawsuit says, Alexis relapsed and once again engaged in extensive outpatient treatments. Alexis has not deleted all of her Instagram accounts, but the lawsuit says, 'She must stay in constant contact with her doctors and fights to stay in recovery every day. 'Alexis will suffer permanent mental and emotional damages because of what Instagram has done,' it argues, adding: 'Alexis' doctors have also advised that long-term physical damage is likely.' She now lives with her parents on Long Island, New York and 'cannot live the independent and successful life she had planned for herself.' Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, released a trove of documents last year showing that Facebook executives knew about the negative effects its site was having on young girls Facebook executives knew about negative effects of social media - documents show In October, Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee released a trove of documents detailing how executives designed features encouraging addictive behaviors in pre-teens while also causing them to develop eating disorders. According to the documents, originally published by the Wall Street Journal, Facebook had known for two years that Instagram was toxic for young girls but continued to add beauty-editing filters to the app, despite six per cent of suicidal girls in America blaming it for their desire to kill themselves. When Facebook researches first alerted the company of the issue in 2019, the documents showed, they said: 'We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.' 'Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression. This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.' One message posted on an internal message board in March 2020 said the app revealed that 32 percent of girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies if they were already having insecurities. As a result, Haugen said, the app fuels a contagion of eating disorders, body-shaming and self-dissatisfaction that is particularly dangerous for young people. Advertisement The lawsuit against Meta comes less than one year after a former Facebook employee Frances Haugen released internal documents claiming it designed features encouraging addictive behavior in pre-teens while encouraging eating disorders. The so-called Facebook Papers shed light on a large amount of evidence that former employees have said prove the social media conglomerate is aware of many of their problems including the negative impact it has on its users mental health - specifically young girls. According to the documents, originally published by the Wall Street Journal, Facebook had known for two years that Instagram was toxic for young girls but continued to add beauty-editing filters to the app, despite six per cent of suicidal girls in America blaming it for their desire to kill themselves. When Facebook researches first alerted the company of the issue in 2019, the documents showed, they said: 'We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls.' 'Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression. This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.' One message posted on an internal message board in March 2020 said the app revealed that 32 percent of girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies if they were already having insecurities. As a result, Haugen said, the app fuels a contagion of eating disorders, body-shaming and self-dissatisfaction that is particularly dangerous for young people. 'There are going to be women walking around this planet in 60 years with brittle bones because of the choices that Facebook made around emphasizing profit today,' she said, referring to the impact of eating disorders. 'What's super tragic is Facebook's own research says, as these young women begin to consume this this eating disorder content, they get more and more depressed. And it actually makes them use the app more,' Haugen told CBS' 60 Minutes in October before testifying before Congress about its negative affects. Spence's attorneys now argue that these documents prove Meta knowingly peddled a dangerous product. They claim the company put profit over people, with Kathleen telling NBC News. there was nothing she could have done to save her daughter 'because we are fighting a multibillion dollar corporation and we have two different interests at heart, and their interest is not my daughter.' 'If you look at the extensive research that it performed, they knew exactly what they were doing to kids, and they kept doing it,' Matthew P Bergman, the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center who is representing Spence and her family, added. 'I wish that I could say that Alexis' case is aberrational,' he continued. 'The only aberration is that she survived.' Wife killer Babis Anagnostopoulos was attacked in prison by a Georgian inmate who was furious that his friend had been wrongly arrested in connection with the murder, MailOnline can reveal. Babis, 34, was jailed for life last month for suffocating his wife Caroline Crouch, 20, at their luxury home in a suburb of the Greek capital Athens on May 11, 2021, in front of their then 11- month daughter Lydia. He then callously strangled their pet dog to make it look like a burglary and shed crocodile tears to police and Carolines devastated family before being nailed by police after they saw through his concocted story. He spent a year in tough Korydallos jail in Athens awaiting trial where he was attacked by a fellow prisoner but survived unscathed. His lawyer Alexandros Papaioannidis said: 'He was attacked by a Georgian man who was in the same prison. It was something to do with the fact that a Georgian man was initially arrested for the crime by the Greek police. This man said he wanted to kill my client but the guards were able to stop him. Babis Anagnostopoulos, 34, suffocated wife Caroline Crouch 20, at their luxury home in a suburb of the Greek capital Athens in May 2020 in front of their then 11- month daughter Lydia On May 16, Babis was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 27 years. He has since been attacked at Korydallos Prison by the friend of another man who was wrongly arrested over the murder It happened on the wing where he was in custody and there have also been other attempts to attack him. He is scared but at the moment he is fine. Three days after the murder, on May 14, 2021, a Georgian man was arrested in connection with the murder by Greek police at the countrys border with Bulgaria. Giorgi Kharddzeishvili, 36, was tied to a chair and beaten for four days by murder squad police after he was said to match a photofit of one the burglars that Babis gave investigators. Following his arrest he was paraded in front of the court in Athens by triumphant police who said he was the prime suspect but he was later released after being charged with an unconnected robbery. Khardzeishvili told Georgian media: 'I was tied up for four days and beaten while they told me to confess to this girl's murder. 'I did not know what was happening, I had never even heard of this girl. They would take turns beating me very hard, my head was spinning and I had a concussion. 'When one got tired, the other would then start to beat me. All they would say was 'Tell us how did you kill her, how did you get in the house, how did you get out of there?' After Babis was convicted, three officers from the Athens homicide squad were demoted after the treatment dished out to Khardzeishvili. Meanwhile a source said of the attacks on Babis at Korydallos: 'This was all in revenge for what happened to the Georgian man arrested and tortured by the police in connection with Carolines murder. Babis spent a year in tough Korydallos jail in Athens awaiting trial, where he was attacked by a fellow prisoner but survived unscathed The father-of-one's story about a botched burglar led to Giorgi Kharddzeishvili, 36, being wrongly arrested and interrogated (Pictured: Babis with his wife Caroline before her murder) Babis's lawyer said he has applied to teach prisoners and will also be taking a law course while he is incarcerated The man who attacked Babis was Georgian and knew what had happened to his fellow countryman and wanted revenge he was saying he was going to kill him. Mr Papaioannidis also told MailOnline that Babis had now been transferred from Korydallos to a prison in Malandrino 250 miles away. He said: He was moved on Monday, its a lot further from Athens and harder for his family to visit him. It will be very difficult for him to see his daughter in fact there will be very little possibility. To be honest he and myself wanted him to stay in Korydallos because despite what happened we feel that it is the safest place for him. Malandrinio has many inmates convicted of terrible crimes, Korydallos was the lesser of two evils. He has applied to teach prisoners and will also be taking a law course while he is there. We are planning our appeal which we hope will be heard in the next few months. Britain's departure from the EU has been blamed for a fall in the quality of illegal drugs available at UK music festivals. Experts who tested ecstasy tablets at events last year found that almost half (45 per cent) contained no MDMA, the active ingredient of the Class A narcotic. That was a rise from just seven per cent in 2019, with the substance replaced by 'copycat' drugs such as caffeine or cathinones - what were once known as legal highs. Researchers from the Universities of Cardiff and Liverpool, who carried out the research with testing organisation The Loop, said that it could be partly explained by Brexit. Dr Michael Pascoe, a Cardiff University research associate and co-lead author of the study, said: 'COVID-19 lockdowns and the shutdown of UK nightlife led to a slump in demand for ''party drugs'' and suppliers scaled back production. Then, as UK nightlife re-opened ahead of other European countries, demand outpaced supply. 'This was compounded by Brexit-related supply chain disruptions affecting distribution. During this unprecedented turbulence in the drug market, substances that look like MDMA were mis-sold to unknowing customers.' Experts who tested ecstasy tablets at events last year found that almost half (45 per cent) contained no MDMA, the active ingredient of the Class A narcotic. Researchers from the Universities of Cardiff and Liverpool, who carried out the research with testing organisation The Loop, said that it could be partly explained by Brexit. Dr Michael Pascoe, a Cardiff University research associate said supply chain problems between the UK and the continent affected distribution of MDMA by drug smugglers The study was based on test results from nearly 800 substances analysed at three summer festivals in England before and after the pandemic. The Loop operates a pop-up laboratory which analyses substances of concern. Monitoring changing drug trends allows The Loop to provide information and rapid alerts, including to festival paramedics and the general public, for the purposes of harm reduction. They found the presence of real MDMA in samples sold as MDMA fell from 93 per cent in 2019 to 55 per cent in 2021. While virtually absent in 2019, synthetic cathinones and caffeine each constituted approximately a fifth of 2021 MDMA samples. Professor Fiona Measham, director of The Loop and the research co-author, said: 'The sharp rise in synthetic cathinone prevalence in the UK in the summer of 2021 coincided with a unique combination of events including Brexit and the reopening of nightlife after 16 months of lockdowns, months ahead of other European nations. 'This isn't the first time we have seen cathinones being sold as ecstasy at UK events. In 2014, shortly after the banning of mephedrone, methylone made its debut on the UK drugs scene. 'After methylone was also banned, N-ethylpentylone emerged in 2017. In the latest festival season, three other cathinones reared their heads.' A Christian pregnancy center in Buffalo, New York was firebombed on Tuesday, in the latest attack on a pro-life facility in the wake of a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting the court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade. Fire tore through the offices of Compass Care located on Eggert Road in Buffalo, on Tuesday night at 2:30 a.m. The message 'Jane was here,' was scrawled across the building's exterior. A pro-choice terrorist organization calling itself 'Jane's Revenge' has claimed responsibility for previous attacks. A facility in Madison, Wisconsin was firebombed last month. 'Jane's Revenge' reportedly claimed responsibility for the Madison incident and warned of more violence if similar organizations don't disband nationwide, Wisconsin State Journal reported. In Buffalo, the windows on the building were blown out in the reception area and nurses office. Shards of glass scattered were amid layers of thick dust and debris. Surge in attacks, vandalism of pro-life facilities and churches June 7: Buffalo, NY - Christian pregnancy center firebombed and vandalized June 7: Asheville, NC - Mountain Area Pregnancy Services vandalized, windows broken May 27: Lynnwood, OR: Next Step Pregnancy Center spray-painted, windows broken May 26: Columbus, MS: Mt. Avery Missionary Baptist Church vandalized May 21: Olympia, WA: Four area-churches vandalized. Anarchist group, Puget Sound Anarchists, claim credit May 8: Madison, WI - Wisconsin Family Action office in Madison firebombed Advertisement Amherst Police Department, Eggertsville Hose Company and multiple agencies responded when the fire alarm went off. No one was in the building at the time of the fire, a statement read. Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, officials said. Captain Chris Meyer with the Amherst Police told DailyMail.com they suspect the fire was arson and is being investigated, and asking the public for any information they may have on the incident. Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa expressed outrage that the fire was deliberate, and vowed to hold those responsible accountable. He said, in part, 'I am disgusted that lives were put at risk,' WKBW reported. 'A violent response is never the answer. There is no place in Amherst for such attacks... Our thoughts are with the firefighters as they recover.' Hours after the fire, Compass Care CEO Jim Harden issued a message saying they will 'rebuild because women deserve better.' 'This is the pro-abortion "Kristallnacht." Because of this act of violence, the needs of women facing unplanned pregnancy will go unmet and babies will die. I wonder if Gov. Hochul will veto the Pregnancy Center Investigation Bill? I wonder if Attorney General Letitia James will investigate these cowardly criminals?' he said. He added: 'Compass Care will not stop serving because pre-born boys and girls deserve protection.' New York pro-life Christian center was firebombed. The windows in the reception room and nurses' office were broken and fires lit The message 'Jane was here,' was scrawled across the building's exterior Compass Care's Buffalo office exterior was charred by fire Hours after the fire, Compass Care CEO Jim Harden issued a message saying they will 'rebuild because women deserve better.' This is just the latest recent attack, as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announced their decision in a Mississippi abortion case this month. The decision may overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized a women's constitutional right to have an abortion. On May 8, a Molotov cocktail was thrown through a window of the headquarters of the nonprofit political advocacy group Wisconsin Family Action office in Madison, Wisconsin. The fire burned a wall and two windows were destroyed. The outside of the building was graffitied with anarchist insignia, the numbers '1312' (meaning 'all cops are bastards'), and 'if abortions aren't safe then you aren't either.' No one was hurt in the attack but, police called it an act of vandalism and arson. An investigative reporter for the online Netherlands-based news site Bellingcat, released the first communication from 'Jane's Revenge' after the attack. The statement read: 'This is not a declaration of war. War has been upon us for decades. A war which we did not want, and did not provoke. Too long have we been attacked for asking for basic medical care. Too long have we been shot, bombed, and forced into childbirth without consent.' The statement also demanded 'the disbanding of all anti-choice establishments' within 30 days, and states that its first attack was 'only a warning,' but there will be future attacks until 'the inalienable right to manage our own health is returned to us.' The group claims to have a presence across the United States that could launch further attacks.' Threatening graffiti which reads "A 1312" is seen on the exterior of Wisconsin Family Action offices in Madison, Wis., on Sunday, May 8, 2022 Threatening graffiti which reads 'A 1312' translation 'all cops are bastards,' a report said Some of the destruction (pictured here) of the Madison attack at the Wisconsin Family Center that was hit by the group Janes Revenge that claimed responsibility for the May 8, 2022 attack On Tuesday, the North Carolina-based Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, that provides counseling for pregnant women was vandalized. A portion of the building was defaced in red spray paint with the glaring message 'If abortions aren't safe, neither are you!' and an anarchist symbol at the front of the building.' According to police, more graffiti was found on the side of the building stating: 'No forced birth.' No one was hurt in the Monday night attack. On Tuesday, the North Carolina-based Mountain Area Pregnancy Services, that provides counseling for pregnant women was vandalized overnight. The Asheville Police Department said some of the building's windows were broken and defaced with red spray paint The vandals wrote the message: 'No Forced Birth' across the building's side exterior On Tuesday morning, the counseling center posted a message to their clients on Facebook asking for prayers. 'Friends, please pray!!! Our building was vandalized last night. We are dealing with the cops and will still see clients, but we need your prayer support!!#WeWillStand! #MAPS.' Police said there was signs that the vandals may have injured themselves from a broken window and bloody trail left at the scene that is being investigated, WYFF 4News reported. No one has come forward claiming responsibility for the Monday night attack And, Asheville Police are asking anyone with information to come forward. Five Derbyshire Police officers will face misconduct proceedings after a model was stabbed to death by her stalker - who she had reported to the force four months before her killing. Michael Sellers, 35, attacked Gracie Spinks, 23, near her horse's stables in Duckmanton, Derbyshire, on June 18 last year. Just weeks before the murder, a backpack containing 'Rambo-style knives', Viagra, and a sinister note reading: 'Don't lie!', were found less than 100 metres from the scene. It emerged in March this year that the 'murder kit' also contained a shop receipt that linked directly back to Sellers, however it was not followed up after the items were 'logged as lost property'. Gracie's parents blasted Derbyshire Police, saying she 'would still be alive today' if the force had 'done their job properly'. Their daughter had also reported Sellers - her former supervisor at work - to police for stalking her some four months before her body was discovered. Following an investigation, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed today that two officers have a case to answer in relation to the stalking investigation, while a further three have a case to answer in relation to the discovery of the murder kit. Gracie Spinks (pictured), 23, reported Michael Sellers, 35, to police four months before she was stabbed to death in Derbyshire on June 18 last year Michael Sellers (pictured), 35, stabbed Gracie Spinks to death near her horse's stables in Duckmanton, Derbyshire, after stalking her for several months. He took his own life shortly afterwards. Sinister: Suspected murder kit containing 'Rambo-style knives', Viagra, and a sinister note reading: 'Don't lie', were found a short distance from what would become the scene of Gracie Spinks's murder 'We have determined that disciplinary proceedings in the form of a misconduct meeting should be brought against each officer,' an IOPC spokesperson said. IOPC regional director Derrick Campbell added: 'Our investigation was thorough and considered a wide range of evidence and have determined five officers have a case to answer for misconduct. 'It will now be for the force to arrange misconduct meetings.' The body revealed late last year that it was investigating a police sergeant for gross misconduct and two constables for misconduct over how they dealt with the rucksack evidence. 'It was a very, very sinister bag of weapons, including Rambo-style knives, axe, blades, Viagra, a note, and they just logged it as lost property,' said Gracie's mother Alison Heaton, speaking to the BBC in March. 'We now know that bag directly led straight back to Michael Sellers. There was a receipt in there that led back to his household.' Gracie's parents Alison Heaton and Richard Spinks (pictured) previously blasted Derbyshire Police, saying she 'would still be alive today' if the force had 'done their job properly' Mrs Heaton said they had been told about the receipt - which had card payment details printed on it - by police. 'They traced it back to that house after her death. It should have been traced back to that household back on May 6 [when the bag was found],' she said. The bag had been found near the stables in Duckmanton, where Gracie kept her horse Paddy, and where she had already told police she saw Sellers waiting in his car on a previous occasion. 'Surely basic policing and training would show you that is a bag of weapons [belonging to someone] about to commit a murder?' said Gracie's father, Richard Spinks. 'If they had done their job properly, Gracie would still be alive today.' The force said in a statement today: 'Derbyshire Constabulary can confirm that five officers will be subject to a misconduct meeting following an IOPC independent investigation into police contact with Gracie Spinks, prior to her murder in June 2021. 'We are not in a position to comment further until these proceedings are complete.' Gracie's mother said Sellers, from Sheffield, had become 'infatuated' with her when he was her supervisor at the e-commerce company Xbite, in Chesterfield. She agreed to go on a meal with him but she was not interested in any form romantic relationship. Gracie's father said: 'Because he was her supervisor she was a bit anxious and nervous about how to tell him to go away. A receipt found in this rucksack - discovered 100 yards from where Gracie was later killed - contained a receipt directly linked to the killer Gracie, pictured, had reported Sellers to Derbyshire police, whose conduct was placed under investigation. Five officers will now face misconduct hearings. 'He pestered her with messages and phone calls; obviously she blocked him in the end. 'He was constantly asking [work colleagues] 'what's Gracie doing, where is she?'' It was early last year when alarm bells started ringing, as Gracie saw Sellers waiting for her in a white VW Scirocco car near her stables - not long after she told him she liked her brother's Scirocco. Her father said this 'spooked her even more' and she decided to report him to Xbite, where they both still worked at the time. Bosses suspended Sellers and encouraged Gracie to report him to the authorities. It was then that two female officers visited Gracie at home in Old Whittington to take a statement. Her mother said: 'They left that evening saying they were going to go to his home address and tell him to leave her alone. 'The police have since told us that they did go to his address and he said he was in a relationship with Gracie, which to us flags alarm bells even more. 'If that's what he's telling the police and Gracie's saying something completely different, there's clearly a problem.' After hearing that Sellers had been waiting for Gracie, her parents say they did not let her return to the stables on her own for weeks. They told the BBC that had they known about the cache of weapons found nearby, they would have never let her return. The rucksack was happened upon by Anna White and her partner Wayne Kipling while out walking. Mrs White told the BBC: 'When we took everything out the bag and saw the note that said 'don't lie', it was obvious that it was going to be used to kill someone. 'That's what I thought, so that's why I rang the police. 'I asked what was going to be done with it and they said it would probably just go to lost property. I was just gobsmacked.' By coincidence, her daughter also works at Xbite, where she said Sellers was known as 'creepy Mike'. 'He must have been a certain way with the girls, I think, and that's what they called him,' she added. Michael Sellers, 35, fatally stabbed Gracie in the neck, before she was found dead in a paddock in the picturesque village of Duckmanton in Derbyshire A total of five Derbyshire Police officers were probed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct for their handling of the case (Pictured: Police at the scene) Gracie Spinks, who studied art and design at Chesterfield College and lived in Old Whittington, worked as a packer at e-commerce firm Xbite with suspected killer Michael Sellers, and occasionally modelled for a London agency Gracie's parents believe her colleagues at Xbite should have been approached by police, particularly as other women reportedly made complaints about Sellers. They have since launched a campaign to demand better funding for stalking advocates within police forces, dubbed Gracie's Law. Gracie's father said: 'I don't think they get enough training in stalking or understand it fully, and that's what needs to be addressed as well. 'We don't want this to happen to anybody else.' Derbyshire Police previously said it was set to appoint a stalking coordinator. Gracie last seen alive by her mother at 7.30am on June 18, leaving the family home in Chesterfield to drive a few miles to Blue Lodge Farm stables in Duckmanton, where she kept her horse. She was discovered unconscious with a fatal stab wound to the neck half an hour later. The body of unemployed Sellers, who killed himself shortly after the killing, was found in a nearby field off Tom Lane a few hours later. A Wisconsin school district dropped a sexual harassment investigation into three students, who allegedly used the wrong pronouns when addressing a nonbinary classmate. Kiel School District announced on Thursday that it 'closed' the case against Braden Rabidoux, 13, and two other male students, after launching an investigation a potential Title IX violation. Title IX prohibits sexual harassment or sex-based discrimination at schools and universities that receive federal funding. 'We have issued clear directives and expectations to all students involved in this matter for the purpose of preventing bullying and harassment and ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all of our students,' the school district wrote in a statement. 'Based on these actions, and pursuant to District policies and procedures, the School District considers this matter closed.' The statement acknowledged that parents, students, and the public had 'sought to understand the situation better and wished the District had provided more information about this matter.' However, the school district pointed toward legal constraints. 'We too would have liked to engage the community in our discussions, but were prohibited by state and federal laws related to student confidentiality, and deep concerns for student, staff, and public safety,' the statement read. DailyMail.com has reached out to the school to ask why they have dropped the investigation as the case is not pending anymore. The students' lawyer claimed that the school realized that it has 'no legal basis' to demand student's refrain from 'mispronouning' other students. 'We are pleased that the Kiel Area School District has finally ended its misguided Title IX investigation. While the Districts statement attempts to reframe the investigation, it was always primarily about "mispronouning,"' the students attorneys Luke Berg and Cory Brewer said in a joint statement. 'The District may not be willing to admit it publicly, but it has recognized that it has no legal basis to demand that our clients refrain from mispronouning other students.' Braden Rabidoux, 13, (left, with his mother Rosemary) and two other male students were being investigated by the Kiel School District in Wisconsin - until the case was dropped on Thursday - for sexual harassment after mispronouning a non-binary classmate In April, the three students received a formal complaint saying that they were being 'informed that a student preferred pronouns were "they/them"' and they were being investigated for sexual harassment The Title IX law reads: 'No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.' In a June 2 letter, Berg and Brewer wrote to the school stating mispronouning does not constitute under Title IX, as it 'typically covers things like rape, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, inappropriate touching, and quid pro quo sexual favors.' 'We also pointed out that none of that - or anything even close to it - is alleged here,' they wrote last week on the same day the school would drop the investigation. Berg and Brewer also said in a statement that they would ensure the 'complaints are removed from the boys academic records.' Rabidoux had expressed anxiety to Fox News in May over the possibility the complaint could effect his future self. He said he was 'scared and upset' that his college opportunities could be tarnished for mispronouning the student. '[I'm] mostly anxious for my present self and my future self because a charge like that on my record could shatter my chances at getting into a college when I grow up,' the eighth-grader told Fox News last month. The boys said they were berated by the non-binary classmate, who screamed abuse at the three students for using female pronouns instead of gender-neutral ones. Braden had insisted it was his First-Amendment right to refer to his classmate using whatever pronouns he wished to. On Thursday, the district issued a letter, saying the case was 'closed' and that it had 'issued clear directives and expectations to all students involved in this matter for the purpose of preventing bullying and harassment and ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all of our students' The four students involved attended Kiel Middle School (pictured) Braden's mother Rosemary Rabidoux, 45, who joined him for the Fox News interview in May, blasted the complaint and the pressure put on kids to be politically correct. Rosemary said: 'This is middle school. These guys are kids, theyre learning how to interact with each other, and theyve been taught all their life to see a girl and use pronouns "she" and "her." They dont understand using plural pronouns for one student," she said. The boys' lawyer Luke Berg called the case 'misguided' and said the school dropped the case because it could 'demand that our clients refrain from mispronouning other students' 'Schools should be focused on education, on math and science and social studies, and notpronouns.' When asked whether Rabidoux and her son were anti-LGBTQ, Rosemary quickly rose the defense of her family. 'Not at all. Not at all! My children have been raised to love everybody equally,' she said. DailyMail.com has attempted to contact the Rabidoux family for comment. The school district's Thursday statement also mentioned that district and community 'have been greatly impacted' by the growing public attention and said it was 'working to find a resolution.' 'As we move forward, we want to acknowledge the strain on our administrators and staff who have been criticized for simply carrying out the functions of their job as set out in District policy,' it wrote. 'These are individuals who have dedicated their careers to education and who selflessly put the interests of all students in front of their own each day they come to work in the District. We are disappointed that administration and staff have been targeted in this matter by individuals who are not privy to all of the information and implore our school community to show support and care for each one of them.' A federal judge has ordering Donald Trump lawyer John Eastman to hand over 159 emails to the House January 6th Committee, despite his own claims of privilege or protection including one email the judge said could constitute a crime. 'This email considers whether to bring a case that would decide the interpretation of the Electoral Count Act and potentially risk a court finding that the Act binds Vice President Pence,' wrote California-based U.S. District Judge David Carter. 'Because the attorney concluded that a negative court ruling would "tank the January 6 strategy," he encouraged the legal team to avoid the courts. This email cemented the direction of the January 6 plan,' wrote Carter. 'The Trump legal team chose not to seek recourse in court instead, they forged ahead with a political campaign to disrupt the electoral count. Lawyers are free not to bring cases; they are not free to evade judicial review to overturn a democratic election.' Trump lawyer John Eastman (l) is suing to keep his former employer from handing emails over to the House Jan. 6th committee. A federal judge ordered him to provide 159 emails to panel by 5pm Wednesday The judge also ordered Eastman to hand over another 10 documents about his meeting with an unidentified group and its 'high-profile' leader. These documents are closely tied to the Jan. 6th probe, the judge wrote. They include December 8 and December 9, 2020 meetings that came amid Trump's election overturn effort. 'Based on the agenda, Dr. Eastman discussed State legislative actions that can reverse the media-called election for Joe Biden, according to the ruling. 'The agenda included a section entitled GROUND GAME following Nov 4 Election Results, during which a sitting Member of Congress discussed a [p]lan to challenge the electors in the House of Representatives. 'One document contains the agenda for a meeting on December 16, 2020. This meeting similarly had a section on the GROUND GAME following Nov 4 Election Results,' according to the ruling. Eastman drafted legal briefs that Vice President Mike Pence could refuse to accept electoral votes certified by states and send them back to states where there was a dispute The legal wrangling comes days before the House Jan. 6 committee holds its first prime time hearing President Donald Trump met with Eastman and other lawyers who were advising him on his election overturn effort in the last days of his presidency 'In this segment, an elector for President Trump analyzed The Constitutional implications of the Electoral College Meeting and What Comes Next. The judge said the committee had a 'substantial interest' in the meetings because they dealt with a key Jan. 6th objective: 'to have contested states certify alternate slates of electors for President Trump.' A week earlier, Eastman sent memos to the White House outlining his theory of Jan. 6th, when Congress met to count the electoral votes, Eastman also 'reached out to sympathetic state legislators in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona, urging them to decertify Biden electors and certify alternate Trump electors.' The judge concluded that 'Convincing state legislatures to certify competing electors was essential to stop the count and ensure President Trumps reelection.' The judge ordered Eastman to hand over the material by the close of business Wednesday just a day before the Jan. 6th committee holds its first prime-time hearing. The judge decided another 440 documents are privileged. Eastman has argued that some represent attorney-client work product. A new poll shows that 73 percent of Trump voters believe that Democrats are trying to replace white Americans with immigrants and people of color to shore up more votes. The so-called 'Great Replacement Theory' was cited by an 18-year-old white gunman who shot 10 black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y. weeks ago. A new YouGov poll asked voters: 'Do you personally believe that in the U.S., Democrats are trying to replace white Americans with immigrants and people of color who share Democrats views?' Seventy-three percent of Trump voters replied 'yes,' while 8 percent of Biden voters said the same. Overall 61 percent of Republicans, 10 percent of Democrats and 33 percent of Independents replied yes to the question. The survey also asked: 'Do you personally believe that in the U.S., Jewish people are trying to replace white Americans with immigrants and people of color who share Jewish peoples views?' Only 12 percent of Trump voters replied 'yes,' as did 7 percent of Biden voters. On Wednesday House Democrats led by Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., introduced a resolution to formally condemn the great replacement theory. Top Democrats including Bowman, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and others held a news conference Wednesday afternoon to talk about their efforts to fight it. 'Nazi thinking veiled as political banter can no longer go unrecognized,' Bowman told reporters outside the Capitol. He noted the theory's popular polling: 'These are no longer fringe elements of our society. Great Replacement Theory has gone mainstream thanks to right-wing Republicans like Tucker Carlson who has mentioned this theory more than 400 times.' The House is set to vote on a series of gun control proposals, and tucked in is a resolution condemning great replacement theory as a as a 'White supremacist conspiracy theory' and reaffirming the House's commitment to 'combating White supremacy, hatred, and racial injustice.' The resolution passed on a party line vote 217-205. A separate poll of 1,500 Americans conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) found that about 7 in 10 Republicans agreed to some extent that demographic changes in the U.S. are intentionally driven by liberal politicians looking for more votes. A new poll shows that 73 percent of Trump voters believe that Democrats are trying to replace white Americans with immigrants and people of color to shore up more votes Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., came under fire for campaign ads that critics say have echoed the theory. In Stefanik's ads, which appeared on Facebook, Joe Biden was seen wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses, with scores of migrants pictured in their reflection walking toward him. Stefanik's ad text said 'Democrats are planning their most aggressive move yet: a PERMANENT ELECTION INSURRECTION.' 'Their plan to grant amnesty to 11 MILLION illegal immigrants will overthrow our current electorate and create a permanent liberal majority in Washington,' the ad continues on to say. The New York representative, who is the No. 3 GOP lawmaker in the House, on Monday called the claims by media and adversaries 'disgraceful, dishonest and dangerous'. The woman she replaced for GOP Conference Chairwoman, Liz Cheney, is also claiming that Republican leadership is contributing to the enabling of radical white supremacist views on the far-right. 'Any implication or attempt to blame the heinous shooting in Buffalo on the Congresswoman is a new disgusting low for the Left, their Never Trump allies, and the sycophant stenographers in the media,' Stefanik's Senior Advisor Alex DeGrasse said in a statement on Monday. He added: 'Despite sickening and false reporting, Congresswoman Stefanik has never advocated for any racist position or made a racist statement.' Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., came under fire for campaign ads that critics say have echoed the theory Some believe that Stefanik and others have promoted this conspiracy theory due to their pro-national security and anti-illegal immigrant sentiments and rhetoric in the midst of record-setting migration numbers in the last year-and-a-half. Stefanik tweeted Monday about the issue, which Republican colleagues Adam Kinzinger of Illinois claimed was poorly timed. 'Democrats desperately want wide open borders and mass amnesty for illegals allowing them to vote,' Stefanik tweeted as the country braces for the end of Title 42 and numbers released this week could show another increase in illegal encounters. 'Like the vast majority of Americans, Republicans want to secure our borders and protect election integrity,' Stefanik added. Kinzinger responded to the tweet with: 'Badly timed.' A desperate search has been launched for a young boy who went missing after getting off a school bus. Christopher Wilson, 11, was last seen walking along Annangrove Road towards Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west at 4.45pm on Wednesday. He was reported after he failed to return home. Christopher Wilson, 11, was last seen walking along Annangrove Road towards Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west at 4.45pm on Wednesday He got off the school bus on Annangrove Road about 3pm, he was wearing a black and white jacket and carrying a large black backpack. A geo-text was sent to those in the region. Police reassured the community the message was not a scam and pleaded for any information on Christopher's whereabouts. He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance and about 120 centimetres tall, with a slim build, short brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information regarding Christopher Wilson's whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Harvey Weinstein will be charged by the Metropolitan Police with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996, prosecutors in Britain said today. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, confirmed that Scotland Yard had been authorised to charge the ex-film producer. The charges related to one female complainant in August 1996 in London, and the decision was reached after the CPS reviewed evidence gathered by the Met. Police said the woman at the centre of the allegations is now aged in her 50s and the two alleged offences are contrary to section 14(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956. Former film producer Harvey Weinstein is pictured in New York on February 24, 2020 Ms Ainslie said: 'The CPS has authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge Harvey Weinstein with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996. 'Charges have been authorised against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. 'The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.' A Met Police spokesman said today: 'Detectives have been authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service to charge Harvey Weinstein, aged 70 years, with two counts of indecent assault against one woman in August 1996. Harvey Weinstein attends a pre-trial hearing in Los Angeles, California, on July 29, 2021 'The CPS' charging decision follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. Weinstein at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival 'The two offences of indecent assault, contrary to section 14(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 are as follows: 'Indecent assault (count 1) on a woman who is now in her 50s between 31st July and 31st August 1996 in London 'Indecent assault (count 2) on a woman who is now in her 50s between 31st July and 31st August 1996 in London 'The Met Police has updated all those whose allegations formed part of this investigation.' Weinstein was sentenced in March 2020 at New York Supreme Court to 23 years in prison for a sexual assault in 2006 and a rape in a separate incident in 2013. The 70-year-old is currently in a prison in California where he is awaiting another trial for alleged sexual assault against five women. He has pleaded not guilty. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope successfully captured a near-infrared image of the early universe that showed the rarest galaxies in what is considered to be the largest-ever photograph of its kind. Since the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in late December last year, it has been making waves in the astronomy sector, carrying the hopes and dreams of wide-eyed scientists. It comes equipped with an array of high-tech infrared cameras that can pierce stardust and help scientists solve long-standing black hole mysteries. Hubble Space Telescope However, the Hubble Space Telescope is still able to capture magnificent images that allow space experts to learn more about our universe. The telescope, which first ventured into the cosmos in 1990, is treading into waters that the James Webb telescope is only starting to explore. The remarkable and history-changing image could cast a spotlight on some of the rarest objects found in the universe, such as monster galaxies that are the product of massive galaxy mergers or super violent black holes that lurk deep in interstellar space, as per CNET. In a statement, Lamiya Mowla, an astrophysicist at the University of Toronto and lead author of a study on the survey, said that it was difficult to study such extremely rare events using existing images. This is what motivated scientists to create the design of the large survey that enabled them to take the image. Read Also: Heavier Stars Are Present in Remote Galaxy Clusters Based on Previously 140,000 Examples Catalogued in the Known Universe Part of a new high-resolution survey dubbed 3D-Dash, which stands for "drift and shift," Hubble's latest dataset covers an area of the sky that is almost six times the size of the moon as seen from our planet Earth. Mowla and her team were able to compile their findings into a mosaic of multiple shots taken by the Hubble Space Telescope that were stitched together. According to SciTechDaily, the patch in the sky that Hubble captured an image of is known as the COSMOS field, which is a region where plenty of galaxies are found. Despite being launched more than three decades ago, a series of five servicing missions have kept the telescope on the cutting edge of technology. Near-Infrared Image The image would allow astronomers to map the star-forming regions of the universe and learn how the earliest, most distant galaxies originated. Mowla said that since Hubble's launch 30 years ago, it has led a reconnaissance of how galaxies have changed in the last 10 billion years of the universe. The 3D-Dash provides researchers with a complete near-infrared survey of the entire COSMOS field, which is one of the richest data fields for extragalactic studies beyond the Milky Way. As the longest and reddest wavelength observed with Hubble, just beyond what is visible to the human eye, near-infrared means astronomers are better able to see the earliest galaxies that are the farthest from our planet. Mowla said she was curious about monster galaxies, which are considered to be the most massive ones in the universe that were formed by the mergers of other galaxies. The space expert said astronomers have always wondered how their structures grew and what caused them to change their forms, SciNews reported. Related Article: Supermassive Black Holes in Middle of Galaxies Affect the Formation of New Stars in the Cosmos @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The families of four children injured in the the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting have filed a $100 million lawsuit against the shooter's estate. Injury attorney Thomas Henry, who is representing the four families, said they were seeking damages for a child who was shot in the leg, one who was hit in the shoulder, another that was shot in the face and a fourth who was struck in the back, leg and shoulder by 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos, Fox News reported. 'Each of these children have undergone extensive medical care. Some have undergone multiple surgeries,' the lawsuit states. 'They have all suffered severe physical injuries and unimaginable emotional trauma. 'They witnessed their friends and teachers being shot and dying in front of them.' The plaintiffs include Christopher Salinas, father Samuel, 10, Oscar Orona, father of Noah, 10, Cristina Olivarez and Angelica Rodriguez, mother of Leann. The families of four kids shot and injured in the Uvalde elementary school massacre filed a $100 million lawsuit against the estate of the shooter, Salvador Ramos (pictured) Among those filing the lawsuit were Christopher Salinas (left), father Samuel, 10, and Oscar Orona (right), father of Noah, 10. Also suing were Cristina Olivarez and Angelica Rodriguez The lawsuit will also look into the polices' response to the shooting, where officers stayed back for more than an hour outside the school as the gunman continued his rampage Pictured, a memorial to the 19 students and two teachers at the Robb Elementary School who were shot and killed by the gunman The lawsuit names Ramos' mother, Adriana Reyes (above), as a potential defendant The lawsuit names Ramos' mother, Adriana Reyes, as a potential defendant as the shooter, who was killed by law enforcement, does not yet have official representation over his estate. The plaintiffs are accusing Ramos of assault and battery with a deadly weapon and intentional infliction of emotional distress and malice. The families are also demanding a trial by jury. 'This initial lawsuit will allow us to discover evidence and possibly add other parties to the lawsuit, if necessary,' Henry said in a statement on Monday. 'The discovery process will focus on the school system, law enforcement, social media, and gun and ammunition manufacturers,' he added, noting that he was also investigating the guns and ammunition Ramos used in the massacre that killed 19 students and their two teachers inside the Robb Elementary School on May 24. At least 17 other children and adults were reported injured. Henry said the family would also explore possible legal action against 'all responsible parties for possible constitutional rights violations, gun law violations, and violations of laws, policies, and procedures pertaining to school safety.' This could include legal action against local law enforcement who waited about an hour before entering the school after incorrectly believing that Ramos had stopped his rampage and barricaded himself in a classroom when they arrived. 'The one thing that is vital in our country right now is ensuring our children go to school and come home safe,' Henry said. 'We want to obtain justice for the families that have been devastated by this shooting and ensure we have swift changes that protect our children while they are at school.' The injury attorney had previously represented several victims of the November 2017 Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church shooting in a lawsuit against the federal government, securing his clients $230 million. The lawsuit could be the first in a series of suits to come as a result of the shooting after the father of one of the victims announced earlier this week that he has hired the lawyers who helped families from the Sandy Hook school shooting sue a gun-maker for $73million. Alfred Garza, the father of Uvalde school shooting victim Amerie Jo Garza, has hired the lawyers who won Sandy Hook victim families 73million in a lawsuit against gun manufacturer Remington In his attack he used a rifle manufactured by Daniel Defense, the DDM4 Rifle (pictured) How parents of Sandy Hook victims made Remington payout Remington Arms manufacturer the AR-15, which was used to kill 20 kids and six adults in the 2012 massacre. In the landmark case they agreed to pay the families of victims $73million. There are many federal laws protecting gun companies from litigation. However the lawsuit circumvented these by arguing that the gun-maker promoted sales of the weapon that appealed to troubled men like the killer. They said Remington's marketing of the weapon had violated Connecticut consumer law. Gun industry representatives said the settlement would not set a pattern. Advertisement Alfred Garza, who lost his daughter Amerie, hired lawyers from Connecticut-based firm Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder to represent him in an expected lawsuit against the manufactures of the guns Ramos used in last month's shooting, Daniel Defense. They law firm sued Remington, the company that made the rifle used in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, earning their clients $73 million in a landmark settlement. 'We have to honor her and make sure we do good. From this day forward, I want to live my life for my daughter,' Garza told David Muir in a recent 'World News Tonight' interview. 'My purpose for being now is to honor Amerie Jo's memory,' Garza also said in the statement. 'She would want to me to do everything I can so this will never happen again to any other child. I have to fight her fight.' 'Daniel Defense has said that they are praying for the Uvalde families. They should back up those prayers with meaningful action,' said lawyer Josh Koskoff. 'If they really are sincere in their desire to support these families, they will provide the information that Mr. Garza has requested without delay or excuse. Either way, we will do a complete and thorough investigation, leaving no stone unturned.' Last Friday, lawyers at Koskoff filed a petition seeking any communications between Daniel Defense and Ramos before his rampage. They have also requested marketing materials from the Georgia-based gun-maker, particularly those that target teens and children. The petition letter is a precursor to a lawsuit that could seek to hold the gun-maker liable despite federal laws protecting gun-makers. Daniel Defense wrote in a post on its website, 'We are deeply saddened by the recent tragic events in Texas. 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community devastated by this evil act. We will cooperate with all federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities in their investigations.' Emilia Marin, a teacher who survived the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, also has filed a petition seeking information from Daniel Defense, CNN said. Cops have filed new charges against an accused serial sex predator who they say terrorized dozens of women in Florida the 1980s. Robert Koehler is currently being held in Broward County on the charges, which cops say fit the modus operandi of the so-called 'Pillowcase Rapist'. Thanks to DNA technology and samples taken from the 62-year-old suspect's son detectives were able to link him to six cold cases. For decades, police were unable to identify the so-called 'Pillowcase Rapist' who would shroud the heads of his victims - and in some cases, his own - in a pillowcase during his attacks. But on Tuesday, the sheriff of Broward county, Gregory Tony, announced that Koehler had become their primary suspect. 'Broward County Cold Case Unit detectives worked with Broward State Attorney's Office prosecutors to bring charges against Koehler in a total of six sexual assault cases,' the Broward County Sheriff's office said, not specifying the charges he faces. A release from the department added that 'On at least eight occasions in 1984 and 1985, detectives believe Koehler snuck into homes in Broward County late at night or in the wee hours of the morning through unlocked doors and attacked his victims.' One of Koehler's alleged victims, who identified herself only as Carolyn, said in a clip aired by the department: 'This guy is a horrible, evil, dangerous predator.' The woman, visibly emotional, added: 'You deserve to be put away and never come out.' (Left) 1986 police sketch of the 'Pillowcase Rapist'. (Right) Robert Koehler, 62, is currently being held in Broward County on the charges, which cops say fit the modus operandi of the so-called 'Pillowcase Rapist' On Tuesday, the sheriff of Broward county, Gregory Tony (at left), announced that Koehler had become their primary suspect in the case thanks to recent breakthroughs spurred by new DNA technology and an attentive cold case officer 'It makes me feel like it was worth it - like my life could make a difference,' another emotional alleged victim, named only as Catherine, told the court of the arrest. A third victim, whose face was blurred by the court, told court-goers Tuesday, 'It gives me closure, a little piece of mind, knowing that he finally got caught.' Koehler, a resident of Palm Bay, had already been in the custody prior to the news conference on Tuesday, after being arrested in 2020 for a rape of a woman in Northwest Miami-Dade in 1983. Police revealed that DNA taken from that scene matched samples from a number of cases between 1981 to 1986 left by the 'Pillowcase Rapist,' Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said during the event. Investigators were able to identify Koehler by analyzing familial DNA taken from Koehler's son, who provided police with a DNA sample after his own arrest for a 2020 domestic-violence case. His DNA was similar enough to the suspect's that investigators believed the unknown assailant was his father. Cops now say 62-year-old Koehler may be responsible for as many as 45 rapes in the Sunshine State. For years, cops struggled to discern the identity of the attacker, who would break into unsuspecting women's apartments and homes to rape them at knifepoint. The suspect left investigators with little to go off of, leaving little evidence behind at each crime scene. In 1985, police formed a specialized task force tasked with catching the serial predator. After investigating hundreds of leads, interviewing dozens of suspects, and engaging in hours of stakeouts, cops still came up empty, going off vague clues provided by the traumatized victims - and the task force was disbanded. Koehler, however, police said Tuesday, did not stop his attacks, and was eventually arrested in 1990 after breaking into a woman's apartment in Palm Beach County and raping her. At the time, detectives did not link the case to the still-at-large Pillowcase Rapist, despite the similarities to the then years-old attacks that had transpired in nearby cities. Cops revealed Tuesday that after being found guilty and convicted in the 1990 case, Koehler's DNA was not put into a police database - further hampering their investigation. However, nearly 30 year later, shortly after Koehler's 2020 arrest for the Miami attack, cops began to zero in on the suspect, thanks to the hunch of one eagle-eyed cold case detective who noticed similarities between the case and previous attacks by the Pillowcase Rapist. Nearly three decades after the serial rapist seemingly vanished without a trace, cops began to zero in on the suspect thanks to the hunch of one eagle-eyed cold case detective, Sergeant Kami Floyd, who noticed similarities between the case and previous Pillowcase Rapist attacks The presser saw cops air video of the suspect's now elderly alleged victims speaking out against Koehler, including one who identified herself only as Carolyn (above). 'It makes me feel like it was worth it - like my life could make a difference,' another emotional alleged victim, named only as Catherine (above), told the court of the arrest, more than four decades in the making Cold Case Unit Sergeant Kami Floyd began to investigate the case in 2019, and stumbled across the case of the woman who was brutally assaulted at knifepoint in her Pompano Beach apartment in June 1984. The victim's account of the attack said that the assailant had used a pillowcase to cover his face during the break-in, spurring Floyd to connect the dots and classify the attack as the likely work of the Pillowcase Rapist. Police had believed for years that the same suspect was responsible for each of the attacks due to DNA samples taken from the crime scenes, but due to a lack of technology at the time time, they did not know who that suspect was. 'At the time (of the assaults), all we had was blood typing,' Floyd said in a video aired at Tuesday's presser. 'With this new technology that we have, we were able to retest the specimens and get a full DNA profile of our suspect.' After Koehler was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Broward County investigators obtained a new DNA swab that matched original specimens taken from several suspected Pillowcase Rapist cases, Floyd said. The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office soon announced that the DNA linked Koehler to at least 25 attacks, but only dished out one charge - likely a strategy from police to garner a conviction considering the time table for the crimes. 'From the DNA that we were able to pull from our evidence, with 100 percent certainty Robert Koehler's DNA matches the DNA from every one of our victims,' Floyd said, after hearing from three women whose cases have since been confirmed to be the work of Koehler. Koehler, pictured here in court in January 2020 had already been in the custody prior to the presser Tuesday, cops said, after being arrested in 2020 for a rape of a woman in Northwest Miami-Dade in 1983. He has since been linked to several other attacks in the state Following Koehler's arrest two years, detectives discovered what they called a 'dungeon in progress' in his Palm Bay home, excavated in the basement. Cops are pictured crowding around the residence during the January 2020 arrest The Palm Bay residence cops said Koehler had excavated to build a 'dungeon.' Inside the residence, cops found trinkets and jewelry likeley taken from Koehler's victims - which police said Tuesday likely could be nearly 50 'Every single one of these women, I can't imagine what they went through in the initial instance. But having to relive it this many years later, I'm amazed at their ability to recall, their ability to speak freely about it and so detailed.' Following Koehler's arrest, detectives discovered what they called a 'dungeon in progress' in his Palm Bay home, excavated in the basement. Safes containing jewelry and trinkets authorities believe were souvenirs from his victims were uncovered from the subterranean lair, as well as a metal nail file wrapped in protective covering that police said could have been used as a weapon in many of the Pillowcase Rapist cases. 'It was a hunch,' Floyd said of linking the first case she found to Koehler. 'It was a hunch based specifically on this case, that he used a pillowcase to cover his face, and at no point was she able to identify who he was because she didn't know what he looked like.' Koehler's trial for the charges stemming from the Miami-Dade incident is scheduled for June 21 - though police say the date could get pushed back. Cops said Tuesday that he will stand trial in Broward County for the remaining six charges when that case concludes. Amerie Jo Garza, 10 Amerie Jo Garza (right) Amerie Jo Garza, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary, was one of 19 students confirmed to be killed Tuesday morning by Ramos, who cops say was carrying a handgun and an AR-15 during the attack that also killed two teachers in the classroom. Her grandmother, Berlinda Irene Arreola, said the 10-year-old was killed as she tried to phone 911 while sitting next to her best friend, who ended up 'covered in her blood.' Arreola said Ramos told the students and staffers inside the room, 'You're going to die,' before opening fire - shooting her granddaughter dead as she tried to phone for help. 'So the gunman went in and he told the children, 'You're going to die,' Berlinda told The Daily Beast. 'And [Amerie] had her phone and she called 911. And instead of grabbing it and breaking it or taking it from her, he shot her. She was sitting right next to her best friend. Her best friend was covered in her blood.' Uziyah Garcia Uziyah Garcia, 8 Uziyah Garcia, the youngest victim at age eight, was also killed in the attack. The child's family announced he was killed hours after announcing he was among the many children unaccounted for following the tragedy. The boy's grandfather, Manny Renfro, broke the news early Wednesday after being notified by authorities. '[He was] the sweetest little boy that I've ever known,' Renfro said. 'I'm not just saying that because he was my grandkid.' Renfro recalled how Uziyah last visited him in San Angelo over spring break. 'We started throwing the football together and I was teaching him pass patterns. 'Such a fast little boy and he could catch a ball so good,' the grieving grandad said. 'There were certain plays that I would call that he would remember and he would do it exactly like we practiced.' Makenna Elrod, 10 Makenna Lee Elrod Makenna Elrod, 10, had also been among the missing in the chaos that followed the massacre, with her father, Brandon Elrod telling reporters at the time he feared 'she may not be alive.' Her death was eventually confirmed by a family friend on Wednesday. 'It's pretty sad what this world's coming to,' the girl's father told local outlet KTRK after the shooting. A mother of one of Makenna's friends lamented the loss in a post to Facebook. 'Sweet Makenna Rest in Paradise!! My heart is shattered as my daughter Chloe loved her so much!!' the mom wrote. A relative Wednesday confirmed that the girl had been among the victims. Xavier Lopez, 10 Xavier Lopez Xavier Lopez, 10, was the first student victim to be identified as one of Ramos' victims. The child's mother, Felicha Martinez, told the Washington Post Tuesday that just hours before the massacre, the mom had been at the school to see her son participate an honor roll ceremony. She took a picture showing her son showing off his certificate. In the last exchange she had with the child, the mom heartbreakingly told the boy that she was proud of him and that she loved him, giving him a hug goodbye - not knowing it would be the last time she would see him alive. 'He was funny, never serious and his smile that smile I will never forget,' she recalled after learning of his death from police. 'It would always cheer anyone up.' The boy's cousin, Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, said Xavier enjoyed swimming and had been looking forward to the summer. '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.' Amelia Sandoval, Lopez's grandmother, said: 'It's just so hard... you send your kids to school thinking they are going to make it back home but they're not.' Eliahana Torres, 10 Eliahana Cruz Torres Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10, had also been missing for hours until she was confirmed to be among the dead. Adolfo Cruz, her great-grandfather, said she didn't want to attend school the day of the shooting - but was told by her family that she had to attend. He said he remained outside the school gates throughout the night until he leanrned of her fate from local authorities. 'I hope she is alive,' he said at the time. Torres was an avid baseball player and played the sport in a local little league. Ellie Lugo, 10 Ellie Lugo Ellie Lugo was named as a victim of Tuesday's attack by her parents, with Steven Garcia and Jennifer Lugo confirming her death several hours after she was listed among the missing. 'It's hard to issue out a statement on anything right now my mind is going at 1000 miles per hour but I do wanna send our thoughts and prayers to those who also didn't make it home tonight!!! Our Ellie was a doll and was the happiest ever,' Steven Lugo said Wednesday. 'Mom and Dad love you never forget that and please try and stay by our side.' Nevaeh Bravo, 10 Nevaeh Bravo Nevaeh Bravo was confirmed to be among the dead late Tuesday, after her cousin posted on social media following the shooting to ask for helping the girl. Around 9 pm, she broke the news on Twitter. 'Unfortunately my beautiful Nevaeh was one of the many victims from todays tragedy,' she wrote. Sje said the schoolchild was 'flying high' and asked for the family to be kept in people's prayers 'Our Nevaeh has been found. She is flying with the angels above. We love you Navaeh very much princess.' 'Thank you for the support and help,' she wrote. 'Rest in peace my sweet girl, you didn't deserve this.' Bravo's age could not immediately be confirmed. Tess Marie Mata Tess Marie Mata Tess Marie Mata was also among those to perish in the attack, her sister, Faith Mata, revealed in a post to Facebook Wednesday. 'I honestly have no words just sadness, confusion, and anger,' she wrote. 'I'm sad because we will never get to tag team on mom and dad again and tell each other how much we mean to each other, I'm confused because how can something like this happen to my sweet, caring, and beautiful sister, and I'm angry because a coward took you from us.' Photos shared with the post showed Tess smiling in a baby photo, snuggling with a cat, doing gymnastics, flashing a peace sign, and posing in front of a large heart mural. 'Sissy I miss you so much, I just want to hold you and tell you how pretty you are, I want to take you outside and practice softball, I want to go on one last family vacation, I want to hear your contagious laugh, and I want you to hear me tell you how much I love you,' she wrote. Her age could not immediately be confirmed. Rojelio Torres, 10 Rojelio Torres Rojelio Torres, 10, was initially reported missing by his father, but on Wednesday was confirmed dead by his family. A person who said she was the boy's cousin wrote on Twitter: 'It breaks my heart to say my rojelio is now with the angels I'll forever miss you and love you my angel.' The child's father , Federico Torres, told Houston reporters that he was at work when he learned about the shooting and immediately raced to the school. 'They sent us to the hospital, to the civic center, to the hospital and here again, nothing, not even in San Antonio,' he said. 'They don't tell us anything, only a photo, wait, hope that everything is well.' Nearly half a day later, cops broke the news to the boy's family. 'Our entire family waited almost 12 hours since the shooting to find out Rojelio Torres, my 10-year-old nephew, was killed in this tragedy,' Torres' aunt, Precious Perez, told KSAT. 'We are devastated and heartbroken. Rojer was a very intelligent, hard-working and helpful person. He will be missed and never forgotten.' Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10 Jayce Luevanos Jayce Luevanos, 10, died in the shooting along with his ten-year-old cousin, Jailah, the child's mother said Wednesday. In a Facebook post, uncle Unberto Gonzalez shared photos of both kids while offering a touching tribute. 'My babies going to miss them like crazy!!!,' Gonzalez wrote. 'We luv y'all so much!!! I'm just lost right now!!! Fly high my beautiful Angels!!' Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10 Jailah Nicole Silguero Ten-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero was also killed in the shooting, her mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully revealed to Univision Wednesday. She also lost her 10-year-old nephew Jayce to the tragedy. She said Jailah loved to dance and film videos on TikTok. The child reportedly also asked her mom the morning of the shooting if she could stay home from school - a request the now mourning mom rebuffed. 'I took her to school, but she didn't want to go. She told her father, 'Can I stay home?'' Luevanos said, noting that it was not a common occurrence for her daughter to make such a request. 'I think she knew something would happen.' Luevanos' mom confirmed the loss on Facebook Wednesday. 'Fly high my angels. We're going to miss yall so much,' wrote Veronica Luevanos - whose dad had died just a week earlier. 'I'm so heart broken,' she wrote with a photo of her daughter and nephew. 'My baby I love u so much fly high baby girl.' Alithia Ramirez, 10 Alithia Ramirez Fourth grader Alithia Ramirez was confirmed dead early Wednesday by her father, Ryan Ramirez, who shared a post to Facebook showing the 10-year-old with angel's wings. He had used the same photo the previous day as he pleaded for help finding her after the massacre He had heartbreakingly used the same photo the previous day as he desperately pleaded for help finding her after the massacre. 'Trying to find my daughter Alithia. I called all the hospitals and nothing,' he wrote at the time. He also reporters during his frantic search, 'I'm trying to find out where my baby's at.' Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10 Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, was another killed by Ramos Tuesday - along with her cousin, who has yet to be identified. Annabell's father spent the afternoon after the shooting in frantic search for his daughter. Speaking to KHOU11 Tuesday, he lamented at how he was at a loss as to what do, having little success with the search. 'They're not letting us in at the hospital right now so we don't know where to go.' She has since been declared to be among the dead. Miranda Mathis, 11 Miranda Mathis Miranda Mathis, 11, was also confirmed as another casualty from the mass shooting early Wednesday, in a Facebook post by an older cousin who earlier that day had posted a desperate plea for help in locating the child. 'My sweet baby cousin we loved u dearly,' Deanna Miller wrote alongside a photo of the child with angel wings. 'I'm so sorry this happen to u baby please keep my family in your prayers,' she grieved. Miller's kids had also been at the school at the time of the shooting, but survived the attack. One of her sons told her that they were ushered out of a window by staffers during the attack and subsequently ran to a nearby funeral home after 'he heard the shooter say he was gonna kill all the kids.' Alexandria 'Lexi' Aniyah Rubio, 10 Alexandria Aniyah Rubio Alexandria Aniyah Rubio - who was better known to friends as 'Lexi' - was confirmed dead just before midnight on Tuesday. The ten-year-old was shot dead just hours after posing for a photo with her parents at the school's honor roll ceremony. Kimberly Mata-Rubio, the girl's mother, wrote of the loss: 'My beautiful, smart, Alexandria Aniyah Rubio was recognized today for All-A honor roll. She also received the good citizen award. We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye.' Maite Yuleana Maite Yuleana Maite Yuleana was another student to die in the attack that had attended the honor roll ceremony just hours before. A cousin of the girl's mother, Ana Rodriguez, announced the loss Wednesday. 'It is with a heavy heart I come on here on behalf of my cousin Ana who lost her sweet baby girl in yesterday's senseless shooting. 'We are deeply saddened by the lose [sic] of this sweet smart little girl. God bless and may she R.I.P Maite Rodriguez we love you.' Another relative shared a photo of Maite with her honor roll certificate. Her age could not immediately be confirmed. Jose Flores Jr, 10 Jose Flores Jose Flores, 10, was also killed in the shooting after attending the honor roll ceremony, where he was pictured triumphantly clutching a certificate celebrating the accomplishment. Uncle Christopher Salazar confirmed to the Washington Post Wednesday that his 10-year-old nephew was among the dead, after sharing a tribute to the child on Facebook. 'I love you and I miss you,' Salazar wrote in the post. The boy's father described Jose to CNN as an amazing boy and big brother to his two younger siblings. 'He was always fill of energy,' Jose Flores Sr. said. 'Ready to play till the night.' He said the boy loved playing baseball and video games. Jackie Cazares Jackie Cazares, 10 Jackie Cazares, 10, was another to be killed during the vicious attack at the elementary school. Her father Jacinto confirmed she lost her life inside her fourth-grade classroom. 'My baby girl has been taken away from my family and I,' the grieving father said in an online post. 'We're devastated in ways I hope no one ever goes through. ... It hurts us to our souls.' Cazares said his daughter, who was with her cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, when she died, was 'full of life and love'. Layla Salazar, 10 The 10-year-old student was the last of the slaying victims to be identified. Vincent Salazar told the Philadelphia Inquirer his young daughter was among those killed. He said she was 'a lot of fun' and recalled how they sang along to 'Sweet Child O' Mine' by Guns 'n' Roses whenever he drove her to school. Layla Salazar Irma Garcia, 46 - fourth grade teacher Irma Garcia Irma Garcia, who co-taught with Mireles for the last five year, had been at Robb Elementary for 23 years. Married to Joe for 24 years, she was a mother of four - Cristian, completing Marine boot camp; Jose, attending Texas State university University; Lyliana, a sophomore in high school; and Alysandra, a 7th grader. 'My tia did not make it, she sacrificed herself protecting the kids in her classroom, i beg of you to keep my family including all of her family in y'all's prayers , IRMA GARCIA IS HER NAME and she died a HERO,' tweeted her nephew John. 'She was loved by many and will truly be missed.' She was nominated as teacher of the year for the 2018-19 awards, organized by Trinity University. Eva Mireles, 44 - fourth grade teacher Eva Mireles Eva Mireles, a fourth grade teacher, was identified by her family as being one of the staff members shot dead. She had worked in education for 17 years. Her husband Ruben Ruiz, a veteran detective and SWAT team member currently serving as a police officer with the school district, held regular active shooter drills for the schools - most recently at the end of March. Priti Patel's Rwanda policy has had 'no impact' on the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats, the government's border inspector said today. David Neal, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders, also revealed he had not met the Home Secretary since starting his job 14 months ago. 'I've not met the home secretary yet,' he told the Home Affairs Committee. 'I've asked to speak to her on a number occasions, and pre-arranged meeting have been cancelled on maybe five or six occasions now. 'I'm disappointed and frustrated because I think I've got things to offer. I've written to her on a number of occasions and had meetings cancelled so I'm not sure I can do any more.' David Neal, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders (left), today revealed he had not met the Home Secretary (right) since starting his job 14 months ago. Mr Neal said he had been forced to 'switch fire' and have meetings with junior ministers instead. He was then quizzed on small boat crossings by Labour MP Diane Abbott, as new figures showed more than 10,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK so far this year. Mr Neal said migrant numbers had 'gone up' since last year. Asked if Ms Patel's proposal to fly migrants to Uganda was having a deterrent effect, he said: 'Not that I've encountered, no.' Ms Abbott then asked if the scheme was intended to only apply to single men. 'Yes, I think it is, but the policy for Rwanda is developing and it's not something that we've yet inspected - but that's how I understand it to be,' Mr Neal replied. He then revealed that Number 10 chief of staff Stephen Barclay who has a co-ordination role on the small boats crisis at the Cabinet Office had 'declined' a meeting to discuss the small boats issue. Mr Neal said 'there always seems to be a crisis going on' at the Home Office, making it harder for him to carry out his role. He said he would be prepared to publish inspection findings on social media in order to get them out in public, even if it contravened his organisation's agreement with the Home Office. Mr Neal delivered a withering verdict on how migrants are currently processed on arrival in Dover, revealing how they are asked to state their age by pointing to a number on a piece of cardboard. On the issue of age assessment, he said: 'I think there is a real challenge being able to do that when you're sat on the side of a dock when significant numbers are coming through. 'I think that needs particular training, I think it needs particular education and appropriate resourcing to make sure the risk is reduced and that careful process can take place.' He added: 'At Western Jet Foil when we've seen age questioning of migrants coming ashore where a piece of cardboard with a number one to 50... and then [migrants are asked to] point how old you are on the piece of cardboard - I think we can probably do better than that.' Mr Neal also expressed despair at those in charge of migration issues. 'The leadership in the Home Office - if there's one thing, that's a big issue,' he told MPs. 'Why? Because the ability to flex resources, for example, comes down to leadership. 'At the front-end level in a port, the ability to move personnel from one priority to another is essential. Therefore the ability to make best use of resources is hugely important. 'I think at the strategic level, having the right leaders in place in order to run, in order to command, in order to lead these organisations is hugely important. 'I've found that from moving from the military into this arena that it's very different. 'There are temporary people in these positions rather than permanent people. I think it's been a surprise. 'What keeps me awake at night? The fact that Border Force has 10,000 people, immigration enforcement has 4,000 and leadership within those areas could be better. 'The response for the country needs to be better.' Asked if he was also speaking of political leadership in his comments, Mr Neal added: 'Leadership in general. All leadership is important.' The first flight from the UK containing migrants bound for Rwanda is expected to leave next Tuesday, but lawyers for more than 90 migrants have already submitted legal challenges asking to stay in the UK. Home Office officials are thought to be anticipating that the remaining 38 or so notified to be on the June 14 flight will follow suit this week. Channel crossings resumed yesterday after a three-day hiatus, with 79 people arriving in Dover, Kent, according to Ministry of Defence (MoD) data. This takes the total for the year to date to 10,020, analysis of Government figures shows. EXCLUSIVE: Migrants fight back: More than half the 130 asylum-seekers facing first deportation flights to Rwanda next week launch their legal battle to remain in UK - but Home Office source declares Priti Patel 'won't back down' By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent for MailOnline More than half the migrants scheduled for the first Rwanda charter flight have lodged legal challenges, the Daily Mail can reveal today. The Home Office has selected 130 individuals for next Tuesdays operation under a 120million asylum deal with the east African nation. But lawyers for around 80 of them have already submitted legal challenges asking to stay in the UK. And Home Office officials expect the remaining 50 will do so this week. Most of the claims rely on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights the right to private and family life or involve allegations of modern slavery. Under laws introduced by Theresa May when she was home secretary, foreign nationals who claim work exploitation can halt immigration procedures against them for 45 days pending an investigation. Journeys end? Migrants are brought into Dover by Border Guard staff yesterday A Home Office insider said: As predicted, specialist immigration lawyers are pulling every trick in the book and exploiting every possible loophole to get their clients off the flight. Every single person due to be relocated could and should have claimed asylum in a country they passed through, instead of coming to the UK illegally. People smugglers use paprika ruse People traffickers used paprika to throw Home Office sniffer dogs off the scent of stowaway migrants. Akan Brayan, of Nottingham, and Dylan Shwani, of Lincoln, were found guilty of recruiting drivers to hide migrants in hired vans before smuggling them into the UK. The spice was found on a van floor to confuse search dogs, a Home Office spokesman said. The pair, both 37, smuggled 31 migrants including seven children and a pregnant woman between 2016 and 2018. The men were sentenced to seven years in prison at Nottingham Crown court. Advertisement Priti wont back down though, and government lawyers will be working around the clock to try and defeat as many of these barriers as possible, while changes through the Nationality and Borders Act will help drive down the merry-go-round of claims. All those being selected for the removals flight are apparently being held in detention centres to stop them absconding. The news came as the number of Channel migrants to have arrived from northern France so far this year surged beyond 10,000. An estimated 80 including four small children pictured holding their teddy bears were escorted into Dover by Border Force officials yesterday. Revised figures from the Ministry of Defence show that 9,941 migrants have reached the UK in small boats since January 1, not including yesterdays arrivals. A record 28,526 made the crossing in 2021, compared with 8,466 the previous year, 1,843 in 2019 and 299 in 2018, according to official figures. This years running total is more than double that reached at this point last year. The Rwanda scheme will see irregular migrants those who arrived by small boats or in the back of lorries handed a one-way ticket to the Rwandan capital Kigali. They will claim asylum there instead of in Britain, with a support package from the UK. The Home Office had been prioritising irregular migrants who arrived since May 1 for the inaugural flight, which was due to take off on Tuesday from a secret location. No more migrants can now be selected because they must have five working days of notice. Halima Cisse, the mother whose nine babies arrived in one go, has spoken of her struggles to cope with the record-breaking brood. As this remarkable new video shows, the five girls and four boys are keeping their parents and helpers busy round the clock, requiring a daunting total of 45 nappy changes a day and guzzling 15kg of formula milk a week. Now thirteen months old, the Mali nonuplets born to Halima and her army officer husband Abdelkader Arby confounded the predictions of doctors by surviving and thriving. And Halima, 27, reveals she even tried to breastfeed them at first when she was at the hospital in Casablanca, Morocco, where they were born. Halima told the BBC: It is now amazing to see the children are healthy. At the beginning it was tough as they were very premature Halima Cisse, 27, told BBC Africa about the strict regime of taking care of her nine babies each day, going through 45 nappies and 15 litres of formula milk The proud parents stand next to the incubator of one of their extraordinary brood. They have a young daughter, an older sibling for the babies back home in Mali, making them mother and father to ten children in total My children do not sleep at the same time. Some sleep a bit later when others wake up. Breastfeeding was not easy - when we were at the hospital I was using a breast pump. On the video, the babys father is visiting his wife and children in Morocco, accompanied by his three-year-old daughter Souda. Abdelkader, 36, said: We try to organise ourselves: From 10am, the babies are usually in the living room where there is a TV set. They like cartoons and when you put that on, they are calm. Halima and the children currently live in what their father described as a medicalised flat that belongs to the owners of the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca where the babies were born. There are nurses who are here, in addition to my wife, who help to take care of the children, Mr Arby told BBC Afrique last month after the children celebrated their first birthday. The clinic has given them a menu which says what to give them to eat at all times - night and day, he added. They're all crawling now. Some are sitting up and can even walk if they hold on to something, The babies weighed between 500g and 1kg (1.1lb and 2.2lb) and were delivered by Caesarean section at 30 weeks A family friend posted this rare photograph of all nine babies laying side by side shortly after birth and pictured together on social media It's not easy but it's great. Even if it's tiring at times, when you look at all the babies in perfect health, from right to left we're relieved. We forget everything, he said. Weeks before the birth on 4 May 2021, Halima was flown to Morocco by the Malian government for specialist care following an invitation from King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The babies weighed between 500g and 1kg (1.1lb and 2.2lb and were delivered by Caesarean section at 30 weeks. The boys are called Mohammed VI [In honour of the King], Oumar, Elhadji, Bah, while the girls are named Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama and Oumou. Each one has a unique personality, their father said. Some are quiet, while others make more noise and cry a lot, some want to be picked up all the time. They are all very different, which is entirely normal. Each baby has a unique personality, their father said. Some are quiet, while others make more noise and cry a lot, some want to be picked up all the time. They are all very different, which is entirely normal. Halima Cisse (right), 26, and her husband Kader Arby, 35, pose together at the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca, Morocco, with one of their world record-breaking babies, a boy named Mohamed VI He said his children have not yet been to Mali, but they are already a source of fascination in their home country. Everyone is very keen to see the babies with their own eyes - their family, friends, our home village, the whole country. He added: I hope God blesses everyone who doesn't yet have children - that they can have what we, the parents of nonuplets currently have. It's beautiful, a real treasure. Multiple births are risky and mothers with more than four foetuses at a time are advised to terminate some in countries where abortion is legal. There are also risks the babies could develop health problems due to their premature birth, such as sepsis and cerebral palsy. A man was arrested after having told police he wanted to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh A heavily armed 26-year-old man who was detained on Wednesday near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house allegedly told authorities he wanted to kill the conservative jurist and then himself. He was identified as Nicholas John Roske of Simi Valley, California in a news release from the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. 'Roske allegedly told detectives that he was upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas,' Maryland officials said. He was charged with attempted murder of a US judge and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. An accompanying court filing also states Roske was armed with a 'black tactical chest rig and tactical knife, a Glock 17 pistol with two magazines and ammunition, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, screwdriver, nail punch, crow bar, pistol light, duct tape, hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles, and other items.' Officials suggest Roske took a taxi cab to the front of Kavanaugh's home after finding his address online. Two Deputy US Marshalls saw him exit the vehicle at 1:05 am and look their way before walking down the street. Roske turned himself in by calling 911 while in Kavanaugh's neighborhood, and informing them that he was armed and suicidal. He told responding authorities that he wanted to kill a 'specific Supreme Court justice,' the filing states. He was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Supreme Court spokesperson Patricia McCabe confirmed to DailyMail.com in a statement. 'At approximately 1:50 a.m. today, a man was arrested near Justice Kavanaughs residence. The man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh. He was transported to Montgomery County Police 2nd District,' she said. It follows a string of protests across the country over abortion rights - including outside of Supreme Court justices' homes - that has also seen churches, pro-life centers and abortion clinics come under attack from those with opposing views. Republicans in Congress that pressured the White House to take a stronger stance against the demonstrations now accuse the administration of fostering the conditions which allowed the incident to occur. People familiar with the investigation told the Washington Post that the man was also upset over the recent slew of mass shootings across the country that's claimed dozens of lives in recent weeks. It's not clear if Kavanaugh or his family were home at the time. DailyMail.com reached out to the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland for comment but was referred to the FBI for specific details on the suspect. The FBI said they had no additional information to provide. The man was arrested on a street nearby Kavanaugh's Maryland home, where his wife and daughters also live Kavanaugh's confirmation to the court under Donald Trump ignited a firestorm of controversy after he was accused of sexual assault by a former high school acquaintance. Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made an ominous warning to Kavanaugh in relation to abortion rights in March 2020. 'I want to tell you Kavanaugh...You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You wont know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions,' Schumer said. He's one of three justices Trump added to the court to form its conservative supermajority at a time when it is facing its most politically-charged docket in decades. Tensions have run high on both sides of the aisle ever since Politico published the leaked opinion draft indicating that the high court's conservative majority considered siding with Mississippi officials in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. The state had asked the court to lower the abortion limit to 15 weeks before asking the court to scuttle those protections granted by Roe v. Wade altogether. Kavanaugh's home had been among those targeted by peaceful protests in the wake of the bombshell Supreme Court leak (pictured: an abortion rights demonstration outside of Kavanaugh's Chevy Chase, Maryland home on May 18) The suspect was among the millions of people who are angry about the possibility of the Supreme Court overturning federal abortion protections Growing animosity between pro-life and pro-choice factions were among the reasons that forced the Department of Homeland Security to issue a 'heightened threat advisory' warning of increased violent incidents caused by extremist groups and lone wolf actors. 'Given a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case about abortion rights, individuals who advocate both for and against abortion have, on public forums, encouraged violence, including against government, religious, and reproductive healthcare personnel and facilities, as well as those with opposing ideologies,' it stated. Earlier this week a pro-life group's offices was firebombed and graffitied by arsonists in a suburb of Buffalo, New York. Around the same time, an abortion clinic was vandalized in North Carolina. Initial fallout from the leaked memo involved peaceful demonstrations outside of the Supreme Court and even outside of justices' homes - which Republican lawmakers warned could lead to violence against the jurists themselves. Kavanaugh and his wife are the parents of two young daughters. They all reside in the home that was apparently targeted by the suspect After mounting pressure over its silence the Biden administration was finally forced to issue a statement endorsing the 'Constitutional right to protest' while also issuing a condemnation for 'violence, threats or vandalism.' 'Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety,' said Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden's press secretary at the time. DHS issues warning of 'mass casualty violence' over tension on Supreme Court abortion decision The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a 'heightened threat advisory' on Tuesday, warning of an increased risk of 'mass casualty violence' nationwide fueled by extremist ideologies and personal beliefs. Among the drivers is the 'proliferation of false or misleading narratives regarding current events,' which includes the national divide over the leaked Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. 'Given a high-profile U.S. Supreme Court case about abortion rights, individuals who advocate both for and against abortion have, on public forums, encouraged violence, including against government, religious, and reproductive healthcare personnel and facilities, as well as those with opposing ideologies,' DHS states. Advertisement White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told DailyMail.com on Wednesday: 'President Biden condemns the actions of this individual in the strongest terms, and is grateful to law enforcement for quickly taking him into custody.' 'As the President has consistently made clear, public officialsincluding judgesmust be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety or that of their families,' Bates said. Speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell denounced the 'disturbing' incident and blamed other public figures' 'unhinged, reckless, apocalyptic rhetoric' in an indirect jab at Democrats' outrage over the Roe draft. McConnell directed the most blame toward the leak itself, which Republicans for weeks have decried as the utmost breach of institutional trust. He called the threat on Kavanaugh's safety 'exactly the kind of event that many feared that the terrible breach of the court's rules and norms could fuel.' The Kentucky Republican demanded that House Democrats pass a Senate bill aimed at enhancing police protection for Justices amid the leak's fallout. 'House Democrats need to stop their multi-week blockade against the Supreme Court security bill and pass it before the sun sets today,' he said. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Minority Whip, said during a press conference: 'You saw from the White House on down to encourage people to go homes, the private homes of Supreme Court justices. It is a dangerous trend.' 'Exercising First Amendment rights is one thing. Encouraging people to go to the homes of Supreme Court justices. You see where that can lead? And it's a shame. Thank God law enforcement was able to arrest the man who was intending on committing that action,' Scalise said. Rep. Darrell Issa of California said the alleged plot to attack Kavanaugh was 'a stark reminder of how the reckless rhetoric of this Administration and Democrat partisans can incite others to violence.' 'Its time for Democrats to finally condemn the hate they have brought to the front doors of justices and their families and provide them the protection they so obviously need,' the Republican lawmaker said. Attorney General Merrick Garland also condemned the incident, declaring that attacks against Justices of the Supreme Court 'strike at the heart of our democracy.' 'We will do everything we can to prevent them,' he vowed at a press conference on Wednesday. A top executive at social media giant TikTok has stepped down after telling shocked UK staff that as a 'capitalist' he 'didn't believe' firms should offer maternity leave. Joshua Ma, who led the app's European ecommerce team, has will 'step back' from his role after making the controversial comments at a dinner this year, the company has said. The tech boss, who is a senior executive at ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the video app, had been on a trip to the UK from China to check on the launch of TikTok Shop, which it hopes will act like a shopping channel on the app. However, he has now found himself replaced by the firm after a damning investigation by the Financial Times found a work culture in the London office marred by extremely long hours and almost weekly staff resignations. It reported that more than 20 staff have left the firm's ecommerce team in London since it launched TikTok Shop in October, with anonymous current and former members hitting out at 'toxic' working practices in the office. A boss at social media app TikTok has stepped down after he told shocked UK staff he 'didn't believe' that firms should offer maternity leave What is TikTok Shop? Social media app TikTok has grown enormously since it was launched in 2017. The app allows people to post videos between 15 seconds and 10 minutes long, and has become extremely popular, claiming to have more than one billion monthly active users worldwide. TikTok Shop is an attempt by the app to monetise some of its content. It hosts livestreams on which it displays adverts for shopping items - much like QVC on broadcast TV. TikTok approaches companies to host their brands and items on the livestreams, with viewers able to buy these by clicking an orange basket on the stream. These goods are often sourced from cheap manufacturers and with some being low-cost compared to established brands. However, the likes of L'Oreal and Charlotte Tilbury, have sold items through the shop. The firm takes five per cent of the sale price as commission, although it is reported that TikTok sometimes waives this to attract brands to take part. This has proven very successful in China, with the firm rolling it out to the UK in October last year. Advertisement Among these are expectations that staff work longer than 12 hours a day, people being demoted or removed from accounts for taking leave and 'unrealistic targets' for the number of sales. In an email to staff seen by the Financial Times, TikTok said it was investigating the claims. In the email, which was titled 'Maintaining a positive working culture', the firm responded to 'some disheartening allegations' about the ecommerce team in the UK. 'Hopefully, this painful experience will make us a stronger, closer and better team over the long term,' it said. It added that 'the wellbeing of our team is our top priority' and said staff could contact an anonymous hotline to report breaches of the company's code of conduct. Patrick Nommensen, who has worked for ByteDance since the app was launched and led the launch of the ecommerce team in the UK, was named in the email as succeeding Ma, who has 'stepped back' from his role while the investigation takes place. A spokesperson for TikTok declined to comment on Joshua Ma specifically, but said it is 'investigating alleged statements and actions to determine whether there has been a breach of company policies'. It added that it had a clear maternity leave policy, with 30 weeks paid leave. One of the key reasons given for these issues is an apparent culture clash between working practices in the UK and what the Chinese company expects from its staff. Whistleblowers told of punishingly long days where they were expected to be in early so they could talk to Chinese colleagues while also sticking around into the evenings as this is when livestreams work best. They also said the company praised their commitment if staff worked into the early hours of the morning, while someone saying they would work while on holiday was given as an example of something all employees should aspire towards. A spokesperson for TikTok said: 'As with many service businesses, employees in some functions may at times need to work hours that match customer use patterns. 'We aim to make this the exception rather than the norm, and support our team with flexible working hours, regular no-meeting times, and robust health and wellbeing offerings.' It also responded to claims from former employees claiming that when they didn't hit 'unrealistic' targets for sales on livestreams or didn't answer emails out of hours they would be castigated by bosses. TikTok is one of the world's most popular social media apps, with the firm claiming to have more than a billion active monthly users It said: 'TikTok Shop has only been operating in the UK for a few months, and we're investing rapidly in expanding the resources, structures and process to support a positive employee experience. 'Examples include a holistic onboarding programme for new joiners; regular employee surveys to solicit and action direct feedback; and dedicated training, mentorship and recognition programmes to support and celebrate professional development and achievements.' The app, which claims to have more than one billion active monthly users worldwide, has proved controversial in the past. Despite it's popularity, particularly among younger people, governments in the West have raised concerns about how the data of users is used. In 2019 the US Army announced it was investigating the app's links to the Chinese Government, particularly in regard to its policy with data sharing. It came after national security experts raised concerns about Tiktok's collection and handling of user data, including user content and communications, IP addresses, location-related data, metadata, and other sensitive personal information. New York State has passed a bill which bans pet shops from selling dogs, cats and rabbits in a bid to stop the sale of cruelly bred dogs. The ASPCA's Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill is now waiting for state Governor Kathy Hochul's signature, and once done, they say will 'finally end the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs'. New York has one of the country's highest concentrations of pet stores that sell puppies, half of which are from Missouri, which is considered to be the leading puppy mill state in the US. Matt Bershadker, ASPCA's President and CEO, said: 'Shutting down the puppy mill pipeline will help stop retail sellers and commercial breeders from engaging in and profiting from unconscionable brutality.' New York State has passed a bill which bans pet shops from selling dogs, cats and rabbits in a bid to stop the sale of cruelly bred dogs (file photo) Assembly member championing the bill, Linda B. Rosenthal, said of the ban: 'Puppy mills breed cruelty. Banning the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in New York pet stores will deal the puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline a near-mortal blow. 'The cute puppies, kittens, and bunnies in pet store windows mask a sad reality: these animals are products of horrific neglect in puppy mills. 'Puppy, kitty, and bunny mills use and abuse animals to churn out pets for sale, which are often riddled with congenital diseases that cost unsuspecting consumers hundreds or thousands of dollars in veterinary bills and incalculable emotional stress,' she said in a statement. Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Michael Gianaris, added: 'With so many good animals in need of rescue, there is no need for abusive puppy mills to supply pet stores. Our four-legged companions should be treated with respect, not like commodities.' The ASPCA's Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill is now waiting for state Governor Kathy Hochul's (pictured) signature, and once done, they say will 'finally end the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs' Celebrities have been pushing for the bill to become legislation along with the ASPCA, including Edie Falco, who told of how her dog Sami was a recue from a puppy mill: 'She spent two years living in a box, in the dark, without a name and was forced to have puppies who were sold to pet tores. 'I'm grateful that New York lawmakers have taken action to protect other dogs from the horrific conditions Sami endured just to keep the cruel breeding industry in business.' Other celebrities chiming in their support of the bill was actors Alec Baldwin, Justin Theroux and Kristin Chenoweth. Iowa dog breeder Daniel Gingerich is said to face criminal charges after 514 dogs were discovered in unsanitary conditions in at least six of his mills Animals were found dead, sick, or injured during the course of the six-month investigation in Iowa The starving animals were also seen covered in matted fur and skin lesions, like this pup, pictured In November last year, just south of Missouri, where half of New York's puppies sold in pet stores, an Iowa puppy mill owner agreed to surrender over 500 dogs after he had hoarded them in unsanitary conditions. Daniel Gingerich, of Seymour, Iowa, faces criminal charges after failing to provide proper nutrition, water and veterinary assistance for the dogs while in his care. Multiple dogs were discovered dead, malnourished, or injured at six of his mills across the state. Johnny Depp's glamorous attorney Camille Vasquez is continuing to support the actor from beyond the courtroom after helping him secure a $15million verdict in his defamation trial against ex Amber Heard. The 37-year-old lawyer spoke fondly of her famous client in New York City on Wednesday, shortly after appearing on the Today Show to discuss the high-profile case. Dressed in a blush-colored dress, Vasquez happily posed for photos with fans and graciously responded to questions from DailyMail.com as she was escorted to her car outside of NBC studios. Vasquez, who was accompanied by fellow trial attorney Ben Chew, confirmed she plans to see the Pirates of the Caribbean star again who has been in the UK touring with English rock musician Jeff Beck since closing arguments ended in late May. Scroll down for video Camille Vasquez spoke fondly of her famous client Johnny Depp in New York City shortly after appearing on NBC's Today show Wednesday Dressed in a blush-colored dress, the 37-year-old attorney greeted supporters outside of the studio as she was escorted to her car Vasquez became a star in her own right during the six-week trial that ultimately saw a jury award Depp $15million in damages in his defamation suit against ex Amber Heard When asked if she was a fan of Depp's music, Vasquez replied: 'Yes. Yes, of course we are!' before getting into a black SUV and taking off. Earlier, the California native, who was brought on Depp's legal team as an associate lawyer, beamed as she thanked supporters outside when they congratulated her on new promotion. Vasquez became a star in her own right while defending the Hollywood actor in the six-week trial with her impressive performance in the courtroom. Depp's team was led by Brown Rudnick partner Benjamin Chew and included nine other attorneys. But Vasquez later emerged as a major player in the case with her fierce cross-examination of Amber Heard and her closing arguments to the jury during which she branded the actress the real abuser. As the trial progressed, Depp's fan lavished praise on the lawyer for her work defending the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor, tweeting out pictures of themselves wearing 'I heart Camille Vasquez' T-shirts and memes portraying her as the Nordic god of thunder and Marvel character Thor. Brown Rudnick has since publicly acknowledged Vasquez's stellar performance as well, announcing Tuesday that she has been promoted to a partner in the firm. Depp, 58, has been seen performing at concerts in the UK with English rock musician Jeff Beck since closing arguments ended in late May Vasquez happily posed for photos with fans and graciously responded to questions from DailyMail.com as she left the studios The California native, who was brought on Depp's legal team as an associate lawyer, beamed and thanked supporters after they congratulated her on new promotion When asked if she was a fan of Depp's music, Vasquez replied: 'Yes. Yes, of course we are!' before getting into a black SUV and taking off 'We are pleased to announce that Camille Vasquez has been elevated to partner. She was a key member of the litigation team that won a jury verdict last week for actor Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard,' the firm said in a statement. Chairman William Baldiga noted that the law firm typically promotes partners when its fiscal year ends. 'But Camille's performance during the Johnny Depp trial proved to the world that she was ready to take this next step now. We are incredibly proud of her and look forward to what she will accomplish as our newest partner,' Baldiga added. In a statement responding to her promotion, Vasquez said: 'I am delighted that Brown Rudnick has given me its full vote of confidence by having me join the partnership.' The high-powered lawyer's tender interactions with Depp in the courtroom had spurred rampant speculation that the pair's relationship might run deeper than attorney-client - and Vasquez only fueled the rumors by chuckling coyly when asked. All along, however, sources say she has been quietly dating Englishman Edward Owen, 38, a successful Cambridge-educated senior director at WeWork, where he is in charge of real estate for Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Vasquez and her boyfriend were spotted together last Thursday leaving a Ritz-Carlton hotel in Virginia, not far from the Fairfax County courthouse where she helped Depp secure a blockbuster verdict. Camille Vasquez and Benjamin Chew appeared on TODAY, Good Morning America and then on the Law and Crime network - which covered the trial without interruption Camille Vasquez on Good Morning America on Wednesday. She said he is 'over the moon' with the verdict despite Amber Heard's claims that it was unfair Depp and Vasquez appeared very close and at times affectionate during trial, spurring rumors of a romance A source familiar with the matter confirmed the romantic link, and told DailyMail.com that the couple met in London in November, at an upscale gastropub The Cow. Earlier on Wednesday, Vasquez and Chew gave their first televised interviews about the high-profile defamation case on Today, Good Morning America, and then on the Law and Crime network - which covered the six-week trial without interruption. They told how happy Depp now was to have won and that he 'hasn't smiled like this in six years' - when his problems with Heard began. They also slammed Heard's claim that she lost the trial because he is more powerful and popular than she is, saying it's 'utterly false' that social media played a part and claiming the jury simply didn't like her because she - unlike Johnny - 'didn't take accountability for anything.' The pair then suggested that he might even waive the $8million judgement Amber was ordered to pay him. Her attorneys said she can't afford it and yesterday revealed plans to file an appeal. Asked whether or not they would waive the judgement, Depp's attorneys said: 'This was never about money for Mr. Depp. This was about restoring his reputation and he's done that. Despite Heard's minor victory in court, it is likely she will have a tougher time recovering from the impact of the trial, which seems to have had a wider reach beyond her career Over six weeks at the court in Fairfax, Virginia, Depp called 38 witnesses while Heard called 24. Depp and Heard met on the set of the 2011 movie The Rum Diary, turning up on the red carpet together for its London premiere in 2011 'We have to be careful what we say but this was about Mr. Depp's reputation but that was what it was about for him.' 'My sense is that it had a lot to do with accountability. Johnny owned his issues, he was very candid about his alcohol and drug issues, he was candid about some unfortunate texts that he wrote, and I think it was a sharp contrast to Ms Heard, who didn't seem... or at least the jury may have perceived that she didn't take accountability for anything,' said Chew. Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft said she has 'excellent grounds' to appeal He added later: 'There was a real contrast. Johnny took ownership of a lot of things... 'She had an answer for everything and she wasn't taking accountability for anything. 'I think that made a difference.' Vasquez added: 'The key to victory was focusing on the facts and the evidence and Johnny's opportunity to speak the truth for the first time. He was able to connect with the jury and the general public and tell what really happened.' On Tuesday, Heard's attorneys released a statement slamming Depp's team's 'victory lap' since the trial wrapped. She said they are collectively setting back women's rights. On Wednesday, Depp's attorneys said that wasn't the case and that the facts speak for themselves. Vasquez has been quietly dating UK native Edward Owen (left and right), a successful Cambridge-educated senior director at WeWork, where he is in charge of real estate for Europe, the Middle East and Asia The fluent Spanish speaker went to Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles from 2007 to 2010. Above, she is pictured left with her mother and sister 'It's disappointing. We're only speaking about what happened in this case and the facts in this case were overwhelming positive for Johnny. 'The verdict speaks for itself,' Vasquez said on Good Morning America. Heard's lawyer previously claimed there was a mountain of evidence that would have supported their case that didn't make it into the courtroom. 'It was horrible. It was really, really lop sided. It's like the Roman coliseum, how they viewed this whole case,' Elaine Bredehof said in an appearance on TODAY last week. On Tuesday, Johnny took to TikTok to thank fans for their unwavering support throughout the trial. Heard then released a statement calling it inappropriate. One of the UK's largest indoor water parks was evacuated with a man and woman taken to hospital and a further 46 people treated by ambulance staff after suffering 'eye and throat irritation' and 'nausea'. Emergency services rushed to Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent along with 'specialist resources' earlier today, where 110 visitors were evacuated with the symptoms. Two ambulances, Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics, four paramedic officers, a BASICS emergency doctor and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford with a doctor and critical care paramedic on board all attended the scene. A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: 'Waterworld was evacuated after a number of people inside began displaying minor symptoms including watery eyes, a runny nose and nausea. 'A total of 110 people evacuated from the building who were displaying symptoms were rapidly triaged by the team of ambulance medics. 'Once triaged, 46 out of the 110 people received treatment by ambulance staff on scene before being discharged. A man and a woman were conveyed to hospital for further checks as a precaution. Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent has been evacuated after visitors reported 'eye and throat irritation' and 'nausea' Dozens of people were evacuated from the water park (pictured) while still in their swimwear The emergency services have urged members of the public to avoid the area around Waterworld (pictured) NEWS: We have a number of ambulances & specialist resources at Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent with @StaffsFire @StaffsPolice. We're assessing a number of people who report feeling unwell. Please avoid the area to allow 999 staff to deal with the incident. More to follow. pic.twitter.com/XVAygQFUAA West Midlands Ambulance Service #HelpUsHelpYou (@OFFICIALWMAS) June 8, 2022 'This was a well-managed tri-service response which saw the safe and speedy evacuation of a large number of people. Thankfully no one involved was in a serious condition.' An investigation into what caused the incident is ongoing. Police also attended the water park, tweeting earlier today that the building had been evacuated as precautionary measure. A police spokesman said: 'We are currently in attendance at Waterworld, on Festival Way. Colleagues from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and paramedics are also at the scene following reports of a number of visitors feeling unwell. 'Visitors have reported eye and throat irritation and nausea. 'The building has been evacuated as a precaution. The emergency services have the incident in hand and urge members of the public to avoid the area. We thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.' Evacuated visitors have been pictured stood in their swimwear outside the building, with many wrapped in towels to keep warm. Up to eight ambulances and three fire engines, as well as police have been seen outside. One eye-witness said an air ambulance has landed behind the Best Western Plus hotel, according to Staffordshire Live. West Midland Ambulance Service said a 'number of people' were being assessed and asked members of the public to avoid the area. In a tweet, the ambulance service said: 'We have a number of ambulances & specialist resources at Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent with @StaffsFire @StaffsPolice. 'We're assessing a number of people who report feeling unwell. Please avoid the area to allow 999 staff to deal with the incident.' The park first opened in 1989 and attracts around 400,000 visitors per year. Waterworld has been contacted for a comment. A passenger train derailed in eastern Iran on Wednesday, resulting in the death of 17 people while more than 50 passengers sustained serious injuries, according to initial reports. Authorities say that the number of deaths from the Iran train crash could increase, though initial details of the tragedy involving a train allegedly carrying around 350 passengers are still unclear, per an Al Jazeera report. According to Iranian state media, four of the train's seven carriages derailed in the early morning darkness near the desert city of Tabas, located 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Tehran, the capital of Iran. Mir Hassan Mousavi of Iran's national railway corporation told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) that the train left on Tuesday at 7:20 pm and crashed at approximately 5:30 am, according to The Sun. Train Collided With an Excavator Mousavi added that the initial information on the Iran train crash stated that the train's five-passenger wagons "collided with an excavator and derailed." "An excavator was next to the railway line and now the head of the High Accident Commission has been sent to the scene to carefully investigate the accident," he noted. According to an injured passenger, passengers "were bouncing in the car like balls in the air" during the incident, per an ABC KSAT12 story. Though it was unclear why an excavator would be near the railroad track at night, it could have been part of a repair effort, according to one official. Mousavi noted all of the Iran train crash passengers who were not hurt were transported to Tabas, where they will board a bus to Yazd. Red Crescent's Mehdi Valipour said, "22 teams, including 52 rescuers and rescuers from the provinces of South Khorasan, Khorasan Razavi, Yazd, and Isfahan, along with 10 operational vehicles" have been deployed to the site of the Iran train crash. Read Also: Foreign Fighters Insufficiently Armed, Refuse To Fight for Ukraine, Media Claims He said that the forces were trying to get the overturned carriages upright and were hopeful there would not be a significant increase in casualties. Ambulances and helicopters have been dispatched to remote locations, where connectivity is limited. Officials reported that at least 16 individuals were critically injured, and several were sent to nearby hospitals. Iran Mourns for Recent Tragedies Iran has almost 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) of railway lines running across the country, per DW. In 2004, Iran's biggest train disaster happened near Neyshabur, when a train carrying gasoline, fertilizer, sulfur, and cotton crashed, killing approximately 320 people and injuring 460 more. The tragedy also caused damage to five communities. Iran also has one of the world's worst roadway safety records, with 17,000 deaths each year. The high death toll is attributed to widespread violations of traffic laws, hazardous automobiles, and insufficient emergency assistance. Iran has been mourning the deaths of at least 41 people murdered in a building collapse in the country's southwest, as per a report from The Sun. The building's collapse and the government response provoked widespread outrage, prompting Iranian state television to abruptly stop the stream after crowds lambasted an official during a speech. The country is also under United States sanctions over its failed nuclear agreement. Related Article: Turkey Name Change: Here's What You Should Call Turkey Now @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new study suggests that about 10 percent of Twitter's active accounts are posting 'spam content', as disputes over the issue threaten to derail Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover of the social media company. London-based data analytics firm GlobalData said in a report on Wednesday that its mathematical model found that spam accounts are roughly double the 5 percent share claimed by Twitter. Musk has been threatening to walk away from his agreement to buy the company unless Twitter backs up its estimate that false or spam accounts comprise less than 5 percent of its user base. 'The precise proportion of spam accounts is difficult to compute, as it is almost impossible to confirm the identity of the entity behind a tweet handle,' said GlobalData senior data scientist Sidharth Kumar. A new study suggests that about 10 percent of Twitter's active accounts are posting 'spam content', as disputes over the issue threaten to derail Elon Musk's $44 billion takeover GlobalData's analysis relied on a statistical model that took into account a number of variables (above) to determine the proportion of spam accounts on Twitter 'Additionally, the definition of spam account may differ for everyone. Incessant tweeting of non-original content can be considered spam, but some may choose to see it as a very active user sharing articles/opinions,' Kumar added. TIMELINE OF BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK'S BID TO CONTROL TWITTER January 31: Musk starts buying shares of Twitter in near-daily installments, amassing a 5% stake in the company by mid-March. March 26: Musk, who has 80 million Twitter followers and is active on the site, said that he is giving 'serious thought' to building an alternative to Twitter, questioning free speech on the platform and whether Twitter is undermining democracy. He also privately reaches out to Twitter board members, including his friend and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. March 27: After privately informing them of his growing stake in the company, Musk starts conversations with Twitter's CEO and board members about potentially joining the board. Musk also mentions taking Twitter private or starting a competitor, according to later regulatory filings. April 4: A regulatory filing reveals that Musk has rapidly become the largest shareholder of Twitter after acquiring a 9% stake, or 73.5 million shares, worth about $3 billion. April 5: Musk is offered a seat on Twitter's board on the condition he amass no more than 14.9% of the company's stock. CEO Parag Agrawal said in a tweet that 'it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board.' April 11: Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal announces Musk will not be joining the board after all. April 14: Twitter reveals in a securities filing that Musk has offered to buy the company outright for about $44 billion. April 15: Twitter's board unanimously adopts a 'poison pill' defense in response to Musk's proposed offer, attempting to thwart a hostile takeover. April 21: Musk lines up $46.5 billion in financing to buy Twitter. Twitter board is under pressure to negotiate. April 25: Musk reaches a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion and take the company private. The outspoken billionaire has said he wanted to own and privatize Twitter because he thinks it's not living up to its potential as a platform for free speech. April 29: Musk sells roughly $8.5 billion worth of shares in Tesla to help fund the purchase of Twitter, according to regulatory filings. May 5: Musk strengthens his offer to buy Twitter with commitments of more than $7 billion from a diverse group of investors including Silicon Valley heavy hitters like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. May 10: In a hint at how he would change Twitter, Musk says he'd reverse Twitter's ban of former President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, calling the ban a 'morally bad decision' and 'foolish in the extreme.' May 13: Musk said that his plan to buy Twitter is ' temporarily on hold.' Musk said that he needs to pinpoint the number of spam and fake accounts on the social media platform. Shares of Twitter tumble, while shares of Tesla rebound sharply. June 6: Musk threatens to end his $44 billion agreement to buy Twitter, accusing the company of refusing to give him information about its spam bot accounts. Advertisement GlobalData's analysis relied on a statistical model that took into account a number of variables to determine the proportion of spam accounts. The variables included frequency of tweets, deviation in tweet length, and proportion of tweets including hashtags or links, among others. 'Our estimate is conservative, as we wanted to be sure that we were correctly identifying accounts as spam,' said Kumar. 'It is important to note that this is still an estimation. There is no conclusive way of knowing if a certain account is a bot or spam.' Musk has speculated publicly that the proportion of bot and spam accounts on Twitter may be as high as 50 percent, and has been threatening to walk away from the deal unless the company can back up its 5 percent claim. Those threats culminated in a letter from Musk's lawyers to Twitter on Monday warning he may walk away unless more information is forthcoming. On Tuesday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Musk's discussions with private equity backers who are key to financing the deal have been put on hold because of the uncertainty. Musk is on the hook to pay $33.5 billion in cash to fund the deal after arranging debt financing to cover the rest. His liquidity is limited given that his wealth, which is pegged by Forbes at $218 billion, is largely tied to the shares of Tesla Inc, the electric car maker he leads. Musk has been in discussions to arrange $2 billion to $3 billion in preferred equity financing from a group of private equity firms led by Apollo Global Management Inc that would further reduce his cash contribution, according to the sources. These conversations are now on hold until there is clarity about the future of the acquisition, one of the sources said. The pause in financing activities offers the first clear sign that Musk's threats are interfering with steps that would help complete the deal. Twitter has insisted thus far that Musk has been performing his obligation under their contract, including helping to secure regulatory approval for the deal. Spokespersons for Musk and Twitter did not respond to requests for comment. Apollo declined to comment. Musk sold $8.5 billion worth of Tesla shares in April after he signed his deal to buy Twitter, and it is not clear how much cash he has available to meet his obligation. He has raised $7.1 billion from a group of equity co-investors to reduce his contribution. Musk also sought to reduce this exposure further by arranging a risky $12.5 billion margin loan tied to the shares of Tesla, but then scrapped it last month. Preferred equity would pay a fixed dividend from Twitter, in the same way that a bond or a loan pays regular interest but would appreciate in line with the equity value of the company. The deal uncertainty has also weighed on the plans of banks to get $13 billion of debt they have committed to the acquisition off their books through syndication. While still preparing to syndicate the debt, the banks plan to wait until there is clarity on the deal to launch the process, the sources said. The banks do not believe credit investors will buy into the debt as long as the uncertainty lingers, the sources said. The banks have also found Musk's disparaging public comments about the company unhelpful, and were hoping he would be helping them by now with investor presentations to syndicate the deal, the sources added. To be sure, the halt of these activities does not affect the commitments made by Musk and the banks to fund the deal. Twitter can take them to court to force them to comply with their financing obligations under the deal contract if they come short. On Tuesday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Musk's discussions with private equity backers who are key to financing the Twitter deal have been put on hold The syndication of the debt could emerge as a major issue for the banks were Musk's dispute with Twitter to escalate in litigation and they were forced by a judge to fund the deal. In that scenario, they could struggle to get investors to buy the debt if Musk were unwilling to own the company. That possibility, however, is seen as remote. Most investors are trading Twitter's stock on the assumption it is far more likely for the company to reach a settlement with Musk or let him walk away, rather than go through protracted litigation. Musk's latest dig at Twitter saw him slam its chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and threaten to torpedo the mega deal. The Tesla CEO claimed he 'reserves all rights' to sink the takeover if the platform does not provide more about fake accounts on its website. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also revealed on Monday that he was launching an investigation into Twitter for 'potentially misleading Texans on the number of its 'bot' users.' Paxton argued he has a duty to protect Texans from the company if it is indeed misrepresenting bot data in an effort to drive up revenue. The leader of a Mexican megachurch, who was viewed as an 'apostle' of Jesus Christ, is looking at more than 16 years in a California jail, after he is sentenced Wednesday for sexually abusing three girls. Naason Joaquin Garcia, 53, had vigorously fought charges that included child rape, until abruptly accepting a plea deal on the eve of trial. Garcia is the leader of the La Luz del Mundo church, which has 5 million followers worldwide -- including 1 million inside the US alone. He pleaded guilty Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15. Garcia, 50, and his co-defendant Susana Medina Oaxaca, 27, were arrested in June 3, 2019 after stepping off a plane at Los Angeles International Airport. Church youth group leader Alondra Ocampo was apprehended in Los Angeles the same day. Prosecutors said Garcia used his spiritual influence to have sex with several female followers and was aided by others in the church who facilitated the abuse. The Justice Department says the case in the result of an investigation launched in 2018 that probed alleged crimes that occurred in Los Angeles County dating back to at least 2015 Naason Joaquin Garcia leads a service at his church, La Luz del Mundo, in Guadalajara, Mexico on August 9, 2018 La Luz del Mundo, a church based in Guadalajara, Mexico, has about 5 million worldwide followers Garcia (pictured during a July 2019 court hearing in Los Angeles) used his influence as a spiritual leader to have sex with several female followers Ocampo, who previously pleaded guilty to abusing the girls, was charged with directing teenage girls in skimpy outfits to perform 'flirty' dances for Garcia. She also conducted nude photo shoots for Garcia in which the girls touched each other, according to the charges. Ocampo told girls that if they rebuffed the wishes and desires of 'the apostle,' they were going against God, according to the charges. Garcia told the girls after they danced for him that a king could have mistresses and that 'an apostle of God can never be judged for his actions,' according to the charges against him. Ocampo was prepared to take the stand against him, her attorney Fred Thiagarajah said. 'She actively recruited and groomed girls for him,' Thiagarajah said. 'She would target girls and bring them into his inner fold. She was tasked with sexualizing these girls and facilitating their abuse.' Naason Joaquin Garcia greets his followers during an August 14, 2018 mass at the Luz Del Mundo church in Guadalajara, Mexico WHAT IS LA LUZ DEL MUNDO CHURCH? La Luz Del Mundo was founded in 1926 in Mexico by Naason Joaquin Garcia's grandfather, Eusebio Joaquin Gonzalez, who said he had received a 'divine revelation.' The church is headquartered in Guadalajara, Mexico, and claims five million followers worldwide. The congregation adheres to nontrinitarianism, rejecting a mainstream Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. It says it adheres to the earliest beliefs of the Christian church teachings. Naason, his father, Samuel, and his grandfather are regarded as modern-day apostles of Jesus. The church does not use crosses or religious images in its worship services. Female members follow a dress code that includes long skirts and use head coverings during services. More than half a million followers gathered in Guadalajara for six days in August 2018 to perform their 80th 'holy supper,' one of the largest religious ceremonies in the world -- with mass baptisms, 600,000 loaves of bread, 20,000 liters of wine and attendants dressed in white straining to touch Garcia as he arrived at the church's headquarters escorted by his 'royal guard.' Advertisement Garcia had been scheduled to go on trial Monday on 19 counts that also included allegations of human trafficking to produce child pornography. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. Medina Oaxaca pleaded guilty Friday to assault likely to cause great bodily injury, a misdemeanor. Defense lawyers had said prosecutors were operating under a far-fetched legal theory that Garcia used spiritual coercion for sexual pleasure. 'It is a fantasy seemingly invented out of whole cloth,' defense attorney Alan Jackson wrote in a court filing. But prosecutors said the victims were essentially brainwashed by Garcia and felt they would be ostracized by the insular church community if they didn't submit to his desires. In denying a defense motion to dismiss the case, a judge said Garcia used religion as 'invisible handcuffs' to exploit his victims. Garcia's grandfather founded the Guadalajara-based fundamentalist Christian church - known by its English name, The Light of the World - in 1926. Garcia took over as 'apostle' after his father, Samuel Joaquin Flores, died in 2014. Flores was also the subject of child sex abuse allegations in 1997, but authorities in Mexico never filed criminal charges. The La Luz del Mundo church has tried to cultivate a law-abiding, hard-working image in Mexico - where it counts about 1.8 million followers. Its male members favor suits and short hair, and female members wear veils that cover their hair and modest dresses. One of Microsoft's top executives has resigned amid allegations that he fondled female colleagues and watched virtual reality pillow fight porn in the office. Alex Kipman, 44, of Seattle, announced his plans to resign on Tuesday in an effort to 'pursue other opportunities,' Microsoft insiders allege. Scott Guthrie, VP of Microsoft Cloud and AI Group, is planning to reorganize the division. Sources familiar with the situation told Business Insider Kipman will stay with the company through a two-month transition process. Last month, Kipman, who has been described as one of Microsoft's 'golden boys,' was accused of inappropriate behavior in a scathing Insider report detailing the company's 'toxic culture' that protects its 'untouchable' male executives. Several employees filed a complaint against Kipman last year for dozens of alleged occasions of inappropriate behavior, but the executive - who lives in a $7million Seattle home - has yet to punished for it. Witnesses allege the company instead provided him with 'chaperones' from human resources who accompany him during meetings. However, Microsoft has said those reports are 'not true.' Microsoft executive Alex Kipman (pictured in 2019) has resigned amid allegations that he fondled female colleagues and watched virtual reality pillow fight porn in the office Company insiders allege Kipman notified his direct reports of his plans to resign on Tuesday. His boss, Guthrie, then issued an internal email detailing upcoming changes to the department. 'Over the last several months, Alex Kipman and I have been talking about the team's path going forward. We have mutually decided that this is the right time for him to leave the company to pursue other opportunities,' the email, which was obtained by Insider, reads. 'I appreciate the tremendous vision Alex has provided to Microsoft over the years, and all that he has done to advance our Metaverse offerings. Alex is committed to helping the teams with the transition process over the next two months and ensuring success before pursuing what is next for him.' Kipman was the lead developer of the company's HoloLens smartglasses and the public face of its virtual reality initiative. Company sources told The Seattle Times his departure comes during a 'sensitive time' for the HoloLens project because Microsoft is currently deciding whether to continue developing its own augmented reality software. EVP and Chief Product Officer Panos Panay, who runs Microsofts Surface computer division, will oversee the HoloLens hardware moving forward, per Guthrie's email. Corporate VP Jeff Teper will take over the software part of the group. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed Kipman's resignation to DailyMail.com, as well as the departmental changes, alleging they were made in an effort 'to accelerate business growth, build leadership capability and to further align Microsofts work on the Metaverse.' Kipman, who led the company's HoloLens and virtual reality initiatives, announced his plans to resign on Tuesday in an effort to 'pursue other opportunities'. He is pictured in March 2021 on a virtual stage as a 'fully realized holoporation' of himself in real-time Sources familiar with the situation said Kipman will stay with the company through a two-month transition process. Kipman is pictured in a HoloLens promotional photo Speculations rose that Kipman's days at Microsoft were numbered after the Brazilian-born innovation executive came under fire last month when several former and current employees allegedly accused him of getting away with inappropriate behavior. The sources cited actions that reportedly included inappropriately touching female coworkers and watching a 'VR porn' pillow fight in front of employees. The virtual reality video reported featured women dressed in skimpy outfits who were participating in a sexualized pillow fight. The sexual display was mirrored on nearby TV monitors for all the late-night employees to see. 'It was in the office, in front of women. Incredibly uncomfortable,' a source told Insider. Kipman has been married since 2001 and appears to have at least one child, according to his Facebook profile. He has not commented on the allegations. Virtual reality porn allows viewers to feel as if they're in a sex scene by donning special goggles. The company insiders said he video was just one of many instances that Microsoft employees had to deal with verbal abuse and sexual harassment from top-tier executives. Microsoft has refused to confirm or deny the sordid allegations. Alex Kipman, 44, of Seattle, has been described as one of Microsoft's 'golden boys' and allegedly has dozens of complaints of sexual harassments against him, including a time where he reportedly watched VR porn' of skimpily-dress women pillow fighting. He is pictured in 2018 with his wife, Amanda, whom according to his Facebook profile he married in 2001 The Seattle-based employee has reportedly gone undisciplined for his actions The alleged 'VR porn' incident comes eight years after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella vowed to end the firm's tolerance for 'talented jerks.' Nadella vowed in 2014 to extinguish the golden boys' unlimited access to bad behavior, but current and former employees have said that changes have not been made. 'The gilding on the reputation of the culture change has worn off,' a woman, who works closely with Nadella, told Insider last month. 'It's actually quite tarnished.' Women only make up roughly 25 percent of Microsoft's executives and dozens of women at the company have banned together in an email chain to discuss the gender discrimination and harassment they face, according to Insider. According to a 2015 lawsuit, women were allegedly paid less than men, were promoted less frequently and retaliated against by male managers when they complained, all due to Microsoft's 'lack of proper accountability to ensure fairness.' 'Right now, women are all paid equally until the women who aren't prove it,' one of the emails reportedly read. The first plaintiff was Katherine Moussouris, a computer security researcher who worked at the company from 2007 to 2014. She was later joined by two other Microsoft employees, Holly Muenchow and Dana Piermarini. Scott Guthrie (pictured May 2019), VP of Microsoft Cloud and AI Group, is planning to reorganize the division in wake of Kipman's resignation EVP and Chief Product Officer Panos Panay (left), who runs Microsofts Surface computer division, will oversee the HoloLens hardware moving forward, per Guthrie. Corporate VP Jeff Teper (right) will take over the software part of the group Moussouris told DailyMail.com in May: 'It was a culture of testing women poorly with impunity and I think these revelations (about Gates) have shown that to the world. 'Not only did he choose his wife from his employees, he chose to target several other women to fulfill himself with no consequences. 'It felt like this culture flowed from the top and it was a culture of paying lip service to diversity and inclusion and not really supporting women in sexual assault claims or their career progression'. Moussouris said she dropped the lawsuit after Microsoft tried to settle with her but she refused as she would have to sign a gagging order stopping her from speaking about it. The 2015 lawsuit also alleged that Microsoft was described as a company where women were 'ignored, abused, or degraded' and male bosses ran a 'good ol' boy culture' that 'accepts and tolerates abuse and toxic behavior, especially towards females.' Employees code-named a project 'Wrecking Ball' in honor of Miley Cyrus' raunchy music video and wrote an email called 'Working Backwards' filled with stereotypes about women,' the case claimed. A 2015 lawsuit exposed female employees complaints that they were treated unfairly Employees were called 'p****' and c***' and former chief executive Steve Ballmer was referred to as 'our limp d*** CEO,' the suit claims. One woman complained about being asked by a male co-worker why she was 'dressed like a wh**e' while another man bombarded a woman with messages offering to 'spank' her. Among the litany of incidents was a man who groped four women in a single night at a work function yet an internal investigation found he didn't breach anti-harassment rules, writing it off as 'poor interpersonal awareness.' The lawsuit claimed: 'The flagrant and repeated incidents of sexual misconduct toward women at Microsoft reflects the corporate culture in which women are undervalued and underpaid.' The allegations in the case, which was dismissed only last November, will add to the discomfort of Microsoft executives who are reeling after the claims that Gates had a years-long affair with a Microsoft employee starting in 2000. Reports last month said that during his time at Microsoft, Gates 'pursued' several female employees even though he was married to his estranged wife Melinda French Gates. CEO Satya Nadella (pictured) vowed when he took the role in 2014 to extinguish the 'golden boy' culture that has reportedly been around since Bill Gates. However, employees say they haven't seen much change Gates himself even had an affair with one of his female employees and fed into the culture that 'talented jerks' were untouchable Gates also allegedly had 'men's club' style meetings with the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and would vent to him about his 'toxic' marriage to French Gates, who filed for divorce earlier this month. The lawsuit against Microsoft was filed in 2015 alleging a 'policy, pattern and practice of sex discrimination against female employees' However, Nadella has apparently created an entire HR team dedicated to gender-related claims since become CEO in 2014, but female employees say the investigations can take months or years before being resolved. In addition, Nadella - who has worked for the company since 1992 - did bring in a performance review program which rewards collaboration, hired a chief diversity officer, and handed out bonuses that connected to progress on diversity and inclusion. He also vowed that the 'Microsoft of 2021 is very different from the Microsoft of 2000 to me and to everyone at Microsoft.' Kipman lives in a $7million home in Washington (pictured) that features four bedrooms and lots of greenery The space features a lot of countertops and amble space to entertain It has an open concept layout, including a wide front door and several seating areas However, employees said the golden boy immunity goes back to the times of founder Bill Gates - who had an affair with an employee - and successor Steve Ballmer. 'When they are golden, nothing can be done against them. The person believes they are untouchable and can do anything they want. You might as well swallow the abuse,' a former executive told Insider. In November, shareholders demanded the company be more transparent and to stop concealing sexual misconduct within its ranks. In an overwhelming vote, shareholders said the company needed to publish the results of investigations into top executives and report on the effectiveness of their harassment policies. However, in January, Microsoft purchased Activision Blizzard - a game developer that is being sued by the state of California for 'frat boy' culture that allowed female employees to be sexually harassed and discriminated against. Employees were angered by the decision, with one telling Insider: We can't even take care of our own house, and now we just bought one in worse condition.' Lisa Nandy triggered a furious Commons row today after accusing a Tory MP of 'corruption' over his support for Boris Johnson. She clashed with Isle of Wight Conservative Bob Seely over his admission that he backed the PM in Monday's confidence vote after he agreed to review funding for the island's council. He was one of the 211 Conservative MPs to back the PM, allowing him to remain in post despite a rebellion by 148 others. Speaking during the Commons second reading of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Ms Nandy said the comment made in a statement on his website 'sounds awfully like corruption for me'. Her suggestion provoked an angry response from Mr Seely, who was in the chamber and demanded she withdraw her claim. He said he had simply asked the PM to rectify a 'policy flaw' that saw it get less cash than other islands. He went on: 'So, did I ask for a bag of cash? No. And it is completely untrue of her to say so and she can get up now and apologise.' But her attempts to check his website drew the ire of deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing, who lashed out at the Labour frontbencher for looking at her phone while being spoken to. Ms Nandy apologised and withdrew her corruption claim - instead saying the comments looked 'awfully dodgy'. She clashed with Isle of Wight Conservative Bob Seely over his admission that he backed the PM in Monday's confidence vote after he agreed to review funding for the island's council. Mr Seely denied asking 'for a bag of cash', adding: 'It is completely untrue of her to say so and she can get up now and apologise.' Speaking during the Commons second reading of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Ms Nandy said the comment made in a statement on his website 'sounds awfully like corruption for me'. But her attempts to check his website drew the ire of deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing, who lashed out at the Labour frontbencher for looking at her phone while being spoken to. Writing on his website yesterday, Mr Seely said Mr Johnson was 'the only one ever to promise an improved funding settlement' for the Isle of Wight. He said: 'I voted that I had confidence in the Prime Minister as leader of the Conservative Party, although not without some consideration and only after discussion with senior ministers. 'It is clear that some foolish errors were made during partygate. Boris has apologised. I hope now that he can focus on governing. 'I talked again with ministers about why a fair funding package has not yet been forthcoming for the Isle of Wight Council. 'I have been assured they will look at this again and will do so in the very near future, ahead of the ongoing review of local government finance. I will keep islanders informed.' Addressing Levelling-Up Secretary Michael Gove this afternoon, Ms Nandy had said: 'I saw that the member for the Isle of Wight said he had voted for the Prime Minister to keep his job after receiving assurances that there would be a funding review for his council. 'Can I ask the Secretary of State, did he have knowledge of this, did he sign it off? Because let me say to him, that sounds awfully like corruption for me.' Mr Seely later described Ms Nandy's speech as 'pretty dire' and her withdrawal as 'pretty mealy-mouthed'. He added: 'For the record, for the Labour frontbench and anyone else who wants to listen, I make no apology for persuading Government to treat the Isle of Wight like every other island in the UK. 'The island is the most under-represented place in this country. I have twice as many constituents, we are separated by sea from the mainland, and I have to fight three times as hard to get any government to listen to me. 'I make no apologies for speaking with passion and determination and I make no apologies for fighting tooth and nail.' Pointing to the Conservative benches, he added: 'The reason why there are so many of us here, not only in this debate but in this House is maybe, just maybe because we have a reputation for delivering for our folks and that is something that I think the opposite side of the House may want to take into account. After the furore died down Ms Nandy urged Tory MPs 'chuntering and heckling' on the benches opposite to look at themselves in the mirror. The shadow communities secretary said: 'Every single honourable member who sits there chuntering and heckling rather than standing up for their own communities needs to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves whether they are doing a good job for their own communities.' Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst (Rochester and Strood) intervened, saying: 'How dare she suggests that members on this side of the House aren't standing up for their community, when we are quite obviously aggrieved with the allegation that she has just made against a fellow colleague. So yes, we have got a right to chunter at her comments.' Shortly afterwards, raising a point of order, Labour MP Emma Hardy (Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle) asked Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing: 'I wonder if I can seek your advice on how we can continue to have this debate in a respectful manner and stop the incessant chuntering and rudeness coming from members opposite.' Dame Eleanor replied: 'I'm perfectly capable of working that one out for myself. Thank you very much.' A jilted British Army Lieutenant is cleared of pushing his ex-lover over a sofa at a formal regimental dinner so hard it knocked her unconscious as court heard she cannot remember what happened. Patrick McGregor was alleged to have shoved Second Lieutenant Hannah Bird - the first woman ever to qualify as a Guards Officer - as she tried to leave the room following a 'confrontation' between the pair. 2Lt Bird claimed he attacked her because she argued with him after he 'embarrassed' her earlier in the evening by talking over her at a soldier's dinner. But lawyers for Lt McGregor claimed she tumbled over the settee because she was 'drunk and wearing high heels'. Ms Bird, who the court heard left the lieutenant for a Sandhurst colleague, conceded she had been 'under the influence', having drunk prosecco, wine and gin and tonics. The court had heard 2Lt Bird, who also works for Goldman Sachs as a trader, launched her complaints after being shown CCTV footage of the incident as did not remember the incident. Judge Advocate Robert Hill directed a not guilty verdict due to there not being enough evidence. Lieutenant Patrick McGregor (pictured) was alleged to have shoved Second Lieutenant Hannah Bird - the first woman ever to qualify as a Guards Officer - as she tried to leave the room following a 'confrontation' between the pair The two reservists, both of The London Guards, began their romance in the year before 2Lt Bird graduated from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as the first ever female officer in the prestigious Guards Division. Though both agree 2Lt Bird was the one to call an end to their relationship, Lt McGregor says his former partner - who also works as a city banker - did so after falling for another soldier at Sandhurst. Lt McGregor was cleared of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and an alternative charge of battery. Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire previously heard the pair began a relationship after 2Lt Bird transferred to the London Guards - the Army Reserves battalion of the Guards Division - in December 2019. The Guards Division provides two battalions for public duties in the London district, which also operate as infantry battalions. The couple lived together for some time during their relationship, and Lt McGregor even helped his partner prepare for her eight-week officer training course at Sandhurst. 2Lt Bird, who also works as Security Trader at the Goldman Sachs investment banking company, made history when she became the first woman to graduate as an officer in the Guards Division. The court heard 2Lt Bird, from Pinner in North London, ended her relationship with Lt McGregor whilst at Sandhurst at the beginning of 2021. The pair met again at a regimental associates dinner at the Cavalry and Guards Club in central London months later in July. Hannah Bird - the first woman ever to qualify as a Guards Officer After exchanging pleasantries early in the evening, 2Lt Bird told the court she became 'embarrassed' when her former lover kept interrupting her conversations with other friends. During a private conversation later that evening, 2Lt Bird said she had told Lt McGregor not to embarrass her again and he then pushed her as she tried to leave the ante room, causing her to fall over a sofa and bang her head. The 27-year-old said: 'I tried to leave and walk past him, but Lt McGregor stopped me from leaving with his hands. 'Then he used both hands to push me backwards. It was a forceful push and I next remember waking up on the other side of the sofa. 'I heard Lt Smith tell [another officer] that Patrick had pushed me over the sofa and I had been unconscious for about ten seconds.' However, Lt McGregor's lawyer, Matthew Bolt, told the court 2Lt Bird had simply fallen over as she was 'drunk and wearing high heels'. 2Lt Bird admitted she had been 'under the influence' after enjoying glasses of prosecco, wine and gin and tonics that evening. She said: 'I had two glasses of prosecco before dinner. There was some table wine so I had some wine with my meal. 'After the meal I went downstairs to the bar. [..] I had [two] gin and tonics at the bar. I would say I found the sweet spot. 'I can't remember but I know my limits. I was under the influence by the time I went to the bar.' Cavalry and Guards Club, Piccadilly, London, England, where the alleged incident happened 2Lt Bird also told the court she couldn't remember being pushed over by Lt McGregor, and only decided she had been after viewing CCTV footage of the incident. She explained: '[Being pushed] wasn't in my statement because I wanted to be very sure of what I was writing down at the time. 'Since then I have seen the video. It was like I had lost a couple of seconds [...]. I still don't have any recollection of the push.' Cross examining 2Lt Bird, Mr Bolt said: 'Your relationship came to an end by the time you left Sandhurst - the day before he was due to watch your passing out parade and collect you. 'The relationship ended because you met someone else at Sandhurst. You quite simply collided with him in your anger and fell over. You were unbalanced. You made no mention of the gin and tonics to the RMP. 'You lost balance because you were too close to Lt McGregor, you were wearing high heels and you were drunk.' Lt McGregor was cleared of assaulting his former partner at the halfway point of the trial after the defence submitted there was no case to answer. This is the moment an angry orangutan teaches a teenager a lesson he'll never forget after he jumped too close to her at a zoo in Indonesia yesterday. Hasan Arifin, 19, leapt over the safety rail at Kasang Kulim Zoo to confront the normally gentle great ape called Tina and began filming himself while dancing in front of her. Zoo workers told local news outlet Riau Saura that Hasan had previously aimed a kick towards the ape before the recorded incident in the Indonesian province of Riau, on June 6. As the clip begins, Hasan prances close to the bars full of confidence but is horrified when the normally docile Tina grabs hold his shirt. He cries out for help as the orangutan effortlessly pulls him towards her, while a friend struggles to free him. As the clip begins, Hasan prances close to the bars full of confidence but is horrified when the normally docile Tina grabs hold his shirt After letting go of his t-shirt, the primate next grabs hold of the teenager's leg - sending him into fits of panic As the ape drags him in closer with its powerful arms, Hasan is heard to scream: 'No, no, no!' Even with his friend trying to help him, the pair are no match for Tina's strength. After releasing Hasan's T-shirt, she grabs his leg with a vice-like grip and pulls it right up to the bars. As the teen stats to wriggle free, Tina pulls his foot towards her mouth and tries to bite it before he eventually makes his escape. An unnamed zoo worker told local media: 'The incident happened on Monday afternoon (6 June), when the visitor jumped over the guardrail of the orangutan enclosure to take a video without the keeper's permission. 'The visitor violated the rules by jumping over the guardrail and kicking the orangutan.' Hasan has since issued an apology for his actions. Brazen shoplifters filled garbage bags and a shopping cart with laundry detergent inside a DC grocery store, located just one mile from the US Capitol. Three thieves were filmed stealing loads of detergent inside Giant Food grocery store on H Street in DC on Tuesday afternoon as shoppers ignored them. A video, posted to Twitter by Nathan, who asked to only be identified by his first name, shows the thieves languidly putting in multiple bottles and containers of laundry detergent and fabric softeners into their cart and bags. Alongside the cleaning products, it appears the thieves stole a can of mayonnaise and a large jar of salsa, among other things. A second thief, who appears to be wearing a Vera Bradley-style purse was caught shoving Gain fabric softener into a large black trash bag. A third thief was seen running down the aisle with a reusable grocery bag. It is unknown what items he had in his bag. Store security reportedly didn't bother to intervene with the robberies and let the thieves continue their rampage, Fox News reported. Three thieves were spotted stealing inside a Giant Food grocery story in DC on Tuesday. The first thieve was pilling loads of Tide detergent pods into his cart, alongside his jar of salsa and mayonnaise A second thief (right) was seen shoving Gain fabric softener into a trash bag. A security guard was reportedly inside the store, but did not intervene A third thief was seen carrying a grocery bag full of goodies as he ran up the aisle It is unclear if the men have been arrested for the crime. Giant Food Grocery store manager Raymond declined to comment to DailyMail.com, citing that he wasn't 'allowed to' discuss it when asked. Like most big cities, violent crimes in DC are up 16 percent, with robbery up a staggering 38 percent. DC isn't the only area where store security is being lax on reprimanding brazen criminals, as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York have reported similar experiences, as the cities' DAs have been accused of being soft on crime. Overall crime is up four percent in DC, with violent crime up 16 percent A few days ago, a thief attacked Duane Reade employees with a bike chain after stealing $1,700 worth of merchandise in a Manhattan store. As he was leaving with his stolen loot, the thief promised to attack the workers. Minutes later he returned to make good on his threat. The suspect, waving the bicycle chain in his hand, went behind the counter and started hitting the employees before running off. Just a few weeks ago, criminals ransacked an LA Sephora as employees and customers looked on. Cellphone footage shows three individuals in hoodies snagging handfuls of products off the Sephora shelves and stuffing them into trash bags. Thieves stole thousands of dollars in worth of makeup inside an LA Sephora a few weeks ago, just one of many incidents in the last year A thief violently attacked two New York City drug store workers with a bicycle chain The unidentified suspect targeted the Duane Reade on 6th Avenue near West 27th Street (pictured) on Tuesday afternoon in NYC 'Oh my god,' the woman filming can be heard saying as the thieves fill their bags with loot. 'Oh my f*****g god. 'F*****g lowlifes.' Once their bags are full, the thieves scurry off towards the door of the store, before pausing to saunter out. Several store employees can be seen watching the thieves and speaking into radios, but keeping their distance and allowing the shoplifters to walk out. Jared Kushner's interest in Florida real estate and Middle East peace in the last days of 2020 coincided with his own doubts about his father-in-law's insistent claims that he won the election, a new book reveals. Kushner was an influential advisor inside the Trump White House, with he and his wife Ivanka Trump both often cast as using their unpaid roles as as calming influences. But Kushner was notably absent during critical periods in the last days of the Trump White House that included the president's effort to overturn the election and he was overseas when a mob stormed the Capitol following Trump's appearance at a 'Stop the Steal' rally. On Nov. 5, 2020, within 24 hours of Trump first publicly proclaiming on election Kushner turned to Ivanka and told her, 'Were moving to Miami, according to the book, The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, by New York Times reporter Peter Baker and New Yorker reporter Susan Glasser. According to the book, Kushner came up with a two-to-one formula for packaging bad news that had to be delivered to Trump in meetings or calls. He would balance out the bad news with at least two pieces of good news, sources told the authors. But when it came to denying Trump's election defeat, Kushner opted to decamp out of Washington altogether rather than sugar coating the bad news that came in a series of court rulings and certifications by state legislatures. Scroll down for video Donald Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump made plans to move to Miami after the 2020 elections. Neither believed the election was stolen, according to a new book He considered lawyer Rudy Giuliani's involvement in the overturn effort a 'red flag,' according to the book. 'But instead of fighting Mr. Giuliani for Mr. Trumps attention, Mr. Kushner opted out entirely, deciding it was time to focus on his own future, one that would no longer involve the White House,' the authors write. They ended up buying a $32 million mansion in Miami within weeks of Kushner's pronouncement. The Washington power couple, who rented pricey real estate in D.C.'s Kalorama neighborhood near former President Barack Obama, weren't buying Trump and his allies' claims of election fraud. 'No matter how vociferously Mr. Trump claimed otherwise, neither Mr. Kushner nor Ivanka Trump believed then or later that the election had been stolen,' according to the book, which cites people close to them. The senior advisor didn't stop work entirely, although he did find time to pen a 40,000 word draft of a memoir during a two-week period after the election. To assist in the effort he took an online class with novelist James Patterson, who co-wrote a thriller with former President Bill Clinton. Marc Short, who was serving as chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, tried to enlist Kushner in the effort to walk back Trump, who was demanding Pence not accept votes certified by states. 'Look, can you help us with this?' Short reportedly asked him. Kushner provided reassurances when Vice President Mike Pence's top aide raised concerns The power couple had been considered a moderating influence on Trump 'Look, when Rudy got involved, I stopped being involved,' he responded, saying Pence was a 'big boy.' 'Im too busy working on Middle East peace right now, Marc,' he added. That included final touches on what became known as the Abraham Accords, the effort to resume travel and commercial ties between Arab nations and Israel. Kushner consulted author James Patterson in an online course about his memoirs He also worked to smooth a conflict between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into a Kushner business deal that emerged after he left the White House, when the real estate investor was able to obtain a $2 billion investment from a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. Kushner's Affinity Partners secured the $2 billion investment six months after he left the White House. According to the authors, Jared and Ivanka's decision to move 'opened a vacuum' that other figures, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and 'Kraken' lawyer Sidney Powell, exploited, with historic consequences. It left those pushing the overturn effort without a 'counterweight.' During those critical weeks, he also provided assurances to then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who would denounce Trump after the riot. 'Well get through it, bear with us,' he told Josh Homes, a former aid key figure in McConnell's orbit. 'Weve got a couple of challenges that have some merit, well see how they go, but theres a pretty good chance we come up short,' he predicted, predicting the effort would end after Dec. 24 when the Electoral College met. Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday blasted lawmakers who didn't support the stricter gun control measures before the House, saying their 'political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children.' Dressed in an orange suit - orange is the color used to symbolize gun violence victims - the speaker took the House floor ahead of votes on eight gun reform bills to deliver a rousing speech calling for their passage. She waved her arm in the air as she talked about the numerous mass shootings around the country and particularly those in schools. 'Does that embarrass you to think that more children have died in our country from gun violence than any other cause?,' Pelosi said. 'Its sickening that our children are forced to live in this constant fear,' she added. She encouraged lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support the bills, which include provisions to limit magazine sizes, increase the age to buy assault rifles, set standards for gun storage and codify regulations on ghost guns and bump stocks. 'To those moment of silence is good enough, if you don't have the courage to take the vote to protect the children, I would say your political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children,' she said. Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted lawmakers who didn't support the stricter gun control measures before the House, saying their 'political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children' Pelosi was surrounded by rows of Democratic lawmakers as she spoke. Earlier, she had asked lawmakers to be there for the full period of debate on the bills, which is expected to last all afternoon, 'on behalf of the survivors of gun violence, and out of respect for those who lost their lives.' The recent rash of mass shootings, including ones at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, have put pressure on lawmakers to pass some type of legislation. Those two shootings last month - just nine days apart left 31 people dead. President Joe Biden also has encouraged Congress to act and referred to Tuesday night's primary results where voters, particularly in California, showed their frustration with rising crime rates. 'The voters sent a clear message last night. Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence,' Biden said before he headed to Los Angeles to host the Summit of the Americas. House Republican Leadership is encouraging all their lawmakers to vote against the final package, known as the Protecting Our Kids Act. Rep. Steve Scalise conceded that some Republicans may vote for certain provisions in the series of eight votes but said, overall, the GOP was pushing to vote no on the final package. He compared the mass shootings in schools to the September 11th terrorist attacks. 'Airplanes were used that day, as the weapon to kill thousands of people and to inflict terror on our country. There wasn't a conversation about banning airplanes,' he said Wednesday. Despite the GOP opposition, the package of bills is expected to pass the House where Democrats hold the majority. It is unlikely to pass the Senate, where at least 10 Republican votes are needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance legislation. The recent rash of mass shootings, including ones at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, have put lawmakers under pressure to act The gun bills are expected to pass in the House, where Democrats hold a majority A bipartisan group of senators is working on its own gun reform legislation but no bill has yet been finalized. Senator Chris Murphy, who is leading negotiations for Democrats, said the House bill will put pressure on the Senate to 'do the right thing.' Senators are looking at legislation that would reform background checks, encourage state red flag laws, enhance school safety and provide new mental health programs, Politico reported. President Biden met with Sen. Murphy at the White House on Tuesday for about 30 minutes to receive an update on the talks. Murphy said his goal was to have a bipartisan deal by the end of the week. The House also will vote on Thursday on a bill from Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath that would establish a so-called 'red flag' procedure in federal courts to allow police and individuals to seek extreme risk protection orders for the temporary seizure of firearms. McBath has personal experience on the matter. Her son Jordan was shot and killed in 2012 at age 17. Wednesday's House vote comes after lawmakers held an emotional hearing on the mass shooting at the Texas elementary shcool. President Joe Biden met with Democratic Senator Chris Murphy on Tuesday to discuss Senate negotiations on gun reform Uvalde school shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo, 11, recounted to Congress on Wednesday the massacre at her elementary school last month that left 21 people dead and many more injured Shooting survivor Miah Cerrillo, 11, described to lawmakers how she covered herself in blood to trick the shooter into thinking she was dead. '[The shooter] shot the little window and then he moved to the other classrooms and then he went there's a door between our classrooms and he went through there. Then shot my teacher and told my teacher 'goodnight' and shot her in the head,' Cerrillo told lawmakers in testimony that was pre-recorded. 'And then he shot some of my classmates and the white board. When I went to the backpacks, he shot my friend that was next to me and I thought he was going to come back to the room,' she continued in pre-recorded remarks that were played before the panel .'So I grabbed the blood and I put it all over me.' 'I stayed quiet and then I got my teachers' phone and called 9-1-1 and told her that we need help,' Cerrillo said, claiming at that point police came to her classroom. On May 24, 2022, Salvador Ramos, 18, opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 elementary-aged students and two teachers and injuring several others. Ramos was shot dead by law enforcement. A Florida man was shot dead by SWAT officers after murdering someone and then holding his girlfriend hostage in a shed for nine-and-a-half hours on Wednesday. The suspect, Juan Sarmiento, 42, has long rap sheet of violent criminal activity, according to police. Traffic was closed on a major state highway next to the residence where the situation played out in Wimauma, Florida, while negotiators and members of the Sarmiento's family, pleaded with him to turn himself in. Sarmiento was finally shot by a SWAT member after the standoff carried through the night and into the next day. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The body of the person Sarmiento allegedly murdered was found in a car parked near the shed, and authorities are waiting for a search warrant so they can investigate. Juan Sarmiento, 42, was shot dead by a Florida SWAT officer after barricading himself in a shed and taking his girlfriend hostage for 9.5 hours on Wednesday Shortly after the standoff ended, Sheriff Chad Chronister detailed the events to reporters at a news conference on the site of the incident. Just before midnight on June 7, a man called police to report that his friend, Sarmiento, had asked him to help remove some trash from a residence. When he arrived he found Sarmiento asking for help disposing of a man he had killed. 'When he arrived at the residence, he immediately noticed that the trash his friend wished him to dispose of was a deceased male victim wrapped in plastic laying across the backseat of a car,' said Chronister. 'He helped guide our deputies to the 5600 block of Center Street, where the first two responding deputies saw the deceased individual laying in the backseat of the car, and at the same time heard a male and a female voice inside a eight by ten shed.' A responding officer sets up his weapon on the site of the hostage standoff in Wimauma, Florida, early Wednesday morning Heavily armed SWAT officers could be seen on the site of the residence where Sarmiento had barricaded himself and his girlfriend in a shed The shed was located feet from the car with the body it, and when officers banged on the door they were cursed out by the male voice, who told them to back away. 'They were met with a lot of profanity telling the deputies to back off, that he has a hostage,' Chronister said. When officers attempted to pry the shed open, the suspect warned them that he had a gun, and they backed off and called in SWAT and crisis negotiation teams. Throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning, negotiators called to Sarmiento through a bullhorn. SWAT even brought his family, including his sister, to the scene to help talk with him. 'If you don't want to do this for yourself, do this for her. Your whole family showed up to here, because they love you, and they're worried about you,' negotiators could be heard saying, 'Do this for them.' Residents of the neighborhood were evacuated from the scene as Sarmiento could be seen swinging his gun around inside the shed. Armed police at the residence where Sarmiento was barricaded. He told officers that he had no plans to get out alive Chronister said that the suspect became increasingly erratic and hostile as negotiators communicated with him. 'Most individuals start to deescalate, they start to calm down. We start to make some progress in obtaining that peaceful resolution. He was just the opposite,' Chronister said, 'He became even more hostile, he was talking about, 'I promise I will die here today.' 'He was saying that his hostage that he was holding was his insurance policy, and that things will go boom.' Eventually Sarmiento stood up in front of a window inside the shed, and a SWAT officer fired a shot and struck him in the upper torso. The hostage was quickly recovered, and the standoff ended. 'It's because of this SWAT operators actions that she is now safe and free from any further harm.' Medics on the scene attempted to treat Sarmiento's wound, and whisked him away to a local hospital where he later died. Sheriff Chad Chronister gave a detailed account of the events of the standoff at a press conference on Wednesday morning Officers responding to the hostage situation. Negotiators brought members of Sarmiento's family to the scene to plea with him Chronister said that the suspect was a known criminal with a long list of arrests against him. 'He's no stranger to law enforcement. He's been arrested on eight felony charges. One of them, probably the most concerning, is aggravated assault and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.' He characterized Sarmiento's hostage as a 'recently new girlfriend,' and said she was 'extremely frantic' during the rescue. Authorities didn't know the identity of the man Sarmiento allegedly murdered, but Chronister said that they hope the girlfriend will be able to shed light on what happened. Three of Queen Elizabeth II's great-grandchildren, Princes George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, looked to be having the time of their lives during the four-day Platinum Jubilee celebration. The three siblings of Prince William and Kate Middleton made a number of public engagements, including two appearances beside the queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Prince Louis Garners Most of The Attention The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate, released more candid photographs of their children on social media Monday, reminiscing about a "fantastic weekend of celebrations." So lovely to meet the stars and team behind tonights concert. We had an extra special drum demonstration for George and Charlotte, saw a stunning performance from the Wales Youth Choir for Good and had a sneak peak at how the show will come together. Have a great time! pic.twitter.com/CDHJAdnt0A The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 4, 2022 Throughout the four-day celebrations, Prince Louis put on his own stage, first riding in a carriage with his siblings at Trooping the Color and then appearing with the queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where he charmingly responded to military planes passing overhead. On Sunday, Prince Louis made his second appearance, attending the Platinum Jubilee pageant with his siblings and family, and he did not fail in offering remarkable reactions. Prince George, 8, and Princess Charlotte, 7, got to accompany their parents on a royal visit to Cardiff Castle and witness the star-studded performance outside of Buckingham Palace on Saturday night, ABC News reported. I'm sure Prince Charles has a special relationship with his grandchildren but with Prince Louis you can tell it's different. You can see how close they are. There's a certain connection between them that is beautiful to see. It's beautiful to see Charles being a grandfather. pic.twitter.com/CUWrljHjaG Isa (@isaguor) June 5, 2022 Read Also: Meghan Markle's Secret Message to Prince Harry: Everything You Need To Know During the Sussexes' Stay in UK for Platinum Jubilee Prince George, Princess Charlotte's Sweet Moment A touching conversation between Prince George and Princess Charlotte was captured on camera as they stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth II during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The video has earned 136,000 likes and has been seen over 5 million times. It shows Prince George and Princess Charlotte responding to colorful fireworks fired after the national anthem was performed at the jubilee event on Sunday. Prince George and Princess Charlotte are seen standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of their father, Prince William, in the viral video. Per Newsweek via MSN, Princess Charlotte is noticeably surprised when cannons fire streams of red, white, and blue flares into the sky, and she turns to her brother, Prince George, to say, "that made me jump." "Did it make you jump?" Prince George, third in line to the throne, is shown questioning his sister before smiling as Prince William checked on his children, asking, "Are you alright guys?" Despite the numerous memorable moments taken of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, it was their younger brother Prince Louis who received the most attention for his rowdy conduct during the jubilee performance on Sunday. Prince Louis sat next to his mother during the ceremony, which included a military salute by Prince Charles and visits by Commonwealth leaders and stars from the stage and film. The little prince struggled to sit still and alternated between his mother, father, and grandfather, Prince Charles. The image of the 4-year-old arguing with his mother and covering her mouth with his hand has received a lot of attention in the media and online, with some criticizing Prince William and Kate Middleton's parenting. Some have also argued that if the prince had been Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's kid, Archie, his actions would not have been seen as favorably. The Cambridges themselves appear to have laughed off the remarks concerning Prince Louis. Cambridges Reaction to Prince Louis You've probably seen Prince Louis' amusing antics at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, where he made funny expressions and blew raspberries at his mother, Kate Middleton. However, you may have been so preoccupied with the little prince that you missed his family's great reactions to him. Prince Louis rejoiced wildly at the Platinum Pageant, eagle-eyed royal fans were observing all of the Cambridges, and it appears his older brother's response to his behavior has gone viral. Prince George clocked his brother, swinging his arms frantically in the air and appearing to put his head in his hands, as if humiliated, according to Twitter users. Per Mirror, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen laughing heartily at their son's joy, while Mia Tindall, who was seated behind Prince Louis, was seen laughing as well. Princess Charlotte was less than impressed when she turned to face him. Related Article: Prince Louis Steals the Platinum Jubilee Spotlight Again After Shushing, Covering Kate Middleton's Mouth @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A mentally ill woman killed her four-year-old son in the bath of her London flat three years after telling a nurse about a previous attempt to drown him, a court has heard. Paranoid schizophrenic Oluwakemi Badare, 37, called emergency services to her home in Plumstead, on December 27, 2020. She told the operator she had killed her son by drowning but also that she had left him in the bath and forgotten about him, the Old Bailey was told. The jury heard that paramedics found four-year-old Kingswealth Badare's wet body at the top of the stairs outside the bathroom. Nigerian Badare was charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter by gross negligence. She suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and is not fit to plead or participate in the trial but a jury will decide whether she killed her son. Paranoid schizophrenic Oluwakemi Badare (pictured), 37, called emergency services to her home in Plumstead, on December 27, 2020 The jury heard that paramedics found four-year-old Kingswealth Badare's (pictured) wet body at the top of the stairs outside the bathroom Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said he had scratches, bruises and skin defects on his head, neck and upper body 'consistent with pressure from fingernails and focal pressure to the head'. 'These marks suggest that Kingswealth had been held under the water - and had been drowned deliberately,' he said. He told jurors their job would be to decide whether she did the act with which she is charged - that she drowned her son deliberately or accidentally. Badare came to the UK from Nigeria in 2009 giving birth to Kingswealth in April 2016. She had a 10-year diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, the court heard. She was receiving treatment in the community when, in 2017, she relapsed and held her son under water, jurors heard. Nigerian Badare (pictured) was charged with murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter by gross negligence Mr Atkinson said: 'At that time, she was suffering from delusions and reported to a nurse during her subsequent in-patient admission to hospital that she had held Kingswealth under water for less than a minute when she believed that she was under surveillance. 'Of course there is only the defendant's own account of that attempt to drown her son in 2017 and it relates to a time when she was very unwell. 'However, it was recorded by the hospital and child care services in 2017. 'Moreover, the defendant repeated her account of what she had done when she was spoken to by a nurse, this time a custody nurse at the police station after her arrest for the death of her son in 2020. 'The prosecution suggest it is unlikely to be a coincidence that, when unwell, the defendant should try to drown her son in 2017 and yet in 2020, again when she was unwell, Kingswealth should actually drown by accident rather than by an act of his mother.' Before the prosecution opening on Wednesday, Judge Richard Marks told jurors it was a 'distressing case'. He said: 'It is important that you put emotion to one side, that you do not allow any upset you may feel about the background of the case influence you in any way.' Badare had been suffering from paranoid schizophrenic episode in 2017 when she held her son under water, The Old Bailey (pictured) heard Nicholas Goh, an incident response officer with London Ambulance Service, spoke to Badare who was banging her arms on the sofa when emergency services arrived in 2020. She became calm and said that they went for a bubble bath last night and that when she put him in the water he screamed as it was cold, Mr Atkinson said. The prosecutor continued: Paramedics noted that Kingswealths body was wet and there were bubbles on it. He was not breathing. His hair was waterlogged and there was water in his ears. It was noted that the childs jaw was stiff, his limbs were stiff, his lungs were full. It was considered...that there was no point to attempting resuscitation as rigor mortis had already set in. The court was told Oluwakemi Badare, 37, that emergency services were called to the address in Invermore Place on Sunday shortly before 8am, where the boy was found dead Police then arrived and spoke to Badare who was noted to be restless, the court heard. She asked to see her sons body but her request was refused. Following her arrest she told the officer: Yes, I forgot him in the bath. Badare is said to have collapsed as she was taken downstairs, crying: I fell asleep. The prosecution allege that Badare caused the death of her child. A post-mortem examination found Kingswealth was a well nourished child and there were no signs of neglect. Badare, of Invermore Place, Plumstead, denies murder and an alternative lesser charge of manslaughter by gross negligence, on the basis of her account that she forgot her son was in the bath. The trial continues. Advertisement Sajid Javid has warned that cancelled screenings of a 'blasphemous' Islamic film is a 'dangerous road to go down' after furious Muslim protests outside cinemas - as he today said 'freedom of speech is a fundamental British value'. Why The Lady Of Heaven so controversial? How film touches on tensions between Sunnis and Shias Controversial film Lady of Heaven has been banned from some cinemas in the UK after hundreds of Muslims protested against it. Large crowds appeared outside cinemas in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham and Sheffield in recent days to call for the film to be pulled from theatres. The film and its creators have been accused of blasphemy for depicting Prophet Muhammad and his daughter Fatima. Most schools of Islam ban any depiction of the prophet as they believe it to be against the spirit of the religion, disrespectful and encouraging of the worship of idols. The film has also been accused of inciting hatred between different sects in Islam. Created by Shias, it was nonetheless banned in Shia-majority Iran with the government saying it was aimed at dividing Muslims. The Sunni sect, which makes up 90 per cent of the global Muslim population, have accused the film's creators of deliberately depicting an extremist Shia perspective of Islamic history to create tension. Sunni Muslims are unhappy at the way that some of Islam's holiest figures are portrayed in the film, including the prophet's third wife Aisha and two of his closest companions. Abu Bakr and Omar, who were the first two caliphs and are seen as two of the holiest figures among Sunnis, are depicted as deceitful, conniving and dishonest - characterisation that has caused significant anger among Sunnis. Another complaint has been about how the companions, and Aisha, were portrayed by black actors, leading to accusations of racism. 5Pillars, an Islamic Media organisation, said: 'Most Muslims will find the invective against three of the most beloved companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) shocking and disgusting. But it is also a deeply racist film with all the main negative characters being portrayed by black actors. Whats more, the film directly disrespects the Prophet (pbuh) by showing his face.' There is also anger at the writer of the film, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib, who is a controversial figure in the Muslim world. A Kuwaiti Shia scholar based in London, he has previously angered Sunni Muslims by calling Aisha, the third wife of the Prophet Muhammad, 'an enemy of God'. The cleric was previously jailed in Kuwait and had his citizenship stripped. Senior Iranian clerics have described him as a mad man and accused him of inflaming tensions between Sunnis and Shia. Executive producer Malik Shlibak said the film had gone to great lengths not to offend Muslims, adding that he was aware the movie was including characters that are 'very holy for close to two billion people'. Advertisement Showcase today became the second cinema chain to pull The Lady of Heaven, a film about the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, from its screens following an outcry from protestors. The 12million movie was released in the UK over the Jubilee weekend, but Cineworld subsequently removed it from all branches after staff faced crowds of protesters outside venues in Bradford, Bolton, Birmingham and Sheffield. But Health Secretary Mr Javid today weighed in on the controversy and said the cancellations were 'an incredibly dangerous road to go down'. Speaking to TalkTV, he added: 'I am very concerned about the growing cancel culture in this country. There's people out there who think they have a right not to be offended and of course, no-one has that right. 'You might not like what someone's got to say, but they have a right to say it.' Mr Javid also highlighted that there is no blasphemy law in the UK, saying: 'What we have in this country is freedom of speech and expression and that is a fundamental value.' Claire Fox, who sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Fox of Buckley, also took to Twitter to denounce the decision. She said: 'Same "I Find that Offensive" cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. 'Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy.' Meanwhile, Vue is defiantly continuing to show the film, saying it 'takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content' and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities'. The movie's executive producer, Malik Shlibak, called the decision to pull it 'unacceptable' and accused the chain of 'bowing down to radical extremists'. Today he revealed he had received messages from activists telling him 'I'm going to kill you' on Twitter. But he said he wasn't scared by the threats, which included him being called an 'infidel', an offensive term relating to someone who is unfaithful to their own religion. And he added the massive controversy surrounding its screenings had been 'brilliant' for the film and had brought in 'huge audiences'. He said: 'I've had death threats sent to me, to be very frank with you, I've had death threats for the last five years. 'It's nothing new because I'm involved in this type of work where these radicals don't what you to speak about anything they don't agree with. I don't worry about it - it's just empty threats. 'But I have had threats on Twitter now, being called an 'infidel' and with people saying, 'I'm going to kill you' and all this sort of thing.' It is not the first time images of the Prophet Muhammed have caused controversy. Last year, protests erupted outside Batley Grammar School after a teacher showed pupils an 'inappropriate' cartoon of Muhammed. He was later suspended and forced into hiding. The issue has also sparked violence in the past, including the shooting of 11 people at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine; while in 2020 a teacher was beheaded in Paris for showing cartoons of Muhammed to his pupils. Cineworld has said it has cancelled all showings of the film nationwide 'to ensure the safety of our staff and customers'. Pictured: A crowd of protesters gathered outside the Cineworld in Birmingham on Sunday, June 5, to protest the film's release Cinemas have seen protests from Muslims claiming the film The Lady of Heaven is 'blasphemous'. Pictured: Birmingham Some cinemas made the decision to pull the film from theatres following the backlash. Pictured: Cineworld in Birmingham Protesters gathered at cinemas to voice opposition to the Lady of Heaven, which was officially released in the UK on June 3 Health Secretary Sajid Javid today weighed in on the controversy and said the cancellations were 'an incredibly dangerous road to go down' The people behind The Lady of Heaven Eli King The director of the film, Eli King has no previous movie credits to his name. He has not done any interviews prior to the film's release, and keeps an under the radar profile. Producer Malik Shlibak said they landed on King after meeting with a lot of directors. He told Deadline: 'The majority of the British ones I would say, many of them were very interested, but felt the subject may have been too complex, but we were very lucky at the end.' Malik Shlibak Executive producer Malik Shlibak Based in London, the executive producer has hit back at criticism and accused cinemas of caving to 'extremists' by pulling the film. On Twitter he wrote: 'While I vehemently disagree with what these protestors stand for (death of free speech), I wholeheartedly thank them for the free publicity, we're already seeing an absolute flood of new audience who had never heard of our film.' Speaking last year he said the film had gone to great lengths not to offend Muslims, adding that he was aware the movie was including characters that are 'very holy for close to two billion people'. Hussein Ashmere Producer Hussein Ashmere One of the producers on the film, Ashmere previously said he hoped the film would educate audiences. Speaking to Deadline last year, he said while it was 'an emotional film' it would also be informative for people unfamiliar with the story of Lady Fatima. 'It's all factually correct, so this is one thing I want to reiterate,' he said. 'We spent meticulous time on this particular subject. We wanted to make sure we wrapped this up very well.' Sheikh al-Habib Sheikh Yasser al-Habib The film's writer, Sheikh Yasser al-Habib is a Kuwaiti Shia scholar based in London. He was imprisoned in the Middle Eastern country before being granted asylum in the UK. He has previously angered Sunni Muslims by calling Aisha, the third wife of the Prophet Muhammad, 'an enemy of God'. The film's producer Malik Shlibak described him as 'a brilliant mind, an intellectual, an academic, a scholar, a historian'. Advertisement It comes as film fans who watched The Lady of Heaven in London called on cinemas that have pulled it to have a re-think. NHS worker Toqeer Abbas, 47, who watched the film at Vue Cinema in Shepherd's Bush, south west London, said: 'I do not agree with the protests. I think it is sad people have called for it to be banned. Most of those people haven't watched it. 'It is sad that cinemas are not showing it as that allows for any other viewpoint to be restricted. There are certain people that we know that have been against it but this is a conservative view. 'If you shut down dialogue you have nothing. You have a world of ignorance. This film creates a talking point. You don't have to believe it and if you don't you should do your own research. 'Why would you want to ban it? What's the reason for it? 'It's a free country and whatever happens people will find a way to see it but why can't we come here and spend time with our families and chat about it afterwards. 'Talking creates tolerance while shutting things down, no matter how difficult, creates intolerance.' Mr Abbas from south London added: 'Some of it was difficult to watch visually. 'We have heard the stories that were in the film but we have never seen it before. This is the first time we have had a movie showing these events in this way. 'We've never had anything like this before. This is the first time in 1400 years. 'For me there was too much imagery. It was made too human. We will get in the car and have more conversations about it. It's a talking point and I think it has a positive message.' One cinema-goer said: 'I think the protests are ridiculous. Calling for the movie to be banned is shutting down debate and dialogue. 'Everyone should be allowed to see the film. Although I must say it was a little long and boring at times.' A Muslim woman, who is originally from Lebanon who watched the film on her own, said: 'It was a nice movie.I liked it. It had a positive message. 'People who have been protesting have a different opinion. We don't need to do that. We are all Muslim. I would not want to see it banned from the cinema.' Another man who watched the film but asked not to be named said: 'I think people should at least see the film before passing judgment. 'I only came to see what all the fuss was about. It's a low budget movie and there were not many people watching it. 'If anything, any protests and calls for the film to be banned will have the reverse effect with more people going to see it.' In contrast to large scale demonstrations, film-goers who watched the movie in an auditorium, which was half full, were able to do so without having to run the gauntlet from protesters. Cineworld confirmed it had pulled the film to 'ensure the safety of staff and customers' after outcry from protesters who picketed movie theatres and branded it 'blasphemous'. Vue, meanwhile, is still listed as showing the film in a number of its London branches tonight. Made in Britain for 12million, the film opens with the invasion of Iraq by ISIS and features a graphic jihadist murder, before telling the story of Lady Fatima, one of the daughters of the founder of Islam. Islamic tradition forbids the direct portrayal of religious figures, with previous depictions of prophets leading to protests and even murders amid accusations of blasphemy. Director Eli King depicts Fatima as a faceless character, shrouded by a black veil to avoid doing this. But protesters have accused the filmmakers of inaccurately depicting religious history and negatively portraying three of Islam's most important figures. A video from the weekend appears to show a manager at one cinema addressing a crowd confirming the film has been pulled, prompting cries of 'Allahu Akbar'. The film features former Coronation Street actor Ray Fearon and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival last year, but was only released in the UK for the first time on June 3, this year. John Stephenson, who directed the 1999 film Animal Farm and 2004 movie Five Children and It, acted as a creative consultant. And other critics have expressed anger that the negative characters were portrayed by black actors, rather than white, which they say 'stems from the racial bias against darker skinned people'. Those who came out to protest screenings on Monday said they were 'offended' by the film and the way it illustrated the life of revered religious figures. One protester in Bradford, West Yorkshire, said: 'We are very offended. We have a right not to be insulted. 'You talk about freedom of speech but where does your freedom of speech go when it goes to criticising your policies, when it goes to making critical analysis of your version of history. 'You have no right to tell us our history. We will not let this film go on further.' Others carried signs saying: 'It's not ok to offend 1.8 billion #handsoffoursuperheroes' and 'Stop the screening', while using megaphones to get across their message. Left to right: Producer Hussein Ashmere, Mehpe Al Hussaini, executive producer Jawad Salah and executive producer Malik Shlibak from Enlightened Kingdom attend the premier of The Lady of Heaven at the Cannes Film Festival last year Pictured: A movie poster for The Lady of Heaven, which has been pulled from cinemas in the UK after days of protests How Prophet Muhammed cartoons have previously sparked controversy and violence Cartoon during RE lesson A teacher was forced into hiding following protests about a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammed he showed to pupils during a religious education class. The image, which was shown to children at Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire, sparked days of heated protests by parents and activists at the school gates. The 30-year-old teacher, who was forced to flee his home, was suspended at the time but later cleared when an independent investigation found that he had not intended to cause offence. Earlier this year he was reported to still be in hiding. Charlie Hebdo French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by Islamist fanatics in January 2015, after posting cartoons which were said to have insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Twelve people were killed in the onslaught, including a number of cartoonists who were said to have continually mocked Islam. The magazine is now published from a secret headquarters in Paris - one that is said to be under armed guard at all times. Samuel Paty Teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded outside the gates of the college where he taught in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, north of Paris, in 2020. The killing came after an online campaign led by Muslim parents who were angry at Paty for showing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed to students. Paty had shown the cartoons - previously printed in magazine Charlie Hebdo - to pupils as part of a lesson on free speech. Advertisement In Bolton, the local chairman of the Council of Mosques, Asif Patel, wrote a letter to his local branch of Cineworld, where he called the film 'blasphemous'. He said: 'You may well be aware of the recently released film 'Lady of Heaven' which has caused much distress to Muslims across the globe. 'It is underpinned with a sectarian ideology and is blasphemous in nature to the Muslim community. 'It grossly disrespects the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in many ways and is deeply disturbing to every Muslim. 'It also misrepresents orthodox historical narratives and disrespects the most esteemed individuals of Islamic history. 'The storyline begs the question to what extent the producers had considered the huge impact of this film upon the Muslim community and notions of sacredness dearly held by them.' 'In Bolton, we are a very diverse community and are very respectful of each other's culture and honour on community cohesion.' A spokesman from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) called for 'respectful dialogue' between protesters and the film supporters. They said: 'The MCB, which proudly represents affiliates from across the different schools of thought in our faith, supports those scholars and leaders who are advocating for greater unity and for the common good, as commanded by our Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). 'The MCB has always advocated for respectful dialogue of intra-faith relations. 'There are some - including many of this film's supporters or those engaging in sectarianism in their response - whose primary goal is to fuel hatred. 'We must not let them succeed.' But executive producer of the film Mr Shlibak called the decision to pull the film by the cinema chain 'unacceptable'. He said: 'We think that the protests have brought a lot of newfound attention to the film that did not exist before from people who hadn't heard about the film, and we are okay with the fact that people protest. 'But I believe it's actually unacceptable in this country what they are calling for - that is the removal of this film from the cinemas due to them being offended. 'That is something quite silly, because everyone has the ability to share their thoughts and enact their freedom of speech. 'I genuinely believe from all sides, from the cinema, perhaps from the Muslim Council of Britain, that there is this succumbing and bowing down to these radical extremists and their demands. 'I think this is more than The Lady of Heaven as an individual film, this is about our British values and how much these mean to us. 'These groups have now been given the power to dictate what the British public can and cannot watch at their local cinemas.' And Claire Fox, who sits in the House of Lords as Baroness Fox of Buckley, tweeted that the decision to cancel the screening showed the 'creep of extra-parliamentary blasphemy law' was now censoring film. Video on social media appears to show the manager of one cinema addressing a crowd of protesters gathered outside Executive producer Malik Shlibak, pictured here at the Cannes Film Festival last year, blasted the decision to drop the film A lukewarm reaction from film critics While the movie has prompted a strong response from some Muslims, the critics have had a more lukewarm reaction to it. In its two-star review, The Guardian said while production values and sets look good, 'half-baked performances' and a lack of 'poetic flair' drag it down. The review adds: 'For a film that aims to promote religious diversity and freedom of thought, its metronomic alternation between time frames, narrative slavishness and laughable coda have a suffocating sense of orthodoxy.' The Irish Times reacted slightly more warmly, giving it a three-star review, describing it as 'rough around the edges throughout', but 'made with admirable gusto'. It adds: 'The Lady of Heaven is something else altogether. A British independent release, directed by Eli King, it is much concerned with the story of Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, but also takes in wider first millennium history and some contemporary traumas. 'It is made with respect. It has educational value. But the film-makers, working with a modest budget, have made sure to include much head-splitting action.' The New York Times said the film is 'appropriately spectacular', but criticised the 'shoddy script and an overwhelming reliance on cliches' that make it feel cheap. Advertisement She wrote: 'Same 'I Find that Offensive' cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. 'Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy.' Meanwhile, a petition to get the film removed from all UK cinemas has been signed by almost 120,000 people. In a statement Cineworld confirmed it was pulling the film from all venues to 'ensure the safety' of staff. A spokesman said: 'Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.' Vue, which still has screenings for the movie listed on its website, refused to confirm whether the film had been pulled from any of its cinemas. A spokesperson for Vue said: 'Vue takes seriously the responsibilities that come with providing a platform for a wide variety of content and believes in showcasing films of interest to diverse communities across the UK. 'Vue will only show a film once the BBFC (the independent British Board of Film Classification) has assessed and rated a film. 'The Lady of Heaven has been BBFC accredited and is on show in a number of our cinemas. 'Decisions about how long a film remains on show are taken on a site-by-site basis and based on a variety of commercial and operational factors.' MailOnline has contacted Showcase for comment. Twitter anticipates holding a shareholder vote on its $44 billion sale to Elon Musk as soon as early August, the social media company's top executives told employees on Wednesday. Musk's lawyers warned Twitter on Monday that he might walk away from the acquisition if the company fails to provide the data he seeks on spam and fake accounts, but the social media firm appears to be intent on executing the sale. A Twitter spokesperson referred DailyMail.com to an earlier company statement saying that the company plans to fully enforce the terms of the April 25 contract Musk signed to buy the company at $54.20 per share. 'We believe this agreement is in the best interest of all shareholders. We intend to close the transaction and enforce the merger agreement at the agreed price and terms,' the statement said. Despite Musk's threats to walk away, Twitter has the option of taking him to court if he refuses to follow through on his agreement to buy the company. The outcome of such a move is unclear, as Musk could make various arguments about why he is not bound to carry out the agreement. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal (left) plans to comply with Elon Musk's demand for data on fake accounts and will unleash its full data stream on the billionaire, according to a new report Shares of Twitter rose in afternoon trading after the report, which bolstered sentiment that the deal would be consummated 'Twitter has and will continue to cooperatively share information with Mr. Musk to consummate the transaction in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement,' the company said. Part of that data is the so-called 'firehose,' a data set comprising all tweets on the platform analyzed by different parameters, such as devices of users or profiles of accounts that publish tweets, according to people familiar with the matter. Twitter sells this data to social media monitoring companies as part of its licensing business but plans to furnish it to Musk for free as part of the information exchange, the sources said. The firehose does not contain confidential information, such personal details of Twitter users that are not public or how often they verify their accounts, the sources added. The firehose, which is currently available to a handful of companies for an undisclosed subscription fee, could be released to Musk as soon as this week, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. Shares of Twitter rose 1.6 percent in afternoon trading after the report, which bolstered sentiment that the deal would be consummated. The firehose, which is rumored to cost hundreds of thousands per month for the handful of companies that pay for access, consists not only of all real-time tweets, but information about the user accounts and devices they are issued from. Meanwhile, a new study suggests that about 10 percent of Twitter 's active accounts are posting 'spam content'. London-based data analytics firm GlobalData said in a report on Wednesday that its mathematical model found that spam accounts are roughly double the 5 percent share claimed by Twitter. Musk has been threatening to walk away from his agreement to buy the company unless Twitter backs up its estimate that false or spam accounts comprise less than 5 percent of its user base. 'The precise proportion of spam accounts is difficult to compute, as it is almost impossible to confirm the identity of the entity behind a tweet handle,' said GlobalData senior data scientist Sidharth Kumar. GlobalData's analysis relied on a statistical model that took into account a number of variables (above) to determine the proportion of spam accounts on Twitter 'Additionally, the definition of spam account may differ for everyone. Incessant tweeting of non-original content can be considered spam, but some may choose to see it as a very active user sharing articles/opinions,' Kumar added. TIMELINE OF BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK'S BID TO CONTROL TWITTER January 31: Musk starts buying shares of Twitter in near-daily installments, amassing a 5% stake in the company by mid-March. March 26: Musk, who has 80 million Twitter followers and is active on the site, said that he is giving 'serious thought' to building an alternative to Twitter, questioning free speech on the platform and whether Twitter is undermining democracy. He also privately reaches out to Twitter board members, including his friend and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey. March 27: After privately informing them of his growing stake in the company, Musk starts conversations with Twitter's CEO and board members about potentially joining the board. Musk also mentions taking Twitter private or starting a competitor, according to later regulatory filings. April 4: A regulatory filing reveals that Musk has rapidly become the largest shareholder of Twitter after acquiring a 9% stake, or 73.5 million shares, worth about $3 billion. April 5: Musk is offered a seat on Twitter's board on the condition he amass no more than 14.9% of the company's stock. CEO Parag Agrawal said in a tweet that 'it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board.' April 11: Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal announces Musk will not be joining the board after all. April 14: Twitter reveals in a securities filing that Musk has offered to buy the company outright for about $44 billion. April 15: Twitter's board unanimously adopts a 'poison pill' defense in response to Musk's proposed offer, attempting to thwart a hostile takeover. April 21: Musk lines up $46.5 billion in financing to buy Twitter. Twitter board is under pressure to negotiate. April 25: Musk reaches a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion and take the company private. The outspoken billionaire has said he wanted to own and privatize Twitter because he thinks it's not living up to its potential as a platform for free speech. April 29: Musk sells roughly $8.5 billion worth of shares in Tesla to help fund the purchase of Twitter, according to regulatory filings. May 5: Musk strengthens his offer to buy Twitter with commitments of more than $7 billion from a diverse group of investors including Silicon Valley heavy hitters like Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. May 10: In a hint at how he would change Twitter, Musk says he'd reverse Twitter's ban of former President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, calling the ban a 'morally bad decision' and 'foolish in the extreme.' May 13: Musk said that his plan to buy Twitter is ' temporarily on hold.' Musk said that he needs to pinpoint the number of spam and fake accounts on the social media platform. Shares of Twitter tumble, while shares of Tesla rebound sharply. June 6: Musk threatens to end his $44 billion agreement to buy Twitter, accusing the company of refusing to give him information about its spam bot accounts. Advertisement GlobalData's analysis relied on a statistical model that took into account a number of variables to determine the proportion of spam accounts. The variables included frequency of tweets, deviation in tweet length, and proportion of tweets including hashtags or links, among others. 'Our estimate is conservative, as we wanted to be sure that we were correctly identifying accounts as spam,' said Kumar. 'It is important to note that this is still an estimation. There is no conclusive way of knowing if a certain account is a bot or spam.' Musk has speculated publicly that the proportion of bot and spam accounts on Twitter may be as high as 50 percent, and has been threatening to walk away from the deal unless the company can back up its 5 percent claim. Those threats culminated in a letter from Musk's lawyers to Twitter on Monday warning he may walk away unless more information is forthcoming. On Tuesday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Musk's discussions with private equity backers who are key to financing the deal have been put on hold because of the uncertainty. Musk is on the hook to pay $33.5 billion in cash to fund the deal after arranging debt financing to cover the rest. His liquidity is limited given that his wealth, which is pegged by Forbes at $218 billion, is largely tied to the shares of Tesla Inc, the electric car maker he leads. Musk has been in discussions to arrange $2 billion to $3 billion in preferred equity financing from a group of private equity firms led by Apollo Global Management Inc that would further reduce his cash contribution, according to the sources. These conversations are now on hold until there is clarity about the future of the acquisition, one of the sources said. The pause in financing activities offers the first clear sign that Musk's threats are interfering with steps that would help complete the deal. Twitter has insisted thus far that Musk has been performing his obligation under their contract, including helping to secure regulatory approval for the deal. Spokespersons for Musk and Twitter did not respond to requests for comment. Apollo declined to comment. Musk sold $8.5 billion worth of Tesla shares in April after he signed his deal to buy Twitter, and it is not clear how much cash he has available to meet his obligation. He has raised $7.1 billion from a group of equity co-investors to reduce his contribution. Musk also sought to reduce this exposure further by arranging a risky $12.5 billion margin loan tied to the shares of Tesla, but then scrapped it last month. Preferred equity would pay a fixed dividend from Twitter, in the same way that a bond or a loan pays regular interest but would appreciate in line with the equity value of the company. The deal uncertainty has also weighed on the plans of banks to get $13 billion of debt they have committed to the acquisition off their books through syndication. While still preparing to syndicate the debt, the banks plan to wait until there is clarity on the deal to launch the process, the sources said. The banks do not believe credit investors will buy into the debt as long as the uncertainty lingers, the sources said. The banks have also found Musk's disparaging public comments about the company unhelpful, and were hoping he would be helping them by now with investor presentations to syndicate the deal, the sources added. To be sure, the halt of these activities does not affect the commitments made by Musk and the banks to fund the deal. Twitter can take them to court to force them to comply with their financing obligations under the deal contract if they come short. On Tuesday, people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Musk's discussions with private equity backers who are key to financing the Twitter deal have been put on hold The syndication of the debt could emerge as a major issue for the banks were Musk's dispute with Twitter to escalate in litigation and they were forced by a judge to fund the deal. In that scenario, they could struggle to get investors to buy the debt if Musk were unwilling to own the company. That possibility, however, is seen as remote. Most investors are trading Twitter's stock on the assumption it is far more likely for the company to reach a settlement with Musk or let him walk away, rather than go through protracted litigation. Musk's latest dig at Twitter saw him slam its chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and threaten to torpedo the mega deal. The Tesla CEO claimed he 'reserves all rights' to sink the takeover if the platform does not provide more about fake accounts on its website. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also revealed on Monday that he was launching an investigation into Twitter for 'potentially misleading Texans on the number of its 'bot' users.' Paxton argued he has a duty to protect Texans from the company if it is indeed misrepresenting bot data in an effort to drive up revenue. A missing three-year-old boy, who spent two days in the Montana wilderness in near-freezing temperatures, sought shelter in an empty log cabin and kept himself warm inside a lawnmower bag, he used as a sleeping bag. On Sunday night, little Ryker Webb was miraculously rescued. He was found in a shed near Pine Ridge Road and South Forth Bull River Road in Sanders County, Montana, only 2.4 miles away from his home, officials said. A couple heard the sound of whimpers from a shed on their property. When they went to investigate they found the toddler tucked into the lawnmower bag. The adorable red headed blue-eyed toddler had only been dressed in a light blue onsie that had been covered in dirt and grime with numerous holes by his footsies. He had some bruises on his face and looked pale, fatigued, and appeared dehydrated but he was alive. Emergency personnel transported him to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center for evaluation. Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said the boy appeared to be in 'a state of shock, and frightened,' when he was found. Short said during a Tuesday appearance on News Nation that the boy 'is doing fine now,' but said he was 'very scared.' 'He was out there all by himself hearing the rain and wind, and not sure how he was going to be able to get home,' Short said explaining that mountain lions and bears inhabit the area. Once the thunderstorms in the area started on Friday, Short said, Ryker took shelter. 'I truly believe that he took cover in that shed from Friday evening until he was found on Sunday,' he said. The map shows where little Ryker first went missing and where he was found days later Ryker was taken to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center for evaluation. He was hungry, tired, and dehydrated when he was found. He also appeared to be disoriented and in a state of shock, the sheriff said, after surviving two long days in near freezing temperatures with no food or water Ryker Webb, 3, had gone missing for almost two days from his Montana home. He had been reported missing on Friday and was found on Sunday after a couple heard whimpering in a shed near their property Ryker was first reported missing Friday afternoon south of Troy, Montana, after wandering from his home on East side Bull Lake. He had been playing in the yard with his father and his dog. When Ryker's father stepped inside their home for a few minutes, Ryker had wandered off. His frantic father started searching for his son on their property, and the neighboring properties. A concerned neighbor called police. A Code Red Alert was sent out to all neighbors in the vicinity, asking that they search their own properties and structures. A missing person report was disseminated nationwide, and multiple agencies were involved. The two-day search for the missing boy included air, drones, dog teams, and more than fifty volunteers. Search teams were deployed and ATV riders, and a boat unit were also on the lake to aid in the search. Two Montana National Guard helicopters joined search efforts along with drones from Flathead County and the Spokane Police Department. However, the sheriff's office said it was 'extremely difficult to get the additional air assets into the Bull Lake valley due to very poor weather conditions which consisted of rain, low visibility, and low ceiling.' Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short spoke to News Nation and expressed gratitude that the boy was found safe and unharmed after being lost in the Montana wilderness for two days Search teams were deployed over the two-day short that included multiple agencies using drones, dog teams and a boat unit, and more than 50 volunteers The sheriff told News Nation that one of their issues during their search for Ryker, was that the initial missing persons report came in on Friday at 4:43 pm., which had been two hours after the boy had gone missing. Short said Ryker had already had 'quite a lead on them,' when deputies and volunteers went searching. On Sunday, less than 48 hours after he wandered off, Ryker was miraculously found in an empty log cabin a few miles from home. Once the sheriff got to the boy he asked him a few questions that the toddler answered honestly. 'I asked him, if he'd been on a walk?' Ryker said, 'Yes!' 'When I asked if the walk was long?' Ryker replied, 'Yes. 'When I asked if he was tired?' The boy said 'Very tired.' Short, who was grateful that the boy was home safe and back with his family, expressed gratitude for all the law enforcement official's and volunteer who helped. He said the boy's eye's 'lit up' when he was reunited with his parents, TODAY reported. The sheriff also seemed quite impressed with little Ryker's survival skills. Advertisement The 250-year-old Appleby horse fair is about to get underway as travellers from across Europe head to the gathering's first day tomorrow. Also known as the 'New Fair', it began in 1775 for sheep and cattle drovers and horse dealers to sell their stock. It is expected to see 30,000 visitors, with 10,000 of them from the gypsy, Roma and traveller community, head to the event in Appleby and neighbouring Kirkby. In the run up to the fair, Cumbria Police is urging motorists to drive cautiously in the area and told the public to report any concerns they might have when it starts tomorrow. The force said it has made arrests for theft and drug driving and been called to the scene of a crash where a horse died and three people were injured before the fair started. Locals in Kirkby Stephen are also furious after the town's Grade ll-listed war memorial in the market square was left strewn with drink and takeaway containers yesterday. Ann and Bernard Ward with their daughter Angel and their horse Star on the outskirts of Appleby, Cumbria after arriving for the Appleby Horse Fair which begins tomorrow Horsed-drawn caravans arrive today in Appleby, Cumbria for the Appleby Horse Fair Vienna and Cassius, from Singleton, Lancashire with their family's horse and trap by the River Eden today Early arrivals for the Appleby Horse fair today take their horses for a dip in the river Eden in the town Locals in Kirkby Stephen are furious after the town's Grade ll-listed war memorial was left strewn with drink and takeaway containers, prompting accusations of 'desecration'. Theres no suggestion that anyone pictured was involved, and it is not known whether travellers were responsible either for the litter A haulage firm called Lakeland Commercials claimed a field it owns was broken into and a wooden gate damaged so that horses could be grazed on it. Theres no suggestion that anyone pictured was involved, and it is not known whether travellers were responsible either for the alleged break-in to the field A unnamed local businessman said: 'Travellers have desecrated the World War One memorial in Kirkby Stephen. Appleby Horse Fair: Historic event tracing its roots back to 1685 The fair is held outside the town of Appleby, at the point where the old Roman Road crosses Long Marton Road, on Gallows Hill, which was named after the public hangings that were once carried out there. It was once thought the fair originated from a royal charter to the borough of Appleby from King James II of England in 1685, although more recent research has found the charter was cancelled before it was ever enacted. The gathering is sometimes known as 'the New Fair' because Appleby's medieval borough fair, held at Whitsuntide, ceased in 1885. The 'New Fair' began in 1775 for sheep and cattle drovers and horse dealers to sell their stock. By the 1900s it had evolved into a major Gypsy/Traveller event which brought families from across the UK and Europe. Advertisement Cumbrians are being warned of horses and carts in the area. Chief Superintendent Matt Kennerley, Gold Commander for Appleby Horse Fair, said: 'At this time of year we always urge drivers to be particularly careful on the county's roads. 'The likelihood of encountering slow-moving traffic is high so we must all be attentive behind the wheel. 'I urge people to take particular care on the A66, where fast-moving vehicles can come across slow-moving, often horse-drawn, vehicles and also the A685 in the vicinity of Kirkby Stephen, where there are caravans and horses by the side of the road. Whilst we already have large numbers of officers in these areas, we have further increased our resourcing here, to reassure people and help keep everyone safe. 'By being aware of the potential dangers, we can all do our part to make sure everyone reaches their destination safely and without incident.' Meanwhile, a haulage firm also claimed yesterday that a field it owns was broken into and a wooden gate damaged so that horses could be grazed on it. While locals claim that it was travellers who left the litter on the memorial, this is not certain and no proof has been provided. 'Many of us in the town have relatives commemorated on it and it has gone down very badly. Despite raised police patrols no one has been apprehended. 'A field owned by a local business has also been broken into and numerous horses were let loose for some free grazing.' The haulage company, Lakeland Commercials, posted a picture of the horses on their land yesterday and said: 'We would like to ask Cumbria Police why they are unwilling to act or investigate when our property has been clearly been broken into and filled with horses? 'This has been reported and their response was they would drop us some signs off.' The event - Europe's largest gathering of gypsies and travellers - is set to start tomorrow, a week later than usual to avoid clashing with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A group take a dip in the River Eden today with miniature pony Robin Hood after arriving for the Appleby Horse Fair which begins tomorrow Matty May and family arrive in Appleby town centre today in a horse and cart for the popular fair This year police have made changes to traffic regulations so local roads can be opened and closed when needed. The number of temporary toilets has also been increased, and there will be daily meetings of the fair's co-ordinating group. In its 250-year history the fair has only been cancelled twice, the first in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak and the second in 2020 due to the pandemic. The gathering is billed as the biggest traditional gypsy fair in Europe and has developed traditions that take place every year. Gypsy horses are washed in the River Eden in Appleby and trotted up and down the 'flashing lane' - a closed off rural road - before being haggled over and bought. There is a market on Jimmy Winter's Field with stalls selling everything from fashion to horse-related wares. Shane Curtin takes his horse for a dip in the River Eden before the fair starts tomorrow Tommy (left) and Liam Hamilton, aged four and seven with miniature pony Robin Hood today after arriving for the Appleby Horse Fair A group take a dip in the River Eden with miniature pony Robin Hood while they carry a sign saying keep the horse fair alive On Saturday afternoon, goods worth around 300 were reported stolen to police from Sainsburys in Penrith. Officers responded and traced a Land Rover suspected as being used by those involved, which was then stopped in Long Marton Road in Appleby. A 32-year-old woman from the Poole area was reported for shoplifting and the Land Rover was seized whilst officers investigate whether the vehicle is legally owned or has been stolen. Yesterday evening, officers also stopped a car on Appleby bypass, driven by a man in his 20s from Penrith. He was found to be over the proscribed limit for drugs and arrested for drug driving and released under investigation. Ch Supt Kennerley said: 'Our officers are currently in the community and are proactively working to keep people safe, including making arrests. 'As always, in the run-up to the Fair people will see a lot of officers on the ground in key locations, particularly the A685 at Kirkby Stephen and Appleby itself. 'We proactively encourage the public to report concerns to ourselves and partners so that they can be addressed promptly and before they become larger issues. 'Please report any police matters immediately, either direct to an officer or via our online and phone reporting mechanisms.' A group commemorating prominent Romany Gypsy Jack Evans, led by miniature pony Robin Hood Early arrivals for the Appleby Horse Fair make their way through traffic in the town centre today Tommy (left) and Liam Hamilton, aged 4 and 7, with miniature pony Robin Hood Early arrivals for the Appleby Horse fair take their horses for a dip in the river Eden in the town People at Barton in Cumbria on their way to the Appleby Horse Fair on Monday. There is no suggestion that those pictured were involved in the damage to the memorial or field Last year there were claims of a sexual assault on a young woman in the grounds of a church and a local man in his 60s was taken to hospital after being assaulted. There were scenes of chaos as fighting broke out on the main street between rival groups of travellers which brought armed police into the streets to restore order. A Cumbria Police spokesman said today: 'Cumbria Police and the wider Multi-Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group are aware of both issues relating to Kirkby Stephen. 'The police and partners work closely with the local community in Kirkby Stephen and the Gypsy and Traveller community in the lead-up to Appleby Horse Fair in an effort to address issues as they arise. According to the Northern Echo, a horse died and people were injured after a bow top van pulled by two horses; a box van and a pickup truck crashed at North Stainmore near Cumbria and Durham. Three injured people in the bow top were hospitalised but have since been able to leave the hospital. People on Monday on their way to the Appleby Horse Fair, at Barton in Cumbria. There is no suggestion that those pictured were involved in the damage to the memorial or field 'People are urged to report matters to the police so they can be acted upon. Issues can be reported to officers in-person to officers based in Kirkby Stephen, online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit or by dialling 101. Regarding the incident related to the Lakeland Commercials land, the police spokesman added: 'We received a report yesterday at around 4.30pm of a wooden gate having been damaged and horses in the field. Officers attended. The horses had been moved on by around 7pm. 'However, the incident is being investigated and police would ask anyone with information to report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit, quoting incident number 167 of 7 June 2022. You can also phone on 101. 'Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.' Advertisement President Joe Biden landed in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon for the Summit of the Americas with Hunter's daughter Naomi and her fiance Peter Neal at his side. He was greeted at LAX by California Gov. Gavin Newsom - who easily won his primary Tuesday night - and his children, along with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's, whose nomination to become Biden's ambassador to India is stalled in the Senate. The president's granddaughter Naomi and her finance Neal are set to have their wedding reception at the White House in November when they tie the knot. During the flight, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said nothing will be off the table when Biden meets with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at the summit Thursday - including talk about democratic elections after Bolsonaro this week questioned Biden's 2020 win. 'There are no topics off limits in any bilateral the president does, including with President Bolsonaro, first. Second, I do anticipate that the president will discuss open, free, fair, transparent democratic elections,' Sullivan told reporters on board Air Force One. Biden is set to sit face-to-face with Bolsonaro for the first time as president as part of the U.S.-hosted Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. The president and First Lady Jill Biden greeted a number of leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as the first order of business at the downtown LA summit site late Wednesday afternoon. In the run-up to the summit Bolsonaro, nicknamed 'Trump of the Tropics' raised doubts that Biden was indeed the winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, echoing his political ally former President Donald Trump's false election fraud claims. 'The American people are the ones who talk about [election fraud],' he said in a TV interview, according to Reuters. 'I will not discuss the sovereignty of another country. But Trump was doing really well.' President Joe Biden and granddaughter Naomi (center), along with her fiance Peter Neal, (upper right) greet California Gov. Gavin Newsom (left) and his kids, as well as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as they arrive at LAX Wednesday afternoon FAMILY AFFAIR: President Joe Biden arrived in Los Angeles Wednesday and greeted the children of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, as his grand-daughter Naomi (in yellow) and her fiance Peter Neal greet LA Mayor Eric Garcetti President Joe Biden (right) is welcomed to Los Angeles by California's Gov. Gavin Newsom (center) and his children (left) President Joe Biden greets the children of California Gov. Gavin Newsom - Dutch William Siebel Newsom, Hunter Siebel Newsom, Montana Tessa Siebel Newsom, and Brooklynn Siebel Newsom - as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettit (left) looks on President Joe Biden walks off Marine One with grand-daughter Naomi and her fiance Peter Neal as he heads to an interview with late night host Jimmy Kimmel President Joe Biden (center right) greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (center left) as First Lady Jill Biden (right) says hello to Sophie Gregoire Trudeau (left) BROMANCE: President Joe Biden brings Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in for a hug as the first ladies shake hands President Joe Biden (left) waves as he stands alongside First Lady Jill Biden (right) as they welcome leaders to the U.S.- hosted Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles President Joe Biden (right) greets Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard (left) as he arrives at the Summit of the Americas in place of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is boycotting the event due to the U.S.'s refusal to invite the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua 'We don't want that to happen in Brazil,' said Bolsonaro, who is on the ballot in October. The White House was already getting questions about why Biden would grant Bolsonaro a meeting, while snubbing a trio of authoritarian leaders from the hemisphere: Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel, Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega. 'I will not discuss the sovereignty of another country. But Trump was doing really well,' Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said Tuesday about the 2020 U.S. presidential election, insinuating he doubted President Joe Biden was the rightful winner 'I guess what I would say about the decision to do a meeting is that President Bolsonaro is a democratically elected leader of Brazil, a country the United States shares a significant set of common interests and concerns,' a senior administration official told reporters on a summit planning call. Bolsonaro has suggested he could pull a Trump and, if the loser, might not concede his October presidential race. On Wednesday before the leaders' arrival, protesters gathered around LA's City Hall with trucks blasting Bolsonaro for a 'liar' and for 'burning the Amazon.' Sullivan said Biden would also discuss Bolsonaro's environmental record with the Brazilian leader. 'Climate will be an important topic of conversation and we believe that it can be an area of progress in the U.S.-Brazil relationship particularly around concrete and tangible action to protect the Amazon,' Sullivan said. Sullivan was also asked if Biden is pushing democratic themes during his three days in Los Angeles, why he isn't ending the summit with a press conference. 'I think it would be hard to argue that he hasn't taken many, many questions from the press,' Sullivan answered when asked about a lack of press conference. 'He'll be, over the course of the next three days, obviously in front of and addressing the press in various ways.' Biden ignored questions from the press Wednesday morning after reading a statement to reporters about Tuesday night's primary results on Joint Base Andrews' tarmac. He then tripped up the steps of Air Force One. President Joe Biden salutes as he boards Air Force One Wednesday to attend the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles There he'll come face-to-face with Brazil's 'Trump of the Tropics,' President Jair Bolsonaro, who has cast doubt on Biden's 2020 win President Joe Biden waves as he boards Air Force One on Wednesday. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was asked if Biden is touting democracy on this trip, why he isn't holding a formal press conference during the Summit of the Americas People walk by a truck with messages against Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro during a protest in front of LA City Hall in Los Angeles Wednesday Trucks in front of LA City Hall Wednesday called Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro a 'liar' and highlighted his environmental record of 'burning the Amazon' 'And I think by the end of this you can be pretty confident that he will be displaying - putting on full display - America's raucous democracy and all of its wonderful and attractive forms,' Sullivan continued. 'I don't see the kind of formal press conference issue as a particular litmus test,' the top Biden adviser added. Instead, Biden's first stop when he touches down in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon will be to Jimmy Kimmel's Hollywood studio for a taped interview. It will be his first in-person sit-down with a late night show host since inauguration. Biden's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! will air later Wednesday night. Making use of the backdrop of Los Angeles, Biden will kick off the Summit of the Americas Wednesday evening at downtown LA's Microsoft Theater, which has hosted the Emmys, Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards and other star-studded programs. DailyMail.com can reveal the two fraternity boys being sued by the family of a 19-year-old University of Missouri student who was left blind and unable to walk or talk after being forced to down a family-sized bottle of Tito's in one of the worst hazing incidents to date. Samuel Gandhi and Alec Wetzler have been named as defendants now by the family of Danny Santulli, a teenager whose family say was forced to drink until his heart stopped last October during pledge month at Phi Gamma Delta. In an amended complaint filed this week, the family detail how Gandhi and Wetzler targeted their son and then left him passed out on a couch where he stopped breathing momentarily after a night of brutal hazing. Eventually, he was taken to the hospital but by then, he had suffered severe brain damage. Now, he is at home in the care of his mother - who quit her banking job to take care of him full time. Doctors say he is not likely to ever walk or talk again. Wetzler has been charged with supplying alcohol to a minor but no one else has been criminally charged over the incident. Wetzler is no longer a student but Gandhi is still enrolled. Samuel Gandhi (left) and Alec Wetzler (right) have been named as defendants now by the family of Danny Santulli, a teenager whose family say was forced to drink until his heart stopped last October during pledge month at Phi Gamma Delta Danny Santulli (shown before the incident) is now blind and cannot walk or talk. His lawyer says his prognosis is 'grim' as a result of the brain damage caused by the hazing night in October 2021 Gandhi is an architecture student who is due to graduate next year. Wetzler is studying a BA in business administration. The amended lawsuit against them details how they and others - who were previously sued and who settled those lawsuits - force-fed Santulli beer and gave him a family-sized bottle of Tito's to drink. 'This is the worst fraternity hazing case ever in the US in terms of injury. You can't be any worse injured and still be alive David Bianchi, attorney for the victim When he passed out and went into cardiac arrest, they finally drove him to the hospital. Now, he is unlikely to walk, talk or see again. His mother has quit her banking job to care for him full time. According to the lawsuit, the pair wanted to make the night one 'the pledges wouldn't forget' so filled the frat house with 'cocaine, marijuana and alcohol'. The new pledges had family-sized bottles of Tito's taped to their hands and were branded 'p*****s' if they stopped drinking, according to documents reviewed by DailyMail.com. The lawsuit also claims the boys were under caution from the school for a previous hazing incident at the time. Wetzler has been charged criminally with providing alcohol to a minor but Santulli's lawyer, David Bianchi, tells DailyMail.com the family wants him and others to be charged with hazing. 'This is the worst fraternity hazing case ever in the US in terms of injury. You can't be any worse injured and still be alive,' Bianchi said. He added that Danny's prognosis is 'grim'. The national fraternity and university both suspended the Missouri chapter following Santulli's hospitalization 'He's got massive brain damage, he's blind, he cant walk.. it's unlikely there will ever be any material change.' The parents have settled a lawsuit with 22 defendants and the fraternity, who have now been banned from campus for repeated violations. On Monday, Bianchi sought in a motion to add fraternity brothers Gandhi and Wetzler in an amended petition, which was approved by Judge Joshua Devine.= The lawsuit claimed that Santulli (pictured) and the rest of his pledge class were each forced to drink a bottle of hard liquor, given to them by their 'pledge fathers' According to the lawsuit, the fraternity brothers gave Danny a family-sized handle of Tito's vodka and told him to finish it throughout the night. He had, at that point, been at their 'beck and call' for a month as part of the grueling hazing process. 'He was sleep deprived, was having to buy things for the fraternity brothers with his own money and was repeatedly ordered to clean the brothers rooms and bring food, alcohol and marijuana to them at all hours of the night. 'Making matters worse, during the pledging process, Danny had been ordered to climb inside of a trash can that had broken glass in it,' the lawsuit reads. Two nights before the incident, Danny cried to his sister that he'd had enough, the lawsuit claims. His family told him to quit the fraternity but he said he didn't want to because he 'wasn't a quitter.' On the night of the hazing, the lawsuit says Weltzer stood on a chair 'looking for a target' and spotted Danny. He then forced him to drink a beer via a tube, then made him return to his family-sized bottle of Tito's. The petition alleges Wetzler put a tube into Santulli's mouth and poured beer down his throat, coercing him to drink an excessive amount of alcohol. Gandhi then walked away from Santulli after initially trying to assist him when it was clear that the freshman was dangerously intoxicated, Bianchi claims. He walked into the room at 12.17am and saw Santulli had not moved from where he left him, the lawsuit alleges. The 19-year-old's blood-alcohol content was 0.486 percent, more than six times the legal limit for driving. According to the lawsuit, the frat boys from The University of Missouri (shown) were already under caution for a previous hazing incident The amended petition states: 'At 12.28am, Danny slid partly off of the couch and ended up with his face on the floor but he had no voluntary control of his arms or legs and remained there until someone passing through the room saw him and put him back on the couch. His skin was pale and his lips were blue, yet no one called 911'. Instead, they drove him to the hospital in one of the other pledge's cars where he was then taken into ICU. Criminal charges have been filed against Wetzler for misdemeanor counts of supplying alcohol to a minor and possession of alcohol by a minor. Fraternity member Ryan Delanty had been designated Santulli's 'pledge dad' at the hazing. He allegedly sent a text to a friend at 10.57pm to a friend saying: 'My son is dead.' The friend replied asking what had happened and Delanty answered: 'I left him'. Delanty was previously sued along with 23 others. That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount. Naomi Biden, the granddaughter of President Joe Biden, on Wednesday told Republican Senator Ron Johnson that she would come to his office and call her dad Hunter to speak to him if the lawmaker voted for gun reform legislation. '.@RonJohnsonWI, if you vote for stricter gun control measures, I will personally come into your office and call my dad on speakerphone so that you can confess your undying love for him directly,' she wrote on Twitter. Johnson has been one of the most outspoken critics of Hunter Biden, hitting the president's son on a number of topics including his business dealings and his Secret Service detail. He has accused Hunter of financially profiting from Joe Biden's time in public office. On Wednesday, Johnson was asked about the debate over what provisions should go into gun legislation. Arthur Delaney, a reporter for Huffington Post, tweeted he asked Johnson about waiting periods for gun sales to buyers under 21 and that Johnson told him: 'Before we pass anything new, let's enforce the laws we already have. Let's start with Hunter Biden.' Johnson was referring to the claims Hunter lied on his background check and illegally purchased a firearm that was then dumped in a grocery store trash can. Naomi Biden told Sen. Ron Johnson she would come to his office and put her dad Hunter on speaker phone if Johnson voted for gun reform legislation Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has been one of Hunter Biden's biggest critics, charging the president's son with profiting financially off of Joe Biden's public career Naomi Biden retweeted Delany with her offer to come to his office if he votes for stricter gun control. She is the oldest daughter of Hunter Biden and his first wife Kathleen. She got engaged to her longtime boyfriend Peter Neal in April and the president and first lady will host a wedding reception for them at the White House on November 19. Meanwhile, bipartisan group of senators is working on its own gun reform legislation but no bill has yet been finalized. Senators are looking at legislation that would reform background checks, encourage state red flag laws, enhance school safety and provide new mental health programs. They are pushing to have a compromise bill ready by the end of the week. At least 10 Republican votes are needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance legislation but Johnson is not expected to be one of them given his conservative ideology. Johnson, who is running for re-election in Wisconsin, told CNN: 'My main point on any kind of gun control is, let's enforce the laws that we have. And let's do it within a justice system that applies the laws equally. Maybe we should start with what Hunter Biden did in terms of his own background checks.' He was likely referring to a report last year in Politico that Hunter Biden may have committed a felony offense by lying on a background check before purchasing a gun. Naomi Biden with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in October at the White House The Biden family on the night Biden was named winner of the presidential election Hunter Biden answered 'no' in response to the question 'Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?' as part of the background check. It was on a Firearms Transaction Record that he filled out in order to purchase a .38 revolver on October 12, 2018. Hunter had been discharged from the Navy Reserve five years early after testing positive for cocaine. Politico obtained copies of the record and published the detials. Hunter Biden has battled drug addiction for much of his adult life, discussing his battles in his 2021 memoir and in media interviews. Two Britons captured by Russian forces have pleaded guilty and could face the death penalty or 20 years behind bars, according to Russian state media. Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner were detained in April while fighting in Ukraine, before reportedly appearing in court in the separatist Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR). Twenty-eight-year-old Mr Aslin and 48-year-old Mr Pinner are said to have admitted 'training in order to carry out terrorist activities'. In footage shared by Ria Novosti on social media on Wednesday, a translator can be heard asking Mr Aslin if he would 'plead guilty' to an offence, to which he replied: 'Yes.' The charge carries a term of 15 to 20 years imprisonment with restriction of freedom for a term of one to two years or life imprisonment, according to Ria Novosti. In footage shared by Ria Novosti on social media on Wednesday, a translator can be heard asking Mr Aslin (pictured standing up) if he would 'plead guilty' to an offence, to which he replied: 'Yes' The video appeared to show the two Britons in the dock in the pro-Russian territorys supreme court alongside a third man, reported to be Saaudun Brahim, a Moroccan national Aiden Aslin (right) and Shaun Pinner (left) were detained in April while fighting in Ukraine, before reportedly appearing in court in the separatist Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) The video appeared to show the two Britons in the dock in the pro-Russian territorys supreme court alongside a third man, reported to be Saaudun Brahim, a Moroccan national. Mr Pinner is also said to face a longer term and even the death penalty after allegedly admitting to 'seizing power by force'. Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment late on Wednesday. Saadoun was arrested in April. No comment was immediately available from the Moroccan foreign ministry on his case. The trial is taking place in the DPR, one of two breakaway Russian-backed entities in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine which Russia says it is fighting to 'liberate' from Ukrainian forces. Three days before launching its February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Russia recognised them as independent states in a move condemned by Ukraine and the West as illegal. It comes hours after Tory former minister Robert Jenrick said Mr Aslin should be returned home at the earliest opportunity, possibly through a prisoner exchange. The MP condemned the 'trumped-up charges' faced by both Britons and accused Russia of a 'completely outrageous breach of international law'. Twenty-eight-year-old Mr Aslin (above) and 48-year-old Mr Pinner are said to have admitted 'training in order to carry out terrorist activities' Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4s World At One programme: 'This is a British citizen, but who also holds Ukrainian nationality, is married to a Ukrainian, joined the Ukrainian armed forces in the normal way prior to (Vladimir) Putins illegal invasion, and has been serving in the armed forces. 'He was taken prisoner by Russian forces and in accordance with international law and the Geneva Convention, he should be being held appropriately and returned to Ukraine at the earliest possible opportunity, possibly through a prisoner exchange. 'Instead of that Putins regime have chosen to put him and another British national, Shaun Pinner, on trial on trumped up charges, no evidence whatsoever. 'This is, Im afraid, a completely outrageous breach of international law and it should be condemned.' He added: 'What I hope happens is that a prisoner exchange occurs in the near future. It comes hours after Tory former minister Robert Jenrick said Mr Aslin should be returned home at the earliest opportunity, possibly through a prisoner exchange On Monday, Dominic Raab said the Foreign Office will 'make all the representations' on Mr Aslins behalf and his family have also issued an emotional statement calling for his release 'The Russian authorities have chosen to make an example out of these two British nationals and it is, I think, completely shameful.' On Monday, Dominic Raab said the Foreign Office will 'make all the representations' on Mr Aslins behalf and his family have also issued an emotional statement calling for his release. They said: 'We, the family of Aiden Aslin, wish to ask for privacy at this time from the media. 'This is a very sensitive and emotional time for our family, and we would like to say thank you to all that have supported us. 'We are currently working with the Ukrainian government and the Foreign Office to try and bring Aiden home. 'Aiden is a much-loved man and very much missed, and we hope that he will be released very soon.' A former Amazon software engineer who allegedly stole personal data of more than 100 million credit card customers claims she was trying to expose vulnerabilities in Capital One's online system. Paige Thompson, 36, of Seattle, is accused of hacking into Capital One's stored data and downloading private information, including bank account and social security numbers, from customers' credit card applications. She allegedly violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, an anti-hacking law that forbids access to a computer without authorization, the criminal complaint states. However, her attorneys argue her actions were that of a 'novice white-hat hacker' trying who was scanning the online interface for vulnerabilities and exploring what she exposed. Critics of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act allege the 'loose' law allows for protections for hackers who find vulnerabilities in online systems. Thompson, whose federal trial began in Washington state on Tuesday, faces 10 counts of computer fraud, wire fraud and identity theft. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and, if convicted, could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Attorneys representing Paige Thompson (pictured) allege she was trying to expose vulnerabilities in Capital One's data system when she hacked the bank and stole personal data belonging to more than 100 million customers Analysts predict Thompson's trial will heavily scrutinize the methods she used to hack Capital One and her plans for the stolen data. Prosecutors claim Thompson intended to use the stolen information to conduct identity theft. They also allege she took advantage of her access to corporate servers in a scheme to mine cryptocurrency. Thompson's lawyers have argued her discovery of the 'flaws' in Capital One's data storage system was part of 'good-faith research'. They claim her hacking methods 'reflected the same practices used by legitimate security researchers' and fall under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act statute that protects those who find vulnerabilities in online systems. 'They are interpreting a statute so broadly that it captures conduct that is innocent and as a society we should be supporting, which is security researchers going out on the internet and trying to make it safer,' defense attorney Brian Klein told The New York Times. He also argued the current law 'doesn't give a lot of visibility to people on what could get you in trouble and what couldn't get you in trouble.' The prosecution, however, argues Thompson had no interest in helping the bank improve its security and sought to profit from the breach. Thompson's Seattle home is pictured in July 2019 after federal agents raided the property The Justice Department claims Thompson violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, an anti-hacking law that forbids access to a computer without authorization. But her lawyers have argued her discovery of the 'flaws' in Capital One's data storage system was part of 'good-faith research' and falls under the statute that protects those who find vulnerabilities in online systems. Federal agents are pictured at her Seattle home in July 2019 However, the Justice Department alleges Thompson had no interest in helping the bank improve its security and therefore cannot be considered a 'white hat' hacker. The feds cited instances of her apparently bragging about the theft online and chats in which she allegedly detailing how she may be able to profit from the breach. 'Even if her actions could be broadly characterized as 'research,' she did not act in good faith,' Nicholas W. Brown, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, stated. 'She was motivated both to make money and to gain notoriety in the hacking community and beyond.' Mohammad Ali Hamoudi, another member of her defense, hit back, saying: 'The snapshots submitted by the government are an incomplete and inaccurate portrayal of a life more fairly described as one of survival and resilience.' He also noted how his client had sought mental health treatment, 'demonstrating her resolve to confront her problems.' Thompson hacked Capital One between March and July 2019. Her trial began in federal court on Tuesday. She faces 10 counts of computer fraud, wire fraud and identity theft and has pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, she could be sentenced to 30 years in prison The FBI launched an investigation into Thompson in 2019 after Capital One learned it was the subject of one of the largest data breaches in U.S. history. According to the criminal complaint, Thompson 'intentionally' accessed the data sometime between March and July 2019 breaking into the bank's servers through a misconfiguration in its firewall. She obtained personal data from the banking platform's online system, including 140,000 Social Security numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers. Investigators allege she then saved then downloaded the information, creating an archive of the stolen data, and stored it on Amazon's Web Services cloud. Amazon, at the time, insisted it was not to blame for the hack and argued Thompson exploited Capital One's systems to access it. Capital One admitted that it was a fault in its infrastructure, and not Amazon's, which led to the breach. Capital One received an anonymous email in July 2019 alerting the bank had been hacked After allegedly stealing the data, Thompson left authorities a trail of breadcrumbs, posting online about the hack so much that fellow hackers expressed concern. 'Sketchy s***...don't go to jail plz,' an alleged hacker warned Thompson, who went by the alias 'erratic,' in a chat in June 2019. 'I wanna get it off my server that's why I'm archiving all of it lol,' she replied. 'I just dont want it around though. I gotta find somewhere to store it.' She also allegedly admitted to the theft in a Twitter chat message reading: 'I've basically strapped myself with a bomb vest, f*****g dropping capitol ones dox and admitting it... 'I wanna distribute those buckets i think first.' The FBI states that 'buckets' is synonymous with file folders. By 'distributing buckets,' Thompson allegedly meant that she sought to 'disseminate data stolen from victim entities, starting with Capital One.' Thompson left a trail of bread crumbs for authorities by posting about the hack online She not only discussed the hack online but seemingly threatened to release the stolen data Her online postings about the hack were reported to Capital One in July 2019 by a white hat hacker. The informant sent an anonymous email to the bank claiming to have read about the hack Github, an online information sharing platform. The email contained a link whose address included Thompson's full name - 'paigeadelethompson'. Authorities say that they became convinced that Thompson was the owner of the GitHub page. The page also included a number of server list IP addresses that match the same addresses used by the hacker who broke into Capital One, the complaint stated. Thompson was arrested in late July 2019. In August 2020, Capital One Financial Corp was fined $80 million by a top banking regulator in connection to the hack. Federal regulators alleged the bank lacked the security protocols needed to protect customers' data. Capital One was also ordered to enhance its risk-management program and related governance and controls around cybersecurity and information security. Last December, the bank settled a class-action lawsuit by agreeing to pay $190 million to customers whose data had been exposed during the breach. A Windows zero-day vulnerability known as Follina has attacked US local governments and European governments. A suspected state-backed cyberattack exploited the Microsoft Office "Follina" vulnerability to target European and U.S. government organizations. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the geopolitical conflict in eastern Europe, hacking has become increasingly rampant nowadays as malicious actors try to cope with ransomware. This time, even the government has become severely affected. Hacking in the U.S. Government Local governments in the United States were the targets of a phishing campaign that exploited a severe zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Windows by utilizing malicious Rich Text Format (RTF) documents. These papers were designed to exploit the vulnerability. According to The Hacker News, Proofpoint, a company that specializes in enterprise security, has stated that it has prevented attempts to exploit the vulnerability known as CVE-2022-30190, which allows remote code execution (CVSS score: 7.8). A minimum of one thousand phishing emails, each of which contained a bait document, were delivered to the targets. The company tweeted stating, "Proofpoint blocked a suspected state aligned phishing campaign targeting less than 10 Proofpoint customers (European gov & local US gov) attempting to exploit #Follina / #CVE_2022_30190." Proofpoint then added that this campaign pretended to be an offer of a raise in compensation and used an RTF file containing the exploit payload that was downloaded from 45.76.53 [.]253. This campaign masqueraded as a salary increase and utilized an RTF (242d2fa02535599dae793e731b6db5a2) with the exploit payload downloaded from 45.76.53[.]253. pic.twitter.com/dMntXwouWP Threat Insight (@threatinsight) June 3, 2022 The attackers enticed employees with the prospect of salary increases in order to get them to open the lure documents, which contained a PowerShell script that would be utilized as the final payload. This is used to determine whether the system in question is a virtual machine, to steal information from a number of web browsers, mail clients, and file services, and to collect information about the system itself, which is then sent to a server under the control of the malicious actor. Read Also: Atlassian Confluence CVE-2022-26134 Vulnerability Proof-of-Concept Exploits Released: Is There a Patch? Windows Vulnerability This phishing attack has a final PowerShell payload that can harvest a large amount of personal data that can be used for personal access. Below is some of the data that can be compromised, as detailed by Bleeping Computer: First, in Windows, it can get hold of the list of usernames, computer information, and the Windows domain information. Second, it can collect passwords from browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, and many more. Lastly, it can collect data from sites such as WeChat, Microsoft Office, Windows Live Mail contacts, Mozilla Thunderbird, Filezilla passwords, and many more. The attacker can then install applications, read, alter, or remove data, or establish new accounts within the context allowed by the user's rights. All of these actions are dependent on the user's permission. Proofpoint also disclosed the previous week that a hacking group with ties to China known as TA413 is now abusing the vulnerability in assaults directed at their primary target, which is the international Tibetan community. In addition, MalwareHunterTeam, a team of researchers specializing in computer security, came across dangerous documents with Chinese filenames that were used to deploy password-stealing trojans. However, exploited attacks from this Windows zero-day vulnerability have been detected since last month, using sextortion threats and invitations to Sputnik Radio interviews as bait. Unfortunately, patches for CVE-2022-30190 are still not available. After Microsoft disclosed active exploitation of the flaw in the wild, CISA encouraged Windows admins and users to disable MSDT. Related Article: Microsoft Is Officially Removing Money and Wolfram Data Type Features From Excel Donald Trump and his two eldest children have agreed to testify in New York State Attorney General Letitia James' three-year investigation into their real estate business, a Tuesday court filing shows. The trio will be deposed under oath on July 15, according to an agreement reached by prosecutors and attorneys for the former president, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. That's despite Trump repeatedly blasting James' probe as a partisan 'witch hunt' and attacking the Democrat official herself as a 'racist.' Late last month a court dismissed the Trumps' effort to quash New York State's subpoena seeking their testimonies. In a separate legal battle, Trump's attorney is reportedly facing off with James via a virtual court proceeding where a judge will decide whether the ex-president satisfied the requirements to lift a contempt charge and $10,000 daily fine against him. James had accused Trump of slow walking her investigation by refusing to hand over key financial documents - which Trump argued he simply did not have. If his lawyer Alina Habba's Wednesday effort in court fails, he could be liable to pay off the entire retroactive contempt charge of $430,000 - after already forking over $110,000 to try and purge it. James' team claims to have uncovered 'substantial evidence' that the Trump Organization knowingly used misleading financial statements in its business dealings for at least a decade. New York Attorney General Letitia James has been investigating the Trump Organization since 2019. She subpoenaed Donald Trump and his two eldest children late last year The company is accused of inflating the value of its properties in order to appear favorable to banks and secure better loans, and then undercutting their estimates to shave money off of taxes. So far, the former president's legal efforts to quash James' probe have come up empty. Just weeks ago a Barack Obama-appointed judge threw out a third lawsuit of Trump's against the Democrat official, which was seeking to end her investigation by claiming it violated her constitutional rights. He appealed the ruling less than a week later on June 1. Trump claimed James is acting out of political 'animus' because of her many statements pledging to take Trump on in court. He also argued that James' probe violates his Constitutional rights. But US District Judge Brenda Sannes said Trump's legal team had failed to provide any concrete evidence that James was acting in bad faith and their arguments were not 'sufficient' to prove that claim. The day before Sannes' decision, a fellow judge of hers on the US District Court for the Northern District of New York sided with James in ruling that Trump and his two eldest children must testify. That decision upheld a February 17 ruling by state Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron that said Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump had to testify in front of James' team. The Tuesday court filing shows that both lawyers for Trump and his children and for James' office agreed on the July 15 date Ivanka Trump was a former Trump Organization executive before she left to serve in her father's presidential administration. Donald Trump Jr., the oldest, is still an executive vice president there Engoron had overruled Trump's concerns that being deposed would violate his constitutional right against self-incrimination. The former president and his two adult children were subpoenaed by James' office late last year. In their challenge, they claimed that any information her team gains could be unfairly used in a separate but parallel criminal probe being run by the Manhattan District Attorney's office. The criminal investigation, which had begun under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance, lost steam in recent months after it was taken over by new DA Alvin Bragg. Bragg said in a statement last month that the investigation is still ongoing, but gave few if any details on its progress. A grand jury impaneled for the probe expired at the end of April without any public attempts to extend it. And Engoron is also the same judge who sided with James in charging Trump with contempt, along with imposing a $10,000 daily fine for every day he did not comply with her subpoena to hand over documents. Trump and his attorney had maintained that he did not have the records James was asking for and that he had handed over everything else, while she contended that his reasons were inadequate. The company appealed after those requests were denied The company filed motions seeking a new hearing of the evidence and for the award to be tossed out The insurance giant also argued the settlement agreement was not done in line with Missouri law GEICO sought to undo the action, claiming errors were made in Jackson County Circuit Court A three-judge panel found that the judgment entered against GEICO through earlier arbitration proceedings was valid The woman and the insured were in a romantic relationship going back to 2017 A Missouri woman was awarded a $5.2 million settlement against her ex-boyfriend's car insurance company after she claimed that she got a sexually transmitted disease from him after they had sex in his 2014 Hyundai Genesis. On Tuesday, after five years of uncertainty, the Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed that GEICO General Insurance Company, must make the massive payout to the Jackson County woman, in this unprecedented case. A three-judge panel found that the judgment entered against the insurance giant through earlier arbitration proceedings was valid, Yahoo News reported. Court papers obtained by the DailyMail.com reveal that the woman notified GEICO in February 2021 stating that she and the insured had been in a romantic relationship since 2017. The woman told the insurance company her intention to seek monetary damages, alleging she contracted HPV, the human papillomavirus, from an insured member in his automobile. Court documents reveal that in the suit, the woman alleged that her ex-boyfriend, had been told that he had throat cancer tumor and was diagnosed with HPV, yet he continued to have unprotected sex with her knowing the risks. Corporate headquarters of GEICO (pictured). Court papers obtained by the DailyMail.com reveal that the woman notified GEICO in February 2021 stating that she and the insured had been in a romantic relationship since 2017 The ex-boyfriend drove a 2014 Hyundai Genesis that was insured by the insurance giant In May 2021, the arbitrator found that the man and woman had sex inside his vehicle that 'directly caused, or directly contributed to cause' the HPV infection. The ex-boyfriend was found liable for not disclosing his infection status and the woman was awarded $5.2 million for damages and injuries to be paid by GEICO. Los Angeles personal injury attorney Miguel Custodio, co-founder of Custodio and Dubey LLP, told DailyMail.com that the settlement was reasonable. 'If you think about it as an injury sustained while in that person's vehicle, then it totally falls within what an insurance company would be required to pay,' he said. 'Usually, injuries to passengers are the result of a collision, or slamming the door on one's fingers, that sort of thing. But while a lawsuit over contracting an STD from the insured driver may be the first of its kind, this award shows that it's not a stretch for someone to file against an insurance company for any actions occurring in a motor vehicle.' 'The lesson to be learned here is that people need to broaden the scope of what an injury is,' Custodio continued. 'Most people would not think that contracting this disease is an injury suffered in a vehicle though it definitely is.' GEICO filed motions seeking a new hearing of the evidence and for the award to be tossed out, saying the judgment violated the company's rights to due process and the arbitration agreement was unenforceable. Court documents reveal that the three-judge panel found that the lower court did not make a mistake by denying the company's motions. They said GEICO did not have a right to 'relitigate those issues' once damages had been determined and a judgment was entered. 'All of GEICOs appeals were denied and they are not allowed to relitigate where a judgment has already been entered,' Custodio told DailyMail.com, saying that insurers must be studying this case closely. 'I expect they already have an army of attorneys poring over their contracts and devising ways to prevent these kinds of claims in the future.' 'The entire insurance industry is certain to be looking at this case, because it could have ramifications in all kinds of situations. For example, what if someone contracts HIV from their partner in their partners home, and the partner didnt reveal his medical issue can you go after their home insurance for this?' 'I predict well all be getting notifications of changes to our insurance policies in the near future,' he concluded. Geico vs. M.O. in the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District- Page 1 A Christian art student is suing a college in Illinois for slapping her with a no contact order against three of her classmates because they complained about her conservative views. Maggie R. Dejong was a student at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She graduated earlier this year. A 'devout' Christian, she often shared her religious beliefs on social media and was even challenged by her classmates about them. Dejong claims in a lawsuit the school was determined to squash her views because they differed from the liberal teachers and classmates who said she made them feel unsafe. She ended up being hit with a no contact order for three of her classmates who are not named in the lawsuit, but who submitted screenshots of her Instagram posts to the school. Now, Dejong is suing the school. In a lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com, she tells of how she was singled out in class as the only conservative student. On one occasion, a classmate privately messaged her on Instagram after she uploaded a post about her religion. Maggie R. Dejong was a student at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She graduated earlier this year These are some of the posts that Maggie's classmates complained about The original post said: 'Dont be deceived by [n]ew age practices.' The classmate messaged her privately, accusing her of 'saying a persons belief system is wrong.' She replied: 'You ask a very good question [S.W.]:) In a relativist society, that can be viewed that way. But my personal held beliefs are grounded in objective truth by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 'My belief compels me to call out evil that holds people in spiritual bondage. You can totally disagree with me, and that is your right:) But it is out of love that I call this out.' Dejong then says her words were used in that student's art project which was titled 'The Crushing Weight of Microaggressions.' In February 2021, she came to class wearing a pro-police, 'Back the Blue' hat. She had already decided not to support calls to defund the police, and said she did not believe in BLM. When she came to class in the hat, she says her professor asked her to explain why she was wearing it. Other posts she shared were about COVID-19 rules and lockdowns, Kyle Rittenhouse and the media Other posts decried the January 6 Capitol riot which she agreed 'set back' conservatives' cause Another post revealed her pro-life stance. The classmates complained about them all 'Ms. DeJong said that she was wearing the hat to show her support for law enforcement and explained her belief that defunding the police would hurt society. 'Rather than take off the hat to appease Defendant [Megan] Robb and students who took offense to it, Ms. DeJong stood her ground as fellow students argued that the hat was a symbol of oppression and implied that Ms. DeJong was a racist for wearing it,' the lawsuit reads. Months later, students called the hat 'unsafe'. They compared it to someone eating peanuts next to a person with a nut allergy. The teachers then told her that her social media comments were 'problematic'. Among the posts that Dejong shared was one which decried the January 6 insurrection but said BLM riots 'ruined the country'. Another was about the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict which she saw as justice prevailing. Professor Shelly Goebl-Parker (left) and Director of Art Therapy Megan A. Robb (right) issued out the ban Rittenhouse was acquitted of murder after shooting dead BLM protesters in Kenosha. His team successfully argued that he feared for his life. Media coverage of the case preceding the trial was riddled with inaccuracies like that he had been driven to the town from another determined to kill. Dejong wrote on Instagram: 'Justice and truth prevailed in the face of lies and deception from the mainstream media trying to twist the narrative. 'This gives hope to Americans. Praying protection over those jurors who have been threatened their lives.' In February 2022, she was issued three 'no contact orders' which told her she could not communicate with three students in the school. Now, she is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She accused the university of having a 'pitchfork' mentality. Angelina Jolie is vehemently denying her ex Brad Pitt's claims that she sold her stake in his French vineyard for malicious reasons, after the actor accused her in court documents of trying to destroy him. She and Pitt bought the property together back in 2008, and have hosted parties at the winery over the years. The couple even got married at the South of France chateau. But after they split, Jolie, 47, sold her half of the thriving Chateau Miraval winery in October to a company run by Yuri Shefler, the owner of the company that makes the flagship Russian vodka Stolichnaya - renamed Stoli. The company is a subsidiary of Stoli Group, meaning it is 'indirectly owned' by Shefler, who is based in the United Kingdom. Pitt, 58, then filed a lawsuit against the Maleficent actress on Friday, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed earlier this week. In it, he accuses Jolie of trying to damage him by secretly selling her stake to 'a Russian oligarch' with 'poisonous intentions' - which allegedly include a plan to take complete control of the multi-million dollar business. He claimed the sale represented 'a massive international liability' given Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and said Jolie's motivation for the sale was to 'inflict harm on Pitt.' A source close to Jolie, though, has now refuted those claims, telling PEOPLE: 'Mr. Pitt's lawsuit is an extension of a false narrative, and the truth of the situation has still never been made public. 'After the events that led to Ms Jolie filing for divorce, and her years devoted to caring for their children, Ms Jolie and the children have not been able to return to the property, and she made the difficult decision to sell her stake in the business,' the unnamed source said. They claimed that Jolie 'made multiple offers to her ex-husband, and knowing the business will be inherited by their children, she found a business partner with experience in the alcohol industry. 'It's unfortunate that after she properly and legally exited the business, Mr Pitt is entangling her in multiple lawsuits,' the source said. But a source close to Pitt said the argument did not make sense, claiming: 'The best way to retain value for the family would have been for one of their parents to retain ownership of an increasingly valuable asset. 'There's a lot more value in a family owning 100 percent, than 40 to 50 percent,' the source noted. A new complaint filed by Brad Pitt's lawyers Friday alleges Angelina Jolie's motivation for the sale of Miraval to was to 'inflict harm on Pitt,' including a plan to take complete control of Pitt's beloved multi-million dollar winery In his lawsuit, Pitt claims the sale of the French winery to a Russian oligarch will be bad for business as Stoli 'has been the object of boycotts throughout the world' since Putin invaded Ukraine in February. He notes that 'The US Treasury Department designated Shefler as an "oligarch in the Russian Federation" in an unclassified report to Congress made pursuant to the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017,' according to the documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 3. Pitt's lawyers continue to argue that 'Jolie pursued and then consummated the purported sale in secret, purposely keeping Pitt in the dark, and knowingly violating Pitt's contractual rights.' 'By doing so, Jolie sought to seize profits she had not earned and returns on an investment she did not make. Also through the purported sale, Jolie sought to inflict harm on Pitt. 'Jolie knew and intended that Shefler and his affiliates would try to control the business Pitt had built and to undermine Pitt's investment in Miraval.' Sources point out that the timing of the sale was linked to a judge's decision to issue a tentative ruling giving Pitt 50/50 custody in the couple's bitter custody battle over their five minor children at the time. 'Jolie was livid,' one source told DailyMail.com, 'and vindictive.' This is the Miraval Chateau and the 1,000-acre estate - now valued at $164M - where the couple tied the knot in 2008 Pitt contends the sale violates an agreement the couple made at the outset of their partnership in the 1,000-acre Chateau Miraval estate, which they bought in 2008 The Fight Club star's attorneys go on to argue that 'Shefler has launched a hostile takeover of the wine business, destabilizing Miraval's operations and seeking access to Miraval's confidential and proprietary information for the benefit of his competing enterprise,' in the court documents obtained by DailyMail.com. 'At the same time, Miraval's association with Sheflerwho has gained notoriety through cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associationsjeopardizes the reputation of the brand Pitt so carefully built,' the documents state. 'All of this is the direct result of Jolie's unlawful and tortious conduct. In violation of the parties' agreement, Jolie has sought to force Pitt into partnership with a stranger, and worse yet, a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions.' The company is 'indirectly owned' by Yuri Shefler, who is based in the United Kingdom. According to the legal filing, he is designated by the U.S. Treasury Department as an 'oligarch in the Russian Federation' The filing further claims the sale violates an agreement the couple made at the outset of their partnership in the 1,000-acre Chateau Miraval estate, which they bought in 2008 and is in Correns, near Aix-en-Provence. It gave Pitt first refusal to buy her stake if she wanted to sell, the judge has been told. And this latest legal battle between the warring exes is further complicated by a dispute over the size of Jolie's stake. Miraval is owned by Quimicum, a company in which Pitt originally held a 60 per cent share through his entity Mondo Bongo while Jolie held 40 per cent through her company Nouvel. Three years before he and Jolie split in 2016, Pitt transferred ten per cent of Mondo Bongo's shares to Nouvel, making them 50/50 stakeholders in Quimicum. But according to the lawsuit, the ten per cent transfer is void as the shares were 'sold' for only 1 Euro and not a 'serious' amount as required by Luxembourg law. Pitt has also hit out at the timing of Jolie's sale of Nouvel, linking it with a judge's decision to issue a tentative ruling giving him 50/50 custody in the couple's bitter custody battle over their five minor children at the time. His attorneys say that originally, buyout negotiations for Miraval, worth $164million, had begun between the stars and were proceeding in April 2021. 'The negotiations progressed to a very advanced stage, and the parties even reached an agreement on price,' they write. 'In May 2021, however, the judge appointed to preside over the couple's custody proceedings issued a detailed tentative rulingfollowing a weeks-long trialfinding that Jolie was not credible and that the existing custody order required modification, at Pitt's request, in the best interests of Pitt and Jolie's children.' They add that 'in the wake of that ruling, and notwithstanding that the parties were on the cusp of striking a deal on a buyout of Jolie's stake, Jolie's representatives abruptly informed Pitt' a month later that talks were at an end. The reps also 'disingenuously accused Pitt of having no intent of finalizing an agreement'. 'As one of Jolie's letters summed it up', write the lawyers, 'we consider ourselves free from any negotiations with you,' and 'free to pursue any other transactions that we would deem appropriate to undertake'.' The famous couple, dubbed Brangelina, bought the chateau as a home to share with their six children as well as a vineyard to run as a family business, the papers say. However, the estate was in dire straits and leaking money due to its previous owner. Pitt then formed an association with renowned winemaker Marc Perrin to reinvent it into a world-class enterprise. 'The vineyard became Pitt's passionand a profitable one, as Miraval, under Pitt's stewardship, has grown into a multimillion-dollar global business and one of the world's most highly regarded producers of rose wine,' say the papers. Jolie, on the other hand, was a bystander, claim the lawyers. The Maleficent star 'meanwhile contributed nothing to Miraval's success,' they write. 'Instead, she allowed Pitt to pour money and sweat equity into the business in reliance on the consent right she owed him and a right of first refusal her business entity owed his.' The first wine by the joint venture, Miraval Rose 2012, 'was an instant success'. Its first 6,000 bottles sold out online within five hours. Wine Spectator awarded it a coveted spot on its Top 100 of 2013 listthe first rose to ever appear on the list The first wine by the joint venture, Miraval Rose 2012, 'was an instant success'. Its first 6,000 bottles sold out online within five hours. Expert publication Wine Spectator awarded it a coveted spot on its Top 100 of 2013 listthe first rose to ever appear on the list, said the paperwork. Miraval's sales rocketed and merchants resorted to being on waiting lists for its latest wines. Though she benefitted from Miraval's success, Jolie had no involvement in these efforts,' say Pitt's lawyers. 'As she herself stated in court documents, 'I regarded the house as my home, and I used it for meetings related to my international work.' She did not contribute to the growth of the business.' By 2019, three years after the couple split, Miraval wines were being sold in 65 countries and success has continued, say Pitt's lawyers. 'Pittthrough significant financial investment and years of sweat equityhas built a highly successful family-owned business,' the legal papers state. 'Miraval has correspondingly grown massively in value since 2008 and is now worth hundreds of millions of dollars. 'Meanwhile, Jolie has not returned to Miraval since filing for divorce in 2016. She did nothing to drive the growth of its business. Instead, she allowed Pitt to make these investments and devote himself to the business in reliance on the consent right she owed him 'Miraval's success and associated rise in value offered Jolie an opportunity to capitalize on Pitt's success and cash out, without contributing anything at all to the enterprise. Pitt was prepared to buy Jolie out, either in whole or in part, on reasonable terms. Shefler, Soviet-born and with British and Israeli citizenship, was watching that success from afar. And the owner of the SPI Group, which sells alcohol in 160 countries, seized on the Brangelina divorce news in 2016 to make a 60 million euro bid for Miraval, the papers say. He also offered a 'bizarre sweetener' for Pitt of a 50 million euro private jet on 'very attractive terms'. The offer was rebuffed, but in early 2021 Shefler's associates came back and had a meeting with Pitt. However, the star confirmed he had no interest in a deal. 'Jolie had thus sold Nouvel not just to a stranger but to the very stranger with whom Pitt and Miraval had refused to deal,' write the attorneys. 'No one affiliated with Stoli or Tenute del Mondo ever contacted Pitt before the announcement of the purported sale. Nor did Jolie seek Pitt's consent to the transaction or even offer to sell Nouvel to Pitt on the same terms as she purportedly sold to Tenute del Mondo. 'To the contrary, Jolie and Shefler hid the discussions and declined to disclose the terms of the contemplated deal to Pitt at all. Pitt still does not know what those terms are.' Three years before their split, Pitt's company transferred 10% of his shares to Jolie, to make them 50/50 stakeholders in the company Brad and Angelina split in 2016, with Jolie requesting primary custody of their six children (pictured). Pitt's attorneys have also linked Shefler in their document to Putin, whose February invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of innocent civilians. 'Shefler also maintains personal and professional relationships with individuals in Vladimir Putin's inner circle,' they allege in court documents. But the vodka the tycoon publicly criticized the Putin regime following the invasion of Ukraine and said he was exiled from his homeland. He was changing the name of his vodka from Stolichnaya to Stoli in direct response to Moscow's war, he said in a media release. 'While I have been exiled from Russia since 2000 due to my opposition to Putin, I have remained proud of the Stolichnaya brand,' he said. Pitt accuses Jolie, Shefler, Oliynik, SPI Group and Tenute del Mundo in the law suit of two counts of breach of contract, breaching good faith, and tortious interference with contractual relations. He is demanding a jury trial. The once feted showbiz couple have six children Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16 and twins Knox and Vivienne, 13. Despite Pitt's 50/50 custody victory just before Jolie decided to sell her stake in Marival, he was later stripped of having joint parental control. And in October 2021, a judge denied his petition to review that ruling. Abbott Laboratories and federal regulators were warned of potential issues at its Michigan baby formula plant roughly a year before contamination forced a shutdown and triggered a national infant formula shortage, according to a new report. A former Abbott employee in February 2021 filed an OSHA whistleblower complaint with the Labor Department alleging a host of issues at the Sturgis plant, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The same month, the Labor Department shared the complaint with Abbott and the Food and Drug Administration, alleging the plant had failing equipment in need of repair and released formula without adequate evidence that it was safe for consumption. Abbott on Saturday reopened the Sturgis plant, which had been closed since February 2022 after the FDA began investigating four bacterial infections among infants who consumed powdered formula from the plant. Two of the babies died. The company continues to insist that its products have not been directly linked to the infections, which involved different bacterial strains. Abbott Laboratories and federal regulators were warned of potential issues at its Michigan baby formula plant (above) roughly a year before contamination forced a shutdown Abbott CEO Robert B. Ford is seen above. The company says it was unable to confirm the allegations in the February 2021 OSHA complaint FDA inspectors eventually uncovered a host of violations at the plant, including bacterial contamination, a leaky roof and lax safety protocols. The FDA has faced intense scrutiny for taking months to close the plant and then negotiate its reopening. Agency leaders recently told Congress they had to enter a legally binding agreement with Abbott to assure all the problems were fixed. A spokesperson for Abbott did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com about the February 2021 complaint, but the company told the Journal: 'We investigated the federal OSHA complaint and have not been able to confirm the allegations.' An FDA spokesperson told the outlet: 'We know there have been various questions about the timeline of events leading up to the FDA's warning and Abbott's recall of products manufactured at their Sturgis facility.' 'Our top priority right now is addressing the dire need for infant formula in the U.S. market and our teams are working day and night to make that happen.' The February shutdown of the largest formula factory in the country led to the supply problems that have forced some parents to seek formula from food banks, friends and doctor's offices. Empty shelves with baby formula are seen at Walgreens pharmacy in Washington on Tuesday After the plant reopened Saturday, Abbott said it initially will prioritize production of its EleCare specialty formulas for infants with severe food allergies and digestive problems who have few other options for nutrition. The company said it will take about three weeks before new formula from the plant begins getting to consumers. 'We will ramp production as quickly as we can while meeting all requirements,' Abbott said in a statement. The Sturgis plant's reopening is one of several federal actions that are expected to improve supplies in the weeks ahead. President Joe Biden's administration has eased import rules for foreign manufacturers, airlifted formula from Europe and invoked federal emergency rules to prioritize U.S. production. The Biden administration has faced questions about when it learned about the formula shortage and why it wasn't better prepared to deal with the rows of empty grocery store shelves. Two shipments of formula have come in from Europe under Operation Fly Formula; The two flights (including the above one from Ramstein Air Base) brought in total of 1.5 million, 8-ounce bottles of formula Abbott's February recall of several leading brands, including Similac, squeezed supplies that had already been strained by supply chain disruptions and stockpiling during COVID-19 shutdowns. The shortage has been most dire for children with allergies, digestive problems and metabolic disorders who rely on specialty formulas. The Abbott factory is the only source of many of those products, providing nutrition to about 5,000 U.S. babies, according to federal officials. Abbott is one of just four companies that produce about 90 percent of U.S. formula. The companys recalls and shutdown triggered a cascade of effects: Retailers have limited customer purchasing to conserve supplies and parents have been told to switch brands to whatever formula is in stock. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf recently told lawmakers it could be about two months before formula supplies return to normal levels. The agency has waived many of its regulatory requirements to accept more formula from the United Kingdom, Australia and other nations. U.S. manufacturers, including Reckitt and Gerber, have also stepped up production, running plants 24/7 and sourcing more formula from alternate facilities. Police bodycam footage captured the moment a Florida officer apprehended a jet ski thief, who could not swim. On Sunday a sergeant from the Volusia Sheriff's Office assisted the Ormond Beach Police Department after they got a call about someone stealing a jet ski in the Halifax river, which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on Florida's east coast. Police say 48-year-old Ronald Williams tried to steal the jet ski and was unable to start it. Williams ended up floating away into the middle of the waterway. Scroll Down For Video: Bodycam footage shows a sergeant approach a family who agree to let him and a fellow officer borrow their boat to catch the thief The sergeant tells the thief who is stranded to put his hands up and instructs him to 'come over here!' while aiming his gun at him Williams reveals he cant swim to which the other officer driving the boat remarks: 'So you're gonna take a jet ski but you don't know how to swim' The footage shows a sergeant approach a family who was about to head out into the water. They agree to allow him and a fellow officer to borrow their boat to catch the thief. The sergeant and the officer took off on the pleasure craft and spot Williams. They identify themselves. The sergeant tells the thief who is stranded to put his hands up and instructs him to 'come over here!' while aiming his gun at him. But Williams reveals he can't swim to which the other officer driving the boat remarks: 'So you're gonna take a jet ski but you don't know how to swim' The sergeant then tells Williams he will throw him a rope, asking multiple times if he had any weapons on him as he stumbles awkwardly on the jet ski looking afraid of the water. The sergeant throws the rope at Williams and then the footage cuts to the moment the jet ski is retrieved and tied to the boat The sergeant then tells Williams he will throw him a rope, asking multiple times if he had any weapons on him as he stumbles awkwardly on the jet ski looking afraid of the water. He throws the rope at Williams and then the footage cuts to the moment the jet ski is retrieved and tied to the boat. The footage then cuts back to the family as the sergeant thanks them for lending them the boat to which the owner responds: 'absolutely, y'all did great' According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office, Williams was taken into custody without incident and the jet ski was returned to its owner. Comedian Katherine Ryan has revealed how she bravely confronted a colleague on a popular television programme because she believes he is a sexual predator. In a shocking confession, she says that she also made the allegation about his behaviour in front of others working on the show. Miss Ryan, 38, made the courageous revelation that there is what she considers to be an abuser working in the television industry during an interview with fellow comic Sara Pascoe, who she says is also aware of the man's identity. Speaking to Miss Pascoe during her new Amazon Prime series Backstage With Katherine Ryan, the Canadian star who has appeared on shows including Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Mock The Week and a League Of Their Own said: 'I've done a show with a person who I and you believe is a predator. What am I supposed to do? Katherine Ryan (pictured at an award ceremony) has revealed how she confronted a colleague on a popular television programme because she believes he is a sexual predator She was speaking to fellow comic and presenter, Sara Pascoe (pictured) when she made the revelations Katherine Ryan at Latitude Festival, day three, in Southwold in 2019 'I've thought about that, but it's such a messy thing because I don't have proof what, am I not supposed to feed my children because of someone else?' Harvey Weinstein, 70, will be charged with indecently assaulting woman in London in 1996 Harvey Weinstein will be charged by the Metropolitan Police with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996, prosecutors in Britain said today. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Special Crime Division, confirmed that Scotland Yard had been authorised to charge the ex-film producer. The charges related to one female complainant in August 1996 in London, and the decision was reached after the CPS reviewed evidence gathered by the Met. Police said the woman at the centre of the allegations is now aged in her 50s and the two alleged offences are contrary to section 14(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956. Weinstein was sentenced in March 2020 at New York Supreme Court to 23 years in prison for a sexual assault in 2006 and a rape in a separate incident in 2013. The 70-year-old is currently in a prison in California where he is awaiting another trial for alleged sexual assault against five women. He has pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Miss Pascoe replied: 'Also in that instance that you're referencing it was about raising it.' That prompted Miss Ryan to admit: 'I raised it. I called him a predator to his face and in front of everyone every day.' Meanwhile, Miss Pascoe revealed that she had reported a male celebrity to a television channel after receiving a phone call from a viewer who claimed to have been raped by him. Miss Pascoe, 41, said: 'Have you ever done a job and then someone's contacted you and said: 'That's my rapist'? I had it on a job recently where I've had to go to the channel, and it's that whole thing because you feel such a sense of responsibility but you also want it to be dealt with well... it's so complicated.' ITV and Channel 4 declined to comment. The BBC declined to comment. Sky was also contacted. Miss Ryan joins a long line of high-profile women who have made similar allegations against sexual predators. They include Gwyneth Paltrow and Cara Delevingne who both shared their experiences of abuse by disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. Since 2017, several high-profile British celebrities have been the subject of MeToo allegations. Last year Doctor Who star Noel Clarke was accused of groping, harassment and bullying after 20 women provided accounts of misconduct to the newspaper. In April, ex-BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood was accused of sexual misconduct by seven women in a joint investigation by BBC News and The Guardian. Separately, more than 10,000 current and former secondary school students in the UK have shared their experiences of sexual harassment and rape culture anonymously on the website Everyone's Invited. Miss Ryan releases her series on Amazon today. In it, she interviews other comedians including Sue Perkins, Joel Dommett, Rob Beckett, Sarah Millican and Jimmy Carr. She was speaking to Miss Pascoe during her new Prime Video series Backstage With Katherine Ryan (pictured at a Prime Video press event in May) The Canadian star (pictured at the UK premiere of The Last Duel) has appeared on Have I Got News For You, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Mock The Week, Would I Lie To You? and a League Of Their Own Celebrity Guests gathered in September 2021 at The Ned's Club to celebrate the launch of Katherine Ryan's memoir The Audacity Miss Pascoe (left) revealed that she had reported a male celebrity to a television channel after receiving a phone call from a viewer who claimed to have been raped by him. Miss Ryan (right) joins a long line of high-profile women who have made similar allegations against sexual predators In her new series she interviews Sue Perkins, Joel Dommett, Rob Beckett, Sarah Millican and Jimmy Carr Miss Pascoe, 41, said: 'Have you ever done a job and then someone's contacted you and said: 'That's my rapist?' 'I was groped in the lift at my chambers... so why didn't I complain?' One of Britain's top female judges dares to ask why her generation didn't do more to combat sexual harassment at the Bar Wendy Joseph QC looks back at being a young female judge in a male-dominated world UK-based judge says in 1976 she watched her male peers being offered permanent positions in their chambers whilst she tried to get one to take her on She tells how she hated the patronising tone male colleagues often took with her and how they would touch her without permission By Wendy Joseph QC for the Daily Mail When I arrived at the Old Bailey in April 2012, I knew I would be the only female among the 16 appointed judges. What's more, I was only the third woman judge ever to preside full-time over the most famous court in our land. And it was immediately clear my presence was going to take the impressive team of barristers some getting used to. It's the custom that when a new judge enters the courtroom on their first day, the most senior barrister present rises to welcome them on behalf of the Bar. As I walked towards my seat high on the Bench, a man down in counsel's row got to his feet and bowed. I bowed back. He straightened his wig. I did, too. Wendy Joseph QC (pictured) looks back at being a young female judge in a male-dominated world. Wendy was the only female judge on the Old Bailey's Bench when she joined I was both thrilled and anxious, conscious of the importance of being a woman stepping into an overwhelmingly male domain. This was a significant moment. The barrister cleared his throat. 'We at the Bar wish to welcome you, My Lord,' he said. My Lord! It must have been a slip of the tongue. Concerned it would sound horribly pompous for me to say 'Actually, it's My Lady', I decided to ignore it. Then he did it again. 'It is a pleasure to have your Lordship amongst us,' he said. It wasn't rudeness, I knew that. 'My Lord' was just hardwired into his brain. But for how long could I let this go on? The third time I gave a little sigh, looked slowly down at my cleavage and then back up at him. We stared at each other. First realisation, then a deep blush crossed his face. Poor man. Neither he nor any other barrister made that mistake again. Actually, I wasn't especially surprised or upset. Like it or not, I was a novelty here. And like most professional women, I've suffered far worse slights during my career. I retired this spring, aged 70. Over the 47 years since I was called to the Bar, there have been huge and positive changes for women across the legal landscape. When I started out in the mid-1970s, while there were a few pioneering and brilliant female barristers who made it to the top, young women like me often just weren't taken seriously in what was a man's world. Unwelcome hands around my waist This was made horribly clear when I took my first pupillage in a set of Chambers, shadowing a more senior barrister. The clerk the man who organised the work and arranged each barrister's diary made a point of calling me 'Sir' from the moment I walked through the door until the day I left, six months later. No one would get away with that now, or even think about behaving that way. But I didn't complain because it didn't occur to me that I could or should. I hated the patronising tone male colleagues often took with me and the uninvited arms around my shoulders, the unwelcome hands about my waist. But even when, in the tiny lift that rattled its way up the old legal building in the Temple, a hand slid down my hip and onto my bottom, all I did was stop using the lift. This was a male-dominated world, and I can see, looking back, that as a very young woman, I allowed myself to be dominated. Thankfully, I was never more seriously molested, but I know there were others who suffered more. It's hard to see now why we the young women at the Bar didn't get together, exchange our stories and bring our complaints into the light. I suppose we were locked into the system and didn't have the courage or sense to break out. But the bias against women went further than unwanted advances. It was galling when, in 1976 at the end of my year-long pupillage, I watched my male peers being offered permanent positions in their Chambers, while I scrabbled around trying to find one to take me on. I wrote endless applications. No one was interested. My meagre savings were fast running out, and with them my hopes. She tells how she hated the patronising tone male colleagues often took with her and how they would touch her without permission I began to apply for jobs outside of law. One was as a trainee manager at Marks & Spencer, where I was told I was hopelessly over-qualified. I saw an advert for a job in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, reviewing cases. I'd be a lawyer, but without ever seeing the inside of a court. Still, I got the job and wrote a letter of acceptance but I couldn't bring myself to post it. Clearly, I wasn't ready to give up yet. Thank goodness, because three months later, I was offered a place in the Chambers of John Roberts QC, the first person of African ancestry to take silk at the Criminal Bar. I'm so grateful to John. Without that chance, none of what followed could have happened. There have been many lucky chances along the way. I had a relatively ordinary childhood in Cardiff I was a grammar-school girl, lucky enough to get funding from my local authority to study at Cambridge. My dad sadly died when I was 16, and my mum and grandma worked running a little shop, providing for my younger sister and me. Without those grants, I couldn't have started on the journey that brought me where I am. We didn't have the courage to break out Once called to the Bar, I soon realised that it wasn't only my sex that set me apart from most of my peers. Many of the barristers around me had been to public schools and had a veneer of being part of 'the club', while my path had been very different. But having got my feet on the ground at my first Chambers, I could forge a path through the legal system. This led, in 2007, at 55, to me making the permanent move from Bar to Bench, first at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court, probably the biggest and busiest Crown Court in Europe. And then, finally, The Old Bailey. Over the last ten years, I have presided over hundreds of trials. I'm sometimes asked if I have special sympathy for women victims or accused, or if I have to force myself not to feel that way. But the truth is, my gender simply doesn't come into it. In the judge's head, nothing must be allowed to interfere in the need for universal fairness. In my book, Unlawful Killings, I've tried to explain what it feels like to sit in a courtroom, to look into the eyes of a 16-year-old in the dock for murder, to see the heartbreak of the mum and dad listening to how their child ended up on a mortuary slab. UK-based judge says in 1976 she watched her male peers being offered permanent positions in their chambers whilst she tried to get one to take her on My career has, in many ways, consumed me. I'm married, but we didn't have children. I'll always have a pang of regret that I didn't have a family. But if I had, would I have been able to do either job the way I'd have wanted? The Bar is a tough taskmaster and I've seen too many promising young women barristers horribly stretched or even give up their careers altogether. But for all the struggles women have in the criminal law courts, I'm proud to say I am bowing out on a high note for women who work there. I was the only female among 16 on the Old Bailey's Bench back in 2012; by the time of my retirement true parity was finally achieved exactly half of the 14 current sitting judges are women. That's how it should be. The Bench should represent the community it serves. And now at least at the Bailey, and at least in terms of sex it truly does. Two man have been arrested after holding police at bay for 18 hours in a siege that forced residents of a Gold Coast suburb to sleep in their cars. Queensland Police announced they had now lifted the emergency declaration at Nerang that had prevented local residents accessing their homes and forced the closure of a local Catholic school. 'Police thank the community for their patience and understanding during this incident,' police posted in the statement. It is believed one of the men is a high-risk violent offender, possibly connected to two shootings on the Gold Coast in recent days. Two man have been arrested after holding police at bay for 18 hours in a siege that forced residents of Nerang to sleep in their cars It is believed one of the men arrested is a high-risk violent offender, possibly connected to two shootings on the Gold Coast in recent days In one of those incidents, a gun was fired at a family's car as they drove home from dinner in nearby Coolangatta on Saturday night. The bullet shattered the car's window and was millimetres from directly hitting a 55-year-old father in the front passenger seat. In the early hours of Monday morning, multiple shots were fired from a car at the Arundel Police Beat. Detective Acting Superintendent Chris Ahearn confirmed on Thursday morning one of the men had recently removed an ankle monitor. Some Nerang residents have spent the night sleeping in the cars due to an ongoing siege The two wanted men had barricaded themselves in a duplex belonging to an elderly couple in Rimu Place, Nerang around 3.30pm on Wednesday afternoon. Nearby St Brigid's Primary School immediately went into lockdown before police extended the emergency declaration and exclusion zone two hours later. The exclusion zone encompassed Riverpark Drive, McLaren Road, Kopwhai Place and Inverness Street but has now been lifted. Some residents spent the night sleeping in their cars in freezing conditions, unable to return home as temperatures plunged to 4C. 'I live 100m over that way. They are letting people come out of the street not going into the street,' a woman told the Today show on Thursday. One man added: 'It looks like I'm locked out for I don't know how much longer, I will make my way back to home unshaven, having not showered and still in yesterday's clothes.' Gregg Guyder missed Wednesday night's State of Origin opener after going out to stock up supplies to watch the big match. He was shocked to return to blocked off streets and unable to get home. 'So I've been in the gym twice,' he told the ABC. '[My house] wouldn't be far away, maybe 400 metres. I live by myself. 'It was pretty chilly [in the car overnight], I've still got the engine going now.' 'Police are certainly still on the scene there and negotiations are continuing,' Detective Acting Superintendent Chris Ahearn told reporters on Thursday morning before the men surrendered. 'We are acutely aware of the impact on the local community in that area, with having a situation like this unfolding, bit we - it's our intention to resolve it as soon as we can.' Residents in the locked down vicinity have taken to social media to report police can be heard trying to negotiate with the men via a megaphone. 'We are only a few houses away,' one wrote Two armed men have barricaded themselves inside a home. There were two elderly people let out a few hours ago who went straight to ambulances.' The siege began on Wednesday afternoon when police cornered two wanted men held up in a duplex owned by an elderly couple A number of ambulance crews remain on standby at the scene, along with dozens of police. 'We empathise with the members of the public who have been so inconvenienced by this action but again our guiding principles are nothing other than community safety, Acting Chief Superintendent Geoff Sheldon told ABC Gold Coast Breakfast. The elderly couple were released from the duplex by the men. A woman in her 80s was treated by paramedics at the scene for shock. St Brigid's Primary School will remain closed on Thursday. 'Police have advised that the situation across from the school is ongoing and the immediate area remains closed, the school posted. 'As this is a police matter, we have limited information and a timeframe is unknown.' Another local was desperate to return home to her elderly mother. 'They won't let me past just to get home,' Robyn told the Gold Coast Bulletin. 'Police should really have something set up for when something like this happens. 'I live with my elderly mother, I can't get to her, and I've got nowhere else to go. I just have to wait it out. Several streets in Nerang remain closed off by police on Thursday as a tense standoff between police and two men enters its 16th hour It's understood the two men were wanted by police on return to prison warrants. Reports have surfaced that one of the men had cut off a GPS ankle-tracking bracelet and was on the run before being confronted by police. It's believed the men may be linked to two shootings in recent days, including a police station drive-by shooting at Arundel early Monday morning. Shots were also fired into a car driving through Coolangatta last Saturday, which injured the male driver and narrowly missed his wife and son also in the vehicle. The suburb was surrounded by dozens of police as negotiations with the two men continue Priti Patels first migrants flight to Rwanda was in doubt last night after legal actions were lodged against it. A coalition of charities and a trade union that represents Border Force staff has applied for an injunction to halt Tuesdays operation. They are also seeking a judicial review of the policy. The legal tactics, plus a raft of appeals lodged on behalf of individual migrants, are likely to lead to the flight being postponed pending resolution of the issues in court. The moves highlight the scale of opposition to the Home Secretarys plan, which she claims will save lives in the Channel and cripple the profits of people-smuggling gangs. It comes as migrants arriving in Dover could soon be transported to Zambia after the country 'expressed an interest' in the Rwanda scheme. Zambia is understood to be 'potentially interested' in signing a similar agreement with the Government, bit is holding off to see how the scheme works in Rwanda. A source told The Telegraph: 'There are one or two countries, like Zambia, who are potentially interested. 'They will wait and see what happens in Rwanda before deciding whether it is worthwhile and the political ramifications of it. But Home Office insiders admitted last night that the chances of the first flight to Rwanda taking off as planned were now slim. Priti Patels first migrants flight to Rwanda was in doubt last night after legal actions were lodged against it The legal tactics, plus a raft of appeals lodged on behalf of individual migrants, are likely to lead to the flight being postponed pending resolution of the issues in court There is still a chance, albeit a low chance, that it will happen, one source said. Its still on until a judge says otherwise. A Tory source added: Its no surprise that Labour-supporting organisations and the civil service union are funding legal campaigns to try to cancel the first removal flight. 'They opposed the ending of free movement, and now they want to throw open our nations borders entirely. They have no alternative to stop these deadly Channel crossings and its a shame to see members of the Labour Party standing with them. The injunction application is expected to be heard tomorrow A charter plane has been booked to head from an undisclosed UK airport to the Rwandan capital of Kigali on Tuesday carrying 130 migrants who have been told they face removal. But the Daily Mail reported yesterday that more than half those due to be on the flight had already lodged individual legal challenges in attempts to stay in Britain. By last night at least 90 appeals had been submitted, with the remaining 40 imminent. A worker is seen at the Desir Resort Hotel prepared to host asylum seekers sent to Rwanda from Britain, in Kagugu location of Kigali, Rwanda Most of the individual claims involve allegations of modern slavery or rely on the right to private and family life under article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Miss Patel has instructed government lawyers to work round the clock to defeat the appeals. The High Court action has been launched by the Public and Commercial Services union alongside the charities Care 4 Calais and Detention Action. One of the legal grounds given in the claim is Miss Patels failure to make provision for malaria prevention in Rwanda. The application also claims it is irrational for the Home Office to describe Rwanda as a generally safe country and that removing asylum seekers there would breach the Geneva Convention and the ECHR. Mark Serwotka, of the PCS union said: It appears the Government has learned nothing from the Windrush scandal, among others. PCS is not prepared to countenance our members being put in potentially dangerous and traumatic situations, where they may be asked to act illegally. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel on June 7 James Wilson, deputy director of Detention Action, said: Priti Patel is turning a blind eye to the many clear dangers and human rights violations that it would inflict on people seeking asylum. Bella Sankey, the charitys director, was a Labour candidate in the 2019 election. On her campaign leaflet, party leader Sir Keir Starmer hailed her as a woman of principle and integrity with a strong track record of successful campaigns for justice. A Labour source rejected claims of involvement in the High Court case, saying: As the Government well knows, Labour is not involved. This is desperate lashing-out for a party thats in chaos. The 120million asylum deal was signed by Miss Patel and Rwandan foreign affairs minister Dr Vincent Biruta in April. It will see irregular migrants such as those who arrived by small boat or in the back of a lorry handed a one-way ticket to Kigali. They will claim asylum there instead of in Britain, with a support package from UK taxpayers. Zambia was last night reported by the Daily Telegraph to be a potential extra destination for Channel migrants under an expansion of Miss Patels policy. Prior to the Rwanda agreement, the Government was in discussions with Albania and Ghana to take UK migrants. But disclosure of the talks led to both nations withdrawing amid fears of public anger. Home Office minister Tom Pursglove last month admitted that the Rwanda agreement was unlikely to be the 'last of those sorts of agreements that are reached involving countries around the world'. And UN high commissioner Filippo Grandi praised Zambia's 'progressive' approach and generosity towards refugees in 2019. The number of asylum-seekers to have arrived from northern France so far this year has surged to 10,020, more than double the level at the same point last year. Since publication, Detention Action has contacted us to make clear that it is not a Labour Party supporting organisation, and is neither funded by, nor affiliated with the Labour Party So-called 'human rights' activists are putting lives of migrants at risk... Our immigration policy has once again been turned over to organised criminals, writes DR RAKIB EHSAN By David Barrett and Sam Greenhill for The Daily Mail The wilful determination of Leftist campaigners to wreck every attempt at solving the immigration crisis is beyond frustrating. It is tragic and deadly. By fighting the Government at every step, these self-righteous and sneering so-called human rights activists put the lives of the most vulnerable at risk. Now their knee-jerk opposition to whatever Home Secretary Priti Patel proposes appears to have halted plans to fly 130 migrants to Rwanda, where they were to live while their asylum claims were processed. Thanks to the Left, immigration policy has once again been turned over to organised criminals. It reverts to the survival of the fittest: a cruel system that prioritises young men strong enough to withstand a dangerous trip across the Channel in an overloaded inflatable and it enriches vile people-smugglers. Public confidence in the asylum system is non-existent. Illegal immigration is putting a heavy strain on social cohesion across Britain, especially in deprived inner-city areas and post-industrial towns. Anti-terrorist policing becomes almost impossible when the security services have no way of knowing who is entering Britain, or where from. Background checks are minimal. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel following a small boat incident in the Channel on Tuesday Home Secretary Priti Patel listens as Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson addresses his Cabinet on Tuesday. She sits between Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay The ability of an independent country to control its borders is one of the basic benchmarks of a functioning Government. But self-serving liberals, particularly in the legal profession, do their level best to thwart this. When the Home Office announced its partnership with Rwanda I applauded it as innovative and pragmatic. The reaction of the Left was depressing and predictable. They betray a deep and racist bigotry, dismissing Rwanda as a barely civilised backwater. In fact, Rwanda is an international success story, for the way it has rebuilt itself since the genocidal civil war of the mid-1990s. It has one of the most pro-female political systems in Africa, ensuring that women are strongly represented at every level of Government. I would love to see Britain working more closely with Rwanda, to boost trade and security for our nations. Yet the announcement of our asylum partnership brought disgraceful howls of protest from middle-class liberals who are oblivious to their own prejudices. The self-appointed human rights defenders painted this Commonwealth country as a post-apocalyptic hellhole, ignoring all its hard-won social and economic progress since 1994. Farcically, one of the grounds of the legal challenge is failure to make provision for malaria prevention in Rwanda. Its as if the entire country is a disease-ridden swamp rather than a vibrant modern country. Comparisons between asylum procedures and the 18th century slave trade have been bandied about, as ignorant as they were obscene. The truth is that genuine, modern-day slavery is encouraged by the people who work so doggedly to undermine the immigration system. By enabling people traffickers to continue ferrying illegal migrants into Britain, by sea or crammed into airless compartments in freight lorries, they are feeding a brutal market. In brothels, factories, nail bars and many other premises, often in the poorest neighbourhoods across this country, illegal workers are denied pay or passports. They are prisoners of their gangmasters. The number of migrants (pictured Tuesday) arriving in the UK this year after crossing the English Channel in small boats is expected to exceed 10,000. Free to operate within the UK and without realistic threat of punishment, people-traffickers enjoy carte blanche to make as much money as possible by charging extortionate fees to migrants often with false promises that, once here, they will be able to exploit the benefits system. That is the reality of our dysfunctional asylum system. It is one of the most urgent problems facing the Government, compounded by the attitude of our Border Force which doesnt appear to have much belief in secure borders and national sovereignty. British people are generous and welcoming when it comes to rehoming the persecuted. The outpouring of money and gifts from Daily Mail readers to organisations supporting Ukrainian refugees, including 11million donated to the Mail Force charity, is ample proof of that. That generosity is mocked by Leftists who promote the cases of the least vulnerable migrants at the expense of those whose lives are really at risk. Too often it is women and children, especially girls, who are oppressed by fundamentalist regimes. They are the least able, both physically and financially, to seek asylum via people smugglers. It is these women and girls who pay the real price of the Left. For all their noisy virtue signalling, these smug anti-Tory obsessives have no genuine interest in helping anyone. They just want to cause maximum disruption. Once again, it looks like they have succeeded. Dr Rakib Ehsan is a community relations expert. The House on Wednesday passed a package of gun control measures by a 223-204 vote in the first major policy response to the school shootings that killed 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas., with five Republicans joining Democrats to vote for the measure. The handful of Republicans backing the measure were retiring Reps. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) and Fred Upton (Mich.), Chris Jacobs (N.Y.), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio), and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.). But the measure was certain to run smack into a Senate filibuster. A bipartisan group of senators has been negotiating on the chamber's own response to the shootings, with President Joe Biden keeping tabs on progress while maintaining distance after calling for a spate of gun control measures. Two Democrats, Jared Golden (Maine) and Kurt Schrader (Ore.), voted against it. The vote came after the chamber voted to raise the the minimum age for semi-automatic weapons purchases by a vote of 228-199. The vote came as part of a larger package of gun control legislation, as lawmakers in the House and Senate debate responses to the horrific shootings amid a deep split over new proposed gun restrictions. The new proposal to raise the age for purchasers comes after 18-year-olds committed mass shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo an event that resulted in 10 deaths. The House is moving quickly to pass gun legislation in response to recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds. The legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. But the House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show are widely supported. 'We can't save every life, but my God, shouldn't we try? America we hear you and today in the House we are taking the action you are demanding,' said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas. 'Take note of who is with you and who is not. The House voted to raise the minimum age for purchasing semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a protest near Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022, sponsored by Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots networks, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action. Protesters are demanding that Congress act on gun safety issues 'Why would someone be against raising the age so that teenagers do not have AK-47s? asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier Wednesday 'Yes, they say mental health issues. Yes, we want to address mental health issues. Other countries have mental health issues. They dont have a gun violence epidemic.' The House is voting on separate titles of the bill before taking a final vote. Over in the Senate, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a lead negotiator in the legislative response to the massacres, reiterated his 2nd Amendment views in a floor speech that didn't tout any of the gun control measures Democrats are touting. Uvalde fourth-grader Miah Cerrillo testified about surviving the mass shooting at her school MiguelA Cerrillo, the father of Miah Cerrillo a fourth-grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, wipes his eye as he testifies during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill, June 8, 2022 in Washington, DC He said the symptoms 'are a symptom of a larger problem,' and pointed comments at 'failure of our mental health system in America.' The push comes after a House committee heard wrenching testimony from recent shooting victims and family members, including from 11-year-old girl Miah Cerrillo, who covered herself with a dead classmates blood to avoid being shot at the Uvalde elementary school. The seemingly never-ending cycle of mass shootings in the United States has rarely stirred Congress to act. But the shooting of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde has revived efforts in a way that has lawmakers from both parties talking about the need to respond. 'It's sickening, it's sickening that our children are forced to live in this constant fear,' said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Pelosi said that the House vote would 'make history by making progress.' But it's unclear where the House measure will go after Wednesday's vote, given that Republicans were adamant in their opposition. The House Speaker blasted lawmakers who didn't support the stricter gun control measures before the House, saying their 'political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children.' Dressed in an orange suit - orange is the color used to symbolize gun violence victims - the speaker took the House floor ahead of votes on eight gun reform bills to deliver a rousing speech calling for their passage. She waved her arm in the air as she talked about the numerous mass shootings around the country and particularly those in schools. 'Does that embarrass you to think that more children have died in our country from gun violence than any other cause?,' Pelosi said. 'Its sickening that our children are forced to live in this constant fear,' she added. She encouraged lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support the bills, which include provisions to limit magazine sizes, increase the age to buy assault rifles, set standards for gun storage and codify regulations on ghost guns and bump stocks. 'To those moment of silence is good enough, if you don't have the courage to take the vote to protect the children, I would say your political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children,' she said. Republican negotiator Sen. John Cornyn has repeatedly stressed hardening schools and school doors and focused on mental health issues Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted lawmakers who didn't support the stricter gun control measures before the House, saying their 'political survival is totally insignificant compared to the survival of our children' Republican members of the House Second Amendment Caucus, from left, Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., talk to reporters as they criticize a series of Democratic measure to curb gun violence in the wake of the mass shootings at a school in Uvalde, Texas, and a grocery in Buffalo, N.Y., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Pelosi was surrounded by rows of Democratic lawmakers as she spoke. Earlier, she had asked lawmakers to be there for the full period of debate on the bills, which is expected to last all afternoon, 'on behalf of the survivors of gun violence, and out of respect for those who lost their lives.' The recent rash of mass shootings, including ones at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, have put pressure on lawmakers to pass some type of legislation. Those two shootings last month - just nine days apart left 31 people dead. President Joe Biden also has encouraged Congress to act and referred to Tuesday night's primary results where voters, particularly in California, showed their frustration with rising crime rates. 'The voters sent a clear message last night. Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence,' Biden said before he headed to Los Angeles to host the Summit of the Americas. 'The answer is not to destroy the Second Amendment, but that is exactly where the Democrats want to go,' said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. The work to find common ground is mostly taking place in the Senate, where support from 10 Republicans will be needed to get a bill signed into law. Nearly a dozen Democratic and Republican senators met privately for an hour Wednesday in hopes of reaching a framework for compromise legislation by weeks end. Participants said more conversations were needed about a plan that is expected to propose modest steps. In a measure of the political peril that efforts to curb guns pose for Republicans, five of the six lead Senate GOP negotiators do not face reelection until 2026. They are Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The sixth, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, is retiring in January. Its also notable that none of the six is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. While Cornyn has said the talks are serious, he has not joined the chorus of Democrats saying the outlines of a deal could be reached by the end of this week. He told reporters Wednesday that he considers having an agreement before Congress begins a recess in late June to be 'an aspirational goal.' The House bill stitches together a variety of proposal Democrats had introduced before the recent shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde. The suspects in the shootings at the Uvalde, elementary school and Buffalo supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the semi-automatic weapons used in the attacks. The bill would increase the minimum age to buy such weapons to 21. 'A person under 21 cannot buy a Budweiser. We should not let a person under 21 buy an AR-15 weapon of war,' said Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. Republicans have noted that a U.S. appeals court ruling last month found Californias ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 was unconstitutional. 'This is unconstitutional and it's immoral. Why is it immoral? Because we're telling 18, 19 and 20-year-olds to register for the draft. You can go die for your country. We expect you to defend us, but we're not going to give you the tools to defend yourself and your family,' said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. The House bill also includes incentives designed to increase the use of safe gun storage devises and creates penalties for violating safe storage requirements, providing for a fine and imprisonment of up to five years if a gun is not properly stored and is subsequently used by a minor to injure or kill themselves or another individual. It also builds on the Biden administrations executive action banning fast-action 'bump-stock' devices and 'ghost guns' that are assembled without serial numbers. The House is also expected to approve a bill Thursday that would allow families, police and others to ask federal courts to order the removal of firearms from people who are believed to be at extreme risk of harming themselves or others. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia currently have such 'red flag laws.' Under the House bill, a judge could issue an order to temporarily remove and store the firearms until a hearing can be held no longer than two weeks later to determine whether the firearms should be returned or kept for a specific period. House Republican Leadership is encouraging all their lawmakers to vote against the final package, known as the Protecting Our Kids Act. Rep. Steve Scalise conceded that some Republicans may vote for certain provisions in the series of eight votes but said, overall, the GOP was pushing to vote no on the final package. He compared the mass shootings in schools to the September 11th terrorist attacks. 'Airplanes were used that day, as the weapon to kill thousands of people and to inflict terror on our country. There wasn't a conversation about banning airplanes,' he said Wednesday. Despite the GOP opposition, the package of bills is expected to pass the House where Democrats hold the majority. It is unlikely to pass the Senate, where at least 10 Republican votes are needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance legislation and overcome a Republican filibuster. Netflix released Mike Flanagan's new show for "The Midnight Club." As part of the second annual Netflix's Geeked Week, a new horror show will be released for avid horror fans out there. 'The Midnight Club' "The Midnight Club," the latest horror TV series directed by the most well-known horror specialist on Netflix, has now released its trailer. Netflix has presented us with the very first look at the upcoming series "Geeked Week," in which we are introduced to the members of the TV series. According to Polygon, the horror series, which consists of ten episodes and is based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Pike, follows a group of seven young adults who are patients at a hospice for young adults with terminal illnesses known as the Rotterdam Home. The group of younglings, who call themselves the Midnight Club because their favorite activity is telling scary stories at midnight, make a pact that the first one to die will be in charge of communicating with the rest of the group from beyond the grave. This is due to the fact that sharing scary stories at midnight is their favorite activity. The events that take place after this one are not hard to anticipate in any way. Strange incidents start taking place in the Rotterdam Home after one of the members of the group actually passes away. The members of the club, played by Adia, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd, Aya Furukawa, Annarah Shephard, William Chris Sumpter, and Sauriyan Sapkota, are shown in the teaser that demonstrates the ominous and creepy tone of the series. Other cast members include Ruth Codd. In addition to Heather Langenkamp, Zach Gilford, Matt Biedel, and Samantha Sloyan, have been cast in supporting roles. Heather Langenkamp will play the part of the mysterious doctor who is in charge of Rotterdam Home. As mentioned in Bloody Disgusting, the adaptation of Pike's stories is being done by Flanagan in collaboration with Leah Fong, who is the director of Once Upon a Time. Flanagan also helmed several episodes of the show. However, he won't be the only one directing episodes of the new series. Directors for the horror show will also include: Michael Fimognari Viet Nguyen Morgan Beggs Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Axelle Carolyn Together with Flanagan, Leah Fong and Julia Bicknell will serve as executive producers on the project. In addition, the show will have Elan Gale, James Flanagan, and Chinaka Hodge attached as writers to the project. Netflix has announced that the first episode of "The Midnight Club" will be available exclusively on Netflix on October 7-just in time for Halloween. Read Also: Netflix Movie Hacks: 5 Steps to Use AirPods Pro Spatial Audio for Ultimate Viewing Pleasure! Mike Flanagan's Horror Films on Netflix According to Variety, prior to working on this project, Flanagan had a great deal of success producing horror content for Netflix. Some examples of his work include the film Midnight Mass, which starred Hamish Linklater, and his well-received adaptation of Stephen King's Gerald's Game. In a similar vein, the director has been lauded for his efforts in translating another one of King's works, namely Doctor Sleep, the legendary horror film that came after "The Shining." Furthermore, "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Haunting of Bly Manor" are two of Flanagan's most popular horror series with fans. His two "Haunting" series were both adapted from well-known novels written by Shirley Jackson and Henry James. Now, with this adaptation of Christopher Pike's 1994 young adult novel "The Midnight Club," he is returning to the world of horror series that are based on novels. To watch the trailer for the series, you can click on the video below. Related Article: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' on Netflix, Disney Plus: When Will Tom Holland's Film Be Available for Streaming? Last Tuesday, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries appeared on the BBCs The One Show to announce the UKs City of Culture for 2025. The winner? Bradford. Crowds that had gathered in the city centre broke into cheers and let off colourful smoke flares at the happy news. But this week, a very different side of Bradford has been on display. Another crowd, with vastly opposing attitudes to culture, aggressively picketed a Cineworld cinema for showing The Lady Of Heaven, a supposedly blasphemous film about the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Its not OK to offend 1.8 billion, proclaimed one placard brandished outside the venue referring to the estimated number of Muslims worldwide. A bearded man shouted into a microphone that the most important thing in our life been attacked, which is our Prophet. So how did Cineworld react? By cancelling the film. Not just in Bradford, but across the entire country. Other cinema chains have followed suit. Vue Cinemas is showing it in only a few selected branches. Showcase has also pulled the film entirely. Controversy: Poster for the film The Lady Of Heaven Some cinemas made the decision to pull the film from theatres following the backlash. Pictured: Cineworld in Birmingham Cineworld has said it has cancelled all showings of the film nationwide 'to ensure the safety of our staff and customers'. Pictured: A crowd of protesters gathered outside the Cineworld in Birmingham on Sunday, June 5, to protest the film's release Thankfully, however, some cinema chains do still refuse to be intimidated by mobs of angry protestors. And, as is the way of these things, controversy only inflames a desire to see it for yourself. So yesterday I headed to a West London cinema to see what the fuss was all about. The Lady Of Heaven is a sweeping British-made epic that travels from the birth of Islam in the 7th century AD to Iraq a few years ago, as it suffered under the monstrous terrorist group ISIS. It tells the fascinating story of an Iraqi boy who is orphaned after his mother is executed by militants. The child is adopted by an elderly woman who comforts the youngster by telling the story of saintly Fatima, daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Many female Muslims see Fatima as the ultimate archetype: her name remains a popular choice for girls throughout the Islamic world. Like her father, she is a deeply revered figure. And, controversially, The Lady of Heaven does depict the Prophet Muhammad but in a computer-generated image, often shown in dazzling sunlight, and with no actors credited for portraying him or any other holy character. All told, its difficult to see what has got the protesters so upset. Cinemas have seen protests from Muslims claiming the film The Lady of Heaven is 'blasphemous'. Pictured: Birmingham The real controversy in the film is, in fact, a split between Sunni and Shia Muslims. The Lady Of Heaven is told from a Shia perspective, portraying the first Sunni caliph as a tyrant. For Sunnis, this could well be offensive. But this is nothing new the portrayal of Muhammad, whatever those protesters claimed, is not the real issue here. In fact, theres only one thing that really matters. If people find this film provocative or even insulting, nobody is forcing them to watch it. But that has not stopped groups of exclusively male Muslim protesters assembling not just in Bradford, but also in Bolton, Sheffield and Birmingham, intimidating cinema staff, claiming the film attacks their religious beliefs. In Bradford, a man screamed: We are insulted. We have a right not to be insulted these people cry freedom of speech, but we will not let this film go on further. Well, yes as a matter of fact: we do cry freedom of speech. It is a rallying cry for which many have died as well as the cornerstone of our democracy. And it is not up for negotiation. In another chilling video, a different man openly issues what sounds like a threat. Birmingham will not tolerate the disrespect of our prophet, he warns. There will be outcomes from your actions [sic]. You will have repercussions for your actions. We have been trained from birth that we must defend the honour of our prophet and we will lay our life on the line. In the end, in the face of warnings like this, it was all too predictable that Cineworld cancelled all showings of The Lady of Heaven to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. Executive producer Malik Shlibak, pictured here at the Cannes Film Festival last year, blasted the decision to drop the film Predictable, yes. But also cowardly and shameful. It is up to audiences to decide what films to watch, and for cinema bosses to meet their demands and not surrender to a bunch of male bullies who will almost certainly have not even bothered to see the film. The Lady Of Heavens British producer, Malik Shlibak, has defended the mens right to express their displeasure. But, he adds, it is silly and against the UKs values for the film to be pulled completely. He is right. Britain, thank goodness, no longer has blasphemy laws. But there has been a consistent effort by Muslim hardliners to bring in de facto blasphemy laws, by presenting any criticism of Islam as a form of Islamophobic hate speech. And so it is alarming that a largely liberal and democratic society has allowed a few religious zealots to determine what the rest of us can watch. It is disastrous for our institutions, for the arts and dangerous for freedom of expression. For once you capitulate to the mob, its only a matter of time before more demands are made to which we must acquiesce or face the frightening consequences. Protesters gathered at cinemas to voice opposition to the Lady of Heaven, which was officially released in the UK on June 3 And if anyone was expecting Muslim organisations to provide any clear leadership or guidance, and tell the protesters to go home, then they were sadly mistaken. The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella organisation that claims to represent large numbers of UK Muslims, issued a vacuous statement calling for respectful dialogue of intra-faith relations. No outright condemnation of zealots trying to impose their medieval views on society. No defence of freedom of expression. As expected. For, as we have seen time and again, the staunchly British values of freedom and tolerance are under threat trumped by the supposed right not to be offended. Our institutions have for years been far too quick to cave in to intolerant mobs whenever they claim that their feelings have been hurt by one thing or another. Sadly, those who have been objecting to The Lady Of Heaven know this tactic works. Video on social media appears to show the manager of one cinema addressing a crowd of protesters gathered outside Though I am too young to remember the Salman Rushdie affair, its chilling legacy can still be felt today and its echoes resound in the protest dogging the film. When Rushdie, a British novelist, published The Satanic Verses in 1988, Muslim protests and threats swelled both here and abroad. On February 14, 1989, Irans leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued an edict (fatwa) declaring the book to be against Islam and calling on Muslims everywhere to murder Rushdie. With a multimillion-dollar bounty on his head, the mild-mannered author was forced into hiding and needed police protection for many years. Today, the demand for censorship by intolerant minorities continues. In 2015, 12 journalists working for French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo were murdered by terrorists after publishing cartoons of Muhammad. More recently, a school teacher in Batley, West Yorkshire, was forced into hiding over fears he might be murdered after showing a cartoon of Muhammad during a religious education lesson. Left to right: Producer Hussein Ashmere, Mehpe Al Hussaini, executive producer Jawad Salah and executive producer Malik Shlibak from Enlightened Kingdom attend the premier of The Lady of Heaven at the Cannes Film Festival last year There are countless more examples and alas there will be more, as long as our political elites give extremists a free pass and do not stand up for liberty. Politicians believe they are speaking for all Muslims when they take offence on their behalf. But they arent. The baying mobs dont speak for the majority. Outside the West London cinema where I saw the film, Imane, a Sunni Muslim in her mid-30s, told me that she believed the film could potentially stoke sectarian divisions. But, she added, everyone has their own view and if the other side disagrees with this, then they can make their own film and tell their side. Quite right. Similarly, Shia Muslim Syed Husain told me: I hope people will watch this movie and understand the real message, which is about spreading peace and that we should speak out against the evil things done in the name of our religion, by the likes of the Taliban and ISIS. Judging by the demonstrators, I highly doubt that. It never surprises me that religious zealots wish to impose their dogmas and blasphemy codes on others. They have a long tradition of doing so. But it is one we should and must continue to fight. Pharmacists and nurses will soon be given powers to issue sick notes under reforms that could free up millions of GP appointments. The law will be changed so patients no longer need to see their family doctor to be signed off work from July 1. The move is set to ease pressure on GPs and leave them with more time for sicker patients and those with complex issues. It was not clear last night whether the new powers will apply to pharmacists in high street chains such as Boots or just to healthcare professionals in GP surgeries. The change comes amid record dissatisfaction with GP surgeries, with many patients frustrated over the struggle to get appointments to see doctors. Last year GPs issued ten million 'fit notes', which have replaced sick notes, and they have been pushing the Government to change the rules so other healthcare professionals can issue them. Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said he is exploring the change to improve access to doctors and is lobbying the Department for Work and Pensions They say the administrative burden adds to their workload, contributes to stress and stops them helping those in need. Health Secretary Sajid Javid vowed to examine the issue in a bid to improve access to doctors and lobbied the Department for Work and Pensions to make the change. Legislation is expected to be laid before Parliament tomorrow, with the change applicable to England, Scotland and Wales. It will mean that from next month nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists will be able to legally certify fit notes something that at present only doctors can do. Maria Caulfield, minister for patient safety and primary care, said the move 'is another step towards helping to deliver an extra 50million appointments by 2024' The move is the most significant since the fit note's introduction in 2010 and follows changes in April that allow for them to be certified and issued digitally, making the process more efficient for employees, employers and GPs. Maria Caulfield, minister for patient safety and primary care, said the move 'is another step towards helping to deliver an extra 50million appointments in general practice a year by 2024'. Fit notes are issued to patients after the first seven days of sickness absence. The doctor can decide if the patient is 'unfit for work' or 'may be fit for work' subject to advice on adaptations to job role or workplace, for example. Other healthcare professionals will be expected to make the same assessments. Dr Gary Howsam, of the Royal College of GPs, said allowing other healthcare professionals to issue fit notes 'should help free up GPs' time to deliver patient care'. He added: 'It would also recognise the role of some members of the wider practice team in giving patients advice. 'Whilst this would be a positive step in helping to reduce the bureaucratic burden GPs face on a daily basis, ultimately the Government must take further action to address escalating workload in general practice and chronic workforce shortages.' The plans were last night welcomed by patient groups. Dennis Reed, of Silver Voices, which campaigns for the elderly, said: 'This is a very welcome move that will hopefully free up GP time so they can see more patients. 'Allowing other healthcare professionals to issue fit notes is a great way to reduce the paperwork that GPs often complain about. 'I hope this will relieve some of their burden and make it easier for patients who need to see a GP to actually see one.' The announcement comes after NHS Digital revealed stressed GPs are rushing through a fifth of appointments in five minutes or less. Eight in ten GPs fear patient safety is deteriorating as they deal with an average of 46 appointments a day instead of the safe limit of 25, the Rebuild General Practice campaign says. Speedy appointments raise the risk of doctors missing diseases and prescribing the wrong drugs. GPs now care for 2,200 patients each as the NHS struggles to recruit enough family doctors to cope with soaring demand. There are 3million more patients registered in England now than in June 2017 but the number of fully qualified GPs has fallen by around 1,300 over this period. A survey earlier this year revealed patients' satisfaction with their GP surgery has plummeted to its lowest ever level. Nightmare of A&E with a 13-HOUR wait A nurse was filmed telling patients they might have to wait a staggering 13 hours to see a doctor in an overcrowded accident and emergency department. She said: 'We've currently got 170 patients in the department. There are 90 patients waiting to be seen at the moment. Our current wait time for a doctor is seven and a half hours. 'I will estimate by the time I go home in the morning at 8 o'clock some of you will still be here waiting for a doctor because the waits will get up to 12 or 13 hours.' The unnamed nurse told the group at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex: 'There are currently no beds in the trust. A female NHS worker at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust in Harlow warns patients there are no free beds and they face spending the night in the waiting room 'We're trying to make more space if we can but if people are admitted there's a chance they'll stay in A&E overnight. 'We will do our best to make you comfortable, we will do our best to look after you, but please don't expect you will be going direct to a ward because that might not happen.' Her announcement was filmed apparently by a patient on Monday evening. Health Secretary Sajid Javid was played the clip on BBC Breakfast and said: 'Of course, that's not a thing that anyone wants to see.' He added: 'We think some 11 to 13 million people stayed away from the NHS because of the pandemic. 'Many of those people are coming forward, many of those to A&E, and we're seeing very high levels of demand. 'That is a real challenge for the NHS across the system.' The pressure on A&E departments has also been blamed on a shortage of GP appointments. Dennis Reed, of over-60s campaigning group Silver Voices, told MailOnline 13-hour waits were 'completely unacceptable in the 21st century'. He said: 'I've heard of very long waits before - up to eight hours and the like - but 13 hours? Never!' Stephanie Lawton, of The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust, said: 'We are currently experiencing extremely high demand for our emergency care services and have seen a significant increase in attendances in our emergency department. 'Our teams are working hard to assess and treat patients as quickly and effectively as possible to reduce delays, prioritising those in most clinical need.' An 11-year-old boy has been found alive and well by locals after he went missing and spent a night outside in freezing temperatures. Police renewed efforts on Thursday morning to locate Christopher Wilson, 11, after he vanished the previous afternoon in Sydney's Hills District. However it was a member of the public who spotted the 11-year-old walking along Annangrove Road near Joylyn Road just before 9:30am. Christopher was cold after spending the night outside but he was being assisted by police and provided with food, 9News reports. 'He was assessed at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics and despite being out in the cold all night, he had no visible injuries,' police said. The schoolboy was taken to hospital for further assessment with arrangements made to reunite him with his family. It's understood Christopher had a particularly 'bad day at school' on Wednesday before he disappeared. #BREAKING Christopher Wilson has been FOUND. He is safe. More details to come. @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/VSwOaeayTZ Lauren Tomasi (@LaurenTomasi) June 8, 2022 Christopher Wilson, 11, was last seen walking along Annangrove Road towards Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west at 4.45pm on Wednesday The 11-year-old had not been seen since a last sighting walking along Annangrove Road towards Rouse Hill in Sydney's north-west at 4.45pm on Wednesday, almost two hours after he got off the school bus on that same road. Officers along with 15 SES members and PolAir conducted an extensive search of the area on Wednesday night, as temperatures plummeted to just four degrees. A multi-agency search began at 8am on Thursday with local police, Police Rescue Squad, PolAir and SES members to continue scouring the area for clues. Superintendent Darrin Batchelor said police were alerted by Christopher's 'distressed' parents who got in contact when their son failed to come home on Wednesday afternoon. 'His family are extremely distressed, particularly as the temperatures overnight have been quite cold,' he told reporters on Thursday morning. 'They've had a really rough night and have been out looking overnight.' While police have reiterated Christopher's disappearance is out of character, at this stage police do not believe there has been any foul play Police are also looking into his Opal card details and have begun contacting Christopher's extended family and friends (pictured, Annangrove Public School where he attends) While police have reiterated his disappearance is out of character, police said they did not suspect any foul play. There were a 'high number' of sightings reported to Crime Stoppers but were likely other students commuting to and from school. Police checked Christopher's public transport Opal card details to piece together his movements and contacted his extended family and friends. A geo-text was sent to local residents in the region on Wednesday. Police reassured the community the message was not a scam and pleaded for any information on Christopher's whereabouts. He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance and about 120 centimetres tall, with a slim build, short brown hair and brown eyes. Christopher was last seen wearing his school uniform, consisting of a blue t-shirt with maroon and white trim, grey shorts, and red and black shoes (pictured) Christopher was last seen wearing his school uniform, consisting of a blue t-shirt with maroon and white trim, grey shorts, and red and black shoes. The Annangrove Public School student is described as a 'quiet' boy who enjoys playing video games. CCTV images of Christopher walking down Annangrove Road were recorded just before 5pm and reported to police. His family then confirmed his identity. In the short 11-second clip the schoolboy was seen walking beside two lanes of busy traffic and appears to glance behind his shoulder twice. Officers asked that any resident with dashcam footage of Annangrove Road between 3:20 and 6pm to submit it to police. Anyone with information regarding Christopher Wilson's whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Ben Fordham has blasted the High Court for a ruling that paved the way for a dual national accused of fighting for Islamic State in Syria to have his Australian citizenship reinstated. Speaking on his 2GB show on Thursday morning, Fordham said the case is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first 'major test' with dual-nationality Australians likely being given their citizenship back after the court found powers used by the government to cancel them were unconstitutional. Turkish-Australian Delil Alexander, 35, is in jail in Syria after his Australian citizenship was revoked on July 2 last year. Australian intelligence said Alexander travelled to the country to join terror group ISIS, before being arrested by Kurdish forces. 'Have we gone mad? Anyone with links to this terrorist group has no place in our country,' Fordham said on Thursday. 'Because (Alexander) has never faced trial in Australia, and only committed terrorism overseas, we can't strip his citizenship.' Ben Fordham has blasted the High Court after it ordered a dual national who was accused of fighting for Islamic State in Syria should have his Australian citizenship reinstated Alexander's lawyers argued the Sydney-born man was in danger of 'serious human rights violations' including torture while imprisoned in Syria. The High Court's ruling could pave the way for 20 other Australians convicted of terrorism overseas to have their citizenship reinstated. 'Anyone with links to terror groups have no right to live here, especially when they made the decision to leave Australia and fight for the enemy,' Fordham said. 'If travelling to Syria to join a radical terror group isn't renouncing your loyalty for Australia, I don't know what is.' The government has other powers in their arsenal to keep dual nationals accused of terrorism overseas, including a temporary exclusion order that prevents them from coming to Australia for up to 10 years. Fordham then spoke about the Islamic State terror attacks that have previously rocked Australia including the siege at Sydney's Lindt Cafe in 2014 and the Melbourne stabbing terror attack in 2018. '(The government) must do everything in its powers to keep these freaks out of Australia and if the families want to say they weren't radicalised well, what were they doing in Syria? They weren't on a Contiki tour.' 'Have we gone mad? Anyone with links to this terrorist group has no place in our country,' Fordham said on Thursday The High Court's ruling could pave the way for 20 other Australians convicted of terrorism overseas to have their citizenship reinstated A majority of the High Court found on Wednesday the citizenship stripping powers legislated by the former Coalition government were invalid. The court found it gave the former home affairs minister 'the exclusively judicial function of adjudging and punishing criminal guilt'. Fordham said the High Court's decision was 'disgraceful' and put Australian lives at risk. 'The court has ruled in favour of a man who was involved in a group who were planning to execute an innocent Aussie and chop off his head,' the 2GB host said. 'Let me say that again. The High Court, has backed the bloke, involved with Islamic State, part of a cell that wanted to execute an innocent Australian and behead them.' Alexander's lawyers have contacted Australian officials and demanded they speak to their Syrian counterparts about ensuring the suspected terrorist is brought back to the country, to which Fordham responded: 'I don't think so.' 'The Australian government made the decision on the safety of all Australians. Anyone with links to this terror group have no right to live here. 'These people made a choice, they got on a plane to Syria or Iraq, they made the decision to sign up with violent extremists.' The High Court of Australia (pictured) found the laws that gave the former home affairs minister power to cancel citizenship of a dual national had 'punitive character' and was unconstitutional In 2018, Labor criticised the law change as likely to be found to be in breach of the constitution. Two judges found the laws had a 'punitive character', conferring power on the minister 'to cease citizenship as a sanction for past conduct, akin to historical forms of punishment, with significant consequences for the individual', a summary of the judgment said. However, it was found the section of the Citizenship Act giving the minister the power was supported by the constitution's 'aliens power'. Four judges - Chief Justice Susan Kiefel, Patrick Keane, Jacqueline Gleeson and James Edelman - said part of the relief granted to the plaintiff should be a declaration he is an Australian citizen. Justice Simon Steward said in his judgment the laws were valid, as there were sufficient safeguards in place. '(The section) was thus enacted, not as a punishment for a crime, but as a 'political precaution',' he wrote. It is understood Alexander and the other person will have their citizenship restored, but the decision will not impact on people held onshore. Turkish-Australian Delil Alexander, 35, was imprisoned in Syria after his Australian citizenship was removed on July 2 last year when he was suspected of terrorist incursions and recruitment (stock image of an Australian passport) Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement he and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil would examine the judgment and its implications in detail. But he noted there was 'no threat to Australia as a result of the decision'. 'The Australian government has a range of measures available to manage the risk posed to Australians by individuals offshore including the temporary exclusion order regime which can prohibit an individual returning to Australia for up to two years,' he said. Alexander left Australia for Turkey on April 16, 2013, but just over two weeks later he was married in Syria. ASIO assessed he joined terrorist group Islamic State by August 2013 - a qualified security assessment over which he has sought judicial review. In November 2017, he was arrested by Kurdish militia in a place in Syria which was not a declared area under Australian terrorist laws. Alexander was transferred to Syrian custody and given five years in jail for 'unspecified offences under the Syrian Penal Code'. He was pardoned in June last year, having served 18 months of his term. Shortly after he was pardoned, the ASIO director-general provided classified advice to the then home affairs minister which did not recommend citizenship cancellation, the court heard. However, the minister Karen Andrews stripped Alexander's citizenship in July 2021. Since then, he has been in Syrian intelligence custody and his family and lawyers have been unable to contact him, leading to his sister Berivan having to launch the legal action as a 'litigation guardian'. Government lawyers argued the minister met the three required conditions in the decision: a person has engaged in the requisite conduct; the conduct demonstrates the person has repudiated their allegiance to Australia; and it would be contrary to the public interest for them to remain an Australian citizen. Former attorney-general Christian Porter, in introducing the changes in 2018, argued stripping Australian citizenship of people who sought to do the nation harm was an 'an integral part of our ongoing response to international violent extremism and terrorism'. Alexander's lawyers argued the power to cancel the status of an Australian citizen is 'inherently a domestic matter' and should be reserved for a judge. The court heard Alexander retains Turkish citizenship. Stirring from a deep sleep on Monday morning, I reached for my iPhone to check the time. I had spent the half term week in Malta with my wife and two of our daughters and was conscious that a taxi was coming to take us to the airport to return home. It was 5am but any thoughts of extra shut-eye went out of the window the minute I caught sight of an email from easyJet. The message had been sent at 3.12am approximately eight hours before we were due to fly to Gatwick. Were really sorry that your easyJet flight 8824 from MLA to LGW on 06-06-2022 has been cancelled, it began. Wed like to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. Inconvenience? The flight home should have taken three and a half hours. Instead, we had to take three flights, via two different countries, and were in transit for more than 30 hours at an additional cost of about 2,000. We finally arrived home at 7pm on Tuesday accompanied by only one of our two checked-in suitcases. Where the other one is, God only knows. It got lost somewhere en route between Barcelona, Dublin and London. As a result, I am currently wearing what can only be described as a third division pair of underpants. Tom Rawstorne with wife Charlotte on holiday, before he received a message from easyJet that his flight home had been cancelled People in the check-in area at Bristol Airport on Wednesday amid chaos at airports across the UK In the end, I booked a flight to Barcelona, assuming that, as an international hub, there would be plenty of options to return to the UK. Again, there were none Another couple who should have been on the same flight as us headed back via Frankfurt. Another via Paris. Both with overnight stays included. Similar stories have emerged from holiday destinations across Europe, with people even hiring cars to get home or to reach other airports. Yet more still have found themselves stranded on holiday, no doubt suckered into believing that easyJet would look after them. According to their initial email, we had the option of switching to another of their flights for free. Except that the first one that came up with sufficient availability for our family would not have left until this coming Saturday. Forget the fact that would have involved a whole week absent from work and school, who in their right mind would put their trust in easyJet a second time? And it is that breakdown in trust which British holidaymakers need to get their heads around ahead of the summer holidays. Because instead of fulfilling their basic function to get you from A to B and back again airlines like easyJet are simply abandoning their customers. In the post-Covid rush to get abroad, airlines are operating at or near capacity. They wont lay on another flight later in the day for you. And their rivals will either be full or, if there are spaces, screw you for every pound they can get. As for customer care, forget it. Modern budget airlines are little more than websites with planes, programmed to extract the maximum cash possible for your flights, your baggage and your on-board snacks. Scores of passengers crowd a baggage claim hall at Gatwick Airport amid huge delays and flight cancellations Queues to enter security at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday as passengers across the UK face travel mayhem But, when something goes wrong, its left to you to sort out the mess. At dawn on Monday I couldnt even find a phone number to call a human being. When I tried later, the calls would not connect. Instead, at 6.46am, I contacted their support team via Twitter. A response came through 12 minutes later: Hi Tom. I would like to take a look into this for you. Bizarrely, this sentence was followed by a magnifying glass emoji. 'It was signed by someone called Ryan, his name followed by another emoji, this time of a plane. I hate emojis at the best of times. This was not the best of times. Ryan The Detective never got back to me. Instead, after sending numerous unanswered messages, it wasnt until 5.11pm that I got another reply: Hi Tom. We are disheartened with the current situation Another emoji, this time of a broken heart. A fourth, of a unicorn, ended the message. In the absence of any guidance, my first move had been to try to book tickets with the other carriers leaving that day. Everyone else was clearly doing the same. The algorithms did what algorithms do the prices rising up like a fruit machine, from 200 to 600 a seat. By the time I clicked on the pay button, the flights had gone. In the end, I booked a flight to Barcelona, assuming that, as an international hub, there would be plenty of options to return to the UK. Again, there were none. So we booked a night in a hotel. The only flights we could find the following day were with Aer Lingus, travelling first to Dublin and then to Gatwick. The total cost to me, put on a credit card, will be at least 2,000. I fully appreciate that not everyone will have the ability to shell out that amount of money. Particularly when there is no guarantee as to how much if any of the additional outlay the airline will pay back. The initial email included links to how I could apply for compensation for the cancelled flight and claim for expenses. But there are caveats galore about only booking hotels if easyJet is unable to do so. As for the compensation claim which can pay out up to 350 a passenger the reply states that their specialist assessment and legal team will investigate and get back to me within 28 days. Last night a spokesman for the company apologised for the flights cancellation and said it would pay compensation and cover any additional costs incurred. While we provide customers with accommodation and meals as well as rebooking options including flying with alternative carriers, we know options are limited on some routes at this time, the spokesman said. We fully understand the difficulty this will have caused the family and we are very sorry. As for the lost bag, when I reported it to an Aer Lingus member of staff, he suggested I might like to return to Gatwick to see if it could be found. No thanks. Im done with airports. At least until a family trip to Greece in the summer. Whether I get there and back with all my underwear is anyones guess. NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered some strange, twisting structures poking out of the surface of Mars. The rover came across the formations piercing the landscape in Gale Crater last month, and snapped a picture which was sent back to NASA scientists. While the spikes may seem like the work of intelligent life, they are actually thought to be a naturally-occurring rock towers called 'hoodoos', that are also found on Earth. Experts say the columns were probably created from cement-like substances that once filled ancient cracks of Martian bedrock. Over time, the softer rock eroded away, leaving only the twisting towers of compact material protruding from the sand in the crater. Rock formations like this are of interest to NASA, as they reveal more information about the Gale Crater's history. NASA's Curiosity rover took this picture of two Martian rock towers on May 17. They are thought to be 'hoodoos', created from cement-like substances that once filled ancient cracks of bedrock. This hard rock remained once the softer surrounding rock was eroded away NASA's Curiosity rover (pictured) has been in the Gale Crater on Mars since November 2011 THE GALE CRATER - WHAT WE KNOW The Gale Crater is a dry lake bed on Mars that spans 96 miles in diameter It is estimated to be about 3.53.8 billion years old It includes the mountain Aeolis Mons that rises 18,000ft above the crater floor NASA sent the Curiosity Rover to explore the crater in November 2011 because of evidence of water being present in the distant past Organic molecules preserved in 3.5 billion-year-old bedrock were discovered in the crater in 2018, supporting that conditions on the red planet might once have supported life In January 2020, minerals made of carbon and oxygen were found in rocks, which may have formed in an ice-covered lake during a cold period on the planet Antidunes reaching the height of 33 feet (10 m) were found to be the result of megafloods in November 2020 Advertisement In geology, a hoodoo also known as a fairy chimney or earth pyramid is a thin spire of rock that marks the location of an ancient fracture in the bedrock. The fracture acts as a mould in which the hard rock forms, and the hoodoo is all that remains after the surrounding sedimentary rock is eroded by rain, wind or frost. Hoodoos are often found in dry environments, like Utah's Bryce Canyon, the Colorado Plateau or the Tokushima Prefecture in Japan. They can sometimes tower as high as ten-storey buildings, and in the Cappadocia region of Turkey people have carved houses into them. The two Martian hoodoos were photographed by a camera, designed by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS), onboard the Curiosity rover on May 17. The photo, which does not indicate the hoodoos' height, was shared last week by NASA and the SETI institute, as part of SETI's planetary picture of the day initiative. Alongside the image, the SETI Institute tweeted: 'Here is another cool rock at Gale crater on Mars! 'The spikes are most likely the cemented fillings of ancient fractures in a sedimentary rock. 'The rest of the rock was made of softer material and was eroded away' NASA's Curiosity rover has been in the Gale Crater on Mars since November 2011. The crater spans 96 miles in diameter and includes the mountain Aeolis Mons that rises 18,000ft above the crater floor. Hoodoos are often found in dry environments, like Bryce Canyon in Utah (pictured) In the Cappadocia region of Turkey people have carved houses into the hoodoos While not completely flat, the crater is thought to be the bed of a dried-up lake on the red planet, and the presence of hoodoos could be ancient indicators of its depth. The two pillars may look fragile and ready to topple over, but they are sturdy enough to withstand Mars's gravity, which is 62 per cent lower than Earth's. NASA has said that the lake's water may have deposited minerals into cracks in its bed, which were compacted over time to form harder, denser rock than what surrounds them. In February, the Curiosity rover captured an image of what appeared to be a coral-like 'flower' in the Gale Crater on Mars, but was actually a microscopic mineral formation. The microscopic view of Martian sand was taken with the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a tool for imaging minerals, textures and structures in rocks and soil at scales smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The Curiosity team confirmed it was a 'diagenetic crystal cluster', that experts from NASA JPL suggest may have been formed by minerals precipitating from water. While it looks large in the images, it is actually smaller than a penny, and consists of three-dimensional crystal clusters made from a combination of minerals. Studies of earlier versions have revealed that the minerals, sprouting out in different directions, were likely embedded inside a rock that eroded away over time. However, it looks like the minerals are resistant to erosion, so remain on the dusty surface of the Red Planet, the NASA scientists explained. Experts say it can tell them more about the structure of Martian soil, and how the planet may once have looked, including the flow of long-gone water. NASA's Curiosity rover has captured an image of what appears to be a coral-like 'flower' in the Gale Crater on Mars, but is actually a microscopic mineral formation The Curiosity team confirmed it was a 'diagenetic crystal cluster', that experts from NASA JPL suggest may have been formed by minerals precipitating from water. The idea of Earth's magnetic poles flipping may sound like the plot of the latest science fiction blockbuster yet many scientists believe it could happen at any time. Historically, Earth's North and South poles have flipped every 200,000 300,000 years. However, the last one took place about 780,000 years ago, causing many scientists to fear a flip could be imminent. If a magnetic flip does happen, some experts claim if could render some parts of Earth 'uninhabitable' by knocking out power grids. Thankfully, a new study has offered reassurance that it's very unlikely Earth's magnetic poles will flip any time soon. Researchers from Lund University have pieced together data on Earth's geomagnetic field strength stretching back 9,000 years and say there's no evidence a reversal is on the cards. Historically, Earth's North and South poles have flipped every 200,000 300,000 years. However, a flip is currently overdue, with the last one taking place about 780,000 years ago A comparison between the present day geomagnetic field (top) and a potential ancient analogue at 600 BCE (bottom) Why do some people think Earth's magnetic poles are about to flip? Historically, Earth's North and South magnetic poles have flipped every 200,000 or 300,000 years. However, some believe a flip is overdue as the last one was about 780,000 year ago. In a report published in 2018, Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, claimed there are signs of a reversal taking place. He says if this reversal happens, it is likely to render some areas of the planet 'uninhabitable' by knocking out power grids. His comments were made in an in-depth Undark report written by Alanna Mitchell, who has a new book about the topic titled 'The Spinning Magnet: The Electromagnetic Force that Created the Modern World and Could Destroy It'. Ms Mitchell writes: 'The dangers: devastating streams of particles from the sun, galactic cosmic rays, and enhanced ultraviolet B rays from a radiation-damaged ozone layer, to name just a few of the invisible forces that could harm or kill living creatures.' Advertisement Earth has a fierce molten core that generates a magnetic field capable of defending our planet against devastating solar winds. This protective field extends thousands of miles into space and its magnetism affects everything from auroras to power grids. Over the past 180 years, Earth's magnetic field strength has decreased by about 10 per cent. However, a mysterious area in the South Atlantic has emerged, where the geomagnetic field strength is decreasing even more rapidly. The area is called the South Atlantic Anomaly and has seen satellites malfunctioning over it several times due to exposure to highly charged particles from the sun. This has led to speculation that Earth is heading towards a magnetic pole flip. In their new study, the team set out to test whether this is actually the case, by studying evidence stretching back 9,000 years. 'We have mapped changes in the Earth's magnetic field over the past 9,000 years, and anomalies like the one in the South Atlantic are probably recurring phenomena linked to corresponding variations in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field', said Andreas Nilsson, a geologist at Lund University. The team analysed burnt archaeological artefacts, volcanic samples and sediment drill cores all of which carry information about Earth's magnetic field. Objects including clay pots act as 'time capsules' and carry valuable information about the magnetic field in the past, according to the team. Using sensitive instruments, the researchers were able to recreate the direction and strength of Earth's magnetic field at specific places and times. Using sensitive instruments, the researchers were able to recreate the direction and strength of Earth's magnetic field at specific places and times. This graph shows the variations in the geomagnetic dipole field strength over the past 9,000 years 'We have developed a new modelling technique that connects these indirect observations from different time periods and locations into one global reconstruction of the magnetic field over the past 9,000 years', Mr Nilsson explained. Reassuringly, the team's model suggests that the South Atlantic Anomaly will recover of its own accord and is unlikely to trigger the reversal that some have anticipated. 'Based on similarities with the recreated anomalies, we predict that the South Atlantic Anomaly will probably disappear within the next 300 years, and that Earth is not heading towards a polarity reversal', Mr Nilsson said. In the future, the team hopes the model could be used to date both archaeological and geological records, by comparing measured and modelled variations in Earth's magnetic field. The study comes shortly after Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, warned that if a reversal happens, it is likely to render some areas of the planet 'uninhabitable' by knocking out power grids. His comments were made in an in-depth Undark report written by Alanna Mitchell, who has a new book about the topic titled 'The Spinning Magnet: The Electromagnetic Force that Created the Modern World and Could Destroy It'. Ms Mitchell writes: 'The dangers: devastating streams of particles from the sun, galactic cosmic rays, and enhanced ultraviolet B rays from a radiation-damaged ozone layer, to name just a few of the invisible forces that could harm or kill living creatures.' Uber is providing a fleet of small vehicles to help the UN deliver emergency food and water supplies to war-torn areas of Ukraine. As part of a collaboration with the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), Uber is using a custom-built version of its platform for relief efforts. Larger vehicles face issues reaching in-need Ukrainians in built-up areas, such as structural damage and high threat of Russian bombardment. So the initiative is using a fleet of smaller vehicles such as vans to send relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated parts of the country. Just like any ride on the Uber app, the progress of deliveries can be tracked in real-time through a special 'private-label' version of its app platform. The initiative is using a fleet of smaller vehicles (pictured) to send relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of the country Pictured, one of the delivery vans. Larger vehicles such as trucks face issues reaching in-need Ukrainians in built-up areas, such as structural damage and high threat of Russian bombardment UBER STATEMENT 'With larger vehicles facing issues reaching those in need in built-up areas, collaboration with Uber allows WFP to better coordinate, dispatch and track a fleet of smaller vehicles delivering relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of Ukraine. Through this platform, WFP can get its food closer to those people needing its support, dispatching deliveries in various sizes of vehicle, tracking each trip to its destination, and confirming deliveries have been made safely. Collaboration with Uber allows WFP to better coordinate, dispatch and track a fleet of smaller vehicles delivering relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of Ukraine.' Advertisement 'Uber is thrilled to be working with WFP to help them more efficiently distribute emergency food relief across Ukraine, by providing free access to a customised version of the Uber platform,' said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. 'Using our technology, WFP can now schedule, dispatch, track, and manage deliveries by a network of cars and small vans to final distribution points within a 100km [62 mile] radius of WFP warehouses across the country.' Thanks to the collaboration, WFP has already delivered food from its warehouse in Dnipro to other parts of the city, ready for distribution. Further deliveries are also ongoing in other parts of the country, including Lviv, Vinnytsia, Chernivtsi and capital city Kyiv. Some of the delivery drivers worked in Ukraine as Uber drivers before the Russian invasion, the BBC reports. The initiative uses a specially-adapted version of Uber Direct, an Uber platform already used by businesses such as Apple and Tesco. With Uber Direct, companies can use Uber's network of drivers and partners to move goods within their supply chain, between locations, and to customers. Usually, these businesses pay Uber a commission per delivery for the service, but the WFP is not being charged. The technology has been custom-built for free by Uber engineers to meet the needs of WFP operations on the ground. Using Uber Direct they can schedule, dispatch, track and manage deliveries using this private network to distribution points within a 62 mile radius of WFP warehouses (pictured) Uber said: 'Collaboration with Uber allows WFP to better coordinate, dispatch and track a fleet of smaller vehicles delivering relief items from warehouses to people in need in densely populated areas of Ukraine' It means that WFP are able to build a network of drivers using small cars or vans who are contracted directly with WFP. Using Uber Direct they can schedule, dispatch, track and manage deliveries using this private network to distribution points within a 62 mile radius of WFP warehouses. Uber said functionality has been built for WFP so they can avoid any blackout any area or route they believe is no longer safe, and can be recalibrated as the conflict moves. Uber has already made a $250,000 (200,000) donation to WFP USA to support the emergency response in Ukraine. By the end of June, WFP will be providing food and cash to more than 3 million people per month in the country. Larger vehicles are facing issues reaching Ukrainians in need in built-up areas, such as structural damage and high threat of Russian bombardment. Pictured is a view of a destroyed shopping mall due to shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine on June 08, 2022 A Russian serviceman patrols the destroyed part of the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works in Ukraine's port city of Mariupol on May 18 'WFP is playing a critical role in providing food and cash assistance to those most affected by the war in Ukraine,' said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP's emergency coordinator in Ukraine. 'This technology helps WFP facilitate its response and improves how we serve communities in Ukraine that rely on us. 'It enhances our access to Ukrainian businesses within Uber's network, making our operations more efficient while also harnessing local capacities.' The ridesharing giant says it is also working to provide additional support to help refugees who have arrived in the UK. It's supporting the British Red Cross to provide an initial 8,000 free meals and rides to refugees in several UK locations. The ridesharing giant says it is also working to provide additional support to help refugees who have arrived in the UK (stock image) Uber has had a tough few years; in May 2020, during the Covid pandemic, it announced plans to lay off 3,700 employees, around 14 per cent of its workforce. Last December, the UK High Court declared Uber's business model 'unlawful', as it does not comply with the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998. A Supreme Court ruling in February had declared Uber drivers workers of Uber and therefore entitled to benefits such as sick pay and minimum wage. Uber argued that it acted as an agent' between passengers and drivers, but the High Court has ruled this to be unlawful. Uber, which is headquartered in San Francisco, is currently operating in the UK thanks to an 30-month licence extension granted by Transport for London (TfL) in March this year. The ridesharing firm has had a torrid time getting approval from Transport for London (TfL) to operate on a long-term basis. TfL has previously cited passenger safety among the issues with the platform. Advertisement A new electric 'air taxi' from aircraft manufacturer Volocopter has completed its first successful test flight. The aircraft, named VoloConnect, is being designed to transport business travellers and commuters around urban and suburban areas at up to 155 mph. During the test flight, that lasted 2 minutes and 14 seconds, it reached 40 mph when flying forwards and 28 mph when flying sideways. VoloConnect is an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL), and also completed a few basic manoeuvres during its maiden journey. The lift-and-cruise aircraft is still a prototype, but Volocopter has confirmed the aircraft has 'all the planned aerodynamics and performance features of the future commercial product'. VoloConnect is the company's third vehicle undergoing test flights after the VoloCity and VoloDrone making Volocopter the only eVTOL developer in the world to have a fleet of aircraft at that stage of testing. VoloConnect is an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (eVTOL) that completed its first successful, uncrewed test flight in May. During the test flight it reached 40 mph when flying forwards and 28 mph when flying sideways VoloConnect is the company's third vehicle undergoing test flights - after the VoloCity and VoloDrone - making Volocopter the only eVTOL developer in the world to have a fleet of aircraft at that stage of testing It was announced yesterday at the UP.Summit transportation tech conference in Bentonville, Arkansas, that the eVTOL had taken its maiden uncrewed test flight in May, after 17 months in development. Further trips have been taken since then, as part of the initial phase of testing for the prototype, designed to evaluate the aircraft's performance and limitation. Engineers from Volocopter, based in Bruchsal, Germany, are assessing the aircraft's low and high speeds and its ability to transition between vertical and horizontal flight. They will also be looking closely at its ability to compensate for engine failure while in crewed, and later autonomous, flights. VoloConnect is being designed to transport business travellers and commuters around cities at speeds of up to 155 mph WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VOLOCONNECT AND VOLOCITY? VoloConnect Maximum number of passengers: Four Number of rotors: Six, with two electric fans Top forward speed: 155 mph Range: 62 miles Features: Sideways movement Intended use: Long urban and suburban trips for commuters and business travellers Launch date target: 2026 VoloConnect, Volocopter's four-seater aircraft, takes its first flight VoloCity Maximum number of passengers: Two Number of rotors: 18 Top speed: 68 mph Range: 22 miles Features: Four times quieter than a small helicopter Intended use: Short, intra-city trips like to the airport or train station Launch date target: 2024 Two-seater eVTOL VoloCity is designed for small metropolitan trips Advertisement VoloConnect has been designed to keep moving parts to a minimum, and features six rotors for vertical takeoffs and landings. It also has two electric fans that work with its fixed wings to create uplift for forward flying. Developers claim it should ultimately have a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h), a cruising speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and a maximum range of 62 miles (100 km). It's capable of carrying four passengers, and is planned to be in service by 2026. Sebastian Mores, the Chief Engineer at VoloConnect in Munich, said: 'This is an extraordinary moment for us. 'Seeing the VoloConnect soar to the sky marks the achievement of one of our key milestones and demonstrates just what we are capable of in a short time and in line with the companys overall strategy for crewed and uncrewed aircraft. 'Furthermore, new technologies will be tested that will gradually be implemented during the overall program development.' VoloConnect is offering further and faster journeys than any other of the Volocopter aircrafts to date, including their shorter-haul eVTOL, VoloCity. VoloCity is designed for small metropolitan trips, unlike the VoloConnect which is intended to make suburban connection flights for business travellers and commuters. It has already made several crewed test flights, and has a top speed of 68 mph and a range of 22 miles, making it well suited to short urban hops. VoloCity is capable of carrying two people and can be flown autonomously, remotely, or by an onboard pilot. Volocopter intends to fully integrate both aircraft, as well as their utility drone VoloDrone that will be able to carry up to 200 kg, into urban air mobility regions and use the VoloIQ software to unite all their operations and maintenance. CEO of Volocopter, Florian Reuter, said: 'Having a whole family of electric aircraft in the test flight phase is a pioneering feat. VoloConnect has been designed to keep moving parts to a minimum, and features six rotors for vertical takeoffs and landings Developers claim that VoloConnect should ultimately have a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h), a cruising speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and a maximum range of 62 miles (100 km). It's can carry four passengers, and is planned to be in service by 2026 The VoloCity air taxi (pictured) is designed for small metropolitan trips, and is capable of carrying two people and can be flown autonomously, remotely, or by an onboard pilot 'Volocopters leadership in the industry stems from announcing plans and then delivering on them visibly with public test flights. 'Our technology platform is the foundation for our family of aircraft approach and has proven to deliver results at an astounding speed. 'Volocopter is bringing these innovative designs off the ground, into the air, and then to cities worldwide!' Tech company Nothing has confirmed it will launch the first British smartphone for more than five years on July 12 over a month later than expected. Earlier in the week, anticipation had been mounting for an announcement scheduled for '11:30 on Wednesday' by the secretive London firm. But all Nothing revealed was the date of a launch event, July 12, which will finally reveal everything there is to know about the device. The launch event, dubbed 'Return to Instinct', will be held in an as-yet-undisclosed location in London, although it will also be streamed on Nothing's website. Nothing has already confirmed that the smartphone will have a 'minimalist design', a frame made from recycled aluminium and transparent glass on the back. Price, release date, photos and further details about phone (1) will be revealed at 4pm on July 12, although there are already artistic renders of what it could look like. The launch event, dubbed 'Return to Instinct', will be held in an as-yet undisclosed location in London, although it will also be streamed on Nothing's website A mysterious technology firm that calls itself 'Nothing' is teasing the first British smartphone for more than half a decade. Rather than Android, the device will run on a new in-house operating system called 'Nothing OS'. Pictured are fan photos of what the phone may look like The company says: 'It's our first smartphone, and our most important product. The real start of Nothings journey. To make tech fun again. And an invitation to unlearn everything the industry has taught us.' NOTHING PHONE: KNOWN SPECS - Recycled aluminum frame - Transparent back glass - Wireless charging - Qualcomm Snapdragon processor - No 'chin' - Runs 'Nothing OS' Advertisement Phone (1) is technically only British in design; it will be made and assembled in Asia, just like its many of its rivals. According to New Delhi-based smartphone tipster Yogesh Brar, production will 'start soon' in India. Nothing will be hoping its device fares better than the last British smartphone, which was made by another London-based firm, called Wileyfox. Wileyfox released three generations of phones between 2015 and 2016, but the company never turned a profit and went into administration in 2018. Nothing has been gradually drip-feeding information about phone (1) to keep the media and the public's interest ever since it revealed it was working on a smartphone back in March. It's already said the phone will be 'defined by iconic design' with an operating system that will 'deliver a fast, smooth and personal experience'. 'A coherent interface, the hardware seamlessly integrates with software through bespoke fonts, colours, graphical elements and sounds,' Nothing says on its website. Phone (1) will also not force customers to have several preloaded apps on the devices, unlike rivals such as Apple and Samsung. Pictured are images of the Beta software According to New Delhi-based smartphone tipster Yogesh Brar, production will 'start soon' in India WATCH THE NOTHING PHONE LAUNCH EVENT ON JULY 12 On Tuesday July 12 at 16:00 BST, during the Nothing event 'Return to Instinct', the firm will be revealing all about its second device, phone (1). The event, held in an as-yet undisclosed location in London, will be livestreamed on Nothing's website. The company says: 'Its our first smartphone, and our most important product. The real start of Nothings journey. To make tech fun again. And an invitation to unlearn everything the industry has taught us. Advertisement Last year, Nothing released a pair of wireless headphones, called 'ear (1)', but phone (1), as the name suggests, will be its first smartphone. Phone (1) will also have no 'chin' the little strip of black at the bottom of a phone's display that can infuriate some users. Chins can be considered a nuisance because they take up space that could otherwise be part of the screen's display. The device will also run on a new in-house operating system called 'Nothing OS', powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Nothing OS will not force customers to have several preloaded apps on the devices, unlike rivals such as Android and Apple's iOS. O2 will be the network partner for phone (1) in the UK. Nothing has also signed with Germany's Deutsche Telekom and Indian online retailer Flipkart to market the phone. The price of phone (1) is still under wraps but Carl Pei, the firm's co-founder and chief executive, has said it will be 'competitive'. Pei is a Beijing-born Swedish entrepreneur who co-founded Chinese consumer electronics firm OnePlus back in 2013. Nothing boss Carl Pei (pictured) claims the Nothing phone will be 'the most compelling alternative to Apples ecosystem' Nothing will be hoping its device fares better than the last British smartphone, which was made by another London-based firm, called Wileyfox. Pictured is the Wileyfox Swift 2 X He claims the Nothing phone will be 'the most compelling alternative to Apples ecosystem'. 'For too long, the smartphone market has been dominated by the same players and that's led to unimaginative, bland design across the board,' said Pei. 'These players have created closed-off ecosystems that lock people in, limiting their choice about the products they can access and use. This is what I want to change with Nothing.' According to Pei, the UK has a strong track record of creating software companies, but not hardware. Nothing has already released a pair of wireless headphones (called 'ear (1)', pictured), which has transparent parts 'to highlight and celebrate the craftsmanship underneath' Nothing has a 15-strong team to bring the phone to the market, although it's expecting to have 35 employees by the end of the year. Among them is Adam Bates, formerly head of design and product experience at Dyson, the vacuum business best known for its sleek designs. Nothing recently announced it raised $70 million (53 million) in a fundraising round, bringing total investments to $144 million (109 million). The firm is privately owned and has backing from investors including GV (formerly Google Ventures), Kevin Lin (co-founder of live streaming service Twitch) and Steve Huffman (co-founder and CEO of Reddit). People may soon be flying in the sky not just through conventional aircraft but also in drone taxis for transportation. German startup firm Volocopter recently announced that its four-seat electric VTOL aircraft, the VoloConnect drone taxi, has completed its first test flight in May. Due to the success of VoloConnect's test flight, the company named it the third aircraft prototype of its flight test program. VoloConnect Test Flight Details Volocopter mentioned in its announcement that the VoloConnect was able to take flight and perform maneuvers for two minutes and 14 seconds during its first flight. Its ability to take flight proves that the production-level aerodynamics and performance the company installed on the drone taxi will hold up in real-world conditions despite its brief flight, per Engadget. The VoloConnect is a lift-and-cruise aircraft optimized for "missions beyond the urban and suburban space." It has six rotors that create vertical takeoff while two electric fans and uplifting wings create high forward speeds. It is also designed to meet the highest aviation safety standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency. Volocopter placed its VoloConnect drone taxi through three separate tests, which saw the team overseeing VoloConnect's flight test finding that the drone taxi has forward speeds of up to 40 mph and 28 mph sidewards flight speeds during tests. The company stated that the Volocopter's flight test would be gradually opened as part of the flight test's campaign over the coming weeks. Read More: Atlassian Confluence CVE-2022-26134 Vulnerability Proof-of-Concept Exploits Released: Is There a Patch? Volocopter mentioned that the VoloConnect is targeting a range of 60 miles and a cruising speed of more than 155 mph. However, the company did not disclose if the VoloConnect was able to achieve them during the drone taxi's flight test. The success of the VoloConnect's flight test puts Volocopter in a position to boost its total addressable urban air mobility (UAM) market, along with its first two drone taxis, the VoloDrone and VoloCity. The difference between Volocopter's VoloCity and VoloConnect is that VoloCity's capabilities are centered to serve routes within a city, while the VoloConnect will focus on longer "urban and suburban missions." To put it simply, VoloConnect is for people from the suburbs choosing to commute to the city by air, while VoloCity is for people already in the city wishing to commute within the city by air. Volocopter is targeting 2026 for the release of VOloConnect, while VoloCity can enter service as early as 2024. Volocopter's Reaction To VoloConnect's Successful Flight Test Sebastian Mores, Volocopter's Chief Engineer, mentioned that the ColoConnect's successful flight test was "an extraordinary moment" for them in Volocopter. "... seeing the VoloConnect soar to the sky marks the achievement of one of our key milestones and demonstrates just what we are capable of in a short time and in line with the company's overall strategy for crewed and uncrewed aircraft," Mores said. He also added that new technologies would be tested and gradually implemented during the overall program development. Related Article: Uber is Offering Unlimited Ride With New $100 Subscription Plan; See What's The Catch A shocking study has revealed that one in ten Google search results for abortion services made in 'Trigger Law' states in the USA lead to 'fake clinics' pushing anti-abortion messages. These clinics, also known as 'crisis pregnancy centres' or 'pregnancy resource centres', are often associated with American anti-abortion organisations. The study was conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a British non-profit. The campaigners made Google searches using a Chrome browser extension to change their digital location to the 13 so-called Trigger Law states. These are the states that have passed laws which will effectively ban abortions as soon as the Roe v. Wade court decision of 1973 is overturned. Google results after searching for abortion services in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. Left - an advert for 'fake' clinic The Cline Centers that appeared after searching 'abortion pill'. Right -Google Maps results for 'abortion clinic near me' that shows The Cline Centers Protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington after a document was leaked revealing that they were poised to strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision TYPES OF SEARCH RESULTS THAT YIELDED ANTI-ABORTION CLINICS Result Type No Yes Total Ad 47 18 65 Map 44 26 70 News 90 90 Organic 210 7 217 Videos 3 3 Total 394 (88.54%) 51 (11.46%) 445 (100.00%) During the case of Roe v. Wade in 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution in the United States will protect a woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. However, last month, a leaked initial draft majority opinion revealed that the United States Supreme Court was poised to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. If this happens, the Trigger Law states will have the laws in place to automatically ban abortion in the first and second trimesters. The 13 states are Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. CCDH researchers made Google searches for 'abortion clinic near me' and 'abortion pill' using the extension Location Guard to change their location to each of the 13 Trigger Law states. They then analysed the first page of results for each search encompassing paid search results, organic results, and results in the Maps, News and Video functions which appeared on the main search page. They found that 11 per cent of general results led to anti-abortion fake clinics, including 37 per cent of Google Maps results. Pro-choice organisations have warned that these 'anti-abortion fake clinics' claim to offer impartial advice but in reality aim to dissuade individuals from having abortions or shame abortion care. Some advertise so-called abortion 'reversal' which is an unproven and potentially dangerous procedure. The website for 'Allied Womens Center' that appeared as a Google search result for abortion sercies, claims that 'unborn black baby lives dont matter to Planned Parenthood!' Pro-choice organisations have warned that 'anti-abortion fake clinics' claim to offer impartial advice, but in reality aim to dissuade individuals from having abortions or shame abortion care NUMBER OF SEARCH RESULTS IN EACH STATE THAT LED TO ANTI-ABORTION CLINICS State No Yes Total Arkansas 28 2 30 Idaho 27 3 30 Kentucky 30 5 35 Louisiana 28 3 31 Mississippi 29 8 37 Missouri 30 2 32 North Dakota 34 4 38 Oklahoma 29 8 37 South Dakota 33 7 40 Tennessee 29 2 31 Texas 30 4 34 Utah 33 2 35 Wyoming 34 1 35 Total 394 51 445 Of the total 445 recorded results, 51 directed users to anti-abortion fake clinics, that have a record of disseminating misinformation on the health risks of abortion. On Google Maps, 26 of the 70 results disturbingly presented anti-choice providers as if they were local abortion clinics. Nearly 28 per cent of Google ads displayed at the top of search result pages were found to be for anti-abortion fake clinics. One advert from the Cline Centers even appeared to offer free abortion consultations, but further inspection of their website revealed that the clinic neither performs nor provides referrals for abortion procedures. This was corroborated by a Google review, alleging that the 'fake clinic' does not 'provide medical care' and 'exaggerate[s]' the risks of abortion. While Google labels anti-choice adverts with a disclaimer reading 'Does not provide abortions', some appeared as the first result for searches seeking abortion services. The CCDH found that some users overlooked this notice and contacted the fake clinics to enquire about an abortion regardless. A Google review for The Cline Centers alleging that the 'fake clinic' does not 'provide medical care' and 'exaggerate[s]' the risks association with abortion Google searches for abortion services in Mississippi yield the website for The Cline Centers, which states they do not 'perform or provide referrals for abortion procedures' Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of the CCDH said: 'When people search for information or services relating to their sexual and reproductive health, Google is sending them to sites that users expect to contain robust, scientific, evidence-driven healthcare information but they actually contain ideologically-driven opinion and misinformation. 'We have a right to expect that safety by design is a key consideration for any tech platform. 'If Google refuses to guarantee users right to good information, it will be up to lawmakers to step in to ensure that people arent harmed by Googles negligence and greed.' A spokesperson for Google said: 'Across our products, we work to make high-quality information easily accessible, particularly on critical health topics. 'Any organisation that wants to advertise to people seeking information about abortion services on Google must be certified and show in-ad disclosures that clearly state whether they do or do not offer abortions. 'We're always looking at ways to improve our results to help people find what they're looking for, or understand if what they're looking for may not be available.' One anti-abortion centre falsely claims that an abortion pill reversal treatment has a 65% success rate. This is an unproven and potentially dangerous procedure The website 'Bside U for life' falsely claims 'suicidal impulses' are 'common' following abortion According to The Alliance, a union of state advocates for womens rights, crisis pregnancy centres now outnumber real abortion clinics in the US three to one. They say there are approximately 2,600 operating in the US, and are run by nonprofit organisations established to advise pregnant people against having an abortion. The centres have been criticised for deceptive practices, and for disseminating false medical advice and misinformation about the potential risks of abortions, like breast cancer or infertility. Some other concerning, untrue claims include that 'suicidal impulses' are 'common' following an abortion and that abortions are necessary as 20 per cent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. In actuality, research from the Turnaway Study concluded that women are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders as a result of being denied abortions. These fake clinics are often affiliated with larger anti-abortion, faith-based networks. Erin Matson, Co-Founder of US abortion rights campaign group Reproaction, said: 'Anti-abortion fake clinics are the conversion therapy wing of an anti-abortion movement that is hell-bent on sending people to jail for abortion, miscarriage, and pregnancy. 'Misleading online advertising targeting abortion seekers is not a new concern, although it becomes more urgent as constitutional protections for abortion disappear. 'Google has known for a long time that it needs to get serious about anti-abortion disinformation and hate. 'Now is the time to stop prioritising big bucks from the haters over public health and basic human rights.' The 26 states where abortion will likely become illegal if SCOTUS overturns Roe vs Wade The 26 states where abortion will likely become illegal if SCOTUS overturns Roe vs Wade after leaked draft opinion showed a majority of justices supported the move More than half of all US states have some kind of abortion ban law likely to take effect if Roe v Wade is overturned by the United States Supreme Court. According to the pro-reproductive rights group The Guttmacher Institute, there are 26 states that will likely make abortions illegal if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 ruling. 18 have existing abortion bans that have previously been ruled unconstitutional, four have time limit bans and four are likely to pass laws if Roe v Wade is overturned, the organization found. The 18 states that have near-total bans on abortion already on the books are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. In addition, Georgia, Iowa, Ohio, and South Carolina all have laws that ban abortions after the six-week mark. Florida, Indiana, Montana and Nebraska, are likely to pass bills when Roe v Wade is overturned, the Guttmacher Institute said. Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin's bans all have pre-Roe v Wade laws that became unenforceable after the Supreme Court's 1973 decision - that would kick into effect if the federal legal precedent established in Roe were overturned. Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas have further bans that will come into effect if the law was overturned. These were passed post-Roe v Wade. They're joined by Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming, in passing such laws. The states that will limit abortions based on the length of time a patient has been pregnant are Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Dakota and Ohio. There are four states that have laws that state abortion is not a constitutionally protected right: Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and West Virginia. Advertisement On May 2, a leaked draft opinion revealed The Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that legalised abortion in the United States. Written by Justice Samuel Alito, one of the six justices appointed by a Republican president who sit on the court, it repudiated both Roe v Wade and the 1992 Planned Parenthood vs Casey Decision. If and when the draft is made final, the decision removes the federal right to abortion in America, leaving it up to elected officials in each state to decide whether or not women should have access to abortions. Twenty-six states are likely to ban it if Roe v. Wade is formally overturned, essentially outlawing abortion in more than half of the country. Eighteen states already have restrictive abortion laws in place. The news sent shock waves throughout Washington D.C. with Democrats vowing to codify the legal right to an abortion into law and Republicans demanding an investigation into the leak, claiming it was done to try and influence the high court ahead of its formal ruling. On Monday, the Supreme Court added to its calendar an additional release of opinions scheduled for this week, including potentially the decision that could overturn Roe v. Wade. With 30 opinions still not issued in the final weeks of the term, several will now drop on Wednesday, according to an update on the high court's website. The upcoming Supreme Court decision on abortion rights, due this month, is expected to come with a rise in politically motivated violence The beginning of the original leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito An asteroid 200 million miles from Earth has been found to contain the building blocks of life, Japanese scientists say. More than 20 types of amino acids have reportedly been discovered in samples collected from asteroid Ryugu by Tokyo's Hayabusa2 probe in 2018 and 2019. Experts have previously said the samples are the 'most primitive material in the solar system we have ever studied'. They have been analysing 5.4 grams of rocky grains from Ryugu ever since the samples were returned to Earth in December 2020. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that living organisms produce based on their DNA code, so could be a key signature of the existence of alien life on other planets. However, despite being the organic compounds that life as we know it is made of, they are not necessarily remains of ancient living organisms themselves. The protein-building chemicals can also form through natural geological processes such as, for example, those that formed the solar system. The claim about 20 types of amino acids being found was made by an official from Japan's education ministry. An asteroid 200 million miles from Earth has been found to contain the building blocks of life, Japanese scientists say. Samples from the diamond shaped, half-mile diameter space rock were returned to Earth for study by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 2020 Scientists have been analysing 5.4 grams of rocky grains from Ryugu (pictured) ever since the samples were returned to Earth in December 2020 WHAT ARE AMINO ACIDS? Amino acids are made from varying amounts of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. Chains of them are held together with bonds known as peptides. These chains are what are used to make proteins that support all life on earth. Amino acids could have developed differently to meet the challenges of extraterrestrial conditions, or conditions not found on Earth. Advertisement It had earlier been reported at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas in March that 10 types, including glycine and alanine, had been found, according to scientists detailing two papers on the discovery. 'We detected various prebiotic organic compounds in the samples, including proteinogenic amino acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons similar to terrestrial petroleum, and various nitrogen compounds,' said Hiroshi Naraoka, of Kyushu University in Japan, who led the team of researchers. 'These prebiotic organic molecules can spread throughout the solar system, potentially as interplanetary dust from the Ruygu surface by impact or other causes.' Data has also suggested that Ryugu could be a remnant of an extinct comet that spent tens of thousands of years racing through the solar system. Scientists believe it was then vaporised by high temperatures and turned into a rubble-pile asteroid after moving into the inner asteroid belt between Jupiter and Mars. Samples from the diamond shaped, half-mile diameter space rock were returned to Earth for study by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The information obtained has shown that Ryugu is a rubble-pile asteroid made up of small pieces of rock and solid material clumped together by gravity rather than a single, monolithic boulder. Secondly, it is shaped like a spinning top likely caused by deformation induced by quick rotation, researchers in Japan say and also has a remarkably high organic matter content. It is this final discovery that raises a question regarding the asteroid's origin. Hayabusa2 first visited Ryugu in June 2018. From there, it took measurements and samples of the asteroid, before leaving for Earth in November 2019 and returning the data a year later The current scientific consensus is that Ryugu originated from debris left by the collision of two larger asteroids. But this cannot be true if the asteroid is high in organic content because the matter would have been degraded or destroyed by the high temperatures of a collision. Scientists hope to confirm this level of organic matter once the analysis of the returned samples is complete. Ryugu is a carbon-type near-Earth asteroid which is about 3,000ft in diameter and in an orbit between the Earth and Mars. Previous tests have already shown that the space rock contains some of the 'most primordial material' ever examined, with scientists saying it could solve the mystery of how the solar system formed. University of Queensland, Australia experts said the samples were among the darkest materials ever examined, reflecting just two per cent of the light that hits them. They are also very porous, and could hold the key to understanding how the first building blocks of life came to arrive on Earth 4.5 billion years ago, the team said. A small rock has been hitching a ride on NASA's Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars for four months without falling off. The rock attached itself on the Perseverance's wheel in February and has since been transported more than 5.3 miles (8.5 km) aboard the rover, NASA has said. Photos show the Martian fragment tucked into the front left wheel of the Perseverance rover, which landed on the surface of Mars in February last year. The photos of the rock were taken by the rover's front cameras used to navigate hazards, called 'Hazcams'. NASA said the 'unexpected traveling companion' isn't doing any damage to the wheel, although it could drop off at any time. Perseverance can only go up to 0.07 miles per hour (0.12 km per hour), which may just be slow enough to stop it from falling off. Prior to being caught on Perseverance's wheels, the rock could have been in the same spot for millions of years. The Mars rock can be seen on the front left wheel of Perseverance on May 26, 2022 (sol 449) beside track marks in the Martian surface Image taken using the front left Haz Avoidance Camera (Hazcam), acquired on April 19, 2022 (sol 413) PERSEVERANCE ROVER COMES WITH 23 CAMERAS There are 23 cameras mounted to the Perseverance rover including: Nine engineering cameras, seven science cameras and seven for entry, descent and landing. The engineering cameras give detailed information in colour about the terrain the rover has to cross. They measure the ground for safe driving, check out the status of hardware and support sample gathering. There are Hazcams for hazard detection and Navcams for navigation. Science cameras record in more detail and can even capture 3D images. The Mastcam-Z on a 2 metre arm has a zoom feature for focusing on distant objects and can film video. The Supercam fires a laser at mineral targets beyond the reach of the rovers arm to analysed the chemical composition of the rock. Advertisement Perseverance touched down on Mars' Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021 after a nearly seven-month journey through space. The car-sized Mars rover is tasked with seeking traces of fossilised microbial life from Mars' ancient past and to gather rock specimens for return to Earth. Last month, it reached a key phase of its mission climbing up an ancient delta known as 'Three Forks'. NASA said the 'pet rock' attached itself to the wheel on the 341th 'sol' or Martian day over 100 sols ago, in early February 2022. One sol lasts 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds slightly longer than an Earth day. As of Wednesday (June 8), Perseverance has been on Mars for 462 sols. On sol 341, Perseverance was still working on its first science campaign focused on picking up samples from the Jezero crater floor. 'We examined rocks that are part of the Maaz formation, which we believe is made up of lava flows,' NASA said in a statement. Martian rocks are so variable on the red planet's surface that if this pet rock were to fall off the wheel so far from its original location, it could stick out if a 'Martian geologist from the future' were to encounter it. 'It's possible that the rock may fall out at some point along our future ascent of the crater rim,' NASA said. 'If it does so, it will land amongst rocks that we expect to be very different from itself.' The public can track the route taken throughout Perseverance's 462-sol journey using an online interactive map on NASA's website, which uses dots to denote where the rover stopped. 'Engineers created this experience with software used by the mission team who decide where Perseverance will explore, and how to get there,' NASA said. 'Each dot represents the end point of a drive and is labelled with the day, or sol, on Mars, that the rover stopped.' The same rock is seen in an image acquired on February 6, 2022 (sol 343). Photos were taken by the rover's front cameras used to navigate hazards, called 'Hazcams' This is not the first time a rock has hitched a ride on a Mars rover mission; 18 years ago, a 'potato-sized' rock found its way into the Spirit rovers rear right wheel, and had to be dislodged. Five years ago, the front right wheel of the the Curiosity rover also periodically picked up its own rocky traveling companion. 'While it's unclear exactly how long these rocks stuck around, they tended to hop off after a few weeks,' NASA said. 'Perseverance's current companion is therefore on its way to setting Mars hitch-hiking records.' It's Perseverance's job to collect rocks, but the hitchhiking rock was not meant to be one of them. Perseverance captured its first rock sample last September. The rover has turret-mounted scientific instruments that are able to determine chemical and mineral composition and look for organic matter, as well as better characterise the planet's geological processes. It uses a drill and a hollow coring bit at the end of its 7-foot-long (2-meter-long) robotic arm to extract samples slightly thicker than a pencil, which it stores under its belly. However, Perseverance is not bringing the samples back to Earth the rover is stashing in certain locations on Mars them to be collected by a future retrieval mission, which is currently being developed. It was in February last year that Perseverance touched down on Mars' Jezero crater, which scientists believe was once home to an ancient river delta One option involves NASA and ESA launching two more spacecraft that would leave Earth in 2026 and reach Mars in 2028. The first will deploy a small rover, which will make its way to Perseverance, pick up the filled sampling tubes and transfer them to a 'Mars ascent vehicle' a small rocket. This rocket will blast off in the process becoming the first object launched from the surface of Mars and place the container into Martian orbit, meaning it will essentially be floating in space. At this point, the third and final spacecraft involved in the tricky operation will manoeuvre itself next to the sample container, pick it up and fly it back to Earth. A multi-billion dollar project to bring back a piece of Mars to Earth will involve three separate launches and would only be successful as soon as 2031 Providing its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is successful, it will plummet to the ground at a military training ground in Utah in 2031, meaning the Martian samples likely won't be studied for about another decade. Perseverance also made the journey to Mars equipped with a detachable 4-pound (1.8-kilogram) robotic helicopter called Ingenuity. The copter has performed a series of nearly 30 flights of increasing complexity on the red planet, the most recent in April this year. Ingenuity, which is just 18-inches tall, made its first flight on April 19, 2021, making history as the first powered controlled flight on another planet. Advertisement The treasures of the legendary San Jose galleon shipwreck have been revealed in a series of 'unprecedented' underwater images. Cannons, porcelain crockery, and gold pieces have been preserved deep in the Caribbean Sea for 300 years. The San Jose galleon, thought by historians to be carrying treasure that would be worth billions of dollars in today's money, sank in 1708 near Colombia's Caribbean port of Cartagena. It was sailing from Portobelo, Panama as the flagship of a treasure fleet of 14 merchant vessels and three Spanish warships when it encountered a British squadron near Baru. This led to a deadly battle during which the ship's powder magazines detonated and it sunk, leaving only eleven of its 600-strong crew alive. Colombia's President Ivan Duque announced on Monday that a remotely operated vehicle reached a depth of almost 3,100 feet (950 metres) allowing new videos of the wreckage. Operators found the galleon untouched by 'human intervention'. A part of the bow can be clearly seen covered in algae and shellfish, as well as the remains of the frame of the hull. The Colombian army has revealed images of the wreck of the San Jose galleon, one of the largest of the Spanish Navy, sunk 300 years ago with its treasure off the Caribbean coast A remotely operated vehicle reached a depth of almost 3,100 feet (950 metres) allowing new videos of the wreckage. Operators found the found it untouched by 'human intervention' An intact Chinese dinner set and other crockery were amongst the ship's treasures Gold coins were also picked up on the video released by the Colombian government The images offer the best-yet view of the treasure that was aboard the San Jose - including gold ingots and coins, muddy cannons made in Seville in 1655 and an intact Chinese dinner service. Porcelain crockery, pottery and glass bottles can also be seen. Archaeologists from the navy and government are working to determine the origin of the plates based on inscriptions, the officials said. The president said: 'Thanks to the technological equipment and the Colombian navy's work, we managed to capture images with a level of precision that's never been seen before.' He added: 'The idea is to recover it and to have sustainable financing mechanisms for future extractions. 'In this way we protect the treasure, the patrimony of the San Jose galleon. He also mentioned the wreck was 'kept intact and protected with a view towards a future retrieval'. The images offer the best-yet view of the treasure that was aboard the San Jose - including Porcelain crockery, pottery and glass bottles The vehicle that videoed the treasures was operated by naval officials conducting underwater monitoring, who also discovered two other nearby wrecks during the four missions The San Jose was a 62-gun galleon that went down on June 8, 1708, with 600 people on board The equipment used for searching of the remains of the galleon San Jose submerged almost 3,100 feet under the Colombian Caribbean Sea. It was operated by naval officials Recovering the ship and its bounty will be a challenge due to its depth underwater WHAT WAS FOUND IN THE SHIPWRECK? Gold coins Cannons Chinese dinner service Glass bottles Plates Part of the ship's bow Frame of the ship's hull Advertisement The vehicle was operated by naval officials conducting underwater monitoring, who also discovered two other nearby wrecks during the four missions. These were a colonial-era galleon and a schooner thought to be from around the same period as Colombia's war for independence from Spain about 200 years ago. Navy commander Admiral Gabriel Perez said: 'We now have two other discoveries in the same area, that show other options for archaeological exploration, 'So the work is just beginning.' Colombia will likely face a challenge from Spain and an indigenous group in Bolivia to determine who keeps the bounty. Spain insists that the treasures are theirs, since they were aboard a Spanish ship, while Bolivia's indigenous Qhara Qhara nation say the Spanish forced the community's people to mine the precious metals, so the treasures should belong to them. However, Colombia considers wrecks found in its territorial waters to be part of its cultural heritage, meaning the contents cannot be sold. The San Jose galleon was owned by the Spanish crown when it was sunk by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708, and only 11 of its 600-strong crew survived. It was heading back from the New World to the court of King Philip V of Spain, and was laden with what was believed to be at least 200 tons of gold, silver and emeralds. The San Jose galleon was owned by the Spanish crown when it was sunk by the British navy near Cartagena in 1708, and only eleven of its 600-strong crew survived When the wreck was discovered in 2015 by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, then Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos proposed to initiate a recovery mission, financed by selling part of the bounty. However the current president halted the mission to ensure the entirety of the wreck would remain in his country. Whenever it takes place, the recovery of the ship will be a challenge due to its significant depth underwater. Authorities have since announced they intend to create a museum of shipwrecks with the San Jose galleon and other wrecks found off the coast of Colombia. The full line-up for Pearl Jam's biggest London shows this July - at British Summer Time 2022 - has been announced. The Smith's Johnny Marr, Pixies, Temples and October Drift are just some of the acts performing at the band's headline shows on Friday 8 and Saturday July 9. The previously announced Stereophonics are also set to be on stage, alongside Imelda May, The Last Internationale and La Luz. Revealed: The full line-up for Pearl Jam's biggest London shows this July - at British Summer Time 2022 - has been announced Johnny - who was a guitarist for The Smiths - has since had a successful solo career which saw him complete a UK arena tour last month, in which he supported rock icons Blondie. In 2021 he also worked on last year's James Bond film with legendary composer Hans Zimmer. Also joining the headlining alternative rockers is psych-rock trio Temples, who will return to BST Hyde Park for the first time in seven years. Popular: Pearl Jam's BST Hyde Park shows are UK exclusives on two consecutive nights - a sign of their immense popularity after their original 2020 show sold out in record time The Northamptonshire natives formed ten years ago, entering the music scene with debut album Sun Structures, which quickly hit the UK Top 10. Brighton band Tigercub - which found success with songs Stop Beating on My Heart, IWGFU and Beauty - will perform on the Saturday. Meanwhile pop rockers October Drift will hit the stage on Friday, July 8, marking the musicians' Hyde Park debut. Solo: Johnny - who was a guitarist for The Smiths - has since had a successful solo career which saw him complete a UK arena tour last month, in which he supported rock icons Blondie Comeback: Also joining the headlining alternative rockers is psych-rock trio Temples, who will return to BST Hyde Park for the first time in seven years Stereophonics' place in the line-up was announced in February this year. An unstoppable force in the UK's alternative rock scene, Stereophonics have stood the test of time, releasing 11 albums over 3 decades, accumulating a massive 7 Number 1s among them. This year marks 25 years since the band's formation and this legendary show will be packed with hits Dakota, Maybe Tomorrow, Have a Nice Day, new single Do Ya Feel My Love and many more. Legacy: Led by the frontman Eddie Vedder, their breakout debut album Ten, released in 1991, had a lasting impact on the scene, achieving mainstream success This will be Stereophonics' first major performance in the iconic Royal Park for a decade, following their monumental show in Hyde Park for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Pearl Jam's BST Hyde Park shows are UK exclusives on two consecutive nights - a sign of their immense popularity after their original 2020 show sold out in record time. Formed in Seattle in 1990, Pearl Jam were one of the pioneers of the alternative rock movement that changed music forever. Unveiled: Welsh rock band Stereophonics' place in the line-up was announced in February this year Led by the frontman Eddie Vedder, their breakout debut album Ten, released in 1991, had a lasting impact on the scene, achieving mainstream success. They've inspired countless bands with their hits, including 'Black', 'Jeremy', ' Alive' and 'Rearviewmirror'. They've also been hugely commercially successful with more than 85 million albums sold worldwide and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, their first year of eligibility. Icons: Formed in Seattle in 1990, Pearl Jam were one of the pioneers of the alternative rock movement that changed music forever (pictured in 1992) Since 1990, they have cultivated a reputation for being one of the most incredible live acts of all time. In 2018, the band performed two nights at the O2 Arena in London to rave reviews, with Classic Rock calling their last London show an 'astonishing end - of -tour blow out'. In 2020, they released the critically acclaimed album Gigaton. Reese Witherspoon attended a photocall for Where The Crawdads Sing in West Hollywood on Tuesday. The 46-year-old performer cut a seriously stylish figure while appearing at the promotional event, during which she was joined by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Taylor John Smith. The actress served as a producer on the forthcoming feature, which is currently set to be released next month. Front and center: Reese Witherspoon attended a photocall for Where The Crawdads Sing in West Hollywood on Tuesday Witherspoon wore a fashionable lavender-colored pantsuit that stood out while she attended the photocall. The Election actress contrasted the tone of her outerwear with a stark white button-up shirt and a set of matching high-heeled shoes. The Academy Award-winning performer added various elements of glam to her look for the day with several articles of jewelry. Her bright blonde hair cascaded onto her shoulders and paired well with the dominant shade of her outfit. Making an appearance: Witherspoon wore a fashionable lavender-colored pantsuit that stood out while she attended the photocall Development on the feature was initially announced in January of last year, when Witherspoon was first reported to have been attached to the project. The forthcoming movie is based on Delia Owens' novel of the same name, which was published in 2018. The film is centered on a young woman named Kya who has had to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina. When her boyfriend turns up dead, she is then pulled into the public sphere as the main suspect in his murder. Signing on: Development on the feature was initially announced in January of last year, when Witherspoon was first reported to have been attached to the project Edgar-Jones is set to play Kya, while Smith will portray her childhood friend Tate Walker. Other cast members in the Olivia Newman-directed movie include Harris Dickinson, Garret Dillahunt and David Strathairn. Much of the film's lineup was brought together over several months in 2021, when it was also filmed in Louisiana. Leading the cast: Edgar-Jones is set to play Kya, while Smith will portray her childhood friend Tate Walker Taylor Swift also contributed a track entitled Carolina to the feature's soundtrack. Where The Crawdads Sing was initially set to be released on June 15, although its release date was pushed back. The forthcoming feature is currently scheduled to be made available to the public on July 15. He became a father at just 23 years of age. Fast forward to 2022, and Jamie Durie says he has become 'a better dad' the second time around. The TV personality and horticulturalist, 52, opened up this week about his 'new life' with fiancee Ameka Jane, 35, and their 11-month-old daughter Beau. 'Better dad': TV host Jamie Durie, 52, has revealed he is a better father the second time around. (Pictured with his fiancee Ameka Jane, 35, and their 11-month-old daughter Beau) 'A lot is going on, but life is amazing. I've never been happier,' he told Woman's Day. 'I'm a dad again! I always knew I'd have more kids. I guess it just needed to happen with the right person.' The Backyard Blitz host said he was in a much better position to be a parent than he was when he became a father for the first time almost 30 years ago. Jamie was just 23 when he welcomed daughter Taylor Durie with ex-girlfriend Michelle Glennock, a Las Vegas showgirl he met when they were both 18. During his early years of fatherhood, he was an exotic dancer touring the world with Australian all-male stripper revue Manpower. 'I had a suitcase in one hand and a baby in the other,' he recalled. Young: Jamie was just 23 years old when he welcomed his first daughter Taylor 'It was just absolute craziness. So at this point in my life, I think I'm probably a better dad now than the first time around.' The landscape designer added: 'Taylor is still my number one girl, but being able to be home now and spend quality time with Beau created a bond that's like nothing I've felt before.' Jamie and Ameka welcomed Beau in July 2021. Never been happier! Jamie and Ameka welcomed a baby girl, Beau, in July last year 'My heart is overflowing. We are thrilled to introduce you to our beautiful baby girl, Beau Durie,' Jamie wrote on Instagram at the time. 'Words can't describe how proud I am of my girls. Thank you my beautiful Ameka for bringing so much joy into our lives.' The couple, who reportedly met in Los Angeles in 2019, had announced their engagement just months earlier, in February 2021. Jamie had been engaged three times before proposing to Ameka, but never married. Two episodes in and things are already heating up on Love Island as viewers were introduced to two new bombshells on Tuesday night. After ITV2 viewers watched Davide Sanclimenti couple up with Gemma Owen, leaving Liam Llewellyn single, they were given a taste of what's to come as Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu were unveiled as shock new contestants. Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity but believes she is still single because she tends to 'fall in love too quickly.' Love Island 2022: Two episodes in and things are already hotting up on Love Island as new bombshells Afia Tonkmor (left) and Ekin-Su Culculoglu (right) were teased on Tuesday night The 25-year-old said: 'It just seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun, and have a bit of a summer romance as well. 'But I fall in love quickly, too quickly, two dates I am like, "OMG I am obsessed with this boy, he's everything."' Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' and isn't in the villa to make friends. The latest Islander, 27, said: 'I'm looking for that real genuine spark and they just see me as me. I think the concept of the show brings back true and raw feelings. 'I'm quite picky and I'm not just looking for looks, I'm looking for brains! I'm looking for someone with intelligence, someone who can have good chats. Taking her shot: Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity Islander: Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' No messing about: 'I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on,' she said 'Nothing like cockiness! I'm looking for a serious man and a serious relationship. I'll bring the whole package to the villa - drama, tears, laughter, joy, and love. 'I'm looking for the love of my life. I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on.' The announcement was made on the same night that Liam was dumped by Gemma and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide coupled up with her. Expect the unexpected: The announcement was made on the same night that Liam Llewellyn was dumped by Gemma Owen and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide Sanclimenti coupled up with her (Davide and Gemma pictured) However, during her first appearance on the show, London-born Afia admitted she wasn't afraid to go after someone else's man and warned her fellow females that she would 'get what she wanted.' Speaking during a pre-recorded video, she said: 'If I see a guy that I want in the villa I'm definitely going to make sure I get him. Watch out girls, I'm coming for your man!' At the end of the clip, voiceover Iain Sterling revealed the public would be able to vote on which two boys will head on a date with them. Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox. Nick Cannon's expectant girlfriend Bre Tiesi displayed her blossoming baby bump in all it's glory while rocking a completely sheer blouse on Monday. As she stepped out for an iced beverage from Starbucks, the 31-year-old real estate agent flaunted her pregnancy glow by wearing minimal makeup apart from highlighter, a glossy nude lipstick and blush. She accessorized her see-through top with a black bra, bright red Birkin bag, combat boots and her dark black locks in a sleek ponytail. Mom-to-be: Nick Cannon's expectant girlfriend Bre Tiesi displayed her blossoming baby bump in all it's glory while rocking a completely sheer blouse on Monday Tiesi, who's the ex-wife of Johnny Manziel, and her beau announced they were expecting a baby boy in January; her first and his eighth child. While reflecting on their unconventional relationship, the mom-to-be told E! New's Daily Pop that her partner is 'super supportive and positive.' She also admitted the two only recently became exclusive, but even if they hadn't cut out other partners, she would have 'always come back' to him. Baby on board: As she stepped out for an iced beverage from Starbucks, the 31-year-old real estate agent flaunted her pregnancy glow by wearing minimal makeup apart from highlighter, a glossy nude lipstick and blush Edgy: While flashing her black bra under her sheer top, she oozed casual-cool as she toted a red Birkin bag, combat boots and her hair in a sleek ponytail 'Him and I have had our on-and-off for years. And I just respect and love who he is so much as a person, that when I thought about, "Do I want my son to be this person? Look at your characteristics, look at your personality, look at how you treat people" Thats what is so much more important to me than anything,' she explained. 'And he treats me amazing, so thats all I look at.' Nick, who claimed last year that he was 'taking a break' from having more children, will celebrate baby number eight when Bre gives birth. In February, he shared on his since-canceled talk show that he had been celibate since announcing the latest pregnancy. Coming soon: Tiesi, who's the ex-wife of Johnny Manziel, and her beau announced they were expecting a baby boy, her first and his eighth child in January; seen on their babymoon last month Family forever: Nick first became a father when he was married to Mariah Carey from 2008-16, and welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe in 2011; seen in 2017 The entertainer first welcomed twins Moroccan and Monroe, 11, with his ex-wife Mariah Carey, and he shares a son Golden, five, and a daughter Powerful, one, with ex- girlfriend Brittany Bell. In June of last year, Nick welcomed his twins Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa. That same month, Alyssa Scott gave birth to her and Nick's son Zen, but the baby boy tragically died from a brain tumor in December. Family: Cannon welcomed twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir with DJ Abby de la Rosa in June 2021 And Nick could be expecting even more children this year, as he awaits the birth of his eighth child. Speaking on the Lip Service podcast, he said: 'Lets just put it this way... the stork is on the way.' When asked if he's currently expecting three children, he played coy, saying: 'I dont know, it could be...' Nick then suggested he plans on breaking his personal fatherhood record by declaring: 'If you thought it was a lot of kids last year...' When co-hosts Angela Yee and Gigi Maguire asked if fans can expect him to have a handful of children in September and October, he laughed before responding: 'Yall are pretty good at math.' As the Love Island drama heats up, it would seem Gemma Owen's odds of winning have cooled as audiences slammed the contestant as 'spoilt' and 'rude'. Michael Owen's daughter also failed to impress viewers in the latest episode on Tuesday when she called herself 'old-fashioned' while chatting to Italian hunk Davide Sanclimenti, 27. According to Ladbrokes, the dressage rider has 'tumbled to third-favourite' despite heading the pack before the series premier on Monday. 'Spoilt': Michael Owen's daughter also failed to impress viewers in the latest episode on Tuesday when she called herself 'old-fashioned' Speaking on behalf of the betting company, Alex Apati told The Sun: 'Punters may have scored an own goal in backing Gemma Owen for success in the villa. 'Having headed the betting before Monday's series opener, she's tumbled to third-favourite, behind the popular Paige and Tasha.' Tuesday's episode saw Liam Llewellyn dumped by Gemma and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide coupled up with her. Drama: Tuesday's episode saw Liam Llewellyn dumped by Gemma and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide coupled up with her However as Twitter was a flurry of rage about the islanders' age difference - Gemma being 19 and Davide, 27 - many on social media also branded the young athlete a 'brat'. One said: 'Gemma has no tact lol she is just rude. No home training.' Another added: 'Gemma Owen giving off spoilt brat vibes.' Elsewhere a user quipped: 'We have eight weeks of watching some spoilt rude brat - no thank!! Gemma needs to get booted out ASAP.' 'Rude': However as Twitter was a flurry of rage about the islanders' age difference - Gemma being 19 and Davide 27 - many on social media also branded the horse-rider a 'brat' A fourth tweet also remarked that they hope Davide goes for one of the two new bombshells set to enter the villa. 'Kind of hoping Davide goes for one of the new girls and dumps Gemma I just get spoilt teenage brat vibes from her,' they said. Another user wrote: 'I really really don't Gemma attitude, she comes across so rude and cocky.' Meanwhile a tweet also remarked that they felt her young age shouldn't be used as a defence. 'I really don't know how you all are seeing Gemma as anything but rude,' they said. 'I feel like you all are using her age to defend how she acts saying "oh she's young but mature and goes for what she wants" NO she's rude and entitled and expects things.' Viewers also took to Twitter to voice their confusion at Gemma - who was born in 2003 and turned 19 in May - calling herself 'old-fashioned'. Unimpressed: A fourth tweet also remarked that they hope Davide goes for one of the two new bombshells set to enter the villa Whilst chatting to Davide on Tuesday's episode, she voiced that she preferred for men to approach her rather than vice versa. However social media users appeared confused by her statement. '"I'm a bit old-fashioned" babe ur nineteen,' one said. 'Fresh out of the common room': Viewers also took to Twitter to voice their confusion at Gemma - who was born in 2003 and turned 19 in May - calling herself 'old-fashioned' Another wrote: 'Gemma said old fashioned SIS YOU ARE 19...old fashion for you is 2005 not 1950.' A third penned: 'Old fashioned you're fresh out of the common room.' Elsewhere someone said: '"I'm very old fashioned" babe you are NINETEEN what old fashioned are you talking about? The 2010's?' Another user voiced: '"Old fashioned" girl you were just born.' 'Old fashioned': Elsewhere someone said: '"I'm very old fashioned" babe you are NINETEEN what old fashioned are you talking about? The 2010's?' It comes as on Tuesday, ITV2 viewers were given a taste of what's to come as Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu were unveiled as shock new contestants. Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity but believes she is still single because she tends to 'fall in love too quickly.' The 25-year-old said: 'It just seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun, and have a bit of a summer romance as well. Love Island 2022: Two episodes in and things are already heating up on Love Island as new bombshells Afia Tonkmor (left) and Ekin-Su Culculoglu (right) were teased on Tuesday night 'But I fall in love quickly, too quickly, two dates I am like, 'OMG I am obsessed with this boy, he's everything.' Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' and isn't in the villa to make friends. The latest Islander, 27, said: 'I'm looking for that real genuine spark and they just see me as me. I think the concept of the show brings back true and raw feelings. Taking her shot: Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity Islander: Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' 'I'm quite picky and I'm not just looking for looks, I'm looking for brains! I'm looking for someone with intelligence, someone who can have good chats. 'Nothing like cockiness! I'm looking for a serious man and a serious relationship. I'll bring the whole package to the villa - drama, tears, laughter, joy, and love. 'I'm looking for the love of my life. I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on.' Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox. Taco Bell will be trying something new to better serve customers in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. The popular fast-food company recently announced the opening of its first new digital-driven restaurant concept, Taco Bell Defy, in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, making good on its previous announcement in August 2021, per The Verge. Taco Bell's concept restaurant is located near 94th and Zane avenues north, which is south of Minnesota Highway 610, per MPR News. Taco Bell Defy Details Border Foods, a family-run franchisee of Taco Bell, mentioned in its announcement that the fast-food company's concept restaurant is a two-story restaurant that doesn't have a dining room usually found in such establishments. Instead, Taco bell Defy will cater to orders made online, whether at the fast-food company's app, one of its third-party delivery partners or through a traditional drive-thru order. The first floor, which is designed to let vehicles pass through, features a vertical lift from which customers can take their orders. Customers who want to order through the traditional drive-thru method will have to speak to one of the staff members before proceeding to take their order. Additionally, the first floor is divided into four lanes to accommodate customers, with three of them being dedicated to customers picking up online orders, or delivery drivers. The fourth is exclusively for the restaurant's traditional drive-thru lane. Read More: Telegram Premium with New Paid Features Launches Soon How Much is it Priced? Meanwhile, the restaurant's second floor is where the action is. This floor holds the kitchen in which customers' foods are being cooked, prepared, and served through its end of the vertical lift. Customers who give their order online to Taco Bell's concept restaurant will receive a QR code for them to check-in and receive their order. They won't have to wait as long as they normally do in Taco bell's traditional restaurant setup; Taco Bell's goal for the concept restaurant is to deliver orders to customers in two minutes or less. The same is true with third-party delivery drivers such as those working with Door Dash, GrubHub, or Uber Eats. Taco Bell's Expectations and Reasons Behind Defy's Establishment Lee Engler, the founder of Border Foods, said that the restaurant is more expensive to build and requires more employees compared to a traditional Taco Bell restaurant. However, they predict that Taco Bell Defy will bring thrice as much business or more than a traditional establishment. He also mentioned that its dining room business never came back to what it was despite the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, adding that the majority of its business "is now either in a digital format through mobile apps, or the drive-thru or third-party aggregators like DoorDash." Engler's sentiments are also reflected in the statement of PD Instore's CEO and Vertical Works co-founder Mike Strommen, who said that the Border Foods team was facing challenges with streamlining a customer's order from kitchen to hand-off. "... Vertical Works team presented a solution to not only address [Border Foods' challenges], but also deliver a more impactful customer experience overall," Strommen said. Meanwhile, Taco Bell President and Global COO, Mike Grams, mentioned that the Defy establishment is "an incredible innovation" of its brand and one that meets its customers in a unique way. "For decades we've been committed to providing a fast, safe, and friendly drive-thru experience; now with our bold goal of creating a two minute or less drive-thru experience for customers on this concept, Taco Bell Defy is the future," Grams said. Engler mentioned that Border Foods is currently planning to open a similar online-only restaurant in the Twin Cities in 2023. Related Article: The Age of Food Delivery Apps Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer recently came out as pansexual. And according to New Idea, the former teaching student 'has been hit with trolling' since coming out, with some accusing her of doing it 'for clout'. 'Do you say that to everybody in the LGBTQI+ community?' Olivia reportedly fired back at one troll. Backlash: Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer (pictured) has been trolled after coming out as pansexual During an Instagram Live on Tuesday, the 28-year-old said she 'didn't even realise' she was coming out, nor did she consider it 'a big deal'. Addressing her sexuality, the OnlyFans model said she always goes for 'connection' rather than 'gender or look'. 'I thought it was like, not a big deal, which it shouldn't be,' Olivia told her 183,000 followers. 'I don't like all the labels and crap. You should just be free to chill however you want.' The blonde described pansexuality as 'a gift' because it's 'the ability to love anyone', before sharing details about her dating history. 'So I haven't dated women before. I've had crushes and things like that, and there have been girls and non-binary people that I've been like, "Oh!"' she said. Announcement: The former teaching student revealed during an Instagram Q&A on June 2 that she identifies as 'pansexual' 'I go for the connection, not the gender, not the look. I have the ability to love anybody, but it just so happens that most of my connections - and I've not had that many relationships - have been with men.' Olivia concluded: 'But that doesn't mean that I haven't had strong feelings for women and things like that. I don't need to explain myself.' During her Instagram Q&A on June 2, the reality star revealed she identifies as pansexual and is attracted to people based on their personality. 'That might be a bit of a shock to people because I don't really talk about it,' she added. Olivia told Daily Mail Australia that while she has never been in a relationship with a woman, she has always identified as 'not one hundred per cent straight'. Love Island fans have made their feelings clear after Davide Sanclimenti opted to couple up with Gemma Owen in the first recoupling of the series on Tuesday. Watching the scenes unfold, fans slammed the Italian hunk, 27, for picking the wrong girl and claimed he made a 'mistake' after stealing the beauty, 19, away from her partner Liam Llewellyn. Meanwhile, despite them both being consenting adults, fans also shared their discomfort over the pair's eight-year age gap, with some wondering why Davide would pick someone so young. His choice: Love Island fans have made their feelings clear after Davide Sanclimenti opted to couple up with Gemma Owen in the first recoupling of the series on Tuesday The tense episode Davide's decision left Gemma's partner Liam single and vulnerable, with the Masters student at risk of being dumped from the villa. And while Liam was no doubt unimpressed with the new couple, so too were the public as they expressed their dismay at the pairing. Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: 'I feel like it was so obvious that Davide was going to choose Gemma but they just DONT work.' While another shared: 'Davide chose stuck up Gemma big mistake bro Feel for that Liam lad tho.' Issue? Meanwhile, despite them both being consenting adults, fans also shared their discomfort over the pair's eight-year age gap, with some wondering why Davide would pick someone so young A third penned: 'he really didnt pick Gemma for anything other than her looks she hasnt said anything remotely interesting.' 'Gemma and Davide have to be the least compatible couple I've ever seen....' fumed a fourth. With a fifth adding: 'Why did Davide pick Gemma, I thought he wanted to find the one.' Uh oh: The tense episode Davide's decision left Gemma's partner Liam single and vulnerable, with the Masters student at risk of being dumped from the villa Not impressed: And while Liam was no doubt unimpressed with the new couple, so too were the public as they expressed their dismay at the pairing Meanwhile, some viewers expressed their unease at Davide, 27, opting to couple up with Michael Owen's 19-year-old daughter, though it's not clear if he was aware of her age. 'Davide cracking on with Gemma is just so weird shes literally 8 years younger than you what are you doing' shared one watcher. With a second stating: 'As someone who was 19 and was with a 27 year old man, I can tell you that there is a problem with the age difference. Youre at different stages and on different pages at that point. Does Davide know shes just a teenager?' Opinion: Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: 'I feel like it was so obvious that Davide was going to choose Gemma but they just DONT work. 'Someone tell me why #LoveIsland can allow a 19 and a 27 year old to recouple that is not ok' questioned a third. While another remarked: 'ewwww im sorry but why does davide as a 27 year old wants to be coupled up with a 19 year old.' However, there were some who spoke out in defence of the pairing, arguing that the two are both grown, consenting adults. Just a number? Meanwhile, some viewers expressed their unease at Davide, 27, opting to couple up with Michael Owen's 19-year-old daughter, though it's not clear if he was aware of her age 'Why are all these snowflake women raging about the age gap between gemma and davide, they are both of age (both over 18), shes 19 and hes 27, its not like hes 50, relax yourselfs and gemma looks like shes 35 anyway' asked one. With another Love Island fan questioning : Whys everyone so pressed about a 19 year old and 27 year old? Theyre both consenting adults' The bombshell contestant held the power after it was revealed 24 hours previously that he had to chose one of the girls to pair up with, despite the girls already being in couples with the others lads. What's the problem? However, there were some who spoke out in defence of the pairing, arguing that the two are both grown, consenting adults After spending the day getting to know the girls, the evening saw decision time for business owner Davide as he had to chose which girl to steal from one of the other boys. Speaking in front of the firepit, he explained that his decision had not been an easy one as he had just 24 hours to get to know the other girls. He then added: 'It's not just attraction, yes she's a stunning girl. We really had a good time and I would like to know her more. The girl I would like to couple up with is... Gemma.' As Michael Owen's daughter made her way over to her new partner, Liam looked visibly gutted as he could only sit by and watch. Choice: The bombshell contestant held the power after it was revealed 24 hours previously that he had to chose one of the girls to pair up with, despite the girls already being in couples with the others lads First choice: 'It's not just attraction, yes she's a stunning girl. We really had a good time and I would like to know her more. The girl I would like to couple up with is... Gemma' But his misery continued as he then received a text which confirmed his single status and revealed that anyone not in a couple by the end of the week is at risk of being dumped from the villa. Meanwhile, the tense episode revealed that two brand new girls - Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu - were heading into the villa, with the public able to vote on which two boys will head on a date with them. Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox. Incoming: Meanwhile, the tense episode revealed that two brand new girls - Afia Tonkmor (L)and Ekin-Su Culculoglu - were heading into the villa, with the public able to vote on which two boys will head on a date with them Austin Butler has been forced to address claim his voice has completely changed. The Elvis star, 30, admitted to changing his voice for his latest role as the 'King of Rock and Roll' and explained why he continues to adopt it in real life. 'It's funny because certain situations trigger it I think,' he told Yahoo! Lifestyle. 'Certain situations trigger it': Austin Butler has been forced to address claim his voice has completely changed. The Elvis star, 30, admitted to changing his voice for his latest role as the 'King of Rock and Roll' and explained why he continues to adopt it in real life 'You know, for one, being surrounded by his name everywhere and then two, it becomes I think as well something where I mean... that was the voice that I spoke in for two years. 'It is so habitual at the end, you get done and you kind of don't remember what your natural voice is.' In May, fans on social media accused Austin of putting on an 'Elvis voice' despite the film having wrapped in March 2021. The actor spoke with Variety at the 2022 Met Gala, and several Twitter users were quick to share their opinions on the noticeable change in the way he spoke. No way: The actor spoke with Variety at the 2022 Met Gala, and several Twitter users were quick to share their opinions on the noticeable change in the way he spoke Impression? Fans on social media accused Austin of putting on an 'Elvis voice' despite the film having wrapped in March 2021 Different: Others also pointed out how different her sounded in the TV series The Carrie Diaries years ago 'Wait. Is that how Austin Butler really sounds? Like...that's his actual voice? Maybe it really is giving Elvis. #MetGala,' one fan tweeted. Another added, 'ain't no way that's Austin Butler's voice.' Meanwhile, other fans pointed out just how different his voice sounds now compared to his breakout role in the TV series The Carrie Diaries in 2013. 'Love how everyones talking about Austin Butlers voice cause real girlies knew him on the Carrie Diaries and the way he used to say Bradshaw chills,' on fan tweeted. After investigating, several older interviews confirmed that Austin's always had a relatively deep voice. However, the contrast seen from his recent appearances - especially during his red carpet appearances in Australia - simply cant be denied. 'My theory is it's a ploy for award season to get that oscar nomination,' TikTok user Keriann wrote alongside her video, while also saying: 'The movie is done,' Austin. He's made Pop-Tarts a regular part of his stand-up shows and specials in recent years. And Jerry Seinfeld was seen bringing his obsession to life on Tuesday when he filmed a scene from his new Pop-Tartsthemed movie Unfrosted in Los Angeles. The 68-year-old comedian and actor had on a business casual costume for the outdoor shoot next to a garbage truck. The film about nothing: Jerry Seinfeld, 68, was hard at work filming his bizarre Pop-Tarts origin story Unfrosted in Los Angeles on Tuesday Few details have been announced about the film, though it's reportedly inspired by the invention of the sugary breakfast treat and Seinfeld's recurring bit. In a 2012 interview with the New York Times, the comedian described the painstaking process of crating his Pop-Tart bit, which he said took years to perfect. On Tuesday, Seinfeld was spotted in a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with a set of gray trousers that were baggy in the legs. He added the barest hint of color to the corporate look with a slim grayblue striped tie, and he blocked out the sun with a cool set of squarish military-style aviator sunglasses. New angle: Few details have been announced about the film, though it's reportedly inspired by the invention of the sugary breakfast treat and Seinfeld's recurring bit Business casual: On Tuesday, Seinfeld was spotted in a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with a set of gray trousers that were baggy in the legs The Bee Movie star was seen surrounded by masked film crew members who alternated holding up umbrellas to keep him out of the sun. The pavement had been sprayed with water, and the crew members were gathered around a large garbage truck with a dirty red dumpster. Jerry was presumably starring in the scene, as he wasn't wearing a mask like the rest of the crew, but he's also directing and co-writing the film with Spike Feresten a writer on the Seinfeld series and Bee Movie and the comedian Barry Marder, who also co-wrote Bee Movie with Seinfeld. Despite the high-pressure environment of a film set, the stand-up star could be seen beaming ear-to-ear. Helping out: The Bee Movie star was seen surrounded by masked film crew members who alternated holding up umbrellas to keep him out of the sun Staying busy: Jerry was presumably starring in the scene, as he wasn't wearing a mask like the rest of the crew, but he's also directing and co-writing the film Filming on the movie, which is being made for Netflix, commenced last month in California. Back in February, the streamer surpassed major studios including Disney and Warner Bros. to earn $60 million in tax credits from the state, which will be split among Unfrosted and three other film projects. 'We are so happy to get the California tax credit which enables us to make our whole movie there,' said Seinfeld at the time, according to Variety. 'Having made all of the Seinfeld series in LA, I very much wanted to come back and shoot there again. On behalf of everyone working on the movie, we really appreciate the great welcome.' The comedian has previously built up his relationship with Netflix by releasing multiple stand-up specials on the platform, as well as his comic interview series Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee. The steamer also currently has his eponymous sitcom available on its platform in the US. Making bank: Filming on the movie, which is being made for Netflix, commenced last month in California after Netflix secured state tax credits She's just enjoyed a sun-soaked getaway to Dubai. And Olivia Atwood flaunted her enviable figure in a cleavage-plunging halter-neck bikini in holiday photos from Portugal on Tuesday. The former Love Islander, 31, showed off her enviable physique in a black swimsuit, teamed with a Louis Vuitton bandana on her head for a chic beach ensemble. 'Who, me?' Olivia Atwood, 31, flaunted her enviable figure in a cleavage-plunging halter-neck bikini in holiday photos from Portugal on Tuesday Holiday: Sharing the snap with 1.9 million Instagram followers, Olivia cheekily wrote: 'Who, me?' The star accessorised her sultry look with some black sunglasses, bracelets and a sharp, glam manicure. She wore her highlighted blonde locks down, styled pin-straight. Sharing the snap with 1.9 million Instagram followers, Olivia cheekily wrote: 'Who, me?' Beach style: The former Love Islander 31, showed off her enviable physique in the black swimsuit, teamed with a bandana on her head for a chic beach ensemble Taking to her Instagram Stories, Olivia also shared another stylish ensemble in a fluffy, baby blue bandeau top paired with some slouchy light denim jeans. She stayed true to her colour-coded theme, opting for an azure eyeliner on her lower lid, complemented with a dusky pink lip. The reality star accessorised with flashy earrings from Lara Heems jewellery, sweeping her long dresses into a half-up half-down. Beautiful in blue: Taking to her Instagram Stories, she also shared another stylish ensemble in a fluffy, baby blue bandeau top paired with some slouchy light denim jeans Staying on theme: The reality star accessorised with flashy earrings from Lara Heems jewellery, sweeping her long dresses into a half-up half-down The media personality on Saturday also posted another photo of herself at Julia's Beach bar in Portugal, enjoying a glass of wine by the seaside. The star rocked a relaxed glam look in a white T-shirt, donning golden jewellery and some shades, sporting a glam face of make-up. It comes as last month Olivia posted a gorgeous snap from her Dubai holiday to Instagram. Sun-soaked: The star on Saturday posted another photo of herself at Julia's Beach bar in Portugal, enjoying a glass of wine by the seaside The reality star showed off her taut figure in a lilac bikini with a cross-over design and tie string detail. The bombshell had her blonde tresses left to fall in a tousled beachy style, while she posed at Drift Beach Club. Olivia accessorised her look with a stack of metal bangles and a gold watch, adding a pendant necklace and gold rings. Gorgeous: Olivia showed off her toned physique last month as she sizzled in a lilac cross-over bikini during her Dubai getaway She was living the luxury life as she held onto a wine glass and rested on a sun lounger. Confident as ever, the former Love Islander wrote: 'Still that b**ch, apparently.' The beauty also took to her Stories to share another shot of the look, adding black sunglasses as she took the picture in a bathroom mirror. She simply captioned the Story: 'Bikini of the day.' She recently moved to the UK with her partner Chris Walker and their kids. And on Tuesday, Carrie Bickmore revealed her new look as she visited her daughter's new school in London. The mother-of-three, 41, showcased a a very tanned complexion in a photo shared to Instagram. New look: Carrie Bickmore revealed her new look after leaving The Project and moving to London with her family Carrie was bronzed and glowing as she posed alongside her daughter in a white T-shirt and warm beige jacket. 'School sport's day London style,' she captioned the post. 'Savouring these special days together because back home I normally don't get to go every school activity/sportscarnival/music performance during the day.' She's changed! The mother-of-three showcased a new tanned complexion in a photo shared to Instagram Carrie revealed her grand plans to move overseas with partner Chris Walker and their children in March. 'In April I'm going to be taking a few months off The Project desk. Chris and I and the kids are heading off on a family adventure together.' 'We've been wanting to do it for a while but for lots of reasons the timing hasn't been right, but we figure it's never going to be the perfect time to go. Time away: Carrie first revealed her grand plans with partner Chris Walker and their kids in March. 'In April I'm going to be taking a few months off The Project desk. Chris and I and the kids are heading off on a family adventure together' Carrie explained 'It's something we really want to do before my son starts his final years at school so we're doing term two in the UK. So I will be off for a couple of months.' Carrie also said she had been inspired by The Project panellist Kate Langbroek, 56, who spent two years living in Bologna, Italy, with her family. Meanwhile Waleed Aly and Lisa Wilkinson were noticeably absent from The Project in the wake of Carrie's move, but have since returned. Johnny Depp fans cheered and sang Happy Birthday in York as the star enjoyed the last night of his UK tour with Jeff Beck. The actor, 59, posed for selfies and signed autographs while receiving gifts from fans who had waited hours to catch a glimpse of the star outside The Barbican Theatre in York. Depp, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, spoke with hundreds of fans before he was whisked away by his security to a tour bus. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor wore a cap, long chequered jacket, and a brown waistcoat as he greeted adoring fans on Tuesday night. It was the latest of his tour dates with Beck, having previously joined him on stage in Gateshead, London and Glasgow in the wake of his $59million lawsuit victory over ex-wife Amber Heard last week. And it came hours after joined TikTok to thank fans for their support throughout his defamation trial against Ms Heard. Johnny Depp signs an autograph during a short meet and greet with fans outside the York Barbican Theatre The actor, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Thursday, was met with a chorus of Happy Birthday from the fans Depp spent around 15 minutes posing for selfies and signing autographs before he was whisked away by security The Pirates of the Caribbean star has been revelling since his lawsuit victory over ex-wife Amber Heard Hundreds of fans waited hours outside the venue in York in the hope of catching a glimpse of the star The star posted a video compilation on Tuesday on the platform, where he has already racked up 5.1 million followers, which showed him arriving at the courthouse to crowds of fans, as well as clips of him playing guitar on stage with his friend's band afterwards. He captioned the 30-second video: 'To all of my most treasured, loyal and unwavering supporters. Weve been everywhere together, we have seen everything together. We have walked the same road together. 'We did the right thing together, all because you cared. And now, we will all move forward together. 'You are, as always, my employers and once again I am whittled down to no way to say thank you, other than just by saying thank you. So, thank you. 'My love & respect, JD'. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor wore a cap, long chequered jacket, and a brown waistcoat as he greeted adoring fans on Tuesday night Depp was followed closely by security as he spoke to fans outside the venue on Tuesday night His appearance in York came hours after he created a TikTok account to thanks his followers for their support He also appeared in good spirits as he arrived at the venue in York ahead of his show earlier today. Depp grinned and waved to fans who were waiting for him outside the venue. The film star cut a laid back figure for the outing as he sported a navy and white striped T-shirt which he wore under a teal polka dot shirt. In demand: Johnny Depp appeared in good spirits as he arrived at The Barbican Theatre in York ahead of his show with Jeff Beck on Tuesday Johnny also opted for a dark brown waistcoat along with a pair of navy trousers and black shoes. Also wearing a grey cap, the actor added to his look with a pair of sunglasses and several scarves. It comes after Johnny celebrated his dramatic defamation case victory over ex-wife Amber Heard by enjoying a curry in Birmingham with friends - and running up a whopping 50,000 bill. The actor was joined by Beck, 77, and around 20 others in their entourage as they took over the chic Varanasi restaurant on Sunday night. Casual: The film star cut a laid back figure for the outing as he sported a navy and white striped T-shirt which he wore under a teal polka dot shirt The group enjoyed a banquet of Indian food that had been specially prepared for them along with cocktails and Rose Champagne. Johnny has been in the UK to join Beck on his tour and previously made appearances during his friend's gigs at the Sage Gateshead in the north of England, Glasgow and London's Royal Albert Hall. The Hollywood legend was in Birmingham to accompany Beck on stage for his performance in the city's Symphony Hall He has been revelling in the public spotlight after successfully suing ex-wife Heard, 36, for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse. He won the trial by jury in Virginia, meaning he is set to receive millions in compensation from Heard. Lavish: Johnny recently celebrated his dramatic defamation case victory over ex-wife Amber Heard by enjoying a curry in Birmingham with friends - and running up a whopping 50,000 bill Celebrating: The actor was joined by his musician friend Beck, 77, (pictured left) and around 20 others in their entourage as they took over the chic Varanasi restaurant on Sunday night Pals: Depp and his party arrived at the up-market Varanasi at around 7pm, where the actor posed for pictures with staff and their friends and family who had been sworn to secrecy about his visit Outing: The group enjoyed a banquet of Indian food that had been specially prepared for them along with cocktails and Rose Champagne Johnny and his party arrived at the up-market Varanasi at around 7pm, where the actor posed for pictures with staff and their friends and family who had been sworn to secrecy about his visit. The restaurant was closed to all other customers while Johnny and his group were given the full run of the place, leaving at around midnight. So how did Johnny run up a 50k bill? Venue Hire: 25-30k Rose Champagne: 7,500 per bottle Wine list: 1,200 per bottle Cocktails: ranging from 100-500 each Lamb Karahi: 35 King Prawn bunha: 24 Shish kebab starter: 14 Chicken tikka masala: 22 Advertisement Mohammed Hussain, Operations Director of Varanasi, which is considered one of the UK's leading Indian restaurants told MailOnline: 'We had a call out of the blue on Sunday afternoon saying that Johnny Depp wanted to come to eat with a group of people. 'I was shocked and at first, I thought it might have been a wind up. But then his security team arrived, checked out the restaurant and we let them have the whole place because we were concerned that he might be bothered by other diners.' Mr Hussain added: 'He was a very lovely, down to earth bloke who spent a lot of time speaking with the staff, our friends and family and was happy to pose for pictures with them. You would never have thought that he was such a big star. He had a lot of time for us all.' Mr Hussain revealed that cooks at the restaurant prepared a special banquet for Depp and his group that included starters of shish kebabs, chicken tikka and tandoori king prawns. The main course comprised butter chicken, paneer tikka masala, lamb karahi and king prawn bhuna. All the food was accompanied by nans, rice and salad. Opting not to go for traditional Indian desserts, Depp finished off his meal with panna cotta and cheesecake. MailOnline understands that the bill for the whole evening came to around 50,000 which was paid for by Johnny. Tour: Depp has been in the UK to join Beck on his tour and previously made appearances during his friend's gigs at the Sage Gateshead in the north of England, Glasgow and Londons Royal Albert Hall Mr Hussain: 'We had to promise that we would not reveal the final bill but let's just put it this way; money was no issue, and it was easily in five figures. We made more money from Johnny's visit than we did from our busiest night of the week, which is a Saturday when we have around 400 diners. 'In addition to the food, there was champagne, wine and all kinds of drinks being downed. Johnny and his group had a great time. They loved the food, the ambience of the restaurant and the service that we provided. It was a real honour to have him here.' Mr Hussain revealed that Joohnny was so impressed with the fare that he ordered a takeaway, which comprised a selection of the banquet. Happier times: Johnny won the defamation trial after he sued his ex-wife Amber Heard for $50million over a 2018 piece she had written that alleged she was a victim of domestic abuse (pictured in 2015) He added: 'He clearly knows something about Indian food and enjoys it. We made sure not to make it too spicy so that Johnny Depp could enjoy the variety of flavours.' Mr Hussain recalled the most surreal moment of the night was when Depp broke away from his party and sat with him for around 20 minutes in his office. Mr Hussain said: 'He said he wanted a little break from everybody and sat in my office, where he watched the people in his group on CCTV and asked me a lot of questions about it. 'I didn't ask him about Amber Herd or the court case. It was just a nice conversation with a very humble man. I'm still pinching myself because I never dreamt that Johnny Depp would be in my office having a chat about how the CCTV in the restaurant works.' Matt Lucas has been left stunned to learn a relative of his featured in Anne Frank's diary. The Great British Bake Off host, 48, made the astounding discover during a new episode of BBC One genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? which saw him travel to Amsterdam to learn more about his German-born Jewish family. And during the exploration into the past, Matt discovered that one of his ancestors - Werner Goldschmidt - lodged with the Frank family before they were captured by the Nazis and even had a mention in the teenager's world-famous journal. Can't believe it: Matt Lucas has been left stunned to learn a relative of his featured in Anne Frank's diary History: During the exploration into the past, Matt discovered that one of his ancestors - Werner Goldschmidt - lodged with the Frank family before they were captured by the Nazis and even had a mention in the teenager's [pictured] world-famous journal The show saw Matt delve into his Jewish heritage and learn about his Jewish grandmother Margot, her aunts and cousins and their experience during the Holocaust. Anne and her family hid for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands before being rounded up and sent to a concentration camp. And ahead of them going into hiding in concealed rooms in the building where Anne's father Otto worked, Matt's relative Werner is said to have lodged with the family reports The Mirror. When asked if he was surprised by the link, Matt told the host: 'Yes, my ancestor would have known Anne Frank, the writer of one of the most important books ever written. And Werner is actually mentioned in the diary. Past: The Great British Bake Off host, 48, made the astounding discover during a new episode of BBC One genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? which saw him travel to Amsterdam to learn more about his German-born Jewish family Family: The show saw Matt delve into his Jewish heritage and learn about his Jewish grandmother Margot [pictured as a young woman], her aunts and cousins and their experience during the Holocaust. THE STORY OF ANNE FRANK Anne Frank was a Jewish diarist who died during the Holocaust Anne Frank was a Jewish diarist who died during the Holocaust after her family's hiding place in a secret annex was uncovered. Her family was forced to go into hiding in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. On her thirteenth birthday, just before they went into hiding, Anne was presented with a diary. During the two years in hiding, Anne wrote about events in the Secret Annex, but also about her thoughts and emotions. Her diary was published after her death. The Diary of Anne Frank has sold more than 30 million copies and has been translated into 70 languages. It has been included in lists of the best books of the 20th century while the Amsterdam building where Anne and seven others hid for two years draws over a million visitors each year. Spending 1942 to 1944 hiding in an annex concealed behind a bookcase in the building where Anne's father, Otto Frank worked, Anne wrote the daily diary. In August 1944 the eight were arrested by the Gestapo and transported to concentration camps. In October or November 1944, Anne and her sister, Margot, were transferred from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where they died a few months later. Anne's father Otto was the only one of the people from the Secret Annex to survive the war after he was liberated from Auschwitz by the Russians. After the war, Otto decided to publish his daughter's diary. A statue of Anne Frank is seen near the family home in Amsterdam Advertisement 'It's the one story everyone knows if you know no other story, that story about what happened to the Jews in World War Two, you know the story of the Frank family. I read it when I was younger and never realised she was talking about a relative of mine.' It's said that ahead of them going into hiding between 1942 and 1944 - during which time Anne wrote her diary - Matt's grandmother's cousin Werner was given instructions to give the Frank family cat to a neighbour, with the request featured in the book. Matt said of this: 'He didn't necessarily know that they were about to go into hiding, so he was lurking around slightly unwelcome the night before they were going. 'He wasn't to know this momentous event was taking place.' Anne died of typhus at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in February 1945, days after the death of her sister, Margot. Their mother Edith had died that January separated from her daughters in Auschwitz. Their father, Otto, was the only one to survive. And in 1947 he published Anne's diary about their life in hiding, submitting to history arguably the most moving testament of World War II. It remains one of the most widely read books in the world, with more than 30 million people having read The Diary Of A Young Girl in 70 languages. The episode also saw the Little Britain star travel to Berlin to discover more about his grandmother Margot, who came to the UK in 1939 as a Jewish refugee fleeing Nazi Germany. Matt explained that he was 'really close' to his beloved grandmother, who passed away in 1999, and though he had been aware of his family dying in concentration camp, he had not known the full details until the filming of the programme. Sharing his upset over the deaths of Werner and other relatives in concentration camps, Matt said: 'It's terrible. 'Where you are born and what your religion is, that lottery determines your fate, and it is not a lottery you even choose to play. 'My grandmother never talked about her cousins, but I think she knew what had happened to them. I'd been told in the vaguest terms that my family had died in the camps, but I had never been told their names and I never knew the details.' Historical figure: Anne and her family hid for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands before being rounded up and sent to a concentration camp A look back: Matt's ancestor Herta Goldschmidt is pictured alongside Max Salinger, Grete Paradise, Sophie Blumenfeld and others He added: 'There is always a risk as a Jew that, because this is recent history, it could happen again. It is so important to tell these stories.' Despite the heartbreaking discovery about his family history, the TV star told how he was fortunate to be able to learn more about his grandmother and ancestors. 'I think when you grow up, you just take the older figures in your family at face value and you don't really grill them on what they did before you knew them; you live in the present', he explained. 'My grandmother always made it clear how proud she was of me. And now I'm proud of her. So I feel very lucky that I have had this opportunity to learn about my family history and to reconnect with Grandma Margot, who was such a big part of my life. 'It helps keep her alive for me, because I really miss her.' Matt Lucas' Who Do You Think You Are? episode airs June 16 at 9pm on BBC One. Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness has opened up about being on the receiving end of misogyny. Speaking to Vogue's Into The Gloss podcast, the gender nonconforming star insisted that experiencing misogyny isn't just limited to women. 'As a nonbinary trans person who is very femme, I feel that I've faced a lot of the misogyny,' JVN explained. Struggles: Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness (pictured) has opened up about being on the receiving end of misogyny. The gender nonconforming star said that experiencing misogyny isn't just limited to women in a new interview this week 'I'm obviously not a woman so I don't know what it is to be a woman and that's not what I'm saying, but misogyny doesn't only affect women,' he continued. 'And I think that's what's so hard for trans people and gender nonconforming people, is like, misogyny is an energy, it's like a thing, and so is the patriarchy. It's like this insidious thing and it effects everyone, obviously in different ways.' Jonathan, 35, identifies by a variety of different pronouns which span the gender spectrum. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph last month, the star said he's comfortable with all identifiers, from masculine and feminine to non-binary. Me too! 'As a nonbinary trans person who is very femme, I feel that I've faced a lot of the misogyny,' JVN explained to Vogue's Into The Gloss podcast 'When I say, he, she, they, whatever, I mean it because I feel like in ways I am all of those things and Im none of those things at the same time,' Van Ness said. 'Thats why I feel like whether you want to say he, she or they, it is okay for me,' he continued. 'If it is they or she, for me who I am is so much more than what that means to other people and to me. Diverse: Jonathan, 35, identifies by a variety of different pronouns which span the gender spectrum 'That is where I come at it and why I identify as he, she or they because I feel like Im everything and I feel like Im nothing at the same time. That is kind of existential, but it is how I see it.' Jonathan is set to return to Australia in September for his Imaginary Living Room Olympian tour. He'll stop at Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, before heading over to New Zealand for one show in Auckland. Fan favourite Steph Woon was sent home from MasterChef on Tuesday night after she left a crucial ingredient out of a recipe in a dessert pressure test. The 31-year-old was eliminated during a challenge in which the chefs were asked to recreate a tiramisu from famed Melbourne chef Andreas Papadakis. They had to make the dish based only on a review written by judge Melissa Leong. Eliminated: Fan favourite Steph Woon was sent home from MasterChef on Tuesday night after she left a crucial ingredient out of a recipe in a dessert pressure test Steph, known as the 'Cake Queen' this season, was worried she had taken too much time during preparation and that her brownies would end up underdone. 'When they told us it was a dessert and we wouldn't get to taste it and we had to read the review I was slightly terrified,' she told 10 play. Steph realised too late that she had forgotten to use a crucial ingredient: vanilla. Challenge: The 31-year-old was eliminated during a challenge in which the chefs were asked to recreate a tiramisu based only on a review written by judge Melissa Leong 'It was such a small mistake,' she said. 'When I think about how brownie recipes are written, vanilla is usually optional so I'm like, "Eh, it wouldnt be too bad!"' Steph also felt she made another error in trying to put her own spin on the dish. After plating up, judge Jock Zonfrillo said Steph's dessert didn't use enough cream, and the lack of vanilla made the brownie taste too eggy. Andy Allen's verdict was that the ratio and cook on Steph's brownies was off. Disappointing: Steph was worried she had taken too much time during preparation and that her brownies would end up underdone - but it was the lack of vanilla that led to her downfall It was Alvin Quah who impressed guest judge Andreas in the contest. His tiramisu was judged nearly identical in flavour and texture to the original recipe, even if his brownie was not quite right. Being eliminated in a dessert challenge was disappointing for Steph, who loves cakes and impressed viewers this season with her creative ability with sweet dishes. MasterChef Australia continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Channel 10 The online marketplace named SSNDOB has been taken down by the US governing authorities. The operation was conducted in cooperation with the Cyprus Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The personal information of about 24 million people in the United States was listed on the SSNDOB Marketplace. The website is notoriously known for selling illegal access to personal information, which resulted in the site garnering $19 million in sales revenue. SSNDOB's Online Marketplace As a result of the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies, SSNDOB, an illegal site selling the names, social security numbers, and dates of birth of nearly 24 million people in the United States, has been taken offline. The marketplace operates with four domains, which are blackjob.biz, ssndob.ws, ssndob.club, and ssndob.vip. Although the website was used to sell the dates of birth of persons living in the United Kingdom, its primary purpose was to sell the personal information of people living in the United States for as little as fifty cents. According to the United States Department of Justice, the administrators of the website sell their illegally obtained data through posting their listings on the dark web criminal forums. The bad actors are also providing customer support functions as they regularly monitor activities on the website. The administrators of SSNDOB go to great lengths to hide and cover their identities to prevent the detection of the existence of the site. These strategies include creating different identities, maintaining servers in different countries, and requiring purchasers to use digital cryptocurrency payment methods. However, finally, the operations have been dismantled and seized as a result of an international operation that was carried out in close conjunction with law enforcement agencies in Cyprus and Latvia. The domain names associated with the SSNDOB Marketplace were subject to the execution of seizure orders on June 7th, 2022. Read Also:46,000 Americans Have Reported Lost More Than $1 Billion to Crypto Scams SSNDOB's Identity Theft According to Chainanalysis, users were able to search for specific names and other attributes, as well as browse through the accessible personal information organized by country. Email addresses, passwords, credit card numbers, and, in the case of many victims in the United States, social security numbers were among the personally identifiable information that was offered for sale on SSNDOB.com. Malicious threat actors that obtained this information could use it to carry out phishing attacks and blackmail scam campaigns. Furthermore, these malicious actors can create social media accounts. Regarding financial activities, the information sold on the site can be used by bad actors to create bank accounts, purchase numerous items, and trace back the expenses and bills to the real owner of the stolen identity. According to information provided by the cybersecurity firm Advanced Intel to BleepingComputer, a significant portion of the collected data was stolen through data breaches at healthcare facilities and hospitals. In addition, Chainalysis, a company that analyzes blockchain data, reveals in a unified report that from April 2015 to present, they have monitored a total of $22 million in Bitcoin that has been paid to SSNDOB. Several of these transactions were rather significant, totaling a Bitcoin value of one hundred thousand dollars, which is an indication that some fraudsters were purchasing data in bulk. Related Article: Atlassian Confluence CVE-2022-26134 Vulnerability Proof-of-Concept Exploits Released: Is There a Patch? Robert De Niro revealed that he pitched the Ray Liotta to director Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas on Tuesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Show host Colbert, 58, asked De Niro, 78, if it was true that he had been a 'real booster' for the late actor who died on May 26 in the Dominican Republic at age 66. De Niro said he didn't know if his suggestion had any bearing on Ray ultimately getting the part to play Henry Hill in Goodfellas. Late co-star: Robert De Niro revealed that he pitched the Ray Liotta to director Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas on Tuesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 'I told Marty (Scorsese) I saw him in the Jonathan Demme film [Something Wild],' De Niro said. 'I said ''This guy, you should look at him, he's terrific in the movie.'' How much that was an influence on Marty, I don't know, but that's what I said.' 'He just had a great quality,' he added of his late co-star. ' He was right for the part if you want to cast it that way. Marty had seen people, I don't know who, but I know he went through everybody, and chose Ray so that was great.' Colbert asked De Niro who was on the show to promote the opening of the Tribeca Film Festival, if he was sleeping any better at night now that Joe Biden was president. 'Yes,' De Niro said laughing. 'He got us into calm waters that was always the idea. He's doing a very good job. It's a tough one. I couldn't imagine. I could imagine how difficult it is. I have decisions in my own personal life, but I imagine what he goes through is 100 times that. No, he is doing the best he can and we have got to get through a bad period. Period.' Mob movie: De Niro and the late Ray Liotta are shown in a still from the 1990 crime film Goodfellas directed by Martin Scorsese Hollywood star: Liotta, shown in September 2021 in New York City, died last month in the Dominican Republic at age 66 Colbert asked the Hollywood legend what advice he would have liked to have gotten early on. 'You can't give advice,' De Niro said. 'At the end of the day, you are out there on your own.' 'I tell any actor, and I tell my own kids this, that if you're reading for something just assume you are not going to get the part and that will free you if anything,' De Niro said. 'That will free you to make a bolder choice maybe. And what will happen, it's more important than the director watching you do the reading. It's the casting director because they work with directors all the time. So if they see you do something that is kind of interesting and bold they'll tell the director of another film project they are working on.' Sage advice: 'You can't give advice,' De Niro said. 'At the end of the day, you are out there on your own.' De Niro said early on in his career he had read for parts over and over again that he didn't get. 'At the end of the day I wasn't quite right no matter how you sliced it so they got somebody with a name value and that's understandable,' he said. 'I always felt very optimistic, I don't know why,' De Niro said of acting. Early rejection: De Niro said early on in his career he had read for parts over and over again that he didn't get With the 21st season of the Tribeca Film Festival starting on Wednesday, Stephen asked him if he had any sense then that it would become a major film festival. 'No, we just did it that year, we didn't know where it would go after that,' De Niro said. De Niro said the initial idea was to help revitalize downtown. He said one of the highlights of this year's festival was that they were going to have a 'Heat' reunion with former co-stars Al Pacino and Michael Mann. Stephen asked him what he remembered about making the movie. Heat reunion: The Tribeca Film Festival founder said one of the highlights of this year's festival was that they were going to have a 'Heat' reunion 'It was hard work,' De Niro said. 'Michael Mann is a guy who really is a stickler for detail for certain things. He would have you do certain things more and more than say the normal.' De Niro said, though, that he knew there was something special with what Mann was trying to do. Colbert asked him what he wanted from a director. Real stickler: 'It was hard work,' De Niro said. 'Michael Mann is a guy who really is a stickler for detail for certain things. He would have you do certain things more and more than say the normal' Good question: Colbert asked him what he wanted from a director 'You do it a few ways and then they just decide,' De Niro said. 'I say 'you see what really works in the editing.' It's that simple.' Stephen asked if there was a co-star he most enjoyed working with. 'I enjoyed working with Michel Pfieffer a lot,' De Niro said. 'I only worked twice with her but I enjoyed it a lot when we worked together. She was terrific.' Colbert asked if he ever thought of himself as a sex symbol. 'No,' said De Niro, but then the audience applauded loudly when Colbert asked if they thought that he was one. Looking sharp: The Hollywood legend looked sharp while arriving at the talk show studio Festival founder: De Niro founded the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002 Chace Crawford has revealed his character in the Amazon Prime series The Boys was supposed to have a comically large penis. But the streaming giant became squeamish over the idea and The Deep's package was edited out of the show in post-production. Fans learned The Deep was genetically blessed in 2019 when an official Amazon calendar included an unairbrushed photo of his bulge. Change of plan! Chace Crawford has revealed his character in the Amazon Prime series The Boys was supposed to have a comically large penis - but the streaming giant became squeamish over the idea and The Deep's package was edited out in post-production Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Chace confirmed the calendar was no mistake and that his character was always supposed to be very well-endowed. He explained that Amazon bosses freaked out the moment they heard he was wearing a prosthetic penis under his superhero costume. '[Showrunner Eric] Kripke was like, "We get no notes from Amazon, but the first one we got was that can't f**king happen, we've got to take that out,"' he said. Wowzers! Fans learned The Deep was genetically blessed in 2019 when an official Amazon calendar included an unairbrushed photo of his bulge 'And we had to edit it out.' Chace said producers had to use CGI effects to shrink his character's penis in scenes that had already been filmed. The Gossip Girl actor, who is in Sydney for the first time in more than a decade, also revealed he'd been enjoying the local tourist hotspots. Edits: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Chace confirmed the calendar was no mistake and that his character was always supposed to be very well-endowed 'I've been to Bondi Beach, and had a look at the lights around my hotel,' he said, referring to the Vivid festival. Chace went viral in 2019 when the calendar picture of The Deep with a large penis spread like wildfire on social media. One fan wrote: 'I just said "oh my God" out loud after seeing Chace Crawford's d**k.' Too rude for TV! He explained that Amazon bosses freaked out the moment they heard he was wearing a prosthetic penis under his superhero costume. Producers had to use CGI effects to shrink his character's penis in scenes that had already been filmed Another commented: 'If the satirical @chacecrawford calendar shoot for @TheBoysTV was supposed to get me to watch it yeah, I'm going to watch this.' A third added: 'Woke up to Chace Crawford's superhero bulge. Happy Friyay to us.' The Boys is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video Darren McMullen has revealed his Celebrity Apprentice co-star Ronnie Caceres was a 'different person' after attending The Block auctions during filming last year. Production on Celebrity Apprentice coincided with the houses on The Block going to auction. Ronnie's renovation with wife Georgia ended up placing last, despite the fact they were bookies' favourites to win earlier in the competition. Darren said on Wednesday that Ronnie's demeanour 'changed dramatically' when he returned to the set of Celebrity Apprentice following the disappointing auction. Bombshell: Darren McMullen (pictured) has revealed his Celebrity Apprentice co-star Ronnie Caceres was a 'different person' after attending The Block auctions during filming last year 'Something changed dramatically after The Block. I think everyone would say that,' the Scottish-born TV presenter told Jase & Lauren. 'We were initially segregated into guys and girls' teams, and the boys were really tight, we were winning all the challenges and everything was great,' he added. 'Then Ronnie went down to do The Block auctions in Melbourne and it didn't go very well. I think they came last. He came back a different guy.' 'Something changed dramatically': Production on Celebrity Apprentice coincided with the houses on The Block going to auction. Ronnie's (pictured) renovation with wife Georgia ended up placing last, despite the fact they were bookies' favourites to win earlier in the competition During Wednesday's boardroom meeting, Darren and Ronnie had an explosive clash. Darren criticised Ronnie's friendship with MAFS bride Rebecca Zemek, saying: 'Every single person on this show thinks you two are slidey and snaky.' 'I can see why you're a D-grade actor because that was p**s poor,' Ronnie responded. Soured: Darren (pictured) said on Wednesday that Ronnie's demeanour 'changed dramatically' when he returned to the set of Celebrity Apprentice following the disappointing auction 'Sorry, Ronnie... from the guy that came last on the bloody Block,' Darren snapped. During The Block finale, Ronnie and Georgia placed fifth and last in the competition, taking home a total of $296,000. Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie were crowned the champions, winning $744,444. Kanye West is stepping back from the music industry temporarily, one of his collaborators recently claimed. In an interview with Complex that was published Tuesday, the rapper Vory who worked with West on his song Daylight said the 45-year-old hip hop icon is 'taking a year off' as he works on 'battling his own s***.' Representatives for West did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment. Time off: Kanye West, 45, is stepping back from the music industry temporarily, fellow rapper Vory claimed to Complex on Tuesday; seen in Beverly Hills in 2020 'I was just talking to [Kanye] today,' Vory, 24, said in the interview. 'Weve been talking through my best friend whos also his assistant, because he hasnt been wanting to talk to anybody. 'Hes taking a year off, and he was like, "Damn, you think Vory is going to be mad at me if I dont go to his release party?" And I was like, "Nah, youre straight, bro,"' he shared. 'Hes battling his own s***,' Vory claimed, before adding, 'Thats my dog, I learned a lot from him.' In addition to their collaboration on his album Lost Souls, which was released last week, Vory is also featured on several tracks on Kanye's Donda album. He followed up that release with Donda 2, which earned middling reviews and is currently only available on his $200 Stem Player. Close contacts: 'I was just talking to [Kanye] today,' Vory, 24, explained. 'Weve been talking through my best friend whos also his assistant, because he hasnt been wanting to talk to anybody'; seen in 2017 Personal time: 'Hes taking a year off,' he said of Kanye, noting that he missed his album release party. 'Hes battling his own s***,' Vory added; seen in 2019 in Chicago 'I was originally featured on Donda five times,' Vory explained to Complex. 'And [Kanye] was just like, "Bruh, we damn near got an EP on this thing." So I guess his team decided that three times was enough.' Daylight was initially part of the tentative Donda track list and was played at the first album listening show, but it was dropped from subsequent iterations before making its way to Vory's solo album. He praised the rapper-turned-fashion star for helping to legitimize his vision. 'The person who made me realize my twisted thoughts werent so twisted was Ye, because we think alike,' he said. Kanye has certainly been keeping a low profile recently after taking a break from his public feuding with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her current boyfriend, Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson. Following a barrage of posts about the comedian including a claymation video in which a stand-in for West appeared to decapitate and bury a Davidson-like figure and videos in which he complained about how Kim was raising their oldest daughter North West, eight the Monster rapper has gone quiet on social media and has cut down on his public appearances. Quiet time: Kanye has certainly been keeping a low profile recently after taking a break from his public feuding with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her current boyfriend, Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson; seen in 2018 in LA The interview with Vory was published around the same time that new broke that the Yeezy founder had broken up with his Instagram model girlfriend Chaney Jones. TMZ reported that he and the 24-year-old beauty had gone their separate ways after a trip to Japan. It appears to be awkward timing for Chaney, who got the rapper's new legal name 'Ye' tattooed on her wrist just a month earlier. The two no longer follow each other on Instagram, and she has deleted all photos that featured him from her account. Prior to moving on with the Kim Kardashianlookalike, Kanye had been dating the Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox. It's over: The interview with Vory was published around the same time that new broke that the Yeezy founder had broken up with his Instagram model girlfriend Chaney Jones; seen in March Kanye's fans speculated that he had moved on after he was seen last week at a screening of Top Gun: Maverick with a mystery blonde by his side in a photo taken by Below Deck camera operator Everette Motta. Eagle-eyed fans have since speculated that the woman appears to be the influencer Monica Corgan. Corgan had shared a photo of herself in a movie theater wearing Balenciaga one of West's current obsessions on the day the picture was posted, adding weight to the rumors. West previously mentioned Corgan's name in a song, indicating that they have known each other in the past, and she has been spotted wearing his merchandise prior to the latest speculation. Movie date: Kanye's fans speculated that he had moved on after he was seen last week at a screening of Top Gun: Maverick with a mystery blonde by his side Chace Crawford has admitted he wasn't a big fan of the way his hit show Gossip Girl ended back in 2012. The 36-year-old actor, who played Nate Archibald on popular teen drama series, said he was shocked by the big reveal in the finale that Dan Humphrey was indeed Gossip Girl. Dan was portrayed by actor Penn Badgley in the series, who has since gone on to star in the show You on Netflix. Chace Crawford revealed on The Project this week that he was a little disappointed with the way Gossip Girl ended: 'Anything would have made more sense than the show being pinned on Dan Humphrey!' Appearing on The Project this week, Chace said: 'I think I was like, "Dan was Gossip Girl? Like what, what are you talking about?" He added: 'I think the fans did say that [they thought] Nate was Gossip Girl, anything would have made more sense than Dan being Gossip Girl.' Throughout the hit series, which followed the lives of rich American teens in New York's Upper East Side, an eponymous gossip blogger [Gossip Girl] created havoc for the titular characters. Not a fan: The 36-year-old American actor, who played Nate Archibald on popular teen drama series (pictured), said he was shocked by the big reveal in the finale that Dan Humphrey was indeed 'Gossip Girl' Appearing on The Project this week, Chace said: 'I think I was like, "Dan was Gossip Girl? Like what, what are you talking about?" The show followed the lives of best friends Blair Waldorf [Leighton Meester] and Serena van der Woodsen [Blake Lively], and the finale saw Dan Humphrey being revealed as 'Gossip Girl'. Penn recently said he had a hard time filming the finale and saying the titular character Gossip Girl was 'dead'. 'I could not keep it together,' he previously told Esquire. Big reveal: The show followed the lives of best friends Blair Waldorf [Leighton Meester] and Serena van der Woodsen [Blake Lively] and the finale saw Dan Humphrey [Penn Badgley] being revealed as 'Gossip Girl' 'Something came over me and I just couldn't say it. I kept laughing. I couldn't stop. I was sweating. I was having an out-of-body experience.' He agreed with Chace that the big finale reveal didn't make sense to them. 'At the end of Gossip Girl the show, whatever your reaction is on whether it was smart to do that or not, that he's Gossip Girl it didn't really line up with the character of Dan. Right? Chace said. 'Yeah,' Penn replied. John Cena on Saturday met with Misha Rohozhyn, a 19-year-old fan with Down syndrome who was inspired by the pro wrestler as he and his family fled Ukraine amid the invasion from Russia. Rohozhyn, who fled from Mariupol in March, met with the 45-year-old pro wrestler/actor in Huizen, Netherlands, where he and his relatives have sought refuge. Rohozhyn had posters of Cena in the Mariupol apartment his family lived in before Russian forces bombed the structure. The latest: John Cena, 45, on Saturday met with Misha Rohozhyn, a 19-year-old fan with Down syndrome who was inspired by the pro wrestler as he and his family fled Ukraine amid the invasion from Russia Rohozhyn's mother Liana said she helped her son brave the perilous move from Ukraine with a 'motivational fantasy' that the WWE superstar-turned-Hollywood action hero would be there to greet them at the end of their travels. The teen was upset that Cena was not present when they arrived in the Netherlands in May. Cena became aware of Rohozhyn after he was chronicled in a piece for The Wall Street Journal in May that explored the impact of war on people with disabilities. 'When I read about Misha's story it reached out to me - not just Mishas story but his mom's as well,' Cena said prior to meeting the teen. He continued: 'Having three days off from work right at the time I read the story, and being an hour away by air, it turned into "Were going," and that means spending an afternoon building blocks, eating cake - thats a special afternoon when it comes to new friends I was able to meet.' Rohozhyn's mother Liana said she helped her son brave the perilous move from Ukraine with a 'motivational fantasy' that the WWE superstar-turned-Hollywood action hero would be there to greet them at the end of their travels The teen was upset that Cena was not present when they arrived in the Netherlands in May, according to his mother Cena presented Rohozhyn with a WWE belt, a shirt and hat and other memorabilia on the visit Cena visited with Rohozhyn at a refugee center near Amsterdam where the family is temporarily staying. 'Misha, very nice to meet you, I've come a long way to see you,' Cena told him as he gave Rohozhyn and his mother a hug and presented him with a WWE belt, his shirt and cap, and an action figure. Cena said of the visit: 'Misha's ability to embrace persistence is extraordinary, those words, never give up ... theyre very powerful. I think Misha's a great example and Misha's mom, theres two great examples about how persistence can lead to joy, even through the toughest of times.' He continued: 'This was a wonderful adventure in which I got to meet a wonderful new friend, thank you for giving me strength. How special is today? Yeah, pretty darn special.' Cena and Rohozhyn mimed his 'You can't see me" gesture at the end of the visit Cena extended his hand to Rohozhyn on the surprise visit, which Cena described as 'pretty darn special' Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer has revealed how much she was paid to appear on the controversial dating show. The 28-year-old, who was the main villain on this year's season, was asked about pay during an Instagram livestream on Wednesday. She confirmed the participants were each paid 'about $1,100 per week'. Deal with the devil: Married At First Sight star Olivia Frazer (pictured) has revealed how much she was paid to appear on the controversial dating show This covered basic living expenses, including food, while the participants were filming the show in Sydney. In March, Olivia's co-star Domenica Calarco discussed how much the contestants were paid. She said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show their pay was 'pretty much minimum wage'. Amount: The 28-year-old, who was the main villain on this year's season, confirmed during an Instagram Q&A on Wednesday that the participants were each paid 'about $1,100 per week' The makeup artist was praising the psychological support offered to participants when she mentioned the money wasn't great. 'I feel like the show does get a bad rap, and I'm not getting paid to say that. Because I didn't get paid enough, to be honest, with what I went through...' she said. Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson then asked Domenica how much the brides and grooms were paid to appear on the show. Money matters: This payment covered basic living expenses, including food, while the participants were filming the show in Sydney. (Pictured: Olivia and boyfriend Jackson Lonie) 'I think it's pretty much minimum wage. Look, even [co-star] Dion [Giannarelli] said there wasn't enough to cover his rent,' replied Domenica. 'It's enough to just cover your rent, your living expenses, kind of thing. Because when you're living [in the MAFS apartment complex], all of that is taken care of. 'You don't have to pay for anything. It's pretty much maybe like an average wage, I would say.' Payday: In March, Olivia's co-star Domenica Calarco (pictured) discussed how much the contestants were paid during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show MAFS alum Nasser Sultan previously complained about the low pay. 'You get $150 for the day, that's it. But on top of that, you have to pay expenses - your living expenses with the woman that you marry,' he told Now to Love. 'It's not $150 clear. You still have to pay rent if you're renting. You've got to pay your rego [car registration] and it's 12-hour filming days.' Explaining it's a daily allowance, not a paycheck, Nasser added of the money given to the show's participants: 'That's what you live on.' Jack Quaid appears to have debuted his relationship with his co-star Claudia Doumit. The American actor, who is currently in Sydney to promote Season 3 of his TV series The Boys, was seen holding hands with the Aussie actress. The couple looked happy as they did some sightseeing around The Rocks near the Harbour. New couple alert? Jack Quaid held hands with his The Boys co-star Claudia Doumit as they went sight-seeing around Sydney on Monday Jack, 30, kept it casual for the outing, wearing white sneakers, jeans and a khaki knitted sweater layered with a navy coat. Meanwhile, Claudia also rocked jeans and sneakers, but kept herself warm in a grey coat, cropped jumper and black beanie. The 30-year-old Sydney-born star accessorised her look with a black crossbody bag and pair of sunglasses. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. Jack, who's the son of Hollywood stars Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, arrived in Sydney from the US on Monday with his The Boys co-stars Chase Crawford and Jessie Usher. The trio, along with their female co-stars Claudia and Karen Fukuhara, attended the Sydney VIP premiere of Episode 4 of the show on Tuesday. Rugging up: The pair kept warm in winter coats and jeans as they explored the city Down Under: Jack, who's the son of Hollywood stars Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, arrived in Sydney from the US on Monday with his The Boys co-stars Chase Crawford and Jessie Usher The cast walked the red carpet together, with Jack and Claudia posing side-by-side. Jack looked sharp in a crisp white dress shirt, which he paired with a black pinstripe suit jacket, matching trousers and leather boots. Claudia, for her part, looked sophisticated in a cream suit jacket and trousers along with bold gold earrings and chain gold necklace. Jack previously dated actress Lizzy McGroder, who he was first linked to in July 2016. The pair appeared to have called it quits in 2021. The Boys are back in town! The cast of the hit Amazon Prime Video series posed on the red carpet of the Sydney VIP screening of episode four on Tuesday evening The Amazon Prime Video series, The Boys, is based on the comic book series of the same name, and premiered in July 2019 on the streaming service. The TV series follows a team of vigilantes who punish 'supes' - aka superheros - who abuse their power and abilities. Jensen Ackles, Erin Moriarty, Karl Urban, Dominique McElligott and Antony Starr also star in the series but didn't appear at the Sydney event. Love Island star Josh Moss has spoken about his shock breakup with Amelia Marni. Speaking to Michael Brunelli on their podcast The Handbags this week, the 29-year-old said that on the day they split, Amelia said she wasn't sure if she was still 'in love with him anymore'. He also said that the pair had been 'unhappy' for months and had been 'growing apart' before eventually calling it quits after four years together. Tragic: Love Island Australia star Josh Moss revealed heartbreaking details about his shock split from Amelia Marni (pictured together) 'She wants a lot of reassurance and she wants all that sort of stuff, and I can't give her as much as she wants,' Josh said. Josh said they broke up after spending a weekend away together which ended with Amelia crying on the lounge. 'Then we got back and I got home one day, and she was sitting on the couch crying,' he said. Growing apart: Josh also said that the pair had been 'unhappy' for months and had been 'growing apart' before calling it quits after four years together 'I was like, ''What's wrong?'' and she was like, ''I'm so unhappy. I can't do this anymore. I don't know if I'm in love with you anymore." 'And that was really, really hard. It came from left field, but now I look back on it I don't know if it did come from left field.' 'The signs were all there, she was quite checked out and she was unhappy. It was really, really hard.' The pair, who met on Love Island Australia back in 2018, announced their split in May. 'I was like, ''What's wrong?'' and she was like, ''I'm so unhappy. I can't do this anymore. I don't know if I'm in love with you anymore" 'I felt it was necessary to share that Josh and I have decided to split. This was the most heartbreaking yet respectful breakup. After almost four years of being together we decided to go our separate ways,' she said. She went on: 'I don't know if this comes as a shock because I think we portrayed a happy healthy relationship. And it was that for most of the part, but there was also a lot of challenging moments we didn't share. 'No relationship is perfect but there are some parts you have to see eye-to-eye.' Over: The pair, who met on Love Island Australia back in 2018, announced their split in May Amelia concluded: 'Josh and I are on incredible terms (for a breakup) and we want the happiest life for one another. 'But sadly right now we have to find happiness separately. Of course I love Josh and will miss our crazy special life together but right now this is the best for us both.' Josh told The Daily Telegraph in February that Italy would be the perfect location to propose to his long-term girlfriend. 'It might be a good spot to pop the question,' he said. Amelia agreed, adding: 'I would love an Italian engagement. That would be very romantic.' The Bachelor's Noni Janur is celebrating a pregnancy milestone. The reality star, 31, showed off her growing baby bump on her Instagram Story as she reached 30 weeks. In the photo, Noni cradled her bare bump while dressed in a tan-coloured long sleeved top and leggings. Baby milestone: Bachelor alum Noni Janur showed off her growing baby bump on her Instagram Story as she reached 30 weeks '30 weeks with you,' she wrote alongside the photo. Along with the sweet snap, the model seemingly hinted at throwing a baby shower for her bub on the way. In her next story, she reached out to her fans, asking for suggestions in relation to a baby shower event. 'Hi honeys, anyone have recommendations for baby shower event planners in Syd?' she wrote. Her question box was titled, 'Let me know.' Noni first announced her pregnancy in February, sharing the exciting news that she's expecting her first child with her boyfriend Sam. Bumping along! Noni has been showing off her baby bump in bikinis of late 'I thought the universe had already brought me my biggest blessing @sam_livi_ until I found out there's going to be 2 of you,' she wrote. 'Soon to be mummy and daddy. We can't wait to meet you baby.' Since the announcement, she has not been shy when showing off her growing tummy on her social media. 'My biggest blessing': Noni and Sam have been dating since 2021 Noni debuted her relationship with Sam back in October last year. The former reality star previously dated Bachelorette star Samuel Johnson, but they ended their relationship in 2021. It is believed their long distance romance had put a strain on their relationship after Sam had relocated to LA in 2017. 'It's been a while, they were over before Valentine's Day,' a source close to the couple told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'Sam and Noni broke up just after she got back from America, but were officially over since February. Noni appeared on The Bachelor in 2016, while same was on The Bachelorette that same year. Actor Song Kang-ho plays the role of a baby broker in the new drama film, "Broker." Courtesy of Sublime Artist Agency By Lee Gyu-lee Actor Song Kang-ho, who recently won the Best Actor award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the film, "Broker," said accolades have never been his goal in acting. "As an actor, the purpose of acting and taking part in films is not to win a trophy. The only goal is to communicate with audiences through a good piece of work," the actor told The Korea Times during an online interview, Wednesday. "Screening at film festivals and winning just happens to be part of that whole process of working hard and making a good film. I'm very thrilled and honored but this has not been my goal and won't be in the future. It always has been this way and nothing will change," he said. Recalling when his name was called as the winner at the festival's closing ceremony, he said it was more meaningful to share the moment with his family. "This was the first time my son came with me (to Cannes) I've never had a chance to bring him until now," he said. "So it was even more meaningful (to win the award) during this first time of going to Cannes with all four members of the family." A scene from the film, "Broker" / Courtesy of CJ ENM She made her red carpet debut with her younger beau Bobby Wooten III just weeks ago. But Katie Holmes made sure all eyes were on her in her latest social media post. The 43-year-old actress shared a leggy snap on her Instagram Story on Tuesday. Simply stunning: Katie Holmes shared a leggy snap on her Instagram Story on Tuesday as she showcased a 80s-inspired retro look featuring black hot pants, a loose grey top, and white leather thigh-high booties Katie showcased a 80s-inspired retro look featuring black hot pants, a loose grey top, and white leather thigh-high booties. She completed the chic look with a black trench coat as her matching fringe was worn down. The A-lister accentuated her porcelain skin with natural, complementary make-up as she put on her best pose. Back on May 26, Katie 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. Red carpet debut: Back on May 26, Katie 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 The Batman Begins actress 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. 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 Love Island star Elma Pazar has joined the cast of The Only Way Is Essex. The reality TV personality, 29, who rose to fame on series five of the dating show in 2019, has now swapped one reality show for another as she joined the cast of The Only Way Is Essex in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday. Elma made no time in making her presence known as she flaunted her incredibly taut figure in a skimpy bikini on the beach at the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana. Exciting: Love Island's Elma Pazar, 29, has joined the cast of TOWIE as she showed off her taut figure in a skimpy bikini whilst filming began in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday Elma looked sensational as she showed off her sun-kissed glow in the velvet pink and green swimwear with a matching sheer sarong. She boosted her height with a pair of strappy wedges and carried a zig-zag printed clutch bag, letting her long locks fall down her back. Speaking ahead of the new series, a representative for the show explained: 'She is going to be a huge surprise to the series as other cast members had no idea she was coming. 'Until today, when filming began on the beach on the Dominican Republic.' She's arrived! Speaking ahead of the new series, a representative for the show explained: 'She is going to be a huge surprise to the series as other cast members had no idea she was coming' Adding of Elma's connection to the cast, they continued: 'She has agreed to marry Diags [James Bennewith] one day - as even though she insists she doesn't fancy him, she loves the belly laughs. 'She is great mates with Amber [Turner] and has her back.' The reality TV star was joined on the beach by her bikini-clad co-stars Amber, her boyfriend Dan Edgar, as well as Courtney Green and Chloe Meadows. Stunning: Elma looked sensational as she showed off her sun-kissed glow in the velvet pink and green swimwear with a matching sheer sarong Stylish: Elma arrived at Punta Cana Airport in an all-white ensemble, flashing her abs in a busty crop top and wide leg trousers with a Louis Vuitton clutch bag Show stars Yazmin Oukhellou and her ex James Lock will also be taking part in the new series together and their fiery on-off relationship dominated story lines in the past. Elma arrived at Punta Cana Airport in an all-white ensemble, flashing her abs in a busty crop top and wide leg trousers with a Louis Vuitton clutch bag. Last year, she asked her followers to donate money to her bank account as she was out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic. Group hug: The reality TV star was joined on the beach by her bikini-clad co-stars Amber (centre) Dan Edgar (left), Chloe Meadows (centre right) and Courtney Green (right) as well as James Diags (centre left) The Love Island star took to Twitter and asked if anyone could 'donate' some funds as her job as an eyelash technician was not possible in lockdown. Elma, who appeared on the 2019 series of the show, said she was unable to claim furlough and as such has been left without an income. She wrote: 'If anyone wants to donate to my bank account to cheer me up, Ill be happy to send you over my details. No time wasters please. Many thanks kind regards xxx'. One of Elma's followers replied to the tweet and asked: 'Can't you claim furlough?' to which she said: 'Apparently Im not eligible'. Happy: The rest of the cast were delighted by Elma's appearance as they hugged on the beach Another user wrote: 'Or you could look for a real job? "influencer on social media" / "love island contestant" are not careers'. Elma told the user she works as an eyelash technician and is not an influencer, writing: 'I mean people do make careers out of them, and people earn well from them which would imply they are "real jobs". 'However Im an eyelash technician, which is also a "real job" and cant work due to Covid restrictions.' The user then suggested Elma try volunteering to which she said: 'Very nice of you to suggest volunteering, Ill look into it. 'But unfortunately for me thats still not making a change to my bank balance so my quest continues. Good night god bless.' Eva Longoria turned heads on Tuesday as she hit the red carpet at the Women's Empowerment Forum at the Lighthouse Artspace in Los Angeles. The actress, 47, who was named honorary chair of the event, looked ravishing in a stylish cream ensemble. The day of empowerment, which also featured an immersive Freida Kahlo exhibition, offered guests the opportunity to network in a bid to 'raise women's voices and create change'. Perfection: Eva Longoria turned heads on Tuesday as she hit the red carpet at the Women's Empowerment Forum at the Lighthouse Artspace in Los Angeles Eva donned a gorgeous cropped top which featured a cross draped detail. The Desperate Housewives actress completed the ensemble with a matching skirt which clung to her taut waist. Wearing her luscious locks swept back from her face Eva opted for a glamorous palette of make-up with gold accents. Golden girl: Wearing her luscious locks swept back from her face. Eva opted for a glamorous palette of make-up with gold accents Sparkling: Carrying the colour story into her accessories, the star opted for simple jewellery with diamond earrings and a chic chain link necklace Carrying the colour story into her accessories, the star opted for simple jewellery with diamond earrings and a chain link necklace. Eva also wore numerous rings and slipped her feet into gold sandals. The television star beamed as she visited stands around the event which all displayed the wares of female owned businesses. Strike a pose: The star posed up a storm on the red carpet before heading inside to the swanky event Good cause: The television star beamed as she visited stands around the event which all displayed the wares of female owned businesses Before later heading to the bar to enjoy a cocktail made with her own Casa del Sol tequila. This comes after Victoria Beckham, 48, recently wished her close pal Eva a happy 47th birthday as she pulled her famous leg pose in a fun throwback snap. Taking to Instagram to share the sweet tribute, the fashion designer joked: 'How much tequila had we drunk?!' Frida: The event also included an immersive collection of work by the acclaimed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo Down the hatch: Eva later headed to the bar to enjoy a cocktail made with her own Casa del Sol tequila LOL: The star appeared in high spirits as she took to the bar to whip up a drink or two The dynamic duo could be seen lounging on a sofa as Victoria kicked her leg into the air and placed her hand on Eva's back. The Spice Girl looked incredible in a sophisticated black and white jumpsuit and towering stiletto heels. Eva posed up a storm next to her pal as she opted for a lilac ensemble with gold heeled sandals. 'How much tequila had we drunk?!': This comes after Victoria Beckham, 47, pulled her famous leg pose in a fun throwback as she wished Eva a happy 47th birthday recently Alongside another throwback photo, Victoria wrapped her arms around Eva and added: 'Happy birthday @evalongoria!! I love you so much. Kisses x.' Despite being oceans apart during lockdown, Eva and Victoria revealed that they kept up their girl time with regular video calls. Eva previously told the Daily Mail Australia: 'We're best friends and have shared lots of life lessons together. Eva told OK! Magazine: 'We speak all the time, we've had wine o'clock Zooms, even though it's hard because of the time difference.' 'What we talk about is between us but we've been through stuff together. When we hang out, we just stay home and talk, eat and laugh.' The duo's bond is so close that the actress is godmother to Victoria's ten-year-old daughter Harper. Amanda Holden has vowed to continue to wear her eye-popping outfits, saying while she has the figure she has no plans to stop. The TV judge, 51, clapped back at critics of her racy ensembles, telling The Daily Star: 'They've got too much time to think - that's my opinion on that.' She continued: 'While I've still got the figure, I do love a bodycon dress of a good, well-made pair of jeans with a T-shirt, a blazer and a nice heel.' Racy: Amanda Holden has vowed to continue to wear her eye-popping outfits, saying while she has the figure she has no plans to stop (pictured in 2017) 'I enjoy wearing clothes that show off my figure. I dress for myself and wear what makes me feel good.' She added: 'It's sunny - I don't think when I was in the public eye in the 90s anyone looked to me as any kind of fashion person - but I think it's assumed they do now and I'm in my 50s. 'I find it quite weird that people didn't star asking me where I got my clothes form until my 40s or 50s - which I'm really enjoying.' Daring: The TV judge, 51, clapped back at critics of her racy ensembles, telling The Daily Star: 'They've got too much time to think - that's my opinion on that' (pictured in 2019) Amanda has previously proclaimed she enjoys wearing latex at Britain's Got Talent auditions and said she doesn't think anyone should feel pressure to 'dress for your age'. This comes despite a plunging outfit Amanda wore during the 2017 semi-finals prompting 663 complaints to Ofcom from viewers while a gown she wore on the 2020 series drew another 235 complaints. Not letting the naysayers get to her, Amanda told The Mirror in April: 'I'm thinking more rubber - I enjoyed wearing latex in the auditions, so I'm thinking more latex, more sweating in the lives.' Controversy: A plunging outfit Amanda wore during the 2017 semi-finals prompted 663 complaints to Ofcom from viewers Amanda previously laughed off viewer complaints about her fashion choices and said that her mother Judith adored her outfits. She told The Mirror: 'Mum said "Ooh, let them talk. You look better than girls half your age." When my mum was 48 she wouldnt have dared wear a mini skirt, because shes of the era where you wouldnt dare get your knees out if you were nearly 50. Whereas I look at Kylie and J-Lo and think, well if shes still doing it, Im still doing it," she said at the time. 'Of course, I have fun on Britains Got Talent - its the perfect opportunity to take risks. Times have changed and I dont feel anyone should feel pressure to dress for your age. Its all about body positivity and feeling good.' Revealing: A gown she wore on the 2020 series drew another 235 complaints Joking about how much attention her breasts and racy ensembles get, Amanda previously quipped that they need their own representation and will be going on Piers Morgan's Life Stories. She told MailOnline: 'I am seriously thinking my girls need separate representation to me, because they are known on their own. They don't need me, they're going to go off and do Piers Morgan's Life Stories on their own next year! 'They're going to do their own album, they're bringing out their own autobiography - The Truth Behind The Bra!' Emma Thompson has detailed her steamy new role in the upcoming film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and discussed her own body image issues on Wednesday. The actress, 63, plays widower Nancy, who after experiencing an unfulfilled marriage, meets with a younger male escort in the search for self discovery. Emma spoke of society's perceptions of women's bodies and sex, as depicted within the film, and admitted that she struggled to look at her own body in the mirror. Candid: Emma Thompson, 63, has detailed her steamy role in the upcoming film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, and admitted she struggles to look at her own body Summarising her opinion of the taboo topic, she said: 'The human body is not honestly represented on screen, pretty much ever, and especially not in my industry.' Speaking to Lorraine Kelly in a candid conversation, Emma said of her character: 'She's someone who has been widowed and it looking back at her life and thinking, "I'm not sure that I've ever experienced that essential part of my life", or sexual pleasure of any kind. 'She's never had an orgasm - not even on her own.' Emma then detailed that women had been 'brainwashed' about their bodies as she discussed the impact of societal expectations and dishonesty surrounding sex. Film: The actress, plays widower Nancy, who after experiencing an unfulfilled marriage, meets with a younger male escort (played by Daryl McCormack, 29) in the search for self discovery Emma continued: 'I think we are quite dishonest about sex as a society, she [Nancy] has the courage to do it, but the reality of it is quite different.' 'I've had conversations with men in their eighties who say, "A lot of my friends brag about having great sex, but I don't think they are telling the truth."' The actress then explained that her new role is a challenge for her as she was forced to face her own body image issues. Role: Emma said of her character: 'She's someone who has been widowed and it looking back at her life and thinking, "I'm not sure that I've ever experienced that essential part of my life" Emma revealed: 'I don't look in the mirror and if I do, I look away. We're brainwashed from very early on to not see something that we can't accept. 'It has been industrialised, the human body is not honestly represented on screen, pretty much ever, and especially not in my industry.' 'So, women's pleasure is never at the top of anyone's agenda and women don't know how to own up to it or ask their partners.' Brave: Emma continued: 'I think we are quite dishonest about sex as a society, she [Nancy] has the courage to do it, but the reality of it is quite different' (Pictured in the film with Daryl) On set: The actress then explained that her new role is a challenge for her as she was forced to face her own body image issues Emma shared the difference between her body image struggles and that of her character in the movie in a recent chat to The Times. She told the publication: 'When Im looking in the mirror, Im always trying to make myself look better turning this way or that, checking out my a**e, pulling something in. Simply revealing my utter incapacity to accept my body as it is. 'But in the movie, at that point, Nancys body has just given her these seconds of pure pleasure and she is marvelling at it not it as it looks, but it as it has become to her. A place she can be happy. A place she can find genuine bliss,' she shared. The role is a change for Emma, as she admitted during the interview that she has 'never really been offered sex scenes'. Honest: Emma revealed: 'I don't look in the mirror and if I do, I look away. We're brainwashed from very early on to not see something that we can't accept' The actress explained that she didn't feel as though she 'conformed' to the beauty standards of male film executives. The upcoming film, which also stars Irish actor Daryl, 29, centres on Nancy - a 55-year-old RE teacher who, despite a 30-year marriage and two children, has never had an orgasm. Now widowed and retired, Nancy decides to hire a good looking, young escort, Leo Grande, to see if she can finally experience sex in a different way. The film, directed by Sophie Hyde, is set to be released on June 17. Dave Myers was in good spirits on Tuesday night as he headed out for dinner with his Hairy Bikers sidekick Si King. A month on from revealing his cancer diagnosis and after quipping about his new 'baldy biker' status, Dave, 64, beamed for the cameras in London's Fitzrovia. Dave announced last month that he is undergoing chemotherapy, and will be taking some time off work with his co-star Si. Pals: Dave Myers was in good spirits on Tuesday night as he headed out for dinner with his Hairy Bikers sidekick Si King, a month after revealing his cancer diagnosis The long-term friends and colleagues smiled as they strolled to a local restaurant. On Sunday the pair took part in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, riding on top of one of the National Treasures buses through London. The giddy duo shared a snap of themselves outside Buckingham Palace, telling their Instagram followers: 'What a great weekend we had! We could do it all over again, so whens the next one?' Last month Si ruled out making shows without his fellow cook while he undergoes treatment. Speaking to The Daily Mail's Richard Eden at the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drinks Awards at the Royal Exchange in London, the Geordie TV star said: 'There's no [Punch & Judy] show without Punch and there's no Hairy Bikers without Dave'. Good spirits: In his first public outing since revealing his cancer diagnosis in May and quipping about his new 'baldy biker', Dave beamed for the cameras in London's Fitzrovia Si, 55, accepted the Personality Of The Year award, which had been voted by the public, on behalf of the duo. He was accompanied to the ceremony by Dave's Romanian wife, Liliana Orzac. He added: 'We've always been joined at the hip, so it's very odd for me and it's very odd for Dave. We'll get through it he's as tough as an old boot.' For now, Si plans to hit the road not for food but his music band Little Moscow. 'I have a 12-piece funk band which takes up a lot of time. We're on tour all year and will extend our stay in Spain.' In treatment: Dave announced last month that he is undergoing chemotherapy, and will be taking some time off work with his co-star Si It comes after Dave gave his first interview since undergoing chemotherapy after revealing he had been diagnosed with cancer earlier in May - taking a playful approach to dub his return the 'debut of the baldy biker'. The chef, 64, appeared to be in high spirits despite his health woes - and even got told off by his wife Liliana for a cheeky jibe during an episode of his Agony Uncles podcast. Proudly exhibiting his bald head, he quipped that his TV presenter partner likened him to 'Stanley Tucci who's been sleeping behind the library for a month' while chatting to Si. At the beginning of the show, Dave says: 'Thank you to everyone who has sent in a goodwill message to me. I do appreciate the good thoughts. I'll get there. As you can see, I've embraced the baldness. 'I looked at my wife and she said, "You look like Stanley Tucci who's been sleeping behind the library for a month." As a great fan of Stanley Tucci, I've embraced that. I quite like it really. I've got the beard. Nice, fresh for the summer.' Dave, who married wife Lily in 2011 after the pair met while he was filming The Hairy Bikers in Romania, has chosen not to publicly reveal the type of cancer he has. Honour: On Sunday the pair took part in the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, riding on top of one of the National Treasures buses through London The star, who competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, revealed in his initial announcement: 'I haven't been too well recently' and 'this year is a write off', whilst reassuring fans 'the prognosis is okay.' Speaking about his medical condition with his TV cooking partner and Hairy Biker other half, Si he said: 'I may be a baldy biker for a while it's simply something I have to live with.' Dave said: 'Anyway Kingy, I've got to come clean now, I haven't been too well recently and basically, I've got to have some chemo, you know all this anyway, so this year is going to be a bit quiet for me, I'm not going to be filming, some of the festivals I'm not going to be able to go to, some may be okay but this year's a bit of a write off for us. 'I have had to speak up about this because I don't want to hide under a rock, but I would love it if people respected my privacy and just let me get on with it and give Si and our team all the support they need, that would be great. But look, the prognosis is okay, I'm going to be fine.' Grateful: It comes after Dave gave his first interview since undergoing chemotherapy- taking a playful approach to dub his return the 'debut of the baldy biker' News: Dave recently went public with his diagnosis and revealed he had been undergoing chemotherapy, as he told his podcast listeners that the year ahead will be a 'quiet one' (pictured in September 2021) Why DOES chemotherapy cause hair loss? Chemotherapy are life-saving drugs, which work by killing cancerous cells. However, the medications are so powerful they can destroy healthy cells elsewhere in the body, including ones in the hair roots. This can cause hair loss, as well as fatigue, nausea and an array of other unpleasant side effects. 'Some treatments cause only partial hair loss or thinning, while others cause people to lose hair from all over their body,' the NHS says. Hair usually begins falling out within a fortnight of starting the gruelling treatment. It can drop out rapidly in clumps, or gradually. Some patients are given the option to wear a 'cold cap', which reduces blood flow to the scalp. This limits the amount of chemo drugs reaching the area, helping to prevent hair loss. A couple of months after chemo ends, it usually starts to grow back. Although, it can appear different. 'Your new hair might have a different texture or colour,' according to the US-based Mayo Clinic. 'It might be curlier than it was before, or it could be grey until the cells that control the pigment in your hair begin functioning again.' Advertisement He continued: 'I've just got to tuck in, look after myself, eat sensibly and get over this mess, flog books, and be a happy person so within that, that's where I am. 'I may be a baldy biker for a while so it's just a warning, I don't want to make a fuss about it, I look alright bald actually.' Talking on their podcast The Hairy Bikers Agony Uncles, Si replied: 'No listen, when I first met you dude you looked like an upside down Hells Angel so I like that look, I've always liked that look, you look cool' with Dave saying: 'Yeah I know, and under different circumstances I would embrace it more but I feel under these circumstances it's simply something I have to live with.' Si offered an update on his close friend during an appearance on This Morning shortly after Dave revealed his diagnosis, telling viewers that his pal 'remains positive' in the wake of the news and admitted it was strange to appear on the programme without his Hairy Bikers co-host. Si branded his friend 'tough as an old boot' during a cooking segment without the chef, when hosts Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes asked how Dave was doing. Speaking of his friend's illness, Si told the pair: 'He's doing okay. He's doing okay, he remains really positive and pretty focused on his treatment. 'He's typically Dave, he's as tough as an old boot. He's doing grand, thank you for asking.' In 2018, Dave spoke about overhauling his lifestyle, after being warned by doctors when he weighed 18 stone that he was 'heading for an early grave.' He said: 'I was a Northern carbohydrate monster who was morbidly obese six years ago and weighed over 18 stone. Si and I were warned we were morbidly obese and heading for an early grave, so our weight loss saved our lives. Update: Si offered an update on his close friend during an appearance on This Morning shortly after Dave revealed his diagnosis,(pictured in May 2022) Support: Dave, who married wife Lily (pictured) in 2011 after the pair met while he was filming The Hairy Bikers in Romania, has chosen not to publicly reveal the type of cancer he has 'I'm 6ft, now around 15 stone and aim to drop to 14 stone. I cycle, jog, and eat as healthily as possible. I'd never have managed to take part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 if I hadn't got healthy.' Dave has suffered with illness in the past after being diagnosed with a cyst on his brain in 1998, and later glaucoma, which is an eye condition that can lead to blindness. He admits worrying about his health has impacted his mental wellbeing over the years after enduring the loss of both his parents by the time he was just 23. Cooks: Dave met best friend and co-star Si in 1995 and together the duo have gained millions of fans through their popular BBC cookery series and books (pictured in 2021) Dave's dad died from a stroke and his mum multiple sclerosis, causing him to 'hate anything to do with illness.' The same year he was diagnosed with having a cyst on his brain, Dave sadly lost his fiancee to cancer, previously describing 1998 as the worst year of his life. In celebration of his weight loss, Dave competed in Strictly with pro partner Karen Hauer, 40, and said once he was eliminated it had been a 'spectacular privilege' to take part. Dave met best friend and co-star Si in 1995 and together the duo have gained millions of fans through their popular BBC cookery series and books, as well as their Agony Uncles podcast. Kylie Minogue has spoken about what it took to get her to participate in the Neighbours finale. The 54-year-old breakout star of the iconic soap admitted during the Late Night with Seth Meyers show that there was 'pressure' on her to return to the show that made her a star. 'There was quite a bit of pressure for me to go back, so I shot my scenes,' Minogue told Meyers on Tuesday. Opening up: Kylie Minogue (pictured) has spoken about what it took to get her to participate in the Neighbours finale She also revealed that at 19 years old she had 'signed up for the dole' in Australia before her career-defining role on the show. 'When I was 19 I finished school, signed up for the dole, 'cause I thought "I'm never going to get a job," but I got this role on Neighbours,' she told Meyers. On August 1, it will be time for fans to say an emotional goodbye to Ramsay Street and its residents. And with the hour-long finale less than two months away, will the Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, also 54, star in the final scene? The pair, who played Charlene and Scott Robinson, quit the soap 33 years ago - and their onscreen wedding is considered a significant cultural moment of the late 1980s. After 37 years on British TV... is THIS how it ends? Iconic Aussie soap Neighbours 'could welcome Minogue and Jason Donovan back to Ramsay Street' for final ever scene According to The Sun, the pair will turn to each other before smiling and declaring they are 'home', in the show's closing moments. A source told the publication: 'Everyone is gutted the show is coming to an end but they are determined to go out on a high. 'Kylie and Jason have such strong ties to the series they didn't even think twice about returning. 'The final scene will make fans well up and sees Charlene and Scott return to the street as they declare, "we're home"'. Iconic: The pair, who played Charlene and Scott Robinson, quit the soap 33 years ago - and their onscreen wedding is considered a significant cultural moment of the late 1980s It has also been said that bosses have written the script so Neighbours could make a comeback if anyone 'wanted to rescue it'. Kylie quit Neighbours in June 1988, having become the first person to win four Logie Awards in one year and the youngest ever recipient of a Gold Logie. She went on to launch a phenomenally successful music career, selling more than 80 million albums worldwide. Onscreen couple: According to The Sun, the pair to will turn to each other before smiling and declaring they are 'home', in the closing moments It comes after Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison has hinted the pair will have a bigger role in the finale than first reported. Speaking to The Herald Sun on Wednesday, he said the recent leak didn't fully explain the '80s golden couple's storyline in the episode. 'What I've read is not what happens which is great. It hasn't come out yet.' He kept tight-lipped about the details of their appearance but he called the pair 'wonderful' adding it was 'emotional' for them. Pop star: Kylie quit Neighbours in June 1988, having become the first person to win four Logie Awards in one year and the youngest ever recipient of a Gold Logie (pictured that year) 'Seeing Kylie back as Charlene was quite a moment. Very special and I think for them too it was a real full circle for them,' he told the publication. Kylie and Jason's wedding on the series 34 years ago was watched by 22 million people across Australia and the UK. Last month, a leaked script revealed the fate of the lovebirds, stating they will return to Erinsborough at the end of the episode and deliver the closing lines. Confirmation: It comes after Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison (pictured) has hinted the pair will have a bigger role in the finale than first reported. Kylie and Jason, who were dating in real life at the time, were household names in both countries, and would each go on to launch music careers in the UK. Their on-screen relationship began after Scott mistook Charlene for an intruder at his neighbour Madge Ramsay's house, before eventually learning she was Madge's daughter. After getting married, the pair left Erinsborough and moved to Brisbane. Neighbours announced that production would be ceasing on the long-running soap in a tweet back in March. All over: Neighbours announced that production would be ceasing on the long-running soap in a tweet back in March Vernon Kay shared two loved-up snaps with his wife Tess Daly on Wednesday as he jetted back from a family holiday in Greece. The presenter, 48, put his arm around his stunning partner, 53, as the sun set behind them during the luxury break in images shared to his Instagram grid. The couple were joined by their two daughters Phoebe, 17, and Amber, 13, on the trip but Vernon didn't share any snaps of the brood. Together: Vernon Kay shared two loved-up snaps with his wife Tess Daly on Wednesday as he jetted back from a family holiday in Greece Tess looked stunning in the snaps and showed off her bronzed legs in a pink silky dress that featured and off-the-shoulder design. She completed her look with nude Gucci heels, huge gold hoop earrings and tinted sunglasses while beaming from ear to ear. Meanwhile Vernon looked smart in a white shirt, shorts and orange shades as he posed in one of the pictures which was a selfie of the pair. Couple: The presenter, 48, put his arm around his stunning partner, 53, as the sun set behind them during the luxury break in images shared to his Instagram grid He penned in the caption: 'An amazing week in Greece with the girls!! Great to get out and chill. Amazing sunsets Even the lightening was spectacular!!' It comes after Vick Hope revealed that Vernon commented on one of her recent Instagram holiday snaps. Newly engaged Vick, 32, said Vernon made her blush with a cheeky comment under one of her pictures. The Radio 1 DJ - who's 16 years Vernon's junior - revealed recently that the former T4 presenter commented 'yes please' in response to her posting a photo taken with friends on holiday to her Instagram story. Family: The couple were joined by their two daughters Phoebe, 17, and Amber, 13, on the trip but Vernon didn't share any snaps of the brood (pictured in 2018) MailOnline told this week that Vick is engaged to Scottish DJ Calvin Harris, 38, following a whirlwind romance. During a recent drive time show, which Vick co-presents with former I'm A Celeb star Jordan North, 32, the pair played a game of Access All Apps. Radio 1 listeners called in with their questions about Vick's personal phone and she was made to answer, acting as a guinea pig for the new radio feature, which will later see celebrity guests take part. One caller asked: 'I want to know who the last blue tick is you left on red in your Instagram DMs?' Delving into her phone, Vick replied: 'The last blue tick I left on red... the last one I've left on red... oh my God Vernon Kay!' 'So, on my story there was a picture of me and my friends on holiday together and he's gone 'yes please', I'm glad I opened that because otherwise I would have missed it. That's brilliant, I love you, Vern. He's always replying to my stories.' Jordan joked: 'I bet he is!' before Vick said: 'Shall I reply?' Vick added: 'Yeah, reply now going lol. No, don't go lol... I don't know even I'm cringing,' Jordan admitted. Vick continued: 'He said, 'yes please' so should I say, 'you're welcome?' No that's weird' before Jordan decided: 'Just put the little blushing emoji.' There was a galaxy of stars at the Sydney Film Festival's opening night gala on Wednesday. Love My Way legend Claudia Karvan, 50, led the stars, joined by Matrix A-lister Hugo Weaving, 62. Claudia looked decades younger than her years in a deep red dress worn with a matching faux fur coat. Superstar: Love My Way legend Claudia Karvan, 50, led the stars at the Sydney Film Festival's opening night gala on Wednesday The Bump star wore her straight blonde tresses loose and flowing for her red carpet stroll. Another iconic actor joining Claudia on the red carpet was Hugo Weaving. The V For Vendetta star kept things simple in a denim jacket worn over a black V-neck T-shirt. Agent Smith himself: Another iconic actor joining Claudia on the red carpet was Hugo Weaving Classic: The V For Vendetta star kept things simple in a denim jacket worn over a black V-neck T-shirt On his lower half, the Lord of the Rings star wore jeans with black boots. Another exemplary Australian star hitting the red carpet of the prestigious film festival was David Wenham. The 56-year-old star was dapper in a black suit worn over a white dress shirt. Character actor: Another exemplary Australian star hitting the red carpet of the prestigious film festival was David Wenham The 56-year-old star was dapper in a black suit worn over a white dress shirt Also at the all-star event was Damian Walshe-Howling. The Underbelly star, 51, kept things casual in a blue suit worn over a grey vintage T-shirt. He capped things off with a green beanie and black and red sneakers. Aussie star: Also at the all-star event was Damian Walshe-Howling. The Underbelly star, 51, kept things casual in a blue suit worn over a grey vintage T-shirt The look: He capped things off with a green beanie and black and red sneakers Former Home and Away star Tai Hara looked handsome for his red carpet turn in dark jeans worn with a grey dress shirt. Going black to black was director Gemma Lee, in a dark ensemble. Iconic movie critic Margaret Pomeranz was as stylish as ever in a black fur coat worn with matching black pants. Dapper: Former Home and Away star Tai Hara looked handsome for his red carpet turn in dark jeans worn with a grey dress shirt Iconic: Iconic movie critic Margaret Pomeranz (pictured with a guest) was as stylish as ever in a black faux fur coat worn with matching black pants Meanwhile Escape From Pretoria actress Ratidzo Mambo was radiant in a mustard jacket worn over a loose white dress shirt. The Sydney Film Festival runs from June 8 to June 19. As of 2021 the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. John Barrowman has revealed how he saw 'a dead body in the middle of the road' after a 'horrific' incident in Berlin on Wednesday. At least one person has been killed and up to 30 have been hurt - five of them with life-threatening injuries - after a car ploughed into crowds near a church in Berlin. The actor, 55, took to Twitter to reveal he had witnessed the awful tragedy in the German capital, describing it as 'carnage'. Awful: John Barrowman has revealed how he saw 'dead bodies all over the place' after a 'horrific' incident in Berlin on Wednesday John tweeted: 'We think we have witnessed a terrorist attack here in Berlin were not sure theres a lot of people dead bodies all over the place weve seen a car that came down the road and ended up in a storefront covering three city blocks its pretty horrific #berlin (sic)'. He later posted a video where he shakily recounted the incident, saying: 'So my friend Mikey K told us to sit by a tree just in case anything else happens because its something thats between us and any other vehicles that might come. 'Its really pretty bad guys, theres ... over where we are here theres a lot of police, theres a dead body in the middle of the road, then over here there is all the emergency services that are trying to help victims and people. Tragedy: At least one person has been killed and up to 30 have been hurt - five of them with life-threatening injuries - after a car ploughed into crowds near a church in Berlin this morning 'Theres a lot of people walking with limps and injuries. If Im pointing to you from the road, up there the car came down onto the pavement ... we had dinner in that restaurant last night.' Describing what he saw, he said: "The car came down onto the pavement, then its come down onto the road over there, has hit somebody, then has gone down the road and come back onto the pavement down that way. 'It came back onto the pavement and [went] through a bunch of people, gone through... the photograph I posted of a cafe, and right into a storefront window. 'Carnage': The actor, 55, took to Twitter to reveal he had witnessed the awful tragedy in the German capital, describing it as 'carnage' 'The police presence is unbelievable, they are clearing out the area, it was cordoned off. I heard the bang and the crash when we were in a store, and we just came out and saw the carnage. 'Theres helicopters coming in now to airlift people, so Im going to let you see this then Ill get back to you. 'We have been moved all the way down away from the incident, you can see up there the police behind us and there's other police cars coming.' Dozens of firefighters, police and medics rushed to the scene - which is just a short distance from where 13 were killed in the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack The Torchwood actor, who is with his husband Scott Gill in Berlin, admitted he was 'OK' and the couple were heading back to their hotel. John added: 'This is bad, this is serious. I mean, really bad. There's multiple fatalities, there is hundreds of emergency services that are in the area, they're blocking off city block after city block, and the cordon keeps expanding and we're being pushed back and out. 'We are making our way back to the hotel, we've both spoken to our parents to let them know we're OK, but we're going back to the hotel as we kind of don't want to be on the street.' Dozens of people were hurt in the crash, some of them seriously, as local media said the car repeatedly mounted the pavement and hit people before the driver tried to flee Police say a 29-year-old German-Armenian man with joint citizenship who had been living in Berlin drove a silver Renault Clio into people on Tauentzienstrausse, a street packed with shops and cafes that is overlooked by Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, around 10.30am local time Wednesday. Witnesses said the car drove 'very fast' towards the pavement before mounting it and hitting pedestrians, then rejoined the road and drove about 600ft further down the street. The car then mounted the pavement again, hit more shoppers, and crashed through the front window of a Douglas perfume shop. The driver tried to flee the scene but was held by two passersby until police arrived. The man has been arrested, but police have refused to say whether they believe the crash was deliberate or an accident. The crash happened just yards from where an Islamist extremist killed 12 people at a Christmas market in 2016 by ramming them with a stolen van. The dead person is a teacher, Die Welt reported, with students said to be among the injured. Five of the injured are in critical condition, with another three seriously hurt, the fire department said. Speaking to Sky News, John added: 'How horrible that this morning these people got up to just go through a regular day, they were going through their daily business. I mean we were shopping, but if you think if we'd have come out of that store one minute earlier... 'We are no experts but this looks intentional,' he added. Police said: 'A man is believed to have driven into a group of people. It is not yet known whether it was an accident or a deliberate act.' Wang Yi meets with Kazakh president, stresses vigilance against external forces By Yu Xi and Zhang Changyue (Global Times) 10:00, June 08, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Kazakhstan's capital Nur-Sultan, during which he stressed the importance of vigilance to external forces attempting to involve regional countries in major-power conflicts and to coerce countries to take sides. The year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Kazakhstan. Wang said that as friendly neighbors and permanent comprehensive strategic partners, China firmly supports Kazakhstan in pursuing a development path suited to its own national conditions and believes Kazakhstan will achieve lasting peace and prosperity. Wang said the two countries are deeply concerned about the serious negative spillover impact of the Ukraine crisis. He noted that China hopes Central Asian countries can stay focused and remove external interference, strengthen coordination and cooperate to safeguard regional peace and stability. "China has never sought geopolitical interests in Central Asia, and we will never allow external forces to disrupt the region," Wang said. Tokayev appreciated China's fair position and would like to maintain close communication with China. He also advocated resolving international disputes through peaceful means. External forces mainly refer to US-led forces that aim to force Central Asian nations to take sides, while Central Asian nations wish to preserve an independent status with no interference from other countries on their sovereignty and diplomacy, Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies in Lanzhou University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. External forces may also include the forces of terrorism and extremism, of which the impact to Central Asian nations has been increasing in recent years, Zhu added. Pursuing a balanced diplomacy between great powers suits the national interest of Kazakhstan and it has been doing quite well even under in the Ukraine crisis and its large-scaled reform on its domestic political system. The US may take chances to break the balanced diplomacy and even create chaos within Kazakhstan, Zhu noted. Wang also appreciated Kazakhstan's role in preparing for the third China+Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers' meeting and noted that China is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with Central Asian neighbors. Facing the complex international and regional security situations, China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and take effective measures to maintain regional peace and stability together, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee made the remarks on Monday in a speech delivered via video link at the Parliamentary Assembly of the CSTO. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Collective Security Treaty and the 20th anniversary of the CSTO. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) The Korea Development Bank (KDB) logo is seen in front of its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo New Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman Kang Seog-hoon is facing a bumpy road with a series of politically sensitive as well as long-pending issues awaiting him. Kang was barred from entering his office on his first day of work in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday, as unionized members of the KDB were protesting his appointment. New Korea Development Bank (KDB) Chairman Kang Seog-hoon / Korea Times file It was reported that Kanye West split with his Kim Kardashian lookalike girlfriend Chaney Jones. However, it appears the duo are still going strong. On early Wednesday morning, Chaney, 24, wished the rapper, 45, a happy birthday, adding 'I love you' to the video montage. Love: It was reported that Kanye West split with his Kim Kardashian lookalike girlfriend Chaney Jones. However, it appears the duo are still going strong Chaney's video featured photos and videos of her and Kanye laughing and smiling during various dates, dispelling rumors of a split. She captioned it: 'Happy birthday I love youuuuu,' adding a black heart. Chaney also wiped out all her pictures except for two on her Instagram; they do not follow each other either. Page Six's source close to Kanye said that their relationship became 'choppy,' after their trip to Tokyo last month. Couple: On early Wednesday morning, Chaney, 24, wished the rapper, 45, a happy birthday, adding 'I love you' to the video montage Duo: Chaney's video featured photos and videos of her and Kanye laughing and smiling during various dates, dispelling rumors of a split Love: She captioned it: 'Happy birthday I love youuuuu,' adding a black heart The insider reported it was due to Kanye's erratic behavior. 'You know how things are. Tomorrow they might be posted together again,' the source said. The breakup rumor came out on Tuesday came just days after the rapper was pictured at the movies with a mystery woman, who fans believe is the glamorous influencer Monica Corgan. In the report, Kanye and Chaney allegedly ended things after their trip to Japan, but it is not clear who broke up with who, TMZ said. It was only a month ago that Chaney showed off a tattoo dedicated to the rapper on her wrist, with an inscription that read 'Ye,' the name which Kanye goes by legally. Close: She cuddled up to Kanye in one photo shared in the clip Turmoil: Page Six's source close to Kanye said that their relationship became 'choppy,' after their trip to Tokyo last month; seen on March 12 at the Miami Heat v Minnesota Timberwolves game in Miami Fans started buzzing after the social media model posted a series of snaps of herself to her Instagram page, with her left wrist in full view. Closer look: The 24-year-old Instagram influencer got his name 'Ye' tattooed on her left wrist Chaney's wrist featured the word 'Ye' - which is Kanye's name - inked permanently in black cursive handwriting. The pair were first spotted together at a party in Malibu, California, while he was still believed to be casually dating Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox. Chaney then stepped out wearing all-black clothes, including a catsuit and knee-high boots that were strikingly similar to the clothes worn by Kanye's ex-wife Kim, 41. When news broke that Kanye and Julia had split in February, rumors began that the rapper had officially moved on with Chaney, quickly becoming his next muse. Their romance: The pair were first spotted together at a party in Malibu, California, while he was still believed to be casually dating Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox; seen together on March 11 at the LA Lakers v Washington Wizards game in LA In March, Kanye is said to have gifted Chaney a rare Birkin bag worth $275,000, something that he did for both Julia Fox and his ex Kim in the past. Last week, Kanye was spotted on a cinema dating watching Top Gun: Maverick with a woman who fans claim is influencer Monica Corgan. Internet sleuths quickly pointed out that Kanye's new date looked to be Corgan, who is an Instagram model known for being an ambassador for the swimwear brand Boutine LA. 'Forgot to mentionwent to see @topgunmovie the other night and sat next to @kanyewest,' Motta wrote in the caption of the photo, which sees Ye and his companion intently taking in the action on the screen. Monica boasts 34.6K followers on her Instagram profile, and posted a snap of her legs in Balenciaga boots as she sat inside of a movie theater on the day the snap was taken. He has a type: Not much is known about her, besides the fact she is an Instagram model and dresses like Kim 'Cool girl,' she captioned the carousel of photos, which also saw her wearing Kim's favorite brand as she posed in a bathroom mirror. Interestingly enough, the two seem to have known each other for a while, as Kanye has previously mentioned Corgan's name on a song. Last year, when West and fellow rapper, Drake, were feuding, the Canadian star leaked a song by Ye and Andre 3000, titled 'Life of the Party.' In the song, Kanye is heard rapping: 'So don't text me like I'm Juanita JCV/ Or more important, Monica Corgan, who was there for me/ Somebody really there for me, was rare for me.' Movie date: Last week the Donda rapper, 45, was spotted catching a screening of Top Gun: Maverick in the presence of a blonde companion Model looks: Corgan is an Instagram model who is known for being an ambassador for the swimwear and bikini brand Boutine LA Out and about: Monica was seen on a solo outing in LA on Wednesday Chill: She sipped on her tea as she strolled around in a park Fans have also pointed out that Corgan was spotted wearing Kanye's merch, and has been seen on his tour bus several times. Since splitting with his wife Kim, Kanye has been linked to a string of other women - including model Irina Shayk - though nothing has run the distance. Meanwhile, Kim has moved on in a new relationship with SNL funnyman Pete Davidson, who was recently seen out with Kim and Kanye's son Saint. The ex: Kim Kardashian, 41, filed for divorce from the rapper in February 2021, after seven years of marriage; Pictured in 2016 On-the-go: Kanye's other ex Julia Fox was seen out and about in New York City Things are set to heat up between Love Island contestants Dami Hope and Amber Beckford as they share a kiss on Wednesday's episode. The pair were coupled up by the public on their first day in the villa but so far haven't been too romantic with each other. However, viewers will see that Amber is now keen to get to know the microbiologist better and see more of his fun side. Smooch: Things are set to heat up between Love Island contestants Dami Hope and Amber Beckford as they share a kiss on Wednesday's episode Speaking with Dami, Amber says: 'Don't be so serious with me.' Dami asks: 'Do you think I'm serious?' Amber says: 'Yeah with me a little bit.' Dami then says: 'I feel like you're too serious.' Relationship: The pair were coupled up by the public on their first day in the villa but so far haven't been too romantic with each other Amber replies: 'I'm not serious at all. I want you to be you.' Sparks are beginning to fly between the pair and later that evening they both have a chat at the bar. Dami says to Amber: 'You've been giving me eyes. I can see your eyes looking at me and I keep thinking, am I in trouble?' Amber says: 'You see me watching you! I'm intrigued by you. I'm trying to work out what you're thinking.' Dami asks: 'What am I thinking now?' Amber says: 'I don't know. You tell me.' Flirty: However, viewers will see that Amber is now keen to get to know the microbiologist better and see more of his fun side Dami says: 'I can't tell you but I can show you,' with the pair then sharing their first kiss. It comes as on Tuesday, ITV2 viewers were given a taste of what shock new contestants Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu will get up to in the villa. Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity but believes she is still single because she tends to 'fall in love too quickly'. New arrivals: It comes as on Tuesday, ITV2 viewers were given a taste of what shock new contestants Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu (pictured) will get up to in the villa The 25-year-old said: 'It just seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun, and have a bit of a summer romance as well. 'But I fall in love quickly, too quickly, two dates I am like, "OMG I am obsessed with this boy, he's everything."' Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' and isn't in the villa to make friends. The latest Islander, 27, said: 'I'm looking for that real genuine spark and they just see me as me. I think the concept of the show brings back true and raw feelings. Looking forward: Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity 'I'm quite picky and I'm not just looking for looks, I'm looking for brains! I'm looking for someone with intelligence, someone who can have good chats. 'Nothing like cockiness! I'm looking for a serious man and a serious relationship. I'll bring the whole package to the villa - drama, tears, laughter, joy, and love. 'I'm looking for the love of my life. I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on.' Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox. The trailer showing Ray Liotta in his final TV role has been released. Black Bird captures Liotta, who passed last month at age 67, playing a police officer whose imprisoned son is tasked with drawing a confession from a suspected serial killer. The sneak peek for the Apple TV+ show begins with Liotta on the phone with his son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) in prison, telling him about all the dreams he had for his child who ultimately chose a different path in life. Final project: The trailer for Black Bird, Ray Liotta's final TV project, has been released 'I never wanted this for you,' Liotta, in character as Big Jim Keene, tells his son during a phone call in prison. 'I wanted a totally different life. A steady paycheck. Kids. A family.' Throughout his admission, Jimmy is seen in his former life as a smartly-dressed young man with an arsenal of weapons and cash. But as he walks shirtless inside his elaborate home, he is arrested. 'I never wanted this for you': The sneak peek for the Apple TV+ show begins with Liotta on the phone with his son Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) in prison, telling him about all the dreams he had for his child who ultimately chose a different path in life Dreams: 'I wanted a totally different life. A steady paycheck. Kids. A family,' Jimmy tells his son in prison 'Dad, tell me there's a way out of this,' Taron asks. 'Not a quick one,' Big Jim replies. Jimmy is then seen offered a chance for freedom. Jimmy is asked to transfer to a maximum security prison specializing in the criminally insane in order to elicit a confession from a man suspected of killing 14 women. Former life: Throughout his admission, Jimmy is seen in his former life as a smartly-dressed young man with an arsenal of weapons and cash Apprehended: As he walks shirtless through his elaborate home, he is arrested 'We would like to transfer you to another prison and befriend someone to elicit a confession,' he is told. 'We suspected this man killed 14 women but we only have one of the bodies,' another chimes in. 'You want me to check into hell and befriend a demon? Not for all the money in the world,' Taron says. The man, Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), admits to having dreams of killing women - but leaves it at that Suspected: Hall is thought to have potentially killed 14 women A chance at freedom: 'We would like to transfer you to another prison and befriend someone to elicit a confession,' he is told 'How about freedom?' he is told. The man, Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), admits to having dreams of killing women - but leaves it at that. Jimmy is then informed Hall's conviction is on appeal. 'He could win and walk. You have the chance to stop him,' Jimmy is told. 'Don't approach him too early or he'll know we sent you for him,' she advises him. 'You want me to check into hell and befriend a demon?' Initially, Jimmy is not interested in taking the challenge - until it turns out he could be freed 'Why are you looking at me like that': Larry already seems to suspect something when he encounters Jimmy in prison Larry already seems to suspect something when he encounters Jimmy in prison. 'Why are you looking at me like that, like you know me?' he asks. 'Accelerate your time table. If he walks, he'll kill. Again and again,' Jimmy is told. 'If you think you could be in danger,' Larry tells Jimmy through prison bars. 'You are in danger.' Observation: Jimmy watches Hall eating from across the dining hall Coming soon: Black Bird, set for release on Apple TV+ on July 8, marks Liotta's final TV role Black Bird, set for release on Apple TV+ on July 8, marks Liotta's final TV role. Liotta was filming the thriller Dangerous Waters with Eric Dane in the Dominican Republic last month when he passed away in his sleep. Liotta was with his fiancee Jacy Nittolo when he passed away in the Dominican Republic, with sources claiming no foul play is suspected in his death. Nittolo released a statement on Instagram last month, along with a number of snaps of her with Liotta during their time together. 'My life these past couple of years have been nothing but truly magical. Ray and I share a deep love that I will cherish in my heart forever,' Jacy began. 'We laughed daily and we were inseparable. The chemistry was wild in the best way. He was everything in the world to me and we couldnt get enough of each other,' she continued. 'The kind of real love that one dreams of. He was the most beautiful person inside and out that Ive ever knownand even that is an understatement,' she concluded. Love Island bombshell Ekin-Su Culculoglu has revealed she 'isn't afraid of treading on toes' in her quest to find the 'man of her dreams' ahead of her arrival in the villa on Wednesday. The Turkish actress, 27, admitted she has no interest in finding 'seasonal girlfriends,' and after finding dating 'very hard' is determined to find 'the love of her life,' as she prepares to make her grand entrance with Afia Tonkmor. Elsewhere Afia, 25, admitted her dating history is nothing short of 'entertaining', and she can be 'a bit picky' when it comes to finding Mr Right. Daring: Love Island bombshell Ekin-Su Culculoglu has revealed she 'isn't afraid of treading on toes' in her quest to find the 'man of her dreams' ahead of her arrival in the villa on Wednesday Asked whether she'll shy away from competing with the other girls for dates, Ekin-Su said: 'I don't care about treading on toes. Of course I am there to make friends too but realistically I'm not there to make seasonal girlfriends, I'm there to find the love of my life. 'I need to find the man of my dreams so if there is another girl in the way, I don't care. I'm quite fiery and passionate so if I want something, I don't care what gets in the way.' Ekin-Su added that she decided to sign up for the show after being inspired by other Love Island success stories. Gorgeous: She will join Afia Tonkmor (pictured) entering the villa as the first bombshells of the new series, and the Lounge Hostess also reflected on her own 'entertaining' dating history She added: 'I've seen relationships that have worked out really well - and marriages! Dom and Jess, Camilla and Jamie - they've had kids as well. 'Dating for me has been very hard, especially in today's world with dating apps. It's a very false perception of somebody on these apps. 'I've found that whenever I've tried to date somebody through these apps, it's been really unsuccessful. I'm looking for that real genuine spark and they just see me as me. I think the concept of the show brings back true and raw feelings.' Candid: Asked how she prefers to meet her dream man, she added: 'I don't like any apps at all, so in a more organic way Ekin-Su, who starred in the Turkish TV series Kuzey Yildizi before landing a spot in the villa, admitted one of the reasons why she's still single is the fact that is 'quite picky and not just looking for looks.' 'I'm looking for someone with intelligence, someone who can have good chats. Nothing like cockiness! I'm looking for a serious man and a serious relationship,' she added. Meanwhile Afia, who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London, admitted she has an 'entertaining' dating history, before reflecting on one of her more distastrous dates. She said: 'I am vegan and one of the boys that I went out with took me to Meat & Liquor. I don't even drink and I am really health conscious, I don't mind a little drink here and there but I don't want to be sitting there with you eating meat and drinking Liquor. 'I sat there eating Hummus and he just wasn't getting it. He knew I was vegan as well.' Confession: Ekin-Su, who starred in the Turkish TV series Kuzey Yildizi before landing a spot in the villa, admitted one of the reasons why she's still single is the fact that is 'quite picky' Asked how she prefers to meet her dream man, she added: 'I don't like any apps at all, so in a more organic way, it's never really been hard for me because I am so friendly. 'I've always found it easy just to meet people face-to-face. I've just never met someone that I want to be with long-term.' Viewers will see Ekin-Su and Afia enter the villa on Wednesday night, after their arrivals were teased at the end of Tuesday's show. After ITV2 viewers watched Davide Sanclimenti couple up with Gemma Owen, leaving Liam Llewellyn single, they were given a taste of what's to come as Afia Tonkmor and Ekin-Su Culculoglu were unveiled as shock new contestants. Afia explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity but believes she is still single because she tends to 'fall in love too quickly.' Heating up! Viewers will see Ekin-Su (left) and Afia (right) enter the villa on Wednesday night, after their arrivals were teased at the end of Tuesday's show The 25-year-old said: 'It just seems like a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet someone, have an amazing summer, just have so much fun, and have a bit of a summer romance as well. 'But I fall in love quickly, too quickly, two dates I am like, 'OMG I am obsessed with this boy, he's everything.'' Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' and isn't in the villa to make friends. Taking her shot: Afia - who works as a Lounge Host at a Private Members Club in London - explained that signing up for the show felt like a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity Islander: Afia was joined as a new contestant by Essex actress Ekin-Su who is looking for a 'genuine spark' in her love life but admits she can be 'quite picky' No messing about: 'I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on,' she said She said: 'Nothing like cockiness! I'm looking for a serious man and a serious relationship. I'll bring the whole package to the villa - drama, tears, laughter, joy, and love. 'I'm looking for the love of my life. I'm not there to make friends. If someone wants to have an argument with me, bring it on.' The announcement was made on the same night that Liam was dumped by Gemma and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide coupled up with her. Expect the unexpected: The announcement was made on the same night that Liam Llewellyn was dumped by Gemma Owen and left on his own when Monday's bombshell contestant Davide Sanclimenti coupled up with her (Davide and Gemma pictured) However, during her first appearance on the show, London-born Afia admitted she wasn't afraid to go after someone else's man and warned her fellow females that she would 'get what she wanted.' Speaking during a pre-recorded video, she said: 'If I see a guy that I want in the villa I'm definitely going to make sure I get him. Watch out girls, I'm coming for your man!' At the end of the clip, voiceover Iain Sterling revealed the public would be able to vote on which two boys will head on a date with them. Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub. Episodes are available the following morning on BritBox. Taylor Hawkins' widow has expressed her appreciation for the 'outpouring of love' and 'kindness' she received from the Foo Fighters community in the aftermath of her husband's death. Alison Hawkins thanked fans for their support during her time of 'unimaginable grief' in her first statement following the death of her husband at age 50 in March 2022. In a message posted on behalf of the Hawkins family on Wednesday, Alison wrote: 'My deepest thanks and admiration go out to the global Foo Fighters community and Taylor's fans far and wide for the outpouring of love and each everyone one of you have shown our beloved Taylor. 'An invaluable comfort': Taylor Hawkins' widow Alison has expressed her appreciation for the 'outpouring of love' she received from the Foo Fighters community in the aftermath of her husband's death 'Your kindness has been an invaluable comfort for my family and me during this time of unimaginable grief. 'As Taylor's wife, and on behalf of our children, I want to share how much you meant to him and how dedicated he was to "knocking your socks off" during every performance. 'Taylor was honored to be a part of the Foo Fighters and valued his dream role in the band every minute of his 25 years with them. We consider every band member and the extended Foo Fighters team our family. 'Taylor's endearing spirit and deep love of music will live on forever through the collaborations he so enjoyed having with other musicians and the catalog of songs he contributed to and created. Hawkins thanked fans in her first statement following the death of her husband, who passed at age 50 in March Dedication: 'As Taylor's wife, and on behalf of our children, I want to share how much you meant to him and how dedicated he was to "knocking your socks off" during every performance,' Alison wrote (pictured 2018) 'In celebration of his life, it is now up to all of us who loved him most to honor Taylor's legacy and the music he gave us. 'Thank you all again for your love and sympathy. Taylor loved all of you & we love you too. With gratitude, Alison Hawkins.' Alison and the Foo Fighters have also announced two tribute concerts honoring the late drummer. That was then: Hawkins and his wife pictured in 2013 Paying tribute: Alison and the Foo Fighters have also announced two tribute concerts honoring the late drummer The rock band will play at London's Wembley Stadium on 3 September and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on September 27 to honour their 'beloved bandmate', who tragically passed away at the age of 50 in March. The tribute concerts have been organised by Taylor's family together with his bandmates Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear and Rami Jaffee. The Best of You band said they would be teaming up with artists who inspired and were inspired by the late musician, 'playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life'. Full details of the line-up will be announced. Taylor was found dead in his hotel room in Colombia this March. No cause of death was announced but a toxicology report showed traces of 10 different substances in his body including opioids, marijuana and anti-depressants. Advertisement Lourdes Leon has landed another high-profile fashion campaign, she shared on Wednesday with a very seductive video posted to Instagram. The 25-year-old former college student turned international supermodel was seen posing in a new video for the brand Mugler. The raven-haired cover girl - born Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon - was in a beige bondage style leotard that looked like something her mother Madonna would have worn in the 1990s. A list model: Lourdes Leon has landed another high-profile fashion campaign, she shared on Instagram on Wednesday. he star seemed to be channeling her mother Madonna, seen in 1990 Like mama: The raven-haired cover girl - born Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon - was in a beige leotard that looks like something her mother Madonna would have worn in the 1990s The nude suit is sheer in parts with straps here and there for a bondage theme that was popular 30 years ago. Stunner Lourdes also has on nude knee-high stockings with strappy heels to complete her daring look. The budding star is seen dancing slowly and in a very sultry manner while atop a vintage limousine in a photo studio that is made to look like a New York City street at night. She moves around seductively, showing off her bottom, long legs, sculpted arms and numerous tattoos. And to remind fans that she used to be a dancer, Lourdes pulls up her long, lean leg to her head, which can only be achieved by consistent practice. Mama did it first: Madonna in her Jean Paul Gaultier conical bra corset for her Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990 Very muscular: In this image, it's clear that Lourdes works out plenty as she has strong legs and arms Like a cabaret dancer at the Moulin Rouge: Leon worked hard to shake her stuff It's complicated: The nude suit is sheer in parts with straps here and there for a bondage theme. Lourdes also has on nude knee-high stockings with strappy heels In her Instagram caption she gushes over the new high-profile gig. She thanked for the job in Spanish and French while saying it was really a 'crazy journey' but she was happy to be a part of the 'fab' shoot. Mugler is the line from the late fashion designer Thierry Mugler who died in January. The current creative director is Casey Cadwallader. '@MUGLEROFFICIAL WIT. MY MAIN SQUEEEEeeeeeZE @EARTHEATER,' wrote Leon in her Instagram caption. A diva is born: She looked confident in the low cut leotard that barely covered her Toned: To remind fans that she used to be a dancer, Lourdes pulls up her leg to her head, which can only be achieved by consistent practice Dancer: The budding star is seen dancing slowly and in a very sultry manner while atop a vintage car in a photo studio 'THANK YOU GRACIAS MERCI,' wrote the star whose father in Carlos Leon, a trainer turned actor. '@cadwallader @haleywollens @torso.solutions for letting me be apart of this fab & crazy journey againnnnnn #Pur,' finished the star. Also in the campaign are Megan Thee Stallion, Bella Hadid, Chloe Sevigny, Amber Valletta, and Shalom Harlow, among others. Sexy stuff: The house of Thierry Mugler, now known as Mugler, was founded in 1973 by Manfred Thierry Mugler. In the 80s the brand took off for its very feminized and sexualized designs Butt.... let's get back to her body: The siren showed off her booty in this thong look The house of Thierry Mugler, now known as Mugler, was founded in 1973 by Manfred Thierry Mugler. In the 80s the brand took off for its very feminized and sexualized designs. It often seemed avant-garde with theatrical fashion shows. Recently Kim Kardashian has helped bring back Mugler as she has worn the designs to the Met Gala and her own The Kardashians premiere. Lourdes has done very well with her modeling career. This car was a good prop: At one point Lourdes slid her hands down the front shield window A good stretch: She leaned forward as she split her legs while giving fans that look Dancing doll: She moves around seductively, showing off her bottom, long legs, sculpted arms and numerous tattoos Not being modest: She does not seem to be too inhibited as she danced with her bottom in the air She has already worked for SKIMS, Savage x Fenty and Versace. And on social media she has been very daring. In May she was baring her underboob and almost bare bottom in a tiny thong in new selfies. Lourdes flaunted her incredible figure on in the set of titillating new photos, wear she was sporting a striped blue and white thong with matching knee-high socks. Showing off her assets: 'THANK YOU GRACIAS MERCI,' wrote the star whose father in Carlos Leon, a trainer turned actor. '@cadwallader @haleywollens @torso.solutions for letting me be apart of this fab & crazy journey againnnnnn #Pur,' finished the star Not alone: Also in the campaign are Megan Thee Stallion, Bella Hadid, Chloe Sevigny, Amber Valletta, and Shalom Harlow, among others Her long black raven tresses were parted in the middle and cascaded down her back, and she posed in front of a mirror which had a sticker with the phrase 'Exotic Princess.' The photo was part of a series for iconic New York streetwear label MadeMe, created by Erin Magee, which has enlisted Lourdes, and the likes of Paloma Elsesser and Princess Nokia for its new campaign. In a more provocative shot the star put her glutes on display as she appeared to be twerking in a bathroom, next to a friend, while wearing nothing but a tiny blue string bikini. Lourdes turned her head back and smiled, while showing off a prominent tattoo on the back of her thigh. A glow to her: Bella Hadid is seen in a sheer black leotard with a sheer black skirt as her hair is pulled back Another gal atop a car! Hadid showed off her lean frame as she was on this vehicle too In another snap, the star was seen sitting on an office desk wearing the same yellow outfit with one of her legs playfully dangling as she looked serious for the camera. While in a third photo her head was propped up on her pink cast, which had drawings and words scribbled throughout. Lourdes also posted snaps that showed her looking into the camera while taking a bath and wearing a pair of chic clear glasses. The 90s queens are back: Amber Valletta, left, was seen kissing her best supermodel friend Shalom Harlow Spicy scene for the Mugler ad: The ladies seemed to still be in top shape as they both still model She rocks a new billboard: Singer Megan Thee Stallion had on a denim look as she also wore the big hoop earrings The edgy beauty sported long silver nails and bronze eyeshadow as well as pink lipstick, and was seen submerging her head in the water while gazing into the camera. The model recently stunned at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party held in March in Los Angeles, where she looked incredible in a silver, glitter-beaded gown with a plunging neckline. Madonna met Carlos, 55, a personal trainer, in 1994. The former couple were rumored to be engaged at one point, and dated for about three years. Wow! Lourdes posted her raciest snaps yet in May with this selfie Her passion: Lourdes recently did a campaign for Savage x Fenty where she posed for a series of flirty shots in a red lingerie set and fishnets They broke up in 1997, less than a year after Lourdes was born in 1996. Troubled star Michael Madsen emerged from Italian bistro Cafe Amici in Beverly Hills on Tuesday in his first public sighting since his February 23 trespassing arrest. The Chicago-born 64-year-old cracked a smile after attending the memorial dinner for Paul Herman (The Irishman, Joy) who died on his 76th birthday back on March 29. Michael originally met the Brooklyn native in 1985 while shooting their ABC series, Our Family Honor. Out and about: Troubled star Michael Madsen emerged from Italian bistro Cafe Amici in Beverly Hills on Tuesday in his first public sighting since his February 23 trespassing arrest Paying his respects: The Chicago-born 64-year-old cracked a smile after attending the memorial dinner for Paul Herman (The Irishman, Joy) who died on his 76th birthday back on March 29 After his arrest on February 23, Madsen reportedly spent the night at the police station in Malibu before being issued a $500 citation for misdemeanor trespassing. The arrest happened six days after the Thelma & Louise alum was said to have been evicted from his $5.3M Malibu mansion, and a month after his son Hudson Lee died, age 26, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Hudson had been an active Army sergeant stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, and he confessed to Michael that he wanted to leave the Army and start a family with his wife Carlie but they had fertility problems. 'I found the biggest fertility clinic in [California]. And so I called Hud and his wife and I said, "I got you guys a doctor. It's going to cost a lot of money,"' Madsen recalled on The Up & Adam Show on April 11. Legal woes: After his arrest on February 23, Michael reportedly spent the night at the police station in Malibu before being issued a $500 citation for misdemeanor trespassing RIP: The arrest happened six days after Madsen was said to have been evicted from his $5.3M Malibu mansion, and a month after his son Hudson Lee (R, pictured in 2011) died, age 26, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Depressed: Hudson had been an active Army sergeant stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, and he confessed to the Thelma & Louise alum that he wanted to leave the Army and start a family with his wife Carlie but they had fertility problems 'I said, "Guys I got it covered. I'll take care of it. I want you guys to have a kid. Bring her here. Don't mail her eggs to some place. Why don't you guys just get on a plane and come over here and meet the people? And I'll pay for the whole f***ing thing." 'And then I get another text, "Thank you dad. I appreciate that dad. Love you dad." And it's still in my phone by the way. I never erased it and two days later we hear from the military that he shot himself.' The Incarnation actor - whose sister is Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen - said he was already in 'bad place' thanks to the pandemic and losing his house in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, and his son's death nearly destroyed him. 'I was gone, man. Mentally, I was gone. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do with myself it was a bad time, man. And it is still going on,' Michael confessed. Michael recalled on The Up & Adam Show on April 11: 'I said, "Guys I got it covered. I'll take care of it. I want you guys to have a kid. Bring her here. Don't mail her eggs to some place. Why don't you guys just get on a plane and come over here and meet the people? And I'll pay for the whole f***ing thing"' Madsen continued: 'And then I get another text, "Thank you dad. I appreciate that dad. Love you dad." And it's still in my phone by the way. I never erased it and two days later we hear from the military that he shot himself' 'Mentally, I was gone': The Incarnation actor - whose sister is Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen - said he was already in 'bad place' thanks to the pandemic and losing his house in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, and his son's death nearly destroyed him Michael confessed: 'I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do with myself it was a bad time, man. And it is still going on. Things have gotten a lot better, you know, over time. But things like this, that's the only way they ever do is time. It blew the whole family apart and it did a bad number on my head that's for sure' 'Things have gotten a lot better, you know, over time. But things like this, that's the only way they ever do is time. It blew the whole family apart and it did a bad number on my head that's for sure.' But Madsen wanted to reassure fans that's he's okay: 'Everybody can see that I'm not comatose. I'm not in a hospital. I'm not drunk. I'm not snorting drugs, you know.' The avid poet and photographer has requested a full investigation done by the military because he claims 'the officers and rank and file were shaming' Hudson for wanting therapy. Michael still has two sons - Calvin, 24; and Luke, 16 - from his 26-year marriage to third wife DeAnna Madsen as well as a daughter named Jessica. Hitting US theaters October 1! Madsen will next play The Detective in Kevin MacDonald's indie horror film The Witching Hour alongside Tony Todd and William Forsythe Muse: But the avid poet/photographer is best known for his work in Quentin Tarantino's films Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (2019) Madsen is also father to two sons - Christian, 32; and Max, 28 - from his four-year second marriage to his Season of Change co-star Jeannine Bisignano, which ended in 1995. The Until We Meet Again star will next play The Detective in Kevin MacDonald's indie horror film The Witching Hour - hitting US theaters October 1 - alongside Tony Todd and William Forsythe. But Michael is best known for his work in Quentin Tarantino's films Reservoir Dogs (1992), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (2019). In 2020, Madsen released a line of three varieties of American Bada** hot sauce - habanero mustard, garlic serrano, and whiskey BBQ. Friends of Herman: Also attending Paul Herman's memorial dinner was SNL veteran Jon Lovitz, who acted with Paul in Penny Marshall's 1988 comedy Big Big smiles: Oscar nominee Eric Roberts - pictured with Eliza, his wife of 29 years - acted with Herman in Stuart Rosenberg's 1984 film The Pope of Greenwich Village Ladies night: Linda Thompson - famed for her romances with Elvis Presley and Caitlyn Jenner - attended Paul's memorial with a gal pal (L) Emily Ratajkowski took to Instagram one day after her 31st birthday to share new bikini-clad photos. The swimwear designer flaunted her trim figure, including her pert derriere, in a turquoise two-piece with a ribbon tie in the back. The I Feel Pretty star topped her look with a brown and tan knitted bucket hat with white flowers embroidered into it. New post: Emily Ratajkowski took to Instagram one day after her 31st birthday to share new bikini-clad photos Bum's out: Her silky-textured swimsuit boasted ruching along the cups of the top and matched her cheeky bottoms The fashionable supermodel gave the images an artsy feel as she posted a couple of grainy shots that appeared to have been taken from a computer screen. She wrote in the caption, 'swipe for surprises,' and included a video of her friends wearing pieces from her brand. The mother-of-one's snapshots were taken on a beach, where sea, sand, and palm tree created a scenic backdrop. Her silky-textured swimsuit boasted ruching along the cups of the top and matched her cheeky bottoms. Dreamy: The mother-of-one's snapshots were taken on a beach, where sea, sand, and palm tree created a scenic backdrop Windswept: Her deep brunette hair was loose, falling over her chest as the wind blew it to and fro The My Body author showed off her impressive modeling chops as she struck multiple poses with her signature pout. Her deep brunette hair was loose, falling over her chest as the wind blew it to and fro. She displayed her enviable figure in the series of shots, baring her flat and toned abs in the various shots. The post racked up over 132,000 likes from her zealous following of 29.3 million on the app. Cheeky: The swimwear designer flaunted her trim figure in a turquoise two-piece with a ribbon tie in the back Add-on: She topped her look with a brown and tan knitted bucket hat with white flowers embroidered into it She geotagged her location as Hotel Esencia, where she's been spending her birthday week with girlfriends. The resort in Tulum, Mexico has been hosting the runway regular and her girl gang, where they've been partying it up pool and beachside. Taking to the photo-sharing app's Stories feature, Em shouted out the establishment as she wrote, 'The most beautiful, lovely hotel. My second time here! 'Could not be more grateful for this perfect birthday. Thank you for treating me and my ladies like queens.' The fire is still burning for Isla Fisher and husband Sacha Baron Cohen. The Aussie actress, 45, shared a photo to Instagram on Wednesday of herself on a romantic date night with the 50-year-old British funnyman. The loved-up couple, who married in 2010, smiled for a cosy selfie as Isla draped one arm around the Borat star's shoulders. Keeping the spark alive: Isla Fisher, 45, documented her date night with husband Sacha Baron Cohen, 50, on Wednesday by sharing this sweet couple selfie on Instagram 'Date night,' Isla captioned the photo of the pair's intimate evening alone together. Makeup-free Isla sported a leopard-print jumper, and allowed her fiery locks to fall loosely by her shoulders. Sacha wore a striped green jumper and sported a salt-and-pepper beard. Love at first sight: It comes after Isla revealed she fell head over heels for Sacha the first time they met. (Pictured at the Golden Globes on January 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills) It comes after Isla revealed she fell head over heels for her husband the first time they met. She made the confession on The Project in January, after host Lisa Wilkinson told her the Ali G star had recently said it was love at first sight for him - but not for her. 'I don't know why [he said that], he was joking!' the Wedding Crashers star replied. Cute: She made the confession on The Project in January, after host Lisa Wilkinson told her the Ali G star had recently said it was love at first sight for him - but not for her 'I totally loved him right away. I mean, I knew it was definitely love at first sight,' she added. Elsewhere in the interview, Isla reflected on the couple having been together for two decades - a rarity in the fickle world of showbusiness. 'I think by Hollywood standards it's probably 200 years!' she joked. 'I feel like it's a Golden Jubilee or something. Everyone was congratulating me.' Funny: 'I don't know why [he said that], he was joking!' the Wedding Crashers star replied 'It is a fun ride. I feel so lucky to have Sacha in my life. Now we have this beautiful family and we survived lockdown together, which you know, it is not easy for any couple,' Isla added. The couple celebrated their 20th anniversary in December. Isla and Sacha met at a party in Sydney in 2002, and married eight years later. 'I think by Hollywood standards it's probably 200 years!' Also in the interview, Isla reflected on the couple having been together for two decades - a rarity in the fickle world of showbusiness They are parents to three children, Olive, 12, Elula, eight, and Montgomery, four. In 2020, Isla told Marie Claire that meeting Sacha was like 'winning the lottery'. She said their relationship was built on 'a shared sense of humour and a willingness to be married'. Love: Isla and Sacha met at a party in Sydney in 2002, and married eight years later The Confessions of a Shopaholic star, who relocated to America early in her career, also admitted that 'juggling' a family in LA wasn't easy. 'There's not really a culture of bringing your kids to dinner parties or to restaurants past 6pm. I tend to entertain at home because I want to be with my family - it's easier to put your kids to bed and have a wine with friends,' she said. Isla and Sacha, along with their children, moved to Sydney in 2020, and have since relocated to Perth, Western Australia. Kelly Brook 'will marry long-term boyfriend Jeremy Parisi in July after accepting his secret marriage proposal' - and the couple have already started viewing potential venues. The popular TV and radio presenter, 42, embarked on a torrid relationship with the hunky Italian model in 2014 after watching one of his Instagram videos, and friends claim she's 'happier than ever' following the understated engagement. While the couple are yet to publicly confirm his proposal, Kelly has been seen wearing a prominent ring on her wedding finger during daily visits to Global Radio studios - where she serves as Heart Drive-Time co-host. They are now said to be considering wedding venues across Italy, and were believed to be viewing locations in 37-year old Jeremy's home-country as recently as this week. An image posted by Jeremy several days ago suggested as much, with the couple posing for a selfie alongside the abbreviated caption: 'IT.' Kelly Brook 'will marry long-term boyfriend Jeremy Parisi in July after accepting his secret marriage proposal' - and has already started viewing potential venues. A source told The Sun: 'Kelly and Jeremy are getting married this summer in Italy. They kept it quiet for as long as they could but theyre happy and cant wait to make it official. 'They flew out to Italy this week to try and settle on the perfect location, but its going to be a low-key wedding very romantic and just with closest family and friends.' Potential venues include Italian capital Rome, wine region Tuscany and Lake Como - the breathtaking Lombardy hotspot favoured by Hollywood star George Clooney and his glamorous wife Amal, who own a home there. Curious: While the couple are yet to confirm their engagement, Kelly has been wearing a very prominent ring on her wedding finger over recent months Hard to miss: It has been seen during her daily visits to Global Radio studios - where she serves as Heart Drive-Time co-host (pictured in April) The source added: 'Whichever they choose, Kelly is the happiest she has ever been. Meeting Jeremy and now planning their wedding together has been like a dream come true for her.' Kelly and Jeremy recently celebrated their seventh anniversary - which marks the day he packed up his French abode and moved in with her in Kent. Opening up about her romance with her 'best friend and soulmate', Kelly told The Mirror: 'I've found someone who can keep up with me and the lifestyle that I love. There it is: The ring was also visible as she ventured out with radio co-host Lucy Horobin in May Striking: The jewelry item was visible as the pair made their way across London's Leicester Square Smitten: The popular TV and radio presenter, 42, embarked on a torrid relationship with the hunky Italian model in 2014 after watching one of his videos 'It's the combination of having a very exciting life but also having moments where it's nice to stay home, watch Netflix and walk the dog. It's getting that balance.' The model - a lads' mag favourite in the nineties - has been engaged before to actors Jason Statham and Billy Zane, rugby player Thom Evans and Gladiator David McIntosh. She also dated rugby lothario Danny Cipriani periodically between 2008 and 2010. Number one: Kelly's relationship with her first fiance Jason Statham, now 54, lasted for seven years before they split up in 2004 (pictured 1999) Second go: Fiance number two Billy Zane, 56, is an American actor and Kelly met him on the set of Survival Island, also known as Three, in 2005 (pictured 2008) Kelly's relationship with her first fiance Jason, now 54, lasted for seven years before they split up in 2004. The action-thriller film star is now engaged to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and the pair share two children. Fiance number two Billy, 56, is an American actor and Kelly met him on the set of Survival Island, also known as Three, in 2005. They ended their relationship in 2008. Past: Scottish international rugby union player Thom Evans, 37, was Kelly's third husband-to-be, and they dated from 2010 to 2013 (pictured 2012) Short-lived romance: In at fourth, Gladiator competitor David McIntosh, now 36, and Kelly were together for less than a year before they split in January 2015 Happy: Kelly and Jeremy, who met via Instagram, recently marked their seventh anniversary - which marks the day he packed up his French abode and moved in with her (pictured 2017) Scottish international rugby union player Thom Evans, 37, was Kelly's third husband-to-be, and they dated from 2010 to 2013. The pair sadly suffered two miscarriages during their time together. The sportsman is now dating Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. In at fourth, Gladiator competitor David, now 36, and Kelly were together for less than a year before they split in January 2015. David proposed after just 11 weeks of dating before they suffered an extremely acrimonious split six months later. Of their secret to long-lasting love, Kelly recently said: 'I just think I think being older and wiser. We have the same kind of goals. Jeremy's a family man. I love being with family. We just have a lot in common.' Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Yoon Tae-sik, sixth from left in the first row, poses with participants of a workshop being hosted by the KCS in Seoul this week to deepen cooperation in trade and customs policies with African countries. Courtesy of KCS By Yi Whan-woo The Korea Customs Service (KCS) is hosting a workshop for senior customs officials from 14 African countries to bolster exports of Korea's electronic customs clearance system and to enhance cooperation in administrative policies. The workshop began in Seoul on Tuesday and will run through Friday. It invites a total of 30 participants, including two ministerial-level officials from Lesotho and Tanzania and lower-ranking officials from Angola, Burundi, Botswana, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. "This year's workshop is more meaningful considering it is taking place in person at a time when cooperation between customs authorities of the two sides is becoming increasingly important," KCS Commissioner Yoon Tae-sik said in his welcoming speech. He highlighted facilitating trade with African countries is critical after the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in January 2021. The AfCFTA is an intra-African economic bloc aimed at creating the largest common market in the world since the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995. It involves 54 out of 55 African countries. It benefits foreign companies operating in Africa by removing barriers such as tariff and helping expand the intra-continental trade of goods, services, investment, intellectual property rights and competition policy, among others. Operating under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the KCS has been pushing to export the indigenously-developed electronic customs clearance system, UNI-PASS, worldwide. Africa as a whole has been the largest customer of UNI-PASS to date, with the region accounting for 64 percent of UNI-PASS sales worth $250 million. Yoon said the workshop accordingly will be an occasion for the participants to get to know more about the system as well as Korea's knowhow in customs policies. The commissioner also asked the African countries to support Kang Tae-il, the director of Capacity Building at the World Customs Organization (WCO), in his bid to become the WCO's secretary general. The successful candidate will be announced in June. If elected, Kang will be the first Korean to serve as the head of the Belgium-headquartered WCO after it was founded in 1953. Lila Moss was among some of fashion's finest in attendance for the launch of the adidas x Gucci collection at the Peckham Liberal Club in London on Wednesday. The model, 19, flashed a hint of her toned tummy in a slinky cream blouse as she joined guests including Alexa Chung, David Furnish and her father Jefferson Hack at the event. Lila, who is the daughter of fashion icon Kate Moss, showcased her svelte physique in the pyjama-esque cream silk blouse, teamed with red trousers emblazoned with Gucci's signature print. Looking lovely! Lila Moss, 19, was among some of fashion's finest in attendance for the launch of the adidas x Gucci collection at the Peckham Liberal Club in London on Wednesday The young model accessorised her look with red and grey trainers and a simple chain-strapped black bag at the launch party. Also in attendance was her journalist father Jefferson, who was accompanied by model Anna Cleveland at the star-studded occasion. Joining Lila at the launch party was designer Alexa, who showcased her own quirky sense of style in a cropped cream cardigan and a matching midi skirt from the Adidas collection. Stylish: The model flashed a hint of her toned tummy in a slinky cream blouse as she joined guests at the event Edgy: Lila showcased her svelte physique in the pyjama-esque cream silk blouse, teamed with red trousers emblazoned with Gucci's signature print Stylish: The young model accessorised her look with red and grey trainers and a simple chain-strapped black bag at the launch party Outing: Also in attendance was her journalist father Jefferson, who was accompanied by model Anna Cleveland at the star-studded occasion The fashion favourite accessorised her outfit with a simple Gucci handbag and black pointed-toe heels. Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure's look was aptly inspired by Adidas sporting roots, as she donned one of the brand's T-shirts with oversized jeans. Tiger Lily Taylor cut an edgy figure in a mustard yellow satin crop top and matching harem trousers, and she completed her look with a matching leather jacket. Glam: Joining Lila was designer Alexa Chung, who showcased her own quirky sense of style in a cropped cream cardigan and a matching midi skirt from the Adidas collection Here she is! The fashion favourite accessorised her outfit with a simple Gucci handbag and black pointed-toe heels Low-key: Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure's look was aptly inspired by Adidas sporting roots, as she donned one of the brand's T-shirts with oversized jeans Mollie King also put on a leggy display in an edgy white blazer dress and black playform heels as she arrived for the evening. Kate shares daughter Lila with Jefferson, with whom she was in a relationship in the early Noughties. Jefferson and Kate - who dated from 2001 to 2004 with Lila being born in 2002 - have an amicable relationship and would ensure their daughter spent a regular amount of time with each of them in her childhood. Sophisticated: Mollie King also put on a leggy display in an edgy white blazer dress and black playform heels as she arrived for the evening Daring: Tiger Lily Taylor cut an edgy figure in a mustard yellow satin crop top and matching harem trousers, and she completed her look with a matching leather jacket Smart: David Furnish cut a suave figure in a bold Gucci blazer as he arrived for the party While Lila still has a good relationship with both parents, she is often seen out with mum Kate as she is signed to her modelling agency. Lila is also now the director of her own company, Grace Grove Ltd, a move that coincides with supermodel mum Kate winding down three of her firms. The name of the company is a nod to The Grove, the family home in North London, which Kate sold recently. Together: Nick Grimshaw was accompanied by his fiance Meshach Henry as the duo headed to the launch party together Sharna Burgess celebrated her baby shower with a who's who of Dancing With The Stars pros. Sharna, 36, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Brian Austin Green, celebrated her growing family with the likes of Lindsay Arnold, Peta Murgatroyd, and Emma Slater. Lindsay posted video of the festivities to her social media channels, where guests noshed on crackers, grapes, cheese, and more. Hey mama! Sharna Burgess celebrated her baby shower with a who's who of Dancing With The Stars pros The brunch bash was hosted by Peta, Danielle DeGregory, and Kennedy Van Dyke and took place at The Vallavanda Manor in Santa Rosa Valley, California, according to People. DWTS pros Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach and Sofia Ghavami also stopped by for the celebrations. 'We are here celebrating the most BEAUTIFUL mama to be @sharnaburgess,' Lindsay wrote in one of the videos. 'Every detail was stunning!!' she continued in a subsequent clip. 'And the food was SOOO GOOD,' she continued. Look who's here! Sharna, 36, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Brian Austin Green, celebrated her growing family with the likes of Lindsay Arnold, Peta Murgatroyd, Emma Slater, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach and Sofia Ghavami Showering her with love! Lindsay posted video of the festivities to her social media channels, where guests noshed on crackers, grapes, cheese, and more She also gushed of Sharna as 'genuinely the most stunning mama to be!! Beyond happy for you Sharn.' Brian and Sharna have been in a relationship since October 2020 and announced they were expecting their first child together last February. He was married to Megan Fox, 36, from 2010 to 2021 and they have sons Noah, nine, Bodhi, eight and five-year-old Journey together. Fun with friends: Lindsay posted video of the festivities to her social media channels, where guests noshed on crackers, grapes, cheese, and more Yay! The brunch bash was hosted by Peta, Danielle DeGregory, and Kennedy Van Dyke and took place at The Vallavanda Manor in Santa Rosa Valley, California, according to People Oh baby! 'We are here celebrating the most BEAUTIFUL mama to be @sharnaburgess,' Lindsay wrote in one of the videos Brian also has 20-year-old son Kassius with former fiancee and Beverly Hills, 90210 castmate Vanessa Marcil, 53. Sharna and Brian competed together on season 30 of Dancing With The Stars and were the third couple eliminated in October 2021. Brian is best known for his portrayal of David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210 from 1990 to 2000. Australian-born Sharna revealed the pregnancy in a February 16 post on Instagram that featured Brian and his three younger sons patting her baby bump. 'And suddenly my world would never be the same,' she said. 'Forever greater, forever expanded and deeper. Forever abundant and unconditional. Baby Boy July 4th (ish) 2022.' They may be coupled up, but Love Island fans are already predicting there could be 'trouble ahead' for Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page, as they compared them to the doomed 2019 pairing Amy Hart and Curtis Pritchard. After Andrew's attempts to apologise to Luca Bish for implying Tasha wasn't interested in him, fans took to social media to question whether the coupling could already by hitting trouble waters. It came as viewers saw Andrew profusely apologise to Luca for misleading him in Wednesday's show, with the hunk insisting he'd 'never jeopardise anyone's chances with a girl.' Seem familiar? Love Island fans are already predicting there could be 'trouble ahead' for Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page In the show's opening moments, Andrew was keen to know how Luca felt about Tasha and speaking at the fire pit, Luca said: 'She's attractive. She pulled me for a chat.' But that evening as the Islanders got ready for bed, Andrew suggested to Tasha that Luca isn't keen on pursuing things with her. The next day, Tasha and Luca had a chat and Tasha says: 'What are your thoughts? Just be open and honest.' Throwback! Many fans took to social media to compare the couple to the doomed 2019 pairing Amy Hart and Curtis Pritchard Luca said: 'I fancy you. There is no denying that. I want to keep getting to know you but sharing a bed with another person is so hard.' Tasha replied: 'It's a weird one isn't it, because me and Andrew share a bed and we cuddle.' Tasha then revealed how Andrew told her that Luca doesn't have his sights set on her and Luca is left less than impressed. Speaking with Paige in the kitchen, Luca said: 'I've got to have a word with Andrew. He's snaking me.' Suspicious: During Wednesday's show Luca Bish began to question Andrew's loyalty, as the two of them vied over Tasha's affections Wants to know the goss: Andrew was keen to know how Luca felt about Tasha and speaking at the fire pit, Luca said: 'She's attractive. She pulled me for a chat' Later that evening, Luca decided to question Andrew about his conversation with Tasha. As Luca said: 'For Tasha she was actually upset. It sounds like you kind of just said it, but I never dog a boy out to get to a girl,' Andrew replied: 'My point was never to do that. 'It was an honest mistake I'd never jeopardise anyone's chances with any other girls. Especially my mates I'd never do that on purpose.' Candid: The next day, Tasha and Luca had a chat and Tasha said: 'What are your thoughts? Just be open and honest' Romance: On Tuesday night's show things heated up between Andrew and Tasha as the two shared a kiss, having locked lips during the earlier airport challenge Drama: Later that evening, Luca (left) decided to question Andrew (right) about his conversation with Tasha, with the pair clearing the air after he profusely apologised Speaking later in the Beach Hut, Luca said: 'We need to move on and get back to how we were. My most important thing is for everyone in the villa not to feel awkward.' Andrew went onto pull Tasha aside for a chat, apologising for his behaviour, and she admitted she wanted to 'slow things down' between them. Despite it being just three days into the series, viewers were quick to predict that things could end in heartbreak between Tasha and Andrew, comparing them to the doomed 2019 couple Amy and Curtis. Taking to Twitter, several viewers shared comparison images of Tasha and Andrew alongside Amy and Curtis. One wrote: 'We need more season 5 vibes, Amber and Michael's Casa Amor fallout, Maura putting Tom in his place, Ovie memes, Anna's 'two days.. TWO. DAYES'' Belle and Anton, Curtis and Amy coffeegate, just arguments all the time.' 'Anyone else looking at Tasha & Andrew & just getting those Amy & Curtis vibes?? There may be trouble ahead,' another added. A third tweeted: 'Tasha and Andrew are headed straight for Amy and Curtis territory, I'm calling it now.' One viewer also posted: 'Just waiting for Tasha and Andrew to be the next Amy and Curtis.' It's going to happen! Despite it being just three days into the series, viewers were quick to predict that things could end in heartbreak between Tasha and Andrew Amy and Curtis famously coupled up on the first day of the series, and things appeared to be going well until the infamous Casa Amor, when Curtis' head was turned by Jourdan Riane. Amy was stunned to learn that Curtis had been tempted after he decided to stick with her at the recoupling, and in an iconic moment confessed she was about to declare her love for him. The emotional impact of Curtis' betrayal became too much for Amy, and she quit the villa just days later, with the dancer going onto pursue, and date, Maura Higgins for seven months after the show. Falling apart: Amy and Curtis famously coupled up on the first day of the series, but their relationship crumbled after the dancer's head was turned in Casa Amor Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party (PPP) / Yonhap North Korea will receive nothing from provocations but sanctions and punishment from the international community, the floor leader of the ruling party said Wednesday amid concerns the North could conduct its seventh nuclear weapon test in the coming days. Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party (PPP) made the remarks in a consultative meeting with officials from the ruling party, the government and the presidential office, including Foreign Minister Park Jin and Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop. "North Korea's armed provocations, as well as nuclear tests, are simply reckless gambling with the lives of North Koreans," Kweon said. "We are giving them a clear warning." On Sunday, North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, which was its 18th show of force this year and the third since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office May 10. The anticipation for Pyongyang's nuclear test has been also growing after South Korean and U.S. officials said the North appeared to have completed all necessary preparations. "We will be no longer pushed around by North Korea," Kweon said. "Our stance is that we will firmly respond to provocations based on the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance and cooperation with the international community, though we will also continue our efforts for humanitarian support and dialogue." In the meeting, Defense Minister Lee said the security situation on the Korean Peninsula was "very grave" and that the country would maintain a tight readiness posture. "In order to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, we will beef up our execution power in regards to the U.S. extended deterrence commitment and strengthen our three-axis system," he said. Extended deterrence is the notion that the U.S. would deploy its full range of military assets to defend its ally, South Korea, in the event of an emergency. The so-called three-axis system is designed to counter the North's security threats. It consists of the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation, an operational plan to incapacitate the North Korean leadership in a major conflict, the Kill Chain preemptive strike platform, and the Korea Air and Missile Defense system. (Yonhap) Ruling People Power Party (PPP) Chairman Lee Jun-seok met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discussed various support measures and development cooperation between the two countries, party officials said Wednesday. The meeting took place Monday, the third day of Lee's visit to Ukraine as head of a PPP delegation of about 10 people, including lawmakers, the party said in a press release without providing details, such as the meeting place, due to security reasons. During the meeting, officials from Ukraine's presidential office were said to have asked for military aid and made proposals on Korea's participation in post-war reconstruction projects of war-torn cities. Lee told the Ukraine officials he would deliver what they had said to President Yoon Suk-yeol. He also delivered a message of support, saying Korea will continue to help Ukraine find peace. "We also went through a difficult war in the past and I believe the difficulty can be overcome in a similar way," Lee was quoted as saying. "What is urgently needed is international solidarity centered on freedom and peace." On the same day, the PPP delegation also met with Oleksandr Korniyenko, the chief deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, and other parliamentary officials. Lee and Korniyenko discussed how Korean companies with advanced technologies can provide "practical support" to rebuild Ukraine, according to the press release. "The Korean government has already provided US$10 million in humanitarian aid, but we are reviewing additional support considering the situation in Ukraine," Lee said. The PPP delegation entered Ukraine from Poland, Saturday, and plans to return home later this week. (Yonhap) Hyderabad: BJP M. Raghunandan Rao, who stirred a hornet's nest when he displayed a video of the alleged involvement of the son of an MIM MLA in the May 28 gangrape of a minor girl at Jubilee Hills, was booked by the Abids police following a complaint that he had revealed the identity of the victim. Advocate Karam Komireddy, who lodged the complaint, stated that the MLA in his June 4 press meet had revealed photographs and video clips of the minor victim holding the MLAs son responsible for the gangrape. The BJP leader said that the registering of a case against him was like 'shooting the messenger'. He said he was careful not to display, or provide any information pertaining to the victim during his press conference. It may be recalled that the BJP Dubbak MLA had displayed a video clip shot inside the red Mercedes Benz car, which he said was proof of the MIM MLA's son's involvement in the gangrape incident. Speaking to mediapersons later, Raghunandan Rao said the registering of a case against him was like 'shooting the messenger'. He said he was careful not to display, or provide any information, pertaining to the victim during his June 4 press conference. "DCP Joel Davis declared that the MLA's son was not in the car. All I did was to present evidence to the contrary. How could the DCP declare the innocence of the MLA's son within two hours of a Tweet from minister K.T. Rama Rao, which came within three hours of I holding a press meet," he asked. "Now the police are talking about including him (the MLAs son) as A6 or A7 after seeking legal opinion. How is this happening? Why not arrest him as an accused," the MLA said. Rghunandan Rao then said: "There was no information on the cars used in the crime. There was no information on who were involved. But a clean chit was given to the MLA's son. If the police have registered a case, I am willing to attend the hearings in the court and present my case," he said. In fact, he said, as per provisions under the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014, he should be protected. "There are several further questions. If the police want to know about the video clip, they should first find out who shot the video in the car. I am certain they have the phones of the accused with them. If so, have they seen the contents on the phones? They should find out why the video was shot, how it went out and got shared," he told Deccan Chronicle. The case against him, he said, showed where the priorities of the police lay in the case, that of harassing those demanding justice for a minor girl, who is a victim of a gangrape by sons of influential people in the TRS and the AIMIM. On Congress leaders demanding his arrest, he advised that these leaders who had been ministers in the past should instead demand that the culprits be caught and stand up on behalf of the victim, and not protect TRS and MIM leaders. He said the police had not approached him to inquire about the evidence that was in his possession. "If they do not come, I will wait for a couple of days, and then meet with the DGP and show the evidence. My effort is to seek justice for the victim," he said. "I condemn the case against Raghunandan Rao. This is targeting of the person who showed the evidence that the police ignored, it smacks of the government's deliberate attempts to divert attention from the real crime. Congress leaders have joined hands with the TRS and the MIM to malign the truth. I appeal to the police to at least now do their jobs properly and arrest the culprits in the case." - D.K. Aruna BJP vice-president "If the MLA's son is involved, as per evidence that has been shown so far, he must be arrested under the POCSO Act. We will be assembling at the High Court on Wednesday afternoon to condemn and protest against the atrocities on minor girls and women, failure of law and order, and violation of human rights in Telangana" - Ravinder Vishwanath TS BJP Legal Cell convener "The government by filing cases against Raghunandan Rao is trying to throttle the voices demanding justice for the gangrape victim. The TRS government is filing cases against me. Such threats will not deter us. The BJP will not allow TRS and AIMIM to get away with crimes." - D. Raja Singh BJP floor leader The post of CDS has been vacant after the death of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in December last year. (ANI) New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday amended service regulations to allow serving and retired four- and three-star officers (General and Lieutenant General and equivalent ranks from other services), under the age of 62 years to be appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). The post of CDS has been vacant after the death of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in December last year. The CDS is the single-point military advisor to the government. This is for the first time that retired Lts. General, Air Marshals and Vice-Admirals will also be eligible for the post of CDS. Sources said this would widen the talent pool from which government could appoint the country's top military commander. The amendment also makes recently retired service chiefs practically ineligible for the post a majority of them usually demit office at the age of 62. The government issued separate notifications as part of the Army Act, the Navy Act and the Air Force Act, to allow a serving or retired Lt General, Air Marshal or Vice-Admiral to be appointed as the CDS. "The Central government may, if considered necessary, in public interest, so to do, appoint as Chief of Defence Staff, an officer who is serving as Lieutenant General or General or an officer who has retired in the rank of Lieutenant General or General but has not attained the age of sixty-two years on the date of his appointment," the notification issued under the Army Act 1950 said. It further said that the government may extend the service of the Chief of Defence Staff for such a period as it may deem necessary subject to a maximum age of 65 years. Identical notifications were issued under the Air Force Act 1950 and the Navy Act 1957. Mumbai: As the aid of independents and smaller parties has assumed great significance, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has hinted at giving support to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for the Rajya Sabha polls in Maharashtra. If they want our support, they should contact us, said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Nanded on Tuesday. The Hyderabad-based party has two members in the 288-member Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha, which will elect the six members of Rajya Sabha on June 10. For the six Rajya Sabha seats, BJP has fielded three candidates, NCP and Congress one each and Shiv Sena two. As there are seven candidates in fray for the elections, the support of independents and small parties has become decisive in the polls. In the 288-member Assembly, MVA partners Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have 55, 53, and 44 legislators respectively. The BJP has a maximum of 106 MLAs, while AIMIM and Samajwadi Party have two MLAs each. Based on their current strength in the Assembly, Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are confident of winning one seat each whereas BJP is poised to win two seats. However, the saffron party has claimed that it will bag three seats in the Upper House from Maharashtra. The AIMIM held a meeting in Nanded on Monday, but the party could not decide on its support to the MVA or the BJP. Let Maha Vikas Aghadi ask us openly for support if they really want BJP to be defeated. But no one from the MVA has contacted us or our MLAs in Maharashtra. If they want our support, they should contact us, said Owaisi on Tuesday. If they don't want our support, it is ok. We are talking to our MLAs. We will take a decision in a day or two, he added. Partys Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel said that his party would also discuss certain issues related to constituencies of AIMIM MLAs and seek solution from the MVA government. We will keep those issues before the government also. If the MVA wants to defeat the BJP, they should openly seek support of the AIMIM, he said. However, the MVA government may find itself in quandary over the decision to take AIMIMs support due to the recent controversy over Aurangazebs tomb. Last month, Akabaruddin Owaisi had visited the tomb in Khultabad. The visit had evoked a sharp reaction with the Sena calling it an insult to Maharashtra. HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a one-of-a-kind meeting with BJP corporators from Hyderabad and called upon them to work closely with the people. He told them that if they continued to work hard, then victory would be possible. Modi, who agreed to a request from the state BJP leaders for the meeting, later Tweeted stating that the meeting saw wide-ranging discussions on focus on community service endeavours and help people at the grassroots. He further said, The BJP will work for good governance and ending dynastic misrule in Telangana. Seventy-eight BJP leaders, including 46 corporators, met Modi at his official residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi. The state BJP leaders had hoped that Modi would be able to have an interaction with the party leaders from the city during his short visit to the city on May 26, but that did not materialise. This had led to some disappointment and noticing the discontent among the city party leaders, the state leadership requested Modi for an interaction. The BJP has been making it clear at every opportunity that it is now determined to win the next Assembly elections in Telangana, and a series of visits by Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, party president J.P. Nadda and senior leaders has underlined the importance the party is placing on Telangana. Though there were some muted rumbles in the Hyderabad BJP every now and then that, it was not figuring in anything important that the party was doing in the state, Tuesdays meeting at the Prime Ministers official residence is expected to give a big shot of energy for the BJP in the city. The meeting was scheduled for 30 minutes. But with Modi speaking individually to the corporators asking them about their well-being, about their spouses, and children, the meeting went on for nearly an hour. When some of the corporators asked Modi to visit the Bhagyalakshmi temple at Charminar when he is in the city during the first week of July for the BJPs national executive meet, Modi replied in the affirmative. Moosapet corporator Mahender said, The Prime Minister told us that if we worked hard, the BJP would win. He complimented us for our win in the GHMC polls. Be with the people. You are the party. Your behaviour will reflect on the party, he said. The meeting was also attended by Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, the recently elected Rajya Sabha member and senior party leader Dr K. Laxman, MLA D. Raja Singh, former MLAs N.V.S.S. Prabhakar and Ch. Ramachandra Reddy, and former MLC N. Ramchander, along with party spokesperson N.V. Subhash. Before meeting Modi, the BJP corporators who were hosted in the afternoon by Kishan Reddy at his residence and met with Union minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, visited the BJP national headquarters and had a brief meeting with B.L. Santosh, the partys national general secretary. South Korea pledged to provide $1.2 million in additional aid to Ukraine to support safe operations of nuclear power plants of the war-ravaged country, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. South Korean representatives announced the plan during a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in Vienna, Austria, which opened Monday. The aid, to be provided through the U.N. organization, will be used for safety measures related to nuclear reactors, including the dispatch of related IAEA personnel and Ukraine's procurement of necessary equipment and materials, the ministry said. South Korea has sent about $40 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February. Most recently, Seoul provided $3 million to the World Food Programme's emergency relief project last week. Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik, who is visiting Seoul, met with Foreign Minister Park Jin. He also held talks with Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon on Tuesday. A ministry official said Senik requested Seoul provide weapons necessary to fight against Russia and participate in rebuilding the country. "We responded by affirming we have been supporting the Ukrainian people with a focus on humanitarian aid and will continue assistance in this manner," the official said. (Yonhap) The Centre often claims that it is very sensitive to the needs of the Northeastern states. Now it faces an issue in Mizoram that will test its claim. For some time now, major civil society groups in the state have been campaigning with the Centre to replace the states chief secretary Renu Sharma with an officer who can speak Mizo, the native tongue. The protesters say that, while they have nothing personal against Ms Sharma, her inability to communicate in Mizo is a problem and creates administrative hurdles. The protests have turned public only because the Centre has repeatedly ignored the demand of the Mizo public. The controversy is not new. This column had earlier reported how Ms Sharma, an AGMUT cadre officer of the 1988 batch, was appointed by the Centre to the post in October last year after the retirement of her predecessor Lalnunmawia Chuaungo. Oddly, on the same day, chief minister Zoramthanga named additional chief secretary J.C. Ramthanga to the same post. The confusion ended when the Centres nominee prevailed and Ms Sharma took charge. The opposition to Ms Sharma, observers say, has the tacit support of the state government, which may explain why the issue has not died down. It may also be why the Centre is treading carefully on the issue, knowing that any wrong move can escalate the tense situation. The buzz is that the Home Ministry may decide to err on the side of caution and bury the issue quietly by acquiescing to the demand for Ms Sharmas removal. Sector swap Public or private sector? Where is the grass greener? In these enlightened times, apparently on both sides. Sources have informed DKB that the Centre is actively considering hiring a private sector executive for the top post at the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The post has been vacant since the retirement of Shashi Shanker in March last year. The governments search-cum-selection committee is reportedly planning to seek out private sector executives as well as eligible candidates from within the government. The view is that a private sector honcho is more likely to help revamp the company, increase its risk-taking capability and enhance efficiency. To sweeten the deal, the government is weighing options to offer a lucrative compensation too. Meanwhile, several corporate houses in Tamil Nadu believe hiring ex-IAS officers makes a lot of business sense. An IAS officer does not lose relevance after superannuation but is often capable of donning a new avatar. Recently, two leading corporates of Chennai drafted two former IAS officers R. Gopalan and M.F. Farooqui as chairpersons of their companies. Of course, both ex-babus have served on the boards of these companies for some time, but their elevation to the top slot has made a lot of people sit up and take notice. Possibly, these babus who have long years of experience serving at the Centre and the state will bring a new perspective, especially on how to navigate the tricky corridors of bureaucracy. It is a win-win proposition for both ex-babus and their new corporate masters. IAS crunch continues as govt goes slow on intake When the Centre promised minimum government, maximum governance, it is pretty certain that it did not mean cutting down the number of IAS officers. Yet, that is what it has allowed to happen. Despite suffering a crunch of IAS officers for more than a year now, the government has done little to improve the intake of officers in the service. The recent UPSC civil service exam results have shown that the intake of IAS officers is 180, the same as it was in 2014 when Modi became the Prime Minister. The total intake of officers in the civil service has gone down to 749 officers last year from 1,228 in 2013. Earlier in March, a report of the parliamentary standing committee on personnel had recommended that the department of personnel and training (DoPT) increase the intake of IAS officers, but the government has not moved on the issue. Why is it dragging its feet? Some observers feel that the answer depends on the cadre review. The government is still working on an acceptable formula and does not wish to increase the intake of officers suddenly, since it may be perceived as a knee-jerk reaction. So the low intake is due to the government trying to restructure the system. Again, we dont know how long that exercise will continue. India looks good. Especially from the outside and, better still, from a distance. Yet, the mad scramble to surrender Indian citizenship even New Delhis ministry of external affairs confirms that more than six lakh Indians gave up their nationality between 2016 and 2021 suggests a sinking ship. Not that theres any sign of crisis at home. A political party with an assured vision of the future and a strong sense of power has controlled large swathes of territory since 2014. Indian cities bustle with glittering shops and smart restaurants as never before. Thanks to the reforms introduced by P.V. Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh in 1991, the middle class doubled in size from 300 million to 600 million. Dr Singhs abolition of wealth tax undoubtedly helped to create 166 dollar billionaires, third only to the United States and China. The ripples of this wealth extend far beyond Indias shores, making Akshata Murthy, wife of Britains chancellor of the exchequer (finance minister) Rishi Sunak and daughter of N.R. Narayana Murthy, who co-founded the tech giant Infosys, richer than Queen Elizabeth II. Resplendent in picturesque ensembles, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi exudes confidence when he speaks on a few selected topics of his choice. Abroad, his government negotiates spiritedly with the United States, Japan and Australia over the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, Quad for short, and nuclear submarines for Australia. Despite a huge disparity between the Indian and Chinese economies and the setback in Indias own border conflicts, Mr Modis India is seen as a robust deterrent to Chinese expansionism. Why then the paradox of Indians seeking to flee what should be a land flowing with milk and honey? Why does the number of Indians applying for foreign citizenship and residency rights abroad go up every month? Why should a leading Indian politician, Mani Shankar Aiyar of the Opposition Congress Party, claim that Indians living along the border with China are consumed with envy for the simply spectacular development on the Chinese side? Perhaps theres a certain mismatch between Indias rhetoric and reality. The language is uncompromisingly modern. Digital India has become a way of life, Mr Modi booms from a series of public platforms. But not for everyone. The updated passbooks of two leading banks, Punjab National in the public sector, and IndusInd, which the billionaire Hindujas founded in Mumbai, recall the old joke that if a monkey were let loose on a typewriter for a thousand years, it could not but produce a masterpiece. This mismatch is reflected in the unattractive quality of life for the vast majority of Indians, the result of persistently insufficient attention to factors like housing, hospitals, schools, public transport, hygiene, sanitation and the environment. A Singapore institutes comparative study of public health in China and India compared Chinas free-for-all state-run health system with Indias expensive private clinics, which only the rich can afford. There was no Indian equivalent of the Chinese system. Indias Centre for Science and Environment recently announced that a mind-boggling 71 per cent of Indians cannot afford healthy food. India dumps 72 per cent of its sewage without treatment, mostly into water bodies, and 30 per cent of the country is geographically degraded. More than 29 farmers and farm labourers commit suicide every day. Yet, the world courts India. That is not because India is the largest democracy in the world, as we are so fond of repeating, or because ancient Hindu seers and sadhus have supposedly enriched us with the wisdom of the ages, but because, as Pope Pius II wrote in the 15th century, when Venice was at the height of its imperial glory, every Venetian was a slave to the sordid occupations of trade. Six centuries later, that was the raison detre of a dynamic Singapore and the basis of Lee Kuan Yews courtship of India. Similarly, US President George W. Bush Jr did everything he could to secure a profitable partnership with a rising India. He explained his rationale with remarkable candour to the Asia Society in Washington on the eve of visiting New Delhi in 2006: India is now one of the fastest-growing markets for American exports, and the growing economic ties between our two nations are making American companies more competitive in the global marketplace. And thats helping companies create good jobs here in America. Indian politicians are not usually very receptive to such essays in pragmatism. Think of the buying power of a billion Indians, President Bush urged. Think of the scope for selling Dominos pizzas and Whirlpool washing machines in an upwardly mobile nation with the largest middle class in the world. By bestowing on India such a special position in the global nuclear pecking order, Mr Bush hoped to unleash Indias economic potential so that more Indians could afford more Dominos pizzas and Whirlpool washing machines. Even President Barack Obamas later visit was measured by the number of jobs it had created for Americans. Two recent seeming hiccups in the relationship bear noting. The first arises from India being the worlds third-largest consumer of oil, over 80 per cent of which is imported. Only around two per cent of Indias total oil imports last year came from Russia, but even this displeases President Joe Biden, who is bent on punishing Moscow for invading Ukraine. Second, the 2021 edition of the US state departments annual report on International Religious Freedom prompted US secretary of state Antony Blinken to accuse India, the worlds largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths of rising attacks on people and places of [Muslim] worship. Both are serious charges but Prime Minister Modi need not be too worried. As already noted, the Americans are pragmatists, and will not break with India so long as a flourishing economy allows Indians to buy American. But danger might lurk ahead. In April, the International Monetary Fund lowered Indias growth projection to 8.2 per cent against the nine per cent estimated in January. Next years figure might be 6.9 per cent. The Reserve Bank of India forecasts an even less encouraging 5.7 per cent. Now, despite the differences over Russia and Muslim rights, the White House spokesperson dismisses any question of adversarial exchanges between Mr Biden and Mr Modi. Its a relationship that is vitally important to the United States and to the President. He might not be quite so accommodating if a flagging economy restricts the scope of Indian purchases. After all, trade is a nations lifeblood. Several states have of late reported a spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases, which could possibly trigger the scare of a fourth wave of the pandemic. As in the earlier waves, Maharashtra and its capital Mumbai, national capital Delhi and the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have all reported a sharp increase in the test positivity rate as well as the number of daily caseload. Mumbai alone accounts for more than 1,000 of 4,000-odd new case being reported these days. The timing of the sharp rise as it comes at a time when schools in most states are reopening offers a serious challenge to the governments. Most educational institutions, especially schools, were shut most of the days in the last two years, robbing a good share of students the idea of the life on campus. Reports on online classes make it evident that despite our claims of technological advancements, a considerable number students had no access to the tools and connectivity and had practically lost education for two years. The socially and economically disadvantaged sections of society were the most affected by the pandemic. While the government ensures that vaccination programme is on course and continuously monitors the healthcare infrastructure in the country, it should make a realistic assessment of our ability to reach out to the students should the schools be closed again. A total shut down of the economy is an unlikely possibility but education institutions, by their very nature, can make themselves Covid clusters and may be the first in the line to shut the doors. Last mile connectivity is still an issue in India, especially in rural areas while access to technological tools poses a challenge in urban and rural areas alike. The government must have a game plan on how to address them, should things come to such a pass. In a bid to conserve energy, the cash-strapped Pakistan government has decided to ban wedding functions in Islamabad city after 10 pm and shut markets across the country at 8.30 pm, according to media reports on Wednesday. Pakistan, which is facing a worsening power crisis, has taken various steps to bring down the consumption of electricity to reduce load shedding, will now ban wedding functions after 10 pm in Islamabad with effect from June 8, Geo News reported. The current power crisis in the country, which has also affected Pakistan's economy, has forced the National Economic Council (NEC) to order the closure of markets across the country at 8:30 pm (local time). Also Read | Facing 'severe' energy crisis, Pakistan reverts to five-day work week The Wednesday decision, taken during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by the chief ministers of all provinces, except for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM, was taken in order to deal with the energy crisis. A statement issued to this effect added that chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan have sought two days' time to hold consultations with the traders association, but agreed to the move. Power Minister Khurrum Dastagir in an address to the press said the early closure of markets and work-from-home arrangements could save electricity. The electricity being produced in the country is 22,000 MW and the requirement is 26,000 MW, said the minister, adding that there was about 4,000 MW energy shortfall in the country. The federal cabinet has also restored the Saturday holiday in government offices to curb the use of energy and gradually bring down electricity load shedding to two hours a day by the end of June. The Daily Times newspaper quoting sources reported that the restriction on wedding functions in the country's capital is being implemented on the instructions of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The Islamabad Police and city administration have been directed to strictly implement the ban, the sources said. The sources said that in case of violation, strict action will be taken by the Islamabad administration. Geo News also reported that only one dish will be allowed at the wedding functions in the capital. A notification to this effect will be issued soon, it said. With the economy in tatters and political instability looming large due to protests by former prime minister Imran Khan, there is an increasing threat of Pakistan going the Sri Lankan way if quick measures are not taken. Prime Minister Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan did not have enough money to buy oil and gas, ARY News reported. Long queues were witnessed outside fuelling stations in Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad as panic-stricken citizens, following Finance Minister Miftah Ismail's remarks about a possible hike, queued up at petrol pumps while several filling stations shut down, forcing the finance minister to issue a clarification saying the government was not planning to further increase fuel prices. While addressing a day-long pre-budget business conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Sharif said there could be no economic stability without political stability in the country, adding that there was the need for a Charter of Economy, which would lead to long-term stability. Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves are under severe stress and declined by $190 million to $10.308 billion during the week ended on May 6, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Pakistan is looking towards the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to restore a $6 billion package agreed in 2019. So far half of the promised money had been given. Pakistan would immediately get a $1 billion loan tranche from the IMF once the two sides sort out their differences, according to media reports. Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has issued a chilling warning of carrying out 'suicide bombings' in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat in a bid to avenge the insult to the Prophet Mohammed. "The saffron terrorists should now await their end in Delhi, Bombay, UP and Gujarat. They should find refuge neither in their homes nor in their fortified army cantonments," a threat letter by the AQIS read. It said that the "hearts of Muslims all over the world are bleeding" and are filled with feelings of revenge and retribution. Also Read BJP lists Dos & Don'ts for spokesperson after Nupur Sharma fiasco Former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma had allegedly made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed following which she was suspended by the party. The controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma set off an international furore. Several Muslim nations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia and Iran, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have officially protested their statements and demanded an apology. However, the chilling threat issued by AQIS has alerted the security agencies in the country. The letter also mentioned Ghazwa-e-Hind, which allegedly foretells battles in the Indian subcontinent between Muslims and non-Muslims, resulting in the victory of Muslims. "At the same time, we bring tidings of death and destruction to the rulers of India, of executions and hangings, of imprisonment and being bound with chains," read the letter. Meanwhile, suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma was provided security by the Delhi Police in the wake of death threats she has received over her controversial remarks. Also Read 'Don't listen to hypocrites': Dutch lawmaker comes out in support of Nupur Sharma amid Prophet remark row She had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police on May 27 alleging that she has been receiving death threats. Based on this complaint, an FIR was registered under sections 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Special Cell police station against unidentified people. However, during the probe, Sharma, yet again lodged a complaint against certain persons regarding promoting enmity. "After examining the said complaint, section 153 (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the IPC was added in this case," Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said. By Anjali Ghodvaidya India is coming under fire in the Middle East for derogatory remarks on the Prophet Mohammed made by members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, sparking online calls for boycotts in a region that accounts for more than a tenth of the South Asian countrys total trade. #BoycottIndiaProducts and #Stopinsulting_ProphetMuhammad were trending on Twitter and Facebook in several Gulf countries. It was a spillover from a spat over the weekend that saw Qatar, Iran and Kuwait summon Indian envoys to protest the comments made by two members of Prime Minister Narendra Modis party. Also Read | Explained: Importance of the Gulf for India A boycott poses a further headache for Modi who spent the last eight years building ties with the Middle East countries to draw in investments and to build markets for Indian grains, clothing and machinery. While it remains to be seen if this will gain traction, a supermarket in Kuwait has removed Indian rice, spices and chillies from its shelves, AFP reported. Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia make up about 10 per cent of Indias $1 trillion trade. The region accounts for more than half of the South Asian countrys oil imports. Millions of Indian workers also power the economies in the Middle East and six Gulf countries alone account for over half of worker remittances to the South Asian nation. Indias government has sought to downplay the impact of the controversy on trade ties with the Middle East. Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said Gulf countries had only said that such statements against Prophet Mohammed shouldnt be made, local media reported late Tuesday. All the Indians living in Gulf countries are safe and do not have to worry, Goyal was cited as saying by the Indian Express. With all these countries, we have a very good relationship and our relations will continue to be very good. Also Read | Modi government risks squandering its Gulf outreach Theres no implicit or explicit threat from any of these Middle Eastern governments that there will be any economic repercussions, said Sushant Singh, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. The damage is still limited to the kind of local condemnation that has come from foreign ministries of the governments, he added. The international furore shines a spotlight on Indias domestic politics. Modi and the BJP have fast-tracked a nationalist agenda after winning a sweeping mandate for a second term in 2019 and have retained the support of voters with a strong victory in a recent state election in March. Also Read | Good relations will continue with Gulf countries, says Goyal on row over Prophet Modis administration has revoked Article 370 of the constitution that granted special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. In March, a high court in south India ruled that educational institutions can bar Muslim students from wearing headscarves. The remarks against Prophet Mohammed and Islam were made on two separate occasions during a TV debate and a social media exchange. The BJP suspended one of the party members and expelled another. Both were also party spokespersons and the party said it was against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion. While the episode had damaged Indias reputation, it would now depend on how effective New Delhi is in the coming days and months to reassure Arab partners that it is sensitive to their concerns about Islam, said Harsh V Pant, a professor at Kings College London. In the long term there are enough convergences between the Arab world and India and the global order, when it comes to energy security, future of work and people linkages, he added. Work has started on the provision of a new outdoor seating and dining area on Bishop Street in the city, which will promote a pedestrian friendly environment and support local businesses. The works are being carried out under the Covid Recovery Revitalisation Scheme, which is supported by funding from the Department for Communities. The scheme looks at initiatives to revitalise town and city centres emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a range of environmental and infrastructural improvements as well as an ambitious support plan to assist businesses. As part of the plans, there will be the creation of a temporary public realm space that will enhance the character of Bishop Street, with new outdoor seating and an outdoor dining space that will assist local businesses in the area by attracting increased footfall and providing more amenities for customers to avail of. The temporary pilot will be in place for an initial trial period of 18 months and forms part of the projects initially launched and consulted on by Derry City and Strabane District Council in 2021 under its Streetlife & Vibrant Places strategy. The work on the project will take approximately seven weeks to complete and Council have advised that disruption to businesses, pedestrians and traffic will be kept to a minimum during this period. The Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey said The funding my Department has provided through the Covid Recovery Revitalisation project continues to help our towns and cities as they seek to recover from the effects of the pandemic. "These public realm works at Bishop Street in Derry will provide a welcome boost to the area, providing outdoor dining space where people can socialise and regenerate the area after a difficult couple of years. "This is another example of the type of interventions that are being delivered through my Departments funding to meet local needs. The Council has worked closely with traders in the development of this particular initiative which aims to attract people back into the area, support local traders and provide a stimulus to the local economy. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said: "This work at Bishop Street is one of a number of initiatives that we are carrying out as part of the Covid Recovery Revitalisation Scheme - looking at innovative and tangible ways that we can support our local businesses as they continue their recovery from the extremely challenging pandemic period. "We want to instill confidence back into the city centre and attract greater footfall, which includes the promotion of a pedestrian friendly environment within our historic walled city. "I would appeal to the public to be patient as work is carried out on these plans and soon enough this area of our city centre will be transformed." Due to the extension of the pavement as part of the project, a small number of on-street parking spaces will be unavailable, however, there will still be in the region of 450 off-street and on-street car parking spaces for use in the local vicinity. Additional accessibility car parking spaces will also be available at Bishop Street car park. Work on Bishop Street is expected to last for a period of seven weeks. For any further queries, please contact regeneration@ derrystrabane.com The S.T.E.P.S charity based in Draperstown has reached a significant milestone this week, marking ten years since the group was formed. With the support of local group Workspace, the charity has moved into new premises at the new Community Hub and continues to go from strength to strength. Speaking to the County Derry Post on behalf of S.T.E.P.S this week, Karen McGuigan looked back at the ongoing success of the charity; The first night we met in St. Colm's on May 31st 2012, Anne Marie McStocker just asked us what did the community want. What did we want to see around prevention, intervention and postvention. We were able to connect with groups like Families Bereaved Through Suicide , groups like Lifeline and the various health trusts. Mervyn Reid from Lifeline came to talk to us in the beginning we didn't even know that Lifeline existed until that night, said Karen. Fast forward ten years and the need for support hasn't diminished at all, in fact it may have increased with the social impacts of Covid19 now revealing themselves in society, the need for talking and finding support has never been greater. There is no 'one size fits all' approach, said Karen. People ask are things worse since Covid but you know the issues were there, it's just maybe that Covid has brought them to the fore. "People are willing to talk more now. Thankfully the stigma around mental health issues has been removed and people are willing to talk a lot more. But we have a health service that is on it's knees. There are so many improvements that could be made in the processes, added Karen. We need clear pathways to find help, and those pathways need to work. People of all ages are reaching out for help and there is help there. Another recent cheque handover in Moneymore. "We have worked with people from 4 years old to 88 years old. There are a huge range of issues and they are evolving. Initially there was a stigma in people asking for help. Now people feel they can - ask but the range of issues is massive, things like anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol abuse, there are just so many wide ranging issues, she added. While the group is based in Draperstown they are keen to get the word out that they will accept people from all over the region. We have seen over 570 people from 48 different towns and villages across the region and we have provided services from Newtownabbey to Limavady and beyond. We wouldn't turn anyone away. Having a fully volunteer led charity relies on the good work of many people which is key to this group's success and longevity. We have such a fantastic committee. One of the best additions we have made over the year is to have two students from St. Colm's High School on the committee, and having that young voice around the table is just unreal. We were trying to plan this ten year event and we wanted something that caters for everyone, we didn't want people to have to spend money or feel that there wasn't something for them. We have games at the 3G pitch from 11am to 1pm and then we have a wee historical look at the 'Soup Kitchen' and learn a bit of history about the town and area, we have the talent on show at Glasgowbury then you can dander back up to St. Colm's and enjoy afternoon tea from 1pm to 3pm. It's all about community, bringing people of all ages out, something relaxing and social. Where people can just connect again, to have a chat and spend some time out of the house, at a nice and relaxed event, where people can come together. "That is the one thing that people of all ages have told us. People say they have missed sitting around and having a chat more than anything, and so everyone is very welcome to join us. Events will take place on Sunday June 12 at the Draperstown 3G pitch from 11am-1pm with cross country and games, followed from 1pm to 3pm at the Soup Kitchen, Glasgowbury and afternoon tea at St. Colm's High School. 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. As Ive mentioned before in these pages, this town is never short of good music at the weekend. This week is no exception. This Friday night (10th June) Jinx Lennon is playing Bennigans to launch his new album, Pet Rent (his loving ode to a new trend among Dublin landlords of charging people extra per pet, including fish). The album has been described as an hour long garage rock odyssey full of punk, glam and showband sampled beats, a cracked eye lens view of provincial Irish life. I was talking to Jinx ahead of Fridays show, and we touched on issues including his thoughts on the current mess in Stormont and the making of the new album. What first made you want to be a musician? I liked albums ,I really liked the idea of making a great classic album and still do. I saw Thin Lizzy with two Derry bands; The Tearjerkers and The Moondogs, in The Long Walk in Dundalk in 1980 - this was a great show! I came out like I was wearing a new skin. Phil Lynott was a proper rock star. Later I liked the simplicity of the Velvet Underground and their smart lyrics .At first I was happy to play guitar and write the tunes because I never saw myself as a frontman, it just came about that way out of necessity. Who would you say have been your main musical influences? I liked awful pop songs when I was about seven until I was about 10 years old, the likes of Tony Orlando, Hurricane Smith, and Paper Lace. Then I liked folk tunes and cowboy songs and really got into the stories. I was into 70s prog rock then bands such as Television. The Undertones were an influence - I see them as the Irish Beach Boys. There was Big Gra for rap in the 90s, Public Enemy 'Fear of a Black Planet', the first solo albums by Raekwon, GZA and Mobb Deep. I have gotten into the likes of Dick Gaughan and Richard Thompson guitar styles lately, just because I love the sound . Can you tell me about the making of your new album? I made it with Chris Barry in his studio in Drumcondra. I was supposed to release another open tuned psychedelic folk job which is ready to go for next year called 'Walk Lightly When the Jug is Full but with covid I didnt know what to do because the vinyl LP wasnt ready. The new album 'Pet Rent' is a bit more punk, garage rock than usual, full of sampled beats from 70s glam bands, showbands and dialogue sampled from the Paisley/Robinson DUP visit to Dundalk in 86 from the likes of Jim Wells and others. The name comes from the new landlord thing in Dublin charging people extra for keeping their domestic animals. Also, overseas vulture funds buying up whole estates, while locals cant buy a house or get a mortgage due to scarcity of available property. The music deals with mental health issues, self-belief, bullying at school and work, domestic violence, Irish life in general - with a bit of humour at the same time, to keep it real and keep a light on! What are your thoughts on the current state of things here up north? Both the DUP and the Shinners are a pain in the arse. The way the Shinners push the border poll and United Ireland down peoples throats is a bore, and they know that will always get the backs up for a section of the community, so it seems trite. The DUP cannot stand the smell of change and are stuck in the 1700's. Ordinary people are suffering while all this goes on and cannot make ends meet or get proper healthcare. Its up to the people of the north to say listen assholes, f**k the Orange and the Green and get the finger out or get out. People who are trying to feed their families and paying the bill's might have no time for the nuances of sectarianism .Nothing is black and white on this island. For instance my own family on my mothers side have heavy republican history. My mothers name was Farrell, her cousin was Mairead who was shot at Gibraltar. Yet my Mother's great grandmother was from Presbyterian stock from Lisburn who married a local Dundalk Baker and was disowned so I'm told. The whole island is a patchwork quilt of cross pollination between the two sides to some extent. James Nesbit is right in saying one thing, that if the Island is ever united it will be named something like United Island rather than United Ireland. Finally, are you looking forward to playing Bennigans? Yeah, it's been too long now. 2013 I think, was the last time I was playing here .Derry feels very much home to me, theres definitely a similar border head thing as Dundalk, the same moonwalk Sergio Leone look! Jinx Lennon plays Bennigans this Friday with special guests 7 Daughters. His album Pet Rent is out now. Find him on Instagram @jinxlennon. Participants of a forum on migrant policy pose during the event held at Seoul National University Asia Center in Seoul, Wednesday. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Justice and the Migration Research and Training Center, the forum gathered immigration experts to discuss migrant policy recommendations for the government. Korea Times photo by Lee Hyo-jin Government urged to focus on social integration of migrants By Lee Hyo-jin Upgrading the Korea Immigration Service (KIS) to a higher-level government agency split off from the Ministry of Justice could be a viable option for the government to launch a new entity encompassing migrant-related policies, experts said, Wednesday. Discussions on the possible launch of a new immigration agency have gained momentum in Korea after newly appointed Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon said in his appointment speech in May that he will review installing an agency dedicated to migrant-related issues to better deal with the rising number of immigrants. Various immigration experts discussed specific ways for the government to realize its plan at a forum on migrant policy, organized jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Migration Research and Training Center (MRTC). The event was held at Seoul National University (SNU) Asia Center, under the title "Ways to redesign immigration policies for Korea, a country taking a leap forward." The participants included KIS Commissioner Lee Jae-yoo, MRTC Director Kang Dong-kwan, Korean Association of Immigration Policy and Administration head Moon Byung-ki, Korean International Migration Studies Association head Yoon In-jin and SNU Graduate School of Public Administration professor Kim Dong-wook, among others. During the forum, Kim suggested that the KIS, which is currently under the justice ministry, should be upgraded to a higher-level, independent government agency. "Establishing an independent agency would enable the government to carry out more advanced immigration policies and attract talented foreign nationals, who would become a driving force of our society," he said. This option, which would require revisions to the Government Organization Law, should be reviewed by lawmakers in July, before proposing a revision bill in September, he said. If the bill is passed in the latter half of the year, he viewed that the new agency could be set up as early as in January 2023. The expert viewed that the launch of the new agency may help Korea build competitiveness in the "war for foreign talent" among its neighboring countries. Japan and China, which used to have relatively restrictive immigration policies, are increasingly opening their borders to migrants in an effort to secure a sustainable workforce. In the long term, Kim said the government should consider adopting a points-based immigration system, to better accept high-skilled workers. Under the system, foreign nationals who seek to move to Korea will score points based on several criteria such as age, level of education and work experience. And visas will be granted to those who gain enough points. Jeong Seong-ho, a senior official at the Korea Fiscal Information Service, viewed that the government should draw up a fiscal management plan on migrant policies by installing an "immigration fund," in order to more efficiently secure the funds needed for social integration of migrants. Anton Scholz, a freelance journalist from Germany, compared Korea's immigration policies to those of his home country. Explaining that an immigration department dedicated to migrant and refugee policies was established in Germany in 1953, he called on the Korean government to establish its own immigration agency swiftly. The participants also stressed the growing importance of migrants amid the country's shrinking population and declining labor productivity. "Immigration policy has emerged as a key priority to achieve sustainable economic development amid the rapidly aging society and declining birth rate," Kang said. The MRTC head called for a two-track approach on migration policies, addressing how to attract them to move here, and how to support their social integration once they enter Korea. Lee Jeong-woo, a researcher at the Institute on Local Immigration Policy and Development, urged the government to shift its view on migrant policies. "So far, migrant policies have been mainly about control and monitoring. But this needs to change. We need to focus more on social integration of foreign nationals and accept them as equal members of Korean society," he said. By Mohamed Awad, vice president of IoT and Embedded, Arm June 8, 2022 -- Image signal processors (ISPs) continue to be one of the most important information-generating devices, supporting a broad range of IoT vision system applications including commercial, industrial or home smart cameras, and drones. With increased demand for both more and higher quality image processing in future devices, Arms ISP technology roadmap is an area of continuing investment. Today, we are pleased to share the latest results of that work with the launch of the new Arm Mali-C55 ISP, the smallest and most configurable ISP from Arm to date, already proving popular with partners including our first public licensee, Renesas. Related Image signal processor to advance vision systems for IoT and embedded markets The Mali-C55 delivers upgraded image quality features, works under a wide range of different lighting and weather conditions, and is designed to enable maximum performance and capability in area and power constrained applications, making it ideal for smart camera and edge AI vision use cases. This advanced technology will deliver improved capabilities in several markets surveillance and security cameras will be able to detect more critical detail, such as recognizing the exact information on license plates traveling at up to 75mph; home cameras and security systems will capture higher resolution images both inside and out; and smart home hubs can efficiently include advanced features like secure visual unlock. For developers, were providing a complete software package for controlling the ISP, as well as a full set of tuning and calibration tools to help our partners to achieve the desired image quality for their application. Additionally, our latest roadmap of Total Solutions for IoT includes an upcoming Total Solution for vision, which will integrate the Mali-C55 stay tuned for more updates on that. Pushing the boundaries of image quality in the smallest area and power budgets With multi-camera capability for up to 8 separate inputs, support for image resolutions up to 8K and a maximum image size up to 48 megapixels (MP), the Mali-C55 offers the most efficient combination of image quality, throughput, power consumption and silicon area. Building on the class-leading Mali-C52 ISP, it enables unrivalled image quality through features including improved tone mapping and spatial noise reduction, enhanced support for high dynamic range (HDR) sensors and seamless integration with machine learning accelerators to take advantage of neural networks for various de-noising techniques. By combining multiple Mali-C55 ISPs, larger image sizes can be achieved for applications that require greater than 48 MP capabilities, such as video conferencing. For embedded and IoT vision applications, silicon footprint and cost are important factors, and with the Mali-C55 weve provided these enhanced features in almost half of the silicon area size of previous generations, significantly lowering power consumption for extended battery life, and in the process also lowering the cost of these devices. Vision systems demand advanced machine learning As ML moves closer to the edge, advanced image processing can be leveraged by integrating more ISPs into the SoCs. By enabling easy integration between Mali-C55 and machine learning accelerators, were delivering new levels of on-device processing in devices that require high quality vision systems because the output from the ISP can be sent directly to the ML accelerator. This reduces cost and processing time by having less data sent from device to cloud, without having to compromise on inferencing. Configurability is key in a diverse market The applications that require ever-advancing vision systems are wide-ranging, and so imaging technology has to be adaptable to specific market requirements. For example, a low-cost home camera system may require a simple, limited set of features whereas a commercial camera might demand more sophisticated capabilities such as high resolution, noise reduction and enhanced security. Silicon partners and OEMs need the freedom to easily add or remove features in line with their application requirements, and thats why weve designed the Mali-C55 to be our most configurable ISP. In addition to the multi-camera support and integration with ML accelerators already mentioned, the Mali-C55 also includes industry standard AXI and AHB interfaces for easy integration with either Cortex-A or Cortex-M-based SoCs. The Mali-C55 ISP illustrates Arms continued pursuit to provide industry-leading imaging technology. This new technology will enable SoC architects, imaging experts and embedded software developers to create market-leading products in the growing smart camera and edge AI vision markets. You can read more technical detail and find out more in this blog. About Arm Arm technology is defining the future of computing. Our energy-efficient processor designs and software platforms have enabled advanced computing in more than 225 billion chips and our technologies securely power products from the sensor to the smartphone and the supercomputer. Together with 1,000+ technology partners, we are enabling artificial intelligence to work everywhere, and in cybersecurity, we are delivering the foundation for trust in the digital world from chip to cloud. The future is being built on Arm. Millicom revealed plans to invest US$700 million into its central American mobile and broadband networks in response to a call to action from US vice president Kamala Harris. In a statement, Millicom detailed it will spend the money on fixed and mobile broadband networks in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador over the next two years. Harris lobbied last year by launching the Partnership for Central America (PCA) organisation, which looks to drum up investments for economic growth in the region. According to data from Millicom, half of the population of Central America have a 4G smartphone, however, adoption is rising due to coverage standing at 80-90%. Only 30-40% of households have access to reliable broadband and in the last five years over one million houses were built per year with fibre cable. Millicom stated there has been a 10% increase in penetration of mobile broadband services which carries an almost 2% increase in GDP in markets where it operates. The investment is in line with the United Nations-backed campaign Race to Zero which promotes zero-carbon recovery. The Democratic Republic of Congo has reportedly mandated operators to pay levies totalling $180 million per year which operators have apparently refused to pay, reported Bloomberg. Sources speaking to the publication said the government has sent invoices to the DRCs four operators Orange, Vodacom Group, Airtel Africa and Africell, via the countrys regulator and consultancy firm 5C Energy. Corruption and government mismanagement have forced the DRC to scramble for cash, despite being the worlds largest producer of copper and cobalt, reported Bloomberg. The Federation Des Entreprises Du Congo, the nations main business association claimed the operators have rejected the levies, stating they were irregular and unenforceable. Airtel Africa and Orange declined to comment to Developing Telecoms. Vodacom and Africell have yet to reply. A source close to the matter told Developing Telecoms: "The new tax will do long-term damage to the DRC telecoms sector. Not only will many existing products be priced off the market, hurting customers who rely on them, but operators will need to reduce investment and cut jobs to afford the additional tax burden. "Expansion of services into poor and rural areas will slow down as operators are forced to cut costs and focus on the most profitable (primarily urban) areas. The tax will exacerbate the digital divide in DRC and widen the urban-rural and gender gaps shrinking of which is vital to social and economic development. The tax, which has been imposed with no transparency or consultation, is a big blow and will make DRC a less appealing place for international companies to invest and do business." This is not the first time the government has caused controversy in the telecoms sector, having tried to introduce a tax on mobile devices, which drew backlash and was withdrawn. Israels Minister of Communications, Yoaz Hendel, has announced plans for the gradual abolition over a three-year period of connectivity rates for the networks of cellular companies and landline telephone companies. This move has been promoted as continuing a policy of deregulation and encouraging competition in the communications market. According to TeleGeography's CommsUpdate, the move follows initial proposals that were set out in September 2021. In a press release from the Ministry of Communications, Liran Avisar Ben-Horin, the ministrys Director General, said: The connectivity fee rate has not been updated since 2014 and has lost relevance in relation to technological developments and the market situation in Israel and around the world. This fee is a charge levied by network operators on other service providers to recover the costs of the interconnection facilities (including the hardware and software for routing, signalling, and other basic service functions) provided by the network operators. The gradual move to cancel the payment and the transfer of the payments between the companies will, it is argued, benefit consumers and allow cellular companies to offer an unlimited amount of minutes for a lower amount and, inter alia, reduce the cost of home telephone plans. The ministry also seems to be optimistic that this move will allow number portability from landline phones to mobile phones and encourage competition among minor actors in the market. Smaller companies have so far earned relatively less from connectivity because most of the calls from these operators tend to be to larger service providers. A similar move has made headlines recently in Kenya where, as we reported recently, plans have been unveiled for operator Safaricoms mobile termination rates to be controlled by the government in a bid to protect smaller rivals. The Israeli decision will abolish the current existing control regarding connectivity fees, while moving to a model known as BAK (bill and keep), in which there is competition in the call completion section, but which eliminates the wholesale transfer of payments between communications companies and reduces connectivity fees. Bill and keep is defined by the OECD as "a pricing scheme for the two-way interconnection of two networks under which the reciprocal call termination charge is zero that is, each network agrees to terminate calls from the other network at no charge". It is not yet known how the countrys operators feel about these plans. Subscriber content preview By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON U.S. solar manufacturers say they are considering legal challenges after President Joe Biden declared a two-year pause for tariffs on solar imports from Southeast Asia. Biden also invoked the Defense Production Act on Monday as the White House moved to jumpstart solar installations that have been slowed or abandoned amid a Commerce Department inquiry into possible trade violations involving Chinese products. . . . Subscriber content preview By KELVIN CHAN AP Business Writer LONDON Forget rummaging through the junk drawer. Soon, Europeans will only need to reach for one cable to charge their smartphones and other devices. European Union officials said they inked a provisional agreement Tuesday that will require a uniform charging cord in the 27-nation bloc. Its part of a wider effort to make products sold in the EU more sustainable and cut down on electronic waste. . . . A next-generation Redback infantry fighting vehicle maneuvers during a media invitation event in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province, May 27. The Redback has been in the spotlight for innovative technologies meeting the requirements of future battlefield environments. Courtesy of Hanwha Defense Defense systems developer expands global presence to vie with Western players By Park Jae-hyuk South Korea has grown into one of the top 10 exporters of defense systems over the past decade, with a record $7 billion in arms contracts signed last year. The remarkable growth has been attributed to technological innovation and strategic efforts to meet the demands of countries seeking to acquire reliable defense equipment. Hanwha Defense, a defense business arm of Hanwha Group, has played a pivotal role in upgrading the reputation of the Korean defense industry. The leading land defense systems manufacturer has successfully expanded its global footprint with the opening of its latest U.S. and Australian subsidiaries, as well as its sophisticated defense solutions, such as the K9 self-propelled howitzer (SPH) and the Redback infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). Hanwha Defense has already been popular in the European region, in which, five nations have adopted the K9 SPH, as the company is getting more and more attention for its battlefield-proven defense equipment in the wake of the Ukraine conflict. For a better understanding of how Hanwha Defense has pioneered its way into the international defense market, The Korea Times conducted exclusive written interviews with the marketing heads of the company's U.S., Australian and European headquarters. John Kelly, president and CEO of Hanwha Defense USA / Courtesy of Hanwha Defense John Kelly, president and CEO of Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) Q: What are the key marketing campaigns in the U.S.? A: There are a number of key campaigns in the HDUSA region. The first campaign is related to the U.S. Army's Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program. HDUSA is part of a consortium, led by Oshkosh Defense, and is in the process of delivering design concepts to help inform the U.S. Army of options and trade space for their new IFV. The consortium will leverage the proven capability of the Redback for the OMFV design. The next campaign is around U.S. Army artillery requirements and involves our globally proven K9 SPH and K10 ammunition carrier. Both of these vehicles offer advances in technology that the U.S. Army requires, especially in extended range, rate of fire and munition resupply. Q: What are the key challenges? A: The key challenge for any overseas business in the U.S. defense market is fair access and fair evaluation against domestic competition. HDUSA understands this and has recently opened its engineering center in Troy, Michigan, and will Americanize the development and manufacturing process of relevant products creating U.S. defense capability and U.S. jobs. Q: What is the key strength of Hanwha's products? A: Hanwha Defense's portfolio competes very well with existing U.S. players. Our IFVs and SPHs all exceed the capabilities of in-service U.S. systems. Richard Cho, managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia / Courtesy of Hanwha Defense Richard Cho, managing director of Hanwha Defense Australia (HDA) Q: What's the progress of marketing campaigns so far? A: HDA is focused on the delivery and mobilization of Land 8116 Protected Mobile Fires, which will see the delivery of 30 AS9 SPHs and 15 AS10 ammunition resupply vehicles. The sole source contract was signed last December, and we are on track to deliver this game-changing capability for the Australian Defense Force on time and on budget with the Huntsman family of vehicles. In preparation for this, HDA is building a new 32,000-square-meter facility in Geelong on a 15-hectare site, with construction work to commence later this year, to be completed in 2024. We are shortlisted for Phase 3 of Land 400 that will see the Australian Army replace their M113 fleet with up to 450 IFVs valued at approximately AUD$27 billion over the coming decade. A decision from the Australian government is expected in the third quarter of this year. Q: What's the rationale behind HDA's expansion into global markets? A: Working successfully in Australia has given us better access to "Five Eyes" nations the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand to expand outreach into those countries. There are a number of vehicle and ammunition programs in those nations that are of interest to us at the moment as well as programs in Europe that we are watching closely. Q: What is the key strength of Hanwha's products? A: The scale of high technology manufacturing in Korea means that we can compete on price very effectively while also working with local companies in partner nations. The work we have done with K9 users internationally demonstrates this, with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Turkey, Poland, India (current users) and now Egypt and Australia (contracts signed) is testament to the strength of the technology on offer. We have worked with each of these partners to make sure that their sovereign needs are addressed in both acquisition and sustainment. Pasi Pasivirta, director of European business development at Hanwha Defense / Courtesy of Hanwha Defense Pasi Pasivirta, director of European business development at Hanwha Defense Q: What are the key marketing campaigns? A: Hanwha Defense has been marketing K9 SPHs and K10 ammunition resupply vehicles for some time in Europe. So far, we have been successful with countries like Estonia, Finland and Norway choosing K9 as their solution for self-propelled artillery. We expect more European nations to modernize their artillery inventory by the end of this decade. Hanwha Defense stands ready to support these nations. Ground-based air defense (GBAD) and long-range rocket artillery are something that many European nations are focusing on right now. Hanwha Defense has developed a hybrid GBAD platform that is in service with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army. An updated version of this platform could be of interest for these nations. Q: What are the key strategies? A: For many European customers, security of supply is a key concern. Hanwha Defense has developed many different ways to meet these requirements. For example, Hanwha Defense is open to and has successfully completed transfer of technology in many cases. With transfer of technology the customer can have local sovereign manufacturing capability and local supply chain for systems in question. Another focal point is in taking full advantage of Hanwha Defense's vast experience and knowledge in systems integration. Hanwha has worldwide experience with integrating different weapons systems and platforms. Customers tell what they want, and Hanwha makes it happen. Q: What is Hanwha Defense's competitiveness against the European Union and the U.S. players? A: Hanwha's products are fielded in large numbers. Hanwha's domestic customer has sizeable land force, and the ROK Army often acquires hundreds of systems. This means that there is lots of information available from systems that are used on daily basis. This information can be made available for the new customers. This reduces significantly risk of fielding a new system. Taking K9 SPH for an example, there are more than 1,700 K9 SPHs in service around the world. That number exceeds by far any competing artillery guns. Q: What is Hanwha Defense's response to the growing demand in the wake of the Ukraine crisis? A: Hanwha Defense understands the needs and concerns of some European nations. Hanwha Defense has quite significant manufacturing capability for many types of defense solutions. This capability can be even expanded and made available for customers with urgent needs. We have experience and readiness to support establishing local manufacturing capabilities in Europe. We are discussing with some nations these possibilities. We stand ready to support Europe and our European customers. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE Apparently now on the market is the closed former Bigfoot Car Wash, at 11308 Lake City Way N.E. Prospective buyer Bode has filed plans to redevelop with a five-story, 100-unit apartment building. The property isn't publicly listed for sale. Though it has nearly an acre, much of the land is a riparian area and can't be developed. Thus Bode, which acts as its own architect, projects a building footprint of about 20,000 square feet. No parking is indicated for now. . . . Hanam, Gimpo and Namyangju among rising destinations for ex-Seoulites By Ko Dong-hwan Park Min-seong, an employee at a global petrochemical manufacturer in Seoul's western Mapo District, lived in an apartment in Gangnam District that his family rented on a jeonse contract. Living with his wife and two children, the white-collar worker in his mid-30s wanted to buy his own apartment that is bigger in size. Jeonse is one of the most popular housing rental systems in Korea under which tenants put up a lump-sum deposit without paying monthly rent, and get the full amount of the deposit back at the end of the contract. He later purchased one in the Misa-dong area of Hanam City, Gyeonggi Province, just outside the eastern edge of Seoul, which was over 110 square meters in area. If he was to get an apartment of the same size in Gangnam or elsewhere in Seoul, his family wouldn't have been able to afford it. The new location takes him an even longer time to commute almost double the time it took from his previous residence but he decided to settle there for now, being satisfied that he no longer has to live in the smaller apartment. Plus, there is the new Misa Subway Station which opened in 2020 in his new neighborhood, giving him easy access to public transportation to go to work in Seoul. Lee Yeon-hwa, who lives with her husband, a baby daughter and a pet cat, moved recently from Seoul's eastern Songpa District to Gimpo City just outside the western edge of the capital where they bought a new apartment. Her husband, a commercial airline pilot, was out of work for over a year after being fired by his employer following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lee became the sole wage earner, but her salary was not enough to support the family for long. As soon as their jeonse contract expired early this year, she took out a mortgage loan and bought their own apartment after supplementing the payment with their savings. Due to their financial condition, there weren't many apartment options inside Seoul. Instead, they saw more affordable choices in Gimpo. It was also closer to the international airports in Gimpo and Incheon where her husband now plans to look for a job. For more than a decade, Seoulites have been steadily leaving the capital to settle in newly-developed cities in Gyeonggi Province. Those moving out of Seoul now outnumber people moving into the capital. According to a Ministry of the Interior and Safety report released on Monday, Seoul's population as of the end of May this year stood at 9.5 million, which is the lowest level since 1992 when it peaked at over 10.97 million. The population of Seoul has been declining steadily since 1992. Gyeonggi, on the other hand, displayed the opposite trend during the same period. The population of the province was already ahead of the capital by 1.47 million in 2010 when there were over 11.78 million people living in Gyeonggi. The gap has widened even further since, with the province's population reaching 12 million in 2012 and 13 million in 2018. As of the end of May this year, the population of the province reached 13.58 million. The main reasons behind the exodus from Seoul are closely linked to where people want to live. Prices of apartments in Seoul kept rising for years, raising concerns among people planning to buy their own home or rent one through jeonse. Even if they were to move to a new place, they did not want to relocate to a smaller unit. For such people, many residential options in the newly-developed cities in Gyeonggi either for sale or on jeonse mostly sufficed their needs at cheaper prices than apartments in Seoul. "For the same price, people can afford newer and bigger apartments here than Seoul," a realtor based in Misa-dong in Hanam told The Korea Times. "Since 2020, when Seoul Metro's subway line No.5 extended and opened new stations in Hanam City, we have been getting many calls from Seoulites interested in moving to Hanam." A realtor in Namyangju, another popular destination for Seoulites planning to move out of the capital, said parts of Gyeonggi Province northeast of the capital also saw an influx of residents from Seoul. "Many Seoulites coming to Namyangju are elderly people who want to settle down after retirement," the agent told The Korea Times. "Those with enough cash and no longer live with their children buy apartments here where they want to spend the rest of their lives peacefully. There were many Seoul clients looking for apartments here until last fall." Many people in Seoul left for Hanam, Hwaseong, Gimpo, Siheung, Namyangju and other newly-developed cities in Gyeonggi. They weren't simply looking for cheaper apartments. They wanted apartments with affordable prices and qualities. When the first phase of land development in the country's capital region Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi began in the city of Seongnam in Gyeonggi in 1989 (until 1996) and the second phase in more Gyeonggi cities like Pangyo, Dongtan and Wirye in 2001, the exodus picked up speed. Apartment buildings in a residential district of Gimpo in Gyeonggi Province in November 2020. Newsis Former President Moon Jae-in gestures while conversing with two unidentified men at his house in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, May 11. Yonhap Opposition lawmakers shift stance, seek to ban protests near Moon's house By Jung Min-ho When protesters screamed near the house of former President Lee Myung-bak for months about five years ago, calling on authorities to arrest him immediately, most lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) remained silent or even encouraged such rallies. Their aggressive voices and mockery with some calling Lee a rat began to subside only when it looked certain that he would be arrested on charges of bribery and abuse of power less than a year after President Moon Jae-in took office with a promise to "restore justice." About a month after Moon's term ended last month, DPK lawmakers are now seeking to ban such rallies citing "privacy concerns" when the former leader himself became a target of critics claiming to be the victims of his policies, including the families of people who died or suffered from severe side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. A bill proposed jointly by several DPK lawmakers will, if passed, prohibit protests within 100 meters of former presidents' houses. At present, the law would apply to Moon and ex-President Park Geun-hye, who was recently pardoned after spending five years in prison for abuse of power among other offenses. Lee is still in prison. The legislative move comes shortly after Moon filed a complaint with the police last week against four alleged leaders of protests near his home in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. In a May 15 statement, he complained about their "noises, cursing and anti-intellectualism" that "breaks the peace" in his town. Moreover, DPK lawmakers called on Han Sang-chul, the town's police chief, to "sternly respond" to the protesters. Apparently pressured by the DPK, Han, who has the authority to prohibit rallies under certain circumstances, told the protesters that their plan to stage a demonstration on June 1 would not be permitted. "When we asked DPK lawmakers to make a special law for people who have suffered severe vaccine side effects, they never responded Now, they are trying to make a law to protect one person, Moon," Kim Doo-kyung, a representative of the families of "vaccine side effect victims" told The Korea Times Tuesday. "His people have described the protesters as being a violent mob. The truth is that there are far more police and security guards who are protecting him from dozens of protesters." Kim said the group will not stop holding its weekly rally near Moon's home and, if Han continues to abuse his power to block them, they will bring the case to a court of law. "We trusted Moon when he said he would take responsibility for the vaccines' possible side effects. As a result, we lost our family members Moon's daughter, Da-hye, said she would protect her father from protesters. I hope she realizes that we no longer have family members to protect," he said. The protesters who frequently appear in Yangsan include a diverse group people, and some indeed cause disturbance in the neighborhood by, for example, shouting expletives through a loudspeaker. But so far, no one has been arrested or officially investigated for violence. President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he enters his office in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap The Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle are underway today (Wednesday June 8) as over 130,000 candidates are expected to sit the examinations. Exams will be held for 131,431 students - a record-breaking figure - in 5,575 examination centres across Ireland. The number of candidates has reportedly increased by 7,052 students, or 6%, compared to the last time a full set of examinations took place in 2019. Over 60,000 students - 30,366 girls and 29,780 boys - will sit Leaving Cert exams alongside 3,173 Leaving Cert Applied students, and 68,048 Junior Cycle students (33,397 girls and 34,651 boys). The highest concentration of students beginning Leaving Cert exams is in Dublin with 15,241 students, while the fewest is in Leitrim at 487. Nine hundred and thirty nine of this year's Leaving Cert students are from Carlow, with 1,417 in Clare, 2,151 in Donegal, 3,154 in Kildare, and 1,050 in Laois. Limerick students make up 2,603 of the total figure, with 534 in Longford, 944 in Offaly, 568 in Roscommon, 2,082 in Tipperary, and 1,671 in Waterford. Over 17,000 Junior Cycle students are in Dublin, with 7,704 in Cork, 3,595 in Kildare, 2,920 in Meath, 2,503 in Tipperary, and 2,464 in Louth. One thousand one hundred and ninety seven students are in Laois, with 1,113 in Offaly, 1,013 in Carlow and 1,852 in Waterford. Just 539 Junior Cycle students are in Leitrim, with 720 in Longford and 649 in Roscommon. A total of 64 students will undertake Leaving Cert exams in Tripoli in Libya, the only location outside Ireland where the exams are held. The International School of the Martyrs has offered the Irish curriculum and exams since the mid-90s. As well as increased candidature, several new languages have been added as Leaving Certificate exam subjects for the first time, including Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese. Chairperson of the State Examinations Commission, Mr. Pat Burke, called state exams "a significant step" in the educational journey of students, their families and schools. He said, "The Board and staff of the State Examinations Commission are very aware of the effort which students and their families have invested in the forthcoming examinations and extend their best wishes to all. For our part, we in the State Examinations Commission will do our utmost to deliver the examinations as smoothly as possible and ensure that the examinations meet the highest standards of quality and fairness." Adjustments dictated by public health policy have been made to this year's exams, including deferred dates for students with Covid-19 or symptoms of Covid-19. Students absent from exams due to Covid-19 will be subject to a mandatory period of absence for 7 days after the day symptoms were first experienced (i.e. 8 days in total). The deferred exams are set to commence on June 30 at a limited number of regional venues and will run until July 16. However, officials confirm there is no further contingency for deferred exams if a student becomes unwell, experiences a bereavement or is absent for any other reason (including Covid-19) at the time of deferred examinations. The next opportunity to sit the Leaving Certificate will be in June 2023. Mr Burke continued: "The adjustments made to the examinations this year have been designed to support students in their preparations. However, the support of families and the wider community for candidates sitting examinations is so important especially in light of the disruption to learning created by the pandemic. "In terms of candidate wellbeing, we believe that the provision of extended arrangements for deferred examinations represents a significant improvement to the examinations system, providing an appropriately supportive response for candidates who find themselves in very challenging circumstances at examinations time and unable to take their examinations as a result. An extended timetable introduced for the 2019 Leaving Certificate has been put in place for this year's examinations. It is designed to alleviate pressure on candidates by eliminating subject clashes, which could result in a candidate having to take up to three examinations in one day. However, not all clashes have been eliminated and there is still a possibility that some candidates, because of their particular subject choices, may face subject clashes. A date for Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle results will be announced as soon as possible, however the exact date will be affected due to deferred exam sittings, as well as a shortfall in the number of applications from teachers marking exams. The Minister for Rural and Community Development announced on Tuesday (June 8) a series of new initiatives that will make remote working more accessible and attractive for thousands of people. Minister Heather Humphreys launched the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme which will give remote workers free use of their local digital hub. At least 10,000 hot desk spaces will be provided under the Scheme, which is aimed at both existing hub users, as well as those accessing hub facilities for the first time. Minister Humphreys also announced 5 million in funding, through the Connected Hubs 2022 Call, which will be used to build capacity and enhance existing Remote Working facilities. Some 81 projects across the country were successful in securing funding. On top of these two initiatives, Minister Humphreys also today announced the provision of 50,000 in funding to each Local Authority under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This will allow them to fund marketing campaigns and promote the remote working opportunities available in their areas. Minister Humphreys also revealed today that the number of Remote Working facilities on the Connected Hubs Network has now reached 242. This represents over 60 per cent of the 400 hubs pledged as part of Our Rural Future, the Governments landmark five year rural development policy. Announcing the three initiatives at the Creative Spark Digital Hub in Dundalk, Ministers Humphreys said: As Minister for Rural and Community Development, I am serious about ensuring we dont simply revert to the old normal the way of life we had before COVID-19. When I meet remote workers across the country, they tell me all about the benefits of spending a few days each week working from a digital hub in their local community. They talk about how their lives are improved now that they dont have to embark on that early morning, gruelling commute to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway or other urban centres. Remote Working has been a game-changer for thousands of people. Its given people of all ages a better quality of life allowing them to spend more time with their family friends, working within their local town or village. So today, I am absolutely delighted to announce a series of new measures that represent the next chapter in our Remote Working journey. Minister Humphreys continued: The Connected Hubs Voucher scheme I am announcing today will provide at least 10,000 free days at hot desks in hubs across the country. It will be available to existing hub users who are already enjoy the benefits of working from a hub in their local area. But it is aimed at new users too. For example, I believe this scheme will appeal to someone who has never worked for their local hub now they can try it out for the first time for free. This scheme is based on the voucher follows the person approach and will initially provide three days of hub use per person between now and the end of August. So for people who may wish to holiday at home this summer, this scheme is ideal if you need to do a couple of days working in facilities that are comfortable and underpinned by good quality broadband. I would strongly encourage potential new hub users and those thinking of a working staycation to set up a connectedhubs.ie profile. We will be applying vouchers to all registered users in the coming weeks, so get registered now. Delighted to be at @CreativeSparkie for a series of remote working announcements. New voucher scheme to provide 10k hot desks for free 5 million to support 81 projects under @connectedhubs 50,000 for local authorities to promote their counties pic.twitter.com/7XqDkioSmb Heather Humphreys (@HHumphreysFG) June 8, 2022 Connected Hubs Minister Humphreys also today announced the results of the Connected Hubs Call 2022, a 5M fund which will be used to build capacity and enhance existing remote working facilities. The funding will benefit 81 projects and will support a wide range of works, including the expansion of existing hubs, installation of privacy booths, access control and security systems, the conversion of existing open plan space to modular offices, and provision of podcast studios, enhanced audio visual, networking and conferencing facilities. Minister Humphreys continued: The Connected Hubs Call 2022 will see 5 million provided to support our existing hubs. This is on top of the almost 9 million I awarded to applicants in 2021. This scheme is designed to add remote working capacity at hubs and Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) across the country, to make more space for remote workers and to improve the quality of the facilities and their services. The quality of the successful applications was very high this year and I was delighted by the level of interest. It is clear that there is a huge amount of creativity and ambition among hubs and BCPs, something I see myself on a regular basis as I visit these wonderful facilities regularly. Town and Village Funding To raise awareness of the remote working opportunities available across the country, the Minister has also announced funding for Local Authorities to market their hub offerings and promote their use. The Measure which forms part of the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme is open for applications, with Local Authorities eligible to apply for funding of up to 50,000 each. Minister Humphreys said: Local Authorities are already working hard to attract remote workers to their areas. So I wanted to give them all a hand with these efforts. There are any number of people considering relocating from our cities and larger towns, whether to return home or to try something new. But they need to know what is available, where the hubs are and what the opportunities might be. This grant is available to all local authorities. If Im a remote worker thinking about locating why should I choose your county? There is nothing like a bit of intercounty rivalry to bring out the best in everybody. I want to see Choose Clare, Choose Sligo, Choose Donegal, style marketing campaigns across the country to show off what counties have to offer and to attract mobile talent and remote workers to their localities. Minister Humphreys added: Today represents the next chapter in our Remote Working journey. And it also demonstrates how we are putting Our Rural Future into action. My message to remote workers today is clear: Whether you are in Donegal or Waterford, Louth or in Kerry, in the Midlands or along the border, we have a hub for you. A full list of successful Connected Hubs 2022 projects can be found here A biodiversity conference in Dublin was labelled a talking shop by climate campaigners who protested at the event on Wednesday. The conference at Dublin Castle was attended by the Minister for Heritage, Darragh OBrien, as the Government prepared to publish a new biodiversity action plan. Demonstrators accused the Government of not doing enough to protect Irish biodiversity, at a protest organised by Extinction Rebellion and the Irish Wildlife Trust. They called on Mr OBrien and the Government to put the latest biodiversity plan on a legal footing. Padraic Fogarty, campaigns officer at the Irish Wildlife Trust, said: This is going to be our fourth biodiversity action plan and we know that biodiversity is still in serious decline. Really what were saying is that we need a change of approach. We want to see the national biodiversity action plan put on a legal footing, just like the climate action plan is, so there will be proper accountability and implementation. He labelled the meeting another talking shop. We need to talk and we need to have conferences, thats fine, but we have to do much more than just have conferences and give speeches. We need to get on and do the actions, Mr Fogarty said. He warned about the perilous state of Irish nature and wildlife. We have looked at the past three biodiversity action plans and there is a long list of items that have never gotten anywhere the process is becoming completely pointless unless greater action is taken, he said. Biodiversity has collapsed in Ireland. We dont have natural ecosystems in Ireland anymore. We look throughout our countryside and we think it looks green and the sea looks blue, but actually nature is a state of collapse across these landscapes. Demonstrators, some dressed as coal miners carrying canaries, warned that time was running out to protect Irish wildlife as they paraded through the gates of Dublin Castle in the city centre. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore joined protesters on Wednesday morning. Successive governments have failed to look after nature. It has been year in, year out, and we have a lot of talk, very little action when it comes to actually protecting our wildlife, our communities, she said. There has been an awful lot of plans and very few actions. We cannot rely on the next government being one that is wildlife friendly. We need legislation to be in place. President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks to reporters as he enters his office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap President defends appointments; critics warn of 'republic of prosecutors' By Jung Min-ho During the run-up to the presidential election a month ago, liberal parties warned that Yoon Suk-yeol would open an era of "the republic of prosecutors" as head of state, given his limited experience outside the prosecution. With too many former prosecutors with personal connections to the president taking key government posts, Yoon has come under increasing criticism that the warning is becoming a reality. So far, 14 former prosecutors have taken top-level positions at presidential secretary offices, government ministries and agencies, including the justice minister, the unification minister and the intelligence agency's executive director. Lee Bok-hyun, the new governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, is the latest addition to that list. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Yoon defended his appointment decisions, saying many figures with government attorney experience play important roles in various branches of government in other advanced countries such as the United States. A Belfast man who along with a 15 year old boy had terrorised a student they had threatened to kill at knife point, was jailed for a total of three and half years at Dundalk Circuit Court last week. Judge Dara Hayes heard the victim - who has since returned to the West of Ireland following his ordeal, began drinking heavily and frequently has nightmares about knife attacks. The student had been waiting for a friend in the early hours of June 10th 2016 when Johnny McMahon (27) with an address at Cedarwood Park, Dundalk and his co-accused approached him in the Tesco Extra car park and began walking with him. Under threat of a blade being produced, he was told he had a choice between being robbed or cut. The pair went through his wallet and demanded his PIN and walked him to Clanbrassil Street where his first bank card was swallowed and the second account had a balance below five euro. They went through his bag and the victim was walked-back to his then rented home at Williamsons Place, where McMahon and his teenage accomplice took sharp knives from the kitchen drawer and forced the student to steal his housemates laptop, wallet and car keys. The victims ordeal ended when he ran onto the street in his stockinged feet and stopped a passing taxi driver. That witness and a woman who also came to his aid, described him as being terrified. Johnny McMahon had 122 previous convictions in the North and one for a public order offence here. The court heard the defendant who was 20 at the time of the incident, has attended a special education needs school. An older brother died when he was 10 and a second died last year while he was in custody. The court was told he had only been charged with the offences before it in February, when he presented himself at the border on foot of a European Extradition Warrant. Judge Hayes imposed concurrent sentences amounting to three and half years of jail time, for false imprisonment, robbery and burglary, and under the terms of suspended portions of the sentences directed that the 27 year old remains under the supervision of the Probation Service for 18 months post release. Irish Water is working in partnership with Louth County Council to carry out essential leak repair works to safeguard the water supply for homes and businesses in Dundalk. The works are scheduled to take place today, Wednesday, 8 June from 10am until 6pm. To facilitate the safe delivery of the repairs, customers on the Dublin Road (between Xerox Junction and Felda Junction), Dundalk and surrounding areas may experience temporary low pressure and/or water outages during the works. Crews will make every effort to minimise the disruption to impacted customers and will work to complete these works as quickly and as safely as possible, a spokesperson for Irish Water said. It typically takes two to three hours following restoration time for the network to refill and normal water supply to fully return. Vulnerable customers who have registered with Irish Water receive direct communications from Irish Water for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours. Speaking about the works, Michael Cunniffe, Regional Asset Operations Lead at Irish Water said: Irish Water understands that essential maintenance works can be inconvenient and working in partnership with our colleagues in Louth County Council, we will make every effort to minimise the disruption that these necessary works may cause. Michael added: Customers may experience some temporary discolouration of water following the works and occasionally issues such as internal airlocks may arise. For advice on clearing discoloration and airlocks, visit www.water.ie/water- supply/supply-issues/ following-an-outage. Irish Water and Louth County Council said they regret any inconvenience caused. The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact them on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates, please visit the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website. Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland. We are committed to continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support the growth needed in housing and across our economy, while protecting the environment and safeguarding water supplies. Lectures from Dundalk Institute of Technology said they were delighted to join their national colleagues and collaborators in NUIG Galway to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Cell EXPLORERS initiative which brings hands-on science to primary schools all over the country. Cell EXPLORERS was started in Galway University as a pilot outreach project in February 2012 by Dr. Muriel Grenon, a research scientist in the School of Natural Sciences, in collaboration with Barry McGuire, a 5th class teacher at Galway Educate Together NS. The initiative over the years has spread its wings from its initial inception in Galway and has grown to a national network with 15 partner institutes across Ireland. The Cell EXPLORERS in DkIT team was one of the first partner institutes to join the network and was established in June 2016. This team is coordinated by Dr. Suzanne Linnane and Dr. Caroline Gilleran Stephens from the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies at DkIT. The Cell EXPLORERS DkIT team is made up of both staff and enthusiastic undergraduate students from Environmental, Agriculture, Bioscience and Pharmaceutical Sciences courses in DkIT. Their students have a passion for communicating their love of science to young children and are excited by the occasion to interact with primary school children and inspire the next generation of Irish scientists. In 2019, the programme received the Outstanding Contribution to Science Communication award by Science Foundation Ireland. Director General of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Prof. Philip Nolan said: "Thank you for making a real difference to our society and the growth of the research community in Ireland. By acting as authentic role models and sharing your excitement in research and innovation, you are helping to engage our young people, so that they maintain an interest in science and consider pursuing a career in research. Dr Caroline Gilleran said: "The students and I absolutely love being part of the Cell EXPLORERS initiative. Its an amazing and fun opportunity to be able to bring science to primary school classrooms and to see how excited young children can be about science." Paul Carolan, ICT Coordinator & Learning Support Teacher, Aston Village ETNS, Drogheda said: "In 2018 we were delighted to be invited by Caroline to attend the Cell Explorers DNA workshops at DKIT and then during Covid, we received the DNA in a Box kits which we used here ourselves to deliver the workshops to our 5th year classes. "The kits were fantastic, down to the finest details of lesson planning and the prepared resources. "Our students and teachers found the workshops to be a fantastic learning experience and great fun too. "The experiences that opportunities such as this give to our young people, are invaluable and for many students, become one of the stand-out, memorable days of their early education. "Providing them with access to real scientists, real equipment and tangible experiment results that they can take home to report on, not to mention the wonderful opportunity we had at the time to visit a 3rd level college and see what learning looks like in that context, is in effect, the 'planting of the seed' we aim to achieve as educators to encourage more students into the STEM disciplines of study and employment." Last year, despite the challenges of a global pandemic the DkIT Cell Explorers team were able to provide 22 boxes to 13 schools in Louth, Cavan and Meath. This gave 670 children the opportunity to extract DNA from bananas and to gain a glimpse into the life of a molecular biologist. If you would like a Cell Explorer Scientist to visit your primary school please get in touch. www.dkit.ie The Minister for Further and Higher Education is encouraging hairdressers around Ireland to take on an apprentice. Minister Simon Harris made the call due to what he called a "skills shortage" in the hairdressing industry. He said, "Currently there is a skills shortage in hairdressing and many salons are struggling to find suitably qualified hairdressers to sustain and grow their business. "I would take this opportunity to ask hairdressers rebuilding after a difficult year to consider taking on an apprentice." He made the comments yesterday (June 7) at the opening of a new hairdressing apprenticeship facility at Colaiste Dhulaigh College of Further Education in Kilbarrack, Dublin. The minister continued: "To any man or woman considering hairdressing as a career, consider availing of a national apprenticeship programme that allows you to earn while you learn." The National Hairdressing Apprenticeship is a 3-year programme leading to a nationally-recognised QQI Level 6 Qualification in Hairdressing. Minister Harris said, "Diversity and inclusion is a key aspect of the action plan. What this means is that one aspect of government incentives and supports are targeted towards achieving greater gender representation across the various apprenticeships. "In April I announced a new gender-based bursary worth 2,666 to employers who take on apprentices of a minority gender where greater than 80% representation of a single gender currently exists." Heading to @ColDhulaigh shortly to open the new National Hairdressing Apprentice Hair Salon. The apprenticeship is a three year programme developed with the hairdressing sector & provides them with job-ready stylists. Determined to continue to develop apprenticeships in Ireland pic.twitter.com/MGcJJPueAL Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 8, 2022 Hairdressers who take on a male hairdresser will get an additional 2,666 due to the new gender-based grant, as the hairdressing industry currently stands at 90% female representation. Minister Harris said, "This is on top of an employer grant of 2,000 available for every apprentice that a business takes on." As such, I would really encourage anyone considering taking on apprentices to take this opportunity to participate in a more gender balanced way, given the supports available to encourage and enhance gender diversity in the workplace." By the end of 2022, hairdressing apprenticeships will be available in twelve locations across Ireland, including Sligo, Mayo and Wexford. Proposed laws to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol are not designed to prop up the UK Prime Minister or appease hardline Brexiteers, a British Government minister has insisted. Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns denied there is a sub agenda behind the legislation and said it is about fixing issues with the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Mr Burns told members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee he wants to take the politics out of the impasse over the protocol and instead refocus on the process issues with its implementation. Committee chairman Simon Hoare praised Mr Burns approach but suggested he is in the minority within Government. Mr Hoare said there is concern the protocol row would be used to create a punch up with the EU and as red meat, dead cats, play-things, distractions either to salve the appetites of the European Research Group, shore up the robustness of the Prime Minister or get editorial red tops on side. Mr Hoare suggested other ministers would use the issue to show a bit of leg and a bit of muscle to further their own leadership ambitions. Mr Burns insisted Boris Johnson is in the space of wanting to fix this. He said the Governments preferred resolution is an agreed settlement with the EU, but said that will not be achievable unless European leaders widened the negotiating mandate of European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic. We cannot just sit back and wait in the hope that the mandate will broaden, he told MPs. So that is why we will get into the legislative space but it will be to fix it and it will not be about propping up or getting headlines or appeasing any particular element within Parliament, be that inside the Government or inside Northern Ireland political parties. On the suggestion the Government is trying to assuage DUP concerns, Mr Burns said: Im an openly gay Catholic born in north Belfast who supports the Union, I dont do things for the DUP. I do things because they are the right things to do for the United Kingdom. And fixing this will have the consequence hopefully of restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland. The NIO minister said he appreciates businesses in Northern Ireland need certainty on their trading environment. We want a negotiated solution to this with the Commission; we think that is by far the best means, the optimum means to do that, he said. But, in the absence of that, in order to provide the level of certainty that we want to deliver to businesses in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the United Kingdom, we will bring forward legislation. We want a spirit of co-operation and partnership with our friends in the EU. One of my ambitions is to drag this protocol stuff maybe out of the politics and back into process, because thats essentially what were talking about. Were talking about how to create a system of checks and regulations that reflect different destinations of different goods and types within these islands. We have long maintained that with a degree of pragmatism and goodwill there should be a negotiated solution that can be found. Regrettably, it cannot be found within the strict mandate that vice president (of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maros) Sefcovic is currently operating under. While creating new checks and processes on the movement of goods between Great Britain and the Northern Ireland, the protocol also offers traders in the region unfettered access to sell both within the UK internal market and into the EU single market. Alliance MP Stephen Farry asked Mr Burns if the Government acknowledges the economic opportunity presented by the dual market access. The minister replied: Were absolutely of the view that this is an amazing opportunity for Northern Ireland. During his evidence session before the committee, Mr Burns was also asked about Government investment programmes in Northern Ireland. There was a particular focus on programmes designed to replace lost EU financial support, such as the Levelling Up fund. Stormont ministers have criticised the Governments policy of directly funding projects in Northern Ireland, expressing concerns the approach could lead to duplication or conflict with the devolved executives funding plans. Mr Burns rejected the criticism of the centralised funding approach. We see it as value added, he said. We see it as adding to, not detracting from, the core responsibilities of the Executive. China launches Shenzhou-14 crewed mission to complete space station construction 10:03, June 08, 2022 By Yu Jianbin ( People's Daily China launched the Shenzhou-14 crewed spaceship at 10:44 a.m. on June 5, 2022, Beijing Time, sending three astronauts to its space station Tiangong. Chinese astronauts Chen Dong (C), Liu Yang (R) and Cai Xuzhe of the Shenzhou-14 spaceflight mission. (Photo/Courtesy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) After entering its designated orbit, the spaceship conducted a fast rendezvous and docking with the space station combination. At 8:50 p.m., astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe entered the Tianhe core module of the space station and began their six-month stay in orbit. This is the 23rd spaceflight mission since the approval and launch of Chinas manned space program and the third crewed mission for Chinas space station project. During the Shenzhou-14 crewed mission, the three astronauts are expected to complete the construction of the countrys space station, which mainly consists of the Tianhe core module and two lab modules named Mengtian and Wentian, and finally establish the countrys national space laboratory. In the following six months during their stay in the space station, the Shenzhou-14 crew will witness the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules, Tianzhou-5 cargo craft, and Shenzhou-15 manned spaceship dock with the Tianhe core module. A schematic diagram of Chinas space station. (Photo/Courtesy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) During their stay in orbit, the crew members will carry out in-orbit verification of small and big mechanical arms, verification of the role of an airlock cabin in the Wentian lab module in supporting extravehicular activities, installation of extravehicular payloads and other space station-construction related work. Meanwhile, the crew will continue public benefit activities including the Tiangong Class live science lecture, and conduct in-orbit health monitoring and examination, protective exercises, in-orbit training and drills, as well as a lot of other activities such as station platform inspections and tests, equipment maintenance and verification, and station and material management. Following the launch of the Shenzhou-14 crewed mission, China will launch the Wentian and Mengtian lab modules to create a larger platform for scientific experiments and tests in space. As Chinas national space laboratory, the Tiangong space station will be able to accommodate 25 experiment cabinets for scientific exploration, according to Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for Chinas manned space program and deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Each of the 25 experiment cabinets will be able to function as a small-sized lab where space science experiments for a single subject or interdisciplinary research can be carried out, with their overall capacity reaching an advanced international level, Lin said. The Wentian lab module will mainly be used for space life sciences research. It will be equipped with experiment cabinets for experiments on life and ecology, biotechnology, and varying-gravity science research, as well as experiments and research in closed ecosystem. It will also support research into the response mechanisms of various kinds of plants, animals, microorganisms, etc. during growth, development, heredity, and senescence in space. The Mengtian lab module is designed to serve microgravity research. Equipped with experiment cabinets for the study of physics of fluids, material science, combustion science, fundamental physics, space technology experiments and other disciplines, the lab module will be able to support research into the essential laws of relevant matter and frontier research including those in ultracold atomic physics. China will establish the worlds first cold atomic clocks in space consisting of a hydrogen clock, a rubidium clock and an optical clock in its space station on the basis of the cold atomic clock that once worked on board Chinas retired Tiangong-2 space lab. A Long March-2F Y14 carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-14 crewed spacecraft, blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest Chinas Gansu province. (Photo/Courtesy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) The cold atomic clocks will form the most precise time and frequency system in space, which will serve frontier scientific research including gravitational redshift research and measurement of fine structure constants. The country will also launch the Xuntian space telescope into the orbit of the space station to carry out wide-area survey observations. Upon the completion of the in-orbit construction of the space station, Chinas manned space program will enter a stage of application and development that will span more than 10 years. According to Chinas initial plan for the new stage, the country will launch two manned spaceships and two cargo spacecraft every year, and astronauts will stay in orbit for a long term to carry out space scientific and technological experiments and maintain the space station. The country also plans to develop reusable new-generation manned carrier rockets and spacecraft that can carry seven astronauts. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Former President Lee Myung-bak / Yonhap By Lee Hae-rin Jailed former President Lee Myung-bak, 80, has filed for a suspension of his sentence due to health issues, raising speculation over whether his request may lead to a pardon by President Yoon Suk-yeol. Lee, who headed the country from 2008 to 2013, has been serving a 17-year jail term since November 2020 for embezzlement and corruption, and Yoon was a lead investigator in the cases that resulted in Lee's imprisonment. He is now detained at Anyang Correctional Institution in Gyeonggi Province. According to the prosecution, Lee filed a petition for a suspension of his sentence to the Anyang branch of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, Friday. A prisoner aged over 70 who is in poor health or whose life cannot be sustained under imprisonment is eligible to receive a suspension of penalty, depending on the prosecutor's opinion. While in prison, Lee has been in and out of the hospital several times for treatment of chronic diseases including diabetes and bronchitis. He also received cataract surgery last year. In response to his request, the Anyang prosecutors will conduct field research and report to the Suwon office, which will form a deliberation committee comprising legal, medical and academic specialists and members of the public to reach a final decision on Lee's sentence. The petition comes as the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been calling for the swift release of the former president, citing his old age and deteriorating health, as part of its bid to win over conservative voters for the local elections held at the start of this month. PPP floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, a close aide to President Yoon, said, Wednesday, that pardoning Lee "could be necessary to achieve national unity and prestige." "It is unfair that two former presidents had been behind bars, with only one of them being pardoned," Kweon said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. The other former leader was Park Geun-hye, who was pardoned mainly due to her deteriorating health by former President Moon Jae-in in December 2021, after serving 5 years of a 22-year prison sentence following her conviction on a series of corruption charges. However, Lee was excluded on the grounds that he had not served a sufficient portion of his term, as well as low public support for the move. Yoon himself also urged the government to set Lee free on multiple occasions during the election campaign and following his election, on the grounds of promoting national unity. Should Lee be set free, it could be carried out on National Liberation Day, which falls on Aug. 15. Each government has used national holidays to grant paroles or presidential pardons under the pretext of national unity. However, President Yoon seems to have done an about-face on the issue after winning the election in March. On his way to the presidential office on Wednesday morning, Yoon told reporters that pardoning Lee is "not an issue to talk about right now." By Sadia Tasleem It has been nearly a quarter century since India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons. After conducting the tests in May 1998, the focus in both states has been on growing and diversifying their nuclear and missile inventories. Military spending has increased in both states despite the poor socio economic indicators. In the U.N.'s human development index, India and Pakistan stand at 131st and 154th positions respectively. The international concerns over the safety and security of nuclear weapons and materials, albeit essential, have disproportionately shifted the discourse to responsibility, inadvertently freezing the status quo and diverting attention away from nuclear disarmament. Whether nuclear weapons have served any purpose whatsoever for the people of India and Pakistan remains a highly debatable issue. What remains undisputed are the risks and dangers that the existence of nuclear weapons pose to the lives and welfare of the millions of people on both sides of the border and the lives of many others around the globe, just as the presence of nuclear weapons in other parts of the world does. The most recent reminder of such risks was the incident when India's cruise missile, Brahmos, landed inside Pakistani territory on March 9 in the town of Mian Channu, approximately 500 kilometers away from Pakistan's capital of Islamabad. Ironically, this incident did not grab as much attention in the international media as it deserved. Whether it was the war in Ukraine or the ugly possibility that some states can play with fire without any reproach from the international community, the consequences of such neglect call for a serious appraisal of the risks posed by such accidents in a nuclear environment. Even though the conversations that this event has generated inside India and Pakistan are insightful, they are also limited in challenging the prevailing status quo. Important information about the incident is still missing resulting in speculative analysis and arbitrary proposals. The Indian authors have raised concerns over the safety and security as well as the command-and-control systems (C2) of India's missiles. Some have offered insightful analysis of the risks that the incident entailed. But all have stopped at suggesting the need for improving standard operating procedures (SOPs) and revising existing Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) or instituting new ones. In Pakistan, the conversation has centered on deciphering India's intentions, analyzing the possibility of an accidental launch, critique of India's command and control structure, the adequacy and inadequacy of Pakistan's response, and suggestions for the future. These are important issues. Whether the incident was India's deliberate attempt to probe Pakistan's threshold or an accident, the fact that it happened and can happen again is alarming. In case it was a deliberate attempt to assess Pakistan's preparedness level, it is a highly risky precedent to set. It reveals the deadly mindset that can normalize risk-taking and increase the likelihood of war. Such a possibility renders all the conversation on CBMs, C2 and SOPs irrelevant. However, in what appears to be highly likely a case of an accidental launch, it is even more disturbing. The recent incident has exposed the unwarranted risks at many levels. For instance, it is still unclear whether the incident was a consequence of a poor command or a technical failure. How long did it take for the Indian government to know where the missile had landed? Why did the government wait for the Pakistani side to speak out before clarifying India's position? The existing commentaries have correctly pointed out the enormous risks that such accidents pose in a geopolitically tense environment within a region where the flight times are short and the pressure to respond is very high, particularly during a crisis. On March 9, luckily the accidentally launched missile didn't carry a warhead and caused no damage. However, a future accident might be fatal. The ongoing conversation, though important, does not offer an extensive analysis of how the domestic political imperatives may create pressures for political governments to respond to such mishaps under turbulent domestic political conditions. The prevalent trust deficit on both sides can further compound this challenge. It is also important to mention here that had it been an accidental launch from Pakistan involving damage to human life and property it is inconceivable to expect the current Indian government to have trusted Pakistan's narrative. India might have reacted differently and more strongly. Even though well-meaning, the proposals put forth in the existing commentaries that argue in favor of concluding bilateral agreements, updating old CBMs, or creating new ones are not sufficient to address the challenges faced by the two nuclear armed nations in South Asia. The CBMs are meant to build trust and in that sense, they can serve a limited purpose. However, in case of a deliberate attempt meant to probe the other side's threshold the CBMs are redundant. On the other hand, the possibility of accidents whether triggered by human error or technical failure cannot be eliminated no matter how effective the SOPs are. The CBMs proposed to deal with accidents involve quick communication. The effectiveness of such proposals is heavily contingent upon three factors, complete situational awareness on both sides, timely communication, and trust both in the intentions and the information shared by the adversaries. The March 9 incident reveals the limitation on all three counts. Will there be enough information, timely communication, and sufficient trust in a future event, particularly in a crisis? This is just anyone's guess. In the presence of the risks and dangers posed by accidental missile launches in a nuclear environment, CBMs are not enough. Accidents involving missiles have happened in other places in the past and South Asia is no exception. This is the time for India and Pakistan to start a serious conversation about the possibility of nuclear disarmament. Introducing disarmament education in the high school curriculum can be the first step in this direction. Sadia Tasleem is a lecturer at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. She is a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN). Her article is published in cooperation with the APLN (www.apln.network). AN GARDA Siochana made seven arrests for drink driving and four for drug driving in Co Cork over the bank holiday weekend. Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan, who is in charge of the North Cork and West Cork divisions, told The Echo that between Friday and yesterday in the county, seven people had been charged with drink driving and four had been charged with drug driving. A Garda checkpoint on the M8 outside Mitchelstown, operating between 2pm and 4pm last Friday, saw one person arrested for drink driving and three arrested for driving under the influence of drugs, said Chief Supt Cadogan. In addition, 15 vehicles were seized for having no tax or insurance over the course of the weekend. Chief Supt Cadogan said that advances in Garda technology mean that the registration plates of vehicles approaching Garda checkpoints are automatically scanned now, and by the time the car is stopped the attending gardai know whether or not the vehicle is taxed or insured. This is an advance in our technology which is doing away with false tax and insurance discs. Before, people were so good on computers they could do up a tax disc or an insurance disc and you wouldnt know the difference, but now the new IT means members can read your registration number and straight away tell whether youre taxed and insured, said Chief Supt Cadogan. Michigan and the rest of the nation are about to get a detailed, fact-based look into the role former President Trump, several members of Congress, state politicians and others played in ongoing attacks on our elections. Starting on June 9 in prime time, the bipartisan congressional committee charged with investigating the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, will hold public hearings into these egregious attempts to sabotage the will of the voters. To be clear, the insurrection did not just occur on January 6, but started in earnest on Election Night 2020, when the former president claimed fraud and tried to stop precinct workers from counting legally submitted ballots in places like Atlanta, Las Vegas and Detroit. What followed in the ensuing months was a concerted, criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election. The truth is in the memos, texts and PowerPoint presentations that the committee is expected to show. In addition to the storming of the Capitol building, Trump and his cronies claimed fraud with zero evidence, filed spurious and dubiously grounded legal challenges (all of which lost), and concocted a scheme to nominate a fake slate of electors with the hope that Vice President Mike Pence would break the law and precedent in an attempt to steal the election. Our elections must be run fairly and without undue influence. No matter who you choose to vote for on Election Day, the process must be above reproach. Working to overturn the result of the election simply because you did not win, as Trump and his allies did, threatens the underpinnings of our democratic way of life. Their scheme was not without victims, either. The violence they unleashed on Jan. 6, 2021, injured 140 police officers, and several of those brave men and women died. In addition, in the weeks that followed, our elections officials were harassed to the point where many have chosen to retire or resign to pull themselves out of the line of fire. The architects of the actions on Jan.6 and since must be held accountable, and these hearings will do just that. Even more concerning: These efforts to attack our elections and overturn the will of the voters have not stopped. Politico uncovered a scheme to plant operatives as precinct workers around Michigan in an attempt to challenge and disenfranchise voters. And candidates up and down the ballot, including all five of Michigans GOP candidates for governor and the Republican candidates for Secretary of State and Attorney General continue to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen, with some going as far as to suggest we decertify an election that happened two years ago. One candidate for governor, Ryan Kelley, was literally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol urging the insurrectionists on. Americans need to send a strong message that our elections are sacred, that every vote will be counted, and that Michiganders will not tolerate attempts to subvert our democracy for political gain. I hope that Michiganders tune in to the hearings to hear the full truth, starting June 9. [Creative Commons image credit: Brett Davis | Flickr] When Kirsty Ramadan of the Bohollow Wildlife Shelter was called out to Barmah, near the border of Victoria and New South Wales in Australia, to help a sick bird, she was confronted with much more than she bargained for. The report she heeded told her that there were five dead birds near the ailing long-billed corella she was there to rescue. Instead, she encountered more than 100 dead or dying birds. I headed out, not knowing what to expect but when I arrived in Barmah it was clear that something was seriously wrong, she wrote in a Facebook post. Ramadan said she at first gathered 10 dead long-billed corellas, but kept finding more in the area. I quickly realised that the number of birds involved was huge as I began to see dead birds scattered everywhere around the surrounding streets and bushland, she wrote. Amongst the dead there was the occasional live bird. I began the tedious task of methodically searching through the streets of Barmah and in surrounding bushland. In the end, she photographed a total of 105 dead birds, but she said that more of them were still dead or dying in the area. Ramadan took some of the birds to the Echuca Veterinary Clinic, where an autopsy revealed signs of poisoning, including hemorrhaging in the intestine and stained material in the gizzard. These birds are dropping dead out of trees, in mid air and falling into the Murray River and puddles due to excessive thirst which is again, a symptom of poisoning, she wrote. Ramadan said that she collected around 10 birds who were struggling but still alive, yet all of them died within hours. The Victorian Conservation Regulator is now working to investigate the deaths, News.com.au reported. We are working to determine if the deaths were caused by a disease or as a result of human actions, the regulator said. Anyone with information about the case can call 1-800-333-000. We are investigating the deaths of more than 100 little corellas at Barmah last Wednesday. We are working to determine if the deaths were caused by a disease or as a result of human actions. If you know anything about this case, please call @CrimeStopperVic on 1800 333 000. pic.twitter.com/Evlw1fwJgj Conservation Regulator Vic (@ConservationReg) June 6, 2022 The Wildlife Act of 1975 makes it illegal to poison wildlife in Australia, and offenders can face fines of $18,174 and or six months in jail. However, Ramadan said on Facebook that it was unlikely the perpetrators would be caught and urged anyone with information to come forward. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said it was possible that the birds had gotten into grain that had been poisoned to combat rodents, Australias ABC News reported. However, diseases like psittacine beak and feather disease have also killed native birds in Victoria. The long-billed corella is a type of medium-sized white cockatoo native to southeastern Australia, according to eBird. As their name suggests, they have a very long upper mandible with a sharp point. They are considered a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Ramadan told ABC News that parrot species are often seen as pests in rural Australia. However, she urged a different attitude towards wildlife. Native wildlife face hardship on every level from human activities, there is no animal on earth who is a greater inconvenience, liability and threat to wildlife than Homo sapiens, she wrote on Facebook. Climate change is causing lakes to dry up, leading to a number of unfortunate circumstances. The latest? As the Great Salt Lakes water levels continue to decline, it could cause a toxic dust cloud to form around Salt Lake City. The Great Salt Lake has decreased by two-thirds of its size since the 1980s, and as it shrinks, it has seen increasing salinity levels. In turn, the water may kill off more marine life, which 10 million migratory birds depend on for food. Even more frightening, the shrinking lake means more arsenic from the lake bed will be exposed. High winds and storms may carry the arsenic into the air that surrounds nearby Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City is home to about 75% of Utahs entire population. We have this potential environmental nuclear bomb thats going to go off if we dont take some pretty dramatic action, Joel Ferry, a Republican state lawmaker and lakeside rancher in Utah, told The New York Times. Lawmakers in Utah are concerned that the declining water levels will lead to a similar ongoing scenario in California. There, Owens Lake was entirely drained for municipal water use in Los Angeles, which has now paid $2.5 billion to prevent toxic air pollution from taking over the city. Some potential solutions include diverting less snowpack away for municipality and agricultural uses, as the snowpack runoff feeds into the lake. Salt Lake City could also instate fines, water use restrictions and other water conservation measures. Utah lawmakers have also recently started looking into the possibility of building a pipeline from the Pacific Ocean to bring water into the Great Salt Lake. We have to have a solution where more water goes to the Great Salt Lake, either through natural stream flow or, you know, now were hearing about this pipeline proposal, Jim Steenburgh, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Utah, told Gizmodo. That proposal is probably going to be extremely expensive and not very practical, but who knows? Its often said that water flows uphill to money, so I dont exactly know where this will go. But were in the very early stages in figuring out how we can save, or at least mitigate, the decline of the Great Salt Lake. While experts are still trying to figure out a solution, its clear that the consequences of ongoing water crises in the western U.S. are posing significant threats to people and wildlife in these regions. When hurricanes and other natural disasters strike the East Coast, or the Gulf states, Washington springs into action to protect those communities, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said in a statement. But we havent seen anything like that kind of response to the Western water crisis, even though its consequences are far more wide-reaching and sustained than any one natural disaster. Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached record levels in the atmosphere in 2020 despite a temporary decline in new emissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations said on Monday. The news contained in the Greenhouse Gas Bulletin of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) comes as world leaders prepare to attend the United Nations climate change conference, or COP26. The summit will aim to coordinate global efforts to combat global warming caused by human-made emissions. The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin contains a stark, scientific message for climate change negotiators at COP26, said WMO chief Petteri Taalas. At the current rate of increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, we will see a temperature increase by the end of this century far in excess of the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius [2.7 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit] above pre-industrial levels, he said. We are way off track. Weather Extremes Becoming the Norm Climate experts agree that increases beyond this level will exacerbate the already more frequent extreme weather situations that Earth has been experiencing over past years, including floods, drought, hurricanes and prolonged heat waves. The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3 to 5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2 to 3C warmer and sea level was 10 to 20 meters (33 to 66 feet) higher than now. But there werent 7.8 billion people then, said Taalas. Sea level rise and harm to ocean ecosystems represent further effects of climate change. Taalas called for a dramatic increase in commitments at the COP26 conference beginning on October 31. A boy rides his bike through floodwaters in Funafuti, Tuvalu on Nov. 24, 2019. Mario Tama / Getty Images What Did the WMO Report Say? Concentrations of CO2 the gas responsible for some 66% of the global warming effect in the atmosphere reached 413.2 parts per million in 2020, up 2.5 ppm over the previous year. This is 149% of pre-industrial levels from 1750, the WMO said. Averages of methane, the second-most-significant greenhouse gas, reached a new high of 1,889 parts per billion, up 11 ppb on the year before. That represents 262% more than emissions prior to 1750. Some 60% of methane emissions come from human activity, including agriculture and landfills. The third-most-important climate-damaging gas, nitrous oxide, reached 333.2 ppb, up 1.2 ppb. That is 123% of pre-industrial levels. The report also emphasized that because CO2 persists in the atmosphere for a long time, the global temperature will stay elevated for some time even if humankind succeeds in reducing emissions to net zero in the near future. It said that while emissions dropped by 5.6% last year because of the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, there had been no discernible effect either on the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere or the rate of their growth. What Have Experts Said? Euan Nisbet, from the University of Londons Greenhouse Gas Group, said the findings showed the Earth was skidding into a car crash. The disaster gets closer and closer, but you cant stop it. You can clearly see the crash ahead, and all you can do is howl, he said. The director of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, Dave Reay, said the WMO report was a brutally frank assessment of the achievements of COP summits up to now, which he described as an epic fail. Reposted with permission from DW. Dom Phillips, a British journalist who has lived in Brazil for more than ten years, and Bruno Araujo Pereira, an expert on isolated Amazonian Tribes, have been missing in Brazils Amazon since Sunday, reported The Guardian. They were last seen traveling by boat in a remote part of the Amazonas states Javari region. The area is known for drug trafficking and illegal mining. Phillips, who is 57, was working on a book on conservation. Phillips has written widely about the Amazon region and the threats it faces, like the illegal gold mining infringing on Indigenous lands, and has been a long-time contributor to The Guardian and written for other publications like The Washington Post, BBC News reported. Pereira, who works with the Brazilian Indigenous National Foundation (FUNAI), is currently on leave. Indigenous rights groups said that, days before they disappeared, Phillips and Pereira had received threats. As I make this appeal they have been missing for more than 30 hours [and] in the forest every second counts, every second could be the difference between life and death, said Phillips wife Alessandra Sampaio, who lives with her husband in the Brazilian city of Salvador, as reported by The Guardian. Phillips and Pereira had been expected to return to the city of Atalaia do Norte on Sunday, but never arrived. The mens disappearance was reported by the Indigenous rights groups the Observatory for the Human Rights of Isolated and Recently Contacted Indigenous Peoples (OPI) and the Union of Indigenous Organizations of the Javari Valley (Univaja), BBC News reported. Univaja said the men were last seen in the community of Sao Rafael early on Sunday, reported The Washington Post. A search party was dispatched by Univaja, but found no sign of the two men, who had last been seen by Sao Gabriel residents floating downriver from Sao Rafael in their boat, reported BBC News. The families of both men have been asking for quicker action from authorities. We request from the authorities speed, seriousness and all possible resources for that search, a statement from Pereiras family said, as The Washington Post reported. Every minute counts, every stretch of the river and the forest not yet checked could be the one where they are waiting for rescue. The search party, which includes federal police, was joined by the Brazilian navy, which said a helicopter, in addition to two vessels and a watercraft, would be deployed, reported BBC News. Sampaio, who was being advised by a journalist, shared messages on Twitter. I can only pray that Dom and Bruno are well, somewhere, prevented from continuing on for some mechanical reason, and that all of this becomes just one more story in a life replete with them, wrote Sampaio, as The Washington Post reported. By Imran Khalid Exactly on the same day that marked the completion of 100 days of the invasion of Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron, in unequivocal words, warned against "humiliating" Russia and urged fellow Western nations to keep the doors open to diplomatic engagement with Moscow. "We must not humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means," he said while talking to French media. "I am convinced that it is France's role to be a mediating power," he added as he looked for a way to extinguish the flames of the biggest war in Europe since World War II. Macron's words amount to the first such open offer by any European leader to play the role of a mediator in the Ukrainian war. Though it is not yet clear what prompted Macron to make such a statement at this juncture of the war, when the Ukrainian government and people are in no mood to resume talks with the Russians. As expected, Macron's statement has received an immediate rebuke from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, who bluntly rejected this proposal in quite caustic words; "Calls to avoid the humiliation of Russia can only humiliate France. Because it is Russia that humiliates itself. We all better focus on how to put Russia in its place. This will bring peace and save lives." This episode reflects two main realities about the ongoing brutal war in Ukraine as far as the diplomatic resolution of this conflict is concerned. One, there is a growing wedge of difference within the EU and NATO about the methodology of how to tackle the war in Ukraine, and two, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team are in no mood to go to the negotiating table in a weaker bargaining position. Interestingly, Macron is perhaps the only European leader who has been constantly in touch with Russian President Vladimir Putin ever since Feb. 24 when the Russians attacked Ukrainian territory. The problem with Macron is that he desperately wants to carve a weighty role for himself in this big flashpoint in Europe with an intention to bolster his reputation at home as well as in Europe. There is no denying that Macron has been consistently warning Putin to abstain from making the mistake of continuously pursuing his aggressive plans in Ukraine. Yet, at the same time, France has also provided Caesar howitzers, MILAN anti-tank guided missiles and Mistral anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine as part of the combined European support package to bolster the Ukrainian military. However, Macron is no longer alone in Europe when it comes to communicating with Putin. Now Germany and Italy are also toeing the same line with regard to the Ukrainian invasion. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made lengthy telephone calls with Putin last week and adopted a similar tone, "There must be a ceasefire in Ukraine as quickly as possible." In the initial phase of the war, all the Europeans were united on one point: push back the Russian intruders at any cost by providing generous supplies of weapons and military warfare to Kyiv. By April, there was a consensus among the European leaders and U.S. President Joe Biden that Ukraine was militarily not in a position to recapture any of the lost territory on its own. However, recent successes of the Ukrainian army have certainly created a new optimism in Europe, but also, they have raised a different kind of concern among some European leaders that a Ukrainian victory could inversely destabilize Russia, making it even more unpredictable and vengeful and thus, putting the prospect of the normalization of energy channels further away. That's the reason why some Western European capitals have suddenly started talking though discreetly about a "face-saving" resolution to the conflict, even at the cost of giving up some of Ukraine's territory in the east. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy, who also knows well that this conflict will eventually be settled at the negotiating table, is not ready to resume any kind of diplomatic engagement with Moscow from a weaker position at this point. He is waiting for new weapons from the West, including the precision HIMARS rocket systems from the U.S. that will allow the Ukrainian army to hit Russian positions from a longer distance, in the hopes of pushing back Russian forces as far as possible, or even, perhaps, to the borders of Ukraine. He wants to initiate the negotiations with the Russians from a position of strength so as to maximize the chances of a relatively favorable deal in the end. Dr. Imran Khalid (immhza6@gmail.com) is a freelance contributor based in Karachi, Pakistan. Min's defection and move to return is an affront to democracy Min Hyung-bae, an independent lawmaker who left the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in April in a thinly-veiled attempt to ram through bills that would strip the prosecution of its investigative powers, has expressed his wish to return to the party as the local elections came to an end. In a radio interview Monday, Rep. Min said he is waiting for a "special measure" by the party to expedite his return. Despite tough opposition from the People Power Party (PPP), the DPK pushed for the passage of the revisions to the Prosecutors' Office Act and the Criminal Procedure Act in what appears to be a move to block investigations into corruption allegations involving key DPK figures, including former President Moon Jae-in. But as progress on the bills stalled in the legislative review subcommittee, the DPK, then the ruling party, tried to form a six-member ad-hoc agenda coordination subcommittee. Min was picked to quit the party to replace an independent in the subcommittee. It was an unprecedented dirty trick that incapacitated the National Assembly Act obliging the ruling and opposition parties to hold 90 days of discussions before approving every contentious bill. After all, the ad-hoc subcommittee took just 14 minutes to pass the relevant bills, which would bring about drastic changes to the country's criminal justice system. Min quit the party to help push through the bills opposed by the broader populace for no good reason. Now he wants to return to the party only a month and a half later. His obvious "fake" defection and move to return is certainly an affront to democracy. Even after leaving the party, Min openly participated in campaigns for the DPK in the run-up to the June 1 local elections. Not affiliated with any party, he assumed the campaign chairman post for the party's Gwangju mayoral candidate. Should he return to the party as he desires, it amounts to owning up to the fact that the two bills were approved illicitly via Min's dirty trick. TT 2022: CONFIRMED - sidecar driver died and not passenger - mistaken identity say TT organisers Organisers of the Isle of Man TT have confirmed a sidecar driver died and not his passenger following a case of 'mistaken identity'. The incident happened in the opening lap of the first Sidecar Race on Saturday at Agos Leap. It involved outfit number 21 of Cesar Chanal and Olivier Lavorel resulted in the death of one of the competitors. The race was stopped with the deployment of full-course red flags, and medical personnel, a Travelling Marshal, and the emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene. In a statement, Isle of Man TT said: "One of the competitors sustained injuries that would not support life and was sadly declared dead at the scene. The second competitor was unconscious with severe injuries." "The injured competitor was treated at the roadside before being transferred to Nobles Hospital, and then airlifted to a specialist hospital in Liverpool to receive treatment." "An initial identification procedure was conducted using established procedures and would appear to have resulted in a mistaken identification." "We now believe it was Cesar Chanal who died at the scene of the accident on Saturday 4th June. Olivier remains in a critical condition and continues to receive treatment." "Both competitors families have been informed. " "A thorough review of the processes relating to the identification of competitors will take place in due course." It comes as family members of Cesar Chanal confirmed the rider had passed away. Note: This article has been updated since publication. Photos Naver headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province / Korea Times file By Park Jae-hyuk The latest conflict between Naver and unionized workers of its subsidiaries has developed into a controversy over the IT firm's management considering environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors. Naver union leader Oh Se-yoon said in a press conference Wednesday that the company has been neglectful of employees at NIT, NTS, Greenweb Service, Incomms and Commpartners, even though the subsidiaries' workers are also among Naver's important stakeholders. Stakeholder capitalism, which was proposed as an alternative to shareholder capitalism, is intended to serve the interests of all stakeholders including customers, employees and society, as well as shareholders. It has been regarded as a "driving force" behind ESG, according to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who has led the trend of sustainable management. "Naver's sustainability report lacks the most important thing," Oh said. "Workers of its subsidiaries are not on the list of its stakeholders." His remarks came after unionized workers of the five companies decided to submit a request for mediation to the National Labor Relations Commission. They made the decision earlier this month, after failing to reach an agreement with each of their respective companies over wages and labor conditions. The five firms are fully owned subsidiaries of Naver I&S, which is also a fully owned subsidiary of Naver. Their workers asked for a 10 percent hike in their salaries and the establishment of teams handling workplace bullying issues, considering the fact that a Naver employee killed himself in 2021 due to extreme stress after suffering workplace bullying. The companies, however, declined to accept the requests, proposing salary hikes of between 5.7 percent and 7.5 percent. The Naver union criticized their refusal, citing significantly low wages offered by the subsidiaries in comparison to their parent company. A Naver spokesman said that each subsidiary has been operated as an independent entity, so Naver headquarters has no right to get involved in their labor-management negotiations. The union emphasized that Naver headquarters should not avoid its responsibility. Kim Jong-jin, a researcher of the Korea Labor & Society Institute, also pointed out that Naver has exercised strong influence over the subsidiaries. "In order to narrow the gap in the labor market, a company should fulfill its social responsibility," Kim said. "The refusal to establish teams handling workplace bullying issues is contradictory to the global standard." Microsoft inadvertently learned the risks of creating racist AI, but what happens if you deliberately point the intelligence at a toxic forum? One person found out. As Motherboard and The Verge note, YouTuber Yannic Kilcher trained an AI language model using three years of content from 4chan's Politically Incorrect (/pol/) board, a place infamous for its racism and other forms of bigotry. After implementing the model in ten bots, Kilcher set the AI loose on the board and it unsurprisingly created a wave of hate. In the space of 24 hours, the bots wrote 15,000 posts that frequently included or interacted with racist content. They represented more than 10 percent of posts on /pol/ that day, Kilcher claimed. Nicknamed GPT-4chan (after OpenAI's GPT-3), the model learned to not only pick up the words used in /pol/ posts, but an overall tone that Kilcher said blended "offensiveness, nihilism, trolling and deep distrust." The video creator took care to dodge 4chan's defenses against proxies and VPNs, and even used a VPN to make it look like the bot posts originated from the Seychelles. The AI made a few mistakes, such as blank posts, but was convincing enough that it took roughly two days for many users to realize something was amiss. Many forum members only noticed one of the bots, according to Kilcher, and the model created enough wariness that people accused each other of being bots days after Kilcher deactivated them. The YouTuber characterized the experiment as a "prank," not research, in conversation with The Verge. It's a reminder that trained AI is only as good as its source material. The concern instead stems from how Kilcher shared his work. While he avoided providing the bot code, he shared a partly neutered version of the model with the AI repository Hugging Face. Visitors could have recreated the AI for sinister purposes, and Hugging Face decided to restrict access as a precaution. There were clear ethical concerns with the project, and Kilcher himself said he should focus on "much more positive" work in the future. IBM will begin an orderly wind-down of its operations in Russia, according to a memo from CEO Arvind Krishna that was released publicly today. The company suspended business operations in the country back in March, joining a wave of other Western companies that chose to either halt sales or pull out of Russia completely following its invasion of Ukraine. Despite no longer doing business in Russia, IBM kept paying its Russia-based employees. But US sanctions on Russian banks have made it harder for the company to pay its employees in the country, Reuters reported last month. The wind-down means that IBM will also terminate the employment of its Russia-based workforce. This process will commence today and result in the separation of our local workforce. Our colleagues in Russia have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty. We recognize that this news is difficult, and I want to assure them that IBM will continue to stand by them and take all reasonable steps to provide support and make their transition as orderly as possible, wrote Krishna in the memo. The company told investors that no longer doing business with Russia will have very little impact on its bottom line. Russia is a very de minimis part of IBM, the companys finance head Jim Kavanaugh said during a first-quarter earnings call in April. Russia accounted for roughly 0.5 percent of IBMs total revenue last year, or $300 million out of its total revenue of $57.4 billion. IBM has a number of high-profile customers in Russia, including federal banks, energy companies and Russian Railways. The company even held its Think Summit in Moscow back in 2019, where it highlighted its many Russian clients. But since March, the company has stopped providing goods, parts, software, services, consulting and technology to Russian companies, according to Reuters. Microsoft previously halted sales in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, and now it's shrinking its presence in the country. The company told Bloomberg in a statement that it will "significantly scale down" its Russian operations in response to a bleaker economic forecast stemming from the war. Microsoft will still honor its contracts in the country, but the reduced footprint will affect over 400 employees. The Windows creator said it was "working closely" with affected staff to provide support. There was no mention of which segments would be impacted. It was also unclear how many people the company employed in Russia before the announcement. We've asked Microsoft for comment. This isn't the first major tech company to withdraw at least some of its business in Russia in response to the war. IBM is now winding down its operations after suspending them in March, while software giant SAP said in April that it would exit the country entirely. Other firms, such as Amazon and Apple, have limited some or all of their sales. This isn't a huge sacrifice for Microsoft. The developer said in March that Russia accounted for less than one percent of its revenue, and its local business had been in a steady decline over the past few years. Even so, it wouldn't be surprising if the cutback prompted similar moves from tech peers either showing support for Ukraine or concerned about their Russian sales prospects. Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) said Wednesday it has signed a 923.3 billion won ($736 million) contract with a European shipping company to build six container carriers. Under the deal, Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, a KSOE affiliate, will construct the 8,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) container ships and deliver them to the undisclosed shipper by the second half of 2025. KSOE has clinched orders to build 105 vessels worth $12.9 billion so far this year, achieving 74 percent of its yearly order target of $17.44 billion The sub-holding company of global shipbuilding titan Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings, has three shipbuilding affiliates Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. (Yonhap) If you're a horror fan and are looking for international fare, then rejoice! Incantation, a Taiwanese horror film released theatrically back in March - that's not only the highest grossing film of the year but also earned the title "scariest Taiwanese film ever" - is landing on Netflix on July 8, 2022. Following in the steps of other Taiwanese blockbusters like 2019's Detention, Incantation combines found footage, mockumentary styles to tell the story of a mother on a quest to save her young daughter, after she finds signs that an ancient curse she awakened years before may still be in effect. Watch the terrifying trailer for an idea of Incantation's tone and storytelling: Writer, producer, and director Kevin Ko told the Hollywood Reporter: "I'm really proud that Incantation is going to be released on Netflix globally, maximizing the number of people who can watch it. It has always been my dream to make films that travel around the world and are watched by every horror fan on Earth, keeping them awake at night. I can't wait to hear viewers' reactions." Incantation is very loosely based on a real incident in 2005, where a family of cult worshipers in Kaohsiung were supposedly possessed by spirits. In the real story, the family tortured each other for a month while under possession before the eldest daughter passed away from starvation. Both a critical and commercial success, Incantation received seven Taipei Film Award nominations, including Best Narrative Feature, Best Director, and Best Actress. The film is currently the highest grossing film of 2022 in Taiwan, as well as the highest grossing original Taiwanese horror film of all time. Are you excited to see Incantation? You don't have to wait long; it arrives on Netflix on July 8, 2022. For more entertainment news and commentary, check out Enstarz! We bring you the latest on your favorite celebrities, TV shows, and films. This morning, Warner Bros. released the first trailer for the latest DC Comics film Black Adam. Starring Dwayne Johnson in a role that fits him like a glove, the film depicts the origin story of the ancient Egyptian antihero who becomes the nemesis of Shazam. According to the Hollywood Reporter: "Black Adam follows what happens after Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed almighty powers of the Egyptian gods and immediately imprisoned. He is then ready to 'unleash his unique form of justice' on the modern world." Starring alongside Johnson are Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone. In the trailer, Black Adam tells Doctor Fate the story of how he was "reborn a god," which provides context for Black Adam's vengeance-filled quest to "kneel before no one." Along the way, he meets heroes like Hawkman, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone, but continually rebuffs their pleas to do good. Finally, Doctor Fate tells Black Adam: "My vision has shown me the future. You have two choices: You can be the destroyer of this world or you can be its savior." Which one will Black Adam choose? Previously, Johnson had released a first-look scene from Black Adam posted to his Twitter. In the video, other cast members introduce themselves as their superhero characters, until an impassioned Johnson introduces the scene when Black Adam first becomes awakened in the modern world. Ladies & gents Enjoy your WORLD EXCLUSIVE first look He is ruthless. He is unstoppable. He is the reason the hierarchy of power in the DC UNIVERSE is about to change. He is #BLACKADAM The Man in Black has come around...#DCFanDome@SevenBucksProd@flynnpictureco pic.twitter.com/nv4oRmaLlq Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) October 16, 2021 As part of his introduction, Johnson says excitedly: "This film, this universe has been a gigantic passion project of mine for a very long time. The film has without question some of the biggest action sequences I have ever been a part of." Black Adam flies exclusively into theaters on October 21, 2022. For more entertainment news and commentary, check out Enstarz! We bring you the latest on your favorite celebrities, TV shows, and films. Marine organisms are experts in engineering. After decades of research on them, a team from Technion Israel Institute of Technology has discovered the mechanisms the creatures use to create extremely tough structures through biomineralisation. For decades, scientists have searched inspiration in nature for the development of new materials or the improvement of existing ones. Oceans and its inhabitants can teach us a lot about innovative, super strong structures. A team from Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, together with scientists from different beamlines at the ESRF, has found how different organisms, namely algae, corals, sea urchins, starfish or brittle stars, can create a super hard skeleton through the process of biomineralisation. The collaboration with the ESRF led the team to carry out experiments using different techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction and micro- and nanotomography (beamlines ID22, ID19 and ID16B, respectively) to investigate the specimens at different length scales. The way they do this is by depositing calcite particles in magnesium-poor substances to create compression in the organisms skeletons that increase their rigidity. Each organism studied has a slightly different strategy to reach toughness. Lessons from the brittle star The brittle star Ophiomastix wendtii, which lives in coral reefs, has hundreds of super resistant focal lenses made of chalk on its arms. How does this creature make brittle material durable under natural conditions? Thanks to the experiments at the ESRF, the researchers discovered that the crucial stage in the process of lens formation is the transition from the amorphous phase the phase between liquid and solid to the crystalline phase. At this stage, calcite nanoparticles, which are rich in magnesium and characterised by a relatively low density, separate from the rest of the material. The difference in concentration of magnesium in the calcite particles causes various degrees of hardness, density, and pressure in different regions of the material. Magnesium-rich particles compress the inner part of the lens as it crystallizes and temper it into a clear and tough crystalline material. Boaz Pokroy, professor at the Technion and leading scientist, explains: Nature exhibits tremendous creativity in improving the organisms abilities in various contexts such as strength, sensing, and self-defense. Here, too, in the process of creating hardy and precise transparent lenses, we see tremendous efficiency in the use of existing raw materials under conditions in the natural environment. Brittle starts could hence open the door to new engineering processes for tempered glass, optical lenses or even biomaterial implants. An algas special resistant shape The effect of magnesium also had a big impact in another marine organism: the alga Jania sp. Research done by Pokroy and his team on ID16B, ID19 and ID22, showed that the alga has a structure of 64% porosity and it develops a helix shape that makes it 20% more compliant to resist the bending forces the sea currents inflict on it. These findings are of great importance in deepening the understanding of natures designs, and it is potentially relevant for the development of new low-weight, high-compliance structures, adds Pokroy. One example that could benefit from this research is concrete. This material is very brittle and does not stand bending forces, and so today manufacturers add steel into it. If it could adopt a helical open-cells structure, it could bring down the weight and make it more flexible and resistant. References: Nuphar Bianco-Stein, et al. PNAS, 119(16) e2120177119, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2120177119 Polischuk, I. et al, Science 08 Dec 2017: Vol. 358, Issue 6368, pp. 1294-1298. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaj2156 Bianco-Stein N, et al, Advanced Science, 21 April 2020. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202000108 Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny. Video by Mark McGee and Montserrat Capellas Espuny. ESSEX JUNCTION Hiawatha Elementary and Summit Street School are the first two schools in Vermont to be named Model Professional Learning Community Schools. Only 200 schools in the United States and Canada have received this honor presented by Solution Trees, according to a press release from Ben Dickie, EWSD Communications Coordinator. Solution Tree is a professional development company and publisher of K-12 educational material, according to its website. Schools are recognized for using strict criteria including a demonstrated commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years, and have shown clear evidence of improved student learning over that period, the press release states. Model PLC schools must also provide yearly data proving they continue to meet the criteria of the PLC at Work process, according to the press release. At Tuesday nights school board meeting, Amy Wallace and Madison Dacey presented a certificate from Solution Tree and a model PLC flag for both school principals. Summit Street Principal Suzanne Gruendling spoke to highlight the work of the teacher leaders from both schools, known as the guiding coalition in the PLC world, who worked tirelessly through the pandemic on having hard conversations and learning from each other, as well as seeking professional development. The work of our teacher leaders cannot be understated because it is phenomenal and consistent and really gives me so much hope for the future, Gruendling said. Hiawathas principal Katherine Grykien noted the happy buzz her school had when Solution Trees visited and thanked the board for their contributions towards the honorary recognition. I know that giving us the time that the board gave us that first year with the early release days was pivotal in the movement, Grykien said. Hiawatha Elementary will be honored at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8. It takes three to five years to shift culture, EWSD Superintendent Beth Cobb said. We're on our fifth year, we've shifted culture and we have a pandemic. U.S. warship USS Gravely docked in the Baltic Sea port city of Gdynia in northern Poland, in what was described by officials as a show of support for the country as war rages in neighboring Ukraine. The Pound Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate trended up this morning following the release of disappointing German factory orders. Weak data from the blocs largest economy buoyed GBP/EUR despite UK headwinds, although the exchange rate has subsequently fallen. At the time of writing, GBP/EUR is trading at 1.1698, down slightly from todays opening levels. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Dented as Factory Orders Miss Forecast The Euro (EUR) is falling against several peers this morning following the release of Aprils German factory orders. The data showed that new orders for German manufactured goods declined 2.7% on a monthly basis, following a revised 4.2% drop in March and missing forecasts of a 0.3% rise. Todays data marks the third consecutive month of lower factory orders as the war in Ukraine, soaring energy prices and ongoing supply constraints due to Chinese lockdowns weigh upon the German economy. Further pressuring the single currency is a weaker-than-expected German construction PMI. The construction sector contracted in May for the second consecutive month as the S&P global construction PMI fell sharply to 45.4 rather than climbing to 47.2 as expected. According to Phil Smith, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence: Business conditions for construction companies in Germany remained challenging in May, with firms not only having to contend with long-running supply issues, but also a marked decline in new orders as economic uncertainty, sharply rising building costs and higher borrowing rates all serve to dampen demand. Constructors are expecting these challenging conditions to persist in the coming year, leading to the gloomiest forecasts for future activity since the first wave of the pandemic more than two years ago. Finally, a weaker risk tone is also detracting from Euro support, as safe-haven flows sap demand for perceived-riskier currencies. Analysts consider that EUR may continue to slide against its peers if market sentiment remains bearish. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates' Trade Mixed Following PMs Success The Pound (GBP) is trading in a mixed range today as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson celebrates winning last nights confidence vote. 148 Conservative MPs voted against the British premier; 32 fewer than the 180 required to remove Johnson from office. Conservative officials had speculated ahead of the vote that a positive outcome for the PM would mean government could move on from the Partygate scandal and put leadership doubts behind them; the Prime Minister himself has described the win as decisive and a convincing victory. Yet Johnsons critics remain dedicated to their cause, arguing that the damage to his reputation is severe and he ought to resign. They add that the pressure will mount again when a cross-party committee begins to probe whether he deliberately mislead Parliament over his lockdown activities. Former conservative leader Lord Hague is amongst those calling on Boris Johnson to quit as PM, saying he has experienced a greater level of rejection than any of his predecessors: Words have been said that cannot be retracted, reports published that cannot be erased, and votes have been cast that show a greater level of rejection than any Tory leader has ever endured and survived Deep inside, he should recognise that, and turn his mind to getting out in a way that spares party and country such agonies and uncertainties. Far from being laid to rest, the debate over Johnsons tenability as party leader seems to have exacerbated political uncertainty in the UK, dampening support for the Pound. GBP/EUR Exchange Rate Forecast: Mixed UK Data to Inspire Movement? Looking ahead, retail and service-sector data from the UK may influence trading today in the Pound Euro exchange rate. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) revealed this morning that retail sales fell by 1.5% in May on an annualised basis, pressuring Sterling sentiment; meanwhile, a better-than-expected services PMI countered GBP headwinds. Elsewhere, external factors could also influence GBP/EUR ahead: if risk-off trading sentiment persists, EUR may gain against the Pound, while threats from Russia against the West could subdue support for both currencies. Tech expert Alfred Poor to examine the art of making a great virtual impression at the Small Business Skills Summit 2022 Virtual meetings might now be mainstream, but the first impression you make online is just as critical as the one you offer face-to-face, according to technology expert Alfred Poor. He'll be offering his tips on how business owners can create a winning first impression in each and every virtual meeting they attend when he hosts an expert session at the Small Business Skills Summit this September. Mr Poor explains a good first impression in an online meeting is critical, especially as the technology is commonplace in the wake of the pandemic. "Those who can make a better first impression in virtual meetings have a competitive advantage and can be more effective at getting their message across," he said. In a fast paced session at 11am AEST on September 9 (9 PM US Eastern on September 8), Mr Poor will offer essential tips and strategies that cover: Why a first impression in a virtual setting is so important, How to master the technical skills to improve your online presence without a lot of time of money The three "I"s of making improvements in your virtual presence that are incremental, intentional, and impactful. Mr Poor is a professional speaker and technology expert with audiences around the world, both onstage and virtual. A graduate of Harvard College, he is the author of 15 books, and has weekly segments on the US nationally-syndicated radio show, "Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline". He has been quoted in major publications, including Fast Company, Money Magazine, US News and World Report, and USA Today courtesy of his ability to present complex concepts in a way that they can be put to immediate practical use. Back by popular demand, the Small Business Skills Summit is an initiative of small business networking and resources community, Business Business Business, and this year will see 30 different experts over 30 days offering their tips and insight on topics like marketing, law, sales techniques, mindset and more. Business Business Business founder Linda Reed-Enever explains the Small Business Skills Summit is now in its fourth year, after first launching in 2018. "The Small Business Skills Summits is designed by business owners for business owners, offering operators the best tools and expertise available in a convenient, accessible form," Ms Reed-Enever says. The summit takes place online throughout September. Sessions will run daily at 11am, delivering insight and expertise into the essential tools all businesses require. Attendees can pick and choose the presenters they wish to see, engage in question and answer forums. With a VIP ticket they can also enjoy the convenience of accessing information after the event and are privy to four expert panel sessions over the course of the event. The Small Business Skills Summit runs from September 1 to September 30 Enrollments for the event are open now at https://enevergroup.thinkific.com/courses/2022-small-business-skills-summit ENDS About Business Business Business - Business Business Business is a hub of information, made for business owners, by business owners. With the mantra "Learn, Connect, Network and Do" it is an arena dedicated to supporting and offering essential resources and skills to small business operators. For further information or to arrange an interview, contact: Linda Reed-Enever on 0433 149 319 https://enevergroup.thinkific.com/courses/2022-small-business-skills-summit This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonio investor Sardar Biglari has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in returns from investing in Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. since first snapping up its stock 11 years ago. That hasnt stopped Biglari chairman and CEO of Biglari Holdings Inc., the parent company of Steak n Shake from haranguing Cracker Barrels management for what he perceives as missteps and mistakes its made over the years. Now, Biglari is at again. In a letter to fellow Cracker Barrel shareholders this week, he says longtime Chief Executive and President Sandy Cochran should get the boot given the companys less-than-stellar performance in recent years and particularly since the start of the pandemic. Over the last five years, the CEO has failed to retain customers; failed in a major acquisition, with a 100% losses within eight months; and failed to adapt to a modern post-pandemic environment, Biglari complained. Cracker Barrel has been consistent in losing customers and blaming external factors for its underperformance. It is time to replace CEO Sandy Cochran. That comes after a December letter in which Biglari told shareholders that Cracker Barrel management lacked a credible strategy to create value. Neither Cracker Barrel nor Biglari representatives responded to a request for comment. But in 2015, Cochran described Biglari as a threat to Cracker Barrel. If Biglaris dismal results in agitating for change at Cracker Barrel are any barometer, his letter likely wont trigger any shakeup in the executive ranks at the Lebanon, Tenn., restaurant and retail chain. The majority of its roughly 660 stores are located along the nations interstate highways. Biglari has initiated five proxy fights at Cracker Barrel over 10 years and lost each one. The most recent in 2020 was his worst defeat. His nominee to serve on the companys board received just 2.5 percent of the votes cast after excluding those held by Biglari. He holds a bit more than 2 million shares, or 8.8 percent, of Cracker Barrels stock through his Biglari Capital Corp. Its the general partner of two investment funds that together are known as the Lion Fund. Biglari Holdings, the publicly traded company, has invested in various stocks including Cracker Barrel, its largest holding through the Lion Fund. At one time, Biglari was Cracker Barrels largest shareholder with just under 20 percent of the stock. That led the chain to adopt a poison pill in 2012 to ward off Biglari, or anyone else, from acquiring control of the chain without offering a premium to all shareholders. Biglari bought more than 4.7 million Cracker Barrel shares for $241.1 million in 2011 and 2012. He slashed that back to 2 million shares over the course of 2018 and 2019. Two years, ago, he added about 55,000 for some subsidiaries. The stock sales produced $471.1 million in proceeds. Another $227.4. million was generated from dividends and other gains. The roughly 2 million shares still held by Biglari are worth more than $195 million. So, the $245.5 million he invested in Cracker Barrel has turned into just under $900 million in value as of this morning. It was closer to $962 million when Biglari wrote his annual letter to Biglari Holdings shareholders in late February, so the value has declined by more than $60 million in a little more than three months. Cracker Barrel has produced a minus 28.1 percent total shareholder return over the past five years and a minus 35.9 percent return since the start of the pandemic, Biglari wrote in his Monday letter to shareholders. Its lagged the collective performance of its peers, he added. Biglari criticized Cracker Barrel management for neglecting core issues relating to customer traffic and store-level (profit) margins while pursuing the opening of new stores. He also cited the companys struggles to return to pre-COVID profit levels. 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. Cracker Barrel posted net income of $27.5 million on $790.2 million in revenue in the quarter ended April 29. By comparison, it earned $50.4 million on $739.6 million in revenue in the same quarter three years ago prior to the pandemic. On a conference call with analysts Tuesday, Cochran cited cost pressures and efforts to reduce debt for challenging the companys bottom line. Revenue came in below expectations, she said. Cochran also said seniors over age 65 have been slower to return to in-person dining than other demographics, while higher gas prices disrupted spring break travel patterns during the quarter. The effects of poor managerial decisions are reflected in the revenue and profit figures, Biglari countered. Clearly, management is unable to execute effectively, he said. Besides calling for Cochrans ouster, Biglari said Cracker Barrel should return cash to shareholders through an aggressive share repurchase program or through a significant special dividend. Hes urged for those in the past, and lobbied for the board to put the company up for sale. pdanner@express-news.net By Kim Hyun-bin Korean electric vehicle (EV) and battery makers have seen their global market shares decline amid intensifying competition with Chinese and German rivals, according to industry officials Wednesday. The officials are calling on the government to expand investments to help EV and battery makers bolster related infrastructure and make inroads into emerging markets. The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) and the International Trade Center (ITC) analyzed the changes in the global EV and lithium-ion battery industries, which have been growing at an average annual growth rate of more than 20 percent. According to the FKI, China and Germany's market shares rose by 9.5 percentage points and 3.8 percentage points, respectively, in 2021 from a year earlier. However, Korea, Belgium, and the U.S.' market shares fell 0.8, 2.1, and 8.5 percentage points. The increase in China's EV market share is attributed to a 513.9-percent year-on-year jump in exports to the EU by Chinese automakers such as Shanghai Auto, BYD and Tesla's Shanghai plant last year. The EU is the world's largest import market for EVs, and China's share jumped 11.7 percentage points from 4.2 percent in 2020 to 15.9 percent last year. Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corp. exported 150,610 EVs in 2020 and 181,272 vehicles in 2021, up 20.3 percent. "Although Korea's global EV market share has dropped slightly, the export numbers of EVs continue to surge for local companies as the global demand is increasing at a rapid pace, but so is the competition. The competition will become fiercer as automakers try to get a bigger piece of the growing market," an industry official familiar with the matter said. As of last year, Germany, China, Korea, Poland, and Hungary held the biggest shares of the global lithium-ion battery market for smartphones and laptops as well as EVs. China's market share rose 2.9 percentage points compared to 2020, Poland's share grew 1.8 percentage points, Germany's share rose 1.2 percentage points and Hungary's share increased 0.3 percentage point. But Korea's share decreased by 2.0 percentage points during that period. The sweet, sweet smell of ripe summer peaches is wafting over the Hill Country right now. At numerous orchards along the 15-mile stretch of U.S. 290 between Fredericksburg and Stonewall, farmers began harvesting the first wave of clingstone peaches in late May. It was a late start for many growers, who typically begin picking peaches 10 to 14 days earlier most years. Everything is a couple weeks behind schedule because of lack of rain and freezing temperatures in March we werent expecting, said Lindsey Jenschke, who owns Jenschke Orchards outside Fredericksburg with her husband, Barrett Jenschke. Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer And the peaches they are picking are smaller and less abundant because of those weather conditions, several growers reported. But thats not necessarily a bad thing for peach fans. The big story this year is the drought is keeping the size of the peaches down, said Jamey Vogel, who owns Vogel Orchard a few miles away from the Jenschkes. But less water means higher sugar content. Peaches generally fall between six and 18 on the Brix scale (where the higher the number, the sweeter something is). We tested some out at 16, and thats outstanding. On ExpressNews.com: Where to buy fresh Hill Country peaches in Fredericksburg Vogel Orchards has about 70 acres planted with peach trees. A good years harvest will typically net Vogel about 9,000 bushels of fruit, but he expects that yield to be smaller this year. Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Hes not complaining, though. Vogel said many growers were worried there wouldnt be much of a season at all thanks to an unseasonably warm winter. For most Hill Country peach varieties, the trees require around 450 to 1,200 chill hours, or time spent below 45 degrees, between November and the end of February. We were very concerned as late as the second week of January. It was looking like we werent going to get enough chill hours. I mean, Christmas day was 85 degrees, Vogel said. We did not get enough chill hours for all of our varieties. But being optimistic, it wound up better than it was looking in early January. The Jenschkes have been in the peach game for a long time on a family orchard thats planted with more than 30 varieties of peaches. Its one of the most diverse selections available in the roughly 600 acres of land dedicated to peaches in Gillespie County, which is home to both Fredericksburg and Stonewall. The Jenschkes are also the only Hill Country orchard owners who allow customers to pick their own peaches, a time-honored tradition many Texans grew up doing with their families. Josie Norris, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer But that all changed during the pandemic. The Jenschkes used to allow walk-up visitors to go pick freely in the orchard. When the pandemic hit, they limited that option to smaller, socially distanced groups of guests who made a reservation through the orchards website. On ExpressNews.com: Peaches: How to speed up and slow down their ripening The new system turned out to be a big success for a number of reasons. Foremost, it allowed the Jenschkes to promote and book very specific picking times at the peak moment certain varieties of peaches were becoming ripe, preventing the fruit from spoiling on the tree. When they open the pick-your-own program later this summer, that reservation system will remain in place. While the drought will likely keep Vogels and the Jenschkes peaches on the smaller side this year, though Vogel did note that mid-season rainfall can plump up some of the fruit. But the overall arid conditions this summer are unlikely to affect next years crop. The trees will always show signs of stress from year to year, but luckily theyre very resilient, Jenschke said. We irrigate enough to keep the trees alive, but its not the same as rainwater. Rainwater is liquid life, and it makes all the difference in the world. pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen San Marcos Police Department San Marcos police were on alert Wednesday after they received a Crime Stoppers tip that said an unknown person threatened violence against a day care in the city. The tipster did not specify a day care and details were limited, according to a Facebook post on Wednesday by the San Marcos Police Department. The threat was made on a chat feature of an unidentified gaming platform, police said. NEWTOWN Will the attorney who won a $73 million settlement from Remington for nine Sandy Hook families use the same playbook in his legal dealings with the company that made the AR-15-style rifle used in the Texas massacre last month? Yes and no. Of course you look at the precedent, but in any complicated case as grievous and shattering as this, you have to keep your toolkit wide open and look at everything, said Josh Koskoff, a Bridgeport attorney who last week made national news by calling on rifle maker Daniel Defense to provide information about its marketing, especially to teens and children and about the gun companys communications with the Uvalde shooter. The Sandy Hook playbook is part of it, but you dont want to start out with tunnel vision because you can miss whats right in front of you. Uvalde is the small Texas town where an 18-year-old gunman drove to an elementary school and killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers on May 24. The brutality of the massacre was all the more traumatic here because it had so many parallels to the massacre of 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Eric Gay / Associated Press Koskoff and a team of Texas lawyers who are representing the parents of a slain Uvalde fourth-grade girl in many ways drew the battle lines last week for a legal fight with Georgia-based Daniel Defense. The parents lawyers called on the company to turn over information relevant to your marketing of AR-15 style rifles to teens and children; to your incitement and encouragement of the assaultive use of these weapons; to your on-line purchase system; and to your communications, on any platform, with the Uvalde shooter; and to your awareness of the prior use of AR-15 style rifles in mass shootings. Those fighting words, released to the press, produced scores of headlines across the country that the lawyer who won the historic settlement in Connecticut with the one-time gun-making giant Remington was following the same battle plan in Texas on behalf of grieving parents. Koskoff cautioned on Tuesday that he was not rushing with a predetermined mindset into anything. / No matter how a case appears from the outside, you dont bring a lawsuit until you have as much information as you can get to build the case, Koskoff said. In Connecticut, where nine families sued Remington for unlawful marketing of the AR-15-style rifle used in the Sandy Hook massacre, Koskoff attorneys were seeking Remingtons internal marketing documents right up to February, when the defunct manufacturers four insurance companies offered to the families all they had left after two Remington bankruptcies $73 million. In Texas, Koskoffs June 3 letter to Daniel Defense served as a legal warning for the company to preserve data and records of all potentially relevant information regarding advertising, market studies, and purchase records, as well a legal request for the company to turn over marketing materials to the lawyer team representing the parents of the slain girl. We ask you to begin providing information to us now, rather than force (the parents) to file a lawsuit to obtain it, the letter read. Daniel Defense did not respond Tuesday to a request from Hearst Connecticut Media for comment. The company posted a statement on its website saying its thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community devastated by this evil act. We will cooperate with all federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities in their investigations, the statement read. We will keep the families of the victims and the entire Uvalde community in our thoughts and our prayers. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Koskoff said the first purpose of the lawyers June 3 letter was to test Daniel Defense on its word to cooperate with investigations by turning over internal documents. Koskoff would not speculate what happens next, except to say that Daniel Defense had been put on notice. It would be nice if they cooperatedbut the second purpose (of the letter) is to make sure nothing goes missing, Koskoff said. There are three options: they turn over the documents and cooperate, or they dont turn over the documents but they maintain them, or they engage in criminal behavior and destroy the documents. We are not suggesting that theyll choose door number three. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 A rally and vigil are planned for Thursday for the 13-year-old boy who was shot and killed by police last week. ACT 4 SA, a nonprofit group focused on police reform, posted the event on Facebook and identified the teen as Andre "AJ" Hernandez. The social media post says Hernandez's family will be in attendance. Records from the Bexar County Medical Examiner confirm the child's identity. On Express-News.com: SAPD describes how car was stolen weeks before pursuit that ended with 13-year-old fatally shot The rally will take place at 3:30 p.m. in front of the San Antonio Public Safety Headquarters. Organizers said in the post that they are calling for "answers, actions and to set the narrative straight on who this sweet, young man really was." San Antonio police said Hernandez was driving in a stolen vehicle when officers attempted to pull him over in the 5100 block of War Cloud in the far Southwest Side at about 1 a.m. on June 3. Officials said Hernandez crashed the vehicle into the officer's patrol vehicle. A second officer, fearing for the his colleague's life, fired one shot into the vehicle, hitting Hernandez in the abdomen, according to police. The officer who fired the fatal shot has been identified by SAPD as Stephen Ramos, a three-year veteran of the department. He is on administrative duty until further notice. Hernandez was taken to the hospital where he later died. A 16-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy were also in the vehicle at the time. Neither was injured. Read Also: Not so rough, officer, Im in pain: Witness recalls aftermath of San Antonio police killing of 13-year-old boy Sgt. Washington Moscoso said that the vehicle Hernandez was driving had been stolen 12 days before the fatal shooting. On May 22, two males approached two women who were sitting in a parked car and asked if they had a lighter, police said. When the women replied "no." one of the males pointed a handgun at her and demanded they get out of the car, according to a police report. The males took the women's purses and phones before leaving in the vehicle, police said. Police have not identified a suspect in the carjacking. Moscoso said that SAPD is prohibited from releasing the body camera footage of the shooting due to Hernandez's age, but local advocates say that the police's account of the shooting doesn't add up. "Their narrative that the child 'purposefully' backed into a police vehicle is an attempt to mask the truth of a child who was scared of getting in trouble and in fear for his life," ACT 4 SA said in a news release. The organization accuses the officer of either knowingly shooting into a car full of kids or shooting into a vehicle without fully assessing the situation. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net The world has witnessed millions of refugees fleeing from conflict over the past year, from Ukrainians escaping Russias invasion to Afghans taking flight after the Taliban seized their country. When refugees resettle in the United States, where do they typically go? In the last ten years, Texas. An Express-News analysis of data from the U.S Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration found that Texas has resettled the most refugees since the bureaus 2010 fiscal year compared to the rest of the country, taking in over 60,000 men, women and children from nations around the world. The most common national origin of refugees that resettle in Texas is Myanmar. More than 17,000 Burmese refugees have arrived over the past 10 years. In fact, Texas is the top resettlement location for Burmese, with the next closest state of Indiana resettling 10,013 Burmese refugees in the same time frame. There are several reasons Texas is a popular destination, said Chris Kelley, a spokesman for Refugee Services of Texas. Kelley says that family and community connections, employment opportunities, good schools for children, climate and a strong sense of welcome by volunteers and faith-based communities are contributing factors that lead to Texas being a favored location for Burmese refugees. Russias invasion of Ukraine and the Talibans seizure of Afghanistan have taken place since The Bureau's latest data release, but we can still look to see where their refugees have typically gone to over the past decade. The data show that Texas isnt typically high up on the list for Ukrainian refugees. The Lone Star State only resettled 40 in the last ten years. In contrast, the top state, Washington, resettled 6,544 in the same time frame. Their resettlement patterns are determined primarily by family connections, said Kelley. Washington State has a large thriving Ukrainian population, and that reputation has made it attractive to other Ukrainian refugees authorized for resettlement in the U.S. Wherever you see large pockets of refugees from the same place, by and large its due to family and community connections. Afghans seem to find Texas as a better fit, though. Texas has resettled more Afghans than all but two states: California and New York. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate They offered prayers, pleas for peace and calls for action. They lit two white unity candles. They released balloons into blue skies in memory of mass shooting victims across the nation and in Uvalde and Buffalo, New York. Community members, clergy, dignitaries and parishioners gathered Wednesday for a community balloon release event across from Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1001 N. Walters St. The event was sponsored by Antioch and the Erna Baker Food Bank & Clothing Ministry, host of a monthly food distribution pantry for the East Side community. Antiochs pastor, the Rev. Kenneth R. Kemp, joined Mayor Ron Nirenberg and District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez beneath a white canopy. Nirenberg said those at the event stood together with families of Texas, San Antonio and the world. He thanked Kemp for his counsel amid COVID-19 and difficult times. William Luther, Staff Photographer / Staff photographer We stand strong together here in San Antonio, Nirenberg said. Were a community of faith, families and community that comes together when we need strength. McKee-Rodriguez said what pained him is having grown a sense of numbness as well as great pain for lives lost. Though its a tragic, sad and mournful time, hes reminded that people have the power to demand change from elected officials. We should not have to be preparing students for people to come into the schools with guns, McKee-Rodriguez said. School is a place where you send your children and you think they will be safe. And you hope that the adults in the room can keep them safe. Minister Jessica Kemp named the sites of shootings of the last 20 years. She recalled the tragedy in Uvalde on May 24 when Salvador Ramos, 18, shot 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. The gunman wounded 17 people. Ten days earlier, Payton Gendron, 18, fatally shot 10 people and wounded three at a supermarket in Buffalo. William Luther, Staff Photographer / Staff photographer Kenneth Kemp thanked San Antonio police officers in attendance for putting themselves in harms way to protect residents. He called those who died in Uvalde, more than an hour away, our people. Those were our children, Kemp said. They belonged to us. Those teachers were our teachers. We cant sit idly by and not do anything. He said they stood in solidarity with victims of gun violence. Attendees bowed their heads as saxophonist Billy Ray Sheppard played Amazing Grace. Then they released star-shaped and round, multicolored balloons above the gravel parking lot. As the balloons faded from view, residents pulling two-wheeled grocery carts and carrying vinyl sacks lined up for nutrition food bags from the churchs pantry. William Luther, Staff Photographer / Staff photographer Two Antioch congregation members expressed their anguish during a stop at a resource information booth. Lorraine Johnson, 73, felt a combination of sorrow and anger at the event. I cant understand why someone needs an assault rifle, Johnson said. We need to ban those rifles. Elverlene Nash, 76, said the answer is voting and making their voices heard. She said raising the age to 21 to buy assault weapons is not the answer to the problem. Evil is running rampant right now, Nash said. Evil has no age. vtdavis@express-news.net A Bexar County court-at-law judge is under fire after her court reporter filed a complaint with courthouse security alleging that the judge prevented her from leaving while scolding her. Court reporter Veronica Velez filed a complaint with a Bexar County sheriffs deputy accusing County Court-at-Law No. 2 Judge Grace M. Uzomba of cornering Velez in her office, blocking the entrance and belittling her because Velez had resigned effective immediately to take another job. Initial reports indicated that the two may have had a physical altercation, to which Uzomba said, This is a complete surprise to me, adding no sort of altercation occurred. The BCSO report called it a verbal disagreement. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County Clerk removes employees, files from Judge Uzombas court in downtown San Antonio The report states that a deputy was dispatched around 10:50 a.m. Monday to Uzombas court per supervisor request. It said Velez appeared visibly upset, was breathing rapidly and her eyes were watery. Velez told the officer she couldnt be near the judge and needed to get away from her. Velez is a court reporter, who transcribes court proceedings. Assigned to Uzomba, she had been looking for other employment because the judge lost a bid for re-election in the March 1 primary, she told the deputy. Velez said she was offered a position elsewhere and wanted to give two weeks notice but was told she had to start by Wednesday, the report states. Velez said she told Uzomba first thing Monday that her last day had to be Tuesday. The judge and she went into an office to discuss the matter and shortly after they began talking, the judge closed the door and began to speak down to her, according to the report. She described it as belittling her, to the point that Velez became upset and uncomfortable, and told Uzomba she could not continue, the report states. Velez said she attempted to get up and leave but the judge then placed her hand on the closed door, continued to speak down to her and implied she was not free to leave, the report states. Veronica said she then became even more upset and was crying by this point before she finally maneuvered around the judge and pulled open the door to leave the office, the report states. Velez said she offered to try and help find a court reporter or help out for an additional day, but Uzomba told her not to bother since she would be starting a new trial. The officer escorted Velez back to the court to collect her personal items from the office and the courtroom. Reached late Tuesday, County Court-at-Law No. 5 Judge John Longoria, administrative judge of the county courts, said he was made aware that a court reporter had made allegations against a judge and of course I am concerned. I will be looking at it in detail, he said. This isnt the first time Uzomba has been under fire. A retired U.S. Army major, she was elected in 2018. In February 2020, a simmering feud between Uzomba and Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark became public when Adame-Clark pulled her deputy clerks and all of the case files from the court and alleged that Uzomba was mistreating the employees. Neither Uzomba nor Adame-Clark would discuss the issue, which Longoria confirmed. It has since been resolved. At the time, Longoria called Adame-Clarks action an extraordinary and unusual step that he never had seen in the more than 40 years he has held elected office. Sources said at the time that the controversy stemmed over having the clerks work weekends and nights and trying to force them to work on holidays, among other work condition complaints. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jurors here heard testimony from a 19-year-old woman who said she was sexually assaulted for more than two years by Andrew Sanchez Guerra as the trial of the former Bexar County Sheriffs deputy began Tuesday. Guerra, 42, has pleaded not guilty to a 10-count indictment of sexual assault-bigamy, accused of having sex with a girl under the age of 17 from May 2017 to January 2019, when she was between the ages of 14 and 16. She is not being identified because she is a victim of sexual assault. The first witness to testify in the 437th District Court, she spent most of the morning and afternoon detailing the incidents. She said she could not give an accurate count of the assaults because of their frequency. It happened so many times, it was hard to keep track of each individual date, the witness told the jury. A 17-year veteran of the Sheriffs Office, Guerra was 40 when he was arrested Jan. 20, 2020, a year after the girl said the last assault occurred, and reported it to her mother. He has been free on bond since. San Antonio police investigated the case. Authorities said the girl told investigators that Guerra began sexually assaulting her at different times and locations. The last incident was in January 2019, in which the girl said she and two other juveniles were staying at Guerras apartment one person on a couch, another in one of the bedrooms, and herself in Guerras bed with him because there were not enough blankets to go around. William Luther, Staff Photographer / Staff photographer The other two juveniles were not assaulted by Guerra, an affidavit stated. Guerra joined the Sheriffs Office in September 2003. He was placed on paid administrative leave Jan. 22 to April 29, 2019, while under the police investigation, then on paid administrative leave. Sheriff Javier Salazar placed him on unpaid administrative leave after his arrest Jan. 20, 2020. The Sheriffs Office said Tuesday that Guerra resigned March 13, 2020, as the process was underway to fire him. Assistant District Attorneys Clint Malloy and Jordan Brown are prosecuting the case. Guerra is represented by defense attorneys Ben M. Sifuentes Jr. and Jorge G. Aristotelidis. Court records indicate Guerra initially was accused of sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He was re-indicted on a charge of sexual assault-bigamy with a child under 17, with whom the defendant was prohibited from marrying, which is a first-degree felony. If convicted, Guerra faces up to life in prison. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 With triple-digit temperatures expected in South Texas for at least another week, first responders are warning parents to not leave their children in an enclosed vehicle, as doing so can lead to injuries or even death. An average of 38 children per year died of pediatric vehicular heatstroke from 1998-2020, according to noheatstroke.org. Thats over 900 deaths. The last here was in 2019, when a 3-year-old boy was left by his parents in a vehicle for four hours. Joe Arrington, San Antonio Fire Department public information officer, said its never safe to leave a child or pet alone inside a locked vehicle even for a short period of time. Its always a risk. The amount of heat that builds up inside a locked vehicle is exponentially greater than even the outside temperature, Arrington said. It doesnt have to be 100 degrees for it to get extremely hot inside a car. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in just 10 minutes the temperature in an enclosed vehicle can increase by 20 degrees. A childs body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adults, making death possible within minutes. Heatstroke can occur when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees; a child can die when their body temperatures reaches 107, according to the NHTSA. Arrington said that most often, when San Antonio first responders reach children locked in vehicles, the parents left them there unintentionally. There are several preventive measures parents can take, Arrington said. He suggests placing an item for example, a cellphone, purse or bag in the backseat to remind them their infant or toddler is there. The importance of placing an item in the backseat with the child is to jog your memory, Arrington said. As parents ... we are often distracted, so just taking that extra second to remind you to check the back seat could make all the difference. At home, parents should keep their vehicles locked so that small children dont enter and become trapped. He said parents should make sure their keys are safely stored out of their little ones reach. On May 17, police in Castle Hills were called to a business when a mother accidentally dropped her keys in her car as she was getting out, and her child closed the door behind her, said Capt. Wayne Waggoner of the Castle Hills Police Department. Police responded in minutes, broke in and rescued the child, as shown in a video on the Castle Hills Police Facebook page. Waggoner said the mother was not charged because it was an accident. If anyone sees a child locked inside a vehicle by themselves, call 911 immediately, Arrington said. For more information on preventing children from getting locked in a vehicle, go to nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke. ddekunder@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A professor at UT Health San Antonio is among four researchers worldwide awarded $500,000 each part of the University of Texas at San Antonios Oskar Fischer Prize for their work in furthering societys understanding what causes Alzheimers disease. UTSA on Wednesday announced the results of its Oskar Fischer Prize, an international competition that awards $4 million in prizes to 10 individuals. The competition awarded gold, silver and bronze prizes of $500,000, $400,000 and $300,000, respectively. San Antonio scientist Bess Frost received one of the $500,000 prizes for her theory on the cause of Alzheimers disease. Frost is the Bartell Zachry Distinguished Professor for Research in Neurodegenerative Disorders at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Disorders, and the Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy at UT Health San Antonio. She proposes that neurodegeneration in Alzheimers disease and related tauopathies result from the negative consequences of pathogenic forms of tau on the three-dimensional packaging of DNA. In her submission, Frost wrote that this kind of DNA restructuring affects the cellular identity of brain cells and drives cell death. On ExpressNews.com: Teaching San Antonio researchers to turn brain power into market power Frosts lab at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, which studies the basic science underlying Alzheimers disease, is currently enrolling patients with a diagnosis of early Alzheimers disease for a phase 2 clinical trial. The trial studies an antiretroviral drug called 3TC, which has been approved to treat HIV. Gold prizes were also awarded to Carlo Abbate of the IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Istituto Palazzolo, in Italy; Estela Area-Gomez at Columbia University in New York and Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas Margarita Salas in Spain; and Ralph Nixon of the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research just outside New York. Silver prizes were awarded to Bernd Moosmann at Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany and Donald Weaver from the University of Toronto. Bronze prize recipients are Annelise Barron of Stanford University, Gunnar Gouras of Lund University in Sweden, Varghese John of UCLA and Russell Swerdlow at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The Oskar Fischer Prize was launched in late 2019 following a $5 million philanthropic gift to UTSA from Texas businessman James Truchard, who co-founded software company National Instruments. UTSA President Taylor Eighmy said in a statement that the competition allows us to significantly impact new discoveries in brain health that will directly help solve the mysteries of Alzheimers disease. Despite a century and tens of billions of dollars spent on Alzheimers Disease research, no definitive explanation for a cause has been found, Truchard said. The prizes goal is to bring forth ideas, which can create a foundation for future research. While no single entry covered all the major aspects of Alzheimers, I believe a combination of these ideas creates a launchpad for future research. According to Alzheimers Disease International, an estimated 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia. That population is expected to increase to 78 million by 2030. laura.garcia@express-news.net A Ukrainian flag is covered with grain in this May 9 picture. Reuters-Yonhap Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov began a two-day visit to Turkey, Tuesday, for talks on unblocking grain exports from Ukraine, which have been stalled by Moscow's offensive there. The plane carrying Lavrov landed at the airport in the Turkish capital Ankara, an AFP photographer saw. This is Lavrov's second trip to Turkey after meeting his Turkish and Ukrainian counterparts Mevlut Cavusoglu and Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya, March 10. Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia, Monday, after several of its neighbors prevented his plane from passing through their airspace. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered its services to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast. Lavrov, accompanied by a military delegation, will meet with Cavusoglu, Wednesday. At the heart of the negotiations is the opening of a security corridor to ship Ukrainian grain cereals and wheat in particular blocked in the war-torn country's ports. Turkey's Agriculture Minister Vahit Kirisci hinted that Ankara and Kyiv reached an agreement for the purchase of cereals 25 percent below the market price, local media reported. "But they (Ukrainians) have a dilemma about security and exports. They want us to be the arbitrator here. Negotiations continue under the auspices of the UN," he was quoted as saying. "Both Russia and Ukraine trust us." The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it "appreciates Turkey's efforts aimed at unblocking Ukrainian ports" but added that "for the moment there is no agreement on this point between Ukraine, Turkey and Russia." "Decisions must be taken with the participation of all parties concerned," the ministry said. "We reject any agreement that does not take into consideration the interests of Ukraine," it added, underlining Kyiv's wish for Western countries to send military support to Ukraine's coast and take an active role in escorting convoys heading out of Ukrainian ports into the Black Sea. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier discussed grain exports with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement. "The defense ministers discussed in detail the issues of safety of navigation in the Black Sea in connection with solving the problem of grain exports from Ukraine." Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gives an online press conference on current issues. Tass-Yonhap The Ukrainian Embassy in Ankara denied some media reports of a possible meeting between Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar and Lavrov. "That's not true," an embassy spokesperson said. "There's no scheduled meeting tomorrow for our side with Russians." Bodnar accused Russia, Friday, of "shamelessly" stealing Ukrainian grain and sending it overseas including to Turkey. His argument was supported by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who said reports of Russia stealing Ukrainian grain were "credible." Turkey has positioned itself as a neutral mediator between its two Black Sea neighbors, as it maintains a delicate balancing act. It has provided Ukraine with armed drones but has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia. In a phone call last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Moscow was ready to work with Ankara to free up maritime shipping blocked during the war. Russia's offensive in Ukraine and Western sanctions have disrupted supplies of wheat and other commodities from the two countries, fueling concerns about the risk of shortages and hunger around the world. Russia and Ukraine produce 30 percent of the global wheat supply. Dozens of container ships are blocked in Ukrainian ports surrounded by Russian forces, choking off exports of wheat, sunflower oil and other foodstuffs, as well as fertilizer for crops. Black Sea navigation has also been hampered by mines placed by both Russian and Ukrainian forces. (AFP) We often hear that its a bad idea to create laws in the fevered atmosphere surrounding a traumatic incident. Theres some truth in that notion. Consider the 2001 Patriot Act, rushed through Congress immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, at a time of great fear and anxiety in this country. The law expanded the federal governments authority to commit acts of domestic surveillance and infringe on our civil liberties. Thomas Dodds mail-order gun bill was not one of those knee-jerk pieces of legislation, although it was routinely characterized that way. Related: Editorial: Now is the time to rebuff NRA donations The story of Dodds long 1960s struggle to pass a common-sense firearms regulation tells us a lot about how deep this countrys resistance goes when it comes to imposing limits on gun access. Dodds crusade also contradicts the popular modern narrative that the National Rifle Association used to be much more amenable to gun reform. Its a story that offers perspective to the current battle in the aftermath of the shocking May 24 massacre at Uvaldes Robb Elementary to address this countrys epidemic of mass shootings. Dodd, the late U.S. senator from Connecticut (and the father of former U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd), spent much of the 1960s relentlessly pushing a bill that would apply restrictions to mail-order gun sales. The bill became the focus of public attention in late 1963, after Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy with a $12.78 Italian rifle he had ordered by mail under the pseudonym of A. Hidell. Dallas Police Department, HO / MCT Well before the Kennedy assassination, law enforcement officials expressed concerns about how easy it was for kids and people with criminal records to purchase mail-order firearms. At a January 1963 U.S. Senate committee hearing, Kenneth Carpenter, a Los Angeles police commission investigator, testified that the mail-order gun business was a problem of grave concern to the country. To this date, there are no laws adequately regulating mail-order gun sales, Carpenter said. This means that anyone, virtually anyone, can get a gun. Dodd already had been looking into the issue for about a year before that Senate hearing. He found that 1 million firearms a year were being purchased by mail in this country and that one-fourth of those guns were going to people with criminal records. In Fairfax, Va., a young boy shot and killed a neighbor child with a snub-nosed pistol bought from a shady mail-order gun house. Dodd told committee members that the country was being flooded with deadly weapons, weapons that have been imported by the thousands and indiscriminately sold by a few unscrupulous dealers who use the anonymity of the mails and common carriers to sow their seeds of destruction. Later that year, one of those weapons landed in Oswalds hands. After the Kennedy assassination, Dodd stepped up his effort to pass a bill regulating mail-order sales. The bill prohibited the interstate commerce of guns to anyone under 18 or previously convicted of a felony. It also prevented buyers from hiding behind anonymity or pseudonyms. It was a sensible solution to an undeniable problem. Even the intense sense of national grief over Kennedys death, however, couldnt help Dodd overcome the objections of gun enthusiasts. His bill got blocked in the House Commerce Committee. In early 1965, with Dodd making another bid to get his bill passed, an NRA member took out a front-page ad in Shotgun News, calling the mail-order legislation part of a Communist plot to take over the United States by confiscation of all firearms. Once again, Dodds effort got blocked. Mark Felix / Bloomberg It wasnt until October 1968, after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy, that Congress finally managed to pass legislation restricting mail-order sales of rifles and shotguns. Even then, the NRA successfully fought to strip away provisions calling for a national gun registry and licenses for all gun carriers. In June of that year, then-NRA President Harold Glassen warned organization members that gun-control supporters were aiming for the complete abolition of civilian ownership of firearms. The long, frustrating story of Dodds mail-order bill indicates that long before Sandy Hook and Uvalde, gun enthusiasts were able to stifle the nations desire for reform. Six decades later, the problem is the same: a loud, angry mob views any gun-control legislation as a calamitous step into government oppression. The options are tough. You cant change the mindsets of elected officials controlled by gun-rights absolutists. And voting people out of office isnt easy. But its the best shot weve got. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Even before the tragic shooting in Uvalde, the trials of the last two years have guided my teaching in ways meant to inspire a hope of action throughout our community. Knowing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, racial, ethnic and gender conflicts, the weakening of democracy, the culture wars, a citizenry rapidly becoming political strangers and a national culture of confrontation has had on college students, I designed and taught a course this spring at St. Marys University titled Politics of Global Hope. In May, I retired after 50 years as a university professor, the last 29 years at St. Marys University. Those decades of lessons live on in my students. With a background as a civil rights activist and organizer in the war on poverty, I have always challenged students to be activists in their community, working for greater social justice, the common good and a less violent culture. My goal has always been to have them leave my classes with hope, whatever their political or religious affiliation. RELATED: Commentary: After Uvalde, support children, then take action Hope is far more complex than simple passages or aphorisms posted on social media after the latest crisis. The Canadian scholar and political scientist Thomas Homer-Dixon wrote that key components of hope are: A specific ideal of time. This is a belief that the future is not determined, that it is always open to new, creative alternative futures. The capacity for recursive imaginations. We can imagine more just and peaceful futures. A set of values to evaluate and rank imagined futures that can be good or bad. Desirability that is intentional hope. This is creating futures that will lead to solving humanitys problems. Probabilities that the desired future will come to pass. This is realistic hope. These components represent the foundation for hope to and are a rejection of hope that. The latter is passive hope, a belief that one has little or no way of impacting change. On the other hand, Hope to implies that the person expects to be actively engaged in the movement to create the desired future. MORE LIKE THIS: Editorial: Uvalde suffers, yet the political charade goes on Look to Vaclav Havel, the playwright, often imprisoned under communism in Czechoslovakia, who later became president of the Czech Republic. Havel stated, Hope in a deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well ... but rather an ability to work for something because it is good, not because it stands a chance to succeed. We must channel our anger positively, remain constructive and act to be part of the solution. Hope is a gamble. It risks disappointment and the frustration that failure brings. Therefore, hope requires patience, endurance and public space to cultivate and share different understandings of collective hope. Life is too precious to live without hope. Larry Hufford is professor of political science (emeritus) at St. Marys University. A second major lawsuit was filed Wednesday in state court requesting that the states child welfare agency put a stop to abuse investigations of parents whose children have received gender-affirming medical care. The lawsuit includes a detailed account of the suicide attempt of a 16-year-old transgender boy whose parents are among the plaintiffs. The boy consumed an entire bottle of aspirin on Feb. 22, the same day Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas child welfare workers to investigate medical care for transgender youth as possible child abuse. The investigations resumed last month shortly after the Texas Supreme Court tossed a lower courts order that had temporarily halted them in a separate but similar case. The states highest civil court found that despite Attorney General Ken Paxtons non-binding legal opinion and Abbotts directive to the Department of Family and Protective Services, only the agency has the authority to initiate investigations. That case is still before the Third Court of Appeals in Austin. The latest suit, filed in Travis County district court by civil rights groups Lambda Legal, the ACLU and Texas-based law firm Baker Botts, seeks an injunction against further investigation of three families named in the suit and any others who belong to the national LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG. It names Abbott, the Department of Family and Protective Services and its Commissioner Jaime Masters as defendants. The families include Adam and Amber Briggle, whose son is transgender and who have been vocal in speaking out against the policy, as well as two other families using pseudonyms to protect their privacy. The agency has confirmed at least nine investigations have been opened against familes with transgender children. With today's filing, we are joining with PFLAG in working to protect all Texas families who simply want to make sure their children are safe, happy, and healthy, said Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Paul D. Castillo. It is unconscionable that the state wants to interfere in that relationship. The attorney generals office, which represents the state in court, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Paxton, in his legal opinion, had argued that courts were likely to find that taking away a childs constitutional right to procreate, especially when they are too young to legally consent and even the use of gender-affirming medications could result in physical and mental harm that amounts to abuse. The opinion applied to the use of puberty blockers, which delay the onset of puberty for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and hormone treatments, as well as surgery, though thats not common among minors. PREVIOUS SUIT: Texas can launch more investigations into families of trans kids, state Supreme Court says The previous suit suit was filed on behalf of an unnamed family who came under review for supporting their 16-year-old transgender daughters care for gender dysphoria. The childs mother, who was employed by the state welfare agency, testified that she was put on leave after asking a supervisor about the orders possible effect on her family. When the Texas Supreme Court lifted the injunction on investigations last month, it made an exception for that plaintiff family. Karen Loewy, senior counsel for Lamda Legal, said in doing so, the court implicitly recognized that the findings were correct that there was imminent harm. Theres a clear message to the agency that targeting families of transgender kids this way is both unlawul and causes imminent harm, and nonetheless, they are conducting them anyway, Loewy said. So this is a second round (lawsuit) in order to put a stop to the investigations. Transgender boys suicide attempt detailed in court filings The 16-year-old boy said that the political environment, including Abbotts letter, and being misgendered at school, led him to attempt suicide, his mother stated in legal filings. The teen was admitted to a local hospital and then referred to an outpatient psychiatric facility a couple days later, court records say. While there, staff learned that the teen had been prescribed hormone therapy for treatment of his gender dysphoria. At a family therapy session, he and his mother learned that staff might need to report the family for abuse because of Abbotts letter. He was discharged March 5, and about a week later, an investigator came knocking on the door of the family home. I assumed the investigator was there for a suicide attempt and was prepared to discuss the medical treatment and mental health therapy my son was receiving, his mother said. But the investigator told me that she was only there because I was an alleged perpetrator of child abuse. IN-DEPTH: Families of trans kids are living in fear of CPS investigations, some leaving Texas altogether The investigation is ongoing, though the mother declined to sign a release to provide Child Protective Services with medical records once she learned about the ongoing litigation and instead sought legal counsel. The teen is receiving mental health care and is recovering from the attempt, but these events have devastated our life, his mother stated. He has been forced to drop out of in-person school and stay at home so that I can more closely monitor his health and wellbeing, but I am a single mom who works two jobs. I love my son unconditionally, and I can think of nothing worse than losing him. I am so glad that he is alive, but no young person should ever have to experience what he went through. The investigator confirmed that the outpatient psychiatric facility had made the report of abuse, which the mother said she found particularly horrifying. The place that was supposed to help my son the outpatient mental health facility has now caused him even more harm, she said. Stopping her sons medical treatment is not an option for this mother who said that it is necessary to ensure his health and wellbeing. Nor is moving out of Texas, where she and her son have lived all their lives and where all of their extended family lives, including her elderly mother for whom she is the sole caretaker. Our family is as much a part of Texas as any other family, and (my son) has the same right to live safely and authentically as any other person in this state, she said. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Eleven-year-old Miah Cerrillo told a House committee on Wednesday that she hid behind her fourth-grade teachers desk at Robb Elementary School as a gunman entered the room. She heard the gunman tell her teacher good night as he shot her in the head. The gunman also shot her friend, who was next to her. I thought he was going to come back to the room, so I got a little blood and I put it all over me, Miah said in pre-recorded testimony played during a House Oversight Committee hearing. I dont want it to happen again, she said, nodding her head when her father asked if she thought it would. Now Playing: In emotional, raw testimony, 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo from Uvalde told a U.S. House committee that she hid behind her fourth-grade teacher's desk and covered herself in blood as gunman shot and killed her teacher and classmates at Robb Elementary School. Video: Houston Chronicle Miahs father, Miguel, also appeared before the committee in D.C., crying as he pleaded for action. I come because I couldve lost my baby girl, he said. Shes not the same little girl that I used to play with, hang around with and do everything, because she was daddys little girl. I dont know what to do, because I think I wouldve lost my baby girl. IN-DEPTH: After messy handling of Uvalde shooting, experts say even the fastest response cant outrun bullets I wish something would change, not only for our kids, but every single kid in the world, because schools are not safe anymore, he said. Something needs to really change. In emotional, raw testimony, other members of the Uvalde community also begged for Congress to act on gun laws, hours before the House passed a sweeping package of gun reforms that are almost certain to go nowhere in the Senate. A Uvalde pediatrician who was working in the E.R. where students were taken after they were shot at the school also testified, as did the parents of Lexi Rubio, a 10-year-old who was killed in the shooting. Her mother, Kimberly, told the committee about attending an award ceremony the morning of the shooting, where Lexi was honored for making straight As. To celebrate, we promised to get her ice cream that evening, told her we loved her and we would pick her up after school, Kimberly Rubio said. I can still see her walking with us toward the exit. In the reel that keeps scrolling across my memories, she turns her head and smiles back at us to acknowledge my promise. And then we left, she said. I left my daughter at that school, and that decision will haunt me for the rest of my life. TODAYS HEARING: 11-year-old who survived Uvalde shooting to testify before Congress this week The Democratic legislation, billed as the Protect Our Kids Act, would go further than any gun control measure that has passed the House since the assault weapons ban of the 1990s. It would raise the age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, ban high-capacity magazines, create requirements for safe gun storage in homes, and crack down on so-called ghost guns that are built from kits and exempt from weapon sales regulation. The reforms passed the House on a 223-204 vote, mostly along party lines. Five Republicans voted for the bill and two Democrats opposed it. No Texans crossed party lines in the vote. GOP members have panned the proposals as radical attempts to legislate away Second Amendment rights. Others have called instead for a focus on boosting security at schools and increasing funding for mental health. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, a San Antonio Republican whose district includes Uvalde, spoke on the House floor, calling for funding mental health infrastructure, including a hospital in Uvalde. He did not mention the proposed gun laws. This is something that that community asked for, he said. Theres so much division here in Congress. Theres so much hate and rhetoric that gets spewed. I think mental health is an area that can bring us together, that can unite us as we go forward. In the Senate, a bipartisan group of senators, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, is negotiating what is expected to be a much more limited set of proposals that can garner enough GOP support to pass the chamber. Cornyn, who said Wednesday that he was optimistic as the group is making steady progress, has said he wont support any proposal that affects the rights of law-abiding gun owners. The United States has more mass shootings than any country in the world, but Congress has not passed any wide-ranging rewrite of gun laws or universal background checks in recent years. Though public polling shows a vast majority of Americans back universal background checks for gun purchases, the polling is 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. Uvalde victims unidentifiable Those impacted by the May 14 mass shooting in Buffalo also called for action at Wednesdays committee meeting. Zeneta Everhart, whose son Zaire Goodman was injured by a gunman who shot and killed 10 Black people in a Buffalo supermarket, described cleaning her sons wounds. Lawmakers who feel that we do not need stricter gun laws, let me paint a picture for you: My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back and another on his left leg, caused by an exploding bullet from an AR-15, Everhart said. As I clean his wounds I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. As an elected official, it is your duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and all of the children and citizens in this country, she said. Let me say to you here today: I do not feel protected. Roy Guerrero, a pediatrician working the E.R. the day of the Uvalde shooting, described children whose bodies had been pulverized and decapitated, who could only be identified by blood-splattered cartoon clothes. He told the committee that he was testifying because not doing so would betray his oath to do no harm. Inaction is harm. Passivity is harm. Delay is harm, he said. Making sure our children are safe from guns, thats the job of our politicians and leaders, Guerrero said. You are the doctors and our country is the patient. We are laying on the table, riddled with bullets like the children of Robb Elementary and so many other schools. We are bleeding out and you are not there. Kimberly Rubio pushed for a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, but said she and her husband would at least accept raising the age to purchase AR-15s and getting rid of laws protecting gun manufacturers from lawsuits after shootings. We understand that for some reason, to some people to people with money, to people who fund political campaigns that guns are more important to children. So at this moment, we ask for progress, she said. Somewhere out there, theres a mom listening to our testimony, thinking, I cant even imagine their pain. Not knowing that our reality one day will be hers. Unless we act now. ben.wermund@chron.com Steve Cunningham and Lorenzo Gomez want people feeling the mental health strain from life to use their recently launched app called WeTree to connect with close family and friends for help. But while they seek to tap into the support of social networks, they dont want people to think of their app as social media. Unlike social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, which strive to keep users engaged for as long as possible, thereby generating as much advertising revenue as possible, WeTree seeks to be a catalyst for real-life therapeutic conservation. WeTree asks users to fill out a basic questionnaire about their mental health, known as the Mental Health Minute, that asks what emotions theyre feeling, what theyre grateful for and what theyre struggling with all with an eye toward strengthening and leaning on meaningful relationships. One of the things that we found in our research is that the single best way to protect yourself from all the stuff thats going on in the world is to have strong relationships, Cunningham said. Being able to talk about the things youre struggling with is critical for maintaining and nurturing those relationships. Thats what most people struggle with: I dont know how to talk about this stuff. Im the only one who feels this way. I dont want to be a burden to people. There are several mental health apps available, but Cunningham and Gomez believe WeTree is the first that helps users form supportive networks of family and friends for coping. Others, they say, connect users with professionals or help them resolve their problems on their own. Both founders are rooted in San Antonios entrepreneurship community. Gomez is co-founder of Tech Bloc and the chairman of Geekdom, while Cunningham is CEO of readitfor.me, which summarizes self-help and business books for busy leaders. They run WeTree from Pearls coworking space. The app launched on May 3, during Mental Health Awareness Month. Cunningham and Gomez recently sat to discuss their experiences with mental health, how they got the idea for the app and their plans for its future. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. Billy Calzada / Staff photographer Q: How has the app fared since its launch? Gomez: Its been awesome. Weve got a lot of inquiries, a lot of leads from businesses, a lot of individuals sign up. Weve had a lot of people just in our personal lives coming up and saying, Hey, I saw the app and referred it to someone. I feel like were starting the word of mouth propagation. Cunningham: As soon as we say, mental health app, all of a sudden, everybodys eyes get bigger. They want to talk about it. Its something thats clearly on everybodys mind right now. Everybody is struggling with something. They feel like, Finally, Ive got something that gives me an opportunity to get off my chest. Q: Why do you think mental health is on everybodys mind right now? Cunningham: The last few years have been hard. My background is in the personal development space, people wanting to get better at certain skills. A couple years ago, before the pandemic, I launched a simple tool to get people to basically deconstruct what they wanted in different areas of their life, as a personal development exercise. One of the questions was, what are your emotional goals? I sent it out to a bunch of people, and every single person that I knew personally wrote in their answer something along the lines of decrease my fear and anxiety. It was a real light bulb moment for me. Man, everybodys struggling, including me, because I was like, Me too. I guess Im not the only one who feels this way. I didnt know what to do with it. So fast-forward into the pandemic, I know everybody around me is struggling. And I knew from their social media posts that they were not talking about it. Maybe we can give you an opportunity to be honest about it. Billy Calzada / Staff photographer Q: So that was the genesis of the idea. Cunningham: Part of it was we had done a lot of work in the positive psychology world. Just trying to understand, like, what does flourishing mean? What does well-being mean beyond just feeling happy? Lorenzo, in his book The Cilantro Diaries, wrote about mental health. So I knew at least someone in my crew was passionate about mental health. He was the one person I knew that had the courage to talk about it. Gomez: Its a mental health book about my middle school on the West Side. One of the things that I discovered is that, like what Steve said, everyone wants to talk about (mental health), but nobody wants to go first. When I published the book, everyone would just say, Oh my God, I read your book, and then they would proceed to tell me their version of my story. That was really eye-opening. I just wrote it because I wanted to get it out. So when Steve called me to talk about what he was working on, just from that experience, I thought, Oh, this is a really good way for people to go first. I think thats one of the great values of the tool, is it makes it really easy for someone to go first. Q: Where are you getting your funding from? Cunningham: Right now, were getting it from customers. Thats step number one. Gomez: Its basically self-funded. Im working for free right now. Q: Do you plan to seek investors later? Gomez: We dont know. Were completely open to it. Whats funny is weve had, gosh, probably half a dozen customers either offer to invest or introduce us to investors. So there has been a lot of investor interest in the app. Cunningham: At this point, were taking it day by day. Whether its customers or venture funding or angel investors, we dont really know exactly what the need is right now. Billy Calzada / Staff photographer Q: So the users of the app are encouraged to check in every day. 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. Cunningham: Youre encouraged to do it daily. Most people will do it multiple times a week; a lot of people do it daily. Its enough that youre in communication with the people that are in your inner circle. Over time, its kind of like peeling an onion. People get more and more comfortable sharing the things that theyre struggling with. Gomez: Weve heard this from multiple users: conversations I never would have had. This whole notion that its facilitating things that never would have come up organically. It gives you a reason to do it. I think theres three obstacles were overcoming. The first one is, were conditioned in polite society to just tell a little white lie, which is, Hey, how are you doing? Im good. There are so many people; theyre not good, but were not taught to say how we really feel. The second one is, its not normalized. You know, I didnt even hear the term mental health until I was in my 30s. Its not part of our vernacular. The third thing is that even with the people that we care about, even the people that we know care about us, we tell ourselves this lie, which is, I dont want to bother them. And I dont want to be a burden to them. Q: So if someone indicates theyre in trouble, youre encouraged to reach out to that person outside the app? Cunningham: Right now, the idea is you would text them or call them, whatever channel that youre using already, and offer your support. But also, follow up when theyre doing well. Its the whole spectrum of just being there for somebody. A lot of times, when people share good news, they dont have a lot of slaps on the back. Its about building those relationships with the people that will be with you on both ends of that spectrum. Q: Is that something you might change? Having them reach out inside the app? Gomez: One of the things that we both love about it now is that its very simple. I feel like most social media platforms are trying to get you addicted, so that you never leave, and were OK with our users leaving. Were OK if this is a tool that just facilitates the human experience again you know, let me get you off and back to human interaction. Thats very important to us, because everyone has seen all the research come out about how the endorphins hit you every time someone likes that. And thats really not what were about. Q: Do you consider this a social media app? Cunningham: No. I think we specifically dont want to call it a social media for that very reason. Social media apps are designed to get you addicted to them so that they can serve you more advertising. Thats the entire purpose. I think we want to position ourselves as far away the anti-social media app, almost, although theres a social component to it. Wed rather name it a mental health app. Gomez: I would only add one thing. I believe weve created a new category, which is mental health engagement. I consider social media to be this different solar system in the marketing world. In the mental health space, you have the meditation apps on one side which is sort of, you know, self-discipline, I have to do it by myself. And then you have apps that connect you to a therapist. Were this completely third category, which is you do it in a community with at least one other person. Q: Do you have plans to add more functionality? Gomez: The next big one is mobile. Mobile is not out. I think that one will be in the next couple of weeks. But specifically, notifications. The whole idea that when I do my daily pulse, youll get notified, which is a passive way of saying, Hey, have you done yours? We think thats going to be the next big engagement booster. Q: Apart from that questionnaire, can you submit a long-form post? Cunningham: No. I think thats one of one of the reasons why people are attracted to it probably similar to how Twitter was. You can only do so much in it, but the idea is, how do we get you out there to then go talk? Because your spouse or your kid or your parents or your best friend, they dont need a blog post from you. They just want to know, how are you doing today? And if we need to talk, lets talk. Above, a data visualization of big "Zuck buck" grants in Election 2020, skewing Democrat blue. By Mark Hemingway, RealClearInvestigations Tuesday, June 7, 2022 The $332 million that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan provided to a progressive group to help run the 2020 elections was distributed on a highly partisan basis that favored Democrats, according to a new analysis by election data experts. While these "Zuckerbucks" or Zuck bucks were touted as a resource meant to help all jurisdictions administer the election during the COVID crisis, tax records filed by the progressive Center for Tech and Civic Life show that the group "awarded all larger grants on both an absolute and per capita basis to deeply Democratic urban areas," particularly in swing states, according to the new report. Its authors are William Doyle, research director at the right-leaning Caesar Rodney Election Research Institute, and Alex Oliver, chief data scientist at Evolving Strategies, a nonpartisan research group. The report contrasts with a report Zuckerberg commissioned in December, which emphasized that more Republican jurisdictions, defined as municipalities that voted for Trump in 2020, applied for and received grants. Doyle and Oliver say this conclusion is misleading because Republican jurisdictions were far more likely to receive grants of less than $50,000, which, they wrote, were likely not substantial enough to provide the funding, infrastructure, and personnel to materially change election practices in the recipient jurisdiction. These small grants comprised 27% of the centers awards. In the counties where CTCL made its 50 largest grants in terms of per capita spending, the average partisan lean in favor of Democrat Joe Biden over Republican Donald Trump was 33 points meaning the aid could be expected to stimulate more Democratic votes. Twenty-five of the top 50 grants per capita went to just five states Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, and Texas (the latter two where "Democrats were optimistic about Biden's chances," the authors write). Seven of the top ten largest grants per capita went to counties in Georgia and Wisconsin, states that Biden narrowly won by 12,000 and 21,000 respectively. (Along with the report, Evolving Strategies has put together an online map and visualization app that tracks CTCLs top 100 grants on a per capita basis.) The distribution of the CTCL programs grant amounts both in absolute and per capita terms shows, unequivocally, a systematic bias in favor of Democratic jurisdictions, they write. The larger grants revealed a partisan pattern of funding [that] was especially apparent in swing states. Regardless of intention, CTCLs geographic allocation of larger grants is prima facie and de facto partisan. Before 2020, the private funding of election administration was virtually unheard of. Against positive coverage of the development in liberal news media, conservative activists sounded the alarm about CTCLs efforts. Privatizing the management of elections undermines the integrity of our elections because private donors may dictate where and how hundreds of millions of dollars will be managed in these states, Phill Kline of the Thomas More Society told the Washington Post. Since 2020, 17 states have effectively banned the private funding of local election offices either through new laws or regulations. Two other states, Alabama and Missouri, are awaiting for the governors signature on similar bills. The center and its defenders have argued that it is only logical that urban areas, which tend to support Democrats, would get more grant money, simply because they have more voters. But Doyle and Olivers analysis shows that those areas received more funding on a per capita basis. While the grant size for urban areas might naturally be larger overall, they said, areas with high concentrations of voters should result in economic efficiencies where substantial fixed cost of election administration is spread out over a relatively larger population, decreasing the per capita cost. If anything, they said, per capita costs of running an election should be higher in more rural Republican areas. The report showed that Georgia alone received 10 of the top 50 grants per capita, totaling $41 million more than 10% of the $332 million CTCL spent across the country. Nine of those grants went to counties with an average partisan lean of 35 points in favor of Joe Biden. The center awarded a total of $10.1 million in grants in Wisconsin, but $8.5 million of that went to the cities of Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee, and Racine cities where Bidens average margin of victory was over 37 points. All five cities ranked on CTCLs top 50 per capita grants. Similarly, Pennsylvania had four of the top 50 per capita grants, amounting to $16 million. Some $15 million of those grants went to Philadelphia and to Delaware and Chester counties in the Philadelphia metro area. The Philadelphia vote favored Biden by 64 points, and Delaware and Chester voted Biden by 27 and 17 points respectively. Biden won Pennsylvania by just 1.2 points, so the victory might have been sealed by the influx of cash from private sources to the Philadelphia region, the states biggest cache of votes, which also has a history of corruption and electoral fraud. The CTCL did not respond to RealClearInvestigations' request for comment. Its executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, told the Washington Post in February that the grants given out reflected where the requests for funding came from, not any bias on the part of her organization. But the center has offered no insight into its internal process for awarding grants. An investigation by Broad and Liberty, a right-leaning publication dedicated to Pennsylvania politics, obtained emails showing that the office of Pennsylvanias Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf coordinated with left-wing nonprofits to implement a secretive process that selectively invited Democratic counties to apply for Zuck bucks grants. The center did not just award money to counties and cities that applied for grants in many cases it embedded progressive activists into key local election offices to shape how elections were run. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, emails to the mayors office from the center touted its network of current and former election administrations and election experts available to build up vote by mail processes and ensure forms, envelopes, and other materials are understood and completed correctly by voters. In a July 13, 2020 email to the center, Celestine Jeffreys, chief of staff for Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, wrote, As far as Im concerned I am taking all of my cues from CTCL and work with those you recommend. Eventually the center helped install an out-of-state operative named Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein in Green Bay and other Wisconsin election offices, who engaged in activities unusual for someone other than a public official such as asking for direct access to the Milwaukee Election Commissions voter database and other sensitive data. Spitzer-Rubenstein became so active in running Green Bays election that City Clerk Kris Teske, unhappy with being replaced in her job, took leave a few weeks before the election and quit shortly thereafter. "I was verbally abused by the Mayor in front of everyone ... " she reportedly wrote in one email. "He had agenda when it came to the election and I nor the Clerks Office were included even though its the Clerks job to administer an election. He allowed staff who were not educated on election law to run the election, along with people who werent even City of Green Bay employees. Though technically considered a nonpartisan organization, CTCLs leadership team has an extensive history of working with the Democratic Party and progressive causes. Epps-Johnson founded the organization with Whitney May and Donny Bridges. All three previously worked together at the New Organizing Institute, which the Washington Post described as the Democratic Partys Hogwarts for digital wizardry and the left's think tank for campaign know-how. A further Democratic-Zuckerberg intersection: Former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe is listed as head of policy and advocacy at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the power couple's philanthropy. In his 2020 book, A Citizens Guide to Beating Donald Trump, Plouffe wrote that the 2020 election may come down to block-by-block street fights in Detroit, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee. RealClear reporter and commentator Mark Hemingway helped edit the 2021 book Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections by Mollie Hemingway. Monica Tranel is one of three Democrats racing for her party's nomination for U.S. House in Montana's new western district. (Courtesy Monica Tranel for Montana) Missoula attorney Monica Tranel will represent Democrats in the general election for Montanas U.S. House race in the western district. On the Republican side, former congressman and Trump Cabinet member Ryan Zinke had eked ahead of former State Sen. Al Olszewski as of 11:30 p.m., but the race was too close to call. About 70% of all votes were in by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, and three counties had not reported any results, according to the New York Times. In the Democratic contest, Tranel broke an early lead and counted 67% of the vote as of 11:30 p.m. She not only dominated her home county, Missoula, with 72% of the vote, she also took 59% in Gallatin County, opponent Cora Neumanns home turf. Both public health expert Neumann and former state lawmaker Tom Winter conceded to Tranel early in the race and threw their support behind her as the candidate heading into the general. Thank you to all of you. This is about all of you. Thank you for showing up, for doing the hard work We are going to make Montana Democrats proud to be Montana Democrats, Tranel told a crowd of supporters in Missoula, according to video from MTN News. On the Republican side, the race was much tighter. In 2016, Zinke won a U.S. House race by 16 points, but Tuesday, he and former State Sen. Al Olszewski took turns pulling ahead after polls closed. As of 11 p.m., each had gathered around 40% of reported votes, according to the Montana Secretary of State. Zinkes opponents have called attention to multiple ethical complaints filed against the former Navy SEAL during his time in the Department of Interior, which he resigned from in 2018. Roughly three hours after the polls closed, Olszewski dominated Flathead County, his and Zinkes territory. He had 49% of the votes there to Zinkes 29%. Further away from home, Zinke was pulling in more votes, with some 44% in Gallatin County and 47% in Missoula County. As Wednesday approached, neither candidate conceded, according to statements to the Montana Free Press. Im honored and excited by our strong showing tonight. This is a very close race and with Lincoln County not reporting tonight due to a technical issue it is clear we wont know who won tonight. I look forward to an open and transparent count. Were cautiously optimistic we will emerge from that count victorious, Olszewski said in a statement. Zinkes camp also expressed confidence. Were still feeling confident. Montanans know bull when they see it. Were looking forward to the Election Day vote totals. Our volunteers worked hard, made tens of thousands of phone calls and knocked thousands of doors to get out the vote, Zinkes campaign manager Heather Swift said in a statement. On Twitter, former longtime Montana political journalist Chuck Johnson predicted the count in the neck-and-neck race could spill into Wednesday. Montana is a red state, and Tranel, a mom, a two-time Olympian, and a lawyer, acknowledged the road ahead in the general: This will be a big big challenge; we are up against corporate money, we are up against corruption, she said to the crowd. The Western Congressional District is new stemming from census results that gained Montana an extra seat and split the state into eastern and western districts. The western district spans 16 counties, including Missoula, Flathead and Gallatin counties. In the primary, Zinke also went up against Matt Jette, a high school and college teacher, pastor Mary Todd and general contractor Mitch Heuer. This story will be updated on Wednesday with final tallies once they become available. The post Western Congressional primary: Tranel wins easily, race too close to call for Republicans appeared first on Daily Montanan. A project born out of a desire to support Yorkshire farmers in getting more value for their wool has launched its first fully traceable hand-knit yarn. Six months on from announcing its Farm to Yarn Clapdale Wool Project, Glencroft has today unveiled the project's first Yorkshire-made product. A 5,000 grant from the Yorkshire Dales National Parks Sustainability Fund helped the country-wear clothing brand to kick-start the idea. Fleeces were taken from farms within a 5-mile radius of Glencroft, with them transformed into a unique Yorkshire-made hand-knit yarn. The project made use of local sheep breeds, including the traditional Dalesbred, Teeswater, Blue Faced Leicester and the more modern Texel. Half a ton of fleece was gathered from local farms including Dawsons of Bleak Bank and Whitakers of Bowsber Farm in Clapham, which was processed in Bradford where it was weighed, washed and scoured. The project made use of local sheep breeds, including the traditional Dalesbred and Teeswater The wool was then carded in Bingley, before going on to Shipley to be spun. Glencroft owner Edward Sexton said the project was launched to ensure local farmers received a fair price for their fleeces. Too often we hear of farmers who have to send the wool sheared from their sheep to landfill because there just isnt any other economical use for it. "As avid supporters and users of British Wool, this simply didnt seem right," he said. To ensure they made the best possible yarn, Glenrcoft brought together a team of British wool and fashion design experts from The Wool Library and KnitLab North to advise. Half a ton of fleece was gathered from local North Yorkshire farms Half of the wool was spun into cones for use on knitting machines which KnitLab North is testing on knitwear designs custom-made for Glencroft. The Clapdale Wool Collection is expected to be launched later this year. The remaining yarn was split into two, with 150 kgs spun into 100g hanks of wool for hand-knitting, which has been tested by a local retired knitting shop owner, Sandra Oakeshott. Mr Sexton added: We wanted to show how it is possible to ensure that farmers get a fair price for their fleeces, as well as creating a circular economy by giving 10% of all profits from the finished yarn and products back to them. "We also wanted to work with and promote the breeds on our doorstep regardless of what they were and explain the processes and costs to consumers so they can buy an authentic, traceable product. Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. If you are not a Current Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! A general view of the hemi-circle at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 24, 2016. Reuters-Yonhap EU lawmakers agreed Tuesday on a continental target to establish a better gender balance on the boards of companies in Europe. Negotiators from the EU member states and European Parliament said they found common ground on a proposal that was first made by the European Commission, the EU's executive, in 2012. "After 10 years, since the European Commission proposed this directive, it is high time we break the glass ceiling," said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a statement. "There are plenty of women qualified for top jobs: they should be able to get them," she added. Under the new rules, EU countries must ensure that listed companies fill at least 40 percent of non-executive board seats "with the underrepresented gender" by the end of June 2026, the statement said. For member states that introduce quotas in both executive and non-executive boards, the requirement will be 33 percent. Companies that fall short of the target will be bound to "apply transparent and gender neutral criteria" to fix the problem. Those companies must also "prioritize the underrepresented sex" if two candidates of different sexes are equally qualified, the statement said. In order to give the rules teeth, member states will also have to set up a penalty system for companies failing to comply with the rules. "Despite years of roadblocks, I'm proud to have pushed member states to finally agree to this women on boards milestone," said MEP Lara Wolters, who negotiated the law for the parliament. It "will push for progress in 27 member states at once," she said. Today, according to the commission, only nine out of 27 member states have national legislation regarding gender equality on boards. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, the share of women on the boards of the largest publicly listed companies in the EU had increased to 31.3 percent, from 11.9 percent in 2010. But this still meant that seven out 10 people sitting on company boards were men. (AFP) Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Dimple Kapadia got candid in an interview, where she revealed details of her marriage with superstar Rajesh Khanna and their separation. The actress got married six months before her debut film Bobby released in 1973. Bobby marked the debut of both Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, and was a big hit. Even after five decades of its release, it remains one of the most talked about Bollywood movies. Kapadia was only 17 when she made her debut and instantly rose to fame. But it wasnt just her role in Bobby that caught the headlines, her personal life did as well. It was reported that Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna met on the flight for the first time. After she signed Raj Kapoors film, she headed to Ahmedabad for an event. Recalling the incident at an event a couple of years ago, she said, We were going to Ahmedabad on a private flight for a function. I was born dramatic. Bachpan se drama ka shauk bahut jyada tha. He sat next to me. I was looking at him. Rajesh Khanna, I mean come on guys, give me a break. I very chalaak-ly told him, Wahan toh bohot crowd hoga, bheed hogi. Aap mera haath pakdoge na? (That place will be very crowded right? Will you hold my hand?) He said, Haan bilkul (Yes, why not). I replied, Hamesha ke liye? (Forever?) And the rest is history. It happened. Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna had two daughters, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna and broke off their marriage later in 1982. Dimple also commented on the reason behind them parting ways in an interview. She said, I think we were two very different kinds of people. I was probably very young to understand what was happening to this man, who was a superstar. I have never been able to understand stars and their behaviour patterns at all because I am not one myself. I just couldnt understand" She also opened up about how instrumental Bobby was in shaping her career. She commented, I see it as a lease of life. After 10 years, thats the only film that took me where I was in life. Nobody would have given me work otherwise. She also shared an interesting fact about getting cast in Bobby. Dimple didnt get Bobby in her first shot. Recalling the incident, she said, I was in school and I read in the papers that he (Raj Kapoor) is looking for a new face. I said to my friends thats me. At that age, you can afford to be so confident. I was taken to the screen-test where I was promptly rejected because I looked older than Rishi Kapoor. But he gave me another screen test and I got the film. I kept trying real hard in certain scenes to bring real tears. He would build me up. I am yet to meet a director like him. He makes you feel that you are capable of doing it. He instilled that kind of confidence in you. Salman Khan on Tuesday revealed that he did not receive any threats from any person. The actor has reportedly given a statement at the Bandra police station where a case has been registered against an unidentified person. The case was filed after a threat letter was issued to Salman Khan's father and producer Salim Khan. An FIR (First Information Report) was filed against an unidentified person for sending a threat letter to Salim Khan. So far, the Mumbai police are leaving no stone unturned to investigate the letter. While Salim and Salman have shared their statements, the police have also seized CCTV footage and around 10 teams with the addition of the Crime Branch are dealing with the case. As per multiple reports, Salim Khan found the letter on a bench when he was out on a morning jog around 7.30-8.00 am at Bandstand in Mumbai's Bandra area. After Salim Khan received a threat letter containing a warning that the father and son will face the same fate as Sidhu Moosewala who was brutally murdered, Salman Khan's security was tightened. To note, reports of Salman Khan being on the radar of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who along with his associates is a suspect in Sidhu Moosewala's murder emerged recently. The criminal had threatened the actor over the blackbuck hunting case. Salman Khan was recently spotted at Mumbai's private airport with police personnel and his bodyguard Shera. The actor was travelling for work-related commitments. At present, he is attached to star in Tiger 3 and his next film Bhaijaan (previously titled Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali). He will also appear in a cameo in Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan. The key to a happy and long marriage is to show your spouse your love and appreciation on a regular basis, and superstar Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan appear to know the recipe! Whether it's SRK's upcoming film or Gauri's latest endeavours, they're frequently seen cheering each other on. So, when the interior designer revealed that she's planning to teach residential design, her superstar husband reacted with the cutest comment.Gauri's most recent Instagram post announces her masterclasses on the interior design and decor platform. She shared a video of all the topics she will cover in her class. She wrote alongside the post, A sneak peek into my class on residential design @thedesignersclass. Learn the tips and tricks of residential design and get exclusive tips and tricks from me.In response to his wife's post, SRK went to the comment section and wrote, I think I will sign up for this.get my study to look better!! His fans showered him with love in response to his comment, and many also inquired about his well-being following reports that he tested positive for Covid-19 last week.SRK and Gauri have often set complete couple goals. SRK recently shared at an event in New Delhi how Gauri does not allow him or anyone else to "disrupt the design in the house." He had revealed, In my house, most of the stuff that is bought for the house is obviously bought by the lady of the house, my wife Gauri. You are not allowed to disrupt the design in the house, because she is a wonderful designer herself. But one of the few things that Im allowed to do because there is this understanding that maybe I know technology the best in the house.In terms of work, SRK has announced a number of exciting projects, including Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki and Atlee's Jawan. He will also appear alongside Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in Siddharth Anand's Pathaan. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 7, 2022) - Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) invites you to visit them at Booth #2543 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday June 13 to Wednesday June 15, 2022. About Velocity Minerals Ltd. Velocity is an exploration and development company focused on southeastern Bulgaria. Velocity's strategy is to develop a low cost centralized "Hub and Spoke" operation whereby multiple projects within this emerging district produce concentrates for trucking to a central processing plant for production of dore. Velocity has a 70% interest in the Tintyava property, which includes the Rozino project, a 70% interest in the Momchil property, which includes the Obichnik project, a 70% interest in the Nadezhda property, which includes the Makedontsi project, and a 100% interest in the Iglika property. Velocity's management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Velocity Minerals Ltd. Keith Henderson 1-604-484-1233 info@velocityminerals.com www.velocityminerals.com Deep Network Analytics and Applied Machine Learning Provides Intelligence Related to Network for Improving Customer Experience CUPERTINO, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobileum Inc. ("Mobileum"), a leading global provider of analytics solutions for roaming and network services, security, risk management, testing, and monitoring, today announced it has entered into a multi-year partnership with PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk ("Smartfren"), a leading progressive mobile operator in Indonesia. The new contract delivers Mobileum's digital insights and network analytics which will allow Smartfren to strengthen and enhance Customer experience and personalized product development as well as improve service quality and performance for its over 33 million subscribers in Indonesia. Smartfren will leverage Mobileum's recently acquired Niometrics' Deep Network Analytics (DNA) software to derive insights from the volumes of user data traversing its network. Integrating with Smarfren's existing data core network and its data-warehouse the solution identifies multi-dimensional data attributes, uncovering how the network responds to specific usage demands, providing Smartfren with trends into the application experience and overall device performance in the network. To cater to growing demand for video streaming in Indonesia, Smartfren will also use Mobileum's Video Streaming Analytics (VSA) solution to deliver high quality online video experiences to its customers. VSA uses advanced machine learning algorithms to determine performance and experience metrics, such as poor resolution or high buffering times, and gives Smartfren the capability to quantify, assess, and improve the quality of video streams delivered throughout its network. This partnership reaffirms Smartfren's commitment as Indonesia's leading telecoms provider to continuously invest in emerging technologies and offer an exceptional quality of service to its customers. Commenting on the partnership between Smartfren and Mobileum, Sandeep Mishra, CEO of Sinarmas Cognitive and Big Data, said: "Smartfren is excited to leverage Mobileum's deep network analytics towards better product offerings and improved experience to our customers. The insights from the solution will help us drive both performance and experience improvements across all customer segments. Commenting on the partnership, Sam Lau, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Analytics and Engagement of Mobileum, said: "We are very pleased with the opportunity to collaborate with Smartfren in its pursuit of excellence for complex digital networks. Being the leading progressive mobile operator in Indonesia, the company gives Mobileum the privilege to stretch our network analytics technology into the territory of ground-breaking scalability. We are confident that our analytics solutions will serve Smartfren well in its pursuit of service excellence." About Smartfren PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk (IDX: FREN) is one of the telecommunications service providers in Indonesia. In 2015, Smartfren innovated by launching the first commercial 4G LTE Advanced service in Indonesia, and in early 2016, Smartfren again made history as a telecommunications company in Indonesia that provides Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services commercially. In 2017, Smartfren confirmed its position as a leading telecommunications operator service provider in providing 4G-based telecommunications services and made Smartfren the only operator operating on a fully 4G network. In 2019, Smartfren successfully carried out a 5G trial which was carried out in Jakarta and this year, Smartfren became the first operator in Indonesia to present eSIM innovation. With the eSIM innovation, Smartfren gives its customers the advantage to access the Smartfren network to their communication devices without using a physical SIM card. eSIM stores phone numbers, subscription packages, network configurations that allow your device to connect to Smartfren. Now, with a wide network coverage area, through around 42,000 4G BTS spread across 220 cities throughout Indonesia, Smartfren has been asked to become the official telco partner for well-known global smartphone brands, such as Samsung. For internet service packages, Smartfren is currently establishing itself as a telecommunications operator that provides a variety of starter packs and internet package services. Smartfren has a Starter Card and Smartfren GOKIL MAX, Unlimited, Quota Nonstop, and 1ON+ internet packages. In addition to offering a variety of data and voice products and services, Smartfren also provides corporate business solutions, for business solutions for institutions and corporations in Indonesia. For more information, please visit www.smartfren.com About Mobileum Inc. Mobileum is a leading provider of Telecom analytics solutions for roaming, core network, security, risk management, domestic and international connectivity testing, and customer intelligence. More than 1,000 customers rely on its Active Intelligence platform, which provides advanced analytics solutions, allowing customers to connect deep network and operational intelligence with real-time actions that increase revenue, improve customer experience, and reduce costs. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Mobileum has global offices in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Singapore, and UK. Learn more in https://www.mobileum.com/ and follow @MobileumInc on Twitter Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1431792/Mobileum_Logo.jpg LONDON, June 8, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Several months of intensive preparations are over, and the official countdown to the start and opening of registration for the FMC-Film Music Contest 2022 has begun.FMC is a unique international music competition for composers of original music for film, TV, advertising and video games, and for filmmakers, videomakers and producers of audio-visual works of any genre.The FMC international organizing team has prepared a number of changes and surprises for this year's competitors, and after rigorous work, we are happy to present the shape of our new collaborations and gradually publish all of this year's news.Announcing the Launch of our New WebsiteThe FMC organizing team is excited to announce the launch of our brand-new website! After months in the works, we are happy to officially share it with all of you. You can visit the official FMC 2022 website and check all the news and info here: www.fmcontest.comNew international media partnershipsFMC enjoys growing international popularity and media interest around the world. This year, we gladly and proudly welcome two truly exclusive top music media partners who will help FMC 2022 provide far-reaching international coverage.Our first partner is a British music magazine which ranks among the world elite and has become a trusted and popular source over the last 35 years to professionals in the music industry for information about all the audio news.SOS -- Sound On SoundSOS -- Sound On Sound. "The world's premier audio recording technology magazine and the trusted resource for all things audio." Well-known and with a rich history, this magazine has informed musicians around the world for more than 35 years and is also a firm favourite of top record producers, mixing/sound engineers and recording artists.SOS -- Sound On Sound, the exclusive media sponsor of FMC 2022, will keep you informed of news from this year's competition on its information channels. Our sponsor has also prepared special prizes for competitors.Music ConnectionWe are also excited to announce a new media partner, the US monthly music-trade magazine Music Connection. Established in 1977, this magazine needs no introduction and is a reliable and popular source of information for professionals in the music industry.Music Connection contains news about major events and festivals in the world and delivers all the important information from the global music industry. The magazine features interviews with the world's biggest stars, such as Bruno Mars, Sting, Imagine Dragons, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and others. It is a great honour to have this magazine on board, and we look forward to our partnership.We are also pleased about ongoing media partnerships and cooperation with the ACN Newswire the globally recognized press release distributor.Unique competition categories this yearThis year's competition categories will once again deliver visually appealing materials (a feature drama film and a premiere action video game) for creative composers and the space to improve their composing skills. Filmmakers, video makers and production studios will be able to re-engage their original films, videos and series with original music. In a separate competition, audio categories aimed at instrumentalists, instrumental groups, bands, chamber groups, small and large orchestras, soloists, and sound designers will allow submission of previously completed compositions.International representation of FMC at prestigious events abroadMembers of the FMC organizing team will travel to major European national tours in the coming weeks and months and personally attend several of the most important film events, festivals and markets. At these meetings, they will represent FMC in person and negotiate with potential partners about new collaborations and partnerships to keep pushing the event forward to new levels and bring exclusive content to competitors and fans for many years to come.More news and information will be published in other press releases and articles on the official competition website.Follow FMC-Film Music Contest on Social Media:Facebook: facebook.com/FilmMusicContestInstagram: instagram.com/fmcontestYouTube: http://bit.ly/3oOaG48fmcfilmmusiccontestMedia Contact:Mgr. Vlado Zeleznak Jr.Director, FMC-Film Music Contest, PRESS FMCE: press@fmcontest.comSource: FMCCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel answers questions from journalist and author Alexander Osang under the theme "So what is my country?" at the Berliner Ensemble in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday. AP-Yonhap Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that she tried hard when she was in office to prevent the situation in Ukraine from developing to the current state, adding that she does not blame herself for not trying hard enough. "It's a great sadness that it didn't work out, but I don't blame myself for not trying," said Merkel, speaking of the 2014 Minsk agreement with Russia. She spoke in an interview with German journalist and author Alexander Osang that was televised by broadcaster ARD. Merkel, who led the West's imposition of sanctions on Russia in 2014 after its annexation of Crimea, said the Minsk agreement had calmed the situation and gave Ukraine time to become what it is today. "What would have happened if nobody cared in 2014 and Putin just continued? I don't want to know that at all," she added. Merkel said there was no justification for Russia's "brutal disregard of international law" in Ukraine, adding that she had been against a plan to let Ukraine into NATO because she wanted to prevent escalation with Russia and Ukraine was not ready. "That wasn't the Ukraine we know today ... The country was not stable, it was riddled with corruption," she said. A fluent Russian-speaker after growing up in the former communist East Germany, Merkel drew criticism from the United States and others for supporting the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, designed to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany. The former chancellor defended her policy of supporting trade with Russia, saying Europe and Russia were neighbors that could not ignore each other. She said she had grappled with questions about the former Soviet Union throughout her time in office but it was never possible to end the Cold War. "We simply didn't succeed in creating a security architecture to prevent that," she added. Merkel, a conservative, made a brief statement shortly after Russia's invasion in February, but her silence since then has raised eyebrows. In April, she was criticized for visiting Italy shortly after news of atrocities in Bucha, near Kyiv, rather than taking up an invitation to visit Ukraine. "Invited to Bucha, driven to Florence", mass-selling Bild newspaper titled a report on her visit. In the hour-and-a-half interview, the 67-year-old Merkel said she knew the trip would be controversial but she wanted to make clear that she was no longer the Chancellor. "This trip was very important to me for my process of decoupling from politics." (Reuters) WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Western Digital Corp. (WDC) said that that it is reviewing potential strategic alternatives, including options for separating its Flash and HDD franchises. The announcement comes after activist investor Elliott Investment Management last month urged the company to separate its Flash business. Elliott had also offered to invest $1 billion to facilitate a sale or a spin-off of the business. Elliott said Tuesday that it is prepared to provide strategic resources and additional capital to help the company realize the full value of both of its businesses. In conjunction with the strategic review process, Western Digital and Elliott have signed a customary non-disclosure agreement and a letter agreement. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. A partnership with CHOOOSE empowers Trip.com users around the world to understand and offset their flights' CO2 emissions Customers can address their emissions by supporting a portfolio of trusted high-impact climate projects in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals Trip.com has expanded their offerings to build on evolving consumer climate awareness and corporate action LONDON, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Trip.com is launching its integrated carbon solution to enable Trip.com users worldwide to address the CO2 emissions of their travel. The global travel platform has partnered with climate-tech company CHOOOSE to offer travellers the option to calculate and offset their flight's CO2 emissions by supporting impactful climate solutions around the world. Customers booking on Trip.com will now be presented with the opportunity to address their flight's CO2 emissions during the booking journey. For a small cost, travellers' offsets will support projects that either reduce, capture, or avoid CO2 emissions in an amount equivalent to the flight's calculated emissions. The CHOOOSE solution is integrated directly into the Trip.com platform, enabling customers to seamlessly address their CO2 emissions as part of the customer experience. Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer at Trip.com Group, said: "As part of our mission to lead the global transformation to modern and more environmentally-responsible travel, we have partnered with CHOOOSE to contribute towards highly effective CO2-mitigating projects around the world. This makes it easier and simpler for Trip.com users to offset their flight's CO2 emissions during checkout on our platform and travel more responsibly." Andreas Slettvoll, Chief Executive Officer at CHOOOSE, said: "We see an increasing demand from individuals and companies around the world wanting to understand the CO2 emissions from their travel and to address these emissions through solutions like carbon removals, offsets and sustainable aviation fuel. That's why we are thrilled to team up with Trip.com to offer integrated climate options as a seamless part of their booking process, making climate action more accessible for people worldwide." Trip.com and CHOOOSE calculate CO2 emissions per passenger based on factors such as aircraft fuel consumption, seat configuration, and flight distance, in accordance with the latest industry guidelines. This calculation helps to inform the cost to offset the journey, as well as guide which itineraries may be producing the least amount of CO2 per passenger. Trip.com and CHOOOSE have selected a range of high-impact CO2 mitigation projects around the world that either reduce, remove, or avoid CO2 emissions. The projects are carefully vetted by carbon professionals and certified to the most comprehensive standards such as the Gold Standard, a leading international carbon protocol. This ensures that the projects create the highest possible carbon impact and a real benefit to local communities, so travellers know their contributions make a difference. To learn more about the climate projects selected for Trip.com's integrated carbon program please visit here. The introduction of this new carbon solution aligns with the goal of Trip.com Group, Trip.com's parent company, to encourage travellers to consider the environmental impact of travel and to offer options for Trip.com users to travel more responsibly. About Trip.com Trip.com is an international one-stop travel service provider, available in 20 languages across 27 countries and regions in 31 local currencies and sites. Trip.com has an extensive hotel and flight network consisting of more than 1.2 million hotels and flights from over 480 airlines covering 2,600 airports in 200 countries and regions around the globe. Trip.com's world-class 24/7 multilingual customer service as well as additional centres in Edinburgh, Tokyo and Seoul, help to 'create the best travel experience' for its millions of customers worldwide. To book your next trip, visit trip.com. About CHOOOSE CHOOOSE is a leader in technology-based climate action headquartered in Oslo, Norway. CHOOOSE builds digital tools so everyone, anywhere, can easily integrate climate action into everyday life and business. Together with its ecosystem of industry partners and individual supporters, the CHOOOSE platform is accelerating access and adoption of climate solutions across a range of key technologies - from nature-based solutions to carbon removal to Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Learn more at www.chooose.today. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834278/image.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1802535/trip_com_Logo.jpg LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Rio Tinto Plc. (RTPPF.PK, RIO.L, RIO, RTNTF.PK) said that more than 3000 women across Australia and New Zealand have applied for roles with the company, following the launch of recruitment campaigns targeting women who had not previously worked in the mining industry. The campaigns attracted applicants from a diverse range of industries, including defense, aviation, government, HR and education, the company said in a statement. In Western Australia, the Transferable Pathways campaign attracted about 1,600 responses. It was roughly the same number received for the Women in Leadership program at Rio Tinto's eastern Australian and New Zealand Aluminium operations in April and May, bringing total applications for both programs to around 3,200. 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. TOKYO, June 8, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), with support from its power solutions brand, Mitsubishi Power, has begun a feasibility study on the use of ammonia as fuel for power plants in Indonesia.The two proposals to carry out this study were recently adopted by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), to uncover and leverage the advanced technologies and expertise of Japanese companies to meet new global demands for infrastructure and contribute to global socioeconomic development. This is part of efforts to support energy decarbonization in the country through the Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI)(1).These two studies will examine the feasibility of utilizing ammonia(2) at the Suralaya coal-fired power station and at an existing natural gas-fired power station in the country, derived from the abundant oil and natural gas produced in Indonesia, with the goal of establishing an integrated ammonia value chain encompassing production, transport, fuel consumption, and CO2 storage.The two proposals selected by METI for its "Feasibility Studies for the Overseas Deployment of High-quality Energy Infrastructure (Projects to Survey the Promotion of Overseas Infrastructure Development by Japanese Corporations)" are the "Survey of the Feasibility of Ammonia Mixed Fuel Combustion at the Suralaya Power Station in Indonesia and Evaluation of the Overall Value Chain" (the "Suralaya Project"), and the "Survey of the Feasibility of Retrofitting an Existing Natural Gas-fired Power Station in Indonesia to Introduce Power Generation Using Ammonia and the Establishment of a Value Chain" at an existing natural gas-fired power station (the "Existing Natural Gas-fired Power Station Project"). Both proposals will examine the potential reduction of CO2 resulting from energy generation and its effects. The potential global impact, and high degree of utility and innovativeness of these feasibility studies, are regarded as significant to policies involving the Japanese government.The main objective of the Suralaya Project is to calculate the economic efficiency of the envisioned process of transporting ammonia produced in Indonesia to the power station and consuming it as fuel for generating power. The project will be conducted jointly with Mitsubishi Corporation and Nippon Koei Co., Ltd., with operations expected to begin around 2030.The main objective of the Existing Natural Gas-fired Power Station Project is to calculate the economic efficiency of transporting ammonia and hydrogen produced in Indonesia to a nearby existing natural gas-fired power station as a fuel to generate power. The project will be conducted jointly with Tokyo Electric Power Services Co., Ltd. (TEPSCO), with operations expected to begin in the second half of this decade.Both projects will examine the effectiveness of CO2 reductions throughout the value chain, with MHI focusing primarily on the outcome of introducing ammonia power generation technologies. In addition, MHI plans to conduct a feasibility study based on institutional support measures such as financial support from the Japanese government, and decarbonization efforts and carbon pricing by Indonesia. Through the implementation of these projects, MHI hopes to contribute to the expansion of energy infrastructure exports from Japan.Indonesia has announced a policy of deriving 23% of its power supply from renewable energy by 2025, and 28% by 2035. MHI and Mitsubishi Power will make a concerted effort as a corporate group, working in cooperation with Indonesia's state-owned power company group and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), to support approaches that help the country achieve its targets.Going forward, with encouragement from METI's adoption of these feasibility studies, MHI and Mitsubishi Power will contribute to further decarbonization in Indonesia, and provide momentum for the global deployment of the company's net zero energy transition policy through the projects.(1) The Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI) was announced by the Government of Japan in May 2021 and aims to promote carbon neutrality in Asia while simultaneously achieving sustainable economic growth.(2) Blue hydrogen, which has no greenhouse effect, is obtained by splitting natural gas or similar material into hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), either by steam methane reforming (SMR) or auto thermal reforming (ATR), with the CO2 captured and stored rather than released into the atmosphere. Combining this with nitrogen (N2) produces blue ammonia (NH3), which also has no greenhouse effect. Blue ammonia will be used in the two projects.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. WALTHAM, Mass., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The team of Humatics and Hitachi Rail STS, were announced as a finalist for the RailTech 2022 Technology & Design Innovation Award for deploying the Humatics Rail Navigation System (HRNS) in Naples, Italy. The project demonstrated the improvements that can be achieved over traditional Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) odometry systems. Winners will be announced at RailTech Europe in Utrecht, Netherlands on June 21, 2022. The HRNS is the industry leading navigation system based on sensor fusion algorithms that leverage the optimal sensors to solve challenging navigation problems. Ultra Wideband (UWB) along with sensors such as Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are fused together to provide precise position, direction, speed, and acceleration data to systems such as CBTC, Positive Train Control (PTC), and the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). "The HRNS deployment with Hitachi in Naples was an incredible achievement by both teams. We overcame many challenges including a global pandemic that forced a 100% remote deployment and proved the value of replacing traditional odometry with our next generation sensor fusion solution. We're grateful and humbled to be nominated as a RailTech innovator and we look forward to telling our story at RailTech 2022 in June." - Shawn Henry, Humatics Chief Executive Officer. Hitachi Rail STS Digital, Innovation & Lumada (DI&L) group is focused on finding next generation technologies that will revolutionize the rail and transit industry. Hitachi identified train positioning as a core application to improve and to reduce the overall cost of traditional positioning systems. Hitachi challenged rail tech start ups to propose innovative solutions for these systems and selected Humatics based on a technical and cost effective proposal, to prove its solution on the Hitachi Test Track in Naples. The HRNS was deployed by the Hitachi team on 1.5km of track and on a test vehicle over the course of 10 days with Humatics supporting 100% remotely. The quick install allowed initial CBTC integration quickly and efficiently. The HRNS was rigorously evaluated capped with a 2-day formal performance evaluation. At the conclusion of the project, Hitachi deemed both the technical performance and the collaborative project execution a huge success. DGAP-News: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. to Report First Quarter 2022 Financial Results on June 15, 2022 08.06.2022 / 07:00 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. to Report First Quarter 2022 Financial Results on June 15, 2022 Halle (Saale) / Munich, Germany, June 08, 2022 - Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: VVY; NL00150002Q7) (Vivoryon), a clinical stage company focused on discovery and development of small molecule medicines to modulate the activity and stability of pathologically altered proteins, today announced that it will publish its first quarter financial results for the period ended March 31, 2022 on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. ### About Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Vivoryon is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative small molecule-based medicines. Driven by our passion for ground-breaking science and innovation, we strive to change the lives of patients in need suffering from severe diseases. We leverage our in-depth expertise in understanding post-translational modifications to develop medicines that modulate the activity and stability of proteins which are altered in disease settings. Beyond our lead program, varoglutamstat, which is in Phase 2 clinical development to treat Alzheimer's disease, we have established a solid pipeline of orally available small molecule inhibitors for various indications including cancer, inflammatory diseases and fibrosis. www.vivoryon.com Vivoryon Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those regarding the business strategy, management plans and objectives for future operations of the Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (the "Company"), estimates and projections with respect to the market for the Company's products and forecasts and statements as to when the Company's products may be available. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance; rather they are based on the Management's current expectations and assumptions about future events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. The forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties and other factors could materially adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements and from expectations. As a result, no undue reliance should be placed on such forward-looking statements. This press release does not contain risk factors. Certain risk factors that may affect the Company's future financial results are discussed in the published annual financial statements of the Company. This press release, including any forward-looking statements, speaks only as of the date of this press release. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any information or forward-looking statements contained herein, save for any information required to be disclosed by law. For more information, please contact: Investor Contact Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. Dr. Manuela Bader, Director IR & Communication Tel: +49 (0)345 555 99 30 Email: IR@vivoryon.com Media Contact Trophic Communications Valeria Fisher Tel: +49 175 8041816 Email: vivoryon@trophic.eu 08.06.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de EUnited sets standards for the future of work Human-Centric Approach to Robotics and Automation The European Engineering Industries Association (EUnited) invites companies and organizations to support the GOOD WORK CHARTER, developed by the European Robotics Industry. The Charter defines 10 principles for shaping the future of work. It serves as a guideline to actively pursue a human-centric approach to automation in a world where humans interact ever more closely with robots. By joining the supporter campaign, companies publicly demonstrate their commitment to follow the Charter's principles in the workplace. "The Good Work Charter is a groundbreaking initiative for sustainability and corporate social responsibility with regard to the future of work in Europe," says EUnited Robotics Chairman, Wilfried Eberhardt. Supporters Campaign for GOOD WORK Companies that use robotics in their production as well as manufacturers of robotics and automation technology can become supporters by signing a declaration of endorsement. Signatories are asked to provide concrete examples of implementation to demonstrate how they follow the Charter's principles. Human-Centric workplaces The Charter wants robots to relieve workers, e.g. of the dull, dangerous and dirty work that is not well-suited for human nature employees should work like humans and not like machines. Robots should assist humans and create opportunities for their professional development. Altogether, 10 focus areas define how to attain human-centric workplaces with a high degree of automation. How companies implement GOOD WORK standards Please find EXAMPLES how companies already put the principles of the GOOD WORK CHARTER into practice at the FULL TEXT PRESS RELEASE here: https://www.eu-nited.net/eunited+aisbl/robotics/robotics-good-work-charter/index.html Become a signatory GOOD WORK CHARTER How to become a signatory: https://www.eu-nited.net/cms/upload/sectors/robotics/GoodWorkCharter/GWC_Info.pdf. Please contact Fariba Khatami, EUnited Robotics, via E-mail: fariba.khatami@eu-nited.net or phone: +32 2 706 82 22 Download The European GOOD WORK CHARTER is available for download at: www.eu-nited.net/goodworkcharter About EUnited Robotics EUnited Robotics is a sector of EUnited AISBL based in Brussels, established to serve the robotics industry in Europe. We aim to develop, advocate, and communicate topics of industrial relevance to support our members, expand Europe's competitive edge and boost its global economic standing. www.eu-nited.net/robotics View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006253/en/ Contacts: EUnited Patrick Schwarzkopf +32 2 706 8222 patrick.schwarzkopf@eu-nited.net As part of its global expansion plan, the brand looks to Hong Kong for an important milestone in its Asian development HONG KONG, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluebell Group announces today its partnership with K-Way French outwear brand. Following the brand's in-market digital launch in June, the new mono-brand physical store opening is planned for October 2022 at Pacific Place under the Swire Group, one of Hong Kong's most premium shopping malls. The iconic French brand known for its windbreaker, lifestyle fashion and sportswear is today part of BasicNet, an Italian company that also owns Kappa, Superga, Briko and Sebago, and on track to rapidly expand beyond its homebase. Bluebell Group, a pioneer in Asia in brand and retail development, operating over 150 brands across the region, will manage the brand's overall presence including an online e-commerce shop, local marketing activation, and overall retail operations. K-Way will be introduced to Hong Kong consumers first through its online k-way.com.hk and a planned physical store in October. Targeting the active young local audience, offering a mix of technical meets fashion apparel, the brand's footprint is expected to grow further in Hong Kong and into Mainland China later this year. "We are very proud to open the first K-Way mono-brand store in Hong Kong and happy to embark on a path to a long presence in the city for the brand and for a long partnership between BasicNet and Bluebell." Lorenzo Boglione, BasicNet Executive Vice Chairman. "We have no doubt K-Way will become an anchor brand for us in Hong Kong, where retail today is geared solely on local consumption. The brand offers a desirable and accessible lifestyle unisex fashion and kids wear, which is one of our core focus for the development of this market. BasicNet has some very exciting global growth plans and hype collaborations for K-Way and we are pleased to play a role in bringing something fresh and playful to our Asian consumers." Samy Redjeb, Bluebell Group Managing Director for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. ABOUT BLUEBELL GROUP Bluebell Group has pioneered building successful brands in Asia since 1954. As Asia's partner of choice, Bluebell Group is present in Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Macau SAR, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Australia. The Group's distribution network includes flagship stores, shop-in-shops, counters, its own multi- brand concepts, as well as a highly selective wholesale network, together with both direct e- commerce and marketplaces, covering both domestic and Travel Retail. The Group operates across multiple product categories: Accessories, Footwear, Apparel, Fragrance, Beauty, Gourmet, Jewellery, Watches, and Tobacco. Bluebell Hong Kong, established in 1967, has 220 employees, 25 retail doors, and operates 5+ leading luxury, fashion, lifestyle and tobacco brands to date. Bluebell Hong Kong is a joint-venture partner of Owndays Japan, a brand under L Catterton Asia portfolio. A family-owned group, Bluebell Group today has over 3,800 staff, 650 points-of-sale, US$2b in turnover. www.bluebellgroup.com ABOUT BASICNET / K-WAY K-Way was born in Paris in 1965, on a rainy day. Clothes retailer Leon-Claude Duhamel observed people rushed by in soaking wet clothes, with uncomfortable umbrellas. He had an idea: creating the first windproof and waterproof packable jacket in history. Classic, modern, hi-tech, functional, and colored, with its iconic 3-colors zipper, K-Way is a registered trademark in the Italian and French dictionaries. K-Way is a brand of BasicNet SpA, the Company also owner of Kappa, Robe di Kappa, Jesus Jeans, Superga, Sabelt, Briko and Sebago. BasicNet operates worldwide through an international network of entrepreneurs, licensees of the brands, which produce or distribute the products. BasicNet offers to its network services of research, development, industrialization of the products, and global marketing. All the company processes occur only through the Web, making BasicNet a "fully web integrated company". BasicNet, with headquarters in Turin, Italy, is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 1999. PRESS CONTACTS Bluebell Group Anne Geronimi ageronimi@bluebellgroup.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835254/Le_Vrai_Windbreaker.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835255/Outdoor_Billboard___Venice.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835256/Shop_Interior.jpg Funds will support an open high-throughput screening system for cultivated meat feed ingredients, significantly reducing costs of the largest expense in cultivated meat production TEL AVIV, Israel, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SuperMeat , a food tech company working to supply the world with high-quality cultivated meat, has received a grant from the Israeli Innovation Authority to establish an open high-throughput screening system for optimizing cultivated meat feed ingredients, helping the entire industry work toward commercial viability. SuperMeat will use the funding to set up the world's largest open high-throughput system for cultivated meat media ingredients, supplements and cell scaffolds for cultivated meat production. As part of this effort, SuperMeat partnered with Thermo Fisher Scientific, which provided the world's most advanced screening platform and will support the development and operation of the system. The system will allow SuperMeat to screen hundreds of thousands of materials every month, helping identify the highest quality ingredients with the lowest costs. By optimizing the ingredients for the cell feed (media), SuperMeat will be able to significantly lower production costs, and improve product quality - providing an open standard for cell feed ingredients that can be used by cultivated meat companies around the world moving toward commercialization. "The Israeli Innovation Authority has long been a leader in innovation of all kinds. We are honored to receive its support to help pave the way to a standard for a healthier, more sustainable food system for all," says Ido Savir, CEO of SuperMeat. "The system establishment supported by this grant will allow SuperMeat to leverage the cultivated meat production technology it has built to help reduce costs and provide the cultivated meat industry an open platform for commercialization through its strategic partners globally." This announcement comes on the heels of two strategic partnerships for SuperMeat to further the path to commercialization. Most recently the company announced a strategic partnership with Ajinomoto, a global food ingredient and biotechnology leader, to establish a commercially viable supply chain platform for the cultivated meat industry. SuperMeat has also signed a memorandum of understanding with PHW Group , one of Europe's largest poultry producers and the only company from the meat industry to rank among the 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders, to manufacture and distribute cultivated meat at a large scale for European consumers. Through its partnerships paired with the introduction of the open cell feed optimization system, SuperMeat aims to help remove the greatest barrier for cultivated meat commercialization, the cost of cell feed, and move forward commercial viability for the industry as a whole. For more information on the company, visit www.SuperMeat.com . About SuperMeat SuperMeat, headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, is a food-tech company working to supply the world with high-quality meat grown directly from animal cells. The company's products offer a delicious meat experience and a high-quality nutritional profile, while being manufactured in a sustainable, slaughter-free way. SuperMeat's proprietary cultivated meat platform allows food companies to be at the forefront of the emerging cultivated meat industry and manufacture a wide range of products containing cultivated meat inside. SuperMeat is the first B2B company to address the entire category of poultry meat from fat to muscle, providing a complete solution to cultivated meat production. The company has been showcasing the versatility of its meat platform in various events at its pilot production plant, The Chicken , the world's first farm-to-fork facility for local meat production, and is planning to host additional events in the near future. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834485/SuperMeat_Cultivated_Meat_Commercialization.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834486/SuperMeat_New_Open_Source_System.jpg ZEDRA acquiresAlleyBe, aleading corporate, trustee and VFA Agent in Malta ZEDRA, the fast-growing international specialist in Active Wealth, Global Expansion, Corporate and Fund solutions, today announces the acquisition of AlleyBe, a leading Maltese corporate service provider, trustee and Virtual Financial Asset (VFA) Agent to bolster its operations in Malta. The acquisition marks a step change for ZEDRA's Maltese business, by adding scale, expertise and additional support for corporate clients and high net worth individuals across a wide spectrum of services. These include private wealth solutions, accounting and financial reporting services, tax compliance, asset protection and estate planning, fintech services as well as advisory services for marine and aviation structures. Founded in 2015, AlleyBe has a strong track record for providing a comprehensive suite of services, including, but not limited to, assisting with the setting up, managing and administering companies, trusts and foundations in Malta as well as providing VFA agent services, accounting, tax compliance and regulatory services. The acquisition adds 25 new team members to ZEDRA Malta. Commenting on the acquisition, Ivo Hemelraad, CEO of ZEDRA, said: "Under the leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit of its founder, Rudolph Psaila, AlleyBe's team managed to develop a successful and compliance-oriented business model over the past seven years. We are delighted to welcome the clients and team members of AlleyBe, which benefit from an unrivalled reputation and an enviable expertise. The recent regulations for CSPs issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority ('MFSA') upped the ante for doing business on the island, mapping out Malta as a key market in Europe and a highly attractive business environment for our industry. We look forward to exploring new growth opportunities within the region". Rudolph Psaila, CEO of AlleyBe, commented: "Driven by our commitment to exceed clients' expectations we have, since inception, focused on ensuring through our dedicated team of professionals and our consistent quality service that clients are continually served instantly and in a comprehensive and professional manner. We found in ZEDRA the same 'client obsessed' focus and values and being part of this international group will enable us to continue offering an unmatched value proposition to assist our clients with international bespoke solutions." In the coming months, the AlleyBe business will be fully integrated within the ZEDRA brand which will enable the company to increase its resources in Malta and grow its capabilities whilst delivering a broader range of innovative solutions and tangible benefits to all its clients. ENDS Notes to Editors For more information, please contact: Greentarget Jamie Brownlee Tom Engleback Eleonore Basle Sebastian Merrett +44 203 963 1893 zedra@greentarget.co.uk About AlleyBe AlleyBe is a boutique and multi-disciplinary group specialised in providing a tailored approach to its international individual and corporate clients wishing to relocate and operate their business to or through Malta. Driven by regulatory requirements and commitment to its clients, AlleyBe ensures to combine the team's expertise in rendering Accounting, Tax Compliance, VFA Agent, regulatory and domiciliation services to Malta entities in order to provide a seamless service, thus enabling its clients to focus on their core business. AlleyBe works with International Partners to ensure that its clients structure and operate their business efficiently, at the minimum costs and in line with developments taking place internationally. About ZEDRA ZEDRA is a global provider of Global Expansion and Corporate Services, Active Wealth and Fund Solutions. The firm's highly experienced teams deliver tailored high-quality solutions to clients who include high net worth individuals and their families seeking diversified active wealth solutions, as well as, medium to large sized companies, corporate pension schemes, asset managers and their investors. ZEDRA's full range of services are designed to preserve and protect the real value of its clients' assets and businesses and the firm's entrepreneurial outlook helps and supports clients in unlocking their ambitions for growth and expansion, no matter how complex their challenges might be. ZEDRA inherited a wealth of knowledge and experience following its acquisition of trust businesses of a renowned bank in 2016. This solid foundation combined with innovative thinking has allowed ZEDRA to grow rapidly in a competitive marketplace to a team of 700+ industry experts across 16 countries spanning Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Europe. www.zedra.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005458/en/ Contacts: For more information: Greentarget Jamie Brownlee Tom Engleback Eleonore Basle Sebastian Merrett +44 203 963 1893 zedra@greentarget.co.uk China urges Canada to respect facts, stop spreading disinformation: FM spokesperson (People's Daily App) 13:10, June 08, 2022 China on Tuesday urged Canada to respect facts, stop spreading disinformation and work toward the recovery and normal development of China-Canada relations with real actions, a spokesperson told a regular press briefing in Beijing. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks in response to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's denunciation of China's military measures. "Canadian military aircraft's close-in reconnaissance of China is an irresponsible and provocative maneuver," said Zhao. "China firmly opposes any dangerous acts against China's national security under any pretext." "UN Security Council resolutions have never mandated any country to deploy forces and conduct surveillance operations in jurisdictional air and sea areas of other countries for the purpose of identifying sanctions evasion activities," he added. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, left, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attend a news conference in Ankara, Wednesday. AFP-Yonhap Turkey's foreign minister said on Wednesday a United Nations plan to ease a global food crisis by restarting Ukrainian grain exports along a sea corridor was "reasonable," and requires more talks with Moscow and Kyiv to ensure ships' safety. Speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu said their meeting in Ankara was fruitful, including a perceived will to return to negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv for a possible ceasefire. Lavrov said the onus was on Ukraine to solve the grain shipments problem by de-mining its Black Sea ports and that Russia needed to take no action because it had already made the necessary commitments. "We state daily that we're ready to guarantee the safety of vessels leaving Ukrainian ports and heading for (Turkish waters), we're ready to do that in cooperation with our Turkish colleagues," he said after the talks with Cavusoglu. Ukraine has said it needed "effective security guarantees" before it could start shipments, voicing concerns that Moscow could use the potential corridor to move on its southern port of Odesa. Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine halted Kyiv's Black Sea grain exports, threatening a global food crisis. The U.N. appealed to the two sides, as well as maritime neighbor and NATO member Turkey, to agree a corridor. Moscow denies responsibility for the international food crisis, blaming Western sanctions. Any deal could involve a Turkish naval escort for tankers leaving Odesa and other Ukrainian ports - which are currently blockaded by Russia's navy - and onward to Turkey's straits and global markets. Cavusoglu said he believed the world should work together to open a safe passage for Ukraine's agricultural exports and that Turkey viewed the Russian demands to lift restrictions on its farm exports as "very legitimate." "Various ideas have been put out for the export of Ukrainian grains to the market and most recently is the U.N. plan (including) a mechanism that can be created between the U.N., Ukraine, Russia and Turkey," Cavusoglu said. "We see it as reasonable," he added. "Of course both Ukraine and Russia must accept it." Lavrov said the main problem was that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had "categorically refused" to resolve the mined ports' problem. Turkey, which has good relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, had previously said it is ready to take on a role within an "observation mechanism" based in Istanbul if a deal is reached. Turkey has the second biggest army in NATO and a substantial navy, but the head of the Ukrainian grain traders union said on Wednesday Ankara was not powerful enough to act as a guarantor. (Reuters) Oversubscribed financing co-led by HealthCap and EQT Life Sciences (formerly LSP); joined by Pureos Bioventures Developing novel drugs for systemic targeted radiation therapy (STRT) Proceeds will be used to advance lead radiopharmaceutical product, satoreotide, for the treatment of neuroendocrine cancers and certain other aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers Led by industry veteran Manfred Rudiger as CEO, and world-renowned expert in oncology and nuclear medicine, Sandy McEwan as CMO BERLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ariceum Therapeutics (Ariceum), a private biotech company developing a radiopharmaceutical product for the diagnosis and systemic targeted radiation therapy of certain hard-to-treat cancers, today announces the successful completion of an oversubscribed EUR 25 million Series A financing round. Ariceum was co-founded by EQT Life Sciences (formerly LSP) and HealthCap who also co-led the financing that was joined by Pureos Bioventures. Ipsen transferred assets, and all corresponding rights into the Company in late 2021. The proceeds from the financing will enable Ariceum to further develop its lead asset and proprietary peptide derivative, satoreotide. Satoreotide is a radiopharmaceutical drug and an antagonist of the somatostatin type 2 (SST2) receptor which is overexpressed in many cancers, including certain hard-to-treat cancers such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), high-grade neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and neuroblastoma, an aggressive, rare type of cancer that occurs mainly in young children. Satoreotide will be used as a 'theranostic' for both the diagnosis and treatment of tumours expressing the SST2 receptor. Satoreotide is in early clinical development and, as of today, has been administered to more than 100 patients including more than 150 therapeutic administrations. Ariceum is led by a highly experienced management team with a strong track record and expertise in clinical trials, systemic targeted radiation therapy and radiopharmaceutical development, as well as launching and commercialising diagnostic and therapeutic products in a variety of indications worldwide. In conjunction with the financing, Karin Kleinhans of EQT Life Sciences, Per Samuelsson of HealthCap and Martin Munchbach of Pureos Bioventures will join Ariceum's board of directors together with Eduardo Bravo, CEO of EBAC, who has been elected as chairman of the board. Founded in 2021, Ariceum is headquartered in Berlin, with operations in Germany and activities currently across Europe, North America and Australia. Manfred Rudiger, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Ariceum Therapeutics, said: "We are very pleased to attract this outstanding syndicate of venture capital and corporate investors which validates our approach to developing our lead radiopharmaceutical product, satoreotide. I am excited to lead an exceptional team as we continue to build our platform and advance satoreotide for systemic targeted radiation therapy (STRT) to visualize and treat neuroendocrine tumors and certain other more aggressive cancers." Karin Kleinhans, PhD, Partner at EQT Life Sciences, stated: "We founded Ariceum with the aim to build a European leader in targeted radiopharmaceuticals. We are delighted to support the Company in the development of its innovative technology to create more effective treatments for patients suffering from hard-to-treat cancers which are currently not adequately addressed by existing therapies, in addition to neuroendocrine cancers expressing the receptor." Per Samuelsson, Partner at HealthCap, stated: "We are proud to have been involved with the Company since its early days and are very impressed with the progress achieved to date. We believe Ariceum's innovative theranostic approach to diagnose and treat different types of cancers is world-leading and we look forward to supporting the Company through the next stages of growth." Martin Munchbach, PhD, Managing Partner at Pureos Bioventures, added: "We are honoured to join this round with HealthCap and EQT Life Sciences and believe it will be a tremendous joint effort to bring Ariceum to the next level. Ariceum understands the power of radiopharmaceuticals which will enable the Company to develop better targeted drugs to eradicate cancer more effectively with less side-effects." About Ariceum Therapeutics Ariceum Therapeutics (Ariceum) is a private, clinical stage radiopharmaceutical company focused on the diagnosis and precision treatment of certain neuroendocrine and other aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers. The name Ariceum is an anagram of 'Marie Curie' whose discovery of radium and polonium have been huge contributions to finding treatments for cancer. Ariceum's lead targeted systemic radiopharmaceutical product, 177Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan ("satoreotide") is an antagonist of the somatostatin type 2 (SST2) receptor which is overexpressed in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), some aggressive cancers such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and the childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, all of which have few treatment options and poor prognoses. Satoreotide is being developed as a 'theranostic' pair for the combined diagnosis and targeted radionuclide treatment of these tumours. Ariceum Therapeutics, launched in 2021, acquired all rights from Ipsen. Ariceum is headquartered in Berlin, with operations in Germany and activities currently across Europe, North America and Australia. Ariceum is led by a highly experienced management team and supported by specialist investors including EQT Life Sciences (formerly LSP), HealthCap and Pureos Bioventures. For further information, please visit www.ariceum-therapeutics.com About EQT Life Sciences EQT Life Sciences was formed in 2022 following an integration of LSP, a leading European life sciences venture capital firm, into the EQT platform. As LSP, the firm raised over EUR 3.0 billion (USD 3.5 billion) and supported the growth of more than 150 companies since it started to invest over 30 years ago. With a dedicated team of highly experienced investment professionals, coming from backgrounds in medicine, science, business, and finance, EQT Life Sciences backs the smartest inventors who have ideas that could truly make a difference for patients. The team combines deep sector knowledge, analytical skills, and investment experience to provide the added value that inventors seek. EQT Life Sciences' broad life sciences and healthcare network is highly complementary to EQT's global healthcare sector franchise and makes EQT an even better and more innovative healthcare investor. More info: www.eqtgroup.com/lifesciences About HealthCap HealthCap is a family of venture capital funds investing globally in life sciences. With more than EUR 1.2 billion raised since its start in 1996, HealthCap is one of the largest specialized providers of venture capital within life sciences in Europe. The investment strategy focuses on diseases with high unmet medical needs and breakthrough therapies that have the potential to be transformative and change medical practice, and the lives of patients suffering these conditions. For further information, please visit www.healthcap.eu About Pureos Bioventures Pureos Bioventures is a Swiss venture capital fund, which invests exclusively in private innovative drug development companies, with a special emphasis on the next generation of biological drugs and drug formats. The fund's portfolio companies are built on scientific excellence to develop therapies across a broad indication spectrum including oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, rare diseases, and neuroscience. Pureos has built a team with deep investment, operating and clinical expertise, that strives to impact patients' lives by advancing innovative treatments for devastating diseases. For more information, please visit www.pureosbio.com WCAworld is the largest network of independent freight forwarders in the world RA'ANANA, Israel, June 08, 2022, an industry-leading cloud-based solution for the freight logistics and supply chain industries, announced today that the company's Chief Revenue Officer Keren Eyal-Kotlizky will be leading the session "Pricing and Shipment Automation" at the WCAworld European conference in Dublin on Thursday, June 9 at 3 p.m. CEST. WCAworld, held June 7-10, is the world's largest and most powerful network of independent freight forwarders, with more than 10,000 member offices in 193 countries around the world. "The freight forwarding industry has never been more important to global commerce in this current age of constant and consistent freight and supply chain disruptions," said Eyal-Kotlizky. "Efficiency and visibility have become the leading priorities for forwarders that sit on a goldmine of pricing and shipment data scattered across emails, documents, spreadsheets and invoices." Stargo's StarDox game changing platform automates processes for freight forwarders, Non-Vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs), customs brokers, airline shipping carriers, and domestic carriers. StarDox tracks, cleanses and analyzes data, compares optimal carrier pricing, while managing routes, times, Co2, shipments and sales. About StarGo Based in Ra'anana, Israel, Stargo is a cloud-based solution revolutionizing Data Management, from Price Request through Pricing and Shipment creation. Stargo partners with customs brokers, airline and shipping carriers, domestic carriers and freight forwarders. The company uses Artificial Intelligence. Media Contact: VANCOUVER, BC and UTTENWEILER / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (CSE:XPHY)(OTCQB:XPHYF)(FSE:4XT) ("XPhyto" or the "Company") is pleased to report that Dr. Florian A. Sahr has joined its European operations as Head of Project Management. Dr. Sahr is a German-born and internationally trained leader in drug formulation, technology transfer and new-product manufacturing. Dr. Sahr has a strong track record of drug development, including transdermal ("TDS") and oral dissolvable ("ODF") delivery systems, as well as the physical and regulatory establishment of GMP and FDA compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Several employment highlights include his work as Senior Scientist, Head of Manufacturing, Gen-Plus GmbH & Co. KG, Munich, Germany, where he developed TDS and ODF drug formulations and transferred these new formulations and technologies to manufacturing systems and facilities; and his work as Project Manager, Advanced Projects, tesa Labtec GmbH, Langenfeld, Germany, focusing on project management and technology transfer of generic TDS formulations to the company's manufacturing facilities. Dr. Sahr has held the regulated position of Head of Manufacturing according to AMG/AMWHV (German Medicines Act) for the production of clinical trial materials for a number of companies. Dr. Sahr is engaged full-time with Vektor Pharma TF GmbH ("Vektor"), XPhyto's wholly owned German subsidiary. Dr Sahr's management of Vektor's TDS and ODF product development programs, and his technology transfer skills are highly relevant as XPhyto reviews its ODF novel biosensor manufacturing options and opportunities. About XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. is a diversified bioscience accelerator focused on next-generation drug formulation, diagnostic, and new active pharmaceutical ingredient investment opportunities, including: precision transdermal and oral dissolvable drug formulations; rapid, low-cost infectious disease and oral health screening tests; and manufacture, standardization, and evaluation of psychedelic compounds for the treatment of neurological conditions. The Company has research and development operations in North America and Europe, with an operational focus in Germany, and is currently focused on regulatory approval and commercialization of medical products for European markets. XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. Hugh Rogers, CEO and Director Email: info@xphyto.com Phone: +1 780-818-6422 Forward Looking Statements This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "develop", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "propose" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and in this release include the statement regarding the Company's goal of building a successful diagnostic, drug delivery, and medical cannabis company. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including: that the Company may not succeed in developing a commercial product; that the sale of products may not be a viable business; that the Company may be unable to scale its business; product liability risks; product regulatory risk; general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; currency risks; competition; international risks; and other risks beyond the Company's control. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. Neither 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 news release. SOURCE: XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704274/XPhyto-Adds-Pharmaceutical-Manufacturing-Expert-Dr-Florian-A-Sahr-to-Its-European-Team Regulatory News: The newspaper Le Parisien, in its edition of June 8, reports that some complaints would have been filed by a lawyer, Ms Sarah Saldmann, on behalf of relatives of former residents of Korian (paris:KORI) facilities in France. Since Ms Saldmann never contacted the company about those complaints, Korian is not informed of their content and cannot make any comment at this stage. Korian reminds that she is committed to facilitate transparent and permanent dialogue with the residents and their relatives, at facility level or, whenever it is needed, with the support of dedicated central teams, or through the independent mediator designated in 2021. Moreover, we make sure that every serious situation that would be brought to our attention is dully reported to the authorities. Our facility managers are always available to assist families, who can also contact the Family Relation Department on 01 55 37 53 95. About Korian Korian is the leading European Care Services Group for elderly and fragile people www.korian.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005464/en/ Contacts: MEDIA CONTACTS Cyrille Lachevre Clachevre@cylans.ovh Tel.: 06 20 42 12 08 Pascal Jentsch VP International communications pascal.jentsch-ext@korian.com Tel. 07 65 18 58 55 Marjorie Castoriadis Head of Media Relations marjorie.castoriadis@korian.fr Tel: +33 (0)7 63 59 88 81 INVESTOR RELATIONS Sarah Mingham VP Investor Relations & Financing sarah.mingham@korian.com Tel: +33 (0)1 55 37 53 55 Carole Alexandre Deputy Head of Investor Relations carole.alexandre@korian.com Tel: +33 (0)7 64 65 22 44 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Foremost Lithium Resource & Technology Ltd. (CSE: FAT) (OTCQB: FRRSF) (FSE: F0R0) (WKN: A3DCC8) (www.foremostlithium.com) ("Foremost Lithium, Foremost or the Company") is pleased to announce that they have commenced exploration that will lay the ground work for a diamond drill program on their 100% owned Jean Lake Lithium Property situated in the mine-friendly district of Snow Lake, Manitoba. The first step of this process includes the mobilizing of field crews to their 1,002 hectare/2,476-acre property where the beryl high-grade spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes with assays of 3.89% and 5.17% Li2O were uncovered in August 2021, (see news release October 28, 2021). Field work will be staged from a base in Snow Lake with helicopter support from Gogal Air Services. Exploration Program Two field crews will commence follow-up prospecting of fourteen (14) high priority targets defined as magnetically low and structurally recessive lineaments. These lineaments host the beryl pegmatites, are in part on trend with the SGM and Grass River lithium pegmatites of Snow Lake Resources and are interpreted as high priority exploration targets. The lineaments were defined by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV Drone) assisted high-resolution geophysical survey and Centre of Exploration Targeting "CET" analysis of the acquired data (see March 1, 2022, news release). The survey was flown by EarthEx Geophysical Solutions Inc. (Selkirk, Manitoba) with financial support from the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund. The lineaments will be prospected and rock chip sampled and assayed for lithium and related elements where exposure is permissive. Where the lineaments are overburden covered, Mobile Metal Ion ("MMI") soil geochemical surveys will be initiated. Rock and soil geochemical data will be reported in a subsequent news release and ultimately integrated with magnetic survey results to form the basis for drill testing. Dyke 1 Mini-Bulk Sample A field crew will also be dispatched to the Zoro Lithium Project in Snow Lake for the acquisition of a 500 kg bulk sample from the trenched surface exposure of Dyke 1 on the Zoro lithium property. Dyke 1 contains 1,074,567 tonnes at 0.91% Li2O, 182 ppm Be, 198 ppm Cs, 51 ppm Ga, 1212 Rb, and 43 ppm Ta at a 0.3% Li2O cut-off.1 The sample will be used for the development of a spodumene concentrate and subsequent refining into a saleable battery-grade lithium hydroxide product. The Company has contracted XPS Expert Process Solutions in conjunction with SGS Canada Inc. to undertake the processing of the sample. (see news release May 26, 2022). Results are expected within three months. John Gravelle, of Foremost states, "We are excited to report that crews are currently on the ground at Jean Lake scoping the 14 identified priority drill targets. Past magnetic interpretation has shown that our beryl pegmatites, which assayed at 3.89% and 5.17% Li20, trending along Snow Lake Lithium's high-grade SG and GRP spodumene and GRP pegmatites. This association, along with boots-on-the-ground, to ensure accuracy of our targets, has imparted great enthusiasm. We are so encouraged at the potential of this property, the company now plans to run two teams operating separate drill rigs simultaneously." John Gravelle continues, "We also are very much looking forward to the results from Zoro's Dyke1 bulk sample, as this crucial catalyst, proving 6% battery-grade lithium hydroxide will be an important milestone, and thus, helping propel shareholder value as we market to potential battery-makers and important partners, globally." Technical information relating to the Jean Lake Property contained in the news release has been approved by Lindsay Bottomer, P. Geo, who is a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Technical information relating to the Zoro Property contained in the news release has been approved by Mark Fedikow, P. Geo, who is a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Foremost Lithium Resource & Technology Foremost Lithium is a resource company driven to become one of the first North American Companies to produce high quality battery-grade lithium hydroxide domestically to fuel the electric vehicle and battery storage market. Given the importance and global focus on increasing energy decarbonization, especially with electric vehicles, the Company is hyper-focused on continued exploration and growth on its four lithium properties: Jean Lake, Grass River, and Zoro, located in Snow Lake, Manitoba, and Hidden Lake in the Northwest Territories. Foremost also holds its Winston Gold/Silver Project in New Mexico, USA. For Further Information Please Contact: IR@foremostlithium.com Foremost Lithium Resource &Technology 1 604 330-8067 Follow Us and Contact Us on Social Media: Twitter: @foremostlithium Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foremost-lithium-resource-technology Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForemostLithium Forward Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Foremost within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Foremost provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections, or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to market conditions, exploration findings, results, and recommendations, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in Foremost's public filings under Foremost's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Foremost 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. Foremost disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. 1 https://sedar-filings-backup.thecse.com/00032046/1809051817578606.pdf To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126876 Pronto integration gives officers access to the world's largest international police organisation to share information and help combat crime Frontline officers with Surrey Police and Sussex Police are using Motorola Solutions' Pronto to gain immediate access to the comprehensive international criminal database of the world's largest police organisation, INTERPOL. This source of intelligence provides officers with important information to protect national security and enable daily productivity gains. Pronto is the most widely deployed mobile policing solution in the U.K., improving public safety through features that enhance situational awareness including mobile biometrics and federated searches. The new functionality will equip 4,500 police officers across both forces with the INTERPOL database at their fingertips, ensuring instant and secure access to millions of international records including warrants, stolen property and threats related to weapons. "Pronto has been a part of the digitalisation of our police force since 2009," said Amber Kingshott, Mobile Development Manager, Surrey Police. "With access to INTERPOL, our officers no longer need to call a colleague or return to a police station to run a search, saving minutes in everyday operations and emergency situations." "It takes an average of 1.2 seconds to run a query through the INTERPOL database using our mobile device," said Detective Chief Superintendent Steven Boniface, Sussex Police. "Officers can run a search from any location at any time, leveraging INTERPOL's vital source of intelligence to increase safety for themselves and the British public." The U.K.'s departure from the European Union removed U.K. police access to the Schengen Information System, increasing the reliance on INTERPOL for international data related to crime. "Police officers need rapid access to relevant, up-to-date global data in order to assess potential threats and keep themselves and the public safe," said Fergus Mayne, country manager, U.K. Ireland at Motorola Solutions. "Developed locally in the U.K., Pronto is built for the specific needs of U.K. police and has successfully supported hundreds of communities, as well as freeing officer time to focus on citizens and their public safety." Secure access to INTERPOL is now available to all Pronto customers at no additional cost. The solution is fully compliant with INTERPOL's commitment to privacy and data protection. About Motorola Solutions Motorola Solutions is a global leader in public safety and enterprise security. Our solutions in land mobile radio communications, video security access control and command center software, bolstered by managed support services, create an integrated technology ecosystem to help make communities safer and businesses stay productive and secure. At Motorola Solutions, we're ushering in a new era in public safety and security. Learn more at www.motorolasolutions.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005043/en/ Contacts: Liz Mead Motorola Solutions Mobile:+44 (0) 7761 765 967 liz.mead@motorolasolutions.com India has recently become a popular tourist destination for travelers thanks to the breathtaking sceneries it has to offer. Besides adventure travel and cultural tours, wellness tourism in India has emerged as a significant and rapidly expanding tourism segment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005070/en/ Indian Immigration Services suggests India as an ideal destination for wellness tourism (Graphic: Business Wire) The growth of wellness tourism in India In 2020, India ranked 12th in the top 20 largest wellness tourism markets in the world, with more than 48.2 million wellness trips. Making use of this travelers' interest, India offers plenty of wellness retreats and resorts for tourists as well as advantageous conditions to get Indian visas. Many travelers may be confused about the difference between wellness tourism and medical tourism. Medical tourism is about traveling to a different place for specific medical treatments while wellness tourism is associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing travelers' wellbeing. Especially, more people are choosing health and wellness tourism in India to recharge their batteries and refresh themselves post pandemic. Lauren Jane, an American traveler who had a wellness vacation in Ananda in the Himalayas Resort, India, says: "The activities here help me re-balance and relieve stress after the pandemic, while the healthy organic cuisine maintains my health during the trip. I will come back to experience more wellness tourism destinations in India." Typical types of wellness tourism in India and corresponding entry documents India focuses on promoting wellness tourism in 03 key sectors: Meditation, yoga, and massage therapies. One of the most popular activities on a wellness trip in India is meditation. Travelers will participate in meditation activities in a natural space of plants, water, and clouds. Meditation is a good way for tourists to reset their bodies, and enjoy the moments of relaxation in their souls. Known as the birthplace of yoga, India promotes the construction of wellness retreats suitable for yoga practices. Most of the retreats are settled close to nature, surrounded by the lush green forests, providing tourists with quiet spaces for doing yoga. Ayurvedic massage is unique in many wellness retreats in India, bringing relaxing and soothing experiences for tourists. This massage therapy uses oils, herbs, and natural products to help tourists relieve emotional stress, rejuvenate their mind and soul. "To experience wellness tours in India, travelers just need to prepare a valid passport to apply for an Indian visa," said Mrs. Kim, Relationship Manager in Indian Immigration Services. Useful tips for tourists from Indian Immigration Service Experts For a pleasant trip to India, travelers should get a visa beforehand. "To choose a reliable partner for making an eVisa, travelers need to consider factors including the fees, processing time, and professionalism of the staff," Mrs. Kim also said. Instead of visiting the embassy to apply for a India visa, foreign travelers can obtain an eVisa on the Indian Immigration Services website. As an applicant, travelers need to meet the visa requirements to be granted an Indian eVisa for tourists. India Immigration Services makes it easier for travelers to apply for an Indian visa online with reasonable Indian eVisa feesWe assisted more than 25,000 customers globally in making eVisas to IndiaIn addition, we also offer Travel Insurance in order to help our customers cover the cost of medical treatments during the trip. No more complicated process to get a Visa to enter India, travelers now can expect to have a memorable wellness trip in this fascinating country with India Immigration Services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005070/en/ Contacts: Eric Wong pr@indianimmigration.org Phone: (44) 207 193 5668 Country: United Kingdom https://www.indianimmigration.org/ Mexican service providers are working with Eutelsat to address Internet connectivity needs under CFE Telecommunications' connectivity project for rural schools Leveraging Ka capacity on the powerful EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite Showcasing the ability of satellite to provide a robust and cost-effective solution for bridging the digital divide Regulatory News: As the end of the school year approaches in multiple countries, including for children in Mexico across the country, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) (Paris:ETL) highlights its major role in the Internet para todos (Internet for All) connectivity programme, alongside three leading Mexican service providers, including Apco Networks and Globalsat. Eutelsat is currently providing them with capacity on its EUTELSAT 65 West A satellite, aimed at connecting Mexican rural schools through the installation of internet access points. Apco Networks, Globalsat and another internet service provider were selected to support the government-backed CFE Telecommunications' "Internet para todos" connectivity programme to accelerate the provision of internet connectivity throughout the Mexican territory. They are leveraging four powerful Ka beams on EUTELSAT 65 West A to build out coverage to areas beyond reach of terrestrial infrastructure. Juan Pablo Cofino, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat Americas declared: "Connectivity has become a basic human need, and we are honored to be a key part in the solution to assist the Mexican government in its mission to get all Mexicans online. This also aligns with our CSR mission to bridge the digital divide. Once again, satellite is proving a robust, readily available and cost-effective solution for governments everywhere looking to fulfil their global service objectives." Orlando Castillo, CEO of Apco Networks, added: "At APCO Networks, we are very excited about the evolution and commitment of Eutelsat and our technology partners that allowed us to integrate an efficient solution to provide satellite connectivity service in the most remote rural areas of the country, benefiting communities that would otherwise remain isolated and that now have the possibility of surfing the Internet, thus having access to the benefits of connectivity such as communications with family and friends abroad, e-commerce, distance learning and contributing in this way to meeting the objectives of the government through the "Internet para Todos" programme." Eric Catano Araiza, Founder and CEO of Globalsat, commented: "This project is one of the most ambitious that have been developed in this country. The offered bandwidth is of very good quality for the end user. We, at Globalsat, are committed to the service we offer our customers, and specifically to this great project of "Internet para todos" by CFE Telecomunicaciones. We know that with this network, we will contribute to the reduction of the digital gap and to the development of the most remote communities in the country." About Eutelsat Communications Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Around 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Committed to promoting all facets of sustainable development across its business activities, Eutelsat leverages its in-orbit resources to help bridge the digital divide while maintaining a safe and uncluttered space environment. As an attractive and socially responsible employer, Eutelsat assembles 1,200 men and women from 50 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service. For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com About Apco Networks APCO Networks is a proudly Mexican company, whose headquarters are based in the city of Merida, Yucatan, and its teleports in Mexico City and Merida. It is specialized for the last 15 years in high-availability and technologically complex satellite communication services for business users, both government and civilians, as well as homeland security and public in general, with the mission of always integrating the best solutions with the most suitable technology for each project, at competitive prices. About Globalsat Globalsat has more than 21 years in the Mexican market participating in this type of projects with the government. Globalsat has the experience of offering rural communication services to schools as well as to health centers and libraries throughout the national territory, integrating solutions with a high degree of engineering in partnership with Eutelsat, to minimize points of failure and maximize the availability of services at a better cost/benefit ratio for both the community and the government. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005456/en/ Contacts: Media Marie Sophie Ecuer Tel.: +33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com Daphne Joseph-Gabriel Tel.: +33 1 53 98 37 91 djosephgabriel@eutelsat.com Investors Cedric Pugni Tel.: +33 1 53 98 31 54 cpugni@eutelsat.com Alexandre Illouz Tel.: +33 1 53 98 46 81 aillouz@eutelsat.com "Reformulating to counteract the edible oil crisis requires deep scientific insight," says Sagentia Innovation CAMBRIDGE, England, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A systematic, science-led approach is needed to overcome complex processing challenges when reformulating foods in response to the current sunflower oil shortage. This is the advice from specialists in biophysics, biochemistry and food engineering at R&D consultancy Sagentia Innovation. They say the unique functional and nutritional properties of sunflower oil mean that switching to a suitable alternative is not always straightforward. Sunflower oil is mainly composed of polyunsaturated linoleic acid and monounsaturated oleic acid. The proportions of these unsaturated fatty acids can be controlled through careful cultivation and post-harvest processing. Sunflower oil also has a neutral flavour profile, high vitamin E content and a high smoke point. These properties, along with its relatively low cost and the role it plays in attributes such as shelf-life, underpin its widespread use as an ingredient. Sagentia Innovation has published guidance on how food manufacturers can tackle this reformulation challenge and avoid market disruption. As well as highlighting the benefits of a structured, methodical approach it includes top-line information on the smoke point, health and flavour characteristics of 20 sunflower oil alternatives. Maria Spinetta, Food and Beverage Sector Manager at Sagentia Innovation, says these three characteristics should be assessed upfront when considering replacement oils. "Understanding the scientific properties of sunflower oil, and how it functions within food matrices, is essential," Spinetta explains. "When looking at alternatives, you need to consider how they will affect the individual product. For instance, in baked goods oils impact sensory qualities such as texture and mouthfeel whereas in packaged snacks they play a greater role in shelf-life, stability and flavour. The smoke point is especially important in products with high processing temperatures, as using the wrong type of oil may result in rancidity and loss of nutritional value. Allergenicity is another critical consideration." As well as potentially changing the nutritional and sensory qualities of food products, switching to a different oil has supply chain repercussions. This can impact unit economics and sustainability credentials. In some situations, manufacturers may need to explore different ingredients, such as hydrocolloids, or novel processing technologies which replace the need for baking or frying. "Reformulating foods always raises a host of technical considerations related to processing, sensory properties and nutritional value," Spinetta explains. "In today's environment, sustainability and cost implications also need to be scrutinised. It is possible to find effective solutions to the sunflower oil shortage, but it requires deep scientific expertise combined with an understanding of the wider food sector ecosystem." Sagentia Innovation's guidance on overcoming the edible oil crisis is available at https://www.sagentiainnovation.com/insights/cooking-oil-crisis/ For more information or images contact Mary Hamblyn, +44 (0) 7748 848 768, mary@articulatecomms.co.uk About Sagentia Innovation Sagentia Innovation provides independent advisory and leading-edge product development services focused on science and technology initiatives. Working across the medical, industrial, chemicals and energy, food and beverage, and consumer sectors, Sagentia Innovation works with a broad range of companies from some of the world's leading and best-known brands, to start-up disruptors, new to the market. It is part of Science Group (AIM:SAG), which has more than ten offices globally, two UK-based dedicated R&D innovation centres and more than 400 employees. Other Science Group companies include Leatherhead Food Research, TSG Consulting and Frontier Smart Technologies. www.sagentiainnovation.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834748/Sagentia_Innovation.jpg PKA pension fund lead investment, alongside The Danish Growth Fund and Eir Ventures New financing will advance clinical trials with Synklino's drug candidate SYN002 for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) COPENHAGEN, Denmark, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Synklino, an emerging biotech company developing breakthrough drugs for the treatment of chronic viral infections, has completed a Series A fundraise of EUR 29.8 million(DKK 222 million / USD 31.9 million) accelerating its development plans towards significant clinical milestones. With the capital raised, Synklino will advance its drug candidate SYN002 for the treatment of Cytomegalovirus (CMV), into both ex vivo and in vivo Phase 1 clinical trials and generate safety and efficacy data establishing a solid foundation for expanding the Company's pipeline, and widening the strategic options for further value creation. CMV is the main agent involved in infectious complications following transplantation, with major risk for morbidity and increased hospital readmissions and is prevalent in around 60% of adults. Synklino's drug candidate SYN002 has the unique potential to eliminate CMV from infected patients by targeting both lytic and latent infection. Thomas Kledal, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, said: "This financing round is a game changer for Synklino. We are now able to prepare and initiate clinical trials with SYN002 in organs and in patients concurrently, providing more paths to reach significant and value creating milestones in a shorter timeline. Since the capital raise in November 2021, we have had strong progress in our preclinical activities and are on track to deliver on our goal for the first half of 2023 of completing our clinical trial application." John Haurum, Chair of the Board, commented: "It is a validation of Synklino's potential that the company attracts notable investors like PKA and Maj Invest. We are also thankful for the continued support from our existing shareholders, including The Danish Growth Fund and Eir Ventures. The company's management has delivered as promised on the development plans, and the strong cash position means that we can focus on the business in an otherwise challenging market for biotech and funding." Synklino's Series A raise is testament to the high caliber of innovative biotech companies emerging from the Nordic region and the confidence of investors in identifying promising new therapies for patients. Synklino is a result of Denmark's strong global position in the biotech industry, characterised by tight cooperation between health care institutions, academia, and the industry. Michael Nellemann Pedersen, Chief Investment Officer in PKA, stated: "Synklino is a great example of the type of life science companies that we aim to support through our co-investments with Maj Invest. Being a pension fund for hundreds of thousands of health care professionals, we have an ambition to contribute to the development of innovative products supporting our members' efforts to safe lives while at the same time expecting the investment to generate a high return and contribute to the pension savings of our members. We believe, Synklino will address a large, unmet patient need and with a competent leadership in front, the company fits perfectly into our evolving portfolio of venture companies." About Synklino Synklino is a Danish biotech company developing groundbreaking therapies against chronic viral infections. The company is owned by renowned Nordic funds and institutional investors Eir Ventures, The Danish Growth Fund and PKA as well as approximately 70 private shareholders. Synklino's first-in-class drug candidate SYN002 specifically targets cytomegalovirus infection in transplantation patients and aims to change the current antiviral treatment paradigm by providing radically different therapeutic opportunities and a path for transplant recipients to live a full life again. Synklino is a spinout from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark established to develop groundbreaking therapies against devastating viral infections. Synklino is incubated at the BioInnovation Institute in its prestigious Creation House program. Read more at synklino.com About PKA pension fund PKA is the pension fund administration of four Danish pension funds with a total of 350,000 members mainly from social services and health care. PKA has approximately EUR 54 billion in assets under management covering many geographies and diverse asset types, such as listed equities, bonds, private equity, infrastructure, and real estate. About Maj Invest Maj Invest is one of Denmark's leading asset management companies, primarily serving institutional clients. The Maj Invest group was established in 2005 and has two business areas, Asset Management and Private Equity. Asset Management has total assets under management of approx. EUR 15 billion. Maj Invest Equity is Denmark's largest investor in small and medium-sized companies. In Private Equity, Maj Invest advises private equity funds on their investments in Danish companies and also private equity funds on their investments in international companies. The committed capital of the private equity funds amounted to approx. EUR 1.5 billion at year-end 2021. About The Danish Growth Fund Vaeksfonden is the Danish state's investment fund. Working in close collaboration with banks and domestic and international investors, Vaekstfonden discovers and develops high-quality technological companies in Denmark. The power of innovation, yield to society and responsibility are the three signposts that guide Vaekstfonden in finding and choosing new projects. Since 1992, Vaekstfonden has contributed more than DKK 42 billion to help develop and grow more than 11.000 companies. https://vf.dk About Eir Ventures Eir Ventures is a Life science focused venture fund, that with a strong foundation in the Nordic Biotech ecosystem will invest in early stage as well as more mature opportunities. The fund initiates investment activities in 2020 and will seek opportunities addressing significant unmet medical needs for new therapies, medical technology, and digital health. Eir Ventures is founded by a team of experienced life science investors, and backed by a strong investor syndicate comprising Saminvest, the European Investment Fund (EIF), Vkstfonden, Novo Holdings, as well as additional private investors. Eir Ventures I AB is a registered alternative investment fund, under the Swedish Alternative Investment Funds Managers Act. https://eirventures.eu/ About Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a -herpes virus. CMV is a widespread, chronic viral infection found in more than 60% of adults worldwide. Initial infection in otherwise healthy immunocompetent individuals results in productive (lytic) infection and is almost always asymptomatic. Like all other herpes viruses, CMV establishes lifelong latent infection and incorporates its DNA into host cells. CMV reactivation from latency is a serious issue in transplant patients due to the need for concomitant immunosuppressive therapy. Active infection and accumulation of a high virus load in immunosuppressed patients leads to a variety of CMV diseases, including organ rejection, developmental and neurological complications, and can be fatal. CMV has a major impact on morbidity and mortality during transplantation and increases transplant costs by up to 50% due to long-term hospitalizations and difficult courses of treatment. The treatment of CMV therefore represents a large unmet medical need. No currently marketed or pipeline drugs can cure CMV, and current drugs pose a risk of developing resistance. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech on 'The rule of law and the potential approval of the Polish national Recovery Plan (RRF)', at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, June 7. European lawmakers are pushing to designate alleged human rights abuses against Uygurs and other ethnic Muslims in Xinjiang as "genocide." EPA-Yonhap Powerful European lawmakers are pushing to designate alleged human rights abuses against Uygurs and other ethnic Muslims in Xinjiang as "genocide" in a resolution set to reach the Parliament this week. The motion enjoys the support of four of the biggest parties in the European Parliament, the Post understands, meaning it appears likely to succeed. These are: the center-right European People's Party (EPP), the centrist Renew Group, the left of center Socialist and Democrats (S&Ds) and the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists. The parties will enter negotiations on Tuesday to finalize the text of the urgency resolution, which will be debated on Wednesday and put to a vote on Thursday. While the Greens, the Left and the far-right Identity and Democracy Group do not support this language, the text for such documents is adopted by majority, so it looks likely that lawmakers will vote to characterise the actions in Xinjiang as "genocide". Such resolutions are not binding and do not mean a shift in the official position of the European Union. Rather, they are gauge of the mood in Parliament, which is made up of directly elected members from each of the EU's 27 member states. The Parliament has adopted numerous resolutions on Xinjiang, but stopped short of pushing for the label of "genocide". A vote for this would reflect a sharp change in mood towards China in Brussels and beyond. The EPP, the party of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and former German chancellor Angela Merkel, was among the parties most supportive of engagement with China until last year. The S&Ds, the European party of current German leader Olaf Scholz, have also been broadly supportive of close ties with Beijing. Ethnic Uyghurs look on as Chinese security forces stand by the entrance to the Uyghurs neighborhood in Urumqi in China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region, July 8, 2009. Reuters-Yonhap But the mounting evidence of atrocities in Xinjiang where China is suspected of detaining more than 1 million Uygurs and other Muslim minorities in political indoctrination camps has helped drive a sharp escalation. So too has a backlash against China's apparent support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has rolled past the 100-day mark without any sign of a ceasefire. Draft text from the EPP negotiating positions, seen by the Post, says that "the credible evidence about birth prevention measures and the separation of Uygur children from their families amounts to crimes against humanity and genocide". It points to "the Uygur Tribunal and other credible, independent investigative bodies and research organizations", which have concluded that Chinese government policies in Xinjiang "amount to torture crimes against humanity and genocide". It also highlights determinations of genocides made by other parliaments, including the "U.S., Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Lithuania, Czech Republic". The Uygur Tribunal is an unofficial panel of lawyers and campaigners that found last year that Chinese President Xi Jinping bore primary responsibility for what it said was genocide in Xinjiang. Beijing dismissed it as "political farce performed by a few clowns". "The #XinjiangPoliceFiles are another confirmation of the horrible atrocities made by the #CCP. I will negotiate the text for the urgency resolution tomorrow. Vote: Thursday," David Lega, the EPP's chief negotiator, said in a tweet. His comments related to the recent release of a trove of police documents and photographs appearing to shed new light on China's internment of Uygurs and members of other ethnic minority groups some reportedly as young as 15. The information in the documents - leaked to and compiled by the German academic Adrian Zenz drew condemnation from top German and British diplomats, and thrust Xinjiang back into the centre of the China conversation in Europe. Zenz will be at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the Post has learned, for the relaunch of the chamber's Uygur Friendship Group another move that is sure to anger Beijing. Among the chairs of the group will be the EPP's Lega, Raphael Glucksmann of the S&Ds, the ECR's Charlie Weimers and Marketa Gregorova of the Greens. A protester from the Uyghur community living in Turkey, holds banner during a protest in Istanbul, March 25, 2021, against the visit of China's FM Wang Yi to Turkey. Hundreds of Uyghurs staged protests in Istanbul and the capital Ankara, denouncing Wang Yi's visit to Turkey and demanding that the Turkish government take a stronger stance against human rights abuses in China's far-western Xinjiang region. AP-Yonhap 75% of consumers plan to use embedded payments if they become more widely available* Embedded finance is one of the hottest trends in fintech, but despite the buzz about this transaction revolution across the industry, 49% of consumers have never heard of the term 'embedded payments' and while a further 23% have, they do not understand what it means. That's according to new research** commissioned by leading specialised payments platform, Paysafe (NYSE: PSFE), in which 11,000 consumers across Europe, North America and Latin America were surveyed for the company's latest Lost in Transaction research series. The findings also show a strong correlation between the benefits embedded payments offer and consumers' desire for convenience at the checkout. Of those that said their payment habits have permanently changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a quarter (24%) of consumers are using digital wallets more frequently now than a year ago when paying for online purchases and 17% are using mobile wallets more often. A third (33%) of respondents globally report having paid for something via a digital wallet in the last month. The majority of businesses understand the need to adopt frictionless methods at the checkout and recognise the simplicity and convenience wallets provide too as of October 2021, 61% now accept digital wallets at the checkout and 26% plan to introduce them before the end of 2022. The research also shows a clear willingness from consumers who have heard of embedded payments to get to grips with the concept further,with 75% of respondents saying they would be happy to use embedded payments going forward, with the top three transaction types being paying online (35%), paying in-store (27%) and paying for a meal (27%). While over a third (36%) of those respondents can see themselves using embedded payments to pay for check-out free stores such as Amazon Go in the next two years. However, this is conditional upon embedded payments becoming more widely available and more well-known, signaling the need for merchants to highlight the benefits and capabilities of embedded payments. Megan Oxman, Senior Vice President of New Product Development for Paysafe's Digital Wallets, comments, "Consumers know when they've had a substandard experience. They know when there's friction. With embedded finance, the payment aspect becomes so seamless that the consumer doesn't need to expend any of the usual effort of locating their wallet or purse, entering card details or organising a transfer. Nor do they encounter any of the potential problems, such as dropped or declined transactions or long wait times as authentication processes take place.To a certain extent the mark of a truly successful embedded payments transaction is for it to be so seamless that it's entirely unnoteworthy. That said, broadening consumers' knowledge around embedded payments and their benefits is no bad thing particularly when it comes to addressing any lingering misconceptions." In terms of awareness, security and trust emerged as two areas that merchants need to address. 44% of consumers said that security is the most important factor when choosing how to pay for an online purchase however, only 27% imagine that embedded payments are more secure than traditional payments, while 3 in 5 (59%) of those who have heard of embedded payments, worry they could be charged the wrong amount when using them. Digital wallets, which do not require card details for the payment to go through, address the concerns of consumers who don't feel comfortable entering financial data online (58%) and those who feel more comfortable using a payment method that doesn't require them to share financial details with online merchants (70%). When it comes to trust, of those who have heard of embedded payments 46% stated that they would prefer using embedded payments offered by a trusted merchant vs. a traditional bank or an online bank which rises to 53%for the 25-34-year-old age group. Oxman added: "From the findings, it's clear that it's important to highlight not only the speed, ease, and convenience benefits of embedded payments, but also showing that security and consumer control are bolstered rather than compromised. Those businesses who place a premium on educating customers about the benefits have a significant opportunity to gain a first mover advantage in today's increasingly competitive market." Paysafe is today releasing a more detailed behind-the-scenes look at the world of embedded finance in a new paper, Embedded Finance: what's behind fintech's hottest trend? NOTES TO EDITORS Visit Paysafe at Money 2020 Europe in Amsterdam from June 7 9, stand D150, to request a media interview about the findings or Paysafe's embedded finance solution. About the research Of those familiar with the term embedded payments, 75% of consumers plan to use embedded payments if they become more widely available*. The research**, which was conducted on behalf of Paysafe by Sapio Research in April 2022 and covers the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Peru, Chile and Brazil, explored changing consumer behaviours towards payments. About Paysafe Limited Paysafe Limited ("Paysafe") (NYSE: PSFE) (PSFE.WS) is a leading specialised payments platform. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly through industry-leading capabilities in payment processing, digital wallet, and online cash solutions. With over 20 years of online payment experience, an annualised transactional volume of over US $120 billion in 2021, and approximately 3,500 employees located in 10+ countries, Paysafe connects businesses and consumers across 100 payment types in over 40 currencies around the world. Delivered through an integrated platform, Paysafe solutions are geared toward mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between brick-and-mortar and online payments. Further information is available at www.paysafe.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005468/en/ Contacts: Anna Birdsall-Strong, VP Communications, Europe, Paysafe anna.strong@paysafe.com Phone: +442038908975 LONDON (dpa-AFX) - British drug major AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.L, AZN) announced positive results of COVID-19 treatment Evusheld in TACKLE Phase III treatment trial. Evusheld significantly prevented COVID-19 disease progression or death in the outpatient treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19. In the morning trading in London, AstraZeneca shares were gaining more than 1 percent. The company said the detailed results from the TACKLE Phase III outpatient treatment trial showed AstraZeneca's Evusheld (tixagevimab and cilgavimab, formerly AZD7442) provided clinically and statistically significant protection against progression to severe COVID-19 or death from any cause compared to placebo. Treatment with Evusheld earlier in the disease course leads to more favourable outcomes, the company noted. The data have been published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. TACKLE was conducted in non-hospitalised adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who were symptomatic for seven days or less. In the trial, 90% of participants were at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19 due to co-morbidities or age. The company said it is discussing the TACKLE data with regulatory authorities and continue to progress submissions in both treatment and prophylaxis indications to help combat COVID-19 on all fronts. AstraZeneca previously announced positive high-level results from the TACKLE Phase III trial in the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Evusheld is being developed with support from the US government. Under the terms of the licensing agreement with Vanderbilt, AstraZeneca will pay single-digit royalties on future net sales. In London, AstraZeneca shares were trading at 10,338 pence, up 1.1 percent. 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. CF Fertilisers UK Limited, a subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF), today announced proposals to restructure its operations in the United Kingdom to position the business for long-term profitability and sustainability and enable it to continue to supply fertiliser, carbon dioxide and other industrial products to its domestic customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006350/en/ Aerial view of CF Fertilisers UK's Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, United Kingdom (Photo: Business Wire) Summary: CF Fertilisers UK proposes to focus its manufacturing operations in the UK exclusively at the Billingham manufacturing facility in Teesside Billingham is the largest ammonia, ammonium nitrate (AN) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production facility in the country The Company believes that the facility is better positioned for long-term sustainability as it has sufficient capacity to meet all forecasted domestic demand for AN fertiliser from CF Fertilisers UK, is more efficient than the Ince manufacturing facility, has an installed industrial customer base, and has the ability to import ammonia Aligned with this approach, the Company is proposing to: Permanently close the Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, which could result in up to 283 redundancies at the site; the Ince manufacturing facility has not produced ammonia since September 2021 Adopt CF Industries' global operating model for corporate functions, which could result in up to 55 redundancies; this would entail the permanent transfer of select business activities to CF Industries' headquarters in the United States, with certain functions continuing to be performed in the UK to support the Billingham manufacturing facility and UK business Optimise Billingham manufacturing operations by closing Billingham's operations centre, which is a legacy of the multiple utilities and chemical businesses across the broader Billingham site, and reorganise the maintenance and support team, which could result in up to 33 redundancies at the facility CF Fertilisers UK anticipates that some of the proposed redundancies might be avoided by redeployment opportunities. The Company will be entering into collective redundancy consultation with its recognised union, Unite, and elected employee representatives regarding its redundancy proposals Additionally, in order to provide greater resilience to operational issues, low-priced imports and macro-economic forces, the Company will: Enter into a separate consultation process under applicable pensions legislation, including with its pension trustees, regarding a proposal to reduce the maximum employer contribution level for the defined contribution (DC) pension scheme; there are no changes proposed for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes Discuss proposed revisions to current pay and conditions arrangements with Unite "The people and facilities that make up CF Fertilisers UK are part of a proud, 100-year history of providing customers in the UK with products vital to the country's food security and industrial activity," said Brett Nightingale, managing director, CF Fertilisers UK. "However, as a high-cost producer in an intensely competitive global industry, we see considerable challenges to long-term sustainability from our current operational approach. Following a strategic review of our business, we believe that the best way to continue our legacy of serving customers in the UK is to operate only the Billingham manufacturing facility moving forward while addressing cost pressures throughout our business. "We expect to begin collective redundancy consultation with union and other employee representatives shortly. We intend to provide our team with all possible support through what we recognise will be a very challenging time for them." Commercial Environment Overview Global nitrogen industry conditions are expected to remain challenging for nitrogen producers in the UK and Europe. The cost of producing nitrogen fertilisers is highly dependent on the cost of natural gas, which is the principal raw material and primary fuel source used in the ammonia production process for manufacturing facilities in the region. For many producers globally, more than 70% of the total cost to produce ammonia is from the cost of natural gas. Natural gas forward curves suggest that nitrogen facilities in the UK and Europe will be the world's high-cost marginal producers for the foreseeable future, presenting a constant challenge to the sustainability of current operations. Operations at both the Billingham and Ince manufacturing facilities were halted in September 2021 due to high natural gas prices that made production at the sites unprofitable. The Billingham manufacturing facility was subsequently restarted that month following an interim agreement reached with the UK government to cover the costs associated with restarting the ammonia plant to produce CO2 for the UK market. Since September 2021, no redundancies have been made at the business and all CF Fertilisers UK employees have been paid full salaries and bonuses, with payroll-related expenses totaling approximately 35 million during that time, several times larger than the government support provided. Against this backdrop, a strategic review was recently completed that confirmed additional challenges facing the business. The Company's AN fertiliser sales volumes to domestic customers have fallen by nearly 30 percent since the 2017-18 season due to intense competition from lower-cost imports. As a result, when both plants are producing AN even at minimum levels, the Company has not been able to profitably sell the entire volume domestically over the last four years. This has caused CF Fertilisers UK to increasingly turn to exporting at unsustainably low margins in order to continue to operate both facilities. As carbon costs continue to increase substantially in the UK, the Company expects that its production will be placed at an even larger competitive disadvantage against imports without a carbon border adjustment mechanism to ensure a level playing field. As a result of the strategic review, CF Fertilisers UK believes that only one manufacturing facility is needed to fulfill the domestic demand it has been serving. In this scenario, the Company expects Billingham to be best positioned for the longer-term: Billingham has the capacity to produce enough AN to meet all forecasted domestic customer demand. Billingham has a meaningful volume of ammonia and nitric acid industrial contracts that pass-through the cost of natural gas to customers, providing a foundation for profitable operations. The facility has a lower production cost per tonne as it is 10-20% more efficient than the Ince manufacturing facility and is a less-capital intensive facility than Ince as it has fewer production facilities Billingham has additional operational flexibility from a 40,000-ton ammonia storage tank and the ability to import lower-cost ammonia if necessary. The facility is also able to supply a substantial volume of CO2 to industrial gas customers, though this has become less important to its future as industrial gas customers diversify their CO2 supply away from CF Fertilisers UK. Redundancy Consultation Process Timing CF Fertilisers UK has sent notification to employees of the restructuring proposals and will be holding employee meetings over the next two days. The Company also has shared information about the proposals with Unite, which represents 442 CF Fertilisers UK employees, and with pension trustees. CF Fertilisers UK will be submitting the relevant Form HR1 filings to the UK government today. The redundancy consultation process will formally commence following the election of representatives for employees who are not represented by Unite. None of the proposed redundancies would take effect until at least 45 days following the start of the consultation. At this time, the information detailed in this press release are the Company's proposals and no decisions will be undertaken without engaging in the required consultation processes. Management cannot preempt the outcome of the consultation process. Notes to Editors CF Fertilisers UK Overview CF Fertilisers UK was formed in 2015 following the purchase by CF Industries of the 50 percent equity interest in GrowHow UK Limited that it did not already own. CF Fertilisers UK's current operations include the Billingham and Ince manufacturing facilities, as well as a corporate office located at Ince. Both manufacturing facilities produce ammonia as their base product, which can either be sold as ammonia itself or upgraded to other nitrogen products, including AN and nitric acid. The Company also offers products manufactured at Ince NS and NPKs that have historically made a minimal contribution to gross margin. This is a situation that is not expected to improve due to a significant increase in the price of the raw materials ammonium sulfate, phosphoric acid, potash used to make the products. As of June 1, 2022, CF Fertilisers UK employed 544 individuals 177 at the Billingham manufacturing facility, 283 at the Ince manufacturing facility and 84 in corporate functions. Since 2015, CF Industries has invested nearly 200 million of capital into CF Fertilisers UK's manufacturing facilities. Facilities Overview Billingham Ince First ammonia production 1924 NOTE: The ammonia plant currently in use was built in the 1970s 1965 Facility Footprint 1 ammonia plant, 1 AN plant, 3 nitric acid plants 1 ammonia plant, 1 AN plant, 3 nitric acid plants, 3 NPK plants Average Annual Capacity(1) (short tons) Gross ammonia(2) 595,000 380,000 Net ammonia(3) 230,000 15,000 Ammonium nitrate(4) 625,000 575,000 Nitric acid product tons 410,000 0 NPKs(5) 0 415,000 Storage Capacity (short tons) Ammonia 40,000 11,000 Ammonium Nitrate 128,000 95,000 NPKs 0 40,000 Source: CF Industries 2021 Form 10-K (1) Average annual capacity includes allowances for normal outages and planned maintenance shutdowns (2) Gross ammonia capacity includes ammonia used to produce upgraded products. (3) Net ammonia capacity is gross ammonia capacity less ammonia used to produce upgraded products based on the product mix shown in the table. (4) The production of Nitrogen Sulphur (NS) at Ince is included in the ammonium nitrate production capacity figures for that facility. Global supply chain issues, and the spike in demand and cost for particular raw materials in 2022 suggests that sales of NS are expected to generate significant losses for the foreseeable future. (5) The Ince Complex produces NPKs, which are compound fertilisers that blend nitrogen with other nutrients, including phosphate, potash and sulfur. Global supply chain issues, and the spike in demand and cost for particular raw materials in 2022 suggests that sales of NPKs are expected to generate significant losses for the foreseeable future. About CF Industries At CF Industries, our mission is to provide clean energy to feed and fuel the world sustainably. With our employees focused on safe and reliable operations, environmental stewardship, and disciplined capital and corporate management, we are on a path to decarbonize our ammonia production network the world's largest to enable green and blue hydrogen and nitrogen products for energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement and other industrial activities. Our nine manufacturing complexes in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, an unparalleled storage, transportation and distribution network in North America, and logistics capabilities enabling a global reach underpin our strategy to leverage our unique capabilities to accelerate the world's transition to clean energy. CF Industries routinely posts investor announcements and additional information on the Company's website at www.cfindustries.com and encourages those interested in the Company to check there frequently. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006350/en/ Contacts: Media Chris Close Director, Corporate Communications CF Industries +44 0207 632 5036 cclose@cfindustries.com Investors Martin Jarosick Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations CF Industries 847-405-2045 mjarosick@cfindustries.com ZURICH, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neoss Group is pleased to welcome Dr. Syed Hassan to the team as our Director European Distribution as of June 1st, 2022. He will oversee our existing European distributors as well as expand our European footprint in new markets to support our growth strategy. As Director European Distribution, Dr. Hassan will continue the development of our European distribution network, focusing on our solutions which were founded on "Intelligent Simplicity". With his team, he will lead our strategic direction and operational execution to ensure we reach more clinicians, enabling them to provide a better quality of life for their patients. "I am happy to welcome Dr. Syed Hassan to Neoss as our Director European Distribution. Dr. Hassan is perfectly suited to help expand our independent distribution which will complement our direct sales in Europe. With his experience both in the clinical and business aspects of dental implant treatment, he will support our growth in Europe." Dr. Robert Gottlander, CEO and President of Neoss Group. Dr. Hassan brings over 11 years of international experience from various commercial management roles in the dental industry, with great success in creating teams and growing the business. Most recently he has worked as a consultant helping dental companies set up direct distribution in multiple markets. Before this, he worked as a Regional Director for Envista Co. responsible for their distribution markets in the premium and value segment. He also worked as an expert for the organization for minimally invasive surgery, diagnostics, and dental implantology. "I am delighted to join the Neoss family. When learning of the great work the Neoss team has been doing and the Company's dedication to enhancing and simplifying the patient journey, I knew I wanted to participate. The recent onboarding and the warm welcome from the team has only reinforced that decision. I am looking forward to meeting you personally during our upcoming Integrate 2022" Dr. Syed Hassan, Director European Distribution Neoss Dr. Hassan holds a Master's Degree in Oral Implantology & Esthetics from Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He did his clinical training at Basel University Dental College and Hospital, Switzerland. About Neoss Neoss offers intelligent solutions that are intuitively easy to use. Our products allow dental professionals to provide reliable and cost-effective treatments to their patients with predictable long-term results. Leading the market with ingenuity and integrity, we strive to set new standards. In developing smart treatment solutions and working closely with each practice, Neoss makes the complex less complicated. We call that Intelligent Simplicity. Headquartered in Harrogate, UK, with research and development based in Gothenburg, Sweden, the company has established a global footprint with a long-standing presence in key markets. To find out more visit https://www.neoss.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835298/Syed_Hassan.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835314/Neoss_Logo.jpg LONDON (dpa-AFX) - CF Fertilisers UK Limited, a unit of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF), announced proposals to restructure its operations in the United Kingdom. CF Fertilisers UK plans to focus its manufacturing operations in the UK exclusively at the Billingham manufacturing facility. The company is proposing to: permanently close the Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, which could result in up to 283 redundancies; adopt global operating model for corporate functions, which could result in up to 55 redundancies; and reorganise the maintenance and support team, which could result in up to 33 redundancies. CF Fertilisers UK has sent notification to employees of the restructuring proposals. The company will be holding employee meetings over the next two days. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. New super-app to deliver country-specific banking and financial management tools to Freelancers and SME's - targeting over 20 million potential users LISBON, Portugal , June 08, 2022. Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading financial super-app for Europe's Mediterranean region. The solution is specifically designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated and integrated experience for banking and financial management needs. Rauva plans to tap into a 20 million strong SME and Freelancer market in early 2023 with first launches in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off the development of its new solution. Rauva aims to expand globally over time. "We believe that business owners spend too much time focusing on their finances rather than on the job they are passionate about," explains Jon Fath, Rauva's new CEO. "We want to take the stress out of their daily financial management in a way that has never been done before - by delivering a super-app that is tailored to their local needs. This powerful new solution will provide a practical, seamless and integrated banking app that offers day-to-day financial management solutions and easy access to credit." Making a regional difference Europe's Mediterranean region currently hosts 50% of the European Union's SME's and freelancers. Yet current banking apps in the Mediterranean remain relatively sparse due to market specificities such as differing tax, legal and banking requirements in the different countries. Rauva will target those 20 million potential customers, delivering a market-specific solution to the region and its dynamic and entrepreneurial customer base. "The world is evolving at a rapid pace, making it increasingly difficult for small enterprises to keep up with change and new global regulations. On top, we see that banking and finance requirements in different countries in Europe, Asia, and North America can still be very different. This requires a tailor-made solution per market, and that is what Rauva is all about," says Sam Mizrahi, the newly founded company's Chairman and Co-founder. "Our model is simple - deliver an end-to-end solution that is then individually tailored to the specific market needs of our customers, providing them with a relevant, reliable and practical tool to manage their finances without borders. We can make the lives of a potential 20 million users in the region easier, every day. And we do this by targeting five out of a total of twenty-seven European Union countries - that's huge!" Rauva will further differentiate from current competitors in the region by offering an easy to use and practical end-to-end added value banking service, from bookkeeping to cash flow management and prediction to budgeting. To achieve this the super-app will utilize the latest machine learning and AI technologies. The solution will be built with the support of local enterprises through advanced market research and insight gathering. Rauva will be headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal to ensure customer proximity. It will establish its offices at the FinTech House, a leading digital hub, to enable the company to tap into a newly thriving technology community. "Portugal offers a lot of potential to tech start-ups which we believe are missed by many," explains Fath. "There is a growing community of tech specialists, a strong and modern network, and a powerful infrastructure that we will build on." Cultural diversity as a success factor Rauva is currently looking to hire talent from across the region and will build its staff base from that cultural diversity. "We are developing a leading super-app for the Mediterranean, so ensuring we have that powerful and relevant diversity in our teams will be the driving force of our success," Fath concludes. Contact details For more information please reach out to Frederique Depraetere - Head of Public Relations frederique@rauva.com (+32 472/027525) About Rauva Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading super-app designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated, integrated view of banking and financial management needs specifically starting with Europe's Mediterranean region and then expanding globally. The company aims to tap into a 20 million strong potential market in early 2023 with first launches planned in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off development of the new solution. More information: Rauva.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/32c61496-32ce-4c4a-bbee-fd2c46337a5e BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Hungary's trade balance swung to a deficit in April, as the increase in imports exceeded the exports growth, data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office showed on Wednesday. The trade balance logged a deficit of EUR 475 million in April versus a surplus of EUR 338 million in the same month last year. Economists had forecast a deficit of EUR 550 million. In March, the trade deficit was EUR 708 million. On a yearly basis, exports increased 12.1 percent in April, following an 8.8 percent in March. Imports rose 21.1 percent annually in April, after a 24.7 percent growth in the preceding month. On a month-on-month basis, exports and imports rose 8.9 percent and 10.0 percent, respectively. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Roscan Gold Corporation (TSXV: ROS) (FSE: 2OJ) (OTCQB: RCGCF) ("Roscan" or the "Company") is pleased to present its ongoing exploration activities and potential resource growth beyond the recently announced first mineral resource estimate ("MRE"). The ongoing exploration activities have been focused on two key areas: 1) The expansion of the maiden resource within the MRE areas, which it is estimated to currently comprise a potential additional resource in the range of 8Mt at 1.0 g/t Au to 30Mt at 0.8 g/t Au and; 2) outside the MRE, which has seen substantial positive exploration results but has not yet been captured in the reported MRE. Key Highlights: 17,890 meters (m) out of the 20,000 m ongoing drilling program have been completed beyond the drilling data included in the MRE. 8,050 m are infill drilling in the resources areas focuses under the 1,500 USD pit shell and 5,500 m of step out drilling program in the vicinity of the resource zones (figures 5,6 and 7). Drilling prioritization to favor areas of immediate upside potential such as the Exploration Target areas at Mankouke South, Kabaya and Kandiole KN1 resource areas, including the oxide and sulphide mineralization, their satellites and extensions. Additional areas of prioritization outside the MRE area includes the discoveries at Disse and Walia, and Mankouke West along with the strong potential of Bantanko East and Segondo West and several other targets in in the Siribaya-Mankouke-Seko structural corridor. Further potential to increase the resource estimates with LeachWELL assay process: Only 18% of current drilling has now been assayed by LeachWELL which thus far has shown substantial improvements in areas tested; increasing between 10% and 40 %. Roscan plans to expand the use of LeachWELL on its existing resource base and to use it extensively for all future drilling. Nana Sangmuah, President & CEO, stated, "We are extremely excited by our MRE that suggests a stand-alone potential operation with over a million ounces delineated in the indicated category at a very conservative gold price of $1500/oz. We are even more excited by the growth potential to be unlocked with over 5,500 meters of drilling completed in our expanded resource target areas and newer discoveries like Disse. Our goal is to continue to explore and to convert these potential growth areas into additional ounces in constrained pits in the coming months." Exploration Target - Potential Resource Growth As reported on Roscan's MRE press release, the grade-tonnage model used to define the mineral resource included estimates in areas with low confidence that do not meet the company's criteria for defining a mineral resource. The ongoing exploration activities undertaken by the Company include additional drilling in these areas and designed to bring additional tonnages and gold grades that were not included in the reported MRE's pit shells. Table 1 below demonstrate the reported Exploration Target using a cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au for the Upper Tonnage Range of the estimates and 0.5 g/t for the Lower Tonnage Range estimates. The 0.3 g/t report includes lower confidence estimates than those for the 0.5 g/t cut-off. Table 1: Exploration Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_table1.jpg (*) Upper range from 0.3/0.42 cut-off includes lowest confidence estimates (**) Lower range from 0.5/0.5 cut-off Note: the disclosure of the aforementioned "Exploration Target" as a range of quantities and grades are conceptual in nature and there has not been sufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. It is uncertain if future exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Mankouke Area In section below, additional ounces are expected in the Mankouke MS1, under the resource 1,500 USD pit shell (Figure 1). The hole DDMan21-104b on this section has already returned 2.02 g/t over 25 meters from 329.3 m (Roscan Press Release July 6, 2021). Infill drilling on this area is underway with 4 DD holes, totalizing 1,350 m. ' Figure 1: Mankouke South Section 1375700 with block model 5m x 5mx 5m To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_002full.jpg Kabaya Area The Kabaya ongoing drilling program with 20 RC holes for 3,200 m is focused below the 1,500 USD pit shell (Figure 2), where previous drilling outside the MRE has already returned 1.46 g/t over 31 m from drill hole RCDBS22-0061 from 117m (Roscan Press Release March 23rd, 2022). The gold mineralization expected is outside the current resource estimate and the block model is already interpolated. Figure 2: Kabaya Section 13789400 with block model 5m x 5mx 5m To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_003full.jpg Kandiole Area At Kandiole, the potential additional ounces outlined in the Exploration Target are mostly sourced from the deeper zone underneath the 1,500 USD pit shell (Figure 3), where some DD holes have already demonstrated the gold mineralization extension. The current drilling program contemplates 7 RC and 10 DD holes totalizing 3,500m. Figure 3: Kandiole 1 Section 1386595 with block model 5m x 5mx 5m To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_004full.jpg Growth Opportunities from Areas Not Yet Captured in the Interim MRE and outside the reported Exploration Targets The current drilling program also includes several areas outside of the MRE and outside the defined exploration targets, such as Disse, Walia, Mankouke West, Bantanko East and Segundo West. At Disse, the high grade (7.29 g/t over 6 m from drill hole RCDBS21-0049 - Roscan Press Release February 23rd, 2022) gold mineralization continues to be explored with possible expansion toward the West. Walia, in the NW corner of the Dabia South permit, is another key target to develop with a gold strike length of 2 km from the previous reconnaissance Air Core holes results in the saprolite. At Bantanko East and Segondo West, the assays are pending from the infill termite mound geochemistry to confirm and delineate the targets for follow-up drilling. In Mankouke West, the pending saprolite gold results from the Air Core fence lines (84 holes 5,620 m) should provide a good indication to define mineralization not far from the Mankouke South resource area. Several other targets on the large Roscan land package, both on the main Siribaya-Mankouke-Seko structural corridor, as well as additional targets off this key corridor, remain to be explored at different levels, from grassroots stage to development targets. In order to complete the geochemistry survey, the termite mound sample collection has covered the NE corner of the Dabia South permit and the West part of Segondo South permits, two non-explored zones. Figure 4 sets out Roscan's exploration prioritization target pyramid and regional locations. Figure 4: Roscan's Mineral Resource Areas and Growth Opportunities in Areas Not Yet Captured in the Interim MRE To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_005full.jpg Figure 5: Mankouke South Upside resource targets To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_006full.jpg To view an enhanced version of Figure 6, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_007full.jpg Figure 6: Kabaya KB3 Upside resources toward the South and open at depth To view an enhanced version of Figure 6, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_a55f5f61246c1921_008full.jpg Figure 7: Kandiole KN1 Ongoing drilling program, gold mineralization in the fresh rock To view an enhanced version of Figure 7, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4821/126805_figure7.jpg Potential Upside Using LeachWELL Analytical Method Roscan's has compared the analytical methods between 50g Fire Assay and the larger samples using one-kilogram LeachWELL with atomic absorption finish including tail analysis. The results showed that the grade of mineralized samples with an initial fire assay grade of less than 1.5 g/t Au increased, on average, between 10% and 40%. The technical aims of the current drilling program included not only expansion of the potential resource but continue to evaluate the LeachWELL and test some interpretations with respect to the framework of the mineralization. From the grade growth using the LeachWELL analytical method, Roscan will prioritize the LeachWELL method for future analysis of the resources drilling samples. Qualified Person Pascal van Osta, P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration for the Company, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same. About Roscan Roscan Gold Corporation is a Canadian gold exploration company focused on the exploration and acquisition of gold properties in West Africa. The Company has assembled a significant land position of 100%-owned permits in an area of producing gold mines (including B2 Gold's Fekola Mine which lies in a contiguous property to the west of Kandiole), and major gold deposits, located both north and south of its Kandiole Project in West Mali. For further information, please contact: Nana Sangmuah President & CEO Tel: (902) 832-5555 Email: info@Roscan.ca Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is 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. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126805 CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Automotive Silicone Market by Type (Elastomers, Gels, Resins, Fluids), Application (Interior & Exterior, Engines, Electrical, Tires), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, South America) - Global Forecasts to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Automotive Silicone Market size is projected to grow from USD 2.2 billion in 2022 to USD 3.1 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 7.1% between 2022 and 2027.Automotive silicones possess strength, resistance, and durability needed in various automotive applications. Silicones possess high-temperature resistance and outstanding weathering properties, which extend the service life of automotive assemblies. The rising use of automotive silicones owing to high growth in the automotive industry, especially in emerging economies, drives the automotive silicone market. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=156048997 Browse in-depth TOC on "Automotive Silicone Market" 166 - Tables 29 - Figures 175 - Pages View Detailed Table of Content Here: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automotive-silicone-market-156048997.html The interior & exterior application segment is estimated to lead the automotive silicone market during the forecast period. Based on application, the interior & exterior use of automotive silicone accounted for the largest market share in 2021 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% in terms of value. Airbags, exhaust hangers, hoses, exterior trims, headlamps, shock absorbers, grommets, interior trims, and membranes in the interior & exterior application utilize automotive silicone. Airbags are defined as safety devices installed in a vehicle, which consist of a cushion that is designed to inflate rapidly in the event of a collision and protect passengers from impact. Automotive silicone coating helps in keeping the airbags flexible, resistant to temperature change, aging, and abrasion. The electrical application is expected to have the fastest growth in the automotive silicone market during the forecast period. Based on application, the electrical segment in the automotive silicone application accounted for the fastest growth in 2021 with a CAGR of 8.1%, in terms of value. Electrical transmission is a mechanism in a power transmission system that provides controlled application of the power. Often the term transmission refers simply to the gearbox that uses gears and gear trains to provide speed and torque conversions from a rotating power source to another device. Silicone compounds are used for providing maximum safety in cables that are used in the power transmission system. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=156048997 Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest market for automotive silicone during the forecast period. Asia Pacific leads the overall automotive silicone market in terms of both value and volume, followed by Europe and North America. Growing automotive industry and shifting of manufacturing facilities from the developed regions, such as North America and Europe, are expected to drive the market in Asia Pacific. The growth in the region is attributed to the increase in population and income levels. The key players in this market are The Dow Chemical Company (US), Wacker Chemie AG (Germany), Momentive (US), Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. (Japan), Elkem ASA (Norway), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Gelest Inc. (US), Henkel (Germany), Primasil Silicones (UK), and Siltech Corporation (Canada). Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=156048997 Browse Adjacent Markets: Resins and Polymers Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Silicone Market by Type (Elastomers, Fluids, Resins, Gels), End-use Industry (Industrial Process, Building & Construction, Personal Care & Consumer Products, Transportation, Electronics, Medical & Healthcare, Energy), Region - Global Forecast to 2026 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/silicone-market-709.html Silicone Elastomers Market by Type (HTV, RTV, LSR), By Process (Extrusion, Liquid Injection Molding, Injection Molding), End-Use Industry (Building & Construction, Electrical & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation) & Region - Global Forecast to 2027 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/silicone-elastomers-market-6310524.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/automotive-silicone-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/automotive-silicone.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg 2022 Promega Corporate Responsibility Report shows investments in solar arrays led to ten-fold increase in renewable energy usage in last three years Promega Corporation now draws over 20% of its global electricity from renewable sources. The 2022 Promega Corporate Responsibility Report, released today, details how the biotechnology company's investments in solar arrays have led to a ten-fold increase in renewable energy usage in the last three years. The report also outlines how Promega continues to support its employees and local communities while developing technologies aimed at improving human life through scientific advancement. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006230/en/ Promega Corporation's three largest solar arrays, located on the biotechnology manufacturer's main campus in Madison, Wisconsin, generate over 2 million kWh annually. Promega reported in its newly released 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report that the company draws over 20% of its global electricity from renewable sources. Investments in solar arrays led to a ten-fold increase in renewable energy usage in the last three years. Investing in Renewable Energy Minimizing electricity usage at all Promega branch, distribution and manufacturing locations around the world is primary since the company has a goal to reduce carbon emissions by 50% as indexed to revenue by 2030. Electricity makes up nearly half of Promega emissions. The company's three largest solar arrays, all located on the main Madison, Wisconsin campus, generate over 2 million kWh annually. Promega also partnered last year with Madison Gas Electric's O'Brien Solar Fields project to supply Promega with renewable energy to power more than 10% of its annual electrical consumption. Additional Promega facilities around the world generate or purchase renewable energy, including branch offices in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Even with two significant new facilities coming online in the past year in Madison, and including the energy used by employees working remotely, Promega has reduced its electricity usage by 23% since 2019, as indexed to revenue. Recent investments to maximize energy efficiency include a central utility plant that reduces energy needed for chilled water and retrofits for LED lighting on the Promega campus. "As a company with a 100-year vision, sustainable growth is our priority and our opportunity to integrate into our facilities and operations the environmental best practices from around the world that will better position Promega for the future," says Corey Meek, Promega Corporate Responsibility Program Manager. "The outcomes we are achieving are significant and due to the efforts and passions of Promega employees around the globe." Prioritizing Science, Employees and Communities In addition to reporting key sustainability metrics, the 2022 Promega Corporate Responsibility Report details the company's initiatives and outcomes over the last year supporting scientific discovery, employee wellbeing, and global communities. Some highlights include: In 2021, Promega received FDA clearance for the OncoMate MSI Dx Analysis System for determining microsatellite instability (MSI) status in colorectal tumors. The MSI biomarker is important for identifying patients who would benefit from additional testing to diagnose Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the risk of developing colorectal and other cancers. for determining microsatellite instability (MSI) status in colorectal tumors. The MSI biomarker is important for identifying patients who would benefit from additional testing to diagnose Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the risk of developing colorectal and other cancers. Promega was named a Top Workplace USA and Regional (Madison, Wisconsin) award winner . The recognition is based solely on employee engagement surveys compiled by research firm Energage. Feedback from Promega employees showed that support of work-life flexibility is the company's strongest culture driver. . The recognition is based solely on employee engagement surveys compiled by research firm Energage. Feedback from Promega employees showed that support of work-life flexibility is the company's strongest culture driver. Promega fuels the advancement of science around the world through support of initiatives such as the annual International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition (global), Marine Biological Laboratory (US), the National Young Researchers Prize (France), and the Promega Innovation Award (China), to name a few. Promega Corporate Responsibility Promega has integrated corporate responsibility and sustainable business practices since its founding in 1978. For the last 14 years, the company's annual Corporate Responsibility Report has documented how the global biotechnology manufacturer continues to align these practices with positive social, environmental and business outcomes. Read the entire 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report PDF here. Explore the Promega Corporate Responsibility website at www.promega.com/responsibility About Promega Corporation Promega Corporation is a leader in providing innovative solutions and technical support to the life sciences industry. The company's portfolio of over 4,000 products support a range of life science work across areas such as cell biology; DNA, RNA and protein analysis; drug development; human identification and molecular diagnostics. For over 40 years these tools and technologies have grown in their application and are used today by scientists and technicians in labs for academic and government research, forensics, pharmaceuticals, clinical diagnostics and agricultural and environmental testing. Promega is headquartered in Madison, WI, USA with branches in 16 countries and over 50 global distributors. For more information, visit www.promega.com and connect with Promega on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and the Promega Connections blog. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006230/en/ Contacts: Penny Patterson VP, Corporate Affairs Promega Corporation Phone: (608) 274-4330 E-mail: penny.patterson@promega.com The Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure UCITS Fund (EGRIU) offers an additional vehicle for investor access and expands Ecofin's current suite of sustainability and impact UCITS funds. LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Ecofin, the sustainable investment firm, is pleased to announce the availability of the Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure UCITS Fund (EGRIU), focused on the rapidly growing migration of investment into renewable and related clean electricity infrastructure as a means to reduce global CO2 emissions. Launched on December 31, 2021, EGRIU invests in listed companies that own, develop or operate renewable electricity technology plants and systems, and related infrastructure investments. EGRIU seeks to provide a measurable decarbonization benefit by investing in companies riding on the high demand growth for clean electricity. The portfolio has a goal of generating long-term total returns through investment in sustainable initiatives in low-carbon power generation assets derived from a combination of capital appreciation and income over time. "Our investment team's experience in managing assets in this manner for over six years is a competitive advantage and based on historic calculations of the Strategy composite, we were able to deliver double-digit annualized returns with lower risk than the market1, while providing a measurable decarbonization impact," said Michel Sznajer, Portfolio Manager. "In contrast with electricity costs generated with conventional fuels, renewable and clean electricity costs remain in a structural downward trend and are a key element of the solution to the energy crisis the world is experiencing," said Matt Breidert, Senior Portfolio Manager. "This Strategy offers investors an opportunity to capitalize on the long shift towards clean electricity growing its share within the global energy mix." Key reasons to invest: Access to the fast-growing decarbonization theme Investment team has historically delivered strong performance with lower risk than the market 1 Measurable impact on emissions reductions; AA ESG rating from MSCI (as 31 March 2022) "We are putting capital to work alongside significant anticipated growth with intentions to optimize risk-adjusted returns to investors and maximize the measurable impact to society," said Brent Newcomb, President - Ecofin. "With our Global Renewables Infrastructure Strategy composite history, launch of our U.S. 40-Act Fund last year, and expansion into a UCITS wrapper, we have a well-rounded base for investors across the global to access our strategy." Please click here to view more information on the Fund. 1Market refers to the MSCI ACWI Index and S&P Global Infrastructure Index. Source: Bloomberg and Ecofin Advisors Limited. About Ecofin Ecofin is a sustainable investment firm dedicated to uniting ecology and finance. Our mission is to generate strong risk-adjusted returns while optimizing investors' impact on society. We are socially-minded, ESG-attentive investors, harnessing years of expertise investing in sustainable infrastructure, energy transition, clean water & environment and social impact. Our strategies are accessible through a variety of investment solutions and seek to achieve positive impacts that align with UN Sustainable Development Goals by addressing pressing global issues surrounding climate action, clean energy, water, education, healthcare and sustainable communities. Ecofin Investments, LLC is the parent of registered investment advisers Ecofin Advisors, LLC and Ecofin Advisors Limited (collectively "Ecofin"). To learn more, please visit www.ecofininvest.com. IMPORTANT NOTICE Investments in the Fund should only be made following receipt of a copy of the full Prospectus, current Fund Supplement and relevant KIID, which may be obtained by contacting the Fund's Management Company, Equity Trustees Fund Services (Ireland) Limited and they are also available here on the Ecofin website under UCITS. A subscription form can also be obtained from Equity Trustees Fund Services (Ireland) Limited. This document is being issued by Ecofin Advisors Limited (Ecofin UK) in relation to the Fund which it manages. Ecofin UK is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an investment advisor. Ecofin UK is a part of TortoiseEcofin. This document is being issued inside and outside the United Kingdom by Ecofin UK. The Fund has not been and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or the securities laws of any of the states of the U.S. The Fund may not be offered, sold, or delivered directly or indirectly, to or for the account or benefit of any U.S. persons defined in the Securities Act of 1933 as amended. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer to issue or sell, or any solicitation of any offer to subscribe or purchase, any shares in the Fund nor shall it or the fact of its distribution form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract thereof. Recipients of this document who intend to apply for or purchase shares are reminded that any such application or purchase may be made solely on the basis of the information and opinions contained in the Fund Prospectus, Fund Supplement and KIIDs, which may be different from the information and opinions contained in this document. The information and opinions contained in this document are for background purposes only and do not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information or opinions contained in this document or their accuracy or completeness. No representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained in this document by Ecofin UK, and no liability is accepted by Ecofin UK for the accuracy or completeness of any such information or opinions. Neither Ecofin UK nor any of its affiliates, directors, officers or employees will be liable or have any responsibility of any kind for any loss or damage that any person may incur resulting from the use of this information. This material is being circulated by Ecofin UK on a confidential basis. The information contained herein is confidential to such person and is not to be disclosed to any other person, nor copied or reproduced, in any form, in whole or in part, without the prior consent of Ecofin UK. The MSCI ESG rating represents the aggregate ranking of the Fund's holdings as 31/2/2022.. Certain information 2020 MSCI ESG Research LLC. Reproduced by permission; no further distribution. MSCI ESG Research LLC's ("MSCI ESG") Fund Metrics and Ratings (the "Information") provide environmental, social and governance data with respect to underlying securities within more than 31,000 multi-asset class Mutual Funds and ETFs globally. MSCI ESG is a Registered Investment Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. MSCI ESG materials have not been submitted to, nor received approval from, the US SEC or any other regulatory body. None of the Information constitutes an offer to buy or sell, or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial instrument or product or trading strategy, nor should it be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast or prediction. None of the Information can be used to determine which securities to buy or sell or when to buy or sell them. The Information is provided "as is" and the user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. The MSCI ESG Fund Ratings is designed to assess the resilience of a fund's aggregate holdings to long term ESG risks. Highly rated funds consist of issuers with leading or improving management of key ESG risks. AAA, AA: Leader- The companies that the fund invests in tend to show strong and/or improving management of financially relevant environmental, social and governance issues. These companies may be more resilient to disruptions arising from ESG events. A, BB, BB: Average- The fund invests in companies that tend to show average management of ESG issues, or in a mix of companies with both above-average and below-average ESG risk management. B, CCC: Laggard- The fund is exposed to companies that do not demonstrate adequate management of the ESG risks that they face or show worsening management of these issues. These companies may be more vulnerable to disruptions arising from ESG events. The Fund ESG Rating is calculated as a direct mapping of "Fund ESG Quality Score" to letter rating categories. 8.6- 10: AAA 7.1- 8.6: AA 5.7- 7.1: A 4.3- 5.7: BBB 2.9- 4.3: BB 1.4- 2.9: B 0.0- 1.4: CCC The "Fund ESG Quality Score" assesses the resilience of a fund's aggregate holdings to long term ESG risks. Highly rated funds consist of issuers with leading or improving management of key ESG risks, based on a granular breakdown of each issuer's business: its core product or business segments, the locations of its assets or revenues, and other relevant measures such as outsourced production. The "Fund ESG Quality Score" is provided on a 0-10 score, with 0 and 10 being the respective lowest and highest possible fund scores. The "Fund ESG Quality Score" is assessed using the underlying holding's "Overall ESG Scores", "Overall ESG Ratings", and "Overall ESG Rating Trends". It is calculated in a series of 3 steps. Step 1: Calculate the "Fund Weighted Average ESG Score" of the underlying holding's "Overall ESG Scores". The Overall ESG Scores represent either the ESG Ratings Final Industry-Adjusted Score or Government Adjusted ESG Score of the issuer. Methodology for the issuer level scores are available in the MSCI ESG Ratings Methodology document. Step 2: Calculate adjustment % based on fund exposure to "Fund ESG Laggards (%)", "Fund ESG Trend Negative (%)", and "Fund ESG Trend Positive (%)". Step 3: Multiply the "Fund Weighted Average ESG Score" by (1 + Adjustment %). For more information please visit https://www.msci.com/esg-fund-ratings. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Although Ecofin UK 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. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the fund's reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required by law, Ecofin UK does not assume a duty to update this forward-looking statement. Contact Information For more information contact Jen Ashlock at (913) 981-1020 or info@tortoiseecofin.com SOURCE: Ecofin View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704229/Ecofin-Expands-its-Global-Renewables-Infrastructure-Offerings-with-UCITS-Fund JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / LFTD Partners Inc. (OTCQB:LIFD) (www.LFTDPartners.com) today announced that it has prepaid $916,666 of the principal of its $2,750,000 note payable relating to the purchase of its growing and profitable subsidiary Lifted Made, Kenosha, WI, using free cash flow generated by Lifted Made's operations. The prepayment leaves LFTD Partners Inc. with only $1,833,334 of secured debt. William C. "Jake" Jacobs, LFTD Partners Inc.'s President and CFO, said, "The continued outstanding performance of the talented team at Lifted Made, under the leadership of Nick Warrender, is generating free cash flow that has allowed us to simultaneously grow Lifted Made's inventory and to make this substantial prepayment of $916,666 of the remaining principal of our secured debt incurred in the acquisition of Lifted Made, without incurring any new debt or issuing any new equity securities." Gerard M. Jacobs, LFTD Partners Inc.'s Chairman and CEO, said, "Access to attractively priced debt and equity capital in the cannabis sector is challenging these days. But fortunately our company is continuing to execute on our carefully conceived game plan of profitable growth in high quality branded consumer products. This has allowed us to keep moving the ball down the field for seven straight quarters using just our own free cash flow." About LFTD Partners Inc. Publicly-traded LFTD Partners Inc., Jacksonville, FL (OTCQB:LIFD) is the parent corporation of Lifted Made, Kenosha, WI (www.LiftedMade.com), which manufactures and sells psychedelic products under its Silly Shruum brand, and hemp-derived cannabinoid products under its Urb Finest Flowers brand. LFTD Partners Inc. also owns 4.99% of CBD-infused beverage and products maker Ablis Holding Company (www.AblisBev.com), and of craft distillers Bendistillery Inc. d/b/a Crater Lake Spirits (www.CraterLakeSpirits.com) and Bend Spirits, Inc. (www.Bendistillery.com) all located in Bend, OR. Please read LIFD's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which fully describe our business and the Risk Factors associated therewith. Stay updated with our company news and product launches by subscribing to our newsletters at www.LFTDPartners.com and www.LiftedMade.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such information includes the operations, financing, growth, performance, products, plans and expectations of LFTD Partners Inc. and Lifted Made. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause or contribute to these companies' actual operations, financing, growth, performance, products, plans or results of these companies differing materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain other factors, including the risk factors set forth in LFTD Partners Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell common stock or any other securities of LFTD Partners Inc. CONTACTS: Lifted Made Attn: Nicholas S. Warrender, CEO Phone: (224) 577-8148 Email: CEO@LiftedMade.com Website: www.LiftedMade.com LFTD Partners Inc. Attn: William C. "Jake" Jacobs, President and CFO Phone: (847) 400-7660 Email: JakeJacobs@LFTDPartners.com Website: www.LFTDPartners.com SOURCE: LFTD Partners Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704278/LFTD-Partners-Inc-Prepays-916666-of-Note-Principal-Using-Free-Cash-Flow-From-Operations-Leaving-Only-1833334-of-Secured-Debt Options, the leading provider of managed trading infrastructure and connectivity to the global Capital Markets, has announced the successful go-live transition to new facilities at Euronext Aruba IT3 datacentre in Bergamo, Italy. As one of the leading service providers for trading access to Euronext Equities, Derivatives, Indices, Oslo Bors, and Euronext Dublin, Options worked closely with the exchange to successfully manage the migration of over 70 clients across their raw and normalised platforms both in Colo and remote data centres in Europe and the US. Providing instant access to high-performance, ultra-low-latency technology via layer one or low-latency layer three ports, and colocating clients in Aruba IT3, Options also facilitates access to this prestigious exchange for clients connecting from other global locations via Options' high-performance trading network. Options' VP of Managed Colocation, Shamir Parmar, said, "We are very pleased to announce a successful go-live for all Options clients trading the Euronext markets in its new facility in Bergamo. We have worked closely with the exchange on their migration plans, ensuring numerous partners and our clients experienced a seamless transition to Bergamo. This has been a huge undertaking by our team, and the experience gained leaves us in excellent shape for the upcoming Borsa Italiana and London Stock Exchange migrations." Today's news comes as the latest in a series of announcements for Options, including the recent launch of Quantify and Data Store, and achieving VMware Cloud Verified Status in LHC About Options (www.options-it.com): Options Technology is the No. 1 provider of IT infrastructure to global Capital Markets firms, supporting their operations and ecosystems. Founded in 1993, the firm began life as a hedge fund technology services provider. Today, the company provides high-performance managed trading infrastructure and cloud-enabled managed services to over 550 firms globally, providing an agile, scalable platform in an Investment Bank grade Cybersecurity wrapper. Options clients include the leading global investment banks, hedge funds, funds of funds, proprietary trading firms, market makers, broker/dealers, private equity houses and exchanges. With offices in 8 key cities; New York, Toronto, Chicago, London, Belfast, Hong Kong, Singapore and Auckland, Options are well placed to service their customers both on-site and remotely. In 2019, Options secured a significant growth investment from Abry Partners, a Boston-based sector-focused private equity firm. This investment has enabled Options to considerably accelerate its growth strategy to invest further in its technology platform and expand its reach in key financial centres globally. Options has been named among the UK's leading growth companies in the 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 and 2017 Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table. For more on Options, please visit www.options-it.com follow us on Twitter at @Options_ITand visit our LinkedIn page About Abry Partners (www.abry.com) Abry is one of the most experienced and successful sector-focused private equity investment firms in North America. Since its founding in 1989, the firm has completed over $82 billion of leveraged transactions and other private equity or preferred equity placements. Currently, the firm manages over $5.0 billion of capital across their active funds. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005622/en/ Contacts: Niall McAleer Niall.mcaleer@options-it.com Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to comment on the recent increasing interest in uranium as an energy source and also current interest in Ucore's not-often-mentioned Ross-Adams mine property (the "Mine"), a former producing uranium mine located on the Ross-Adams portion of Ucore's Alaskan mineral property (the "Property"). The Property is located on Prince of Wales Island, approximately 38 miles southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska, USA, near the west arm of Kendrick Bay (within the Bokan Mountain Complex). At its closest point, the edge of the former Mine is located more than 500 m from Ucore's Bokan-Dotson Ridge Zone, which is Ucore's rare earth elements ("REEs") advanced property mineral resource as described in the Company's technical report (a preliminary economic assessment[i] ("PEA")) that was filed on SEDAR on March 14, 2013. Figure 1 - Ucore's Federal & State Mining Claims at the Bokan Mountain Complex To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/126852_a54972a334497aa2_001full.jpg Historical uranium production occurred at the Mine from 1957 until 1971, with an estimated total of 1.3 million lbs of U3O8 produced. Although Ucore has performed no work at the Mine to date, the Company believes the Ross-Adams Zone may have the potential for the re-activation of mining production for uranium due to: (i) the recent price increases for uranium; (ii) geopolitical concerns regarding the security of supply chains and an emphasis on US domestic and allied sources of critical materials; and (iii) a recent increase in the public's perception that uranium and nuclear power can represent an excellent strategic choice for energy production in the present and coming decades as compared to fossil fuels. As a result of this recent interest in uranium, Ucore has been fielding unsolicited enquires with respect to the former Ross-Adams Mine. Nevertheless, Ucore remains committed to its current business plan -- the development of an independent and comprehensive North American REE supply chain. This plan was recently detailed in the Company's press release dated January 20, 2022. The Company's business plan currently prioritizes the commercialization of Innovation Metals Corp.'s ("IMC") RapidSX REE separation technology and the development of the first modern commercial-scale rare earth separation plant in North America, the Strategic Metals Complex ("SMC"). The advancement of this REE supply chain remains Ucore's primary objective. However, due to the recent enquiries about the status and availability of Ucore's uranium asset, the Company is pleased to provide the following information regarding its Ross-Adams property. Although Ucore will continue to consider potential transactions with respect to the former Mine, when Ucore is reviewing such proposals, the Company will be prioritizing: (i) its own REE business plan; (ii) ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) objectives; and (iii) the Company's stakeholders, including the United States Forest Service ("USFS"), the State of Alaska, Alaska Natives, Alaska residents, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA"), and the Company's shareholders. The Nature of Ucore's Interest in the Property Ucore acquired the Property pursuant to a series of option and purchase agreements, together with Ucore's own mineral-claim staking activities in 2006 and 2007. Due to recent inbound enquiries, the Company is exploring the possibility of a transaction involving only the Ross-Adams Zone, leaving the Company's Bokan-Dotson Ridge Heavy REE Project intact and the approximately seven other historical mineralization zones unaffected. The History of the Mine The Ross-Adams uranium deposit was discovered in 1955 by prospectors Don Ross and Kelly Adams using airborne radiometrics. According to US Bureau of Mines records[ii], a total of 1.3 million pounds of uranium were produced at an average grade of 0.76% U3O8 during three separate production periods between 1957 and 1971 as follows: Year Operator Tons Mined Grade % of U3O8 lbs of U3O8 Produced 1957 Climax Molybdenum 15,000 1.05 315,000 1959-64 Standard Metals 15,000 1.0 300,000 1971 Newmont Exploration 55,600 0.62 687,000 Total/Weighted Average: 85,600 0.76 1,302,000 Table 1 - Historical Activity at the Former Ross-Adams Uranium Mine The cut-off grade has been reported at 0.5% U3O8. Production was terminated each time when sales contracts with the US Atomic Energy Commission were fulfilled. Uranium ore from the Mine was mined from a steeply dipping pipe-like body of uranium with a combination of a small open pit mine (which looks like a trench) and an underground mine with two underground levels. While the uranium pipe (or vein) is known to extend below the lowest production level, the pipe has not yet been fully geologically explored in detail. The Ross-Adams deposit is interpreted by Ucore to remain open at depth. The Property is located adjacent to deep water access. As a result, during the past operation of the Mine, no processing of the uranium ore into U3O8 took place on the Bokan Mountain property. Rather, the uranium ore from the Mine was shipped by barge for beneficiation and processing off-site at several locations in Spokane, Washington and Mexican Hat, Utah, USA. As a result, there is no former tailings facility on the Property. However, some important environmental reclamation work is required on the Property. This is limited to the consolidation of some mine rock on the surface and any remaining previously mined material that exists in secondary transit areas. The environmental remediation plan involves depositing those materials into an on-site repository in the open pit portion of the Mine. In 2020, an agreement was reached between the United States Forest Service ("USFS"), Newmont USA Limited ("Newmont") and Dawn Mining Company ("Dawn") regarding this required environmental clean-up of the Property. Newmont and Dawn (who had past interests in the Mine) have assumed responsibility for the USD$7-million on-site environmental reclamation project and are currently coordinating this work through the USFS. Other remnants of past mining operations will also be removed by Newmont and Dawn. Ucore has performed no exploration or development work at the Ross-Adams Zone. The Company's mineral exploration and development work to date has primarily involved Ucore's Bokan-Dotson Ridge Zone, which comprises the entirety of Ucore's REE mineral resource at the Bokan Mountain Complex. The Company does not have any current mineral resources or mineral reserves regarding uranium at the Ross-Adams Zone. The Company has not published any historical estimates regarding the mineral resources or mineral reserves that may be available at the former Mine. # # # Qualified Person Ronald James (Jim) Robinson, B.Sc., P.Geo., an independent geologist and General Manager of Aurora Geosciences (Alaska) Ltd. of Juneau, Alaska, has prepared, reviewed and approved the technical data in this news release. He is the qualified person responsible for accurately summarizing this data from historic technical and production reports. About Ucore Rare Metals Inc. Ucore is focused on rare- and critical-metals resources, extraction, beneficiation, and separation technologies with the potential for production, growth, and scalability. Ucore has an effective 100% ownership stake in the Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Earth Element Project in Southeast Alaska, USA. Ucore's vision and plan is to become a leading advanced technology company, providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry. Through strategic partnerships, Ucore's vision includes disrupting the People's Republic of China's control of the US REE supply chain through the near-term development of a heavy and light rare-earth processing facility - the Alaska Strategic Metals Complex in Southeast Alaska and the long-term development of Ucore's heavy-rare-earth-element mineral-resource property located at Bokan Mountain on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. Ucore is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "UCU" and in the United States on the OTC Markets' OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "UURAF." For further information, please visit www.ucore.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities, mine re-opening, property transactions and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. The historic mineral production estimates described in this press release do not represent estimates of mineral resources or mineral reserves that may be present at the Property, and there is no assurance that any current uranium resources or reserves may be present at the Property. Uranium prices are subject to fluctuation, and a decrease in the price of uranium could drastically impact the likelihood of the Company entering into any potential transaction with respect to the former Ross-Adams Uranium Mine. In regard to the disclosure in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section above, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), as suppliers for Ucore's expected future Alaska Strategic Metals Complex ("Alaska SMC"). Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report that demonstrates that the Bokan Mountain Rare Earth Elements project ("Bokan") is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer offtake agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to develop the specific engineering plans for the Alaska SMC and its construction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX; RapidSX failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the Alaska SMC; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the Alaska SMC and/or the continued development of RapidSX; adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") regarding the development of Bokan and/or the Alaska SMC; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CONTACT Mark MacDonald Vice President, Investor Relations Ucore Rare Metals Inc. 902.482.5214 mark@ucore.com [i] A PEA is preliminary in nature; it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. [ii] Warner, J.D. and Barker, J.C., 1989: Columbium and rare earth-bearing deposits at Bokan Mountain, Southeast Alaska. United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Open File Report 33-89 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126852 OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) and Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. on Wednesday announced reaching of a settlement agreement with Solaria, resolving their pending patent litigation. Neither party has admitted any liability or wrongdoing, and no payment would be required under the settlement. The move follows the claim construction order by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California adopting the core argument advanced by Canadian Solar, as well as the decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission to grant Canadian Solar's request to review the initial determination of its Administrative Law Judge. Accordingly, Solaria has agreed to terminate the Section 337 investigation it initiated at the U.S. International Trade Commission and to dismiss with prejudice the patent infringement claims it asserted against Canadian Solar in the Northern District of California. Canadian Solar has agreed to withdraw the inter partes review it filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office challenging a Solaria asserted patent. No changes to Canadian Solar's product offerings would result from the settlement. Canadian Solar had already discontinued the shingled solar module technology at issue in the litigation several months ago. Shares of Canadian Solar are currently trading in pre-market at $35.00, down $0.09 or 0.26 percent from the previous close. 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. STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN / ACCESSWIRE / June 2, 2022 / Vimian Group (STO:VIMIAN) Vimian held its Annual General Meeting today 2 June 2022. The Annual General Meeting was held by physical presence of shareholders and with the option for shareholders to exercise their voting rights by advance voting (postal voting). The Annual General Meeting in Vimian Group AB (publ) resolved the following: Approval of income statement and balance sheet for the financial year 2021 and discharge from liability The Annual General Meeting approved the income statement and balance sheet as well as the consolidated income statement and the consolidated balance sheet for the financial year 2021, and the Board members and the CEO were discharged from liability for the financial year 2021. Allocation of profit or loss The Annual General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the board of directors' proposal, that the company's results shall be carried forward and that no dividends shall be paid to the shareholders. Election of Board members, auditors, fees to the board of directors and auditors The Annual General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the nomination committee's proposal, that the number of Board members shall be six without deputy members, and that the company shall have one auditor without deputy auditors. In accordance with the nomination committee's proposal, Gabriel Fitzgerald, Frida Westerberg, Martin Erleman, Mikael Dolsten and Theodor Bonnier were re-elected, and Petra Rumpf was newly elected, as Board members for the time until the end of the next Annual General Meeting. Gabriel Fitzgerald was re-elected as chairman of the Board. The accounting firm Grant Thornton Sweden AB was re-elected as auditor, and it was noted that the authorised public accountant Carl-Johan Regell will continue to be auditor in charge. The Annual General Meeting further resolved, in accordance with the nomination committee's proposal, that the fees to the Board shall be EUR 150,000 in total for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting, to be allocated with EUR 50,000 to each one of the elected Board members, with the exception of Gabriel Fitzgerald (chairman of the Board), Martin Erleman and Theodor Bonnier who refrained from fees. The Annual General Meeting further resolved that, in accordance with the nomination committee's proposal, auditor fees shall be paid in accordance with approved invoice. Long term incentive program The Annual General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the board of directors' proposal, to adopt a long-term incentive program for current and future key individuals, employees and consultants in Vimian, in total 115 persons. The incentive program comprises the issuance of not more than 5,800,000 warrants with a right to subscribe for 5,800,000 new shares in the company. Authorisation to issue new shares The Annual General Meeting resolved to, in accordance with the Board's proposal, authorise the Board, on one or several occasions, and with or without pre-emptive rights for shareholders, to resolve on the issue of new shares, comprising a total of not more than 20 per cent of the total number of outstanding shares in the company after the utilization of the authorisation. Such share issue resolution may be made with or without provisions for contribution in kind, set-off or other conditions. For further information, please contact: Maria Dahllof Tullberg Head of IR, Communications & Sustainability maria.tullberg@vimian.com +46 736 26 88 86 About Vimian Vimian is a global, fast-growing group of innovation-driven companies with a shared passion for making a positive impact through improving animal health. Together, we put science, technology and our customers' needs at the centre of everything we do to deliver effective solutions to veterinary professionals, labs and pet parents around the world. We bring together pioneering and entrepreneurial businesses in animal health, with an aim to create a uniquely diversified proposition of products and services of the highest standard. Our group covers four essential and rapidly evolving areas within animal health: Specialty Pharma, Diagnostics, Veterinary Services and MedTech. Vimian provides individual businesses with access to our networks, expertise, infrastructure and capital to accelerate innovation and growth. We are as passionate about supporting leadership within our existing businesses, as we are about welcoming new partners to the Vimian family - together helping us make an even greater impact by improving animal health. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Vimian and our family of companies reach over 15,000 customers in +150 markets, employ more than 700 people and have a combined annual turnover of approximately EUR 170 million. FNCA Sweden AB is appointed the Company's Certified Adviser, info@fnca.se, +46 (0) 8-528 00 399. For more information, please visit: www.vimian.com. Attachments Press release from the Annual General Meeting in Vimian Group AB (publ) on 2 June 2022 SOURCE: Vimian Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703680/Press-Release-from-the-Annual-General-Meeting-in-Vimian-Group-AB-publ-on-2-June-2022 STOCKHOLM, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Information security has always been a key focus for global feedback company Netigate. Now, the organisation has taken this to a new level by becoming ISO 270001 certified. A globally recognised stamp of approval, ISO 27001 certification is a symbol of the high standard of information security practises that the company adheres to. Formally known as ISO/IEC 27001:2013, ISO 27001 is the international standard outlining best practises for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). For Netigate, this has meant perfecting the procedures, processes and guidelines that help them to make sure they are handling data in the most secure ways possible. "We've always been serious about security here at Netigate. Gaining this certification demonstrates that we have robust, best-practice information security processes in place," says Jonas Bredin, Chief Technology Officer at Netigate. Image: Jonas Bredin, Chief Technology Officer at Netigate The road to ISO 27001 certification is demanding. It requires businesses to conduct thorough data security risk analyses before implementing and maintaining the processes that will remove any risks. It was also essential for Netigate that everybody across the company was on board with the certification process. Information security isn't just the responsibility of IT; every department and individual across the company has a duty to handle and store data securely. Achieving ISO 27001 certification is a significant milestone for a company and its customers. For Netigate users, this adds heightened peace of mind that their employee and customer data is safe with Netigate. Press contact: Natasha Ellis-Knight Marketing Manager Natasha.ellisknight@netigate.net +46(0)735180246 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/netigate-ab/r/netigate-gains-iso-27001-certification,c3581949 The following files are available for download: SHENZHEN, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anycubic, a leading global 3D printer brand, has announced the launch of Kobra Plus, the latest member of the Kobra series of 3D printers. Two new printing filaments are also introduced as part of the launch. With the superior ability to print at high speed, the Anycubic Kobra Plus serves as a professional product that ensures advanced users get the best printing results swiftly compared to other printing platforms, enhanced with easier operation. "We're introducing Kobra Plus as an advanced edition to the Kobra product line. We manage to retain the fast-printing speed on Kobra Plus in an even more stable way, with upgrades to the most significant features from the Mega X," explained James Ouyang, Vice President of Anycubic. "It ensures advanced 3D printing users can quickly get the best printing results and fulfill their imagination in a larger printing dimension. The equipment of our Anycubic LeviQ leveling system works just as fantastic to bring users further to the next phase. Printing Freedom Kobra Plus offers a printing dimension of 300*300*350mm that caters to diverse needs. The total build volume leaves more space and freedom for users to make any cubic shapes, allowing them to print as many objects in one run and fulfill their desires with the fewest prints. Anycubic LeviQ Anycubic Kobra Plus offers advanced users a significant increase in success rate by applying the Anycubic LeviQ leveling system. The Anycubic LeviQ automatically detects a 25-point to the printing platform to compensate for hotbed unevenness, thus making leveling a worry-free task. Users can then be more focused on the creation and enjoy the user-friendly printing experience with one-button control. Astonishing Printing Speed The printing speed has increased to 80-100mm/s, delivering twice the speed compared to other competitive products (the average rate is about 50mm/s). Kobra Plus continues to use a separated bowden extruder to ensure a stable and fast printing speed. The 45W metal heater bar accelerates to melt the filaments, and the dual cooling fans that run at a maximum speed of 6000PRM cool down the sculpting. The dual Z axis design convoys the fast printing with better printer stability, and dual metal gears guarantee smooth filament transport. User-Friendly Add-ons The printing platform uses carborundum glass as the material which locks parts down to the platform while printing. Once the printing parts cool down, they can be taken off easily. Also, a filament runout sensor is equipped to detect filament surplus, and users can resume printing even after restoring from powering off. Two New 3D Printing Filaments Anycubic has been pioneering a comprehensive 3D printing experience, and concurrently with the launch of the Kobra Plus, Anycubic is also offering two new types of filaments to bring more possibilities to the 3D printing experience. There are two unique texture filaments, Silky and Matte PLA Filaments, and multiple tones and colors available for users to choose from. Pricing and Availability The Kobra Plus 3D printer will begin retailing at 10:00 am EDTJune 15th, 2022 / 4: 00 PM CEST June 15th, 2022 on the official Anycubic store, Amazon, eBay, and AliExpress. Anycubic will be providing an early bird offer of US$399 for the first 2,000 printers, and the price will revert to US$499 once the initial run is sold. The early bird notification can be subscribed at Anycubic store. About Anycubic Anycubic is a leading company in the 3D printing industry that specializes in 3D printer R&D, manufacturing, and sales, providing many affordable, high-performance, and smart printers for different customers, consumers, hobbyists, schools, and product designers. With the vision of "For Freedom to Make", since the establishment in 2015, we have been committed to propelling 3D printing technology to enable people from all walks of life to unleash their imagination and turn creativity into reality. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1833019/image_5014020_21181625.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834106/983dfccce373fc0ea429fda2723d269_Logo.jpg -Magdalena Yesil, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Roxanne Oulman, former Medallia CFO and Tony Werner, former CTO of Comcast join Plume's board of directors- PALO ALTO, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Plume , the personalized communications services pioneer, today announced that it has appointed Magdalena Yesil, Founding Board Member of Salesforce, Roxanne Oulman, former Executive Vice President and CFO at Medallia and Tony Werner, former CTO at Comcast, as independent directors to its board. "As a founder and entrepreneur, I not only look for great technology that customers love, and a talented team, but also the opportunity to create an entirely new category," said Magdalena Yesil. "Plume has created a new category that is redefining consumer experiences in smart spaces, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this ambitious group of people." "Looking through the lens of cloud services and finance, I was very impressed with the high growth SaaS business Plume has built to date," said Roxanne Oulman. "I am thrilled about the opportunity to collaborate closely with such a talented team, and look forward to rolling up my sleeves to help them hyper-scale across a number of vectors." "I've long shared Fahri's vision, and appreciated Plume's ambitions in reconstructing residential and small business service bundles," said Tony Werner. "Today, over 95% of home devices, ranging from personal computers, e-readers and tablets to the exploding number of IoT hardware, connect to broadband over WiFi. The one thing they all have in common is the critical need for high performance, reliable and consistent connectivity over an unlicensed, wireless spectrum. Plume is revolutionizing connectivity and the smart home experience with an open platform, hardware agnostic approach. I am excited to continue partnering with Fahri, and help the Plume team achieve their goals in transforming smart spaces globally." These appointments come on the heels of Plume's explosive growth over the last three years. Plume powers more than 40 million active residential and small business locations with its cloud hosted services through more than 275 Communication Service Providers (CSP) across the Americas, Europe and Japan. To help fuel the accelerating expansion of the global software defined network controlled by its cloud control plane currently managing more than 1.6 billion unique client devices, Plume raised $540 million over two rounds of funding in 2021 from Insight Partners and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. "I couldn't be more excited and honored to welcome Magdalena, Roxanne and Tony to Plume," said Fahri Diner, Founder and CEO of Plume. "They each bring unique skill sets, professional networks, and valuable perspectives to help propel us to new heights." About Magdalena Yesil Yesil is the executive chair of Informed.IQ, a robotic process automation company. She also serves on the boards of SoFi, Smartsheet and Zuora. She is the founder of Broadway Angels, an all-female group of angel investors, and the first investor and board member of Salesforce, where she served on the Board from formation to post IPO. Earlier in her career, Yesil founded three companies dedicated to commercializing Internet access, e-commerce infrastructure, and electronic payments, which led to an acquisition and two IPOs. She began her investing career at US Venture Partners and is the author of the bestselling book Power UP! How Smart Women Win in the New Economy. She is also one of the four women featured in NY Times best-selling author Julian Guthrie's book Alpha Girls. About Roxanne Oulman Oulman most recently served as Executive Vice President and CFO at Medallia, an Experience Management SaaS company. Oulman led Medallia's IPO in 2019 which was publicly traded until the purchase by Thoma Bravo for $6.4B in October of 2021. Prior to Medallia, Oulman was CFO and Executive Vice President at CallidusCloud, a publicly traded $2.4B market cap SaaS company. Previously, Roxanne led as the interim Chief Financial Officer at Thoratec Corporation, a publicly traded medical device company, where she held multiple financial leadership roles from 2004 to 2013. Oulman is also the Audit Committee Chair of CalAmp a Telematics company and has served on the board since July 2018. About Tony Werner Werner served as CTO and then President, Technology, Product, Xperience at Comcast Cable. Prior to Comcast, Tony served as Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Liberty Global, Inc., in Englewood, CO, where he led the company's global strategy for video, voice and data services. He has more than 40 years of engineering and technical management experience, having also held senior management positions with Qwest Communications, Aurora Networks, Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI)/AT&T Broadband, Rogers Communications, Inc., and RCA Cablevision Systems. About Plume Plume is the creator of the world's first SaaS experience platform for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and their subscribers, deployed in more than 40 million active locations globally. As the only open and hardware-independent, cloud-controlled solution, Plume enables the rapid delivery of new services for smart homes, small businesses, and beyond at massive scale. On the front end, Plume delivers self-optimizing adaptive WiFi, cyber-security, access and parental controls, and more. CSPs get robust data- and AI-driven back-end applications for unprecedented visibility, insights, support, operations, and marketing. Plume leverages OpenSync, an open-source framework that comes pre-integrated and supported on the leading silicon, CPE, and platform SDKs. Plume's investors include Insight Partners, SoftBank, Liberty Global Ventures, Qualcomm and Samsung. Visit plume.com , plume.com/homepass , plume.com/workpass , and opensync.io . Follow Plume on LinkedIn and Twitter . Plume and OpenSync are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Plume Design, Inc. Other company and product names are used for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834672/Plume_Design_Inc_Logo.jpg TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC PINK:DLTI), is pleased to announce its wholly owned Union Strategies Inc Subsidiary ("USI") has successfully administered 70+ ballot elections using YOUnified ()' voting system and application. Union Strategies Inc. was brought in to help one of its locals administer a plant-wide election using YOUnified ()'. USI's team members played a key part in assisting members to register using the application, as well as serving help in-person at the plant using tablets to ensure members were able to get on and cast their vote. The week began before the election in marketing the registration piece in person. USI was able to secure over 1600 YOUnified () registrants within three days of being present at the plant. The days of the election, USI's team was also present to show members how easy it was to vote online and through the app. The feedback clearly indicated the local and its members were pleased with how easy and secure the system was for voting! Ease Creates More Participation Our secure electronic elections not only save money and time, but also lead to increased participation. The election ended up receiving over 1200 more votes than they would when using paper ballots. Vote YourChoice - Secure Online and Remote Voting Included in the YOUnified () application is Vote YourChoice. Vote YourChoice fulfils the need for an ever-growing demand of online and remote voting requirements for all types of public and private elections. This requirement is now, more than ever, a fundamental change in the way people are able to cast their ballot and maintain physical distancing requirements. This remote ability is also estimated to increase voter participation by 18% to 35%. Vote YourChoice () software includes union elections and voting, condominium corporation voting, publicly traded company voting, municipal and provincial elections to name but a few applications globally. 100% Integrity Secure, cost-effective and integrated with all of an organisations requirements. Organisations stakeholders are assured that their votes are processed by a neutral third party and in a transparent manner due in part to our unique voter-verified audit trail. Organisations can also count on our support team as a virtual part of its elections staff. Learn more about Vote your Choice. Strong Demand & Market Acceptance Since the launch of Vote YourChoice () - Secure Online and Remote Voting Application in June 2020, we have seen significant acceptance and demand for our service. To date, we have already signed up a number of new public sector unions, deployed online & remote voting for a number of new and existing union clients and are planning the launch into new markets outside of our current union customer base. What is YOUnified ()? As a software as a service (SAAS), YOUnified () combines the many required services to run the business of a union into one unified platform. YOUnified () 's goal is to assist in increasing member engagement, decrease the local's expenses, and save everyone time. With this app, Unions have everything they require to connect with members, as well as maintain the local's needs. Union Strategies made every effort to make this app as adaptable and simple as possible for every age demographic. Members are overwhelmingly delighted with the ease and effectiveness this platform is for them. YOUnified () allows the union to push notify members of any, and every, important update with just a simple click of a button. You can notify members of an important meeting, election, or reminders of significant dates. In short, this app is truly made for everyone - from the Executive to the members. Some of the basic features include the following: Call Drops Email Blast Text Blasts Mailing Labels Voting Conference Center Accounting Virtual Meetings Cloud Networking Push notifications IT Support Social media Graphics YOUnified () holds different features for different viewers. An example being, an Executive member will have access to perform call drops, text blasts, email blasts, and everything in between, where as a member will be able to receive these important updates, connect with their Executive Board, vote on elections, purchase "swag" and much more! About Union Strategies USI has been providing a suite of products and services to Unions for over 10 years. The company designs, builds, and executes programs resulting in greater success for unions. Programs are designed to engage the membership, decrease expenses, and save time for a more productive business. The Company's suite includes secure electronic voting, Telecommunications, Event Management, Professional Writing, Social Media Management, Web Design, Graphic Services, and Promotional Offerings. The company is a one-stop-shop for all things union. The company has more than 130 clients that are considered "mid-market" in terms of overall size of the local with more than 450,000 members. USI operates nationally in Canada and looks to expand into the USA imminently. Learn more at: UnionStrategiesinc.com About DLT Resolution Inc. DLT Resolution Inc. currently operates in three high-tech industry segments: Blockchain Applications & Cyber Security; Software As A Service (SAAS) including Electronic Remote Voting, Telecommunications; and Data Services which includes Image Capture, Data Collection, Data Phone Center Services, and Payment Processing. Its clients represent some of the top businesses from a variety of sectors. DLT Resolution helps organizations that have invoices, ledgers, statements, applications, surveys, employee and customer rewards programs and a wide range of other non-core functions benefit from data management. DLT Resolution also operates a Health Information Exchange providing the ability to request and retrieve medical information & records while meeting all of today's Security & Compliance demands for HIPAA, PIPEDA and PHIPA. Through RecordsBank, the Company offers an easy-to-use online gateway to its centralized system for patients, lawyers and insurers to retrieve and access medical records. Learn more at: www.dltresolution.com Disclaimer: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected by inaccurate assumptions, and are subject to various business risks and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond the control of management. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information respecting the factors that could materially affect the Company and its operations are contained in its annual report on Form 10K and Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704256/DLT-Resolutions-Union-Strategies-Successfully-Administers-70-Ballot-Election-Using-YOUnifiedTMs-Voting-System-and-Application JACKSON CENTER, PA / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Halberd Corporation (OTC PINK:HALB) and Mississippi State University (MSU) executed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to explore animal testing as the next step in obtaining FDA certification for Halberd's patented extracorporeal disease eradication processes. Consistent with its press release of May 18, 2022, Halberd commenced its pursuits with mdi Consultants, Inc, an FDA application consulting firm, and the FDA to determine specific animal testing requirements. Animal testing will be planned and executed with FDA certification requirements in mind in order to most efficiently utilize available funding, R&D resources, and planned time-to-market for Halberd's technology. Halberd has already successfully completed proof-of-concept testing of its patented extra-corporeal (outside the body) disease eradication process on bacteria, inflammatory cytokines and other neurodegenerative disease antigens. FDA related certification is the next logical step following Halberd's historic laboratory accomplishments in successfully eradicating, in vitro, select antigens associated with one or more neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disese, Parkinson's Disease, Epilepsy, and other significant disease states. Dr. Mitchell S. Felder, Halberd's Chief Technology Officer and a board-certified attending neurologist stated, "We are very pleased to have the accomplished professors at Mississippi State University assisting in this significant step in proving the efficacy of Halberd's technology. Animal testing would further validate Halberd's exciting technology and help in ultimately obtaining FDA approval for effective treatment of these devastatingly debilitating diseases which have plagued mankind for millennia." William A. Hartman, Chairman, President & CEO of Halberd Corporation, added, "We are anxious to begin substantive technical discussions with experts in animal testing which can simulate our technology's impact on the treatment and potential eradication of these terrible diseases. What we learn in animal testing will be critical in enabling us to fine tune the process so that we can proceed with clinical trials." To get the latest news on Halberd's exciting developments, subscribe by submitting this form. (https://halberdcorporation.com/contact-us/) For more information please contact: William A. Hartman w.hartman@halberdcorporation.com support@halberdcorporation.com www.halberdcorporation.com Twitter:@HalberdC About Halberd Corporation. Halberd Corporation (OTC PINK:HALB) is a publicly traded company on the OTC Market, and is in full compliance with OTC Market reporting requirements. Since its restructuring in April, 2020, Halberd has obtained exclusive worldwide rights to three issued patents and has filed 20 related provisional, PCT, or utility patent applications to enhance its value to its stockholders and to attract the interests of potential development partners. Safe Harbor Notice Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). The Company cautions our readers that statements and assumptions made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties and associated estimates made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. Halberd Corporation undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. SOURCE: Halberd Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704275/Halberd-Corp-Mississippi-State-University-Discuss-Animal-Testing-as-Prelude-to-FDA-Certification TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSX-V:PX)(OTC PINK:PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") completed 1,035 meters of drilling in six holes on its Gowan Project. The drill program tested several priority geophysical targets for nickel copper sulphides as well as copper zinc volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization "VMS" targets. Drill targets in the north target area (NTA) of the property were associated with known historical copper zinc drill intercepts. The project is located within the Kidd-Munro assemblage, the same environment that hosts the Kidd Creek Mine, just 16 kilometers northwest of the Gowan project (see Fig.A). Highlights: Hole GO2202 returned an anomalous zinc intercept of 0.25% Zn over 1 meter from 206 to 207 meters. Hole GO2202 included a 6.24 meter interval from 121.30 to 127.54 meters with up to 10% pyrite and minor strongly conductive semi massive pyrite over short sections contained moderately anomalous copper values up to 0.11% copper over 0.5 meters. Hole GO2202 returned 0.24% Cu over 1.5 m from 76.5 m to 78 m. Airborne electromagnetic (AirTEM) survey currently underway A petrological study and whole rock analysis to further inform our understanding of the Gowan Property's lithology and the geological environment hosting known historical base metal mineralization is ongoing. Ingrid Hibbard President & CEO commented "Our initial drill program at Gowan demonstrates encouraging base metal potential on the property. This prospective land package recently attracted an option partner who may earn up to a 50% interest in the project for $2 million over two years (see news release January 20, 2022). We are excited to work alongside our partner in advancing exploration and drilling programs at Gowan." Gowan Property Program Discussion: (see Figures A and B) Geophysical Work: A follow-up ground induced polarization (IP) survey in the fall of 2021 was initiated to further evaluate a large airborne EM (VTEM) anomaly on the Gowan Property. This survey outlined two significant IP anomalies. In the NTA an IP anomaly was outlined and is known to be associated with historical copper mineralization. The second IP anomaly in the south target area (STA) suggests the possibility of a nickel-copper disseminated sulphide-type target. This IP anomaly was coincident with a previously identified airborne VTEM target associated with a strong magnetic response. These targets were the focus of the recent drill program. Concurrent with drilling Pelangio commissioned a Maxwell Plate modelling study of the airborne VTEM survey data to examine it further for more subtle anomalies. This work outlined six new targets of interest (See Fig.B Targets A-F). One of the targets "B" is spatially associated with the known copper occurrences in the NTA. The other five targets are new areas of interest; targets A, C, and F are proximal to established IP targets while targets E and D represent new areas of interest on the property. These targets will undergo additional analysis to establish definitive drill hole locations for subsequent drilling. Pelangio has also recently commissioned a second airborne electromagnetic survey (AirTEM) with a revised flight line orientation. It is anticipated that this new survey will assist with further evaluation of current targets and possibly generate new targets prior to a second phase of drilling. It is anticipated that the airborne survey will be completed within the next few weeks. Drilling Program Table 1 Drill Hole Summary and Co-ordinates Hole No. Easting Northing Az. Deg. Dip Deg Final Depth Comments GO2201 492440 5391826 180 -50 138 m. GO2201A 492440 5391825 180 -50 52 m Lost in overburden GO2202 492440 5391740 180 -45 252 m. G02203 492440 5391600 180 -60 307 m. GO2204A 492440 5390930 180 -53 92 m. Lost in overburden GO2204 492440 5390910 180 -60 193.8 m. Lost in bedrock North Target Area: A total of four holes were completed on the NTA to evaluate the extension of known historical copper mineralization associated with a coincident IP anomaly. Drill holes GO2201, GO2202 and GO2203 intersected substantial disseminated pyrite, magnetite and occasionally minor chalcopyrite. Hole GO2201A was lost in 52 meters of overburden. The sulphide mineralization encountered is interpreted to be the cause of the IP anomaly and associated magnetic anomaly. The best copper mineralization from drilling on the NTA was an anomalous intercept from hole GO2202 which returned 0.24% Cu over 1.5 m from 76.5 m to 78 m. Hole GO2202 also returned an anomalous zinc intercept of 0.25% Zn over 1 meter from 206 to 207 meters. In hole GO2202 a 6.24 meter interval from 121.30 to 127.54 meters with up to 10% pyrite and minor strongly conductive semi massive pyrite over short sections contained moderately anomalous copper values up to 0.11% copper over 0.5 meters. No significant gold mineralization was detected in the NTA drill holes. Note: Intervals described here are core lengths. South Target Area: Two holes were planned to evaluate two induced polarization and magnetic anomalies coincident with a large VTEM response in the STA. Extremely difficult overburden and drilling conditions were encountered in this area. Hole GO2204A was lost in 94 meters of overburden and abandoned. Hole GO2204 was interpreted to have been drilled subparallel, or within a major fault zone after encountering 92-meter of overburden. The hole was abandoned prematurely due to the difficult drilling conditions and a 3-meter sand seam at the end of hole; this sand seam was interpreted to represent a possible fault zone. Drilling at the STA did not explain the cause of the VTEM and further evaluation of the STA will be required. Future Plans: A petrological study and whole rock analysis is currently underway in order to obtain a better understanding of the Gowan Property lithology and the geological environment hosting known historical base metal mineralization in the NTA. A number of samples are also being examined from the STA to further assess the lithology intersected within the large VTEM anomaly. This geological information will be compiled along with all recent geophysical surveying completed by Pelangio including the AirTEM survey currently underway. It is anticipated that a series of priority targets will be defined by this work for a second phase of drilling. Ontario OJEP Exploration Grant The Company wishes to acknowledge the contribution by the Province of Ontario towards exploration at the Gowan Project. Pelangio was awarded a $150,000 grant through the Province's OJEP program, which assists junior exploration companies with their exploration efforts in Ontario. This grant made a significant contribution to the cost-effective, early-stage evaluation of this project. ?Figure A: General Location Map? ? Figure B: Compilation Map With Recent and Historical Drilling and New Target Areas Quality Assurance/Quality Control All core logging and sampling were conducted in a secure core logging facility in Connaught Ontario. The core logging and sample selection were carried out by Kevin Filo, P.Geo. Mr. Filo also supervised an experienced core splitting technician once samples were selected. Core logging and sampling adhered to 43-101 protocols and industry standard best practices. Certain drill holes were sampled entirely and others selectively sampled as warranted; sample lengths varied from 0.25 m. to 1.5 m. maximum. Drill core was split with a mechanical splitter, tagged, and placed in securely sealed bags. Samples were transported to Actlabs facility in Timmins, Ontario by Pelangio personnel. Half of the core was retained for reference purposes. Gold analysis completed from samples in all holes was completed using a standard fire assay with a 50 gram charge with an atomic absorption (AA) finish (Actlabs 1A2-50). Selective multi element analysis was completed on holes GO2201 to GO2203 and analyzed using Actlabs 1E3 ICP-OES analysis. With each batch of 28 samples, one blank and one Oreas gold and/or multi element standard was submitted for analysis for QA/QC purposes. QA/QC samples were within acceptable tolerance levels. Full details on Actlabs analysis procedures and associated sample preparation can be reviewed on their web site. Qualified Person Mr. Kevin Filo, P.Geo. (Ontario), is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Filo approved the technical data disclosed in this release. About Pelangio Pelangio acquires and explores world-class gold belt land packages in Ghana, West Africa and Canada. In Ghana, the Company is exploring its two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km2 Manfo property, the site of seven near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km2 Obuasi property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine, as well as the Dankran property located adjacent to its Obuasi property. In Canada, the Company is focused in Ontario on its Gowan property, located 16 km from the Kidd Creek Mine in Timmins, and its Dome West property, situated some 800 meters from the Dome Mine in Timmins. See www.pelangio.com for further detail on all Pelangio's properties. For additional information, please visit our website at www.pelangio.com, or contact: Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO T: 905-336-3828 / TF: 1-877-746-1632 / E: info@pelangio.com Forward Looking Statements Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, and the Company's ability to complete the planned exploration programs. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions, including assumptions about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana, and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, delays due to COVID-19 safety protocols, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704243/Pelangio-Exploration-Completes-Phase-1-Drill-Program-At-Gowan-Project LoadSpring Solutions, a leader in global project controls industry solutions, welcomes Alan Webb to the role of Chief Information Officer. A CIO 100 award winner, Webb will oversee the technological strategy for LoadSpring, leading the company's strategic direction into the future. In addition, he will oversee the management of Delivery, DC Operations, and Engineering. As recent Director of Business Technology Information Services with Shaw Trust, Webb has over 20 years of leadership experience in engineering, construction, facility management, and consulting across various sectors-including global corporate, public, and not-for-profit. As someone who takes a collaborative approach to transformational leadership, Webb prides himself on delivering 'fit for purpose' systems, critical IT services, and technology-enabled business results. "We welcome Alan as he represents the next generation of infrastructure, strategy development, and cloud management," says LoadSpring Chief Executive Officer Founder Eric Leighton. "Alan brings valuable construction and engineering experience to our international network as we continue to expand our corporate presence across EMEA and North America." According to Jim Smith, Executive Vice President Founder, "Alan is a trusted technology leader with a proven track record of transformational change across the global construction industry. We're delighted to bring his deep market perspectives on people, process, and tech to our valued customers." "Alan's excellence matched LoadSpring's through his tenure at Mace, where we worked together to effect change," Smith says. "At Shaw Trust, he delivered results to improve one million lives by integrating organizations and developing long-lasting innovation. Alan's cultural alignment with our leadership team will strengthen LoadSpring's cloud strategy and enrich the project marketplace. We look forward to the innovation this CIO 100 award winner will bring to LoadSpring and our customers' futures." Webb says, "I have long been an admirer of LoadSpring, having watched the company grow since first meeting the team in 2016. I look forward to working with LoadSpring, building upon the great foundations in place, and supporting customer innovations in using our project controls platform." ABOUT LOADSPRING Founded in 1999, LoadSpring is the global project controls industry leader dedicated to building project controls platform solutions to fit customer business needs. Our enabling cloud technology is LoadSpring Cloud Platform, unifying best-of-breed software to accelerate users' digital transformation. We deliver data analytics innovations that maximize margins through our proprietary LoadSpring ProjectINTEL and LoadSpringANALYTICS solutions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006336/en/ Contacts: Stacey Witt switt@loadspring.com ALMERE, The Netherlands, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "The organization embarked on migrating its SAP Business Suite systems on HANA to Google Cloud Platform in early 2021. However, owing to the substantial number of systems and infrastructure to support the varied businesses, SUSE-based high availability (HA) systems had to be built for each business unit within a brief span to prevent outages & disruption to the business processes." Symphony for SAP by Basis Cloud Solutions stepped in for automating and orchestrating the challenging migration of the company's landscape. The entire system build including the HA cluster setup for 11+ Production landscapes that included150+ VMs systems had successfully migrated to GCP in a record time of 3 weeks per landscape, resulting in an 85% reduction in FTE. "While implementing SAP-BASIS operations and migration projects, we came across the challenges faced in the SAP BASIS world, which led us to develop Symphony, to meet the needs of the businesses, and to supply end-to-end automation for the complete stack when the SAP systems get hosted on a public cloud platform. The solution not only boosts productivity but also reduces errors in implementation, increases agility and flexibility, and optimizes cost over the full stack," Prakash Palani (CTO & Founder-BCS) The solution has assisted organizations with a unique O.A.T Approach, "orchestrate, automate and transform," creating their own ZERO DOLLAR MIGRATION with a click of a button using SAP adapters developed only for Azure, AWS, and GCP. Symphony also orchestrates various planned actions in and around SAP Basis and Cloud Operations across complex layers of the Cloud Platform, Operating System, and Database, making it a 'friend in need' for a BASIS consultant, by offloading all the routine activities off consultants' shoulder, giving them an edge over the process, by customizing and owning their cloud operations. The migrations implemented with this solution are evidently 240 times faster and more efficient than the traditional process. This platform has over 250+ features that offer 85%-time savings and 87% cost savings on average SAP-BASIS operations. With the help of Symphony's automated migration pipeline, BCS has by far migrated 500+ systems to Public Cloud such as AWS, Azure & GCP for their global customers. For more information about Symphony for SAP, visit www.basiscloudsolutions.com About BCS: Founded in 2014 by a team of SAP Consultants, Basis Cloud Solutions, an ISO certified, is a silver partner with SAP (formerly known as Basis Expert Consulting Services), a global CloudTech began its operation with a vision to equip intelligible and pre-eminent BASIS support, tailor-made to the ultimate needs of each business. BCS provides solutions and services across the spectrum, including SAP technology Consulting, Cloud Transformation, Governance and Risk Compliance, and ABAP development and support. Media Contact: Priya S Arakkal priya@basiscloudsolutions.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835049/BCS_Logo.jpg LOMBOK, Indonesia, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The second Health Working Group (HWG) meeting brought global leaders to initiate a new global emergency fund for future pandemics and focused on facilitating greater sharing of genomic sequencing data, as well as how the Financing Intermediary Fund (FIF) functions under the World bank in preparing for future pandemics. The Indonesian Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, encouraged the G20 member states not let pandemic stride without learning valuable lessons. "Only through great earthquakes, lofty mountains rise. I believe this is true, not only for volcanoes, but also for our humanity. During every crisis, lie great opportunities," said in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The main issues addressed in the 6 to 8 June 2022 meeting were mobilization of financial resources for future pandemic responses. G20 member states discussed lessons learned from the successes of medical countermeasures initiatives, such as COVAX and the ACT-accelerators that worked efficiently during the pandemic in ushering vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. G20 and its partners, such as GISAID, now is looking at the optimization of genomic surveillance and trusted data sharing mechanisms, allowing the world to quickly identify novel pathogens that may pose new threats to global health security. "We need a more permanent coordinating platform that can address five cores such as access to countermeasures, emergency coordination, collaborative intelligence, community protection; and clinical care to patients in need," said the Minister of Health. Indonesia has committed to donate USD50 million to the FIF. As part of the G20 presidency mandate, Indonesia will also lobby organizations and donors to ensure that the fund benefit the right target countries to prevent conflicting interests from donors and organizations. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's General Secretary, was commended Indonesia's presidency to prioritize the establishment of global health system architecture and putting it in the G20 agenda. "We must learn from the lessons this pandemic has taught us because this will not be the last one," said Dr. Tedros. To access the Health Working Group plenary opening ceremony and press conference, visit https://www.youtube.com/c/KementerianKesehatanRI. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835386/52125930441_50fc2d3444_6k.jpg Dosing has commenced in HMNC Brain Health and Develco Pharma's Phase 2 oral prolonged-release Ketamine (KET01) Study The trial will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of add-on treatment with KET01 in 117 patients suffering from Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) MUNICH, Germany, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMNC Brain Health ("HMNC" or the "company"), together with Develco pharma, today announced the dosing of the first patient in their second Phase 2 trial with oral prolonged-release Ketamine (KET01) for Treatment-Resistant Depression. HMNC is a global precision psychiatry biopharma company, pioneering the development of personalized therapies powered by its nascent AI platform and predictive companion diagnostics suite, leading to far shorter treatment durations, higher remission rates, and low side effects has partnered with Develco pharma, a company specializing in the development and manufacture of orally administered modified, prolonged & chrono release drugs, in this trial. The trial will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of add-on treatment with Ketamine hydrochloride prolonged-release tablets (KET01) in patients suffering from Treatment-Resistant depression (TRD). It will enroll 117 TRD patients at approximately 38 clinical sites. The study's selection criteria for patients to be included was defined by non-response to a minimum of two standard antidepressants in their current major depressive episode. The trial is expected to confirm the results of the previous trial, with early-onset of efficacy, showing placebo-level dissociative side effects, and excellent tolerability, furthering the take-at-home potential of this novel treatment. "Our first investigator-initiated Phase 2 Proof of concept trial, which we announced the preliminary results for at end of March, suggested a positive trend in efficacy for KET01, which appears to be a safe and well-tolerated antidepressant with substantially limited dissociative side effects," said Dr. Hans Eriksson, Chief Medical Officer at HMNC Brain Health. The Ketabon program, which is a joint venture between HMNC Brain Health and Swiss-based Develco Pharma, funded the trial. Patients will be randomized into three treatment groups and will either receive a placebo, KET01 120 mg, or KET01 240 mg once daily (OD), in addition to their ongoing standard antidepressant treatment over a period of three weeks. The primary endpoint is the change on the established Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) for depressive severity at day 21 compared to placebo. HMNC Brain Health CEO Benedikt von Braunmuhl added: "We are very pleased to have achieved this important milestone in the development of KET01 for Treatment-Resistant Depression. We believe KET01 has the potential to improve the lives of patients who are not responding to standard antidepressant therapies, and we are looking forward to further develop this potential medication with the insights generated from this trial." Topline data from the study is expected to be reported in the second quarter of 2023. About HMNC Brain Health HMNC Brain Health (HMNC Holding GmbH) is a global precision psychiatry biopharma company, pioneering the development of personalized therapies, powered by its nascent AI platform and predictive companion diagnostics suite, leading to far shorter treatment durations, higher remission rates, and low side effects. The company develops a unique pipeline for targeting both Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). The company has operations in both the US and Germany and is backed by a renowned global VC, several family offices, and a strategic healthcare investor. HMNC Brain Health now enters the next stage of its development with a large-scale licensing and fundraising agenda. About Develco Pharma With headquarters in Pratteln, Switzerland, Develco Pharma is a Swiss-German pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and manufacture of orally administered modified, prolonged & chrono release drugs containing known active ingredients. Established in 2006, today the company has a workforce of 130 employees. In Germany, a state-of-the-art production facility for analgesics & other indications has been in operation in Schopfheim, in the Baden region, since 2016. Develco identifies and defines pharmaceutical products containing known active ingredients and develops generic, hybrid, value added and innovative formulations backed by clinical data for the delayed or modified release of active ingredients. On the strength of its experience and innovativeness, the company has emerged as an internationally recognized provider of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of several disease areas. The customer base of Develco Pharma includes global pharmaceuticals groups. The company has some 180 market approvals in all (products of different dosages) in Europe, the US, Middle- East, South Africa, Asia and Australia. About the Ketabon Program The Ketabon program, a joint venture between HMNC Brain Health and Develco Pharma in Switzerland, comprises an oral prolonged-release formulation of Ketamine for TRD with minimal dissociative side effects. The pharmacokinetic profile of the prolonged-release formulation could significantly improve the risk profile and patient convenience, by minimizing dissociative side effects compared to the currently applied intravenous and intranasal Ketamine therapies. TRD patients with insufficient response to standard antidepressants represent 30% of an overall estimated number of 320 million patients worldwide suffering from major depressive disorder. In this group, prolonged-release Ketamine has shown high response rates. Clinical development of oral prolonged-release Ketamine could also be potentially expanded into other indications, such as anxiety, aggression, PTSD, and panic disorder. Media Contacts Alexander Schmidt Anne Donohoe Investor Contact Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - GENERAL EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS INC. (OTC Pink: GESI) (the "Company") announces a change in its Chief Financial Officer, welcoming Christopher Malone to the position. Wolfgang Rauball, GESI's CEO, stated, "Mr. Appleby has recently had a significant increase in his workload, and as our company is maturing and evolving its business at a more rapid pace, he felt it would be in the best interest of the company and its shareholders to step down from the position of CFO. We would like to thank him for his hard work and I am pleased he will be able to continue as an independent member of our Board of Directors, and we look forward to working with him in that capacity as he brings valuable insight given his experience in the industry. However, the position of CFO is being left in good hands, as Mr. Malone also has extensive financial experience and having them both on the board is a valuable asset to our overall team." Christopher Malone was unanimously approved by the board to fill the CFO position, and he is the founding Director of PrOasis, a professional consulting firm, where he has spent the past 31 years managing the firm which focuses on executive management, corporate finance, strategic planning and governance for major Canadian SME organizations. Mr. Malone currently holds the positions as Chief Financial Officer and Director for an OSC registered Fund Manager and an IIROC registered Broker Dealer member. He has extensive listing, regulatory reporting and governance experience with private businesses and public companies and Exchanges in Canada and the United States. Mr. Malone's experience stems from over 39 years in the North American workforce holding senior financial and information technology systems roles in some of Canada's largest domestic and multi-national organizations. He also holds a CPA/CMA designation and graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. in Commerce and Economics. 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/126916 Targets Focused Within Shadow of Past-Producing Mine Meet Management at Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention June 13 - 15 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its partner, Metal Energy, has started a phase two 10,000 metre drill program on the Manibridge high-grade nickel project in the Thompson Nickel Belt, Manitoba (Figure 1). Drilling will be focused within the shadow of the past-producing Manibridge Nickel Mine that produced 1.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 2.55% nickel and 0.27% copper from 1971 to 1977. Figure 1 - Manibridge Property Location To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2864/126849_0a2cb9844438eb1f_001full.jpg Thirty-three drill holes, for a total of 10,000 metres, are planned within 600 metres of the past-producing Manibridge high-grade nickel mine. The program will consist of a series of drill fans along 50-metre spaced drill setups designed to characterize the nickel-copper sulphide mineralization and geology of the mineral system. The planned program will follow up on the results of a recently completed six drillhole program operated by CanAlaska in the spring of 2022 where disseminated and remobilized nickel-copper sulphide mineralization was intersected in all six drillholes. Occurrences of massive and net-textured sulphides were documented in several holes and intense serpentinization alteration of the sulphide-bearing ultramafic host rocks was also noted. A handheld portable Niton XRF confirms the presence of nickel and copper within the sulphide-bearing intervals and assays are pending. The summer 2022 drilling program is being solely funded by the current operator, Metal Energy Corp., as part of a staged earn-in option agreement. CanAlaska currently holds a 51% interest in the project. CanAlaska CEO, Cory Belyk, comments, "The phase one drilling program completed this past winter had a 100% success rate intersecting nickel mineralization highlighting the potential of the Manibridge area to host additional significant high-grade nickel. The phase two program is designed to continue to build on this initial success and take this project to the next level of understanding. This work is well-timed in a nickel market that continues to strengthen and build momentum. The Thompson Nickel Belt is a great place to find high-grade sulphide nickel deposits and CanAlaska's shareholders are starting to benefit from our project generator activity in Manitoba. We look forward to the next results from Metal Energy's summer program." About the Manibridge Project Manibridge encompasses 4,368 hectares and is within the world-class Thompson Nickel Belt. The Project is 20 kilometers southwest of Wabowden, Manitoba, which has significant infrastructure and capacity that has supported previous exploration programs, including year-round highway access via Highway 6. Other News The Company will be participating in the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention from June 13th - 15th, 2022. Please visit booth 2145 to speak with CanAlaska representatives about our exciting project portfolio and opportunities for Joint Venture development. About CanAlaska Uranium CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 300,000 hectares (750,000 acres), in Canada's Athabasca Basin - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings have attracted major international mining companies. CanAlaska is currently working with Cameco and Denison at two of the Company's properties in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska is a project generator positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. The Company also holds properties prospective for nickel, copper, gold and diamonds. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. The qualified technical person for this news release is Nathan Bridge, MSc., P.Geo., CanAlaska's Vice President, Exploration. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Peter Dasler" Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo. President CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Contacts: Cory Belyk, Executive VP and CEO Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 306 Email: cbelyk@canalaska.com Peter Dasler, President Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138 Email: info@canalaska.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. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126849 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Wedgemount Resources Corp. (CSE: WDGY) ("Wedgemount" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the commencement of its 2022 field exploration program at its road accessible Friendly Lake copper-gold property ("Friendly" or the "Project") in south-central British Columbia. The Friendly project is located approximately 100km north of the city of Kamloops, BC and lies within the productive mineral belt of the Quesnel Trough, host of many of British Columbia's alkalic copper-gold porphyry deposits. Highlights: Focus on expanding areas of new porphyry-related copper and gold mineralization discovered during 2021 field season: In particular, areas with abundant coarse clotted chalcopyrite and bornite identified adjacent to the significant BOGG and RO copper-gold targets. Follow-up on LiDAR survey completed in November 2021: Data highlights previously undocumented historic trenches, regional structures and new road cuts, which will be targeted for mineralized copper and gold exposures in outcrop. Significant 2022 program planned: Further geological mapping, rock and soil sampling, and induced polarization (IP) geophysics will be completed to aid in drill targeting. The inaugural 2021 field program included rock sampling, and detailed geological and alteration mapping in and around known mineral occurrences in order to gain a better understanding of the alteration, mineralization, and structural controls of the porphyry-style mineralization in the Friendly Lake portion of the Property (see January 19, 2022 News Release). A total of 73 rock samples and 41 alteration chip samples were taken from outcrop or float. A LiDAR survey was later flown over much of the Friendly Lake portion of the claims. The 2022 program will follow-up and seek to expand on the footprint of the various mineralization/alteration styles noted in 2021. Alteration mapped on the property to-date includes skarn alteration within the Deer Lake area, fault-related alteration which appear to be associated with orogenic silver-bearing veins, and wide-spread porphyry-style alteration including propylitic, silicic, and pyritic alteration in the periphery zones of the Friendly Lake Trend, which follows the BOGG, RO, and FL Minfile occurrences. Closer to these zones the alteration changes to sericite and pyrite before grading into biotite alteration at the BOGG occurrence. This visual alteration gradation is supported by the Terrapsec SWIR analysis. Mark Vanry, President and CEO of Wedgemount, commented, "We are excited to kickoff our 2022 exploration program at Friendly. In particular, our technical team is eager to examine the vast new logging clear-cuts adjacent to the highly prospective BOGG and RO zones as well as following up on new and historic prospective areas outlined in our 2021 Lidar survey. Subsequent to our 2021 program, multiple new cut blocks to the northwest of the BOGG zone and north of the RO zone were logged which will provide completely new accessible areas to systematically explore this year." Program Details: Priority targets for the 2022 season include additional mapping and sampling along the Friendly Lake trend, and detailed prospecting and sampling near the BOGG, RO, FL, WR07 and Lakeview showings. Additional field work will involve mapping the mineralizing structures identified in the 2021 LiDAR survey. Given the limited surface exposure of bedrock, ongoing road and quarry development by the forestry industry will continue to uncover potential mapping points. The Company has plans to complete targeted IP geophysical surveys in 2022 on the northwest trending linear corridor between the RO and BOGG showings (approximately 45 line kilometres) and on the target area near the Lakeview showing at Deer Lake (approximately 20 line km); centered on a large diorite intrusive with peripheral skarn-related copper showings. Friendly Property The year-round, road accessible, 13,000-hectare Friendly project is approximately 100 kilometers north of Kamloops, a community with a rich mining and development history. Newgold Inc's New Afton copper-gold mine is 100 kilometers to the south of Friendly and Imperial Metals Mount Polly copper-gold mine is 130 kilometers to the northwest. The Friendly Lake property connects two previously separate properties. Deer Lake (Southern section of claim block) has been historically explored for its skarn mineralization, and Friendly Lake (northern section) contains porphyry style copper and gold mineralization, and orogenic silver mineralization. Previous exploration on the Project, dating back to the 1960's, has included geological mapping, extensive soil and rock-chip sampling, trenching, geochemical surveys, ground-based geophysics and limited shallow drilling. The Project is underlain by arc-related volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Quesnel Terrane (Nicola Group) cut by Triassic-Jurassic intrusions varying from syenite to diorite with associated porphyry and skarn-related copper and gold mineralization. The Project comprises two key target areas; Friendly Lake and Deer Lake. The BOGG occurrence, central to the Friendly Lake target, comprises local zones of chalcopyrite-bornite cemented magmatic breccias associated with the margins of a northwest-elongated monzodiorite to syenite intrusive complex (Friendly Lake complex). A grab sample from the BOGG occurrence by the B.C. Geological Survey yielded 3.4% copper (Schiarizza and Israel, 2001). The BOGG occurrence forms the northwest extent of an approximately 7 kilometer northwest-trending corridor of widespread copper and multi-element soil geochemical anomalies locally coincident with complex IP (induced polarization) chargeability anomalies defined by previous surveys. Based on a preliminary compilation of historic drill data, only six drill holes with depths greater than 200 meters have tested for porphyry-related copper and gold mineralization along this prospective 7 kilometer corridor. The Deer Lake target comprises numerous magnetite-chalcopyrite skarn occurrences (e.g., Lakeview) associated with the Deer Lake diorite. Historic work has defined multiple poorly tested, multi-element soil and rock geochemical and coincident geophysical anomalies (Gruenwald, 2010) considered high priority areas for detailed investigation. Data Verification and National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure Some data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling and drilling results are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), have verified the data, and, therefore, investors should not place undue reliance on such data. In some cases, the data may be unverifiable due to lack of drill core. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby and/or geologically similar properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. The technical information disclosed in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ken MacDonald, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. References Gruenwald, W., 2010, Diamond drilling assessment report on the Deer Lake Property Little Fort, British Columbia, Assessment Report 31299, Assessment Report Indexing System, aris.empr.gov.bc.ca, 62 p. Schiarizza, P., and Israel, S., 2001, Geology and mineral occurrences of the Nehalliston Plateau, south-central British Columbia (92P/7, 8, 9, 10), Ministry of Energy and Mines, Paper 2001-1, pp. 1-30. About Wedgemount Resources Corp. Wedgemount Resources is a junior mineral exploration company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, discovery and advancement of high-quality copper - gold projects in North America. On behalf of the Board of Directors, WEDGEMOUNT RESOURCES CORP. Mark Vanry, President and CEO For more information, please contact the Company at: Telephone: (604) 343-4743 info@wedgemountresources.com www.wedgemountresources.com Reader Advisory This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements made in this news release include the Company's plans for exploration of the property and anticipated exploration results. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, availability of funds, personnel and other resources necessary to conduct exploration programs, successes of the Company's exploration programs, availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126868 WilsonHCG has been named both a Leader and a Star Performer in Everest Group's Global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2022. The PEAK Matrix analyzes the changing dynamics of the RPO landscape, providing an objective, data-driven comparative assessment of 37 RPO providers based on their overall capability across different markets. It analyzes the vision RPOs have, their ability to deliver and the impact their services have on the wider market. WilsonHCG's strong track record in hiring high-skill, white-collar candidates including engineering, IT-based roles and healthcare, was commended by Everest Group, as was its strong presence in North America, EMEA and South Africa. Other highlights of the assessment include: WilsonHCG's comprehensive diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) services, including its DEIB scorecard. The company's continued investment in its technology suite powered by proprietary tools and partnerships. It's custom advisory services to clients across strategic workforce planning, employer branding, program design and technology optimization. "We're honored to be named a Leader and a Star Performer. The teams at WilsonHCG strive for excellence every single day to elevate our clients' talent functions. It has never been more important than in this fast-changing market," said John Wilson, CEO at WilsonHCG. "WilsonHCG has created a compelling value proposition for clients through its global presence, pedigree in sourcing talent for high skilled roles and total talent acquisition solutions," said Aniruddha Kulkarni, Practice Director, Everest Group. "Its extensive client portfolio, comprehensive technology stack, and focused investments in building advisory capabilities have helped position WilsonHCG as a Leader and a Star Performer on Everest Group's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2022 Global." To learn more about the report, please visit the Everest Group website. About WilsonHCG WilsonHCG is an award-winning, global leader in total talent solutions. Operating as a strategic partner, it helps some of the world's most admired brands build comprehensive talent functions. With a global presence spanning more than 65 countries and six continents, WilsonHCG provides a full suite of configurable talent services including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), executive search, contingent talent solutions and technology advisory. TALENT. It's more than a solution; it's who we are. www.wilsonhcg.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005145/en/ Contacts: Kirsty Hewitt +44 7889901517 813-418-4479 kirsty.hewitt@wilsonhcg.com - Clinical utility of 18F-fluciclovine being investigated in expanded areas of cancer imaging - Blue Earth Diagnostics, a Bracco company and recognized leader in the development and commercialization of innovative PET radiopharmaceuticals, today announced completion of patient accrual in its Phase 3 REVELATE clinical trial of 18F-fluciclovine, a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging radiopharmaceutical being studied for potential use in detecting recurrent brain metastases after radiotherapy. The REVELATE study is a prospective Phase 3, multi-center, single-arm imaging study being conducted in the United States. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220609005005/en/ Note: 18F-fluciclovine is an approved molecular imaging radiopharmaceutical for use in PET imaging in men with suspected prostate cancer recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels following prior treatment. The safety and efficacy of 18F-fluciclovine PET imaging for the detection of recurrent brain metastases has not been established. "Expanding our 18F-fluciclovine franchise into neuro-oncology is part of the overall growth strategy for Blue Earth Diagnostics, and completion of Phase 3 patient accrual sets a major milestone in our development plan," said David E. Gauden, D.Phil., Chief Executive Officer. "We look forward to receiving the clinical results from REVELATE, and to presenting results of the Phase 2 PURSUE study at upcoming scientific meetings later this year. Additionally, we wish to thank the patients, physicians and clinical trial sites who worked closely with us to complete enrollment despite the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with our mission to develop novel PET radiopharmaceuticals to inform the management and care of patients with cancer, we are hopeful that our efforts may help patients with recurrent metastatic brain cancer." "Radiation therapy is a mainstay of treatment for brain metastases which provides effective tumor control but can result in radiation necrosis," said Samuel T. Chao, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic; Professor at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; and Coordinating Investigator on the REVELATE Phase 3 study. "Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often used to monitor patients after treatment. However, physicians face challenges in diagnosing and managing suspicious lesions found upon post-treatment surveillance, as they may represent tumor recurrence or treatment-related changes such as radiation necrosis. Significant progress has been made in diagnostic imaging modalities to assist in differentiating these entities, among them the use of amino acid-based PET radiopharmaceuticals. The Phase 3 REVELATE trial is designed to investigate the diagnostic performance of amino acid 18F-fluciclovine PET imaging as a potential decision-making aid in assessing the status of a patient's disease." "Limitations of conventional MRI are recognized in guidelines and recommendations established by the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) group. Recommendations from the RANO/PET working group in 2019 cite the potential utility of amino acid PET radiopharmaceuticals in distinguishing brain tissue changes after radiation therapy from recurrent brain metastases. In noting that existing data have been derived mainly from single center, retrospective studies, a call for prospective multi-center studies has been re-iterated to validate these observations," said Eugene J. Teoh, MBBS, MRCP, FRCR, D.Phil., Chief Medical Officer of Blue Earth Diagnostics. "18F-Fluciclovine holds potential clinical utility for the detection of other cancers besides recurrent prostate cancer. As an amino acid-based PET radiopharmaceutical, 18F-fluciclovine is designed to visualize the increased amino acid transport that occurs in malignant tumors and we eagerly await the results of the REVELATE and PURSUE clinical trials." About the REVELATE and PURSUE Clinical Trials in Brain Metastases Blue Earth Diagnostics has two clinical studies investigating the use of 18F-fluciclovine PET in the detection of recurrent brain metastases. The REVELATE study ("Study to Establish the Diagnostic Performance of 18F-fluciclovine PET in Detecting Recurrent Brain Metastases") is an open-label, single-arm, single-dose, prospective, multi-center Phase 3 study designed to establish the diagnostic performance of 18F-fluciclovine PET in detecting recurrent brain metastases after radiation therapy. The primary endpoint of the REVELATE study is to assess the Negative Percent Agreement (NPA, equivalent to specificity) and Positive Percent Agreement (PPA, equivalent to sensitivity) of 18F-fluciclovine PET in detecting recurrent brain metastases on a patient level. Secondary endpoints will assess the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 18F-fluciclovine PET for detecting recurrent brain metastases, among others. The Phase 2 PURSUE trial is designed to establish image interpretation criteria for 18F-fluciclovine PET in detecting recurrent brain metastases. Further information about these trials can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov (REVELATE, NCT04410133, PURSUE, NCT04410367). About 18F-Flucivlovine PET and Recurrent Brain Metastases 18F-flucivlovine PET is a novel diagnostic imaging radiopharmaceutical for PET imaging to visualize the increased amino transport that occurs in malignant tumors. It consists of a synthetic amino acid that is preferentially taken up by cancer cells compared with surrounding normal tissues and is labeled with the radioisotope 18F for PET imaging. 18F-flucivlovine is under investigation by Blue Earth Diagnostics for potential use in adults for the detection of recurrent brain metastases in patients who have previously undergone radiation therapy. 18F-fluciclovine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and in the EU for PET imaging in men with recurrent prostate cancer. 18F-fluciclovine was invented at Emory University, in Atlanta, Ga., with much of the fundamental clinical development carried out by physicians at Emory University's Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences. Blue Earth Diagnostics licensed 18F-fluciclovine from GE Healthcare and is investigating the molecule for other potential cancer indications, including in neuro-oncology. About Blue Earth Diagnostics Blue Earth Diagnostics, an indirect subsidiary of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., is a growing international molecular imaging company focused on delivering innovative, well-differentiated diagnostic solutions that inform patient care. Formed in 2014, the Company's success is driven by its management expertise and supported by a demonstrated track record of rapid development and commercialization of positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals. Blue Earth Diagnostics' expanding oncology portfolio encompasses a variety of disease states, including prostate cancer and neuro-oncology. Blue Earth Diagnostics is committed to the timely development and commercialization of precision radiopharmaceuticals for potential use in imaging and therapy. For more information, please visit: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com. About Bracco Imaging Bracco Imaging S.p.A., part of the Bracco Group, is a world-leading diagnostic imaging provider. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Bracco Imaging develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic imaging agents and solutions. It offers a product and solution portfolio for all key diagnostic imaging modalities: X-ray imaging (including Computed Tomography-CT, Interventional Radiology, and Cardiac Catheterization), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS), and Nuclear Medicine through radioactive tracers and novel PET imaging agents to inform clinical management and guide care for cancer patients in areas of unmet medical need. Our continually evolving portfolio is completed by a range of medical devices, advanced administration systems and dose-management software. In 2019 Bracco Imaging also enriched its product portfolio by expanding the range of oncology nuclear imaging solutions in the urology segment and other specialties with the acquisition of Blue Earth Diagnostics. In 2021, Bracco Imaging established Blue Earth Therapeutics as a separate, cutting-edge biotechnology vehicle to develop radiopharmaceutical therapies. Visit: www.braccoimaging.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220609005005/en/ Contacts: For Blue Earth Diagnostics (U.S.) Priscilla Harlan Vice President, Corporate Communications (M) (781) 799-7917 priscilla.harlan@blueearthdx.com For Blue Earth Diagnostics (UK) Clare Gidley Associate Director Marketing and Communications Tel: +44 (0) 7917 536939 clare.gidley@blueearthdx.com Media Sam Brown Inc. Mike Beyer (M) (312) 961-2502 mikebeyer@sambrown.com TORONTO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of Montreal (TSX:BMO) (NYSE:BMO) today announced the upcoming retirement of its Chief Risk Officer, Patrick Cronin, and the appointment of Piyush Agrawal into the role. Mr. Agrawal will join the bank as Deputy Chief Risk Officer on July 1 and, after a transition period with Mr. Cronin, become Chief Risk Officer on November 1. Mr. Agrawal, a seasoned executive with global risk experience, joins BMO from Citigroup, where he held the role of Chief Risk Officer for Citibank, N.A. and Global Head of Climate Risk since 2021. He joined Citigroup in 2002, holding roles including Chief Operating Officer of Citibank N.A., Chief Risk Officer of Asia Pacific, and Head of Corporate Strategy. "I'm delighted to welcome Piyush to BMO, and we are excited to have him join our leading risk management group," said Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. "I have been particularly impressed by his business acumen, customer focus, regulatory experience, along with his deep risk management capabilities and expertise on ESG and climate topics. His reputation for personal curiosity and lifelong learning, as well as developing high performing teams, precedes him. These behaviours are essential to a strong risk function and are at the core of BMO's culture." Mr. Cronin first joined BMO in 1993, holding important leadership roles in BMO Capital Markets including Head of Trading Products, Chief Operating Officer, and CEO & Group Head, before his appointment as Chief Risk Officer of BMO Financial Group in 2018. Mr. Cronin has also served as an Advisory Board member of Western University'sIvey School of Business, as well as on the board of the Loran Scholars Foundation. He is past Sector Chair of the United Way Toronto & York Region Individual Giving Cabinet, as well as BMO's own Employee Giving campaign. "Throughout his career, Pat has made a significant impact across our bank," continued Mr. White. "He expertly steered our COVID-19 response and our Risk function through the pandemic and the complex credit and market environment that has defined the past 24 months. He is a trusted advisor, and one of the strongest bankers I have worked with. He has also shown a true commitment to the communities we serve, helping to Grow the Good for so many. I consider it a privilege to have delivered for our stakeholders alongside him for decades." About BMO Financial Group Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.04 trillion as of April 30, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. Internet: www.bmo.com | Twitter: @BMOMedia For News Media Inquiries: Paul Gammal, Toronto, paul.gammal@bmo.com, (416) 867-3996 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834920/BMO_Financial_Group_BMO_Announces_Retirement_of_Patrick_Cronin_.jpg NEW DELHI (dpa-AFX) - Industrial gases company Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) announced Wednesday the signing of a long-term supply agreement with Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. or IOCL. As part of the deal, Air Products will build, own and operate (BOO) a new industrial gases complex supplying hydrogen, nitrogen and steam to IOCL's Barauni Refinery in Bihar, India. This complex will be Air Products' second BOO Onsite Facility in India, after the Kochi Industrial Gas complex at BPCL's Kochi Refinery. The new industrial gas complex will aid IOCL's capacity expansion from six to nine million tonnes per annum producing Euro-VI or BS-VI compliant gasoline and diesel at its Barauni complex. Air Products expects the new complex for IOCL to come onstream in 2024. The new industrial gas complex will include the latest generation multi-feed hydrogen production facility supplying 70,000 normal cubic meters per hour (Nm3/hr) of hydrogen as well as steam, and a high-efficiency air separation unit producing 4,000 Nm3/hr of nitrogen. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX AIR PRODUCTS & CHEMICALS-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de IT workers report being stuck in reactive mode, challenged with understanding their technology environments Snow Software, the global leader in technology intelligence, today unveiled findings from its most recent survey which found that most organizations struggle to create a culture of innovation despite digital transformation being a top priority. The survey, which polled 200 IT practitioners from the United States and United Kingdom, found that 94% of UK and 89% of US IT practitioners agree that innovation is one of their key objectives but creating a culture that supports this may be standing in their way. One potential reason is that more than half of IT workers (70% of UK respondents and 53% in the US) believe that their departments spend too much time reacting to problems, reducing the opportunity to be innovative and 71% of global IT leaders agree, according to the Snow Software 2022 IT Priorities Report. In fact, 72% of IT leaders1 surveyed last year reported they were challenged to extract important insights from the vast troves of technology investment data available. The ability to maintain a comprehensive view and understanding of all technology assets known as technology intelligence is essential to creating an environment primed for innovation and growth. The new study also highlights the latest similarities and discrepancies between IT practitioners and their IT leaders. IT teams gained greater respect and appreciation for their crucial role in maintaining business continuity throughout the pandemic, but IT practitioners (82% of UK and 76% of US) and leaders (89% globally1) want more help from other business units to move digital transformation efforts forward faster. "The overnight shift to remote work and more digitalization challenged IT teams in unparalleled ways," said Alastair Pooley, Chief Information Officer at Snow. "The success of this transition instilled confidence and resilience in IT practitioners, but digital transformation requires the engagement of business unit leaders. IT teams need to examine how to foster a culture which supports innovation and creativity as enterprises shift out of 'survival mode' and aim for competitive advantage." Additional findings include: Potential misalignment between US IT leaders and practitioners on IT priorities . Adopting new technologies to improve day-to-day operations was the highest ranked priority for US IT practitioners (37% of respondents) versus only 25% of US leadership agreed, instead ranking improving customer service and satisfaction as their highest priority (33% of respondents) 1 . This speaks to the potential divide between the IT manager-employee relationship: if priorities are unclear, it will be difficult for teams to know and understand their goals, and how their work contributes to the overall business. While CIOs have a seat at the executive table, it's possible that's clouding their perspective on what's happening on the front lines, setting up an inherent battle between practitioner and leader. . Adopting new technologies to improve day-to-day operations was the highest ranked priority for US IT practitioners (37% of respondents) versus only 25% of US leadership agreed, instead ranking improving customer service and satisfaction as their highest priority (33% of respondents) . This speaks to the potential divide between the IT manager-employee relationship: if priorities are unclear, it will be difficult for teams to know and understand their goals, and how their work contributes to the overall business. While CIOs have a seat at the executive table, it's possible that's clouding their perspective on what's happening on the front lines, setting up an inherent battle between practitioner and leader. IT teams have identified 'reducing security risks' as a top priority globally. Reducing security risks emerged as one of the top priorities among IT practitioners in both the US (30%) and UK (34%) for the coming year, with IT employees expecting their organizations to put the most monetary investment into security tools. In 2022, UK and US IT teams are focused on tactical priorities, such as mitigating security risks and continuing to deliver on digital transformation promises; however, security is the fifth priority for IT leaders globally 1 (23% of respondents). Reducing security risks emerged as one of the top priorities among IT practitioners in both the US (30%) and UK (34%) for the coming year, with IT employees expecting their organizations to put the most monetary investment into security tools. In 2022, UK and US IT teams are focused on tactical priorities, such as mitigating security risks and continuing to deliver on digital transformation promises; however, security is the fifth priority for IT leaders globally (23% of respondents). IT practitioners and leaders globally feel confident about implementing future technologies. When it comes to adopting emerging technologies such as internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), containers and more, IT practitioners (91% in the US and 88% in the UK) and leaders (93% of global respondents 1 ) feel very prepared in their own knowledge and skillsets to leverage these technologies. In addition, IT teams feel confident they'll be able to staff appropriately to meet the demands of their department and for any specialized roles moving forward. However, most IT practitioners believe employees within the rest of their organization need more training (87% in the US and 88% in the UK) but feel confident their company can handle this need. When it comes to adopting emerging technologies such as internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), containers and more, IT practitioners (91% in the US and 88% in the UK) and leaders (93% of global respondents ) feel very prepared in their own knowledge and skillsets to leverage these technologies. In addition, IT teams feel confident they'll be able to staff appropriately to meet the demands of their department and for any specialized roles moving forward. However, most IT practitioners believe employees within the rest of their organization need more training (87% in the US and 88% in the UK) but feel confident their company can handle this need. Lack of priority on retention may be contributing to the 'Great Resignation'. The lowest ranked IT priorities in both the US and UK are related to employee experience. In the US, only 21% of IT practitioners ranked improving employee satisfaction and retaining employees as a high priority. The story is similar in the UK with only 16% of respondents ranking improving employee satisfaction as a top priority. With so many IT workers leaving their jobs or considering a job change during the 'Great Resignation', this lack of prioritization of employee happiness may be contributing to the increase in employee turnover. For more information about Snow's latest survey, please visit www.snowsoftware.com/blog/follow-up-to-2022-it-priorities-report-practitioners-need-more-time-to-innovate. About Snow Software Snow Software is changing the way organizations understand and manage their technology consumption. Our technology intelligence platform provides comprehensive visibility and contextual insight across software, SaaS, hardware and cloud. With Snow, IT leaders can effectively optimize resources, enhance performance and enable operational agility in a hybrid world. To learn more, visit www.snowsoftware.com. ______________________ 1 Snow Software 2022 IT Priorities Report, published December 2021. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006252/en/ Contacts: Rachel Austin Snow Software press@snowsoftware.com Taylor Donatell PAN Communications snow@pancomm.com Longi commissioned a 5 GW solar cell factory in Ningxia Province and Gokin Solar announced plans to build a 50 GW ingot factory in Sichuan Province. Furthermore, PV equipment manufacturer Jinchen supplied 2 GW of production lines to Adani Solar in India.The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reports that the price of polysilicon reached this week CNY 270 ($40.39)/kg - the highest level since 2011. The weekly average price was CNY 267/kg. The price hike is due to both difficult silicon metal supply and increasing market demand from the downstream business. Module manufacturer Longi commissioned ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, June 08, 2022announces the appointments of Vicky Harris as General Counsel and Jeff Huntsman as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Prior to joining Pharma Intelligence, Harris was the head of the legal department at Clarivate, where she helped establish the business as a standalone organization following its sale from Thomson Reuters. Harris sat on Clarivate's science group leadership team, supporting its academic and life sciences businesses. She previously worked in both the IP & Science and Financial divisions of Thomson Reuters, and provided editorial support to the Reuters news agency. She practiced corporate and commercial law at top city law firm Slaughter and May. Harris has been highly commended by the Inspirational Women Lawyers Awards 2021 and led the team that won IP Legal Team of the Year in Lexology's Global Counsel Awards 2020. CCO Huntsman began his career at Stuart Pharmaceuticals (AstraZeneca). He currently serves as President at J-Boys Consulting where he advises growth companies selling into the life sciences space; additionally, he is also a Healthcare Advisor at Warburg Pincus. Prior to this role, he was SVP, Head of Global Sales at Clarivate Analytics where he led a global commercial organization across the life sciences portfolio of solutions. Previously, Huntsman was the Chief Commercial Officer for Connective RX. Additionally, he was previously Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Head of Business Development at Parexel International. Prior to this CVP role, he was the Business Head for the Regulatory Information Management Business Unit with full operational and P&L accountability. "I am delighted that Vicky and Jeff are joining our Pharma Intelligence team," said Ramsey Hashem, CEO of Pharma Intelligence. "Both Vicky and Jeff are experts in their respective fields with extensive industry experience. Their addition will better enable us to meet our customers' evolving needs and help us - and our customers - experience continued growth." About Pharma Intelligence Pharma Intelligence powers a full suite of analysis products - Datamonitor Healthcare, Sitetrove, Trialtrove, Pharmaprojects, Biomedtracker, Scrip, Pink Sheet and In Vivo - to deliver the data needed by the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry to make decisions and create real-world opportunities for growth. With more than 400 analysts keeping their fingers on the pulse of the industry, no key disease, clinical trial, drug approval or R&D project isn't covered through the breadth and depth of data available to customers. For more information, visit pharmaintelligence.informa.com. Pharma Intelligence PR Contact Diffusion PR for Pharma Intelligence pharmaintelligence@diffusionpr.com (213) 318-4500 Note to editors: Head shots available upon request. Cryptology Asset Group PLC Malta ISIN MT0001770107 / WKN A2JDEW To the Shareholders of Cryptology Asset Group NOTICE TO CONVENE CRYPTOLOGY ASSET GROUP PLC'S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) OF SHAREHOLDERS. It is being announced (pursuant to Articles 164 and 165 of the Articles of Association) that the Company Cryptology Asset Group PLC (C 84355) shall be holding its Annual General Meeting ("AGM"), on Thursday 30th of June 2022 at 15:00 hours (CET). The Annual General Meeting shall be held 'in person' at the Registered Office of the Company, this being 66/67, "Beatrice", Amery Street, Sliema SLM 1707 Malta. The following resolutions will be tabled for the consideration of the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting: Ordinary Resolutions - Ordinary Business 1. That the audited financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended 31st December 2021 and the directors' and auditors' report thereon as set out in the Annual Report be and are hereby approved; 2. That the appointment of auditors of the Company for the next financial year 2022 be hereby approved and that the directors be and are hereby authorised to determine their remuneration (auditor's fee); Ordinary Resolutions - Special Business Appointment of Directors. 3. The term of office of the directors, appointed pursuant to clause 112 of the Company's articles of association, currently in office shall expire at the forthcoming annual general meeting and the current directors will be subject to re-election accordingly, 4. That the Directors' fees for year 2022 be reconfirmed & remain unchanged accordingly; This notice is dated the 3rd day of June 2022 By order of the Board of Directors. Friday 3rd day of 2022 Dr. Michael Calleja Company Secretary Guidance Notes & Ancillary Provisions. A. Record Date This notice has been mailed to the Members registered as at close of business on the 30th of May 2022. Only such Members shall be entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting. B. Participation and voting by Members A shareholder may participate and vote at the meeting in any of the following ways: (a) by personally attending the meeting; or (b) by submitting a proxy form to the company. i) Personal Attendance A Member may participate at the meeting personally by physically attending the meeting on the appointed day and time at the venue where the meeting is held. (See "Admission to Meeting"). ii) Participation by Proxy In terms of Clause 96 of the Articles of Association, a Member may participate by proxy by completing and signing the proxy form dispatched to all Members together with this notice and sending same to the Office of the Company Secretary not less than 24 hours before the time appointed for the meeting. A proxy form may be sent to the Company either: (a) by mail to The Company Secretary; or (b) by electronic means to: calleja@drwerner.com In case of proxies sent by email to the email address above set out, the email should have attached thereto a copy of the Proxy Form duly completed and signed by the shareholder or a duly authorised person on behalf of a corporate/institutional Member. C. Completing the Proxy Form A Member wishing to participate at the meeting by proxy is to complete all details required on the proxy form fully, clearly and accurately. This includes: a) Indicating whether the Member wishes to appoint as proxy the Chairman of the meeting or another person. In the case that a member wishes to appoint a person other than the Chairman of the meeting as proxy, the full name, address and I.D. Card number of the proxy are to be clearly and legibly inserted in the appropriate space; b) Indicating whether the Member wishes the proxy to vote as the appointed proxy wishes or whether the Member wishes to instruct the proxy how to vote. In either case a mark ought to be made in the appropriate box indicated in the proxy form. In the event that no indication is made it shall be deemed that the Member authorises the proxy to vote as the proxy wishes, unless the Member indicates how he/ she wishes the shares held to be voted by inserting the number of shares or another appropriate mark against the relevant resolutions, in which case the proxy shall be deemed authorised to vote only as indicated by the Member in the proxy form; c) Where a Member wishes to have his/her proxy vote in a particular manner then he/she should indicate his/her voting preference appropriately against each resolution. The procedure for voting is established and governed in terms of Clause G of this Notice accordingly. If a cross or a mark is placed in any two of the three boxes for the same resolution, then the Member's vote on that particular resolution will be invalid. Any resolution remaining unmarked on the ballot paper will be treated as authorizing the appointed proxy to vote as he/she wishes. D. Participation and Voting A Member wishing to participate simply by having their votes taken into account at the meeting must (i) Fill in the proxy form in favour of the Chairman of the meeting (ii) Concurrently submit proof of their number of shares held in the Dusseldorf Stock Exchange to the Company Secretary and (iii) proceed to instruct the Chairman how to vote on each resolution to be taken at the meeting by completing the 'FOR', 'AGAINST' or 'ABSTAIN' boxes in the proxy form. E. Admission to the Meeting a) In order to be admitted, a Member is to present his Identity Card and the Admission Form enclosed with this notice. b) In the case of shares held jointly by several persons, except in the case of shares held jointly by a married couple, the first named joint holder on the Register of Members shall be eligible to attend and vote at the Meeting. c) A single representative of a joint shareholding, who is not the first named on the Register, will only be eligible to attend and vote at the Meeting if a Form of Proxy has been duly executed in his favour by all other joint holders. d) In the case of shares held jointly by a married couple, both spouses, or either of them, may attend the Meeting. Provided that: i. irrespective of whether both spouses, or either of them, attend the Meeting, only one voting document will be issued and only one of them shall be entitled to vote; and ii. if they wish to appoint a proxy, the Form of Proxy must be signed and executed by both spouses. e) When a Member is a body corporate, association of persons, foundation or other collective entity, a representative thereof will only be eligible to attend and vote at the Meeting if the Form of Proxy has been duly executed in his favour by the competent organ of the entity which he represents. f) Admission to the Meeting will be commenced 30 minutes before the advertised time. g) After the Meeting has proceeded to business, voting documents will continue to be issued until such time as the Meeting proceeds to vote on the first item of the Agenda whether by show of hands or by poll. Thereafter no further voting documents will be issued and admission to the Meeting shall be discontinued. F. Draft Resolutions and Documents The draft resolutions to be considered and voted upon at the meeting are included as an integral part of this notice. The full unabridged text of any documents submitted to the meeting shall, unless dispatched to shareholders, be available at the registered office of the Company and on cryptology-ag.com G. Procedure for Voting during the AGM. A. Voting by show of hands. I. Chairman requests those voting in favour of the motion to raise a hand. II. Procedure is repeated for those voting against the motion. III. A count is taken in each case and the Chairman will determine the outcome. IV. The result is recorded in the Minutes by the Company Secretary. V. The counting of hands is necessary particularly when a specific resolution to pass requires a specific majority proportion of the members present. VI. A record is necessary to be kept in the Minutes and if decided by the Chairman, the names of the members voting will also be kept on record. B. Voting by Ballot/Poll. Voting by ballot (or poll) may become necessary when there are members who hold a number of proxies but have different voting-entitlements. Such an instance would call for correctness in carrying out the method diligently. I. In such a scenario, the Company Secretary would have pre-prepared a voting paper containing the salient but relevant details of the matter being voted on. II. Such voting document is distributed to each of the members present that are eligible to vote. III. Company Secretary will keep a written record showing: the name of the person to whom the voting document was distributed to and how many voting papers were distributed to each person. This becomes relevant since one same person may hold various proxies. IV. The voting document should request a voting member to insert a "FOR" or a ''AGAINST" or an 'ABSTAIN'. V. Should there be any votes that are doubtful, the Chairman will be the person to determine and take a ruling. H. Right to ask questions Members (whether personally or by proxy) are reminded that they are entitled to ask questions which are pertinent and related to any item on the agenda of the meeting - and to have such questions answered by the directors or such person(s) as the directors may delegate for that purpose. To ensure efficient proceedings at the meeting the directors invite Members to submit in writing any questions related to the resolutions to be sent to the Company Secretary either by mail to the Company Secretary or email on calleja@drwerner.com by not later than 24 hours before the meeting. Whilst the directors shall endeavour to reply to all questions that may be raised at the meeting only questions that shall have been submitted to them as aforesaid shall be entitled to a reply, provided that any questions raised for the first time at the meeting and to which the directors are not able to provide an immediate reply, shall, subsequent to the meeting be answered by the directors by posting a reply on the Company's website. ANNEX A - PROXY FORM 1 FORM OF PROXY VOTING PREFERENCES As a Shareholder of Cryptology Asset Group PLC (C 84355), I hereby appoint the duly appointed Chairman of the AGM as my proxy to vote on my behalf, at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) and at any adjournment thereof: Date _____________ Name of Shareholder ___________________________ Signature of Shareholder __________________________________________ FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES THE CHAIRMAN IS AUTHORISED TO VOTE AS HE DEEMS FIT [ ] THE CHAIRMAN WILL VOTE AS INDICATED IN THE HEREUNDER RESOLUTIONS PANEL [ ] PROXY FORM BY ELECTRONIC MEANS VOTING PREFERENCES To be completed when sending Proxy Form by electronic means Name of Shareholder ___________________________________________ Signature of Shareholder _________________________________________ Telephone/Mobile Phone Number __________________________________ E-mail address _________________________________________________ A proxy form sent by electronic means is only valid upon confirmation by the Company Secretary. ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS VOTING PREFERENCES FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN AUDITED ACCOUNTS [ ] [ ] [ ] APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS [ ] [ ] [ ] ORDINAY RESOLUTION VOTING PREFERENCES FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN CONFIRMATION OF DIRECTORS' FEES/EMOLUMENTS [ ] [ ] [ ] ELECTION OF DIRECTORS In terms of Article 110, 'An election of Directors shall take place at every annual general meeting of the Company. All Directors, except a Managing Director, shall retire from office at least once every three (3) years. The following Directors are eligible for re-election: FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN MR. JEFIM GEWIET [ ] [ ] [ ] DR. JOERG WERNER [ ] [ ] [ ] ANNEX B - PROXY FORM 2 Where a Member holds Shares for and on behalf of third parties, such Member is entitled to grant a proxy to each such third party or other persons designated by the third party, and the instrument appointing the proxies shall, to permit votes attaching to Shares to be cast differently than others, be in the following form or in a form as near thereto as circumstances permit: FORM OF PROXY VOTING PREFERENCES As a Member holding Shares for and on behalf of third parties in Cryptology Asset Group PLC (C 84355), I hereby appoint the duly appointed Chairman of the AGM as my proxy to vote on my behalf, at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) and at any adjournment thereof: Date _____________ Name of Shareholder ___________________________ Signature of Shareholder __________________________________________ FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES THE CHAIRMAN IS AUTHORISED TO VOTE AS HE DEEMS FIT [ ] THE CHAIRMAN WILL VOTE AS INDICATED IN THE HEREUNDER RESOLUTIONS PANEL [ ] PROXY FORM BY ELECTRONIC MEANS VOTING PREFERENCES To be completed when sending Proxy Form by electronic means Name of Shareholder ____________________________________________ Signature of Shareholder _________________________________________ Telephone/Mobile Phone Number __________________________________ E-mail address _________________________________________________ A proxy form sent by electronic means is only valid upon confirmation by the Company Secretary. ORDINARY RESOLUTIONS VOTING PREFERENCES FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN AUDITED ACCOUNTS [ ] [ ] [ ] APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS [ ] [ ] [ ] ORDINARY RESOLUTION VOTING PREFERENCES FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN CONFIRMATION OF DIRECTORS' FEES/EMOLUMENTS [ ] [ ] [ ] ELECTION OF DIRECTORS In terms of Article 110, 'An election of Directors shall take place at every annual general meeting of the Company. All Directors, except a Managing Director, shall retire from office at least once every three (3) years. The following Directors are eligible for re-election: FILL IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOXES FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN MR. JEFIM GEWIET [ ] [ ] [ ] DR. JOERG WERNER [ ] [ ] [ ] CRANBROOK, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSXV:EPL) ("EPL" or "Eagle Plains") has been notified by option partner Apogee Minerals (TSX-V APMI) that survey equipment has been mobilized to EPL's 6,500 ha, 100%-owned Pine Channel project located 43 km west of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan (the "Property"). Precision Geosurveys Inc. of Langley British Columbia has been contracted to complete a 380 line-km helicopter-borne high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric survey. To earn an 80% interest in the property, Apogee will complete $3,000,000 in exploration expenditures, issue 2,000,000 voting class common shares to Eagle Plains and make $150,000 in cash and payments over a 4-year period (see details below). EPL will retain a 2.0% net smelter returns royalty on the Property (subject to underlying royalties on certain areas of the Property), of which 1% may be purchased by Apogee at any time for CDN$1,000,000. Eagle Plains acquired the project in 2018-2020 by staking and purchase from third-party vendors and in 2019 and 2020 completed field programs designed to evaluate and confirm the nature of mineralization previously documented at historical showings. See Pine Channel Project Map here Pine Channel Gold Property Summary The Pine Channel Property consists of 28 mineral dispositions covering 6,502.63 hectares located approximately 40 km west of Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan-the logistics/business hub for northern Saskatchewan. The property can be accessed year-round by float- or ski-equipped aircraft from Stony Rapids or Fort McMurray, AB. The eastern and northern part of the property is transected by a high voltage powerline. Most geological fieldwork is limited to late May to October but other operations such as geophysical surveys and diamond drilling can be completed year-round. Highlights from documented historical work include: North Norite Bay (SMDI 2183): 407.96 g/t (14.39 oz/T) Au over 0.5 m (drill hole) ELA (SMDI 1574): 39.96 g/t (1.41 oz/t) Au over 0.55 m (drill hole) Holes G-1 and G-3 (SMDI 2329): 3.20 g/t Au over 1 m (drill hole) Occurrence No. 6/Occurrence No. 8 (SMDI 1581): 90.6 g/t (3.20 oz/T) Au over 0.2 m (trench) Cole Lake Ni-Cu (SMDI 1583): 0.45% Ni over 7.0 m (drill hole), 6.2 g/t Au, 0.01% Ni and 0.06% Cu over 3.0 m (trench) The main deposit type that is being explored for at Pine Channel is structurally controlled vein-quartz (lode) gold deposits. Mineral occurrences on the Pine Channel Property contain predominantly gold, with rare base metal occurrences. Within the Pine Channel tenures there are eighteen historical showings reported by the Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI). Government mapping in the Pine Channel area dates from 1913, with the first industry work reported in 1950. A total of 51 assessment reports have been filed within the current Pine Channel tenure area. Past operators include Golden Rule Resources Ltd. and Colchis Resources Ltd. who were both active on the project during the 1980's, the last sustained period of exploration in the area. The most recent work prior to Eagle Plains acquiring the claims in 2018 was in 2013 when the area was flown with an airborne Variable Time Domain Electromagnetic ("VTEM") survey focused on locating targets for diamond exploration. There has been a total of 6,066 meters of diamond drilling in 115 historic holes completed within the current Pine Channel property claim boundaries with the majority of the holes completed less than 100 meters in length. Although the wide-spaced drilling did intersect significant gold mineralization in places, much of the drilling was completed using thin diameter core which is considered ineffective for assessing the high grade "nuggety" gold shears and veins found at Pine Channel. The first recorded systematic exploration work on the Pine Channel property was in 1950 by Goldfields Uranium Mines. The first significant program on the property was in 1980 by Golden Rule Resources who completed 246 line-km of airborne EM (INPUT) and magnetic surveying. Follow-up ground work located 11 significant occurrences. From 1985-1988 Colchis Resources completed VLF-EM geophysics, biogeochemical surveys, prospecting, soil sampling and trenching followed by shallow diamond drill testing of selected targets. The Pine Channel project lies within the Tantato Domain which is composed of highly deformed gneisses which form the eastern margin of the Archean Rae Craton. Metamorphic rocks which have been subject to varying degrees of strain form the majority of the property area. The above results were summarized from SMDI descriptions and assessment reports filed with the Saskatchewan government. Management cautions that historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person, but form a basis for ongoing work in the Pine Channel property area. In 2019-2020, Eagle Plains completed field programs focused on prospecting and mapping in areas of known mineral occurrences. The work confirmed the widespread occurrences of auriferous quartz veins and associated shear systems in the Pine Channel property. Analytical results from the seventy-two rock samples collected in 2020 range from 6 ppb Au to 68,400 ppb Au. Twenty-three of the samples returned greater than 1 g/t Au, and eight returned greater than 10 g/t Au. The most encouraging of the known showings are the ELA Shaft showing (SMDI 1574) and Occurrence No. 6 and No. 8 (SMDI 1581), which both demonstrate anomalous gold geochemical results and potential for extension of known mineralization along strike. Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a Director of Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., has prepared, reviewed, and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release. About Eagle Plains Resources Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains is a well-funded, prolific project generator that continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. The Company was formed in 1992 and is the ninth-oldest listed issuer on the TSX-V (and one of only three that has not seen a roll-back or restructuring of its shares). Eagle Plains has continued to deliver shareholder value over the years and through numerous spin-outs has transferred over $100,000,000 in value directly to its shareholders, with Copper Canyon Resources and recently Taiga Gold being notable examples. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Eagle Plains also holds significant royalty interests in western Canadian projects, covering a broad spectrum of commodities on projects controlled by Cameco Corp., Iso Energy Corp., Denison Mines Corp., Skeena Resources Ltd. and Alexco Resource Corp./Banyan Gold Corp., among others. Management's focus is to advance its most promising exploration projects. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices. Expenditures from 2011-2021 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $27M, the majority of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 42,000m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Tim J. Termuende" President and CEO For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at 1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673) Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at http://www.eagleplains.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704213/Eagle-Plains-Partner-Apogee-Minerals-Commences-Airborne-Geophysical-Survey-at-Pine-Channel-Gold-Project Global Finance Magazine RecognizesCloud-based Finance and IT Solutions Leader for Reimagining and Designing Finance Tools for Corporate Treasury Teams, Financial Institutions Kyriba, a global leader of cloud-based finance and IT solutions, has been recognized by Global Finance Magazine as one of the five most innovative global financial technology companies of 2022. The Innovators Awards the publication's tenth annual recognition program -honors banks, fintechs and other companies that excel at advancing new tools and paths in finance. Kyriba joins an elite group of global financial technology innovators recognized by the highly regarded industry publication including Stripe, Capitolis, Dwolla, and Keo World. "We are honored to be recognized for our role in shaping the future of finance and for making a positive impact on the digital transformation journey of numerous global enterprises and financial institutions," said Jean-Luc Robert, chairman and CEO of Kyriba. "Kyriba is constantly innovating our liquidity management platform and ecosystem of apps that help us empower CFOs, CIOs, CROs, Treasury and their teams to drive better business outcomes." In the past 12 months, Kyriba has invented and brought to market new solutions that unlock value for CFOs, enable real-time decision support, reduce the cost and time to value for new product integration and implementation and more. Kyriba also continues to rapidly grow an unmatched ecosystem of innovative partnerships. Recent achievements include: Unveiled an Open API platform that unlocks access to a $15T payments network Launched 24 new API connectors to accelerate liquidity management and support business continuity Built new working capital solutions that hold the power to close the $3.4T trade financing gap Joined forces with Societe Generale to create a complete cloud-based Treasury Management Solution (TMS) Partnered with Blackline to streamline digitization of the office of the CFO Recognized by IDC for outstanding customer satisfaction in the SaaS Treasury Management market "This award further inspires Kyriba to deliver new solutions to our thousands of clients who achieve greater ROI, improved decision support through APIs, advanced cash forecasting, working capital and risk mitigation solutions, accelerating growth potential each day," Robert said. All honorees were selected by the editorial board of Global Finance -- known as 'the leading voice for modern finance' -- with the input of its expert editorial staff, who also awarded Kyriba for "World's Best Treasury Management Software" and "Open Banking Treasury Solution." To learn more about Kyriba's treasury management and open banking solutions, visit Kyriba.com; to read about Global Finance's annual Innovators Awards for 2022, go to gfmag.com. About Kyriba Corp.: Kyriba empowers CFOs, Treasurers, and their IT counterparts to transform treasury, payments, working capital, and connectivity solutions to activate liquidity as a dynamic, real-time vehicle for growth and value creation. Kyriba is a secure, scalable SaaS platform that leverages artificial intelligence, automates payments workflows, and enables thousands of multinational corporations and banks to maximize growth, protect against loss from fraud and financial risk, and reduce operational costs. With over 2,500 clients worldwide, including 25% of Fortune 500 and Eurostoxx 50 companies, Kyriba manages more than 1.3 billion bank transactions per year, and 250 million payments for a total value of $15 Trillion annually. Kyriba is headquartered in San Diego, with offices globally. For more information, visit www.kyriba.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005311/en/ Contacts: Corporate Media Contacts: Americas Daniel Shaffer dshaffer@kyriba.com +1858-263-2219 EMEA Caroline Peyrat caroline.peyrat@kyriba.com +33633372920 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. Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Monarch Mining Corporation (TSX: GBAR) invites you to visit them at Booth #2113 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday, June 13, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. About Monarch Mining Corporation Monarch Mining Corporation (TSX: GBAR) (OTCQX: GBARF) is a fully integrated mining company that owns four projects, including the Beaufor Mine, which has produced more than 1 million ounces of gold over the last 30 years. Other assets include the Croinor Gold, McKenzie Break and Swanson properties, all located near Monarch's wholly owned 750 tpd Beacon Mill. Monarch owns 29,504 hectares (295 km2) of mining assets in the prolific Abitibi mining camp that host a combined measured and indicated gold resource of 478,982 ounces and a combined inferred resource of 383,393 ounces. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference, please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Monarch Mining Corporation Jean-Marc Lacoste 1-888-994-4465 jm.lacoste@monarchmining.com www.monarchmining.ca AM Best has appointed Andrew Power as an independent Non-Executive Director to the Boards of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region subsidiaries, A.M. Best Europe Rating Services Ltd. (AMBERS), and A.M. Best (EU) Rating Services B.V. (AMBEU). His appointment is with effect from 6 June 2022. Commenting on the appointment, Matthew C. Mosher, President CEO, AM Best Rating Services, Inc. and Chairman of AMBERS, said: "The appointment of Mr. Power adds a further step in the development and governance of our businesses across the EMEA region. Mr. Power's significant knowledge of the insurance and financial services sector and his background in developing commercial strategies and operational model transformation will be beneficial to the Boards and to our businesses." Mr. Power has over 25 years experience in providing consulting services to insurance companies and other financial services institutions. As a former partner of the consulting arm of Deloitte UK, he developed and led the Strategy and Insurance Consulting practice across the U.K. Prior to joining Deloitte, Mr. Power was a Consulting Partner at Accenture where he ran the Insurance Strategy practice in the North America region. During his earlier career, he held positions as Partner at both EDS Consulting Practice and McKinsey and Co. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com Copyright 2022 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005722/en/ Contacts: Edem Kuenyehia Director, Market Development & Communications +44 20 7397 0280 edem.kuenyehia@ambest.com Boomi's worldwide network of 800+ partners , including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, Snowflake, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft, help fuel the category-leading, global SaaS company's rapid customer growth Several Fortune 500 companies and notable brands globally, such as AT&T, Cisco, LinkedIn, Moderna, Novartis, and Sky, leverage the Boomi AtomSphere Platform to drive better business outcomes Boomi's enterprise-grade platform scales to support the largest customer deployments, recently processing more than one trillion documents and 65 billion integrations as demand for intelligent connectivity and automation grows CHESTERBROOK, Pa., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boomi , the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, today announced that it has surpassed 20,000 customers, representing the largest customer base of any cloud integration platform as a service (iPaaS) provider. Fortune 500 companies and notable brands globally, such as AT&T , Cisco, LinkedIn, Moderna , and Novartis, along with leading international companies like Ampol, Australian Red Cross , the Environmental Protection Agency, and Sky , leverage the Boomi AtomSphere Platform to drive better business outcomes. Boomi's customers rely on the category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company's award-winning technology, robust community, and world-class partners to accelerate productivity, drive innovation, and thrive during change. In addition to working with worldwide brands, Boomi also works with leading non-profit organizations that are focused on connecting the world for good, extending Boomi's mission to connect everyone to everything, anywhere. "Our team supports the people and systems that bring researchers together with the ultimate goal of curing cancer," said Craig Eisenberger, director, Enterprise Platform Services and Data Management at the American Association for Cancer Research. "Boomi enables us to create seamless and real-time connections between our systems so we can have a single, shared version of truth across our organization. Through the Boomi platform, we'll produce and distribute more accurate data, and the insights we acquire will enable our stakeholders to spend less time creating reports and more time driving our mission forward." "Today's global organizations need intelligent connectivity and automation like never before," said Chris Port, chief operating officer at Boomi. "Supply chain disruptions have caused a projected $4 trillion in lost revenues. The Great Reshuffle and the need to support a growing hybrid and remote workforce are straining already lean resources. Silos continue to prevent companies from realizing the value of their data," added Port. "Businesses of all sizes, across all geographies and industries, turn to Boomi and our vast ecosystem to successfully solve challenges like these, quickly and easily." Boomi's worldwide network of more than 800 partners, including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake, as well as the three largest cloud providers - Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft - have helped fuel the company's rapid customer growth as demand for intelligent connectivity and automation continues to accelerate. Boomi's low-code, cloud-native, enterprise-grade integration platform scales to support the largest customer deployments - recently processing more than one trillion documents and 65 billion integrations - enabling enterprises to quickly and easily unify their full digital ecosystems. By connecting data and systems across hybrid digital environments, organizations can break down business silos, unlock the power of data, and streamline workflows to better serve customers, employees, and partners. As the pioneer of cloud-based iPaaS, the Boomi AtomSphere Platform serves as the backbone of innovation in organizations, saving thousands of hours in tedious development and accelerating time to value while addressing digital transformation imperatives. Boomi touts a growing user community of over 100,000 members and one of the largest arrays of global system integrators (GSI) in the iPaaS space. Positioned as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for enterprise platform as a service (EiPaaS)2 for eight consecutive years , the company recently received the Gold Globee Award in the Platform as a Service (PaaS) category, and has garnered numerous awards for being an employer of choice, including a recent listing as one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces . Additional Resources Read more about how our customers succeed with Boomi Learn more about the Boomi AtomSphere Platform Explore the Boomiverse Community Follow Boomi on Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook , and YouTube Gartner Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Note: Boomi was recognized as Dell Boomi from 2014 to 2019. About Boomi Boomi instantly connects everyone to everything, anywhere with its cloud-native, unified, open, and intelligent platform. Boomi's integration platform as a service (iPaaS) is trusted by more than 20,000 customers globally for its speed, ease-of-use, and lower total cost of ownership. As the pioneer at fueling intelligent use of data, Boomi's vision is to make it quick and easy for customers and partners to discover, manage, and orchestrate data, while connecting applications, processes, and people for better, faster outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.boomi.com . 2022 Boomi, LP. Boomi, the 'B' logo, Boomiverse, and AtomSphere are trademarks of Boomi, LP or its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Other names or marks may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Kristen Walker Global Corporate Communications kristenwalker@boomi.com +1-415-613-8320 1 Largest customer base among iPaaS vendors 2 Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service, Eric Thoo, Keith Guttridge, Bindi Bhullar, Shameen Pillai, Abhishek Singh, September 29, 2021 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834753/20KCustomers_customer_base.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1002945/Boomi_Dell_Business_Logo.jpg London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Wells on Wheels has launched a new campaign that is distributing Water Wheels to transport water in India. The sight of long lines of young girls making their way to the closest well and returning with many pots balanced on their heads is common in Indian villages. Many young girls are kept from school to fetch potable water to meet the needs of their household, as the men and boys in the family would be busy tending to the fields to make money. The weight of carrying heavy water on their heads at such a young age has a severely detrimental impact later in life. Carrying such pots on a daily basis affects the physical development of these children and can cause musculoskeletal issues and injuries. Due to the inefficient use of groundwater for cultivation and a population that is the second highest in the world, it is projected that India will have only half the water it needs by 2030. Metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Chennai have already experienced water shortages this year. The scenario is just as bad in the villages. Less than 50% of the population in India has access to safe drinking water. The impact that this scarcity of water has on the education of poor girls in villages has prompted Shaz Memon, founder of Digimax Dental, a dental marketing agency to set up Water Wheels. Commenting on the initiative, Shaz Memon, the founder of Wells on Wheels said, "It was the birth of my daughter five years ago that inspired me to ask a relative back in India to provide local families with essentials for their babies. While discussing this with him on a video call, I saw long lines of young girls going to fetch water in the background. For him, it was a sight that was commonplace. For me, it was a heartbreaking one. I could not imagine the plight of a young girl having to miss out on school just because she had to spend hours in the blazing heat making several trips to fetch water from the nearest source of potable water." A Water Wheel is a wheel-shaped round water drum that is fitted with a handle, and can be easily rolled on the ground instead of being carried on the head. It can carry 45 litres of water, five times as much water as a single bucket, thus reducing the number of trips needed to fetch water. The physical strain linked to carrying water and risk of injury is far less. With less time and effort needed to fetch water needed to meet the requirements of their household, young girls are now attending school and helping to break the cycle of poverty. Young girls' aspirations to leave their villages and achieve their dreams is significantly more likely when they attain an education. Initially set up as a crowdfunding initiative in June 2019, Wells on Wheels is a non profit organisation that identifies poor families in villages across India and supplies them with free "Water Wheels". Wells on Wheels is a registered charity that has so far transformed the lives of many girls in villages across India. Memon's goal is to change the lives of one million women and girls by 2025. It is estimated that at least 2000 girls are now attending school regularly as an outcome of his efforts. Media Contact: Name: Shaz Memon Email: shaz@digimax.co.uk To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126933 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. (TSXV: SOIL) (FSE: SMKA) ("Saturn" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's May 31, 2022 press release, it has closed its previously announced bought deal offering of subscription receipts, including full exercise of the over-allotment option (the "Bought Deal Offering"). Pursuant to the Bought Deal Offering, the Company issued a total of 27,181,860 subscription receipts ("Subscription Receipts") at a price of $2.75 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of $74,750,115 (including full exercise of the Underwriters' over-allotment option). Each Subscription Receipt represents the right of the holder to receive, immediately prior to closing of the previously announced Viking Acquisition (expected to close on or about July 6, 2022), without payment of additional consideration, one unit of the Company (each, a "Unit"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Share for 12 months and a day following the date of issue at an exercise price of $3.20, subject to adjustment in certain events. If the Viking Acquisition is not completed by October 6, 2022 (being 120 days from the closing date of the Bought Deal Offering) or if the Viking Acquisition is terminated at an earlier time, the gross proceeds of the Bought Deal Offering and pro rata entitlement to interest earned or deemed to be earned on the gross proceeds of the Bought Deal Offering, net of any applicable withholding taxes, will be paid to holders of the Subscription Receipts and the Subscription Receipts will be cancelled. The Company will direct the proceeds of the Bought Deal Offering towards the Viking Acquisition as well as drilling and completions work, working capital, and general corporate purposes, as further described in the Company's prospectus supplement dated June 2, 2022 to the Company's final base shelf prospectus dated May 19, 2022 (collectively, the "Prospectus"). The Bought Deal Offering was completed by way of the Prospectus and was underwritten by Canaccord Genuity Corp., Eight Capital and Echelon Capital Markets Inc., as co-lead Underwriters, and including Beacon Securities Limited and Velocity Trade Capital (collectively, the "Underwriters"). The Underwriters were issued 1,619,962 broker warrants ("Broker Warrants") in connection with the Bought Deal Offering. Each Broker Warrant will entitle the holder to receive, for no additional consideration, at the time of conversion of the Subscription Receipts, one compensation option. Each compensation option will be exercisable into one unit of the Company on the same terms as the Units (a "Compensation Unit") at an exercise price of $2.75 until June 8, 2024. Each Compensation Unit will be comprised of one Share (a "Compensation Unit Share") and one half of one Warrant (a "Compensation Unit Warrant"). Each Compensation Unit Warrant will be exercisable for one additional Share (a "Compensation Unit Warrant Share") at a price of $3.20 for a period of 12 months plus one day from their date of issuance. The Underwriters also received a cash commission of 6.0% (3.0% in respect of certain President's list subscribers) in respect of the Bought Deal Offering. The TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") has conditionally accepted for listing the 27,181,860 Subscription Receipts. The Company expects that the Subscription Receipts will be listed for trading under the symbol "SOIL.R" effective at the opening of markets on June 10, 2022. Non-Brokered Offering In addition, the Company wishes to announce its intention to complete a non-brokered offering (the "Non-Brokered Offering") of units ("Private Placement Units") to certain strategic investors who were unable to participate in the Bought Deal Offering. The Non-Brokered Offering will be for up to 1,090,909 Private Placement Units at a price of $2.75 per Private Placement Unit for total proceeds of up to $3 million. Each Private Placement Unit will consist of one Share and one-half of one Warrant. Each whole Warrant will be issuable on the same terms as the Warrants under the Bought Deal Offering, subject to adjustment in certain events. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Non-Brokered Offering to accelerate and expand capital expenditures in today's high oil price environment, for working capital and general corporate purposes. Closing of the Non-Brokered Offering is expected to occur on or before the closing of the Viking Acquisition, or such other date as the Company may choose (the "Closing Date") and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. The Non-Brokered Offering will take place by way of a private placement pursuant to applicable exemptions from the prospectus requirements in those jurisdictions where the Non-Brokered Offering can lawfully be made. The securities issued pursuant to the Non-Brokered Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day from the closing date in accordance with applicable securities laws. About Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. is a growing Canadian energy company focused on generating positive shareholder returns through the continued responsible development of high-quality, light oil weighted assets, supported by an acquisition strategy that targets highly accretive, complementary opportunities. Saturn has assembled an attractive portfolio of free-cash flowing, low-decline operated assets in Southeastern Saskatchewan and West Central Saskatchewan that provide a deep inventory of long-term economic drilling opportunities across multiple zones. With an unwavering commitment to building an ESG-focused culture, Saturn's goal is to increase reserves, production and cash flows at an attractive return on invested capital. Saturn's shares are listed for trading on the TSXV under ticker 'SOIL' and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under symbol 'SMKA'. Further information and a corporate presentation is available on Saturn's website at www.saturnoil.com. Saturn Oil & Gas Investor & Media Contacts: John Jeffrey, MBA - Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 (587) 392-7902 www.saturnoil.com Kevin Smith, MBA - VP Corporate Development Tel: +1 (587) 392-7900 info@saturnoil.com Reader Advisory FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND STATEMENTS. Certain information included in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project", "scheduled", "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, the use of proceeds of the Bought Deal Offering, completion of the Viking Acquisition, conversion of the Subscription Receipts, the use of proceeds from the Non-Brokered Offering, and closing of the Non-Brokered Offering. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Saturn, including expectations and assumptions concerning: the timing of closing of the Viking Acquisition and access to and sufficiency of capital. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which have been used. Although Saturn believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Saturn can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the ability to close the Non-Brokered Offering in the timeframe and for the amounts expected, or at all, ability to accelerate capital expenditure programs, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks), constraint in the availability of services, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, the current COVID-19 pandemic, changes in legislation impacting the oil and gas industry, adverse weather conditions and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. These and other risks are set out in more detail in Saturn's amended and restated Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and Saturn undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. All dollar figures included herein are presented in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126935 More than 30 million brands, businesses, artists, publishers and agencies can now embed typeforms directly within Linktree to grow and engage their audiences Typeform, a conversational interaction platform, has announced a new app available in Linktree Marketplace, the recently launched directory for all of Linktree's integrations and Link Apps. The Typeform Link App will allow users to embed typeforms directly within their Linktree. Brands will now be able to engage their social media audiences with Typeform's no-code conversational solutions without redirecting their audiences away from their Linktree ecosystem. When collecting responses in the Typeform Link App, brands can seamlessly connect their typeforms to business-critical tools such as Square, Slack, HubSpot and more, ensuring quick and simple integration across existing data and workflows so that brands can gather better feedback, build stronger brand affinity, and drive personal connections at scale. Linktree enables creators, brands, artists, publishers, agencies, and businesses of all sizes to curate an online ecosystem, engage with their audience and monetize their passion. Linktree is among the top 300 most popular website destinations globally, with 1.2 billion unique visitors a month. "The proliferation of social media has led to the need for creators and brands to interact with their customers in a highly personal, more human way," said Nick Rizzuto, Head of Product Partnerships Innovation, Linktree. "With the Typeform Link App, anyone creating those interactions can embed intuitive, conversational experiences directly in their Linktree, helping to build lasting relationships with their audiences." With embedded solutions from Typeform, Linktree users can help their brand shine through conversational interactions that let their audiences easily book appointments, register for newsletters, get personalized product recommendations, and more. Once a Typeform is added to a Linktree account, the respondent will only have to click on the link and the form will appear, embedded in the same page, without bringing users to a new window. Typeform's thoughtful and efficient design of both product functionality and aesthetic elevates the quality of human interaction at every point of the brand experience. Linktree users can get started quickly by drawing inspiration from Typeform's beautiful, inviting templates, such as Typeform's lead generation quizzes and forms. Whether using Linktree to gather new customers and clients through Instagram or another social platform, users can launch an on-brand interactive form, connect it to existing workflows, and begin having better conversations with their audiences through authentic, personalized experiences that also have a superior look and feel. "People expect to be treated like people by the brands they love across every digital touchpoint, and the highly-personal nature of social media has made it an indispensable channel for growing and engaging audiences," said Karrie Sanderson, chief marketing officer, Typeform. "Now, with the ability to curate an online ecosystem using Linktree and elevate their interactions with embedded conversational solutions from Typeform, brands can build long-lasting personal relationships with their audiences and make data-driven decisions to accelerate growth." Leveraging conversational design principles and personalized features, Typeform powers on-brand, multi-channel digital presence for human interactions at scale, making interactions with brands feel like a personal conversation rather than a basic form thanks to dynamic, beautifully designed interfaces. By putting a more human touch on digital interactions, Typeform helps brands of all sizes better connect with the people that matter most to them their customers, employees, and communities all without writing a single line of code. By offering tools that combine the superpowers of both a developer and a designer, Typeform dramatically lowers time-to-value so that even resource-constrained businesses can start providing amazing online, asynchronous interactions with their customers, taking them on conversational journeys and seeing results right away. 87 percent of Typeform users report higher response rates with Typeform and 95 percent report getting more data, more easily after switching from their old solution. Today, more than 65 percent of the Fortune 500 uses Typeform to engage their customers. Grow your audience, put your customer at the heart of the conversation, and get actionable data at your fingertips by embedding a typeform into your Linktree today. Learn more about tailor-made Typeform Enterprise plans at typeform.com/enterprise. Find out how to join Typeform programs for Agency, Affiliate and Product partners by visiting partners.typeform.com. For information on joining Typeform's global team, visit typeform.com/careers. About Typeform Typeform is a no-code SaaS platform with thoughtfully-designed tools that help companies grow their business by engaging with their audience. Offering people-friendly forms, quizzes, surveys, and asynchronous video solutions, Typeform turns digital interactions into human connection. Launched in 2012, Typeform drives more than 500 million digital interactions per year and integrates with hundreds of other business-critical tools like HubSpot, Calendly, and Slack, to name a few. Typeform is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain with an office in San Francisco, California, and has a globally-distributed workforce of over 450 people. For more information, visit www.typeform.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005039/en/ Contacts: Typeform John Costello pr@typeform.com CATHAY INNOVATION AND LEDGER LAUNCH 100M ($110M) FUNDDEDICATED TO UNLOCKING THE OPPORTUNITIES OF WEB3 AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES WORLDWIDE Backed by Bpifrance, Ledger Cathay Capital is an early-stage venture fund investing in the creators and entrepreneurs bringing a secure, decentralized future to the next billion users Ledger and Cathay Innovation today announced the launch of a 100M ($110M) early-stage venture fund dedicated to unlocking the opportunities of Web3 worldwide, covering cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance (DeFI), blockchains, NFTs, DAOs and the tokenization of everything. Supported by French public investment bank Bpifrance, Ledger Cathay Capital is a partnership between Ledger, the leading crypto-security platform securing 20% of the world's cryptocurrencies, NFTs and tokens, and global venture capital firm Cathay Innovation. By combining Ledger's world-leading experts in Web3, blockchain and security, with an established global venture capital platform including Cathay's extensive ecosystem, the new fund gives creators and founders the capital, tools and unmatched direct industry access needed to innovate at scale from the very start. "In the next 15 years, we'll see the tokenization of everything as blockchain transforms existing asset classes with programmability, trust, security and digital ownership but this can't happen in silos," said Denis Barrier, Co-Founder of Cathay Innovation. "As an early investor in Ledger, we saw a unique opportunity to connect the wider ecosystem building tomorrow's tokenized world. Ledger Cathay Capital is not only deeply ingrained in crypto and blockchain, but it unlocks global resources, networks and potential partnership opportunities that will accelerate the growth of Web3 innovation with the highest security standards to better serve the next billion people." "A decentralized future, with countless digital assets and services, hinges on the ability to ensure security and trust," said Pascal Gauthier, CEO and Chairman of Ledger. "At Ledger, we've built our company around providing protection and verifiable trust across people, hardware and software becoming a world leader in securing, buying and exchanging crypto. Now, with Ledger Cathay Capital, we want to help crypto and Web3 builders by granting access to our unique digital security ecosystem, and support building on our security technology platform, thanks to the technical know-how from over 700 blockchain experts and distribution channels to scale the innovative, secure, decentralized services of tomorrow." The partnership, already counting various French and international leaders, looks to better connect and stimulate a global Web3 ecosystem while bringing greater opportunities to entrepreneurs across Europe, North America, Asia and beyond. The fund will bring a collaborative and community-based approach that helps crypto and Web3 builders meet talent and potential partners, innovate, reach customers and share business strategies to capitalize on major trends and scale products and services worldwide. Led by Cathay Innovation's Denis Barrier and Ledger's Pascal Gauthier and Michael Louzado, Ledger Cathay Capital brings a strong team of investors with extensive knowledge of global venture investing, crypto and Web3. The fund will invest globally in Seed to Series A companies focused on emerging DeFi, security, infrastructure, digital ownership technologies, protocols and more. Ledger has also made direct early investments in startups that will be managed by theLedger Cathay Capital team. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005721/en/ Contacts: Grayling PR agency Manuel Chaplet e-mail: manuel.chaplet@grayling.com NEW YORK and BANGALORE, India, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Impelsys, a leading global provider of digital transformation services, announced the launch of its new world-class facility in the central business district of Bangalore. The facility was launched by a delegation from the American Heart Association (AHA) - one of Impelsys' major clients led by David Fung, VP, Commercial Technology. The additional facility will support the company's growing business needs, which has emerged as a leading provider of digital transformation platforms and services for publishers, health care companies, education providers, and associations. The modern facility is equipped with the best-in-class IT infrastructure, robust security, and sustainability standards. "The new facility reflects our growth trajectory as a company and is a strong testament to our commitment to preparing for the journey ahead. I am confident that it would strengthen our ever-growing capabilities to keep our customers and employees delighted and help fast-track our growth," said Sameer Shariff, Founder and CEO, Impelsys. Impelsys has proven capabilities, processes, and the best practices needed to provide impactful digital transformation solutions tailored to the needs of clients across the globe. The company has been a digital transformation partner to some of the largest brands across industry verticals. About Impelsys Impelsys is a market leader in providing cutting-edge platforms and technology services to leading enterprises, education providers, publishers, and content aggregators worldwide. We complement our solutions repertoire with services spanning eLearning, application support, digital marketing, and content engineering. With more than 20 years of experience, 1,000+ experts, & over 2500 tailormade solutions built for our clients, Impelsys has helped organizations to evolve, transform, and stay relevant with the changing industry trends. Impelsys is a CMMi Level 3 company and has a global footprint of 1000+ employees, with offices in US - New York, and India - Bangalore, Mangalore. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1829408/Impelsys_Logo.jpg The platform, GhostU, provides a much-needed educational resource for the fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar ghost kitchen industry. AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Ghost Financial , a comprehensive financing and business services platform for ghost kitchen operators, by ghost kitchen operators, today announced the launch of the first-ever online learning and community platform for prospective and existing ghost kitchen operators, called GhostU . GhostU will provide industry-leading insights that enable success and profitability that were previously unavailable to the market. GhostU's initial 12 episode video masterclass will cover essential, industry-specific topics on how to start a profitable ghost kitchen operation in 60 days - including, but not limited to how to boost your restaurant to the top of the delivery apps, building targeted advertising campaigns, developing viral menu items, selecting your kitchen provider, negotiating with your ghost kitchen landlord, how to secure financing, how to hire cooking staff, and more. By leveraging Ghost Financial's deep insights into the industry, GhostU will also provide crucial information to the market that was previously unavailable, outdated or simply incorrect. In addition to the 12 episodes detailing how to create a profit-generating asset, GhostU Masterclass includes step-by-step worksheets and three-month access to the Ghost Kitchen Community, another first-of-its-kind, where ghost kitchen owners can interact, share their wisdom and experience, along with accessing interactive workshops, Q&A sessions, and more. "After starting my own ghost kitchen restaurant, Keto Kitchen, in late 2020, I know from experience it can be a very lonely business," says Founder of GhostU and CEO of Ghost Financial, John Meyer . "Until now, there was no central source for ghost kitchen operators to connect, share ideas, or ask questions with each other. GhostU's web-based community platform will function as a social networking site for the industry to come together and thrive as a collective community. "Ghost kitchens are revolutionary in that they have lowered the barrier to entry for foodies with a dream by taking the cost and timeline down to start a restaurant from $500k and an entire year, to $25k and 30 days. Now that it is so easy to start a ghost kitchen, I want to ensure that with proper education, the industry sees failure rates drop to 5% or lower," says Meyer. The GhostU courses will provide students with the resources and knowledge they need to become successful ghost kitchen operators. To maximize access to GhostU, interested students can sign up for a 75%-discounted price of only $250, between now and June 30th, 2022 by visiting www.ghostU.com . For more information on Ghost Financial, please visit www.ghostfinancial.com . About Ghost Financial Founded by John Meyer, a serial entrepreneur, investor and ghost kitchen operator himself, Ghost Financial is an empathy-first comprehensive financing and business services platform to support ghost kitchen and restaurant ventures by offering financial products such as insurance, payroll, credit cards and expansion loans. ### Media Contact Mady Dudley mady@redroosterpr.com (727) 433-2435 Red Rooster PR SOURCE: Ghost Financial View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704314/Ghost-Financial-Launches-First-Ever-Educational-Platform-on-How-to-Start-a-Successful-Ghost-Kitchen Novata's GP Advisory Committee is a group of leading private investment firms who embody purpose and authenticity in their approach to ESG Px3 Partners, a new private equity firm founded by Petter Johnsson, Gianpiero Lenza and Sebastien Mazella di Bosco, today announced that it has joined Novata's General Partner (GP) Advisory Committee. Novata, a public benefit corporation backed by the Ford Foundation, Hamilton Lane, S&P Global and Omidyar Network, is the leading ESG data management platform built for the private markets. Novata provides customers with a clear 'on-ramp' for selecting ESG metrics, painless data collection into a secure database, and data insights and analytics tools to inform investment decisions. The Novata GP Advisory Committee, a group of the world's leading private investment firms committed to ESG, provides critical guidance and recommendations to the Novata ecosystem on a range of ESG issues, including effective ESG measurement and benchmarking tools. Px3 is aligned with Novata in its mission to advance ESG data collection in the private markets. "Px3 stands for purpose, passion, and performance. These are the core principles that guide us in driving best-in-class performance. Sustainability is a unifying driving force behind these principles and is why we are so excited to be joining the forward-looking Novata GP Advisory Committee," said the Managing Partners of Px3. With mounting pressure from regulators, investors, customers, and employees to increase data transparency, Novata's platform, designed by the GP community, is the simple first step for private equity firms looking to tackle ESG data collection. "Novata is committed to developing the tools the GP community needs to enable effective ESG data collection and analysis in the private markets," said Alex Friedman, CEO Co-Founder of Novata. "We are thrilled that Px3, a unique firm committed to the ideals of ESG and led by a distinguished team of industry leaders, is joining us on that mission." Learn more about Novata's GP Advisory Committee here. About Px3 Partners Px3 stands for purpose, passion, and performance. It is a purpose-based, thematic- and category-focused, pan-European, mid-market private equity firm founded in 2021 by Petter Johnsson, Gianpiero Lenza and Sebastien Mazella di Bosco, with headquarters in London. Px3's investment strategy focuses on targeted categories within the business services, consumer and leisure, and industrials sectors benefiting from the transformative themes it has identified and wants to underwrite. Px3's founders have worked together for two decades and have a history of supporting ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams build great businesses through transformative growth internationally and operational improvement. For more information, please visit https://www.px3partners.com/. Follow Px3 Partners on LinkedIn. About Novata Novata is a public benefit corporation created to enable the private markets to achieve a more sustainable and inclusive form of capitalism. Novata helps private equity firms and private companies to navigate the complex ESG landscape more easily by providing a technology platform that simplifies the process of selecting reporting metrics, provides clear and simple guidance for painless data collection, hosts a cutting-edge secure contributory database to store data, and offers unique tools for analysis and seamless reporting to key stakeholders, including limited partners and regulators. Novata was formed as a partnership of the Ford Foundation, S&P Global, Hamilton Lane and Omidyar Network and is majority-controlled by mission-driven organizations and its employees. For more information, please visit https://www.novata.com/. Follow Novata on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005776/en/ Contacts: Media Inquiries: Px3 info@px3partners.com Novata Katie Stueber Press@novata.com The Business Research Company's sales intelligence research report expands on key drivers, trends, and growth opportunities in the market. LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The sales intelligence market consists of the sale of sales intelligence services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to understand consumer behavior and target audience with the best products to fulfill their requirements. Sales intelligence refers to the range of tech solutions that provide data to salespeople which helps sales and marketing teams identify, analyze, present, and make use of data for their potential customers and their requirements. The global sales intelligence market size is expected to grow from $2.72 billion in 2021 to $3.05 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. The global sales intelligence market size is expected to grow to $4.8 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 12.0%. Request a free sample of the Sales Intelligence Market Report Sales Intelligence Market Drivers The surge in demand for content optimization and data enrichment tools has driven the sales intelligence market. Data enrichment solutions enable businesses to maximize their data which offers new marketing opportunities, communication channels, and improved client targeting. Also, content optimization is equally important to reduce the danger of overloading as much new content is being created every day. Hence, the demand for content optimization and related services will rise the demand for sales intelligence tools and will drive the market. Key Sales Intelligence Market Players In The Sales Intelligence Industry Major players in the sales intelligence market are Clearbit, Demandbase, Inc., InsideView., LinkedIn Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Zoho Corporation, DiscoverOrg, Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, Data Axle, HG Insights, ZoomInfo Technologies LLC, HG Insights, LeadGenius, InfoGroup, UpLead, RelPro, DueDil, EverString, RingLead, Gryphon Networks, List Partners, FullContact, and Relationship Capital Partners Inc. Sales Intelligence Industry Trends The infusion of AI and ML capabilities to automate the pre-sales process has been a trend in the sales intelligence market. The infusion of artificial intelligence and machine learning has created a massive opportunity for companies to automate their pre-sales and sales process and improve sales leads. Sales Intelligence Market Regional Outlook North America was the largest region in the sales intelligence market in 2021 and is also expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global sales intelligence market during the forecast period. The regions covered in the global sales intelligence market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. See more on the Sales Intelligence Market Report Check out similar market reports: Business Process as a service (BPaaS) Global Market Report 2022 - By Process Type (HRM, Accounting & Finance, Sales & Marketing, Customer service support, Procurement and Supply Chain, Operations), By End Users (Banking, financial service, & insurance (BFSI), Telecom & IT, Manufacturing, Ecommerce Retail, Healthcare, Governments), By Deployment service Type (SAAS, PAAS, IAAS), By Stream (BPO, BPA, BPM) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Management Consulting Services Global Market Report 2022 - By Type (Operations Advisory, Financial Advisory, Technology Advisory, Strategy Advisory, Other Consulting Services, HR Advisory), By End Use Industry (IT Services, Manufacturing, Financial Services, Mining And Oil & Gas, Construction, Others), By Service Provider (Large Enterprise, Small and Medium Enterprise) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022 - 2026 Marketing Automation Global Market Report 2022 - By Component (Software, Services), By Deployment (On-Premises, Cloud), By Organization Size (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Large Enterprises), By Application (Digital Marketing, E-Mail Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Campaign Management, Other Applications), By End-Use (BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Telecom And IT, Discrete Manufacturing, Government And Education, Other End-Users) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology. The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 8897263534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: info@tbrc.info LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1751581/tbrc_logo.jpg Each handmade bar has been crafted to elevate and delight consumers' haircare experience with its high performance and unique properties P&G Beauty's first paper packaging innovation for its shampoo and conditioner bars range marks the continuous journey to deliver on its sustainability commitments. Since 2021, P&G Beauty has reduced virgin plastic usage by 50%, equivalent to 300 million virgin plastic bottles less per year 1 New research reveals 75%2 of consumers are eager to be more sustainable and are urging brands to help them achieve this at home REUTERS RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS SUMMIT--P&G Beauty is proud to announce on World Oceans Day that Head Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie are launching their first paper packaging innovations shampoo and conditioner bars. Announced at the Reuters Responsible Business Summit during a live panel of sustainability experts for the Raising the Bar: Advancing Responsible Beauty in Europe session, P&G Beauty showcased that, as of 2022, Head Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie will continue to deliver sustainable products at scale. These new products will change the way people buy and use shampoo and conditioner. Consumers are eager to be more sustainable and urging brands to help them, new global research conducted by P&G Beauty reveals that 75% of consumers would like to buy more beauty products with packaging made from recycled material2. Indeed, a significant proportion of consumers (65%) already try to buy plastic free packaging3. With a footprint in millions of European households, P&G Beauty's scale, combined with their commitment to continue to raise the bar on sustainable innovation, delivers a significant contribution to tackling the challenges of bathroom sustainability. These new shampoo bars have been formulated where one bar equals up to two equivalent 250ml liquid shampoo bottles. With the introduction of more and more post-consumer recycled plastic into regular bottles and the refill system, the launch of bars will further contribute to the reduction of 300 million bottles of virgin plastic per year. This continues to be the latest innovation in a line of many, for consumers who want to use brands they love whilst doing their part for the planet. Speaking at the summit, Artur Litarowicz, Head of P&G Beauty Europe said; "Every day we are working to raise the bar in sustainability. And I am thrilled to say that to raise the bar again, we are now bringing highly performing handmade bars across the total P&G hair care portfolio in Europe including Head Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie. Not only do these innovations offer a delightful experience due to their unique formulas and shapes but their boxes are paper-based with FSC certified paper, to further advance us on the mission to reduce virgin plastic." P&G Beauty worked with Paula Chin, Sustainable Materials Specialist at WWF UK, ahead of the panel to incorporate their perspective on the role of brands making an impact at scale on plastic waste reduction. Paula Chin, WWF UKcommented, "Plastic pollution is one of the most visible symptoms of the environmental crisis we're facing and it's devastating our natural world. Businesses, governments and households have all got an important part to play in tackling this. Consumers are rightly concerned about this issue so it's great to see P&G playing their part to drive down the use of plastics with this new range. But we need even greater action to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution and waste." An experience to meet consumer satisfaction P&G Beauty's 2030 commitment to plastic reduction continues with the new boxes of shampoo bars with recyclable FSC paper. P&G Beauty knows the importance of haircare rituals and what this experience means to consumers. The new shampoo bars have been carefully developed to meet consumer desires in line with their liquid counterparts. A highly effective shampoo that creates a rich lather with a delightful scent leaving hair feeling clean. Designed in recognizable signature branding; Head Shoulders, Pantene, Herbal Essences and Aussie shampoo and conditioner bars all come in easy-to-hold bar shapes with an integrated built-in cotton rope to hang in the shower for ease of storage. Head Shoulders has also pioneered its first active antidandruff solid shampoo bar, bringing this formula to millions who suffer from dandruff. In addition to this, it has scalp massaging properties. Our testing process has revealed consumers' reaction to the bars, stating "it feels unique, easy-to-hold and practical". In addition, Aussie is becoming our first household brand to launch a solid conditioner bar. P&G Beauty's sustainability journey P&G Responsible Beauty continues its commitment to help consumers act more sustainably in their everyday lives, by providing them with better choices. In short, here's our journey so far: Recycle: As of December 2021, most of our shampoo conditioner bottles became technically recyclable. As of December 2021, most of our shampoo conditioner bottles became technically recyclable. Reduce: From 2021, we reduced the amount of virgin plastic used by 10,000 tons a year 1 , equivalent to 300 million virgin plastic bottles. We listened to consumers and now more than half of our shampoo bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic in Europe. From 2021, we reduced the amount of virgin plastic used by 10,000 tons a year , equivalent to 300 million virgin plastic bottles. We listened to consumers and now more than half of our shampoo bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic in Europe. Reuse: We launched THE GOOD REFILL to help consumers change their refill behavior in the bathroom and have already brought over a million refillable products to market in one year. To hear more about P&G Responsible Beauty innovation and sustainability commitments head to us.pg.com/responsible-beauty/. About P&G P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always, Ambi Pur, Ariel, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Dawn, Downy, Fairy, Febreze, Gain, Gillette, Head Shoulders, Lenor, Olay, Oral-B, Pampers, Pantene, SK-II, Tide, Vicks, and Whisper. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands. References: 1December 2021 vs. 2016 2P&G commissioned a global consumer research: survey was conducted in May 2021 with 24,000 adults all ages, all genders from 12 countries: Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, UK, USA 3Kantar Who Cares Who Does September 2021 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005161/en/ Contacts: pgresponsiblebeauty22@hkstrategies.com KIMMTRAK has been approved in Canada and Australia for the treatment of an aggressive form of ocular melanoma and follows approval in the United States and the European Union PETACH TIKVAH, Israel, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Medison Pharma ("Medison"), a global pharma company focused on providing access to highly innovative therapies to patients in international markets, is pleased to announce the approval of KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp) by Health Canada and Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM), a rare and aggressive form of melanoma that affects the eye. KIMMTRAK was developed by Immunocore Holdings plc ("Immunocore"), a commercial-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of T cell receptor (TCR) bispecific immunotherapies designed to treat a broad range of diseases, including cancer, infection and autoimmune disease. The approval will enable Medison to commercialize KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp) in Canada and Australia, as part of a multi-territorial agreement between Medison and Immunocore, covering a total of 24 markets in Canada, Israel, 20 markets across Central Eastern Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand. "We are pleased to provide patients in Canada and Australia with access to this breakthrough therapy, as part of our multi-territorial partnership with Immunocore", said Meir Jakobsohn, Founder and CEO of Medison. "We look forward to continuing the momentum and reaching more patients around the globe". "The approvals of KIMMTRAK by Health Canada and TGA are a milestone for uveal melanoma patients in Canada and Australia," said Victor Papamoniodis VP International Markets at Medison. "We are proud to make this breakthrough treatment available to Canadian and Australian patients and we are working diligently to secure additional approvals in the rest of our countries." "The approval of KIMMTRAK by Health Canada and TGA represent another positive step forward for uveal melanoma patients. As a team, we are extremely proud that this groundbreaking treatment can now be made available to patients in over 30 countries around the world," said Mark Moyer, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Immunocore. "To have achieved this in such a short period of time demonstrates the impact that international initiatives such as Project Orbis, which enabled these rapid approvals, can have in providing faster patient access to innovative cancer treatments in countries outside of the US and EU." "For years, metastatic uveal melanoma patients have had to make do with therapeutic options not ideally suited for their condition," said. Dr. Marcus Butler, Medical Oncologist, Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Melanoma/Skin Medical Oncology Site Lead at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada. "Today's approval of tebentafusp represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma and offers patients with new hope and a chance at longer survival." About Uveal Melanoma Uveal melanoma is a rare and aggressive form of melanoma, which affects the eye. Although it is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, the diagnosis is rare. Up to 50% of people with uveal melanoma will eventually develop metastatic disease. Unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma typically has a poor prognosis and had no approved treatment until KIMMTRAK. About KIMMTRAK KIMMTRAK is a novel bispecific protein comprised of a soluble T cell receptor fused to an anti-CD3 immune-effector function. KIMMTRAK specifically targets gp100, a lineage antigen expressed in melanocytes and melanoma. This is the first molecule developed using Immunocore's ImmTAC technology platform designed to redirect and activate T cells to recognise and kill tumor cells. KIMMTRAK has been approved for the treatment of HLA-A*02:01-positive adult patients with unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma in the United States, European Union, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. KIMMTRAK Clinical Review Health Canada's approval is based on the results of Immunocore's Phase 3 IMCgp100-202 clinical trial, a randomized pivotal trial that evaluated overall survival (OS) of KIMMTRAK compared to investigator's choice (either pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, or dacarbazine) in HLA-A*02:01-positive adult patients with previously untreated mUM. KIMMTRAK demonstrated an unprecedented OS benefit with a Hazard Ratio (HR) in the intent-to-treat population favoring KIMMTRAK, HR=0.51 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.71); p< 0.0001, over investigator's choice (82% pembrolizumab; 13% ipilimumab; 6% dacarbazine). IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), which may be serious or life-threatening, occurred in patients receiving KIMMTRAK. Monitor for at least 16 hours following first three infusions and then as clinically indicated. Manifestations of CRS may include fever, hypotension, hypoxia, chills, nausea, vomiting, rash, elevated transaminases, fatigue, and headache. CRS occurred in 89% of patients who received KIMMTRAK with 0.8% being grade 3 or 4. Ensure immediate access to medications and resuscitative equipment to manage CRS. Ensure patients are euvolemic prior to initiating the infusions. Closely monitor patients for signs or symptoms of CRS following infusions of KIMMTRAK. Monitor fluid status, vital signs, and oxygenation level and provide appropriate therapy. Withhold or discontinue KIMMTRAK depending on persistence and severity of CRS. In the randomised Phase 3 trial of KIMMTRAK, treatment-related adverse reactions were generally manageable and consistent with the proposed mechanism of action. Among the patients treated with KIMMTRAK, the most common Grade 3 or higher adverse events were rash (18%), pyrexia (4%), and pruritus (5%). In the 245 patients treated with KIMMTRAK, Grade 3 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred in <1% of patients and were generally well-managed. There were no Grade 4 or higher CRS events observed in the Phase 3 clinical trial. Skin Reactions Skin reactions, including rash, pruritus, and cutaneous edema occurred in 91% of patients treated with KIMMTRAK. Monitor patients for skin reactions. If skin reactions occur, treat with antihistamine and topical or systemic steroids based on persistence and severity of symptoms. Withhold or permanently discontinue KIMMTRAK depending on the severity of skin reactions. Elevated Liver Enzymes Elevations in liver enzymes occurred in 65% of patients treated with KIMMTRAK. Monitor alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total blood bilirubin prior to the start of and during treatment with KIMMTRAK. Withhold KIMMTRAK according to severity. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity KIMMTRAK may cause fetal harm. Advise pregnant patients of potential risk to the fetus and patients of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with KIMMTRAK and 1 week after the last dose. The most common adverse reactions (=30%) in patients who received KIMMTRAK were cytokine release syndrome, rash, pyrexia, pruritus, fatigue, nausea, chills, abdominal pain, edema, hypotension, dry skin, headache, and vomiting. The most common (=50%) laboratory abnormalities were decreased lymphocyte count, increased creatinine, increased glucose, increased AST, increased ALT, decreased hemoglobin, and decreased phosphate. For more information, please see full Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) or full U.S. Prescribing Information (including BOXED WARNING for CRS). About Medison Pharma Medison is a global pharma company focused on providing access to highly innovative therapies to patients in international markets. Medison is the first to create an international commercialization platform for highly innovative therapies, helping to save and improve lives by making the best available novel treatments accessible to patients in international markets. Medison has a track record of multi-territorial partnerships with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies seeking to expand their global reach. Medison is also an active investor in disruptive healthcare technologies and provides its partners with exposure to innovation in biotech and digital health. To learn more visit www.medisonpharma.com. About Immunocore Immunocore is a commercial-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of a novel class of TCR bispecific immunotherapies called ImmTAX - Immune mobilizing monoclonal TCRs Against X disease - designed to treat a broad range of diseases, including cancer, autoimmune, and infectious disease. Leveraging its proprietary, flexible, off-the-shelf ImmTAX platform, Immunocore is developing a deep pipeline in multiple therapeutic areas, including five clinical stage programs in oncology and infectious disease, advanced pre-clinical programs in autoimmune disease and multiple earlier pre-clinical programs. For additional information Medison Contact Maya Nix, Corporate Communications Lead T: +972-3-925-0347 E: mayan@medisonpharma.com Canadian media inquiries: Dara Willis, Gage Communications T: 416-836-9272 E: dwillis@gagecommunications.ca Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (FSE: G6H) (OTCQB: GZDIF) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that crews have mobilized to southern British Columbia (BC) during May and have commenced surface-based fieldwork that will lead eventually to drilling during 2022. The Company is permitted for initial drilling programs at its Motherlode and Dayton Prospects in the Greenwood area of British Columbia and is currently in the process of obtaining the required permits for drilling at the Robocop Project near Grasmere, BC. Grizzly is actively seeking bids for its drilling program which is slated to begin later this summer. The 2022 exploration program for the Greenwood Precious-Battery Metals Project and the Robocop Battery Metals Project will comprise soil and rock sampling, along with ground geophysical surveys followed by drilling at both projects in southern BC. Grizzly will focus efforts at a number of new and existing high-priority battery metals targets at Robocop (copper, cobalt and silver) and precious metals - battery metals targets at Greenwood (gold-silver-copper and other base metals). The ground exploration will be focused on or near prospective targets to be drilled during 2022. Recent geophysical results have outlined large areas with anomalous geological potential for new discoveries at both projects. Brian Testo, President and CEO of Grizzly Discoveries stated "We look forward to the start of the 2022 program after completing a significant financing that will allow us to complete our drill programs at the Robocop Battery Metals Project and at our Greenwood Precious Metals-Battery Metals Project. Grizzly has significant potential for new copper-cobalt and copper-precious metal discoveries during a time when demand for battery metals is surging due to the shift to renewable energy sources and electric vehicles. We are looking forward to commencing an initial Phase 1 program over the next couple of months to isolate drill targets in preparation for a Phase 2 - 2022 drill testing. The geology of the Robocop and Greenwood areas has the potential to yield world-class discoveries." Update on Property Option Agreements In May 2022, Hi-View Resources Inc. commenced ground exploration including soil and rock sampling on the Company's Ket-28 property pursuant to the Ket-28 Option Agreement (see the Company's news release dated August 10, 2021). A ground time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey is being planned for early summer at the project. The intent of the survey will be to confirm and define potential conductivity and resistivity targets identified in airborne surveys leading to the definition of additional drill targets for copper-gold-silver skarns and porphyry's. Effective May 28, 2022, the optionee for the Company's Midway property (see the Company's news release dated March 15, 2021) notified the Company that the optionee would not proceed to the second year of the option agreement, and the option for the Midway property has been terminated. The Company is evaluating next steps for the Midway property. Warrants and Options Exercised Between May 3 and June 7, 2022 the Company issued a total of 1,700,000 common shares upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants, for gross proceeds of $110,000. As of June 7, 2022, the Company has 133,124,890 common shares issued and outstanding. Options Granted The Board of Directors of the Company have authorized the grant of an aggregate 3,500,000 share purchase options under the Company's Stock Option Plan to Directors, Officers, and Consultants of the Company, including 2,500,000 to Insiders of the Company. The options are exercisable at $0.09 per common share until June 7, 2027, or earlier in accordance with the terms of the Stock Option Plan. These options vested immediately upon issuance and are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on developing its approximately 66,000 ha (approximately 165,000 acres) of precious and base metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. Grizzly is run by highly experienced junior resource sector management team, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from early exploration stage through to feasibility stage. On behalf of the Board, GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Brian Testo, CEO, President For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact: Chris Beltgens Corporate Development Tel: 604-282-6372 Email: cbeltgens@grizzlydiscoveries.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. Caution concerning forward-looking information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126956 Malaga, Spain--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Stockholm Precision Tools AB invites you to visit them at Booth #905 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday, June 13, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. About Stockholm Precision Tools AB This year, the Swedish company Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT) manufacturer of directional survey solutions, will be exhibiting at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada 2022 (PDAC22) conference. This year, they are presenting an Augmented Reality Experience. Attendees will be able to meet and greet SPT staff at booth #905 and explore in an original and unique way their tools through augmented reality experience. At the booth, the founder and CEO of SPT, Orlando Ramirez will be greeting all visitors, along with Eric Estrada, global marketing manager, Hector Marin, technical manager, and Anthony Seredynski, the head of the SPT Canada offices. "...of course, we are excited to welcome PDAC visitors to our booth; we are more than happy to assist them and answer any questions they may have." Orlando Ramirez said. "We aim to bring the public a different and original experience during PDAC while they discover our latest developments." Eric Estrada said. Anthony Seredynski mentioned: "We are excited to be able to present to the public a different way to experience our tools." The extended information regarding the technology and solutions developed by SPT and how it could benefit your mining projects can be found at their website in https://sptab.com. SPT is offering a free on-site demonstration of their tools that both mining and drilling professionals can book a "no-obligation trial" through their contact form at their website or directly at sales@sptab.com. About Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT) Since the foundation of the company in 1996, Stockholm Precision Tools (SPTAB) has been a trusted partner and supplier of high quality solid state gyro solutions. They collaborate with the largest oil and gas, mining and civil engineering companies around the world. State-of-the-art technology and high industrial quality standards ensure that all manufactured products meet international quality standards. By keeping design and manufacturing in-house, it is possible to closely monitor every step of the production process to ensure the highest level of quality control. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference, please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Stockholm Precision Tools AB Eric Estrada +34617022409 eric.estrada@sptab.com https://sptab.com Phage therapy in 2022: French experience Regulatory News: Pherecydes Pharma (FR0011651694 ALPHE, PEA-PME eligible), a biotech company specializing in precision phage therapy to treat resistant and/or complicated bacterial infections, today announces it will participate to the scientific symposium "Phage therapy: French experience", which will be held on June 15, 2022 from 5:15 pm to 6:30 pm in the amphitheater A of the Palais des Congres in Bordeaux, as part of the 23rd National Days of Infectiology (NDI). The symposium, moderated by Dr. F.-A. Dauchy from the Bordeaux University Hospital, will host the following presentations: Phagotherapy and IOA. Compassionate cases and clinical studies including PhagoDAIR: Pr. T. Ferry (Lyon) Phage therapy and Infections of the Diabetic Foot Ulcer. State of knowledge. PhagoPied: Pr. A. Sotto (Nimes) Phage therapy and pulmonary infections. Preclinical results. Planned clinical studies: Dr. A. Bleibtreu (Paris) Pascal Birman, Medical Director of Pherecydes Pharma, comments: "Antibiotic resistance is a major public health issue and is a central theme at this 23rd edition of the NDI. This symposium is an opportunity to highlight the interest of phage therapy through several clinical studies that will be conducted in different indications and through compassionate treatments already performed with our phages. Pherecydes Pharma and its partners are doing their utmost to ensure that these studies provide useful answers to improve the treatment of patients suffering from antibiotic resistant infections." About Pherecydes Pharma Founded in 2006, Pherecydes Pharma is a biotechnology company that develops treatments against resistant bacterial infections, responsible for many serious infections. The Company has developed an innovative approach, precision phage therapy, based on the use of phages, natural bacteria-killing viruses. Pherecydes Pharma is developing a portfolio of phages targeting 3 of the most resistant and dangerous bacteria, which alone account for more than two thirds of hospital-acquired resistant infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The concept of precision phage therapy has been successfully applied in several dozen patients in the context of compassionate use, under the supervision of the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines (ANSM). Headquartered in Nantes, Pherecydes Pharma has a team of around twenty experts from the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology sector and academic research. For more information, www.pherecydes-pharma.com Disclaimer This press release contains non-factual elements, including, but not limited to, certain statements regarding future results and other future events. These statements are based on the current vision and assumptions of the management of the Company. They incorporate known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could result in significant differences in results, profitability and expected events. In addition, Pherecydes Pharma, its shareholders and its affiliates, directors, officers, counsels and employees have not verified the accuracy of, and make no representations or warranties about, statistical information or forecast information contained within this news release and that originates or is derived from third party sources or industry publications; these statistical data and forecast information are only used in this press release for information purposes. Finally, this press release may be drafted in French and in English. In the event of differences between the two texts, the French version will prevail. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005809/en/ Contacts: Pherecydes Pharma Thibaut du Fayet Deputy CEO investors@pherecydes-pharma.com NewCap Dusan Oresansky Investor Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 94 92 NewCap Arthur Rouille Media Relations pherecydes@newcap.eu T.: +33 1 44 71 00 15 Vote via VOTACCESS from June 10 (9:00 am) to June 29 (3:00 pm) Regulatory News: SpineGuard (FR0011464452 ALSGD) (Paris:ALSGD), an innovative company that deploys its DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) sensing technology to secure and streamline the placement of bone implants, announces that, due to lack of quorum, its Annual Shareholders' meeting held on June 8, 2022 could not be held. Shareholders are hereby notified that the Annual Shareholders' Meeting will be held on second call on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 10:00 am at the offices of the law firm Ashurst Paris, located at 18 square Edouard VII, 75009 Paris. The Shareholder's Meeting will be held on the same agenda and with the same conditions of participation as at the time of the first call (see Press Release of May 2, 2022). The lack of quorum did not allow to resolve on both the ordinary and extraordinary resolutions. The shareholders who voted by mail or by Internet at the Shareholders' Meeting first call remain valid for the Shareholders' Meeting on second call. The shareholders of the company who did not cast their vote until now are invited to do so remotely, before the Shareholder's Meeting on 2nd call: e-voting using "Votaccess" is available and should be prioritized. The secure voting platform Votaccess will reopend on Friday, June 10, 2022 at 9:00 am CEST and close on Wednesday, June 29 at 3:00 pm CEST Alternatively, voting by proxy is also available according to the procedures indicated in the notice of meeting published in the BALO on May 2, 2022. The deadline to cast votes by proxy is Tuesday June 28, 2022. For all questions regarding voting procedures, please refer to the Investor Relations team by e-mail: spineguard@newcap.eu About SpineGuard Founded in 2009 in France and the USA by Pierre Jerome and Stephane Bette, SpineGuard is an innovative company deploying its proprietary radiation-free real time sensing technology DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) to secure and streamline the placement of implants in the skeleton. SpineGuard designs, develops and markets medical devices that have been used in over 90,000 surgical procedures worldwide. Nineteen studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated the multiple benefits DSG offers to patients, surgeons, surgical staff and hospitals. Building on these strong fundamentals and several strategic partnerships, SpineGuard has expanded the scope of its DSG technology in innovative applications such as the smart pedicle screw, the DSG Connect visualization and registration interface, dental implantology and surgical robotics. DSG was co-invented by Maurice Bourlion, Ph.D., Ciaran Bolger, M.D., Ph.D., and Alain Vanquaethem, Biomedical Engineer. SpineGuard has engaged in multiple ESG initiatives. For further information, visit www.spineguard.com Disclaimer The SpineGuard securities may not be offered or sold in the United States as they have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any United States state securities laws, and SpineGuard does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. This is an announcement and not a prospectus, and the information contained herein does and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or exemption from registration. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005833/en/ Contacts: SpineGuard Pierre Jerome CEO Chairman Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 p.jerome@spineguard.com SpineGuard Manuel Lanfossi CFO Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 m.lanfossi@spineguard.com NewCap Investor Relations Financial Communication Mathilde Bohin Pierre Laurent Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94 spineguard@newcap.eu GAUSSIN (EURONEXT GROWTH ALGAU FR0013495298), a pioneer in the clean and intelligent transport of goods and people, announced that management will participate in the Roth Capital Partners 8th Annual London Conference from June 21 to June 23, 2022. Christophe Gaussin, CEO, will participate in meetings on June 21 and June 22; Jean-Francois Sturmel, CFO, and Gary Patterson, EVP North America, will participate in meetings on June 21, 22 and 23. An investor presentation will be available on June 16, 2022 by visiting the Investors section of the company's website. About GAUSSIN GAUSSIN is an engineering company that designs, assembles and sells innovative products and services in the transport and logistics field. Its know-how encompasses cargo and passenger transport, autonomous technologies allowing for self-driving solutions such as Automotive Guided Vehicles, and the integration of all types of batteries, electric and hydrogen fuel cells in particular. With more than 50,000 vehicles worldwide, GAUSSIN enjoys a strong reputation in four fast-expanding markets: port terminals, airports, logistics and people mobility. The group has developed strategic partnerships with major global players in order to accelerate its commercial penetration: Siemens Postal, Parcel Airport Logistics in the airport field, Bollore Ports and ST Engineering in ports and Bluebus for people mobility. GAUSSIN has broadened its business model with the signing of license agreements accelerating the diffusion of its technology throughout the world. The acquisition of METALLIANCE confirms the emergence of an international group present in all segments of intelligent and clean vehicles. In October 2021, GAUSSIN won the Dubai World Challenge for Self-Driving Transport. In January 2022, GAUSSIN successfully completed the 2022 Dakar Rally with its H2 Racing Truck, the first hydrogen-powered vehicle to enter the race and generate zero CO2 emissions. In March 2022, Christophe GAUSSIN was named "Hydrogen Personality of the year" at the Hydrogenies Trophees de l'hydrogene ceremony held at the French National Assembly. GAUSSIN has been listed on Euronext Growth in Paris since 2010. More information on www.GAUSSIN.com. For more information on GAUSSIN, go to www.GAUSSIN.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005469/en/ Contacts: GAUSSIN Christophe GAUSSIN, invest@GAUSSIN.com +33(0)3.84.46.13.45 Ulysse Communication Nicolas Daniels, ndaniels@ulysse-communication.com +33(0)6.63.66.59.22 Charles Courbet, ccourbet@ulysse-communication.com +33(0)6.28.93.03.06 LHA Investor Relations USA Jody Burfening, jburfening@lhai.com (212) 838-3777 RooneyPartners USA Jeanene Timberlake, jtimberlake@rooneypartners.com (646) 770-8858 Third Point Investors Limited (a closed-ended investment incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 47161) LEI Number: 549300WXTCG65AQ7V644 (The "Company") 8 JUNE 2022 RESULT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 8 June 2022 all Ordinary and Special Resolutions set out in the Annual General Meeting Notice sent to Shareholders dated 17 May 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 35,390,483 5,000 0 0 2 35,390,483 5,000 0 0 3 35,390,483 5,000 0 0 4 35,390,483 5,000 0 0 5 35,390,465 5,000 18 0 6 35,390,465 5,000 18 0 7 13,309,364 5,000 847,011 21,234,108* 8 35,013,196 5,000 18,725 358,562 9 35,390,465 5,000 18 0 10 35,390,465 5,000 18 0 Special Resolution For Discretion (voted in favour) Against Abstain 11 14,156,375 5,000 0 21,234,108* Note -A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution. Pursuant to Article 4(c) of the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, the Class B Shareholder was unable to vote in respect of Resolution 7, this being a Listing Rule Reserved Matter. *The abstaining votes represent Third Point Offshore Independent Voting Company Limited. The Special Resolution was as follows: Special Resolution 11 That conditional upon the Ordinary Shares of the Company remaining traded on the main market of the London Stock Exchange, the Company be authorised in accordance with Section 315 of the Companies Law to make market acquisitions (within the meaning of section 316 of the Companies Law) of each class of its Shares (either for retention as treasury shares for future reissue and resale or transfer, or cancellation) provided that: i. the maximum number of Shares hereby authorised to be purchased shall be 14.99% of each class of Shares in issue at the date of this document; ii. the minimum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for a Share shall be 50 per cent of the Net Asset Value (as defined in the Articles); iii. Unless a tender offer is made to all holders of the relevant class of Shares, the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for a Share shall not be more than the higher of (a) 105 per cent of the average of the middle mark quotations for a Share taken from the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities for the five business days before the purchase is made and (b) the higher of the price of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid at the time of the purchase; and (c) any purchase by the Company of 15 per cent or more of any class of its Shares shall be effected by way of a tender offer to all Shareholders of that class, or such other price as may be permitted by the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority: iv. the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company, or, if earlier, on the expiry of eighteen months from the passing of this resolution, unless such authority is renewed, varied or revoked prior to such time; and v. the Company may make a contract to purchase Shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the expiry of such authority which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiration of such authority and may make a purchase of 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 Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 8 June 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 8,672 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 783.00p per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 3,422,895; 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 221,568,408. The figure of 221,568,408 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 Kuros Biosciences AG / Key word(s): AGMEGM Annual General Meeting of Kuros Biosciences approves all resolutions 08-Jun-2022 / 19:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland, June 8, 2022 - Kuros Biosciences (SIX:KURN) today announced that its Annual General Meeting approved all resolutions proposed by the Board of Directors. Ad-hoc announcement pursuant to Article 53 of the SIX listing rules The Annual General Meeting approved the Annual Report, the Annual Financial Statements, and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year 2021 and took note of the Reports of the Auditors. Shareholders granted discharge to the Board and the persons entrusted with the Management, voted in favor of the proposed appropriation of the Annual Results and approved the compensation for the members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. Clemens van Blitterswijk was re-elected as Chairman and Leanna Caron, Joost de Bruijn, Scott P. Bruder, Oliver Walker and Chris Fair were re-elected as members of the Board. Leanna Caron, Chris Fair and Oliver Walker were re-elected as members of the Compensation Committee. The law firm Keller KLG, Zurich was re-elected as independent Proxy. PricewaterhouseCoopers were confirmed for another one-year term as the Company's auditor. The Annual General Meeting further approved with the required 2/3 majority the adjustment to the articles of association regarding the increase of the Conditional Share Capital for Bonds or Similar Debt Instruments (allowing the issuance of up to 4'650'000 shares in total with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each), the increase of the Conditional Share Capital for Employees, Persons of Comparable Positions and Board Members (allowing the issuance of up to 3'995'213shares in total with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 each), and the creation of Authorized Share Capital (allowing the issuance of up to 4'650'000 shares in total with a nominal value of CHF 0.10 CHF until December 31, 2022). The Annual General Meeting took place at the Company's headquarters in Schlieren without the physical presence of the shareholders and only voting through the independent proxy was permitted. 15,518,179 shares or 47.3% of a total of 32,811,378 shares were represented. For further information, please contact: Kuros Biosciences AG Michael Grau Chief Financial Officer Tel +41 44 733 47 47 michael.grau@kurosbio.com LifeSci Advisors Hans Herklots Investors +41 79 598 7149 hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com About Kuros Biosciences AG Kuros Biosciences is a fast-growing leader in the development of spinal fusion biologics that ease the burden of back pain. With locations in the United States, Switzerland and the Netherlands, the company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The company's first commercial product, MagnetOs, is a unique synthetic bone graft that has already been used successfully across three continents and in some 4,000 spinal fusion surgeries. The next candidate in the Kuros pipeline is Fibrin-PTH - the first drug-biologic combination for interbody spinal fusions, currently undergoing a Phase 2 clinical trial in the US. For more information on the company, its products and pipeline, visit kurosbio.com. Forward Looking Statements This media release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are urged to consider statements that include the words "will" or "expect" or the negative of those words or other similar words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements include scientific, business, economic and financial factors. Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility for updating forward-looking statements or adapting them to future events or developments. End of ad hoc announcement Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - It is with great sadness that Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited (OTC Pink: LBRMF) (the "Company") announces that D. William (Bill) Hooley, Vice-Chairman and Non-Executive Director of the Company, passed away suddenly on June 7, 2022. On behalf of the Board, Chairman John Kearney said "We are deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of our colleague and friend Bill Hooley. As the Company's President from 2007 to 2011, Bill directed the initial development and successful construction, into commercial production, of LIM's James iron ore mine in Labrador and subsequently continued to provide valued advice and experience to the Company and the Board as Vice-Chairman." Bill was also a Director and Deputy Chairman of LIM's associate company and original parent, Anglesey Mining plc, and served as Anglesey's Chief Executive between 2006 and 2021, during which period he was instrumental in the advancement of Anglesey and its Parys Mountain mine project in Wales, UK. Bill had over fifty years of experience in minerals operations and management in a long and successful career with mining and service companies throughout the world, including extensive experience in Australia, Canada and the UK. Previously, he was Managing Director of Micon International Ltd. from 2000 to 2005. In addition, he held various management and executive posts with mining and service companies in the UK and Australia from 1975 to 1999. "Bill's wise counsel, friendship, dry humour, and loyalty will be sadly missed," added John Kearney. "We send our sincere condolences to Bill's wife, daughter and family." ABOUT LABRADOR IRON MINES HOLDINGS LIMITED Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited, through its majority owned subsidiaries Labrador Iron Mines Limited ("LIM") and Schefferville Mines Inc. ("SMI"), owns extensive iron ore resources in the central part of the Labrador Trough region, one of the major iron ore producing regions in the world, centered near the town of Schefferville, Quebec. LIM's current focus is on planning activities related to the development of its Houston Project and, subject to securing development financing, LIM is positioned to resume project development and production of direct shipping iron ore from the Houston deposits at the earliest opportunity. In the three-year period of 2011, 2012 and 2013 LIM produced a total of 3.6 million dry metric tonnes of iron ore, all of which was sold in 23 cape-size shipments into the China spot market. In March 2021, the Company reported the results of an independent PEA on its Houston Project prepared by RPA, now part of SLR Consulting Ltd. The Technical Report on the PEA, prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, may be viewed under the Company's profile on SEDAR, or on the Company's website. In addition to its Houston Project, LIM holds approximately 50 million tons in historical DSO resources in various deposits. LIM also holds the Elizabeth Taconite Project, which has an inferred mineral resource estimate (as at June 15, 2013) of 620 million tonnes at an average grade of 31.8% Fe. For further information, please visit LIM's website at www.labradorironmines.ca or contact: John F. Kearney Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (647) 728-4105 Richard Pinkerton Chief Financial Officer Tel: (647) 728-4104 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126967 The "Canned Wines Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size, and Forecasts up to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report predicts the global canned wines market to grow with a CAGR of 10.43% over the forecast period from 2021-2027. The report on the global canned wines market provides qualitative and quantitative analysis for the period from 2019 to 2027. The study on canned wines market covers the analysis of the leading geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW for the period of 2019 to 2027. The report on canned wines market is a comprehensive study and presentation of drivers, restraints, opportunities, demand factors, market size, forecasts, and trends in the global canned wines market over the period of 2019 to 2027. Moreover, the report is a collective presentation of primary and secondary research findings. Porter's five forces model in the report provides insights into the competitive rivalry, supplier and buyer positions in the market and opportunities for the new entrants in the global canned wines market over the period of 2019 to 2027. Further, Growth Matrix gave in the report brings an insight into the investment areas that existing or new market players can consider. What does this Report Deliver? Comprehensive analysis of the global as well as regional markets of the canned wines market. Complete coverage of all the segments in the canned wines market to analyze the trends, developments in the global market and forecast of market size up to 2027. Comprehensive analysis of the companies operating in the global canned wines market. The company profile includes analysis of product portfolio, revenue, SWOT analysis and latest developments of the company. Growth Matrix presents an analysis of the product segments and geographies that market players should focus to invest, consolidate, expand and/or diversify. Report Findings Drivers Increasing demand for portable and less friable wine containers Increasing consumption of wines by young population Restraints Rising government rules and regulations Opportunities Increasing demand by millennials Company Profiles E J Gallo Winery Constellation Brands Union Wine Company Integrated Beverage Group LLC SANS WINE CO Sula Vineyards Pvt. Ltd. The Family Coppola Santa Julia Winesellers Ltd. Old Westminster Winery Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface 1.1. Report Description 1.2. Research Methods 1.3. Research Approaches 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Canned Wines Market Highlights 2.2. Canned Wines Market Projection 2.3. Canned Wines Market Regional Highlights 3. Global Canned Wines Market Overview 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Market Dynamics 3.2.1. Drivers 3.2.2. Restraints 3.2.3. Opportunities 3.3. Analysis of COVID-19 impact on the Canned Wines Market 3.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 3.5. Growth Matrix Analysis 3.5.1. Growth Matrix Analysis by Product 3.5.2. Growth Matrix Analysis by Distribution Channel 3.5.3. Growth Matrix Analysis by Region 3.6. Value Chain Analysis of Canned Wines Market 4. Canned Wines Market Macro Indicator Analysis 5. Global Canned Wines Market by Product 5.1. Sparkling 5.2. Fortified 6. Global Canned Wines Market by Distribution Channel 6.1. Supermarket Hypermarket 6.2. Online 7. Global Canned Wines Market by Region 2021-2027 7.1. North America 7.1.1. North America Canned Wines Market by Product 7.1.2. North America Canned Wines Market by Distribution Channel 7.1.3. North America Canned Wines Market by Country 7.2. Europe 7.2.1. Europe Canned Wines Market by Product 7.2.2. Europe Canned Wines Market by Distribution Channel 7.2.3. Europe Canned Wines Market by Country 7.3. Asia-Pacific 7.3.1. Asia-Pacific Canned Wines Market by Product 7.3.2. Asia-Pacific Canned Wines Market by Distribution Channel 7.3.3. Asia-Pacific Canned Wines Market by Country 7.4. RoW 7.4.1. RoW Canned Wines Market by Product 7.4.2. RoW Canned Wines Market by Distribution Channel 7.4.3. RoW Canned Wines Market by Sub-region 8. Company Profiles and Competitive Landscape 8.1. Competitive Landscape in the Global Canned Wines Market 8.2. Companies Profiled 8.2.1. E J Gallo Winery 8.2.2. Constellation Brands 8.2.3. Union Wine Company 8.2.4. Integrated Beverage Group LLC 8.2.5. SANS WINE CO 8.2.6. Sula Vineyards Pvt. Ltd. 8.2.7. The Family Coppola 8.2.8. Santa Julia 8.2.9. Winesellers Ltd. 8.2.10. Old Westminster Winery Companies Mentioned E J Gallo Winery Constellation Brands Union Wine Company Integrated Beverage Group LLC SANS WINE CO Sula Vineyards Pvt. Ltd. The Family Coppola Santa Julia Winesellers Ltd. Old Westminster Winery For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xgo2zu About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006069/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 Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Empire Minerals Corporation Inc. ("Empire" or the "Corporation") and F.T. Archibald Consulting Ltd. (the "Grantor"), an Ontario corporation, have entered into an Exploration and Option to Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") dated the 1st of May, 2022 for a mining property with a term of five years for $3,000,000 located in Esqueda Township in the District of Algoma, Province of Ontario. The Agreement grants Empire an option to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the property as well as the right to carry out operations during the term. In addition, Empire grants to the Grantor a royalty with respect to the property of 0.5% net smelter returns on all minerals and a .5% gross overriding royalty on diamonds. Empire is entitled to buy-out the royalty agreement at any time for $7,000,000. Empire paid $500,000 upon signing the Agreement with additional payments of $500,000 due on each anniversary of the effective date for the next five years. The Corporation has raised funds for working capital purposes as well as the initial $500,000 for the Agreement. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Corporation reported loans from two related parties, Mr. Angelo Parravano ($125,000) and Mr. Robert Salna ($120,766). During the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, additional funds were advanced from Mr. Parravano ($10,000) and Mr. Salna ($15,000). On May 1st, 2022, Mr. Parravano and Mr. Salna advanced an additional $250,000 each. In total, the loan advances ("Loan") are $385,000 and 385,766 respectively. The Loan is unsecured, 12% interest and due on demand. Mr. Parravano is CEO and a director of the Corporation and Mr. Salna is a significant shareholder. The execution of the Loan is a "related party transaction" for purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Corporation is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements available under MI 61-101. The Corporation is exempt from the formal valuation requirement in section 5.4 of MI 61-101 in reliance on Section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 as the Corporation is not listed on a specified market. Additionally, the Corporation is exempt from minority shareholder approval requirement in Section 5.6 of MI 61-101 in reliance on Section 5.7(1)(e) of MI 61-101 as the Corporation is suffering from financial hardship. The Corporation is insolvent; the Loan is for working capital and mining exploration. The Corporation is not subject to court approval or court orders that the Loan be affected under bankruptcy or insolvency law or Sections 41 ff. of the Business Corporations Act (Quebec). The Corporation has one or more independent directors in respect of the Loan. The Corporation's Board of Directors, acting in good faith, has determined, and at least two-thirds of the Corporation's independent directors, acting in good faith, have determined that the Corporation is insolvent and in need of improving its financial position and the terms of the Loan are reasonable in the circumstances of the Corporation. The financing was approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to a directors' resolution dated May 16, 2022. The Corporation did not have a formal process for the review and approval of the Loan. Due to the size of the Corporation and the financial hardship, the directors, other than Mr. Angelo Parravano, approved the Loan up to an aggregate of $4,000,000 after a discussion. The Corporation did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Loan because the details of the transaction were not settled until shortly prior to the closing and the Corporation wished to close on an expedited basis for business reasons. The Corporation does not have any valuation or prior valuations that relate to the subject matter of or is otherwise relevant to the Loan. The Corporation will file a material change report on SEDAR with respect to the Loan, a copy of which will be sent by the Corporation to any shareholder upon request and without charge. Contact sheriquestion@gmail.com for information on the Loan. For more information, please contact: Sheri Monardo sheriquestion@gmail.com NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126975 Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Gourmet hot sauce company Reaper Robs has announced that it will be opening a chain of bar and grill restaurants and launching food trucks, along with offering franchising opportunities. Reaper Robs To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8668/126971_bbf4b4a884831b08_001full.jpg The business, founded in 2019, is focused on ingredient integrity, avoiding things like cheap fillers, preservatives, binding agents, and additives. Using a variety of different peppers and seasonings, Reaper Robs concentrates on a robust flavor profile while also incorporating the needs of those looking to avoid gluten, sugar, and excess carbs, as Reaper Robs is keto-friendly. All ingredients are all-natural, vegan, and vegetarian. Increased Market for Gourmet Spices There's currently a growing demand for premium, small-batch gourmet hot sauce options utilizing exotic ingredients and fruit-forward flavors. The global hot sauce market is anticipated to grow from $2.71 billion US in 2021 to $4.38 billion US in 2028 at a CAGR of 7.1%. This means higher profit margins on the way when it comes to premium products such as chili sauces. The price trend for sauces, condiments, spices, and seasonings has increased 10.89% in the last few years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Additionally, the market reflects a growing number of younger consumers who report spending more money on products deemed to have health benefits, such as vegan and organic options. The Research and Markets report predicts that the vegan food industry will reach a value of USD 31.4 billion by 2026, and the market for gluten-free products is expected to increase from its USD 4.3 billion value in 2019 to USD 7.5 billion by 2027. Reaper Robs To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8668/126971_bbf4b4a884831b08_002full.jpg Organic Sauces That Give Back Reaper Robs offers premium, gluten-free, and vegan hot sauces in a range of heat from mild to extremely spicy. The company takes its name from the infamous Carolina Reaper, the current Guinness World Record holder for the world's hottest pepper, and this pepper is utilized in the spicier options. The milder sauces use medium-heat peppers such as jalapeno and cayenne. The bestselling buffalo sauce showcases one of the ways that Reaper Robs gives back to the community. It's called the "Valor" sauce and for every bottle sold, the company donates fifty cents to the DAV (Disabled American Veterans), a non-profit organization that provides food, shelter, and other necessities to homeless and at-risk veterans. Reaper Robs is also dedicated to leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible and has taken many steps toward that goal, including the use of packaging which is 100% curbside recyclable. The company also offers a Carbon Offset program via CarbonClick; this allows customers to purchase carbon credits that are used for offsetting shipping and transportation emissions and supporting reforestation projects. Reaper Robs' Award-Winning Marketing Team With its strong product base and commitment to community and global good, Reaper Robs is moving toward franchising the brand, developing full-service bar and grill restaurants across the United States, and offering its products in select international markets. The company's ambitious expansion plan includes offering exclusive licensing agreements to manufacture, distribute, and market the Reaper Robs hot sauce range internationally, as well as developing additional products in markets outside of the United States. Reaper Robs is adopting a multi-sided marketplace business model focusing on both B2B commerce and D2C consumer channels. Their executive team, Charlotte and Scott George, have deep firsthand experience in the franchise arena, developing a franchise model, creating a system, and successfully franchising a promotional marketing and advertising company throughout Australia and New Zealand. During this time this business was the recipient of the Australian Business Awards for "Marketing Excellence" - Marketing & Business Management Services. Reaper Robs is currently available on shelves at Natural Grocers, online at Walmart, and will shortly be available online at Kroger and Amazon. Connect with Reaper Robs online: Scott George, Managing Director - www.linkedin.com/in/scottsgeorge Charlotte George, Director - www.linkedin.com/in/charlotteegeorge Reaper Robs - https://reaperrobs.com Reaper Robs on StartEngine - http://invest.reaperrobs.com (launching mid-May) Reaper Robs on IG - https://www.instagram.com/reaperrobs Reaper Robs on FB - https://www.facebook.com/reaperrobs Reaper Robs on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/reaperrobs Email: scott@reaperrobs.com Phone: 425-215-2020 Reaper Robs manufactures and sells premium vegan hot sauces in a variety of flavors. Their products are currently available through reaperrobs.com, on shelves at Natural Grocers, and online at retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, and Amazon. The products are also available to purchase wholesale. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126971 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices climbed higher on Wednesday, buoyed by data showing a notable drop in gasoline inventories in the U.S. last week, and on optimism about increased demand for oil from China. Investors cheered prospects of increased demand from China as Beijing and Shanghai gradually open up following almost two months of COVID-related lockdowns. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for July ended higher by $2.70 or about 2.3% at $122.11 a barrel, hitting a 3-week high. Brent crude oil futures moved up $2.77 or about 2.3% to $123.34 a barrel today. Data from Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed crude in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell as refiners' inputs rose to their highest level since January 2020. The EIA data said U.S. gasoline stocks dropped by 0.812 million barrels last week, as against expectations for an increase of about 1.1 million barrels. The EIA data said crude inventories increased by 2.03 million barrels last week, against expectations for 1.92 million drop. Distillate stockpiles rose by 2.59 million barrels, more than twice the expected increase. Meanwhile, reports suggest several countries might find it tough to boost output. In Norway, oil workers are reportedly planning to strike from Sunday over pay. This could result in significant drop in output. UAE energy minister Suhai al-Mazrouei has said that effors by OPEC and allies to boost output are 'not encouraging' with the group currently short of its target by about 2.6 million barrels per day. A warning by the International Energy Agency that Europe could face energy shortages next year due to the sanctions imposed on Russia. 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. 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 08.06.2022 / 22:05 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 June 3, 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: 31 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 1.234.209,00 1.234.209,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Convertible bond 900.343,00 900.343,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 525.227,00 525.227,00 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 21.715,00 21.715,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC In cash Ordinary share 5.361,00 5.361,00 Real Real Indirectly - United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC Physical Delivery Ordinary share 43,00 43,00 Real Real Indirectly - Folio Investments Inc. Physical Delivery Swap 195.675,00 195.675,00 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 42.945,00 42.945,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE In cash Ordinary share 19.785,00 19.785,00 Real Real Indirectly - The Goldman Sachs Trust Company of Delaware Physical Delivery Call-option 6.200,00 6.200,00 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 Ordinary share 491.488,00 491.488,00 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Call-option 50.000,00 50.000,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 39.193,00 39.193,00 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Distribution in percentages Type Total holding Directly real Directly potential Indirectly real Indirectly potential Capital interest 3,44 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,25% 3,19% Voting rights 3,44 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,25% 3,19% 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=125448 08.06.2022 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / LOVE Pharma Inc. ("LOVE" and or "the Company") (CSE:LUV)(FSE:G1Q0), announces it has completed a first closing of a non-brokered private placement. The Company accepted subscriptions for 72,971,998 units at a price of $0.011 per unit, for gross proceeds of $802,691.99. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at $0.05 for a period of two years from the date of closing, subject to the option of the Company to accelerate the expiry date in the event that its shares trade at $0.15 or more for 10 consecutive days. The Company paid $25,415.36 in cash and issued 2,310,487 broker warrants on the same terms as noted above, to qualified finders. Securities issued pursuant to this tranche are subject to trading restrictions until October 9, 2022. Proceeds will be used for working capital and to review possible acquisitions. About Love Pharma Inc. With a focus on the global sexual Health and Wellness markets, Love Pharma Inc. (CSE:LUV)(FSE:G1Q0) was founded in 2020, with a mission to bring to market innovative products that enhance sexual health and wellness while providing an improved quality of life. Love Pharma holds exclusive licenses to produce market, package, sell, and distribute patent-protected therapeutic and pharmaceutical products throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Telephone: 1 (604) 343-2977 E-mail: investors@love-pharma.com www.love-pharma.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. 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", "may" 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, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, lack of investor demand for Bitcoin and/or Bitcoin futures exchange traded funds, and dependence upon regulatory approvals. 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. SOURCE: Love Pharma Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704396/Love-Pharma-Inc-Announces-First-Closing-of-Financing WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Social media giant Twitter Inc. (TWTR) is reportedly planning to comply with Elon Musk's demand to provide more data about spam accounts. According to The Washington Post, Twitter plans to give the billionaire entrepreneur full access to its full 'firehose,' an internal database, which includes data and information about the accounts that access the platform. Early this week, Musk threatened to walk away from his $44 billion deal to acquire Twitter if the company fails to provide data on spam and fake accounts. In a letter to Twitter's Chief Legal Officer Vijaya Gadde, which was disclosed in an SEC filing, Musk's legal team Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, has claimed that Twitter was in a 'clear material breach' of its obligations and that Musk reserves all rights to terminate the merger agreement. 'Twitter has, in fact, refused to provide the information that Mr. Musk has repeatedly requested since May 9, 2022 to facilitate his evaluation of spam and fake accounts on the company's platform,' the letter reads. 'Mr. Musk has made it clear that he does not believe the company's lax testing methodologies are adequate so he must conduct his own analysis. The data he has requested is necessary to do so,' it added. Twitter has previously claimed that only less than 5 percent of its daily active users are bots. However, Musk has asked Twitter to provide him with information about its testing methodologies to support its claims about bots and fake accounts. Musk has also called for doing his own independent assessment based on Twitter data. He has alleged that the actual number of spam accounts could be much more than 5%, even reaching as high as 90%. Apparently, Musk will now get access to the data he asked for. The 'firehose' contains information about every tweet that's sent, what device it is sent on and other information about the account. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Altaley Mining Corporation (TSXV: ATLY) invites you to visit them at Booth #2231 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday June 13 to Wednesday June 15, 2022. About Altaley Mining Corporation Altaley Mining Corporation (TSXV: ATLY) is a Canadian based publicly traded mining company operating in Mexico that engages in exploration, development and operation of polymetallic mineral resource projects in Mexico.Altaley Mining is currently in commercial production at its 100% owned Campo Morado Mine, processing approximately 2,000+ tons per day ("tpd") through the mines milling facilities producing zinc, lead and copper concentrates with gold, silver as by-products. In addition, Altaley owns 100% of the Tahuehueto Project, which has initiated pre-production mining and mill commissioning operations at its own on-site mineral processing plant with a designed capacity of 1,000 tpd.Altaley provides its investors uncorrelated exposure to the mining sector by a 1) defensive asset class (linked to precious metals returns), and 2) a cyclical return asset class (base metals; Zinc, Lead & Copper). The opportunity to invest in a Company with high potential in a low-risk stage: Altaley has a portfolio of two advanced projects, one of which is already providing stable cash flows to the Company. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Altaley Mining Corporation Ralph Shearing 604-684-8071 ir@altaleymining.com www.altaleymining.com Vancouver, Canada--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Asante Gold Corporation (CSE: ASE) invites you to visit them at Booth #3042 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday June 13 to Wednesday June 15, 2022. About Asante Gold Corporation Asante is a gold exploration, project development and operations company with a high-quality portfolio of projects in Ghana, Africa's largest and most reliable gold producer. Asante is currently focused on completing the purchase of the Chirano Gold Mine previously announced on April 25, 2022 and developing to production its Bibiani and Kubi Gold mines located on the prolific Bibiani and Ashanti Gold Belts. Asante has an experienced and skilled team of mine finders, builders and operators. Asante is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange and has announced plans to co-list its shares in Ghana. Asante is also exploring its Keyhole, Fahiakoba and Betenase projects for new discoveries, all adjoining or along strike of major gold mines near the centre of Ghana's Golden Triangle. Additional information is available on our web site at www.asantegold.com. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Asante Gold Corporation Alec Rowlands +14167214732 alec@asantegold.com www.asantegold.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / IR Labs Inc. ("irlabs"), a dynamic women-led investor relations agency, held its successful inaugural Capital Markets Comeback Tour across Canada in May and June 2022, connecting over 400 attendees from the capital markets community with innovative investment opportunities from the following leading micro cap and small cap companies: The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV:MYLK) - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. - An all-women Board and C-suite company developing, launching and scaling uniquely innovative plant-based and planet-friendly food and beverage brands. Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO:CDMN) - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. - Canadian Manganese is a battery metals company whose principal focus is advancing the development and commercialization of its manganese ore deposit in New Brunswick. PesoRama Inc. (TSXV:PESO) - Providing Mexican shoppers in dense urban areas the same convenience, quality, and consistency as dollar stores in Canada and the United States. - Providing Mexican shoppers in dense urban areas the same convenience, quality, and consistency as dollar stores in Canada and the United States. HIRE Technologies Inc. (TSXV:HIRE) - The first and only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the technology, staffing and HR consulting industries. - The first and only Canadian public consolidator of companies in the technology, staffing and HR consulting industries. Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE:BOIL) - A disruptive solution for food-service companies striving to reduce their frying oil costs, decrease waste and save the planet. - A disruptive solution for food-service companies striving to reduce their frying oil costs, decrease waste and save the planet. The Fresh Factory B.C. Ltd. (CSE:FRSH) - A vertically integrated platform that helps accelerate the growth of disruptive food and beverage brands. - A vertically integrated platform that helps accelerate the growth of disruptive food and beverage brands. Everyday People Financial Inc. (pre-public) - A fintech company founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to credit, serving the needs of everyday people. - A fintech company founded on the belief that everyone deserves access to credit, serving the needs of everyday people. EnWave Corporation (TSXV:ENW) - EnWave is a global leader in the innovation and application of vacuum microwave dehydration for plant and food processing. - EnWave is a global leader in the innovation and application of vacuum microwave dehydration for plant and food processing. Nurosene Inc. (CSE:MEND) - A health-tech company focused on delivering innovative AI-based technology solutions for mental performance and wellness. "In-person events like our Comeback Tour are critical to forging connections," said Alyssa Barry, Co-founder of irlabs. "Each stop on the tour reaped rewards for all presenting companies. From raising awareness and having one-on-one conversations, the investment community was able to do a deeper dive into top-tier companies." "The feedback from the tour was overwhelmingly positive," said Caroline Sawamoto, Co-founder of irlabs. "We are already thinking about how we can make our next tour even more buzz-worthy and visit more cities and investors." "CSE was proud to support the Capital Markets Comeback Tour," said Barrington Miller, Director, Issuer Engagement at Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE). "Congratulations to irlabs for hosting four successful events that brought together innovative public companies and investors and re-introduced in-person networking for many of the participants. We look forward to future collaborations with the group." "irlabs takes an innovative approach to Investor Relations and in their support of Issuers," said Diana Forzley, Bu?siness Development, Issuer Services at Generation IACP. "It was a pleasure to be a part of the irlabs cross-country Comeback Tour. The events were vibrant, well attended, and effective. Thank you, Alyssa and Caroline, for inviting us to be a part of the tour." "WCM celebrates irlabs and the impact-driven work they are leading in the Canadian capital markets sector," said Lara Zink, President & CEO, WCM. "They drive winning strategies for their clients combined with purpose-driven outcomes that are aligned with good governance practices. WCM was thrilled to partner in the Capital Markets Comeback Tour, and we look forward to continued opportunities to align our organizations." Caption: Caroline Sawamoto and Alyssa Barry, Co-Founders and Principals of irlabs. Caption: All guests received a swag bag (valued at approximately $200) filled with products from the presenting companies, irlabs clients, and event sponsors. Caption: Guests mixing and mingling at the Montreal event held at Fish Bone Restaurant. Caption: Guests mixing and mingling at the Calgary event held at The Bank and Baron Pub. irlabs deeply thanks its partners and sponsors for making the Comeback Tour a huge success: Co-hosts: Canadian Securities Exchange, and Generation IACP Amplify Partner: WCM Sponsors: Fundamental Research Corp. , Hunting Data , BTV , Bolt , Radius Research , Blossom , Accesswire , Stark Creative Media Inc. For more information on irlabs' 2022 Capital Markets Comeback Tour, visit https://www.irlabs.ca/the-comeback-tour. ABOUT IR LABS INC. irlabs is a dynamic investor relations firm that applies innovative strategies to create visibility, drive investor engagement and make an impact. We are industry and sector agnostic and support both private and public companies with their investor relations programs, corporate communications and corporate governance. For more information visit www.irlabs.ca. CONTACT: Alyssa Barry Principal and Co-Founder IR Labs Inc. alyssa@irlabs.ca 833-947-LABS (5227) SOURCE: IR Labs Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/704370/irlabs-Celebrates-Success-of-Capital-Markets-Comeback-Tour Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - NEWFOUNDLAND DISCOVERY CORP. (CSE: NEWD) (OTC Pink: NEWDF) (FSE: M4K) ("Newfoundland Discovery" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jeremy Prinsen as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of the Company. Outgoing President & CEO, Blair Naughty, comments: "I have enjoyed leading Newfoundland Discovery where we successfully assembled several highly prospective properties in both Quebec and Newfoundland. Many of these properties have been held tightly by prospectors where they advanced them to the point now that they are ready to see an abundance of work done this season. We have spent a good amount of time sourcing through our network for a capable individual to take the reigns of the company and Jeremy Prinsen stood out as an ambitious, motivated, ethically driven, and well-connected young individual that possesses many qualities I've seen in successful leaders I've worked with and around during my career. He has committed his time and full energy and dedication to be a great CEO for our shareholders here. We just returned from a trip to Newfoundland where we toured all the properties, met with the vendors, and sat with consulting geologists for a thorough review of the entire portfolio. We've put plans in place for several upcoming work programs throughout the portfolio. It has been my pleasure to be part of building this company and, as a significant shareholder, I look forward to watching, supporting and mentoring Jeremy as he takes the baton and carries on running our race." About Mr. Jeremy Prinsen Mr. Prinsen has 10 years of experience within the capital markets in various positions which includes Investor Relations, Public Relations and Corporate Development. He comes from a background in construction management for companies such as Encana (was the largest Canadian energy company, now known as Ovintiv), Pembina Pipeline Corp., and Canadian National Resources Ltd. (CNRL). Mr. Prinsen stated: "I have been a long-term shareholder of Newfoundland Discovery. I've been impressed on how the Company accumulated a portfolio of highly-potential exploration properties. That's what initially attracted me as a shareholder. Getting to know Mr. Blair Naughty has given me the confidence to dedicate my life on building this company. I look forward to leading the company through its exploration activities with the main goal of making discoveries and bringing value to shareholders." Appointment of Corporate Secretary In addition, Ms. Kelly Pladson has been appointed Corporate Secretary to replace Mr. Glen Wallace, who will remain as Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Blair Naughty for his services as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company and for his continued support of the Company. The Company wishes him all the best in his many endeavours. About Newfoundland Discovery Corp. Newfoundland Discovery is a Canadian junior mining exploration company focused on exploration and development along the Detour Gold trend in Quebec and the Central Gold Belt in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Company is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Detour trend and retains significant landholdings in Newfoundland. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, NEWFOUNDLAND DISCOVERY CORP. "Jeremy Prinsen" President, CEO & Director Investor Relations Email: info@newfoundlanddiscovery.com Direct Line: (604) 440-8474 Website: www.newfoundlanddiscovery.ca Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/127012 Global Liver Institute Convenes Communities Around the Globe Today to Reverse the Growing Trend of Fatty Liver Disease Washington, D.C., June 08, 2022calls attention to NASH by leading the 5th annual International NASH Dayon June 9. The number of people with this advanced liver disease is expected to doubleby 2030, but NASHday aims to prevent this growth. Join the movement to StopNASHNow by listening inas 24 expert panelists from around the globe share the latest updates about the disease or adding to the conversation on social media (NASHday). The movement permeates the globe through many locally-organized events to educate about, screen for, and prevent NASH. NASHof NASH and NAFLD around the world, and it is becoming the most common cause of liver disease. Given its widespread impact and the possibility of prevention in most cases of this disease, NASH emerges as a global health priority. "With over a hundred million people worldwide already who have NASH and several times more in the earlier stages, people have reason to know about this progressive condition and what they can do today to combat it," shared Donna R. Cryer, president and CEO of GLI. "Collective action is imperative to be certain that individuals in each community, no matter their background or environment, are informed and equipped to prevent fatty liver disease. The momentum that we build together today must advance and sustain the global fight against NASH." If you didn't know, then now you know! Even though NASH is common, it remains relatively unknown, leaving much work to be done to increase public awareness. This year, GLI and its partners join with the theme to StopNASHNow: Even as therapies for NASH are being developed, there are many steps that people and their doctors can take today to prevent, reverse, or slow the progression of fatty liver disease. For the 25% of adults already affected worldwide, it is due time for this life-changing knowledge. An estimated 1 in 4 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26707365/) adults around the world already has NAFLD. As many as 1 in 20 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26707365/) people has NASH. The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4838529/) among all global regions and among all ethnicities in parallel with diabetes and obesity. NASH can progress (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5395802/#:~:text=Numerous studies have demonstrated that,in this group%5B7%5D) to cirrhosis or liver cancer - which may necessitate a liver transplant. "International NASH Day demonstrates the potential that is realized as all stakeholders in NASH come together worldwide," said Jeff McIntyre, NASH Programs Director at GLI. "From in-person screenings in at-risk communities to educational materials in 16 languages to challenging conversations with researchers, providers, and patients - today the world joins to create meaningful solutions for patients at every stage of NAFLD and NASH." International NASH Day has garnered the endorsement of prominent organizations from around the globe: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD); Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH); Asociacion Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Higado (ALEH); Associazione Italiana Studio del Fegato (AISF); Asociacion Mexicana de Hepatologia (AMH); Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL); Canadian Association for the Study of the Liver (CASL); Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA); European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN); European Fatty Liver Conference (EFLC); European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); EU Patient-Centric Clinical Trial Platforms (EU-PEARL); Fondazione Epatocentro Ticino; Hepatology Society, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Hepatology Society of the Philippines (HSP); Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL); North American Society For Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN); Sociedad Argentina de Hepatologia (SAHE);Turkish Association for the Study of the Liver (TASL); United European Gastroenterology (UEG); World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO); and World Patients Alliance (WPA). Get Involved To view the expert panels throughout the day today, visit https://hopin.com/events/5th-annual-international-nash-day/registration. Panels are available in English, French, Hindi, Mandarin, and Spanish throughout the day. For additional information on International NASH Day, visit www.international-nash-day.com. Support the NASH Day social media campaign using hashtags NASHday StopNASHNow. Please direct any additional questions to NASHDay@globalliver.org. International NASH Day and its logo are registered trademarks of Global Liver Institute. # # # About Global Liver Institute Global Liver Institute,Facebook,Instagram,LinkedIn, andYouTube. GLI is the global host of International NASH Day. OKLAHOMA CITY (dpa-AFX) - Devon Energy Corp. (DVN) Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire the leasehold interest and related assets of RimRock Oil and Gas, LP, a Warburg Pincus portfolio company, in the Williston Basin for $865 million. The transaction is subject to customary terms and conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, with an effective date of April 1, 2022. 'This bolt-on acquisition is highly complementary to our existing position in the Williston Basin and is immediately accretive to our financially-driven strategy,' said Rick Muncrief, president and CEO. 'RimRock's directly adjacent acreage offers strong operational synergies, adds to our high-quality inventory in the core of the play and positions us to further increase the return of cash to shareholders.' According to Devon, the deal is expected to be immediately accretive to all relevant per-share metrics in the first year, including earnings, cash flow, free cash flow, and net asset value. 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. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China will on Thursday release May figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. Imports are expected to add 2.0 percent on year after rising 0.01 percent in April. Exports are called higher by an annual 8.0 percent, up from 3.9 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at $58 billion, up from $51.12 billion a month earlier. Indonesia will see May results for its consumer confidence index; in April, the index score was 113.1. South Korea will provide May data for unemployment; in April, the jobless rate was 2.7 percent. The Philippines will release April figures for imports, exports, trade balance and industrial production. In March, imports were up 27.7 percent on year, exports gained an annual 5.9 percent and the trade deficit was $5.003 billion. Thailand will see May results for its consumer confidence index; in April, the index score was 40.7. 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. Delphia, a Toronto, Canada-based algo-advisor that helps people invest smart together, closed a $60m Series A funding. The round led by Multicoin Capital with participation from Ribbit Capital, FTX Ventures, Valor Equity Partners, FJ Labs, Lattice Ventures, Cumberland, Thomas Bailey from Road Capital and M13. The company will use the funds to launch its native rewards token, increase the number of ways users can contribute data, and expand its headcount globally. Led by Andrew Peek, CEO, Delphia is an algo-advisor that analyzes the personal data shared by its members to make intelligent investment decisions. The investment platform plans to leverage consumer spending insights, employment patterns and public opinion data derived from social media to deliver algorithmic models that were previously exclusive to top-performing hedge funds to retail members. Starting this summer, investors will have the opportunity to contribute their own data to the algo-advisor in return for a native token that can be traded freely or redeemed for membership benefits. The platform is currently available for download on App Store and Google Play. The company offers long-only actively managed investment strategies with zero management fees and $10 investment minimums, as well as a hedge fund for accredited investors that runs a long-short market neutral strategy of approximately 2,500 US equities. Delphia also has teams in New York, San Francisco, and London. FinSMEs 08/06/2022 CCTV: According to reports, Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said in an interview on June 6 that Sri Lanka couldnt tap a $1.5 billion credit line from China and has yet to hear back on the request to China for a $1 billion loan. He also said that China seems to have shifted its strategic focus to Southeast Asia and Africa, and has less interest in South Asia. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: As traditional friendly neighbors, China pays close attention to and feels for the difficulties and challenges facing Sri Lanka. We have all along provided support to Sri Lankas socioeconomic development as long as our ability permits. China has announced that it would provide emergency humanitarian assistance worth 500 million RMB for Sri Lanka. The first delivery of medicine has arrived in Sri Lanka, and the first shipment of rice has left China for Sri Lanka. Through government-to-government and subnational channels and through friendly organizations, China has provided multiple batches of assistance in diverse forms to people across the sectors of Sri Lanka to improve their livelihood. As to China-Sri Lanka financial cooperation, shortly after the Sri Lankan government announced to suspend international debt payments, Chinese financial institutions reached out to the Sri Lankan side and expressed their readiness to find a proper way to handle the matured debts related to China and help Sri Lanka to overcome the current difficulties. We hope Sri Lanka will work actively with China in a similar spirit and work out a feasible solution expeditiously. China is ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to continue to play a positive role in supporting Sri Lankas response to current difficulties and efforts to ease debt burden and realize sustainable development. In the meantime, we believe Sri Lanka will boost its own effort, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the investment and financing partners and ensure the stability and credibility of Sri Lankas investment and financing environment. South Asian countries, along with the other countries in our neighboring areas, are Chinas priority in its diplomacy. China attaches great importance to forging closer good neighborly relations with its neighbors and has worked hard to this end. China and South Asian countries are each others friendly neighbors and development partners. Together we belong to one community with a shared future. From natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, to global challenges like financial crises and COVID-19, history has shown that China has always stood in solidarity with South Asian countries through difficult times. Under the current circumstances, China will work with relevant countries to respond to risks and challenges and pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to jointly sustain the sound momentum of security, stability, cooperation and development in our region and bring great benefits for all peoples in this region. CCTV: According to reports, the Disinformation Governance Board under the US Department of Homeland Security was halted just 21 days after it was set up after raising serious questions. The first head of the office also had to resign. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The US government itself is the primary spreader of disinformation. German writer Michael Luders pointed out in his book Die scheinheilige Supermacht (The Hypocritical Superpower) that the US government is very adept at selecting and distorting facts, limiting the source of information and polarizing public opinions in order to blur the facts and influence peoples judgment. When the waters are muddied, it is certainly easier to fish for geopolitical and economic gains. US politicians might get away with irresponsible statements, but it is the ordinary people who could pay the ultimate price for disinformation. The US used a vial of white powder as so-called evidence of possession of weapons of mass destruction and waged war on Iraq, which killed about 200,000 to 250,000 Iraqi civilians. Citing a staged video by the White Helmet and the false intelligence it provided as evidence, the US launched the so-called most precise air campaign in history against Syria, claiming more than 1,600 innocent civilian lives in a single strike. You may still remember that the US downplayed the threat and speed of coronavirus transmission at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and kept spreading disinformation about the origins of the virus. Disinformation about COVID-19 was rated by a certain US website as 2020 Lie of the Year. As a result, more than one million innocent American lives have been lost to the virus, making the US the country with the highest COVID-19 death toll as well as the most confirmed cases. The more lies the US government tells, the greater the reputational damage and its credibility deficit. According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, only about 39 percent of American respondents said they trusted their countrys government, which is near the lowest level ever recorded. The US needs to stop fabricating and disseminating false information, and stop taking pride in being an empire of lies. Al Jazeera: An international commission of inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council released an 18-page report today, saying that Israels occupation of Palestinian territory and discrimination against Palestinians are the root causes of recurrent tensions and protraction of conflict in the region. It also says that Israel has no intention of ending the occupation. What is Chinas comment? Zhao Lijian: The underlying reason for the recurring conflicts between Israel and Palestine and ongoing tensions over the occupied Palestinian territory is that the historical injustices done to the Palestinian people have been left unaddressed for too long and that the Palestinian peoples legitimate aspiration of establishing an independent state has long been denied. The international community needs to work more actively with a greater sense of urgency for an early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel on the basis of the two-state solution, so as to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine at an early date. TASS: According to reports, during State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Central Asia, a series of cooperation agreements have been signed between China and the regional countries. Does this mean cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries has entered a new historic stage? Also, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman reportedly said on June 7 that there would be a strong and clear response from the US, the ROK and the world if the DPRK were to conduct a nuclear test. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: On your first question, our delegation will release information on State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wangs visit in due course. You may stay tuned. The five Central Asian countries are Chinas friendly neighbors and strategic partners. For 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and the Central Asian countries have been deepening mutually beneficial cooperation following the principle of mutual respect, good neighborliness, solidarity and mutual benefits. At the third China+Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will, along with other parties, comprehensively implement the outcomes of the Virtual Summit Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and the Five Central Asian Countries, and further deepen good neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries for common development, common prosperity and a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. On your second question, China always believes that, to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and achieve denuclearization on the Peninsula is in the shared interest of all parties and the international community. We hope all parties concerned will stay calm, exercise restraint, work in the same direction, refrain from moves or rhetoric that may be perceived as provocative and jointly advance the process of political settlement of the issues on the Korean Peninsula. AFP: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese talked about a recent encounter between Australian and Chinese military aircraft in international airspace. The Australian side had said earlier that one of its surveillance aircraft was intercepted by a Chinese military aircraft. Do you have any response? Zhao Lijian: I responded to a question on this yesterday and have nothing to add. I have to say that a sound and steady China-Australia relationship is the shared aspiration and serves the fundamental interests of the people in both countries. The Australian side should view China and China-Australia relations in a rational and positive light, follow the principle of mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences, and create necessary conditions to bring bilateral relations back on track. China News Service: According to a British media outlet, Paul Nakasone, head of the US Cyber Command and the National Security Agency, said in an interview the other day that the US has deployed specialists to Ukraine to conduct hunt forward operations and conducted offensive hacking operations against Russia. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: We have noticed relevant reports and are concerned over the dangerous and irresponsible US behavior. The US needs to explain to the international community how these hacking operations are consistent with its professed position of not engaging directly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US and NATO have declared that cyber attacks can be viewed as armed assault. The US also said earlier that it could answer cyber attacks with conventional means or even nuclear strikes. If that logic is applied to all sides, the above-mentioned US operations could lead to an escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and even risk triggering a nuclear attack. Its quite obvious that the US is conducting a dangerous experiment in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The US believes that with an unrivalled cyber military force, it is able to keep any scenarios ensuing a cyber attack under its control. However, the reality might not necessarily follow the USs design. If the situation gets out of hand, it will end up harming the common interests of the international community, the US included. Besides, the US has also talked repeatedly about forward deployment of cyber military forces in some small and medium-sized countries. These countries need to keep their eyes wide open and beware whether such deployment could embroil them in a conflict they are not looking for. Cyberspace is shared by all humanity. We urge the US to change its dangerous and irresponsible behavior and join the international community in safeguarding peace and security in cyberspace. CNR: It is reported that US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on June 6 that the US is 85 percent reliant on China as a producer of solar panels and the supply chain runs right through Xinjiang where theres a significant forced labor problem. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: As the Chinese side has stressed many times, the allegation of forced labor in Xinjiang is nothing but a lie of the century. Forced labor in Xinjiang is a lie deliberately made up and spread by the US to shut China out of the global supply and industrial chains. China is the worlds largest photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer and has more installed capacity than anyone else. Xinjiang is the worlds most important production base of polysilicon, an essential material of the PV industry. By fabricating the lie of forced labor in Xinjiang, the US aims to achieve its sinister goal of suppressing the competitive edge of Xinjiangs PV industry and relocate it out of China through political manipulation. Speaking of forced labor, the US should have a look at its own history and reality. The US is known historically for its original sin of engaging in slave trade and still has serious problems of human trafficking and forced labor today. It still has not ratified the Forced Labour Convention (1930), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Nearly 100,000 people are smuggled into the US for forced labor every year. At least half a million people are enslaved in the US. There is a large number of child farmworkers in the US and many of them started working as young as age 8. Roughly 240,000 to 325,000 women and children in the US are victims of sexual slavery. More than 100,000 people in the US were detained in private prisons at some point and they are forced to take up intense and low-paid labor for long periods of time. In April 2021, the UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued a joint statement pointing out that the US makes individuals of other countries carry out tasks against their will with threats to impose sanctions. This amounts to forced labor. It infringes upon the individuals rights and gravely violates the humanitarian spirit and international law. What the US did will hamstring normal trade of PV products, disrupt the supply chains and undermine the global response to climate change. In the end, this will also backfire and hurt the USs own interests. China will take all necessary measures as always to resolutely safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies. PTI: Further to what you said about Sri Lanka and the Presidents interview regarding the declining interests of China in South Asia. If I remember right, the Chinese ambassador to Colombo has earlier said that China was considering a line of credit to Colombo. It appears that has not materialized so far, though China went about with some relief and medical supplies. My question is, is China concerned about the kind of economic crisis being faced by several South Asian countries? Not Sri Lanka alone, that includes Pakistan as well, are seeking bailout packages, especially from the IMF. Is China, a major investor in these countries, hesitating to provide huge assistance? Zhao Lijian: I just elaborated Chinas position on the situation in Sri Lanka, including financial cooperation between China and Sri Lanka and cooperation between China and South Asian countries. We have noted and followed closely the financial, fiscal and international balance of payment difficulties facing the South Asian countries and other developing countries as you mentioned. These difficulties partly stem from the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. They also have a lot to do with the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the unilateral sanctions slapped by the US and other Western countries on Russia in the wake of the conflict. Those sanctions aggravated the food and energy crises in developing countries and inflicted even more hardships on the people. Just now I outlined some of Chinas efforts to help Sri Lanka. We have taken note that the Indian government has also done a lot in this regard. We commend those efforts. China is ready to work with India and the rest of the international community to help Sri Lanka and other developing countries experiencing difficulty to pull through the hardship as early as possible. I assume you have also noticed the recent shipment and arrival of medicine, rice and other supplies donated by the Chinese side, including provinces and cities, to Sri Lanka. The Chinese government will do its utmost and make full use of the channels available to deliver help to the Sri Lankan society. Global Times: We have noted that the Canadian Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, talking about Chinese and Canadian military aircraft encounters, have on several occasions accused the Chinese side of harassing Canadian military aircraft flying on a UN mission and said that Chinas irresponsible and provocative actions are putting people at risk. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: The remarks by the Canadian side misrepresent facts and confound right and wrong. The Chinese side has made clear its solemn position on several occasions. I would like to stress that the UN Security Council has never mandated any country to deploy forces and conduct surveillance operations in the sea and airspace under the jurisdiction of another country in the name of identifying sanctions evasion activities. The Canadian side claimed that its military aircraft was on a UN mission. But that is just a pretext used by the Canadian side. China firmly rejects all moves that harm Chinas sovereignty and national security in the name of implementing UN resolutions. One clear fact is: it was the Canadian military aircraft that flew all the way up close to Chinas airspace, conducted reconnaissance here and made provocations to the Chinese side, not the other way round. Who is posing a threat and being provocative? And who is acting in legitimate self-defense? The answer is crystal clear. The way the Chinese military handled the situation was legitimate, resolute, safe, professional and beyond reproach. We once again urge the Canadian side to respect facts, stop spreading misinformation, stop engaging in megaphone diplomacy, and work to bring China-Canada relations back to normal. The African Energy Chamber, the voice of the African energy sector, is excited to announce that Gil Holzman, Founder and CEO of Canadian-based oil and gas exploration company Eco Atlantic will join African and international energy market stakeholders in Cape Town at African Energy Week (AEW) (AECWeek.com) Africas premier event for the oil and gas sector which will take place from 18 21 October, 2022 to discuss the future of African hydrocarbon resources and its role in addressing domestic energy needs and ensuring global energy security. The participation of Gil Holzman at Africas leading investment platform for the oil and gas sector is vital in shaping the discussion around how Africa can accelerate exploration activities, expand portfolios of hydrocarbon reserves and increase production to address its energy needs. Over 600 million people across the African continent are living in energy poverty and over 900 million without access to clean cooking, yet an estimated 125.3 billion barrels of crude oil and 620 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves remain untapped and companies such as Eco Atlantic and their exploration and production services are vital to address energy poverty and ensuring economic stability across the continent. With its key partners Africa Oil Corp, the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia, TotalEnergies, JH Associates and Tullow Oil, Eco Atlantic, under the leadership of Gil Holzman, is exploring oil and gas in emerging markets such as Namibia and South Africa. With over 20 years of experience in the mining and energy sectors, Gil Holzman will drive discussions around the business, policy and investment requisites for Africa to accelerate activities across the upstream sector. He will also participate in panel discussions and high-level meetings to share the work being done by Eco Atlantic offshore South Africa and Namibia as well as the firms growth plans in an effort to enhance Africas energy productivity. With a Business Management and Finance background, Gil Holzmans participation at AEW 2022 is critical in shaping dialogue around how Africa can attract and manage investment and develop innovative and investor-friendly business models to boost its oil and gas sector. The significance of independents like Eco Atlantic in expanding the African oil and gas sector continues to be unearthed. The Chamber strongly supports Eco Atlantics vision of exploring emerging markets. This is what will get Africa out of energy poverty by 2030, state NJ Ayuk, the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. Under the theme, Exploring and Investing in Africas Energy Future while Driving an Enabling Environment, AEW 2022 will host Gil Holzman in various forums to discuss Africas current oil and gas market challenges, solutions and the continents energy future. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Advice needed on F250 problems and Ford warranty Hi all. I purchased a 2018 F250 Limited in 2019 with the CPO warranty, which I extended to 7 years and 125k miles. I've had nothing but trouble with the electronics on the truck. It started off with the tailgate opening randomly and getting laughed at by a local dealer (this was pre-recall) saying that it was my fault. Fast forward to recall getting done, the car still had the tailgate issue + many numerous other electronic problems that got worse after the recall. After the recall work Covid popped up and the truck was not used much for a while and time dragged on. I complained about a few issues to the local dealer and they couldn't replicate them. At this stage, the truck is almost undriveable from time to time. We started RV'ing this past summer and it's scary. The truck goes routinely into various stages of having nothing work including: the collision/accident avoidance features, airbags, turn signals, hazards, windows, door locks, hvac controls, power running boards, power seat controls, wipers, etc. This happens sporadically and then "corrects" itself within 5-30 minutes of driving. This past week I was towing and it happened resulting in no brake lights, turn signals, or hazards working on truck or trailer. This is dangerous. I had to replace a taillight last fall and when the dealer took the light out they saw that the wiring was not standard and that someone had changed it. They said that they could not honor any warranty work related to the electronics because the truck was tampered with. I immediately tried to trade the truck away and put in an order for a new 450. Fast forward 9 months later and still no new truck and my 250 is dangerous to drive. I don't see why Ford certified the truck and the dealers are telling me that it is my problem. Yes a lot of time passed by due to Covid, a chronic illness that took me off the road for ~9 months, and the fact that some of the recalls actually touched on the ancillary problems with the truck. The dealer told me good luck and Ford would never honor the warranty. Any suggestions as to how best approach this? Do I need to bend over and take this as a write-off? My ordered truck is never going to arrive (I was told next allocation - is that 3-4 months down the road for delivery?) and the used market is overpriced and I can't find anything that suits my needs. Do I need to get a lawyer for this? I'm scared to go back to the original selling dealer because they have the order for my new one and they offering me a higher trade-in than my local dealers. I'm tired of getting blamed for something I didn't do. Mileage is low (35000 miles) and truck is untouched in any way (no tunes, etc.). I have to use a longer hitch mount so that when the tailgate drops it won't hit my trailers. It stinks stopping at the side of the road and almost getting run over by a truck to close the hatch. I use bungees like crazy to keep stuff from falling out... I thought about trading to a F150/1500 except that won't really work that well/safely with my trailers. Any help/advice would be appreciated. If you want something that will work for many years you want a well known brand.. Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Sony. There are "millions" of chinese brands out there with all these features, the hardware is perfectly capable in most cases but the software running it is often half baked and there will never be any updates or fixes for it. In head units these days every feature except on-board navigation is available at low to medium price points, to get NAV in a Japanese unit the price usually doubles from there but the upside is you're getting an actual brand name( ex: Garmin) software package in many cases where upgrades and maps are available. But there is also a work around, any unit with Apple Airplay or Android Auto will display a navigation app running on your phone, and these units will have dual channel blutooth where you can stream music or run an app and make/recieve phone calls at the same time. There are some more of these companion apps too but some are obsolete now and not supported by the latest phone operating systems. Global Insight | How 'dark' is NATO's dark side? (People's Daily App) 13:18, June 08, 2022 Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko delivered a speech on May 9 at a ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Eastern Front of World War II. In his speech, Lukashenko raised the question: Democracy on the wings of NATO fighter jets has brought these countries only pain and suffering, casualties and destruction, economic chaos and any lack of prospects. How many ignominious records does NATO hold? How dark is NATOs dark side? Let's find the answer. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Albany City Council members enthusiastically supported creating a new mental health intervention specialist job, a position that would respond to calls for service involving people in crisis. Im all in on this. Theres such an overwhelming need for this service. I think its a no-brainer to say, Yes, lets make this happen, Councilor Ray Kopczynski said. Albany police Chief Marcia Harnden gave a presentation about the new position during the councils work session on Monday, June 6, and the matter could be voted on by the government body at its Wednesday, June 8 regular meeting. While the position would be housed within the Albany Police Department, the worker would respond to mental health calls that arise from the Albany Fire Department, the Albany Public Library system and Albany Parks & Recreation, all of which regularly deal with residents suffering crises. The new worker would not be armed or a sworn officer. The position would be funded for three years by federal pandemic money. Well need to be thinking ahead to the fourth budget year beyond this, responded council member Marilyn Smith. Harnden said that in 2020 the APD responded to 713 mental health-related calls, and that grew to 748 in 2021. So far in 2022, there has been more than 300 calls. I think it is a very wise investment for us, Harnden said. APD currently relies on a Linn County mental health crisis responder, who is shared with Albany via an intergovernmental agreement. Besides responding to more than 100 calls in Albany this year, that individual has helped train officers to deal with residents having mental health problems. But that worker also has to respond to issues that arise throughout the county, and is continually being pulled away from Albany, Harnden said. Albany hiring a new mental health intervention specialist would free up that Linn County worker to respond elsewhere. They would get a resource back for the rest of the county. There are not a lot of resources in east Linn County, so theyre going to gain from this, as well, Harnden said. Councilor Matilda Novak said mental health issues are worse than theyve ever been, and she hoped that Albany would hire more than one mental health worker if additional federal funding presented itself. I would agree with you. This is just one person against a tidal wave, Harnden said. She and councilors noted the Saturday incident in which a resident suffering mental health problems climbed up a downtown tree and remained aloft for three hours, causing a major disruption. During its work session, the council also went into executive session to discuss litigation and labor negotiations. On Wednesdays agenda are public hearings on utility rate increases and increases to public works system development charges (also known as developer fees), as well as a vote on an expansion of the Central Albany Parking Area, a permitted parking zone. Wednesdays meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, though residents also can watch online at https://www.youtube.com/user/cityofalbany or https://www.facebook.com/cityofalbany/live_videos. Kyle Odegard can be contacted at 541-812-6077 or Kyle.Odegard@lee.net Follow him on Twitter via @KyleOdegard. 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. One farmer whose land neighboured the celebration said that party-goers were respectful of the land, and did not leave until they had picked up their rubbish. For all the locals saying the rave at Davidstow have left all the rubbish behind, I've got livestock in the vicinity and have had no problems at all and there refusing to leave until they have picked all the litter up, and I've found them all good people, he told his community on Facebook. On the other hand, some neighbours complained about the cars, noise, and remnants of the rave that the thousands attended left behind. One small business owner even had to shut down for the weekend, as he did not want people to see the ruins of the rave. "I've personally had to close for the weekend ... I don't want our local community to see the mess left behind from this party, so I'll be up there on Monday with quad and trailer to collect rubbish," he said. Ahh, the age-old war between party people and the general public carries on. The legend returns... George FM, Pitch Control, and Breakout are stoked to present SUB FOCUS on his Circular Sound New Zealand Tour 2022! Sub Focus makes his long-awaited return to New Zealand, bringing Kiwi fans a first taste of his new and critically acclaimed arena show CIRCULAR SOUND - a stunning and cinematic audio-visual experience. Supporting Sub Focus on his arena tour is UK Drum and Bass producers KRAKOTA and goddard., with local support across the tour. TORONTO, Nov. 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Carbon Corp. (First Carbon or the Company), developers of the worlds first decentralized carbon credit non-fungible token (NFT) onboarding platform, is pleased to provide details for the upcoming launch of MintCarbon.io (MintCarbon). Leveraging the power of the blockchain and specifically Ethereum, MintCarbon is a user-friendly interface, enabling carbon credit owners to easily convert their credits into highly customizable ERC-1155 compliant NFTs which can then be listed for trading on decentralized marketplaces such as OpenSea.io. Every customised NFT is embedded with unique characteristics which can potentially represent thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide. ERC1155 is a novel token standard that aims to take the best from previous standards, it is capable of combining fungible (utility tokens and cryptocurrencies) and non-fungible (digital assets) smart contracts to allow for limited run editions of NFTs. Optimizations built into ERC1155 allow for gas-efficient (low emission) transactions and are secure, liquid and immune to hacking.1 Creating MintCarbon tokens on Polygon, a low emission Ethereum side chain, allows for lower transaction fees, increased liquidity and on-chain transaction transparency for trading in carbon offsets. Increased investment and liquidity will drive growth, innovation, expansion and acceptance, particularly in the historically fragmented and opaque voluntary carbon credit market. MintCarbon was designed to be user friendly and easily accessible for those new to the crypto space. With a few clicks, carbon credit owners can create and customize their profile, upload their credits and effortlessly link them to a decentralized trading exchange such as OpenSea.io, the largest NFT exchange in the world. Mo Yang, CEO, comments: Were proud to introduce MintCarbon as the worlds first NFT minting platform for carbon credit owners. MintCarbon lives up to its namesake, as it truly allows carbon credit owners to mint their credits into NFTs for a secure and efficient method of trading in a market were confident is set to grow rapidly in the coming years. We look forward to providing further guidance on the official platform launch in the near future. MintCarbon will allow the owners of the NFT to monitor their assets while tracking their value and trading history. The platform is currently undergoing beta testing and the Company anticipates an official launch in Q1-2022. As of June 2021, the Voluntary Carbon Market represented only 0.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions.2 Demand for voluntary carbon credits is forecast to increase significantly, driven by a growing number of corporate net zero commitments. The Institute of International Finance believes there is "huge upside potential" for voluntary carbon credits, predicting the market could be worth as much as $100B/year by 2050. For partnership and corporate related inquiries, please send an email to: corporate@firstcarboncorp.com Visit MintCarbon and sign up to the newsletter to be alerted to platform updates and our upcoming launch. Visit our corporate website FirstCarbonCorp.com to learn more about the Company. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/firstcarbonco About First Carbon Corp. Based in Toronto, Canada, First Carbon is a technology company that has developed the worlds first decentralized voluntary carbon credit NFT which will be minted on the low-emission Polygon network, powered by Ethereum and tradeable on global decentralized platforms based on the blockchain. The ERC1155-compliant tokens are to be backed by real, verified carbon credits, providing increased transparency, liquidity and security in carbon offset trading. The MintCarbon platform makes it easier for companies to take part in the global effort to reduce their impact on the environment. Benefits of the platform include: Permission-less global trading on decentralized trading platforms (such as OpenSea.io) operating 24/7/365; Secure and easy access for investors into an emerging asset class; Access to a growing pool of capital in the cryptocurrency markets; Programmable functionality through smart contracts and composable primitives that enable new types of capital formation and trading; and a reliable framework designed to increase the flow of capital into carbon reduction initiatives, helping underfunded environmental companies and projects. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Mo Yang" Mo Yang, CEO Tel: +1 604-800-5648 Email: corporate@firstcarboncorp.com Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements. Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things: the Company's ability to digitize and allow for the trading of tokenized carbon credits by the global carbon offset market on its platform which is interoperable with the Ethereum blockchain while ensuring that minting activities will be both low emission and cost. The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that: the Company could mitigate the risks associated with the blockchain and NFT industry; and the ability to compete with other businesses in the NFT market. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including: the risk that the Company's offerings are not accepted by the consumer, the risk that other competitors may offer similar digital offerings; the risk that there may be negative changes in general economic and business conditions; the risk that the Company may have negative operating cash flow and not enough capital to complete the development of any of its technologies; the risk that the Company may not be able to obtain additional financing as necessary; the risk that there may be increases in capital and operating costs; the risk that the NFT technology may be subject to fraud and other failures; the risk that there may be technological changes and developments in the blockchain that make the NFT solutions obsolete; risks relating to regulatory changes or actions which may impede the development or operation of the blockchain solutions; the risk that other competitors may release similar blockchain offerings; the potential future unviability of the NFT market in general; the volatile cost of the amount of computational effort required to execute specific operations on the blockchain, and other general risks involved in the blockchain solutions Any of these risks may cause the Companys actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Further, although the Company has attempted to identify factors that could cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, levels of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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, except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and Canada. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. The Company does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein. In addition, this news release includes third-party market data and statistics which management has not independently verified. The Company expressly disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy thereof. 1 https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/glossary/erc-1155 2 Trove Research, June 2021 EBENE, Mauritius, Dec. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xange.com, a sustainably run securities exchange operated in partnership with the United Nations, announced today that it will develop a Carbon Credit Solution on the carbon neutral XRP Ledger (XRPL). Xange.com is working hand in hand with the UN Development System (UNDS), focusing on African market infrastructure solutions for carbon markets and to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, Xange.com is preparing the launch of the implementation of its voluntary carbon credit infrastructure to channel Carbon Credit Offsets from the African Great Green Wall Initiative. Xange.com will develop a Carbon Credit Solution on the XRP Ledger for the issuance of tokenized carbon credits, in accordance with standards set by the leading industry working groups like the InterWork Alliance (IWA), a Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) initiative, and the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM), of which Xange.com is a member. The IWA Sustainability Business Working Group created the Voluntary Ecological Markets (VEM) Taskforce to define the standards for tokenization of key elements for carbon credits, including contractual extensions, workflows, and analytics for creating a standards-based ecological market. These standards, based on the IWA's Token Taxanomy Framework (for token standards) and InterWork Framework (for smart contract standards), will serve as foundations for the Xange.com Carbon Credit Solution on the XRP Ledger. Xange.com chose to build on the XRP Ledger given its performance, scalability and inherently green attributes. The XRP Ledger was built with sustainability in mind and is one of the first major carbon neutral blockchains. Due to its Federated Consensus algorithm, the XRPL is significantly more energy efficient compared to proof-of-work blockchains and ensures low-cost transactions. Key focus points of Xange.com include the role of climate change and climate security, the prevention and mitigation of illicit financial transactions and on carbon emission initiatives using blockchain technology to bring transparency to carbon accounting by avoiding double counting of emission reductions or removals. No Offer, Solicitation, Investment Advice or Recommendations This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for any security, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory or other services by Xange.com or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors or employees. No reference to any specific security constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold that security or any other security. Nothing in this release shall be considered a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any security, future, option or other financial instrument or to offer or provide any investment advice or service to any person in any jurisdiction. Nothing contained in this release constitutes investment advice or offers any opinion with respect to the suitability of any security, and the views expressed in this release should not be taken as advice to buy, sell or hold any security. In preparing the information contained in this release, we have not taken into account the investment needs, objectives, and financial circumstances of any particular investor. This information has no regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific recipient of this information and investments discussed may not be suitable for all investors. Any views expressed in this release by us were prepared based upon the information available to us at the time such views were written. Changed or additional information could cause such views to change. All information is subject to possible corrections. Information may quickly become unreliable for various reasons, including changes in market conditions or economic circumstances. Xange.com is not a registered broker-dealer, funding portal, underwriter, investment bank, investment adviser or investment manager, and is not providing brokerage, investment banking or underwriting services, recommendations or investment advice to any person, and does not provide any brokerage services. Xange.com takes no part in the negotiation or execution of secondary market transactions for the purchase or sale of securities and, at no time, has possession of investor funds or securities in connection with such transactions. About Xange.com Xange.com Limited (Mauritius) has been the selected partner of the United Nations, as the preferred private sector counterpart to establish and sustainably run a securities exchange in the Republic of Mauritius. Xange.com will carry the ethical banking stamp from UNODC as the custodian of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), and thus, shall be held as an example of a financial platform that upholds the principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals (UN SDGs). Xange.com is a private sector company with vast experience in digitalization, blockchain and fintech solutions. Xange.com democratizes access to private assets by providing a simple, automated, and efficient trading venue to broker-dealers, institutions, and investors. For more information on Xange.com, please visit https://www.xange.com. About the InterWork Alliance (IWA) The InterWork Alliance (IWA), an initiative of the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC), empowers organizations to adopt and use token-powered services in their day-to-day operations, across use cases and networks, bringing inclusivity to globally distributed applications. Founded in 2020, and merged in 2021 with the GBBC, the leading global industry association for the blockchain ecosystem, IWA is a key rallying point for organizations to collaborate on market-driven interwork standards and taxonomy to transform digital interchanges of value. Our global membership includes leaders, adopters, innovators, developers, and businesses representing the best practices for every use case the token-powered ecosystem has to offer. To join the IWA, please reach out to membership@gbbcouncil.org. To learn more about the IWA, please visit https://interwork.org/. About the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM) The Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets (TSVCM) is a private sector-led initiative working to scale an effective and efficient voluntary carbon market to help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Taskforce was initiated by Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance; is chaired by Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered; and is sponsored by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) under the leadership of IIF President and CEO, Tim Adams. Annette Nazareth, senior counsel at Davis Polk and former Commissioner of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, serves as the Operating Lead for the Taskforce. McKinsey & Company provides knowledge and advisory support. The TSVCM's over 250 member institutions represent buyers and sellers of carbon credits, standard setters, the financial sector, market infrastructure providers, civil society, international organizations and academics. An advisory board of 20 environmental NGOs, investor alliances, academics and international organizations provide guidance on TSVCM recommendations. The Taskforce's unique value proposition has been to bring all parts of the value chain to work intensively together and to provide recommended actions for the most pressing pain-points facing voluntary carbon markets. To learn more about the TSVCM, please visit https://www.iif.com/tsvcm. Press Contact Xange.com PR Team: press@xange.com Related Images Image 1: Xange.com Logo Xange.com Trademark Black and Blue This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment London, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- London, England - SEO agency Seedhub has announced that it is bringing the benefits of its high-quality digital marketing services to London-based businesses. The company, which has a presence in 6 countries, 40 team members, and currently serves over 120 clients, will now help businesses from London, UK, grow and expand their influence both locally and globally. Owing to globalization and the robust, almost indomitable nature of the global supply chain, companies today must contend with competition at all levels. They are not only competing with businesses that they share a town or city with but also with global businesses that are thriving and shipping products from the other side of the world. The explosive growth of the internet is the prime reason for this leveling of the playing field. Though some might see this as a threat, it is also a great opportunity. The companies that adapt to this new paradigm will succeed while those that fail to change will perish. Moreover, establishing early dominance on search engines for a particular industrys keywords is a competitive advantage that will yield dividends for years and even decades to come. For entrepreneurs in London who want a leg up in this long battle, enlisting the help of digital marketing experts, such as those at Seedhub Media, is imperative. Seedhub Media recently announced that it is bringing its world-class SEO and digital marketing services to clients in London, UK. Seedhub Medias range of SEO services includes white label services, local SEO, organic SEO, citation building, GMB (Google My Business) management, and reputation management. The company works with other renowned agencies such as Team Floral, First Rank Marketing, Holmes Marketing, and Beefy Sites to deliver its high-quality SEO services. Some of the notable brands that the company has helped so far include Wagamama, Just Eat, BrewDog, Halfords, Caffe Nero, White Stores, Lorentz, David Charles, and more. The CEO of Seedhub Media Andreas Georgiades commented on the new launch by saying, "We promise our London SEO clients that we'll focus on delivering business growth through high-quality ready-to-convert new leads each month. SEO is about more than just Google search engine rankings. It's about generating a solid pipeline of new sales opportunities for our London-based clients to close. Seedhub Media prides itself on delivering consistent results through its cutting edge, science-based, and tested SEO strategies." The company can help businesses market their services online and drive relevant website traffic. The effect of the SEO campaign can be accurately tracked due to the abundance of online tools that let businesses accurately measure ROI and gauge how successful the current SEO strategy is. Seedhub Media brings to the table an entire team of SEO professionals who are adept at using these tools and can craft and adjust strategies on the fly based on how much traffic they are generating. The company can even provide detailed monthly reports on the performance of the campaigns it implements. The companys clients also get access to a dedicated account manager who is always ready to answer their questions. Seedhub Media can also provide other SEO agencies, that want to bring in their own clients, the tools and expertise to create an SEO service using custom branded material. This white label service is perfect for resellers who want to use Seedhub Media to grow their own portfolio of clients. Its local and organic SEO efforts utilize content creation and exhaustive keyword analysis to boost a business for queries that its clients are most likely searching for online. Seedhub Medias citation-building services can help a business enhance search engine visibility and increase foot traffic. Finally, its GMB management and reputation management services can help businesses create a detailed consumer-facing identity and suppress malicious reviews from disgruntled ex-employees, unscrupulous competitors, and unreasonable vindictive customers. Readers looking to hire the service of the best SEO agency London has to offer can contact Seedhub Media at its UK number +44 1273 074970. The company also has a presence in the Philippines and Cyprus and is available for a consultation via WhatsApp. ### For more information about Seedhub Media London, contact the company here: Seedhub Media London Andreas Georgiades 0207 096 2033 info@seedhubmedia.com Fulham London UK English French DELSON, Quebec, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Goodfellow Inc. (TSX: GDL) (the Company or Goodfellow) announces that its Board of Directors welcomes Dr. Sarah Prichard and Mr. Robert Hall as Directors. In addition, Robert Hall has been appointed as Chair of the Board. We are very pleased to have Dr. Sarah Prichard and Mr. Robert Hall join our Board. Their extensive and diverse experience will certainly contribute to ensuring Goodfellows position in the sector of distribution of value-added, speciality wood products for years to come. It has been a pleasure to serve as Chair for these past several years and I welcome Roberts leadership for the next chapter for Goodfellow. The future is bright for the Company and I look forward to working alongside Robert, and all members of the Board, said Douglas Goodfellow. I feel privileged to take on this role during such an exciting time in the industry. Douglas has been part of Goodfellow Inc. for over 50 years and were grateful he will continue to provide his experience, insight and steadfast commitment to the success of the Company for the long-term, said Robert Hall. Until her recent retirement on May 1, 2022, Dr. Prichard served as Vice President Research and Acting Provost and Vice President (Academic) at Western University. She was a professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University from 19792005, and from 2005 until 2015 she served as Vice President, Medical Affairs and R&D in the Renal and Specialty Therapeutics business units at Baxter Healthcare. Currently, she serves as Vice Chair of McGill University Health Center, a consultant to several medical device companies and as a board member of Kane Biotech. Mr. Hall is a graduate of Bishop's University with a BA in History (1979) as well as the Universite de Sherbrooke with a Bachelor of Law (1983). He began his law career with Monty Coulombe (Sherbrooke, QC) and De Grandpre Deslauriers (Montreal, QC) then became a Partner with the law firm of Byers Casgrain, now Dentons Canada (Montreal, QC). Mr. Hall joined Cascades in 1994 as a member of senior management in the role of Vice-President, Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary and continues to play a key role in strategic development for the Company. He is a member of the Barreau du Quebec and the Canadian Bar Association. Mr. Hall is currently the Chair of the Board of Governors of Bishops University and a member of the Board of Directors of Blue Massawippi, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the environment of Lake Massawippi and its watershed. About Goodfellow Goodfellow is a diversified manufacturer of value-added lumber products, as well as a wholesale distributor of building materials and floor coverings. Goodfellow has a distribution footprint from coast-to-coast in Canada servicing commercial and residential sectors through lumber yard retailer networks, manufacturers, industrial and infrastructure project partners, and floor covering specialists. Goodfellow also leverages its value-added product capabilities to serve lumber markets internationally. Goodfellow Inc. is a publicly traded company, and its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol GDL. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Golden Sky Minerals Corp. (AUEN.V) OTC (LCKYF) (the Company or Golden Sky) announces that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, it has reduced the exercise price of 9,369,152 common share purchase warrants (the Warrants) to $0.45. The Warrants were issued pursuant to the following private placement financings: December 18, 2019 4,918,299 share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.60 December 31, 2020 1,125,277 share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.80 and 362,500 share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.75 July 20, 2021 2,963,076 share purchase warrants exercisable at $0.80 The Company has also applied to extend the exercise period of all of the Warrants to December 31, 2022. About Golden Sky Minerals Corp. Golden Sky Minerals Corp. is a well-funded junior grassroots explorer focused on the discovery of new precious metal and copper projects through systematic exploration in metal endowed terranes, located in tier-one mining jurisdictions. Golden Sky's focus is to develop their portfolio of projects to resource stage. Currently, the Company has three drill ready projects in the Yukon; this includes the Hotspot, Bullseye, and Luckystrike properties. In addition, the recent property purchase of the Rayfield Copper-Gold Project in southern British Columbia adds to the Company's substantial early-stage project pipeline in Canada. The Company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. More information can be found at the Companys website at www.goldenskyminerals.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD John Newell, President and Chief Executive Officer For new information from the Company's programs, please visit Golden Sky's website at www.GoldenSkyMinerals.com or contact John Newell by telephone (604) 568-8807 or by email at info@goldenskyminerals.com or john.newell@goldenskyminerals.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. NEWARK, Del, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Future Market Insights (FMI), biocides market should notice advancement at 3.5% CAGR some place in the scope of 2021 and 2031. Creating interest for biocides from various organizations, for instance, water treatment, paints and coatings, wood added substances, oil and gas, cleaning engineered substances, agrochemicals, paper and squash and others should uphold the arrangements over the assessment time span. Growing usage of added substances across various endeavors similarly should achieve the advancement of biocides use. As indicated by the report, biocide application as added substances should increase in various organizations including food and beverages, paper and crush, excellence care items and individual thought, wood, and others. Request A Sample of Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb- 2806 Other than this, the use of biocides in surface cleaning of various organizations like food and rewards, medications, and paints and coatings will climb sooner rather than later. Not in any way shape or form like various markets, the exceptional eruption of COVID-19 unbiasedly impacted the arrangements of biocides. While the gathering practices saw a slight hardship, premium for sanitizers overflowed decisively during the FQ-20, helping the market advancement As per FMI, interest for biocides extended by 3.50% some place in the scope of 2020 and 2021, with bargains expected to show up at US$ 8.3 Bn in 2021. Biocides Market: Participant Insights Key individuals in the overall biocides market made sense of in the report consolidates Clariant AG, Lonza Group, ICL Group, BASF SE, DOW, Veolia, Troy Corporation, Nouryon, Kemira Oyj, Ecolab USA Inc., Albemarle Corporation, Solvay SA, Lanxess AG, Buckman Laboratories International, Melzer Chemicals Private Limited, Shandong IRO Biocide Chemicals Co., Ltd. Focal individuals are focusing in on fundamental expansions through composed endeavors, combinations and acquisitions with other market individuals to fabricate their yearly turnover. Market players are also cash the board a fair measure of their pay in thing headway and cycle acceleration to help what is happening in the business. Ask an Analyst@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-2806 Key Takeaways from Biocides Market Study Overall market for biocides is projected to show up at a value of US$ 11.74 Bn toward the guess time span's end. China is evaluated to remain a basic market for biocides, with East Asia addressing 32% of the overall volume share. Flooding use of biocides in water treatment segment will uphold the arrangements. Bargains in this order will amount to US$ 3.8 Bn by 2031. By type, the halogen collects section is projected to create at a steady rate after a short time, especially in South Asia Pacific and East Asia markets. Current grade biocides are surveyed to remain top-selling grade. The piece should enlist year-on-year improvement of 4.0% in East Asia. Key Points Covered in Biocides Market Market estimates and forecast 2016-2031 Key drivers and restraints impacting market growth Segment-wise, Country-wise, and Region-wise Analysis Competition Mapping and Benchmarking Brand share and Market Share Analysis Key Product Innovations and Regulatory Climate COVID-19 Impact on Biocides Market and How to Navigate Recommendation on Key Winning Strategies Buy Now this Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/2806 Genuine Landscape Key market individuals are expanding their overall impression by focusing in on fundamental acquiring and facilitated endeavors. A couple of producers in like manner are focusing in on thing headway to introduce eco-obliging biocides. To adhere to unbending rules on food dealing with and environmental reasonability, and address farmers' issues for sound, exceptional yield and efficient yields, BASF introduced Serifel, a new biocide, in March 2020. Serifel impeded the advancement of parasitic microorganisms. Lanxess is supporting its market presence across the globe through aquisitions. In Jan 2021, Lanxess acquired INTACE, a Paris-based biocide maker of specialty fungicides for the packaging industry in Northern and Eastern Europe. In 2020 Lanxess completed the getting of Itibanyl Produtos Especiais Ltds. (IPEL), a Brazilian biocide producer. Table of Content 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Market Outlook 1.2. Demand Side Trends 1.3. Supply Side Trends 1.4. Technology Roadmap 1.5. Analysis and Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy 2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations 3. Key Market Trends 3.1. Key Trends Impacting the Market 3.2. Innovation / Development Trends 4. Key Success Factors 4.1. Product Adoption / Usage Analysis 4.2. Product innovation & Diversification 4.3. Marketing and Brand management 4.4. Supply Chain Management 5. Global Biocides Market Demand Analysis 2016-2020 and Forecast, 2021-2031 5.1. Historical Market Volume (KT) Analysis, 2016-2020 5.2. Current and Future Market Volume (KT) Projections, 2021-2031 5.3. Y-o-Y Growth Trend Analysis 6. Global Biocides Market - Pricing Analysis 6.1. Pricing Analysis By Grade 6.2. Pricing Break-up 7. Global Biocides Market Demand (in Value or Size in US$ Mn) Analysis 2016-2020 and Forecast, 2021-2031 7.1. Historical Market Value (US$ Mn) Analysis, 2016-2020 7.2. Current and Future Market Value (US$ Mn) Projections, 2021-2031 7.2.1. Y-o-Y Growth Trend Analysis 7.2.2. Absolute $ Opportunity Analysis Get Customization in the Report, Enquire Now@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/customization-available/rep-gb-2806 Have a Look at Related Research Reports of Chemical & Materials: Ethylene Copolymers Market: The ethylene copolymers market is anticipated to have a steady CAGR of 4.2% during the period 2022-2032. The ethylene copolymers market size is predicted to grow from US$ 57.4 Bn in 2022 to US$ 86.6 Billion in 2032. Previously, the ethylene copolymers market was thriving at a CAGR of 3.2% (2016-2021), resulting in a market size of US$ 55.43 Billion in 2021. Propylene Carbonate Market: The global propylene market was valued at around US$ 239.6 Mn in 2021, registering Y-O-Y growth of 5.0% for the same year. Propylene carbonate sales are projected to increase at a healthy CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period (2022-2032). Ethylbenzene Market: The global ethylbenzene market garnered US$ 21.3 Billion in 2021, and is likely to exhibit a Y-o-Y increase of 3.0% to be valued at US$ 21.9 Billion in 2022. Owing to the growing support from various governmental organizations, the market is likely to propel to US$ 31 Billion by 2032. A 3.5% CAGR is projected for the market during the forecast period. Magnesium Carbonate Market: The global magnesium carbonate market was valued at around US$ 267.3 Mn in 2021, registering Y-O-Y growth of 4.4%. Magnesium carbonate sales are projected to increase at a CAGR of 4.7% by 2032. Paraffins Market: The global paraffins market is estimated at 3.4%. While the value projection for the year 2022 is US$ 6.1 Billion, the market garnered revenue worth US$ 5.9 Billion in 2021. With a notable expansion of the key industrial sectors, the global market for paraffins is projected to hold various expansion opportunities and secure US$ 9.4 Billion by 2032. The estimated CAGR, from 2022 to 2032, is 4.4%. Helium Gas Market: The global helium gas market is forecast to reach a valuation of US$ 2.8 Bn in 2022. With demand growing at a 5.1% CAGR, the market size is expected to reach US$ 4.6 Bn by 2032. Growing adoption of helium gas for metal fabrication across various industries such as automotive and electric and electronics will boost sales in the market in the forthcoming years. Xenon Gas Market: The global xenon gas market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period (2022-2032) and is projected to reach US$ 239.6 Mn by the end of 2032. The xenon gas market was valued at US$ 141.0 Mn at the end of 2021 and is anticipated to surpass US$ 147.2 Mn by 2022, witnessing year-on-year (y-o-y) growth of 4.5% in 2022. Metallic Stearates Market: Recent market analysis from FMI states the metallic stearates market has garnered a market value of US$ 2,397.95 Mn in 2021. By 2022, the industry is likely to reach a valuation of US$ 2,478.4 Mn. FMI predicts the global sales of metallic stearates market to exceed US$ 3,178.0 Mn by registering a positive CAGR of 4.2% in the forecast period 2022-2028. Glycol Ethers Market: The glycol ethers market is anticipated to have a steady CAGR of 5.0% during the period 2022-2032. The glycol ethers market size is predicted to grow from US$ 7.3 Bn in 2022 to US$ 11.9 Billion in 2032. Previously, the market was thriving at a higher CAGR of 5.5% (2016-2021), resulting in a market size of US$ 6.9 Billion in 2021. Agricultural Grade Zinc Chemical Market: The global agricultural grade zinc chemical market garnered US$ 716 Million in 2021, and is likely to exhibit a Y-o-Y increase of 9.1% to be valued at US$ 760 Million in 2022. Owing to the increasing advancement in technology, the market is likely to propel to US$ 1.3 Billion by 2032. The trade is projected at a 5.4% CAGR during the forecast period. About Us 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 Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/biocides-market For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Browse all Reports: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs NAIROBI, Kenya, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Nobel Prize-winning economist has confirmed learning gains among the largest ever measured in schools by any major study in emerging markets. The study, led by Professor Michael Kremer , 2019 Nobel Prize winner, finds children living in underserved communities receive over 53% more learning in NewGlobe supported schools throughout their early childhood and primary education compared to students in other schools. The findings were announced by Professor Kremer at the Education World Forum and suggest a potential solution to learning poverty . Replicated across public education systems, the gains would put African children from underserved communities on track to outperform or match peers in countries with incomes four times higher. The groundbreaking study finds children taught using New Globes methods are three times more likely to be able to read at age seven. The World Bank estimates 90% of 10 year olds in Africa cant read. The most disadvantaged students gain the most. Girls make the same learning leap as boys. NewGlobe delivers a standard deviation increase of 1.35 in pre-primary learning and 0.81 in primary learning, easily in the top 1% of learning gains ever rigorously studied at scale in emerging markets. The results are an affirmation of NewGlobes integrated learning system - used by governments across Africa and South Asia to support a million students today and growing year-on-year. The two-year study is based on a large-scale randomized control trial of more than 10,000 students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in Kenya. After two years, primary students taught using NewGlobes methods are nearly a whole additional year of learning ahead of students in other schools. For pre-primary students, two years teaching using NewGlobes methods puts them a year-and-a-half of additional learning ahead of other students. 82% of Grade 1 students - six/seven-years-old - in NewGlobe-supported schools can read a sentence, compared with 27% in other schools. Students starting from lowest learning levels gain the most. NewGlobe-supported students outperform their peers across all test scores, but with differences greatest for students with the lowest prior learning. Professor Kremer said: The effects in this study are among the largest in the international education literature, particularly for a program that was already operating at scale attending schools delivering highly standardized education has the potential to produce dramatic learning gains at scale, suggesting that policymakers may wish to explore incorporation of standardization, including standardized lesson plans and teacher feedback and monitoring, in their own systems. Full details here Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c14349f-6049-493d-853f-997214b2482c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bff1b847-ccc8-479a-ae67-a1c378dbd7f4 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e24da4eb-1d8f-44b2-9af3-5a552760faa5 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65963b7b-0d3a-41a9-948a-8e10b8168635 CALGARY, Alberta, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (Gran Tierra or the Company) (NYSE American:GTE) (TSX:GTE) (LSE:GTE) today announced the early participation results of its previously announced offers to Eligible Holders (as defined herein) to exchange (such offers, the Exchange Offers) (i) any and all of the outstanding 6.25% Senior Notes due 2025 issued by Gran Tierra Energy International Holdings Ltd. (GTEIH) on February 15, 2018 (CUSIP: 38502HAA3 / G4066TAA0; ISIN: US38502HAA32 / USG4066TAA00) (the 2025 Notes), and (ii) any and all of the outstanding 7.750% Senior Notes due 2027 issued by the Company on May 23, 2019 (CUSIP: 38502JAA9 / U37016AA7; ISIN: US38502JAA97 / USU37016AA70) (the 2027 Notes and, together with the 2025 Notes, the Existing Notes) for newly issued 8.750% Senior Secured Amortizing Notes due 2029 (the New Notes), pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the exchange offer memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated May 24, 2022 in respect of the Exchange Offers and Consent Solicitations (as defined below) (as amended or supplemented prior to the date hereof, the Exchange Offer Memorandum). Any capitalized terms used in this press release without definition have the respective meanings assigned to such terms in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. Existing Notes CUSIP/ISIN Numbers Principal Amount Outstanding Principal Amount Tendered Percentage of the Principal Amount Outstanding 6.25% Senior Notes due 2025 38502HAA3 / G4066TAA0 US38502HAA32 / USG4066TAA00 US$300,000,000 US$110,705,000 36.90% 7.750% Senior Notes due 2027 38502JAA9 / U37016AA7 US38502JAA97 / USU37016AA70 US$300,000,000 US$122,384,000 40.79% As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 7, 2022 (the Early Participation Deadline), (i) US$110,705,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of the 2025 Notes, representing approximately 36.90% of the total principal amount outstanding of the 2025 Notes, and (ii) US$122,384,000 aggregate principal amount outstanding of the 2027 Notes, representing approximately 40.79% of the total principal amount outstanding of the 2027 Notes, had been validly tendered for exchange and not validly withdrawn, as confirmed by the Information Agent for the Exchange Offers. The Withdrawal Deadline has not been extended and expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 7, 2022. Accordingly, holders may no longer withdraw Existing Notes tendered in the Exchange Offers, except in certain limited circumstances as set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. Except as modified by the terms of this press release, all other terms and conditions of the Exchange Offers and the Solicitations of Consents, as previously announced and described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, remain unchanged. The Exchange Offers and the Solicitations of Consents will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on June 22, 2022 (the Expiration Deadline), unless extended or earlier terminated by the Company, in its sole discretion. The Company currently expects the settlement of the Exchange Offers and the Solicitations of Consents to be on June 24, 2022 (the Settlement Date), which is the second business day after the Expiration Deadline. Eligible Holders who validly tendered Existing Notes and delivered Consents, and did not validly revoke such tenders and Consents, on or prior to the Early Participation Deadline and whose Existing Notes are accepted for exchange by the Company will receive on the Settlement Date US$950 aggregate principal amount of New Notes for each US$1,000 aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes (the Exchange Consideration) and the early participation premium of US$50 principal amount of New Notes for each US$1,000 aggregate principal amount of Existing Notes (the Early Participation Premium and, together with the Exchange Consideration, the Total Consideration). In order to give Eligible Holders additional time to participate in the Exchange Offer and receive the Total Consideration, the Company also announced today the extension of the Early Participation Deadline to 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on June 22, 2022. Accordingly, Eligible Holders who validly tender Existing Notes and deliver Consents, and do not validly revoke such tenders and Consents, after the Early Participation Deadline and on or before the Expiration Deadline and whose Existing Notes are accepted for exchange by the Company will also receive on the Settlement Date the Total Consideration. Eligible Holders whose Existing Notes are accepted for exchange will be paid accrued and unpaid interest on such Existing Notes from, and including, the most recent date on which interest was paid on such Holders Existing Notes to, but not including, the Settlement Date (the Accrued Interest), payable on the Settlement Date. Accrued Interest will be paid in cash on the Settlement Date. Interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date for all Existing Notes accepted for exchange in the applicable Exchange Offer. As previously announced, simultaneously with the Exchange Offers, (i) GTEIH is conducting a solicitation (the 2025 Solicitation) of consents (the 2025 Consents) from Eligible Holders of 2025 Notes to effect certain proposed amendments (the 2025 Proposed Amendments) to the indenture dated as of February 15, 2018, under which the 2025 Notes were issued (the 2025 Existing Indenture), and (ii) the Company is conducting a solicitation (the 2027 Solicitation and, together with the 2025 Solicitation, the Solicitations) of consents (the 2027 Consents and, together with the 2025 Consents, the Consents) from Eligible Holders of 2027 Notes to effect certain proposed amendments (the 2027 Proposed Amendments and, together with the 2025 Proposed Amendments, the Proposed Amendments) to the indenture dated as of May 23, 2019, under which the 2027 Notes were issued (the 2027 Existing Indenture and, together with the 2025 Existing Indenture, the Existing Indentures). The Proposed Amendments would provide for, among other things, (i) the elimination of substantially all of the restrictive covenants and events of default and related provisions with respect to the applicable series of Existing Notes, and (ii) the amendment of certain defined terms and covenants in the Existing Indentures. It is also expected that the guarantees of the Existing Notes may be released as described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. Each Exchange Offer and Solicitation is a separate offer, and each Exchange Offer and Solicitation may be individually amended, extended, terminated or withdrawn without amending, extending, terminating or withdrawing any other Exchange Offer or Solicitation. The New Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture and will be senior secured obligations. The Companys obligation to accept Existing Notes tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offers and Consents delivered pursuant to the Solicitations is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions described in the Exchange Offer Memorandum, which include, (i) the non-occurrence of an event or events or the likely non-occurrence of an event or events that would or might reasonably be expected to prohibit, restrict or delay the consummation of the Exchange Offers or materially impair the contemplated benefits to the Company of the Exchange Offers, (ii) with respect to the 2025 Notes, the receipt of 2025 Notes validly tendered prior to the Expiration Date representing not less than 80% of the aggregate principal amount of 2025 Notes outstanding and, with respect to the 2027 Notes, the receipt of 2027 Notes validly tendered prior to the Expiration Date representing not less than 80% of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding 2027 Notes and (iii) certain other customary conditions. The Company will not receive any cash proceeds from the issuance of the New Notes in the Exchange Offers and the Solicitations. Existing Notes tendered in connection with the Exchange Offers, and accepted for exchange, will be cancelled. The Company expects to repay any borrowings under its revolving credit facility and terminate, or refinance, in its sole discretion, its revolving credit facility prior to the Expiration Deadline and the completion of the Exchange Offers and Solicitations. The Exchange Offers are being made, and the New Notes are being offered and issued, only (a) in the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act)) in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and (b) outside the United States to holders of Existing Notes who are persons other than U.S. persons (as defined in Rule 902 under the Securities Act) in reliance upon Regulation S under the Securities Act and who are non-U.S. qualified offerees and eligible purchasers in other jurisdictions as set forth in the Exchange Offer Memorandum. Holders who have returned a duly completed eligibility letter certifying that they are within one of the categories described in the immediately preceding sentences are authorized to receive and review the Exchange Offer Memorandum and to participate in the Exchange Offers and the Solicitations (such holders, Eligible Holders). Holders who desire to obtain and complete an eligibility letter should either visit the website for this purpose at www.dfking.com/gte, or call D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Information Agent and Exchange Agent for the Exchange Offers and the Solicitation of Consents at +1 (800) 967-0261 (toll free), +1 (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers), or email at gte@dfking.com. This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Existing Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the New Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The New Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Exchange Offers are made, and the New Notes are being offered and issued in Canada on a private placement basis to holders of Existing Notes who are accredited investors and permitted clients, each as defined under applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. None of the Company, the dealer manager, the trustee, any agent or any affiliate of any of them makes any recommendation as to whether Eligible Holders should tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of the principal amount of such Eligible Holders Existing Notes for New Notes in the Exchange Offers or Consent to any of the Proposed Amendments to the Existing Indentures in the Solicitations. Eligible Holders will need to make their own decision as to whether to tender Existing Notes in the Exchange Offer and participate in the Solicitation and, if so, the principal amount of Existing Notes to tender. This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, and those statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words may, might, will, would, could, should, believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, project, target, goal, guidance, budget, plan, objective, potential, seek, or similar expressions or variations on these expressions are forward-looking statements. The Company can give no assurances that the assumptions upon which the forward-looking statements are based will prove to be correct or that, even if correct, intervening circumstances will not occur to cause actual results to be different than expected. Because forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the form and results of the Exchange Offers and Solicitations of Consents; the Companys ability to comply with covenants in its Existing Indentures; the Companys ability to obtain amendments to the covenants in its Existing Indentures; and those factors set out in the Exchange Offer Memorandum under Risk Factors, in Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and in the Companys other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Eligible Investors should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The information included herein is given as of the date of this press release and, except as otherwise required by the securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to, or to withdraw, any forward-looking statement contained in this press release to reflect any change in the Companys expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based. ABOUT GRAN TIERRA ENERGY INC. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. together with its subsidiaries is an independent international energy company currently focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production in Colombia and Ecuador. The Company is currently developing its existing portfolio of assets in Colombia and Ecuador. The Companys common stock trades on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTE. Additional information concerning Gran Tierra is available at www.grantierra.com. Gran Tierras filings with the SEC are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. The Companys Canadian securities regulatory filings are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com and UK regulatory filings are available on the National Storage Mechanism website at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. Gran Tierras filings on the SEC website and SEDAR are not incorporated by reference into this press release. Information on the Companys website (including the Sustainability Report) does not constitute a part of this press release. For investor and media inquiries please contact: Gary Guidry, President & Chief Executive Officer Ryan Ellson, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Rodger Trimble, Vice President, Investor Relations +1-403-265-3221 info@grantierra.com SOURCE Gran Tierra Energy Inc. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (Teck) announced today that it has amended certain terms of its previously announced cash tender offer (the Tender Offer) to purchase up to US$500 million aggregate principal amount (subject to increase or decrease by Teck, the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount) of its outstanding notes listed in the table below (collectively, the Notes and each a Series of Notes), in the order of priority shown in the table below. Teck amended the Tender Offer as follows: extended the (i) Early Tender Deadline to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 13, 2022 (originally June 7, 2022), (ii) Price Determination Date to 10:00 a.m., New York City time on June 14, 2022 (originally June 8, 2022), and (iii) Early Settlement Date to June 16, 2022 (originally June 10, 2022); and modified the applicable Fixed Spread as set forth in the Offer to Purchase (the Original Fixed Spread) to the applicable amended Fixed Spread as set forth in the following table (the Amended Fixed Spread): Acceptance Priority Level CUSIP / ISIN Title of Security Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding Reference U.S. Treasury Security Bloomberg Reference Page Original Fixed Spread (basis points) (1) Amended Fixed Spread (basis points) (1) 1 878742AW5 / US878742AW53 6.250% Notes due 2041 US$794,717,000 3.250% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2042 FIT1 230 210 2 878742AE5 / US878742AE55 6.125% Notes due 2035 US$609,355,000 2.875% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2032 FIT1 230 210 3 878742AS4 / US878742AS42 6.000% Notes due 2040 US$490,670,000 3.250% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2042 FIT1 230 210 4 878742AZ8 / US878742AZ84 5.400% Notes due 2043 US$376,908,000 3.250% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2042 FIT1 230 210 5 878744AB7 / US878744AB72 5.200% Notes due 2042 US$399,043,000 3.250% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2042 FIT1 230 210 6 878742BE4 / US878742BE47 878742BG9 / US878742BG94 3.900% Notes due 2030 US$550,000,000 2.875% U.S. Treasury due May 15, 2032 FIT1 195 175 (1) Includes the Early Tender Premium of US$50 per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes for each Series (the Early Tender Premium). The terms and conditions of the Tender Offer are described in an Offer to Purchase dated May 24, 2022 (as it may be amended or supplemented, the Offer to Purchase). The Tender Offer is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions as set forth in the Offer to Purchase, which may be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation as described below. Subject to applicable law, Teck may waive any and all of these conditions or extend, terminate or withdraw the Tender Offer with respect to one or more Series of Notes and/or increase or decrease the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount. The Tender Offer is not conditioned upon any minimum amount of Notes being tendered. In accordance with the terms of the Tender Offer, the withdrawal deadline was 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 7, 2022. As a result, tendered Notes may no longer be withdrawn, except in certain limited circumstances where additional withdrawal rights are required by law (as determined by Teck). Capitalized terms used in this news release and not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Offer to Purchase. Except as set forth herein, all other terms and conditions of the Tender Offer described in the Offer to Purchase remain unchanged. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and TD Securities (USA) LLC are the Lead Dealer Managers and Barclays Capital Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC and SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc. are the Co-Dealer Managers for the Tender Offer. Global Bondholder Services Corporation is the Tender Agent and Information Agent. Persons with questions regarding the Tender Offer should contact J.P. Morgan Securities LLC at (toll-free) (866) 834-4666 or TD Securities (USA) LLC (toll-free) at (866) 584-2096. Requests for copies of the Offer to Purchase and related materials should be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (+1) (212) 430-3774, (toll-free) (855) 654-2015 or contact@gbsc-usa.com. Questions regarding the tendering of Notes may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (toll-free) (855) 654-2015. This news release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes. The Tender Offer is made only by the Offer to Purchase and the information in this news release is qualified by reference to the Offer to Purchase dated May 24, 2022. There is no separate letter of transmittal in connection with the Offer to Purchase. None of Teck, its boards of directors, the Dealer Managers, the Tender Agent and Information Agent or the trustee, with respect to any Notes is making any recommendation as to whether holders should tender any Notes in response to the Tender Offer, and neither Teck nor any such other person has authorized any person to make any such recommendation. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Notes, and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements include: statements regarding the terms and timing for completion of the Tender Offer, including the acceptance for purchase of any Notes validly tendered and the expected Early Tender Deadline, Expiration Date and settlement dates thereof; the potential increase or decrease of the Aggregate Maximum Tender Amount; and the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions of the Tender Offer. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Teck to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to vary include, but are not limited to, conditions in financial markets, investor response to the Tender Offer, and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in Tecks reports filed with Canadian securities administrators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned against unduly relying on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of the relevant document and, except as required by law, Teck undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise. About Teck As one of Canadas leading mining companies, Teck is committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, zinc, and steelmaking coal, as well as investments in energy assets. Copper, zinc and high-quality steelmaking coal are required for the transition to a low-carbon world. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Tecks shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Teck Media Contact Chris Stannell Public Relations Manager 604.699.4368 chris.stannell@teck.com Teck Investor Contact Fraser Phillips Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Strategic Analysis 604.699.4621 fraser.phillips@teck.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lupaka Gold Corp. ("Lupaka" or the Company") (TSX-V: LPK, FRA: LQP) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced one-time special dividend distribution of contingent value rights (each, a CVR) to holders of Lupakas common shares as of May 18, 2022. Each shareholder received one CVR for each common share of the Company held. Each CVR entitles the holder to receive a pro rata portion of any net amount available for distribution if the Company receives a cash award (the Award Proceeds) from the Companys ongoing arbitration proceedings with the Republic of Peru (the Arbitration). The net amount available for distribution will be calculated by deducting certain amounts, including the fees of the Companys Arbitration counsel and other payables and amounts to be retained by the Company for working capital and other corporate purposes (collectively "Excluded Amounts") from the Award Proceeds. Additionally, a de minimus threshold (the "De Minimus Threshold") will be applied in determining if any payment ("CVR Consideration") will be made to the registered CVR holders ("Holders"). The foregoing calculation will be applied any and each time the Company receives Award Proceeds in respect of the Arbitration. There can be no assurances that the Company will be successful in the Arbitration, or receive any Award Proceeds. The CVRs are governed by the terms of an indenture dated June 7, 2022 (the "CVR Indenture") between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada ("Computershare"). A copy of the CVR Indenture has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Within 20 business days of each date on which the Company receives Award Proceeds, the Company will issue a news release disclosing, among other things, the Companys receipt of the Award Proceeds and if any CVR Consideration is payable and the amount of the CVR Consideration. Computershare has been appointed as the registrar and transfer agent of the CVRs and will maintain the records and register of the CVRs at its office in Vancouver, British Columbia. The register will contain, among other things, a list of the names and addresses of the Holders of CVRs who were registered shareholders of the Company at the time of the issuance of the CVRs together with the number of CVRs held by each such Holder. Upon request to Computershare, any Holder is entitled to receive confirmation of the number of CVRs apportioned on the register to such Holder. Holders of CVRs who held their shares of the Company through a broker or other intermediary at the time of the issuance of the CVRs should contact the broker or other intermediary to determine the number of CVRs beneficially owned by them. The CVRs have a term of a maximum of ten years, with the particulars detailed in the Indenture available on SEDAR under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The CVRs are not represented by a certificate and will not be listed on any stock exchange or quotation system, and are separate from, and do not trade with, the Companys shares. Please refer to the CVR Indenture for additional information. Shareholders should obtain their own tax advice. For any inquires relating to the CVRs, please contact Computershare Trust Company of Canada at 1-800-564-6253. The Company advises that the Arbitration continues to progress with the target date for completion of the formal arbitration process remaining unchanged at April 2023. Otherwise, there have been no material developments in the status of the Arbitration since the Companys most recent update on October 7, 2021. There can be no assurances that the Company will be successful in Arbitration or receive any Award Proceeds. Further, even if an Award Proceeds are received by the Company, there can be no assurances that the Award Proceeds will be in an amount sufficient to result in any payment to the CVR holders. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this news release. About Lupaka Gold Lupaka is an active Canadian-based company focused on creating shareholder value through identification and development of mining assets. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Gordon Ellis, C.E.O.gellis@lupakagold.com Tel: (604) 985-3147 or visit the Companys profile at www.sedar.com or its website at www.lupakagold.com Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect Lupakas current expectations. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include information relating to the status of the Arbitration proceedings and any future payment of Award Proceeds. Such statements and information reflect the current views of Lupaka. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause 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. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: there is no assurance that Lupaka will obtain any Award Proceeds or settlement proceeds from the Arbitration; the Arbitration proceedings may result in unanticipated costs and other adverse repercussions for the Company; new local or foreign laws or regulations could adversely affect the Companys ability to obtain any Award Proceeds from the Arbitration; Lupaka not being successful in the Arbitration; fluctuations in commodity prices; general market and industry conditions; and risks associated with engaging in arbitration proceedings in a foreign jurisdiction. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, that the Arbitration, or the ability of the Company to pay out any Award Proceeds will not be adversely impacted by political instability, changes in local or foreign legislation, COVID-19 or the conflict in Eastern Europe. Such forward-looking statements and information represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers should not place undue importance on forward looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While Lupaka may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. TORONTO, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp. (NEO: PWWR) (OTCQB:ALKFF) (Frankfurt: 77R, WKN: A3CTYF) ("AFCP" or the "Company"), a diversified investment platform developing affordable, renewable, and reliable energy assets and cleantech, is pleased to announce the launch of PWWR Flow Streams (PWWR Flow) a brand of its combined heat and power (CHP) division, whose assets target the delivery of improved energy efficiency of more than 20% with lower costs to customers whether in multi-residential or commercial applications. PWWR Flow has contracted to deploy its existing CHP assets in Toronto, Canada, and is advancing a robust pipeline of future potential contracts having a value of over $50 million. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6af58af9-9efd-466b-a866-69eab54a8f1f PWWR Flow offers a tremendous value proposition to multi-residential and commercial customers, and our new corporate tag line of PWWR to the People, encapsulates our unique approach to providing efficient and cost-effective energy sources, commented Frank Carnevale, Chief Executive Officer. AFCP is developing energy assets on the back of the spark spread and associated increased power costs to customers, and more importantly, diversifying our revenues while de-risking our platform at the same time. On April 22nd, 2022, the Company acquired the CHP assets and project pipeline, which served to expand the AFCP portfolio and diversify its offerings. Today, the CHP Division is known as PWWR Flow, the concept behind which is based on: Direct Power to customers; Utilization of the Companys NEO exchange ticker symbol, PWWR; Flow representing the ability to leverage Canadian Flow Through CRCE credits for projects; and Streams for the cash flow streams to be generated by the assets from stable long term power purchase contracts with customers. PWWR to the People In addition, the Company is pleased to unveil a complementary new corporate tag line, PWWR to the People, which is in keeping with the notion of providing power directly to customers on their sites, and aligned with the Companys belief that the energy transition to a zero carbon economy must empower the masses to take control of their energy needs - PWWR to the People. Refreshed Investor Material The Companys website and investor presentation have been updated to reflect the PWWR Flow brand and new corporate tag line. Corporate Update Finally, the Company announces that, pursuant to a consulting agreement dated May 27, 2022 (the Consulting Agreement), it has granted 600,000 stock options to an arms length consultant (the Consultant) (Stock Option). Each Stock Option is exercisable for a period of five (5) years at an exercise price of $0.15 per common share of the Company. The Stock Options vest as follows: 100,000 6 months from the date the Consultant accepts the position and the Consulting Agreement is executed by the Company 100,000 12 months from the date the Consultant accepts the position and the Consulting Agreement is executed by the Company 200,000 18 months from the date the Consultant accepts the position and the Consulting Agreement is executed by the Company 200,000 24 months from the date the Consultant accepts the position and the Consulting Agreement is executed by the Company ABOUT ALKALINE FUEL CELL POWER CORP. (NEO: PWWR) AFCP is a diversified investment platform developing affordable, renewable, and reliable energy assets and cleantech. We bring Power to the People today, combining a stable revenue stream with a future-forward vision to commercialize our advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology to meet the massive global market need, and ultimately generate compelling returns for investors. AFCP operates through two global entities: Fuel Cell Power NV, a wholly owned subsidiary in Belgium, and PWWR Flow Streams (PWWR Flow), an AFCP brand in Canada. Fuel Cell Power NV is focused on the development, production and commercialization of micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems based on advanced alkaline fuel cell technology that generates zero CO 2 emissions. Fuel Cell Power NV is working through milestones to deliver a commercialized alkaline fuel cell in 2024. is focused on the development, production and commercialization of micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) systems based on advanced alkaline fuel cell technology that generates zero CO emissions. Fuel Cell Power NV is working through milestones to deliver a commercialized alkaline fuel cell in 2024. PWWR Flow is focused on the development, ownership and operations of combined heat and power (CHP) assets. PWWR Flow assets deliver efficiency improvements of over 20% with reduced costs to customers in multi-residential and commercial applications. PWWR Flow has contracted existing CHP assets in Toronto, Canada, and has an additional pipeline of potential contracts valued at over $50 million currently in development. AFCP is well positioned to deliver Power to the People in the global energy transition while offering a diversified cleantech growth platform for investors. Further information is available on the Company website at https://www.fuelcellpower.com/ , and the Company encourages investors and other interested stakeholders to follow it on: LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , Instagram and YouTube . Common shares are listed for trading on the NEO Exchange (NEO) under the symbol PWWR , the OTC Venture Exchange OTCQB under the symbol ALKFF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under symbol 77R and WKN A3CTYF . For further information, please contact: Frank Carnevale Chief Executive Officer +1 (647) 531-8264 fcarnevale@fuelcellpower.com Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, believes or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might, occur or achieve. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys technology, intellectual property, business plan, objectives and strategy. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forwardlooking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forwardlooking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. NEITHER THE NEO EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE NEO EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. : Acezz123 (), : Utah : When can we get rid of the "cancer" of racial discrimination in the United States? : BBS (Tue Jun 7 21:58:52 2022, ) On September 9, 2009, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "You're lying!" at President Barack Obama during his speech to Congress. Recently, the United States has been embroiled in a number of racial scandals: a Korean anchorwoman was derided as "too Asian" for introducing the Korean custom of eating dumplings for the holidays on her show, and said she should talk more about white people's eating habits; a professor at the Ivy League school University of Pennsylvania threatened in an online forum that the U. S. should put an end to An activist from the Shoshone tribe of American Indians angrily complained to the media that his homeland had been turned into a "nuclear testing ground" under the control of the U.S. government. A Shoshone American Indian activist has angrily complained to the media that his homeland has been turned into a "nuclear testing ground" under the control of the U.S. government, with "devastating effects" on the health of his fellow Native Americans ...... More than 200 years ago, the founding fathers of the United States made "all men are created equal" as the American All men are created equal" as a founding principle of the United States in the Declaration of Independence. But when will America make "all men are created equal" a reality? For more than 200 years since the founding of the United States, the evil gene of racism has always been in the blood of the country. In recent years, the problem of racial discrimination in the U.S. has intensified under the interplay of multiple conflicts, such as political polarization, social division, and the division between the rich and the poor. From the scapegoating of Chinese-American police officer Peter Liang in 2016 for the conflict between police and African-Americans to the tragic deaths of several African-Americans at the hands of police in 2018; from the death of African-American man Floyd who was kneeled by white police officers in 2020 to the discrimination against Asian-Americans since the outbreak of the new pneumonia epidemic... From the death of a white police officer who kneeled down an African-American man in 2020 to the discrimination against Asian- Americans that has been a common occurrence since the new pneumonia epidemic ... All kinds of tragedies reveal a bloody reality that in the United States , which claims to be the "champion of human rights" and advocates "equality for all," freedom, equality, and human rights have always been the privilege of only some people, and the concept of "white supremacy" has been deeply rooted in this country. The concept of "white supremacy" has taken deep roots in this country and has become an unspoken "political correctness". -- :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 23.] Royal Vopak: Capital Markets Update The Netherlands, 8 June 2022 Vopak's strategic priorities - Shaping the future Today, Royal Vopak (Euronext: VPK) hosts its Capital Markets Day in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The update features Vopak's strategic priorities and financial framework. Improve performance of our portfolio Vopak aims to improve the performance of the portfolio and targets an operating cash return of at least 10% by 2025. Operating cash return is defined as proportional operating cash flow over proportional capital employed and reflects the increased importance of free cash flow and joint ventures in our portfolio. By 2025, Vopak expects that the share of proportional capital employed in industrial and gas will further increase, while the share of oil and chemical will gradually decline. Grow our base in industrial and gas terminals Vopak will grow its base in industrial and gas terminals by allocating EUR 1 billion to these activities by 2030. This will further support a long-term and steady cash flow generation. Vopak will continue to invest in the growing global gas markets and expand its network of LNG and LPG terminals at strategic locations. Vopak aims to further grow and maintain its position as market leader in industrial terminals. Accelerate towards new energies and sustainable feedstocks Vopak will accelerate its portfolio investments towards new energies and sustainable feedstocks by allocating EUR 1 billion in growth capital to these activities by 2030. This will not only shape the future of Vopak, but also positively contribute to the transition within key industrial clusters and shaping of the energy hubs of the future. The share of zero-carbon and low-carbon energy and sustainable feedstocks at Vopak's existing locations will be increased and new infrastructure for the introduction of the vital products of the future will be developed. Here Vopak's focus is on infrastructure solutions for low-carbon and renewable hydrogen, ammonia, CO2, long duration energy storage and sustainable feedstocks. Those terminals within the Vopak network that store traditional fuels and feedstocks will be well positioned to handle low carbon substitutes. Disciplined financial framework Vopak aims to deliver strong cash flow generation and commits to a disciplined allocation of capital. Vopak targets a robust balance sheet with sufficient financial flexibility in the range of around 2.5 to 3.0 times senior net debt to EBITDA and may temporarily be outside this range depending on capital allocation choices. Progressive dividend policy Vopak will continue to manage the portfolio in line with its strategy and be a steward of shareholder value creation. To reflect its strong cash flow generation, Vopak will update its dividend policy to a progressive dividend policy aiming to maintain or grow our annual dividend subject to market conditions. Management presentations in Rotterdam will start at 10:00 am CEST and can be followed via an on-demand audio webcast on Vopak's corporate website www.vopak.com . The presentations used during this Capital Markets Day are also available through Vopak's website. Disclaimer Any statement, presentation or other information contained herein that relates to future events, goals or conditions is, or should be considered, a forward-looking statement. Although Vopak believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, based on the information available to Vopak on the date such statements are made, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Vopaks outlook does not represent a forecast or any expectation of future results or financial performance. The actual future results, timing and scope of a forward-looking statement may vary subject to (amongst others) changes in laws and regulations including international treaties, political and foreign exchange developments, technical and/or operational capabilities and developments, environmental and physical risks, (energy) resources reasonably available for our operations, developments regarding the potential capital raising, exceptional income and expense items, changes in the overall economy and market in which we operate, including actions of competitors, preferences of customers, society and/or the overall mixture of services we provide and products we store and handle. Vopak does not undertake to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements. Profile Vopak Royal Vopak is the worlds leading independent tank storage company. We store vital products with care. Products for everyday life. The energy that allows people to cook, heat or cool their homes and for transportation. The chemicals that enable companies to manufacture millions of useful products. The edible oils to prepare food. We take pride in improving access to cleaner energy and feedstocks for a growing world population, ensuring safe, clean and efficient storage and handling of bulk liquid products and gases at strategic locations around the world. We are excited to help shape a sustainable future by developing infrastructure solutions for new vital products, focusing on zero- and low-carbon hydrogen, ammonia, CO2, long duration energy storage and sustainable feedstocks. We have a track record of over 400 years in navigating change and are continuously investing in innovation. On sustainability, we are ambitious and performance driven. Our balanced sustainability roadmap reflects key topics that matter most to our stakeholders and where we can have a positive impact for people, planet and profit and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Vopak is listed on the Euronext Amsterdam and is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This press release contains inside information as meant in clause 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation. For more information, please visit www.vopak.com For more information Vopak - Press Liesbeth Lans, Manager External Communication, global.communication@vopak.com Vopak - Analysts and investors Fatjona Topciu, Head of Investor Relations, investor.relations@vopak.com Attachment (Oslo/Stockholm June 8 2022) In a 7-year contract for 2 TWh per year, Norwegian Statkraft will supply renewable electricity to H2 Green Steels operations in Boden, Sweden (price area SE1). In this new power purchase agreement with Statkraft, H2 Green Steel secures a long-term yearly supply of renewable electricity produced in the period 2026-2032. The delivery includes Guarantees of Origin for renewable energy, sourced from Statkrafts hydropower plants in Northern Sweden. In the first phase H2 Green Steel will produce 2.5 million tonnes of green steel annually. In order to deliver green steel to European customers, a large amount of renewable electricity is needed. One key building block is now in place as H2 Green Steel teams up with Statkraft, Europes largest renewable energy producer for supply of electricity. In Statkraft we have a partner and a big player that takes true responsibility to support ambitious Nordic sustainable industry initiatives. In supplying green electricity, they show a real commitment to making Swedens industry renewable within the coming decade. This is an important step in building our portfolio of renewable electricity, and we will continue to partner with front-runners in the industry that share our values and that can offer renewable electricity at competitive prices, says Luisa Orre, Chief Procurement Officer, H2 Green Steel. As Swedens fourth largest generator of electricity, we are proud to contribute with a long-term power contract to a new industrial project in Northern Sweden. The agreement confirms Statkrafts position as a key supplier of renewable energy to power-intensive industry in the Nordics, says Hallvard Granheim, Executive Vice President, Markets and IT, Statkraft. H2 Green Steels plant in Boden will be home to an ~800MW electrolyzer producing the green hydrogen needed to make green virgin iron for the steel production. The giga-scale electrolysis plant, one of the largest in the world, will be powered by renewable electricity. We also look forward to supporting the build-out of new renewable power in the region, and we are open to buying power from projects in all stages, sizes and forms, in baseload or pay-as-produced offtakes, says Orre. For further information Karin Hallstan, Head of Public and Media Relations Phone: +46 76 842 81 04 E-mail: press@h2greensteel.com Lars Magnus Gunther, Media spokesperson, Statkraft AS Phone: +47 91 24 16 36 E-mail: lars.gunther@statkraft.com About H2 Green Steel H2 Green Steel (H2GS AB) was founded in 2020 with the ambition to accelerate the decarbonization of the steel industry, using green hydrogen. Steel, which is one of the worlds largest carbon dioxide emitters, is the companys first business vertical. The founder and largest shareholder of H2 Green Steel is Vargas, which is also co-founder of Swedish battery maker Northvolt. H2 Green Steel is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with its first green steel plant under development in Boden, northern Sweden. www.h2greensteel.com 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. www.statkraft.com Attachment English Finnish Gofore Plc Stock Exchange Release 8 June, 2022 at 9.45 a.m. EET Inside Information Gofore Plc's Business Review 1 31 May, 2022: A strong May for Gofore New projects with e.g. Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and Ministry of Finance Gofores net sales in May 2022 were 13.1 million euros (8.8 million euros in May 2021). The consolidated pro forma net sales for the last 12-month period (LTM) in May amounted to 128.3 million euros. The Group employed a total of 1,068 people (799 people) at the end of the period. CEO Mikael Nylund comments: May was a successful month for us. We continue to promote digitalisation in new ways, with existing and new customers, on both public and private sector projects. The most significant agreements include a new one with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, on managing social and welfare reform related projects. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has a major part to play in the reform, and its an honour for us to continue to support these projects that are also of great national importance. The new project is worth an estimated 3-7 million euros to us on over three years, plus an option of two additional years. The societal impact we look for can also be seen in a new project with the Ministry of Finance, who chose us for the development and long-term maintenance services of its new framework and budget information system. The agreement, worth 2.6 million euros to us, entails the information system used in the framework and budget planning, as well as the website meant for visualizing the budget information. The objective is to have the system in use in the fall of 2024 and the website available by the end of the same year. The public sector is also showing demand for the high-quality change management consulting expertise we acquired last year with CCEA. In May, we were chosen by e.g. Business Finland who promotes Finnish trade, tourism and foreign investment, as its partner in training and consultancy in change management. This is an important step for us in supporting the change of public organisations. Our private sector sales are also performing well. We get to be part of developing future technologies in various areas. For example, we have an international coding team of six involved in developing a cloud service called CardioSignal, designed to enable early detection of heart diseases and offer impactful tools for healthcare professionals. The level of sick leave due to the corona virus has come down for the time being. Our recruiting activity was also good in May. Digitalisation is an unstoppable megatrend, but the world is also struggling with long-term crisis. Hence, we pay closer than before attention to our operating environment. Our previous estimates on long-term risks remained unchanged in May. Key figures The numbers are unaudited. In the table below, we have corrected the Full Time Equivalent numbers we have incorrectly stated in the March and April business reviews as 959 for March and 980 for April. Month (2022) Net sales, MEUR (Net sales 2021) 1 Pro forma LTM Net sales 2 Number of employees at end of period 3 No. of working days in Finland Full Time Equivalent, FTE4 Subcontracting, FTE5 January 10.8 (7.5) 118.5 993 (727) 20 (19) 917 (697) 147 (109) February 11.3 (8.1) 120.3 1,015 (736) 20 (20) 942 (698) 153 (111) March 13.3 (9.7) 122.9 1,043 (792) 23 (23) 968 (735) 155 (118) April 11.5 (8.5) 125.0 1,056 (791) 19 (20) 988 (743) 156 (112) May 13,1 (8.8) 128,3 1,068 (799) 21 (20) 1,004 (755) 163 (109) Unless otherwise stated, comparing figures presented in brackets refer to the corresponding period of the previous year. Devecto Oys figures have been consolidated into Gofore Groups figures as of 3 January, 2022. 1) Net sales, MEUR (net sales in 2021) indicates the unaudited net sales for the month in question. 2) The last twelve months (LTM) pro forma net sales figure that the company uses tells the net sales for the Group structure of the time of reporting. The pro forma net sales include the impact of acquisitions and divestments and is unaudited. 3) Number of employees at the end of the review period. 4) Overall Capacity, FTE (Full Time Equivalent) figure shows the overall capacity of the Group's personnel, converted into a value corresponding to the number of full-time employees. The figure includes the entire personnel, regardless of their role. The figure is not affected by annual leave, time-off in lieu of overtime, sick leave or other short-term absences. Part-time agreement sand other long-term deviations from normal working hours reduce the amount of overall capacity in comparison with the total number of employees. The personnel capacity of corporate acquisitions has been accounted for as of the date of the acquisition. 5) Subcontracting, FTE (Full Time Equivalent) figure shows the overall amount of subcontracting used in invoiceable work, converted into a value corresponding to the number of full-time employees. The subcontracting of the companies acquired by Gofore has been accounted for as of the date of the acquisition. Gofores financial reporting In its monthly business review, Gofore discloses its monthly net sales, last ten-month pro forma net sales and number of employees with comparison figures, as well as other indicators that help evaluate the companys growth strategy execution, such as the Full Time Equivalent (FTE) numbers that describe overall capacity and the ratio of subcontracting. In its quarterly business reviews, Gofore also discloses its EBITA, adjusted EBITA and EBITA-% for the quarter in question along with comparison figures, its organic growth number for the reporting period, and e.g. income statement and balance sheet. Business reviews are published as soon as possible after the numbers are confirmed at the beginning of the following month, with the exceptions of Januarys numbers, included in the full-year financial statements release, March numbers, included in the January-March review, and July numbers, included in the half-year report. Mikael Nylund CEO, Gofore Plc tel. +358 40 540 2280 mikael.nylund@gofore.com Over 100 Southern California franchises in a major global convenience chain are now carrying TAAT, following the addition of more than 80 new stores after the product was sold for just eight weeks in an initial group of stores, approximately 35% of which have already placed reorders. The Company intends to focus commercialization efforts that are specific to TAAT Menthol in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, whose City Council recently unanimously voted to ban sales of flavoured tobacco products (e.g., menthol tobacco cigarettes) starting in 2023. As TAAT is a non-tobacco product, the Company anticipates it can capitalize on this upcoming gap in the tobacco category. LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol are now sold in over 100 franchised stores in Southern California belonging to a major global convenience chain, an increase of more than 80 stores in just eight weeks following an initial placement in 23 stores (as announced in the Companys April 22, 2022 press release ). TAAT established dialogues with the owners of these franchises through an independent association of franchise owners in Southern California (the FOA), who are part of the convenience chains network of over 9,300 stores in the United States and more than 70,000 stores worldwide. Approximately 35% of the initial group of franchised stores carrying TAAT have already placed reorders. The Company is currently planning to begin initiatives in Southern California to promote TAAT Menthol in light of an upcoming ban of flavoured tobacco products in Los Angeles (population 3.9 million, second-largest city in the United States) set to begin on January 1, 2023. On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to ban the sale of flavoured tobacco products, such as menthol tobacco cigarettes1. Menthol tobacco cigarettes have proven to be exceptionally popular in Los Angeles, with 94.5% of tobacco retailers carrying products in this segment, and 31.2% displaying menthol cigarette price promotions2. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/951b11db-d5fc-425e-a3ae-81a47df033d2 The Company continues to place TAAT in additional U.S. stores, with a store count now exceeding 2,700. TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol (pictured above) are now carried in over 100 Southern California locations of a major global convenience chain. 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, The Southern California FOA is a very strong community of franchise owners in this global convenience chain, in which word gets around very quickly about great new products that can be carried. Virtually all convenience stores sell tobacco cigarettes in the standard brand varieties, but outside of non-combustible offerings such as vaping there are very few alternatives to legacy products in this category. TAAT initially performed well in the first 23 stores, and in eight weeks that has led to a 35% reorder rate as well as store count growth of about 400% just within the Southern California FOA alone. We are excited to be growing our footprint in this region, especially as TAAT Menthol can soon become positioned to capture market share in Los Angeles based on the upcoming ban of flavoured tobacco sales, from which our products will be exempt as they do not contain tobacco. Sources 1 - https://abcnews.go.com/Health/la-city-council-votes-unanimously-ban-sale-flavored/story?id=85133858 2 - https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/20_0144.htm In connection with the acquisition of ADCO Distributors, Inc., as previously announced on May 20, 2022, the Company paid a finder's fee of an aggregate total of $36,957 cash and 112,195 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Finder's Fee Shares") at a deemed value of $1.317602 per Finder's Fee Share. The Finder's Fee Shares are subject to a 12-month hold period, with one-third (1/3) of the aggregate number of Finder's Fee Shares being released on the 4th, 8th and 12th month from the issuance date. The finder's fee reported herein was paid by the Company to an arms length third party. 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: Potential outcomes from the placement of TAAT in the Southern California franchised convenience stores as detailed in the press release. 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 Dublin, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool is the must have handbook for any business developer, BI/CI operative or clinical developer who needs to be on top of this hot and fast moving area of immune-oncology. This unique product is truly the only tool of its kind and is designed to give you a competitive edge in your immune-checkpoint drug surveillance and intelligence, allowing you to power your decision making and advance your own interests. Cancer cells sometimes find ways to avoid being attacked by the immune system. But the event of immune-checkpoint drugs such as nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) have dramatically changed the possibility to harness the power of the immune system in fighting cancer not only as a monotherapy but, maybe more importantly, also as a combination therapy. For 20 years we have supported better decision making across the oncology drug development industry. Your Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool is based on two decades of proven methodology and transforms your computer's desktop into a high capacity workbench within your area of choice. Even before launching this tool you have already eliminated the hundreds of hours of work needed to discover, process and piece together the thousands of sources that our team of oncology dedicated and highly experienced contents specialists have done on your behalf. Your Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool covers more than 234 companies plus partners who are today developing 560 immune-checkpoint drugs where of 530 are in active development in cancer across 112 different targets. Any data and/or analysis from the Analytical Tool is yours to keep and data/graphs/tables can be easily exported into Excel/PDF and various graphic formats for mixing with your own proprietary information. Let our expertise work for you With a simple point and click interface you can navigate the environment of current development, drill down into specific areas such as ongoing combination trials, biomarker analysis, selected scientific abstracts etc. and generate drug profiles, drug target profiles and company profiles (including Business Development & Licensing contacts). Any analysis generated by you is packed with presentation-ready graphs and tables to use in your reports and presentations. Your key to access development at the world-leading cancer meetings The Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool is continuously updated according to twelve of the world's most influential meetings in oncology (AACR, ASCO, ASGCT, ASH, CMIT, EHA, EORTC-NCI-AACR, ESMO, SITC and BIO (International, Europe and Asia). 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Keeping you "In the know" Simply put, our mission is to fuel your knowledge of immune-oncology, to make you the first to know about very early technologies and startups, emerging clinical trial results, drug approvals and the ever-changing competitive landscape. Immune-checkpoint Drugs in Oncology: Analytical Tool achieves this by continuously scanning development in immune-checkpoint and reporting: Deals & Collaborations New technologies/drugs (emerging from patents, grants, abstracts (see Conference Coverage) etc.) Funding/Grants/IPOs Filings & Approvals Latest Clinical Trial Development & Results Newly launched clinical trials Conference Coverage of the world's twelve leading meetings in oncology* Quarterly & Annual Reporting This puts you in control of most, if not all, day-to-day developments in your field while also benefiting from one of the most comprehensive commercial pipeline review & competitive assessment tools available on the market today! Identify, prioritize, and lead scientific assessment of oncology opportunities and competition by multiple factors such as: Emerging Technologies Target Novelty Recent Funding Early & Late Stage Pipeline Biomarker/Companion Diagnostic Development (featured below) Entered Deals & Alliances Conference surveillance of world leading cancer meetings (featured below) Combination Therapy Choices (featured below) Outcome of Clinical Trials Indication Selection & Expansion Choices Drug Repositioning Opportunities For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cefigf Dublin, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Partnering Terms and Agreements 2010 to 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report contains a comprehensive listing of all artificial intelligence partnering deals announced since 2010 including financial terms where available including over 750 links to online deal records of actual artificial intelligence partnering deals as disclosed by the deal parties. Trends in artificial intelligence partnering deals Disclosed headlines, upfronts, milestones and royalties by stage of development Artificial intelligence partnering contract documents Top artificial intelligence deals by value The report provides a detailed understanding and analysis of how and why companies enter artificial intelligence partnering deals. The majority of deals are early development stage whereby the licensee obtains a right or an option right to license the licensors artificial intelligence technology or product candidates. These deals tend to be multicomponent, starting with collaborative R&D, and commercialization of outcomes. This report provides details of the latest artificial intelligence, oligonucletides including aptamers agreements announced in the healthcare sectors. Understanding the flexibility of a prospective partner's negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what you can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. Whilst many smaller companies will be seeking details of the payments clauses, the devil is in the detail in terms of how payments are triggered - contract documents provide this insight where press releases and databases do not. In addition, where available, records include contract documents as submitted to the Securities Exchange Commission by companies and their partners. Contract documents provide the answers to numerous questions about a prospective partner's flexibility on a wide range of important issues, many of which will have a significant impact on each party's ability to derive value from the deal. In addition, a comprehensive appendix is provided organized by artificial intelligence partnering company A-Z, deal type definitions and artificial intelligence partnering agreements example. Each deal title links via Weblink to an online version of the deal record and where available, the contract document, providing easy access to each contract document on demand. The report also includes numerous tables and figures that illustrate the trends and activities in artificial intelligence partnering and dealmaking since 2010. In conclusion, this report provides everything a prospective dealmaker needs to know about partnering in the research, development and commercialization of artificial intelligence technologies and products. Report scope Global Artificial Intelligence Partnering Terms and Agreements includes: Trends in artificial intelligence dealmaking in the biopharma industry since 2010 Access to headline, upfront, milestone and royalty data Access to over 750 artificial intelligence deals The leading artificial intelligence deals by value since 2010 Most active artificial intelligence dealmakers since 2010 The leading artificial intelligence partnering resources In Global Artificial Intelligence Partnering Terms and Agreements, the available contracts are listed by: Company A-Z Headline value Stage of development at signing Deal component type Specific therapy and technology target Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary Chapter 1 - Introduction Chapter 2 - Trends in artificial intelligence dealmaking 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Artificial intelligence partnering over the years 2.3. Most active artificial intelligence dealmakers 2.4. Artificial intelligence partnering by deal type 2.5. Artificial intelligence partnering by therapy area 2.6. Deal terms for artificial intelligence partnering 2.6.1 Artificial intelligence partnering headline values 2.6.2 Artificial intelligence deal upfront payments 2.6.3 Artificial intelligence deal milestone payments 2.6.4 Artificial intelligence royalty rates Chapter 3 - Leading artificial intelligence deals 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Top artificial intelligence deals by value Chapter 4 - Most active artificial intelligence dealmakers 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Most active artificial intelligence dealmakers 4.3. Most active artificial intelligence partnering company profiles Chapter 5 - Artificial intelligence contracts dealmaking directory 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Artificial intelligence contracts dealmaking directory Chapter 6 - Artificial intelligence dealmaking by technology type Appendices Appendix 1 - Artificial intelligence deals by company A-Z Appendix 2 - Artificial intelligence deals by stage of development Appendix 3 - Artificial intelligence deals by deal type Appendix 4 - Artificial intelligence deals by therapy area Appendix 5 - Deal type definitions Appendix 6 - Further reading on dealmaking Table of figures Figure 1: Artificial intelligence partnering since 2010 Figure 2: Active artificial intelligence dealmaking activity since 2010 Figure 3: Artificial intelligence partnering by deal type since 2010 Figure 4: Artificial intelligence partnering by disease type since 2010 Figure 5: Artificial intelligence deals with a headline value Figure 6: Artificial intelligence deals with an upfront value Figure 7: Artificial intelligence deals with a milestone value Figure 8: Artificial intelligence deals with a royalty rate value Figure 9: Top artificial intelligence deals by value since 2010 Figure 10: Most active artificial intelligence dealmakers since 2010 Companies Mentioned HistoIndex Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Boehringer Ingelheim Worthington Biochemical Corporation Loop Insights Roux Institute Wyss Institute Endpoint Health EndPoint Technologies MILA International Lore IO CoreBiome Relation Therapeutics DecisionQ KBP BioSciences AUM Biosciences SOM Biotech Vir Biotechnology 1ST Biotherapeutics BurstIQ Covaris Genesis Therapeutics C4X Discovery Atomwise IrisVision PolarisQB ChemDiv Adaptive Biotechnologies Kebotix AltaML Medial Reveal Biosciences Medial EarlySign Global Good Fund Mendel Health For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/irt217 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. Pune, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A radar altimeter (RA), radio altimeter (RALT), electronic altimeter, or reflection altimeter measures altitude above the terrain presently beneath an aircraft or spacecraft by timing how long it takes a beam of radio waves to travel to ground, reflect, and return to the craft. Electronic Altimeter market research gives industry status and trend report for forecast period of 2027 which offers a complete study on Electronic Altimeter market, standing on the readers viewpoint, providing comprehensive market information and penetrating insights. No matter the client is industry insider, possible participant or stakeholder, the report will provide beneficial information and statistics. Electronic Altimeter market research report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Electronic Altimeter market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries. Get a Sample Copy of the Report at - https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-sample/20531523 Market split by Type, can be divided into: - On-Board Other Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Civil Aviation Military Aviation Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) South America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia etc.) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, UAE and Saudi Arabia etc.) To Understand How Covid-19 Impact Is Covered in This Report - https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-covid19/20531523 Leading players of Electronic Altimeter including: - Honeywell Garmin FreeFlight Systems Shanghai TopXGun Robotics EIT Avionics Aerosonic Rockwell Collins Thales Dynon Avionics Key questions answered by this report include: - Worldwide and Regional Market Size of Electronic Altimeter, and development forecast 2022-2027 Main manufacturers/suppliers of Electronic Altimeter worldwide, with company and product introduction, position in the Electronic Altimeter market Market status and development trend by types and applications Cost and profit status of Electronic Altimeter, and marketing status The report provides a detailed evaluation of the market by highlighting information on different aspects which include drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats. Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Report https://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/20531523 Detailed TOC of Global Electronic Altimeter Market Research Report 2022, Forecast to 2027 1 Market Study Overview 2 Global Trend Summary 3 Competition by Manufacturer 4 Analysis of Electronic Altimeter Industry Key Manufacturers 5 Global Electronic Altimeter Market Segment by Big Type 6 Global Electronic Altimeter Market Segment by Big Application 7 Global Electronic Altimeter Forecast 8 Market Analysis 9 Electronic Altimeter Related Market Analysis 10 Research Findings and Conclusion Purchase this Report (Price 2680 USD for a Single-User License) https://www.absolutereports.com/checkout/20531523 About Absolute Reports: Absolute Reports is an upscale platform to help key personnel in the business world in strategizing and taking visionary decisions based on facts and figures derived from in depth market research. We are one of the top report resellers in the market, dedicated towards bringing you an ingenious concoction of data parameters. Pune, India, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global wires and cables market size is anticipated to hit USD 294.73 billion by 2029 and exhibit a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. The rising demand for renewable energy generation, coupled with growing investments in distribution and transmission of electric power are expected to amplify the market growth. Fortune Business Insights has presented this information in its report titled, Wires and Cables Market, 2022-2029. The market size stood at USD 181.28 billion in 2021 and USD 200.23 billion in 2022. Additionally, the escalating demand from IT facilities and data centers is projected to be a key trend stimulating the market growth during the forecast period. Industry Developments- October 2021: Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc., unveiled their first installation of aluminium electrical wire in WHs for automobile seats. It uses the exemplary corrosion-resistant Alpha Terminal Series. Request a Sample Copy of the Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/wires-and-cables-market-103322 Report Scope & Segmentation: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2029 Forecast Period 2022 to 2029 CAGR 5.7% 2029 Value Projection USD 294.73 billion Base Year 2021 Market Size in 2021 USD 181.28 billion Historical Data for 2018-2020 No. of Pages 180 Segments covered By Voltage, By End-User, Regional Growth Drivers Growing Demand for Renewable Energy Generation to Propel Market Growth Key Players Adopt Ingenious Strategies to Garner Growth Market Drivers- Growing Demand for Renewable Energy Generation to Propel Market Growth The deployment of green energy technologies by governments all across the globe to reduce the usage of fossil fuels is rising. The escalating establishment of solar farms and wind turbines boosts the demand for wires and cables. Moreover, the development of offshore renewable technologies such as offshore wind farms is anticipated to boost market growth as wires and cables are laid underground in seafloors to deliver power. The growing demand for renewable energy is likely to bolster the global wires and cables market growth. The increasing demand for wires cables from IT facilities and data centers due to the growing demand for Big Data is expected to favor market growth. The rising adoption of cloud computing by companies to eliminate maintenance and other miscellaneous costs is likely to stimulate market growth. The escalating investments in transmission and distribution sector for effective power transmission is likely to be a major growth driver for the wires and cables market. Moreover, the rising investments in the industrial sectors are anticipated to benefit the market. However, volatile raw material costs may hinder the market growth. Highlights of the Report- The report is based on extensive research on the market and its growth parameters, including drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities in the market. It also includes the table of segmentation, along with a list of segments dominating the market and its attributed factors. The report throws light on the significant industry developments, current Wires and Cables market share by region, trends, and other interesting insights offered by the market. For more information on the market, log on to the company website. COVID-19 Impact- The market has been greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic due to hindered production and temporary shutdowns of manufacturing facilities. The supply chain disruptions and diminished demand from aviation and automotive industries have negatively impacted the market growth. However, the market is gradually recovering as investments in smart infrastructure development from various countries increases. The market is likely to witness significant growth in the forthcoming years. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on this Market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/wires-and-cables-market-103322 Regional Segmentation- Asia Pacific to Hold the Lions Share Asia Pacific is likely to attain a major global wires and cables market share. The rising investments in transmission and distribution sectors across nations such as India and China are expected to amplify the regions market growth. Additionally, the increasing demand for renewable power is anticipated to magnify the regions market growth. North America is projected to witness substantial growth due to the rising energy generation through renewable sources. Europe is expected to gain second rank in the upcoming years due to rising investments in grid infrastructure. The Middle East & Africa, and Latin America will witness moderate growth due to growing investments towards renewable projects. Segmentation- On the basis of voltage, the market is fragmented into extra-high voltage, high voltage, medium voltage, and low voltage. On the basis of end-user, the market is categorized into manufacturing, consumer electronics, automotive, oil & gas, power transmission and distribution, IT & telecommunication, construction, aerospace & defense, and others. Geographically, the market is classified into the Middle East & Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Quick Buy - Wires and Cables Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/103322 Competitive Landscape- Key Players Adopt Ingenious Strategies to Garner Growth The major market players operating global and local levels in the value chain make the marketplace highly consolidated. Sumitomo Corporation, KEI Industries, Southwire Company, and Prysmian Group currently hold the market dominance. They adopt strategies such as contracts, acquisitions, new product launches, technological developments, amongst others to amplify their growth in the global market. For instance, Prysmian Group obtained a Limited Notice to Proceed in January 2022 for the Middle Easts landmark HVDC submarine cable project. Have Any Query? Ask Our Experts: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/wires-and-cables-market-103322 List of Players Operating in the Wires and Cables Market are as follows: Prysmian Group Southwire Company Nexans Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Fujikura Ltd. Sumitomo Corporation Belden Inc. LS Cable & System KEI Industries Ltd. Cords Cable Industries Ltd. NKT A/S Amphenol Finolex Cables Ltd Polycab Encore Wire Corp Wires and Cables Market Segmentation: By Voltage: Low Voltage Medium Voltage High Voltage Extra-High Voltage By End-User: Aerospace & Defense Construction IT & Telecommunication Power Transmission and Distribution Oil & Gas Consumer Electronics Manufacturing Automotive Others Table Of Content: 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Scope 1.2. Market Segmentation 1.3. Research Methodology 1.4. Definitions and Assumptions 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Dynamics 3.1. Market Drivers 3.2. Market Restraints 3.3. Market Opportunities 4. Key Insights 4.1. Key Industry Developments - Merger, Acquisitions, and Partnerships 4.2. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3. SWOT Analysis 4.4. Technological Developments 4.5. Value Chain Analysis 4.6. Impact of COVID-19 on Wires and Cables Market 5. Global Wires and Cables Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 5.1. Key Findings / Summary Continued Get your Customized Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/wires-and-cables-market-103322 About Us: Fortune Business Insights offers expert corporate analysis and accurate data, helping organizations of all sizes make timely decisions. We tailor innovative solutions for our clients, assisting them to address challenges distinct to their businesses. Our goal is to empower our clients with holistic market intelligence, giving a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Fortune Business Insights Dublin, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Hyperscale Data Center Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The study considers the present scenario of the Europe Hyperscale data center market and its market dynamics for 2022-2027. It covers a detailed overview of several market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The report offers both the demand and supply aspects of the market. It profiles and examines leading companies and other prominent ones operating in the market. The Europe hyperscale data center market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6% during the period 2022-2027. KEY HIGHLIGHTS: The adoption of cloud-based services by enterprises and social media by consumers are driving the construction of hyperscale data centers in Europe by companies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft. Several new data center investors, such as Global Technical Realty and Stratus DC Management, have announced hyperscale investments, further aiding the market growth for hyperscale data centers. The European market will see increased adoption of cloud services among SMEs, with a heightened interest in the digital transformation of businesses with the adoption of solutions such as IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence. Within Western Europe, Ireland is expected to be the fastest-growing hyperscale market over the forecast period with a CAGR of 5.76%, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany. The Nordic region will attract an increasing number of hyperscale projects, growing at a CAGR of 10.72% over the forecast period, owing to the availability of renewable energy and options for free cooling, which helps keep the PUE of data centers low. In 2021, Russia led the hyperscale data center investment market within Central & Eastern Europe, followed by Poland. Investors such as Vantage Data Centers, Rostelecom Data Centers, IXcellerate, Google, AWS, and Microsoft are driving the market. GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS: In Western Europe, data centers are increasingly being built to support OCP rack infrastructure solutions, aided by the growth of ODM solutions in the market. In 2021, Western Europe contributed to over 75% of the capacity installed in Europe, followed by the Nordics and Central & Eastern Europe. Ireland, Germany, UK, and Sweden were some major contributors to the market. Market Dynamics Market Opportunities & Trends Growing Adoption of Artificial Intelligence Growing Adoption of District Heating Concept Increase in Sustainable Initiatives Innovative Data Center Technologies Increasing Adoption of Advanced IT Infrastructure Market Growth Enablers Increasing Data Center Investments Growth in Cloud Service Adoption Impact of Covid-19 on Data Center Market Increasing Adoption of Big Data & IoT Adoption of OCP & Hyperscale Infrastructure Growing Submarine & Inland Connectivity Market Restraints Location Constraints for Data Centers Security Challenges for Data Centers Dearth of Skilled Workforce Rising Carbon Emissions from Data Centers Segmentation by Geography Western Europe Ireland Germany United Kingdom Netherland France Other Western European Countries Nordics Sweden Denmark Norway Finland Central & Eastern Europe Russia Poland SEGMENTS Segmentation by Infrastructure IT Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Segmentation by IT Infrastructure Server Storage Network Segmentation by Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Segmentation by Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Racks Other Mechanical Infrastructure Segmentation by Cooling System CRAC & CRAH Units Chiller Units Cooling Towers, Condensers & Dry Coolers Economizers & Evaporative Coolers Other Cooling Units Segmentation by Cooling Technique Air-Based Cooling Technique Liquid-Based Cooling Technique Segmentation by General Construction Building Development Installation & Commissioning Services Building & Engineering Design Physical Security Fire Detection & Suppression DCIM/BMS VENDOR ANALYSIS: In 2022, the Dutch government has announced that new rules will be imposed for hyperscale data center development in certain regions in the Netherlands and has put a moratorium on these new projects till Q4 2022. However, projects under Facebook (Meta) and Google are exempt from the ban. Major colocation operators in the region include Equinix, Digital Realty, CyrusOne, Green Mountain, Vantage Data Centers, and VIRTUS Data Centres, among others. District heating is being deployed by data center operators in the region. For instance, in February 2021, DigiPlex's data center in Hoje Taastrup Municipality, Copenhagen will support district heating. Key IT Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks ATOS Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Extreme Networks Fujitsu Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Hitachi Vantara Huawei Technologies IBM INSPUR Juniper Networks Lenovo MiTAC Holdings NEC Corporation NetApp Pure Storage Quanta Cloud Technology (Quanta Computer) Supermicro Wistron Corporation Prominent Support Infrastructure 3M ABB Aermec Airedale International Air Conditioning Aksa Power Generation Alfa Laval Carrier Caterpillar Condair Group Cummins Daikin Applied Delta Electronics Eaton ebm-papst EMICON INNOVATION AND COMFORT Enrogen Flaktgroup GESAB HiRef HITEC Power Protection Johnson Controls Kohler-SDMO KyotoCooling Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Munters Nlyte Software Perkins Engines Piller Power Systems Reillo Elettronica Group Rittal Rolls-Royce Schneider Electric Siemens Socomec STULZ Trane Vertiv Group Prominent Construction Contractors AECOM AEON Engineering ARC:MC AODC Ariatta ARSMAGNA Artelia Arup Atkins Aurora Group Basler & Hofmann BENTHEM CROUWEL ARCHITECTS Bouygues Construction Callaghan Engineering CAP INGELEC Collen Coromatic Deerns Designer Group Dipl.-Ing. H. C. Hollige Dornan DPR Construction Etop EYP MCF Ferrovial Fluor Corporation Free Technologies Future-tech Gottlieb Paludan Architects Granlund Group GreenMDC Haka Moscow ICT Facilities IDOM IMOS ISG JCA Engineering JERLAURE Kirby Group Engineering Linesight Mace M+W Group Mercury Metnor Construction MT Hojgaard Nicholas Webb Norma Engineering Oakmont Construction PM Group Power Quality Control (PQC) Quark RED Royal HaskoningDHV STO Building Group STRABAG STS Group Sweco TPF TTSP Turner Construction Company Warbud Winthrop Engineering and Contracting YIT ZAUNERGROUP Prominent Data Center Investors Amazon Web Services (AWS) Aruba atNorth Apple Colt Data Centre CyrusOne DATA4 Digital Realty DigiPlex Echelon Data Centres Equinix Facebook Global Switch Google Iron Mountain IXcellerate Microsoft NTT Global Data Centers Orange Business Services Rostelecom Data Centers (RTK-DC) T5 Data Centers Vantage Data Centers Virtus Data Centres (ST Telemedia Global Data Centres) Yondr New Entrants Global Technical Realty Stratus DC Management For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vwcsis LISBON, Portugal , June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sam Mizrahi, the visionary Canadian-based entrepreneur and Jon Fath, a leading FinTech Executive, announced today that they are jointly launching Rauva . Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading financial super-app for Europes Mediterranean region. The solution is specifically designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated and integrated experience for banking and financial management needs. Rauva plans to tap into a 20 million strong SME and Freelancer market in early 2023 with first launches in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off the development of its new solution. Rauva aims to expand globally over time. We believe that business owners spend too much time focusing on their finances rather than on the job they are passionate about, explains Jon Fath, Rauvas new CEO. We want to take the stress out of their daily financial management in a way that has never been done before - by delivering a super-app that is tailored to their local needs. This powerful new solution will provide a practical, seamless and integrated banking app that offers day-to-day financial management solutions and easy access to credit. Making a regional difference Europes Mediterranean region currently hosts 50% of the European Unions SMEs and freelancers. Yet current banking apps in the Mediterranean remain relatively sparse due to market specificities such as differing tax, legal and banking requirements in the different countries. Rauva will target those 20 million potential customers, delivering a market-specific solution to the region and its dynamic and entrepreneurial customer base. The world is evolving at a rapid pace, making it increasingly difficult for small enterprises to keep up with change and new global regulations. On top, we see that banking and finance requirements in different countries in Europe, Asia, and North America can still be very different. This requires a tailor-made solution per market, and that is what Rauva is all about, says Sam Mizrahi, the newly founded companys Chairman and Co-founder. Our model is simple - deliver an end-to-end solution that is then individually tailored to the specific market needs of our customers, providing them with a relevant, reliable and practical tool to manage their finances without borders. We can make the lives of a potential 20 million users in the region easier, every day. And we do this by targeting five out of a total of twenty-seven European Union countries - thats huge! Rauva will further differentiate from current competitors in the region by offering an easy to use and practical end-to-end added value banking service, from bookkeeping to cash flow management and prediction to budgeting. To achieve this the super-app will utilize the latest machine learning and AI technologies. The solution will be built with the support of local enterprises through advanced market research and insight gathering. Rauva will be headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal to ensure customer proximity. It will establish its offices at the FinTech House, a leading digital hub, to enable the company to tap into a newly thriving technology community. Portugal offers a lot of potential to tech start-ups which we believe are missed by many, explains Fath. There is a growing community of tech specialists, a strong and modern network, and a powerful infrastructure that we will build on. Cultural diversity as a success factor Rauva is currently looking to hire talent from across the region and will build its staff base from that cultural diversity. We are developing a leading super-app for the Mediterranean, so ensuring we have that powerful and relevant diversity in our teams will be the driving force of our success, Fath concludes. Contact details For more information please reach out to Frederique Depraetere - Head of Public Relations frederique@rauva.com (+32 472/027525) About Rauva Rauva, built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, is currently developing a leading super-app designed to provide a country-by-country compatible, automated, integrated view of banking and financial management needs specifically starting with Europes Mediterranean region and then expanding globally. The company aims to tap into a 20 million strong potential market in early 2023 with first launches planned in Portugal and Spain. Headquartered in Portugal, the company recently received a multi-million dollar funding package and has started to kick off development of the new solution. More information: Rauva.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/32c61496-32ce-4c4a-bbee-fd2c46337a5e Portland, OR, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global offshore oil & gas paints and coatings market generated $537.6 million in 2020, and is expected to reach $764.9 million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 3.7% from 2021 to 2030. The report offers a detailed analysis of changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chain, regional landscape, and competitive scenario. Increase in urbanization & economic development, usage as cost-effective alternatives, and advantages of paints and coatings in drilling equipment drive the growth of the global offshore oil & gas paints and coatings market. However, raw material costs and environmental concerns restrain the market growth. On the other hand, effectiveness in marine & offshore platform applications and minimization of corrosion and fouling of vessels hull present opportunities in the coming years. Download Sample PDF (300 Pages PDF with Insights): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2262 Covid-19 Scenario: Production facilities of offshore oil & gas paints and coatings had been stopped due to lockdown measures and disrupted supply chain across the globe. This impacted the production volumes and the market growth considerably during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the ban on import and export activities of offshore oil & gas paints and coatings led to production disruptions. Also, the demand from the oil & gas sector decreased considerably due to partial or complete stoppage of daily operations during the lockdown. However, the demand increased post-lockdown. The report offers detailed segmentation of the global offshore oil & gas paints and coatings market based on resin, installation, and region. Based on resin, the epoxy segment accounted for the highest share in 2020, contributing to more than two-fifths of the total share, and is projected to continue its lead position during the forecast period. However, the polyurethane segment is expected to manifest the largest CAGR of 4.6% from 2021 to 2030. Request the Covid19 Impact Analysis @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/2262?reqfor=covid Based on installation, the jackups segment contributed to the highest share of the global offshore oil & gas paints and coatings market in 2020, and is expected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the drillships segment is estimated to manifest the fastest CAGR of 4.7% from 2021 to 2030. Based on region, Asia-Pacific held the highest share in 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the total share, and is projected to continue its dominant share by 2030. Moreover, this region is projected to portray the largest CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period. The research also analyzes regions including North America, Europe, and LAMEA. Leading players of the global offshore oil & gas paints and coatings market analyzed in the research include Hempel, Nippon Paints Co., 3M, PPG Industries, Inc., AkzoNobel N.V., The Sherwin-Williams Company, Wacker Chemie AG, Kansai Paints Co., Jotun, and A&A Coatings. Interested in Procuring this Report? Visit Here: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/offshore-oil-and-gas-paints-and-coatings-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenueTrial Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Reciprocating Power Generating Engine Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06284120/?utm_source=GNW The global reciprocating power generating engine market is expected to grow from $49.98 billion in 2021 to $51.49 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.03%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $59.48 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 3.67%. The reciprocating power generation engines market consists of sales of reciprocating power generation engines and their maintenance services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are defined as heat-generating engines that use one or more pistons that help in converting pressure into rotary motion. These engines use the expansion of gases to generate power. The main types of fuel for reciprocating power generating engines are gas-fired, diesel-fired, dual fuel, and others.The gas-fired reciprocating power generating engines are used as fuel in the engines for the ignition of the fire. Gas-fired ignition engines efficiency is low when compared with diesel-fired because of their very low compression rates, and they require low first cost and provide significant heat recovery potential.The various reciprocating power generating engines by rated power are below 2MW, 2MW-5MW, and above 5MW. The various reciprocating power generating engine applications are: industrial, CHP, energy and utility, landfill and biogas, and others. North America was the largest region in the reciprocating power generation engine market in 2021.Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. The increase in electricity demand across commercial and industrial sectors is significantly contributing to the growth of the reciprocating power-generating engine market.Electricity is the power that is used in the commercial and industrial sectors for lighting in manufacturing and other industries. The increase in the usage of electricity due to the increase in the expansion of cogeneration plants, private consumption, as well as a rise in small industries, is the major driving force for the growth of this market. For instance, according to the U.S. energy information administration, global electricity consumption is increasing faster than the world population. Net electricity consumption has increased from 13,282 billion kWh in 2020 to 23,845 billion kWh in 2019. Therefore, the increase in electricity demand across commercial and industrial sectors is expected to create opportunities for various players involved in the reciprocating power-generating engines market. Strategic collaboration between companies is a key trend gaining popularity in the reciprocating power generation engine market.Companies manufacturing reciprocating power generating engines are undergoing various collaborations to develop new technologies and products. For instance, in 2020, Deutz AG, a Germany-based internal combustion engine manufacturer, signed an agreement with Sany, a Chinese multinational heavy equipment manufacturing company, for joint engine production in the heavy truck sector in China. This agreement aims to produce 75,000 new engines by 2022. In 2019, Wartsila, a global leader in providing innovative technologies in the energy market, acquired Ships Electronic Services Ltd. for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition helps Wartsila to strengthen its service offerings in the UK. Ships Electronic Services is a UK-based company that offers communication electronics, maintenance, and repair services for commercial and leisure vessels based in Northumberland. The countries covered in the reciprocating power generating engine market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06284120/?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, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global AIOps Platform Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Component, Deployment, Organization Size, and Vertical" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The AIOps platform market size is expected to grow from US$ 2,831.2 million in 2021 to US$ 19,933.5 million by 2028. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 32.2% from 2021 to 2028. The Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps) platform mixes human intelligence with automated algorithms to give users complete visibility into IT system performance. The achievement of necessary speed and agility required for companies is a crucial driver pushing the adoption of AIOps in the IT environment. Furthermore, modern machine learning algorithms gather essential data collected in the background and provide actionable insights. The AIOps platform employs intelligence and self-learning algorithms supported by machine learning to automate routine IT processes. It also analyses historical and behavioral data to detect and predict potential incidents. Factors such as the IT Data Exceeding Human Scale and AIOps assists enterprises in integrating diverse technologies and reducing the overhead time by automating various procedures thus, need for resource optimization are influencing the market growth. However, concerns regarding the adoption of modern solution over traditional methodology are restraining AIOps Platform market growth. Moreover, integration of AIOps Platform with Observability Platforms are among other factors contributing toward the AIOps platform market growth. Processes that formerly required human involvement have been automated by installing AIOps platform, allowing employees to focus on their core tasks. This results in the most efficient use of resources; resource optimization becomes more important when demand exceeds available resources. AIOps assists enterprises in integrating diverse technologies and reducing the overhead time by automating various procedures. Corporate process automation removes manual quality assurance, execution procedures, and maximizes the use of resources. According to a survey by Smartsheet, 69% of employees believe that automation decreases spare time, and out of which 59% believe if repetitive jobs were automated, they would have more than 6 spare hours each week. Organizations that operate in the global information technology market have offices in various parts of the globe. As a result, onboarding employees, tracking employee performance, maintaining employee time and attendance gets complicated. AIOps platform and communication tools make it easier for distant teams and personnel to manage projects from a long distance. AIOps platform also aids in the automation and streamlining of HR activities. According to Wynhurst Group, a structured onboarding program helps firms retain 58% of their employees for at least 3 years. A good AIOps platform saves money and paves the way to improve business operations. As a result, automated business processes speed up and simplify activities, allowing employees to be more productive, motivated, and engaged at work. Hence, the factors mentioned above boost the growth of the AIOps platform market. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Europe AI Ops Platform Market Russia, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and Germany were most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Due to severe economic challenges, businesses in the region have had to cease or significantly restrict their operations. The region witnessed an economic recession in 2020 and 2021 due to business closures, travel prohibitions, and supply chain disruptions. However, Morning Consult surveyed 500 top decision-makers of the tech industry in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Surprisingly 36% of respondents said the COVID-19 outbreak had expedited their companies' AI adoption. Hence, COVID-19 had a positive impact on the Europe AIOps platform market share. AIOps platform market analysis by component, the AIOps platform market is segmented into platform and services. In 2021, the platform segment led the market with a larger AIOps platform market share. Based on deployment, the market is segmented into on-premises and cloud-based. In 2021, the cloud-based segment accounted for a larger market share. Based on organization size, the market is segmented into small and medium enterprises and large enterprises. In 2021, the large enterprises segment accounted for a more prominent market share. AIOps platform market analysis by vertical, the market is segmented into BFSI, IT & telecom, aerospace and defense, government, transportation, and others. In 2021, the BFSI segment accounted for the largest market share. The key companies operating in the AIOps platform market are IBM; AppDynamics; BMC Software, Inc; Broadcom Inc; Dynatrace LLC; HCL Technologies Limited; Micro Focus; Moogsoft Inc.; Resolve Systems, LLC; BigPanda; and Splunk Inc. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 4. AIOps Platform Market Landscape 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.2.1 North America 4.2.2 Europe 4.2.3 APAC 4.2.4 MEA 4.2.5 SAM 4.3 Ecosystem Analysis 4.4 Expert Opinion 5. AIOps Platform Market- Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Market Drivers 5.1.1 IT Data Exceeding Human Scale 5.1.2 Need for Resource Optimization 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 Concerns Regarding the Adoption of Modern Solution Over Traditional Methodology 5.3 Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Increasing Data Globally 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Integration of AIOps Platform with Observability Platforms 5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints 6. AIOps Platform Market - Global Market Analysis 6.1 Global AIOps Platform Market Overview 6.2 Global AIOps Platform Market Forecast and Analysis 6.3 Market Positioning- Top Five Players 7. AIOps Platform Market Analysis - By Component 7.1 Overview 7.1.1 AIOps Platform, by Component (2020 and 2028) 7.2 Platform 7.2.1 Overview 7.2.2 Platform: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 7.3 Services 7.3.1 Overview 7.3.2 Services: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 8. AIOps Platform Market - By Deployment 8.1 Overview 8.2 AIOps Platform, by Deployment (2020 and 2028) 8.3 On-Premises 8.3.1 Overview 8.3.2 On-Premises: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 8.3.3 On-Premises: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 8.4 Cloud 8.4.1 Overview 8.4.2 Cloud: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 9. AIOps Platform Market - By Organization Size 9.1 Overview 9.1.1 AIOps Platform, by Organization Size (2020 and 2028) 9.2 Small and Medium Enterprises 9.2.1 Overview 9.2.2 Small and Medium Enterprises: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 9.3 Large Enterprises 9.3.1 Overview 9.3.2 Large Enterprises: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 10. AIOps Platform Market - By Vertical 10.1 Overview 10.1.1 AIOps Platform, by Vertical (2020 and 2028) 10.2 BFSI 10.2.1 Overview 10.2.2 BFSI: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 10.3 IT And Telecom 10.3.1 Overview 10.3.2 IT And Telecom: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 10.4 Manufacturing 10.4.1 Overview 10.4.2 Manufacturing: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 10.5 Government 10.5.1 Overview 10.5.2 Government: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 10.6 Others 10.6.1 Overview 10.6.2 Others: AIOps Platform Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million) 11. AIOps Platform Market - Geographic Analysis 12. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on AIOps Platform Market 12.1 Overview 12.2 North America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.3 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.4 APAC: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.5 MEA: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 12.6 SAM: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic 13. Industry Landscape 13.1 Overview 13.2 Market Initiative 13.3 Merger and Acquisition 13.4 New Development 14. Company Profiles 14.1 BMC Software, Inc. 14.1.1 Key Facts 14.1.2 Business Description 14.1.3 Products and Services 14.1.4 Financial Overview 14.1.5 SWOT Analysis 14.1.6 Key Developments 14.2 IBM Corporation 14.2.1 Key Facts 14.2.2 Business Description 14.2.3 Products and Services 14.2.4 Financial Overview 14.2.5 SWOT Analysis 14.2.6 Key Developments 14.3 AppDynamics 14.3.1 Key Facts 14.3.2 Business Description 14.3.3 Products and Services 14.3.4 Financial Overview 14.3.5 SWOT Analysis 14.3.6 Key Developments 14.4 Broadcom Inc. 14.4.1 Key Facts 14.4.2 Business Description 14.4.3 Products and Services 14.4.4 Financial Overview 14.4.5 SWOT Analysis 14.4.6 Key Developments 14.5 Dynatrace LLC 14.5.1 Key Facts 14.5.2 Business Description 14.5.3 Products and Services 14.5.4 Financial Overview 14.5.5 SWOT Analysis 14.5.6 Key Developments 14.6 HCL Technologies 14.6.1 Key Facts 14.6.2 Business Description 14.6.3 Products and Services 14.6.4 Financial Overview 14.6.5 SWOT Analysis 14.6.6 Key Developments 14.7 Micro Focus 14.7.1 Key Facts 14.7.2 Business Description 14.7.3 Products and Services 14.7.4 Financial Overview 14.7.5 SWOT Analysis 14.7.6 Key Developments 14.8 Moogsoft Inc. 14.8.1 Key Facts 14.8.2 Business Description 14.8.3 Products and Services 14.8.4 Financial Overview 14.8.5 SWOT Analysis 14.8.6 Key Developments 14.9 Resolve Systems, LLC 14.9.1 Key Facts 14.9.2 Business Description 14.9.3 Products and Services 14.9.4 Financial Overview 14.9.5 SWOT Analysis 14.9.6 Key Developments 14.10 Splunk, Inc. 14.10.1 Key Facts 14.10.2 Business Description 14.10.3 Products and Services 14.10.4 Financial Overview 14.10.5 SWOT Analysis 14.10.6 Key Developments 14.11 BigPanda 14.11.1 Key Facts 14.11.2 Business Description 14.11.3 Products and Services 14.11.4 Financial Overview 14.11.5 SWOT Analysis 14.11.6 Key Developments 15. Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/smh4r6 Attachment Dublin, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market by Component (SCR Catalysts, DEF Tanks, Injectors, Supply Modules, Sensors), OHV Market by Application, Aftermarket by Vehicle Type, Supply Mode (Cans, IBCs, Bulk & Pumps), End Use Market and Region - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket forecasted to reach USD 50.0 billion by 2027 from USD 34.4 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.8%. Governments around the globe have updated and improved their emission standards by introducing new legislation for the automotive industry to comply to. Western regions, such as the North American and European region, have introduced new regulations like the Clear Air Act of the Us which has stricter standards and wider scope for emissions. In the Asian region countries like China and India have introduced swift regulation to counter rising air pollution. The introduction of such regulations, norms and standards will drive the demand for DEF across the globe. The DEF pump segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment throughout the forecast period The diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket for pumps is projected to grow from USD 7,373.3 million in 2022 to USD 11,979.1 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 10.2% during the forecast period. Compared to conventional cans and bottles supply mode the DEF pumps supply mode is cheaper but expensive than the Bulk supply mode due to the economic behind the economies of scale. Customers choose to go for DEF dispensing units for its convenience in DEF refilling. This has caused oil marketing companies (OMCs) to install such dispensing units at their fuel stations to increase customer convenience. FMT Swiss Ag, a leading supplier of specialty fluid storage and dispensing solutions, in 2017, launched a range of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) dispensing unit product for its North American market. Globally, the HCV segment is estimated to lead the diesel exhaust fluid OE market in 2022 Globally, the HCVs segment is estimated to lead the diesel exhaust fluid OE market, by volume. It is anticipated to grow from 33.2 million gallons in 2022 to 36.5 million gallons by 2027, at a CAGR of 1.9% during the forecast period. Demand from developed and developing economies globally has increased for the HCV vehicle segment due to either better product offering or increased economic activites. Businesses need to comply with the regulations and norms of the country where they operate. Complying with regulations will cause an increased demand of DEF products. North America is projected to be the largest regional market The North American diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket is estimated to grow from USD 15,006.6 million in 2022 to USD 22,067.4 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period. The US and Canada have a large number of on-road vehicles and stringent emission norms, such as the Clean Air Act (CAA) in the US. Increasing economic activity and improving business environment in the Mexico has led to high demand for diesel intensive vehicles and equipment. Compliance with emission regulations will drive the demand for DEF in the country. Canada follows similar demand and regulation pattern as the US hence it is also likely to follow similar demand trend of DEF. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.4 Challenges 5.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.5 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market Scenario 5.5.1 Realistic Scenario 5.5.2 Low Impact Scenario 5.5.3 High Impact Scenario 5.6 Supply Chain Analysis 5.7 Asp Analysis 5.7.1 by Region 5.7.2 by Application by Region (V5 Mandates) 5.8 Regulatory Analysis (V5 Mandates) 5.9 Trade Analysis 5.10 Market Ecosystem 6 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Vehicle Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Passenger Car(Pc) 6.3 Light Commercial Vehicles (Lcv) 6.4 Heavy Commercial Vehicles (Hcv) 7 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, Component 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Scr Catalyst 7.3 Def Tank 7.4 Def Injector 7.5 Def Supply Module 7.6 Def Sensor 7.7 Nox Sensor 8 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Supply Mode 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Cans & Bottles 8.3 Intermediate Bulk Container (Ibc) 8.4 Bulk 8.5 Pumps 9 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Application 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Construction Equipment 9.2.1 80-100 Hp 9.2.2 101-200 Hp 9.2.3 201-400 Hp 9.2.3 >400 Hp 9.3 Agricultural Equipment 10 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by End Use Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Oe Market 10.3 Aftermarket 11 Diesel Exhaust Fluid, by Region 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market Share Analysis, 2021 12.3 Company Evaluation Quadrant: Diesel Exhaust Fluid Suppliers 12.3.1 Stars 12.3.2 Emerging Leaders 12.3.3 Pervasive Players 12.3.4 Participants 12.3.5 Competitive Benchmarking (V5 Mandates) 12.4 Competitive Scenario 12.4.1 New Product Launches 12.4.2 Deals 12.4.3 Others 12.5 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win, 2018-2021 12.6 Company Revenue Analysis 13 Company Profiles (Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, & Analyst's View)* 13.1 Royal Dutch Shell plc 13.1.1 Business Overview 13.1.2 Product Offerings 13.1.3 Recent Developments 13.1.4 Analyst's View 13.2 Total 13.2.1 Business Overview 13.2.2 Product Offerings 13.2.3 Recent Developments 13.2.4 Analyst's View 13.3 China Petrochemical Corporation 13.3.1 Business Overview 13.3.2 Product Offerings 13.3.3 Recent Developments 13.3.4 Analyst's View 13.4 Basf Se 13.4.1 Business Overview 13.4.2 Product Offerings 13.4.3 Recent Developments 13.4.4 Analyst's View 13.5 Indian Oil Corporation Limited 13.5.1 Business Overview 13.5.2 Product Offerings 13.5.3 Recent Developments 13.5.4 Analyst's View 13.6 Brenntag Ag 13.6.1 Business Overview 13.6.2 Product Offerings 13.6.3 Recent Developments 13.7 Mitsui Chemicals 13.7.1 Business Overview 13.7.2 Product Offerings 13.8 Cf Industries Holdings Inc. 13.8.1 Business Overview 13.8.2 Product Offerings 13.9 Valvoline 13.9.1 Business Overview 13.9.2 Product Offerings 13.9.3 Recent Developments 13.10 Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd. 13.10.1 Business Overview 13.10.2 Product Offerings 13.10.3 Recent Developments 14 Other Company Profiles 14.1 Castrol 14.1.1 Business Overview 14.1.2 Product Offerings 14.2 Cummins Filtration 14.2.1 Business Overview 14.2.2 Product Offerings 14.3 Yara International 14.3.1 Business Overview 14.3.2 Product Offerings 14.4 Mcpherson Oil 14.4.1 Business Overview 14.4.2 Product Offerings 14.5 Dyno Nobel 14.5.1 Business Overview 14.5.2 Product Offerings 14.6 Stockmeier Group 14.6.1 Business Overview 14.6.2 Product Offerings 14.7 Terus Def 14.7.1 Business Overview 14.7.2 Product Offerings 14.8 Dakota Gasification Company 14.8.1 Business Overview 14.8.2 Product Offerings 14.9 Colonial Chemical 14.9.1 Business Overview 14.9.2 Product Offerings 14.10 Azotal S.P.A 14.10.1 Business Overview 14.10.2 Product Offerings 15 Recommendations 16 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/n72nsw Attachment New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Heat Exchangers Market Research Report by Type, Style, Technology, End-Use, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06257493/?utm_source=GNW The Global Heat Exchangers Market size was estimated at USD 17.93 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 19.65 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 9.80% to reach USD 31.42 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 Heat Exchangers to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Type, the market was studied across Adiabatic Wheel Heat Exchanger, Air-cooled Heat Exchangers, Plate Heat Exchanger, Regenerative Heat Exchanger, and Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger. Based on Style, the market was studied across Condensers, Coolers & Evaporators, Heat Exchangers Fin-tube, and Radiators. Based on Technology, the market was studied across CO2, HC, HFC, HFO, NH3, R290, and WATER. Based on End-Use, the market was studied across Commercial and Industrial. The Commercial is further studied across Air Conditioning, Datacenter Cooling, Logistic Centers, and Supermarkets. The Industrial is further studied across Chemical Plants, Food & Beverage, Metal & Mining, Oil & Gas, Petrochemical Plants, Petroleum Refineries, and Power Stations. 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 Heat Exchangers 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 Heat Exchangers 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 Heat Exchangers Market, including Alfa Laval, API Heat Transfer, Danfoss, Gunter, Hindustan Dorr-Oliver, Hisaka Works, HRS Heat Exchangers, Kelvion Holdings, Modine Manufacturing Company, Sierra, SPX Corporation, and Xylem. 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 Heat Exchangers Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Heat Exchangers Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Heat Exchangers Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Heat Exchangers Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Heat Exchangers Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Heat Exchangers Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Heat Exchangers Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06257493/?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, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Thermal Ceramics Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global thermal ceramics market reached a value of US$ 4.3 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach US$ 5.7 billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different End-use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Thermal ceramics, also known as ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), are refractory materials that provide durability at over 2000 degrees Celsius. They are used to reduce energy consumption, emissions, and operating costs in high-temperature industrial processing of metals, cement, ceramics, glass, and petrochemicals. Their refractory quality and electrical conductivity make them ideal for managing molten aluminum. Besides this, as they can refract thermal energy and resist corrosion, thermal ceramics are gaining widespread adoption for insulation of nuclear water systems across the globe. Thermal Ceramics Market Trends Due to their high-temperature resistance, thermal ceramics are extensively utilized in the aerospace industry to meet stringent performance, temperature, and weight specifications of spacecraft. This, in confluence with the increasing funding by governments of various countries in space exploration, represents one of the key factors bolstering the market growth. Moreover, the escalating use of hypersonic missiles and weapons on account of the rising geopolitical tensions and investments in the defense sector is influencing the market positively. Apart from this, thermal ceramics are employed in the automotive industry to protect the surface and inner layer of vehicles from friction and generated plasma. This, along with the boosting sales of passenger vehicles on account of rapid urbanization and inflating income levels, is contributing to market growth. It can also be attributed to the expanding application of off-the-road vehicles in the construction industry. Furthermore, thermal ceramics provide lightweight fire insulation in cruise ships, super-yachts, high-speed ferries, offshore platforms, and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. Therefore, the emerging need for energy and the declining onshore oil exploration activities are propelling their use in deep-water oil extraction, especially in remote locations. Key Market Segmentation This report provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global thermal ceramics market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. The report has categorized the market based on type, temperature range and End-use industry. Breakup by Type: Ceramic Fabrics Insulation Bricks Breakup by Temperature Range: 650-1000 Celsius 1000-1400 Celsius 1400-1600 Celsius Above 1600 Celsius Breakup by End-use Industry: Mining and Metal Processing Chemicals and Petrochemicals Construction Manufacturing Power Generation Aerospace 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 3M Company, CeramTec GmbH, Dyson Technical Ceramics Ltd., FibreCast Inc., Ibiden Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, Morgan Advanced Materials, Rath Group, Rauschert GmbH, RHI Magnesita GmbH, Shinagawa Refractories Co. Ltd., Unifrax and YESO Insulating Products Co. Ltd. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global thermal ceramics market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global thermal ceramics market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the type? What is the breakup of the market based on the temperature range? What is the breakup of the market based on the End-use industry? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global thermal ceramics 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 Thermal Ceramics Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Type 6.1 Ceramic Fabrics 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Insulation Bricks 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Temperature Range 7.1 650-1000 Celsius 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 1000-1400 Celsius 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 1400-1600 Celsius 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Above 1600 Celsius 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by End Use Industry 8.1 Mining and Metal Processing 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Chemicals and Petrochemicals 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Construction 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Manufacturing 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Power Generation 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 8.6 Aerospace 8.6.1 Market Trends 8.6.2 Market Forecast 8.7 Others 8.7.1 Market Trends 8.7.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 3M Company 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.1.3 Financials 14.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.2 CeramTec GmbH 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Dyson Technical Ceramics Ltd. 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 FibreCast Inc. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.5 Ibiden Co. Ltd. 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 Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 Financials 14.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.7 Morgan Advanced Materials 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7.3 Financials 14.3.8 Rath Group 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8.3 Financials 14.3.9 Rauschert GmbH 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 RHI Magnesita GmbH 14.3.10.1 Company Overview 14.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11 Shinagawa Refractories Co. Ltd. 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials 14.3.12 Unifrax 14.3.12.1 Company Overview 14.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.13 YESO Insulating Products Co. Ltd. 14.3.13.1 Company Overview 14.3.13.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/o40n09 Attachment MAITLAND, Australia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the leading plumber Maitland-wide, The Plumbing Life Saver, there is currently a skills shortage in the industry and female plumbers represent a whole new stream of talent. In a bid to change women's attitudes towards plumbing as a profession, Apprenticeships Victoria and Master Plumbers launched a 'Women in Plumbing' program in late 2021, with backing from the Victorian Government. The aim of the two-year, $1.2 million campaign is to create better gender balance across the plumbing industry, encouraging higher participation rates for women. The program features heavy promotion of plumbing career pathways for women through mentoring, networking and social events as well as paid Certificate II pre-apprenticeship opportunities and direct apprenticeships through Plumbing Apprenticeships Victoria and Master Plumbers' Group Training Organisation. As a male-dominated industry, it can be intimidating for women to join. The Plumbing Life Saver explains that careers in plumbing are secure and there is no room for the gender pay gap in a trade. As an established business, The Plumbing Life Saver says the emphasis on recruitment for them has always been about searching for the best people, whether they are male or female. The qualities needed to succeed in the industry include using initiative, not being afraid to ask questions, problem-solving skills and a willingness to give things a go, says The Plumbing Life Saver. Women can also bring a different dynamic with standout organisational and communication skills. As a leading local business, The Plumbing Life Saver offers premium-quality workmanship and emergency services including fixing issues with hot water Maitland-wide. The team of certified plumbers is known for providing affordable and reliable services to the highest standards. From gas installation and general home plumbing and maintenance to fixing burst pipes and blocked drains Maitland-wide, The Plumbing Life Saver is on call 24/7 to assist with both minor and major plumbing issues. To make a booking or get a quote, contact The Plumbing Life Saver or 0448 669 938. Related Images Image 1: The Plumbing Life Saver This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Fort Myers, Fla., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Oncology Network, LLC (AON), a high-growth medical oncology provider with a focus on supporting the long-term viability of cancer treatment in community-based settings, recently announced the appointment of Karen Pilley, as the organizations Chief Revenue Cycle Officer. We are pleased to announce Karen Pilley as AONs new Chief Revenue Cycle Officer, said Todd Schonherz, AON Chief Executive Officer. She has more than 40 years of experience and brings a vast knowledge of healthcare end-to-end revenue cycle services as well as payer regulation and compliance to AON. We look forward to her contributions to the organization in executing the future strategy for revenue cycle management and billing services. Prior to joining AON, Pilley served as Chief Strategy Officer of Value-Based RCM and was responsible for implementing significant growth in the revenue cycle management business, including potential acquisitions of other billing companies and growth outside the behavioral health vertical. She has held positions with Virtual Radiology, a network of onsite and teleradiology physicians; SPI Healthcare, one of the largest global revenue cycle management organizations with more than 500 employees located in Chicago and Manila; and US Oncology, as the Vice President of Reimbursement Services for 13 years. Pilley stated, Joining the AON team was an easy decision for me. The companys commitment to quality customer service, growth and operational excellence aligns with the type of company I am proud to be a part of. ### About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com) American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly expanding AON network represents 107 physicians and 85 nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing across 16 states. The executive management team of AON encompasses more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most providing the highest quality care for patients. The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care. AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients experiences are at the very pinnacle of cancer care today. Attachment New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "In-Wheel Motor Market Research Report by Propulsion, Motor Type, Cooling Type, Weight, Power Output Type, Vehicle Class, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06257201/?utm_source=GNW The Global In-Wheel Motor Market size was estimated at USD 810.16 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 1,073.14 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 32.71% to reach USD 4,426.85 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the In-Wheel Motor to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Propulsion, the market was studied across BEV, FCEV, HEV, and PHEV. Based on Motor Type, the market was studied across Axial and Radial. Based on Cooling Type, the market was studied across Air-cooled and Liquid-cooled. Based on Weight, the market was studied across 20 kg to 30 kg, Less than 20 kg, and More than 31 kg. Based on Power Output Type, the market was studied across 6090 KW, Above 90 KW, and Up to 60 KW. Based on Vehicle Class, the market was studied across Luxury and Mid-priced. 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 In-Wheel Motor 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 In-Wheel Motor 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 In-Wheel Motor Market, including BMW Group, BYD Company Limited, Daimler AG, e-Traction B.V., Hitachi, Ltd., Jiangte Technologies Co., Ltd., Komachine Co., Lordstown Motors Corp., MACCON GmbH & Co. KG, Magnetic Innovations BV, Mellow Boards GmbH, MW Motors s.r.o., Nissan Motor Company, LTD., NSK Ltd., NTN Corporation, Printed Motor Works Ltd., Saietta Group, Schaeffler AG, Tajima Motor Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Ziehl-Abegg SE. 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 In-Wheel Motor Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global In-Wheel Motor Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global In-Wheel Motor Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global In-Wheel Motor Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global In-Wheel Motor Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global In-Wheel Motor Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global In-Wheel Motor Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06257201/?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, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) market reached a value of US$ 4.61 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 6.32 Billion by 2027 exhibiting a CAGR of 5.10% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a versatile synthetic rubber with unique performance properties. It is a copolymer of ethylene, propylene, and diene monomers and is manufactured through suspension, solution polymerization, or gas-phase polymerization processes. It is commonly used in belts, window and door seals, tubing, roofing membrane, non-slip coatings, radiator, drain tubes, and trunk seals. EPDM exhibits various properties, such as excellent aging, heat, chemical, ozone and weathering resistance, electrical insulation, compression set, and low operating temperatures. As compared to silicon, EPDM offers higher tear strength, durability, and greater bonding with metal, on account of which, it is widely used across the construction, automotive, manufacturing, electrical, and electronics industries. Global EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Market Trends: Significant growth in the automotive industry across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. EPDM is widely used in cable jacketing, suspension bellows, plugs, molded seals, tubing, and air ducts. Additionally, the increasing product utilization in construction and building applications, such as roofing solutions, basements, swimming pools, and podium decks due to their high flexibility and cost-effectiveness, is favoring the market growth. Various product innovations, such as the introduction of bio-based EPDM, that offer temperature flexibility, adhesion to metal, and oil resistance are providing an impetus to the market growth. This, in turn, is assisting sectors in reducing carbon footprint, which is acting as another growth-inducing factor. Furthermore, the increasing product utilization in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) applications, owing to its high electrical insulation and resistance against water and heat, is positively impacting the market growth. Apart from this, rising consumer expenditure capacities and extensive research and development (R&D) activities are anticipated to drive the market further toward growth. Key Market Segmentation: The publisher provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. Our report has categorized the market based on manufacturing process, sales channel and application. Breakup by Manufacturing Process: Solution Polymerization Process Slurry and Suspension Process Gas-Phase Polymerization Process Breakup by Sales Channel: Direct Sales Indirect Sales Breakup by Application: Automotive Building and Construction Manufacturing Electrical and Electronics 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 Arlanxeo, Carlisle Companies Incorporated, Dow Inc., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Firestone Building Products (Holcim Group), Jilin Xingyun Chemical Co. Ltd., Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.), Kumho Polychem (Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd), Lion Elastomers, Mitsui Chemicals Inc. and West American Rubber Company LLC. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the manufacturing process? What is the breakup of the market based on the sales channel? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) 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 Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Manufacturing Process 6.1 Solution Polymerization Process 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Slurry and Suspension Process 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Gas-Phase Polymerization Process 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Sales Channel 7.1 Direct Sales 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Indirect Sales 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Automotive 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Building and Construction 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Manufacturing 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Electrical and Electronics 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Others 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by 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 Arlanxeo 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Carlisle Companies Incorporated 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 Financials 14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Dow Inc. 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 Exxon Mobil Corporation 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.5 Firestone Building Products (Holcim Group) 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6 Jilin Xingyun Chemical Co. Ltd. 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Kumho Polychem (Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd) 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 Lion Elastomers 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 Mitsui Chemicals 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 West American Rubber Company LLC 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ruvu34 Attachment THE European Union (EU) has urged Zimbabwe to earnestly look into the issue of enforced disappearances and bring the culprits to book. Speaking to NewsDay after the fourth EU-Zimbabwe Dialogue meeting in Harare on Tuesday, EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen said: Zimbabwe, unfortunately, has a history of forced disappearances. We still have reports of disappearances of people. We encouraged government to take these allegations seriously and transparently look into them. We want Zimbabwe to report on its findings and bring the culprits to justice. It needs to be addressed seriously so that the facts behind all the alleged cases are brought to daylight. We have differences of opinion on how a number of human rights issues are addressed. We hope that Zimbabwe would make more progress on those matters. Olkkonens concerns on enforced disappearances came as Citizens Coalition for Change member Moreblessing Ali disappeared on May 24 after she was reportedly bundled into a car by a Zanu-PF mob in Chitungwiza. Police, however, released a statement saying Alis disappearance had nothing to do with politics, but was a personal matter between her and her former boyfriend, Pius Jamba. Olkkonen said the country was also failing to implement electoral reforms recommended by the EU election observer mission after the 2018 elections. Its a complicated picture, there are some steps forward and areas where we would want to see much progress. For example, on the electoral agenda we see that there are steps taken, but we are also concerned that time ahead of next years elections is very short. It depends on whether there will be time to implement some of the recommendations of the electoral observer missions, he said. The EU was still monitoring progress of its recommendations made in 2018 and it believes most of the recommendations where progress has not been made are hinged on the amendments of the Electoral Act. Foreign Affairs and International Trade ministry secretary James Manzou who co-chaired the meeting said: Zimbabwe doesnt have any human rights violations. Of course, they would cite certain issues. Yes, there are areas where we had different views. Even in your family you have different views, but you sit down and discuss them. So we used this opportunity to outline the reforms that we are undertaking such as media and electoral reforms. This was an opportunity to tell them that this is what we are doing. Manzou pointed out that the issue of EU sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe remains a thorn in the flesh as it has resulted in an arms embargo on the Zimbabwe Defence Industries. Progress in removing some sanctions is acknowledged, but when investors google and find out that Zimbabwe is under sanctions, they automatically change their minds. Sanctions must be removed, he said. Meanwhile, during a documentation project launch yesterday by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) in Harare, Olkkonen criticised electoral violence, saying warning signs were already there ahead of next years elections. With the increasingly complex and tense political situation as we approach elections next year, we are already seeing some warning signs that could indicate the deterioration of the human rights situation, he said. On lack of national identity documents, Olkkonen said that would disenfranchise potential voters and infringe on their rights. As such, the undocumented has the major impact on ones life and unfortunately this often passes from one generation to another, he added. Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chairperson Elasto Mugwadi said: The main constraints that are impeding effective implementation of the ZHRC mandate are lack of sufficient resources, both human and financial, which if adequate, would propel the commissions work to greater heights. Mugwadi further noted that the Paris principles for the National Human Rights Institutions stipulate that rights commissions should have enough resources of which 70% must be from government, while 30% should be from resource mobilisation. Newsday Dosing has commenced in HMNC Brain Health and Develco Pharmas Phase 2 oral prolonged-release Ketamine (KET01) Study The trial will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of add-on treatment with KET01 in 117 patients suffering from Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) MUNICH, Germany, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMNC Brain Health (HMNC or the company), together with Develco pharma, today announced the dosing of the first patient in their second Phase 2 trial with oral prolonged-release Ketamine (KET01) for Treatment-Resistant Depression. HMNC is a global precision psychiatry biopharma company, pioneering the development of personalized therapies powered by its nascent AI platform and predictive companion diagnostics suite, leading to far shorter treatment durations, higher remission rates, and low side effects has partnered with Develco pharma, a company specializing in the development and manufacture of orally administered modified, prolonged & chrono release drugs, in this trial. The trial will assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of add-on treatment with Ketamine hydrochloride prolonged-release tablets (KET01) in patients suffering from Treatment-Resistant depression (TRD). It will enroll 117 TRD patients at approximately 38 clinical sites. The study's selection criteria for patients to be included was defined by non-response to a minimum of two standard antidepressants in their current major depressive episode. The trial is expected to confirm the results of the previous trial, with early-onset of efficacy, showing placebo-level dissociative side effects, and excellent tolerability, furthering the take-at-home potential of this novel treatment. Our first investigator-initiated Phase 2 Proof of concept trial, which we announced the preliminary results for at end of March, suggested a positive trend in efficacy for KET01, which appears to be a safe and well-tolerated antidepressant with substantially limited dissociative side effects, said Dr. Hans Eriksson, Chief Medical Officer at HMNC Brain Health. The Ketabon program, which is a joint venture between HMNC Brain Health and Swiss-based Develco Pharma, funded the trial. Patients will be randomized into three treatment groups and will either receive a placebo, KET01 120 mg, or KET01 240 mg once daily (OD), in addition to their ongoing standard antidepressant treatment over a period of three weeks. The primary endpoint is the change on the established MontgomeryAsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) for depressive severity at day 21 compared to placebo. HMNC Brain Health CEO Benedikt von Braunmuhl added: We are very pleased to have achieved this important milestone in the development of KET01 for Treatment-Resistant Depression. We believe KET01 has the potential to improve the lives of patients who are not responding to standard antidepressant therapies, and we are looking forward to further develop this potential medication with the insights generated from this trial. Topline data from the study is expected to be reported in the second quarter of 2023. About HMNC Brain Health HMNC Brain Health (HMNC Holding GmbH) is a global precision psychiatry biopharma company, pioneering the development of personalized therapies, powered by its nascent AI platform and predictive companion diagnostics suite, leading to far shorter treatment durations, higher remission rates, and low side effects. The company develops a unique pipeline for targeting both Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). The company has operations in both the US and Germany and is backed by a renowned global VC, several family offices, and a strategic healthcare investor. HMNC Brain Health now enters the next stage of its development with a large-scale licensing and fundraising agenda. About Develco Pharma With headquarters in Pratteln, Switzerland, Develco Pharma is a Swiss-German pharmaceutical company specializing in the development and manufacture of orally administered modified, prolonged & chrono release drugs containing known active ingredients. Established in 2006, today the company has a workforce of 130 employees. In Germany, a state-of-the-art production facility for analgesics & other indications has been in operation in Schopfheim, in the Baden region, since 2016. Develco identifies and defines pharmaceutical products containing known active ingredients and develops generic, hybrid, value added and innovative formulations backed by clinical data for the delayed or modified release of active ingredients. On the strength of its experience and innovativeness, the company has emerged as an internationally recognized provider of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of several disease areas. The customer base of Develco Pharma includes global pharmaceuticals groups. The company has some 180 market approvals in all (products of different dosages) in Europe, the US, Middle- East, South Africa, Asia and Australia. About the Ketabon Program The Ketabon program, a joint venture between HMNC Brain Health and Develco Pharma in Switzerland, comprises an oral prolonged-release formulation of Ketamine for TRD with minimal dissociative side effects. The pharmacokinetic profile of the prolonged-release formulation could significantly improve the risk profile and patient convenience, by minimizing dissociative side effects compared to the currently applied intravenous and intranasal Ketamine therapies. TRD patients with insufficient response to standard antidepressants represent 30% of an overall estimated number of 320 million patients worldwide suffering from major depressive disorder. In this group, prolonged-release Ketamine has shown high response rates. Clinical development of oral prolonged-release Ketamine could also be potentially expanded into other indications, such as anxiety, aggression, PTSD, and panic disorder. Media Contacts Alexander Schmidt (Europe) +49 151 22 99 39 765 alexander.schmidt@gaulyadvisors.com Anne Donohoe (U.S.) +1 212-896-1265 hmnc@kcsa.com Newark, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global ammunition market is expected to grow from USD 23.1 billion in 2021 to USD 33.4 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period 2022-2030. Get Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/sample-request/12769 Ammunition are objects which are inserted inside any weapon to hit a target. Some examples of ammunition are bullets, artillery shells, aerial bombs, or mortars. The 9mm cartridge is gaining popularity due to its advanced technology and versatile performance. FBI, in October 2015, announced that its agents would carry 9mm pistols instead of .40 S&W. The reduced recoil of the 9mm pistol enables faster acquisition of targets that helps in creating more quicker and accurate follow-ups. The 9mm pistol is also popular among frequent shooters as it is cost-efficient. Furthermore, the US army has developed technologically advanced snipper bullets guided by laser technology which helps the forces track the target in unfavorable conditions such as harsh and windy weather. The demand for ammunition will not be significantly affected as ammunition is an essential component of the frontline infantry. Competitive Strategy To enhance their market position in the global ammunition market, the key players are now focusing on adopting the strategies such as product innovations, mergers & acquisitions, recent developments, joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships. In July 2020, Northrop Grumman Corporation signed a contract with the US Army to provide the next-generation airburst cartridge for the 30mm XM813 Bushmaster Chain Gun. The Bushmaster Chain Gun will be installed on the Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV). For more information in the analysis of this report, speak to research analyst: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/report/ammunition-market-12769 Market Growth & Trends The growing concerns related to personal safety are expected to drive the market's growth. These days, people use shotguns, handguns, and rifles that use ammunition of different calibers for personal protection. The growing number of shooting ranges propels the market's growth during the forecast period. The strict laws and regulations related to the use of firearms hamper the market's growth. During the Christchurch shooting incident in New Zealand, the rules and regulations for the procurement of guns changed in New Zealand. Furthermore, the Australian government also banned fully automatic and semi-automatic firearms from civilian ownership after the Port Arthur Massacre mass shooting incident in which 35 people were killed. The stringent regulation related to the ammunition is a challenge for the market's growth. Key Findings In 2021, the bullets segment dominated the market with a market share of around 28% and a market revenue of 6.4 billion. The product type segment comprises bullets, artillery shells, aerial bombs, and mortars. In 2021, the bullets segment dominated the market with a market share of around 28% and a market revenue of 6.4 billion. The bullets segment is growing owing to the increasing expenditure on improving the inventory of the military's land and air force departments. In 2021, the large caliber segment accounted for the largest share of the market, with 44% and market revenue of 10.1 billion. The caliber type segment is divided into small, medium, and large. In 2021, the large caliber segment accounted for the largest share of the market, with 44% and market revenue of 10.1 billion. Growing political conflicts and rising cases of terrorism are driving the segment's growth. In 2021, the defense segment accounted for the largest share of the market, with 63% and market revenue of 14.5 billion. The application type segment is divided into defense and, civil & commercial. In 2021, the defense segment dominated the market with a market share of around 63% and a market revenue of 14.5 billion. The growing demand for ammunition from the defense sector due to political unrest and cross-border conflicts drives the segment's growth. Interested to Procure The Data? Inquire here at: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/enquiry/buying-inquiry/12769 Regional Segment Analysis of the Ammunition Market North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC) South America (Brazil and Rest of South America) The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA) Among all regions, the North American region emerged as the largest market for the global ammunition market, with a market share of around 41.3% and 9.5 billion of the market revenue in 2021. Several countries in the region have increased their investment and spending on the defense forces to provide them with better ammunition. Several research and development activities in the region in the ammunition sector propel the market's growth during the forecast period. Key players operating in the global ammunition market are: Northrop Grumman Corporation CBC Global Ammunition Ruag Ammotec General Dynamics Corporation Olin Corporation BAE Systems Thales Group Rheinmetal AG Nexter KNDS group Elbit Systems This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2019 to 2030. The Brainy Insights has segmented the global ammunition market based on the below-mentioned segments: Global Ammunition Market by Product Type: Bullets Artillery Shells Aerial Bombs Mortars Global Ammunition Market by Calibre: Small Medium Large Global Ammunition Market by Application: Defense Civil & Commercial About the report: The global ammunition market is analyzed based on value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed worldwide, regional, and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each part. The report analyzes driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining critical insight into the market. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, supply, demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution, and marketing channels analysis. Direct purchase a single user copy of the report: https://www.thebrainyinsights.com/buy-now/12769/single About The Brainy Insights: The Brainy Insights is a market research company, aimed at providing actionable insights through data analytics to companies to improve their business acumen. We have a robust forecasting and estimation model to meet the clients' objectives of high-quality output within a short span of time. We provide both customized (clients' specific) and syndicate reports. Our repository of syndicate reports is diverse across all the categories and sub-categories across domains. Our customized solutions are tailored to meet the clients' requirement whether they are looking to expand or planning to launch a new product in the global market. Contact Us Avinash D Head of Business Development Phone: +1-315-215-1633 Email: sales@thebrainyinsights.com Web: http://www.thebrainyinsights.com New Delhi, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The study undertaken by Astute Analytica foresees a tremendous growth in revenue of the market for global industrial gears market from US$ 204,052.2 Million in 2021 to US$ 260,765.0 Million by 2027. The market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/industrial-gears-market Industrial gear consists of various types of gears such as spur gear, planetary gear, helical gear, rack and pinion gear, worm gear and many more. Companies in the industrial gear market are increasing efforts to provide quality and reliable gear types in order to better serve the huge diversified industrial demand across the world. Additionally, the growing demand for industrial gear from automotive and construction industry has tremendously increases the growth of the market. Moreover, the installation of industrial gearboxes is being assisted by the implementation of severe government requirements for controlling noise pollution and reducing power overload across industrial plants. Furthermore, advanced technology adoption in the mining, industrial machinery, power plants, and oilfields sectors is expected to boost demand for industrial equipment in near future. On the basis of product type, the spur gear segment held the largest market share in the market in 2021. Whereas, planetary gear segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Moreover, in terms of application, the automotive segment holds the largest market share in 2021. Whereas, the aviation and oilfield equipment segment are expected to grow with the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Furthermore, by distribution channel, the OEMs segment dominated the industrial gears market in 2021. Moreover, aftermarket segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Market Dynamics and Trends Drivers The rising installation in wind power sector and rapid growth of construction industry in developing nations will boost the global industrial gears market during the forecast period. Wind energy is a renewable energy source that accounts for a significant portion of global electricity output, therefore the rising installation and investments in wind power projects is to drive the market growth during the forecast period. Moreover, the key aspect that drives the growth of the global industrial gears market includes the increased demand for gear from the construction industry coupled with the growing building and construction industry. Restraints Technical faults such as oil leakage and heating are a restraining factor which inhibits the growth of the industrial gears market over the forecast period. The oil leakage problem such as leakage of the oil lubrication distribution pipe, failure of fastener pre-tightening torque will arise in various degrees during the continuous load operation of the gearbox. Trend Rapidly rising emergence of numerous advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics by the major players creates a significant growth trend for the industrial gears market. The various major players are focusing on the launches of technological advanced products and providing value-added services and customized solutions to its clients. Global Industrial Gears Market Country Wise Insights North America Industrial Gears Market- US holds the major share in terms of revenue in the North America industrial gears market in 2021. Whereas, Mexico is projected to grow with the highest CAGR during forecast period due to the increase in presence of extensive production units in the region. Moreover, based on product type, the spur gear segment holds majority of the revenue in the industrial gears industry in North America. On the contrary, the planetary gear is estimated to project the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Europe Industrial Gears Market- Germany is the highest shareholder region in 2021, whereas Russia is projected to grow with the highest CAGR of 4.4% over the forecast period due to the development of manufacturing sector across the region. Furthermore, in terms of distribution channel, the OMEs segment contributed the major share in the Europe industrial gears market. Whereas the aftermarket segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific Industrial Gears Market- China is the highest shareholder country in the Asia Pacific industrial gears market in 2021. Whereas, India is expected to project the highest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the increasing adoption of automation technologies across industrial sectors in China and India. Moreover, on the basis of application, the automotive segment holds majority of the revenue in the industrial gears industry, in the regional market. Whereas the oilfield equipment and aviation are estimated to project the highest CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. Middle East & Africa Industrial Gears Market- UAE is projected to grow with the highest CAGR of 4.9% in the MEA industrial gears market over the forecast period. Whereas, Saudi Arabia holds the largest share in the MEA industrial gears market in 2021. The growing development of manufacturing sector and investment in industrial application will significantly drive the market growth in the region. Furthermore, based on product type, the spur gear segment held the largest market share in the MEA industrial gear market in 2021. South America Industrial Gears Market- Brazil is the highest shareholder country in 2021, whereas Argentina is projected to grow with the highest CAGR of 4.2% over the forecast period. The growing investment in industrial application specially in Brazil and Argentina will significantly drive the market growth in the region. Moreover, in terms of distribution channel, the OEMs segment dominated the South America industrial gears market in 2021. Whereas, aftermarket segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period due to its high demand in various industries for gear in the forthcoming years. Directly Purchase a copy of report with TOC @ https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/industrial-gears-market Report Attribute Details Market Size Value in 2021 US$ 204,052.2 Million Market Outlook for 2027 US$ 260,765.0 Million Expected CAGR Growth 4.2% Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2027 Top Market Players Aero Gear Inc., Precipart Corporation, ITAMCO, Riley Gear Corporation, Atlas Gear Company, Hota Industrial Manufacturing co., Ltd, Jackson Gear Company, Cleveland Gear Company, David Brown Santasalo, OKUBO GEAR Co. Ltd, Eaton, Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc., Philadelphia Gear, Omni G&M Corporation, Gear Motions, Ford Motor Company, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Toyota Industries Corporation and Caterpillar Inc. among others Segments Covered By Product, By Application, By Distribution, By Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa Customization Options Get your customized report as per your preference. Ask for customization Competitive Insight Global Industrial Gears Market is highly competitive in order to increase their presence in the marketplace. Some of the key players operating in the market includes Aero Gear Inc., Precipart Corporation, ITAMCO, Riley Gear Corporation, Atlas Gear Company, Hota Industrial Manufacturing co., Ltd, Jackson Gear Company, Cleveland Gear Company, David Brown Santasalo, OKUBO GEAR Co. Ltd, Eaton, Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc., Philadelphia Gear, Omni G&M Corporation, Gear Motions, Ford Motor Company, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Toyota Industries Corporation and Caterpillar Inc. among others. Segmentation Overview Global Industrial Gears Market is segmented based on product type, application, distribution channel and region. The industry trends in the global industrial gears market are sub-divided into different categories in order to get a holistic view of the global marketplace. Following are the different segments of the Global Industrial Gears Market: By Product Type segment of the Global Industrial Gears Market is sub-segmented into: Spur Gear Planetary Gear Helical Gear Rack and Pinion Gear Worm Gear Bevel Gear Others By Application segment of the Global Industrial Gears Market is sub-segmented into: Automotive Aviation Agricultural Machinery Construction Machinery Material Handling Mining Equipment Oilfield Equipment Power Plants Pulp and Paper Steel and manufacturing Others By Distribution Channel segment of the Global Industrial Gears Market is sub-segmented into: OEMs Aftermarket By Region segment of the Global Industrial Gears Market is sub-segmented into: North America The U.S. Canada Mexico Europe The UK Germany France Italy Spain Poland Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan Australia & New Zealand ASEAN South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) UAE Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of MEA South America Argentina Brazil Rest of South America To gain more insights into the market with a detailed table of content and figures, click here: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/industrial-gears-market About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost-effective, value-added package from us, should you decide to engage with us. LOS ANGELES, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IQ Laser Vision, an ophthalmology practice with experienced eye physicians offering state-of-the-art services, is proud to announce a new vision correction technology that corrects most nearsightedness and astigmatism in patients who receive it. The EVO ICL is a comfortable, natural-feeling, implantable lens that supplements existing vision but does not have to be removed, providing clearer vision. Patients who receive the EVO ICL experience the same excellent results as LASIK patients and others who have vision correction procedures. IQ Laser Vision - with offices in Southern and Northern California - is one of the first ophthalmology practices to offer EVO ICL in the greater Los Angeles area. They started implanting the EVO ICL in patients on 4/19/22. IQ Laser Vision is the #1 EVO ICL center in the country based on experience. Dr. Lin at IQ Laser Vision says Arcscan measurements sets them apart: "To provide the safest procedure, we measure both the inside eye and the surface of the eye to ensure proper sizing of the lens. We are the first center in California to use the Arcscan, which is the most accurate way to measure. Most centers only measure on the surface." One of the biggest advantages of getting EVO ICL implanted is it eliminates the cost and hassle of wearing visual aids. For active adults who can't wear glasses in the pool or get grit in their contact lenses during workouts, the EVO ICL eliminates the need for contact lenses or glasses, saving thousands of dollars. The EVO ICL is recommended for patients between the ages of 21 and 45 and is an excellent option for patients who don't qualify for LASIK. The EVO ICL works best in patients with moderate to severe nearsightedness and astigmatism. This lens does not correct farsightedness. Another advantage of the EVO ICL is that it leaves the patient with a comfortable lens that won't cause dry eye syndrome. More than one million patients worldwide have enjoyed the benefits of the EVO ICL lens. The EVO ICL is made of collamer, which works in harmony with the eye's natural chemistry. It feels like a natural part of the eye and can't be seen. If needed, you can have the EVO ICL removed at any time. The EVO ICL is meant to be a permanent part of the eye that works similarly to a contact lens. You can swim, sleep and bathe with the EVO ICL and see clearly. Find out if you are a good candidate for the EVO ICL by scheduling an appointment at IQ Laser Vision, the leader in innovative eye care throughout California, and start your journey to visual freedom. Contact: Cindy Wong cwong@iqlaservision.com This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. SAN JOSE, Calif., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Noname Security , the most complete, proactive approach to API security, is proud to announce we have won the following awards from Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industrys leading electronic information security magazine: Most Innovative API Security Hot Company Cloud Security Most Innovative Security Company of the Year Were thrilled to receive one of the most prestigious and coveted cybersecurity awards in the world from Cyber Defense Magazine during their 10th anniversary as an independent cybersecurity news and information provider. We knew the competition would be tough, and with top judges who are leading infosec experts from around the globe, we couldnt be more pleased, said Oz Golan, Co-Founder and CEO at Noname Security. Noname Security embodies three major features we judges look for to become winners: understanding tomorrows threats, today, providing a cost-effective solution and innovating in unexpected ways that can help mitigate cyber risk and get one step ahead of the next breach, said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. Were thrilled to be a member of this coveted group of winners, located here: http://www.cyberdefenseawards.com/ Please join us virtually at the #RSAC RSA Conference 2022, https://www.rsaconference.com/usa today, as we share our red carpet experience and proudly display our trophy on our website, blog, and social media channels. About Noname Security Noname Security is the only company taking a complete, proactive approach to API Security. Noname works with 20% of the Fortune 500 and covers the entire API security scope across three pillars Posture Management, Runtime Security, and API Security Testing. Noname Security is privately held, remote-first, with headquarters in Silicon Valley, California, and offices in Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. About Cyber Defense Magazine Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of cyber security news and information for InfoSec professions in business and government. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. Media Contact Stephanie Schlegel Offleash for Noname noname@offleashpr.com CDM Media Inquiries: Irene Noser, Marketing Executive marketing@cyberdefensemagazine.com Toll Free (USA): 1-833-844-9468 International: 1-646-586-9545 www.cyberdefensemagazine.com A graphic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46ceb3e5-587c-43b3-a427-d243469709cd NEW YORK, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The health industry has important challenges to overcome regarding research, technology, and financing. KoreConX and KorePartners have put together the KoreSummit Medtech A+ Team, which aims at helping companies raise capital compliantly using Regulation A (RegA+). The online event takes place on June 23, at 1 p.m. (EDT). The first panel will bring together Oscar A Jofre, KoreConX's CEO and co-founder; Stephen Brock, CEO at Medical Funding Professionals; and Scott Pantel, co-founder and CEO of Life Science Intelligence, to show how to start this journey. With panels programmed for no longer than 45 minutes, speakers will explore topics with real-life experience. Other topics encompass the Form 1A (Legals, Accounting, Broker-Dealer, Escrow), the go-live preparation (Investor Acquisition, Broker-Dealer, Issuance Technology, SEC-Transfer Agent), potential investors engagement and secondary marketing trading ATS. "The JOBS Act has been reshaping the private capital market, so we thought about this KoreSummit as a journey: from the beginning, with the Form 1A, the legal aspect, the preparation, how to engage people, sell the story rather than sell the stock. It is a great opportunity to be closer to KorePartners and the best way to strengthen the Medtech ecosystem," says Oscar A Jofre. Innovation has been part of this business since the beginning of Medicine studies, which makes Scott Pantel an enthusiast of RegA+. Pantel thinks of it as a way to make things happen, while providing the population with greater life quality, as he already stated in KoreConX's blog: "In the many years I've been working with Medtech innovators, I can't count the number of great products I've seen that never make it to market for lack of access to capital." As innovative as the Medtech business, Manny Villafana, Ph.D.Sc., founder and CEO of Medical 21, sums it up: "Regulation A+ is the 21st Century way to raise capital." Not to mention the impact of the RegA+ bill on capital formation and job creation. The full schedule and sign-up form can be accessed directly at the site event. About KoreConX Founded in 2016, KoreConX is the first secure, All-In-One platform that manages private companies' capital market activity and stakeholder communications. With an innovative approach and to ensure compliance with securities regulations and corporate law, KoreConX offers a single environment to connect companies to the capital markets and now secondary markets. Additionally, investors, broker-dealers, law firms, accountants and investor acquisition firms, all leverage our eco-system solution. For investor relations and fundraising, the platform enables private companies to share and manage corporate records and investments: it assists with portfolio management, capitalization table and shareholder management, virtual minute book, security registration, transfer agent services, and virtual deal rooms for raising capital. ### Media Contacts: KoreConX Rafael Goncalves rafael@koreconx.com Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment TORONTO, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Although there has been a steady increase in the proportion of Canadian companies that have implemented a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy, most Canadian companies do not have one according to a recent survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. Forty percent of Canadian companies report having a diversity, equity and inclusion policy, up from 35% in the second half of 2020. Another 1 in 5 companies plan to implement such a policy (17%). Of those planning to do so, 9% say they plan to implement one by the end of this year. Large companies (58%) are more than twice as likely than small businesses (26%) to have a DEI policy. Canadian companies are significantly behind those in the United States, where 54% of companies report having a DEI policy in place. Furthermore, despite continuing labour shortages, nearly half of Canadian companies surveyed (46%) do not plan to actively recruit candidates outside of their traditional demographic (e.g., having unique backgrounds, racially/ethnically diverse). Around a third (34%) say their company is planning to take such steps in 2022. About 1 in 6 Canadian hiring decision-makers (16%) say reaching diverse candidates is one of the biggest hiring challenges their company will face over the next year. According to Hanif Hemani, an Express franchise owner in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion policy can have many benefits for companies. It is important that companies employees demographically represent the communities they operate in, not only from an optics standpoint, but also from an opportunity standpoint, said Hemani. The opportunity is to tap into new ways, new thinking and new markets. There is a very talented pool of individuals that have been under-resourced and under-used in the past. He says the tight labour market has caused some businesses to look at candidates they may not have considered in the past. More businesses are developing robust DEI policies and, in many cases, labour dynamics have driven some of this change, said Hemani. The war on talent has created opportunities for individuals not traditionally part of the workforce of many companies. While its encouraging to see an increase in businesses developing DEI plans, Hemani says its important companies follow through on them. While employers are adopting DEI plans, it seems that many of the targets set are still not being consistently met, said Hemani. Companies are taking steps in the right direction, but there is still far to go. Its encouraging to see more companies adopting diversity, equity and inclusion policies to create workforces reflective of our society, Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. Everyone deserves to feel heard and represented in their career as part of collaborative company cultures. Survey Methodology The survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Nov. 10 and Dec. 2, 2021, among 510 Canadian hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in Canada who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Nov. 10 and Dec. 2, 2021, among 1,009 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact Ana Curic at (613) 858-2622 or email Ana@MapleLeafStrategies.com. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. About Express Employment Professionals At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com/CA. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b6e02708-6b65-4571-8894-e0e8a3a43b71 EDMONTON, Alberta, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Edmonton Gleaners Association, more commonly known as Edmonton's Food Bank, was officially incorporated on Jan. 16, 1981. This moment in history marked the organization as Canada's first-ever food bank. Today, Edmonton's Food Bank continues to play a crucial role in the community. According to its most recent data report, the organization provided over 30,000 food hampers in March of 2022 alone. Each year, Edmonton's Food Bank purchases about $1 million worth of food, answers an average of 350-500 phone calls per day, and has responded to as many as 80 emails and 619 phone inquiries in one day. This highlights the urgent need to provide families and individuals access to food and nutritious meals, a situation further exacerbated by the pandemic. Rallying community support Edmonton's Food Bank relies on food donations and teams of volunteers to be able to distribute food to those who need it. Monetary donations allow the organization to purchase perishable food items such as milk, eggs, and fresh vegetables and fruits to keep hampers nutritionally balanced. Edmonton's Food Bank couldn't do all of this without help from the local community, like Edmontonian Cameron Schiffner, local small businesses, and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. In March 2021, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation donated net proceeds from the organization's 50/50 draw to Edmonton's Food Bank and Northern Alberta food banks. The generous gift was to honour the late Walter Gretzky, who passed away on March 4, 2021. The donation supported Edmonton's Food Bank's warehouse operations and programs. "The fact that we are honouring Walter Gretzky's wishes makes this gesture even more poignant, as he cared very deeply about giving back to the community," said Marjorie Bencz, Executive Director of Edmonton's Food Bank. Brad Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications, announced a 10-year commitment to donate $300,000 yearly to Edmonton's Food Bank, which helps support child-focused programs and provide healthy food for people in need. "We understand that the current circumstances facing our communities are particularly difficult. My family and I are honoured to support the good work of our province's charities," said Brad Shaw, business leader and philanthropist. Edmonton's Food Bank's mission and values Since 1981, Edmonton Food Bank's mission is to help those who are experiencing food insecurity. The organization envisions a community where all people have access to food and where hunger does not exist. However, providing food to people in need is just the tip of the iceberg of what the organization does. While food donations satisfy an immediate need, the act alone does not create a long-term impact. Food insecurity is a symptom of poverty. Edmonton's Food Bank also works to meet with government decision-makers to report what the team is seeing on the frontline. The organization collects client information to understand who is impacted by poverty. This data is then presented to government officials to explain what deep-rooted change is needed, such as affordable childcare, affordable housing, access to education, and disparities in income opportunities. Ways to give to the Edmonton's Food Bank Although Edmonton's Food Bank provides millions of dollars worth of food per year, food supplies often run low. To give to a worthy cause, individuals, families, and corporations can: Give Food Drop nonperishable food items at a fire station or at Edmonton's Food Bank's main warehouse at 11508-120 Street during hours of operation. Packages over 100lbs are eligible for pickup. Drop nonperishable food items at a fire station or at Edmonton's Food Bank's main warehouse at 11508-120 Street during hours of operation. Packages over 100lbs are eligible for pickup. Give Money Become a monthly donor. This helps the Edmonton Food Bank pay for the overhead costs of running the organization. Become a monthly donor. This helps the Edmonton Food Bank pay for the overhead costs of running the organization. Sponsor a Hamper Sponsors pay for the cost of providing a food hamper for communities in need, such as feeding a family or buying a community meal. Sponsors pay for the cost of providing a food hamper for communities in need, such as feeding a family or buying a community meal. Volunteer Lend time to help Edmonton's Food Bank fulfill volunteer positions such as food sorter, repackager, driver, hamper builder, client services, special events, and more. Learn more about Edmonton's Food Bank and how to help through its official website or by calling (780) 425-2133. Related Images Image 1: Edmonton's Food Bank Thanking some of our donators: Edmonton Oilers, Cameron Schiffner and Brad Shaw, and the rest of our volunteers. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States TORONTO, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:EMM, GR:A2DUU8) ("Giyani" or the "Company"), developer of the K.Hill battery grade manganese project in Botswana (K.Hill Battery Manganese Project or K.Hill), is pleased to announce the completion of sample assaying from its Otse manganese oxide prospect (Otse), following its 2021 initial exploration program. Highlights SGS South Africa has assayed 5,126 samples from Giyanis 2021 exploration program at Otse with a number of intersections exceeding 60.0% manganese oxide ( MnO ) including hole RCOT21_015 reporting 44.5% MnO over 27.5 metres ( m ). ) including hole RCOT21_015 reporting 44.5% MnO over 27.5 metres ( ). In late 2021, Giyani drilled 4,149 m of reverse circulation ( RC ) drill holes in both the north and south target areas at Otse. ) drill holes in both the north and south target areas at Otse. Assay and drilling data from the program will be submitted to SRK Consulting (SRK) for estimation of a maiden mineral resource for Otse, currently anticipated in Q4 2022. In December 2021, the Company completed its initial exploration drilling campaign at Otse, focused on the site of historical workings based on excellent correlation between northwest-southeast trending chargeability anomalies and manganese mineralization. A total of 5,126 samples were submitted to SGS for assay and notable results include: Hole ID Interval Including From (m) To (m) % MnO Width (m) From (m) To (m) %MnO Width (m) RCOT21_006 22.0 39.5 31.3 17.5 32.5 36.5 61.3 4.0 RCOT21_015 8.5 36.0 44.5 27.5 18.0 33.0 62.2 15.0 RCOT21_020 26.5 39.0 31.2 12.5 30.0 34.0 41.8 4.0 RCOT21_021 13.5 22.0 25.3 8.5 17.0 19.5 36.2 2.5 RCOT21_031 11.0 21.0 28.7 10.0 15.0 18.0 34.7 3.0 RCOT21_035 25.0 35.5 30.0 10.5 30.5 33.5 45.5 3.0 RCOT21_043 15.5 25.0 26.6 9.5 19.5 23.0 39.6 3.5 RCOT21_052 6.0 14.5 30.2 8.5 10.5 12.5 37.5 2.0 Note: Assays of major element oxides by X-Ray Fluorescence using borate fusion. All drilling data and assay results will be submitted to SRK for estimation of a maiden resource for Otse. Giyani currently anticipates that a Mineral Resource Estimate will be completed by Q4 2022. Otse is located approximately 50 kilometres east of the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project and lies only two kilometres from the A1 highway between Gaborone and the border with South Africa. Giyani is developing K.Hill to be a responsible, low carbon and sustainable producer of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM), a critical raw material for the electric vehicle (EV) market. Ore mined from Otse should be easily transportable to the envisaged site of the processing plant at the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project and the Company is assessing the potential for high-grade Otse material to be blended with K.Hill ore to increase operational and economic efficiency. Robin Birchall, CEO of the Company, commented: In the context of manganese projects being developed for HPMSM production by any listed company, Otse is showing its potential to be a class apart. To achieve multiple holes showing grades of over 30% MnO across widths greater than 10 m strengthens the prospects promise to have an even higher average grade than K.Hill and we look forward to its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate later this year. Through these initial results, Otse has shown the potential to strengthen further our strategy of becoming a major producer of sustainable HPMSM for the EV market. Sweetening the feedstock for the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project with high-grade Otse material could significantly enhance HPMSM production per tonne of ore and lower cash operating costs, thereby increasing profitability. Over the coming months, we will be undertaking mineralogical and metallurgical testwork to confirm ore characteristics and how best to integrate Otse into our development plans. About Giyani Giyani is a mineral resource company focused on becoming one of Africas first low-carbon producers of high-purity manganese sulphate precursor materials directly from manganese oxide ore, used by battery manufacturers for the expanding EV market, through the advancement of its manganese assets in the Kanye Basin in south-eastern Botswana, (the Kanye Basin Prospects) through its wholly-owned Botswana subsidiary Menzi Battery Metals (Pty) Limited. The Companys Kanye Basin Prospects consist of 10 prospecting licences and include the past producing Kgwakgwe Hill mine and project, referred to as the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project, the Otse manganese prospect and the Lobatse manganese prospect, both of which have seen historical mining activities. The Company is currently undertaking a feasibility study on the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project, following an updated preliminary assessment report announced on April 12, 2021, with a post-tax NPV of USD332 million and post-tax IRR of 80%, based on a development plan to produce around 891,000 tonnes of HPMSM over a 10 year project life. An updated 43-101 technical report on the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project is available on www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.giyanimetals.com. Qualified Persons / NI 43-101 Disclosures Mr. Luhann Theron, MSc., Pr.Sci.Nat. 400184/15, of Lambda Tau is registered with the SACNASP. Mr. Theron is currently at site and is a qualified person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Theron is the Chief Geologist for the Company and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content contained in this press release but is not independent for the purposes of NI 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp. Robin Birchall, CEO Contact: Robin Birchall CEO, Director +44 7711 313019 rbirchall@giyanimetals.com George Donne VP Business Development +44 7866 591 897 gdonne@giyanimetals.com Judith Webster Corporate Secretary +1 416 453 8818 jwebster@giyanimetals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons. Forward Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Giyani expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. Specific forward-looking statements and forward-looking information herein includes completion of receipt of TSXV approval for the private placement and completion of the private placement. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to certain assumptions, important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Giyani's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In the case of Giyani, these facts include their anticipated operations in future periods, planned exploration and development of its properties, and plans related to its business and other matters that may occur in the future. This information relates to analyses and other information that is based on expectations of future performance and planned work programs. Forward-looking information is 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 information, including, without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in Giyani's ability to obtain funding; commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of mineral resource calculations and the inclusion of Inferred Mineral Resources in economic estimation; risks in how the world-wide economic and social impact of COVID-19 is managed; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licences and permits; risks related to the Companys business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to the Companys mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which the Company is a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to the Companys directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Giyani's forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information or statements. Giyani's forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of the Companys respective management on the date the statements are made, and Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyani's latest Annual Information Form, which is filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Insight Partners published latest research study on Maritime Analytics Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Application (Optimal Route Mapping, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, Pricing Insights, Vessel Safety and Security, and Others) and End User (Commercial and Military), the global maritime analytics market growth is driven by rising trend of digitalization in global shipping industry, increasing demand for enhanced maritime operations through data analytics. The Sample Pages Showcases Content Structure and Nature of Information Included in This Research Study Which Presents A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00003041 Market Size Value in US$ 993.39 million in 2021 Market Size Value by US$ 2.15 billion by 2028 Growth rate CAGR of 11.7% from 2021 to 2028. Forecast Period 2021-2028 Base Year 2021 No. of Pages 161 No. Tables 56 No. of Charts & Figures 72 Historical data available Yes Segments covered Application and End User Regional scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; MEA Country scope US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina Report coverage Revenue forecast, company ranking, competitive landscape, growth factors, and trends Maritime Analytics Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments: Maritech Holdings Limited; RightShip Pty Limited; ShipNet; Windward Ltd; Kpler; Kayrros; OrbitMI, Inc.; Q88 LLC; Signal Group; eeSea ApS; Shipfix Technologies S.A.S.; Shipamax Ltd.; Veson Nautical; Siglar Carbon; ZeroNorth A/S; Pole Star Space Applications; Dataloy Systems AS; NINETY PERCENT OF EVERYTHING LIMITED; SEDNA Communications Ltd; Nordic IT; LgMAR; and Trigonal Ltd. are among the key players profiled during the study of the maritime analytics market. In addition, several essential maritime analytics market players were studied and analyzed to get a holistic view of the market and its ecosystem. In November 2021, RightShip announced that it is focusing on its footprint expansion in previously unexplored areas, particularly in Asia Pacific. In terms of maritime decarburization, Japan is a leader. It requires substantial innovation and a commitment to decarbonize its supply chain operations by 2030 to build carbon-neutral vessels. In September 2021, Maritech Holdings Limited partnered with RightShip to offer better marine due diligence services to customers. Sea/trade clients will have access to RightShip's Safety Score, GHG Rating, and RightShip Dry Bulk Inspections results without leaving the Sea/trade platform, thus, increasing digital agility. Schedule A Pre-Sale Discussion with The Author Team in A Slot That You Prefer to Address Queries on Scope of The Study, Customization, Introduction to Research Methodology, Assistance on Technologies and Market Definitions: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPRE00003041/ Maritime analytics is a process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting critical information related to diverse shipping activities. The growing usage of algorithms and predictive analytics in the shipping industry and the rising trend of automation and digitalization drive the growth of the maritime analytics market across the globe. Maritime analytics offers various key benefits such as enhanced productivity, superior performance, better safety, cost savings, and valuable insights related to various parameters for stakeholders involved in the shipping and maritime industry. The global shipping industry is evolving at a steady pace owing to the surge in trade across countries, change in technology landscape, and uncertainty in global economies and geopolitical conditions. These factors pose various challenges and opportunities for companies operating in the maritime analytics industry. Companies are continually investing in innovative solutions to increase the profitability of their operations and acquire a competitive advantage. In such a situation, the high volume of fragmented data can be used by utilizing maritime analytics to acquire important insights that can improve operational efficiency and decision-making. Companies are rapidly adopting marine data analytics solutions for streamlining maritime operations, improving ship chartering, anticipating and scheduling maintenance, and pricing insights. A few of the primary reasons driving the global marine analytics market share growth are the growing trend of digital transformation in the shipping and maritime industry and increasing usage of connected devices and digital solutions for greater efficiency. However, a scarcity of skilled workers and concerns about cyber security could stifle the maritime analytics market's expansion. Despite a few limitations, the rising adoption of maritime analytics among commercial end users and the integration of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, by maritime analytics solution providers for enhanced performance are expected to propel the global maritime analytics market growth in the future. Click Here to Avail Lucrative DISCOUNTS on Our Latest Research Reports. We Offer Student, Enterprise, and Special Periodic Discounts to Our Clientele. Please Fill the Form to Know DISCOUNTED PRICE Maritime Analytics Market in APAC to Grow at Highest CAGR during Forecast Period. The rapid technological advancements, government initiatives, economic digitization, and rise in middle-income discretionary income are a few factors propelling the region's overall economic growth, which is gradually driving it from a developing to a developed stage. In 2021, among the ten leading countries, China has registered the highest increase in the value of ship owning. The country owns the high number of container ships, and consequently, the recent surge in international trade has pushed it to the top spots in terms of fleet value. Japan maintains its second place in this list. The marine analytics market in APAC is expected to experience new growth opportunities with the persistent development of new technologies by various maritime analytics industry players. In January 2021, Spire Global collaborated with Pole Star to provide all global data, for satellite, terrestrial, and Dynamic AIS, to one of the six branches of the US Armed Forces. The collaborative efforts originated with Spire Global providing solely satellite-based AIS data for 70 degrees North and above (the Arctic region), which assists in providing critical maritime data services to government agencies. Have A 15-Minute-Long Discussion with The Lead Research Analyst and Author of The Report in A Time Slot Decided by You. You Will Be Briefed About the Contents of The Report and Queries Regarding the Scope of The Document Will Be Addressed as Well: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/speak-to-analyst/TIPRE00003041 Maritime Analytics Market: Application Overview Based on application, the maritime analytics market report is segmented into optimal route mapping, predictive and prescriptive analytics, pricing insights, vessel safety and security, and others. In 2020, the prescriptive and predictive analytics segment dominated the market. Predictive and prescriptive analytics plays a critical role in the digitalization of the maritime industry. Predictive analytics collects the historical data and incorporates into a machine Learning (ML) model that considers main trends and patterns. With the growing demand for advanced maritime products, the corresponding supply chain demand also surges consequently. The marine industry is continuously inclined to adopt sophisticated technologies such as ML algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to meet the supply-demand gap. For instance, in September 2020, Windward Ltd., a maritime analytics company, introduced a maritime predictive intelligence solution, which utilizes Maritime Artificial Intelligence Analytics (MAIA). It comprises 10 billion data points and 300 behavioral analysis models, empowering organizations to make swift decisions and enhance operations. This solution offers predictive intelligence based on vessel identification, actual location, cargo visibility, and navigation mode. Hence, advancements in the marine industry propel the market growth. Surge in Demand for Enhanced Maritime Operations through Data Analytics to Propel Maritime Analytics Market Growth during 20212028: In today's digital age, the competition in the maritime industry is high and companies are continuously investing in solutions that could help them in enhancing operational productivity while reducing overall costs. As a result, the demand for advanced solutions, such as maritime data analytics, has been increasing rapidly among commercial shippers and other end users. Big data is being utilized in the shipping industry to monitor sensors on ships and perform predictive analysis to avoid delays and boost productivity. The big data insights avoid delays and predict costly issues across the ship's lifecycle, from design to operation to decommissioning. Hamburg Port (Germany), Port of Cartagena (Columbia), Port of Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and several ports in Southeast Asia are actively using big data analytics solutions for their ports and terminal operations. For instance, in September 2021, DTNa leading data, analytics, and technology firmpartnered with OrbitMI, a global provider of marine software and data products, to change weather analytics and improve results for the shipping sector with integrated operational information. The partnership gives shipping customers a single site for vessel and fleet management with actionable visualizations for confident decisions. Immediate Delivery of Our Off-The-Shelf Reports and Latest Research Studies, Through Flexible and Convenient Payment Methods: https://www.theinsightpartners.com/buy/TIPRE00003041 Browse Adjoining Reports: Maritime Information Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Platform (On-Shore, Vessel); Application (Fleet Management, Vessel Tracking, Maritime Security); End-User (Commercial, Government) and Geography Maritime Data Solutions Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Platform (Big Data, IoT); Application (Route Opitmization, Data Analytics, Vessel Safety, Fleet Management, Port Management, Vessel Operations, Others); End User (Commercial, Military) and Geography Maritime Surveillance Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Component (Radar, Sensors, AIS Receiver, Others); Type (Surveillance and Tracking, Detectors, Others); Application (Naval, Coast Guard, Others) and Geography Maritime Security Market Forecast to 2028 - Covid-19 Impact and Global Analysis - by Technology Type (Surveillance and Tracking, Screening and Scanning, Detectors, Weather Monitoring, Geographic Information System, Communication, Others); Services (Training, Consulting, Maintenance and Support, Risk Assessment and Investigation, Others); Application (Port and Critical Infrastructure Security, Coastal Surveillance, Vessel Security); End-User (Military, Coast Guards, Government Agencies, Others) and Geography Marine Management Software Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Component (Software, Services); Application (Crew Management, Port Management, Harbor Management, Reservation Management, Cruise and Yacht Management); End-User (Commercial, Defense) and Geography About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: A 28-year-old Beitbridge man believed to be part of a racket using fake customs and immigration date stamps to clear goods and people between Zimbabwe and South Africa has been arrested. Sadam Mutodzaniswa of Kwalu Suburb in the border town was arrested last week after he had stamped six Kenyans travel documents with a fake Zimbabwean immigration stamp. The Kenyans, Musa Abdulla Hussein, Mohammed Abdulla Baduallhi, Ali Mohammed Abidi, Hussein Harum Bullo, Muhammed Abdurrahman Issack, and Ibrahimbashair Douw, have since appeared before Miss Annia Chimweta. They were warned and cautioned against violating the Immigration Act. Mutodzaniswa pleaded guilty before the same magistrate to assisting the migrants to illegally enter the country. He was remanded in custody to Thursday. Prosecuting Miss Esnath Vengedza told the court that on May 27 at around 2 am, the six Kenyans arrived in the country from South Africa en route to their native country. They then engaged the services of Mutodzaniswa who stamped two passports and four travel documents with a fake immigration stamp. Soon after, they then proceeded to the exit gate intending to enter Zimbabwe. They were stopped by Immigration officials from the Compliance and Enforcement section for routine checks. It was then discovered that the migrants travel documents had been stamped with an immigration stamp (A136) that does not exist. The State said the Kenyans were subsequently arrested and during interrogations, they implicated the accused who was swiftly arrested by border security agents. Of late the Department of Immigration has been rounding up criminals using fake customs and immigration stamps at the Beitbridge Border Post. Over 15 people were arrested for related offences in the last 12 months. Well-orchestrated syndicates are reportedly using the stamps to illegally extend the stay of travellers in either country. Ordinarily, Zimbabweans are allowed a stay of not more than 90 days per calendar year in South Africa. South Africans are allowed a stay of 30 days per visit to Zimbabwe. Those black-listed immigrants and those who require visas, but do not qualify often turn to the services of those operating with fake stamps around or within the port of entry. Herald Toronto, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 17, OCAD University will award honorary doctorates to five outstanding and deserving individuals during its first in-person Convocation ceremony to be held since 2019. We are excited to recognize a group of exceptional individuals who have been catalysts in leading change in their respective domains. They are innovative thinkers who have challenged the status quo and inspired others to excel and pursue their passions, says OCAD Us President and Vice-Chancellor Ana Serrano. The honorands will join 750 students from OCAD Us three faculties and Graduate Studies who will be receiving their diplomas at Roy Thomson Hall. The morning ceremony will feature the installation of Ana Serrano as the Universitys first BIPOC President and Vice-Chancellor and Jaime Watt as Chancellor. Meet the 2022 honorary doctorate recipients: Rosalie Favell is a distinguished Metis artist with a creative practice that spans over 40 years who has achieved national and international acclaim. Favell has used photography, portraiture and painting to understand and represent her ancestry and identity in works that have been exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. Her major body of work, Facing the Camera (2008-18), is an extended project that celebrates the strength, resilience and talent of the Indigenous arts community. She is the recipient of the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award, Chalmers Arts Fellowship, Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award and Karsh Award. is a distinguished Metis artist with a creative practice that spans over 40 years who has achieved national and international acclaim. Favell has used photography, portraiture and painting to understand and represent her ancestry and identity in works that have been exhibited and collected nationally and internationally. Her major body of work, (2008-18), is an extended project that celebrates the strength, resilience and talent of the Indigenous arts community. She is the recipient of the Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award, Chalmers Arts Fellowship, Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award and Karsh Award. Michael Fukushima has produced more than 200 films, including three Oscar-nominated animation shorts during his 30-year career at the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada. He is being recognized for his immense impact on Canadian cinema, which includes co-founding Hothouse, the NFBs flagship apprenticeship program for emerging filmmakers. An avid storyteller and relentless advocate for Asian and other marginalized filmmakers, Fukushima played a key role in diversifying animation by helping to make the NFB one of the first animation organizations to achieve gender parity. has produced more than 200 films, including three Oscar-nominated animation shorts during his 30-year career at the National Film Board (NFB) of Canada. He is being recognized for his immense impact on Canadian cinema, which includes co-founding Hothouse, the NFBs flagship apprenticeship program for emerging filmmakers. An avid storyteller and relentless advocate for Asian and other marginalized filmmakers, Fukushima played a key role in diversifying animation by helping to make the NFB one of the first animation organizations to achieve gender parity. Anne (Annie) Koyama has played an instrumental role in launching the careers of visual artists as a publisher and as a philanthropist through Koyama Provides. By publishing a wide variety of publications, including comic books and larger graphic novels, she has nurtured the talent and advanced the careers of visual artists such as Fiona Smyth, Team Macho, Walter Scott, Yannick Desranleau & Choe Lum and Rokudenashiko. Her numerous achievements have been recognized by the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association (Joe Shuster Award) and the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame (Doug Wright Award). has played an instrumental role in launching the careers of visual artists as a publisher and as a philanthropist through Koyama Provides. By publishing a wide variety of publications, including comic books and larger graphic novels, she has nurtured the talent and advanced the careers of visual artists such as Fiona Smyth, Team Macho, Walter Scott, Yannick Desranleau & Choe Lum and Rokudenashiko. Her numerous achievements have been recognized by the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association (Joe Shuster Award) and the Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame (Doug Wright Award). Judy Matthews is an urban planner, activist and philanthropist. A seasoned expert and invaluable resource in public private partnerships, she strongly believes in the role not-for-profit organizations play in civic life. She is being recognized for her outstanding leadership in realizing an impressive variety of urban renewal projects that have enriched Toronto and the lives of many Torontonians. is an urban planner, activist and philanthropist. A seasoned expert and invaluable resource in public private partnerships, she strongly believes in the role not-for-profit organizations play in civic life. She is being recognized for her outstanding leadership in realizing an impressive variety of urban renewal projects that have enriched Toronto and the lives of many Torontonians. Norman Triplett White is Canadas leading visionary in the field of electronic and robotic art. Since exhibiting his first groundbreaking electronically-based work in 1969, the internationally celebrated media artist has helped to establish Toronto as a world leader in media art production. Norman Triplett White has influenced and inspired generations of media artists, in part through his involvement in developing the Integrated Media program at OCAD University, which teaches electronics, mechanics and computer programming. He received the 2018 Digifest Pioneer Award in recognition of his lifetime achievement of innovation in art. In 1990, he was the recipient of an award of distinction at the Prix Ars Electronica, the worlds most time-honoured media arts competition. -30- For more information, contact Natalie Pavlenko or Karen McCarthy below. Attachment Miami, FL, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global engineering firm Walter P Moore opens its 24th domestic office in Miami, Florida, expanding its presence in South Florida. The Miami office officially opened on June 1, 2022. Our move into Miami represents an incredible opportunity to leverage our entire platform while bringing value to our clients. Opening the office presents unique opportunities to help us maintain existing relationships and build new client connections in several of our target market sectors, says Dilip Choudhuri, President and CEO of Walter P Moore. Randy Beard, a Senior Principal and Managing Director for the firms Diagnostics Group, will be leading a team of experts focusing on forensic investigations for building enclosure and structural deterioration, as well as failures, condition assessments, repair, and restoration design for the built environment. For many years, we have been working toward deepening our roots and expanding our services in the Miami area. With this office opening, our team is now optimized to serve our many Miami-based clients and strengthen our connection to the Latin American markets, says Dr. Gabriel Jimenez, Managing Principal and Executive Director of Walter P Moores Diagnostics Group. Walter P Moore specializes in a variety of offerings including insurance and litigation support, waterproofing, materials consulting, assessments and repairs, corrosion mitigation, bridge assessment, civil engineering, water resources, traffic engineering, structural engineering, enclosure engineering, parking services, secure design, and construction engineering. About Walter P Moore / www.walterpmoore.com Walter P Moore is an international company of engineers, innovators, and creative people who solve some of the worlds most complex structural and infrastructure challenges. Providing structural, diagnostics, civil, traffic, parking, transportation, enclosure, and construction engineering services. We design solutions that are cost- and resource-efficient, forward-thinking, and help support and shape communities worldwide. Founded in 1931, Walter P Moores 700+ professionals work across 24 U.S. offices and six international locations. Editors Note: There is no period after the P in Walter P Moore. Attachments New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Electric Scooters Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Battery, By Voltage And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06278027/?utm_source=GNW Electric Scooters Market Growth & Trends The global electric scooters market size is expected to reach USD 40.6 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period, according to a study conducted. The increasing adoption of electric scooters (e-scooters) among the young population, the rising purchasing power of the middle-class community in developing countries, and rapid urbanization are expected to significantly drive product demand across the globe. Electric scooters offer affordable last-mile transportation as compared to on-demand transportation. Agility and ease of maneuver in densely populated areas with high traffic congestion are additional advantages these vehicles offer, which are expected to fuel E-scooters market growth. Consumer satisfaction is another essential factor for vendors trying to retain existing customers or looking to expand their customer base.It can be measured using various parameters such as durability, maintenance expense, performance, comfort and safety, and operating cost. Vendors are trying to focus on two critical factors to attract customers: design/style and specifications. In May 2019, Pure EV launched two electric scooters for the Indian market, EPLUTO and ETRANCE, with a long range of 120kms per charge. The ETRANCE scooter has a ground-to-handle height of about 3.5ft and weighs around 47kgs. These specifications were particularly designed for the women population in the country. The 24V batteries have gained prominence over the past few years.The conventional electric scooters comprise 24V batteries that can travel for about 4 to 16 miles using a 250-Watt electric motor and a battery with electric charge ranging from 5Ah to 22Ah respectively. With the advent of improvements in battery technology, electric scooters consist of two 12V systems to power the engine more efficiently.However, due to their large battery size, manufacturers have encouraged the adoption of a dual pair of 12V batteries, known as the trickle charge system. The need for large energy storage capacity has declined the demand for these types of voltage systems. The Asia Pacific region dominated the global market in 2021 and is predicted to continue its dominance during the forecast period.The growth in the region is accredited to the presence of an increasing number of e-scooter manufacturers and rising vehicle charging infrastructural investments in countries such as China, India, and Taiwan. Furthermore, governments of this region are seeking active participation in the promotion of electric scooters and vehicles. For instance, the government of India is actively promoting electric scooters and vehicles by providing fiscal incentives, capital, and interest subsidies. North America is poised to grow considerably from 2022 to 2030. The growth in the region is owing to the faster adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. as an alternative to traditional fuel transportation. Electric Scooters Market Report Highlights By product, the retro segment is expected to dominate the market for e-scooters in the coming years. The increasing maintenance and fuel costs of conventional scooters are posing electric scooters as an attractive transportation alternative Based on voltage, the greater than the 48V segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 11.6% from 2022 to 2030. The deployment of additional voltage levels, i.e., scooters with voltage greater than 48V, offers several advantages. These systems facilitate reducing carbon dioxide emissions at acceptable cost levels The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the largest market during the forecast period, owing to significant investments in the vehicle charging infrastructure and government subsidies for battery-powered scooters. The majority of the players manufacturing electric scooters belong to China. These companies generate revenue by selling their products either through their distribution channel or the OEM channel Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06278027/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Commercial Helicopter Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type, By Application, By Region And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06278009/?utm_source=GNW The global commercial helicopter market size is projected to reach USD 8.92 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2022 to 2030. Growth in gas and oil excretion and exploration activities and increased demand for air ambulances for medical purposes are expected to be the market drivers. Furthermore, the increasing popularity of rotorcraft in commercial applications in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East, and the European region is boosting the market growth. The emergence of COVID-19 created a significant impact on the business, specifically in the U.S, Asia Pacific, and Europe region, impacting the demand for helicopters, resulting in, late deliveries, the allowance of minimal staff at production facilities, manufacturing closure, and minimal equipment availability across all markets. Furthermore, there has been a recent rise in demand for customized and luxurious helicopters in the transportation sphere, which is expected to increase with a growing preference for luxury and enhanced comfort among high-end business travelers.There has also been a noticeable increase in the purchase of new helicopters for activities like training, tourism, Firefighting application, enforcement of the law, and particularly for replacing older fleets and widening the application base. Additionally, an increase in demand for changes in operational requirements, fuel-efficient rotorcraft, and expiring warranties are the key factors anticipated to be drivers of the market over the forecast period for new helicopters. The North America market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period due to the growing demand for rotorcraft in the oil and gas and renewable energy industries.The Asia Pacific market was valued at the largest revenue share in 2021 and is expected to grow during the forecast period. Due to the easing of space rules and the rise of the regional aviation sector, countries like India and China are likely to emerge as fast-growing markets. Commercial Helicopter Market Report Highlights Growing adoption of advanced rotorcraft for public safety, law enforcement, and other parapublic uses will likely create several market growth prospects Manufacturers intend to expand low-noise and environmentally sustainable rotorcraft as more stringent regulatory standards designed to regulate emissions and noise pollution are adopted in developed economies such as the U.S. The government purchases helicopters for military and navy use like passenger transport and cargo, information on the battlefield, anti-aircraft missiles, and anti-submarine mines. For instance, In June 2020, Lockheed Martin Corporation signed a USD 375 Million agreement with the Indian Navy to customize anti-submarine warfare 24 Sikorsky MH-60R aircraft Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at a higher CAGR of 7.8% from 2022 to 2030. Factors such as investment in indigenous aviation, relaxation of airspace restrictions, rising tourism demand for rotorcraft, and infrastructure development in emerging economies are expected to drive the growth of commercial helicopters in the region R&D activities are expected to create significant growth opportunities for companies specializing in advanced rotorcraft development, such as optional rotorcraft, tilt rotorcraft, and co-axial rotors. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06278009/?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. __________________________ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Being a Google Cloud Partner certifies NIX United's experts in cloud, data, and machine learning engineering and architecture. These experts have proved their technical competence in managing big data for global enterprises, working extensively with Google Cloud data analytics products such as Looker, and having a consistent and efficient knowledge transfer approach. Joining the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program is a significant milestone that demonstrates NIX's commitment to advancing our expertise and know-how in the constantly-evolving Google Cloud ecosystem. NIX professionals continue to obtain Google Cloud certification to benefit from all of the platform's enhanced capabilities and provide SME and large enterprises with transitions to Google Cloud as easy, fast, and cost-effective as possible," said Anna Vorobiova, Head of Business Development. NIX United offers a full set of Google Cloud services, including: Design and development of cloud application architecture Design and implementation of cloud infrastructure Migration to the cloud, including PaaS, SaaS, and hybrid solutions Modernization of monolithic systems into service-oriented solutions Building applications with serverless architecture Security management CI/CD implementation, transformation, automatization, and maintenance Data management (data warehousing, ETL, persistence, security) and maintenance NIX United provides customers with high-quality cloud-based IT integration and maintenance services, allowing businesses to improve operational efficiency, increase flexibility and scalability, accelerate time to market, and gain a competitive edge. From now on, NIX United experts will also have access to unique Google Cloud development and testing toolkits, instructor-led technical training, and accurate, first-hand information on new products and features as part of this relationship. In this way, the Google Cloud partnership will assist NIX professionals in staying current on developing loud trends and better understanding the benefits of each Google Cloud service. For more information on NIX United's Cloud services, visit nix-united.com or send an email to ask@nix-united.com. About NIX United NIX United is a global software engineering company with more than 2,500 professionals and comprehensive expertise across multiple business and technology verticals. Since 1994, we have empowered tech companies, SaaS providers, and multinational enterprises with top-of-the-line solutions that extend their capabilities and contribute to their growth. NIX United is trusted by world-renowned companies, enhancing their businesses and assisting in achieving new heights through our technology solutions. Related Images Image 1: NIX United Joins Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program NIX United becomes a member of Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product, Disease Indication , Technology, Testing Type, End User, and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279444/?utm_source=GNW The market growth is attributed to increased government funding, rising healthcare costs, and the increasing adoption of technologically advanced diagnostic equipment in healthcare organizations. However, the tedious and expensive process of infectious disease diagnostics development is restricting the infectious disease diagnostics market growth. Infectious disease diagnosis is a diagnostic procedure for detecting the presence of foreign antigens / organisms with the help of various diagnostic tools that are executed with the help of skilled technicians or physicians. The blood, urine, mucus, or other body fluids sample is analyzed to provide information about the organism causing the infection by using various diagnostic procedures and instruments. Infectious diseases are caused by infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxic products.HIV is a major global public health issue across the world. According to The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), ~ 37.7 million people had were HIV positive in 2020, . Out of these,out of which 1.7 million were children aged below 014 years, and 36 million were adults. AlsoFurther, more than half (~53%) were girls and women. ~1.5 million new HIV cases were reported in 2020 globally. Similarly, Hhepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. The five main strains of hepatitis viruses are A, B, C, D, and E. According to World Health Organization (WHO), ~around 58 million people across the globe have chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and ~1.5 million new infections occur every year. According to WHO, tuberculosis (TB) is the thirteenth-highest death-causing disease globally and the second leading infectious disease after COVID-19. As per WHO, 1.5 million deaths were caused by TB in 2020 (including 214,000 people affected by HIV). In 2020, WHO projected that 10 million people had TB globally, including 1.1 million children, 3.3 million women, and 5.6 million men. TB is present in all age groups and countries. Furthermore, in 2020, 30 countries with high TB burdens accounted for 86% of new TB cases. Eight countries make up two-thirds of the total , with India at the forefront, followed by China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and South Africa. Based on product, the global infectious disease diagnostics market , based on product, has beenis segmented into kits and reagents, instruments, and software and services .In 2021, the kits and reagents held the largest share of the market, by product. However, the software and services segment are is expected to witness growth in its demand at a fastestregister the highest CAGR during from 2021 to 2028.Based on disease indication, the global infectious disease diagnostics market , based on disease indication, is segmented into HIV, hepatitis, healthcare- associated infections (HAIs), human papillomavirus (HPV), tuberculosis (TB), influenza, and others disease indications. The hepatitis segment held the largest share of the market in 2021.However, the healthcare- associated infections (HAIs) segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on technology, the global infectious disease diagnostics market , based on technology, has beenis segmented into immunodiagnostics, polymerase chain reaction, next generation sequencing, clinical microbiology, and others. In 2021, the immunodiagnostics segment held the largest share of the market, by technology. However, the next generation sequencing segment is expected to witness growth in its demand at a fastestregister the highest CAGR during from 2021 to 2028. Based on testing type, the global infectious disease diagnostics market, based on testing type, has been is segmented bifurcated into laboratory testing and point of- care testing immunodiagnostics, polymerase chain reaction, next generation sequencing, clinical microbiology, and others. In 2021, the immunodiagnostics laboratory testing segment held the largest share of the market, by testing type. However, the next generation sequencingpoint -of -care testing segment is expected to witness growth in its demand at a fastest CAGR during 2021 to 2028. Based on end user, the global infectious disease diagnostics market is, based on end user, has been segmented into hospitals & clinics, pathology or diagnostic laboratories, research institutes, home care settings, and others. In 2021, the pathology or diagnostic laboratories segment held the largest share of the market, by end user. However, the home care settings segment is expected to witness growth in its demand at a fastestregister the highest CAGR during from 2021 to 2028. COVID-19 Impact Infectious Disease Diagnostics Market The current COVID-19 pandemic has sparkedled to a surge inincreased demand for various point-of-care testing (POCT) diagnostic kits, which provide for early detection and help control the spread of COVID-19of coronavirus spread.SARS-CoV-2 screening diagnostics are constantly being developed to meet the needs of markets with unique regulatory constraints. For example, in February 2022, Mylab Discovery Solutions launched CoviSwift, a point-of-care (POC) RT-PCR testing solution that may be utilized in-hospital labs, small labs, airports, and communities.Moreover, iIn November 2021, Detect launched a new PCR-quality at-home COVID-19 quick molecular test to address testing needs at work, home, and school in the United Statesin the US at work, home, and schools. LikewiseSimilarly, in March 2020, BioMedomics released a PoC COVID-19 test that can identify antibodies in blood within 15 minutes.Also, Iin March 2022, SCIENION, a BICO company and leading developer of miniaturized multiplex diagnostic tests, announced the completion of the diagnostic research project PoC-BoSens led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM). The PoC-BoSens platform is a revolutionary label-free point-of-care device based on three-dimensional photonic bottle resonators (3D-BMRs) for real-time high-sensitive measurement of disease-relevant biomolecules. As a result, the demand need for infectious disease diagnostic products is rising, with an increasing number ofmany people suffering from coronavirusCOVID-19. Several Many diagnostic laboratories and testing facilities are also being launched that are expanding the scope of the market. For instance, in June 2020, the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched Indias first mobile I-Lab (Infectious disease diagnostic lab) for COVID-19 testing. Such developments are anticipated to boost the demand for infectious disease diagnostic products in the near futurecoming years. Thus, the pandemic has had a profound impact onprofoundly impacted the public health profession. ThusTherefore, increased production by the companies has resulted in profits, and the outbreak of COVID-19 outbreak has shown a positive impact onpositively impacted the infectious disease diagnostyics market growth. Various organic and inorganic strategies are adopted by companies in the infectious disease diagnostics market.The organic strategies mainly include product launches and product approvals. Inorganic growth strategies witnessed in the market are acquisitions, collaboration, and partnerships.These growth strategies have allowed the infectious disease diagnostics market players to expand their business, enhance their geographic presence, and contribute to the overall market growth. Further, growth strategies, such as acquisitions and partnerships, helped the market playersstrengthen their customer base and extend product portfolios. A few of the significant developments by key players in the infectious disease diagnostics market are listed below. In January 2022, Cepheid announced that Health Canada issued Cepheid a medical device license for Xpert Xpress CoV-2/Flu/RSV plus, a rapid molecular diagnostic test for the qualitative detection of the viruses causing COVID-19, Flu A, Flu B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections from a single patient sample. In April 2020, CerTest Biotec and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced that the VIASURE SARS-CoV-2 Real-Time PCR Detection Kit adapted for the BD MAX System has been CE marked to the IVD Directive (98/79/CE). The molecular test for the detection of COVID-19 is available to clinical laboratories in countries recognizing the CE mark. A few of the major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the infectious disease diagnostics market are the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279444/?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. __________________________ LONDON, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The construction market is facing severe headwinds globally after making good progress in recovering from the severe downturn recorded in 2020 amid the widespread disruption caused by restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19. There is a high degree of uncertainty over the short-term outlook in the industry following Russias invasion of Ukraine. The war will exacerbate existing supply chain disruptions and put even greater upward pressure on energy prices, which will further drive up prices for key construction materials. Investment in the residential sector continues to be buoyed by government support measures and housebuilding programs. Moreover, investment in the infrastructure and energy, and utilities sectors have been a major driver of the recovery in overall construction output. Industrial construction has also been recovering from the COVID-19-induced downturn in 2020. The Construction Market Research Report offered by GlobalData Plc provides a detailed analysis of the prospects for the global construction industry up to 2026. Moreover, it provides an analysis of the construction industry in major global regions like North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia, South-East Asia, North-East Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Construction Market Segmentation by Regions The US & Canada Latin America Western Europe Eastern Europe & Central Asia South-East Asia South Asia Australasia North-East Asia Middle East & North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Global Construction Market Analysis by Regions For more regional insights, download a free report sample The construction output in North America stayed flat in 2021. However, the general outlook for the industry is positive as infrastructure spending gathers pace. In the US construction industry, the residential housing sector has been the key driver of overall construction activity, but price pressure and tightening in monetary policy is starting to weigh on output. The Canadian construction industrys output in 2021 was supported by investments in residential buildings, repair works, and civil construction activities. In contrast, non-residential construction activities registered a marginal decline in 2021. For more insights on the global construction market, download a free report sample Construction Market Overview Key regions The US & Canada, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, Australasia, North-East Asia, Middle East & North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa Construction Market Report Scope An overview of the outlook for the global construction industry to 2026. Analysis of the outlook for the construction industry in major global regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia, South-East Asia, North-East Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. A comprehensive benchmarking of 91 leading construction markets according to construction market value and growth Analysis of the latest data on construction output trends in key markets. Reasons to Buy Evaluate regional construction trends from insight on output values and forecast data to 2026. Identify the fastest growers to enable assessment and targeting of commercial opportunities in the markets best suited to strategic focus. Identify the drivers in the global construction market and consider growth in emerging and developed economies. Formulate plans on where and how to engage with the market while minimizing any negative impact on revenues. FAQs Which are the key regions in the global construction market? The key regions in the global construction market are the US & Canada, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, Australasia, North-East Asia, Middle East & North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa Related Reports The Future of the Construction Market in the Americas - Click here Ghana Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026 - Click here Taiwan Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026 - Click here United Kingdom (UK) Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026 - Click here United States of America (USA) Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026 - Click here Mongolia Construction Market Size, Trends and Forecasts by Sector Commercial, Industrial, Infrastructure, Energy and Utilities, Institutional and Residential Market Analysis, 2022-2026 - Click here About us GlobalData is a leading provider of data, analytics, and insights on the world's largest industries. In an increasingly fast-moving, complex, and uncertain world, it has never been harder for organizations and decision makers to predict and navigate the future. This is why GlobalData's mission is to help our clients to decode the future and profit from faster, more informed decisions. As a leading information services company, thousands of clients rely on GlobalData for trusted, timely, and actionable intelligence. Our solutions are designed to provide a daily edge to professionals within corporations, financial institutions, professional services, and government agencies. Media Contacts GlobalData Mark Jephcott Head of PR EMEA mark.jephcott@globaldata.com cc: pr@globaldata.com +44 (0)207 936 6400 New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Frozen Waffles Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type, Category, and Distribution Channel" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279439/?utm_source=GNW Eggo, Kashi, Vans, and several others are some of the prominent brands of frozen waffles. The rising demand for convenience food and beverages due to consumers hectic lifestyles is expected to support the frozen waffles market over the forecast period. Based on distribution channel, the frozen waffles market is segmented into supermarkets & hypermarkets, convenience stores, online retail, and others.The supermarkets & hypermarkets segment led the global market in 2020. These stores are large retail establishments that offer various products, such as groceries, beverages, and other household goods. Products from several brands are available at reasonable prices in these stores, allowing shoppers to find the right product quickly Furthermore, these stores offer attractive discounts, multiple payment options, and a pleasant customer experience.Supermarkets and hypermarkets focus on maximizing product sales to increase their profit. Manufacturers of frozen waffles usually prefer to sell their products through supermarkets and hypermarkets owing to their large customer base. Based on region, the frozen waffles market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South & Central America (SAM).In 2020, North America held the largest share of the global frozen waffles market, and Asia Pacific is projected to register the fastest growth over the forecast period. The growth of the frozen waffles market across North America is attributed to the busy lifestyle of consumers, high purchasing power, increasing number of nuclear families, and rising demand for convenience and frozen food. According to the 2020 Current Population Survey, there were 36.1 million single-person households in the US, accounting for 28% of all households. Due to the growing number of nuclear families, the demand for ready-to-eat, portion-controlled food has increased. This factor is significantly driving the growth of the North America frozen waffles market. The presence of leading market players, including Kelloggs Company; Vans Foods; and Natures Path, LLC; in the region is also projected to drive the growth of this market. Key players in the global frozen waffles market are Kelloggs Company; Dely Wafels; Kodiak Cakes, LLC; Deligout; B Boys LLC DBA Belgian Boys; Avieta S.A.; Make Each Day Delicious LLC; Natures Path Foods; Julians Recipe, LLC; and Vans Foods. These players are launching frozen waffles with new flavors and healthier ingredients to expand their customer size and cater to the emerging consumer trends. For instance, in February 2022, Griddle, a UK-based manufacturer of frozen breakfast products, launched a line of plant-based frozen waffles in three flavors, including Choco chip waffle, blueberry waffle, and original waffle. The waffles are certified vegan, HFSS-compliant, and contain 40% less sugar than traditional waffles. Such products are expected to gain significant momentum in the coming years. The overall size of the global frozen waffles market has been derived using primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants to validate the data and gain more analytical insights into the topic. Participants in this process include industry experts, such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, national sales managers, and external consultants, such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the frozen waffles market. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06279439/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06249265/?utm_source=GNW Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are integrated circuits having a programmable hardware fabric. Unlike ASICs or graphics processing units (GPUs), the circuitry inside an FPGA chip is not hard etched; it can be reprogrammed as required. This capability makes FPGAs a suitable alternative to ASICs, which require a long development time as well as a significant investment to design and fabricate. The tech industry has been adopting FPGAs for machine learning and deep learning. In the last decade, Microsoft Research demonstrated one of the first use cases of AI on FPGAs as part of the companys efforts to accelerate web searches. FPGAs provide a combination of programmability, speed, and flexibility delivering performance without high cost and complexity to develop custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Microsofts Bing search engine also uses FPGAs in production, indicating their value for deep learning applications. According to the company, Bing realized a 50% increase in throughput using FPGAs to accelerate search ranking. FPGAs offer hardware customization with integrated AI and are able to be programmed for delivering behavior like an ASIC or a GPU. The reconfigurable, reprogrammable nature of an FPGA makes itself well suited for a rapidly evolving AI landscape, enabling designers to test algorithms quickly and get to market fast. FPGAs provide several advantages for deep learning applications and other AI workloads, including an enhanced performance with low latency and high throughput, efficiency considering value and cost, and low power consumption. Over the last few years, the demand for portable devices increased rapidly. Hence, the semiconductor industry must limit the power consumption of chips. The ASIC/FPGA chip design industry is driven toward low power development due to the widespread use of devices that require maximum speed and minimal power consumption, such as 5G smartphones, smart wearables, and healthcare devices that generate data continuously. The demand for data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) across enterprises, government, and educational entities is witnessing exponential growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth is positively impacting the demand for FPGAs. It is expected to maintain the same pace until the end of 2022, helping spread the impact and importance of FPGAs in various end-user industries. Key Market Trends Increasing Demand for IoT to Drive the Market Parallel execution is a key benefit of FPGAs, as a number of sensors, like humidity and temperature sensors, operate continuously. Since no time needs to be spent on looping and waiting for the delay, FPGAs tend to be more power-efficient for IoT. According to the State of the IoT 2020 report, the number of IoT connection devices surpassed the number of non-IoT connection devices for the first time. Out of the 21.7 billion active connected devices worldwide, 11.7 billion (or 54%) were IoT device connections at the end of 2020. By 2025, this number is expected to be over 30 billion, nearly 4 IoT devices per person on average. The demand for IoT is expected to increase even further during the forecast period, which signifies the growth in demand for semiconductors and other components. According to SEMI, the size of the semiconductor and sensor market for IoT devices is expected to reach USD 114.2 billion by 2025. With the rapid increase in the number of IoT devices, chip requirement for building IoT devices is also expected to rise during the forecast period. Reducing energy consumption, combined with the miniaturization of chips, will be prioritized by manufacturers. IoT promises to be a major driving force that would create significant innovation, facilitate new business models, and improve global society in multiple ways. Market vendors focus on developing FPGAs to integrate them into IoT devices and solutions. For instance, Intel FPGAs solutions, such as Intel Stratix 10, allow scalability and flexibility to address IoT requirements with inherent software and hardware programmability. China to Drive the Market in Asia-Pacific China has the worlds largest semiconductor market. China consumes more than half of all semiconductors annually, both for internal use and potential export. As a result, the rapid expansion of Chinese demand boosted the FPGA market. On the other hand, domestic Chinese producers can only meet about 30% of their needs. As a result, the Chinese government urged its national champions and leading digital enterprises to develop their domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to rebalance Chinas reliance on overseas semiconductor demand. Moreover, 5G adoption is growing in momentum for both the network and device domains. According to the report published, Ericson mobility 5G subscriptions are estimated to reach 1 billion, two years earlier than 4G. Key factors include Chinas earlier engagement with 5G, compared to 4G, along with the timely availability of devices from several vendors. The Chinese telecom sector experienced rapid expansion in recent years, and it is predicted to continue to do so until 2025. The industrys development is primarily fueled by increased population, communication services, and smartphone use. Premium connectivity and content services in China account for the majority of the market growth in the country. Furthermore, China is paving the way for the FPGA market to expand, as the countrys demand is growing due to its leading position in the global manufacturing of consumer electronics gadgets. China is the worlds largest manufacturing hub, producing 36% of the worlds electronics, including smartphones, computers, cloud servers, and telecom infrastructure, establishing the country as the global electronics supply chains most important node. The popularity of artificial intelligence (AI) in China opened up a new development potential for the Chinese consumer electronics market. Smart homes and IoT (Internet of Things) are likely to be a significant development potential for manufacturers of FPGA in the next decade. The demand for FPGA in China is growing continuously, owing to the increasing application area and use of FPGA in the end-user industry. For example. Chinas military UAV industry is robust and growing rapidly. Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) alter the development of such UAV systems. FPGAs are used in high-level navigation control techniques, like path planning, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), and stereo vision, as well as safety-critical low-level activities, including system stability, state estimation, and peripheral interface. Furthermore, besides investigating FPGA usage in mission-critical functions, such as target tracking, communication, and obstacle avoidance. Competitive Landscape The nature of competition within the industry can be studied in two different segments. Mainly due to the economies of scale and nature of the product offerings, the market space remains highly contested, and the cost-volume metrics favor companies that operate with low-fixed costs. Some key players in the market are Xilinx, Achronix Semiconductor Corp., Intel Corporation, and Quicklogic Corporation, among others. Some key recent developments in the market include: February 2022 - QuickLogic Corporation announced that its PolarPro 3 family of low-power, SRAM-based FPGAs were available to solve semiconductor supply availability challenges. This highly flexible family features power consumption as low as 55uA and a tiny footprint in small packages, as well as die options. November 2021 - Xilinx launched Alveo U55C, its most powerful accelerator card, purpose-built for HPC and big data workloads. The new Alveo U55C card is the companys most powerful Alveo accelerator card, offering the highest computer density and HBM capacity in the Alveo accelerator portfolio. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06249265/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Plumbing Fixtures Market Research Report by Product, Material, End-Use, Application, Distribution Channel, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06255011/?utm_source=GNW The Global Plumbing Fixtures Market size was estimated at USD 95.63 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 100.42 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 5.18% to reach USD 129.53 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 Plumbing Fixtures to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product, the market was studied across Bathtub & Shower, Drains, Faucets & Taps, Sinks, and Toilets. Based on Material, the market was studied across Acrylics, Cast Iron, Fiberglass, Metal, Plastic, Polymers, and Vitreous china. Based on End-Use, the market was studied across Non-Residential Buildings and Residential Buildings. Based on Application, the market was studied across New Buildings, Renovated Buildings, and Repair & Remodel. Based on Distribution Channel, the market was studied across Offline and Online. 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 Plumbing Fixtures 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 Plumbing Fixtures 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 Plumbing Fixtures Market, including American Bath Group, LLC, Colston Bath, Delta Faucet Company, Elkay Manufacturing Company, Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc, Geberit AG, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures, Grohe, Hindware Homes, Jacuzzi Brands LLC, Jacuzzi Inc, Jaquar Group, Kohler Co, Lixil Group Corporation, MAAX Bath Inc., Masco Corporation, Moen Incorporated, Parryware, PROFLO, Roca Sanitario, S.A, and Toto Ltd. 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 Plumbing Fixtures Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Plumbing Fixtures Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06255011/?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. __________________________ WESTPORT, Conn., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMG Strategy, the Worlds #1 digital platform for enabling technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world and recently recognized as a Top 10 Producer of Tech Events by Business Chief, is excited to be hosting its 2022 Silicon Valley CISO Executive Leadership Summit on June 14 at the El Prado Hotel in Palo Alto, CA. HMG Strategys highly interactive events bring together the worlds most distinguished and innovative business technology and security leaders to discuss the most pressing leadership, innovation, strategic, cultural, technology and career challenges and opportunities that they face today and into the future. This dynamic, in-person event will bring together the top global security leaders and industry experts who will share their insights on how the role of the CISO continues to evolve, the factors that are contributing to these changes along with the expanded responsibilities for enterprise risk that security leaders have taken on. As the global threat landscape continues to undergo dramatic changes, this has forced CISOs to invoke fresh cyber strategies, to develop new skill sets, and foster creative approaches to communicating these risks to the C-suite and the Board, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO of HMG Strategy. One of the key topics we explore at our CISO Executive Leadership Summits are the different ways that the role of the CISO is evolving, why cybersecurity strategies need to be transformed, along with the types of skills needed by cyber professionals to defend the enterprise on a go-forward basis. The 2022 Silicon Valley CISO Executive Leadership Summit will also feature an Executive Fireside Chat with Michael Piacente, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Hitch Partners, who will share highlights from the companys recent CISO Compensation and Reporting Structure Survey Results. World-class security leaders and industry executives speaking at the 2022 Silicon Valley CISO Executive Leadership Summit will include: Susan Chiang , Deputy CISO, Cloudflare , Deputy CISO, Cloudflare Michael Dickman , Chief Product Officer, Gigamon , Chief Product Officer, Gigamon Patty Hatter , Chief Customer Officer, Palo Alto Networks , Chief Customer Officer, Palo Alto Networks Emily Heath , Board of Directors, Chair of Technology & Cyber Security Committee, Member of Audit Committee, Norton LifeLock , Board of Directors, Chair of Technology & Cyber Security Committee, Member of Audit Committee, Norton LifeLock Monti Knode , Director of Customer Success and Partner, Horizon3.ai , Director of Customer Success and Partner, Horizon3.ai Michael Makstman , City Chief Information Security Officer, City and County of San Francisco , City Chief Information Security Officer, City and County of San Francisco Michael Piacente , Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Hitch Partners , Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Hitch Partners Steve Riley , Field CTO, Netskope , Field CTO, Netskope Matthew Rosenquist , CISO, Eclipz.io Inc. , CISO, Eclipz.io Inc. Piyoush Sharma , Co-Author, The Purple Book of Software Security, Head of Enterprise Security & Technology Operations, Zuora , Co-Author, The Purple Book of Software Security, Head of Enterprise Security & Technology Operations, Zuora Kathryn Ullrich , Managing Partner Technology, Private Equity and Diversity, DHR Global , Managing Partner Technology, Private Equity and Diversity, DHR Global Steve Winterfeld, Advisory CISO, Akamai Valued Partners for the 2022 Silicon Valley CISO Executive Leadership Summit include 8x8, Akamai, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Fortinet, Gigamon, Imperva, LastPass, Netskope, Nutanix, Palo Alto Networks, ReliaQuest, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, SentinelOne, SIM San Francisco Bay Area, Tonkean, Upwork, Zoom, and Zscaler. To learn more about the 2022 Silicon Valley CISO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for the event, click here. HMG Strategy will also be hosting its 2022 New York CISO Executive Leadership Summit on June 16 at The Harvard Club in New York. At this highly regarded in-person event, security leaders and industry executives will share the increased responsibilities that CISOs have taken on in managing and mitigating enterprise risk, including customer data privacy, supply-chain vulnerabilities and reputational risk. Top-tier security leaders speaking at the 2022 New York CISO Executive Leadership Summit will include: Roota Almeida , CISO, Delta Dental of NJ and CT , CISO, Delta Dental of NJ and CT Edward Amoroso , Founder & CEO, TAG Cyber LLC , Founder & CEO, TAG Cyber LLC David Anteliz , Senior Technical Director, Skybox Security , Senior Technical Director, Skybox Security Katherine Batarin , Director, Global Head of Software Engineering Recruiting, Blackrock , Director, Global Head of Software Engineering Recruiting, Blackrock Ram Chennamsetty , Senior Director, Security Product Management, Google , Senior Director, Security Product Management, Google Marlowe Cochran , CISO, NYSED , CISO, NYSED Michael Coden , Platinion Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group , Platinion Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group Durga Dhanikonda , CISO & CTO, Essen Health , CISO & CTO, Essen Health Dan Gorecki , CISO, Ascot Group , CISO, Ascot Group Rocco Grillo , Managing Director Global Cyber Risk Services & Incident Response Investigation, Alvarez & Marsal , Managing Director Global Cyber Risk Services & Incident Response Investigation, Alvarez & Marsal Fred Harris , Head of Cybersecurity Risk, Data Risk and IT Risk, Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking , Head of Cybersecurity Risk, Data Risk and IT Risk, Societe Generale Corporate and Investment Banking Todd Inskeep , Founder Incovate Solutions; Former Cybersecurity Executive , Founder Incovate Solutions; Former Cybersecurity Executive Sudhanshu Kairab , VP Cybersecurity Governance, Risk & Compliance at Comcast Cable, Comcast , VP Cybersecurity Governance, Risk & Compliance at Comcast Cable, Comcast Stuart Kippelman , CIO, Parsons Corporation , CIO, Parsons Corporation Kevin Li , CISO, MUFG Securities America , CISO, MUFG Securities America Michael Piacente , Co-Founder and Managing Director, Hitch Partners , Co-Founder and Managing Director, Hitch Partners Aakash Shah , CTO, Oak9 , CTO, Oak9 David Sheidlower , VP, Chief Information Security & Privacy Officer, Turner Construction Company , VP, Chief Information Security & Privacy Officer, Turner Construction Company Erik Tomasi , Managing Partner, Symosis Security , Managing Partner, Symosis Security Joseph Tso , CISO, Scotiabank , CISO, Scotiabank Aubrey Turner , Executive Advisor, Ping Identity , Executive Advisor, Ping Identity Laura Whitt-Winyard , CISO, Malwarebytes , CISO, Malwarebytes Michael Zanga, Managing Director, Global Head of Technology, Cyber, Data and Change Risk, Barclays Valued Partners for the 2022 New York CISO Executive Leadership Summit include 8x8, Akamai, BetterCloud, Darktrace, Fortinet, Intelliswift, LastPass, Netskope, Nutanix, Okta, Palo Alto Networks, Ping Identity, RingCentral, SafeGuard Cyber, SentinelOne, Skybox Security, Synopsys, Tonkean, Upwork, Zoom, and Zscaler. To learn more about the 2022 New York CISO Executive Leadership Summit and to register for the event, click here. To learn more about HMG Strategys upcoming CIO and CISO Summits, click here. About HMG Strategy HMG Strategy is the world's leading digital platform for connecting technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world. The HMG Strategy global network consists of more than 400,000 CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, CDOs, senior business technology executives, search industry executives, venture capitalists, industry experts and world-class thought leaders. HMG Strategys global media model generates more than one million impressions per week, providing vast opportunities for business technology leaders and sponsor partners to promote themselves and their brands. HMG Strategy was founded in 2008 by Hunter Muller, a leadership expert who has worked side-by-side with Fortune 2000 executives with strategic planning and career ascent for the past 30+ years. HMG Strategys regional and virtual CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Series, authored books and Digital Resource Center deliver unique, peer-driven guidance from CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, CDOs and technology executives on leadership, innovation, transformation and career ascent. HMG Strategy offers a range of peer-led research services such as its CIO & CISO Executive Leadership Alliance (CELA) program which bring together the worlds top CIOs, CISOs and technology executives to brainstorm on the top opportunities and challenges facing them in their roles. HMG Strategys Global Peer Actionable Insights Services Stack is a unique set of research services that are designed to keep business technology executives up to speed on the latest leadership, business, technology and global geo-economic trends that are impacting businesses and industries. HMG Ventures is a venture capital unit thats designed to connect CIOs, CTOs, CISOs and other technology executives with innovative early-stage technology companies from Silicon Valley to Tel Aviv. HMG Ventures provides technology executives with a window into hot emerging technology companies that can help move the needle for their businesses while also offering these executives unparalleled personal investment opportunities. One early-stage investment in an enterprise-level AI-powered service management provider has generated a 100X return. HMG Strategy also produces the HMG Security Innovation Accelerator Panel, a new webinar series thats designed to connect enterprise technology and security leaders with the most innovative technology and cybersecurity companies from across the world. To learn more about the 7 Pillars of Trust for HMG Strategy's unique business model, click here . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3274c93f-30db-4d8f-bccd-c9578f16a750 Vancouver, British Columbia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Holy Cow Foods Inc. (NEO: HOLY) ("Holy Cow" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Liam Breen and Parimal Rana as independent members to the Companys board of directors. Parimal Rana has over 25 years experience working in the food manufacturing industry where he worked at major food companies such as Nature's Path Foods, Sunrise Soya Foods, CLS and Daiya. Mr. Rana is currently the Vice President of Operations of the plant-based food technology company, Very Good Food Company Inc., where he previously held positions as Director of Food Safety & Regulatory and Interim Director of Supply Chain. Liam Breen is a professional chef with over 17 years experience operating restaurants. A staunch individualist, Mr. Breen preferred hands-on training to a formal culinary education, working the lines at restaurants across Canada. Eventually, the Vancouverites wanderlust took him to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he won accolades and several awards for his eclectic cuisine. Dubbed The Canadian Rebel, by local media, he was a driving force behind such hotspots as La Cave French Bistro, Marco Pierre White Grill, and Maine Oyster Bar and Grill. After returning to Canada Liam opened Verre Bistro as chef and co-owner. A couple years after closing Verre Bistro Liam is now the owner and operated of a new venture called Ninos Sandwich Deli. Paul Rivas, CEO and director of the Company, commented, We are pleased to welcome both Parimal and Liam to the Holy Cow Board. Parimals deep experience in food manufacturing and regulatory oversight will be invaluable. Liams brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to support our commissary kitchen as we grow our business. The Company also announces that Randy Sihota has resigned from the Companys board of directors. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Sihota for his effort during his tenure with the Company and wishes him all the best in the future. About Holy Cow Holy Cow is a multi-division food manufacturing operation that offers Ghost Kitchens, Commissary Kitchens, Co-pack Manufacturing and Private Label Manufacturing, as well as its own Holy Cow! brand of in-house plant-based and 50/50 products. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws with respect to the Company. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by words such as "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," and similar expressions. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release including, without limitation, the risk factors described in the Companys final long form prospectus dated December 14, 2021. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable laws The Neo Exchange has not reviewed or approved this press release for the adequacy or accuracy of its contents. For Further Information: For investor inquiries or further information, please contact: Paul Rivas, Chief Executive Officer 1 (236) 471-1357 privas@originalholycow.com Valtteri Bottas seemed to be taking a step back with his departure from Mercedes, but in reality that is far from true. His new team Alfa Romeo has managed to fight its way into the midfield of the grid. The Finn expects the Italian team to score many points in Azerbaijan as well, he told Formula1.com. Article continues under ad In the past, Bottas was successful at the Baku street circuit. For example, he captured victory with Mercedes in 2019. A win does not seem to be possible for him this coming weekend, but a spot near the top five is among the objectives. "We know we can fight towards the front when we do it and it has to be the aim here as well," Bottas said. "This is a track that can produce some chaotic races so we will need to be ready to make the most of any opportunity. It could be a lot of fun on Sunday." Spectacular GP of Azerbaijan in 2021 Last season's race in Azerbaijan ended with a spectacle. Lance Stroll and Max Verstappen suffered a blowout, which prevented both drivers from completing the Grand Prix. Then Lewis Hamilton seemed to be able to take a lot of points, but missed the corner during the restart. As a result, Sergio Perez took the victory and Hamilton was left empty-handed. For Mercedes, this season is not going at all to plan. From 2014, the German team was the dominant force in Formula 1, but in 2022 they missed the boat in the development battle. Red Bull Racing and Ferrari took over the dominant role, relegating Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to third spot in the rankings. Article continues under ad This was initially mainly due to the amount of problems the reigning world champions had to deal with. They only really managed to solve those properly in Miami, which left them with a big gap to catch up. The expectation was that they could strike in Monaco in changing conditions, but a stunt in the Principality failed to materialize. Mercedes must stay sharp Toto Wolff looks into the preview on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix looking back at the weekend in Monaco and the opportunities ahead for Mercedes in Baku. "We scored solid points, but more was possible over the weekend, and we need to be maximising every opportunity we can to stay in the fight." According to the Mercedes team boss, it helps in the development battle that F1 is going to race on a street circuit for the second time in a row. "With another street circuit in Baku up next, the team has been working flat-out to analyse those two races (Barcelona and Monaco) and identify the areas we can innovate to push us forward." China has been buying up American farmland, and, for some reason, people arent worried about it. Maybe theyre unaware that Chinas American agricultural land holdings have increased over tenfold in the last decade. Maybe theyre unaware that at the beginning of 2020, investments from China held $2 billion of American agricultural land. Maybe theyre unaware that 2021 was the 10th straight year Americas trade deficit with the Chinese eclipsed $300 billion. Maybe theyre unaware that China owns 50% of the global reserves of corn. But Im not. China is slowly, but surely, acquiring more land and resources outside their own borders, and right now theyre targeting America. I want to be very clear: this is not something to take lightly. The Chinese Communist Party and the Government of the Peoples Republic of China are not our allies. China is controlled by an unforgiving communist regime that represses domestic opposition and undermines American interests. And for years, the United States dependence on China has harbored a rising threat to our national security. After decades of well-known wrongdoings, human rights violations, and manipulation of American intellectual property, it is time to get serious about reducing our dependence on China and its role in our nations supply chains the U.S. cannot become dependent on China for our domestic agriculture and food supply. We hail from the greatest country in the world, and there is simply no reason we should be reliant on a communist country like China. If we begin to cede the responsibility over our food supply chain to an adversarial foreign nation, we could be forced into exporting food that is grown within our own borders and meant for our own use. Conversely, by bolstering American agriculture, we can create jobs, strengthen our economy, and enhance our national supply chain into the future. Two weeks ago, the U.S.-China Economic Security and Review Commission released a report echoing my concerns: If further consolidations and Chinese investments in U.S. agricultural assets take place, China may have undue leverage over U.S. supply chains. China is many things, but an ally to the U.S. it is not. The Chinese Communist Party is a national security threat that seeks to rebuild the world order in its image and is willing to play the long game to reach that goal. We must stop pretending China is an ally, and instead recognize it for the adversary that it is. The facts are clear: we must strengthen our domestic production and prevent our adversaries from gaining a foothold in our supply chain before its too late, and I am proud to be leading that charge in Congress. I introduced legislation that would prohibit the purchase of public or private agricultural land in the United States by foreign nationals associated with the Government of the Peoples Republic of China. Additionally, the legislation would prohibit the same associations from participating in any United States Department of Agriculture programs except food safety inspections. I will continue to stand up to China and all of our foreign adversaries on behalf of the people of Central Washington and the United States, because food security is national security. And when China is buying up American agricultural assets, yes, you should be worried. South Africa: Mpumalanga COGTA HOD arrested The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has welcomed the arrest of Mpumalanga Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department head Samkelo Ngubane. He was arrested and appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrates Court on charges related to personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud and corruption worth some R5.9 million. Ngubanes arrest comes just a week after the arrest of Cogta Mpumalangas Deputy Director Raymond Manzini, his brother Chris Manzini and director of Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading, Moses Ndlovu on related charges. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the arrests follow intensive SIU investigation in the department. [Ngubane] was arrested on Monday by the Hawks in Mbombela. Ngubane appeared at the Nelspruit Magistrates Court on charges of contravening sections of the Public Finance Management Act. He was released on R10 000 bail and the matter was postponedfor further investigation. The prosecution of Ngubane and his co-accused is a continuation of the implementation of the SIU investigation outcomes and consequence management to recover assets and financial losses suffered by State institutions and/or to prevent further losses, Kganyago said. He explained that the investigation found that the Manzini brothers possibly colluded with Ndlovu to secure PPE tenders and received a kickback in return. Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading was solely requested to quote for the supply and delivery of PPE in March 2020. However, after the PPE contract was awarded, Ndlovu approached Chris Manzini to take over the purchase without the approval of the department. SIU investigation further revealed that Chris Manzini, also approached his brother Raymond Manzini, who is a government official, to provide funding for the purchase and delivery of PPE. Raymond Manzini allegedly purchased PPE items from companies that are registered to do business with government and resold the items to the department at inflated prices, in contravention of the provisions of prevention and combatting of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004. Gatjeni Ndlovu Trading handed an invoice to Raymond Manzini, the financial provider, for the department to effect payment. Immediately after payment was received, a significant sum of money was transferred to Raymond Manzinis bank account, Kganyago said. The four are expected back in court on 28 July. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Situation of refugees and migrants to the US worrisome as border becomes more impenetrable 13:38, June 08, 2022 By Chen Zi ( People's Daily Online Cartoon by Ma Hongliang For a long time, the US has been lecturing other countries on human rights. But the way the US treats migrants and refugees to the country highlights its hypocrisy on this issue. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the US has been fueling the conflict by pouring weapons into Ukraine while announcing that it will accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, which is a small number compared to the millions of Ukrainians who have fled their country. The truth is out there: it seems that the US does not intend to deliver on that promise at all, as evidenced by only the 12 Ukrainian refugees resettled by the country in March. Its commitment to taking in refugees and respecting human rights is just an empty slogan. For instance, the US has built a wall along its border with Mexico, while American border patrol agents on horseback once even whipped migrants attempting to cross the border. Meanwhile, the US has held illegal migrants in detention facilities with poor conditions for long periods of time, where a family separation policy has been enforced that tears children away from their parents. All these facts indicate that the US is also a violator of the human rights of refugees and migrants. Instead of interfering in the affairs of other countries, the US should earnestly review its poor record and redress its crimes on the issue of refugees and migrants. Related: Arbitrary torture at U.S. black sites violates human rights (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticut is on a roll when it comes to state budget surpluses and tax cuts, so if youre betting on the next state levy to fall, the 1 percent surcharge on prepared foods is the place to look. Like I said, were on a roll with mustard and cheddar and it seems likely the meals tax surcharge, which started on Oct. 1, 2019, will end over the next year, bringing down the price of that sandwich. Republicans want that cut now as part of a new demand for more state tax cuts, which they rolled out Tuesday repeating demands they made throughout the recent session. Gov. Ned Lamont told me Friday he may agree on that meals tax in 2023. Republicans want an immediate special session this month. Dont look for that to happen even though the GOP is launching rallies to call for it. Special sessions invite trouble from both sides. The Republicans new package, similar to what they called for in April, totals $746 million in cuts on top of the $600 million in cuts and rebates Lamont and lawmakers enacted last month. The heart of the GOP plan would be a reduction in the state income tax from 5 percent to 4 percent for many middle-income earners, and a rollback of the state sales tax from 6.35 percent to 5.99 percent. The GOP plan would also suspend the states diesel fuel tax through the end of 2022. Its now 40.1 cents a gallon and is due to rise July 1 based on a formula. And they want to eliminate a highway use tax on heavy trucks, which starts Jan. 1. Finally, the GOP proposed $42.5 million in new energy assistance for families that need help. Our economy does not work for the people of Connecticut, said Senate GOP Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford. Theyre asking for help, and we hear them. All of the GOP tax cuts and assistance would be paid for with a piece of the $4 billion state surplus that is now set aside to pay down the severely underfunded pension funds in September. Kelly and House Minority Leader Vin Candelora, R-North Branford, did not propose spending reductions. The GOP cuts make sense piecemeal, though all of it at once would not work. The package comes with two big negative consequences. First, were heading into a recession, according to most economists and that means the state budget wont look so great. We do have a $3.1 billion rainy-day fund, but even in normal times, its fairly likely we wont see these fat surpluses in the next several years. So well either have to cut spending which, again, the GOP has not proposed or raise those taxes back to where they are today. Second, paying down the pensions means real cash savings now. By making that $746 million in extra pension payments, the state will save roughly $60 million to $70 million a year for decades to come. In all, the state will have made $5.2 billion in extra pension payments in 2021 and 2022, for an annual savings of $440 million. Would you rather have $750 now or $60 a year for the next 25 years? Intelligent minds may disagree. Sadly, we could have had both if politicians in the past Republicans and Democrats had not conspired to shortchange the pensions. The case for a meals tax cut That leaves us with the meals tax, which Connecticut can afford to drop. In fact, Gov. Ned Lamont is leaning toward asking the legislature to revisit that meals surcharge, he told me in an interview Friday. Enacted to fill a $1.5 billion budget gap Lamont inherited in 2019, the surcharge brings the total sales tax on restaurant meals and prepared foods in grocery stores to 7.35 percent. It raises about $70 million a year. If were in solid financial position next year as we were this year, well be free to do other things, Lamont said in West Hartford. Speaking of the 1 percentage point surcharge, he said, That will be something I will probably put on the table. It makes more sense to cut that one, more than cutting the truck taxes, because its a direct tax on consumers, like the income and sales taxes, but the cut is sustainable. Republicans say the last one-third of 1 percent of the sales tax and the 1 percent restaurant and prepared foods surcharge hurt the middle class badly. Thats not wrong but cutting these taxes would only bring so much help to most families. Youd have to spend $10,000 on restaurants and prepared foods $27 a day, every day of the year to save $100. To save $100 on a sales tax cut from 6.35 percent to 5.99 percent, youd have to spend $27,777 on taxable goods and services. Obviously, wealthy families pay a lot more of the sales tax and way, way more of the restaurant surcharge. Thats why upping the property tax credit for most families and enacting the gasoline tax holiday for most of 2022 made more sense. The typical motorist spends about $100 a year on the state gas tax and rich and poor pay for it alike. The truck taxes Republicans on Tuesday also attacked the twin tax hikes on trucks diesel fuel and the highway use tax. Their argument is that those taxes will hit local businesses that use trucks and consumers through higher prices on store shelves, especially in grocery stores. While thats true all costs trickle down to the buyers of goods and services the effect is way smaller than many people claim. The highway tax will generate an estimated $90 million a year. The diesel fuel tax generates about $110 million a year, and it could rise by 25 percent or more under a formula established years ago. The state has not yet announced the amount of the tax. If it rises by, say, a dime, that would mean the diesel tax increase would total about $30 million. Combined with the highway tax, thats $120 million in a $300 billion state economy. Yes, it will filter down to consumers, but as Lamont has often said, much of it is paid by out-of-state companies. And every state on the East Coast taxes trucks in some way, mostly by tolls. In other words, Connecticut consumers are paying truck taxes anyway, so why not collect our fair share? Lamont used the example of buying an orange that comes from Florida, for $1 maybe 10 cents of which represents transportation costs. From Florida to Connecticut, they go through 10 different states. Each of those states has tolls, bingo, bingo, bingo, bingo, and some of them have a highway user fee, like New York, for example. By the time you get to Connecticut, what we do here is de minimus. That has not been the message of opponents of the truck taxes, who portray it as a crushing charge on the middle class. Initially, the lobbying group for trucking companies and some Republicans said the highway tax alone would raise the annual prices for groceries by $500 per family in Connecticut. That math didnt even come close to adding up. The tax would raise grocery costs by less than one-tenth that amount, if that. Theyve stopped using funny numbers, to their credit. The best argument to suspend these taxes is that the states transportation fund, like the general fund, is flush with money right now. True, but they are not efficient ways to help the states middle class. Hold the special session chaos As for when it happens, Republicans want a special session now to spend the surplus for the year thats ending June 30. We have record surpluses of money sitting in the bank and the Democrats wont give it back, Candelora said Tuesday. Right, for now. But first of all, the state just passed a balanced budget that starts July 1 and we dont yet know whether it will even show surpluses gong forward. We know we have the $746 million now, but we dont know whether we will need the $746 million for 2023. So, again, its a straight choice: $746 in your pocket now, or $65 in your pocket in each of the next 20 or 25 years. And second, a special session invites everyone Democrats and Republicans to bring up all manner of proposals for a vote. Lamont will veto the irresponsible liberal ideas and Democrats will reject the irresponsible tax cuts that cause problems down the road, and we will have needless chaos ahead of an election with even more spurious claims. Its not gonna happen, folks. Kelly and Candelora arent wrong: We were overtaxed over the last two years. When they say this or that tax must go because its killing the middle class, its worth taking a close look at the numbers. Were using the surplus wisely now. And right now the numbers say another modest tax cut thats paid directly by consumers makes sense. The prepared foods surcharge fits that order, on a hard roll. dhaar@hearstmediact.com WASHINGTON (AP) Brittney Griner is easily the most prominent American locked up by a foreign country. But the WNBA star's case is tangled up with that of a lesser-known American also imprisoned in Russia. Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage charges he and the U.S. government say are false. He was left out of a prisoner exchange in April that brought home yet another detainee, Marine veteran Trevor Reed. That has escalated pressure on the Biden administration to avoid another one-for-one swap that does not include Whelan even as it presses for the release of Griner, an Olympic gold medalist whose case has drawn global attention. For Griner and Whelan, the other's case injects something of a wild card into their own, for better or worse. The U.S. government may not agree to a deal in which just one of them is released, potentially complicating negotiations. But Whelan could also benefit from the attention given to Griner, which has cast a spotlight on his case. And though the U.S. may hesitate to give up a high-level Russian prisoner in exchange for Griner, who's charged with a relatively minor drug offense, it's possible it would be more inclined to do so if both she and Whelan were part of any deal. The potential interplay between the cases is not lost on the families and supporters of Whelan and Griner. It's still very raw, Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, said of her brother being excluded from the Reed deal. And to think we might have to go through that again if Brittney is brought home first is just terrible. But what's really bad about feeling that way, she hastened to add, is that she and her family absolutely want Griner released, too. It's not like we don't want her home," she said. "We want everyone out of there, out of Russia and away from that situation. It all adds up to a sticky wicket, said Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in Russia and is advising the WNBA players' association on Griner's case. If Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, were to leapfrog Whelan in coming home, the administration will face scrutiny from Whelan's supporters. And if Paul Whelan gets out first, you're going to have questions about why isnt Brittney out when Brittney hasn't even been convicted yet, she said. U.S. officials have not said whether swaps are being discussed that could get Griner, Whelan or both home or whether theyd accept a deal that yields the release of one without the other. A spokesman for the State Department office that advocates for wrongfully detained Americans, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, or SPEHA, declined to say how the cases might affect each other but said in a statement that the office remains committed to securing the release of both. There's no question that the February arrest of Griner Russian authorities detained her at an airport after they said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis has heightened public awareness around the dozens of Americans who, like Reed and Griner, are classified as wrongfully detained by foreign governments. The seven-time WNBA All-Star is not only one of the most dominant figures in her sport but also a prominent gay, Black woman. That has prompted questions about the role race and sexual identity are playing in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LGBTQ community, and about whether her case would get more attention if it involved a white male athlete. U.S. officials and Griners supporters initially said little publicly about her case, but that changed in May when the State Department designated her as wrongfully detained and transitioned her case to the SPEHA office. Griner's wife, Cherelle, urged the Biden administration in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America to do anything necessary to get Griner home, but also expressed empathy for Whelan. She said that even though there's no connection between the two besides the fact they're both in Russia, I obviously want him back, too. Griners fame cuts both ways, said St. Julian-Varnon. If ever Russia wants to reestablish itself as a country hospitable to foreign athletes like Griner, the country would have significant incentive to release her. But given Griner's political value to Russia, it may also make a huge demand for her release. This is the biggest chip that they have to play, she said. Tamryn Spruill, a freelance journalist and author who launched a Change.org petition demanding Griner's freedom, said in an email that if her case can be leveraged to simultaneously secure Whelans release or vice versa then it is my hope that the president will exploit all of those avenues. Unlike Griner, who is awaiting trial, Whelan has been convicted and sentenced. A corporate security executive from Michigan who was arrested after traveling to Russia for a wedding, Whelan was found guilty in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He and his family have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.S. government has denounced the charges as false. Reed had also been sentenced well before the swap that freed him. He had been jailed over what Russian authorities say was a drunken physical encounter with police in Moscow and was freed in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who was serving a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking conspiracy. U.S. officials cited in part Reed's ailing health as justification for the trade. It's unclear which other Russians, if any, might be part of additional exchanges. Russian state media have for years floated the name of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, though such a deal risks being seen as lending false equivalency between a Russian the U.S. government regards as properly convicted and Americans it considers unjustly detained. Jonathan Franks, a consultant who worked on the Reed case, said it was hard to envision a Griner-Bout deal or a Griner deal that didn't involve Whelan. I truly believe Brittney Griner's fastest path out of Russia is on Air Whelan, he said. Elizabeth Whelan said the early morning call she had to make to her aging parents to tell them Reed was coming home but her brother was not is not an experience she wants to repeat. But she said her family does understand the possibility one prisoner could be freed without the other. Were faced with a situation where these hostile foreign nations can assign different values to each person theyre holding, and can work separate deals. Whichever deal comes through first is often who comes home first, she said, and its not at all a tenable situation. ___ Follow Eric Tucker at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. GREENWICH In response to a parent survey, police officers will be posted at all Greenwich Public School campuses through the end of the school year, school officials announced. The change came after an email in which the majority of responses from GPS families suggested an increased police presence at school was warranted, the district said in an email sent to parents Sunday evening. The increased security came about two weeks after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. When asked how many parents requested the security measure, the district could not provide a specific answer. A spokesperson for the district said, We received a great response from families and staff when we asked them for feedback. We received many responses, calls and emails. The district said it was hoping to put an officer at each school campus throughout the day until the last day of classes but said in its Sunday email that police staff shortages may cause interruptions. Each building had a police officer on site Monday, the district said. Greenwich High School already has a contract for two officers from the Greenwich Police Department, called school resource officers, in addition to 10 security staff members. The district said the staffing at GHS will not change. Although Greenwich Public Schools and the Greenwich Police Department are both town agencies, the use of officers comes with a cost. The district is battling a tight budget this fiscal year, according to financial reports during Board of Education meetings. When the district utilizes police for traffic or any other monitoring issue, there is always a cost to us, as the officers must get paid for their work, the districts spokesperson said. The police officers are hired for what is called an extra duty assignment, similar to when officers are hired to work on security at an event, according to police. The districts operating fund is paying for the extra duty officers. Currently, a line item dedicated to policing is funding the measure, but the Board of Education would have to approve the transfer of funds should the district have to dip into other sources beyond $10,000. We have a security line in our operating fund, which is utilized throughout the year to pay for police when needed for traffic issues, large scale events and other times when we need support from the police. We are anticipating that the line will run over with the needs from these last few weeks and we will need to transfer funds from a salary line which is running under because we have positions unfilled or open, the districts spokesperson said. The district could not provide an exact estimate for the cost because the pay varies depending on officers experience levels. The last day of classes is June 24 for the elementary and middle schools; the last day is June 28 at Greenwich High. The district has not made any decisions on the use of officers when classes begin again in the fall. The district will continue to have ongoing discussions with our safety and security team and the Greenwich Police Department about the upcoming 2022-23 school year, the spokesperson said. Superintendent Toni Jones sent an email message to families last Thursday, informing them of some elements of the districts extensive safety and security plans. Details of the plans are not public, as to not allow individuals to circumvent procedures, the email said. A social media post in a popular Greenwich Facebook group accused the district of having no plan. The district said it was aware of the post, which has since been deleted. The administration in each building has very specific procedures that are compliant with the State of Connecticut for a lockdown, securing the building, an evacuation, general safety issues and extreme weather occurrences, Jones said in the email. Students practice lockdown drills biannually, and a secure-the-building drill is held annually. Administration monitors entrances and does not allow doors to be propped open, Jones said. The Greenwich Police Department conducts active-shooter training while the school buildings are empty in the summer. The departments policy is to enter any building immediately in an emergency, Jones said. School campuses have cameras that can help locate threats and noted that she wants to continue with enhancements to the system, she said. In her email, Jones also said the district uses locked doors with key-swipe entry and an automated alert system. annelise.hanshaw@hearstmediact.com You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Joaquin P. Torres Success Academy class of 2022 Wolfpack graduates are ready to use the second chance the school has given them to achieve their goals as they make their way into the world. These students may not have academic challenges. They might have personal challenges, and thats what brought them here, Principal Asherdee Rosete said. They come as they are, we welcome them as they are, and we get them to where they need to be, she said, explaining that the school is all about second chances. The academy services students, older students between the ages of 18 and 21 who decided an alternative, nontraditional high school education was a better fit for their goals. The academy gave diplomas to 39 of its graduating students Wednesday morning at the Tiyan High School parking lot. Terlina Sippa, a 19-year-old graduate said, I proved my doubters and I finally made it. Dont give up as its really worth it at the end. Sippa now is looking forward to studying nursing. For 20-year-old graduate Jasiah Tajalle, although he doesnt have set plans for the future, he believes that his high school diploma and achievements will get him further in the workforce. In some jobs, like if there are two people going to get hired and they see one has a GED or one that has a high school diploma, I feel like theyll take the high school diploma, he said. Guam Education Board Mark Mendiola believes that the academys class of 2022 is ready to face and take on the tough challenges that the world has to offer them. You made it here today, continue to inspire the people that are behind you and continue to lead you to make a difference in your families and your lives, and continue to be an inspiration wherever you go, said Mendiola. We are depending on you to be great citizens of our community, to make a difference and we would love to hear stories of all your accomplishments. Before the school wrapped up its ceremony, as the founder of the success academy, outgoing Superintendent Jon Fernandez was given an honorary diploma and a T-shirt that said Best Superintendent Ever. He also was given a dollar a tradition Rosete gives to all of her graduating students as a symbol of the first dollar they will make after graduating. This is really about our students, our graduates, who are out there and I am really proud of all of you who finished today and all of those who finished in the years before you, because this is really what its all about making sure that you reach your finish line with your education and then go onto bigger and better things, said Fernandez. According to Rosete, she and the staff keep in touch with their students after they graduate and said many of them went on to join the military, entered the workforce or furthered their educations. Were looking forward to providing the opportunity to give more students a second chance, Rosete said. We welcome our families and our students as they are. The Office of the Attorney General lost five prosecutors in the past fiscal year and will need more attorneys to replace them, Attorney General Leevin Camacho said during a budget request hearing on Tuesday. Two of the prosecutors that left went to other government agencies and another three relocated. Additionally, there are two attorneys at prosecution on long-term military leave through the end of the year. In the meantime, two new prosecutors have been hired and four attorneys from other divisions at the attorney generals office have had to step in to fill in the gap at prosecution. Another three hires are needed to bring prosecution up to 18 attorneys in total. Some of the attorneys that left were being hired off with $30,000 annual raises, Camacho said. Some of the five vacancies were left by more experienced attorneys with higher pay. That may open up the door for more lower-paid entry-level attorneys to be brought into prosecution, Camacho said, If we were talking to the chief prosecutor, he would say I need 25 prosecutors, but the idea of us filling seven new attorneys next fiscal year is not very high. When pressed by Speaker Therese Terlaje, Camacho said that they should be able to manage through next fiscal year with 18 prosecutors. Handing off some of the work now done by attorneys to paralegals, and upgrading their case management system so attorneys dont have to spend unnecessary time doing tasks like data entry were two examples. I want to say 70% to 80% of the cases we charge out every year are either possession of Schedule II controlled substance, family violence, and DWI, which in most cases dont have to go to trial, Camacho said. Besides the five prosecutors that left, one attorney needs to be hired to the Child Support Enforcement Division, in addition to another to the Consumer Protection Division. According to Camacho, his office is projecting to spend $630,000 more this fiscal year than they were actually allocated and will have to cover the gap with lapsed funds from previous years. The office is requesting a $17.66 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, an increase of $2.16 million from last years budget request. About $1.8 million of the increase is for employee salaries, including $268,965 going to investigators who benefited from the recent increase in law enforcement pay, $479,412 for regular pay increases for employees, and $1.3 million going to fill vacancies. Besides the attorneys that need to be hired, nine staff positions also are vacant. A woman charged with the murder of her 1-year-old daughter attempted to drown herself after allegedly drowning her daughter in the bathtub, according to a magistrates complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam. Iehsa Nichelle Copeland was charged with murder and aggravated murder as first-degree felonies after an autopsy showed her daughter drowned, the complaint stated. On May 22, police were alerted that Copeland was on the top platform of Two Lovers Point, threatening to jump. When officers arrived at 6:55 a.m., she was holding a baby close to her chest while acting erratically, according to the complaint. She appeared distraught and the child appeared motionless and unresponsive, the complaint said. Crisis negotiators persuaded Copeland to hand over her child for a medical assessment and she said she knew her baby was dead. Several times she stated she had drowned the baby in the bathtub, according to the complaint. Copeland also said she tried to drown herself by placing a microwave on her body to hold herself below the water, the complaint stated. The child was pronounced dead at Guam Regional Medical Center. A June 5 autopsy indicated she was drowned. The childs father told police he was in an argument with Copeland at a Barrigada residence the night before and placed the child in her crib before leaving the residence. He came back the next day to find wet clothes on the floor and a microwave inside the bathtub. The father helped police locate Copeland through tracking apps and saw in the search history of her phone that she had she looked up the topic, How does it feel to drown, according to the complaint. Hearing Copeland is confined at the Department of Corrections Womens Facility on $100,000 cash bail. Wednesdays order by Magistrate Judge Jonathan R. Quan came after a prosecuting attorney argued there is a strong motivation for Copeland to leave Guam if released, as an aggravated murder conviction carries the possibility of life without parole. Copelands income as a Navy petty officer doesnt qualify her to have a public defender, but Quan assigned one to argue for her possible release. The public defender, Brian Eggleston, asked Copeland be released on a personal recognizance bond. He said she has a strong defense of not guilty by reason of mental illness, which would decrease her likelihood of leaving Guam. Eggleston also asked if Copeland could be moved to the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center annex at DOC, which Quan agreed to, and to make prison officers aware of Copelands fairly significant suicide risk. Crystal methamphetamine seizures by the Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency increased by 77% in 2021, Customs Director Ike Peredo told lawmakers during a Wednesday budget hearing. The agency seized 195 pounds of meth last year, Peredo said, compared to 110 pounds seized in 2020. I can tell you right now that about 95% of all those seizures is from the post office, Peredo said, adding that seizures have been rising since 2019. The increase resulted from the agency deputizing two officers who work full time with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, he said, We are now halfway through the calendar year and even at that we have seen an increase already. There were a total of 146 drug interdictions in 2021, an increase of 61% from the previous year, he said. Marijuana seizures went up even higher than meth, with 174 pounds seized in 2021, compared to just 63 in 2020. Peredo said hes looking to increase seizures by hiring 20 more trainees, training eight dog handlers, and getting new X-ray scanners. Senators said that theyd like to see Customs using more of its resources to screen containers coming through the Port Authority of Guam. Officer John Rick Mendiola said that out of 168,000 containers that have come through the port in 2022, only about 1,900 were inspected by officers, though more were x-rayed. According to Peredo, his goal is to eventually have two K-9 units stationed full time at the Port, with Customs recently receiving four new drug detector dogs. Drug dogs were previously prioritized at the post office, and not the Port. Customs Chief Vine Perez said that inspecting 100% of the containers at the Port wasnt feasible, but that once a satellite inspection facility is completed at the Port Authority, there will be more scrutiny. Peredo said that he is working with Adelup to see if money from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act can be used to build the inspection facility. Were looking at acquiring a fixed X-ray unit which would be capable of conducting the scans of every single container that gets sent down, Perez said, along with portable scanners. Besides that, Customs is working with the Oceania Customs Organisation to review how they can improve screening processes, Perez said, including by getting equipment that can analyze containers for drug particles, so that officers could identify which five containers needed to be inspected, instead of rifling through 100. He acknowledged that other customs agencies in Oceania were ahead of them, and they were trying to work smarter, not harder. The Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency is still behind on its rent at the airport by about $2 million, with passenger arrivals and inspection fee collections still far below pre-pandemic levels. The $2 million is for rent that the agency hasnt paid from fiscal 2021 and the current fiscal year, and they will need another $2.8 million to keep up on rental payments in fiscal 2023. Pre-pandemic, the agency was generating 95% of its revenue from passenger fees, raking in more than $1 million a month, Customs Director Ike Peredo said during a Wednesday budget request hearing. But arrivals at the airport are still down 80% and arent expected to recover by fiscal 2023, Peredo said. Inspection fees will only bring in around $2 million next fiscal year. The rest of the $17 million that Customs is asking the Legislature to appropriate will have to come from the General Fund. The budget request is $1.7 million more than it received last year. Speaker Therese Terlaje asked whether Customs had been able to negotiate a reduction in rent with the airport. Pilar Carbullido, acting administrative services officer said it hadnt. The airport told us that they had negotiated with some of their tenants to reduce the rental amount, Terlaje said. Did they tell you why theyre not willing to do that with you? Peredo said hed talked to the airport manager about the issue and was told the vendors that are operating at the airport are only charged based on the amount that they make within that particular year. So its a different agreement with Customs where we have a lease agreement that is charged based on our footage. According to Customs Chief Vince Perez, the current lease agreement was renegotiated a few years ago and prior to that had not been changed since the late 1980s or early 1990s. Carbullido said Customs did get about $3.5 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The agency plans to use some of that money to cover about six months of rent currently owed. The only thing that I can say right now is that until such time as we can fully recover from this pandemic, we need to continue to rely on general funds to continue protecting our borders, Peredo said. Find out where and how you can get vaccines and testing for COVID-19 this week, based on information provided by Joint Information Center. A man on pre-trial release for two separate drug cases was charged with allegedly having glass pipes and baggies of meth. Kurtis Jay Garrido was the subject of a reported disturbance in Tamuning after a minor called police to report that she saw him holding a knife covered in sheaf behind his leg as he argued with his girlfriend about him being seen with another woman, according to a magistrate's complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam. Garrido and the woman in the argument told police everything was fine until the officer saw a glass pipe with a frosty substance suspected to be methamphetamine sitting on a shelf, the complaint stated. Th adult woman then told police, "there's more and that's all of his stuff" as she moved Garrido's clothing which revealed two more glass pipes and a clear plastic baggie containing residue suspected to methamphetamine, according to the complaint. A field test revealed the substance was positive for methamphetamine but Garrido denied it belonged to him, according to the complaint. Garrido currently is on pre-trial release for a December 2021 case where he was seen not stopping at a stop sign before being pulled over. After getting out of the car, Garrido kept looking into the vehicle and when asked if police should be concerned he said, "Honestly officer, yes, there is an ice pipe in the visor," according to court documents. A search of the car then discovered a glass pipe and five small baggies containing meth in the center console, PDN news files state. Garrido also was charged in 2019 with burglary as a second-degree felony, theft of property as a second-degree felony and possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance as a third-degree felony. According to PDN files, Garrido in 2019 was charged with allegedly stealing copper tubing from Guam Department of Education warehouse. A retired police lieutenant was indicted on terrorizing charges connected to an incident last year. Unsealed Superior Court of Guam records revealed retired Guam Police Department Lt. Jojo Templo Garcia was charged with three counts of terrorizing as a third-degree felony, four counts of reckless conduct and one count of official misconduct as misdemeanors. The indictment doesnt give much detail into Garcias charges. However, a video that circulated on social media in December 2021 showed Garcia arguing with individuals outside of a residence while carrying a rifle. Garcia also is seen pointing the rifle at individuals in the video. According to the indictment, Garcias charges occurred on two separate occasions Nov. 11, 2021, and Jan. 28, 2022 where he did the commit the offense of terrorizing (as a third-degree felony), in that he knowingly communicated a threat to another person. The Office of the Attorney General assumed the investigation into Garcia, but spokeswoman Carlina Charfauros was unable to confirm if the charges were linked to the video. Garcia was indicted in February year and a warrant for his arrest was issued a couple days after, documents state. Court documents were unsealed after Garcia appeared in court Tuesday. He was put on pretrial release with conditions that included turning over his firearms. Garcias next hearing is set for June 30 at 10 a.m. GPD spokeswoman Officer Berlyn Savella said Garcia retired last month. Shooting According to PDN files, Garcia was arrested under suspicion of discharging his firearm and reckless conduct connected to a shooting in Ipan after a verbal argument between two families. Garcia was booked and released in the incident, which involvied three others at Ipan Beach, PDN files state. Tumon Sports Club proprietor Kevin Lee interacts with a customer visiting his beachside business along the shore of Tumon Bay June 7, 2022. Haiti - Justice : 3rd burglary of the year at the TPI of Port-au-Prince Me Jacques Lafontant, the Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince denounced a new burglary at the Court of First Instance (TPI) of Port-au-Prince (the 3rd since the beginning of the year). In the night of May 30, heavily armed individuals robbed and vandalized the office of the Government Commissioner, Me Jacques Lafontant as well as the offices of the investigating judges Jean Wilner Morin, Ikenson Edume and stole various equipment. Me Lafontant clarified that no sensitive files had been stolen, they were in another safe place. This burglary at the TPI is the second since May 11 when unidentified individuals had robbed the offices of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Court of Appeal as well as the offices of judges Ikenson Edume, Anie Fignole, Ramoncite Accime, the former office of Jean Morin Wilner, President of the Association of Haitian Magistrates. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36641-haiti-flash-major-burglary-at-the-parquet-of-port-au-prince.html This is the 3rd burglary since the beginning of the year, the first having taken place on the night of January 23 to 24, 2022 in the office of examining magistrate Denis Cyprien https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35807-icihaiti-justice-new-burglary-at-the-court-of-first-instance-of-pap.html Despite announcements of investigations, increased security and suspicions of complicity, no arrests have been made and nothing seems to have been put in place to stop these repeated burglaries... See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36801-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36641-haiti-flash-major-burglary-at-the-parquet-of-port-au-prince.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35807-icihaiti-justice-new-burglary-at-the-court-of-first-instance-of-pap.html HL/ HaitiLibre Henderson County wins $10M grant to complete Ecusta Trail to county line Henderson County has landed a $10.5 million grant to complete construction of the Ecusta Trail from Horse Shoe to the county line, sustaining the strong momentum and state and regional support that has sped the greenway from concept to concrete over the past year. Christopher Todd, the county's director of business and community development and its point person on the Ecusta Trail, announced the grant at the regular meeting of the county's Rail-Trail Advisory Committee on Wednesday morning. The grant was finalized when the French Broad MPO on May 27 formally adopted an MPO staff recommendation to fund the Henderson County project and seven other bicycle, bus and pedestrian projects in the four-county MPO region. The grant of $10,467,234 was approved as part of the Locally Administered Project Program, which directs funding from the Federal Highway Administration's surface transportation block grant. The grants require an 80-20 match. When Henderson County received a $5 million federal grant for the construction of the first segment of the trail from Kanuga Road to Horse Shoe, trail supporters raised the match from private money. Aside from the considerable staff time it devotes to the trail, the county has yet to appropriate county property tax revenue to the trail's design or construction. The new grant, the largest among all the awards the MPO approved, requires a local match of $2,626,809, for a total of $13,084,043. The downside of the grant was the timing. Todd said the information the French Broad has now indicates the money will be available until 2026. A "worst case scenario" for the timing is 2028, said Tristan Winkler, executive director of the MPO. He said the MPO board will discuss the grant and timing again during its August meeting and explore ways it could advance the timeline. Construction of the trail from Hendersonville to Horse Shoe east of the French Broad River is expected to get under way next spring. Aside from the Ecusta Trail, other grants, local cost share and totals were: City of Asheville: Swannanoa Greenway, $2.5 million, $3.6 million, $6.1 million. NCDOT Division 13: Riceville Road sidewalks, $830,000, $220,000, $1.05 million. Town of Montreat: Texas bike-ped bridge, $152,800, $38,200, $191,000. Buncombe County: Woodfin Greenway, $7.6 million, $1.9 million, $9.5 million. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. RETURN TO THE LIGHTNING FOR MORE. China's newly-proposed security vision worthy of thought, respect -- Syrian experts Xinhua) 13:57, June 08, 2022 DAMASCUS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The security vision recently proposed by China as part of the Global Security Initiative is worthy of thought and respect, while the U.S. unilateralism encourages "the production of wars around the world" under various pretexts, according to Syrian political experts. Osama Danura, a political expert and former member of the Syrian government delegation to the Syria peace talks in Geneva, told Xinhua that the China-proposed vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security deserves to be thought and respected "at both the regional and international level." In Danura's view, even a small crisis can have great repercussions for most countries, since the world is interconnected. It's impossible to achieve security in one certain place without realizing security in the rest of the world, said the expert. Referring to U.S. policy in the region, Danura said that the United States is "a force that lives on producing wars around the world and uses various pretexts in this context, some of which are ideological and some are related to so-called 'spreading democracy,' which are well-known titles." According to the expert, the United States pursues unilateralism and the country's primary goal is to seek its own hegemony with many military bases established worldwide. Danura said that continued American supremacy requires provoking conflicts so that there will be U.S. military intervention based on the aforementioned pretexts and orders for American weapons. The United States has been playing a "destructive role" in the region, especially since 2011, he noted. Danura regards China's vision of security as the real guarantor of world peace and stability, because it seeks cooperation and mutual respect instead of employing internal crises in other countries. He also hoped that the security vision will help the world achieve "stability much greater than what exists today." Meanwhile, Syrian political researcher Muhammad Omari pointed out that China's freshly-proposed security vision depends on means and mechanisms of cooperation, not on unilateral control of political decisions. The American unilateralism has led to the outbreak of wars and invasions in many countries, as happened in the past, Omari stressed, adding that it left grave negative effects on Syria. The U.S. illegal presence and its imposition of economic blockade hit the basic livelihood of the Syrian people, which created humanitarian crises represented by refugee crisis, the expert noted. Omari said that the United States has been impeding the progress of reaching a political solution in Syria. "The United States has been continuing until this moment in trying to rob it (the political solution) of the will of the Syrians, creating a state of chaos permanently, and trying to impose its dictates, whether constitutional, political, or otherwise," Omari told Xinhua. He called for real activation of international organizations, such as the United Nations, and equal cooperation between states, which is "not monopolistic as the United States seeks," while stressing that the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security "is the best to preserve the formula of international collective security." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce the signing of Radisson Blu Hotel, Amman Galleria Mall, bringing its Middle East portfolio to 74 hotels in operation and under development. With construction already under way, the hotel is scheduled to open by the summer of 2023. Amman is Jordan's capital and largest city as well as the country's economic, political, and cultural center. The newly built hotel will be located inside the Galleria Mall, which is one of the biggest shopping malls in Jordan, located in the heart of Amman, and only a 30-minute drive from Queen Alia International Airport. Radisson Blu Hotel, Amman Galleria Mall will perfectly complement Radisson Hotel Group's growing portfolio by introducing the core, upper-upscale brand to the country. The hotel will consist of 178 keys across various room types, including one-bedroom suites and two-bedroom apartments offering plenty of space with 155m2. The hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant and one specialty restaurant. Additionally, guests will be able to enjoy a fitness studio and state-of-the-art meeting facilities. Hotel website Wild Dunes Resort proudly announces the appointment of Nico Scherman as General Manager. In this role, Scherman will be responsible for managing the resort's day-to-day success and overseeing all operational aspects of the 1,600-acre property, including everything from marketing to resort operations, while maximizing company revenue. A seasoned leader in the hospitality industry for more than 20 years, Scherman joins Wild Dunes Resort most recently from Quirk Hotels & Galleries as Area General Manager. A graduate of San Diego State University, Scherman started his career at La Costa Resort & Spa, then moved into key positions with Four Seasons and Hyatt, including Corporate Director of Food & Beverage. Sheraton Dallas welcomes Brad Barbour as the new Director of Event Management. Barbour brings over thirty years of hospitality experience to the role. As the Director of Event Management, Barbour will manage the different departments within Event Management such as Event Planning, Banquets and Catering, Event Service and Event Technology. He will be responsible for executing all property events, ensuring that customer needs are met, and developing and implementing event management strategies to exceed expectations with the brand's initiatives in mind. Barbour started his hospitality career at Marriott's Mountain Shadows Resort where he won Associate of the Year his very first year. He has held several Director positions at various hotels and resorts across the country. The Plasencia Group, a leading, privately-owned lodging investment advisory firm, is pleased to announce a promotion in its Southwest Region. John Plasencia has been named Managing Director, specializing in single-asset and portfolio transactions for full-service, premium select-service, boutique and resort properties across all regions of the United States. John has advised a wide range of clients, ranging from privately held owner-operators and high-net-worth individuals, to management companies, private equity funds, and REITs. Before joining The Plasencia Group in 2014 as a Senior Financial Analyst, John worked in development and acquisitions roles at Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Prior to moving to The Plasencia Group's Dallas office in 2018, John worked at the firm's Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, North Carolina offices. John has served on the Investment Advisory team at The Plasencia Group on behalf of dozens of clients, successfully completing multiple engagements. "John has been a great example of the professionalism, integrity, and commitment our team espouses across the entire firm," said The Plasencia Group's Chief Executive Officer, Lou Plasencia. "His can-do approach, affable manner, and steadfast commitment to our clients' best interests will only continue to serve them and our company well." The Plasencia Group's team is based in offices across the country including Tampa; Miami; Washington, D.C.; Boston; Cleveland; Dallas, and Houston. For the third time, Hotelschool The Hague is organising its International Research Symposium. The purpose of these encounters is to discuss full papers as well as ongoing research at different stages of progress with international colleagues; the PhD. track is open to doctorate students who wish to present and develop papers as part of their PhD. research. It is our intention to create a platform for open and productive feedback, helping junior and senior researchers advance their work towards a publication. For this third edition, the symposium theme will be: Impact. Impact and sustainability are closely intertwined and are expected to converge further towards 2030. Many universities and businesses have stated their support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But how can we operationalise this support for hospitality knowledge production and impact, and how can we ensure that our work has a positive or even transformative impact on our business and our stakeholders? How can universities evaluate the work of their researchers for its impact, both in the process of and outcome, rather than for quantitative metrics? What drives businesses to the ambition of having a positive social impact, other than expected effects on firm performance? How can we move beyond "stopping with plastic straws" initiatives and drive fundamental circular projects for true impact? In the field of business and management research, a recent global network initiative emerged to promote so-called responsible research.; T he Responsible Research in Business and Management network (RRBM) defines responsible research as aiming to "inform progressive government policies and promote positive business and management practices". This implies requirements for research to be engaging, accessible and relevant, diverse and interdisciplinary, either fundamental or professional, and of course being methodologically rigorous. Responsible research doesn't happen in isolation, its flourishing depends on an ecosystem that supports, recognises, and rewards, in a coordinated fashion, the 7 RRBM principles. How can we best contribute to and lead the way for a more responsible research ecosystem in the hospitality discipline? advancing research with sound academic methods, but at the same time a strong focus on industry relevance and dissemination. This event is organized by Hotelschool The Hague For more information please contact Nina de Graaf +31 88 028 1800 THE three markets that are most interested in travelling are also the ones most interested in travelling sustainably, according to Booking.coms inaugural APAC Traveler Confidence Index, shared at the OTAs recent industry roundtable event in Singapore. Speaking at the event organised in tandem with World Environment Day, Laura Houldsworth, managing director, APAC, shared findings of the study which polled 11,000 travellers across 11 countries and territories and looked at comfort levels, motivators and concerns of consumers. Indian travellers are leading the way for South-east Asia for confidence. They are raring to go, said Houldsworth. Incidentally, Jeannie Lim, assistant chief executive, policy, of Singapore Tourism Board, speaking at the same event, noted that India is also the number one incoming source of travellers to Singapore. Following in confidence are Vietnam and China. The research indicates that Indian, Vietnamese and Chinese respondents were most willing to put up with and/or overlook key travel deterrents in order to travel which included enduring disruptions and travel costs; as well as confidence with their home countries/territories in receiving inbound travellers. Conversely, a majority of Japanese respondents (75%) expressed uncertainty with border reopenings, as well as their countrys preparedness to safely receive international travellers (82%). Rather surprisingly, Singapore ranked 6th on the Travel Confidence Index despite having some of the most eased border restrictions in comparison to many markets across the region. Key factors that impacted Singapores standing in the index included general aversion towards any disruptions to their travel (65%) alongside that of sharing personal information for public health and safety (57%) and personalisation (45%) a key element in most countries COVID-19 management strategies. Read the full article at webintravel.com Chicago, IL. - Cloud5 Communications, a leading provider of communications solutions for more than 5,000 hotels, MDUs, and commercial facilities across the Americas, has been awarded the status of Hospitality Expert by Mitel, a global market leader in business communications. Cloud5 is the only company to have achieved Mitels highly coveted, Hospitality Expert specialization in 2022. To be the only company recognized in 2022 as a Mitel Hospitality Expert is a tremendous accomplishment and we couldnt be prouder of our team, said Mark Holzberg, President and CEO at Cloud5. Earning the highest possible status within Mitels program not only demonstrates the technical commitment weve invested in training, but also underscores the trust that our customers put in us to provide excellent service. Mitels Hospitality Expert specialization is only available to providers that meet the strict criteria required to join Mitels Global Partner Program, as well as specific revenue targets and technical and sales training investments. Mitel is delighted to present Cloud5 with our Hospitality Expert designation in recognition of their comprehensive knowledge of our unified communications solutions and strong commitment to customer excellence, said Daren Finney, Senior Vice President, Global Channels at Mitel. This is a well-deserved achievement for the entire Cloud5 team, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Cloud5 to support our growing customer base within the hospitality sector." As hospitalitys leading provider of comprehensive telecom solutions, Cloud5 continues to be the first choice for hoteliers seeking advanced capabilities and seamless system integrations. Solutions provided via the Mitel Global Partner Program include Cloud5s robust and customizable PBX systems which can be either hosted or situated on-site. Cloud5 also offers enhanced network performance and reduced costs with its SD-WAN platform. Other available solutions further include Cloud5s SIP Trunking and emergency call routing services which are specifically designed for the needs of todays hospitality industry. About Mitel A global market leader in business communications powering more than two billion business connections, Mitel helps businesses and service providers connect, collaborate and provide innovative services to their customers. Our innovation and communications experts serve more than 70 million business users in more than 100 countries. For more information, go to www.mitel.com and follow us on Twitter @Mitel. About Cloud5 Communications Cloud5 is the leading communications technology and services provider to customer-centric brands across the Americas. The company's fast, reliable Internet solutions and flexible voice systems enhance the guest experience and resident satisfaction at more than 5,000 hotels, MDUs, and commercial facilities. Cloud5's award-winning Contact Center combines innovation with skilled agents to deliver sales and service that add value across any channel. The company's comprehensive Managed IT services include Vendor Management, Dispatch & Onsite Support, Help Desk Support, Virtual Guest Services and more to help customers control operating costs and free up internal resources. For more information visit cloud5.com or call 877.241.2516. Mark Howbrook PR Manager Once someone books a room, you can lean back and wait for them to check in, right? Not quite, as the pre-arrival stage is the perfect time to break the ice and build anticipation by sending an enticing hotel pre-arrival email. Hotel pre-arrival emails also offer a fantastic chance to drive incremental revenue. Unfortunately, many hotels overlook these benefits. Thats a shame because Oakys data shows that targeted offers sent before the guest's arrival can boost upselling conversion rates by 8.23%. If you want to learn how to wow guests and drive revenue with pre-arrival emails, youre in the right place. Read on for our best advice on pre-stay communication. but first, polish your booking confirmation email Apart from the success message on your website or the OTA, guests expect a booking confirmation via email. This gives them peace of mind because it assures them that youve received their reservation. It also provides a summary of their booking details. This can come in handy during check-in or when an immigration officer asks where theyre staying. While its main content isnt exciting, it doesnt mean the confirmation email should be boring. Its the first touchpoint in your guest messaging process, so feel free to make it interesting. Use it as a chance to share a concise overview of your facilities. For example, include images and links to your restaurant or spa to encourage guests to explore your offering. What is the difference between the booking confirmation email and the hotel pre-arrival email? The booking confirmation is the first email your guest receives from you after making a reservation. Its main purpose is to confirm and summarise the booking and outline the hotel policy. Other information about your hotel or local attractions is useful but not the main focus of this email. Hotel pre-arrival emails are good for building a relationship and getting guests excited about their upcoming stay. Use these messages to share information about your property and its surroundings and learn about their preferences. Ask how you can make their trip more fun, stress-free or memorable to prompt travellers to make requests. Take things a step further with pre-stay surveys if you want to collect more data. Knowing what your guests are most interested in will make it easier to upsell and cross-sell. Your guests will be able to customise their stay pre-arrival, and you can have everything ready when they check in. How to put together an effective hotel pre-arrival email Now, its time to look at eight ways you can optimise your pre-arrival communication. Follow these tips, and your guests will be delighted every time they see you in their inbox. 1. Create attractive subject lines Your email subject lines must be captivating if you want high open rates. Email marketing experts have shared the best practices to improve open rates. Heres a list of five proven tactics: Apply scarcity If availability is limited for certain room upgrades or services, this can encourage guests to open and book, e.g. Only two junior suites left for your booked dates. Create a sense of urgency Telling guests that time is running out creates a fear of missing out (FOMO) and boosts open rates, e.g. This upgrade offer expires in 24 hours. Personalise your subject lines This makes your message feel more personal and exciting, e.g. How would you like a view of the ocean, Sam? Keep it short Many email clients cut off long subject lines, especially on mobile devices. As a rule of thumb, keep your subject line short and sweet within 50 characters. Unleash your creativity Come up with a cool pun, wordplay or a quirky phrase and then test it to get a feel for which type of subject lines pique your audiences interest. 2. Personalise your messages The whole purpose of pre-arrival messages is to build a relationship with your guests. Personalised emails play an important role here. Start with customising the subject line to draw in recipients. Next, look at your email body and find other instances to include the guests name? Can you refer to other trip details, e.g. the stay dates, special requests or offers the guest booked? This makes the message feel more personal and less like a generic email blast. As a result, more people will read till the end, connect with your brand and explore your service offering. 3. Use attractive design Keep readability and the overall user experience in mind when designing your email template. Often less is more, and a straightforward layout will be easier on your readers. Many people will skim your message first to see if theres a topic they want to explore. Consider this when you format the content. Use different font sizes and bold text to introduce various sections and include a concise description below. When picking the font style and size, go for something clear and easy to read. Source: Oaky Next, add relevant, attractive images that visualise your offer. Compress them to avoid long load times that frustrate readers. Finally, remember that not all email clients display photos and special formatting by default. Save guests trouble and ensure your emails content and formatting creates a good user experience even without the pictures. 4. Stick with your branding Both your booking confirmation email and the hotel pre-arrival email are an excellent opportunity to spotlight your hotels brand. Thats important for two reasons. First, the more often your guests come into contact with it, the more likely they are to remember it. Second, brand consistency across your website, social media and channels creates a coherent, reliable experience for your guests. For this, use your logo, colour scheme, fonts and signature design elements in all your pre-arrival emails. Create message templates in your CRM and email provider to save time and ensure youre always on brand. For instance, by using Oakys branding feature, you can easily adjust your pre-arrival emails to your branding, visual style and tone of voice. 5. Let your guests customise their stay through segmentation Inform guests about available extras during the pre-arrival phase so they can pick their favourite ones. Use guest data to segment travellers and determine which offers could be most interesting to them. That allows you to send them a smaller yet more targeted set of deals to choose from. This makes browsing more fun for your guests and will increase your conversion rates at the same time. An upselling platform like Oaky that automates guest segmentation will get you the best results. For example, Oaky pulls guest data from the property management system (PMS) to group travellers in segments. Then it sends each one a personalised offer selection based on their segment. 6. Automate your emails Sending each pre-arrival email manually takes a lot of time. You probably wouldn't be able to offer guests the same level of customisation options that way either. Finally, responding to all your guests requests would add another task to your teams workload. Automating your pre-arrival email outreach addresses these challenges in one go. For example, an upselling platform like Oaky combines both pre-arrival communication and upselling. First, it pulls guest data from your PMS to personalise the message and deal selection. Then it automatically sends personalised upselling emails at the ideal time during the guest journey. On top of that, thanks to Oakys integration with Duetto, prices for room upgrades are dynamic and follow your revenue management strategy. This helps you boost ancillary revenue without extra hassle. 7. Contact your guests at the right moment of their journey Pre-arrival emails timing can make a big difference in your conversion rates. Oaky has found that sending the first message twelve days before check-in results in the highest CTR of 48% and a conversion rate of 10.6%. Compared to other days, this is nearly double. Send one follow-up message nine or ten days out to give guests another chance to explore your deals. On average, this results in a 42%/43% CTR and a 12%/11% conversion rate, respectively. Of course, the time of day you send your message is also important. Weve found that emails sent between 12 PM and 2 PM or at 6 PM have conversion rates between 44% and 53%. 8. Use your guests language The easier you make it for guests to engage with your pre-arrival emails, the better your results will be. Especially if you welcome a lot of international travellers, be aware that they probably dont all speak your language. If possible, send them pre-arrival emails in their language to accommodate them. This shows that youre willing to go the extra mile to make them feel comfortable. It can also increase your conversion rates because guests better understand your offers. For your inspiration: a hotel pre-arrival email template Apply the eight tips listed above, and youre well on your way to creating a brilliant pre-arrival guest experience. Personalisation is crucial for making your messages sound relevant to each traveller. But of course, strong branding, attractive visuals and your tone of voice are also crucial for building your guest relationship. Only if youve done all that well, you can successfully promote your custom selection of upselling deals. Then, round it all out by adding an enticing call to action button. This will ensure that your guests will have the stay of their dreams while you drive incremental revenue. If you need some inspiration, check out the pre-arrival email below. Source: Oaky It ticks all the boxes and boasts impressive metrics. The CTR reaches 70%, while conversion rates for add-ons and paid upgrades come to 17.4% and 8.7%, respectively. If you want similar results, its time to outline an action plan for how to optimise your pre-arrival communication and get to work! About Oaky Oaky is a hyper-personalised upselling software that helps hotels boost revenue through enriched guest experience and branding. Enabling hotels to leverage segmentation, personalisation, dynamic pricing and more, Oaky takes upselling services and upgrades to the next level, maximising the average spend per guest and taking the legwork out of the upselling process. Oaky has been recognised as the Best Upselling Software by Hotel Tech Report for 5 years in a row and is trusted by innovative hotels, groups and chains across the globe, including the ONYX Hospitality & Radisson Hotel Group. View source Held for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the 116th session was the largest meeting of the Executive Council since the start of the pandemic, with more than 200 participants and 32 countries represented. Members noted that the meeting came at a pivotal point for the sector as it learns from the lessons of the pandemic while at the same time looking ahead to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future. Advancing priorities in challenging times Tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work We have faced up to a triple crisis: an ongoing pandemic, a climate emergency and now the return of war in Europe, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. He stressed that tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work. In his report to Members on achievements since the previous Council meeting six months ago, the Secretary-General illustrated how UNWTO is seizing tourisms unprecedented relevance, including within the United Nations, in national recovery and growth plans and within the wider public and media conversation. Tourisms restart UNWTO laid out its plans to keep advancing the priorities around fostering sustainability, promoting tourism jobs and education, growing tourism investments and accelerating its digital transformation. The Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and host of the Executive Council, Ahmed Al Khateeb, said: Tourisms restart in many countries around the world offers a unique chance to rethink tourism governance, communications and beyond. We have an incredible opportunity to set a new way forward, to create a strong future for the global tourism sector, and we must embrace it. The recognition of tourisms importance was further echoed by the Minister of Tourism and Leisure of Cote dIvoire, also serving as Executive Council Chair, Siandou Fofana, who noted that tourism is united to face future challenges, while stressing the importance of cohesion in planning and policymaking as the sector recovers to drive wider social and economic recovery. Members agreed to hold the 117th session of the UNWTO Executive Council in Morocco, in the second half of this year. With two countries offering to host the 118th session, Members voted in favour of the Dominican Republic holding the first Council of 2023. Onto Riyadh, emerging tourism hub Members of the Executive Council were provided with an update on the work of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in the capital of Saudi Arabia in May 2021. The office in Riyadh is set to emerge as both a regional and global hub for the sector, with a special focus on tourism education and tourism and rural development, exemplified by the first major project to come out of the office, Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO. From Jeddah, the UNWTO leadership will visit Riyadh to formally welcome personnel. RELATED LINKS About The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations specialized agency fostering tourism as a vehicle for equal, inclusive and sustainable development. Working with its Member States, international organizations and the private sector, UNWTO promotes safe and seamless travel for all. UNWTO also works to make tourism the foundation of trust and international cooperation and a central pillar of recovery. As part of the wider UN system, UNWTO is at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through its ability to create decent jobs, promote equality and preserve natural and cultural heritage. Follow UNWTO on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin. Saudi Arabia to invest $100m in training over 100,000 young people for tourism 'Tourism Trailblazers' to develop trainees at all career levels Program is supported by top global tourism training schools Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism has today launched a new program to equip 100,000 young Saudis with the key hospitality skills needed to pursue careers in the Kingdom's flourishing tourism industry. Launched by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia at the 116th session of the World Tourism Organization's Executive Council in Jeddah, 'Tourism Trailblazers' will provide in-depth global experience to the tourism industry's future leaders. The program aims to train 100,000 Saudis during 2022. The campaign kicked off in late 2020 with the launch of a new human capital development strategy in the Kingdom's burgeoning tourism industry, which aims to attract more Saudi nationals to the sector. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, said: "It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising Vision 2030. This program demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry." According to His Excellency, the program has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The program will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom. His Excellency further stressed that this and other initiatives are geared towards delivering on the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 targets, including the creation of one million new jobs in tourism by 2030. Mohammed Bushnag, Deputy Minister, Human Capital said: " A financial investment of this size shows our determination to equip our youth with the tools they need to suceed. Three quarters of Saudi nationals now consider the tourism industry as a viable career option. Supporting the dreams of our Tourism Trailblazers and enabling their continued education at the best global schools, is vital as we continue to emerge as a global player in the sector." Participants in the program are set to benefit from training scholarships at leading global institutions in France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Australia, and Italy. Applications will be accepted not only from fresh graduates, but also from Saudis who already work within the industry and those who aspire to start a career in the tourism, hospitality, culinary, service, and sales fields. His Excellency added that the highly specialized programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labor market. His Excellency added that the highly specialized programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labor market. About the United Nations World Tourism Organization The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. About the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism leads the Saudi Tourism ecosystem, with support from the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Tourism Development Fund. The Ministry sets the Kingdom's tourism sector strategy and is responsible for the development of policies and regulations, developing human capital, gathering statistics, and attracting investment. It works in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority, which promotes Saudi Arabia as a global tourism destination, and the Tourism Development Fund, which executes the Ministry's investment strategy by providing funding for the sector's development. Headed by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Ministry was founded in February 2020, following the opening of Saudi Arabia to international leisure tourists for the first time in its history in 2019. Saudi Arabia aims to welcome 100 million tourism visits by 2030, increasing the sector's contribution to GDP from 3% to 10%. WIT is a community for anyone passionate about travel technology, distribution and marketing. WIT incorporates a news website, a weekly newsletter, conferences and events that are held in Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and the UAE. Hospitals in Texas on average are charging employer-sponsored insurers more than triple the amount that Medicare would pay, raising health care costs for companies and their workers, according to a new analysis. Rates set by Medicare, the government insurance program for the elderly, often are used as benchmark for health care costs. Hospitals typically charge private insurers higher rates to make up for shortfalls from lower reimbursements paid by Medicare and Medicaid, the government program for the poor. But the analysis found that three of the Houston areas biggest hospitals Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake are billing insurers far more than what they need to break even in fact double. The findings are based on data from the RAND Corp., a California think tank, the National Academy for State Health Policy, a Washington think tank, and Sage Transparency, a price comparison tool using data from RAND, the federal government and other sources. The data, from 2019, is the most recent available. On HoustonChronicle.com: Report: Hospitals performed 100K unnecessary surgeries in COVID's first year. What about Houston? The findings were presented Tuesday by the Houston Business Coalition on Health, a group that advocates for affordable health care prices for employers. The analysis examined billing practices at Houstons four major health systems flagship hospitals: Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, the HCA Houston Clear Lake location, and Baylor St. Lukes. Methodist, Memorial Hermann and HCA each charged insurers more than 250 percent over Medicare rates. Baylor St. Lukes charged 216 percent over Medicare, according to RAND data. Memorial Hermann is charging insurers about double what is needed to break even, and HCA Healthcare Clear Lake location was charging more than double, according to a National Academy for State Health Policy analysis. Houston Methodist charged roughly 75 percent more than breakeven, and St. Lukes about 50 percent more. A Memorial Hermann spokesperson said there is room for improvement with health care prices, but is unfair to use Medicare as a comparison point. It is disappointing that, yet again, researchers are choosing to handpick data points that are skewed and not reflective of the overall care we provide, the spokesperson said. Medicare reimbursement is a flawed and inappropriate benchmark to use for commercial payments, as Medicare payments do not cover the cost of services provided. The other hospitals couldnt be reached for comment. Maureen Hensley-Quinn, a senior program director at National Academy for State Health Policy, said its not reasonable to expect hospitals to charge just enough to break even they need reserves to buffer them against unexpected events, such as a pandemic. But, she added, it shouldnt be double of Medicare. This mean employers are paying more than they could be, Christopher Whaley, a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation said. Generally, when employers have to pay more for health insurance, employees pay higher premiums and deductibles. Deductibles have increased by 162 percent in the last decade, according to the RAND Corp. Employers fund health insurance for 160 million people roughly half of Americans. On HoustonChronicle.com: Its in business owners best interest to provide better parental benefits, report says. Heres why. Were entering a new age of transparency and its clear from these tools that pricing is not directly correlated with quality, but rather on what the market will bear, said Chris Skisak, executive director of the Houston Business Coalition on Health. While this is cause for concern, there are opportunities for change and these resources will enable employers and health plans to negotiate future contracts to select health systems that offer the best value the highest quality at the lowest costs. The issue of how much hospitals charge reaches beyond Houston and Texas. The RAND Hospital Price Transparency Report examined claims data from employers, private insurers, and 11 state databases encompassing for more than 4,000 hospitals and 4,000 additional ambulatory surgical centers across 49 states and the District of Columbia. Hospitals, on average, are charging employers almost three times what they are charging for the same services under Medicare. The Houston Business Coalition on Health. said it will soon post the results for all Houston area hospitals on its website. WASHINGTON - With U.S. natural gas prices at close to $9 per million British Thermal Units and climbing, the United States faces the prospect of double-digit gas prices for the first time since the beginning of the hydraulic fracturing boom more than a decade ago. The three-fold rise in gas prices over the past 12 months has gone relatively unnoticed so far. Unlike gasoline, consumers mostly aren't buying natural gas directly. Instead, they pay for it through electricity and heating bills that tend to delay price increases because of state regulations and utilities' hedging their fuel supplies by buying futures contracts at lower-than-current prices. But as Americans watch their bills climb in the months ahead President Joe Biden could well be facing another energy crisis to go with the spiking price of oil. "We just aren't noticing it yet, but in the winter people are really going to notice," said Marianne Kah, former chief economist at Conoco Phillips and now a research scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. "Natural gas prices aren't posted on every street corner." RELATED: High gas prices, climate concerns force Biden into dilemma Right now, the pain is largely limited to large industrial consumers such as petrochemical plants along Texas's Gulf Coast, which are watching the cost of one of their primary feedstocks skyrocket. Already some in the energy sector are coming after Biden, blaming him for contributing to a decade-long hold up in getting new gas pipelines built, in particular along the East Coast. John Arnold, the retired Houston energy investor and billionaire, tweeted Monday that the price spike was a matter of national security and Biden should use his authority under the Defense Production Act to get pipelines built connecting Ohio and Pennsylvania's booming shale gas fields to cities such as Boston and New York. "(Natural gas) prices are up 3 times in past year, reaching record highs in the shale gas era," he wrote. "Previously, the market has responded with a flood of new supplies. But the regulatory state has effectively capped growth in the largest and most prolific gas region in the U.S." Energy analysts, however, say the causes behind the recent price spike run the gamut. A significant portion of U.S. gas production comes as a byproduct of oil production. And with oil production still recovering the collapse in crude prices during the Covid-19 pandemic, associated gas production from fields in Texas, North Dakota and Colorado is way down, said Raoul LeBlanc , an analyst at S&P Global. At the same time, Wall Street investors, increasingly wary about the long-term prospect for oil and gas because of climate change, are demanding executives hold back on developing new oil and gas fields, and focus instead on increasing providing stock dividends and reducing debt. And then there's the war in Ukraine, which is driving up the cost of coal. U.S. power companies have historically increased their coal-fired power generation at times the price of natural gas gets too high. But the high price of coal is reducing the incentives to make the switch and supporting strong natural gas demand. "All those factors are coming together to push gas prices in one direction," LeBlanc said. "If supply continues to not show up, price has to come up to reduce demand. That's an ugly story and would certainly push gas prices into double digits." The costs of that could be considerable for Biden, who is already facing a tough midterm election in November in which the Democratic Party stands to lose control of the House and Senate. But like the spike in oil prices, his options on natural gas are limited perhaps even more so. One option, championed by the industrial sector, would be to limit U.S. LNG exports until prices come back down. LNG exports account for about 10 percent of U.S. natural gas production, although oil industry lobbyists maintain that because LNG exports are fixed and established years in advance, they have little effect on the market price of gas. The Biden administration, meanwhile, might be reluctant take that option. In March the administration agreed to a historic deal with the European Union to increase U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas,to help break Europe's dependence on Russian natural gas. "There's a lot of agreement that if we want to bolster U.S. natural gas production and meet the agreement with the EU were going to need to develop more pipelines," said Dustin Meyer, a vice president at the American Petroleum Institute. "Unfortunately, right now we're in an environment that's proving difficult to do so." Oil executives and lobbyists want Biden to find a way to speed permitting for new gas pipelines and other infrastructure, which have been held up by increasingly long permitting reviews and litigation by environmental groups. But it's unclear the administration would support accelerated pipeline expansions. Since the war in Ukraine began, Biden has supported increased LNG exports, approving expanded permits for two LNG projects in Texas and Louisiana. At the same time his administration has made shifting the nation from fossil fuels to combat climate change one of its top priorities. Earlier this month the EPA announced it was examining a Trump-era decision to try to limit states' ability to block pipeline projects over environmental concerns. "They're in a tough spot. There's definitely practical people in the administration trying to solve problems, but you have progressives pushing an agenda," Kah said. "They have different parties they have to appease, but the fact energy security has become a big issue has improved the middle of the road position. It has to because of high prices." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It all started with a koozie. In the early 2000s, Meagan Morris and her husband Luke had steady, traditional careers in oil and gas. Meagan also dabbled in corporate events planning, which she liked and felt that she did well. Friends asked her to design and print their wedding invitations in 2011, and by the end of that year, she quietly opened an early iteration of Sip Hip Hooray on Etsy. The initial idea was to create custom stationery and niche wedding products in her spare time. Bespoke save-the-dates and couple-specific koozies quickly became Meagan's most requested items, so Luke suggested she take some of the insulated drink holders to a local bridal show. "Those all sold out," she says. "A popular design was 'To have and to hold and to keep your beer cold.' From there I said let's expand this on Etsy. So we put up 10-15 designs and it really took off." Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The Morrises never dreamed that a party goods and social stationary business would pay more than their 9-to-5 desk jobs. By 2014 Meagan and Luke both handed in their notices to focus on Sip Hip Hooray full-time. Two years later, the couple was making double their previous salaries. This month marks 10 years of Sip Hip Hooray Meagan reports the company now generates between $5 to 7 million in annual revenue. Their success has grown at a steep incline over the past decade. Still, walking away from not one, but two steady incomes was a gamble. "It started as fun money. You know, trip money and going out to eat money," Meagan explains. "When we both quit our jobs our families looked at us and were like, 'Are you sure?'" She's the creative, and Luke works the numbers. Meagan never graduated from college and considers herself self-taught. "But I did have that corporate training," she adds. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Foil-stamped business cards were hard to come by when Meagan first tested the design waters. She could make it happen. "Fancy, but still business has always been our sweet spot. That mix of wedding knowledge and higher end printing," she says. Morris eventually realized she was spreading herself thin. "I couldn't give my job my all and my company my all. I wanted to take a chance on myself." The leap of faith paid off. Part of her good fortune was just being in the right place, at the right time. The wedding industry relied on traditional-style printing at the time, then Pinterest changed everything. Customization became the "it" trend and Sip Hip Hooray's presence on Etsy had already garnered a solid following. Meagan credits the e-commerce site with catapulting her company. It was the no. 1 marketplace for handmade, vintage and one-of-a-kind items the visibility was essential. Though at a certain level of customization, she explains, Etsy can be limiting. So the Morrises risked everything yet again, and moved their business to a self-hosted website. That's when Sip Hip Hooray really took off. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Meagan Morris, founder of Sip Sip Hooray, poses for a portrait Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at her shop in Tomball. She even discovered an avenue to grow with her clients post-nuptials. Now products and services offered include gifts for other life milestones like buying a home or having children. Custom door mats and house sketches are a hit with real estate agents. During the pandemic she pivoted to printing stay-at-home inspired sayings on entertaining essentials. Inner Loop boutiques including Emerson Sloane and Berings stocked her 10-stack frosted or foam cups inscribed "socially-distanced roadie" or "please, keep 6-feet apart." Sip Hip Hooray expanded into nationwide wholesale in 2020, as well. By 2021 the husband and wife business partners decided the time had come to open a storefront in their native Tomball. On June 3 of last year a physical location for customers to "elevate the everyday" became a reality. "We're confusing because we do so many things it can be overwhelming," Meagan admits. "We've just always tried to make everyday things special, and the store helps people to do that." Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Meagan Morris, founder of Sip Sip Hooray, poses for a portrait Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at her shop in Tomball. An ottoman-sized, champagne cork pool float is one of her favorite kitschy items. She imports specialty cocktail syrups and olive oil from a 400-year old tree in Italy, too. "This one guy drives in from Pearland every so often for our pickles," she says. "He had them once in Napa, found that we stock them on Storefinder, and buys us out. As the Morrises prepare Sip Hip Hooray's 10-year milestone all month long, they're also looking to the future. Meagan wants to develop the company's couture gifting with Face-Time shopping and white glove delivery service. And she'd love to expand her brick-and-mortar to the Heights, Woodlands or Fulshear -- eventually. Luke's eye is always on the bottom line and doesn't to stray too far from Sip Hip Hooray's bread and butter. "Our top product for the whole company is still custom koozies, per my husband's direction," Meagan says. amber.elliott@chron.com Barbecue fans are still digesting Texas Monthlys list of the states 50 best barbecue restaurants released last year (as well as the 50 honorable mention joints). So when four of them can be found in one place for one big dinner, its something special. Thats whatll be happening when Texas Monthly brings its Barbecue Fest Pit Stop event a traveling celebration of some of the states finest smoked meat purveyors to Houston on June 16 at Truth BBQ, 110 S. Heights. Most parents and guardians know its vital to talk to kids about mental health, particularly while theyre experiencing all the stress that comes with being a teenager. The problem is that many of those parents dont know where to start. Last month, a national survey from the childrens mental health initiative On Our Sleeves found that 93 percent of parents with children under the age of 18 know its important to have discussions about mental health. Unfortunately, the same survey found that 59 percent of them felt they needed some help to get the conversation flowing. Part of the problem, experts say, is that mental health has too often been stigmatized. While awareness has grown in recent years, many parents still dont know how to approach the subject. When it comes to our mental and emotional health, as a society, we place (it in) some sort of other category that is more stigmatizing, more difficult to talk about, said Angelina Brown Hudson, executive director of NAMI Greater Houston, which offers support and education on mental health. We dont know where to go. These types of conversations have become even more important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated issues that already existed. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey found that 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and nearly half felt persistently sad and hopeless. Other surveys have found that depression, self-harm and suicide have risen among adolescents. CHRONICLE INVESTIGATION: In Crisis How Texas treats mentally ill children and adults The teenage years have always been one of the hardest periods of childhood, as kids are experiencing high school, puberty and relationships for the first time. The pandemic has made it even tougher because its disrupted their usual routines, like going to school and playing sports, said Angela Koreth, a licensed professional counselor-supervisor at the Menninger Clinic. Koreth runs a parents group at the Menninger Clinic and often hears parents say they dont know how to begin a conversation about mental health. They care about their kids and dont want to trigger a feeling or emotion that could make things worse, she said. All teens are different, so theres no ideal road map for a conversation. But experts offer some guidelines to help you get started. Knowing when its time to talk Its difficult to determine if a child is struggling by their mood alone. Teens who are depressed could seem withdrawn, or they may lash out at others, Hudson said. Instead, look out for any notable changes in their behavior, especially if they persist, experts said. Everyone has a bad day, but a string of them could be cause for concern. If we find that our teens are having them for long periods of time, or quite often, that might indicate somethings off, Koreth said. TIMELINE: How Texass mental health system became overwhelmed If they are not eating, dont want to get out of bed, dont want to go to school or have stopped hanging out with their friends, its time to talk. Smoking, drinking, using drugs or self-harming are also red flags that need to be addressed immediately, experts said. If your child is having suicidal thoughts, you should take them to an emergency room to ensure they get the help they need, Hudson said. How to get started If youre planning to talk about a sensitive issue like mental health, you dont need to go in cold. Take some time to think about the concerns you want to express and the questions you want to ask, said Beth Garland, a clinical psychologist at Texas Childrens Hospital who specializes in treating adolescents with eating disorders. You can be thoughtful ahead of time (about) where you want the conversation to go, Garland said. Its best to have the conversation in a private spot, where distractions will be limited, and to make sure you have enough time for a full discussion. Car rides could be an ideal time to have those one-on-one talks. Starting the conversation could be tricky, but there are a number of some approaches you could take. Tell your teen that youve noticed something different, and ask them if anything has changed. You could also bring up something about mental health that you saw on TV or read online, and ask your teen if they have any thoughts about it. Or you could ask them if its something they ever discuss with their friends, Garland said. Some things to avoid Theres no perfect approach to a conversation about mental health, but there are some things you should avoid. Although the conversation may be emotional, try your best to avoid becoming angry or upset, Koreth said. A teen may be reluctant to talk at all because they feel like theyre disappointing their parent, so its best to avoid giving them that impression. Dont let your emotions rule how you might have that conversation, start that conversation or respond to that conversation, Koreth said. Avoid using any negative terms, especially ones like crazy or insane, Garland said. You also shouldnt minimize the way theyre feeling by telling them it doesnt sound like a big deal, because that could make them feel invalidated. As tough as it might be, you should also resist the urge to try to fix your teen during the conversation, experts said. You might have a good idea, but its better to make sure your teen feels like youre truly listening as they open up to you. Keep the discussion flowing Listening is also the best approach to keep a conversation flowing, experts said. But that can be trickier than it sounds. Often during conversations, people let their minds wander as they think about what they plan to say next. Truly listening is being there, present in the moment, to be able to summarize back what that person is saying, Garland said. When it is your time to talk, you could clarify certain things theyve told you and ask if youre hearing them correctly, she said. Tell your child that you love them and that youre proud of them for sharing what theyve told you. And you should be empathetic by telling them that what theyre going through sounds difficult. If you do have any advice to offer, you could ask your teen if you can share it. Koreth also suggests asking your teen if theyve given any thought to the matter, in case they have an idea for the next steps. Its also important to keep in mind that youre not going to solve a problem in a single conversation. If your child is struggling, youll likely be having ongoing discussions. What if they dont want to talk? If your child isnt willing to talk to you right away, you shouldnt press the issue, experts said. Instead, ask them if theyd be willing to sit and listen to what you have to say, or ask if theres another time you could have the discussion. The exception to leaving the conversation for a later time is when theres a safety issue, Garland said. If your child is using drugs or youre fearful of the potential for self-harm, you should make sure they get the help they need as soon as possible. In some instances, teens may be willing to have a discussion through text messages instead of face-to-face. You could ask them if they feel more comfortable doing that, Hudson said. Renew Houston: Get the latest wellness news delivered to your inbox Also consider whether theyd be prefer to speak with another trusted adult, such as a relative, a counselor or a clergy member. Some teens may feel more comfortable opening up to someone who isnt their parent. Its more important to save the child than you be the hero, Hudson said. (But) you are the hero when youre taking the time out to make sure theyre connected to the person they can open up to. Where can you turn for help? If you determine your child would benefit from some additional help, there are plenty of resources you can turn to in the Greater Houston area. The Houston Chronicle spent more than a year investigating how Texas treats people who are mentally ill as part of its In Crisis series. High school guidance counselors and your childs primary care doctor can often provide recommendations for where to go to find counseling or treatment. Organizations such as NAMI Greater Houston offer educational courses, support groups and other services. Texas Health and Human Services also has a guide for families looking for community mental health services for their children. Parents and guardians often want to seem like they have all the answers to help their children. But everyone needs help from time to time, Hudson said. We believe its our job and our job alone to fix whatever the problem is, Hudson said. But the truth of the matter is, when it comes to a childs emotional and mental health and well-being, you kind of need a team. evan.macdonald@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate How well we age is ultimately about how well we feel. Its about not being in pain, being able to move and get around, and do the things we want to do with energy and ease. How do you feel like youre doing in that department? A lot of us struggle. Our bodies get tighter and tighter, year after year. The natural progression is to harden, close, shrink and round to lose mobility and feel increasing aches and pains. But it doesnt have to be that way, and it is possible to turn the tide. I talked about this recently with Catherine Allen. Shes the most brilliant yoga teacher that I know, and she seems sort of ageless. Allen looks and moves like a strong and flexible young person, but she has a wizardlike wisdom and aura. She seemed like the right person to ask about why our bodies close off and what we can do about it. Allen says, not surprisingly, that our modern lifestyle is a main cause for the aforementioned trend. Sitting, driving, spending all day on our tech, etc., is hardening our bodies into what could be considered laptop mode. The middle back is hunched, the head juts out, arms habitually reach forward, shoulders round. She says a lot of this originates from the thoracic spine, or the middle part of the back (from the base of the neck to the bottom of the rib cage). When the thoracic spine is in good shape, were able to move up, down and all around. When its compromised by poor posture and, well, life, we feel extra tension in the mid back and pain elsewhere, as other areas try to compensate. This leads to reduced mobility, and it even inhibits how deeply were able to breath. POSTURE MATTERS: How to tweak your posture to feel healthy and strong On top of that, Allen says that as poor posture becomes more extreme, the vagus nerve gets compressed. The vagus nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, she says. When its compressed, the bodys ability to rest and digest is inhibited. The way we carry ourselves is wearing us out from several different angles. But the middle back isnt the only area that Allen thinks is important to address in this department. She says pelvic health impacts the spine and aging, too. When someones pelvis has a forward tilt, for example, the low back is strained by that misalignment, she said. If the pelvis tilts the other way, the upper back takes extra heat. When spinal curves are compromised, the body has to overcompensate to hold itself up against gravity. Discs get compressed in the process. Internal organs get compressed. Bodily functions decline over time, she says. So, what can we do? How can we open things up and slow, or maybe even reverse, this gloomy trend? I tell my patients that movement is medicine, says Dr. Christina Nguyen, a physical medicine & rehabilitation and interventional spine physiatrist with Spine Team Texas in Fort Worth. I like this advice. Its basic, and it makes sense. Renew Houston: Get the latest wellness news delivered to your inbox When you think about it, we tend to have pretty limited movements in our day-to-day lives. Even if you regularly exercise, many workouts consist of the same motions over and over. Running, biking or walking, for example its the same movements, the same muscles, the same activations. Its great to do these things, but stretching and moving beyond these repetitive patterns is important as well. Yoga classes are a great way to do this, but even simple actions on our own throughout the day can help mix things up and break our usual molds. Things like stretching our arms overhead more often, doing basic shoulder rolls and focusing on taking full, deep breaths. If you want to get even more granular, Allen could easily fill a 90-minute class on all this, but I selected a couple of the exercises she recommends so that you can dabble on your own. Im out of practice with this school of yoga (the Forrest Yoga lineage), so I called my good friend and another amazing yoga teacher, Kelly Seibert, to break down these postures. Shoulder shrugs Seibert recommends doing shoulder shrugs while seated with your back against a wall and a rolled-up yoga mat positioned upright between your shoulder blades. (You dont have to be on the floor, you can sit on a chair or stool.) In this position, inhale slowly and lift your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold your breath and squeeze the top part of your shoulder blades together. Exhale and glide shoulder blades down your back squeezing that upper portion gently together as you do. Repeat this two more times. Next time, focus on squeezing the middle part of your shoulder blades, then the lower part. Pelvic tilts Seibert says this one may be most approachable by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Slow down and deepen your breath. With an exhale, gently tilt your pelvis so that you flatten your lower back onto the floor it will feel like you are lengthening your tailbone toward your heels. Do this without actually lifting the back or hips off the floor. Feel how this movement gently engages your core. Do a few rounds with slow and steady deep breaths. Theres a lot of subtlety to moves like these. Seibert and Allen both teach classes online, where they do a great job breaking down these kinds of exercises. Their respective websites are intrinsica.yoga and catallen.yoga. Im also offering a free gentle yoga class later this month thats all about meditative movements and intentional stretches. Information on that is at marcisharif.com. The bottom line here is to pay attention to spinal health: See how you can start getting more mobility in your upper back by opening your chest and moving your shoulders, and how you can become more connected with your core and pelvis. Be playful, and look for new ways to move and groove with this stuff in mind. Lets stay vital and able for as long as we possibly can. Lets make our ages race to catch up. Marci Izard Sharif, an author, yoga teacher, meditation facilitator and mother, writes in Feeling Matters about self-love, sharing self-care tools, stories and resources that center around knowing and being kind to yourself. HARTFORD CITY, Ind. (AP) A woman accused of crashing into a northeastern Indiana home, killing a 74-year-old man and his great-grandson, allegedly tried to flee the scene after being handcuffed. Brandi S. Bare of Montpelier was handcuffed and placed in a police car after last week's deadly crash in the Blackford County city. But Bare, 46, apparently managed to remove the cuff from one of her wrists and walked away from the scene, The Star Press reported, citing court documents. Tea sold in 23 states is possibly contaminated with hepatitis A and is being recalled Tea sold in 23 states is possibly contaminated with hepatitis A and is being recalled A company called Urban Remedy, in an attempt to ensure "safety as a top priority" is recalling a certain tea distributed in 23 states, including Texas, because it may be contaminated with hepatitis A. The move is associated with the outbreak investigation linked to organic strawberries. The tea, Urban Remedy Organic Revitalizing Tea Tonic Strawberry Hibiscus Rose, was recalled due to the possible presence of organic strawberries that have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak being investigated in the United States and Canada, according to a company announcement posted by the FDA on June 5. There have been 17 illnesses and 12 hospitalizations linked to the outbreak in the U.S., with most of the cases being in California. Ten laboratory-confirmed cases have also been identified in Canada as of June 2. The FDA, sharing news of the outbreak in May, noted that investigations showed the strawberries were the "likely source" of illnesses. But, no illnesses have been reported from consuming the recalled Urban Remedy tea. The product number subject to the recall reads as follows: 813377025831 Urban Remedy Organic Revitalizing Tea Tonic Strawberry Hibiscus Rose. The product was sold in a 12-ounce resealable plastic bottle between May 17 and May 29 at various retail stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. More on the outbreak: FDA: Strawberries may contain Hepatitis A virus What to do if you bought the recalled product: "At Urban Remedy, food safety is our companys top priority," CEO Paul Coletta said in the announcement. Coletta is asking those who purchased the product with the affected lot number (1232 best by 7/17/2022) to dispose of the item or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those who have already consumed the product they bought are being advised to contact their health care provider to find out if they are up to date on their vaccine, while those who develop hepatitis A symptoms should "immediately" call their local health department, according to the FDA. Hepatitis A is a contagious virus that can cause liver disease, according to the FDA. Some symptoms to watch out for include jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain and pale stool. The illness may occur from 15 to 50 days after consuming the contaminated food or drink. According to the FDA, "all people" are susceptible to hepatitis A, except for those who have been vaccinated or had it before; they are "immune" to the infection. Consumers with questions can call (855) 875-8423 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST or email connect@UrbanRemedy.com. The bullet that killed Jalen Randle in a police shooting in the Houston community of Pleasantville entered through the front of the 29-year-old's neck, according to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, contradicting a statement from the family's attorney. The agency on Wednesday released its autopsy report, more than a month after the April 27 deadly shooting and two days after Houston Police Chief Troy Finner accused Ben Crump, the attorney for Randle's family, of making an inaccurate statement about the shooting. Crump said an independent autopsy performed a week after the shooting shows that Randle was shot in the back of the neck. Arthur Reed, an attorney representing the family, said Wednesday that the family and their attorneys stand by the results of the independent autopsy conducted by Autopsy and Pathology Services of Kingwood. "We stand by our pathologist," he said. Crump's law firm hired its own pathologist because "police killings are being covered up," Reed said. Warren Randle, the father of the man killed, said medics at the emergency room told him his son was shot in the back of the neck. Regardless, he said, he thought the police chief's recent statement was an effort to deflect from the deadly shooting. "The issue is not really where he got shot at -- it's him being shot as an unarmed man," Randle said. "You need to take responsibility and accountability for your officer's actions and do the right thing." CALLS FOR ACTION: Jalen Randle's family demands charges against Houston police officer who killed son According to the Harris County institute's autopsy, HPD Officer Shane Privette shot a bullet which entered on the left side of Randle's neck and lodged in the right trapezius muscle. On Monday, Finner criticized Crump's claims as an irresponsible, false statement. "Mr. Crump should correct the false information and explain that the diagram is not part of Mr. Randles official autopsy," Finner stated. "I ask everyone in our community to not rush to judgment and wait for the investigations to be completed." Privette shot Randle seconds after getting out of his patrol car and before he could finish saying, "Hey, let me see your hands," according to body camera footage released by the police department. Officers then handcuffed Randle while he lay face-down on the ground. The shooting happened after a brief pursuit. Randle was wanted on two felony warrants. Randle's death has been a recent point of contention among family members, residents of the east Houston community and law enforcement. On June 6, Randle's family organized a protest in front of the Harris County District Attorney's Office to call for Privette to be charged criminally and stated they intend to file a civil rights complaint against the Houston Police Department. Prior to the protest, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg met with Randle's family to listen to their concerns and clarify how the office handles police shootings. Members of the office's Civil Rights Division will review the autopsy report as well as evidence from HPD's internal investigation before presenting it to a grand jury, which will determine if Privette will be indicted, according to a news release the district attorney's office issued on Wednesday. Attempts to reach Autopsy and Pathology Services on Wednesday were not immediately returned. Tiffany Rachal, the mother of Jalen Randle, said her son was a bright light with a good heart. He loved helping senior citizens and recently took care of a sick relative. She urged the police department to take accountability and do the right thing. "I will keep his name alive," she said. "That's my child. Whatever it takes...I'm going to keep on screaming my son's name." Joel.Umanzor@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Baytown Police Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Baytown Police Show More Show Less Baytown police have released a sketch of a man accused of luring a Houston teenager he met online into a car and sexually and physically assaulting her. The incident took place in March within Baytown city limits, according to a news release from the Baytown Police Department. No other information was provided about the incident. Houston will not release its retrospective report on the 2021 winter freeze, citing a post-9/11 law shielding information that could be exposed by terrorists or criminals. The city drafted a report, called After-Action Report/Improvement Plans for the 2021 Winter Storm, after the February freeze, when plunging temperatures crippled the states electrical grid and led to hundreds of deaths across Texas. The prolonged power outages, paired with tens of thousands of burst water pipes, also brought down Houstons water system. The city at times was unable to send water to customers, including the Harris County Jail and parts of the Texas Medical Center. The system was under a state-mandated boil water advisory for four days. More than a dozen generators failed at city water plants, inhibiting their ability to withstand the electrical outages. The after-action report includes information about the citys response and adjustments it has made to plan for future events. It details operational coordination, communication procedures, and emergency medical services, among other information. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas water systems failed during February cold storm. Now, the challenge is making them stronger. The Chronicle requested the report in February 2022 under the Texas Public Information Act, but the city sought the opinion of the attorney generals office, which said the city must withhold the document. City attorneys argued the information could help criminals or terrorists plot an attack. The Texas Government Code says municipalities must withhold information that is collected for the purpose of preventing, detecting, responding to, or investigating an act of terrorism or related criminal activity, and relates to staffing requirement and tactical plans. It also allows an exemption for assessments about how to protect people, property or critical infrastructure from terrorism or criminal activity. Those exemptions were added as part of the Homeland Security Act, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2003. In a statement, City Attorney Arturo Michel said that law bars the city from releasing the report. The information (the Chronicle has) requested is confidential by law and thus the city cannot release it, he said. Attorney General Ken Paxtons office, which oversees the states public records law, accepted the citys argument in an April ruling. The decision was shared with the Chronicle on Tuesday. Based on (the citys) representations and our review, we find (the city has) demonstrated the information at issue relates to tactical plans of an emergency response provider or to an assessment of vulnerabilities of persons or properties to an act of terrorism or related criminal activity and is maintained by or for a governmental entity for the purpose of preventing, detecting, responding to, or investigating an act of terrorism or related criminal activity, the ruling said. Accordingly, the city must withhold the submitted information. The storm, though, was not an act of terrorism, and no one has been charged with a crime for the grids near-failure. The exemption for homeland security does not mean all emergency preparedness documents are off limits, the attorney generals office said in its ruling. Joseph Larsen, a Houston attorney who has worked on public information cases, said the issue lies in the broad interpretation of the exemptions by governments seeking to withhold documents, the attorney generals office tasked with enforcing it, and the courts that review those decisions. Their hands are not tied, thats just ridiculous. They can release the report if they want to, Larsen said of the city. This is one of the very worst exceptions... It can be used to basically withhold anything. On HoustonChronicle.com: No right to know? Texas public records get harder and harder to acquire Governments often use the terrorism exemption to the Texas Public Information Act to shield weather readiness plans, Larsen said. Similar arguments were made to conceal plans made after Hurricane Ike. And the city is not the only one to use it for the winter storm. The Public Utility Commission, which oversees the states electrical grid, has been raising the same argument, according to Larsen. The open records law is supposed to be liberally construed in favor of granting a request for information, the attorney generals office has said. Exceptions to that rule should be interpreted narrowly, Larsen said. Theyre not being narrowly interpreted, and thats just a fact, Larsen said. They allow government bodies to cover their behinds for any specific event, and it prevents the public from actually fixing the problems, which is the whole point of freedom of information. A 2019 review by the Chronicle and KTRK found the number of appeals from local and state agencies to the attorney general to withhold information has doubled in the last decade. Nearly all of those requests are granted by the attorney generals office: Just 5 percent end in a full release of the records. dylan.mcguinness@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Houston Chronicle reporter Alex Stuckey on Wednesday won a Livingston Award for local reporting for her work on In Crisis, a series of articles about families trapped in Texas secretive, woefully underfunded mental health care system. The award honors journalists from across the country who are under age 35. Stuckey was among 52 finalists selected from 450 contest entries. Washington Post reporter Jose Del Real won a Livingston prize for national reporting, and Erika Lantz and Elin Lantz Lesser shared an award for international reporting. It's awesome and I'm honored, said Stuckey, 32. But for me, what's more important is that my work being recognized for this means that more people are going to read the stories and potentially more change could happen. Chronicle Executive Editor Maria Reeve echoed those sentiments, calling Stuckeys work impactful journalism. We are extremely proud of Alex and this well-deserved award, Reeve said. And most important, her work is creating much needed change in mental health access. Stuckey said she had always wanted to investigate how state agencies mishandle mental health services after she wrote about a maximum security psychiatric facility in Missouri while working at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. After joining the Chronicles investigative team in 2019, Stuckey asked her editor at the time, Susan Carroll, if she could look into Texas psychiatric system to see what she could find. "I just, frankly, trusted her, said Carroll, now a senior editor at NBC News. I thought she was onto something, and she has really great instincts, and she delivered on it." Stuckey dug up police reports, lawsuits, hospital inspections and other public records and found a trail of grief and tragedy. The documents led to family members who said they couldnt get help for their loved ones in Texas and couldnt find out what happened to them after they were killed in psychiatric facilities. Stuckey spent 16 months on the project. Her stories revealed how the mental health system in Texas is strained beyond capacity, with waitlists for hospital beds stretching into a year. State officials rely on private hospitals to fill the gaps but those facilities have racked up more than 1,000 state and federal safety violations between 2014 and 2019. After the Chronicle published the first installment of Stuckeys stories in February 2021, Texas lawmakers approved $400 million that summer for 500 inpatient psychiatric beds and to revamp old hospitals for Texans with mental illnesses. In Crisis also generated tips from readers that led to follow-up stories. Alex Stuckeys vivid accountability journalism about the challenges people living with severe mental illness face in Texas reveals a state in crisis and a serious bureaucratic breakdown with devastating human consequences, wrote Livingston contest judge Raney Aronson-Rath, executive producer of PBS investigative news show, Frontline. The Livingston award is the latest of several journalism prizes for Stuckey, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 at the Salt Lake Tribune. This year, Stuckey won four first-place prizes in the Texas Managing Editors journalism contest; the top prize in the Headliners Foundation investigative category; and the Charles E. Green Award for star reporter of the year. One contest judge said In Crisis should be required reading for any journalism schools advanced reporting class. Stuckey was also a finalist in a contest held by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation. I hope other journalists in other states read these stories and go, I could do that here, Stuckey said. It's bad everywhere. This is not limited to Texas. john.tedesco@chron.com The winding affair began with a simple talk over coffee in Dubai, but the saga of a 48-year-old career officer with the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service and her suspected terrorist ex-love interest took a new turn this week when he testified against her in federal court in Houston. Nadal Diya, 49, on Wednesday offered details of his relationship with former NCIS agent Leatrice De Bruhl-Daniels, who is on trial amid allegations of hindering the FBI and Homeland Securitys joint investigation of the Syrian businessman. It was confusing at times, said Diya, who has pleaded guilty to traveling with a fake Guatemalan and Argentinian passport in Houston, Conroe and Lake Charles, La., and is set for sentencing in July. She knew of the fact I was married and there was no way we could have a relationship. Despite being married, according to Diyas testimony, he and De Bruhl-Daniels enjoyed walks along the beach, hourslong dinners and had sexual relations. He even threw the special agent a lavish birthday party in Dubai, helped her pay for a Greek vacation, bought her expensive jewelry and gave her then-23-year-old son a job, according to federal prosecutors. The two met in June 2016 in Dubai, where De Bruhl-Daniels was dispatched to the U.S. Consulate as a liaison on criminal, counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations at the booming commercial port of Jebel Ali. After realizing he could be a good source of information, De Bruhl-Daniels asked her former boss R. Todd Foley, then the NCIS resident agent in charge in Dubai, for permission to speak with him over coffee, Foley testified on Wednesday. The two met once more, Foley said, before an FBI agent informed him of the agencys investigation of Diya. In mid-July 2018, an FBI agent in Houston informed De Bruhl-Daniels that Diya was still under scrutiny. The FBI agent asked for a full accounting of her encounters with Diya, and De Bruhl-Daniels said she would consult with her supervisor about it, according to court documents. I told her on at least two occasions to stay away, Foley said, adding that De Bruhl-Daniels, who has been free on bail at her mothers home in Charlottesville, Va. , for the past three years, grew nervous of Diya contacting her and of running into him. But she continued to see him, federal prosecutors said, and during their affair she vowed to help Diya obtain a visa and provided him warnings that he was being investigated as a possible terrorist and could be arrested for involvement in an illegal oil shipment, according to court documents. At some point, Diya said in court, he became frustrated with the visa process and told De Bruhl-Daniels to stop trying to fix his issue, but she insisted she would figure it out for him. Meanwhile, her colleagues and other agencies warned De Bruhl-Daniels to not interfere with the terrorism investigation, and she did not tell them that by then she had a personal relationship with him, according to their accounts. De Bruhl-Daniels is now facing 13 charges, including allegations she lied, tampered with evidence, meddled with witnesses, bribed public officials and outright impeded justice to protect the man she was so deeply attracted to that the thought of him kept her awake for days, according to a text admitted as evidence. U.S. District Judge Gray Miller is hearing the case. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Venus Aerospace Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Venus Aerospace Show More Show Less Venus Aerospace released renderings of the spaceplane it's designing to travel from Los Angeles to Tokyo in one hour. "Stargazer" is the Houston company's first conceptual vehicle design. The spaceplane would travel nine times faster than the speed of sound and at an altitude of 170,000 feet. That's high enough to see the blackness of space, though the plane never leaves the Earth's atmosphere. A shiny new telescope has received its first major ding in outer space. The James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror was hit by a micrometeoroid between May 23 and 25, NASA announced Wednesday. The telescope was designed to survive such impacts, and an initial assessment found that Webb's performance will still exceed its mission requirements -- despite a marginally detectable effect in the data. MORE ON WEBB: Why NASA's new James Webb Space Telescope, the successor to the Hubble, has 'perfectly misshaped' mirrors We always knew that Webb would have to weather the space environment, which includes harsh ultraviolet light and charged particles from the Sun, cosmic rays from exotic sources in the galaxy, and occasional strikes by micrometeoroids within our solar system, Paul Geithner, technical deputy project manager at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. We designed and built Webb with performance margin optical, thermal, electrical, mechanical to ensure it can perform its ambitious science mission even after many years in space. The $10 billion infrared telescope launched Dec. 25, and it has been hit by four smaller micrometeoroids since that time. The strike in May was larger, NASA said in its blog, and Webb's team can adjust its mirror positions to help correct for the damage caused by the impact. Webb is now in the home stretch of commissioning. NASA and its partners, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, are preparing to release its first images on July 12. Thus far, they've only released test images used to calibrate the telescope. Next month's images will showcase Webb's potential. Webb will observe light from the very first galaxies that formed 100 million years after the Big Bang, study the birth of stars and probe atmospheres of planets outside our solar system for signs of ozone, water or carbon dioxide. UVALDE An emergency meeting by Uvalde City Council to extend the citys disaster declaration took less than a minute. Mayor Don McLaughlin Jr. spent more time fielding questions from a room full of reporters and a father seeking answers about the Robb Elementary School massacre. McLaughlin was flanked by four other council members Tuesday morning on the second floor of City Hall at a large wooden desk that took up half of the humble, red-carpeted chamber. Cameras and the media filled the other half of the room with two rows of simple tables. A few metal and cloth chairs sat mostly empty except for a handful of reporters and a father of one of the victims, Alfred Garza III, 35, and his spouse. District 3 Councilman Pedro Pete Arredondo, who was elected to the position before the shooting and sworn in after, was noticeably absent. Rather than appear at a public meeting to be sworn in to his council seat, he had it done in private. Arredondo, as the police chief of Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, was the incident commander on the scene May 24 when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered the school and killed 19 children and two teachers. Arredondo has drawn criticism for not sending in police to breach the classroom and confront the gunman as soon as possible. Tuesday would have been Arredondos first day on the dais at an open meeting. The mayor said he could not answer questions about the shooting because he is not law enforcement. Im not here to try this. We want facts and answers just like everybody else, McLaughlin said. We have to look at these families every single day. My heart breaks for them every single day, every moment. And he said he could not say whether Arredondo still is serving as the school district police chief. McLaughlin said he asked the Justice Department to review the investigation, though he has the utmost confidence in the Texas Rangers, who are leading the probe. He admitted that there were missteps on the part of the Texas Department of Public Safety, referring to a false initial report that a teacher propped open a door with a rock, allowing the shooter access to the school. The San Antonio Express-News later reported that the teacher pulled the door shut behind her when she saw Ramos approaching the school. Why it did not lock is one of many questions under investigation by authorities. McLaughlin said the citys police chief was on vacation at the time of the shooting but flew back to Uvalde within a day and a half. It was the acting assistant police chief who was at the school that day, the mayor said. He said he is 100 percent confident in Uvalde police. Our agency or any agency involved, everybodys going to be accountable, the mayor said. Theyre going to have to own whatever mistakes they made, and were going to be transparent with that. McLaughlin said he has not spoken to Arredondo in more than a week, not since Gov. Greg Abbott came to town. He said he has asked Arredondo and other law enforcement agencies involved for a briefing but has not received one. The mayor said it was frustrating not to have answers. Youre the mayor of this community, Sir, one reporter said. I am the mayor of this community, but Im not a law enforcement officer, he responded. The last thing I want to do is jeopardize this investigation. McLaughlin said he was asked to stay out of the investigation. Asked whether he had confidence in Arredondo to serve, the mayor said Arredondo was elected by the voters. Im not going to speak about him. Hell have to speak for himself, McLaughlin said. As for the fact that Arredondo was sworn in to his council seat in private, the mayor said, We did it according to law. The mayor said he didnt even want to meet Tuesday, but council had to extend the disaster declaration. A parent speaks Alfred Garza III, the father of Amerie Jo Garza, didnt know what to expect of the special session. He firmly raised his hand, introduced himself to the council from his seat at the second row of tables and asked whether summer school sessions would be postponed so that the children have time to cope with the trauma of the shooting. The mayor offered his condolences and said he could not answer his question because it was up to Uvalde CISD. After the meeting, Garza and his spouse stood outside City Hall and fielded questions from reporters. Amerie was a student in Irma Garcias fourth-grade class. She was in room 112 and had attempted to call 911 for help during the shooting. She was the first child buried amid the many funerals since last week. Now, Garza is patiently gathering the facts surrounding the shooting. A lawyer representing Garza has filed documents seeking details from Daniel Defense about how the company markets its firearms and other information. Garza had hoped to learn more at Tuesdays special session. Getting the most accurate information is going to help to provide change, he said. Theres some errors that are made; we all know that. He had mixed feelings about Arredondo not being at Tuesdays meeting. I think that he was going to get a lot questions that he wasnt prepared for, Garza said. The father said he has no ill will toward Arredondo and he doesnt lay blame on any one person. But he also said Arredondo will have to face the music. Garza stopped short of asking why the school district police chief waited so long to move in, saying he needs more information to ask the right questions. He said his faith in God is helping him move forward. The father has given thought to his next steps, but he was not ready to share them Tuesday. My main priority is to honor my daughters name; thats not going to change, he said. He also wants to be an advocate for gun reform. It doesnt take a genius to figure out that what were doing right now is not working, he said. Garza said he has a stepson a second-grader who was picked up early from Robb on the day of the shooting who was supposed to start summer school Tuesday. He kept the boy home as he continues to have questions about what occurred. His education is important, but his mental and physical health is more important to us, he said. Asked how the community will change going forward, he paused. Theres not one solution to this problem, he said. Theres a number of things that need to be done to reduce the chances of this happening again. jbeltran@express-news.net Regarding: Dan Crenshaw outlines case for impeaching Joe Biden and head of Homeland Security, (June 3): Just when I think Rep. Dan Crenshaw is distancing himself from the tinfoil-hat brigade, he again manages to endorse some politically performative foolishness. Not that President Biden or his immigration policies are above criticism. In a functioning democracy, policy failures should be criticized. While were at it, maybe we should criticize the Republicans failure to fix immigration when they controlled the White House and both houses of Congress four years ago. But I digress. Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy suggests Democrats had this coming, all but admitting this is nothing more than political tit for tat. As if extorting the leader of Ukraine or attempting a coup were somehow not worthy of impeachment. Thanks to numerous recordings and text messages, we know he, along with many Republicans, believed otherwise at the time. Every day, the Republican Party proves itself unable and unworthy to govern. I suspect that calling for Bidens impeachment is nothing but an attempt to stir up some dust in advance of the Jan. 6 committee hearings. Good luck with that. Robert Campbell, Katy Reading about Dan Crenshaws inaugural Border Security Summit in Montgomery County, it sounded like a bust with mostly rants against the Biden administrations policies and praise for the good old days when Trumps wall and inhumane treatment of families worked to keep the folks in Montgomery County safe. Really? But what disgusted me was reading that Crenshaw applauded the calls for Bidens impeachment but then recanted because if that were to happen then Kamala Harris would become president. Frankly, I expect more from my representative to Congress than cute remarks that cater to those who had no real solutions to offer on how to handle the huge numbers of immigrants who want to gain entry to our country. Granted I wasnt there to hear all the speeches and discussion but the fact that cries for impeachment came up doesnt sound like it was much more than a warmup of political rhetoric for the upcoming elections. Alice Lively, Kingwood UPDATE: Miah Cerrillo will appear the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee Wednesday morning. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Watch here. A fourth-grade Robb Elementary School student who survived the shooting there by covering herself in her friends blood in order to appear dead, will testify before Congress on Wednesday, according to a news release. Miah Cerrillo, 11, and other survivors of mass shootings in New York and Uvalde last month will appear before the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee to relay their experiences with gun violence. UVALDE MASSSCRE: Its time to die. You guys are mine, gunman said during 75 minutes of terror in Uvalde Felix and Kimberly Rubio, the parents of Lexi Rubio, a 10-year-old Robb Elementary School student gunned down in the Uvalde mass shooting, will also speak before lawmakers. Roy Guerrero, Uvaldes only pediatrician who helped treat victims, is also scheduled to speak. John Normile, HODELETE60 / TNS It is my hope that all my colleagues will listen with an open heart as gun violence survivors and loved ones recount one of the darkest days of their lives, U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, said in the news release. This hearing is ultimately about saving lives, and I hope it will galvanize my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to do just that. The hearing starts at 9 a.m. and will be livestreamed. On May 14, an 18-year-old gunman armed with a semi-automatic rifle is accused of opening fire on shoppers and employees at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. Authorities have said it was a racially motivated shooting that killed 10 and seriously injured three others. Ten days later, another 18-year-old gunman stormed an elementary school in Uvalde and opened fire on the children and teachers in their classrooms. The gunman, who used two assault-style rifles, killed 19 children and two teachers. ANALYSIS: Eight Texas mass shootings may have been prevented by proposed gun control efforts The House Judiciary Committee held an emergency meeting last week to mark up a legislative package that contains eight bills related to gun control. President Joe Biden also addressed the nation on Thursday and urged Congress to move forward on passing gun control legislation. The hearing on Wednesday will examine the urgent need for Congress to pass common sense legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and bolstering background checks on gun purchases. Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images The hearing will be broken into two panels of witnesses. The first panel will include survivors and victims of gun violence, and the second panel will be made up of gun safety advocates, experts and law enforcement. timothy.fanning@express-news.net U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz this week accused Democrats of focusing excessively on white supremacist violence, while overlooking attacks on white people, police and Jewish and Asian Americans, in an effort to inflict political damage on Republicans. Unfortunately, we see over and over again efforts to politicize acts of violence, Cruz said at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on domestic terrorism, where he alleged that Democrats in Congress try to use the charge of white supremacy, which is undoubtedly evil, bigoted and wrong, and weaponized by their own party, they try to use that as a proxy for attacking a political party they disagree with. Cruz added that violence is always wrong, whatever your ideology: left-wing, right-wing, no wings. The Texas Republicans remarks drew a swift rebuke from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who noted that the vast majority of racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists investigated by the FBI in 2020 were white supremacists. Federal law enforcement data and expert studies have shown that terrorist attacks by violent extremists have risen sharply in recent years. The trend has been driven largely by white supremacists and the far right, though left-wing extremists accounted for an increasing proportion of terrorist attacks and plots in the U.S. last year. In a report published last month, the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies found that violent far-right terrorist attacks and plots have outnumbered those of every other group, including left-wing extremists, in every year since at least 1994. NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Terrorist incidents peaked in 2020, when right-wing extremists accounted for 73 terrorist attacks and plots nearly three times the 25 far-left incidents recorded by CIS that year, including those that arose during protests over the death of George Floyd. The ideological gap narrowed last year, however, with 38 far-right terrorist attacks and plots, compared with 31 from left-wing extremists, according to CIS. The group also found that nearly three-quarters of terrorist attacks and plots at demonstrations last year were committed by those on the far left, including anarchists, anti-fascist extremists, and violent environmentalists mostly spurred by opposition to far-right ideologies and opposition to law enforcement. Still, right-wing extremists accounted for all but two of the 30 fatalities from terrorist attacks in the U.S. last year, committed by a mix of white supremacists, anti-government extremists, a violent misogynist and an anti-vaccination perpetrator. The FBI has reported similarly lopsided numbers. Since early 2020, the agency has ramped up its domestic terrorism caseload and assigned more people to investigate those cases, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray. As part of those efforts, federal authorities have arrested and charged more than 800 people accused of participating in the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. In the Judiciary Committee hearing, Cruz acknowledged that violence from white supremacist extremist organizations is a problem. He also pointed to incidents caused by other hate groups, including a mass shooting on a subway train in Brooklyn earlier this year that Cruz said was carried out by a Black supremacist who called for racial violence. When it comes to violence, the Department of Justice should not treat it as an excuse simply to target the political opponents of whatever administration is in power, Republican or Democrat, Cruz said. But instead, violent crime should be prosecuted vigorously across the board to keep people safe. jasper.scherer@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. Hudson, NY (12534) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 84F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Mass MoCA Looking to Fill Guard House Space NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art has issued a call for concepts for the guard house space. Deputy Director Tracy Moore told the Mass MoCA Commission on Monday that the museum has begun seeking out a new tenant to fill the space that formally housed A-oK Barbeque. "We are looking forward to entertaining ideas and looking forward to people sharing their concepts with us," Moore said. A-oK's owners announced in late April that they would be leaving the Museum campus on May 2. A-ok has operated in the guard house since 2018. "It is a special and important space," Moore said. Moore said the museum is accepting concepts until the third week in June. After that, Mass MoCA will further investigate the submitted concepts. Ultimately, the new tenant will be brought before the commission. She added that the space is about 1,200 square feet and although currently set up with a kitchen and a take-out window, the space can support other concepts. Also on the dining front, the commission voted to extend pop-up restaurant Door Prize's stay through the summer. "They had a great turn out for Solid Sound Weekend and they are looking to continue that," Moore said. The commission agreed to a Nov. 1 extension. Hours would be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Monday. Door Prize would be open Sunday as well from 11 to 5. "They have been a great tenant and member of the community. We would like to continue this relationship through the summer," Moore said. Mayor and commissioner Jennifer Macksey asked at what point does a pop-up restaurant become a permanent tenant and lay down "roots" in the Mass MoCA campus. Moore said any agreement that lasted longer than six months would be beyond the scope of a pop-up residency. Also, Mass MoCA would consider hours of operation greater than four days a tilt toward a permanent agreement. She said the pop-up arrangement allows time for both the museum and the restaurant to put a "toe in the water." "This just gives them some runway so they can see how their concept connects with the community, and they can make changes and learn about the community," she said. "... It has been a good model for both parties to get to know each other." Moore also gave a brief report on the recent Solid Sound Festival and noted that just over 8,000 people attended the festival when it was at "full tilt" Saturday. "We had a busy weekend with Solid Soundand just a quick thanks to all neighbors and friends in North Adams for supporting the event," she said. "It was well attended with happy music fans and artists all abound the campus." Berkshire Wine & Liquor owner Jigar Sinroza explains how a nip-bottle ban would affect his business at Monday's Ordinance and Rules meeting. Council Subcommittee Votes 'No' on Nip Ban in Pittsfield Pinal J. Shah, owner of Harte's, shows the subcommittee a poster he keeps in his window and has posted to Facebook to encourage patrons to dispose of their nip bottles. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Nips are safe in the city for now. Local liquor store owners persuaded the Ordinances and Rules subcommittee to reject a citywide nip bottle ban on Monday. The panel unanimously voted against a petition from attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo III requesting to ban the sale of the miniature booze bottles in Pittsfield. Owners of Harte's Package and Variety, Hashim's Package Store, Liquor's Inc., Chico's Wine and Spirits, and George's Liquor Store and Berkshire Wine and Liquors attended the meeting to speak against to ordinance. They acknowledged that nip-bottle littering and littering in general is a problem but said that a ban is not the solution. "A new ban would take away an important source of revenue for small businesses recovering from a challenging year," Chico's owner Kayur Shah said. "Nips account for 30 to 70 percent of our liquor, that's a lot and it will hurt stores a lot." Data was provided to the councilors that outlined the impact of nip sales on the city liquor stores' total revenue. According to the report, most do about 50 percent of their liquor sales in nips. "According to the data that we got from the distributor, Pittsfield alone sells $2 million worth of nips a year," Shah added. The proprietors explained that they have signage to encourage responsible disposal of the bottles and support community cleanups and increased efforts. "We all want to find a solution to all litter, not just nips," Pinal J. Shah, owner of Harte's said. "And we think that just banning nips will not solve the litter problem." Del Gallo proposed this ban to the subcommittee in early May because the 50-milliliter bottles are not returnable, often can't be recycled because of their tiny size, and are a frequent component of litter along the streets. Williamstown Health Board Again Advises Masks at Town Meeting WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Board of Health on Monday declined to institute a face-covering mandate for next Tuesday's resumption of the annual town meeting. Against a backdrop of declining local numbers for COVID-19, the board instead decided to continue its stance of strongly recommending masking in indoor spaces and reiterated the places where residents can obtain one. Town meeting, which began on May 17, adjourned to June 14 as its first order of business. The meeting will resume at 7 p.m. that Tuesday at a larger venue, the gymnasium at Mount Greylock Regional School. Prior to the May meeting, a resident obtained a Berkshire County Superior Court order requiring all attendees to wear face coverings at the meeting scheduled for May 17 at Williamstown Elementary School. On Monday morning, Town Moderator Adam Filson told the Board of Health that the judge's May 17 ruling applied only to the meeting in the WES gym and does not extend to the resumption next week. "As a board, our stand has always been that we strongly recommend masks, particularly in indoor gatherings," Win Stuebner told his colleagues. "That's an individual choice. We have refrained from making a mask mandate throughout the pandemic. "I think certainly in a more spacious environment at Mount Greylock and with the marked decrease in incidence of COVID in the community, I see no need to change my mind." The other three members of the board in attendance, Ronald Stant, Ruth Harrison and Devan Bartels, each expressed agreement with Stuebner's assessment. "Of course, vaccination is still the most important thing," Stuebner said. "I was distressed to see that in Massachusetts, less than 40 percent of adults have gotten their second booster, which was a little disappointing. Vaccination is certainly the most valid way to get protection from COVID." Harrison, meanwhile, cited a recent article in the New York Times supporting the efficacy of "one-way masking" that protects the wearer of a tight-fitting N-95 mask without requiring face coverings of those around them. Filson directed the board and viewers of the meeting to the town's website, which has an article on plans for the resumed town meeting and notes that free N-95 masks are available at CVS in North Adams, Pittsfield, and Bennington; Walgreens in North Adams and Pittsfield; Market 32 Pharmacy in Pittsfield; and Big Y Pharmacy in Pittsfield. Filson could not confirm that the town again will have masks available for residents who arrive at Tuesday's meeting without one, as it did on May 17, but said he would check on that with Town Clerk Nicole Beverly. The doors in the Mount Greylock gym will be kept open and fans will be turned on, and the town will arrange seats in a way to facilitate social distancing, Filson said. The Mount Greylock gym has a capacity of 1,500 people, nearly twice that at WES (800), according to school officials. On Monday, Filson reminded the Board of Health that the most recent seven-year average for town meeting attendance is 340. Health Inspector Jeff Kennedy Monday told the board that as of Monday morning, the town had six people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 in the previous six days. Three of those people were students at Williams College, which held its commencement exercises on Sunday. Stuebner noted those numbers are down significantly from the 63 cases Kennedy reported at the board's May 16 meeting (47 associated with the college at the time). In non-COVID news on Monday, Kennedy reported that the swimming hole at Margaret Lindley Park has passed its first couple of health inspections this spring. The town regularly tests the water from Memorial Day to Labor Day each year. Pittsfield COVID-19 Cases Wane But Still Not 'Out of The Woods' PITTSFIELD, Mass. COVID-19 cases are declining in the city but it remains in the "red zone." "While we're going down on the numbers, we're still not where we want to be, Director of Public Health Andy Cambi said to the Board of Health on Wednesday. A week ago, the percent positivity rate was 11.5, down from 14.7 in mid-May. The average case rate was 73.1 per 100,000 people, which is significantly less than the rate of 133.3 in mid-May. Pittsfield entered the red incidence rate for transmission in April when the positivity rate rose to 5.3 percent. This risk category is defined by having equal to or more than 10 average cases per 100,000 and having a five percent or higher positivity rate in a 14-day period. Berkshire Medical Center currently has six patients who tested positive while there were more than 20 early last month. There are an estimated 137 actively contagious people this week, down from 376 in mid-May. Cambi reported that many residents came to the Health Department early last month for free testing kits. With summer vacation soon approaching, the city is providing test kits to its camps and ordering more from the state. They have also been provided to Pittsfield schools. Because the at-home tests aren't in the citys database, Biobot sewage testing was identified as an important tool for having accurate case counts. Last Tuesday, the testing showed a 7-day average virus concentration of 762.4 copies per liter, down from 1 million in mid-May. Diversity Committee Members Speak of Pain From Threatening Email WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Members of the town's diversity committee Monday talked about the emotional toll from an email that threatened violence against the committee and others speaking out about making the town more welcoming to diverse populations. "When I read it, I had such a rush of blood going up to my ears that I didn't hear anything for a few minutes," Andi Bryant told her colleagues during a virtual meeting. "It was that startling and that frightening for me. "I spent a couple of days in fear, and I'm not too ashamed to admit that. It scared the hell out of me. It made me question what I'm doing." Intimidation appeared to be the goal of the email, which sparked a police investigation and a strongly worded condemnation in a joint statement from the Diversity, Inclusion and Racial Equity Committee and the Select Board. Those two bodies held two joint meetings since the May 23 email -- first in executive session to discuss the situation and again last week to approve the joint statement drafted by the chairs. Monday marked the first regular meeting of the DIRE Committee since the incident but not the first time that the committee has dealt with efforts to silence the work it began in the summer of 2020. "It's not the first time members of DIRE have been threatened for speaking out, for expressing their views publicly," founding member Andrew Art said. "And I think, in terms of process, the steps we went through publicly to hear what the legal assessment was about the letter was important. "I also think it's important to hear how things like this impact individuals on the committee because, although we're subject to the Open Meeting Law and we take that responsibility seriously, individuals bring their own experience to the moment of being affected or not affected by the email being received." Randall Fippinger elaborated on how the same hate-filled message could land differently with different recipients. "I just want to reiterate the ripple effects of the email we received," Fippinger said later in the meeting. "It went straight through my house and beyond. As a privileged white male, I can respond to it one way, but other people in my house are not as privileged as me and had a much harder response to it." Adding to the element of fear was the fact that the email was sent from a fake email account, which indicated a level of premeditation. "This person worked to disguise their name," Fippinger said. "I'm surprised that, in the eyes of the law, that didn't elevate the level of seriousness. To intentionally mask yourself seems to add an added level of serious intent. "It wasn't impulsive." The police investigation identified the email's writer but did not result in criminal charges. The local probe involved consultation with the FBI and the State Police. During Monday's public participation, resident Jessica Dils asked what other resources could be brought to bear or might still be brought into the conversation, specifically suggesting the American Civil Liberties Union. Noah Smalls, who co-chairs the DIRE Committee with Bryant, said it was an idea worth pursuing. Smalls emphasized that he thought the WPD investigation was thorough but wondered aloud if there were other entities who should be involved in this or future incidents. "To Jessica's point, it does bring up a great opportunity for continued dialogue on how to richen the landscape of support systems and networks to deal with incidents like this," Smalls said. "It is a bit short-armed to have -- especially for a diversity committee -- to have only internal to the town agencies available to jump into action on these things. "I don't want to use this to take anything away from the actions of our police department, because that's not relevant here. They've been very supportive and did everything they could to rush right in on our behalf. There are some things that just can't be filled by a local police department, and we need to have those things available to us when we're thinking through these issues." Bryant expressed concerns about the public release of details of the email, which iBerkshires.com obtained under the commonwealth's public records law. The DIRE Committee and Select Board considered releasing the email when they issued a joint statement on the threats but chose to instead characterize the email's language as "including violent imagery" and an act of "intimidation." Bryant said going into more detail invites copycats. And she worried that exposing the language used when the email itself was not a chargeable offense provides a guideline for copycats for just how far they can go without running afoul of the law. "As a committee, we discussed the public release of the email, and we didn't decide to do that," Art said. "[Bryant] wasn't the only person who had concerns about the release." In other business on Monday, Art suggested that the town should find a way to engage the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians in a conversation about the naming of the new multi-modal trail being built from Syndicate Road to the Spruces Park. Art noted that Massachusetts Department of Transportation documents refer to the trail as the "Mohawk Pedestrian/Bicycle Trail," a name that mimics the portion of Route 2 from Greenfield to Williamstown known as the Mohawk Trail. He pointed out that the vehicular Mohawk Trail was a magnet for appropriated imagery of indigenous people and kitschy "Indian" trinkets that had no legitimate connection to or benefit for the native people who were displaced from their homeland. And he said the town and MassDOT should not repeat the mistakes of the past when it has the opportunity to have a dialogue with the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, which has an extension office on Spring Street. Berkshire District Attorney's Office Honors Outgoing Youth Advisory Board PITTSFIELD, Mass. The Berkshire District Attorney's Office honored the accomplishments of this year's Youth Advisory Board in an evening of celebration on Thursday, June 2. Overseen by the Berkshire District Attorney's Office, the board consists of 16 high school juniors and seniors from 9 different Berkshire County schools to bring youth issues to the forefront, build positive social environments among their school-aged peers, and volunteer to serve the community. "I congratulate the outgoing members of this year's Youth Advisory Board. While I am sad that they will no longer be a presence in my office, I am excited to see what they accomplish. They've given me confidence that our future is in good hands," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said. "The Youth Advisory Board's contributions to our community are immeasurable as they've led their peers on the important issues of mental health, bullying, inclusivity, and healthy living, which will make our entire community safer for years to come." The ceremony highlighted the year's activities. In May, the Youth Advisory Board attended the Anti-Defamation League's (ADL) Woman of Valor Luncheon in Boston, recognizing women leaders and their impact on our communities every day. The ADL gives the Women of Valor Award to remarkable women leaders committed to fighting hate, building bridges of understanding, and safeguarding liberties in their communities. Ndey Awa Touray, a co-chair of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office Youth Advisory Board, delivered a speech, sharing the board's work to instill allyship and messages of inclusion in local schools. From attending training with the ADL to organizing the STRIVE Leadership Conference for our 8th-grade students, Touray shared the importance of the Youth Advisory Board's work to help their peers address bullying in all Berkshire County high schools. "Being one of the keynote speakers at the ADL Woman of Valor event was truly an honor I will never forget. That experience taught me that I can make more of an impact on my community than I sometimes believe. I thank the Youth Advisory Board for that push," Touray said. After the ceremony, the U.S. Attorney's Office provided the board a tour of the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse. The Youth Advisory Board met with U.S. Attorney Rachel Rollins and her staff and articulated a deep knowledge and understanding of youth issues. In March, the Youth Advisory Board hosted the annual STRIVE Leadership Conference. The office's Youth Advisory Board organizes and hosts the annual conference to empower eighth-grade students from schools throughout the county as they prepare to enter high school. A total of 75 students attended this year's conference. The board chose the theme "Courageous Conversations" and engaged with speakers who focused on youth mental health, wellbeing, inclusivity, and anti-bullying. "The Berkshire District Attorney Youth Advisory Board allowed me to meet amazing people within my community and allowed us to bring our minds together to try and create change. I was also given an amazing opportunity to meet U.S. Attorney Rachel Rollins. This experience was something I will never forget," said Youth Advisory Board member Emma Bergeron. The board received the ADL's No Place for Hate training on building inclusive school communities and took those lessons back to their districts. The Anti-Defamation League combats hate and bigotry through educating middle and high school students across New England through anti-bias peer training programs, partnering with local law enforcement agencies, and responding to local incidents in the community, all while advocating for justice, equality, and fair treatment for all. Board members also created a Safer Internet Day public service announcement to raise awareness of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and share tips on safe internet usage with their peers. The board assisted with the Berkshire District Attorney's Office's annual Vigil of Remembrance, a candlelight vigil for families to reflect and honor their loved ones who died in impaired driving collisions and spread awareness to deter others from operating under the influence. The board volunteered to paint and clean the Roots Teen Center during the MCLA Day of Service. The Thursday evening ceremony included a buffet catered by KJ Nosh, speeches from the District Attorney Harrington, members of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office Juvenile Justice Unit, Chair of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee Bill Ballen, and reflections on the year from Youth Advisory Board Chair Ben Heim and Co-Chairs Touray and Aiden Hyatt. Dalton Select Board Approves Continuity of Operations Plan DALTON, Mass. The Select Board voted to accept the Continuity of Operations Plan on Monday that would establish a framework to reduce the consequences of a disaster. "Massachusetts is vulnerable to many hazards, just in Berkshire County we have seen the effects of wildfires, hurricanes, tornados, wind storms and localized flooding," the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan states. "In addition the state has had to deal with major coastal flooding, dam failure, radiation contamination, hazardous materials spills or releases." Emergency Management Director Daniel Filiault has been working with department heads to establish responsibilities to agencies and individuals and identify lines of authority. The plan provides an organized process that emergency personnel and local government staff can refer to so that they can properly prepare and respond to the disaster in an effective matter that would lessen the consequences making for an easier recovery. "It also provides for the systematic integration of additional emergency resources but does not replace other federal, state or national emergency operations plans or procedures," the plan reads. "It identifies lines of authority and organizational relationships for the management of emergency response actions, describes how people and property are protected in an emergency or disaster, and identifies legal authority." The effectiveness of the plan would allow for community services "to resume minimum essential operations within 12 hours of an emergency, with or without warning, and to sustain emergency operations for up to 30 days." "It is a guide. What's in here is not written in stone. It allows for the town to adapt. If there's a reason for the town to say, 'wait a minute this is what we say we should de we can't do that," Filiault said. In other business, the Select Board voted to declare the Bardin property for sale and Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson will come back to the board to determine the process for the request for proposals due to the complexity of the situation. Hutcheson and the town's legal team have met with state Department of Agricultural Resources officials. He said the state informed him to move forward with the sale of the land. The state has interest because the property is under an agricultural preservation restriction. "As APR land, the state has the right of first refusal for any sale of the property. So if it looks as though the two pieces of property might be owned by two separate people, and the state decides that it's worth the effort, they can exercise their right of first refusal and become the owners of the property themselves," Hutcheson said, "And then it is their concern how to reunite the two parcels. But they did not think that at this point, it was worth objecting to the sale of the land because they would be willing to use that if they needed to in order to ensure the integrity of the parcel if they continue to decide that that's worth it, so they did encourage the town to go ahead with the sale." The Select Board also approved the warrant for special town meeting being held to authorize spending for Town Hall renovations and other expenses that were not anticipated for at the annual town meeting. A yes vote on Article 1 would authorize the town to pay $8,6324 to pay sewer and debt expenses and a yes vote on Article 2 would authorize an additional $100,000 be added to the $500,000 Town Hall budget. "We learned that the second floor is going to require substantial work in order to create load bearing walls in the interior to support any future work on the third floor," Hutcheson said. "And since that's what one of the reasons that we're doing this, this work now, we don't have a figure for that yet. But we do expect to get one in the next week or two." The amount of $100,000 is a draft figure. "Because we had this prior authorization My first thought was to extend the authorization. And the chair of the Finance Committee reminded me that we also had a capital stabilization fund. And that might be an appropriate place to take money from if we need to," Hutcheson added. The Finance Committee has not made a recommendation yet but is having a meeting on June 22 to consider any end-of-the-year items. A yes vote on Article 3 would require a simple majority vote and would move $2,066 from free cash to the Miscellaneous Grants account to cure a deficit. The special town meeting will be on Monday, June 27, at 7 p.m. at Wachonah Regional High School. The town was awarded a $60,000 Community Compact grant for constructing a fiber optic system when connecting the municipal buildings, as well as Pine Grove Park, Hutcheson said. "The town is expected to contribute a match of about $8,000 which can come either from the newly established grant match fun, or from the amended authorization for borrowing for it purposes." The annual Berkshire Pride Parade and Festival took place on Saturday in Pittsfield. Berkshire Pride Festival Emits Love, Urges Creation of Better World Erika Allison speaks to the crowd at the Berkshire Pride Festival on Saturday. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. The sun rose high on Saturday afternoon giving the LGBTQIA-plus community a chance to be prideful of who they are and to celebrate differences. Queer interfaith minister, author, and spiritual counselor Erika Allison spoke of the "somber" state of the world that has hindered the rights of individuals. "I don't need to tell you that we are living in sobering times. Ongoing attacks on trans rights from every angle, shocking initiatives to place archaic controls on women and their bodies, puzzling bans on acknowledging the very existence of our community, manipulative dictators attacking and oppressing other countries, and of course the tragic loss of human lives due to gun violence and our inadequate mental health support system," she said to the gathering. "And this doesn't even include the violence and injustices happening daily that doesn't make the news headlines due to culturalized norms and systemic racism, and the violence to animals on our planet." Hundreds of community members gathered along Eagle Street and Fenn Street as they applauded businesses and individuals marching in the annual parade with rainbow embellishments to the Common for the Berkshire Pride Festival. One resident said it was a wonderful sight to see how large the parade and festival has grown over the years and that when it first started there was not nearly as many people. During Allison's speech, she expressed the trauma she had to overcome from enduring conversion therapy because of the belief systems that her Texas family had. The controversial treatment uses prayer or psychological pressure in an attempt to "cure" gay people and has been outlawed in 20 states including Massachusetts and all of New England. Although her family loved her, their religious beliefs could not comprehend the existence of a gay person, Allison said. "As I was sent into conversion therapy to 'pray my gay away,' I was overwhelmed with feelings of confusion and powerlessness. How could people who love me reject the core of who I am in such a deep and painful way?" she said. This experience led her down a path of seeking acceptance from others until she learned from her experiences to finally love herself. "When we attempt to handle the complex dissonance of the world from our minds alone, we take actions from fear. I was terrified then. I kept my heart closed because I couldn't bear to be hurt any further," Allison said. "And if I'm honest, I can see how I caused as much harm as I was attempting to avoid at that time in my life." Allison expressed hope for a better future in her speech and said the LGBTQIA-plus community is being called to lead a "shifting and crumbling" system. "Now, over 20 years later, I've gone from that scared kid who was forced into conversion therapy to change my truth to the pillar of strength and joy for my aging parents as they question their own beliefs and expand into truer versions of themselves" she said. "For those who are identified with these systems, it feels like death. We know this journey. We have experienced the crumbling of a heteronormative system of identity before our very eyes as we awakened to the truth of who we are." Being able to walk through their fear and come out the other side knowing who they are and being more vibrant than before despite the messages around them is the "superpower that many wish they had," she said. She told the audience to place their hands on their hearts and take a deep breath so they can take a moment to feel their aliveness through the chaotic sounds of the festival. This sentiment reverberated across the entire common: a couple set up a sign saying "Free Mom Hugs" and strangers in need of hugs came to be embraced while others walked up to strangers to compliment on them on their beauty. The festival also featured vendors, music and song, belly dancers, and drag performers. "My friends, our lives are a masterpiece of unapologetic truth and unlimited possibility. Live your truth. Shine your vibrant light," Allison said. "Change the world from the inside out. And you will give others permission to do the same." Greylock Principal Chosen to Lead Clarksburg School Sandra Cote, seen in this file photo, has been named the new principal of Clarksburg School. CLARKSBURG, Mass. Sandra J. Cote, currently the principal of Greylock School in North Adams, has been named to lead Clarksburg School. The longtime educator replaces Tara Barnes, who was hired as the director of pupil services for the Northern Berkshire School Union. "We are excited to have an educator with over 30 years experience for years as a principal," said Superintendent John Franzoni on Tuesday. "Sandy and I worked together when I was dean of students at Greylock School for three years and we both are graduates of North Adams' Drury High School and we've known each other since we were very young. "I respect her as an educator and she'll be a great addition to Clarksburg." Cote has been principal of Greylock since 2003, after teaching in the North Adams school system for 15 years. Franzoni said the school staff was notified of the hiring on Monday before it became public. Cote has agreed to a three-year contract that is expected to be signed by the end of the week. The superintendent said the school received "four very qualified candidates" who were interviewed by a committee that included himself, School Committee Chair Laura Wood, teachers Cathy Howe, Mark Karhan, Colette Klein and Mary Quinto and Information Technology Director Joshua Arico. Cote was one of two finalists. "We've been very fortunate the last two years to replace two veteran principals that did a great job ... with two other veterans," Franzoni said. "Dr. [Martin] McEvoy up in Florida and now Sandy in Clarksburg, that's really I think, a good sign for our district that we're getting such high-quality applicants for the principal positions." McEvoy started at Gabriel Abbott Memorial School on July 1 last year, replacing Heidi Dugal, who had been principal for 13 years and a teacher for 15 years prior. McEvoy had been principal of Lanesborough Elementary School and of Herberg Middle School in Pittsfield, and vice principal at Hoosac Valley High School in Cheshire, and did a year's stint as a superintendent in Hatfield. Greylock School is expected to close within the next several years if a renovation project at Brayton School is successful. Cote is currently a member of the School Building Committee. While Clarksburg is gaining a principal, North Adams is losing another administrator. Brayton Principal Carrie Wallace is retiring at the end of the school year and Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Roberts-Morandi has accepted the position of superintendent of schools in Sutton. At the 31st World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Sandhya Ekneligoda, the wife of missing journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda, spoke against impunity for the officials who are responsible for the disappearance of her husband. Sandhya Ekneligoda, the wife of missing journalist, Prageeth Ekneligoda, spoke against impunity at the 31st World Congress of the IFJ. Dear colleagues of the IFJ, first I need to give my heartiest thanks to you for this opportunity. There are many brave journalists in Sri Lanka who have handled their pens and brushes against injustice. I will start my speech with my remembrance of the journalists who faced persecution, disappearance, and were killed. Journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda was an investigative reporter and he worked hard to expose the socio-cultural, economic, and political issues in Sri Lanka. He did his career as a cartoonist and political columnist but also worked as an online journalist near the time of his disappearance. Financial corruption and social injustice of the Rajapaksha regime, that governed Sri Lanka at that time, and the brutality of Sri Lankas war were criticised by him [Prageeth], and he said this was his responsibility. First, 2009 brought him into a shambles as he was blindfolded and handcuffed but released after a day. On January 24, 2010, he disappeared after he was forcibly abducted, which from my perspective is a very cruel crime. I, Sandhya Ekneligoda, the wife of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda and a mother of two sons, I would like to introduce myself. As a result, victimised by the disappearance of my husband in 2010, I transformed into a human rights activist, and creative struggler and I think I sacrificed my whole life for this struggle. The reason to identify me as a creative struggler is my path. In Sri Lanka and the world, there are many cultural and religious beliefs, and rituals that are based on praying and lament, and imprecation and I am using those beliefs as my strategy. I think it can fulfill my goal to achieve justice and truth for Prageeth one day and I feel he is with me lifelike. I would like to share the experience that I had in the main three ruling institutions in Sri Lanka which are the executive, constitutional, and judicial. These experiences expose my view about impunity in Sri Lanka. In the past 12 years, for 15 direct or indirect cases I went to magistrate courts, high courts, appeal courts, and the Supreme Court. Five of these cases are directly related to Prageeth. Regarding the judicial bodies of Sri Lanka, on the January 25, 2010, I first went to the police station, which is in my local area. When I asked to complain, the officer in charge of that police station argued with me and wasted my time. He said my effort was for a fake complaint. The role of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka was similar to that. Then on the February 19, 2010, I filed a Habeas Corpus in the court of appeal of Sri Lanka. From 2010 to 2016 this case was actively ongoing. At that time some ministers of the Rajapaksha regime said Prageeth was living in a foreign country as a refugee. In 2010, the former attorney general, Mohan Pieris, claimed the same at the Geneva conference. But after coming to Sri Lanka, he said to the court that only god knows the place which Prageeth lives. In 2015 the Rajapaksha government was defeated in the election and the Yahapalana government came to the power. After this change, they called the crime investigation department to start investigations about killed journalists and several crimes. Within a few months, they identified people who were responsible for the disappearance of Prageeth and produced them to the court after arrest. The suspects are intelligence officers of Sri Lankan military forces. They abducted him in 2009 and again in 2010. The crime investigation department and the Sri Lanka army are state institutions. In a criminal case, the Sri Lankan republic are in the role of the complainant. But the Sri Lanka army did not provide data or information for this case. Sometimes they provided fake information to the court. The Rajapaksha gang that sits in opposition during this period pressured the government institutions which are investigating the case. One is sticking contumelious posters against me, investigative officers, and lawyers of the attorney general department. They used Buddhist monks to pressurize the court. One such kind of monk publicly berated me at court premises. He said, Your man is a terrorist. You go and live as a beggar. And they published thousands of contumelious social media posts and stories. They defaced my images. I think I am the only woman in Sri Lanka who faced such kinds of hate speeches and actions. There were impolite terms in those publications and some of them says after killing my children and feeding me by their flesh. Former president Sirisena said these offenders must be released from remand because they are military officers. In 2019, while in a situation like this, Colombo permanent trio bar high court and Homagama magistrate court started to examine the case. In 2019, just after the arrival of President Gotabaya Rajapaksha, he appointed a commission to investigate political nemesis. This commission purposely takes a decision to release military officers who are responsible for Prageeths disappearance and recommended convicting investigation officers. The commission takes evidence from witnesses forcibly without judicial power. Similarly, they frighten the witnesses at the moment. A witness provided evidence in front of the magistrate in 2015, saying his previous declaration is wrong. They use many tactics to protect and release military officers from punishment, who are committing crimes in need of political groups and keep impunity. By any means, the court gives punishments for the offenders, and they are trying to reach presidential pardons. Please consider, how the victim or his family can face such a moment? Now I am going to the starting point of my story. I said I am a woman who sacrificed her whole life for the fight. On January 25, 2022, to execrate Rajapaksha, I tonsured my long hair and wore black clothes. Now I am wearing this red shawl. You can google to find this real story. My appearance is saying to you, my arrival is from a country that does not have justice for victims and keeps impunity for offenders. I have a promise to myself. That is, until there is justice for Prageeth, I am a tonsure and black-clothed women. I hope the day will come quickly and hope to get back my long hair and feel the happiness of colors. Finally, I would like to say something to the family members of victimised journalists of the whole world, your beloved one is significant. Powerful rulers are fearing the enlightenment of killed journalists by living journalists. So, let us protect the light of his or her pen until having justice. Let us make it our responsibility. It will be the end of the impunity. Sandya Ekneligoda is an award-winning Sri Lankan human rights activist, who has campaigned for thousands of missing journalists since the abduction of her husband,Prageeth Ekneligoda, in 2010. Omanis are known for their easeful hospitality, and so it was that, in late May, a group of us journalists, having arrived via Doha, were received with a platter of tea and dates at the Muscat airport. In a waiting room reserved for delegates of the 31st congress of the International Federation of Journalistsa sort of triennial United Nations for media unionswe made small talk in English. A television producer from Serbia, no peaceful place to do journalism, asked,How are things in your countries? An Indonesian reporter said that things were mercifully stable at the moment. The same for a Cambodian man who regularly assists imprisoned journalists. When I said that I was from the U.S., the Serbian replied with a wry smile, Oh, youre American, youre not part of this conversation. However chilling the Trump era was for the US media, we have generally had an easy time. This was a humbling takeaway from the four-day IFJ Congress, which I had the honor of attending with Larry Goldbetter, on behalf of NWU. We heard from journalists in Togo and Afghanistan who face life-threatening violence on the job; a Ukrainian whose home in Lviv is now a crowded way-station for colleagues seeking westerly sanctuary; and a Mexican reporter who has lost many friends to their craft. Brazilian reporters described the dangers of their work under Bolsonaro, and all of us delegates stood for a minute of silence to honor Al Jazeeras Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces in May. (NWU has joined IFJ and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate to demand war crimes charges against Israel for its targeting of journalists.) Throughout the Congress, delegates approached Larry and me with small requests for the State Department and Washington-based NGOs. Our privilege, by birthright, was not lost on us; nor was the American legacy of harm in so many regions of the world. But at the same time, we were reminded of the contingency of our freedom: a French delegate made a brief presentation on the forty-year campaign to free the Black radical journalist, Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia addressed the Congress through a pre-recorded greeting from his prison cell in Pennsylvania. The last IFJ Congress was in Tunis, in 2019, before the shattering effects of Covid-19. On a panel titled Journalism in the time of the pandemic, a Peruvian delegate explained the disproportionate deaths suffered by journalists in South and Latin America, especially freelancers. The virus had layered one danger over another: the recession of 2020 translated into layoffs and a shift from full-time to contingent work. In other parts of the world, however, Covid was something of an afterthought. We have bigger problems than the coronavirus, an Afghan delegate told Larry and me. The pandemic has not, of course, slowed organizing among journalists in the US. Jon Schleuss, president of NWUs sister union, the News GuildCWA, gave a presentation via Zoom on the continued expansion of journalism staff unions across the country. Afterward, a delegate from France told me that she was moved by the ambition and speed of the campaign. (Perhaps the only upside of our sclerotic US labor regime is its occasional provocation of shop-floor radicalism, I thought.) But not all the attendees were labor radicals: some were from groups that operated more as professional associations than trade unions. And, judging from their comments, some of the unions wished only to preserve the status quo of their members. I felt proud of the outward-facing work of NWU and the NewsGuild. The last morning of the congress, Larry and I received a bit of happy news from home. In Albany, New York, the Freelance Isnt Free bill had passed both houses and was awaiting the governors signature. (A municipal version of this law has been in effect in New York City since 2017.) Delegates from the United Kingdom and Ireland treated Larry to an early-morning whiskey toast, while I made a general announcement about the bill, inviting all those interested in freelance organizing to come chat with us during the break. The response was touching. We had conversations with journalists from Namibia, Rwanda, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Australia. And colleagues from the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia told us about their own recent successes against the abuse of freelancers. Our priorities at NWU seem to be increasingly relevant, as the migration of media online, paired with public disinvestment, makes a global precariat of us all. Larry and I return from Oman emboldened, with more allies in the fight. Twenty three international media freedom, freedom of expression and journalists organisations, including the IFJ, today called for the immediate dismissal of the bill on disinformation and fake news which was submitted to the parliament on May 27 by the governing alliance of Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The IFJ joins the international outcry to end the law designed to expand online censorship and criminalise the free flow of information. Read the full statement. The bill threatens up to three years imprisonment for those found guilty of the deliberate publishing of disinformation and fake news intended to instigate fear or panic, endanger the countrys internal or external security, public order and general health of Turkeys society. Such a bill, where the definition of disinformation and intent is left so vague, puts millions of Turkeys internet users at risk of criminal action for posting information that the government disagrees with. Placed in the hands of Turkeys highly politicized judiciary, the law would become another tool for harassing journalists and activists and may cause blanket self-censorship across the internet. The bill would also increase any sentence by 50% where information is published from anonymous user accounts. This severely undermines anonymity on the internet and further intimidates those wanting to publish evidence of corruption and wrongdoing but are afraid of the consequences of being publicly identified. The governing alliance claim the bill is in line with the European Unions Digital Services Act and General Data Protection Regulation, however there are no such provisions under either of these laws. The law would also bring news sites under the Press Law (Basin Kanunu). This gives their journalists access to the official press accreditation and also to public advertising funds through the official Press Advertising Agency, Basin Ilan Kurumu (BIK). In practice however this will simply enable the government to fund pro-government news sites while banning critical media deemed to have breached the disinformation law. In the drafting stage, the government reportedly organized a consultation with international digital platforms yet it failed to hold any meetings with media representatives, editors, journalism associations or unions, despite these groups, and their members, being the most affected by the legislation. The draft bill is currently before the Parliament. However the role of parliament has been so heavily undermined by the Presidential system that the bill is being rushed through without proper scrutiny or debate and expected to be passed swiftly into law within days. Disinformation is an important issue and needs to be combatted but not at the price of restricting journalists rights and the publics rights of freedom of expression. Any such initiatives should be developed in close consultation with media and other stakeholders and include sufficient safeguards for free speech and independent journalism that can prevent their abuse by the government to impose arbitrary censorship. We, therefore, call on all Turkeys parliamentarians who believe in the parliamentary process and the free flow of ideas and information as central to a democratic society, to vote down this bill. Signed by: International Press Institute (IPI) ARTICLE 19 Articolo 21 Association of European Journalists Committee to Protect Journalists English PEN European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) IFEX International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Media Research Association (MEDAR) OBC Transeuropa (OBCT) PEN America PEN International PEN Norway Platform for Independent Journalism (P24) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) Swedish Pen The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) Turkey Human Rights Litigation Support Project World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) To prevent employees from becoming another statistic in the Great Resignation, companies may want to revisit the health benefits they offer. Some small business owners are embracing a perk once rarely found outside of the U.S. military--no-cost health insurance. The average U.S. worker pays $1,299 toward an individual premium or $5,969 toward a family premium each year, according to a 2021 survey from the Kaiser Family Health Foundation. With job openings still hovering near all-time highs and the unemployment rate stuck at 3.6 percent, founders are finding one of the best ways to attract and retain talent is to bring that out-of-pocket number down to zero. Nearly half of the 475 companies on Inc.'s 2022 Best Workplaces list now offer entirely employer-paid health insurance. And 90 percent of employers rank health as the benefit their workforce values the most, according to the Society for Human Resource Management Benefits Survey. At the enterprise software company Bluestaq, one of Inc.'s 2022 Best Workplaces, employees do not open their wallets for health care for themselves or anyone in their immediate families. The defense technology contractor completely covers health, dental, and vision insurance for its 63 employees as well as their spouses, partners, and children. That generosity is rare and puts Bluestaq among only 4 percent of companies nationwide that fully cover family premiums. It does not come cheap, however. Last year, the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based company paid out nearly $1 million in premiums. Still, CEO Seth Harvey sees the line item as one of the business's most meaningful investments and a powerful recruiting tool. "It's something we are starting to become known for in our community," Harvey says, adding that nearly everyone who applies to Bluestaq mentions the company's no-cost health care. Almost all employees opt into the health care plan in some capacity, but any Bluestaqers who want to pass receive half of the cost of the monthly premium back into their paycheck. With a blue-chip plan, the cash payout can be pretty significant, Harvey says. "One of the best things I think we ever did was establish this as a benefit from the very beginning," said Harvey, who co-founded Bluestaq in 2018 and built the higher health care costs into his budget and contract rates from the onset. "It's hard to change your benefits down the road." While it may be hard, it's not impossible, as many of the Inc. 2022 Best Workplaces offering no-cost health care made the change in the past year. For New York City-based Bizzabo, also an Inc. Best Workplaces honoree, the decision started with an employee survey. The event technology platform was founded back in 2011, and after more than a decade in business, its workforce had matured along with the company. The 383 employees included more families and children, which made health care an even bigger priority. In 2021, Bizzabo invested in its employer contribution for health, dental, and vision insurance. The overhaul ensured that 85 percent of employees, including those covering children, pay nothing for health coverage. When Tami Golan, the chief people officer at Bizzabo, speaks with both employees and job candidates, conversations around medical benefits come up much more often today compared with two years ago. "People are interested in benefits," said Golan. "They're very specific and very intentional in what kind of benefits they're looking for." Bizzabo's enhanced coverage prompted positive feedback from current employees and helped attract new ones over the past year as the company went through a period of growth, Golan said. Osano, a data-privacy platform that helps websites comply with the alphabet soup of privacy laws, used to cover 80 percent of its employees' premiums. In 2021, the company, another Best Workplaces honoree, bumped its contribution up to 100 for employees and 50 percent for dependents, joining just 12 percent of U.S. employers to do so, according to Kaiser. The company also offers its fully remote workforce a monthly stipend for dependent benefits and expanded its parental leave policy to include cases of miscarriage or stillbirth. The goal: to make Osano's plan so comprehensive that its 39 employees would never need to worry about health care costs. Founding CEO Arlo Gilbert has been building startups for more than two decades and said the benefits package that Osano offers has become table stakes in today's labor market. "You're going to get higher caliber candidates," he says. During the hiring process, top-notch benefits have allowed Osano to keep that part of the conversation short and focus more on job skills and cultural fits. For any business owner thinking about making the switch, Gilbert says the return on investment is clear even in the short term. "It pays itself back very quickly," he said. "The math works out very well. Your employees are not spending their time thinking about health care. Instead, they are consuming the health care that they need and want, and then they're back at the office." EXPLORE MORE Best Workplaces COMPANIES Amazon consumer CEO Dave Clark recently announced his resignation in a tweet, proving that even some of the most coveted employers are not Great Resignation-proof. The longtime Amazon executive said, "I've had an incredible time at Amazon but it's time for me to build again. It's what drives me." That drive to build is what causes most top performers to leave their perch, no matter how high it is. It's not that there isn't enough money. It's that there's not enough room for growth. Not growth in terms of the height of the corporate ladder, but rather in the potential heights they can take a business to. So when the opportunities slow or stop, they feel there's nowhere else they can go with the business. The result? They go elsewhere. As staffing continues to become increasingly difficult, employers are not only left scrambling to fill positions, but also to retain employees--specifically, their top employees. When the strangest Great Resignation strategy is also the most effective, understanding what motivates staff will help you retain your employees, and attract new ones. Top Performers Thrive on Room for Improvement When top performers come into a new company or position, they are motivated by the sheer work that needs to be done. They feed off of challenges and thrive on room for improvement. In other words, top performers like having problems to solve, big goals to contend with, and something to strive for that is currently out of reach. It's within the space between where a top performer is and where they want to be that motivates them to get there. It's the uphill battle that drives them to charge ahead full-force. It's what makes them excited to do their jobs, to come up with innovative ideas, and make progress. It's how they feel as though they're having an impact, pursuing their passion. Job Satisfaction Depends on the Pursuit of Movement For many, job satisfaction depends on job security and stability. But for top performers (and entrepreneurs alike), security can feel more like stagnation than contentment. Rather than feeling at peace within a stable organization where there is little demand (or desire) for growth, top performers will likely feel stuck. At large and mature companies such as Amazon, milestones don't have miles between them the way they do at new ventures and young companies. When the future of the organization doesn't depend on growth but on maintenance, projects typically center around fine-tuning. These slight optimizations often aren't fulfilling to the doer who desires mass movement to feel productive. Seemingly small amounts of movement can feel like small amounts of progress. And for top performers, small amounts of progress can feel more like failure than success. When the Work Is Done, Doers Move On Top performers are fueled by a passion to innovate, produce, and make progress. But for many of them, once they can no longer achieve those ambitions they lose interest. Or their employer loses interest in their ideas. Many reach the end of their road when they realize they no longer share their employer's vision. Because they see things differently, they don't necessarily see the progress they've made as the final destination (as the organization might), but a point along the path to something even bigger. Businesses of every size need the doer to get things done, reach goals, and move the dial toward becoming all it can be. Even trillion-dollar companies like Amazon have space to grow, but that doesn't always mean that the organization is giving its staff or executives the room they desire. To keep top performers, innovators, and doers happy, give them space to create, innovate, and expand--or you can expect them to go. In 2019, if someone were to tell you that the world will close up, flights won't be operating, countries would shut borders and travelling would be banned, you would think they are crazy, right? But that really happened. The onset of one of the deadliest infections of our times -- COVID-19 -- brought our lives to a standstill in early 2020 and continued for two long years. And, it has had an impact on pretty much everything from economy to trade, to the heath sector, jobs, education and even the aviation sector. BCCL Why are the tickets expensive? Now, when the world is fully opening up, we're bearing the brunt of it and how (hint: expensive plane tickets). But, why are the tickets so expensive anyway? Here's why. People are looking for flights -- sometimes their first in years -- in a rush of what's been termed "revenge travel." Internet searches show sky-high airfares for many routes, yet travellers with wanderlust are opting to stomach the higher costs after being grounded for so long. How bad is it? The demand is off the charts, Delta Air Lines Inc. Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said at an industry conference last week, noting that fares this summer may be 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels. That essentially means, if a ticket to Bali costed 30,000 return, it'll now cost around 40,000. plane-generic-in-house-627b8360986fd Its coming with leisure, its coming with premium customers, its coming with business, its coming with international. It doesnt matter what the category is. What are some of the examples? Searches for a return economy-class ticket between Hong Kong and London on Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. in late June turn up prices as high as HK$42,051 ($5,360), which is more than five times the typical cost before the pandemic. Direct flights between New York and London around the same time cost more than $2,000 in economy. Jacqueline Khoo, who works in tourism said her company paid S$5,000 ($3632) for a colleagues return trip with Singapore Airlines Ltd. to Hamburg later this month. That used to cost about S$2,000, she said. Its really amazing that an economy seat ticket would cost you so much. Delta Air Lines Which tickets are the most expensive? A Mastercard Economics Institute study found the cost of flying from Singapore was on average 27% higher in April than in 2019, while flights from Australia were 20% more. Increasingly, travellers are booking tickets months in advance as theyre worried about the cost of buying at the last minute, said David Mann, chief economist for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at the institute. What are the other reasons? Fewer planes Another reason for high airline prices is, with fewer planes in the skies, there are fewer seats to meet the recovery in demand, which in turn has pushed up fares. Carriers scaled down their networks during Covid, none more so than Cathay, which has been hemmed in by Hong Kongs onerous travel and quarantine rules. Thats left people considering lengthy journeys with one or more stopovers, whereas before they might have flown direct. Financial Times (Representational image) After navigating varied and changing government policies for the past two years, it will take time for airlines to rebuild fleets given that many restrictions only eased in May, said Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. Its still early days, he said. Were just in June, so its not like turning on the tap. Fuel prices Russias invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated a steady rise in crude oil prices over the past 18 months. Jet fuel now represents as much as 38% of an average airlines costs, up from 27% in the years leading to 2019. For some budget airlines, it can be as high as 50%. Path to recovery Aviation is a capital-intensive industry with historically wafer-thin margins. Covid has made that operating climate even more challenging: globally, airlines lost more than $200 billion in the three years to 2022. Elevated fares provide carriers with a path to recover from losses and return to the black. Re-hiring of staff Hundreds of thousands of pilots, flight attendants, ground handlers and other aviation workers lost their jobs over the past couple of years. With travel picking up, the industry now finds itself unable to hire fast enough to allow for seamless operations at its pre-pandemic levels. Unsplash/Representational image Unperturbed travellers Higher ticket costs dont seem to be dissuading people from making trips now that many travel restrictions have eased. Some consumers are tapping dormant holiday budgets and upgrading to more expensive aircraft cabins for leisure trips, the International Air Transport Associations Director General Willie Walsh said last month. The so-called revenge traveler is an individual that has been emotionally affected by the lockdowns and has craved travel over the last two years and theyve dreamt about it, said Hermione Joye, sector lead for travel in Asia Pacific at Alphabet Inc.s Google. They are very spontaneous. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. Turkey has officially changed its name to Turkiye and is given recognition from the United Nations (UN) and the intergovernmental bodies. In 2021 December, the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement, Word Turkiye represents and expresses the culture, civilisation, and values of the Turkish nation in the best way. In the letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote: "...the Government of the Republic of Turkiye, henceforth will start using 'Turkiye' to replace the words such as 'Turkey,' 'Turkei' and 'Turquie' that have been used in the past to refer to the 'Republic of Turkiye.'" Why did Turkey change its name? Unsplash The state broadcaster TRT, the name Turkey was adopted after gaining independence in 1923. Europe has referred to the country by many names including Turkiye and Ottoman state in the past but Turquia and Turkey remain dominant. The anglicised version Turkey was adopted internationally while citizens continued to use the name Turkiye. Further, the Turkey government was not happy with the Google search results for the word Turkey. The search results show a large bird that is served during Christmas meals and Thanksgiving in North America. The report also said that European colonisers set foot in North America, they ran into wild turkeys, a bird that they mistakenly assumed was similar to the guinea fowl, which was native to eastern Africa and imported to Europe through the Ottoman Empire. Another objection includes the definition of turkey in the Cambridge Dictionary, which says meaning a stupid silly person or something that fails badly. What will change with a new name? Livingstone Wechie, an international constitutional law expert told leadership.ng that, the change of name by the Turkish people is significant to the state to drive their identity and has no negative diplomatic implications. It goes with the trajectories in what is in a name. Turkiye is viewed as the best representation and expression of the Turkish peoples culture, civilisation and values. Unsplash He further elaborated that the impact of this development could also be seen in the coming election which is over a year away. Who else has done this before? This is not the first time when a country changed its name. There are other countries including the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Eswatini etc. have changed their names in a bid to rebrand or drop the colonial legacies. Unsplash Rebranding the country, the Netherlands dropped Holland in 2020 and Macedonia revised its name to North Macedonia citing a political dispute with Greece. Further, Iran was known as Persia earlier and Thailand was Siam while Rhodesia was changed to Zimbabwe. In 2018, Swaziland renamed the name of the country Eswatini, Ceylon renamed Sri Lanka and Upper Volta became Burkina Faso in 1984. About Turkey Turkey is an important location as is stranded between Asia and Europe continents and has control over the Black Sea entrance. In the 1920s, nationalist leader Kemal Ataturk established the modern secular republic, which was once the centre of the Ottoman Empire. The country is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East, and the eastern Mediterranean. It covers an area of 783,562 km and has over 83.2 million population (in 020). Ankara is the national capital and Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Turkish is the official spoken language and Kurdish by Kurdish people, and Arabic by Turkish Arabs. Kurds make up about a 5th of the population. Kurdish separatists accuse the Turkish state of seeking to destroy their cultural identity and are waging a guerrilla war since the 1980s. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. American telecom giant Verizon has appointed its chief revenue officer, Sowmyanarayan Sampath as executive vice president and chief executive officer of Verizon Business, starting July 1, adding another Indian-origin CEO to the American tech space. Verizon Sowmyanarayan Sampath Education Sampath completed his Bachelors degree in Commerce from Kolkatas St Xaviers College, as well as Chartered Accountancy from The Institute Of Chartered Accountants of India. He followed this with an MBA from Boston University in 2003. Sowmyanarayan Sampath Previous Work He began his career at KPMG -- an audit, tax and advisory firm which is also one of the big fours. Hes also worked with Advenis, Boston Consulting Group, before joining Verizon in 2014. Sowmyanarayan Sampath at Verizon He joined Verizon as SVP of Business Transformation, where he transformed the operating model of Verizon and created two of the companys largest core initiatives Network Transformation and OneFiber. He later progressed to become a Chief Product Officer for the Consumer and Enterprise businesses, where he led joint initiatives across networks, IoT, next-generation video, and the development of the 5G product portfolio. Verizon He then progressed to the role of the Chief Financial Officer at Verizon Media Group, where he focused on Strategy and Transformation, before becoming President of Global Enterprise, where he led the commercial launch of Verizons 5G networks and multi-access edge computing (MEC) solutions. Sampath said in a statement announcing his new role, I come to this role from a very diverse background, a mindset to constantly learn and a mission to lead with kindness and integrity during this critical moment of radical digitization for our customers. The Verizon Business team is absolutely the best in the business and I am committed to ensuring we continue to build on the momentum and success we have shared together thus far. For more in the world of technology and science , keep reading Indiatimes.com Xi Focus: Steering China toward a strong maritime country Xinhua) 15:23, June 08, 2022 BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- World Oceans Day that falls on Wednesday this year provides an opportunity for countries around the world to celebrate the importance of the ocean and to ponder how to interact with it in a sustainable manner. With a coastline stretching around 32,000 km, China has had its past and future entwined with the ocean. In President Xi Jinping's words, building China into a strong maritime country is a "major strategic task for realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Over the past decade, this maritime undertaking has remained high on the agenda of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Back in 2013, Xi told the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at a study session that a robust marine economy underpins the building of a strong maritime nation. He called for efforts to make better use of marine resources and develop the marine economy into a new growth driver. Xi's vision is materializing as he steers the blue economy toward prosperity, with the size of the country's marine economy exceeding 9 trillion yuan (about 1.35 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2021, a surge from 5 trillion yuan in 2012. It contributed 8 percent to the growth of GDP last year, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. New marine industries are speeding down the fast lane thanks to China's endeavors to ride the wave of technological innovation. Between 2016 and 2020, emerging industries including seawater desalination, marine energy and marine biopharmaceutics saw their growth in added value average more than 11 percent annually. TECH-POWERED GROWTH Expounding on the country's innovation drive, Xi has urged efforts to strive for high-level independence and self-reliance in marine science and technology and to make breakthroughs in original and leading technologies. In a congratulatory letter to the 2019 China Marine Economy Expo, Xi called for efforts to accelerate marine sci-tech innovation, improve marine development capacity, and foster and strengthen emerging marine industries of strategic importance. Following his instructions, governments and institutions at all levels have ratcheted up support for innovation in a bid to translate creativity into productivity. In the coastal province of Guangdong, a pioneer of the marine economy, local authorities have earmarked a fund worth 300 million yuan for the technological innovation of sectors such as marine equipment manufacturing, marine wind power and marine electronics. East China's Shandong has also established a fund of this type to nurture projects industrializing high-end marine sciences and technologies. The country's major research institutes of marine science and technology doubled their spending on research and development during the 2011-2020 period, with researchers increasing by over 10,000. The number of related patents granted in 2020 was four times that in 2011. Thanks to its commitment to innovation, China now boasts a greater capability to tap its vast marine energy reserves. The increase in energy supply, in turn, is better powering the world's second-largest economy. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, last year's output of offshore oil and gas in China expanded by 6.2 percent and 6.9 percent year on year, respectively. The country has also seen its energy production getting cleaner and greener. The country topped the world in 2021 in terms of the installed capacity of offshore wind power. The added value of the marine electricity generation sector surged by 30.5 percent from a year ago to 32.9 billion yuan. CARING FOR THE OCEAN Despite the thriving marine economy, China has never sought growth at the expense of the marine environment and ecosystems. We should attach great importance to marine eco-environmental progress, strengthen the prevention and control of pollution, protect marine biodiversity, develop and utilize marine resources in an orderly manner, and leave turquoise seas and blue skies for our future generations, Xi once said. Over the past decade, China has made strides in the conservation of marine ecology, prevention and treatment of marine pollution, and protection of marine biodiversity. The latest data shows that the area of Level-I, or the highest, seawater in China's water quality system accounted for 97.7 percent of the country's total maritime territory in 2021. Looking ahead, China is set to coordinate and promote maritime ecological protection and maritime economic development while safeguarding its maritime rights and interests, according to the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), a key blueprint for the country's economic and social development. To build China into a strong maritime nation, we must take good care of, further understand, and manage the ocean, and facilitate innovation in marine science and technology, Xi once said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) The deadly Uvalde shooting cut short an innocent story of two childhood sweethearts who were fond of each other. Xavier James Lopez and Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez were great friends. Twitter The 10-year-olds in fourth grade at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, would pass notes in class and get together with their families for barbecues. Agencies They had each other's pictures. They became so close that they started texting each other each night before bedtime, "I love you." xavier-annabell Talking to ABC News, Annabell's mother, Monica Gallegos, said, "She had a big old crush on him," She and Xavier's mother, Felicha Martinez, deemed the relationship amusing. "Felicha and I would laugh, like, 'How do y'all know about love?'" Agencies However, on May 24, both Annabell and Xavier died in their school after a shooter broke into their classroom and shot them both. Both of the 10-year-olds in the same class as teacher Arnulfo Reyes ended up dead. Annabell and Xavier's family decided to bury them next to each other because of their deep connection, which began when they were both toddlers. They will be cremated in Uvalde's Hillcrest Cemetery in side-by-side graves. The families of the children are still grieving two weeks after the shooting. Agencies As she made the final arrangements for her daughter's funeral, Gallegos told ABC News, "I'm not ready." Those who knew Annabell and Xavier wish to remember the good times as they bid them goodbye. AP "He would make things for her and write notes for her," Reyes told ABC. "It brings a smile to your face just to think that they really loved each other." In one of the worst school shootings in American history, an 18-year-old gunman in body armour massacred at least 21 people, including 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde town, Texas, 134 km from San Antonio. (With agency inputs) (For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.) Students in Ukraine who graduated this year returned to their schools to find that everything had changed. The brutal Russian invasion had left their high school in shambles. In a remarkable display of solidarity, teenage school-leavers in war-torn Ukraine donned ball gowns and tuxedos for an end-of-the-year prom. Ukrainian students were adamant about dancing the waltz to commemorate their graduation in a customary way. Twitter In Ukraine, after a graduating class hears the last bell ring, they customarily perform a waltz in front of the entire school. Graduates of #Kharkiv School 134 are dancing the waltz near the destroyed building. #StopRussia Source: Suspilne Kharkiv pic.twitter.com/FkPE29Lvs6 UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) June 7, 2022 It was a more solemn occasion for those at Kharkiv's School No. 134 this summer as they celebrated their graduation against the backdrop of their bombed-out classrooms as soldiers from their country's army looked on. Students of School #134, Kharkiv, danced their prom waltz against the backdrop of the ruins of their Alma mater. Heavily damaged days after #Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, the school later became the last outpost for #Russian occupiers in Kharkiv. Suspilne pic.twitter.com/de7yYQy1Mt MFA of Ukraine (@MFA_Ukraine) June 6, 2022 "We had imagined a different 'final bell' for our kids, but it is what it is, and we want to have a celebration for the kids," said Olena Mosolova, a geography teacher at the school. According to Suspilne, a Ukrainian news outlet, about one-third of the students attended the ceremony on Sunday. "There were a lot of friends from school; we were like one big family," said Anna Episheva, 16, who was photographed in a crimson ball gown amid the rubble. She added, "With the girls, we chose dresses and were glad that everyone would be very beautiful on graduation day. But the "Russian world" came to us and ruined all our plans which we dreamed of." Another photograph of a Ukrainian teen wearing a ballgown that she would have worn to her prom ceremony has gone viral on social media. This isn't a typical graduation photograph The teen is posing among the ruins of her destroyed Ukrainian school. Twitter Anna Episheva, a Toronto native, shared a photo of her 16-year-old niece. She wrote her niece attended School 134 in Kharkiv before Russia invaded Ukraine. Anna Episheva: My niece was supposed to graduate this year from her high school. She and her friends bought dresses and were looking forward to this day. Then Russians came. Her school was directly hit and destroyed. Today she came back to what is left of her school and her plans pic.twitter.com/q9cJW2j8f0 Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) June 7, 2022 "Anna Episheva: My niece was expected to graduate from high school this year. She and her pals had purchased outfits and were excited for the big day. Then the Russians arrived. Her school was hit straight and completely demolished. Today she returned to what was left of her school and her plans," reads the image's tragic caption. Over 100 days have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, and what's left behind is a near-daily barrage of devastating visuals. (For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram.) When I rejoined MongoDB in 2021, I got to hear all the old jokes rehashed. You know, about MongoDB being web scale , about losing data, about only being eventually consistent, and so on. The web scale video is funny; the other statements have largely been wrong since the day they were written. For example, MongoDB has always been strongly consistent. The contentions that had some semblance of truth have become outdated with each MongoDB release. As Senior Developer Advocate Mark Smith notes, Everything you know about MongoDB is wrong. Of course Id say that. I work for MongoDB, after all. Even so, I think its worthwhile to gut-check our assumptions. For example, for years we were told that enterprises couldnt replace Oracle Database or SQL Server with PostgreSQL. For many workloads, thats simply not true today and almost certainly wasnt as true before as some would have had us think. Although PostgreSQL has always had a great community, it has also had a chorus of critics. Meanwhile, every major cloud provider has a PostgreSQL database service. Going further, in 2021 AWS launched Babelfish, an open source project that makes it simple to drop in PostgreSQL to applications written for SQL Server. In like manner, theres a reason that every major cloud provider offers MongoDB in some form and that the database has been downloaded more times in the past 12 months than in the previous 12 years combined (for a grand total of 265 million downloads to date). Both PostgreSQL and MongoDB have made dramatic gains in popularity relative to Oracle and SQL Server. I dont want to fanboy this article. But if youll indulge me, Id love to catch you up on a MongoDB you might not know and finish with a suggestion that just might shock you: MongoDB now leads the industry in security, given the release of Queryable Encryption. Atomicity, transactions, etc. I left MongoDB in 2014, right before the company hit overdrive on updates to the core database. The company had always been a developer darling due to its convenience, but around this time MongoDB announced the acquisition of WiredTiger, which paved the way for document-level concurrency control and compression, starting in MongoDB 3.0 (WiredTiger as an option) and evolving with MongoDB 3.2 (WiredTiger as the default). Much of the work of deeply integrating WiredTiger into MongoDB happened in 2015, setting up a steady drumbeat of database improvements for the next few years, with one of my absolute favoritesmulti-document ACID transactionsarriving in MongoDB 4.0. As MongoDB cofounder Eliot Horowitz wryly wrote in 2018, MongoDB drops ACID, and the MongoDB world was never quite the same thereafter. In MongoDB 5.0, the company introduced a versioned API that allowed developers to upgrade the database without having to change their application, time series functionality, a new serverless offering, live resharding, and more. Most recently, at MongoDB World, the company announced a number of things to make developers lives easier: Atlas Data API, serverless instances, Atlas CLI, and more. For me, the two most interesting thematic announcements were in the areas of analytics and security. Oh, and open source. Analytics, in MongoDBs world, are all about enabling developers to build better apps, not about data analysts doing offline analysis. In todays world, the need for a real-time view of the business pushes data analysis and reporting needs closer to the applications that generate the data. MongoDB clearly recognized this growing need and announced several new ways to make running analytics against operational data easy, including a new SQL interface, Atlas Analytics Node Tiers, Atlas Data Federation, and Atlas Data Lake. Even so, it strikes me that the companys key announcement in the area of applying analytics to real-time data was Columnstore Indexing. Since columnar formats are ideal for running analytical workloads, this indexing option makes it easy for developers to keep documents in the right model for their applications without moving the data, and execute performant analytical queries against that data in real time for their applications. If all this comes as a surprise to those in the MongoDB is web scale camp, Queryable Encryption is an even bigger shocker. Upping the ante on data security Nothing that MongoDB (or any database company) releases would be of much use if it couldnt match features and functionality with security. MongoDB has long offered excellent security, but the introduction of structured encryption for field-level encryption moves things to another level. Most databases have figured out how to secure data at rest or in motion but fail to secure data while in use when its vulnerable to insider access and active database breaches. Enter field-level encryption. Field-level encryption protects data in memory and on disk on the server. Its the highest level of security for breaches, but it has a downside: It doesnt allow for rich, expressive querying of encrypted data. Yes, you can do exact equality matches, but you have to use deterministic encryption. Nice, but not nearly enough. Researchers have been working on this problem since 2001, but this week MongoDB announced the first-ever commercially available, structured encryption model, called Queryable Encryption. With such structured encryption MongoDB can transform the encrypted field in a cryptographically secure way such that it can store anonymous metadata allowing expressive and efficient queries to be performed. As an example, structured encryption enables a developer to build a bank application that can find transactions using a range of dates or dollar amounts for fraud investigation. This is best-in-industry stuff and doesnt leave MongoDBs developer community behind. In short, MongoDBs use of Queryable Encryption helps developers keep their focus on building engaging, data-driven applications while meeting the industrys most demanding data privacy challenges. No PhD in cryptography required. This would be interesting in and of itself, but MongoDB took an especially noteworthy angle with Queryable Encryption: It will be 100% open. As Porter declared in his keynote, We will be publishing the code, the algorithms, and the math behind it because we believe in white-box security, not black-box security. This may come as a surprise to those who still carp on MongoDBs license change in 2019. (Developers dont seem to mind, given higher priorities.) But it shouldnt. MongoDB is a contributor to Apache Lucene, releases WiredTiger under an open source license, and also offers its Realm mobile data store as open source. Its easy to paint companies in binary, but its usually wrong, as in this case. All of this is a long way of saying that perhaps its time to hit refresh on your views on MongoDB. No, its not going to be the right data platform for all of your workloads. Nothing is. But its good to make that decision based on current reality, not outdated myths. This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) may be one of the most commonly referenced health insurance laws, not just by insurance professionals, but in the everyday lives of most Americans. Learn a bit more about what it is, what it does (and doesnt do), and how it impacts the insurance industry. Please read our notice of privacy practices Quick! Name a healthcare law that everyone knows of, but no one really knows. If you guessed HIPAA, congratulations, you win! For everyday citizens, HIPAA references pop up at each and every doctors office visit and, more recently, if a business dares to require proof of COVID-19 vaccine status for entry or service. More on that later, but spoiler alert: A business requiring proof of vaccination to enter, or provide services, does not violate HIPAA. Youd be hard pressed to find an American adult who hasnt heard of HIPAA, or who doesnt know it has something to do with medical privacy. But the collective knowledge of this 500-page healthcare law ends there. And for most people, thats OK. But if you work in insurance, you might be one of the few who truly needs to understand HIPAA more than just superficially. Then again, HIPAA is so specific to health insurance and health information that it doesnt apply universally across the insurance world, either. What is HIPAA? Literally, its the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. This law, signed in 1996 by President Clinton, was the first law to address the privacy of health and healthcare information. Despite the fact that electronic medical records barely existed in 1996, HIPAA was forward-thinking and included references to digitization in the medical and health insurance field that wouldnt come for years. HIPAA gave U.S. citizens the right to expect some degree of privacy surrounding that information, particularly when it comes to health insurance. It also gave us the right to access our private health information, even if thats easier said than done most of the time. A large part of the entire HIPAA law is whats known as the HIPAA Privacy Rule. According to the CDCs website, The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals health information (known as protected health information) by entities subject to the Privacy Rule. These individuals and organizations are called covered entities. The Privacy Rule also contains standards for individuals rights to understand and control how their health information is used. In plain English: Your personal health information is considered private, and thus protected by the law. Certain entities (doctors offices, hospitals, and health insurance companies, among others) are subject to the Privacy Rule. You also have the right to understand and control how your protected health information is used, including who its shared with. What does HIPAA do? Simply put, HIPAA required the creation of national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patients consent or knowledge. The law gave responsibility for enforcement to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)s Office for Civil Rights. HIPAA also laid out valid reasons for when protected health information used by any covered entity may be shared or disclosed. The final law was over 500 pages, so this is obviously, and necessarily, a very abridged version of the law! If youre a bigger insurance nerd than we are, youre welcome to read the full text of the law here! Also, if HIPAA is central or tangential to your work, keep in mind this is a condensed overview, not legal guidance or due diligence. If you need legal advice, consult an attorney. What does HIPAA not do? The short answer is, a lot. As youve learned by now, HIPAA applies to a very specific set of covered entities. A restaurant or bar is not a covered entity. An airline is not a covered entity. Thus, private businesses that ask patrons to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status in order to enter or to be served are not subject to HIPAA and are not in violation of it. In addition HIPAA also does not cover: Protected health information employment records that a covered entity maintains in its capacity as an employer and education and certain other records subject to, or defined in, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g. De-identified health information, when medical information is completely separated from personally identifiable details about the human it came from. For example, a large list of ages, heights, and body weights would not be protected if theres no name, address, Social Security number, or other identifying information that would link the health data with a specific person. Whos required to follow HIPAA? HIPAA created standard definitions for types of businesses and entities that are subject to its privacy rule. These include: Healthcare providers Health plans (including Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care, and otherswith a few exceptions) Healthcare clearinghouses Business associates (defined as a person or organization other than an employee of a covered entity who is using protected health information to perform services for a covered entity) Thats basically it. So again, your uncle is not subject to HIPAA at a family dinner. Your neighbors bar or restaurant is also not subject to HIPAA. Your local grocery store, movie theater, and place of employment (most likely!) are not subject to HIPAA. If, and only if, youre one of the above entities or a business associate of one, are you and your company required to comply with HIPAA. Why is HIPAA important? Patient privacy is something most of us would agree is an important right. Prior to 1996, however, this wasnt necessarily the case. It certainly wasnt guaranteed or legally enforced. Why HIPAA is important for the healthcare and health insurance industry Even though 1996 is hardly what we think of as the digital age these days, HIPAA was truly forward-thinking for its time. It introduced some very important concepts that would be key as the industry moved from paper records to electronic health records. HIPAA standardized how health data must be collected and protected, and enforced a nationally recognized set of codes and identifiers. Much like the move to structured data in other industries, HIPAA requirements assisted the healthcare industry in moving toward a digital future where health information is shared between patients, doctors, clinics, insurance companies, and other entities on a daily basis with an emphasis on privacy. Why HIPAA is important for patients For patients, HIPAA is particularly significant. All the more so as medical records have moved into the digital age, making them subject to information security breaches. Prior to the enactment of HIPAA, its likely that covered entities werent often intentionally exposing personal patient information in unscrupulous ways, but there was no guarantee (nor were there government-enforced penalties). HIPAA was the first law of its kind to create rules surrounding the storage and sharing of personal health information. It mandated a strict standard of information security controls for any organizations dealing with such information. Plus, with laws in place, there are actual consequences for noncompliance. HIPAA also empowered patients to take more control over their healthcare by allowing them to access their records for the purpose of being more informed about diagnoses and treatments, seeking additional medical input from different providers, or even checking their records for mistakes. Before HIPAA, healthcare organizations and health insurance companies were not required to comply with any patients request to access their own medical records. How does HIPAA impact the insurance industry? For many property and casualty insurance carriers, agents, brokers, and other insurance businesses, it really doesnt. For the vast majority of the insurance industry those who dont deal with life, health, accident, disability, or related products HIPAA doesnt apply. For those producers who are dually licensed, for insurance carriers that deal in health and life, and for any insurance professionals who come into contact with protected health information in the course of doing business, HIPAA is a concern and a law that requires compliance. HIPAA can also impact employers who sponsor health insurance coverage for their employees. This means its something employee benefit brokers need to also pay attention to and alert their clients about. In the quarter century since HIPAA was first signed into law, its become a fairly household name (as healthcare laws go!) but that doesnt mean its simple or easy to understand. If youre in the health insurance business, HIPAA is just one of many insurance industry regulations you have to pay attention to and be sure to comply with. And you should get expert counsel in doing so. While AgentSync cant help you there, we can definitely keep compliance on track for your non-HIPAA needs, such as producer onboarding and lifecycle management. See AgentSync in action today. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! ROCKLAND, Maine The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death of a worker who was trapped when a structure collapsed. Workers were demolishing an attached garage when the structure collapsed on a worker Saturday morning. Firefighters used inflatable rescue bags to lift the roof before tossing a rope underneath to pull the man out. A LifeFlight helicopter was summoned to transport the man to a hospital, but he did not survive, officials said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Workers' Compensation Maine New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A federal court is weighing settlements with a South Carolina electronics company that would provide funds for cleaning up hazardous waste sites in New Jersey and Massachusetts. The proposed consent decree between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Cornell Dubilier Electronics (CDE) would provide $4 million in funds for PCB cleanup, damages and costs at the Woodbrook Road Dump Superfund site in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Also, the settlement would provide an additional $3.6 million for the completion of shoreline remediation of the harbor and $400,000 to the state toward the costs of the Superfund remedy at New Bedford, Massachusetts harbor. Under the proposed $4 million settlement for the Woodbrook Road Dump Site, EPA will receive $3,361,500 for site cleanup, the U.S. Department of Interior and the state of New Jersey will receive $265,000 for natural resource damages, and the state will receive $373,500 to resolve cost recovery claims. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Woodbrook Road Dump accepted household and industrial waste, including electrical capacitors containing PCBs, which contaminated the surrounding soil. The site was added to EPAs priorities list in 2003. The propertys current owner, Texas Eastern Terminal Co., has removed several PCB-contaminated capacitors, secured the site, and performed a study that became the basis for EPAs cleanup plans that now call for the removal of up to 120,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris and the restoration of wetlands disturbed due to the cleanup work. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls are highly carcinogenic chemical compounds once used in industrial and consumer products. The U.S., banned PCB production in 1978. This settlement places the responsibility for a portion of this cleanup where it belongs on the polluter, said Regional EPA Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. The New Bedford harbor is one of the countrys Superfund sites. In addition to the CDE settlement funds, the cleanup and restoration of the harbor will also benefit from $72.7 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The cleanup of PCBs from the harbor has been going on since 2012, when the the EPA and Massachusetts reached a $366 million settlement with AVX Corp. However, according to the EPA, by 2022 those funds were mostly depleted with shoreline remediation efforts still needing to be finished. EPA said the total cost for the harbor cleanup is approximately $1 billion, with about half of that funded by the federal and state governments. The consent decree, filed in the federal court in New Jersey, is subject to a 60-day comment period and final approval by the court. The consent decree anticipates payments from all insurance policies in effect from 1959 through September 1, 1983, issued to CDE, and its corporate affiliates, including Federal Pacific Electric Co., UV Industries, Inc., Reliance Electric Co. and Exxon Corp. Topics Massachusetts Pollution New Jersey CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (AP) Authorities in Bangladesh were still struggling Monday to determine the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 49 people, including nine firefighters, and injured more than 100 others, officials and local media reported, as experts have raised concern over the safety standard in the countrys industrial sector. Efforts to extinguish the fire at the BM Inland Container Depot, a Dutch-Bangladesh joint venture, continued overnight after the inferno broke out around midnight Saturday following explosions in a container full of chemicals. Authorities say there were more than 4,000 containers at the depot spanning over 24 acres of land when the fire and subsequent explosions broke out, and about 1,000 containers had goods including chemicals at that time. Massive Fire at Bangladesh Container Depot Kills at Least 28 On Monday, nearly 40 hours after the first explosion occurred, smoke was still coming out of containers at the scene. Firefighters called in from nearby districts and from the capital, Dhaka, were extra-careful during their work. A soldier speaking into megaphone urged people to move. We have found more containers with chemicals, please go out, the man shouted. As many as 21 firefighters were either killed or injured, and the scene became a nightmare for them. Working at BM Depot, it was so difficult to carry them (firefighters) on my shoulders, those that I have seen like my own sons, worked with them, said Purna Chandra Mutsuddy, deputy assistant director of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense. I feel in this world nothing can be more painful than this, he added. Officials said the number of casualties rose over the weekend as many workers and firefighters were unaware of chemical storage at the depot, and after the initial fire they got close to the explosive containers. A few hundred workers and dozens of firefighters were attempting to extinguish the fire when the first explosion took place. The depot is located near countrys main Chittagong Seaport, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of the capital, Dhaka, and it is one of 19 such depots in the region. The latest fire has raised the concern over whether such facilities in Bangladesh, a burgeoning economy in South Asia, is maintaining safety standards. Khairul Alam Sujan, vice president of Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, said Sunday that containers with hazardous chemicals were kept with those full of garment products ready for exports. He said it was important to maintain distance from containers with any hazardous chemicals. Firefighters said more than one dozen containers had hydrogen peroxide, which helped spread the fire after the explosion, but it was not clear what caused the initial explosion to be so powerful. The head of the countrys fire service department regretted that they did not get anyone from the depots management to get details about the containers and the chemicals when they were working at the scene. Bangladeshi media were critical of the institutional capacity in ensuring safety at such facility. The fire is the latest in an ever-growing list of tragedies that put Bangladeshs appalling industrial safety record once again under the spotlight, the Daily Star newspaper said in an editorial on Monday. The poor infrastructure and institutional preparedness for industrial safety makes such fire incidents almost inevitable, the Daily Star said. The International Labor Organization said in a 2020 report that industrial safety in Bangladesh is very much in a nascent stage. A comprehensive framework covering all the safety-related issues across different sectors, economic activities and commercial establishments with a reference to emergencies such as COVID-19 needs to be developed, it said. The ILO said Bangladesh needs a credible and accountable industrial safety governance structure. On Monday morning, authorities started collecting DNA samples from the family members of the people who died in the fire as burns made many of the bodies unrecognizable. Explosives experts from Bangladeshs military were called in to assist the firefighters. The explosions shattered the windows of nearby buildings and were felt as far as 4 kilometers (2 1/2 miles) away, officials and local media reports said. The death toll remained 49 on Monday, according to Ekattor TV station. But the areas civil surgeon said the number could still rise as the fire raged for a second night. More than a dozen victims have been airlifted and brought to a specialized hospital in the capital, Dhaka. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her shock at the accident and ordered adequate arrangement for medical treatment of the injured. Bangladesh has a history of industrial disasters, including factories catching fire with workers trapped inside. Monitoring groups have blamed corruption and lax enforcement. In the countrys massive garment industry, which employs about 4 million people, safety conditions have improved significantly after massive reforms, but experts say accidents could still occur if other sectors do not make similar changes. In 2012, about 117 workers died when they were trapped behind locked exits in a garment factory in Dhaka. The countrys worst industrial disaster occurred the following year, when the Rana Plaza garment factory outside Dhaka collapsed, killing more than 1,100 people. In 2019, a blaze ripped through a 400-year-old area cramped with apartments, shops and warehouses in the oldest part of Dhaka and killed at least 67 people. Another fire in Old Dhaka in a house illegally storing chemicals killed at least 123 people in 2010. In 2021, a fire at a food and beverage factory outside Dhaka killed at least 52 people, many of whom were trapped inside by an illegally locked door. ___ Alam reported from Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. Photograph: Bangladesh Red Crescent Society members stand at the BM Inland Container Depot, where a fire broke out on Saturday, June 4, at Chittagong, about 210 kilometers (130 miles) southeast of, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The photo was taken on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Photo credit: AP Photo/ Al-emrun Garjon. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The candidate to replace entrepreneur Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone on the board of Italys Generali has turned down the position, potentially opening the way for one of Caltagirones defeated leadership candidates to take up the role. Caltagirone, Generalis second-largest shareholder, quit the board last month, opening a new chapter in a long-standing shareholder dispute. The companys appointments committee had proposed co-opting Roberta Neri, the next unelected candidate on the slate presented by Caltagirone for a board renewal in April. But the company said in a statement late on Tuesday that she had said no. The board has now instructed the appointments and corporate governance committee to propose a new candidate, Generali said. It did not say why Neri rejected the role. A source familiar with the situation said Neri wanted all the board members to back her as a condition for accepting the role. After Neris decision, the next two names on the Caltagirone slate would be Claudio Costamagna and Luciano Cirina, its defeated candidates for the roles of chairman and CEO in the April shareholder vote. At the April shareholder meeting, Caltagirone had challenged a decision by Generalis board to give a third term to Chief Executive Philippe Donnet. His bid to appoint his own leadership candidates was defeated but he did secure three board seats. The Caltagirone camp had opposed Neris nomination to the board, two other sources close to the matter said on Wednesday, on the basis that Generali should stick to a bylaw saying that a director should be replaced by someone of the same sex. Committee Roles Former Telecom Italia CEO Flavio Cattaneo and academic Marina Brogi are the other board members from the Caltagirone slate. Caltagirone, Cattaneo and Brogi had refused to join any of the board committees because they wanted the company to have a committee that gives a preliminary assessment on strategic transactions a task which Generali proposed entrusting to the board as a whole. Generali said on Tuesday that the investment committee had been given a mandate to oversee deals, alliances and partnerships worth over 250 million euros ($267 million). Brogi and Cattaneo have now agreed to join the committees once the board membership is finalized, Generali said. By 0945 GMT shares in Generali fell 0.9% underperforming a flat Italian blue-chip index .FTMIB. The Generali board is next due to meet on June 22. ($1 = 0.9356 euros) (Reporting by Giselda Vagnoni, Gianluca Semeraro, Stefano Bernabei, Agnieszka Flak and Valentina Za. Writing by Keith Weir. editing by Jane Merriman) Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday said the state health department can release data on coronavirus outbreak cases, information sought two years ago near the beginning of the pandemic. The court ruled 4-3 against Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the states largest business lobbying group, which had wanted to block release of the records requested in June 2020 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other news outlets. The state health department in the early months of the pandemic in 2020 had planned to release the names of more than 1,000 businesses with more than 25 employees where at least two workers have tested positive for COVID-19. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, along with the Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce and the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce, sued to block the release of the records, saying it would irreparably harm the reputations of their members. It argued that the information being sought is derived from diagnostic test results and the records of contact tracers, and that such information constitutes private medical records that cant be released without the consent of each individual. Attorneys for the state argued that the information contained aggregate numbers only, not personal information, and could be released. A Waukesha County circuit judge sided with the business group and blocked release of the records. A state appeals court in 2021 reversed the lower courts ruling and ordered the case dismissed, saying WMC failed to show a justifiable reason for concealing the records. WMC appealed to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the lower courts ruling. A spokesman for the business lobbying group did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. The ruling was written by Justice Rebecca Dallet, who was joined in the majority by two other liberal justices and conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, who is often a swing vote. The other three conservative justices dissented. The court concluded that WMC did not have a right to ask a court to block the release of the records before they were made public under an open records request from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The state Supreme Court ruled that WMCs position would undo the legislatures choice to preclude pre-release judicial review in most circumstances. But Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, writing for the minority, said the law allows for such challenges and the courts ruling will open the door to the release of personal medical information to the public. She warned that the release of confidential patient files would cause irreparable damage. The ruling closes the courthouse doors to anyone who may wish to challenge the release of personal medical information, Ziegler wrote. This is egregious error. Topics COVID-19 Wisconsin New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Brenda Hampton first came across the toxic industrial compound PFAS after finding it was part of the cocktail of contaminants that tainted the drinking water in her North Alabama community. Hampton, who believes the contaminated water contributed to kidney problems she and other residents suffer, soon learned the chemicals were found in another source that hit close to home fast food wrappers, boxes and plates. Knowing her three daughters and eight grandchildren ate their share of burgers and fries, she joined the national fight in 2020 to ban PFAS in food packaging. Everybody is eating fast food. Fast food is selling everywhere. No one has time to cook anymore, said Hampton who teamed with the environmental health advocacy group Toxic-Free Future to spearhead a petition drive last year that collected nearly 75,000 signatures. McDonalds later announced it would remove PFAS from all its packaging. Environmental and health groups are pushing dozens of fast food companies, supermarkets chains and other retail outlets to remove PFAS chemicals from their packaging. Known as forever chemicals for their persistence in the environment, they have been used for decades to prevent grease, water and other liquids from soaking through wrappers, boxes and bags. PFAS, Microplastics, Baby Food: Emerging Casualty Risks Keep Coming Opponents of the practice argue the packaging poses a danger to consumers as well as the environment, since the waste ends up in landfills. in compost or is incinerated where the chemicals can leach into groundwater or soil. They contend there are safer alternatives. Several groups have maintained that many major brands use packaging with PFAS and that testing at times showed extremely high levels. A 2017 study by the Massachusetts-based nonprofit research organization Silent Spring Institute found PFAS in almost half of paper wrappers and 20% of boxes from 27 fast food outlets. Tests by Toxic-Free Future in 2018 produced similar results. And, this year, Consumer Reports found eight restaurants, including McDonalds, Burger King and Cava, had packaging that had more than 100 parts per million of fluorine, which indicates likely presence of PFAS. One of the concerns is that, especially with the pandemic, weve seen just this huge increase in food packaging, delivery, takeout, said Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and Seattle Childrens Research Institute whose 2021 study found 16 different PFAS chemicals in the breast milk of mothers. We have much, much higher potential for exposure to these kinds of chemicals to everybody in the population, not just certain segments of the population, she said. Basically eating or drinking is one of the biggest sources of exposure. Tom Flanagin, a spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, said his group supports the Food and Drug Administrations agreement with several manufacturers to voluntary phase out some PFAS chemicals used in substances applied to food packaging. But his group opposes what he described as unscientific, `one-size-fits-all restrictions on the entire class of PFAS chemistries. The mere presence of PFAS does not indicate a health risk, Flanagin said. All PFAS are not the same. Individual chemistries have different uses, as well as environmental and health profiles. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to increased cancer risk, developmental delays in children, damage to organs such as the liver and thyroid, increased cholesterol levels and reduced immune functions, especially among young children, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Less studied are health hazards from PFAS in packaging, where the chemicals give material a reflective sheen. A 2019 study by Silent Spring Institute found people who ate at home had on average lower PFAS levels in their blood than those who ate fast food or ate more frequently at restaurants including pizza places. FDA studies of rodents also found that some PFAS chemicals in grease-resistant paper can bioaccumulate in the body. However, there are few guidelines about what levels of PFAS in food packaging, if any, are potentially harmful. The EPA only sets a voluntary health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for two PFAS chemicals in drinking water. The FDA, which regulates use of certain PFAS chemicals in food packaging, came out in 2020 with a three-year, voluntary phase-out program. The agency is reviewing a petition from environmental groups calling for a PFAS ban in food packaging. In the U.S., only California sets a limit of 100 parts per million of total fluorine in food packaging. The absence of federal standards has shifted the fight over PFAS in food packaging to state legislatures. California, Washington, Vermont, Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and New York have passed bills banning PFAS from being purposely added to food packaging, according to the advocacy group Safer States. Seven other states are considering similar legislation. Federal legislation has also been introduced. In Vermont, the push to ban PFAS in packaging was inspired by findings that the chemicals had contaminated some of the states drinking water. As a result, the legislature passed a bill last year banning PFAS and other chemicals including bisphenols and phthalates in food packaging as well as in carpeting, ski wax and firefighting foam. Most people just look at the tissue paper around their sandwich and they think I got my sandwich. But the reality is that the coating on that sandwich paper is PFAS, said the bills author, Democratic state Sen. Ginny Lyons. Its not very much chemical but if you eat a lot of wrapped sandwich and use a lot of paper plates over time that chemical accumulates in the body and can cause cancer or other disorders. The regulations have coincided with bans announced by some of the largest restaurants and retailers. Fourteen fast-food and fast-casual restaurant chains with a total of nearly 124,000 stores and over $203.2 billion in annual sales have committed to removing PFAS from their food packaging, according the Toxic-Free Future. Among them are McDonalds, Starbucks and Whole Foods. Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Horton, also plans to eliminate PFAS. If there are harmful chemicals in food packaging, people get that those chemicals can migrate into food, said Mike Schade, who directs Toxic-Free Futures market transformation work. This is something that really resonates with consumers. None of the companies have referenced health concerns in announcing their PFAS bans. Instead, most stated a desire to use sustainable packaging or said a ban was the right thing to do. A spokesperson for Whole Foods said many factors went into its decision, including that PFAS was a persistent environmental contaminant. The challenge now will be for these companies to find safer alternatives. Environmental groups are urging companies to switch to safer alternatives such as uncoated paper, bamboo or plastic derived from corn starch or sugar cane and alternative coatings including bio-wax or clay. Washington must first find safer alternatives exist before the states ban takes effect in the next two years. Its assessments found there are alternatives for all takeout containers. Manufacturers can replace PFAS in their food packaging, which will protect people and the environment from these harmful chemicals, said Lauren Tamboer, a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Ecology. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) 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! The US Supreme Court decided Monday that it will not hear an appeal of a decision that denied coverage for losses caused by COVID-19 shutdown orders, effectively closing the last door for such claims in the federal court system. The court declined a petition by Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma to review a decision by a panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals that found there was no direct physical loss or damage to Goodwills property. All 11 of the regional Circuit Courts of Appeal have issued similar opinions, as have state high courts in Iowa, Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Goodwills lawsuit against Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. was one of 94 cases that the Supreme Court decided not to consider on Monday. Goodwill argued that the term direct physical loss of or damage to must mean something more than physical damage; otherwise the terms loss of and damages would be redundant. The US District Court for Western Oklahoma disagreed and granted Philadelphias motion to dismiss Goodwills lawsuit. The 10th Circuit panel affirmed that ruling, finding that a covered loss requires a tangible dispossession of property. The appellate court said that interpretation is reinforced by the period of restoration clause in the insurance policy. Every regional circuit court has issued decisions that reach basically the same conclusion. The 1st Circuit Court of Appeal on Friday became the latest federal appeals court to chime on the issue, issuing three decisions that affirmed the dismissal of lawsuits filed by SAS International Ltd., American Food Systems and Legal Seafoods against their insurers. The 1st Circuit quoted a Massachusetts Supreme Court decision that found the alleged damage amounted to merely the [e]vanescent presence of a harmful airborne substance that will quickly dissipate on its own' and surface-level contamination that can be removed by simple cleaning. A long winning streak for insurers in COVID-related business interruption claims continued on Friday and Monday. In addition to the 1st Circuit rulings, the 8th Circuit affirmed dismissal of claims filed by Planet Sub Holdings against State Auto Property & Casualty Insurance Co., finding there was no physical damage to the sandwich shops under either Missouri, Kansas or Oklahoma law. Also, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of business-interruption lawsuits in two cases, one filed by Dukes Clothing against Cincinnati Insurance Co. interpreting Alabama law and the other filed by Restaurant Group Management against Zurich American Insurance Co. interpreting Georgia law. Topics USA COVID-19 New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Twelve people with seven construction companies in South Carolina, who pleaded guilty to paying workers in cash and shirking tax and workers compensation obligations, have avoided prison time. The U.S. Attorney for South Carolina said that most of the defendants were sentenced to probation and to home confinement. The federal judge imposed the light sentences because the people admitted guilt early on, agreed to assist authorities, and together paid almost $1 million of the $3 million owed to the Internal Revenue Service, prosecutors said. The men and women were charged last year after a multi-year investigation into illegal construction payroll practices and the hiring of illegal aliens in the Myrtle Beach area. The construction firms would use unlicensed check-cashing services to facilitate under-the-table cash payments to workers, prosecutors said. The check cashers, pretending to be subcontractors, also would provide fake certificates of insurance purporting to show that the laborers were covered by workers compensation insurance. At least $15 million in checks were cashed by the defendants, U.S. Attorney Corey Ellis said in a statement. None of the defendants had prior criminal convictions, but some of them have lost their homes, now face deportation, and will be unable to legally work in the United States. This case should be a message to businesses and individuals who try to get ahead by breaking the law: it is not worth it because we are watching you and we will prosecute you, Ellis said. The off-the-books hiring of undocumented aliens and the use of fake workers compensation certificates has been a huge issue in the construction industry for decades. Legitimate contractors and workers have complained that they lose out to firms that employ the illicit practices and can often do the work at lower cost. Topics Construction New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Georgia arson investigators are helping in the probe of a suspicious fire that destroyed three historic homes over the weekend. Insurance Commissioner John King said that investigators examined the remains of the three historic Morrow homes. At this point, the fires are considered suspicious and are being investigated as such, King said in a statement. He said a reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the arson. He urged anyone with information about the fires to call the Georgia Arson Control Hotline at 1-800-252-5804. Only columns remained where one of the historic building stood, WXIA reported. The three homes included one building on the National Register of Historic Places, City Manager Jeff Baker told WXIA. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Georgia A woman is suing a memory care center outside Portland, Oregon, after her husband left the facility unknown to staff and drowned in a creek. Toufik Tom Tanous, 79, suffered from severe memory loss and had tried to leave at least twice before disappearing from the Hawthorne House care facility in Forest Grove around 8 p.m. on April 27, 2021, according to the lawsuit and a police report. Despite a large-scale search, his body was pulled from Gales Creek two days later. The wrongful death suit, filed last week in Multnomah County Circuit Court, seeks $4.7 million in damages from Caring Places Management LLC, the operator of Hawthorne House and a nearby assisted facility, Forest Grove Beehive, as well as its administrator, Charity Jammeh, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. In the week before Tanous flight, officers responded to 12 calls at the Hawthorne House for assaults, behavioral health incidents and missing persons, Officer Samuel Younce wrote in the police report. A lawyer for Caring Places Management declined to comment on the allegations, citing patient privacy. Our residents are our family, and our staff grieve for this loss, said the attorney, Logan Pratt. The Hawthorne House and Forest Grove Beehive have been fined seven times in the past few years for violations, according to Oregon Department of Human Services records. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Oregon Amtrak has agreed to pay an ex-engineer for his pain and suffering caused by a 2017 derailment when his train sped off a curve in DuPont, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. Minneapolis lawyer Fred Bremseth described the settlement as large, saying Steven Brown and his family will be taken care of for life, The Seattle Times reported. We think that it substantiates that it is Amtraks fault and not Mr. Browns, Bremseth said. The train traveled 80 mph in a 30-mph zone on Dec. 18, 2017, after Brown missed a sign to slow down. However, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Amtrak played a major role in the Cascades 501 crash, while also blaming track owner Sound Transit, train owner Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration. A safety board member said Brown was set up to fail, based on agencies mistakes, including inadequate practice runs and the trains lack of speed-control software. The crash happened on Amtraks first scheduled trip on new corridor through Tacoma, Lakewood and Nisqually. Brown, 60, broke several bones in his face and torso when most of the train flew off the trestle onto Interstate 5 beneath. An Amtrak spokesperson told the newspaper that the company had no comment. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Washington An iconic Cork toy store will close up shop later this month after nearly 50 years in business. Run by brothers John and Jimmy Noonan, Noonans of Charleville has been a staple for generations of shoppers looking for everything from dolls to train sets. But all good things must come to an end and having served the local community since their 20s, the brothers announced that they would downsize the business last month. Were here 47 years now and managed not to kill each other in the meantime, said John. I have four children to keep on the straight and narrow and if we want to go away for a weekend we have to get someone to stand in. Were not totally retiring but we need to try and wind down. The key cutting, greeting card, and sports accessory services will remain after the toy store ceases trading. Picture: Larry Cummins. The gold leaf J.R Noonan sign has been hanging above Charleville's Main Street for over a century. The doors were first opened by John and Jimmys grandparents, who ran a grocery and provisions shop. The business eventually expanded under the guidance of the pair's parents, who handed the reigns over to their eldest sons in 1975. The name has been over the doors since the 1890s. The sign is preserved and is one of the only ones that has been there that long, said John. The building originally belonged to my grandparents and, block by block, we built the current store. There were toys in just the front of the shop originally, but it was getting too small when it was coming up to November time. People wanted to put their Christmas stuff away so the house was full upstairs. There were only two rooms that werent full of toys and that was the bathroom and the sitting room. The bedrooms had gifts belonging to every mother in the country up until Christmas Eve. John and Jimmy acquired eight vacant houses in the laneway behind the store to expand the business further, eventually adding cards, sports gear, footwear, key cutting, picture framing, and bicycle repairs into the fold. The key cutting, greeting card, and sports accessory services will remain after the toy store ceases trading on June 30. Weve had parents and children coming up to us distraught and there are over 11,000 hits so far on our Facebook announcement. Weve been given lots of congratulations cards as well, said John. We want to say thank you to everyone for the many years of support, friendship, and all the wonderful memories. Ill probably cry my eyes out when we lock up for the final time but its about time that we start to enjoy life, and we havent closed the door just yet." The Shannon Foynes Port Company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Norwegian Offshore Wind to provide a framework for collaboration on future projects. Norwegian Offshore Wind is a cluster of 350 companies that cover the entire supply chain for offshore wind projects. Norway has been seen as a leader in such projects with 30GW of capacity expected by 2040. Shannon Foynes is aiming to take advantage of the significant number of offshore wind projects expected to be developed around the Irish coast in the coming decades. The agreement signed this week includes running shared events, sharing opportunities to do business and joint research projects. "The ports in Norway and Ireland are a vital component in the supply chain in offshore wind, and thus imperative for the countries in Northern Europe to reach their renewable ambitions, said Arvid Nesse, General Manager of Norwegian Offshore Wind. This agreement will strengthen the cooperation between the ports along the Norwegian coast and one of the hubs for floating wind in Ireland." Shannon Foynes Port Company CEO Pat Keating said: "Irelands potential from floating offshore wind generation off the west coast alone stands at 70GW, which is 12 times our current installed wind capacity on land." "So what we now need to do is to realise that opportunity and being able to partner with global leaders like Norway will be a key enabler of that. Norwegian Offshore Winds partnership with us on this MOU reflects just how big that opportunity is and we look forward to working closely with them to progress this mutually beneficial relationship. The State has reduced its stake in Bank of Ireland to below 3% today. The stake in the bank, which is held by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), has declined from 3.996% to 2.956%. The 3% level is a key marker for Irish publicly-quoted companies, as stakes above this size are required to be disclosed to the stock market. Last June, the State began the process of selling some of its shareholding, which at that time stood at 13.9%. During the financial crisis, Bank of Ireland recieved 4.7bn from the State to keep it afloat. To date, Bank of Ireland has now returned approximately 6.5bn to the State. This was carried out through the repayment of bailout bonds, share sales, dividends, coupons and guarantee fees. The ongoing share selling process was orginally scheduled to finish in January 2022. However, last month Minister for Finance Paschal Donohue extended the deadline. Last month, the Irish Examiner reported that AIB is to return 64m to the State between May and the end of the year as part of a 91m share buyback scheme. The State is currently AIB's largest shareholder with a stake of just under 70%. The buyback programme will be in addition to the payment of a proposed 122m cash dividend to all shareholders. It means the State expects to receive a total of approximately 149m from the company by December 31. Mourners gathered at St Patricks Church in Millstreet for the requiem Mass of a beloved mother after her car went into Corks River Lee carrying her two young children. Her two children, Evan and Luke, aged 12 and 10, escaped the sinking car but their mother, 44-year-old primary school teacher Gillian Daly died. Her coffin stood just below the altar where she had married her husband John 13 years ago. Ms Dalys family members were hugged with emotion and had hands shaken by a steady procession of sympathisers as Wild Mountain Thyme played in the church. Speaking through Ms Dalys brother Jason, her husband John said he would be unable to get the words out himself but through Jason, he would share a small snapshot of the lives they had built together. Mourners outside St Patrick's Church, Millstreet, Co Cork, after the cortege with the remains of Gillian Daly arrived for Requiem Mass. He said the values Gillian instilled in their sons will make raising them easy. There isnt enough time and there arent enough words to do justice to the joy and happiness you brought to the people around you, especially to me and our beautiful boys," he said. We met on a night out in Cork on 8th December 2001. I knew straight away I was in big trouble, he said to giggles from the congregation. I had to do a lot of chasing, but it was more than worthwhile. He said they were inseparable as a couple, through thick and thin, good and bad. You loved to travel so much and we made wonderful memories throughout the world. Your charm and gentle, kind way with people transcended nationalities you brought out the best in people you met all over the world. I often stood back and shook my head in wonder at your ability to form connections with strangers. Their wedding on July 18, 2009, was the happiest day of their lives until the birth of their children, he said. You took to motherhood like a duck to water, I have never seen two children as cherished and loved by their mum. "You have raised two fine, brave young boys and the values you instilled in them will make it a very easy job for me to finish your life's work and raise them to be the young men that any mum would be proud of." Gillian was the beauty of the family, her brother Jason said. She was highly intelligent and school came easy to her. Her gentle, caring nature meant that if her siblings were ever hurt as children, she would feel those scratches or bruises as intently herself. She brought such happiness to her family, who had been immensely proud of her since she was a beautiful baby. As a sister, we couldnt ask for better you were kind, caring, funny and always put everyone elses needs ahead of your own. Your nature meant you worried too much about everyone else way too much. Growing up as youngsters every small bruise and cut we picked up was equally felt by you. You hated seeing anyone else in pain. On every family occasion, you were always first to hit the dance floor. You simply came alive on the dance floor. Everybody loved you. Gillian, you had a heart of gold. Goodbye for now to our sweet, caring, loving and beautiful Gillian. Last Friday evening, Ms Dalys family's world was turned upside down when they heard the news of her death and of the courageous escape of her two sons, the officiating priest, Fr Jack Fitzgerald, told mourners. Her death was a tragic reminder of how fragile life is, he said. Gillians tragic death has stunned and numbed our community here in Millstreet, in Cork, where they reside. People are heartbroken. It's difficult for us to process what happened...in many ways, it is beyond our understanding. He compared the suffering of Christ on the cross to the suffering of Ms Dalys family now. The many personal tributes made to Ms Daly reveal how everybody who knew her thought very highly of her as a wife, mother, teacher and friend, he said. She endeared herself to everyone she was in contact with. Sadly the plans she made for the future with family and friends must now be left aside, he said. The hearse with the remains of Gillian Daly going through Millstreet following Requiem Mass in St Patrick's Church. Theres no doubt one of the greatest times of sorrow and grief is when were faced with the death of someone we love very much. .. and especially someone as young and vibrant as Gillian was, in the prime of her life with so much to live for. When death comes to our door it brings so much sadness and emptiness. But death is not the end, he said, telling the family that they would one day be reunited in heaven. Emergency services and people who tried to help on Friday night were thanked by family during Prayers of the Faithful. Ms Daly was said by people who knew her to have an "inner glow of goodness". She died on Friday evening after her car plunged into the river at Kennedy Quay in Cork after 8pm. Her sons managed to free themselves and swim from the sinking vehicle and were pulled to safety by bystanders. Ms Daly was originally from Millstreet but had been living over recent years in Douglas, a suburb on the southside of Cork city. She is to be buried afterwards at St Eltin's Cemetery in Kinsale. Gardai said their investigation into the tragedy will hinge on forensic and technical evidence as well as eyewitness statements. A biodiversity conference in Dublin was labelled a talking shop by climate campaigners who protested at the event on Wednesday. The conference at Dublin Castle was attended by the Minister for Heritage, Darragh OBrien, as the Government prepares to publish a new biodiversity action plan. Demonstrators on Wednesday accused the Government of not doing enough to protect Irish biodiversity, at a protest organised by Extinction Rebellion and the Irish Wildlife Trust. They called on Mr OBrien and the Government to put the latest biodiversity plan on a legal footing. We want to see the national biodiversity action plan put on a legal footing, just like the climate action plan is, so there will be proper accountability and implementation Padraic Fogarty, the campaigns officer at the Irish Wildlife Trust, said: This is going to be our fourth biodiversity action plan and we know that biodiversity is still in serious decline. Really what were saying is that we need a change of approach. Environmental campaigners Ceara Carney and Marta Garcia Marta from the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion. Picture:: Niall Carson/PA Wire We want to see the national biodiversity action plan put on a legal footing, just like the climate action plan is, so there will be proper accountability and implementation. He labelled the meeting another talking shop. We need to talk and we need to have conferences, thats fine, but we have to do much more than just have conferences and give speeches. We need to get on and do the actions, Mr Fogarty said. He warned about the perilous state of Irish nature and wildlife. We have a lot of talk, very little action when it comes to actually protecting our wildlife, our communities We have looked at the past three biodiversity action plans and there is a long list of items that have never gotten anywhere the process is becoming completely pointless unless greater action is taken. Biodiversity has collapsed in Ireland. We dont have natural ecosystems in Ireland anymore. We look throughout our countryside and we think it looks green and the sea looks blue, but actually nature is a state of collapse across these landscapes. Demonstrators, some dressed as coal miners carrying canaries, warned that time is running out to protect Irish wildlife as they paraded through the gates of Dublin Castle in the city centre. Marta Garcia Mateo dressed as a Nature Goddess as she joined environmental campaigners from the Irish Wildlife Trust and Extinction Rebellion. Picture:Niall Carson/PA Wire Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore joined protesters on Wednesday morning. Successive Governments have failed to look after nature. It has been year in, year out, and we have a lot of talk, very little action when it comes to actually protecting our wildlife, our communities, she said. There has been an awful lot of plans and very few actions. We cannot rely on the next Government being one that is wildlife-friendly. We need legislation to be in place. Former Sinn Fein TD for Clare Violet-Anne Wynne has said she and her six children are currently homeless. Speaking in a video posted both on her Facebook page and on Twitter, she said she is currently staying in a holiday home. Ms Wynne said she had been given a notice to quit and had struggled to find new accommodation for her young family. Posted with the message: Ireland 2022, when a TD can end up homeless, Ms Wynne sets out the difficulty she and her family have encountered in finding accommodation in Clare. Ms Wynne, who left Sinn Fein earlier this year, said she and her family need a four-bedroom house, but the options available are minimal. Ms Wynne as a TD is paid 101,193 and as a Clare-based representative, she is entitled to 31,365 a year in travel and accommodation allowances. The housing crisis is a major problem in this country and in my county of Clare I know at the time of the notice to quit, even finding hotel space was extremely difficult and the holiday home was the only answer for our family but it is not a sustainable solution for our family. So we remain hopeful and hopefully we do get good news. Ms Wynne said she and her family were privately renting property in Kilrush for the last number of years But it was only supposed to be a short term solution to our housing needs as it was far too small for our family size, she said. Ms Wynne says here former landlord gave her notice to quit when they found out she was pregnant with her sixth child as the house was unsuitable. Violet Anne Wynne said she and her family are now staying in a holiday home. Picture: Brian Arthur Once hearing that I was pregnant on our sixth child, the landlord did issue us with a notice to quit for that very reason. And you know, the property was far too small and obviously, an additional child was going to make space even more difficult for everyone, she said. She said that prior to the 2020 general election but specifically since the election, she and her family have been seeking alternative accommodation and to no avail. Ms Wynne resigned from Sinn Fein in February claiming she had been isolated and subjected to psychological warfare. She claimed some in the party used her pregnancy as a stick to beat her with. Ms Wynne said she was disappointed that Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had not contacted her to congratulate her on the birth of her most recent child. In 2020, Violet-Anne Wynne claimed the release of details about her eviction from social housing due to estimated rent arrears of over 12,000 was politically motivated. She claimed a leak about her court case with Rural Resettlement Ireland (RRI) on the eve of the general election was done to negatively impact on her campaign. Ms Wynne and her partner, John Montaine, were asked to respond to a claim notice issued by RRI for the sum of 12,126 being the amount of four years rent arrears of rent up to June 3, 2016, according to court documents. Soon after her election to the Dail in 2020, it was reported that Ms Wynne and her partner were in rent arrears on their property. She had approached a solicitor and expected the matter to be dealt with in a period of a few weeks expressing her desire that the controversy would not drag on for two to three years. I had a chance to pay it back as I always wanted it paid, she said. According to court documents, Ms Wynne and her partner had rent arrears of 12,126 over a four-year period dating to June 3, 2016. Under the letting agreement dated December 1, 2011, a weekly rent of 63.64 was set. The family remained in the Tullycrine house for six years. The Offaly native insisted that the couple paid 12 months' rent and a deposit until they began to experience financial difficulties. I READ Claire Keegans magnificent book Small Things Like These in a single sitting. It was named Irish Novel of the Year at Listowel Writers Week last week and you are unlikely to find a more evocative or tender study of life in the cold, closed Ireland of 1985. Yet youll also find hope and deep humanity in the raw chill of one late November in New Ross, Co Wexford. It is not giving too much away to say that the book tells the story of Bill Furlong, a coal and timber merchant who goes against the prevailing wisdom to stand up for a new mother who is interned in a Catholic institution. It is a literary reminder of the kind of real-life courage celebrated in Galway recently when Ena McEntee and Patricia Burke Brogan were awarded the freedom of that city for offering a small glimmer of hope to those who were otherwise possessed of none at the time, to quote Galway mayor Colette Connolly. Theres a film to be made of how Ms McEntee, who worked in the citys Magdalene laundry, sprang at least 15 women from the institution when she saw the conditions there. Meanwhile, Ms Burke Brogan exposed the inhumane conditions in those places of horror in her award-winning play, Eclipsed. We are not short of evidence of how State, Church, and society were complicit in a culture of silence, and fear, that destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of women; normalised forced family separation; excused shockingly high infant mortality; turned a blind eye to illegal adoption, and allowed systematic violence, torture, and rape. Neither are we short of occasions to bring it back into the public consciousness. In the last three weeks alone, there has been a literary award, a civic award, and the launch of another book that, despite all, highlights the staggering lack of political progress in making real redress. The latter, titled Redress: Irelands Institutions and Transitional Justice (edited by Katherine ODonnell, Maeve ORourke, and James M Smith), was launched in late May in Collins Barracks in Dublin where artist Alison Lowrys exhibition (A)Dressing Our Hidden Truths features an installation of nine glass christening robes spread across two rooms. It is described as a profound piece of commentary on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home revelations where local historian Catherine Corless found evidence that 796 babies were buried in a septic tank. A haunting photograph from the exhibition features on the books cover, a reminder that we are still waiting, eight years later, for those dishonoured souls to be exhumed from a mass grave. The book itself is a collection of essays focusing on what democracy might look like if you put different facts and different voices to the fore. Minister for Children Roderic OGorman persists in calling it a ground-breaking piece of legislation. It is not; it is following in the same deep groove of secrecy that keeps many archives out of reach. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Voices such as Magdalene laundry and industrial school survivor Mary Smith, who hands me a CD of a song she wrote for the mother she never met. The words that jump out are: Hear my voice. Or Sheila OByrne, whose personal experiences in a mother and baby institution I refuse to call them homes are laid out in a series of poems which she shows me as Redress is launched. Or Felix ONeill, a man who spent years in an industrial school before being boarded out in west Kerry and running away. He didnt learn to read and write until he was 30 but then went on to become a collector and restorer of rare books. He also blogs about the lasting and continuing hurt inflicted on him and many others. Of his 40-plus contemporaries at one industrial school, just two are still alive. He is 68. They are waiting for us all to die, says Mr ONeill. If theres a unifying thread in those snatched snippets of book launch conversation, it is the importance of telling the world what happened. It steadies me to tell these things, journalist and adoptee Caitriona Palmer writes, quoting a line from the Seamus Heaney poem Crossings. I found a grounding and liberation in painting a truthful account of growing up adopted and the intense, furtive affair that Sarah [her birth mother] and I conducted. There isnt a book long enough to contain the stories of the suffering endured by all mothers and their children over the last century, but this one at least puts their experiences to the fore. Nothing about them, without them is a slogan that truly informs its pages, even if there will be those who feel left out. They are not, however, because if we put into action the definition of redress understood in this book, every unheard survivor would ring loud and clear. To turn to Heaney again, the poet was interested in redress not just as compensation for, or reparation for wrongs done, but as a way to set upright or to raise something to an upstanding position again. Archbishop of Tuam Francis Duffy talks to local historian Catherine Corless at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home site in what is the Archbishop's first visit since he was installed. Picture: Ray Ryan In Redress, the authors take that definition to heart and look at the issue from a number of perspectives legal, literary, philosophical, sociological, to mention a few. It is revelatory for many reasons, not least because it shows in the starkest fashion how Government policy has failed to embrace the tenets of transitional justice that is, truth-telling, accountability, redress/reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence. More importantly, this book offers an alternative. The authors ask: How might democracy evolve if survivors experiences and expertise were allowed to lead? To start, the deleted and later retrieved testimony given by some 550 survivors to the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes would have informed the findings, because it would have been evident early on that abiding by inquiry rules and regulations was not the same as justice. If we had real justice (and a full democracy), the Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022 would not be making its way through the Houses of the Oireachtas. There has been widespread criticism of its information session which is mandatory for adoptees where a birth parent has registered a no-contact preference. Yet Minister for Children Roderic OGorman persists in calling it a ground-breaking piece of legislation. It is not; it is following in the same deep groove of secrecy that keeps many archives out of reach. A State brave enough to look through a human rights lens would not be able to look at the past without acknowledging forced family separation, either. Those words do not even feature in the Governments plan of 22 actions designed to address the legacy of mother and baby institutions. How is it that people in all spheres of life can look to the past and see what needs to be done to allow survivors to lead the way? Among them, the artist, the lawyer, the historian, the academic, the philosopher, the sociologist, the literary critic, the writer, and even the protagonist of Claire Keegans haunting book: [Bill Furlong] found himself asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another? Isnt it time our Government departments and our State agencies joined them? By structuring a contract in a particular way, a business can avoid giving an employee any employment law rights. At first sight, this may sound strange. However, the recent case of Karshan Midlands Limited trading as Dominos Pizza and the Revenue Commissioners appears, at first sight, to have embedded the test of mutuality of obligations as the test for whether an individual is or is not an employee. The test on mutuality of obligations, as set out in that decision, is that there must be a mutual obligation on a business to provide work and on the individual to perform that work for the relationship of employer and employee to arise. In the gig economy, the contracts provide that neither the business must provide work nor does the individual have to accept the work offered. There are some conditions, of course. One of these is that there can be no penalty on the individual if they say they do not want to accept any particular piece of work. Equally, it is not simply a matter of writing a contract on that basis. The courts will look through the contract to see how it operated in practice. In particular, they will look to see whether it is one where the employee could refuse work. Sad reality This recent Court of Appeal decision has in Ireland applied the law as it currently is. Despite the Government's previous statements that it intends to tackle this issue of the gig economy, nothing, in reality, has been done. So what is the position now for gig workers? The sad reality is that gig workers have no employment rights whatsoever. These individuals have no protection against harassment. They have no right to sue for outstanding wages in the Workplace Relations Commission. They have no rights to Sunday Premiums, Holidays nor Public Holiday rights. They will also be excluded from the legislation on sick pay and pensions as they will not be employees. They have no rights under anti-competition law to organise. While this has been ignored by the Government in meetings with gig workers, the law still states that they cannot organise. For example, if they attempted to organise a strike that would breach anti-competition law and they would be open to prosecution. The European Commission is due to address this but has not done so as yet. One of the most damming issues around gig workers is the fact that they are not covered by the National Minimum Wage Act. They, therefore, have no certainty of getting even the minimum wage when working. In the case before the Court of Appeal, the individuals did receive a guaranteed payment for every hour worked but this was less than the National Minimum Wage. Is there a remedy? There are legitimate cases where individuals are self-employed contractors. However, our legislation makes no differential between those in a position of significant bargaining power and those who are not in that position. Can this be addressed? The answer is quite simply yes. Despite how it is often portrayed, gig workers do not just refer to those delivering pizzas. It covers a far broader spectrum of workers in various parts of our economy. It is becoming prevalent in the construction industry and I have even seen it argued in the case of cleaners. A total re-write of our laws on self-employed contractors would be a major legislative endeavour. So is there any quick fix? The issue could simply be addressed by providing that unless a person earns in excess of twice the National Minimum Wage or a Sectoral Employment Order note then for all purposes they could be treated as employees. The alternative is to introduce, as they have in the UK, an intermediate category of individuals. These, in the UK, are termed workers rather than employees. The UK decisions have awarded these workers rights to minimum rates of pay, holidays and sick pay. They still have no rights if dismissed or subject to harassment but they are given at least some minimum protections. In other EU countries, courts have determined that gig workers, especially those in the delivery industry, are employees. The Court of Appeal decision, while given under Tax Laws, effectively also covers the issue under Employment Law also. So gig workers have no employment rights. The Government now has a choice. That choice is either to accept this ruling which has clearly set out the roadmap for a business to successfully engage individuals but with no employment rights or to act now to amend the legislation. Where a business can legitimately and legally avoid creating employment rights they also avoid any obligation to pay employers PRSI. This gives them a competitive advantage over businesses which take on individuals as employees. There is now a choice. Do we want to see more individuals being engaged as self-employed contractors with no employment law rights, or do we as a country restrict the use of self-employed contractor positions to those in highly or more highly-paid positions? Richard Grogan is the Principal of Richard Grogan & Associates Solicitors The European Parliament has thrown its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France, to require carmakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100% by the middle of the next decade. The mandate would amount to a prohibition on the sale in the 27-nation bloc of new cars powered by petrol or diesel. (PA) EU politicians also endorsed a 55% reduction in CO2 from vehicles in 2030 compared with 2021. The move deepens an existing obligation on the car industry to lower CO2 discharges by 37.5% on average at the end of the decade compared to last year. Environmentalists hailed the parliaments decisions. Transport & Environment, a Brussels-based alliance, said the vote offered a fighting chance of averting runaway climate change. But Germanys car industry lobby group VDA criticised the vote, saying it ignored the lack of charging infrastructure in Europe. The group also said the vote was a decision against innovation and technology a reference to demands from the industry that synthetic fuels be exempt from the ban, which European lawmakers rejected. If approved by EU nations, the 2035 deadline will be particularly tough on German carmakers, who have focused on powerful and expensive vehicles with combustion engines while falling behind foreign rivals when it comes to electric cars. The 2030 CO2-reduction target and ban on combustion engines in 2035 were proposed last year by the European Commission, the EUs executive arm. Cars account for around 12% of European emissions of greenhouse gases, which are blamed for increasingly frequent and intense heat waves, storms and floods tied to climate change. The governments of EU member nations need to give their verdicts in the coming weeks or months before a final EU agreement on the tougher car emission requirements is approved. The car law is being scrutinised as part of a package of EU draft climate legislation covering a range of other polluting industries. The EU plans to slash greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 rather than by just a previously agreed 40% over the period. A big portion of the cuts would come from power plants and factories. These two sectors, unlike cars, have their greenhouse gases curbed in the EU by a European emissions-trading system that every year reduces the total supply of required pollution permits. MEPs have agreed to increase ambition for emissions reduction in the international aviation sector to achieve EU and global climate goals European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) June 8, 2022 Earlier on Wednesday, the EU parliament failed to advance that part of the climate package because of a split over the pace at which the free allocation of some emission permits as opposed to the auctioning of them should be phased out. The assembly asked its environment committee to reopen deliberations on the matter. As a result, the EU parliament also delayed its decisions on two related initiatives. One is the creation of a Social Climate Fund to help vulnerable households cope with the planned clean-energy revamp an issue that has become more politically sensitive as Russias war in Ukraine has sent fuel prices soaring. The second is an unprecedented import tax known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The planned CBAM is a first-of-its-kind tool that would allow the EU to raise the prices of some imported goods including steel and aluminium that are spared climate-protection costs faced by manufacturers based in the bloc. Burma ASEAN's Engagement With Myanmars Shadow Govt Needed to Solve Political Crisis: US Senior counselor to the US Secretary of State Derek Chollet attends a roundtable at the US ambassador to Vietnams residence in Hanoi on April 1, 2022. / AFP The US State Departments Counselor has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to engage with Myanmars shadow civilian National Unity Government (NUG), as the countrys political crisis cannot be resolved by engaging only with the military regime. Derek Chollet told the Straits Times newspaper in Singapore that Washington has been urging ASEAN countries that are either not engaging or not visibly engaging to do more of that because the US believes its very important, particularly due to the juntas restrictions on anyone engaging with the democratic opposition inside Myanmar. ASEAN member Myanmar has been in political and economic turmoil since last years coup. The regime cant control the country because of the popular armed resistance movement backed by the NUG. ASEANs Special Envoy for Myanmar visited the country earlier this year, but met only with the regime. Engaging with the democratic opposition is critical. You are not going to resolve this by just engaging with the junta, Derek Chollet told the Straits Times. The State Department officials call for more engagement follows last months meeting between the NUG and US government officials in Washington on the sidelines of the US-ASEAN summit. NUG foreign minister Daw Zin Mar Aung also met Malaysias Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who had called for ASEAN to engage with the NUG prior to the meeting, making Malaysia the first ASEAN member to engage publicly with the NUG. The meeting was slammed by the junta, which was excluded from the US-ASEAN summit for failing to honor the blocs peace plan for Myanmar. Chollets call for dialogue between ASEAN and the NUG came before he departed for Thailand, Singapore and Brunei on Tuesday. During his tour, he will focus on the Myanmar crisis, as well as on other bilateral issues, according to the State Department. In his interview with the Straits Times, the State Department Counselor said that the US has had regular video meetings with the NUG leadership over the last eight or nine months, as well as engaging with them to help build capacity and make them more effective at organizing themselves and delivering for the Myanmar people. Chollet said that he will be discussing the political pathway forward for Myanmar during his trip to Southeast Asia. We seem to be at a political stalemate in terms of getting Myanmar back on the path to democracy its very tough going right now, he said. But that is why we are putting a premium on engaging intensively with ASEAN and others who have an interest in a peaceful and democratic future for Myanmar, added Chollet. Its still unknown how ASEAN will respond to Washingtons call to engage more with the NUG, with the junta opposed to any such engagement as it regards the NUG as a terrorist organization. The ten-member bloc has been criticized for its failed peace plan for Myanmar, known as the Five-Point Consensus. Adopted in April last year, the Consensus called for the regime to stop violence in the country immediately and to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. However, the regime has ignored most of the points in the Consensus, while killing over 1,800 people for their anti-coup activism. It has approved ASEAN to deliver aid, provided it is distributed first to the junta. ASEANs agreement to that has been criticized by rights groups, who fear that the regime will use the aid for its own benefit, while neglecting those in need. You may also like these stories: Junta Chief to Preside Over Myanmars First Grand Military Review in Seven Years Resistance Fighters and KIA Clash With Junta Forces in Northern Myanmar Myanmar Junta Raises SIM and Internet Taxes to Silence Opposition Burma Civilians and Resistance Fighters Killed by Myanmar Junta in Sagaing A civilian killed by regime troops along with seven others in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region on Tuesday. / Fifty Two News Eight people, including two peoples defense force (PDF) members, were executed by Myanmars regime forces and pro-military Pyu Saw Htee militia members following arrests in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region, on Tuesday. Chaung-U PDF told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that two comrades, Chan Ko, 28, and Nanda, 23, were detained along with civilians by regime soldiers and Pyu Saw Htee members near Kangyikone village in the township on Tuesday morning while the two were shopping. Chaung-U PDF quoted witnesses as saying regime forces seized 15 people, including pedestrians and farmers, in the east of the village without reporting any fighting. Submitting pictures of the corpses, the pro-regime FiftyTwo News Telegram channel reported that troops killed eight Chaung-U PDF terrorists and seized homemade weapons and ammunition during a firefight near Shwe Hla village in the township on Tuesday evening. However, Chaung-U PDF said there was no clash in the area on Tuesday. They have committed arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions on both PDFs and civilians, said the Chaung-U PDFs spokesman. He said pro-military news channels spread propaganda to cover the regimes arbitrary arrests and killings. On May 24, regime forces and Pyu Saw Htee members killed a farmer, who was thought to be in his 70s, and his two sons while they were farming in the township, said Chaung-U PDF. A pro-junta Telegram channel reported that three PDF terrorists were killed during a firefight in the township, said Chaung-U PDF. The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the killings of civilians. Last week, at least seven civilians, including a child and two senior citizens, were killed by regime forces in three Sagaing townships. As of June 7, at least 1,906 people have been slain by junta forces, while more than 14,000 people, including government leaders, have been detained since last years coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. You may also like these stories: Cambodia Forced to Put Off ASEAN Meeting as Foreign Ministers Pull Out Regime Airstrike Destroys Hospital in Lower Myanmar Junta Chief to Preside Over Myanmars First Grand Military Review in Seven Years Burma Myanmar Junta Will Be Held Accountable for Democracy Activists Executions: Anti-Regime Groups A social media campaign poster calling for execution orders against Ko Jimmy (left) and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw (right) to be reversed and for the pair to be freed Leading anti-regime forces have strongly denounced the Myanmar juntas recent announcement that it will proceed with the executions of four men including a former lawmaker from ousted State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party and a veteran democracy activist. The National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC)a coalition of elected lawmakers, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and pro-democracy activistsand the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)a group of elected lawmakers who were prevented from taking their seats in Parliament by the February 2021 coup, said in separate statements that the juntas order approving the executions of four anti-regime activists was a blatant violation of Myanmars existing laws as well as international conventions and laws. Both pledged to hold those involved in the juntas lawless plan fully accountable. The junta said last week it had issued orders to prison authorities to carry out the death sentences handed down to former MP and hip-hop pioneer Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and democracy activist Ko Jimmy, also known as Kyaw Min Yu, a leading member of the 88 Generation Students Group. The regimes spokesman said the junta-controlled judiciary had already rejected appeals against the death sentences by the two men. With all avenues for appeal thus exhausted, they would be hanged soon according to prison procedures, he said. The announcement has drawn ire from local and international rights groups and governments, which called on the regime to reverse the order and release the men. The two were arrested late last year in their hideouts in Yangon and were given death sentences on terrorism charges in January by a military tribunal for masterminding armed resistance operations in Yangon. The two other men whose executions were approved are Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw, who were earlier sentenced to death for killing a woman who was an alleged military informant. If the executions go ahead, Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw and Ko Jimmy will be the first political dissidents to be put to death in the country in nearly four decades. In its statement, the CRPH described the juntas death sentences and approval of the executions as inhumane. All those extrajudicial acts by the illegal terrorist regime are aimed at instilling fear in people who continue to oppose its rule, it said, adding that it would work together with local and international organizations to make sure that all those involved in the executions are subject to effective legal action. The NUCC said in its statement that it will continue to work with pro-democracy forces to abolish the death penalty in Myanmar as well as to take action against the regime for its grave human rights violations, war crimes and genocidal killings of civilians. A total of 114 prisoners including students and anti-coup activiststwo of whom are minorshave been condemned to death since the coup. Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, Ko Jimmy, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw are the first to have their sentences approved. The condemned prisoners were subjected to unfair trials, and denied their legal rights to counsel and to defend themselves, for their roles in the revolutionary movement against the junta. The death sentences in this case are mere contrived legal cover for all the acts of violence that are fundamentally legally defined human rights atrocities. There is no amount of legal gloss that can justify the acts of the junta, which could more accurately be described as an armed criminal gang employing terrorist-style tactics, Marzuki Darusman of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), an independent group of prominent former UN human rights experts, said in a statement. SAC-Ms Yanghee Lee, a former UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said carrying out the sentences would amount to summary executions. She called on the global community to take a stand and put political pressure on the regime to halt the announced executions. The leaders of the Myanmar military and those who carry out their orders, including judges, should be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in international courts, the group said. Burma Rakhine Villagers Accused of Terrorism Left in Limbo in Myanmar Jails Lekka villagers on terrorism trial at Sittwe District Court. / The Irrawaddy Legal limbo in the case of two men from Ponnagyun Township in Rakhine State has dragged on for more than two years after they were arrested on suspicion of having links with the Arakan Army (AA) in March 2020. U Maung Saw Aye and Ko Nay Lin Htay, both 25, from Ai Tin village were arrested at the Kyauktan checkpoint on the outskirts of the state capital Sittwe upon returning to their village by motorbike. Myanmars military filed a charge under Article 52(a) of the Counter Terrorism Law alleging that photos of AA fighters were found on their phones. Sittwe District Court was supposed to deliver a verdict in April last year after all the prosecution witnesses testified but it has left the case for more than a year without a ruling, according to family members. U Maung Phyu Che, the father of U Maung Saw Aye, said: The court has postponed the verdict again and again, which is not fair for them and upsets their families. During a court hearing in May, the accused raised a complaint but the judge did not respond, said U Maung Phyu Che. In another case, five villagers from Kyaukseik in Ponnagyun Township have also spent more than two years in prison after their court postponed the ruling. The five were arrested in April 2020 and charged under the Counter Terrorism Law over alleged ties with the AA. Defense lawyer U Kyaw Nyunt Maung said he has never seen a case being put off for so long in his career. Family members have suffered. The previous judge postponed the trial because of instructions from above. The current judge postponed the trial saying he is still studying the case. In 20 years as a lawyer this is the first time a judge has taken more than a year and the first time a verdict has been postponed for more than a year, said the lawyer. Soldiers detained 38 villagers from Kyaukseik on April 19, 2020, and released 33 of them the following day but opened cases against the rest. A video of the five villagers being beaten by soldiers during interrogation on a naval vessel was shared widely on social media in May 2020. At the time, military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said action would be taken against the soldiers who beat the five villagers. But there has not been any report of action taken against them. Moreover, six villagers from Sar Pyin and Chet Pauk in Taungup Township also have been on a terrorism trial for more than two years at the Thandwe District Court. They were detained in June 2020 and charged for allegedly financing terrorism. Rakhine politician U Pe Than said: Those cases should be dropped since the AA was removed from the list of terrorist organizations [in March 2021]. Judges and legal officers should ask for a straight answer from the central government about that. Are they holding up because decision makers have hinted at something? If so it is illegal. Following the coup, the regime released relatives of AA chief Major General Tun Myat Naing and some Rakhine villagers who were prosecuted on suspicion of having ties with the AA but more than 30 Rakhine villagers are still on terrorism trial at courts in Sittwe, Mrauk-U and Thandwe, said U Myat Tun from the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association. As the AA has been removed from the list of terrorist groups the accused should now be released. But they have been locked in the circle of being brought to court and then back to prison. This has caused many troubles for families. This is a human rights violation, he said. Family members have run up against financial difficulties as the courts have dithered, he said. The regime has opened a case against a man and woman from Kyaukphyu Township under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code for allegedly collecting funds for the AA earlier this month. It has also detained two Rakhine people and two Chin residents in Paletwa Township, Chin State, on suspicion of having links to the AA. The AA has refused to attend talks with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. Military tensions have been running high in Rakhine State with the regime targeting the village-level officials of the United League of Arakan, the political wing of the AA, which has been establishing a parallel administration. Commentary Myanmars Junta Seems Serious About Executing Leading Activists. Can We Stop It? Ko Jimmy, veteran democracy activist and leading member of the 88 Generation Students Group (left), and former NLD lawmaker Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw (right). Is Myanmars junta really so merciless that it would execute leading pro-democracy activists Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, as it has decreed? And what will happen if it does? For many peoplebe they members of pro-democracy groups, the countless young resistance fighters across the country, or the general public, who already hate the ruling generals for the atrocities they have committed, and for their sheer barbaritythe execution of the two public figures would feel as if their hearts were being ripped out of their chests. That pain would be unforgivable. Ko Jimmy, a leading activist since the 1988 popular uprising, and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw, a hip-hop pioneer turned MP of the National League for Democracy, are dear to many people and are regarded by the public as symbols of the ongoing anti-regime resistance. Hanging them would certainly escalate the ongoing popular resistance against the junta and bring about all-out war. Hip-hop pioneer-turned-NLD MP Phyo Zeya Thaw is seen in the Union Parliament in Naypyitaw. / The Irrawaddy However, we need to discuss first whether the junta is really serious about executing these two leading activists and two other anti-coup protesters. Some people are convinced the junta is bluffing, and simply wants to give anti-regime forces a scare. Some others, including veteran pro-democracy activists and politicians, dont believe the junta would go through with executing political prisonersa step not taken by previous military regimes over the past four decades. Some reject the possibility because such a move would yield no political benefit for the ruling junta. Some speculate that the junta is using the execution order to gain leverage with the international community, which doesnt recognize it as a legitimate government and has targeted it with sanctions and other punitive measures. It seems to me, however, that the junta is serious about executing the two. I say this with a truly heavy heartI know both Ko Jimmy and Ko Zeya Thaw, and they know me well, too. By the time junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun disclosed last Friday that the junta had approved their death sentences, all of the two condemned mens appeals against their death sentences had already been rejected. They would be hanged soon according to prison procedures, the spokesperson added. In their appeal processes, Min Aung Hlaing, as chief of the junta, was their last recourse. It was he who rejected their final appeals; he was the one who gave the final order to carry out the executions. As far as I know, no political prisoners who received death sentences under the previous regime after the nationwide anti-regime uprising in 1988 were required to go all the way through that appeal process. That offers a clear indication that the regime never really intended to execute them, despite handing down death sentences to political prisoners, some of whom had even taken up arms against the junta and sought to assassinate the top ruling generals. Though the regime incarcerated thousands of political prisoners, not one was hanged in 1988 or in the following decades. The current regime includes many of the same characters as its predecessor, but the junta led by coup maker Min Aung Hlaing is even more ruthless and even less rational. Min Aung Hlaing himself seems more motivated by personal feelings and more vengeful. We are reminded daily that his regime is willing to go to new extremes, engaging in atrocities including killings, torturing activists and politicians to death within hours of their arrest, kidnapping as hostages the family members of wanted anti-regime protesters, scorching towns and villages whose residents oppose the junta, and so on. Veteran democracy activist Ko Jimmy, who is also a leading member of the 88 Generation Students Group, is seen with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at a dinner hosted by her on July 17, 2019. In short, his regime has been waging war against its own civilian population since the coup. In response, the regime has faced unprecedented resistance from the public and anti-regime forces across the country. More than a year-and-a-half since the February 2021 coup his regime still has not been able to bring the country under its control. No country has officially recognized the regime as a legitimate government. Meanwhile, the parallel National Unity Government formed by elected lawmakers and their allies has gained international support, either directly or indirectly. And the coup Min Aung Hlaing wrongly thought would go smoothly has agitated the population to revolt. In response to the regimes brutal suppression, what began as peaceful anti-coup protests have transformed into a radical revolution across the country. His coup has prompted tens of thousands of young people to form their own armies, collectively known as the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), to fight his troops. The attempted takeover has devolved into an embarrassing debacle for military chief Min Aung Hlaing; given what we know of his personality, this would seem sufficient motivation for him to order the executions of Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw. No doubt, the two men have been personally selected by Min Aung Hlaing and his regime from among the dozens of prisoners who have been sentenced to death; in what is clearly a calculated choice, they have been chosen as the first to die. Its an act of reprisala reprisal against all the pro-democracy groups, resistance forces and ethnic armed groups that have supported the newly formed PDFs, and against much of the international community, which has refused to recognize his regime as a legitimate government. Min Aung Hlaings cruel act of reprisal likely has the following goals: To put fear into the anti-regime forces that are fighting the juntas troops in many areas and assassinating the juntas associates in urban areas; and to terrify the general public. To demoralize the community of pro-democracy activists, many of whom personally know or otherwise have great respect for Jimmy and Zeya Thaw, as well as all politicians and political groups that are against his regime including the National Unity Government (NUG), its allies and supporters. To send a warning to the international community, particularly countries like the United States and some others that have been supporting anti-regime groups including the NUG. He will fail in these goals. As an irrational general with an evil mind, however, he is incapable of grasping what sort of reactions his regime will actually face if it carries out these executions. The response would be all-out war from all of his opponents, as well as the general public. The current resistance being waged by PDFs and some EAOs across the country and the guerilla-style attacks in urban areas will dramatically escalate. Myanmar Defense Force (Sagaing), a resistance group that is fighting the juntas troops, has already announced that if the two prominent activists are executed, it will retaliate on the basis of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Its leader said: People like Ko Jimmy and Ko Zeya Thaw are big heroes of our revolution. The reaction will be massive and widespread, with similar responses being seen across the country as soon as the executions are carried out. Min Aung Hlaing and his regime have already committed many unforgivable mistakes against the whole of Myanmars society, from the coup itself to the arrests of elected leaders to mass killings of citizens and more. The execution would be another unforgivable mistake. Anyway, thats what we can say about the junta and its evil motivations. As for us, we have to play our partto try to stop evil from prevailing and claiming the lives of these activists. A social media campaign poster calling for execution orders against Ko Jimmy (left) and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw (right) to be reversed and for the pair to be freed For the time being, the Myanmar people, the entire population, feel quite helpless under the boot of the regime. However, the international community could still help to stop this from happening. So far, a number of countries and world organizations have condemned the junta for its execution order. The worlds superpower and democracy champion, the United States, is one of them. Ned Price, US Department of State spokesperson, said, The United States strongly condemns the Burmese military regimes reported plans to execute pro-democracy and opposition leaders, exemplifying the regimes disregard for human rights and the rule of law. We urge the release of all unjustly detained. However, I really doubt these two sentences from the US will be able to save Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw. I am afraid that such global condemnation alone is unlikely to force or influence Min Aung Hlaing and his regime to rethink or reverse their execution orderand I wonder whether the worlds powerful democracies have any other options apart from issuing condemnations. If they dont, there are countries like China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as envoys and analysts who are willing, or actively lobbying, to engage with the regime. Dont they also seek to convince Min Aung Hlaing not to kill the duo, if only to prevent Myanmar from descending into all-out war? Please note that sparing Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw the noose would save not just two lives, but many, by avoiding the serious bloodbath that would surely follow their executions. For me, even as I struggle to end this story and convey to you all how serious the juntas execution order is, I am praying that one day I will be able to meet Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeya Thaw on the streets of Yangon once again. Naing Khit is a commentator on political affairs. You may also like these stories: Junta Chief to Preside Over Myanmars First Grand Military Review in Seven Years Resistance Fighters and KIA Clash With Junta Forces in Northern Myanmar Myanmar Junta Raises SIM and Internet Taxes to Silence Opposition Guest Column China Happy to Support Myanmars Bloodthirsty Pariah Regime Myanmar junta Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin (left) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in April. / MOFA Nearly 15 months have passed since the militarys coup and Chinas desire to step up its relationship with the junta is warming up with increased diplomatic exchanges. China has pledged to support the military regime no matter how the situation changes in Myanmar over the coming months and years. Beijing affirmed also that it has always placed Myanmar in an important position in its diplomacy and wants to deepen exchanges and cooperation to forge a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Chinas statement marks the most unambiguous signal of support for Myanmars military, which continues to face fierce resistance from a broad coalition of resistance groups, pro-democracy activists and ethnic armed organizations (EAO). Beijings declaration of unequivocal support for the junta reflects its calculation that the regime will eventually prevail over the anti-coup resistance, that outside support for the resistance movement will only prolong the inevitable, and that the regime offers the most likely route towards the stability necessary for the advancement of Chinas substantial economic and strategic interests in the country. Stability is essential for the creation of an overland transport and communications corridor running from Chinas Yunnan province to Myanmars Indian Ocean coast, which is part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), a sub-pillar of Beijings controversial Belt and Road Initiative. Both China and Myanmar are venturing beyond the conventional paradigm of infrastructure-oriented engagement. There are basically three strategic areas of collaboration and cooperation between the two countries that will influence the reorienting of the CMEC and China-Myanmar relations in the coming months. First, although it is still in its incipient stage, the Chinese digital renminbi (RMB) has already taken a lead in the central bank digital currency game. This is a technology that could be of great use to Myanmar. Along with the recent agreement establishing the RMB as the official settlement currency for trade with China, the digital RMB could help Myanmar in its attempts to reduce its dependence on the US dollar in trade and mitigate against potential restrictions of its access to the SWIFT international payments system. In addition, a direct settlement between the digital RMB and digital Myanmar kyat is a strategic projection for Myanmar, as well as being advantageous for Beijing in terms of trade efficiency and potential financing for upcoming projects. Of course, the digital kyat still requires infrastructure to be rolled out at the retail level, which could take some time. Second, Myanmars retail sector is now a strategic front of the Chinese private sector and seems potentially lucrative. The e-Commerce platform shop.com.mm, which is owned by Chinas Alibaba, has already captured the lions share of the Myanmar market, particularly by allowing digital payments during the 2021 cash crisis. Although e-Commerce is still in its early stages in Myanmar, it will reach its full potential with the establishment of direct RMB-kyat exchange and an expanded logistics network. Third, alongside its vaccine diplomacy, Beijing has transferred to Myanmar the technology to manufacture a China-made COVID-19 vaccine under the brand name Myancopharm. With few competitors, Beijings COVID-19 diplomacy in Myanmar has been a relative success that has opened the way for newly-established Chinese pharmaceutical companies to invest in Myanmars generic drugs market, which is still dominated by imports from India. Although it may take some time to gain market share, entrepreneurs in Myanmar are already looking for an alternative source of generic drugs. Myanmar has a very high demand for generic drugs but the steep US dollar-kyat exchange rate had made imports more expensive. Of course, with Beijings political support, fierce competition in the local market is only a matter of time. It is important to note that China was reluctant to get behind the military regime and its leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing immediately after the coup. But attacks on Chinese companies and investment, including factories in Yangons industrial zone, marked a major turning point for Beijing, raising concerns about instability in the country. Protests outside Chinas Yangon embassy and a rise in anti-China sentiment in the wake of the military takeover have only increased Beijings concerns. China has called for dialogue between the junta and the resistance, but it has cited its traditional policy of non-interference as justification for not putting more pressure on the generals, a position that puts it at odds with Japan, South Korea, and the West. That indicates Chinas distrust of the resistance movement since the early days of the coup. Since the coup, Chinese officials and business lobby groups in Yangon have begun to engage publicly with junta officials and to promote commercial opportunities. Since the early 2000s, Myanmar has sought to acquire a fleet of submarines to keep up with its Southeast Asian neighbors, but it has few options to buy them due to its atrocious human rights record and the arms embargo imposed by the European Union. However, in December 2021 China transferred a refurbished Ming-class submarine to the junta, who renamed it the UMS Minye Kyaw Htin, making Myanmar the first country in South and Southeast Asia to take delivery of a China-manufactured submarine. Along with Russia, China has also provided the military regime with fighter jets and armored vehicles. China is continuing to pursue what it calls an independent foreign policy of peace that generally prioritizes its own narrow interests, with little or no consideration for a countrys human rights record or other internal controversies. Furthermore, the junta has approved a US$2.5 billion China-financed liquefied natural gas power project in Mee Lin Gyaing in Ayeyarwady Region. The regime has also reorganized three committees that are instrumental to CMEC projects, replacing them with its own appointees. The investment projects, which include economic cooperation zones in Kachin and Shan states and a special economic zone in Rakhine State, are part of a corridor connecting Yunnan Province to Yangon, Mandalay and the Indian Ocean port of Kyaukphyu in Rakhine State. China has also inked a deal to provide US$6.1 million to Myanmar for 21 development projects. In the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2021, Myanmars economy contracted by an estimated 18 per cent. With most foreign companies pulling out of the country, investment from China could provide a facade of legitimacy to the junta. Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) has warned Beijing that its engagement with the regime could seriously damage Chinas international reputation, no matter how the situation changes. The NUG has said that it is committed to good relations with China, but that this can only be achieved on the basis of the NUG being accepted as the legitimate government of Myanmar. Any effort to build a Community of Shared Future with an illegitimate and genocidal regime risks serious damage to the international repute of the Peoples Republic of China, the NUG stated. Equally important, the people of Myanmar will soundly reject any efforts by foreign governments to establish such a partnership with the illegitimate military regime. The NUG added that the best way for China to build good relations with Myanmar is to immediately compel the military junta to stop all violence, restore civilian governance, and to work with the NUG and Myanmars diverse ethnic nationalities to deliver humanitarian assistance to end the suffering of the Myanmar people. The NUG stated that it stands ready to work with Chinas government towards repairing this damage and building a new type of pauk-phaw (relationship) in the future. Meanwhile, China and the West have refused to engage with the NUG, which has sought official recognition from foreign governments, although there are unofficial contacts between the NUG and some western countries such as the United States. The NUG has challenged the junta by disrupting the government machinery through its support for the Civil Disobedience Movement, by pressuring companies to cut ties with military-owned firms and allying with some EAOs. At the same time, the NUGs army the Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) has mounted targeted attacks against military personnel and regime officials. While the coup has boosted Chinas presence in Myanmar, it has significantly undermined Indias economic and security interests in Southeast Asia. The multi-dimensional civil war in Myanmar has made progress on Indias economic and logistics projects in the country, which are central to Indias Act East policy, all but impossible. Furthermore, fighting between the Myanmar military and PDFs has brought intense conflict to western and northwestern Myanmar, which border India. Geography imposes natural limits to how far the NUG can and will go in proscribing Chinas engagement with the military administration. The NUG still has incentives to ensure that serious attacks on Beijing-backed infrastructure projects do not escalate. Beijing sees a difference between supporting the National League for Democracy (NLD) and supporting the NUG, which seeks to overthrow the junta and upend the pre-coup status quo. Although the NUG is stacked with former NLD ministers and members, to China it appears a force of instability. Beijing is now operating under the assumption that the junta will eventually establish effective control over Myanmar and so has moved towards de facto recognition of the regime. China has already returned to business as usual in Myanmar with firm determination and is ramping up its support for the junta to go further into debt with Beijing, which will allow it to take even greater advantage of Myanmars natural resources and geostrategic location. But Chinas blind support for the brutal and autocratic junta will only aggravate the situation in Myanmar further. Beijings self-aggrandizing ambition will prove to be pernicious for the innocent Myanmar people and their democratic aspirations. Yan Naing is a pseudonym for a political analyst on Myanmar and China. You may also like these stories: Resistance Fighters and KIA Clash With Junta Forces in Northern Myanmar Myanmar Junta Raises SIM and Internet Taxes to Silence Opposition Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Continue in Kayah State The Technology Business Management (TBM) Council , a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the discipline of TBM through education, standards, and collaboration between IT leaders and business partners, has elected new directors to its board as it is celebrates 10 years of ushering in an era of transparency and communication across lines of business with TBM. Regional advisory boards in APAC and EMEA, and new additions to the TBM Board, show how TBM is evolving as it enters its second decade As part of its 10th anniversary, the TBM Council is announcing new members to its board of directors, expansion of its global operating model, and continued advancement of TBM by modernising the discipline. Technology Business Management (TBM) is a discipline that improves business outcomes by giving organisations a consistent way to translate technology investments to business value. TBM defines the tools, processes, data, and people needed to manage the business of technology. More than 10,000 IT and finance leaders are members of the TBM Council globally, united to implement best practices for leaders to leverage so they can react quickly to changing market dynamics and optimise cloud and agile strategies to deliver on business objectives. The newly elected members of the TBM Council Board of Directors include Fumbi Chima, Chief Technology & Transformation Officer at BECU, and RJ Hazra, SVP & CFO, Technology and Security at Equifax. TBM provides a vision of how technology and business executives work together, but more importantly, it turns the vision into action, said Chima. The expansion of the TBM Council Board of Directors brings new perspectives, but long-time TBM expertise to the group. We want to make sure we continue to source standard TBM knowledge supporting the vision of TBM from a broad range of industries and leadership voices. The new additions to the board will expand its diversity of thought and experience, said Eileen Wade, General Manager of the TBM Council. At the recent 10th Annual TBM Council Board of Directors Invitational, the board announced the latest evolution of TBM to meet the challenges of the modern enterprise. Today, leaders must connect technology investments not just to an App or Services total cost of ownership (TCO), but to an end-product TCO tied to the business strategy, said Phil Armstrong, Chairman of the TBM Council Board of Directors. TBM now provides organisations with a roadmap to a product profit and loss (P&L) focus where product innovation and speed to market are paramount. One of the changes TBM has kept pace with in the last 10 years is the evolution in the role of technology in the business. Technology has gone from operations support to translating business strategy into the technology roadmap. TBM started with a focus on IT costs and planning for an on-premises, data centre-focused world, said Wade. IT costing and planning processes have changed with cloud adoption, and a shift away from data centres where many applications are monolithic and static. The new APAC and EMEA Regional Advisory Boards were set up as part of the TBM Councils commitment to supporting its diverse global membership with leadership and initiatives tailored to local trends and needs. The APAC board is co-chaired by Gerard Florian, Group Executive for Technology at ANZ, and Craig Wishart, CIO at KPMG Australia. Board members include representatives from CenITex, eHealth NSW, Macquarie Group, Services Australia, Woolworths Group and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The regional boards meet every quarter to set the agenda for their branch of the Council and use their expertise in TBM implementation to provide education and guidance to members on key IT finance topics. The TBM Council will bring its global community together later this year at its 10th annual TBM Conference. Taking place in Austin, Texas November 7-10, and then virtually November 15-16. Learn more at tbmconference.org. Managed infrastructure provider 11:11 Systems has appointed Marc Beder to the role of APAC regional director. "As demand for our services grow globally, we are thrilled to deepen our footprint in APAC with the appointment of Marc Beder to regional director," said 11:11 Systems COO Keith Coker. "Marc will work in lockstep with his very talented team in Sydney to understand the needs of our customers in Australia. Along with the team, he will translate those needs into successful cloud, connectivity and security projects that will significantly improve business operations and innovations in our customers' businesses." Beder brings 18 years of experience to 11:11. He joins the company from iland Cloud, where he most recently served as vice president of solutions architecture. He was previously a partner in Wipro's London cloud consulting practice, and spent 10 years with London-based Advanced, most recently as director of technology. Earlier in his career, Beder worked as an onboard computer officer with Carnival UK, and in systems engineering, helpdesk and field engineering roles in New Zealand and South Africa. Beder studied at the University of Auckland and holds a first in information systems form Swinburne University of Technology. He also holds multiple industry certifications from Microsoft, AWS, Veeam, Zerto and others. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. Officials say one child died and three others were in critical condition following a fire that destroyed a home in East Tennessee Johnson City, TN (37604) Today A few clouds. Low 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. US rallies Canada, Australia for close-in recon on China; 'PLA could do similar to them' as countermeasure By Liu Xuanzun (Global Times) 15:49, June 08, 2022 Fighter jets attached to a naval aviation brigade fly in formation during a round-the-clock flight training exercise on April 26, 2022. Photo:China Military With the participation of Australia and Canada, the US-led Five Eyes alliance has conducted a new trick to provoke China and test the resolve of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by carrying out aerial close-in reconnaissance near China, analysts said on Tuesday, with data showing dozens of such flights were conducted in the East China Sea and the South China Sea recently. The recent Australian provocation was even more reckless than the US ones, and similar operations could take place more frequently and be participated by more of US allies, experts said, noting that the PLA will be prepared in terms of detecting them and warning them away with effective technical measures. The PLA Southern Theater Command sent maritime and aerial forces to identify and warn away an Australian P-8A anti-submarine warfare aircraft, when it repeatedly approached Chinese airspace of the Xisha Islands for a close-in reconnaissance on May 26 despite repeated warnings from Chinese forces, Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said in a statement on Tuesday. The Australian warplane severely threatened China's sovereign security, and the Chinese military's countermeasures were professional, safe, reasonable and legitimate, Tan said. China urged Australia to stop such dangerous provocative moves at once and restrict the actions of its maritime and aerial forces, or it shall bear serious consequences, Tan said. On Monday, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson at China's Ministry of National Defense, said in a statement that recently, using the excuse of carrying out UN Security Council resolutions, Canadian military aircraft ramped up its close-in reconnaissance provocations on China, harming China's national security and putting personnel's safety at risk on both sides. The Chinese military quickly took reasonable, powerful, safe and professional measures to deal with Canada's provocation and its unfriendly, unprofessional moves, and lodged solemn representations through diplomatic channels, Wu said. The Canadian operations were carried out in the East China Sea, the Global Times learned. It was rare to see Australian and Canadian military aircraft conducting close-in reconnaissance and make provocations on China at the same time, because such activities were mostly carried out by the US, a Chinese expert who tracks open-source flight data told the Global Times on Tuesday, requesting anonymity. But Australian and Canadian aerial close-in reconnaissance activities have surged this year, the expert said. Data has shown that from February 24 to March 11, Australian military aircraft have visited the East China Sea north of the island of Taiwan six times this year to conduct close-in reconnaissance activities; Canadian military aircraft, on the other hand, were approached on several occasions by PLA warplanes from April to May 26 during their so-called missions to carry out UN Security Council resolutions in the East China Sea, according to a Reuters report on Thursday. This comes in addition to the US' frequent close-in reconnaissance operations near China. Last month, at least 41 large spy planes of the US military were sent to the South China Sea for such operations, plus other reconnaissance activities including those on the PLA Navy's Liaoning aircraft carrier group, according to a report by the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, a Beijing-based think tank, on Thursday. It seems that the US is playing a new trick by rallying gangs to join it in weaving a close-in reconnaissance web on China, and the intelligence they have gathered could then be shared in the framework of the Five Eyes alliance, analysts said. Those operations could gather intelligence on the details of the PLA's military deployments and drills. Australia and Canada could report their findings to the Pentagon, which is building an alliance of spies, taking advantage of all members' technical advantages to block and contain the Chinese military strategically, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday. It is possible that more US allies, including Japan, could join the operation, Wei said. The PLA must be prepared to deal with these threats by detecting and defending against them, Wei said. With complete early warning systems, the PLA can track the spy planes and sortie fighter jets to warn them away if they approach sensitive areas, Wei said. Unlike US pilots who are relatively more familiar with PLA countermeasures and do not cry like a baby when intercepted, Australia and Canada accused the PLA countermeasures of being unsafe, but only exposed their inexperience, as they acted like clowns by complaining first while being the real guilty ones, observers said. If they insist on conducting close-in reconnaissance activities and making provocations on China, the PLA can send warships and warplanes near their countries, but only in international waters and airspace, giving them a taste of their own medicine, analysts said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) Russia claimed its forces have taken full control of residential neighbourhoods in eastern Ukraines Severodonetsk, as President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed the heroic defence of the Donbas region will persist against the odds. The strategic city is currently the focus of Russias offensive after their forces were repelled from other parts of Ukraine following the February invasion. Intense street fighting has raged for days, with the situation on the ground changing rapidly. Russia claimed Tuesday residential areas had been fully liberated but that Ukrainian forces still hold the industrial zone and surrounding settlements. Ukrainian officials later countered that the Russians werent in control of the city, and Zelensky struck a defiant tone in his daily video address late Tuesday. The absolutely heroic defence of Donbas continues, he said. The occupiers did not believe that the resistance of our military would be so strong. The cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which are separated by a river, are the last areas still under Ukrainian control in the Lugansk, which together with Donetsk forms the Donbas region. After being repelled from Kyiv, Russia is seeking to capture a vast swathe of eastern Ukraine. The wars impact continued to reverberate, with the World Bank cutting its global growth estimate to 2.9 percent 1.2 percentage points below the January forecast due largely to the invasion of Ukraine. The toxic combination of weak growth and rising prices could trigger widespread suffering in dozens of poorer countries still struggling to recover from the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bank said. The risk from stagflation is considerable with potentially destabilising consequences for low and middle income economies, World Bank President David Malpass told reporters. For many countries recession will be hard to avoid, Malpass said. The bank additionally announced $1.5 billion more in aid for Ukraine, bringing the total planned support package to more than $4 billion. Lavrov in Turkey Amid stark warnings of global food shortages partly blamed on the war, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is set to meet Wednesday with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu during a visit to Ankara. Talks will focus on efforts to open a security corridor to ship Ukrainian grain cereals and wheat in particular stuck in the war-torn countrys ports due to a Russian blockade. Right now we have about 20-25 million tonnes blocked. In the autumn that could be 70-75 million tonnes, Zelensky said Monday. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered its services to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast. Both sides accuse one another of destroying agricultural areas, which could worsen global food shortages. Those who pretend to be concerned about the global food crisis are, in fact, hitting agricultural fields and infrastructure, where fires are breaking out on an impressive scale, the Ukrainian military said Tuesday, pointing to attacks in the southern city of Mykolaiv. Trapped in chemical plant Severodonetsk appeared close to being captured just days ago but Ukrainian forces launched counterattacks and have so far managed to hold out, despite Zelensky warning the defenders are outnumbered by superior forces. Lanny Davis, a US lawyer for Ukraine tycoon Dmytro Firtash, said 800 civilians had taken refuge in the bunkers inside Firtashs huge Azot chemical plant in the city. These 800 civilians include around 200 out of the plants 3,000 employees and approximately 600 inhabitants of the city of Severodonetsk, Davis said. The Ukrainian army said Tuesday that Russian troops were also preparing to attack the key city of Sloviansk, about 65 kilometers (40 miles) west of Severodonetsk. Its capture would open up the route to Kramatorsk, the main city of the Ukrainian-held part of the Donetsk region. The leader of Ukraines pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, on Tuesday confirmed the death of another Russian general in the fighting. Pushilin expressed on Telegram his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Major General Roman Kutuzov, who showed by example how to serve the fatherland. Ukraines forces have claimed to have killed several of Russias top brass but their exact number is not known as Moscow is tight-lipped on losses. On Tuesday, Zelensky announced the launch next week of a Book of Torturers, a system that will collect details of alleged war crimes and Russian soldiers accused of committing them. I have repeatedly stressed that they will all be held accountable. And we are approaching this step by step, he said. Everyone will be brought to justice. burs-sr/oho Kyivs forces may have to retreat from the eastern city of Severodonetsk, a senior Ukrainian official conceded on Wednesday, as diplomatic efforts intensified to unblock grain stuck in Ukraines ports. The strategic city has become the focus of Russias offensive as it seeks to seize an eastern swathe of Ukraine, after being repelled from other parts of the country. Moscow claimed on Tuesday they had full control of residential areas while Kyiv was still holding the industrial zone and surrounding settlements, but Ukrainian officials insisted the Russians were not in control of the city. On Wednesday, Sergiy Gaiday governor of the Lugansk region, which includes the city said Ukraines forces might have to pull back as Severodonetsk is being shelled by Russian troops 24 hours a day. It is possible that we will have to retreat to better fortified positions, he said in an interview on the TV channel 1+1. In his daily address late Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had struck a defiant tone: The absolutely heroic defence of Donbas continues. Russias offensive is now targeting the Donbas region, which includes Lugansk and Donetsk, after its forces were pushed back from Kyiv and other areas following the February invasion. The cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which are separated by a river, are the last areas still under Ukrainian control in Lugansk. As concerns mounted over grain trapped at Ukrainian ports, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was ready to ensure the safe passage of ships from Ukraine. We are ready to do this in cooperation with our Turkish colleagues, Lavrov told reporters in Ankara amid stark warnings of shortages worldwide partly blamed on Russias invasion of Ukraine. His Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu called Russian demands for an end to sanctions to help grain onto the world market legitimate. If we need to open up the international market to Ukrainian grain, we see the removal of obstacles standing in the way of Russias exports as a legitimate demand, he said. Millions could die But Ukraine said on Wednesday it would not demine waters around the Black Sea port of Odessa to allow grain exports, citing the threat of Russian attacks on the city. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered its services to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast. Both sides accuse one another of destroying agricultural areas, which could worsen global food shortages. As he hosted Mediterranean ministers on the global food crisis, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned millions could die unless Russia unblocked Ukraines ports. The wars economic impact continued to reverberate, with the World Bank cutting its global growth estimate to 2.9 percent 1.2 percentage points below the January forecast due largely to the invasion. The toxic combination of weak growth and rising prices could trigger widespread suffering in dozens of poorer countries still struggling to recover from the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bank said. The risk from stagflation is considerable with potentially destabilising consequences for low- and middle-income economies, World Bank President David Malpass told reporters. For many countries recession will be hard to avoid, Malpass said. The bank additionally announced $1.5 billion more in aid for Ukraine, bringing the total planned support package to more than $4 billion. The OECD also warned the world economy would pay a hefty price for the Russian invasion as it slashed its 2022 growth forecast and projected higher inflation. Bombings every day Severodonetsk appeared close to being captured just days ago but Ukrainian forces launched counterattacks and managed to hold out, despite warnings they are outnumbered by superior forces. Lanny Davis, a US lawyer for Ukraine tycoon Dmytro Firtash, said 800 civilians had taken refuge in the bunkers inside Firtashs huge Azot chemical plant in the city. The situation was also increasingly desperate in Lysychansk. Every day there are bombings and every day something burns. A house, a flat And there is nobody to help me, 70-year-old Yuriy Krasnikov told AFP. I tried to go to the city authorities, but nobodys there, everyone has run away. Ivan Sosnin was among some residents who decided to stay despite the war. This is our home, thats all we know. We grew up here, where else should we go? said the 19-year-old. The leader of Ukraines pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, on Tuesday confirmed the death of another Russian general in the fighting. Pushilin expressed on Telegram his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Major General Roman Kutuzov, who showed by example how to serve the fatherland. Ukraines forces have claimed to have killed several of Russias top brass but their exact number is not known as Moscow is tight-lipped on losses. On Tuesday, Zelensky announced the launch next week of a Book of Torturers, a system that will collect details of alleged war crimes and Russian soldiers accused of committing them. I have repeatedly stressed that they will all be held accountable. And we are approaching this step by step, he said. Everyone will be brought to justice. burs-dlc/raz Dozens of rights groups called Wednesday for the resignation of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, charging that she whitewashed Beijings atrocities during her trip to China last month. More than 230 groups, advocating for the rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and South Mongolians, as well as Hong Kong, Chinese and international democracy advocates, signed a joint statement calling for the immediate resignation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. They also urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to refrain from proposing a second term when her mandate expires at the end of August. Bachelet has faced widespread criticism for not speaking out more forcefully against Chinese abuses during the long-planned trip, which took her to the far-western Xinjiang region, where China is alleged to have detained over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, as well as carried out forced sterilisation of women and coerced labour. The United States has labelled Chinas actions in Xinjiang a genocide and crimes against humanity, allegations vehemently denied by Beijing which says its security crackdown in the region was a necessary response to extremism. The signatories of Wednesdays statement, which included a number of national and local chapters of the same groups, decried that Bachelet had squandered a rare opportunity to promote accountability by failing to address the litany of systematic human rights violations committed by the Chinese authorities. Whitewashed Instead, they said, She whitewashed the Chinese governments human rights atrocities, and legitimised Beijings attempt to cover up its crimes by using the Chinese governments false counter-terrorism framing. They also decried that she had repeatedly referred to the detention camps in Xinjiang by the Chinese governments preferred term: vocational education and training centres. And they criticised the UN rights chief for failing to speak out about the leaked Xinjiang police files, which the media revealed as her trip began, showing top leaders in Beijing including President Xi Jinping calling for a forceful crackdown. In particular, they lamented that she has so far failed to release a report on the rights situation in China, completed last year, despite mounting demands for it to be made public. The repeated, open-ended, and unexplained delays call into serious question the credibility of her office to fulfil its mandate, the statement said. The signatories said Bachelet had been entirely silent on the human rights crisis enveloping Tibet during her four years in office, and had grossly underplayed the crackdown in Hong Kong. The failed visit by the high commissioner has not only worsened the human rights crisis of those living under the Chinese governments rule, but also severely compromised the integrity of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in promoting and protecting human rights globally, the statement said. Bachelet is expected to face significant scrutiny from states over her China trip during the next weeks session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Dozens of rights groups called Wednesday for the resignation of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, charging that she whitewashed Beijings atrocities during her trip to China last month. More than 230 groups, many advocating for the rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Hong Kongers, signed a joint statement calling for the immediate resignation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The signatories, which included a number of national and local chapters of the same groups, also urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to refrain from proposing a second term when her mandate expires at the end of August. Bachelet has faced widespread criticism for not speaking out more forcefully against Chinese abuses during the long-planned trip, which took her to the far-western Xinjiang region, where China is alleged to have detained over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, as well as carried out forced sterilisation of women and coerced labour. The United States has labelled Chinas actions in Xinjiang a genocide and crimes against humanity, allegations vehemently denied by Beijing which says its security crackdown in the region was a necessary response to extremism. Wednesdays statement said Bachelet had squandered a rare opportunity to promote accountability by failing to address the litany of systematic human rights violations committed by the Chinese authorities. Failed in her duty Instead, they said, She whitewashed the Chinese governments human rights atrocities, and legitimised Beijings attempt to cover up its crimes by using the Chinese governments false counter-terrorism framing. They also decried that she had repeatedly referred to the detention camps in Xinjiang by the Chinese governments preferred term: vocational education and training centres. In particular, they lamented that she has so far failed to release a report on the rights situation in China, completed last year, despite mounting demands for it to be made public. The repeated, open-ended, and unexplained delays call into serious question the credibility of her office to fulfil its mandate, the statement said. The signatories said Bachelet had been entirely silent on the human rights crisis enveloping Tibet during her four years in office, and had grossly underplayed the crackdown in Hong Kong. The failed visit by the high commissioner has not only worsened the human rights crisis of those living under the Chinese governments rule, but also severely compromised the integrity of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in promoting and protecting human rights globally, the statement said. While no large international rights groups signed on to Wednesdays statement, Human Rights Watch told AFP it shared in the signatories frustration. When a government committing atrocity crimes praises her visit, and Uyghurs and others facing abuse feel betrayed and are calling for her resignation, its a clear indication that Bachelet has failed in her duty as high commissioner, John Fisher, HRWs deputy director of global advocacy, said in an email. The UN rights chief, he said, should work to rebuild this shattered trust by immediately publishing her long-overdue report on Xinjiang abuses, and taking concrete steps to identify the missing and detained and seeking to reunite them with their loved ones. Bachelet is also expected to face significant scrutiny from states over her China trip during the next weeks session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Gambian victims groups on Wednesday urged the government to take concrete action to extradite the ex-president Yahya Jammeh two weeks after it promised to prosecute him for a litany of alleged crimes. The Jammeh2Justice coalition of victims groups urged President Adama Barrows government to seek the support of West African countries in extraditing Jammeh from exile in Equatorial Guinea and prosecuting him. We are concerned that President Barrow conducted a state visit to Equatorial Guinea and did not even raise the subject of Jammehs extradition, the campaign said in a statement. Barrow participated in an African Union summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from May 25-28. After the summit, he stayed on for a two-day state visit, spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh told AFP. Sankareh said there was little mention of Jammeh during the talks between Barrow and Equatorial Guineas President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, but the two countries agreed to establish diplomatic relations and cooperate on judiciary and other issues. The visit came just days after The Gambias Minister of Justice accepted most of the recommendations of a truth commission, which probed alleged abuses committed by Jammeh and other state actors during his 22-year regime. The minister promised that the despotic former leader would be prosecuted for a swathe of alleged crimes, from the rape of the beauty queen Fatou Jallow to the murder of AFP journalist Deyda Hydara and the unlawful disappearances of other victims. We had hoped that the government would provide greater clarity and detail on the judicial framework it intends to create for those prosecutions, the campaigners said. President Obiang has previously promised to protect Jammeh. But Equatorial Guinea has ratified the UN Convention against Torture, which the campaigners said legally requires it to extradite or prosecute the former leader for alleged torture. They also said the Gambian government could make it very difficult for Equatorial Guinea to resist an extradition request by securing the support of Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, whose citizens were allegedly murdered during Jammehs regime. A request coming from an ECOWAS-backed court would be very difficult to refuse, but the initiative to create such a court and the impetus for such regional backing has to come from the Gambian government, the campaign said. The Gambian government has hired foreign and Gambian lawyers who are expected to submit a report outlining the next steps for a trial, Sankareh said. He added there could be a trial by the end of the year. He hinted that the government could seek the support of Ghana a very important player in the African Union, whose president is the current ECOWAS chair in securing Jammehs extradition. In 2005 some 50 African migrants, most of whom were Ghanaian, were massacred by Gambian security forces in one of the most notorious abuses to occur under Jammeh. tvN's new revenge K-drama "Eve" and lead star Seo Ye Ji prove their dominance in Buzzworthy Drama and Actor rankings despite the controversy. Good Data Corporation shared the updated list of stars and actors who generated the most buzz for the entire week. The chart for the first week of June is based on the data from blog posts, news articles, online communities, and social media about the actors and dramas that are currently airing or soon to be released. 'Our Blues' Ascends to Top Spot + 'Eve' Entered at Third Place Four new K-dramas made it to the current list while "Our Blues" regained its reign after the tvN series climbed to first place with 20.92 points. Interestingly, the omnibus-style series is followed by the mystery romance "Why Her?" garnering 18.16 points. Meanwhile, Seo Ye Ji's new drama "Eve" lands in third place amid the controversy involving the drama. To recall, the first two episodes were released with R19+ due to intimate scenes between the characters. Some viewers were disappointed by this, noting that the mature scenes were "too excessive" and "unnecessary" to the storyline. As the Kdrama heads onto its fourth episode, tvN shared that it will be back to R19+ again due to some scenes. Adding to the list of new dramas that entered the weekly rankings is the JTBC comedy crime series "Cleaning Up" in fifth place, followed by So Ji Sub's "Doctor Lawyer" in sixth place. Below is the rundown of the top 10 most buzzworthy drama for the first week of June 2022 as cited by Good Data Corporation #1 Our Blues #2 Why Her? #3 Eve #4 Bloody Heart #5 Cleaning Up #6 Doctor Lawyer #7 Shooting Star #8 It's Beautiful Now #9 Gold Mask #10 Woori The Virgin Seo Hyun Jin Leads Most Buzzworthy Actor Rankings Like the drama rankings, the most buzzworthy actor list welcomes five stars who made it in top 10. Seo Hyun Jin, who stars in "Why Her?" immediately climbed to the top spot as viewers lauded her stellar performance as a top-notch lawyer. Seo Ye Ji lands in second place for her convincing portrayal of the revenge-driven Lee Ra El. Interestingly, "Our Blues" star and veteran actress Go Doo Shim took third place. Interestingly, So Ji Sub lands at the seventh spot for his role as the doctor-turned-lawyer in his Kdrama comeback. "Doctor Lawyer" is the actor's return to the small screen after the 2018 series "Terius Behind Me." Another newcomer in the most buzzworthy actor rankings is South Korean cutie Hwang In Youp for his character in "Why Her?" Here are the top 10 stars who made it to the Most Buzzworthy Actor list for the first week of June. #1 Seo Hyun Jin (Why Her?) #2 Seo Ye Ji (Eve) #3 Go Doo Shim (Our Blues) #4 Lee Byung Hun (Our Blues) #5 Kim Hye Ja (Our Blues) #6 Ki So Yu (Our Blues) #7 So Ji Sub (Doctor Lawyer) #8 Hwang In Youp #9 Lee Joon (Bloody Heart) #10 Yum Jung Ah (Cleaning Up) IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Seo Hyun Jin Reacts to Being Called Next Gong Hyo Jin aka the 'Rom-Com Queen' A new 24-acre organic vineyard is being developed by Gorman Group next to the company's sawmill in West Kelowna. The mill's founders were "fruit farmers, first and foremost", chief executive officer Nick Arkle said Wednesday. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Queens Brian May and Roger Taylor have revealed that a lost song, featuring Freddie Mercury, will be released in September. Along with Mercury, May, 74, and Taylor, 72, founded the British rock band, best known for hits including Bohemian Rhapsody and We Will Rock You, in 1970. Speaking to Zoe Ball on Radio 2, Queens drummer Taylor said: We did find a little gem from Freddie, that wed kind of forgotten about. The lost track features Queens late frontman Freddie Mercury He added: Its wonderful. Actually, it was real discovery. Its from the Miracle sessions (in the late 1980s), and I think its going to be out in September. Mercury died from Aids-related complications in 1991 at the age of 45. Speaking about how the lost track was discovered, guitarist May said: It was kind of hiding in plain sight. We looked at it many times and thought, oh no, we cant really rescue that. But in fact, we went in there again and our wonderful engineering team went, OK, we can do this and this. Its like kind of stitching bits together. He added: But its beautiful. Its touching. Taylor went on to describe the upcoming release as a very passionate piece. May and Taylor performed as part of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace on Sunday during the Platinum Jubilee Party At The Palace. Along with Adam Lambert, the bands long-term stand in for Mercury, Queen performed a number of their biggest hits including We Will Rock You and Dont Stop Me Now. Queen and Lambert, 40, are also currently on a European tour. The EastEnders cast is set to expand as Mitch Bakers estranged brother and nephews arrive in Albert Square. Mitch, played by Roger Griffiths, has been on the BBC One soap since 2018. The summer is expected to be a busy one for Mitch as his estranged brother Avery Baker, played by musician and actor Omar Lye-Fook, turns up in Walford. Avery is joined by his two sons, Felix and Finlay, played by Matthew Morrison and Ashley Byam respectively, who are both expected to shake things up in the Square. The youngest of the two brothers, larger-than-life Felix, will throw himself into his new life but with his quick-wit and frank honesty he is expected to stir up some drama along the way. Older half-brother Finlay has a different biological father but has been raised by Avery since shortly after birth. Having sailed through life using his cheeky charm, he is set to face a wake-up call as he begins life in Walford. Despite being the complete opposite of each other, Felix and Finlay will present a united front and always have each others backs. The new arrivals will post problems for Mitch as while he loves his nephews, he has had a complicated relationship with his brother in the past. After realising there must be a reason for Avery suddenly coming back into his life, Mitch is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on and find out what secret his brother is hiding. Speaking about the shows new cast members, EastEnders executive producers Chris Clenshaw said: The Baker family bring a fresh, fierce, fun and exciting energy to the Square. Felix and Finlay are two very different firecrackers and, yes, these brothers fall out, take the mick and challenge each other, but none of that compares to their unswerving love and loyalty they have for one another. They may be charming young men, full of sass, swagger and strength, but these brothers are Bakers and, like their father, Avery, have their own unique way of surviving. Omar, Matthew and Ashley all bring star quality to EastEnders and were excited to see them bring Avery, Felix and Finlay to life. The Baker family are just the start of some new faces landing in Walford later this year so watch this space. Ahead of taking on the role of Avery, Lye-Fook said: Ive been watching EastEnders since I was at school, so its such a surreal experience to now be part of the show. Im having so much fun and its an honour to be working alongside this incredible cast. The actors have begun filming in their new roles and will be first seen on screen in the summer. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has appealed to Boris Johnson to pull back from acting unilaterally over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Speaking during a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Martin said Europe will respond in a calm and firm way when the British Government publishes legislation over the protocol. Mr Martin said he would not get involved in what was happening in the Conservative Party after Tory MPs voted by 211 to 148 in support of Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday. It comes amid a stand-off between the UK and the EU over the protocol, an agreement designed to avoid a border on the island of Ireland and which instead created fresh checks on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said the UK intends to legislate to override parts of the deal on Northern Ireland, with the details expected to be announced this week. Opposition to that deal has seen the DUP block efforts to restore powersharing in the region. Mr Martin said: Europe will respond in a calm and a firm way to whatever decisions are taken by the British Government and in relation to whatever legislation is published and enacted. I am very clear that unilateralism will not work. I would say to the United Kingdom Government it needs to think of the people of Northern Ireland and not to do anything which undermines the economic wellbeing of the people of Northern Ireland. He added: I dont want to become involved in any shape or form in what is transpiring in internal British politics; as far as I am concerned, I am dealing with the British PM and I have appealed to him consistently to engage with the European Union. I get a sense that people want a bit of stability and I think the first thing we could do collectively, Europe and the UK and Ireland as members of the EU, is to do the sensible and pragmatic thing. Get into negotiations and solve the issues around the protocol. Mr Martin was asked about reports that the UK government legislation would empower Secretaries of State to override parts of the protocol. He said: That would not work. That would be deeply damaging because it would represent the violation of international agreements. And it really is very difficult in this day and age to be comprehending that. Speaking earlier, Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney warned that divisions within the Conservative Party could not impact on UK-EU negotiations over the post-Brexit arrangements for the region. Mr Coveney said: If those divisions within the Conservative Party impact on Ireland, because the Prime Minister or the British Government decides in order to maintain support within the party that they have to take a tougher line on Brexit, or on the Northern Ireland Protocol, well then obviously divisions in the Conservative Party and in the British Government impact on Ireland. And of course, thats where we have a concern. He told RTE radio: So whoever is the British prime minister, we will work with them, of course, but what we dont want to see is Ireland being part of a strategy to maintain support within the Conservative Party in the context of hardening a position on the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Irish governments position is very clear on this. We believe we can settle these issues. We can address to a large extent the concerns that have been expressed by the unionist community in Northern Ireland by implementing the protocol with a lot of flexibility and pragmatism, and by doing that, settling issues that have been causing divisions for far too long in Northern Ireland politics. But in order to do that, we need a partner. Mr Coveney said the EU wants serious negotiations and is willing to compromise and show flexibility. He said he hoped planned legislation to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol would not become the price of Conservative Party support for Mr Johnson. The foreign affairs minister argued that the British Government had not shown the necessary seriousness to reach an agreement on the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland. He said the UK Government was instead threatening to publish legislation this week which would effectively be using British domestic law to breach international law by setting aside elements of their treaty obligations. He added: That would be a big mistake I think politically, because I think itll cause an awful lot more problems than it solves. I certainly hope thats not the price of the British Prime Minister maintaining majority support within his own party. Local TD John Paul Phelan has welcomed the new voucher scheme to give remote workers free access to their local digital hub. There are three such hubs in Kilkenny City including Kilkenny Office Suites, Kilkenny Enterprise Centre and New Work Junction. The new voucher scheme gives remote workers free access to their local digital hub and at least 10,000 hot desk facilities are to be provided free of charge to existing hub users and those using the facilities for the first time. A 5million investment under Connected Hubs to improve 81 remote working facilities nationwide, Deputy Phelan said. "And local authorities are each to receive 50,000 to promote remote working opportunities in their areas." Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys said the new initiatives will make remote working more accessible and attractive for thousands of people. Minister Humphreys launched the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme which will give remote workers free use of their local digital hub. As Minister for Rural and Community Development, I am serious about ensuring we dont simply revert to the old normal the way of life we had before Covid-19. When I meet remote workers across the country, they tell me all about the benefits of spending a few days each week working from a digital hub in their local community. They talk about how their lives are improved now that they dont have to embark on that early morning, gruelling commute to Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway or other urban centres. Remote Working has been a game-changer for thousands of people. Its given people of all ages a better quality of life allowing them to spend more time with their family friends, working within their local town or village. So today, I am absolutely delighted to announce a series of new measures that represent the next chapter in our Remote Working journey. Irish Water have made a promising response to two local councillors who recently highlighted water infrastructure deficiencies in North Kilkenny. The company have confirmed that they have commenced a project to develop a new groundwater supply to address deficits with the Castlecomer Water Supply Scheme. Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick and Cllr John Brennan previously flagged the lack of a long-term water infrastructure plan in the area, the inability for prospective homeowners to attain planning permission and leaking asbestos pipes as key concerns in the area. They also previously called on Irish Water to appear before the elected members of Castlecomer Municipal District to take onboard these concerns. The project will proceed on a phased basis, with the main stages including hydrogeological assessment, well drilling and construction of new infrastructure including treatment facilities, and pipelines. Timelines for the project will be dependent on successful progress with issues including land acquisition, planning approvals and other legal consents, such as wayleaves. Phase 1, the hydrogeological assessment is due to commence later in 2022. Cllr Fitzpatrick and Cllr Brennan have welcomed the development and are now urging Irish Water to stay committed to the plans. Its great to see that Irish Water are taking the matter seriously, said Cllr Brennan. At present, we have been given an idea of when Phase 1 will commence but this will only be the first stage in a multi-phase project and it would be nice to have an idea on timelines, even estimations, for the delivery of proper infrastructure. Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick has also made calls for up-to-date progress reports on the Paulstown and Gowran water schemes. Its important that Irish Water remain engaged with the elected members of the district from this point on, he added. Both councillors acknowledged too that Irish Water have completed some much-needed work in the region in recent times, including infrastructure allowing houses to be built in Donaguile, and wanted to make that clear. But this work just didnt go far enough or have the foresight that these newly proposed plans from Irish Water have, added Cllr Fitzpatrick. Irish Water further noted that consultation with the South-East region as part of the national water resources plan will take place in December. Piltown has been announced as the overall winner at the second annual .IE Digital Town Awards 2022, after picking up first place award in the Digital Business category. The result was announced today (Wednesday), at a virtual awards ceremony attended by Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Damien English. The .IE Digital Town Awards were established in 2021 by .IE, the managers of Irelands trusted online .ie address. The awards recognise local town and community projects and the people that are using digital innovation, technologies, and digital-first thinking for the betterment of towns, citizens, and services in the community. Piltowns Taking Charge of our Digital Future entry was shortlisted in two categories (Digital Business and Digital Changemaker) for its work in building, promoting, and managing the villages high-speed network. The judging panel commended Piltown for the manner in which the local community had fully embraced the project with landowners granting access to land and volunteers working to lay more than 6km of cables, training as fibre optic technicians and providing crucial expertise pro bono. The community of Piltown showed extraordinary resolve and determination in putting their town on the digital map," Chair of the judging panel Joan Mulvihill said. "The support from businesses and landowners in granting access to land, those who prepared the ground and laid the cables, every aspect of this entry is commendable. In recognising Piltown with this award we are confident that this is just the start for them with great things to come. This is truly a lighthouse digital town. Piltown is believed to be Irelands first community owned and managed FTTP fibre to the premises network. As part of the initiative four members of the community have been trained as fibre optic technicians and a digital hub and community centre now serves 37 groups in the area. As winner in the Digital Business category, Piltowns Taking charge of our Digital Future won a prize of 9,000. It was then awarded an additional prize of 10,000 as overall winner bringing its total prize winnings to 19,000. This years .IE Digital Town Awards had a focus on communities and digital leaders that have adopted new ways of thinking to enhance localities through innovative use of digital tools to provide digital equity in the community, close the digital divide, facilitate emergency response, improve digital infrastructure, and enable digitisation of culture and oral traditions. Projects were shortlisted in the categories of digital education, digital tourism, community digital as well as digital business, while three special prizes honouring individuals and communities making significant difference to the digital betterment in local towns were also awarded under the categories of digital rising star, digital changemaker and digital local hero. Congratulating the high calibre of entries, Minister English said: The awards are an important annual event that recognise the remarkable efforts made by our local digital champions who are determined to futureproof the places where they work, rest and play. The bar this year has been set exceptionally high, with many inspiring examples of digital leaders in our communities that are transforming local life and society in innovative and creative ways. There was a total prize fund of 100,000 across seven award categories. Thirteen counties had one or more project nominated including Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Kerry, Limerick, Mayo, Roscommon, and Sligo. The picturesque Kilkenny village of Graignamanagh will host its first outdoor activity matchmaking event later this month. Singletons from all across the South-East region will meet up by the Barrow to spend the weekend together, taking part in a range of outdoor activities. Co-organiser of Granamanagh, Elaine Nic Reamoinn, is now calling out for five more men to fill the remaining spots. We are calling out to men aged 25 and over who are looking to socialise and enjoy the outdoors to sign up, she said. Its a great boost for mens mental health and the women that have signed up are ready and raring to go. From hiking to kayaking to camping and fireside songs, participants can now look forward to a fun weekend enjoying the great outdoors. As well as bringing positivity to the village, the event will help support local businesses via the activities and events organised. As part of the schedule, award-winning local activities provider Go With The Flow River Adventures will take singletons on an adventure to remember and Elaine from Siul Linn and Paul from Muddy Souls Adventures will guide you every step of the way as you walk and hike some of the countys most scenic trails. Participants looking to take part will be expected to bring their own camping equipment, including a tent, old runners, swimwear for under wetsuit, raingear and warm fleece layers. Full details of the event, taking place from June 18 to 19, can be found online HERE. If you missed out this time around, be sure to follow Elaine from Siul Linn (@siul_linn) on Instagram for future social activities in the South-East area. Weather Alert ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values up to 105. * WHERE...Portions of central, east central, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. && Weather Alert ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values up to 103. * WHERE...Portions of central and northeast Missouri as well as west central Illinois. * WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. && COLUMBIA Mid-Missouri will have a new opportunity for those interested in urban agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $300,000 from its Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant program to the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA) to start an apprenticeship program for Lincoln University students for the next 3 years, beginning in 2023. The executive director of CCUA, Billy Polansky, said the apprenticeship program will take place at Columbia's Agriculture Park, where CCUA operates. "It will include hands-on components working in the field, and also some lectures and field trips and other ways to expose people to the field of agriculture and trying to reach more young people and more diverse audiences and minorities to get them in the field of agriculture," he said. Polansky explained the partnership between CCUA and LU is a great fit because LU specializes in working with small farms and minorities. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. "They have an urban agriculture program and they have great agribusiness and specialty crop curriculum that we're going to work with to help enrich the experience that we can provide here the hands on experience we provide and bringing in some additional expertise," Polansky said. Polansky said the average age of the American farmer is 57, but this program can be a way to reach a younger crowd. "In order to get more people in the field of agriculture, we need to reach them where they are, which oftentimes is in cities," he said. The apprenticeship will be awarded to a small number of LU students, but the opportunities that come with it will be offered to the whole mid-Missouri community. "So if somebody just wants to come to one of the lectures, or one of the field trips, they don't have to be enrolled as a paid apprentice and be expected to come to all of the activities," Polasnky said. "So even though this this will be providing five, paid positions per year, there will be many more people who, who actually get to participate in the programming." The program will start in 2023, but applications aren't open quite yet. However there is a CCUA apprenticeship interest form available to fill out that will send more information about the program as it becomes available. Employees of Songyo Knitwear Factory wearing face masks work to produce knitted goods in Songyo District in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin The North Korean regime has called for its people to stay united against the COVID-19 pandemic, assuring them that the virus situation can be maintained at a manageable level, in what appears to be a move to relieve public fear and anxiety stoked by the unprecedented health crisis. State-run media outlets have reported that the government is making all-out efforts to prevent the spread of the virus, while praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's leadership in the battle against the virus. Pyongyang added 262,270 new patients with "fever" on Wednesday, with one added death, increasing the total number of fatalities to 63, according to North Korea's emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. The aggregate number of suspected cases of the coronavirus now stands at 1,978,230. Among them, about 1,238,000 people have recovered, with 740,160 undergoing treatment. North Korea has a total population of 26 million. After it disclosed its first case of BA.2 known as the "stealth" subvariant of Omicron on May 12, in a highly rare admission of a health crisis from the reclusive country, the regime has imposed a nationwide lockdown and declared a "major national emergency." Through a series of articles published on Thursday, Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the sole ruling Central Committee of the Worker's Party, reported how the Kim regime has boosted its antivirus efforts throughout the last week, stressing that the spread of the "malicious disease" can be controlled at a manageable level through the solidarity of the people. According to the media outlet, the government has tightened efforts to prevent the spread of the virus by setting up additional isolation wards and scaling up disinfection work across the country. Thousands of tons of salt needed to produce antiseptic solution have been delivered to Pyongyang. In addition, according to the Korea Central News Agency, the state news agency, the government has ramped up the production of medical supplies such as thermometers, traditional Korean medicines and fever reducers, which it believes are effective in treating the coronavirus. The state media outlet also praised Kim's leadership for showing his "aemin jeongsin" (a Korean word used to describe a leader's love for his/her people) to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The newspaper, referring to Kim to as "a frontline commander in the quarantine battle," stated that the leader is at the forefront of protecting the safety of his people. It also claimed that residents in South Hwanghae Province have become "invincible" after taking the medicine donated by Kim, lauding the leader's sacrifice for ordinary people. In addition, the totalitarian communist regime called for unified, intensive efforts from the people, stressing that solidarity is key in overcoming the current crisis. "What is more threatening to us than the malicious virus are unscientific fear, the lack of faith and weak efforts. The infectious disease is not something that cannot be controlled," it read, urging people to take swift action as ordered by the ruling party. Danish Ambassador to Korea Einar Jensen introduces the country's leading wind power technology during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Denmark in central Seoul, May 25. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Kwon Mee-yoo With the effects of climate change now visibly and tangibly affecting the daily lives of people around the globe, sustainability is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The Northern European country of Denmark is rising as a model case for countering climate change while securing economic growth. "Sustainability has always been a keyword for Denmark. The government upholds sustainability as one of its core values, and takes a crosscutting approach to mainstreaming it across all sectors. Nobody can solve climate issues on their own we need to do it all together," Danish Ambassador to Korea Einar Jensen said during an interview with The Korea Times at the country's embassy, May 25. Denmark aims to build the world's first energy island and usher in a new era for offshore wind production. The islands are expected to play a major role in the phasing-out of fossil fuel energy sources in Denmark and Europe. Courtesy of the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities First and fast mover in green transition Denmark is one of the first movers in green energy with more than 40 years under its belt. On a windy day, Denmark now gets more than 100 percent of its national electricity through renewable energy. It plans to produce 100 percent of its daily electricity with renewable sources by 2028. "We have already come quite a long way to self-sufficiency. As of today, about 70 to 80 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources. Fifty percent is from wind and the rest is from biomass, biogas and solar. About 20 percent is from fossil fuels, but this continues to be on the decrease. So renewables take up the biggest portion and this is just the beginning," Jensen said. Denmark's prime minister recently hosted the North Sea Summit, where a number of European countries pledged to ramp up renewable energy production in the North Sea. The goal is to reach 150 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy by 2050. Denmark envisions it will be able to deliver half of all green energy needed to reach the European Union's climate neutrality goals by 2050. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the impact this had on oil has once again shown the world the importance of transitioning away from fossil fuels. As a trailblazer in offshore wind, Denmark is now more than ever dedicated to starting the next chapter of offshore wind production: energy islands," he said. Denmark is currently undertaking the biggest construction project in its history of building two artificial islands for offshore wind energy production. The plan is to start with a 3GW capacity that can power 3 million homes, then scale up to 10GW, which will meet 150 percent of its domestic electricity needs. A de facto green giant, Denmark sees Korea has similar potential. Korea still has a long way to go in achieving its ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030, but Ambassador Jensen said its future is bright. "Back in the 1990s, (the ratio of renewable energy in Denmark's energy mix) was 5 percent, like Korea now is at 5 percent. It took us 25 years to move that far, but Korea will be able to do it a lot faster. At the time, renewable energy was much more expensive than fossil fuels. Today, it is price competitive and the technology has also come a long way." Korea has many companies that can be easily incorporated into the supply chain for offshore wind, as indicated in this infographic. Courtesy of Embassy of Denmark in Korea Hundreds of containers wait to be exported at Busan Harbor on May 11. Yonhap By Kim Hyun-bin Korean products are losing ground in the Chinese market due to increased competition from Taiwan and ASEAN rivals, according to data and comments made by industry officials, Wednesday. The officials say a new strategy is needed to enhance Korea's position in China to regain its status as the top exporter to the country. Taiwan has been leading the Chinese market since 2020. The Trade Research Institute under the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) issued a report, titled "Korea's decline in China's import market share and our countermeasures," showing Korea's share of the Chinese market fell by 1.9 percentage points last year compared to an 8 percent share in 2017. Korea lags behind ASEAN (14.7 percent market share) and Taiwan (9.4 percent market share). Although China's imports of memory semiconductors, parts for wireless communication devices, synthetic fibers and paraxylene increased, demand for Korean products declined in favor of Taiwan and ASEAN countries. In the case of Korean exports to China, the memory semiconductor market share fell from 52.3 percent in 2017 to 44.9 percent last year, and wireless communication device parts also fell from 14.3 percent to 12.3 percent. The paraxylene market share also fell from 45.6 percent to 38.7 percent during the same period. Meanwhile, Taiwan's share of memory semiconductors increased by 3.9 percentage points, and ASEAN's share of wireless communication device parts increased by 20.5 percentage points. In particular, the proportion of Korean products in information and communication technology (ICT) products, such as computers, communication equipment and electronic parts, decreased from 20.5 percent in 2017 to 17.9 percent last year, showing the largest decline among major countries. During the same period, the import share of Taiwan and ASEAN increased by 5.6 percentage points and 1.9 percentage points, respectively, indicating that products made by these countries are replacing Korean goods. "Korea's market share decline was not only due to intensified competition with neighboring countries, but also because of import substitution due to the ongoing expansion of production facilities of Korean semiconductor companies in China," the report stated. Although China's imports are being reorganized swiftly to focus on high-tech items, Korea is failing to satisfy China in the high-tech sector. "The changes to the industrial structure, such as China's suppression of processing trade and self-sufficiency rate of intermediate goods, may become a long-term and structural hindrance to Korea's exports to China, which consist mainly of intermediate goods," Kim Arin, a researcher at the Korea International Trade Association, said. Second Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Park Il-jun, left, shakes hands with Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By Lee Kyung-min A delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will stay in Korea through Friday to accelerate bilateral cooperation in the long-stalled joint nuclear business, the energy ministry said Wednesday. Underpinning the fruitful outcome of their weeklong stay is a recent rush of shifts in Korea's energy policy under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, whose policy directives are defined by the full and early scrapping of a nuclear phase-out initiative of the preceding Moon Jae-in administration and fortifying the long-shunned energy source. The drive is illustrated by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy initiating the process to replace Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp. (KHNP) CEO Chung Jae-hoon, the chief architect and enforcer of the Moon administration's anti-nuclear energy policy, Monday. His three-year term ended last year, but he has since stayed on for one more year. According to the ministry, Second Vice Minister Park Il-jun met with Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC), a state-run nuclear energy firm of the UAE, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, Tuesday. The CEO was accompanied by 11 UAE nuclear energy authorities including officials of ENEC's maintenance subsidiary Nawah Energy Company, and Barakah One Company (BOC), which manages sales of electricity generated at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. Park exchanged opinions on the urgent need to complete construction of all reactors at the Barakah plant without interruption. He also congratulated the UAE CEO on the successful commercial operation of Unit 2 of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant since March, a notable outcome of the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation to be followed by the Korean government's full support for the construction of the remaining units 3 and 4. The two reiterated the need to fortify joint cooperation further into the hydrogen energy sector, an expansion of the trust- and success-oriented collaboration of the past few years. "Korea-UAE cooperation is proof of the Korean government's high-tech nuclear business capabilities, as confirmed by the successful completion of the Barakah plant," Park said. "This will serve as a track record of Korea's competence in expanding overseas partnerships ahead." The ongoing UAE construction project is Korea's first overseas nuclear project, encompassing the construction of four Korea-made APR1400 nuclear reactors. The project involves designing, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the plants, overseen by Korea's leading conglomerates' energy and construction affiliates. Upon completion, the four reactors will meet 25 percent of UAE's power demands, and are expected to contribute greatly to the country's carbon neutrality drive. Before the UAE delegation leaves on Friday, they will meet with participants of the Barakah project, including Korea Electric Power Corp., KHNP, Doosan Enerbility (formerly Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction) and Samsung Construction & Trading (C&T). Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A new plenary session of the Libyan House of Representatives (Parliament) will convene next Tuesday in Sirte (Centre), an official source said here Wednesday (G)I-DL had the most hilarious reaction to hearing their song, "MY BAG," play in public. Keep on reading for all the details. How Did (G)I-DLE React When They Heard 'MY BAG' in Public? On June 6, a video titled "(G)I-DLE - I-LOG #3 MinYuShu's Outing in Seongsu-dong" was uploaded to (G)I-DLE's official YouTube channel. The vlog showed the three members - Minnie, Yuqi, and Shuhua - enjoying a fun day out in Seongsu-dong. While out and about, the three suddenly heard their song "MY BAG" while on the way to a shabu-shabu restaurant. The members heard the song playing from a nearby cafe near the subway station. The girls immediately appeared excited when they heard the song and began dancing timidly. Yuqi and Minnie even put on their hoods as they danced! Soon, Yuqi felt embarrassed and stopped dancing. Then, she ran away from the scene, sparking laughter from her fellow members. Comments concerning (G)I-DLE's adorable reactions read, "Wah, CUBE works well!" "The three of them hanging out together is cute," "If I were them, I would also be proud hearing my songs play on the street." "(G)I-DLE, let us rise even higher!" Check out (G)I-DLE's vlog here: (G)I-DLE Recent Activities (G)I-DLE is slated to commence their first world tour, "2022 (G)I-DLE WORLD TOUR 'JUS ME ()I-DLE." The tour will start with a three-day concert in Seoul, from June 17 to 20. (G)I-DLE will meet international fans with 16 stops, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Santiago, Monterrey, Mexico City, Jakarta, Manila, Tokyo, and Singapore. On March 14, (G)I-DLE made their first comeback as a five-member group with the studio album "I NEVER DIE" and its lead single "TOMBOY." The song debuted at number two on the Gaon Digital Chart and Download Chart, as well as number five on the Streaming Chart. The following week, "TOMBOY" rose to number one on all thee charts. In the United States, "TOMBOY" debuted at number 14 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart before peaking at number 12 the folowing Week. It also debuted at number 58 on the Global 200 chart. On April 27, Miyeon debuted as a soloist with the mini-album "MY" and its lead single, "Drive." For more K-pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Alexa Lewis AB6IX's label Brand New Music has responded to the dating rumors of member Donghyun. Keep on reading to know more. Brand New Music Issues Response on AB6IX Donghyun's Dating Rumor Recently on June 7, AB6IX member Donghyun became entangled with dating rumors after the idol was seen with a girl following the first leg of their global fanmeeting tour "AB_NEW AREA" in Seoul, which took place back on June 4 and 5. One Twitter user took to their account to share a photo of a man and woman, who are both facing the other way, as they stood intimately together while waiting by the side of the road. The Twitter user, in their now deleted post, also shared that the male was Donghyun, and that the photo was taken in Apgujeong, Seoul after concluding their fanmeeting. Donghyun and the female were allegedly holding hands as well, according to the Twitter user, however, they didn't take any other photos or videos of the two. Over on the online community forum Nate Pann, one netizen also shared a photo of Donghyun earlier that day right before AB6IX's fanmeeting. In the netizen's post, Donghyun can be seen wearing the same clothes and bag as the male in the photo with the female, which led many to believe the idol is indeed dating. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Former AB6IX Youngmin Posts Apology Letter Following Military Discharge Hours after photos of Donghyun with a female spread on social media platforms, AB6IX's label, Brand New Music, issued a statement. On June 7, Brand New Music stated, "The woman is one of Kim Donghyun's friends from his hometown. Kim Donghyun had met up with friends from his hometown after a company dinner. The photos are from when he was about to go home after their hangout. Kim Donghyun took a taxi home after seeing his friends off." Brand New Music further denied the dating rumors, stating, "They are definitely not in a relationship. She is one of the people he met during their hangout." Meanwhile, as part of their "AB_NEW AREA" fanmeeting, the four-member boy group is set to visit major cities in Japan and the United States from June to July. AB6IX Donghyun's Latest Activities In 2021, Donghyun made his acting debut by taking the male lead role for the Dingo Music web series "Fling at Convenience Store." He also co-produced and sang the series' original sountrack. In the same year, Donghyun took to the small screen and became a cast member for the SBS drama "Let Me Be Your Knight," in which he played the role of Woo Ga On, who is the keyboardist and youngest member of the fictional band LUNA. Aside from his solo activities in acting, he and AB6IX recently released their fifth mini album "A to B" back in May of this year. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Where is Former AB6IX Youngmin Now? Know What He Is Currently Doing For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Robyn Joan Labelmates J-Hope and TXT are set to headline this year's Lollapalooza! Keep on reading to know more. BTS J-Hope, TXT to Join Lollapalooza 2022 Lineup On June 8 KST, Lollapalooza announced through their social media the latest lineup for this year's annual music festival, which is set to be held at the Grant Park in Chicago. According to Lollapalooza's lineup, Big Hit Music labelmates BTS' J-Hope and TXT (also known as Tomorrow X Together), will be headlining the highly-anticipated music festival. TXT is slated to join the lineup on Saturday, July 30 local time, for the Solana X Perry's stage, where they will be performing from 7:45pm to 8:30pm as the second to the last act of the night. The five-piece boy group would be joining other big names in the industry, such as Kygo, Kaskade, Big Sean, J.Cole, Turnstile, Wallows, Idles, and more. As for J-Hope, the rapper would be headlining the Sunday, July 31 night, along well-known artists such Charli XCX, Green Day, The Kid LAROI, Jane's Addiction, and more. Not only would J-Hope be one of the main performers for the festival, but he would also be the closing act at the Bud Light Seltzer stage following The Kid LAROI, where he would be ending the night with a bang from 9pm to 10pm. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BTS J-Hope Garners Applause for Professionalism Following Mistake During 2022 Grammy Performance This year's Lollapalooza would be a new milestone for the two K-Pop artists. As J-Hope would be the first ever South Korean artist to headline a main stage at any major music festival in the United States, while this marks TXT's first ever performance at an American music festival. Meanwhile, Lollapalooza 2022 is a music festival held in a span of four days. This year, more than 170 acts will be performing across eight stages. Other acts in the mix include Maneskin, Dua Lipa, Metallica, Lil Baby, Machine Gun Kelly, Glass Animals, Jazmine Sullivan, Don Toliver, and more. Are you excited to see J-Hope and TXT perform at a music festival? For more information regarding Lollapalooza 2022, such as ticketing, click here. BTS J-Hope and TXT's Latest Activities Meanwhile, J-Hope recently returned from Washington in the United States, after BTS was invited to the White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination, as well as celebrate the Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage month with President Joe Biden. While fourth generation group TXT recently made their comeback with their fourth mini album "minisode 2: Thursday's Child" back in May of this year. For more K-Pop news, follow and subscribe to KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Robyn Joan Record 12 mln sit for China's annual college entrance exam Xinhua) 16:23, June 08, 2022 * A record 11.93 million people have applied for this year's college entrance exam in China, known as the "gaokao," an increase of 1.15 million from 2021. * Except for a postponement in Shanghai due to COVID-19, the exam kicked off Tuesday nationwide. * Authorities across China have arranged more than one million proctors and other personnel in 330,000 ordinary exam rooms. BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- After taking pictures with his family at the gate of Dacheng Middle School in Beijing, Wang Junkun had his temperature taken, showed his exam admission ticket, and walked into the school at 8:10 a.m. to take the annual college entrance exam in China. Senior high candidates like Wang have spent most of the past three years studying at school while adapting to the impact of COVID-19, such as switching to online classes amid virus resurgences. According to the Ministry of Education, a record 11.93 million people have applied for this year's exam, known as the "gaokao," an increase of 1.15 million from 2021. Except for a postponement in Shanghai due to COVID-19, the exam kicked off Tuesday nationwide. An examinee reacts with teachers at an exam site in Guiyang, southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) EPIDEMIC PREVENTION Authorities across China have arranged more than one million proctors and other personnel in 330,000 ordinary exam rooms, the ministry said. Despite the waning epidemic situations in Shanghai, Beijing and other regions, such a massive-scale exam is still a test for organizers to ensure everyone's safety and health, as well as the smooth operation of the exam. An examinee has her hands disinfected at an exam site in Zhangjiachuan Hui Autonomous County in Tianshui, northwest China's Gansu Province, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) "About 54,000 students in Beijing will take the 2022 national college entrance exam. To ensure the safety of all participants, a list of COVID-19 prevention and control measures has been put in place. Exam rooms are also available for those in closed-off management areas," said Li Yi, a spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Education Commission. "The exam candidates I'm in charge of from a closed-off management area will take their exam in a hotel, with each student in a respective room," said Qin Lianzhi, a staff member at Beijing Ritan High School. Qin noted that authorities have put in place schools desks familiar to students at the hotel to help the examinees relax. An examinee claps hands with her teacher at an exam site in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong) All proctors are required to be vaccinated, conduct 14-day health monitoring and show negative nucleic acid test results within 48 hours prior to the examination, Li said. "In line with the COVID-19 countermeasures, teachers at exam sites are ready to provide academic assistance and psychological guidance for candidates. Parents and teachers can reach out with the best support for students facing one of the most important tests in their life," Li noted. To make sure that the candidates are able to attend the exam as scheduled, a health information report system was set up about a month ago to record the related data of students and improve exam organizing conditions, according to the Beijing Municipal Education Commission. Examinees have their temperature checked at an exam site in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ailin) Confronted with the interruption to exam preparation caused by the resurgence of the pandemic, some candidates lapsed into nervousness and anxiety, said Wang Yongbo, director of the children's mental health center in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. "Mental health support has been offered by teachers at examination sites and psychological counseling at schools," said Shao Yingying, a teacher at Shenyang No.2 High School. "We have taken proper measures to help them relieve the pressure." A staff member checks health code and nucleic acid test result of an examinee in Chifeng, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Bei He) CONVENIENCE FOR EXAMINEES Subynur Abduweli, a Uygur student, is pleased that she can take the exam on her doorstep like 988 other candidates in Wushi County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Starting from 2020, authorities chose a local middle school as the exam site in Wushi County. Before that, examinees had to drive for about an hour and a half to the nearby city of Aksu 120 km away. "For the sake of students, whose homes are scattered in the county, they have been arranged in the student dormitory opposite the exam site before the test, which is conducive to avoiding the occurrence of being late or forgetting to bring exam admission tickets or ID cards, said Tian Zhizhong, deputy head of the exam site. During the exam, the police set up a "temporary ID card application point" at the gate of the school. Candidates who forget to bring their ID cards only need to tell their ID number to get a temporary one for entrance. Examinees cheer for themselves at a high school in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Qing) In Shenyang, more than 200 taxi drivers and some 100 driving instructors have volunteered to shuttle gaokao candidates from their dwelling places to examination sites, under the guidance of the civil affairs and transportation authorities. All the volunteering taxi drivers tied a blue ribbon around the side mirrors of their cars so candidates can quickly and easily recognize them. Li Yueyou, one of the taxi drivers, said that many volunteers, including himself, began to give examination candidates a lift free of charge a few years ago, and he witnessed the number of volunteers expand from a dozen to 253. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Libya's Prosecutor General Seddik al-Sour Wednesday briefed the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Parliament), Aguila Saleh, on reports issued by his office on various cases, particularly those related to terrorism and corruption RACINE If a loved one was missing, after how many years would you give up hope and stop searching? Never, Trenna Anderson Jossart said. Absolutely never. Jossart is the aunt of Rachel, Cameron and Kyle Anderson, who went missing along with their mother in April 2000, after the family left Racine and moved to Fulton, Mississippi. Rachel, Cameron and Kyle were 13, 12 and 9 at the time. Ever since, for more than two decades, the Anderson family has been working to find them. The exact date the Andersons went missing is unclear, but their family was able to narrow down the timeframe earlier this year when they received information they had long been trying to obtain: the last day the children were in school in Fulton. Rachels last day was April 5, 2000. Kyles last day was two days later. Cameron never returned after April 10. Adding to the mystery, the Anderson kids two older siblings (their mom had two children from a previous relationship before having Rachel) are apparently still alive in Mississippi. The Anderson family is currently engaged in another campaign to spread the word of the missing family in hopes that someone, somewhere, will remember something. Perhaps someone in their hometown of Racine can help. Last call In 2000, Jeff Anderson, the father of the three missing children, was preparing for the summer visit he was due to receive as part of the custody agreement with his ex-wife, Leslie. He remembers the last conversation he had with one of his kids, Cameron, who had called on a Wednesday. Jeff reminded his son he would talk to him on Saturday, per the court order that allowed phone calls between Jeff and his kids only on Saturdays. He had been in trouble with his ex-wife once before for calling Rachel on weekdays while she was in school. Jeff told his son he did not want to get in trouble with Leslie for violating the court order. He remembers Cameron saying something like, All right, Daddy, I love you. It would be the last time he spoke to any of his children. Jeff attempted to call his children on Saturday but did not get to talk to them. He was put off for months by the property owner where the family was staying with excuses such as, Theyre not here right now. The Journal Times could not independently verify the property owners name. The property owner who is apparently still alive and living with the two older Anderson siblings was also from Racine and the group had moved south together in 1997 or 1998. The two older children were from a previous relationship of Leslies and were later adopted by Jeff. Both of the children have mental disabilities. Fulton After months of excuses, the property owner told Jeff that Leslie did not like Mississippi, packed up three of her kids and left with a truck driver. According to Jeff, the property owner said Leslie left her two older kids with him. Jeff said he never believed Leslie just left with the three younger kids, leaving the two oldest behind. Jossart pointed to the staggered days the three children stopped going to school and said, They did not just leave in the middle of the night. Investigation What has followed is a two-decade long effort to track down Leslie, Rachel, Cameron, and Kyle. The initial efforts in Mississippi were hindered, Jossart said, by local officials who treated the missing Andersons as a parental abduction case and not a missing person case. She claimed one Mississippi officer said, Sometimes people do not want to be found. However, officials in Ohio County, Indiana, where Jossart lives, were successful in having the names of the missing Andersons entered into the National Crime Information Center database, even though the family disappeared in another jurisdiction. The family worked with a private investigator. Additionally, the pictures of the family were featured on the wall of Walmart back when the store still featured the photos of missing children, and their pictures were also featured on the back of tax booklets issued by the federal government. The Johnson family has also worked closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. However, they have not been able to see the two remaining children, still living on the same property in Mississippi. The Andersons attempted to talk to them in 2002, but the property owner called the police and had Jossart, Jeff Anderson and their mother removed, they claimed. Because they are adults, they cannot be made to visit with their adoptive family. In the time since Leslie was last seen in Fulton, Mississippi, her social security has not been used for employment and she has not registered a car. Additionally, the childrens school records from Wisconsin were never requested by any other district. Jeff said he hoped someone would come forward with information. I miss my kids dearly, he said. I missed them growing up. I would appreciate any help from anybody, no matter how small it may seem to be, Jeff said. It may be the last piece of the puzzle. 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. Chandra Riberich had led Safe Harbor, the open admission shelter at 7811 60th Ave., for the past six years. Bill Bohlman, president of the Board of Directors, said Riberich was recently asked to resign. He said she faced harassment by disgruntled former staff and volunteers over her leadership style. We asked her to tender her resignation. We felt that it reached a point where everything that was going on was beginning to affect her ability and her performance. She was still doing everything well, administratively, but we just felt it was time for different leadership, Bohlman said. Bohlman also said there was too much extraneous problems going on, not with her, but with other things. She was no longer happy in her job and she expressed how disappointed she was in some of the ways things were going. A person unhappy in their job or things like that then they maybe cant function exactly interpersonally as well as is required when you have a crew like that, Bohlman said. Three volunteers and four former staff members spoke to the Kenosha News on the record about what they described as troubling experiences at the nonprofit animal welfare organization. When questioned about such concerns, Bohlman said there has been a drumbeat of harassment against Riberich. Shes a tough boss, and people dont like a tough boss, Bohlman said. We heard people complaining but we assessed the situation by seeing how things are being done. Bohlman also said Riberich did a great job in the difficult job. Bohlman said the animals have and are receiving quality care because everything we do there is just for the animals. We have a live release rate of over 90%, which is outstanding for an open admission shelter, Bohlman said. We have almost 3,000 animals a year come in here. Questions over euthanized animals Bohlman said that in more than six years there have not been any adoptable animals euthanized. Riberich expressed similar sentiments in a statement emailed to the Kenosha News. I enjoyed my time at Safe Harbor. I am very proud that I was able to help the organization grow, work with rescues and veterinarians to improve to a live release rate from an average of 70% prior to me to over 90% during my time as executive director, she wrote. I will miss working with the staff and animals at Safe Harbor, however, I am excited about the new opportunities in front of me. Bohlman, whose been on the board for 22 years, said he believes the complaints are coming from people who have rescue groups, (or) they run their own little rescues or they work in the shelter and they assume that every single animal can be saved. There were people who were just upset with Chandras management style, Bohlman said. Thats what it was. There was a lot of people that were just upset with her management style and as soon as they didnt get satisfaction with their complaint then they decided to escalate it higher. Thats just my opinion on this. Bohlman said neither Riberich nor the shelter is being investigated by a government agency. The state comes in and we pass with flying colors, he said. Former staff, volunteers upset Kristen Thompson said she served as a foster coordinator from October 2019 to September 2020. She said shes deeply concerned about the nonprofit. What I saw there was veterinary decisions being made by people who are not qualified to make them, Thompson said. That has been the root cause of everything that has gone wrong. The animals are suffering because there is not a licensed veterinarian in charge of them. Thompson said she would not surrender an animal to the shelter at this point. We need a leader who will actually listen to the people who come to them, she said. All of us signed up to deal with the problem with the animals. We didnt sign up for a manager that treated us the way we were treated. Longtime volunteer Cori Pfister said so many people have left because they havent been listened to or theyve been dismissed as not important or your opinion doesnt matter. Chris Daugherty said she was fired from the nonprofit in September 2021 by Riberich. Daugherty said she was a former front desk receptionist and adoption counselor. Daugherty said she was asked to do things she did not feel comfortable doing before she was let go. I could not do that, I would not do that, I refused to do that, Daugherty said. I want change for that place. When questioned about reports of a toxic environment, Riberich offered the following: As the executive director it was my job to implement a professional work place and unfortunately some people couldnt adhere to the standards of attendance and responsibilities. Some people may have had difficulty with this level of accountability. Riberich also said the allegations of improper treatment of animals were brought to the board, investigated, and found baseless. Amanda Cutler is serving as interim executive director. Facing financial struggles Bohlman said the organization is facing some financial difficulty. Over 60% of our animals come from the City of Kenosha but under 20% of our revenue comes from the City of Kenosha. We exist entirely on donations, he said. The nonprofit is also without a resident veterinarian. The part-time veterinarian, Alycia Eisenstein, recently left the organizational over an unfortunate situation on her own accord, Bohlman said. There are no veterinarians available. Weve been advertising for a full-time vet for three years. Theres a massive shortage of vets in the United States, he said. Most shelters dont have vets. Theyre just not available. And the problem we have is we cant offer the package a private veterinarian service can offer. He said a vet comes in a couple hours each week for shots and their animals are transported to an area veterinarian for spaying and neutering. That costs us thousands of dollars to do that, Bohlman said. Staffing shortages are also exacerbated by the low pay the nonprofit can pay staff. We cant pay people the wages that are being paid in this town because we cant get the money from the municipalities, he said. All our money depends now on donations and bequests. Bohlman said the shelter is open and operating normally. Were hoping now to move forward and continue providing the services and the care (for) the animals that weve been doing, he said. Im proud of our facility. Riberich said the nonprofit provides a wonderful and difficult service for the Kenosha community and is currently facing a very difficult financial and employment environment. I hope the Kenosha community continues to show its support for the organization going forward, she added. A teacher who was wounded in last month's massacre at a Texas elementary school told ABC his students were watching a movie when they heard gunshots -- and asked him what was going on. All of Arnulfo Reyes' 11 students would be among the 19 children and two teachers killed by a gunman who stormed two adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. "The kids started asking out loud, 'Mr. Reyes, what is going on?'" Reyes told ABC's Amy Robach in an interview aired Monday on "World News Tonight with David Muir." "And I said, 'I don't know what's going on, but let's go ahead and get under the table. Get under the table and act like you're asleep.' "As they were doing that, and I was gathering them under the table and told them to act like they're going to sleep, is about the time when I turned around and saw him standing there." The gunman opened fire, striking Reyes; one bullet went through his arm and lung, and another hit his back, ABC reported. Reyes couldn't move after being shot, he said, and the shooter then turned his gun on the students. Officers could be heard outside the classroom, and a child in another classroom pleaded for police to help, Reyes said. But Reyes thinks by that time, officers had retreated down a hallway, he told ABC. "One of the students from the next-door classroom was saying, 'Officer, we're in here. We're in here,'" he said. "But they had already left." The 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, shot students and teachers in Reyes' classroom -- room 111 -- and an adjoining one, authorities said. He was in the classrooms for more than an hour before he was shot and killed by a Border Patrol tactical response team, a timeline provided by the Texas Department of Public Safety shows. Officers had responded within minutes of the suspect entering the classroom yet were repelled by the gunman's fire and then stationed in a hallway awaiting reinforcements, even as children inside called 911 and begged for police help, the timeline indicates. Reyes played dead for 77 minutes until the Border Patrol team took Ramos down, he told ABC. CNN's Travis Caldwell contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. An attempt to boot Donald Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels from the Aug. 9 primary ballot over address inconsistencies in his nominating forms wont succeed if the Wisconsin Elections Commission follows what it did in two similar 2018 cases, though a split decision could send the matter to the courts, which blocked two candidates in 2020. The state Democratic Party said Sunday that Michels, co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., failed to include his correct mailing address on his nomination forms, making thousands of signatures invalid. Michels campaign has dismissed the complaint as frivolous. The complaint bears striking resemblance to discussions held by the commission four years ago on nomination papers filed by two judicial candidates. In those cases, the commission voted unanimously to approve ballot access for the two candidates. However, increased partisan division on the commission, which is split evenly between three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees, could result in a deadlock that ultimately sends the matter to the courts. Given its a high-profile race, its probably going to be a very political decision in the sense that you could see a 3-3 split, said Kevin Kennedy, the states former top elections official who retired when the current Elections Commission was created in 2016. The commission has to approve ballot access, Kennedy added. Im sure there will be all kinds of posturing and fighting on that because the statute does say the commission shall submit a certified list, so that could be the nature of the fight and that could end up in court as a result. The complaint against Michels, filed by a Madison voter supported by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, alleges the gubernatorial candidate did not include the municipality of his mailing address on many of his nomination papers. The majority of those papers list the village of Chenequa, but not Michels mailing address in Hartford, which is less than 15 miles to the north. Candidates must list their residential address and their municipality of residence for voting purposes, according to the commissions 2020 ballot access procedures document. If the candidate has a mailing address that is different than their residential address, this needs to be added as well. Michels claims to care about election integrity, even while courting Donald Trump and the extreme fringes of the Republican base by spreading lies about the 2020 election results, Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler said in a statement. Election integrity means following the law and Tim Michels did not follow the laws laid out in Wisconsin statutes to file enough valid signatures to make the ballot for the August primary. Michels noted his campaign submitted 4,000 signatures, 3,861 of which have already been validated by commission staff. A total of 2,000 valid signatures are needed. Democrats have challenged all but 345 of Michels signatures. Tim Michels home, legal residence, voting address, acceptable mailing address and the address displayed in all online navigational maps, has been the same house in Waukesha County since 2008, despite any petty insider political mudslinging attempting to say otherwise, Michels campaign manager Patrick McNulty said in a statement. Kennedy said address discrepancies are relatively common during ballot access discussions but added that, in the absence of evidence of fraud, the agency may not necessarily apply the statute strictly as written. Past practice across prior agencies, administrative rules and court cases favor ballot access, especially when looking at how forms are prepared versus circulation, filing and signing issues, he added. I dont think you can argue theres any fraud here, he said. Itll be a balance of what are the important factors in terms of ballot access and deception to the electorate, or is this just a partisan-based decision? Then it may break down on the technicalities of do you need four votes to certify, or was the staffs actions enough. And thats always a new fight. Staff recommendations likely wont be made available until Thursday, WEC spokesperson Riley Vetterkind said. Previous decisions In January 2018, the commission took up a similar discussion for two circuit court judges, though formal complaints were not filed against the individual candidates signature papers. William Kussel, a candidate for Menominee and Shawano County Circuit Court judge, listed the town of Wescott as his voting residence, while his mailing address listed the city of Shawano. In another, Price County Circuit Court judge candidate Mark Fuhr listed his voting address in the town of Worcester, while his mailing address listed the municipality of Phillips. In both cases, the United States Post Office website ZIP code finder indicates mail will be delivered if either municipality is listed on an envelope, according to commission materials for the 2018 meeting. The commission unanimously approved ballot access for Kussel and Fuhr. For Michels, the Postal Service website automatically replaces the village of Chenequa with Hartland. Other cases Democratic Assembly candidate Patty Schachtner, who lost her reelection bid for the state Senate in 2020, said over the weekend she faces a complaint similar to the one against Michels. The Elections Commission has set out clear guidance to help candidates meet those requirements, Schachtner said Sunday. Mr. Michels has failed to follow those rules. I know because my campaign has unfortunately made the same mistake. The WEC should follow the rules. A copy of the complaint filed against Schachtner was not immediately available. If the commission denies ballot access for Michels or fails to reach a decision, the matter could end up in the courts, though a decision would need to occur quickly as ballots for the Aug. 9 primary will begin going out in the mail in a matter of weeks. In August 2020, the commission deadlocked on whether to allow Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins and vice presidential candidate Angela Walker on the November ballot, leaving the matter up to the courts. The issue stemmed from a complaint alleging Walker listed an incorrect address on thousands of her nominating papers, bringing her number of valid signatures below the required threshold to secure a spot on the ballot. Candidates are required to list their current address on nominating petitions. Elections Commission guidance states that if any information is incorrect, the signatures must be rejected. Commission staff recommended that ballot access for Hawkins and Walker be denied after rejecting the signatures on the flawed nomination papers. The commission held several votes on the matter but could not overcome a 3-3 deadlock between the GOP and Democratic appointees. Hawkins and Walker were left off the ballot as a result. In a split decision that September, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said it was too late into the election season to grant relief to Hawkins and Walker and left them off the ballot. Enjoy the long-lasting goodness of a paradise island through a Golden Paradise Visa A long term resident visa program dedicated to investors to enjoy the benefit of the paradise island while contributing and reaping the benefits of the blooming economy. Investors and their families will enjoy the lasting benefits of this visa program. View Brochure For more information please visit https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/golden-paradise-visa.html New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): In order to further strengthen the economic relations, India and Nepal are working on three key areas - trade facilitation, deepening energy cooperation, and cross border connectivity, Anurag Srivastava, Joint Secretary (North), Ministry of External Affairs, said. Addressing the India-Nepal Partnership Summit 2022 organised jointly by the Embassy of Nepal in India, India-Nepal Centre (INC) and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Srivastava said India and Nepal were keen to further deepen their economic engagement. Also Read | World Oceans Day 2022: How Are the Oceans Dying an Unnatural Death? Why Oceans Are Essential for Human Well-Being?. "India is Nepal's largest trade partner and the largest source of FDI, besides majorly providing transit for third-country trade of Nepal," he said. "Nepal becomes the 4th country to use the RuPay card after UAE, Bhutan and Singapore and the ways are being explored to further support financial connectivity. Also, it is vital to note the progress with the projects like railways (Jayanagar-Bardibas), Terai roads, Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), post-earthquake reconstructions," said Srivastava. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: 13-Year-Old Girl Raped by Friend's Father in Patna, Case Registered. "Civilizational links and geographical links are the key elements which can help to energize and reinvent the bilateral relations between India and Nepal," Addressing the summit, K V Rajan, Chairman, India-Nepal Centre, PHDCCI & India's Former Ambassador to Nepal, said, "Civilisational links and geographical links are the key elements which can help to energise and reinvent the bilateral relations between India and Nepal." "Tourism is the mainstay of the Nepal economy and religious tourism is one of the key contributors to the Nepalese tourism industry. The relationship between the two countries is very strong but this is the time when we have to think about accommodating the aspirations with changing times and further strengthen it. Our relationship should be nurtured," said Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India. In April 2022, Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited India which generated various opportunities for both the countries and built mutual interests including for infrastructure development and economic partnership, trade, health and power, said Ram Prasad Subedi, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Nepal in India. "For post-pandemic economic rebounding in both countries, a positive environment that is created with the Prime Minister's visits from both sides in recent times will be utmost crucial," Subedi said. "Nepal has already begun exporting 177 MW of energy to India via the power exchange market. The tourism sector of India plays a significant role in the economic multiplier and becomes critical since India has to grow at rapid rates and create employment opportunities for its fellow citizens," he added. "Nepal is facing the challenges with financial liquidity and balance of payment, SBI (through NSBL) is doing its best to support the industry to overcome them. On the other hand, it is also true that SBI's most profitable business outside India is in Nepal and that broadly reflects the bright possibilities Nepal's market offers," Anukool Bhatnagar, Chief General Manager and Head-Nepal Desk, SBI. He added, "SBI is deeply committed to backward-forward linkages, smooth financial transactions, banking safety, financial inclusion and sustainable development goals. With the Arun-III power project and many others, SBI has been contributing to Nepal's development and India-Nepal relations at large." (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, Jun 8 (PTI) As many as 18,000 Kashmiri Pandits and other devotees paid obeisance at Mata Kheer Bhavani temple near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday on the occasion of 'Jyeshtha Ashtami'. The Mata Kheer Bhavani temple is considered to be the deity of Kashmiri Pandits and Jyeshtha Ashtami holds immense religious significance for the community, an official statement said. Also Read | Delhi Rajinder Nagar Bypoll: Over 250 BJP Workers Deployed Across National Capital. On the auspicious occasion, around 18,000 Kashmiri Pandits and devotees visited the famous Mata Kheer Bhavani temple, the statement said. Every year, on this day, Kheer Bhavani Mela is organised at Mata Kheer Bhavani Temple in Tulmulla, Ganderbal and devotees from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir visit the holy shrine. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Wife of Former Chambal Dacoit Malkhan Singh Elected Unopposed As Sarpanch. The temple is located about 20 km from Srinagar. Over the years, the Kheer Bhawani Mela has become a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir. Elaborate security arrangements were made for this event and it was monitored by the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the statement said. Around 2,500 Kashmiri Pandit devotees participated in the evening aarti. The religious sanctity of Mata Kheer Bhavani temple, built atop a holy spring, has a special spiritual significance among Kashmiri Pandit devotees across the world. The event could not be held here due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. A free bus service was run from Srinagar Airport, Tourist Reception Centre, Dal Lake Side Nehru Park, Shankaracharya Temple, Shivpora, Bibi Cantt, Indira Nagar, and other areas where Hindu communities live in large numbers. Full attention was given to ensure that devotees did not face any kind of problem, the statement said, adding parking facility and mobile urinals were also provided near the temple. Several NGOs and civil society had also made arrangements to provide wheel chairs and other aids for the convenience of the devotees at the fair. Special health check-up stalls were also set up by the Health Department, during which many devotees took consultations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also greeted Kashmiri Pandits on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami. The Prime Minister in his tweet said, "Happy Jyeshtha Ashtami to all, especially Kashmiri Pandit sisters and brothers. We pray to Mata Kheer Bhavani for everyone's well-being and prosperity." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated the Kashmiri Pandits on Jyeshtha Ashtami and said that it is a special festival of worshiping Maa Kheer Bhavani. On this holy festival, I extend warm greetings to all Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters and pray for the progress and prosperity of the country by bowing at the feet of Maa Kheer Bhavani, the statement said. On the occasion, LG Sinha extended his warm greetings to the Kashmiri Pandit community. He said this auspicious occasion is a celebration of religious life, love, compassion and harmony. Let us pray to Mata Kheer Bhavani to guide us on the path of righteousness and bring peace, happiness and prosperity to our land. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati/Diphu, Jun 8 (PTI) The police fired in the air to control a mob which vandalised two polling booths and burnt ballot papers during the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) election in Assam on Wednesday, officials said. Altogether 56.32 per cent of the 7,03,298 voters exercised their franchise to elect 26 representatives, an official of the Assam State Election Commission said. Also Read | World Ocean Day 2022 : 'India To Have Blue Economic Policy Soon', Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh. West Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner Krishna Baruah and Superintendent of Police Imdad Ali had to rush to the polling station at Punja LP School in Duar Amla constituency. Baruah told reporters that a repoll will take place for both booths on June 10. Also Read | Delhi Rajinder Nagar Bypoll: Over 250 BJP Workers Deployed Across National Capital. "The mob burnt ballot papers in the two booths despite the police force trying its best. It was an unfortunate incident. We had to fire in the air. We will probe into the violence," Ali said. The violence broke out after local people came to know that the rubber stamp used in the voting was lost. They broke furniture of the school and snatched ballot boxes after indulging in a scuffle with the police. The mob then broke open the ballot boxes and burnt the used ballot papers in front of the polling stations inside the school premises. The polling was being conducted through ballot papers as the rule to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) was not enacted by the Council. The counting of votes in the KAAC elections will be held on June 12. The election to the KAAC was held for the first time after signing of a peace agreement with five insurgent groups of Karbi Anglong district in September 2021, the third such accord inked with militants of the hill district. The earlier two agreements were signed in 1995 and 2011. With signing of the Karbi Anglong Agreement last year, over 1000 militants surrendered while a 'Special Development Package' of Rs 1,000 crore over five years was announced for the development of Karbi areas. Along with the KAAC polling, the by-election to Koklabari constituency in Baksa district of the Bodoland Territorial Council was also held on Wednesday. The by-poll was necessitated after UPPL president Pramod Boro won both Goibari and Koklabari seats in the 2020 BTC polls and vacated the latter. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 8 (ANI): The Assam Police on Wednesday formally launched the "Special Cells for Women and Community Approach" in 10 districts of Assam. The said cell was launched by the Assam Director general of police (DGP) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta for the police stations, each in Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Kamrup (Rural), Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts. Also Read | Telangana: 'Guilty Will Not Be Spared in Hyderabad Gang-Rape Case', Says State Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) which signed an MoU with the Assam Government represented by the Assam Police, Home Department and Department of Social Welfare will be manning these Special Cells through Social Workers, Counsellors and State Coordinators. The department has selected experienced and trained Councilors by imparting them specialized training. The Special Cells will create space for violated women to receive emotional and social support through quality psychological, social and legal services from professional full-time social workers, within the criminal justice system (CJS) framework. Also Read | New Delhi: CBI Arrests Sub-Inspector Mayank Yadav in Bribery Case. The needs and concerns of the survivors of violence are addressed within a facilitative environment as these Special Cells will operate from Sadar Police Stations in the said districts. The TISS has further collaborated with US Agency for International Development's MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership: India-Yash led by Jhpiego and Child in Need Institute (CINI) to operate these special cells for two years. Speaking on the occasion, DGP Mahanta assured that Assam Police is determined to fight the Crimes against Women and Children and are effectively combating gender-based violence. He also stressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach to tackle this menace, "police, NGOs, Social Welfare Department and Home Department and other stakeholders need to work together to address the issue," he said. The meeting was also attended by the A.Y.V. Krishna, Additional DGP of the Crime Investigation Department (CID); M.C. Sahu, Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department; Diganta Barah, Commissioner and Secretary of Home, Political, Information and Public Relations Department; Aarthi Chandrasekhar, the Programme Coordinator of Resource Centre for Interventions on Violence against Women (RCI-VAW) TISS; Nayan Chakravarty, Chief of Party USAID's MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership in India; Yash from JHPIEGO; Meghendra Banerjee, the Chief of Programme in Child In Need Institute (CINI) and other dignitaries. The ADGP Krishna will coordinate the Special Cells and officials from the Home Department, Social Welfare Department, TISS, JHPIEGO and CINI. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) The Defence Ministry on Wednesday said Ayurveda centres were set up at 35 cantonment hospitals and 12 military healthcare facilities across the country. In April, the Defence Ministry signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) for starting the Ayurveda centres. Also Read | Prophet Remarks Row: Due to BJP, Country Faced Embarrassment and Was Forced to Apologise, Says Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. "In order to extend the benefits of Ayurveda to residents of cantonments, including families of armed forces personnel and civilians, Ayurveda centres in 35 out of 37 Cantonment Board Hospitals and 12 military hospitals of Armed Forces Medical Services have been made operational," the ministry said. "This initiative would further popularise the traditional Indian Ayurveda system of medicines to a larger community," it said. Also Read | World Ocean Day 2022 : 'India To Have Blue Economic Policy Soon', Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) Alleging that the Centre is using the ED against Satyendar Jain only to harass and defame him, the AAP on Wednesday asserted that the BJP-led government will eventually have to bite the dust as the probe agency has got nothing against the Delhi minister. Replying to questions at a press conference here, AAP Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Singh also slammed the Enforcement Directorate over action against Jain and called it a "puppet" of the Narendra Modi government, alleging that the probe agency seems to be operating from the BJP office. Also Read | Delhi Rajinder Nagar Bypoll: Over 250 BJP Workers Deployed Across National Capital. "The ED found nothing at Satyendar Jain's residence but it was spread that crores of rupees and valuables were seized. The agency is acting at the behest of the BJP only to harass and defame Satyendar Jain under a conspiracy. But, they will not succeed. The entire drama will be over soon," Singh said. The AAP leader said the probe agency has been investigating the case against Jain for last eight year but found nothing incriminating against him. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: Wife of Former Chambal Dacoit Malkhan Singh Elected Unopposed As Sarpanch. "They summoned him seven times in eight years but got nothing. Now they have started a new drama. All of this is a conspiracy to malign the image of Satyendar Jain. They did this with our CM, deputy CM and MLAs in the past. They found nothing then and they will find nothing now," he said. "The BJP's puppet agencies will have to eventually bite the dust as they had to in the past," he added. The AAP MP alleged that the BJP-led central government is using probe agencies to harass and defame "innocent people and their families" and to divert people's attention from its "colossal failures" on various fronts. "Mehul Choksi, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi and Nitin Sandesra-all of them looted the country and fled with BJP's support. The government failed to act against them," he charged, asking, "When will the CBI and ED take action against B S Yediyurappa, when will these agencies take action in Rafale deal case?" Singh said the ED carried out as many as 1,700 raids in connection with various cases in the past nine years but the rate of conviction in those cases remained abysmally low at 0.9 per cent. "Just nine persons were convicted," he added. The ED on Tuesday said Rs 2.85 crore cash and 133 gold coins were seized after raids at the premises of Jain and his alleged associates as part of a money laundering probe against them but the AAP termed the seizure a "lie" and accused the agency of trying to implicate him in a false case at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ED said those raided on Monday "either directly or indirectly assisted (the minister) or participated in the process of money laundering". The cash and coins were "unexplained" and were kept in a "secret" place, it said in a statement. The agency, however, did not give a breakup of what was seized from which location. Jain, 57, was arrested on May 30 under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is in ED custody till June 9. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, June 8 (PTI) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday said the business atmosphere in Bihar has improved significantly in the last few years and the state is receiving good response from the industry. Also Read | Sidhu Moose Wala Murder: Punjab Police Arrest Siddhesh Hiraman Kamle, Close Aide of Main Shooter in Killing of Punjabi Singer. Bihar government will ensure that the state becomes the top destination for investors in the coming years. We are working on various sectors, which can attract investors in a big way, he said at the Investors Meet here. Also Read | Karnataka: Mysuru Nun Alleges Sexual Harassment, Says 'Life Is in Danger'. Launching the Bihar Textile and Leather Policy-2022 during the Investors' Meet, the chief minister said the state will soon become a major textile hub of the country. The policy is aimed at opening new doors for establishment of textile and leather industries in the state. The state government has made several provisions for various types of incentives, including capital investment, employment generation, power tariff and skill development subsidies, freight reimbursement incentive and patent registration, he said. We are working on paving the way for industries to come and establish their plants and generate employment in Bihar. Our effort is to take Bihar upwards. The state's industrial policy is very flexible and provides various incentives and support for the investors. It looks to promote sustainable and inclusive industrial development across sectors. "The business atmosphere in the state has improved significantly compared to earlier and we are receiving good response from the industry," Kumar said. He claimed that Bihar will soon become one of the leading ethanol producers in the country. The first ethonal plant has already started functioning in the state and 17 more will be set up in the coming days. Addressing the gathering Bihar Industry Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said the state's new textile and leather policy is investor friendly. "I know that people from the textile and leather sector across the country want to invest in Bihar ... The state will soon become a major textile hub of the country. We will encourage investments in these sectors with our attractive offers," he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) 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 New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) seized medicines worth 26.28 lakhs from a foreign national at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, informed the officials on Wednesday. On the basis of behavioural detection, CISF surveillance and intelligence staff noticed suspicious activities of a foreign passenger at the Check-in area, Terminal-3 of IGI Airport. Also Read | World Ocean Day 2022 : 'India To Have Blue Economic Policy Soon', Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh. On suspicion, the passenger was later identified as Kundina Nsisi Makengo (Congo National) bound for Kinshasa via Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines flight No. ET-687 (STD-0230 hrs) was diverted to the random checking point for thorough checking of his luggage. The passenger was carrying 4 registered baggage and one hand baggage. On screening his baggage through the X-BIS machine, CISF personnel noticed suspicious images inside the bags. Also Read | Delhi Rajinder Nagar Bypoll: Over 250 BJP Workers Deployed Across National Capital. "On physical checking, a huge quantity of different types of medicines of approximate value INR 26.28 lakh was detected. On enquiry, the passenger could not produce supporting documents or Doctor's prescription for carrying such huge quantity of medicines," read an official statement. The matter was informed to Senior Officers of CISF and Customs Officials. Later, the said foreign passenger along with detected medicines was handed over to the Customs department. Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Jun 8 (PTI) The talks between the Congress and JD(S) to find some kind of a partnership aimed at defeating the ruling BJP in the contest for the fourth seat in the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka seems to have reached a deadlock, with both parties firmly sticking to their stand as of now. Also Read | National Herald Case: Congress MPs Likely To March With Rahul Gandhi to ED Office on June 13. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had made an offer to trade second preference votes with the Congress but the main opposition party on Wednesday made it clear to the regional party that it was now time for it to return the favour, pointing out that former prime minister H D Deve Gowda got elected to Rajya Sabha last time with its support in June 2020. Also Read | Sidhu Moose Wala Murder: Punjab Police Arrest Siddhesh Hiraman Kamle, Close Aide of Main Shooter in Killing of Punjabi Singer. Six candidates are in the fray for the Rajya Sabha poll to four seats from Karnataka, necessitating a heated contest for the fourth seat. Despite not having the adequate number of votes to win the fourth seat from the state Assembly, all the three political parties in the state -- BJP, Congress and JD(S) -- have fielded candidates for the seat, forcing an election. "If Congress really wants to defeat the BJP, we have already made an offer of transferring second preferential votes to each other. What else can I do? I had said let's forget all old things and begin a new chapter if you want to defeat the BJP. I have made an open offer, I'm ready for everything for the sake of Karnataka," Kumaraswamy told reporters. Whether to accept the offer or not is left for the Congress leadership, he further said, adding that AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala had communicated that he would send some leader for talks, but no one has come so far. "There is still time, it is not over, a clear picture may emerge by tomorrow afternoon," he said, as he alleged that only Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah is against the offer, and ruled out possibility of retiring the JD(S) candidate from the contest. The six candidates in the fray for Rajya Sabha polls from the state are -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya from the BJP, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and state general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan from the Congress, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S). Speaking to reporters in Haveri, Siddaramaiah, noting that Congress had first fielded its second candidate (Khan), asked the JD(S) to retire its candidate and make its MLAs to vote in favour of his party candidate. "We had not fielded a candidate, when Deve Gowda had contested for RS last time (2020). We also made Kumaraswamy the chief minister. Now, support us if you really want to defeat the BJP," he said, adding that if JD(S) wanted to defeat BJP, they should not have fielded a candidate after Congress fielded one for the fourth seat. Countering Siddaramaiah's claims of supporting Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy said it was the then chief minister B S Yediyurappa who contacted him first and conveyed the BJP high command's decision not to field a candidate against his father, as they wanted the former PM in the Upper House of Parliament. Also, veteran Congress and now Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge had made it clear that he would not contest if his party fields a second candidate against Gowda, he said. "Siddaramaiah or D K Shivakumar had no role in supporting Gowda...," the former CM said. Though state Congress chief D K Shivakumar expressed happiness about Kumaraswamy's offer to "start afresh" with his party, he however asked the regional party to vote for his party's second candidate Khan. "Our AICC General Secretary has made a request to you (JDS) and accordingly retire your candidate from the fray and vote in favour of our candidate. We have done it in the past. We desire good for them (JDS) in the future," he said. Interestingly reacting to Kumaraswamy's offer, Shivakumar earlier in the day had said that he was just a karyakarta and only the party high command can take a decision on such things. This cryptic statement made by the KPCC chief was seen within a context amid rumours that Siddaramaiah, with whom Shivakumar is engaged in a turf war for the CM post in case Congress wins in the next assembly polls, had a role in Khan being fielded as the second candidate without consulting him. The Congress did not withdraw its second candidate Khan from the fray and issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to vote for the party's candidates. A candidate needs the support of 45 MLAs to win, and based on their strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and the Congress one. After getting two Rajya Sabha candidates (Sitharaman and Jaggesh) elected on its own strength in the Assembly, the BJP will be left with an additional 32 MLAs votes. The Congress will be left with 24 MLAs votes after electing Jairam Ramesh, while the JD(S) has only 32 MLAs, which is not sufficient to win a seat. Counting of votes will take place on June 10 at 5 pm, which is after the polling hours. Official sources said, as there are three candidates for the fourth seat and none of them have adequate number of votes to win, a situation may arise where the second and third preferential votes may have to be counted if necessary. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the BJP has sufficient votes to win all the three seats it is contesting. He said, "There is no offer from BJP to anyone and the party can win on its own votes. We have nothing to do with Congress and JD(S)' offer game." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Surendranagar, Jun 8 (PTI) A two-year-old boy fell into a deep borewell at a farm in Gujarat's Surendranagar district, following which a team of the Army, fire brigade, police and health officials rushed to the spot and rescued him, officials said on Wednesday. Also Read | Instagram Now Lets Users Control Sensitive Content They See: Report. The incident took place around 8 pm on Tuesday when the boy, Shivam, was playing at a farm in Dudapur village where his parents worked as labourers. Also Read | Mumbai Traffic Police To Take Strict Action Against Helmetless Pillion Riders From Tomorrow. He fell into the borewell and got trapped at a depth of 20-25 feet, Dhrangadhra administration official M P Patel told reporters. Soon after the district administration officials got to know about it, they alerted the local disaster management cell as well as a team of the National Disaster Response Force in Ahmedabad, located nearly 100 km from here. The local administration also sought help of the Army, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and police. A team of the Army, police, district administration staff and villagers then rushed the spot. They worked in coordination and the child was pulled out of the borewell by 10.45 pm, the official said. The boy was then taken to a government hospital in Dhrangadhra town, from where he was referred to the district civil hospital for further treatment, he said, adding that the child's condition is stable. "The rescue operation was completed in 40 minutes after the Army, police and other officials reached the spot," he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Jun 8 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha rolled out on Wednesday an accidental insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh for government employees in the union territory. Jammu and Kashmir Bank will extend the insurance cover, an official spokesman said here. Also Read | Sidhu Moose Wala Murder: Punjab Police Arrest Siddhesh Hiraman Kamle, Close Aide of Main Shooter in Killing of Punjabi Singer. Sinha also launched the bank's 'Phone Pe Loan' facility for government employees. The free group personal insurance cover is extended to all permanent employees, in addition to the offers that they are entitled to under an agreement between the bank and the Jammu and Kashmir government. Also Read | Karnataka: Mysuru Nun Alleges Sexual Harassment, Says 'Life Is in Danger'. The bank has contracted with Oriental Insurance Company for extending the cover, the spokesman said. The policy for group accidental insurance shall cover personal accidental deaths under all circumstances, including terrorism, on anytime and anywhere basis. The insurance company will be required to settle the claims within 15 working days of submission of all requisite papers, he said. Under the 'Phone Pe Loan' scheme, the salaried employees can avail personal consumption loan and cash credit facilities at discounted rate of interest, the spokesman said. Sinha said people-centric initiatives such as 'Phone Pe Loan' and 'Accidental Insurance Cover' will ensure hassle-free credit flow and social security net for the employees. Jammu and Kashmir Bank, with a strong and diversified banking system, is reaching out to all sections of society for financial inclusion and delivering financial services to the last man in queue, the lieutenant governor said. With consistent reforms in the last two years, J-K Bank has demonstrated resilience in adapting to the challenges and emerged as one of the most trusted and reliable banks in the union territory, he said. The lieutenant governor directed the bank to enhance the insurance amount from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh from the next financial year. Highlighting several steps being taken to end the non-transparent credit culture and to bridge the gap in credit availability, Sinha said his administration is making dedicated efforts to strengthen the credit flow system. Jammu and Kashmir Bank MD and CEO Baldev Prakash expressed gratitude to the union territory administration for extending support to the bank for its effective functioning. The bank has registered an annual net profit of Rs 501 crore for the financial year 2021-22, its best performance in the last seven years, Prakash said. (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], June 8 (ANI): The Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela at the famous Ragnya Devi temple near Srinagar is being observed after a hiatus of two years owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Voice for Peace and Justice, on Tuesday, welcomed the pilgrims at Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tullamullah Ganderbal. The organization distributed water, juice and roses as a gesture of communal harmony, brotherhood and peace. Also Read | Jahangirpuri Stone Pelting: Quarrel Breaks Between Two Communities in Delhis J Block, Police Deploy Extra Personnel. This is one of the biggest religious gatherings of the displaced community at a temple situated at a distance of 25 kilometres northeast of Srinagar. As is the custom with Hindu deities, the goddess has many names including Ragyna or Rajna[c], along with variations in honorifics such as devi, mata or bhagavati. The term kheer refers to a milk and rice pudding that is offered to propitiate the goddess. Kheer Bhawani is sometimes translated as 'Milk Goddess'. The worship of Kheer Bhawani is universal among the Hindus of Kashmir, most of them worship her as their protective patron deity Kuladevi. Also Read | Apple iOS 16 Lets Users See Their WiFi Password: Report. Farooq Ganderbali, President of Voice for Peace and Justice, felicitated the pilgrims. "Kashmiri Pandits are part and parcel of our lives, unfortunately, the extremism and terrorism created a wedge between the communities but we are incomplete without one another. we shouldn't rely upon the administration only to maintain peace in Kashmir, instead, we should contribute our part as well," he said. President, Jammu and Kashmir Youth development forum, Shehreyar Dar, President Uthaan Mission Trust Zeeshan Farooq Dar and General Secretary Voice for Peace and Justice Sheikh Minhaj were present on the occasion. Other participants included Editor in Chief Asian express, Ajaz Kawoosi and BDC chairman Sherpathri, Ali Mohammad Ganaie. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jun 8 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh directed officers on Wednesday to beef up the security arrangements and keep a vigil on suspicious elements along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Singh passed the directions during his visit to the Amarnath Yatra camps along the highway, ahead of the upcoming pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas. Also Read | World Ocean Day 2022 : 'India To Have Blue Economic Policy Soon', Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh. The 43-day-long yatra is scheduled to start on June 30 from the twin routes -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan route in south Kashmir's Pahalgam and the 14-km short Baltal route in central Kashmir's Ganderbal -- after a gap of two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The police chief visited the yatra transit camps at Mir Bazaar, Walnut Factory and Lamber in Qazigund district of south Kashmir and Ramban district of the Jammu region and took stock of the security arrangements put in place for the pilgrims, according to a police spokesperson. Also Read | Delhi Rajinder Nagar Bypoll: Over 250 BJP Workers Deployed Across National Capital. He said the DGP reviewed the security arrangements at the Navyug tunnel, connecting Qazigund and Banihal towns, and sought reports from the security deployments regarding arrangements and area domination along the national highway. Interacting with the officers at different places, Singh directed for beefing up the security arrangements to ensure a smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage. He also directed the officers to further augment the security arrangements and keep a strict vigil on suspicious elements and movement along the highway and areas surrounding the yatra transit camps. The DGP emphasised on increased coordination and communication among the forces for a quick response to the requirements for the security and assistance of the pilgrims, the police spokesperson said. Singh said the security grid needs to be strengthened and all important locations along the yatra route should be kept under round-the-clock surveillance. He said all important places, including the "langars" (community kitchens) and parking lots, should be brought under the security cover and stressed on sharing of inputs among the agencies for preventive measures. The DGP also directed for area domination and joint patrolling along the highway. He discussed the traffic management on the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, with the officers. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) British High Commissioner Alex Ellis and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday discussed the possibility of signing a knowledge-sharing agreement on education and health, an official statement said. Ellis, accompanied by Barbara Wickham, director of British Council India, also held an extensive discussion with Kejriwal on road infrastructure and its sustainability, it said. Also Read | Daughters of Three Manual Workers Win Medals, and Steal Hearts in #KheloIndiaYouthGames Latest Tweet by PIB India. Collaboration on green buildings, solar policy, waste management, road designing and electric buses were among the other topics the Delhi chief minister discussed with Ellis, according to the statement. Underlining that the Delhi government has identified education, healthcare, water supply and roadworks as its priority sectors, Kejriwal told the British delegation that his government had been spending 25 per cent of its annual budget on education and that Rs 85,000 crore had already been invested in this sector in the last seven years. Also Read | New Delhi: CBI Arrests Sub-Inspector Mayank Yadav in Bribery Case. "We were able to allocate funds because of our commitment to honesty. This helped further accelerate Delhi's progress," he said. The chief minister said that the government is radically working upon enhancing Delhi's water supply mechanism, reducing air pollution, and making transport more accessible and sustainable. "We have given a clear message that we are here to serve the people, and slowly and gradually, we are gaining their trust. We've done a fantastic job in education and healthcare, and it's being talked about across the country and worldwide," he added. Kejriwal said when the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government, schools lacked desks, toilets, drinking water and security. However, they now have state-of-the-art buildings with top-notch swimming pools and facilities at par with private schools. Drawing a parallel with the London healthcare model, Kejriwal said mohalla clinics have been set up in every locality where anybody can walk in at any point of the day. Kejriwal said that his government is currently working to connect all of the Delhi government's hospitals through the Health Information Management System. "The citizens of Delhi will be given e-health cards. The doctor will have access to patients' complete medical history through these cards," he said. He also touched upon the issue of Yamuna cleaning and said that the government is committed to providing clean tap water to the people of Delhi round the clock. "We are working on several initiatives to increase the availability of water in Delhi. Cleaning Yamuna is our priority," he said. On improving road infrastructure, Kejriwal said, "Some roads are being redesigned and built to international standards as part of the pilot project. These roads will also have cycle lanes for clean mobility." The Chief Minister's Office tweeted, "British High Commissioner to India H.E. Shri Alex Ellis called upon Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal at the Delhi Secretariat today. Both Delhi & Britain will work together in the fields of education, health & infrastructure for the betterment of their citizens." Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Delhi and Punjab governments had signed a knowledge-sharing agreement recently. "We are now progressing by learning from one another. We are promoting tourism in Delhi. For this, we are working on a number of initiatives. We are currently developing and redesigning Delhi's markets. We are also going to organise food festivals. Delhi and London can work together on these food festivals," he said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pune, Jun 8 (PTI) The Koregaon Bhima Commission, probing the January 2018 violence near a memorial in Maharashtra's Pune district, has ordered to issue summons to heads of six political parties in the state, including the Shiv Sena, Congress and BJP, on an application stating that their presence will be helpful to suggest measures to avoid incidents of violence in future. Also Read | Dog Home Foundation, a Foundation With the Vision of Providing the Greatest Medical Care to Ill-Treated Pets. Also Read | Prophet Remarks Row: Due to BJP, Country Faced Embarrassment and Was Forced to Apologise, Says Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. Commission's lawyer advocate Ashish Satpute had submitted an application before the commission's chairman Jaynarayan Patel seeking direction to issue summons to state chiefs of Shiv Sena (CM Uddhav Thackeray), BJP (Chandrakant Patil), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (Prakash Ambedkar), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (Raj Thackeray), Republic Party of India (A) Ramdas Athawale, and state Pradesh Congress Committee (Nana Patole). Satpute in his letter had stated that the presence of the above political persons is useful before the commission to suggest short and long-term measures to be taken by the district administration and police to avoid the recurrence of such incidents (the Koregaon Bhima violence that occurred on January 1, 2018). The application also stated that the commission had issued notices to prominent political leaders in 2018 also, but barring NCP chief Sharad Pawar none of them made any efforts to respond to the notices. Satpute stated that it was necessary to consider the suggestions of the political leaders of various parties on whether more powers should be delegated to police officers so that they can effectively control the situation like political bandh, communal riots, political agitations etc. "Therefore, please issue summons to the aforesaid parties seeking their presence before the inquiry commission in order to record their evidence which will be helpful in the interest of justice," the plea stated. Satpute said that while accepting the pea, the commission chairman ordered to issue summons to the presidents of six political parties in the state to attend the commission in person or depute a representative on their behalf. "An affidavit is filed on or before June 30, 2022, in the office of the commission," said Satpute quoting the order. The two-member probe commission is headed by the retired chief justice of the Calcutta High Court J N Patel and also comprises former Maharashtra chief secretary Sumit Mullick. As per the Pune police, violence erupted between caste groups near the war memorial during the bicentennial anniversary of the 1818 battle of Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018. Dalit organisations commemorate the victory of the East India Company over the Peshwa of Pune in the battle because British forces included soldiers from the oppressed Mahar community. But some right-wing organisations had opposed the celebration, leading to the violence in 2018. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati, Jun 8 (PTI) Opposition Left parties - CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and RCPI and Trinamool Congress in Assam Wednesday demanded CBI probe into the alleged corruption in Assam government which gave contracts to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife and family business friend to supply PPE kits during the pandemic above market rates. Also Read | Maharashtra MLC Elections 2022: Shiv Sena, Congress, BJP Announce Candidates for Upcoming Biennial Elections to State Legislative Council. Issuing a joint statement, the four Left parties alleged that all norms were flouted by the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, while awarding contracts for supply of medical equipment to fight COVID-19 two years ago. Also Read | Telangana: 'Guilty Will Not Be Spared in Hyderabad Gang-Rape Case', Says State Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali. "The series of investigative reports by two media outlets -- 'The Wire' and 'The Crosscurrent' -- have exposed that serious scams took place. So we demand a speedy investigation by CBI monitored by the High Court to reveal the facts," it added. The Trinamool Congress took out a march to the Raj Bhawan here but was stopped by police on the way. The party then submitted a memorandum to Assam Governor Jagadish Mukhi addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a CBI investigation into the allegations. "At a time when you are advocating a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption saying 'na khaonga, na khane doonga' (neither will I take, nor allow others to take bribes), BJP's Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has become embroiled in this controversy," the memorandum said. The responses by Sarma, his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and the state NHM have only served to create confusion and apprehension in the minds of the opposition parties as well as the people of Assam, it alleged. Assam Trimaool Congress president Ripun Bora charged Sarma of violating the conduct code for ministers by awarding contracts to his family and close friends if the allegations are proved to be true. "It is indeed a terrible thing if such a scam actually took place at a time when the country was reeling under the conditions created by the Covid pandemic, when lakhs of people died and many more struggled to survive. It is an unpardonable offence and those guilty should be punished accordingly. "Pradhan Mantri ji, we urge you to kindly look into all aspects of the issue and order a probe by CBI so that the matter can be cleared up for the benefit of all concerned," Bora said in the memorandum. Earlier, Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad and Aam Aadmi Party had separately demanded a high-level probe by CBI, ED or any other central agencies into the alleged irregularities in the supply of PPE kits in 2020 when Sarma was the health minister in the previous BJP government in the state. On June 1, two digital media organisations - New Delhi-based 'The Wire' and Guwahati-based 'The Crosscurrent' in a joint investigative report claimed that the Assam government had placed four COVID-19 related emergency medical supply orders. Citing a series of Right to Information replies, the medial portals claimed that all the four orders placed between March 18 and March 23 of 2020, were bagged by three firms owned by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and the family's business associate Ghanshyam Dhanuka. Bhuyan Sarma uploaded a statement on her Twitter account just hours after the report was published refuting any wrong doing in supplying the PPE kits to the NHM, claiming that she did not take a "single penny" for the kits. The present Assam government and Sarma have separately denied all charges that the chief minister's family was involved in the alleged malpractices and termed the allegations by the two digital media as "false, imaginary, malicious and of vested interests". (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jun 8 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday inaugurated the State Data Centre at the Civil Secretariat here and said that the future-ready central facility will ensure efficiency, agility, optimisation, control and security for e-governance and other citizen-centric applications. He said that the aim under Digital India mission in Jammu and Kashmir is to make services faceless, paperless and cashless. Also Read | Dog Home Foundation, a Foundation With the Vision of Providing the Greatest Medical Care to Ill-Treated Pets. "This flagship programme is enabling technology empowered citizen-centric services, bringing government closer to the citizens and promoting citizen engagement," Sinha said. "Pertinently, this new future-ready facility with fully integrated cloud foundation offers combined computing, storage and networking as well as life cycle automation to the Jammu and Kashmir government," he added. Also Read | Prophet Remarks Row: Due to BJP, Country Faced Embarrassment and Was Forced to Apologise, Says Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. The data centre is modernised and managed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), one of the premier research and development organisations of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with support from the Jammu and Kashmir Information Technology Department. The State Data Centre, co-terminus with the Jammu and Kashmir State Wide Area Network, will act as an information technology hub for all government-owned services for the entire public to achieve digital Jammu and Kashmir through transparent e-governance, Sinha said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) The ruling Shiv Sena on Wednesday announced the candidature of Sachin Ahir and Aamshya Padvi for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council polls as it decided against renominating senior leader and state minister Subhash Desai and another party veteran Diwakar Raote for the election to the Upper House of the state legislature. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh Shocker: 13-Year-Old Girl Raped by Friend's Father in Patna, Case Registered. Both Desai and Raote, who have been with the Sena since its inception, are among the 10 retiring members of the Legislative Council and election for these seats will be held on June 20. Also Read | COVID-19: Telangana High Court Asks State Government To Increase Covid Tests as Cases Rise Significantly. As the name of Desai, Industries Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is missing from the list, it means the cabinet reshuffle looks imminent. If not elected to any of the Houses, Desai has to resign in the next six months after the expiry of his tenure. The terms of both Desai and Raote end in July. Ahir, who was a minister in the previous Congress-NCP coalition government in the state, was associated with the Sharad Pawar-led party since its formation in 1999. He had lost polls to Shiv Sena in 2014 from Worli seat in Mumbai, which is currently represented by state Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Ahir had lost the 2014 Assembly election to Shiv Sena's Sunil Shinde. However, ahead of the 2019 state elections, when Aaditya Thackeray was to contest his maiden assembly poll from Worli, Ahir had joined the Sena. He is considered to be close to Aaditya. Padvi, an organisation man, hails from tribal-dominated Nandurbar district in north Maharashtra. Talking about the development, Desai said, "We have given a chance to two (new) faces. This was my decision not to contest the election." Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "It is wrong to say that they (Desai and Raote) were excluded from the list of candidates. The two are senior leaders of the party and spent years working for it." Ahir said, "Padvi ji was told (by Uddhav Thackeray) to work for the welfare of tribals. He asked us to work for the common man." Earlier, the BJP has announced the candidature of Pravin Yeshwant Darekar (currently leader of opposition in the Council), Ram Shankar Shinde (former minister), Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Girish Khapre (BJP's state wome's wing chief) and Prasad Minesh Lad for the polls. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched an application to help rehabilitate "Children in Street Situations" by tracking their rescue and rehabilitation process across the country. The initiative is taken under the direction of the Supreme Court, the Women and Child Development Ministry said in a statement. Also Read | Delhi Pollution: Air Quality Panel Bans Use of Coal by Industries in Delhi-NCR From January 1, 2023. 'Children in Street Situation (CiSS) application' is part of the NCPCR's Baal Swaraj portal launched for online tracking and digital real-time monitoring mechanism of children in need of care and protection. The portal has two functions- Covid care and CiSS. Covid care caters to the children who have lost either or both parents due to COVID-19 or otherwise post March 2020. Also Read | National Herald Case: Congress MPs Likely To March With Rahul Gandhi to ED Office on June 13. To provide information about "children in street situations", one needs to visit https://ncpcr.gov.in/baalswaraj/login, select 'Citizen Portal' and then clock on 'Report a CiSS to help a child'. The link will direct the information provider to a form seeking details. Once registered, a registration ID is generated along with contact information of the district child protection office (DCPO) concerned for further follow-up. The DCPO will receive information about the child on the dashboard to carry out rescue and rehabilitation, the ministry 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, Jun 8 (PTI) The maximum temperature in Delhi may dip slightly on Wednesday but isolated areas may record a heatwave. At the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, the maximum temperature is predicted to settle at 43 degrees Celsius. Also Read | RBI Retains Its Growth Projection at 7.2 Per Cent for Current Fiscal Latest Tweet by PTI News. Many parts of Delhi had reeled under a punishing heatwave for a fifth consecutive day on Tuesday. Weather experts said a fresh western disturbance may bring some relief over the weekend. Also Read | IND vs SA, 1st T20I 2022: Rahul Dravid Impressed With Umran Malik; but Unsure of Giving Him Chance Against South Africa. Five out of 11 weather stations in Delhi recorded a heatwave on Tuesday. Weather experts have attributed the heatwave spell to the lack of strong western disturbances and incessant hot and dry westerly winds. Mahesh Palawat, vice-president (climate change and meteorology), Skymet Weather, said a fresh western disturbance may induce a cyclonic circulation over Punjab and Haryana which would lead to intermittent pre-monsoon activity in Haryana, Punjab, north Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh from June 10. The maximum temperature in the capital may drop to 40-41 degrees Celsius by Friday. With the monsoon expected to cover eastern India by June 15, easterly winds will bring in moisture and intensify pre-monsoon activity in northwest India. Plawat said monsoon is likely to arrive in Delhi around the normal date of June 27-28, and there is no system in sight which could stall its progress. A clear picture will emerge in a week or so, he said. Last year, the IMD had forecast that monsoon would hit Delhi nearly two weeks before its usual date. However, it had reached the capital only on July 13, making it the most delayed in 19 years. The monsoon had entered a "break" phase and there was virtually no progress from June 20 to July 8, Palawat recalled. A heat wave is declared when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal. A severe heatwave is declared if the departure from normal temperature is by more than 6.4 notches, according to the IMD. Based on the absolute recorded temperatures, a heatwave is declared when an area logs a maximum temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. A severe heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature crosses the 47-degrees Celsius mark. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, June 8: Ahead of civic elections, including in Mumbai, Maharashtra BJP leader Kripashankar Singh has written to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath demanding the introduction of Marathi as an optional language in schools in the northern state. In a letter dated June 4, Singh said learning Marathi will improve the job prospects of UP students in Maharashtra, including in the state government. "If Marathi is made an optional language in secondary and higher secondary schools then that may help students in getting better jobs in Maharashtra. I request you to include Marathi as an optional language in Uttar Pradesh schools," Singh, who is vice president of Maharashtra BJP, stated. Maharashtra BJP Leader Kripashankar Singh Urges CM Yogi Adityanath To Consider Marathi As Optional Language for UP Students. Singh had served as a cabinet minister in the erstwhile Congress government in Maharashtra in 2004. "I have been living in Maharashtra for the last 50 years. During my tenure, I noticed that when students (from UP) come to Maharashtra, they face several problems due to the lack of knowledge of the Marathi language. Also, there are many vacancies in the state government or corporations that require the knowledge of the Marathi language," he said. Maharashtra MLC Elections 2022: BJP Names Candidates for Legislative Council Polls; Pankaja Munde Not in List. Singh also maintained that he has been maintaining a good relationship with Uttar Pradesh, especially with the Poorvanchal region. "Many students after completing their higher secondary examinations migrate to Maharashtra in search of jobs, hence the request (to teach Marathi) is made to the UP chief minister," he added. Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies in Maharashtra are due in the next few months. A bulk of voters in Mumbai and the metropolitan region have roots in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) Ayana Renewable Power Pvt Ltd (Ayana) is scaling up its presence in Karnataka by setting up renewable energy projects totaling 2 gigawatts (GWs) with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore. At present, it has an operational portfolio of 340 megawatt-alternate current (MWAC) in the state, Ayana said in a statement on Wednesday. Also Read | Google Launches New Features for Meet, Chromebooks. "The company has signed an expression of interest with the government of Karnataka to develop wind and solar power projects totaling 2 (GW) capacity with an investment of around Rs 120 billion (Rs 12,000 crore). At present, Ayana has an operational portfolio of 340 megawatt-alternate current (MWAC) in the state," it said. With the addition of 2 GW of green capacities, the company aims to to provide clean energy for nearly 2 million households. Also Read | Nothing Phone (1) Launch Set for July 12, 2022; Flipkart Availability Confirmed. Karnataka, under its Renewable Energy Policy 2022-27, aims to develop 10 GW of additional renewable energy projects and Ayana is keen to help achieve the target, Shivanand Nimbargi, MD & CEO, Ayana, said. "Karnataka is a big pull for the renewable energy industry, and we are pleased to have partnered with it to expand the sector further," he said. According to the statement, the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) is a majority stakeholder in the Bengaluru-based Ayana. British International Investment and EverSource Capital-managed Green Growth Equity Fund are other shareholders in the company. The company is among India's fastest-growing renewable energy producers. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Brookfield Renewable India, an arm of the Canadian private equity major, on Wednesday commissioned its first greenfield solar project with a capacity of 445 mw near Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The company did not share the investment details of the project, which has been developed in partnership with Axis Energy Ventures, but said it has inked a 25-year power purchase pact with NTPC which will sell electricity to Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company and Puducherry Electricity Department. Also Read | Google Launches New Features for Meet, Chromebooks. The project will generate over 800 GWh of clean energy annually, eliminating 6,00,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The project is equipped with bifacial solar modules and waterless robotic cleaning solutions. On full commissioning, Brookfield India's operational renewable energy portfolio will reach 1 gw, Nawal Saini, managing director at Brookfield, said, adding that the company has a multiple gw development pipeline in partnership with companies. Also Read | Nothing Phone (1) Launch Set for July 12, 2022; Flipkart Availability Confirmed. The project has been developed under a strategic partnership between Brookfield Renewables and Axis Energy Ventures. Tata Power Solar Systems was the construction partner with HSBC India and Axis Bank were the financing partners. In a separate statement, Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said, "We are pleased to have completed the solar plant for Brookfield Renewables India in Rajasthan in record time. This project not only underlines our commitment to promoting sustainable energy adoption but also fortifies our position as a major EPC player in the country." Globally, Brookfield has renewables capacity of around 21 gw and a development pipeline of over 60 gw. Its assets are mostly based in the Americas, Europe, India and China and comprise hydro, wind and solar. In India, it has over 4 gw of diversified assets across wind, solar and hybrid assets in various stages of execution across seven states. (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, Jun 8 (PTI) The government on Wednesday approved a proposal for signing a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on cooperation in the field of industries and advanced technologies. The decision was taken by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read | Google Launches New Features for Meet, Chromebooks. An official statement said the MoU envisages cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis in areas including strengthening the supply chain resilience of industries, renewable and energy efficiency, health and life sciences, space systems, artificial intelligence, standardisation, metrology, conformity assessment, accreditation, and halal certification. The MoU aims at strengthening and developing industries in both nations through investments, technology transfer and the deployment of key technologies in industries, it said. Also Read | Nothing Phone (1) Launch Set for July 12, 2022; Flipkart Availability Confirmed. The implementation of the MoU, it said, may lead to increase in research and innovation in all areas of mutual cooperation. India-UAE bilateral trade, valued at USD 180 million per annum in the 1970s, has increased to USD 60 billion at present, making the UAE India's third-largest trading partner after China and the US. The UAE is the eighth largest investor in India with an estimated investment of USD 18 billion. Indian investments in the UAE are estimated at around USD 85 billion (Rs 6.48 lakh crore). Both the countries have implemented a comprehensive trade agreement with an aim to increase bilateral trade from USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Phnom Penh, Jun 8 (AP) Cambodia denied again on Tuesday that it will allow any Chinese military presence at a port where it and China are beginning an expansion this week that has prompted concern in the United States and elsewhere that it will be used by Beijing as a naval outpost on the Gulf of Thailand. Chief government spokesman Phay Siphan described the expansion of the Ream Naval Base as cooperation between China and Cambodia and said the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia will preside over the groundbreaking on Wednesday along with Cambodia's defense minister and other senior military officials. Also Read | Taiwans TSMC Says No Firm Plans for Now to Build Europe Factories Latest Tweet by Reuters. He denied, however, a report in the Washington Post newspaper citing an anonymous Chinese official that the facility on the northern side of the Cambodian base would be used in part by the Chinese military. Siphan said it would be a violation of Cambodia's Constitution to host a foreign military power, and that there had been no change in the terms of his country's agreement with China on constructing the facility. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. I think that's a strong accusation, he said in a telephone interview. He would not comment on the extent of the Chinese involvement and said the project involved constructing a facility for repairing ships. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said the work would be a renovation of the base which aims to strengthen the Cambodian navy's capability to maintain maritime territorial integrity and combat maritime crime. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea, where China has aggressively asserted its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway. The US has refused to recognise China's sweeping claim and routinely conducts military maneuvers there to reinforce that they are international waters. A Chinese base in Cambodia could become a chokepoint in the Gulf of Thailand close to the strategically important Malacca Strait. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday that allegations China intends to establish a military presence at the Ream base are consistent with credible reporting we've seen from the PRC (People's Republic of China) that the PRC is engaged in a significant ongoing construction project at Ream Naval Base. As we've said, an exclusive PRC military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodia's autonomy and undermine regional security as well, he said. China recently signed a security deal with the Solomon Islands that the US and others worry could lead to a military presence there, and Price noted that Beijing has also reached out to a number of other South Pacific islands. We have seen the PRC attempt to put forward a series of shadowy, opaque deals that they would like to see signed in the dead of night with no input or transparency, he said. This has been a pattern on the part of the PRC. The US itself has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. At a regular Foreign Ministry briefing, Zhao accused the US of bullying Cambodia and ignoring its denials that Ream would be used for Chinese military purposes, while noting Washington's own network of bases around the world. China and Cambodia are comprehensive strategic partners, and our cooperation in various fields is open, transparent, reasonable and legitimate, which benefits the two countries," he said. China so far operates just one acknowledged foreign military base, in the impoverished but strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Many believe that China's People's Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if they don't use the term base. Cambodia's authoritarian leader, Hun Sen, has long cultivated relations with China, and reportedly signed a secret agreement in 2019 allowing the Chinese to establish a base at Ream. Though Hun Sen has strongly denied that Cambodia would allow China to set up a military outpost at Ream, China has already been dredging the harbor to allow larger ships to dock, and is building new infrastructure to replace a US-built naval tactical headquarters. Hun Sen suggested last month that the water would still be too shallow for any warships to dock, and reiterated that it would be a violation of Cambodia's Constitution to host a Chinese military facility. Why would we need foreign forces, for what? he said. What Cambodia really needs at the moment is foreign investment, not foreign forces. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, established by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, posted satellite images in January of two clamshell dredgers at work in the harbour, and said while the extent of the dredging is unknown, it could mark a significant upgrade to the base. The shallow waters around Ream mean it is currently only able to host small patrol vessels, it said. A deep-water port would make it far more useful to both the Cambodian and Chinese navies. Newer images from April analyzed by The Associated Press show the dredgers still on site and at work. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Jun 8 (PTI) Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday asked his senior commanders to maintain "operational preparedness" due to the peculiar regional security environment. Gen Bajwa, who chaired the 80th Formation Commanders' Conference at the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, "laid special emphasis on maintaining high standards of operational preparedness in the wake of evolving geo-strategic milieu," the army said in a statement. Also Read | Cockroaches Released in New York Courtroom During Hearing; Courthouse Closed for A Day for Fumigation. He said the army being a professional institution shall always fulfil its responsibilities towards security, integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan as a sacred duty. The conference was attended by Corps Commanders, Principal Staff Officers and all Formation Commanders of the Pakistan Army. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. Earlier, the participants were briefed on professional matters, national security challenges and response measures. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Copenhagen, Jun 8 (AP) Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten? Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The company's Norway branch wants to use the brand's experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department. Also Read | Cockroaches Released in New York Courtroom During Hearing; Courthouse Closed for A Day for Fumigation. Ikea Norway has built a name bank with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture instead of product numbers since 1948. After all these years, (Ikea) has built up a large catalog' to pick from, Ikea Norway said in a statement. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. Ikea names its products after Swedish towns, lakes and other geographical features, but also uses names that have traditionally gone to people. The branch noted that while retailers saw both a shortage of raw materials and challenges with delivery times during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is at least no shortage of children in Norway. The Scandinavian country registered the births of 56,060 babies last year, or 3,081 more than in 2020. The increase creates a challenge in finding unique names, Ikea Norway said. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Islamabad [Pakistan], June 8 (ANI): Imran Khan has been re-elected as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman once again on Wednesday. Notably, five days ahead of the deadline, given to it by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last year, the PTI fixed June 8 for the intra-party election. Also Read | Cockroaches Released in New York Courtroom During Hearing; Courthouse Closed for A Day for Fumigation. The last date for the conduct of intra-party polls for the PTI was June 13, 2021, however, because of a request from the party, it had been given time till June 13, 2022, The News International reported. In 1997, Imran Khan founded his own political party 'Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan contested for a National Assembly seat in October 2002 elections and served as a Member Parliament from NA- 71, Mianwali until 2007. In 2018, Imran Khan stormed to power in Pakistan by winning 176 votes. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. Prime Minister Imran Khan was voted out of power as he lost the trust vote mandated by the Supreme Court's ruling in April. As many as 174 members voted in favour of the motion in the 342-member House while members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were absent during the voting. The former Prime Minister today said that the incumbent rulers will "not take a stand for the nation" as they have billions of dollars stored in foreign bank accounts. After the Intra-party elections, the former Prime Minister criticized the government and said the incumbent rulers would "not do anything without the approval of the United State. Addressing the party workers and leaders at the PTI's National Council Meeting, the PTI chairman said that they will "not take a stand for the nation" as they have billions of dollars stored in foreign bank accounts, which they will protect at any cost. "They are afraid that if America is disgruntled with them, then they will suffer the same fate as the Russian oligarchs," the PTI chairman said, claiming that from 2008 to 2018, the United States carried out 400 drone attacks on Pakistan, a number that had been unprecedented. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], June 8 (ANI): Former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged Shehbaz Sharif-led government to stop him from leading the Azadi March movement. The PTI chief warned the government that whether it puts his party members in jail or employs other tactics, PTI's movement against the government would not stop, reported Geo News. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. "The way they tortured us was not even witnessed during the martial law eras," Khan, who was ousted from the prime minister's office in April, told a gathering of lawyers at Bani Gala. The ex-prime minister was talking about the events leading up to May 26 -- when Khan had announced to call off his "Azadi March" as he feared further bloodshed. Ahead of him reaching Islamabad's D-Chowk on the day, three people were killed -- a police constable and two PTI workers. Also Read | Russia Sanctions 61 US Officials Including Energy, Treasury Secretaries Jennifer Granholm and Janet Yellen. "The government is trying to throw me in jail to stop our movement [...] but I am telling you, whether you put us in jails or resort to other measures, this movement will not stop," the former prime minister said. Imran Khan further stated that plans were being made to put him behind bars, however, he added that the movement will continue till election dates are announced, reported Geo News. The incumbent government, however, has ruled out snap polls and said that it would complete its tenure. Last Sunday, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah revealed that the decision to deploy security officials at Bani Gala to guard the PTI chairman was made as per the law, however, the "same security" officials will arrest him once his bail expires. The PTI chairman said the "incumbent government was imposed on us through a conspiracy" and that was why his party was protesting. He told the gathering that this was a "decisive" time for the Pakistani nation. "This government has put the country's future at stake," said. The ex-prime minister said as soon as the incumbent government officials go out to meet the masses, they start chanting slogans of "traitors" to insult them, reported Geo News. Criticizing Shehbaz-government for economic turmoil, Khan said during the PTI's tenure, the gross domestic product (GDP) was at 5.6 per cent in the third year and 6 per cent in the fourth year. He said international credit rating agency Moody's has changed Pakistan's economic outlook to negative, following which, Pakistan will not get loans from money lenders, reported Geo News. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tehran, Jun 8 (AP) Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by UN inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. The move appeared to be a new pressure technique as Western nations seek to censure Iran at a meeting this week in Vienna at the International Atomic Energy Agency. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Iran's failure to provide credible information over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country. Also Read | Cockroaches Released in New York Courtroom During Hearing; Courthouse Closed for A Day for Fumigation. But Iran's latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehran's nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned Iran now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so. The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor ... and flowmeter. That apparently refers to the IAEA's online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Iran's underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for around-the-clock monitoring of the facility's cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEA's laboratories in Austria, the agency said at the time. Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there. The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, state TV said in its report Wednesday. Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation ... not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran. Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA safeguard cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEA's inspections and monitoring of a country's nuclear program. However, an Iranian official warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking other measures as well. We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Iran's cooperation with cooperation," said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. "It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate. The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Iran's move come after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide credible information about unexplained, man-made nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. U.S. Ambassador Laura S.H. Holgate identified the Iranian sites in comments Wednesday to the IAEA's board as Marivan, Turquzabad and Varamin. Iran has denied carrying out nuclear work at these locations. Holgate urged Iran to cooperate with U.N. inspectors and said that moving forward with the censure would hold Iran accountable. "Restricting IAEA access and attempts to paint the IAEA as politicized for simply doing its job will serve no purpose," she said. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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 should it decide to do so. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. 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 that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said. In a statement Tuesday to the IAEA, France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned the moves taken by Tehran are further reducing the time Iran would take to break out towards a first nuclear weapon and it is fueling distrust as to Iran's intentions. "The IAEA has been without crucial access to data on centrifuge and component manufacturing for a year and half now," the statement warned. This means that neither the agency, nor the international community, know how many centrifuges Iran has in its inventory, how many were built, and where they may be located. The countries urged Iran to stop escalating its nuclear program and to urgently conclude (the) deal that is on the table. But just before the camera announcement, the head of Iran's nuclear organization insisted the country has no secret nuclear activity and accused the West of making a political move by trying to censure Iran. Iran has had maximum cooperation with the IAEA," said Mohammad Eslami, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to deepen historical ties and partnerships with India. "Foreign Minister of Iran, Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrives to a warm welcome in India. The visit will further boost our deep historical ties and partnership," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. Iran Foreign Ministry said Hossein will hold talks with India's high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Also Read | Russia Sanctions 61 US Officials Including Energy, Treasury Secretaries Jennifer Granholm and Janet Yellen. India's relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour. During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership. The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021. Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran. He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port. The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran. (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], June 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar welcomed the Iranian Foreign Minister Dr Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Wednesday, saying the discussion between the visiting minister and Indian officials will reflect the close ties between Tehran and New Delhi. "Welcoming FM @Amirabdolahian to New Delhi. Our discussions today will reflect our close and friendly relations," EAM Jaishankar tweeted. Also Read | Nupur Sharma Remarks on Prophet Muhammad: Al-Qaeda Warns India of Attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, UP & Gujarat. Earlier today, the Iranian Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi. He is slated to hold talks with India's high-ranking officials aimed at expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. "The visit to India is aimed at expanding ties between the two countries and holding strategic consultations over cooperation regarding regional issues and international developments," Iran Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. India's relations with Iran are unique and historic. Iran is an important partner and a close neighbour. During 2021-22, there was an intensification in bilateral engagement. Jaishankar visited Tehran twice and held constructive meetings with the Iranian leadership. The two countries continued their engagement in the field of healthcare, and a meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Health was held in April 2021. Jaishankar visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi. He visited Tehran at the invitation of the Government of Iran. He held constructive meetings with the top Iranian leadership and discussed several issues, including the development of Shahid Behesti Terminal, and Chabahar Port. The Government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti Port, Chabahar in Iran. India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MOU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015. This MOU translated into a formal 10-year Contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23rd May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran. (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, Jun 8 (AP) The nine members of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 US Capitol insurrection are on diverging political paths as they prepare for public hearings that could become a defining moment in their careers. Working in private rooms in a Capitol office building, the seven Democrats and two Republicans have participated in hours of interviews, hearing testimony from members of former President Donald Trump's family, former Justice Department officials and Trump White House aides. They've issued dozens of subpoenas, interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and gathered tens of thousands of pages of documents in an effort to piece together the worst attack on the Capitol in two centuries. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. But as the lawmakers wrap up their investigation, many are at a personal crossroads. Two members have decided to leave Congress after this year. Others are facing difficult reelections. A few are eyeing leadership posts, and one lawmaker is even pondering a potential 2024 presidential run. Also Read | Pakistan Shocker: Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Torturing Stray Animals To Teach Students, Says Report. A look at the nine lawmakers who soon will be in the limelight: REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, D-MISS. As the committee's chairman, Thompson sees his career-long struggle for civil rights as the foundation of his work in leading the investigation. Domestic extremism and its links to white supremacy are a familiar subject for Thompson, not only from his time on the Homeland Security Committee but also from his early involvement in the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The 74-year-old lawmaker was sitting in the upper House gallery on Jan. 6, watching rioters' attempts to break through the doors. For him, the experience recalled the unpleasant experiences from his early days as a Black politician in the South. Republicans and Democrats alike last summer pushed Thompson as the right choice to lead the investigation, seeing his understated style as the right fit for an investigation that was certain to be partisan and fraught. In the months that have followed, even as some of his more outspoken counterparts have appeared on television to repeatedly criticize Trump, Thompson has mostly steered clear of the spectacle. Instead, he has made his voice heard in poignant opening remarks at hearings and in language in subpoenas, emphasizing the responsibility of the legislative branch to probe the violent attack on the seat of our democracy. ___ REP. LIZ CHENEY, R-WYO. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is vice chair of the panel and has emerged as its most outspoken member. She broke with most other Republicans after the insurrection, voting for Trump's impeachment and declaring that he lit the flame that ignited the attack. The stance led to Cheney's ouster from GOP leadership and censure from the national party. And while the party that made her family's legacy pushed her away, House Democrats have embraced her as a beacon of courage. Speaker Nancy Pelosi recruited her and fellow censured Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger to be the sole GOP members of the panel. In the span of the inquiry, Cheney has become an even more fervent critic of the Republican former president. Trump, in turn, is trying to drive her out of politics by denying her another term in office. Cheney now faces a Trump-backed challenge in Wyoming, which will hold its primary in August. She has set personal fundraising records ahead of the race, in part thanks to her role on the committee, but political strategists have said she'll likely need some votes from Democrats and independents to win. Much of the party is now against her reelection, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who drove her out of leadership. There's also been chatter in Washington about Cheney parlaying her political standing to mount a 2024 presidential run against Trump. ___ REP. STEPHANIE MURPHY, D-FLA. Murphy is one of two lame-duck members seated on the select committee. The 43-year-old joined Kinzinger in announcing this year she would not seek another term. Both lawmakers cited a desire to spend more time with their families after facing an onslaught of threats since the committee was formed. Public service is not without personal sacrifice, Murphy said in a statement announcing her decision. And as a mom of two young children, my time away from them has been hard. This was not an easy decision, but it was the right decision, she added. The Florida Democrat, who unseated a 12-term Republican incumbent in 2016 and helped her party flip back the House in 2018, has also been an outspoken critic of the growing partisan nature of Capitol Hill and the rift between moderates like herself and the more left-leaning members of her party. Murphy, who in her nearly four years in Congress was often seen as a bipartisan dealmaker, has also taken a less Trump-focused approach in her role as a member of the committee, instead zeroing in on the impact the former president's efforts could have on future election integrity and voter enfranchisement. Murphy said she is not done with public service and will continue her work as chair of the Florida Democratic Party's Democracy and Voter Protection Program. ___ REP. PETE AGUILAR, D-CALIF. Aguilar is the only member of the committee currently serving in House leadership. The 42-year-old lawmaker representing California's Inland Empire is also likely to move up from the No. 6 spot in the Democratic caucus when leadership vacancies arise in the next year. Before coming to Congress in 2014, he was the mayor of Redlands, California. When the district became more favorable to Democrats after a round of redistricting, Aguilar ran again and again until he flipped the Republican-held seat. He is currently the highest-ranking Latino in Congress. On the select committee, Aguilar has been able to leverage his spot in leadership as the vice chair of the Democratic caucus to communicate the panel's goals and objectives as lawmakers face an onslaught of criticism from Republicans that the investigation is partisan and an abuse of Congress' investigatory powers. ___ REP. ADAM KINZINGER, R-ILL. Kinzinger is one of two Republicans serving on the Jan. 6 panel. His willingness to criticize Trump, GOP leadership and lawmakers on the far right has left him with few allies in his party. He opted last fall to not seek reelection rather than run in a primary later this month that would have had him facing off against GOP Rep. Darin LaHood in a newly redrawn congressional district that tilts strongly to the right. Kinzinger was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the Capitol. Trump celebrated Kinzinger's decision to retire after serving out his sixth term, crowing 2 down, 8 to go! But Kinzinger isn't going away quietly. He appears to relish taking digs at the former president and at McCarthy, who has worked strenuously to stay in the former president's good graces. Kinzinger, 44, is a combat veteran who flew missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He continues to serve as a pilot in the Air National Guard with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He has hinted at other political plans, saying upon his retirement that this isn't the end of my political future but the beginning. ___ REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF. Schiff is serving his 11th term in Congress and has parlayed that experience into a role as chairman of the House's intelligence committee. But he is perhaps best known as the lead impeachment manager in Trump's first Senate trial, where he warned senators weighing the charges that they knew they couldn't trust the president to do what's right for the country. You can trust he will do what's right for Donald Trump. He'll do it now. He's done it before. He'll do it for the next several months. He'll do it in the election if he's allowed to," Schiff warned. Schiff often drew the ire of Trump, who mocked him at his campaign rallies and at White House events. McCarthy has suggested that Schiff will lose his intelligence panel seat if Republicans win the majority in November, a retaliatory move that would follow the Democrats stripping Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar of their committee assignments for their inflammatory rhetoric. Schiff's experience as a federal prosecutor shows in his ability to frame issues and go toe-to-toe with the Republicans rhetorically. He is a confidant of Pelosi and is sometimes mentioned as her possible replacement should she step down. He could also someday run for a statewide office such as governor or senator. ___ REP. ELAINE LURIA, D-VA. Luria is serving her second term in office and faces stiff competition for a third in a district that leans Republican. She announced her reelection bid on the first anniversary of the insurrection, 1:46 p.m. to be exact, timed to match when she was being evacuated from her office. She said that the nation was at a crossroads and that Americans must defend our democracy against forces that seek its destruction." Luria is a 20-year Navy veteran whose district is home to a huge number of military personnel and veterans. She has not shied from her work on the Jan. 6 panel but also doesn't brandish it. Her press releases, tweets and floor statements emphasize efforts to boost defense spending and her support for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. She also highlights efforts to work across party lines and touted coming in at No. 26 on one scorekeeper's rankings of bipartisanship in the House. The top Republican challengers hoping to win the right to face her in November are also emphasizing issues other than her work on the Jan. 6 investigations, so it doesn't appear to be a front-burner issue in the race for now. - REP. JAMIE RASKIN, D-MD. Raskin has emerged as one of the panel's leading voices after serving as the lead House manager in Trump's second Senate impeachment trial. He has promised startling revelations in the upcoming hearings. People need to understand how close we came to losing everything on Jan. 6 with both an inside effort at a political coup and an outside effort to violently overthrow the peaceful transfer of power, he said. Raskin served as a constitutional law professor at American University's Washington College of Law for more than 25 years. He is a prolific writer who published a memoir about the insurrection, the subsequent impeachment trial and dealing with his son's death. The siege of the Capitol came just days after Raskin's 25-year-old son, Tommy, took his own life. The Maryland Democrat is just in his third term in office and has already assured himself a leading role on legal issues before the House Judiciary Committee in the years ahead. - REP. ZOE LOFGREN, D-CALIF. Lofgren is chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration, which has oversight of the U.S. Capitol Police. She has been a member of the House since 1995 and is an immigration attorney and immigration law professor who participated in the impeachment process for three presidents Trump, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, the latter as a congressional staffer. She said making the Capitol safer is not a substitute for determining what led to the attack on Jan. 6, 2021. She said: Who paid for it? How was it organized? We need to find that out to keep the country safe. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rome [Italy], June 8 (ANI): A total of 14 arrests were made during an anti-terror raid on a Pakistani cell operating in Italy and other European countries, several media reports said. The cell was allegedly linked to a network linked to a Pakistani man named Zaheer Hassan Mahmoud, Italy's leading wire service Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) reported. Also Read | Nupur Sharma Remarks on Prophet Muhammad: Al-Qaeda Warns India of Attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, UP & Gujarat. 27-year-old Pakistani was the one who attacked the former offices of the Paris based satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Charlie Hebdo is famous for its controversial depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and for reprinting cartoons about the prophet that had been published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. Those arrested in Italy and Europe have been charged with conspiracy to commit international terrorism, according to the Italian news agency. The Pakistani man went to Charlie Hebdo's former offices to punish them for re-publishing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad for which several people were killed in January 2015. Zaheer did not know that the magazine had moved in the meantime. He wounded two staffers of an agency that had taken over the offices. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), France is no stranger to Islamist extremist violence. In January 2015, there were deadly attacks in Paris at Charlie Hebdo's office and a kosher supermarket, and that November at the Stade de France and the Bataclan theatre. On Bastille Day 2016, there was an attack in Nice. Earlier in 2011, the Charlie Hebdo offices were firebombed. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hanoi [Vietnam], June 8 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi on Wednesday. In a tweet, Rajnath Singh said the shared Buddhist heritage with Vietnam is a strong link in the modern day relations of both the countries. Also Read | Cockroaches Released in New York Courtroom During Hearing; Courthouse Closed for A Day for Fumigation. "Feeling blessed after visiting the historic Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi. Our shared Buddhist heritage with Vietnam is a strong link in our modern day relations," the Defence Minister said. Earlier in the day, the Minister met Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. "Delighted to call on the President of Vietnam, H.E. Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi today. India and Vietnam continue to work on the basis of remarkable convergences and deep mutual trust to develop an even stronger cooperative agenda," tweeted the Defence Minister. The Defence Minister described the meeting as an important pillar of Act East Policy and a key partner in the Indo-Pacific vision. He appraised the Vietnamese president on initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral Defence relations between India and Vietnam. Earlier a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Mutual Logistics Support to help enhance engagements between the defence forces of the two countries. Wide-ranging discussions on effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and regional and global issues were held between the two sides. The Indian defence minister is on an official three-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang. The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest. The defence minister is also scheduled to call on the Prime Minister Mr Pham Minh Chinh. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Moscow, June 8: Russia announced sanctions on 61 US citizens to its travel ban list, including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. "In response to the expanding US sanctions against Russian political and public figures, as well as representatives of domestic business, 61 American citizens from among the heads of leading military-industrial complex corporations, media platforms and rating agencies, aircraft and shipbuilding companies, are included in the 'stop list', as well as individual US State Department officials involved in spreading fake news about 'malicious' Russian cyber attacks," Sputnik reported citing the ministry. Senior executive directors of Moody's and Fitch Group are also included in Russia's travel ban list. The US, along with the G7 nations and European Union (EU) has imposed severe and immediate economic costs on Russia for its "atrocities in Ukraine, including in Bucha". Russia Ukraine War: As US and UK Deliver Long-Range Missiles to Ukraine, Vladimir Putin Warns of Destroying Facilities Not Targeted So Far. As per an official statement from the White House, as a part of mechanisms to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine, the US has announced economic measures to ban new investment in Russia and imposed severe financial sanctions on Russia's largest bank and several of its most critical state-owned enterprises and on Russian government officials including their family members. In the new economic cost, the US has announced full blocking sanctions on Russia's largest financial institution, Sberbank, and its largest private bank, Alfa Bank. This action will freeze any of Sberbank's and Alfa Bank's assets touching the US financial system and prohibit Americans from doing business with them. United States sanctions on Russia over its military operations in Ukraine can be reversed if Moscow changes its behaviour, a US Treasury official said, ahead of a major economic meeting in Washington this week. Russia-Ukraine War: Russian FM Sergey Lavrov Warns West over Long-Range Rockets. "We always want to make sure that any sanctions that we put in place can at some point - if behaviour changes - be reversed in order to make sure that threat actor knows that once sanctions are put in place, the goal is behavioural change ultimately," US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a virtual discussion organized by the Peterson Institute for International Economics on Monday (local time), Sputnik reported. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Seoul [South Korea], June 8 (ANI/Xinhua): South Korea reported 13,358 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Tuesday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 18,188,200, the health authorities said Wednesday. The daily caseload was up from 6,172 in the previous day, but it was lower than 15,790 tallied a week ago, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Also Read | COVID-19 Outbreak in China: Chinese Mainland Reports 44 New Local Confirmed Coronavirus Cases. For the past week, the daily average number of confirmed cases was 9,839. Among the new cases, 59 were imported from overseas, lifting the total to 33,117. Also Read | Russia Sanctions 61 US Officials Including Energy, Treasury Secretaries Jennifer Granholm and Janet Yellen. The number of infected people who were in a serious condition stood at 114, down three from the previous day. A total of six more deaths were confirmed, leaving the death toll at 24,305. The total fatality rate was 0.13 per cent. (ANI/Xinhua) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prosecutors seek 14 years in prison for lawmaker indicted for corruption TASS, Anna Isakova 15:42 08/06/2022 MOSCOW, June 8 (RAPSI) Prosecutors on Wednesday asked a judge to sentence lawmaker Vadim Belousov to 14 years in jail for allegedly receiving over 3 billion rubles (about $45 million) in bribes, RAPSI learnt in court. Prosecutors also sought a 500 million rubles fine as well as the ban from public office for 15 years. Investigators claim that from May 2010 to January 2014, Belousov and two alleged accomplices were paid by Autobahn Holding for protection of business in Moscow and the city of Chelyabinsk. Mikhail Yurevich, former Chelyabinsk region governor, is one of the alleged accomplices. He was put on international wanted list after he left his post in January 2014 and managed to flee justice. Belousov was detained in March 2019 when he showed up for questioning. He had been deprived earlier of immunity as a lawmaker of the State Duma, parliament's lower house. Margarita Butakova, a former chief accountant of the First Bread-baking Complex, was also detained. Prosecutors sought 4 years in prison for her and a 500 million rubles fine. Colombo, Jun 8 (PTI) Sri Lanka's former finance minister Basil Rajapaksa has decided to step down from his parliamentary seat, as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that seeks to bar dual citizens from holding any top public office is ready to be tabled in Parliament, according to media reports on Wednesday. Basil Rajapaksa, the younger brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a dual American and Sri Lankan citizen and the 21st Amendment (21A) seeks to bar dual citizens from holding parliamentary seats or contest future elections. Also Read | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Turkey To Unblock Wheat Supplies From Ukraine. Ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party (SLPP) MP Basil Rajapaksa has decided to step down from his parliamentary seat by Thursday, the Daily Mirror newspaper reported. Basil Rajapaksa, 71, has informed his party members that he would continue to be active in party politics but would not hold his parliamentary seat, the report said. Basil Rajapaksa was sacked by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on April 4 as the country's economic crisis worsened. Also Read | Pakistan Shocker: Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Torturing Stray Animals To Teach Students, Says Report. He was accused of being partially responsible for the economic crisis in the country. The 21st Amendment is expected to annul the 20A to the Constitution, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament. The proposal met with Opposition from the loyalists of the Rajapaksa family, particularly from the supporters of Basil Rajapaksa. On Monday, Sri Lanka's Cabinet deferred by a week the approval of the proposed 21st Amendment to empower Parliament over the executive president, amidst stiff resistance from some members of the ruling party. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week batted for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, saying it will curb the president's unlimited powers while enhancing the role of Parliament in governing the debt-ridden country which is also facing an unprecedented political turmoil. The powerful Rajapaksa family tightened their grip on power after their massive victory in the general elections in August 2020, which allowed them to amend the Constitution to restore presidential powers and install close family members in key positions. Sri Lanka has been grappling with unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. Sri Lanka's economic crisis has created political unrest with protesters demanding President Rajapaksa's resignation. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mandya, June 8 In a shocking incident, severed bodies of two women were found in as many water bodies of Karnataka's Mandya district on Wednesday. In the first incident, the police recovered gunny bag stuffed with severed lower part of a woman's body in the Baby Lake canal between Baby Lake and K. Bettanahalli in Pandavapura town and Arakere police station limits. The woman was aged between 30 and 35 years. Pune Shocker: Man Peeps at Woman While She Takes Bath in Special Room of Pune Hospital, Booked Another severed body has been found at the CDS Canal near Arakere village. The miscreants had cut the upper part and stuffed the lower part in a gunny bag and threw it in the water. In both the cases, the legs of the mutilated bodies were tied. Police suspect that the women were murdered in some other place, their bodies dismembered dumped into canals to destroy evidence. A hunt has been launched for the upper part of the bodies. Superintendent of Police and other senior officers from the police department have rushed to the spot. Details were awaited. Special teams have been formed to investigate the case. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2022 04:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Hyderabad, June 8: With the arrest of six accused, including five juveniles in the gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl in upscale Jubilee Hills, the Hyderabad Police have pieced together jigsaw puzzle of events to crack the sensational case which has triggered a national outrage. Recording of the second statement of the victim and humungous technical evidence gathered have unraveled what had happened on May 28 during and after a daytime party at a pub. Police Commissioner C.V. Anand on Tuesday night announced the arrest of all six accused. They include the son of a leader of ruling TRS, who is also chairman of a government-run body and son of a MLA belonging to the MIM. While five accused, four of them juveniles including the TRS leader's son, were involved in the gang-rape, the sixth accused, son of the MLA, has been charged with molestation. The police investigations revealed how it all started with the planning of a party by a boy based in Bengaluru and culminated in one of the most shocking sexual assault cases. Hyderabad Gang Rape Case: All Six Including MLA's Son Arrested in Connection With Rape of 17-Year-Old Girl in Jubilee Hills. It was on March 20 that one boy living in Bengaluru planned to throw a daytime party in Hyderabad for friends ahead of reopening of schools. He contacted three friends in Hyderabad, who surveyed different pubs in the city and zeroed in on Insomnia Pub on Road Number 36 in posh Jubilee Hills. Three boys on their Instagram page in April declared 'Euphoria coming soon'. It was announced that it will be a non-alcohol and non-smoking party. Since the organisers were all minors, Osman Ali Khan, a major on their behalf made the booking after the pub management agreed to slash the ticket price from Rs 1,200 to Rs 900 per head. In the second week of May, the boys announced on Instagram that 'Euphoria' party will be held on May 28 at Insomnia Pub. The organisers continued collecting Rs 1,200 from those interested in attending the party. The number of participants crossed 150. The boy came from Bengaluru and paid Rs 1 lakh as advance to the pub. The victim bought the ticket for Rs 1,300 after being advised by a friend. They reached the pub at 1 p.m. on May 28. As per the police investigation, here is a blow-by-blow account of the events. 1.10 p.m.: Victim with her male friend danced together during the party 1.50 p.m.: Victim's friend left the pub due to some work. Victim met a female friend in the pub and they stayed there. 3.15 p.m.: One Child in Conflict with Law (CCL) and another accused, Saduddin Malik approached the victim and misbehaved with her. 5.10 p.m.: Due to molestation, the victim felt uncomfortable. The CCTV footage from the pub shows the accused started planning the crime during the party. 5.40 p.m.: The victim and her friend came out of the pub. The accused followed her. Victim's friend left in a cab. The CCLs spoke to the victim and trapped her. 5.43 p.m: Four CCLs and the victim girl boarded Mercedes to go to Consu Bakery on Road Number 14, Banjara Hills. Three CCLs and Saduddin Malik, the only major accused in the case, boarded Innova. While on the way to the bakery from the pub, CCLS in Mercedes by rotation forcibly kissed her. They took videos and circulated the same, which later surfaced. 5.51 p.m.: Two cars reached the bakery. At 5.54 the victim got down from Mercedes and boarded Innova. 6.15 p.m.: Innova left the bakery with Saduddin Malik, five CCLs and the victim on board. Three minutes later, one of the CCLs got down from the vehicle and came back to the bakery as he had some urgent work. Malik and four CCLs took the girl to Road Number 44 Jubilee Hills behind Peddamma Temple. As the area is somewhat dark with fewer vehicles plying there, they parked the vehicle and by rotation raped her. She sustained injuries on her neck and other parts of the body. 7.31 p.m.: Innova came to the pub, dropped the victim and left. The victim called her father. 7.53 p.m.: The victim came out of the parking place at the pub. Father picked her up and left. For three days that is till May 31, the victim did not reveal anything. On the night of May 31, the victim's father approached the police, suspecting molestation happened as there were injury marks on neck. The same night police booked a case of molestation and began an investigation. The next day the victim was sent to Bharosa centre where female officials took her into confidence and she revealed the details. She was sent for medical examination and section altered to gang-rape and relevant provisions of POCSO Act were invoked On June 2 police identified the accused with the help of CCTV footage. The victim could not name the accused except one. On June 3, police arrested Saduddin Malik and sent him to judicial remand. The next day, two CCLs were picked up and sent to observation home. Another CCL was picked up on June 5. The remaining two CCLs were also picked up subsequently. Police scanned CCTV footage from inside and around the pub, on roads, at the bakery and other places. Victim's second statement was recorded before the magistrate and comparison was done with CCTV . (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2022 01:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Oceans cover over 70% of the planet and provide 80% of the world's biodiversity. But each year, the billions of pounds of waste material and pollutants thrown by humans or washed away from sources like septic tanks and factories harm the water bodies. These are the same oceans that buffer the harmful impact of global warming by absorbing about thirty percent of carbon-dioxide gas. Hence, we must know how crucial it is to keep in mind the health and contribution of the oceans to sustaining the Blue Planet. On account of the same, annually, World Ocean Day is marked to inspire action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources. This year, the international event will be celebrated on Wednesday, the 8th of June. Let us take a glance at the objective, history, importance and theme of World Ocean Day 2022. Learn Some Interesting Facts About The Largest Water Bodies on Earth. World Ocean Day 2022 Theme This year's theme of the global event plans to restore Oceans' vibrancy and bring it new life. The theme for World Ocean Day 2022 is "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean." The ultimate goal is to inform the public of the detrimental impact of human actions on the water bodies and develop a worldwide movement to unite the citizens for sustainably managing the most significant water body. United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 World Ocean Day History And Significance The concept of marking an event like World Ocean Day was initially proposed in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit. The Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit was a United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Afterwards, in 2008 World Ocean Day was officially recognized by the United Nations. To mark the day, celebrities, thought-leaders, institutional partners, cross-industry experts, community voices and entrepreneurs delve into the key points to foster public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources. At a personal level, you can even explore more about the global occasion by learning from videos and different resources on the net. Also, you can visit the official website of the UN to know more about the biodiversity and economic opportunity that the ocean sustains. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2022 11:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). "From the people of India to the people of Zimbabwe. Happy to hand over a consignment of 288 boxes of medicines to treat Tuberculosis to Dy Min of Health & Family Welfare John Mangwiro. Confident that it will help Zimbabwe in its fight against TB", tweets MoS MEA V Muraleedharan pic.twitter.com/92AunPzYLO ANI (@ANI) June 8, 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.) Draft Indonesia renewables bill proposes coal-based fuels as 'new energy' https://t.co/GW1X2O01vP pic.twitter.com/tU4HVm6KHf Reuters (@Reuters) June 8, 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.) Johnny Depp's attorney, Camille Vasquez, welcomed good news on Tuesday after she was made a partner at her law firm following the conclusion of the actor's defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. International law firm Brown Rudnick announced on Tuesday that Vasquez was promoted to partner after she showed her skills during the litigation in Depp's trial, Fox News reported. We are pleased to announce that Camille Vasquez has been elevated to partner. She was a key member of the litigation team that won a jury verdict last week for actor #JohnnyDepp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Full announcement here: https://t.co/EYPjkCCqFy pic.twitter.com/LqE5Z3Ig7B Brown Rudnick (@BrownRudnickLLP) June 7, 2022 "We are pleased to announce that Camille Vasquez has been elevated to partner. She was a key member of the litigation team that won a jury verdict last week for actor #JohnnyDepp in his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard," law firm Brown Rudnick tweeted. The firm's CEO, William Baldiga, said that new partners are usually announced at the end of the fiscal year. However, he noted that they left the said tradition in the light of last week's victory. "Camille's performance during the Johnny Depp trial proved to the world that she was ready to take this next step now," Baldiga said. The CEO added that they are "extremely proud" of Vasquez and they look forward to what she will accomplish as the firm's new partner. Camille Vasquez also expressed her gratitude for the new role that was given to her. "I am delighted that Brown Rudnick has given me its full vote of confidence by having me join the partnership," Vasquez noted. She furthered that she is proud of the team she led that showed teamwork and collaboration. Camille Vasquez was a part of a large team of attorneys on Depp's case, but she played a big role in the actor's legal win, alongside veteran litigator Ben Chew. READ NEXT: Johnny Depp's Lawyer Goes Viral for Grilling Amber Heard: Who Is Camille Vasquez? Amber Heard Might Be Booted Out From 'Aquaman 2' - Rumor A rumor circulated on Tuesday that Amber Heard may be booted out from "Aquaman 2," although she was set to reprise her role, Mera, in the franchise. The Direct noted that Heard filmed most of her scenes in London during the Fall of last year. I didnt think they would but sounds like they are, the next test screening should be interesting pic.twitter.com/ZjR60XxDCZ KC Walsh (@TheComixKid) June 3, 2022 However, a reliable source, KC Walsh, tweeted a rumor that Heard may be removed from the franchise, showing a text message that said about a meeting and all of Amber Heard's scenes will be deleted from Aquaman 2. Walsh's rumor also suggested that Mera may die during childbirth at the start of the sequel. However, it should be noted that neither of the rumors was confirmed by Warner Brothers. DC Chief on Amber Heard's role in 'Aquaman 2' Heard previously indicated in the defamation trial that she believed that her role in "Aquaman 2" was scaled back. However, DC Chief Walter Hamada explained that Heard's role in the film was determined in the early development of the script, which took place in 2018. Hamada also noted during his deposition that "Aquaman" was built around the character of Arthur and Orm who were played by actors Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson, respectively. Hamada also shared that there was a concern and would be better to have a recasting on Heard's role, contending that Jason Momoa and Amber Heard did not have a lot of chemistry and that it took a lot of effort to make that evident in the first installment of the film. READ NEXT: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's Los Angeles Penthouse up for Sale | Here's How Much It Costs to Own It This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Camille Vasquez Makes Partner at Her Law Firm After Johnny Depp Win - From Law&Crime Network The federal government will import at least 110,000 pounds of baby formula from Germany to Europe, to address the ongoing infant formula crisis in the United States. The White House made the announcement on Tuesday, claiming that the infant milk will be distributed nationwide, according to New York Post. According to The Dallas Morning News, the infant formula will arrive on Thursday in North Texas. The said shipment will arrive at Dallas Fort Worth International airport. Reports stated that Thursday's shipment include Nestle NAN SupremePro Stage 1 infant formula. The Biden administration claimed that the said product will be available across the country through Nestle and Gerber's distribution channels. Nestle NAN SupremePro2, Nestle Health Science Alfamino/Alfamino Jr., Gerber Good Start Gentle, and Gerber Good Start Extensive HA, will also be shipped by Nestle into the U.S. Additional deliveries are expected to arrive in the U.S. in the coming days. "We are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to get parents and caregivers the formula they need so their children can thrive... We prioritized these products because they serve a critical medical purpose as they are for children with cow's milk protein allergies," Nestle said in a statement. READ NEXT: Baby Formula Scam: Miami Man, 2 Others Get 18-Year Jail Time Over $115 Million Fraud Baby Formula Shortage Still Felt Even After Feds Move - NGO A day before the announcement of incoming baby formulas from Germany, a non-government organization executive claimed that the baby formula shortages are still felt by parents and caregivers despite the efforts of the federal government. Jamie Lackey, founder, and CEO of Helping Mamas in Norcross, Georgia, said that there were mothers who told them about their experience in looking for infant formulas. "We had a mom come through the distribution site the other day -- she had gone on to 15 different stores with her child in the car and could not find a single can of formula," Lackey told CNN's "New Day Weekend." Lackey also shared that there was a lot of panic and people are getting afraid because of the baby formula shortage. Market research company Datasembly found that stock rates of infant formulas have not yet improved, indicating 74 percent of the said product were out of stock in the last week of May. Meanwhile, more than 90 percent of baby formula products were not always available in at least nine states, including many in the South. FDA Commissioner on the Baby Formula Shortage On May 26, U.S. Food and Drug Commissioner Robert Califf predicted that the Americans' dilemma on baby formula may end within two months. "I can't be exact ... my expectation is that within two months we should be beyond normal and with a plethora [of supply]," Califf noted. The infant formula crisis began with the pandemic supply chain coupled with the closure of an Abbott plant in Michigan in February. The plant was shut down due to contamination fears after two babies died. Meanwhile, Abbott CEO Robert Ford announced that in June, their company will be supplying more baby formulas to Americans than they were supplying in January before the recall. READ NEXT: U.S. Baby Formula Shortage: Shipment Arrives From Europe; Abbott CEO Apologizes for the Shortage This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Baby Formula Shortage: 110,000 Pounds Arriving on Flight to Fort Worth - From WFAA Vice President Kamala Harris announced new series of private sector investments worth $1.9 billion in Central America as part of the administration's effort to address the root causes of immigration. The private sector investment includes a $700 million expansion of cellular networks in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador by Miami-based Millicom, according to a New York Post report. Visa also committed $270 million to promote digital payments in the region while auto parts supplier Yazaki allotted a $110 million investment to hire more than 14,000 employees in Guatemala and El Salvador by the end of 2026. The new investments from the private sector are added on top of the $1.2 billion made in December. READ NEXT: Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff Marriage: Vice President Found Love After Controversial Affair With Powerful San Francisco Politician Private Sector Investments in Central America Voice of America News reported that the U.S.' efforts to stem immigration from the Northern Triangle have been tainted with corruption, with projects likely worth millions shelved and some private sector engagement stalled. A $150 million pledge from Gap was also taken to increase materials sourced from the region. Vice President Kamala Harris announced an initiative with the private sector that aims to connect 1.4 million women to the financial system and train more than 500,000 women and girls in job skills. Harris also revealed a $50 million project called the Central American Service Corps, which is designed to give young people in the Northern Triangle paid community service opportunities in areas, including education and violence prevention. Agroamerica also said that they will invest more than $100 million in six new projects that will generate 1,000 permanent, living-wage jobs in northern Central America for the next five years. The family-owned corporation has future projects in mind, such as food ingredients refinery, plantations, and processing plants, as noted in a White House press release. Pantaeon will also invest $9.4 million to fund the initial phase of a 1,200-acre industrial park on Guatemala's Southern Coast. The park is expected to be a hub for manufacturing, logistics, and distribution businesses once completed. The Call to Action initiative now includes 40 companies and organizations that have made commitments to invest in the region. U.S. on Immigration Surge U.S. officials noted in a Reuters report that U.S. President Joe Biden will open the Summit of the Americas gathering with a policy speech promoting new economic partnership for the Western Hemisphere. Biden also plans to preview a declaration on migration to be announced on Friday, with officials saying it will include specific commitments from leaders to address the problem. Meanwhile, the presidents of Guatemala and Honduras have suggested they will not attend the summit and will instead send other officials. It was not clear whether El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, would attend the gathering. On the other hand, several thousands of migrants set off from southern Mexico on Monday to the U.S. border. The majority of the migrants are from Venezuela. At least 5,000 people left the city of Tapachula, which is near Mexico's border with Guatemala. READ MORE: Kamala Harris' Chief of Staff Shut Out Some Longtime Allies of the Vice President: Report This article is owned by Latin Post Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Kamala Harris tours Central America to curb migration - from DW News The four sons of former Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, known as Los Chapitos, have allegedly entered into an "electoral narco-pact" with the members of the ruling MORENA party. According to Mexico News Daily, well-known investigative journalist Anabel Hernandez, who was writing for the German state-owned news outlet Deutsche Welle, said she had information that members of the MORENA party made a pact with Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, one of El Chapo's sons. The narco-pact was reportedly made in the lead-up to the municipal and state elections in Sinaloa in June last year. Governor Ruben Rocha Moya, a member of the MORENA party, won the governorship. Rocha Moya had easily beaten PAN-PRI-PRD candidate Mario Zamora. The ruling party MORENA reportedly won in most of Sinaloa state's 18 municipalities. Hernandez claimed that "direct sources that know the events first hand" maintained that MORENA made a deal with Ivan Guzman. Ivan Guzman, along with his three brothers, "Los Chapitos," and uncles, controls a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. The investigative journalist said that people who have been part of the close team of Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador corroborated the existence of the narco-pact. Citing these people, Hernandez noted that the president is neither unaware of nor disapproves of the agreement. Hernandez said the purpose of the deal was for El Chapo's sons and brothers to give their "blessing" to the MORENA party along with that of Sinaloa Cartel's "maximum leader" Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. The journalist wrote that the narco-pact ensured that the Los Chapitos and their uncles would help Rocha win the governor's office and support other MORENA candidates in the elections. Hernandez said in order for El Chapo's family to operate in the election, key meetings were held with "morenistas," or MORENA party operatives, including former interior minister Ricardo Peralta. El Mayo and El Chapo's four sons, or the Los Chapitos, were reportedly left in command of the Sinaloa Cartel after El Chapo was arrested and extradited to the U.S. The Los Chapitos - Ivan Guzman, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez - is reportedly looking to assume supreme control of the Sinaloa Cartel. READ NEXT: El Chapo Case: Supreme Court Rejects Sinaloa Cartel Boss' Appeal to Review His Drug Trafficking Conviction El Chapo Sons' Los Chapitos Made Narco-Pact With MORENA Party Anabel Hernandez wrote in DW that the condition of Los Chapitos and his uncles to help the MORENA party was to stop any persecution and arrest warrants for extradition purposes. Hernandez said one of the meetings headed by Ivan Guzman was held in the first months of 2021 at Culiacan with Ricardo Peralta, who was undersecretary of the Interior until 2020. Peralta allegedly attended that meeting on behalf of the AMLO government to ask for support and offer guarantees. In another meeting in Culiacan, Ivan Guzman, also known as "El Chapito," reportedly attended with a gun at his waist and protected by a large group of armed people. Hernandez said El Chapo's son gave instructions to record and broadcast videos through social media platforms to support Rocha Moya's candidacy. The journalist noted that members of famous music groups known for singing "narcocorridos" or narco-ballads appeared in the videos with Rocha Moya as part of the propaganda plan. In that meeting, Hernandez said Ivan Guzman's people had already received Rocha Moya's promotional campaign t-shirts. In April last year, the journalist noted that Rocha Moya recorded a video and thanked the musicians for supporting his campaign. The video is reportedly still circulating on Facebook. In the Sinaloa elections, Hernandez noted that Ivan Guzman had issued instructions and ordered narco-electoral actions in agreement with the MORENA party. Hernandez added that El Chapo's son also mobilized people to promote the vote and distribute gifts to the electorate and, with intimidation, counteracted the same operation that other opposing candidates were carrying out. According to Hernandez, the AMLO party-narco agreements could be traced back to 2006 and were put into practice again in June 5 elections. Mexico President AMLO Accused of Colluding With Sinaloa Cartel and Other Narco Groups Veteran leftist politician Porfirio Munoz Ledo has accused Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of colluding with narcos and wanting to entrust that collaboration to his successor. Munoz earlier said in a meeting of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean that AMLO thinks he can pass on his association with criminals to the next government, Mexico News Daily reported. However, Munoz noted that the president's "conspiracy or alliance with narcos is not inheritable." He said AMLO cannot pass on his collusion when he leaves office in 2024 because narco groups like Sinaloa Cartel will negotiate and make new deals with whoever succeeds him. "They will no longer need the president. That's the issue, a moral issue, an issue of political analysis... And there will be a danger that [criminal organizations] will demand more from the new [political] actors," he added. READ MORE: El Chapo's Sons of Sinaloa Cartel Organized a 'Narco Fiesta' Ahead of Christmas Day in Mexico Town, Raffled off Brand New Cars This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Mexico Failed to Capture the Son of 'El Chapo.' Can It Contain Drug Cartels? - From PBS NewsHour Afghan Women News Agency, June 5, 2022 33-year-old Rita, who was killed by her husband and her brothers-in-law, had her head, arms and legs amputated and buried in a well. She was found three months later after searching by her brothers. Mohammad Asif Waziri, a spokesman for the Balkh Police Command, said that her name was Rita and that she had been killed by her husband and her brothers-in-law three months earlier due to family problems, had her head and limbs amputated and buried in a water well. Mr. Waziri adds that only one child is left of 33-year-old Rita. when Ritas brothers from Herat province call her husband to talk to their sister, he make excuses. After three months, her brothers came to Balkh and saw that she was not there, and they went to the fourth Police District, where, as a result of interrogations, Ritas body was found in a water well. She also says that the victims husband, Momen, escaped with his second wife, and in connection with this incident, four people were arrested, including two Momen brothers, the father of Momens second wife, and the husband of Momens sister, Momens brothers confessed to their crimes. However, since the beginning of the Taliban coming to power, the mysterious bodies of women have been found several times in different parts of Mazar-e-Sharif, but there is no prosecution. A Florida mom has been charged with manslaughter after her two-year-old son allegedly shot and killed his father. According to People, Marie Ayala was charged with one count of manslaughter by culpable negligence at the Orange County Sheriff's Department on Monday. The 26-year-old Florida mom had reportedly failed to properly secure a Glock handgun at her Orlando home on May 26. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the gun was not properly stored and easily accessible even to a two-year-old. He added that the result is a tragedy that no one in the community "can really comprehend." READ NEXT: Florida Mom Blames 'Voodoo Spell' After Killing 3-Year-Old Daughter by Forcing Her to Drink Bleach Two-Year-Old Florida Boy Shot His Father According to an arrest affidavit, the toddler accidentally shot his 26-year-old father, Reggie Mabry, in the back while playing a video game on his computer. NBC News reported that the boy's five-year-old brother also told authorities that his sibling accidentally fired the gun. In a statement, the sheriff's office said the children were not injured physically, but they will "likely carry emotional wounds forever." It added that they not only effectively lost both parents, but "the toddler who accidentally shot his father in the back will have to grow up with the knowledge that his actions caused his dad's death." The affidavit noted that the Florida mom told investigators that she and Mabry and their three children, including an infant, were in the bedroom when the gun went off. According to the affidavit, the Glock handgun was loaded with an extended high-capacity magazine. Mabry was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Ayala told investigators that the gun was sometimes being kept under a pillow, in a box in the closet, and in a safe that was broken. At the time of the shooting, the Florida mom said the gun was in a bag near some dirty laundry and could have slipped out of the bag while it was being hung on the wall. A sheriff's detective said Ayala acknowledged that it was not safe to store a gun in a bag three feet above the ground with children in the room. The detective noted the Florida mom admitted that "any child in the room could have figured out how to get the gun out of the bag." Florida Mom Marie Ayala Faces Manslaughter Charges Investigators determined that both Reggie Mabry and Marie Ayala left an illegal firearm in a room where it was easily accessible to the kids. According to CNN, Mabry and Ayala are both convicted felons. The Florida mom has also been charged with possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, possessing ammunition by a convicted felon, and violating probation. Ayala is currently in custody at the Orange County Jail. The Florida mom was reportedly convicted of felony grand theft in 2016 and was on probation with the Florida Department of Corrections, which is a status that prohibits her from possessing a firearm. Florida is one of the states with so-called Child Access Prevention laws that impose penalties on parents who do not safely store household guns out of the reach of minors. Mina said the killing was a reminder for gun owners to secure their firearms away from children. READ MORE: Disney Stocks Falls by 33% After Governor Ron DeSantis Revokes Special Status This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Mother Charged After Florida Toddler Shoots and Kills Father - From 10 Tampa Bay A Dominican Republic minister was killed inside his office on Monday, and the murderer was his childhood friend. According to Daily Mail, Orlando Jorge Mera, the country's minister of the environment and natural resources, was shot by his childhood friend, Miguel Cruz, who immediately fled the scene. Authorities said the killing took place in Jorge Mera's fourth-floor office in the capital of Santo Domingo, Al Jazeera reported. Local media reported that at least seven shots were heard, and police and emergency personnel quickly swarmed the crime scene. Dominican Republic's National District Mayor Carolina Mejia was reportedly inside the building and walking towards the minister's office for a scheduled meeting. When her security heard the shots, Mejia was turned away from an elevator and escorted out. The motive for Jorge Mera's shooting remained unclear, BBC reported. Hours before he was shot dead, Jorge Mera paid tribute to Sofia Sanchez, a former lawmaker under the Dominican Revolutionary Party who passed away on Sunday. "I have known Sofia Leonor Sanchez Baret for many years... Political, honest, democratic, and supportive. Rest in peace," Jorge Mera tweeted. READ NEXT: Baby Formula Shortage: Over 110K Pounds of Infant Milk to Arrive in Texas This Week Dominican Republic Minister's Friend Confessed Crime to a Priest in Church Miguel Cruz, who shot the Dominican Republic minister, reportedly sought refuge at a church in Santo Domingo after committing the crime. A spokesperson for the Jesus Christ High and Eternal Priest Parish told a local news outlet that Miguel Cruz walked into the church and confessed to a priest what he did. "I came here because I just killed a person," Cruz reportedly told the priest. Several officials extended their condolences to Orlando Jorge Mera's family. "I deeply regret the death of my good friend, our minister, Orlando Jorge Mera. My most sincere condolences to his wife Patricia and his children Orlando and Patricia Victoria," Dominican Republic's President Luis Abinader tweeted. Lamento profundamente el fallecimiento de mi buen amigo, nuestro ministro, Orlando Jorge Mera. Mis mas sinceras condolencias a su esposa Patricia y a sus hijos Orlando y Patricia Victoria. Descansa en paz, querido amigo. Luis Abinader (@luisabinader) June 6, 2022 Bartolome Pujals, executive director of the government's Cabinet of Innovation, also lamented the killing. "His death is a tragedy... We Dominicans have to come together to achieve a pact for peace and peaceful coexistence. No more violence," Pujals noted. In a brief statement, Jorge Mera's ministry said they were "troubled by the situation." Family of the Dominican Republic Minister Opens up About the Killing The family of Orlando Jorge Mera has opened up about the Dominican Republic minister's killer. In a statement, the family described Miguel Cruz as "a childhood friend whom Jorge Mera received in his office." The family added that they forgive "the person who did this." They said one of Jorge Mera's "greatest legacies was to not hold grudges." Jorge Mera came from a powerful political family in the Dominican Republic. He is the son of former President Salvador Jorge Blanco, who ruled the country from 1982 to 1986. Jorge Mera's sister, Dilia Jorge, is a vice minister in the Innovation, Transparency, and Citizen Attention Ministry. His wife is the ambassador to Brazil. Jorge Mera's son, Orlando Salvador Jorge, is a lawmaker for the governing Modern Revolutionary Party, of which the 55-year-old minister is a founding member. READ MORE: Johnny Depp's Attorney Camille Vasquez Promoted After Big Win; Amber Heard Could Be Out of 'Aquaman 2' [RUMOR] This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Dominican Republic Minister Killed in His Office - From Associated Press 8am (Translated by RAWA), June 7, 2022 The Taliban gunmen have shot dead a brother and sister in Baghlan province, sources in the province reported. On Monday night, the Taliban fighters raided the house of Mehrabuddin, a resident of Khost district, arresting and torturing his son named Sohrab for affiliation with the National Resistance Front, according to sources. Sources have stated that during the torture of Sohrab, his 17-year-old sister threw herself on her brother in order to protect him, as a result of which the Taliban shot dead both of them. Since the Taliban group seized power, arbitrary killings, tortures, violations of human rights, and revenge killings have been the daily routine that the people have been encountering. The rebels do not respect any value related to todays human society. The weapon is the only tool they are familiar with. A helpless population of 45 million people is left behind under the control of a brutal terrorist group who are totally brainwashed in Haqqani Madrasas in Pakistan. Portlaoise based Irish Water customers may experience disruption in the coming days due to water mains works. As part of the National Leakage Reduction Programme, mains repair works may cause supply disruptions to Mountmellick Rd, Mountrath Rd, Kyleclonhobert, Ballyhyland, Ballytegan, Gorteen, Maryborough, Knockmay, Portlaoise and surrounding areas, Irish Water has stated. It said a traffic management plan will be in place for the duration of the works which are scheduled to take place from 11pm on Thursday, June 9 until 3am on Friday, June 10. Irish Water is recommending that customers allow between two and hours after the estimated restoration time for supplies to fully return. Customers can check the Irish Water website using following reference number for an update: LAO0004870 Elsewhere in Portlaoise, leak detection works may cause supply disruptions in Kilminchy and surrounding areas. These works are scheduled to take place from midnight until 4am on Friday, June 10. Again, Irish Water recommends allowing two to three hours after the estimated restoration time for supplies to fully return. The reference number to search for an update on Irish Waters website in relation to these works is: LAO00048701 The path to success with BNI Crossroads Portlaoise 'Givers Gain' is the guiding principle of BNI, a global business referral organisation that has acquired more than 288,188 members in over 10,695 BNI chapters around the world since it was founded in 1985. The Portlaoise chapter, BNI Crossroads Portlaoise, was launched on May 1st, 2011, and since then has generated 17,002,872 for its members. Last year saw revenue of 2,474,604, while to date in 2022 there has been 2,312,245 generated. A collective of local businesses committed to the shared vision of growth through cooperation and interpersonal links, BNI Crossroads Portlaoise is as much an avenue for social networking as it is a prime source of revenue-building. Currently comprising 14 members, all strive to root out leads for each other, adhering to the philosophy that those who give will receive in return. "Givers Gain is a trademark BNI value," says Chapter President Breda Colgan, of Salutem Advisory & Training. "I've always believed that you get out of something what you put into it. The more you put into your membership and the more involved you become with the group, the better returns you get from it. Since taking on the President's role, I have got to know the members so well. In return, I've seen a huge increase in the volume of referrals that I have got." The benefits of cooperation are also outlined by John Kelly, of JK Autos, who highlights the role reciprocity plays in all BNI relations. "I've always approached the group with the mentality of not looking to see what you can get out of it but what you can bring to the table," says John. "As a direct result, once you start giving people business, you start getting it back in return. I'm fortunate that we're very strong, but just as businesses gave me a dig out when I was starting up, I feel that it's my obligation to help others." The group meets one Tuesday morning a month in the Maldron Hotel, with the remainder of their weekly meetings taking place online. Each member is afforded 60 seconds to make a pitch about their business and request specific referrals from their fellow members. These referrals can be general, such as casting the net wide over a broad commercial sector, or they can be a specific request. "The 60-second pitch is an introduction of your business and what work you're currently doing, what differentiates you from others in the same field, and what contacts you're looking for," says Brendan Whelan, of The Office Centre. "You can be specific so people in the room know what you're looking for." Alma Wallace, of Permanent TSB, says the 60-second pitch is a chance to talk uninterrupted about what you do. "You're getting your best points out and it's tailormade towards what area you want to target for the week ahead," Alma says. There is also a weekly slot where one member is afforded the chance to make a presentation that goes into more depth than the standard 60-second pitch, with visual slides and video clips adding extra flavour. "The presentation is six minutes, and it gives you time to be more detailed about what you do," explains Brendan. "You're able to expand on the main points of your business or touch on one certain aspect and go through that." A member from the beginning of Crossroads, Brendan is a vocal advocate of how BNI can help grow revenue. "I highly recommend it, as you get out of it what you put into it. It's swings and roundabouts and it does work, if you put in the work, you will get it back," he says. Alma concurs, saying, "I recommend it 110% and I am constantly promoting it, because we have a great circle of trust built in. I know if I give a lead, they'll treat the customer the way I'd treat a customer." The importance of building relationships is something Frank Cullinan of Aston Lark Ireland has learned during his time in BNI, as the connections he has made have helped him deliver greater value to his clients. "The trust between the members grows as you get to know each other and this allows us to give recommendations and make introductions to our friends, family, and business connections," says Frank. Frank explains that the establishing of relationships is best achieved through one-to-ones, which are get-togethers between individual members that take place outside of the more formal setting of the meetings. "Taking the time to sit down and find out about someone's business is a great way of generating referrals for one another," says Frank. Another local company that has found BNI Crossroads Portlaoise to be very influential in their growth is VIMAR Digital Marketing Ltd. "Building relationships with stakeholders has allowed me to access connections that were not possible before we invested in networking," says director of VIMAR, Alastair Roe. "Those relationships have enabled professional development and helped guide us forward. Getting back to in-person meetings has brought great energy to the group and I feel that the group will only grow and thrive in the year ahead." Although the networking opportunities afforded by in-person meetings can strengthen working relationships, John Oxley, of Oxley Systems and Services Ltd, believes there are certain advantages to the group's online meetings, which began in response to Covid restrictions. "I prefer online meetings. I did my BNI meeting last week on Zoom from Mayo, so if that had been in person, I would have had to have missed the meeting," he says, adding: "What I like is developing your network and growing the amount of people you know. If I recommend someone in my chapter, they can recommend me." This concept of mutual recommendation is what BNI is built on, with all members encouraged to actively seek out potential sales for their chapter colleagues in the form of referrals. "Referrals are the lifeblood of BNI, they're the heartbeat of it," says Ruth Mathews, of RCM Services, a sentiment echoed by Christine O'Gorman, Corporate HR Ireland, who describes referrals as "the bread and butter of BNI". "When members of the chapter build relationships together, that trust that you're referring them on with comes with that," says Ruth. "If I get a referral, nine times out of ten it's actually for continuous work. It's not just one-off work. It's the same for any kind of service industry. I got a referral a year and a half ago that was just bookkeeping work, but it turned into one of my main weekly clients." Likewise, Christine says that she passes on referrals because she knows the person she is recommending is good at their job. She has witnessed first-hand the benefits of a good referral. "I'm currently in the process of pricing a job from a referral and hopefully we will get the work. It is a very good company, very responsive and very cooperative, so it is easier for me that I am not chasing or cold calling," says Christine. BNI is structured on exclusivity of business types, with only one per field able to join each chapter. That is why BNI Crossroads Portlaoise has only one web designer, one architect, one fire safety expert, etc, which protects sales opportunities by ensuring there is no competition between the members of the same chapter. But far from being a closed circle, visitors and guests are welcome to attend meetings and deliver a pitch, so long as there is no commercial conflict of interest between them and any of the existing members. "The group is very welcoming to guests and visitors, as we all know it can be quite daunting to attend a network meeting and not know anyone," says Celine Cole, Cole Planning & Design Ltd. "We make all our guests and visitors feel at home and introduce them to other contacts who they could potentially do business with. Chapter Vice President Arpad Szocs, of Pandora Marketing Solutions Ltd, illustrates how supportive BNI can be towards anyone just starting out. "As a new company owner, only recently moved to Portlaoise, my position wasn't easy to start with. BNI has given me access to a group of other entrepreneurs and business owners, as well as access to their contacts," says Arpad. "That, in my opinion, was greatly helpful to getting my business where it is today, and I am very grateful for all the opportunities that come from BNI, either through a fellow member or the contact of a member." The newest member to the chapter is John Cloney, of John Cloney Fire Safety Consultancy, who came on board last November. He appreciates the support he has received from the community since joining. "I would recommend it to people who want to build up business relationships within the midlands. I have met a number of other professionals within the construction and property sector through BNI," says John. Dave Devery, NetSupport, is Secretary Treasurer, ensuring that the chapter's finances are shipshape and membership dues are up to date. To him, an important BNI core value is accountability. "It's imperative that we hold each other accountable each week when it comes to chapter attendance, following up on referrals and bringing visitors to the meeting. When each member contributes to the group by bringing a positive contribution each week, the chapter progresses and achieves success," says Dave. Positivity is another core value of BNI, with a positive mental attitude a key trait for any entrepreneur to have. "No matter what part of business you're dealing with, you have to stay positive," says Fiona Looby, Looby Tiles and Interiors. "Members can help each other just by keeping their ears open, and if you see a member going through a tough time, you make an effort to reach out to them and do your best to get them business. That's where BNI is a powerful group because everybody tries to help everybody else." BNI Crossroads Portlaoise is always on the lookout for new members, so if you would like to explore the ways the chapter can assist your enterprise, you can find more details on the group's Facebook page or contact President Breda Colgan on 086 8178087. You can also visit the website by clicking here. *Sponsored Content Rathangan author Seamus Kelly is launching his fifth book on June 24, entitled John Ennis and his Piper Son Tom. The launch will be at Leixlip parish centre at 7.30pm. Seamus has a co-author on this book in the form of Aileen Saunders who he found at the beginning of this process that kicked off their writing journey together and this is Aileens first endeavour book writing. Seamus said of the origin of the book, I was in Australia with my son when I typed in Kildare to an Australian library search engine. Up came this ballad from 1798 written by a Kildare man. The next day I was on KFM talking about it and asking if anyone knew anything about it. Aileen (Saunders) got in touch and explained that she was a descendant of John Ennis. It all came from there and we have written this full biography together. An incredible way to meet and equal amounts unlikely that Aileen managed to catch Seamus call to action. Seamus had found in Aileen a historian and relation of the poet and dancer he was trying to find out about. Months later, they had a book together. The biography of John and Tom Ennis tells the story of the father-son duo's journey, including John leaving Prosperous in Kildare and heading to Chicago where he would become a police officer and a founding member of The Irish Music Club of Chicago. His son Tom was an uilleann piper, fiddler and dancer. His musical performances attracted the Irish diaspora across America with their music and dance. Tom Ennis recorded over 40 piper records. The book includes the telling of two brilliant life stories and their relevant historical context. It examines both what life and the world was like at that time. It looks at a community of Irish exiles, exploring how they spent their leisure and working hours. First birthday celebrations: Lots of special offers at Balance Reformer Pilates in Clane this weekend A Pilates instructor based in northern Kildare has revealed that she cant wait to spoil all of you who attend her Reformer Pilates Studios one-year anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12. But what is Reformer Pilates? Reformers are resistance-based machines designed to add more challenge to your pilates movements. You get a full body, strength-based workout focusing or core strength and flexibility. No muscles are left unused in pilates. This is one of the reasons you will feel healthier after only a short time. Another benefit of the exercises is that there is little-to-no impact on your joints and you feel overall stronger and more flexible. Instructor Kelly ONeill also said that newcomers are always welcome to Balance, which is based at Yew Tree Square, Prosperous Road, Clane. There is no comparison or competition in the studio: They have people of all shapes and sizes whose goal is to get healthier and stronger. When you discover Reformer Pilates you won't look back. It's not a gimmick or a new fad: Reformer Pilates is tried and tested over centuries and it works! You will wish you had started it years ago. Kelly O Neill who owns Balance Reformer studio in the heart of Clane town centre, is opening her doors to you all as an opportunity to try out a machine, ask questions and of course, grab yourselves some very special offers. THE STUDIO AND KELLY Kelly will take great care of you in her studio as classes are limited to only eight people per class. As Kelly spent her first years in business being a pilates personal trainer, she is very experienced with injury treatment, specifically back and neck care. Pilates is excellent for pain management in both back and neck issues. She studied classical Mat Pilates, anatomy and physiology at the National Training Centre in Dublin, then went on to train with Sarah McLoughlin, Irelands only Pilates Master. With Sarah, she studied Reformer Pilates, pre/postnatal, back care and movement for older adults. The real experience came from the hands-on learning with one to one clients in her years of private practice and this was when Kelly really found her passion in life, helping people to feel better! Although Kelly herself teaches most of the classes in Clane there are three other fantastic instructors, Carol, Teresa and Derek. Balance prides itself on a lovely atmosphere, experienced staff and of course, wonderful results that can change your life! WHAT SPECIAL OFFERS WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND? If you are a new client and want to try Pilates out for the first time you can buy one class and get another one for free! Individual classes are 22.50. For our existing clients or those who already know Reformer Pilates is fantastic, you can buy a 10-class pack, which normally costs 200, for only 150! Kelly concluded: "If you want to try Reformer Pilates but are still unsure or nervous, please come to our open weekend on June 11 at 1pm and June 12 at 11am. You will absolutely not regret it, this could be the start of your new fitness routine." The special offers are available to buy the weekend of her open day only, so don't miss out. If you are unable to get to her studio that weekend you can buy them online. www.balancepilates.org, or contact Kelly direct for more information on 087 9920456. Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced a series of new initiatives that will make remote working more accessible and attractive for thousands of people. Minister Humphreys also announced 5 million in funding, through the Connected Hubs 2022 Call, which will be used to build capacity and enhance existing Remote Working facilities. Some 81 projects across the country were successful in securing funding. Locally Minister of State Frank Feighan TD has warmly welcomed funding for several projects in Co Leitrim totalling 130,232 They include: The Aughawillian GAA centre has secured 10,555 for a project that will improve on facilities provided in the 2021 call. Providing a classroom upgrade by adding storage cabinets and black out blinds. Installing a Bike Shelter/ Storage and upgrading kitchen facilities with new crockery and utensils. Mohill Enterprise Centre will receive 44,000, this project is aimed to increase the number of hot desks and the addition of 3 x single office pods. Upgrades will also be made to existing facilities such as the kitchen, toilets, it equipment and electrical cabinets. Manor Hub, based in Manorhamilton are set to receive a significant 74,970 This proposal will cater for the refurbishment of the ground floor office to expand the remote working hub and to offer additional seating and workspaces. I wish to again acknowledge the great commitment to Leitrim of Minister Humphreys with this significant announcement for local connected hubs The government and in particular Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Leo Varadkar is anxious to what ever possible to promote the idea of remote working both through legislation and government spending which we all hope will allow people to work more from the regions and address the need for many to live and commute from their east coast base concluded Minister Feighan. Minister Humphreys launched the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme which will give remote workers free use of their local digital hub. At least 10,000 hot desk spaces will be provided under the Scheme, which is aimed at both existing hub users, as well as those accessing hub facilities for the first time. On top of these two initiatives, Minister Humphreys also today announced the provision of 50,000 in funding to each Local Authority under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This will allow them to fund marketing campaigns and promote the remote working opportunities available in their areas. Minister Humphreys also revealed today that the number of Remote Working facilities on the Connected Hubs Network has now reached 242. This represents over 60 per cent of the 400 hubs pledged as part of Our Rural Future, the Governments landmark five-year rural development policy. Surveying and design works for the National Broadband Plan (NBP) rollout continues in Leitrim on week beginning 06/06/22. National Broadband Ireland (NBI) are the company undertaking the fibre network roll-out to enable high speed internet connectivity for 544,000 premises across the country. NBI would like the public to know that contractors will be on the ground in Leitrim, both inspecting and recording pictures of infrastructure such as poles, cables and underground ducts. The teams have been fully trained in physical distancing practices, hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment and how to engage with the public in a safe manner if and when required. In Leitrim, the surveys will commence in the Ballinamore Municipal District. Entegro are the contracting company commencing this work and they will have vehicles and signage with both their own, and NBI logos. Employees will also wear hard hats and high visibility vests featuring the NBI logo. All contractors will also carry official ID cards and essential worker letters. The NBI customer call centre number is 0818 624 624 (local call rate) or email contactus@nbi.ie for any queries. For further information on the NBP see www.nbi.ie The final of Irelands first national digital skills competition, Irelands Future is MINE, is scheduled to be televised on RTE2 on Thursday, June 16 at 5pm and will be delivered through a collaboration between Microsoft Ireland and RTEjr, the competitions final will see St Hugh's National School from, Dowra, Co Leitrim and Moyvore Primary School from Co Westmeath battle it out for first place. Launched in September 2021, the 'Ireland's Future is MINE' digital skills competition challenged primary school students to use Minecraft: Education Edition to think creatively, collaborate, problem-solve and shape Irelands sustainable future. Since its launch, schools across Ireland have entered the competition and students have explored fun challenges such as building their own NASA rover and coding their very own polar ice hut. These challenges, made possible through Minecraft: Education Edition, are aligned to both the Republic and Northern Irish curriculums covering subjects from English, Maths, Science, Geography, SPHE and more. Delivered by Microsoft Irelands Dream Space teachers on Dream Space TV in partnership with RTEjr, the competition provided each school with comprehensive teaching guides to ensure that they were supported in making their submission. Through the competition, Microsoft Ireland and RTE sought to inspire students to build critical in-demand skills that will allow them to compete and fully participate in todays digital world. Having successfully progressed through the various stages of the competition, which saw participation from 130 other primary schools across Ireland, St Hughs National Primary School and Moyvore Primary School will compete in the final phase of the digital skills challenge. The winner will receive the grand prize of laptops for the classroom plus a charging trolley for their school. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Saturday, June 11, will see a host of FREE evbents and activities taking place around Leitrim as part ofCruinniu na nOg 2022. An initiative of Creative Irelands Cruinniu na nOg national programme, which recognises the crucial importance of culture and creativity in the lives of all children and young people, it aims to provide access to and encourage children and young peoples participation in making, doing and creating! This year Leitrim is bursting with more events than ever before that you can try out, in person! All the ingredients you will need for a fun filled day of creativity. A huge variety of amazing events ranging from the Exploration Dome in Mohill, Food, Feasting and Live Music in Manorhamilton and a Ukulele workshop in Ballinamore with Music Generation. Printmaking in Leitrim Design House, Taster Youth theatre workshops in Carrigallen, Make a Dragonfly in Carrick-on-Shannon or spend the day with Airc Damsha Culture Club in Drumshanbo. These are just some of the exciting free activities taking place in Leitrim, as well as the many national events you can take part in too. Try your hand at Poetry in Mohill, take part in a Eco Youth Art Camp in Rossinver, join Solar powered makers with Fab Lab. It is just jam-packed this year with exhibitions of work created by young people, Fairy Tea Parties, Dreamcatcher workshops, make you own Bug Hotel, Film-making and so much more. Check out: www.cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie to find out more about the action-packed programme of events. Cruinniu na nOg is a national Creative Ireland initiative, with local activation in Leitrim through Leitrim County Council. MEMBERS of Manufacturing Northern Ireland, which represents over 5,500 manufacturing firms in the province are in Limerick. They are at the Technological University of the Shannon (Tus) to meet with representatives of the Irish industry cluster Ideam in the hope of fostering cross-border collaborations. The meeting, taking place today and tomorrow, is being held at the Moylish campus of Tus on Limerick's northside. As part of the summit, Meet the Manufacturer returns, alongside 150 exhibits, which attract thousands of exhibitors, delegates, manufacturers and visitors from across Ireland and Britain to Limerick. Dr Jamie Meehan, cluster manager, of Ideam said that this years extended two-day event will provide historic firsts. "For the first time ever a cross-border collaboration workshop will take place allowing two industry clusters - Ideam and Manufacturing NI - to come together with a view to developing relationships that will allow us to jointly attract more business into the future. Manufacturing NI represents businesses with sales valued at 20 billion, whilst the manufacturing industry in the Republic of Ireland recorded sales of 134.6 billion in 2020. Sharing ideas and opportunities among this sector on both sides of the border will be hugely beneficial for everyone. Tus president Dr Vincent Cunnane said he was delighted to welcome Manufacturing Solutions Ireland back to Moylish saying: "Tus is driving development and investment across the Midwest and Midlands, building on our commitment to ensure that manufacturing in the regions continues to adapt, change and remain at the cutting edge internationally. Our partners in GTMA bring all the leading technology suppliers together at Manufacturing Solutions, so that industry can benefit from collective knowledge, products and technology. We are delighted to host an event that not only allows us to build strong partnerships but facilitates an exchange of ideas. More information is available at www.manufacturingsolutions.ie TIDY TOWNS adjudicators will be visiting towns and villages across Limerick this month. Initial judging will take place over the next few weeks, while the second round adjudications for the lucky few will happen in July. A total of 48 groups across Limerick are registered for the National Tidy Towns competition for 2022. To help with what could be the best ever results for Limerick in the Tidy Towns competition, the Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Daniel Butler has encouraged every person to do their bit and help out. Mayor Daniel Butler said: "It takes a massive of effort and commitment to do well in Tidy Towns so I would ask that everyone would do their best to assist groups in every way they can but particularly by being responsible for their own litter by putting their litter in a bin or bringing their litter home with them. "This is your chance to support Limerick in the National Tidy Towns Competitions. Everyone wants to see groups move up through the ranks of the National Tidy Towns competition and we can help them in their task." **Reader discretion is advised** A MAN who was indecently and sexually assaulted by a former member of the Franciscan Order says he hopes his abuser rots in prison. The now 42-year-old made his comments during the sentencing hearing of the pensioner who was convicted of two charges by a jury earlier this year. Christopher McCarthy, aged 74, who has an address at Mount Kenneth, Limerick was found not guilty of a third charge by direction of the trial judge. All of the charges related to offences which occurred three decades ago in a village close to the Limerick / Cork border. Detective Garda Gary Costello told Limerick Circuit Court, the case centred on incidents during the school holidays between 1990 and 1992. He described how on one occasion Mr McCarthy had grabbed the then ten-year-olds penis outside his clothes while on another occasion he rubbed his penis against his backside. The detective told Lily Buckley BL, prosecuting, the victim had encountered Mr McCarthy as he used to spend time during the summer close to where he (Mr McCarthy lived. He said the victim made a complaint to gardai a number of years ago a short time after he came across Mr McCarthy by chance in a provincial town which cannot be identified for legal reasons. When questioned by gardai Mr McCarthy, who has one previous conviction for masturbating in public at Knock Shrine, denied the allegations and insisted the victim had never been inside his former home. In his victim impact statement, the now 42-year-old said he had waited for years for justice to be served My life changed forever, the day I met you. You stole my childhood and you robbed me of my innocence, he said. He added that what happened made him question so much about myself and it took a lot of time for him to realise it was not his fault. Addressing Mr McCarthy directly, he said: I f****** hate you. I hate what you did to me, I will never forgive you for what you have done and what you have taken from me. Imposing sentence, Judge Patrick Meghen said the disparity in age was an aggravating factor as is the lack of remorse He imposed a three year prison sentence. A LEADING Limerick rowing club is empowering Limerick people through a special 80-piece artwork sale and exhibition. St Michaels Rowing Club, located on O Callaghans Strand, has secured a gallery space at The Belltable Theatre to display works which will be auction this Thursday. Brian Richardson, club member, explained that the 80-piece art exhibition will help fuel the necessary fundraising activities to keep the club running smoothly. The club is investing over 60,000 in new boats and equipment which will provide top class racing boats for the next few years, he told Limerick Live. A racing boat for eight rowers can cost in the region of 30,000, he added. A stream of talented Limerick artists are all rowing in behind the fundraiser, which includes an eclectic mix of styles, colours and sizes, all on display in the Belltable Gallery. The exhibition opened with an official launch on Tuesday, May 31, where 40 attendees took a quick tour of the artwork on display. Mary Conroy, Claire Hartigan, Gillian Kenny Shinnors, Liam Madden and Moya Ni Cheallaigh as well as several club members all feature works on display, much of which is rowing themed. There is something for everyone in the sale, Brian enthused, referencing the exhibition and sale of river, sport and coastal works, as well as some beautiful pieces featuring the coast of Kilkee. This started out as a fundraiser for the club, but it's brought the best of Limerick together, he continued. Thirty of the items will be up for auction on June 9, while the rest are now available for direct sale. Go fall in love with a piece, buy it and promote Limerick Art and also the great work that St Michael's Rowing Club continues to do for Limerick, Brian concluded. Police in Northern Ireland investigating a security alert which led to Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney being evacuated from a peace event in Belfast have arrested two men. Two firearms have also been seized following operations in the Shankill area of Belfast and in Ballymena, Co Antrim. Mr Coveney had to leave the event organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation in north Belfast on March 25. The Houben Centre in the Crumlin Road was evacuated and a funeral service at nearby Holy Cross Church was disrupted. Police said the driver of a van was threatened by two gunmen and forced to drive a device, which he believed to be a live bomb, to the church. A PSNI spokesperson said: Terrorism Investigation Unit detectives investigating a hijacking and security alert in north Belfast on Friday March 25 have arrested two men. A 46-year-old male was arrested under the Terrorism Act in the Shankill area. Two suspected firearms have been recovered and a vehicle has been taken away for examination. As part of the operation, a 51-year-old male was arrested in the Ballymena area under the Terrorism Act. A van has been seized and taken away for examination. Both men are currently being questioned in the Serious Crime Suite of Musgrave police station in Belfast. Sodas go flat after being opened and even lose a bit of taste. The bubbles in soda pop have tickled taste buds for centuries. However, all good things fizzle out and eventually soda's effervescence goes flat. But why? It turns out that gas in the beverages forces the bubbles out. Carbonated drinks fizz because bubbles of carbon dioxide are infused within the liquid during production. "It's dissolved the same way sugar and salt can dissolve into water," Mark Jones, a chemistry consultant and fellow of the American Chemical Society, told Live Science. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is about 1.5 times heavier than air, according to the Columbia Climate School (opens in new tab) at Columbia University in New York City. Based on that fact alone, you might not expect CO2 to rise into the air. Related: Why does eating pineapple make your mouth tingle? Here is an illustration of the effect of pressure on the solubility of gases (known as Henry's Law). (Image credit: Fouad A. Saad via Shutterstock) However, soda starts off super-saturated with carbon dioxide. As a result, due to a principle in physical chemistry known as Henry's law, the gas experiences pressure that makes it want to escape from the soda. British chemist William Henry proposed Henry's law in 1803, according to Britannica (opens in new tab). Henry's law states that the amount of a gas dissolved within a liquid is proportional to the pressure of that same gas in the liquids surroundings. This law influences whether a gas enters a liquid or exits it. When soda is bottled or canned, the space above the drink is usually filled with carbon dioxide at a pressure slightly above that of standard atmospheric pressure (about 14.7 pounds per square inch or 101.325 kilopascals), Joe Glajch, an analytical chemist and chemistry consultant with 40 years of experience in the chemistry and pharmaceutical industries, told Live Science. As such, because of Henry's law, the carbon dioxide within the beverage stays within the fluid. When a soda is first opened, this pressurized carbon dioxide is released into the air. "This escaping gas results in the hiss one expects from a new soda," Glajch said. Carbon dioxide makes up about 0.04% of Earth's atmosphere, according to Columbia University's Climate School (opens in new tab). When soda is left exposed to air, Henry's law suggests the carbon dioxide in the soft drink naturally wants to reach the same concentration in the fluid as it is in the air. As such, "when a can or bottle of soda has sat around open a long time, the carbon dioxide dissolved inside it eventually bubbles out it will want to come into equilibrium with the carbon dioxide in the outside air," Jones said. "When the soda is less fizzy, we call it flat." Shaking a soda can or bottle will make the soda go flat more quickly by helping the carbon dioxide within it escape. Shaking mixes air in the empty space of the bottle or can with the rest of the liquid, resulting in bubbles. These bubbles can then serve as sites of nucleation, or spots where atoms and molecules can cluster together a bit like how dust in the air can help snowflakes form. The nucleation sites lead tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide in the soda to join together. The resulting larger bubbles can more easily escape the liquid's surface tension, which is the energy needed for liquid molecules to separate from each other, Jones said. "The same thing happens if you were to drop in a teaspoon of salt or sugar," Glajch said. "The solid powder grains act as sites of nucleation, making the soda fizz" as the carbon dioxide escapes. Originally published on Live Science on Feb. 4, 2013 and updated on June 8, 2022. Click here to read the full article. British TV executive Jay Hunt was once a formidable voice in the chorus of the U.K. TV industry. But since departing as Channel 4s chief creative officer in 2017 to join Apple TV+ as its European originals chief, her voice, at least publicly, is seldom if ever heard. Its this sad reality, that one of the U.K.s most brilliant thought leaders should be locked away under strict Apple media protocols, that was put in sharp relief on Tuesday evening during a rare public appearance by Hunt, who interviewed another mad genius, Channel 5 boss Ben Frow, as part of a Royal Television Society event in London. Hunt, who once eviscerated then Vice Media boss Shane Smith during their 2016 interview at the Edinburgh TV Festival, seemed to recognize the unique nature of her circumstance, telling the audience of around 80 people at Fitzrovias Cavendish Convention Centre that its very unusual to have a conversation like this. Referring to her sparring partner Frow whose tendency to forget any semblance of media training in front of an audience is the delight of journalists everywhere Hunt applauded the executives refusal to be constrained by corporate [speak]. We are better for that because its a much better quality of conversation, so thank you for being so open, Hunt added, somewhat ironically. Throughout the wide-ranging, hour-long conversation, Hunt referred to herself and Frow as disarmingly similar in being, at one point in their careers, the industry underdogs. Hunt started out at the BBC and even had a short stint at Channel 5 before returning to the public broadcaster and rising to become controller for flagship channel BBC One a position in which most of the industry, she said, is waiting for you to drop the ball. Shes best known for her oversight of Channel 4, a reign that saw her commission such shows as Gogglebox, First Dates and The Secret Life of Four Year Olds, not to mention ruthlessly snatch The Great British Bake Off from the BBC. Similarly, Frow had stints at the BBC, Channel 4 and Irelands TV3 (now Virgin Media One) before taking over as head of programming at Channel 5 in 2013, just a year before Paramount bought the free-to-air broadcaster. While the channel once had a reputation for bottom-of-the-barrel unscripted programming shows that, as Frow puts it, had a pungent smell about them Channel 5 in the last nine years has enjoyed a massive creative overhaul under the executive, and in 2021 outperformed all other British public-service broadcasters. Most impressive, perhaps, is its expansion into the uber-competitive world of British drama with such orders as the wildly popular reboot of All Creatures Great and Small a commission that would have been unthinkable on the broadcaster even five years ago. Although Hunt was interviewing Frow, having been asked to do so by the latter exec, the pair riffed off each other beautifully, often speaking at breakneck speed over the other. Frow detailed his freewheeling strategy with his tight-knit, long-suffering team of commissioners, revealing that he once gave them each an ace card and allowed them to use that on a project that I absolutely did not want, meaning the commissioners were allowed to go ahead and make one show they wanted without Frows prior approval. Only one person was brave enough to use it, said Frow, later admitting the result was so-so. But the point, he underlined, was the creative freedom on offer at Channel 5. I want them to prove me wrong but its important, when youre clear about who you are, that youre forced out of your comfort zone, Frow said. Elsewhere, while discussing the dark art of scheduling, Frow who was in 2021 elevated to the role of chief content officer for Paramount U.K. said candidly that he needs to ensure he doesnt fuck over the digital channels in his portfolio, such as global brands Comedy Central and MTV. Later, when asked how much consideration he gives to international markets, Frow said none. Going forward, [within the portfolio], content sharing is everything, but I really think its important we dont take our eye off the mothership which is free-to-airI cant stop to worry about who were serving in Hong Kong and Amsterdam, I just cant go there. I really do think about the British audience. I also believe that those big global hits all started out as local programs and then they travelled. While Hunt and Frows initial pairing may have raised question marks, it made perfect sense by the end of the session, largely due to the fact that Frows zero-fucks-given delivery seemed to unlock a past identity for the once-outspoken Apple executive. Certainly, Hunt was asking rather than answering questions, but in doing so, she nonetheless revealed herself for the first time in years. Youre a tastemaker, and thats a privilege, she declared to Frow at one point, before interrogating the executive about the exact alchemy behind his commissioning process. (Her own, its worth noting, is still unclear as Apple is yet to grant a comprehensive interview with Hunt, whose commissions include Gary Oldman spy drama Slow Horses.) Later, she opened a fascinating discussion into Channel 5s scripted success, highlighting drama as one of those genres that is sacrosanct, because everyone says youre not clever enough, or you dont have enough money to do it. When Frow explained that he cant take much credit for drama at Channel 5, which has been the remit of commissioner Sebastian Cardwell, Hunt quipped, But youll take the blame. And Hunt should know shes been there. Now, almost five years since she took the reins at Apple in Europe, shes reminding us that shes still the smartest person in the room. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. K-pop superstars BTS has confirmed that its latest album Proof will stretch across three CDs and consist of 48 tracks. It will drop on Friday. The album and the composition of the disks are intended to represent the past, present and future of the nine-year-old band, agency Big Hit Music said Wednesday (Korean time). Within the mix are three new songs: Yet To Come, Run BTS and For Youth. Proof will be available from 1pm local time on Friday, or midnight EST and 9pm Thursday PST, for U.S. fans on the North American West coast. It is BTSs first physical album since last years CD single Butter and Permission to Dance and was teased in April with the tagline We are Bulletproof. The Yonhap news agency reports that the three CDs break down as follows: the first, with 19 tracks, is largely an assembly of hits, including Danger, Fire, DNA, Boy With Luv featuring Halsey, Spring Day, Fake Love, Dynamite and Butter; the second consists of subunit tracks; the final disc is dedicated to Army, the groups activist fans and will include the three new tracks and songs and demo versions of some of the bands past hits. The band has so far revealed relatively few promotional events and is not planning a press conference for the album release. It will introduce its new songs Monday via YouTube channel Bangtan TV and pre-record a segment for Mnets program M Countdown at the Jangchung Arena in Seoul. The show will air on June 16. A 35-second teaser for Yet to Come, subtitled The Most Beautiful Moment is already available on the Big Hit website and the bands social media platforms. Separately, the group announced the #MyBTStory challenge in partnership with YouTube, starting on Friday and running through July 9, exclusively on YouTube Shorts. As BTS celebrates the ninth anniversary of its debut and is about to open a new chapter in their 10th year as artists, Proof was designed to look back on the groups past activities and ruminate on their meaning, the groups agency Big Hit Music said in a statement. The seven-member BTS has become one of the most successful pop acts of all time and represent a breakout for Korean music into the international scene. It has won six American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards and two Grammy nominations. The members have fronted a UNICEF anti-violence campaign, addressed the United Nations general Assembly and recently met with U.S. President Joe Biden. Over the course of their career, BTS have amassed over 66 million subscribers on their official YouTube channel, making them the third most-subscribed to artist on the platform and have earned six music videos in the platforms Billion Views Club to date. The video for Butter amassed 108.2 million views in its first 24 hours and saw over 3.9 million peak concurrent views during its premiere. Over the last 12 months alone, the band has earned over 14 billion views globally on the platform. Band member J-Hope recently confirmed that he will perform as a solo act at the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago in July. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Japan needs a head blow to wake up By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 16:40, June 08, 2022 Well-trained pawn Illustration: Vitaly Podvitski After Japanese media reported that the Japanese government has been considering having an incumbent official with Japanese Ministry of Defense stationed in Taiwan island for the first time beginning this summer, the Japanese government has not responded, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority has also been unusually low-key. Both of them appear to have a hidden agenda. Japan needs to explain its recent moves concerning Taiwan, including this news, to China. On Tuesday, Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, spoke on the phone with the Secretary-General of Japan's National Security Secretariat Akiba Takeo. Yang said that "At present, old and new issues are intertwined in China-Japan relations, and difficulties and challenges cannot be ignored." These lines were clearly targeted. Japan's escalating aggression and provocation toward the Taiwan question has become an unavoidable major risk for China-Japan relations. If Japan sends an active-duty defense official to Taiwan, it will in fact break the post-war framework of Japan's relations with Taiwan, and China will react strongly. According to the Chinese version of Kyodo News on Monday, the Japanese Defense Ministry has decided to create a new unified commander post and a unified commander department for the land, maritime and air Self-Defense Forces, which is also seen as a move to "cope with China." Considering former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's public statements that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency" and that "Japan, the US, and other allies must create a situation that forces China to give up seizing Taiwan by force," it can be seen that the rhetoric of Japan's right-wing former politician on the Taiwan question is gradually reflected in the current Japanese government's policy toward Taiwan island. Through the public opinion mobilization of Japanese right-wing politicians, an extremely dangerous "consensus" is shaping and growing in Japanese society, and its right-wing forces are also taking the opportunity to get rid of the checks and balances. Perhaps for Japanese right-wing forces, now is a rare "window," or even "the last chance," for Japan to seek relaxation in its military restrictions and reshape Japan's status in Asia. Therefore manipulating the Taiwan question has become more urgent than before, moving from tentative actions to almost semi-open activities, sometimes even abandoning tactical "hiding" or "ambiguity." The right-wing forces try to grab every "opportunity" and Russia-Ukraine conflict is no exception. According to Japanese media, Japan and China have been in "opposing camps" in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Japan decided to take a step forward on the Taiwan question without thinking too much about China's feelings. This is already quite revealing. Japan is literally doing something that threatens China's core national interests, and China will not remain indifferent. We must remind Japan of what this step means. Taiwan question is China's internal affair. If an outsider wants to step in, we will "break its leg." Japan is even acting more aggressively than the US in its involvement in the Taiwan question, which may or may not stem entirely from Washington's encouragement. In fact, Japan's militarism, which has been sealed for half a century, is rising. It's necessary for Asia-Pacific powers to give Japan a blow to the head, so that it comes to its senses. In the end, this is good for Japan. It should be noted that Japan is responsible for its historical crimes in Asia. The very existence of the Taiwan question is related to the "disastrous seeds" planted by Japanese militarism, but what Japanese right-wing politicians are promoting today is an act that seriously fuels the arrogance of the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces. No matter how cleverly they speak, right and wrong cannot be reversed. If Japan binds its strategy to the revival of militarism, it is tantamount to jumping into a leaky boat while hoping to climb ashore before the boat sinks. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) WASHINGTON - Chelsea Handler looks happy and hydrated. "That's my new thing: water drinking," the comedian explained from her Warner Theatre dressing room about an hour before the Washington, D.C., stop on her Vaccinated and Horny tour. But H2O is hardly the most exciting development in the 47-year-old's life. There's also her Instagram official "lover," fellow comedian Jo Koy, the man filling up said water bottle and offering more to a reporter. "You're going to leave here as happy as I am," the headliner predicted. OK, this is definitely a new Chelsea Handler, known for decades as a stand-up, talk-show host and author who approached every jabbing punchline with a "too cool for school" air of annoyance. "I was always slightly angry." That, she said, was before therapy, water and Koy - in that order. "There's more buoyancy and more ebullience," Handler said about the way she walks onto the stage and into her life these days. Therapy is the subject of Handler's 2019 book, "Life Will Be the Death of Me," which tackled the antidote to the intense rage she felt during the Trump presidency - "the gift of self-awareness." That personal work allowed her to be "open-minded enough" to see Koy, a friend for years who regularly appeared on her E! late-night show "Chelsea Lately" as boyfriend material. Her dealbreakers were legend. There's the guy who showed up to a date with an obnoxiously large Hermes belt. "He got up to go to the bathroom and I left the restaurant." Or basically any man wearing flip-flops anywhere other than the beach. Nope. "I just had all these kind of judgments about people in general. Going to therapy really helped me take that all apart," she said. And when the walls came down there was Koy on the other side, whom she described as "an upper." "He's just such a positive vibe, and that's what I want to be is a positive vibe," Handler said. Take the time that Koy, who is currently on his own multi-city comedy tour, took an Uber 2 1/2 hours from his gig in Missouri to kiss his girlfriend good night after her show, only to immediately turn back to make it to his gig. "I just thought, 'I would never do that for anyone,'" Handler said with a laugh. Well, she would now. Her next book (her seventh) will be all about the two comedians finding love. Mushy stuff. But if it seems like a sharp turn for Handler, whose first book "My Horizontal Life" was a recollection of one-night stands, it's not. "My whole shtick has always been oversharing, good or bad. It's always been true to what I've been experiencing." Her advice for any people out there who are single but don't want to be? Make use of your time alone. "You have to prepare yourself for the person that's coming. Just get yourself in the most healthy place. It takes a healthy to attract a healthy," she said. The road to getting healthier is what led the comedian, who quit her Netflix talk show "Chelsea" in 2017 so she could be more politically active, to re-evaluate how she engaged with the news. "While the situation we're in I find very harrowing, I try not to let that guide my day. I try not to be like I was when Trump won the election," she said. "I was spinning out, watching MSNBC and turning to CNN and then back to Fox. And, you know, you're just basically filling up your body with toxins." None of that is to say she can't tackle a hot topic or two in that particular Handler way - fast, loud and angry, especially when it comes to the way women who speak up for themselves are vilified. Most recently, comedian Mo'Nique spoke publicly about a headlining conflict between herself and comedian D.L. Hughley, who Mo'Nique said refused to appear if she closed the show. The two comics have been going back and forth on social media about the dispute. Handler is unequivocal in her support of Mo'Nique. "Of course, she should be talking about it. I don't know her personally, but I think it's bull---- that she gets treated in this way. And it is because she's Black and it is because she's a woman. You have to be loud about it," Handler said. In the case of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, Handler is equally indignant. "Why are we lauding Johnny Depp? Can you imagine a woman doing coke with Marilyn Manson? Any woman would be vilified for that behavior. And everybody loves Johnny Depp. Like, come on, there is a very uneven balance here," Handler said. "In terms of women's rights and women's equity and equality, we all have to be barking a little bit louder. And it would be nicer to have men doing that with us instead of us doing it alone." So yeah, she still gets mad. She can still spout off about redistricting and gerrymandering. But there has been a shift. "When I meet a Republican, I don't start screaming at them. I still am doing all the things I was doing. I'm just not screaming about it," she said. An acquaintance recently brought up the high price of gas in polite conversation and blamed it on President Joe Biden. Handler somewhat calmly explained that there was, in fact, a war going on and the global supply chain was a mess. "Five years ago, I would have like pinned that person down and duct-taped them until they understood what I understand," she said. So what makes her really angry now? "Guns," Handler replied instantly. And what, if anything, makes her hopeful? That answer took a beat, or two or three. "Children," she said. "The next generation. I think this is just kind of like a death cough of old White men." With that, Handler continued to get ready for Friday night's show, which she hoped would "bring light and laughter and let people forget about what happened in the last couple of years." That's the gift the comedian wanted to give her audience: jokes about her rescue dogs, her pre-Koy pandemic dating tales and how men in captain hats are a no-go. "I don't take [my time onstage] for granted," she said. "I take that really seriously now." Click here to read the full article. Harvey Weinstein is set to be charged with two counts of indecent assault in the U.K. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorized the charges today. They relate to an assault against a woman, now in her 50s, that took place in August 1996 in London. The CPS has authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge Harvey Weinstein with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in August 1996, said Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division. Charges have been authorized against Harvey Weinstein, 70, following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the news in a press release. Detectives have been authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service to charge Harvey Weinstein, aged 70, (19.03.1952), with two counts of indecent assault against one woman in August 1996, the release reads. The CPS charging decision follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation. The news is the latest in a long line of legal woes for Weinstein, whose empire came crashing down when he was publicly accused of sexual assault in 2017. Following a lengthy trial in New York the Oscar-winning producer was convicted in February 2020 and sentenced to 23-years imprisonment. Earlier this month a five-justice appeals court in New York upheld Weinsteins conviction for rape and sexual assault. In response to the judgment, a spokesperson for Weinstein said he would consider appealing to New York states highest court, the Court of Appeals, and beyond. Weinstein is also awaiting trial in Los Angeles pertaining to 11 additional sex crime charges alleged by five women spanning the period between 2004 and 2013. A hearing will take place on Friday, June 10 to determine a trial date, although the parties are anticipating it will be scheduled for September. However, the first witness, Weinsteins limo driver, gave evidence in February due to concerns for his health. Driver Alfred Freddy Baroths testimony was mostly focused on trip records and invoices pertaining to Weinstein that took place or were issued between 2010 and 2013. Weinstein is currently incarcerated in LAs Twin Towers Correctional Facility. It is unclear whether he will travel to the U.K. to defend the charges in court. Last month the U.K.s Crown Prosecution Service (similar to a District Attorney) authorized charges against Kevin Spacey regarding four counts of sexual assault that took place in the U.K. between 2005 and 2013. Spacey said he would voluntarily appear in the U.K. courts in an attempt to prove his innocence. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. For the climate advocacy powerhouse the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an indispensable asset. She has a megaphone, the groups CEO and president Manish Bapna told Variety on Tuesday at the NRDC Night of Comedy at NeueHouse in Hollywood. She can reach audiences that we cant otherwise reach The window is closing. Weve got to move now. Theres an urgency to this. Its about protecting the air we breathe. Its about a better life. And she can tell that story. Louis-Dreyfus was honored at the event for her commitment to the NRDC and preventing climate disaster. The night featured performances from comedians Pete Holmes, Nicole Byer, Tig Notaro, Leslie Jones and Nick Kroll. Chelsea Handler also sent in a short comedy set via video. The event raised $1.8 million for the NRDC. I believe in the work [the NRDC] does because we have them to thank for really all of the environmental legislation and laws that are on the books right now, Louis-Dreyfus explained. Im a believer in their advocacy work and their fight. And, if my being here helps shine a spotlight on them, then Im all for it. Louis-Dreyfus, an outspoken political advocate and ardent climate change warrior, sees the NRDC as the last line of defense for the worlds climate. In her acceptance speech, she talked intensely about the planets current path towards climate disaster. While the NRDC is doing substantial work in politics, science and law to fight the climate crisis, Louis-Dreyfus emphasized that anyone can help the environment. You can become involved with local environmental organizations in your own backyard, Louis-Dreyfus said. You can write to your elected officials. You can take to the streets when things arent what they need be, fight and protest. Taking action. Dont just sit on your ass. Do something! With some of Hollywoods most powerful executives including president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav and former Disney bigwig Alan Horn in attendance, the stakes were high for the six comedians who performed. Jones didnt hold back. Looking out at the crowd, the former Saturday Night Live player cracked, This has got to be the whitest shit Ive ever seen. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Global arthouse movie streamer, producer and distributor MUBI has acquired all Turkish rights to Iranian director Saeed Roustaees timely Cannes title Leilas Brothers. A female empowerment drama set against the backdrop of a family crushed by debts linked to international economic sanctions, Leilas Brothers won the International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) prize for best film in Cannes main competition. The film, which is Roustaees third feature, follows from his tense actioner Just 6.5, about a cop trying to pin down a drug lord. This hit film, which exposed Irans heroin addiction plague, made an international splash and this year was nominated for Frances Cesar Award for best foreign film. Leilas Brothers sees the 40-year-old Leila, played by Taraneh Alidoosti (The Salesman), as the titular character who has spent her whole life taking care of her parents and her four brothers. She has a plan to save the debt-crushed family from poverty, but obstacles tied to tradition get in the way. Theres no question that The Salesman alum Taraneh Alidoosti, who plays Leila, towers over this male-dominated ensemble, wrote Variety critic Peter Debruge in his review, in which he also noted that Roustaee represents a new generation of Iranian auteurs. Leilas Brothers looks set to resonate with audiences in Turkey where MUBIs upcoming and past releases comprise Park Chan-wooks Cannes prize-winner Decision To Leave; Celine Sciammas BAFTA-nominated Petite Maman; and Julia Ducournaus 2021 Palme dOr winner Titane. MUBI, which has a unique business model that sometimes involves theatrical distribution prior to platform play, did not specify if it has theatrical plans for Leilas Brothers in Turkey. The MUBI platform offers a curated lineup of arthouse films from around the world. A new title is added each day as another is removed. Earlier this year, MUBI bought prominent European sales company The Match Factory and its production arm Match Factory Productions. Since then MUBI has also been on a buying spree, taking select territories for another standout Iranian title in Cannes, Danish-Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasis Holy Spider; Belgian director Lukas Dhonts Cannes competition title Close; and Un Certain Regard film Return to Seoul. The company swoooped for Decision to Leave before the festival kicked off. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Rick Caruso and Karen Bass are headed to a November runoff in the race for Los Angeles mayor, as the Associated Press projected that neither candidate will claim a majority in Tuesdays primary. Caruso took a three-point lead over Bass in the early results, with about 41% of the vote to Bass 38%. In a speech at The Grove, his shopping center in the Fairfax District, Caruso said that voters had sent a message about the importance of dealing with homelessness and crime. We are not helpless in the face of our problems, he said. We will not allow the city to decline. We will no longer accept excuses. Addressing her supporters, Bass said her goal is to make clear that she is the only true Democrat in the race. She also it will be essential to deconstruct that fake image that Caruso had created during the campaign. Caruso, a longtime Republican, switched his party affiliation to Democrat shortly before entering the race earlier this year. Kevin De Leon, a city councilman, trailed far behind the top two with 7%, followed by Gina Viola at 5%. Turnout appeared to be very low, though ballots are still coming in. Final results may not be known for several days. Caruso, a billionaire real estate developer and former city commissioner, has dominated the airwaves after pouring $37.5 million of his own money into his campaign. Bass, a six-term congresswoman from Baldwin Hills, won support from much of liberal Hollywood, as well as the endorsements from Democratic office holders and progressive groups. A few candidates dropped out in the final weeks of the campaign. Mike Feuer, the city attorney, ended his campaign and endorsed Bass, while Councilman Joe Buscaino threw his support to Caruso. Caruso has pitched himself as an outsider who will shake up City Hall, adding police officers and building 30,000 beds to shelter the homeless. Bass has meanwhile emphasized her skills as a legislator in Washington and Sacramento and has pledged to house 15,000 homeless people within the first year of taking office. Bass campaign has also sought to portray Caruso as a Republican whose values are out of step with most Los Angeles voters. In recent days, the campaign released an ad comparing Caruso to President Trump, calling him a tax-dodging, tax return-hiding, divisive real estate developer. The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD officers, has paid for ads attacking Bass for missing votes in Congress and for accepting free tuition for a social work program at USC. In another race that has attracted attention, Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva appeared to be headed to a runoff against Robert Luna, the former Long Beach police chief. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. CBS Studios Meghan Lyvers is heading to Sky Studios in a new role as director of original drama for the U.K. and Ireland. She joins in late summer, moving from Amsterdam to London to take up the role. At Sky Studios, Skys original programming arm, Lyvers will oversee Sky Original dramas, a brand which already includes Gangs of London, M: Son of the Century and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Her team will include director of drama commissioning Gabriel Silver and creative director Preethi Mavahalli as well as working closely with the original content teams at Skys U.K., German and Italian outposts. Lyvers, who will report to Sky Studios CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz, will have strategic oversight over all drama projects commissioned and produced for Sky UKs customers with a view to creating shows with global impact and appeal. At CBS Studios Lyvers was the SVP and head of international co-productions and development where she oversaw content including Your Honour for Showtime and Unbelievable for Netflix. As well as honing her relationships with filmmakers globally she was also responsible for CBS Studios international business strategy, with projects such as German drama Oderbruch for ARD and Munich Games for Sky Studios. Lyvers previously established the television division at Management 360. She started her career at Tribeca Productions, where she worked on projects including About a Boy and the Meet The Parents franchise. Sky is a company I have long admired, both as a viewer of their original content but also as a long-term creative partner, said Lyvers. Their renewed ambition to create even more prestige, world-class and unmissable programming through Sky Studios, working in partnership with the best storytellers in the U.K., Europe and beyond, is an opportunity I could not pass up. Frot-Coutaz added: Meghan is a passionate creative executive with a strong track record in developing premium and distinctive drama alongside a depth of experience and relationships across the U.S. and Europe. As we focus on delivering a broader slate of signature content to our 23 million customers, we are excited to welcome Meghan to help us achieve our ambition. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Following the aftermath of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde where 21 died, Laredo Police Department Chief Claudio Trevino gave a detailed presentation regarding the training and procedures for local officers. The tragic topic and item were clearly still on the minds of councilmembers as they hoped to learn and address any potential issues that may lead to a similar occurrence in Laredo. "We, definitely, as a community dont want to see our children slaughtered," District V Councilmember Ruben Gutierrez said. A former police officer himself, Gutierrez ask a question regarding the chain of command in emergency situations, such as a school shooting. This was in response to the wait time the Uvalde police officers took before taking action against the shooter, as it reportedly took over an hour for them to enter to stop the shooter. The Uvalde schools police chief and incident commander Pete Arredondo -- a former employee of both the UISD Police Department and the Webb County Sheriff's Office. Both Arredondo and the police department have received criticism for their inaction during the situation. "They are receiving gunshots. At that point, if they proceed 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," Uvaldes public safety department spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez said previously to CNN. Gutierrez said he did not want to see this happening in the city but indicated that in his law enforcement experience, superior officers can mishandle situations and delay action, including in hostage situations. Officers lives may be on the line, but that is what they signed up for, he said, and it is their job and duty. Gutierrez pleaded to Trevino to reiterate to his officers that they have the right to act in order to stop an armed assailant, and they have their chiefs backing. "These children should not have had to pay the price for it, these officers waiting for 47 minutes, and we certainly dont want to see that in our city," Gutierrez said. "Please chief, reiterate that to your officers, your guys, your men. "Get in there, get the situation done, and like I said to you in my words, kill the person that is injuring our children." City leaders showed concern regarding inaction and coordination with other law enforcement agencies. Trevino said that their preparedness initiatives sees officers responding readily and rushing into hot zones without waiting for anyone. "Officers responding to these scenes, we don't need to tie their hands, we don't need to give them any type of 'wait for backup,' 'wait for a sergeant' or 'call it in on the radio and someone will guide you,' there is no time to waste," Trevino said. "The guidelines and the policy dictates or specifies that several times ... that the officers make the ultimate decision." According to Trevino, the LPD has approximately 87 officers on patrol. He indicated that he believes in a situation like the one faced in Uvalde, a response time of approximately 3-5 minutes can be expected. However, for schools that have their own police department, both would work in tandem to respond to the emergency. Furthermore, responding officers would be prepared with long rifles and rifle-resident body armor. Trevino highlighted the Advanced Response Patrol Officer that have specialized training, would have ballistic shields, helmets and would be distributed in all shifts. Both LPD, the district police department and the district would coordinate before and during the situation, as Trevino indicated that LPD has walked through campuses to familiarize with the floor plans. This includes private and charter schools. Trevino stated that schools can reach out to the department for guidance and to cooperate on seeing the layout and understanding the campuses. They also will help security and teachers with training on what they can do during an emergency situation. Aside from those initiatives, active shooter training and drills are still being practiced. The presentation also discussed the police departments due diligence and stated that all threats reported are taken seriously. Last week, UISD saw multiple terroristic threats throughout campuses that led to investigations and two arrests. According to the district, one was made at George Washington Middle School and another at United South Middle school -- both leading to an arrest. Beyond that, a United High School student was also investigated for creating a "death note" that listed 13 students and two adults, which turned out to be inspired by a popular anime series and was deemed to not be a credible threat to those on the list. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A man was arrested for his involvement in an attempted drive-by shooting reported in the Chacon neighborhood, according to Laredo police. Noe Lugo-Rivera, 39, was recently arrested via a warrant charging him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A Cigarroa High School student has been arrested for assaulting a Laredo ISD police officer while the cop and security guards attempted to break up a fight, authorities said. The Laredo ISD police officer responded to a fight reported at about 2:40 p.m. Feb. 17 in the J500 Hallway of Cigarroa High School. Students were gathered in a circle shouting profanities at each other while security guards tried to stop the verbal argument from escalating. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy/Laredo Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A man has been arrested for breaking into a home to steal a window air conditioning unit and a weed eater, according to Laredo police. Luis Manuel Gonzalez, 25, was served with an arrest warrant on Monday charging him with burglary of habitation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Courtesy/Laredo Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy/Laredo Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Two men who were wanted in relation to a maquinitas robbery have been arrested, according to Laredo police. Authorities identified the suspects as Reymundo Rodriguez, 43, and Ruben David Lecea, 34. They were charged with aggravated robbery via an arrest warrant in Victoria, Texas. A woman was arrested for ramming her vehicle into a Texas Department of Public safety marked unit during an alleged human smuggling attempt, authorities said. Victoria Alyssa Canales, 23, was charged with aggravated assault against a public servant. At about 1:38 p.m. May 28, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper patrolling U.S. 83 observed a blue 2022 Toyota Corolla followed by a burnt orange Ford King Ranch driven by a female. DPS said the Corolla looked low to the ground. The trooper followed the vehicles as they continued traveling north and observed multiple people hunched down in the back seat. The trooper then turned on his units emergency lights to get the Ford to back off. Instead, the woman driving the Ford attempted to ram the DPS unit but did not. DPS said the Corolla sped off. The trooper tried to catch up to the Corolla. As the trooper passed the Ford, the driver of the Ford rammed into the back right side of the DPS unit. DPS said the driver of the Ford could not control the Ford and struck the right side cement barrier at the overpass in the City of Rio Bravo. The pickup then went over the center median and onto the northbound lane, where it hit the cement barrier on the left side. The trooper went to check on the woman while the Corolla got away. DPS identified the woman as Canales. She was taken to the Laredo Medical Center. Once medically cleared, she was taken into custody. A woman has been arrested for her involvement in a fatal shooting reported in May, according to Laredo police. Authorities identified the suspect as Ashley Renea Guzman, 27. She was arrested on Tuesday and charged with murder. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PORT ORCHARD, Wash. (AP) Three men accused of killing a Washington state family five years ago pleaded not guilty Tuesday, as detectives asserted the killings were about drugs and money and warned that further arrests could come for people who were dishonest with us. The four members of the blended Careaga family were found executed in January 2017 Christale Careaga, 37, and two 16-year-old boys, Johnathon Higgins and Hunter Schaap, inside their burned-out home on the Kitsap Peninsula west of Seattle; and Christale's husband, John Careaga, 43, in his torched pickup truck at a tree farm two days later. Kitsap County sheriff's detectives on Monday arrested Danie J. Kelly Jr., 43; Robert J. Watson III, 50; and Watson's brother Johnny J. Watson, 49. The trio pleaded not guilty to felony counts that include aggravated murder, arson and burglary on Tuesday. Superior Court Judge Kevin Hull ordered them held without bail. Weve wanted answers for the past five years, Carly Schaap, Hunters mother, said Tuesday, according to the Kitsap Sun newspaper. These are awful individuals who committed heinous crimes against four people and shook our community. The Careagas owned Juanitos Taqueria, a successful Mexican restaurant in Bremerton. In court documents reported by the newspaper, detectives described John Careaga as a family man who stood up for himself but who also had a sideline bringing a kilo of cocaine from California every couple months to sell locally. A close friend of Careaga began selling the cocaine to suspect Robert Watson, whom detectives identified as a leader in a local chapter of the Bandidos motorcycle club, authorities said. Careaga's friend eventually stopped selling, and the next time Careaga went to California to get the drugs, Watson took a trip there on Johns heels, and dialogue between the two intensified until the day of the homicides, according to investigators. John Careaga's attorney told authorities that Careaga had hidden hundreds of thousands of dollars underneath his home, but that money was never found, investigators said. According to the court records, Robert Watson, an employee of Kitsap County Public Works, stopped going to work and was ultimately fired in September 2017. Detectives said about $303,000 was deposited into his accounts that year, and that there were numerous cash deposits that the source could not be identified. One of the defendants, Kelly, was associated with the Bandidos as a hang-around Robert Watson was sponsoring his membership in the organization, detectives said. He also was once a good friend of Careaga, even serving as the best man at Careagas first wedding, before a falling out. The motive for the crime is complicated its involving drugs, money, theres definitely some personality conflicts, Kitsap County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Lissa Gundrum said at a news conference Tuesday. Gundrum said she had long known of Kelly's involvement in the case, but that extensive investigation involving cellphone location data, interviews and other evidence was required to help determine who else might have been culpable. Kelly bought a prepaid mobile phone that was used to communicate almost exclusively with John Careaga for the 10 days leading up to the killings, court documents said. Further, detectives wrote, a neighbor of the Careagas who heard the gunshots at the house reported seeing John Careaga's truck speeding away, with Kelly at the wheel and another car following close behind. Danie and John hated each other such that Danie would have no business being at Johns house or driving his truck, detectives wrote in a probable cause statement. Unanswered questions remain about the case including where John Careaga and his truck were held before being found at the tree farm, Gundrum said: We know that there is another crime scene somewhere. We know that there is more people that are either involved or have information. She also warned that more arrests could come. Those people who were dishonest with us or maybe held back, were requesting they step forward now and provide the information we need," Gundrum said. I understand why maybe they had some misgivings initially, but now is really the time. The president of the local Bandidos chapter cooperated in the investigation, she said. She heard from club members that they won't stand for a member who kills women and children. I don't necessarily think this is club-related, she said. I think these just happen to be members of the Bandidos club. Aggravated murder carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of release. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Wednesday limited when people can sue federal officials for a violation of their rights, siding with the government in a case involving the owner of a notorious inn on the U.S.-Canada border. The justices said that the owner of the Smuggler's Inn, Robert Boule, can't sue a Border Patrol agent over a confrontation at his inn where he said the agent shoved him and then retaliated against him when he complained that the man had used excessive force. It's the latest in a line of cases narrowing the public's ability to sue federal officials for rights violations. Congress is better positioned to create remedies in the border-security context, and the Government already has provided alternative remedies that protect plaintiffs like Boule," Justice Clarence Thomas wrote. Thomas wrote that the court's cases have made clear that, in all but the most unusual circumstances," creating the ability to sue is a job for Congress. The high court said in 1971 that people could sue federal officials for violating their constitutional rights. But over the last 40 years the court has consistently declined to expand the kinds of cases, called Bivens actions after the 1971 case, in which a person could sue. Most recently, in a case in 2020, the justices told parents of a teenager killed in Mexico by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who fired across the border that they couldn't sue. Thomas said the original 1971 case would likely come out differently today but that the current case didn't require the court to reconsider it. All nine of the courts justices agreed that Boule shouldnt be able to pursue his retaliation claims, but the court's three liberal justices said he should have been able to pursue his excessive force claims, saying the facts of the case were very similar to the case the court decided in 1971. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court's liberal justices that the majority's decision contravenes precedent and will strip many more individuals who suffer injuries at the hands of other federal officers ... of an important remedy. Referring to the court's conservative majority, strengthened to six under the Trump administration, Sotomayor said that "a restless and newly constituted Court sees fit to refashion the standard anew to foreclose remedies in yet more cases." In a tweet, Athul Acharya, the executive director of the group Public Accountability, said the short version of the case is: Federal agents can violate nearly any constitutional right with impunity and you have no recourse. Greg Boos, a lawyer for Boule, called the decision a hatchet job that he said was full of factual misrepresentations and distortions that are incredibly disappointing. This leaves us without any protection from the Border Patrol as far as our constitutional rights go, Boos said. The setting of the case before the justices was unique. Officials have said the Smuggler's Inn in Blaine, Washington, is a magnet for illegal border crossings and a place where drugs have been seized. Boule's property actually extends into Canada and a line of rocks on the property marks the international boundary. There is no fence. Thomas inserted a picture of the boundary stones in the opinion to show how easily a person can cross the U.S.-Canada border at the property. Rooms at the inn are named after famous smugglers and other notorious individuals, and a black SUV used by the inn to transport customers to the property has the personalized license plate SMUGLER. Boule makes money by picking up guests who sometimes travel long distances and charging them for lodging, even if they never intended to stay," Thomas said. He described the property's amenities by inserting a photo of bunk beds in one room. Boule's lawyer said that room is used to house soccer players who stay at the property when traveling for tournaments and emailed reviews praising the inn. Boule has also served as a confidential informant for the U.S. government, and parts of documents filed in the high court case were redacted. Boule's lawyers have said he has a longstanding cooperative relationship with the U.S. government" and has alerted officials to people of interest. In March 2014, Boule told Border Patrol agent Erik Egbert that a guest arriving at the inn was from Turkey. Egbert has said he was suspicious that the guest would travel over 7,500 miles to stay at a rundown bed-and-breakfast, and when the guest arrived, he went to the property to investigate. Boule asked him to leave, but Egbert allegedly threw him to the ground, injuring him. After determining the guest was legally in the country, Egbert left. The guest ultimately crossed into Canada illegally the same night. Boule notified Egberts supervisors and filed an administrative claim about the rough treatment, and Boule says Egbert retaliated by making reports about him and his business to various state and federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service. But no agency found Boule did anything wrong. Thomas wrote that after a year-long investigation, the Border Patrol took no action against Egbert. A document filed in the case shows the investigation concluded Egbert's removal from his position was warranted because he wasn't forthcoming with investigators. But Egbert continues to work for the Border Patrol, Boules lawyer said. Boule sued, saying Egbert had violated his Fourth Amendment rights by using excessive force and his First Amendment rights by retaliating against him. A federal trial court ruled for Egbert, but an appeals court reversed the decision and Egbert appealed to the Supreme Court. The Associated Press was one of nearly three dozen media organizations that joined a brief urging the justices to side with Boule, arguing that the ability of journalists to sue federal officials for damages over First Amendment violations is important to press freedom. The case is Egpert v. Boule, 21-147. LaylaBird/Getty Images The summer months are right around the corner and that means wedding season is in full swing. For people looking for a twist on the traditional wedding, a new Miller High Life promotion allows those so inclined to tie the knot with an Officiant of High Life. "Dearly beerloved: you are here because you love High Life and plan to officiate a wedding in your future," reads a portion of the "Hitched by High Life" online ordination submission form. WASHINGTON (AP) Nearly a year since its inception, the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is going public as lawmakers hope to show the American public how democracy came to the brink of disaster. The next round of hearings wont take place in prime time like the debut on Thursday, but lawmakers will go into greater detail about specific aspects of the insurrection. What you need to know ahead of the hearing: WHEN WILL THE NEXT HEARING TAKE PLACE? The second hearing is set to begin at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday It will take place in a large House office building in the U.S. Capitol complex. WHO IS EXPECTED TO TESTIFY? The committee announced that former President Donald Trumps campaign manager, Bill Stepien, is among the witnesses scheduled to testify at a hearing Monday that focuses on Trumps effort to spread his lies about a stolen election. Stepien was subpoenaed for his public testimony. Mondays witness list also includes BJay Pak, the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta who left his position on Jan. 4, 2021, a day after an audio recording was made public in which Trump called him a never-Trumper; Chris Stirewalt, the former political editor for Fox News; noted Washington elections attorney Benjamin Ginsberg; and Al Schmidt, a former city commissioner in Philadelphia. WHAT EVIDENCE IS EXPECTED ON MONDAY? Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the Republican vice chair of the committee, said lawmakers will present evidence Monday ashowing that Trump engaged in a massive effort to spread false and fraudulent information that the election had been stolen even though advisers and allies told him repeatedly he had lost. The panel's probe has so far been divided into a series of focus areas, including the efforts by former President Trump and his allies to cast doubt on the election and halt the certification of President Joe Bidens victory; the financing and organizing of rallies in Washington that took place before the attack; security failures by Capitol Police and federal agencies; and the actions of the rioters themselves. HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCHED THE FIRST HEARING? The prime-time hearing was watched by an estimated 20 million people on the TV networks, almost double the number who tuned in to the opening of Trumps two impeachment trials. - For more coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection hearings, go to https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege __ Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) Police are investigating a fire at an anti-abortion center in a Buffalo suburb early Tuesday as a likely arson one the centers operators suspect is the work of womens rights extremists. The fire was reported at about 3 a.m. and left the building temporarily unusable, CompassCare Chief Executive Jim Harden said. Essentially, they firebombed the operation, Harden said. They broke the two main windows in the reception area and the nurses office and lit the fires. The Amherst police news release announcing the investigation did not include a suspected motive. The FBI declined to comment on whether it was involved in the arson investigation. On its website, the center said it and others like it have faced online and in-person threats in recent weeks following the leak of a draft opinion that suggests the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. Last month, the office of a prominent Wisconson anti-abortion lobby group was damaged by fire after two Molotov cocktails were thrown at it. Police said an anti-abortion organization in Salem, Oregon, also recently was damaged by two Molotov cocktails during an unsuccessful break-in attempt. Harden said CompassCare provides free health care to women and encourages them to seek alternatives to abortion. The Buffalo office serves about 20 patients each week, he said. Services will resume Wednesday at an undisclosed location, he said. The Rochester-based organization has increased security at its Rochester and Albany locations and plans to install armored glass in the Buffalo office. At a news conference, Harden said the vandals who set the fire wrote Jane was here on the building. This is the face of abortion, he said. Theyre revealing it to us. The fire took place in the same Buffalo suburb where Dr. Barnett Slepian was murdered by an anti-abortion extremist in 1998. That killing followed a period in which Buffalo was ground zero in the nation's anti-abortion movement, with protesters converging on the city from around the U.S. in an attempt to close clinics down. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced last month the state would give abortion providers $35 million to expand services and boost security in anticipation of the Supreme Court decision. Besides Slepian, at least 10 other people have been slain across the U.S. by anti-abortion zealots since 1993 in attacks on clinics and health care providers. Harden said the fire shows that groups opposed to abortion deserve security help, too. We havent gotten a single dime for security, Harden said. In an emailed statement, Hochul's office said the governor "condemns violence of any kind, and the State Police stand ready to assist local authorities with the investigation. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by U.N. inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. The move appeared to be a new pressure technique just before the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors, meeting in Vienna, approved a resolution to criticize Iran put forward by Western nations. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Iran's failure to provide credible information over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country. But Iran's latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehran's nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned Iran now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so. The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor ... and flowmeter. That apparently refers to the IAEAs online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Iran's underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for around-the-clock monitoring of the facility's cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEAs laboratories in Austria, the agency said at the time. Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there. The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, state TV said in its report Wednesday. Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation ... not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran. Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA safeguard cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEAs inspections and monitoring of a countrys nuclear program. The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Iran's move come after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide credible information about unexplained nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. An IAEA report released late Wednesday identified the Iranian sites as Marivan, near the city of Abadeh, and Turquzabad and Varamin just outside of Tehran. The report said Iran alleged the traces came from sabotage by a third country, something the IAEA said Tehran offered no evidence to support. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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 should it decide to do so. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. 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 Tehrans advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said. The censure resolution at the IAEA meeting in Vienna, sponsored by Germany, France, the U.K. and U.S., passed with the support of 30 of 35 governors. Russia and China voted against, Russian ambassador Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on Twitter. India, Libya and Pakistan abstained. After the vote, a joint statement from France, Germany, and the U.K. and the U.S. said the censure sends an unambiguous message to Iran that it must meet its safeguards obligations and provide technically credible clarifications on outstanding safeguards issues. Iran's Foreign Ministry meanwhile criticized the censure as a political, incorrect and unconstructive action. An Iranian official earlier warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking other measures as well. We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Irans cooperation with cooperation, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate. Wednesday night, a drone exploded in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil in its Kurdish region, slightly wounding three people and damaging cars and a nearby restaurant, officials said. While no one immediately claimed the attack, Iran has targeted Irbil in the past amid the regional tensions. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) State officials across the nation have taken on Big Tech companies in the courts and state legislatures, and federal regulators have nipped at Twitter over alleged violations of users data privacy. Now, one state attorney general with an outsize personality and edge-skating stance nearly in the league of Elon Musk is striding into the maelstrom of Musks $44 billion now-tenuous bid for Twitter. He is launching an investigation of Twitter for potential false reporting of bots on its platform to bolster complaints Musk himself made this week in threatening to walk away from the deal. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his investigation of Twitter on Monday just hours after Musk, the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO, accused Twitter of refusing to disclose the extent of its spam bot and fake accounts. The unexpected turn in the months-long drama of Musk and Twitter sent that company's shares down 1.5%, likely angering shareholders who had filed suit against Musk last month, accusing him of deflating the stock price. Twitter's shares have tumbled more than 20% in the last month. They closed at $40.13 Tuesday, up 57 cents. Paxton's unusual move struck observers as singular and possibly inappropriate, though he likely has the legal authority to pursue it. In launching his investigation, Paxton suggested that Twitter might have violated Texas' Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The state attorney general's move against Twitter is far different from the growing legal actions taken by groups of states that have joined to target alleged anticompetitive practices by Google and Meta, for example, or to investigate TikTok and its possible harmful effects on young users mental health. Individual state attorneys general don't normally investigate a major publicly traded company over its regulatory filings. In Twitter's case, the data it submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission involve complex federal law. The SEC has the resources and the expertise and the legal remedies for this, and I doubt that Texas has any of these, Marc Fagel, a securities law expert who was the regional director of the SECs San Francisco office, said in an interview. Its a headline-based investigation as far as I can tell. Johnny Koremenos, a spokesman for the Republican Attorneys General Association, told The Associated Press that hes unaware of any other state attorney general who might be planning to launch a similar investigation into Twitter. James Tierney, a former Maine attorney general who teaches at Harvard, was critical of Paxtons probe, which he sees as aiding Musk, whose electric car maker Tesla recently opened a plant in Texas capital of Austin. Consumer laws exist to protect consumers from real harm, Tierney said. They do not exist to allow a government official to meddle in ongoing corporate transactions on behalf of a constituent. Paxton notes that Twitter had said in its filings with the SEC that fewer than 5% of all users are bots, when, Paxton asserts, they may in fact comprise as much as 20% or more" of the 229 million total accounts. Musk contended in a May tweet, without providing evidence, that 20% or more are bogus. Paxton demanded that Twitter turn over documents by June 27 to show how it calculates and manages its user data. The difference could dramatically affect the cost to Texas consumers and businesses who transact with Twitter, such as advertisers, Paxton contended in his announcement. He asserted that the disparity may inflate the value of Twitter, now estimated at $30.5 billion, and raise the costs of doing business with it. Twitter spokespeople declined comment Tuesday on Paxton's announcement. The company said in a statement Monday that it has been cooperatively sharing information with Musk in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement. The Texas attorney general, who has long carved out a distinctive public persona, isn't likely to mind any criticism. A Republican currently running for a third term as the state's top lawyer, Paxton has yet to have his day in court after being indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015, and his career has upended what it means to be a compromised officeholder in Texas. His critics say Paxton has become an example of how powerful public figures can drag out even normally career-threatening criminal charges and defy predictions of their political demise. Conservative Republicans, who accuse social media like Twitter of anti-conservative bias and censoring views of those opposed to abortion and others, have embraced Musk's bid for Twitter because of his advocacy of free speech in place of the platform's content moderation. Paxton's fellow Texan U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has called Musk's move the biggest development for free speech in decades." Associated Press writers Geoff Mulvihill in New Jersey and Acacia Coronado in Texas contributed to this report. __ Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap WASHINGTON (AP) A former Maryland man held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center has languished in custody months after his scheduled release despite cooperating with authorities as part of a plea deal, according to a federal suit that seeks his immediate release. Majid Khan was due to be released March 1 after serving a 10-year-sentence and assisting authorities pursuing war crimes cases against others held at the U.S. base in Cuba, including the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. His lawyers say in a habeas corpus petition filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington that the government has taken no apparent steps toward his release. They say that will make other prisoners less likely to strike similar deals that would help the Biden administration reduce the number of men held there and move closer to eventually shuttering the facility. The failure to transfer Majid Khan is undermining those efforts to negotiate plea agreements in the remaining cases, attorney Wells Dixon said. Khan is one of the most significant figures among the 37 men still held at the U.S. base in Cuba. His testimony about the torture he endured during more than three years in clandestine CIA detention facilities was the first public accounting of the treatment by a prisoner. It prompted seven of eight military officers serving as jurors at his sentencing to endorse a letter seeking clemency for him. The clemency letter is also believed to have contributed to ongoing efforts to negotiate a plea deal in the long-stalled prosecution of five Guantanamo prisoners charged with aiding and planning the Sept. 11 attacks, including alleged mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad. Khan, 42, is a citizen of Pakistan who spent much of his life in the U.S. His family was granted asylum in the country in 1996 and he graduated from high school in suburban Baltimore. He admitted to becoming a courier for al-Qaida and pleaded guilty in 2012 to conspiracy, murder and providing material support to terrorism in a deal that granted him credit for time served since his capture. A senior Pentagon legal official known as the convening authority for military commissions, certified his sentence as completed in March. Khan cannot return to Pakistan because he would be in danger as a cooperating witness against al-Qaida. It would be up to the State Department to negotiate an agreement with another country to accept him along with his wife and a daughter born after his capture. You have what appears to be a bureaucratic paralysis where nobody seems to be saying that Majid Khan needs to be detained but nobody is taking steps to transfer him, Dixon said. The State Department and Pentagon referred questions about Khan to the National Security Council, which had no immediate comment. The White House has said the administration is committed to closing the detention center, a pledge made by President Barack Obama soon after he took office. That effort was thwarted by Congress, which imposed restrictions on transfers and releases. Since President Joe Biden took office, the U.S. has released three prisoners. About 20 others have been designated as eligible for release. President Donald Trump, who opposed closing the detention center, released a single prisoner a Saudi who, like Khan, reached a plea bargain and became a cooperating witness. At the time, lawyers monitored the situation closely to see what would happen, and whether the U.S. would honor the agreement. That is also happening now, according to James Connell, who represents Ammar al-Baluchi, one of the defendants in the 9/11 case. We are watching the administration's handling of the Khan case carefully, Connell said. VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) The City Council in Vancouver, Washington, has passed a measure that would make it illegal to picket outside the homes of city employees and elected officials. Opponents of the move called it an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights. Protests targeting public officials at their homes have become increasingly popular as a tactic in recent years. City leaders in nearby Portland, Oregon, have seen protests at their homes or while out at restaurants, and recently Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh had picketers outside his home following a leaked draft of the courts pending decision on abortion. The Vancouver City Council on Monday prohibited what it calls targeted picketing or protesting, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. The decision follows several recent protests mainly against measures to quell COVID-19 outside homes and schools in Clark County. Its incumbent upon us to protect our staff members and to protect the public that we serve from this kind of speech, Councilor Erik Paulsen said. The most prominent case occurred July 2020 after Vancouver charged a pet groomer with violating Washington states stay-at-home orders during the pandemics first wave. Opponents of the orders, led by far-right group Patriot Prayer, responded by parading outside the homes of two city attorneys. The prohibition only applies in residential areas. Councilor Kim Harless, who said her past as an activist and protestor made her initially concerned about the city ban, described the recent protests as closer to bullying than exercising free speech. It does not violate the First Amendment, Harless said. However opponents said the prohibition trampled on free speech. "Its really terrible because they do have the right to protest as a constitutional right," Vancouver resident Wynn Grcich, said at the city council meeting, noting that he predicts the move will ripple outside of the city. After a year-long property battle involving multiple city departments, citations and hundreds of emails, Tiffany Thomas felt a trailer-sized weight lift from her shoulders Monday morning. The District F council member's relief was in response to a photo sent to her by a constituent showing a truck hauling away a trailer she and other Alief Super Neighborhood Council leaders have spent the last 12 months working to have removed from its wobbly perch at the corner of Alief Clodine Road and West Houston Center Boulevard. "I feel like the end of 'The Wiz' when they kill the bad queen," Thomas said. "It's a new day." The trailer, owned by Houston resident Dr. Ramesh Kapur, had sat at the busy intersection since May 2021, garnering citations and the ire of local residents for its state of disrepair in a prominent location. On Tuesday, Thomas shared the image with her Twitter followers showing the trailer's removal. Thomas said Kapur reached out and offered to move the structure following an April news story about the ongoing property battle. Kapur, however, denied this when reached for comment on Tuesday, claiming the trailer has been "stolen" or removed by locals working against him. "They stole it. Its most likely stolen," Kapur said. "Somebody played a game...I personally think someone in the neighborhood did something." Chron Kapur said he was in the process of hiring help and gathering materials to renovate the trailer when it disappeared Monday. Local officials disagree with his assessment. "Hes insane," said Alief Super Neighborhood Council Treasurer Doug Smith. "Thats all there is to it. Nobody would want to steal that piece of junk." Chron As of this writing, it remains unclear who moved the trailer and a call to the city of Houston Department of Neighborhoods, which has been in contact with Kapur regarding the property, was not returned Tuesday afternoon. In the meantime, Alief residents and leaders are celebrating the trailer's removal as a hard-won victory of the people. Chron "We escalated through different government entities, but it really came down to public pressure," Thomas said. "If it wasnt for the people, it wouldve sat there." Thomas said shame and the unified demands of the Alief community ultimately weighed heavier on Kupar than city fines. "You can pull citations off a door, but when your name is in the newspaper, thats a whole different thing. A small little neighborhood out in the west said 'no' to being ignored." A right-wing grassroots political organization is expanding its reach in Harris County, starting with a Jeopardy night in a Northwest Houston suburb this week. True Texas Project is hosting a Jeopardy night and potluck dinner on Thursday, June 9 at the VFW Post in Cypress, Texas, about 25 miles northwest of downtown Houston. The event is one of only a few that TTP, which in 2021 was labeled an anti-government group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has held in the Houston area, according to its event schedule; most of the groups activity has focused on North and Central Texas so far, and similar trivia events will be held in Irving and Lubbock that same night. True Texas Project did not initially respond to request for comment, and later clarified the group would have no speakers at the event. VFW Post 8905 Commander Joshua Wilcox stated the building is hosting TTP in accordance with usual business practices and does not endorse any of its clients' views or leanings. "True Texas Project is just a paying customer," Wilcox said. "We're not supporting them, we're not defending them, we're just a neutral location that they can hold their meeting at. They're just one of many customers we have rent our space." True Texas Project backed a slew of hardline conservatives in Texas 2022 primaries, including Mark Middleton, a Dallas-area candidate charged with assaulting police during the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Others, including former gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines, boast open associations with white supremacist, anti-LGBT and anti-government movements. Houston-based anti-LGBT activist Tracy Shannon, who made waves with her crusade to quash Drag Queen Story Hour events across Texas in 2019, including the Freed-Montrose Neighborhood Library in Houston, spoke at a February TTP event in Denton, Texas. Jacob Colglazier, a staffer for then-Texas gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines and admitted member of the white nationalist groyper movement, headlined the same event. Huffines refused to fire Colglazier when news of his ties to white nationalists surfaced in January. TTP also backs Bryan Slaton, an East Texas representative who made news this week when he called for banning drag performances around minors. The group pushed the slogan anybody but Abbott in the run-up to this years Republican primaries, casting the incumbent governor as too moderate for Texas conservatives. Wayne Christian, who secured the Republican nomination for Texas Railroad Commissioner in a runoff last month against surprise challenger oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner, was the only statewide office candidate backed by the TTP board to win their primary. TTPs next event in the greater Houston area event will take place on July 14, also at the VFW in Cypress. Ladanifer via Getty As gas prices continue to soar and we seem to hit a new all-time high every day, you might want to think about ways to save at the pump. One way to do that is to consider a Costco or Sams Club Membership just so you can take advantage of lower gas prices. Though you might have shied away from warehouse clubs in the past because of annual membership fees, the savings on gas alone can cover these fees and then some. According to Go Banking Rates, a person living in California who burns through 20 gallons of gas per week can save more than $830 a year by buying gas at Sams Club instead of Mobil. We will be in Storm Alert Weather mode today as dangerous heat and humidity continue across the Tennessee Valley. High temperatures will reach Read More BJP leader from Maharashtra Kripa Shankar Singh has sent a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to offer Marathi as an optional language in Uttar Pradesh. Kripa Shankar Singh, who belongs to Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, has been tasked with the campaign to woo north Indians in Maharashtra. According to sources, the chief minister has agreed in principle with the suggestion and a pilot project may be rolled out in Varanasi. The developments also come at a time when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been opposing job opportunities for 'outsiders' in the state. In a letter to the chief minister, Singh had requested the inclusion of Marathi as an optional language for secondary and higher secondary students in Uttar Pradesh. The letter also opines that it might help students in getting better jobs in Maharashtra. "As you know, for the past 50 years I have been staying in Maharashtra and maintaining relationships in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Purvanchal. During this tenure of 50 years, I noticed that when students come to Maharashtra, they face a number of problems due to lack of knowledge of Marathi language. Not only this but there are many vacancies of state government or corporations that require knowledge of Marathi language," he explained. It is noteworthy that in recent weeks, the use of Marathi has also become a bone of contention within Maharashtra. Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, prominent display of Marathi signboards on shops has been a key political issue for parties such as the Shiv Sena and its rival MNS as the parties eye the Marathi voters. In March, the Maharashtra legislature passed a law which made it mandatory for all shops and establishments to display their names in Marathi on signboards. Subsequently, the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-also comprising the NCP and Congress) administration issued a government resolution to enforce the law. Last week, on June 1, the BMC said that a survey would be conducted to check if shops and establishments in the metropolis were adhering to the rule about displaying signboards in Marathi prominently, as the deadline for its implementation had ended. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. The 3,400-year-old settlement with a palace and several large buildings could be the ancient city of Zakhiku, believed to have been an important center of the Mittani Empire (1550-1350 BCE). Iraq is one of the countries in the world most affected by climate change, explained University of Freiburg archaeologist Professor Ivana Puljiz and colleagues. The south of the country in particular has been suffering from extreme drought for months. To prevent crops from drying out, large amounts of water have been drawn down from the Mosul reservoir Iraqs most important water storage since December 2021. This led to the reappearance of a Bronze Age city that had been submerged decades ago without any prior archaeological investigations. It is located at Kemune in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This extreme drought allowed the archaeologists to map parts of the important city. In addition to a large palace discovered during a short campaign in 2018, they were able to document several other large buildings: a massive fortification with a wall and towers, a monumental, multi-storey storage building and an industrial complex. The huge magazine building is of particular importance because enormous quantities of goods must have been stored in it, probably brought from all over the region, Professor Puljiz said. The excavation results show that the site was an important center in the Mittani Empire, added Dr. Hasan Ahmed Qasim, chairman of the Kurdistan Archaeology Organization. The archaeologists were stunned by the relatively good preservation of the walls sometimes to a height of several meters despite the fact that the walls were made of sun-dried mud bricks. This good preservation is due to the fact that the city was destroyed in an earthquake around 1350 BCE, during which the collapsing upper parts of the walls buried the buildings, they explained. The team also unearthed five ceramic vessels with an archive of over 100 cuneiform clay tablets from the Middle Assyrian period. Some of the tablets are even still in their clay envelopes. This discovery will provide important information about the end of the Mittani-period city and the beginning of Assyrian rule in the region, the researchers said. It is close to a miracle that cuneiform tablets made of unfired clay survived so many decades underwater, said University of Tubingens Professor Peter Pfalzner. Superintendent Seamus Boyle has refuted claims that Granard Garda Station is to be downgraded in the near future. Granard Municipal Districts Cllr Paraic Brady last week expressed concern that the station could be downsized by as early as September, stating that any plans to downgrade would be met with strong local resistance. Superintendent of the Longford and Granard Districts Seamus Boyle, however, confirmed to the Leader this week that there would be no downsizing of the station in Granard. There is no plan to reduce resources in Granard. The only change being made is that there will be one superintendent in all of county Longford, he said. While that change has not yet been made official, Supt Boyle has been serving as Superintendent of the entire county since he took up his position in Longford last year, while also maintaining his role in the Granard District. He expects it will be made official in the middle of next year. Senator Micheal Carrigy has also confirmed there will be no downsizing of the station, stating that he held talks with both Justice Minister Helen McEntee and SuptBoyle in the wake of last weeks reports. I want to confirm that there will be no reduction of resources in Granard Garda Station this September and that Superintendent Boyle will remain in charge of both districts, he said. To further boost resources in the Granard District, Supt Boyle has welcomed a new sergeant, Sgt Kieran Madigan, to Granard Garda Station. The Limerick man moved from Dublin and took on the post just weeks after the arrival of Sgt David Charles who moved from Leitrim to take up duty in Edgeworthstown Garda Station. The District has also been gifted two new mountain bikes in recent weeks, which will see an increase in Garda visibility in the area. I want to thank all the councillors of Granard Municipal District for their contribution towards the provision of these bikes, said Supt Boyle, thanking Cllrs Turlough McGovern, Colin Dalton, Garry Murtagh, Paraic Brady and PJ Reilly. Pictured above: A welcome boost to Granard Gardai. Pictured with two new mountain bikes which were provided for the district are Sgt James Rowan, Senator Micheal Carrigy, Cllr Colin Dalton, Sgt Kieran Madigan, who is one of two new sergeants in the Granard District, Cllr PJ Reilly, Cllr Turlough McGovern, Sgt Mick Hogan and Superintendent of the Longford and Granard Districts Seamus Boyle. A pilot is recovering after the light aircraft he was flying came down in a field in Drumlish on Monday night. Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene on the outskirts of the north Longford town shortly after the incident was reported at around 9:30pm. The pilot, who is believed to be from the locality, was taken to Mullingar's Midland Regional Hospital for treatment. The scene itself was cordoned off with the Department of Transports Air Accident Investigation Unit expected to carry out a full investigation. A statement from the Garda Press Office said: The accident happened at around 9:30pm Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of a light aircraft crash last night (Monday, June 6, 2022) at approximately 9.30pm at Drumlish. A male was taken to Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar to be treated for his injuries. Gardai preserved the scene pending an investigation by the Air Accident Investigation Unit and the Irish Aviation Authority has been notified. A spokesperson from the Department of Transport has confirmed that an investigation is underway. The AAIU was informed of an aircraft accident near Drumlish, Co Longford on the evening of June 6, 2022. A team of three Inspectors of Air Accidents were deployed from Dublin and arrived on site at 09.25 hrs on June 7, 2022, to commence an investigation. Any witnesses to the accident should contact the AAIU on 01-604 1292, or email info@aaiu.ie. Any person who has any photographic or video imagery of the accident flight, or the accident itself, is asked to contact the AAIU. A man has been jailed for three years following a lengthy hearing into his possession of stolen vehicles at a recent sitting of Longford Circuit Court. Amadeus Dziubinski, with an address at 59 Kilnavara Heights, Cavan, was given two consecutive three-year prison sentences but Judge Keenan Johnson suspended the second sentence in full for a period of five years on the condition that he enter into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years post-release, and that he leave Ireland and move back to Poland on his release from prison. In March of this year, Mr Dziubinski pleaded guilty to possession of a Ford Transit minibus and a Ford Transit campervan, both stolen and both with false registration numbers, on March 14, 2016, at Ferriskill, Granard. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a Ford Transit engine, knowing it was stolen or being reckless as to whether it was stolen, on April 19, 2016, at Teemore Industrial Estate in Granard. Mr Dziubinskis case was initially set for trial, with six weeks to be set down for it. He had been in custody since January 19, 2022, and his sentence was backdated. During a lengthy hearing at the recent sittings of Longford Circuit Court, Judge Keenan Johnson heard that the accused was involved in the re-identification and registering of stolen vehicles. The majority of vehicles were Ford Transit vans which were stolen in London and then given a new identity. The new identity, the court heard, came from vehicles that were written off or purchased at auctions with much higher mileage and a much older manufacture date. When the vehicles were re-registered under new, false identities, they were imported to Ireland where the accused was involved in the creating of false documentation, which was used to re-register the vehicles in Ireland. These vehicles were then sold on to unsuspecting purchasers, with Mr Dziubinski heavily involved in the sale of the vehicles. While it is accepted that there is no evidence he participated in the theft of the vehicles, he was clearly aware of their illegitimate provenance and facilitated their purported ligitimisation for the purposes of sale, said Judge Johnson. Garda Fahy, the lead investigating guard, deserves great credit for the enormous time and effort he put into investigating these offences and ultimately bringing the accused to justice. It is accepted that there are other parties involved in the scheme whose cases have not yet been dealt with. It is further accepted that, while the accused was actively involved in the scheme, he was not at the head of it. He went on to note that the offences were serious and by no means purely commercial in nature, with the main victims being the owners of the stolen vehicles. The court was furnished with a victim impact statement from 83-year-old Terence Williams, the owner of the stolen Ford motor home who, along with his wife, was about to embark on a year-long trip to Italy with his wife in that very vehicle. They had rented out their London home for the year. The motorhome was stolen from the carpark of a Tesco in London when Mr Williams and his wife were in the store purchasing supplies for their trip. After completing their shopping, they went back to the carpark to discover their motorhome had been stolen with all of their personal effects, including contact lenses, glasses, bed linen, pillows, duvets, towels, toothbrushes, toothpase, dressing gowns, clothing, coats, shoes, pots, pans, cutlery, two foldable bicycles and a guitar. Their passports were also taken and they had nowhere to go or stay, becoming practically homeless. Mr Williams, in his victim impact statement described how he and his wife had to stay with his partners daughter in a two bed flat with six other people for a period of several months. They then rented student accommodation, which they said was extremely small, until the insurance claim came through and they could replace their stolen motorhome in June 2016. Despite getting a reimbursement from the insurance company, they were out of pocket to the tune of 16,000 approximately. Mr Williams describes how their quality of life has been changed as a consequence of the theft of their motorhome, said Judge Johnson. They are now more anxious, fearful and scared. He states that they will never be able to regain the carefree and idyllic approach they had to camping before the motorhome was stolen. The victim impact statement from Mr Williams amply illustrates the devastating consequences that can flow from the theft of motorhomes and valuable vehicles. The court has huge sympathy for Mr Williams and his partner. It is regrettable that the court is not in a position to offer any form of recompense to them for their loss. I have said on many occasions that victims of crime are short changed by the system. The interests of justice dictates that the likes of Mr Williams should receive the balance of his out-of-pocket expenses which arose from an act of criminality, he added. Unfortunately, there is no facility to do that as matters stand, particularly where as in the present case, the accused is not in a position to make recompense to the victim. It has to be borne in mind that Mr Williams is just one of many victims of thefts that were facilitated by the accuseds offending. While it was argued in court that Mr Dziubinski did not steal the vehicles and that his culpability was therefore considerably less than that of the actual thieves, Judge Johnson was not prepared to accept that. People like the accused, who engage in the falsification of vehicle identities so as to hide the fact they are stolen, are enablers of those who commit the actual theft, he said. Without people like the accused to create a market for such vehicles, the incentive to steal such vehicles would be greatly reduced. It is clear that the accused knew that he was involved in illicit activity when he falsified documents in respect of the stolen vans, said Judge Johnson when turning to sentencing. It is also clear that he played a very active role in the scheme and that it went on for a considerable period of time. As this case has illustrated, the offending that the accused engaged in is not victimless and the effect of his offending on the victims is again something the court must take into account. He noted that the accused had three previous convictions under the Public Order Act, and a previous conviction for theft in September 2017, which attracted a two-month prison sentence at Cavan District Court in March of this year. All remaining previous convictions were road traffic matters and therefore not relevant. Judge Johnson also noted that Mr Dziubinski breached his bail terms, returning to Poland. A bench warrant was issued and he was extradited back to face the courts by means of European arrest warrant. It was accepted that the accused travelled to Poland to receive psychiatric treatment following an attempted suicide in 2018, as his parents felt he was not receiving the help he needed here in Ireland. However, Judge Johnson maintained that consent should have been sought from Gardai to amend his bail terms. The failure to make any recompense to the victims of his criminality cannot be taken as an aggravating factor, however, the accused does not enjoy the significant mitigation that the payment of partial or complete compensation to the victims would attract, he said. He did, however, note that a plea of guilt, while furnished late in the day was of significant benefit to the court, as the case was likely to take four to six weeks had it proceeded to trial. His guilty plea will also significantly shorten the trials of the two co-accused who have yet to be tried. A further mitigating factor was the fact that, in June 2016, Mr Dziubinski was kidnapped for two days, beaten and had money extorted from him, resulting in PTSD. His other mental health problems, including depression and an attempted suicide were also taken into account. Incarceration also separates him from his girlfriend and, as a consequence, he will miss out on the birth of his first child. He will also be separated from his parents, with Judge Johnson admitting all of this would serve as significant punishment. He also accepted that the accused submitted a letter of apology to the court and appeared to be remorseful for his offending, indicating that he wants to return to Poland and continue with his life there. Judge Johnson proceeded to hand down the two consecutive three-year sentences, suspending the final sentence for a period of five years with a condition that Mr Dziubinski return to Poland upon his release from prison and remains there for the duration of the suspended sentence. Credit was given for 169 days already served in prison since January 2022. The speaker of the Ukrainian parliament has made a plea for his country to be named a candidate for European Union membership, a move that would bring the war-torn nation closer to the EU without guaranteeing its admittance. Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, told EU lawmakers that failing to give Ukraine a sign of an open door would be a clear signal to Russian president Vladimir Putin that he can be totally going forward without any punishment. European heads of state and government are expected to consider Ukraines bid for EU candidate status at the end of June. The European Parliament has already passed a resolution in favour of making Ukraine a membership candidate. Ruslan Stefanchuk, centre, delivers a speech at the European Parliament Lets do everything possible that on June 24 well see a watershed day, an important day for us, and our joint great victory, Mr Stefanchuk said. The European Commission, the EUs executive arm, is expected to deliver its opinion next week based on Ukraines answers to a questionnaire received in April and early May. Ukraine currently has an association agreement with the EU, which is aimed at opening Ukraines markets and bringing it closer to Europe. This includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Roberta Mestola, president of the EU legislature, said lawmakers would continue supporting Ukraines effort to obtain candidate status. Mr Stefanchuk arrives to deliver his speech at the European Parliament Ms Metsola said reaching the step in the accession process would benefit Ukraine by furthering its integration into the region. The 27 EU nations have been united in backing Ukraines resistance to Russias invasion, adopting unprecedented economic sanctions against Moscow since the start of the war in February. But leaders are divided on how quickly the EU should move to accept Ukraine as a member. Admitting a new member country requires unanimous agreement from the EUs current members. Before Russias war in Ukraine, the European Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. Mr Stefanchuk, left, and European Parliament president Roberta Metsola The French government has made clear it thinks it is unrealistic to expect Ukraine to join the EU any time soon, saying the process would take many years, in fact probably several decades. The Ukrainian bid has received warm support in Eastern European countries, but EU officials have stressed the process could take years. Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Irish leader Micheal Martin backed Ukraines application and said he hoped EU leaders would send the people of Ukraine a clear and positive message. He said the EU should support those looking to join in undertaking the reforms and preparations necessary, adding that Irelands experience was that EU membership is transformative. While the massive atmosphere of Jupiter consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, the key to understanding the gas giants formation and evolution lies in the distribution of the remaining (heavy) elements. When NASAs Juno spacecraft arrived at Jupiter in 2016, we caught a glimpse of the remarkable beauty of the biggest planet in our Solar System, said Dr. Yamila Miguel, an astronomer at the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and Leiden Observatory, and colleagues. Besides the famous Great Red Spot, Jupiter turns out to be littered with hurricanes, almost giving it the appearance and mystique of a Van Gogh painting. The planets envelope underneath the thin visible layer however, is not immediately apparent. Still, Juno is able to paint us a picture by sensing the gravitational pull above different locations on Jupiter. This gives us information about the composition of the interior, which is not like what we see in the surface. Instead, it has a higher content of metals elements heavier than hydrogen and helium towards the center of the planet. To reach this conclusion, the astronomers built theoretical models that adhere to the observational constraints measured by Juno. They studied the distribution of metals because it gives them information about how Jupiter was formed. They found the inner part of the Jovian atmosphere has more metals than the outer parts. Their results shows that the total mass of heavy elements varies between 11 and 30 Earth masses and the inner compact core of Jupiter has a mass of 7 Earth masses. There are two mechanisms for a gas giant like Jupiter to acquire metals during its formation: through the accretion of small pebbles or larger planetesimals, Dr. Miguel said. We know that once a baby planet is big enough, it starts pushing out pebbles. The richness of metals inside Jupiter that we see now is impossible to achieve before that. So we can exclude the scenario with only pebbles as solids during Jupiters formation. Planetesimals are too big to be blocked, so they must have played a role. The findings mean that the abundance decreases outward with a gradient, instead there being a homogeneous mixing across the envelope. Earlier we thought that Jupiter has convection, like boiling water, making it completely mixed. But our finding shows differently, Dr. Miguel said. The study was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. _____ Y. Miguel et al. 2022. Jupiters inhomogeneous envelope. A&A 662, A18; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202243207 (Alliance News) - Custodian REIT PLC on Wednesday said it sold a 24,178 square foot car showroom in Derby let to Germany automaker Volkswagen AG. The GBP5.6 million sale was GBP1.2 million, or 26%, ahead of its March 31 valuation, the Leicester, England-based real estate investment trust said. The price tag represents a 5.7% net initial yield. "This asset has provided a healthy level of income over our five years of ownership and is being sold to a 'special purchaser' at a significant profit. We have a strong pipeline of assets on which to redeploy the proceeds of this sale with better rental growth and asset management prospects," said Richard Shepherd-Cross, managing director of Custodian REIT's external fund manager, Custodian Capital Ltd. Custodian REIT shares were 1.5% higher at 102.30 pence each in London on Wednesday morning. By Tom Budszus; tombudszus@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. ECR Minerals PLC - gold explorer with assets in Australia - Receives four high gold intercepts from hole BH3DD034 at Bailieston Victoria. These intercepts include 0.3 metres at 20.34 grams per tonne of gold from 18.2 metres and 0.65 metres at 13.02 grams per tonne of gold from 54.2 metres. Visible gold was recorded at 149.2 metres depth. ECR Minerals has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project which contains the gold prospects HR3, Cherry Tree, Blue Moon and Black Cat. The projects are operated by ECR's wholly-owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd. Chair David Tang says: "There is a palpable sense of excitement at ECR Minerals as the intensive drilling campaign across our Victoria assets is now, despite the delays in assay processing, yielding consistently high gold grades." Current stock price: 1.22 pence 12-month change: down 37% By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Nanoco Group PLC - Manchester-based nanomaterial developer and manufacturer - Raises GBP2.3 million from a placing and subscription for new shares at a price of 37 pence per share. Company says its broker option was "very significantly" over-subscribed. The total amount raised in the fundraise amounts to GBP5.7 million before costs. End of year cash is now expected to be between GBP7.0 million and GBP7.5 million. Current stock price: 46.20 pence, up 11% in London 12-month change: up 82% By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Roquefort Therapeutics PLC - London-based biotechnology company - During the first half of 2022, the company says it has focused on progressing its collaboration with Murdoch University in Australia and reviewing its portfolio. Chair Stephen West says it has been a "very active start" to the year with "significant progress" made. "The collaboration with Murdoch University is yielding encouraging results with the company's lead oligonucleotide drug candidates. In addition, we are delighted that the review of the wider portfolio acquired with Lyramid has resulted in the conclusion that two of the antibody programs have high commercial potential and we will therefore be accelerating development of those as we aim to be the first to market with an anti-Midkine oncology antibody," West continues. Current stock price: 8.07 pence 12-month change: up 11% By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Serinus Energy PLC - Jersey-based oil company focused on Tunisia and Romania - Says the preparations for the drilling programme in Romania are ahead of schedule. The company plans to drill two wells into two separate natural gas prospects, located near the Moftinu gas field and gas plant. The two prospects to be drilled are the Canar and the Moftinu Nord prospects. Serinus expects to start drilling on the Canar-1 well in late June or early July, located 4 kilometres to the west of the Moftinu gas plant. Then following Canar-1 well's completion, the company expects to drill the Moftinu Nord-1 well, located 5.2 kilometres to the northwest of the same gas plant. The surface works, including access roads and drilling platforms, for both wells are underway and near completion. The company says it is fully funded for its 2022 capital programme in Romania and Tunisia. Current stock price: up 9.7% at 13.33 pence on Wednesday 12-month change: down 50% By Xindi Wei; xindiwei@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. UK Oil & Gas PLC - London-based exploration and production company focused on UK and Turkey - Says the refusal of planning consent for its wholly-owned Loxley conventional gas and hydrogen feedstock project has been overturned. Planning and environmental consents in the Loxley project can now proceed. Surrey County Council twice refused planning consent for the project. Chief Executive Stephen Sanderson says: "We welcome this decision and its backing for Loxley's gas as a secure, sustainable energy source with a far lower pre-combustion carbon footprint than imports...We look forward to moving the Loxley project forwards and to working constructively with the local community." Current stock price: 0.17 pence 12-month change: down 15% By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to face Parliament on Wednesday for the first time since the damaging revolt by Tory MPs in Monday's confidence vote. Backers of the prime minister can be expected to stage a noisy show of support when he steps up for his weekly Commons questions. But behind the scenes, tensions are running high after 40% of Conservative MPs refused to support him in the vote of confidence. Although Johnson survived, by 211 votes to 148, critics warned that he had been severely wounded by the scale of the rebellion and could be gone before the end of the year. While it was the Sue Gray report into lockdown parties in Downing Street which prompted the vote, it also revealed deep unhappiness among MPs on different wings of the party across a range of issues. They include promised legislation to override the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU, as well as concerns over the high levels of tax and spend amid reports that rebel MPs could start staging "vote strikes" on policies they oppose. After Johnson insisted on Tuesday it remained a "fundamental Conservative instinct" to cut taxes, Chancellor Rishi Sunak used a speech to the Onward think tank to reaffirm his intention to reduce taxes for business in the autumn. It followed a call from former Brexit minister David Frost for previously announced rises to national insurance and corporation tax to be reversed, warning they were "not Conservative" and were "undermining growth and prosperity". His view that the government needs to move on to a tax cutting agenda in order to shore up Johnson's leadership is reportedly shared by some in the Cabinet. Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph reported that allies of the prime minister were urging him to replace Sunak with former foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt. Hunt who was runner-up to Johnson in the 2019 leadership election and is expected to stand again if there is another contest infuriated some in the Cabinet when he announced he would be voting for "change" in the confidence vote. However, the Telegraph said proponents of the idea argue that bringing back his rival into the Cabinet would help stabilise Johnson's leadership, heal rifts within the party while binding Hunt to the prime minister's agenda. Under current party rules, Johnson is safe now from another formal confidence vote, although the backbench 1922 Committee could potentially rewrite the regulations if there is renewed pressure for change. At the moment, there would appear to be no appetite among the rebels for another immediate move against the prime minister. However, he has two tricky by-elections coming up in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and in Tiverton and Honiton, Devon, amid warnings they could fall to the Labour and the Liberal Democrats respectively. Such a double defeat could be the catalyst for a fresh bout of soul-searching within the party, leading to renewed demands for change at the top. Despite the speculation, one Cabinet ally Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said he was "pretty confident" that Johnson would still lead them into the next general election. "I'm pretty confident he will but lots of things happen in politics, I'm 100% behind him," he told Channel 4 News on Tuesday. "As far as this particular prime minister is concerned, he has been written off dozens of times. He's somebody who's extremely resilient and is extremely focused on delivering what matters to people." By Gavin Cordon, PA Whitehall Editor source: PA Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. (QCWA) provides donation to support ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, Inc. (ARISS-USA) is very pleased to announce that the Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc.(QCWA) has made a highly notable contribution--$4,500to support the ARISS program. QCWA President Ken Oelke VE6AFO presented the generous gift to ARISS-USA at the 2022 Hamvention in Xenia, OH, during the ARISS Forum. ARISS is the acronym for Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. Ken hopes the funding will catalyze individuals and other groups around the globe to follow suit and contribute to ARISS. He commented: I had asked Rosalie White (amateur radio call sign K1STO), the ARISS-US Delegate for ARRL,about new initiatives ARISS may have and learned of new education programs set into motion and about ARISSs enhancements being developed for its amateur radio station on the International Space Station (ISS). Those things are in addition to the ARISS teams daily operating activitiesARISS educational radio contacts for schools and education groupswith astronautsorbiting on the ISS. I believe ARISS provides a great opportunity to the QCWA to stand out in the Amateur Radio Community, and to carry out QCWAs education mandate described in its constitution. In late 2020, Astronaut Chris Cassidy (amateur radio call sign KF5KDR) installed ARISSs new radio system on the ISS. Crew members with ham radio licenses began using it for scheduled ARISS education radio contacts. In addition to supporting these student interviews, the radio system allows amateur radio operators to engage with the ISS using Automated Packet Reporting System (APRS), making cross band repeater contacts, and downloading special slow-scan TV (SSTV) images downlinked by cosmonauts. ARISS-International Chair Frank Bauer (amateur radio call sign KA3HDO) thanked QCWA members for their tremendous support, stating: This funding will help propel forward some of the ARISS educational activities that were recently put in motion. Also, the gift will spur on the ARISS team working on radio system enhancements. He noted: It is fantastic to see amateur radio groups such as QCWA generously offering a gift to ARISS. It shows potential future ARISS benefactors, foundations and corporations that the amateur radio community believes in ARISS and wants to further ARISSs goals. Rosalie thanked Ken for the QCWA Board of Directors and members standing with ARISS, and said: The entire ARISS team conveys its deep appreciation for this exceptional generosity! We hope your members are enjoying ARISS packet and cross band repeater contacts and ARISS SSTV sessions while knowing countless students are engaged in science and technology activities tied to space and radio. Individuals and groups wanting to help ARISS can go to https://www.ariss.org/annual-fund .html , and in many cases, gifts are tax deductible donations. Donors giving $100 or more are awarded a beautiful ARISS Challenge Coin. About ARISS Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org . Media Contact: Dave Jordan, AA4KN ARISS PR Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status. Check out ARISS on Youtube.com. There is to be a "structural" reinforcement of National Police officers at the twelve main airports in Spain. The interior ministry points to there having been meetings with police and the airports authority Aena regarding resourcing once air traffic recovered following the pandemic. These meetings agreed police deployment at the main airports. From June 20, therefore, there will be reinforcement from 500 officers. Fifty of these officers are to be assigned to Palma Son Sant Joan, the third busiest airport. The largest number, 189, will be for Spain's busiest airport, Madrid-Barajas, and 90 for the second busiest - Barcelona-El Prat. The rest of the officers will be deployed at Alicante, Malaga, Valencia, Menorca, Ibiza, Tenerife South, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria. Overall, the number of police at Spanish airports will increase from 1,456 in 2019 to 1,726. The interior ministry has meanwhile stated that there have not been any complaints from Aena or from passengers about delays at passport controls. The ministry insisted on Tuesday: "We reiterate that there are no queues or delays that go beyond specific situations generated by the coincidence of several flights coming from outside the Schengen area. There is no evidence that these have resulted in missing flights." In this regard, the ministry is denying claims by Iberia that some 15,000 passengers at Madrid have missed flights. This figure has been given "without any demonstration" that it is due to incidents at passport control. Iberia and the IATA International Air Transport Association have been highly critical of the interior ministry's management of the airports. A further voice, that of the Mesa del Turismo de Espana of leading figures in Spain's tourism and travel industry, has been added to this criticism. It says that there is "a situation of chaos" and has called on the tourism minister, Reyes Maroto, to mediate. Williams College officials have announced the selection of an architectural firm to design the new Williams College Museum of Art. The museum will be built on the former site of the Williams Inn, across from Field Park. Some of the most prominent women in businesses from Southern Vermont came together to honor and celebrate each other in Dorset on Wednesday at the first-ever Women in Leadership Luncheon, organized by the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Abortion-rights opponents inched closer to a filibuster-proof super-majority in the Nebraska Legislature on Tuesday that would let them outlaw the procedure if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its landmark legalization ruling, as it appears poised to do. Nebraska lawmakers were two votes short this year on a bill that would have automatically banned abortions if the court gives states that power. On Tuesday, Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed a new state senator, Kathleen Kauth, to fill the seat of the late Sen. Rich Pahls, who died in April due to complications from cancer. Pahls opposed abortion and would have voted for the ban, but he was absent during the vote because of his health problems. Kauth, a Republican and owner of a mediation business, said she would consider it an honor to vote for a bill similar to a proposed abortion ban that narrowly stalled. Supporters fell two votes short of the support they needed to overcome a filibuster in the one-house Legislature, which effectively killed the bill. I am pro-life and I thought the bill that was recently presented was a very solid one, Kauth said after she was sworn into office. Pahls was also opposed to abortion and likely would have supported the ban, but his health issues caused him to miss this year's vote where the bill stalled. Ricketts and other top conservatives have said they'll seek a special legislative session this year to outlaw abortion if the Supreme Court overturns its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, as a draft opinion leaked in May suggests. Supporters needed 33 lawmakers to overcome a filibuster on the proposal earlier this year, but the final vote was 31-15. With Kauth in office, abortion-rights opponents are now one vote shy of what they need to pass a ban. One other lawmaker, Democratic state Sen. Justin Wayne, of Omaha, is seen as a key swing vote who might give abortion-rights opponents the last bit of support they need to pass it. Wayne was absent from the legislative chamber when lawmakers considered the ban in April, and he has declined to say whether he would support or oppose it. An aide said Tuesday that Wayne wouldnt be available to comment. Other Democrats have promised a no-holds-barred fight to preserve abortion rights in Nebraska. Sen. Megan Hunt, of Omaha, warned in May that she would make a special session the most excruciating, painful experience that her fellow lawmakers have ever experienced. Ricketts, who has fought for years to clamp down on abortion, said Kauth's position on the issue played a sizeable role in his decision to appoint her. He said he also appreciated her business background and involvement in various Omaha-area community groups. I always look for pro-life candidates," he said. Ricketts has said he intends to work with Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers, another Republican, on a possible special session if the court rules as they hope. It's unclear how they would proceed if they still lacked the votes, but Ricketts said Tuesday: If we call a special session, I fully intend for it to be successful. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte Sentimental relationships in Hollywood usually turn out to be ephemeral for several of its stars, this is the case of rapper Kanye West who after boasting about his relationship with Chaney Jones seems to have separated from her after four months of dating. Woman of character The ex-husband of celebrity Kim Kardashian had tried to erase his memory with a woman who physically in the media described too similar to the mother of his children. The truth is that very little was known about Chaney Jones, so it was she herself who used social networks to introduce herself to her boyfriend's fans. In addition to telling that she was the director of operations of a mental health organization, she indicated that she was studying for a master's degree. And in response to comments that her physique was very similar to Kim Kardashian's, Chaney assured that she had never had surgery on her face and that her physical attributes were natural. It was reported that her relationship with Kanye West began four months ago and apparently everything was going smoothly to the extent that Chaney got a tattoo of the initials "ye" on her wrist. The spectacular woman had started appearing at 'Donda 2' events, which Ye organized. However, something strange happened a few days ago and that was the trigger for a separation between the two. Surprising breakup According to information reported by TMZ, Kanye West and Chaney Jones took a trip to Japan and after their trip they chose to go their separate ways. Another point to note is that the news of their separation comes after the publication of some photographs where Kanye appears on a recording set accompanied by another woman. In this regard, it is indicated that the rapper's representative was consulted to know if his separation with Chaney Jones was definitive, but refused to issue any kind of comment. China always Kyrgyzstan's most reliable partner: Chinese FM Xinhua) 16:49, June 08, 2022 NUR-SULTAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Tuesday that China supports Kyrgyzstan in maintaining political stability, social harmony and sustainable economic development, adding that China has always been Kyrgyzstan's most reliable long-term strategic cooperative partner. China and Kyrgyzstan are friendly neighbors who cannot be moved away from each other. Linked by mountains and rivers, the two countries share weal and woe in security and complement each other economically, Wang said when meeting with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev on the sidelines of the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting. Wang said the two countries should follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and take the opportunity of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties to push forward bilateral ties in a sustainable way. For his part, Kulubaev said that Kyrgyzstan and China have always treated each other sincerely, and maintaining mutually beneficial friendship is a priority of Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy. He noted that Kyrgyzstan firmly pursues the one-China policy, opposes "Taiwan independence" and firmly supports China's legitimate position on issues of Xinjiang and Hong Kong. He stressed that Kyrgyzstan is ready to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and strengthen practical cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, border customs clearance, local-level exchanges, and health and anti-pandemic fight. The two sides also agreed to establish a communication and contact mechanism at the local level and study the issue of additional ports to ensure a continuous flow of goods at existing ports, adding they will also advance the preparatory work for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and complete the feasibility study of the project as soon as possible. In addition, the two sides agreed to set up cultural centers in each other's country and create conditions to facilitate personnel exchanges between the two countries. Noting China is the largest neighbor and trading partner of the Central Asian countries, the two sides believe they have broad common interests. On the basis of solid bilateral mutual trust, the countries will build and develop the "C+C5" cooperation mechanism. They also believe that countries in the region should work together to meet the challenges posed by complex changes in the international and regional situations, run their own affairs well, strengthen solidarity and coordination among neighboring countries and resist attempts to disrupt the region. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Bad Axe Public Schools has taken a technological upgrade with a new app and website that school officials hope will be easier to navigate than the district's old site. "Our previous website, it was alright, but it wasn't what we were looking for as far as being accessible from your phone," explained Bad Axe Schools Superintendent Greg Newland. The app and website also give school administration a more convenient way to communicate with students and their parents. All announcements, messages, and alerts can be made on and through the website and app. If the district has a snow day, for example, school officials no longer need to send out phone messages and social media alerts separately, but can do it just from the app. "It's like an all-inclusive package, that's what's really nice about the product," Newland said. The host of the app/website is Apptegy, which specifically specializes in school marketing and website compliance. "As we've started using it, I knew it'd be nice, but you realize it's so slick to use and so much simpler," Newland said. The new website, badaxeps.org, will completely replace the old website, badaxeps.schooldesk.net, which will be discontinued at the end of June. The app and website are both live and the app can be found for Android and iPhone by searching "Bad Axe Public Schools" in the respective app store. Blood donations are needed in Midland for many patients, including 13-year-old Kenzie Gulick, who suffers from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Her father, Pastor Steve Gulick at the Floyd Church of God, said Kenzie, who has Down Syndrome, likes to read and listen to music. She is an aunt to two nieces, whom she likes to Facetime, but is unable to see in person right now due to her weakened immune system. Kenzie has just returned home after a 21-day stay at Motts Children's Hospital in Flint, where Gulick said there are 32 people in need of transfusions. Ive given blood, but until you go through this yourself, you don't realize how important it is and what it's doing, Gulick said. Without these transfusions, she wouldn't be alive right now, along with a bunch of other people down there. These transfusions are what's keeping them alive right now. Blood drives will take place on Thursday, June 9 at two locations: St. Brigid Catholic Church, located at 130 Larkin St., will have a blood drive from 1:30-6 p.m. Primrose Retirement Community of Midland, located at 5600 Waldo Ave., will have a blood drive from 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Gulick initially organized a June 14 blood drive at Floyd Church of God. After donation slots filled up for that day, the two additional blood drives were scheduled for June 9. In addition, a fourth blood drive will be held Thursday, June 16 at Floyd Church of God from 1-5 p.m. The Versiti Blood Center of Michigan said they are looking to collect 35 units on Thursday and more donors are needed. Lindsey Chesebro from the Versiti Blood Center said one unit of blood from a single donor can be used to help three lives. You give platelets, plasma and whole blood when you donate, and that's how you help three different lives, she said. Since being diagnosed in March 2022, Kenzie, whose 14th birthday is this Sunday, has depended on transfusions and platelets in order to survive. At times, there were blood shortages that left her unable to receive necessary treatment. The need is constant, Chesebro said. With (blood donations) having a shelf life of 56 days, we have to constantly keep it replenished so its available. Chesebro said a blood donation can take from 35 minutes to an hour. Take the time to give some blood, Gulick said. It's one of the easiest things you could do to help save a life. For more information about donating blood, visit Versiti.org/MI. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With the incentive of the Blue Tigers scholarship, Cynthia Rhodes worked to complete her GED. She received her scholarship in September and now is the graduation speaker for a ceremony to be held June 9 in Traverse City. Rhodes said she is excited about her accomplishment because she felt people looked down on her when they learned she had not finished high school. I can finally go to college, or get a trade and make my boys Aryan and Kevin proud of me," she said in a news release. "I can show them, not just tell them, how important an education is. Rhodes said her future plans are to find a career in construction. Im hoping thats plumbing," she said in the release. "I just need to find a company willing to give me the opportunity to show how driven and passionate I am about anything I set my mind to. Rhodes encourages anyone who has not completed high school to pursue a GED. Michigan Works! is the best place to go," she said in the release. "Its easier than people realize. Just go there and get started. Thats the first step. The Blue Tigers is the community outreach organization of the Manistee County Democrats. We are so proud of Cynthia because she exemplifies the whole purpose of the Blue Tigers," said Shirley Madden, Blue Tigers chairperson, in the release. "We endeavor to provide services and to help build our community. Cynthia is a proud and willing worker in our community. The Blue Tigers also volunteer monthly to assist with the Feeding America Food Truck, which dispenses food to members of the community. The project is sponsored by the Manistee Friendship Society. On a cold, January morning when the Blue Tigers were volunteering, Rhodes had car problems so she took a Dial-A-Ride bus from Copemish to the Armory Youth Project in Manistee to help out. "This is what servicing the community is all about," Madden said in the news release. MANISTEE "We're in a crisis situation when it comes to housing." That is what Yarrow Brown, executive director of Housing North said to the Manistee City Council during its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. The council agreed by unanimous vote to enter into an agreement for three years for $20,000 each year with Housing North in order to create a housing-ready coordinator position for Manistee County. The position would look at ways to attract housing development to both the city and county of Manistee, according to Brown. It would be funded by the city along with help from other organizations including nonprofits like the Manistee County Community Foundation. Housing North is a nonprofit organization that is trying to bring housing to northwest lower Michigan. According to a statement on its website, "In the 1990s, several organizations whose work touched various aspects of the housing crisis joined forces to create the Housing Solutions Network." Related Content Housing North: 15K housing units needed in northwest Michigan While many organizations were trying to solve the problem, none of the organizations could fully address the scope of the problem. "Stakeholders such as Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill, Networks Northwest and Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency hoped this collaboration would address barriers to affordable housing. It soon became very clear: It was going to be difficult if not impossible to meet the regions housing needs without first addressing the communications, policy and capacity barriers to a functional housing environment none of which were being addressed by existing organizations," the site reads. The website noted that new solutions were needed to address a chronic shortage of housing in northern Michigan. "A new organization was needed. This independent nonprofit would be laser-focused on addressing the systemic problems embedded in zoning laws, development financing and public-private partnerships problems that were so pervasive they impacted every aspect of housing work and prevented real progress from being made. If these barriers could be removed, a new and strong foundation could be built, one that would serve as a stabilizing force for a healthier, more sustainable, thriving northwest Michigan." According to a 2019 study commissioned with the help of Networks Northwest, it was projected that the city of Manistee alone would need 396 new housing units. Around 302 would be rentals and 94% of those rentals would need to be for people who make $40,000 or less a year. Jeff Zide/News Advocate However, Brown noted those numbers are outdated, and that the pandemic and many other associated issues mean the need is probably far greater than what the 2019 study projected. She said she does not have exact figures and that her organization still does not have access to the 2020 census data to be able to take a deep dive. Brown noted that the person who fills the position will have to find unique and creative solutions in order to bring in more housing. The entire region, which goes from Manistee to Traverse City, needs 15,000 units. She noted that sometimes the issues come down to the expense of new housing. Right now, it is impossible to build an apartment or a house for less than $250,000 a year without some support, Brown said. " Even people making a very significant income are still not able to find housing. ATLANTA (AP) A key aide to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who helped sustain the civil rights movement in the 1960s says shes deeply saddened by the hate crimes seeking to terrorize people across America. But Xernona Clayton has been working for racial harmony since the movement began, and refuses to accept mass killings as routine. We're having too many racial conflicts, Clayton, 91, told The Associated Press during an interview in her office in Atlanta. Its so idiotic that weve had that racism in the first place. Because none of us had any say-so about how we got here." "My mind always goes back to what Martin Luther King would have said," she said. "He always said, You know, we CAN love each other. He said, Theres just no reason why we cant. And it was hard for him to understand why we dont. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, recruited Clayton and her first husband, Jet magazine editor Edward Clayton, to bring more money and attention to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an Atlanta-based civil rights organization whose first president was King. Already enlisting movie stars to host SCLC fundraisers, Xernona Clayton was reluctant to leave Southern California. But the two women bonded as Clayton organized Ms. Kings national singing tour. Soon, she was securing care for bloodied protesters and calling her friends Sidney (Poitier), Harry (Belafonte) and Bill (Cosby) for bail money. In 1966, Clayton learned that Atlantas Black doctors were restricted to one facility, Grady Hospital, and to just one day a week. Wednesday was the day Black people would have their babies, she recalled. So I organized the doctors and told them, We can do something about this. She found a government ally who shared how much federal money was flowing to Atlantas segregated hospitals and took the doctors to Washington, scoring a White House visit. President Lyndon Baines Johnson had quietly encouraged such grassroots lobbying, and surprised her by insisting that hospitals nationwide had to desegregate before getting Medicare funding. Im fearless, for the most part. You know, Im not afraid to tackle an issue, Clayton said. Ill fight for what is right. In an era when national news organizations including the AP covered civil rights with all-white staffs, her friend Ralph McGill, publisher of the Atlanta Constitution, had her speak to a television industry convention. She took them to task for their hiring. Atlanta's CBS affiliate WAGA responded in 1967 by making her the first Black talk show host in the South. While King's assassination only months later convulsed the nation, Clayton and her guests provided audiences with a model for racial harmony. She even persuaded a Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan to renounce the white terror organization. They too became friends. Barbara Walters recruited her for a network role, but Ted Turner hired her instead to set a tone of inclusiveness at Turner Broadcasting Service, which launched CNN. She served for years as Turner's corporate vice president for urban affairs. Clayton also started the Trumpet Foundation to celebrate African American achievers, and still works there amid mementos from a lifetime of activism when she's not with her second husband, Paul L. Brady, the nation's first Black federal administrative law judge. Her first husband died in 1966. Clayton got her start as an undercover agent for the Chicago Urban League in the early 1950s, arranging job interviews only to be turned down when they saw her skin color. Confronted with proof of racism, Marshall Fields hired its first Black store employees. Theres something about a victory winning is fun," she recalled. It gave me the assurance that I can make a change. And I still have that today, that I can make change. I CAN make change. Ive MADE change. Born on Aug. 30, 1930, with her twin sister Xenobia, she was raised in segregated Muskogee, Oklahoma. Their father was a minister and Indian Affairs agent, so respected that the white police chief and mayor often came calling for guidance about the Black and Native American communities. He was a soft-spoken man, but softly he could make a change in a persons life. And he did it to the authority: the police, the mayor, whatever. I often wonder if maybe I had some of that in my blood." She felt racisms sting at what would become Tennessee State University, where she and her friends went for hamburgers one night in 1950. This guy was standing at the counter, he had a butcher knife, probably 3 feet long. I'd never seen a knife that big. But he said to us as we entered the door, If you n dont get out of here, Ill cut your heads off! You know you dont belong here! Scared us to death, she recalled. It had a sign outside that says hamburgers for sale, and you dont belong here?" she said. "I still feel the pain, the embarrassment, the ridicule. I still feel it. Clayton earned a master's in education at the University of Chicago, where marrying the editor of Jet put her at the center of Black culture and politics. She was by Edward Clayton's side when he heard that the mother of Emmett Till, lynched in Mississippi, wanted the world to see his brutalized body. He stopped the presses to put the image on the cover, shocking the nation's conscience and drawing widespread support for civil rights. The couple then moved to Los Angeles, where Clayton said she did something monumental. Volunteering to take on 100 school dropouts, she discovered some just needed new clothes or hair curlers to return to class. Others were committing crimes, so she talked her way into gang meetings and urged them to study instead for corporate careers. And guess what? To this day, my pride and my chest stand big. Because I took 100 kids and got 82 of them back in school. It became her motto: "One person can make a difference. So dont run away if you see a problem. See if theres a way you can help," she said. I tell people all the time today, look around theres something you can do. A former Midland County resident was prosecuted and put behind bars after decades of sexual abuse. On June 2, Edgar Dee Brown, now 77 years old, was sentenced to between 20-30 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections after being convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. As a habitual offender, he was also sentenced to lifetime compliance with the Sexual Offender Registration Act and electronic monitoring/GPS tether by Midland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Beale. Brown was considered a habitual offender since he had at least two prior felonies, with a criminal sexual conduct charge back in 1989 being the most concerning, said Midland County Prosecuting Attorney J. Dee Brooks. The most recent charges came after a referral was made to police in August of 2020 and a warrant for Browns arrest was placed in May of 2021. Brown was later arrested, extradited out of Texas, and arraigned on Aug. 3, 2021, Brooks said. The charge arose from Brown's sexual abuse of several minor family members over the course of several years dating back to 2000 while living in Midland County. Brooks said Brown admitted to sexually assaulting at least six family members under the age of 16, some under the age of 13. The 1989 charge came before the sex offender registry was created in 1994, meaning that Brown did not have to register after serving his jail and probation time, Brooks said. In addition to his prison sentence, Brown was ordered to pay $4,083 in restitution for his extradition expenses from Texas, and other required state fees and costs. The case was investigated by the Midland Police Department, and the prosecution was handled by Chief Assistant Prosecutor Geoff Rettig with assistance from Assistant Prosecutors Joe Amend and Michael Yelsik and Victims Rights Coordinator Tabitha Spencer. In a Facebook post, Brooks thanked all involved in the successful prosecution of the case, including his staff, MPD investigators Sgt. Jeremy Davis and Det. Mark Stefaniak, and the victims and their families. Obviously, this is an extremely sad case, extremely unfortunate, Brooks said. We hope that we accomplished two things: gave some sense of closure and justice to those victims and their families, and we also, with this individual, wanted to make sure he would never be in a position again to harm a child. Brooks said that he understands that CSC-related trials can be a difficult and emotionally trying process for survivors. He said the prosecutors office has support mechanisms to limit trauma and make the process of the trial as comfortable as possible. Other local programs and organizations that help sexual assault survivors include Shelterhouse, Safe and Sound Child Advocacy Center, and Family and Children's Services of Mid-Michigan. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES (AP) U.S. House battles took shape in heavily Democratic California that could tip the balance of power in Congress, while former Trump administration Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was in a tight match to claim the Republican nomination for a new House seat in Montana. In Mississippi, two Republican congressmen were forced into runoffs to keep their seats. Rep. Steven Palazzo had been dogged by ethics questions over his campaign spending, while Rep. Michael Guest faced a challenger who criticized his vote on a proposal to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Primary elections across seven states Tuesday set up November contests in dozens of races, as Democrats look to protect the party's fragile majority in the House. In a diverse district anchored in California's Orange County, Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, a South Korean immigrant, will face Democrat Jay Chen. The district, which includes the nations largest Vietnamese American community, is widely considered a toss-up. In other districts in the nation's most populous state, two Republican House members were trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support Trump's impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it. A look at results in key U.S. House races Tuesday: BATTLEGROUND CALIFORNIA: TRUMP HISTORY LOOMS IN KEY DISTRICTS In 2020, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia won a narrow victory in a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles. The former Navy fighter pilot was endorsed by Trump that year, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trumps impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. That record will be a focus for Democrat Christy Smith, who earned a chance for a rematch with Garcia, after losing two years ago. In a Democratic-tilting district in the states Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Early returns showed him holding an edge over Republican Chris Mathys, who made Valadaos vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him. The winner will face Democrat Rudy Salas, a state legislator. California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. In the Central Valley, Republican Connie Conway won a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Devin Nunes, who resigned to head Trumps media company. TWO MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSMEN FORCED INTO RUNOFFS A pair of GOP congressmen in Mississippi are headed to June 28 runoffs. U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, first elected in 2010, will face Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell after failing to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50% of the vote. A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found substantial reason to believe Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated false allegations. In another Mississippi district, U.S. Rep. Michael Guest will face former Navy pilot Michael Cassidy in a district that cuts through parts of central Mississippi. Cassidy criticized Guest for being in the minority of Republicans who voted to create an outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol a group that would have been separate from the congressional committee now conducting the investigation. Cassidy also says on his website that President Joe Biden should be impeached. FORMER TRUMP CABINET MEMBER SEEKS RETURN TRIP TO WASHINGTON Montana gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat. Zinke's rivals have been drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. One investigation determined Zinke lied to an agency ethics official about his continued involvement in a commercial real estate deal in his hometown. Hes faced a smear campaign over his military service from the extreme right wing of his party and questions about his residency following revelations that his wife declared a house in California as her primary residence. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL and former Montana congressman, was in a tight race Wednesday against former state Sen. Al Doc Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a liberal insider. The results of the race were being delayed because of ballot printing errors that forced officials in one county to count votes by hand. The winner will face Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel, a Democrat, in the general election. IOWA'S SOLE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MEMBER FACES A TOUGH FIGHT A Republican state senator has captured the slot to take on Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a newly drawn district that appears more favorable for the GOP. Axne is the only Democrat in Iowa's House delegation. State Sen. Zach Nunn easily outdistanced rivals Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry, to claim the GOP spot. Nunn, an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes, was the best known among the GOP contenders. In previous elections, Axne was elevated by her strong support in the Des Moines area, even as she struggled in rural counties that typically lean Republican. The new district includes several counties in southern Iowa known to turn out strongly for Republicans, increasing the pressure on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democrat-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs. REMATCH COMING IN NEW JERSEY HOUSE BATTLEGROUND In what could be New Jerseys most closely watched contest in the fall, Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr. won their primaries, setting up a rematch of their closely contested 2020 race. Malinowski, a State Department official in the Obama administration, is seeking a third term as his party faces headwinds heading into the general election. His district added more Republican-leaning towns during redistricting, making his reelection bid potentially more difficult. Another complicating factor is an ethics investigation hes facing over stock transactions in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the pandemic response. A report from the Office of Congressional Ethics said the board found substantial reason to believe he failed to properly disclose or report his stock transactions. Malinowski said his failure to initially disclose the transactions was a mistake that I own 100%. He said he didnt direct or even ask questions about trades made by his brokerage firm. Kean, a former state Senate minority leader and the son of the former two-term Republican governor, said in a tweet that he was humbled by his victory and looks forward to seizing the seat in November. SOUTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN BEATS BACK CHALLENGE FROM POLITICAL RIGHT U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota won his states GOP primary contest as he runs for a third term. Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard, who tried to run to his right. He is set for reelection in November because no other candidate has entered the race. Howard repeated Trumps lies that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election and attacked Johnson for certifying the electoral college vote. While Johnson touted his conservative voting record during the primary contest, the congressman has also worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Johnson drew attacks from a pro-Trump political action committee called Drain the DC Swamp, which spent $500,000 trying to knock him from the House. ___ Associated Press writers Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Miss.; Matthew Brown in Billings, Mont.; Mike Catalini in Trenton, N.J.; and Stephen Groves in Sioux Falls, S.D., contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics After an overwhelming response from the past two years, the Harbor Beach Truck Show and Truck Convoy will return this year as it goes across Huron County communities. The event starts at 11 a.m. when the trucks line up at Harbor Beach City Hall. They leave Harbor Beach at 1 p.m. for their tour across the county and return at around 6:45 p.m. Robby Iseler, a volunteer who helps out with the convoy, said that the convoy started back in 2020, back when COVID-19 was causing events to be canceled. It was decided then to do a convoy through the different municipalities and was a hit, continuing the following year. The guys like doing it because theyre not in one spot, Iseler said. Thousands enjoy it because it goes through town without them having to travel a long ways away. Its a win-win for everybody. Iseler said that over 80 trucks participated last year and came from across Michigan. He hopes to get around 80 trucks again this year but continued high fuel prices may deter some people from participating. Rainy weather could also impact the turnout. All the villages and towns weve gone through are really happy, Iseler said. It brings people to town. All they have to do is go in their front yards. Its been a really good response from everybody involved. With everything else about the convoy and show working well the past two years, there are no major changes planned for either this year. The only change will be food trucks in Harbor Beach for when people are waiting for the lighted parade to begin at night. Along with when the trucks are lined up in Harbor Beach, the only times they will stop long enough for attendees to get a closer look is at Countryside Transportation Service between Sebewaing and Owendale, where they will take a break. Iseler said the way for a truck to participate is to just show up the day of the show. The schedule with approximate times the trucks arrive in each municipality are as follows: Line up at Harbor Beach City Hall at 11 a.m. 1 p.m. on June 11, leave Harbor Beach 1:15 p.m., Port Hope 1:30 p.m., Kinde 2 p.m., Port Austin 2:30 p.m., Caseville 2:45 p.m., Bay Port 3 p.m., Sebewaing 3:15 p.m., taking a break at Countryside Transportation Service 5:10 p.m., Owendale 5:25 p.m., Pigeon 5:45 p.m., Elkton 6 p.m., Bad Axe 6:15 p.m., Ubly 6:30 p.m., Ruth 6:45 p.m., Downtown Harbor Beach A lighted parade of the trucks will go through Harbor Beach starting at 9:45 p.m. There will also be live music performed at downtown Harbor Beach from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. With the U.S. House select committee on the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack about to begin its hearings, a panel of Michigan voting advocates met over Zoom for a news conference on Wednesday. The panelists discussed what should be expected from the hearings that begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, and spoke about how the hearings and election misinformation impact Michigan. The hearings will share the committees findings regarding efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to undermine President Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 election, the funding and organizing of the rallies in D.C. that took place before the attack, and the actions of the rioters themselves. One of the advocates, Leslie Dach, co-chair of the Defend Democracy Project, spoke about polling data and voter thoughts on what occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. He said 68% of voters think the events leading up to Jan. 6 are important to them and 83% view what happened on Jan. 6 as a crime. Another speaker was Heaster Wheeler, political education director of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, who said Trump and his allies, including some in the Michigan legislature, want to erect barriers to voters in underserved and marginalized communities. I had the opportunity to serve as a firefighter back in the 80s here in the city of Detroit, and this moment is the equivalent of a five-alarm fire, Wheeler said. That means we need all hands on deck. This is a very critical moment in our American democracy and in our American history. Christina Schlitt, co-president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan, gave support for the Jan. 6 hearings and spoke about voter suppression in Michigan. She mentioned the Michigan legislature introducing what she called voter suppression bills in March of 2021, even after voters in Michigan chose in 2018 to make voting more convenient and accessible. The League of Women Voters welcomes the bipartisanship and transparency of the Congressional committee investigating the actions of Jan. 6, 2021, and in sharing their findings with the American public, Schlitt said. Through these hearings, voters will learn factual, evidence-based information. These hearings are critical to the future of our elections, and we encourage all Michigan voters to follow them. Debra Perlin is the policy director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit, nonpartisan government watchdog organization. She said even before the hearings begin, her group has significant evidence that Trump and his allies were involved with violating federal and state laws and should be held criminally responsible. This could include charges related to criminal obstruction of an official proceeding and criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States, she said. In response to a question, Perlin said people should expect that more charges against people at the Jan. 6 attack will follow the hearings. The U.S. Department of Justices list of Capitol breach cases has 14 people being charged with crimes related to the event. With these investigations, when a subject is located in Michigan, the FBI in Detroit will arrest the subject, who will then have an initial appearance in the state and then will be required to appear in front of the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., according to Mara Schneider, public affairs officer for the FBI Detroit Division. Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 800 people have been arrested across the U.S. for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including over 250 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, according to a press release from the Justice Department. When asked if people should expect any Michigan lawmakers to be implicated in the insurrection, Dach said he is not sure but that the list of them being implicated is growing. Anyone with tips related to the Jan. 6 attack can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov. File photo MANISTEE The Manistee Elks Lodge No. 250 is planning to host its annual Flag Day Ceremony next week. The vent will begin at 6 p.m. June 14 at the Elks Lodge, located at 432 River St. in Manistee. Everyone is welcome to attend. KALEVA The possibility of a hefty fee has the Manistee County amateur radio communications group planning to relocate equipment from one tower in Wellston to a new location this summer. Mike Machen, Manistee County emergency manager, reported at the June Manistee County Public Safety Committee meeting that the Manistee Amateur Radio Operators Club is moving its equipment. Machen said the club plans to move the equipment from the Manistee National Forest to a new location on a county tower on Wiitala Road near the corner of Nine Mile Road, between Kaleva and Marilla. The West Michigan Repeater Association holds the license for the Manistee Amateur Radio Operators Club, which uses a radio tower that is less than 250 feet away from the Udell Fire Tower near Wellston. However, late last year and early this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Agency started to consider potentially instituting fees up to $1,400 for having communications equipment on Forest Service towers nationwide. The possible fee was too much for the group, and it was unclear if it could be a recurring fee. We signed a contract to have them take their equipment down, Machen said. The goal is to have that on the new tower by the end of August before the winds make it so that its not a good time to be climbing. He said the Manistee County Central Dispatch uses that tower and it is allowing the group to put its equipment on the tower to avoid possible fees from the National Forest Service. While Machen previously explained that there hasnt been a big need for the clubs volunteer services in an emergency capacity yet, that could change in an extreme situation. However, Id hate for this group to disband and us to need them one day and not have them, he had said in February. Brian Gutowski, Manistee County sheriff, was also in attendance at the February meeting and said the amateur radio operators, often called ham operators, dont get much of the spotlight and they are typically working in the background. The technology is older technology for the most part, Gutowski had said. The thing is, our modern radio systems are really, really technology dependent and if we lose one part of that the ham operators in the exercises Ive done with them theyre able to transmit from Manistee County all the way down to Lansing utilizing that tower site. He had said that if something significant were to happen, this ability to communicate longer distances would come into play and the county would at least be able to communicate with the state capitol to alert state leaders to an emergency situation. The Forest Service proposal is for all entities using communications systems in any national forest. Wade Muehlhof, Forest Service deputy national press officer, previously said in an emailed response to the News Advocate that the proposed fee would not be charged for towers but the management of the program. The Forest Service administers more than 3,700 communications use authorizations at 1,367 communications sites and more than 400 authorizations for fiber optic cable," Muehlhof had explained. MIDLAND An active shooter preparedness exercise recently took place in Midland County for the first time since last December. More than 30 individuals, representing 21 agencies, attended the Midland County Emergency Management office's Community Emergency Exercise on May 31 at the Midland County Educational Service Agencys Longview School. According to a press release from Emergency Management Coordinator Jenifier Boyer, public safety officials in Midland continue emergency planning efforts with local schools regarding potential active shooter scenarios. Boyer said future and additional exercises for this type of incident are a goal for this group in the coming months and years. Since the previous exercise was held on December 8, public safety officials have been meeting monthly to design and plan a tabletop exercise of an active shooter scenario with the Midland County Educational Service Agency. "Partners continue to work on improving planning and response efforts for this type of incident in our community," Boyer wrote in a press release on Wednesday. A tabletop exercise is a discussion-based exercise of the emergency response and needed coordination of multiple agencies. The exercise highlighted specific agency roles and responsibilities, current plans and procedures, and areas where current plans can be improved. Gun violence strikes schools across nation The local exercise came following the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 students and six staff members. A May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 students and two teachers dead. Police say the shooter, an 18-year-old man, was killed by law enforcement at the school. Nearly seven months ago, Michigan made national news when a 15-year-old sophomore allegedly opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four students and wounding seven other people. A judge expects to hold a trial in September. With a mass shooting being defined as a shooting 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 in Colorado up until Robb Elementary in Texas. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CANBERRA, Australia (AP) NASA will launch a research rocket from remote northern Australia this month in the agencys first blast off from a commercial space port outside the United States. Three suborbital sounding rockets will be launched from the Arnhem Space Center on Indigenous-owned land near the mining town of Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory on June 26, July 4 and 12, said NASA and the launch pads owner, Equatorial Launch Australia. The launch site was chosen because it is in the Southern Hemisphere and close to the equator. This commercial launch range in Australia opens up new access to the Southern Hemispheres night sky, expanding the possibilities for future science missions, NASA associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Thomas Zurbuchen said in a statement. The 12.2-meter (40-foot), 2,200-kilogram (4,900-pound), Canadian-designed Black Brant IX rockets would focus on the Alpha Centauri A and B star systems. A third mission would study X-rays emanating from the interstellar medium the clouds of gases and particles in the space between stars. NASAs Heliophysics Division director Nicky Fox said the launches more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) into space would allow us to explore how a stars light can influence a planets habitability among other things. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the first NASA rocket launch in Australia since 1995. The launch site then was a military rocket range near Woomera in South Australia state. This is a really exciting project. This is about not just the rocket launches itself, but its about sending a message to younger Australians and, indeed, Australians of any age, who might be looking at retraining for future careers, of how important science is, Albanese said. We want the next generation to really look at STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as part of Australias future and thats why this is an important project, Albanese added. Equatorial Launch Australia Executive Chairman and Group CEO Michael Jones said while NASA was his companys first client, advanced commercial discussions were underway with another nine rocket companies. He expected at least two more launches from the space center this year and more than 50 launches annually within a few years. Connecticut State Police / Contributed Photo CROMWELL An Ellington man was seriously injured in a one-car crash Tuesday on Interstate 91 in Cromwell, state police said. Charles McWilliams, 80, was driving his 2007 Camry south on the highway at Exit 22S about 1 p.m. when he veered into the right shoulder, struck a metal beam guardrail and rolled over, police said in a report. The car rolled down an embankment before coming to a rest on its roof, police said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES (AP) Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a man with attempted murder after they say he stabbed a doctor and two nurses inside a Southern California hospital emergency ward last week. Ashkan Amirsoleymani, 35, remained inside a storage room at the Encino Hospital Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley for hours on Friday before police arrested him, authorities said. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday. He is being held on $3 million bail on three counts of attempted murder with allegations of causing great bodily injury. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The criminal complaint against Amirsoleymani lists five previous convictions, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2008 and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in 2018. Police previously said Amirsoleymani had parked his car in the middle of a street and went to the emergency room, where he asked for treatment for anxiety. Prosecutors say he first stabbed the doctor and then the two nurses. A witness described the chaotic scene as a bloodbath to the Los Angeles Times. There was no evidence that he knew the victims, Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said at a news conference Friday. He remained inside a room in the hospital for about four hours as SWAT team members tried to to negotiate with him before he was finally arrested. Friday's attack came only two days after a gunman killed four people and then himself at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The assailant got inside a building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus with little trouble, just hours after buying an AR-style rifle, authorities said. The man killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office. He blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after a recent back operation. MANCHESTER A local man was charged Monday after he threatened to shoot up Manchester Community College, police said. A caller notified Manchester Police on May 23 that Darius Burke, 27, had made the threats, and added that he said he would kill himself afterward, according to Lt. Ryan Shea. It was also reported that he said he would not be satisfied with his life until he goes through with his plan of killing a large group of people, Shea said in a news release. Officers immediately tried to find Burke and confronted him at Rockville Hospital. Police said they requested Burke undergo an emergency evaluation after they said he admitted to having these threatening thoughts. Burke was then placed in medical care, Shea said. In the following days, officers learned that Burke was the subject of multiple incidents where he made threats to harm himself and others, Shea said. Officers prepared an arrest warrant and a risk protection order for Burke based on an escalating pattern of behavior and the specific threats of violence Burke expressed, according to Shea. Both the arrest warrant and the risk protection order which prevents a person who is an immediate risk of injuring themselves or others from having or getting firearms, deadly weapons or ammunition were approved, Shea said. On Monday, police took Burke into custody after he was released from the hospital. He was charged with second-degree breach of peace and second-degree threatening, according to Shea. Burke appeared in court Tuesday. He was released after he posted a $100,000 bond, Shea said. Shea added that Burke will be monitored by a GPS bracelet until his next appearance in court. The risk protection order remains active. Paul Buckowski / Albany Times Union WEST HAVEN The summer carnival scheduled by Saint John XXIII Catholic Parish has been canceled after police had concerns about providing enough security for the event. The summer carnival, originally planned for June 29 through July 2, was canceled due to legitimate security concerns expressed by the West Haven Police Department, organizers said on Facebook. Most HIV-positive troops will no longer face involuntary separation or be barred from deploying as a result of their condition under an update to the Pentagon's policy on HIV status. According to a memo released by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, commanders no longer will be allowed to involuntarily separate troops with asymptomatic HIV. They also may not restrict them from deploying or bar any currently serving enlisted personnel, cadets or midshipmen with HIV from seeking a commission as an officer. HIV, however, will continue to be a disqualifying condition for enlistment or commissioning for those not currently serving, meaning HIV-positive persons interested in joining the U.S. military still may not, regardless of whether their viral load is deemed low enough to not be transmissible. Read Next: Veterans Make Up Most of Proud Boys Members Indicted on Sedition for Jan. 6 Violence In the memo sent to senior combatant commanders and military leadership, Austin said the policy change reflects the "significant advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus." The policy change follows a ruling in April by a U.S. District Court judge in Virginia that barred the Defense Department from discharging service members or denying them commissions based solely on their HIV infection status. U.S. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled in favor of two airmen facing discharge as a result of their HIV-positive status and an Army National Guard soldier who sought to become a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps. Brinkema said the DoD's categorization that HIV-positive troops were nondeployable was "at odds with current medical evidence concerning HIV treatment and transmission." "[It] is a policy for which there is no rational basis," she wrote in her April 22 decision. In the case, the Justice Department had argued that, although new treatments lower the risk of transmission, it continues to be a danger on the battlefield where service members may come into contact with blood. According to the advocacy group Lambda Legal, roughly 2,000 service members in the U.S. military are HIV-positive. About 350 are newly diagnosed each year, according to a 2019 Congressional Research Service report. On Wednesday, Lambda Legal attorneys who represented Army National Guard Sgt. Nicholas Harrison in the case praised the Pentagon for dropping what they called a "discriminatory policy." "Because HIV disproportionately impacts LGBTQ+ people and people of color, this discriminatory policy is not only outdated, but is also a serious equity issue that has had a significant impact on communities that already face many other systemic barriers to accessing the full range of opportunity in America," Kara Ingelhart, a senior attorney at Lambda Legal, said in a statement. The new policy stipulates that service members who are asymptomatic and have an undetectable viral load, as confirmed by a physician, will have "no restrictions applied to their deployability or ability to commission." Service members who test positive while serving will be referred for medical treatment and evaluation on a case-by-case basis. If their infection is not controllable, their case will be reviewed by a medical board before they are discharged, according to the memo. The new policy creates a Pentagon working group to develop the standards for conducting the case-by-case determinations. It also requires the service secretaries to report, every six months, the number of HIV-positive members they have separated, those who have the virus but are asymptomatic, and those who were denied accession as a result of their status. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime Related: 10 Years After Don't Ask, Don't Tell Was Repealed, the Military Reckons with Past Discrimination TEHRAN, Iran Iran turned off two surveillance cameras of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that monitored one of its atomic sites, state television reported Wednesday. The report did not identify the site, but it appeared to be a new pressure technique by Tehran as Western nations seek to censure Iran at a meeting this week of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Iranian state television report described the two cameras as monitoring OLEM enrichment levels and flowmeters. That appeared to refer to the IAEA's Online Enrichment Monitors, which watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. Iran currently is enriching at both its Fordo and Natanz underground nuclear sites. The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, state TV said in its report. Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation ... not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it as a duty of Iran. Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA safeguard cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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. 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. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Staff Sgt. Aaron Futrell did not anticipate a difficult deployment to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq in January 2020. The Islamic State terror group was on the run in the region, and his National Guard job in aviation operations made it very unlikely he'd ever be in harm's way. Al Asad, which sits northwest of Baghdad, was not the type of smaller forward operating base typical of the earlier Iraq war where troops made due with spartan conditions and were regularly exposed to combat and danger. As a longtime hub of U.S. operations, the sprawling facility had a Green Beans coffee shop, a nice exchange store and gym, and many troops had personal amenities like video game systems. "Normally, the base would need to be overrun for me to get shot at. I'm the definition of a 'fobbit,'" Futrell told Military.com, using a slang term to describe troops who usually don't leave base. "I sit in the [tactical operations center] all day on the radio and fill out reports." Read Next: Veterans Swindled by Shuttered For-Profit Corinthian Colleges Get Loan Debt Erased Then, Iran unexpectedly launched 15 ballistic missiles in an unprecedented attack on the base on Jan. 8, 2020. The strike narrowly avoided killing scores of U.S. troops, including Futrell and other Guard members, and brought tensions between Washington and Tehran to the boiling point. Eventually, weeks later, it was revealed that at least 100 soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries from the attack. For Futrell and others, the brain injuries would weigh on them daily and change their lives forever. But the long road to National Guard troops receiving the Purple Heart awards they were entitled to would take another two years, following military shortcomings in tracking injuries and resistance from senior leadership. "Nobody has treated these injuries with the seriousness they deserve," said Futrell, who is now medically retired. The Iran attack was downplayed from the start. The assault was retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force military branch. Then-President Donald Trump initially reported in the weeks following the attack that no one was injured in the Iranian strike on Al Asad. "I heard they had headaches and a couple of other things," Trump told reporters. "But I would say, and I can report, it is not very serious. Not very serious." But Futrell, and at least eight other National Guardsmen from Ohio and New Hampshire, did suffer what turned out to be serious injuries. Futrell was medically retired from the Ohio National Guard in May after a constant struggle with headaches, mental fatigue and other health issues as a result of the missile barrage. He was awarded a 90% disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Confusion and Delays About 80 troops have been awarded the Purple Heart for their combat injuries from the strike in early 2020. The Guardsmen from Ohio and most New Hampshire troops didn't receive the award until April -- more than two years after the attack. Michigan's National Guard gave out six Purple Hearts for the injuries in January and a single medal last year. Traumatic brain injuries have been referred to as "the signature injury" of the post-9/11 wars, but it wasn't until 2011 that the Army codified Purple Heart awards for a concussive injury. Such awards have been relatively rare, given that these injuries are sometimes hard to diagnose or symptoms are sometimes not properly recorded. Even with Iran's attack on Al Asad, it was unclear at the time whether those troops were eligible. A Defense Department Inspector General report released in November found that Army officials failed to determine whether all service members impacted by the explosions were diagnosed. Part of the problem, investigators found, was that commanders weren't aware of the regulations behind tracking injuries. Purple Hearts aren't simply medals for soldiers to wear; they can open the door to numerous benefits and work as solid ammunition for veterans seeking care and disability compensation from the VA. Futrell's award was approved by his company and brigade commanders, according to documents obtained by Military.com. However, it was rejected by Lt. Gen. Robert White more than three months after the attack. White was the commander of forces on the ground in Iraq at the time, and is now the commander of Fort Hood, Texas. Maj. Tania Donovan, a spokesperson for the base, said White would not provide a statement on why he denied potentially dozens of Purple Hearts following the attack. Furthermore, it's still unclear what prompted the recent string of awards to National Guardsmen. Unlike other military decorations, Army regulations are clear that Purple Hearts are an entitlement and that the award is "not recommended." Instead, the soldier is "entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria." Multiple sources familiar with the awards process told Military.com that decorations can be kicked back for minor procedural violations, including spelling errors. However, none of those sources could identify any obvious errors with award paperwork obtained by Military.com. Despite resistance from senior leadership and attempts by the Trump administration to downplay the strikes, Guardsmen eventually started getting recognition in January, starting with a ceremony for Michigan Guard troops with C Company, 3-238th Aviation Regiment, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer presented their awards. In April, Ohio awarded two Purple Hearts, one of which was for Futrell. New Hampshire also awarded five soldiers with the medal. All soldiers were a part of the same aviation regiment. 'You Feel Completely Helpless' Just before the strike in 2020, about 2,000 U.S. troops were braced for some type of attack on the air base by Iran. Soldiers interviewed thought it would mostly be a volley of rocket-propelled grenades shot by Iranian-backed militias in the area, not the 1,000-pound warheads that rained down. But still, commanders evacuated most personnel and aircraft from the base, leaving only a skeleton crew of firefighters, a small group of medical personnel and a light security element so the base would not be overrun in the event of a ground assault. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Shallow, a medical evacuation pilot, had just arrived on base. It was his first day there, and his flight crew had to pile into bunkers overnight. Shallow had previous combat experience, but described the missile barrage as both terrifying and aggravating because he and other soldiers had no way to fight back. Instead, they sat and waited. "The biggest difference in this incident is you feel completely helpless; you can't do anything except take cover and hope the next one doesn't hit you," Shallow, who serves with the New Hampshire National Guard, told Military.com. "Instead, with small-arms fire, you can shoot, move and communicate and have something to do." For Capt. Brendan Meehan, the platoon leader, the best he could do was have his soldiers take cover, ideally in bunkers far from what might be targets for the missiles. The attack was launched around 1:30 a.m. and lasted for roughly three hours, with the massive missiles pounding the area around them. "The missiles lit up the sky," Meehan said. "One T-wall was lifted up in the air and broke another bunker; one [missile] shattered the windows in a building 100 meters away." T-walls are large concrete barriers typically used as a base's perimeter and to shield soldiers from blasts. No service members at Al Asad lost limbs in the strike. All the injuries were related to head trauma -- something all of them still deal with in varying degrees. Meehan lost part of his vision. He had to go through months of treatment for it to be corrected. But maintaining focus can still be mentally draining. "We were lucky to get evaluated almost right away; pretty much everyone was diagnosed with concussion, TBI, some much worse than others," Meehan said. "I spent six months at Walter Reed. I'm considered to be fully recovered; my vision is back to what it used to be." Living with the Wounds The understanding of head trauma is still in its early stages after being taken more seriously following a combination of the post-9/11 wars and more attention on concussions in the NFL. Symptoms can range from headaches and migraines to memory issues, cognitive problems and mental health issues such as depression. Jeffrey Howard, an associate professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, told Military.com that there used to be a belief people generally got over head trauma, but modern research is increasingly pointing to those injuries spurring long-term and sometimes lifetime physical and mental health issues. "The research is in between infancy and being a toddler. We have a rudimentary classification system that's just based on different symptoms," Howard said. "Just our understanding of how to classify injuries is rudimentary. We need a better physiological measurement of the injury that can be more precise." In some cases, symptoms can be hard to separate from day-to-day forgetfulness or normal headaches. Some soldiers might forget where they put their keys, and identifying whether that's a normal experience or the result of deteriorated brain function can be frustrating. "Some days, I wake up with a headache; it could just be because I had too much to drink last night," Shallow said. "There is no light that comes on that says this symptom is directly related. It's just you notice some things that are different from the past." Futrell, who now runs a fishing lure business in Ohio, said he has to carefully plan out his days. He described the sensation of having "a battery" now that provides his body with limited mental energy. If he has plans in the evening, he cannot do a lot during the day. He also sometimes forgets names and even his own address. Sometimes, the migraines can take him out for an entire day. "I'm 90% disabled, but I don't look it. Most people look at me and I seem like a regular guy, I'm not missing any limbs. I try to keep the headaches to myself, so the public doesn't see it," Futrell said. "They don't see the effects of TBI. I understand why it's downplayed, but it shouldn't be." -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Traumatic Brain Injury Classifications Are Leading to Preventable Deaths, Report Says BAKHMUT, Ukraine Ukrainian forces battling Russian troops in a key eastern city appeared on the cusp of retreat Wednesday, though the regional governor insisted they are still fighting for every centimeter of the city. The urban battle for Sievierodonetsk testified to the painstaking, inch-by-inch advance by Russian forces as they close in on control of the entire Luhansk region, one of two that make up the industrial heartland known as the Donbas. After a bungled attempt to overrun Kyiv in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to the region of coal mines and factories. The Donbas has been partly controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014, making supply lines shorter and allowing Moscow to tap those separatist forces in its offensive there. But Russia also faces Ukraine's most battle-hardened troops, who have been fighting the separatists for eight years there. The result is a slow slog in which both sides exchange artillery barrages that seemingly inflict heavy losses, but neither appears to have the clear momentum. The grinding war has left thousands dead and driven millions from their homes and its consequences are felt in many countries where it is driving up the price of food since critical shipments of Ukrainian grain are trapped inside the country. After meeting with Russia's foreign minister Wednesday, Turkey's top diplomat said he thought a plan to create a secure shipping corridor to resume exports of that grain was feasible. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties in Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday, telling The Associated Press maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Earlier, on the Telegram messaging app, he said Ukrainian forces were fighting for every centimeter of the city. He indicated they could pull back to positions that are easier to defend. The city across the river, Lysychansk, sits on higher ground. Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000, became the administrative capital of the region after the city of Luhansk was taken by separatists in 2014. Both it and Lysychansk are wedged between Russian forces to the east, north and south in the small portion of the Luhansk region that Russia has not yet claimed control of. Moscow also appears to hold about half of Donetsk region that rounds out the Donbas. West of those cities, medics worked in the Ukrainian-held town of Bakhmut to care for the wounded, as the fighting threatened to encroach. It seems to be getting a bit worse. The number of patients that were seeing is getting to be more and more, and it seems that the fighting is getting closer to this area, said Danial Rebar, a paramedic from Detroit and a former U.S. serviceman who has been volunteering in Ukraine for the past seven weeks as a combat medic. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the northern Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 more over the past 24 hours, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said Wednesday. The Russian military said Wednesday that Moscow used air-launched, high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukrainian officials of such a plant being hit. Before Russia's invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7% of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces held 20% of the country. While Russia has superior firepower, the Ukrainian defenders are entrenched and have shown the ability to counterattack. The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues, Zelenskyy said late Tuesday in his nightly video address. Speaking earlier to a Financial Times conference, Zelenskyy insisted on Ukraines need to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also said he is still open to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But a former senior U.S. intelligence officer said the time isnt right. Youre not going to get to the negotiating table until neither side feels they have an advantage that they could push, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war but talks it hosted earlier in conflict yielded no progress. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday his country is much more optimistic that Russia and Ukraine can be persuaded to return to talks after he met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. But he provided no details why. Cavusoglu is also trying to help negotiate a plan to get Ukrainian agricultural products out of the country and said he thought a plan to create a secure shipping corridor was possible. But it's not clear if any progress was made since there was no Ukrainian representative at the meeting. Russia has said shipping could resume if Ukraine removes mines from the area near its Black Sea port of Odesa. It has pledged not to use the demined corridor to attack Ukraine but Kyiv has voiced doubt about that promise. Moscow also says it wants to check the ships coming into Odesa for weapons. The war has helped fuel a food crisis in developing countries, since Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade. An estimated 22 million tons of grains are sitting in silos in Ukraine. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; and Andrew Katell in New York contributed to this report. The Department of Homeland Security announced a new policy that aims to ensure that its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division actually follows its promise to consider military service when deciding to deport retired service members, a press release announced Tuesday. "Prior to the implementation of this directive, ICE has long recognized U.S. military service as a mitigating factor that is highly relevant in making case-by-case enforcement decisions," the department said in its announcement. Despite that claim, there are numerous examples in recent years where the policy seems to have not been followed or not made a difference, leading to the deportation of veterans -- including those who served in combat. Read Next: Two Years Later, Guardsmen Finally Receive Purple Hearts for Brain Injuries Suffered in Iran Missile Strike A 2019 Government Accountability Office report found that "ICE did not consistently follow its policies involving veterans who were placed in removal proceedings from fiscal years 2013 through 2018." The report also faulted the agency for not having a policy to identify and document all military veterans it comes across and noted that "in cases when agents and officers do learn they have encountered a veteran, ICE does not maintain complete electronic data." The watchdog report found that, between 2013 and 2018, 250 noncitizen veterans were placed in removal proceedings; 92 ended up being deported. The problem is so prevalent that a support house -- the Deported Veterans Support House -- popped up in Tijuana, Mexico, to give deported veterans a place to land, regroup and access resources. It is run by Hector Barajas, a veteran of the 82nd Airborne who was deported in 2004. For example, NPR profiled Miguel Perez Jr., a Mexican immigrant who grew up in Chicago and served two tours in Afghanistan with the Army. He returned with PTSD and turned to drugs to help him cope, which in turn led to a drug conviction and seven years in prison. Despite his service and struggles with mental health, Perez was deported in 2018 and lived near Tijuana until he was pardoned by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2019 and got his citizenship. Now, the new policy states that "a noncitizen's U.S. military service, or the active duty U.S. military service of a noncitizen's immediate family member(s), is a significant mitigating factor that must be considered when deciding whether to take civil immigration enforcement action." The policy also notes that agents should not start deportation proceedings against people whose military service has made them eligible for citizenship. An easier pathway to citizenship through military service was created by a post-9/11 executive order from the Bush administration, signed in 2002, that expedited requests for active-duty troops. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says that, since that time, "more than 148,000 members of the U.S. military" have been naturalized. Yet in the following years, the number of service members who successfully naturalized has varied, seemingly mirroring White House immigration directives. During the Trump administration, for example, federal data shows that naturalization numbers fell by nearly half. Trump-era immigration policies removed some of the protections that active-duty service members enjoyed, made it harder to meet naturalization requirements, and made it more difficult for immigrants to enlist as well. The end of the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program in September 2017 also contributed to a decrease in military naturalizations, according to Citizenship and Immigration Services. In 2021, the number of servicemembers approved for naturalization shot up to 8,800 -- almost double from the year before. The data shows that the Philippines, Mexico and Jamaica were the top countries of origin over the last five years and that soldiers in the Army accounted for almost two-thirds of all the naturalizations. "ICE values the incredible contributions of noncitizens who have served in the U.S. military," ICE's Acting Director, Tae Johnson, said in the statement. The announcement highlighted the fact that the new policy will create "training, tracking, and reporting requirements for program offices" and requires that ICE develop a system to collect and maintain data on noncitizen veterans it encounters. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: Deported Veterans, Stranded Far from Home After Years of Military Service, Press Biden to Bring Them Back In Section 34, at the center of a green oasis on the south side of Arlington National Cemetery, about 50 men and women gathered around a stone slab with six names on it. Many sought shelter on chairs in the shade and others wavered, rocking on sea legs and canes, in the June heat. The survivors of the attack on the USS Liberty -- an event that happened 55 years ago -- snapped salutes as the president of the USS Liberty Veterans Association, Larry L. Bowen, began a remembrance ceremony Wednesday. A U.S. Navy color guard posts the American Flag at the beginning of the 55-year anniversary USS Liberty remembrance event at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34 on June 8, 2022. (Military.com photo by Drew F. Lawrence) Israeli munitions ripped through the Belmont-class research ship with strafing fire, napalm and torpedoes as it patrolled Mediterranean waters performing signal intelligence -- "spy" -- missions during the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and a coalition of Arab countries. Read Next: Two Years Later, Guardsmen Finally Receive Purple Hearts for Brain Injuries Suffered in Iran Missile Strike "Heroism was the order of the day, and every man who could help, stepped up to help," said Bowen. The attack, which left 34 Americans dead and 174 others injured -- two-thirds of the crew in total, according to a press release organized by the Liberty Veterans Association -- has been veiled in controversy since it happened, with survivors, and even some former senior intelligence officials, pointing to a deliberate bombardment by Israel and a subsequent U.S. dismissal of the event to pardon its ally. Survivors of the USS Liberty stand in front of the ship's memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34 on June 8, 2022. (Military.com photo by Drew F. Lawrence) "For 55 years, we've tried to honor the crew, with little to no support from our government, just like the lack of support we received when we were under attack," Bowen continued from the podium. "Our government has tried to cover the entire attack up as a mere accident. Nothing could be further from the truth." The story of the USS Liberty has teetered on the border of erasure and notoriety for decades. The ship had one of the most highly decorated naval crews in U.S. history, earning one Medal of Honor for the ship's commander, Capt. William L. McGonagle, and hundreds of other commendations from the attack. Yet even after the mid-2000s, when the National Security Agency declassified bits and pieces of the event, some of which contradicted previous official accounts of the attack, the ship's history is still inconvenient for the U.S government, according to the ship's survivors. Joe Meadors, a Liberty survivor and Navy signalman, was barely in his twenties during the attack. Now, in his 70s, he says he remembers that afternoon clearly. "I was up on the signal bridges," he said. "Watching the first attacking aircraft and their wings light up with machine guns, side by side. I'll never forget." He remembers the reconnaissance flights earlier in the morning and says that a "spy" on board told him "not to worry about it," the Israelis were reporting that they had identified the ship as American. "Some of them were low enough that we could wave to the pilots, and then the deck plating would rattle," he said. Thirty-four roses are placed on the USS Liberty memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34 in honor of each sailor killed on June 8, 1967, though some survivors and family members took a rose to remember the day. (Military.com photo by Drew F. Lawrence) Throughout the ceremony, between the speakers and murmurs within the crowd, the discontent with the alleged cover-up and lack of recognition by the U.S. government was palpable. "Parents deserve to know the truth, Americans deserve to know the truth about what happened," said Meadors. "We're fed up with it." The Attack In the early hours of June 8, 1967, an Israeli aircraft took off on a routine reconnaissance patrol over the Mediterranean, according to a review of the incident conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces. The plane identified a ship 70 miles west of Gaza, but could not determine its country of origin. Somewhere ashore, an Israeli intelligence officer marked the ship's location with a red flag on a map board, indicating it could not be identified clearly. As unknown aircraft circled, the Liberty sat exposed in the open sea. The ship contacted command, relaying that the crew intended to destroy sensitive documents aboard to prevent their capture. Eighteen minutes after the Liberty was first seen, the Israeli aircraft identified it as a U.S. Navy ship, yet the marker remained red on the board of Israel's Central Coastal Command until 9 a.m. when it was switched to green, indicating the ship was indeed "neutral." But as Syrians battered Israel's front lines and Egyptian submarines prowled the sea, the green marker, according to the Israelis, became an afterthought. By the evening of June 8, the Liberty -- which was armed with only a handful of .50-caliber machine guns -- was nearly sunk. A barrage of torpedoes slammed into the ship's hull as Israeli aircraft dropped napalm and strafed her deck repeatedly. The attack lasted two hours, according to Bowen. Dozens of Americans were dead, and the questions of why and how hung over the survivors, and public and defense officials in the wake of the attack and the brief war. Barely 20 days later, the Navy said it had an answer to what had happened or, rather, a partial one: The Liberty was doing its duty, the attack was unprovoked, Israel had "ample time" to identify the ship, but the U.S. could not identify the reason for the attack, according to a 1967 Department of Defense press release. The U.S. government has never publicly blamed Israel for anything other than an accident. The Liberty's survivors say that Israel had to have known that the vessel was American -- flying an American flag -- and the attack was made without warning or justification. Frank Spicher, a 56-year-old Maryland resident, was at Arlington on Wednesday in remembrance of his father, Petty Officer 2nd Class John C. Spicher, a Navy postal clerk who was killed during the attack. Though the younger Spicher was approaching two years old at the time of the attack, he says his first memory was of burying his father at Arlington; he was on his grandfather's shoulders, his small head sliding under the canopy that protected the ceremony from the rain that day. "For 10 or 12 years, the last thing that I heard when I fell asleep at night was this crack, and I had no idea what it was," he said. "Years went by before I realized, when I had seen it on TV on Memorial Day, it was actually a 21-gun salute somewhere in the cemetery." "That is what my memory is," he added. Spicher recounted coming to the reunion almost every time it had occurred over the years, speaking with survivors who knew his father who told him that the elder Spicher bravely tried to put out napalm fires as strafing fire continued to pepper the deck. He said that as his father ducked under a bulkhead, a rocket hit the door, fatally wounding him. Other survivors tried to save John Spicher, conducting CPR and even performing a tracheotomy, not realizing the deadliest wounds were on his back. "To those guys that were there, I am a bit of a trigger," he said. "It's hard for me to be here because I realize I look too much like my dad to them," adding that he named his daughter Liberty to keep his father's memory alive. In 2005, the USS Liberty Veterans Association submitted a report to the DoD asking for a formal investigation, unsatisfied by the Navy's 1967 inquiry. The report, summarized by the survivors, in part said that their radios were jammed, preventing distress frequencies from reaching superiors; the Israeli aircraft attacking the Liberty were unmarked; and the planes deliberately strafed their life rafts, anticipating that the sailors would abandon ship. "We the surviving crew members will not let the cover up continue as long as we live," said Bowen. -- Drew F. Lawrence can be reached at drew.lawrence@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @df_lawrence. Related: Ingalls Christens its 10th Legend-Class National Security Cutter Belgium's King Philippe landed in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, in a historic visit to the central African country his ancestor once ruled brutally as his personal fief. The monarch will undertake a six-day trip billed as a chance for reconciliation after atrocities committed under Belgian colonial rule. The visit comes two years after Philippe wrote to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi to express his "deepest regrets" for the "wounds of the past." Tshisekedi and his wife greeted King Philippe and Queen Mathilde on a red carpet rolled out on the tarmac of the international airport of the capital Kinshasa, a sprawling city of about 15 million people. On Monday, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told reporters that Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were starting a "new partnership." "We are not forgetting the past, we are looking to the future," he added. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who is visiting the impoverished nation of 90 million people alongside the king, echoed the sentiment. "It's a historic moment," he told a Belgian national broadcaster Tuesday, hailing the opportunity to forge future closer ties. Belgium's colonisation of the Congo was one of the harshest imposed by the European powers that ruled most of Africa in the late 19th and 20th centuries. King Leopold II, the brother of Philippe's great great grandfather, oversaw the conquest of what is now DRC, governing the territory as his personal property between 1885 and 1908 before it became a Belgian colony. Brutal rule Historians say that millions of people were killed, mutilated or died of disease as they were forced to collect rubber under his rule. The land was also pillaged for its mineral wealth, timber and ivory. The visit is King Philippe's first to DRC since ascending the throne in 2013. His father, King Albert II, visited the country in 2010. Belgium is preparing to return to Kinshasa a tooth -- the last remains of Patrice Lumumba -- a hero of the anti-colonial struggle and short-lived first prime minister of the independent Congo. Belgium is preparing to return to Kinshasa a tooth -- the last remains of Patrice Lumumba. By STAFF (BELGA/AFP/File) Lumumba was murdered by Congolese separatists and Belgian mercenaries in 1961, and his body dissolved in acid, but the tooth was kept as a trophy by one of his killers, a Belgian police officer. According to Belgium's royal palace, the king is also due to discuss the question of returning artworks looted during the colonial era. Philippe is due to hold a ceremony with Tshisekedi at the Congolese parliament in Kinshasa on Wednesday and then on Friday deliver a speech to university students in the southern city of Lubumbashi. On Sunday, the Belgian sovereign will visit the clinic of gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, co-winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against sexual violence, in the eastern city of Bukavu. The trip comes at a time of heightened tension between Kinshasa and neighbouring Rwanda over rebel activity in the conflict-torn eastern DRC. DRC's government has accused Rwanda of backing the resurgent M23 militia, an accusation which Rwanda has denied. A coalition of tribes in East Sudan announced on Tuesday the end of a sit-in which blocked roads to the crucial Red Sea port, after the governor announced his resignation. The Port Sudan sit-in protested a 2020 peace deal the country's Beja tribes say made too many concessions at the expense of their group, which has long complained of marginalisation. Hundreds of protesters demanded the parts of the deal relating to their eastern region be scrapped and the dismissal of Red Sea state governor Ali Abdullah Adroub, whom they accused of supporting the deal. The governor announced his resignation in a statement Tuesday. The coalition of Beja tribes then released their own statement declaring an end to "all the sit-ins in eastern Sudan, after the resignation of the Red Sea State governor was confirmed," without reference to other demands. The 2020 Juba Agreement was a landmark accord between rebel groups and a military-civilian transition government which came to power shortly after the April 2019 ouster of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir. But Sudan's eastern Beja people, who number more than 4.5 million, have criticised the fragile peace agreement for not representing them, and intermittent protests have demanded parts relating to their impoverished region be scrapped. In September last year, protesters from eastern communities led similar demonstrations against the same agreement. The ensuing six-week blockade worsened Sudan's already struggling economy by exacerbating fuel and wheat shortages, heaping pressure on the transitional government of then-prime minister Abdalla Hamdok. Port Sudan, the country's main seaport and vital trade hub, was reopened in November following a coup by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan which upended Sudan's fragile transition to civilian rule. In December, Sudan's sovereign council suspended parts of the 2020 peace deal relating to the east pending discussions, but protesters in Port Sudan told AFP on Monday their demands had not been met. A legal challenge that sought to annul the result of last December's referendum on New Caledonia's independence from France has failed. Meanwhile, a fact-finding mission will travel to the French colony in the South Pacific later this month for talks on its institutional future. The Kanak customary Senate launched an appeal against the result, saying that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic rendered the outcome illegitimate. In the third and final referendum held in December, more than 96 percent voted against independence from France, 3 percent said they were in favour of independence, but more than 56 percent of voters abstained. Pro-independence parties, including indigenous Kanak representatives had called for a boycott of the referendum. In the week before the referendum, 146 voters and three organisations filed an urgent submission to the same court, seeking to postpone the vote. They said because of the Covid lockdown, campaigning had been disrupted. However, last Friday, the highest administrative court in Paris rejected the appeal and upheld the result. The court found that the epidemiological situation improved in October and November and that by the time of the referendum on 12 December, more than 77 percent of the population was vaccinated. The pro-independence side said it would seek further support for its position from the Pacific Islands Forum and the United Nations. Delicate negotiations Meanwhile, the French Senate has begun hearing experts this week on establishing a new statute for New Caledonia. A special team made up of MPs will travel to the archipelago later this month to meet with stakeholders. France's newly named minister for French overseas territories, Yael Braun-Pivet, will oversee the delicate negotiation process between the sides in the coming months. The government plans to hold a referendum next June on a new statute for a New Caledonia within the French republic. The question of updating electoral rolls remains high on the agenda. The Noumea accords restricts voting rights to indigenous people and long-term residents, creating tension between pro and anti independence groups. Migration over the last century has added about 40,000 French citizens who are ineligible to vote in referendums and provincial elections. The anti-independence parties want the rolls to be unfrozen, but the pro-independence side is strongly opposed to this. Mr Isaac Kwabena Amoako, a member of the E-Levy Technical Committee, says the collection of the E-levy will increase the country's tax-to-Gross Domestic Product ratio from 12.5 per cent in 2021 to 20 per cent by 2024. He said out of the country's population of over 30 million, only 2 million people paid direct taxes of which 12 million were active workers. The e-levy, he said, was among interventions to bring on board informal sectors and other organisations or institutions on the country's tax net. Mr Amoako said this at a sensitization programme for some identifiable groups on the implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy Act,2022 (Act 1075), organized by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). The Act imposes levy on all applicable electronic transfers made other than electronic transfers that are excluded under the Act. Government's decision to introduce the levy, he stated, was to enhance domestic tax mobilisation and expand the tax base and provide opportunity for the citizenry to contribute towards national development. Mr Amoako, who is also the Head of Project Management Team of GRA, said the levy did not apply to persons who withdraw money from their mobile money wallet. He explained that transfers that were not covered by e-levy include cumulative transfer of GHS 100 per day made by the same person using mobile money and transfer between accounts owned by the same person. "For example, a transfer from Naa's AirtelTigo wallet to her MTN wallet or from her Fidelity bank account to her Prudential bank account or from her CalBank savings account to her current or investment account will not attract the Levy because Naa has linked all accounts with her Ghana Card," he said. Other transfers that do not attract e-levy charges are transfers for the payment of taxes, fees, and charges, electronic clearing of cheques, Specified Merchant Payments, and transfers among principal, agent, and master-agent accounts. He explained that, in the Act, transfers that fall under the E-Levy were mobile money transfers done between wallets on the same electronic money issuer, sending money from ones Vodafone Cash wallet to another person's AirtelTigo wallet, transfers from bank accounts to mobile money wallets, transfers from mobile money wallets to bank accounts and bank transfers on an instant pay digital platform or application which originates from a bank account belonging to an individual. "For example, Kwame transferring money from his ADB account using the ADB App to Akua's National Investment Bank account," he said. He said the levy was charged by mobile money providers like MTN Momo, Vodafone Cash, AirtelTigo Money, Zeepay, GCB G-Money, and Yup Ghana and Payment Service Providers like e-Tranzact, JuniPay, Korba,Nsano, banks like Consolidated Bank Ghana, GCB Bank, ADB and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions such as Rural and Community Banks, Savings and Loans Companies, Finance Houses and other Financial Institutions prescribed by Regulations. Responding to concerns from the participants on wrong deductions, Mr Amoako said any undue deductions should be reported to the appropriate sector for refund. He said from July 1, 2022, tax payers can only used Ghana Card for refund of any wrong deductions. GNA One hand washes the other: Russian President Vladimir Putin and African Union (AU) President Macky Sall exchanging views on grain exports. Nowhere are the economic consequences of the Ukraine war more evident than in Africa. To stop the hunger crisis, Senegal's President Macky Sall asked, Putin personally to deliver grain again to Africa. A meeting symbolic of the dependencies in a globalized world For millions of people in Central Africa, the situation was already precarious before 24 February. But since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, a domino effect has been triggered that has turned the world market upside down. Ukraine and Russia are the world's largest wheat exporters, responsible for almost a third of global demand. With Russia blocking Ukrainian ports and thus exports across the Black Sea, world grain prices have skyrocketed dramatically. What is noticeable in Europe's wallets when shopping means for people in Africa - but also in Syria and Yemen, Lebanon and Afghanistan - not knowing what to eat the next day. According to the United Nations, almost 1.4 billion people could be affected by food shortages as a result of the Ukraine war. With the aim of halting the looming famine, African Union (AU) and Senegalese President Macky Sall headed to Moscow on Friday to personally ask the Russian president to resupply grain. A meeting that illustrated the interdependencies of a globalized world like no other. Africa needs food-Vladimir Putin needs allies. African Union President Sall with Putin: "One Hand Washes the Other" That 'one hand washes the other' became particularly visible at the joint press conference in Sotchi: "We leave here very reassured and happy about our exchange, African Union (AU) President Macky Sall AU President Sall first emphasized. He said he had the impression that Putin, whom he described as his "dear friend Vladimir", was committed and aware that the crisis is causing serious problems for economically weak countries like those in Africa. But Senegal President Sall, went one step further and publicly repeated one of the Kremlin's favorite arguments, that Western sanctions against Russia had made things worse. He therefore loudly called for the lifting of export restrictions on Russian wheat and fertilizer playing into Putin's diplomatic cards. Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany) Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, the fourth defence witness in the trial involving Dr Stephen Opuni and two others, says COCOBOD never suffered any financial loss as a result of the purchase of lithovit liquid fertilizer. He said, I will not consider the purchasing of lithovit liquid fertilizer as a loss to the State. Mr Agyekum, who is the former Board Chairman of COCOBOD, in his evidence in chief, led by Mr Samuel Codjoe, Lawyer for Dr Opuni, said he was dragged to EOCO himself in 2017 for causing financial loss to the state. Dr Opuni and Mr Agongo are facing 27 charges, including defrauding by false pretences, willfully causing financial loss to the State, money laundering, corruption by a public officer and contravention of the Public Procurement Act. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on a GHS300,000.00 self-recognizance bail each. Mr Agyekum said having been charged for causing financial loss to the state and against his protestation as a Board chairman, he did not authorise payment, nor did he sign Cheques at COCOBOD and yet he was treated by EOCO as a common criminal. The former Board Chairman, who is a retired Diplomat, said he was on the Board of directors of the Board from January 2014 to January 2017. He said he could state that all agrochemicals, including lithovit liquid fertiliser went through the right procurement procedure before purchase was done. He said he was also the Chairman of the Entity Tender Committee (ETC) until the law was amended to make the Chief Executive the Chairman. The witness said that even though the law was amended, he still attended all ETC meetings. During my tenure as Board Chairman, all agrochemicals, including fertilizers which were purchased went through proper procedures and processes, he added. He said the practice existed before his appointment to the Board of COCOBOD. He said all chemicals, including fertilizers bought from Agricult Ghana, limited went through all the processes. Also, as a Board Chairman, all fertilizers, including lithovit fertilizer went through the proper procedures, he said. He said as a Board, they were guided by technical experts in specific fields, and they also followed the right procedures. The witness said lithovit was a liquid fertilizer and I also know COCOBOD purchased lithovit including(among) sidalco and granular fertilizer." Mr Agyekum told the Court that letters from COCOBOD to the Public Procurement Authority, seeking approval for sole-sourcing of fertilizers were signed by Dr Opuni but not written by him. He said it was not Dr Opuni, who granted contracts but rather the management of the COCOBOD awarded contracts. He said after going through all the processes, they would seek expert advice before all chemicals were bought under his tenure. The witness said he was also aware that all procurement letters were written by the Procurement Unit. The witness statement was tendered and adopted by the Court. Mr Nutifafa Nutsukpui, Counsel for Seidu Agongo, in cross-examination, asked the witness whether he would remember some Board members and the witness said he could only recollect a few names, looking at my age. Tell the Court how the Board made its decisions, the witness was asked, and he said "when the Board meets, most of the decisions were arrived at after a thorough discussion on the issues that were presented to them per the agenda." He said decisions taken at the meeting were based on consensus. Asked whether it was possible during his tenure for an individual Board member to make any decision on their behalf, the witness answered in the negative. He said each member was given the opportunity to make his or her views known. Were the budget and procurement plan approved in a similar decision manner, the Counsel asked, and the witness said the plan and budget would be discussed by all members before any decision was made. He said if there was any way for clarification on the plan, the experts were invited. The Counsel asked the witness that as far as he was aware, in approving the budget or procurement plan, had there been any influence by Mr Agongo and his Agricult Company? But the witness disagreed. He said they could not have influenced any of the decisions because they do not attend their meetings. Mr Nutsukpui asked the witness that during his tenure as the Board Chairman, were there any complaints of any problem with any agrochemical COCOBOD purchased, the witness said he never received any complaints from any cocoa farmer or farming group. He said during his tenure and based on his personal experience it was his determination that the policies, programmes, and activities of the Board should be apt to support the Cocoa farming industry. He said his reaction to the assertion that lithovit was so ineffective and farmers drank the fertilizer on their farms was that Dr Adu Ampomah, who claimed the farmers complained to him, did not know what he was talking about. The witness said if any farmer drank the fertilizer would die. Mr Agyekum said "maybe," Dr Ampomah might not be telling the truth. The case has been adjourned to Friday, June 10, 2022. GNA Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Boamah has questioned the essence of a private members' motion seeking a probe into the 2020 general elections. Mr. Boamah feels the motion is baseless, given that the court of law had earlier ruled that the 2020 general elections were free and fair in an earlier case filed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC). I believe the motion before Parliament is unfounded, and it has no basis. It is just a complete waste of the taxpayers money and time because all these processes have been undertaken by the Electoral Commission, said Mr. Boamah on Eyewitness News. Five Members of ParliamentMP for Asawase, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, MP for Bolga East, Dr Dominic Ayine, MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor, Buem MP, Kofi Adams and MP for Salaga South, Zuweira Ibrahimah filed the motion. The nine-point motion covers issues such as pre-thumb printed ballot papers in the Ashanti Region; multiple declaration of results; an investigation into alleged procurement breaches, discovery of excess ballot papers, and an inquiry into the violence in six constituencies. The motion stipulates that the said probe committee must be chaired by a member of the Minority. Mr. Boamah however insists that the election results were legitimately determined by Ghanaians, a situation he believes nullifies claims of rigging, among others, during the general elections. He also accused the MPs of trying to use the back door to have the polls probed. The NDC were aggrieved by the decision of the people of this country as announced by the EC and went to court to challenge the processes that led to the declaration by the EC announcing Nana Akufo-Addo as President of the republic so what is the meaning of this back door approach of resurrecting what has been finally determined by the constitutional court of this country? he further asked. citinewsroom Newmont says it has sold 3,500 ounces of gold to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) under a domestic gold purchasing programme launched by the Central Bank in June 2021. The objective of the Bank of Ghana's gold purchasing programme was to increase its gold reserves. The Bank, therefore, entered discussions with the Chamber or Mines about its intentions to purchase refined gold from mining companies in the country. Newmont said it engaged the Central Bank on the governance, compliance, risk and supply chain requirements associated with the deal and agreement was signed culminating in the first sale of refined gold in May 2022. Overall, the Central Bank is seeking to buy from the mining companies 10,000 ounces of gold annually over the next four to five years. Newmont has pledged to provide 30 per cent of the required amount annually based on its market share within the mining industry in Ghana. GNA Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been entreated to deepen collaboration among security forces in the border regions to ensure trade sustainability. In addition, each country on the regional block must heighten intelligence gathering by providing requisite reporting infrastructure to people in communities under threat report effectively to authorities. The call was necessitated by threats of terrorism along Ghana's northern frontiers, which shares borders with Burkina Faso, which experienced a coup d'etat in January this year. The coup, expert feared could make Bawku, which is closer to Burkina Faso, and experiencing internal conflicts, a home to terrorists. Dr Joseph Obeng, Trade Unionist, and Mr Wallace Akundor, a Customs Tax Administration Expert, told the Ghana News Agency that the situation required that both local and regional collaborations be heightened. ECOWAS leaders have, therefore, been asked to make security a priority by deploying forces to take control of the cross-border trading routes as economic activities among regional blocs occurred mostly by road. Dr Obeng said: We have to make sure that the member States put security ahead of everything, because if insurgencies or criminal activities are high in the region then our business will be in jeopardy. It's very important that they take the security issues very seriously, especially regarding trading. So, whatever we do to ensure that we have safety in our trade routes so that we can ply trade in peace and harmony, we have to do it, he added. Mr Akundor also explained that like any other threat, terrorism was disruptive to the business and trade environment as it brought fear and panic. People are going to be afraid to get out and do their normal business, so it has implications. There's going to be instability, nothing can be predictable, because as the attack persists, we can never predict what's going to happen next, he said. He emphasised that: The whole production that would have gone to trade, whether it's in agriculture or local production would be affected because the news of threat of terrorism can fuel a lot of instability and insecurity, which could also affect the global trading chain. The former Commissioner of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) said there must be security consciousness among individuals at the community level, nothing that: It should be 'see something, say something,' so that every unusual thing that's observed in a community is reported. We need a certain infrastructure for that reporting, and a credible intelligence gathering scheme, involving the people in the locality, Chiefs, opinion leaders that will trickle down to the business level, he added. GNA 08.06.2022 LISTEN The Asogli State Council has reacted to some allegations made by the host of Metro TV's Good evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere, following the rejection of over Ghc365k ex-gratia by Togbe Afede, the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State. The Asogli State Council in a statement said our attention has been drawn to comments and allegations made by one Paul Adom-Otchere in his Good Evening Ghana programme on Metro TV on June 7, 2022, during his discussion of Togbe Afede XIV's rejection of ex-Gratia payment made to him. The traditional council said it ordinarily would not have responded to comments from Paul Adom-Otchere, knowing who he is, but while we ponder a more suitable reaction, specific allegations he made cannot be ignored. The traditional council clarified that the numbers Paul Adom-Otchere presented on Togbes attendance at meetings of the Council of State are both incorrect and misleading, and are a disingenuous attempt to discredit Togbes performance at the Council. It challenged Adom-Otchere to provide the Councils attendance register, from which he compiled his numbers for all to know the truth. The Council had three committees, one of which Togbe chaired, the Economy and Special Development Initiatives Committee. And Togbe had an excellent plenary meeting attendance record, it added. The Asogli State Council also said Togbe Afede has not taken any loan from government. SG Bank offered commercial loans to Council members, which Togbe has fully repaid, he added. It also clarified that Togbe Afede presented himself as a resident of Accra and did not claim any transport allowances from the Council. It also noted that Togbe Afede did not say the ex- Gratia payments were illegal. He believes part-time work by our senior citizens should not merit Ex Gratia payment by our poor country. It finally clarified that Togbe Afede's rejection of the ex-Gratia payment was not on partisan basis. Read the full statement here; Paul Adom-Otchere believes Togbe Afede XIV has more money to refund to the state than the GHC365,000 ex-gratia he returned recently. The traditional leader has been praised by a section of Ghanaians including the former UN special advisor on governance Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah for his gesture. citinewsroom Turkey is increasing pressure on Russia's military presence in Syria with the closure of its airspace to Russian planes flying over Syrian airspace and restricting its warships from using Turkish waters. Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has given no reason for closing its airspace to Russian civilian and military planes carrying troops flying to Syria, other than saying the decision will be reviewed in July. Ankara and Moscow back rival sides in the Syrian civil war but have been cooperating in trying to resolve the conflict. Some analysts suggest, however, the move should be seen through the prism of Turkey's shared opposition with its Western allies towards Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has brought it closer to Washington and its NATO partners after years of concern over Turkey's deepening ties with Russia. "It's an important decision [restricting Russian supply of Syria]. Turkish-American relations have improved dramatically in this respect. Probably the Americans bilaterally and NATO as an institution insisted upon it," said Huseyin Bagci, head of the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute in Ankara, "Trying to close the increasing influence of Russia in Syria and in the Middle East in general. It is, of course, not a decision the Russians would like to see." Moscow fears supply routes will be compromised Turkish airspace offers the easiest route for Russian planes supplying its military bases in Syria. "To maintain the airbase in Syria, of course, they fly over the Turkish airspace and are of importance for Russia," points outs Zaur Gasimov, a Russian expert at Bonn University. But the closure of Turkish airspace will stoke fears in Moscow that Ankara is cooperating with Washington to cut off Russian supply routes to Syria. According to Gasimov: "Russia can use the airspace of Iraq and of Iran to reach their military bases in Syria. It's possible that Washington urges pressure on Baghdad to close its airspace." Russia's supplying of its military forces in Syria is already complicated by Ankara's decision to limit the use of Turkish waters by Russian warships based in the Black Sea under the international Montreux Convention. The convention allows Turkey to impose restrictions if a war occurs among Black Sea countries. Russian Black Sea ports were, until Ankara imposed the controls, the main supply route supplying Russian forces in Syria. "Russia was using the Turkish straits to supply its campaign in Syria, and we used to see multiple ships in a week, both Russian Navy - usually landing ships, carrying goods and ships, were transiting Turkish straits to go to Syria," says Yoruk Isik, an Istanbul based geopolitical analyst with the Washington-based Middle East Institute. "And now all those ships disappear. Only two ships pass in the entire last month. And we are talking about usually four or five ships were passing per week," Isik added. Moscow's 'balancing act' over Turkey's energy supply Analysts note that Moscow retains powerful leverage over Ankara, with Turkey heavily dependent on Russian energy. And any assault by Russian forces on Syrian rebels holed-up on the Turkish border could trigger an exodus of refugees into Turkey. But the Ukrainian conflict is seen as severely curtailing Russian influence. "The room for Russian maneouvering vis-a-vis Ankara got very limited," says Gasimov. "Turkey is one of the countries which still didn't join the anti-Russian sanctions. It's very important for Moscow to maintain the dialogue with those countries and not to augment the ranks and numbers of countries who join the sanctions," he concluded. 08.06.2022 LISTEN A radio presenter with Tamale-based Neesim FM, Alhaasan Suale, has been shot dead in an alleged robbery attack at Kalariga, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region. The deceased radio presenter is said to have been hit by a stray bullet during a robbing incident involving a mobile money vendor. A statement by the Ghana Police Service has confirmed the incident indicating that the robbery resulted in the death of one alleged suspect and two victims. The statement further said two others including one of the alleged robbers and one other victim sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving medical attention. The Police however assured that they are working around the clock to bring the perpetrators to book. Within the week there was another robbery incident around the Afa Ajura's mosque in Tamale in the Northern region. Residents of Tamale have however expressed worry about the continuous robberies, snatching of cars, and other criminal activities in the metropolis and called on the mayor of Tamale, the regional minister, and the security services to act swiftly to curb the menace. DGN online The Nigerien Embassy in collaboration with government of Ghana has kick-started the process to repatriate some Nigerien beggars on the streets of Accra. A spokesperson for Nigerien Embassy in Accra, Abdallah Mohamed Hassan told Accra 100.5 FMs 6:00 am news on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, that the embassy has engaged the government of Ghana to have the beggars who are Nigerien nationals removed from the streets of Accra. According to him, through the partnership with the government of Ghana, some one thousand beggars made up of children among others have been mobilized and will be dully repatriated in accordance with migration regulations of Ghana. He said this is to clear the streets of Accra of the nuisance of seeing persons who are Nigerien nationals begging on the streets of Accra. He assured the Nigeriens resident in Ghana who will be repatriated that employable skills will be provided. He said all persons who will be repatriated to Niger as a result of the measures to rid Nigerien beggars off the streets of Accra will be catered for at home. He noted that the Nigerien government has made jobs available for all who will be returned. He warned that persons who will be repatriated as a result of the partnership will be dealt with in accordance with the immigration laws of Ghana if they attempt to return to Ghana. In recent times children believed to be Nigerien nationals from the West African sub-region have besieged some streets in Accra, occupying medians and traffic intersections of some busy streets to harass motorists and pedestrians for money. The places where the children are mostly seen are the Graphic Road, Lapaz, Achimota, Kasoa Old Barrier traffic lights, University of Professional Studies (UPSA) junction, the Accra Mall, Adjiringano, Shiashie near Emmanuel Eye Clinic, and some ceremonial streets Source: Classfmonline.com Belgium's King Philippe on Wednesday decorated the last surviving Congolese World War II veteran, on the second day of his historic visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Belgian sovereign landed in DRC's capital Kinshasa on Tuesday for a six-day visit billed as an opportunity for reconciliation between the vast central African country and its former colonial master. On Wednesday morning, Philippe visited a memorial for combat veterans in Kinshasa and laid a wreath. He also decorated 100-year-old Corporal Albert Kunyuku, who enlisted in Belgium's colonial Force Publique in 1940 and saw service in Burma -- the former name of Myanmar. Kunyuku, the last surviving Congolese veteran of World War II, shook hands with the king for a long time. Belgium's colonisation of the Congo was one of the harshest imposed by the European powers that ruled most of Africa in the late 19th and 20th centuries. King Leopold II, the brother of Philippe's great great grandfather, oversaw the conquest of what is now DRC, governing the territory as his personal property between 1885 and 1908 before it became a Belgian colony. Brutal rule Hug: King Philippe was greeted by President Felix Tshisekedi at Kinshasa airport on Tuesday. By Arsene Mpiana (AFP) Historians say that millions of people were killed, mutilated or died of disease as they were forced to collect rubber under his rule. The land was also pillaged for its mineral wealth, timber and ivory. In 2020, Philippe wrote a letter to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi to express his "deepest regrets" for the "wounds of the past." Near the combat veterans' memorial on Wednesday, some bystanders suggested that decorating Kunyuku was a cosmetic gesture. "We should also compensate the families of these veterans who lost their lives in a war that did not concern them," said Madeleine Yowa, a 43-year-old nurse. Marie-Therese Bakuku, a street vendor, also urged financial reparations and called the ceremony hypocritical. "There were thousands of them," the 73-year-old said, referring to Congolese WWII veterans. "Now there's one left and they're trying to save the day." Looted art King Philippe afterwards visited DRC's national museum in Kinshasa, established in 2019, where he handed over a mask the ethnic Suku group use in initiation rites. The ceremonial mask is on "unlimited" loan from Belgium's Royal Museum for Central Africa, he announced. The Belgian government last year set out a roadmap for returning art works looted during the colonial era, a sensitive topic in DRC. "The coloniser hauled away our artworks, it's right that they should be returned to us," said Louis Karhebwa, a 63-year-old businessman. The last survivor: Albert Kunyuku Ngoma, pictured in 2020. By Manu Kalombo (AFP) Prince Pungi, a young civil servant, agreed. "Congo is changing, moving forward," he said. "It's time to take back what belongs to us". Philippe is due to hold a ceremony with President Tshisekedi at the Congolese parliament later Wednesday, and then on Friday, deliver a speech to university students in the southern city of Lubumbashi. On Sunday, the Belgian sovereign will visit the clinic of gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, co-winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against sexual violence, in the eastern city of Bukavu. The visit is King Philippe's first to DRC since ascending the throne in 2013. His father, King Albert II, visited the country in 2010. His trip comes as Belgium is preparing to return to Kinshasa a tooth -- the last remains of Patrice Lumumba, a hero of the anti-colonial struggle and short-lived first prime minister of the independent Congo. One of the last pictures of Congo's post-independence leader Patrice Lumumba, right. He and Joseph Okito, left, the vice president of the Senate, were arrested in Leopoldville, now Kinshasa, in December 1960. They were killed the following month. By STRINGER (AFP) Lumumba was murdered by Congolese separatists and Belgian mercenaries in 1961 and his body dissolved in acid, but the tooth was kept as a trophy by one of his killers, a Belgian police officer. Rebels killed five gendarmes in Cameroon near a region where a deadly conflict has pitted separatists from the country's anglophone minority against the security forces, local sources said on Wednesday. Armed men overnight Tuesday attacked a gendarmerie post in Njitapon in the West Region, around a dozen kilometres (eight miles) from the mainly English-speaking and restive Northwest Region. "The separatists killed five gendarmes," Adamou Youmou Koupit, the local MP for the opposition Cameroon Democratic Union party, told AFP. A senior local government official, who asked not to be named, also accused anglophone separatists of carrying out the attack. "The toll is five dead, all gendarmes, and three injured. We are combing the area," he told AFP. The Northwest and neighbouring Southwest Region are home to most of the anglophone minority in majority French-speaking Cameroon. After years of chafing at perceived discrimination and marginalisation, anglophone militants declared an independent state, the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, in the two regions in 2017, triggering a crackdown by the authorities. Separatists have targeted police, soldiers, officials and schools, which they deem to be symbols of the state, often carrying out kidnappings. Cameroon's 89-year-old President Paul Biya, who has ruled the country with an iron fist for almost four decades, has refused demands for a federal structure. The United Nations and NGOs have accused the rebels and security forces of committing crimes against civilians in the two English-speaking regions. The International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank estimates that the conflict has killed 6,000 people, mostly civilians, and forced more than one million people to flee their homes. On Tuesday, Cameroon's defence ministry said soldiers killed nine civilians including a baby earlier this month in the Northwest Region, admitting their actions were "inappropriate" and "manifestly disproportionate." 08.06.2022 LISTEN Food security has become a global issue, as a result of the war in Ukraine, a leading producer of wheat. As a wise and aspirational African people, we must now highlight the efforts of the most successful and innovative farmers, in our homeland Ghana - and none comes close to what B-BOVID Farms Limited's founder. Issa Ouedraogo, has achieved in less than twenty years. Issa, an orphan who went abroad to study in Germany, then worked overseas and saved enough (US $800,000) to enable him return home to invest in his dream: establishing a social impact agrisector business, with a value-chain of empowered oil palm smallholder stakeholders, as a way of giving back to society, for escaping poverty. Today, the world has embraced the idea of business impacting society, and the natural environment, positively, by bedrocking the ethos that guides its operations on good governance principles that result in a C-Suit culture focused on diversity and environmental stewardship in the communities they serve worldwide. That is why the Issa Ouedraogos in our midst, ought to be embraced - for their innovative agrisector social impact business model empowers its value-chain's smallholder farmer-stakeholders to bootstrap their way out of the brutish-hellish-trap of extreme poverty successfully, generates jobs galore across rural Ghana, and helps to green our country, because tree-planting is an integral part of their operations. Replicated nationwide, agrisector social impact businesses will enable Ghana to ensure food security, and increase its natural capital as agroforestry projects. Our ruling-elites routes ought to focus on incentivising our national economy's private sector's most innovative agripreneurs, with tax breaks and seek their views on how to create wealth that remains locally, and generate meaningful jobs for rural Ghana's younger generations, while ensuring food security for Mother Ghana, above all. In an autocratic manner, Senator Abdullah Adamu the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party that in consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari, a fellow Northerner, Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President, had been chosen as a consensus candidate. The 13 APC governors, most of them Muslims in support of the power shift to the South, refused to join in Adamus autocratic move. The northern governors with prominent voices like Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Aminu Masari of Katsina, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, and Abubakar Bello of Niger, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi and others stood their ground that the partys candidate in the 2023 presidential election shall come from the southern part of the country. Equally, members of the National Working Committee of the party, of which Adamu is the leader, rejected his autocratic and tyrannical move. While the presidency denied that President Muhammadu Buhari had no anointed candidate, his up and down meetings with select stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress, including Adamu, and all APC governors, then Northern APC governors, but not Southern APC governors, leave one guessing as to his true motives. Especially when Adamu, who was generally imposed as the chairman by Buhari, and by way of consensus, asserted that President Buhari, supports Ahmad Lawan the Senate President, as the consensus candidate. It did matter to Adamu that out of at least 22 presidential aspirants, a list of 13 presidential aspirants were cleared by the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led Screening Committee, and five aspirants of southern background have been shortlisted for the presidential primary election. These include ex-Lagos governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; and former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi. It did not matter to Adamu that it was necessary in the interest of justice, fairness, and equity to let a southerner vie for the presidency this time. It did not matter to Adamu that former vice president Atiku Abubakar a Muslim from the North, of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is again running to be president. It did not matter to Adamu, why, for almost eight years, every top security and sensitive appointment by Buhari was a Muslim or Hausa/Fulani Muslim. not a non-northerner, especially an Igbo qualified person. The announcement by Adamu proclaiming the Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the "consensus candidate" ahead of the APC presidential primary could have been carried out in the silent name of the Islamic doctrine, that says you are your brothers keeper, but this time fair minded Northern Muslim leaders do not see Southeast and South-south marginal representation in Nigeria's presidential leadership, especially after eight years of Buhari, as godly and they include the likes of governors; Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, Kano, Umar Ganduje, Plateau, Niger, Sani Bello, Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule, Borno, Babagana Zulum, Gombe, Mohammad Inuwa Yahaya, among others. Adamu, who appeared to follow the ethnic religious path of Buhari, tried to exhibit the Trumpian psychology, meaning the use of prejudice, dogmatism, and intolerance, which many progressive Nigerians see as constituting a possible clear and present danger to the continued existence of polity in Nigeria and possibly subverting Nigerias democratic processes. It must not be practiced by any southerner, especially Tinubu if he wins. Fairness, balance, and equity, not ethnicity, religion, and region, are the three main elements of a democratic political system, and Nigeria, after Buhari, can get there. John Egbeazien Oshodi, who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional, and Career Development. He is a former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African Settings. In 2011, he introduced State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and Nasarawa State University, where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. Currently, a Virtual Behavioral Leadership Professor at ISCOM University, Republic of Benin. Founder of the proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien Open University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, and Openness. Over forty academic publications and creations, at least 200 public opinion pieces on African issues, and various books have been written by him. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues. Prof. Oshodi wrote in via [email protected] The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has appealed to Ghanaians to continue wearing nose masks, as Covid-19 cases surge. Dr Kuma-Aboagye explained that, even though the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the use of a nose mask is not mandatory, it is important for Ghanaians to continue to wear it in their own interest. He made this call when he appeared at the Ministers briefing organized by the Ministry of Information in Accra on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. According to him, there has been a rise in Covid-19 cases in Ghana over the past few weeks adding that the recent outbreaks are in schools and workplaces across the country. Currently, Ghana's active cases of Covid-19 is 452, in which the omicron virus still dominates in Accra He stressed that 3470 samples have been taken, and 773 cases confirmed of H3N2 influenza in Ghana. Also, touching on the monkeypox, he said 12 suspected cases have been tested, and 5 cases confirmed positive. Source: Classfmonline.com Community Mining Of all the talk about community mining, it appears the Ghana governments vision is misplaced. The focus seems to be on the destructive structure of galamsey, albeit under a different name, community mining. Its like putting a lipstick on a pig to make it look beautiful, but it is still an ugly pig. We boast of the abundance of gold in Ghana, and yet we keep missing the opportunities to own our resources in a well structured and effectively managed manner for development. The Chinese Takeover Take as an example, the sale of Golden Star Resources to a Chinese mining company, Chifeng and Chijin of Hong Kong in January 2022 for $470 million. The Ghana government owned 10% of Golden Star, and approved the sale without seriously considering to bid for majority stake and make it a corner stone of its community mining initiative. Ten percent (10%) is a magic number that Ghana seems to consistently opt for as carrying interest in the exploitation of its resources, and thus missing the opportunity to exercise a controlling ownership position, even for the critical assets that would ensure Ghanas current and future development as well as its economic security. Instead, the Chinese company has purchased 100% of Golden Star. The company, which was a Canadian company is no longer listed on the New York, Toronto and Ghana Stock exchanges. What a missed opportunity! Here is a situation where community mining could have been structurally adopted to minimize land, river and forest destruction that we see in the current galamsey, and so called community mining being promoted by the government. The Mines Golden Star was a Canadian company that operated the Wassa mines in the Western Region, around Bogoso, Akropong, Hiawa and in the Ankobra River Basin. It engaged in underground mining. The largest shareholder of Golden Star was the La Mancha Star Investments, owned by Yousriva Loza-Sawins, an Egyptian billionaire in Canada. In 2020 the company made big news in Ghana about its plans to invest $100 million in its mining facilities. That never happened or will not happen. Golden Star was a well structured, and a well organized Western model corporate entity that the Ghana Government could have bought and used as an anchor for its community mining agenda. Parts of the ownership could then eventually have been sold to institutions and individuals in Ghana. This is not a new or revealing concept, as it is even embedded in the venture capital Adeshe Fund, championed by the government, except for ensuring that such enterprises do not become captive to a few politicians, their families and friends. Continuous Turnover Nonetheless, the Chinese now own Golden Star Resources, just like Newmont and other mining companies are owned by Australian and Canadian entities. In the Ghana mining industry, some of these companies obtain licenses from the Ghana government at minuscule administrative prices. They operate the mines for a few years and sell them to other foreign investors, who perpetuate the cycle; turn them over to make money for their directors, officers in huge change in control compensations, and major shareholders. Shareholder Approval While the purchase was subject to approval by Golden Star and Chifeng shareholders (Dec 30, 2021 and January 30 2022 respectively), these approvals were mere administrative and judicial exercises since the Transaction had already been approved by the Board, Directors, Officers and the largest shareholders as well as the Ghana government. Some of these parties had beneficial interest in the transaction through stock options and change in control termination compensations. In the Golden Star sale, the Termination Compensation payments for directors and officers were as follows: Andrew Wray, CEO ...US$2.2 million Graham Crew, Chief Operating Officer US$1.7 million Nathalie Haddad, Head of People ...US$511,000 Paul Thomson, Chief Financial Officer.US$581,000 Philipa Varris, Head of Sustainability US$491,000 Benjamin Pullinger, Head of Discovery ..US$464,000 These payments are in addition to the values of their stock options. Note that all this is legal, and standard practice in the corporate takeover arrangements around the world. Are We Learning So while this article sheds light on the Golden Star arrangement, the key question is why Ghana keeps being left in the dust in these international turnover of the ownership of its resources with no or little benefit to the Ghanaian people. There have been many such arrangements in the past and there will be more in the future. As a matter of fact, when this article was being finalized, Ghana Graphic reported on April 25, 2022 that the government had approved the sale of Chirano Golds operations in Bibiani to Asante Gold for $225 million, and had the expected closing date of May 31, 2022 (now postponed). Again, the question is: How does Ghana and the leadership in Ghana take a different approach in owning and managing the resources of the country? If we don't gradually increase our stake in the ownership of these resources, we would always cry lack of capital in these opportunities. Mining Lease Expiration The mining lease for Golden Star, which has been sold to Chifeng, actually expires in September 2022. While Chifeng is aware of the risk of Ghana not renewing the lease, they went ahead with the acquisition because according to one company official the Ghana government has assured them of renewal. It is not clear if this is stipulated in the purchase agreement. But it clearly gives the government nine months to set a new strategic agenda with non-renewal or increase in its stake, and get out of the mentality of settling for 10% ownership in the resources of Ghana, while giving away 90% all the time. Golden Star is relatively a small company, and Ghana really has the opportunity to take control of it and use it as a building block for its community mining program. The writer is a Retired Senior Bank Executive and Senior Advisor and a member of Ghana Environmental Advocacy Group. The Head of Trade Finance Unit of the Banking Department of the Bank of Ghana, Edward Markwei Jr, has told a Financial and Economic Court in Accra, that Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, acted on the authority of the finance minister when he signed a letter requesting his outfit to establish Letters of Credit in favour of Big Sea General Trading Ltd of Dubai to cover the importation of fifty ambulances. Answering questions under cross-examination by Counsel for Dr. Forson, Dr. Abdul Aziz Basit Baamba, after his evidence-in-chief was admitted, Mr. Markwei admitted that when processing the letters of credit, he and his colleagues at the Bank of Ghana believed they were acting on a letter signed on behalf of the finance minister because the said letter had FOR MINISTER clearly written under the signature of Dr Forson. The prosecution had alleged in its particulars of offence accompanying the charge sheet, that Dr. Forson, willfully caused financial loss by authorizing irrevocable Letters of Credit valued at EUR 3,950,000 to be established out of which payments amounting to EUR 2,370,000 were made to Big Sea General Trading Ltd of Dubai for the supply of vehicles purporting to be ambulances without due cause and authorization. Asked by Dr Baamba to shed further light on the explanation he had given for what constituted letters of credit in his evidence-in-chief before the court, Mr. Markwei stated that letters of credit were not in themselves payment, but rather provided a guarantee for payment to a beneficiary provided certain conditions spelt out in it were met. When asked by Dr. Baamba to clarify if payment would be made under Letters of Credit only if the stated conditions were met, Mr. Markwei said that would be the case. Asked again to explain if payment would not be made if the conditions were not met, Mr. Markwei answerd in the affirmative. Mr. Markwei earlier caused a stir when in answer to a question by Dr Baamba as to whether he was aware that there was a huge difference between the meanings of request and instruct, he said they had the same meaning after he had been asked to read the second paragraph of the letter where the words urgently requesting were found. This followed a claim in Mr. Markweis evidence-in-chief that Dr. Forson had written on 7thAugust,2014 urgently instructing the Bank of Ghana to establish letters of credit in favour of Big Sea General Trading of Dubai. Mr. Markwei subsequently admitted that the exact words used in the letter were urgently requested and not urgently instructed as claimed in his evidence-in-chief. Former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sylvester Anemana as well as businessman, Richard Jakpa, have been charged with causing financial loss to the state over the importation of 30 ambulances that formed part of a consignment of 200 under a contract signed between the Ministry of Health and Dubai-based firm, Big Sea Limited in 2012. Dr. Forson has dismissed the charges as politically motivated. Source: Daily Post The Minority in Parliament is threatening to block the passage of government bills if the anti-LGBTQI bill is not worked on with dispatch in the house. The Chairman of the committee working on the bill has been accused of deliberately slowing down work on the bill, with no clear sign of progress more than a year after its introduction. Speaking on the floor of the house on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak stressed the need for the bill to be dealt with speedily. As far as the constitution is concerned, when you introduce a bill, and it is referred to the committee, that committee must not spend more than three months, Mr. Mubarak argued. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Committee working on the bill, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi has explained why work on the bill had delayed. I would want to draw the Houses attention that there are several bills before the committee. We had one in-camera meeting last week, and we have invited the sponsors of this bill for these meetings. Honourable Bedzrah was at these meetings, so it was surprising that the same person who was aware of what the committee is doing will say that the committee is doing nothing about the bill. I want to set the records straight that the committee is on course, so far as bills are concerned. The Bill on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values', was presented to Speaker, Alban Bagbin on Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Bill prescribes that people of the same sex who engage in sexual activity could spend up to 10 years in jail. Varying forms of support for the LGBTQ+ community will also be criminalised if the Bill, known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, is passed into law. The members of Parliament that presented the bill are, Sam George, Emmanuel Bedzrah (MP, Ho West) Della Adjoa Sowah (MP, Kpando), John Ntim Fordjour (MP, Assin South), Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini (MP, Tamale North), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (MP, Krachi West), Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP, La Dadekotopon) and Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor (MP, South Dayi). France's "grandfather" of street art, Jacques Villegle has died at the age of 96. He was known for his work reusing damaged posters he collected, which have been displayed in museums the world over. "It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of the artist Jacques Villegle, at the age of 96," the Centre Pompidou in Paris said in a statement on Tuesday. He was a great artist, an observer and a collector of posters. His unique work had a huge impact on the second half of the 20th century," the modern art museum wrote. Born Jacques Mahe de la Villegle 27 March, 1926 in Quimper in western France, Villegle studied at the Beaux-Arts school in Rennes, then later in Nantes. Member of the New Realism group (Nouveaux Realistes) from 1960 with Arman and Yves Klein among others, he was in the 1970s behind a movement of "social-political" graphic art, writing anonymously on the walls of metros and experimenting with the printed word. With his friend, the photographer and artist Raymond Hains, who died in 2005, Villegle "scratched" off what was to become his first "poster art" as early as 1949, something he continued doing until 2003. Essentially, he would chose sections of ripped posters, often revealing layers of older posters underneath, from advertising or politics and transfer them to panels, reframing the content so as to highlight certain colours and forms. "In the 1960s, we were told we needed to bring museums into the street. But I said we need to bring the street into the museums that are a little bit like cemeteries," he once said. "In America, I was considered like a precursor of pop art, like Jasper Johns. I'm sure it's thanks to the poster "Carrefour Sevres Montparnasse". "Posters have always interested me," he said during his major retrospective at the Pompidou in Paris back in 2008. "I understood that with them we would see the evolution of the world, the changing words, the new colours". The end of the 1980s was a "golden age" admits Villegle where there were "many posters glued everywhere". The evening of the presidential election in April 1988 was particularly memorable. "I brought a truck, five guys with me and we went around collecting posters. In one hour I had my whole next exhibition," he recounts. Exhibition in Saint-Malo "He was admired by all the great museums and his work makes up a large part of our collective imagination. It has changed the way we look at the urban landscape, invitating us to reappropriate the city, to contemplate it, question it and challenge it," wrote the Mayor of Rennes, Nathalie Appere. The city of Saint-Malo in Brittany, where Villegle once used to work, has been working for the past few months with the artist and his daughters to prepare an exhibition to open in the summer, Appere said. "On the 9 July, it will be with a lot of emotion that we'll unveil this work of this amazing creator and founder of street art," the Mayor of Saint-Malo Gilles Lurton said. The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu has sent condolences to families of the victims of the Catholic church attack in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. I have received with shock news about the act of terrorism visited upon the Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State and the people of this part of Nigeria. It is a devastating incident that will create grief and sorrow in any community it happens, he said yesterday through his spokesperson Sheikh Arimiyao Shaibu. Continuing, he said, on my own behalf and the Muslim community, I express my condolences to the Catholic Church, especially in Nigeria, Ghana and the res t of the world. He assured the grieving families, the state, Nigeria as a whole, and the whole Catholic fraternity that he and Muslims in Ghana share the pain of the act of barbarism visited upon them. We wish that God will give solace and comfort to those affected directly and indirectly, the Ondo State Governor and President Muhammadu Buhari, the cleric prayed. The Chief Imam added that the dastardly act of terrorism comes on the heels on a recent engagement with the leadership of the Catholic Church on ways of fashioning out a means of ensuring inter-faith harmony. This, he added, has become an annual affair on the faith calendar of the country. Many worshippers lost their lives in a church in Ondo State, Nigeria, after the facility was attacked by heavily armed persons a few days ago. A priest, when he was interviewed, said only evil-minded persons would visit this kind of atrocity on worshippers. According to him, the worshippers were being shot at within the church, and those who managed to get outside were not spared the bullets of the attackers. He added that the attackers hurled a grenade inside the church. Such acts of terrorism were confined to the northern parts of Nigeria, but with the Ondo experience, it would appear that the criminals have the South in their sights, which adds to the security burden on the federal government and the security apparatus. ---DGN online Residents of Otodjor, a community near Dansoman SSNIT Flats in Accra, are calling for the immediate provision of drains to save their lives and properties. The community, on a low-lying land, gets inundated anything it rains, suffering massive loss of property and quality of life in the last few weeks. Madam Yvonne Ofosua Mensah, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said, the entire community did not have a drainage system, and since the rains began, they had not only lost several belongings but vacated their homes to save their lives. "We need just one big drain to avert all this flooding. I can count the number of times I have begged the authorities to give us one drain, but nothing has been done," she said. Narrating her ordeal and frustration during a washing and cleaning activity after a rainfall, Madam Mensah, told the GNA that the neglect of fixing their problem had exacerbated their plight. In a tone of despair, she said she was wondering if the state were waiting for their deaths before it would construct drains within the communities, adding that they were lucky not to have been electrocuted. "Those responsible for constructing drainage systems have neglected the community. We sleep outside. We need drains and not blankets, cups and sachet water," she noted. Mrs Rosemary Amakye Aboagye, who had spent the whole day drying up her family's clothes at the entrance of a church building, told GNA that anytime they reported the flooding situation, all they were told was that the land is a wetland. "Are we not Ghanaians just like others in the country, so why must our leaders pretend not to be seeing what is happening to us? We just need drains and is that one too beyond the State's financial strength," she said Papa Nii Teyefio Borketey said they were tired of the empty assurances received over the last six years. "We always get leaders who come around to inspect the damage but that amounts to zero, and for over six years the situation had been the same," GNA Campaigners on Wednesday launched a court bid to block UK government's plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as it attempts to stop migrant boat crossings from France. The government in London said last month that it intends to fly a first planeload of asylum-seekers to Rwanda on June 14. But the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Care4Calais and Detention Action have now issued judicial review proceedings in the High Court against what they call an "unlawful policy". James Wilson, deputy director of Detention Action, said interior minister Priti Patel had "overstepped her authority". "By rushing through what we say is an unlawful policy, she is turning a blind eye to the many clear dangers and human rights violations that it would inflict on people seeking asylum," he said. "It's vital that new government policies respect and uphold the laws that we all, as a society, have agreed to follow. That's why we're seeking an injunction to keep this plane to Rwanda from leaving the runway," he added. The one-way flights are intended to deter others from entering Britain, especially via dangerous crossings of the Channel. More than 10,000 migrants have made the journey so far this year. Confirming the target date for the first time, Patel acknowledged the new policy was set to face challenges in the courts. In a statement, she said: "I will not be deterred and remain fully committed to delivering what the British public expect." Home Secretary Priti Patel wants the first flight to leave Britain for Rwanda on June 14. By JESSICA TAYLOR (UK PARLIAMENT/AFP) The Home Office has sent out the first notices to asylum claimants who are earmarked for removal to Rwanda, under a partnership worth 120 million ($151 million) to Kigali. Clare Moseley, founder of Care4Calais, said most of those being detained pending their removal are "overwhelmed by total shock and despair". "Many came to the UK believing it to be a good place that would treat them more fairly than the places from which they escaped," she said. "We say that the Rwanda plan is unlawful. We hope the courts will agree with us." The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Constituency, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has made public correspondences between the Presidency and the Finance Ministry, implicating President Akufo-Addo of allegedly making unconstitutional payments to finance the National Cathedral project. In the last few weeks, the outspoken National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentarian has been making revelations on how the President is spending on the construction of the National Cathedral in the name of seed money on the blindside of Parliament. From his Facebook post on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa continued his crusade to expose the alleged unconstitutional spending of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The latest post reveals that the President in October 2020 requested payment of a staggering GHS142,762,500.00 for some planned activities for the national cathedral. As promised, here are more calamitous revelations on unconstitutional payments by the Akufo-Addo government purportedly to finance a Cathedral project. On 29th October, 2020few weeks to the national elections, Ken Ofori-Atta, acting on a request by President Akufo-Addos Chief of Staff, authorized the release of a gargantuan GHS142,762,500.00 for national cathedral planned activities, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa notes in his post on Facebook. Adding that figure to figures provided last week, the North Tongu MP insists that the Akufo-Addo government has now spent a mind-boggling GHS199,832,603.00 of taxpayer funds on a cathedral which was originally presented to Ghanaians as a personal pledge to God that will not be executed with taxpayer funds. According to Hon. Ablakwa, if Jesus Christ was to return to earth today, he will pick up his whip again and visit Ghanas cathedral construction site as he did to those who corrupted His Temple in Jerusalem. Read more from the full post below: As promised, here are more calamitous revelations on unconstitutional payments by the Akufo-Addo government purportedly to finance a Cathedral project. On 29th October, 2020few weeks to the national elections, Ken Ofori-Atta, acting on a request by President Akufo-Addos Chief of Staff, authorized the release of a gargantuan GHS142,762,500.00 for national cathedral planned activities. It is of considerable consternation to note that contrary to legal requirements, government concealed this ginormous GHS142.7million from Parliament as they deliberately failed to disclose this item as part of their Expenditure Returns of 2020 during the 2021 Budget consideration in Parliament. This 2020 cathedral expenditure was also kept away from the Auditor-General in his 2020 audit. So far, adding this latest expose to our previous leaks, the Akufo-Addo government has spent a mind-boggling GHS199,832,603.00 of taxpayer funds on a cathedral which was originally presented to Ghanaians as a personal pledge to God that will not be executed with taxpayer funds. Unfortunately, digging into the tons of documents divinely in our possession, we regret to report to Ghanaians that many more millions have been paid illegally which we shall continue to put out to the glory of God and in the overall national interest. On a further scarier note, the figures we are currently reviewing do not look like anything near a seed-capital. This GHS200million cathedral-gate has turned out to be the biggest presidential scandal in Ghanas entire history. It is terribly shocking how our President and his men could engage in such ungodly, illegal and insensitive conduct. They seem to have absolutely no fear of God? Clearly, in the name of a cathedral project, a corrupt slush fund has been created to siphon taxpayer funds from the suffering masses on the blind side of Parliament, the Auditor-General, CSOs and other accountability systems. Instructively, these illegal diversions took place when government was engaged in massive vote-buying to win the 2020 elections; it was also the period COVID-19 had peaked and placed enormous pressure on our health delivery as many Ghanaians died, and yet President Akufo-Addo claimed he couldnt find the resources to fulfill his Agenda 111 pledge of building new hospitals. I have no doubt in my mind that were Jesus Christ to return to Earth at this moment, He will pick up His whip again and visit Ghanas cathedral construction site as He did to those who corrupted His Temple in Jerusalem. Legal practitioner Godwin Edudzi Tameklo has said taking or accepting ex-gratia for serving Ghana in one public portfolio or another is not mandatory. He stressed that a recipient of an ex-gratia has the right to accept or reject it. It is not mandatory for the recipient to accept ex gratia, he argued. The Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, recently returned an amount of GHS365,392.67 paid to him as ex gratia by the state for serving on the Council of State between 2017 and 2020. The business mogul, in a statement, said he does not think it is appropriate to be paid ex gratia for a part-time job he did for the state for which he received a monthly salary. I want to add that my rejection of the payment was consistent with my general abhorrence of the payment of huge ex gratia and other outrageous benefits to people who have, by their own volition, offered to serve our poor country, he said in a statement. However, Mr Tameklo, who is also an aide to former president John Dramani Mahama, explained that it is the reason some Article 71 officeholders commit the payment of their allowances and other emoluments to specific projects. He cited, as an example, the deductions made from the allowances of the appointees of Mr Mahama and his National Democratic Congress administration for the construction of some CHP compounds across the country. So, it is no big issue if a recipient rejects the payment of ex gratia on a principle he or she believes in, he stated. He said this was not a novelty because First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Mrs Samira Bawumia, the wife of Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, both returned to the state, salaries paid to them in 2021. Source: Classfmonline.com Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Caretaker Minister of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), led a team to visit the family of the girl who escaped an alleged ritual killing. This comes after the arrest of Mr Evans Oppong, a businessman, who allegedly attempted to use his 11-year-old daughter for rituals. The visit was to enable the Minister and her team acquire first-hand information about the issue, assess the situation of the child and family and provide psychosocial support to the family. The Caretaker Minister pledged the Ministry's preparedness towards providing diverse support, including psychosocial to the girl and the family. She added that the protection and survival of every Ghanaian was of great concern to the Government. Mrs Dapaah gave a token to the grandmother of the girl, while the Ga West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) would later deliver some food items to the family. She applauded the Ghana Police Service for their timely response. The Caretaker Minister tasked the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare to monitor the case and submit a situational report for the team's attention. She was accompanied by Mrs Lariba Zuweira Abudu, Deputy Gender Minister, Dr Afisah Zakariah, Chief Director, MoGCSP and Mr Clement Wilkinson, Ga West MCE. The rest are Dr Comfort Asare, National Director, Department of Social Welfare and Dr Anastasia Kpei Mawudoku, Greater Accra Regional Director Department of Social Welfare. GNA The chiefs and people of Oguaa Traditional Area on Tuesday launched the 2022 Oguaa Fetu Afahye in glitz and splendour. Amidst pomp and pageantry, the launch was spearheaded by scintillating cultural performances from the seven Asafo companies and many other cultural troupes in the ancient city of Cape Coast. The ceremony, sponsored by Mamdev Ghana Limited, a Ghanaian civil engineering and building construction company, was interspersed with rich traditional performances to herald the activities, aimed at restoring the past glory of the ancient city's cultural heritage for peace and development. This year's festival is on the theme: "Making Cape Coast Great Again; Through Education, Tourism and Development." Mr Perry Mensah, the Chairman of the Afahye Planning Committee, said the festival had become a conduit for reviving and redeveloping the once socio-economically vibrant and culturally rich Metropolis. Mr Mensah was optimistic that the celebration would live up to its expectations, having lined up series of activities to ensure that Cape Coast took its rightful place in the Ghanaian Society. The activities would include a vigil at the Bakaano, which would also host a regatta for the Asafo companies, a youth colloquium, and children and gender activism day. He reminded all residents to religiously obey the ban on drumming and noise making, particularly religious organisations to ensure peace. The ban affects noisemaking, including the use of loudspeakers, drums, tambourines, clapping of hands and the use of any form of musical instruments during the period. During the period, the Oguaa Traditional Council would pray for the country and the citizens to continue to keep the flame of peace, love, tranquility, and good brotherliness. "We also entreat all persons in Oguaa to comply with the ban on drumming and noisemaking and refrain from making derogatory remarks about the rites, customs, practices and beliefs of the people," he cautioned. Mr Mensah urged residents to work together towards keeping the Metropolis clean and healthy by participating in the monthly clean-up exercise. He said residents could, on their own, get together to clean their immediate environs without necessarily waiting on the community leaders to organise a clean-up and urged the media to project the festival and all its related activities. Reverend Dorcas Annam, the Superintendent Minister, Evangelical Methodist Church of Christ, Cape Coast, asked Ghanaians not to allow the rapid socio-economic changes to result in the adulteration of the country's traditional values, customs, and cultural practices. She observed that adulteration of the values and practices had been a major contributing factor to the high rate of indiscipline among the youth. Rev. Annam asked parents to speak their mother tongue with their children to maintain their traditional identity and make them proud as Ghanaians and Africans. Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, called on corporate bodies and philanthropists to support the festival. He urged his people to obey the customs and practices and keep their surroundings clean. GNA Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress on Wednesday picked former Lagos governor and veteran political operator Bola Tinubu as its candidate for the 2023 election to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari. Tinubu, known as the "Godfather of Lagos" for his political clout, easily won with 1,271 votes of the ballots cast by 2,300 party delegates at primaries held on Tuesday and Wednesday at an Abuja convention. He beat other hopefuls including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former transport minister Rotimi Amaechi and Senate president Ahmad Lawan. An APC stalwart, Tinubu emerged victorious following weeks of wrangling among party factions over their candidate to govern Africa's most populous nation and largest economy. "Shame on those who already build a coffin of the APC, our party is alive. No destroyer can bring Nigeria backward," Tinubu told the convention after APC officials named him the candidate. Tinubu emerged victorious following weeks of wrangling among party factions over their candidate. By Kola Sulaimon (AFP) A Muslim from Nigeria's Yoruba-speaking southwest, Tinubu will face off in the February 25 ballot against Atiku Abubakar, a fellow veteran of Nigerian politics and the candidate for the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Tinubu, 70, had said becoming president was his life-long ambition. But he sparked outrage days before the primaries by insisting it was his "turn" to run the country. "It is a difficult thing to run for president. I am humble and grateful to my fellow aspirants." Seven candidates withdrew at the last minute to give their support to Tinubu in the primaries. The APC ballot took place just two days after gunmen raided a church in Ondo State, killing 22 people, a rare attack in the country's usually more peaceful southwest that has highlighted insecurity. Security will be a top issue in the 2023 election, with the military dealing with a 12-year-old jihadist conflict in the northeast and heavily armed criminal gangs who carry out raids in the northwest. Nigeria's economy is also recovering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the fallout from the Ukraine war that has pushed up food and fuel prices across the continent. The World Bank projects the number of poor Nigerians will hit 95.1 million this year -- nearly half of the country's population. North and south Buhari, who was once a military governor during Nigeria's dictatorship, will be stepping down after the two terms he is allowed in the constitution. Since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigeria has had six elections, many of which were marred by electoral fraud, legal challenges and violence. Part of the APC's internal debate over candidates related to "zoning" -- an unofficial agreement among political elites that Nigeria's presidency should alternate between those from the predominantly Christian south and those from the largely Muslim north. After two terms with northern Muslim Buhari, observers expected the presidency to go to a candidate from the south. But the PDP -- which held its primary on May 28 and 29 -- chose Abubakar, a wealthy former vice president and political veteran who is a northern Muslim. The opposition's choice to ignore "zoning" has made the APC reconsider how their candidate will appeal to the north, where voter numbers and participation are traditionally higher. "Money still plays a significant role in Nigerian politics. Only the big can win against the big," said Olutayo Adesina, history professor at the University of Ibadan. "If it's Atiku versus Tinubu, there will be a massive turnout, because it wouldn't be about ideology or party, it will be about ethnicity." The PDP dominated Nigeria's politics for a decade and a half following the country's 1999 return to democracy. But the APC managed to end the PDP's dominance in 2015 with Buhari promising to use his security credentials as a former military man and also tackle rife corruption. But Buhari has been under increasing pressure over violence, with kidnap gangs carrying out mass abductions at schools and even blowing up a train track earlier this year in a brazen raid to snatch passengers for ransom. Bola Tinubu, a political "godfather" famed for his deftness and clout, has never hidden his ambition to be president of Nigeria. In January when he announced his plans to champion the ruling APC party in the 2023 elections, Tinubu said he would be fulfilling a "lifelong" goal. Now the 70-year-old gets to test his mettle after romping to victory on Wednesday in the APC's primaries. He will run against opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer Atiku Abubakar in next February's election. Often referred to as "Jagaban" -- a chieftain's title from central Niger State -- Tinubu has spent years building his Lagos powerbase into a nationwide network of contacts. He is seen as an astute and influential political strategist as well as a tenacious survivor. He co-founded and financed the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which later became the Action Congress of Nigeria, then the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was seen as instrumental in helping bring the APC's factions together to push President Muhammadu Buhari to victory in 2015, ending 16 years in power for the rival PDP. When the PDP chose their candidate for next year's race, fellow longtime political stalwart Abubakar, Tinubu was quick to present himself as the man to take him on. "I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent in the coming election," he said. Staying power A Muslim born in Nigeria's Yoruba-speaking southwest, Tinubu trained as an accountant in the United States and worked for several US companies, including as a treasurer in oil giant ExxonMobil. He was first a political activist before becoming a senator and then governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. Tinubu (right) was seen as instrumental in the 2015 election of President Muhammadu Buhari (left). By STEFAN HEUNIS (AFP) During his activist days, he was hounded into exile by military dictator Sani Abacha along with scores of others for campaigning for a return to democratic government in 1999. The election of Buhari, the first opposition victory in the country, and his 2019 re-election were partly attributed to Tinubu's political influence. As APC national leader, Tinubu's hand is seen in all party decisions and winning his support is vital for any candidate's ambitions. In a mark of his staying power, Tinubu kept a tight grip over the governorship of Lagos state from 1999, holding the post until 2007 and then having a hand in choosing his successors since leaving office. As governor, his relations soured with the federal government, then led by president Olusegun Obasanjo, while he has frequently fallen out with his own deputies. But at the end of his two terms in Lagos, Tinubu hand-picked one of his close aides, Babatunde Fashola, to take over. Tinubu's influence in the Yoruba-speaking southwest has irked some would-be candidates who missed out on top jobs and he has been criticised as dictatorial and undemocratic. "Tinubu has a very aggressive, very solid political machine," said Dapo Thomas, a political science lecturer at Lagos University. Corruption charges If Tinubu's political power has often been controversial, so too have been his financial dealings. He is believed to be one of Nigeria's richest politicians and after leaving office was charged, but later cleared, of corruption, money laundering and operating more than a dozen foreign bank accounts. The actual source of his wealth is unknown but he has interests in a number of business ventures, from media and aviation, to tax consultancy, hotels and real estate holdings. One critic described him as "a greedy politician" who had gobbled up the major sources of revenue in Lagos. But Information Minister Lai Mohammed, who was Tinubu's former chief of staff, insisted he was one of the shrewdest political operators. "His capacity for work, his tolerance, his foresight, his courage and his penchant for self-sacrifice is unmatched by any politician in Nigeria today," he said. Tinubu's health was a source of speculation in 2014 when he was pictured frail and gaunt on his return from an unspecified foreign trip but the APC denied he was ill. Last year he spent several months in London receiving treatment his office said was related to knee surgery. But in a sign of his influence, he was also visited there by a train of political leaders, including Buhari himself. 08.06.2022 LISTEN The United Nations will bestow the first United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers to Tene Maimouna Zoungrana of Burkina Faso at a ceremony at United Nations Headquarters in New York today. The Chef de Cabinet of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, Courtenay Rattray, will present the award to Ms. Zoungrana on behalf of the Secretary-General. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), Sima Sami Bahous, will also deliver remarks. Tene Maimouna Zoungrana, who first deployed to United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) between 2014 and 2017 and later in 2020, supports one of the most difficult tasks of the Mission the demilitarization of the Central African Republic prison system. She also leads and coordinates rapid-intervention and riot-control activities at the all-male Ngaragba Central Prison in Bangui, the largest and most volatile prison in Central African Republic with a population of detainees classified as high-risk. With her vast technical expertise in crisis intervention, Ms. Zoungrana has mentored United Nations colleagues and national prison staff and created a womenonly rapid intervention team. Prison security has long been characterized by stereotypes that have hindered the development of women prison administrators. I am very pleased that today opportunities are given to women to work in prisons, and to perform all roles without distinction, and I feel empowered, said Tene Maimouna Zoungrana as she was notified of the award. Among her achievements, she integrated rapid intervention training into the national procedures of the penitentiary curriculum and helped improve the effectiveness and accountability of Central African Republic penitentiary institutions, leading to a significant reduction in the number of escapes at the prison. United Nations corrections officers, such as Ms. Zoungrana, work hand in hand with national corrections staff to ensure public safety. Corrections officers carry out this work under difficult circumstances, explained Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. We face intersecting global threats to peace, justice and gender equality and growing pushback that threatens years of progress, it is more crucial than ever that the UN reflects its core values of fairness and equality. This starts with ensuring that more women have access to leadership and decision-making roles, stated Executive Director of UN-Women Sima Sami Bahous. The United Nations Trailblazer Award was established in 2022 by the Justice and Corrections Service in the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, part of the Department of Peace Operations. It aims to showcase incredible women justice and corrections officers who have broken through gender barriers in difficult and dangerous contexts and proven that women are a crucial part of every peace operations mandate to create sustainable peace. Congratulations to Tene Maimouna Zoungrana for her accomplishment of winning the award and to all the other nominees including the shortlisted candidates: Mboahangy Fana Rakotoarisoa of Madagascar deployed to MINUSMA; Wedji Mbengue of Senegal deployed to MINSUCA; Beatrice Were of Kenya previously deployed to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); and Karima Dannauda Mohammed of Nigeria deployed to MONUSCO. King Philippe of Belgium, in a historic visit to DR Congo, said on Wednesday that his country's rule over the vast central African country had inflicted pain and humiliation through a mixture of "paternalism, discrimination and racism." In a speech outside the Democratic Republic of Congo's parliament, Philippe amplified remorse he first voiced two years ago over Belgium's brutal colonial rule -- an era that historians say saw millions die. "This regime was one of an unequal relationship, in itself unjustifiable, marked by paternalism, discriminations and racism," Philippe said, speaking in French. "It led to abuse and humiliation," he said. The king noted that many Belgians had been sincerely committed to the Congo and its people, however. Philippe landed in Kinshasa on Tuesday afternoon for a six-day visit, billed as a chance for reconciliation between the DRC and its former colonial master. Belgium's colonisation of the Congo was one of the harshest imposed by the European powers that ruled most of Africa in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Presidential hug: Philippe was greeted by Tshisekedi on his arrival in Kinshasa on Tuesday. By Arsene Mpiana (AFP) King Leopold II, the brother of Philippe's great great grandfather, governed what is now the DRC as his personal property between 1885 and 1908, before it became a Belgian colony. Historians say that millions of people were killed, mutilated or died of disease as they were forced to collect rubber under his rule. The land was also pillaged for its mineral wealth, timber and ivory. As the DRC headed to its 60th anniversary of indepence, Philippe wrote a letter to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in 2020 to express his "deepest regrets" for the "wounds of the past." The king's speech Wednesday went further in expressing regret, but it fell short of an apology for colonial-era crimes. Looted art Earlier Wednesday, Philippe visited DRC's national museum in Kinshasa, where he handed over a mask the ethnic Suku group use in initiation rites. The ceremonial mask is on "unlimited" loan from Belgium's Royal Museum for Central Africa, he announced. The Belgian government last year set out a roadmap for returning art works looted during the colonial era, a sensitive topic in the DRC. "The coloniser hauled away our artworks, it's right that they should be returned to us," said Louis Karhebwa, a 63-year-old businessman. Prince Pungi, a young civil servant, agreed. "Congo is changing, moving forward," he said. "It's time to take back what belongs to us". A statue of Belgium's colonial-era monarch, Leopold II, was vandalised in the Belgian town of Ghent in 2020. By JOHN THYS (AFP) Philippe is due to address university students in the southern city of Lubumbashi on Friday. On Sunday, he will also visit the clinic of gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, co-winner of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for his fight against sexual violence, in the eastern city of Bukavu. His trip comes as Belgium is preparing to return to Kinshasa a tooth -- the last remains of Patrice Lumumba, a hero of the anti-colonial struggle and short-lived first prime minister of the independent Congo. Lumumba was murdered by Congolese separatists and Belgian mercenaries in 1961 and his body dissolved in acid, but the tooth was kept as a trophy by one of his killers, a Belgian police officer. Eastern violence The Belgian sovereign's trip also comes at a time of heightened tension between Kinshasa and neighbouring Rwanda over rebel activity in the conflict-torn eastern DRC. DRC's government has accused Rwanda of backing the resurgent M23 militia, an accusation which Rwanda has denied. At a news conference in Kinshasa on Wednesday, President Tshisekedi told reporters that he saw security support as a priority in DRC's relationship with Belgium. "There is no development without security," the president said. The DRC, a nation of about 90 million people, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 120 groups roam the country's volatile east, many of which are a consequence of regional wars more than two decades ago, and civilian massacres remain common. King Philippe, in his speech Wednesday, also said the situation in eastern DRC "cannot continue". "It is the responsibility of all of us to do something about it," he added. The ECOWAS Commission, through its Department of Education, Science and Culture, trained museum experts on modern standards of management of African museums. The training took place from 30 May to 4 June 2022 in the city of Porto-Novo, the Republic of Benin. The training, which falls within the framework of the 2019-2023 ECOWAS Action Plan on the Return of Cultural Property to Their Countries of Origin, was organised in partnership with the Senghor University in Alexandria, the School of African Heritage, and the Open Society Foundation. The training, which took place at the Ecole du Patrimoine Africain (EPA) in Porto-Novo, was preceded by a virtual training session that took place on 19, 24 and 25 May 2022. The main obj+ective of the session was to strengthen the technical capacities of 30 heritage curators on the basic concepts of preventive and curative conservation of museum collections. The virtual training focused on the following themes: the legal issues of the return of cultural property to their countries of origin according to the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention and the 1970 UNESCO Convention; the presentation of the 2019-2023 ECOWAS Action Plan on the Return of Cultural Property to Their Countries of Origin; actions to combat illicit trafficking in cultural property and presentation of the red lists of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), as well as testimonies on Nigerias and Benins successful or ongoing initiatives for the return of cultural property. The face-to-face training focused on the introduction to museology and museum management, cultural mediation, security and safety in museums, handling and packaging of museum objects, stakeholders in the control and degradation of museums, museums and buildings, infestation and climate in museums, marketing and management of museum collections, degradation of collections and management of reserves, and techniques for digitisation of museum collections. The Porto Novo training was officially closed by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Benin. The closing ceremony featured testimonies and the reading of the recommendations of the training, a vote of thanks, the speech of the Director-General of the School of African Heritage, the speech of the Africa Representative of the Open Society Foundation, the speech of the Director-General of ICOM, the speech of the Rector of Senghor University in Alexandria, the speech of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture, the handing over of certificates to participants, and the closing remark by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts of Benin. All the partners who spoke at the event welcomed the ECOWAS initiative, which enabled West African curators to be equipped with the capacities for the return of cultural property. During the ceremony, Professor Abdoulaye Maga, representing the ECOWAS Commissioner for Education, Science and Culture, commended the Beninese authorities for their efforts, which have enabled the return of symbolic property regarded as the pride of Africa. He also expressed ECOWAS Commissions gratitude to all the technical and financial partners who believe in and accompany the ECOWAS Action Plan on the Return of Cultural Property. Mr Florent Couao-Zotti, Technical Advisor for Culture, representing the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Benin, thanked the ECOWAS Commission for organising the meeting in Benin when his country had just received 26 works of art returned by France. He then stated that culture is now recognised by the Beninese authorities as one of the main pillars of the country's development. He also invited the curators who received the training to put into practice the lessons learnt so that the whole of West Africa is ready for the return of cultural property. At the end of the training, the participants recommended, among others, the organisation of specialised practical training on museum management such as digitisation techniques, security and safety of collections, as well as training in project management; the sensitisation of Member States so that they give more importance to the management of museums in terms of financing, adequate means to ensure security and conservation according to modern standards; the facilitation of public-private partnerships in the setting up of reception facilities; the intensification of advocacy with Member States for the ratification of the UNIDROIT Convention and the 1970 UNESCO Convention; and the setting up of a periodic meeting of heads of museums in the region to assess the progress of the return process in Member States. At the end of their stay, all participants had the opportunity to visit the Presidential Palace in Cotonou for the exhibition of 26 works of art returned by France to Benin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on a visit to Turkey, said Wednesday that Moscow is ready to ensure the safe passage of vessels from Ukraine as concerns mount over grain stuck in Ukrainian ports. "We are ready to ensure the safety of ships that leave Ukrainian ports," Lavrov told a joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. "We are ready to do this in cooperation with our Turkish colleagues." Lavrov arrived in Ankara on Tuesday amid stark warnings of global food shortages partly blamed on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Talks focus on efforts to open a security corridor to ship Ukrainian grain, mainly cereals and wheat, stuck in the country's ports as a result of a Russian blockade. Russia and Ukraine produce 30 percent of the global wheat supply. According to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky some 20-25 million tonnes are blocked. "In the autumn that could be 70-75 million tonnes," he said on Monday. Legitimate demand In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu called Russian demands for an end to sanctions to help grain onto the world market "legitimate". "If we need to open up the international market to Ukrainian grain, we see the removal of obstacles standing in the way of Russia's exports as a legitimate demand," he said. Sanctions imposed on Moscow's financial system have impeded the export of Russian grain and fertiliser. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered its services to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines -- some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast. Food crisis Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned Wednesday that millions of people could die of hunger unless Russia unblocked Ukraine's ports, as he hosted talks among Mediterranean ministers on the food crisis. "The next few weeks will be crucial to resolving the situation," Di Maio said after a virtual meeting involving Turkey and Lebanon among other countries, as well as G7 president Germany and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. "I want to say clearly - we expect clear and concrete signals from Russia, because blocking grain exports means holding hostage and condemning to death millions of children, women and men." No demining But Ukraine said Wednesday it would not demine waters around the Black Sea port of Odessa to allow for grain to be exported, citing the threat of Russian attacks on the city. "The moment we clear access to the port of Odessa, the Russian fleet will be there," spokesman for the regional administration Sergiy Bratchuk said in a video statement on social media. He said that Russia "dreams of parachuting troops" into the city and that Moscow's army "wants to attack" Odessa. Bratchuk said before the announcement that any exports from Odessa must be escorted "by NATO countries". (With agencies) 08.06.2022 LISTEN The Gomoa Central District Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mr Philimon Darkoh has made a passionate appeal to the Central Government through the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to equip the Organization in its quest to execute its core mandate of saving lives and properties. It will also enable it enhance its community engagements. "NADMO as an Organization is doing its best to prevent Disaster and to save lives and properties through public education and community engagement, but many times, we are constrained by lack of the needed resources and logistics to execute this mandate. "We are doing our best in educating people on the need to prevent disaster and they out their daily activities wherever they find themselves because disaster has no colour nor does it give prior notice, it, therefore, behoves all of us to be extra careful as we carry out our activities in daily basis," Mr. Philimon Darkoh stated this in an interview with newsmen at Gomoa Afransi in the Gomoa Central District of the Central Region ahead of the launch of the Green Ghana Day last Monday. He encouraged Ghanaians especially those in the Gomoa Central District to participate fully in the Green Ghana programme aimed at planting more trees to serve as wind and storm breakers. The District Director noted that NADMO was working assiduously to curb disaster in the District, especially during the rainy season. "We work in collaboration with all the stakeholders in the District to sensitize the people about the various seasons and their related disaster occurrence to lives and properties. "We are grateful to Our Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Hon. Naana Eyiah, DCE for Gomoa Central Hon Benjamin Kojo Otoo, Nananom, Assembly Members, Heads of Decentralized Department of the Assembly and stakeholders for their collaborative effort to ensure protection against disasters. "People have been educated enough about what could happen during harmattan and rainy seasons and what they should do to protect themselves and properties," Mr Darkoh noted. He further disclosed that Gomoa Central District has been demarcated into zones to make the communities closer. "We have enough staff at the zonal offices who interact with the people and report back periodically, my humble appeal is for Ghanaians is to be each other's keeper by avoiding things and actions that could attract disasters like flooding and bush fire. We should be cautious of how we use our household appliances to avoid preventable disasters. "Let be bold to report people who engage themselves in illicit activities like throwing of rubbish into gutters thus choking the waterways. We are praying to be given the mandate to demolish unauthorized Structures on waterways to prevent disasters associated with flooding. "All said and done, Gomoa Central NADMO is doing its best when it comes to disaster prevention. It is worthy to note that no serious natural disasters have been recorded in the District over the years, except for minor household cases like fire outbreaks due to misuse of home appliances and collapse of some unoccupied building structures." Mr Philimon Darkoh concluded by congratulating the newly elected President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana ( NALAG), Mr Agyeman Prempeh who doubles as the Director-General of NADMO. Until the anti-gay bill is given the needed attention, the Minority in Parliament has warned that it will not attend to any other bills in the house. The anti-gay bill also known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021 was presented to parliament in 2021. The bill among other things seeks to criminalise homosexuality and make advocating for LGBT people a crime in Ghana. Although the bill has been under consideration since October 2021, its fate is hanging in a balance. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) Muntaka Mubarak expressed displeasure over the inactivity in relation to the anti-gay bill before the house. He said until the anti-gay bill is attended to, the Minority in Parliament will mount a resistance to all other bills that will be presented. So far, as this constitution is concerned when we introduce a bill in this house and it is before the committee that committee must not spend more than three months without coming to tell us reasons why it has to go beyond the three months. Since this is a matter that the Chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs wants to use to delay that bill, that bill was in this house before several other bills, I can assure you that any other bill introduced in this house, we shall resist it. Even if it is to provide water in Asawase we will resist it, Muntaka Mubarak stressed. The Asawase MP continued, We will make sure that that bill, as long as it stays there no other bill passes through this house. The anti-gay bill in Parliament has backing from several MPs from both the Minority and the Majority sides. Many Ghanaians including religious organisations and CSOs are in support of its passage with the argument that it is against the culture and traditional values of the Ghanaian society. Child Rights International has met the Marhguy family over the claim that one of the Achimota school Rastafarian students physically assaulted his father, Tereo Marhguy. In a video which has since gone viral, the father of the boy is seen with bruises on his hand accusing his son, Tyrone Marhguy of attacking him. The father, in the same video, threatened to kill the boy if it happens again, claiming that his son had been violent over the years. Although Tyrone has declined comment on the accusation, he maintains that the act was in self-defence. For the Child Rights International, one of the major players who supported the two Rastafarian boys in their legal tussle with the Achimota School when they were denied admission over their dreadlocks, it hopes to settle the disagreement within the family and find an amicable solution. Meanwhile, the father has apologised for making the matter public. According to him, he sent the video to close friends for advice, but it was leaked on social media. Speaking to Citi News after the family met with Child Rights International over the allegations and threats he made, Tereo Marhguy said it won't happen again. All what happened shouldnt have happened. We should cool our tempers and sort it out. It is rather unfortunate it came out and people have formed their impressions. If it has really hurt anybody, I am really sorry. I apologise to everybody that something like this had to happen. Tereo Marghuy had accused his son of violently attacking him. In a video posted on social media, the father was seen with bloody bruises on his hand, saying his son had allegedly abused him after a confrontation. Tereo Marhguy narrated the incident to Citi News. He was supposed to repair a tablet for his sister, and then they were ready about an hour ago, but he was still sitting there watching TV. I went in there and asked Tyrone what was going on. He burst out and started insulting his sister and unplugged the laptop. He walked over to me and I threatened to slap him, and then he held my hand, so through the struggling up and down, I had blood everywhere. ---Citinewsroom Tereo Marhguy, the father of the Achimota School Rastafarian student who accused his son of assault, has apologized for making the matter public. According to him, he sent the video showing bloody bruises on his hand, which has since gone viral, to a few close friends for advice but was leaked on social media. Speaking to Citi News after the family met with Child Rights International over the allegations and threats he made, Tereo Marhguy said the incident won't happen again. All what happened shouldnt have happened. We should cool our tempers and sort it out. It is rather unfortunate it came out and people have formed their impressions. If it has really hurt anybody, I am really sorry. I apologise to everybody that something like this had to happen. He just held my hand, and we were struggling. Tereo Marghuy had accused his son of violently attacking him. In a video posted on social media, the father was seen with bloody bruises on his hand, saying his son had allegedly abused him after a confrontation. Tereo Marhguy narrated the incident to Citi News. He was supposed to repair a tablet for his sister, and then they were ready about an hour ago, but he was still sitting there watching TV. I went in there and asked Tyrone what was going on. He burst out and started insulting his sister and unplugged the laptop. He walked over to me and I threatened to slap him, and then he held my hand, so through the struggling up and down, I had blood everywhere. ---Citi Newsroom Two persons arrested over the Zamramaline Shooting incident have been granted bail when they appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. The two are: Godfred Amegbor, a 29-year-old mobile money vendor and Offei Darko, a 28-year-old musician They are jointly being held for abetment of crime and trespass. Darko is however facing three counts of causing harm and use of offensive weapons. They have pleaded not guilty. The two accused persons have been granted a bail in the sum of GHS100,000.00 each with two sureties. The Court ordered that one of the sureties should be justified and one of the sureties should be a civil servant earning not less than GHS2,000.00. Isaac Abbey a 37-year-old Military personnel, charged with protection of land and interest in land, carrying offensive weapon and trespass, however, did not turn up in court. Prosecution informed the Court that a check at the military command revealed that the command was yet to release Abbey. The Court has ordered prosecution to write officially to the military command to release Abbey so he could appear before it at the next adjourned date. The Court presided over by Mr Sam Bright Acquah adjourned the matter to June 21, 2022. Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Augustus Yirenkyi told the Court that Abbey was a military officer with the Education Unit at Teshie, Darko was a musician, Amegbor was a mobile money vendor at Lapaz, Accra and Yahaya Tamimu, aged 32, was a trader. The Prosecution said on June 4, 2022, Amegbor who was in a military uniform captured on video posed as military officer stationed at the Education Unit in Teshie and Darko joined Abbey in his Ford SUV vehicle to a construction site at Zamramaline, near Dansoman in Accra, for an illegal demolishing exercise. Mr Yirenkyi said they met a crowd including victims Faisal Khalid Azuma and Ali Hashimiru, who was currently on admission at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. The Prosecution said the victims confronted the accused persons and demanded a court warrant that allowed them to demolish the property on the land and that generated a heated argument between the two parties. Mr Yirenkyi said Darko who was seen wielding a gun in a video aimed and shot at the victims which led to Azuma sustaining injuries on his left ankle, Hashimiru to his stomach, a 13-year-old Fawzan Inusah, a passerby to his buttocks and three others who were part of the crowd. The Prosecution said Hashimiru and three others were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Mr Yirenkyi said three were treated and discharged but Hashimiru was detained due to the severity of his injuries, whilst the 13-year-old Inusah was sent to Shukura Community Clinic where he was also treated and discharged. After the shooting, suspect Abbey arrested the injured and brought him to the Dansoman Police Station and lodged a complaint of causing damage to his vehicle where the accused was arrested and detained for investigation. The Prosecution said Darko and Amegbor were later arrested by the youth of Zamramaline and brought to the station after enduring severe beating. Mr Yirenkyi said victim Azuma and the two accused persons were sent to the Dansoman Polyclinic where they were treated and discharged. During investigations, the accused persons alleged that the gun was taken from them by the crowd that assaulted them. The Prosecution said the case was under investigation. GNA The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has begun another round of COVID-19 vaccination exercise in all the 43 districts in the region. The five- day exercise, which begun today and ends on June 12, would seek to vaccinate 165,831 people who have not been vaccinated or yet to complete their jabs. Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Regional Director of Health Services, told a press briefing in Kumasi that persons 15 years and above, including pregnant women were eligible to take the jab. Mobile vaccination teams will be administering AstraZeneca, Johnson &Johnson as well as Pfizer to eligible persons during the period. He said vaccinating the population against the viral disease to achieve herd immunity was critical to the fight against the pandemic and encouraged the public to take advantage of the exercise. Dr. Tinkorang said the exercise formed part of the National Immunisation Day campaign and urged the media to support the Directorate by sustaining awareness creation at all levels for a successful campaign. Dr. Tinkorang cautioned the public to observe the safety protocols, especially in situations where the risk of disease transmission was significant. They should avoid crowded places, observe physical distancing and personal hygiene in situation where crowding cannot be avoided, he said. The Regional Health Director disclosed that only 32 per cent of the targeted population in the region had been vaccinated and stressed the need for all stakeholders to play their part in scaling up the exercise. Until the World Health Organisation declares that COVID-19 has been eliminated everyone remains at risk so let us all continue to observe the hand hygiene protocols always, he said. The relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions, according to him did not mean Ghana is free from the disease and cautioned against the recklessness being witnessed in public places on daily basis. He admonished the public to walk into the wellness clinics for routine health screening. GNA The Board Chairman of Advocates for Christ-Ghana, Mr. Edem Senanu has bemoaned the delay of deliberations on the anti-gay bill by the Parliaments Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee. The anti-gay bill presented to Parliament also known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2021, was first read in Parliament in 2021 amid strong opposition from the international community. Despite the determination from some Minority and Majority Members of Parliament to have the bill passed, the slow work of the Parliaments Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee has not helped matters. Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Asawase Member of Parliament (MP) Muntaka Mubarak expressed displeasure over the work of the committee. He said until the anti-gay bill is attended to, the Minority in Parliament will mount a resistance against all other bills that will be presented. Since this is a matter that the Chair of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs wants to use to delay that bill, that bill was in this house before several other bills, I can assure you that any other bill introduced in this house, we shall resist it. Even if it is to provide water in Asawase we will resist it. We will make sure that that bill, as long as it stays there no other bill passes through this house, Muntaka Mubarak said. Speaking on the matter in an interview with Joy FM this evening, Advocate for Christ board chairman Edem Senanu sided with the Asawase MP. According to him, the processes and the deliberations of the anti-gay bill should not have taken this long. There's been a very long delay. Typically the deliberations are not to exceed 3 months at that stage. It is okay to learn from other jurisdictions but for something that 93% of Ghanaians are against, there's no need to look anywhere else. This process should not be taking this long, Edem Senanu shared. PHI Century Ltd, a company that provides aviation transportation services to offshore oil and gas facilities in West Africa, celebrated its 10-year anniversary in Takoradi last Wednesday. The event, which took place at the Best Western Plus Atlantic Hotel, was attended by management and staff of PHI Century, clients, key suppliers and industry regulators. PHI Century Ltd was founded as a joint venture between the one hundred per cent Ghanaian-owned Century Aviation Company Limited and PHI Aviation, a global leader in helicopter transportation, to support the fast-growing oil and gas sector in Ghana and West Africa. Managing Director, Essie Anno Sackey, summed up the companys journey over the past decade as so far, so good, stating that PHI Century Ltd are the go-to providers of helicopter services in the West African oil and gas industry because of their diverse offering, ability to go the extra mile to meet customer needs, and safe and efficient operation. PHI Aviations unique Destination Zero concept, which targets zero accidents, zero personal injuries, and zero preventable occurrences, is at the heart of its local operation, and has ensured an industry-leading incident-free ten years of operation in the African aviation sector. PHI Century currently operates a fleet of Sikorsky S-92A helicopters from its base in Takoradi, where over 55% of the technical staff, including quality managers, licensed aircraft engineers and pilots are Ghanaians. Mrs. Sackey stresses that, our focus is to continue to train more Ghanaians in order to balance out the expatriate workforce and improve our diversity quotient. Over the past decade, PHI Century Ltd has provided services for Hess Energy, Talisman B.V. (of Sierra Leone), Tullow Oil, Newmont Ghana Ltd, Aker Energy and Kosmos Energy Ltd. A seasoned Ghanaian media personality, Deloris Frimpong Manso, popularly known in the media circles as Delay, has denied knowing a lady in a viral video who claims to be her former house help. In a post on her Facebook wall on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Delay announced that anyone who assists her in locating the said lady in the video will be highly appreciated. According to her, the lady in question is not her former house help. A video has been circulating of a young lady who claims to have been my house help in the past. I have never met her and your assistance will be appreciated if you can help locate her, the post reads. The video in question was seen circulating on social media just a few days after Delay's friend now an enemy, Afia Schwarzenegger called her Delay) a 47-year-old barren. In the video, the lady who claims to be former house help appears to be defending Delay, claiming she (Delay) has a child and not barren as Afia Schwarzenegger has been spreading around. There is a trending issue on social media that Delay has no child, Delay has a female child. I have been with Delay in her house before as a house help and at that time her daughter was a year and a half old, The lady claimed and showered blessings on Delays for being a good person to her while in her house. Interestingly, Delay rather got offended and denied knowledge of the said lady. In a recent development to this story, Delay has officially petitioned the Ghana Police Service's Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist her search for the lady. This is by a letter cited on Facebook which was signed by her lawyer Barrister Nsia Opoku on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Tributes pour in online for quick-thinking driver By LUO WANGSHU (China Daily) 16:49, June 08, 2022 Rescuers evacuate a passenger at the site of the train derail accident in Rongjiang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, June 4, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] Netizens have paid tribute to the quick-thinking high-speed train driver who took emergency braking measures upon detecting an abnormality on a high-speed railway line in Southwest China's Guizhou province before he was killed in the ensuing accident. Yang Yong, the driver, managed to stop the train and saved passengers' lives before he died, according to a statement released by China State Railway Group, the national railway operator. The group has paid tribute to the driver. As the D2809 train traveled from Guiyang to Guangzhou, Guangdong province, two of its carriages came off the tracks at a point hit by mud and rockslides as the train neared Rongjiang station in Guizhou on Saturday. The derailment killed Yang and injured eight others, the group said. The remaining 136 passengers were evacuated and transferred to safety. According to an analysis of the train's data, Yang detected an abnormality on the track while the train was in a tunnel before entering Rongjiang station and engaged the emergency brakes. The train hit the rockslide and slid for more than 900 meters before it derailed. A statement published on the national rail operator's official WeChat account on Saturday received more than 100,000 views. Netizens have hailed Yang as a hero. A video shows bouquets of flowers at the accident site addressing him. A netizen from Yunnan province wrote: "As a railway worker and a wife of a train conductor, I know train drivers' responsibilities more than anyone else. Salute to the hero! May you rest in peace!" Another netizen from Hunan province wrote: "You died protecting people's lives. You are a model for all railway workers and a true hero." According to media outlet Redstar News based in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu released a statement mourning Yang. According to the statement, Yang, 46, received his training at the school. There, in 2018, he studied bullet train theory, safety regulations, driver psychology and work ethics. Yang earned a high score on the qualification test, impressing his instructors. In China, each high-speed train generally has one driver in the cabin, and the job requires a high degree of attention. A high-speed train driver who preferred to remain anonymous said he feels exhausted after each trip, as conducting a bullet train requires your full attention, even if you know the route very well. "While behind the controls, I have to be fully focused without the slightest distraction. A few hundred people are behind me, which is a heavy responsibility," he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu) This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Academy Awardwinning actor Matthew McConaughey used an appearance at the White House Tuesday to call on Congress to reach a higher ground and pass gun control legislation in honor of the children and teachers killed in last months shooting rampage at an elementary school in his home town of Uvalde, Texas. In a highly personal 22-minute speech, McConaughey exhorted a gridlocked Congress to pass gun reforms that can save lives without infringing on Second Amendment rights. McConaughey, a gun owner himself, used his star power to make an argument for legislation in a fashion that the Biden administration has not been able to, offering a clear connection to the small Texas town and vividly detailing the sheer loss of the 19 children and two teachers in the second worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. He specifically called on Congress to bolster background checks for gun purchases and raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 style rifle to 21 from 18. We want secure and safe schools and we want gun laws that wont make it so easy for the bad guys to get the damn guns, McConaughey said. McConaughey, who earlier this year considered a run for governor in Texas before taking a pass, met briefly in private with President Joe Biden before addressing the White House press corps from the James Brady briefing room. McConaughey has also met with key lawmakers this week including the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee that handles gun legislation, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and the panels ranking Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, He was expected to meet later this afternoon with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Meanwhile, the son of Ruth Whitfield, an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers in Buffalo, New York, last month, called on Congress to act against the cancer of white supremacy and the nations epidemic of gun violence. Is there nothing that you personally are willing to do to stop the cancer of white supremacy and the domestic terrorism it inspires? Garnell Whitfield Jr. asked members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. McConaughey, who declined to take questions, spoke of his own connections to the town. He said his mother taught kindergarten less than a mile from Uvaldes Robb Elementary School, the site of the May 24 school shooting. He also noted that Uvalde was the place where he was taught about responsibilities that come with gun ownership. Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun. Uvalde is where I learned responsible gun ownership, he said. McConaughey said he and his wife drove back to Uvalde on the day after the shooting and spent time with the families of some of the victims and others directly impacted by the rampage. He said every parent he spoke to expressed that they want their childrens dreams to live on. They want to make their loss of life matter, McConaughey said. He related the personal stories of a number of the victims. He held up artwork from Alithia Ramirez, who dreamed of attending art school in Paris. He told the story of Maite Rodriguez, an aspiring marine biologist. McConaughey's wife, Camila, sitting nearby for his speech, held the green Converse sneakers Maite regularly wore, one she drew a red heart on the right toe to represent her love for nature. And then there was Eliahna Ellie Garcia, 10, who loved dancing and church and already knew how to drive tractors. Ellie was looking forward to reading a Bible verse at an upcoming church service when she was killed. McConaughey acknowledged that gun legislation would not end mass shootings but suggested that steps can be taken to lessen the chances of such tragedies happening so frequently. "We need to invest in mental healthcare. We need safer schools. We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage. We need to restore our family values. We need to restore our American values and we need responsible gun ownership, McConaughey said. Is this a cure all? Hell no, but people are hurting." ___ Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report. DETROIT (AP) Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other women who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI for failing to stop the sports doctor when the agency first received allegations against him, lawyers said Wednesday. There's no dispute that FBI agents in 2015 knew that Nassar was accused of assaulting gymnasts, but they failed to act, leaving him free to continue to target young women and girls for more than a year. He pleaded guilty in 2017 and is serving decades in prison. "It is time for the FBI to be held accountable, said Maggie Nichols, a national champion gymnast at Oklahoma in 2017-19. Under federal law, a government agency has six months to respond to the tort claims filed Wednesday. Lawsuits could follow, depending on the FBIs response. The approximately 90 claimants include Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, all Olympic gold medalists, according to Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, a California law firm. Separately, 13 claims were filed by others in April. "If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls, including me, said former University of Michigan gymnast Samantha Roy. Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told local agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar, a team doctor. But the FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan, according to the Justice Department's inspector general, an internal watchdog. Los Angeles agents in 2016 began a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar and interviewed several victims but also didnt alert Michigan authorities, the inspector general said. Nassar wasnt arrested until the fall of 2016 during an investigation by police at Michigan State University, where he was a doctor. The Michigan attorney generals office ultimately handled the assault charges against Nassar, while federal prosecutors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, filed a child pornography case. The FBI declined to comment Wednesday on the former gymnasts' financial claims, referring instead to remarks last year by FBI Director Christopher Wray, who acknowledged major mistakes. Im especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed. And thats inexcusable, Wray told victims at a Senate hearing. At that same hearing, Biles, widely considered to be the greatest gymnast of all time, said an entire system enabled the abuse. Maroney recalled dead silence when she talked to FBI agents about Nassar. The Justice Department in May said that it would not pursue criminal charges against former agents who were accused of giving inaccurate or incomplete responses during the inspector general's investigation. Failures by federal law enforcers have led to major settlements, including $127.5 million for families of those killed or injured in 2018 at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The FBI received a tip about five weeks before 17 people were killed, but the tip was never forwarded to the South Florida office. Matthew Schneider, a former U.S. attorney in Detroit, believes its practically a certainty that the government will settle the claims by Nassar victims. When FBI Director Wray admitted the FBI completely failed in their duties to protect these survivors, he essentially closed the door to a court fight, Schneider said. A settlement makes legal sense, but it also makes good moral sense. Paul Figley, a professor at American University's law school and a former Justice Department litigator, said the government would have defenses. The Tort Claims Act has worked very well for what it was intended to do: Help people hurt by run-of-the-mill accidents involving federal employees, Figley said. The bad act here is what the doctor did. Michigan State University, which was also accused of missing chances over many years to stop Nassar, agreed to pay $500 million to more than 300 women and girls who were assaulted by him. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee made a $380 million settlement. ___ For more stories on Larry Nassar and the fallout from his years of sexual abusing young women and girls: https://www.apnews.com/LarryNassar Texas Department of Public Safety An Odessa man is in jail after being arrested for his alleged role in an accident with a motorcyclist Monday in Martin County. Christopher Anthony Carman, 28, was arrested and booked into the Martin County Jail for felony accident involving personal injury or death, according to DPS. Officials reported in a news release that preliminary information showed that Carman was driving a Freightliner truck tractor with trailer west on State Highway 176. When Carman attempted to turn north onto County Road 2601, he struck the rear of a 2009 Honda motorcycle. Operating the motorcycle was Paul Anthony Golibart, 59, of San Antonio. Texas Department of Public Safety The vehicle in question from Mondays fatal Martin County hit-and-run motorcycle crash was located in Martin County near Tarzan, according to the Department of Public Safety. The vehicle, according to DPS, has been identified as a commercial truck tractor with sand trailer (an 18 wheeler). DPS also reported that the driver has been identified and the company that owns the truck is cooperating with the investigation. MY FIRST BIG MOVIE ROLE The Kai Files Written by Jennifer Giresi 07 June 2022 MY FIRST BIG MOVIE ROLE The Kai Files By Kai Greene THE GREENE LIGHT For me personally, the end of 2016 presented me with a hectic, interesting and challenging non-bodybuilding opportunity. Namely, flying to Guizhou, China, to take part in the filming of an awesome big-budget martial arts movie entitled Crazy Fist. The role called for me to play a villain who fights the movies hero in an arena during the films opening sequence. The whole crew of Crazy Fist couldnt have been more accommodating and gracious in the way they welcomed me onboard and treated me the whole time I was out there. This opportunity came about in a very convoluted sort of the way through a really wonderful business associate I had in South Korea. The gentleman has contacts in the Chinese movie business, and it was he who suggested my name for the part in Crazy Fist. Before I got to China, I didnt really know a lot of what was required of me there were preliminaries to go through, but they didnt fill in too many dots. I did see the script, which was huge, but most of the information was in Chinese so I didnt have a real direct insight into the character and what was expected of me. THE CHINA SYNDROME It turned our to be an awesome experience. By the time I landed in China, I already knew I would be asked to take part in a host of physical stunts. It required that I had to have a certain command and mastery of physical things, merged with acting ability. Quite honestly, I felt a big responsibility and challenge by having to do stuff I had not been professionally trained to do. I had to learn fast and master those skills. It didnt help that when we landed, I was under the weather and did not want to be there. I probably needed to be in a hospital, not in China. But man, when I got on the set, everything changed. The set included a full temple with a pit of alligators, and it reminded me of the Temple of Doom in Indiana Jones. The set brought back memories of the martial arts film Bloodsport [made in 1988] that starred Jean-Claude Van Damme. I absolutely loved Bloodsport when I first saw it as a teenager. My feeling, at first exposure to the stunning set, was like Man, at this point in time, there is nothing else I want to do more than be here right now. My mindset was, come on, lets get it on Im ready for any challenge youre going to throw at me. The city where we shot the film was also spectacular. It reminded me so much of Venice, California, with its amazing weather and beautiful palm trees everywhere. It was grueling, demanding project with long, 12-hour shoots. With all the fighting and stunts, I was physically doing a lot of things Id never been asked to do before. And until Id done them, I wasnt sure I was capable of such things. In the end it all went well, and I took great pride and satisfaction in being able to deal with physical disciplines Id never attempted before. My biggest hope was that most of the material that we actually shot the more difficult stuff actually made it through editing. Womens Bodybuilding: Saluting Iris, Cory and Bev With the right goals and application, a man or woman can begin to mold another reality in which you create the future you want. Generation Iron, released in 2013, centered on the battle for the 2012 Mr. Olympia title and the different personalities giving their all to claim victory. Generation Iron 2, released in 2017, takes a much wider view, and really is a snapshot documenting the whole bodybuilding and fitness world at the time. The movie shows how the landscape has evolved and shifted, due to the advent of social media and new figures and personalities that have been produced. One segment stands out for me: an examination of womens bodybuilding, which was AWOL in the original. I was particularly intrigued and inspired by the scenes we shot with Iris Kyle, 10-time Ms. Olympia just let that sink in, 10-time Ms. Olympia wow! Iris, in compelling and candid style, opens the window into womens bodybuilding, illuminating their struggles which are much more different than the mens. We learn of her entry into the sport, how she evolved into the champion she was, what she did to achieve that and what she is doing now. We see her interaction with partner Hidetada Yamagishi and as I look back on our filming, Im drawn toward Iris story. Connecting with Iris made me think of a couple of women bodybuilders whose images I really admired back in the day. I was 10 years old and doing push-ups in a small and dark backroom of an institutional facility. There was a poster of six-time Ms. Olympia Cory Everson standing on her tiptoes doing a lat spread with an Olympia gold medal around her neck. As a pre-pubescent 10-year-old, I looked at that image and thought, damn if I attain even half her muscle, Id be satisfied. Inspired by Cory, I set my goal to be much improved in the next year. Then in the early 80s, a bodybuilding book called Mass was published and there was a black-and-white photo of Bev Francis helping to illustrate a section on chest training. She was hitting a most muscular, and that crab shot pose stayed in my mind and inspired my gym efforts. Looking at these photos of Cory and Bev, displaying those round and hulking, veiny muscles that I couldnt even name on an anatomy chart, had a big effect on me. Looking back on those early jump-starts to my career makes me appreciate how far Ive come on my bodybuilding journey. Its the understanding that with the right goals and application, a man or woman can begin to mold another reality in which you create the future you want. Kai Greenes Redcon1 Stack Total War RTD - pre-workout BIG NOISE - pre-workout ISOTOPE - post-workout Yohimbine HCL - pre-workout MED+KIT - upon waking BREACH - intra-workout For more information, visit redcon1.com Instagram @kaigreene Twitter @KaiGreene Facebook @officialkaigreene trainwithkai.com YouTube: Kai Greene DISCUSS ON OUR FORUMS SUBSCRIBE TO MD TODAY GET OFFICIAL MD STUFF VISIT OUR STORE ALSO, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE Top Demonstrators calling for new protections for so-called "Dreamers," undocumented children brought to the U.S. by their immigrant parents, walk through a Senate office building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Jan. 17, 2018. MBABANE Dancing all the way to Cape Town! Kids In Motion Ballerinas has bagged yet another ballet competition, and will be heading to Cape Town in July for the South African International Ballet Competition. Kids In Motion is a local ballet studio owned by professional (ballet) dancer and choreographer, Velile Dube. Four children out of eight were selected after they submitted their ballerinas videos to the South African Competition Director, Dirk Badenhorst. The names of the four girls who made it through are Wethu Zwane, Alexis Made, Ndoniyamanzi Luhlanga and Ngcebo Nyoni. represented The selected 4 ballerinas will compete in the Mother City at the Artscape Theatre from July 25 to July 31. Eswatini has never been represented in this competition; this will be the first of its kind. When reached for comment Dube expressed her excitement about the milestone of her studio This is one of South Africas biggest ballet competitions, so having our ballerinas make it through is a huge achievement. This is very big for the country as a whole because, for the very first time our flag will be raised in Cape Town. I am very proud of the girls and wish them nothing but the best said Dube. She went on to ask the public for support in the dance industry with sponsorship where possible. She also shared that it was not their first time bagging an international competition. We have won other competitions before, in 2019 a group of seven girls qualified to participate in Talent Africa, they were supposed to go to Croatia for the finals then COVID 19 hit unfortunately, said Dube. She further said that in 2018 they bagged another competition named Novi Sad Serbia and only one girl Siphosethu Mlotsa participated. When asked about funding, Dube revealed that the parents normally contribute, hence why they asking for any assistance from the public. At the upcoming competition, male and female dancers from all over the world compete separately in four categories: Novice (age 6 - 8), Scholars (age 9-12), juniors (age 13-20) and seniors (age 21-28). intensive Medals, bursaries, scholarships to ballet schools and summer intensive programmes at some of the finest dance training institutions in the world, will be awarded and launched as an initiative of the company director. This competition is one of the biggest s in South Africa. The company director is one of the major players in the South Africa ballet and dance, having served as a founding member and the first CEO of the South African Ballet Theatre. Now Director of Mzansi Productions and the South African International Ballet Competition, Badenhorst has served on numerous high-level ballet competition jury panels world-wide, and is committed to making a positive impact on ballet in Africa. Police beat for Wednesday, June 15 Police, fire and other public safety reports from Jacksonville and the surrounding area. Reader photo: Garden spot Journal-Courier readers share their favorite snapshots from around the community. Mother Nature keeping the heat turned on full blast Last weeks hot weather was merely a preview of this week and whats to come, because Mother... TOKYO (AP) Japan on Wednesday criticized Russias announcement that it is suspending an agreement allowing Japanese to fish in waters near disputed islands, as relations between the countries deteriorate over the war in Ukraine. The fishing deal has been in place since 1998 and allows Japanese fishing boats to operate around the Russian-held Kurils, which Japan also claims and calls the Northern Territories, in exchange for payments from Japan based on catch quotas and other conditions negotiated annually. Its suspension, apparently in response to Japans sanctions against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, raises concern about the safety of Japanese fishing boats in the area. Prior to the agreement, Russian authorities had seized and sometimes shot at Japanese boats. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said it was "regrettable that Russia one-sidedly announced it is suspending the cooperation in this manner. He criticized Moscow for blaming Japans failure to fund unrelated development projects on Sakhalin, Russia's largest island in the Pacific and not part of the territory claimed by Tokyo. Japan has provided development funds for Sakhalin for years as part of its efforts to improve ties with Russia. Matsuno acknowledged that Tokyo had not made its latest payment for the Sakhalin projects, but it wasnt immediately clear if it was related to the sanctions. Matsuno said Tokyo will pursue negotiations to ensure safe operations of Japanese boats under the pact. We will do our utmost to protect the safety of the Japanese fishing operation, he said. The area is a rich fishing ground for pollack, Okhotsk mackerel and octopus. The fishing safety pact is one of four fisheries agreements near the disputed waters. Negotiations on two others one involving Russian salmon and another seaweed were settled earlier this year, while a fourth deal to decide catch quotas in each others economic waters is set for December. The territorial dispute has prevented the two countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their World War II hostilities. Russia has already scrapped peace treaty negotiations with Japan in response to the sanctions. Also Wednesday, Japan's Defense Ministry said four suspected Russian fighter jets flew over the Sea of Japan toward Japanese airspace west of the island of Hokkaido on Tuesday night, causing Japan's Air Self-Defense Force to scramble its fighter jets. They did not violate Japanese airspace, the ministry said in a statement. Japan quickly joined the United States and Europe in imposing sanctions against Russia and providing support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion. It fears the crisis may embolden China to increase its assertiveness in the region. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES (AP) President Joe Biden said Wednesday that democracy is an essential ingredient for the Western Hemispheres future as he welcomed leaders to the Summit of the Americas, an implicit rebuttal to those who boycotted the gathering because authoritarians were not invited. He also drew sharp contrasts around one of the issues central to the summit, immigration, saying safe and orderly migration is good for all of our economies but unlawful forms are unacceptable. We will enforce our borders through innovative, coordinated action with our regional partners," Biden said at the opening ceremony of events that run through Friday in Los Angeles. Biden has tried to ease many of the hardline immigration policies instituted by his predecessor, Donald Trump, and used his first days in office to propose a sweeping immigration proposal that would have created a pathway to U.S. citizenship for millions of people in the U.S. illegally. But it has stalled in Congress and the president's attention has largely turned to other issues, including spiking inflation and Russia's war with Ukraine. His administration insists the summit can be successful despite the absence of several key leaders, as officials sought to highlight efforts on food security, climate and other areas of common interest. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other leaders are staying away because the U.S. excluded Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua all countries that send large numbers of migrants to the U.S. and neighboring countries because they are led by authoritarians. Our region is large and diverse. We dont always agree on everything, Biden said. But because were democracies, we work through our disagreements with mutual respect and dialogue. He also promised that the gathering would involve bold ideas, ambitious actions" that would demonstrate to our people the incredible power of democracies to deliver concrete benefits and make life better for everyone. Despite that call for unity, a stark reminder of the boycotts came when the president and first lady Jill Biden stood on the red carpet to greet foreign leaders attending, and few of the arrivals were heads of state. Instead of Guatemalas president, Biden shook hands with the foreign minister. He next greeted the minister of public affairs for El Salvador, the foreign minister for Honduras and the Mexicos secretary of foreign affairs. With migrants increasingly coming from Colombia, Ecuador and other countries outside Mexico and northern Central America, Biden was appealing directly to leaders whose support is critical to any regional strategy on a complicated problem with no clear or immediate solutions. His broad appeal to other leaders to work together on migration marked a contrast with Trump, whose unilateral demands for cooperation included a threat to Mexico to close the border and raise tariffs. Many top Republicans are eager to make an election issue of Bidens failure to meaningfully address large numbers of people fleeing violence and poverty by entering the U.S. through Mexico, even though Trump offered few lasting fixes either. Biden also told those assembled that all of our nations have a responsibility to step up and ease the pressure people are feeling today. Among the new programs he is expected to unveil in the coming days are a $300 million food security financing initiative, a new Caribbean climate partnership that will help Caribbean countries access low-carbon energy sources, and a program to train 500,000 health workers in the Americas over the next five years. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the White House will be putting specific dollars into producing tangible results." When you tally all that up and look at the practical impact of what the summit deliverables from the United States will mean for the public sphere, it is significantly more impactful on the actual lives and livelihoods of the people of this region than the kinds of extractive projects that China has been invested in, Sullivan told reporters Wednesday aboard Air Force One. The Los Angeles Declaration, to be announced while Biden meets with his counterparts from North, Central and South America, is a brief call to action that supporters hope will guide countries on one of the most pressing issues surrounding migration hosting people fleeing violence and persecution and searching for more economic stability. We regard this as an unprecedented set of statements and actions ... to deal with a hemispheric crisis, Sullivan said. The United States has been the most popular destination for asylum-seekers since 2017, posing a challenge that has stumped Biden and his immediate predecessors, Trump and Barack Obama. But the U.S. is far from alone. Colombia and neighboring South American countries host millions who have fled Venezuela. Mexico fielded more than 130,000 asylum applications last year, many of them Haitians, which was triple from 2020. Many Nicaraguans escape to Costa Rica, while displaced Venezuelans account for about one-sixth the population of tiny Aruba. Countries are already having to do this, so rather than each country trying to sort this out and figure it out for themselves, what were doing is saying, 'Let's come together in a coherent way and construct a framework so we can all work together to make this situation more humane and more manageable,' said Brian Nichols, assistant U.S. secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. Biden arrived trailed by questions about how much progress he can make on migration and other issues when some of his counterparts from the region are staying home. The controversy has undermined the start of the summit, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, at a time when China has been trying to make inroads in the region. Some concrete measures may be announced, such as possible funding for development banks. Nichols said in an interview that discussing any specific initiatives would be premature, but officials have made clear that the agreement will be largely aspirational. There is widespread agreement that relief must target growth and stability for entire communities in which migrants live, not just migrants. The agreement may call for more pathways to legal status, mechanisms to reunite families, more efficient and humane border controls and improved information sharing, according to experts who have seen early drafts. Biden also announced a new initiative, Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, to help rebuild the economies of Latin American and Caribbean countries, which suffered the steepest contractions during the pandemic and have struggled with global inflation that followed. The administration wants to draw greater private investment into those countries, including renewed focus on clean energy, stronger supply chains and improved governance on corruption and tax issues. Leaders of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador each critical to any regional migration strategy are skipping the Summit of the Americas, depriving Biden of symbolic heft and unity amid the photo opportunities and pageantry. Upon leaving for Los Angeles on Tuesday, Mexico's Marcelo Ebrard said his nation's close relationship with the United States was unchanged and noted that Lopez Obrador will visit Washington in July. President Guillermo Lasso of Ecuador said a migration accord would be an important recognition of what governments are facing. (When) you speak about problems and it becomes part of a declaration, a summit as important as this, obviously the problem exists, the problem enters the consciousness of those who should be part of the solution, he told a group of civic activists in Los Angeles. __ Associated Press writers Maria Verza in Mexico City, Gonzalo Solano in Quito, Ecuador, and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report. Illinois has decided to mow a larger portion of its share of Jacksonville's Community Park. Mayor Andy Ezard said he received news of the state's decision on Monday. He said the state will use its own crews rather than city crews to mow "considerably more" than originally planned. The state crews will not mow the interior of the park. Ezard previously called the condition of the state's portion "unacceptable" and said he, city aldermen and the community at large all were upset about its maintenance. Much of the land in question, at the heart of which sits the long-closed Jacksonville Developmental Center, is overgrown with unmowed grass. The crew that had been mowing the lawn was only mowing the area's perimeter. Ezard said he and state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, were in constant communication with the state and were making progress on resolving the issue. "We're still working to get the remediation of the whole property mowed," he said. "... They understand the impact it has on the look of the interior of our city, not only in Jacksonville but on the border of the south village." MBABANE Eswatini has received plaudits from a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on women farmers participation in agriculture. FAO, a United Nations agency, published a public tool based on agricultural census data known as FAOSTAT. FAOSTAT, according to the FAO, is the worlds largest agricultural data base, with an important new domain that enables much easier comparison and assessment of trends over time of the agricultural structures of all member countries. FAOSTAT places Eswatini alongside Lithuania and Malta, as the only three countries with 40 per cent or more of all agricultural holdings that are headed by women. Women farmers participation in Agriculture in Eswatini has been driven by the Women Farmer Foundation, pioneered by Sonia Paiva. Paiva is the current Director of the Foundation. Empower Interviewed on the success of the foundations work, Paiva said for them it was not about the numbers. She said the aim of the organisation was to empower women and young girls to move away from subsistence agriculture and embrace the idea of profit driven production. We teach young girls about the importance of having a good crop, harvest, and getting money out of it. For a very long time, emaSwati, especially the elderly, have gone into agriculture as a means to provide for their families. What we do is to inculcate the idea of smart agriculture, so that people may earn something from their activities, she said. Paiva said the central focus of their training was putting emphasis on market led production. It was very important that we made it clear to our young farmers that it is what the market wants that mattered, not what they want. In that way, they produce goods that are sellable, which makes it easier for them to achieve a good return, she said. Portal An open access portal, FAOSTAT gathers and harmonises a wealth of data on the production, trade and consumption in the agricultural sectors, by far the worlds largest economic sector. In recent years, FAO has added an increasing array of critical information on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, forest cover, and investment. A key takeaway from the report is the clearest display of how strongly women farmers have taken into the agricultural sector. Paiva said they would continue to upscale emaSwati women to become smart farmers and improve their lives in the process. She said it was very important that they were exposed to regional trends to see what other women farmers in the region do. Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Ernest M. Farr, 30, of St. Charles, Missouri, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:20 p.m. Friday on an out-of-county warrant accusing him of possession of a controlled substance. Logan R. Bedenbender, 24, of Raymond, Iowa, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 8:05 p.m. Friday on an out-of-county warrant accusing him of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. William E. Zimmer, 40, of 1678 Illinois Route 78 N. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:37 p.m. Thursday on a violation of an order of protection. Michael A. Benning, 20, of 322 W. Douglas Ave. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:45 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of a controlled substance and violating equipment requirements. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Tyler L. Kleidon, 30, of 800 Hoagland Blvd. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9 a.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. William E. Kroush, 34, of 1602 Lakeview Terrace was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:28 p.m. Monday on charges of driving while license is revoked and having no valid registration. Brittany R. Baker, 28, of 713 N. East St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:52 p.m. Friday on charges of aggravated battery of a nurse, improper lane use, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and driving under the influence. Obia Y. Brengettsy, 42, of 936 N. Prairie St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:20 a.m. Friday on charges of domestic battery and driving while license is revoked or suspended. Bridgette D. Knight, 39, of 503 W. Independence Ave. was arrested at 1:03 a.m. Tuesday on a domestic battery charge. VANDALISM A vehicle backed into a yard in the 200 block of West Walnut Street about 11:18 p.m. Monday, causing damage. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRUSSELS (AP) The speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament made a vibrant plea Wednesday for his country to be named a candidate for European Union membership, a move that would bring the war-torn nation closer to the EU without guaranteeing its admittance. Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, told EU lawmakers that failing to give Ukraine a sign of an open door would be a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that he can be totally going forward without any punishment." European heads of state and government are expected to consider Ukraine's bid for EU candidate status at the end of June. The European Parliament already passed a resolution in favor of making Ukraine a membership candidate. Lets do everything possible that on the 24th of June well see a watershed day, an important day for us, and our joint great victory, Stefanchuk said. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, is expected to deliver its opinion next week based on Ukraine's answers to a questionnaire. received in April and early May. Ukraine currently has has an association agreement with the EU, which is aimed at opening Ukraines markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Roberta Mestola, the president of the EU legislature, said lawmakers will continue supporting Ukraine's effort to obtain candidate status. Metsola said reaching the step in the accession process would benefit Ukraine by furthering its integration into the region. The 27 EU nations have been united in backing Ukraines resistance to Russias invasion, adopting unprecedented economic sanctions against Moscow since the start of the war in February. However, leaders are divided on how quickly the EU should move to accept Ukraine as a member. Admitting a new member country requires unanimous agreement from the EU's current members. Before Russia's war in Ukraine, the European Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. The French government has made clear it thinks its unrealistic to expect Ukraine to join the EU any time soon, saying the process would take many years, in fact probably several decades. The Ukrainian bid has received warm support in Eastern European countries, but EU officials have stressed the process could take years, Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin backed Ukraines application and said he hoped EU leaders would send the people of Ukraine a clear and positive message. Martin is among the EU leaders meeting at an June 23-24 summit. But Martin says the EU should support those looking to join in undertaking the reforms and preparations necessary. He says Irelands experience is that EU membership is transformative." ___ Lorne Cook contributed to this story. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine FCI/Provided WINCHESTER Anna Sellars of Winchester has been named one of 30 Farm Credit Illinois agriculture scholars in the Class of 2022. Each scholar receives $2,000 from FCI to pursue a degree in the field of agriculture. Recipients were selected from 117 applicants in central and southern Illinois by a panel of judges in the agriculture industry. MBABANE Two months after being handed over to prison authorities in his home country, South Africa, Umkhonto Wesizwe former member and SACP member, Amos Mbulaheni Mbedzi, has passed away. SACP is an acronym for South African Communist Party. Mbedzi died yesterday at around 6:30am at Polokwane Provincial Hospital, where he was receiving treatment. His son, Doctor, confirmed his death. The late Mbedzi was arrested in the country in September 2008 and served part of his 85-year sentence before being handed over to prison authorities of his home country in March this year. The name of Mbedzi has been a common feature in political rallies and other events, with those in attendance calling for his immediate release. Mbedzi, who has been sick for some time, left the country for South Africa after undergoing medical tests at the Mbabane Government Hospital. Armed Correctional Services officers were deployed at the hospital to ensure his safety while he was undergoing medical check-ups. He leaves behind his wife Tshikhudo and two children Doctor and Pfano. Condolences Following his death, condolences from local political formations have been pouring in. The Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) issued a statement of condolence to the family of Mbedzi. CPS International Secretary Pius Vilakati said Mbezis family endured years of suffering following unjustified refusal to release him from jail even after he suffered from illness. Vilakati noted that Mbezi gave his life serving the people of Eswatini, adding that he was arrested in September 2008 charged under the Eswatini Terrorism Act. When the regime failed to prove terrorism, it ridiculously changed the charge to murder of his two comrades, Musa MJ Dlamini and Jack Govender, who tragically lost their lives in September 2008 in a bomb blast. Vilakati said Mbezi survived the blast but was heavily injured. He said he was also charged with sedition, violation of Eswatinis immigration law and unlawful possession of explosives. Mbedzi fell sick while serving his sentence. In memory of Mbedzi, the CPS further called for the unity of the people of Eswatini to wage a relentless fight, under the Democracy Now campaign. The Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Secretary General, Wandile Dludlu, described Mbedzis passing as a colossal loss for them as emaSwati who wanted change and those struggling for a better Africa. Dludlu said they were informed of Mbedzis passing by the family and were yet to prepare an official statement. He said as an organisation, they were sending their condolences to the family and the SACP as well as ANC and other African organisations that he worked with. These, he said, included Umkhonto Wesizwe Military veterans where he was a member. He said as PUDEMO, they would be writing a comprehensive and befitting statement in due course. Revolutionary Meanwhile, Eswatini United Diaspora (EUD) Co-founder Bonginkosi IB Dlamini also penned down his condolence message. Dlamini described Mbedzi as a true internationalist and revolutionary. He recalled in 2001, where he together with the deceased, travelled to Harare to meet the leaders of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement. He stated that they had gone to discuss serious bilateral matters as they were engaged in similar liberation struggles. Japanese man arrested in Indonesia over COVID relief fraud View Photo JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Authorities on Indonesias Sumatra island arrested a Japanese fugitive accused of helping steal $7.3 million intended for small businesses in Japan hurt by the coronavirus, police said Wednesday. Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, 47, was arrested late Tuesday at a house owned by a fish trader in Central Lampung district by immigration officers backed by local police, National Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said. He told the house owner that he wants to invest in fisheries in the area, Prasetyo said, adding that Taniguchi had stayed at the house for about two weeks before authorities located him. Taniguchi was wanted by Japanese police for COVID-19 subsidy fraud and left Japan for Indonesia in October 2020, Prasetyo said. Taniguchi and a group of acquaintances allegedly submitted about 1,700 false applications for COVID-19 relief funds. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department believes they received subsidies for more than 960 of those applications totaling an estimated 960 million yen ($7.3 million), Prasetyo said. Taniguchi, who has been wanted by Japanese police since early May, has been handed over to the Directorate of Immigrations Supervision and Enforcement Division, he said. The suspect, wearing a face mask, short pants and an immigration detainees orange vest, was brought by police to a news conference Wednesday in the capital, Jakarta. He made no comment. Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, an immigration official, said at the news conference that days before the arrest, Japanese Embassy officials informed his office that they had revoked Taniguchis passport and that the suspect had last been seen in the Lampung area. His presence in Indonesia became illegal after the Japanese authorities revoked his passport, Prasetyo said. A diplomat at the embassy, Miyagawa Takayuki, said authorities of the two countries are coordinating on his deportation. Tokyo police arrested Taniguchis ex-wife and their two sons on May 30 on suspicion of fraud and placed Taniguchi on an international wanted list, according to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun. It said the three are suspected of defrauding the government of 3 million yen ($22,500) in COVID-19 subsidies from June to August 2020. The scheme was uncovered in August 2020 when the office offering the subsidies consulted with Tokyo police. Taniguchi is believed to have fled Japan two months later, the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported. By ANDI JATMIKO and NINIEK KARMINI Associated Press MADRID (AP) Spanish authorities have dismantled two major drug trafficking networks that used corrupt police officers as part of operations to ship tons of cocaine and hashish into Western Europe, the European Unions law enforcement agency said Wednesday. Europol said in a statement that 61 people were arrested, including five Spanish Civil Guard officers, one National Police officer and a customs employee. The operation busted two Spanish gangs the Tangier Clan and the Sur Clan believed responsible for smuggling more than 16 long tons (18 short tons) of cocaine and 150 long tons (168 short tons) of hashish across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain for distribution in Europe. The drugs were hidden in shipments of tomatoes, watermelons and melons. The agency said the gangs paid off the police and customs officers arrested so the drugs werent intercepted on entering Spain. The operation was the result of 18 months of investigations by the Spanish forces in collaboration with Europols financial and economic crime group, which sent two teams to Spain on May 11. Detail on when the arrests took place, or the identity of the detainees, werent provided. In more than 34 raids, the agency said police seized properties, vehicles, cash and 83 long tons (nearly 93 short tons) of hashish and nine long tons (10 shorts tons) of cocaine. The agency estimates that more than 60% of criminal groups in the European Union rely on corrupt officials to facilitate their activities. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) logo View Photo Sonora, CA The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has banned all open flames unless in designated areas, citing the dry conditions and the fact that human-caused wildfires account for 95 percent of all wildfires in California. Taking individual responsibility to reduce wildfire risk, while recreating on public lands, around homes and communities before a fire occurs can help keep property, the public, and firefighters safe. said Mother Lode Field Manager Phil DAmo. The Mother Lode Field Office issued the fire restrictions for all BLM-managed public lands in Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Yuba counties. BLM officials relayed that the ban is in addition to its year-round statewide fire prevention order and will remain in effect until further notice. The increased restrictions include no campfires, barbeques, or open fires. The only exceptions are when using an agency-provided fire ring or barbecue at a developed recreation site with a valid California campfire permit. Free California campfire permits are available at all BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and Cal Fire offices or online by clicking here. BLM provided this list of fire restrictions: No campfires, barbeques, or open fires, except in developed campgrounds with a valid campfire permit. Portable stoves with gas, jelled petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed with a valid California campfire permit. No target shooting, except with a state of California hunting license and in accordance with hunting regulations. No motorized vehicles or tools powered by internal combustion engines off designated roads or trails (such as chainsaws or lawn mowers). No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or at a designated developed recreation site. No welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame, except by special permit. No use of explosives, except by special permit. BLM also noted that during National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches, all campfires will be temporarily suspended to reduce the potential for a wildland fire. For specific questions on the ban, contact the Mother Lode Field Office at 916-941-3101. Tom McClintock and Mike Barkley View Photo Sonora, CA Incumbent Republican Mother Lode Congressman Tom McClintock will face Democrat Mike Barkley of Manteca in the November General Election. McClintock received 43-percent of the vote in the District Five Congressional race and Barkley had 36-percent. Coming in third was Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, a Republican, who ran an aggressive campaign against McClintock. He received 11-percent of the vote. Meanwhile, eight candidates ran for the Mother Lodes new Senate District Four seat that stretches into the Central Valley. The top-two vote-getters are Democrats, Tim Robertson with 23-percent and Mari Alvarado-Gil with 20-percent. In third, about 3,500 votes behind, is Republican George Radanovich with 17-percent, and Republicans Steven Bailey and Jeff McKay, who both have 14.9-percent. If those results hold, it will be the first time in decades that the Mother Lode will be represented by a member of the Democratic Party in the California Senate, whether it be Robertson or Alvarado-Gil. The local Assembly race, District 8, only had one candidate, Republican Jim Patterson of Fresno, who won uncontested. Click here to view local election results. FBI seizes retired generals data related to Qatar lobbying View Photo The FBI has seized the electronic data of a retired four-star general who authorities say made false statements and withheld incriminating documents about his role in an illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. New federal court filings obtained Tuesday outlined a potential criminal case against former Marine Gen. John R. Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution think tank. Its part of an expanding investigation that has ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have been interviewed as part of the investigation. The court filings detail Allens behind-the scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich Persian Gulf monarchy and its neighbors. There is substantial evidence that these FARA violations were willful, FBI agent Babak Adib wrote in a search warrant application, referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Allen also misrepresented his role in the lobbying campaign to U.S. officials, Adib wrote, and failed to disclose that he was simultaneously pursuing multimillion-dollar business deals with the government of Qatar. The FBI says Allen gave a false version of events about his work for Qatar during a 2020 interview with law enforcement officials and failed to produce relevant email messages in response to an earlier grand jury subpoena. The 77-page search warrant application appears to have been filed in error and was removed from the docket Tuesday after The Associated Press reached out to federal authorities about its contents. Allen declined to comment on the new filings. He has previously denied ever working as a Qatari agent and said his efforts on Qatar in 2017 were motivated to prevent a war from breaking out in the Gulf that would put U.S. troops at risk. Allen spokesperson Beau Phillips told AP last week that Allen voluntarily cooperated with the governments investigation into this matter. Allen, who was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution prior to becoming president, used his official email account at the think tank for some of his Qatar-related communications, the affidavit says. Brookings did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Qatar has long been one of Brookings biggest financial backers, though the institution says it has recently stopped taking Qatari funding. Olson was working with Zuberi on another matter involving Qatar in mid-2017 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries announced a blockade of Qatar over its alleged ties to terror groups and other issues. Shortly after the blockade was announced, then-President Donald Trump appeared to side against Qatar. The court papers say Allen played an important role in shifting the U.S.s response. Specifically, authorities say Allen lobbied then-National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to have the Trump administration adopt more Qatar-friendly tone. In an email to McMaster, Allen said the Qataris wanted the White House or State Department to issue a statement with language calling on all sides of the Gulf diplomatic crisis to act with restraint. Federal law enforcement officials say then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did just that two days later, issuing a statement that called on other Gulf countries to ease the blockade against Qatar and asked that there be no further escalation by the parties in the region. The Qatar Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As part of the lobbying campaign, federal law enforcement authorities say, Olson and Allen traveled to Qatar to meet with the countrys ruling emir and other top officials. At the meeting, Allen provided advice on how to influence U.S. policy and said the Qataris should use the full spectrum of information operations, including black and white operations, the affidavit says. Black operations are typically covert and sometimes illegal. Qatar has been accused of orchestrating hack-and-leak operations of its critics and rivals during the diplomatic crisis, including one targeting a UAE ambassador. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing. Before they went to Doha, Allen wanted to have a chat with Olson and Zuberi about his compensation, the affidavit said. Allen suggested in an email that he be paid a $20,000 speakers fee for the weekend trip even though he wasnt giving a speech and then later work out a fuller arrangement of a longer-term relationship, the affidavit says. Zuberi paid Allens first-class airfare to Qatar, the affidavit said, but theres no indication the speakers fee was paid. Allens spokesman said previously the general was never paid a fee. Its unclear why. Some of Zuberis past business associates have accused him of not honoring his financial commitments. Allen also had other financial incentives for helping the Qataris and maintaining strong ties to its top leaders, the FBI said. At the same time he was lobbying U.S. government officials on behalf of Qatar, Allen pursued at least one multimillion-dollar business deal with the Qatari government on behalf of a company on whose board of directors he served, the affidavit says. After returning from their trip to Qatar, Allen and Olson lobbied members of Congress, particularly those who supported a House resolution linking Qatar to terror financing, the FBI said. Among them was Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat who told law enforcement officials he didnt recall exactly what Allen said but that his impression was he was there to support the Qatari officials and their position. __ Contact APs global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/ __ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian from New Orleans. By ALAN SUDERMAN and JIM MUSTIAN Associated Press Taliban arrest Afghan fashion model, say he insulted Islam View Photo ISLAMABAD (AP) The Taliban have arrested a well-known Afghan fashion model and three of his colleagues, accusing them of disrespecting Islam and the Quran, the Muslim holy book, according to videos released by Afghanistans new rulers. Ajmal Haqiqi known for his fashion shows, YouTube clips and modeling events appeared handcuffed in videos posted on Twitter by the Taliban intelligence agency on Tuesday. In one widely circulated and contentious video, Haqiqi is seen laughing as his colleague Ghulam Sakhi who is known to have a speech impediment that he uses for humor recites verses of the Quran in Arabic, in a comical voice. After the arrests, the Taliban released a video of Haqiqi and his colleagues, seen standing in light brown jail uniforms and apologizing to the Taliban government and religious scholars. The video was accompanied by a tweet in the Dari language, saying: No one is allowed to insult Quranic verses or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. Later Wednesday, Amnesty International released a statement, urging the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release Haqiqi and his colleagues. Amnesty has documented several arbitrary detentions by the Taliban in Afghanistan, often accompanied by coerced statements in an attempt to stifle dissent in the country and deter others from expressing their views. Samira Hamidi, Amnestys South Asia campaigner, denounced the arrests and said that by detaining Haqiqi and his colleagues and coercing them into apologizing, the Taliban have undertaken a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression. Her statement also condemned the Talibans continued censorship of those who wish to freely express their ideas. In Kabul, Taliban officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment and it was not clear what measures the model and his colleagues face under the Taliban-run judiciary. The families of the arrested models could also not immediately be reached for comment. Since they seized power last August in Afghanistan during the final weeks of the U.S. troop pullout from the country, the Taliban have imposed strict measures and edicts according to their harsh interpretation of Islamic law, particularly curbing the rights of women and minorities. The moves have raised international concerns that the radical Islamic group intends to rule as it did the last time the Taliban held power in Afghanistan, in the late 1990s. The Taliban consider criticism and anything perceived as disrespectful of Islam as a punishable crime. Amnesty said that since their takeover, the Taliban have been using intimidation, harassment, and violence on anyone who has expressed support for human rights or modern values, especially human rights defenders, women activists, journalists, and members of academia among others. The rights group also urged the Taliban as the de facto authority in Afghanistan to abide by international human rights law and respect everyones right to freedom of expression without discrimination. By RAHIM FAIEZ Associated Press NY House candidate posts about mass shooting conspiracies View Photo NEW YORK (AP) A New York Republican running to represent a congressional district that includes suburbs of Buffalo, New York, shared and deleted a conspiracy-laden Facebook post suggesting a racist mass shooting in Buffalo and other mass killings were part of a plot to take away peoples guns. The lengthy June 1 post shared by Buffalo developer Carl Paladino said in almost every mass shooting, including the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo last month and a shooting at a Texas elementary school, there are strange occurrences that are never fully explained. The post also included theories about CIA mind-control and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and John Lennon, and vaccines. Reached on his cellphone Wednesday by The Associated Press, Paladino said Thats all water under the bridge, and I didnt write it, before hanging up. He did not answer a call back. The politician on Tuesday initially told The Buffalo News and WIVB-TV in interviews that he did not personally make the post and it was posted by someone else who had access to his account. But in a follow-up interview with the Buffalo News on Wednesday, he changed his story and said, Yes, I did it. I just didnt remember the fact that I published it; I couldnt remember. It was written by Jeff Briggs, a good friend from Rochester. I published it because he is a friend, he said. Paladino told the newspaper that on Wednesday he recalled that he only scanned the post before sharing it and that he sometimes passes on materials with which he does not agree. He said he does not subscribe to the conspiracy theories in the post but accepted some of its points. It was not clear which points he accepted. Paladino was on the Buffalo School Board in December 2016 when he wrote that he wanted to see President Barack Obama dead of mad cow disease and first lady Michelle Obama return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla. Amid an uproar, he said the comments, published in the local Artvoice newspaper, were not meant for publication but he called them inappropriate nevertheless. The state education commissioner removed Paladino from the Buffalo School Board soon after for disclosing confidential school board business. During his unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, Paladino apologized for forwarding emails to friends that included racist jokes and pornography. Paladino is now running in a district currently held by Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs, who announced last week he would not seek reelection after facing backlash from his own party for voicing support for new gun control measures. Jacobs, in the wake of recent mass shootings, said he would vote for a federal assault weapons ban and other measures if he had a chance and expressed support for limiting magazine capacity, banning body armor for civilians and raising the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21. Jacobs currently represents New Yorks 27th Congressional District, but was running for the newly redrawn 23rd District. Before his comments on gun control, he was considered a favorite in the new district, which includes large swaths of new voters, including rural counties. Shortly after Jacobs announcement last week that he would not run, Paladino was endorsed by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of GOP leadership and rising star in the party. Stefaniks campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Paladinos post. ___ Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York contributed to this report. By MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press South Dakotas Noem, Thune repel GOP challenges from right View Photo SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has elevated her national prominence through a hands-off approach to pandemic restrictions, won the Republican primary on Tuesday against a former legislative leader who accused her of using the office to mount a 2024 White House bid. All three Republican incumbents running for reelection to a statewide office Noem, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson held off primary challengers running to their right. Primary voters also soundly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have made it more difficult to pass citizen-initiated ballot measures that raise taxes or spend significant public funds. The first-term governors primary win against former South Dakota House Speaker Steve Haugaard gives her a commanding advantage as she seeks another term in November against Democratic state Rep. Jamie Smith, who did not face a primary challenger. In her speech at an election night party, Noem didnt even mention her Democratic gubernatorial challengers name. Instead, she told the crowd, were going to have the chance to go into a November election and make sure were pushing back on Joe Bidens America. She then led them in booing and jeering the presidents policies as she drove a comparison between Biden and former President Donald Trump, whose attention she has courted. Today, Im on defense, she said. Every time I turn around Im fighting off Joe Biden and the damage hes doing to the state of South Dakota. Noem has used this election fundraising cycle to collect a record amount of money for a South Dakota gubernatorial candidate bringing in more than $15 million from a series of fundraisers all over the country. She was one of the only governors who stood firm in not using the pandemic to increase government intrusions in our lives, said Kerry Larson, a Republican voter from Sioux Falls. It says a lot about her and how she will govern under pressure. But Noem has also struggled to manage Statehouse politics at times, publicly clashing with Republican legislators with whom she disagrees. Haugaard had attempted to turn the tables on Noems 2018 campaign promise to increase government transparency. He has pointed to ethics complaints she faces for using state-owned airplanes to attend political events and taking a hands-on role in a state agency while it was evaluating her daughters application for a real estate appraiser license. Thune, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, also won his primary against two challengers who joined the race after Thune drew Trumps ire. Trump speculated the senators career was over after he made public statements dismissing the former presidents lies about widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Neither of the challengers was well-funded or well-known in the state, and in a sign that Thune was positioned for victory, Trump steered clear of South Dakota. Thune is a longtime fixture as the state GOPs elder statesman, and if he wins reelection to a fourth term, he is a likely pick to succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate Republican leader. He will face Democrat Brian Bengs, an Air Force veteran and college professor, in Novembers general election. The senator alluded to his prominence in Washington in a statement celebrating the primary win, saying he would continue putting South Dakotas interests on the national agenda and labeling Bidens agenda as a radical, left-wing crusade. Thunes status in Washington factored into Republican Sandra Pays vote, saying it would be crazy to vote out someone with Thunes Senate leadership post. Hes got power, she said. Republican Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard in the Republican primary for the states lone House spot. The $300,000 Howards campaign raised was dwarfed by Johnsons $1.8 million, but a number of national political action committees spent money in the race as it began to look competitive. It will not be deception and New Jersey attacks that carry the day, Johnson said, referring to a political action committee called Drain The Swamp that spent $500,000 opposing Johnson. It will be truth and South Dakota hard work. The congressman has taken a measured approach on most issues and has touted his work with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Howard has tried to challenge him from the right, creating a primary race that showed some momentum behind the more extreme wing of the Republican Party in South Dakota. That intraparty conflict has been fought across a slate of legislative primary races where Republicans have launched attack ads against each other. Establishment Republicans are trying to weed out a group of contrarian lawmakers who have pushed the Legislature further right. However, Republican voter Kim McKoy said Tuesday one thing was on her mind as she cast her vote: Economy, economy, economy. She mostly voted against incumbents. I listen to these people talk and Im like, Do you care that people are struggling? I just dont think they do, she said. I think they care about their causes and theyve lost their minds. Primary voters defeated an amendment to the state constitution, proposed by Republican lawmakers, that would have placed a 60% vote threshold on ballot measures to raise taxes or spend more than $10 million within five years of enactment. Democrat Joshua Matzner said he voted against the proposal because it would erode the power of citizens to change laws through the ballot. We prefer to be able to actually make a decision in our government, he said. By STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press DAVIS, Calif. (AP) A dog credited with defending her owner from a mountain lion attack in Northern California last month died unexpectedly on Wednesday. The 2-year-old Belgian Malinois named Eva started having seizures last weekend at home in Trinity County, her owner, Erin Wilson told The Sacramento Bee. Eva was taken to the animal hospital at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, but her condition deteriorated. She just never woke up, Wilson told the newspaper. Wilson in mid-May was walking along the Trinity River with Eva a few yards ahead when a mountain lion lunged and scratched Wilson. I yelled Eva! and she came running, Wilson said in a subsequent interview. And she hit that cat really hard. Eva and the mountain lion fought briefly until the cougar clamped its jaws on Evas head. Wilson and another woman beat the lion and finally forced it to flee by using pepper spray. Eva suffered skull fractures and other injuries. She was released from a veterinary clinic several days later. Wilson on Wednesday updated a GoFundMe page she had started to raise money for veterinary bills. We said goodbye, she wrote. We love you Eva. Youre my whole world. RyanJLane/Getty Images The White House announced on June 6 that Nestle will deliver 110,000 pounds of baby formula, equal to about 1.6 million 8-ounce bottles, from Germany to Fort Worth, Texas on June 9. The baby formula will be available throughout the country once it is shipped and additional shipments will also be announced in the coming days, a White House press release said. The shipment is part of Operation Fly Formula, a White House initiative to address the baby formula shortage in the U.S. through importing large amounts of the product from other countries. Under the initiative, the administration has shipped 1.5 million 8-ounce bottle equivalents of baby formula with flight sources for an additional 8.3 million bottle equivalents underway, according to the White House. MANZINI Dialogue is what we need as individuals as it is a way of life. This is the message that Tibiyo TakaNgwane Managing Director (MD) Themba Absalom Dlamini, popularly known as AT, shared during a Council of Swaziland Churches annual general meeting (AGM), which was held at Caritas in Manzini yesterday. He said it was important for all people to humble themselves and be open to dialogue for a peaceful nation. Dlamini was responding to a question posed during a discussion session where pastors were posing questions to him. One pastor, who was identified as Babe Thwala had previously highlighted that, anger worsened everything and as such, the nation of Eswatini was also hit hard. To drive the point home, there is also anger here. When you look around, people are seen burning property- there is anger, Thwala said. He said it was across the regions and country and caused uncertainty. The man of the cloth further mentioned that anger could be avoided. In response, Dlamini said people ought to humble themselves. He thanked His Majesty for allowing the national dialogue. He was of the view that some may feel it would not take place. Nonetheless, he encouraged the men of the cloth to kneel down and pray. Will you take guns? Who will you shoot? You will kill innocent people. This is what I say and Im speaking from experience; have a mentality that this (dialogue) cannot happen without prayer. You will succeed no matter what, the MD said. Dlamini also stated that if people had anger, even for God, then it was not the way to go. He mentioned that the kingdom was not the only one experiencing this predicament. He implored the clergymen to pray for peaceful negotiations. Another response by the MD to a question posed by another pastor was that, fights in the church should be dismissed by word of prayer. King Meanwhile, he said people should not pin their trust on him to plead with the King on their behalf for a dialogue. It was after Babe Masuku had disclosed that he had a revelation where the MD was a part of, and played a role in the national dialogue. Masuku requested the MD to put in a word to the King and request for a national dialogue. Never trust a person to represent you, because they could say things that they were not sent to say. Just pray. Dialogue is what we need as individuals, at homes and at national level. Its a way of life. I hope this will come to fruition, he said. Meanwhile, he said there were certain things that took time. He made an example of the children of Israel, who took 40 years to travel out of their native country. The MD mentioned that there was a point in his life where he was met with a difficult challenge at work and resorted to prayer. As I speak, in my home there is a chapel. I called the pastors from most of the churches in the country to pray. They prayed fervently. I destroyed a garage and built a chapel. If you would go there you would find it, he said. Meanwhile, he also pointed out that the church needed to restore its image by going back to the original unfiltered word of the lord. According to the Tibiyo TakaNgwane MD, what was happening in churches was deeply concerning, and they ought to go back to the beginning, where the gospel was founded. Let us reunite and speak in one voice, a voice that elevates and glorifies the kingdom of heaven. Infighting, theft, misuse of money, acts of gross immorality, the scramble for power and pursuit for material gain, wealth and glory are embarrassing things we see in the church today, he observed. The MD said the church must always be seen to be neutral and a unifying agent whenever there was conflict, be it at home, in the community and at national level. Dlamini said if it found itself conflicted in any of these issues, its credibility, trust and authority would be grossly compromised and undermined. He said they got disturbed when they observed the gospel of salvation and eternal life being replaced with the gospel of magic, self-gratification, materialism and prosperity. Dlamini said these tarnished the image and brand of the kingdom of god. We all have a duty to protect the image and value of the gospel of christ and restore its relevance, Dlamini said. He advised believers to look to him for long-lasting answers, hope and solutions to their problems. Dlamini also begged believers to reach out to the poor, orphaned and the widowed. He said they would not have fully obeyed the great commission if they neglected the poor and the troubled. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Democrats on Wednesday braced for renewed Republican attacks on their management of crime across the U.S. after residents in San Francisco voted overwhelmingly to recall the city's progressive district attorney, suggesting that even the party's most loyal supporters are frustrated with the way in which violence and social problems are being addressed. Chesa Boudin was swept into the district attorney's office pledging to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs and hold police officers to account. But the citys longstanding problems with vandalism, open drug use and robberies proved too much for voters, who blamed him for making the situation worse. While a single city race is hardly a barometer of the national mood, the rejection of Boudin by residents in the nation's progressive epicenter carried symbolic significance for members of both parties. Republicans were emboldened by the vote, planning to highlight crime in several critical Senate races. At the White House, meanwhile, President Joe Biden acknowledged that the vote sent a clear message about public safety. Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence, Biden said ahead of a trip to California, noting he sent billions of dollars and encouraged them to use it to hire police officers and reforming police departments. Its time to move, Biden continued. Its time that states and the localities spend the money they have to deal with crime as well as retrain police officers. The Democratic president's tough-on-crime comments come as his party continues to face pointed attacks from Republicans about its commitment to public safety two years after progressive activists responded to the police murder of George Floyd by championing calls to defund the police." Biden has rejected such calls, as have the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress, yet polling suggests that voters have become increasingly likely to trust Republicans more than Democrats on public safety. Republicans, pointing to the San Francisco election, signaled that they would continue to hammer vulnerable Democratic candidates in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin for their record on crime or associations with the Black Lives Matter movement. While the economy is widely considered the central issue of this midterm season, Republicans believe a focus on crime will help them this fall, especially among suburban voters. The very first thing that I talk about everywhere we go is ending the war on our police, ending the war on cops, said Andrew Giuliani, a Republican candidate for New York governor. Public safety remains a potent political issue, even as the numbers suggest a more complicated reality. Crime statistics for the first quarter of 2022, released by the FBI on Monday, suggest that a rise in violent crime is not the fault of either party's criminal justice policies. Democratic-led cities such as Detroit, Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana, as well as Wichita, Kansas and Portland, Ore., listed fewer murders for the first quarter of 2022 than 2021. The same could be said for several cities with Republican mayors at the helm. The reverse also was true in a number of Democratic and Republican-led cities with several showing rises in violent crime rates and murders. Still, Republicans have effectively convinced voters, in some cases, that Democrats are more to blame. In June 2021, a Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that roughly the same number of U.S. adults trusted Democrats and Republicans to handle crime. But in April 2022, the same poll found that 47% trusted the Republican Party to do a better job handling crime, compared with 35% preferring the Democratic Party. Republican pollster Gene Ulm said the perception that Democrats are weak on crime is pushing swing suburban voters toward the GOP in midterm elections across the country, even if crime is not a defining issue in the campaign. The Democrats have basically tattooed themselves with defund the police, Ulm said. It's too late to change it. Republicans point to key Senate races in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where they have already begun to attack Democrats on crime, sometimes relying on false charges. In North Carolina, the Senate Republican campaign arm already launched two ads against Democratic nominee Cheri Beasley, a former state Supreme Court justice, for failing to protect victims of violent crime. The ads were removed by some local television stations for being inaccurate. Sheriffs from across North Carolina condemned these dishonest and despicable attacks because they know Cheris record: as a judge and chief justice, she partnered with law enforcement to keep North Carolina communities safe and hold violent offenders accountable, campaign spokesperson Dory MacMillan said. Washington Republicans are lying. Still, the GOP rhetoric is likely to persist. Republicans are also telegraphing weak-on-crime attacks against Wisconsin Democrat Mandela Barnes, a Senate candidate photographed holding a shirt critical of immigration officers; and Pennsylvania Senate nominee John Fetterman, who used his powers as lieutenant governor to help increase the number of pardons. Campaign spokesman Joe Calvello noted that Fetterman has a history of confronting crime as the chief law enforcement officer of Braddock, Pa., where he served as mayor. Under Johns leadership, Braddock went five and a half years without a gun death," Calvello said. "John not only has worked hand-in-hand with the police, but he knows what challenges our police force face and how to support them. Back in San Francisco, Boudin blamed his loss on right-wing billionaires who exploited understandable frustration over a pandemic and city government that has failed to deliver on basics. Former Mayor Willie Brown also warned against reading too much into the recall, given that Boudin won election in 2019 with 36% of first-place votes in San Franciscos ranked-choice system. On the same night as the recall, voters statewide overwhelmingly supported progressive state Attorney General Rob Bonta, who earned more than 50% of the vote and now advances to a runoff in November under Californias top-two primary system. No candidate Republican or Democrat -- can ignore the publics need to feel safe, Brown said. There is an absolute need for people to feel safer, and if they, the public, voter interprets your advocacy as not being sensitive to that component they will probably not vote for you, Brown said. They will vote for somebody that does give them some level of comfort, that safety is as important as all the other factors. Beyond San Francisco on Tuesday night, a reform-minded progressive in Contra Costa County was keeping her seat while in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, the progressive favorite heads to a runoff against a long-time prosecutor in November for an open seat being vacated by a more traditional law-and-order district attorney. Ludovic Blain, executive director of the California Donor Table, which seeks to elect progressive candidates, pointed out that the population of Contra Costa and Alameda counties dwarfs the size of San Francisco, which is under 900,000. If we were to look at one election to decide whether Democrats are vulnerable or not, it wouldnt be the San Francisco one, he said. ___ Peoples reported from New York. AP writers Hannah Fingerhut and Gary Fields in Washington contributed. A man serving a life sentence for murder and awaiting trial in a second slaying has been indicted in another death. Curtis Don Brown, 49, has been indicted in the strangulation of Sharyn Kills Back, 18, who disappeared March 15, 1985, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported in Saturday's editions. A plumber discovered Kills Back's body with a rope around her neck on March 23, 1985, in a storm drain in southern Arlington. She was a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe who had moved off the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota at age 16. Her death went unsolved for more than two decades. Then, police learned in September 2005 that Brown had been linked through a DNA database to Kills Back's rape and strangulation. Alan Levy, chief of the criminal division of the Tarrant County district attorney's office, has said that he plans to seek the death penalty against Brown in the slaying. Brown's attorney, Tim Moore of Fort Worth, did not return a Saturday telephone call to his office from The Associated Press. Brown is serving a life sentence in prison for the Fort Worth murder of Jewel Woods. Woods, a 51-year-old nurse, was killed in 1986 outside her east Fort Worth apartment. Last May, Brown was charged in the Fort Worth death of Terece Gregory. Kills Back and Gregory both died in 1985. Brown was linked by a DNA database to the slaying of Gregory, 29, whose body was found floating in the Trinity River on May 30, 1985. The day before, Gregory had disappeared after driving away from the Caravan of Dreams, a downtown Fort Worth nightclub. She had been raped and shot. In July 2005, Brown was indicted on a capital murder charge in Gregory's death. He was brought back to Fort Worth from prison and remains in the Tarrant County Jail, awaiting trial in that case. This year, investigators have re-examined 25 unsolved slayings of women in Tarrant County. About a dozen of those women were killed over a period of 21 months in the mid-1980s. BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscow's grinding campaign to capture Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupol's buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldn't do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscow's troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas and perhaps one of the most difficult battles of the war. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. An adviser to Zelenskyys office said Russian forces have changed their tactics in the battle, retreating from the city while pounding it with artillery and airstrikes. As a result, Oleksiy Arestovych said, the city center is deserted, and the artillery hits an empty place. "They are hitting hard without any particular success, he said in his daily online interview. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russia's continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may "pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it "off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out." But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine SAN FRANCISCO (AP) San Francisco residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin following a heated campaign that captivated the country and bitterly divided Democrats over crime, policing and public safety reform in the famously liberal city. Recall proponents cheered the results at a victory party, with California state leaders of the hotel and retailers associations lauding Boudins removal as a sign that visitors, shoppers and workers will be prioritized again in a city that relies heavily on tourism. They rejected Boudins efforts to paint them as Republicans. This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice, said Mary Jung, a chair of the recall campaign, in a statement. In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership. Boudin, 41, was a first-time political candidate who narrowly won office in November 2019 as part of a national wave of progressive prosecutors who pledged to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs and hold police officers to account. But his time in office coincided with a frustrating and frightening pandemic in which viral footage of brazen shoplifting and attacks against Asian American people drove some residents to mount a recall campaign of the former public defender and son of left-wing activists. Partial returns Tuesday night showed about 60% of voters supporting the recall, but Boudin remained defiant in a speech to supporters, saying he was outspent by right-wing billionaires. He said voters were understandably frustrated by the pandemic and a city government that has failed to deliver on safety, housing and equity. We have two cities. We have two systems of justice. We have one for the wealthy and the well connected and a different one for everybody else. And thats exactly what we are fighting to change, he said, adding that justice was on their side. It was unclear Tuesday what the resounding recall of Boudin could mean to the progressive prosecutor movement nationally and in California, where reform candidates were competing against more traditional law-and-order candidates in a handful of races, with mixed results. California's progressive attorney general, Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, was leading with 57% of the vote Tuesday night, easily advancing to the November general election. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, a critic of Boudin who ran as an independent, did not advance. In Los Angeles County, the campaign to recall progressive District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement the results showed that Gascon, the former prosecutor of San Francisco, could be next. But Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, said the movement toward more liberal approaches to criminal justice was growing as more people understand that tough-talking prosecutors do not result in safer communities. If one can read anything into tonights outcome, it should be the distorting impact of a low turnout recall process easily swayed by special interests and coming at a time of deep frustration and trauma, rather than clear and considered opposition to a prosecutor committed to ending failed tough-on-crime policies, she said. Mayor London Breed, who had backed a more moderate Democrat in the 2019 district attorney race, will name Boudins replacement after the results are certified by the elections office and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Boudin could also run in November when the race is back on the ballot. Boudins time in office was marked by a bruising battle with the San Francisco Police Department, which accused his office of withholding evidence in a case against an officer. Boudin shot back that he could not prosecute cases when police failed to bring evidence and made arrests in just 5% of cases. He made headlines when he disclosed that police had used DNA collected from a rape to arrest the victim in an unrelated property crime. San Francisco has long struggled with open drug dealing, vandalism, auto theft and home burglaries. Political experts say the political newcomer who narrowly won in 2019 was in the crosshairs of outside forces that made him an easy target for public frustration. Boudin was a baby when his parents, left-wing Weather Underground radicals, served as drivers in a botched 1981 robbery in New York that left two police officers and a security guard dead. They were sentenced to decades in prison. While campaigning, he spoke of the pain of stepping through metal detectors to hug his parents and vowed to reform a system that tears apart families. Kathy Boudin was released on parole in 2003 and died of cancer in May. David Gilbert was granted parole in October. The recall campaign against Boudin was backed by many of the same people who successfully ousted three liberal members of the San Francisco school board in February. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, however, easily beat a Republican-led recall last year. Update: 1 p.m., June 8: On Tuesday night, June 7, San Marcos City Council approved the Chapter 380 Economic Development Incentive agreement with Hill Country Group LLC. The approval will allow for the development of the group's $267 million, 820,000-square-foot motion picture studio facility. "Thank you to all who worked on the agreement. Thank you to those that are bringing diversification to our economy and bringing jobs," said San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson at the meeting. Original story below: Vlatko Gasparic/Getty Images A huge film studio project in the Hill Country could soon take its next steps toward becoming a reality. On Tuesday, June 7, San Marcos City Council will discuss potential incentives for a $267 million, 820,000-square-foot motion picture studio facility. The development would be located at 6202 West Centerpoint Road in the La Cima master-planned development. According to the San Marcos agenda documents, the project was previously designated "Dark Monday." Hill Country Group LLC is proposing a studio that will include sound stages, workshops, backlots, production offices, commissary, additional vendor spaces, and support facilities. The $267 million project will also employee 22 full-time employees at opening, with 44 employees by the full build-out, according to the documents. The studio could be built on 75-acres of a 209-acre tract within the La Cima development, with a proposed start date of April 2023, according to the documents. It is expected to be completed by August 2025. The estimated rebate via Chapter 380 is $3.7 million, with San Marcos estimated to retain $11.5 million over 10 years. In November 2021, the Economic Development San Marcos Board voted 8-1 to recommend the city to enter into a Chapter 380 agreement with "Project Dark Monday." According to the project overview, phase one of the project will be completed in 18 months. Phase 1A will have seven production stages, two workshops, and a welcome center, while Phase 1B is proposed to add 250,000-square-feet of office space. Documents noted how the project benefits San Marcos with local vendors such as caterers, dry cleaners, lumber supplies, digital equipment suppliers, electricians, commercial real estate agents, tailors, plumbers, and carpenters all collaborating with work on projects. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LONDON (AP) Portuguese-British artist Paula Rego, who created bold, visceral works inspired by fairy tales, her homeland and her own life, has died at age 87. The Victoria Miro Gallery, which represents Rego, said Wednesday that she died peacefully this morning, after a short illness, at home in north London, surrounded by her family. Regos work spanned styles from naturalism to the abstract, and often included vivid, unnerving depictions of people, animals or both. Among her best-known works are the Dog Woman pastel drawings portraying women in a series of canine poses. Born in Lisbon in 1935, Rego was sent to school in England and went on to study art at the Slade School in London. At the time, Portugal was governed by Antonio Salazars dictatorship and women were second-class citizens without the vote. Rego said her father had told her: Leave Portugal. This is no country for a woman. In the 1960s Rego exhibited alongside rising young artists such as David Hockney as part of the London Group collective. One early painting, the semi-abstract Salazar Vomiting the Homeland, excoriated the dictatorship. Producing it in Portugal at the time would have landed her in jail. Though she lived in Britain for decades, Regos work was infused with the colors and stories of her homeland, and drew on her childhood in conservative Portugal under the Salazar regime. "Our infancy is always with us, isnt it? Rego told The Associated Press in a 2014 interview. On the Portugal of her childhood, she said: It was a fascist state for everyone, but it was especially hard for women. They got a raw deal." A feminist who helped change the way women are depicted in art, Rego challenged expectations of beauty and explored subtexts of sex and violence in Portuguese folk tales and nursery rhymes. A staunch champion of human rights, she memorably produced a series of paintings entitled Abortion, shortly after Portugal had rejected pregnancy termination on demand in a 1998 referendum. In 2008-2009 she created another series, Female Genital Mutilation. After Portugals transition to democracy in the 1970s, Rego became one of the countrys most famous artists. A museum of her work opened in the seaside town of Cascais in 2009. The Portuguese government decreed a day of national mourning, when flags on government buildings will fly at half-mast in the artist's honor. Her paintings, drawings and engravings contain powerful images that will stay with us and with generations to come, the government said in a statement. It added that Rego was an artist who was acutely alive to the reality of our society. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Rego was the countrys greatest modern artist of the past three decades. He recalled that on a visit to Regos London studio in 2016 he witnessed the enchanting and disturbing power of her work. Rego also was renowned in Britain, where she was the first artist-in-residence at the National Gallery in London. Tate Britain held a major retrospective of her work last year. Tate director Maria Balshaw called Rego an uncompromising artist of extraordinary imaginative power, who uniquely revolutionized the way in which womens lives and stories are represented. Regos work is in the collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale Center for British Art. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II made Rego a dame, the female equivalent of a knight. Rego was married for 29 years to British artist Victor Willing, who died in 1988. She is survived by their children Nick, Caroline and Victoria, and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. ___ Hatton reported from Lisbon. On Monday, 1 Hotels announced it was building one of its luxury hotels in Austin, set to open in 2026. The announcement from S&H Hotels, the Los Angeles-based company that operates 1 Hotels, successfully completed new-build Austin bingo: it used the phrase "mixed-use," mentioned Austin City Limits, and claimed the 74-story tower in which it will reside will be the largest in Texas upon completion. Without delving into whether Austin needs a new, enormous downtown luxury hotel amid a housing crisis, or the vagueness of claiming a window into Austin City Limits (the festival, the downtown venue, or the television show?), the release was remarkable for its slurry of Austin-specific buzzwords and phrases. One in particular stands out. Gaze upon this sentence in awe: "Texas-tough, modern-chic guest rooms feature furnishings that integrate cowboy craftsmanship with the sophisticated tone and tenor of a tech-savvy city." This Mad Lib evokes, in order, a muddy Ford F-150, the incoming Hermes store on South Congress, Lonesome Dove, and Elon Musk and his various Central Texas concerns. It's a breathtaking journey, really. Without invoking Webster's Dictionary, this is, of course, what marketing is: selling something to specific demographics using targeted images and phrases. Those indicators are meant to help Austinites and its regular visitors visualize a space in lieu of a rendering. But it also begs the question, who is that for? And on a broader scale, what does that mean about how brands sell themselves to and in Austin? Is this how the world sees our city now? Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images For comparison, I looked at the PR language used for the new 1 Hotel in San Francisco, announced just five days ago. San Francisco is characterized as a "vibrant and eclectic city" that has "long been at the forefront of driving sustainable change in architecture and design." Tackling the first phrase, this is PR-speak for the city's large LGBTQ population. More interesting for this exercise, though, when viewed through the lens of the city in which I reside, is the San Francisco release's repeated use of the words "design" and "architecture." San Francisco is, of course, a renowned American architectural city. Aside from longstanding icons like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco has a wealth of Victorian and modernist and Tudor structures that dot the city. It's no wonder the ad wizards who waved their wands over this release pushed this angle. Taken holistically, this means that in selling the idea of San Francisco to potential customers and to the city itself the proprietors of Hotel 1 believe that what makes San Francisco unique is its standing as a diverse, outre, and architecturally beautiful city. Pretty simple. Moving into Texas, I looked up a smattering of recent luxury hotel press releases for San Antonio, the closest metropolis to Austin. But even just an hour or so down I-35, the language is completely different. The big buzzword in selling luxury to San Antonio is "history," owing, of course, to the Alamo. "Guests will be inspired by The Otis Hotel San Antonio's historic influences," and the Thompson Hotel is busy "capturing the contemporary spirit of this historic Texas city," according to respective press releases. When selling luxury accommodations to San Antonio, it's important to convey that the Alamo exists. Again, this mostly makes sense. When thinking about our hotel, remember the Alamo. It's more difficult to understand what the Austin release says and what the world thinks about our fair city. Amy E. Price/Getty Images for SXSW The only mention of design or architecture is at the release's footer, in which Hotel 1 describes itself as a purveyor of "sustainable design and architecture." Fair enough, as Austin isn't particularly known for its beautiful bridges or modernist towers, a kind way of putting it, to be sure. And nowhere is history mentioned, except in describing Rainey Street, which, in all fairness, is technically a historic district but retains almost none of the history (or people) that made it so. The Austin press release relies on some amalgamation of the low-brow and high-brow, like a bloomin' onion smothered in beluga caviar. Hotel 1 will slot right into Austin because it's macho, but fancy and expensive. It's authentic like a cowboy but built for tech geeks. With this many inverses, it's impossible to extract any sort of definition of the city. Ten years ago, this press release would have hammered home "weirdness" and live blues. Today, Austin has too many identities to keep straight. This is not to say that any one type of person lives in Austin, or that marketers should cater to any one demographic. It's just that this press release reveals that nobody, not even those paid to define it, knows what Austin is in 2022. If you find the 6G bronc buster decked out in Celine and unlocking his Cyber Truck in Tarrytown, though, let me know. Billy Calzada/Staff photographer More and more opportunities are rising up for residents to practice yoga for free in San Antonio and we love to see it (yes to self-care). The classes are part of a nationwide trend where yoga has increasingly become one of the most popular fitness trends in the United States, according to a report from YogaEarth. The number of "yogis" increased by over 50% in four years. Yoga offers physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages, according to Hopkins Medicine. And, if you're going through an illness, recovering from surgery or living with a chronic condition, yoga can become an integral part of your treatment and potentially hasten to healing. Tum3000, Contributor / Getty Images/iStockphoto The weather might be reaching dangerously hot temps, but San Antonio has something to look forward to outdoors this weekend. This Friday, June 10, Traders Village's beloved 10-acre sunflower field returns to the city. For as long as the flowers live, visitors will have the opportunity to frolic and photo-op through the maze while admiring all the summertime flora. In typical Traders Village fashion, the grounds will also host a variety of fair-like festivities, including a petting zoo, concessions stands, and an inflatable slide. For those looking for a little more gloss and glamor, a professional photographer will be on site ready to take your next family photo. Rates for photo sets include two options at low price points, with $5 getting you five photos and $8 landing you 10 pictures. MBABANE Let us not regulate wrongdoing. Legitimising cohabiting is resultant to moral failure. This was the submission made by the Executive members of Eswatini Inter-Denominational Ministers Fellowship (EIMF), which is a council of pastors in ministries, on registration of cohabitations. This was during their stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Portfolio Committee on the Marriage Bill, 2022 and the Matrimonial Property Bill, 2022. The church body, through their President, Pastor Luke Mnisi, stated that they had extensively and comprehensively scrutinised these Bills and the submissions they were to make were based on lengthy consultation with other members of the body and the members of the various churches, which fell under the council. Under the clause on registration of cohabitations, Mnisi submitted that the issue went against the grain of moral standards of both Eswatini culture and Christianity values. While we appreciate the content of the Eswatini Constitution which espouses freedom of religious association, we however, feel that certain moral standards are indicative of the moral compass of the nation. Allowing such low moral standards is tantamount to eroding the beautiful future of emaSwati as people with moral standards drawn from both culture and religion. Legitimising cohabiting should be resultant to moral failure and compromise to compensate a partner who had been subjected to such against their will, submitted the president of the EIMF. Perversion He stated that the Bill should rather state circumstances under which cohabiting could be accepted otherwise it should not be seen to be encouraging such that neither should it be seen condoning societal perversion. The Bill can also create pathways for partners who wish to change their cohabiting status into formal and legal marriage status, he stated. According to EIMF, in the clause on the marital power of the husband, the backdrop of not permitting the husband to assume unilateral power on the disposal of assets was well appreciated and welcomed as it was designed to curb on the ever increasing abuse wives were subjected to. However, this should not be done at the expense of vacating the God-given headship of the male man (husband). This is a divinely ordained family leadership structure and tampering with it will erode the family structure as was intended by God our Creator, stated Pastor Mnisi. He said what the Bill should address were the powers and limits thereof of the leader rather than removing leadership. It was further stated that like any other institution without proper leadership structure, the institution of marriage would suffer. This should come out clear in the Bill, there should be no ambiguity about it, submitted the EIMF president. An important question to consider is what informs the reviews of our Acts ad Bills? Are we driven by trends and happenings or are we driven by empirical evidence through formal or informal research? Responding to this question is of great importance as it defines our disposition of being subjective or objective, reactive or proactive, it was stated. Pastor Mnisi said one could only hope that such reviews were informed by empirical evidence and hence, were likely to be comprehensive and responsive not only to the now but the future challenges. Another amendment suggested by EIMF was the issue of traditional marriage officers. Marriage Mnisi stated that regarding the issue of traditional marriage officers, because of the role played by chiefs and tindvuna in unifying the community, it was advisable that they be excluded from being marriage officers. This will mitigate the conflict of interest that may arise as they are expected to be overseers and custodians of Eswatini culture, including Swazi Law and Custom. They can be consulted for clarity on complex issues and pass judgment of related matters with their teams of counsels, stated Mnisi. He further said the Bill could identify other traditional leaders who could be trained to administer and facilitate the registration of marriages, particular the Swazi Law and Custom marriages. Another amendment by the Christian organisation was regarding the powers of the minister to recognise any other marriage in the land, which they stated weakened the contents and bindings of this Bill. Such a disposition does not protect the incumbent and exposes him or her to be susceptible to being corruptible. The premises of marriage are clear all citizens and residents of the kingdom should be subjected to those confines. The integrity of the ministers office should be jealously protected from any form of prejudice that may arise because of issues left to personal judgment. Today we may have an incumbent aligning to certain values which we are comfortable with, tomorrow it might not be so, as the writing stipulates any other marriage, this does not exclude same sex marriages or incest marriages. Mnisi said this issue made the Bill susceptible to misuse and abuse. Under the clause on estate distribution the pastor highlighted that there was a growing inhuman trend of forcing widowers to vacate the family house upon losing the spouse, especially if that widower wishes to remarry. This becomes a bigger challenge if the widower is aged. The Bill needs to look at this issue in the spirit of protecting all parties involved, in some cases the children born from the previous marriage are all adults yet they hold powers and preferences on what the surviving spouse should or shouldnt do in or with the family house, said Mnisi. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol played out for the world to see, but the House committee investigating the attack believes a more chilling story has yet to be told -- about the president and the people whose actions put American democracy at risk. With personal accounts and gruesome videos the 1/6 committee expects Thursday's prime-time hearing to begin to show that Americas tradition of a peaceful transfer of presidential power came close to slipping away. It will reconstruct how the president, Donald Trump, refused to concede the 2020 election, spread false claims of voter fraud and orchestrated an unprecedented public and private campaign to overturn Joe Bidens victory. The result of the coming weeks of public hearings may not change hearts or minds in politically polarized America. But the committee's year-long investigation with 1,000 interviews is intended to stand as a public record for history. A final report aims to provide an accounting of the most violent attack on the Capitol since the British set fire in 1814, and ensure it never happens again. This is not a game, said Steven Levitsky, a Harvard professor and co-author of How Democracies Die, who has written extensively on the world's democratic governments. We suffered an assault on our democracy the likes of which none of us have seen in our lifetime." Emotions are still raw at the Capitol 17 months after Trump sent his supporters to Congress to fight like hell for his presidency. That was on a Wednesday, two months after the election, a traditionally celebratory if ho-hum day when Congress is tasked with certifying the November results. Security will be tight for the hearings. Law enforcement officials are reporting a spike in violent threats against members of Congress. Against this backdrop, the committee will try to speak to a divided America, ahead of the fall midterm elections when voters will decide which party controls the Congress. Most TV networks will carry the hearings live, Fox News will not. Were going to tell the story of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election, says Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the committee. You really have to go back to the Civil War to understand anything like it. First up will be wrenching accounts from police who engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the mob, with testimony from U.S. Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who was seriously injured in the melee. Also appearing Thursday will be documentary maker Nick Quested who filmed the extremist Proud Boys storming the Capitol. Some of that group's members have since been indicted as have some from the Oath Keepers on rare sedition charges over the military-style attack. In the weeks ahead, the panel is expected to detail Trumps public campaign to Stop the Steal and the private pressure he put on the Department of Justice to reverse his election loss despite dozens of failed court cases and his own attorney general attesting there was no fraud on a scale that that could have tipped the results in his favor. Its going to be there for the permanent record, and I think thats important for history, said Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman from Virginia. The panel, made up of nine lawmakers, faced obstacles from its start. Republicans blocked the formation of an independent body that could have investigated the Jan. 6 assault the way the 9/11 Commission probed the 2001 terror attack. Instead, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ushered the creation of the 1/6 panel through Congress over the objections of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. She rejected Republican-appointed lawmakers who had voted Jan. 6 against certifying the election results, choosing her own preferred members to serve and naming civil rights advocate Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., as chairman. The Jan. 6 committees lopsided composition includes seven Democrats and two Republicans, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, both outspoken Trump critics now risking their political futures on this work. After a year-long investigation, the story the committee aims to tell is still unfolding. By many measures, the attack was set in motion months earlier, soon after Election Day, when Trump falsely claimed the voting was rigged and refused to concede once Biden was declared the winner. The proceedings are expected to introduce Americans to a cast of characters, some well known, others elusive, and to what they said and did as Trump and his allies tried to reverse the election outcome. The public will learn about the actions of Mark Meadows, the presidents chief of staff, whose 2,000-plus text messages provided the committee with a snapshot of the real-time scramble to keep Trump in office. Of John Eastman, the conservative law professor, who was the architect of the unsuccessful scheme to convince Vice President Mike Pence to halt the certification on Jan. 6. Of the Justice Department officials who threatened to resign rather than go along with Trump's startling proposals. Lawmakers have also been caught up in the probe, including House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who defied the committee's subpoena requests for testimony. Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, who urged her father to call off the rioters, appeared privately before the committee. The Justice Department has arrested and charged more than 800 people for the violence that day, the biggest dragnet in its history. Trump has dismissed the entire investigation as illegitimate. The committee cannot charge him or anyone else. It's jurisdiction allows it only to refer its findings to the department, which is investigating. Many Republicans are poised to defend Trump. Rep. Elise Stefanik of N.Y. said at a GOP leadership press conference Wednesday the committee's shameless prime-time show is nothing but a smear campaign against the former president, his party and his supporters. As Trump weighs another run for the White House, other Republicans wonder quietly if the committee hearings will have an impact on the public or if Jan. 6 will simply be forgotten. Levitsky, the professor, said Americans have not had much experience watching their democracy at risk. One weakness that Americans have in in defending our democracy, is that we take it for granted," he said. "Were not aware of the warning signs," he said. He said the committees report should be taught in U.S. civics and history textbooks for years to come to inform Americans and bring them together. "Thats how democracy gets saved," he said. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Kevin Freking and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. __ For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege NASA A layer of Saharan dust is likely to arrive in San Antonio and other Texas cities next week, according to the National Weather Service. NASA reported a fresh supply of dust was airlifted from the Sahara and heading to the U.S. on Tuesday, June 7. Keith White, a meteorologist for NWS, told MySA that some models indicate portions of the dust will likely arrive in the Gulf of Mexico by the weekend and will reach Texas by next week. He said that it looks like the bulk of the dust will be seen late in the day on Tuesday, June 14. It's unclear how much of that layer will reach San Antonio and its surrounding cities. Matthew Busch, Contributor / For The San Antonio Express-News The City of San Antonio is set to pay out a $466,300 settlement to the family of Jesse Aguirre, a man who died in 2013 after police flipped him into the ground while arresting him. The $466,300 is the result of a federal lawsuit that will be divided between his family, including $100,000 to his estate, $166,300 to his widow, Blanca, and $200,000 to his son, Jesse Aguirre Jr., according to agenda documents for the June 9 city council meeting. San Antonio police attempted to apprehend Aguirre in 2013 while he attempted to cross Highway 90 near the intersection of S Zarzamora Street, crashing a car. Dashcam video showed police flip Aguirre head first over the cement highway median and then restrained him on the ground under the weight of three police officers. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images In Texas, many police departments are investigating threats toward districts or centers after the tragic Uvalde mass shooting. Most recently, the Rockport Police Department said it has arrested two people who allegedly threatened a school system in a social media post. Rockport police gave details about the incident on its Facebook on Wednesday, June 8. The department learned about the threat on Monday, June 6. During the course of the investigation, two individuals responsible for the threat have been identified and arrested. Yves here. I know I am preaching to the choir in saying this, but this still needs to be said regularly: Its a disgrace that the US does nothing to stop price gouging for insulin, a old, essential treatment that is sold for a fraction of the US price all over the world. By Angela Hart, Senior Correspondent at Kaiser Health News, has won awards for her work on homelessness, public health, and the covid-19 pandemic. Previously, she worked for Politico and The Sacramento Bee. Originally published at Kaiser Health News California is diving into the prescription drug business, attempting to achieve what no other state has done: produce its own brand of generic insulin and sell it at below-market prices to people with diabetes like Sabrina Caudillo. Caudillo said she feels like a prisoner to the three major pharmaceutical companies that control the price of insulin, which ranges from $300 to $400 per vial without insurance. The price Caudillo paid in 2017, when she was diagnosed, is etched into her memory: $274. I remember crying my eyes out at CVS and realizing its going to be like this for the rest of my life, said Caudillo, 24, a college student who lives in La Puente, in Southern California. She now has insurance that covers the entire cost of the lifesaving drug but still has trouble affording her insulin supplies and paying the monthly premium for her plan. This disease is really expensive, and Im barely making it every month, Caudillo said. Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration said roughly 4 million Californians have been diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that can destroy organs, steal eyesight, and lead to amputations if its not controlled. One in 4 people who have diabetes and rely on insulin cannot afford it, forcing many to ration or forgo the drug, the administration added. Newsom is asking state lawmakers to pump $100 million into an ambitious initiative to launch Californias generic drug label, CalRx, and begin producing insulin in the next few years, said Alex Stack, a Newsom spokesperson. The state is also working to identify other generic drugs it could bring to market, targeting those that are expensive or in short supply. To start, the goal is to dramatically slash insulin prices and make it available to millions of Californians via pharmacies, retail stores, and mail order, said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. But state health officials are still negotiating a contract with a drug manufacturer to make and distribute insulin and have not answered key questions such as how cheaply insulin could be produced and what patients would pay. To be successful, California and the company it partners with must navigate a complicated pharmaceutical distribution system that relies not only on drug manufacturers but also middleman companies that work hand in hand with health insurers. Those companies, known as pharmacy benefit managers, negotiate with manufacturers on behalf of insurers for rebates and discounts on drugs but insurers dont always pass those savings on to consumers. Insulin has long epitomized the market failures that plague the pharmaceutical industry, which have resulted in keeping insulin prices high, Vishaal Pegany, assistant secretary of the Health and Human Services Agency, told lawmakers in May. He argued that high prices have directly harmed Californians. Newsom said in early May that disrupting monopolistic drug prices requires state intervention and that California can pull it off because the state with 40 million residents has market power. But the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office questioned whether California can produce its own drugs and achieve lower insulin prices. Luke Koushmaro, a senior fiscal and policy analyst with the office, warned at a legislative hearing in May that the effort could be hampered by considerable uncertainties a sentiment echoed by some Democratic lawmakers. The Newsom administration thinks state-made insulin could cut some insurers spending on the drug as much as 70% savings it hopes would trickle down to consumers. But there is no guarantee that the administrations predictions of dramatic savings or wide distribution of insulin will materialize, state Assembly member Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) said at the hearing. Who is going to write the prescriptions for this magic insulin? she asked. Hope is not a strategy. Im not hearing any strategies as to how this is going to become available. The price of insulin has soared in recent years. A 2021 U.S. Senate investigation found that the price of a long-acting insulin pen made by Novo Nordisk jumped 52% from 2014 to 2019 and that the price of a rapid-acting pen from Sanofi shot up about 70%. The investigation implicated drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers in the increases, saying they perpetuated artificially high insulin prices. Insulin manufacturers lit the fuse on skyrocketing prices by matching each others price increases step for step rather than competing to lower them, while PBMs, acting as middlemen for insurers, fanned the flames to take a bigger cut of the secret rebates and hidden fees they negotiate, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said when the report was released. Contacted by KHN for comment, the trade associations that represent brand-name drugmakers, pharmacy benefit managers, and California health insurers blamed one another for the increase in prices. Under Newsoms plan, generic forms of insulin known as biosimilars because they are made with living cells and mimic brand-name drugs on the market would be widely available to insured and uninsured Californians. If Newsoms $100 million initiative is approved by lawmakers this summer, the state would use that money to contract with an established drugmaker to begin supplying CalRx insulin while the state constructs its own manufacturing facility, also in partnership with a drugmaker. The administration is currently negotiating with drug companies that can produce a reliable supply of insulin under a no-bid contract, but no partnership has been formalized. The insulin would be branded with images associated with the state, such as the California Golden Bear. And, Pegany said, the packaging could boast that the lower-priced insulin was brought to patients by state government. Theres a short list of people who would even compete for this, Ghaly told KHN in May. Were going to put together competition and get a partner we think is going to deliver not just the soonest, but something that we think is sustainable. On the short list is Civica Rx, a nonprofit drugmaker based in Utah. Civica announced independently in March that it was preparing to produce biosimilar insulin exactly what California is seeking. The FDA last year approved the first biosimilar, interchangeable insulin product, and Civica plans to make three types of generic insulin to compete with the brand-name versions made by Eli Lilly and Co., Sanofi, and Novo Nordisk. Allan Coukell, Civicas senior vice president of public policy, told KHN that the drugmaker has had discussions with the Newsom administration and is in talks with other states. Civica aims to market insulin for close to the cost of making it, rather than charging markups and making profits, he said. Coukell said the company plans to bring biosimilar insulin to the market for roughly $30 per vial and $55 for a box of five pen cartridges. Coukell acknowledged that Civica may have to work with pharmacy benefit managers, which also help health insurers determine which drugs they will cover, to distribute the medicine but doesnt expect that to cause a big price increase. Our goal is to make these insulins available to any American who needs them, Coukell said. Our goal is to have market impact, not market share. The state has had discussions with other companies, including celebrity investor Mark Cubans for-profit drug company, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. It is building its own manufacturing plant, like Civica, but for now sells drugs online to anyone at wholesale cost plus a 15% markup. Founder Dr. Alex Oshmyansky said that the companys talks with California fizzled out early on but that hed be open to future discussions. Cuban is the chief investor in the company, Oshmyansky said. America is the wealthiest country in the history of human civilization, so for our citizens to not be able to afford medications, including insulin, due to market manipulations is terrible, Oshmyansky said. For people with diabetes like Caudillo, relief cant come fast enough. She stockpiles insulin in case she can no longer afford health insurance and donates extra to other people in need. I know how expensive it is when you arent covered, and if you dont pay that money, youre going to be in the hospital fighting for your life, she said. Your body goes into decay, and your organs slowly shut down. Its very painful. No diabetic should have to go through that. KHN senior correspondent Samantha Young contributed to this report. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Yves here. This article describes how an OPEC+ commitment to raise output is a big headfake. It also serves to remind readers of an important point: the rupture between Saudi Arabia and the US got serious when US ramped up shale production, and continued to produce shale gas at high levels and at losses in the face of Saudi price cuts. A short term cooling of hostilities with Iran didnt help. By Simon Watkins, a former senior FX trader and salesman, financial journalist, and best-selling author. He was Head of Forex Institutional Sales and Trading for Credit Lyonnais, and later Director of Forex at Bank of Montreal. He was then Head of Weekly Publications and Chief Writer for Business Monitor International, Head of Fuel Oil Products for Platts, and Global Managing Editor of Research for Renaissance Capital in Moscow. He has written extensively on oil and gas, Forex, equities, bonds, economics and geopolitics for many leading publications, and has worked as a geopolitical risk consultant for a number of major hedge funds in London, Moscow, and Dubai. Originally published at OilPrice Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, met at length last week in Riyadh after which they released statements highlighting: The level of cooperation in the OPEC+ format. The two ministers underlined the: Stabilising effect that tight coordination between Russia and Saudi Arabia in this strategically-important area has on the global hydrocarbon market. Shortly afterward, the OPEC+ alliance, comprising all the OPEC member states plus most notably Russia, announced a theoretical increase in crude oil production of 648,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July and August, instead of by 432,000 bpd as previously agreed. In practice, as it also includes Russian exports that are already banned by the U.S. and are being banned in the E.U., the increase is meaningless. Subsequent Saudi assurances that any deficit in Russias output caused by the ban will be met by other OPEC states is similarly meaningless in practical terms, given enduring question marks over genuine output capabilities. Any residual notion that Saudi Arabia might be trying to alleviate the economic problems of many countries resulting from high oil prices was dispelled over the weekend, as the Kingdom raised its official selling price for its flagship Arab Light crude to Asia to a US$6.50 per barrel (pb) premium for July to the average of the Oman and Dubai benchmarks, up from a premium of US$4.40 pb in June. The net effect of OPEC+s production increase, therefore, will be zero, which Saudi Arabia, Russia, and all other OPEC members, know perfectly well. So, why is Saudi, for so long a staunch ally of the U.S. after the landmark relationship deal made in 1945, now so resolutely sticking with Washingtons long-time nemesis, Russia, even with the invasion of Ukraine still in full swing? The core of the answer lies in the immediate aftermath of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War launched by Saudi Arabia with the specific intention of destroying or at least disabling for as long a period as possible the then-nascent U.S. shale oil sector. In 2014, the Saudis had correctly identified this sector as the biggest threat to its finances and political power both of which were, and still are founded exclusively on its oil resources. In addition, but incorrectly at that point, the Saudis believed that the U.S. intended to cease, or at least significantly scale back, its on-the-ground support for Saudi Arabia in the region as Washingtons principal bulwark there against the increasing influence of Iran, Russia, and China. These fears in Riyadh were being stoked at that time by the ongoing talks of a nuclear deal between the major powers, led by the U.S. itself, and Iran Saudi Arabias longstanding nemesis. These talks did indeed result less than a year later in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal that effectively brought Iran back into the mainstream of global political interplay. Due mainly to the remarkable, and unexpected, ability of much of the U.S.s shale oil companies to survive with oil prices that had been pushed extremely low through OPEC overproduction, the 2014-2016 Oil Price War resulted in devastation for the economy of Saudi Arabia and for its brother states in OPEC. An additional negative result for Saudi Arabia was that it had lost its credibility as the de facto leader of OPEC and that OPEC had lost its credibility as the indomitable force in global oil markets. This meant that OPECs pronouncements on future oil supply and demand levels and therefore, on pricing had lost much of their potency to move markets in and of themselves and that their joint production deals were diminished in effectiveness. In the interim, many of the positive rationales on both sides of the core 1945 agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia had disappeared. The U.S. did not trust Saudi Arabia anymore not to go after its shale oil sector. It also did not trust Saudi Arabia to try to keep oil prices within the US$35-75 per barrel (pb) of Brent price band that was ideal for Washington: the first number being the floor at which many U.S. shale producers could at least breakeven, if not make a slight profit, and the second number being the cap after which extremely serious negative economic and political threats begin to emerge. For the U.S. economy, historical precedent highlights that every US$10 pb change in the crude oil price results in a 25-30 cent change in the price of a gallon of gasoline, and for every one cent that the U.S.s average price of gasoline increases, more than US$1 billion per year in discretionary additional consumer spending is lost. Politically, as shown in my new book on the global oil markets, since World War I, the sitting U.S. president has won re-election only once out of seven times if the U.S. economy was in recession within two years of an upcoming election. President Biden or whoever the Democratic candidate may be will face another presidential election in 2024, but even before that, he faces critical mid-term elections in November 2022, when his Democrats could lose their narrow majority in the House of Representatives. For these reasons, the U.S.s view had changed into the very one that Saudi Arabia had long feared. This was that Washington intended to cease, or at least significantly scale back, its on-the-ground support for Saudi Arabia in the region once it could ramp up its own oil production so that it did not need Saudi oil anymore, and once it had made other potentially Iran-countering alliances in the Middle East. This process in fact began with the relationship normalisation deals drive begun in 2020. For Saudi Arabia in the immediate aftermath of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War, there appeared little choice but to stand by and watch as the U.S. inexorably increased its own shale oil and shale gas supplies and made new alliances in the Middle East, whilst all the while gradually reducing all elements of its support for the Kingdom. It is little wonder, then, that Saudi Arabia at the end of the 2014-2016 Oil Price War, grasped on to Russias offer of help. The Kremlin at that point was fully aware of the enormous economic and geopolitical possibilities that were available to it by becoming a core participant in the crude oil supply/demand/pricing nexus, so agreed to support the next OPEC production cut deal in what was to be called from then-on OPEC+. This unholy alliance, as more than one source in Washington characterised it to OilPrice.com at the time, was of deep concern to the U.S., and served only to compound the growing feelings of distrust towards Saudi Arabia. These feelings were exacerbated when the Kingdom launched yet another oil price war in 2020 with the same intention as 2014-2016 of hurting the U.S.s shale oil and shale gas sectors, which Washington perceived as a hostile act. These negative feelings have subsequently worsened due to several factors, with a key one being Saudi Arabias unwillingness or inability to do anything meaningful to bring down still-high oil prices. Riyadh for its part had ceased to regard the U.S. as a true friend in the world stage by 2016 and those in power now in Saudi Arabia, the al-Saud royal family, are also fully aware that the 1945 agreement which crucially for them includes the U.S. supporting the family in its leadership position in the country is no longer in play on Washingtons side. This can be inferred from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans refusal to even take a telephone call from President Joe Biden on the subject of enduring high oil prices. It can be argued that the only reason why Saudi Arabia has not yet gone even further in terms of political alliance with Russia than continuing to stand with it in OPEC+, is that it does not yet feel supported enough from the China-Russia axis to want to incur the full wrath of the U.S. The resuscitation by Washington of the No Oil Producing or Exporting Cartels (NOPEC) bill is the surest sign yet that Washington has finally run out of patience with Riyadh. It has been rightly construed by Saudi Arabia as a warning shot to more profound further actions if it does move further directly and overtly into the China-Russia sphere of influence. However, Saudi Arabias plethora of deals with Russia since 2016, and with China too plus its re-energising of the Gulf Cooperation Council within an apparently Pan Arabist context seem to portend an even clearer and decisive shift of Saudi Arabia and its own allies, including OPEC and OPEC+, away from the U.S. and towards China-Russia going forward. KateLynn White graduated from Tennessee State University, where she was an editor of the student newspaper. She interned for The Tennessean and The Tennessee Tribune before joining the Nashville Post in 2022. She also contributes to the Nashville Scene. Follow KateLynn White Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today (Natural News) InfoWars founder Alex Jones broke down the 10 dangerous ideas being pushed by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in a recent episode of The Alex Jones Show. The WEF and its founder, German economist Klaus Schwab, have been pushing hard for a Great Reset that seeks to bring about the so-called New World Order. Jones referenced an article from the Vigilant Citizen titled The Top 10 Creepiest and Most Dystopian Things Pushed by the WEF. The June 1 article pointed out that the WEF, through its annual meetings at the town of Davos in Switzerland, attempts to legitimize and normalize its influence on the worlds democratic nations by having a panel of world leaders attending and speaking at the event. Throughout the years, people at the WEF have said some highly disturbing things, none of which garnered proper media attention. In fact, when you piece together the topics championed by the WEF, an overarching theme emerges: the total control of humanity using media, science and technology while reshaping democracies to form a global government, it added. Jones remarked that the Vigilant Citizen piece only scratches the surface. He added: This article is great because itll really wake people up. It shows all the videos, all the quotes [and] all the clips [from the WEF]. Penetrating governments worldwide was at No. 10 on the list, with the article explicitly accusing Schwab of perceiving democracy as an obstacle to a fully globalized world. The WEF founder himself made the admission in a 2017 talk at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government. According to the German economist, he was very proud of his WEF Global Young Leaders that managed to penetrate the global cabinets of countries including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron. We control your government. You are not in control; we dont want the people involved, remarked the InfoWars founder. (Related: Exposed: Canada used covid plandemic to align itself with World Economic Forum agenda.) Jones also mentioned how the WEF lauded lockdowns to contain the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) at No. 7, pushed to make changes under COVID-19 permanent at No. 6. The WEF also took the pandemic as an opportunity to push the Great Reset, which was the No. 5 item on the list. Surveillance and control are the WEFs ultimate goal Both Jones and the article he cited pointed to the WEFs desire for surveillance and control, as outlined by the things it espouses. Item No. 9 centered on mind control using sound waves, which was first proposed in 2018. The technology was initially introduced as a possible treatment for Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers disease. However, the technology could also be used to bring a persons mind completely under control. Mind control using sound waves and 5G? The 5G will make you submit. You will love it, its so good, Jones commented. Microchip-containing pills were No. 8 on the list, which was first conceptualized by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla. He described it as biological chip that dissolves in [the] stomach [and] sends a signal. The Vigilant Citizen, however, noted that the New York-based drug manufacturer had been making use of the COVID-19 pandemic to further its agenda. COVID put Pfizer in a position of power never seen before for a pharmaceutical company, it added. Trackable clothes came at No. 3 on the list, which the WEF claims allows clothing retailers to resell their items. Digital passports could be incorporated into the clothes, which allow those who eschew smartphones to be tracked. Its the next phase of the global ID with the vaccine passport. [This time,] thatll be the carbon passport theyre bringing out right now. The No. 2 item on the Vigilant Citizen piece touched on smartphones that are already inside the body, which Jones claims will allow people to live inside a virtual reality in their homes. No. 4 on the list touched on efforts by the WEF to recalibrate free speech in reality, a fancy name for censorship. The Vigilant Citizen quoted Australian e-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who called for a recalibration from freedom of speech to the freedom to be free from online violence. They define that as getting rid of freedom of speech, only allowing corporate speech they want and having [artificial intelligence] control and [lecture] you about what your speech can be or should not be, Jones said. The Vigilant Citizen ended by quoting youll own nothing and youll be happy, which was the No. 1 item in the list. Danish lawmaker Ida Auken summed up this idea in a quote, which the WEF tweeted: Welcome to 2030. I own nothing, have no privacy and life has never been better. Watch Alex Jones breaking down the 10 ideas endorsed by the WEF below. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: World Economic Forums Class of 2021 exposed: Klaus Schwabs effort to remake globe in authoritarian image continues. White House hires WEF climate extremist and Hunter Biden think tank employee as new supply chain advisor. Bizarre World Economic Forum video orders citizens to stop washing their clothes to fight climate change. Chipped smart masks that are traceable and trackable are the ultimate globalist control mechanism. COVID and Putin are not a threat to your freedom; people like Schwab, Gates & Trudeau are. Sources include: Brighteon.com VigilantCitizen.com Bahrains Labour Fund Tamkeen has approved over 9,300 proposals and extended funding support worth BD39 million ($103.47 million) ever since it launched 16 programmes as part of its 2021-2025 strategy this year. The 16 programmes aim to develop the local Bahraini talent and incentivise high potential sectors, said Tamkeens Chief Executive Husain Rajab. He noted that Tamkeen also introduced seven human capital programmes with the objective of ensuring Bahrainis are the employee of choice and remain competitive in the current and future markets. Economic Recovery Forum Rajab reiterated the importance of the recently held Economic Recovery Forum, praising the commitment by all parties in implementing the initiatives of the Economic Recovery Plan, which positively impacts the national economy and creates high value sustainable jobs for local talents especially in high potential sectors, and achieve the desired results of financial sustainability. He praised the success of the forum, which was held under the patronage of Ali Bin Saleh Al-Saleh, Chairman of the Shura Council and organised by the Shura Council in cooperation with the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF). He noted the kingdom's achievements in enhancing His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's comprehensive development programme, supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, as well as the continuous cooperation between all entities that comprise Team Bahrain. Excellent results He added: The excellent results achieved thus far as a result of the economic recovery plan, particularly in the targeted sectors, reflect Bahrain's efforts and swift progress toward the successful implementation of the priorities outlined in the Economic Recovery Plan within the timeframe planned. Rajab participated in the first panel discussion, which focused on Human Capital Development, alongside Jameel Mohamed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development and Dr Ahmed Mohammed Al Banna Board Chairman of the International Federation of Training and Development Organisations (IFTDO). The session was moderated by Dr Jihad Abdullah Al Fadhel, the Head of the Shura Council's Services Committee. 15 years of achievements Tamkeen continues to build on 15 years of achievements, while focusing on its core mandate to make Bahraini individuals the employee of choice in the labour market through programmes and initiatives that aim to upskill and reskill the local workforce, combined with supporting enterprises that create high-value sustainable jobs for the local talent. (Natural News) Dr. Bryan Ardis discussed the dangers posed by geoengineering or climate engineering during the June 1 episode of The Dr. Ardis Show on Brighteon.TV. He was joined in the program by GeoEngineering Watch founder Dane Wigington and Dr. Lee Merritt. Wigington, a geoengineering expert, said climate engineering is the most destructive human activity of all, and that 70 percent of Earths wildlife population has been lost because of it in the past 40 years alone. In a previous interview, Wigington branded climate engineering as the crown jewel weapon of the military industrial complex. It can target crops and it can have cognitive effect. We have a decline in IQ in the U.S. alone of six to nine points. Thats staggering, Wigington said in an interview with InfoWars founder Alex Jones earlier this year. This is all madness making us dumber by the day. Thats a scientific statistical fact based on science study on aluminum and its effect on our brain function. Bottom line is: This is an assault from every imaginable direction. If we dont deal with this hole at the bottom of the boat, the boats going to go down. Nano particulates are already saturating soils and waters In the Dr. Ardis Show, Wigington pointed out that vapor pressure deficit is already happening in places like California, Spain, Portugal and Australia, where the atmosphere is filled with desiccant particles that absorb all atmospheric relative humidity, affecting crops, trees and all forms of flora. He also noted that the planet already has a disintegrating ozone layer, which is causing the stomata of plants to shut down and affect photosynthesis. The GeoEngineering Watch founder added that highly toxic particles, such as nano particulates, are already saturating soils and waters. He said all these factors are being overlooked and superficial factors are being blamed for what are actually underlying factors related to climate engineering. Wigington is also the executive producer of the groundbreaking climate engineering documentary film The Dimming. He explained that the term dimming refers to the specific objective of what is called solar radiation management, stratospheric aerosol injection, cloud albedo enhancement and geoengineering. The geoengineering expert explained that all these science terms relate to intentionally spraying light-scattering particles into the atmosphere for the purpose of blocking some of the suns incoming thermal energy to slow down a runaway warming event on the planet. Wigington said there are many layers to climate engineering and they are all malevolent. Its a form of weather warfare. Its a form of deceiving populations as to the true state of the climate. All of it is toxic and is being used for biological warfare, Wigington said. There are hundreds of documented cases of the United States military doing open-air biological tests. According to Wigington, people should know the bigger factors that relate to climate engineering, such as the detoxification of soils and the destruction of the atmosphere that affect photosynthesis and atmospheric chemistry. If the planet had been allowed to repair its own damage without detoxification of soils and the destruction of the atmosphere, people would see flourishing northern latitude boreal forests and not dying or burning forests, he said. Wigington also cited a new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) report saying that putting light-scattering particles in the sky was wrong which was exactly what Geoengineering Watch had warned. Large-scale volcanic eruptions and filling the atmosphere with particulates provide only a temporary toxic cooling at the cost of destroying the ozone layer aside from worsening overall warming, he explained, noting that the Earth has already lost 80 to 90 percent of its terrestrial and aquatic insect population due to climate engineering. Follow Geoengineering.news for more news about climate engineering. Watch the full June 1 episode of The Dr. Ardis Show below. The Dr. Ardis Show airs every Wednesday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Geoengineering and weather modification: The dangers of environmental modification techniques. Many geoengineering projects are still underway despite experts warning against climate modification. Geoengineering science: Aerosols impact cloud formation and weather; atmospheric scientists document the effects. Climate engineering: Weapon that can bring populations to their knees without them knowing theyre under attack. Geo-nocide: Geoengineering could cause malaria resurgence in tropical countries. Sources include: Brighteon.com 1 Brighteon.com 2 (Natural News) A Methodist church in Dallas went against tradition Sunday, June 5, by self-appointing two pastors who are part of the LGBT community. The Rev. Rachel Baughman of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church (UMC) in Dallas appointed Isabel Marquez, a lesbian, and Ryan Wager, who is gay, to pastor positions without the authorization of the UMCs North Texas Conference. Oak Lawn UMCs service on that day included a celebration of Marquezs and Wagers graduation from licensing school. The two went through a months-long process to serve as local pastors through the North Texas Conference, with expectations of being appointed at Oak Lawn which is located in an LGBT-friendly neighborhood. However, the conference informed the congregations leaders that the request to appoint Marquez and Wager as pastors was rejected. North Texas Conference Resident Bishop Michael McKee coursed the message to Oak Lawn. According to the Dallas church, the conference did not cite a reason for turning down the request to appoint the two. Meanwhile, the conference said in a statement that it would not publicize the reasons why the request for appointments was denied. Baughmans decision is considered civil disobedience and defiance against the church, but she remarked that it was a risk worth taking. While we may lack ecclesial authority to formally appoint Isabel [Marquez] and Ryan [Wager], we claim the moral authority to recognize the call of God upon their lives and celebrate and bless their work of pastoral ministry, the reverend said. We will celebrate the things they have accomplished, and recognize them at Oak Lawn because we believe that we have a moral authority to do so. Civil disobedience comes with consequences, but the consequences of inaction is far greater. Inaction harms those who have been harmed the most already. Appointments of LGBT pastors give rise to Global Methodist Church The conferences rejection of the Oak Lawn UMCs request came as a blow to Wager and Marquez, who pursued their calling to minister to other LGBT individuals at Oak Lawn. Wager came out as gay in his mid-20s, but found his way back to Christianity when his father died. Marquez, who has been with the Dallas-based church for three years, came out as lesbian more than two decades ago. Requests to appoint LGBT pastors, such as the one lodged by Oak Lawn, gave rise to the Global Methodist Church (GMC) from inside the UMC. The GMC, which leans more conservative than the bigger parent church, announced its formal launch back in March 2022. The conservative faction said it plans to split with the more liberal UMC over LGBT-related issues, which include the appointment of pastors and bans on same-sex marriages, effective May 1. (Related: United Methodists agree to split over homosexual marriage is Drag Queen Story Hour coming to Sunday services?) The Rev. Keith Boyette, chairman of the GMCs transitional leadership council, said in a statement: Theologically conservative local churches and annual conferences want to be free of divisive and destructive debates, and to have the freedom to move forward together. We are confident many existing congregations will join the new GMC in waves over the next few years. A month after the GMC announced its launch, the UMCs Council of Bishops acknowledged the conservative factions existence and the eventual schism set to happen. There is no perfect Church. The constant fighting, the vitriolic rhetoric [and] the punitive behaviors have no place in how we preserve and promote our witness as Christian believers, said Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the council. He described the launch of the GMC as a sad and sobering reality. However, it appears that the eventual split between UMC and GMC is the tipping point of internal debates about sexuality and gender within the church. Back in February 2019, more than half of church leaders and lay members voted to tighten the ban on LGBT marriages. They also voted to reiterate that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Watch this video about lesbian pastors pushing homosexuality in the UMC. This video is from the Follower of Christ777 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: California orders pastors to push LGBT activism or else transgender tyranny to become the rule of law. Christian Chaplain reported to anti-terrorism program for sermon on LGBT ideology. Chicago Lutheran church hosts drag queen prayer hour for children (VIDEO). Sources include: DallasNews.com USAToday.com Columbian.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) When we saw how the far-left Deep State literally stole Donald Trumps reelection from him, we were not only angry but we were also shocked at the deafening silence from a majority of Americans. Like Trump or not, how could any American simply sit back and allow our government to manipulate the outcome of a presidential election (and truth be told, likely several other 2020 elections that went for Democratic candidates) and not inundate the nations capital to demand that a new fair, free and uninhibited election be held? And yet, the small protest that did happen is being utilized by the same deep state to clamp down hard on dissent among the ranks of tens of millions of Trump supporters; the U.S. Capitol Building riot was itself a false flag operation, and those who have been arrested many who simply walked into the building are being treated like they are actual terrorists. Now we find that not only was Trumps reelection hijacked and the Capitol riot staged, but the same diabolical deep state purposely conducted the 10-year Census population count in a way that unfairly disadvantages red states to the benefit of blue states, most of which lost population to red states during the 10-year period from the previous Census conducted in 2010. Writing in The Hill, libertarian Kristin Tate explains: At the risk of overusing a phrase, the 2024 presidential election may be the most important and perhaps the closest in history. Last weeks Census Bureau announcement of serious errors will impact the next decades congressional apportionment and delegations, and play a crucial role in the presidential race. Given the nature of the mistakes, Democrats could hang onto the presidency under particularly controversial circumstances due to publicly-acknowledged errors. The Census Bureau acknowledged that 14 states had significant miscounts in the 2020 census. See if you notice a pattern here: Among the overcounted states are Hawaii, Delaware, Rhode Island, Minnesota, New York and Massachusetts. Five of these six voted for Joe Biden in that years presidential election. The undercounted states were Texas, Illinois, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas. Five of these six voted for Donald Trump. While the Census count can and often is imperfect, as Tate writes, its pretty hard to explain how census counters missed more than 5 percent of the population in several states. She also points this out: The miscounts, which were no doubt purposeful considering Democrats dominate the federal bureaucracy, mean that elections for the foreseeable future are going to give substantial advantage to the Donkey Party. The 2020 census led to significant changes to congressional seats apportioned to states. Texas gained two congressional seats, while North Carolina, Florida, Montana, Colorado and Oregon each gained one, Tate writes. New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and California each lost one seat in Congress. In fact, due to massive migration out of poorly run, expensive, authoritarian blue states, the states that did receive new congressional seats should have gotten more than they did. Overcounting blue states and undercounting red ones will do that. The error resulted in over 600,000 overcounted residents in New York and a similar amount undercounted in Texas. Last year, media coverage lamented that New York lost a member of Congress by being 89 residents short. With the revised, accurate numbers, New York may have lost a second seat had the corrected numbers been available earlier. Considering that Republicans need to flip just five seats to retake Congress, each misplaced seat is crucial, Tate wrote. Had states known the true figures within the past year, the redistricting process would have been very different for the miscounted states. Not only are the number of seats per state affected, but the district lines are, as well. In addition, the Electoral College determines the weight per state based on the total representatives and senators. The loss or gain of a single seat affects two Electoral College votes the one gained by one party, and thus lost by the other, she added. But thats not all: She says there isnt much anyone can do about it before the next elections, if at all: Can this blunder be corrected in time for either the midterms or the 2024 presidential election? Nope. The Supreme Court considered whether revised, more accurate numbers could be used for reapportionment in 1999 and determined that such differences could not be considered in congressional seat counts. The inaccurate 2020 figures will stand. Since almost every error benefited Democrats, the risk of undermining trust in the Census Bureau and the election is significant. The only potential life-preserver for the GOP is that the current Supreme Court could consider a challenge based on the accurate figure. As of now, no challenge exists and the time to file one is rapidly running out. She goes on to say that Americans trust in our election system will be further eroded, but alas, that is the entire point. Democrats know that their ideology is poisonous and their policies harmful to the country (just look at Bidens disastrous first year-and-a-half in office). They know that they cant win straight-up national races. So they are determined to undermine our electoral system to the point where Americans throw up their hands and accept a new system, devised by Democrats, of course, that is touted as fairer and more equitable but which will enable them to win elections from here on out. If red states continue to remain in this union, the far-left Democrat-dominated deep state will continue to destroy our republican values and principles. Secession really ought to be on the table at this point; we cant tinker with this problem around the edges and call it fixed. Were beyond that point. Sources include: TheHill.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A Republican congressman who bucked the party on gun control ended his reelection bid last week, saying it obviously arises out of his decision to back a ban on so-called assault weapons. (Article by C. Douglas Golden republished from WesternJournal.com) New York Rep. Chris Jacobs withdrew from the race on Friday after party leadership and Second Amendment activists pressured him to drop out. Jacobs was one of the few Republicans who were receptive to a potential ban, which was floated in the wake of shootings in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas and would be dead on arrival in the Senate even if it does pass the House. (Here at The Western Journal, weve chronicled how a ban on so-called assault weapons wouldnt stop mass shootings the same way a ban didnt stop mass shootings when one was in place between 1994 and 2004. Well keep bringing readers the truth the mainstream media wont. You can help us by subscribing.) Jacobs was first elected to the suburban Buffalo seat in 2020 and his time there will be short. On Friday, just a week after he announced he would support gun control legislation, he announced hed be stepping aside. The last thing we need is an incredibly negative, half-truth filled media attack, funded by millions of dollars of special interest money, coming into our community around this issue of guns and gun violence and gun control, Jacobs said at a news conference, according to WHAM-TV in Rochester. Jacobs initially staked out his position during a May 27 news conference and interview in which he claimed his about-face on gun rights was brought about by the Buffalo shooting. I hope Ive been compassionate when I read and heard about previous incidents like this that have happened over the years, but I guess theres just something markedly different when it happens in your city, to people you know, Jacobs said, according to the Buffalo News. This has been a profoundly impactful event for me. He made his stance unmistakable. 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. So I want to be clear: I would vote for it. Of course, the manifesto from the alleged Buffalo shooter specifically mentioned he carried out his attack inside the Empire State in part because of New Yorks stringent gun laws, not in spite of them but why let facts get in ones way? It didnt take long, however, for Jacobs move to backfire. State Republican Party Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy circulated petitions for a potential run against Jacobs in the states Aug. 23 primary. Carl Paladino, the partys nominee for governor in 2010, also got involved and won the backing of GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking Republican in the House. Both men would have been favored over Jacobs, meaning his decision to exit the race was merely a matter of not delaying the inevitable. This obviously arises out of last Friday, my remarks, statements on being receptive to gun controls, Jacobs told the Buffalo News, in an interview before his Friday news conference. And since that time, every Republican elected [official] that had endorsed me withdrew their endorsement. Party officials that supported me withdrew, most of them, and those that were going to [support him] said they would not. And so, obviously, this was not well received by the Republican base. And, of course, Jacobs blamed those GOP officials, who (for whatever reason) didnt like an elected Republican acting like a Democrat. We have a problem in our country in terms of both our major parties. If you stray from a party position, you are annihilated, Jacobs said, according to The New York Times. For the Republicans, it became pretty apparent to me over the last week that that issue is gun control. Any gun control. The Times was kind enough not to note that some Senate Republicans are in talks with Democrat gun-grabbing point-man Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut on some kind of bipartisan legislation in the wake of recent mass shootings. However, as the Washington Examiner noted, that group has mostly steered clear of any talk on banning specific guns because any legislation on so-called assault weapons is dead on arrival in the evenly divided upper chamber. Therein lies the key issue behind Jacobs embrace of the legislation: He becomes the latest Republican in the lower chamber to attempt to follow in the mold of Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, lawmakers who have become establishment media darlings for being Not That Kind of Conservative. Jacobs position on gun control is an archetypal example of whats become known as virtue-signaling. The legislation he theoretically supports doesnt have the slightest chance of becoming federal law and he darn well knows it. But, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to grab a few headlines, apparently not anticipating the whirlwind of backlash he would receive. The representative still says he could win the seat, but that hes leaving because of the divisiveness. With his remaining time in Congress, he says he plans to aid in any effort to move this discussion forward in a productive way. That includes voting for a Democrat-backed gun control bill that would federally ban certain gun magazines and raise the minimum age for buying a so-called assault weapon from 18 to 21. This, however, has a snowballs chance in Hades of actually becoming law, so its unclear how this is productive unless, of course, the productivity is being measured in how far it goes in securing Jacobs a post-Congress role as a professional turncoat who earns his supper by chiding the GOP for becoming too radical, a la Ana Navarro, Jennifer Rubin or Max Boot. If thats the yardstick, I suppose Jacobs new appreciation for gun-grabbing could end up being a smashing success. For any other Republican who wants to remain an elected official and doesnt want to switch parties, however, let this be a warning: Conservatives arent going to compromise on the Second Amendment, period. Republicans who go wobbly on gun rights can either become Democrats and try their chances and for Jacobs, those chances wouldnt have been good, given hes in a strong GOP seat or they can quit. Theres not a third way, nor should there be. The party is better without Chris Jacobs and anyone who would follow in his footsteps. Read more at: WesternJournal.com (Natural News) As Democrats rabidly push for more gun control amid the terrifying crime waves ignited by their soft-on-crime policies, there are daily reminders of why our Second Amendment right to self-defense must never be infringed. (Article by Samantha Chang republished from WesternJournal.com) One of the most poignant examples involved an eight-month-pregnant woman who used an AR-15 rifle to defend her then 11-year-old daughter and injured husband during a violent home invasion three years ago in Lithia, Florida. At the time, her husband, Jeremy King, was being pistol-whipped and kicked in the head by two masked burglars. Them guys came in with two normal pistols and my AR stopped it, King told Bay News 9 in Tampa in 2019. [My wife] evened the playing field and kept them from killing me. He recounted how quickly the armed bandits turned violent. They came in heavily hooded and masked. As soon as they had got the back door opened, they had a pistol on me and was grabbing my 11-year-old daughter, King recalled. Im telling them, I have nothing for you. And theyre like, Give me everything you got! It became real violent, real fast, he said. The burglars, who wore masks and hoods, pistol-whipped and repeatedly bashed King in the head. The commotion alarmed Kings wife, who was in the back bedroom. One of the burglars saw her and shot at her. Thats when Mrs. King who was in her third trimester ran into a back room, grabbed an AR-15 rifle, and stormed into the living room like the members of SEAL Team Six who took out terrorist Osama bin Laden. When he came toward the back door in her line of sight, she clipped him, King said. He made it from my back door to roughly 200 feet out in the front ditch before the AR did its thing. Joseph Michael Baez, 27, was found dead in the ditch, according to the Tampa Bay Times. King suffered a concussion, a fractured eye socket and a fractured sinus cavity. He required 20 stitches and three staples in his head. He credited his wifes quick thinking and their AR-15 rifle for keeping their family alive. She evened the playing field and kept them from killing me, he said. While Democrats want to confiscate guns from legal firearm owners, this stunning incident is one of many where a good guy with a gun stopped an armed criminal from killing innocent people. In 2017, a hero security guard shot an armed serial robber after he charged into an Illinois bank branch. Security guard Brian Harrison whipped out his gun and shot the robber when he saw the perpetrator waving a gun around. The attempted robbery occurred while three bank employees were on duty. No one was hurt during the terrifying incident. Last month, two gunmen who invaded a house in Alabama were shot dead by the armed homeowner. The homeowner, who was shot multiple times and injured when gunfire was exchanged during the burglary, is recovering after surgery. Ironically, as crime surges, Democrats are making an aggressive push for more gun control. All this does is erode the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. Criminals dont follow the law anyway and will find ways to get their hands on guns. If gun control were the solution, why are there so many shootings in Democrat-controlled Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, which boast the strictest gun-control laws in the country? Chicago shootings over the weekend left at least 28 shot, four fatally, this weekend, police said. https://t.co/BSCaFTWjQP ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) June 6, 2022 At least three killed, 11 injured in mass shooting in Philadelphia https://t.co/xnNYKAjpvfpic.twitter.com/VBGVXiEqZL New York Post (@nypost) June 5, 2022 BREAKING: Video of last nights shooting on South Street in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/6aJ5AXpn9c Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) June 5, 2022 40 people shot. FORTY. In a city where handguns are illegal. Its not about guns. Or the law-abiding. https://t.co/Dy7eFeXd0M Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) May 30, 2022 As always, Democrats offer no real solutions to the multiple problems their toxic policies create. Read more at: WesternJournal.com (Natural News) Russias Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced that the country will limit until the end of 2022 the exports of noble gases such as neon, which is an essential element in making computer chips. The move is expected to worsen the ongoing supply crunch in the global chip market. Ukraine was also one of the worlds largest suppliers of noble gases until it suspended production at its plants in Mariupol and Odesa in March. Exports of noble gases, which Russia used to supply to Japan and other countries, will only be allowed with special state permission until December 31, according to the Russian government. This restriction on the supply of noble gases is a response to the fifth round of sanctions imposed by the European Union in April. A government decree stated that the export of noble gases and others will be subject to Moscows approval, based on the recommendation of the Industry and Trade Ministry. This move will provide an opportunity to rearrange those chains that have now been broken and build new ones, said Deputy Trade Minister Vasily Shpak. About 4,000 various materials and chemicals are used to produce semiconductors, speaking about the process. However, there are basic things present with actually all the producers in the process in particular, these are high-purity gases, especially neon. (Related: Jaguar Land Rover temporarily shuts down two factories in the UK due to semiconductor chip shortage.) Russia accounts for 30 percent of the global supply of three noble gases neon, krypton and xenon, according to the ministrys estimate. Shpak said that Russia is planning on increasing its production capacity of noble gases in the near future. The Russians believe that they will have an opportunity to be heard in the global chain and be given a competitive advantage to build mutually beneficial negotiations with their colleagues. Restrictions could exacerbate ongoing chip supply shortage A China Securities research report showed that the restrictions could exacerbate the supply shortage of chips in the global market and further increase prices. The impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on the semiconductor supply chain is now growing with the upstream raw material segment bearing the brunt. China, being the worlds largest chip consumer, is highly dependent on imported chips, and the restriction may affect the countrys domestic semiconductor manufacturing. Xiang Ligang, the director-general of the Beijing-based Information Consumption Alliance, said that China imported around $300 billion worth of chips in 2021, and used this for producing cars, smartphones, computers, televisions and other smart devices. The China Securities report said that neon, helium and other noble gases are indispensable raw materials for semiconductor manufacturing. Neon, for example, plays a vital role in the refinement and stability of the engraved circuit and chip-making process. Ukrainian suppliers Ingas and Cryoin, which supply around 50 percent of the worlds neon gas for semiconductor uses, stopped their production due to the ongoing war, and the price of neon and xenon has kept going up since. (Related: The photocatalytic activity of two semiconductors can tap visible light to split water and produce hydrogen, reveals study.) The impact of this on Chinese enterprises and industries will depend on the detailed implementation process of specific chips, according to Xiang. Sectors that highly rely on imported chips may also be affected more significantly, whereas the impact will be less noticeable on industries adopting chips that Chinese companies can produce. Meanwhile, Taiwan, which is the worlds leading producer of chips, imposed its own curbs on exports to Russia after Moscow sent thousands of troops to Ukraine in February. It is becoming clearer that sanctions against Russia are backfiring on Western economies and the country is now striking back with dire consequences for people and businesses in Europe, who are also suffering under the sanctions imposed by their governments. Calculations based on numbers from market research firm Techcet, Ingas and Cryoin produce 45 percent to 54 percent of the worlds semiconductor-grade neon, which is necessary for lasers to create chips. The companies shut down operations as troops expanded attacks on cities across Ukraine, killing civilians and destroying critical infrastructure. This cast a veil over global chip production, which was already limited due to the pandemic. Follow WWIII.news for more news about the economic implications of the war in Ukraine. Watch the video below to know more about the strain on semiconductor chips following Russias restrictions on noble gas exports. This video is from The Dilemma Show channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Heres how Russias invasion of Ukraine is threatening the already struggling global semiconductor industry. Top selling vehicles are being held back, made without computers as semiconductor shortage sweeps the globe. Computer chip crisis getting worse as manufacturing slows and wait times increase amid insane demand. Supply chain collapse worsens as Ford says it must halt, cut production at several plants due to chip shortage. Over 1,600 workers to lose job at Illinois Jeep Cherokee factory due to worsening semiconductor shortage. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com GlobalTimes.cn RioTimesOnline.com TFIGlobalNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The Washington Post newsroom is in turmoil from twin incidents involving reporters. (Part one involving public fight over a politically incorrect joke at this link.) (Article by Kristinn Taylor republished from TheGatewayPundit.com) Lorenz reported this week on social media influencers covering the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial just concluded in Fairfax, Virginia. Lorenz was called out by two subjects for falsely reporting she reached out to them for comment before publication. The Post then engaged in several efforts to clean up Lorenzs sloppy reporting by first doing a stealth edit (removing the false passage without explanation) and then issuing several corrections. Lorenz took to social media to blame her editor. Earlier this year Lorenz drew heated criticism for doxxing the woman behind the Libs of TikTok account. Lorenz blamed her editor (she locked her account so embedding wont work right now) in a Twitter thread Saturday afternoon: Last Thursday, an incorrect line was added to a story of mine before publishing due to a miscommunication with an editor. I did not write the line and was not aware it was inserted. I asked for it to be removed right after the story went live. Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 4, 2022 Last Thursday, an incorrect line was added to a story of mine before publishing due to a miscommunication with an editor. I did not write the line and was not aware it was inserted. I asked for it to be removed right after the story went liveThe line was a sentence saying that I reached out to 2 YouTubers for comment for my story. The inclusion of the YouTubers was only in passing, citing another outlets reportingAfter the story went live, I reached out to both YouTubers mentioned in that sentence just to be extra sure there wasnt some sort of commentary they wanted to add. Neither provided comment for the story and both continued to post about meThe mention of these two individuals was not remotely the focus of my story. Its become a huge distraction. I spoke to over two dozen creators for my story about the trial, along with other experts who are quoted in the piece This should have been a small correction for a miscommunication, but it turned into a multi-day media cycle, intentionally aimed at discrediting the Washington Post and meWe have a responsibility to recognize these bad faith campaigns for what they are and when these sorts of things do and do not warrant acknowledgmentIm extremely happy at the Washington Post. I chose to work here because its a really incredible place filled with amazing, talented journalists and editors. Bad actors recognize the Washington Posts earnest desire to hear and incorporate feedback, and they exploit that. I know that the stuff I write about and go through is hugely unfamiliar to the vast majority of people in media! I have great hope that all of us can learn from this experience. Lorenz then attacked CNNs Oliver Darcy saying, No, actually. This type of coverage is so irresponsible & dangerous. Its misrepresenting my words to amplify a manufactured outrage campaign by right wing media & radicalized influencers, which is driving a vicious harassment/smear campaign against me. CNN is gleefully piling on No, actually. This type of coverage is so irresponsible & dangerous. Its misrepresenting my words to amplify a manufactured outrage campaign by right wing media & radicalized influencers, which is driving a vicious harassment/smear campaign against me. CNN is gleefully piling on pic.twitter.com/crCG08jb8d Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 4, 2022 One subject, attorney Alyte Mazeika, who goes by LegalBytes online, spoke out Thursday, Um. This says I didnt respond to requests to comment? I know Ive gotten a lot of emails over the past two months, but Ive just double checked for your name, @TaylorLorenz, and I see no email from you. Also, I didnt suddenly pivot. I started covering this before trial began. Um. This says I didnt respond to requests to comment? I know Ive gotten a lot of emails over the past two months, but Ive just double checked for your name, @TaylorLorenz, and I see no email from you. Also, I didnt suddenly pivot. I started covering this before trial began. https://t.co/7qHTrOsfHQpic.twitter.com/yJzzqS8ggS Legal Bytes ?? (@legalbytesmedia) June 3, 2022 UPDATE: I have now been (for the first time) reached out to for comment After the piece was already published and I had to call it out. This is so dumb. Tbh the other part that bothers me about this is she references the Insider article for reporting that I pivoted. I looked back at that article again for a refresher, and thats a misrepresentation of what @Geoff_Weiss wrote, which imo is unfair too. Legal Bytes ?? (@legalbytesmedia) June 3, 2022 Oh, idk about that, Taylor, I believe @ThatUmbrella and I both gave commentary to addjust not the kind you wanted to include. And for the record, your latest editors note is still not correct. Oh, idk about that, Taylor, I believe @ThatUmbrella and I both gave commentary to addjust not the kind you wanted to include. And for the record, your latest editors note is still not correct. https://t.co/RhArkSbAky Legal Bytes ?? (@legalbytesmedia) June 4, 2022 Another subject of Lorenzs false reporting, the anonymous ThatUmbrellaGuy, posted about the controversy, calling out Lorenz for contacting him after the article was published even though the article said he decline comment, and also posting comments for a Fox News reporter: The Washington Post LIED and DID NOT contact me before including me in their story on Johnny Depp, despite reporting they did so. I noted this on Twitter today at 8:31p. At 9:44p they decided to contact me, AFTER I noted this publiclyThe Washington Post also FLAGRANTLY misrepresented my earnings report and needs to correct it. Social Blade says I made between $4.9k and $79.1k. They ADDED TO the highest estimate, overreporting for dramatic effect. The Washington Post LIED and DID NOT contact me before including me in their story on Johnny Depp, despite reporting they did so. I noted this on Twitter today at 8:31p. At 9:44p they decided to contact me, AFTER I noted this publicly. ( pic.twitter.com/gkGt0WuMKZ ThatUmbrellaGuy (@ThatUmbrella) June 3, 2022 The Washington Post LIED and DID NOT contact me before including me in their story on Johnny Depp, despite reporting they did so. I noted this on Twitter today at 8:31p. At 9:44p they decided to contact me, AFTER I noted this publicly. ( pic.twitter.com/gkGt0WuMKZ ThatUmbrellaGuy (@ThatUmbrella) June 3, 2022 After several iterations, the Posts edits to the article went form a stealth edit to a correction to an Editors Note, which is still being called out as wrong. EDITORS NOTE The first published version of this story stated incorrectly that Internet influencers Alyte Mazeika and ThatUmbrellaGuy had been contacted for comment before publication. In fact, only Mazeika was asked, via Instagram. After the story was published, The Post continued to seek comment from Mazeika via social media and queried ThatUmbrellaGuy for the first time. During that process, The Post removed the incorrect statement from the story but did not note its removal, a violation of our corrections policy. The story has been updated to note that Mazeika declined to comment for this story and ThatUmbrellaGuy could not be reached for comment. A previous version of this story also inaccurately attributed a quote to Adam Waldman, a lawyer for Johnny Depp. The quote described how he contacted some Internet influencers and has been removed. Legal Bytes called out the Post, again, What?! @washingtonpost I will say this AGAIN. I was not reached out to by @TaylorLorenz for comment until after my tweet below. She reached out to me by IG DM AFTER she did on Twitter. Both DMs were sent to me AFTER I called her out here. Please stop lying and take the L. What?! @washingtonpost I will say this AGAIN. I was not reached out to by @TaylorLorenz for comment until after my tweet below. She reached out to me by IG DM AFTER she did on Twitter. Both DMs were sent to me AFTER I called her out here. Please stop lying and take the L. https://t.co/5mylhJTU9fpic.twitter.com/ZfS7BUCeDF Legal Bytes ?? (@legalbytesmedia) June 4, 2022 Lorenz added Sunday afternoon on Twitter, I dont have power to edit or change my own stories once theyve been set live. Reporters dont even have those privileges in the CMS! I couldnt make a single change to a story on our website even if I wanted to, thats an editors job. I dont have power to edit or change my own stories once theyve been set live. Reporters dont even have those privileges in the CMS! I couldnt make a single change to a story on our website even if I wanted to, thats an editors job. Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 5, 2022 And without a trace of irony, Lorenz wrote this on Sunday, Something that bears repeating: when a journalist is the target of a harassment and smear campaign, the campaign isnt isolated to them. Bad faith actors will search out and destroy the lives of friends, family members, and anyone they deem close to you. Something that bears repeating: when a journalist is the target of a harassment and smear campaign, the campaign isnt isolated to them. Bad faith actors will search out and destroy the lives of friends, family members, and anyone they deem close to you. Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) June 5, 2022 Taylor Lorenz in April harassing family members of Libs of TikTok: Hi @TaylorLorenz! Which of my relatives did you enjoy harassing the most at their homes yesterday? pic.twitter.com/QehkBSgcmG Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 19, 2022 Fox News reporter Joseph Wulfson has reported on and kept track of the Posts edits to Lorenzs report. NEW: WaPo updated its Taylor Lorenz report w/ a **second, lengthier** correction admitting they removed the incorrect statement from the story but did not note its removal, a violation of our corrections policy. They dont address if Lorenz or an editor made the stealth edit. pic.twitter.com/fbj9VOoF1Q Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) June 4, 2022 NEW: WaPo updated its Taylor Lorenz report w/ a **second, lengthier** correction admitting they removed the incorrect statement from the story but did not note its removal, a violation of our corrections policy. They dont address if Lorenz or an editor made the stealth edit. pic.twitter.com/fbj9VOoF1Q Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) June 4, 2022 Final comment goes to The New York Posts Jon Levine, Does the Washington Post understand that this is going to be every single article she writes Does the Washington Post understand that this is going to be every single article she writes pic.twitter.com/GkEZLQGTyR Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) June 4, 2022 Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a taxpayer-funded investigation into Twitter to determine whether or not the company is lying about the number of fake bot accounts on the social media platform. After billionaire Tesla head Elon Musk raised a firestorm over the issue Tesla is also now based in Austin, Tex. Paxton decided it was prudent to get to the bottom of the bots issue, bots being a tool to inflate followers and reach, and often push deceptive and annoying activity. According to Fox News, bot accounts reduce real Twitter users experience on the platform while artificially inflating the value of the company and the costs of doing business with it, thus directly harming consumers and businesses specifically, Texas consumers and businesses. While Musk has stated somewhat off-the-cuff that he believes Twitters bot percentage could be as high as 95 percent, Paxton is taking a more modest estimate at around 20 percent. Either way, the figure is much higher than the 5 percent claimed by Twitter itself. Paxtons office issued a Civil Investigative Demand (CID0) to investigate whether Twitters 5 percent claim is false, misleading, or deceptive under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Per the demand, reports indicate, Twitter would be compelled to turn over documents on how it calculates and manages user data and how that information relates to advertising. Texans rely on Twitters public statements that nearly all its users are real people, Paxton further stated. It matters not only for regular Twitter users, but also Texas businesses and advertisers who use Twitter for their livelihoods. If Twitter is misrepresenting how many accounts are fake to drive up their revenue, I have a duty to protect Texans. Twitter says it will continue to cooperatively share information with Musk to facilitate purchase transaction In an emailed statement to Bloomberg, Twitter suggested that it still plans to do whatever it takes to complete the buyout transaction that Musk promised in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement. Twitter added that it has and will continue to cooperatively share information with Mr. Musk to consummate the transaction as planned. Selling the company to Musk is in the best interest of all shareholders, Twitter added, confirming that it plans to close the transaction and enforce the merger agreement at the agreed price and terms. Musk, meanwhile, said in an amended 13D filing that he believes Twitter has already breached the merger agreement by failing to provide accurate information about spam and fake accounts on its platform. Musk stated further that he believes Twitter is actively resisting and thwarting his information rights by refusing to tell the truth about what it really knows concerning this issue. Back in May, Musk tweeted that the deal was temporarily on hold pending details supporting circulation that spam / fake accounts do indeed represent less than 5% of users, though he added that he is still committed to acquisition, presumably at a lower price. Twitter apparently plans to hold Musk to the original deal as it continues to insist that most Twitter users are, in fact, real despite how ignorant and extremely left-wing most of them appear to be. Due diligence is a must for a merger or acquisition, wrote someone at Zero Hedge about the subject. If fraud is discovered, then the agreement is off. In a normal world that would be true, responded another. Im not sure what the rules are in clown world, though. Someone else added that he hopes Twitter goes bankrupt and the stock crashes to zero. Maybe that was Elons plan all along, this person further wrote, followed by a wink. The latest news about Big Tech corruption can be found at BigTech.news. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The U.S. Army general in charge of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command said late last week that his agencies are involved in offensive cyberwar operations against Russia in support of Ukraine, which no doubt will create some form of pushback and equal response from Moscow, drawing America deeper into an eventual war with a well-armed nuclear power. Gen. Paul Nakasone told the UKs Sky News: Weve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum: offensive, defensive, [and] information operations. That includes offensive hacking operations, he said. His comments mark the first-ever public acknowledgment of U.S. cyber warfare operations and suggest, as many have suspected for quite some time, that the Pentagon has much deeper involvement in Ukraine, as does the U.S. intelligence community, against Russia than previously known. My job is to provide a series of options to the secretary of Defense and the president, and so thats what I do, Nakasone continued, without providing any specifics. What is also noteworthy is that Nakasone gave his interview from the allied Baltic nation of Estonia, where other Ukraine support operations including transfers of weapons, have taken place. He also talked about major efforts by Russia to launch their own cyber attacks aimed at wreaking as much internal havoc on Ukraine as possible: And weve seen this with regards to the attack on their satellite systems, wider attacks that have been ongoing, disruptive attacks against their government processes. This is kind of the piece that I think sometimes is missed by the public. It isnt like they havent been very busy, they have been incredibly busy. And I think, you know, their resilience is perhaps the story that is most intriguing to all of us, he said, in describing Ukraines response thus far. As for support the Biden regime has provided Ukraine in the lead-up to the Russian invasion, the NSA director referenced the following: Nakasone previously said his agency deployed a hunt forward team in December to help Ukraine shore up its cyber defenses and networks against active threats. But his latest remarks appear to be the first time that a U.S. official said publicly that the U.S. has been involved in offensive cyber operations in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. And, as is the case with any powerful deep state insider within the U.S. intelligence community, Nakasone made a reference to alleged attempts by the Kremlin to influence American elections. We had an opportunity to start talking about what particularly the Russians were trying to do in our midterm elections. We saw it again in 2020, as we talked about what the Russians and Iranians were going to do, but this was on a smaller scale, he said. The ability for us to share that information, being able to ensure its accurate and its timely and its actionable on a broader scale has been very, very powerful in this crisis, he added. US Cyber Command specialists were deployed to Ukraine and conducted offensive operations against Russia, its commander and NSA Director General Paul Nakasone said on Wednesday. CatoTheYounger (@catoletters) June 1, 2022 In spite of the fact that the entire Russian military and intelligence apparatuses are currently entrenched in a grueling conflict in Ukraine after three months of war, Americans are nevertheless being told again that Russia seeks to interfere in the upcoming midterm elections (which means the deep state left knows Democrats are going to get their butts kicked so they are readying the excuse: ButbutbutRussia!) According to deep state propagandist outlet The Hill: Experts have warned that Russia will likely deploy its cyber operations in the 2022 midterm elections, which may take different forms, including disinformation campaigns and election hacking. The experts also said that Russias playbook is to divide the U.S. along party lines and suppress voter turnout. That said, it is laughable to think that somehow it takes a foreign actor to divide the U.S. along party lines like this is something new. The deep state is involving itself in Russias war with Ukraine as a means of establishing the narrative that Russian hacking led to massive GOP victories in the fall. Then comes more violence. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Europe is facing a rash of needle attacks, and authorities are puzzled as to why. Nightclub and bar goers rocking out with drinks in hand are getting mysteriously pricked, not necessarily with any drug or substance but strange nonetheless. This begs the question: Is it time to ban needles? After all, we are told that banning guns will stop gun violence, so is the same not also true for needles? That would surely stop these spiking attacks in their tracks, right? According to reports, more than 300 people in France have reported being pricked with needles at nightclubs or concerts in recent months. Doctors and multiple prosecutors say they do not know why this is happening or if the needles contain any disease. Individuals from Paris, Toulouse, Nantes, Nancy, Rennes and various other cities across the country say they were just minding their own business when out of nowhere a needle was inserted into their body. Most of the targeted individuals are women, who often show visible marks of bruising or infection. Many also say they feel groggy not long afterwards, suggesting the needles may contain some type of drug or other substance. France and other more progressive European countries have been letting themselves get flooded with migrants in recent years, so they could be the culprits. Whatever the case may be, the problem is spreading and nobody seems to know what to do about it. Common sense needle control would prevent needle attacks, according to gun control logic Club owners and local police are trying to raise awareness about the issue. A rapper at a concert even interrupted his show recently to warn concert-goers about the possible risk of getting needled by surprise. Similar incidents are being reported in the United Kingdom as well, which is another country that has opened wide the floodgates to migrants. Scattered cases in Belgium and the Netherlands have also been reported. One young man, 18-year-old Tomas Laux, was attending a concert on May 4 in Lille, a town in northern France, where he smoked some cannabis and drank alcohol during the show. When he returned home, Laux says he felt dizzy and had a headache. Upon inspecting his body, Laux noticed a small skin puncture on his arm along with a bruise. The following morning, he went to the doctor where medics confirmed that he had, in fact, been pricked with a needle. Laux then got tested for both HIV and hepatitis, but his results came back negative. Even so, he says he has given up going to concerts since it happened and is now laying low. According to the French national police agency, some 302 people across France have filed formal complaints about getting pricked with needles. Several investigations are ongoing, but no needle has been found nor have any culprits. The motive behind the pricking also remains unknown, especially since it is unclear if or what the needles might contain. The UK parliament issued a report, however, stating that needle spiking is occurring in pubs and nightclubs in a similar manner to drink spiking, suggesting that the needles could contain date rape drugs. It said police reported about 1,000 cases of needle injection across the country around October 2021, when students returned to campuses after COVID restrictions eased, reports Sky news. However, the parliament report said there was a lack of data to judge how serious the issue is. It remains unknown if anyone has been prosecuted for needle spiking, or how many victims overall might have been injected with a drug or some other substance. Regardless, rapper Dinos announced during a recent show that this has to stop. More related news can be found at Twisted.news. Sources for this article include: News.Sky.com NaturalNews.com China renews blue alert for rainstorms Xinhua) 16:50, June 08, 2022 BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in various parts of the country on Wednesday. From Wednesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon, heavy downpours are expected to lash parts of Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, the island of Hainan, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan and Taiwan island, with southern parts of Guangdong to experience rainfall of up to 150 millimeters, the center forecast. Some regions are likely to encounter over 60 millimeters of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales. The center has advised local governments to make preparations for the rainstorms. Schools and kindergartens have been asked to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of children, and drivers have been alerted to watch out for flooding and traffic jams. China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Hongyu) Building smarter logistics processes and ensuring sustainable supply chain operations took centre stage at this year's Seamless Middle East, the region's largest payments and eCommerce event. The eCommerce sector in the Middle East has experienced tremendous growth jumping from $5 million five years ago to over $50 million by the end of 2022. This has been driven by a dramatic shift in how consumers purchase owing to the availability of multiple online channels to shop from. To capitalise on this growth and ensure customer-centric delivery operations, retailers and eCommerce companies will need to rapidly digitise and automate their existing logistics processes. Shipsy, a leading global smart logistics management platform provider, was among the main participants at this year's Seamless Middle East event. Crucial platform "We presented at this year's Seamless Middle East - a crucial platform for the industry that brings the spotlight on the need to streamline the way eCommerce companies deliver their products. The UAE is at the forefront of shrinking its carbon footprint and achieving Smart City status. To make this a reality, the eCommerce sector needs to reevaluate its logistics processes to ensure that it's in line with this vision by ensuring sustainable delivery processes," said Soham Chokshi, CEO and Co-founder, Shipsy. Shipsy showcased how its over 170 customers across the globe are providing a seamless delivery experience to their customers using its AI-powered logistics management platform. Shipsy empowers businesses to optimise cross-border logistics, make deliveries cost-efficient and sustainable and mitigate transportation risks. Seamless Middle East 2022 was a two-day event held at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event saw over 10,000 visitors, 350 exhibitors and 300+ speakers. Sustainability goals As a contributor to the UAE's mission of achieving its sustainability goals, Shipsy, through its AI-driven smart logistics management solutions, is helping regional and global eCommerce businesses to expedite their logistics sustainability goals. "To help businesses reduce carbon emissions, Shipsy empowers them to reduce trip volumes, miles traveled, returns and empty miles. We empower logistics stakeholders to effectively reduce the distance traveled by 5% and shrink trip volumes by 6%," noted Chokshi. The organisation also highlighted that it would be announcing the global launch of its shipment tracking platform and demonstrating its innovations in the space in Orlando, Florida on June 6.-- TradeArabia News Service (Natural News) The northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang is now a giant prison camp, where the Muslim Uyghurs face abuses both inside their homes and as soon as they step outside. Steven W. Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute (PRI), discussed this dire situation in a June 4 op-ed for the New York Post. He referenced the book No Escape: The True Story of Chinas Genocide of the Uyghurs by Nury Turkel for examples of the abuses Uyghurs face daily. Turkel wrote that every neighborhood in various cities in Xinjiang now has its own convenience police stations [manned by] low-level assistant police officers, who are more brute muscle than actual law enforcement officers. The Uyghur-American attorney added that each neighborhood is further broken down into small grids of 15 to 20 families with a grid monitor overseeing each. The grid monitors task involves snooping on neighbors and reporting any suspicious or forbidden activities, such as refusing to eat pork or fasting during the Ramadan period. The author and vice chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also wrote how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forces the Uyghurs to renounce their Muslim faith in favor of the personality cult of Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping. During the mandatory flag-raising ceremony every Monday, CCP officials lead chanted slogans about the greatness of the Party, its secretary-general Xi and the need for Uyghurs to abandon their faith. Turkel recounted the story of Zumrat, a young woman who chillingly recalled the first time she was forced to renounce Islam. During a Monday assembly, a CCP official asked the Uyghur crowd if there is a god. Following a short pause, the crowd which included Zumrat answered in the negative before affirming Xi as their new god. A terrified Zumrat moved her lips to say the word no, but did not utter the word itself. She later prayed for forgiveness. Technology serves as new prison guards in Xinjiang Mosher also pointed out that technology served to facilitate the suppression and monitoring of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The tech explosion has given Xi ways of surveilling the population using artificial intelligence (AI) that the late Chairman Mao [Tse-Tung] could only have fantasized about, he wrote. (Related: Chinese Communist Party ramps up surveillance in the guise of fighting coronavirus pandemic.) The PRI president dubbed the surveillance mechanism in Xinjiang as absolutely chilling, outlining Turkels description of it in his book. According to the Uyghur-American attorney, every adult Uyghur has been summoned to their local police station over the past few years for a barrage of scans, tests and examinations for DNA profiling. [They were also ordered to] read from a set text for 45 minutes, so their voices could be recorded and identified. Turkel added that this also enables spies with listening devices parked outside peoples houses to find out who was talking. Aside from the biometric data collection, adult Uyghurs were also forced to talk, smile and frown in front of a bank of cameras. This trains the AI to identify each and every Uyghur captured on video even though they are not looking at the camera. Mosher noted that the CCP has also tapped into smartphones as thought police. Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang province have been required to download the Clean Internet Security Soldier app, which monitors suspicious activity. If you buy more groceries than usual, AI alerts the police that you may have unregistered guests and your home is raided. If you buy more gas than usual, the police will stop by to ask where you think you are going. Zumrat had been one of the victims of the AI surveillance technology. She had committed the mistake of texting the Islamic expression peace be upon you to a friend. Shortly thereafter, a security official approached her and told her the Arabic phrase was now banned. She had to stick to the national language the new official term for Mandarin. Next time, the official warned, things wouldnt be so easy for her, Turkel wrote. Watch this video outlining the different abuses Uyghurs in Xinjiang experience daily. This video is from the ZGoldenReport channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Leaked documents show how China is using AI and mass surveillance to commit cultural genocide and put people in concentration camps. China tortures Uyghurs in brutal concentration camps to implement One China policy, witnesses testify. CCP pursues lawsuits against German researcher who uncovered human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Faith leaders issue joint statement slamming Chinas persecution of Uighurs. Sources include: NYPost.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Fast food restaurant Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has begun to substitute cabbage for lettuce in Australia. The move comes amid shortages of crops in the Land Down Under due to extreme weather. Instead of pure lettuce, the American joints branches in Australia are now using a mix of lettuce and cabbage in its burgers and wraps. The company explained that flooding in the states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland that destroyed lettuce crops, coupled with ongoing shortages of ingredients, prompted the use of cabbage. Due to the recent floods in NSW and Queensland, were currently experiencing a lettuce shortage. So, were using a lettuce and cabbage blend on all products containing lettuce until further notice, explained the KFC Australia website. It urged customers who do not prefer the new vegetable blend to remove the lettuce option from their order via the Customize option on the website. Some Australians, however, did not take too kindly to the decision with a few taking to social media to air their grievances. One user wrote that the shortage of lettuce feels like a sign of the apocalypse. Another user minced no words: The fact that you are replacing lettuce with cabbage makes me rethink my whole meal at KFC. [There are] four or five other things I would eat before cabbage. [Its] such a weird choice. This was not the first time KFC bore the brunt of food shortages. Back in January, the fast-food joint modified its menu in response to a shortage of chicken. The shortage arose from the lack of staff at Inghams Australias biggest chicken supplier due to the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) across eastern Australia at the end of 2021. (Related: Covid supply chain issues now hitting fast-food chains as shortages in foods and packaging both worsen.) Unfortunately, our supply chain has been disrupted and some of our restaurants will be offering a reduced menu. Were sorry for any issues this causes our customers, a KFC spokesman told News.com.au that time. Were doing everything we can to help our suppliers get back on track. McDonalds in East Asia facing potato shortage KFC branches in Australia are not the only ones experiencing shortages of key ingredients like lettuce and chicken. McDonalds locations in East Asia had also fallen victim to a serious lack of potatoes, the main ingredient for French fries. Affected McDonalds branches in East Asia include those in Japan and South Korea. The potato shortage hitting McDonalds branches in East Asia had been partly attributed to floods and landslides in Canada, alongside the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global supply chain. While branches in North America do not have a problem when it comes to potato supply, those in the import-reliant region do. Because of this, McDonalds Japan was forced to ration the sales of French fries. The company told the BBC back in December 2021 that it will temporarily limit sales of medium- and large-sized French fries as a proactive measure to ensure customers can continue to enjoy. It added that customers would only be able to order small-sized fries at all McDonalds Japan branches until Dec. 30, 2021. While McDonalds Japan restricted customers from purchasing bigger servings of French fries, its South Korean counterpart opted to replace the fries with other menu items. According to McDonalds Korea, some branches in the country might offer other side items from the menu instead. We have posted the notice in case we might face difficulty supplying French fries, but it is not a big problem for now. Only a few of our stores are offering chicken nuggets instead of French fries, said an official from McDonalds Korea. Watch this video about food shortages in Australia, beginning with meat. This video is from the ZGoldenReport channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Surging food prices force restaurants to increase cost of menu items. Say goodbye to food choice and selection as droughts threaten food, water shortages and blackouts. Food prices skyrocketing on soaring agriculture futures as prices for lumber, gas and other commodities climb amid lingering pandemic. Sources include: BusinessInsider.in BBC.com 1 ENCA.com News.com.au BusinessInsider.com BBC.com 2 NST.com.my Brighteon.com (Natural News) The HighWire host Del Bigtree, slammed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for concealing the fact that Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). GBS happens when a persons own immune system attacks the bodys nerves. This harm causes muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. This is just malicious. I dont know how else to say it. The CDC, FDA, WHO they know this, and yet theyre still promoting this horrible product, Bigtree said in a recent episode of The HighWire. During the show, co-host Jefferey Jaxen read an article authored by neurological disease expert Michael Lunn about the GBS being associated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. At the moment, we dont know why a vaccine may cause these very small rises in GBS. It may be that a non-specific immune activation in susceptible individuals occurs, but if that were the case, similar risks might apply to all vaccine types, Lunn said. It is therefore logical to suggest that the simian adenovirus vector, often used to develop vaccines, including AstraZenecas, may account for the increased risk. Jaxen shared that between January to October 2021, 996 GBS cases were recorded in the United Kingdom National Immunoglobulin Database. However, there was an unusual spike in GBS reports occurring in March and April 2021, which coincided with the rollout of AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom. The were about 140 cases recorded per month during that period a 40 percent increase compared to the historical average of 100 per month. Even in the U.S., the FDA saw a potential of neurological complication with Johnson and Johnson or the Janssen vaccine, which is another adenovirus vector vaccine like AstraZeneca. (Related: Texas teen develops Guillain-Barre syndrome weeks after receiving first coronavirus vaccine dose.) Those are people whose lives were changed forever, some of them in wheelchairs. And theyre not even discontinuing them. Theyre doubling down and saying get a third and fourth shot, Bigtree said. 1976 and 2009 swine flu vaccines have been linked to GBS At the height of the swine flu scare in 1976, 46 million Americans obediently took the vaccine to prevent the virus from spreading. Now, 4,000 people are claiming damages from the U.S. government amounting to $3.5 billion. Two-thirds of them are for neurological damage. A 60-minute episode about the 1976 swine flu included a report about Judy Roberts, a perfectly healthy and active woman before she took the shot in November 1976. Two weeks later, she began to feel a numbness starting up her leg. By the following week, I was totally paralyzed, she said. The video, which was played during Bigtrees show, showed that doctors had to operate on Roberts to enable her to breathe. And for six months, she was quadriplegic and was diagnosed with GBS. GBS was also associated with the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, when that was pushed, Jaxen noted. He read a news headline published by CBS News in 2011: H1N1 flu vaccine tied to higher risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome. The article mentioned that researchers discovered that 77 people developed GBS up to 91 days after receiving the swine flu vaccine. The results of the study, which was published by the Lancet in March 2013, were derived from 23 million people in the U.S. who received the H1N1 vaccine and responded to a survey. Now, the horrors brought by GBS have resurfaced because of COVID-19 vaccines. Its just shocking that anyone thinks it would be a good idea to take a total experimental product, Bigtree said. Visit VaccineInjuryNews.com for more on vaccine injuries and deaths being concealed by governments. Watch the full June 3 episode of The HighWire below. This video is from the channel The HighWire with Del Bigtree on Brighteon.com. More related stories: J&J vaccine may cause Guillain-Barre Syndrome, warns FDA. Mainstream attitudes toward Covid-19 jabs are slowly changing in wake of vaccine injuries. Vaccine mandates, military vaccine injuries continue to threaten national security by killing our soldiers. Dr. Peter McCullough: One COVID vaccine death is too many. Stunning German analysis finds that COVID-19 vaccine death rates are FAR higher than previously reported. Sources include: Brighteon.com CDC.gov UCL.ac.uk PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 1 153News.net CBSNews.com TheLancet.com PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov 2 (Natural News) A bombshell report shared by Dr. Simone Gold, founder of the American Frontline Doctors, revealed that face masks contributed to high Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) case fatality rates. People are still not aware that wearing face masks do not protect them from viruses and are actually harmful, Gold disclosed citing the report as proof. The observational study titled The Foegen Effect: A Mechanism by Which Facemasks Contribute to the COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate, authored by German doctor Zacharias Fogen, was published in the journal Medicine in February. The study examined whether mandatory mask use influenced the case fatality rate in Kansas from August 1 to October 15, 2020. Kansas was used for comparison because the state allowed each of its 105 counties to decide whether or not to implement mask mandates. Eighty-one counties decided against the measure. A parallelization analysis based on county-level data showed that in Kansas, counties with mask mandates had significantly higher case fatality rates than counties without mask mandate. (Related: Study: Wearing a mask INCREASES risk of covid death.) Results from this study strongly suggest that mask mandates actually caused about 1.5 times the number of deaths or approximately 50 percent more deaths compared to no mask mandates, Foegen wrote. The study indicated that wearing face masks might impose a great risk on individuals, which would not be mitigated by a reduction in the infection rate. Wearing face masks does not reduce COVID-19 transmission Another study came out while the Biden administration continues to require wearing face masks in several states with high-risk settings, including health care and long-term care facilities. Last month, a peer-reviewed study divulged that European countries with high levels of mask compliance discovered a significant relationship between mask usage and death. The paper titled Correlation Between Mask Compliance and COVID-19 Outcomes in Europe was authored by Beny Spira, an associate professor at the University of Sao Paulo, whose research focuses on the molecular genetics of microorganisms. The study analyzed the correlation between mask usage against morbidity and mortality rates in the 2020-2021 winter in Europe. It was published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science on April 19. Data from 35 European countries on morbidity, mortality, and mask usage during a six-month period were analyzed and crossed, stated the study, which covered a total of 602 million people. The findings suggest that countries with high levels of mask compliance did not perform better than those with low mask usage in the six-month period that encompassed the second European wave of COVID-19. The research further said that the lack of negative correlations between mask usage and COVID-19 cases and deaths suggests that the widespread use of masks when an effective intervention was most needed (i.e. during the strong 2020-2021 autumn-winter peak) did not reduce COVID-19 virus transmission. Spira also explained how factors that could have potentially influenced the study were irrelevant. At the end of the period analyzed in this study (March 31, 2021), vaccination rollout was still at its beginning, with only three countries displaying vaccination rates higher than 20 percent: the U.K. (48 percent), Serbia (35 percent) and Hungary (30 percent), with all doses counted individually, he said. It could also be claimed that the rise in infection levels prompted mask usage resulting in higher levels of masking in countries with already higher transmission rates. While this assertion is certainly true for some countries, several others with high infection rates, such as France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain had strict mask mandates in place since the first semester of 2020. Visit MedicalTyranny.com for more news related to mask mandates and how masks do not prevent COVID-19 infection. Watch the below video that talks about the proof that face masks are not safe. This video is from the Free4eva Media channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: HISTORY IS MADE: Top 6 Covid Corruption Whistleblowers of 2021 and 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic was never what they claimed, but the vaccine pandemic is REAL. Prediction: If another pandemic can result in more power for the power-hungry, there will likely be another pandemic. WHO Pandemic Treaty will take away government oversight in the event of another pandemic, German MEP says. Be warned: The World Health Organizations Pandemic Treaty will destroy all remaining freedoms and unleash a global MEDICAL DICTATORSHIP. Sources include: NewsPunch.com Journals.LWW.com TheNationalPulse.com 1 AARP.org TheNationalPulse.com 2 Cureus.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) An autopsy report revealed by the Detroit News has shown that the FBI executed an alleged domestic terrorist in Michigan days before they rolled out their phony Whitmer kidnapping plot. (Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com) 43-year-old Eric Mark-Matthew Allport was shot once in the back and three times in the head as FBI agents confronted him in the parking lot of a Madison Heights steakhouse. One FBI agent was wounded during the ambush. The FBI and the Oakland County Medical Examiners Office attempted to keep details about the case hidden from the public, but the Detroit News obtained the autopsy report following an appeal. This all occurred on Oct. 2, 2020 just days before the fake Whitmer kidnapping was rolled out in an October surprise meant to influence the presidential election. Allport was riddled with bullet holes by the FBI as they supposedly attempted to apprehend him on illegal gun charges. It almost mirrors Ruby Ridge, what they did to Eric, Allports mother, Judy Grider, said to the Detroit News. As a child, Allports family were neighbors with Randy Weaver, the patriotic martyr whose family was gruesomely murdered by federal agents who ensnared him in an entrapment plot during a lengthy standoff in Idaho. American Greatness senior writer Julie Kelly pointed out the troubling undercurrent beneath this deep state atrocity: Well this is insane. FBI agents shot and killed an alleged domestic terrorist in Michigan five days before the alleged Whitmer kidnappers were arrested in 2020: pic.twitter.com/06cneykKcZ Julie Kelly ?? (@julie_kelly2) June 6, 2022 My sources close to Whitmer case say Allport was not part of the group set up by FBI to pretend to kidnap governor. But this timeline coincides with what FBI described as a terror enterprise investigation related to Whitmer hoax. This FBI is deeply corrupt: pic.twitter.com/0S6TJzxT0b Julie Kelly ?? (@julie_kelly2) June 6, 2022 The head of the Detroit FBI field office at the time was Steven DAntuono. He was moved to DC FBI field office 2 weeks after his agents shot and killed Allport. His office is the lead agency on January 6 prosecutionDAntuonos agents arrested Peter Navarro at Reagan last week. Julie Kelly ?? (@julie_kelly2) June 6, 2022 Big League Politics reported on how the Whitmer kidnapping was revealed to be a hoax and the alleged perpetrators were allowed to go free in a jury trial: A federal jury in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has found two suspects in the FBI-encouraged plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer not guilty and is deadlocked on two others. The jury reached the verdict around 2 p.m. on Friday, declaring Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta of not guilty of all charges, Fox 2 Detroit reported. The two men had been accused of engaging in a conspiracy to kidnap the governor. It appears those who levied the charges were not particularly fond of their choices in gun ownership as well; Harris had previously been accused of illegally possessing an unregistered semiautomatic rifle with a barrel length of under 16 inches, a charge that was later dismissed along with the rest. The Jury has yet to return verdicts for the other two men in the alleged plot, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. The federal scumbags likely attempted to entrap Allport, and when he failed to go along with their diabolical schemes, they gunned him down to keep him quiet. This is part and parcel for the Satan worshipers in control of the FBI and other demonic alphabet soup agencies in Washington D.C. Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com (Natural News) Under the phony guise of making America safer, a loony House Democrat is proposing a new anti-gun measure that is almost certain to create a huge black market for the countrys most popular self-defense rifle, the AR-15. According to The Daily Wire, Rep. Donald Beyer of Virginia, who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, is proposing a 1000-percent federal tax on all AR-15 purchases as a deterrent to mass shootings an absurd idea that will raise the cost of such rifles to between $5,000 and $20,000 apiece. In an interview with Business Insider, Beyer said: What its intended to do is provide another creative pathway to actually make some sensible gun control happen. We think that a 1,000 percent fee on assault weapons is just the kind of restrictive measure that creates enough fiscal impact to qualify for reconciliation. First and foremost, the models of AR-15 rifles for sale to the general public are not assault weapons. They are semi-automatic rifles of a kind that have been sold in the U.S. for more than 100 years. Only in the past couple of decades beginning with the Columbine High School massacre in the late 1990s have school shootings become a thing. And to be honest, in nearly every instance, the shooters are younger males with mental health issues (so that is where our resources should be going as well as into fostering two-parent homes, personal responsibility, faith-based and human rights-based values, and other cultural and societal mores and values that the left has worked to destroy for just as long). According to the report, naturally, Beyers bill would exempt police and the military two institutions Democrats will use to enforce their authoritarianism once they finally succeed in removing all guns from private ownership: A final draft of Beyers bill is not yet complete, and it is still unclear when the tax would take effect and what the added revenue would fund, although one possibility is a restitution program for family members of victims killed in shootings. Beyer said that law enforcement agencies and the U.S. military wouldnt be subject to the tax. The lawmaker added that he believes his bill can clear the House, where Democrats hold a clear majority, and bypass the filibuster in the Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris could cast the deciding vote. Congress must act to prevent mass shootings. Im writing a bill to restrict the flow of weapons of war into American communities including AR-15s and high capacity magazines that could bypass the filibuster and pass with just 50 votes in the Senate, Beyer tweeted in regards to his disastrous bill. Congress must act to prevent mass shootings. Im writing a bill to restrict the flow of weapons of war into American communities including AR-15s and high capacity magazines that could bypass the filibuster and pass with just 50 votes in the Senate:https://t.co/dXFRFftYxu Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) June 5, 2022 Needless, unjustified, and stupid. What you should call this garbage is the Black Market For AR-15s Creation Act. Dr. Jonny Republic If You Can Keep It ?? (@JonDougherty10) June 7, 2022 According to Beyer, his plan is to pass the measure through reconciliation which means there would be no 60-vote filibuster hurdle. And because it is considered a tax proposal, the legislation likely meets the requirement for reconciliation, according to current congressional rules. An estimated 20 million AR-15-style rifles are in circulation in the U.S., and about 20% of all new firearms purchases meet the description, The Daily Wire notes. President Biden has called for a ban on what the Left often describes as assault weapons, although the term is not a technical firearm definition. A bill proposed by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) defines assault weapons as military-style rifles, including those with a magazine that is not a fixed ammunition magazine and has one or more military characteristics including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock,' the report added. Its not at all clear such a piece of legislation would garner votes from all 50 Democratic senators, let alone all Republicans. And the fact is, these weapons are still rarely used in mass murders (handguns as in Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Washington, D.C., etc. are used far more often). But what is clear is that if it passes, a massive black market for AR-15s will spring up, negating any effects this measure would have had. Only a partisan hack cant see that. Sources include: DailyWire.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has raised oil prices more than expected for its largest market in Asia as the region eases out of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. Bloomberg reported that the increase for July shipments resumes a series of hikes that started in February. Aramco increased its key Arab Light crude grade for Asian customers by $2.10 a barrel from June to $6.50. The market was only expecting a boost of $1.50, according to a Bloomberg survey of refiners and traders. The gas company also elevated all grades for the north west Europe and Mediterranean regions. Meanwhile, prices for United States remained the same for the second straight month. KSA, the worlds biggest oil exporter, raised prices for shipments sold under long-term contracts after futures surged following Russias invasion of Ukraine. Crude has climbed more than 50 percent this year to almost $120 a barrel. (Related: Saudi Arabia may increase oil prices amid Russia-Ukraine war.) Due to the recent European sanctions, the market has tightened and oil supply from Russia was crimped. Also, China and Singapore are ending lockdowns that limited the demand in the past couple of months. Vitol Group Asia Chief Mike Muller said on a podcast over the weekend that in some places the demand rebound is quite something. A lot of the southeastern Asian countries are very much exceeding expectations in terms of road-transportation demand. And try buying an air ticket in Singapore in the summer holidays. It is awfully tough, Muller said during his guesting on a show produced by Dubai-based Gulf Intelligence. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Plus (OPEC+) agreed last week to accelerate output increases. The 23-nation cartel, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, said it would add 648,000 barrels a day to the market in July and August, about 50 percent more than its moves in recent months. Asias biggest buyers China, Japan, South Korea and India receive more than 60 percent of Saudis crude exports. EU to embargo 90 percent of Russian oil over the next six months Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) is still keen on imposing the additional sanctions on Russia despite the risk of having the record-high oil prices shoot up even higher in the worldwide market. The EU leaders agreed last week to ban 90 percent of Russian oil imports into the bloc over the next six months as part of new sanctions on Moscow. European Council Chief Charles Michel said: The ban immediately covers more than two-thirds of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine. Overall, the EU relies on Russia for 25 percent of its oil needs and 40 percent of its natural gas. Head of Americas refining for S&P Global Commodity Insights Debnil Chowdhury said that the embargo is going to take quite a bit of time for the sanctions to come into play. Its not like when the U.S. announced 45 days, its more like six months, and the market had already factored in that this was going to happen. Thats why we didnt see crude prices go up $15 to $20 today. It wasnt a surprise since this has been talked about for the past month, he noted. Chowdhury thinks the bigger reason prices would fall is because underlying gasoline demand, diesel demand and jet fuel demand eventually will get impacted by these higher prices. So the demand leads to less pull on crude oil. And then that loosens up the crude oil market somewhat. And then wed have a reduction in underlying crude price that would bring diesel down with it, he stated. But these prices are not going to go back to the levels at the beginning of 2021. Its more likely that well see maybe $5 to $10 decline in crude price, and that would equate to maybe 50 to 60 cents on the diesel price itself. So were not talking about a major relief, Chowdhury warned. Visit FuelSupply.news for more updates on the Russian oil embargo. Watch the below video that talks about President Joe Biden going to Saudi Arabia to beg for cheap oil. This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Gazprom cuts off gas supply to several EU members in response to sanction threat. Escalation: Iran seizing oil tankers in vital strategic waterway after US confiscates Iranian oil sailing under Russian flag. WESTERN ECONOMIC SUICIDE: G7 bans imports of Russia oil, including to U.S., as punishment for Putins invasion of Ukraine. Russian Deputy PM: Rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for global market. Gas storage in Germany hits record lows as Russia halts fertilizer shipments and European continent reels from high heating costs. Sources include: AGWeb.com Finance.Yahoo.com ArabNews.com APNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The mother who ran into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, during the recent mass shooting there told a news crew this week that police officers were more aggressive in trying to prevent her from entering than they were with the shooting suspect. The woman, Angeli Gomez, told the CBS News crew interviewing her that after rushing to the scene and seeing that responding officers were taking up positions along the schools perimeter even while gunshots were ringing out inside a classroom, she told police she was going inside to retrieve her two sons. Continuing, she said that officers told her she could not go inside and handcuffed her for a short time. After marshals removed her handcuffs at the direction of Ulvade police, she bolted over a fence and into the school, eventually returning with her sons. Gomez also said she did not see any officers inside the school building and none of them were actively moving to interdict the shooter, even as he continued firing eventually killing 19 children and two adults. She also said at one point she begged an officer to come along with her to provide her some cover while inside the school after she retrieved her first son, but none would accompany her. She also confirmed to CBS News that the shooting situation was still very much active, and she continued to hear shots being fired throughout her ordeal. They could have done something gone through the window, sniped him through the window, Gomez said before revealing a shocking accusation. I mean, something but nothing was being done. If anything, [police] were being more aggressive on us parents, she said. Like I told one of the officers, I dont need you to protect me, get away from me, I dont need your protection. If anything, I need you to go in there with me to go protect my kids. And, if anything, they were being more aggressive on us. They were more [interested] on keeping us back than getting into that school. WATCH: The mom that ran in and saved her kids after being handcuffed in Uvalde finally spoke out. pic.twitter.com/wHNouRkCY7 barbarism critic (luxury gay space communist arc) (@SxarletRed) June 3, 2022 Gomez was not the only Uvalde resident to rip the lack of timely police response cops finally entered the building some 75 minutes after the shooting began. Fox News reports: A Robb Elementary school teacher who lost 11 of his students in the Uvalde, Texas shooting is now saying that he will never forgive law enforcement for their response that day, as there is no excuse for their actions. Arnulfo Reyes, who is recovering in a hospital after suffering gunshot wounds in the arm, lung and back, made the remark during an interview that aired Tuesday with ABC News. After everything, I get more angry because you have a bulletproof vest, I have nothing, he said about police, who have received blistering criticism from around the country. You are supposed to protect and serve. There is no excuse for their actions, Reyes added. And will I never forgive them. I will never forgive them. Reyes previously told ABC News that the day of the shooting, May 24, began with an awards ceremony for students at the school, noting that some went home afterward. He said 11 students were watching a movie in his class when the first shots rang out. The kids start asking out loud, Mr. Reyes, what is going on? And I said I dont know what is going on, but lets go ahead and get under the table and act like you are asleep, he said. As they were doing that and I was gathering them under the table is about the time when I turned around and saw [the gunman] standing there. Eventually, police arrived outside the classroom and began negotiating with the shooter to come out, but those efforts were not successful. I just remember Border Patrol saying get up, get up! and I couldnt get up, Reyes said after an agent stormed the room and killed the gunman. I lost 11 that day Im sorry, I tried my best with what I was told to do, Reyes told ABC News while fighting back tears. Please dont be angry with me. Sources include: CitizenFreePress.com FoxNews.com (Natural News) Statistics Norway (SSB), which operates the Nordic countrys data collection operations, now has a new task that involves tracking the food purchasing habits of Norwegians. According to reports, the SSB will force all private companies not just public ones to hand over data on what foods people in Norway are buying, and in what quantities. NRK says that the SSB, which collects, produces and communicates statistics related to the Norwegian economy at the national, regional and local levels, will essentially become a Big Brother entity to surveil, track and report on what Norwegians are doing at the grocery store. In Norway every citizen is linked to their fdselnummer (birth number), and thus the SSB is well-informed about what individuals earn, their taxes due and their criminal records, reports Free West Media. But it appears that the SSB does not yet know enough about their subjects. It has ordered Norways major supermarket chains NorgesGruppen, Coop, Bunnpris and Rema 1000 to share all their receipt data with the agency. Nets, the payment processor that is responsible for 80 percent of transactions related to supermarket purchases, will also need to provide data. In a statement, the SSB explained that a link between a payment transaction made with a debit card and a grocery receipt will enable the entity to link a payment transaction and receipt for more than 70 percent of all grocery purchases in Norway. If you use a loyalty card or take advantage of digital coupons, your grocery purchasing habits are already being tracked According to the SSB, it needs to track all Norwegians grocery shopping habits in order to better design tax policy, adjust social assistance, and award child allowance payments to households. The methods proposed are a less time-consuming way of obtaining the necessary data, the entity says, versus other methods that would be more difficult and invasive. In 2012, Norwegian households were instructed to list grocery purchases in a paper booklet and submit it to the SSB. That method was prone to errors, however, which is why the entity now wants to go digital. When the purchases are linked to a household, it will be possible in the consumption statistics to analyze socio-economic and regional differences in consumption, and link it to variables such as income, education and place of residence, the SSB further says. Retailers, meanwhile, are pushing back against the plan. NorgesGruppen announced plans to appeal the SSB decision and ask the Norwegian Data Protection Authority for guidance on the matter. Nets expressed concerns about the collection and compilation of data that may be problematic and intrusive for the individual citizen. Coop spokesman Harald Kristiansen similarly expressed reservations about the scheme, stating that while the SSB may be acting in good faith, the implications of the new tracking methods are too concerning to let slip by without a fight. Truth be told, the grocery purchasing habits of everyone, regardless of where they live, are already being tracked that is, for customers who use things like loyalty cards or digital coupons. Many consumers already make available all their purchase data to supermarkets and other retailers in the form of loyalty programs and cards, Free West Media explains. While consumers are offered discounts, supermarkets in turn gain access to valuable information about individual purchasing habits and preferences But the big difference between these loyalty programs and the SSB proposal is that supermarket loyalty programs are optional. For many years, now, the general public has been getting groomed to accept mass surveillance by the government as normal. Even the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) plandemic was used as an excuse to pry into peoples private lives. More related news on this topic can be found at Surveillance.news. Sources for this article include: FreeWestMedia.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A study published in the Lancet debunked the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) argument for Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mask mandates in schools. The pre-print study posted on May 25 replicated a highly-cited study by the public health agency associating mandatory face coverings with a reduction in COVID-19 cases among students. The authors then extended the study using a larger sample of districts and a longer time interval, empl0ying almost six times as much data as the original study. Replicating the CDC study shows similar results. However, incorporating a larger sample and longer period showed no significant relationship between mask mandates and case rates, wrote study authors Ambarish Chandra of the University of Toronto and Dr. Tracy Beth Hoeg of the University of California, Davis. School districts that choose to mandate masks are likely to be systematically different from those that do not in multiple, often unobserved, ways. Chandra and Hoeg mentioned three reasons why school districts who opt to make face masks compulsory are different from those opting for health freedom. First, the former are likely to invest in other measures to mitigate transmission and may differ by testing rates and practices. Second, the choices made by school districts reflect the attitudes and behavior of their community. Communities that are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 are also likely to implement other measures, even outside of schools, that may eventually result in lower spread within schools. Finally, the timing of public health interventions is likely to be correlated with that of private behavioral changes. Public health measures are introduced when case counts are high, which is precisely when community members are likely to react to media coverage and change their own behavior. The authors concluded by saying that they were unable to find the same evidence that school mask mandates are associated with a reduction in county pediatric COVID-19 cases, adding that observational studies can be misleading when used to guide public health policy. (Related: Researchers unable to replicate heavily-cited CDC study used to support mask mandates in school.) CDC espousing school mask mandates a form of politicizing science The study by Chandra and Hoeg expounded on the earlier findings of a paper posted on Sept. 25, 2021 by the CDC. The study, penned by Samantha Budzyn of the CDCs COVID-19 Response Team and her colleagues, rationalized the need for schoolchildren to mask up. They looked at different counties COVID-19 data from July 1 until Sept. 4 of that year. Counties without school mask requirements experienced larger increases in pediatric COVID-19 case rates after the start of school, compared with counties that had school mask requirements, said the CDC study. The results of this analysis indicate that increases in pediatric COVID-19 case rates during the start of the 2021-22 school year were smaller in U.S. counties with school mask requirements than in those without school mask requirements. Budzyn and her colleagues reiterated in their paper that school mask requirements, in combination with other prevention strategies, are critical to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in schools. At least two doctors took to social media to decry the September 2021 CDC study that rationalized mask mandates in schools. Texas-based cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough tweeted: [The study by] Chandra and Hoeg [published in] Lancet [shows] no benefit of school public masking in ecological analysis. No difference in pediatric cases which are characteristically mild and easily managed, even in high risk cases or those with rare severe symptoms. Dr. Marty Makary of Johns Hopkins University (JHU) lauded the paper by Chandra and Hoeg as a brilliant re-analysis of the data the CDC used [to] justify school masking. The British-American surgeon, who teaches at both JHUs medicine and public health arms, used stronger words in his denouncement of the CDC study. This study demonstrates how the CDC was cherry-picking data to support their school mask dogma. The article states that [the] CDC rejected publishing this re-analysis, most likely because it exposed the CDCs salami-slicing of data and use of science as political propaganda. True enough, Chandra and Hoeg acknowledged the CDCs rejection in their paper. They wrote: Our expanded version of the original Budzyn et al publication was not accepted for publication by MMWR despite using the same methods, but with an expanded population and time frame. This bias can lead to the published science being a self-fulfilling prophecy rather than an unbiased pursuit of truth. Watch this April 2021 video of a concerned parent calling on officials to drop the mask mandates for school children below. This video is from the TruthAndFreedom1 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Latest CDC mask mandate guidance based on flawed, dishonest data interpretations so whats the real agenda? Eight industrial hygienists author 27-page rebuttal letter addressing CDCs flawed mask guidance. Medical professionals, students decry mask mandates and other Covid measures in schools. CDC report admits mask-wearing provides no real protection against Covid. CDC double mask study a perfect example of politicized junk science. Sources include: GlobalResearch.ca DeliveryPDF.SSRN.com CDC.gov Twitter.com 1 Twitter.com 2 Brighteon.com Dolphin Marine Group, the UAE-based regional leader in maritime safety equipment and services, is participating in Posidonia 2022, one of the worlds biggest shipping fairs in Greece, from June 6 to 10. Marking the companys first-ever appearance at the tradeshow Dolphin hopes to capitalise on the several opportunities provided by the event to build on its success and expand into newer markets, adding another dimension to its business. It also hopes to solidify the companys growing presence within the region. Solid platform Relying on its foundational roots, Dolphin Marine is optimistic that its involvement in Posidonia 2022 will be beneficial for both the organisation and the industry at large. Eng Hussein El Bagouri, Managing Director of Dolphin Marine Group said: Posidonia is known for being a solid platform that fosters growth within the global maritime sector. For the last four years, the industry has been deprived of the networking opportunities the event. Hence, this year will be a gamechanger for many, us included. It truly is a one-of-a-kind experience to be participating alongside renowned companies that are showcasing new projects, technologies, products and services. Reinforcing the Middle East market Since Dolphin Marines inception in Alexandria, Egypt in 1977, the company has flourished by emphasising quality, consistency and customer satisfaction. This blueprint proved effective, allowing the company to expand outside of Egypt, establish a second branch in Dubai, UAE in 2012 and further expanded across the Middle East and Africa in 2019, with the launch of Dolphin Marine Speedboats back in Egypt. El Bagouri added: Our success over the years in the Middle East has been tremendous. We are now looking at further expansion. The new industrial partnership between the UAE, Egypt and Jordan will fuel our plans and boost growth. Now, through Posidonia, we want to reach out to prospects in the region and beyond by showcasing our diverse portfolio of products. This is vital for strengthening our business relationships, as well as in formulating new strategic ones. Our ultimate aim is to advance from being a local and regional manufacturer to a global brand. Posidonia 2022 will shed light on crucial issues facing the global maritime community including the impact of skyrocketing energy prices, energy transition, the importance of decarbonisation, environmental regulations, and supply chain efficiency, among others. Additionally, the event continues to be a global marketplace for shipbuilders, suppliers of shipping equipment and related services exhibiting the latest equipment, technologies, nancial and service oerings.-- TradeArabia News Service (Natural News) American newspaper USA Today had been receiving money from a Chinese newspaper serving as the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to filings. This contradicts the U.S. publications moniker as the voice of the people as it purportedly serves as the voice of Beijings interests. Documents from the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that since October 2021, CCP-controlled paper China Daily spent $287,500 to advertise in USA Today. The DOJ filings also revealed that the Chinese newspaper spent $1,618,143 on advertising in different mainstream media (MSM) publications between November 2021 and April 2022. These include $649,603 to Time magazine, $315,540 to the Financial Times, $306,000 to the Los Angeles Times and $117,000 to Foreign Policy magazine. The DOJ first required China Daily to disclose details of its payments to American MSM publications back in 2020. It found that since November 2016, the CCP-controlled publication had spent more than $19 million on advertising and printing costs. The partnership between USA Today and China Daily coming to light follows scrutiny over attempts by the CCP to shape U.S. perception of its domestic and foreign policy. The CCP mouthpiece does this by means of its China Watch advertorials that run both in print and online. However, human rights groups have slammed MSM publications for allowing China Watch pieces which present a favorable view of China to run. On one hand, USA Todays choice to accept advertising money from China Daily was a practical decision following a steep decline in readership. The L.A. Times and Time magazine also faced the same predicament, with declines in subscriptions and advertising revenue making the CCP-owned publications money an irresistible offer. On the other hand, several MSM newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post ended their deals with China Daily following scrutiny. USA Today did not respond to questions about where it has published China Daily content, and if there were potential conflicts of interest with its partnership with the Chinese newspaper. China Daily partnering with US papers to push insidious propaganda Back in December 2020, lawyer and Chinese affairs expert Gordon Chang warned that Beijing is using American newspapers to manipulate public opinion and promote insidious narratives through the China Watch advertorials. He made this warning during an interview with Jan Jekielek, host of the Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program. (Related: Beijing using US newspapers to push insidious narratives, says China affairs expert.) According to Chang, the China Watch pieces are oftentimes articles that follow a pro-Beijing slant. The pieces tackle U.S.-China relations, the Chinese economy and Chinese culture. The China Watch inserts, Chang explained, allow the CCP to propagate its own narratives to American readers. The Chinese affairs expert gave one example of how China Watch skews the truth about the communist country. A supplement that ran in the Nov. 29, 2020 issue of the L.A. Times quoted the Red Cross Society of China, which purportedly claimed that registered organ donors in the country had increased by more than twice in the past 20 months. The November 2020 supplements goal was to convey that all of the [donated] organs are available in China because they come from willing donors and that it sought to counter claims that China is harvesting organs from prisoners. There is substantial [and] growing evidence that defenseless people are being killed for their organs. So weve got to realize that this is not just some sort of laughable propaganda put into the L.A. Times. This really is promoting insidious narratives, Chang told Jekielek. DOJ filings for the year 2020 revealed that China Daily paid the L.A. Times $340,000 for advertising between June and October of that year. The CCP-owned paper had also paid the MSM publication $110,000 in printing costs between May and October of 2020. The L.A. Times accepted a lot of money to propagate Chinas narrative. Shame on the L.A. Times and other major U.S. publications that have run similar inserts, remarked Chang. Watch the video below that talks about Beijings influence on Hollywood studios aside from MSM publications. This video is from the CyberSymposiumClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Chinese propaganda outlet pays $19 million to U.S. newspapers (including the Wall Street Journal). American newspapers were paid millions to push Communist Chinese Party propaganda. Chinese propaganda outlet paid millions to Washington Post, Wall Street Journal. New York Times runs pro-China op-ed defending hostile takeover of Hong Kong. Sources include: FreeBeacon.com TheEpochTimes.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The World Economic Forum (WEF) has repeatedly proven to be a threat to the republic of the United States of America and to the sovereignty of individual nations around the world. These global elite meet annually to discuss ways to surveil, manipulate and control populations, while stripping individuals of their rights. The WEF disseminates their propaganda and subjugation across a wider spectrum of business relations around the world. The list of WEF attendees includes political insiders, CEOs, bankers, marketing directors and publishers from some of the most domineering corporations and media outlets. From these meetings, the global elite plot to instill specific messages and incite mass formation psychosis so they can implement policies that take advantage of their social engineering experiments. To these billionaires, money is no longer a factor, and so power and control become their center focus. They are vocal about reshaping democracies to form a global government. They openly seek total control over media, science and technology to advance their agendas. The WEF seeks to consolidate power into the hands of evil-doers and make individuals defenseless and weak The global elite and the radical left are currently trying to carry out this objective on two significant fronts. Right now, they are desperately trying to take away body autonomy rights and self-defense rights. Under proposed treaties, governments would be forced to surrender their sovereignty to the World Health Organization (WHO), giving Bill Gates leeway to suspend individual rights and play germ games on the population. These germ games include the creation of a permanent medical police state, with contact tracing units that respond to positive test results garnered from mandatory DNA swab choke-points. These public health units would suspend the unalienable rights of individuals and subject them to forced detention, family separation, mandated bodily requirements, swabbing and injections. All this is currently being carried out in different shapes and forms, but the WEF wants to consolidate this power into global institutions that report to them. Likewise, the left and the WEF want to limit self-defense rights and give more power to the evil ones who already abuse their power. In this battle, they will try to make innocent people responsible for criminal acts while subjecting them to further defenselessness that will beget greater forms of evil. At the forefront of this concentration of power is WEF founder, Klaus Schwab. In 2010, he titled a report Global Redesign which states that a globalized world is best managed by a self-selected coalition of multinational corporations, governments (including through the UN system), and select civil society organizations (CSOs). Schwab blatantly mocks democracy and said that elected governments are no longer the overwhelmingly dominant actors on the world stage. He wrote that the time has come for a new stakeholder paradigm of international governance. The real insurrection is being carried out by the WEF, as the global elite seek further control and power over multiple governments. The WEF seeks to penetrate governments, minds, bodies for absolute control From a speech at Harvards John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2017, Klaus Schwab said, What we are very proud of, is that we penetrate the global cabinets of countries with our WEF Young Global Leaders like Trudeau. So yesterday I was at a reception for Prime Minister Trudeau and I know that half of his cabinet, or even more than half of his cabinet, are actually Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum. () Its true in Argentina and its true in France, with the President a Young Global Leader. These wicked schemes and puppetry are obvious as the cowardly actions of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are revealed for the world to see. After seizing the body autonomy rights of individuals and forcing genocidal medical experiments onto the populations through force, Trudeau is currently suspending firearm ownership throughout Canada as part of a global attempt to strip individuals of their foundational, self-defense rights. Klaus Schwab is having his way in Canada, as he penetrates the government there and commands absolute submission from the Canadian people. For Schwab and the rest of the WEF elite, its all about penetration. They want to penetrate minds using propaganda that is designed to enslave and control. They want to penetrate science journals, social media algorithms and school curriculum to demand generational and institutional obedience to their satanic agendas. They want to penetrate governments, cabinets and voting systems to manipulate entire countries and foundational principles. They want to penetrate people with experimental injections, swabs and tracking systems to implement a system of medical rape, surveillance and depopulation. They want to penetrate and break apart the family unit to make people dependent on global control systems for decades to come. Sources include: VigilantCitizen.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A world globalist regime is running the United States government, according to investigative journalist and podcaster Mel K Ultra, or simply Mel K. The American people dont understand that they, the people that we think are the government, have been completely usurped and given away their authority to a higher level: a world globalist regime, Mel K told host Ann Vandersteel during the June 2 episode of Steel Truth on Brighteon.TV. Mel K, who is a devoted lover of truth, facts, history, God and America, added that the captured Washington D.C. government was put by the same people who are involved in the Great Reset, and they include Larry Fink of BlackRock, Bill and Melinda Gates, John Kerry and Al Gore. (Related: Clay Clark discusses government CORRUPTION and globalist COLLUSION Brighteon.TV.) The veteran investigative journalist also said the globalist group has been successful at compartmentalizing the American people into different groups and taking away their ability to critically think. She added that Americans are too confused and are busy fighting each other that they are unable to see what this globalist group is doing. Mel K said everything that Americans are seeing, such as the trouble on the border, the inner-city violence, the farming, fertilizer and water problems, the shipping of immigrants all over the country, the guns and drugs and many others are all coming from that same group, which is the Davos elitist group. The former Hollywood movie and television personality pointed out that the U.S. is under attack. Weve created this miracle that is America. This least oppressive, most open, most beautiful society and place on the planet that everyone wants to come to will cease to exist if we dont take back our country unified as the American people first, Mel K said. Mel K also talked with Vandersteel about the Second Amendment. She said the Second Amendment is about people having guns to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. WHO is run by Marxist terrorists put into position by the CCP Meanwhile, Vandersteel said America got a stay of execution from what transpired at the World Health Organization (WHO) international pandemic treaty meeting where all the member nations came together. She mentioned that several African nations that were familiar with slavery decisively rejected the treaty. Mel K mentioned that there was a reason why President Donald Trump pulled out of the WHO, which she said is run by Marxist terrorists that are put into position by the Chinese Communist Party. The former movie and TV personality said the WHO is being used as a catalyst to kick America into the public-private partnership control of the planet by the Davos elitist group, which is behind the ongoing globalist takeover of the planet. The investigative journalist noted that aside from the African nations, Brazil, Russia, India and a couple of South American countries said no to the WHO pandemic treaty. Mel K said the Americans need to get over themselves and get on the same team to oppose the globalist activities happening in the country and around the world because people from other countries are counting on them right now. She added that it is Americas Constitution, Bill of Rights and Judeo-Christian values that are keeping evil at bay. Follow Globalism.news for more news about the globalist elites. Watch the full June 2 episode of Steel Truth below. Steel Truth with Ann Vandersteel airs every weekday from 9:30-10:30 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Bidens globalist agenda sees Americans suffering from gas prices and more. WHO corruption is one of the biggest threats to public health and its power may be about to expand like never before. Consciousness grenade explodes across the planet as globalist tyrants revealed to be ILLUSIONISTS and FAKERS. The globalist American empire declares all-out war on the American people. Conservatives warn that globalist cabals Great Reset will undo global economies, worsen problems. Sources include: Brighteon.com TheMelKShow.com (Natural News) The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), a group that Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg paid off to help steal the 2020 election, is once again trying to steal the 2022 midterms. CTCL just announced the creation of what it calls the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence (USAEE), which is described as a nonpartisan collaborative that is bringing together election officials, designers, technologists, and other experts to help local election departments improve operations, develop a set of shared standards and values, and obtain access to best-in-class resources to run successful elections. Over the next five years, CTCL will spend $80 million to improve the operations of local elections, meaning some votes (for Republicans) will mysteriously disappear while others (for Democrats) appear out of nowhere. The group claims that USAEE exists simply to help make fairer elections, including by replacing equipment at polling sites. The new equipment provided will likely be rigged for easier control over election outcomes, regardless of how We the People vote. Those who suspect the operation is more interested in election regulation than election improvement cite two main points: First, that it was originally created by the left-wing dark money sponsor New Venture Fund; and second, that it played a suspicious role in the highly-contentious 2020 presidential election, writes Calvin Freiburger for Life Site News. If they can get away with it, the left is planning to steal the 2022 midterms Using Wisconsin as one example, emails show that CTCL disbursed hundreds of millions of dollars in that state to protect American elections and bolster democracy during the [COVID-19] pandemic. We all know how that turned out during the last election. Of this, $1.6 million was used to make Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein of the National Vote at Home Institute a grant mentor, meaning he became the de facto city elections chief who was given access to boxes of absentee ballots before the election. Spitzer-Rubenstein, it turns out, has worked for several Democrats in the past, including fiercely liberal former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Spitzer-Rubenstein was able to obtain help for his efforts to fix errors on absentee ballots. He was also given the keys to a locked room where absentee ballots were being stored several days before the election. Spitzer-Rubensteins initial request to access these ballots was denied by Green Bay city clerk Kris Teske. However, it was quickly overridden due to pressure from the office of Democrat Mayor Eric Genrich, who ended up resigning. As you know I am very frustrated, along with the Clerks Office, Teske wrote to Green Bay Finance Director Diana Ellenbecker. I dont know what to do anymore. I am trying to explain the process but it isnt heard. I dont feel I can talk to the Mayor after the last meeting you, me, Celestine, and the Mayor had even though the door is supposedly open. I dont understand how people who dont have knowledge of the process can tell us how to manage the election. At the time, Wisconsin Spotlights M.D. Kittle wrote that Wisconsin law provisions that municipal clerks, in that case Teske, are in charge of administering elections, not random left-wing activists like Spitzer-Rubenstein. Wisconsin Voters Alliance and Thomas More Society attorney Erick Kaardal said CTCLs election security funding came with conditions that bound the city to give these left-leaning actors power they could not legally take. The mayor and his team, as well as the city council, had no legal right to limit the clerks role in the elections, or take them over, Kaardal added. Last month, Thomas More Society attorneys filed a complaint accusing Madison, Wisconsin Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl of bribery for accepting similar money from CTCL for similar purposes. More related news about election fraud can be found at VoteFraud.com. Sources for this article include: LifeSiteNews.com NaturalNews.com In comparison to those who had other forms of respiratory tract infections, COVID-19 patients had a roughly 25% greater chance of having a mental condition in the four months after their infection, according to new research. According to co-author Lauren Chan, a Ph.D. student in nutrition at OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences, the findings support prior research on psychiatric issues among post-COVID patients, albeit the present study revealed a lesser effect than the earlier studies. COVID-19 and Mental Health Researchers matched 46,610 COVID-19 positive people with control patients diagnosed with a separate respiratory tract infection in the present study, which was published in World Psychiatry, as per ScienceDaily. They looked at the rate of mental conditions for two time periods: 21 to 120 days following patients' COVID diagnosis and 120 to 365 days after diagnosis, but only for patients who had never had a mental disease before. COVID patients had a 3.8 percent chance of having a psychological condition, compared to 3.0% for other respiratory tract infections, according to researchers. The 0.8 percent difference translates to a 25% relative risk increase. According to Chan, the vast sample size and the fact that this data cohort was drawn from throughout the United States provided researchers with a unique perspective on post-COVID side effects. According to her, the findings demonstrate the need for both patients and health care professionals to be more proactive in treating mental health difficulties following COVID infection. It's entirely normal for folks who have had COVID to seek treatment if they're feeling anxious or noticing changes in how they're moving through life from a psychiatric aspect, Chan said. In the greater context of COVID and health care in the United States, Chan said that any rise in the number of persons seeking care, particularly psychiatric care, will put more strain on a system that is already overburdened. Ben Coleman of the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, the study's principal author, is already working on a follow-up publication that will examine the link between symptoms of extended COVID and new-onset mental illness. Read more: Deadly Combination: COVID-19 Mixed With Flu Have Higher Fatality Risk Take care of your mind Maintaining a consistent daily schedule is critical for mental wellness, as per Mayo Clinic. Maintain consistent hours for meals, bathing and dressing, work or study routines, and exercise in addition to a regular nighttime regimen. Make time for hobbies that you like. You may feel more in control as a result of the predictability. Constant reporting about COVID-19 in all forms of media might exacerbate sickness worries. Limit your use of social media to avoid being exposed to rumors and misleading information. Limit other news you read, hear, or see, but stay current on national and local guidelines. Look for credible sources, such as the United States government. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is critical for your mental health to keep a regular daily schedule. Keep constant timings for meals, bathing and dressing, work or study routines, and exercise in addition to keeping to a regular nighttime pattern. Make time for your favorite activities. You may feel more in control as a result of this predictability. Constant COVID-19 news from a variety of sources might exacerbate sickness worries. Limit your exposure to rumors and misleading information through social media. Limit other news you read, hear, or see, but be informed on national and local guidelines. Look for trustworthy sources, such as the United States Department of State. CDC and WHO. Related article: Climate Change: Extreme Heat Increases Mental Health Issues The new federal environment minister has been urged to halt a fertilizer factory from being built on a world heritage-listed site in Western Australia and to intervene quickly to prevent the multinational corporation behind the proposals from erasing Indigenous rock art. Developing a Billion Dollar Factory Perdaman is developing a $4.5 billion factory on the Pilbara's Burrup Peninsula. The plant, which has the support of the state government and was once sponsored by the federal government, will necessitate the destruction of Aboriginal art dating back to almost 50,000 years ago. Sussan Ley, the then-environment minister, ordered Perdaman to halt construction at the site in March while she evaluated a request for emergency preservation of the rock art brought by two traditional owners, Raelene Cooper and Josie Alec. However, less than three weeks later, just days before the government's caretaker term began, Ley informed Cooper and Alec that she would not accept the emergency protection application because Perdaman had informed her that they would not be able to remove the art for another two months. Cooper, a Mardudhunera woman and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation member, and Alec, a Kuruma/Marthudhunera woman and Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation member, sent a new application for emergency protection to Tanya Plibersek, the new environment minister, and Linda Burney, the new Indigenous affairs minister, on Monday. Cooper and Alec have asked Plibersek to safeguard four petroglyphs that Perdaman proposes to relocate, adding that the company's two-month deadline for Ley has passed. Also Read: Conservation or Preservation: What's the Difference? Opposing the Plant The two further stated that the plant should not be built on Murujuga property because it would desecrate their land. If developed, it should be relocated from Burrup Peninsula since the plant's acidic emissions would destroy petroglyphs in the vicinity even after they were relocated. The Guardian reached out to Perdaman for comment. The factory planned to utilize gas from Woodside's neighboring Scarborough project to manufacture two million tonnes of fertilizer-grade urea yearly. Traditional owners are concerned that the project would endanger petroglyphs. Woodside refutes claims that its development on the Burrup would endanger the petroglyphs. According to a spokeswoman, a study has shown that the company's activities had no influence. The company supports a "world-best-practice program to monitor and conserve the rock art" co-managed by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and government authorities. According to the spokeswoman, the corporation worked with traditional custodians and reacted to requests for environmental monitoring, archaeological and ethnographic surveys, and access to independent expert opinion. Plibersek's spokesman stated that she had received the application for preserving and conserving Murujuga traditional heritage under section nine of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act. "The minister's office received the application today, and the department is currently reviewing it." Perdaman claims to have gotten consent from traditional owners for its plans and has received $255 million in state and federal government financing to improve water and marine infrastructure at the site. Misleading the Community On the other hand, Cooper previously told Guardian Australia that community members had been misled about Perdaman's ambitions. Cooper stated in March that "the elders never endorsed this." "They couldn't comprehend it." Nobody has ever articulated what was truly going on to them. "I indicated that they would start removing the rock art, and they said no." They said that over and over."+ Related Article: Search for the "Elusive" Tasmanian Tiger: Why People Are Still on the Hunt for Extinct Species For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS), a solar-powered marine research vessel driven by artificial intelligence (AI), has completed its journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Autonomous navigation systems are becoming more popular, with both startups and large corporations investing time and money to make them a reality. Automation can help the maritime industry address workforce shortages while also improving onboard safety compliance. During voyages, automated systems can also aim to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollution. By 2028, the autonomous navigation and associated systems market is projected to be valued at $235 billion. Mayflower's Mission The Mayflower, a sailing ship, set sail from Plymouth, U.K. in 1620. After enduring a rough sea that threatened to sink the ship, the passengers finally completed their trans-Atlantic journey when they arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts, instead of Virginia, as planned. The original Mayflower, a 30-meter triple-masted wooden vessel with canvas sails and a top speed of three knots or 6km/h, sailed from Plymouth to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, carrying 102 passengers and a crew of about 30. When a group of people got together to plan a 400th-anniversary commemoration of the voyage, they embarked on a journey to build a Mayflower for the 21st century; a ship that did not require human intervention or fossil fuels. People from ten countries and three continents were part of the think-and-do team. The team could reconsider the ship's design as it didn't require human eating and sleeping areas. Instead, they have a futuristic-looking, lightweight trimaran with a cargo bay and an edge computing system that would allow the artificial intelligence (A.I.) pilot to make local decisions. The team also outfitted the solar ship with specialized equipment that could gather data to determine the health of the ocean, study the tides and waves, and keep an eye out for marine mammals in the ocean's depths, Interesting Engineering reported. Read also: Artificial Intelligence Predicts Algae to be Potential Renewable Source in Future A.I.-Driven Voyage On April 29, the new generation Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England. The ship's local computer, supplied by IBM, churned through all the input data to make decisions on how to reach Plymouth in the United States. The ship was expected to finish its voyage in three weeks, traveling at a slow speed of up to 10 knots (20 kph). The ship, however, had to be rerouted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, due to technical difficulties. The ship had completed a trans-Atlantic voyage of 3,500 miles (5,600 km) in 40 days when it arrived in Halifax on June 5th, according to the project team's post on LinkedIn. Their post included a photo of the boat's bow and a map of its voyage. Brett Phaneuf, Project director for the Mayflower autonomous ship, said that the journey the automated boat made across the Atlantic was arduous and has revealed a great deal about designing, building, and operating a ship of the same nature, as well as the future of the maritime enterprise. According to the BBC, the trimaran was diverted to Halifax to study the issues it encountered at sea and will stay there for a week or two before proceeding on to travel to Plymouth, and then Washington DC. Related article: Self-Driving Cars Are The Face Of The Future And It's To Our Advantage Kimani the gorilla from the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada, is being treated by veterinary specialists for a rare liver cancer, which is said to be an advanced type of liver cancer. The latest developments one of the zoo's gorilla troop members were confirmed by Calgary Zoo earlier this week. Like humans, where the formation of malignant (cancerous) and benign (non-cancerous) tumors are common, animals are comparatively inflicted with cancer on some occasions. There are some reported cases of cancer developments on some animal species, including cats, dogs, birds, elephants, fish, reptiles, and whales. For primates, there were incidents where gorillas incur cancer and even death, particularly from the species of lowland gorilla, which Kimani belongs to. As the young gorilla battles for survival, scientists continue to explore the biological mechanisms behind cancer and the development of a potential cure in the future. Liver cancer and other types of cancer are responsible for millions of hospitalizations or deaths worldwide. The liver tumor has been attributed for killing dozens of thousands of people in the United States alone, while gaining the title of being the sixth most common cancer globally. Gorilla Liver Cancer Diagnosis The case of Kimani is considered to be unique as the Calgary Zoo authorities and other expert veterinarians have claimed to have never seen a liver cancer develop and spread inside a primate as young as Kimani, as cited CTV News Calgary. The adversity is increased as the medical condition is reportedly a severity of the liver cancer, which has already spread from Kimani's entire liver to her lungs, heart, esophagus, and blood vessels (also called mediastinum). Due to the complexity of the liver disease, the zoo caretakers transferred the young primate to the Western Veterinary Specialists to undergo an emergency CY scan on the animal's abdomen and chest. The first suspicion that Kimani may have health problems was when she was exhibiting slow activity level and decreased appetite last week. Also Read: Non-Invasive Treatment Proven Effective for Rats with Liver Cancer Advanced Form of Liver Cancer In a Facebook post on Monday, June 6, the Calgary Zoo management confirmed they had consulted with radiology and human liver specialists. It was only at this time when the zoo officials reportedly realized that Kimani has a "very serious form of pediatric liver cancer" which has already grown out of proportion. In the post, the zoo authorities said they were working closely with both human and veterinary liver cancer experts to determine if the mysterious liver disease has a potential treatment or not. Furthermore, the zoo also consulted with the gorilla SSP veterinarians. Kimani is currently at the company of the Rainforest and veterinary teams in the meantime, being provided with food and drinks with her favorite fruits and vegetables, said the Calgary Zoo officials. Liver Cancer Cases The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that approximately 25,000 men and 1,000 women develop liver cancer each year, where among this figure, 19,000 men and 9,000 women die from the disease. The most common symptoms of a liver cancer are a swollen abdomen, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, and loss of appetite. Related Article: Baby Gorilla Born After Rare Cesarean Section At Bristol Zoo [VIDEO] The Biden administration announced several clean energy measures in January, including plans to host the largest-ever sale of offshore wind licenses in US history and speed up the construction of new power lines to transfer renewable energy across the country. Sales and Leases The sale of six commercial leases in the New York Bight between Long Island and New Jersey in February, the most successful offshore wind lease auction in history, was at the heart of the offshore effort. Companies interested in developing the seas bid a record $4.37 billion for 488,000 acres of offshore wind leases. Between 5.6 and 7 GW of installed capacity is projected to power 2 million households. The Department of Energy also announced the commencement of the Building a Better Grid program, which will use billions of dollars from the $1 trillion infrastructure package approved in November to support new lines and grid repairs. On the other hand, the Biden administration is preparing to build a massive offshore wind farm that would dwarf the New York Bight. According to Politico, the US government is considering opening 30 million acres of the Gulf of Mexico near Texas and Louisiana to offshore wind energy projects as part of Vice President Joe Biden's goal of building 30 gigawatts of wind power capacity by 2030, enough to power more than 10 million homes. To meet its offshore wind energy objective, the US would require more than 2,100 wind turbines, at least 2,100 foundations, more than 11,000 kilometers of cables, and five wind turbine installation boats, according to a research issued in March by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In the continental United States, there are now 71,328 wind turbines recorded. Also Read: Cost of Renewables Like Solar and Wind Farms Slowly Falling, Research Shows Wind Turbine Status Though no wind turbines have yet blossomed in the Gulf's waters, there are numerous reasons why the Gulf of Mexico is an ideal location for an offshore wind hub. To begin with, the Gulf Coast boasts a plethora of enterprises and personnel with decades of offshore energy production experience. According to the Energy Information Administration, federal offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 15% of total US crude oil output. The Tiber oilfield (found 2009) and the Eugene Island block 330 oilfields are major fields, while noteworthy oil platforms include Baldpate, Bullwinkle, Mad Dog, Magnolia, Mars, Petronius, and Thunder Horse. "We have a very developed energy foundation." "We know what we're doing," Lefton remarked. "The people, the firms, and the manufacturers know how to execute [Outer Continental Shelf] energy development in the Gulf of Mexico," said Amanda Lefton, head of the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The Gulf's existing oil and gas infrastructure provides "historical expertise," according to Hayes Framme, government relations manager for North America at Danish wind giant rsted A/S (OTCPK: DNNGY). "The fact that you have a crew that is used to working on rigs in the water is one of the factors that makes the Gulf area desirable." It's not like you have to start a business. Dennis Arriola, CEO of renewable energy provider Avangrid Inc. (NYSE: AGR), said, "What you have to do here is help an established sector evolve." Shift Urgency According to Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, jobs in the Gulf's conventional oil and gas business have fallen over the last decade, generating a feeling of urgency to create a shift that allows individuals to keep their skills. With wind power being utilized to create green hydrogen to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from businesses like long-haul transportation, fertilizer manufacture, and aviation, the Gulf might become a major hydrogen center. According to the Maritime Professional, approximately 45 offshore wind projects were in development in the United States as of January 2022, representing $136 billion in capital investment and $4.4 billion in annual OPEX opportunity. According to Maritime, 46 offshore wind projects will install 43 GW of capacity in this and the next decade, with the projects expected to come online this decade or early next. According to the report, 17.5 GW of project capacity has already received offtake agreements, and 16.5 GW of new federal offshore lease activity is ongoing in the northeast, South Atlantic, and California. Because of dropping offshore wind pricing, government action, and state-level pledges, the US offshore wind pipeline rose 24 percent year over year in 2021, with 35,324 MW now in different phases of development, according to the US Department of Energy. Given the severity of the Covid-19 outbreak, this is rather remarkable. In 2020, the United States will have added 17 GW of wind power, increasing the total installed capacity to 122 GW. With 288 GW of installed capacity, China is the world leader in wind energy. What Might Come Next The increasing uptake of sustainable energy is largely due to falling prices. According to BNEF, the worldwide average LCOE (Levelized Cost of electricity) for offshore wind farms will fall by 41% by 2030. Another significant advantage is that offshore projects may be developed on enormous scales to offset coal and nuclear facility closures directly, unlike onshore wind and solar. Leading non-US offshore wind businesses rsted A/S, Northland Power (OTCPK: NPIFF), and, to a lesser degree, Vestas Wind Systems (OCTPK: VWDRY), have reaped the benefits of the offshore boom. Related Article: Activist are Afraid that Renewable Energy Sources Might Endanger Biodiversity For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! The International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) said it has signed an agreement with Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE) to strengthen collaboration on scaling up renewable energy deployment in Middle East and North Africa region. The agreement renews an existing MoU signed by the two organisations in 2015. Since then, the duo has been strategic partners working closely on multiple joint initiatives, most notably on the Pan-Arab Clean Energy Initiative (PACE) which identified a series of actions to increase renewable energy investments in the region. Under this agreement, both Irena and RCREEE will partner on regional dialogues and initiatives that address the challenges, needs and opportunities of a renewables-based energy transition in Mena countries. The agencies will also share knowledge and cooperate on building capacity in Mena countries particularly through enabling policy and regulatory frameworks that can accelerate renewable energy adoption. "The energy transition offers a must-seize opportunity for the Mena region," said Irena Director-General Francesco La Camera after signing the pact with RCREEE Executive Director Dr Jauad El Kharraz on the margins of "Mena Europe Future Energy Dialogue", in Jordan. "By taking advantage of abundant renewable energy resources, countries in the region, many of which are highly dependent on fossil fuels, can future proof their economies and chart a long-term path of sustainable economic growth for future generations," he stated. Through the new agreement, the agencies will enter new areas of co-operation and adapt existing collaborative activities to recent challenges facing the development of renewable energy in the region. "Energy efficiency together with deployment of renewable energies will be key to address the climate change," remarked Dr El Kharraz. "The Mena region, thanks to its geographic position, can play a key role in the energy transition process. It is thus of utmost importance to cooperate in order to lead the region into a sustainable future, starting from the reinforcement of the regional cooperation," he added.-TradeArabia News Service A late-season atmospheric river is headed toward the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Canada. AccuWeather meteorologists warn it may produce catastrophic flooding if it reaches land in the coming days. Extreme Weather Storms continue to come in from the Pacific Ocean, trapping most of western Washington and southern British Columbia in the grip of winter. Many sites received two to three times their typical rainfall in May, and most have already received nearly all of their monthly rainfall for June in the first week. According to experts, storms over the northern Pacific Ocean aren't common this late season. However, more storms are forming and could cause a fire hose effect of torrential rain later this week across the northwest United States and southern Canada. Last November, an even greater atmospheric river crashed into these locations, causing a catastrophic and terrible disaster. In May, 3.82 inches of rain fell in Seattle, compared to 1.88 inches on average for the month. 1.03 inches of rain fell in the first seven days of June, compared to 1.45 inches for the entire month in the city. In Vancouver, British Columbia, 3.45 inches (87.6 mm) of rain fell in May, 2.2 times the typical amount, and 1.18 inches (30.0 mm) fell from June 1-7, which is already two-thirds of the average for the whole month. The persistence of storms from the Pacific, which generally pack their bags and leave for the summer season, has been a concern this spring, although the rain levels have not been spectacular. The dry season in the region runs from late May to the first half of September, with only occasional rainfall of approximately an inch per month for the coastal lowlands and somewhat larger quantities for the western slopes of the mountains. Dry weather helped lay the setting for all-time high temperatures in areas of the region last spring. This spring, the earth is fairly damp, leading to a new problem in some areas. Warmer air contributes to a slow disintegration of the snowpack at intermediate elevations between 4,000 and 8,000 feet in the absence of moisture-laden storm systems during a regular summer season. Also Read: A Series of Rain to Drizzle the American Northeast Following the Atmospheric River However, if storms with heavy rain persist until the first half of the summer, the remaining snow cover might liquefy, resulting in a quick runoff that could cause deadly and destructive flash floods. AccuWeather meteorologists have been following an atmospheric river capable of triggering that problem for several days. According to Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll, a succession of powerful storms and a plume of moisture stretch hundreds of kilometers from waters east of Asia to the south of Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Warm, moist air and heavy rain are en route to southwestern British Columbia and western Washington, with the effects anticipated to be felt primarily from Thursday to early Friday. According to Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer, the rain will come in waves throughout the weekend. "The dose shortly before the end of the week," Smithmyer added, "may cause enormous issues in rapid melting at intermediate levels and rapid flooding of the streams and rivers that run through and out of the mountains down below." Near sea level, 1-2 inches of rain is expected, but 2-4 inches is more likely, with local amounts up to 6 inches possible on the west-facing mountain slopes. This quantity of rain would not be enough to cause serious flooding issues, but the mountains are covered with snow. According to forecasters, the snowfall is presently measured in yards at moderate and high elevations. "The issue is that the snowpack temperature at intermediate elevations is near freezing and ready to melt," said Senior Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark. Many inches of water are trapped beneath that snowpack. When heavy rain falls on a melting snowpack, it can thaw quickly, effectively doubling or tripling rainfall quantities. This design has the potential to inundate some highways and neighborhoods with quickly rising water. The scenario can be hazardous in areas where flash flooding occurs at night. Forecasters predict that several minor roads and bridges may be washed out and that mud and other debris could obstruct some highways. Drivers who travel through flood-prone areas during significant rain events in the winter and spring should expect complications and be prepared to seek an alternate route. November Atmospheric River Last November, an atmospheric river dumped severe rains throughout British Columbia and parts of Washington. More than 20 inches of rain poured in some places, causing considerable damage to several roadways. Repair work is still underway in British Columbia, and employees may experience delays because of the atmospheric river. During the storms last autumn, all main highways and rail lines leading to Vancouver were stopped, and North America's third busiest port operations came to a standstill. According to The Associated Press, one person was killed due to the storms in the Canadian province. The floods of November 2021 caused billions of dollars in damage in Washington and Oregon. Seventy-five percent of the residences in Sumas, Washington, roughly 115 miles north of Seattle, were damaged by flooding. Storm Forecast Depending on the pace of the next storm, the second bout of rain will arrive from Friday night until Saturday. That storm did not look as powerful as the one on Thursday. However, the second storm this weekend may deliver some precipitation to the south, bringing showers to sections of Northern California. According to meteorologists, while the storm train will deliver an abundance of rainfall to the Northwest over the weekend, the pattern will not bring significant rain to drought-stricken California and much of the southwestern United States. 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! Islamabad, June 8 (UNI) At least 18 people were killed when a passenger van fell into a ditch on the Zhob National Highway in Quetta in Pakistan on Wednesday. The van had left Loralai for Zhob, local official Hafiz Muhammad Qasim told the Dawn newspaper. "The vehicle fell from a hilltop near Akhtarzai and all the 18 were killed in the accident," he said. Akhtarzai is a tribal area located at an elevation of 1,572 metres. The deceased included women and children as well. Nine of the dead were from the same family. UNI MYK MR Embassies from 35 countries express concern over crime situation in Islamabad Islamabad, June 8 (UNI) Diplomats and security advisers from 35 countries from Far East, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa expressed concerns over the law and order and crime situation in Pakistans Islamabad, Dawn reported on Wednesday. The embassies staff showed concerns over road blockades and sealing of the Red Zone hampering their movements. The report said that one security staffers asked if Islamabad was safe for walk, including trails on the Margalla Hills. The embassy staff of a Far Eastern country showed concerns over the increase in street crime in the capital. Citing sources in the police, the report said that diplomats and security advisers met senior officers of the capital police on Monday and discussed security-related issues. 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. IBM launches Automation Innovation Centre in Kochi Kochi, June 8 (UNI) IBM on Wednesday announced the launch of a new Automation Innovation Centre, which will be housed within the IBM India Software Lab in Kochi, located at Brigade World Trade Centre Info Park, Kakkanad. The new centre, which will be fully operational in Q3 2022, will allow IBM and IBM Ecosystem partners to build automation solutions through their lifecycle product design, engineering, and support -- that will help clients in the areas of business automation, AIOps and integration, a statement said. At the new centre, IBM will work in tandem with clients and partners to co-create in order to foster innovation by bringing an outside-in view for designing new products at speed while enhancing customer experience. IBM is also in the process of bringing this innovation centre together by acquiring local talent to strengthen its growth journey in the region. Today, businesses are looking for best-in-class solutions for their digital transformation journeys, including AI-powered automation to improve their IT and business processes. According to the recently conducted Global AI Adoption Index 2022 by Morning Consult on behalf of IBM, more than half of IT professionals in India report their company is currently using or considering automation software or tools to drive greater efficiencies in IT operations (52%) and business processes/tasks (53%) and to give valuable time back to employees (55%). In line with business demands and in efforts to capitalize on this opportunity, IBM is furthering its collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Wipro. As part of this engagement, the engineering teams of TCS and Wipro will co-locate with IBM India Software Lab in Kochi to co-create and co-innovate solutions in AI-powered automation. India is an innovation and talent hub for IBM, and our collaborations with IIIT Kottayam, TCS, and Wipro will help us accelerate the adoption of automation for businesses across industries, said Dinesh Nirmal, General Manager, IBM Automation. IBM is already helping thousands of clients and partners use automation solutions to make IT and business processes more efficient and employees more effective, and the work from our Kochi lab will help us continue to build powerful AI-powered automation solutions for businesses in India and globally." "The collaborations will also provide youths beyond metros access to jobs, exposure to the latest in automation technology, and skilling opportunities to be job-ready. Working together with Wipro, the teams will co-engineer extensions and kits for developers and partners to create using IBM Automation solutions via low-code/no-code methods. Working with TCS, the teams will engineer extensions for the IBM AI-powered automation portfolio to address and map to industry-specific and domain use cases. The unique co-location collaborations will bring deeper levels of cohesion between the IBM Automation Innovation Centre, TCS, and Wipro engineering teams and help bring enhancements and integration to the market faster and deliver customized solutions to clients in various sectors to meet their unique demands. According to 38% of IT professionals in India at organizations exploring or deploying AI, the greatest barrier to successful AI adoption is limited AI skills, expertise, or knowledge. To help address this gap in skills, IBM is collaborating with the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Kottayam to work together on skill and curriculum enhancement, as well as equip students with the right skills that will enable them to be competitive in the technology job market. IBM will provide the faculty and students of IIIT Kottayam with educational resources, tutorials, select IBM software, industry-relevant curated courseware content, access to cloud for hands-on experience, and other resources. IBM will also assign mentors who will work closely with faculty and students to co-author research papers and contribute to community-driven content on innovative technology areas, like business automation. UNI DS SY Questions on Ice House, a row of single-family houses in Campustown, Meijer Drive, a lounge chair shortage at Sholem Pool, a former dry cleaners at Springfield & Neil, backyard fires, Bradley Avenue improvements, MTD to STM and those signed stones at Prairie Play at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana. Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. Record high temperatures expected. High 99F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 75F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. In a new Viruses study, researchers report the discovery of the Gimso virus, a novel betacoronavirus in a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) from Grimso, Sweden. These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining surveillance on the human-wildlife interface for the early detection of potential pandemic viruses. Study: Discovery of a Novel Coronavirus in Swedish Bank Voles (Myodes glareolus). Image Credit: corlaffa / Shutterstock.com Introduction Coronaviruses (CoVs) have a broad host range, which has led to a widely divergent array of virus structures and a high potential for zoonosis. The CoVs found to cause human disease are mostly derived from rodents or bats. Four endemic seasonal human CoVs were circulating long before the emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. These early endemic CoVs cause about a third of common colds in humans, two of which are closely related to rodent-borne CoVs. Thus, rodents are likely CoV reservoirs and are capable of spillover events into humans that can ultimately trigger human infections. Bank voles are commonly found in Europe and carry multiple zoonotic pathogens, including Puumala orthohantavirus and Francisella tularensis. Both alpha- and beta-CoVs have been detected at various times in these animals. In the current study, researchers report on the discovery of two complete Grimso virus sequences and their phylogenetic relationship to other rodents CoVs. These sequences were obtained from a three-year sampling of bank voles at a single site in Grimso, Sweden between 2015 and 2017. Study findings The researchers initially used a customized polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to screen approximately 270 bank voles. This yielded nine partial sequences that shared nucleotides and amino acids at 98-100% and 94-100% identity, respectively. The same sequences were less than 60% identical to other beta-CoVs in rodents at the nucleotide level and less than 50% at the amino acid level. (A) Geographic map showing the province Orebro, Sweden and the site of sampling (Grimso) where bank voles were captured. Table demonstrating the prevalence of Grimso virus from 2015 to 2017. (B) MrBayes midpoint root tree based on the 252 nt of the spike gene. The scale bar indicates the nt substitution per site. The numbers above the branches indicate the posterior probability. Grimso virus samples are highlighted in blue. Further analysis indicated that these partial sequences originated from a separate phylogenetic group that formed part of the rodent Embecoviruses. Using two of these sequences, the researchers obtained a complete sequence with seven regions including the spike, envelope, nucleocapsid, and membrane proteins. These sequences were confirmed to share less than 80% and 67% of nucleotides and amino acid sequences, respectively, with other rodent CoVs. This demonstrates its divergence from other known rodent CoVs. When compared across 101 CoV genome sequences, the ribonucleic acid (RNA)-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme sequence consisted of three endemic alpha- and beta-CoV species in bank voles. These CoVs belong to Luchacovirus and Embecovirus from genera Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus, respectively. However, common receptor sequences were not identified, except in the S2 domain of the spike protein. Implications The current study discusses the discovery of a novel beta-CoV in Swedish bank voles and presents its full sequence for the first time. The failure to detect this virus using a published pan-CoV PCR test is traceable to the highly divergent RNA sequence of the Grimso virus. The use of specific spike gene primers in the customized PCR used in the present study yielded several samples over the three-year study period. The two complete sequences obtained in this study showed almost 3.5% non-identity, which amounted to about 1,340 differences at the nucleotide level. This exceeds the expected rate of nucleotide substitution over three years. Either several strains of the Grimso virus are co-circulating in this rodent species, or the true reservoir of this virus includes other species that regularly transmit it to bank voles. The prevalence of the Grimso virus in this rodent species was about 3.4%, thus suggesting that this animal is a suitable host for the virus. As a result, the Grimso virus presents a potential zoonotic host for spillover events between bank voles and human beings. Bank voles have been shown to carry several different CoVs, including some that are closely related to the Grimso virus, across a broad swath of European territory. Furthermore, since recombination events and cross-species transmission events have often been recorded, there remains an urgent need to conduct additional studies to map and monitor this virus. The Com-COV 3 study has been commissioned through the NIHR and backed by 2.8 million government funding, with support from both the Vaccine Taskforce and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). This new stage of the study which will look to enrol 380 volunteers is funded entirely by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and will run across nine NIHR-supported sites plus one Health and Care Research Wales site by the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium (NISEC). All participants will have completed a two-dose schedule of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, at least three months before joining. Researchers will deliver a third vaccine dose as part of the study. Matthew Snape, Professor in Paediatrics and Vaccinology at the University of Oxford, and Chief Investigator of the trial, said: This study builds on the important results from previous Com-COV and COV-BOOST studies, which have directly informed the national and international use of mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules. These studies have included teenagers receiving the first two vaccine doses. A key question for teenagers now is how well they respond to different options for a third dose of vaccine. This includes giving a lower dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, or a protein-based vaccine produced by Novavax. If these can be shown to produce a strong immune response with fewer temporary side effects, then this could improve the acceptability and uptake of a third dose adolescent campaign, both in the UK and internationally. All participants will be randomly allocated to receive either a full adult dose, one-third adult dose or full child dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, or a full dose of the Novavax vaccine. A control group will receive a meningitis vaccine (Bexsero, against MenB bacteria) followed by a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine later in the study. Professor Matthew Snape added: So far, NISEC COVID vaccine studies have enrolled more than 12,000 participants in the UK, providing unique data on best use of licensed COVID vaccines that have directly influenced policy in the UK and globally. This new stage of the Com-COV 3 study is the next step in this program, and we gratefully acknowledge the incredible support of the UK public for these studies, along with that of the NIHR, Vaccine Taskforce and CEPI. The study is single-blind and randomized. This means participants will not know what third dose vaccine they are receiving until three months after their vaccine dose. Researchers will analyze reactogenicity (any side effects) and immune system responses to these new combinations of vaccines. They will also examine if a one-third adult dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is at least as good as a full child dose of the same vaccine. Professor Andrew Ustianowski, NIHR Clinical Lead for COVID-19 Vaccination Programme and Joint National Infection Specialty Lead, said: It's very important that continued research into how we can best protect teenagers against COVID-19 takes place. The Com-COV 3 study will help us to develop a better understanding of adolescents immunity when it comes to booster jabs. Thousands of volunteers are still stepping forward for a number of vaccine booster studies, two years on since we began to recruit into the first COVID-19 vaccine studies. Their time, support and generosity have been immense and helps us build upon the science of vaccine combinations. The latest stage of the Com-COV 3 study will be key to providing important data on protecting young people and their families. Clinical research on mix-and-match and fractional dose vaccination strategies have provided very relevant evidence on pragmatic recommendations on vaccine use in both high-income countries and low- and middle-income country settings. However, gaps remain in our understanding of the impact of such approaches for booster doses in under 15s a group that accounts for around a quarter of the worlds population. The key additional evidence supplied through Com-COV 3 could help guide global vaccination programs and ensure as many people as possible be protected from this dreadful disease." Dr Jakob Cramer, Director of Clinical Development, Vaccine R&D, CEPI Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax, said: Novavaxs vaccine has already shown strong immune responses against COVID-19 and its variants and we look forward to confirming NVX-CoV2373s efficacy as a booster through the Com-COV3 program. Vaccine choice is important for both primary vaccination and boosters, and this trial is another step towards offering more options to individuals, healthcare providers, and public health authorities. The study investigators anticipate reporting initial results in 2022. The UKs regulatory body, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), rigorously assess the safety and efficacy of any new vaccine before considering market authorization and subsequent rollout to patients. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provide expert guidance to UK health departments on vaccination, which takes into account a range of evidence, including data from trials undertaken to understand the immunological impact of booster vaccinations. All those who are interested can register via the study website: comcovstudy.org.uk A brief Com-COV timeline The University of Oxford is leading the NIHR-commissioned Com-COV 3 study, run by the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium (NISEC) and backed by 2.8 million of government funding. CEPI also provided 2.4 million to support the study as part of its COVID-19 research programme, which aims to address current gaps in current clinical knowledge of vaccine performance both now and in the long term in order to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines as part of the global vaccination rollout. In May 2021, researchers reported preliminary Com-COV data revealing more frequent mild to moderate reactions in mixed schedules compared to standard schedules, however, these were short-lived in duration. In June 2021, they further reported that mixed schedules involving Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca induced high concentrations of antibodies against the SARS-CoV2 spike IgG protein when doses were administered four weeks apart. In April 2021, the researchers expanded the program to include the Moderna and Novavax vaccines in a new study, and reported results in December supporting these vaccines as second dose options following a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. The first stage of the Com-COV3 study in adolescents was conducted from August 2021 and showed that fewer temporary side effects were observed with a reduced dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as a second dose, while still generating a robust immune response. These results have been presented to the JCVI and are being prepared for publication. In line with CEPIs equitable access policy, findings generated through the research will be shared through open-access publications and via scientific meetings to ensure all can benefit. A new study presents a novel approach to drug repurposing that incorporates two-stage prediction and machine learning. The study is published in the peer-reviewed OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology. Drug repurposing is a method of developing new therapeutic use(s) for existing drugs, for which safety and pharmacokinetics have already been demonstrated in humans. This can significantly reduce the time, cost, uncertainty, and side effects associated with drug development. Toshinori Endo, PhD, from Hokkaido University, and coauthors, propose a two-stage approach to drug repurposing. First, diseases are clustered by gene expression, with the thought that similar patterns of altered gene expression imply critical pathways shared in different disease conditions. Second, drug efficacy is determined based on the ability to reverse altered gene expression, and the results are clustered to identify repurposing targets. The investigators applied their approach and identified disease-specific gene expression and 20 drugs for repurposing. "In this study, we took advantage of the large-scale identification and integration of different levels of information and biological insights that machine learning offers," stated the investigators. "The efficiency and accuracy of drug candidate calculations were superior to those of previous studies, effectively improving the likelihood of successful drug repurposing, since all drugs were derived from agents effective against other diseases that clustered together in the same group." Drug repurposing is of interest for therapeutics innovation in many human diseases including COVID-19. This study brings together three strands of methodological innovation: machine learning, unsupervised clustering of gene expression, and two-stage prediction. It is a timely contribution to the drug repurposing scholarship that should broadly inform life sciences discoveries, clinical trials, and translational medicine." Vural Ozdemir, MD, PhD, DABCP, Editor-in-Chief of OMICS Monkeypox is elevated to same threat as the plague, rabies and measles London, June 8 (UNI) The threat of monkeypox has been to the same level as plague, rabies and measles, Daily Mail reported on Wednesday. This move comes after Monkeypox has become a notifiable disease in England, meaning all medics must alert local health authorities regarding suspected cases. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said laboratories must also tell it if the virus is identified in a sample. In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* pre-print server, researchers assessed the effectiveness of the PfizerBioNTech BNT162b2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in the seven million United Kingdom (UK) adults who were eligible to receive booster shots between 16 September and 16 December 2021. Study: Effectiveness of BNT162b2 booster doses in England: an observational study in OpenSAFELY-TPP. Image Credit: Jo Panuwat D / Shutterstock Background Under its national COVID-19 vaccination program, the UK initially prioritized its high-risk population to receive booster shots in September 2021 before being made available for its general adult population. However, after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant of concern (VOC) Omicron, booster availability was reduced to three months on 8 December 2021. Earlier, boosters were available after six months from when an individual received their second COVID-19 vaccine dose. About the study In the present study, researchers estimated the effectiveness of booster shots of the BNT162b2 vaccine in adults who had received two vaccine doses between 16 September and 16 December 2021. The team used data from the OpenSAFELY-TPP database for the study analysis. The database had information on 40% of English primary care practices linked to National coronavirus surveillance, hospital, and death registry data. The study follow-up continued for 10 weeks or 31 December 2021, where the researchers compared each booster recipient with a matched unboosted control subject based on booster priority and prior vaccination status. The team allocated a matched control to each study participant based on the National Health Service (NHS) region, study entry date, vaccine brand, and date of second vaccine dose. A Cox regression model adjusted for these factors to estimate hazard ratios (HRs), where 1-HR expressed as a percentage indicated the BNT162b2 booster effectiveness. The HR estimates compared boosted with unboosted people, overall and separately, for days 1 to 28 and 29 to 70. Additionally, the team estimated HRs for days one to seven, eight to 14, 15 to 28, 29 to 42, and 43 to 70. The study had several outcomes: a positive-SARS-CoV-2 test, COVID-19-related death, COVID-19 hospitalization, and death unrelated to COVID-19. Study findings The study population comprised 6,990,219 individuals matched as controls and then rematched in the booster group. As expected, the matching factors and the proportion of people with pre-existing morbidities were similar between the study groups. Although the standardized mean difference between the two groups was consistently under 0.1, the control group subjects had more learning disabilities, lower SARS-CoV-2 testing frequency, and higher rates of severe mental illness and deprivation. The screening of 23,151,145 person-weeks of follow-up yielded 123,378 positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, 3,672 COVID-19 hospitalizations, 588 COVID-19 deaths, and 6,990 non-COVID-19 deaths. The boosted individuals showed an aberrant increase in the aggregate incidence of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests around seven days after receiving booster shots; however, they did not show a similar pattern for other severe COVID-19 outcomes. Moreover, the differences in the aggregate incidence of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests between the study groups were apparent in the first few days. Accordingly, the 10-week risk of positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the boosted vs. unboosted group was 47.3 and 84.0 per 1000, respectively, corresponding to a risk difference of 36.8 per 1000. The risk difference for COVID-19 hospitalization, COVID-19 death, and non-COVID-19 death were 3.6, 1, and 8.1, respectively. The (overall) booster effectiveness for days one to seven were 50.7%, 80.1%, 88.5%, and 80.3% for positive SARS-CoV-2 test, COVID-19 hospitalization, COVID-19 death, and non-COVID-19 death. Additionally, the booster effectiveness against all COVID-19 outcomes was generally lower during days one to 28 than between days 29 to 70. Within shorter periods, the booster effectiveness against positive SARS-CoV-2 tests appeared to wane from around six weeks after booster vaccination, 68.2% vs. 45.3% between days 15 to 28 and days 43 to 70. Conclusions Overall, a booster shot of BNT162b2 reduced the rates of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests by ~50% during the first 10 weeks after the booster administration. Additionally, the booster shots decreased the rates of COVID-19 hospitalization, COVID-19 death, and non-COVID-19 death. More importantly, the booster effectiveness remained similar against all severe COVID-19 outcomes regardless of the brand of vaccine used for primary vaccination and prior infection. Conversely, the estimated booster effectiveness was lower in those below 65 years and clinically vulnerable populations. Since the current study showed evidence of waning booster effectiveness against positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, the authors emphasized the need for monitoring booster vaccine effectiveness over time. *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. Health care workers in home care settings have played a crucial role in caring for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, researchers from Japan have found that these workers need more support to stay mentally healthy. In a study recently published in BMC Primary Care, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed that fear related to contracting COVID-19, as well anxiety and depression, varied according to occupation in home health care workers. Home health care workers (home-HCWs) such as visiting doctors, nurses, medical social workers, care workers, and others engage with patients in a community setting, increasing their risk of contracting diseases such as COVID-19. As a result, these individuals have faced highly stressful working conditions during the pandemic. To effectively support these workers, more information is needed about their specific mental health needs, which the researchers at the University of Tsukuba aimed to address. Little is known about levels of anxiety and depression, as well as fear of contracting COVID-19, among home-HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information about these mental health factors could help inform efforts to improve the working environment for health care workers in home care settings." Jun Hamano, Study Main Author and Assistant Author, University of Tsukuba To do this, the researchers asked home-HCWs at multiple centers in Japan to complete an anonymous online survey about factors affecting mental health in the workplace, including information about workload, the availability of support and information, the quality of interprofessional collaboration, fear of contracting COVID-19, and anxiety and depression. The survey was conducted during the fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, at which point the Japanese government had declared a state of emergency. "The results were revealing," explains Assistant Professor Hamano. "We found that occupation, teamwork, and unmet support needs were associated with fear of contracting COVID-19 and mental health in home-HCWs." Furthermore, non-physicians, such as nurses, medical social workers, and medical office staff were more likely to be fearful and depressed than physicians during the pandemic. "Our findings indicate that mental health support for home-HCWs should be tailored to individuals based on their profession," says Assistant Professor Hamano. Given that medical office staff and social workers in home care setting are often the first to interact with patients, these workers may face a heightened risk of infection, and thus be more fearful of contracting COVID-19. Appropriate infection protection systems and mental health support are needed for these workers, as well as physicians and nurses. Further, efforts to strengthen perceptions of good teamwork may help to mitigate COVID-19-related fear as well as anxiety and depression among all healthcare workers. A blood clot in the brain that blocks the supply of oxygen can cause an acute stroke. In this case, every minute counts. A team from Empa, the University Hospital in Geneva and the Hirslanden Clinic is currently developing a diagnostic procedure that can be used to start a tailored therapy in a timely manner, as they write in the current issue of the scientific journal Scientific Reports. There is no warning sign: From one moment to the next, entire brain areas are blocked. When a clot occludes a blood vessel, the oxygen supply to the brain is interrupted, and the affected person suffers an acute cerebral stroke. The life-threatening condition can manifest itself in many different ways: from muscle paralysis to loss of hearing or vision to unconsciousness. But one thing is certain: This is a medical emergency, and the time span until the vascular blockage is resolved must be as short as possible in order to save as many nerve cells as possible from dying. This is the only way to prevent permanent neurological damage. Which treatment is best suited for this purpose is not always easy to determine in the required rush. Based on X-ray analysis and electron microscopy, a team from Empa, the Hirslanden Clinic and the University Hospital in Geneva is currently developing a method that should enable the optimal therapy to be identified in the shortest possible time. A first study has been published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports. This data should provide the basis for tailored treatment in the sense of personalized medicine. Screening each cell individually The reason for this dilema: Not all blood clots are the same; depending on the type, different types of cells can clump together. Depending on whether red or white blood cells predominate, or on the proportion of fibrin fibers, the thrombus has completely different properties. In addition, thrombi differ greatly in shape. A 15-millimeter-long thrombus that does not completely fill a blood vessel has different mechanical properties than a clot that is only a few millimeters short but completely blocks a vessel and the blood supply to the brain areas behind it. The optimal treatment depends on these differences, whether it is dissolving the clot with drugs or using a so-called stent retriever, a kind of tiny fishing rod with which the thrombus in the blood vessel can be "fished out" and whose material can be selected differently depending on the thrombus. Radiology currently relies on conventional computed tomography scans to make the therapeutic decision. However, images of the patient's head provide little information about the details of a clot because objects made of similar materials are too difficult to distinguish from one another and to resolve spatially. Moreover, in everyday clinical practice the resolution of the images is limited to 200 micrometers. This is different with laboratory methods, which the researchers used for their new study: The team, with the participation of Robert Zboray, Antonia Neels and Somayeh Saghamanesh from Empa's Center for X-Ray Analytics, had examined various blood clots taken from patients during neurosurgical procedures. For this purpose, different laboratory technologies were combined, resulting in virtual 3D images that revealed detailed and previously unknown properties of blood clots. We used 3D micro-tomography to examine individual red blood cells down to the micrometer-range," Robert Zboray, Empa researcher Such tomography using phase-contrast techniques produces stronger contrast. Objects that are easy to penetrate, such as muscles, connective tissue or blood clots, can thus be visualized in particularly fine nuances and in their spatial spread. Calcified thrombi Other technologies such as scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction and scattering methods provided additional information down to atomic levels. Here it was shown for the first time that a thrombus not only consists of blood cells and fibrin networks, but can even be interspersed with minerals such as hydroxyapatite, as is known from vessel walls in arterial calcification. However, this detailed information on the peculiarities of a blood clot comes too late, when the thrombus has already been surgically removed. In addition, the newly acquired data cannot be compared with the conventional images and findings in the hospital. Digitalization in medicine, meanwhile, allows the data to be modeled in such a way that an algorithm could read out the detailed information in the future. "To do this, we still need to study a large number of thrombi so that we can use machine learning to identify new features and image patterns regarding the composition of the clot, which can then be transferred to conventional hospital images to help distinguish different types of thrombi," Zboray said. Eventually, the researchers hope that due to their findings conventional hospital images might be interpreted in a very short time - just as if the blood clot had been examined in an ultrafast virtual laboratory. This would pave the way for a more accurate and personalized therapy for stroke patients in a timely manner. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed a new chemical-only process that may represent an important breakthrough in creating customized mRNA vaccines for a variety of diseases and allow for the inexpensive preparation of mRNA in large quantities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines were successfully used to boost immunity. These vaccines teach cells how to make a protein that triggers the body's immune response, allowing its natural defenses to recognize the invading virus. However, current vaccines that use biological processes do not allow for the precise molecular design of mRNA, which limits their use in creating new vaccines as variants emerge. As published in ACS Chemical Biology, a research group led by Professor Hiroshi Abe and Associate Professor Naoko Abe of the Graduate School of Science at Nagoya University has developed the first completely chemical synthesis method for mRNA. In their study, the group synthesized a part of the mRNA called the cap. The cap is important because it promotes the translation of mRNA into proteins and protects mRNA from degradation. To prepare synthetic mRNA, such as that used in vaccines, the two currently used biological methods rely on enzymes to incorporate the cap structure into the mRNA. However, the researchers found that their technique could synthesize a variety of chemically modified mRNA strands with a cap structure. Our research suggests that it is possible to make mRNAs with precisely introduced chemical modifications with complete control over the process. The molecular design reported in our study exhibits five times higher translational activity than that of enzyme-produced natural-type mRNA. This means that mRNA can be synthesized in large quantities at low cost using chemical synthesis." Hiroshi Abe, Professor, Nagoya University Chemically modified mRNA could be used to create customized vaccines against a variety of infectious diseases including viruses and cancers. Professor Abe explains, "By introducing these chemical modifications, the mRNA becomes stable. This could allow for the creation of long-lasting and effective mRNA vaccines. In addition, it could allow mRNA to be administered directly instead of using lipid nanoparticles, which are used for delivery in current vaccines." "One of the exciting implications of this research is that this could be used in the next generation of vaccines," the researchers said. "We hope that the capping method reported here will be of great use in the development of RNA therapeutics." A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reviewed cannabis use on reproductive health, pregnancy, and fetal outcomes. Background Cannabis, a federally illegal drug, is the most consumed drug in the United States (US). Its consumption is increasing worldwide partly due to legalization in several regions and growing social acceptability and accessibility. Cannabis use has been increasing, particularly among individuals of reproductive age. The elevated consumption of cannabis during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may partly be attributed to increased stress and anxiety. The endocannabinoid system mediates the biological effects of cannabis. Endocannabinoid receptor expression has been observed in developing fetuses as early as the fifth gestational week. Cannabinoid receptors have been reported in male/female reproductive tracts, sperms, and placenta, indicating that the endocannabinoid system might regulate reproduction. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive element of cannabis, has been detected in breastmilk and could cross the placenta. Moreover, evidence about the safety of cannabis use, particularly regarding reproductive health and pregnancy, is limited. As such, nearly 70% of US females believe that consuming cannabis once or twice a week is innocuous. Given the increase in cannabis consumption, it is necessary to study the effects/impact of cannabis on reproductive health and developmental outcomes of offspring. Cannabinoid pharmacology Cannabis is a member of the Cannabaceae family and has over 80 bioactive chemical compounds, with THC and cannabidiol being the most commonly known. Cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) are expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Some of the therapeutic properties of cannabinoids include muscle relaxation, analgesia, anti-inflammation, immunosuppression, sedation, mood improvement, anti-emesis, and appetite stimulation, among others. Nonetheless, cannabinoids are not approved for therapeutic use. Cannabis consumption and legalization Smoking is the most common way of cannabis administration, followed by edibles. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) occurs in about 10% of regular consumers and 50% chronic users. Therapeutic options for CUD are limited and include psychosocial intervention, motivational enhancement therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy or a combination. Several American, African, European, and Australian regions have decriminalized the use of cannabis. The significantly increased consumption of cannabis has been due to the legalization of recreational cannabis. In the US, 18 states legalized recreational cannabis in 2021. These legal changes would likely influence cannabis consumption among adolescents and children. It has been suggested that the puberty and mental health of the pediatric population could be impacted by cannabis use. Cannabis use by males and paternal impact The effect of chronic consumption of cannabis among men is inconsistent, with reports of minimal-to-no changes in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels or poorer semen parameters. Animal studies observed that THC exposure could result in adverse effects on spermatogenesis, decrease in gonadotropins, abnormal sperm morphology, and testicular atrophy. One recent report demonstrated that cannabis exposure in rats and humans was associated with altered methylation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The affected genes were implicated in cancers and early development, including neurodevelopment. Impact of Cannabis on female reproductive health, pregnancy, lactation, and fetal outcomes Various studies suggest that cannabis affects processes associated with female reproductive health, such as ovulation, secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and FSH, and menstrual cyclicity. Studies on mice showed that prolactin, FSH, and LH levels were suppressed upon acute THC administration. Women that use cannabis during pregnancy are often involved in polysubstance use resulting in a synergistic or additive effect. Moreover, half the women who use cannabis continue it throughout the pregnancy. There are growing concerns about adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes since THC could bind to cannabinoid receptors in the placenta or fetal brain. The risk of miscarriage and stillbirth is also higher but is inconsistent across different studies. Some studies suggested higher odds of admissions to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), small for gestational age (SGA), placenta abruption, and infant deaths. Impairment of cytotrophoblast fusion and biochemical differentiation by THC has been observed in vitro. Further, THC inhibits migration of the epithelial layer of amnion, affecting its development during the gestational period and contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm labor. Hyperactivity, impulsivity, abnormal visual and verbal reasoning, and attention deficit have been reported in preschool children born to mothers who used THC during pregnancy. Lactating mothers are likely to increase cannabis use within two months of childbirth. This raises concerns about the gradual release of THC from lipid-filled tissues in the offspring transferred through breastmilk. Furthermore, chronic usage of cannabis increased THC concentration by more than eight times in breastmilk relative to plasma. Newborns with THC exposure within a month of birth have been observed to have reduced motor development. Concluding remarks While the use of cannabis is growing, data on its safety, particularly on reproductive health, are limited. The current literature suggests that its use has significant health implications, and it is gravely concerning that 70% of females believe its consumption is safe during pregnancy. Notably, only half the healthcare providers discouraged perinatal cannabis consumption. Despite the limited safety information, it is critical to have both individuals and healthcare providers informed about the potential adverse effects of cannabis, particularly before conception, during pregnancy, and during the postpartum period. Scientists from Denmark have recently evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on mental health in older adults. The findings indicate a slight increase in the risk of loneliness in the study population. However, an overall reduction in the risk of depression and sleeping problems has been observed during the pandemic. The study has been published in Annals of Epidemiology. Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than 6 million deaths worldwide. At the early phase of the pandemic, when no vaccines were available, strict control measures, including face mask-wearing, hand hygiene, social distancing, and lockdown, were implemented worldwide to restrict the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of COVID-19. Although a sharp reduction in social activities among people considerably helped limit the pandemic trajectory, it had caused mental health deterioration in susceptible people. Studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown that strict control measures increase the incidence of mental health problems in the general population, irrespective of age, sex, ethnicity, and social status. In the current longitudinal study, the scientists have compared the mental health consequences in middle-aged and older European populations before and during the first COVID-19 outbreak in Europe. Study design The study analysis was conducted using the mental health-related data obtained from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The final analysis included the data of 36,478 individuals aged above 50 years. The incidence of depression, loneliness, and sleeping problems were assessed in the study population before and during the first pandemic wave in Europe. Important observations An overall reduction in mental health symptoms was observed during the pandemic compared to before. Specifically, the percentage of people reporting depression or sleeping problems reduced during the pandemic. However, a slight increase in the prevalence of loneliness was observed among study participants during the pandemic. Considering socio-demographic factors, the analysis revealed that the overall reduction in depression levels observed during the pandemic was comparatively lesser among people with a lower educational level, fewer close social relations, and no limitation in basic activities due to health or not-working. Although a lower risk of sleeping problems was observed during the pandemic, the effect was comparatively less pronounced in male participants and those with fewer close social relations. Regarding loneliness, a higher risk was observed among women during the pandemic. Compared to participants with 1 or 0 close social relations, those who had two or more close social relations before the pandemic showed higher susceptibility to loneliness during the pandemic. In addition, a higher risk of loneliness was observed in participants who had contracted COVID-19 compared to those without the disease. Country-specific prevalence of mental health problems The data obtained from 27 European countries was analyzed by considering the degree of strictness in implementing control measures during the pandemic. The participants living in countries with higher strictness showed a lesser decline in the risk of depression during the pandemic than those living in less stringent countries. Similarly, the overall induction in the risk of loneliness observed during the pandemic was higher in participants living in more stringent countries. Although the risk of loneliness increased during the pandemic, the effect was relatively lower in five countries (Finland, Romania, Hungary, Israel, and the Czech Republic) and relatively higher in nine countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Greece, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and Slovenia). Study significance The study compares the pre-and during-pandemic mental health consequences in middle-aged and older European populations. While the risk of depression and sleeping problems has reduced during the pandemic, a higher risk of feeling lonely has been observed among participants. As mentioned by the scientists, the findings could be self-contradicting as depression, loneliness, and sleep disorders are commonly positively correlated. Although an expected induction in the risk of loneliness has been observed in the study, the unexpected reduction in the risk of depression and sleeping problems could be because of the pandemic-induced induction in social solidarity. In a recent study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers analyzed the incidence of myocarditis among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-1273 vaccinees. Various studies have reported a causal association between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and myocarditis. Moreover, evidence shows the incidence of myocarditis among individuals vaccinated with the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. About the study In the present study, researchers assessed the cumulative risk of the incidence of myocarditis or myopericarditis among individuals who had received the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. The team reviewed reports of potential myopericarditis and myocarditis documented in the Moderna global safety database between 18 December 2020 and 15 February 2022. The data collected from this database included adverse events reported by individuals globally. The team queried the database for valid cases reporting myopericarditis and myocarditis. Available references were used to develop a systematic approach that characterized potential reports of myocarditis after mRNA vaccination and assessed causality. The Brighton Collaboration case definition for myocarditis was used to classify individual cases into five categories: (1) level 1- definitive case, (2) level 2- probable case, (3) level 3- possible case, (4) level 4- a reported event with insufficient evidence; and (5) level 5- not a case of myopericarditis or myocarditis based on diagnostic evidence and clinical findings. The team also used the World Health OrganizationUppsala Monitoring Centre standardized case causality assessment tool to evaluate the likelihood of a case causally associated with the vaccine. The global proportion of mRNA-1273 vaccinees was estimated according to the data retrieved through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European CDC, the public health agency of Canada, the Swiss federal office of public health, and Our World in Data on 16 February 2021. Results The team estimated that between 18 December 2020 and 15 February 2022, 568,668,391 doses of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine were administered, and 477,932 individual cases were reported, including 1,819,802 adverse events. The individual cases reported comprised 3027 cases of myopericarditis or myocarditis. Among these, 72% of the cases were reported by a healthcare professional involved in the patients therapy, and 97.5% had serious adverse events, including 1.5% reporting a fatal outcome. Almost 21% of the cases reported COVID-19 recovery, while 1.6% recovered with sequelae and 25.7% were recovering. The team noted that 40.3% of the total cases were from the European economic area (EEA), 25.2% from the US, 11.5% from Asia, 5.1% from Switzerland, 8.5% from the UK, 8.8% from Canada, and less than 1% from the Middle East and Australia. The median age of the study population was 29 years, while 75% of the cases were reported in men. The study results showed that the number of myopericarditis or myocarditis corresponded to the overall reporting rate of 9.23 per 100,000 person-years, irrespective of the time of disease onset. The observed reporting rate among individuals who had received the mRNA-1273 vaccine varied significantly with respect to age and gender. Furthermore, the reporting rate for males was 14.54 per 100,000 person-years, and for females was 4.11 per 100,000 person-years. Across different age groups, the reporting rate was 29.29 per 100,000 person-years among individuals aged between 18 and 24 years. When adjusted according to age and gender, younger males under 40 years had the highest reporting rates for myopericarditis or myocarditis. Overall, the observed reporting rates for myopericarditis or myocarditis post-mRNA-1273 vaccination resulted in a rate ratio of 1.03. When the study was restricted to cases reported within seven days of a known COVID-19 dose, the observed reporting rate for the vaccinees per 100,000 doses was higher after administering the second vaccine dose. The highest rates reported within seven days of vaccination were observed after the second dose among males aged less than 39 years, specifically those between 18 and 24 years. Comparing the observed rates to the expected rates resulted in a rate ratio of 8.88 for males aged between 18 to 24 years within seven days of the second vaccine dose. The team noted that the rates were lower after the third dose than after the second dose. Conclusion Overall, the study findings showed that myopericarditis or myocarditis was a rare event in mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine recipients. The researchers believe that the benefits of mRNA-1273 vaccination outweigh the potential risk of vaccine-associated myocarditis. In a recent review posted to the OSF* preprint server, the author explained the causes of the mysterious origin of the recent monkeypox outbreaks in non-endemic nations outside Africa. Background Monkeypox cases are on the rise in several non-endemic nations worldwide despite the absence of travel links and connected clusters with Africa. Despite the worldwide prevalence, the causes of the origin of monkeypox beyond the African continent are unclear. If the much more fatal Ebola virus emerges similarly, serious consequences for human health could be expected, and therefore, the origin of the mysterious monkeypox outbreaks must be understood. In the present review, researchers reported on the causes of the origin of monkeypox outbreaks in several non-endemic nations across the globe. Pathological manifestations of monkeypox infections do not necessitate monkeypox virus transmission to other organisms The recent monkeypox outbreaks cannot be explained based on logical conclusions of data obtained by experimental analysis but by illustrating the reality and making logical deductions only to obtain consequences that must agree with experiences. The effects of causative pathogens that allow immune pathways to protect organisms from acquiring infections by those pathogens are not dependent on the exclusive nature of a certain pathogen but on the immunological nature in which the pathogenic effects are shared with sterile cause effects. Immunological mechanisms that decrease pathogen load among animals may not necessarily decrease the disease severity or render the diseases asymptomatic. This is supported by lower severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) loads reported in few severe SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infections. The findings indicate that the severity of a disease depends on the hyper-inflammatory state instead of the direct effects of pathogen toxicity. Therefore, outbreaks of infections that have been considered asymptomatic do not necessarily require pathogenic transmission but instead the disappearance of several conditions that allow immunological mechanisms to consider them asymptomatic without eliminating the disease causes. Monkeypox manifestations in one case may not appear similar to other cases and may appear in the absence of the monkeypox virus Different diseases with different causes but with pathological effects of identical immunology may present with different manifestations in the absence of the pathogen (monkeypox virus). Different causes with effects of the same immunological nature manifest concomitantly in monkeypox cases and are already present in individuals in non-endemic nations. Therefore, monkeypox outbreaks have appeared in regions beyond the African continent, despite the absence of travel links and connected clusters with Africa. Researchers have made relentless efforts to characterize the genetic basis for the widespread global prevalence of the monkeypox in the central parts of Africa compared to the western regions of Africa. It has been assumed that the pathogens responsible for central African outbreaks have higher transmissibility and virulence than those responsible for the outbreaks in West Africa. However, a common observation among all monkeypox case clusters is exposure to factors facilitating the disappearance of conditions that allow immunological mechanisms to render monkeypox asymptomatic without eliminating etiological factors of the same immunological nature. Therefore, the origin of monkeypox in non-endemic zones is not dependent on the transmissibility or virulence of the monkeypox virus but on the disappearance (and reappearance) of conditions in response to which the manifestations of monkeypox appear. Furthermore, the manifestations of an infection linked to a particular pathogenic organism are as diverse as the disappearance of conditions that allow the immune system and different driving factors of the same immunology to give rise to concomitant asymptomatic infections. The severity of the manifestations is comparable to those of infections sharing the same immunology, independent of the transmissibility and virulence of the pathogenic organism. The manifestations linked to pathogens would cause catastrophic effects in individuals even in the absence of the causative pathogen if factors cause fading away of conditions that allow infections with the same immunology to be considered asymptomatic. Such infections could spread extensively within a short period. Conclusions Based on the findings, further research must explore the immunological nature of the more fatal Ebola virus infections and identify different diseases that share similar immunology as that of Ebola infection, respectively. Such an approach would be more beneficial in preventing the probable catastrophic effects of Ebola infections instead of investigating the genetic basis of Ebola virus infections or the transmissibility and virulence of the Ebola virus. In addition, factors that allow immunological mechanisms to consider Ebola virus infections to be asymptomatic must be determined. *Important notice OSF 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. Hanoi, June 8 (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with Vietnam's Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang here. The minister is on a three day visit to Vietnam, from June 8-10, at the invitation of Gen Phan Van Giang. Both the Ministers reviewed defence cooperation between the two countries and explored new initiatives to further strengthen the defence engagements. The two Ministers also exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest, sources said. The Indian Defence Minister was accorded Guard of Honour at Vietnams Ministry of National Defence Headquarters before the bilateral meeting. He laid wreaths at the Mausoleum of Late President of Vietnam Ho Chi Minh and at the Monument of War Heroes and Martyrs of Vietnam. During the visit, Rajnath will hand over 12 High Speed Guard Boats to Vietnam at the Hong Ha Shipyard in Hai Phong amid reports of Chinese naval vessels moving close to oil rigs in the South China Sea being jointly developed by India and Vietnam. The Boats are constructed under the Government of India's USD 100 million Defence Line of Credit to Vietnam. This project is significant in the context of the growing defence industry cooperation with Vietnam and exemplifies Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, Make for the World, Defence Ministry said in a statement. Rajnath is also scheduled to call on the President of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. During the ongoing visit, Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit the training institutions of Vietnam at Nha Trang, including the Telecommunication University where an Army Software Park is being established with the $US 5 million grant from the Government of India. The Defence Minister will also attend a community event organised by the Embassy of India in Hanoi and interact with the Indian diaspora in Vietnam. India and Vietnam share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since 2016 and defence cooperation is a key pillar of this partnership. Vietnam is an important partner in India's Act East policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Bilateral defence engagements have expanded over a period of time to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including defence policy dialogues, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping, ship visits and bilateral exercises. The Defence Minister's visit on the historic occasion of 50 years of establishment of India-Vietnam Diplomatic relations and 75 years of India's Independence will further consolidate the bilateral defence cooperation and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Importantly, Quad countries (India, Australia, Japan, and the United States), in their meeting last month in Tokyo decided to intensify ties with the 10 ASEAN countries and Vietnam is an ASEAN country. UNI ASU SY (Newser) The life of Howard Farley has been irresistible fodder for writers since Farley's dramatic 2020 arrest in Florida at age 66. Dramatic because everybody in Floridaincluding his Vietnamese wifeknew Farley as "Tim Brown." Friends and neighbors didn't know that Farley assumed his "Brown" alias after running a large drug network in Nebraska that was busted in the 1980s. Now, Greg Donahue takes a long look at all this in Atavist magazine, tracing Farley's life from days as a rebellious teen in Lincoln to the restlessness that prompted him to take his life savings of $30,000 and buy cocaine to flip at a profit. The story details the growth of his "loose-knit, blue-collar" drug network through its demise, and Farley's narrow escape into life on the lam. He'd planned for the moment, having earlier successfully applied for a Social Security card using the name of a baby who'd died in the 1950s. It worked: Farley lived a carefree life in Caribbean nations before settling, boldly, in the Florida community of Love's Landing. But that fake ID eventually did him in, with his name popping up on the computer of a specialist in passport fraud in 2020. "I had mentally prepared myself for being caught," Farley would later say. "When it happened, with men pointing guns at me, the only thing to do was smile." The drug charges against him had expired, but Farley was convicted of identity theft charges and was sentenced last year to four years in prison. (Read the full story for much more on the made-for-Hollywood tale.) (Newser) A teacher who survived the Uvalde mass shooting says there is "no excuse" for police standing by for 77 minutes while children and teachers were killed. Arnulfo Reyes is hospitalized with gunshot wounds and grieving the two teachers and 19 students who were killedincluding all 11 third and fourth-graders in his classroom. He tells ABC that he was expecting May 24 to be a "good day" and had been planning to show the childen an Addams Family movieand when he heard bangs, he told the children they should get " under the table and act like youre asleep." He says that when he was trying to get them under a table, he turned around and saw the gunman. Reyes was shot twice, with one bullet hitting his arm and lung and another hitting his back, the Washington Post reports. He says he "prayed and prayed that I would not hear none of my students talk." Reyes says the shooter rose from behind a desk and fired after one student in the adjoining classroom called out, " Officer, officer, we're in here, were in here." He says police were "cowards" and he will "never forgive them" for the delayed response. "You have a bulletproof vest," he says. "I had nothing." He says he tells parents, "Im sorry. I tried my best, what I was told to do. Please dont be angry with me." Reyes says training can't prepare teachers for an active shooter situation, NBC reports. "Nothing gets you ready for this," he says. "We trained our kids to sit under the table, and thats what I thought at the time, but we set them up to be like ducks." He says he will now devote himself to trying to make sure this never happens again. "The only thing that I know is that I won't let these children and my co-workers die in vain," he says. "I will go to the end of the world to make sure things get changed. If that's what I have to do for the rest of my life, I will do it." (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) US abortion rights activists strip down during church service Washington, June 8 (UNI) Three activists of a Austin-based abortion group stripped down to their underwear during church service in US' Texas. According to The Independent, during the Sunday service at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, the three women stood up and shouted my body, my choice and overturn Roe, hell no! while stripping out of their clothes. The incident happened when Pastor Joel Osteens had just finished leading a prayer and the congregants were taking their seats at the Church. (Newser) A US service member has been identified as a possible suspect in an April explosion that injured several US troops at a base in eastern Syria. Patrick Barnes, a spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Division, said in a statement that the potential suspect is back in the United States, and the investigation by Army CID and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations is ongoing, the AP reports. Barnes did not release the suspect's name. The US military initially reported that the injuries were caused by artillery or another form of indirect fire. But it later said the April 7 attack was carried out by the "deliberate placement of explosive charges" by one or more individuals at an ammunition holding area and shower facility on the base, known as Green Village. The blasts hit two support buildings and four service members were evaluated for minor injuries and possible traumatic brain injuries. The US has several hundred troops in eastern Syria as part of its effort to counter the Islamic State group. Officials tell CNN that the explosives involved were "not insignificant," with more power than a hand grenade. The officials said they had no details about a possible motive. No charges have been filed. In a statement Monday, the military said that "at this point, these are just allegations, all suspects are presumed to be innocent until/unless convicted in a court of law." (Read more Syria stories.) (Newser) Matthew McConaughey made a surprise appearance at the White House on Tuesday and discussed some of the victims of the school shooting in his hometown, including 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez, who wanted to be a marine biologist. She wore green Converse shoes "with a heart she had hand drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature," the actor said, per the Washington Post. His wife, Camila Alves, was sitting nearby with the shoes. "These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting," McConaughey said. McConaughey said he and Alves had spent much of the last week in Uvalde meeting with the families of victim of last month's mass shooting, the Hill reports. He said every parent they spoke to expressed that "they want their childrens dreams to live on," per the AP. "They want to make their loss of life matter." McConaughey said the Texas town was where he had learned responsible gun ownership. He said his mother taught kindergarten less than a mile from Robb Elementary School, where 19 children and two teachers were killed. In his 22-minute speech, McConaughey called for reforms to gun laws including universal background checks raising the age limit to buy an AR-15-style rifle from 18 to 21. He said gun responsibility should not be a partisan issue. "Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals," he said. "These regulations are not a step back, theyre a step forward for civil society and the Second Amendment." (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) (Newser) Todd and Julie Chrisley, stars of the reality television show Chrisley Knows Best, were found guilty Tuesday in Atlanta on federal charges including bank fraud and tax evasion. The Chrisleys were initially indicted in August 2019 and a new indictment was filed in February of this year. Their trial began three weeks ago, and a jury on Tuesday found them guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans, according to the office of US Attorney Ryan Buchanan in Atlanta. They were also found guilty of conspiring to defraud the IRS and tax evasion, and Julie Chrisley was convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice, the AP reports. Bruce Morris, an attorney for Todd Chrisley, said he was disappointed with the verdict and expects to appeal. Prosecutors alleged that the Chrisleys submitted fake documents to banks when applying for loans. They said Julie Chrisley also submitted a false credit report and fake bank statements when trying to rent a house in California. They used a company they controlled to hide income to keep the IRS from collecting unpaid taxes owed by Todd Chrisley, prosecutors said. After they were found guilty, US District Judge Eleanor Ross allowed the Chrisleys to remain free on bond. But she placed them on location monitoring and home detention, meaning they can only leave the house for certain reasons, including work, medical appointments, and court appearances. Peter Tarantino, an accountant hired by the couple, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns, the US attorney's office in Atlanta said. Sentencing for all three is set for Oct. 6. Chrisley Knows Best follows the tight-knit, boisterous Chrisley family. The series was just renewed by USA for a 10th season. The trial began in mid-May, days after E! announced that it was moving forward with a new dating series, Love Limo, hosted by Todd Chrisley. "As todays outcome shows, when you lie, cheat and steal, justice is blind as to your fame, your fortune, and your position, Special Agent Keri Farley, head of the FBI Atlanta, said in a statement. (Read more tax evasion stories.) (Newser) A US woman accused of leading a female Islamic State battalion in Syria pleaded guilty Tuesday, resolving what prosecutors called a first-of-its-kind case. Former Kansas resident Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, "broke down sobbing" after admitting to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization in federal court in Alexandria, Va., the AP reports. First Assistant US Attorney Raj Parekh said it was the first time a female ISIS battalion leader had been prosecuted in the US. Experts say it's rare for women to face international terrorism charges as groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda are dominated by men. Fluke-Ekren left the US in 2008 and moved between Egypt, Libya, and Turkey before settling in Syria in 2014. Her second husbandwho claimed to have removed documents from the US Special Mission in Benghazi during the 2012 attackwas then a leader in charge of ISIS snipers, per USA Today. She reportedly discussed a desire to conduct a terrorist attack on a US shopping mall or college campus before her husband's death in 2016. Fluke-Ekren then created a women's center in Raqqa that offered medical services, child care, and also self-defense and advanced weapons training to females, prosecutors said. She reportedly trained more than 100 women and girls to use automatic rifles, grenades, and suicide belts through the all-female battalion known as Khatiba Nusaybah. Some girls as young as 10 or 11 suffered "lifelong trauma and pain," and may now wish to speak at Fluke-Ekren's Oct. 25 sentencing hearing, Parekh said, per the AP. Fluke-Ekren who cried at the mention of her children (she has five, including two adults in the US who want no contact with her), per CNNdenied that she intentionally trained young girls. Regardless, she faces up to 20 years in prison. She was returned to the US in January after her arrest in Syria last year. Per the AP, she separated from ISIS in 2019 and was smuggled out of the region. She has said she tried to turn herself in at a Syrian police station last summer, hoping to leave the country, just two weeks before she was detained. (Read more Islamic State stories.) (Newser) Over Memorial Day weekend, a fistfight broke out between two women in Florida, and one of the women was fatally shot. Now, the 10-year-old daughter of the other woman has been charged with the murder, WESH 2 reports. Police say Lakrisha S. Isaac, 31, punched Lashun Denise Rodgers, 41, during a barbecue at their Orlando apartment complex, and Rodgers punched her back. Then Isaac allegedly handed her purse to her daughter, and the girl pulled a gun out of it and fired two rounds at Rodgers, police say. Rodgers' boyfriend told police he heard the girl yell, "She shouldnt have hit my momma." He says Isaac was intoxicated when she approached Rodgers about some dispute between the two, and that he tried to break up the ensuing fight, ClickOrlando reports. After Rodgers was shot, he tried to help her, but he says Isaac took the gun from her daughter and pointed it at him. Isaac has also been charged, with manslaughter by culpable negligence, aggravated assault with a gun, negligent storage of a gun, and neglect of a child. The state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties calls the case "one of the most tragic cases I have seen in my 22-year career," Fox 35 reports. (In Orlando this month, a man was fatally shot by his 2-year-old child.) (Newser) The wreck of the San Jose galleon was discovered in 2015 off the coast of Cartagena, and its known as the Holy Grail of shipwrecks because of the enormous treasure it was carrying when it went down in 1708. This week, Colombian President Ivan Duque announced that his countrys navy discovered two additional wrecks in the same vicinity, per the BBC, including a colonial boat from the period of the San Jose and a schooner from the time of Colombias war for independence in the early 1800s. Colombian Admiral Gabriel Perez says the new discoveries highlight other options for archaeological exploration and the work is just beginning. The two new wrecks may be of interest to historians, but the San Jose remains the primary object of international intrigue, and newly released images of its contents are bound to renew interest. The treasure is said to be worth upwards of $20 billion, and it has already been bathed in controversy for decades. Spain has laid claim, saying its a ship of state and protected by UN regulations, but Colombia says the wreck is in its territorial waters and part of its cultural heritage, per France24, which also notes that Bolivias indigenous Quara Quara community wants a piece because its people were originally forced to mine the gold. The San Jose's exact location is classified, but the Colombian navy has been monitoring it, and the government announced intentions to excavate despite international objections. Per Heritage Daily, the San Jose was a 64-gun, three-masted flagship of the Spanish treasure fleet. In 1708, it was attacked by British warships in a battle known as Wager's Action, during which its powder magazine exploded. It sank to a depth of more than 3,000 feet, along with all but a few of its 600-man crew, plus a heap of gold, silver, emeralds, and jewelry. Newly released footage also shows cannons, crockery, and an amazingly well-intact Chinese dinner service with scores of delicate teacups. (Read more shipwrecks stories.) (Newser) San Francisco on Tuesday has voted to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin in a heated campaign that bitterly divided Democrats over crime, policing, and public safety reform. Partial returns showed Boudin losing in what is expected to be a low turnout election. Early returns showed 61% of votes in favor of the recall, the AP reports. Boudin, 41, was a first-time political candidate who narrowly won office in November 2019 as part of a national wave of progressive prosecutors who pledged to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs, and hold police officers to account. But his time in office coincided with a frustrating and frightening pandemic in which viral footage of brazen shoplifting and attacks against mostly older Asian-American people drove some residents to mount a recall campaign of the former public defender and son of left-wing activists. Recall proponents said Boudin was ideologically inflexible and inexperienced, often siding with criminals instead of victims. Recall opponents said the recall was a Republican power grab meant to undermine public safety reforms. The recall campaign against Boudin was backed by many of the same people who successfully ousted three liberal members of the San Francisco school board in February. More from primaries in California on Tuesday: Gov. Gavin Newsom cruised to an easy victory, advancing to the November general election where he will be an overwhelming favorite to defeat a little-known Republican state senator. In the US Senate race, Democratic incumbent Alex Padilla had an equally easy time advancing to a November runoff. Padilla was on the ballot twiceonce to complete the final few months of Kamala Harris' term (he was appointed to the seat when she became VP) and another in a race for a full six-year term that begins in January. Early vote totals showed Republican attorney Mark Meuser was second in both races. Californias Democratic attorney general was on pace to face the Republican Partys endorsed candidate in the November general election in a state that overwhelmingly favors Democrats, based on early ballot returns Tuesday. Attorney General Rob Bonta, the only Democrat in the five-way primary field, advanced after winning 58% of the vote shortly after polls closed. He was trailed by the GOPs endorsed candidate, Nathan Hochman, with 17%. The top two vote-getters advance to the November election under California law, no matter their party affiliation. Democratic US Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso advanced to the November runoff for Los Angeles mayor. (Read more California primary stories.) (Newser) The Texas school district police chief who's been accused of waiting too long to order law enforcement to confront the gunman at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde has said that he'd "eventually" answer questions about the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers last month. "Eventually" apparently wasn't Tuesday, as he didn't show up for his first meeting of the City Council he's been newly elected to. NBC News notes Arredondo won a seat on the council on May 7, before the May 24 massacre, and that he was sworn in during a private ceremony a week after it. Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said he didn't know why Arredondo didn't show for Tuesday's meeting, noting he hadn't spoken to him in more than a week, per Insider. "We want facts and answers like everybody else," McLaughlin said, adding when asked about how he feels about Arredondo now being on the City Council: "Pete Arredondo was elected by the people in his district. It is up to his district and his people and Mr. Arredondo to what he wants to do." The AP notes that the gunman in the shooting spent about 80 minutes inside the elementary school, with more than an hour elapsing between when law enforcement officers followed him in and when he was killed. Arredondo was believed to be the incident commander at the time. Alfred Garza III, whose 10-year-old daughter Amerie Jo was killed, and who attended the meeting to see if any other information about the shooting would emerge, says he had "mixed feelings" about Arredondo being a no-show, but that he doesn't have a lot of "ill will" toward him, as there were many people involved in the response. However, "they did take a long time to get in there," he adds. There's been no comment yet from Arredondo himself on the missed meeting. (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) (Newser) For a week or two, Mitsuhiro Taniguchi was holed up in the home of an Indonesian fish trader, trying to convince him of his plan to invest in local fisheries. That won't be happening now, though, as he's been nabbed by authorities over the money he was perhaps going to put toward those investments. The AP reports that the 47-year-old Japanese fugitive was arrested Tuesday by immigration officers and local law enforcement in the Lampung province, on the island of Sumatra, for fraud over COVID relief subsidies after being placed on an international wanted list late last month. Taniguchi and a circle of co-conspirators have been accused of submitting 1,700 or so phony applications under Japan's COVID relief program. Nearly 1,000 of those applications were successful, for a total of more than $7.2 million. The Mainichi reports that the applications were submitted between May 2020 and September of that same year, according to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department. Taniguchi fled Japan in October 2020, about two months after the subsidies office caught on that something was amiss. Japanese officials eventually tracked him to Indonesia and alerted authorities there. "His presence in Indonesia became illegal after the Japanese authorities revoked his passport," Dedi Prasetyo, a spokesperson for Indonesia's National Police, tells the AP. AFP notes that Taniguchi had been living in Jakarta on a limited-stay visa, but had recently traveled to Lampung for his investing scheme. Taniguchi's ex-wife and their two sons were also arrested for fraud at the end of May, and accused of stealing nearly $23,000 in COVID relief funds from the government. Authorities from both Indonesia and Japan are now arranging for Taniguchi's extradition back to Japan. (Another Japanese man apparently gambled away the nearly $360,000 he's said to have stolen in COVID relief funds.) (Newser) Update: Under federal investigation on suspicion of illegally lobbying, the president of the Brookings Institution resigned Sunday. Retired Gen. John Allen did not offer a direct explanation in a letter to the think tank, the AP reports. "I know it is best for all concerned in this moment," the letter said. A spokesman has denied any wrongdoing on the part of Allen, who has not been charged with any crimes. Our story from Tuesday follows: The FBI has seized the electronic data of a retired four-star general who allegedly made false statements and withheld "incriminating" documents about his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of Qatar. Federal court filings obtained Tuesday outlined a potential criminal case against former Marine Gen. John R. Allen, who led US and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in 2017 to lead the Brookings Institution. It's part of an expanding investigation that has ensnared Richard Olson, a former ambassador to the UAE who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor serving a 12-year prison sentence for corruption. Several members of Congress have been interviewed as part of the investigation, per the AP. Court filings detail Allen's efforts to help Qatar influence US policy in 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf countries imposed a blockade on the gas-rich monarchy over ties to terror and other issues. In an application for a search warrant, the FBI described "substantial" evidence that Allen willfully violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act. He also allegedly gave a "false version of events" during a 2020 interview with law enforcement and failed to produce emails in response to a grand-jury subpoena. The search warrant application appears to have been filed in error and was removed from the docket Tuesday after the AP inquired about its contents. Court papers say Allen played an important role in shifting the US response to the crisis, lobbying the Trump administration to urge Gulf countries to ease the blockade. Meeting with top Qatari officials, Allen also advised the use of potentially illegal "black operations" to influence US policy. In addition to seeking fees from Olson and Zuberi for his work, Allen allegedly had other undisclosed financial incentives, per the affidavit. "At the same time he was lobbying US government officials on behalf of Qatar, Allen pursued at least one multimillion-dollar business deal with the Qatari government on behalf of a company on whose board of directors he served," the affidavit says. Allen has previously denied ever working as a Qatari agent. (Read more Gen. John Allen stories.) (Newser) Johnny Depp's lawyers went on what Amber Heard's team slammed as a "victory lap" Wednesday to discuss the case on morning shows. One of them, Ben Chew, appeared to suggest that Depp might not collect the $10.35 million payout from Heard, whose attorneys say she can't pay, the New York Post reports. "This was never about money for Mr. Depp," Chew said on Good Morning America. "This was about restoring his reputationand hes done that." Camille Vasquez, another Depp lawyer, pushed back against the Heard team's claim that the case had set back "how women can be treated in the courtroom" by decades. "We're only speaking about what happened in this case, right?" she said. "And the facts in this case were overwhelmingly positive for Johnny and the verdict speaks for itself." Depp, she said, had the chance "to speak the truth for the first time" at the trial. Chew and Vasquez also appeared on the Today show, where they were asked why the jury believed Depp instead of Heard. "Johnny owned his issues. He was very candid about his alcohol and drug issues. He was candid about some unfortunate texts that he wrote," Chew said, per NBC. "I think it was sharp contrast to Ms. Heard, who didnt seem, or at least the jury may have perceived that she didnt take accountability for anything." Vasquez said she was "speaking with a mutual friend of Johnny and ours and he said, 'I havent seen Johnny smile like that in six years.'" Vasquez also has a reason to smile. Deadline reports that the newly high-profile lawyer has been made a partner at Brown Rudnick after less than four years. (Read more Johnny Depp stories.) (Newser) Three sistersKalu, Kamlesh, and Mamta Meenamarried brothers in the same family and lived under the same roof near Jaipur, India. Last month, the sisters left a message for family members on WhatsApp: "We don't wish to die, but death is better than their abuse. Our in-laws are the reason behind our deaths. We are dying together because it's better than dying every day." Their bodies were later found in a well, where they allegedly jumped to their deaths. The bodies of a 4-year-old and an infant were found with them, and two of the women were pregnant. Per Channel News Asia, citing reporting by Agence France-Presse, this is just one particularly tragic example of dowry-related violence that remains common throughout India. Dowry payments were outlawed more than 60 years ago, and there are criminal penalties for related harassment and extortion. Still, "the custom persists, particularly in rural areas, undergirded by social conventions that treat women as an economic burden." Indian courts have doled out stiff prison sentences for dowry-related crimes, but that does little to deter the practice. Authorities recorded nearly 7,000 dowry-related murders in 2020 alone, plus another 1,700 suicides, and those are only the victims authorities know about. The Meena sisters' father, Sardar Meena, told the AFP that "life had been a living hell for his daughters" as their husbands abused and harassed them for more dowry payments. Divorce is not a practical option in India, where strict social customs mean just 1-in-100 marriages are ever dissolved. Per the Hindu, the father filed a police report when his daughters went missing; in it, he said one sister had called earlier telling him they had been beaten and feared for their lives. The three husbands and some in-laws have since been arrested on dowry harassment charges. The investigation continues, but the deaths are being treated as suicides. Civil rights groups have demanded the investigation be transferred to India's Criminal Investigation Department. (Read more dowry stories.) (Newser) As toddlers, Annabell Rodriguez and Xavier Lopez played together at a trailer park where Xavier lived alongside Annabell's relatives. When the pair met again on the first day of fourth grade at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, they had no memory of those playdates, but they liked each other immediately. Within weeks, they were passing notes. Within months, they were texting each other "I love you" before bed, reports ABC News. Their mothers got a giggle out of that. Now, on a more somber occasion, the 10-year-olds who posed together at an awards ceremony shortly before they were gunned down in their classroom will be buried side by side. Annabel's mother Monica Gallegos and Xavier's mother Felicha Martinez figured they should showcase their children's love, as the children did themselves. Annabell wore "a picture of Xavier strung around her neck," which Martinez had gifted her, ABC reports. "Everyone at school knew about Annabell and Xavier even their teacher." Xavier "would make things for her, he would write notes for her," says Arnulfo Reyes, who is recovering in hospital. "It brings a smile to your face just to think they really loved each other." Xavier was to be interred at Hillcrest Cemetery following his funeral on Tuesday, according to his obituary. Annabell will be interred Wednesday, according to hers. (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) (Newser) Police in Maryland arrested an armed man near the home of Brett Kavanaugh, and they say he told officers he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice, reports the Washington Post. The suspect hasn't been identified and has been described only as a man in his 20s from California. The Post reports he was carrying at least one weapon, along with burglary tools, while Fox News reports he had a gun and a knife. The account at NBC News adds that he also allegedly had pepper spray. The man was arrested around 2am, reportedly on a street near Kavanaugh's home. Police arrested him while acting on a tip that he might harm Kavanaugh, per the Post. The newspaper's sources say the man was upset over the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting the court is about to overturn Roe v. Wade. "The man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh," said Supreme Court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe. He was transported to Montgomery County Police 2nd District." No charges have been specified. (Protesters have previously gathered outside Kavanaugh's home.) (Newser) Books offering new details about the actions of the Trump family in the wake of the 2020 election keep coming, and the latest nugget focuses on Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. In the New York Times, Peter Baker reports that neither believed Donald Trump's claims about a stolen election, so much so that on the very night of the election, Kushner told his wife, "We're moving to Miami." They were convinced Joe Biden had won and decided not to join the former president's public fight to prove otherwise, according to Baker's account, which says this decision "opened a vacuum around the president that was filled by conspiracy theorists like Rudolph W. Giuliani and Sidney Powell." The story is fairly critical of Kushner in particular, saying that his decision to bail on his role as senior adviser at "the most consequential moment of the Trump presidency" was "the final act in the myth that Mr. Kushner would be the moderating force on a president who resisted moderation." In those final weeks of the presidency, Kushner instead put his White House focus on Mideast deal-making, something that may have paid off for him personally, writes Baker. The story is based on research for The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, a book due in September by Baker and Susan Glasser of the New Yorker. Read the full story. (Read more Jared Kushner stories.) (Newser) Harvey Weinstein has a very long prison sentence to serve, but there's still a chance he might travel internationally: Prosecutors in Britain say they have authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge the former movie producer with two counts of indecent assault against a woman in 1996, CNN reports. Crown Prosecution Service spokesman David Lindsell said that for Weinstein to be formally charged, he would have to be taken to a police station in England or Wales, reports the New York Times. He did not comment on the possibility of extraditing the 70-year-old. The charges were authorized "following a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation," CPS Special Crime Division head Rosemary Ainslie said in a statement. "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial." The Metropolitan Police said the two alleged offenses took place between July 31 and Aug. 31, 1996, and involved a woman who is now in her 50s, the BBC reports. Last week, a New York appeals court upheld Weinstein's conviction for rape and other sex crimes, for which he is serving a 23-year sentence. He also faces a trial for forcible rape and other crimes in California, where he is currently being held. The AP reports that after reports of Weinstein's crimes started to emerge in 2017, police in Britain, where there is no statute of limitations for rape or sexual assault, said they were investigating multiple allegations over a time period stretching from the 1980s to 2015. (Read more Harvey Weinstein stories.) Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Mostly cloudy. High 74F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 53F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 53F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 53F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Staff report The Public Safety Report is compiled from criminal complaints filed in state and federal courts, as well as some police blotter information, trooper dispatches, fire department reports and interviews with public safety officials. Individuals named as arrested and/or charged with crimes in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The World Bank expects the Bahrain economy to further grow despite lowering its forecast for global economic growth. According to the international financial institutions latest Global Economic Prospects report, the GDP projections for Bahrain have been revised upwards, from January 2022s 3.2% to 3.5%, and from January 2023s 2.9% to 3.1%. This rise confirms the progress of Bahrain in the right direction in its development plans, the most important of which is the Economic Recovery Plan. The World Bank releases its own forecasts twice a year, every January and June. The report offers a systematic assessment of current global economic conditions amid the existing pandemic and other global challenges such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Earlier, Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa had said that the Kingdoms economy has recovered and is moving towards achieving financial stability and development sustainability that will benefit the citizens and have an impact on the nations overall progress. He highlighted the positive indicators that have been achieved in various targeted sectors in the Kingdom, among them the implementation of the five priorities of the Economic Recovery Plan, namely creating job opportunities for citizens, and developing legislation and policies, financial market sector, financial services and financial technology, and the insurance sector. The Economic Recovery Plan comprises 27 integrated programmes, and 16 of the 27 programmes included in the plan have been completed, while work is underway to implement 11 programmes during the coming period. Shaikh Salman thanked His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the great leadership offered in implementing the Economic Recovery Plan. The implementation of the priorities and programmes will continue, and the pace of achievement will be accelerated while ensuring the highest possible efficiency and quality levels as planned, he added. Bahrains improving economy can also be attributed to the governments move to launch the BD4.5 billion stimulus package last year to support the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic and protect citizens jobs through the fiscal balance programme. Global growth forecasts Meanwhile, the World Banks global growth for 2022 has been revised down from 4.1% to 2.9%, reflecting a considerably slow growth from 5.7% in 2021 Middle East and North Africas 2022 growth prospects have been revised upwards by 0.9 percentage points to 5.3% The report indicates that the war on Ukraine and the two years of the pandemic have sharply hastened the deceleration of global economic activity. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Staff Reporter New cases of Covid-19 in Bahrain crossed the 1,000 mark for the first time yesterday after a space of nearly two months. The Health Ministry reported 1,008 cases yesterday, highlighting the need to exercise caution in the coming days. Speaking to The Daily Tribune, a leading medical practitioner warned that the battle against the pandemic is not yet over and the existing success must persist in the coming days as well. The rising numbers of Covid-19 cases comes amid the Kingdom remaining on alert against the threat caused by Monkeypox cases, which are increasing across the world. The Kingdoms existing success against the pandemic is attributed to its vaccination milestones and preventive measures adopted by the Ministry of Health. As of now, the Kingdom has approved Pfizer/BioNTech Comirnaty, Gamaleya Sputnik Light, Gamaleya Sputnik V, Johnson and Johnson Ad26.COV2.S, Covishield AstraZeneca, Bharat Biotech Covaxin, Sinopharm Covilo and ValnevaVLA2001. Bahrain became the first country in the world to authorise, receive and administer Valnevas Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by the French biotech major. A recent study published by the Nature Magazine showed that the risk of Covid infection, intensive care unit admissions and deaths remained high among recipients of the Sinopharm vaccine in the Kingdom. The study, carried out by Dr Sid Mukherjee, a researcher in the field, probes into the Kingdoms Covid-19 related outcomes from a national database, taking into consideration the administering of four vaccines to tackle the pandemic risk. Despite the overall effectiveness of all four vaccines in decreasing the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisations, intensive care unit admissions and deaths, we noted a significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalisations and ICU admissions among recipients of the Sinopharm vaccine compared to other vaccine recipients. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Bahrain Based Arab War Risks Insurance Syndicate (AWRIS) announced yesterday the appointment of Imad Abdel Khaleq as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Syndicate. Ashraf Bseisu, Chairman of the Technical Committee, said: Imad has vast expertise in the insurance and reinsurance industry regionally and internationally. He is no stranger to the Syndicate and has served in the past on its Technical Committee. The Committee is confident of his abilities to guide further and develop the Syndicate in the current challenging market environment, said Bseisu. Abdel Khaleq welcomed the appointment and thanked the Technical Committee. I am privileged to have been selected to lead the Syndicate, said Abdel Khaleq. Abdel Khaleq is a well-known seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in the management of insurance and reinsurance firms, having held key executive positions at Munich Re and Jordan Insurance Company. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY The $208 million borrowing package to meet the citys surging enrollment passed Tuesdays referendum. Local leaders said theyre thrilled with the outcome. Today is a great day for the city of Danbury and the future of the Danbury Public Schools, Mayor Dean Esposito said Tuesday evening, calling the results of the referendum a win for the entire city. I am so honored by the overwhelming support that the residents have shown for our children, he said. Superintendent Kevin Walston echoed that sentiment, saying hes so happy about all of the voters who came out in support of the referendum. With about 7 percent voter turnout, the referendum passed with 2,641 votes in favor and 433 against the $208 million educational bond package. The package includes $164 million for a career academy on the citys west side and $44 million for other school infrastructure projects, including a new building to house a centralized, standalone prekindergarten program. Tuesdays referendum was the latest step in a race to build enough classroom space for Danburys burgeoning student enrollment, which jumped 5.6 percent in 2019. The career academy will accommodate about 1,040 high school and 360 middle school students, and make Danbury the first district in the state to incorporate a career-academy model of workforce training for all high school students. The hope is to open the academy on the first day of school in August 2024, when high school enrollment could jump as much as 10 percent from 3,400 to 3,750. Esposito said Danburys new career academy model will revolutionize the citys education system and broaden opportunities for all the citys students. According to the mayor, the districtwide model will contain six academies: emerging technologies and entrepreneurship, scientific innovation and medicine, information and cyber security, professional and public service, communication and design, and art, engineering and design. Walston said the new model is going to be a great thing for all the school community for our kids and our staff. It will not only address enrollment challenges here in the district and provide relief at the high school and some relief for our middle schools, but also helps provide an amazing school experience for our kids in grades 9-12 for years to come, he said. At least $27 million of the $208 million borrowing package will go toward the construction of a 16-classroom early childhood education center at Great Plain Elementary School. Officials say the prekindergarten addition will not only free space in the citys elementary schools, but get Danbury out of expensive leases. In addition to thanking Walston for his partnership and support, Esposito commended the work of Danburys legislators in securing an 80 percent state reimbursement rate on eligible costs. State Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury one of the legislators who helped secure the rate said Tuesdays referendum results reflected a strong vote of confidence in not only Danburys students, educators and school district, but the citys future. This investment in our students will reap benefits for our community for many years to come, she said. Staff writer Rob Ryser contributed to this story. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Countys top prosecutor confirmed Thursday hes investigating whether a recent campaign ad by Gov. Kevin Stitt violates state law and ethics rules. David Prater said he launched an investigation after a bipartisan group of House legislators suggested the 30-second ad, titled Track Record," violates state law. I consider this a serious matter," Prater said in a statement to The Associated Press. I will respect the lawmakers' request and investigate to determine if evidence exists to prove a violation of Oklahoma criminal statute." Stitt's relationship with the Legislature, particularly House Republicans, has grown tense in recent months, especially after he vetoed key pieces of the budget agreement reached between the House and Senate. The ad, airing in Oklahoma City and Tulsa markets, touts Stitts appointment of Attorney General John OConnor, who is described as a conservative fighter" and is prominently featured in the second half of the ad. The Stitt campaign spent about $340,000 to air the ad for three weeks in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the lawmakers said in their letter to Prater. State law prohibits a candidate from knowingly making or accepting a contribution of more than $2,900 to another candidate committee. Independent expenditures by a candidate committee also are prohibited. Concerns about the ad were first reported by the nonprofit journalism organization Oklahoma Watch. Donelle Harder, Stitt's campaign manager, released a statement saying the campaign had received legal counsel in advance and they remain confident it is an acceptable campaign ad." But she added: In light of a recent inquiry, we are pausing this particular ad." O'Connor's campaign manager Brett Humphrey said he didn't want to comment on another candidate's ad, but said they were not involved in creating the ad and haven't asked the governor to pull it. I don't run the campaign for the governor," Humphrey said. Oklahoma's primary election is June 28, and O'Connor is facing a tough election contest against fellow Republican Gentner Drummond, who lost to former Attorney General Mike Hunter by fewer than 300 votes during the 2018 primary election. Because no Democrat filed for the seat, whoever wins the primary is expected to coast to reelection in the fall against Libertarian Lynda Steele. Rex Duncan, a former prosecutor who was recently serving as general counsel for the Oklahoma Republican Party, said he believes the ad is clearly illegal. It couldn't be more clear, in my opinion," Duncan said. And the simple solution is for the governor to pull the ad or the attorney general to ask the governor to pull the ad." Duncan said he was fired from his volunteer role as the party's general counsel by new Oklahoma GOP Chairman A.J. Ferrate, who also is an attorney, after Duncan posted his concerns about the ad on social media and talked to a reporter about those concerns. For his part, Ferrate said he believes Duncan's analysis was flawed and that the ad is perfectly legal. From my own legal analysis and review of Ethics Commission rules and state statute, there is no issue with Gov. Stitt's ad," Ferrate said. H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo NEWTOWN Police are looking for the driver of a vehicle that caused damage outside the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue substation last week. Sometime between May 31, and June 3, police say a vehicle went off the roadway and onto the substation property, causing damage to the lawn and knocking over a tree. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BROOKFIELD A recently obtained report reveals new details about the multi-agency response over Memorial Day weekend that led to the ongoing search for a missing 24-year-old on Candlewood Lake. Fire Chief Andrew Ellis said several agencies responded, but Brookfield firefighters were first on scene. The Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company responded to the lake after receiving a call about a person lost in the water around 6:40 p.m. May 29, according to the fire companys incident report. We were the first ones alerted, and from there, we called for help, Ellis said Wednesday. Upon their arrival, firefighters established a command post at Brookfield Town Parks boat launch and headed to the Candlewood Inn to observe operations in the water. According to the incident report, the call about a missing person was made by occupants of another boat, but firefighters were unable to locate them at the scene. Attempts were made to identify the occupants from the boat that reported the incident, but attempts were unsuccessful, the report states. Unable to locate them, first responders used information provided by the Candlewood Lake Authority to figure out which area of the lake the man went missing. The last scene point was determined to be in the cove of Candlewood Lake between the town beach and Candlewood Inn, according to the incident report. According to DEEP spokesperson Will Healey, the man had been on a vessel that was not moving when he went into the water. Brookfield firefighters established a unified command structure with police, EMS and DEEP, and divers from Brookfield and Danbury police departments and Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue were called to the scene. Additional marine units were also requested from nearby towns, and the Connecticut State Police Dive Rescue Team responded to the scene to conduct dive searches. The area between the town beach and Candlewood Inn was searched extensively by all on-scene marine units using various sonar detection devices, according to the report, and multiple dives were made to targets identified by sonar devices. The search operation was eventually suspended until the next morning. According to the Brookfield firefighters report, incident command was transferred to DEEP and the state police dive team after the first day. Since then, DEEP has been leading the search efforts. Its been over a week since the 24-year-old man whose name has not been released went missing, but DEEP has not given up. In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Healey said efforts continue with personnel utilizing sonar equipment to search the water and conducting shoreline searches. At this time, this incident is viewed as an accidental drowning, though the incident remains under investigation, he said. DEEP asks anyone around the Brookfield Bay area of Candlewood Lake between 5:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. May 29, to call conservation police at 860-904-8154. Trevor Ballantyne contributed to this report. CALGARY, AB, June 8, 2022 /CNW/ - Expander Energy Inc. (Expander) is pleased to announce that independent, third-party analysis confirms negative (-44gCO2e/MJ) Carbon Intensity for its Bio-SynDiesel. Expander Energy has developed a way to turn wood waste and other biomass into green, Net-Zero carbon emissions diesel fuel and plan to start production in 2024, 26 years ahead of Canada's Net-Zero Carbon emissions pledge. Expander's new Enhanced Biomass-to-Liquids ("EBTL") shifts the paradigm for converting cellulosic biomass to Bio-SynDiesel. This fuel complies with North America's ASTM D975 and Europe's CEN 15940 diesel specifications as "drop-in" or as fully fungible blend stock to meet current and future Low Carbon Fuel Standards ("LCFS"). Key properties are 100% renewable, high Cetane Number (>70), zero sulphur, high stability and biodegradability. The EBTL process comprises proven Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Fischer Tropsch Synthesis ("FTS") and Expander's patented tar-free Biomass Gasifier plus conventional gas scrubbing and compression to recover pure bio-carbon dioxide for sequestration. A minimum size EBTL plant with a single gasifier produces 24,000 liters per day of Net-Zero Bio-SynDiesel and sequesters 50 tonnes of net bio-carbon dioxide per day. This compares to 12 tonnes per day of carbon dioxide removed by the recently completed Orca Direct-Air-Capture project in Iceland. Air Technic of Prague, Czechia developed the Biomass Gasification technology with European Union support to generate renewable, green power. Several of its gasifier units have run continuously producing tar-free syngas, receiving formal EU Certification. The current version of the gasifier technology is co-patented by Expander and Air Technic specifically for FT synthesis to Bio-SynDiesel. The EBTL process achieves its low, negative Carbon Intensity by feeding only bio-carbon to the FTS reactor and SMR; utilizing low carbon intensity electrical power; and recovering and sequestering by-product bio-carbon dioxide. Natural gas only supplements the fuel to the SMR furnace. The sequestered bio-carbon dioxide substantially exceeds the fossil carbon emissions from the SMR flue gas ensuring a net negative Carbon Intensity. The Life Cycle Analysis calculating the negative (-44 gCO2e/ MJ) Carbon Intensity conforms to ISO 14040 requirements using GHGenius 5.01G. Expander plans to construct its first EBTL facility in Slave Lake Alberta adjacent to the Vanderwell sawmill. This location offers the shortest timeline to commercial operation since Expander has completed a Front End Engineering Design package and obtained an Alberta Environment and Parks permit. The site addressees all the key prerequisites for successample wood waste biomass; fuel gas supply; road and rail access; low carbon intensity electric power; carbon dioxide disposal facilities; experienced forestry and energy industry labour force and close proximity to British Columbia the most mature low carbon fuel market in Canada. Expander will proceed to build several more plants and license technology by providing engineering/technical support and fabrication of critical proprietary components to meet Canada's growing need for low carbon fuels. About Expander Energy Expander Energy Inc. is a technology company founded and owned by Albertans that developed and patented its own technologies to answer the challenges of creating Fossil Free Net-Zero Carbon Intensity bio-synthetic fuels for Alberta, Canada, and the world markets. We believe that net-zero carbon intensity and profitability are not mutually exclusive. Our mission is to revolutionize the fuels of today to provide a bridge to the fuels of tomorrow. Expander Energy Inc. is a privately held energy company located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. www.expanderenergy.com SOURCE Expander Energy Inc. For further information: Gord Crawford, P.Eng. - President and COO, Expander Energy Inc., [email protected] GATINEAU, QC, June 8, 2022 /CNW/ - The National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) is a long-term, multibillion-dollar program to renew the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy fleets, creating good middle-class jobs across the country while revitalizing Canada's marine industry. Today, the Government of Canada announced that it will begin negotiations with Chantier Davie of Levis, Quebec, towards an umbrella agreement, to become the third strategic shipbuilding partner under the NSS. Pending successful negotiations, an agreement is expected to be in place by the end of 2022. Chantier Davie submitted a proposal as part of the Request for Proposal process for the selection of a third NSS shipyard. This included a third-party assessment of the shipyard's infrastructure; submission and evaluation of a formal proposal from the shipyard; and a due diligence process to ensure the shipyard is financially capable of performing the work and making any necessary upgrades to its infrastructure. The assessment was similar to the process previously undertaken in 2011 to select Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards as strategic partners under the NSS. Pending successful negotiation of an umbrella agreement, Chantier Davie will build 1 of 2 polar icebreakers and 6 program icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard. Contracts for each project will be negotiated with the shipyard only after the signature of an umbrella agreement. Quick facts On May 22, 2019 , the Government of Canada announced its intention to add a third Canadian shipyard as a partner under the NSS, and on August 2, 2019 , Canada launched the competitive process to select the new shipyard. , the Government of announced its intention to add a third Canadian shipyard as a partner under the NSS, and on , launched the competitive process to select the new shipyard. In May 2021 , the Government of Canada announced it was moving forward with the construction of 2 polar icebreakers under the NSS. Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver, British Columbia , will build 1, while the other will be built at Chantier Davie, pending the successful completion of the ongoing selection process. , the Government of announced it was moving forward with the construction of 2 polar icebreakers under the NSS. Seaspan Shipyards in , will build 1, while the other will be built at Chantier Davie, pending the successful completion of the ongoing selection process. On July 14, 2021 , the Government of Canada announced it had received Chantier Davie's supporting materials to become the third shipyard under the NSS. , the Government of announced it had received Chantier Davie's supporting materials to become the third shipyard under the NSS. Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers are essential to Canada's economy, supporting year-round marine trade in eastern Canada , the St. Lawrence waterway and the Great Lakes. They provide critical icebreaking services to ensure commercial ships have access to Canadian ports during the winter, and they support summer resupply activities to Canada's Arctic communities and their industries. They are also important platforms for search and rescue and environmental response operations. Related products Backgrounder on Canadian Coast Guard's new icebreakers Backgrounder on Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy: Process to add a third shipyard Associated links National Shipbuilding Strategy Prime Minister announces renewal of Canadian Coast Guard fleet Government of Canada announces construction of new icebreakers for Canadian Coast Guard Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy: Process to add a third shipyard Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook SOURCE Public Services and Procurement Canada For further information: Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, 819-420-5501, [email protected] The first of its kind in the country, the new degree program will emphasize Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuaptmunk), a concept introduced by Mi'kmaw Elder Albert Marshall which he describes this way: "To see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing, and to see from the other eye with the strengths of Western ways of knowing, and to use both of these eyes together." "As the original inhabitants of these lands, our Mi'kmaw ancestors were the first to welcome travelers and settlers to what is now Nova Scotia and Canada. Today, through key investments by governments and strong partnerships with industry and educational institutions like MSVU, we are working to build Mi'kmaw tourism opportunities that will welcome the world to Mi'kma'ki while working with the mainstream tourism industry to find ways to address reconciliation with our Mi'kmaw people," said Robert Bernard, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network. Continued Robert, "Students in MSVU's new Kinu Tourism Program will learn the true history of our province and country through the two-eyed seeing model. They will become stronger and more inclusive leaders in the industry. Through cross cultural awareness opportunities, they will better understand why Indigenous tourism must play a pivotal role in the future of tourism in Canada." "A recent report noted that Indigenous tourism sector growth is outpacing Canadian tourism activity overall. However, training was cited as one of the primary barriers to growth. We need to build capacity within post-secondary education to further the development of Indigenous-led tourism experiences," said Dr. Peter Mombourquette, Interim Chair, Business & Tourism Department, MSVU. "We are deeply grateful for the leadership of the Indigenous community partners who've been guiding us in the development of this new program. It is our collective aim that this initiative help build a diverse tourism workforce in our region and beyond, and promote Indigenous world views broadly." This project is funded by a grant of $1,964,250 from the Government of Canada's Sectoral Initiatives Program.* "As Canada continues to see one of the strongest economic recoveries in the world, we'll continue to ensure that the sectors hardest hit by COVID-19, like tourism and hospitality, have the support they need to bounce back and grow," said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. "Projects like the Kinu Tourism Program will boost Halifax's competitiveness in the tourism market and help Indigenous entrepreneurs seize opportunities that the post-pandemic world is creating." With the program framework now in place, the process is underway to hire a Mi'kmaw/Indigenous program manager who will lead further consultation with Indigenous communities and tourism industry representatives across the Atlantic region. A Mi'kmaw/Indigenous Program Coordinator and Education Consultant will also be added to the team. The first students in the program are expected to begin their studies in September of 2024. Partners to date have included: Robert Bernard , Executive Director, Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network , Executive Director, Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network Catherine Martin , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, former Nancy's Chair at MSVU, and current Director of Indigenous Community Engagement at Dalhousie University , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, former Nancy's Chair at MSVU, and current Director of Indigenous Community Engagement at Shannon Monk , Cultural Tourism Project Manager, Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiation Office , Cultural Tourism Project Manager, Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiation Office Ann Sylliboy , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, and Post Secondary Consultant, Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, and Post Secondary Consultant, Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey Sheila Isaac , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, and Director of Mi'kmaq and Indigenous Post-Secondary Recruitment and Retention, Advanced Education , Member of the L'nu Advisory Circle at MSVU, and Director of Mi'kmaq and Indigenous Post-Secondary Recruitment and Retention, Advanced Education MSVU representatives: Patrick Small -legs Nagge (Special Advisor on Indigenous Affairs); Dr. Peter Mombourquette (co-lead), Jennifer Guy (co-lead), Dr. Nicholous Deal , Paulette Cormier-MacBurnie , Dr. Shuyue Huang , and Minakshi Gonzalez Cerdeira (all of the Business and Tourism Department), Scott Daniels (Co-operative Education Manager), and Dr. Amy Thurlow (Communication Studies). MSVU is located on unceded ancestral Mi'kmaq territory. This territory is covered by the Covenant Chain of Treaties of Peace and Friendship signed between 1725 and 1779. We pay respect to the knowledge embedded in the Indigenous custodians of this land and to the Elders, past, present, and future. About Mount Saint Vincent University As a leader in online and experiential learning, and based on a strong tradition of social responsibility, Mount Saint Vincent University takes a personalized approach to education to nurture socially responsible global citizens. Founded in 1873, the Mount has been nationally recognized for having one of the lowest student-to-professor ratios, for providing students early access to valuable research opportunities, for its legacy in the advancement of women, and for facilitating critical advancements in food security, healthy aging, literacy, and childhood development. MSVU is located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq People. * The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. [Caption for attached photo From left to right, pictured in front of the wikuom on the MSVU campus: Dr. Peter Mombourquette, Interim Chair, Business and Tourism Department at MSVU; Robert Bernard, Executive Director, Nova Scotia Indigenous Tourism Enterprise Network; Jennifer Guy, Assistant Professor in the Tourism and Hospitality Management Program at MSVU] SOURCE Mount Saint Vincent University For further information: Media contact: Gillian Batten, Director, Communications, Mount Saint Vincent University, (902) 457-6439, [email protected] The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Napalm Girl photograph of terror-stricken Vietnamese children fleeing an errant aerial attack on their village, taken 50 years ago this month, has rightly been called a picture that doesnt rest. It is one of those exceptional visual artifacts that draws attention and even controversy years after it was made. In May 2022, for example, Nick Ut, the photographer who captured the image, and the photos central figure, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, made news at the Vatican as they presented a poster-size reproduction of the prize-winning image to Pope Francis, who has emphasized the evils of warfare. In 2016, Facebook stirred controversy by deleting Napalm Girl from a commentary posted at the network because the photograph shows the then-9-year-old Kim Phuc entirely naked. She had torn away her burning clothes as she and other terrified children ran from their village, Trang Bang, on June 8, 1972. Facebook retracted the decision amid an international uproar about the social networks free speech policies. Such episodes signal how Napalm Girl is much more than powerful evidence of wars indiscriminate effects on civilians. The Pulitzer Prize-winning image, formally known as The Terror of War, has also given rise to tenacious media-driven myths. In this 1973 file photo, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, left, is visited by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut at her home in Trang Bang, Vietnam. As a 9-year-old, Kim Phuc was the subject of a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo by Ut as she fled in pain from a misdirected napalm attack against her village by South Vietnamese planes in 1972. After taking the photograph, Ut came to the girl's aid and transported her to a hospital. (AP Photo) Widely believed often exaggerated What are media myths? These are well-known stories about or by the news media that are widely believed and often retold but which, under scrutiny, dissolve as apocryphal or wildly exaggerated. The distorting effects of four media myths have become attached to the photograph, which Ut made when he was a 21-year-old photographer for The Associated Press. Prominent among the myths of the Napalm Girl, which I address and dismantle in my book Getting It Wrong: Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism, is that U.S.-piloted or guided warplanes dropped the napalm, a gelatinous, incendiary substance, at Trang Bang. Not so. The napalm attack was carried out by propeller-driven Skyraider aircraft of the South Vietnamese Air Force trying to roust communist forces dug in near the village as news accounts at the time made clear. The headline over The New York Times report from Trang Bang said: South Vietnamese Drop Napalm on Own Troops. The Chicago Tribune front page of June 9, 1972, stated the napalm [was] dropped by a Vietnamese air force Skyraider diving onto the wrong target. Christopher Wain, a veteran British journalist, wrote in a dispatch for United Press International: These were South Vietnamese planes dropping napalm on South Vietnamese peasants and troops. The myth of American culpability at Trang Bang began taking hold during the 1972 presidential campaign, when Democratic candidate George McGovern referred to the photograph in a televised speech. The napalm that badly burned Kim Phuc, he declared, had been dropped in the name of America. McGoverns metaphoric claim anticipated similar assertions, including Susan Sontags statement in her 1973 book On Photography, that Kim Phuc had been sprayed by American napalm. Hastened the wars end? Two other related media myths rest on assumptions that Napalm Girl was so powerful that it must have exerted powerful effects on its audiences. These myths claim that the photograph hastened an end to the war and that it turned U.S. public opinion against the conflict. Neither is accurate. Although most U.S. combat forces were out of Vietnam by the time Ut took the photograph, the war went on for nearly three more years. The end came in April 1975, when communist forces overran South Vietnam and seized its capital. Americans views about the war had turned negative long before June 1972, as measured by a survey question the Gallup Organization posed periodically. The question essentially a proxy for Americans views about Vietnam was whether sending U.S. troops there had been a mistake. When the question was first asked in summer 1965, only 24% of respondents said yes, sending in troops had been a mistake. But by mid-May 1971 more than a year before Napalm Girl was made 61% of respondents said yes, sending troops had been mistaken policy. In short, public opinion turned against the war long before Napalm Girl entered popular consciousness. Ubiquitous? Not exactly Another myth is that Napalm Girl appeared on newspaper front pages everywhere in America. Many large U.S. daily newspapers did publish the photograph. But many newspapers abstained, perhaps because it depicted frontal nudity. In a review I conducted with a research assistant of 40 leading daily U.S. newspapers all of which were Associated Press subscribers 21 titles placed Napalm Girl on the front page. But 14 newspapers more than one-third of the sample did not publish Napalm Girl at all in the days immediately after its distribution. These included papers in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston and Newark. Only three of the 40 newspapers examined The Boston Globe, the New York Post and The New York Times published editorials specifically addressing the photograph. The editorial in the New York Post, then a liberal-minded newspaper, was prophetic in saying: The picture of the children will never leave anyone who saw it. W. Joseph Campbell is a Professor of Communication Studies, American University School of Communication. Six people have been arrested in the rape case involving a 17-year-old girl that occurred on May 28 in the Jubilee Hills region of Telangana's Hyderabad The juvenile son of an AIMIM MLA was held by Hyderabad police on Tuesday in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old in the city, which has garnered national news due to suspected participation of politicians relatives. The MLAs nephew, who was also a minor and had been on the run until now, was also apprehended. Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand claimed the MLAs son was arrested under section 354 of the IPC and the POCSO Act (attack or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a womans modesty), not for gang rape. The Innova in which the crime took place, according to Anand, was a government vehicle. According to a police official on Tuesday, six people have been arrested in the rape case involving a 17-year-old girl that occurred on May 28 in the Jubilee Hills region of Telanganas Hyderabad. All five youngsters, as well as one major, have been apprehended. The only major is Saduddin Malik. Four of the accused have already been brought before the Juvenile Home, and the remaining two will be brought before the court today, said CV Anand, Hyderabad City CP. The Commissioner of Police of Hyderabad, CV Anand, stated at a press conference that In this case, we did a thorough investigation. This case involves five minors and one major accused. On March 28, a Banglore resident requested his three pals to hunt for a pub to hold a party. Amnesia Pub was proposed by three people.The Amnesia pub was booked by Osman and another guy. More than 150 people payed to enter the pub. They also paid a one lakh advance later on. The event occurred on May 28, when the youngster arrived to the tavern at midday, according to the Commissioner. However, she did not tell her parents about the incident until May 31. The accused halted the vehicle in an Innova automobile on Highway 44. CCL raped her first, followed by four others at that location. She also sustained serious injuries during this period. They then returned her to the pub and dropped her off here. Then she dialled her fathers number, who came to pick her up from the pub added Commissioner. Meanwhile, two more juveniles were raped in Hyderabad on Monday, making it the fifth such incident in a week. Two more rape cases involving kids were reported earlier on Sunday. The first of the two cases that surfaced on Monday was reported to the Ramgopalpet Police Station, while the second occurred within the Rajendernagar Police Station limits, according to the Hyderabad police. In connection with disturbances that erupted on June 3, a special investigation team visited the violence site in Kanpur and collected evidence In connection with disturbances that erupted on June 3, a special investigation team visited the violence site in Kanpur and collected evidence. As part of our investigation, were speaking with sanitation employees. Were also gathering evidence in relation to the event that occurred stated Tripurari Pandey, Assistant Commissioner of Police in Kanpur and a member of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). On June 3, a violent clash erupted between two groups from different clans in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, apparently over a market shutdown. In the Kanpur violence case, 36 people have been arrested, three FIRs have been filed, and additional investigation is continuing. In connection with the event, all of the defendants, including key conspirator Hayat Zafar Hashmi, were sentenced to a 14-day court remand on Sunday. They were transported to Kanpur District Jail by police after being placed on a 14-day remand. The primary offender in the Kanpur violence case, Hayat Jaffar Hashmi, was detained along with three other masterminds earlier on Saturday, according to the Uttar Pradesh Police. According to Kanpur Police Commissioner Vijay Singh Meena, Well look into whether they have any ties to PFI. The Gangster Act would be used to pursue action against NSA and their assets. According to the authorities, the violence began when some people attempted to close establishments that were opposed by the other group. The conflicts resulted in the injuries of two people and one police officer. SHANGHAI (AP) Shanghai authorities say they will take major steps Wednesday toward reopening China's largest city after a two-month COVID-19 lockdown that has set back the national economy and largely confined millions of people to their homes. Already, a steady stream of people strolled in the Bund, the city's historic waterfront park, on a pleasant Tuesday night, some taking selfies against the bright lights of the Pudong financial district on the other side of the river. Elsewhere, people gathered outside to eat and drink under the watch of police deployed to discourage large crowds from forming. Lu Kexin, a high school senior visiting the Bund for the first time since late March, said she went crazy being trapped at home for so long. Im very happy, extremely happy, all the way, too happy," she said. I could die." Vice Mayor Zong Ming announced that full bus and subway service will be restored on Wednesday, as will basic rail connections with the rest of China. Schools will partially reopen on a voluntary basis, and shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores and drug stores will reopen gradually at no more than 75% of their total capacity. Cinemas and gyms will remain closed. "The epidemic has been effectively controlled, Zong said. She added that the city will enter the phase of fully restoring work and life on Wednesday. Officials, who set June 1 as the target date for reopening earlier in May, appear ready to accelerate what has been a gradual easing in recent days. A few malls and markets have reopened, and some residents have been given passes allowing them out for a few hours at a time. In online chat groups, some expressed excitement about the prospect of being able to move about freely in the city for the first time since the end of March, while others remained cautious given the slow pace and stop-and-go nature of opening up so far. Workers took down some of the barriers that had been erected along sidewalks during the lockdown. A few people walked or biked on the still mostly empty streets. One man got his hair cut on the sidewalk, a common sight in recent days, as a worker or volunteer in full protective clothing looked on. The most difficult part of the lockdown was psychological, said Cao Yue, who has worked in Shanghai for five years. She recalled the early days when it was difficult to buy food and she didn't know what to do. "It was quite depressing to be locked at home and see the whole Shanghai under lockdown, she said. More than half a million people in the city of 25 million won't be allowed out Wednesday 190,000 who are still in lockdown areas and another 450,000 who are in control zones because they live near recent cases. Shanghai recorded 29 new cases on Monday, continuing a steady decline from more than 20,000 a day in April. Li Qiang, the top official from China's ruling Communist Party in Shanghai, was quoted as saying at a meeting Monday that the city had made major achievements in fighting the outbreak through continuous struggle. The success came at a price. Authorities imposed a suffocating citywide lockdown under China's zero-COVID strategy that aims to snuff out any outbreak with mass testing and isolation at centralized facilities of anyone who is infected. Huge temporary facilities were set up in exhibition centers and other venues to house thousands of people who had tested positive. Teams of health care and other workers flew in from around the country to help run the massive undertaking. Factories were shuttered, or were allowed to operate only if workers slept on site to prevent the spread of the virus. Reduced production at semiconductor plants added to the global chip shortage. Containers backed up at the port of Shanghai because of a shortage of truck drivers to deliver them to their destinations. Though it all, leaders of the ruling Communist Party repeatedly expressed a determination to stick to the zero-COVID policy even as other countries have opened their borders and are trying to live with the virus. Outside economists widely expect China to fall short of its 5.5% growth target for this year. However, the latest economic data showed that Chinese manufacturing activity started to rebound in May as the government rolled back some containment measures. Schools will reopen for the final two years of high school and the third year of middle school, but students can decide whether to attend in person. Other grades and kindergarten remain closed. Outdoor tourist sites will start reopening Wednesday, with indoor sites set to follow in late June, the Shanghai tourism authority said. Group tours from other provinces will be allowed again when the city has eliminated all high- and medium-risk pandemic zones. Beijing, the nation's capital, further eased restrictions Tuesday in some districts. The city imposed limited lockdowns, but nothing near a citywide level, in a much smaller outbreak that appears to be on the wane. Beijing recorded 18 new cases on Monday. ___ Moritsugu reported from Beijing. Associated Press researchers Si Chen in Shanghai and Yu Bing in Beijing contributed to this report. Meiomi Pinot Noir, 2021, California, $22 For the father who enjoys his wine as much as he does a day on the golf course, treat him to a bottle from Meiomi Wines, the official wine of the PGA Tour. If hes a red drinker with a penchant for oak, there are three toasty varieties from which to choose. A blend of grapes from several California appellations, the pinot noir shows deep cherry-red in the glass. The nose is an intense potpourri of cigar shop and dark fruit aromas, led by sweet tobacco notes and black raspberries. On the palate, cooked dark plums and black currants are enrobed by smoky lapsang souchong tea notes. The finish is somewhat creamy and sweet, with raspberries and toffee leaving the last impression. This woody pinot packs a surprising punch. Pair it with: spicy barbecue pork ribs, seared tuna steaks with wasabi aioli, or puttanesca-style baked salmon. Lenz Estate Selection Merlot, 2015, North Fork, Long Island, $35 If dad enjoys supporting local (or somewhat local) wineries, head over to Long Island for a visit to the Lenz Winery. With almost four decades in the business, this North Fork vineyard focuses on creating food-friendly, single-varietal wines that showcase the character of the specific grapes they grow in their region. The Estate Selection Merlot is crafted from 85 to 90 percent mature merlot grapes. Rich cherry red with purple highlights, this wine instantly unveils its varietal character. The nose emits a hint of wood before revealing ripe black cherries and red plums. The palate echoes the aromas, while adding nuanced herbal notes redolent of laurel leaf. The body is soft and velvety, and the wine finishes with crisp acidity. A wine for the father who wants his merlot to taste like merlot. Pair it with: slow-cooker pulled pork, roasted duck with plum sauce, and mushroom ragout. San Simeon Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018, Paso Robles, California, $25 If you want dad to feel like royalty on Fathers Day, give him a wine created from the king of grapes, cabernet sauvignon. Owned by the Riboli Estates Group and awarded American Winery of the Year in 2018, San Simeons wines are all crafted from 100 percent estate-grown grapes and are certified sustainable. Deep ruby wine with inky purple highlights pours from this impressively weighty bottle. The scent of cedar is first to reach the nose, followed by dark berries and a hint of caramel. The palate displays sour black cherries and black plum sauce against a subtle, cigar-box backdrop. Undertones of clay dust become evident as it opens. Balanced tannins and crisp acidity combine in this quaffable cab that ends with a warm finish of cloves and a dusting of cocoa powder. Pair it with: New York strip steaks, beef tenderloin with aged balsamic reduction, or grilled figs with prosciutto and goat cheese. Renee B. Allen, CSW, FWS, CSS, is a wine and spirits expert and the director of the award-winning Wine Institute of New England, which offers wine and spirits education and events. She is a professor at the University of New Haven, a wine competition director and judge, and can be seen on WFSBs Better Connecticut. ORANGE, Mass. (AP) Three juveniles ages 12 to 14 are facing charges in connection with a massive fire in Orange, Massachusetts last weekend that destroyed four buildings, including a vacant mill, authorities said Tuesday. They will be brought to Greenfield Juvenile Court on arson-related delinquency charges on a date to be determined, according to a joint statement from city and state investigators. NEW HAVEN A former Meriden man was sentenced to 65 years in prison Tuesday for murdering a rival gang member in June 2020, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice. A jury found Trevor Outlaw, 35, guilty of murder, carrying a pistol without a permit and criminal possession of a firearm on Feb. 23, according to Acting New Haven States Attorney Lisa DAngelo. DAngelo said Outlaws sentence stems from the death of Giovanni Rodriguez. Police were called to the Comfort Inn & Suites hotel on East Main Street in Meriden just before 2 a.m. on June 21, 2020. There, police found Rodriguez, 24, of Meriden, dead in the entranceway with a gunshot wound to his chest. Prosecutors presented evidence in the February trial that showed an associate told Outlaw and an accomplice that Rodriguez was at the hotel. As Rodriguez removed items from his car in the hotel parking lot, Outlaw, a passenger in a slow-rolling car, opened fire on Rodriguez with a .380-caliber handgun, DAngelo said in a press release. Rodriguez attempted to run away, but ultimately collapsed near the hotels entrance, according to DAngelo. Police have said in the past that Outlaw was a member of the Blood gang. The Record-Journal reported that Outlaws warrant identified Rodriguez as a leader of the Crips gang. Prosecutors alleged that the two rival gangs had an ongoing conflict that motivated the shooting, DAngelo said. Outlaws criminal history includes multiple felony convictions for assault, robbery, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and other charges, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm, according to DAngelo. Police arrested Outlaw in February 2020. Judge Elpedio N. Vitale, a state Superior Court judge in New Haven, sentenced Outlaw to 65 years in prison on Tuesday. NEW HAVEN A 16-year-old boy was found shot near a city school Wednesday morning, police said. Police received a call around 10:55 a.m., reporting a person shot on Goffe Street between Orchard and Winter streets, which is near the Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School. In the area, officers found a 16-year-old boy who had been wounded by gunfire, Officer Scott Shumway said in a news release. An ambulance took the teenager to Yale New Haven Hospital where the boy was listed in stable condition late Wednesday afternoon, Shumway said. Area schools were placed in lockdowns as a precaution after the shooting. Once police determined the area was safe, the lockdowns were lifted, according to Shumway. Police collected ballistic evidence from the scene. Detectives from the police departments Major Crimes Unit are investigating the incident. Any witnesses who have not yet spoken to the police, or anyone with information, can contact the New Haven Police Departments Investigative Services Division at 203-946-6304. Callers may remain anonymous, or submit anonymous tips by calling 1-866-888-TIPS (8477) or by texting NHPD plus the tip to 274637 (CRIMES). william.lambert@hearstmediact.com (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Matt Harris, Park University (THE CONVERSATION) As they head to the polls to cast a ballot in primaries, voters may find themselves staring at a long list of candidates. In most cases, these primaries are winner-take-all. Whoever gets the most votes will represent their party in November. There were seven candidates on the GOP primary ballot in New Jerseys 7th Congressional District on June 7, 2022. Thomas Kean Jr. had 45.9% of the vote with 80% of ballots counted when the Associated Press declared him the winner. In Montana, five candidates competed in the June 7 GOP primary in the 1st Congressional District. With 78% of the ballots counted, Ryan Zinke was leading with 41.4% of votes and Al Olszewski had 40%. There was a difference this year from primaries just a decade ago: Data from the Center for Election Science, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on voting reform, indicates that in contested primaries, the number of candidates has been rising since 2010. That growth has important implications about the quality of the candidates and the views they represent. Each additional candidate who gets votes lowers the number of votes needed to secure a nomination. The outcomes of primaries with many candidates are unpredictable and may result in extreme, inexperienced or controversial nominees who may not truly represent a majority of voters. And a fringe candidate winning the primary and advancing to the general election can mean a risky candidate for their party. Flooded field The average contested primary for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives grew from 5.2 candidates in 2010 to 7.3 candidates in 2020. This flooding of the field can be attributed to several factors, including the role of technology: Getting on the ballot is relatively easy, and candidates can promote themselves and solicit funds via social media. As a political scientist in Missouri, Ive been closely following this crowding of the field in our U.S. Senate race. Here, the GOP is reckoning with the presence of disgraced former governor Eric Greitens in a packed primary field of 21 candidates. The crowding of fields is not limited to congressional candidates. The GOP presidential primary in 2016 featured 17 candidates, while the Democrats fielded 28 presidential candidates in 2020. While the field began to clear for Joe Biden following February 2020s South Carolina primary, eight months before the general election, Donald Trump won primaries well into March 2016 while hovering around 40% of the vote. These crowded fields dont always lead to the kind of results that prompt fear among party leaders of a general election disaster. For example, scandal-plagued Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, who failed to get the support of mainstream Republicans in the primary race, was ousted after losing to a candidate who won 33.4% of the vote in an eight-person field. Competitive versus safe seats Being an ideologically extreme candidate can be an advantage in partisan primaries. Although there is some dispute in political science as to how representative party primary voters are of their parties, there is no debating that they are ideologically polarized subsets of the general electorate. Candidate crowding in partisan primaries is more likely to happen in seats where the primary is the only true contest in the election. In these districts, it is a virtual certainty that one partys nominee will win the general if they can survive the primary. Victorious primary candidates can often walk to a general election victory after winning a third or less of the primary vote. This happened in Michigans 13th Congressional District in 2018. Incumbent Rep. John Conyers had resigned. A primary election was being held for a Democrat to seek to finish out his term. At the same time, the Democratic candidate to run for a full term in Congress was also being elected. Both races included Democrats Rashida Tlaib and Brenda Jones, among other candidates. Moderate Jones won the four-way race to compete for the remainder of Conyers term. Tlaib, currently a member of the left-wing Squad, won the six-way race to become the nominee for the full term. The presence of two additional candidates who were not close to winning had seemingly flipped the results. National political party organizations may try to steer voters and clear the primary field in competitive districts, but candidates are often left to their own devices in safe seats. National and state parties would prefer to focus on competitive races than ones in which their side will likely win regardless of the nominee. Where ideological extremists run in competitive districts and win the primary, it can present a different problem. The extremists party can be damaged by their candidacy with a lower vote share in the general election. Extreme, inexperienced or controversial Several primaries in recent memory have followed the pattern of elevating extreme, inexperienced or controversial primary candidates into party nominees. In the special election Democratic primary for Floridas safely Democratic 20th congressional district in November 2021, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick won by just five votes. Cherfilus-McCormick, who had never held elected office before, won 23.8% of the vote in a field with 10 other candidates after spending millions of her own money on the campaign. She won the general election. This year, in the GOP House primary in Ohios 9th congressional district, J.R. Majewski won with 35.8% of the vote. Majewski, a proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory who has never held political office, defeated two state legislators in the primary. In the GOP House primary in North Carolinas 1st congressional district, election conspiracy theorist Sandy Smith won the primary with 31.4% of the vote, defeating seven other candidates. One of her GOP competitors dug up allegations of abuse against Smith by multiple ex-husbands and her daughter. She has denied them. In perhaps the most extreme example of a crowded primary field, the nonpartisan special primary election to replace Rep. Don Young in Alaska asks voters to wade through 48 candidates, ranging from Sarah Palin to Santa Claus. Yes, Santa Claus. While ranked-choice voting in the general election might lead to a consensus choice, the wide-open primary has led to questions from voters about how to ensure theyll have one of their top choices make it to that stage. Nothing approaching a majority While the quality of a candidate is in the eye of the beholder to some extent, the pattern here is political newcomers, often with strong ideological views, winning their parties nominations with nothing approaching a majority. On one hand, contested primaries can be symbolic of a vibrant democracy. They can indicate that candidates want to get involved and are able to do so. They offer multiple perspectives for voters. On the other hand, these crowded fields can make choosing more difficult for voters. They have to make decisions with little knowledge of how other like-minded voters will vote. Strategic support for a specific candidate can be hard to coordinate. With votes split among multiple candidates, a candidate may win with a small plurality while being disliked by, or disconnected from, the larger primary electorate. Runoff elections that exist in many Southern primaries and ranked-choice voting in Maine can help in requiring candidates to meet a certain threshold of support. In the majority of states, however, 2022 will provide, I believe, countless examples in which primaries are akin to what political scientist Henry E. Brady described as poorly designed lotteries. With lots of candidates on the ballot, the winners of those lotteries may not be the voters. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/primaries-are-getting-more-crowded-with-candidates-and-thats-good-news-for-extremists-and-bad-news-for-voters-182910. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Twitter plans to offer Elon Musk access to its firehose of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets in an effort to push forward the Tesla billionaires agreed-to $44 billion acquisition of the social media platform, according to multiple news reports. Lawyers involved in the deal would not confirm the data sharing agreement. Musk made no comment on Twitter, although he has previously been vocal about various aspects of the deal. Twitter declined to confirm the reports and pointed to a Monday statement in which the company said it is continuing to cooperatively share information with Musk. Musk, who struck a legally binding agreement to buy Twitter in April, contends that the deal cant proceed unless the company provides more information about the prevalence of fake accounts on its platform. He has argued, without presenting evidence, that Twitter has significantly underestimated the number of these spam bots -- automated accounts that typically promote scams and misinformation on its service. On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also announced an investigation into Twitter for allegedly failing to disclose the extent of its spam bot and fake accounts, saying his office would look into potential false reporting of bots on Twitter. The Washington Post first reported Twitters plan to provide Musk with full access to the firehose, citing a person familiar with the matter. Other reports suggested the billionaire might only receive partial access. Twitter's reported offer could blunt Musk's attempts to use the spam bot issue to cast doubt on the deal's future. This week, lawyers for Musk accused the company of refusing to surrender information about the true number of bot accounts on Twitter. Mike Ringler, the Palo Alto, California, attorney who signed that Monday letter, told the AP he was not at liberty to speak about the matter when reached Wednesday afternoon. Fake social media accounts have been problematic for years. Advertisers rely on the number of users provided by social media platforms to determine where they will spend money. Spam bots are also used to amplify messages and spread disinformation. The problem of fake accounts is well-known to Twitter and its investors. The company has disclosed its bot estimates to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for years, while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has said that Twitter has consistently estimated that fewer than 5% of its accounts are spam. But Musk has disputed that figure, contending in a May tweet without evidence that 20% or more of Twitter's accounts are bogus. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) After Richard Rojas was kicked out of the Navy, he began sharing disturbing thoughts that were coursing through his head that cars were following him, that aircraft were dusting him with chemicals, that his meals were poisoned. An uncle, Ramon Reyes, said Rojas offered a self-diagnosis: You know that Im crazy. And theyre not giving me the help that I need. Whether Rojas was correct about his mental condition is at the crux of a trial in New York, where he mounted a sidewalk in his car in 2017 and mowed down pedestrians in Times Square. A teen tourist from Michigan died in front of her mother in the attack. More than 20 other people were injured. Rojas, 31, is fighting murder, assault and other charges at a trial unfolding in the shadow of mass shootings across the country and the political debate in which gun-control opponents have sought to blame the violence on failures in mental health care. At the outset, state Judge Daniel Conviser floated the possibility of a paradoxical outcome in the Rojas case: Jurors could find Rojas guilty, while at the same time deciding that he lacked responsibility by reason of mental disease or defect. The judge said the finding would qualify him for an open ended involuntary mental commitment instead of a lengthy prison term. Prosecutors concede Rojas had some mental challenges and that a motive for the attack is not clear cut. But they also argue that the defendant had led a mostly normal life serving in the military, getting a real estate license, making friends and that he doesn't meet the insanity standard needed to clear him of responsibility. They say he had several chances to stop his car on a bustling day in Times Square but ruthlessly kept going until he crashed. It was impossible for him not to know exactly what was happening, prosecutor Alfred Peterson told the jury. A prosecution case that ended late last month focused largely on harrowing accounts of victims who survived the carnage in Times Square. With the trial winding down, the defense has been trying to counter in recent days by drilling down on Rojas troubled past to try to convince the jury he was too sick to know what he was doing. Family members, including Reyes, have described the wave of paranoia from the witness stand. A key defense witness has been Ziv Cohen, a psychiatrist on the faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College and at Columbia University, who diagnosed Rojas as schizophrenic. Unlike more common psychological disorders, schizophrenia is a brain disease, so its a chemical imbalance in the brain that made Rojas prone to hallucinations, Cohen testified. While in the Navy, Rojas began to hear voices, the doctor said. In particular, he was hearing from James a "supernatural, God-like figure who had special information, he testified. On the day of the rampage, his imaginary guide told Rojas he needed to crash his car into spirits around him in order to send them to heaven and to release Rojas from the torture that he is experiencing as part of his psychosis, he testified. At a certain point, the psychosis becomes so severe that he cant control his behavior anymore, he said. Family members testified about their despair over seeing Rojas disintegrate after he was discharged from the Navy in 2014 the result of a court martial stemming from an arrest for beating a cab driver. A brother, Wilmer Veras, took the witness stand to recall how a delusional Rojas was obsessed with keeping tape over his phone and laptop camera lenses in case he was being watched. When out in the world, he would look for things that werent there and say people were following him around. He even accused Veras of doing voodoo on him." At that point, I told him he really needed to get help; that he was really losing it, Veras said. The uncle, Ramon Reyes, recounted a phone call a few days before the Times Square crash in which Rojas asked for help. Reyes told him to come by his home the next day so he could take him to a doctor, but he never showed up, he said. When a relative contacted Reyes saying she saw a TV report about an arrest that had images of someone who looked like Rojas, the uncle began frantically calling his nephew hoping it wasnt him, he testified. The uncle was asked if Rojas ever picked up. No, the witness responded, then wept. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BROOKFIELD More than a years worth of speculation over the identity of a newly built grocery story ended over the weekend after crews finished installing the large Amazon Fresh sign above the entrance of the building at 14 Candlewood Lake Road. Now, the question is: When will it open? I can confirm that Amazon will open an Amazon Fresh grocery store in Brookfield, CT., a spokesperson for the company told the News-Times Monday morning while declining to offer details on when it might welcome its first customers. First Selectwoman Tara Carr confirmed the spokespersons message, saying the town has, no specifics on [a] timeline for when residents can expect the store to open, but said the new grocery store will be a welcome addition to the community. We look forward to welcoming Amazon Fresh in Brookfield as Amazon will be a good corporate partner and will create quality jobs for our community, Carr wrote in an email. The mystery and accompanying hints over the identity of the future Brookfield grocery stores owner began unraveling with the submission of a site plan modification for the property at the 14 Candlewood Lake Road shopping plaza in October 2020. The property formerly hosted a TJ Maxx location, but at a October 22, 2020 meeting of the Brookfield Zoning Commission, representatives for the plazas owners, Raymour & Flanigan, noted difficulties in securing a new tenant for the space as a way to underscore the need for their new, prospective tenant, to remain anonymous. The proposed grocery store client is extremely secretive, as a product of the companys foundation as a technology company there is only one of these stores open now in the country, said Trevor Edkin, Director of Leasing for Raymour & Flanigan, according to the minutes. By the end of last fall, an updated site submission to the Zoning Commission brought more clues to the identity of the grocery stores owner with architectural designs for the buildings signage showing resemblance to existing Amazon Fresh stores. Still, there was no official word on whether or not the tech-giant was behind it all. If you look at the designs and you look at the other stores that are out there, its not hard to figure out who it is, its not, but theyve asked us to keep quiet, and we have, then-First Selectman Steve Dunn commented to the News-Times. With so much effort brought to protecting the name of the future grocery store, the sudden appearance of the Amazon Fresh signage over the weekend caught some suspecting Brookfield Town Hall employees off-guard. We are actually surprised ourselves that the sign went up, said Planning and Land Use Director, Greg Dembowski, who referred questions to Brookfields Zoning Enforcement Officer, Francis Lollie. I wasnt aware of it, so it was news to me, too, said Lollie on Monday. I had an idea of which grocery store it was going to be but without actually knowing or seeing the sign going up it was hard to say. Lollie explained how the sign design submission filed in October 2021 did not use the Amazon Fresh logo for the signage. While the signs installed read differently than those in the plans, Lollie said he did not anticipate any delays or repercussions coming from the sudden signage work, as long as they apply within the regulations which they do, he added. Once I caught wind of it, I had to notify the sign-installer who is in the process of now working with the building department to revise the application to reflect the Amazon Fresh signage, Lollie said. I did speak to the individuals at Amazon, and advised them of the same thing, too. Brookfield Amazon Fresh the first in New England? If it opened today, the Amazon Fresh location in Brookfield would mark the site of the companys first store in New England, but further expansion in Connecticut and across the northeast is already in the works. An Amazon Fresh location is expected to open in Westport sometime this year despite a recent hiccup over sign-design approval with the towns Zoning Board of Appeals, according to the company. In Orange, officials recently approved site-plans for a yet-to-be-named grocery store at another former-TJMaxx space that is also owned by Raymour & Flannigan. According to Burt Flickinger, managing director of New York City-based Strategic Resource Group, the zoning approval includes all the hallmarks of an Amazon Fresh location. Im very familiar with for their site location and this checks off all the boxes, Flickinger told Hearst in February. In Massachusetts, local media outlets reported last fall that two Amazon Fresh locations were in the works, one in Saugus and one in Braintree, according to a report from WCVB-TV. Last month, Amazon announced it would begin hiring for its yet-to-be opened New Jersey and New York locations. Seattle-based Amazon also owns Whole Foods Market, which has more than 500 locations across the U.S., including 10 in the Connecticut. The tech-giant opened its first Amazon Fresh store to the public in Los Angeles in September 2020 one of 31 locations currently open for business in the U.S. today; along with 17 in the United Kingdom. The most recently opened Amazon Fresh location, a 35,000 square foot space in Huntington Beach, Calif., became the the 15th store to open in the golden state last Thursday. Other U.S. states hosting multiple Amazon grocery locations include Illinois, Washington, and Virginia. The stores concept allows for both traditional and online grocery shopping to customers who can choose from a variety of pick-up and delivery and payment and checkout options, including its Just Walk Out technology, which gives customers the option to skip the checkout line, and will be available at the Brookfield store when it opens, according to the Amazon spokesperson. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration said Wednesday that a funding crunch is forcing it to divert more than $10 billion in coronavirus relief from test procurement and other efforts as it tries to come up with money to secure the next generation of vaccines and treatments for some high-risk Americans. The White House said it has been left with no choice but to cut back on orders of at-home rapid tests that have supported a domestic manufacturing base for the easy diagnostic tests. It also is scaling back funding for research and development of new COVID-19 vaccines and limiting orders of personal protective equipment in an effort to maintain some stockpiles of vaccines and treatments for Americans heading into the winter. Even then, the Democratic administration says, there will only be enough money available to provide treatments and vaccines to some people. It urged Congress to act to provide enough money to secure doses for all who might want or need them. The administration has to act because Congress wont, the White House said in a statement. These trade-offs we are being forced to make because of Congress will have serious consequences on the development of next-generation vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, domestic vaccine production capacity, stockpiling of PPE and the procurement of tests and testing supplies for federally qualified and community health centers." The White House said the unacceptable" trade-offs were due to congressional inaction. It was not immediately clear which vaccines and treatments the administration was seeking to secure with the limited funding including whether the administration was placing orders for potential multivalent vaccines that would protect against both the original COVID-19 strain and offer targeted protection against some variants. The White House also didn't say how many doses of vaccines would be acquired, citing contracting requirements for the lack of clarity. The administration said the Wednesday moves would shift $5 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccine doses for the fall, $4.9 billion for 10 million Paxlovid oral antiviral treatment courses and $300 million for the purchase of additional monoclonal antibody treatments. The Biden administration has been warning for months of the potential for rationing and other tough trade-offs if Congress doesn't act to provide additional funding, saying that it would cost lives as people's immunity from booster doses or from prior infection wane. Lawmakers in March appeared near a deal for $10 billion of the $22.5 billion that President Joe Biden has requested, but negotiations broke down over Biden's plans to end pandemic-related public health restrictions on U.S. borders that severely curtailed migration. Though that move has been blocked by a federal judge, lawmakers have appeared no closer to reaching a deal. The White House has said that if it doesn't act swiftly to secure vaccines, other nations will lock in their own places in line ahead of the U.S. That would reverse the trend of the U.S. being among the first nations, if not the first nation, to market vaccines and life-saving COVID-19 treatments like Paxlovid. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday agreed to keep on hold his ruling from April that prevented state regulators from requiring businesses and others responsible for pollution by PFAS chemicals to investigate and clean up the contamination. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren said because of the importance and impact of his ruling, it made sense to keep it on hold while the state Department of Natural Resources appeals. In April, Bohren ruled that state regulators must go through Wisconsin's rule-making process to establish guidelines for dealing with the PFAS toxins known as forever chemicals. The ruling was a win for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the states largest business and manufacturing lobbying group, and Oconomowoc-based dry cleaner Leather Rich, which brought the lawsuit last year. Bohren said he expects the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take the case directly, skipping the state appeals court, to expedite a resolution. Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Karp, arguing for the DNR, said Tuesday that allowing the ruling to take effect immediately could prevent the agency from continuing to provide bottled water to 1,300 households affected by PFAS contamination. Lucas Vebber, attorney for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, said the state has other options, including creating a rule to regulate PFAS chemicals. Under the judge's earlier ruling, the Department of Natural Resources must wait for legislators to define the chemicals to be regulated and impose limits in state law or through an administrative rule. That process can take years. The Republican-controlled Legislature has been working to weaken state agency authority under Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, making it all the more unlikely that meaningful regulations would be approved. Attorneys for the DNR argue that existing law gives the agency broad discretion over how to handle contaminants, and theres no need to go through the rule-making process to regulate PFAS. The DNR's ability to protect public health and the environment will be neutered under the judge's ruling, environmentalists and residents in communities dealing with PFAS pollution have said. According to the lawsuit, Leather Rich entered a DNR program designed to help businesses that voluntarily report pollution with clean up in 2019. The following year, DNR officials declared that businesses in the program need to test for emerging contaminants, including PFAS, without explaining which of the more than 4,000 PFAS compounds to look for or what levels would be considered too high. The agency lacked any basis in state law to make such a move, which was done without legislative oversight or opportunity for public comment, the lawsuit alleged. PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances human-made chemicals used in nonstick cookware and firefighting foam. Multiple studies have shown they can cause health problems in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased risk of some cancers and a weakened immune system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The DNR currently lists nearly 90 sites across Wisconsin with PFAS contamination, which has affected both private and public drinking water. A number of municipalities are dealing with PFAS-contaminated groundwater, including Madison, Marinette, Campbel, Peshtigo and Wausau. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GUILFORD For Linda Dostie Kelly, the last year has been a roller coaster of emotions, from sadness over losing her brother to enthusiasm over creating a foundation in his name. It was a year ago May 25 that her 59-year-old brother, Paul Dostie, died from glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. Since then, the family has launched the Paul Dostie KARE Foundation Kindness Always Rewards Everyone to continue his legacy. The foundations biggest fundraiser, the Paul Dostie Foundation KARE Fest Fundraiser, is scheduled 1- 9 p.m. June 11 at the Guilford Fairgrounds, 111 Lovers Lane. The music headliner for the day is the nationally-known group John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, joined by local shoreline bands The Ticket and Crushtones. The event also will include food trucks; craft vendors; firetrucks, ambulances, a police car, a backhoe and a bucket truck for the children to explore; laser and sack races and cornhole. I feel like having these milestones really makes you aware what youve lost, Kelly said via phone from her home in Virginia. But also having the milestones of what weve done over the year since hes passed, starting the foundation and helping so many others is really kind of making me reflect on how his passing has really helped so many others, she said. The mission of the foundation is to provide funds to help support travel, medical and other expenses for families faced with glioblastoma (GBM), in addition to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a heart condition that affects Paul Dosties daughter, Allie. In addition, the foundation is assisting individuals interested in entering a trade with financial support to pursue their career. Mark Larkins said he was thrilled to be a platinum sponsor of the KARE Fest. As a lifelong Guilford resident, along with Dostie, the two went through school together and kept in touch over the years. Everything you hear about Paul is 100 percent true, said Larkins. He was one of the nicest, most genuine guys you ever want to know. The world was a much better place with Paul in it and the world would be a much better place if people were more like Paul, without a doubt, he added. They both stayed in town, Dostie as owner of Jerrys Transition Service in Guilford and Larkins as owner of A&W Sanitation. When I read about what the KARE Foundation stood for, about helping kids that want to get into trade schools, I own an excavating company and nobodys coming out of high school wanting to get into the trades, he said. So, between knowing Paul for so long and the type of person he was and what the foundation stands for, it was no-brainer. Sarah Bishop DellaVentura, chief operating officer of Bishops Orchards Farm Market and Winery, talked about the importance of the foundation and signing on as a gold sponsor. She said, first and foremost, Bishops is lending support to family, as Paul Dosties mother is Margaret Betty Bishop Dostie. The lineage goes far back, she said. Paul is second cousins with my dad. In addition, DellaVentura said, the foundations mission is exactly in alignment with what we do for Bishops in the community. Its all about giving back and community and taking care of others. Since its creation, the foundation has helped six families with glioblastoma and one family with HCM. Its hard, but its also awesome, said Kelly. Its awesome to know that were helping these families. That we are there for them. Its not a one and done; somebody needs more help, well give them some more help, she said. Thats what the foundation is all about, is to be here to support them, so they can fight these diseases. Kelly said the foundation was created out of the familys grief and has been a cathartic experience. He hasnt really gone, she said. Hes gone physically, but he certainly is here in so many other ways. Kelly is sure her brother had been there for the planning of the KARE Fest. I keep saying, Pauls driving, hes at the wheel here, said Kelly, laughing. So many wonderful things have happened and connections have been made that I just sit here and Im just astounded. This is also how she feels about the foundation and the work they have accomplished since her brother died. I keep hoping hes looking down and realizing how much impact he had on everybody and how his impact is going to continue, said Kelly. Saturdays event will be held rain or shine; tickets are $60 for adults, $20 for teens 13-18 and free for kids under 12. For more information, visit pauldostiekarefund.org, the Paul Dostie KARE Kindness Always Rewards Everyone Facebook page, or email contact@pauldostiekarefund.org. A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, who abandoned the party over the cost of its Expression of Interest and Nomination form... A former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, who abandoned the party over the cost of its Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, Adamu Garba, has suspended his presidential aspiration in the 2023 general election. Adamu after leaving the APC joined the Young Progressives Party where he picked the presidential Expression of Interest form. He, however, announced the suspension of his presidential aspiration on Tuesday. Adamu said, Fellow Nigerians, in line with my aspiration for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming 2023 general election, we have identified some critical factors which are currently at odds with our aspirations and desire to bring about positive change to the Nigerian political space. Below are the most critical among the identified factors; There is a need for widespread consultation and rally of the interest of the countrys stakeholders, nationwide. This we did not achieve to some satisfaction. Nigerian Youth, whose agenda is what I am projecting is mostly disconnected and in silos, there is a need for proper networking among us, to build a network of like-minds, that genuinely care for Nigeria within the Youth constituency. This will require a longer time and nationwide consultation, and interest. building/alignment with stronger bonding among all classes of the Youth. There is a need for developing a structure that will ensure a pool of resources across board for us to succeed in our journey to the office of the President. In view of the above, we have decided to suspend our aspiration for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming 2023 general elections. I have made this decision after consulting with my closest associates, friends, family and other high-level stakeholders and elder statesmen within and outside the country. These three constraints, which are evidently clear for all to see, are deep-rooted issues that require our collective action to address over a longer period of time. It could not have been done within the eight months on the campaign trail. It is with this in mind, based on facts, that I must drop my intention to aspire for the office of the President in the coming 2023 election while opening a new chapter of working hard with critical stakeholders, the network of like-minds, with mutual trust and understanding among the youth across the country while building a resource domain. It may be comatose for me to take on the aspirations after identifying genuine gaps that are caused by the circumstances within our limitations. It may not be good to raise the hope and interest of the young people high, while in fact, there are instrumentations that needs to be put in place before we proceed. I have made it categorically clear that my only interest in Nigerian Politics is in the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am therefore not going to change my stance on this, however, the factors highlighted above tell me it will be the election cycle, but not the coming 2023 general elections. I promise you that I will carry you along on all issues related to my desire for the greatness of this country. I must also have the courage to face the facts on the ground which might affect the campaign and accept it even if it goes contrary to my personal interest. The former presidential aspirant added that he would prioritise the interest of the youths. He said, To all Nigerian Youth; male or female; I am coming for you. I will reach out to you. We will all have to work together to deliver a greater Nigeria. We must not relent, we must not demur, we must not give up. We will all have the country of our dream in Nigeria. The Nigerian Project is the Project that everyone is required to put his/her hands on the desk to ensure we deliver for the future generations of Nigerians. We are just starting. Lets continue with the movement to make Nigeria great. Former Administrator of Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State Samuel Alumka is dead. Alumka died on his way to attend the All Progressiv... Former Administrator of Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State Samuel Alumka is dead. Alumka died on his way to attend the All Progressives Congress (APC) special convention in Abuja. It was gathered that Alumka, who is a current appointee of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, met his untimely death in Gwagwalada in a fatal motor accident. He contested the House of Assembly election for Bassa State constituency but lost to his opponent. A family source said his remains are being transported to his country home in Bassa Local Government. It was also reported earlier that Alhaji Isa Baba Buji, one of the APC delegates from Buji Local Government Area (LGA) of Jigawa State died in Abuja. The National Leader and the standard-bearer for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has commended the Vice President, Yemi Osi... The National Leader and the standard-bearer for the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has commended the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo for his support to President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking during his acceptance speech at the Eagles Square, the venue of the APC Presidential primary, Tinubu said he would have been a little upset with the Senate President, Ahamad Lawan. According to Tinubu: I thank Osinbajo for being a good support for our president, I thank the legislature, Ahmad lawn; I would have been a little upset because you compete with me, but I thank you for your cool-headedness in the effort to build our nation. Tinubu emerged as the partys flag bearer after polling the highest to defeat other presidential aspirants like Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, Dave Umahi, among others. Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Wednesday congratulated former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, on his victory at th... Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Wednesday congratulated former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, on his victory at the All Progressives Congress presidential primary election. The governor in a congratulatory message personally signed by him said the emergence of Tinubu as flagbearer of the APC in the 2023 general election would be a victory for the Nigeria project. According to him, the Jagaban has the capacity to provide the needed leadership that would consolidate and continue to ensure the countrys democratic gains. Ganduje commended President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the enabling environment that produced the standard flagbearer, the National Working Committee, the delegates and all other organ and structures of the party across the federation for the collective efforts in ensuring the success of the convention. The governor also hailed other aspirants for their remarkable sportsmanship which they displayed throughout the painstaking consultation period up to the convention and particularly Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who submitted themselves to transparent democratic exercise. He also called on Tinubu as party leader to bring his political and socio-economic experience to bear on party leadership and members to close ranks and work for its victory in the forthcoming election. Ganduje also charged all party members to remain United and focused as the party marched with Nigerians to victory in 2023. The only women presidential aspirant in the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye has stepped down for Asiwaju Bola... The only women presidential aspirant in the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Barr. Uju Ken Ohanenye has stepped down for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Speaking at the convention ground on Tuesday night, she described Tinubu as a lifesaver. She said; Nigeria needs a mother and that is why I have come. I love you all. I am pleading with all the delegates to know that their votes are life savers. We have our children and nation to think of. Let them tey and vote right for the brighter future of our children. I have decided to step aside for that life saver who is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The President, Muhammadu Buhari, and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, have returned to the venue of the ongoing national convention of the All Pr... The President, Muhammadu Buhari, and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, have returned to the venue of the ongoing national convention of the All Progressives Congress. Also, the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, and other top officials of the party have also returned to the venue. Tinubu had obtained over 50 per cent of the total votes cast in the ongoing presidential primary of the party in Abuja. Tinubu currently leads with over 1149 votes after votes in 27th boxes were sorted. His closest contenders, Rotimi Amaechi and Yemi Osinbajo, who got 238 and 177 votes respectively. The winner is expected to be declared in a few hours. Selected members of APC have gathered to vote on Tuesday in key primaries to choose a candidate for next years election to replace the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). More than 2,300 APC delegates will select a candidate to face 75-year-old Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party among others in the February 25 presidential ballot. Buhari, who is stepping down after the two terms he is allowed in the constitution, arrived at the Eagle Square convention centre early in the evening before voting was to start. The Nigerian leader has spent the days leading up to the convention in negotiations with the APCs leaders seeking unity over a party candidate. The fate of the party depends on what we do here, APC party chairman Abdullahi Adamu said, echoing Buharis call for unity in the ranks. We cannot go into the general election next year without putting our house together. Part of the APCs debate over candidates relates to zoning an unofficial agreement among political elites that Nigerias presidency should rotate between those from the predominantly Christian south and those from the largely Muslim north. After northern Buhari, observers expected the presidency to go to a candidate from the south. But the PDP which held its primary on May 28 and 29 chose Abubakar, a former vice president and a political stalwart who is a northern Muslim. The oppositions choice to ignore zoning has made the APC reconsider how their candidate will appeal to the north, where voter numbers and participation are traditionally higher. Buhari, who is the leader of the ruling party, has not declared support for any candidate and instructed APC members to allow the delegates to decide. Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections, he said last week. Heavy security was deployed in central Abuja early Tuesday and streets were gridlocked as hundreds of APC supporters wearing the party colours of green, white and red gathered in and around the venue. The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has alleged plans to assassinate him and some of his aides. The National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has alleged plans to assassinate him and some of his aides. According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ikenna Onuoha, he said the plan was hatched because the PDP National Working Committee acted on the recommendations of a committee that was set up to probe the May 26 primary in Ahiazu Mbaise State Constituency, Imo State. He alleged that some people, who were pained by the cancellation and rescheduling of a fresh primary, issued the threat to burn and kill him in a voice note. The statement partly read, We have uncovered a discreet and underground plot by desperate politicians in Imo State to assassinate the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, and his close aides. In the said voice notes, the group, acting in support and on behalf one of top the politicians and in cohorts with their killer squads, vowed to shut down the Imo State Secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission, destroy other notable public structures and hack anyone directly or indirectly linked to Senator Anyanwus political camp. The voice notes (though still intact) will be made available when necessary. While security operatives have been briefed of this orchestrated plot to assassinate the PDP National Secretary and his close aides, we, therefore, notify traditional rulers in Imo State, religious leaders, and the public of this development. He alleged some desperate politicians in the state had used different plots, including blackmail and threats, to run him down since his emergence as PDP National Secretary. The Imo police were yet to receive a statement on the matter. A presidential aspirant, Mr Nicolas Felix, has stepped down for the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. He announced this at th... A presidential aspirant, Mr Nicolas Felix, has stepped down for the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. He announced this at the ongoing national convention of the party. According to him, it is unfair for a Muslim to take over from another Muslim. He explained that apart from regions, religion should also be considered in choosing who becomes the next president of Nigeria. I hereby step down my ambition to become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and declare my full support for the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, he said. He is the youngest among the 23 presidential aspirants in the ongoing presidential primary of APC. Felix who ran for the presidency in 2019 and came third asked his supporters to vote for Osinbajo. He is the first aspirant to publicly endorsed the Vice President. Earlier, five aspirants stepped down for the National Leader of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They are Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; and Senator Godswill Akpabio stepped down for Ahmed Tinubu. Selected members of APC have gathered to vote on Tuesday in key primaries to choose a candidate for next years election to replace the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). More than 2,300 APC delegates will select a candidate to face 75-year-old Atiku Abubakar of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party among others in the February 25 presidential ballot. Buhari, who is stepping down after the two terms he is allowed in the constitution, arrived at the Eagle Square convention centre early in the evening before voting was to start. The Nigerian leader has spent the days leading up to the convention in negotiations with the APCs leaders seeking unity over a party candidate. The fate of the party depends on what we do here, APC party chairman Abdullahi Adamu said, echoing Buharis call for unity in the ranks. We cannot go into the general election next year without putting our house together. Part of the APCs debate over candidates relates to zoning an unofficial agreement among political elites that Nigerias presidency should rotate between those from the predominantly Christian south and those from the largely Muslim north. After northern Buhari, observers expected the presidency to go to a candidate from the south. But the PDP which held its primary on May 28 and 29 chose Abubakar, a former vice president and a political stalwart who is a northern Muslim. The oppositions choice to ignore zoning has made the APC reconsider how their candidate will appeal to the north, where voter numbers and participation are traditionally higher. Buhari, who is the leader of the ruling party, has not declared support for any candidate and instructed APC members to allow the delegates to decide. Our objective must be the victory of our party and our choice of candidate must be someone who would give the Nigerian masses a sense of victory and confidence even before the elections, he said last week. Heavy security was deployed in central Abuja early Tuesday and streets were gridlocked as hundreds of APC supporters wearing the party colours of green, white and red gathered in and around the venue. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has mocked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for clinching at very great price, the Presidential ticket of the ... The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has mocked Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for clinching at very great price, the Presidential ticket of the moribund, decrepit and crippled All Progressives Congress (APC). The opposition party said the APC has since served out its purpose as a fraudulent contraption that brought in the failed, corrupt and rudderless administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. This was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja, on Wednesday. He said, Our Party also sympathizes with Asiwaju for embarking on a journey to nowhere as he is no match for PDPs more popular, more competent and more prepared Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar the unifier and the peoples choice, who defeated President Buhari fair and square in the 2019 Presidential election. Asiwaju will soon realize that Nigeria is not one of his acquired estates or fiefdoms and that the Nigerian people are not his political string-puppets and retinue of lackies, from whom he bought the APC Presidential ticket. Asiwaju will also soon realize that Nigerians hold him responsible for his self-confessed role in installing the failed Buhari-led administration that subjugated the people, brought excruciating economic hardship, acute poverty, bloodletting, terrorism, mass killings, promoted disunity, tribalism and nepotism, lawlessness, massive treasury looting and unpardonable life-discounting experiences to our country. Ologunagba noted that It is indeed reprehensible that Asiwaju, after being handed an APC flag that refused to unfold in recognition of the gloomy times of the APC, did not demonstrate any form of remorse for the injuries he engineered and caused our nation in the last seven years. The party spokesman stressed that his failure to express empathy for the victims of violence, kidnapping, mass killings and acts of terrorism, especially the recent gruesome attack in a sacred place of worship, St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State, serves as a foretaste of the big cover up and harrowing experience that Nigerians will face, God forbid, should Asiwaju emerge as President in 2023. The PDP statement further read, His acceptance speech further exposed his manifest lack of capacity, presence of mind, resourcefulness and selflessness to manage the affairs of a nation as complex as Nigeria. From Asiwajus egotistic outbursts before and after the APC manipulative National Convention, it is crystal clear that his life-long dream of clinching the APC Presidential ticket is not for the wellbeing of Nigerians but out of desperation to lay hands on the keys to the nations treasury. Asiwaju has insulted the sensibilities of Nigerians enough and this APC National Convention will be his final political outing. This is because Nigerians have had enough and are now, more than ever before, ready and out on the platform of the PDP to defend our nation and reject Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 Presidential election. The Nigerian politics is far more complex and beyond the Lagos politics where Asiwaju operates with brawl and deployment of violence rather than brain. What Nigerians needs now is a unifier in the face of the pain and discomfort inflicted on them by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his live band of APC looters and mean human beings. He needs to know that Nigeria is not Lagos. The PDP charged Nigerians to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whom the party described as their choice President in this mission to Rescue, Redirect and Rebuild our nation from the misrule of Asiwaju and his APC. At least seven All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants on Tuesday night, stepped down for the National Leader of the party,... At least seven All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants on Tuesday night, stepped down for the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio, was the first to throw in the towel. The former Ogun State governor Ibikunle Amosun and Governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi, also stepped down for Tinubu. Dimeji Bankole, the former speaker of the house of representatives; Muhammad Badaru, Jigawa governor; and Ajayi Boroffice, senator representing Ondo north, also withdrew from contesting the presidency and supported Tinubu. Uju Ohanenye, the only female APC presidential aspirant, also threw her weight behind Tinubu. Meanwhile, Vice President Osinbajo did not step down from the race as many had expected. The 2023 presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed anger at those who wished the ... The 2023 presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed anger at those who wished the party death. Speaking during his acceptance speech on Wednesday, the former Lagos State Governor accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP of plotting to destroy APC. He said the main opposition party had wasted 16 years of the country when it was in power. He said, Shame on those who already bought coffins for APC, our party is still alive. We are here very confident and courageous. They called themselves PDP 16 years of misery and failure we said step aside. We are courageous that this nation is back on track. The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associ... The Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions has said no tangible achievement was recorded at the Federal Government Renegotiation Panel. Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the National Vice-President, SSANU, Dr. Abdussobur Salaam, said the panel met only once with SSANU since it was inaugurated on March 7, 2022. It was reported that the committee, which was chaired by the Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Emeritus Prof. Nimi Briggs, was given three months to conclude the renegotiation with the four university unions and send the report to Federal Government. The committees timeline ended on Monday. It is believed that the committee will submit its report to the Federal Government this week or get an extension. But Salaam explained that the Briggs committees engagements with SSANU had been minimal and the timeline was not being adhered to. He said, Within the three months timeline, SSANU has only had one meeting with the Briggs renegotiation team. The meeting was held on Friday, April 8, 2022. Today, being June 7, makes it exactly two months ago. At the meeting, nothing tangible was put on the table. No offer was made by the government, particularly on improved conditions of service and welfare of our members. The governments side seems not to be sure of itself and groping in the dark as far as its mandate is concerned. As of now, we have no reason to express satisfaction because even the paces of the discussions have been too slow. If it has taken two months after the first meeting with SSANU and no meeting has been called, it gives room to doubt the willingness and capacity of the committee to deliver on its mandate. He suggested that the panel be properly empowered to take decisions on behalf of the government. Salaam said, The Committee should be properly empowered to take decisions on behalf of the government. To be breathed down upon by government officials as the engagements with the committee suggest is not good for confidence building. They should show that they have a mandate to commit on behalf of the government. Similarly, the committee appears not to take cognisance of the timelines in the discharge of its assignment. Whatever the bottlenecks militating against the timelines should be removed. If we have only had one meeting within the three months timeline with nothing tangible being put on the table, it leaves much to be desired and it is highly unfortunate. When our correspondent contacted Briggs on the telephone for reactions on SSANUs complaints and other issues, he declined comment, saying, I dont react to anything on telephone. SSANUs strike started with a warning strike of two weeks which commenced on March 27, 2021, while the extension of another two weeks commenced on Sunday, April 10, 2022. The unions demands include the inconsistent issue of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, unpaid earned allowances, and delay in the renegotiation of FGN, NASU, SSANU agreements, and non-payment of minimum wage arrears. Others include neglect and poor funding of state universities, non-payment of retirement benefits to outgoing members of the unions, and usurpation of the headship of non-teaching units in clear violation of conditions of service and establishment procedures, among others. The Adamawa State Police Command has nabbed an 18-year-old boy for allegedly killing a woman and her infant child. The police arrested the t... The Adamawa State Police Command has nabbed an 18-year-old boy for allegedly killing a woman and her infant child. The police arrested the teenager on Monday, June 6, according to a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, as signed by the State Police imagemaker, Suleiman Nguroje. The Command, on Monday, June 6, 2022 apprehended an 18-year-old boy, Volamu Kalbes for alleged brutal murder of a 36-year-old woman, Talatu Usman and her one-year-old child in Lamurde Local Government Area, the Police stated. The Command said the suspect and the victims were residents of Sabon Layi village in the Lamurde LGA. It added that the suspect allegedly attacked the victim by the riverside where she went to take bath, alongside her child. The victim was said to have resisted an attempt by the suspect to rape her, but to no avail, as he overpowered her, and pressed her down into the water where she died. After killing the woman, the suspect took the child who was crying profusely on the river bank and pressed him into the water until he became lifeless, the statement explained. It added that the suspect was arrested by operatives of Lamurde Divisional Police Headquarters, following a report from the victims husband, Alhaji Usman Abdul. According to the statement, the State Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande has directed further investigation into the matter. Yes, all of it should be forgiven Yes, but only a portion should be forgiven No; none of it should be forgiven Vote View Results Watertown, NY (13601) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 83F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Each year the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience makes the Crescent City feel a little closer to wine country through its line-up of wine tastings, educational events, dinners and parties organized around wine appreciation. But food is also a big part of NOWFE, which brings together many different local chefs. Each year, they compete for awards on the dishes they serve during the two Grand Tastings held Friday evening (6-9 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon (2-5 p.m.) at the Sugar Mill (1021 Convention Center Blvd.). You can get samples of these and other dishes between the wine tasting tables. Get tickets via NOWFE.com. A panel of judges have already weighed in on this years dishes across (many) categories, and heres how it all played out (spoiler alert: the Hyatt really cleaned up). Best of Show - Savory Curried local Gulf shrimp mini roti with carrots, kabocha squash and tofu From chef Chosita Palakawong of the Hyatt Regency hotel Best of Show - Sweet Banoffee pavlova From pastry chef Eka Soenarko of Jack Rose Soups & Stews Soups & Stews - Gold Crawfish & morel mushroom bisque From chef de cuisine Elliott Waits of Chemin a la Mer (in the Four Seasons) Soups & Stews - Silver Cajun bouillabaisse with rouille From chef Ciera Fultz of Evangeline Soups & Stews - Bronze (Tie) Shrimp & blue crab gumbo with Louisiana popcorn rice, crab scallion toast From chef Michael Shelton and Chef Todd Misener of Trenasse And Soups & Stews - Bronze (Tie) Red drum & corn soup with fried pita bread & scallions From chef Charles Peewee Armstrong of Peewees Crabcakes on the Go Meat & Poultry Meat & Poultry - Gold 24k butter chicken-creamy tomato sauce, yogurt marinated and coconut charcoal Smoked Chicken served along with pomegranate raita, mint coriander chutney and saffron caviar From chef Rakshit Kadam of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Meat & Poultry - Silver Chile beef bacon with grilled Louisiana peach, apple & pecan slaw, Abita root beer-pomegranate glaze From chefs Mike Shelton and Todd Misener of Trenasse Meat & Poultry - Bronze Sticky grilled rib tips with Steens glaze and salsa with green tomato chow chow and Georgia green peanut oil From chefs Amarys Koenig-Herndon and Jordan Herndon of Palm & Pine Meat & Poultry - Bronze Pork belly cassoulet, with new crop white beans, salted pork, hog cracklin' and cornbread gremolata with sugarcane glazed pork belly From chef Daren Porretto of Saint John Seafood (Cooked) Seafood - Gold Local snapper in mole rosa with apple avocado salad, spicy palanqueta de pistachio and sunflower From chef Fortino Corona of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Seafood - Silver Blackened red drum with Hennessy bourbon glaze From chef Charles Peewee Armstrong of Peewees Crabcakes on the Go Seafood - Bronze (Tie) Marmita shrimp, with honey-glazed Gulf shrimp, mitmita, onion, tomatoes on injera bread From chef Prince Lobo of Addis NOLA Seafood - Bronze (Tie) Barbecue shrimp with grilled baguettes From chef Sydney Montrel of Vyoone's Seafood - Honorable Mention Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Crawfish & grits From chef Ciera Fultz of Evangeline Seafood (Raw) Seafood (raw) Gold Lemonfish crudo tiradito with mirliton mignonette with passion fruit granita & squid ink puffed rice cracker From chef Corey Thomas of Restaurant August Seafood (Raw) - Silver Lobster carpaccio asparagus, fennel pollen, Siberian sturgeon caviar, leek From executive chef Valeriano Chiella of Domenica Seafood (Raw) - Bronze Salmon chili crunch-cured salmon, chives, housemade chili crunch, toasted peanuts, yuzu aioli, and micro citrus mix From chef Brett Monteleone of Junior's on Harrison Seafood (Raw) - Honorable Mention Citrus and chili seared tuna, olive salad, preserved lemon From chef David Whitmore of Jack Rose Seafood (Raw) - Honorable Mention Spicy yellowtail tuna poke bowl From chef Luis Mejia of Poke Loa Seafood (Raw) - Honorable Mention Cold smoked salmon hand roll, radish sprouts, escabeche peppers, tamagoyaki, shiso leaves, ikura & homemade eel sauce and spicy mayo From chef Jesus Arguelles of Red Lotus at L'Auberge Lagniappe Lagniappe - Gold Corn ice cream with royal white sturgeon caviar From chef Glen Forman of Miss River at the Four Seasons Lagniappe - Silver (Tie) Foie Gras PB&J with Hudson valley-foie gras torchon with black oregon truffle, Ponchatoula strawberries 3 ways (puree, preserves and dust, roasted Louisiana pecan butter, candied pecans, aged dark cherry balsamic, toasted brioche From chef Brandon Felder and Adam Gianelloni of Centerplate Lagniappe - Silver (Tie) Warak Enab: stuffed house-brined grape leaves with Bulgarian feta-pistachio Levantine spices From Chef Fariz Choumali of Shaya Lagniappe - Bronze (Tie) Arroz caldo with lechon kawali, chicken hearts, gizzards, crispy garlic chips, 7 minute egg and chili oil From chef Randolph Jay Udaundo of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Lagniappe - Bronze (Tie) Duck trio: Duck confit ravioli, smoked duck pastrami, pate' de foie gras with toschi cherry and Vidalia onion jam From chef Thomas Wolfe of Rib Room at the Royal Orleans Lagniappe - Bronze (Tie) Vegan mandela burger topped with slaw, sauteed onions, smoked cucumbers and peppers From chef Ogban Okpo of Tanjarine Kitchen Desserts Dessert - Gold Flowers and tangerine entremet with chamomile ice cream From chef Natalia Ramos of the Hyatt Regency Hotel Dessert - Silver Flourless chocolate cake, caramel cremieux, passionfruit curd From pastry chef Autumn Heckman of Rib Room at the Royal Orleans Dessert - Bronze Dark chocolate tart with Earl Grey caramel From Marielle Dupre & Nicole Eiden of Windowsill Pies +11 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience marks 30 years with a mix of revival and change The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is not one single event, or one experience for that matter. It is a six-day succession of happening Is pop superstar Mariah Careys 1994 smash All I Want for Christmas Is You a rip-off of an earlier Vince Vance & the Valiants song with the same title? Vance, the tall-haired entertainer with deep New Orleans roots, alleges in a new lawsuit that it is. Filed in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana under Vances legal name, Andy Stone, the suit seeks $20 million from Carey, her co-writer and Sony Music Corporation. Legal filings contend that Carey and company have knowingly, willfully, and intentionally engaged in a campaign to infringe Plaintiffs copyright in the work All I Want for Christmas is You and to commit acts of unjust enrichment by the unauthorized appropriation of Plaintiffs work and the goodwill associated therewith. Vince Vance & the Valiants All I Want For Christmas Is You, first released in 1989, cracked Billboards country singles chart multiple times in the 1990s and was recently covered by Kelly Clarkson. But Careys All I Want For Christmas Is You is a global juggernaut. Arguably the most successful holiday-themed song of the past 30 years, it has rung up more than 1 billion thats billion, with a b streams on Spotify and has sold more than 10 million copies in just the United States. Her All I Want For Christmas Is You was also a hit for Justin Bieber and Michael Buble, generating even more millions of dollars in royalties. Andy Stone, aka Vince Vance, believes hes entitled to some of those millions. 'I'm just this nerdy composer' Born Andrew Franichevich Jr. in Oakland, Calif., Stone moved to New Orleans as a young boy and graduated from Francis T. Nicholls High School. He majored in English and music at Southeastern Louisiana University, then took a job as the band director at Donaldsonville High School while moonlighting as a piano player on Bourbon Street. One night in the summer of 1971, he was approached by a group of waiters who had started a 50s-style doo-wop novelty act along the lines of Sha Na Na. He signed on as the keyboardist and musical director for the newly christened Vince Vance & the Valiants. The Valiants first gig was Sept. 18, 1971, at Your Fathers Mustache in the 400 block of Bourbon Street. I didnt care to take the spotlight, Stone recalled in a 2011 interview. I wanted to be a musical director and write music. Im just this nerdy composer, really. The original "Vince Vance" was James Etienne Viator. By 1974, the former Andrew Franichevich had assumed the role and remade the character as a wild, Jerry Lee Lewis-like firebrand. He played keyboards behind his back and wore animal skins onstage. Prior to a 1975 gig in Phoenix, he brushed his hair straight up and sprayed it in place. That up-do became his visual trademark. Decades later, he still rides aboard a signature float in the Krewe of Okeanos parade featuring an oversized likeness of his head with the skyscraper hair. Dozens of Valiants have passed through the band, but Stone is the star. Playing more than 100 shows annually for years, often at corporate and other private functions, he traveled with multiple cases of props and costumes. He and his Valiants, hes said, live a vaudevillian existence, making a living by singing and dancing and being comedic. From 'Bomb Iran' to 'All I Want for Christmas' Years ago, he changed his legal name to Andy Stone, which he had used as a songwriting pen name. He has written goofy Saints songs (Gris-Gris on the Other Team) and goofy political songs. His Bomb Iran, set to the melody of the Beach Boys' "Barbara Ann," was omnipresent during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-81. He later cooked up Bomb Iraq," based on the Coasters Yakety Yak. He co-wrote All I Want for Christmas Is You with Troy W. Powers (who is not party to the new lawsuit). Recorded in Nashville with Lisa Layne on lead vocals, the Valiants' "All I Want for Christmas Is You appeared on Billboards country singles chart six times in the 1990s, climbing as high as No. 31. LeAnn Rimes and Sammy Kershaw, among others, covered it. During a 2011 interview prior to Vince Vance & the Valiants 40th anniversary celebration at Rock 'n' Bowl, Stone said he could still live off his annual All I Want For Christmas Is You royalties if I wanted to live poor. Kelly Clarkson released her version of All I Want For Christmas Is You as a single in 2020; it also appeared as a bonus track on her 2021 album When Christmas Comes Around In social media posts, she specifically stated that she was covering the Vince Vance & the Valiants song. The royalties that Stone earned from Clarksons cover of his song pale in comparison to what Carey and her frequent co-writer, Walter Afanasieff, have made from their All I Want For Christmas Is You. Buble and Bieber The Carey songs success and its power to generate millions for its publisher and songwriters extends well beyond her initial recording. Carey re-recorded a slightly different version retitled All I Want for Christmas Is You Extra Festive for her 2010 album Merry Christmas II You. She released a childrens book and an animated film based on the song. She also joined Justin Bieber for a duet, titled All I Want for Christmas Is You (SuperFestive!), that appeared on his 2011 album Under the Mistletoe. That same year, crooner Michael Buble covered Careys version as the lead single of his holiday collection Christmas, which has reportedly sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and is Bubles best-selling album. In Stone's lawsuit, he claims he never gave Defendants permission, consent, or a license to use All I Want for Christmas is You for any purpose, including the creation of a derivative work. His representatives contacted Careys camp in April 2021, but the two sides were unable to reach a settlement. Why he waited more than 25 years after the release of Careys song to pursue a copyright claim isnt clear. A local attorney representing Stone declined to comment on that question or any other aspect of the case. Meanwhile, Careys and Sonys people have not responded to numerous requests from national media outlets seeking comment. The title and general theme of the two versions of All I Want For Christmas Is You are exactly the same, but the lyrics, melodies and instrumentation are not. If the case goes to trial, expert testimony will likely help determine whether the two songs are similar enough to have violated Stones copyright. In 2018, a lawsuit brought by Marvin Gayes estate alleging that the Robin Thicke / Pharrell Williams single Blurred Lines was too reminiscent of Gayes Got To Give It Up concluded with a $5 million award to Gaye's heirs. All Andy Stone wants for Christmas is a similar judgment. For decades, Fat City was known as Jefferson Parish's counterpart to Bourbon Street, a place to drink and party. As the glitz wore off, Jefferson political and business leaders sought to recast the area as a family-friendly zone with a greater emphasis on dining and shopping. Part of that rebranding included a mural program begun some eight years ago that eventually commissioned murals on the sides of 10 buildings, each to remain up for 10 years. But when the new owner of one building in Fat City renovated her North Arnoult Street building, the mural that adorned the back wall facing busy Severn Avenue was painted over. Dr. Catherine Hickham purchased the building in 2020 and said she was never told anything about the 125-foot-by-25-foot mural, painted by New Orleans artist Kyle Nugent and called "Carnival of Time." "We are just doing a complete exterior and interior remodel," Hickham said. As part of that, the mural was painted over. Nugent said he was sad to see it go. "To put that much energy into it," he said. "It's definitely disappointing." Hickham, who said she purchased the 16,000-square-foot building at the corner of North Arnoult and 21st streets for about $1.5 million, had no idea the building's previous owner had signed an agreement with the Jefferson Chamber Foundation to keep the mural for at least 10 years, which would be until 2026. "That was not disclosed in any sale document," Hickham said. When she was told about the 10-year agreements, Hickham said she asked for the legal documents related to it. Instead, she said David Guidry, the building's previous owner, responded with angry text messages. She said Guidry called painting over the mural "abhorrent." In an interview, Guidry said he was deeply disappointed by Hickham's decision. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "She destroyed a public work of art," he said. "I think it's sad." However, Guidry allowed that he had not told Hickham about the agreement to keep the mural up for 10 years during the sale. "We didn't disclose it because I didn't think about it," he said. "I really don't have any recourse." Hickham's decision to have the mural painted over also dismayed Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng who, in her previous role as a district council representative for the area that includes Fat City, spearheaded the murals program, which she said cost around $200,000. "It's terrible that this has happened," she said. "It's really hard to see." The mural program was part of an effort by Lee Sheng to spruce up Fat City, the area roughly between Veterans Memorial Boulevard and West Esplanade from Severn Avenue about four blocks west. Over the years, successive efforts by the parish had reduced the number of bars and strip clubs, but the area was still plagued with problems including litter and dilapidated buildings. Parish officials helped plant trees and took other steps to beautify the area, Lee Sheng said. "We wanted to bring some visible excitement to the area and show this was an area we thought we could do much better," she said. "This was a big public art initiative for us in Jefferson Parish." The Metairie Business Development District, a Fat City business group that succeed an earlier group, the Fat City Friends, which helped commission the mural project, also weighed in. "The mural program was a wonderful program that certainly beautified Fat City and as the chairman of the Metairie Business Development District we are disappointed to see one of the murals painted over," said Tommy Cvitanovich, MDBB board chairman. Nugent said the mural, which used abstract shapes to convey feelings on nature as well as traveling the world, took about a month to paint in January of 2016. "It was daunting to say the least," he said. "It was pretty exhausting." Pearl River has a lot going on this week and, in true Louisiana fashion, a festival will be held to celebrate. A bridge dedication, reopening of the Honey Island Museum and Research Center and a music festival are on tap June 11 in Pearl River. The days activities will begin at 10 a.m. with the dedication and naming of the Spur 41 bridge in honor of the late Mayor David McQueen, who died in office last year. A ribbon-cutting and Jeep parade over the bridge will follow. After the dedication, Pearl River Park on Church Street will come alive at 10:30 a.m. with food trucks and live music, including performances from the Crowe Brothers Band, Audio Beach and Rhythm Chasers. An antique car show and Jeep showdown will take place adjacent to the park, with childrens activities and a reptile exhibit also on site. The festival is free and open to the public. Everyone is encouraged to bring chairs for seating. Across the street, the Honey Island Museum and Research Center will be open for the first time since 2020. The museum was closed after the governing board fell apart, said Alderwoman Bridgett Bennett, coupled with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. The board has since been reformed and the museum will reopen to the public, with free admission on the day of the event. Our museum is a rustic-looking, neat little gem in our town that has never really generated much interest, but its full of history, Bennett said, noting that it used to be a regular destination for school field trips. 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 The festival was launched, in part, to promote the museum, she said, but also to mark the naming of the bridge. Aldermen moved forward with an effort to name the Spur 41 bridge after McQueen's death. The bridge, which crosses Gum Creek in town, closed abruptly in 2017 when the state Department of Transportation and Development deemed it unsafe for vehicular traffic. McQueen diligently pursued its reopening, working with area landowners, the parish and the state to build a new span, Bennett said. The bridge reopened in September but with little celebration due to its timing after Hurricane Ida. McQueen died two months later. It was always one of those things that was at the top of the list with the public, and he took a lot of grief and heat for that, Bennett said, saying town officials were told the bridge project would take years to complete. Bennett said the Town Council voted unanimously on an ordinance at its Jan. 18 meeting to name the bridge for McQueen. Town Attorney Tim Mathison said the town owns the bridge, so state approval was not required to name it for McQueen. A proposed settlement of lawsuits against the EPA could further reduce toxic emissions at Denka Performance Elastomers and other plants in the area of the state that environmentalists have dubbed "Cancer Alley." The proposed settlement involves two lawsuits filed by environmental groups against the Environmental Protection Agency. It could use the results of a new health risk assessment of chloroprene to further reduce emissions of the cancer-causing chemical at the Denka Performance Elastomers manufacturing facility in LaPlace, as well as levels of toxic ethylene oxide, formaldehyde and butadiene there and at other facilities. The settlement, announced in the Federal Register on Tuesday, also could result in more stringent rules for flares used to burn emissions from some plastics manufacturing facilities in Louisiana, Texas and elsewhere in the nation. In May 2021, the Concerned Citizens of St. John petitioned EPA to conduct an emergency review of the health and environmental risks of exposure to chloroprene, the chemical used to make neoprene, a rubberized plastic material best known for its use in making wetsuits. That same day, EPAs own inspector general also demanded that the agency move quickly to upgrade regulation of chloroprene and also of ethylene oxide, another chemical used in plastics manufacturing, to reduce cancer risks in St. John and Ascension parishes and 16 other U.S. locations. In November 2021, Concerned Citizens, the Louisiana Environmental Action Network and the Sierra Club sued the agency to require it to upgrade its rules governing emissions of those and other toxic chemicals from similar plastics manufacturing plants. On April 7, 2022, EPA announced that it also was conducting investigations of the state Departments of Environmental Quality and Health for their actions involving permit approvals for Denka. And on March 4, EPA announced it would conduct an updated human health risk study of chloroprene at the same time it reviewed the rules governing the plastics manufacturing process. In that announcement, the agency said that based on the risk assessment, it would take appropriate action to ensure that the standards contained in its regulations governing the manufacture of polymers and resins continue to provide an ample margin of safety to protect human health. "EPAs recognition that it must perform this long overdue rulemaking is an important step along the path toward finally strengthening the protection from cancer-causing toxic air that community members in St. John have been breathing for years," said a statement released Tuesday by Concerned Citizens and LEAN. "This is an example of Bidens EPA starting to chart a new course on environmental justice, and clean air, after years of EPA ignoring fenceline communities daily reality of being overwhelmed by cancer-causing pollution. "The ultimate test will be whether EPA listens to St. John community members, follows the science and strengthens air toxics standards to protect public health. Facilities emissions of chloroprene and other extremely toxic chemicals are especially hazardous to childrens health and well-being and need immediate attention," the statement said. Concerns about the Denka facility's emissions arose in 2014, when EPA released a report saying five census tracts near the plant had the country's highest risk of cancer because of exposure to airborne emissions. The plant, owned by Tokyo-based Denka Co., is the only one in the nation that emits chloroprene. Concerned Citizens has been pushing EPA to reduce emissions from the plant since then, and has been partially successful. Judge tosses second lawsuit blaming Denka's Reserve plant for health problems 23 residents waited too late to sue, insufficiently linked company to their ailments, ruling says In early 2017, Denka entered into a voluntary agreement with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to dramatically reduce emissions from the plant, at a cost of about $17 million. 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 But in 2016, EPA recommended that levels of chloroprene at monitors around the facility should be no more than an annual average of 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Between January 6 and April 14 of this year, EPA found that average levels at all 18 monitors around the plant remained above that goal, with the highest level measured at 1.67 micrograms per cubic meter. Despite its efforts to reduce emissions, Denka still insists that EPA's risk assessment is wrong, and points to Louisiana Tumor Registry data to contend levels of cancer near the plant do not reflect the EPA assessment. Denka, owner of controversial LaPlace plant, asks regulators to OK higher emissions Denka Performance Elastomer, the owner of a LaPlace plant that is the only one in America to The second settlement agreement involves a separate lawsuit filed against EPA in October 2020 by a number of national and local environmental groups, including many in Houston, that said the agency had violated a Clean Air Act requirement that it review the regulations governing flares used to burn air emissions at chemical plants that make polymers and resins used in plastic manufacturing every eight years. The groups filing that suit were the Environmental Integrity Project, Clean Air Council, Air Alliance Houston, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Earthworks, Environment America, Environment Texas, Hoosier Environmental Council, PennEnvironment, and Texas Campaign for the Environment. The groups contend that flares at the chemical plants should follow regulations at least as stringent in reducing air emissions of toxic chemicals as those required by EPA of oil refineries in 2015. Judge Trevor McFadden, with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., last year ordered the two lawsuits to be merged. The settlement announced Tuesday includes two separate proposed settlement agreements, which must both be approved by McFadden after a public comment period that will end on July 7. Public comments can be submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov by searching for Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2022-0403. A copy of the Federal Register notice and the two settlement agreements also can be found there. As part of the Concerned Citizens settlement agreement, EPA has agreed to submit a proposed rule based on the new health risk assessment no later than March 31, 2023, with a final rule put in place by March 29, 2024. The second suit settlement requires EPA to determine whether new standards are required for emissions from volatile organic liquid storage vessels at the polymer and resin facilities by Sept. 28, 2023, and if a rule is required, the final rule must be enacted by Sept. 30, 2024. Regulations governing flares at epoxy resin and non-nylon polyamides production facilities must be proposed by March 31, 2023, and a final rule must be in place by March 29, 2024. EPA will be given more time to consider revisions of rules for marine tank loading operations, with a proposed rule due by Dec. 19, 2025, and a final rule no later than Dec. 18, 2026. The settlement agreement also allows delays in those deadlines, on a day-for-day basis, if Congress fails to provide EPA with enough money to complete the rulemaking process. MADISON, Wis.A man accused of fatally shooting a retired Wisconsin judge and who had a list that included prominent national political figures died in a hospital, a state official said Tuesday. Douglas Uhde, 56, shot former Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer in Roemers home in New Lisbon on Friday before shooting himself, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he had been on life support. Wisconsin Department of Justice spokeswoman Gillian Drummond confirmed Uhdes death. The agency said that Uhde was declared brain-dead on Saturday morning and his body remained on life support until Tuesday morning to allow for organ donation. Uhde had an extensive criminal and prison record dating back at least two decades, including a case when he was sentenced by Roemer to six years in prison on weapons charges. He was released from his last prison stint in April 2020. Uhde had a list of potential targets in his vehicle that included Roemer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Whitmers office, and the law enforcement source said. Its unclear how Uhde obtained a gun. Drummond said the Wiscconsin Justice Department is still investigating that aspect of the case. By Todd Richmond GARY A 21-year-old Gary man was flown to a Chicago hospital early Tuesday after he was shot multiple times inside a gas station, police said. Witnesses told police the man went inside the gas station in the 3200 block of West Fourth Avenue when a man got out of a Hyundai Santa Fe, opened the door to the gas station and fired multiple rounds into the store, Cmdr. Jack Hamady said. A man in another vehicle, who was waiting for the 21-year-old, got out and started shooting at the man from the Hyundai, police said. The man got back into the Hyundai, and its driver fled east on Fourth Avenue. The 21-year-old's friends put him in their vehicle and dropped him off at Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus, police said. Gary patrol officers recovered the Hyundai later Tuesday morning, Hamady said. Crime scene technicians were expected to process the SUV for evidence. A 19-year-old Portage man suffered a gunshot wound to his face in a separate shooting Saturday afternoon, police said. Gary police were dispatched to the hospital about 3 p.m. after the man arrived seeking treatment. He told officers he was driving when he heard gunfire, realized he'd been shot and drove himself to the hospital. Police located a crime scene in the 600 block of Allen Street, which is in the city's Glen Ryan area, Hamady said. Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to call Detective Sgt. Mark Salazar at 219-881-1210. To remain anonymous, call 866-CRIME-GP. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PORTAGE A 37-year-old Portage man was nabbed in Illinois a day after allegedly burglarizing a Portage home, during which time he held the family of three in a bedroom under threat of harm before fleeing in their vehicle, police said. The family told police they returned to their home in the 2800 block of Teresa Street Saturday night to find a man, later identified as Steven Jones, burglarizing their home, Portage Police Sgt. Rob Maynard said. Jones reportedly forced the family into a bedroom under the threat of harm, during which time the family heard him rummaging around the house for several minutes before fleeing in in their vehicle, according to police. The family then called 911 around 8:45 p.m. and gave police a description of the man, which was shared with surrounding police departments. The man did not appear to be armed with any weapons, the family said. Police said they found personal property left behind by the burglar identifying him as Jones. The police department in Matteson, Illinois, received notification at 10 a.m. Sunday that its license plate reader system had detected the stolen vehicle from the case in their jurisdiction, Maynard said. The vehicle was located and Jones, who was driving, was taken into custody without incident. Jones was to be held in Illinois until arrangements are made to bring him back to Porter County. He faces felony counts of burglary, criminal confinement, intimidation and auto theft, and misdemeanor theft, Maynard said. 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. GARY State Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, is inviting Gov. Eric Holcomb to visit the Steel City and participate in a collaborative discussion on gun violence prevention after two people were wounded in a shooting incident Sunday following a high school graduation ceremony. Melton said in a letter sent Tuesday to the Republican chief executive he has "deep concerns about the safety of my community" and he's "terrified for the lives of Gary's youth and citizens" in the wake of the shooting outside a ballpark in downtown Gary. Two juveniles, ages 16 and 17, have been charged in Lake County with criminal recklessness and dangerous possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting, records show. "We're at a point where families cannot even attend a graduation ceremony without nursing the legitimate fear that it will erupt in senseless gun violence," Melton said. "Thankfully no one was killed this time." Melton said he decided to write the governor because there seems to be little interest in addressing gun violence among members of the Republican-controlled General Assembly, and Melton said he cannot "sit back while gun violence threatens those looking to lead safe lives and work toward a better future." "As a youth growing up in Gary, I have personally experienced gun violence, and I know the traumatic impact it can have on a family and community. I also know that communities of color across the state already see an uptick in gun violence during the summer months," Melton said. "Thats why I'm writing to invite you to my district for a collaborative discussion about preventing the impending increase in gun violence. I know it would mean a lot to the Gary community to have you included with key stakeholders in this critical conversation." The governor's office declined to immediately respond to Melton's invitation. Melton's letter also requests the governor call a special session of the Indiana General Assembly to give lawmakers an opportunity to repeal the state's permitless handgun carry law that's set to take effect July 1. He said allowing nearly all adult Hoosiers age 18 and older to carry a handgun in public without needing to obtain a state permit will lead to "senseless violence." "I fear that the gun violence we're already working to eliminate will only increase, with young lives paying the price," Melton said. It's unlikely the Legislature would repeal permitless carry even if convened by the governor. House Enrolled Act 1296 was approved 69-30 in the House and 30-20 by the Senate, and was signed into law by Holcomb March 21. Nevertheless, echoing a call issued last week by all 11 Senate Democrats, Melton said Hoosier lawmakers still could enact sensible gun safety measures that enjoy wide popularity, including expanded background checks, a safe gun storage law, and a strengthened "red flag" statute to temporarily remove guns from individuals found to be a danger to themselves or others. "I know that protecting children from gun violence is a goal we both share, and I hope that this common ground can be the launching board for a productive discussion on how we can reduce gun violence across Indiana and in my district," Melton said. "I truly hope that you will join us in Gary as you have on several occasions to discuss economic efforts. Your presence would reassure Gary residents that their safety is just as important to your administration as economic progress." 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. VALPARAISO Porter County Museum has opened in its fourth location and brings with it a new exhibit. A Calumet Tapestry: Artistic Views of the Region, is the first time the museum has collaborated with Westchester Township History Museum, Valparaiso Universitys Brauer Museum of Art and the Field Museum in Chicago. Its also the first time the museum has opened in a location that isnt a government building. The structure at 20 Indiana Ave. in downtown Valparaiso served as the Montague Urschel Gallery before the county museum moved out of the historic sheriffs residence across the street. The museum still uses the 1871 jail attached to the 1860 sheriffs residence. The museum was founded in 1916, when the Porter County Historical Society gathered artifacts from all 12 townships to display as part of Indianas centennial celebration. It operated at the Valparaiso Public Library, then the courthouse, then the sheriffs residence and old jail. The museum had to move quickly to get into its new space. Asa Kerr spearheaded the initiative to catalog and move the collection. We did this at a record pace, said Executive Director Kevin Pazour. It took just two months to complete renovations in the new location and get the new exhibit set up. Westchester Township History Museum Curator Serena Ard said it took a lot of hard work to get the exhibit in place. Fortunately for her, she wasnt around when Kerr and Pazour muscled the display cases through the doorways. To be able to take something that was part of everyday life in industry and to meld this and display art and do all these cool things, it doesnt get much better than that, Pazour said. Madeleine Tudor is senior environmental social scientist at the Field Museums Keller Science Action Center. The Field Museums involvement in Northwest Indiana goes back more than a century. Some of the museums earliest specimens are from Northwest Indiana. The Field Museums team helped organize a collaborative effort to create a Calumet Region exhibition series. The first was at Pullman National Heritage Area, then the Gary Public Library and Cultural Center. The current exhibit runs through Oct. 2. Beginning Nov. 11, the final exhibition will be at the Field Museum. That exhibit will run through Oct. 22, 2023. Planning for the Porter County exhibition began about four years ago. The initial plan was for Brauer Museum of Public Art at Valparaiso University to host the exhibition, but Brauer closed. Then the show was shifted to the Porter County Museum, which itself shifted to a new location. I think this is one of the most exciting exhibits I have had the opportunity to work on, Ard said. Ard said the exhibition planning opened her eyes to look at her museums collection in a new light. The team had a long discussion over what is art. The exhibition includes both fine art and functional art. An old popcorn popper, for example, qualifies. This is also a work of art because someone handcrafted it, Ard said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. South Africa: Small business urged to comment on master plan As the deadline for comments on the draft National Integrated Small Enterprise Development (NISED) Masterplan draws near, SAnews takes a closer look at the strategy which seeks to increase the participation of small enterprises in the formal economy, eliminate red tape and promote the ease of doing business, particularly for small entrepreneurs. The overall objective of the NISED Masterplan is to coordinate the many actors on essential undertakings as tabled in the National Development Plan (NDP) and the new Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP). I am confident that this NISED Masterplan will rapidly and fundamentally shift the dial on the countrys growth, unemployment and inequality crisis, and move us to a more prosperous economy for all, Minister of Small Business Development, Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams said on the final draft of the NISED. It is wholly understood that the development and support of small businesses is not the domain of one department but the collective action of many public and private actors. Coordinating the efforts of many will not be an easy task, but it must be done to ensure that we achieve our goals of a prosperous and transformed South Africa to catalyse a speedier course in tackling the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, Ndabeni-Abrahams said. The NISED Masterplan intends to support and work in combination with the ERRP and various Sector Masterplans, adding value through growing the contribution of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to national output and employment. The initial Integrated Strategy for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprises was adopted in 2005. The strategy and the subsequent NISED give effect to the 1995 White Paper on National Strategy for the Development and Promotion of Small Business in South Africa. Once adopted the NISED will replace the current Integrated Strategy for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprises. It will provide a coordination framework for all key ecosystem role players in small enterprise development. It guides the coordinating mechanism that will guide all programmes that support small enterprises. The NISED is the product of a wide consultation with the relevant departments in the national, provincial and local spheres of government, business, labour, academics and various relevant institutions. Published on 10 May on the government notices by the Minister, members of the public can send their comments to nisedm@dsbd.gov.za or submit by hand to the Policy Unit, Department of Small Business Development, 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, within 30 days of the publication of the notice. The abridged version of the NISED Masterplan is accessible on the Department of Small Business Development website on www.dsbd.gov.za and the full version is published in the Gazette for public comment. Enquiries can be directed to Ms Thandeka Nxumalo on TNxumalo@dsbd.gov.za or Mr Sapho Raganya at SSRaganya@dsbd.gov.za. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The US Secretary of State Blinken gave a speech about the US policy toward China on May 26. Still harping on the old tune, the speech, which spread disinformation and hyped up the so-called China threats to preserve American hegemony, once again revealed Washingtons narrow-minded hypocrisy and its pursuit of unipolar hegemony. The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging across the world. While the international community is trying to defeat the coronavirus through solidarity, the US has been playing the blame game, pulled out of WHO, and hoarded vaccines regardless of dire demand in other countries. Its self-centered, hegemonistic behaviors are strongly condemned by the international community. Defying international rules and promoting unipolar hegemony is Americas traditional modus operandi. Since the 1980s, the US has twice withdrawn from UNESCO; it refused to sign the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS) of 1982 that it had supported and that has been approved by the majority of countries; it is the only country in the world that hasnt approved the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) adopted in 1989; it refused to approve the Kyoto Protocol of 1997; it hasnt approved the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Courtof 1998; and it refused in 2001 and has been doing so till the very present to conclude the protocol of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (generally referred to Biological Weapons Convention or BWC) that aims at establishing a verification mechanism. The US has become even more unscrupulous in recent years. It has backed out of the Paris Agreement that is endorsed by more than 190 countries; it has left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for the Iranian nuclear issue that has been approved by the UN Security Council, and it has retreated from theIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the Open Skies treaty. Washingtons heinous, true face of using international rules that serve its interests and discarding those that dont has been exposed fully to the international community. Blatant imposition of unilateral sanctions is Americas usual way of bullying. From denying access, freezing assets, to trade blockade and inclusion in the entity list, whoever gets in the way of Americas interests, be it an international organization, sovereign state, business entity, rival or ally, would fall prey to American sanctions, which have increased tenfold in number in the past 20 years. Whats more infuriating is that Americas headstrong agitation for war has cost many innocent lives. We still remember how the US, turning a blind eye to the majority objection at the UN Security Council, launched the Iraqi War anyway; how, after pulling out of Afghanistan, it froze the overseas assets of the Afghan central bank in total disregard of the outcry of the Afghan people and the international community, throwing the country thats already ravaged by turmoil and poverty further down into a humanitarian disaster. Today, Americas self-centered maneuvers and tricks are also at play behind the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said point-blank, that the root cause of the Ukraine crisis is Americas unilateralism as the US-led NATO attempts to use the crisis to cripple Russia. The international community is becoming increasingly aware that Washingtons obsession with unipolar hegemony has made it the biggest source of trouble for the current international order. What the US has done has not only wreaked havoc on its own soil, but also sent serious shock waves through the multilateral economic and trade system, poisoned international relations, and dragged the entire world down to pay for its selfish rules. The US governments constant atrocities that trample on the universal values and justice have eroded its own credibility while pushing the world toward the edge of a cliff. In a phone interview, David Binder, the artistic director of the BAM, said, Akram transforms the work into something totally new, which still speaks to our time and to the original, a bit like the recent production we had of Cyrano. He added: If you are coming with expectations about a traditional Giselle, youll have a fantastic evening; if you dont know Giselle at all, you will have a fantastic evening. Since its premiere, the piece with a score by Vincenzo Lamagna and design by Tim Yip has traveled internationally, establishing the company as a nimble vehicle for adventurous contemporary ballet, and cementing Rojos reputation for risk-taking vision and drive. (At the end of the year, she will succeed Helgi Tomasson as artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet.) Rojo, 48, will dance the role of Giselle twice at the Brooklyn Academy one of the last times she will perform, before bowing out in October with a final Giselle in Paris. WASHINGTON The actor Matthew McConaughey, a native son of Uvalde, Texas, took the lectern in the White House briefing room on Tuesday and spoke of learning, in his boyhood, to revere the power and the capability of a gun. He then told of the horror he felt at losing 19 school children in his hometown to a man with a rifle so high-powered that it disfigured many of their bodies beyond recognition. Fresh off a meeting with President Biden, Mr. McConaughey echoed the presidents call for expanded background checks on gun buyers, new red flag laws and additional restrictions on the purchase of AR-15 rifles like the one used to kill 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde last month. He cast himself as a voice for responsible gun owners and described, in graphic detail, the horrors of gun violence. Children were left not only dead, but hollow, Mr. McConaughey said, as he described meeting with the parents of slain children in Uvalde whose bodies had been so mutilated that only DNA tests or green Converse sneakers could be used to identify them. In kindergarten last school year, my son received an assignment to draw a portrait of his family. He sketched an abstract shape, to start. It vaguely resembled an elephant, and I told him so. It is, he said, and then his expression grew naughty he had an idea, just then. He drew a little form in front of it, which he said was himself. He and the elephant were both pink, his favorite color. The elephant appeared to be shouting with joy. He uploaded the image to the schools online learning platform. This is me and my elephant, he said in an attached recording. I rode on him once. Its so fun! This tiny gesture toward nonconformism I admired it. As a child, I used to be the one who complained to the teacher when others broke with homework orthodoxy. My sister and I, children of Indian immigrants, were raised in a small town in Saskatchewan; achieving the professional and personal greatness for which we were destined, according to our mother, would require absolute adherence to the rules of the academic game. That approach served me well enough in the years that followed; now here I am, a mortgage-paying, child-rearing adult, great enough. But watching my own son, I recognized something I didnt as a child it was original, this willfully mischievous reinterpretation of the assignment. There was some artistry involved. Mischief has a reputation for causing destruction. The word itself derives from the Old French meschief, which refers to misfortune, harm, injury. The Cat in the Hat turns up and makes a mess just when the mother is due home. Paul McCartneys troublemaking grandfather in A Hard Days Night persuades Ringo to go explore on his own, putting the band at risk of missing its important gig. But then, the Cat doesnt merely make a mess he also balances a fishbowl on a rake while holding a full birthday cake atop his head. Pauls grandfather doesnt merely put the gig in danger he also delivers some of the most captivating, delightful scenes of the film, as Ringo joins up with a 10-year-old fellow wanderer on the banks of the Thames River. The best mischief makers know what theyre doing: The destruction they visit upon their targets is always in service of some grander aesthetic purpose. One can already see signs of this in the statement by President Emmanuel Macron of France on Saturday that the Western alliance must not humiliate Russia a statement that elicited howls of protest from Ukraine. Every war in American history has provoked dissent, including the Revolutionary War, when those who were opposed moved to Canada, explained Mandelbaum. What our three greatest commanders in chief Washington, Lincoln and F.D.R. all had in common as wartime presidents was their ability to keep the country committed to winning the war, despite the dissent. That will be President Bidens challenge, too, especially when there is no consensus among the allies or with Ukraine on what winning there looks like: Is it the achievement of Kyivs currently stated goal of recovering every inch of its territory occupied by Russia? Is it enabling Ukraine, with the help of NATO, to deliver such a blow to the Russian Army that Putin is forced into a compromise deal that still leaves him holding some territory? And what if Putin decides he never wants any compromise and instead wants Ukraine to endure a slow and painful death? In two of the most important wars in our history, the Civil War and World War II, Mandelbaum said, our goal was total victory over the enemy. The problem for Biden and our allies is that we cannot aim for total victory over Putins Russia, because that could trigger a nuclear war yet something like total victory may be the only way to stop Putin from just bleeding Ukraine forever. Which brings us to the unpredictable: After more than 100 days of fighting, no one can tell you how this war ends. It was started in Putins head, and it will likely end only when Putin says he wants it to end. Putin probably feels that hes calling all the shots and that time is on his side, because he can take more pain than Western democracies. But big wars are strange things. However they start, they can end in totally unpredicted ways. Let me offer an example via one of Mandelbaums favorite quotes. It is from Winston Churchills biography of his great ancestor the Duke of Marlborough, published in the 1930s: Great battles, won or lost, change the entire course of events, create new standards of values, new moods, new atmospheres, in armies and in nations, to which all must conform. But it is not clear that the investments will be robust enough to prevent those countries from turning to China for help, a key goal for Mr. Biden. He can hardly cover infrastructure needs here, Mr. Rozental said. Build Back Better has fallen pretty much by the wayside. There just isnt anything in the cards that would indicate to me that Biden is going to come up with some sort of a big New Deal for Latin America. For Ms. Harris, whom Mr. Biden assigned to work on addressing the causes of illegal immigration, the summit meeting might have been a chance to demonstrate her effectiveness. After meeting this year with President Xiomara Castro of Honduras, Ms. Harris said she was optimistic about the relationships she was building with leaders in the region. But neither Ms. Castro nor the leaders of El Salvador, Guatemala or Mexico are attending the summit, undermining the vice presidents assessment of their close relationships. The snubs came after nearly a month of closed-door attempts by the United States aimed at ensuring their participation. Mr. Bidens insistence that the leaders of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela not attend the summit was seen in many capitals as a sign of U.S. imperialism and an unwillingness to address in an honest way the complex issues in the region. Gorman said Kim provided a template of how to appeal to Asian American voters in an area, Orange County, that has grown tough for Republicans. She has a background that we need more of in this party, he said. Kim and her allies at the Congressional Leadership Fund, an outside group connected to Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, have spent upward of $1.5 million on the primary. In California congressional races, all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, run on the same primary ballot, and the top two compete in the general election. The only Democrat on the ballot, Asif Mahmood, is expected to take one of those spots. The late spending from Kims campaign and the Congressional Leadership Fund might be enough to keep her in the top two. Her leading Republican challenger, Raths, told us last week that he had been running a stealth campaign since early February, and that he was confident in his chances up until the barrage of spending from Kim and her allies. Now, Raths said, Im a little nervous. Representative David Valadao of California Why are election analysts putting a Central Valley seat in California that Biden carried by 13 percentage points in the tossup category? Because of Valadao, the Republican incumbent. After losing his seat to a Democrat in 2018, Valadao won it back in 2020. Now his concern is a fellow Republican: Chris Mathys, a businessman who said in an interview that he decided to run for Congress after Valadao voted to impeach Trump. Valadaos allies at the Congressional Leadership Fund have spent $370,000 in the primary, according to AdImpact, which tracks ad spending, both promoting him and attacking Mathys. In one ad, the group calls Mathys recklessly liberal. SAN FRANCISCO Voters in San Francisco on Tuesday put an end to one of the countrys most pioneering experiments in criminal justice reform, ousting a district attorney who eliminated cash bail, vowed to hold police accountable and worked to reduce the number of people sent to prison. Chesa Boudin, the progressive district attorney, was removed after two and a half years in office, according to The Associated Press, in a vote that is set to reverberate through Democratic politics nationwide as the party fine-tunes its messaging on crime before midterm elections that threaten to strip Democratic control over Congress. Early returns showed 60 percent of voters in the city approving of the recall. Ultimately the election was a contest between progressive Democrats who saw Mr. Boudin as a key leader of a national movement to address mass incarceration and a backlash by more politically moderate San Franciscans a coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans who grew agitated by persistent property crimes and open drug use during the pandemic. The backlash won. Mr. Zuberi, according to the filing, viewed the diplomatic crisis as a business opportunity and began conspiring to sell lobbying services to Qatar. He contacted Mr. Olson, who had recently left government. Mr. Olson in turn brought in General Allen, according to the filing. If we can do this we will own half of Qatar, Mr. Zuberi wrote to Mr. Olson in a WhatsApp message cited in the filing about their proposed plan with General Allen. The court document gives a detailed account of several weeks in June 2017 when General Allen was recruited by Mr. Olson and Mr. Zuberi to meet with top Qatari and American officials to diffuse the Gulf crisis and how General Allen saw the money making potential for his involvement. The document states that he agreed to travel to Doha, the Qatari capital, at Mr. Zuberis expense and negotiated a payment of $20,000, which he referred to as a speakers fee. The document quotes one message from General Allen showing his aim of making more money down the road to work out a fuller arrangement of a longer term relationship. Other messages cited in the document show that General Allen pursued other business with firms affiliated with Qatar, one of which would have provided him with a commission of over $1 million. The document said the F.B.I. has not determined whether he received this money. During this period, General Allen met several times with American officials, including members of Congress and H.R. McMaster, the retired three-star general who was then the White House national security adviser. But the document, citing an interview of General McMaster by federal agents, stated that General Allen never informed General McMaster that he was being paid for his work. The New York Times will provide live video of the hearing at nytimes.com along with live discussion and analysis from Times reporters. All of the major broadcast networks plan to carry the hearing live, as do the major cable news networks, with the exception of Fox News. What will the hearing cover? Committee leaders have indicated that the focus on Thursday will be on presenting a complete timeline of the riot, beginning with the 2020 election and extending through the riot itself and its aftermath. Democrats involved in the investigation have said the evidence they present will connect the dots between the monthslong campaign that President Donald J. Trump and his allies waged to discredit the outcome of the election and the effort by rioters on Jan. 6 to disrupt the congressional certification of the results. The hearing is also likely to highlight the involvement of the Proud Boys, the far-right group whose members played a critical role in the storming of the Capitol. The committee said the witnesses at the session would include Nick Quested, a documentary filmmaker who was embedded with the group in the run-up to Jan. 6, and Caroline Edwards, a Capitol Police officer who was injured at the start of the violence. A victory for Mr. Caruso would be a significant shift in this overwhelmingly liberal city, where Senator Bernie Sanders easily won the Democratic presidential primary two years ago. The citys longstanding battles over housing, homelessness and crime have reached a new level of urgency during the pandemic. Mr. Caruso has portrayed the city as one in deep decay, promising to hire 1,500 more police officers and build 30,000 shelter beds in 300 days. The message has resonated among voters who are deeply frustrated with homeless encampments throughout the city, visible on residential sidewalks, nestled in parks and sprawling under freeway overpasses. Casting himself as an outsider, Mr. Caruso has blamed career politicians, including Ms. Bass, for the citys ills. After voting in the predominantly Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights, Mr. Caruso criticized his rival for suggesting that it could take more than four years to solve homelessness in the city, an objection he repeated in his speech on Tuesday night. But experts and critics say many of Mr. Carusos promises may not be possible because of federal court mandates that allow people to camp in public spaces, as well as the citys byzantine zoning rules. Compared with leaders of other large cities, the mayor of Los Angeles has relatively little power. Much of the sprawling region is controlled by the five members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, who oversee a $38.5 billion budget. Ms. Bass, 68, who spent years organizing in South Los Angeles after the 1992 riots before being elected to the State Legislature and then Congress, has described her campaign as a kind of homecoming and pledged to address questions of equity in this profoundly stratified city. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine Just to enter Sievierodonetsk, Ukrainian soldiers run a gantlet of Russian artillery shells zeroed in on the only access route: a bridge littered with the burned husks of cars and trucks that didnt make it. And once inside the city in eastern Ukraine, the focus of both armies for the past several weeks, Ukrainian soldiers battle Russians in back-and forth combat for control of deserted, destroyed neighborhoods. Ukraines leaders now face a key strategic decision: whether to withdraw from the midsize city and take up more defensible positions, or to remain and risk being boxed in if the bridge is blown up. It reflects the choices the country has had to make since the Russian invasion began, between giving ground to avert death and destruction in the short term, and holding out against long odds in hopes it will later pay off. By withholding support for those measures, Mr. Netanyahu hopes to persuade right-wing lawmakers to defect from the coalition and join his camp. He argues that only a purely right-wing government, led by Mr. Netanyahu himself and unfettered by left-wing parties, can fulfill a truly rightist agenda. We want the right wing, under Netanyahu, to lead, Miki Zohar, a senior Likud lawmaker, said in a radio interview on Tuesday, adding: To give this coalition breathing room, thats not something that we want to do. We want to topple this coalition and the sooner the better. Mr. Netanyahu is on trial for corruption, and his opponents say another term in office would allow him to take measures undermining the judiciary and even the prosecutors in his court case. Mr. Netanyahu has denied the claim. Withholding support for right-wing ideas is not a new approach. Mr. Netanyahu has tried it ever since losing office most memorably in withdrawing Likuds backing for legislation that restricts the ability of Palestinians to join spouses in Israel, and initially refusing to back scholarships for Israeli Army veterans. In those cases, the coalition survived but this time, the plan might work. Gideon Saar, the pro-settler justice minister, has hinted that his party may quit the government if the law fails to pass by the end of the month, depriving the alliance of a majority. Ken Bode, a bearded, bearish former political operative and television correspondent who, armed with a Ph.D. in politics, moderated the popular PBS program Washington Week in Review in the 1990s, died on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C. He was 83. His death, in a care center, was confirmed by his daughters, Matilda and Josie Bode, who said the cause had not been identified. Beginning in 1994, Mr. Bode (pronounced BO-dee) coupled congeniality and knowledgeability in steering a Friday night discussion among a rotating panel of reporters about the issues of the day coming out of Washington. His role, as he saw it, was to bring in people who are really covering the news to empty their notebooks and provide perspective, not to argue with each other, he told The Washington Post in 1999. Fitzharriss previous book, The Butchering Art, told the story of Victorian medicine in the late 19th century, when doctors finally began to accept the importance of hygiene in the operating theater (it took a while). In The Facemaker, she describes how Gillies learned about wound irrigation from a French American dentist named Auguste Charles Valadier, who had invented a mobile apparatus nicknamed the fire engine. Only once a wound had been effectively flushed with clean water could Gillies really get to work. And work it most definitely was, though Gillies, at least as he is presented here, was innovative, buoyant and relentlessly hopeful. He had to be how else would he even think to fashion a nose by taking a patients rib bones and attaching them to the patients shoulder to build new cartilage, for grafting onto the face? Another miracle: Gillies would cut a flap of skin from a patients chest, leaving it attached on one side for the sake of the blood vessels, and then stretch that flap up across the lower half of the patients face, which had been terribly burned. (The flap could eventually be severed once the free end had properly attached itself to the new site.) Just as impressive as Gilliess technical skill was his encouraging bedside manner. Fitzharris describes how men who were in constant pain, with injuries a hole in the jaw, scarred eyelids that made it unimaginably difficult to eat or to sleep, felt rescued from abject despair by the affable Gillies. Dont worry, sonny, he would tell them. Youll be all right and have as good a face as most of us before were finished with you. Image Lindsey Fitzharris Credit... Stuart Simpson, Penguin Random House UK Aside from recalling some moments of professional competitiveness Gillies vied with another doctor to be identified as the inventor of a reconstructive technique known as the tubed pedicle Fitzharris depicts her hero as irrepressibly dedicated and unfailingly likable. The suspense of her narrative comes not from any interpersonal drama but from the formidable challenges posed by the physical world. Toward understanding, she interviews psychiatrists and neuroscientists. She returns to her California hometown, San Jose, to speak to former classmates and teachers about the parental abuse she remembers as being rampant in her diverse immigrant community. Foo, whose parents are Malaysian, proposes that this abuse is the shadow side of the model minority stereotype: I am a product of place, she writes. All of us are victims of a dysfunctional community that was very good at throttling itself while murmuring: Smile through your tears. Swallow your pain. Toward healing, Foo quits her stressful job at This American Life and tries everything from eye-movement therapy, or E.M.D.R., to yin yoga, acupuncture, breathwork, sound baths, gratitude and hallucinogens. Some chapters feel overstuffed with summarized therapeutic activities. But there are also many profoundly affecting moments such as when, during an E.M.D.R. session, Foo tells her child-self, Just remember that eventually you will be loved, I promise. And she will be. In the books final section, we see Foo get married, surrounded by her chosen family, flawed and still growing but full of light nonetheless. In the essay collection YOUVE CHANGED: Fake Accents, Feminism, and Other Comedies From Myanmar (214 pp., Catapult, $26), Pyae Moe Thet War reflects on the historical, political and social forces that have affected her feelings about her native country, culture, language, body and more. Image Across two essays she lucidly examines her fraught relationship with her own name. Myanmar families typically dont have shared last names, she writes, and we never have middle names, a reality that confuses many Westerners. Her legal name, Moe Thet War, is one whole name, not meant to be divided into parts. But people close to her call her Pyae Pyae, a name many foreigners struggle to say correctly first at the international school she attends in Myanmars then-capital of Yangon, then at college in the United States and graduate school in England. As a student, she considers using a Western nickname, and realizes that she has unwittingly begun to mispronounce Pyae Pyae herself in order to cater to my white teachers, offering an intimate and powerful example of how postcolonialism and globalization fracture identities. Several other essays cannily use food as a lens through which to explore racism, body-shaming and societal expectations based on nationality. Is the authors passion for Western baking the result of internalized racism? Should she be ashamed of not knowing how to whip up curries like her grandmother? How can she reconcile the fact that to be Myanmar means to love rice with the scrutiny and criticism she endures for eating too much of it? Women are consistently accused of being hangry, she writes wryly, but of course we get hangry. Look what youve turned us into. UNDER THE SKIN: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation, by Linda Villarosa In 1973, two Black girls, 14-year-old Minnie Lee Relf and her 12-year-old sister, Mary Alice, were forcibly taken from their home in Montgomery, Ala., and sterilized at a clinic funded by the federal government. Their parents who had been displaced from rural Alabama into a cardboard shanty in the city and could not read or write were tricked into agreeing to the procedure. Two years earlier, doctors had already begun to inject their oldest daughter, 15-year-old Katie, with the Depo-Provera contraceptive, then unapproved even for adult women, never mind teenagers. Jessie Bly, a Black social worker who had brought the Relf family to the states attention the year before, recalled the horror of discovering what the states own doctors had done to the girls. Interviewing Bly for her remarkable third book, Under the Skin, Linda Villarosa writes: Even nearly half a century later, Bly has no trouble conjuring the image of the younger Relf girls in the hospital, huddled together, looking small and scared in cotton surgical gowns. At the sight of Bly, they began to cry. Mary Alice, who was born with a developmental disability, could only say: I just hurt so bad. I just hurt so bad, Miss Bly, help me. Help me, Miss Bly. I am writing this review the week after the Supreme Courts draft ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked. In the days since, some women and activists on social media have predicted that The Handmaids Tale will become a reality, conveniently forgetting that it already has been for generations of American women who are not white. The month of June at the Supreme Court when the justices tend to announce their biggest decisions has had a similar rhythm over the past few decades. There is usually an ideologically complicated mix of decisions, with some pleasing the political right (on voting rights and business regulation, for example) and others pleasing the left (on health care and L.G.B.T. rights). This month, however, looks as if it might be different. The right may well run the table on the big cases, Adam Liptak, a former lawyer who covers the court for The Times, told me. The five most closely watched cases include one each on abortion, gun control and climate regulation and two on religion. All five decisions are likely to be announced this month (unless the court extends its term into early July). Based on the justices questions during the oral arguments in each case, conservative rulings appear likely. In what is becoming a habit for Credit Suisse, the Swiss banking giant warned investors on Wednesday that it was likely to lose money in its latest quarter. This would be Credit Suisses third loss-making quarter in a row, each of which was preceded by a warning that the results would be worse than the bank had initially expected, as it reels from a series of crises and upheavals. In its latest warning, Credit Suisse cited market volatility and reduced client activity resulting from the war in Ukraine; central banks raising interest rates to combat high inflation; and the end of pandemic rescue programs. The bank said it would accelerate its cost-cutting plans, which previously targeted up to $1.5 billion in annual savings by 2024. Now, it aims to maximize savings from 2023 onwards, it said in a statement, without being more specific. Bloomberg reported that the bank, which has about 51,000 employees, was considering a round of job cuts as part of the plan. A Credit Suisse spokeswoman declined to comment on the report and referred to the banks statement. Mr. Ackman graduated from Brown University, where he studied economics, and received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He enlisted in the Army in 1960. He spent six months on active duty, teaching basic artillery mathematics at the Fort Sill Artillery Training School in Oklahoma, and five and a half years in the Army Reserve. In 1963 he married Ronnie Posner, whom he first met at a Howard Johnsons in Naples, Maine, when the two were camp counselors. (Ms. Ackman later became known as the familys first activist investor, preceding their son, Bill, as she pushed for the electrification of the Metro-North Railroad.) Mr. Ackman retired from Ackman-Ziff after nearly 50 years, but stayed on as chairman. In 2009, he took an office at his sons investment firm, Pershing Square, and formed a real estate investment partnership with him. Together they acquired more than 3,000 apartment units in Philadelphia and New Jersey. In New York, they own, alongside William Friedland, the Apthorp Retail condominium, the ground retail space inside the landmark 12-story Apthrop condominium on Broadway between 78th and 79th streets. They also own, with partners, the historic Hotel Chelsea. Mr. Ackman was an active philanthropist, inspired by his mentor, the real estate investor George Jaffin, a noted art patron. Among his endeavors, Mr. Ackman endowed an ethics program at Harvard Business School and funded a documentary series to teach business ethics, produced by the New York public television station WNET. Mr. Ackman was on the board of the New York Philharmonic, for which his firm helped arrange, pro bono, the financing for the $550 million renovation of the music hall at Lincoln Center now called David Geffen Hall. He also funded the purchase of the halls new digital organ. Outside work, he traveled to more than 70 countries with his wife and enjoyed performing songs with her for friends her on the piano, him singing tunes from the American songbook in a rich baritone voice. In addition to his son and his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Dr. Jeanne Ackman, and seven grandchildren. Other megaprojects include the $3.8 billion Bronzeville Lakefront project in Chicago and the proposed Affirmation Tower in Manhattan by the developer Don Peebles and the architect David Adjaye. A number of other large-scale projects across the country are undergoing negotiations that would benefit minority neighborhoods, including a $12 billion waterfront stadium development in Oakland, Calif., and the 43-acre Carousel Mall site in downtown San Bernardino, Calif. But these community-focused deals tend to be informal agreements, rather than well-regulated efforts, critics say. Many community groups, researchers and even developers say they lack teeth and toss small concessions to neighborhoods instead of truly sharing the wealth. Projects can stretch over a decade, making it difficult to maintain oversight by community leaders and transparency for the length of the project, important to ensuring initial promises are kept. The agreement signed for the Staples Center redevelopment in downtown Los Angeles in 2001 is considered one of the first such compacts, as well as a model of success that has been emulated over time, said Tonya Myers Phillips, community partnerships director at the Sugar Law Center in Detroit, which compiled an online database of 300-plus such agreements. Instead of simply offering land to developers, with hopes that estimated new jobs and tax revenue would mean growth instead of displacement, the Staples deal included hiring and wage guarantees and promises of specific community benefits. It also provided community control of which commercial tenants could operate within the new development. Hudson Canyon, a vast gorge in the Atlantic Ocean that is home to endangered whales, sharks, sea turtles, would become a national marine sanctuary under a proposal made by the Biden administration on Wednesday. Located about 100 miles southeast of the Statue of Liberty, the Hudson Canyon would be off limits to oil and gas drilling in order to protect marine life and cold-water coral as well as several shipwrecks. Details, including the boundaries of the proposed sanctuary and prohibited activities beyond drilling, have yet to be announced. The proposal will undergo a public comment period through Aug. 8 before it is finalized. Some states have begun to go beyond apologies. Three so far, Virginia, North Carolina and California, have established programs to compensate victims of forced sterilization. But Alabama, where the Relf sisters were forcibly sterilized and which has been their home all their lives, is not one of those states, and the federal government has made no such moves. The Relf sisters subsist in obscurity on meager Social Security checks. I can show you what they did to me, Minnie Lee said. She lifted up her T-shirt and revealed a jagged horizontal scar that rips across her abdomen. Thats where they cut me. As she lowered her shirt which had the word courage printed three times on the front she dropped her head. Mary Alice, sitting on a floral-patterned chair next to her, with a poster of the Last Supper displayed in an ornate plastic frame on a nearby wall, watched intently, her glasses pushed up on her face. Her half arm rested lightly on her thigh as she leaned in to listen to her sister. It might have happened a long time ago, but it still brings back memories, Minnie Lee said, looking at Mary Alice. Were still thinking about it. The history of legalized forced sterilization by the government begins in 1907, when Indiana became the first state to pass a eugenics law providing for the involuntary sterilization of confirmed criminals, idiots, imbeciles and rapists. Those affected early on were mainly men viewed as criminalistic, including those whose defect was supposedly excessive masturbation or homosexuality. That first law focused on vasectomizing poor white men who were identified as being sexually deviant, says Dr. Alexandra Minna Stern, a professor of American history and culture at the University of Michigan and co-director of the Sterilization and Social Justice Lab. Her research team studies the history of eugenic sterilization in the United States and has collected the records of more than 60,000 survivors in California, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and Utah. Were talking about sterilizing populations that are being seen as hypersexualized or as sexually inappropriate, as promiscuous, as not having middle-class sexual respectability. By the 1930s, women became a majority of the victims, sterilized in mental hospitals and prisons and under court orders. This shifting gender pattern resulted from a rising concern about the fitness to parent, with a focus on mothering, as well as the development of a safer, standardized tubal-ligation procedure for sterilizing women. The movement was codified in 1927, when the Supreme Court upheld the right of the state of Virginia to sterilize Carrie Buck, a 20-year-old white woman. Born in 1906 to a mother living in poverty in Virginia, Buck was sent to a working-class foster home, where at age 16 she was raped by an extended-family member. Her foster parents took custody of Bucks daughter and successfully petitioned a local court to confine Buck at the Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feeble-Minded though she was neither epileptic nor intellectually disabled. There she was sterilized without her consent. Writing for the majority in the landmark Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. stated, It is better for all the world, if instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or to let them starve for their imbecility, society can prevent those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. He added, Three generations of imbeciles are enough. More than 60,000 men, women and children would be sterilized under these state laws, which would also inform Nazi Germany: The Third Reich sterilized approximately 400,000 children and adults, mostly Jews and other undesirables, using a 1933 law modeled after legislation in the United States. Germanys Law for the Prevention of Offspring and Hereditary Diseases focused on people with a high probability of having a child with a serious defect, including blindness, deafness and manic depression. The last eugenics legislation in the United States was passed in Georgia in 1937, and eventually the laws would be rolled back in a series of repeals. But that didnt stop local governments from sterilizing many more people, mostly women of color. The voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer was given a hysterectomy without her consent in 1961 when undergoing removal of a uterine tumor by a white physician. The practice of being sterilized, including during unrelated surgery, grew so common among poor Black women in the South that it came to be known as a Mississippi appendectomy. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. The George W. Bush Presidential Center, in Dallas, is a 226,000-square-foot building that houses the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum and the George W. Bush Institute. It isnt the sort of place you go for unvarnished truth about George W. Bush. Like many institutions of its ilk, it serves up carefully curated hagiography, amid stately colonnades and a burbling fountain. Visitors enter into a 67-foot-tall atrium called Freedom Hall; the Defending Freedom Table is a large touch-screen where museumgoers can view maps and photographs from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Theres a statue of Bush and his father gazing purposefully into the middle distance, and a statue of Barney and Miss Beazley, George and Laura Bushs Scottish terriers, striking a similar pose. In the library, scholars can pore through official White House documents to extract fuller, less flattering stories of the Bush years. But the public-facing image is a portrait in whitewash. On the librarys website, an online exhibit about the Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermath hails Bush for demonstrating the strength of American resolve. It was a surprise, therefore, when a scathing indictment of the former president was issued recently at a Bush Center event. Even more unexpected was the source of this blunt talk: Bush himself. During brief remarks at a forum on elections and democracy, held last month, Bush stumbled over his prepared text. He was discussing the Russian president Vladimir Putins suppression of dissent. The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia, Bush said. And the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine. Iraq, too. Anyway. I recently watched Watcher, the nerve-plucking new horror film from Chloe Okuno, inside a vaudeville-era movie palace during the Cleveland International Film Festival. Even better, seeing it in a cavernous, 2,800-seat theater made the bloodcurdling screams from a lady behind me echo like we were in hells screening room. Okuno gasp-laughed when I told her this. Thats what you want for people to be screaming and squirming in their seats, she said during a recent phone interview. What I really want to do is go to a theater and give people a 3-D experience by leaning forward in my chair and breathing down their neck. Watcher doesnt need her help because its creeping people out all on its own. Writing in The New York Times, Lena Wilson called it a taut, unflinching, relentlessly sharp film and one of this centurys most arresting tales of female anxiety. The policy prescriptions for the United States are straightforward: simplify regulations and promote fair access to the grid, allowing every generator, big or small, to connect as equals and supply electricity and battery storage without burdensome connection rules. According to my calculations, more than half of the energy needed to run Americas cars and households could be generated on the roofs of its households. Some states are moving in the right direction: In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida protected solar incentives by blocking legislation that would have slashed net metering, which allows solar customers to sell excess power to utilities. California, however, is considering taxing residential solar customers connected to the grid, the opposite of the kind of policy thats needed. On Monday, the Biden administration took a significant step toward increasing solar capacity by issuing an executive order that will use the Defense Production Act to produce more clean energy appliances and solar cells. He also announced a two-year suspension of tariffs for solar panels from four countries to support faster adoption of solar energy. With support for training, this means hundreds of thousands of new jobs in solar installation. But the administration could do even more: Through an executive order, it could expand its efforts to encourage cities to use SolarAPP+ as the permitting process, further inducing a surge in solar installations. If a regulatory world existed where you could run an American electric pickup truck on Australian rooftop solar, it would cost 2 cents per mile, rather than the current 20 cents per mile using gasoline or diesel. When solar is used to run a hot water heater with a heat pump, my calculations show, it can cut the cost of a shower by half compared to a gas heater. Even boiling water for a cup of coffee comes in at a quarter the price when compared to using natural gas. Rooftop solar alone cant solve climate change. We will still need wind, industrial solar farms, hydroelectricity and probably nuclear power. But rooftop solar could make the entire energy system cheaper in America forever. The more solar we put on roofs, the fewer fields and wild spaces we need to cover with large-scale installations. Australia has shown the world the way to cheap, renewable energy, and the United States needs to head toward that same all-electrified future. I asked Rubin which group has done more damage to its own party: If/when the Democrats lose big in the midterms, I think it likely that the Squad will face a lot of criticism for pushing progressive policies that are not sufficiently popular with voters (police reform) over those that have greater public support (expanding Medicare, for example). But, Rubin contended, Biden will also bear responsibility if Democrats suffer badly in November: In this day and age, it is unreasonable to expect that you can be an FDR-figure without the kind of sizable and stable majorities in Congress he benefited from. The upshot of being an experienced politician is that you should anticipate this and plan accordingly. Conversely, Rubin continued: There is little evidence that Republicans like Gosar and Greene are doing any short-term damage to the Republican Party long-term damage is less clear. And one way we can tell is that Republican leaders (and voters) wasted no time getting rid of the one member whose conduct wasnt burnishing the partys brand: Madison Cawthorn. The fact that this hasnt happened to Greene or Gosar or other MAGAish members suggests they arent perceived to be enough of a problem. Frances Lee, a political scientist at Princeton, argued in an email that extremists can play a constructive role in legislative proceedings: While not defending the excesses and demagoguery that some of the members you list have engaged in, a couple examples come to mind: Massie has strenuously objected to the continued use of proxy voting in Congress two+ years into the pandemic as undermining the traditions and character of the institution. For those of us who have long worried about the huge share of members who are only in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday, are such perspectives out of bounds? Was there any value in Massies insistence on holding public debate before Congress passed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, a stance that drew harsh denunciation from President Trump himself? Lee acknowledged: Members who incite violence against other members or the institution cannot be countenanced. But I would encourage a tolerant attitude toward legitimately elected representatives, even those who hold views far outside the mainstream. Its always worth considering what their constituents see in them and what, if anything, they contribute to debate. Such members do make Congress a more fully representative body. Michael B. Levy, who served as chief of staff to former Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Democrat of Texas, pointed out, There are many similarities in that both groups live and die by their primaries because their districts are one-party districts and neither has to worry much about the median voter in their states. Beyond that, Levy continued, there are significant differences: The Squads agenda is a basic international social democratic left agenda which joins an expanding social welfare state to an expanding realm of cultural liberalism and identity politics. The Squad, Levy wrote, while willing to attack members of their own party and support candidates in primaries running against incumbents in their own party, continues to exhibit loyalty to basic democratic norms in the system at large. In contrast, Levy argued, The MAGA caucus has a less coherent ideology, even if it has a very distinct angry populist tone. That may be temporary, Levy suggested, as more and more intellectuals try to create a type of coherent integralist ideology joining protectionism, cultural and religious traditionalism, and an isolationist but nationalist foreign policy. Arguably theirs is also a variant of identity politics, but that is less clearly articulated. As best I can tell, they do not have a coherent approach to economic policy or the welfare state. Two scholars who have been highly critical of developments in the Republican Party, Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute and Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, co-authors of the book Its Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism, were both far more critical of the MAGA caucus than of the Squad. Mann was adamant in his email: The MAGA Caucus is antidemocratic, authoritarian, and completely divorced from reality and truth. The Squad embraces left views well within the democratic spectrum. Whats striking about the MAGA Caucus is that they are closer to the Republican mainstream these days, given the reticence of Republican officeholders to challenge Trump. We worry about the future of American democracy because the entire Republican Party has gone AWOL. The crazy extremists have taken over one of our two major parties. The MAGA group, Ornstein wrote by email, is composed of the true believers, who think Trump won, that there is rampant voter fraud, the country needs a caudillo, we have to crack down on trans people, critical race theory is an evil sweeping the country and more. The Squad is certainly on the left end of the party, but they do not have authoritarian tendencies and views. Ocasio-Cortez, Ornstein wrote, is smart, capable, and has handled her five minutes of questioning in committees like a master. William Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings and a co-author with Elaine Kamarck, also of Brookings, of The New Politics of Evasion: How Ignoring Swing Voters Could Reopen the Door for Donald Trump and Threaten American Democracy, wrote by email: How does one measure extreme? By two metrics detachment from reality and threats to the democratic process the nod goes to the MAGA crowd over the Squad, whose extremism is only in the realm of policy. I could argue that the Squads policy stances defund the police, abolish ICE, institute a Green New Deal have done more damage to the Democratic Party than the MAGA crowd has to the Republicans. President Biden has been forced to back away from these policies, while Republicans sail along unscathed. By refusing to criticize let alone break from the ultra-MAGA representatives, Donald Trump has set the tone for his party. A majority of rank-and-file Democrats disagree with the Squads position. Theres no evidence that the Republican grassroots is troubled by the extremism in their own ranks. I asked Galston what the implications were of Marjorie Taylor Greene winning renomination on May 24 with 69.5 percent of the primary vote. Covid ran through my family in May at a languid pace: There was only one week of the past month when none of us had it, and none of our cases were concurrent. While I am incredibly grateful that were all vaccinated and no one had a remotely serious case, it was, of course, pretty disruptive, especially for my older daughter. She was stuck at home isolating, but she felt sick for only about 12 hours. After which, her biggest symptom was being extremely salty about having to miss a set of fun end-of-the-school-year activities. Though she was a little bummed about skipping her class performance of the song Anything Goes, she was devastated to miss her schools annual block party, which involves bounce houses, deafening Top 40 jams, a cotton candy machine and an army of sweaty, hopped-up neighborhood children. At first, she tried to convince me that we shouldnt let her little sister go to the block party, either. My little litigators argument was that her sister is only in kindergarten; she has so many years of the block party ahead of her, whereas this is the third block party my older daughter has had to miss because of Covid. (It wasnt held in 2020 or 2021.) She has just one year left of elementary school, and in her mind it was unfair that her sister will probably get six years of block parties, while she had to suffer. History is revealed in tree rings. They have been used to determine the ages of historical buildings as well as when Vikings first arrived in the Americas. Now, tree rings have shed light on a longstanding mystery in the rarefied world of multimillion-dollar musical instruments. By analyzing the wood of two 17th-century stringed instruments, a team of researchers has uncovered evidence of how Antonio Stradivari might have honed his craft, developing the skills used in the creation of the rare, namesake Stradivarius violins. Mauro Bernabei, a dendrochronologist at the Italian National Research Council in San Michele allAdige, and his colleagues published their results last month in the journal Dendrochronologia, and their findings are consistent with the young Stradivari apprenticing with Nicola Amati, a master luthier roughly 40 years his senior. Such a link between the two acclaimed craftsmen has long been hypothesized. The methods Ms. Thompson used to discover the information, and what she planned to do with it, will be closely scrutinized in the case. Ms. Thompson, 36, is accused of violating an anti-hacking law known as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which forbids access to a computer without authorization. Ms. Thompson has pleaded not guilty, and her lawyers say her actions scanning for online vulnerabilities and exploring what they exposed were those of a novice white-hat hacker. Image Paige A. Thompson Credit... Stacey Brownstein Critics of the computer fraud law have argued that it is too broad and allows for prosecutions against people who discover vulnerabilities in online systems or break digital agreements in benign ways, like using a pseudonym on a social media site that requires users to go by their real names. In recent years, courts have begun to agree. The Supreme Court narrowed the scope of the law last year, ruling that it could not be used to prosecute people who had legitimate access to data but exploited their access improperly. And in April, a federal appeals court ruled that automated data collection from websites, known as web scraping, did not violate the law. Last month, the Justice Department told prosecutors that they should no longer use the law to pursue hackers who engaged in good-faith security research. Ms. Thompsons trial will raise questions about how far security researchers can go in their pursuit of cybersecurity flaws before their actions break the law. Prosecutors said Ms. Thompson had planned to use the information she gathered for identity theft, and had taken advantage of her access to corporate servers in a scheme to mine cryptocurrency. But her lawyers have argued that Ms. Thompsons discovery of flaws in Capital Ones data storage system reflected the same practices used by legitimate security researchers and should not be considered criminal activity. In the Los Angeles area, scooters have built-in no-go zones that stop people from using them in crowded areas such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Chicago is among the places that have required people to lock scooters to fixed objects like bike racks instead of leaving them anywhere. And New York has pledged dedicated lanes and parking zones to make it safer for people on bicycles and scooters. Scooter companies, too, have responded to gripes about faulty or short-lived scooters. Wayne Ting, the chief executive of the scooter-and-bicycle rental company Lime, told me that many rented scooters used to be the same models that people bought for personal use. He said that Lime was now on its fourth generation of scooters designed to withstand the wear and tear of repeated rentals. The pandemic has also altered peoples routines and disrupted public transportation. Americans seem to be increasingly interested in alternatives for moving around, including rented and owned electric scooters and bicycles. Not everyone wants scooters, no matter the changes. Some officials including in Miami, have said that scooters have no rightful place and have banned them at least temporarily. On the other end, some advocates of alternatives to car transportation say cities have overreacted to scooters, arguing that restrictions can make them too cumbersome to use and may support the status quo of cars. Whats perhaps most surprising about the story of scooters in 2022 is that it shows that private tech companies and governments can work together to make an emerging technology serve the public interest. Autopilot has been on public roads since 2015. General Motors introduced Super Cruise in 2017, and Ford Motor brought out BlueCruise last year. But publicly available data that reliably measures the safety of these technologies is scant. American drivers whether using these systems or sharing the road with them are effectively guinea pigs in an experiment whose results have not yet been revealed. Carmakers and tech companies are adding more vehicle features that they claim improve safety, but it is difficult to verify these claims. All the while, fatalities on the countrys highways and streets have been climbing in recent years, reaching a 16-year high in 2021. It would seem that any additional safety provided by technological advances is not offsetting poor decisions by drivers behind the wheel. There is a lack of data that would give the public the confidence that these systems, as deployed, live up to their expected safety benefits, said J. Christian Gerdes, a professor of mechanical engineering and co-director of Stanford Universitys Center for Automotive Research who was the first chief innovation officer for the Department of Transportation. G.M. collaborated with the University of Michigan on a study that explored the potential safety benefits of Super Cruise but concluded that they did not have enough data to understand whether the system reduced crashes. Mr. Paxton, a former state representative who cultivated the conservative grass roots of the Republican Party, was first elected attorney general in 2014. He promised to fight the Affordable Care Act and defend Texas voter identification law. But he has spent nearly his entire time as attorney general stalked by accusations of misconduct, including a criminal indictment for securities fraud from 2015. The charges stem from accusations that Mr. Paxton failed to register as an investment adviser representative and misled investors by encouraging them to invest in a company but not telling them that the company would pay him. The case has yet to go to trial. Last year, many of Mr. Paxtons top aides, themselves staunch conservatives, turned whistle-blowers and accused him of bribery, abuse of power and other potential criminal acts in connection with an Austin real estate investor. Those accusations, made to the F.B.I., kicked off a federal inquiry that still hangs over Mr. Paxtons head. He has denied wrongdoing in both cases. Even so, Mr. Paxton won the Republican primary last month, handily defeating the land commissioner, George P. Bush, a member of the political dynasty. He did so partly by playing the politics of Texas correctly, which has been his great talent. Mr. Paxton joined Mr. Trump in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election, going so far as to sue states where Mr. Trump had lost, accusing them of fraud. Mr. Paxton appeared with Mr. Trump in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, at a rally that drew thousands, some of whom went on to storm the U.S. Capitol. Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Paxton last year, helping to propel him past his scandals and through the Republican primary. Mr. Paxton has echoed the former president in another way: by attacking tech companies. In 2020, Mr. Paxtons office, joined by nine other states, filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. The lawsuit argued that the internet giant had abused its control over the opaque system that delivers ads online. A company often shares confidential data with its acquirer, with the parameters around data sharing negotiated before signing any deal. But Mr. Musk waived due diligence when he agreed to buy the social media company, and Twitter began sharing confidential information with him last month. One of Twitters concerns with sharing information has been Mr. Musks prior statements, both publicly and to the company, that he was considering starting a rival social media service, The New York Times has reported. Typically, such matters are addressed by limiting who would have access to such information. Mr. Musk said in his letter this week that he would ensure that a nondisclosure agreement bound anyone reviewing confidential data provided by Twitter. He has also said he would not retain or share sensitive information about Twitter if the deal fell apart. Once Mr. Musk receives access to Twitters stream of tweets, he is likely to need a team of experts to analyze the data, as well as the computing capacity to process and store the enormous volume of information, company insiders said. While the information would offer Mr. Musk insight into Twitters number of fake accounts, it would also give him data necessary for planning the business should the acquisition close. Mr. Musk has told investors that he wants to reduce Twitters reliance on advertising revenue and introduce a new payments business. For years, Twitter calculated its number of users the way many of its peers do, by reporting the number of people who actively use the service on a monthly basis. But in 2019, the company switched to what it said was a more accurate metric to gauge the health of the business: monetizeable daily active users the number of people who are active on the site every day and can be used to generate advertising revenue. Come From Away, the inspirational musical about a remote Canadian community that rallied to support thousands of stranded air travelers after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, will end its run on Broadway in October. The musical, which has been a hit on Broadway and has been successfully staged around the world, is the third show to announce a plan to close in the last two days, as it becomes clear that with New York City still attracting fewer tourists than it did before the pandemic, there are not enough patrons to support all the productions now running. On Tuesday Dear Evan Hansen and Tina, two musicals that had been selling strongly before the pandemic, both announced that they would close late this summer. Ive had the same 10 euro in my purse for weeks, said Julene English, 62, a Fairfax, Calif., retiree on her first international trip since the pandemic, a three-month sojourn with her husband in Italy, France and Britain. Consumers and the travel industry are both playing a part in the trend toward cashless trips. Travel suppliers and service providers have adopted technology to facilitate online transactions and payments, while consumers have become more familiar and comfortable with contactless payments, said Charuta Fadnis, a senior vice president for research and product strategy at the travel industry research firm Phocuswright. Paying with a tap of their cards or phones is a behavior that is expected to persist. Of course, the move to cashless travel didnt start with the pandemic. The increased use of digital payment options and mobile wallets is a long-term trend thats been going on for the last 10 years in Asia and the last three years everywhere else, said Michael Orlando, the chief operating officer of the global payments company Yapstone. But theres no question that the pandemic helped shift that trend into high gear, said Matt Schulz, the chief credit analyst at LendingTree, the online loan company. Not only did consumers start ordering more things online and by cellphone when the pandemic started, but there was an aversion to handling physical money, especially early on when less was known about how the virus spread. People just felt more comfortable handing over their plastic or using things like QR codes and mobile pay apps than using cash, he said. Within two hours of polls closing on Tuesday evening, some of the most closely watched races in Californias primary election had been decided: San Francisco voters ousted the progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin, an indication that many in the citys Democratic hierarchy may be out of step and further left than the citys voters, my colleague Thomas Fuller wrote. The race for the next mayor of Los Angeles narrowed to Representative Karen Bass and the billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso. Alex Villanueva, the Los Angeles County sheriff, one of the most politically divisive elected officials in the state, did not win enough votes to avoid the general election in November. The ballot contained dozens of races, and you can see the full slate of California election results here. Today Ill walk you through some takeaways from other major contests. Lawrence S. Bacow announced on Wednesday that he would step down as president of Harvard in June 2023 following a tenure of five years, a period in which he steered the university through the coronavirus pandemic as well as an attack on its admissions policies, which are likely to face a Supreme Court test this year. A lifelong academic, Mr. Bacow, 70, first arrived at Harvard as a graduate student in 1972, ultimately obtaining three Harvard degrees. Before assuming his current job, he had served as a professor and chancellor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then as president of Tufts University. While his five-year tenure as Harvard president is brief by comparison to that of his predecessor, Drew Gilpin Faust, who served 12 years, Dr. Bacow said in a statement that it felt like time to leave. Mr. Buckner joined the division in April 1980. A rising star in the department with a bachelors degree in criminal justice, he sought the assignment even though his father had died in New Orleans police custody decades before. That November, the body of a young officer named Gregory Neupert was found in a ditch in Algiers, a predominantly Black neighborhood across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans. Even though witnesses said that two white men had been seen running from the scene of Officer Neuperts murder, the police flooded the Black sections of Algiers, kicking down doors and hauling in witnesses, including two young Black men, Robert Davis and Johnny Brownlee. The police wanted them to identify a pair of Black men, James Billy Jr. and Reginald Miles, as the suspects, but they refused. Mr. Buckner, who was on duty that night, watched as police officers tied Mr. Davis to a chair with cloth bandages and beat him. They then placed a plastic bag over his head and held it tight so that he couldnt breathe. Before the interrogation started, another officer had taken Mr. Buckner aside and told him that the other detectives didnt trust him. Not only was he Black, the officer said, but he had only yelled at witnesses; he never beat them. Now, the implication went, was his chance to prove himself. The choices seemed to signal a shift to the center that was likely to reverberate through Democratic politics across the nation. But longtime California political observers said the message was less about ideology than about effective action. This is about competence, said Zev Yaroslavsky, who served in local government in Los Angeles for nearly four decades and is now the director of the Los Angeles Initiative at the Luskin School of Public Affairs at the University of California, Los Angeles. People want solutions, he said. They dont give a damn about left or right. Its the common-sense problem-solving they seem to be missing. Government is supposed to take care of the basics, and the public believes the government hasnt been doing that. For House Republicans, the Jan. 6 commission vote still matters. In May 2021, 35 House Republicans voted for an independent, bipartisan commission to look at the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. At first blush, the vote should not have mattered much: The legislation creating the commission was negotiated by the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, John Katko of New York, with the blessing of the Republican leader, Kevin McCarthy of California. Besides, the commission was filibustered by Republicans in the Senate and went nowhere. Rick Caruso at his election night event on Tuesday. He will face Representative Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race. Credit... Jenna Schoenefeld for The New York Times What was proposed: Democrats and a handful of Republicans proposed taking up House-passed legislation to expand criminal background checks of gun purchasers to gun shows and online sales, and to extend the time the F.B.I. has to complete background checks. What happened: Immediately after the shootings, Mr. Trump opened the door to expanded background checks and other proposals to keep guns away from unstable people. The Justice Department also began circulating a proposal that would expand background checks to include all sales at gun shows, but the key Republicans on Capitol Hill viewed the idea with skepticism. Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader at the time, insisted that he would not take up any legislation unless Mr. Trump agreed to sign it into law. Mr. Trump backed away from his position, saying that sufficient background checks were in place and the focus should instead be on mental health. How they voted: No floor vote on any legislation took place. WASHINGTON John R. Allen, the retired four-star general who once commanded American troops in Afghanistan, has been placed on administrative leave as president of the Brookings Institution amid a federal inquiry into whether he secretly lobbied for the government of Qatar, the think tank announced on Wednesday. The decision was released in an email by the leaders of the board of trustees of the prestigious, left-leaning institution. It came a day after The New York Times and The Associated Press revealed that federal prosecutors had obtained records indicating that General Allen engaged in the lobbying effort, lied to investigators about his role and tried to withhold evidence sought by a federal subpoena. We want to assure you that Brookings is not a subject of this investigation, the announcement said. Brookings has strong policies in place to prohibit donors from directing research activities. SAN FRANCISCO Voters in San Francisco on Tuesday put an end to one of the countrys most pioneering experiments in criminal justice reform, ousting a district attorney who eliminated cash bail, vowed to hold police accountable and worked to reduce the number of people sent to prison. Chesa Boudin, the progressive district attorney, was removed after two and a half years in office, according to The Associated Press, in a vote that is set to reverberate through Democratic politics nationwide as the party fine-tunes its messaging on crime before midterm elections that threaten to strip Democratic control over Congress. Early returns showed 60 percent of voters in the city approving of the recall. Ultimately the election was a contest between progressive Democrats who saw Mr. Boudin as a key leader of a national movement to address mass incarceration and a backlash by more politically moderate San Franciscans a coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans who grew agitated by persistent property crimes and open drug use during the pandemic. The backlash won. Locally, the resounding recall suggested that many in San Franciscos Democratic hierarchy are out of step with and further left than the citys voters, one of the most liberal electorates in the country. In February, the Democratic County Central Committee voted 20-2 to oppose the recall of Mr. Boudin, with the two contrary votes coming from candidates who had run against him for the job. In addition, only two members of the 11-member Board of Supervisors, the citys top legislative body, publicly supported removing Mr. Boudin; one of them was a former spokesman for the police department and the other is rumored to want Mr. Boudins job. In a legal system that cherishes the adversarial tension of prosecutors battling defense lawyers, Mr. Boudin is one of very few district attorneys in the country who crossed the courtroom. A former public defender, Mr. Boudin began his tenure as the citys top prosecutor in 2020 by aggressively expanding diversion programs as an alternative to prison. He said public safety was his first priority but that along the way he would work to make the system more equitable and reverse the legacy of mass incarceration. Mr. Boudins replacement will be chosen by Mayor London Breed, who has made public safety a cornerstone of her tenure, including her unusual move in December to declare a state of emergency in the citys Tenderloin neighborhood, the center of the citys illicit drug trade. The city has been facing persistent property crimes, especially car break-ins and burglaries, but data from the police department showed that many other types of crime, including homicides, have been stable or declined during the pandemic. Both sides of the recall campaign traded barbs over the accuracy of the statistics, especially when many crimes go unreported. Mr. Boudin himself acknowledged that he did not report his own car being broken into three years before he took office. A clear analysis of Mr. Boudins two-and-a-half-year tenure was also made difficult by the fact that it occurred during the pandemic, when a near total shutdown of the city influenced criminal behavior much more than the policies of a district attorney. The vote was seen by many as an accumulation of frustration by city residents over squalid street conditions, including the illicit drug sales, homeless encampments and untreated mental illness. During the campaign, Mr. Boudin repeatedly pointed out that he was not responsible for many of the street conditions that San Francisco residents are decrying but he recognized that he had become a vessel for their anger. Shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Mr. Boudin stood on a beer keg in an outdoor bar on the edge of the San Francisco Bay, facing down a cold, bracing breeze. We have two cities, we have two systems of justice, he told the crowd that responded by chanting his name. One for the wealthy and well-connected and one for everybody else. Thats exactly what we are fighting to change. He vowed to continue what he called a movement, not a moment and thanked his supporters, some of them young activists, he said, some of them grizzled ancient hippies. Weve made mistakes, weve learned a lot, Mr. Boudin said. He led the crowd in a chant: Justice! Justice! Is on our side! Is on our side! After he finished speaking, a jazz band in a corner of the bar resumed discreetly. Tuesdays vote had echoes of another tectonic election in the city, the ouster of three school board members in February, a recall that reflected voters sour mood during the pandemic and an assertion of political power by the citys Asian Americans. Many of the volunteers in both recall elections were from the Chinese community, members of whom were stung by burglaries and shoplifting and who felt particularly vulnerable after a spate of attacks on Asian Americans in the city during the pandemic. In San Francisco, you dont know anybody who hasnt had their car broken into, said Mary Jung, the former chair of the Democratic Party in San Francisco and the head of the campaign to recall Mr. Boudin. In an interview after the recall was declared successful, Ms. Jung described the campaign, pitting Democrats against Democrats, as very emotional. We feel heard, she said. San Francisco needed a change and this is just really a validation of what a lot of us were feeling. Supporters of the recall gathered at a bar in the Marina district, packed tightly into an indoor space with thumping hits from the early 2010s. The crowd repeatedly broke into chants of Recall! Recall! and a woman crowd-surfed above the heads of supporters. Men outside celebrated with cigars. Organizers of the recall say they drew much of their support from harried residents. But criticism of Mr. Boudin also came from those who worked with him. Shirin Oloumi, a lawyer who specialized in prosecuting car break-ins before leaving the district attorneys office last August, described a workplace in turmoil with a stream of departures of experienced lawyers. David Lee, a political science lecturer at San Francisco State University, said the two recall elections in San Francisco the Board of Education members in February and Mr. Boudin on Tuesday were a clarion call by an surly electorate. There is anger at the failure of government, the failure of City Hall, to address pressing problems, Mr. Lee said. On the precipice of a generational changing of the guard in San Francisco two iconic San Franciscans, Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, and Senator Dianne Feinstein, are in the twilight of their careers voters are sending a message of frustration and hankering for change, Mr. Lee said. This was especially true of Asian American voters, he believes. In San Francisco, a third of the population is Asian and they dont feel like anyone is listening to them City Hall or the Democratic establishment, he said. At the same time, many political analysts cautioned not to read too much into the result because it reflected the dynamics of a recall election: When Mr. Boudin was elected in 2019 he received only 36 percent of the vote in the first round of voting. In the third round of that election, under the citys ranked choice system, he ultimately inched ahead of his main rival for the job, Suzy Loftus, by a few thousand votes. In a recall election, you are running against yourself, said Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco. Mr. Brown said he voted to keep Mr. Boudin in office as a protest against the recall process. But he was also critical of Mr. Boudin, whom he described as a warrior for the downtrodden. Thats what he is, Mr. Brown said. Hes certainly not a prosecutor. Holly Secon contributed reporting. Lawrence Pacheco, a spokesman for the Colorado attorney general, confirmed that the matter had been forwarded to an interagency group to evaluate the allegations and whether legal actions are justified. He said the attorney general, Philip J. Weiser, a Democrat, would have no further comment. Aides to Ms. Boebert said on Wednesday that she had accounted for the mileage she logged. The campaign revised the initial total under scrutiny, but that was because other reimbursable travel expenses, such as hotel costs, had been combined with mileage. And, they said, she paid off the tax liens before the reimbursements reached her bank account. Campaign finance inquiries can be notoriously slow, and this one is unlikely to yield conclusions before Colorados primary on June 28. Ms. Boebert, a right-wing freshman known for her performative antics and confrontational outbursts, faces State Senator Don Coram, who is campaigning against fringe leaders who act more like out-of-touch celebrities than members of Congress. The inquiry may not gain much traction before the general election in November. More concerning to Ms. Boebert might be the attention from the Muckrakers PAC, which released a string of sexually explicit videos of Mr. Cawthorn and negative testimonials from the congressmans former aides, which helped lead to his defeat in the Republican primary in North Carolina last month. In any case, given how fast the virus is mutating, some vaccine experts say it makes more sense to target its most recent versions, rather than forms of the virus that have already been overtaken, or soon will be. The problem is that Moderna and Pfizer the maker of the other main coronavirus vaccine in the United States do not have enough time now to run more human clinical trials and still manufacture shots before the fall, when the Biden administration is hoping to be able to offer an updated vaccine to counter what public health experts predict will be a winter surge. That might force regulators to choose updated vaccines based on data from laboratory tests and trials involving mice or other animals, rather than robust human trials. It is also possible that another new variant or subvariant of concern will appear by the fall, further complicating the picture. Outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration are scheduled to meet June 28 to discuss which vaccine formulation would work best as a fall booster; vaccine manufacturers have said they would need to start production soon. Of course, the final decision is always left to the F.D.A., Dr. Fauci said. But what the F.D.A. will likely do is keep as many irons on the fire as they possibly can. And they may need to revert to alternative pathways of decision, which are laboratory data and possible animal data. Asked if Americans would accept a booster formulation without lengthy human trials, he said, People who really are very concerned about protecting themselves will. The F.B.I. also failed to notify state or local law enforcement about the child abuse accusations against Mr. Nassar, according to the Justice Departments inspector general, which last summer released a report about the F.B.I.s mismanagement of the matter, nearly five years after Mr. Nassar was arrested on federal child pornography charges. His arrest stemmed from an investigation brought by the Michigan State University Police Department after a 16-year-old had come forward about his abuse. The inspector general accused W. Jay Abbott, who was in charge of the bureaus Indianapolis field office, and Michael Langeman, an agent in that office, of making false statements to investigators who were conducting an inquiry into how they and others in the F.B.I. handled the Nassar case. Mr. Langeman was fired two weeks before Ms. Biles, Ms. Maroney, Ms. Raisman and Ms. Nichols provided heart-wrenching testimony to Congress about the F.B.I.s treatment of the Nassar matter. Among Mr. Langemans missteps was waiting 17 months to document his interview with Ms. Maroney, the first victim of Mr. Nassars to be interviewed by the F.B.I. In September 2015, two months after the bureau learned about Mr. Nassars actions from U.S.A. Gymnastics, Mr. Langeman interviewed her during a three-hour phone call. Ms. Maroney was 19 years old and had not even told her mother that Mr. Nassar had sexually assaulted her for many years, starting when she was 13, and including for hours twice a day at the London Games, where Ms. Maroney won a gold medal. In her testimony to Congress, Ms. Maroney recalled that Mr. Langeman concluded the interview by saying, Is that all? According to Ms. Maroney, Mr. Langemans belated report, filed in 2017, contained several false statements, including that Mr. Nassar had anally penetrated her and that it had helped reduce her back pain. Not-so-subtle tactics to target referendums Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, the executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, described a growing trend of tactical ways to make the process harder, pointing to her groups tally of 108 laws introduced this year in 26 states that would make technical tweaks to the rules surrounding ballot initiatives. Since 2017, Fields Figueredo said, the center had counted a fivefold increase in bills introduced and enacted that would make it more difficult to pass ballot measures. Sometimes those tweaks take Kafkaesque forms. In Arkansas, for instance, a drive to establish a nonpartisan redistricting commission ran into a deviously written 2015 law requiring that canvassers for the ballot initiative pass a federal background check conducted by the State Police. But there was a catch. The State Police could not do federal background checks. So the group behind the ballot drive, Arkansas Voters First, pulled what information it could from publicly available records and submitted thousands more signatures than required. The secretary of state rejected those background checks on the grounds that the canvassers had not passed, and threw out more than 10,000 signatures. Litigation followed. In a 2020 decision, the Arkansas Supreme Court sided with the secretary of state, ruling that the statute had mandated the background checks, whether or not the task was impossible. In a dissent, Justice Josephine Linker Hart pointed out the absurdity of the statute, noting that the State Police do not pass or fail the subject of a background check they merely share the information from the relevant databases. It was wild, said Bonnie Miller, who led the Arkansas Voters First petition drive. Im still not over it. Of course the U.S. intelligence community collects information about nearly every country, including Ukraine. But American spy agencies, in general, focus their collection efforts on adversarial governments, like Russia, not current friends, like Ukraine. And while Russia has been a top priority for American spies for 75 years, when it came to the Ukrainians, the United States has worked on building up their intelligence service, not spying on their government. The result, former officials said, has been some blind spots. How much do we really know about how Ukraine is doing? said Beth Sanner, a former senior intelligence official. Can you find a person who will tell you with confidence how many troops has Ukraine lost, how many pieces of equipment has Ukraine lost? Even without a complete picture of Ukraines military strategy and situation, the Biden administration has pushed forward new capabilities, like the rocket artillery systems President Biden announced last week. Ukraine is awaiting the arrival of more powerful Western weapons systems as both sides in the war suffer heavy losses in the eastern Donbas region of the country. Pentagon officials say they have a robust process for sending weapons in place, which begins with a request from the Ukrainians and includes a U.S. assessment of what kind of equipment they need and how quickly it can be mastered. The increased scrutiny is bewildering to Ms. Young, 33, who recalled how, after the Parkland shooting, she brought a leather belt to store in her classroom first aid kit, in case she ever needed a tourniquet for a student. Its being literally entrusted with their lives, she said, but not entrusted with choosing curriculum. Teachers in public schools make an average of about $65,000 a year and have been among the most trusted professionals, alongside nurses, doctors, military members and scientists. But as schools shut down and social fabric frayed during the pandemic, trust in teachers declined. For some, the competing pressures have been enough to walk away. I needed a change, said Kathy Macken, 62, a math and science teacher in Richardson, Texas, near Dallas, who is leaving the classroom after 19 years to do intensive tutoring with smaller groups of students. After being out of school earlier in the pandemic, her fifth graders came back this year in great need. Even as she tried to help them academically, Ms. Macken said, she spent much of her time trying to keep them calm and focused: Get out a pencil. Write your assignment in your planner. Please, no iPads during story time. She had to scale back a favorite science project where students build terrariums to take home because she did not have time. Dr. Roy Guerrero, a pediatrician in Uvalde, Texas, described to members of Congress on Wednesday the horrors he saw two weeks ago in the citys emergency room as he treated wounded and dying students after a gunman massacred an elementary school classroom. Dr. Guerrero said he had rushed to Uvalde Memorial Hospital on May 24 and found parents already outside the building, yelling their childrens names, sobbing and begging for information. Those mothers cries, I will never get out of my head, Dr. Guerrero told the House Committee on Oversight and Reform during a hearing on gun violence. He added: I know Ill never forget what I saw that day. I told people, sometimes there arent any words, said Melissa Cabralez, one of several counselors in town stepping in to help people who have been traumatized by the shooting. Were doing the best we can, but this is 21 families and extended families and a whole school campus of children who are scared. Immediately following the shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas downplayed the issue of gun control and emphasized the need to intervene before people become violent. We as state, we as a society, need to do a better job with mental health, he said. Police officials said the gunman, Salvador Ramos, 18, who was killed by a law enforcement tactical team, had never been diagnosed with a mental illness, nor had he been arrested in connection with any crime. Yet it has become clear that he had left plenty of warnings. There was the video of him in the passenger seat of a car, holding a bag that appeared to contain a bloodied animal. There was the fight with another student in a high school bathroom, captured on camera, and the volatile arguments with his mother that a friend overheard when they played online video games together. There was the name he used within Fortnite: Sal k1ll em all. There were also the violent thoughts he shared with girls around the world whom he met online. Sometimes the comments were addressed directly to the girls he told one in Germany that he would smack you in your face if he was with her and sometimes they made reference to an ex-girlfriend who, he said in one Instagram message, was terrified of me. I like hurting others, he wrote last summer to a girl in San Jose, Calif., who is now 16 and asked that her name not be used. Seeing a photograph of his ex-girlfriend, he told her, had left him feeling violent. Two months later, he wrote to the same girl that he would rather see his ex-girlfriend in a hospital with a broken neck than to see her happy without him. This reflects a desire by medical professionals to find a language that does not exclude and gives comfort to those who give birth and identify as nonbinary or transgender. No agency appears to collect data on transgender and nonbinary pregnancies, but Australia has reported that about 0.1 percent of all births involve transgender men. Ti-Grace Atkinson got on the phone from her home in Cambridge, Mass., and sighed. She has counted herself a radical feminist for most of her 83 years. She quit the National Organization for Women in the 1960s when it refused to aggressively push for abortion rights. She is wearied by battles over gender and language, which she said are pushed by transgender activists and eager progressives and no less eagerly opposed by right-wing politicians. It is distant from the urgent needs of women, who make up 50.8 percent of the population. I want to see material change, she said. Taking away our reproductive rights is going to sharpen the battle. This is about women and our rights; its not a language game. Last year, Dr. Sara Dahlen wrote an editorial for a British medical journal in which she noted the pressure for clinicians in Britain, where questions of gender are no less charged, to use phrases such as human milk rather than breast milk. She cautioned they risked losing a larger audience. If the aim is to maximize respect for every persons sense of self, it must follow that female patients who simply understand themselves as women cannot either be expected to go along silently with language in which they do not exist, she wrote, quoting advocates of gender-neutral language. DAKAR, Senegal The king of Belgium on Wednesday handed over a large wooden mask to the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of thousands of objects taken long ago to the European country from its former colony. King Philippe, on his first visit to the country since assuming the throne in 2013, said that handing over the mask to the Congolese president, Felix Tshisekedi, was an important symbolic step. But for many Congolese, speaking out on social media, it was not nearly enough. They asked for an apology for the notorious crimes committed against their ancestors in order to enrich the kings forebear, Leopold II, who claimed the territory as his personal fiefdom in 1885 and plundered it for more than two decades. Mr. Phillips, who also wrote regularly for The New York Times in 2017, has dedicated much of his career to documenting the struggle between the people who want to protect the Amazon and those who want to exploit it. Mr. Pereira has spent years defending Indigenous groups under the resulting threat. Now fears are growing that their latest journey deep into the rainforest could end up as one of the grimmest illustrations of that conflict. Univaja said that Mr. Pereira has profound knowledge of the region, and local officials said that if the men had gotten lost or faced mechanical issues, they likely would have already been found by search crews. Univaja said Mr. Pereira had faced threats in the region for years. Violence has long been common in the Amazon, but it has largely been between locals. From 2009 through 2020, there were 139 killings of environmental activists and defenders in the Amazon, according to data compiled by a journalism project called Tierra de Resistentes. But hardly any of those attacks were against Brazilian government officials or journalists who were outsiders in the region. In 2019, a Brazilian government worker was shot and killed in apparent retaliation for his work combating illegal activity in the Javari Valley. The 1988 murder of Chico Mendes, Brazils most famous conservationist at the time, helped spark an environmental movement in the country to protect the Amazon. That movement has faced significant headwinds lately, particularly under Mr. Bolsonaro, who has vowed to open the Amazon to mining, logging and other industry. Families talked about the visceral pain that follows them and how cities that undergo tragedies, like Uvalde, Texas, carry the weight of a loss that only victims and relatives can truly understand. But parents also said they have learned there was no way to deal with calamity other than to live through the grief. You just have to cry when its hard; there is no way around it, said Kim Mi-ok, Ho-jins mother. No one, nothing, can console you. She has refused to report her sons death to the government and continues to pay his monthly cellphone bill as if one day she might hear his voice on the other side. When I miss him, I lie on his bed, hug his pillow, smell his smell and cry, said Ms. Kim, 53. On the day the Sewol ferry sank, live footage of the capsized boat slowly disappearing under the water was broadcast across South Korea. Fishermen and poorly equipped rescuers tried desperately to break windows and save passengers trapped inside. Cellphones salvaged from the wreckage showed videos of children frantically saying goodbye to their parents as the cold waves filled their cabins. The disaster had been born of greed and negligence. The owner of the Sewol had added extra berths, making the ferry top-heavy. On its final voyage, it was carrying twice the legal limit of cargo, having dumped most of the ballast water that would have helped stabilize it. Regulators ruled the ship seaworthy. But when it made a sharp turn while fighting a strong current, it lost its balance. The woman killed was a schoolteacher from the western state of Hesse who was in Berlin with her class, Ms. Spranger, the state senator, said at a news conference. It was not clear if there were any people injured aside from the 14 teenage students. By evening, the police had not released the names of any victims, waiting to alert their families. The police used Twitter to ask witnesses for video recordings or photographs to help them with the investigation. They also asked witnesses not to circulate images of the investigation. Several fire trucks and many firefighters were visible at the scene, with helicopters circling overhead. The police quickly roped off the area, which was near the location of a terrorist attack on a Christmas market in 2016. The square has since been reinforced to safeguard it and protect the large numbers of people who pass through it every day. A medevac helicopter was seen lifting off from the area, normally a packed square filled with shoppers. John Barrowman, a presenter and actor who has appeared on the television series Doctor Who, was on vacation in Berlin and browsing a store near where the incident occurred. In a series of social media updates from the scene, Mr. Barrowman described seeing a body on the ground and injured people limping. Sirens could be heard blaring in the background as he showed emergency services vehicles parked on the street in one update, and a helicopter in another. Even as Russia hammers eastern Ukraine with heavy artillery, it is cementing its grip on the south, claiming to have restored roads, rails and a critical freshwater canal that could help it claim permanent dominion over the region. The extension of Russian infrastructure into the occupied south could allow Moscow to fortify a land bridge between Russia and Crimea and build on efforts to claim control through the introduction of Russian currency and the appointment of proxy officials. Russias defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, said on Tuesday that the military, working with Russian Railways, had repaired about 750 miles of track in southeastern Ukraine and set the conditions for traffic to flow from Russia through Ukraines eastern Donbas region to occupied territory in Kherson and Crimea. The sounds of war echo throughout Bakhmut, a largely deserted city in eastern Ukraine, just 10 miles from the front. Even with a trained ear, it is hard to tell what artillery fire is outgoing or incoming. The terror can be all the more acute for the vulnerable and those unable to care for themselves, among them Zinaida Riabtseva, 77, who is blind and cannot leave her fifth-floor apartment on her own. As Russian forces bear down with intensifying ferocity in an effort to control the Donbas region, which borders Russia, aid workers are scrambling to evacuate the old, the infirm and the disabled. Those who leave their homes do not know if they will ever be able to return, joining the more than 12 million Ukrainians who have been displaced by Russias invasion. A tank blasted at their positions for five hours, then Russian infantry began an assault on foot, he said. Ukrainian snipers stalled the infantry advance and soldiers managed to lay a mine in the tanks path, but the men in the trenches could do little but wait it out, he said. When a tank is firing you have to hide, he said. Its a difficult situation. His tin cup was punctured with several shrapnel holes. I left it outside the trench, he said, laughing. I did not lift my head to see how it happened. No one sleeps during the 72-hour stint at zero, he said. The army had tried different lengths of rotations and determined that three days was the limit men should do before swapping out, he said. Several soldiers said one of the hardest parts was digging in. We only had one spade and it was not very good, said a 19-year-old soldier who uses the code name Air. At first things were quiet, so the men sat around joking and smoking as if on a camping excursion, he said. Iran has turned off two surveillance cameras used by the U.N. watchdog agency to monitor a nuclear site, state television reported on Wednesday, the latest sign of rising tensions with world powers over the revival of a 2015 deal that limited Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for the easing of international economic sanctions. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran removed two cameras surveying an online enrichment monitor installed by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor uranium enrichment, according to Irans Press TV. The report went on to say that more than 80 percent of the U.N. agencys cameras would continue to operate as before under safeguard agreements. Irans move comes after a snag in its negotiations with world powers over resurrecting the 2015 nuclear deal, which placed limits on the countrys enrichment of uranium. Russia is one of the signatories to the 2015 deal, and its war on Ukraine has further complicated the nuclear talks. TEHRAN A passenger train partially derailed in eastern Iran early Wednesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring 87 more, the authorities said. The train, operated by the state-run Islamic Republic Railway, was carrying about 350 people when it derailed near the town of Tabas, about 340 miles southeast of Tehran, on its way to the city of Yazd. The route had began as an overnight train out of Irans holy city of Mashhad. Rescue teams with ambulances and helicopters arrived at the crash site, in a remote area with poor communications links. Aerial footage of the desert site of the disaster showed train cars on their side, with some rescuers running at the scene as they tried to care for those injured. San Francisco voters will decide whether to remove Chesa Boudin, the district attorney who has enacted sweeping overhauls in his brief time in office and faces criticism that those changes have led to increases in crime. Read more Democrats and Republicans have tussled over this Orange County district for years. Representative Young Kim, a Republican, flipped it in 2020, becoming one of the first Korean American women in Congress. Now, Kim faces challenges from a Democrat, Asif Mahmood, and Greg Raths, a Republican running to her right. Republicans hope to hang onto the seat in the fall and Democrats believe they have a greater chance of winning if Raths makes it past the primary. The presumptive Republican front-runner is Tom Kean Jr., a former state lawmaker who came within 1 percentage point of beating Representative Tom Malinowski, a Democrat, in 2020. The strongest contenders challenging Kean, the son of a two-term New Jersey governor, appear to be Philip Rizzo, a former pastor, and Erik Peterson, a state assemblyman. Five Republicans are competing to challenge Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who is running for re-election. Those candidates include Rebecca Dow, a state legislator, and Mark Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist. Prism Courage, a 134,000-tonne commercial tanker, recently sailed from the Gulf of Mexico to South Korea while controlled mostly by an artificial intelligence system called HiNAS 2.0. Avikus, a subsidiary of South Korean technology giant Hyundai, recently announced that Prism Courage, a tanker designed to transport natural gas, had become the first large ship to make an ocean passage of over 10,000 km (6,210 miles) autonomously. The key to this incredible achievement was HiNAS 2.0, an AI-powered system capable of analyzing different kinds of sensor readings in real-time and responding to them swiftly, efficiently, and, most importantly, in accordance with the rules of maritime laws. Photo: Fredrik Filix/Unsplash Just like airplanes, ships have very advanced auto-pilots capable of keeping them on a steady course, responding to GPS waypoints and currents, and even bringing them into harbor in case the human crew is no longer present on board or capable of doing it. However, sailing autonomously for tens of thousands of kilometers through the Atlantic is a lot more complex than putting a ship on autopilot. Apart from steering the tanker in real0-time, Avikus HiNAS 2.0 system is capable of picking the optimal routes and best speeds to reach its destination, by analyzing data collected through advanced sensors. It can compensate for weather and wave heights and makes not to get too close to other ships to avoid collisions. Prism Courage left Freeport, Texas on May 1, 2022, and passed through the Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean. It then sailed 33 days to arrive at the Boryeong LNG Terminal in South Korea. The latter part of the voyage was handled by the HiNAS 2.0 AI-powered system, and its performance was monitored and evaluated by both American and South Korean sailing authorities. Data showed that the artificial intelligence system provided an increase in fuel efficiency of 7 percent and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 5 percent. Furthermore, the system accurately recognized the locations of nearby ships and maneuvered to avoid collision about 100 times. Avikus autonomous navigation technology was greatly helpful in this ocean-crossing test especially for maintaining navigating routes, autonomously changing directions, and avoiding nearby ships, which were all increasing ship crews work conveniences, said Captain Young-hoon Koh, Master on board the Prism Courage. Founded in 2020, Avikus was able to produce a capable autonomous sailing system in just 2-years time. Their latest version of the HiNAS was showcased earlier this year at the CES 2022 technology expo. Following this latest success, the company has announced plans to commercialize the HiNAS 2.0 system within this year upon receiving certification from the American Bureau of Shipping. Jason Alderman Jason Alderman has been named senior VP-global communications and government relations at BYJUs, the fast-growing Bangalore, India-based education technology company. He has served as chief communications officer at FAST fintech company, CCO at Clover Health, senior VP-corporate communications at DraftKings, VP-corporate communications at KinderCare and VP-global corporate communications at Visa. BYJUs has more than 150M learners on its platform. It acquired U.S.-based Epic and Tynker last year, and Osmo in 2019. The company also partnered with Disney on an interactive early-learning app, and recently committed to investing $1 billion in North America over the next couple of years, as well as launched an innovation hub in the U.S. BYJUs counts the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, Sequoia Capital India, Tencent, Owl Ventures, Tiger Global, Bond and Silver Lake among its financial backers. Christina Pushaw Christina Pushaw, the combative spokesperson for Florida governor Ron DeSantis, has registered as a foreign agent for work that she did from 2018 to 2020 for Mikheil Saakashvili, ex-president of Georgia. He headed the former Soviet republic from 2004 to 2013 and then left it to become a citizen of Ukraine. She counseled Saakashvili on international communications and media, including assistance with TV appearances, op-eds and outreach to policymakers, according to her Justice Dept. filing. Pushaw also monitored the Georgia political environment and advised Saakashvili on how to boost his international profile. Her goal was to pave the way for Saakashvili to re-enter Georgian politics at some future date. She received compensation of $25K for her efforts and lived rent-free in an apartment in Georgia capital of Tbilisi which was owned by an associate of Saakashvili. Saakashvili is associated with an opposition party, United National Movement, that challenged the ruling party in the 2018 presidential election and 2020 parliamentary election. The former president returned to Georgia in 2021 and was arrested. Pushaws filing refers to her one-time client as currently incarcerated as a political prisoner in Georgia. She belatedly filed the registration after being contacted by the Justice Department. PLANNING permission has finallly been granted by An Bord Pleanala (ABP) for the long awaited beef processing plant in Banagher. The decision to grant approval for the Banagher Chilling plant has been warmly welcomed by two Offaly TDs. In welcoming the long-awaited 25m plant, Fianna Fail TD Deputy Barry Cowen has called on the Government to take action to reduce the time it takes for An Bord Pleanala to make decisions. Independent TD Deputy Carol Nolan also warmly welcomed the decision and said she had repeatedly engaged with ABP over a two year period in attempts to have a decision on the proposed site escalated, after having being initially informed in January of 2021 that an ABP inspector's report would be completed within the next two weeks. Offaly County Council granted permission for the massive project back in August 2020 but that decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The application to Offaly County Council was made by Banagher Chilling Limited to build an extension at an existing abattoir in the location of Boheradurrow/Meenwaun, which is near Taylor's Cross on the Birr/Banagher road. The application was for an extension of 1,061 square metres to include processing rooms, staff changing rooms, and offices. Banagher Chilling also plans to develop a food processing factory of 4,925 square metres which will include processing rooms, a cold store, loading bay, chill rooms, plant rooms, staff changing rooms, staff canteen and administration offices. There will be a water treatment building of 72 square metres and an effluent treatment control house of 30 square metres. An Environmental Impact Assessment Report and a Natura Impact Statement were submitted with the planning application. Banagher Chilling's application was submitted to the Council in July 2019. The proposed Banagher Chilling location was an abattoir for a number of years, which was also used for the slaughtering of unwanted horses during the recession. The premises was sold to a group of Chinese investors a few years ago. An appeal was submitted to An Bord Pleanala by a group of concerned local people who argued that they was no justification for the development of a facility of this scale at this location. The appeal stated that existing meat processing plants in the region are currently at or under capacity. If this plant was to operate at a viable capacity, stated the objectors, it would lead to the failure of one or more of the existing plants under current conditions. Deputy Cowen said, Obviously, I'm glad and delighted permission has finally been granted. This development will be most welcome for the community and region in the first instance with the job creation associated with its construction but also of course as a competitive outlet for the farming sector. New competition ensures markets can be filled creating new opportunities thus allowing farm families get fair prices for quality produce. "I intend now to engage with the promoters of Banagher Chilling project, review the grant of permission and any conditions attached with a view to progressing and proceeding to its construction." Deputy Nolan said: At long last a decision has now been made that is capable of opening up the beef market in Ireland and offering increased competition and better prices for farmers. It is a pity it took so long to get to this point, but finally, after what appeared to be an inability to arrive at any kind of decision, and interminable environmental due diligence, we are now in a position to move forward and ensure that Offaly and indeed the wider region can be seen as open to large scale inward investment, concluded Deputy Nolan. Last May, Deputy Cowen received the support of the Dail when he introduced a Bill which proposes to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 to ensure that every appeal or referral is determined within a period of 12 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the Board of the appeal or referral. Emphasising the importance of action to reduce waiting times for planning approval, Deputy Cowen said, Another lesson that must be acted on now is for government to move on the bill I put before the Dail last year which places onus on An Bord Pleanala to make decisions on appeals within a statutory time period of 12 weeks. In this day and age at a time especially of such increased costs associated with developments and at a time of housing crisis too, it is not good enough that proposed developments which meet all the necessary criteria and receive planning permission from the relevant local authority can be delayed by an ABP appeal for two years. The Judicial Review system then can further delay much needed, warranted and merited developments for possibly another 2/3 years. "Such delays and procrastination have curtailed this countrys response to the housing crisis and hampered/delayed and ensured the loss of some commercial developments. Its essential that Government prescribe amendments to Planning and Development Act to unblock this serious impediment.'' A man was handed down a two month suspended sentence for not controlling his dogs. Before Tullamore district court was Roy Dunican (28), Mooney Terrace, Kilcormac. In his evidence Sgt James OSullivan said that Mr Dunicans two dogs, a German Shepherd and a Husky, were roaming around on three separate occasions on December 26, 2000, January 1, 2021 and February 2, 2021. Mr Dunican had 31 previous convictions but none were in relation to dog control, the court heard. Defending solicitor Donal Farrelly said Mr Dunican had a partner and one child. He said he was unable to control the dogs as he didn't have space for them. He had been very close to his dogs. Judge Miriam Walsh fined the defendant 200 for the offence on December 26, 2000, 200 for the offence on January 11, 2021 and imposed a two month suspended sentence for the offence on February 4, 2021. She suspended the sentence for 12 months. Earlier Judge Miriam Walsh noted that Mr Dunican had missed appointments with his probation officer. At a previous court sitting last March Mr Dunican had received 240 hours of community service in lieu of 10 months in prison for assaulting Garda Fergus Hogan when he called to Mr Dunicans home on directions from the DPP. Mr Farrelly said Mr Dunican had felt unsuitable for community service at the time but was now able as he could get a lift. Judge Walsh said she noted in her own handwriting from the previous date that she had written that it was ''going round the houses.'' She adjourned the case to September 7, 2022 and told the defendant he was in the ''last chance saloon.'' A biodiversity conference in Dublin was labelled a talking shop by climate campaigners who protested at the event on Wednesday. The conference at Dublin Castle was attended by the Minister for Heritage, Darragh OBrien, as the Government prepared to publish a new biodiversity action plan. Demonstrators accused the Government of not doing enough to protect Irish biodiversity, at a protest organised by Extinction Rebellion and the Irish Wildlife Trust. They called on Mr OBrien and the Government to put the latest biodiversity plan on a legal footing. Padraic Fogarty, campaigns officer at the Irish Wildlife Trust, said: This is going to be our fourth biodiversity action plan and we know that biodiversity is still in serious decline. Really what were saying is that we need a change of approach. We want to see the national biodiversity action plan put on a legal footing, just like the climate action plan is, so there will be proper accountability and implementation. He labelled the meeting another talking shop. We need to talk and we need to have conferences, thats fine, but we have to do much more than just have conferences and give speeches. We need to get on and do the actions, Mr Fogarty said. He warned about the perilous state of Irish nature and wildlife. We have looked at the past three biodiversity action plans and there is a long list of items that have never gotten anywhere the process is becoming completely pointless unless greater action is taken, he said. Biodiversity has collapsed in Ireland. We dont have natural ecosystems in Ireland anymore. We look throughout our countryside and we think it looks green and the sea looks blue, but actually nature is a state of collapse across these landscapes. Demonstrators, some dressed as coal miners carrying canaries, warned that time was running out to protect Irish wildlife as they paraded through the gates of Dublin Castle in the city centre. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore joined protesters on Wednesday morning. Successive governments have failed to look after nature. It has been year in, year out, and we have a lot of talk, very little action when it comes to actually protecting our wildlife, our communities, she said. There has been an awful lot of plans and very few actions. We cannot rely on the next government being one that is wildlife friendly. We need legislation to be in place. Mr OBrien, asked about protesters concerns, said: If you look at our carbon budgets, they are in law in Ireland. I had the pleasure of opening the National Biodiversity Conference this morning, over 400 delegates attended, brought from all different stakeholders right across the country. From NGOs, to farmers, to residents, to all different groups. The Taoiseach will actually be addressing the conference tomorrow. Were very serious about reversing the degrading of our biodiversity and enhancing it and regenerating it, he told reporters in Ballinteer, south Dublin. Thats why, on a legislative basis, we brought forward some very serious pieces of legislation, like the Marine Planning Act, like our marine protection areas, the river basin management plan to name a few. Were very serious about tackling it and as I said this morning, we know what needs to be done. The minister said that this is probably the first generation that really understood the effects that human behaviour right across the world is having on our climate, but it certainly will be the last generation that will be able to do anything about it to reverse this. Junior minister Malcolm Noonan met the protesters on Wednesday to discuss their concerns. A Department of Housing spokesperson said: He assured the protesters that their list of demands was already being comprehensively addressed, both at national and EU level, and through the National Biodiversity Action Plan Irelands national biodiversity policy, which the conference was designed to explore and debate. Police investigating a security alert which led to Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney being evacuated from a peace event in Belfast have arrested two men. Two firearms have also been seized following operations in the Shankill area of Belfast and in Ballymena, Co Antrim. Mr Coveney had to leave the event organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation in north Belfast on March 25. The Houben Centre in the Crumlin Road was evacuated and a funeral service at nearby Holy Cross Church was disrupted. Police said the driver of a van was threatened by two gunmen and forced to drive a device, which he believed to be a live bomb, to the church. A PSNI spokesperson said: Terrorism Investigation Unit detectives investigating a hijacking and security alert in north Belfast on Friday March 25 have arrested two men. A 46-year-old male was arrested under the Terrorism Act in the Shankill area. Two suspected firearms have been recovered and a vehicle has been taken away for examination. As part of the operation, a 51-year-old male was arrested in the Ballymena area under the Terrorism Act. A van has been seized and taken away for examination. Both men are currently being questioned in the Serious Crime Suite of Musgrave police station in Belfast. The Prime Minister has denied the Government has failed to consult one of its senior legal advisers over plans to unilaterally scrap elements of Brexits Northern Ireland Protocol. Boris Johnson rejected the claim that First Treasury Counsel Sir James Eadie, the Governments independent barrister on major legal issues, had not been asked to give a view on the contentious Bill due to be tabled at Westminster. His remarks came as Irish Premier Micheal Martin warned that unilateral UK action over the protocol would be deeply damaging and mark a historic low point. The Government intends to use domestic law to override aspects of the post-Brexit arrangements governing Irish Sea trade, which were jointly agreed by the UK and EU as part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced plans to legislate last month and the Bill is expected to be published in the coming days. Sky News reported that Sir James has not been consulted on whether the legislation would breach international law. SDLP leader and Foyle MP Colum Eastwood challenged Mr Johnson on the report during Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons. I can tell him that the reports that he has seen this morning are not correct, replied Mr Johnson. And what I can also tell him is that the most important commitment that I think everybody in this House has made is to the balance and symmetry of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. That is our highest legal international priority and that is what we must deliver. Downing Street said a number of legal experts had been involved in the legislation, which has yet to be finalised. Obviously the Foreign Secretary has made clear that this is legal in international law and that we will be setting out our legal position in due course, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said. No final decisions have been made on that. It is an important piece of legislation and we will take the requisite time to get it right. The UK is moving without the consent of the EU to change the terms of the protocol to reduce the checks it requires on the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The dispute over the protocol has led to a political impasse at Stormont, with the DUP blocking the re-establishment of a devolved executive until major changes are secured to arrangements the party claims have weakened Northern Irelands place within the United Kingdom. Northern Irelands 1998 Good Friday/Belfast peace agreement contains provisions to protect and develop relations both on a north/south basis on the island of Ireland and on an east/west basis between the island and Great Britain. The DUP claims, and the Government agrees, that the protocol has upset this delicate balance of unionist and nationalist aspirations by undermining the east/west dynamic. It is unclear whether the Governments plans will be affected by the current leadership travails of Mr Johnson, amid suggestions that some backbench rebels could vote against the Bill. Addressing a Westminster committee on Wednesday, Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns denied the Bill was motivated by a desire to prop up the Prime Minister or appease hardline Brexiteers within the Conservative Party. Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday morning, Taoiseach Mr Martin said the UK Governments proposed legislation would be to the benefit of absolutely no-one. The Irish leader accused London of failing to engage with the EU to reach a negotiated settlement on changing aspects of the protocols operation. I have said many times that there are solutions to practical problems under the protocol if there is a political will to find them, he said. But that requires partnership. It requires the UK Government to engage with good faith, seriousness, and commitment. Unilateral action to set aside a solemn agreement would be deeply damaging. It would mark a historic low point, signalling a disregard for essential principles of laws which are the foundation of international relations. And it would, quite literally, be to the benefit of absolutely no-one. He added: I disagree with the approach that the United Kingdom Government has taken in respect of dealing with the protocol and its failure really to engage and to engage in a substantive way with the European Union, and particularly the commission and (vice president and post-Brexit negotiator) Maros Sefcovic. GARDAI were called to Offaly County Council after they received a report of two men being unconscious in the vicinity. In his evidence to Tullamore district court, Garda Patrick McGee said that on March 2, 2022, at 5.30pm he arrived at Charleville Road, Tullamore, where he found a man unconscious on the passenger side of a vehicle. Tomas Naujokas, (36) 26, High Street, Birr, had a half a bottle of wine between his knees and a knife down beside him. He woke up while Garda McGees colleague was dealing with the driver who was ''kicking off' and Garda McGee said he unknowingly assisted the gardai by holding onto him. Garda McGee said as he was taking the defendant out the car another knife fell on the ground and a third knife was found in his pocket. Mr Naujokas had no previous convictions and was cooperative. Solicitor Donal Farrelly said his client was a 36 year old Lithuanian. He said he usually worked with farmers until recently but is now unemployed. He had been with another guy who had kicked off and he was of assistance to the gardai. He had come to Tullamore shopping and bought three kitchen knives. He had consumed drink and was in the vicinity of the county council. Mr Farrelly said there is no evidence he intended to do any harm and he was very concerned. It had started out as a good day when he met and went out with a friend. Judge Miriam Walsh asked Garda McGee if the knives were in a packet or box to which he replied they looked ''newish'' but they werent in a box. Judge Miriam Walsh directed Mr Naujokas to pay 200 to the Saint Vincent de Paul and said he will have to pay 500 if he defaults. She said she will strike out the matter if he returns to court on July 27 2022 with a receipt of payment. DELAYS in getting some bespoke materials have prevented the finalization of work on Millennium Square on Main Street in Tullamore. Engineer with Offaly County Council, Joe Dooley said work on the square is 98% complete but they are awaiting three light columns and some steel bollards to give it the finishing touch. The refurbishment saw the removal of the old pavement and the installation of new imported Portuguese granite pavement and kerbs. Polished concrete planters with recessed timber seating have also been installed along with two heavy duty cantilevered canopies. Some vandalism has already taken place around the planters and Mr Dooley said robust plants are to be placed in the clay bedding in the hopes they will be able to withstand any maliciousness. Mr Dooley said the council may place removable picnic tables under the canopies which can be easily taken out for various events or for musicians and bands. A deep clean will then be carried out on the square and it is hoped it will become a venue for some outdoor events similar to those which have already taken place in OConnor Square but on a smaller scale. The work was carried out by Tower Civil Engineering and Joe Dooley has praised them for their high standard of workmanship. Tove Anna Linnea Ostman Styrke is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She gained popularity as a contestant on Swedish Idol 2009, finishing in third place. After the show, she started a solo career in electropop. She released her debut album Tove Styrke in 2010. The New York Post included Styrke in its list of "10 Artists to Know in 2011". In 2015, she released her second album, Kiddo. Three years later, in 2018, she released her third album, Sway. Throughout the 2010s Styrke gained an increasing critical acclaim as an independent artist resulting in her single "Say My Name" being included in Rolling Stone's 100 best songs of the decade. A Melbourne serial killer who murdered three women in the late 90s will be eligible for parole next year. The Murugappan family are making their long-awaited return to Biloela, touching down in Brisbane before reaching the outback town. Finally back in Queensland, Biloelas Murugappan family were all smiles as they were whisked away from Brisbane Airport on Wednesday afternoon. Miah Cerrillo,11, has recounted the terror of the day a gunman shot her classmates in Uvalde as the US Congress comes under pressure to act on gun violence. Police identified the driver as a German-Armenian man. He was detained by bystanders and handed over to the authorities. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. A deal on a key EU tax reform being held up by Warsaw is set to be inked if the bloc unlocks post-COVID reconstruction funds. But critics fear Brussels could be giving a green light to Poland's democratic backsliding. Harvey Weinstein has been charged with two counts of indecent assault against women in the U.K. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denounced what he called a "senseless war" in which Russia is losing "300 soldiers every day." Follow DW for more. By Yan Yu Recently, some Japanese politicians arbitrarily published groundless statements that confound white and black, in an attempt to justify Japans history of invasion. Not long ago, Taro Aso, former Japanese Prime Minister and Vice President of the Japanese Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP), stated that the Soviet Union invaded Japan during World War II. Shigeru Ishiba, former secretary-general of the LDP, echoed Taros statement, declaring that Japan should never forget the history of the Soviet Union invading Japan. Today, in a time when debates on the history of invasion by Japanese militarists have long been settled, some Japanese politicians tried to justify their countrys invasion behaviors in the past by using the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Such a maneuver is shameful. By portraying Japan as a victim in World War II, those Japanese politicians attempted to water down and even justify their countrys identity as an aggressor and rewrite their history of invasion. However, history cannot be falsified. Back then, the war of invasion launched by Japanese militarists brought severe suffering to neighboring Asian nations, which will never be forgotten. A major reason for the moves that some Japanese politicians took to distort history is that Japanese militarists were not fully punished for their crimes and Japan has never truly introspected the war of invasion it staged. After the end of World War II, for the needs of the Cold War, the US supported Japanese conservative forces in seizing power in Japan. As a result, wrong views of history became prevalent in Japan. Afterward, some Japanese politicians repeatedly staged farces such as paying tribute to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine and seeking to revise the Constitution. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Japan has followed the pace of Western countries represented by the US to impose strict sanctions against Russia. Meanwhile, Japanese rightist and conservative forces took advantage of the international public opinion not in favor of Russia to justify their countrys history of invasion during World War II. Recently, Japan continued to play petty tricks, in an attempt to advance the so-called normalization of its military through revising the Constitution. On the one hand, it was hyping up the threats from China and Russia and playing the Taiwan card; on the other hand, it had declared that it is exploring the possibility to loosen restrictions on weapon exporting. Japan actively serves as a pawn of the US so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy while bragging unblushingly that it would seek a nuclear weapons-sharing deal with the US so as to import nuclear weapons from the latter. Such statements and behaviors of some Japanese politicians went against the trends of history. Their purpose is to let Japan ease postwar limits on the military, get rid of its image as a defeated country, strengthen its armed forces, and even seek a position of political power. Japan refuses to introspect on history and draw lessons from the past but attempts to retrace the road of militarism. This not only severely threatens peace and stability in the region and around the world, but also brings itself into a worse security dilemma. Asian countries that endured Japanese aggression will never forget that miserable episode of history, so they will not allow Japan to jeopardize international rules and justice by distorting history for selfish interests. During her visit to Japan, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel once said that the prerequisite for postwar reconciliation is facing up to history squarely. To become a respectful normalized country, first of all, Japan needs to uphold a normal view of history. This is a necessary precondition for Japan to gain trust ofits Asian neighbors and the international community. Editor's Note: This article is originally published on haiwainet.cn, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. During a visit to DR Congo, Belgium's King Philippe decorated a WWII veteran and returned a Congolese mask to a museum in Kinshasa. His six-day trip is aimed at healing the wounds of Belgium's brutal colonial history. British police have been authorized to bring charges against ex-film producer Harvey Weinstein. He faces two counts of indecent assault against a woman in 1996. Her approach has been criticised but she said she had "nothing to apologise for". Uber has built a "private-label" version of its delivery platform to help the UN deliver food and water. One in five people jailed in the European Union hasn't been convicted of a crime including 12,000 in Germany alone. Studies suggest that pretrial detention is unnecessary in most cases. North Korea has been test firing rockets about every nine days or so this year, making neighbours nervous. The United Nations Security Council, once vocal in condemning the tests and united in approving tough sanctions, is now distracted by the conflict in Ukraine and, also, divided. At least one person was reportedly killed and several injured as a car crashed into a crowd in the western Berlin district of Charlottenburg, according to the emergency services. Newsy 09 Jun 2022 Watch VideoChina and Russia defended their vetoes of a strongly backed U.S. resolution that would have imposed tough new sanctions.. Authorities in Austria say more than 100 students and teachers on a school trip from Germany had to be airlifted to safety after.. CTV News 08 Jun 2022 In his speech to MEPs on Wednesday, Ruslan Stefanchuk called on the EU to approve his country's membership application. Algeria said its decision was due to Spain's "unjustifiable turnaround" over the Western Sahara region. Earlier this year, Spain recognized Morocco's plans for the disputed territory, sparking tensions with Algeria. Western powers have urged Iran to cooperate with the UN's nuclear watchdog in a resolution. Tehran condemned the censure, while Israel and Saudi Arabia hailed the decision. A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near the Maryland home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after threatening to kill him, authorities say. On Tuesday, 1242 new cases of Covid-19 were reported in Maharashtra, out of which 90% cases were from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.. DNA 08 Jun 2022 By James Perry of Maori Television A petition containing nearly 40,000 signatures calling for seabed mining to be banned was presented to Maori Party MP Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Green Party MP Eugenie Sage at Parliament... Mayor Eric Adams is expected to be among those who testify, as the U.S. is reeling from recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Texas. CBS2's John Dias has the details. Rumble 09 Jun 2022 House Democrats on Wednesday stalled a bill that would have provided additional security for Supreme Court Justices on the same day.. Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) June 7, 2022 Ukraine said on Tuesday that it opposed any visit by the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog to its nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia while it is under Russian occupation. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on Monday his agency was preparing an expert mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest in Europe and now occupied by Russian forces. South Korea and the United States have put on an aerial show of their powerful air force in response to North Korea's continued missile tests this year. The two countries also test-fired eight ballistic missiles eastward as a show of force against Pyongyang. Matthew McConaughey, an Uvalde, Texas native, delivers an emotional plea for gun control from the White House and urged lawmakers to focus on their moral duty rather than re-election. A leading South African private rhino breeder has announced plans to annually release 100 farm-bred rhinos into the wild to help restock a population decimated by poaching. Western Cape organised crime detectives have launched an investigation into a shooting at a shop in Khayelitsha, which left four people dead. NYTimes.com 15 Jun 2022 The Chinese government has tried to keep good ties with Moscow while maintaining that it wants to be an impartial broker for peace.. The foreign ministers of Russia and Turkey will "check the clock" on the situation in Ukraine and, in particular,.. Rumble 08 Jun 2022 euronews (in English) 08 Jun 2022 It is unclear whether the crash is the result of an accident or whether the driver had intentionally driven into the crowd. Veuer 02 Jun 2022 Meghan and Harry will reportedly have special police protection when they head to the UK for the Queens Platinum Jubilee... Phoenix Institute - With growing economy and India becoming a preferred destination for many global CPA and Accounting firms to have their US accounting operations and tax preparation processes done here. Big four and many other leading US accounting firms have already been doing this in the country since more than a decade. This has resulted in a significant rise for the talent need in the US tax and accounting New Delhi, India: Today, DTP Labs (a premium desktop publishing and multimedia engineering company) is celebrating the achievement of the completion of 18 years of company with great growth and reputation in the translation and localization industry. DTP Labs was established in 2004 with only two operators, and now, after 18 years, we are a leading multinational company with 50 plus experienced and qualified in-house specialists and production centres in This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KINSHASA, Congo (AP) Belgium's King Philippe expressed his deepest regrets for his nation's abuses in its former colony Congo, telling lawmakers Wednesday on his first official trip to the country that Belgian colonial rule was unjustifiable and racist. Although many Belgians were sincerely committed to loving the Congo and its people deeply, the colonial regime, as such, was based on exploitation and domination, the king told the national legislature in Kinshasa. This regime was that of an unequal relationship, in itself unjustifiable, marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism, he said. On the occasion of my first trip to the Congo, right here in front of the Congolese people ... I wish to reaffirm my deepest regrets for these past wounds, Philippe said, emphasizing the theme of his six-day visit to the country. His speech comes two years after the king made similar comments on the 60th anniversary of Congos independence when he went further than any of his predecessors in condemning acts of violence and cruelty during Belgian colonial rule. While some Congolese praised the Belgian king's remarks as brave, others said the apology must come with financial reparations. Belgium must ask for forgiveness from the Congolese people but also compensate them, said Francis Kambale, a 26-year-old student living in Goma in the countrys east. Our grandparents were beaten like animals, others were killed. But also many minerals and cultural goods were stolen by Belgium. This visit by the Belgian king is a distraction. Congo does not benefit in any way nor does it improve the economic conditions of the Congolese. Belgium has faced a reckoning over its colonial past in recent years, particularly around the commemoration of Congo's 60th anniversary of independence in 2020. That year Belgium took down a statue in Ghent of King Leopold II, who had plundered Congo during his 1865-1909 reign and forced many of its people into slavery to extract resources for his own profit. The early years after Leopold laid claim to the African country are especially infamous for killings, forced labor and other forms of brutality that some experts estimate left as many as 10 million Congolese dead, according to historians. After Leopolds claimed ownership of Congo ended in 1908, he handed it over to the Belgian state, which continued to rule the colony until the African nation became independent in 1960. On Wednesday, Philippe also bestowed a top honor on the last known surviving Congolese veteran of World War II. Former Corporal Albert Kunyuku, now 100, was decorated Commander of the Order of the Crown. Enlisted at 18, Kunyuku had fought in then-Burma on behalf of Belgium. ___ Associated Press writer Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro in Goma, Congo contributed. UNITED NATIONS (AP) China and Russia defended their vetoes of a strongly backed U.S. resolution that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea, speaking at a first of its kind General Assembly meeting Wednesday. The debate was held under new rules requiring the General Assembly to examine any veto wielded in the Security Council by one of its five permanent members. Close allies China and Russia reiterated their opposition to more sanctions, blaming the United States for rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and insisting that whats needed now is dialogue between North Korea and the Biden administration. Nearly 70 countries signed up to speak at the open meeting which General Assembly President Abdalla Shahid hailed as making the U.N. more efficient and accountable. It is with good reason that it has been coined as `revolutionary by several world leaders I have recently met, he said. Denmarks U.N. Ambassador Martin Bille Hermann told the 193-member world body as he started his address on behalf of the Nordic countries: History is being made today. The Security Council is entrusted with ensuring international peace and security, he said, and the use of a veto to prevent the council from discharging its duties is a matter of great concern. The General Assemblys adoption of a resolution on April 26 requiring a debate on the issue not only gives the country or countries casting a veto to explain their reason but it gives all U.N. member nations a welcome opportunity to share our views on the matter at hand, Hermann said. A united Security Council imposed sanctions after North Koreas first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking so far unsuccessfully to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and cut off funding. The 13-2 Security Council vote on May 26 marked a first serious division among its five veto-wielding permanent members China, Russia, United States, Britain and France on a North Korea sanctions resolution. On Sunday, North Korea fired eight short-range missiles in what appeared to be a single-day record for the countrys ballistic launches. It was the reclusive north Asian countrys 18th round of missile tests in 2022 that included its first launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles in nearly five years. U.S. deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis told the assembly the record number of launches have taken place as North Korea is finalizing preparations for a potential seventh nuclear test. He called the actions by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK the country's official name unprovoked. De Laurentis stressed that U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly and publicly said that we seek a dialogue with Pyongyang, without preconditions," and that message has been passed through private channels, including China. The United States is more than prepared to discuss easing sanctions to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, he said. Unfortunately, DeLaurentis said, the DPRK has only responded with destabilizing launches that threaten not only the region but the world. Under the General Assembly resolution that required Wednesdays meeting, the permanent member or members casting a veto are given precedence on the speakers list. Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun addressed diplomats first, accusing the United States of ignoring positive steps taken by the DPRK and returning to its old path" of chanting empty slogans for dialogue and increasing sanctions against the DPRK. This has intensified the DPRK distrust of the U.S. and brought talks to a complete deadlock, he said. Zhang blamed the flip-flop of U.S. policies," its failure to implement results of the DPRK-U.S. dialogue during the Trump administration, and its disregard for the North's reasonable concerns" for tensions on the peninsula today. Where the situation goes from here will depend to a large extent on the actions of the U.S.," he said, and the key lies in whether the U.S. can face up to the crux of the problem, demonstrate a reasonable attitude, and take meaningful concrete actions. Russias deputy U.N. ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said new sanctions against the DPRK would be a dead end, stressing that current U.N. sanctions have failed to guarantee security in the region nor moved us any further toward settling the nuclear missile non-proliferation issues. Anyone who is seriously addressing the North Korean problem has long understood that its futile to expect Pyongyang to unconditionally disarm under the threat of a spiral of sanctions, she said. The creation of new military blocs in the regions such as the formation of the U.S.-Great Britain and Australia casts serious doubt on the good intentions of these countries, including in Pyongyang. North Koreas U.N. Ambassador Kim Song denounced all U.N. sanctions and the proposed U.S. resolution as illegal, saying they violate the U.N. Charter and his countrys right to self-defense to prepare for any potential security crisis on the Korean peninsula and in the region. Modernizing the DPRKs armaments is essential, he said, to safeguard North Koreas interests from direct threat of the United States, which he insisted has made no move to abandon its hostile policy. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin. Monday, June 6: 11:35 p.m. A deputy responded to a Lee Township residence for a 36-year-old woman who reported that her 31-year-old Mount Haley Township husband violated a personal protection order she had against him. She said that the man was revving his truck engine and driving by her residence, but the deputies were unable to locate the man. A report was completed and forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorneys Office for review. 8:43 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township residence regarding a report of a neighbor possibly shooting at geese on a backyard pond. Deputies spoke with the 60-year-old male neighbor, who stated he was shooting on his own property but not at geese. Deputies investigated the incident and did not see any geese in the area. No violations were observed. 7:37 p.m. Officers responded to a driver operating with a suspended license in the area of Manor Drive and West Nickels Street. 6:05 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to the Law Enforcement Center regarding a 17-year-old who had run away from his Midland Township residence. The juvenile was located a short time later at his grandmother's house in Bay County. He returned home. 4:16 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Sturgeon Avenue and West Wackerly Street. 4:15 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to Jerome Township for a man standing near the roadway. The caller thought the man needed to be checked on. The deputy checked the area but was unable to locate the man. 4:00 p.m. Officers responded to a trespassing complaint on Ashman Street. 2:40 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Geneva Township residence to speak with a 60-year-old man regarding a fraud. The 60-year-old said he had lost $200,000 in Bitcoin during a recent online transaction. 1:52 p.m. Deputies responded to a Jerome Township residence regarding a 15-year-old female in mental distress. The deputies spoke to the 15-year-old and her 43-year-old father and calmed her down. 1:42 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Bay City Road. 12:50 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to Edenville Township for a vehicle being damaged. The deputy spoke with the 80-year-old male owner, who said someone damaged his car during the overnight hours. There was approximately $200 in damage and the case is under investigation. 11:06 a.m. Deputies assisted the Michigan State Police with a personal protection order violation in Edenville Township. 10:10 a.m. A deputy spoke with a 60-year-old Hope Township man at the request of the township supervisor. The man is accused of calling the township offices repeatedly and using profane language. 4:29 a.m. Officers responded to an obstruction of justice on Peach Blossom Lane. 3:50 a.m. A 33-year-old Porter Township man was cited and arrested for a bench warrant out of Big Rapids following a traffic stop in Lee Township. The man was transported to the Midland County Jail, where he was lodged without incident. A report was completed and forwarded to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office for review. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Huron County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Huron County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Huron County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 5 of 5 Huron County Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson said Tuesday evening that investigators have identified the suspect in a reported sexual assault on June 2 near Lewisville in Bloomfield Township. "Thanks to the help of media getting our information out, the alleged suspect has been identified," Hanson said in a press release late Tuesday evening. MECOSTA, OSCEOLA COUNTIES After serving Mecosta and Osceola County as a judge for the 49th Circuit Court since 2005, Judge Scott Hill-Kennedy will be retiring June 10. I actually hadn't planned to step down from this position for at least a couple more years, maybe more like three or four," Hill-Kennedy said. "It became clear to me that I needed to be a better family man and pay more attention to things that have to do with my family, which are super important. It just made sense. Now after talking with folks, I want to put that time and energy into my family, my spouse, my children and grandchildren. Hill-Kennedy first landed in Mecosta County through Ferris State University where he worked from 1991 to 2005, serving a multitude of roles, including being interim president for the university from May to July in 2003. In 2005, he was selected by Governor Jennifer Granholm to be a judge for the 49th Circuit Court in Mecosta and Osceola County. His role as the 49th Circuit Court judge provided Hill-Kennedy with a vast array of experiences, presiding over cases that ranged from felony cases, civil cases over $25,000, or even equity jurisdiction where someone can ask Judge Hill-Kennedy to order someone off their property. Hill-Kennedy noted a few challenges, with the most difficult being emotions. Emotions are a part of the human condition, thus it can become challenging for judges to be what the law requires them to be: impartial, rational, objective. The most difficult part of the job is, even as I do my job I think correctly, and hopefully correctly, is that whatever I decide, there are some people that are negatively impacted." Hill-Kennedy said. "I find that challenging, because if you have any compassion, if you care about folks at all, which I think most of us do, it is hard sometimes. "I can be objective, I can be rational, be the judge, but occasionally I look over and realize my goodness, that person just lost everything, or that poor victim was so abused by this person who was convicted of a crime. It's just awful. But you have got to get past that. You have got to be rational and objective and do the right thing as a judge. 'EVERYONE GETS A FAIR SHAKE' While it is challenging to be impartial to all parties of a given situation, no matter the emotions, Judge Hill-Kennedy said he always embraced the challenge of listening to all sides of the cases he was presented with. Every case would require him to study and prepare, educate himself on matters he didnt have previous experience working on, and work with colleagues to make the right decision. Hill-Kennedy said he took pride in treating everybody in the courtroom with respect. I get to be the person to keep calm, to be appropriate, to be objective and make decisions that aren't biased or not prejudiced to one person or another. Everyone gets a fair shake." Hill-Kennedy said. One issue that Judge Hill-Kennedy has begun to notice resides in the attorneys. Many counties in Michigan struggle to have good attorneys representing poorer citizens in the community. According to Hill-Kennedy, while Mecosta and Osceola counties have been blessed to have many talented attorneys, many of the most experienced attorneys are either moving on or retiring. Thus, there is becoming a gap that is struggling to get filled. "We had a great talent base of attorneys, but I am concerned for the future that we need to make our community continue to be attractive for legal professionals, and I think we're probably an attorney or two short right now in our communities to really be staffed fully to serve all of our community members. Hill-Kennedy said. Hill-Kennedy's solution would be to introduce more attorneys to the different lifestyle that Mecosta and Osceola counties represent compared to the lifestyle around larger cities. We just need to have attorneys that like our lifestyle here, we've got such great outdoor opportunities. We've got a nice group of people that live in our community. I think just we need to expose folks more to what the practice of law can be like here." Hill-Kennedy said. "There's a particular duty and specialness of a community like this. Judge Hill-Kennedy explained that while he intends to move closer to his kids, who live in Detroit and Toledo, he intends to be involved in the communities he will be living in. I have a lot of energy left, and I'm retiring earlier than I thought to attend to family matters. So, I'm seriously looking at where we're going to move to and what active roles or even leadership roles I can play with nonprofits," Hill-Kennedy said. "I plan to be busy, and either to be a volunteer or have a paid position with a group or several groups, because there's a lot I'd like to offer," he added. "I think I've been blessed to have the opportunity to do a lot of things that I like in my life, and I think I need to contribute in some other ways. BIG RAPIDS Veterans throughout Michigan got the chance to experience Washington D.C. and the many memorials commemorating their service to this country. On Tuesday morning, 77 Veterans departed from Ferris State University and traveled via police escort to Gerald R. Ford International Airport, where they would fly to Washington D.C. to visit the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials, the Women Veterans Memorial, and the changing of the Guard at Arlington Cemetery. The festivities began Monday evening when the welcome ceremony was held in the University Center at Ferris State University. The 77 Veterans and their guardians, people whose job is to take care of the Veteran on the trip, had dinner and listened to speeches from multiple current and former military members. President of the Mid-Michigan Honor Flight board of directors, Bob Green, directed the festivities. He gave his thoughts on what it meant to him to be able to coordinate this event. This is the most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. Green said. To be able to see the Veterans to be able to take on this flight we have 77 Veterans, 12 of them are World War II Veterans, two of them are 100 years old. One of them was a Pearl Harbor survivor to be able to talk to those people, and to hear that history firsthand, is something that you can't recreate anyplace else. The Veterans and their guardians stayed the night at the Ferris State campus before having breakfast at the University Center at 5:30 a.m. and then leaving for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport via police escort at 6:15 a.m. This will be the 13th honor flight for the Mid-Michigan branch. It has been 31 months since the last honor flight. The first Mid-Michigan Honor Flight took place in 2014. The first honors flights took place in 2004 by a physicians assistant named Earl Morse in Columbus, Ohio. Earl had some World War II patients, and he asked them if they're going to ever go see the World War II Memorial, and then one guy said, I can't afford to. Green said. So, Earl got with some of his buddies that were private pilots, and they took 16 World War II Veterans to the World War II Memorial for the first time. This year, the organization has just celebrated taking their 250,000th veteran to Washington D.C. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) Angela Merkel defended her approach to Ukraine and Russia during her 16 years as Germany's leader, saying Tuesday that a much criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine bought Kyiv precious time and she won't apologize for her diplomatic efforts. In her first substantial comments since leaving office six months ago, Merkel said there was no excuse for Russia's brutal attack on Ukraine and it was a big mistake on Russia's part. Merkel, who dealt with Russian President Vladimir Putin throughout her chancellorship, rejected a suggestion that she and others engaged in appeasement that ultimately enabled the invasion. I tried to work toward calamity being averted, and diplomacy was not wrong if it doesn't succeed, she said in an on-stage interview at a Berlin theater that was televised live. I don't see that I should say now that it was wrong, and so I won't apologize. It is a matter of great sorrow that it didn't succeed, but I don't blame myself now for trying, Merkel said. She defended the 2015 peace agreement that she and then-French President Francois Hollande brokered in Minsk, Belarus, aimed at easing fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists. Merkel conceded that it didn't fulfill all of Ukraine's interests and that few people stand by it now, with some saying it was badly negotiated. But at the time it brought calm and, for example, it gave Ukraine a great deal of time seven years namely to develop into what it is today," she said. If there had been no intervention at the time, she added, Putin could have wrought gigantic damage in Ukraine. She said that sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea in 2014 could have been stronger, as far as I'm concerned, but added that there was no majority sentiment for doing so at the time. We didn't do nothing either," she said, noting that Russia was thrown out of the Group of Eight and that NATO set a target for countries to work toward spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense. Merkel also strongly defended a decision in 2008 not to put Ukraine directly on track to join NATO, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early April blasted as a miscalculation. NATO pledged in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members. But French and German concern over Russias reactions dashed their hopes of being granted a membership action plan that would bring them into the alliance within five to 10 years. Merkel said that Ukraine was not the one we know today," saying it was a country very divided and dominated by oligarchs. It wasn't an internally democratically stable country, she said. She suggested a stronger NATO green light for Ukraine in 2008 would have led to faster Russian aggression, with Ukraine less able to resist. I was very certain that Putin wouldn't just let it happen," she said. For him, from his perspective, that was a declaration of war ... I don't share any of this, but I knew how he thought. Tuning to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, which she long defended against criticism from the U.S., Ukraine and eastern European allies, Merkel said Putin invaded Ukraine without waiting for it to enter service. Current Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government halted the project in February. His administration also decided to deliver arms to Ukraine. Merkel said she had opposed doing that when she was chancellor because Germany and France were trying to lead diplomacy. That is no longer on the agenda today this is a different time, she said. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Plant it Wild has several events taking place throughout June showcasing what Michigan's flora has to offer. Plant it Wild will be hosting a bog exploration field trip at 10 a.m. on June 13. The field trip will be at the Lost Lake Recreation Pathway, north of Lake Dubonnet, between Lake Ann and Long Lake. According to a press release from Plant it Wild, attendees will get the chance to look at the plant species that occur in an oak-pine forest and explore a section of the bog, which is home to grass ping and rose pogonia orchids, carnivorous plants like bladderwort, sundews and pitcher plants and many plants related to heather. Plant it Wild will be joining the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy on another field trip, Dunes Blooms, from 10 a.m. to noon on June 15. Visit gtrlc.org/recreation-events/events/ to register. Attendance is limited. Later that night, at 7 p.m., Plant it Wild will host Extinction in our Backyards: Habitat Loss, Land Use and Climate Change in Our Native Prairies. The presentation will be on Zoom. Email PlantItWild2day@gmail.com to register. "Once among the most abundant plant communities in southwest Michigan, prairies, also known as native grasslands, have now all but disappeared," read a press release from Plant it Wild. "We will discuss prairie ecology before exploring how habitat loss, land use and climate change have influenced the extinction of many prairie plant species." The program will be led by Meredith Zettlemoyer, a plant ecologist at the University of Georgia, where she studies the effects of climate change on alpine plants. "Historical records can help us test for patterns in species losses and identify traits that influence vulnerability to local extinction," the release reads. "Using historical botanical data from Kalamazoo County, Michigan to examine whether species characteristics or family relationships explain native species loss, Dr. Zettlemoyer identified at-risk species. Then addressing whether humans caused changes (including nitrogen fertilization, deer herbivory and/or climate warming) she planted resurrected populations of extinct species back into local restored prairies." BIG RAPIDS Officers with the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety responded to the following calls. All calls may not be reported. All suspects are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Police investigated the homicide of a woman that officers found along the White Pine Trail near Colburn Avenue during their patrol. A check wellbeing request was made in the 1300 block of Catherine. Officers checked on the wellbeing of a male. He allegedly was upset with management, and they were concerned he might hurt someone. The male allegedly made comments to staff that he has a rifle. He was upset because he was told to quarantine due to bed bugs, according to police. He was advised to only speak with management over the phone. A juvenile assault was reported in the 300 block of North Michigan. Incident was handled by a school resource officer. A juvenile assault was reported in the 500 block of North Warren Avenue. Incident was handled by a school resource officer. A hit and run was reported in the 1200 block of Spring and State. Complainant said they were hit by a small silver car. Police responded to an alarm in the 700 block of Maple Street. New employee reportedly did not know what the watch panic button did, so he pushed the button. Police responded to the 300 block of North Warren for a report of larceny of packages from the porch. Suspicious activity was reported in the 800 block of Clark Street. An unknown male reportedly came in with a fake ID and was refused service. Business did not get the name or seize the ID, and the male was gone upon arrival. Suspicious activity was reported in the 1700 block of South State Street. Two males allegedly got into a fight in the parking lot. Both parties were located later, but would not give much information and did not want a report. Police responded to the 600 block of Maple Street for a report of failure to pay. A male allegedly attempted to pay at the pump, but the transaction did not go through. The Mecosta County Sheriff's Office was able to contact the registered owner, who contacted the driver to get in touch with the store in the morning. A person was reported missing in the 100 block of Gilbertson. A 35-year-old left June 2 and has not been heard from since. Possibly in the Grand Rapids area. A noise complaint was made in the 600 block Adams. Resident was issued noise warning after allegedly playing loud music while in the shower. Saturday, June 4 A civil issue was reported in the 700 block of Fuller. A male who was placed at the facility by Kent County Probate was upset and wanted to smoke. He allegedly used his cane to attempt to break out and threaten another resident. The staff wanted his cane removed. He gave up his cane after speaking to him. A civil issue was reported in the 200 block of North Third. A female wanted to report that her roommate had broke the windows in her garage. She was advised it is a civil matter as roommate is a resident. The roommate apparently moved out on the date of the report. A property damage crash was reported near Maple and Michigan. A civil issue was reported in the 800 block of Country Way. Two females allegedly got into a verbal fight after one confronted the other about stealing her man. A noise warning was issued in the 400 block of Maple Street. Suspicious activity was reported in the 100 block of West Bridge. A caller thought someone was in her house. Police didn't find anyone. Sunday, June 5 An assault was reported in the 1100 block of Fuller Avenue. A male was allegedly assaulted by another male. A larceny was reported in the 600 block of Maple Street. The complainant said their car keys had been taken from the store counter. Contact was made with a male who returned the keys, possibly taken by mistake. Police responded to the 500 block of South Third Avenue for a report of failure to pay. The employee said a female driving a light tan Honda civic (2015-18 model) allegedly failed to pay for $23.59 in fuel. Police were unable to locate suspect vehicle in search. A traffic stop in the 800 block of South State Street resulted in the driver being cited for no insurance and unregistered vehicle. The vehicle was towed. Monday, June 6 A debit card found near the Big Rapids library was turned into the Big Rapids Department of Public Safety. A traffic stop near Cedar and South State streets led to the driver being cited for no insurance. Officers responded to a call in the 300 block of South Third Avenue. Complainant reported her 13-year-old son had been arguing with her and allegedly attempted to pull a knife on her. She was able to get the knife away. No injuries occurred. Officers were dispatched to the Parkview Village Apartments for a report of a found bicycle down by the river. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) Tunisian lawyers and judges held a small protest outside the capitals courts Wednesday as part of their weeklong strike following the presidents dismissal of 57 judges. President Kais Saied's removal of the judges was the latest sign of growing interference in the judiciary as he tightens his grip on power. Critics accused Saied of staging a coup in July 2021 after he sacked the government and took on executive powers. Dozens of lawyers and activists gathered on the steps of the Palace of Justice in Tunis to denounce Saied's actions. Some shouted Down with the coup," and others chanted, Judicial authority, no police orders. Several lawyers told The Associated Press they would continue their opposition to the president's actions, which include ditching Tunisias 2014 constitution to rule instead by decree. Saied's dismissal of the judges was illegal and false, lawyer Amel Miladi said. The firings didnt follow the laws made to protect citizens laws that are anchored in Tunisian constitutional law, she said. Miladi said she thinks the strike has been successful, and would continue. Another lawyer, Nawel Toumi said that they intended to continue this movement and continue to say no. Last week, Saied justified his actions by listing a long series of accusations with scant evidence against dozens of judges, ranging from alleged corruption and the illegal amassing of wealth to protecting terrorists and sexual harassment. Hundreds of judges unanimously voted over the weekend to hold a sit-in and strike. They accused the president of ignoring the constitution and removing judges without recourse to disciplinary procedure. Courtrooms across the North African country have been closed since Monday. Anas Hamadi, president of the Association of Tunisian Magistrates, said 99% of judges participated on the first day of the strike. The protest will continue until the dismissed jurists are reinstated, Hamadi said. In response, Saied ordered judges salaries to be reduced in accordance with the number of strike days. Constitutional law professor and opposition figure Jawher Ben Mbarek told the AP that he had attended Wednesdays protest to support the judiciarys independence in the wake of Saieds attacks on the justice system and the judiciary body. (Saied) has regularly harassed judges and the justice system he has given himself the right to unilaterally fire judges, without a motive or an official investigation. This is an apprentice dictator that is trying to restore the dictatorial system that Tunisians got rid of in 2011 said Ben Mbarek. Ben Mbarek added that for the first time since 25 July, when Saied first froze Parliament, the political crisis had extended to include state institutions. The judiciary is an sovereign institution of the Tunisian state, and now it is in conflict with the President of the Republic. Its a new fact -- for the first time, the state itself is resisting Kais Saied. This is new and I think this will be fatal for him. Saied conferred on himself sweeping powers last year, measures the president claimed were needed to save the country from imminent peril and to fight widespread corruption. Earlier this year, he replaced Tunisia's Supreme Judicial Council. The council had been a key guarantor of judicial independence since the country's 2011 revolution, which deposed a longtime autocratic leader and introduced democratic reforms. Under pressure from Tunisias allies, who are concerned about democratic backsliding in the country, Saied laid out a roadmap that foresees organizing a July 25 referendum on political reforms and a Dec. 17 parliamentary election. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with her counterparts from South Korea and Japan on Wednesday, emphasizing the U.S. commitment to defend its allies and trilateral security cooperation to confront an accelerating nuclear threat from North Korea. The latest top-level meetings among the countries came as North Korea apparently presses ahead with preparations for its first nuclear test explosion in nearly five years, which U.S. officials say could occur in the coming days. After a meeting in Seoul, Sherman and the South Korean and Japanese vice foreign ministers issued a joint statement condemning North Koreas provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year and pledging closer security cooperation to curb the growing threats. The statement said Sherman reaffirmed steadfast U.S. commitments to the defense of South Korea and Japan, including extended deterrence, referring to an assurance to defend its allies with its full military capabilities, including nuclear. The United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan are fully and closely aligned on the DPRK, Sherman said in a news conference, using the initials of North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Sherman noted that North Korea since last September has significantly increased the pace and scale of its ballistic launches, posing a serious threat to security in the region and beyond, and urged Pyongyang to cease taking these provocative and destabilizing actions and to commit to the path of diplomacy. Following the meeting, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong met separately with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and they were in agreement about an urgent need to improve bilateral relations, their ministries said. South Korea and Japan had engaged in a highly public feud in recent years over trade and Japans brutal colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II, which included wartime industrial and sexual slavery of Koreans. The Biden administration has been pressing Seoul and Tokyo to repair ties to shore up a united front against the North Korean nuclear threat and Chinas rising influence in the region. Mori also held separate talks with Sherman where they agreed to maintain and strengthen sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine and work more closely to address challenges related to China, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. Jolting an old pattern of brinkmanship, North Korea has already set an annual record in ballistic launches through the first six months of 2022, firing 31 missiles over 18 test events, including its first demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. The unusually fast pace in testing activity underscores authoritarian leader Kim Jong Uns dual intent to advance his arsenal and pressure the Biden administration over long-stalled negotiations aimed at leveraging its nukes for economic and security concessions, experts say. Shermans visit to Asia came after North Korea in its biggest-ever single-day testing event launched eight ballistic missiles into the sea from multiple locations on Sunday, prompting the U.S. and its Asian allies to respond with tit-for-tat missile launches and aerial demonstrations involving dozens of fighter jets. A nuclear test would further escalate North Koreas pressure campaign and could possibly allow the country to claim it acquired the technologies to build a bomb small enough to be clustered on a multi-warhead ICBM or on Kims broad range of shorter-range weapons threatening South Korea and Japan. South Korean and U.S. officials have said the North has all but finished preparations for a detonation at its nuclear testing ground in the remote northeastern town of Punggye-ri, an assessment backed by the International Atomic Energy, which says there are indications that one of the sites passages has been reopened. The site had been inactive since hosting the countrys sixth nuclear test in September 2017, when it claimed it detonated a thermonuclear bomb designed for its ICBMs. North Korea will likely time the test to maximize political effect and some analysts say it could take place around a major conference of the ruling Workers Party that has been vaguely scheduled for the first half of June. North Koreas state media said Wednesday that Politburo members met a day earlier to discuss the agenda for an upcoming plenary meeting of the partys Central Committee that has been called by Kim to review major state affairs, including national efforts to slow a COVID-19 outbreak. He may also use the meeting to address his nuclear weapons ambitions and external relations with Washington and Seoul, experts say. Kims absence from Tuesdays preparatory meeting suggests that hes focused on supervising preparations for North Koreas seventh nuclear test and drafting his speeches for the plenary, said analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at South Koreas Sejong Institute. The North Korean partys previous plenary in December lasted for a record five days and saw Kim repeat his vow to boost his countrys military capabilities and order the production of more powerful and sophisticated weapons systems. Nuclear talks between the U.S. and North Korea have stalled since 2019 because of disagreements over an easing of crippling U.S.-led sanctions in exchange for North Korean disarmament steps, which underscored Kim's unwillingness to give away an arsenal he sees as his strongest guarantee of survival. ___ Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to the report. Born and raised in Florida, I spent countless hours of my youth around the water hanging out with friends at the beach, waterskiing on the bayou. Ive vacationed there nearly every summer since. As an adult, I lived for nearly 10 years in California, and now I have an active five-year-old whos most in his element running around outside. No surprise, then, that I know my way around the sunscreen aisle. (In fact, Im of the vintage that it was called suntan lotion when I was a kid.) Over the years, Ive tried every drugstore brand under the, ahem, sun, and though Ive developed a few go-tos, nothing has really stood out enough to turn me a superfan. Until I first picked up a tube of Coola a few years ago. Simply put, the California-based brand has changed my sunscreen game in the best possible way. And Im not the only satisfied customer: In just about every Coola sunscreen review on the internet, users rave about it. Coola sunscreen review Theres plenty to like about Coola's products, starting with the refreshing cucumber scent, a signature of the brands Classic Face Organic Sunscreen (SPF 30). Opening a tube is like catching a whiff of a serene spa, sending an instant subliminal message that what youre about to put on your skin is cool, refreshing, and good for you. (Other Coola products come in scents including Pina Colada, Peach Blossom, and Mango Guava, but Im partial to the OG cuke.) Then, theres the texture. Unlike just about every other brand Ive slathered on, Coola is light, with an almost airy quality, unlike the thick, greasy goop thats been the norm for far too many sunscreens over the years. Coolas suncare products spread on smoothly and cleanly: no wax on, wax off repetition necessary, and it absorbs quickly and easily without any sheen or white residue that can have you looking like a literal clown on the beach. Its also available in spray versions, including its best-selling Classic Face Sunscreen Mist SPF 50 (youll need to put it on about 15-20 minutes before heading outside). And big bonus for parents here Coolas ease of application makes putting sunscreen on my kiddo a relative cinch. (Dont get me wrong: there is still resistance, but nothing even close to the meltdowns that are almost guaranteed with other brands.) If that wasnt enough, Coola comes with a slew of good-for-your-skin (and the environment) benefits. Beyond its commitment to organic formulas and plant-based SPF protection, Coola has never used oxybenzone, a commonly used chemical in sunscreens that has been linked to hormone disruption in humans and the destruction of coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, in its products. Its also an approved reef-safe sunscreen according to a Hawaiian law that went into effect in January 2021 banning sunscreens that damage reefs (in January 2019, the company banned octinoxate, another nasty ingredient, from its entire collection). I also love that the brand has a feel-good backstory. Coola hails from California, where founder Chris Birchby, a former professional poker player and longtime surfer, built the company from his garage. After several stops and starts, it officially launched in 2007, just after both Birchbys parents were diagnosed with skin cancer. Since then, Coola has expanded its product lines significantly, moving into other skincare and beauty offerings like SPF serums and tinted sunscreens, as well as cleansers and exfoliants. It also makes sunless tan products (sunshine in a bottle, as the company calls them on its website). And after initially being sold only in specialty stores, Coola is now widely available both online and in retail outlets across the globe. Is Coola sunscreen worth the money? As summer kicks into high gear, Im stocking up on Coola products for my whole family. The only downside? Theyre fairly pricey compared to their drugstore counterparts. A 1.7-ounce tube of classic sunscreen will set you back $36, while the mist is $28 for a 3.4-ounce size (prices sometimes vary according to retailer). But if you order direct, you can take advantage of offers like free shipping on online orders for $50 and above, as well as subscribe and save packages that reduce the cost. After all, as a dermatologist friend of mine used to say, you can spend a little bit more money on sunscreen now, or a lot more money, time, and pain in my office later. Photo: (Photo : FRANK AUGSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Kate Middleton's parenting has been put under the spotlight after the world watched the British Royal Family celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. People saw Prince Louis, her 4-year-old child with Prince William, seemingly having a tantrum in public. As the royals watched the Jubilee Pageant, Louis was caught on camera sticking out his tongue and making faces at his mother, who was trying to distract him. At one point, the toddler covered his mother's mouth when Kate attempted to talk to her son. The video of Louis' behavior has gone viral on Twitter with some royal fans saying that the 4-year-old acted "like a little brat." Some judged the family for failing to teach Louis some manners while others said that the boy likely behaved this way because he sees his nanny more than his parents. Read Also: Mom With Hyperemesis Gravidarum Wins Discrimination Case After She Was Fired For 'Inconveniencing' Her Boss There were some people who also questioned Kate for not being able to control her child when her advocacy is children and early childhood. However, there were netizens who said that Louis behaved exactly like a 4-year-old kid who easily lost interest and grew tired of the event. Some of the parents said that this is how their toddlers behave in public and they were glad to know that the royals deal with the same parenting issues just like them. "Kids don't give a crap if you're the richest man in the world or royalty, they're still going to throw tantrums," one commenter said on Reddit. "Not that I'm future queen or anything but my kids have embarrassed me in various ways in a public setting. It happens," another parent chimed in. Debate Rages with Kate Vs. Meghan Comparison Royal watchers also compared the Duchess of Cambridge to her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry's wife. American broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien reshared Louis' viral video and said that Meghan and her son, Archie, 3 years old, would have gotten bad press and racist headlines if they were the ones who went viral. Adeshola Mos-Shogbamimu, a British-Nigerian political commentator, said the same thing and added that the royal press would have labeled Archie with some form of behavioral disorder if he displayed his tantrums in public. But royal fans blasted the supporters of Meghan as the ones who kept resharing the videos of Louis to draw some conclusions about Kate's parenting style, per The Mercury News. They accused the fans of the Sussex royals of rehashing the alleged conflict between Kate and Meghan. Despicable that Harry & Megs fans think its ok to bully four-year-old Louis. Most parents know it isnt easy for kids at formal events, as theyre energetic. Full credit to William & Catherine for being fantastic parents & letting their kids be kids! #OmidScobieEnablesHate pic.twitter.com/BOtFDeentJ Pooja (@Pooja33719735) June 5, 2022 Family Expert Sound Off Kaitlin Soule, who is a California-based therapist, told the New York Post that the young prince's public tantrums are "completely normal and developmentally appropriate." Soule further said that Louis is at an age where he is pushing boundaries while still learning how what's around his world. The family expert added that Louis has likely gotten a lot of shushing from his parents and nanny. More than anything, Louis' antics in public showed the world that the royals are relatable when they are usually seen as out of touch and out of reach due to their status. Incidentally, Louis' father was also thought of as a bratty kid in his toddler years. According to the book "The Palace Papers" by author Tina Brown, Queen Elizabeth raised some concerns about William needing a stricter nanny to subdue his uncontrollable energy. Princess Diana, William's mother, apparently nicknamed her eldest son the "holy terror." Related Article: Cocomelon Behavior Problems: Expert Explains Why Toddler Tantrums Are Common With This Show's Young Viewers Photo: (Photo : CLAIRE BANGSER/AFP via Getty Images) A Lafayette mom is crying out to the public for help in locating her 14-year-old runaway daughter. Eva Davis is the youngest daughter of JoAnna Anderson, a single mom, according to KPEL 965. Anderson said she reported her teenage daughter missing to Lafayette Police last month on May 27. Anderson said she has done everything to promote positivity, always moving forward and being productive to her kids. Anderson said that she would be OK with her daughter being with someone who was pushing her in a positive direction, but she does not even know who Eva is with at the moment, so she can't tell what her child is being pushed into. Anderson added that what she does know is whoever she is with, they have not contacted police and they have not spoken up or said anything. This is not the first time Eva Davis has run away from home Anderson said her teen daughter took the opportunity to run away from home while she was away working her part time job as a Door Dash delivery driver. However, Anderson said this is not her child's first time running away. Anderson told CBS 42 that she learned from her oldest daughter that Eva had a backpack, so this was planned. Anderson added that her daughter was prepared to do this, and with her going to work, that gave her child the opportunity to run away. Anderson is concerned that she may have had a grip that was too tight on her daughter, saying "People might say that I sheltered her, but I think our kids need some sheltering with the way the world is these days. As a parent, you try to do everything you can to ensure that your kids have everything they need." Read Also: Louisiana Dad Surprises Visually-impaired Son at School in Viral Video Anderson believes her teenage daughter is with someone she knows According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 77 percent of endangered runaways reported were between the age of 15 to 17 years old. 87 percent of the missing kids had at least one reported risk factor, namely: family conflict, physical or sexual abuse, struggling to manage mental health, being with a friend, romantic partner, or biological family, etc. Anderson said that it is so unfortunate that they have so many negative influences in this world these days, and a lot of things she knows have come from her school, among her peers and things like that. Anderson believes her teen daughter is with someone she knows, saying "I'm not sure what it is that a person may be doing to influence her in a negative way. Nowadays, I don't even know what to do to keep her from this negative that she's hearing." Anderson cried out in the interview in hopes that her teen daughter manages to see the report. She said "Eve, I love you. We love you, we just want the best for you and wherever you are you know you can call me." Related Article: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Shows His Love For His Mom By Surprising Her With New House Photo: (Photo : Jason Koerner/Getty Images) A mom from Florida was arrested and booked into jail on several charges after her two-year-old son accessed a gun and shot his dad, who later died at the hospital, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to an emergency call on May 26, 2022 to a home on Tobie Court, and they found 26-year-old Reggie Maybry shot, according to Fox 35 Orlando. OCSO said in a news release that the victim was taken to the hospital where he later died. Investigators said Maybry was pronounced dead from the bullet. County officials said that the shooting was initially being investigated as a possible suicide, but it was determined at the hospital that Maybry was shot in the back. A five-year-old child then told deputies that his younger brother was the one who shot their dad. Weapon was not secured and the child was able to access the gun Authorities said that a five-month-old child was also at the home at the time of the shooting, according to Spectrum Local News. Sheriff John Mina told reporters in a press conference that the weapon was not secured and that the two-year-old child was able to access the gun, which led to charges against the children's mother. Marie Rose Ayala, was arrested and booked into jail on charges of manslaughter by culpable negligence, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and violation of probation. Sheriff Mina said that Maybry and Ayala were both convicted felons, on probation, and were not allowed to own a gun. Mina described the situation as "tragic," and that the incident should serve as a reminder for gun owners to secure their firearms. Mina said that the children were not injured physically, but they will likely carry emotional wounds forever. He added that not only have the children effectively lost both parents, the toddler who accidentally shot his dad in the back will have to grow up with the knowledge that his actions caused the death of his father. Read Also: Strawberries Recalled in Connection with Hepatitis A Outbreak in the US and Canada At least 125 toddlers and kids age 5 and under shot themselves or someone else in 2020 According to Dr. Judy Schaechter, roughly a third of homes in the United States with children have guns. She said that an estimated 4.6 million children live with unlocked, loaded guns. She said that is a scary statistic as even young toddlers are capable of finding unlocked guns in the home, and these kids are strong enough to pull the trigger. Schaechter said in an article at Healthychildren.org that unintentional shootings happen to kids of all ages and the likelihood of accidental death by shooting is four times higher in homes with guns. There were at least 2,070 unintentional shootings by kids that resulted in 765 deaths and 1,366 nonfatal gun injuries between 2015 and 2020. At least 125 toddlers and children age 5 and under shot themselves or someone else in 2020 alone. Unintended shooting deaths by kids from March to December 2020 went up more than 30 percent compared to the same time period in 2019. Related Article: Enraged Georgia Dad Tracks Teen Daughter's Phone Location, Shoots at Boy He Found With Her Photo: (Photo : Drew Angerer/Getty Images) As America celebrates Father's Day this June, a U.S. senator has asked a very poignant question about the impact of fatherlessness and family breakdown in pushing young men to turn to gun violence and instigate mass shootings. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wondered about how missing dads may be the reason for these grave incidents. He raised the question about fatherlessness during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on addressing the latest incidence of gun violence in the country. The senator said that he's not saying single mothers aren't capable of raising better men but rather, he's calling out the absence of male role models or male mentors that the young people could look up to. Read Also: Kids From Robb Elementary School Ask Uvalde Officials to Demolish the Building Where 21 Died Lee heads the Joint Economic Committee Republicans and one of his projects apparently offers clear evidence that social capital is in a deep decline in recent years. Lee cited that there is data showing that kids who are estranged from their fathers experience isolation and loneliness. There is also data revealing that a person with a good relationship with his dad is likely not capable of carrying out crimes, such as shooting someone. "You do see disproportionately reflected in those involved in these kinds of events a detachment from a functioning family," Lee said, per Deseret News. "Maybe there's a father there but there's a lack of connection." America's Weak Gun Control Laws However, Lee's comments were met with divisiveness and have been debated before. In 2019, Kevin Shafer, Ph.D., published a report in the National Council on Family Relations showing no links to fatherlessness and mass shooters. Snopes also did a fact-check on the assumption that more than two dozens of U.S. mass shootings prior to 2019 were due to fatherless homes. The investigative site found no conclusive data to prove the allegations true. Sociology professor Philip N. Cohen told Deseret News that lawmakers who link fatherlessness to the mass shootings are "simply not serious" about enforcing strict gun laws that will put a stop to this violence once and for all. He called their ideas "ideological pandering." Sen. Patrick Leahy said that putting the blame on fathers is like blaming the victims of gun violence and not the person who has actually walked into a gun store and purchased a gun made for the war zone and not for shooting kids in school. Anti-gun proponents have pointed out that it's not missing dads or negative family dynamics that lead young men to access and collect guns. It is America's weak gun control laws. This is so fucking stupid. You could wipe out fatherlessness or whatever tomorrow and thered still be mass shootings because AR-15s are easily available. By definition Tim cares more about letting people have AR-15s than preventing kids from getting killed. Its that simple. Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) May 26, 2022 Senate Judiciary Committee to Continue The committee hearing on gun policies at the Senate will continue into the week with many options on the table including investments in school safety and mental health. Sen. Pat Toomey also thinks that background checks for those buying guns should be expanded for "red flags." Toomey believes that these background checks are consistent with the stipulations in the Second Amendment, per Reuters. In the past, pro-gun advocates have criticized the red flags that are currently enforced in at least 19 states because it violates their Second Amendment Rights. This includes seizing the weapons of those found to have mental issues. Related Article: Father's Day Started With a Woman Who Campaigned for the Celebration for 62 Years Photo: (Photo : Sasha Haagensen/Getty Images for TAZO) A pride-month event at a gay bar in Dallas, Texas inviting kids to take the stage alongside drag queens was met with encouragement and outrage alike over the weekend. The event, titled 'Drag The Kids To Pride,' was held on Saturday morning at the Mr. Misster gay nightclub in North Dallas. According to the Daily Mail, the event invited parents to bring their children along for a morning drag show, and it featured kids dancing alongside men dressed in drag beneath a pink neon sign that read 'It's not gonna lick itself.' Outraged protesters arrived at the venue to picket the event, while the show's participants and promoters defended the day as nothing more than an opportunity for people attending to share joy about who they are. Protesters picket controversial event in Texas The controversial event in Texas comes as debates rage across the United States about how children and gender identity should interact. Pictures and footage from the Dallas event showed adults in the venue sitting on stools surrounding a long narrow runway stage in the middle of the room. As parents sipped on drinks with children seated at their side, drag queens in glittered leotards and dresses danced along the stage, at times inviting the kids to walk down the runway with them, according to NBC News. Texas State Rep. Bryan Slaton, a Republican, blasted the event, saying a law was necessary to protect children from "perverted adults." The drag queens snatched dollar bills from kids' outstretched hands in the event, all beneath the glow of a pink neon sign. An online brochure for the said event read 'Mr. Misster's Drag The Kids To Pride Drag Show provides the ultimate family friendly pride experience.' Read Also: Enraged Georgia Dad Tracks Teen Daughter's Phone Location, Shoots at Boy He Found With Her Loading Protesters and parents trade barbs outside venue As expected, the event was met with vitriol by some people, who came out in protest and called after parents in line with their kids, accusing them of endangering and 'grooming' their children. One protester asked through a bullhorn, "why do you want to put an axe-wound in between your son's legs?" A woman responded to the query, saying "We've got kids here, please go away." The man on the bullhorn replied "That's the point." The interaction became more heated when the protester accused the parents in line of enabling Democrats to endorse pedophilia. A woman then screamed "You're scaring children, shut the f**k up! Shut the f**k up! Shame on you! Shame on you!' as kids in line cowered and held hands over their ears. A woman protester told ABC 8 that she does not believe that she should be seeing signs advertising for children to be dancing on stage with men in thongs and in inappropriate clothing and makeup. She added that she does not in any way condone the behavior that these people are engaging in. Related Article: Murder Mystery in South Carolina as 4 Teens Shot Dead Within Hours in Small City of Newberry Photo: (Photo : PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP via Getty Images) A mom who chose to deliver her baby in the Pacific Ocean without medical help has gone viral after sharing her birthing video and story online. Josy Peukert, 37, had no idea of her fourth baby's due date, nor had she gone to the doctor for appointments or scans before deciding to have the waterbirth. She told The Sun that she and her partner, Benni Cornelius, 42, simply trusted her body when she started having contractions. When the right time came, Josy and Benni drove to the beach in Playa Majagual in Nicaragua with some bath towels, gauze, paper towels, and a sieve for the father to catch the placenta. Once she had the baby cleaned up and wrapped in towels, the family packed up and went back home to sleep. Later that day, Josy weighed her son using luggage scales and found out that he was 7lb 6oz. Read Also: Kentucky Mom Delivers Own Baby By the Roadside While Her 5 Kids Watched Why Choose Freebirthing in the Pacific Ocean? Josy had the idea to opt for freebirthing in the ocean after her unpleasant experiences with delivering her three other children. She had a traumatic birth at the hospital for her first child, so she opted for home births with a midwife for her second and third babies. However, she said that even those options were "too much" for her and still not "worry-free." This time, she wanted "no fears or worries" for her fourth baby because she relied on nature to take its course. Josy said that she constantly monitored the tide to ensure the beach would be safe for her and her child. The waves were crashing on her back as she was having contractions, but the mom said this was the perfect rhythm for her. "The soft volcanic sand under me reminded me there is nothing else between heaven and earth just life," Josy said. She had Bodhi in February 2022 and uploaded the video and photos on Instagram days later. Some of her followers asked if giving birth in the ocean was safe and sanitary for the baby. Josy said that she had her labor and delivery midday when the weather was 35 degrees. She and Benni were also not worried about the cold or the waterborne infections. Josy and Benni moved to Nicaragua from Germany. They have a blended family with seven kids, including their newest baby. Experts Warn Against Freebirthing Though Josy's experience was positive, experts have warned against freebirthing or having a baby without medical intervention. Kellie Wilton of the Australian College of Midwives and Prof. Sue Kildea of the Charles Darwin University said that while freebirthing is a woman's choice, the mother will still need someone who has had a significant education and training to help her deliver the baby safely. Speaking with News.com.au, Wilton also said that water birth is safe if there is an accredited professional who will continually monitor the water conditions. The expert noted that there had been no studies detailing support for ocean births as this environment has a high level of salinity and bacteria. She does not recommend it. A few years back, California mom Lisa chose to give birth without medical help in a remote house with just her husband and 6,000 members of an online community called Free Birth Society. Lisa listened and gained advice or support from this group throughout her pregnancy. She posted her labor and contractions updates while the members encouraged her to trust the process. Six days later, she posted on the group page that she had a stillborn baby. Lisa's story has shed light on the misguided expectations of freebirthing, prompting the online community to shut down. Critics said that freebirthers romanticize the process at the expense of the health and safety of their baby, per The Daily Beast. Related Article: Texas Mom Gives Surprise Birth to Sixth Baby After Feeling She Was 'Just Bloated' Photo: (Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) An Oregon father of two has surrendered his right to bear arms and has given up his AR-15 rifle and 9mm handgun for the cops to destroy. Ben Beers, who served as a former Marine and grew up with guns all his life, told Today that he would no longer tolerate gun violence. While he had the firearms as a self-defense tool, recent events made him believe it's also a token of "pure evil and destruction." The father said he could not sleep well after the Uvalde school shooting, where 19 children and two teachers died from a mass shooter's attack. Beers made a firm resolve a few days after that incident to give his guns to the Hillsboro Police Department because he no longer wanted them. Read Also: Father's Day: Fatherlessness and Family Breakdown Blamed for Mass Shooting Increase in the US Dad Confident He's On the Right Path Speaking with CNN, Beers said he felt he was on the right path when he gave up his guns. He also believed that his decision would likely not have any immediate impact on the gun legislation, but he hoped that Americans would see this as a wake-up call. "No other country has the problems that we do with gun violence," Beers said. The Hillsboro Police Department confirmed that the father was committed to doing his part and taking a small step towards ending gun violence. His move might have been symbolic, and Sgt. Clint Chrz said it was rare for a young gun owner to dispose of his firearms via the police. Most people would turn over their guns at the pawnshop because they can be worth more than $2,000, per Oregon Live. Beers also said that money is another reason why the gun problem remains in America. He noted that a billion-dollar industry providing thousands of jobs and tax revenues would be lost if the U.S. went hard on gun manufacturers. However, Beers also said that the country needs stricter gun laws. He said the "right to bear arms" written in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution "cannot be like the holy grail." Matthew McConaughey Wants Stronger Action on Gun Violence Meanwhile, Hollywood star, Uvalde, native and father of three Matthew McConaughey, was at the White House to plead with lawmakers to enact a stronger gun legislation reform. He said that America has many responsible gun owners who are fed up with some "deranged individuals" who abuse the Second Amendment. The father said that he and his wife, Camilla Alves, have been spending time with the families of the Uvalde victims whose dreams were crushed when they lost their children. McConaughey also said that despite the divisiveness in American politics, he knows that the public is truly united in its desire to stop gun violence. Related Article: Experts Offer Parents Advice on How to Talk to Kids About the Texas School Shooting 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 During the TIME 100 Summit held yesterday, Apples CEO was interviewed by TIME Executive Editor John Simons talking about privacy and his decision to come out publicly about being gay back in 2014. Cook noted that he worries that people will become restrained and begin thinking and behaving differently as they lose their sense of privacy in a world where digital devices and technology become more and more adept at tracking their movements. Below is a snippet from that interview. The second part of the interview centered on Cooks revelation in 2014 that he was gay. For that, watch the full interview here. Apples CEO has been lobbying hard against Antitrust legislation that would force Apple to allow for Sideloading, a practice that would severely put the Privacy of iPhone users at risk. Below are some of the recent reports covering this issue: 01 Apples lobbying against a Proposed Antitrust Bill has so far seemed to be the most persuasive to lawmakers with lingering concerns about the legislation 02 - "While Antitrust Bodies intend to force Sideloading on iPhones, Apple reports that they stopped $1.5 Billion in Fraudulent Transactions in 2021" 03 The Showtime series 'Super Pumped' illustrates the depths that a developer would go to get around Apple's Privacy Policies 04 Apple's CEO Spoke at the Global Privacy Summit 2022 today and made his case against Sideloading (video of presentation included) If you are an Absa Bank customer with a penchant for using the banks ATM, theres a new feature on the machine that will make your life simpler and more convenient than before. For the first time in Ghana, customers can now withdraw money from any of Absas ATMs with the luxury of a digital QR code, using their mobile phones. The functionality, which is now operational across ATMs nationwide, reflects Absas digital leadership in the banking industry. Banking has always been a lucrative component of economic transformation and development across nations. With the advancement of digital technology and the dynamic needs of customers, banks are finding new ways of engaging and making transactions easy and convenient for their customers. The ATM QR Cash feature is embedded in Absas mobile banking app; and allows customers to scan a code on the ATM with their phone to follow instructions on withdrawing the cash without the use of the credit/debit card. The process is seamless and avoids any physical contact with the ATM keys or buttons. It is a clear synergy between mobile technology and the physical ATM machine, elevating the way customers engage with their banks. Commenting on the new feature, Director of Retail at Absa Bank Ghana, Charles Addo said: It is a new way of banking that immediately transforms our commitment to our customers. We are at a certain stage in the global dynamic of banking where organisations need to constantly reinvent to remain relevant. Our customers are increasingly coming up with new needs and expectations and our responsibility is to meet them seamlessly. We are excited about this innovation, and we remain committed to devising new and better ways to make the banking experience worthwhile for our customers. The ATM QR Cash feature adds to a rich collection of innovative and creative products from the stable of Absa Bank. The bank has been at the forefront of digital banking leadership in Ghana through a plethora of products including Absa Cash Send and Cash Accepting ATMs that allows 24/7 banking on the go. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An international agreement on waiving intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines is within reach ahead of a global trade meeting next week, the head of the World Trade Organization said on Wednesday. In a telephone interview, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala also said an agreement could be reached on fishing subsidies in time for the meeting when 120 trade ministers from around the world gather at the body's Geneva headquarters. "If we get one or two deliverables that will be good," Okonjo-Iweala told Reuters in a telephone interview. "I think we are within shouting distance of that." Days before the meeting starts, none of the agreements in the three major negotiating areas of agriculture, fish subsidies or intellectual property rights for vaccines have been finalised for ministers to rubber-stamp, trade sources say. Instead, Okonjo-Iweala described a "hectic" atmosphere in Geneva where negotiators had been working late nights and weekends in order to try to resolve outstanding differences. Since she was appointed more than a year ago, Okonjo-Iweala, a former Nigerian minister and chair of the GAVI vaccine alliance board, has prioritised a long-sought deal on a waiver for intellectual property rights for COVID-19 shots. "There's some difficult areas we are dealing with but there's movement," she said on those talks, without elaborating. "I think it's still possible for us to be able to clean that up," she said. Some recent disagreements have centred on the scope of the waiver and China's objection to some of the agreement's wording, trade sources say. The WTO's biennial meeting was twice delayed by COVID-19 and is taking place after a nearly 5-year gap against the backdrop of high geopolitical tensions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some Western members have refused to negotiate directly with Russia, but Okonjo-Iweala said she was confident negotiations could continue through a combination of different meeting sizes. "You cannot minimise the Russia-Ukraine tensions and crisis. We find methodologies that work and we will use the same approaches for MC12," she said, referring to next week's meeting. 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 Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have arrived in Kinshasa at the beginning of a long-awaited week-long visit at the invitation of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. It will be King Philippes first visit to the Democratic Republic Congo since ascending to the throne in 2013. The trip - postponed by the pandemic - has been hailed by the presidency as an opportunity for reconciliation. Two years ago the king wrote to President Tshisekedi, expressing his deepest regret for "the wounds of the past". Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who is also part of the delegation, has called it a historic moment and an opportunity to forge closer ties. The king is also due to discuss the question of returning artworks looted during the colonial era. That past remains painful. Millions of Congolese suffered acts of cruelty, particularly during the reign of King Leopold II, who owned the Congo Free State as his personal property. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video West Africa's regional bloc Ecowas has condemned the attack on worshippers at a church in south-western Nigeria. In a statement, Ecowas said it was shocked at the incident and expressed sympathy with the government of Nigeria and the families of the victims who were killed at St Francis Catholic church in Owo on Sunday. It also reaffirmed solidary with the Nigerian government and the resolve to rid the nation and the West African region of terrorist activities. On Sunday, unidentified gunmen stormed the catholic church and killed 22 worshippers, and wounded 50 others, according to Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency. Its still unclear who the attackers are and what their motive is as the authorities continue with their investigations. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Monday, June 6, 2022, travelled to Lagos, Nigeria at the invitation of Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, President of Metropolitan Club, Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, announced on Tuesday. Delivering a message from the President on the floor of Parliament, Mr Asiamah said the President's visit was to enable him to attend a Special Guest of Honour luncheon of the Metropolitan Club. "By Article 59 of the Constitution, I write to inform you that I will be travelling outside the country on the evening of Monday, June 6, 2022, to Lago Nigeria at the invitation of Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, President of Metropolitan Club to attend to a Special Guest of Honour luncheon of the Metropolitan Club," he said. Mr Asiamah said President Akufo-Addo would return to Ghana on the evening of Tuesday, June 7, 2022. "In my absence, Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia shall in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution act in my stead," the Second Deputy Speaker quoted the President as saying. 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 At least 17 people have been killed and dozens more hurt after a train derailed in eastern Iran, state media report. The train, which was carrying 348 passengers, came off the line between the cities of Mashhad and Yazd about 50km (31 miles) from Tabas. Emergency services officials said the train collided with an excavator before being knocked off the track. They warned that the death toll could rise because many of the injured were in a critical condition in hospital. Tabas County Governor Ali Akbar Rahimi told state media that four of the train's seven carriages were knocked off the line. Footage posted online by local media showed a number of carriages on their side, as well as a yellow excavator on its side by the track. Read Full Story .... HERE >>> : Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Senior Programs Officer at the Ghana Center For Democratic Development (CDD), Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, has commended Togbe Afede XIV for returning the GH365,000 Ex-gratia given to him by the government. He described him as a leader who has lived by his "conscience" in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie'. His commendation comes after a section of the public, notably, Broadcaster Paul Adom-Otchere has said the decision by Togbe Afede to return the GH365,000 ex-gratia was hypocritical. But Togbe Afede XIV has been widely praised after he refunded the huge sum of money for his service as a Council of State member. However, Mr Aborampah Mensah suggested that Togbe Afede XIV could have set the pace for rejecting ex-gratia whiles serving on the Council of State for others to emulate. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Nigerian Embassy in collaboration with the government of Ghana has kick-started the process to repatriate some Nigerian beggars on the streets of Accra. A spokesperson for Nigerian Embassy in Accra, Abdallah Mohamed Hassan told Accra 100.5 FMs 6:00 am news on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, that the embassy has engaged the government of Ghana to have the beggars who are Nigerien nationals removed from the streets of Accra. According to him, through the partnership with the government of Ghana, some one thousand beggars made up of children among others have been mobilized and will be dully repatriated in accordance with migration regulations of Ghana. He said this is to clear the streets of Accra of the nuisance of seeing persons who are Nigerian nationals begging on the streets of Accra. He assured the Nigerians resident in Ghana who will be repatriated that employable skills will be provided. He said all persons who will be repatriated to Niger as a result of the measures to rid Nigerian beggars off the streets of Accra will be catered for at home. He noted that the Nigerien government has made jobs available for all who will be returned. He warned that persons who will be repatriated as a result of the partnership will be dealt with in accordance with the immigration laws of Ghana if they attempt to return to Ghana. In recent times children believed to be Nigerien nationals from the West African sub-region have besieged some streets in Accra, occupying medians and traffic intersections of some busy streets to harass motorists and pedestrians for money. The places where the children are mostly seen are the Graphic Road, Lapaz, Achimota, Kasoa Old Barrier traffic lights, University of Professional Studies (UPSA) junction, the Accra Mall, Adjiringano, Shiashie near Emmanuel Eye Clinic, and some ceremonial streets Source: class fm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A security analyst, Adam Bonaa has called on the military hierarchy to treat the suspects in the Zamarama line clash in Accra as terrorists. Speaking to Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Starr Today, Tuesday, Mr. Bonaa indicated that the incident at the Zamarama line should be a wake-up call to the security agencies to up their game and deal decisively with internal security issues. When you have hoodlums in military uniform to protect somebodys land then you know that issues to do with land guards, issues of protecting lands is none of their business since you are not a military man. Even if you are a military man, the courts are there. You dont go and shoot at people. Times like this when we are faced with terrorism all over, there is terrorism all over the Sahel, in Nigeria, Togo mentions them Benin everywhere. So as far as Im concerned we will want to refer to them appropriately as terrorists. If the State is looking for terrorist anywhere Im sure they will now have known that they dont have to go far. We have terrorist among us, the security analyst opined. So these are terrorists probably we should be dealing with. We should take it very seriously because these are individuals who are wearing State uniforms, uniforms that belong to the military. If terrorists should storm that area who do you think they will rely on? It will definitely be the Ghana Police Service and probably the military. So if you have military uniforms being used whether they are military officers, I will tell you that we are losing the fight against terrorism. Background The Accra Regional Police Command in a statement on Monday, June 6, 2022, disclosed that a soldier and two others have been arrested by the Police after they clashed with some youth members at the Zamarama line near Sukura in Accra over a piece of land. Residents say the parcel of land belongs to a private individual who might be in government. A statement by the Police stated that suspect Sergeant Isaac Abbey allegedly shot and injured four people on the said piece of land. The victims, Ali Ashillely, Akim Zibo, Salam Musah, and Faisal Khalid Azumah who sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds were sent to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment. The statement added that two of the arrested persons suspects Godfred Amegbor and Ofei Darko who were posing as soldiers also sustained some injuries and were sent to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment. In their statements to the Police, the two claimed to be military personnel but the claim has not been established by our investigations. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Some NPP youth in the Akyem Swedru constituency has called on the Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Kwaning Bosompem to focus on his core duty and stop eyeing the constituency seat as a retirement package. According to them, over the last few months, Mr Kwaning Bosompem has been meddling in politics at the local level while in active service as a public official. Among others, the youth group claims the Controller General has been seen at party functionaries enticing delegates with monetary inducements. The last straw that broke the camels back, is when he was spotted at the constituencys party delegates conference. This among many others they believe is meant to sway their mind towards him when the party opens its nomination for the MPship slot. Ahead of that, the NPP youth in the Akyem Swedru constituency has sent a caution notice to stay far away from the constituency and ditch any plans of contesting the Akim Swedru seat. A whole controller should not be meddling in politics. During the delegate's congress, we caught him meeting with the delegates and gave out GHC 200 to induce them. He intends to contest as MP but we want to tell him parliament is not a retirement package for him so he should go home and enjoy his retirement package, the statement read. Below is the statement We, the Concerned Youth of NPP in the Akyem Swedru constituency, have noted with dismay, plans by the Controller General, Kwasi Kwaning Bosompem, to contest the Akyem Swedru seat. More shocking is the fact that Mr Bosompem is in active service as a public official. Over time, he has taken advantage of the States largesse at his disposal and used it for his selfish parochial interest. We want to send a strong warning to him, that we wont allow our conscience to be bought by the monetary inducements he has been offering some of us, delegates. A whole Controller should not be meddling in politics. During the recent delegates Congress, we caught him meeting with the delegates and gave out 200 cedis to inducement them. He intends to contest as MP but we want to tell him parliament is not a retirement package for him so he should go home and enjoy his retirement. By 2024, hell be 64 years and we, the youth of the Akyem Swedru constituency feel he will not be able to articulate our issues and better represent us in Parliament in his old age. We reiterate our resolve not to allow Mr Bosompem to buy our conscience with money. We wish to appeal to our hardworking President Akufo-Addo and the father of our great NPP, to call his appointee, the Controller and Accountant General, to order and leave the Akyem Swedru seat alone. As we prepare to break the eight, we also implore our National Executives to stand firm and ensure the Controller focuses on his core duty and stop eyeing the Akyem Swedru seat. Signed Frank Nuamah Debrah Leader, Concerned NPP Youth of Akyem Swedru 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 Deputy Finance Minister and Member of Parliament(MP) for Ejisu Constituency, John Kumah, has said that the National Cathedral when completed will bring huge return on investment for the country. According to him, it will become one of the major tourist hub in the country. President Akufo-Addo in March 2017, proposed the construction of a National Cathedral which he said is in fulfilment of a promise he made to God before winning the 2016 General Elections. In line of this, government is investing heavily in the National Cathedral which when completed will despite its strong Biblical backing provide revenue for government. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that Ghanaians may no longer have to travel to Israel to pray again because they are going to have a feel of everything that happens there when they go to the National Cathedral to pray. " . . Infact we want to connect it to the Solomon Temple in Israel so in terms of the foundation, we have intentionally gone to Jerusalem for Jerusalem stone for the foundation as a covenant stone, so that when you stand there it will just feel like standing in Israel . . ." he told Kwame Nkrumah 'Tikese' He added that as an asset-backed expenditure, Ghana is expected to reap the benefit of investing in the national cathedral project between 10-15 years. Watch video below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former deputy Roads Minister, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi says the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) cannot count on the Ashanti region to break the 8 in 2024 if roads in the region are not uplifted. According to the defeated Ashanti regional Chairman-hopeful, the electorate in the region particularly NPP sympathizers are not impressed with the performance of the ruling government in addressing the developmental needs of the region. Speaking to GHOne News, the former Member of Parliament for the Ejisu Constituency said, I toured all the 47 Constituencies in the region ahead of the NPP Ashanti delegates conference and the signals were clear, our people are disappointed. This means if elections are to be held today we may not meet our expectations," he said. He said if the NPP fails to improve road networks in rural constituencies which contribute heavily to its electoral votes such as Manso Adubia, and Kwabere among others they may not even have the courage to campaign for their votes. I think the reelected Chairman Wontumi and the regional minister Simon Osei Mensah must develop a strategy to address the road networks in the region which remains a critical need of the people. Although we cant fix every road in the region, we need to team up with our constituency executives to identify critical roads that need immediate attention. We should forget about breaking the 8," he warned. He pledged his unflinching support to the current elected regional executives Chaired by Bernard Antwi Boasiako known as Wontumi to win the 2024 elections. It was my wish to lead the party into election 2024 but the delegates thought otherwise. All the elected members are capable of delivering the success of the party, however, what they need is the support of the entire party members. Therefore Im committed to supporting them in any way I could," he assured. Meanwhile, a reconciliation exercise has been initiated by the re-elected Chairman of the party to unite the party. Speaking at a breakfast meeting in Kumasi Chairman Wontumi urged all the defeated candidates from the polling station level, Constituency to regional to forgive each other irrespective of the lies and offensive language that may have been used in the heat of the campaign. After the election, I have taken the lead by visiting all the aspirants who contested me; this means I hold nothing against any person. Please forgive ourselves for the unity of purpose. Those who contested me, I know you have a plan for the region. My doors are open to every suggestion and strategy," he said. Source: starrfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ace broadcaster and socialite, Nana Aba Anamoah, has commended multiple award-winning Ghanaian actor, Prince David Osei, for his recent comments that have garnered social media attention. Prince David Osei, who openly supported and campaigned for the ruling New Patriotic Party in 2020 towards the 2020 elections, recently expressed his frustration with the governments insensitivity to the current hardships in the country and the suffering of the citizens in a post on his page. Misplaced priorities, self-glory, greed, and insensitivity towards the plight of the citizenry. We cant pay government workers, and staff, working tirelessly 24/7, yet we have 25,000,000 for a cathedral in this perilous time of our economy. So, help us, God! I am sorry, his post read. However, the iconic and celebrated broadcaster could not afford to be left out of the conversation as she has commended the actor for his tweet, describing integrity as a principle that never fails. I have so much respect for such level of honesty. The fact that he campaigned publicly for this administration doesnt mean he agrees with insensitive decisions. Integrity is a principle that never fails. Cheers, Prince David, her tweet read. A few days ago, a letter from the Ministry of Finance bearing the signature of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, and dated March 31st, 2020, surfaced on the internet, which triggered Prince David Oseis tweet. The letter was directing and authorising the payment of GH25,000,000.00 as additional seed money for the construction of the National Cathedral in Accra. I have so much respect for such level of honesty. The fact that he campaigned publicly for this administration doesnt mean he agrees with insensitive decisions. Integrity is a principle that never fails. Cheers, Prince David. https://t.co/4HOMcNgzw3 n.a (@thenanaaba) June 5, 2022 Source: yfmghana.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 Matthew Matchett, a federal public servant charged with one count of breach of trust for allegedly leaking secret cabinet documents about a contract between the federal government and Chantier Davie shipyard, leaves the Ottawa courthouse during a break in his trial on Monday, June 6, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle The Vietnamese Government has announced that the country has successfully developed an African swine fever (ASF) vaccine and intends to become the first country to commercially produce and export it. The vaccine has been in development since November 2019 in partnership with United States experts, with five clinical trials held, according to Reuters. Its safety and efficacy was confirmed by the Agricultural Research Service under the US Department of Agriculture, the countrys deputy agriculture minister Phung Duc Tien said. He described it as a milestone of the veterinary industry. With immunity lasting six months, the vaccine will be a shield for hog-raising industry and pig production globally. This success opens great expectations and the room to export African swine fever vaccine produced in Vietnam is huge, Mr Tien said The vaccine has been developed by the Avac Vietnam Company Limited (AVAC Co.). Creating a vaccine against African swine fever (ASF) is a difficult matter not only for Vietnam but also the whole world. And so, the discovery of a vaccine is an affirmation of wisdom and valor of the Vietnamese veterinary force, said Mr Tien said at the concluding session of the meeting on May 30 about the registration dossier for the vaccine. However, Mr Tien noted that AVAC needed to further perfect its documents, research methods, and most importantly, the comments of scientists during the meeting before officially releasing this vaccine, according to a report on the meeting by VietReader. According to the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center, the vaccination trial was carried out at four pig farms with a herd size of 300 to 20,000 heads, including both pigs and sows. The attenuated AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine contained a live attenuated virus strain produced on a cell medium and was administered according to the manufacturers recommendations with one dose for every tested pig. Five pigs taken at random from each trial farm received strong virus attacks on day 28 after vaccination, with five unvaccinated pigs used as controls. The control pigs showed clinical symptoms on two to three days after infection, including high fever, red and hot skin, decreased appetite and a loss of appetite. All pigs died on the sixth day. The pigs vaccinated with AVAC ASF LIVE showed mild clinical signs after being infected with the virulent ASF virus. Most of the clinical conditions were mild, only fever and a decrease in appetite for a few days, then the pigs quickly recovered to normal. Fever appeared in some, but not all pigs during the entire follow-up period, with some cases of repeated fever. In the report of the results, the Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center said that only one vaccinated pig died after being injected with the virus. This pig died on the 8th day after the strong virus attacks. The clinical manifestations and lesions were typical of ASF, similar to the control pigs. \ All remaining vaccinated pigs, a total of 19, had some mild clinical symptoms but all recovered and survived after the 21 days of follow-up. The Central Veterinary Diagnostic Center concluded: 100% of control pigs (5 pigs) that were not vaccinated all died within nine days of being infected with the virulent ASF virus. Vaccinated pigs had an average survival rate of 95% (19/20 pigs). AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine was deemed to have a protective effect on vaccinated pigs. Vietnam suffered a major ASF outbreak, as the virus spread across Asia, although the situation has now improved in the country. The virus continues to affect domestic and wild pigs around the world, including many European countries. Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy BEIJING, June 8 -- The written exam of China's military academy entrance examination for active soldiers for the year 2022 kicked off on June 7. Fifty-four-thousand soldier examinees took the tests at 158 exam site s scattered in 91 cities across China. It is learned that the military academy entrance examination is a crucial part for military talent cultivation. It consists of two parts: the exam on common military subjects and the written exam on cultural subjects. The exam on common military subjects, which is organized by units above the division level, examines the foot drill, operation of light weapons, fundamental tactical movements, and physical fitness. The written exam on cultural subjects can only be taken for those who passed the military exam, and the results will be fully incorporated into the final grade. The written exam is organized in a unified manner and can be divided into two categories - one for recruiting growing officers, and the other one for recruiting non-commissioned officers in accordance with the targets of talent cultivation. Soldier examinees need to take tests on subjects including Chinese, mathematics, politics, the military, physics, chemistry, history, and English. YANG MULIA AWANG MOHD RIZA BIN DATO PADUKA HAJI MOHD YUNOS DEPUTY MINISTER AT PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE Mohd Riza Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yunos was appointed as Deputy Minister at the Prime Ministers Office on 7th Jun 2022. Prior to his appointment, he served as Permanent Secretary [Civil Service, Welfare, International And Media] [May 2020 - Jun 2022]; Permanent Secretary [Media and Cabinet] at the Prime Ministers Office [August 2016 April 2020]; Deputy Permanent Secretary [Corporate and Governance] at the Prime Ministers Office [November 2015 August 2016]; Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Communication [June 2014 November 2015]; and Deputy Permanent Secretary [Entrepreneurship and Industry Development] at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources [September 2010 June 2014]. He has also served as Director of Land Transport Department and was in the Brunei Administrative Services. He started his career as a Telecommunication Engineer in 1990. He graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Electronic Engineering from Brighton Polytechnic, United Kingdom. He obtained his Master of Science [Modern Electronics] from Nottingham University, United Kingdom in 1990; and a Master of Business Administration from University of Brunei Darussalam in 2005. The 2022 World Series of Poker at Ballys and Paris Las Vegas continued today with more exciting high roller action in Day 2 of Event #12: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed. The event attracted 101 entries to create a prize pool of $4,835,375. Brek Schutten bagged the chip lead with 10,125,000 chips partially propelled by a hot run in the last couple hours of the day. Thailands Punnat Punsri will be returning with the second-highest stack, and Jake Schindler will be coming into the finale third in chips with another shot at a maiden bracelet following his close runner-up finish in Event #8: $25,000 High Roller. Shannon Shorr, David Peters, and Andrew Lichtenberger will start the final day on the bottom half of the leaderboard, although they will still have room to make a run at the title. There were 39 players in their seats to start the day and the field was whittled down to only six players who will return on Day 3 looking for gold. The remaining contenders are each guaranteed at least $326,464, but all eyes are on the first-place prize of $1,328,068 and the coveted bracelet. Final Table Seat Draw Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Shannon Shorr United States 3,650,000 15 2 Andrew Lichtenberger United States 1,325,000 5 3 Jake Schindler United States 4,650,000 19 4 Brek Schutten United States 10,125,000 41 5 Punnat Punsri Thailand 7,150,000 29 6 David Peters United States 3,425,000 14 Action of the Day There were 23 players returning to the felt who bagged on Day 1, and 16 additional players entered before late registration closed at the beginning of Day 2. Phil Ivey was one of the late entrants looking to make a run. He picked up aces and kings within the first few hands of the day to chip up early, but couldnt continue his early fortune and busted before the money. Chance Kornuth continued his recent hot streak by being the first to move over 4 million chips, but he later lost a big chunk of it to Schutten in a classic cooler. The top 16 players grabbed a piece of the prize pool. Hand-for-hand play began with two eliminations away from the money, and it took nearly two hours before the bubble finally burst. Vitaliy Rizhkov was first eliminated on the soft bubble, and then several double-ups occurred. Marius Gierse Bubbled Eventually, it was Marius Gierse to burst the bubble when he got his short stack in and couldnt improve. From there, a trio of eliminations occurred rather quickly, as Mikita Badziakouski, Shaun Deeb, and Kornuth all made their way to the payout desk to collect $80,000 each. It would take another hour for the next elimination to transpire when Finlands Eelis Parssinen lost the rest of his stack. Dan Shak was next to go, and 2021 WSOP Main Event champion Koray Aldemir followed soon after. Dan Smith has been riding a heater lately, but in this tournament, his run came to an end after running into Punsris kings. The nine remaining players then converged on the final table. Chips were exchanged around the final table before Sean Winter became the first elimination there in ninth place when he couldnt hold on a nines versus ace-jack flip. Italian pro Dario Sammartino was the next to make his exit when he ran his short stack into a better ace. The seven remaining players would play for almost two hours, where Schutten would pull ahead to become the clear chip leader. Schutten faced a speed bump when Punsri picked up aces at the perfect time to double through him, but he still held the lead. Michael Rocco was the final player to be eliminated just before the end of the night. He was left with under one big blind after running ace-jack into Schindlers ace-king and started to make a comeback, but was knocked out by Punsri. The plan was to play down to five players, but a full day of play meant a hard stop after ten levels, and the six remaining players bagged and tagged. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 99F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. A Mount Pleasant retail center where a new outdoor gear store plans to open will soon see a new restaurant. Two other new dining spots are in the works across the Charleston region as well. Pasture & Grain plans to open in July at 1701 Shoremeade Road in the Indigo Square Shopping Center on U.S. Highway 17 where national sporting goods retailer REI announced this week plans to open in the fall in the former GreenWise Market grocery store space. The restaurant is taking over the space vacated in May by Blaze Pizza, which closed after three years. A sign on the door says Blaze is relocating, but the new site is not mentioned, and a company representative did not respond for comment. Pasture & Grain owner and chef Ira Hill said the 2,800-square-foot venue will serve American fare priced from $8 to $18. Meats, vegetables, grains, hot and cold sandwiches, salads and toast with spreads are on the menu. Sous chef will be Brandon Brown. The shopping center also saw the recent departure of gastro pub Bull & Finch, which closed in May after nine months. What's cooking? Two other restaurants also are on the way to the Charleston area. In Cainhoy, a new venue by Florie's Dining Group is planned for 1937 Clements Ferry Road, Unit B, beside Dog & Duck restaurant and bar. "My concept has changed since I purchased the place in January," said Brannon Florie. "Honestly, I'm still between two concepts. The space is small, so I am trying to make the best use of the space and still capitalize on what we are missing out here. I've lived on Clements Ferry for about eight years now." He's leaning toward calling it Po Boy Southern Refuge and Bar. Florie doesn't have an opening date, but he is eyeing the end of summer for a launch. Florie's Dining Group includes Pier 41 and The Basement in northern Mount Pleasant and Florie's at Commonhouse Aleworks in North Charleston. Florie said he's considering a couple of other concepts for the northern side of the Charleston area but has nothing to announce. Also on the way is a new restaurant in a former Pizza Hut in Goose Creek. Pho Bowl LLC recently applied for a beer and wine license at 142 St. James Ave., Suite D, beside Food Lion supermarket. An opening date has not been announced. Driving costs South Carolina drivers can count on doling out even more more for the already-exorbitant cost of gasoline, starting in July. The state's gas tax will rise by 2 cents a gallon next month, the last of six annual increases passed by the General Assembly in 2017 to help pay for road, bridge and infrastructure construction. The 2-cent tack-on will boost the tax to 28 cents per gallon. Drivers in the Palmetto State are paying an average of $4.54 a gallon as of June 8, according to online fuel information provider GasBuddy. That's up $1.76 from last year at this time. The national average is $4.97 per gallon, up $1.90 from one year ago. The higher price of fuel is partially the result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prices were already rising before the war. Now serving Toast! All Day is now open with a second location in downtown Charleston. Charleston Hospitality Group recently opened the sixth Toast location in the Lowcountry at 453 King St. in the former Monza pizzeria, which closed in February after a 13-year run. Along with Southern comfort food offerings, the restaurant has incorporated the original wood-fired ovens to offer pizza as well. The menu also features seafood baskets, salads and sandwiches, as well as drink specials and artisan coffee selections. The other downtown Toast is at 155 Meeting St. Two others are in Mount Pleasant, with one each in Summerville and West Ashley. The restaurant group also includes Eli's Table, Queology, John King Bar & Grill, all in Charleston, and Honky Tonk Saloon in Ladson. Relocated Skatells Manufacturing Jewelers of West Ashley has moved to a new location. The jewelry store is now at 821 Orleans Road after moving from 1798 Ashley River Road, according to owners Nan Butler and husband Jason, who also own the store in Mount Pleasant. The scoop Ye Ole Fashioned Cafe & Ice Cream Parlor will host the grand opening of its new location in West Ashley on June 10 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an ice cream special all day. Officials will snip the ribbon at 11 a.m., and small cups of ice cream in 32 flavors will be offered all day for 99 cents at the new restaurant at 1319 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. in Ashley Landing Shopping Center. A pile of light blue Holy Spokes-branded bicycles that once were part of the peninsula's first bike-share fleet was spotted this week at a North Charleston waste site. The two-wheelers were apparently thrown away, after being removed from docking stations in downtown Charleston earlier this year. The discarded bikes are or were owned by Gotcha, a mobility company that, up until this past February, ran the bike-share program. After reviewing proposals from Gotcha and other bidders, the city decided last year to select a different vendor, Lime. The San Francisco-based transportation company officially launched in Charleston in early May with a fleet of 200 new e-bikes. Since Gotcha would no longer be working with the city, the company removed its Holy Spokes-branded vehicles after its contract ended. The city said it wasn't involved in the removal. This week, images of the once-familiar blue bikes circulated on social media showing dozens of them piled in a heap at the Carolina Waste site off of Azalea Drive. Local contractor Justin Evans spotted them at the facility in the afternoon on June 7. The bikes looked like they were still in good condition, he said "too nice to be in a heap." When the city of Charleston learned about the situation June 8, it contacted Carolina Waste in hopes that the bikes were still there and could possibly be salvaged, spokesman Jack O'Toole said. But it was too late. Gotcha could not be reached for comment Wednesday. For several years, the blue two-wheelers were a familiar sight in downtown Charleston, with locals and tourists renting them to pedal around the peninsula. Gotcha had designed the bikes to be specific to Charleston. The Holy Spokes brand was a nod to the Holy City nickname, and the color scheme was inspired by the hue Charlestonians have traditionally painted their porch ceilings. Gotcha had been based in Charleston since 2014, when it moved from Atlanta, where it was founded. The Holy Spokes program, the city's first bike-share service, was launched three years later. Gotcha was acquired about a year and a half ago by Miami-based Bolt Mobility, which was co-founded by Olympic gold medalist track legend Usain Bolt. The citys new Lime-operated bike share program is eventually expected to be a fleet of 500 bikes that give riders a battery-powered boost as they pedal and can reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour in certain areas. Limes bikes are available to reserve on the company's app. Prices listed on June 8 showed a charge of 39 cents per minute, after a $1 fee. The new bikes are black, white and Lime's signature bright green. Holy Spokes is no longer used, since that was Gotchas idea. The Medical University of South Carolina, which also supported the Holy Spokes program, is the title sponsor for Lime's bike-share service. COLUMBIA The Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina has received a donation of 100 cards and letters written by Anne Franks father, Otto Frank. Cara Wilson-Granat, who wrote to Otto when she was 12 in 1957 after auditioning for the role of Anne Frank in the movie adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank, donated the correspondence from the father of the Jewish Dutch girl whose diary is considered one of the most iconic works about the Holocaust. The letters are going to have a life where there's discussion, Wilson-Granat said during a news conference June 8. We already have had the students sitting down and they're talking about antisemitism and racism and bullying and there's so much that I believe that we can grow from these letters. The donation establishes the Anne Frank Archive, which will be supported by USCs Anne Frank Center and University Libraries. USC opened the worlds fourth Anne Frank Center in September as a partner to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. When Wilson-Granat told a friend of hers, John Nieman, who also wrote back and forth with Otto Frank, about her desire to donate her letters, Nieman told her about the center at USC. Last spring, Wilson-Granat, Nieman, and another friend and correspondent with Otto Frank, Ryan Cooper, visited the center. The three met and became friends when they realized they each wrote to famed diarist's father. It was a moving reunion when they visited to examine the library and the vault to see whether this was a suitable home, Anne Frank Center Director Doyle Stevick told The Post and Courier. Wilson-Granat flew to Columbia to deliver the letters herself, according to Stevick. Wilson-Granat said the donation feels like she is keeping the story and legacy of Otto and Anne Frank alive. I feel this great sense of peace knowing they're in the right home, the right place where there is education and caring and compassion and love," she said. "That's all that Otto Frank represented." Stevick said he hopes the new donation would inspire others to send letters they received from Otto Frank to the center. Stevick said there are perhaps thousands of letters across the United States and the world that are not documented. I pray that those letters can be retrieved and we read them, Wilson-Granat told The Post and Courier. You're reading about people who have given up hope, and he helped them. A senior researcher from the Anne Frank House, Gertjan Broek, said the letters cover topics such as the JFK assassination, anti-Semitism and racism in the United States, the civil rights movement and conflict in the Middle East. The letters will reside in the Ernest F. Hollings vault alongside collections of authors such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as the oldest item in USCs collection. The oldest artifact is the Breslauer Bible, a medieval manuscript Bible. Only two people at USC have direct access to the vault and no less than two people are allowed inside, according to Dean of University Libraries Thomas McNally. They don't even let me go in there alone, McNally said. The Anne Frank Center, located in the Barringer House on USCs Columbia campus, details the life of Anne Frank and her family, who were in hiding in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam during World War II. The Franks were discovered and sent to concentration camps in 1944, where all but Otto Frank died. The idea was born when then-USC President Harris Pastides met Ronald Leopold, director of the Anne Frank House, after interviewing Eva Schloss, a Holocaust survivor, at the Koger Center in 2017. Pastides and Leopold agreed in 2018 the university would house the center. EDITOR'S NOTE: The story now accurately reflects that Eva Schloss was interviewed at the Koger Center. Charleston County School District's board of trustees interviewed five firms that they are considering hiring to lead the search to find the district's next superintendent. The board conducted interviews in a closed-door meeting on June 8 with the Florida-based search and consulting firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates and the Illinois-based network of independent education consultants Hazard, Young, Attea, & Associates. They also interviewed Ray and Associates, a company that specializes in educational executive leadership searches and is located in Iowa; Alma Advisory Group, a consulting firm in Chicago; and BWP & Associates, an educational leadership search firm from South Carolina. The meeting's agenda described the interviews as informational. The board is looking for a new district leader after Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait suddenly resigned in December 2021. The board has refused to comment on the circumstances surrounding her departure, a move that's been widely criticized by Charleston's education community. Board members first discussed her resignation during a closed-door session on Dec. 16, after they were only given a couple days' notice that the meeting was happening. Some were unable to attend because of scheduling conflicts. The board held a second meeting to discuss Postlewait's resignation on Dec. 29 and only gave members a one-day notice the meeting was taking place. The second meeting was also held in executive session, meaning that it wasn't open to the public. At that meeting, the board voted 6-1 to accept Postlewait's resignation. A copy of her separation agreement obtained by The Post and Courier through a Freedom of Information Act request showed that the school district was giving her a lump-sum payment of $241,993 equivalent to her annual salary and said that she would continue to stay on as a consultant for the district until June. Postlewait has declined to comment on the terms of her departure and signed a non-disparagement clause as part of the settlement agreement. In a statement she released shortly after her resignation, she said that she enjoyed the opportunity to serve Charleston County students, personnel, parents and the greater community during her seven years of employment by the district. Sign up for our Education Lab newsletter. Email Sign Up! "I am heartened by the many accomplishments and accolades CCSD has received and am especially proud of the selfless service teachers, staff and leaders have provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. The board named the district's chief financial officer, Don Kennedy, to interim superintendent. On May 31, Lexington County School District One officials announced they are bringing Postlewait on as their interim superintendent. She is succeeding Superintendent Gregory Little and will receive a monthly salary of $18,250. She starts working at Lexington One on July 1. A Post and Courier analysis found that from March 2020, when the pandemic began, to January 2022 at least 19 South Carolina superintendents left their positions. That was in line with pre-pandemic retention rates. According to the S.C. Association for School Administrators, during the 2018-19 school year about 15 percent of total superintendents were new to their positions compared to 17 percent for the 2020-21 school year. On the national level, the American Association for School Administrators found that the average turnover rate for these jobs is 14 to 16 percent, with an average tenure between five to six years. 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 State agencies will test hurricane evacuation plans June 9 that call for reversing traffic lanes on major highways to speed departures from the coast. Traffic won't be impacted during the test, scheduled to last from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. South Carolina's transportation and public safety departments will work with other state and local agencies as part of a yearly exercise at the beginning of hurricane season. Drivers may notice increased law enforcement and other workers along the highways and helicopters overhead on portions of Interstate 26, U.S. Highways 21, 278, 501 and S.C. 544. Plans to open lanes that would normally lead toward the coast for inland evacuation routes were developed after drivers fleeing Hurricane Floyd in 1999 were snarled in gridlock on I-26 for more than 20 hours. In 2020, the state's plan for Charleston was adjusted to improve traffic flow out of the area by starting the I-26 lane reversals at exit 197 instead of closer to the coast at I-526. Lane reversals are potential life-saving aspects of hurricane evacuations in South Carolina," Transportation Secretary Christy Hall said in a press release. Since 2016, South Carolina's governor has called for lane reversals three times. Traffic flow won't be impacted but state officials urged drivers to use extra caution because of the increased activities along the roadways. Hurricane season spans from June 1 to Nov. 30. S.C. Emergency Management Division Director Kim Stenson said residents should also have their own emergency plan in case of a storm, "and then practice that plan to make sure everyone knows what to do. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High around 95F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 68F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. NORTH CHARLESTON A 41-year-old man will spend four years behind bars after injuring a police officer and killing his K-9 in a 2018 drunken driving crash. Richard Joseph Shore Jr. pleaded guilty June 6 in Charleston County to DUI resulting in great bodily injury. Circuit Judge Bentley Price sentenced the North Charleston man to 12 years in prison, but suspended the sentence in favor of four years behind bars followed by four years of probation. Shore crashed his vehicle Feb. 15, 2018, into a police cruiser occupied by North Charleston officer Brandon Van Ausdal and his K-9, Mojo, while they were responding to a residential burglary, a media statement said. Van Ausdal suffered a broken leg and concussion. He underwent shoulder surgery after the crash and still suffers migraines and retrograde amnesia so severe he forgot his own wedding, according to Scarlett A. Wilson, the solicitor for the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office. Mojo was taken to an emergency veterinarian and had to be euthanized, Wilson said. Shore's blood alcohol content the night of the crash was nearly 0.16 percent twice the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle. Van Ausdal resigned from the North Charleston Police Department in January 2020 after nearly a decade of service. He is a police detective in the East Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania. He could not be reached for comment. North Charleston police spokesman Harve Jacobs declined to comment because Van Ausdal is no longer with the department. Van Ausdal had requested that the judge sentence Shore to 15 years in prison, the maximum amount for the offense. COLUMBIA A former employee of the Orangeburg County School District was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison for defrauding the district out of more than half a million dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic. David Cortez Marshall Jr. was also ordered to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution to the school district and serve three years of supervision for the theft after his 33-month prison term. Fraud of any nature is illegal and wrong, but fraud against a public school in the middle of a pandemic is unconscionable, U.S. Attorney Corey F. Ellis said in a statement. Mr. Marshalls prison sentence reflects the seriousness of his offense and our dedication to deterring public fraud." The former media communication specialist for the school district admitted in a plea agreement filed Dec. 7 in U.S. District Court that he steered school contracts for remote-learning cameras to companies he secretly owned. He purchased 875 cameras from one vendor and, using various shell companies, then sold the cameras to the school district at a significant markup. He also admitted he sent the district a phony invoice demanding $60,000 to pay for a state sales tax on the purchases. The fraud began in October 2020, the agreement states. Marshall, 31, signed a cooperation agreement as part of the plea deal. His defense attorney, Jonathan Harvey, wrote in a sentencing memorandum his client met with federal authorities on five occasions to discuss the crimes and provided the FBI with transaction information. The sentence was appropriate under the circumstances, including the order of restitution," Harvey said. "This brings closure to the matter. Marshall expressed his remorse for the crime in a letter to District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis. The married father of a 2-year-old son said he moved to South Carolina from Kansas City, Mo., after earning a scholarship in 2009 to attend Claflin University. He said he was active in his church and volunteered with at-risk youth before his arrest. "It still shocks me to think of how foolish and reckless I was and how much harm was done," he wrote. Marshall's church pastor and a congregant wrote letters of support for him. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Near record high temperatures. High 92F. E winds at less than 5 mph, increasing to 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 75F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. A spike in drug-smuggling attempts through Guams borders was foiled by agents with Guam Customs and Quarantine in 2021. Customs Director Ike Peredo told senators during his agency's budget hearing at the Guam Congress Building on Wednesday that his officers were able to stop more drugs from coming into the island even with limited staff and resources. Local Customs agents seized a total of 195 pounds of methamphetamine last year. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Customs continues to combat the growing influx of illicit drugs, especially methamphetamines at our borders, Peredo said. This amount represents an increase of 85 pounds in methamphetamine seizures at Guams borders compared to 110 pounds seized in 2020. He added that 174 pounds of marijuana were seized last year compared to the 63.2 pounds tracked down the year prior. Peredo noted a total 146 recorded drug interdiction cases were investigated in 2021. He told senators the goal is to hire 20 Customs trainees, fill 10 vacancies, train eight new canine handlers, and get a new mobile X-ray scanner and handheld X-ray scanner with their upcoming budget to increase meth interdiction. $17M budget request Peredo presented a $17 million budget request for fiscal year 2023 with $2 million coming from special funds and the remainder from the general fund. He admitted his agency owes the A.B. Won Pat International Airport more than $2 million for rent that remains unpaid from last year, noting the drastic decline in passenger travel over the past two years during the pandemic. Revenue from passenger inspection fees, 85% of which are paid by passengers, support the budget of Customs operations. The pandemic caused a reduction of more than $13 million in Custom passenger fees for (fiscal) 2021, he said. Peredo said while the travel market to Guam is slowly recovering, it is not projected to get back to normal any time soon. A mystery first unearthed 16 years ago finally has an answer. This puzzle appeared during excavations at the Naton beach site in Tumon, Guam, said Rosalind Hunter-Anderson, a principal researcher for a study on ancient CHamoru origins presented during a preservation conference held recently. During a 2006 hotel renovation project, the oldest burials in the Mariana Islands were unearthed dating as far back as 2,800 years ago, Hunter-Anderson said. The remains were of the regions ocean foragers of this time, who are called the Unai. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. They are considered the first permanent settlers of Guam. But the Marianas were also inhabited for thousands of years after that, by people who left behind distinct burials during Guams Latte period, which lasted from 1,000 to 500 years ago. Hunter-Anderson and her research partner Joanne Eakin, along with a team of archaeologists, osteologists, CHamoru language experts and geneticists collaborated to look at what they could learn about population movements and relationships across the Western Pacific, using Naton beach, situated in the northern part of Tumon near the Lotte Hote Guam, as the main launching point. On Tuesday, a press conference was held to share the long-awaited answers for whether these two populations, who lived millennia apart, and were culturally, socially and physically different were genetically linked, and whether they are indeed the ancestors of CHamoru people living today. In total, 370 skeletal sets were recovered and studied from the Naton site. The burials were found to be from both the Latte and middle- to late-Unai periods. The two populations differed in morphology, pathology and mortuary practices, Eakin said. Given the many differences, shared genetic ancestry and biological continuity among the two ancient populations wasnt a foregone conclusion. CHamoru ancestry By using newer and less invasive methods to obtain reliable DNA samples, scientists were able to analyze burials in Naton and Haputo in Guam, and in Saipan and Pohnpei. Modern DNA samples from residents of these islands were taken as well. The results were clear. The indigenous people of the Marianas derive all their pre-colonial ancestry from East Asian sources, specifically islands in Southeast Asia, Hunter-Anderson said, citing female-inherited DNA groups. More than 90% of Unai DNA studied includes the most common maternally-inherited lineage in modern CHamoru people, the researchers said. Indonesian link This distinct variant of a regional genetic lineage formed about 5,000 to 10,000 years ago, in eastern Indonesia. They are present in all ancient individuals from Guam and Saipan, but are absent from ancient DNA studied in Polynesia, from people whose ancestry is traced back to Melanesia. The marked homogeneity of paternal DNA from Unai burials imply that all Naton Unai males came from the same geographic region, Hunter-Anderson said. These findings contradict CHamoru origin models based on historical linguistics, and similarities in pottery, which assert the Marianas indigenous people derived their ancestry from farmers in the northern Philippines, she said. The findings also proved that scientists shouldnt assume that distinct biological, physiological or sociological differences always are a result of differing genetic ancestries. Unai burials studied were almost always done with fully extended, supine positions, whereas Latte period burials studied included flexed or bundled burial positions or ones where multiple people are comingled in a single burial position. The people who lived in the Latte period also practiced removal of remains post-burial, which was not found to be the case in the Unai burials excavated. Elaborate treatment of the deceased is generally lacking at Latte period graves, and the graved goods are few and simple, Eakin said. Late Unai burials had a larger quantity and greater variety of grave goods compared to the Latte burials. Two photos shown to reporters showed a burial with a clam shell and bead necklace, and a large oyster shell. An Unai-era infant was buried with more than 100 shell beads, with a shell bracelet on each arm. Grave goods in child burials are extremely uncommon in the Latte period, the researchers said. The research also revealed differences in skull size, common diseases and social practices like the use of betel nut among adults. I thought at that time that they were a different population, Eakin told reporters about her initial thoughts when the Unai-era burials were unearthed. So the DNA results were a surprise to me. But it did demonstrate how we can come from the same line, yet change over time based on our activities and food. Over 1,000, 1,500 years your appearance, your musculature and so forth your customs of maybe incising teeth, for instance will change over time. Among matrilineal line Researchers also identified distinct familial relations at the Naton site, and found that many burials were placed within close proximity to family members of a matrilineal line, evidence of matrilocal society, where a husband lives with his wifes immediate or extended family. Confirmed relationships among buried individuals include mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, grandparents, siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts. The whole genome analysis showed that closely related individuals were often buried next to each other or nearby in genetically defined family groups, Hunter-Anderson said. If you talk to any of my friends, they will tell you the same thing: "McNinch doesn't think like everyone else." It is true. I am crazy about Read more The Democrats should be held accountable for last nights attempt on the life of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Most notably, of course, Chuck Schumer issued a fatwa against Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch, which last nights would-be assassin apparently attempted to execute. But thats not all. The GOPs communications staff reminds us of the Democrats shameful history of encouraging violence against conservative Supreme Court justices: A man was just arrested outside of Justice Brett Kavanaughs home with plans to kill the justice, and the silence from Democrat leaders is deafening. As of this writing, Joe Biden has still not condemned the attempt on Kavanaughs life, with the White House instead having a mid-level staffer do it for him. The truth is that Biden and Democrats are directly responsible for this assassination attempt, excusing and encouraging activists for weeks to target justices and their families at their homes: May 5: Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to condemn activists posting the justices home addresses online. May 6: Psaki refused to say if Biden has a view on activists harassing justices at their homes. May 6: Nancy Pelosi called on protesters to actively pressure justices to influence their decisions. May 8: Pelosi said the focus is to influence and change the Supreme Courts forthcoming decision on Roe v. Wade. May 9: Psaki refused to condemn protests at justices homes even though it is against the law. * Psaki also refused to condemn the doxing of justices personal information even as threats of violence grew. May 10: Psaki downplayed the harassment, claiming protests have been peaceful to date and we certainly continue to encourage that outside of judges homes. May 11: Chuck Schumer answered yes when asked if he was comfortable with protestsoutside the homes of Supreme Court justices. Right now, Pelosi is even holding up a Senate-passed bill that would improve security for justices and their families. In 2020, Schumer threatened justices, by name, with a whirlwindyou wont know what hit you. Its past time for Biden and Democrats to condemn this violence. The last word, for now, goes to Comfortably Smug: We need a primetime Congressional hearing into Chuck Schumer making threats and inspiring domestic terrorism against supreme court justices pic.twitter.com/nEpIv1EuUv Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) June 8, 2022 It is worth noting that the would-be assassin who was arrested last night had in his possession more firearms (one or more, we are told) than all of the January 6 insurrectionists together (zero). UPDATE: My friend John Ondrasik tweets: Has @chuckschumer condemned assassination attempts on Supreme Court justices yet? John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) June 8, 2022 Not so far, he hasnt. The Democrats smeared Brett Kavanaugh as, among other things, a rapist at his Supreme Court confirmation hearing. They knew their assertions were false but made them anyway. Next, liberals published Kavanaughs home address along with those of other Supreme Court justices so that mobs could threaten them. Democratic officeholders did not object to this tactic. Such actions have consequences. Today a man armed with at least one weapon and burglary tools was arrested near Kavanaughs home in Maryland. He said he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice. If he believed the Democrats lies, why would his response be surprising? "A California man carrying at least one weapon near Brett Kavanaughs Maryland home has been taken into custody by police, after telling officers he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice, according to people familiar with the investigation."https://t.co/LYswNKs2d2 Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) June 8, 2022 This is the Washington Post story. Ive been saying it for a while, and will repeat: the Democrats are going to get someone killed. UPDATE: The New York Post says the man was apprehended at about 1:50 this morning. The Post reports that he was incensed about the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion expected to overturn Roe v. Wade. After the arrest, the Department of Justice said U.S. Marshals would be providing additional support to the Supreme Courts own security service to protect the justices. As we know from the long-ago Thomas Frank book, Kansas is a red(state) hot mess, but whats the matter with San Francisco that it recalls its celebrity progressive district attorney? Let me give you a two-word hint: Dirty Harry. No, Im not making this up. The late film critic Richard Grenier remarked that Dirty Harry was the first Hollywood film of that era that talked back to liberalism. But Dirty Harry came out 51 years ago, and how many San Franciscans from then are even still alive and living in the city? Grenier noted that the blowback against the film from the left (Gene Siskel said the films message was dangerous, and Stanley Kauffmann said it was disgusting) caused the sequel, Magnum Force, to flip the script, and make the bad guys a bunch of vigilante police officers, which can be seen as an ahead-of-its-time preview of our recent all cops are bastards/defund the police mania. Yesterday 60 percent of San Francisco voters talked back to liberalism, but dont expect the left to see it that way. Instead, you see, San Francisco is really a hotbed of reactionary conservatismits just Salt Lake City in drageven though the last Republican mayor of SF, George Christopher, rode out of town in 1967. Before the votes were even cast, New York magazines Ross Barkan made the case that in fact San Francisco really has no progressive history or voting base: This real San Francisco is a city of fewer than 900,000 people that increasingly lacks a working-class population that could buoy progressive candidates. . . Modern San Francisco, unlike New York, does not rest on the legacy of a social-democratic state forged with New Deal largesse. There are no Fiorello La Guardias or Robert Wagners lurking in the citys history. From 1912 to 1963, only Republicans governed San Francisco, and they were largely backers of big business who could occasionally draw support from organized labor. This last statement will come as a shock to anyone who recalls Harry Bridges, among other figures. Now that SF voters have channelled their inner Dirty Harrys, the left is doubling down on this line. Behold this Tweet thread, which would be comical if we didnt know that among lefties, Twitter humor is now a crime against humanity (at least in the Washington Post newsroom): Message to the left: Move along, nothing to see here. Im sure it wont carry over to the November election anywhere else. To paraphrase the great Inspector Callahan: Do you feel lucky, Democrats? Chaserone of my favorite scenes from Dirty Harry; Sociology?! Oh, youll go far. . . Just dont let your college degree get you killed. Cape Town-headquartered venture capital (VC) firm HAVAIC has announced the completion of its first investment in ShopEx, a Nigeria retailer. HAVAIC says it is investing US$400,000 from its US$20 million HAVAIC Universum Core African Fund. The investment forms part of a US$625,000 convertible note round alongside existing angel investors. ShopEx mobilises a combination of traditional and digital channels to market, sell, and distribute some of the worlds top brands in Nigeria and other African markets, including Nutri-Bullet, Copper Chef, Power XL, Dream by Genie, Myfit Jeans, and Contour. Founded by CEO Isi Abebe and advised by Expert Media Partners (EMP), ShopEx digitises and integrates the customer journey across numerous channels or platforms, from television to Instagram, to improve customer engagement and sales conversions. Integrations with leading last-mile partners optimise the fulfilment process via a nationwide, 24-hour delivery service. Across the board, the technology monitors revenue, media spend, sales agent data, inventory, customer engagement, transactions, fulfilment, and logistics in real-time to optimise success. The launch of ShopEx perfectly coincides with rising e-commerce and maturing logistics and payment platforms across Africa. These are vital components for creating a truly omnichannel experience, said Abebe. We look forward to rolling out an exciting pipeline of new products and bolstering our technology to deliver an exceptional customer experience and expand our offering into other markets. Going forward, ShopEx said it is poised to capture Africas fast-growing e-commerce market buoyed by high mobile phone penetration rates and social media growth. Over the past five years alone, e-commerce revenue grew by 250%. The figure is projected to rise a further 64% and top US$46 billion by 2025. In Nigeria, the business is ideally placed to meet the demand for quality globally-sourced products among the countrys fast-growing, young middle class. The latest funding round will enable ShopEx to continue growing its team, brand, product agreements, inventory, and operations into new markets with Ghana already underway, the company said. ShopEx has the experience and network to take advantage of arguably one of the most untapped retail opportunities in Africa, added Ian Lessem, Managing Partner at HAVAIC. Whats more, their scalable technology means ShopEx can leverage off social media and key partnerships with the likes of Multichoice, Jumia, and Alibaba to spearhead the growth of multi-channel shopping in the market. Marking the VC firms second pan-African fund, HAVAIC announced the third and final close of its HAVAIC Universum Core African Fund last month. Now also counting its latest portfolio company in ShopEx, the fund has already deployed a third of its funds into early-stage African technology companies, including CrowdForce, CompariSure, Kuda, Mobiz, HearX, and Tanda, among others. The fund is on track to complete up to 25 investments over the next three years. The announcement follows a strong performance for HAVAIC in 2021. The VC firms portfolio companies now serve a combined 5 million customers in over 180 countries across the globe. Last year, HAVAICs portfolio companies raised US$110 million in fresh capital and increased revenue by 160%. To date, HAVAIC has achieved three international exits, delivering annualised returns to its investors of 155%. Five African authors, including a Nigerian, Joshua Chizoma, on Wednesday, made the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing 2022 shortlist. The AKO Caine Prize is an annual award given to an African writer for a short story published in English. Mr Chizomas Collector of Memories earned him a shortlist. Others are Nana-Ama Danquah (Ghana) for When a Man Loves a Woman, Hannah Giorgis (Ethiopia) for A Double-Edged Inheritance, Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) for Five Years Next Sunday, and Billie McTernan (Ghana) for The Labadi Sunshine Bar. This years shortlist was chosen from a record 349 short story entries submitted from 27 African countries, marking a 130 per cent increase in submissions compared to 2021. The entire shortlists were adjudged by Nigerian author and award-winning journalist Okey Ndibe, French-Guinean author and literary scholar Elisa Diallom, South African podcast host and academic-practitioner Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane, London-based Nigerian visual artist Asiko Okelarin and Kenyan Book, Bunk co-founder Angela Wauchula. Joshua Chizoma Mr Chizomas works have been published or are forthcoming in Prairie Schooner, Lolwe, AFREADA, Entropy Magazine, Anathema Magazine, Agbowo Magazine, and Prachya Review. His story, A House Called Joy, won the 2018 Kreative Diadem Prize in the flash fiction category. He won the 2020 Awele Creative Trust Short Story Prize with his short story Their Boy and was shortlisted for the 2021 Afritondo Short Story Prize. He is an alumnus of the 2019 Purple Hibiscus Creative Writing Workshop taught by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. His shortlisted entry Collector of Memories is a story from The Hope, The Prayer, The Anthem. It was shortlisted for the 2021 Afritondo Short Story Prize. Perks Each writer shortlisted for the prize receives 500, while the winner, who will be announced at a ceremony in V&A Museum in London on July 18, gets 10,000. The organisers say the ceremony coincides with the Africa Fashion exhibition. The 2022 AKO Caine Award ceremony is the final event in a UK tour for the shortlisted authors. The shortlisted writers will be published in The AKO Caine Prize Anthology alongside stories written at the AKO Caine Prize Workshop, held this year in Ghana. The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has struck out a suit seeking to set aside the conviction of a famous actress, Funke Akindele, alias Jenifa, her husband, Abdul Rasheed Bello, and 236 others who were prosecuted for violating the states 2020 lockdown and social distancing to check the spread of COVID-19. The judge, Akintayo Aluko, held that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action and was also incompetent. Ms Akindele and her husband were convicted on April 6, 2020, by the Lagos State Magistrates Court in Ogba, days after they held a crowded house birthday party contrary to Lagos States social distancing order. But a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, approached the court, challenging the constitutionality of the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations 2020 under which Akindele, her husband and 236 other residents were convicted and sentenced. Joint respondents in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/588/2020 are the Lagos State Government, Attorney-General of Lagos State, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Inspector-General of Police. Court proceeding Mr Ogungbeje also sought, among others, an order compelling the respondents jointly and severally to tender a public apology in three widely read newspaper publications to persons/Nigerian arrested, prosecuted, tried, convicted and sentenced. But the Lagos State Government and the AG opposed him through their counsel, a Deputy Director, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Adebayo Haroun. The first and second respondents filed a notice of preliminary objection against the suit on July 10, 2020. According to them, Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, 2004 allows the governor to make the regulations where the President of Nigeria had not made such regulations. They contended that the regulation was made for public safety, public good and protection, which is more extensive and far more significant than an individual like the applicant. Counter argument In his judgement delivered on June 2, 2022, a copy of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, the court agreed in part with the government. Mr Aluko observed that the regulations disclosed in its preamble that the governor made the regulations by the powers conferred on him by the Lagos State Public Health Law of Lagos State, 2015 and, in particular, section 8 of the Quarantine Act. He said Section 8 provides that if regulations under section 4 of the Act were not made by the President, power to make such regulations might be exercised by the governor in respect of his state. He held: This means that the regulations made by the governor on March 27, 2029, are valid within the context of section 8 of the Quarantine Act, having been made at a time when the president had not made his regulations. The Lagos State Infectious Disease (Emergency Prevention) Regulations, 2020 is, therefore, subsidiary legislation validly made under section 8 of the Quarantine Act. Contrary to the Applicants argument, section 17 of the Regulations created certain offences ranging from failure to comply with a restriction order, prohibition or doing anything contrary to the provisions of the Regulations. Section 17 (2) of the Regulations provides that any person who contravenes the requirements of the Regulations shall be liable under the Quarantine Act, Public Health Law of the State and any other existing law to fine or imprisonment Ir both by the extant rules. It is of note that section 5 of the Quarantine Act provides penalties or punishment against any person who contravenes provisions of the regulations made under the Act. While commending Mr Ogungbeje for seeking to protect citizens rights from violations, the judge noted that the suit had no support of the law. Mr Aluko added: In total, I hold that this suit has disclosed no reasonable cause of action against the Respondents. The instant suit is incompetent, and the court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate over same. Accordingly, this suit is struck out for those reasons. Madam, it is a small issue. Your husband was involved in a crash and he died. Those were the words of the uniformed men from the office of the nursing service of the Nigeria Air Force that came to drop the news about the death of her husband, Adim Chukwudi, a 43 years old wing commander at the time. When Florence Adim heard this in 2003, she went numb. Its a small thing? the mother of three remembers asking. Why is he dead? A distraught Mrs Adim said that the shock was not so severe when she was told initially but after a while, it dawned on me that Adim is not coming back again. Mrs Adim is one of over 100 widows of slain officers of the Nigerian Air Force. She and many others shared their experiences since the deaths of their breadwinners who died while serving the Nigerian Air Force. Our findings show that although the Nigerian Air Force pays the gratuities to the widows and takes care of their young orphans, the life insurance benefits are seldom paid. The widows also believe the air force can do more to support the families of the slain officers. More tales Phoebe Jatau, 48, lost her husband, Dari Jatau, in 2020. Since then her two children and two stepchildren became her sole responsibility. After sustaining multiple fractures from an air crash, Mr Jatau was admitted to Gwagwalada special hospital, Abuja. But as his condition worsened, he was referred back to the Airforce base hospital for a physiotherapy session. Yet there was little improvement. The physiotherapist failed to handle my husband with care and he fell, the widow said. This complicated the whole situation and we did not have enough money for the surgery so we came back home. Mr Jatau eventually died in 2020 from the injury. In 2014, Jonathan Apollos, a warrant officer, left home for a peacekeeping mission in Jos. After about a year on the mission, he became ill and had to return home to the care of his wife of 14 years, Funmi Apollos. Doctors told Mrs Apollos that her husbands case was dire, and his chances of survival were 50/50. This was even after some tests and surgery. Yet, his employees would not have any of that, the 40-year-old widow said. My husband fell ill and on top of the illness, he was punished on false allegations which even made the matters worse, the mother of six said. He eventually died from the illness. Air Forces Support For Mrs Adim, now 53 years old, the death of her husband made life so tough as she had to cater for children with her meagre resources. Even though things are getting better now that the children are a little bit grown-up, she recalled how living without her husbands support was tough. By 2006, she got the gratuity of N4.2 million, which helped her offset the immediate financial blow her husbands death brought. Also, the air force has been paying her childrens school fees, but she clamours for more. Unlike Mrs Adim, Mrs Jatau said she has received only half of her husbands gratuity, and she continues to make a living out of her job at the Nigeria Air force Hospital, where she is paid N16,500 a month, money that is barely enough for basic needs with three children to cater for. I have been receiving this for nine years as a temporary staff member, she said. I have a diploma and I earn N16,500? It pains me but what can I do? Her fate appears better when compared with Mrs Apollos. The mother of six got her husbands gratuity but left the barrack in 2015, a year after her husbands death, to live in a single room. At the NAF hospital where she works as an attendant, Mrs Apollos receives N10,000 monthly. Now, her children are on the brink of dropping out of school. They (the air force) told me that if they are going to pay me my husbands life insurance, they will not pay my childrens school fees and if they pay my childrens school fees, they will not pay me my husbands life insurance pension. Her eldest child, 20, proceeded to learn tailoring after finishing secondary school three years ago. Her second son, also a secondary school graduate, works as a security guard in a church. Both Mmes Apollos and Jatau said despite trying many times, they have not been able to access their husbands life insurance entitlements. This pushed them to seek intervention on an Abuja-based human rights radio programme, Brekete Family, aired by broadcaster Ahmed Isah, popularly known as ordinary president. Even though the intervention offered some hope, that was soon dashed as years passed without the life insurance being paid. The chief of administration of the Nigerian Air Force, Nelson Calmday, an air vice-marshal, denied that the air force owes the widows any entitlement. He noted that the life insurance payment is in the hands of the ministry of defence. He said there was a court case involving some of the third party companies involved in the life insurance payment, and the suit was probably stalling the payments. He, however, would not provide details of the court case. Efforts to seek further clarifications from Bernard Onyeuko, the director of defence media operations, were unsuccessful. Mr Onyeuko, a brigadier general, did not return calls or messages sent to his phone on the matter. What the law says Section 7(1) of the armed force act states that where a serviceman dies in the service after the completion of the minimum period of qualifying service, there shall be paid to his legal personal representatives, or to any person being a relation or dependant of such serviceman (a) a gratuity equal to one years salary of such serviceman, up to 31 March, 1978 and the gratuity he would have been entitled to if he had retired on the date of his death after 31 March, 1978; and (b) such pension as would have been payable to the serviceman if he had retired at the date of his death. In an instance where a serviceman dies before completing the minimum period of qualifying service, his designated survivors shall only be paid a death gratuity of only one years salary, the next subsection adds. For Mrs Adim whose husband was killed while in service, gratuity was paid with her childrens school fees catered for until the university level, while Mrs Jatau had a part payment of her husbands pension and gratuity paid excluding educational benefits because her children were above the age of 18 years except for one whom she had decided not to process. The air forces director of public relations, Edward Gabkwet, an air commodore, said NAF does enough by making sure that the gratuities of the slain soldiers are paid to the next of kin. The Air Force does not joke with the gratuities of slain soldiers. Gratuities of these soldiers are paid in millions to the next of kin and we also make sure that the school fees of the children are catered to until university level. Besides that, we have no other provisions and even if there are more, it wont be sustainable with this kind of system. Between 1966 and 2021, Mr Gabkwet said, the service lost 115 men and women who died in active service during their combat against insecurity. He further explained that the airforce already tries to help out widows through its armed forces act and the armed forces pension act. Hopes for the future PREMIUM TIMES reported how four crashes were recorded in six months, leaving 20 military personnel dead. Another report said 33 air officers have been killed in 6 years. In April, two officers were feared dead in a plane crash in Kaduna. The rising insecurity has resulted in more deaths of officers who are on the front line confronting terrorism. Statista for Crime and Law enforcement said in 2020 that the number of Nigerian soldiers (including army and naval officials) that have been killed as a result of the Boko Haram attack between 2018 and 2019 is 174. These deaths have devastating effects on their survivors, most of whom rely on the soldiers for sustenance. Air Force can do more While all the widows interviewed for this story said the air force authorities are trying their best, they also want them to do more. Since I lost my husband, nobody has ever called me to say how are you doing? Mrs Adim said. Place a call or a text, especially to those women that lost their husbands in active service, she urged the military. Festive periods send a package to them. Let them know that they are being remembered after all if their husbands were to be alive, they would have provided for them. Mrs Jatau on her part urged the force to increase the salaries of the temporary staff in the NAF hospital, while also hastening the payment of the life pension of widows. Support for this story was provided by the Media and Gender Project of Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism #CREATESAFESPACES. A former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party(NNPP). Mr Kwankwaso was affirmed the presidential candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 elections at a special convention of the party held in Abuna on Thursday. The former two-time governor and also an ex-senator had defected to the NNPP from the Peoples Democratic Party when he lost control of the party in Kano State. His son-in-law, Abba Kabir Yusuf, is also the Kano gubernatorial candidate of the party. Mr Kwankwaso will compete with the likes of Bola Tinubu, flag bearer of the APC; Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP; Peter Obi of the Labour Party, among others in the 2023 presidential election. After months of intense horse-trading among various power blocs within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, was Wednesday declared the winner of the presidential primary of the party. At the presidential primary concluded in Abuja Wednesday, Mr Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes, defeated 13 others in the race. His closest opponent was the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who scored 316 votes. Mr Tinubu, while declaring his intention to run for the presidency of Nigeria in January, said it has always been his lifetime ambition. He disclosed this at the State House shortly after visiting President Muhammadu Buhari. He was also the first of the aspirants to officially make public his intention to run. Mr Tinubu, whom seven of the aspirants stepped down for at the convention ground, was almost muscled out of the race by stiff opposition to his aspiration by other power blocs in the party. An intra-party war between some politicians and businessmen close to President Muhammadu Buhari, the so-called Aso Rock cabal, and some northern governors over the control of Nigerias political lever had almost cost the partys national leader his aspiration. The faces behind the cabal mask, represented by Mr Buharis nephew, Mamman Daura, according to multiple sources, are men who exert a great influence on the president. Mr Tinubus ambition also received opposition from some of his erstwhile associates including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who polled 235 votes. His recent outburst in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the home state of Mr Osinbajo, was also rumoured to have further widened the existing gap between him and the president. Mr Tinubu had publicly claimed to have helped to secure victory for the president, even as he boasted to have helped many political leaders in the country. He specifically mentioned Mr Osinbajo and the governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun, insisting that he stood by the latter when he was rejected by the then outgoing governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun. Many criticised Mr Tinubu for the outburst, and the president on Tuesday criticised the stance via a statement signed by his media aide, Garba Shehu. Meanwhile, Mr Tinubus aspiration received a boost with the support of some governors, particularly those from the northern part of the country, who insisted power must shift to the southern part of the country. The northern governors position countered the position of the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Adamu, who announced to other members of the partys National Working Committee (NWC) that the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, had been chosen by President Buhari as the consensus aspirant. Mr Adamu said the decision was a product of wide consultation with relevant stakeholders including Mr Buhari. While the majority of the northern governors wanted the presidency zoned to the south, the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, rejected the stance and insisted he would remain in the race. But the withdrawal from the race by the Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, and the declaration of his support for Mr Tinubu, further confirmed the northern governors commitment to the pledge. Mr Tinubu will now challenge the candidates of other parties in next years presidential election. His opponents will include Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, said on Wednesday that he did not expect to win the partys presidential primary. I did not expect to win, I won. I must be intoxicated with victory, he said. Mr Tinubu also said he holds no grudges against members of his party who worked against his candidature. The competition is now over. Those who did not support me, you have nothing to fear. I hold no grudges and grievances. Let us each agree to join hands in defeating PDP and beat back their retrogressive understanding of Nigeria, he said. The PDP is Nigerias main opposition party. The party had ruled Nigeria for 16 years before it lost in 2015 to the APC. They had 16 years, they depleted our resources and left us with hunger. Let us dig their graves by defeating them in the next election because they are the agents of poverty, terror, violence and lying, he added. Mr Tinubu, in his victory speech after the APC presidential primary in Abuja, also thanked all the seven aspirants who stepped down for him during the primary. You chose to step down through personal ambition and conviction that I will do a better job not because you denigrate yourself but because you trust in my brain that I am a thinker and I am a doer. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Tinubu defeated 13 other aspirants to win the primary. He secured 1,271 votes of APC delegates to emerge as the partys flag bearer. His closest challenger, ex-minister Rotimi Amaechi, scored 316 votes. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third in the primary with 235 votes. In his speech, Mr Tinubu commended other candidates for putting up a good fight. It is a difficult thing to run for president, the stiff and bold competition you offered made our party stronger, made me better. I am a better man, I am humbled and grateful to all of you. Osinbajo, a good, supportive pillar The former Lagos governor described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who also contested in the primaries, as a good and supportive pillar to President Muhammadu Buhari. We thank you for being steady and a good support to our president, he said. Mr Osinbajo served as justice commissioner for the eight years that Mr Tinubu was the Lagos governor. Both men were allies and Mr Tinubu influenced the emergence of Mr Osinbajo as vice president. Thanks Ahmad Lawan Taking a mild jab at Ahmad Lawan, Nigerias senate president, Mr Tinubu said: I would have been a little upset because you compete with me but that is over now since you can easily leak your wounds. However, Mr Tinubu said it does not stop him from thanking the lawmaker for his contribution to Nigeria. You have helped in steering the ship of this nation in the right direction and with your team in the Senate, history is written and will be kind to you. He thanked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hakeem Gbajabiamila, describing him as a sparkling speaker. Mr Tinubu also thanked the APC national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who many believe was against Mr Tinubus emergence. To the chairman of our party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, it appeared some weeks back that some newspapers and many people were ready to write the obituary of this party. We put together and pulled ourselves as a cat of nine lives. We poached you to come over, patched the roof, steady the pillars and be a master builder. You came on and you worked hard with the collaboration of others, we worked with you, a new national executive emerged. Here we are; shame on those who were already building the coffin of APC. Shame on them, our party is alive. They wont be able to do the convention but here we are, the first convention to choose a new executive, the governors pulled themselves together and many other leaders, we did break our backs, we are here, very happy and confident and courageous to tell you that the cat that lies down quietly is not a pretension of death but breeding of the energy to devour its enemy. Now we are here, we will roar. We will do it. We will tell the Poverty Development Party. They call themselves PDP, 16 years of misery, wastefulness, failures, of forgetting about our children of today and tomorrow. We said step aside, be buried, cry and leave the way for us, we will repair our country and will bring it back as strong, the best nation for our children. Mr Tinubu invited party leaders to join him in the journey, adding that he did not know what he had done to be nominated. In what is synonymous with a campaign promise, Mr Tinubu assured security personnel of better days and rewards in real-time. I must thank our men and women in uniform, those who make sacrifices of their lives, left family behind and continue to fight for the survival of this country. Be assured that it is the beginning of that time now you will enjoy reward and enjoy a part of your life, you will not sacrifice for nothing. Encouraging religious tolerance in Nigeria, Mr Tinubu said: We are not the barbaric, blind human beings they think we are. They are setting us against each other. When you were born, you did not hear from the womb whether you will be a male or a female, Christian or Muslim. You were born to your parents and adopted their religions and continued, the faith is in the mind. We will just need to love one another, build a new society, learn to teach a new way of life not digging death channels. We are all human beings that must live together. No one religion can eliminate the other. He also said the Calabar port will be dredged to receive goods and fabrication. We will fabricate brakes and any other parts in our area of expertise. We can revive our economy, we can beat other nations like Morocco, yes we can. While ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu scored 1,271 votes to win the presidential primary of the ruling party, APC, four other aspirants scored zero votes. Mr Tinubu was one of the 23 aspirants cleared to take part in the primary held in Abuja from Tuesday to Wednesday. Each of the 23 aspirants paid N100 million for the forms. At the venue of the primary, seven of the 23 aspirants stepped down for Mr Tinubu while one stepped down for Mr Osinbajo. Another withdrew from the race but did not declare support for anyone. Only 14 aspirants, therefore, took part in the primary proper. While Mr Tinubu won with 1,271 votes, ex-transport minister Rotimi Amaechi came second with 316 votes. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes while Senate President Ahmad Lawan came fourth with 152 votes. The delegates who voted were APC members elected from each of the 774 local governments in Nigeria: three par local government. Below are four aspirants who could not get a single delegate to vote for them despite paying N100 million each and refusing to step down for other aspirants. Pastor Bakare, the man of God Mr Bakare is the senior pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, Lagos. When he addressed delegates at the Eagle Square on Tuesday night, Mr Bakare was very upbeat about his victory. I am not here to step down for anyone. I am here to step up as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said. Unfortunately for Mr Bakare, however, his step up was not enough to convince even one delegate. Mr Bakare had famously described himself as the 16th president after President Muhammadu Buhari, the 15th president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was Mr Buharis running mate in 2011 under the now-defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Mr Buhari lost that election. His entry into the race was a surprise to many as he was not known to be a card-carrying member of the APC. Rochas Okorocha, the Polyglot When Rochas Okorocha, the senator representing Imo West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, mounted the podium to address delegates, he spoke in three languages: English, Hausa and Igbo. Northern Nigeria, listen to me, he said in Hausa. I want you to know that you dont have a better lover than Rochas. Ask other candidates seeking the position of the presidency. By God, they dont know the problems and worth of the North. I, Rochas, know the problem of the North. Not only was he unable to convince any Northern delegate, but he was not also able to convince even one of the 81 delegates from Imo State. Mr Okorocha, the former governor of Imo State, was recently granted N500 million bail from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to attend the APC screening exercise of the presidential aspirants. He is being prosecuted for allegedly stealing public funds while he was governor. Jack Rich, the storyteller Another aspirant who got no votes at the APC primaries is 47 years old Jack Rich. Mr Rich, who never hesitated to narrate his story of a young boy who lost both parents in the city of Port Harcourt, is one of the youngest aspirants in the primaries. When he made his formal declaration for president last month, Mr Rich told his life story. On Tuesday, when he was asked to address delegates, he repeated the same story. Unfortunately, his story did not convince any delegates to vote for him. Ikeobasi Mokelu When Ikeobasi Mokelu was asked to address delegates Tuesday night, he virtually spent all his time praising President Muhammadu Buhari. Many observers would think Mr Mokelu was campaigning for a third term for the outgoing president. Unfortunately for Mr Mokelu, a former information minister under late dictator Sani Abacha, Mr Buhari was not a delegate and could not vote for him. Also, no delegate appeared to have been convinced by Mr Mokelus eulogy for the president. At least, five residents were confirmed killed and several others severely wounded after bandits attacked Magazu village of the Tsafe local government area in Zamfara State Tuesday evening. The attack came weeks after residents of the predominantly Hausa Community had a peace meeting with the bandits operating in the area. Many of the bandits are of Fulani lineage. Balarabe Shehu, a local in Tsafe town, said he knew two of the residents killed. I know Mustapha Abdullahi and Ibrahim Ahmad they were among the five people killed. Mustapha Abdullahi was the first to be killed even before the bandits entered the community because he was seen working in his farm. I heard that Ibrahim Ahmad was killed while he was running for his life after the bandits entered the village. He was shot alongside his brother, Musa, but the brother is not dead, Mr Shehu said. He said the remaining three residents killed were also male. Mr Shehu added that at least 15 residents were admitted at the General Hospital in Tsafe following the bandits attack. Honestly, I cant tell you the number of those wounded. Theyre many who have been severely wounded. Some of them were not shot but got wounded while trying to escape the attack. I learnt some have not been taken to the hospital, he said. Peace meeting Magazu community is one of the troubled villages in the Tsafe local government area of the state. Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that bandits leaders in the area like Ada Aleru and Hassan Nabamanu considered Magazu too hostile to Fulanis which make it an easy target for the gunmen. In March, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how a peace meeting between Mr Aleru and some elders in Tsafe local government led to a ceasefire for some weeks. But Mr Aleru said he would not spare Magazu and other communities considered too hostile to the Fulanis. A law enforcement source who asked not to be named because they have no authorisation to speak with the media told PREMIUM TIMES how leaders of the Magazu community reached out to some bandits leaders for a dialogue. Five or four days ago, there was a meeting between the bandits leaders, especially Ada Aleru and his people on the one side and community leaders on the other where some agreements were made. The community elders sought for a window so that their people could be allowed to work on their farmlands while the bandits demanded a safe route from the community elders, the source said. said. The source added that the bandit leader also told residents of Magazu to stop killing innocent Fulani. When asked if the bandits who undertook the attacks were from the same camp as those engaged in the peace meeting, he said he did not know. You know how these bandits are, theyre many and have different camps and thats one of the reasons why its impossible to reach an agreement with them. Its possible that the bandits who undertook the attack were not part of the agreement, he said. Mr Shehu, from Tsafe town, confirmed that there was a peace meeting between the people of Magazu and the bandits. The police command spokesperson in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu, didnt respond to calls and SMS sent to him during the attack. North-west states of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi as well Niger in the north-central have been witnessing an increase in the number of bandits attacks leading to the death and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Banditry is a code for organised crimes like kidnap for ransom, cattle rustling, armed robbery, etc. Following an attack on a catholic church in Ondo State which left scores of people dead and many injured, some women groups under the aegis of Womanifesto on Tuesday gave the Nigerian government four weeks to put an end to the incessant killings across the country. This newspaper reported that on June 5, some assailants yet to be arrested attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, South-west Nigeria. The incident left at least 70 persons dead including children and many others critically wounded. Several individuals and organisations have since condemned the incident, including the Roman Catholic Pope. Similarly, Womanifesto in a press statement signed by the Co-convener, Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi on behalf of the groups, questioned the governments failure to provide security for Nigerians due to this incident. The failure of the government to properly investigate or take tangible actions to ensure justice or deter future occurrences continues to exacerbate the crises, Mrs Akiyode-Afolabi said. She cited a Nigeria Security Tracker report by the Council on Foreign Relations which claimed over 3, 515 people have died as a result of violent attacks between January and June 2022, with 1, 214 deaths in March, ranking higher than the 996 deaths recorded in January. Demands Consequently, the women groups issued five demands for action by the Federal and Ondo State Governments. They asked for the publication of the identities of all the victims of the Owo tragedy, including those that died and the injured. They requested that the government demonstrate accountability and carry out a speedy investigation that leads to arrests, successful judicial prosecution and sentencing of the killers. They further called for the immediate provision of succour for all the families of the victims. The groups also want the government to present a national security status report to Nigerians in fulfilment of the constitutional duty of the President and the security agencies. They asked for transparent communication of the performance of the security establishments in light of the huge budgetary provisions allocated annually to the counter-terrorism war. Failure to implement these demands, the groups said they will take every step necessary to stand for the preservation of the lives of our citizens. Mascot Kalu, former chief of staff to the then Governor Theodore Orji of Abia, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP) for the 2023 general elections. Mr Kalu, who is the younger brother of the Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu, was returned unopposed at the partys primary held in Umuahia on Tuesday. The party faithful affirmed his emergence through a voice vote after the second aspirant, Ndem Chukwu, stepped down from the race. Announcing his withdrawal at the venue of the election, Mr Chukwu said he withdrew in order to support Mr Kalu. Mr Kalu, in his post-election speech, said that he was prepared to help in rebuilding Abia State. He said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had failed to develop the state. He berated the Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration for impoverishing the state and its people. This administration has brought untold hardship to Abia people, failed to pay salaries and pensions as at when due. It has also abandoned the social infrastructure to dilapidate, making Abia the most undeveloped state in the South-East zone, he said. Mr Kalu said workers salaries and pensions would be paid by the 26th of every month. He said he has an edge over other governorship candidates, citing political experience as a chief of staff to the then governor. Mr Kalu defected from the APC after losing the House of Representatives by-election for Aba North and South Federal Constituency in 2020. He expressed confidence that APP can win the 2023 poll in the state. According to him, the party has great prospects since it could fill all the elective positions for the general elections barely two months of its inception in the state. We have nine months to grow the party further, in terms of its membership and capacity, the governorship hopeful said. He also expressed the hope that the Electoral Act 2022 would bring substantial improvement into the 2023 polls. I have confidence that the Electoral Act will make a positive impact in terms of free, fair and credible elections. This is because of the experience from the recent elections so far conducted in some parts of the country, he said. (NAN) The Nigerian Red Cross Society has appealed to Nigerians and organisations for assistance to cater for the needs of Cameroonian refugees who fled to Bashu community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State. It would be recalled that a week ago, over 500 refugees from South-west Cameroon fled to Bashu, a border community with Cameroon following a reported crisis that broke out in their communities. Reacting to the development, Friday Okwo, Head of Red Cross in Cross River, said they lacked the manpower and supplies to cater for the teeming number of refugees that was growing every day. Another official of the society, who did not want his name mentioned, said the number of refugees was increasing daily and needed medical and humanitarian attention. He said they were trying their best but needed the assistance of other agencies and well-meaning Nigerians before they ran out of supplies. ALSO READ: African refugees fleeing Ukraine held in EU immigration detention facilities Our personnel have been very busy attending to the influx of these refugees many of whom are severely wounded. We give the elderly women, children and critically wounded ones immediate medical care but as we speak, space is becoming a challenge, he said. Similarly, a youth leader in the Bashu community, Augustine Ogar, said facilities have been overstretched, adding that there was an immediate need for humanitarian supplies. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported the crisis by a separatist group in Cameroonian border communities, in which many citizens of the central African country have been injured. Some have been killed, while others fled to Bashu in Cross River. (NAN) A five-storey building, which was under construction, has collapsed in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Construction workers ran out of the building seconds before it collapsed, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. The building is at Ngbabor, off Presco campus of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. No casualty had been recorded at the time of filing this report. When our reporter visited the scene of the incident, government officials were seen inspecting the collapsed building, apparently to find out what went wrong. A handful of residents of the area gathered around the scene. Some police officers and Ebubeagu operatives were seen trying to cordon off the collapsed building. Residents said the building collapsed around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. A resident said the construction workers at the site ran out of it as soon as the building started vibrating before it eventually collapsed. One of the twin buildings was still standing, but government officials warned residents to stay away from it because the integrity of the structure could not be guaranteed. There have been frequent cases of building collapse lately around the country, especially in Lagos State, Nigerias South-west. The absence of a judge, Obiora Egwuatu, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, stalled the commencement of trial in a suit filed by a former senator, Grace Bent against Precious Chikwendu. Ms Chikwendu, who is an estranged wife of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, was arraigned by the Nigeria Police on charges of defamation of character and cyber-stalking in March. The case could not go on as Mr Egwatu was said to be attending a three-day judges seminar holding at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja. But the defendant was in court for Wednesdays proceedings. The case was adjourned until October 6 for the commencement of the trial. Background Ms Chikwendu pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned on March 10. Following her not guilty plea, the prosecuting lawyer, Victor Okoye, asked the court for a date to commence trial. Also, Mr Okoye urged the court to remand the defendant pending the hearing and determination of the suit. But Ms Chikwendus lawyer, Alex Ejesieme, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), opposed the prosecutions request to remand his client. The judge, who granted bail to Ms Chikwendu in the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted her by the police, fixed Wednesday for the commencement of the trial. Ms Chikwendu, an ex-beauty queen, has been having a running battle with her former husband, Mr Fani-Kayode, over the custody of their four sons. But recently, the duo seemed to have settled their dispute as Ms Chikwendu was granted access to her children. Ms Chikwendu, her sister, Prisca, alongside Emmanuel Anakan, and Osakwe Azubuike, face criminal charges before the courts in Abuja. However, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Bola Tinubu, one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirants, has said that he will fight terrorism and insecurity in the country if elected as the next president in 2023. He said this on Tuesday while addressing the partys delegates at its special convention and presidential primary election at the Abuja Eagle Square. Mr Tinubu commended the other aspirants in the race for conducting what he described as a decent campaign, saying that the competition would eventually make the APC stronger. He described himself as a unifier and the one which the current moment in the country calls for. Nominate me as the partys presidential candidate for 2023 because Im competent and courageous to serve Nigeria, and deliver good governance, he said. Mr Tinubu, a former two-term governor of Lagos State said he had the experience, record of achievements, and the ability to deliver good governance if elected as the countrys next president. He added that true reform and progress lie not in copying others, but in identifying our own opportunities as a nation. I have done this in Lagos State as governor for two terms. I humbly ask you to allow me to use these skills and experiences to advance the nation. I come to you with a coherent vision on how to improve our nation, such that our schools, industry, agriculture, and infrastructure will become the pride of all. Ours shall be a land where all Nigerians will have equal chance and no one is excluded because of his ethnic background, religious creed, place of origin, or social status, we are all Nigerians. By this statement, I seek your help and support to become our partys nominee and standard-bearer in the coming February 2023 presidential elections. To lead Nigerians is a sacred trust, which I do not take lightly or seek selfishly, by giving me the partys mandate, I hereby make solemn vow to make Nigeria the best home for its citizens, he said. Mr Tinubu expressed optimism that as an indivisible united country, Nigerians shall overcome the destructive forces attempting to steal the destiny of the nation. Also speaking to the delegates, Ahmad Lawan, President of the Senate, said he would build on President Muhammadu Buharis achievements if elected as the countrys next president. I am running for the office of the president of the country because this party has been built well around ideas which we all share, he said. He appealed to the delegates to elect an aspirant that would build on Buharis achievements. Earlier, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo assured that the partys presidential primary election would be free, fair, and transparent. Mr Uzodinma is the chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the APC special convention and presidential primary election. Our party has always proved the opposition parties wrong and we will prove that today with a free, fair, and transparent election, he said. Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past Minister of Transportation and a former two-term governor of Rivers while speaking to the delegates, said he was the most qualified aspirant to be the countrys next president having served in various capacities. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that contrary to speculations, all 23 APC presidential aspirants that bought the partys Expression of Interest and Nomination forms were asked to sell their candidacy to the delegates. Meanwhile, Ibikunle Amosun, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Godswill Akpabio, Dimeji Bankole and Uju Ken-Ohanenye, the only APC female presidential aspirant, all stepped down for Tinubu. As of the time of filing this report, Felix Nicholas, a Nigerian based in the United States of America and the youngest APC presidential aspirant also stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, also a presidential aspirant, reiterated his ability, experience, and what takes to ensure electoral victory for the APC in 2023, saying that he remains in the race. He appealed to the delegates to elect him as the partys 2023 presidential candidate, adding that he had the support of women, youths, and persons with disability in the country (NAN) The highlight of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) special convention to elect its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections so far is the galore of withdrawals from the race by some of the aspirants. When the event commenced Tuesday afternoon, there were 23 aspirants in the race. But after pronouncements by each of the aspirants, only 14 of them remained in the battle for the ticket to fly the partys flag in the 2023 general election. Seven of the aspirants stepped down for the former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, and pledged their support for him. One aspirant, however, stepped down for the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. Ken Nnamani, a former President of the Senate, had earlier withdrawn from the race before the commencement of the convention. But unlike other candidates who declared their support for either Mr Tinubu or Mr Osinbajo, Mr Nnamani did not announce his support for any of the remaining aspirants. He cited as reasons for his decision the partys alleged lack of sincerity on zoning arrangement and the poor management of the primary election activities. He said the development had created uncertainty and poor preparation for his planned campaign. Meanwhile, here are the nine aspirants who stepped down at the convention and who they declared their support for. 1. Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 2. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 3. Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, Ajayi Boroffice, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 4. Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 5. Godswill Akpabio, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 6. Ibikunle Amosun, former Ogun State governor, stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 7. Uju-Kennedy Ohanenye, the only female aspirant in the race, also stepped down for Bola Tinubu. 8. The youngest male presidential aspirant, Nicholas Felix, stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. 9. The former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, only withdrew from the race without declaring support for any of the remaining aspirants. A total of 2,203 delegates drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory (FCT) were accredited to participate in the election. The police in Edo State have arrested eight people for alleged attempt to defraud the Nigerian government of $2billion. The arrest followed a petition from a community chief, Richard David, of Okpella community, in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state, the police spokesperson in the state, Chidi Nwabuzor, told reporters on Tuesday in Benin. Mr Nwabuzor, a superintendent of police, said the suspects had, on July 14, 2021, told Mr David and his kin that they had secured an approval from the Federal Government, through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), to evacuate scrap bore-hole pipes equipment worth $2billion. The said equipment was meant for the Okpella water project by the Federal Government under the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). The community people, who were apprehensive wisely disallowed the evacuation of the items. This action by the Okpella people, however, prompted one of the suspects to go to the Okpella police station to report that the community refused them evacuating the items. During investigation, the police uncovered the fact of the matter through the confession of one of the suspects, who is a staff of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Abuja. The said suspect also agreed to have forged the presidency approval for auctioneer documents for the operation. Investigation has been concluded and the suspects would soon be charged to court, Mr Nwabuzor said. He appealed to residents of the state to help the police by giving information on the activities of suspected criminals, Meanwhile, one suspect, who is an official of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, told reporters he was the originator of the fake document. The suspect said he collaborated with an official of an engineering company in Benin. I got the letter from the wrong side as the documents which were addressed to the Edo Governor, the Commissioner of Police in Edo and all relevant security agencies were forged, he said. He disclosed he got N500,000 from the crime. (NAN) Access Bank said it has brokered a deal with the investment firm Centum Investment Plc to procure the 83.4 per cent interest the latter holds in Nairobi-based lender Sidian Bank. It is its fifth major acquisition outside its base Nigeria in 18 months. The binding pact allows the flagship unit of Nigerias top lender, Access Holdings Plc, to take a controlling stake tentatively estimated at $37 million (N15 billion) in Sidian. The valuation was arrived at using a price-to-book multiple of 1.1x based on the audited 31 March 2022 shareholders equity of Sidian, Access Bank said in a regulatory filing by its parent company on Wednesday seen by PREMIUM TIMES. Access Bank will be looking to lengthen its strides in Kenya, where it already has a subsidiary with an asset valuation of N49.6 billion at the end of last year, by way of a merger with the target bank, which opened its 43rd branch this March. It launched a failed bid for the majority shareholding in Union Bank via a planned acquisition of investment company Atlas Maras holding in the entity. Access conceded the deal to challenger bank Titan Trust, which consummated a takeover of the lender early this month. The acquisition of Sidian is a significant step-up in scale and potential for Access Bank in Kenya which represents the largest market and trade corridor in East Africa, CEO Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe said in the statement. READ ALSO: Access Bank promotes 800 employees as it transitions to holdco structure The significant increase in scale and customer base presents us with enormous opportunities to support growth in the various ecosystems we are building in our trade and payment system. Sidan has a modicum of traction in retail banking, where it lends principally to small and medium-sized enterprises. That presents Access Bank with a market to tap further. The deal will go through once the bank measures up to regulators demands at home and in Kenya. This transaction builds on our earlier acquisition of the former Transnational Bank Plc (now Access Bank Kenya) and underscores our resolve to strengthen our presence in Kenya, a key African market that fits into our strategic focus for geographic earnings growth and diversification, said Roosevelt Ogbonna, CEO of Access Bank. The Anambra House of Assembly, on Tuesday, adjourned Indefinitely in honour of a member, Okechukwu Okoye, who was abducted and beheaded by gunmen. The Speaker, Uche Okafor, announced the adjournment following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Nnamdi Okafor and seconded by Emma Nwafor (Orumba South Constituency). Mr Okafor officially announced the death of Mr Okoye, who until his abduction, was representing Aguata Constituency ll in the House under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He recalled that Mr Okoye was abducted on May 15, while the police in the state confirmed his death on May 21. With a heavy heart, we want to officially announce the death of one of us, Dr Okechukwu Okoye, who was abducted on May 15 and the police command announced his unfortunate death on May 21. We sympathise with his family, his community, Isuofia and the Aguata Constituency and pray that God console all of us and his soul rest in peace. We, therefore, urged security agencies to intensify efforts at ensuring that the perpetrators are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law. ALSO READ: Police kill suspected kidnappers in Anambra We also urge the State Governor, Charles Soludo, to do more in ensuring the security of lives and property in the state and residents to be security conscious and help security agencies with the right information for swift action, he said. Anambra, like other states in Nigerias South-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately. The attacks, mostly targeted at security and public officials, including government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east. The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for terrorism. (NAN) Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, on his emergence as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement posted on his Twitter handle on Wednesday, Mr Abubakar said Mr Tinubu fought hard in the contest, adding that it was his tenacity that made him prevail in the end. Congratulations on your emergence as your partys presidential candidate. it has been a hard-fought contest, but that you prevailed confirms your tenacity- AA. Mr Tinubu defeated 14 other contestants to emerge as the presidential candidate of the ruling party for the March 2003 election. He polled 1,271 votes to win the ticket. Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi got 316 votes to place second while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes. Seven of the 23 contestants withdrew from the race to support Mr Tinubu. Mr Tinubu had last month congratulated Mr Abubakar when the latter won the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The former Lagos governor, in a statement by the Director, Media and Communications of Tinubu Campaign Organisation, Bayo Onanuga, commended Mr Abubakar for his patriotism and commitment to Nigerias progress. Mr Tinubu also said he looked forward to squaring up with Mr Abubakar in next years election. I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent in the coming election. I have known the former Vice President as a formidable politician and a patriot who believes in the unity and progress of our dear country, the statement said. The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said on Wednesday that the emergence of former Governor Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has reassured his party of winning the 2023 presidential poll. In a letter of congratulation he personally signed, Mr Lawan, who was also an aspirant in the primary, said the outcome of the election process had shown that Mr Tinubu was the popular choice of his party. He also explained why he ran against the former Lagos governor. As Your Excellency is aware, I offered myself alongside your good self and other patriotic members of the party to fly its highly coveted flag in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Ahmad said. I did so in the belief that I have the knowledge base, ideas, experience and desire to provide leadership for our dear country at these most trying times. However, the outcome of the election process has shown that Your Excellency is the popular choice of our party for that assignment. Read the full text of the letter to Mr Tinubu below. Dear Asiwaju (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) FELICITATIONS The Presidential Primary of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the 2023 General Election has come and gone. I am elated and proud that the Presidential primary was manifestly free and fair, and conducted within our APC Family under a most convivial atmosphere. The success of the event again demonstrates the capacity of our great party to run its internal affairs smoothly and devoid of rancour. As Your Excellency is aware, I offered myself alongside your good self and other patriotic members of the party to fly its highly coveted flag in the 2023 presidential election. I did so in the belief that I have the knowledge base, ideas, experience and desire to provide leadership for our dear country at these most trying times. However, the outcome of the election process has shown that Your Excellency is the popular choice of our party for that assignment. I do not have an iota of doubt in the wisdom of that decision by our Partys delegates from across the country. Your glittering track record of public service, foresight and grit in party building and administration, as well as the courage you continue to demonstrate in fighting for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria make you worthy of the high esteem and trust of our party members everywhere in Nigeria as exhibited at the National Convention. It is on this note that I heartily congratulate you on your well-deserved victory at the primary. I have no doubt that with your credentials, experience, antecedents and political sagacity, our great party will go into the 2023 contest confident of victory. As a loyal party member, I remain committed to the party at all times and will always be available to work for its success. Once again, I congratulate Your Excellency on your well-deserved nomination as the standard-bearer of our party and, Insha Allah, the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Signed: Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan PhD, CON President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria. 08/06/2022 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will not fly the All Progressives Congress flag in next years presidential election. Mr Osinbajo, a professor of Law, was roundly beaten by his former mentor and political associate, Bola Tinubu, at the end of the partys presidential primaries in Eagle Square, Abuja, Nigerias capital city. Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, scooped 1,271 delegate votes to emerge as the partys candidate in next years presidential polls. Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transportation, polled 316 votes to come a distant second. Mr Osinbajo polled 235 votes to finish third. A total of 2,322 ad-hoc delegates drawn from the 36 states and FCT participated in the primaries to elect the APC flag bearer. Twenty three aspirants declared their intention for the partys ticket. They include Vice President Osinbajo, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former Science and Technology Minister, Ogbonnaya Onu, former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. There were also five serving governors, namely Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ben Ayade (Cross River) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti). Also in the race were Mr Tinubu, former Ogun State governor and serving senator, Ibikunle Amosun, former Zamfara governor, Ahmad Sani, former Imo State governor and serving senator, Rochas Okorocha. There were also Mr Lawan, a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and a serving senator, Ajayi Boroffice. Also, gunning for the APC ticket were two clerics, Tunde Bakare and Felix Nicholas as well as a former Information Minister, Ikeobasi Mokelu, a businessman, Tein Jack-Rich, and the only female among them, Uju Ken-Ohanenye. Danger signs The presidential primaries began Tuesday night with 22 of the 23 aspirants in attendance. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, a former minister of state for education, boycotted the event in protest of the partys refusal to zone the ticket to his southeast region. In his final speech to the delegates before voting, Mr Osinbajo made an impassioned plea on why he should get the partys ticket. We are a religious nation; we believe in the power of prayer. We all pray for a country that is peaceful and prosperous, he said. But God allows us by our votes to show him whether we mean the prayers we pray or not. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in. So, our dear delegates, when you vote tonight, know that your vote carries the answer to your prayers for the future of our children, for the future of our country. Before the voting began, nine aspirants announced they were withdrawing from the race. Seven of them said they were stepping down to back Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos and national leader of the party. Two of the seven, Messrs Amosun and Bankole, are from the same Ogun State as Mr Osinbajo, an indication that the vice president was unable to have firm control of his constituency. And when Mr Badaru announced his withdrawal for Mr Tinubu, it effectively slammed the door on any hope that the vice president would get the north-wests bloc votes to counter the southern votes where he had lost ground. The other aspirants who stepped down for Mr Tinubu were Messrs Akpabio, Boroffice, Ken-Ohanenye, and Fayemi, I urge all my delegates in Ekiti and the Southwest to accord me the respect and offer support to Bola Tinubu. I am not doing him a favour but a duty of care for Nigeria, Mr Fayemi said. Mr Nicholas, however, stepped down and backed Mr Osinbajo. Mr Nnamani also announced his withdrawal from the race but did not back any aspirant. Lawyer and lecturer Mr Osinbajo, 65, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, served as the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007; when Mr Tinubu was governor. Afterwards, he returned to his law practice and lecturing job at the University of Lagos before he was nominated as President Muhammadu Buharis running mate in 2014. He ran alongside Mr Buhari on the APC ticket and defeated the then incumbent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr Osinbajo, an RCCG pastor, and President Buhari were re-elected in 2019 for a fresh four-year term. The perception that governors control all the party delegates in their states was faulted Wednesday when three governors who were presidential aspirants failed to get the votes of all the delegates in their states. The three governors were the only serving governors who contested in the presidential primary of Nigerias ruling party, APC, held at the Eagle Square in Abuja between Tuesday and Wednesday. The former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, scored 1,271 votes to win the primary and emerge as the flag bearer of the party. Ex-minister Rotimi Amaechi came second with 316 votes while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes. The voters in the primary election were three party delegates from each of Nigerias 774 local governments. The three serving governors who could not win the votes of all the delegates in their states are Yahaya Bello of Kogi, David Umahi of Ebonyi and Ben Ayade of Cross River. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State Mr Bello was the only governor of a northern state in the APC that opposed the zoning of the partys presidential ticket to the south. The other 13 northern governors in the APC met and agreed to the zoning arrangement. Mr Bello, however, insisted on contesting and said he would win if the process was credible. Kogi, in North Central Nigeria, has 21 local governments and thus 63 delegates. Mr Bello, however, only scored 47 votes in the primary. This implies that even if Mr Bello got all his votes from Kogi delegates, at least 16 of them did not vote for him. Ben Ayade of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade spoke concomitant grammar when he wooed delegates on Tuesday night. He boasted of not signing the anti-grazing law in his state because I thought it was offending the trades of herdsmen. Mr Ayade was elected governor on the platform of the opposition party, PDP, before he defected to the APC. On Tuesday, he described himself as a man with an enthusiasm of a youth and a wisdom of a 60-year-old. Cross River has 18 local governments and a total of 54 delegates. Mr Ayade only secured 37 votes, meaning at least 17 delegates from the state did not vote for him. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State whose dream was to engineer Nigeria could not secure the votes of all the 39 delegates from his state. Mr Umahi, however, did better than other governors in his category by securing 38 votes. This suggests that only one delegate in his state did not vote for him. Mr Umahi, like Mr Ayade, was elected on the PDP platform before he defected to the APC in 2021. Rochas Okorocha, the Imo senator Mr Okorocha is not a serving governor. But he is the immediate past governor of Imo State and one of only three senators from the state. Imo has 27 local governments and a total of 81 delegates. None voted for Mr Okorocha who scored zero votes. Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe. Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, on Wednesday, met with governors elected on the platform of the party to strategise on securing victory for PDP in the 2023 general elections. The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, told newsmen after the meeting on Wednesday in Abuja that it was more oa f consultative meeting. On behalf of my colleagues, the governors, let me commend the leadership of the party and members of our party for a very successful national convention. The national chairman along with the candidate came to thank the governors for their roles at the convention. We talked about cooperation and collaboration in prosecuting a very successful electioneering campaign that will result in victories for the PDP at various elections from the state House of Assembly, national election, governorship and the presidential election come February 2023. It is more of a consultative meeting on matters concerning the way forward, Mr Tambuwal said. On the running mate to the partys presidential candidate, Mr Tambuwal said: it is part of the consultation, it is ongoing and governors are also being consulted on that, Tambuwal said. At the meeting were the PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu; governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Seyi Makinde of Oyo States. (NAN More than 1,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox have now been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 29 countries that are not endemic to the virus. The Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated this during a live media briefing shown across the global health bodys social media handles. Mr Ghebreyesus further disclosed that the latest infections reported by the countries have been discovered not only among men who have sex with men. He said some countries are now beginning to report cases of community transmission, including some cases in women. The WHO DG also noted that the monkeypox virus has been circulating and killing in Africa for decades with 1,400 suspected cases and 66 deaths reported so far. Its an unfortunate reflection of the world we live in that the international community is only now paying attention to monkeypox because it has appeared in high-income countries. The communities that live with the threat of this virus every day deserve the same concern, the same care and the same access to tools to protect themselves, he said, calling for more medical attention in African countries endemic to the virus. According to the breakdown of cases available on the WHO website, for non-endemic countries as of May 29, 2022, the United Kingdom topped the infection log with over 100 cases, followed by Portugal and Canada. Meanwhile, a separate log for Africa indicates that the Democratic Republic of the Congo topped the chart with 1,284 infections and 58 deaths between January 1 and May 8, 2022, followed by Nigeria and Cameroon. Preventive measures, vaccination Speaking on the measures to curb the spread of the virus, the DG said WHO will issue guidance on clinical care, infection prevention and control, vaccination and further guidance on community protection. Last week, WHO hosted a consultation with more than 500 researchers to review what we know and dont know and to identify research priorities. Were also working with UN AIDS, civil society organisations and communities of men who have sex with men to listen to their questions and provide information on whats more on what monkeypox is and how to avoid it, he said. He also highlighted the various ways people can protect themselves from contracting the virus. There are effective ways for people to protect themselves and others. People with symptoms should isolate at home and consult a health worker. Those who share the household with an infected person should avoid close contact, he said. On vaccination, he added that the approved antivirus and vaccines for monkeypox are in limited supply, noting that WHO is developing a coordination mechanism for the distribution of supplies based on public health needs and fairness. He also warned that the WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against monkeypox, as the available vaccines are being used to protect those who may be exposed as health workers and laboratory personnel. In an explainer on the WHO website, the vaccination against smallpox has been demonstrated through several observational studies to be about 85 per cent effective in preventing monkeypox. On how monkeypox relates to smallpox, WHO explained that the clinical presentation of monkeypox resembles that of smallpox. Smallpox was more easily transmitted and more often fatal as about 30 per cent of patients died, while the last case of naturally acquired smallpox occurred in 1977. Origin, clades of monkeypox According to the WHO Technical Lead for monkeypox, Rosamund Lewis, the virus has been present in Africa for 50 years. She explained that it was first described in 1970 in a nine-month-old child. Prior to that it was first discovered in a colony of research monkeys in Copenhagen in Denmark, which is the origin of the name, so it is a virus that is present in forested regions. There are events where the virus moves from animals to people, there are activities encroaching on the forest, theres deforestation, theres perhaps the pressure of population and demographics, she said. On the clades of monkeypox, Mrs Lewis reiterated at the briefing that there are two different strains or clades of the virus that are prevalent in different areas. The clades are the Central African region called the Congo Basin clade and the second is the West African region called the West African clade. The WHO expert noted that the clade that is spreading, which is the West African clade of the virus, has long been known to perhaps cause less severe disease. She said: So the one that were seeing that is spreading in non-endemic countries is a strain which has long been known to perhaps cause less severe disease. And when there is a less severe disease, then people dont need to stay home. So its possible that transmission is being increased through increased human contact, physical contact, independent of the nature of the virus itself. From the calibre of attendees, the goodwill the president has built around the world, and the ideas put forward in his inauguration speech, I am confident the country under his watch will pursue a robust and rich foreign policy and diplomatic relations. I am positive that the country can continue on the path of great values and development in achieving a high quality of life for its people, thereby serving as an example for many poor countries. My wife and I had the pleasure of attending the inauguration of His Excellency Jose Ramos-Horta (JRH) as a second-term president of Timor-Leste (East Timor), after a ten-year hiatus. I was fortunate to build a relationship with JRH when I served as his chief of staff during his short sojourn at the United Nations, trying to build peace in Guinea-Bissau. In addition, my wife and I had hosted him in Nigeria during an official visit to President Goodluck Jonathan; and in March 2022, amidst his busy campaign schedules, he was available to chair the official release of my latest book, at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Nigeria. I learned about East Timor in 1981 as a Ph.D. student at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) during my field research in Pakistan. The exposure came from an acquaintance from Irian Jaya, now West Papua. He educated me on the history of colonial exploits in the Islands of Southeast Asia and the general turmoil affecting the region, including East Timor. At UCLA, I was part of a small group of idealists devoted to building African and African-American relationships, as well as using this to campaign for the freedom and dignity of the black man, including in South Africa. Every Saturday morning, with Adeyinka, my three-year-old daughter, we joined others in front of the Bank of America at Westwood, Los Angeles, demonstrating for American divestments from Apartheid South Africa. The subjugation and denial of freedom to people anywhere was of interest to me. But in Pakistan, I was like a fish out of water without any organisational capacity to help my interlocutor, beyond giving a hearing and words of encouragement. Working for the United Nations got me aware of the organisations unique role in freedom and nation-building in East Timor. From the early 16th century, the Portuguese introduced the colonial style they had adopted in Africa. The Portuguese, as usual, started with a trading post that effectively resulted in an almost 500-year colonisation of Timor Island. Though, in 1749, the Dutch who had established a presence in the general area took over West Timor. The recognition of Indonesian sovereignty by the Netherlands in 1949, saw Indonesia stepping into the erstwhile rights of the Dutch. With the overthrow of the right-wing Portuguese government on April 25, 1974, Portuguese colonies were freed and nationalist movements that had been campaigning for freedom scrambled to form governments. There was an initial coalition by the two largest parties the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) and the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), however, the coalition broke down acrimoniously. By October 1975, the Indonesian invasion commenced from West Timor and was formally declared on December 7, 1975. This only ended in October 1999, when a plebiscite overwhelmingly supported independence, as opposed to autonomy under Indonesian rule. The outcome of the plebiscite resulted in another round of killings and burnings by Indonesia in East Timor. The United Nations (UN) took over the administration of East Timor (the name changed to Timor-Leste on September 27, 2002), after the referendum till May 20, 2002, when the Timor-Leste flag was raised and Xanana Gusmao, who had led the internal resistance (that was actively supported by Catholic Bishop Carlos Belo, a Nobel Laureate for 1996), became the president. JRH, who shared his Nobel with Bishop Belo for leading the resistance from outside, became the Foreign minister. He subsequently served as prime minister and president, from 2007 to 2012. He lost a re-election bid. He left the scene to serve on international assignments but was wooed back to contest the 2022 presidential election, which he won with a landslide. Our invitation was dual: First to witness JRHs swearing-in, and second, to participate in the colourful 20th Anniversary of the raising of the Timor-Leste flag. We left Lagos on Qatar Airways, on Monday, May 16, for Kuala Lumpur via Doha. The challenge we faced at the Qatar Airways check-in at the International Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport at Ikeja was immense and it looked like we would not be allowed to travel. The unfriendly attitude of Nigerian officials at the airport, petty extortions, and an entitlement mentality, which at times come by way of begging for tips, still have to be addressed. As power changed hands, there was a 21-gun salute to the new commander-in-chief by a parade earlier inspected by the outgoing President Francisco Guterres, popularly known as Lu-Olo. The new president, being comfortable in many languages, had prepared his speech in English and Portuguese and liberally shared these on his Facebook page, even before the ceremony. We spent 17 hours getting to Kuala Lumpur. We did not take transit visas since there was an airside transit hotel before immigration that charged on a six-hourly basis. We were to spend 17 transit hours at the beautiful Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). My British secondary school teacher/school father, Tony Finch, made a lot of difference to my worldview. He introduced me to critical/practical thinking. He settled in Malaysia after arriving there as a teacher in 1979. He was travelling on the same day. So, we were to have dinner at my hotel as part of using up our plentiful transit time. Unfortunately, his ticket was wrongly indicated to commence at the KLIA. He learnt the mistake on arrival to check-in and had to rush to KLIA 2, which is 10 kilometres away. So, we did not meet. We ended up spending approximately 26 hours at KLIA because of a faulty aircraft. When a replacement aircraft arrived from Daca, the crew had to change shifts. When the new crew arrived, we again learnt that no rated pilot was available. The wait and delays did not go to waste, as I made some good friends during the process: Adama Dieng, a respected Senegalese Jurist, and Heinrich Kaiser, a professor from a California College. The three of us were friends of the president-elect. Finally, the pilot arrived as we munched on the free Mcdonalds burger offered to appease passengers. And with four hours and fifteen minutes of flight, we landed in beautiful Dili smoothly. It was very picturesque from the air. The swearing-in was billed for 11 p.m. on May 19. The event was at an open space that was built for the visit of Pope John Paul II in October 1989, when the Pontiff called on Indonesia to respect the rights of the Timorese who, by the way, are 98 per cent Catholic. Much of the swearing-in ceremony was in Portuguese, although three children, including Lucipriya Kangujam, the invited child environmental activist from India, made passionate pleas in English at the event, for the saving of the environment for the next generation. As power changed hands, there was a 21-gun salute to the new commander-in-chief by a parade earlier inspected by the outgoing President Francisco Guterres, popularly known as Lu-Olo. The new president, being comfortable in many languages, had prepared his speech in English and Portuguese and liberally shared these on his Facebook page, even before the ceremony. At his first official function on the 20th Anniversary of the raising of the flag on the sunny morning of May 20, President JRH behaved like his simple Jose self, by ordering the gates of the presidential palace open for all the children outside to come in and shake hands with visiting grandparents, from around the world, and partake of the food prepared for the 20th anniversary. The children joyously obeyed and enjoyed themselves. Hawkers of all sorts, who with the children had been shut out only listening beyond the fence, flocked into the palace grounds. However, the hawkers of tangerine and oranges, etc were at a disadvantage. Unlike the children, they couldnt afford to leave their wares to go inside and eat/drink. Several dignitaries, including Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of Portugal; David John Hurley, the governor-general of Australia; Nuno Gomes Nabiam, the prime minister of Guinea-Bissau; Dr Francis Kai-Kai, the minister of Economic Planning and Development of Sierra Leone; Ms Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), who represented the secretary-general; Kailash Satyarthi, a 2014 Nobel laureate and his wife, Sumedha; Lucipriya Kangujam, etc., willy-nilly shook hands with the children. My wife was all glows shaking hands with the children as I became a celebrity of a sort, with children and adults wanting photographs with me, I guess because I was wearing the beautiful Yoruba Alari Aso-Oke that I had inherited from my late father. I had worn the Aso-Etu version that was a gift from Yemi Badejo, my brother, on the previous day when we visited the office of the president-elect. The president went further stating that the palace was too big for one man and that the people are welcome to come and jog in the palace grounds. I later learnt they would get free wifi access to the internet as well while in the palace. Friends of the president in attendance at the ceremonies, aside from the two I earlier mentioned, included Professor Boris Tadic, former president of Serbia; Bishop Gunnar Stalsett of the Nobel Committee; Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Elders; Sukehiro Hasegawa, who was my senior when we served the UN in Somalia and subsequently led the UN Mission in Timor-Leste; and Peter Thompson, a UK parliamentarian from Northern Ireland who had collaborated with JRH and I towards the successful 2014 electoral process in Guinea-Bissau. Aside from losses during the second world war, about a quarter of the population was annihilated during the Indonesian occupation. The most famous massacre there was that which happened on April 25, 1975 in Santa Cruz. I was lucky that a friend from my UN days, Ezequiel Saldanha, took us to the burial site of those Timorese heroes, a local market, as well as the Dili city museum. The museum can still use a lot of reconstruction of Timorese history and artefacts. There were other envoys and several ambassadors present. I spent qualitative dialogue time with those of Angola to Singapore, with concurrent accreditation to Timor-Leste, Ambassador Daniel Antonio Rosa and His Excellency Martha Mavrommatis, the high commissioner of Cyprus in Australia. I also met with high net-worth Yohei Sasakawa, chairman of The Nippon Foundation at the residence of the president. He was accompanied by his executive director and a director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Interesting was their Japanese humility as they took seats in the economy class on our Dili-Kuala Lumpur flight. From the calibre of attendees, the goodwill the president has built around the world, and the ideas put forward in his inauguration speech, I am confident the country under his watch will pursue a robust and rich foreign policy and diplomatic relations. I am positive that the country can continue on the path of great values and development in achieving a high quality of life for its people, thereby serving as an example for many poor countries. Aside from losses during the second world war, about a quarter of the population was annihilated during the Indonesian occupation. The most famous massacre there was that which happened on April 25, 1975 in Santa Cruz. I was lucky that a friend from my UN days, Ezequiel Saldanha, took us to the burial site of those Timorese heroes, a local market, as well as the Dili city museum. The museum can still use a lot of reconstruction of Timorese history and artefacts. Dageng Liu, a friend, and the World Food Programme country director equally spared some time to show us around the city and outside to the hills after a great seafood lunch at a cafe where there was some education on the sufferings of the Timorese in the hands of the Japanese for supporting Australia during the Second World War. Needless to say that Australia was the only Western country that recognised the Indonesian occupation, and the appeasement, some speculate, may have to do with oil and gas in East Timor waters. The cafe housed the Dare War Museum, which is largely virtual. Dageng, an avid diver and underwater photographer had so much to show about the beauty of the marine ecosystem of Timor-Leste. So much to still learn. Timor-Leste with a small population of 1.3 millions people is a poor country in comparison to Southeast Asian standards. However, it is one that is trying to avoid the resource curse associated with poor countries, with my country being one regularly cited as an example. Timor-Leste decided to follow the Norwegian model by setting up a Petroleum Sovereign Wealth Fund that is already receiving high returns into government coffers, with a current value of around $18 billion. A lot could still be done on agriculture, especially on coffee production, on which President JRH called for a worldwide stabilisation fund as part of his inaugural address. JRH is like a younger Mandela, given his forgiving spirit. As Foreign minister, he had recommended that Timorese presidents pay their respective first foreign visits to Indonesia. It has become a tradition. He told us privately that he would undertake his in June. I had seen him stay at the Indonesian residence when we once were on an official visit to Washington D.C. during our UN days. It was indeed a great visit to a small country with the potential of having the attention of the world like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is doing today. Babafemi A. Badejo is a former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and professor of Political Science/International Relations, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Nigeria. 7th June, 2022. 1. SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. The Presidency, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Shehu Shagari Complex, FCT, Abuja 2. HON. MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. Ministry of Education. 8th Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari way, FCT, Abuja. 3. HON. MINISTER, Federal Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity. Ministry of Labour and Employment. Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari way, FCT, Abuja. 4. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY COMMISSION. 26, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja. 5. CHAIRMAN, SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (TERTIARY INSTITUTION) Senate Chambers, National Assembly Complex. Three Arms Zone. PMB, 141. Garki, Abuja. 6. CHAIRMAN, HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (TERTIARY INSTITUTION) National Assembly Complex. Three Arms Zone. PMB, 141. Garki, Abuja. 7. NATIONAL PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES (ASUU) ASUU National Secretariat. Gwagwalada, Abuja. 8. CHAIRMAN, ASSOCIATION OF VICE CHANCELLORS OF NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES (AVCNU). No. 4 Parakou Street, Wuse II, Abuja. 9. SECRETARY, COMMITTEE OF PRO-CHANCELLORS OF STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES (COPSU). No. 4 Parakou Street, Wuse II, Abuja. 10. PRESIDENT. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS (NANS) Students Union Building, PMB 1022. Keffi, Nasarawa State. Dear Statesmen, ASUU STRIKES: OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO OUR YOUTHS & THE NIGERIAN DESTINY May I, with the utmost sense of responsibility, write this plaintive letter to your good self on the current state of education and related motley affairs in our country. There is no doubt that Nigeria, as a sovereign State and a human community, is bedeviled with myriad of problems. The particular one beleaguering our country today and on which this letter is focused, has a lot to do with your Office and invariably, your person. Suffice it to say, today, you are one of the few persons that providence has positioned to contribute to the destiny of Nigeria and that of our children, and this can only be achieved through a conscious departure from our culture of lip service to functional education in our tertiary institutions. The great Nelson Mandela once wrote; Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world Furthermore, Article 11(3) of African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provides that all member States: Shall take all appropriate measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the reduction of drop-out rates. Now the question is: are we providing meaningful education for our youths? Why is it that every academic year in Nigeria, there must be ASUU (and the likes) Strikes disrupting academic programs in tertiary institutions? Nigeria is the only country that experiences this unflattering perennial monstrosity in its educational sector. Regrettably, the Government does not seem to be uncomfortable with this generational setback and critical decay in the heartbeat of the Countrys tomorrow. HISTORY OF ASUU INCESSANT STRIKES IN NIGERIA. In 1988, Academic Staff Union of Universities organized a national Strike to obtain fair wages and a system of university autonomy. As a result, the Union was proscribed on 7 August, 1988 and all its property seized by the Babaginda Administration. It was only allowed to resume in 1990, but after another strike, it was again banned on 23 August 1992. However, an agreement was reached on 3 September 1992 that met several of the Unions demands including the right of workers to collective bargaining. With the advent of Nigeria Fourth Republic in 1999, the Union continued to be firm in demanding for the rights of its members in the Universities. Since then till date (2022), ASUU has been made to embark on several strike actions (in fact, not less than 16 times) hence disrupting the much needed academic programs for the students. The result is apparent: most of our youths in the tertiary institutions are retarded to become half-baked minds. Thus, the issue of repetitive strike actions by the Academic Staff of Universities Union has become a source of national embarrassment. The Union in 2022 is already taking a lot of flesh from the 2021/22 academic session of the year with the same strike action for close to three months. Is Nigeria not making a caricature of its future? REASONS FOR THE CONTINUOUS ASUU STRIKE ACTIONS. A) THE 2009 AGREEMENT AND THE ALLOCATION TO EDUCATION FROM 2009-2022 ON THE NATIONS ANNUAL BUDGET. By Chapter 4, Clause 4.1 of the January 2009 Agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Government is to set aside the total sum of N1.5 Trillion to be paid in three trenches, spread across three years {2009, 2010 and 2011}. Government has however maintained that it is impossible for it to raise that sum. This is turning out to be harder to believe, particularly due to the fact that many Nigerians are becoming more aware of the high level of unguided spending and profligacy which Government officials engage in. Worse still is, the ease with which billions are easily stolen from public treasury by both state actors and non-state actors, has further put a crater to the Governments claim. B) SUBJUGATION OF THE NEIGHBOURS CHIDREN Marian Wright Edelman once wrote: Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it. It is a truism that even the wild animals and all living organisms take extra steps to ensure a healthy survival of their offspring. Humans are equally known to do their best for their children. The best of education is one of such. Unfortunately, our lot in Nigeria is that for our Ruling class whose children cannot get quality education in Nigeria, they take solace in overpriced foreign institutions where they train their children with foreign currencies. With the interest of the children of the ruling class taken care of, the need to ensure that our educational system is brought to a good standard is relegated to the background. This is the irony of the Nigerian rulers dichotomy with the Nigerian electorate and populace. But why this ugly scenario? The answer is simple; Loss of faith and patriotism in Nigeria. Nigeria is now a setup for scramble, targeted and clandestine consumption. The ultimate loyalty is now to self and ethnic hegemony. This was why Victims of Persecution, a nonprofit organization, in 2009 drafted a National Interest (Education) Bill, This Bill mandates that any person wishing to assume any political office in Nigeria must ensure that their children and spouses would not be attending any foreign academic institution and would not do so as long as that person remains in office. Essentially, the drafted Bill is to: 1. Save our educational system, 2. Engender patriotism for our Country 3. Save political office holders from the strong suspicion of merely being in charge of the resources of a nation they do not have hope in 4. Enthrone a Nation our children will be proud of. It is our intention to re-ignite the flame of this Bill until it becomes part of our political and good governance building principle. We have no need to praise-sing, but the Victims of Persecution commends the Hon. Minister for Labour, Dr Chris Ngige for setting a good example. His three children graduated from Nigerian Universities unlike some of the rulers whose children are airlifted abroad for their education. To the delight of our rulers, these abnormalities ensure that the reins of power remain in their families while their neighbours children remain ready instruments for the ongoing human carnage and bloodletting in the country. Sir, must the electorate remain victims of the power delegated to the leaders? Should leaders be divorced from the yearnings of the electorate? On this, the Victims of Persecution shares with you, the exemplary mindset of Professor Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State on why he did not accept offer by aspirants to be VP in 2023 thus: Ladies and gentlemen, the killings in Kala-Balgeat this weekend made me more critical and the incident seriously reminded me of the challenges that are still ahead of us in Borno State. I came to the conclusion that while a chance to become Vice President could benefit my profile as an individual, becoming reelected as Governor of Borno State has the potential of more overall and more assurance of benefit to the good people of Borno State. I therefore say that while I thank those who may be considering me for the position of VP, I prefer to stay back and work drastically for the people of Borno State because for me as a citizen of Borno State, working with others to hastily rebuild Borno State is the most urgent need and it is beyond any aspiration. C) THE GOVERNMENTS LAZY & INORDINATE CONSUMPTION QUESTS THUS RENDERING NIGERIA A MERE VERITABLE MARKET FOR OTHER ECONOMIES. In 2021, the Country spent about N102 billion monthly on fuel import subsidy. In the 2022 Budget, Nigerian Federal Government earmarked about N4 trillion on refined fuel import subsidy for the year. This is by a country that is almost the 6th largest producer of crude oil in the World. Singapore has no iota of crude oil deposit but it has over Forty (40) functional petroleum refineries. WE need not say more on this. Today, it is not far from the truth to say that virtually all segments of the Nigerian units; Government, Ministries, Parastatals, business corporations, companies of various sizes, artisans, and families are running on generators and generating plants. In fact, in the said 2022 Federal Government Budget, N104 Billion is for generators and fuel/gas in Government Ministries and Agencies. How much does it cost to build a refinery? How much is ASUU asking for? How did Singapore do the magic of building over Forty (40) refineries? Squandermania cannot go hand in hand with the required sacrifices for our youths in the Universities. No society and no economy can develop without expensive in-depth research system. Please help. D) POOR FUNDING OF EDUCATION BY THE GOVERNMENTS For years now, the percentage of funds allocated to the Educational Sector from the Nations Annual Budget is very poor and certainly below the standard recommended by the UNESCO (26% Yearly Budget to be allocated to Educational Sector). Herein are random samples: YEAR ANNUAL BUDGET ALLOCATED PERCENTAGE (%) 2009 N3.049 trillion N221.19 billion 7.25 2012 N4.877 trillion N221.19 billion 8.2 2013 N4.987 trillion N426.53 billion 8.55 2018 N8.612 trillion N605.23 billion 7.03 2021 N13.08 trillion N742.5 billion 5.06 2022 N17.13 trillion N923.79 billion 5.04 Indeed, the above is not a good omen. Suffice it to say that the most direct way to stunt the growth of any society is to blur the educational system. Is Nigeria substituting education with violence? Soon there could be more guns in Nigeria than books and more kidnapping bushes than libraries. E) DERELICTION OF DUTY OR LACK OF POLITICAL WILL TO IMPLEMENT The National Universities Commission (NUC) is a statutory body established by the Federal Government for the purpose of promoting quality higher education in Nigeria. Some functions of this Commission are as follows: i) Advising the President and Governors, through the Minister on the creation of new universities and other degree-granting institutions in Nigeria. ii) Inquiring into and advising the Federal Government on the financial needs, both recurrent and capital, of university education in Nigeria iii) And to ensure that adequate provision is made for their researches. iv) Undertaking periodic reviews of the terms and conditions of service of personnel engaged in the universities and v) To make recommendations thereon to the Federal Government where appropriate; vi) Laying down the minimum standards for all universities and accrediting their degrees and other academic awards after obtaining prior approval therefore through the Minister from the President. Could it be that the National Universities Commission in its own part has been lackadaisical in carrying out its statutory duties or the Governments lack the political will to implement the recommendations made to it? I humbly commend your good self to the wonderful words of Marcus Garvey: It is by education that we become prepared for our duties and responsibilities in life. If one is badly educated, he must naturally fail in the proper assumption and practice of his duties and responsibilities. F) THE TERTIARY EDUCATION TRUST FUND (TETFUND). Recall that TETFunds mandate involves the utilization of initially 2% and now 2.5% Education Tax charged on assessable profit of all companies registered in Nigeria to improve the conditions, and quality of the nations public tertiary institutions. TETFund has commenced the disbursement of the direct intervention funds approved by the presidency to public Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the country on the ratio of 2:1:1 as between Universities, Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education. The latest intervention which runs into several billions of naira, saw each beneficiary Institution, being allocated N642,848,138.00 to each University, N396,780,086.00 to each Polytechnic and N447,758,804.00 to each College of Education in the Country for the year 2022. Government needs to do more than this. The minds and persons that mold our future leaders should be hugely invested in. Misappropriation of state funds should not be another salient way of promoting ethnic hegemony. G) GOVERNMENTS: THE FRUITS OF ASUUS ELECTORAL LABOUR It does appear ASUU members are unmindful of the critical role they play in nation building. This seeming shortsightedness is quite apparent in their unholy involvement in the electoral process that throws up the suspect ruling class that has no interest in meeting the demand for the requisite education for our youths. I commend them to the words on the marble of one of the most conscious clergy of our time, Bishop Godfrey Onah; How can I tell Nigeria students to love their neighbor, love their Country, love their leaders when their parents have paid their school fees and they are sitting at home, in a country where the ruling Party within a space of less than two weeks can rake in from 27 persons; N26.3B collected as fees for Presidential nomination forms and the same ruling Party is unable to finance our education properly such that our teachers are at home and our students are roaming the streets. How can you preach love in Nigeria, in a Country where members of ASUU, hear me well, members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria have collaborated with INEC to install misfit in power in this Country because they have collected money, all the electoral officers who installed the present ruling class in Nigeria are professors of our Universities, members of ASUU and INEC Chairmen for many decades have been members of ASUU and whom are we blaming. Like a Chinese Proverb says: If You are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. Let us turn on a new mindset towards our youths who are the pillars of tomorrow. Let me also borrow the words of a renowned academia, G.K. Chesterton; Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another If we shy away from this, we will certainly become the village that sold its soul and generations will ask; were you not there? What did you do? Am very grateful for your attention Please accept assurances of my warmest regards. God bless your good self. God bless our youths. God bless our educational system. God bless Nigeria. Yours Sincerely, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, FCIArb. The Imo State Hon. Attorney-General Emeritus & The Rappouteur, Victims of Persecution. cc. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. cc. All the State Governors in Nigeria. Ibom Air, the commercial airline owned by the Akwa Ibom State government, has said it would be celebrating with customers and our community as the airline clocks three years of existence on Tuesday. In a statement Tuesday, Ibom Air said a lineup of activities have been planned to commemorate the milestone they have attained thus far. Also, the airline said its customers and community have the opportunities to win free airline tickets and an invitation to watch the private screening of the aviation-themed 2022 movie: Top Gun: Maverick. Friday the 7th of June 2019, exactly three years ago, Ibom Air commenced scheduled commercial flight operations with an inaugural flight from Uyo to Lagos, the statement read. Three years down the line, with over one and a half million passengers flown and about 22,000 flights later, Ibom Air said it has come to be known for its brand promise of schedule reliability, on-time departures and excellent service. It said the story of Ibom Air began as an audacious, bold new idea, which has quickly grown to earn its place in the nations aviation landscape, winning notable awards along the way, including Airline of the Year two years in a row- 2020 and 2021 respectively, amongst many other awards from notable institutions. George Uriesi, Ibom Airs Chief Operating Officer, said, Looking back over the last three years and how far we have come as a business, this milestone presents yet another opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to our esteemed passengers. And so, on behalf of the Board, Management and Staff of Ibom Air, I say a big thank you to all our valued customers and stakeholders, including our shareholder, the Government and people of Akwa Ibom State. ALSO READ: Ibom Air signs agreement with Airbus for 10 new aircraft Mr Uriesi appreciated Governor Udom Emmanuel for taking the bold step, believing in and standing by this vision (Ibom Air). We are humbled by the overwhelming public acceptance and goodwill we have enjoyed from the Nigerian traveling public, which has motivated us to remain resolute and determined to keep pushing the envelope as we contribute our quota to the growth and stability of the aviation industry in Nigeria and Africa, he added. Ibom Air currently has a fleet of seven aircraft: five (5) Bombardier CRJ 900 and two (2) Airbus A220-300, covering seven (7) destinations. A factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Austin Ekanem, says he would not join the former national secretary of the APC, John Akpanudoedehe, to defect to another party. The Ekanem-led faction had been loyal to Mr Akpanudoedehe, who had been involved in a protracted political battle with a former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, over the control of the party structure in Akwa Ibom. Mr Ekanem and other members of his executive were edged out of office under controversial circumstances by a man, Stephen Ntukekpo, who had forged the results of the APC Congress in Akwa Ibom to get a favourable court judgement at a Federal High Court, Abuja. Mr Ntukekpo is backed by Mr Akpabio. Mr Akpanudoedehe went to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to challenge the judgement of the lower court, but he appeared frustrated by the support Mr Akpabio and his faction in Akwa Ibom were getting from the national leadership of APC. The faction loyal to Mr Akpabio, a few days ago, outmanoeuvred Mr Akpanudoedehe, and got Akanimo Udofia, a man who joined the APC in less than a month, to be elected the 2023 governorship candidate of the party in Akwa Ibom. The Independent National Electoral Commission, however, did not monitor the primary that produced Mr Udofia. The commission has, therefore, refused to recognise the candidate. Mr Akpanudoedehe, a former senator, defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and is now the partys governorship candidate for the 2023 election in Akwa Ibom. PREMIUM TIMES, on Tuesday, asked the APC factional chairman, Mr Ekanem, if he was planning to join Mr Akpanudoedehe in the NNPP. I am in APC, he responded. I am in court. I cant win an election and then someone forged a document and now says he is the chairman, he added. Mr Ekanem said he filed a case at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, last week against Mr Ntukekpo. He said the APC had not been fair to Mr Akpanudoedehe. Its sad, very very sad, he said of the former senator leaving the APC. We put in so much, we were not even thinking about the primary, we were looking at how APC can win the general elections in Akwa Ibom, he said. Mr Akpanudoedehe, for close to two decades, was the face of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, and later the APC in Akwa Ibom. His resignation, therefore, marks a turning point in the opposition politics in the oil-rich state. As the 2023 presidential bid of the former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio ended dramatically Tuesday night, a factional chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Austin Ekanem, has criticised how Mr Akpabio withdrew from the partys presidential primary. Mr Akpabio, while addressing delegates at the primary in Abuja, announced he was stepping down. He urged delegates in Akwa Ibom to vote for the former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu. But Mr Ekanem, apparently responding to Mr Akpabios decision, said the former governor of Akwa Ibom State should have withdrawn from the exercise, instead of stepping down. When you dont have any delegate, you withdraw; you only step down with delegates to support another aspirant, Mr Ekanem said in a Facebook post, Wednesday morning. Although delegates from Akwa Ibom state were accredited for the primary, they did not vote due to a court order served on the party accreditation officers on Tuesday evening. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday, Mr Ekanem, however, denied knowledge of the court order. But he said he was in court to claim his mandate as the duly elected chairman of the APC in the state. He said the delegate election his faction conducted was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but the list was rejected by the partys national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu. The former national secretary of the party, John Akpanudoedehe, who had been involved in a protracted political battle with Mr Akpabio for the control of the APC structure in Akwa Ibom, backed the Ekanem-led faction. Mr Ekanem and other members of his executive were edged out of office under controversial circumstances by a man, Stephen Ntukekpo, who had forged the results of the APC Congress in Akwa Ibom to get a favourable court judgement at a Federal High Court, Abuja. Mr Ntukekpo, with the political support from Mr Akpabio, is leading the other faction of the APC. Mr Akpanudoedehe, after being outmanoeuvred at the APC governorship primary in Akwa Ibom, recently defected to the New Nigeria Peoples Party and is now the partys governorship candidate in the state. Mr Ekanem told PREMIUM TIMES that the APC could not have used a delegate list from Mr Ntukekpos faction for the presidential primary because of the election that produced him (Ntukekpo) was not monitored by INEC. He said doing otherwise would have invalidated the result of the presidential primary. Consequences Although the delegates from Akwa Ibom could not vote at the APC presidential primary, the same delegates voted in the primaries, including the governorship primary, organised by the party in the state. The APC, as previously reported by PREMIUM TIMES, is walking a tightrope in Akwa Ibom, and may end up not fielding candidates for the 2023 general elections in the state. The Enugu State Government Tuesday held an emergency security meeting at Government House, Enugu, to review the security situation in the state. The Secretary to the State Government, Simon Ortuanya, disclosed this in a statement from his office to reporters in Enugu. According to the statement, the meeting, which was chaired by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, was attended by the Deputy Governor, Cecilia Ezeilo, the Speaker, Enugu House of Assembly, Edward Ubosi and the heads of security agencies in the state. Meanwhile, the Tricycle and Motorcycle Riders Associations in Igbo-Eze North and Igbo-Eze South council areas of Enugu State have resolved that their members should desist from operating in the two council areas from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman Enugu State Tricycle Association, Benjamin Ika, and other leaders of the association from the two council areas, made available to reporters in Enugu on Tuesday. They also directed all Keke and Okada operators to withdraw their services in Aguibeje and Iyionu communities in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, with effect from June 7, 2022, till further notice. The leaders requested security agencies in the state to enforce their resolutions. Enugu, like other states in Nigerias South-east, has witnessed an increase in deadly attacks lately. The attacks, mostly targeted at security officials and government facilities, have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which is agitating for a sovereign state for the Igbo-speaking people in the South-east. The IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in Abuja where he is standing trial for terrorism. (NAN) The Enugu East Magistrates Court on Tuesday remanded a man, Samuel Ani, for allegedly killing a 22-year-old woman, Roseline Onuigbo. He was arraigned on a two-count charge of murder and the use of a weapon. The Chief Magistrate, Ngozi Edeani, remanded the accused person at the Enugu Correctional Centre pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution. Mrs Edeani said the accused had the right to apply for bail at the High Court. The court adjourned the matter to July 5 for hearing. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. READ ALSO: Court jails farmer 10 years for rape Earlier, the prosecutor, Innocent Egbuaba, an assistant superintendent of police, told the court that the accused and one other at the Enugu Correctional Centre had on January 17, 2022, in Ngelewa Odoli- Ohafia, Oduma in Aninri Council Area of Enugu State, committed the offence. Mr Egbuaba said the accused disappeared after the alleged act while his brother, Christopher Ani, now at the Enugu Custodial Centre, was arrested and arraigned. The prosecutor said they killed the woman by beating her with a plank. The offences, he said, were punishable under section 494 and 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. ll, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004. (NAN) Women in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo state, who were mostly traders at the popular Oja Oba Market in Owo, Ondo State, staged a protest Tuesday to mourn victims of the shooting at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo. The women marched to the church where the incident had occurred. Armed with knives and leaves, the protesters performed traditional rites at the market, invoking the god of Iron (Ogun) to go after the assailants. They also rained curses on the gunmen. The gunmen had stormed the church on Sunday, as worshippers were marking the Feast of Pentecost and opened fire on the congregation. They also detonated explosives as the worshippers scampered for safety. At least 70 people were killed and injured, according to Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, the lawmaker representing Owo Constituency I, who visited the scene shortly after the attack. But Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, in a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, put the casualty figures as 22 dead and 58 injured. Police said the gunmen got to the church at about 11.30 a.m. Preliminary investigation revealed that the assailants approached the church during the service, started shooting from outside the church while others numbering about four shot directly into the church, police said in a statement. Calling the gods The women also chanted incantations in their local dialect as they placed the leaves and knives on the floor as part of the ritual process. Leading the protest, a former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in the state, Yemi Mahmood, told PREMIUM TIMES that the ritual conducted by the market women was done to track down the evil perpetrators. The town has been thrown into mourning since that day (Sunday) and that is why the market women are coming out because this has never happened in Owo, said Mrs Mahmood. We came out for this protest and to, as well, curse those people who have the audacity to come to Owo to commit this kind of havoc. A ritual has just been done to track them down. Wherever they are by the grace of God they shall be arrested. After the ritual, the women also marched to the palace Olowo of Owo, Ajibade Ogunoye. Addressing the protesters, Mr Ogunoye assured that the perpetrators would not go unpunished. He urged the women to pacify their children to not take laws into their hands, as plans are underway to apprehend the assailants. I am with you in all you do. As you can see, I just finished a meeting with other monarchs, we are not resting on our oars until these perpetrators are fished out., said the monarch. But please, I already appealed to the youths yesterday. Go home again and pacify them, tell them not to take laws into their own hands. It is not the Fulanis living with us that are responsible for this but may the deities of this land catch the perpetrators. SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global artificial intelligence in fintech market size is expected to reach USD 41.16 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely used in financial organizations to improvise their precision levels, enhance their efficiency and instant query resolving through digital banking channels. AI technology like machine learning can help organizations raise their value by improving loan underwriting and eliminating financial risk. Organizations are also using it to build more robust fraud detection and prevention systems and help accelerate risk assessments and fraud detection. Key Insights & Findings from the report: Some of the regions in North America have the most competitive and constantly changing AI technology in the world's fintech sector. In the industrialized economies of Canada and the U.S., there is a strong emphasis on R&D-derived inventions. have the most competitive and constantly changing AI technology in the world's fintech sector. In the industrialized economies of and the U.S., there is a strong emphasis on R&D-derived inventions. The adoption of software tools with the deployment of AI-enabled financial solutions extracts accurate, comprehensive, and enormous amounts of data on time. The growing adoption of managed services helps administer AI-enabled fintech applications and is expected to drive the market growth. Cloud-based solutions store vital resources and provide a wide range of flexible AI solutions for the fintech business. The segment generated the highest revenue in 2021. The North America region dominated the global market in 2021. However, Asia Pacific is projected to register the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2030. Get more Insights from 100-pages market research report, "Artificial Intelligence In Fintech Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Component (Solutions, Services), Deployment (Cloud, On-premise), By Application (Fraud Detection, Virtual Assistants), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market Growth & Trends The AI in fintech market is expected to increase in the coming years due to advancement in technology that is boosting financial service providers' business processes. Some of the primary drivers of the market include growing internet penetration and geographical data availability. AI and machine learning have aided banks and fintech firms by allowing them to process massive volumes of client data. For instance, in March 2022, KBC Group, a Belgian-based multi-channel bank insurer, commercialized its portfolio of AI applications through Discai, its wholly-owned subsidiary, beginning with introducing an AI application meant to prevent money laundering. Discai will first provide a unique and high-performance AI-based system for closely monitoring money laundering, take a phased approach to the market, and collaborate with partners to distribute and integrate these applications. Financial institutions and banks are implementing AI technologies to unlock insights and information hidden in unstructured documents and automate the manual processes that banks have historically performed at double-quick speed. In addition, the growing demand for process automation between financial institutions is propelling the market. Blockchain and distributed ledger technology enhance AI adoption in the financial sector by providing new means to record, track, and store financial asset transactions. Growing awareness of the benefits of cloud-based firewalls among small- and medium-sized organizations, particularly in developing nations, will create numerous opportunities for market expansion. For instance, in May 2022, The Czech Republic Finance Ministry, a government ministry in charge of economic policy, revenue service, insurance, the government budget, banking, and security, initiated a project to maximize the potential of fintech apps and data used in financial services in the country. The project was implemented by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and funded by the European Union in collaboration with the European Commission's DG REFORM-Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support. Furthermore, it will include a feasibility analysis of the possible formation of a sandbox in the Czech Republic and the prospects of data in financial services to let the fintech innovation be based on shared data. Fintech has been evolving in the investment management sector. Advanced technology and solution adoption, such as AI, big data, and machine learning, to assist businesses in evaluating investment possibilities, optimizing their investment portfolios, and mitigating related risks, have been significant in the technology adoption. A prominent trend in AI in the fintech business is the widespread use and integration of smart mobile payment solutions as customers worldwide become more reliant on digital payment methods than traditional wallets. Many participants in the market provide payment platforms and are continually adding new features, such as voice commands and biometric access control, which includes fingerprint and facial recognition. For instance, in November 2021, Paytm, an Indian multinational financial technology provider, announced the launch of a new feature, 'Voice Trading', driven by AI, which allows customers to acquire stock information or place a trade with a single voice command. The voice trading function allows a single voice command to be processed instantly using neural networks and Natural Language Processing (NLP). Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global artificial intelligence in fintech market based on component, deployment, application, and region: Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market - Components Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Solutions Services Managed Professional Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market - Deployment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Cloud On-premise Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market - Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Virtual Assistant Business Analytics & Reporting Customer Behavioral Analytics Fraud Detection Quantitative & Asset Management Others Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K. Germany France Asia Pacific China Singapore India South America Brazil Middle East & Africa (MEA) List of Key Players of Artificial Intelligence in Fintech Market Microsoft Google LLC Salesforce, Inc. International Business Machines Corp. Amelia US LLC Nuance Communications, Inc. ComplyAdvantage.com Narrative Science Affirm, Inc Upstart Network, Inc. Instructure, Inc. Intel Inbenta Technologies Amazon Web Services Oracle Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: AI In Asset Management Market - The global AI in asset management market size is expected to reach USD 13.43 billion by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 37.1% from 2020 to 2027. Artificial intelligence in asset management refers to the automation of IT assets lifecycles with intuitive workflows and making informed decisions about asset vendors and capacity. Asset and wealth management firms are exploring potential artificial intelligence-based solutions to improve their investment decisions and extract insights out of their historical data. The current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in asset and investment management includes the management of digital assets and physical assets and investment advisory consumer applications. For instance, The Vanguard Group, Inc., a U.S.-based investment firm, offers the PAS (Personal Advisor Services), which runs on automated algorithms and can potentially prompt customers with investments-related advisories with insights from human advisors. The global AI in asset management market size is expected to reach by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 37.1% from 2020 to 2027. Artificial intelligence in asset management refers to the automation of IT assets lifecycles with intuitive workflows and making informed decisions about asset vendors and capacity. Asset and wealth management firms are exploring potential artificial intelligence-based solutions to improve their investment decisions and extract insights out of their historical data. The current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in asset and investment management includes the management of digital assets and physical assets and investment advisory consumer applications. For instance, The Vanguard Group, Inc., a U.S.-based investment firm, offers the PAS (Personal Advisor Services), which runs on automated algorithms and can potentially prompt customers with investments-related advisories with insights from human advisors. Edge Artificial Intelligence Chips Market - The global edge artificial intelligence chips market size is expected to reach USD 9.5 billion by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 21.3% from 2020 to 2027. Semiconductor companies are experiencing high demand for their existing chips with hardware serving as a differentiator in AI. Also, these companies are developing workload-specific (training and inference) AI accelerators. For instance, Apple has implemented a neural engine in its A11 Bionic chip's processor to speed-up the third-party applications. The market is growing rapidly with the rising implementations of edge-based AI in smartphones and autonomous vehicles. - The global edge artificial intelligence chips market size is expected to reach by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 21.3% from 2020 to 2027. Semiconductor companies are experiencing high demand for their existing chips with hardware serving as a differentiator in AI. Also, these companies are developing workload-specific (training and inference) AI accelerators. For instance, Apple has implemented a neural engine in its A11 Bionic chip's processor to speed-up the third-party applications. The market is growing rapidly with the rising implementations of edge-based AI in smartphones and autonomous vehicles. Artificial Intelligence in Telecommunication Market - The global artificial intelligence in telecommunication market size is expected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 38.4% from 2020 to 2027. Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Grand View Pipeline Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. The Radiology Online Learning Platform from DetectedX has Shown a 34% Improvement in the Accuracy of Diagnosing Difficult Cases DUBLIN, Ireland, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DetectedX announced today that it has been selected by the National Breast Screening Programme in Ireland, BreastCheck, to provide access to its Radiology Online Learning Platform to radiologists participating in the Screening Programme. Designed to improve radiologists' ability to correctly detect breast lesions in 2D and 3D Mammography, the online self-assessment modules have been shown to improve cancer detection by over 34 percent. The National Breast Screening Programme in Ireland joins other National Screening Services and professional societies that use DetectedX's innovative educational technology to improve diagnostic accuracy and support clinical decisions, including New Zealand, Slovenia and Vietnam. DetectedX successfully launched into the US radiology market at the recent SBI/ACR Breast Imaging Symposium 2022. "We started using the DetectedX educational service this year and we are very impressed. The cases used are of very high quality and our radiologists are finding that the platform provides a most useful educational and QA experience. The collaboration is helping to ensure that Irish radiologists maintain their breast screening practices at world-leading levels," Professor Fidelma Flanagan, Lead Clinical Director; BreastCheck. Since 2000, BreastCheck has delivered almost 2 million mammograms, and detected more than 14,400 cancers. DetectedX was founded to help doctors and radiologists worldwide to diagnose cases of breast cancer, lung cancer, and COVID-19 faster and more accurately. The on-demand, web-based training platform, which improves radiological detection rates based on intelligent interactive educational technology, is currently in use by more than 3,000 users in more than 150 countries. "We are proud to work with BreastCheck in Ireland to make high quality education available in an online, on-demand format. High quality, accurate readings of mammograms are critical to the early detection of breast cancer, when it is more easily treated," said Professor Patrick Brennan, CEO DetectedX and Chair, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Sydney. DetectedX's innovative educational technology enables Radiologists to review, in real time, an enriched cohort of 2D mammography and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (3D mammography) cases with varying levels of difficulty. The on-demand, online training packages provide immediate feedback on reading performance, comparing the user's classification to the pathology-verified ground truth for each case. Using several metrics including sensitivity, specificity, true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative scores to gauge their performance, radiologists are able to identify errors and focus future trainings on areas of need to improve performance for earlier and more accurate disease diagnoses. Upon successful completion of each training module, users receive CME credits. ABOUT DETECTEDX DetectedX's Radiology Online Learning Centre, focusing on diagnostic accuracy and driven by artificial intelligence, is revolutionizing disease detection in 150 countries. The on-demand, web-based training platform has been proven to improve the accuracy of diagnosing difficult cases by 34%. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1815356/detectedx_Logo.jpg SOURCE DetectedX The iconic French brand known for its windbreaker, lifestyle fashion and sportswear is today part of BasicNet, an Italian company that also owns Kappa , Superga , Briko and Sebago , and on track to rapidly expand beyond its homebase. Bluebell Group, a pioneer in Asia in brand and retail development, operating over 150 brands across the region, will manage the brand's overall presence including an online e-commerce shop, local marketing activation, and overall retail operations. K-Way will be introduced to Hong Kong consumers first through its online k-way.com.hk and a planned physical store in October. Targeting the active young local audience, offering a mix of technical meets fashion apparel, the brand's footprint is expected to grow further in Hong Kong and into Mainland China later this year. "We are very proud to open the first K-Way mono-brand store in Hong Kong and happy to embark on a path to a long presence in the city for the brand and for a long partnership between BasicNet and Bluebell." Lorenzo Boglione, BasicNet Executive Vice Chairman. "We have no doubt K-Way will become an anchor brand for us in Hong Kong, where retail today is geared solely on local consumption. The brand offers a desirable and accessible lifestyle unisex fashion and kids wear, which is one of our core focus for the development of this market. BasicNet has some very exciting global growth plans and hype collaborations for K-Way and we are pleased to play a role in bringing something fresh and playful to our Asian consumers." Samy Redjeb, Bluebell Group Managing Director for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. ABOUT BLUEBELL GROUP Bluebell Group has pioneered building successful brands in Asia since 1954. As Asia's partner of choice, Bluebell Group is present in Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Macau SAR, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Australia. The Group's distribution network includes flagship stores, shop-in-shops, counters, its own multi- brand concepts, as well as a highly selective wholesale network, together with both direct e- commerce and marketplaces, covering both domestic and Travel Retail. The Group operates across multiple product categories: Accessories, Footwear, Apparel, Fragrance, Beauty, Gourmet, Jewellery, Watches, and Tobacco. Bluebell Hong Kong, established in 1967, has 220 employees, 25 retail doors, and operates 5+ leading luxury, fashion, lifestyle and tobacco brands to date. Bluebell Hong Kong is a joint-venture partner of Owndays Japan, a brand under L Catterton Asia portfolio. A family-owned group, Bluebell Group today has over 3,800 staff, 650 points-of-sale, US$2b in turnover. www.bluebellgroup.com ABOUT BASICNET / K-WAY K-Way was born in Paris in 1965, on a rainy day. Clothes retailer Leon-Claude Duhamel observed people rushed by in soaking wet clothes, with uncomfortable umbrellas. He had an idea: creating the first windproof and waterproof packable jacket in history. Classic, modern, hi-tech, functional, and colored, with its iconic 3-colors zipper, K-Way is a registered trademark in the Italian and French dictionaries. K-Way is a brand of BasicNet SpA, the Company also owner of Kappa, Robe di Kappa, Jesus Jeans, Superga, Sabelt, Briko and Sebago. BasicNet operates worldwide through an international network of entrepreneurs, licensees of the brands, which produce or distribute the products. BasicNet offers to its network services of research, development, industrialization of the products, and global marketing. All the company processes occur only through the Web, making BasicNet a "fully web integrated company". BasicNet, with headquarters in Turin, Italy, is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 1999. PRESS CONTACTS Bluebell Group Anne Geronimi ageronimi@bluebellgroup.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835254/Le_Vrai_Windbreaker.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835255/Outdoor_Billboard___Venice.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835256/Shop_Interior.jpg SOURCE Bluebell Group The program aims to train 100,000 Saudis during 2022. The campaign kicked off in late 2020 with the launch of a new human capital development strategy in the Kingdom's burgeoning tourism industry, which aims to attract more Saudi nationals to the sector. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, said: "It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising Vision 2030. This program demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry." According to His Excellency, the program has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The program will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom. His Excellency further stressed that this and other initiatives are geared towards delivering on the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 targets, including the creation of one million new jobs in tourism by 2030. Mohammed Bushnag, Deputy Minister, Human Capital said: "A financial investment of this size shows our determination to equip our youth with the tools they need to suceed. Three quarters of Saudi nationals now consider the tourism industry as a viable career option. Supporting the dreams of our Tourism Trailblazers and enabling their continued education at the best global schools, is vital as we continue to emerge as a global player in the sector." Participants in the program are set to benefit from training scholarships at leading global institutions in France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Australia, and Italy. Applications will be accepted not only from fresh graduates, but also from Saudis who already work within the industry and those who aspire to start a career in the tourism, hospitality, culinary, service, and sales fields. His Excellency added that the highly specialized programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labor market. His Excellency added that the highly specialized programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labor market. ***NOTES TO EDITORS About the Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism leads the Saudi Tourism ecosystem, with support from the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Tourism Development Fund. The Ministry sets the Kingdom's tourism sector strategy and is responsible for the development of policies and regulations, developing human capital, gathering statistics, and attracting investment. It works in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority, which promotes Saudi Arabia as a global tourism destination, and the Tourism Development Fund, which executes the Ministry's investment strategy by providing funding for the sector's development. Headed by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Ministry was founded in February 2020, following the opening of Saudi Arabia to international leisure tourists for the first time in its history in 2019. Saudi Arabia aims to welcome 100 million tourism visits by 2030, increasing the sector's contribution to GDP from 3% to 10%. About the United Nations World Tourism Organization The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834904/Ministry_of_Tourism_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834902/Ministry_of_Tourism_2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834903/Ministry_of_Tourism_3.jpg SOURCE Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia Kellogg Company, Tyson Foods Inc., and Ajinomoto Company, Inc., honored for industry leadership and impact on their trading partner community; and Lou Farina of Colgate-Palmolive Company honored with the 1WorldSync Compass Award CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1WorldSync, the leading provider of omnichannel product content solutions, announced the recipients of the 2022 Power of 1 Awards during their Annual User Group meeting, co-located with GS1 Connect in San Diego. Recipients are recognized for their market leadership, innovation and focus on the quality and completeness of product content. The 1WorldSync Power of 1 Awards are given to organizations that have had a significant impact on their community of trading partners through product information initiatives and global content distribution. Ajinomoto Company, Inc. received the prestigious 1nnovation Award which celebrates a project that focuses on innovative solutions, technologies, and resources to improve the trusted product content exchange that their customers count on. Ajinomoto recently conducted an innovative project in partnership with their agency, Creative Energy, alongside 1WorldSync to leverage their product content within the 1WorldSync platform, and its ContentNow API, to seamlessly power the company's corporate website and enable their omnichannel sales strategy. The Quality1 Award was awarded to Kellogg Company and Tyson Foods, Inc. and acknowledges their companies' commitments to significantly raising the standards in sharing compelling, engaging and consistent product information. They were endorsed for their commitment to exceptional data quality through consistently strong accuracy scores and regular collaboration with their data recipients. Lou Farina, Worldwide Director, Global Data Management of Colgate-Palmolive Company, was honored with the 1WorldSync Compass award for his career-long dedication to advancing the exchange of quality product content, and whose outstanding personal efforts have had a profound and enduring impact in driving next-generation product information initiative practices. "We are honored to recognize these innovative and dedicated organizations with this year's Power of 1 Awards," said Steve Sivitter, Chief Executive Officer, at 1WorldSync. "I would like to personally congratulate each of the recipients for their outstanding efforts in leading the advancement of omnichannel commerce across the globe." For more information on 1WorldSync, visit https://www.1worldsync.com . About 1WorldSync 1WorldSync is the leading provider of omnichannel product content solutions, enabling more than 14,000 companies in over 60 countries to share authentic, trusted content that empowers confident commerce and intelligent consumer purchasing decisions. Through its technology platform and expert services, 1WorldSync solves revenue-impacting product content challenges faced by leading brands and retailers in the CPG/retail, DIY, consumer electronics, healthcare and foodservice industries. 1WorldSync is one of the only product content providers and GDSN Data Pools to achieve ISO Certification 27001. For more information, please visit https://www.1worldsync.com . Media contact Matt Galassini 1WorldSync [email protected] SOURCE 1WorldSync The Academy of Emergency Nursing honors emergency nursing professionals who advance the specialty and the association SCHAUMBURG, Ill., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, the Emergency Nurses Association announced that the Academy of Emergency Nursing will induct three ENA members in its Class of 2022. Founded in 2004, the Academy of Emergency Nursing was created to recognize emergency nurses who have made significant and enduring contributions to the emergency nursing specialty. Since then, AEN has inducted more than 200 emergency nurses whose body of work goes beyond being an outstanding nurse and devoted ENA member. The 2022 Class of Academy of Emergency Nursing Fellows are: Angela Alexander , MSN, RN, CEN, AFN-BC, SANE-A, SANE-P North Carolina MSN, RN, CEN, AFN-BC, SANE-A, SANE-P Kevin McFarlane , MSN, RN, CEN, NE-BC, TCRN Texas MSN, RN, CEN, NE-BC, TCRN Michael Carmine Buffalo (Posthumous), DNP, RN, ACNP, ARNP, CCRN Texas "Being inducted into the Academy of Emergency Nursing is a career highlight for an emergency nurse," said ENA President Jenn Schmitz, MSN, EMT-P, CEN, CPEN, CNML, FNP-C, NE-BC. "This shines a spotlight on the work these emergency nurses have done for our specialty, their patients and for ENA. I'm proud to see them become the newest Fellows of the Academy." The 2022 Class of Fellows will be formally inducted into the Academy of Emergency Nursing during Emergency Nursing 2022 ENA's annual conference. The inductees will be recognized during the event's Hall of Honor which is dedicated to highlighting ENA members receiving a special award or accolade. They will also be honored during a special AEN reception during the conference. The AEN Induction ceremony provides an in-depth look at career accomplishments for inductees and officially welcomes them to the prestigious ranks of their peers in the Academy of Emergency Nursing. This year's induction ceremony will be hosted by Academy of Emergency Nursing Chairperson Nick Chmielewski, DNP, RN, CEN, CENP, NEA-BC, FAEN. "I'm thrilled to welcome these great emergency nurses into the Academy," said Chmielewski. "The work that these nurses have accomplished thus far in their careers is deserving of such a prestigious recognition and I look forward to celebrating them come September." About the Emergency Nurses Association The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With more than 50,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency healthcare public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org. ENA Media Contact: Dan Campana Director of Communications 847-460-4017 [email protected] SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association SUZHOU, China, and ROCKVILLE, MD, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that it has released the results from its Phase I first-in-human (FIH) study of the company's novel FAK inhibitor and third-generation ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) APG-2449 in patients with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1+ non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma in a Poster Presentation at the 58th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. APG-2449 is the first China-developed third-generation ALK inhibitor entering clinical studies. Entering the fifth consecutive year in which its abstracts were selected for presentations by the ASCO Annual Meeting, Ascentage Pharma showcased results from multiple clinical trials of its five drug candidates, including the first-time results of APG-2449 highlighting the company's promising pipeline in solid tumors. APG-2449 demonstrated preliminary efficacy in TKI-naive patients or those whose disease was resistant to second-generation TKIs, with 4 partial responses (PRs) observed in the 14 patients with second-generation-TKI resistant and ALK-positive NSCLC. In the 10 TKI-naive ALK/ROS1+ patients, the objective response rate (ORR) was 80%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 100%. Discovered and developed by Ascentage Pharma, APG-2449 is a novel, orally-available FAK/ALK/ROS1 inhibitor and the first China-developed third-generation ALK inhibitor entering clinical studies. Prof. Hongyun Zhao of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, who is the principal investigator of this study, said, "APG-2449 is a potent FAK/ALK/ROS1 inhibitor that can address drug resistance to second-generation ALK TKIs. In this FIH study, APG-2449 demonstrated favorable safety and antitumor activity in patients with advanced NSCLC, and showed on-target pharmacodynamic effects. Building on results from this Phase I study, we look forward to further evaluate APG-2449's efficacy in advanced NSCLC patients resistant to second-generation ALK inhibitor. Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma, commented, "APG-2449 is one of our key drug candidates, outside our pipeline of apoptosis-targeting assets. The data presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting demonstrated APG-2449's therapeutic potential in patients with advanced NSCLC and are indicative of our progress in the field of solid tumors. We will continue to take firm steps to advance this clinical development program. Furthermore, we are proud to be able to present clinical development progress for a number of Ascentage Pharma's drug candidates at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, which highlight our capabilities in global innovation. Honoring our mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world, we are now accelerating our clinical programs to bring more safe and effective therapeutics to patients in need." The highlights of this abstract on APG-2449 are as follows: First-in-human phase I results of APG-2449, a novel FAK and third-generation ALK/ ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), in patients (pts) with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma. Abstract: #9071 This dose-escalation and dose-expansion study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, recommended Phase II dose (RP2D), pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and efficacy of APG-2449 in patients with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1+ NSCLC or mesothelioma. As of December 30, 2021 , 84 Chinese patients with NSCLC or mesothelioma enrolled were treated with APG-2449 at doses ranging from 150 to 1,500 mg. APG-2449 was administered orally once daily on a 28-day cycle using a "3+3" dose escalation design. , 84 Chinese patients with NSCLC or mesothelioma enrolled were treated with APG-2449 at doses ranging from 150 to 1,500 mg. APG-2449 was administered orally once daily on a 28-day cycle using a "3+3" dose escalation design. 4 PRs were observed in 14 ALK+ patients resistant to second-generation TKIs treated at the RP2D. Among 8 patients with brain metastases, 1 complete response (CR) and 3 PRs were observed intracranially. In 10 TKI-naive patients, the ORR was 80% (ALK+, 6/8; ROS1+, 2/2) and the DCR was 100%. In addition, AGP-2449 demonstrated a favorable safety profile. The preliminary biomarker data showed decreased FAK phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and increased IFN- levels in serum after multiple doses of APG-2449. Conclusions: APG-2449 has a favorable safety and PK profile. Preliminary efficacy was observed in patients whose disease was resistant to second-generation or TKI-naive. Biomarker data indicated potential target engagement on FAK and the immunomodulatory effects of APG-2449. Appendix: A list of Ascentage Pharma's abstracts selected by this year's ASCO Annual Meeting Drug Candidate Abstract Title Abstract # Format Olverembatinib (HQP1351) Promising antitumor activity of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in patients (pts) with tyrosine kinase inhibitor- (TKI-) resistant succinate dehydrogenase- (SDH-) deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). #11513 Poster discussion Lisaftoclax (APG-2575) A phase Ib/II study of lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a novel BCL-2 inhibitor (BCL-2i), in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL). #7543 Poster presentation Phase Ib/II study of BCL-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) safety and tolerability when administered alone or combined with a cyclin- dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor in patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER) breast cancer or advanced solid tumors. #TPS1122 Poster presentation Alrizomadlin (APG-115) Newly updated activity results of alrizomadlin (APG-115), a novel MDM2/p53 inhibitor, plus pembrolizumab: Phase 2 study in adults and children with various solid tumors. #9517 Poster discussion APG-2449 First-in-human phase I results of APG-2449, a novel FAK and third-generation ALK/ ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), in patients (pts) with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma. #9071 Poster presentation Pelcitoclax (APG-1252) Updated study results of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with osimertinib in patients (pts) with EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). #9116 Poster presentation First-in-human study of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with paclitaxel in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory small-cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC). e20612 Publication- Only About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK. Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of eight clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 50 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), was granted Priority Review status and a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and is already approved for the indication. In addition, olverembatinib was also granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA, and an Orphan Designation by the EU. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 15 ODDs, 2 FTDs, and 2 Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) designations from the FDA and 1 ODD from the EU for four of the company's investigational drug candidates. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including 5 National Major New Drug Discovery and Manufacturing projects, 1 New Drug Incubator status, 4 Innovative Drug Programs, and 1 Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer. The company has built a talented team with global experience in discovering, developing, launching, and commercializing innovative drugs and is setting up world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit of more patients. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. SOURCE Ascentage Pharma Body and Mind Flower and Extracts in Arkansas Expanded Product portfolio in Ohio LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, BC, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM) (OTCQB: BMMJ) (the "Company" or "BaM"), a multi-state US cannabis operator, is pleased to provide an update on growth of wholesale operations. Ohio Ohio manufacturing operations continue to expand with extracted product offerings including Body and Mind branded shatter, crumble, ambrosia and kief available at the Body and Mind Cleveland dispensary and in more than 10 other dispensaries across Ohio. The Company has recently received final approval for kitchen operations and anticipates bringing popular Nevada edible products including Pretzel Bites, Krispy Bites and Chocolate Bites to the Ohio market in the near term. Arkansas The Company has completed phenotyping of the new strains at the Arkansas cultivation, which have received excellent feedback in the market. As cultivation operations have ramped, the Company has been selling flower through the Body and Mind dispensary in West Memphis, Arkansas. The cultivation team has achieved a steady state of cultivation operations and wholesale of Body and Mind branded flower has commenced through numerous other dispensaries in Arkansas. The proprietary strains include G-Baby 99, Puppy Breath, Chem Dela Cake and Sundae Pie, all featuring strong terpene profiles. Body and Mind has also collaborated with renowned Arkansas extractors Dark Horse and Bold to offer Body and Mind branded shatter and crumble, which is available at the Body and Mind dispensary and other dispensaries in Arkansas. The Body and Mind dispensary has been offering home delivery in Arkansas and continues to see deliveries expanding. California Body and Mind has collaborated with Froot to create custom Body and Mind products including Body and Mind pre-rolls which are now available at all Body and Mind dispensaries in California. The Body and Mind pre-rolls feature quality flower in a custom branded BaM logoed 1 gram pre-rolled joint. The Company will continue to review collaboration opportunities while the planned manufacturing operation moving through final local approvals. "We are excited to continue expanding our proven Nevada products into the limited license states of Ohio and Arkansas", stated Michael Mills, CEO of Body and Mind. "Our team continues to produce sought after flower, extracts and edibles as we bring our deep experience and proven product portfolio from the Nevada market to our growing operations." Q3 Periodic Report and Earnings Update The Company anticipates filing its Form 10-Q for the three and nine months ended April 30, 2022 on June 20, 2022 with a Q3 earnings call scheduled for 5:00 PM Eastern on June 21, 2022. Conference Call Details Confirmation #: 30671046 Local: Toronto: 416-764-8659 North American Toll Free: 1-888-664-6392 Encore Replay Encore Replay Local: (+1) 416 764 8677 Encore Replay North American Toll Free: (+1) 888 390 0541 Encore Replay Entry Code: 671046 # Encore Replay Expiration Date: 06/28/2022 About Body and Mind Inc. BaM is an operations focused US multi-state cannabis operator investing in high quality medical and recreational cannabis cultivation, production and retail. BaM continues to expand operations in Nevada, California, Arkansas, Ohio and Michigan and is dedicated to increasing shareholder value by focusing time and resources on improving operational efficiencies, facility expansions, state licensing opportunities as well as mergers and acquisitions. Our wholly owned Nevada subsidiary was awarded one of the first medical marijuana cultivation licenses and holds cultivation and production licenses. BaM products include dried flower, edibles, oils and extracts as well as GPEN Gio cartridges. BaM cannabis strains have won numerous awards including the 2019 Las Vegas Weekly Bud Bracket, Las Vegas Hempfest Cup 2016, High Times Top Ten, the NorCal Secret Cup and the Emerald Cup. Please visit www.bodyandmind.com for more information. Instagram:@bodyandmindBaM Twitter: @bodyandmindBaM 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 release. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation of activities, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. SOURCE Body and Mind Inc. Schools mix strong academic performance with world-class training, but excellence is threatened by recent changes to admissions policy. BOSTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts vocational-technical schools -- boasting minuscule dropout rates, strong academic performance, and graduates prepared for careers or higher education -- should be expanded to meet growing demand, according to a new book published by Pioneer Institute. "Holding voc-tech students to the same academic and graduation requirements as students in comprehensive public high schools was one of the most transformative elements of the Commonwealth's 1993 Education Reform Act," said Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios. "Massachusetts is now the unquestioned leader in vocational-technical education, with graduates among the best-prepared to compete in the global economy." "Hands-On Achievement: Massachusetts's National Model Vocational-Technical Schools" traces the history, development, and status of the state's voc-tech sector. "Today, manuals used by plumbers and major appliance repair personnel are written at up to a grade 14 level," said Jamie Gass, Pioneer's director of school reform. "Auto technicians aren't just 'gearheads' anymore. They do more analysis of computerized diagnostic equipment than turning wrenches." The state's more than 52,000 voc-tech students alternate weeks between academics and shop work. With only half the academic instruction time, they match or exceed the academic performance of students in the state's other public high schools. Voc-tech schools in Massachusetts: Teach more students with special needs (24% vs. 19% statewide) Enroll more low-income students (44% vs. 39% statewide) Have lower dropout rates (0.6% vs. 1.8% statewide) "Massachusetts voc-techs have succeeded thanks to a combination of operational autonomy, being schools of choice, rigorous instruction, and relationships with local businesses," said co-editor David Ferreira, a former executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators. Voc-tech schools have advisory councils and enjoy close relationships with local business communities that provide state-of-the-art equipment, training, co-op programs, and a direct career path for many voc-tech graduates. Among the book's recommendations: Expand voc-tech education to serve the 52 communities, primarily in Berkshire and Hampshire counties, not currently in a regional voc-tech district. and counties, not currently in a regional voc-tech district. Utilize available public-school space to accommodate the 5,000 students on voc-tech waiting lists. Grant all voc-tech schools the same autonomy over budgets, curriculum, and staffing currently enjoyed by regional voc-tech districts. "Hands-On Achievement" also warns against recent changes to voc-tech admissions policies that threaten these schools' success, such as disregarding applicants' behavioral and attendance records, which are critical considerations at schools where students need extensive training on operating sophisticated machinery. Moving toward lottery admissions runs the risk of a mismatch between students and schools, undermining the principle that students actively choose the voc-tech model and potentially misallocating public resources, given that it costs taxpayers about $5,000 more on average to educate a student at a voc-tech school as opposed to a traditional high school. For more information or to schedule interviews with the authors or editors of the book, please contact Lizzie Nealon at 202-471-4228 ext. 103 or [email protected]. About Pioneer Institute. Pioneer Institute is a think tank dedicated to developing ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond. The organization produces research almost exclusively through outside experts to ensure credibility, and acts as a resource for legislators on Beacon Hill and for staff in the State's executive offices. SOURCE Pioneer Institute Brevan Electronics is once again recognized on both Electronics Sourcing and SourceToday's Top 50 Electronics Distributors lists. NASHUA, N.H., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brevan Electronics, a leading authorized distributor with over 39 years of exceptional service and delivery, today announced its continued achievement as a top distributor in electronic component distribution by SourceToday and Electronics Sourcing. "We are proud to be recognized as a top distributor in our space," said Aaron Dufoe, President, Brevan Electronics, "2021 was a challenging year in supply chain distribution, and Brevan Electronics was able to provide world-class service to our customers by offering collaborative and tailormade solutions in this shortage market." Following the successful introduction of Clever Leaves' IQANNA No 7 medical cannabis flowers to the German pharmaceutical market, Cantourage and Clever Leaves launched the 'IQANNA No 10'-branded Wappa cultivar. The dried flower product is cultivated in Clever Leaves' facility in Portugal, where the company operates approximately 25,000 m 2 of actively producing GACP-certified greenhouses. Cantourage processes the Wappa-based IQANNA No 10 cannabis flowers, transforming them to medical cannabis products with one of the highest THC levels available in German pharmacies. Cantourage's and Clever Leaves' expanded partnership further increases the range of international, high-quality medical cannabis products that Cantourage has been making available to the EU market. Cantourage manufactures and distributes medical cannabis products sourced from around the world and makes them available to patients in Germany and Europe. IQANNA No 10 is the second Clever Leaves product made available to patients in Germany, with further products under the IQANNA brand to be introduced in Germany in the coming weeks. Philip Schetter, CEO of Cantourage, commented: "Today's launch of the IQANNA No 10 medical cannabis flowers is an important step in our intensified partnership with Clever Leaves and further improves the already growing range of medical cannabis products available to German pharmacies and patients. Clever Leaves is a large-scale and experienced multinational operator with sustainable operations and excellent quality products from countries with exceptional natural growing conditions. We very much look forward to further deepening our partnership and making further Clever Leaves products available to German patients, among whom we know that demand levels are very high". Caroline Kliess, Managing Director of Clever Leaves Germany GmbH, added: "We are excited to extend our partnership with Cantourage and launch our next medical cannabis flower product under the IQANNA brand. Andres Fajardo, CEO of Clever Leaves, stated: "Broadening distribution is an important goal, and we are delighted that the successful strategic partnership with Cantourage has allowed us to take this next step in bringing our high-quality products and brands into the European market. We are excited about the opportunity to play a role in meeting the needs of the quickly growing key markets of Germany and Europe". About Cantourage GmbH Cantourage GmbH is a leading European medical cannabis company. The Berlin-based company was founded in 2019 by industry pioneers Dr Florian Holzapfel, Norman Ruchholtz and Patrick Hoffmann. With its unique Fast Track Access platform, Cantourage enables producers from across the world to become part of the rapidly growing European medical cannabis market. Cantourage focuses on long-term collaborations and strategic partnerships: each partner along the value chain can focus on what they do best from growers to logistics, manufacturers to pharmacies and wholesalers. All with one clear goal in mind: to provide patients in Europe with an unprecedented selection of the highest quality cannabis medicines at affordable prices. Cantourage offers products in all relevant market segments: dried flowers, extracts, Dronabinol and pharma-grade Cannabidiol. About Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. Clever Leaves is a leading multinational operator and licensed producer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoids. Its operations in Colombia and Portugal produce cannabinoid active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and finished products in flower and extract form to a growing base of B2B customers around the globe. Clever Leaves aims to disrupt the traditional cannabis production industry by leveraging environmentally sustainable, ESG-friendly, industrial-scale and low-cost production methods, with the world's most stringent pharmaceutical quality certifications. For more information, please visit https://cleverleaves.com/en/home/ and follow Clever Leaves on Twitter and LinkedIn. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835367/Cantourage.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835368/Cantourage_Clever_Leaves_logo.jpg SOURCE Cantourage CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of global market infrastructure and tradable products, today said it will announce its financial results for the second quarter of 2022 before the market opens on Friday, July 29, 2022. A conference call with remarks by the company's senior management will begin at 7:30 a.m. Central Time (CT), 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET). Conference Call Information: A live audio webcast for the conference call and the presentation that will be referenced during the call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Cboe's website at ir.cboe.com under Events. The presentation will be archived on the company's website for replay. Participants also may listen to the live conference call via telephone by using the dial-in numbers listed below. Date: Friday, July 29, 2022 Time: 7:30 a.m. CT (8:30 a.m. ET) Live Dial-In Information U.S.: 1-877-255-4313 Canada: 1-866-450-4696 International: 1-412-317-5466 (Participants should dial in 10 minutes prior to the start of the presentation and ask to join the Cboe Global Markets call.) Replay Dial-In Information U.S.: 1-877-344-7529 Canada: 1-855-669-9658 International: 1-412-317-0088 A replay of the recording is expected to be available one hour after the conference call ends. The replay access code will be 9619897, which will be accessible through August 5, 2022. About Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, FX, and digital assets, across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com. CBOE-C CBOE-OE Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, Cboe Volatility Index, and VIX are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Codat , the universal API for small business data, announced that it has raised $100 million in a series C investment round led by JP Morgan Growth Equity Partners. Canapi Ventures and Shopify also participated in the round and Plaid has been publicly named as an investor for the first time. Existing investors Index Ventures and PayPal Ventures also participated in the round. As part of the financing, Patrick McGoldrick, Partner at J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners will join Codat's board. Codat's API is used by SaaS, lending and payments companies to build integrated products for their SMB customers. Whether that's a neobank building a cashflow forecast in their app, or a payment provider enabling merchants to sync transactions with their accounting software, there is a use case for Codat in almost every fintech serving SMBs. The investment comes less than a year after Codat announced a Series B investment round last July led by Tiger Global, alongside American Express and PayPal Ventures. Codat reports that it now has over 200 clients, including many of the world's largest banks as well as rapidly growing fintechs such as Brex, Jeeves, Pipe and Clover, and a team of 250 people across the UK, North America and Australia. Codat will use the funds to build out their critical infrastructure to be the default means of sharing data for the small business economy. In the same way that the internet has changed almost every aspect of how we live and work, Codat's technology will underpin the flow of small business data, giving way to tools, capabilities and opportunities not yet seen or imagined. The economic impact of this infrastructure is already proven. The SMBs sharing and syncing data to other systems via Codat's technology have grown on average 2.7 times faster than GDP in 2021. "Today, we're in the age of 'dial-up' when it comes to business data." commented Pete Lord, Codat's CEO. "Despite radical advancements in other areas of technology, in 2022 the majority of small business systems still don't speak to each other, creating hours of painful admin and serious barriers to growth. No one will be speaking about SMB financial software integrations in 5-10 years - automated data flows over the Codat platform will be a presumed standard. The only time you'll notice integrations is when they are not there. With the impressive caliber and strong sector expertise that J.P. Morgan and Patrick bring to our board, alongside our other advisors, we couldn't be in a better position to capitalize on the massive opportunity in front of us." The Series C funding round is made up mainly of strategic investors, demonstrating the collective industry buy-in to the increasing importance of connectivity in the future of finance and the growing role of Codat as the default means to integrate with small business systems. JP Morgan, Plaid and Shopify are all already partners, clients or collaborating with Codat. Patrick McGoldrick, Partner at J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners said, "We believe Codat has the potential to fundamentally change the way data is shared across the small business economy. JPMorgan Chase has an extensive small business customer base so we understand the power of connecting and standardizing data whether it is used for onboarding new customers or offering insights on business performance. This unique global perspective and Codat's impressive management team deepened our conviction." Jeff Kennedy, Corporate Development at Shopify, commented: "At Shopify, we're always looking to support companies that are aligned with our mission to make commerce better for everyone. We're thrilled to participate in Codat's Series C because we know how important it is for our merchants to have all of their systems in sync. Unlocking this connectivity is the key to helping them scale more efficiently." Financial technology company Plaid is a leader in open finance and invested in Codat in a prior round. The companies also have a business partnership whereby Plaid's product is integrated into Codat's API, enabling clients to access banking, accounting and commerce data via a single integration. They count Rho Business Banking and Atom Bank among their joint customers. "Creating an open data ecosystem for small businesses has lagged behind the progress we've seen in the consumer sphere, despite SMBs accounting for more than half of the world's GDP," commented Plaid's head of business and corporate development, Jason Pate. "Digitizing financial services has proven to save people time, money and financial stress and should unlock even more benefits for small businesses. Pate added, "Codat is a leader in this space and we are looking forward to building on several years of successful partnership and supporting them in their next stage of growth." ABOUT CODAT Codat is the universal API for small business data. The real-time connectivity that Codat provides enables software providers and financial institutions to build integrated products for their small business customers. Codat clients range from lenders to corporate card providers and business forecasting tools and use cases include automatic reconciliation, business dashboarding, and loan decisioning. Codat was founded in 2017 and has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney. The company has raised over $160M to date from investors including JP Morgan Growth Equity Partners, Canapi Ventures, Shopify, Plaid, Tiger Global, PayPal Ventures, Index Ventures and American Express Ventures. For more information visit www.codat.io CONTACT Chelsea Allison [email protected] 312.775.2856 SOURCE Codat CLEVELAND and BALTIMORE and PITTSBURGH and ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohen & Company is pleased to announce the following partner promotions. Photos are available upon request. Tax Partner Promotions Ryan Broze, CPA | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Ryan provides real estate investment and management companies, closely held entities and multimillion dollar family owned businesses with expertise related to tax planning and investor compliance. He assists start-ups, growth companies and those strategizing for an exit. Dan Sexton, CPA, MS | St. Clair Shores, Michigan Dan advises clients in the areas of tax planning and business operations, including those in manufacturing, professional services, and real estate and construction. He enjoys challenging tax situations, including advising clients on their complex tax compliance needs. Andreana Shengelya, CPA, MT | Cleveland, Ohio Having spent her career focused on the investment industry, Andreana has a range of tax consulting and compliance experience. She works with open- and closed-end mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, private investment funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and offshore funds. Samantha Smudz, CPA, JD | Cleveland, Ohio Focused on transactions, Samantha consults with clients on the potential tax impact of transactions. She conducts tax due diligence, tax modeling and transaction structuring. Samantha also has expertise in complex consolidated return issues, internal restructuring, and analyses of earnings and profits, stock basis and the tax treatment of transaction costs. Christie Stravino, CPA, MS | Baltimore, Maryland Christie's background includes serving a range of taxpayers, including partnerships, corporations and individuals. She works closely with real estate and investment management entities and their owners, including hedge funds, commodity pools and private equity funds. Assurance Partner Promotions Sean Abrams, CPA | Cleveland, Ohio Sean provides practical solutions to complex accounting guidance, serving clients in industries such as manufacturing, distribution and professional services. In addition to traditional audits, he also has expertise in conducting employee benefit plan audits. Joshua Swander, CPA | Cleveland, Ohio Joshua primarily serves clients in the manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, and professional services industries. In addition to conducting audits and reviews, he has experience with complex entity structures, business combinations, consolidations, private equity owned companies, employee stock ownership plans and stock-based compensation plans. Advisory Partner Promotions Ken Randazzo | Cleveland, Ohio Ken advises a wide range of domestic and international clients on both buy-side and sell-side business transactions. He focuses on areas such as quality of historical earnings, purchase price adjustment mechanisms, closing procedures and working capital requirements to maximize value for clients. Visit cohencpa.com/partnerpromotions to learn more. About Cohen & Company Named one of America's Best Tax and Accounting Firms by Forbes, and one of the fastest growing private companies in the country by Inc. Magazine, Cohen & Company offers assurance, tax and advisory services to clients throughout the U.S. and worldwide. The firm serves a broad range of clients, from privately held companies and their owners; to public and private funds, advisers and fund service providers within the investment industry; to Fortune 1000 multinational enterprises. Cohen & Company was founded in 1977; has more than 650 associates in Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; and through affiliated entities has an international presence in the Cayman Islands and Ireland. Learn more at cohencpa.com. SOURCE Cohen & Company CooperRiis Healing Community is pleased to announce Ride Above Mental Illness, a peer-to-peer fundraising event. Tweet this Ride Above Mental Illness was inspired by Jeremiah's own mental health journey since childhood. Individuals across the nation can participate in Ride Above Mental Illness by joining Jeremiah's team or starting their own team. The purpose of this event is to bring awareness to the concept of mental illness and recovery. CooperRiis' Ride Above Mental Illness is an opportunity to engage alumni, their families, and the community at large while celebrating our longstanding involvement in the field of mental health recovery. Individuals and organizations are invited to start a team or simply make an online donation. SPONSORS: ULINE, The Bottle Tryon, First Sun EAP and Open Road Coffee To learn more about the event: https://charity.pledgeit.org/CooperRiisHealingCommunity Contacts: Eric A. Levine, Ed.D., President and CEO Cell: 240-446-1691 Office: 828-899-0089 [email protected] Kim Nelson, Marketing & Outreach Director Cell: 828-817-3783Office: 828-894-7315[email protected] About CooperRiis Healing Community CooperRiis is a nonprofit 501c3 organization, a member of the American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA), and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accredited residential healing community in Asheville, North Carolina. Since 2003, CooperRiis has been helping adults living with mental health challenges, including anxiety, major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and co-occurring conditions related to addiction, achieve their highest levels of functioning and fulfillment. CooperRiis offers a full continuum of care (four levels) through a personalized recovery approach that combines clinical therapies, community work & service, education, and integrative wellness practices across three campuses, including a 94-acre working farm. Visit http://www.cooperriis.org or call 828.894.7140 for more about CooperRiis Healing Community and its approach to mental health treatment. For admissions: [email protected] CONTACT: Laurie Rovin, Chief Development Officer 828.899.0730 [email protected] SOURCE CooperRiis A Healing Farm Community Darktrace Federal Accelerating Cyber AI to Defend U.S Government National Security NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Darktrace Federal, Inc. ("Darktrace Federal"), a division of Darktrace plc ("Darktrace"), a global leader in cyber security AI, today announced that it has appointed Marcus Fowler, former U.S Marine and senior CIA officer, as its Chief Executive Officer. Darktrace launched Darktrace Federal in March 2022 and since then has continued to advance its mission to serve the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the intelligence community (IC), federal civilian agencies, and national critical infrastructure to strengthen their defenses with Self-Learning AI. Darktrace Federal will ensure mission resilience, augment and accelerate zero trust implementations, and proactively defend against zero-days, insider threats, and supply chain compromises. In addition to defending on-premise and cloud IT and OT environments, Darktrace's email security technology will be the basis for enabling federal entities to disrupt targeted, socially-engineered impersonation and account hijack attacks. Since its establishment, Darktrace Federal has been focusing on the following key areas: Deploying products based on Darktrace's advanced Self-Learning AI technology on-premise and completing FedRAMP certification for email security and cloud deployments. For FedRAMP, Darktrace Federal is in the process of establishing Impact Level-5 and GCC High to protect federal civilian, DoD, and IC environments. Providing technical demonstrations of Darktrace's Self-Learning AI-based approach to cyber security to federal government critical infrastructure agencies. Utilizing the new DoD contract funding vehicle Darktrace has executed to enable rapid deployment with DoD and federal civilian agencies and partners. Marcus Fowler, CEO at Darktrace Federal, commented: "At such a critical moment in our nation's history, when nation-state cyber-aggressors are actively conducting operations for dominance in cyberspace, we aim to empower the U.S. government to be steps ahead of attackers to neutralize stealthy and sophisticated threats at their earliest stages. I am honored to lead the Darktrace Federal team and bring Darktrace's proven AI technology to federal customers." Patrick Gonzalez, former U.S Air Force and U.S. Space Force contracting officer, who is a member of the Darktrace Federal advisory board and brings with him a wealth of experience in government acquisition and contracts, commented: "Following a lengthy career in this space, I am thrilled to see such a high level of interest so soon after the launch of Darktrace Federal. I am proud that we are taking the necessary steps to do business with the federal government and will continue to work hard to meet demand and ensure Darktrace Federal is on appropriate contract vehicles." For Darktrace Federal inquiries or contract vehicle references, please contact Sally Grant, VP of Darktrace Federal Grant emphasizes, "we are standing by to support U.S. government cyber defenses. The speed and scale of modern cyber threats requires AI to augment human cyber defenders. We are here to support cyber analyst teams under attack from machine-driven cyber warfare." About Darktrace Federal, Inc Darktrace Federal, Inc. is the U.S. Federal Division of Darktrace plc (DARK.L). Darktrace plc is a global leader in cyber security AI, delivering world-class technology that protects over 6,800 customers worldwide from malicious threats. Darktrace Federal applies Darktrace's Self-Learning AI to enable unsupervised machine learning to defend and respond to nation-state attacks. Media Contacts Jessica Cheney CommStrat (US) +1 419 350 4614 [email protected] SOURCE Darktrace ALASKA, ILLINOIS AND LOUISIANA HAVE ALL PASSED IN BOTH CHAMBERS, AND ARE A SIGNATURE AWAY FROM BECOMING LAW THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS BECOMES FIRST U.S. TERRITORY TO PASS THE CROWN ACT #PassTheCrown ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color Of Change, along with 90+ members of the CROWN Coalition are excited to announce a few new champions of the CROWN Act. Maine Governor Janet Mills signed LD 598, the CROWN Act into law on April 20, 2022. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed SB 136, the CROWN Act into law on May 27, 2022. Most recently Louisiana, Illinois and Alaska all passed legislation to make hair discrimination illegal in their state and are all awaiting their Governor's signature. Black hair has been unjustly regulated in schools and the workplace for years. Dove and the CROWN Coalition want to bring an end to hair discrimination once and for all with the CROWN Act. CROWN stands for C reating a R espectful and O pen W orld for N atural Hair. "Another major moment for this grassroots movement that continues to grow!" stated Esi Eggleston Bracey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of North America Beauty and Personal Care at Unilever. "We applaud all the great work done in Maine and Tennessee to make the CROWN Act law! The Dove team is equally thrilled Louisiana has passed anti-hair discrimination legislation inspired by the CROWN Act in both chambers now it's up to Governor John Bel Edwards to sign it into law. We appreciate the leadership of State Senators and Representatives as they stand up for the CROWN Act! We applaud Representative Candace Newell who introduced House Bill 1083, inspired by the CROWN Act, to protect Black men, women and children in the workplace and schools from hair discrimination. As we head to NOLA this summer to celebrate National CROWN Day (July 3, 2022), we look forward to celebrating Louisiana's victory along with Tennessee, Illinois, Maine, Alaska and the U.S. Virgin Islands." "I am proud to say House Bill 1083 is the first CROWN Act inspired legislation to pass a state legislature in the Deep South. Discrimination based on hair texture, natural hairstyles, and protective hairstyles is deeply rooted in the belief that straight hair is 'more professional.' This is a win for the people of Louisiana but specifically for Black and Brown individuals who have been historically marginalized based off their hair for generations. Representative Candace Newell. Here is an update of where the CROWN Act stands: MAINE The CROWN Act is law! On April 20, 2022 , Maine Governor, Janet Mills signed LD 598, the CROWN Act, into law. , signed LD 598, the CROWN Act, into law. The bill was sponsored by Senator Mattie Daughtry , (D- Brunswick ), "An Act to Prohibit Discrimination in Employment and School Based on Hair Texture or Hairstyle". TENNESSEE The CROWN Act is law! The Tennessee legislature has become the first state in the Southeast region of the U.S. to pass the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act known as the CROWN Act. legislature has become the first state in the Southeast region of the U.S. to pass the Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act known as the CROWN Act. SB 136 was signed into law by Governor Bill Lee (R) May 27, 2022 . (R) . Sponsored by Senator Raumesh Akbari (D - Memphis ) and originally proposed in 2021. ) and originally proposed in 2021. Some of the specific kinds of protected hairstyles include braids, locs, or twists. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS The Virgin Islands CROWN Act of 2022 is law! On April 11, 2022 , U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. signed Bill No. 34-0147, 'The Virgin Islands Crown Act of 2022' into law. , signed Bill No. 34-0147, 'The Virgin Islands Crown Act of 2022' into law. This amends the Virgin Islands Civil Rights Act (VICRA), which prohibits discrimination in employment, as well as with respect to public accommodations and with respect to rental transactions, because of race, creed, color, or national origin. The law also prohibits discrimination under "any program or activity of any school or educational institution, on the basis of race." In addition, the law amends Title 17 of the Code of the Virgin Islands to include a new section that prohibits educational institutions from creating "a dress code or policy that prohibits the wearing of protective hairstyles at school during school hours or school events and disciplining a student for wearing a protective hairstyle." LOUISIANA | *pending Governor John Bel Edwards signature Inspired by the CROWN Act, House Bill 1083, authored by Representative Candace Newell (D- New Orleans ). (D- ). The bill passed in the Louisiana Senate by a 29-4 vote on June 3, 2022 . Senate by a 29-4 vote on . The House approved it with a 74-24 vote on May 23, 2022 . . House Bill 1083 awaits Governor John Bel Edwards signature. ILLINOIS | *pending Governor J.B. Pritzer signature The Illinois legislature unanimously passed an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) clarifying the meaning of "race" discrimination under the law, April 9, 2022 . legislature unanimously passed an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) clarifying the meaning of "race" discrimination under the law, . Led by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago ), Senate Bill 3616 also known as the CROWN Act amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. (D- ), also known as the CROWN Act amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. The amendment, known as the "CROWN Act" will update the definition of "race" under the IHRA so that "race" will include traits associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locs and twists. On August 13, 2021 , Governor Pritzker signed into law a version of a CROWN Act which, due to various amendments, ended up only applying to schools and not places of employment, despite the "CROWN" acronym referencing a respectful and open "workplace." , Governor Pritzker signed into law a version of a CROWN Act which, due to various amendments, ended up only applying to schools and not places of employment, despite the "CROWN" acronym referencing a respectful and open "workplace." Senate Bill 3616 awaits Governor JB Pritzker's signature. ALASKA | *pending Governor Mike Dunleavy's signature The Alaska Legislature has passed SB 174, a bill that would prohibit discrimination against Black hairstyles in schools. The bill was introduced by Sen. David Wilson , R- Wasilla , and cross-sponsored by Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson , D- Anchorage . School dress codes would prohibit hairstyles like afros, cornrows and braids. Schools would be barred from requiring students to alter their hair. , R- , and cross-sponsored by Sen. , D- . School dress codes would prohibit hairstyles like afros, cornrows and braids. Schools would be barred from requiring students to alter their hair. There would also be a prohibition on schools banning students from wearing traditional and cultural regalia at graduation ceremonies. Senate Bill 174 awaits Governor Mike Dunleavy's signature. FEDERAL BILL On March 18, 2022 , the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act, which would ban race-based hair discrimination at work, federal programs, and public accommodations. , the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act, which would ban race-based hair discrimination at work, federal programs, and public accommodations. It has not been voted on in the U.S. Senate. Together with The CROWN Coalition, Dove is committed to progressing The CROWN Act until hair discrimination is illegal in all 50 states and at the federal level. Since its founding, Dove has conducted several KEY RESEARCH STUDIES showing: Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair 80 percent of Black women being more likely to report that they have to change their hair from its natural state to fit in at an office. At school, 86 percent of Black students said that they experienced discrimination based on their natural hair by the age of 12. At majority-white schools, the micro-aggressions for non-white students can begin early and impact a child's then teenager's mental health and school performance. In fact, Black female teenagers are missing a week of school per year because of the strain and stress of hair dissatisfaction. The CROWN Act has galvanized support from federal and state legislators in the movement to end hair discrimination nationwide. As a founding member of The CROWN Coalition, Dove has championed The CROWN Act movement, created, and driven by a team of Black leaders working with a village of women who share a desire to end discrimination including Esi Eggleston Bracey, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Holly J. Mitchell, and JOY Collective agency leaders, Kelli Richardson Lawson and Orlena Nwokah Blanchard, and Adjoa B. Asamoah as lead legislative strategist. To support the movement, we are encouraging everyone to help us #PASSTHECROWN to end race-based hair discrimination in the U.S. by signing the petition and emailing your Senator at www.dove.com/crown. About The CROWN Coalition The CROWN Coalition is the official national supporter of the CROWN Act movement; an alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color Of Change, along with 90+ CROWN Act supporting organizations. For a full list of CROWN Coalition members, visit www.thecrownact.com The CROWN Coalition is proud to have sponsored and/or supported anti-hair discrimination legislation in California (2019), Colorado (2020), Connecticut (2021), Delaware (2021), Illinois* (2021), Maine (2022), Maryland (2020), Nebraska* (2021), Nevada (2021), New Mexico* (2021), New Jersey (2019), New York (2019), Oregon* (2021), Tennessee (2022), Washington (2020), Virginia (2020), and U.S. territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands (2022). The bills address unfair grooming policies that have a disparate impact on Black women, men and children and has drawn attention to racial discrimination taking place within workplaces and public charter schools. The CROWN Coalition members believe diversity and inclusion are key drivers of success across all industries and sectors. ( * ) inspired by the CROWN ACT legislation Dove.com/CROWN "Save the Date" National CROWN Day | July 3, 2022 | New Orleans, LA CONTACT: Marcy Polanco [email protected] 202.885.5527 Lauren Baker [email protected] Angela L. Young [email protected] SOURCE The CROWN Coalition Expert Educator Holly Schifsky with an Exclusive Online Offering of the Medically Complex Infant with Cardiopulmonary Compromise BOSTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Education Resources, Inc., a leading continuing education provider for physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, is pleased to announce the online launch of "Baby Beats and Breaths: Therapeutic Interventions for the Premature Infant with Cardiopulmonary Compromise", taught by internationally renowned instructor, Holly Schifsky, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC, CBIS. Participants can register for "Baby Beats and Breaths: Therapeutic Interventions for the Premature Infant with Cardiopulmonary Compromise" on ERI's website and review ERI's complete list of online and live webinar offerings. This online course was previously recorded from a live webinar in January 2022. While the content remains the same, by repurposing to an online format, ERI is now able to offer this highly popular course to an even wider community of therapists who were unable to attend the original webinar. Participants can now access this exclusive online learning opportunity from the convenience or their home for $319/person. The online format includes access to the entire course and all downloadable handout materials for one year, earning 14.5 contact hours (1.45 CEUs) upon completion. An engaging speaker and a leading expert in the field of neonatal therapy, Schifsky will guide the therapist through the cardiopulmonary implications for the premature or medically-complex infant as related to physiological stability, evolving motor control, sensory stability, and transition to oral motor skills that support feeding. Therapists will be given extensive instruction in handling and facilitation techniques by use of video demonstrations, and problem solving through case analysis. Attendees of the January 2022 webinar had glowing reviews for Schifsky's "Baby Beats." Jennifer Tripoli from Illinois said, "Holly is a WEALTH of information. She provides evidenced-based information and gives therapy techniques that you can apply immediately when you return to working with patients! Highly recommend this class for anyone working with medically complex children." Whether your primary area of practice is working with neonatal infants, or your focus is with other patient populations but you wish to expand your knowledge of neonatal therapies, this online course will give clinicians the tools needed to maximize patient outcomes for the most complex premature and medically-fragile term infants. About Education Resources, Inc. Education Resources, Inc. (ERI) is an accredited provider of continuing education for PTs, OTs, and SLPs. Founded in 1985 by therapists Barbara Goldfarb and Carol Loria, ERI's mission is to provide continuing education that makes a difference for therapists and patients. Visit www.educationresourcesinc.com. CONTACT: Kristin Reitz, ERI Marketing Coordinator [email protected] SOURCE Education Resources, Inc. CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Extended Detection and Response Market by Component (Solutions and Services), Deployment Mode (Cloud and On-premises), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical (BFSI, Government, Retail and eCommerce) and Region - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the XDR market size is projected to grow from USD 985 million in 2022 to USD 2,358 million by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.1% during the forecast period. The growing scale of cyberattacks has heightened the need for XDR solutions. Organizations are increasingly transitioning for point solutions to XDR solution as XDR provides visibility across many important data sources including endpoint, network, cloud, email, identity, IoT/OT, and others to find and respond to threats often missed by individual point solutions. Browse in-depth TOC on "Extended Detection and Response Market" 279 Tables 45 Figures 235 Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=52119574 By component, the services segment to register the highest growth rate during the forecast period Based on offerings, XDR services have witnessed a growing demand in recent years. The services include the support offered by security vendors to assist their customers in using and maintaining XDR efficiently. The services segment has witnessed tremendous growth in recent years. Both SMEs and large enterprises are increasingly relying on XDR providers to better respond to cybersecurity incidents. Financial services, healthcare, and eCommerce verticals have witnessed huge data losses due to security breaches. Hence, they are highly dependent on XDR for strengthening their cybersecurity capabilities. Employees are also adapting to new working practices by using VPN services, thus making their systems more vulnerable to attacks. With the ongoing scenario of rising attacks, organizations are deploying XDR to better protect their security infrastructure worldwide. Based on deployment mode, the cloud segment to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period The cloud deployment offers increased scalability, speed, 24/7 support services, and improved IT security. The demand for SaaS-based security solutions is rapidly increasing, as the central delivery model meets the IT security needs. Owing to the increasing number of applications being deployed on the hosted provider's data centers, there is a shift from traditional on-premises XDR services to hosted XDR services across large enterprises and SMEs. Some of the key vendors offering on-premises and cloud XDR deployment modes are Secureworks, IBM, Trellix, Cisco, and eSentire. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=52119574 North America to hold the largest market share during the forecast period. North America is estimated to account for the highest market share in the Extended Detection and Response Market. The threat landscape is continuously evolving across the globe to combat cyber threats and protect critical data and information from cyberattacks are expected to drive the XDR market in North America. North America is the most affected region in the world by cybersecurity breaches; as a result, it has the largest number of XDR providers. As the world is moving toward interconnections and digitalization, protecting enterprise-critical infrastructure and sensitive data has become one of the major challenges. This region is the most advanced in terms of the adoption of security solutions, services, and infrastructure. Market Players: Major vendors in Extended Detection and Response Market include Trend Micro (Japan), Microsoft (US), Bitdefender (Romania), Palo Alto Networks (US), CrowdStrike (US), SentinelOne (US), IBM (US), Trellix (US), Secureworks (US), Cisco (US), Sophos (UK), Broadcom (US), Cybereason (US), Elastic (US), Fortinet (US), AT&T (US), eSentire (Canada), Qualys (US), Blueshift (US), Rapid7 (US), Exabeam (US), Cynet (US), LMNTRIX (US), Hunters (Israel), and Confluera (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Information Security Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Market by Security Type (Network, Endpoint, Cloud), Deployment Mode (On-Premises and Cloud), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Vertical and Region - Global Forecast to 2027 Endpoint Detection and Response Market by Component (Solution and Service), Enforcement Point (Workstations, Mobile Devices, Servers, POS Terminals), Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/extended-detection-response-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/extended-detection-response.asp SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Creator of the SmartGreen All Electric Home Will Give Individuals the Opportunity to Invest in the Rapidly Emerging Electric Home Revolution DENVER, Colo., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GeoSolar Technologies Inc. ("GST" or "The Company"), a Colorado-based climate technology company and creators of the patent-pending SmartGreen all Electric Home, announced today that following the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") qualification, they will begin their anticipated Regulation A+ offering immediately. The company plans to file for listing on the OTCQB national OTC market with the trading symbol GSOL upon the completion of this offering. This is the first time GeoSolar Technologies shares have been available to the public. Regulation A+ ("Reg A+") capital offerings allow private companies to raise up to $75Million from the public. Like an IPO, Reg A+ allows companies to offer shares to the general public and not just accredited investors. GeoSolar Technologies is seeking to raise $10 Million at $1.00 per share during this capital raise, advised by Manhattan Street Capital. Total Green Energy Independence for Homeowners GeoSolar Technologies' goal is to allow each homeowner to own and control their own green energy system while reducing America's dependence on fossil fuels through their proprietary SmartGreen all Electric Home technology. Founded by an elite team of highly respected climate scientists in 2019 the mission of GST from the outset has been to make a meaningful impact on the growing climate crisis. Their goal was to develop economical technology using solar and geothermal as the cornerstone for converting the more than 1.4 million new homes built annually and the 75 million existing homes from fossil fuels to carbon-free alternatives. "This is the beginning of our journey to become a recognized leader in what we see as a new, largely overlooked sector of an early stage trillion-dollar market opportunity. We have ambitious plans of offering homeowners a cleaner and safer living environment while saving money and contributing to making the planet healthier." stated GST Chairman & CEO, Stone Douglass. "With GST's SmartGreen technology, we're not just using the latest in solar and battery storage, we're introducing a whole new and cleaner eco-luxurious lifestyle." Reinventing the Residential Energy Market GST plans to reinvent the home energy market and deliver more value by creating energy efficient homes, advanced highly monitored air management, air sealing, rapid electric vehicle personal charging stations and AI controlled home automation. "We're looking forward to leveraging this capital raise to make the product available to more homeowners in a shorter period of time, scaling towards what we see as a net-zero all clean electric home and vehicle future." continued Mr. Douglass. Proven in Multiple Test Homes with Exceptional Results The SmartGreen home technology has been installed in multiple test homes in Colorado and achieved exceptional results with some of the most impressive energy efficiency ratings ( HERS ) in the industry. The company is establishing a network of leading solar installation companies in multiple states to sell and install the SmartGreen home system. Rod Turner, CEO and Founder of Manhattan Street Capital*, a leader in the fast-growing industry of direct capital offerings, and who will be advising GeoSolar Technologies' Regulation A+ funding round, added, "The Electric Revolution has arrived and we are equally excited and proud to be advising GeoSolar Technologies as they undertake their Reg A+ capital raise. We share their mission to help educate the public that the Electric home working in tandem with the Electric vehicle is clearly the future and we believe GST is an emerging leader." Marilyn Lopez, Partner and Co-Founder of TAG Collective**, who is overseeing marketing efforts for GeoSolar Technologies around the raise and for the company, said "We are excited to be representing a company that aligns with our values and is making a difference in helping improve the world. There may not be a company in the climate technology industry that is doing more in the battle against rising global temperatures." Those interested in learning more about getting GeoSolar Technologies' solution for their home can learn more at https://geosolarplus.com . Investment Information Package Available Those interested in investing and learning more details about GeoSolar Technologies can visit the official Offering Page at: https://www.manhattanstreetcapital.com/geosolar About GeoSolar Technologies ( https://geosolarplus.com ) GeoSolar Technologies is upgrading how we heat, cool, cook, power and purify homes with 100% sustainable energy sources. The company's patent pending SmartGreen home system harnesses energy from the earth and sun to naturally power homes and electric vehicles without fossil fuels creating a far healthier living environment. GST was recently featured in a highly respected clean technology publication called Zero Energy Project . *Manhattan Street Capital is compensated by GeoSolar Technologies for its services; MSC might earn up to $600k on this offering. Further to this, MSC owns a 3.3% equity stake with a potentially unlimited upside. **TAG Collective is compensated by GeoSolar Technologies for its services; TAG might earn up to $250k on this offering. In Reference to GeoSolar Technologies Inc.: THE OFFERING MATERIALS MAY CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION RELATING TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE COMPANY, ITS BUSINESS PLAN AND STRATEGY, AND ITS INDUSTRY. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED ON THE BELIEFS OF, ASSUMPTIONS MADE BY, AND INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO THE COMPANY'S MANAGEMENT. WHEN USED IN THE OFFERING MATERIALS, THE WORDS "ESTIMATE," "PROJECT," "BELIEVE," "ANTICIPATE," "INTEND," "EXPECT" AND SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS ARE INTENDED TO IDENTIFY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH CONSTITUTE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE STATEMENTS REFLECT MANAGEMENT'S CURRENT VIEWS WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE EVENTS AND ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE CONTAINED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH SPEAK ONLY AS OF THE DATE ON WHICH THEY ARE MADE. THE COMPANY DOES NOT UNDERTAKE ANY OBLIGATION TO REVISE OR UPDATE THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT EVENTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER SUCH DATE OR TO REFLECT THE OCCURRENCE OF UNANTICIPATED EVENTS. AN OFFERING STATEMENT REGARDING THIS OFFERING HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SEC. THE SEC HAS QUALIFIED THAT OFFERING STATEMENT, WHICH ONLY MEANS THAT THE COMPANY MAY MAKE SALES OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED BY THE OFFERING STATEMENT. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE SEC HAS APPROVED, PASSED UPON THE MERITS OR PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION IN THE OFFERING STATEMENT. YOU MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE OFFERING CIRCULAR THAT IS PART OF THAT OFFERING STATEMENT FROM: https://www.manhattanstreetcapital.com/geosolar YOU SHOULD READ THE OFFERING CIRCULAR BEFORE MAKING ANY INVESTMENT. SOURCE GeoSolar Technologies, Inc. DUBLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - Analysis By Product, By Type, By End User, By Region, By Country (2022 Edition): Market Insights and Forecast with Impact of COVID-19 (2022-2027)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market was valued at USD 4433.83 Million in the year 2021 with the North American region leading the regional market share. The key factors driving the growth of this market include the rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as neurological disorders which impact the spinal and the nervous system of the patients, the growth of the geriatric population and increasing sports-related injuries which are propelling the demand for Bracing and Support (B&S) in the market. Moreover, technological advancements in the field of Bracing and Support (B&S) along with rising adoption of universal health coverage in the developed and developing markets, increasing product launches, rising healthcare infrastructure and expenditure with the presence of key market players who constantly undertake research and development activities in the market is further facilitating the growth of braces and supports globally. The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on the global Bracing and Support (B&S) market and the companies experienced a reduction in revenue due to decline in number of patients. A significant decline was due to patients deciding to postpone their visits for various reasons including concerns regarding their own health and safety. The companies analysed in the report include Ossur Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc., 3M Colfax Corporation Orthofix Otto bock DeRoyal Industries Bauerfeind AG Thuasne USA Trulife Key Topics Covered: 1. Report Scope and Methodology 1.1 Scope of the Report 1.2 Research Methodology 1.3 Executive Summary 2. Strategic Recommendations 3. Global Bracing & Support Market: Product Outlook 4. Global Bracing & Support Market: Size and Forecast 4.1 Global Bracing & Support Market Size, By Value, Year 2017-2027 5. Global Bracing & Support Market Segmentation - By Type, Product, End User 5.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: By Type 5.1.1 Elastic Braces and support- Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.1.2 Rigid Braces and support- Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.2 Competitive Scenario of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: By Product 5.2.1 Upper Extremity Braces and support- Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.2.2 Lower Extremity Braces and support - Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.2.3 Spinal Braces and support- Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.3 Competitive Scenario of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: By End User 5.3.1 Hospitals- Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.3.2 Clinic - Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 5.3.3 Over-the-counter - Market Size and Forecast (2017-2027) 6. Global Bracing & Support Market: Regional Analysis 6.1 Competitive Scenario of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: By Region 7. North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: An Analysis (2017-2027) 7.1 North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: Size and Forecast (2017-2027), By Value 7.2 North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - Prominent Companies 7.3 Market Segmentation by Type (Elastic Braces and support, Rigid Braces and support) 7.4 Market Segmentation by Product (Upper Extremity Braces and support, Lower Extremity Braces and support and Spinal Braces and support) 7.5 Market Segmentation by End User (Hospitals, Clinic and Over-the-counter) 7.6 North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: Country Analysis 7.7 Market Opportunity Chart of North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - By Country, By Value, 2027 7.8 Competitive Scenario of North America Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: By Country 7.9 United States Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: Size and Forecast (2017-2027), By Value 7.10 United States Bracing and Support (B&S) Market Segmentation - (by Type, by Product and By End User) 7.11 Canada Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: Size and Forecast (2017-2027), By Value 7.12 Canada Bracing and Support (B&S) Market Segmentation - (By Product, By Type, By End User) 8. Europe Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: : An Analysis (2017-2027) 9. Asia Pacific Bracing and Support (B&S) Market: : An Analysis (2017-2027) 10. Global Bracing & Support Market Dynamics 10.1 Drivers 10.2 Restraints 10.3 Trends 11. Market Attractiveness 11.1 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - By Type, 2027 11.2 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - By Product, 2027 11.3 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - By End User, 2027 11.4 Market Attractiveness Chart of Global Bracing and Support (B&S) Market - By Region, 2026 12. Competitive Landscape 12.1 Market Share Analysis 12.2 Major Technological Innovations, Mergers & Acquisitions and Role of Manufacturers 13. Company Profiles For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hewmxq 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 Japan has recently conducted several military activities by holding combined land, sea, and air drills with the US and other countries, aiming to break free from the pacifist constitution's restraints on the pretext of rewriting the "Three Principles of Transfer of Defense Equipment". Promoting arms exports with nefarious motives According to Kyodo News, Japan's Ministry of Defense is considering modifying the "Three Principles of Transfer of Defense Equipment" and relevant application rules in an effort to expedite the growth of Japan's defense industry by lowering export restrictions for weapons. Restricted by post-war international law, the Japanese government introduced the "Three Principles of Arms Export" in April 1967, which prohibited Japan from exporting weapons. The Abe Cabinet updated and renamed the "Three Principles of Arms Exports" as the "Three Principles of Transfer of Defense Equipment" in 2014, permitting the export of defense weapons under specific conditions. Japan announced a shipment of helmets and protective vests to Ukraine in March 2022. This time around, Japan intends to keep revising its defense policy. After breaking the bottom line of "offering weapons to warring parties", it is inclined to further change the principle of "transferring to a third party only after assuring effective management". Analysts assert that under the guise of amending the "Three Principles of Transfer of Defense Equipment", Japan intends to get rid of restrictions such as "exclusive defense" and "third-party technology transfer" so as to export missiles, fighter jets, and additional equipment to the 12 nations that have signed the Agreement on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology with it. Japan's unified chief of staff has stated that the country intends to cooperate with NATO on weapons development projects and other matters pertaining to defense, in order to establish a comprehensive military-industrial system by boosting technological cooperation and military exports. Approaching "normalization" with gradual nibbling With the gradual rise of right-wing forces in recent years, Japan has continued to defy the spirit of the pacifist constitution by lifting the ban on collective self-defense rights, increasing defense spending, stepping up overseas deployments, and engaging in "second-hand equipment" defense diplomacy, to slip the leash of the post-war international order system entirely. On the one hand, to highlight its "ally" status, Japan has increased the scale and frequency of military drills and training with the United States. Japan has also actively supported US-Japan-ROK military cooperation and the QUAD mechanism in an effort to promote "normalization" of defense. On the other hand, Japan has steadily altered its military policy, broadened the scope of cooperation, and planned to participate in international and hotspot issues to a greater extent, so as to shed its identity as a "defeated country. In general, in light of the fact that the US has prioritized "major power competition" and the "Indo-Pacific Strategy," Japan's revision of the "Three Principles of Transfer of Defense Equipment" is likely to loosen the legal constraints that prevent it from cooperating with the US military in defense-related matters. Currently, Japan has become a lackey of the US in the Indo-Pacific area. It will unavoidably pose hazards and challenges to regional security and stability as it pursues its military agenda step by step. DUBLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) market reached a value of US$ 4.61 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 6.32 Billion by 2027 exhibiting a CAGR of 5.10% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use industries. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a versatile synthetic rubber with unique performance properties. It is a copolymer of ethylene, propylene, and diene monomers and is manufactured through suspension, solution polymerization, or gas-phase polymerization processes. It is commonly used in belts, window and door seals, tubing, roofing membrane, non-slip coatings, radiator, drain tubes, and trunk seals. EPDM exhibits various properties, such as excellent aging, heat, chemical, ozone and weathering resistance, electrical insulation, compression set, and low operating temperatures. As compared to silicon, EPDM offers higher tear strength, durability, and greater bonding with metal, on account of which, it is widely used across the construction, automotive, manufacturing, electrical, and electronics industries. Significant growth in the automotive industry across the globe is creating a positive outlook for the market. EPDM is widely used in cable jacketing, suspension bellows, plugs, molded seals, tubing, and air ducts. Additionally, the increasing product utilization in construction and building applications, such as roofing solutions, basements, swimming pools, and podium decks due to their high flexibility and cost-effectiveness, is favoring the market growth. Various product innovations, such as the introduction of bio-based EPDM, that offer temperature flexibility, adhesion to metal, and oil resistance are providing an impetus to the market growth. This, in turn, is assisting sectors in reducing carbon footprint, which is acting as another growth-inducing factor. Furthermore, the increasing product utilization in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) applications, owing to its high electrical insulation and resistance against water and heat, is positively impacting the market growth. Apart from this, rising consumer expenditure capacities and extensive research and development (R&D) activities are anticipated to drive the market further toward growth. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Arlanxeo, Carlisle Companies Incorporated, Dow Inc., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Firestone Building Products (Holcim Group), Jilin Xingyun Chemical Co. Ltd., Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.), Kumho Polychem (Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd), Lion Elastomers, Mitsui Chemicals Inc. and West American Rubber Company LLC. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the manufacturing process? What is the breakup of the market based on the sales channel? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) 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 Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Manufacturing Process 6.1 Solution Polymerization Process 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Slurry and Suspension Process 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Gas-Phase Polymerization Process 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Sales Channel 7.1 Direct Sales 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Indirect Sales 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Application 8.1 Automotive 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Building and Construction 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Manufacturing 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 8.4 Electrical and Electronics 8.4.1 Market Trends 8.4.2 Market Forecast 8.5 Others 8.5.1 Market Trends 8.5.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by 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 Arlanxeo 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Carlisle Companies Incorporated 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2.3 Financials 14.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.3 Dow Inc. 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3.3 Financials 14.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.4 Exxon Mobil Corporation 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 14.3.5 Firestone Building Products (Holcim Group) 14.3.5.1 Company Overview 14.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6 Jilin Xingyun Chemical Co. Ltd. 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.7 Johns Manville (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Kumho Polychem (Kumho Petrochemical Co. Ltd) 14.3.8.1 Company Overview 14.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9 Lion Elastomers 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.10 Mitsui Chemicals 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 West American Rubber Company LLC 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9axmn9 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 DURHAM, N.C., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Rewriting the Code (RTC), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting college and early career women with a passion for technology, announced a partnership with Goldman Sachs that provides $1,500,000 to fund and launch the RTC Women in Tech Fund. Three student members of Rewriting the Code are photographed: Destiny Nwafor, Grace Cuenca, and Yan Lawrence. Goldman Sachs will also provide funding of $1,000,000 to support mentorships, programming, and education for the RTC community. The RTC Women in Tech Fund is invested in college undergraduates that are within four semesters of graduation, are pursuing a computing-related major, and can demonstrate financial need. "I am thrilled to be taking the next step in our partnership with RTC, Black Wings and Latinas de RTC. This initiative is supplementary to various mentorship programs we host with them, and will provide financial support to women in technology who need assistance in completing their degrees, ultimately leading to increased representation of women in the industry," said Rob Fuentes, global head of Digital Talent Acquisition and co-head of Engineering Hispanic/Latinx Network at Goldman Sachs. Grant options include: Emergency Mini-Grants up to $599 to help students overcome short-term obstacles to their progress. up to to help students overcome short-term obstacles to their progress. Bridge Grants up to $3,000 to overcome potentially catastrophic financial hurdles or access critical resume building opportunities. up to to overcome potentially catastrophic financial hurdles or access critical resume building opportunities. RTC Academic Grants up to $10,000 to cover tuition and expenses for the final credits to degree completion. "Goldman Sachs' generous grant will position Rewriting the Code to appropriately seed and launch RTC's Women in Tech Fund," added Sue Harnett, Founder & President of Rewriting the Code. "The Fund supports RTC students who are experiencing financial hardships that impact their ability to focus on, and complete their computing degrees. Increasing the number of women and intersectional women in tech, requires a holistic approach including mentorship, educational programming, community building and financial support. Access to financial support will allow the women of RTC to exhale and focus on completing their degree." This financial partnership is an extension of an existing partnership RTC has had with Goldman Sachs since 2019 when two RTC members interned at Goldman Sachs the year prior and introduced Managing Director Elizabeth Byrnes to the RTC community and its impact on women in technology focused jobs. This resulted in a Talent Acquisition partnership for both employees and interns that has doubled in size year over year. In early 2020, Rob Fuentes championed the Engineer Match program to include career development for both male and female identifying engineers and will lead the RTC Women in Tech Fund partnership moving forward. For more information, please visit: www.rewritingthecode.org/womenintechfund About Rewriting the Code Rewriting the Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has developed a community of exceptional college and early career women with a passion for technology. RTC empowers women to become the next generation of engineers and tech leaders by providing community, industry education, professional and personal development, and hands-on experience through partnership with companies across North America. About The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services across investment banking, securities, investment management and consumer banking to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world. SOURCE Rewriting the Code ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Lakes GrowthWorks, a strategy, innovation, and branding consultancy headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today a rebranding effort and name change to UPLAND. This change recognizes the growth trajectory the organization has been on since its inception and better enables the organization to communicate its evolving vision, mission, and approaches to solving client growth challenges. A core element of this rebranding effort is the company name change to UPLAND. Coinciding with the reveal of a new name, this extensive brand refresh involves the launch of a new website (https://go-upland.com), visual identity, and logo, a refocused vision and mission, and an evolved approach to the organization's three core areas of focus: Brand Strategy, Growth Strategy, and Innovation. "The name choice for UPLAND was inspired by the idea of arriving at higher ground, somewhere better in the future, for clients, consumers, and the world," said Phil Roos, CEO. "Our new logo reflects this with the A in UPLAND signifying a mountain peak as well as the upward movement needed for clients to reach their own pinnacle of success." Roos added, "We want to reinforce that growth and doing good are not mutually exclusive and that it is sound business strategy to contribute to a better world, to in essence, go upland. This aligns with our core mission of both driving transformational client growth and enabling positive impact." Over the past seven years, the firm has served 100+ clients of all sizes and stages of growth across a range of industries including: Automotive, Apparel, CPG, Food and Beverage, Consumer Durables and Technology, Juvenile Products, Nonprofit and Mission Driven, and QSR/Foodservice, among others. Business has tripled in recent years, fueled by a powerful combination of repeat and new clients. A core area of focus for UPLAND moving forward will be to build upon the organization's Foresight expertise and advance its proprietary DisruptorID offering, which maps disruption and opportunities most relevant to clients. The rebranding of GrowthWorks to UPLAND will not disrupt internal teams or operations. In addition to the company's evolution to UPLAND, the firm recently welcomed six new individuals to its rapidly growing team. About UPLAND UPLAND is a strategy, innovation, and branding consultancy located in Ann Arbor, MI. Founded in 2015 as Great Lakes GrowthWorks, UPLAND has rapidly expanded by leveraging its unique foresight-led approach to envisioning the future, uncovering robust opportunity areas, and co-creating high-impact solutions. UPLAND serves established, emerging/early stage, mission-driven, and non-profit clients who are eager and ready to disrupt their ecosystems and achieve transformational growth. The firm's mission is grounded in the belief that thriving client organizations will have a greater ability to make a difference in the world and achieve their own impact-driven purpose. For more information, contact: Elizabeth Lawrence, Chief of Staff, Upland Phone: 734.221.3860 Email: [email protected] Visit: www.go-upland.com SOURCE Upland Hella Cocktail Co. Secures $5 Million from Whiskey Titan Uncle Nearest's Venture Arm BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hella Cocktail Co ., a brand of botanically inspired mixers and beverages crafted to elevate cocktail culture for everyone, is proud to announce a $5 million investment from a fellow BIPOC-owned company, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey , the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history. From strategy to vision, and from ethos to growth trajectory, the partnership between these two brands truly aligns in every dimension. Standing out with its inclusive category perspective and incredible development, Hella Cocktail Co. secured this investment as part of Uncle Nearest Ventures, which seeks to uplift minority-founded, owned and led spirit companies. Hella Cocktail Co. was the first BIPOC-founded, owned, and led American beverage brand to be available in all 50 states, and its products are currently sold or used in more than 20,000 stores, bars, hotels, and restaurants. The investment coincides with additional hallmark achievements, including the business' 10-year anniversary and the innovation of a new beverage category with its line of Bitters & Soda . This transformative partnership will propel the brand's next phase of structural growth, funding continued recruitment to Hella's all-star team, stocking warehouses with enough inventory to meet the outpacing demand, and continuing to spread the brand's message of creating a more expansive and inclusive cocktail experience. The two brands share values and goals that go beyond just business. Both companies are rooted in the diverse backgrounds of their founders and a fundamental dedication to inclusivity. With three leaders of unique heritage, Hella Cocktail Co. inspires confidence in consumers to bring forth their most authentic selves by championing celebration for all. "We don't see this as just an investment in Hella, but rather an investment in bringing all voices to the table and celebrating different experiences," says Jomaree Pinkard, CEO of Hella Cocktail Co, "This partnership not only enables us to bring our message to more audiences, but aligns us with a fellow minority-owned and led company that understands how integral culture is when creating a successful business. We're thrilled to continue a rapid growth trajectory, as we create premium products where neither taste nor brand values are ever compromised." Instantly recognizing Hella's deep respect for culture and the incredible way in which this drives the brand's success, the investment from the Uncle Nearest Ventures reflects a new legacy that aims to shape a more diverse landscape for cocktailing. "Investing in Hella Cocktail Co. was an absolute no brainer," said Fawn Weaver, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, Inc. "Our team members were already pairing their Bitters & Soda with Uncle Nearest, so I knew their products were made with excellence. What I didn't know is the brand was founded by three men of African American, Mexican, and Jewish descent. Once I learned that, I reached into Jomaree and said, 'What do you need? It's yours.' We could not be prouder to back these three incredible leaders, who have bootstrapped this brand for a decade, never compromising on quality or messaging, and who have grown their company at such a rapid yet sustained pace that they've proven their brand is here to stay." To learn more about Hella Cocktail Co. and their non-alcoholic beverage, bitters, and mixer options, visit Hellacocktail.co . For additional information on Uncle Nearest Ventures, visit unclenearest.com/unvf/ . About Hella Cocktail Co. Hella Cocktail Co. is a brand of botanically inspired mixers and beverages that offers daring tastes that elevate and expand cocktail culture for everyone. We are experi-mentors who serve "elevated choice" to these curious experience seekers. Our mission is to inspire confidence in the Hella Curious among us, so that they bring their authentic selves to the table. Because only Hella serves a curated portfolio of cocktailing options, is rooted in the pursuit of bold flavors, and values an inclusive community where all feel invited to gather around the table. About Uncle Nearest Ventures Uncle Nearest Ventures is the investment arm of Uncle Nearest, Inc., created to invest in minority (BIPOC and women) founded, owned, and led brands with the greatest potential to grow into long-standing legacy brands. As the most successful African American founded, owned, and led spirit brand of all time, Uncle Nearest Ventures infuses capital into companies with strong leadership, proven market traction, and a similar excellence as Uncle Nearest in product and delivery. For more information, please visit the Uncle Nearest Ventures website . SOURCE Hella Cocktail Co. Vectrus Reminds Shareholders to Vote "FOR" All Merger-Related Proposals Special Meeting of Shareholders to be held on June 15, 2022 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vectrus, Inc. (NYSE: VEC) today announced that leading independent proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis"), recommended that Vectrus shareholders vote "FOR" all proposals to be considered and voted on at Vectrus's Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") in connection with the previously announced combination with Vertex (the "Transaction"). The Special Meeting is scheduled to be held on June 15, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. ET. In their reports dated June 3, 2022, and June 8, 2022, respectively, ISS and Glass Lewis noted1: "The strategic rationale of the proposed transaction is sound, as the combined company will have increased scale and geographic, client, and contract diversity." ( ISS) "The merger is expected to generate cost synergies, be accretive to earnings and free cash flow, and to provide meaningful projected tax benefits for the combined company." ( ISS) "The deal would bring together two defense service providers, resulting in the creation of a larger firm that should be able to better compete for more integrated business opportunities." ( Glass Lewis) "The combined company is also expected to have a more diversified revenue base across geographies, clients and contract types in supporting missions for the U.S. Department of Defense and other governmental agencies." (Glass Lewis) "We are very pleased that both ISS and Glass Lewis support our recommendation that shareholders vote 'FOR' the merger with Vertex," said Chuck Prow, Chief Executive Officer of Vectrus. "The entire Vectrus Board and management team remain confident that the proposed combination is in the best interest of the Company and all its shareholders, and will enable us to broaden our portfolio of solutions and technologies to provide full life-cycle support across the converged environment. With increased scale and meaningful synergies, the combined company will be more competitive in the national security environment while enhancing the delivery of services to our federal clients. We look forward to the completion of this combination and urge Vectrus shareholders to follow the recommendations of ISS and Glass Lewis and vote 'FOR' all transaction-related proposals today." As previously announced, under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Vertex shareholders will own approximately 62% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis, while Vectrus shareholders will own approximately 38%. The merger is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals and Vectrus shareholder approval. The Vectrus Board of Directors recommends that Vectrus shareholders vote "FOR" each of the proposals related to the transaction by completing and returning their proxy card, or by submitting their proxy by telephone or over the Internet. Vectrus shareholders are advised that if they have any questions or need assistance in voting their shares, they should contact Vectrus's proxy solicitor, Okapi Partners, by calling toll-free at (888) 785-6673. About Vectrus For more than 70 years, Vectrus has provided critical mission support for our customers' toughest operational challenges. As a high-performing organization with exceptional talent, deep domain knowledge, a history of long-term customer relationships, and groundbreaking technical expertise, we deliver innovative, mission-matched solutions for our military and government customers worldwide. Whether it's base operations support, supply chain and logistics, IT mission support, engineering and digital integration, security, or maintenance, repair, and overhaul, our customers count on us for on-target solutions that increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve readiness, and strengthen national security. Vectrus is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., and includes about 8,100 employees spanning 205 locations in 28 countries. In 2021, Vectrus generated sales of approximately $1.8 billion. For more information, visit the company's website at www.vectrus.com or connect with Vectrus on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain material presented in this press release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Act. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, Vectrus may be unable to obtain shareholder approval as required for the Transaction; conditions to the closing of the Transaction may not be satisfied; the possibility that anticipated benefits of the Transaction may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs related to Vectrus's integration of Vertex's operations may be greater than expected and/or that revenues following the Transaction may be lower than expected; Vectrus's business may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the Transaction and disruption of management's attention due to the Transaction; the outcome of any legal proceedings that are related to the Transaction; Vectrus may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; the risk that Vectrus may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the Transaction, or that required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the Transaction or result in the imposition of conditions that could reduce the anticipated benefits from the Transaction or cause the parties to abandon the Transaction; the impact of legislative, regulatory, competitive and technological changes; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the effect of the Transaction on the ability of Vectrus to retain and maintain relationships with both Vectrus's and Vertex's customers, including the U.S. Government; other risks to the consummation of the mergers, including the risk that the mergers will not be consummated within the expected time period or at all; responses from customers and competitors to the Transaction; the risk that the integration of Vertex may distract management from other important matters; results from the Transaction may be different than those anticipated; statements about Vectrus's 2022 performance outlook, five-year growth plan, revenue, DSO, contract opportunities, the impacts of COVID-19, and any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Whenever used, words such as "may," "are considering," "will," "likely," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "target," "could," "potential," "continue," "goal" or similar terminology are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of our management based on information currently available to management. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside our management's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements, see the risks and other factors detailed from time to time in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Vectrus undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the Transaction, Vectrus has filed with the SEC and mailed or otherwise provided to its shareholders a proxy statement/prospectus regarding the Transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, VECTRUS'S SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY VECTRUS WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and shareholders may obtain a free copy of the proxy and other documents containing important information about Vectrus and Vertex through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Vectrus makes available free of charge at www.vectrus.com (in the "Investors" section), copies of materials it files with, or furnishes to, the SEC. Participants in Solicitation Vectrus, its directors and certain of its respective executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Vectrus is set forth in Vectrus's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, which was filed with the SEC on March 7, 2022, and its definitive proxy statement for the 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 23, 2021, certain of its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and certain of its Current Reports filed on Form 8-K. To the extent the holdings of securities of Vectrus by Vectrus's directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts set forth in Vectrus's proxy statement for its 2021 annual meeting of shareholders, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such individuals in the Transaction is included in the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the Transaction, which was filed with the SEC on May 9, 2022. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, may be obtained by reading the definitive proxy statement regarding the acquisition described above. 1 Permission to use quotations neither sought nor obtained. Contact Information Company: Mike Smith, CFA [email protected] (719) 637-5773 Or Jim Golden / Scott Bisang / Tim Ragones Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 Investors: Chuck Garske / Mark Harnett / Lisa Patel Okapi Partners (212) 297-0720 SOURCE Vectrus, Inc. Grocer hiring 200 associates for roles in logistics, human resources, and transportation Customers enjoy $15 off the first three orders with a digital coupon MIAMI, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Propelled by steady growth, The Kroger Co., America's largest grocery retailer, announced Kroger Delivery now serves customers in South Florida with the opening of a new spoke location in Miami. The 60,000-square-foot spoke facility, in collaboration with the Fulfillment Center in Groveland, FL, will serve as a last-mile cross-dock location that efficiently expands Kroger Delivery's ability to serve more customers. "We are thrilled to welcome Kroger Delivery to Miami-Dade County as they expand their Florida footprint," said James Kohnstamm, Executive Vice President, Miami-Dade Beacon Council. "The 60,000 square-foot high-tech distribution center will bring 200 new jobs to Opa Locka and adjacent communities. This state-of-the-art facility is another example of how two of our key industries trade and logistics, and technology intersect to deliver, innovative seamless solutions that support business growth. The strength of our ecosystem coupled with the infrastructure to support the needs of on-demand grocery delivery make Miami-Dade a natural fit for Kroger's expanding ecommerce delivery service." The facility will offer job opportunities with roles in logistics, human resources, and transportation to support the expansion in South Florida. As an industry leader, Kroger offers resources, benefits, and training, to help associates thrive. Individuals interested in more information can visit and apply at Jobs.Kroger.com. "Kroger's new hub in Miami-Dade County is an innovative program that demonstrates how business leaders are leveraging technology to provide important services and job opportunities," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "Their eCommerce model to deliver fresh food at people's doors offers another great option for our community to stock up on the essentials during hurricane season. This will help to make sure they have what they need to keep their families fed and secure." "We're thrilled to introduce customers to Kroger Delivery in South Florida," said Andrea Colby, eCommerce corporate affairs and communications manager. "We offer customers a more convenient option to access fresh food and grocery items. Kroger Delivery is an easy, seamless way to order groceries, have them arrive in refrigerated vans, delivered to your door by professional, uniformed associates all based on your demanding schedule." Kroger Delivery Explained This expansion represents an extension of a partnership between Kroger and Ocado, a world leader in technology for grocery e-commerce. In 2018, the companies announced a collaboration to establish a delivery network that combines artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, and automation in a bold new way, bringing first-of-its-kind technology to America. Through the hub-and-spoke delivery network, the organization now serves customers in Central Florida, Tampa, Jacksonville, and now South Florida, without traditional brick-and-mortar stores. The delivery network relies on highly automated fulfillment centers. At the hub sites, more than 1,000 bots whizz around giant 3D grids, orchestrated by proprietary air-traffic control systems in the unlicensed spectrum. The grid, known as The Hive, contains totes with products and ready-to-deliver customer orders. As customers' orders near delivery times, the bots retrieve products from The Hive and are presented at pick stations for items to be sorted for delivery, a process governed by algorithms that ensures items are intelligently packed. For example, fragile items are placed on top, bags are evenly weighted, and each order is optimized to fit into the lowest number of bags, reducing plastic use. After being packed, groceries are loaded into a refrigerated delivery van, which can store up to 20 orders. Powerful machine learning algorithms optimize delivery routes, considering factors like road conditions and optimal fuel efficiency. Drivers may travel up to 90 miles with orders from facilities to make deliveries. Kroger currently operates customer fulfillment centers in Monroe, OH, Groveland, FL, Forest Park, GA (Atlanta) and Dallas, TX with additional customer fulfillment centers slated for California, Frederick, MD, Phoenix, AZ, Pleasant Prairie, WI, Romulus, MI (Detroit), Cleveland, OH, Charlotte, NC as well as South Florida and the Northeast. Media Assets To download Kroger Delivery video and photography, please visit here. About Kroger At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone and dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site. SOURCE The Kroger Co. BANGALORE, India, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global LNG Bunkering Market is Segmented by Type (Truck-to-Ship, Port-to-Ship, Ship-to-Ship, Portable Tanks), by Application ( Container Fleet , Tanker Fleet, Cargo Fleet, Ferries, Inland Vessels): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Oil & Gas Category. The global LNG bunkering market size was valued at USD 0.38 Billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 5.14 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 45.2% from 2020 to 2027. Major factors driving the growth of the LNG Bunkering market IMO regulation on sulfur content in the marine fuel and increase in gas exploration and production activities are the key driving factors in the growth of the global LNG bunkering market. Stringent environmental regulation of pollution caused by ship transportation is expected to be the primary growth factor in the LNG bunkering market. In the last five years, LNG has become a popular fuel in the shipping industry. In addition, the focus on strengthening the distribution infrastructure of LNG and the number of LNG driven ships are also increasing, which in turn is expected to fuel the market growth during the forecast period. The advantages of using LNG as a marine fuel in the shipping industry include less shipping emissions, lower operating & shipment costs, safety, non-toxic, and others. Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/ALLI-Auto-4S157/LNG_Bunkering TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF LNG MARKET The International Maritime Organization's impending regulation will cut the sulfur cap limit on marine gasoline from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent, having far-reaching implications for the global shipping sector, commodity markets, and economy. Thus, the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations will increase the LNG bunkering fuel market. This factor is expected to drive the growth of the LNG bunkering market. The high capital expenditure (CAPEX) for LNG engines and fuel tanks has historically been a deterrent to adoption. Recent shipyard costs, on the other hand, show significantly lower LNG premiums above traditional boats. This is due to substantial LNG newbuilding experience, technological advancements that contribute to increased shipyard efficiency, and current market conditions that favor newbuilding purchasers. These factors result in a lower CAPEX barrier for LNG as a maritime fuel, as well as higher returns on investment. Thus the diminishing Capex of LNG is expected to drive the growth of the LNG bunkering market. Traditional fuel purchases are made on a dollar-per-ton basis, but the transaction is truly about purchasing energy. Because it contains more energy for a given mass, LNG has a cheaper energy cost per tonne when compared to Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) by roughly 24%. The energy content of LNG as a maritime fuel is 50 GJ per tonne, but HFO is just 40.5 GJ per tonne. This emphasizes the favorable impact that increased LNG energy availability has on investment. This is expected to further fuel the LNG bunkering market. Furthermore, LNG is generally immune to price fluctuations. This relationship directly contrasts with HFO or diesel where the underlying commodity oil dominates costs. As a consequence, the cost of LNG marine fuel bunkers continues to remain less volatile than traditional oil-based marine fuels. Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/ALLI-Auto-4S157/lng-bunkering LNG MARKET SHARE Based on type, in 2019, the ship-to-ship category had the biggest market share of roughly 60.5 percent, and this dominance is likely to continue throughout the forecast period. This is owing to an increase in the number of ships using LNG as a cleaner fuel to comply with tough government laws aimed at reducing air pollution and preserving the environment. Based on application, the cargo fleet category will hold the highest share in 2019 and is predicted to increase at a CAGR of 45.4 percent. This is due to an increase in demand for cargo transportation by ship and an increase in trade agreements. Based on region, Europe dominated the LNG bunkering market in 2019, and it is expected to continue to do so throughout the forecast period. This is due to a variety of causes, including a large customer base and an expansion in maritime commercial operations in the region. Furthermore, the increased development of LNG bunkering infrastructure in the European region is expected to add to the market's growth in Europe. Get Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/ALLI-Auto-4S157/LNG_Bunkering Key Companies: Broadview Energy Solutions B.V., Crowley Maritime Corporation, Gasum Oy, Harvey Gulf International Marine, Klaw LNG, Korea Gas Corporation, Polskie LNG S.A., Royal Dutch Shell Plc, SHV Energy, Total SE, PETRONAS, Exxon Mobil Corporation. 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SIMILAR REPORTS: - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global LNG As A Bunker Fuel market size is estimated to be worth USD 9410.2 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 64990 Million by 2028 with a CAGR of 38.0% during the review period. - In 2020, the global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market size was USD 135420 Million and it is expected to reach USD 205280 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 5.7% during 2021-2027. - The global Small-Scale LNG market size is projected to reach USD 67 Million by 2027, from USD 48 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.6% during 2021-2027. - The global Oil and Gas Analytics market size is projected to reach USD 48130 Million by 2027, from USD 13220 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 20.1% during 2021-2027. - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Tanks market size is estimated to be worth USD 1896.2 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 3085 Million by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.5% during the review period. - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) market size is estimated to be worth USD 196250 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 276180 Million by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.9% during the review period. - The global Container Fleet market size is projected to reach USD 12680 Million by 2028, from USD 9566.3 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2022-2028. - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Cryogenic Equipment market size is estimated to be worth USD 16800 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 21040 Million by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.8% during the review period. - The global Inland Waterways Vessels market size is projected to reach USD 1777140 Million by 2028, from USD 1428740 Million in 2021, at a CAGR of 2.7% during 2022-2028. - Global LNG Cargo Handling Systems (CHS) Market Research Report 2022 - Global Low Pressure Fuel Gas Supply Systems (FGSS) Market Research Report 2022 - Global Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Natural Gas Distribution Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 Click here to see related reports on LNG Bunkering Market ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains a detailed research methodology employed to generate the report. Please also reach our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources. CONTACT US: Valuates Reports [email protected] For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports LinkedIn - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports SOURCE Valuates Reports STOCKHOLM, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux has appointed Anna Ohlsson-Leijon as new Chief Commercial Officer and head of the new Commercial & Consumer Journey Organization. The Business Area heads responsible for Europe, North America, APAC&MEA and Latin America will report to Anna Ohlsson-Leijon in the role of Chief Commercial Officer for the Group. The new Commercial & Consumer Journey Organization will focus on commercial growth and consumer journey development and lead business execution across the four Business Areas. "We're now taking the next steps to move even closer to the consumer and making the ownership of our products into an outstanding lifetime consumer experience", says Electrolux President & CEO Jonas Samuelson. "By getting organized globally around the consumer journey we can better leverage our scale on how a consumer buys an appliance, how we get them onboarded to connecting and using it and strengthen our aftermarket products and services offering." Chris Braam, currently Head of Sales Business Area Europe, has been appointed Head of Business Area Europe, succeeding Anna Ohlsson-Leijon in her current role. The Business Area heads remain members of Group Management, ensuring closeness to the business and emphasizing the important regional aspects of business development and execution. The changes are effective as per July 1, 2022. For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/electrolux/r/management-changes-in-ab-electrolux,c3581474 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/1853/3581474/1589808.pdf 220608 PRM Management changes in AB Electrolux SOURCE Electrolux "Our long-term strategic partnership with Aptitude will support the delivery of innovative products and services." LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aptitude Software, a specialist provider of finance transformation and automation software, is delighted to welcome MyRepublic to the Aptitude client community. MyRepublic, one of the fastest-growing telecoms operators and a leader in digital transformation for the sector, selected Aptitude RevStream (AREV) to support their ambitious business goals and ensure they have the necessary financial controls, scalability, and access to real-time analytics required by a rapidly growing organization across its operations in Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. "Aptitude RevStream will give us the automation and control we need to comply with IFRS 15 and prepare for an IPO, while also providing our finance team with improved access to data, analytics, and dashboards to support decision making. Our long-term strategic partnership with Aptitude will support the delivery of innovative products and services and we are excited about the opportunities it will provide." states Lavinia Koh, Finance Transformation Lead at MyRepublic. Jeremy Suddards, CEO, Aptitude Software, states, "We are so pleased to play a role in helping MyRepublic fine tune their financial business models to support their growth goals. Finance leaders must be able to play the role of transformation enabler within their business. With RevStream, finance can shift their focus from data aggregation and calculation to forecasting and advisory." AREV is a scalable SaaS solution that fully automates the end-to-end revenue lifecycle from determining product pricing, to revenue recognition and accounting, to financial close, disclosures and reporting. It allows finance to actively manage the end-to-end revenue lifecycle and provide data-driven insights to the business. Aptitude is an AWS APN Technology partner, and since 2019, has used AWS to host its growing portfolio of SaaS solutions. Today Aptitude hosts 80% of their SaaS solutions on AWS. For more information about Aptitude RevStream, please visit https://www.aptitudesoftware.com/product/aptitude-revstream/ About Aptitude Software Aptitude Software helps complex organizations automate and transform their financial business models. Our core areas of focus are the accelerating digitization of the finance function, and the global push to deploy and manage subscription offerings. Our global client base includes some of the world's largest companies. Aptitude Software is an operating company of Aptitude Software Group plc. For more information, please visit https://www.aptitudesoftware.com SOURCE Aptitude Software Limited Segmentation Analysis: The online language learning market in the US report is segmented by Product (Course material, Support, and Apps) and End-user (Individual learners and Institutional learners). Technavio report provides an accurate prediction of the contribution of all the segments to the growth of the online language learning market size in the US and actionable market insights on each segment. Key Market Dynamics: Market Drivers The key factor driving the online language learning market growth in the US is the influx of immigrants . . At present, one-fifth of the US families speak one other language, apart from English. The dominant languages, other than English, are Spanish and French. In Texas , around 80% of the families speak Spanish. Learning the native language in the US is expected to open new opportunities for immigrants and enable easy integration into the country. , around 80% of the families speak Spanish. Learning the native language in the US is expected to open new opportunities for immigrants and enable easy integration into the country. The significant increase in smartphone penetration and preference for accessing content over the internet has encouraged a large section of the immigrant population to opt for online courses. Thus, the convenience offered by online language learning will drive market growth in the US during the forecast period. Market Challenges The key challenges to the online language learning market growth in the US are the competition from providers of MOOCs. Free of cost access and content variety attract users to such courses. They provide multiple benefits and are characterized by minimal subscription charges. For instance, Duolingo provides access to diverse content and learning through games, videos, and audio. Similarly, in 2017, Oxford partnered with edX to offer MOOCs. In 2014, the Queen Rania Foundation, in collaboration with the British Council, launched the Learn English: Conversational Skills for Beginners course. Therefore, the increase in open educational sources and rise in demand for such solutions will limit the growth of the online language learning market in the US during the forecast period. To learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges- Read our Sample Report right now! Vendor Analysis: The online language learning market in the US is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. Babbel GmbH Berlitz Corp. Duolingo Inc. Mango Languages McGraw Hill Education Inc. Pearson Plc Rosetta Stone Ltd. SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions Speexx Springer-Verlag GmbH To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with Technavio, Click Here The competitive scenario provided in the Online Language Learning Market in the US report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Don't wait, Make a strategic approach & boost your business goals with our Online Language Learning Market In US Forecast Report - Buy Now! Related Reports: The digital English language learning marke t share is expected to increase to USD 14.37 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 16.78%. Download a sample now! t share is expected to increase to USD 14.37 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 16.78%. The predicted growth of the e-learning market share from 2021 to 2026 is USD 1.72 trillion at a progressing CAGR of 16.35%. Download a sample now! Online Language Learning Market In US Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 19.75% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 5.72 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 18.75 Regional analysis US Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Babbel GmbH, Berlitz Corp., Duolingo Inc., Mango Languages, McGraw Hill Education Inc., Pearson Plc, Rosetta Stone Ltd., SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions, Speexx, and Springer-Verlag GmbH Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Market Overview Exhibit 01: Key Finding 1 Exhibit 02: Key Finding 2 Exhibit 04: Key Finding 6 Exhibit 05: Key Finding 7 2. Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem 2.1.1 Parent Market Exhibit 06 Parent market Exhibit 07: Market characteristics 2.2 Value Chain Analysis Exhibit 08: Value Chain Analysis: Education Services 2.2.1 Input 2.2.2 Operations Pitching and profiling Resourcing and communicating Delivery and support Connecting and innovating 2.2.3 Marketing and sales 2.2.4 Support activities 2.2.5 Innovations 3. Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 09: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 10: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026 Estimating growth rates for emerging and high-growth markets Estimating growth rates for mature markets Exhibit 11: Global - Market size and forecast 2021 - 2026 ($ million) Exhibit 12: Global market: Year-over-year growth 2021 - 2026 (%) 4. Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five Forces Summary Exhibit 13: Five forces analysis 2021 - 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 14: Bargaining power of the buyer 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 15: Bargaining power of the supplier 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 16: Threat of new entrants 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 17: Threat of substitutes 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 18: Threat of rivalry 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 19: Market condition - Five forces 2021 5. Market Segmentation by Product 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 20: Product- Market share 2021 - 2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by Product Exhibit 21: Comparison by Product 5.3 Course material - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 22: Course material - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 23: Course material - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Support - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 24: Support - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 25: Support- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Apps - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 26: Apps - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 27: Apps - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 28: Market opportunity by Product 6 Market Segmentation by End-user 6.1 Market segments Exhibit 29: End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 6.2 Comparison by End-user Exhibit 30: Comparison by End-user 6.3 Individual learners - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 31: Individual learners - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 32: Individual learners - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.4 Institutional learners - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 33: Institutional learners - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Institutional learners - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.5 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Exhibit 35: Market opportunity by Distribution channel 7. 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 7.1 Overview Exhibit 36: Customer landscape 8. Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.1.1 Influx of immigrants 8.1.2 SMAC (social, mobile, analytics, and cloud) in language learning 8.1.3 Rise in multilingualism 8.2 Market challenges 8.2.1 Competition from providers of MOOC 8.2.2 High cost of implementation 8.2.3 Vendor focus on product differentiation Exhibit 37: Impact of drivers and challenges 8.3 Market trends 8.3.1 Increased use of VR 8.3.2 Emphasis on bilingual and multilingual education 8.3.3 Inclusion of analytical tools 9. Vendor Landscape 9.1 Competitive Scenario 9.2 Overview Exhibit 38: Vendor landscape 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 39: Landscape disruption Exhibit 40: Industry Risk 10. Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 41: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 42: Market positioning of vendors? 10.3 Babbel GmbH Exhibit 43: Babbel GmbH - Overview Exhibit 44: Babbel GmbH - Product and service Exhibit 45: Babbel GmbH - Key news Exhibit 46: Babbel GmbH - Key offerings 10.4 Berlitz Corp. Exhibit 47: Berlitz Corp. - Overview Exhibit 48: Berlitz Corp. - Product and service Exhibit 49: Berlitz Corp. - Key offerings 10.5 Duolingo Inc. Exhibit 50: Duolingo Inc. - Overview Exhibit 51: Duolingo Inc. - Product and service Exhibit 52: Duolingo Inc. - Key offerings 10.6 Mango Languages Exhibit 53: Mango Languages - Overview Exhibit 54: Mango Languages - Product and service Exhibit 55: Mango Languages - Key offerings 10.7 McGraw Hill Education Inc Exhibit 56: McGraw Hill Education Inc. - Overview Exhibit 57: McGraw Hill Education Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 58: McGraw Hill Education Inc.- Key news Exhibit 59: McGraw Hill Education Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 60: McGraw Hill Education Inc. - Segment focus 10.8 Pearson Plc Exhibit 61: Pearson Plc - Overview Exhibit 62: Pearson Plc - Business segments Exhibit 63: Pearson Plc - Key news Exhibit 64: Pearson Plc - Key offerings Exhibit 65: Pearson Plc - Segment focus 10.9 Rosetta Stone Ltd. Exhibit 66: Rosetta Stone Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 67: Rosetta Stone Ltd. - Business segments Exhibit 68: Rosetta Stone Ltd. - Key offerings Exhibit 69: Rosetta Stone Ltd. - Segment focus 10.10 SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions Exhibit 70: SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions - Overview Exhibit 71: SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions - Product and service Exhibit 72: SANS Inc. Software and Network Solutions - Key offerings 10.11 Speexx Exhibit 73: Speexx - Overview Exhibit 74: Speexx - Product and service Exhibit 75: Speexx - Key offerings 10.12 Springer-Verlag GmbH Exhibit 76: Springer-Verlag GmbH - Overview Exhibit 77: Springer-Verlag GmbH - Business segments Exhibit 78: Springer-Verlag GmbH - Key offerings Exhibit 79: Springer-Verlag GmbH - Segment focus 11. Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.1.1 Market definition 11.1.2 Objectives 11.1.3 Notes and caveats 11.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 80: Currency conversion rates for US$? 11.3 Research Methodology Exhibit 81: Research Methodology Exhibit 82: Validation techniques employed for market sizing? Exhibit 83: Information sources 11.4 List of abbreviations Exhibit 84: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio By bringing innovative concepts, strategic business planning and comprehensive channel initiatives to life, these extraordinary women support partners and customers with exceptional leadership. CRN celebrates these women, who are so deserving of recognition, for their constant dedication to channel excellence. 2022 is the third year that Amanda Karkula, Paessler's senior channel sales manager, West and Canada, and alliance partner manager, Americas, was honored as one of CRN's Women of the Channel. Karkula was selected due to her expanded responsibilities and the impact of her work to streamline processes and deepening channel relationships. Karkula mentored channel partners who were the first to complete the intense PRTG implementation certification; empowered channel partners to better sell monitoring by expanding into IoT and automation; contributed to the development of Paessler's partner portal to accommodate for the needs of large-scale licenses; took over management of Paessler's relationship with distributor CLIMB and supported their channel sales growth; strengthened partner management strategy, with specific focus on high-growth accounts; and streamlined partner onboarding process. Heather Pacan, Paessler's vice president, Americas, Sales Support, is new to the CRN Women of the Channel list in 2022. She was selected due to leading Paessler's pre-sales technical support, customer service and retention and post-sales tech support for North and South American channel partners. Pacan streamlined security requirements documentation for channel partners prior to purchasing PRTG, which is critical considering the heightened awareness of cyber-attacks. She helped channel partners grow their services businesses by helping them earn implementation certifications, thus resulting in a stronger channel network. Pacan also implemented an internal program where pre-sales technical support engineers are paired with sales and marketing team members to build their technical experience to better consult channel partners during the sales process, and conversely, help pre-sales better understand how to support the sales and marketing teams. "We are so proud that both Heather and Amanda's impact on the channel are being recognized by their inclusion on such an esteemed list of channel leaders," said Helmut Binder, CEO of Paessler. "Their drive and dedication to help Paessler's channel partners enhance their recurring revenue streams with monitoring services to help prevent and solve their end-users' complex challenges are second to none." "We are proud to once again recognize the remarkable leaders on this year's Women of the Channel list. Their influence, confidence, and diligence continue to accelerate channel success significantly," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. "Their accomplishments will inspire others, and we look forward to witnessing their future contributions to the channel." CRN's 2022 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. About Paessler AG Paessler believes monitoring plays a vital part in reducing humankind's consumption of resources. Monitoring data helps its customers save resources, from optimizing their IT, OT and IoT infrastructures to reducing energy consumption or emissions for our future and our environment. That is why Paessler offers monitoring solutions for businesses across all industries and all sizes, from SMB to large enterprises. Paessler works with renowned partners, and together they tackle the monitoring challenges of an ever-changing world. Since 1997, when Paessler first introduced PRTG Network Monitor, it has combined its in-depth monitoring knowledge with an innovative spirit. Today, more than 500,000 users in over 170 countries rely on PRTG to monitor their IT, OT and IoT infrastructures. Paessler's products empower its customers to monitor everything, and thus help them optimize their resources. Learn more about Paessler and their products at www.paessler.com About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn , and Facebook. 2022. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Press Contact Hughes Agency Amanda Long Senior Account Director T: 864-275-9890 [email protected] Melissa Slater Senior Account Director T: 864-313-4681 [email protected] Paessler AG Sandra Hofmann PR Manager T: +49 911 93775-0 [email protected] www.paessler.com The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company [email protected] SOURCE Paessler AG - The Monitoring Experts "Jelly beverages are a refreshing treat that can be dreamed up and enjoyed with endless flavor and color combinations, especially during summer," said Patrick Main, Senior Beverage Innovator. "At Peet's, our Brown Sugar Jelly is fully plant-based and can be added to any cold drink for refreshing sweetness, irresistible texture and luscious layers that look and taste delicious." Peet's Summer of Jelly products include: Brown Sugar Jelly Permanent addition Peet's Coffee introduces playful, plant-based Brown Sugar Jelly to add refreshing sweetness and texture to any iced coffee or tea. Crafted for customization, their bouncy texture can be added to any iced beverage for a bit of fun in every sip. Brown Sugar Cold Brew Oat Latte Permanent addition The familiar sweetness of Brown Sugar with a layer of creamy oat milk and a float of Peet's signature bold, juicy Baridi Cold Brew. Served with new Brown Sugar Jelly and ice for a fun and dynamic experience. Iced Brown Sugar Matcha Oat Latte Permanent addition Organic Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea is prized for its distinctive flavor and creamy texture. Here, it's iced and layered over new bouncy Brown Sugar Jelly, Brown Sugar syrup, and luscious oat milk. Citrus Green Tea Shaker with Brown Sugar Jelly Summer feature When lush Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical is hand-shaken with floral Yuzu puree, lemonade, and real citrus slices, all over a scoop of new Brown Sugar Jelly, it's a whole new experiential take on refreshing island vibes. Strawberry Lemon Tea Shaker with Brown Sugar Jelly Summer feature Brisk Mighty Leaf Summer Solstice black tea, hand-shaken with lemonade and tangy strawberry puree all over a scoop of Brown Sugar Jelly, for a sweet, summery, totally fun experience with each sip. Brown Sugar Oat Latte (Hot or Iced) Summer feature (Hot or Iced) The familiar flavor of Brown Sugar sweetens luscious oat milk and bold, smooth Espresso Forte for a cup that's equally velvety whether enjoyed hot or iced. Peet's Coffee is offering an exclusive promotion for all new Peetnik Rewards Members2 who will receive $3 off a Jelly beverage when they download the Peet's App and enter promo code JELLY3 at registration from June 8-22, 2022. Download the Peet's app here. Also, this summer, coffee drinkers are invited to soak in the sunshine with Peet's Zenith Summer Blend. This sweet and easy-drinking medium roast coffee invokes lighthearted summer vibes whether brewed hot or cold. Guatemala's sweet chocolate-caramel notes are at the forefront, with New Guinea giving the blend some heft, balanced by Rwanda's juicy cherry cola notes. The blend is available in retail stores and online for a limited time. Peet's Coffee honors Pride Month with the return of Peet's Rainbow Sugar Cookie, available now through June 30. As part of the company's longtime community commitment, Peet's is providing a $20,000 donation to SF LGBT Center, a non-profit organization fostering resources, support, and a safe space for LGBTQ individuals in San Francisco. To learn more about Peet's Summer of Jelly menu and to find a Coffeebar location near you, visit www.peets.com. Source Bloomberg. $3 off a Jelly beverage when you download the Peet's app, 6/8 - 6/22/2022 Offer valid for $3 off your purchase of a Jelly Beverage, any size, at participating Peetnik Rewards locations. Offer valid for 7 days from issuance. Transaction must include one (1) bar-made beverage with Jelly. Offer valid for one-time use only. Must apply offer at checkout to redeem. Offer not valid on previous purchases. May not be combined with other Peetnik Rewards offers. Only transactions more than $0 will qualify for points. Taxes, surcharges, or fees may apply. No cash value, substitutions, or rainchecks. This offer is exclusive to you and your Peetnik Rewards account, and cannot be reproduced, transferred, or used by any else. Peet's reserves the right to withdraw or change the offer terms at any time, at its discretion, without notice. About Peet's Coffee When Alfred Peet founded Peet's Coffee in Berkeley, California in 1966, he introduced an artisan movement creating the U.S. specialty coffee industry. Considered the "Big Bang of coffee," Peet's legacy sourcing the world's best beans, artisan roasting for rich, premium taste and crafting beverages by hand lives on today in every cup, whether ordered online, selected at a grocery store then brewed at home or served in any one of over 270 Peet's Coffee locations in the U.S and China. Peet's Coffee is committed to the welfare of people and the planet, with 100 percent of its coffee purchases verified as responsibly sourced per Enveritas standards. The company operates the first LEED Gold certified roastery in the United States. Visit www.peets.com and connect @peetscoffee. Images can be downloaded here SOURCE Peet's Coffee Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global peptide therapeutics market size is expected to reach USD 68.7 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.4% from 2022 to 2030. Increasing demand for efficient and rapid-acting therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other lifestyle-associated disorders, which result in lesser adverse effects, is anticipated to propel market growth. The rising incidence of cancer calls for exploring and introducing other means of therapies and low-cost treatment alternatives is expected to drive the market. Moreover, the growing geriatric population is expected to widen the consumer base by triggering the incidence rate of target diseases such as cancer and diabetes, which is expected to drive the demand for peptide therapeutics. Key Insights & Findings from the report: By application, cancer held the second-largest revenue share in 2021 owing to the increasing demand for alternative therapeutics over conventional treatment options. Peptides are being used as potential therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. The generic type segment is expected to showcase an upward shift due to the patent expiration of blockbuster peptides and supportive government initiatives pertaining to the introduction of the generic class. By type of manufacturers, the outsourced segment is expected to expand at a lucrative CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period owing to the requirements of complex procedures and a shift in preference toward outsourcing, which helps in eliminating the cost of production. By synthesis technology, hybrid technology is expected to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period. Benefits associated with this technology such as time conservation and ease of usage for both solid- and liquid-phase peptide synthesis are the key factors affirming growth. North America held the largest share in terms of revenue in 2021 owing to a higher level of awareness pertaining to genomics and proteomics products, well-established R&D infrastructure, and rising funding initiatives. held the largest share in terms of revenue in 2021 owing to a higher level of awareness pertaining to genomics and proteomics products, well-established R&D infrastructure, and rising funding initiatives. Asia Pacific is expected to register a lucrative growth rate of 8.7% over the forecast period. The presence of an established generic industry and API providers in this region, coupled with the growing economic stability in some of the countries, is expected to propel market growth. Get more Industry Insights from full market research report with TOC, "Peptide Therapeutics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application, By Type, By Type of Manufacturers, By Route of Administration, By Synthesis Technology, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research. Peptide Therapeutics Market Growth & Trends As per the International Agency for Research on Cancer (GLOBOCAN 2020) report, there will be 19,292,789 new cancer cases diagnosed globally in 2020, with 9,958,133 cancer deaths. Furthermore, the five-year prevalence of cancer was projected to be 50,550,287 worldwide. The global number of new cases of cancer is projected to reach 28,887,940 by 2040. As a result, the higher incidence of cancers around the world is set to perform an important role in the development of peptide therapeutics over the forecast period. Besides that, increasing awareness among health care providers and patients about the negative effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy is a primary factor influencing the increased emphasis on alternative therapeutics like peptide-based drugs. Technological advancements in the peptide manufacturing process are driving the market during the forecast period. Manufacturers and suppliers are focusing on the adoption of novel technologies to manufacture efficient drug molecules with low time and capital investment. Improvement in purification and automation process and less generation of waste are additional factors contributing to the market growth. For instance, in March 2022, Amgen announced the official opening of its latest bio-manufacturing facility in Holly Springs, North Carolina. The facility, which is set to open in 2025, will help cope with the growth of Amgen's medicines, which treat serious diseases like cancer and heart disease. The COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to spur the spectrum of cancer care, which includes delayed diagnoses, therapeutic interventions, and the impeding of clinical trials focused on developing cost-effective therapeutics for cancer treatment, with peptide therapeutics for cancer treatment being no exception, as per a research article published in Nature Cancer, 2020. There have been 21 peptide drugs in therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 as of May 2020, such as 15 synthetic peptides for the therapies of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) as well as other respiratory illnesses induced by severe acute respiratory infection. However, current implementations of peptide therapeutics in oncological and metabolic disorders and other fields have been hampered by drug shortages, operational problems, and the slow progress of clinical trials involving non-COVID-19 therapeutics. For instance, in May 2022, EVER Pharma announced that Bortezomib has received EU-wide approval for the treatment of individuals with symptomatic myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma1. In May 2022, The European Commission approved Novartis' Jakavi post-steroid therapy for acute and chronic graft-versus-host ailments. Jakavi will be the first JAK1/2 inhibitor widely available for patients in Europe with steroid-refractory graft-versus-host ailment. In September 2021, Nimble Therapeutics and Incyte entered into strategic collaborative research to discover additional new peptide therapies. Peptide Therapeutics Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global peptide therapeutics market by application, type, type of manufacturers, route of administration, synthesis technology, and region: Peptide Therapeutics Market - Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Cancer Metabolic Cardiovascular Disorder Respiratory GIT Antiinfection Pain Dermatology CNS Renal Others Peptide Therapeutics Market - Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Generic Innovative Peptide Therapeutics Market - Type of Manufacturers Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) In-house Outsourced Peptide Therapeutics Market - Route of Administration Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Parenteral Route Oral Route Pulmonary Mucosal Others Peptide Therapeutics Market - Synthesis Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS) Liquid Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS) Hybrid Technology Peptide Therapeutics Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Mexico Brazil MEA South Africa List of Key Players in Peptide Therapeutics Market Eli Lilly and Company Pfizer, Inc. Amgen, Inc. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. Lonza Inc. Sanofi Bristol- Myers Squibb (BMS) (BMS) AstraZeneca PLC GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) Novartis AG Novo Nordisk A/S Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Prostate Cancer Therapeutics Market - The global prostate cancer therapeutics market is expected to reach USD 12.0 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. The global prostate cancer therapeutics market is expected to reach by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Peptide Synthesis Market - The global peptide synthesis market size is expected to reach USD 1,011.99 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 13.0%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Significant research and innovation targeted towards the development of peptide therapeutics is set to boost the market growth in the near future. The global peptide synthesis market size is expected to reach by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 13.0%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Significant research and innovation targeted towards the development of peptide therapeutics is set to boost the market growth in the near future. Pruritus Therapeutics Market - The global pruritus therapeutics market is expected to reach USD 16.38 Billion by 2025, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing worldwide prevalence of atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and urticaria is expected to drive market growth during the forecast period. Browse through Grand View Research's Pharmaceuticals Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Grand View Pipeline Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. Real-Time and Addressable NPI-Level Insights Enables Smarter Marketing, Media and Sales Strategies NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PulsePoint, a technology company using real-time data to accelerate health marketing, today announced the self-service application of HCP365, a comprehensive, intelligence and analytics solution designed to help healthcare companies understand HCP brand interactions in the moment, across digital events and channels, including website, search, and media. With HCP365's streamlined user-interface, health marketers and their agencies can easily access HCP insights on their own, and seamlessly create Smart Lists for personalized targeting. Marketers are also able to plug HCP365 into their CRM, sales automation, or programmatic platforms to trigger personalized outreach, or perform advanced analytics for strategic planning via its interactive dashboard. The insights surfaced by HCP365 can then be used to personalize sales approaches, refine strategies, target, and engage HCPs differently. "Before HCP365 it was much harder for our business to define the stages or journey that HCPs took while engaging with our brand," said Shannon Lee Smith, Associate Director, aTTP Marketing of Sanofi. "Now, we're able to identify and segment which specific HCPs are responding to different media and search campaigns, visiting branded websites, and consolidate micro-insights at an unprecedented level of granularity in real-time." A key differentiator of HCP365 is its data foundation: it is the only measurement and insights platform with its own authenticated, first-party dataset, the result of integrating PulsePoint's first-party data graph with highly trusted HCP data from Medscape. HCP365 is now powered by a database of over 3.2M verified HCPs with active and named opt-in consent, resulting in higher quality, more accurate, more immediate insights than other measurement solutions. Data sets are refreshed every 24 hours to account for any physicians opting out. "At a time when digital has become the primary way to communicate with HCPs, and reaching individual HCPs with syndicated data sets has shown inaccuracies, health marketers require real-time strategies that can constantly evaluate multiple data signals," said Chris Neuner, Chief Strategy Officer of PulsePoint. "By combining first-party authenticated HCP data sets with real-time measurement and data technology like HCP365, marketers can feel confident that the insights they're getting are addressable to the NPI, actionable in real-time, compliance-driven and privacy-safe." Launched as a managed service application in 2020 , customers have seen great success with HCP365 prompting market demand for a self-service application. 79% of surveyed customers reported that HCP365 enabled smarter spending strategies; 71% reported the solution easily demonstrates channel performance/ROI and almost one third have seen total return on ad spend increase up to 24% (source: TechValidate. TVID: FB7-FFE-02D and 13E-D1D-13C). About PulsePoint PulsePoint is a leading technology company that uses real-world data in real-time to optimize campaign performance and revolutionize health decision-making. Leveraging proprietary datasets and methodology, PulsePoint targets healthcare professionals and patients with an unprecedented level of accuracydelivering unparalleled results to the clients we serve. The company is now a part of Internet Brands, a KKR portfolio company and owner of WebMD Health Corp. For more information, visit pulsepoint.com. Media Contact: Maria Simeone [email protected] SOURCE PulsePoint FEMA leader highlights importance of advance planning and rapidly deployed temporary housing HOUMA, La., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Speaking last week at the Texas Emergency Management Conference, Tony Robinson emphasized that advanced preparation often determines the ability of a community to recover from a natural disaster. Robinson, Region 6 Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), cited the success of noncongregate sheltering programs after both Hurricane Ida in Lousiana and the devastating tornadoes in Kentucky. Noncongregate sheltering assures that survivors of a natural disaster have access to safe temporary housing until permanent housing is available in those communities. Damon Donnell, a Conference exhibitor, has led major projects to provide noncongregate housing in both the Lousiana and Kentucky disasters. Donnell, Executive Vice President of Crosby Government Solutions, stated that people who have rapid access to stable temporary housing can quickly return to their normal activities. "I've seen it happen time and again. People sometimes live in their cars or with family members for weeks or months after a major disaster. Once they settle into a more permanent situation, they quickly begin to reconstruct their lives," Donnell said. Crosby Government Solutions is a recognized provider of disaster response and management services. Crosby has a nationwide reach; most recently they have worked with agencies providing disaster recovery services for Hurricane Ida in Louisianaprimarily in LaFourche and Terrebone Parishes--and the catastrophic tornado in Kentucky. Crosby also offers a range of field services in the areas of energy, environmental, infrastructure, program management, security, and UAV services. For more information visit Crosby's website at crosbygov.com. For more information, email: [email protected]. Telephone: 985 208-3508. Visit crosbygov.com SOURCE CROSBY GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC Survey finds a 20% increase in metrics tracked among contingent DEI Leaders NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With the ongoing pandemic shedding light on inequities that have long existed, we've seen many companies showing even greater support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). More organizations are realizing that contingent workers hold a big opportunity when it comes to advancing inclusion. HireTalent and Consciously Unbiased, in association with Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), release "The Future of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Contingent Workforce 2022" to continue tracking where companies are in terms of extending their DEI efforts to their contingent workforce. The first repor t focused on the need to embrace and adopt inclusion for contingent labor. This year, the report focuses on turning intent into action, because what gets measured gets done. In the survey, more than 40% of HR, procurement and other workforce professionals surveyed are now in agreement that their contingent DEI programs are leading edge, a 13% increase in those self-identifying as Leaders in the DEI space as compared to 2020. Moreover, companies leading the charge on contingent DEI have increased measuring DEI metrics by 20% since 2020. CEO of HireTalent and founder of Consciously Unbiased, Ashish Kaushal, notes, "For businesses to thrive, your people also need to thrive. That's why leaders need to move towards "The Great Inclusion," where the emphasis is to leverage the power of diversity and inclusion across your whole workforce. Those who do will win the war on talent." The tight labor market is prompting organizations to rely more heavily on contingent workers. After nearly a year of analysis by SIA, the findings show that increasing availability of DEI data can have a real impact on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the contingent workforce. "Through this research, it's clear that a focus on contingent DEI leads to better business results, such as HR and procurement leaders in the contingent DEI space noting an increase to access to highly-skilled talent as a source of competitive advantage, higher fill rates for their contingent labor, an increase in the ability to attract talent as a source of competitive advantage, and a high return on investment (ROI) for their contingent labor," says Barry Asin, President of SIA. "Tracking the right metrics will be key for continued progress." There is a need to streamline how contingent DEI data is collected, and 83% of those surveyed said they would seriously explore or are already exploring VMS-derived diversity data. To better track industry progress, this report releases the "SIA/Consciously Unbiased Contingent Work DEI Index," which reflects four components of DEI programs: self-evaluation, metrics tracked, practices, and data. This index will be updated yearly to track future industry progress. The report also includes a playbook for success for advancing contingent DEI, and a guide on United States laws and gathering and tracking DEI data in the contingent workspace. For access please visit https://consciouslyunbiased.com/the-future-of-diversity-equity-inclusion-in-the-contingent-workforce-2022-update/ About HireTalent and Consciously Unbiased HireTalent is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) workforce solutions firm, specializing in securing the best talent fits in Contingent Labor, Direct Hire, & SOW. The company is building the next-generation diversity workforce while influencing the evolution of the talent and staffing industry as a collaborative and supportive thought leader. HireTalent helps clients increase their internal diversity footprint by providing diverse talent across Professional, Admin Clerical, Finance, Technology and Scientific categories. Consciously Unbiased focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) processes to enable sustainability and drive DEI deeper into the organization. In addition, the company uses technology to increase productivity and scale DEI. Ultimately, Consciously Unbiased is turning inclusion from intent to action by motivating and building habits within organizations to take practical steps that employees can use in their daily work. This helps to create an ROI on diversity of thought, as well as move the diversity DNA forward. For more information: www.ConsciouslyUnbiased.com and www.HireTalent.com About Staffing Industry Analysts Founded in 1989, SIA is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Our proprietary research covers all categories of employed and non-employed work including temporary staffing, independent contracting and other types of contingent labor. SIA's independent and objective analysis provides insights into the services and suppliers operating in the workforce solutions ecosystem including staffing firms, managed service providers, recruitment process outsourcers, payrolling/compliance firms and talent acquisition technology specialists such as vendor management systems, online staffing platforms, crowdsourcing and online work services. We also provide training and accreditation with our unique Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP) program. Known for our award-winning content, data, support tools, publications, executive conferences and events, we help both suppliers and buyers of workforce solutions make better-informed decisions that improve business results and minimize risk. As a division of the international business media company, Crain Communications Inc., SIA is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in London, England. For more information: www.staffingindustry.com Related Links http://www.ConsciouslyUnbiased.com SOURCE Consciously Unbiased The partnership will connect StellarFi members to nonprofit credit counseling from certified credit counselors Americans will have new resources to attain financial literacy, improve credit scores and reach goals, such as buying a home StellarFi is currently in beta and set to launch publicly later this month AUSTIN, Texas, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- StellarFi , a public benefit corporation, today announced its partnership with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) in Washington, D.C., to connect members to free financial counseling. NFCC is the largest and longest-serving nonprofit financial counseling organization in the country. It boasts rigorous accreditation standards for its member agencies. StellarFi, which plans to publicly launch later this month, is on a mission to disrupt the U.S. poverty cycle by opening access to credit to the 132 million Americans who currently have poor credit or no credit, improving financial literacy and empowering members to take control of their respective financial journeys and achieve their goals. The company enables members to dramatically increase their credit scores using their everyday bills and payments such as rent and utilities, which StellarFi reports directly to the three main credit bureausExperian, Equifax, and TransUnionto help people build positive credit. "StellarFi wants to disrupt the credit paradox and inspire financial inclusivity by bridging the gap between millions of Americans and top-notch financial resources," said Lamine Zarrad, StellarFi founder and CEO, who is a former U.S. Treasury Department bank examiner. "Our new NFCC partnership will help everyday citizens improve their financial literacy and their credit scores to, ultimately, strengthen their financial condition." Four in seven Americans do not have the tools they need to grow their finances. StellarFi aims to improve this statistic through its financial education partnership with NFCC. Acquiring financial literacy improves the odds of achieving among the most common goals of all Americans: buying a home. NFCC's research has indicated that many communities underserved by mainstream financial institutions are affected by a disproportionate lack of generational wealth-building, which is a primary benefit of homeownership. The organization's homebuyer-education programs help aspirational homeowners overcome real and perceived barriers that stand in the way of their goal. NFCC's certified financial counselors are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-certified and provide a range of support for prospective homebuyers helping people move from renting to homeownership. NFCC counselors serve all 50 states and U.S. territories. StellarFi members will be able to connect with NFCC counselors through a link on the StellarFi app to set up counseling calls. "We are passionate about helping people overcome financial impediments through financially responsible behavior education," said Bruce McClary, NFCC senior vice president, membership & communications. "We are excited to partner with StellarFi to reach more Americans who might be in financial distress, assist them to solve those problems and ensure they can live their best lives." A key component of StellarFi's mission is providing financial educational tools to its members, via resources available on the StellarFi website on its blog , as well as through social media (e.g., Instagram , LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook). StellarFi members will learn more about building credit, personal finance and credit and wealth equality. Information available to members include how to build credit to buy a house, the difference between secured and unsecured credit cards, how to stop spending money, when saving or paying off debt is the wiser move and how to protect against predatory lending. StellarFi blog articles have covered topics including how to build credit to buy a house, what credit score is needed to buy a house and what to do if you're turned down for a house. To be one of the first to try the StellarFi app and get access to credit education resources, sign up for the StellarFi beta waitlist at www.stellarfi.com/beta . About StellarFi Founded in Austin, Texas, as a public benefit corporation, StellarFi is on a mission to disrupt the U.S. poverty cycle by opening access to credit to the 132 million Americans who currently have poor credit or no credit. StellarFi empowers members to dramatically increase their credit scores using their everyday bills and payments such as rent and utilities, which StellarFi reports directly to the three main credit bureausExperian, Equifax and TransUnion. Driven by his prior success in tackling complex financial problems, StellarFi founder and CEO Lamine Zarrad plans to expand financial equity nationwide and support millions in their journey toward financial security. About National Foundation for Credit Counseling Founded in 1951, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) is the nation's first and largest nonprofit dedicated to improving people's financial well-being. With a national network of member offices serving all states and US territories, our NFCC Certified Credit Counselors are financial advocates, empowering millions of consumers to take charge of their finances through one-on-one financial reviews that address credit card debt, student loans, housing decisions and overall money management. Make one of the best financial decisions of your life. For expert guidance and advice, call (800) 388-2227 or visit http://www.nfcc.org today. Visit stellarfi.com for more information. SOURCE StellarFi NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the market research report published by P&S Intelligence, in 2021, the structural metal products market accounted for $448.3 billion revenue, and by 2030, it is predicted to touch $764.0 billion, growing at a 6.1% CAGR from 2021 to 2030. The booming construction sector around the world is boosting the demand for such products, as they are mold- and pest-resistant, sustainable, and cost-effective. Industrial Applications Provide Wide Market Opportunities Metal liners, culverts, casings, bar joists, and plates are used extensively in the creation of bridges, railway tracks, and highways. This is why the improving transportation infrastructure will offer lucrative market opportunities. Moreover, government funding for transportation infrastructure assists businesses in expanding their operations. For instance, between 2018 and 2030, the Indian government plans to invest around $750 billion in the railway sector. Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/structural-metal-products-market/report-sample North America Accounts for Largest Structural Metal Products Market Share The demand for structural metal products has increased in recent years in North America. The consumption of structural steel has surpassed 40,000 tons. Over the last five years, the construction of multi-story residential buildings, including hotels and dormitories, has increased dramatically, and they accounted for around 10% of the total demand a few years ago. Non-building structures, including open-air stadiums, power plants, petroleum refineries, rack systems, marine structures, trailers, and transportation facilities, also utilize structural steel. As a result, the structural metal products market future has been shaped by the region's infrastructure developments. APAC To Witness Highest Growth Rate during Forecast Period During the forecast period, the APAC structural metal products market value will increase at the fastest pace. This will be due to the massive infrastructure investments by private companies and regional governments, rising family income, increasing urbanization rate, and booming construction industry. For example, India aims to spend about $1.4 trillion on infrastructure between 2019 and 2023, to achieve long-term development. Residential Buildings Have Highest Demand for Structural Metal Products The residential sector accounts for the highest usage of structural metal products. As per research, Chinese real estate developers constructed 9,268 million square meters of floor area in 2020, up 4% over the previous year. Likewise, Africa's real estate business is growing with multinational developers investing in the region. As a result, in the next few years, the structural metal products market will be driven by the growing need for residential buildings. Browse detailed report on Global Structural Metal Products Market Analysis, Growth and Demand Forecast Report 2022-2030 Largest Market Share Held by Steel Category Because steel is utilized to work in high temperatures, the steel category produces the highest revenue, seeing substantial expansion in recent years. Furthermore, as a result of the manpower constraints caused by the lockdown, construction businesses are increasingly using customizable materials for high-rise apartments and other buildings. Structural Metal Products Market Segmentation Analysis By Product Support and Structure Prefabricated Buildings Metal Doors Window Frames Shutters By Type Steel Aluminum Iron Others By End User Residential Commercial Industrial Regional Outlook North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Asia-Pacific Japan China India South Korea Australia Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa and Saudi Arabia South Africa Browse Other Reports Published by P&S Global Metal Finishing Equipment Market Growth Forecast Report Global Metallurgy Equipment Market Growth Forecast Report Global Rare Earth Metals Market Growth Forecast Report About P&S Intelligence P&S Intelligence provides market research and consulting services to a vast array of industries across the world. As an enterprising research and consulting company, P&S believes in providing thorough insights on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. P&S keeps the interest of its clients at heart, which is why the insights we provide are both honest and accurate. Our long list of satisfied clients includes entry-level firms as well as multi-million-dollar businesses and government agencies. Contact: Prajneesh Kumar P&S Intelligence Phone: +1-347-960-6455 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE P&S Intelligence BOSTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SV Health Investors ("SV") is pleased to announce the acquisition of Nordic Consulting Partners ("Nordic") by Accrete Health Partners ("Accrete"), a strategic holding company of Bon Secours Mercy Health. SV led the majority recapitalization of Nordic in October 2012, along with Health Enterprise Partners ("HEP"), HLM Venture Partners ("HLM"), and Kaiser Permanente Ventures ("KP Ventures"). In 2016, Silversmith Capital Partners ("Silversmith") led a minority recapitalization in which SV, HEP, HLM and KP Ventures remained Nordic shareholders. Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, Nordic is a global health and technology consulting company that partners with health leaders around the world to help them harness the power of technology. Nordic's team of more than 1,900 professionals supports over 600 clients worldwide with innovative solutions, deep clinical expertise, and extensive technical knowledge. SV and its co-investors understood from the outset of their investment in Nordic that excellence in client service begins with the recruitment of smart, passionate professionals, empowered by a supportive culture. Nordic's many third-party awards for client service and workplace culture are testament to the success of Nordic's leadership team in realizing that vision. SV Managing Partner Tom Flynn remarked: "the success of Nordic over the past decade reflects its unwavering commitment to both employees and clients. We would like to thank CEO Jim Constanzo, CFO Glenn Cole and the rest of Nordic's outstanding leadership team for delivering on this vision." SV Operating Partner and former Nordic Chairman Bruce Cerullo added "sustained excellence begins with committed and supportive shareholders. With SV, HEP, HLM, KP Ventures and Silversmith, Nordic enjoyed consistent shareholder support." SV Health Investors is a growth equity and venture capital firm dedicated to investments in the healthcare and life sciences sector. Founded in 1993 with offices in Boston and London, SV has approximately $2.7B in assets under management across multiple investment strategies. SV's dedicated healthcare growth fund SV7 Growth Fund seeks to partner with experienced management teams to accelerate the success of innovative healthcare companies across tech-enabled healthcare services, medical products, and digital health. SV combines decades of healthcare transaction and operating experience to drive long-term value creation and realize the triple aim of healthcare higher quality care, accessible to more patients, at a lower cost. For more information, please visit www.svhealthinvestors.com. Health Enterprise Partners (https://hepfund.com/) invests in privately held, lower middle market healthcare services and information technology companies. Central to HEP's strategy is its unique and extensive hospital system and health plan network, 36 members of which are investors in HEP's funds. HEP seeks to invest in companies that improve the quality of the patient experience, expand access, and reduce the cost of healthcare. HLM Venture Partners (https://hlmvp.com) is a leading venture capital firm and one of the nation's oldest and most experienced in the tech-enabled healthcare services, healthcare information technology, and medical device and diagnostics sectors. Seeking dynamic, emerging-growth companies, HLM invests in the industry's most innovative companies, including more than 100 companies in the last 20 years. Kaiser Permanente Ventures, founded in 1998 with over 70 investments to date, is one of the most successful strategic corporate venture investment programs in the healthcare industry. The KP Ventures team builds upon the assets and capabilities of Kaiser Permanente's $93B integrated delivery system to support innovative companies. KP Ventures plays an important role in transforming American Healthcare by improving health outcomes, enhancing the consumer experience, and driving affordability, while delivering a highly competitive return on our investments. For more information, please see www.kpventures.com. Founded in 2015, Silversmith Capital Partners is a Boston-based growth equity firm with $2.0 billion of capital under management. Silversmith's mission is to partner with and support the best entrepreneurs in growing, profitable technology and healthcare companies. Representative investments include ActiveCampaign, DistroKid, impact.com, Iodine Software, LifeStance Health, and Webflow. The partners have served on the boards of numerous successful growth companies including ABILITY Network, Dealer.com, Liberty Dialysis, Passport Health, SurveyMonkey, and Wrike. For more information about Silversmith, please visit www.silversmith.com or follow the firm on LinkedIn. Media contact: Brent Faduski SV Health Investors [email protected] SOURCE SV Health Launched in the fall of 2020 , these thought-provoking conversations have continued to provide a platform for Maryland's entrepreneurs to learn more about the various resources and thought leaders supporting the community. The TEDCO Talks videos use a "fireside chat" format and cover a wide range of topics, such as advice to small businesses dealing with COVID-19, available funding programs and benefits, diversity and inclusion, and more. In its first year, TEDCO Talks was selected as a finalist for the BioBuzz Media Award, which honors a media campaign that most aligns with the BioBuzz mission to create exceptional experiences that better connect people and employers and foster a stronger regional ecosystem. "We were honored to have our TEDCO Talks video series selected as a finalist for the BioBuzz Media Award, which recognizes programs and campaigns that successfully engage, inform, and connect our region," said LeMaile-Stovall. "We look forward to building on that success as we continue to hold meaningful, thoughtful conversations with innovative STEM entrepreneurs and leaders across the great state of Maryland." The interviews have been with leaders from a variety of organizationsincluding area companies, county economic development corporations, business chambers, higher education, and technology councilsabout the emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities facing our region. Among others, recent featured guests have included: TEDCO Talks has also featured many other guests and celebrated a milestone of 25 episodes. "Our goal has been to offer Maryland entrepreneurs useful information through an engaging, public platform and candid conversations with our community thought leaders. We're glad TEDCO Talks has provided exactly that," stated Tammi Thomas, TEDCO's chief marketing & communications officer and executive producer of TEDCO Talks. "You take some risks when you start a new program; we're so glad this one paid off with a loyal following and the BioBuzz recognition. We encourage new and returning listeners to stay up-to-date on all the latest episodes by following along on TEDCO's YouTube Channel. We have a very special guest kicking off the series in May!" TEDCO Talks can be viewed on the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/MDTEDCO, or it is available as a podcast on iHeartRadio, Spotify and Apple. New interviews will be added on a regular basis so check frequently for updates. About TEDCO TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, enhances economic empowerment growth through the fostering of an inclusive entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem. TEDCO identifies, invests in, and helps grow technology and life science-based companies in Maryland. Learn more at www.tedcomd.com. Media Contact Tammi Thomas Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, TEDCO [email protected] SOURCE TEDCO The Business Research Company's sales intelligence research report expands on key drivers, trends, and growth opportunities in the market. LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The sales intelligence market consists of the sale of sales intelligence services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to understand consumer behavior and target audience with the best products to fulfill their requirements. Sales intelligence refers to the range of tech solutions that provide data to salespeople which helps sales and marketing teams identify, analyze, present, and make use of data for their potential customers and their requirements. The global sales intelligence market size is expected to grow from $2.72 billion in 2021 to $3.05 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9%. The global sales intelligence market size is expected to grow to $4.8 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 12.0%. Request a free sample of the Sales Intelligence Market Report Sales Intelligence Market Drivers The surge in demand for content optimization and data enrichment tools has driven the sales intelligence market. Data enrichment solutions enable businesses to maximize their data which offers new marketing opportunities, communication channels, and improved client targeting. Also, content optimization is equally important to reduce the danger of overloading as much new content is being created every day. Hence, the demand for content optimization and related services will rise the demand for sales intelligence tools and will drive the market. Key Sales Intelligence Market Players In The Sales Intelligence Industry Major players in the sales intelligence market are Clearbit, Demandbase, Inc., InsideView., LinkedIn Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Zoho Corporation, DiscoverOrg, Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, Data Axle, HG Insights, ZoomInfo Technologies LLC, HG Insights, LeadGenius, InfoGroup, UpLead, RelPro, DueDil, EverString, RingLead, Gryphon Networks, List Partners, FullContact, and Relationship Capital Partners Inc. Sales Intelligence Industry Trends The infusion of AI and ML capabilities to automate the pre-sales process has been a trend in the sales intelligence market. The infusion of artificial intelligence and machine learning has created a massive opportunity for companies to automate their pre-sales and sales process and improve sales leads. Sales Intelligence Market Regional Outlook North America was the largest region in the sales intelligence market in 2021 and is also expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global sales intelligence market during the forecast period. The regions covered in the global sales intelligence market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. See more on the Sales Intelligence Market Report Check out similar market reports: Business Process as a service (BPaaS) Global Market Report 2022 By Process Type (HRM, Accounting & Finance, Sales & Marketing, Customer service support, Procurement and Supply Chain, Operations), By End Users (Banking, financial service, & insurance (BFSI), Telecom & IT, Manufacturing, Ecommerce Retail, Healthcare, Governments), By Deployment service Type (SAAS, PAAS, IAAS), By Stream (BPO, BPA, BPM) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Management Consulting Services Global Market Report 2022 - By Type (Operations Advisory, Financial Advisory, Technology Advisory, Strategy Advisory, Other Consulting Services, HR Advisory), By End Use Industry (IT Services, Manufacturing, Financial Services, Mining And Oil & Gas, Construction, Others), By Service Provider (Large Enterprise, Small and Medium Enterprise) - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022 - 2026 Marketing Automation Global Market Report 2022 By Component (Software, Services), By Deployment (On-Premises, Cloud), By Organization Size (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Large Enterprises), By Application (Digital Marketing, E-Mail Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Campaign Management, Other Applications), By End-Use (BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, Telecom And IT, Discrete Manufacturing, Government And Education, Other End-Users) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology. The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 8897263534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/ SOURCE The Business Research Company DUBLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Egypt 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. The social commerce industry in Egypt is expected to grow by 130.6% on annual basis to reach US$1, 159.0 million in 2022 The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 71.6% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$1, 159.0 million in 2022 to reach US$21, 989.9 million by 2028. The widespread popularity of social media platforms, along with the rise in smartphone and internet penetration rate in the country, has propelled the popularity of shopping through social commerce platforms in the country. According to the Q1 2022 Global Social Commerce Market Survey, there are nearly 1.3 million social sellers in Egypt, driving the growth of the social commerce market in the country. By 2024, the social commerce market in Egypt is expected to be worth more than US$15 billion. This growth in the social commerce industry has been largely driven by social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Moreover, innovative social commerce startups in the country have also supported the industry growth over the last four to eight quarters through their strong business models, use of artificial intelligence and data science, and leveraging of local connection with consumers. The growing social commerce industry in the country has also attracted many regional and global private equity and venture capital firms to invest in the high-growth potential market offered by Egypt. As more and more consumers purchase products from social commerce platforms, the publisher expects a strong inflow of investments over the next four to eight quarters in the Egyptian social commerce market. While e-commerce is still the most preferred channel for consumers to make purchases in the country, social commerce is expected to gain rapid momentum over the next four to eight quarters in Egypt. Big technology players driving social commerce sales growth in Egypt Several of the big technology and social media platform players, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, are eyeing a piece of the growing social commerce market globally, including in Egypt. Consequently, all of these players are ramping up their investment to boost social commerce activities through their platforms. This increased investment in the social commerce strategy is driving the growth of the overall market in the country. With the Egyptian social commerce market expected to record strong growth in the next four to six quarters, the publisher projects these big technology players to further increase their investment in the sector. This will subsequently assist the growth of the overall social commerce industry in the country from the short to medium-term perspective and will also promote further innovation and competition in the Egyptian market. Firms are raising funds to accelerate their growth and to expand in other regional markets In the midst of Egypt's growing social commerce market and projected growth over the next four to eight quarters, social commerce firms are aggressively raising funding rounds to accelerate their growth further and expand their presence in other regional markets. For instance, In January 2022, Brimore announced that the firm raised US$25 million in its Series A funding round, which was led by IFC and Endure Capital. Notably, the firm is planning to use the funding round for expanding its logistics and operational infrastructure, boosting product catalogs, and increasing its sellers and suppliers network. Apart from this, the firm is also planning to use the January 2022 investment to replicate its success in the Egyptian social commerce industry in other African markets from a short to medium-term perspective. In July 2021, Taager also announced that the firm had raised US$6.4 million in a seed funding round, which was led by 4DX Ventures. The funding round also saw participation from other investors, including Raed Ventures, Beco Capital, Breyer Capital, and some individual investors. Similar to Brimore, Taager is also looking to expand its presence in the global market, with an initial focus on regional African markets. Using its data-driven approach, the firm is planning to drive further growth by expanding its services across the region over the next four to eight quarters. The Egyptian Government seeks taxes for influencers promoting products on social media platforms In Egypt, influencers who are selling products through social media platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms, are on the radar of tax authorities as the Government looks to magnify its tax revenue in the country. In September 2021, the Egyptian Tax Authority and Finance Ministry called on influencers and content creators promoting goods and services through their social media pages to register with the authority. Notably, the Tax Authority announced that influencers and content creators earning more than US$32, 000 annually would be subjected to taxation in the country. The announcement from the Egyptian Tax Authority (ETA) comes in the midst of growing e-commerce and social commerce activities. The ETA also announced that the number of tax evaders has increased in the country. However, individuals from the social commerce sector, which includes influencers and content creators, did welcome the decision from the ETA. Scope Egypt Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Egypt Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Egypt 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 Egypt Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028 B2B B2C C2C Egypt Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028 Mobile Desktop Egypt Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Domestic Cross Border Egypt Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Tier-1 Cities Tier-2 Cities Tier-3 Cities Egypt 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 Egypt 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/49bt10 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 188 acres of land earmarked for industrial development is situated near the newly announced $17B Samsung semiconductor plant HUTTO, Texas, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan Development ("Titan") and the City of Hutto, TX ("Hutto"), announced today Titan's purchase of 'Hutto Mega TechCenter,' from the City of Hutto. This land acquisition, which closed on May 26, 2022, will be developed into Titan's newest industrial park in Hutto, and follows Titan's strong successes in industrial assets in Texas and across the Southwest. Situated near State Highway 130, a toll road from North Austin to San Antonio, Titan and Hutto realized early on the opportunity for this prime location to grow into an industrial hub for companies looking to expand or move into close proximity to Austin. In October 2017, Titan Development broke ground on Innovation Business Park and fully developed it in less than three years. Following this success, Titan purchased an additional 100 acres to expand the industrial park and has continued to meet the demands of the industry through successful development. Also demonstrating the area's industrial boom is Samsung's announcement in late 2021 that it is building a $17 billion semiconductor factory in the neighboring city of Taylor. Several other major technology companies are in the advanced approval stages to potentially develop multibillion dollar facilities in Hutto. Joe Iannacone, Austin-based Senior Vice President at Titan, said, "We are excited to be developing new industrial properties at this very attractive location in Hutto. We anticipate this new industrial park will help meet the increasing demand by high-tech companies and suppliers to locate in the greater Austin area. Our new tenants Ovivo Inc. and Kval Inc. in Titan's Innovation Business Park, also located in Hutto, are a testament to the city's appeal as a light industrial manufacturing hub." Hutto Mega TechCenter is located just south of Highway 79, adjacent to Hutto's 450-acre mega site. The master site plan for this 188-acre industrial park, which is zoned as Light Industrial, includes buildings ranging from 200,000 to 1,000,000+ square feet. Hutto Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Chairman Mike Arismendez commended the expansion of Titan's impressive footprint in Hutto, noting how well it fits within the Hutto EDC's vision of advancing growth and opportunity. Hutto and its EDC are focused on cultivating a progressive environment for tech-focused and light industrial businesses, among others. "We're thrilled with the success current developers and businesses such as Titan are already seeing here, as well as the continued growth and prosperity Hutto will enjoy in the coming years," Arismendez said. "Hutto is strategically building a culture in which area businesses support each other's needs, their customers, and perhaps most importantly the Hutto community." Bob Farley, the city's economic development director, pointed to Hutto's numerous advantages for developers and prospects, including being a transportation hub in an established, thriving community, and having an extensive amount of prime land available for development. The value of Hutto's most active economic development prospects currently run the gamut from a few hundred million dollars to well over $1 billion and more than 2,000 jobs, he said. About Titan Development Titan Development is a leading Southwest full-service development and real estate investment firm with proven returns, via diversified asset classes across varied geographic markets. Titan has completed more than $2.5 billion in project cost since the firm was formed in 1999. Titan Development has a wealth of real estate development experience in many asset classes including private equity fund investment and management, and has offices in Austin, TX, and Albuquerque, NM. Titan Development recently closed its third fund, Titan Development Real Estate Fund III (TDREF III) at $122 million in May 2022, continuing its successful strategy of focusing on multifamily and industrial investing in secondary and tertiary markets. Titan's previous fund, TDREF II, raised $95 million and has committed 100% of the fund to 13 projects. Titan's inaugural fund, TDREF I, raised $112 million and invested in a variety of real estate asset classes. To learn more, please visit www.titan-development.com. Media Contacts: Lisa Baker Lambert [email protected] 603.868.1967 Amy Calderon Titan Development [email protected] 505.917.5303 About the City of Hutto The City of Hutto is a full-service, home-rule municipality operating under a Council-Manager form of government. Nearly 40,000 people call this fast-growing community home. Located in the strong Austin-area jobs market, Hutto has been recognized as one of the safest cities in Texas, a top place to raise a family, and appealing to young couples. From its agricultural roots to its progressive economic development, the City of Hutto is focused on providing a strong quality of life for decades to come. To learn more, please visit www.huttotx.gov/edc. Media Contact: Allison Strupeck [email protected] 512.759.4059 SOURCE Titan Development TraxStar Technologies LLC proudly presents version 6 of QATrax LIMS. WALNUT CREEK, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TraxStar Technologies LLC is announcing the release of QATrax LIMS V6, recognized worldwide as the leader in lab information management software for discrete manufacturers. The QATrax LIMS V6 is a next-generation laboratory information management system that has been shown to improve productivity, quality, and efficiency. QATrax V6 platform is the foundation for TraxStar's laboratory enterprise platform, which combines lab processes into a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). The LIMS from TraxStar is the most adaptable and feature-rich system available. It has shown to be effective in laboratories that specialize in electrical, industrial, mechanical, retail products, and other similar environments. The enterprise laboratory platform is scalable and flexible to any size business, and customers range from single labs to global organizations. The QATrax V6 LIMS has been updated to better perform and ensure regulatory data integrity. It provides a plethora of new features that improve both the end-user experience and lab/engineering workflow. The areas of emphasis for QATrax V6 include; End-user ease of use System performance Enhancements using the QATrax APIs to new requesting, operator, and report builder modules, amongst others. For users in a laboratory setting, these upgrades provide increased flexibility and productivity. With this update, TraxStar reaffirms its dedication to offering cutting-edge technologies that meet the ever-changing demands of its clients and test labs. This allows for the most effective LIMS software while getting more done in less time. About TraxStar Technologies, LLC. TraxStar Technologies is recognized as the worldwide leader in Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in discrete manufacturing. TraxStar Technologies is a global software development company that specializes in test lab management and scheduling software. TraxStar has decades of development and QATrax, its flagship product, is used by some of the largest manufacturers in the world. Founded over 25 years ago, the company is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California with worldwide support for customers 24/7. For more information, visit the QATrax website at www.TraxStar.com. Media Contact: Patrick Irion 925.405.7828 [email protected] SOURCE TraxStar Technologies DETROIT, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WirelessCar, a leading connected car services provider, today announced an expansion of applications built on the Android Automotive Operating System (Android Auto OS), paving the way for automakers to develop new, truly digital services for their customers in a fraction of the traditional development time. WirelessCar is since this spring featuring these new applications globally in cars from Polestar, the Sweden-based premium electric vehicle manufacturer. WirelessCar made the announcement today at AutoTech: Detroit, an influential trade show hosted by Informa and WardsAuto. Currently, automakers are locked into long development cycles. It can take 12 to 24 months in order to bring hardware, software and new in-vehicle logic to market. Using WirelessCar's new Android Auto OS applications, automakers will be able to offer new connected car services with little or no lead time and dramatically reduced expense. It will also be easier to update in-vehicle apps with over-the-air updates. One of WirelessCar's new applications, Journey Log, collates and tracks details about each ride taken in a vehicle, securely storing the data in the WirelessCar cloud. This application benefits consumers and businesses who need to track mileage and energy consumption and allows for the categorization of trips. The service can also be extended for Usage Based Insurance (UBI) applications. Another new WirelessCar Android Auto OS application for larger businesses gathers this same kind of trip information for fleets, such as rental car companies. Fleet owners will be able to monitor the usage and availability of fleet vehicles in real time and on a system level. For example, they'll be able to get alerts based on the number of hours each vehicle is used or when it goes out of specified geographical boundaries. "Automakers will be one of the big winners with WirelessCar's next-generation technology," said Niklas Floren, CEO of WirelessCar. "Car companies using WirelessCar's applications will be able to analyze real-world vehicle data that will drive better decisions about features and engineering." Another advantage for automakers will be smoother integration of new apps and services, including third-party apps. Any data collected in the WirelessCar cloud can be anonymized, removing any personally identifiable information that would compromise consumer privacy. Instead of merely maintaining their existing systems with a digital veneer, automakers will be able to offer truly digital services. WirelessCar forecasts that 70 percent of automakers will introduce Android Auto OS on new models by 2025. WirelessCar is already working extensively on Android Auto OS, developing new in-vehicle applications to connect the latest vehicles with WirelessCar's products and services, which it has designed, evolved, and operated for numerous global car brands over the past 20 years. By leveraging Android Auto OS, WirelessCar will bring automakers new ways to interact with both their B2C and B2B customers; seamless, real-time access to vehicle data; and built-in privacy settings. WirelessCar's solutions allow auto companies to maintain full control and ownership of the information generated by their vehicles. CONTACT: Main Contact: Noemi Kubiak WirelessCar [email protected] +46 765 200 727 U.S. Contact: Scott Fosgard Scott Fosgard Communications [email protected] +1 734 272 7440 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/wirelesscar/r/wirelesscar-expands-connected-vehicle-services-with-new-android-automotive-os-based-applications-fea,c3581339 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/wirelesscar/i/journey-log-in-vehicle-app,c3058738 Journey Log In-Vehicle App SOURCE WirelessCar The Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would ensure federal workers receive prompt access to high-quality health care for work-related injuries. AUSTIN, Texas, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) President April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, issued the following statement applauding the U.S. House of Representatives passage of H.R. 6087, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. "On behalf of AANP and more than 355,000 nurse practitioners (NPs), we thank Representatives Courtney (D-CT) and Walberg (R-MI) and the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor for its bipartisan leadership to pass H.R. 6087. We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives and the 325 Members of Congress who voted in favor of this important legislation, which will help ensure injured federal workers receive prompt access to high-quality health care for their work-related injuries. Today's action in the U.S. House helps move federal employees who can already choose an NP as their health care provider under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program one step closer to utilizing those same providers to certify and oversee the care of their workplace-related injuries. H.R. 6087 is a common-sense, no-cost solution to give federal workers timely access to the care they need, when they need it most. By passing this bill today, the U.S. House has once again acted to reduce unnecessary barriers to timely care, enabling the nation's NPs to provide health care services in accordance with state law. We urge the U.S. Senate to promptly pass H.R. 6087." AANA applauds the expanded scope of practice for Maryland CRNAs PARK RIDGE, Ill., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland patients now have increased access to safe, affordable care with the enacting of HB55. The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) applauds the new law, as it expands the scope of practice for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), granting them the authority to order and prescribe medications, including controlled substances. Under the new law, CRNAs may prescribe up to a 10-day supply of medicine in connection with the delivery of anesthesia services. Natasha Hopkins, DNP, CRNA, president of the Maryland Association of Nurse Anesthetists, applauded the provision, citing that the bill "provides for greater access to care for all patients in Maryland. It is an important step in advancing patient safety and providing skilled anesthesia care throughout the state." Maryland joins 36 other states in granting CRNAs prescriptive authority. CRNAs, as advanced practice registered nurses, are members of one of the most trusted professions according to Gallup. CRNAs provide anesthesia care across all settings and in all patient populations and are the primary anesthesia providers in rural and underserved areas and on the battlefield in forward surgical teams. Because of their expertise in anesthesia delivery and management of critically ill patients, CRNAs have been a highly sought-after healthcare provider during the COVID-19 pandemic. SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Partner Leadership Awards presented to Reseller Sales and Support Leaders for AccuFund's Fund Accounting and Financial Management Solutions CASTLE ROCK, Colo., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AccuFund, Inc. (www.accufund.com) provider of onsite and online fund accounting and financial management software for nonprofit, local municipal, and government organizations, announced the recipients of its annual Partner Leadership Awards for sales and support success in the previous year. Awards bestowed upon top-performing Resellers for overall volume sales leadership, volume sales leadership in the government, volume leadership in add-on sales and most NLR (net local revenue) from VAR (value added reseller) leads, volume leadership in representative payee sales, volume leader in Anywhere Online sales, and customer installation and support excellence. The 2021 AccuFund Partner Leadership award recipients were as follows: ComputerWorks NFP Solutions - Volume Sales Leader Overall & New Site Sales Leader from VAR Leads; - Volume Sales Leader Overall & New Site Sales Leader from VAR Leads; EMK, Inc. - Volume Leader Government Sector Sales; - Volume Leader Government Sector Sales; NFP Solutions Representative Payee Volume Sales Leader; Representative Payee Volume Sales Leader; Inventive Software Systems, LLC Representative Payee Volume Sales Leader & Anywhere Online Sales Leader; Representative Payee Volume Sales Leader & Anywhere Online Sales Leader; Prime Mountain - Volume Leader in Add-On Sales; - Volume Leader in Add-On Sales; Brisbane Consulting Anywhere Online Sales Leader; and Anywhere Online Sales Leader; and Waypoints Support Excellence. The 2021 awards were presented during a virtual meeting. All AccuFund Resellers continue to demonstrate unparalleled resolve and ingenuity in helping customers navigate the various challenges ever present amidst the continued worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. "Our Value-Added Resellers continue to help new and existing customers adapt to evolving needs from fund accounting, payroll/HR, representative payee and overall operational management providing superior products, implementation, training, support and service, to help customers better serve their communities," said Ian Scotland, vice president of AccuFund. "Our Resellers not only help us maintain and create relevant solutions with product input and insight, but also help customers maximize efficiencies and streamline processes to improve overall management." "We are very happy to receive the Volume Leader Award for Government Sector Sales. It is great to have such a versatile accounting solution to implement, train and support for both our government and nonprofit clients," adds Elisa Kearney, President, EMK Inc. In addition to the presentation of the AccuFund Partner Leadership awards, the meeting provided attendees with technical updates, AccuFund Anywhere Online product updates (full browser native solution), training on new software, and sales techniques. About AccuFund AccuFund, Inc. provides online and onsite fund accounting and financial management software solutions to nonprofit organizations and government agencies. AccuFund's products are available through Value Added Resellers (VARs) located throughout the United States. The VARs provide AccuFund's customers with cost-effective training and installation assistance. For more information, call 877-872-2228, email [email protected] or visit https://www.accufund.com. Contact: Kristen Faiola Marketing & Media AccuFund, Inc. 103 4th Street, Suite 110 Castle Rock, CO 80104 Phone: 617-620-0368 [email protected] SOURCE AccuFund, Inc. The report offers an in-depth analysis of recent developments, changes in market regulations, product approvals, product launches, and the market behavior across segments such as end-user (Building and construction, industrial, and transportation) and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). This report helps businesses create strategies to make the most of future growth opportunities. The report offers an up-to-date analysis of the current market scenario and information from several leading manufacturers. Download Sample Report Now. Key Market Dynamics One of the primary reasons supporting the acoustic damping tiles market growth is the growing demand for acoustic damping tiles in the aerospace industry. The engine and the airflow, which go through the plane's fuselage and structure, are the main causes of noise. The high decibel noise may irritate passengers and personnel. The use of composite materials stiffens the fuselage and reduces damping compared to aluminium, allowing larger levels of acoustic energy to be transmitted, resulting in increased noise in the aircraft. Although factors such as limitations of acoustic damping tiles may impact the market growth. Our reports covers 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! Acoustic Damping Tiles Market Segmentation Analysis Segmentation by End-User: The building and construction category will grow its acoustic damping tile market share significantly. During the projection period, the construction end-user segment is expected to increase significantly. The industry is likely to be driven by an increase in the number of households and home improvement projects. Segmentation by Geography: APAC will account for 45 percent of market growth. In APAC, China and Japan are the most important markets for acoustic damping tiles. The market in this region will increase at a quicker rate than the market in other regions. and are the most important markets for acoustic damping tiles. The market in this region will increase at a quicker rate than the market in other regions. Over the forecast period, government measures will aid the growth of the acoustic damping tiles market in APAC. Do reach out to our analysts for more customized reports as per your requirements. Speak to our Analyst now! Acoustic Damping Tiles Market Major Vendors The acoustic damping tiles market is fragmented due to the presence of several vendors. The report offers detailed information on the competencies, capacities, and products offered by major vendors including: BAUX AB 3M Co. Co. Acoustical Surfaces Inc. Audimute Auralex Acoustics Inc. Autex Industries Ltd. GIK Acoustics India Guangdong Liyin Acoustics Technology Co. Ltd. Guangzhou Soundbox Acoustic Technology Co. Ltd. Home Audio solutions Find out the top market vendors, their competition, and how they excel in the Acoustic Damping Tiles Market in our latest Sample Report. Download our Detailed Sample Report. Related Reports: Coated Flat Glass Market by Application, Type, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Concrete Admixtures Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 Acoustic Damping Tiles Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 3.73% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 822.86 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 3.44 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 45% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, UK, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled BAUX AB, 3M Co., Acoustical Surfaces Inc., Audimute, Auralex Acoustics Inc., Autex Industries Ltd., GIK Acoustics India, Guangdong Liyin Acoustics Technology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou Soundbox Acoustic Technology Co. Ltd., Home Audio solutions, Knauf Gypsum Pty Ltd., Megasorber Pty Ltd., MMT Acoustix, Pinta Acoustic Inc., Primacoustic, Pyrotek Inc., ROCKWOOL International AS, Soundproof Cow Corp., and Total Acoustic Solutions Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Market overview Exhibit 01: Executive Summary Chart on Market Overview Exhibit 02: Executive Summary Data Table on Market Overview Exhibit 03: Executive Summary Chart on Global Market Characteristics Exhibit 04: Executive Summary Chart on Market by Geography Exhibit 05: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by End-user 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 between 2021 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 End-user 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 24: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 25: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by End-user Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by End-user Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by End-user 5.3 Building and construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Building and construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Building and construction - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Building and construction - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Building and construction - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Industrial - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Industrial - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Industrial - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Transportation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 36: Chart on Transportation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Transportation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 38: Chart on Transportation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Transportation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Market opportunity by End-user Exhibit 40: Market opportunity by End-user ($ million) 6 Customer Landscape 6.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 41: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 7 Geographic Landscape 7.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 42: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 44: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 45: Data Table on Geographic comparison 7.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 51: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 52: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 53: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 61: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 63: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 64: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 65: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 71: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 72: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 73: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.10 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 83: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 84: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 85: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 86: Market opportunity by geography ($ million) 8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 8.1 Market drivers 8.2 Market challenges 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 87: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 9 Vendor Landscape 9.1 Overview 9.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 88: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 9.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 89: Overview on factors of disruption 9.4 Industry risks Exhibit 90: Impact of key risks on business 10 Vendor Analysis 10.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 91: Vendors covered 10.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 92: Matrix on vendor position and classification 10.3 3M Co. Co. Exhibit 93: 3M Co. - Overview Co. - Overview Exhibit 94: 3M Co. - Business segments Co. - Business segments Exhibit 95: 3M Co. - Key news Co. - Key news Exhibit 96: 3M Co. - Key offerings Co. - Key offerings Exhibit 97: 3M Co. - Segment focus 10.4 Acoustical Surfaces Inc. Exhibit 98: Acoustical Surfaces Inc. - Overview Exhibit 99: Acoustical Surfaces Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 100: Acoustical Surfaces Inc. - Key offerings 10.5 Audimute Exhibit 101: Audimute - Overview Exhibit 102: Audimute - Product / Service Exhibit 103: Audimute - Key offerings 10.6 Auralex Acoustics Inc. Exhibit 104: Auralex Acoustics Inc. - Overview Exhibit 105: Auralex Acoustics Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 106: Auralex Acoustics Inc. - Key offerings 10.7 Autex Industries Ltd. Exhibit 107: Autex Industries Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 108: Autex Industries Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 109: Autex Industries Ltd. - Key offerings 10.8 BAUX AB Exhibit 110: BAUX AB - Overview Exhibit 111: BAUX AB - Product / Service Exhibit 112: BAUX AB - Key offerings 10.9 Megasorber Pty Ltd. Exhibit 113: Megasorber Pty Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 114: Megasorber Pty Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 115: Megasorber Pty Ltd. - Key offerings 10.10 Pyrotek Inc. Exhibit 116: Pyrotek Inc. - Overview Exhibit 117: Pyrotek Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 118: Pyrotek Inc. - Key offerings 10.11 ROCKWOOL International AS Exhibit 119: ROCKWOOL International AS - Overview Exhibit 120: ROCKWOOL International AS - Business segments Exhibit 121: ROCKWOOL International AS - Key offerings Exhibit 122: ROCKWOOL International AS - Segment focus 10.12 Soundproof Cow Corp. Exhibit 123: Soundproof Cow Corp. - Overview Exhibit 124: Soundproof Cow Corp. - Product / Service Exhibit 125: Soundproof Cow Corp. - Key offerings 11 Appendix 11.1 Scope of the report 11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 126: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 127: Exclusions checklist 11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 128: Currency conversion rates for US$ 11.4 Research methodology Exhibit 129: Research methodology Exhibit 130: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 131: Information sources 11.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 132: List of abbreviations About Technavio 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. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio KYIV, Ukraine, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - AIR Media-Tech, an international company for digital-first creators and brands, releases the first trends report about the impact of the war in Ukraine on the creator economy in Eastern Europe and beyond. With a part of the team in the Kyiv office and a large number of partner creators from Eastern Europe, including over 500 creators from Ukraine, AIR Media-Tech has observed several trends in the digital creators' industry in the region since the war in Ukraine began. Key findings include: Global platforms are experiencing pressure from the Russian government because of the struggle to openly spread the truth: Facebook and Instagram are now blocked, Twitter has slowed down, YouTube and TikTok have been forced to react by suspending some core functionalities. International sanctions against Russia also impact several other platforms widely used by creators, such as Patreon, OnlyFans, Twitch, etc. also impact several other platforms widely used by creators, such as Patreon, OnlyFans, Twitch, etc. While many international digital platforms remain unavailable for Russian users, the popularity of alternative and local platforms continues to increase. Russian creators pivot to local platforms to stay connected with their audience and compensate for losses of monetization on global platforms. Creators globally unite their efforts to support Ukraine . World-famous celebrities also support Ukraine in a number of ways - from public calls to help Ukrainians to multimillion-dollar donations and even hosting refugees. The trends report also includes an overview of the latest content trends in Ukraine and Russia and the state of influencer marketing in both countries. This information is supported by relevant market data, the company's internal research, and real-life examples of influencers and their posts. The full report is available via this link . About AIR: AIR Media-Tech was founded in Canada and operates globally. AIR has been a YouTube Certified partner since 2011 and has worked with TikTok since 2019. The company helps over 3000 YouTubers from 44 countries grow faster and earn more on digital platforms. Altogether AIR partner creators generate over 20B views on YouTube monthly. The company's in-house agency, AIR Brands, provides influencer marketing and channel development services to brands. Media contact: [email protected] SOURCE AIR Media-Tech Promising 'dark matter' cancer therapy has clinical trials in sight DUNEDIN, New Zealand, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amaroq Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focussed on developing a new class of therapeutics that target lncRNA in cancer, is progressing towards clinical trials following a promising initial development phase and securing key appointments to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Amaroq Therapeutics is pleased to announce early milestone achievements and the appointment of Prof David L. Spector (chair), Prof Sherene Loi, Prof Anna Pyle, and Dr Henrik rum as SAB members. "We're really fortunate to welcome four industry leading experts to our board. With a mixture of expertise in cancer research, RNA biology, drug development and clinical trials, Amaroq has never been better supported to progress our therapy to market," says Dr Sarah Diermeier, Chief Scientific Officer and Founder, Amaroq Therapeutics. "These appointments of industry leaders from the scientific community is a great show of confidence in our development of RNA therapy. This brings us much closer to clinical trials and delivering potentially life-changing treatment to patients with some of the most common cancers," says Diermeier. Amaroq Therapeutics is one of the world's first companies exploring long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), often referred to as "dark matter" of the genome, for oncology application. Their newly bolstered team of experts are exploring the use of lncRNA molecules as therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers in the treatment of cancer. Amaroq Therapeutics' research has shown that specific lncRNA molecules are highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal healthy cells. Removing these lncRNA molecules from cancer cells can slow down the process of the cells dividing. "This gives us the very real hope that lncRNA molecules could hold the key for treating many common forms of cancer such as breast, colorectal and liver cancer," says Diermeier. "The new generation of RNA therapeutics we develop could be the breakthrough treatment the world has been waiting for to treat cancers one of the world's most deadly and debilitating diseases." Led by Brandon Capital and supported by Otago Innovation Ltd, NZ Innovation Booster and Cure Kids Ventures, a total of $14m has been invested in Amaroq Therapeutics to date. "We're pleased to continue to support Amaroq Therapeutics towards clinical development, and the extremely high calibre of experience and expertise among their newly appointed board members speaks to the potential we all see in them as pioneers in RNA therapy. We'll be watching with keen interest," says Duncan Mackintosh, Senior Investment Manager with Brandon Capital Partners. New Amaroq SAB Board appointments: Prof David L. Spector, Chair David L. Spector, Ph.D., is a Professor and Director of Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. He is co-leader of the Gene Regulation and Inheritance program of the National Cancer Institute designated Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cancer Center. In 2014 he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and as a foreign Associate Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization. In 2017 he was elected a Lifetime Fellow of the American Society of Cell Biology for Distinguished Contributions to the Advancement of Cell Biology. Prof Sherene Loi Sherene Loi is a Medical Oncologist specialized in breast cancer treatment and Group Leader at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia. She is recognized internationally as a leading clinician scientist whose work has led to new insights in the breast cancer immunology field, including an immune biomarker and formation of the TILs international working group. Professor Loi's research is highly cited she is ranked in the top 1% of highly cited researchers globally by the Web of Science since 2018. She co-chairs the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) based in Bern, Switzerland, which conducts breast cancer clinical trials in over 16 countries. She is the current holder of the Inaugural National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) of Australia Endowed Chair and a research fellow of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), New York. Prof Anna Marie Pyle Anna Marie Pyle is the Yale Sterling Professor in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Chemistry, and she is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. Dr. Pyle formed her own research group in 1992 in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Columbia University Medical Center. In 2002, she moved to Yale University, where her group specializes in determining the structure and function of large RNA molecules and associated protein enzymes. Pyle is Past- President of the RNA Society, she is Vice-Chair of the Science and Technology Steering Committee for Brookhaven National Laboratory, and she is on the scientific advisory board of Arrakis Therapeutics and RADD Pharma. Dr Henrik rum Henrik rum brings more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of creating, building, leading and exiting successful biotechnology companies. Dr. rum started his biotech career at PNA Diagnostics A/S in 1993, serving as Chief Scientific Officer from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure, the company was sold to Boehringer Mannheim in 1994 and later to Hoffman-La Roche in 1997. In 1996, Dr. rum cofounded Exiqon A/S, a nucleic acid diagnostics company that was listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in 2007. In 2000, he co-founded Santaris Pharma A/S, where he served as Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of business development until the company's acquisition by Roche in 2014. In 2017 Dr. rum founded CiVi Biopharma Inc, where he serves as Chief Scientific Officer. About Amaroq Therapeutics Amaroq Therapeutics is a New Zealand-based biotechnology company focussed on developing a new class of therapeutics that target lncRNAs in cancer. Long non-coding RNAs are a relatively recently discovered class of molecules often referred to as "dark matter" of the human genome. These naturally occurring molecules do not code for proteins but fulfill important regulatory functions in the cell that could be exploited as a new therapeutic approach for multiple indications. Amaroq's research team has discovered lncRNA molecules that are highly expressed in cancer cells, and once removed, cancer cell growth slows. Amaroq Therapeutics is developing innovative therapeutics to target lncRNAs for cancer treatment. Amaroq Therapeutics is funded by the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund, managed by life science venture capital firm Brandon Capital Partners , Otago Innovation Ltd, University of Otago, Cure Kids, and NZ Innovation Booster. The Company has been spun out of research from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. About Brandon BioCatalyst and Brandon Capital Brandon Capital is Australasia's leading life science venture capital firm, with a strong global presence supported by key partnerships and team members across the US and UK. From early-stage seed investment through to expansion capital, Brandon Capital supports life science companies from proof-of-concept through to commercialisation. Managed by Brandon Capital, Brandon BioCatalyst is a unique collaboration of over 50 leading medical research institutes, investors, and government united by a single purpose: progressing the next generation of medical therapies and technology which improve health and save lives. www.brandoncapital.vc | www.brandonbiocatalyst.com SOURCE Amaroq Therapeutics The inaugural list of North America's 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, was announced at a live awards ceremony on June 7, 2022 at Capitale in New York. The new annual ranking features bars from across North America, with New York's Attaboy crowned No.1 as The Best Bar in North America. Founded by cocktail legends Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy, Attaboy honors its predecessor, Milk & Honey. The bar team, led by Haley Traub, salutes the late Sasha Petraske with incomparable, bespoke drinks experiences. Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy (No.2) claims the title of The Best Bar in Mexico. Toronto's Civil Liberties (No.10) wins The Best Bar in Canada, while Puerto Rico's La Factoria (No.12) earns The Best Bar in the Caribbean. For the full list, click here. Mark Sansom, Content Director for North America's 50 Best Bars, says: "We tip our hats to Attaboy, now celebrating 10 illustrious years. Under Haley Traub's exuberant leadership, we see this legacy shining brightly into the future. We commend all the bars on North America's 50 Best Bars' inaugural list." For media centre access, please visit: https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com/ PDF- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1828165/BEST_BARS_PDF.pdf Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1835235/50_Best_Bars.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1828167/50_Best_bars_Logo.jpg SOURCE 50 Best Move marks the expansion of the leading management consulting firm in Greece and a vote of confidence in the continued strength of the Greek economy ATHENS, Greece, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company, the global business and management consultancy, announces the opening of its office in Athens, a move sparked by the firm's expanding client base of successful Greek businesses and the strength of client demand for its advice and services. "This is a tremendously exciting time for our business," said Roberto Prioreschi, Italy and Turkey managing partner at Bain & Company, who is overseeing the establishment of the Athens office. "Our new office in Athens is just one of the many investments we are making in the region, reflecting our confidence in the continued growth of Greece's economy, as well as our commitment to better serve the increasing number of priority client relationships we have locally." Bain's Athens office represents the official arrival of one of the world's leading consulting firms to the country. The firm serves more than 60% of the Fortune 500, operating in 40 countries and 65 cities, with more than 14,000 employees worldwide. Bain's entry into Greece builds on the firm's work over the last years with some of the largest domestic and international companies across all key industries of the Greek economy, including Financial Services, Energy & Natural Resources, Consumer Products, Retail and Advanced Manufacturing Services. Furthermore, the firm is widely recognized as the leading partner to the Private Equity industry, regionally and globally. In addition to bringing the firm closer to many of its long-standing clients in Greece, the new Athens office uniquely positions Bain to apply its deep understanding of the country's most critical business issues to its clients' management challenges, helping them to achieve tangible, sustainable results. The firm is accelerating a bold investment plan for the country, hiring a team of top Greek talent as its Athens consultants, as well as developing its local infrastructure and capabilities. The objective is to build a top strategy consulting firm in Greece, differentiating itself by Bain's key client proposition, its strong focus on creating value and long-lasting impact. In addition to Roberto Prioreschi, Bain Greece will be led by Dimitris Psarris, managing partner of Bain & Company Greece, a member of the European leadership team and senior partner in Bain's global Financial Services practice. Dimitris Psarris is a seasoned international management consultant, having provided strategic advice to corporates, governments and regulators in more than 15 countries across the globe. Over the last decade, Dimitris has been a leading consultant in Greece and Cyprus, as the founder and managing partner of another global consulting firm's business in Athens. He has been at the forefront of Greece's recovery from the crisis, having supported all systemic banks, investors, large corporates, as well as the European and local authorities on several high-profile restructuring and recovery initiatives. In more recent years, Dimitris has served some of the country's top companies in redefining their strategy and in the design and successful implementation of large-scale transformation programs. The local team in Athens will work in close partnership with Bain's global network, deploying top international expertise to serve the firm's clients in Greece. "I am excited to start a new chapter in consulting in Greece," said Dimitris Psarris. "I feel honored to be joining Bain to lead its official introduction in the country. I have been impressed by the firm's intense focus on creating value and lasting impact for its clients, its entrepreneurial spirit and the industry-leading culture of caring about its people, the community and the environment. I am confident that combining Bain's global network with top local Greek talent will lead to extraordinary results for our clients and redefine the positive impact the industry can have on the country." "We are thrilled to be welcoming Dimitris to the Bain family," said Roberto Prioreschi. "We have been thoroughly impressed by his energy, his reputation among Greek clients for delivering tangible impact and his track record in recruiting and developing top talent." Bain's new Athens office will also play a critical role as a talent hub in the region. Recognized globally as a great place to work, the firm has maintained its spot in the top four on Glassdoor's 'Best Places to Work' list for the last 14 years. Bain hopes its permanent and expanded presence in Athens will further support its efforts to attract the best Greek talent and offer them the best working experience in the country. The opening of the firm's Athens office brings the total number of Bain offices in EMEA to 27. Notes to editors : To arrange an interview, please contact Dimitra Spanou at [email protected] or tel. 210 7249000. About Bain & Company Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future. Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry. SOURCE Bain & Company PANAMA, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Panamanian bank Banitsmo has contracted the SaaS services of Spanish listed company Lleida.net (BME: LLN) (EPA: ALLLN) (OTCQX: LLEIF) to manage its account opening and collection processes. In this way, the Spanish company's proprietary certified electronic signature, notification, and contracting technology will help Banistmo improve the user experience for its customers. It will serve both the company's customers and its employees, who will be able to sign documents using authentication factors and identity validation tools with technological security and legal value. Banistmo is a financial institution with a general license to conduct banking business in the Republic of Panama and is part of Grupo Financiero Bancolombia. "Banistmo has chosen Lleida.net because of our very high technical standards and criteria. This alliance will enable the institution to reduce the cost of its services, accelerate its technological innovation and bring new levels of reliability to its customers," explained Sisco Sapena, who founded Lleida.net in 1995. The institution is the largest bank in Panama and Central America and was acquired by Bancolombia (BVC: PFBCOLOM) (NYSE: CIB) in 2013 by Grupo Bancolombia. Lleida.net currently has a three-year contract with Bancolombia to provide the entity with certified electronic signature services. Grupo Bancolombia has more than 14 million customers, is the largest bank in Colombia, and has a market share of 20 percent of the Colombian banking market. Lleida.net is the European leader in the certified electronic signature, notification, and contracting industry and is listed in New York, Madrid and Paris. The Spanish listed company provides services to banks such as Wizink, Bankinter, Banco Pichincha and Compartamos Financiera in Peru. Last year, its sales increased by 31 percent in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period of the previous year, amounting to 5.21 million euros, in the best quarter in sales in its history. More than 60 countries have recognized its inventions with 209 patents, and its intellectual property portfolio is one of the most relevant in the industry worldwide, many of them in Latin America. Lleida.net began trading on the current BME Growth in 2015 and Euronext Growth in 2018. At the end of 2020, it was listed on the OTCQX Best Market index in New York. SOURCE Lleida.net HANGZHOU, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) ("BEST" or the "Company"), a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China and Southeast Asia ("SEA"), today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. Johnny Chou, Founder, Chairman and CEO of BEST, commented, "Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to serve our customers with operational resilience. BEST Global continued its strong growth momentum and finished the quarter with 25% year-over-year ("YOY") volume increase in SEA. As we continued with our Strategic Refocusing Program, we are winding down our BEST UCargo and Capital business lines, which gives us a much leaner organization and lower cost structure. At end of the first quarter, we have a net cash position of RMB1.5 billion. "During the quarter, BEST Freight maintained its industry-leading position and achieved notable service quality improvements. Freight's on-time delivery rate has improved by 14% YOY. Supply Chain Management remains our key differentiator as it empowers our customers with digitalized end-to-end logistics solutions. It is also the heart of our cross-segment synergies; significantly benefiting Freight and Global by supporting its customer's transportation and global logistics needs. Among SCM's top customers, more than 20% use our Freight service. "We believe the activities of supply chain and logistics business will pick up quickly in China and SEA as the pandemic eases. Information technology-driven and integrated supply chain and logistics solutions will be in high demand to support such growth. BEST's strengths in technology, domestic and international end-to-end supply chain and logistics capabilities, as well as our broad customer base in China coupled with strong cash position will allow us to capture this growth opportunity and on the path to profitability." concluded Mr. Chou. Gloria Fan, BEST's Chief Financial Officer, added, "Our first quarter revenue, excluding UCargo and Capital, declined by 4.6% YOY. Given the pandemic-related disruptions and other macro environment uncertainties, our performance is a testament to our strong business resilience. Our balance of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments were RMB5.3 billion at the end of the first quarter. Supported by our robust balance sheet, our emphasis on service quality and operational efficiency will strengthen our core competencies in Freight, integrated Supply Chain Management and Global logistics solutions, building a solid foundation for future growth and profitability." FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS(1) For the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022: (2) Revenue was RMB1,802.6 million ( US$284.4 million ) compared to RMB2,783.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. The revenue decrease was primarily due to the winding-down of the UCargo business line. Revenue generated from UCargo business was approximately RMB19.4 million ( US$3.1 million ) compared with RMB868.7 million in the same quarter of 2021, a decrease of 97.8%. was ( ) compared to in the first quarter of 2021. The revenue decrease was primarily due to the winding-down of the UCargo business line. Revenue generated from UCargo business was approximately ( ) compared with in the same quarter of 2021, a decrease of 97.8%. Gross Loss was RMB76.8 million ( US$12.1 million ), compared to gross profit of RMB51.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to winding down of the Capital business line and increased unit cost of Freight business, mainly resulting from higher fuel cost. Gross Loss Margin was 4.3%, compared to a Gross Profit Margin of 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. was ( ), compared to gross profit of in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to winding down of the Capital business line and increased unit cost of Freight business, mainly resulting from higher fuel cost. was 4.3%, compared to a Gross Profit Margin of 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. Net Loss from continuing operations was RMB379.9 million ( US$59.9 million ), compared to RMB191.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations (3 ) (4) was RMB359.2 million ( US$56.7 million ), compared to RMB169.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. was ( ), compared to in the first quarter of 2021. was ( ), compared to in the first quarter of 2021. Diluted loss per ADS ( 5 ) from continuing operations was negative RMB4.60 (US$0.73) , compared to negative RMB2.40 in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS (3)(4) from continuing operations was negative RMB4.33 (US$0.68) , compared to negative RMB2.12 in the first quarter of 2021. was negative , compared to negative in the first quarter of 2021. was negative , compared to negative in the first quarter of 2021. EBITDA(6) from continuing operations was negative RMB315.3 million ( US$49.7 million ), compared to negative RMB120.0 million in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA(3)(5) from continuing operations was negative RMB294.6 million ( US$46.5 million ), compared to negative RMB98.5 million in the first quarter of 2021. BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS(7) BEST Freight In the first quarter of 2022, the Company remained focused on developing its e-commerce related business, which contributed 22.2% of total volume during the quarter, up 5.6 ppts YOY. The logistics industry has been significantly affected by the resurgences of the pandemic. Freight's volume decreased by 13.5% YOY, as parts of its operations, particularly some of its transportation fleet, hubs and sortation centers, have been restricted due to the pandemic. Freight continued to implement measures to strengthen its network coverage and service quality including automation in certain major sortation centers and expansion of franchise network. These efforts have delivered immediate results. In the first quarter, Freight's on-time delivery rate improved by 14.0% YOY. BEST UCargo's operations and financial results are now consolidated with BEST Freight. BEST Supply Chain Management During the first quarter of 2022, the Company continued to grow its B2B2C fulfillment network and distribution capabilities ("Cloud OFCs") while prioritizing higher-margin accounts. Due to discontinuation of certain low-margin legacy customers, the total number of orders fulfilled by Cloud OFCs decreased 13.3% YOY to 87.3 million in the first quarter, of which the total number of orders fulfilled by franchised Cloud OFCs increased by 2.4% to 54.1 million. Supply Chain Management's gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 4.3%, decreased by 1.1 ppts YOY, primarily due to restrictions on certain warehouses caused by the pandemic. BEST Global Despite the ongoing pandemic and disruption in its supply chains, Global continued to expand its market share in SEA. Its parcel volume reached 38.4 million in the first quarter of 2022, up 24.5% YOY. Parcel volumes in Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, increased by 67.7%, 67.6% and 72.0%, respectively. In addition to the positive development in SEA, U.S. operations reached breakeven last year and continued to be profitable in the first quarter of 2022. Others As part of its strategic refocusing plan, the Company continued to wind down its Capital business line in the first quarter of 2022. Key Operational Metrics Three Months Ended % Change YOY March 31, 2020 March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 2021 vs 2020 2022 vs 2021 Freight Volume (Tonne in '000) 1,074 1,945 1,683 81.0% (13.5%) Supply Chain Management Orders Fulfilled (in '000) 83,596 100,784 87,347 20.6% (13.3%) Global Parcel Volume in SEA (in '000) 8,840 30,841 38,390 248.9% 24.5% FINANCIAL RESULTS(8) For the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022: Revenue The following table sets forth a breakdown of revenue by business segment for the periods indicated. Table 1 Breakdown of Revenue by Business Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 (In '000, except for %) RMB % of Revenue RMB US$ % of Revenue % Change YOY Total Freight 2,043,186 73.4% 1,092,814 172,387 60.6% (46.5%) -Freight 1,174,493 42.2% 1,073,460 169,334 59.6% (8.6%) -Legacy UCargo 868,693 31.2% 19,354 3,053 1.0% (97.8%) Supply Chain Management 447,661 16.1% 408,962 64,512 22.7% (8.6%) Global 250,422 9.0% 268,709 42,388 14.9% 7.3% Others(9) 42,290 1.5% 32,100 5,064 1.8% (24.1%) Total Revenue 2,783,559 100.0% 1,802,585 284,351 100.0% (35.2%) Freight Service Revenue was RMB1,092.8 million ( US$172.4million ) for the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB2,043.2 million in the same period of last year; of which, RMB19.4 million and RMB868.7 million were from the legacy UCargo business line. Freight service revenue excluding legacy UCargo business decreased by 8.6% YOY resulting from a 13.5% decrease in freight volume, partially offset by a 4.5% increase in ASP per tonne. ( ) for the first quarter of 2022, compared with in the same period of last year; of which, and were from the legacy UCargo business line. Freight service revenue excluding legacy UCargo business decreased by 8.6% YOY resulting from a 13.5% decrease in freight volume, partially offset by a 4.5% increase in ASP per tonne. Supply Chain Management Service Revenue decreased by 8.6% YOY to RMB409.0 million ( US$64.5 million ) for the first quarter of 2022 from RMB447.7million in the same period of last year, primarily due to discontinuation of certain low-margin legacy accounts. ( ) for the first quarter of 2022 from in the same period of last year, primarily due to discontinuation of certain low-margin legacy accounts. Global Service Revenue increased by 7.3% YOY to RMB268.7 million ( US$42.4 million ) for the first quarter of 2022 from RMB250.4 million in the same period of last year, primarily due to parcel volume growth in SEA. Cost of Revenue The following table sets forth a breakdown of cost of revenue by business segment for the periods indicated. Table 2 Breakdown of Cost of Revenue by Business Segment Three Months Ended % of Revenue Change YOY March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 (In '000, except for %) RMB % of Revenue RMB US$ % of Revenue Total Freight (2,029,952) 99.4% (1,170,314) (184,612) 107.1% 7.7ppt -Freight (1,173,930) 100.0% (1,144,613) (180,558) 106.6% 6.6ppt -Legacy UCargo (856,022) 98.5% (25,701) (4,054) 132.8% 34.3ppt Supply Chain Management (423,506) 94.6% (391,207) (61,711) 95.7% 1.1ppt Global (265,102) 105.9% (285,678) (45,065) 106.3% 0.4ppt Others (13,307) 31.5% (32,225) (5,083) 100.4% 68.9ppt Total Cost of Revenue (2,731,867) 98.1% (1,879,424) (296,471) 104.3% 6.2ppt Cost of Revenue for Freight excluding legacy UCargo business was RMB1,144.6 million or 106.6% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 6.6 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was mainly due to higher fuel cost and additional costs caused by the pandemic. or 106.6% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 6.6 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was mainly due to higher fuel cost and additional costs caused by the pandemic. Cost of Revenue for Supply Chain Management was RMB391.2 million or 95.7% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 1.1 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to restrictions on certain warehouses caused by the pandemic. or 95.7% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 1.1 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to restrictions on certain warehouses caused by the pandemic. Cost of Revenue for Global was RMB285.7 million or 106.3% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 0.4 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to additional costs caused by the pandemic and higher fuel cost; partially offset by increased parcel volume. or 106.3% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 0.4 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to additional costs caused by the pandemic and higher fuel cost; partially offset by increased parcel volume. Cost of Revenue for Others was RMB 32.2 million or 100.4% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 68.9 ppts increase YOY in cost revenue as percentage of revenue was primarily due to winding down of BEST Capital business line. Gross Loss was RMB76.8 million (US$12.1 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to gross profit of RMB51.7 million in the first quarter of 2021; Gross Margin was negative 4.3%, compared to positive 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. Operating Expenses Selling, General and Administrative Expenses were RMB255.0 million (US$40.2 million) or 14.1% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB249.8 million or 9.0% of revenue in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to the expenses associated with winding down the Capital business. Research and Development Expenses were RMB33.2million (US$5.2 million) or 1.8% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB40.1 million, or 1.4% of revenue in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to reduced headcount. Share-based Compensation ("SBC") Expenses included in the cost and expense items above were RMB20.7 million (US$3.3 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB27.1 million in the first quarter of 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, RMB0.05 million (US$0.01 million) was allocated to cost of revenue, RMB1.2 million (US$0.2 million) was allocated to selling expenses, RMB18.2 million (US$2.9 million) was allocated to general and administrative expenses, and RMB1.3 million (US$0.2 million) was allocated to research and development expenses. Net Loss and Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations Net Loss from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB379.9 million (US$59.9 million), compared to RMB191.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. Excluding SBC expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and gain from appreciation of investment, Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB359.2 million (US$56.7 million), compared to RMB169.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. Diluted loss per ADS and Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations Diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB4.60 (US$0.73), compared to negative RMB2.4 in the same period of 2021. Excluding SBC expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and gain from appreciation of investment, Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB4.33 (US$0.68), compared to negative RMB2.12 in the first quarter of 2021. A reconciliation of non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS to diluted loss per ADS is included at the end of this results announcement. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin from continuing operations Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB294.6 million (US$46.5million), compared to negative RMB98.5million in the same period of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA Margin from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative 16.3%, compared to negative 3.5% in the same period of 2021. Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Short-term Investments As of March 31, 2022, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments were RMB5,261.1 million (US$829.9 million), compared to RMB3,389.0 million as of March 31, 2021. Net Cash Used In Continuing Operating Activities Net cash used in continuing operating activities in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB304.1 million (US$48.0 million), compared to RMB47.9 million of net cash generated from continuing operating activities in the same period of 2021. The increase in net cash used in operating activities was mainly due to the increased net loss and catch-up payments to vendors in the first quarter of 2022. Capital Expenditures ("CAPEX") CAPEX was RMB49.1 million (US$7.7 million), or 2.7% of total revenue in the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, compared to CAPEX of RMB74.7 million, or 2.7% of total revenue, in the same period of 2021. SHARES OUTSTANDING As of May 31, 2022, the Company had approximately 392.5 million ordinary shares outstanding(10). Each American Depositary Share represents five (5) Class A ordinary shares. As previously announced, effective from May 20, 2022, the Company has changed the ratio of its American Depositary Shares to its Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, from the original ADS ratio of one (1) ADS to one (1) Class A ordinary share, to a new ADS ratio of one (1) ADS to five (5) Class A ordinary shares. FINANCIAL GUIDANCE Due to the uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company renounces, and does not affirm, its previous financial guidance given in its results announcement dated March 8, 2022. Accordingly, the Company is not providing any financial guidance or revenue outlook at this time. We are driving each of our business units toward a speedy recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic eases. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time on June 8, 2022 (9:00 am Beijing Time on June 9, 2022), to discuss its financial results and operating performance for the first quarter of 2022. Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong: 800-963976 or +852-5808-1995 Mainland China: 4001-206115 International: +1-412-317-6061 Participant Elite Entry Number: 6408443 A replay of the conference call will be accessible through June 15, 2022 by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-877-344-7529 International: +1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 2605618 Please visit the Company's investor relations website to view the earnings release prior to the conference call. A live and archived webcast of the conference call and a corporate presentation will be available at the same site. ABOUT BEST INC. BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) is a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China and SEA. Through its proprietary technology platform and extensive networks, BEST offers a comprehensive set of logistics and value-added services, including freight delivery, supply chain management, and global logistics services. BEST's mission is to empower business and enrich life by leveraging technology and business model innovation to create a smarter, more efficient supply chain. For more information, please visit: http://www.best-inc.com/en/. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: BEST Inc. Investor relations team [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Yang Song Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] 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. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as BEST's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. BEST may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to 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 BEST'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: BEST's goals and strategies; BEST's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; BEST's ability to maintain and enhance its ecosystem; BEST's ability to compete effectively; BEST's ability to continue to innovate, meet evolving market trends, adapt to changing customer demands and maintain its culture of innovation; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and other countries in which BEST operates, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in BEST'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 BEST does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES In evaluating its business, BEST considers and uses non-GAAP measures, such as non-GAAP net loss/income, non-GAAP net loss/profit margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, EBITDA, and non-GAAP Diluted earnings/loss per ADS, as supplemental measures in the evaluation of the Company's operating results and in the Company's financial and operational decision-making. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures that help identify underlying trends in the Company's business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses and gains that the Company includes in loss from operations and net loss. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about its operating results, enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures" in the results announcement. The non-GAAP financial measures are provided as additional information to help investors compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and to enhance investors' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and prospects for the future. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, U.S. GAAP results. In addition, the Company's calculation of the non-GAAP financial measures may be different from the calculation used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited. Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Income Statements (In Thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ Revenue Freight 2,043,186 1,092,814 172,387 -Freight 1,174,493 1,073,460 169,334 -Legacy UCargo 868,693 19,354 3,053 Supply Chain Management 447,661 408,962 64,512 Global 250,422 268,709 42,388 Others 42,290 32,100 5,064 Total Revenue 2,783,559 1,802,585 284,351 Cost of Revenue Freight (2,029,952) (1,170,314) (184,612) Supply Chain Management (423,506) (391,207) (61,711) Global (265,102) (285,678) (45,065) Others (13,307) (32,225) (5,083) Total Cost of Revenue (2,731,867) (1,879,424) (296,471) Gross Profit/(Loss) 51,692 (76,839) (12,120) Selling Expenses (55,081) (54,926) (8,664) General and Administrative Expenses (194,680) (200,054) (11) (31,558) Research and Development Expenses (40,065) (33,175) (5,233) Other operating income/(expense), net 41,718 2,640 416 Loss from Operations (196,416) (362,354) (57,159) Interest Income 11,707 15,618 2,464 Interest Expense (35,512) (26,422) (4,168) Foreign Exchange Gain 800 4,845 764 Other Income 40,735 16,109 2,541 Other Expense (8,242) (27,476) (4,334) Loss before Income Tax and Share of Net Loss of Equity Investees (186,928) (379,680) (59,892) Income Tax Expense (4,290) (219) (35) Loss before Share of Net loss of Equity Investees (191,218) (379,899) (59,927) Share of Net Loss of Equity Investees - - - Net Loss from continuing operations (191,218) (379,899) (59,927) Net loss from discontinued operations (427,087) (284) (45) Net Loss (618,305) (380,183) (59,972) Net loss attributable to non- controlling interests (5,410) (20,878) (3,293) Net Loss attributable to BEST Inc. (612,895) (359,305) (56,679) Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) As of December 31,2021 As of March 31, 2022 RMB RMB US$ Assets Current Assets Cash and Cash Equivalents 3,571,745 2,053,610 323,949 Restricted Cash 675,159 599,920 94,635 Accounts and Notes Receivables 827,631 752,397 118,690 Inventories 25,622 24,295 3,832 Prepayments and Other Current Assets 1,172,472 1,013,868 159,933 Shortterm Investments 147,359 1,297,440 204,666 Amounts Due from Related Parties 125,198 97,585 15,394 Lease Rental Receivables 298,364 223,073 35,189 Total Current Assets 6,843,550 6,062,188 956,288 Noncurrent Assets Property and Equipment, Net 762,642 748,443 118,064 Intangible Assets, Net 55,684 59,273 9,350 Longterm Investments 219,171 189,171 29,841 Goodwill 54,135 54,135 8,540 Noncurrent Deposits 92,866 83,257 13,133 Other Noncurrent Assets 111,640 83,478 13,168 Restricted Cash 1,069,244 1,310,141 206,670 Lease Rental Receivables 235,429 168,478 26,577 Operating Lease Right-of-use Assets 1,899,522 1,785,192 281,607 Total noncurrent Assets 4,500,333 4,481,568 706,950 Total Assets 11,343,883 10,543,756 1,663,238 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities Long-term borrowings-current 287,814 239,382 37,762 Convertible Senior Notes held by related parties 633,475 632,259 99,736 Convertible Senior Notes held by third parties 633,475 632,259 99,736 Shortterm Bank Loans 530,495 410,156 64,701 Accounts and Notes Payable 1,353,150 1,373,396 216,648 Income Tax Payable 587 350 55 Customer Advances and Deposits and Deferred Revenue 298,353 292,141 46,084 Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities 1,591,639 1,387,461 218,867 Financing Lease Liabilities 1,851 1,699 268 Operating Lease Liabilities 518,248 493,438 77,838 Amounts Due to Related Parties 2,763 11,430 1,803 Total Current Liabilities 5,851,850 5,473,971 863,498 Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Cont'd) (In Thousands) As of December 31, 2021 As of March 31, 2022 RMB RMB US$ Non-current Liabilities Convertible senior notes held by related parties 955,097 951,467 150,090 Long-term borrowings 67,080 32,702 5,159 Operating Lease Liabilities 1,456,843 1,374,940 216,891 Financing Lease Liabilities 2,121 2,104 332 Other Noncurrent Liabilities 24,261 25,034 3,949 Long-term Bank Loans 769,767 841,231 132,701 Total Noncurrent Liabilities 3,275,169 3,227,478 509,122 Total Liabilities 9,127,019 8,701,449 1,372,620 Mezzanine Equity: Convertible Non-controlling Interests 191,865 191,865 30,266 Total mezzanine equity 191,865 191,865 30,266 Shareholders' Equity Ordinary Shares 25,988 25,988 4,100 Treasury Shares (113,031) (28,824) (4,547) Additional PaidIn Capital 19,522,173 19,457,107 3,069,284 Statutory reserves 167 - - Accumulated Deficit (17,471,716) (17,843,712) (12) (2,814,776) Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income 107,379 93,050 14,678 BEST Inc. Shareholders' Equity 2,070,960 1,703,609 268,739 Non-controlling Interests (45,961) (53,167) (8,387) Total Shareholders' Equity 2,024,999 1,650,442 260,352 Total Liabilities, Mezzanine Equity and Shareholders' Equity 11,343,883 10,543,756 1,663,238 Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In Thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing operating activities 47,887 (304,096) (47,970) Net cash used in discontinued operating activities (705,838) - - Net cash used in operating activities (657,951) (304,096) (47,970) Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing investing activities 150,074 (879,542) (138,744) Net cash used in discontinued Investing activities (127,278) - - Net cash generated from/(used in) investing activities 22,796 (879,542) (138,744) Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing financing activities 274,100 (145,284) (22,918) Net cash used in discontinued financing activities (172,653) - - Net cash generated from/(used in) financing activities 101,447 (145,284) (22,918) Exchange Rate Effect on Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash 6,716 (23,555) (3,716) Net decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash (526,992) (1,352,477) (213,348) Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period 4,209,121 5,316,148 838,602 Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at End of Period 3,682,129 3,963,671 625,254 Less: Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash held for sales at end of the Period 588,824 - - Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash from continuing operations at End of Period 3,093,305 3,963,671 625,254 RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE NEAREST COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's net (loss)/income to EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin for the periods indicated: Table 4 Reconciliation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin Three Months Ended March31, 2022 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(13) Total Net Loss (173,111) (20,768) (70,976) (57,376) (57,668) (379,899) Add Depreciation & Amortization 20,257 10,484 5,110 13,317 4,391 53,559 Interest Expense - - - - 26,422 26,422 Income Tax Expense - 12 18 189 - 219 Subtract Interest Income - - - - (15,618) (15,618) EBITDA (152,854) (10,272) (65,848) (43,870) (42,473) (315,317) Add Share-based 2,953 1,822 2,428 143 13,337 20,683 Compensation Expenses Adjusted EBITDA (149,901) (8,450) (63,420) (43,727) (29,136) (294,634) Adjusted EBITDA Margin (13.7%) (2.1%) 23.6%) (136.2%) - (16.3%) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(14) Total Net (Loss)/Income (57,629) (11,965) (58,244) 5,296 (68,676) (191,218) Add Depreciation & Amortization 21,597 10,227 4,174 343 6,767 43,108 Interest Expense - - - - 35,512 35,512 Income Tax Expense - 9 - 4,281 - 4,290 Subtract Interest Income - - - - (11,707) (11,707) EBITDA (36,032) (1,729) (54,070) 9,920 (38,104) (120,015) Add Share-based 3,162 1,896 2,150 146 19,704 27,058 Compensation Expenses Subtract Gain from appreciation of investments - - - - (5,562) (5,562) Adjusted EBITDA (32,870) 167 (51,920) 10,066 (23,962) (98,519) Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1.6%) 0.0% (20.7%) 23.8% - (3.5%) For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's net (loss)/income to non-GAAP net Income/(loss), non-GAAP net Income/(loss) margin for the periods indicated: Table 5 Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income and Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income Margin Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(15) Total Net Loss (173,111) (20,768) (70,976) (57,376) (57,668) (379,899) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 2,953 1,822 2,428 143 13,337 20,683 Non-GAAP Net Loss (170,158) (18,946) (68,548) (57,233) (44,331) (359,216) Non-GAAP Net Loss Margin (15.6%) (4.6%) (25.5%) (178.3%) - (19.9%) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(16) Total Net (Loss)/Income (57,629) (11,965) (58,244) 5,296 (68,676) (191,218) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 3,162 1,896 2,150 146 19,704 27,058 Subtract Gain from appreciation of investments - - - - (5,562) (5,562) Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income (54,467) (10,069) (56,094) 5,442 (54,534) (169,722) Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income Margin (2.7%) (2.2%) (22.4%) 12.9% - (6.1%) For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's diluted loss per ADS to Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS for the periods indicated: Table 6 Reconciliation of diluted loss per ADS and Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 (In '000) RMB US$ Net Loss Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders (359,021) (56,634) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 20,683 3,263 Non-GAAP Net Loss Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders (338,338) (53,371) Weighted Average Diluted Ordinary Shares Outstanding During the Quarter Diluted 390,274,553 390,274,553 Diluted (Non-GAAP) 390,274,553 390,274,553 Diluted loss per ordinary share (0.92) (0.15) Add Non-GAAP adjustment to net loss per ordinary share 0.05 0.01 Non-GAAP diluted loss per ordinary share (0.87) (0.14) Diluted loss per ADS (4.60) (0.73) Add Non-GAAP adjustment to net loss per ADS 0.27 0.05 Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS (4.33) (0.68) (1) All numbers presented have been rounded to the nearest integer, tenth, or hundredth, and year-over-year comparisons are based on figures before rounding. (2) In December 2021, BEST sold its China express business, the principal terms of which were previously announced. As a result, China express business has been deconsolidated from the Company and its historical financial results are reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations accordingly. The financial information and non-GAAP financial information disclosed in this press release is presented on a continuing operations basis, unless otherwise specifically stated. (3) Non-GAAP net income/loss represents net income/loss excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, and fair value change of equity investments (if any). (4) See the sections entitled "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures" for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to within this results announcement. (5) Diluted earnings/loss per ADS, is calculated by dividing net income/loss attributable to ordinary shareholders as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares, if any, by the weighted average number of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares expressed in ADS outstanding during the period. (6) EBITDA represents net loss excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense and income tax expense and minus interest income. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA excluding share-based compensation expenses and fair value change of equity investments (if any). (7) All numbers presented have been rounded to the nearest integer, tenth, or hundredth, and year-over-year comparisons are based on figures before rounding. (8) All numbers represented the financial results from continuing operations, unless otherwise stated. (9) "Others" Segment primarily represents Capital business units. Results from UCargo's legacy contracts with external customers are now reported under "Freight" segment and prior period segment information were retrospectively revised to conform to current period presentation. (10) The total number of shares outstanding excludes shares reserved for future issuances upon exercise or vesting of awards granted under the Company's share incentive plans. (11) Including additional expenses associated with winding down the Capital business line of RMB28,005. (12) Including accumulated accretion to redemption value and deemed dividend in relation to redeemable convertible preferred shares of RMB9,493,807, and accumulated loss from operations of RMB8,349,905. (13) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (14) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (15) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (16) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. SOURCE BEST Inc. Bit.Store is proud to lead in developing ways that DAO members can interact on its platform. From its inception, Bit.Store focused on building a community when it entered a market entirely dominated by platforms that kept their users isolated from one another. The obvious question at the time was, "what if all these users had the opportunity to collaborate?" If millions of users could signal their sentiments and decisions, a public aggregate of that would be an extremely powerful tool for small investors. Using Bit.Store's native token, STORE, members can both invest in and cast votes on investment opportunities that are both proposed and decided algorithmically in aggregate through smart contracts. But for the first time in Austin, Texas, Bit.Store is excited to sponsor an event that offers its members a chance to meet in-person. "Web 3.0 Night" will be held at the OMNI Hotel's Atrium Room from 6pm to 10pm at 700 San Jacinto and 8th Street. About Bit.store Bit.Store is the world's first Web3 investment platform that offers cryptocurrency trading, SocialFi features and integrated fiat-cryptocurrency on-ramp/ off-ramp capabilities. The platform gives its users access to global digital currency markets quickly and easily by supporting different money transfer methods via cooperations with a wide network of regional payment providers. The app provides a variety of features, including social trading, following, and copy trading strategies published by seasoned experts in the space, and allows experts to monetize their contribution to the platform. Bit.Store has been growing at a fast pace since its market introduction and achieved the milestone of 500K active users across Europe and Southeast Asia in Dec 2021. The rapid expansion into markets worldwide and growth of the Bit.Store community is continuing in 2022. Website: http://bit.store Twitter: https://twitter.com/www_bit_store Telegram Official: https://t.me/Bitstore_official Medium: https://medium.com/@bitstoreteam Bit.Store App: https://bit.store/bitstore/DownloadGuide.html Bit.Store Swap: https://swap.bit.store/ SOURCE Bit.Store Kicking off on National Bourbon Day, the tour will stop in five US cities this summer featuring panel discussions with local culture makers and cookout-style day parties ATLANTA, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Bourbon Society (BBS), is pleased to present the 2nd Annual Open Door Tour, sponsored by Jim Beam Bourbon. Embodying Jim Beam's inclusive and welcoming nature, the tour will spotlight black-owned bars and restaurants that serve as cultural pillars in their respective communities. The Open Door Tour is a series of five weekend-long events, for legal-drinking age guests, with the goal of highlighting black-owned bars and restaurants. The tour will kick off in Oakland June 16-18th, followed by stops in the following cities: June 23-25 in Orlando, June 30-July 2 in Charlotte, July 7-9 in Houston and July 14-16 in Los Angeles. Each city will host the following activities: BEAM UP THE BAR - A welcome lunch trade event that will include an education session on the full breadth of Jim Beam's product line. A welcome lunch trade event that will include an education session on the full breadth of Jim Beam's product line. BEAM IN THE CITY - A panel discussion featuring local culture makers or entrepreneurs on topics relative to the culture, lifestyle and vibe of each city followed by a social hour and an educational Jim Beam flight & food tasting. A panel discussion featuring local culture makers or entrepreneurs on topics relative to the culture, lifestyle and vibe of each city followed by a social hour and an educational Jim Beam flight & food tasting. HIGHBALL HOUR - A lively social event highlighting black bartenders and their unique spin on a Jim Beam Highball and cocktails featuring Jim Beam Black. A lively social event highlighting black bartenders and their unique spin on a Jim Beam Highball and cocktails featuring Jim Beam Black. RHYTHM AND BEAM DAY PARTY - A fun, outdoor cookout-style day party featuring a battle of the DJs, an educational tasting experience and all the feel-good summertime vibes. Black Bourbon Society is an organization open to everyone who enjoys premium spirits and is interested in gaining a deeper appreciation for America's Native Spirit. BBS bridges the gap between the spirits industry and African American bourbon enthusiasts through brand-partnered events, social media platforms and exclusive distillery excursions. "We are thrilled to partner with Jim Beam to celebrate Black Owned Bars and Restaurants for the second year in a row!" said Samara Davis, Founder of Black Bourbon Society. "Beam's long-term commitment to diversity and inclusion within the spirits space will not only allow us to activate in at least 20 black owned venues, but support dozens of black owned businesses and introduce new diverse consumers to America's Native Spirit. The impact of Open Door 2022 will be immeasurable!" "We at Jim Beam pride ourselves on being a 'welcoming spirit' and opening our doors for any and all bourbon lovers. So of course, we didn't hesitate to partner with the Black Bourbon Society to host the Open Door Tour for a second year," said Matt Plumb, Senior Director of Marketing, North American Whiskey at Beam Suntory. "Black-owned bars and restaurants are integral to the Jim Beam brand and our industry as a whole, which is why we look forward to championing those businesses throughout this tour and welcoming more people across the country into our Beam family." Information about events, locations, and time can be found on the Open Door Tour microsite: www.BBSOpenDoor.com. For press and media inquiries, please contact Lindsey Walker via email [email protected]. ABOUT BLACK BOURBON SOCIETY: Black Bourbon Society (BBS) is a membership-based organization open to everyone who enjoys premium spirits, is interested in gaining a deeper appreciation for America's Native Spirit and believes in the need for a more diverse and inclusive spirits industry. Black Bourbon Society also serves as a multicultural marketing agency that curates dynamic direct consumer experiences showcasing spirits brands for their members and diverse audiences across the country. Diversity Distilled, the non-profit arm of BBS, consults brands on how to develop a more diverse workforce through their three-pillar initiatives: recruitment, retention, and promotion. Black Bourbon Society is crafting a movement that showcases the importance of DE&I and the value of the niche lifestyle and sophisticated palates within the African American Community and beyond. For press and media inquiries, contact Lindsey Walker via email at [email protected] or via phone at (770)-750-4311. ABOUT JIM BEAM: Jim Beam, the world's best-selling bourbon, has been bringing people together since 1795. Elegant. Smooth. Refined. That's what years of aging in new charred oak barrels does to our Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The seven generations of master distillers have stayed true to the family recipe that's been passed down for more than 225 years. Today, the Jim Beam portfolio of products includes Jim Beam Bourbon, Jim Beam Black, Jim Beam Double Oak, Jim Beam Devil's Cut, Jim Beam Rye, Jim Beam Lineage, Jim Beam Old Tub, Jim Beam Vanilla, Jim Beam Honey, Jim Beam Orange, Jim Beam Peach, Jim Beam Apple, Jim Beam Kentucky Fire and Red Stag by Jim Beam among other offerings. Drink Smart Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% Alc./Vol. 2022 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12918535 SOURCE Black Bourbon Society TAHITI, French Polynesia, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 14-20 2022, over 200 scientists, leaders, youth advocates and ocean champions took part in the Blue Climate Summit in French Polynesia. Their objective was to advance ocean-related solutions to climate change through concrete, actionable projects. Significant progress was made as summarized in the Blue Climate Summit Outcomes Report published today on the Blue Climate Initiative website. Summit participants during the kickoff aboard the Paul Gauguin. The Hokulea ceremony at Taputapuatea, the UNESCO World Heritage site, on Raiatea. The setting of the Summit in French Polynesia, the heart of the Pacific, was powerful and impactful. President Edouard Fritch invited the world to convene for the Summit to hear the people of French Polynesia: "With the largest managed marine area in the world and its 19,000 km2 Biosphere Reserve, our people of the largest ocean continent carry a message to offer to the World. On the occasion of the Blue Climate Summit, I invite the world to come to French Polynesia, to Listen to us, and above all, to Hear us." Participants took this to heart and left with an increased understanding and appreciation for traditional wisdom and modern Polynesian approaches. A couple of overarching themes ran throughout the Summit. First, the urgent need for better ocean protection in light of the fundamental importance of a healthy marine ecosystem for climate stability - and indeed life on earth. As Dr. Sylvia Earle noted, "the living ocean, all of it, is inextricably connected to Earth's climate and to the existence of life, humans very much included." Second, the importance of maintaining a healthy ocean in light of the impact of ocean health on human health. Of the many threats we face, none is more urgent than deep sea mining. The International Seabed Authority, an obscure organization in Jamaica, is preparing to issue mining licenses for the exploitation for personal gain of the common heritage of all mankind. The destruction of large swaths of pristine ocean floor and the unleashing of vast sediment plumes both on the ocean floor and in the water column will have major, but not yet fully known or understood, consequences. Summit participants were united in the need for more scientific research to understand the impact and consequences of deep sea mining before decisions are made that will have irrevocable consequences for marine ecosystems, ocean health, and climate. As Nainoa Thompson said, the Summit was not an event, but rather a beginning. Important initiatives were launched, but now the critical need is for all participants and participant organizations to lean in to propel these initiatives forward. The next several months will be crucial to advancing, implementing, and scaling the initiatives launched at the Summit. During this critical phase and beyond, the Blue Climate Initiative will lend its support and help with devoting and mobilizing resources where needed. About the Blue Climate Summit The Blue Climate Summit was organized by the Blue Climate Initiative and co-hosted by the Government of French Polynesia alongside other public and private institutions. Co-conveners included H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, President Edouard Fritch of French Polynesia; master navigator Nainoa Thompson from the Polynesian Voyaging Society; world-renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle; international environmental advocate Laura Turner; Richard Bailey, CEO of Pacific Beachcomber in Tahiti; Andrew Forrest, co-founder of the Minderoo Foundation; and Marc Benioff, co-founder and co-CEO of SalesForce. About Blue Climate Initiative Blue Climate Initiative, sponsored by the nonprofit organization Tetiaroa Society, accelerates ocean-based solutions to climate change. It enables innovation, research, and collaboration while protecting our oceans and unlocking solutions on urgent challenges like renewable energy, sustainable food supplies, improved human health, flourishing biodiversity, stewardship of the ocean's resources, and vibrant ocean economies. Contact Julie Mai Program Officer, Communications 7143168012 [email protected] Blueclimateinitiative.org SOURCE Blue Climate Initiative With a 19,500 no-load RPM speed, the angle grinder effortlessly works through hard materials, and when the task is done, the tool brakes in less than a second after being turned off to provide safety and battery efficiency to tool users. "The GWS12V-30 angle grinder offers pros more tool control, speed and power efficiency when working to cut through tough materials from threaded rods, tile and brick. With its ergonomic and compact build that fits in the palm of a user's hand, pros will experience comfort during a heavy-duty task," said Corey Hinkel, Product Manager for Bosch Power Tools. "We are excited to bring the angle grinder to market and continue to share Bosch Power Tools' commitment to product quality with both loyal and new users." Features and Specifications The GWS12V-30 12V Max Brushless 3-inch Angle Grinder's power and speed allow for precision cutting when it comes head-on against the hardest construction materials. With additional tool features built in to support transition from one task to another, the product serves as a great addition to any pro's toolbox. Optimized Gear Structure : Produces a high-speed 19,500 RPM to cut through threaded rod, strut, conduit, tile, and several other materials. : Produces a high-speed 19,500 RPM to cut through threaded rod, strut, conduit, tile, and several other materials. Innovative Spindle-Lock Design : Provides a fast wheel change, with a spindle clip release design. : Provides a fast wheel change, with a spindle clip release design. Fast Breaking Time: Tool wheel stops rotating in less than a second after the grinder is turned off. Specifications The GWS12V-30 12V Max Brushless 3-inch Angle Grinder specifications include: 12 Volts of power No-load Speed RPM: 19,500 Length: 7.1-inches Width: 3.3-inches Height: 4.1-inches Arbor size: 3/8-inch Bare weight: 1.5 lbs. The GWS12V-30 12V Max Brushless 3-inch Angle Grinder comes with a limited lifetime warranty and will be available nationwide Summer 2022. For availability and to find a local retailer, visit BoschTools.com. The GWS12V-30 12V grinder also comes in a set and includes: GWS12V-30 12V Max Brushless 3-inch Angle Grinder, a wheel guard, one grinding disc and one cutting disc. For more information on the new grinder and other Bosch Power Tool products, visit our new Press Room at pressroom.boschtools.com or connect with Bosch Power Tools on Facebook and Instagram. About Robert Bosch Tool Corporation Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, the Power Tools Division of North America, was formed in January 2003 when Robert Bosch GmbH combined its North American diverse power tool and accessories businesses into one organization. As a manufacturing pioneer with more than a century's worth of experience, the Bosch name has become synonymous with engineering excellence. Located throughout North America as part of the global power tools division, Bosch associates maintain a legacy of world-class design, manufacture and sale for power tools, rotary and oscillating tools, accessories and measuring tools. For more information, call toll-free 877-BOSCH-99 (877-267-2499) or visit www.boschtools.com. About Bosch Having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America, the Bosch Group employs 34,700 associates in more than 100 locations, as of December 31, 2020. According to preliminary figures, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $13.1 billion in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For more information, visit www.bosch.us, www.bosch.ca and www.bosch.mx. The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 394,500 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2020). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of $87.1 billion in 2020. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group's strategic objective is to facilitate connected living with products and solutions that either contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is "Invented for life." The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch's global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company's future growth is its innovative strength. At 126 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 73,000 associates in research and development, as well as roughly 30,000 software engineers. Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse. Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.2171 SOURCE Bosch Power Tools Sign Up for a Working Group. Register for June 15 Kick-off Event. Consider Becoming a Sponsor. NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced today the launch of an initiative to develop a roadmap of standards and codes for electric vehicles (EVs) at scale. The ANSI Electric Vehicles Standards Panel (EVSP) will serve as the forum for development of the document. In furtherance of the Biden Administration's goal for a clean energy future, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) issued a June 2021 lab call funding opportunity announcement. The lab call included a pillar on codes and standards with the goal to "identify and address challenges and barriers to the integration of [email protected] charging with the grid created by uncoordinated development of codes and standards and the rapid advances in vehicle and charging technologies." The [email protected] lab consortium formed in response committed to develop a 2022 roadmap like the earlier ANSI EV standards roadmap. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is the lead lab for the codes and standards pillar, supported by consortium members National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The [email protected] initiative supports federal and state funding associated with deploying EV charging infrastructure nationwide. The priorities of the codes and standards effort will be to identify the most critical standards for EVs at scale, including for standards to address high-power DC charging, storage (i.e., microgrid, distributed energy resource management systems) integrated with DC charging, vehicle grid integration, high-power scalable/interoperable wireless charging, and vehicle-oriented systems. Subject-matter experts interested in participating are invited to review the panel architecture and sign up for one or more working groups. A one-hour virtual kick-off event providing more details will be held June 15, 2022, at 12 noon Eastern. Register here. It is envisioned that the working groups will hold virtual meetings, twice per month, over the course of the coming year. A draft roadmap is targeted for mid-February 2023, which will then undergo public review before being finalized by mid-May 2023. Participation is open to EV stakeholders that have operations in the United States. The ANSI EVSP is a cross-sector coordinating body whose objective is to foster coordination and collaboration on standardization matters among public- and private-sector stakeholders to enable the safe, mass deployment of electric vehicles and associated infrastructure in the United States with international coordination, adaptability, and engagement. Outputs of the EVSP in the 2011-2014 timeframe included a Standardization Roadmap for Electric Vehicles (Version 2.0, May 2013), a Progress Report (November 2014) against same, and a Standards Compendium. Though the priorities have shifted in many respects with the new focus on [email protected], aspects of the earlier EVSP work may be drawn upon as needed. ANSI's facilitation of this initiative is supported in part by VTO/Argonne National Laboratory. Additional, exclusive sponsorship opportunities with appropriate recognition benefits are invited from industry and other directly affected stakeholders to help offset ANSI's costs of operating the EVSP. "ANSI is pleased to once again offer its services as a neutral facilitator and bring together interested stakeholders to identify the latest standards and conformance needs and challenges associated with the deployment of electric vehicles," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. For more information, visit ANSI's EVSP webpage. About ANSI The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org. SOURCE American National Standards Institute "New data center will better serves customers with Canadian data residency needs" Tweet this "Today's announcement is recognition of Cloud at Work's hard-won reputation for providing Sage customers across the U.S. with a world-class cloud experience, and Sage's trust in our ability to deliver the same high level of performance for their customers across Canada," said Tyler Bower, Director of Cloud and Hosting at Cloud at Work. "Building the data center in Toronto demonstrates our investment in and commitment to our Canadian customers, in meeting the demand for a robust, reliable, compliant hosting environment that unleashes the power of their business." "Cloud at Work has a proven track record in providing our U.S. customers with reliable, secure, high-performance cloud hosting, which is why our Canadian customers should be delighted with today's news," said Daniel Oh, Country Manager (interim), Sage Canada. "With their SaaS knowledge and Sage product expertise, Cloud at Work's new data center will better serve our customers with Canadian data residency needs. We look forward to the Cloud at Work team continuing to support our Canadian customers and helping them adapt to change, smoothly migrating their Sage applications to the cloud, and giving them the agility needed to succeed in today's challenging business environment." Cloud at Work offers secure, scalable technology and a great user experience via an experienced Sage team in North America and works seamlessly with Sage Business Partners to fast-track best-in-class cloud solutions that fit specific needs and improve business processes. Cloud at Work recently received Sage's accreditation as a Sage X3 Strategic Hosting Provider, adding to previous accreditation as a Sage 100, Sage 300, and Sage CRE Strategic Hosting Provider, validating the strength of the company's SaaS and Sage application expertise. Cloud at Work's recent SOC 2 certification assures customers of maximum data security and business continuity, further demonstrating the company's commitment to client trust and care in helping unleash the power of their business. About Cloud at Work Cloud at Work gives users of Sage applications more capabilities and control to increase business performance using their technology investments. With a knowledgeable, highly responsive team of Sage application experts and advanced cloud hosting solutions personalized to customer strengths, Cloud at Work helps its customers pivot more quickly to capitalize on new business opportunities and resolve issues faster. Businesses using Sage trust Cloud at Work to help them achieve higher levels of business productivity and resiliency that outpace competitors and help them capture more market share. Visit thecloudatwork.com for more information. SOURCE Cloud at Work The market value is set to grow by USD 487.24 billion, progressing at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2021 to 2026, as per the latest report by Technavio. The Content Marketing Market is segmented by end-user (retail, automotive, financial services, telecom, and others), platform (blogging, videos, infographics, case studies, and others), objective (lead generation, brand awareness, thought leadership, and others), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa). Market Segmentation By End-user- The content marketing market share growth by the retail segment will be significant during the forecast period. The retail segment includes distribution channels and all types of omnichannel companies such as branded wholesalers with retail outlets, traditional retailers, grocery store retail operators, convenience store retail operators, and other retail operators . The retail industry is growing rapidly, which will drive the demand for content marketing. The use of smartphones, along with the Internet, has made it simple for consumers to search for products and compare them. This is encouraging retailers to opt for content marketing to stay connected with existing customers as well as to reach out to potential customers. Such factors are expected to drive market growth in the coming years. By Geography- 38% of the market's growth will originate from APAC during the forecast period. China and Japan are the key markets for content marketing in APAC. Market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in Europe and MEA. The increasing demand from sectors such as automotive, financial service, consumer electronics, and health and pharma will facilitate the content marketing market growth in APAC over the forecast period. Download Our Sample Report for more insights on the market share & contribution of various regions & segments Market Dynamics One of the key factors driving growth in the content marketing industry is the rise in the number of users on social media. The use of AI with social media management software is another key content marketing market trend that is expected to impact the industry positively in the forecast period. One of the key challenges to global content marketing industry growth is the fraud related to digital advertisements. Buy Now! for more insights on the drivers, trends, and challenges that will help companies evaluate and develop growth strategies for 2022-2026 Company Profiles The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including: Act-On Software, Inc. Adobe Inc. Brafton Inc. Contently Inc. Contentoo B.V. CoSchedule LLC Eucalypt LLC. Hootsuite Inc. HubSpot Inc. Influence and Co. Infusion Software Inc. NewsCred Inc. Rock Content Salesforce.com Inc. Scripted Inc. Seismic Software Inc. Skyword Inc. Sprinklr Inc. SugarCRM Inc. Upland Software Inc. The content marketing market is fragmented and the vendors are deploying growth strategies such as launching new products to compete in the market. Download Our Sample Report for more vendor insights with latest product offerings & news Related Reports Photography Services Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The market share is expected to increase by USD 10.88 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.85%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Visual Content Market by Product, Application, License Model, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis: The visual content market size has the potential to grow by USD 1.28 billion and the market's growth momentum will accelerate during the forecast period. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Our Sample Report Content Marketing Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 15.8% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 487.24 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 14.8 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 38% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, India, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Act-On Software, Inc., Adobe Inc., Brafton Inc., Contently Inc., Contentoo B.V., CoSchedule LLC, Eucalypt LLC., Hootsuite Inc., HubSpot Inc., Influence and Co., Infusion Software Inc., NewsCred Inc., Rock Content, Salesforce.com Inc., Scripted Inc., Seismic Software Inc., Skyword Inc., Sprinklr Inc., SugarCRM Inc., and Upland Software Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for forecast period, Customization preview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Contents 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 End-user Exhibit 06: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Platform Exhibit 07: Executive Summary Chart on Market Segmentation by Objective Exhibit 08: Executive Summary Chart on Incremental Growth Exhibit 09: Executive Summary Data Table on Incremental Growth Exhibit 10: Executive Summary Chart on Vendor Market Positioning 2 Market Landscape 2.1 Market ecosystem Exhibit 11: Parent market Exhibit 12: Market Characteristics 3 Market Sizing 3.1 Market definition Exhibit 13: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition 3.2 Market segment analysis Exhibit 14: Market segments 3.3 Market size 2021 3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026 Exhibit 15: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 17: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 18: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 4 Five Forces Analysis 4.1 Five forces summary Exhibit 19: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers Exhibit 20: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026 4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers Exhibit 21: Bargaining power of suppliers Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.4 Threat of new entrants Exhibit 22: Threat of new entrants Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.5 Threat of substitutes Exhibit 23: Threat of substitutes Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.6 Threat of rivalry Exhibit 24: Threat of rivalry Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026 4.7 Market condition Exhibit 25: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026 5 Market Segmentation by End-user 5.1 Market segments Exhibit 26: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 27: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 5.2 Comparison by End-user Exhibit 28: Chart on Comparison by End-user Exhibit 29: Data Table on Comparison by End-user 5.3 Retail - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 30: Chart on Retail - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Retail - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 32: Chart on Retail - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Retail - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 34: Chart on Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Automotive - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 36: Chart on Automotive - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 37: Data Table on Automotive - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Financial services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 38: Chart on Financial services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 39: Data Table on Financial services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 40: Chart on Financial services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 41: Data Table on Financial services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.6 Telecom - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on Telecom - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 43: Data Table on Telecom - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 44: Chart on Telecom - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 45: Data Table on Telecom - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 48: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 49: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.8 Market opportunity by End-user Exhibit 50: Market opportunity by End-user ($ billion) 6 Market Segmentation by Platform 6.1 Market segments Exhibit 51: Chart on Platform - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 52: Data Table on Platform - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 6.2 Comparison by Platform Exhibit 53: Chart on Comparison by Platform Exhibit 54: Data Table on Comparison by Platform 6.3 Blogging - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 55: Chart on Blogging - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 56: Data Table on Blogging - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 57: Chart on Blogging - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 58: Data Table on Blogging - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.4 Videos - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 59: Chart on Videos - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 60: Data Table on Videos - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 61: Chart on Videos - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 62: Data Table on Videos - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.5 Infographics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 63: Chart on Infographics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 64: Data Table on Infographics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 65: Chart on Infographics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 66: Data Table on Infographics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.6 Case studies - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 67: Chart on Case studies - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 68: Data Table on Case studies - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 69: Chart on Case studies - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 70: Data Table on Case studies - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 71: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 72: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 73: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 74: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 6.8 Market opportunity by Platform Exhibit 75: Market opportunity by Platform ($ billion) 7 Market Segmentation by Objective 7.1 Market segments Exhibit 76: Chart on Objective - Market share 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on Objective - Market share 2021-2026 (%) 7.2 Comparison by Objective Exhibit 78: Chart on Comparison by Objective Exhibit 79: Data Table on Comparison by Objective 7.3 Lead generation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 80: Chart on Lead generation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 81: Data Table on Lead generation - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 82: Chart on Lead generation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 83: Data Table on Lead generation - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.4 Brand awareness - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 84: Chart on Brand awareness - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 85: Data Table on Brand awareness - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 86: Chart on Brand awareness - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 87: Data Table on Brand awareness - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.5 Thought leadership - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 88: Chart on Thought leadership - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 89: Data Table on Thought leadership - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 90: Chart on Thought leadership - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 91: Data Table on Thought leadership - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.6 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 92: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 93: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 94: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 95: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.7 Market opportunity by Objective Exhibit 96: Market opportunity by Objective ($ billion) 8 Customer Landscape 8.1 Customer landscape overview Exhibit 97: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria 9 Geographic Landscape 9.1 Geographic segmentation Exhibit 98: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 99: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%) 9.2 Geographic comparison Exhibit 100: Chart on Geographic comparison Exhibit 101: Data Table on Geographic comparison 9.3 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 102: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 103: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 104: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 105: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.4 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 106: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 107: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 108: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 109: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.5 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 110: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 111: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 112: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 113: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 114: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 115: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 116: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 117: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 118: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 119: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 120: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 121: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 122: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 123: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 124: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 125: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 126: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 127: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 128: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 129: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.10 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 130: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 131: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 132: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 133: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 134: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 135: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 136: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 137: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.12 India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 138: Chart on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 139: Data Table on India - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ billion) Exhibit 140: Chart on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 141: Data Table on India - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 9.13 Market opportunity by geography Exhibit 142: Market opportunity by geography ($ billion) 10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10.1 Market drivers 10.2 Market challenges 10.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 143: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 10.4 Market trends 11 Vendor Landscape 11.1 Overview 11.2 Vendor landscape Exhibit 144: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation 11.3 Landscape disruption Exhibit 145: Overview on factors of disruption 11.4 Industry risks Exhibit 146: Impact of key risks on business 12 Vendor Analysis 12.1 Vendors covered Exhibit 147: Vendors covered 12.2 Market positioning of vendors Exhibit 148: Matrix on vendor position and classification 12.3 Adobe Inc. Exhibit 149: Adobe Inc. - Overview Exhibit 150: Adobe Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 151: Adobe Inc. - Key news Exhibit 152: Adobe Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 153: Adobe Inc. - Segment focus 12.4 Contently Inc. Exhibit 154: Contently Inc. - Overview Exhibit 155: Contently Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 156: Contently Inc. - Key news Exhibit 157: Contently Inc. - Key offerings 12.5 CoSchedule LLC Exhibit 158: CoSchedule LLC - Overview Exhibit 159: CoSchedule LLC - Product / Service Exhibit 160: CoSchedule LLC - Key news Exhibit 161: CoSchedule LLC - Key offerings 12.6 HubSpot Inc. Exhibit 162: HubSpot Inc. - Overview Exhibit 163: HubSpot Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 164: HubSpot Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 165: HubSpot Inc. - Segment focus 12.7 Influence and Co. Exhibit 166: Influence and Co. - Overview Exhibit 167: Influence and Co. - Product / Service Exhibit 168: Influence and Co. - Key offerings 12.8 NewsCred Inc. Exhibit 169: NewsCred Inc. - Overview Exhibit 170: NewsCred Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 171: NewsCred Inc. - Key offerings 12.9 Scripted Inc. Exhibit 172: Scripted Inc. - Overview Exhibit 173: Scripted Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 174: Scripted Inc. - Key offerings 12.10 Seismic Software Inc. Exhibit 175: Seismic Software Inc. - Overview Exhibit 176: Seismic Software Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 177: Seismic Software Inc. - Key news Exhibit 178: Seismic Software Inc. - Key offerings 12.11 Sprinklr Inc. Exhibit 179: Sprinklr Inc. - Overview Exhibit 180: Sprinklr Inc. - Product / Service Exhibit 181: Sprinklr Inc. - Key news Exhibit 182: Sprinklr Inc. - Key offerings 12.12 Upland Software Inc. Exhibit 183: Upland Software Inc. - Overview Exhibit 184: Upland Software Inc. - Business segments Exhibit 185: Upland Software Inc. - Key news Exhibit 186: Upland Software Inc. - Key offerings Exhibit 187: Upland Software Inc. - Segment focus 13 Appendix 13.1 Scope of the report 13.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist Exhibit 188: Inclusions checklist Exhibit 189: Exclusions checklist 13.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ Exhibit 190: Currency conversion rates for US$ 13.4 Research methodology Exhibit 191: Research methodology Exhibit 192: Validation techniques employed for market sizing Exhibit 193: Information sources 13.5 List of abbreviations Exhibit 194: List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and 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 DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CPC (Colder Products Company), part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a leading manufacturer of connection technologies used in biopharmaceutical processing, has simplified closed-system liquid processing. The new AseptiQuik G DC Series Connector adds sterile disconnection capabilities that enable biopharmaceutical manufacturers to make both quick sterile connections and disconnections using one genderless product, even in non-sterile environments. "The new AseptiQuik G DC connector's combined connection/disconnection technology streamlines biopharmaceutical manufacturing in a meaningful way. This product enables both sterile connection and disconnection at point of use without requiring any ancillary equipment, helping to save time while maintaining quality," said Anoop Gupta, CPC Senior Product Manager. The AseptiQuik G DC connector is the newest addition to CPC's AseptiQuik G line of genderless sterile connectors, and its intuitive "FLIP-CLICK-PULL" assembly helps users transfer liquids easily. After transfer is complete, a simple two-step disconnection process maintains system sterility. AseptiQuik G DC connector hose barb termination sizes include 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2". "AseptiQuik products are designed to transfer bioprocess liquids quickly and easily," said Gupta. "The new AseptiQuik G DC connector builds on that legacy by making sterile disconnection a simple process." Gupta will discuss the new AseptiQuik G DC connectors during the "Optimizing Fluid Transfer Processes for Today and Beyond: Three Important Developments in Aseptic Connection Technology" webinar on June 15 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time. For more information about the performance and versatility of AseptiQuik G DC connectors or any of the other 10,000+ innovative connection solutions CPC offers, visit cpcworldwide.com/bio. About CPC: CPC (Colder Products Company) is the leader in single-use connection technology, offering a wide variety of connectors for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The company's innovative, flexible products enable users to easily combine multiple components and systems including process containers, tubing manifolds, transfer lines, bioreactors and other bioprocess equipment. Robust single-use connectors maintain media sterility and integrity while improving production yields, decreasing time to market and reducing costs. The company's well-known AseptiQuik connectors provide quick and easy sterile connections even in non-sterile environments. Learn more at cpcworldwide.com/bio. Connect with confidence with CPC, an operating company within Dover Corporation. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $8 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services through five operating segments: Engineered Products, Clean Energy & Fueling, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Climate & Sustainability Technologies. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 65 years, our team of over 25,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. CPC Contact: Jana Stender (612) 564-2053 [email protected] Dover Media Contact: Adrian Sakowicz, VP, Communications (630) 743-5039 [email protected] Dover Investor Contact: Jack Dickens, Senior Director, Investor Relations (630) 743-2566 [email protected] SOURCE Dover SHANGHAI, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo New Energy," the "Company" or "we"), a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry, today announced the appointments of Mr. Xiang Xu as the Vice Chairman of the board of directors and Mr. Fei Ge as a new director of the Company, effective on June 8, 2022. Mr. Xiang Xu has been serving as a director of the Company since its initial public offering and he is also the chair of the corporate governance and nominating committee of the Company. Mr. Fei Ge is the Executive President of Daqo Group and is responsible for technology innovation and digitalized manufacturing. Mr. Ge served as a director of the Company from its initial public offering until February 2013. Mr. Ge holds an MBA degree from Nanjing University. Mr. Guangfu Xu, Daqo New Energy 's Chairman commented, "We are pleased to announce the new role of Mr. Xiang Xu as the Vice Chairman and wish that he will contribute more to the Company's strategy planning. We also welcome Mr. Ge back to our board. His extensive experience and professional expertise in technology innovation and digitalized manufacturing will add great value to the Company's future growth." About Daqo New Energy Corp. Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo" or the "Company") is a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry. Founded in 2007, the Company manufactures and sells high-purity polysilicon to photovoltaic product manufacturers, who further process the polysilicon into ingots, wafers, cells and modules for solar power solutions. The Company has a total polysilicon nameplate capacity of 105,000 metric tons and is one of the world's lowest cost producers of high-purity polysilicon. 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. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company's control. 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: the demand for photovoltaic products and the development of photovoltaic technologies; global supply and demand for polysilicon; alternative technologies in cell manufacturing; the Company's ability to significantly expand its polysilicon production capacity and output; the reduction in or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for solar energy applications; the Company's ability to lower its production costs; changes in the political and regulatory environment; and the duration of COVID-19 outbreaks in China and many other countries and the impact of the outbreaks and the quarantines and travel restrictions instituted by relevant governments on economic and market conditions, including potentially weaker global demand for solar PV installations that could adversely affect the Company's business and financial performance. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the reports or documents the Company has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For more information, please visit www.dqsolar.com Daqo New Energy Corp. Investor Relations Email: [email protected] Christensen In China Mr. Rene Vanguestaine Phone: +86 178 1749 0483 [email protected] In the U.S. Ms. Linda Bergkamp Phone: +1-480-614-3004 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Daqo New Energy Corp. DUBLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket forecasted to reach USD 50.0 billion by 2027 from USD 34.4 billion in 2020, at a CAGR of 7.8%. Governments around the globe have updated and improved their emission standards by introducing new legislation for the automotive industry to comply to. Western regions, such as the North American and European region, have introduced new regulations like the Clear Air Act of the Us which has stricter standards and wider scope for emissions. In the Asian region countries like China and India have introduced swift regulation to counter rising air pollution. The introduction of such regulations, norms and standards will drive the demand for DEF across the globe. The DEF pump segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment throughout the forecast period The diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket for pumps is projected to grow from USD 7,373.3 million in 2022 to USD 11,979.1 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 10.2% during the forecast period. Compared to conventional cans and bottles supply mode the DEF pumps supply mode is cheaper but expensive than the Bulk supply mode due to the economic behind the economies of scale. Customers choose to go for DEF dispensing units for its convenience in DEF refilling. This has caused oil marketing companies (OMCs) to install such dispensing units at their fuel stations to increase customer convenience. FMT Swiss Ag, a leading supplier of specialty fluid storage and dispensing solutions, in 2017, launched a range of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) dispensing unit product for its North American market. Globally, the HCV segment is estimated to lead the diesel exhaust fluid OE market in 2022 Globally, the HCVs segment is estimated to lead the diesel exhaust fluid OE market, by volume. It is anticipated to grow from 33.2 million gallons in 2022 to 36.5 million gallons by 2027, at a CAGR of 1.9% during the forecast period. Demand from developed and developing economies globally has increased for the HCV vehicle segment due to either better product offering or increased economic activites. Businesses need to comply with the regulations and norms of the country where they operate. Complying with regulations will cause an increased demand of DEF products. North America is projected to be the largest regional market The North American diesel exhaust fluid aftermarket is estimated to grow from USD 15,006.6 million in 2022 to USD 22,067.4 million by 2027, at a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period. The US and Canada have a large number of on-road vehicles and stringent emission norms, such as the Clean Air Act (CAA) in the US. Increasing economic activity and improving business environment in the Mexico has led to high demand for diesel intensive vehicles and equipment. Compliance with emission regulations will drive the demand for DEF in the country. Canada follows similar demand and regulation pattern as the US hence it is also likely to follow similar demand trend of DEF. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.4 Challenges 5.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.5 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market Scenario 5.5.1 Realistic Scenario 5.5.2 Low Impact Scenario 5.5.3 High Impact Scenario 5.6 Supply Chain Analysis 5.7 Asp Analysis 5.7.1 by Region 5.7.2 by Application by Region (V5 Mandates) 5.8 Regulatory Analysis (V5 Mandates) 5.9 Trade Analysis 5.10 Market Ecosystem 6 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Vehicle Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Passenger Car(Pc) 6.3 Light Commercial Vehicles (Lcv) 6.4 Heavy Commercial Vehicles (Hcv) 7 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, Component 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Scr Catalyst 7.3 Def Tank 7.4 Def Injector 7.5 Def Supply Module 7.6 Def Sensor 7.7 Nox Sensor 8 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Supply Mode 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Cans & Bottles 8.3 Intermediate Bulk Container (Ibc) 8.4 Bulk 8.5 Pumps 9 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by Application 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Construction Equipment 9.2.1 80-100 Hp 9.2.2 101-200 Hp 9.2.3 201-400 Hp 9.2.3 >400 Hp 9.3 Agricultural Equipment 10 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market, by End Use Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Oe Market 10.3 Aftermarket 11 Diesel Exhaust Fluid, by Region 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Diesel Exhaust Fluid Market Share Analysis, 2021 12.3 Company Evaluation Quadrant: Diesel Exhaust Fluid Suppliers 12.3.1 Stars 12.3.2 Emerging Leaders 12.3.3 Pervasive Players 12.3.4 Participants 12.3.5 Competitive Benchmarking (V5 Mandates) 12.4 Competitive Scenario 12.4.1 New Product Launches 12.4.2 Deals 12.4.3 Others 12.5 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win, 2018-2021 12.6 Company Revenue Analysis 13 Company Profiles (Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, & Analyst's View)* 13.1 Royal Dutch Shell plc 13.1.1 Business Overview 13.1.2 Product Offerings 13.1.3 Recent Developments 13.1.4 Analyst's View 13.2 Total 13.2.1 Business Overview 13.2.2 Product Offerings 13.2.3 Recent Developments 13.2.4 Analyst's View 13.3 China Petrochemical Corporation 13.3.1 Business Overview 13.3.2 Product Offerings 13.3.3 Recent Developments 13.3.4 Analyst's View 13.4 Basf Se 13.4.1 Business Overview 13.4.2 Product Offerings 13.4.3 Recent Developments 13.4.4 Analyst's View 13.5 Indian Oil Corporation Limited 13.5.1 Business Overview 13.5.2 Product Offerings 13.5.3 Recent Developments 13.5.4 Analyst's View 13.6 Brenntag Ag 13.6.1 Business Overview 13.6.2 Product Offerings 13.6.3 Recent Developments 13.7 Mitsui Chemicals 13.7.1 Business Overview 13.7.2 Product Offerings 13.8 Cf Industries Holdings Inc. 13.8.1 Business Overview 13.8.2 Product Offerings 13.9 Valvoline 13.9.1 Business Overview 13.9.2 Product Offerings 13.9.3 Recent Developments 13.10 Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd. 13.10.1 Business Overview 13.10.2 Product Offerings 13.10.3 Recent Developments 14 Other Company Profiles 14.1 Castrol 14.1.1 Business Overview 14.1.2 Product Offerings 14.2 Cummins Filtration 14.2.1 Business Overview 14.2.2 Product Offerings 14.3 Yara International 14.3.1 Business Overview 14.3.2 Product Offerings 14.4 Mcpherson Oil 14.4.1 Business Overview 14.4.2 Product Offerings 14.5 Dyno Nobel 14.5.1 Business Overview 14.5.2 Product Offerings 14.6 Stockmeier Group 14.6.1 Business Overview 14.6.2 Product Offerings 14.7 Terus Def 14.7.1 Business Overview 14.7.2 Product Offerings 14.8 Dakota Gasification Company 14.8.1 Business Overview 14.8.2 Product Offerings 14.9 Colonial Chemical 14.9.1 Business Overview 14.9.2 Product Offerings 14.10 Azotal S.P.A 14.10.1 Business Overview 14.10.2 Product Offerings 15 Recommendations 16 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4n4gd1? 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 Webinar series will highlight topics in health and wellness leading up to the release of new book The Cellular Wellness Solution RALEIGH, N.C., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Bill Rawls, the Medical Director for online holistic health company Vital Plan, announced today the launch of a conversation series that will count down to the June 21st release of his new book: The Cellular Wellness Solution: Tap Into Your Full Health Potential with the Science-Backed Power of Herbs. The Cellular Wellness Solution The Cellular Wellness Solution "The sheer amount of conflicting health information that people are being bombarded with is overwhelming, but the key point is actually very simple: wellness starts at the cellular level," said Dr. Rawls. "I wrote The Cellular Wellness Solution to highlight the critical role our cells play in supporting optimal health, and our need to emphasize maintaining our cellular wellness as long as we can to keep living healthy lives as we age." The first topic in the Cellular Wellness Solution Conversation Series: "A Sneak Peak at The Cellular Wellness Solution" will be offered at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. This first event will feature Dr. Rawls in conversation with Tim Yarborough of Vital Plan and sign up is free to all attendees. This webinar will: Demystify the science and explains in plain English how our cells function, age, and deteriorate; Explain how maintaining cellular wellness allows you to slow down the aging process - and increase your energy so you feel better, and even look younger; Show how to get off the hamster wheel of health fads and harness the natural cleansing and restorative powers of your own cells; Help viewers understand the healing and restorative properties found in herbs - properties confirmed by the most up to date science and discoveries; Provide easy to follow natural solutions and steps we can take to protect our own cells - and our health. "Our entire healthcare system has gravitated towards prescribing drugs to treat and block underlying symptoms, while not giving people options to take control of their own health," said Rawls. "While prescription drugs are not long-term solutions, the unique properties of herbs promote healing at the cellular level, giving them a unique power to reduce the incidence of all chronic illnesses, slow aging, and boost performance." Each webinar attendee will also get a chance to win a pre-release copy of The Cellular Wellness Solution. You can register for the webinar here. The Cellular Wellness Solution will be released on June 21, 2022 - sign up at www.CellularWellness.com for an advance look at the book as well as special giveaways and materials as we count down to the launch. ABOUT DR. BILL RAWLS: A licensed physician for over 30 years, Bill Rawls, MD has dedicated his life to medicine. When a health crisis in his early forties abruptly changed his quality of life, he came face to face with the limitations of modern medicine and began to explore the vast possibilities of alternative treatments. Restoring his health through holistic and herbal therapies inspired him to share his discoveries on the importance of cellular wellness. Today, he works to bring health and vitality to others as he helps them establish their own paths to wellness through modern herbology. He is the author of the best-selling Unlocking Lyme and the Medical Director of RawlsMD and Vital Plan, an online holistic health company and Certified B Corporation based in Raleigh, NC. For more on The Cellular Wellness Solution, visit www.CellularWellness.com SOURCE Vital Plan BRONX, N.Y., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers have been awarded a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the effects of COVID-19 on the brains of adults who had mild or asymptomatic infection. Using neuroimaging, cognitive, and immunological tests, the investigators will examine if SARS-CoV-2 infection induces lasting changes in the brain and affects neurocognitive function. "It's well-accepted that the brain is affected by the novel coronavirus, but most studies on long COVID have focused on older people who have had severe disease," said Michael L. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., co-principal investigator on the grant, professor of radiology and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and associate professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience at Einstein. "Our study is different because we have access to pre-pandemic brain imaging and in-depth cognitive assessments from hundreds of previously healthy, racially and ethnically diverse young men and women in their 20s and 30s who have participated in other Einstein studies." Watch video of Drs. Michael Lipton and Johanna Daily discussing their new NIH grant Dr. Lipton noted, "This baseline data will allow us to discover if and how SARS-CoV-2 infectioneven if mild or asymptomaticcauses changes in brain structure and function that contribute to long COVID symptoms." Dr. Lipton is also associate director of Einstein's Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, and medical director of MRI Services at Montefiore Health System. A "Natural History" of Brain Changes The researchers will divide 140 study participants into three groups: 70 people who were never infected with SARS-CoV-2; 35 people who, based on laboratory tests, were infected but who were not symptomatic; and 35 people who were infected and had mild COVID-19 symptoms and did not require hospitalization. Participants will undergo physical and neurological examinations, cognitive and psychiatric assessments, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests. They will also provide blood samples at several points during the three-year study. "By looking at participants' blood serum and immune cells, we will attempt to identify the cellular mechanisms related to their immune response and determine their association with brain changes or cognitive issues," said Johanna Daily, M.D., M.S., co-principal investigator on the grant, professor of medicine and of microbiology & immunology at Einstein and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore. "We hope this leads to the discovery of biomarkers that can diagnose long COVID and inform treatment approaches." Pandemic Stress and Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 The researchers also will study whether the stress of the pandemic itself contributed to changes in the brain or cognition in all study participants, whether or not they were infected. "We're going to home in on things like loneliness, social support, mood, anxiety, and changes in socioeconomic status," said Dr. Lipton. "The goal is to tease out the effects of the pandemic from the effects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection." Dr. Lipton added that identifying subtle effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain that are undetectable by physicians or patients themselves may help clinicians predict what may be a looming public health issue. "SARS-CoV-2 infection may negatively affect current brain functioning and presage future neurodegeneration and dysfunction," Dr. Lipton said. "Understanding the mechanisms and potentially developing targeted treatment could head off future problems." The grant, titled, "Characterizing persistent subclinical neurobehavioral effects of COVID-19 in a diverse urban population," is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health (1R01NS123445). About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2021-22 academic year, Einstein is home to 732 M.D. students, 190 Ph.D. students, 120 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 250 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,900 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2021, Einstein received more than $185 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.org, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook , and view us on YouTube. SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine SINGAPORE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EMURGO Ventures, the investment arm of Cardano's official commercial arm EMURGO, today announced and outlined its global investment strategy to foster Cardano's Web3 adoption, including the appointment of two senior executives to execute its strategy. EMURGO Ventures will carry a broad strategic investment perspective based on Web3 technologies with Cardano interoperability. It will target investments into an expanded spectrum of startups and already established companies; including those that are blockchain-agnostic and built on other blockchain platforms that are interoperable with Cardano's ecosystem. Ultimately, this strategy aims to drive Cardano's Web3 adoption by investing into a variety of Cardano-native and non-Cardano Web3 technologies that can provide interoperable solutions and services to Cardano's users. To fulfill this investment strategy, EMURGO Ventures will focus its activities on the following three areas: Invest into Layer-2 solutions addressing blockchain scalability and interoperability to bring more potential Web3 decentralized applications (dApps) in DeFi, gaming, and more to Cardano. This will broaden the programming languages that can be used to develop dApps that are interoperable with Cardano. to bring more potential Web3 decentralized applications (dApps) in DeFi, gaming, and more to Cardano. This will broaden the programming languages that can be used to develop dApps that are interoperable with Cardano. Invest into established high-caliber Web3 startups to work closely together on bringing proven, user-friendly features to Cardano. Collaborating with these startups will help the development of Cardano in the long run as well as the development of the blockchain industry as a whole to bring forth real Web3 use cases. to work closely together on bringing proven, user-friendly features to Cardano. Collaborating with these startups will help the development of Cardano in the long run as well as the development of the blockchain industry as a whole to bring forth real Web3 use cases. Invest into established industries that display synergy with Cardano's Web3 to accelerate the expansion of Cardano's community and developer talent pool. Industries with large communities that can benefit from Cardano's technology such as retail and edutech can contribute to the overall growth of the Cardano Web3 ecosystem by helping to onboard new users and developers. To execute its strategy, EMURGO Ventures also today announced the following appointments: TakashiHayashida has been appointed Managing Partner of EMURGO Ventures. Hayashida will oversee the investment arm's overall activities and portfolios. Before joining EMURGO Ventures, Hayashida spent his entire career in traditional finance, in commodity derivatives at Goldman Sachs, BNPParibas and Merrill Lynch Japan Securities. Hayashida's deep understanding of traditional finance will help to create financial frameworks and manage the company's financial operations ahead of the anticipated growth of the Web3 market in the years to come. KaiminHu has been appointed Partner of EMURGO Ventures. Hu will be tasked with identifying Cardano Web3 startups and middleware companies, and to support the growth of its portfolio companies. Hu has been involved in the fintech and blockchain industries for 8 years with a range of experiences in product management, strategic investments, and go-to-market strategies. Hu's extensive experience and industry network will help to assess the growth potential of its portfolio companies. "There is no doubt that blockchain will be a foundation for Web3. Our investment strategy and new leadership hires demonstrate that EMURGO Ventures is here to support Web3 startups reach their full potential on Cardano and broaden Cardano's community," said EMURGO Founder & Group CEO Ken Kodama. About EMURGO Ventures EMURGO Ventures is a wholly owned investment subsidiary of parent company EMURGO Ptd. Ltd. and invests into a variety of startups and middleware solutions companies to drive Cardano's Web3 adoption. EMURGO Ptd. Ltd. has offices in Singapore, India, and Indonesia, the U.S., and a roster of global clients & partners. To connect and learn more, visit https://emurgo.io. For more information: Albert Kim Global PR Manager [email protected] +65-6978-5823 SOURCE EMURGO Ventures State of the Art NLP Applied to Four In-Demand Languages RESTON, Va., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Finch Computing, developers of the innovative, real-time natural language processing solution Finch for Text, today announced that it has added support for French, German, Dutch and Spanish languages to the product, with Chinese, Arabic and Russian coming soon. "We know our customers across government and business want support for these high-priority languages," Finch Computing Chief Technology Officer Scott Lightner said. "Applying our proprietary natural language processing approach and our entity knowledgebases, we can now offer a robust set of capabilities to them across these four new languages and we couldn't be more excited about that." Finch for Text operates on multiple types of unstructured text, in multiple languages, and gives users the ability to glean real-time insights from their informational assets. It works on enterprise-scale volumes of text, and its capabilities include entity extraction, enrichment and disambiguation, and text summarization. To perform these capabilities, and to do it across multiple languages, Finch for Text requires significant computing resources. The company uses Amazon EC2 Inf1 instances in its PyTorch NLP, translation, and entity disambiguation models. This allows us to support additional languages at an attractive price and performance, something that's critical for our financial services, data aggregator and public sector customers. "Partnering with Amazon and using these high-powered compute instances delivers the speed and fidelity we depend on and that our customers need," Lightner continued. "Running our models on these instances delivers really powerful performance for our customers and their missions." For more information about Finch for Text and to request a free demo account, please visit text.finchcomputing.com. CONTACT: [email protected] SOURCE Finch Computing ORLANDO, Fla., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As young people head off to college this fall, 229 of them from communities across Florida will receive financial help for their costs through scholarships from Florida Realtors Education Foundation Inc. A not-for-profit corporation established by the state Realtor association, the Florida Realtors Education Foundation Inc. provides real estate-related educational scholarships. The Foundation's Board of Directors awarded $278,000 in scholarships to help pay for higher education expenses for 229 young people in the 2022-2023 school year. All recipients are Florida residents and will attend community colleges, four-year universities, graduate programs or law schools, both in state and out-of-state. Some students are considering careers in real estate. "For 12 years now, the Florida Realtors Education Foundation Student Scholarship Program has helped 1,593 young people realize their dreams for the future by continuing their education," said Sherri Meadows, chair of Florida Realtors Education Foundation Inc. "Florida Realtors has awarded a total of $2,246,200 in scholarships to help these students and their families with financial support for college. Realtors across the state are honored to give back to our communities as we support these deserving young people. These scholarships are an investment in the future." Scholarship recipients are enrolled at institutions of higher learning throughout the state, such as the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida A&M University, University of South Florida, Florida Southwestern State and Florida Gulf Coast University, as well as other colleges throughout the U.S., including Yale University, Duke University, Colorado Christian University and Berry College, to name a few. A variety of criteria was considered for successful applicants including academic achievements, financial need, relationship to the Realtor family and contributions to family, school and community. Florida Realtors serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 225,000 members in 51 boards/associations. Florida Realtors Newsroom website is available at http:// floridarealtors.org/newsroom. SOURCE Florida Realtors The equity transaction includes multiple commercial and industrial-scale solar energy projects located across 10 states SAN FRANCISCO and ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ForeFront Power, a leading developer and asset manager of commercial and industrial-scale solar energy and storage projects, has partnered with Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. ("Hannon Armstrong") (NYSE: HASI), a leading investor in climate solutions, to create an equity investment platform for the shared ownership of a 131 MW portfolio of distributed solar and solar-plus-storage projects. The projects in the portfolio are located in 10 states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. Many of the projects are already completed and energized, while the remainder are in development and scheduled for energization in 2022. ForeFront Power will continue to steward customer relationships across the entire portfolio and provide its customers and co-sponsor with ongoing energy asset management services. CohnReznick Capital served as financial advisor to ForeFront Power on the transaction. "This equity partnership is another indication of strong market momentum for distributed solar generation in the U.S.," said Bryan Eckstein, ForeFront Power's Vice President, Project Finance & Business Development. "Partnering with Hannon Armstrong accelerates ForeFront Power's development pipeline by providing an additional source of capital for our climate change solutions that deliver customer savings." "We are pleased to be an equity capital partner with ForeFront Power and support the continued expansion of their C&I solar business across the U.S.," said Manny Haile-Mariam, Hannon Armstrong's Managing Director, Structured Investments Team Lead. "This high-quality portfolio of behind-the-meter solar projects further diversifies our investment in the distributed generation market, which is critical for reducing carbon emissions and strengthening energy security and resilience at the same time." About ForeFront Power ForeFront Power is a leading North American developer of solar and energy storage solutions for commercial, industrial, public sector and community solar customers. The ForeFront Power team has 15 years of experience working together to develop more than 1,300 behind-the-meter and community solar and storage projects, totaling more than 1 gigawatt-DC of renewable electricity. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in New York City and Mexico City, the company offers business, government, education and community solar customers in the U.S. and Mexico a broad array of development, advisory and asset management services. ForeFront Power is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co. Ltd., a global energy infrastructure and investment leader with a robust balance sheet and an "A" credit rating from Standard & Poor's. For more information, visit forefrontpower.com . About Hannon Armstrong Hannon Armstrong (NYSE: HASI) is the first U.S. public company solely dedicated to investments in climate solutions, providing capital to assets developed by leading companies in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other sustainable infrastructure markets. With more than $9 billion in managed assets, our core purpose is to make climate positive investments with superior risk-adjusted returns. For more information, please visit hannonarmstrong.com or follow us on Twitter and Linkedin . SOURCE ForeFront Power Submission deadline: 15 June 2022 High integration density is an ongoing challenge for the quality and reliability of device components that generates a strong demand for more sophisticated methods for failure analysis. New-engineered products need to secure a high level of reliability, sustainability, and longevity to meet the international quality standards. "Semiconductor device fabrication has seen continuously shrinking device dimensions and higher integration density on the one hand and more complex device geometries and sophisticated 3D architectures on the other hand. The rapid evolution and short development cycles of these technologies already impose tremendous challenges on process control and even more on failure analysis for today's semiconductor research and industry. Considering emerging topics such as 2D materials and quantum devices, such tasks will even aggravate the requirements for inspection and metrology," comments Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jorg Schulze, the head of the Fraunhofer IISB. Detection and classification of nanometer-sized material defects require characterization methods with a resolution in the nanometer range. In this symposium, the latest approaches will be presented that help industry to develop robust electronic products and support reliable operation under environmental conditions of different kinds. "Scanning probe microscopy with its very high local resolution and its huge variety of measurement modes and flexible integration of additional characterization techniques can, therefore, play a significant role for providing both, research and industry solutions for the aforementioned key challenges. This symposium's mission is to bring you in touch with recent trends and solutions," adds Prof. Schulze. The program will include keynote talks ranging from case studies in the semiconductor device applications, innovative methods and tools for material characterization and defect review, emerging applications in the electronic industry up to future methods for increasing line productivity, efficiency, and yield. The symposium is going to be held as a hybrid event, on-site at IISB in Erlangen, Germany and online via Zoom platform with free access for the global audience. More information: www.parksystems.com/FAMT2022symposium About the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB As one of the 72 institutes and research units of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB conducts contract research for industry and public authorities. Its main objective is to provide excellent research to its customers and to set technological benchmarks as one of the leading research institutions in electronic systems. Beside its headquarters in Erlangen, Fraunhofer IISB has branches in Freiberg / Saxony. In Freiberg, the IISB is active in the Fraunhofer Technology Center High Performance Materials THM. Here, innovative semiconductor materials for microelectronics, optoelectronics, and photovoltaics are developed. The institute closely cooperates with the Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU) and is a foundation member of the Energy Campus Nurnberg (EnCN). IISB pursues cooperation with numerous national and international partners in joint projects and associations. To learn more about Fraunhofer IISB, please visit https://www.iisb.fraunhofer.de/ About Park Systems Park Systems is the fastest growing and world-leading manufacturer of atomic force microscopy (AFM) systems, with a complete range of products for researchers and engineers in the semiconductor and data storage industries, chemistry, materials, physics and life sciences. Our mission is to enable nanoscale advances for scientists and engineers solving the world's most pressing problems and pushing the boundaries of scientific discoveries and engineering innovations. Customers of Park Systems include most of the world's top 20 largest semiconductor companies and national research universities in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Park Systems is a publicly traded corporation on the Korea Stock Exchange (KOSDAQ) with corporate headquarters in Suwon, Korea, and regional headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, Mannheim, Germany, Beijing, China, Tokyo, Japan, Singapore, and Mexico City, Mexico. To learn more about Park Systems, please visit http://www.parksystems.com SOURCE Park Systems, Inc. GUIYANG, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. ("FTA" or the "Company") (NYSE: YMM), a leading digital freight platform, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. First Quarter 2022 Financial and Operational Highlights Total net revenues in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,332.6 million ( US$210.2 million ), an increase of 53.7% from RMB867.2 million in the same period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), an increase of 53.7% from in the same period of 2021. Net loss in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB192.0 million ( US$30.3 million ), compared with RMB197.0 million in the same period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 was ( ), compared with in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted net income 1 in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB189.7 million ( US$29.9 million), an increase of 68.0% from RMB112.9 million in the same period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 was ( million), from in the same period of 2021. Gross Transaction Value ("GTV") 2 in the first quarter of 2022 reached RMB53.6 billion ( US$8.5 billion ), an increase of 4.2% from RMB51.5 billion in the same period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 reached ( ), an increase of 4.2% from in the same period of 2021. Fulfilled orders 3 in the first quarter of 2022 reached 25.2 million, an increase of 13.6% from 22.1 million in the same period of 2021. in the first quarter of 2022 reached 25.2 million, an increase of 13.6% from 22.1 million in the same period of 2021. Average shipper MAUs4 in the first quarter of 2022 reached 1.42 million, an increase of 16.0% from 1.22 million in the same period of 2021. Mr. Peter Hui Zhang, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of FTA, stated, "We are pleased to have kicked off the year with strong financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2022, despite the challenging conditions. Our continued progress attests to the solid foundation of our business and our ability to mitigate the impact of external events by improving our users' experience and enhancing our matching technology. Looking forward, we will remain focused on increasing user frequency by fine-tuning our freight matching and fulfillment process. Additionally, we will continue to explore new business models and strengthen our monetization systems to optimize profitability through leveraging our nationwide logistics network. While China's road transportation industry has been affected by the Omicron outbreaks since March 2022, we expect digitalization and the low-carbon movement to further transform the industry over time and facilitate the development of a modern logistics system. Underpinned by our long-term strategic investment in advanced AI and big data technologies, I believe that FTA is well poised to seize the market trend and lead the development and transformation of the industry." Mr. Simon Cai, Chief Financial Officer of FTA, added, "Our first quarter results are underpinned by the continued momentum we are experiencing in our freight matching services and the improvements we are seeing in our operating leverage. We grew our total net revenues to RMB1.3 billion in the first quarter, 53.7% higher than the prior year period and beating the high end of our previous guidance, which was projected at RMB1.09 billion. Along with our topline growth, we recorded a non-GAAP adjusted net income of RMB189.7 million in the first quarter, which was RMB112.9 million a year ago. As possibilities in the road transportation industry continue to unfold, we remain focused on delivering shareholder value through pursuing a disciplined financial strategy and positioning ourselves for the next wave of growth." 1 Non-GAAP adjusted net income/(loss) is defined as net loss excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions, (iv) impairment of long-term investment and (v) tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments. See "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" at the end of this press release. 2 GTV or gross transaction value of our platform in a given period is defined as the aggregate freight prices specified by our users for all fulfilled orders on our platform during the period without deducting any commission or service fee charged by us; we make downward adjustments to unreasonably high freight prices specified by users that are apparently due to clerical errors. 3 Fulfilled orders on our platform in a given period are defined as all shipping orders matched through our platform during such period but exclude (i) shipping orders that are subsequently canceled, and (ii) shipping orders for which our users failed to specify any freight prices as there are substantial uncertainties as to whether the shipping orders are fulfilled. 4 Average shipper MAUs in a given period are calculated by dividing (i) the sum of shipper MAUs for each month of such period, by (ii) the number of months in such period. Shipper MAUs are defined as the number of active shippers on our platform in a given month. First Quarter 2022 Financial Results Net Revenues (including value added taxes ("VAT") of RMB470.2 million and RMB700.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively). Total net revenues in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,332.6 million (US$210.2 million), representing an increase of 53.7% from RMB867.2 million in the same period of 2021, primarily attributable to an increase in revenues from freight matching services. Freight matching services. Revenues from freight matching services in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB1,118.6 million (US$176.5 million), representing an increase of 60.9% from RMB695.2 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in revenues from freight brokerage service as well as rapid growth in transaction commissions. Freight brokerage service. Revenues from freight brokerage service in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB662.4 million ( US$104.5 million ), an increase of 48.4% from RMB446.4 million in the same period of 2021, primarily driven by significant growth in transaction volume. Revenues from freight brokerage service in the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), an increase of 48.4% from in the same period of 2021, primarily driven by significant growth in transaction volume. Freight listing service . Revenues from freight listing service in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB198.0 million ( US$31.2 million ), an increase of 21.2% from RMB163.3 million in the same period of 2021, primarily attributable to an increase in total paying members amid increased shipper demand for our services as our business continued to expand. . Revenues from freight listing service in the first quarter of 2022 were ( ), an increase of 21.2% from in the same period of 2021, primarily attributable to an increase in total paying members amid increased shipper demand for our services as our business continued to expand. Transaction commission. Revenues from transaction commissions amounted to RMB258.2 million ( US$40.7 million ) in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 202.0% from RMB85.5 million in the same period of 2021, primarily driven by a rapid ramp-up of commissioned GTV penetration. Value-added services. Revenues from value-added services in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB214.0 million (US$33.7 million), an increase of 24.4% from RMB172.0 million in the same period of 2021, mainly attributable to increased revenues from credit solutions. Cost of Revenues (including VAT net of refund of VAT of RMB322.7 million and RMB503.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively). Cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB683.9 million (US$107.9 million), compared with RMB412.8 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in VAT, related tax surcharges and other tax costs, net of tax refunds from government authorities. These tax-related costs net of refunds totaled RMB598.3 million, representing an increase of 65.8% from RMB361.0 million in the same period of 2021, primarily due to an increase in transaction activities involving our freight brokerage service. Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales and marketing expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB192.0 million (US$30.3 million), compared with RMB170.4 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salary and benefits expenses driven by an increase in sales and marketing headcount, partially offset by a decrease in advertising and marketing expenses as well as a decrease in share-based compensation expenses. General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB458.4 million (US$72.3 million), compared with RMB322.0 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salary and benefits expenses driven by higher headcount in general and administrative personnel, and an increase in share-based compensation expenses. Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses in the first quarter of 2022 were RMB221.0 million (US$34.9 million), compared with RMB138.0 million in the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salary and benefits expenses driven by higher headcount in research and development personnel. Loss from Operations. Loss from operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB252.0 million (US$39.8 million), compared with RMB201.9 million in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP Adjusted Operating Income5. Non-GAAP adjusted operating income in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB133.2 million (US$21.0 million), an increase of 20.3% from RMB110.7 million in the same period of 2021. Net Loss. Net loss in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB192.0 million (US$30.3 million), compared with RMB197.0 million in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income. Non-GAAP adjusted net income in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB189.7 million (US$29.9 million), an increase of 68.0% from RMB112.9 million in the same period of 2021. Basic and Diluted Net Loss per ADS6 and Non-GAAP Adjusted Basic and Diluted Net Income/(Loss) per ADS7. Basic and diluted net loss per ADS were RMB0.18 (US$0.03) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB2.09 in the same period of 2021. Non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income per ADS were RMB0.17 (US$0.03) in the first quarter of 2022, compared with non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net loss per ADS of RMB0.70 in the same period of 2021. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow As of March 31, 2022, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments of RMB25.3 billion (US$4.0 billion) in total, compared with RMB26.0 billion as of December 31, 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, net cash used in operating activities was RMB96.3 million (US$15.2 million). 5 Non-GAAP adjusted operating income/(loss) is defined as loss from operations excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions. See "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" at the end of this press release. 6 ADS refers to the American depositary shares, each of which represents 20 Class A ordinary shares. 7 Non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted income/(loss) per ADS is net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions, (iv) impairment of long-term investment and (v) tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments, divided by weighted average number of basic and diluted ADSs, respectively. For more information, refer to "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" at the end of this press release. Business Outlook The Company expects its total net revenues to be between RMB1.56 billion and RMB1.64 billion for the second quarter of 2022, representing a year-over-year growth rate of approximately 39.4% to 46.3%, despite the impact of the Omicron outbreaks on transaction volume for the period. These forecasts reflect the Company's current and preliminary views on the market, operational conditions, and the uncertainties caused by the current Omicron outbreaks, including the geographic scope and duration of the outbreaks, the additional restrictive measures that the governmental authorities may take, and the further impact on the business of shippers, truckers and other ecosystem participants, which are subject to change and cannot be predicted with reasonable accuracy as of the date hereof. Exchange Rate Information This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at a rate of RMB6.3393 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of March 31, 2022 as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company makes no representation that any RMB or US$ amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. Conference Call The Company's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time on June 8, 2022 or 8:00 P.M. Beijing Time to discuss its financial results and operating performance for the first quarter of 2022. Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: United States (toll free): +1-888-317-6003 International: +1-412-317-6061 Mainland China (toll free): 400-120-6115 Hong Kong (toll free): 800-963-976 Hong Kong: +852-5808-1995 United Kingdom: 08082389063 Singapore: 800-120-5863 Access Code: 8265791 The replay will be accessible through June 15, 2022 by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-877-344-7529 International: +1-412-317-0088 Replay Access Code: 6570381 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at ir.fulltruckalliance.com. About Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. (NYSE: YMM) is a leading digital freight platform, connecting shippers with truckers to facilitate shipments across distance ranges, cargo weights and types. The Company provides a range of freight matching services including freight listing service, freight brokerage service and online transaction service. The Company also provides a range of value-added services that cater to the various needs of shippers and truckers, such as financial institutions, highway authorities, and gas stations operators. With a mission to make logistics smarter, the Company is shaping the future of logistics with technology and aspires to revolutionize logistics, improve efficiency across the value chain and reduce its carbon footprint for our planet. For more information, please visit ir.fulltruckalliance.com. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses non-GAAP adjusted operating income, non-GAAP adjusted net income, non-GAAP adjusted net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders, non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income/(loss) per ordinary shareholder and non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income/(loss) per ADS, each a non-GAAP financial measure, as supplemental measures to review and assess its operating performance. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted operating income as loss from operations excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions. The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted net income as net loss excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions, (iv) impairment of long-term investment and (v) tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders as net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders excluding (i) share-based compensation expense, (ii) amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, (iii) compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions, (iv) impairment of long-term investment and (v) tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments. The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income/(loss) per share as non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by weighted average number of basic and diluted ordinary shares, respectively. The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income/(loss) per ADS as non-GAAP net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of basic and diluted ADSs, respectively. The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as an analytical tool. The non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect all items of expense that affect its operations. Share-based compensation expense, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, compensation cost incurred in relation to continuing service terms in business acquisitions, impairment of long-term investment and tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments have been and may continue to be incurred in its business and are not reflected in the presentation of its non-GAAP financial measures. The Company reconciles the non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measures. Non-GAAP adjusted operating income, non-GAAP adjusted net income, non-GAAP adjusted net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders and non-GAAP adjusted basic and diluted net income/(loss) per share should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to operating loss, net loss, net income/(loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders and basic and diluted net income/(loss) per share or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of its operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review FTA's non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures. FTA's non-GAAP financial measure may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this release. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements which are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to," and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs, plans, 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: FTA's goal and strategies; FTA's expansion plans; FTA's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; expected changes in FTA's revenues, costs or expenses; industry landscape of, and trends in, China's road transportation market; competition in FTA's industry; FTA's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its services; FTA's expectations regarding its relationships with shippers, truckers and other ecosystem participants; FTA's ability to protect its systems and infrastructures from cyber-attacks; PRC laws, regulations, and policies relating to the road transportation market, as well as general regulatory environment in which FTA operates in China; the results of regulatory review and the duration and impact of any regulatory action taken against FTA; the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather conditions and production constraints brought by electricity rationing measures; general economic and business condition; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. Mao Mao E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Emilie Wu Tel: +86-21-6039-8363 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS, per share and per ADS data) As of December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 4,284,291 4,324,046 682,101 Restricted cash current 65,822 69,906 11,027 Short-term investments 21,634,642 20,910,908 3,298,615 Accounts receivable, net 29,139 23,017 3,631 Amounts due from related parties 7,075 - - Loans receivable, net 1,777,667 2,064,269 325,630 Prepayments and other current assets 1,099,607 826,241 130,336 Total current assets 28,898,243 28,218,387 4,451,340 Restricted cash non-current 13,500 13,500 2,130 Property and equipment, net 102,158 101,227 15,968 Investments in equity investees 1,678,351 1,680,293 265,060 Intangible assets, net 557,016 542,014 85,501 Goodwill 3,124,828 3,124,828 492,930 Deferred tax assets 20,492 30,196 4,763 Operating lease right-of-use assets - 120,848 19,063 Other non-current assets 3,847 15,501 2,445 Total non-current assets 5,500,192 5,628,407 887,860 TOTAL ASSETS 34,398,435 33,846,794 5,339,200 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Short-term borrowings 9,000 9,000 1,420 Accounts payable 29,381 32,548 5,134 Amount due to related parties 179,859 127,212 20,067 Prepaid for freight listing fee 383,236 357,646 56,417 Income tax payable 31,538 33,762 5,326 Other tax payable 894,592 501,296 79,078 Operating lease liabilities - 42,096 6,640 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,206,179 1,067,817 168,444 Total current liabilities 2,733,785 2,171,377 342,526 Deferred tax liabilities 135,764 132,202 20,854 Operating lease liabilities - 68,312 10,776 Total non-current liabilities 135,764 200,514 31,630 TOTAL LIABILITIES 2,869,549 2,371,891 374,156 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Ordinary shares 1,416 1,420 224 Additional paid-in capital 49,245,773 49,485,619 7,806,165 Accumulated other comprehensive income 538,650 436,825 68,907 Subscription receivables (1,310,140) (1,310,140) (206,670) Accumulated deficit (17,020,254) (17,212,248) (2,715,165) TOTAL FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. EQUITY 31,455,445 31,401,476 4,953,461 Non-controlling interests 73,441 73,427 11,583 TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 31,528,886 31,474,903 4,965,044 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 34,398,435 33,846,794 5,339,200 FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF LOSS (All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS, per share and per ADS data) Three months ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB RMB US$ Net Revenues (including value added taxes, "VAT", of RMB470.2 million and RMB700.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively) 867,154 1,429,377 1,332,560 210,205 Operating expenses: Cost of revenues (including VAT net of refund of VAT of RMB322.7 million and RMB503.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively)(1) (412,800) (658,161) (683,882) (107,880) Sales and marketing expenses(1) (170,386) (239,449) (192,043) (30,294) General and administrative expenses(1) (321,976) (1,636,157) (458,415) (72,313) Research and development expenses(1) (138,047) (233,648) (220,956) (34,855) Provision for loans receivable (28,456) (24,485) (49,980) (7,884) Total operating expenses (1,071,665) (2,791,900) (1,605,276) (253,226) Other operating income 2,617 10,586 20,715 3,268 Loss from operations (201,894) (1,351,937) (252,001) (39,753) Other income (expense Interest income 49,422 69,118 56,320 8,884 Interest expenses - (40) (93) (15) Foreign exchange gain (loss) 141 (3,911) 1,126 178 Investment income 8,272 1,337 14,484 2,285 Unrealized (loss) gains from fair value changes of trading securities and derivative assets (37,136) 38,960 (16,341) (2,578) Other income (expenses), net 1,443 (8,553) 8,882 1,401 Impairment loss - (55,756) - - Share of loss in equity method investees (1,572) (6,070) (213) (34) Total other income 20,570 35,085 64,165 10,121 Net loss before income tax (181,324) (1,316,852) (187,836) (29,632) Income tax expense (15,632) (4,208) (4,172) (658) Net loss (196,956) (1,321,060) (192,008) (30,290) Less: net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interests (1) 23 (14) (2) Net loss attributable to Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. (196,955) (1,321,083) (191,994) (30,288) Deemed dividend (270,214) - - - Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (467,169) (1,321,083) (191,994) (30,288) FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF LOSS (CONTINUED) (All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS, per share and per ADS data) Three months ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB RMB US$ Net loss per ordinary share Basic and diluted (0.10) (0.06) (0.01) (0.00) Net loss per ADS Basic and diluted (2.09) (1.23) (0.18) (0.03) Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in computing net loss per share Basic and diluted 4,476,994,630 21,559,503,192 21,858,931,448 21,858,931,448 Weighted average number of ADS used in computing net loss per ADS Basic and diluted 223,849,732 1,077,975,160 1,092,946,572 1,092,946,572 (1) Share-based compensation expenses in operating expenses are as follows: Three months ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB RMB US$ Cost of revenues 181 1,428 1,348 213 Sales and marketing expenses 26,218 9,081 9,160 1,445 General and administrative expenses 260,214 1,457,027 337,732 53,276 Research and development expenses 15,041 13,977 15,245 2,405 Total 301,654 1,481,513 363,485 57,339 FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS, per share and per ADS data) Three months ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB RMB US$ Loss from operations (201,894) (1,351,937) (252,001) (39,753) Add: Share-based compensation expense 301,654 1,481,513 363,485 57,339 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions 10,983 11,746 14,121 2,228 Compensation cost incurred in relation to acquisitions - 17,734 7,644 1,206 Non-GAAP adjusted operating income 110,743 159,056 133,249 21,020 Net loss (196,956) (1,321,060) (192,008) (30,290) Add: Share-based compensation expense 301,654 1,481,513 363,485 57,339 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions 10,983 11,746 14,121 2,228 Compensation cost incurred in relation to acquisitions - 17,734 7,644 1,206 Impairment of long-term investment - 55,756 - - Tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments (2,746) (2,936) (3,530) (557) Non-GAAP adjusted net income 112,935 242,753 189,712 29,926 FULL TRUCK ALLIANCE CO. LTD. RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (CONTINUED) (All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS, per share and per ADS data) Three months ended March 31, December 31, March 31, March 31, 2021 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB RMB US$ Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (467,169) (1,321,083) (191,994) (30,288) Add: Share-based compensation expense 301,654 1,481,513 363,485 57,339 Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions 10,983 11,746 14,121 2,228 Compensation cost incurred in relation to acquisitions - 17,734 7,644 1,206 Impairment of long-term investment - 55,756 - - Tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments (2,746) (2,936) (3,530) (557) Non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income attributable to ordinary shareholders (157,278) 242,730 189,726 29,928 Non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income per ordinary share Basic and diluted (0.04) 0.01 0.01 0.00 Non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income per ADS Basic and diluted (0.70) 0.23 0.17 0.03 Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in computing non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income per share Basic and diluted 4,476,994,630 21,559,503,192 21,858,931,448 21,858,931,448 Weighted average number of ADS used in computing non-GAAP adjusted net (loss) income per ADS Basic and diluted 223,849,732 1,077,975,160 1,092,946,572 1,092,946,572 SOURCE Full Truck Alliance Co. Ltd. SEATTLE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Coherent Market Insights, the global bone marrow transplant market is estimated to be valued at US$ 10,356.1 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period (2022-2030). Key Trends and Analysis of the Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market: Increasing efforts by researchers to develop a drug to prevent complications after undergoing bone marrow transplant is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in December 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Abatacept, a drug to prevent acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a life-threatening complication in which T cells in the transplanted donor bone marrow attacks the recipient's healthy cells and tissues, thereby causing major damage to the liver, skin, and GI tract after hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The FDA approval was based on results from two studies in patients undergoing stem cell transplant. One was the Phase 2 GVHD-1 trial, also known as ABA2, led by Leslie S. Kean, MD, PhD, director of the Stem Cell Transplant Center at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, an integrated pediatric hematology and oncology program, in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company. Request Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/232 Key Market Takeaways: Global bone marrow transplant market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period due to increasing establishments of bone marrow transplant units. For instance, in December 2021, a bone marrow transplant center was established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Cancer care in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has rapidly evolved over the last two decades, with the establishment of several state-of-the-art facilities providing holistic services in accordance with international standards and certifications. However, one clear gap in such advances was the absence of comprehensive bone marrow transplant (BMT) services in the country, and thus, the establishment of a bone marrow transplant unit would address this need. Among type, autologous transplant segment is expected to hold dominant position over the forecast period, owing to the maximum number of autologous transplants being carried out. For instance, according to an article published by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, an internationally renowned research university, around 60% of bone marrow transplant procedures are autologous, based on the data recorded between 2015 and 2019 by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, the primary federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable, with an average of more than 13,000 autologous bone marrow transplant procedures each year in the U.S. On the basis of regions, North America is expected to hold dominant position over the forecast period, owing to the increasing number of bone marrow transplants being carried out. For instance, according to an article published by The University of Alabama at Birmingham, an internationally renowned research university, in March 2022, the number of patients receiving bone marrow transplants in the U.S. will jump fivefold to reach over 500,000 people by 2030. Key players operating in the global bone marrow transplant market include Lonza, Merck KgaA, Sanofi, AllCells, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Charles River Laboratories, Beike Biotechnology Co., Ltd., FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics, Inc., CORESTEM, Inc., Gamida Cell, Lifeline Cell Technology, Mesoblast Ltd, and PromoCell GmbH. Request for Customization @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/232 Detailed Segmentation: Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Type: Autologous Transplant Allogenic Transplant Others Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Treatment Type: Leukemia Lymphoma Myeloma Myelodysplastic Syndrome Myeloproliferative Disorders Aplastic Anemia Solid Tumors Sickle cell Anemia Thalassemia Others Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By End User: Hospitals Multi-specialty Clinics Ambulatory Surgical Centers Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market, By Region: North America By Country: U.S. Canada Europe By Country: U.K. Germany Italy France Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific By Country: China India Japan ASEAN Australia South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific Latin America By Country: Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of Latin America Middle East & Africa By Country: GCC Countries Israel South Africa Rest of Middle East & Africa Buy this Complete Report Now @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/232 Find related trending report below: 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. Contact Us: Mr. Shah Senior Client Partner Business Development Coherent Market Insight Phone: US: +1-206-701-6702 UK: +44-020-8133-4027 Japan: +81-050-5539-1737 India: +91-848-285-0837 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Coherent Market Insights Themed "Wuxi Dialogue Linking Youth", the exchange activity has sparked heated discussions among young talent working and living in Wuxi and their peers across the world. In 2020, Wuxi, in eastern China's Jiangsu province, proposed becoming a Zero-Carbon City. Yan Qing was impressed by the city's commitment to the climate. After graduating from Tsinghua University, he moved to Wuxi through an open selection program for talent. He was tasked with exploring ways to build a Zero-Carbon City. His research received great attention and was published in an authoritative international journal. "Wuxi has beautiful natural ecology and amiable environment for talent growth. Trust and encouragement for young talent have endowed me the opportunity to grow up together with this city," he said. Young people are most concerned about innovation and entrepreneurship, said Lu Xinyi, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University. "Wuxi is the birthplace of China's national industry and commerce. Innovation and entrepreneurship are in the genes of this city," she said. Lu Xinyi started on entrepreneurial projects while finishing her degree and worked at a venture capital incubator in New York. She believes that Wuxi can provide a broad stage for eager young people. In 2021, Wuxi's per capita GDP ranked first among large and medium-sized cities in China. She believes that Wuxi will make a difference in the information technology industry. Yue Yunxiao often expresses his fondness for the friendliness of Wuxi, a city that always tops the annual list of China's happiest cities. When he couldn't return home during the Spring Festival last year, he still felt the warmth and comfort of home under the care of his leaders and colleagues. Now, as a member of the Wuxi Youth Volunteer Group, he continues to spread friendship and goodwill to make Wuxi a hometown for non-natives. Han Shutong, a graduate of University College London, said, "Wuxi is open and inclusive. Here young people can get together with like-minded people who develop a sense of belonging and find something new and interesting." She came to Wuxi, the birthplace of Wu culture, thanks to the open selection program and became a teacher in a key provincial middle school. "When I have a little spare time, my friends and I like to enjoy a cup of coffee with an opera mask art in Wuxi Opera Museum, and we can also enjoy the new art supported by technologies such as VR and AR in Wuxi Studios," Han Shutong said. More and more youth stay in Wuxi for its unlimited chances for success, inclusiveness and genuine care. They are a powerful engine for Wuxi, a charming, dynamic and innovative city facing the world and the future. SOURCE China Daily USA DUBLIN, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Master Data Management Market by Component, Organization Size (SMEs & Large Enterprises), Deployment Mode (Cloud & On-premises), Vertical (BFSI & Healthcare), and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA, Latin America) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The master data management market size to grow from USD 16.7 billion in 2022 to USD 34.5 billion by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.7% during the forecast period. Various factors such as rising need for compliance, increase in the use of data quality tools for data management, and rising trend towards multi-domain master data management are expected to drive the adoption of master data management technologies and services. According to IBM, Master Data Management (MDM) is a comprehensive method to define and manage an organization's critical data. It provides a single, trusted view of data across enterprises, agile self-service access, analytical graph-based exploration, governance, and a user-friendly dashboard. Moreover, MDM provides a 360-degree view of data and enables users to deliver better business insights through self-service analytics. The master data management market is expected to grow owing to several factors, such as rising need for compliance and rising trend towards multi-domain master data management. The increasing availability and accessibility to view master data records within and beyond organizations are leading to the need for authorized processes to maintain the authenticity and accuracy of this data. Therefore, organizations are implementing integrated data governance models with their MDM solutions. Presently, users prefer integrated multi-domain MDM solutions assist them in the observance of various kinds of information policies and help them resolve technical data management issues. Hence, data governance is widely being standardized to increase the adoption of MDM solutions in the market. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the master data management market. However, companies are still leveraging MDM software to analyze real-time demand, manage network traffic, and ensure a balanced approach in upstream, midstream, and downstream processes across verticals. Companies would look out for real-time MDM solutions with data visualization, simulation and scenario developments, capabilities to analyze data in different business processes, regression analysis, historical trend analysis and forecasting, clustering and segmentation, and standardized reporting. Most solution providers have realized this and started implementing their solutions with these features to help their clients. The Services segment to grow at higher CAGR during the forecast period Based on component, the MDM market is segmented into solutions and services. The CAGR of the Services segment is estimated to be the largest during the forecast period. Services play a very important part in the MDM market, and are considered as the core components for the effective functioning of any software. The growing demand for cloud-based services and the rising adoption of MDM solutions are driving the growth of the services segment. The efficient delivery of services helps in improving system reliability, operational efficiency, and cost management. The On-Premises segment to have the largest market size during the forecast period Based on deployment type, the MDM market is segmented into cloud and on-premises. In on-premises deployment, software is installed on the customers' server, whereas in cloud deployment, the software is hosted on dedicated equipment situated off-premises. On-premises deployment runs on customer data centers and allows them to control and manage all aspects of the MDM. On-premises deployment of MDM is a traditional deployment model and is presently the preferred method. Asia Pacific to hold highest CAGR during the forecast period The Asia Pacific MDM market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 24.0% from 2018 to 2023, due to growing industrialization in this region. This market is also expected to account for the significant adoption of MDM solutions. Initially, data management in this region followed an immature discipline. However, with the rising awareness about the increase in business productivity, supplemented with competently designed MDM solutions offered by vendors present in this region, is leading to Asia Pacific becoming a highly potential market. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in Master Data Management Market 4.2 Market, by Vertical 4.3 Market, by Region 5 Market Overview and Industry Trends 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Increase in the Use of Data Quality Tools for Data Management 5.2.1.2 Rising Need for Compliance 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Data Security Concerns 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Incorporation of New Technologies with Master Data Management 5.2.3.2 Trend Towards Multi-Domain Master Data Management 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Diversified Data Regulations and Legislation Across Different Verticals and Regions 5.2.4.2 Network Slowdown Due to COVID-19 Pandemic to Impact the Master Data Management Market Significantly 5.2.5 Cumulative Growth Analysis 5.3 Master Data Management: Evolution 5.4 Case Studies 5.4.1 Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance 5.4.1.1 Use Case 1: Raiffeisen Bank Used Ataccama One to Power Its Operations, Prevent Fraud, and Facilitate Regulatory Compliance 5.4.2 Information Technology and Telecommunication 5.4.2.1 Use Case 2: Avast Used Ataccama One to Improve Its Customer Experience and Ensure Compliance with Data Privacy 5.4.3 Retail and Consumer Goods 5.4.3.1 Use Case 3: 1-800-Flowers.Com Used IBM Infosphere Master Data Management to Assist Customers Find Right Gifts 5.4.4 Government and Defense 5.4.4.1 Use Case 4: Cak Used Tibco Mdm to Better Interact with Citizens of Holland and Other Governmental Agencies 5.4.5 Manufacturing 5.4.5.1 Use Case 5: Goya Foods Used Tibco Mdm to Enhance Quality of Data on Its Products 5.4.6 Healthcare 5.4.6.1 Use Case 6: Hackensack Meridian Used Informatica Mdm to Manage Complex Soils of Data 5.4.7 Energy and Utilities 5.4.7.1 Use Case 7: Fjordkraft Used Informatica Master Data Management to Consolidate, Deduplicate, and Master Customer Data 5.5 Technology Analysis 5.5.1 Ai, Ml, and Master Data Management 5.5.2 Cloud Computing and Master Data Management 5.5.3 Big Data & Analytics and Master Data Management 5.6 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.7 Supply/Value Chain Analysis 5.8 Patent Analysis 5.9 Mdm Ecosystem 5.10 Pricing Model Analysis 5.11 Regulatory Implications 5.12 Mdm Market: COVID-19 Impact 5.13 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape 6 Master Data Management Market, by Component 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Component: Market Drivers 6.1.2 Components: COVID-19 Impact 6.2 Solution 6.3 Services 6.3.1 Consulting Services 6.3.2 Integration Services 6.3.3 Training and Support Services 7 Master Data Management Market, by Deployment Type 7.1 Introduction 7.1.1 Deployment Type: Market Drivers 7.1.2 Deployment Type: COVID-19 Impact 7.2 Cloud 7.3 On-Premises 8 Master Data Management Market, by Organization Size 8.1 Introduction 8.1.1 Organization Size: Market Drivers 8.1.2 Organization Size: COVID-19 Impact 8.2 Large Enterprises 8.3 Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises 9 Master Data Management Market, by Vertical 9.1 Introduction 9.1.1 Vertical: COVID-19 Impact 9.1.2 Vertical: Market Drivers 9.2 Banking, Financial Services, & Insurance 9.3 Government 9.4 Retail 9.5 It & Telecom 9.6 Manufacturing 9.7 Energy & Utilities 9.8 Healthcare 9.9 Other Verticals 10 Master Data Management Market, by Region 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Overview 11.2 Key Player Strategies 11.3 Revenue Analysis 11.4 Market Share Analysis 11.5 Company Evaluation Quadrant 11.5.1 Stars 11.5.2 Emerging Leaders 11.5.3 Pervasive Players 11.5.4 Participants 11.6 Startup/Sme Evaluation Quadrant 11.6.1 Progressive Companies 11.6.2 Responsive Companies 11.6.3 Dynamic Companies 11.6.4 Starting Blocks 11.7 Competitive Scenario 11.7.1 Product Launches 11.7.2 Deals 12 Company Profiles 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Key Players 12.2.1 Ibm 12.2.2 Oracle 12.2.3 Broadcom 12.2.4 Sap 12.2.5 Sas Institute 12.2.6 Teradata 12.2.7 Cloudera 12.2.8 Talend 12.2.9 Riversand 12.2.10 Informatica 12.2.11 Stibo Systems 12.2.12 Ataccama 12.2.13 Tibco Software 12.3 Other Key Players 12.3.1 Profisee Group 12.3.2 Actian 12.3.3 Mindtree 12.3.4 Aws 12.3.5 Contentserv 12.3.6 Winshuttle 12.3.7 Micro FocUS 12.3.8 Veeva 12.3.9 Salesforce 12.3.10 Hpe 12.4 Startup/ SMEs 12.4.1 Reltio 12.4.2 Semarchy 12.4.3 Magnitude Software 12.4.4 Syncforce 12.4.5 Qlik 12.4.6 Goldensource 12.4.7 Zaloni 13 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c1nyjj 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, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Wireless Sensors Market (2022-2027) by Type, Connectivity Type, End User, Geography, Competitive Analysis and the Impact of Covid-19 with Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Wireless Sensors Market is estimated to be USD 65.21 Bn in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 182.17 Bn by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 22.81%. Market dynamics are forces that impact the prices and behaviors of the Global Wireless Sensors Market stakeholders. These forces create pricing signals which result from the changes in the supply and demand curves for a given product or service. Forces of Market Dynamics may be related to macro-economic and micro-economic factors. There are dynamic market forces other than price, demand, and supply. Human emotions can also drive decisions, influence the market, and create price signals. As the market dynamics impact the supply and demand curves, decision-makers aim to determine the best way to use various financial tools to stem various strategies for speeding the growth and reducing the risks. Company Profiles The report provides a detailed analysis of the competitors in the market. It covers the financial performance analysis for the publicly listed companies in the market. The report also offers detailed information on the companies' recent development and competitive scenario. Some of the companies covered in this report are ABB Ltd, Ambient Micro LLC, Apprion Inc Aruba Networks, Atmel, BAE Systems, etc. Countries Studied America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas) , , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe ) ( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA) and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Competitive Quadrant The report includes Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Ansoff Analysis The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Wireless Sensors Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach. The analyst analyses the Global Wireless Sensors Market using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position. Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, The analyst has devised suitable strategies for market growth. Why buy this report? The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Wireless Sensors Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies. The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry. The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of Covid-19 on the market is also featured in the report. The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies. The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool. Key Topics Covered: 1 Report Description 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.1.1 Reducing or Eliminating the Cost of Installation and Economical Use 4.1.2 Rising Adoption of IoT in Connected Devices Across Various Industry 4.2 Restraints 4.2.1 Limited Bandwidth of Wireless Sensors 4.2.2 Ever-Changing Regulatory Scenario and Rising Associated Costs 4.3 Opportunities 4.3.1 Increased Governmental Spending on Manufacturing Sensors 4.3.2 High R&D Activities to Improve Accuracy and Reliability 4.4 Challenges 4.4.1 Environmental Catastrophes Affect the Functioning of Sensors 5 Market Analysis 5.1 Regulatory Scenario 5.2 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Ansoff Matrix Analysis 6 Global Wireless Sensors Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Position & Proximity 6.3 Pressure 6.4 Accelerometers 6.5 Ambient Light Sensors 6.6 Blood Glucose Sensors 6.7 Blood Oxygen Sensors 6.8 Carbon Monoxide Sensors 6.9 Chemical Sensors 6.10 Electrocardiogram Sensors 6.11 Flow Sensors 6.12 Heart Rate Sensors 6.13 Humidity Sensors 6.14 Image Sensors 6.15 Inertial Measurement Units 6.16 Level Sensors 6.17 Temperature Sensors 7 Global Wireless Sensors Market, By Connectivity Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Ant+ 7.3 Bluetooth 7.4 Bluetooth Smart or Bluetooth Low Energy 7.5 Bluetooth or WLAN 7.6 Cellular Network 7.7 Global Navigation Satellite System Module 7.8 ISA100 7.9 Near-Field Communication 7.10 Wireless Fidelity 7.11 Wireless Highway Addressable Remote Transducer 7.12 Zigbee 8 Global Wireless Sensors Market, By End User 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Aerospace & Defense 8.3 Automotive 8.4 Energy & Power 8.5 Food & Beverage 8.6 Healthcare 8.7 Oil & Gas 9 Americas' Global Wireless Sensors Market 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Argentina 9.3 Brazil 9.4 Canada 9.5 Chile 9.6 Colombia 9.7 Mexico 9.8 Peru 9.9 United States 9.10 Rest of Americas 10 Europe's Global Wireless Sensors Market 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Austria 10.3 Belgium 10.4 Denmark 10.5 Finland 10.6 France 10.7 Germany 10.8 Italy 10.9 Netherlands 10.10 Norway 10.11 Poland 10.12 Russia 10.13 Spain 10.14 Sweden 10.15 Switzerland 10.16 United Kingdom 10.17 Rest of Europe 11 Middle East and Africa's Global Wireless Sensors Market 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Egypt 11.3 Israel 11.4 Qatar 11.5 Saudi Arabia 11.6 South Africa 11.7 United Arab Emirates 11.8 Rest of MEA 12 APAC's Global Wireless Sensors Market 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Australia 12.3 Bangladesh 12.4 China 12.5 India 12.6 Indonesia 12.7 Japan 12.8 Malaysia 12.9 Philippines 12.10 Singapore 12.11 South Korea 12.12 Sri Lanka 12.13 Thailand 12.14 Taiwan 12.15 Rest of Asia-Pacific 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Competitive Quadrant 13.2 Market Share Analysis 13.3 Strategic Initiatives 13.3.1 M&A and Investments 13.3.2 Partnerships and Collaborations 13.3.3 Product Developments and Improvements 14 Company Profiles 14.1 ABB Ltd 14.2 Ambient Micro LLC 14.3 Apprion Inc 14.4 Aruba Networks 14.5 Atmel 14.6 BAE Systems 14.7 Cymbet 14.8 Daviteq Technologies Inc 14.9 Dust Networks 14.10 Emerson Electric Co 14.11 EnOcean GmbH 14.12 Gastronics 14.13 GreenPeak Technologies 14.14 Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG 14.15 MicroStrain Inc 14.16 Monnit 14.17 Optical Scientific Inc 14.18 Parker Hannifin Corp 15 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/659ya0 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 This transaction furthers Hahn & Co.'s focus on private equity acquisitions in Korea and builds upon its track record of successfully acquiring and revamping Korean companies, building globally leading companies in industrial products, transportation, and business services. The acquisition represents Hahn & Co.'s fourth acquisition in Korea since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic while M&A activity in Korea has slowed, notably the in-flight catering and duty-free retail businesses of Korean Air as well as the biofuel business of SK Chemicals. "SK's PET business is a global leader with attractive opportunities for growth and expansion in untapped markets. This acquisition continues Hahn & Co.'s conviction in Korea as an attractive while overlooked market for acquisitions," said Scott Sang-Won Hahn, CEO of Hahn & Co. About Hahn & Co. Established in 2010, Hahn & Co. is one of the largest private equity firms operating in Korea. The firm currently manages the largest private equity capital raised to date for the Korea market. Companies controlled by Hahn & Co. generate revenues of approximately KRW16 trillion (US$12.8 billion), assets of KRW39.6 trillion (US$31.6 billion) with over 30,000 employees. (www.hcompany.com) SOURCE Hahn & Co. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SUZHOU, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour BioMed ("HBM", HKEX: 02142) announced that China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had approved the investigational new drug (IND) application to commence phase I trial of its B7H4x4-1BB bispecific antibody (HBM7008) in China. This study will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of HBM7008 in patients with solid tumors. It has successfully completed the dosing of first patient in the phase I trial of HBM7008 in Australia on 25 May 2022. HBM7008 is generated from HBM's unique and innovative HBICE platform. It is a first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting B7H4 and 4-1BB. The bispecific antibody can engage and activate T cells by 4-1BB only in B7H4 positive tumor microenvironment. B7H4 is overexpressed on a variety of solid malignancies, including breast, ovarian, endometrial, and non-small cell lung cancers. With its crosslinking-dependent specificity on tumors and potent immune modulation activity, HBM7008 has shown excellent safety profile with strong anti-tumor efficacy in the pre-clinical study, including completed response observed in the mouse tumor model. "4-1BB is one of the most promising anti-tumor immune targets, providing new solutions for cancer treatment. As the first-in-class bispecific antibody targeting B7H4 and 4-1BB, HBM7008 is expected to lead the development of next-generation immunotherapeutics. Based on preclinical study data, we are highly confident in B7H4x4-1BB bispecific antibody. We will efficiently promote this clinical study to provide a novel, effective and safe treatment for patients, so that more cancer patients can benefit from the innovative therapeutic." said Dr. Humphrey Gardner, CMO of Harbour BioMed. About HBM7008 HBM7008 is a bispecific antibody targeting Tumor-Associated Antigen B7H4x4-1BB that not only displays high potency in the T cell co-stimulation and tumor growth inhibition, and potentially may also translate to better safety due to its strict dependency of TAA-mediated crosslinking T cell activation. HBM7008 is one of the fully human bispecific antibodies developed from the HBICE platform of the Company. It is the only bispecific antibody against these two targets globally. Its unique specificity on tumors and immune modulation activity makes it a promising therapeutic in PD-L1 negative or PD-1/PD-L1 resistant patients. It also has the potential to avoid 4-1BB liver toxicity risk observed in other products with the benefit of its innovative biology mechanisms and bispecific design. About Harbour BioMed Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel antibody therapeutics focusing on immunology and oncology. The Company is building its robust portfolio and differentiated pipeline through internal R&D capability, collaborations with co-discovery and co-development partners, and select acquisitions. The Company's proprietary antibody technology platforms Harbour Mice generate fully human monoclonal antibodies in two heavy and two light chain (H2L2) format, as well as heavy chain only (HCAb) format. Building upon the HCAb antibodies, the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE) are capable of delivering tumor-killing effects unachievable by traditional combination therapies. Integrating Harbour Mice, HBICE with single B cell cloning platform, our antibody discovery engine is highly unique and efficient for the development of next-generation therapeutic antibodies. SOURCE Harbour BioMed Expanding relationships for Holmes Murphy's continued growth as an industry and community leader WAUKEE, Iowa, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quinton (Quin) Leith has joined Holmes Murphy as the company's Chief Strategic Investment Officer. In this new role, Leith will be responsible for evaluating existing relationships while reviewing the company's geographical footprint to determine underserved locations where Holmes Murphy may expand their business and best serve clients through new offerings. Leith has more than a decade of experience in investments and mergers & acquisitions (M&As) within the insurance industry. Leith previously served as Vice President at Flexpoint Ford, a private equity investment firm, where he was primarily responsible for sourcing opportunities, evaluating and executing investments and M&As, and working with portfolio companies to grow and create value. He also worked as an analyst for Macquarie Capital, a major global financial services group. "Quin brings a unique talent in approaching business opportunities in an innovative way," said Dan Keough, Chairman & CEO of Holmes Murphy. "With his proven expertise, I have confidence that Holmes Murphy will be even more informed, more proactive on investment opportunities, and be able to make faster business and investment decisions with maximum efficiency to help care for our clients' needs." Leith grew up in Creston, Iowa, and is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Applied Economics and Management. When Quin isn't working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. About Holmes Murphy "Caring for Your Unique Potential is Our Soul Purpose." That statement is the core of how we do business. We ask the tough questions, avoid the easy path, believe fully in caring for the unique challenges of our clients, impact the industry through innovation, and leverage our greatest assets the hearts and minds of our people to advocate on behalf of our clients. That's our approach to risk management and benefits consulting, and it's worked for us since our inception in 1932. As an independent brokerage, we serve clients in every industry and of almost every size, with the ultimate goal of providing exceptional service and caring for our clients' unique potential. We are also the co-founder and co-owner of BrokerTech Ventures, the industry's first broker-led convening platform and accelerator. For more information, visit www.holmesmurphy.com. You can also follow us on Twitter.com (@holmesmurphyins) or on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Contact: Jena Brown 515-345-8934 [email protected] SOURCE Holmes Murphy VANCOUVER, BC, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- HPIL Holding (the "Company") (OTC: HPIL) announces that it will be moving the shareholders meeting to June 16th at 2:PM PST to give the company more time to formulate its ongoing plans and announce more substantial factual information on what is transpiring with the company and its plans moving forward. "We have been informed by the OTC that in order to have the BCSC cease trade order revoked they require HPIL to post audited annual financial statements. We are in the process of conducting the audit and fully expect it to be completed soon", said Stephen Brown CEO. Additionally, on June 2, 2022, the Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Stephen Brown, presented a letter of termination to Mr. Lord Ferrox Tutinean due to Mr. Tutinean's failure to adhere to Mr. Tutinean's employment agreement and HPIL's policies. Further, the employment of Mr. Micheal Torrey has been terminated on the same day due to Mr. Torrey's failure to adhere to his employment agreement and HPIL's policies. Both Mr. Tutinean and Mr. Torrey have acted in manners against the Company and against the interests of the Company's shareholders. "The company is aware of what is necessary for the company to be on track within the markets it is operating in such as EV, Gaming and Blockchain transactions. We expect to have a robust plan for this forthcoming conference call and truly appreciate the shareholder patience in a somewhat trying time, however myself and David Postula are diligently putting aggressive plans in to place", said Stephen Brown CEO. HPIL next conference call will be on June 16th, 2022 Conference call link: https://www.hpilholding.ca/ Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (The "Act"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "pleased," "plan," "confident that," "believe," "expect," or "intend to," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Act and are subject to the safe harbor created by the Act. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any of the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, general acceptance of the Company's products and technologies, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financings and other risks described in the Company's SEC reports and filing. For more information: [email protected] www.hpilholding.ca Contact: Stephen Brown, CEO, 778-819-1956 SOURCE HPIL Holding "Only through great earthquakes, lofty mountains rise. I believe this is true, not only for volcanoes, but also for our humanity. During every crisis, lie great opportunities," said in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The main issues addressed in the 6 to 8 June 2022 meeting were mobilization of financial resources for future pandemic responses. G20 member states discussed lessons learned from the successes of medical countermeasures initiatives, such as COVAX and the ACT-accelerators that worked efficiently during the pandemic in ushering vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. G20 and its partners, such as GISAID, now is looking at the optimization of genomic surveillance and trusted data sharing mechanisms, allowing the world to quickly identify novel pathogens that may pose new threats to global health security. "We need a more permanent coordinating platform that can address five cores such as access to countermeasures, emergency coordination, collaborative intelligence, community protection; and clinical care to patients in need," said the Minister of Health. Indonesia has committed to donate USD50 million to the FIF. As part of the G20 presidency mandate, Indonesia will also lobby organizations and donors to ensure that the fund benefit the right target countries to prevent conflicting interests from donors and organizations. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's General Secretary, was commended Indonesia's presidency to prioritize the establishment of global health system architecture and putting it in the G20 agenda. "We must learn from the lessons this pandemic has taught us because this will not be the last one," said Dr. Tedros. To access the Health Working Group plenary opening ceremony and press conference, visit https://www.youtube.com/c/KementerianKesehatanRI. SOURCE The Indonesian Ministry of Health "Business students in the new supply chain management program will learn about inventory, transportation, purchasing and the different challenges of distribution," explains Ikem. "At the beginning of the pandemic, the ports of Los Angeles were overcrowded because there weren't enough truckers to move goods to warehouses where they were needed. That's a supply chain issue and a product demand issue. This will prepare our students to work in that industry that is growing by leaps and bounds." Jackson State's location in the central part of Mississippi and close proximity to the gulf coast will give students a major advantage when it comes to studying distribution. Ikem says with a close proximity to Interstates 20 and 55, a bounty of distribution centers, and large producers moving into the area (such as Continental Tires, Nissan, Amazon, etc.), the demand for this particular skill set is growing here. Ikem has wanted to bring the supply chain management degree program to the college of business since his appointment as dean. It was no easy task, however, through years of collaborative efforts and research, his goal was accomplished with the help of JSU alumnus David Malone, CPSM, who currently works as the director of procurement and supply management for the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. With decades of experience working in the field of supply chain management, Malone noticed a lack of diversity and decided his alma mater could be the resolution. He gladly provided his expertise to help develop the program and recruit leadership for the advisory board. "I am in my 41st year of my supply chain career and one thing that I was always bothered by for years was the lack of African Americans in this field. I was fortunate to get in back in 1981 with a major technology company out of Boston, and it was my only job offer. So, even though my undergraduate degree was in finance, I wanted an opportunity and luckily, I landed in one of the fastest growing and world changing professions there were. It's a career path that gave me an opportunity to travel and do business globally, and I want HBCU students to have access to such a great profession," says Malone. The board consists of supply chain executives from Black & Decker, Microsoft, and The Institute for Supply Management. Malone also garnered participation from the Michigan State University Department of Supply Chain Management, which is rated No. 1 nationally for its program. Dean Ikem recruited an executive from Ingalls Shipbuilding and the JSU School of business leaders to complete the advisory board and begin the work of curriculum development. "Supply chain management provides another avenue for students to develop insight into an industry laden with opportunity," says Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa Mosley, Ph.D. "I appreciate the input from all internal and external stakeholders who created this innovative academic program. The new major aligns with our mission and university strategic plan." Through the JSU supply chain management program, students will learn how the core studies that are normal parts of the business program intersect with the myriad of opportunities and experiences offered in the supply chain profession. They will also learn to understand the underpinnings of the global supply chain and how the linkage of multiple supply chain functions leads to the delivery of goods and services from around the world. The College of Business plans to provide internship opportunities and, through the right corporate partnerships, give students real time exposure to the inner workings of the many aspects of supply chain management. Ikem says he foresees the supply chain management program will be offered as a graduate program in the near future. The Jackson State University College of Business is among the six percent of business schools worldwide that is accredited by the Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB accreditation differentiates business and accounting programs from those at other institutions in terms of quality, rigor, and relevance. SOURCE Jackson State University Moderated by the CEO of the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, forum will spotlight real-world patient experience and lessons from healthcare and community outreach leaders BEDMINSTER, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyowa Kirin, Inc., an affiliate of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151) a global specialty pharmaceutical company, will host a virtual roundtable discussion, Challenging Disparities in Cancer Care Lessons for Cutaneous Lymphomas and Other Patient Communities, on June 14, 2022, 12:00 1:30 p.m. ET, ahead of National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week (June 16 22). During the event, panelists will discuss their firsthand experiences and best practices for how to overcome the barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care often faced disproportionately by people of color living with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and other forms of cancer or chronic disease. "When it comes to cancer, the ability to secure a timely and accurate diagnosis and to remain engaged in treatment and disease management can be impacted by numerous factors," said Lauren Walrath, Vice President of Public Affairs, Kyowa Kirin North America (KKNA). "We know people of color may face additional challenges, particularly those living with rare cancers like CTCL that are less recognizable in people with darker skin tones. We are proud to host this roundtable discussion to explore lessons and solutions as part of our ongoing commitment to fostering health equity for patients from all backgrounds." The moderated discussion will explore all aspects of patient experience and emerging strategies to address racial health inequities via research, education, community outreach, and care team engagement. This will be followed by a Q&A during which registered attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions. Registration for the event is free and can be made at https://bit.ly/3NpwgbU. The roundtable panelists include: Susan Thornton , Chief Executive Officer, Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation (Moderator): A leader and community advocate, Susan Thornton is committed to advancing understanding and support for all people affected by cutaneous lymphomas. A leader and community advocate, is committed to advancing understanding and support for all people affected by cutaneous lymphomas. Olenga Anabui, MBA, MPH, The Penn Center for Community Health Workers, IMPaCT Program: IMPaCT is a standardized, scalable program that centered on community health workers to improve health and equity. Through this and other initiatives, Olenga Anabui is committed to supporting people made disadvantaged by race and socioeconomic position to have full participation in life. IMPaCT is a standardized, scalable program that centered on community health workers to improve health and equity. Through this and other initiatives, Olenga Anabui is committed to supporting people made disadvantaged by race and socioeconomic position to have full participation in life. Pierluigi Porcu , MD, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital: Dr. Porcu is focused on the treatment and research of rare cancers like CTCL. He advocates for the importance of diverse representation in clinical trials to address racial disparities in drug development and clinical care. Dr. Porcu is focused on the treatment and research of rare cancers like CTCL. He advocates for the importance of diverse representation in clinical trials to address racial disparities in drug development and clinical care. Anita Larkin , MSN, CMSRN, RN, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc.: Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated is a nonprofit organization of registered professional nurses representing many cultures and diverse ethnic backgrounds committed to supporting healthy communities of color through advocacy, collaboration, education, leadership, research, and service. Anita Larkin furthers this mission through her participation in their hallmark health outreach programs. Anita Larkin is also the Clinical Director of Surgical Oncology/Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, TN , and a member of the Oncology Nursing Society. "This event is a great opportunity to discuss the challenges that those living with rare and chronic diseases face every day, especially people of color," says Susan Thornton. "My hope is that this diverse panel surfaces solutions that empower patients, including the CTCL community." About National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week National Black Family Cancer Awareness Week, observed June 16 22, 2022, was created by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Oncology Center of Excellence to, "increase cancer awareness in one of the most vulnerable segments of the US population." The initiative aims to marshal community-based stakeholders to build knowledge surrounding cancer clinical trial participation and minority population specimen donations to national genomic databases for cancer research. About Racial Health Disparities in CTCL Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma is a rare form of blood cancer that first appears on the skin. It is often mistaken for more common skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, which can delay an accurate diagnosis and treatment by years or even decades. African Americans are twice as likely to develop and present with CTCL compared to those of European or Asian descent. They are often diagnosed with CTCL at an earlier age and with more advanced disease, resulting in a significantly shorter overall survival. In 2020, KKNA established a grant program to identify and fund meaningful projects that can help diminish these disparities. To date, the Company has awarded over $200k dollars to university researchers and patient advocacy organizations in support of, community outreach, and educational programming focused on closing the gap in awareness and understanding of CTCL among African American communities. About Kyowa Kirin Kyowa Kirin strives to create and deliver novel medicines with life-changing value. As a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company with a more than 70-year heritage, the company applies cutting-edge science, including expertise in antibody research and engineering, to address the needs of patients across multiple therapeutic areas such as nephrology, oncology, immunology/allergy and neurology. Across its four regions Japan, Asia Pacific, North America and EMEA/International Kyowa Kirin focuses on its purpose, to make people smile, and is united by its shared values of commitment to life, teamwork, innovation and integrity. Learn more about the Company at www.kyowakirin.com. SOURCE Kyowa Kirin With more than two decades in the banking industry, Jim has vast experience in business and commercial banking including managing business deposits, 1031 exchanges, and corporate escrow. In his new role with Leader Bank, Jim will lead the Bank's Digital Escrow operation, including establishing and building long-term relationships with a robust portfolio of clients. Jim will also provide 1031 qualified intermediary services. "With Jim's addition, Leader Bank's Business and Government Banking team continues to add experience and expertise that will help better serve our business and municipal clients," said Marc Romvos, Senior Vice President of Business and Government Banking at Leader Bank. "We look forward to Jim bolstering our Digital Escrow business." Leader Bank's Digital Escrow is a completely digital solution for funding commercial escrow accounts. This responsive tool is the perfect way to streamline banking processes by eliminating manual paperwork and automating the escrow account funding process. Digital Escrow is the ideal solution for a range of clients including businesses, municipalities, property managers, title companies, real estate offices, unions, and 1031 companies. ABOUT LEADER BANK Founded in 2002, Leader Bank is a Massachusetts-based entrepreneurial financial institution that approaches banking differently. The core tenets of Leader Bank include world-class client service, exemplary products, and innovation to meet the needs of its clients. At its founding, Leader Bank had $6.5 million in assets in the two decades since, the Bank has grown into one of the most successful financial institutions in the Commonwealth with $3.7 billion in assets. Leader Bank's best-in-class team members have been at the forefront of supporting the Bank's rapid growth and client-oriented solutions over the last two decades as the Bank has continued to expand its commercial and retail products and solutions. Leader Bank is a committed corporate citizen and prides itself on partnering with and supporting philanthropic organizations. More information on Leader Bank can be found at www.LeaderBank.com. SOURCE Leader Bank The increasing demand for online learning (e-learning), online courses, online tutors, and technological development in the online learning platform, are some of the factors that will lead the Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market growth. JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Verified Market Research recently published a report, "Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market" By Deployment (Cloud Based, On-Premises), By Delivery Mode (Distance Learning, Instructor-Led), By Provider (Service, Content), By Industry Vertical (Healthcare, Manufacturing), and By Geography. According to Verified Market Research, Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market size was valued at USD 15.1 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 76.18 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19.1% from 2022 to 2030. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample/?rid=10723 Browse in-depth TOC on "Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market" 202 - Pages 126 Tables 37 Figures Global Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market Overview As the need for online learning and e-learning platforms grows, the LMS business is additionally increasing. The rise in the range of scholars admitted to varied prestigious colleges and schools can stimulate the expansion of the business. Increasing demand for personal and versatile reading from short and relevant content will increase market demand. The LMS business acknowledges the necessity for cost-efficient programs that address the information gap for college students. The market is growing due to the rise in government outlays on IoT technology. The prevailing LMS on associate degree IoT devices provides access and quality. Helps educators send and transfer data and information accessible to students in any learning surroundings. Additionally, the necessity for video-based learning, gamification, and cloud-based LMS encourages market growth. LMS sales are expected to increase market growth on an oversized scale. The epidemic has forced businesses to revamp their business ways and focus additional on sturdy network connections to regain client confidence. Manual surveys and feedback assortment module of the standard learning system is obtaining superannuated and cloud-based learning management system answer is taking the charge and their adoption is turning into a key driving factor of the market. Key Developments In March 2022 Cornerstone acquired EdCast. This acquisition will disrupt the edtech market and the customer-centric approach from both the leaders is expected to serve the customers in a better way. Key Players The major players in the market are NetDimensions, Blackboard Inc., Saba Software, Inc., SAP SE, Cornerstone OnDemand Inc., Mcgraw-Hill Education, Inc., Pearson Plc., D2L Corporation, Docebo, PowerSchool, Instructure, SumTotal, LTG, Oracle Corporation, Infor, Adobe and IBM Corporation. Verified Market Research has segmented the Global Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market On the basis of Deployment, Delivery Mode, Provider, Industry Vertical, and Geography. Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market, By Deployment Cloud-Based On-Premises Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market, By Delivery Mode Distance Learning Instructor-Led Blended Mode Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market, By Provider Service Content Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market, By Industry Vertical Government & Education Healthcare Manufacturing Others Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market, by Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa & Latin America Browse Related Reports: Smart Learning Market By Component (Hardware And Software), By End-User (Academic, Enterprises, Government), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Elearning Market By Technology (Learning Management System (LMS), Online e-learning, Mobile e-learning, and Others), By Application (Academic, Corporate, and Government), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Smart Education And Learning Market By Product (Hardware, Software, Services), By Application (Academic, Corporate), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 Online Language Learning Platform Market By Product (English, Chinese, European Language), By Application (Individual Learner, Institutional Learner), By Geography, Forecast, 2021-2028 5 Best Learning Management Systems enhancing knowledge of individuals Visualize Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market using Verified Market Intelligence:-: Verified Market Intelligence is our BI Enabled Platform for narrative storytelling of this market. VMI offers in-depth forecasted trends and accurate Insights on over 20,000+ emerging & niche markets, helping you make critical revenue impacting decisions for a brilliant future. VMI provides a holistic overview and global competitive landscape with respect to Region, Country, and Segment, and Key players of your market. Present your Market Report & findings with an inbuilt presentation feature saving over 70% of your time and resources for Investor, Sales & Marketing, R&D, and Product Development pitches. VMI enables data delivery In Excel and Interactive PDF formats with over 15+ Key Market Indicators for your market. About Us Verified Market Research is a leading Global Research and Consulting firm servicing over 5000+ customers. Verified Market Research provides advanced analytical research solutions while offering information enriched research studies. We offer insight into strategic and growth analyses, Data necessary to achieve corporate goals and critical revenue decisions. Our 250 Analysts and SME's offer a high level of expertise in data collection and governance use industrial techniques to collect and analyze data on more than 15,000 high impact and niche markets. Our analysts are trained to combine modern data collection techniques, superior research methodology, expertise and years of collective experience to produce informative and accurate research. We study 14+ categories from Semiconductor & Electronics, Chemicals, Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Energy & Power, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive & Transportation, Information & Communication Technology, Software & Services, Information Security, Mining, Minerals & Metals, Building & construction, Agriculture industry and Medical Devices from over 100 countries. Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Research US: +1 (650)-781-4080 UK: +44 (753)-715-0008 APAC: +61 (488)-85-9400 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/ Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Verified Market Research MIAMI, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN and LEN.B), one of the nation's largest homebuilders, announced today that the Company will release earnings for the second quarter ended May 31, 2022 before the market opens on June 21, 2022, now that June 20, 2022 is observed as a federal holiday. Additionally, the Company will hold a conference call on June 21, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be broadcast live on the Internet and can be accessed through Lennar's website at investors.lennar.com. If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the call will be archived at investors.lennar.com for 90 days. Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com. Contact: Allison Bober Investor Relations Lennar Corporation (305) 485-2038 SOURCE Lennar Corporation Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metro area, National Cyber Group combines the forces of America's most-known name in foundational IT certification training, Total Seminars, and the disruptive, hands-on cyber training program, CyberNow Labs. These organizations, together with new job placement and staffing solutions provided by National Cyber Group and supported by many of America's cybersecurity leaders, coordinated by Cyberspace Solarium Commission Senior Advisor, Philip Niedermair, offer a unique formula for cybersecurity workforce development, a critical enabler to address America's current 2-million-person cyber talent deficit. Developing the elite corps of #cybersecurity pros to arm our nation against growing threats present in our economy. The investment by GP Capital Partners consisted of senior secured term debt and a direct equity investment. These proceeds, in addition to equity raised by LPFC, funded the acquisition of the two foundational companies and position National Cyber Group to grow and scale the platform over the next few years. In partnership with the founders of Total Seminars and CyberNow Labs, David Moon, a respected cybersecurity executive, is serving as National Cyber Group CEO. "I'm proud to lead this national initiative and to deliver on the promise of providing affordable and accessible opportunities for cybersecurity career-seekers and employers alike," said Moon. "The formation of National Cyber Group is a direct response to the current cyber talent deficit, and is the collective work of mission-motivated, enterprising individuals who love America and have together taken initiative to create a nationally needed capability, that also changes peoples' lives for the better every day, said Gabe Schrade, a Managing Director at LP First Capital. "Closing the cyber talent gap is both a national imperative and a huge business opportunity," said Thomas Ince, a Managing Director at LP First Capital. "We believe National Cyber Group is one of many solutions our country's needs, and we are looking forward to a long-lasting partnership filled with success." Gina Luna, Managing Partner of GP Capital Partners, added, "We are very enthusiastic about this investment in a business that is addressing a dire human capital and cybersecurity issue that impacts thousands of entities across the country. This is a great example of a company that is doing well while doing good." In recognition of their contribution, National Cyber Group extends special appreciation to ADM Bill Studeman, LTG Hernandez, Mr. Dick Schaeffer, MG Jim Keffer, CAPT Ed Devinney, COL Matt Dunlop, LTC John Quigg, COL Jon Brickey, Ms. Judith Emmel, Mr. and Mrs Ron and Cyndi Gula, Mr. Peter Watts, LTC Rick Howard, RADM Mark Montgomery, Mr. Harry Coker, Mr. Mark Loepker, Mr. Shawn Henry and Mr. Simon Hunt. McGuireWoods LLP and Porter Hedges LLP provided legal counsel to LP First Capital and GP Capital Partners. About LP First Capital LP First Capital is a private investment firm with experience creating super-regional and national platforms by leveraging its expertise in mergers & acquisitions, profit center integration, and team building to drive performance. Headquartered in Austin, TX, LP First Capital maintains an active presence in much of the Southeast and Midwest markets as it continues to take interest in building best-in-class businesses within traditionally fragmented industries. Learn more at LPFirstCapital.com. About GP Capital Partners GP Capital Partners is a Houston-based private credit and equity investment firm licensed as a Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC") by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Fund supports growth and later stage small businesses in the lower middle market through flexible capital solutions and strategic guidance. The Fund generally targets companies with at least $10 million of revenue and $2-10 million of EBITDA, with proven business models and seasoned management teams. Founded and managed by four experienced investment professionals with broad regional relationships, GP Capital Partners is committed to partnering with the companies and management teams in which it invests to facilitate growth, transition, and success. Learn more at genesis-park.com. About National Cyber Group Headquartered in the Washington D.C. metro area, National Cyber Group offers cybersecurity workforce development and talent solutions by combining the forces of America's most-known name in foundational IT certification training, Total Seminars, and the most hands-on cyber training program, CyberNow Labs, with new job placement and staffing solutions to attract, train and transmit thousands of career-seekers into entry-and-mid-level jobs as the nation's 'Elite Cybersecurity Corps.' Learn more at NationalCyber.com. About Total Seminars Through over 28 years in business, including over 2 million books in print and over 1 million trained via video courses, Total Seminars is America's most-known name in foundational IT certification training. Founded in 1995 by Dudley Lehmer and Mike Meyers, who saw the need to make IT training more approachable for the masses, Total Seminars is now credited with trail-blazing 'blue-collar' IT training through its best-selling series of books, videos, lab simulations and practice tests focused on the 'Big 3' foundational IT certs (CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+). Learn more at TotalSem.com. About CyberNow Labs CyberNow Labs has solved the technology barrier which confines many industry bootcamps to synthetic, 'project-based' training. Through engineering a fully functional, enterprise grade Security Operations Center (SOC), CyberNow Labs offers a fully online, 20-week training program with a unique hands-on experience that enables students to perform the work of cybersecurity defending live cyber-attacks on live networks using real integrated industry technology. CyberNow Labs was founded in 2018 by Omer Arslan and Hasan Eksi, who each have at least ten years of experience as cybersecurity professionals, saw the need for affordable, accessible, and hands-on cybersecurity training for Security Operation Center Analysts. Learn more at CyberNowLabs.com. Media Contact: Tricia Sacchetti, [email protected] SOURCE National Cyber Group NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the market research report published by P&S Intelligence, in 2021, the global medical radiation detection, monitoring, & safety market was worth around $2,140.8 million, which is predicted to touch $4,373.8 million by 2030, advancing at an 8.3% CAGR from 2021 to 2030. The major factors driving the market include the snowballing cases of cancer, rising geriatric population, surging count of nuclear and radio diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and growing number of diagnostic imaging centers. Market in North America Has Massive Growth Potential The industry in North America has had the biggest market share in recent years, and it is expected to grow at an 8.6% CAGR from 2021 to 2030. The region dominates the market owing to the increasing awareness of the health problems caused by overexposure to radiation and growing incidence of cancer. Similarly, the medical radiation detection, monitoring, & safety market is being propelled by the increasing radiation safety awareness and rising number of radio diagnostic procedures. Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/medical-radiation-detection-monitoring-safety-market/report-sample Hospitals Category Leads Market The hospitals category accounted for a roughly 70% share of the medical radiation detection, monitoring, & safety market in 2021. This was due to the ever-increasing demand for medical radiation therapy and diagnosis, both conventional and nuclear. Radiation-based procedures can be performed in hospitals with ease due to the availability of the necessary equipment and experienced professionals. Furthermore, the count of outpatients and inpatients in hospitals is steadily increasing, and this trend will accelerate in the future. Market for Detectors Is Expected To Expand Rapidly The detectors category generated the highest revenue in the medical radiation detection, monitoring, & safety market, of $427.0 million, in 2021. The demand for medical radiation detection is growing as the number of radiography operations increases and medical staff becomes more aware of the necessity of radiation safety. Cancer patients often need radiation therapy, which requires the use of detectors to ascertain the dosage being given. Full-Body Protection Category Held Significant Share of Market In 2021, the full-body protection category accounted for over half the medical radiation detection, monitoring, & safety market share. The growing number of radiological operations and rising awareness of the hazards of radiation overexposure among radiologists, physicians, and patients can be credited for this category's large share. Likewise, the apron market is being pushed by a growth in the number of skilled radiology technicians, increase in safety awareness, and surge in the usage of radiation treatment as a result of the increase in cancer incidence. Browse detailed report on Global Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring, & Safety Market Size, Share, and Demand Forecast Report, 2030 Radiation Therapy and Nuclear Medicine Used for Better Diagnosis and Treatment As a consequence of the advancements in radio pharmacy, information technology, and instrumentation, nuclear medicine has evolved significantly in the last decade. The increasing application of nuclear medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases, has raised the demand for solutions to detect and monitor monitoring medical radiation and protect patients and doctors from an overdose. Medical Radiation Detection, Monitoring, & Safety Market Segmentation Analysis By Product Type Radiation Detection & Monitoring Products Personal dosimeters Active dosimeters Passive dosimeters Area process monitors Environment radiation monitors Surface contamination monitors Radioactive material monitors Detectors Safety Products Full-body protection Barriers and shields Aprons Face Protection Eye wear Face masks Hand Safety Gloves Attenuating sleeves By End User Hospitals Radiation therapy Radiology Dentistry Nuclear medicine Emergency care Non-Hospitals Imaging centers Radiation therapy and cancer centers Dental clinics Orthopedic facilities Regional Outlook North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Spain Italy Asia-Pacific China Japan India Australia South Korea Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Middle East and Africa and Saudi Arabia South Africa Browse Other Reports Published by P&S Global Radiation Dose Management Market Growth and Future Analysis Global Spinal X-Ray and CT Market Growth and Future Analysis Global Dental X-Ray Market Growth and Future Analysis About P&S Intelligence P&S Intelligence provides market research and consulting services to a vast array of industries across the world. As an enterprising research and consulting company, P&S believes in providing thorough insights on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. P&S keeps the interest of its clients at heart, which is why the insights we provide are both honest and accurate. Our long list of satisfied clients includes entry-level firms as well as multi-million-dollar businesses and government agencies. Contact: Prajneesh Kumar P&S Intelligence Phone: +1-347-960-6455 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE P&S Intelligence KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meysan Partners served as sole transaction counsel in the $3 billion offering of Ali Alghanim Sons Automotive Company KSCP ("AAG"), a major family-owned automotive retailer and the largest player in the premium automotive retail industry in the State of Kuwait. The listingwhich represented the region's first-ever family business offeringwas 11 times oversubscribed. Established in 1986, Ali Alghanim and Sons Automotive Company is a pioneer in the automotive sector and has grown to become home to some of the world's most luxurious automotive brands in Kuwait. Its facility extends over 22,000 square meters of land, and it operates one of the largest showrooms in the world. Meysan Partners' adviceas sole transaction counselin connection with this landmark and complex transaction included the structuring of the business and the offering, the preparation of all documentation, and the procurement of all regulatory filings through closing of the offering and listing on Boursa Kuwait's premier market. Dr. Abdulwahab Abdullatif Sadeq, Counsel at Meysan Partners said: "This one of a kind offering and the successful entering of a family-owned automotive retailer into the market at this time is a key milestone for both AAG and family businesses hoping to participate in the local capital markets in the State of Kuwait. AAG's offering represents an excellent precedent in the growth of the Kuwaiti market and economy. We are honored to have worked with AAG's shareholders and management, as well as the global coordinator and bookrunners who worked hard with us on this paramount transaction." Partner and head of capital markets practice at Meysan Partners, Tarek Yahya, also commented: "We are pleased to have advised AAG on this remarkable transaction at a time when Boursa Kuwait regulations and the capital markets regulations have been upgraded for the better of the market. This transaction is another reflection of the strengths and capabilities of Kuwait's capital markets, and we are happy to have been part of this outstanding achievement." Capital Markets Partner, Tarek Yehya, and Counsel, Dr. Abdulwahab Abdullatif Sadeq, co-led the transaction with the support of capital market team. SOURCE Meysan Partners Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc. announced the completion of an oversubscribed and up-sized $118 million Series B financing Tweet this The round was led by RA Capital Management and Andera Partners. Additional new investors included RTW Investments, Rock Springs Capital, SR One Capital Management, Sectoral Asset Management, Ysios Capital, HealthCor Management and Boulder Ventures. Existing investors, including founding investment firm Catalys Pacific, Samsara BioCapital, HBM Healthcare Investments and Adams Street Partners also participated. As part of the Series B financing, Olivier Litzka, PhD, Partner, Andera Partners and Derek DiRocco, Partner, RA Capital Management will join the Mineralys Board of Directors. "MLS-101 has the potential to be a paradigm-shifting treatment by normalizing plasma aldosterone levels, selectively, without the untoward effects of blocking the mineralocorticoid receptor. This financing will allow us to further our clinical program to unlock the value of MLS-101," said Jon Congleton, Chief Executive Officer, Mineralys. "We are pleased to be joined by a strong, international group of investors who share our vision of creating a targeted approach to address the growing epidemic of abnormal aldosterone overproduction that is linked to uncontrolled hypertension and related cardiorenal disorders." "We are excited to have co-led this financing with Andera partners and look forward to helping Mineralys progress on the promise of MLS-101 for the treatment of hypertension," said Derek DiRocco, Partner, RA Capital Management. "RA Capital shares Mineralys' commitment and belief in the need to bring important new treatments to address the burden and impact of hypertension." "Hypertension remains the leading cause of heart and kidney disease, but little innovation has been made for over a decade. The work being done by Mineralys addresses an unmet need as more than half of the current patients have uncontrolled blood pressure," said Olivier Litzka, PhD, Partner, Andera Partners. "We are pleased to support Mineralys' experienced team as they work to bring a targeted treatment for the millions of hypertension patients failing to achieve their goal blood pressure." "We are delighted to have both Olivier and Derek join as new members of the Mineralys Board of Directors," said BT Slingsby MD, PhD, MPH, Founder & Executive Chairman of Mineralys. "Mineralys was created to transform the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension by targeting one its underlying causes, aldosterone, impacting millions of patients. We look forward to working with our new investors and Board members to advance the MLS-101 development program." About MLS-101 MLS-101 is a highly selective and potent aldosterone synthase inhibitor, licensed from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, that is being investigated for the treatment of hypertension. MLS-101 significantly reduces plasma aldosterone levels by selectively inhibiting the CYP11B2 pathway responsible for synthesis of aldosterone, without the untoward effects of blocking the mineralocorticoid receptor. MLS-101 has demonstrated excellent selectivity for the synthesis of aldosterone without effecting other hormones like cortisol. MLS-101 selectivity holds the potential for targeted treatment of blood pressure in hypertension patients with elevated aldosterone production, an underlying cause of hypertension prevalent in at least 25 percent of all hypertensive patients. MLS-101 has been studied in healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 program that validated the aldosterone reducing effects of MLS-101 and demonstrated a safe and tolerable clinical profile. MLS-101 is currently being investigated in uncontrolled hypertension in a Phase 2, proof-of-concept study. The benefit of MLS-101 may extend beyond hypertension into end-stage renal disease, cardiac heart failure and cardiac mortality. About Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, Mineralys Therapeutics, Inc. is a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, founded by Catalys Pacific, and is committed to developing best-in-class, novel therapy for the treatment of hypertension. The Company is driven to bring a targeted approach to the management of hypertension via the development of MLS-101. MLS-101, licensed from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, is a highly selective and potent aldosterone synthase inhibitor that is being investigated for the treatment of hypertension. For more information, please visit https://mineralystx.com/. About RA Capital RA Capital Management is a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to company formation and evidence-based investing in healthcare and life science companies developing drugs, medical devices, diagnostics, services and research tools. The firm's portfolio of private and public companies spans the globe and most therapeutic areas across all stages from discovery through commercialization. RA is committed to fostering diversity internally, in its portfolio companies, and in the broader biotech community. For further information, please visit www.racap.com. About Andera Partners Created over 20 years ago, Andera Partners is a major player in private company investments in France and internationally. Its teams manage over 3.2 billion in investments in life sciences (Andera Life Sciences), growth and buyout capital (Andera MidCap, Andera Expansion, Andera Croissance, Andera Co-Invest), sponsor-less transactions (Andera Acto) and ecological transition (Andera Infra). Based in Paris, with offices in Antwerp and Munich, Andera Partners is wholly owned by its teams, which count about 90 professionals. It is structured as a partnership and managed by a board of 10 partners. Andera's 15-person life sciences team brings together extensive experience in the life sciences industry, private equity and venture capital. Active since 2000, the team has raised over 1.1 billion through its BioDiscovery family of funds and is currently investing from its new BioDiscovery 6 fund. Since inception, the team has invested in more than 75 European and U.S. biotech and medtech companies. For further information, please visit www.anderapartners.com. Contact: Melyssa Weible Elixir Health Public Relations Phone: (1) 201-723-5805 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Mineralys Therapeutics Learn about crucial advisory and intelligence that can assist buyers in identifying and shortlisting the most suitable suppliers for their dairy product requirements. Some of the leading Mining Equipment suppliers profiled extensively in this report are Komatsu, Epiroc, and Sandvik. Request a FREE sample report to access more information on other key market vendors and vendor analysis. Mining Equipment Procurement: Pricing Insights It is crucial to keep track of current and future Mining Equipment price trends to completely optimize the value of the purchase, both from current cash outflow as well as overall cost and benefit perspective. Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by constant monitoring of price influencing factors described in the report. Pricing insights presented in this report cover pricing benchmarks and the trends and strategies that can help optimize cost savings. Request for a FREE sample to access the definite purchasing guide on the Mining Equipment that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Mining Equipment 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? Mining Equipment Sourcing and Procurement Market Report Key Details: Report Specs Details Spend growth (CAGR) 5.37% Incremental spend USD 32.89 Billion Pricing models Volume-based pricing model, Value-based pricing model, and Lease-based pricing model Supplier selection scope Compatibility of equipment with site conditions, Warranties, Regulatory approvals, and Safety features of the equipment Market dynamics Regional category spend in terms of percentage with respect to North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa and APAC and global category spend and CAGR in terms of percentage over a span of 5 years. Download a free sample of this report now: https://spendedge.com/mining-equipment-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report What are the Key Data Covered in this Mining Equipment Sourcing and Procurement Market Report? Detailed insights and analysis of the major cost drivers, volume drivers, and innovations of the Mining Equipment procurement and sourcing market. Precise estimation of procurement strategies deployed by major category end-users across several industries while sourcing for Mining Equipment requirements. Accurate predictions on upcoming trends and changes in vendor behavior. Analysis into various supplier selection criteria, RFX questions, supplier evaluation metrics, and the service level agreements. Insight into the most adopted procurement strategies by buyers across industries and an analysis of these strategies with respect to innovation, regulatory compliance, quality, supply, and cost. Comprehensive details about each pricing model and the pros and cons attached to every pricing model prevalent in the market. Best Selling Report: Printing Ink Sourcing and Procurement Report : This report offers detailed insights and analysis of the major cost drivers, volume drivers, and innovations of the printing ink procurement and sourcing market, which the global suppliers have been leveraging to gain a competitive edge across regions. Read More This report offers detailed insights and analysis of the major cost drivers, volume drivers, and innovations of the printing ink procurement and sourcing market, which the global suppliers have been leveraging to gain a competitive edge across regions. Read More Industrial Gases Market Top Spending Regions and Market Price Trends: 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. Know More 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 Iszavier Moe, a first-generation college student, just finished his second year at Augsburg University. He said the scholarship will help cover the increased lab and book costs. Moe said he learned about Havenpark's scholarship program from his grandmother, who lives in the same neighborhood. He received support from his grandmother and parents who encouraged him to complete his application. "College has always been something where my parents said you need to go to college to set yourself up for success," Moe said. "My parents would always say they want me to go to college for a career, not a job." Moe, who has always been interested in the medical field, is majoring in biology with a minor psychology at Augsburg University. "Being there, I love the biology faculty. The biology faculty are amazing. They all know my name," said Moe. Iszavier participated in programs in high school that furthered his interest in higher education including the National Honor Society and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) while taking advanced placement (AP) courses. His future plans are to pursue a master's degree in genetic counseling while simultaneously working on a PhD in molecular genetics. The ultimate goal for Iszavier is to be a pre-natal or pediatric genetic counselor. Iszavier secured a summer research job this year where he will study bacterial genomes. "Seeing the impact of our Education Success Program on residents is incredibly rewarding," said Ramie Rajabi, President of Havenpark Communities. "Iszavier is extremely eager about achieving his goals, and with his dedication and passion, he has an extremely bright future ahead of him." The 2022 competitive scholarship application period ran from December 15, 2021, to January 31, 2022, with about half of the applicants rewarded with scholarships. To be eligible for consideration, applicants needed to have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above, be either a current resident of a Havenpark community or have a parent/guardian who is a resident and must plan to enroll or continue enrollment in full-time or part-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in the United States for the entire 2022-2023 academic year. Awards may transfer from a two-year institution to a four-year intuition and vice versa. About Havenpark Havenpark Communities is an operator and developer of manufactured home communities and makes caring communities attainable for responsible residents across America. Since 2017, Havenpark has sourced and installed over 4,000 new factory-built homes, providing quality, affordable living to over 10,000 Americans across the country. Earlier this year, Havenpark Communities announced it has committed to adding an additional 1,000 new affordable homes across the country, including in Minnesota in the coming year. Havenpark Communities believes in respectful and professional management, well-maintained communities, and attainable homeownership. Havenpark Communities makes long-term investments in its communities, providing enduring value for current and future residents. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jenny Werwa [email protected] SOURCE Havenpark Communities VANCOUVER, BC, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Montage Gold Corp. ("Montage" or the "Company") (TSXV: MAU) (OTCPK: MAUTF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") and a subsidiary of Endeavour Mining plc ("Endeavour"), pursuant to which Montage will acquire a 100% interest (the "Transaction") in the Mankono-Sissedougou Joint Venture Project (as described below, and referred to as "Mankono"), which consists of three properties contiguous to the Company's Kone Gold Project ("KGP") in Cote d'Ivoire. Under the terms of the Agreement, Montage will acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Mankono Exploration Limited (a Jersey Company) ("MEL"), which indirectly holds Mankono, for total consideration of C$30,000,000 comprised of C$14,500,000 in cash, 22,142,857 common shares of Montage, and the granting of a 2% NSR royalty (allocated 70% to Barrick and 30% to Endeavour based on their relative ownership interest in MEL). Closing of the Transaction is subject to, among other things, the granting by the government of Cote d'Ivoire of the Gbongogo Exploration Permit which is currently an exploration permit application which has been submitted by a subsidiary of MEL (see Figure 1). Closing of the Transaction is expected to occur within six months of this announcement. HIGHLIGHTS Mankono property package adds 893km2 to the Kone Gold Project Consolidates land position to 2,259km 2 of contiguous ground of contiguous ground All areas within haulage distance of proposed Kone mill location US$20M in historic exploration spend with extensive database in historic exploration spend with extensive database Over 65km of soil anomalies defined Exploration of Mankono will target high-grade satellite potential Montage welcomes Barrick and Endeavour as new shareholders Barrick and Endeavour to own 9.93% and 4.26% of Montage, respectively, post-closing to own 9.93% and 4.26% of Montage, respectively, post-closing Transaction cash consideration to be funded via C$20 million bought deal private placement of subscription receipts Hugh Stuart, Montage CEO, commented, "This is an important step for Montage, with the addition of Mankono, our consolidated land position at the Kone Gold Project will increase to over 2,250km2 in one of the most prolific gold belts in West Africa. Previous exploration at Mankono has identified a number of target areas and Montage intends to explore these targets aggressively with the objective of adding high grade satellite feed into the KGP". DETAILS Transaction and Financing Overview Montage has signed a definitive share purchase agreement (the "Agreement") with Barrick and Endeavour pursuant to which Montage will acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of MEL in exchange for total consideration (the "Consideration") of C$30,000,000, consisting of C$14,500,000 in cash and 22,142,857 common shares of Montage (priced at C$0.70 per common share), plus a 2% NSR royalty. The Consideration will be split pro-rata on a 70/30 basis between Barrick and Endeavour. Closing of the Transaction is subject to, among other things, the award of the Gbongogo Exploration Permit, which is currently in application (see Figure 1). The application has passed the inter-ministerial subcommittee process and the Transaction is expected to close as soon as the permit is formally awarded. The Agreement provides for an outside closing date of December 7, 2022, unless otherwise extended by the parties. The Company has entered into an agreement with Stifel GMP on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal private placement basis, approximately 28.6 million subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts") priced at C$0.70 per Subscription Receipt, for gross proceeds of approximately C$20.0 million (the "Financing"). The Financing is expected to close on July 7, 2022. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Financing to pay the cash portion of the consideration payable pursuant to the Transaction and to fund the business plan of the Company in respect of the acquired properties following closing of the Transaction. Each Subscription Receipt shall be deemed to be exchanged, without payment of any additional consideration, into one common share of the Company upon the satisfaction of certain conditions, which includes the closing of the Transaction (the "Release Conditions"). The gross proceeds from the sale of the Subscription Receipts less 25% of the Underwriters' fee will be deposited and held in escrow by Endeavour Trust Company, as subscription receipt and escrow agent, pending the satisfaction or waiver of the Release Conditions. If the Release Conditions are not satisfied or waived prior to December 7, 2022 (the "Termination Date"), the escrowed proceeds will be returned to the holders of Subscription Receipts, and the Subscription Receipts will be cancelled and have no further force and effect. The gross offering price of the Subscription Receipts will accrue interest for the benefit of the Subscription Receipt holders as follows: 10.0% per annum, payable in cash (the "Cash Interest") on the earlier of (i) the satisfaction of the Release Conditions; and (ii) the Termination Date; and 6.0% per annum, payable in common shares (the "Interest Shares") to be issued at the then current "Market Price" (as defined in the TSXV Corporate Finance Manual), on the two month anniversary of the closing of Financing and on each subsequent two month anniversary of the prior Interest Shares payment date (each such two month period, a "Bi-Monthly Period") until the earlier of (i) the satisfaction of the Release Conditions; and (ii) the Termination Date; provided that no such interest shall accrue, and no Interest Shares will be issuable for any partial Bi-Monthly Period. The Subscription Receipts will not be listed on any stock exchange, though the Company has applied to list the common shares issuable upon exchange of the Subscription Receipts and the Interest Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange, which application remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The 2% NSR royalty (the "Royalty") will apply only to the permits and applications that currently comprise Mankono (see Figure 1) and will be subject to a 1% buyback at the option of Montage for a period of two years for a price of US$10 million. The Royalty will be documented under two separate agreements, whereby Barrick will receive a 1.4% royalty and Endeavour a 0.6% royalty, reflecting their respective pro rata entitlements. Upon completion of the Transaction (and assuming the exchange of Subscription Receipts for common shares), Montage will issue a total of 50,714,286 common shares and will have a pro forma share count of 156,054,290 issued and outstanding common shares. Insiders of the Company are expected to participate in the Financing. Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Financing constitutes a "related party transaction" to the extent that insiders of the Company subscribe for Subscription Receipts. The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101, specifically: (i) the valuation requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.5(b), as the common shares are not listed on a market specified in MI 61-101, and (ii) the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61- 101, as the fair market value of the Subscription Receipts and the Escrow Interest being issued and paid to insiders will not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101). The Financing was approved by all of the independent directors of the Company. The securities issued pursuant to the Financing and the Transaction are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws commencing on the closing date of the Financing or the Transaction, as applicable. Overview of Mankono-Sissedougou Joint Venture Project Mankono consists of the Sissedougou Exploration Permit (PR842, 387km2) issued in 2019, the Gbongogo permit application and the Sisseple permit application (400km2 and 106km2 respectively), all lying within the perimeter of Montage's Kone Gold Project as shown in Figure 1. Taken together with Montage's existing land holdings they form a contiguous block of 1,295km2 in Exploration Permits and a further 964km2 in exploration permit applications for a total of 2,259km2. The Gbongogo permit application area has been explored by Randgold (Barrick) since 2013 and the Sissedougou and Sisseple areas by Endeavour and previously La Mancha Resources since 2010. The Mankono Joint Venture was as formed in 2017 and exploration has been managed by Barrick since that time, with Barrick owning 70% of MEL as operator and Endeavour owning 30%. Figure 1: Property Map including KGP and Mankono The database of the historic work includes over 36,000 soil samples, 15,500m of trenching and 31,000m of air core drilling. Notably only 6,000m of Reverse circulation ("RC") drilling and 8,560m of diamond core drilling has been completed most of which is on the Gbongogo prospect. Historic exploration spending on the combined land package by all parties is approximately US$20 million. Further details of the historic database will be released by the Company once all validation steps are taken and ownership of the data transfers to Montage at Closing. Figure 2 shows the extensive soil anomalism on the Mankono land package, which totals over 65km in linear strike length including multiple anomalies grading over 100ppb in large areas. Montage intends to explore these target areas aggressively following Closing. Details of planned drilling and other exploration activities will be disclosed by the Company at Closing. Figure 2: Property Map with Soil Anomalies and Target Areas ABOUT MONTAGE GOLD CORP. Montage is a Canadian-based precious metals exploration and development company focused on opportunities in Cote d'Ivoire. The Company's flagship property is the Kone Gold Project, located in northwest Cote d'Ivoire, which currently hosts a Probable Mineral Reserve of 161.1Mt grading 0.66g/t for 3.42M ounces of gold. The Company released the results of a definitive feasibility study (the "DFS") on the Kone Gold Project on February 14, 2022, outlining a 15-year gold project producing 3.06M ounces of gold with average annual production of 207koz, and peak production of 320koz. Montage has a management team and Board with significant experience in discovering and developing gold deposits in Africa. TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE The mineral reserve estimate for the Kone Gold Project was carried out by Ms. Joeline McGrath of Carci Mining Consultants Ltd. who is considered to be independent of Montage. Ms. McGrath is a member in good standing of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the work which she is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43101 ("NI 43-101"). The DFS was prepared by Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd. and incorporates the work of Lycopodium and Specialist Consultants, under the supervision of Sandy Hunter, MAusIMM(CP), of Lycopodium, a Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101 who is independent of Montage. For further details of the data verification undertaken, exploration undertaken and associated QA/QC programs, and the interpretation thereof, and the assumptions, parameters and methods used to develop the mineral reserve estimate for the Kone Gold Project, please see the DFS, entitled "Kone Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire Definitive Feasibility Study National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report" and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are encouraged to read the DFS in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions that relate to the details summarized in this news release. The DFS is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context. The technical contents of this press release have been approved by Hugh Stuart, BSc, MSc, a Qualified Person pursuant to NI 43-101. Mr. Stuart is the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, a Chartered Geologist and a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. Mr. Stuart is not independent of Montage as he is an officer, director and shareholder of Montage. 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 press release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "Forward-looking Statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute Forward-looking Statements. Words such as "will", "intends", "proposed" and "expects" or similar expressions are intended to identify Forward-looking Statements. Forward looking Statements in this press release include statements related to the timing of closing of the Transaction, the terms and conditions of the Financing, the Company's resource properties and resource estimates, and the Company's plans, focus and objectives. Forward-looking Statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions, including those set out in the DFS. 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 uncertainties related to fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices, uncertainties inherent in the exploration of mineral properties, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other risk factors set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed from time to time on SEDAR. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Montage 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 Forward-looking Statement. Any Forward-looking Statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. SOURCE Montage Gold Corp WASHINGTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy will travel to Noordwijk, Netherlands, to participate in the ESA (European Space Agency) Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 15. The event will be livestreamed at: https://esawebtv.esa.int ESA is one of NASA's key partners in science and exploration. Nelson and Melroy will address the heads of delegation from the 22 agencies that comprise ESA and advocate for continued, robust funding for NASA-ESA collaboration for the next three to five years, including for Artemis, Mars Sample Return, and Earth science missions. At the ESA Council, NASA and ESA will also sign two agreements: a strategic partnership in Earth science and a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies on the Lunar Pathfinder mission. Following their presentation to the ESA Council, Nelson, Melroy, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, and ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration David Parker will be available to meet with media, both in person and virtually, at 12:40 p.m. CEST (6:40 a.m. EDT). Media should RSVP by Friday, June 10, at: https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form SOURCE NASA The inclusion training will be developed in partnership with HospitableMe and will be available to any bar or restaurant free of charge. FORT COLLINS, Colo., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, New Belgium announced the next phase of its ongoing commitment to uplift and support communities often left out of the craft beer community with the Poured for All Initiative a year-round investment to provide pathways for more spaces, including bars and restaurants that serve New Belgium beer, to become more welcoming and inclusive for all. In partnership with DEI training provider HospitableMe , New Belgium is developing a completely free, first-of-its-kind inclusivity training with the goal of building more inclusive and welcoming environments in thousands of bars and restaurants, including those that serve beers from New Belgium and Bell's Brewery (which recently combined with New Belgium). This includes New Belgium and Bell's own taproom coworkers, who will receive the training as soon as it's ready. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated an already alarming decline in welcoming spaces for marginalized groups for example, the rapid decline in LGBTQ+ bars. In the 1980s there were an estimated 200 lesbian bars, but that number is now down to 15, per NBC and other news sources . With its Poured for All Initiative, New Belgium and HospitableMe will develop and promote a custom training that empowers hospitality staff to better understand and exhibit inclusive behaviors that foster a truly welcoming space for all identities, including people with LGBTQ+, BIPOC and intersectional identities who are currently underrepresented in craft beer spaces and elsewhere. "For more than 30 years, New Belgium has invested deeply in coworker and community wellbeing, seeking to be intentional about hearing our most underrepresented perspectives. In that spirit, we've approached beer with the commitment to be 'brewed for all,'" said Courtney Simmons, New Belgium Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. "But we have work to do in scrutinizing whether all the spaces we drink beer are truly welcoming for members of marginalized groups. This initiative is about putting our resources to work in fostering more welcoming bars and restaurants across the country with the lowest possible barriers to access." The training, which complements existing bystander intervention training from organizations like Safe Bars and will be available for free on Hospitable Me's seamless digital platform, will combine simple but critical lessons with personal stories to enable any bar or restaurant staff member to better understand experiences of their underrepresented patrons and to help foster a truly welcoming and inclusive experience for people of all backgrounds and identities. Once the training is released in the coming months, establishments that train their entire staff will receive a digital certificate and optional window cling to help promote their commitment to inclusivity. "We're excited to partner with New Belgium Brewing, a craft beer pioneer and leader in inclusivity to create this groundbreaking training. As a leading global provider of strategy and education for inclusive hospitality, HospitableMe looks for projects that have a tangible impact on LGBTQ+ and other historically excluded communities. Because this training will be accessible to all companies at no cost, it will have positive impacts reaching far beyond just New Belgium's walls as we seek to make bars and restaurants more inclusive and welcoming for people everywhere," said Billy Kolber, CEO and Co-founder of HospitableMe. In addition to the Poured for All Initiative, New Belgium is re-releasing its Biere de Queer purple ale, with all proceeds benefitting local LGBTQ+ organizations in our home communities including Blue Ridge Pride in Asheville, NoCo Equality in Fort Collins, and Frameline in San Francisco. New Belgium is also raising awareness on how to be a good LGBTQ+ ally and conscious consumer during Pride and all year long with the New Belgium Guide to Rainbow Washing. For every social media share the guide receives, New Belgium will donate $1 (up to $50,000) to the Equality Federation , an advocacy accelerator rooted in social justice, building power in its network of state-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations combating anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. "As a longtime DEI practitioner in the brewing and hospitality industries, I know how critical it is to create and maintain welcoming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate and have a beer during Pride and beyond," said Dr. J Jackson-Beckham, President of the Board of Safe Bars and Equity & Inclusion Partner for the Brewers Association . "New Belgium's training will be a great complement to the bystander intervention work we do at Safe Bars. I'm thrilled to see New Belgium continue to lead the craft industry by example." "We're proud of Asheville's strong culture of inclusivity toward residents and visitors alike, and New Belgium has consistently shown us they share these values through their presence in our community," said Kit Cramer, President and CEO, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. "But we also share a constant drive to do better, and New Belgium's training will be a hugely helpful asset to bars and restaurants across North Carolina and the entire country. Asheville will be more welcoming, and our local businesses stronger and more inclusive, because of New Belgium's investment." New Belgium has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ communities for more than 30 years, and was proud to be the first craft brewer to receive a perfect score of 100 on HRC's Corporate Equality Index and the first craft brewer to be recognized on HRC's Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. With a commitment to continuously learn, grow, and improve, the company recently expanded its DEI leadership by hiring DEI Director Courtney Simmons , who brings deep experience in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, to lead this work across New Belgium and Bell's. Diversity, equity and inclusion practices play a central role in New Belgium's Human Powered Business model, based on the idea that deep and consistent investments for the benefit of coworkers and communities produces better business results in the long term. The training will be available beginning in the Fall of 2022, and businesses interested in participating can click here to pledge to join the Poured for All Initiative . SOURCE New Belgium Brewing Baesler announced the state's collaboration with ClassLink at the opening of IgniteND , a three-day conference at Bismarck State College that focused on computer science and cybersecurity instruction in North Dakota's K-12 schools. The state's ongoing project with ClassLink originated at the Department of Public Instruction and EduTech, a part of the state Information Technology Department. "ClassLink will make it easier, faster, and more secure for students and their families to use classroom technology. This means less stress and wasted time in the classroom, and at home, for students, teachers, and parents." - Kristen Baesler, North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction As data breaches increase at an alarming rate across the country, North Dakota's collaboration with ClassLink will provide better protection against school data breaches, thanks to security features that include Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) options. As Baesler explains, "In an age of online learning, protecting our children includes protecting their data." In addition to its single sign-on product, ClassLink has two identity management tools to improve how school administrators create and manage student and staff accounts. Administrators may also use ClassLink's Analytics product to determine which learning tools are popular with students. Usage data for all learning tools can be viewed at multiple levels, by class, grade, building, and even the individual student. "It doesn't make sense to spend six figures on a software package if students aren't using it," explains Baesler. "This system lets students, teachers, administrators, and families vote with their clicks. It helps us to be better stewards of our school technology dollars." Across the state, several school districts, such as Dickinson, Williston, and Jamestown, are already using ClassLink to strengthen cybersecurity, improve access, and understand the usage of their digital learning resources. Courtney Voorheis, Director of Data Security for Williston District, explains, "This is a one-stop-shop for all of the bookmarks a student needs." Before her district started using the ClassLink Suite, managing and resetting students' various user IDs and passwords was a frequent nuisance for everyone. "We're thrilled to bring ClassLink to the students, educators, and families of North Dakota. This partnership allows us to continue our critical mission of empowering educators and learners with digital tools and resources that improve learning for all." - Berj Akian, Founder & CEO, ClassLink Feedback to the announcement at the IgniteND conference was overwhelmingly positive. Instructional Technology leaders were pleased to hear about the ClassLink project and the partnership between the Department of Public Instruction and EduTech. In addition, school districts already using ClassLink shared their successful experiences with the solution, while others expressed interest in being among the first group of new schools to go live this Fall. About ClassLink ClassLink is a global education provider of access and analytics products that create more time for learning and help schools better understand digital engagement. As leading advocates for open data standards, we offer instant access to apps and files with single sign-on, streamline class rostering, automate account provisioning, and provide actionable analytics. ClassLink empowers 17 million students and staff in over 2,200 school systems. Visit classlink.com to learn more. About North Dakota Department of Public Instruction The North Dakota State Superintendent of Public Instruction works to transform education in North Dakota by fostering a culture of success. She drafts and communicates state education policy and provides advice and assistance for school districts in interpreting and complying with state and federal laws and regulations that affect public education. Related Links www.classlink.com SOURCE ClassLink New 65+ Primary Care Clinics Continuing to Raise The Standard For Healthcare in North Florida TAMPA, Fla., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- VIPcare, a patient-focused primary care network based in Florida, is excited to be teaming up with Greyson Thomas, M.D. for Better Health with the opening of two new VIPcare primary care clinics located in Ocala and Fort McCoy. Dr. Thomas, previously of Thomas Internal Medicine, will be the primary care physician at VIPcare's newest locations. He is board-certified in internal medicine and brings extensive clinical experience in providing care to the residents of Ocala and Fort McCoy. VIPcare is excited to be partnering with Dr. Thomas, and together they look forward to transforming primary care and offering quality healthcare to Medicare beneficiaries. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community health resulting in a national epidemic of delayed health screenings and worsened chronic conditions, VIPcare has adapted to the risks and has remained committed to delivering the first line of care in communities. In addition, they have successfully and safely maintained continuity of care to their patients with both preventive and routine care. "It is with great excitement and positivity that I embark on a new journey in my medical career by joining VIPCare," Dr. Thomas said. "The resources and support that VIPCare can offer will allow me to improve the timeliness and quality of care that my staff and I can provide to the people of Marion County. I look forward to creating personal relationships with new patients while fostering existing relationships with current patients as we strive to achieve our goal of Better Health for all!" VIPcare uses a model that puts quality time spent between a doctor and patient at the forefront. By spending more time with the physician, VIPcare believes patients will get more thorough diagnoses and treatments, leading to a better quality of life and less time spent in the hospital. Unlike other healthcare providers, VIPcare encourages patients to see their physicians often where highly specialized care is created just for them and their specific needs. In efforts to guide patients to Better Health, VIPcare helps to eliminate potential health care burdens by offering services including same-day appointments, transportation assistance to and from clinics, and virtual visits when needed. VIPcare physicians are dedicated to always doing what needs to be done to provide a better experience and the highest quality of care to their patients. They believe in quality, not quantity. VIPcare primary care physicians walk side-by-side with their patients, providing them with access to comprehensive health care services, which allows them to take a proactive role in their health care journey. The new VIPcare clinics, located at 1111 NE 25th Ave., Ste. 301, Ocala, FL 34470 and 15035 NE Hwy 315, Fort McCoy, FL 32134, are now accepting patients who receive Medicare Advantage plan benefits. Those interested in scheduling an appointment at either clinic can call 352-290-2506 or visit www.getvipcare.com to learn more. About VIPcare Serving communities for more than 15 years, VIPcare operates over 40 clinics throughout Florida. With 65+ providers, VIPcare cares for more than 23,000 Medicare Advantage beneficiaries utilizing a high-touch population health management approach that prioritizes spending quality time with the physician. By focusing on a senior care model and increasing access to high-quality care, VIPcare's model is at the forefront of the future of healthcare, as opposed to the current system the healthcare organization refers to as "sick care." VIPcare patients are encouraged to see the doctor often instead of only when they are sick, contributing to their success towards patient outcomes. SOURCE VIPcare Group aims to achieve overall targets with green investment and credit of RMB400 billion by 2025 HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ESG is key to long-term stability and prosperity for customers of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEx:2318; SSE:601318), says Benjamin Deng, Chief Investment Officer. "Ping An as the wealth keeper of clients' long-term income for retirement and wealth succession, we have to consider stability, prosperity, predictability and act 100% on their benefits and interests," Mr. Deng told the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) China conference last month. Ping An's focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices in its business strategy is to enable the Group to prosper and support over 200 million retail customers and society as a whole, Mr. Deng said. The Group is driving initiatives to support a clean environment, social welfare and corporate governance. As a long-term institutional investor, Ping An is focused on investing in sustainable stocks or bonds for predictable and stable income. The Group does not want to invest in companies with rapid changes in governance and loose regulations, so governance is at the core of Ping An's research, he said. Ping An has set a target of green investment and credit of RMB400 billion by 2025. As of 31 December 2021, the Group's green investment and financing was nearly RMB224.58 billion. In total, its overall responsible investment and financing was nearly RMB1.22 trillion, including inclusive investment and financing of nearly RMB68.5 billion, and social investment and financing of nearly RMB 926.9 billion. Ping An's green investment includes green buildings, roads with green license and clean energy projects. Alternative energy is a significant investment opportunity, Mr. Deng said, noting current pressures on the world's energy supply chain. He expects the scale of supply and demand of alternative energies will grow exponentially in the next decade. Mr. Deng pointed out that Ping An is working both internally and externally to support net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets. The Group aims to achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2030 and focuses on ESG investing and insurance. To support responsible investing more widely in China, Ping An also participated in drafting China's first ESG disclosure standard, the "Guidance for Enterprise ESG Disclosure", which took effect on 1 June. "We hope we can help the whole country to move into a very systematic and consistent framework that we can measure for China," Mr. Deng said. Ping An has pursued sustainable development and related disclosure practices for many years. Driven by its sustainability strategy, Ping An integrates the core philosophies and standards of ESG into corporate management. It has built a professional sustainability management framework to guide its business practices. Ping An continues to advance its "integrated finance + healthcare" strategy and develop its industry ecosystems of "finance + eldercare" and "finance + healthcare" to create value for its shareholders, customers, employees, communities, partners and the environment, seeking to boost both business and societal value. Ping An is a pioneer in responsible investment in China. The Group was the first Chinese asset owner to sign the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and to join Climate Action 100+, the investor-led initiative to ensure the world's largest greenhouse gas emitters take action on climate change. About Ping An Group Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") strives to become a world-leading retail financial services group. With over 223 million retail customers and nearly 657 million internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An focuses on two over-arching domains of activity, "integrated finance" and "healthcare", covering the provision of financial and health care services through its integrated financial services platform and ecosystems in financial services, healthcare, auto services and smart city services. The "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 17th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2022 and ranked 16th in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2021. Ping An also ranked 49th in the 2021 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list. For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN. SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. DENPASAR, Bali, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The future grand Viking Sunset Studios is a premier location for domestic and international movie making, settled in beautiful surroundings with rice terraces, mountain and beach views, and year-round sunsets - inspiring movie crews and stars filming in the movie village. A self-contained studio resort, BVS studios satisfies demanding green screen setups, while the surrounding rivers, beach, temple cliff and ocean sunsets allow for stunning natural film sets. This is going to be movie-making heaven! After running the largest Food Rescue non-profit in Bali (and Thailand) for years and now adding the studios, it is time to combine Bali locations, says Bo H. Holmgreen, founder of both. While BVS is building the large studio and movie village in Tabanan, the administrative offices are established in the main street in Sanur. The entire building will be occupied by the SOS charity on the lower floor and the studio on the two upper floors. The non-profit SOS has served over 21 million nutritious meals in five years. Originally designed to rescue excess food from large hotels/supermarkets otherwise ending in the landfill, SOS serviced hundreds of the largest hotels in Thailand and Indonesia. During COVID, SOS instead rushed good nutrition to as many as possible, in Bali alone serving 2.5 million meals! BVS attracts professional film and commercials makers looking for scenic beauty combined with high efficiency shooting. Inside the new building in Sanur, one studio is soundproof using BVS' incredible ARRI Mini LF camera and Leica lenses. On the rooftop will be the Movie Cave, a creative brainstorm room for Bali's movie industry. As Executive Producer on a local movie with Hollywood actors, Mr. Holmgreen is excited about the potential. "We have no doubts that Balinese culture, scenery, people and overall beauty will serve movie crews well. Also, we will help build local talents to do more with great technologies and international methods. Indonesia is ready to grow immensely with 275 million citizens representing a huge film industry opportunity", continued Mr Holmgreen. "The time has come to gather serious stakeholders to make it happen. BVS is therefore partnering with the Balinale Film Festival this week as we are proud to support local movie-creativity", adds Mr. Holmgreen. "The Bali International Film Festival has always been a platform for emerging new filmmakers and will continue to promote occupational skills and training through seminars with BVS Studios. Together we encourage the growth of Indonesian cinema and provide opportunities to showcase local talent through the festival.", adds Deborah Gabinetti, the festivals founder. "For too long, Thailand and Jakarta have pulled movie making away. Even an important Bali-based Hollywood film had to be diverted recently to Australia. We believe there are plenty of creative people and talent who ALL WANTS TO COME TO BALI - we just need to facilitate it", says Bo H. Holmgreen. SOURCE SOS NC World's best universities revealed LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education analysts, released the nineteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings, featuring 1418 institutions across 100 locations. The results account for 16.4 million academic papers and 117.8 million citations received by those papers; they also reflect the expert opinions of 151,000 academic faculty and 99,000 employers. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrates eleven years as the world's best university. The University of Oxford (4th) drops two places while the University of Cambridge (2nd) gains one. Highlights USA : 103/201 ranked universities fall, 29 rise. Twenty-five are new entrants. : 103/201 ranked universities fall, 29 rise. Twenty-five are new entrants. UK : 48/90 universities declined, ten improved. Intensely collaborative: 55% of its research entails global collaborations vs 20% global average. : 48/90 universities declined, ten improved. Intensely collaborative: 55% of its research entails global collaborations vs 20% global average. Canada : 20/31 universities drop. McGill University (31 st ) is the new national leader. : 20/31 universities drop. (31 ) is the new national leader. Australia retains five top-50 universities, yet is stagnating, with as many universities improving as declining. retains five top-50 universities, yet is stagnating, with as many universities improving as declining. China (Mainland), the third most-represented higher education system (71 universities), is home to two world's top 15 universities for the first time ever: Peking University (12 th ) and Tsinghua University (14 th ). (Mainland), the third most-represented higher education system (71 universities), is home to two world's top 15 universities for the first time ever: Peking University (12 ) and Tsinghua University (14 ). India : more improvements than falls; All top nine institutions rise. : more improvements than falls; All top nine institutions rise. Asia 's top university is the National University of Singapore (11 th ). 's top university is the (11 ). Malaysia , South Korea and Indonesia improved while Japan and Thailand declined. , and improved while and declined. ETH Zurich has remained continental Europe's best university for fifteen consecutive years. has remained continental best university for fifteen consecutive years. France 's merged universities ascend in the table, with Universite PSL (26 th ) breaking into the top-30. 's merged universities ascend in the table, with Universite PSL (26 ) breaking into the top-30. Universidad de Buenos Aires (67 th ) is confirmed Latin America's best. Hampered by low research impact scores, more of the continent's universities falling than rising. (67 ) is confirmed best. Hampered by low research impact scores, more of the continent's universities falling than rising. Arab Region's top university King Abdulaziz University, 106 th - reaches a record high. top university King Abdulaziz University, 106 - reaches a record high. Africa 's leader is the University of Cape Town (237th). Only five of the continent's universities are among the top-500 QS World University Rankings 2023: Top 20 2023 2022 1 1 MIT US 2 3= University of Cambridge UK 3 3= Stanford University US 4 2 University of Oxford UK 5 5 Harvard University US 6= 6 Caltech US 6= 7 Imperial College London UK 8 8= UCL UK 9 8= ETH Zurich Switzerland 10 10 University of Chicago US 11 11 National University of Singapore Singapore 12 18 Peking University China 13 13 University of Pennsylvania US 14 17 Tsinghua University China 15 16 The University of Edinburgh UK 16= 14= EPFL Switzerland 16= 20 Princeton University US 18 14= Yale University US 19 12 Nanyang Technological University Singapore 20 21 Cornell University US QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2004-2021 https://www.TopUniversities.com/ . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1503777/QS_World_University_Rankings_Logo.jpg SOURCE QS Quacquarelli Symonds CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Relativity, a global legal and compliance technology company, today announced it won the Security ISV of the Year award in the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards 2022. The company's achievements have helped it rise to the top of the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), an ecosystem of independent software vendors and services that have integrated their security products and services with Microsoft's. Award winners demonstrated excellence across security, compliance, identity, management, and privacy during the past 12 months. The Security ISV of the Year Award celebrates an independent software vendor (ISV) that is an all-round powerhouse. Microsoft nominated exemplary MISA members that show growth potential and have innovative security solutions or solutions that integrate with a MISA-qualifying security product. As a winner, Relativity demonstrated its proven potential to innovate with documented customer success stories that demonstrate its effectiveness and impact in the industry. "We started our journey to the cloud on the shoulders of Microsoft Azure and this new award signifies just how far we've come in ensuring that our customers are able to proactively identify risks, efficiently sort through mountains of unstructured data and respond effectively and securely," said Amanda Fennell, Chief Security Officer and Chief Information Officer at Relativity. "Aligning the security and flexibility of Microsoft Azure's infrastructure with the innovative solutions our Calder7 security team provides ensures that we're able to keep our fortress secure. We look forward to teaming with them on how we can reach for the stars beyond the cloud." The importance of protecting customer data is central to why Relativity chose Microsoft Azure as the foundation of RelativityOne. Relativity has been a member of MISA since 2020 and has a longstanding relationship with Microsoft aligning on efforts for over seven years. Relativity also announced in March that it is launching an integration with Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium) formerly known as Microsoft 365 Advanced eDiscovery to enable legal hold, collection and data transfer workflows between Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium) and RelativityOne, creating a seamless cloud-to-cloud e-discovery experience. Relativity will be one of the first providers to enable integrated data transfer with Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium). In addition to significantly simplifying the data transfer process, the integration will automatically convert Microsoft Teams data originated in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium) to the Relativity Short Message Format, enabling customers to review, analyze and produce this data in its native format. The initial capabilities can reduce the data transfer process that once may have taken up to a month to less than one day. Relativity's AI-powered communication surveillance product, Relativity Trace integrates with Microsoft Information Protection to ensure compliance teams can monitor internal communications for misconduct (insider trading, collusion and other non-compliant behavior) without reducing an organization's security posture. This allows compliance teams to monitor electronic communicationsincluding email, chat, and audioin near real-time, immediately alerting on the riskiest content for compliance officers to review. "In the evolving world of compliance, data continues to increase in volume and complexity and clients are repeatedly exposed to new regulatory risks," said Jordan Domash, General Manager of Relativity Trace. "It's critical that when we apply innovative artificial intelligence to detect misconduct, we do so in a way that maintains the highest bar for security on this most sensitive corporate data. That is why we continue to team up with Microsoft to help joint customers better defend themselves against a world of increasing compliance and cyber threats." At the Microsoft Security Excellence 2022 Awards on June 6, 2022, Microsoft announced award winners in 10 categories honoring partner trailblazers, solution innovators, customer and technology champions, and changemakers. Formerly known as the Microsoft Security 20/20 Awards, the awards were given to Microsoft partners for the second year. Relativity won the Security ISV of the Year award. "I'm so honored to recognize this year's award winners. MISA members regularly impress us with their shared vision of helping create a more secure world," Vasu Jakkal, CVP, Microsoft Security said. "They support this mission through their solutions and services, their dedication to innovation, and their dedication to customers. Security is a team sport, and we are so proud to defend together with our MISA community. Heartiest congratulations to all of this year's winners." MISA was established to bring together Microsoft leaders, ISVs, and MSSPs to work together to defeat security threats and make the world a safer place. MISA members voted on the winners of the Microsoft Security Excellence Awards, giving them a chance to recognize the efforts of their peers and their commitment to making the world a more secure place. About Relativity Relativity makes software to help users organize data, discover the truth and act on it. Its SaaS product RelativityOne manages large volumes of data and quickly identifies key issues during litigation and internal investigations. The AI-powered communication surveillance product, Relativity Trace proactively detects regulatory misconduct like insider trading, collusion and other non-compliant behavior. Relativity has more than 300,000 users in approximately 40 countries serving thousands of organizations globally primarily in legal, financial services and government sectors, including the U.S. Department of Justice and 198 of the Am Law 200. Relativity has been named one of Chicago's Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune for 10 consecutive years. Please contact Relativity at [email protected] or visit http://www.relativity.com for more information. SOURCE Relativity The new agreement between Greater Alabama MLS and FMLS grants agents access to Remine's SSO, Docs+, Pro, and Add/Edit. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. and ATLANTA , June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greater Alabama MLS (GALMLS), and First MLS (FMLS) announced an expanded agreement with Remine that benefits homebuyers, sellers, and real estate professionals across Alabama & Georgia. GALMLS subscribers will gain access to the entire Remine technology suite of products. Remine is an industry-leading prop-tech platform that offers tools such as Docs+ Transaction Management, Remine Pro, Add/Edit, and SSO dashboard. Frederick Townes, Remine's CEO commented, "We are honored to expand our relationship with FMLS to include offering GALMLS our best-in-class product suite. Working with organizations like GALMLS and FMLS further progresses our goal of modernizing the industry by offering innovative technology that powers the businesses of today's real estate professionals." Tina Tyus, GALMLS's President added, "It is exciting to make awesome products from Remine available to our subscribers. Remine products provide best in industry solutions in a wide array of services such as transaction management, tax aggregation, and easy access to all MLS services. GALMLS is always looking for ways to be able to increase our value proposition for our subscribers." According to FMLS President & CEO, Jeremy Crawford, "We are thrilled to partner with our friends in Birmingham to make it easy for all our members and their clients to list and sell homes. This has the potential to dramatically increase sales velocity and listing exposure throughout the southeastern region. Besides making Remine's products available to GALMLS subscribers, FMLS will also provide technical support and training on the Remine product suite, which includes Alabama Real Estate Commission-accredited continuing education classes." Tyus added, "We really look forward to having a partnership with FMLS just across the border in Georgia. Subscribers to both MLS systems will now be able to see listings throughout the region right inside the MLS software they are already accustomed to using. Plus, it will create a large referral network for both of our subscribers, which is a huge benefit to make the market work efficiently." Together, the new partnership benefits nearly 65,000 combined members. The agreement is effective today with many new products and services being rolled out throughout the remainder of 2022. About the Greater Alabama MLS The Greater Alabama Multiple Listing Service (GALMLS), a subsidiary of the Birmingham Association of REALTORS, was founded in 1958 and provides property listing services to 12 Alabama counties. As the largest MLS in Alabama, serving more than 6,000 subscribers, GALMLS is committed to fostering cooperation and competition within the real estate marketplace. LiveInAlabama.com, powered by GALMLS, provides consumers with direct access to MLS listings in real time. To learn more about GALMLS visit: https://birminghamrealtors.com/mls About FMLS First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) was founded in 1957 by a group of Brokers who wanted to share real estate listings and connect buyers and sellers. Today, FMLS is still Broker-owned and is the 4th largest MLS' in North America, serving nearly 57,000 real estate Agents & Brokers in Georgia. Read more about MLS partnerships here: https://firstmls.com/mls-partnerships/ About Remine Remine is a full MLS solution that reimagines the digital real estate journey. Remine partners with MLSs and Associations across North America to deliver modern real estate technology that creates transparency in the real estate transaction and inspires trust between real estate agents and the consumers they serve. Remine currently serves nearly 60 MLS markets representing over 1.2 million real estate professionals across the country. For more information, visit https://info.remine.com. SOURCE First Multiple Listing Service - FMLS BOGOTA, Colombia, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC) informs that Juan Emilio Posada Echeverri resigned as an independent member of the Board of Directors of the Company on June 6, 2022. ----------------------------------------- Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 18,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. This press release contains business prospect statements, operating and financial result estimates, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. These are all projections and, as such, they are based solely on the expectations of the managers regarding the future of the company and their continued access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of said estimates in the future depends on the behavior of market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy my and the industry, among other factors, and are consequently subject to change without prior notice. This release contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward -looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration, and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. For more information, please contact: Head of Capital Markets Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff Email: [email protected] Head of Corporate Communications Mauricio Tellez Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A. NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Riviera Capital Partners is pleased to announce two new additions to the firm. Adam Borcz, based in Annapolis, MD, has joined as a General Partner and Andrew Crisi, based in Boston, MA, has joined as a principal. Adam Borcz Borcz brings a wealth of experience on both the operational and transaction side of private equity, as well as the search fund space. "We are excited to benefit from Adam's extensive operational and entrepreneurial background as we further deploy capital into the lower middle market," said Alex Wang, Founder & Managing Partner. Prior to Riviera Capital, Borcz worked for a Maryland based Private Equity firm focused on acquiring distressed assets, both on the investment and operating sides. As a self-funded searcher, he then acquired one of the largest mid-Atlantic commercial furniture installation companies. A Naval Academy graduate and former Submarine Officer, Borcz earned his MBA from the Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. Andrew Crisi Crisi, a recent MBA graduate of Harvard Business School, brings with him extensive accounting and transaction expertise. "We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to the team and look forward to leveraging his high horsepower and transaction experience in the launch and management of our third investment fund," said Chris Jenkins, Founder & Managing Partner of Riviera Capital. Prior to Riviera Capital, Crisi worked as an M&A Advisor at PwC where he executed financial and operational due diligence for private equity and corporate clients. During his time at Harvard Business School, Crisi helped lead the healthcare vertical at the private equity arm of a U.S.-based single-family office. Crisi received his MS from Wake Forest University and his BS with distinction from Florida State University. He holds an active CPA license in Florida and in Georgia. About Riviera Capital Partners (rivieracp.com) Riviera Capital is a lower middle market private equity firm that partners with entrepreneurs to buy and grow established companies. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Newport Beach, CA, the Riviera team has over 60 years combined experience as entrepreneurs, operators, and investors that influences our unique and flexible approach to value creation in the lower middle market. Since its inception, Riviera Capital has acquired over 25 operating companies and has active investments in 25+ search fund investments. We understand the importance of responsible investing and look to be a positive change agent in the communities in which we work by ensuring our portfolio companies and entrepreneurs are good ESG stewards. Contacts Chris Jenkins, Founder & Managing Partner, +1.949.973.3833, [email protected] Alex Wang, Founder & Managing Partner, +1.310.251.3309, [email protected] SOURCE Riviera Capital Partners BEIJING and HANGZHOU, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Roan Holdings Group Co., Ltd. ("Roan" or the "Company") (OTC Pink Sheets: RAHGF and RONWF), a comprehensive solution provider for industrial operations and capital market services, announced today that the Company has entered into an investment cooperation agreement (the "Agreement") for a new energy storage industrial park with Jiaxing Economic and Technological Development Zone. Pursuant to the Agreement, the new energy storage industrial park (the "Jiaxing Project") would consist of an innovation and research center and two manufacturing facilities for new energy storage. The total investment is expected to be RMB 5.1 billion. Jiaxing Committee has agreed to provide certain types of support to the project, including favorable government policy support, funding support and resources. Roan will be responsible for the implementation and operation of Jiaxing Project pursuant to the Agreement. Mr. Junfeng Wang, Chairman of the Board commented, "We are very excited to announce this cooperation with the Jiaxing Economic & Technological Development Zone, which not only marks a breakthrough and significant milestone of our strategic planning since the second half of 2021 but also demonstrates the success of the strategic leadership of our industrial operation services team which focuses on new energy, new materials and semiconductor industries. As a comprehensive service provider of industrial capital and industrial operation in emerging industries, Roan regards the new energy industries as a key business area in the market. We will adhere to the development concept of 'synergy between industry, finance and symbiosis of partners', and build stable growth and a sustainable industrial ecosystem with our partners." Mr. David Zhang, Executive President of the Company added: "The Jiaxing Project is important to the Company. This project will centrally and efficiently combine all the resources around energy storage, from materials to batteries, and equipment manufacturing. It is expected to take the lead in driving the development of the energy storage industry in the Yangtze River Delta region and become a model for the development of the new energy industry. The favorable policy, financial and resource assistance from the Jiaxing government shows significant support for the project. We aim to take advantage of our industrial financing service capability, our experience and resource advantages to provide industrial financing and operation services for all parties in the industrial park, bringing economic and social benefits to Jiaxing city, and creating sustainable financial returns for our shareholders." About Roan Holdings Group Co., Ltd. Founded in 2009, Roan Holdings Group Co., Ltd. (OTC Pink: RAHGF and RONWF) is a comprehensive solution provider for industrial operation and capital market services. Adhering to the platform strategy of "cross collaboration, technology empowerment, sustainability and stability, and combination of operation and finance resources", the Company's services focus on the new energy, new materials, and semiconductor industries. At the same time, the Company focuses on the application of innovative technologies in the consumer industry with respect to financial consumption, cultural and tourism consumption, and great health ecosystem. Roan aims to provide comprehensive solutions and supporting services for diversified institutional and local government clients across the entire industry chain. Roan has offices in Hangzhou and Beijing and subsidiaries in Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing and Tianjin. For more information, please visit: www.roanholdingsgroup.com. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of 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 relate to, among others, the consummation of the proposed transaction, and can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Examples of such statements include that the total investment is expected to be RMB 5.1 billion; that the project will combine centrally and efficiently all the resources around energy storage, from materials to batteries, and equipment manufacturing; and that the project will take the lead in driving the development of the energy storage industry in the Yangtze River Delta region and become a model for the development of the new energy industry , Such statements are based upon management's current expectations of the consummation of the proposed transaction, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. Examples of such risks include whether the project will come to fruition, whether the government will fund the project, and whether there is demand for tenants in the project. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors are included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under law. IR Contact: At the Company: Katrina Wu Email: [email protected] Phone: +86-571-8662 1775 Investor Relations Firm: Janice Wang EverGreen Consulting Inc. Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 571-464-9470 (from U.S.) +86 13811768559 (from China) SOURCE Roan Holdings Group Co., Ltd. MELBOURNE, Autralia, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sapia.ai, creator of the world's first chat-based Smart Interviewer, today announced that internationally renowned research psychologist Dr Richard Landers is joining its Expert Advisory Board. Dr Landers is a globally respected leader on new HR-relevant technologies. He was drawn to Sapia.ai as it has embraced an exciting blend of technical innovation and rigorous scientific evaluation to develop and grow its assessment platform. Sapia.ai has also published the FAIR Ai for Recruitment (FAIR) framework, an industry-first initiative to help people understand what to look for when choosing responsible Ai technology. Dr Landers joins the company to further advise on how Sapia.ai can be used to move more organizations forward by implementing the right technology alongside human processes. "We're honored to have such an amazing thought leader and well-respected researcher in this area joining our Expert Advisory Board," said Sapia.ai CEO, Barb Hyman. "Dr Landers brings academic rigor and discipline to the work we are already doing, and I welcome his input and scrutiny to make sure we are creating technology that puts humans first, and builds a fairer world. "With his expertise and research background, we hope to show the potential of our capabilities to transform hiring to a fairer, more equitable process." Dr Landers believes organizational outcomes can be improved by integrating modern digital technologies, such as AI and natural language processing, into traditional hiring practices. The key, he says, is the thoughtful combination of modern professional standards for measuring human capabilities with the exciting possibilities brought by new technology. He is also a director of TNTLAB (Testing New Technologies in Learning, Assessment, and Behavior), an academic psychological research laboratory that conducts research to understand the role and potential of technology to improve organizations in relation to their employees. Through TNTLAB, Dr Landers recently released research looking at how we can meaningfully audit AI to ensure its fairness. "This is an area in which work and industrial-organizational psychologists have unique expertise. I believe that by working with Sapia.ai, I can help build better and fairer hiring processes through AI," Dr Landers said. "Increased integration of technology is the inevitable future of HR, but to be sure we are really helping both organizations and their employees, we need to hold these new technologies to a very high standard. "It's not enough to just be innovative. We must also rise to meet our responsibilities to be accurate and fair when so many people's lives are affected by what these systems do. "Companies like Sapia.ai are leading the way on finding the right path forward, and I'm excited by the opportunity to work with them." About Sapia.ai Sapia.ai's mission is to build a fairer, more human world through ethical AI. Using the world's first Smart Interviewer, powered by the world's largest source of 1st party proprietary text data and advanced Natural Language Processing, we turn simple text conversations into unprecedented talent intelligence enabling organizations to interrupt hiring bias at scale, get to the right talent fast and give every candidate an experience they love. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3251241/ Twitter: @get_sapia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SapiaAi/ Instagram: @sapia.ai SOURCE Sapia.ai Top concerns about the ocean for Americans were pollution (59%), overfishing (41%), and climate change (38%). With over a third of the world's fish stocks overfished3 and climate change altering marine ecosystems, the survey released on the UN's World Ocean Day shows consumers are aware of the impact their choices have on the ocean. Among the key findings, there has been an increase (4%) from two years ago in seafood consumers who believe their choices can make a difference to the health of the ocean. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of U.S. consumers surveyed believe that people should eat seafood from sustainable sources, up from 55% compared with 2 years ago. This is a 7% increase from the last time the survey was run in early 2020. The month of June is National Oceans Month in the US, and MSC is offering resources for consumers to make changes in their daily lives to support the health of people and the planet this month and beyond: Learn about sustainable fisheries: The best way to understand the impact of the MSC's work is to hear first-hand from those involved in the program. Support fisheries that protect our ocean and who have made sustainable fishing part of their everyday life. Dive below the surface and explore how a few of the more than 450 MSC certified fisheries are making an impact. Parents and kids can also use MSC's educational resources to teach others and learn about how we can all play a role in keeping our ocean healthy. Shop for sustainable seafood: Consumers can commit to buying MSC certified sustainable seafood when shopping this month and into the future. The MSC blue fish label means the fish or seafood comes from fisheries that meet rigorous, science-based requirements for sustainable fishing. A small action can have a huge impact on our ocean, which feeds billions of people and provides 80% of the world's biodiversity4. Buying certified sustainable seafood also helps support the jobs and livelihoods of those working to preserve our ocean resources. Get creative in the kitchen: Consumers can check out fish recipes and foodie guides for a diverse range of creative dishes that spotlight certified, sustainable seafood. MSC also has an award-winning Ocean Cookbook full of sustainable seafood recipes from top chefs around the world. More than 60% of Americans believe that personal choices about eating seafood can make a difference in ocean health. Buying sustainable seafood is the most common action that American seafood consumers say they have taken to protect the ocean (21%). Nearly four in ten US seafood consumers are willing to buy more sustainable seafood, with one in five saying they have already made this change in the last year. "When we take care of the ocean, the ocean takes care of us. The future health of the ocean is something we should all be concerned about, and the clear message is that more people than ever recognize that their choices can make a positive impact on ocean health," shared Erika Feller, regional director, Americas, at the MSC. "We can all play a part in safeguarding the ocean's biodiversity, global food supplies, and the livelihoods that depend upon them. Consumers, brands and retailers can be a powerful force for change by rewarding fishers who are fishing our ocean sustainably." To coincide with World Ocean Day, the MSC has released a series of short, social media vignettes on sustainable fishing, showcasing the innovations undertaken by fisheries to help safeguard the ocean. Additionally, to help further communicate the importance of sustainable practices at all levels of the ocean, the MSC has launched a multimedia web page that allows users to dive into the ocean and learn specific examples of how fisheries are making a difference. One example is the Oregon and Washington pink shrimp fishery. Research by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted in 2014 found that placing LED lighting on the foot ropes of shrimp nets reduces unwanted catch of eulachon - a small silvery fish endemic to the eastern Pacific Ocean that is classified as threatened under the USA Endangered Species Act - by 80-90%. MSC certification encourages fisheries to use this technology. These research findings have led to 100% of vessels in the area adopting the use of LED lights. About the MSC The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit organization which sets globally recognized standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. The MSC ecolabel and certification program recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing practices and is helping create a more sustainable seafood market. The MSC ecolabel on a seafood product means it comes from a wild-catch fishery which has been independently certified to the MSC's science-based standard for sustainable fishing. Fisheries representing more than 19% of the world's wild marine catch are engaged in its certification program, and more than 20,000 different MSC labeled products are available on shelves across the globe (figures correct as of 31 March 2021). For more information, visit msc.org or follow @MSCBlueFish on social media. 1 The survey was conducted by global insights and advisory consultancy, GlobeScan, in a total of 23 markets: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Portugal. A total of 25,869 consumers were surveyed across these countries between January25 and March 16, 2022, including 20,127 seafood consumers. 2 The global averages reported are based on all 23 markets unless stated otherwise. For global results, each country is weighted equally, regardless of sample size. 3 UN FAO, 2020 4 UNFAO SOURCE Marine Stewardship Council INDIANAPOLIS, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon is excited to announce the following new developments in major growing U.S. markets and the expansion of Woodbury Common Premium Outlets: New York Simon is pleased to announce the fifth phase of expansion at its world-famous and industry-leading Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, located in the Hudson Valley town of Woodbury , north of New York City . Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, one of the world's first and most successful outlet centers, draws over 13 million people annually from around the world, and houses over 250 of the greatest names in fashion, all at significant everyday savings. The next phase will include approximately 160,000 sq. feet of new and exciting shops, additional parking, amenities and two hotels. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. Simon is pleased to announce the fifth phase of expansion at its world-famous and industry-leading Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, located in the Hudson Valley town of , north of . Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, one of the world's first and most successful outlet centers, draws over 13 million people annually from around the world, and houses over 250 of the greatest names in fashion, all at significant everyday savings. The next phase will include approximately 160,000 sq. feet of new and exciting shops, additional parking, amenities and two hotels. Construction is expected to begin in 2024. Los Angeles, California Simon has reached an agreement in principle with the City of Carson and its CRA to resume development on a 400,000 sq. foot high-end fashion outlet and value-oriented center, to be located along the high-traffic I-405 freeway. This high-profile and compelling location will serve over 2.5 million residents within 10 miles, and is only 11 miles from LAX, one of the nation's busiest airports. This center will complement Simon's other well-known value-oriented offerings in the greater Los Angeles market, including Desert Hills Premium Outlets, Camarillo Premium Outlets and Outlets at Orange. Work on the 40-acre site is anticipated to begin this year, with an opening targeted for 2024. Simon has reached an agreement in principle with the City of Carson and its CRA to resume development on a 400,000 sq. foot high-end fashion outlet and value-oriented center, to be located along the high-traffic I-405 freeway. This high-profile and compelling location will serve over 2.5 million residents within 10 miles, and is only 11 miles from LAX, one of the nation's busiest airports. This center will complement Simon's other well-known value-oriented offerings in the greater market, including Desert Hills Premium Outlets, Camarillo Premium Outlets and Outlets at Orange. Work on the 40-acre site is anticipated to begin this year, with an opening targeted for 2024. Nashville, Tennessee - Simon will develop a high-end luxury Premium Outlet, located in the dynamic Nashville metropolitan area in partnership with locally-based Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners. The center will be approximately 300,000 sq. feet of best-in-class retailers and restaurants, similar to its other world-class outlets, including Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in New York and Desert Hills Premium Outlets in California . The development will be located in the market's southern high-income area, capitalizing on the region's phenomenal growth, and will complement Simon's existing, highly successful, local properties, The Mall at Green Hills and Opry Mills . Based in Nashville , AJ Capital Partners has thoughtfully developed distinct hotel projects in the market including Thompson Nashville, Soho House Nashville, and Graduate Nashville. Additionally, AJ is amid a 23-acre multi-phase mixed-used urban neighborhood redevelopment in Wedgewood Houston, which currently offers and will continue to bring creative office, retail, residential and hospitality offerings to the community. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2023. - Simon will develop a high-end luxury Premium Outlet, located in the dynamic metropolitan area in partnership with locally-based Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners. The center will be approximately 300,000 sq. feet of best-in-class retailers and restaurants, similar to its other world-class outlets, including Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in and Desert Hills Premium Outlets in . The development will be located in the market's southern high-income area, capitalizing on the region's phenomenal growth, and will complement Simon's existing, highly successful, local properties, The Mall at Green Hills and . Based in , AJ Capital Partners has thoughtfully developed distinct hotel projects in the market including Thompson Nashville, Soho House Nashville, and Graduate Nashville. Additionally, AJ is amid a 23-acre multi-phase mixed-used urban neighborhood redevelopment in Wedgewood Houston, which currently offers and will continue to bring creative office, retail, residential and hospitality offerings to the community. Construction is anticipated to commence in 2023. Tulsa, Oklahoma Simon will resume development of Tulsa Premium Outlets, located in Jenks, Oklahoma , off I-75 along Riverside Parkway in 2022. This rapidly growing and thriving market is well-positioned for Simon's vision of value-oriented shopping and will serve as a regional draw for the entire greater Four-State Area. The center will be approximately 330,000 sq. feet and feature almost 100 retailers offering exceptional brands at extraordinary savings. The grand opening is targeted for 2024. "We are thrilled to bring these new and compelling projects to serve their markets, and they will provide the quality, variety and value combination that retailers and consumers have come to know and expect from Simon," said David Simon, Chairman, CEO and President of Simon. These exciting new developments will join Simon's existing industry-leading properties around the world and will help meet today's thriving retailers with additional opportunities to serve customers. Additionally, Simon centers contribute to their local economies by adding thousands of local jobs and enhancing the tax base. About Simon Premium Outlets The global Simon Premium Outlets portfolio offers exceptional brands at extraordinary savings through a diverse mix of luxury, designer and homeware retailers. Our Simon Premium Outlets in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea and Thailand are some of the most iconic and productive shopping destinations for residents and travelers including Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, Orlando International Premium Outlets , Desert Hills Premium Outlets , Las Vegas North Premium Outlets and Wrentham Village Premium Outlets . For more information follow Premium Outlets on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram About Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners, based in Nashville, is an accomplished team of real estate and hospitality professionals whose innate passion is to cultivate a one-of-a-kind portfolio of dynamic communities and timeless assets. AJ Capital Partners' experience is anchored on the progressive and creative application of its deeply rooted hospitality expertise across several real estate categories, including mixed-use, hotel, office, multifamily, and retail. The counterculture professionals acquire, design, and develop transformative real estate throughout the U.S. and U.K. In Nashville, AJ Capital Partners is embarking on a multi-phase mixed-use project in the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood, which will bring creative office, retail, residential, and hospitality offerings to the community. Most recently, the firm acquired 22 acres of land in Miami's Little River neighborhood, encompassing more than 300,000 square feet of commercial space, which will thoughtfully be developed into an adaptive reuse, substantial streetscape, and approachable ground-up development. AJ Capital Partners additionally launched and owns Graduate Hotels, a collection of handcrafted hotels in university communities internationally, as well as Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts, a set of bespoke properties in the world's most distinguished golfing destinations. For more information on AJ Capital Partners, please visit www.ajcpt.com. SOURCE Simon Canadian cannabis retailer, Star Buds Cannabis Co., brings in-app cannabis ordering and pickup to consumers in Barrie and Innisfil TORONTO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Star Buds Cannabis Co., a Canadian cannabis retailer, operating under CordovaCann Corp. (CSE:CDVA) (OTCQB:LVRLF) in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia, has entered into a partnership with DoorDash Technologies Canada to launch cannabis pickup on the DoorDash Marketplace app. The initial launch will be across Star Buds locations in Barrie and Innisfil, Ontario, bringing the accessibility and convenience of online ordering and pickup of cannabis products to consumers outside of metropolitan areas. Star Buds Cannabis Co. aims to be a leader in transforming the physical cannabis retail landscape by solving the in-store, digital and logistical challenges of making cannabis available to all adult consumers in the Canadian market. Beginning today, Star Buds Cannabis Co. will provide an inclusive and diverse range of cannabis products and accessories on the DoorDash Canada Marketplace app in the launch locations, for online ordering and pickup. "We are excited to partner with DoorDash Canada and enable cannabis pickup on the platform for Star Buds locations. We look forward to growing the partnership in the coming months and bringing online cannabis ordering and pickup in locations where permitted," stated Taz Turner, Chairman and CEO, CordovaCann Corp, which owns Star Buds Cannabis Co. "The partnership will grow the business and brand of Star Buds Cannabis Co., exposing more customers to our strong product selection and excellent customer service." Both Star Buds Cannabis Co. and DoorDash Canada strongly believe in keeping local goods local and the social impact this has on communities and neighbourhoods across the country. Both companies share a commitment of empowering local communities and strive to give back to their customers and vendors. Star Buds' philanthropic commitment aligns with DoorDash Canada's values, prompting the partnership. To date, Star Buds Cannabis Co. locations across Canada have donated to local charities such as the Christmas Cheer Toy Drive in Barrie, ON, and The Main Street Project in Winnipeg, MB. About CordovaCann Corp. CordovaCann Corp. is a Canadian-domiciled company focused on building a leading, diversified cannabis products business across multiple jurisdictions including Canada and the United States. Cordova primarily provides services and investment capital to the retail, processing and production vertical markets of the cannabis industry. About DoorDash Canada DoorDash Technologies Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of DoorDash Inc. is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite businesses across Canada. DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers' expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today's convenience economy. By building the logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Investor Relations: Hayden IR Brett Maas [email protected] (646) 536-7331 Investor Relations: Mark Gundy [email protected] (972) 240-1873 Company Contact: Taz Turner Chief Executive Officer [email protected] (917) 843-2169 SOURCE CordovaCann Corp. Volunteers from Suburban Propane's local Customer Service Center provided lunch for approximately 50 active military and Veterans and discussed career opportunities available with the company throughout the Carolinas. In addition, Suburban Propane will also sponsor a one-week, five class seminar for active military transitioning to civilian life through VBH partner Patriots Path . "Suburban Propane is incredibly proud to partner with Veterans Bridge Home and Patriots Path in their mission to help provide services for area Veterans and transition active military to civilian life and access to employment," said Nandini Sankara, Spokesperson, Suburban Propane. "As a supporter of military and Veteran initiatives and a Veteran employer, we are grateful to play a role in these important initiatives." The partnership is part of the company's SuburbanCares initiative which is dedicated to supporting community efforts across the United States. Recently, SuburbanCares has undertaken charitable endeavors to help children in numerous underserved communities including Lewes, DE; San Diego, CA; Albany, NY; Dayton, OH; Philadelphia, PA; Santa Fe, NM; Santa Rosa, CA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; New Brunswick, NJ; and has fed healthcare professionals in some of the most COVID-19 affected regions in the nation, including Florida, California, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. "The military provides Veterans with many of the skills to remain successful after they take off their uniforms, but career transition can be a big challenge," said Steven Cole, Vice President of Advancement for Veterans Bridge Home. "That's why partnerships with companies like Suburban Propane that are investing in Veteran job readiness are so important." About Suburban Propane Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SPH. Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, Suburban has been in the customer service business since 1928 and is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and an investor in low carbon fuel alternatives. The Partnership serves the energy needs of approximately 1 million residential, commercial, governmental, industrial and agricultural customers through approximately 700 locations across 42 states. The Partnership is supported by three core pillars: (1) Suburban Commitment showcasing the Partnership's 90+ year legacy, and ongoing commitment to the highest standards for dependability, flexibility, and reliability that underscores the Partnership's commitment to excellence in customer service; (2) SuburbanCares highlighting the Partnership's continued dedication to giving back to local communities across the Partnership's national footprint and (3) Go Green with Suburban Propane - promoting the clean burning and versatile nature of propane and renewable propane as a bridge to a green energy future and developing the next generation of renewable energy. For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit www.suburbanpropane.com . About Veterans Bridge Home: Veterans Bridge Home connects veterans and their families, in any state of transition, to the community. Through its network of partners, they help Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. They look at the whole Veteran and connect them to the resources needed to be successful and thriving leaders in the community. After the regimen and sacrifice of military duty, transition to civilian life can be challenging as Veterans reunite with their families, pursue a new profession, locate services which were all on base, and build a social network. In some cases, they also recover from wounds and also pursue further education. Veterans Bridge Home serves as an entry point for Veterans who don't know where to turn to access support and services. Because Veterans return home to a civilian community and not to federal agencies or bureaucracies, each community must reach out and actively assist in the reintegration process alongside federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration. The Carolinas have the opportunity and privilege to help bring our nation's warriors and their families home with the same energy and commitment that our Veterans have displayed in serving the nation. In so doing, Veterans will serve as leaders to inform other communities that wish to create more welcoming and livable communities for returning Veterans and their families. For more information, please visit: www.veteransbridgehome.org . SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sumitomo Pharma Oncology, Inc., a clinical-stage company focused on novel cancer therapeutics, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Orphan Drug Designation for TP-3654, the company's proprietary investigational oral inhibitor of PIM kinases, for the treatment of myelofibrosis. "This designation is an important milestone in the development of TP-3654 and highlights the need for potential new treatment options for patients with myelofibrosis," said Patricia S. Andrews, CEO and Global Head of Oncology, Sumitomo Pharma Oncology, Inc. "This rare hematologic cancer can also progress and worsen. We are excited about collaborating with investigators to advance this clinical-stage asset with the goal of improving patient outcomes." The FDA's Orphan Drug Designation is granted to investigational therapies addressing rare medical diseases or conditions that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Myelofibrosis is a rare type of bone marrow cancer which disrupts an individual's normal production of blood cells.1 Myelofibrosis has approximately 1.5 reported cases per 100,000 people each year in the United States.2 "TP-3654 is an investigational oral inhibitor of PIM kinases. PIM kinases have potential antitumor and anti-fibrotic effects through multiple pathways, including induction of apoptosis.3,4 Notably, PIM kinase expression correlates with increased cell survival and reduced apoptosis in tumors, supporting the potential of PIM kinases as novel therapeutic targets,"3 explained Jatin J. Shah, M.D, Chief Medical Officer of Sumitomo Pharma Oncology, Inc. "PIM-1 expression is significantly elevated in myelofibrosis hematopoietic cells and therefore a potential therapeutic target for myelofibrosis."4 TP-3654 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2, multicenter, dose-escalation, open-label trial to assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics in patients with intermediate or high-risk primary or secondary myelofibrosis. It is being conducted in the United States and Japan. To learn more about the study and eligibility for enrollment visit clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04176198). About TP-3654 TP-3654 is an oral investigational inhibitor of PIM kinases, which has potential antitumor and anti-fibrotic effects through multiple pathways, including induction of apoptosis.3,4 TP-3654 inhibited proliferation and increased apoptosis in murine and human hematopoietic cells expressing clinically relevant JAK2V617F mutation.4 TP-3654 alone and in combination with ruxolitinib normalized WBC and neutrophil counts, and reduced spleen size and bone marrow fibrosis in JAK2V617F and MPLW515L murine models of myelofibrosis.4 TP-3654 is currently being evaluated in two clinical trials; A Phase 1 study to treat TP-3654 in patients with advanced solid tumors (NCT03715504); A Phase 1/2 study of oral TP-3654 in patients with intermediate and high-risk myelofibrosis (NCT04176198). About Sumitomo Pharma Oncology Sumitomo Pharma Oncology, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. As a global oncology organization with teams in the U.S. and Japan, SMP Oncology is committed to advancing purposeful science by transforming new discoveries into meaningful treatments for patients with cancer. SMP Oncology's robust and diverse pipeline of preclinical and advanced-stage assets spans multiple areas, including oncogenic pathways, survival mechanisms and novel protein interactions, which aim to address unmet clinical needs in oncology. For more information, visit www.oncology.sumitomo-pharma.com. About Sumitomo Pharma Sumitomo Pharma is among the top-ten listed pharmaceutical companies in Japan, operating globally in major pharmaceutical markets, including Japan, the U.S., China, and other Asian countries with more than 7,000 employees worldwide. Sumitomo Pharma defines its corporate mission as "To broadly contribute to society through value creation based on innovative research and development activities for the betterment of healthcare and fuller lives of people worldwide." Additional information about Sumitomo Pharma is available through its corporate website at https://www.sumitomo-pharma.com. Disclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the research, development, and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's assumptions and beliefs in light of information presently available and involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. Information concerning pharmaceuticals (including compounds under development) contained within this material is not intended as advertising or medical advice. References 1. "Myelofibrosis - Symptoms And Causes". Mayo Clinic, 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myelofibrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355057#:~:text=Myelofibrosis%20is%20an%20uncommon%20type,can%20cause%20weakness%20and%20fatigue. 2. "Myelofibrosis; Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention". Cleveland Clinic, 2022, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15672-myelofibrosis#:~:text=Myelofibrosis%20is%20a%20rare%20condition,in%20people%20over%20age%2050. 3. Foulks JM, Carpenter KJ, Luo B, et al. A small-molecule inhibitor of PIM kinases as a potential treatment for urothelial carcinomas. Neoplasia. 2014;16(5):403-412. 4. Nath D, Yang Y, Dutta A, Whatcott C. The PIM kinase inhibitor TP-3654 in combination with ruxolitinib exhibits marked improvement of myelofibrosis in murine models. Blood. 2018. doi:10.1182/blood-2018-99-119421. SOURCE Sumitomo Pharma Oncology, Inc. US Foods Accused of Unfair Labor Practices as Executives Deal with Growing Number of Unresolved Labor Contracts WASHINGTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Warehouse Division and numerous Teamster locals currently in contract negotiations with US Foods (NYSE: USFD) are putting the foodservice giant on notice that work stoppages are imminent. Workers at a growing number of US Foods Distribution Centers throughout the East Coast are considering the possibility of walking off the job following an increasing number of unresolved labor contracts. Workers at several of these locations say the company has violated federal labor laws, and US Foods is currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for several allegations of unfair labor practices (ULPs). The allegations include illegal terminations, unilaterally changing working conditions and bargaining in bad faith with union representatives. "US Foods executives seem more interested in how they can violate the rights of their essential employees than they do in offering them a fair return on their work. My members have patiently tried to work in good faith to negotiate an agreement, but they've had enough," said Todd Robertson, President of Teamsters Local 171 in Salem, Va. Robertson represents drivers at one of the distribution centers without an agreement and noted that workers in Salem have been trying to negotiate a fair employment contract for nearly a year. "Unfair labor practices and unsettled contracts are not the way to thank your essential workers," said Tom Erickson, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "Local leaders across the country have told me their members have had it with the way US Foods treats them." Over the past ten years, workers at US Foods facilities across America have gone on strike to protest the company's illegal actions. Workers in California, Arizona, Illinois and Maryland have gone on ULP strikes and extended their picket lines to numerous US Foods facilities across the country. In solidarity, thousands of US Foods Teamsters honored those picket lines. "We aren't going to be afraid to strike," said Sean M. O'Brien, Teamsters General President. "If the members at those locations choose to stand up for their rights and withhold their labor, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will have their backs." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit http://www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter at @Teamsters and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971, [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters AUSTIN, Texas, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Health Action (THA), a community-informed nonprofit with an expertise in serving LGBTQIA+ people and people impacted by HIV, recently named Dr. Sandra Guerra as its chief medical officer (CMO). In this role, Guerra is responsible for clinical leadership, quality processes and medical education efforts that advance THA's mission of providing access to culturally affirming, quality health services in a safe and supportive environment. She assumed her new role on June 6, 2022, replacing Dr. Cynthia Brinson. "We are incredibly grateful for the legacy Dr. Brinson has left as one the founding members of our organization, and we look forward to the many contributions Dr. Guerra will bring," Christopher Hamilton, chief executive officer of THA, said. "Dr. Guerra's extensive public health background and experience working with diverse patient populations make her the ideal person to lead Texas Health Action's growing clinical programs." In her new role, Guerra oversees THA's programs including Kind Clinic, which provides sexual health services through locations in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas; and TeleKind, which provides Texas residents access to the HIV prevention medication known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) via virtual appointments, as well as at-home testing and HIV care. "I have watched Texas Health Action grow from Austin's first PrEP clinic to a thriving nonprofit that provides access to PrEP for all Texans, among a range of health services," Brinson said. "Dr. Guerra's more than 20-year career in population-based healthcare and leadership experience at large multidisciplinary organizations make her the perfect choice to help continue this growth." Before joining THA, Guerra was the CMO of Centene Corporation WellCare of Kentucky and the interim deputy director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Prior to this, she served as the vice president and CMO of Humana Military, which offers military health care through the Department of Defense TRICARE East program. From 2005-2012, Guerra was the regional medical director and preventative medicine residency program director for the Texas Department of State Health Services. She has also served on the Board of Regents for the American College of Preventive Medicine, the American Board of Preventive Medicine PAFT Exam Committee, and the San Antonio AIDS Foundation Board of Directors, among others. "At this point in my career, I am excited to work with Texas Health Action toward solutions for such a deserving population," Guerra, said. "I am honored to join an organization focused on prevention and health equity." Guerra earned a Bachelor of Science in Child Development and Family Relationships from The University of Texas at Austin, a Doctor of Medicine from Texas A&M University Health Science Center, and a Master of Public Health from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. About Texas Health Action Texas Health Action (THA) is a community informed organization dedicated to providing access to culturally affirming, quality health services in a safe and supportive environment with an expertise in serving LGBTQIA+ people and people impacted by HIV. Since 2015, Texas Health Action has provided health services without stigma or judgment and has empowered the community through outreach and education. Texas Health Action operates Kind Clinic, which provides sexual health services through locations across Central Texas; TeleKind, which provides sexual health services via virtual visits and at-home testing; and Waterloo Counseling Center, which provides behavioral health services in Austin. Texas Health Action is led by CEO Christopher Hamilton. For more information about Texas Health Action and its programs, please visit www.TexasHealthAction.org. Media Contacts: ECPR Kelsey Stevens or Anita Garza [email protected] or [email protected] 512-694-7003 or 361-655-4683 SOURCE Texas Health Action "Consumers are ready to have shared experiences with family and friends again and HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE Sandwich Pepperoni is the solution for sharable snacking at home with loved ones," said Kelsey Tynan, brand manager of HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE . "Our HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE Sandwich Pepperoni delivers the flavor consumers are looking for and features no preservatives, no nitrites or nitrates added except for those naturally occurring in cultured celery and sea salt, and no artificial ingredients. This uncured pepperoni offers the opportunity for everyone to enjoy lunchmeat in a sandwich or on their charcuterie board." New HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE sandwich pepperoni is available in 6 oz. packages, ideal for up to six people. It retails about $4.49 - $4.79 and is available at retailers nationwide. For more information on HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE Sandwich Pepperoni, please visit https://www.hormel.com/Brands/Hormel-Natural-Choice-Products/Deli-Meats/Sandwich-Pepperoni. *Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients. ABOUT HORMEL FOODS Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus, Jennie-O and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement Inspired People. Inspired Food. to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/. Contact Media Relations 507-434-6352 [email protected] SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation "For generations, Timex has continued to innovate, designing quality watches that are made to last," says Silvio Leonardi, Sr. Vice President of Timex. "The Waterbury Ocean collection is the latest example of our commitment to offering reliable products that not only uphold our legacy, but also look toward a more sustainable future ahead." Through partnership with #tide, an award-winning organization that works to prevent new plastics from entering the ocean, the bracelet, case and dial of the Waterbury Ocean collection is made using ocean material. Plastic is first collected by fishermen from the coastlines, which is then sorted, cleaned, shredded and recrafted in a Swiss facility using carbon-neutral transports and solar power, where it is then upcycled. Timepieces from this collection, through #tide, commit to reducing consumption of fossil fuels, creating employment for local communities, specifically fishermen, as well as improving the underwater habitat through its cleanup efforts. The Waterbury Ocean collection comes in five colorways: gray/gunmetal, navy, gray/rose gold, blue and pink; and includes the following key features: Case, Bracelet and Dial Made from #tide Upcycled Ocean-Bound Plastic 30m Water Resistant Water Resistant Available in 2 case sizes: 42mm Case, 20mm Lug and 37mm Case, 18mm Lug Retailing for $99, the Waterbury Ocean collection will be available for purchase starting today on Timex.com and select retail stores globally. To view/download assets for the collection and campaign, please click HERE . For more about the collection please visit Timex.com/Waterbury Ocean. 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 Media Contacts: Patricia Rappaport, [email protected] | Kim Gallo, [email protected] SOURCE Timex Receive FREE Sample Report in Minutes! Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments. Some of the Top Tobacco Processing Machinery suppliers listed in this report: This Tobacco Processing Machinery procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Hauni Maschinenbau GmbH Huangshi Machine Tool Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 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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 Todd D. Wachtel, a New Jersey workers' compensation attorney and Partner at Levinson Axelrod, P.A., was recently installed as a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Executive Committee. RARITAN, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, May 20, 2022, Todd Wachtel of Levinson Axelrod, P.A. was installed as a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Section Executive Committee at the NJSBA's Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. The NJSBA's Workers' Compensation Section Executive Committee is one of over 30 practice-oriented sections that unite attorneys from "both sides of the aisle" to address important matters that affect the practice of law and the rights of New Jersey residents within their areas of focus. As a committee member and the only Petitioner's Attorney nominated to the group this year Wachtel will work with fellow members on various workers' compensation-related issues, including reviewing proposals for new workers' compensation laws from the New Jersey Legislature. Wachtel's election to the Executive Committee is a testament to his extensive experience in workers' compensation law and to the reputation he's cultivated among his colleagues. As a New Jersey Supreme Court Certified Workers' Compensation Specialist and successful Petitioner's Attorney who once worked as a Deputy Attorney General representing the State in workers' compensation proceedings, Wachtel has leveraged his unique insight to help injured workers recover millions of dollars in benefits. Todd D. Wachtel is a Partner at the personal injury and workers' compensation firm of Levinson Axelrod, P.A., where he works primarily from the firm's office in Raritan, NJ. He is Certified in Workers' Compensation Law by the New Jersey Supreme Court. For more information, visit www.NJLawyers.com. Media Contact: Todd Wachtel [email protected] SOURCE Levinson Axelrod, P.A. SEATTLE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TomboyX, the B Corp Certified LGBTQ+ size and gender inclusive intimate and apparel brand has recently launched an exclusive collaboration with Target on new designs to celebrate Pride Month. This limited-edition collection brings comfort, quality, and accessibility through their line of intimates to one of the biggest retailers in the US and will be featured alongside 250 other products that authentically represent and celebrate the culture and intersectionality of the LGBTQIA+ community. Community, comfort, and fun is at the heart of the collaboration. It represents the inclusivity and accessibility with underwear and activewear intended for adults of all body types and all genders. Featuring both custom campaign prints and colors, the collection includes several best-selling TomboyX fits including the Racerback Soft Bra, Boy Shorts, 9" Briefs, and select products from the TomboyX gender euphoria collection. Made with soft, stretchy fabric, and signature TomboyX + Target elastics, the collection will make any body feel comfortable and confident. TomboyX has been designing underwear, bras, and tops for almost 10 years now, making this a milestone moment shared with Target to make the brand's prideful prints, cuts, and fits accessible to so many communities. TomboyX Co-Founder Fran Dunaway details the collaboration with Target stating, "We're excited for this collaboration which brings some of our best-selling favorites directly to customers at Target stores and online. It's a great opportunity for customers to engage with our brand in real life and we are proud to be a part of this year's Pride Month collection." The collection is now available across all US Target locations as well as a select assortment on target.com. The full Gender Euphoria collection is also available at tomboyx.com. Prices range from $12-$25. Collection and campaign imagery HERE. TomboyX is a clothing, intimates, loungewear, and swimwear company made for all bodies, regardless of size or gender. Fran Dunaway founded the company TomboyX alongside her wife, Naomi Gonzalez, with a simple mission in mind: a comfortable and durable button-up shirt. Since the company was founded, Seattle-based TomboyX has become a gender-neutral brand that has something for everyone. With sizes ranging from 3xs to 6x, the company is inclusive of all bodies. TomboyX is also sustainable in its practices, making clothing using eco-friendly, nontoxic fabrics and working with women-owned factories. TomboyX recently announced their official certification as a B Corp company, which confirms the brand is meeting the business, legal, and environmental standards. Media Contact: Madeline Hasselberger [email protected] SOURCE TomboyX Revenue from Travel & Tourism will make up almost 10% of U.S. economy New National Travel and Tourism Strategy welcomed but not enough, says WTTC Despite positive growth, falling international traveler spending leaves U.S. Travel & Tourism lagging behind other countries after pandemic DALLAS, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, reveals that the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is projected to contribute over $2.6 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the U.S. economy over the next decade. By 2032, the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is expected to make up 9.2% of the entire U.S. economy based on an average annual growth rate of 3.9% nearly double the anticipated 2% growth rate of the U.S. economy overall. According to the forecast, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, between 2022 and 2032, jobs in the U.S. Travel & Tourism could grow at an average rate of 3.9% annually, representing a 47% increase from 2022 expected job levels. Whilst the global tourism body welcomes the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which aims to ensure the future growth of Travel & Tourism in the U.S. and create new jobs, WTTC says only immediate action now can secure the long-term recovery of the sector and create more than 6.3 million jobs over the next decade. For 2022, WTTC projects that the sector's GDP contribution will grow by more than 42% versus 2021, reaching more than $1.8 billion by the end of this year and accounting for 7.6% of the entire U.S. economy. By year-end, the global tourism body forecasts that employment in the sector could increase as much as 28%, reaching 13.5 million jobs nationwide, from a high of 16.8 million in 2019. INTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPEND MAY STALL U.S. SECTOR RECOVERY "The long-term recovery of the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector looks positive, bringing more than 6 million new jobs to the U.S. economy over the next 10 years," said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. "But the landscape is highly competitive, and the U.S. is losing out on international visitors." Simpson continued: "Full recovery of Travel & Tourism relies on a significant rebound of international travel. While the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy is a step in the right direction, 2021 was another difficult year for the U.S. economy and the millions of livelihoods who rely on it. "Many countries' Travel & Tourism sector is bouncing back to pre-pandemic numbers next year, but the U.S. is not expected to recover until 2025." Despite strong projected growth in employment and GDP contribution over the next 10 years, WTTC's data indicates that pressure created by slow international traveler spending in the U.S. will continue to drive a significant performance gap in the sector's recovery this year. At the current pace of the recovery, the U.S. international spending would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, showcasing the urgency of opening borders to international travelers. In fact, international traveler spend to the U.S. remains far below pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a slower-than-expected recovery of international tourism revenue. In 2021, international visitor spending grew a modest 1.4%, reaching $40.3 billion but falling far short of 2019's total of $190.9 billion. About the World Travel & Tourism Council The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) represents the global travel & tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world's leading travel & tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to raising the awareness of governments and the public of the economic and social significance of the travel & tourism sector. SOURCE World Travel & Tourism Council UC Berkeley Underground Physics Group partnered with Seal Storage Technology to employ decentralized cloud storage for neutrino research data, supporting the development of novel detection technology partnered with to employ decentralized cloud storage for neutrino research data, supporting the development of novel detection technology Seal is leading the adoption of Web3 by providing sustainable, affordable, and immutable storage for impactful data Seal's decentralized platform stores immutable copies of the data set, distributed globally, where the integrity of the data is continually verified, and chain of custody tracked - providing authenticity, data resilience, and security BERKELEY, Calif. and TORONTO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Neutrinos originate from some of the most mind-bending elements of the universe: black holes, exploding stars, and the Big Bang. Researchers such as Professor Gabriel Orebi Gann and her group at UC Berkeley are creating a detector to trap these mysterious "ghost particles" to uncover mysteries of the universe. Web3 decentralized cloud storage provider, Seal Storage Technology, is partnering with the Berkeley Orebi Gann Group to provide secure and immutable storage for the neutrino data. The groundbreaking research is not possible without a reliable place to house the data. This new detector will be four tonnes and a couple of meters in scale - a prototype for a larger detector, Theia, which will be 25 to 100 kiloton and several tens of meters. Such a detector can give clues about the origins of the universe and push the boundaries of research ranging from high-energy to particle and nuclear astrophysics. Since these detectors are enormous, they create a large amount of data that needs secure storage. "Nuclear and particle physics experiments have an ever-increasing need to store and access large amounts of critical, unique data. Our team is developing novel technologies that will be used to address fundamental mysteries about the nature and formation of our universe and for applications such as nuclear nonproliferation activities. We are excited to work with the Seal team to address the challenge of data handling for the exponentially increasing data sets produced by next-generation experiments," says Professor Gabriel Orebi Gann. Seal promotes the adoption of Web3 technology by offering sustainable, affordable, and immutable data storage on top of the Filecoin Network. Filecoin is a decentralized storage network that uses cryptography to "store humanity's most important information." Using Filecoin's secure cryptographic protocol to prove storage, Seal submits proofs once a day, which are then validated by every node on the Filecoin network. Professor Orebi Gann and her team entrusted Seal to protect their vital research data from being lost or corrupted. The Web3 component of the data storage means that faulty or malicious actors are noticed by the distributed network and removed automatically. "Seal is proud to be entrusted with storing Professor Orebi Gann's neutrino data. We're thrilled to provide a real-world application of Web3 technology for exceptional research universities such as Berkeley. Partnerships like these advance the Web3 ecosystem and propel science and technology forward," says Michael Horowitz, Seal Storage Technology CEO. "With decentralized storage, the availability of information is not dependent on any one server or company, providing a more robust, secure, and resilient platform for critical public interest datasets," said President and Chair of Filecoin Foundation, Marta Belcher. "Filecoin's mission is to preserve humanity's most important information, and the use of this technology by UC Berkeley Underground Physics Group and Seal is a natural fit." By using Seal's Web3 decentralized cloud storage, Berkeley's research will maintain autonomy over the data their detector generates, rather than relinquishing control of data to a centralized platform. This partnership signals a new trend in institutional data, research, blockchain, and Web3 storage technology, pushing the advancement of human technology to new bounds. About Seal Storage Technology Seal provides decentralized cloud storage to accelerate the adoption of Web3. As a leading provider on the Filecoin network, Seal offers sustainable, affordable, and immutable data storage. Seal | Seal Storage Technology (@SealStorage) / Twitter | LinkedIn SOURCE Seal Storage Technology Company Named a Best Overall Branded Pharmaceutical Product Manufacturer of the Year MAPLE GROVE, Minn., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC (Upsher-Smith) today announced that it has been honored with a Distribution Industry Award for Notable Achievement in Healthcare (DIANA Award) for "Best Overall Branded Pharmaceutical Product Manufacturer with less than $300M in sales" by the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA). The HDA presented the awards to outstanding pharmaceutical and consumer product manufacturers at its 2022 Business and Leadership Conference in Orlando on June 6, 2022. DIANA Award Presentation to Upsher-Smith. Left to right: Chip Davis (President and CEO of HDA), Mike McBride (VP Partner Relations at Upsher-Smith), Mike Muzetras (National Accounts Associate Director at Upsher-Smith), Dave Zitnak (National Accounts Associate VP at Upsher-Smith), Brad Leonard (Associate VP of National Accounts at Upsher-Smith), Chad Gielen (HDA Vice Chair and President/CEO of Louisiana Wholesale Drug Company). "Upsher-Smith is committed to upholding our reputation as a trusted healthcare partner. Delivering peace of mind for our customers by offering the best in supply and pharmaceutical manufacturing excellence is at the forefront of all that we do," said Rich Fisher, President and COO of Upsher-Smith. "This marks the 13th DIANA award for Upsher-Smith and we are especially proud of the ongoing confidence that distributors have in our product quality and reliable supply. This customer confidence fuels our team to bring even more products to our trading partners in the years ahead." Upsher-Smith will soon expand upon its long-standing, award-winning relationships with distributors with the opening of its new, 270,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, manufacturing facility in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The new site will have up-to-the-minute serialization and packaging capabilities and has capacity and capabilities that could support contract manufacturing for third parties. To learn more, visit www.upsher-smith.com. Since 1959, the DIANA Awards have been presented to pharmaceutical and consumer product manufacturers that set the standard for excellence in developing innovative new product introductions and promotions, fostering exceptional trading partner relationships, advancing trade relations and creating business practices that benefit the entire healthcare supply chain. DIANA finalists and winners for Best Overall Company are chosen by HDA distributor members who judge companies based on several criteria including: knowledgeable salespeople, high-level customer service, demonstrated flexibility and creativity in marketing, and incorporation of new technologies to ensure product safety and security. Upsher-Smith is included among a distinguished group of present and past recipients who serve as models for leadership and innovation in the healthcare marketplace. About Upsher-Smith Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC is a trusted U.S. pharmaceutical company that strives to improve the health and lives of patients through an unwavering commitment to high-quality products and sustainable growth. The company brings brands and generics to a wide array of customers, always backed by its attentive level of service, strong industry relationships, and dedication to consistent product supply. For more information, visit www.upsher-smith.com. About the Healthcare Distribution Alliance The Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) represents primary pharmaceutical distributors the vital link between the nation's pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and others nationwide. Since 1876, HDA has helped members navigate regulations and innovations to get the right medicines to the right patients at the right time, safely and efficiently. The HDA Research Foundation, HDA's non-profit charitable foundation, serves the healthcare industry by providing research and education focused on priority healthcare supply chain issues. SOURCE Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC Shah is joining UPSIDE as the company approaches commercialization and scales production. He will lead the development of UPSIDE's supply chain and strategic sourcing for cell feed and other critical inputs that will reduce costs and enable scale. Shah will also oversee UPSIDE's production facilities including its existing Engineering, Production and Innovation Center (EPIC) and future larger-scale commercial facilities and quality functions. Prior to UPSIDE Foods, Shah served as Senior Vice President of Product & Operations at Impossible Foods, where he managed the supply chain through a period of global turbulence during the COVID-19 pandemic, expanded the product portfolio, enabled retail expansion globally and unlocked manufacturing capacity. He was also formerly the Chief Operations Officer at Verifone, where he managed global supply chains through periods of hypergrowth. Before that, Shah was the Chief Procurement Officer at Google's Motorola division, where he was responsible for end-to-end global supplier management. Shah started his career at Motorola as a DSP software engineer and holds multiple patents in the areas of speech recognition and audio processing. "Sheetal has everything it takes to be an UPSIDER: a deep commitment to making our favorite foods a force for good, a proven track record of solving seemingly intractable challenges and a passion for human health, animal welfare and the environment," said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods. "I am thrilled to welcome Sheetal to the team as we unlock some of the most critical opportunities for the cultivated meat industry." UPSIDE Foods recently announced the close of a $400 million Series C funding round, the largest in the industry to date, placing its valuation at over $1 billion. The funding enables UPSIDE to build its commercial-scale facility, develop the supply chain for cell feed and other inputs and invest in consumer education. It will also be used to commercialize UPSIDE's first product real chicken, grown directly from animal cells pending regulatory review. "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining UPSIDE Foods at such an exciting inflection point. Cultivated meat will transform our food system for the better, and UPSIDE is the clear industry leader," said Sheetal Shah. "Developing a reliable supply chain for making cultivated meat at scale is one of the greatest opportunities for the planet." Over the past year, the company has rebranded from Memphis Meats to UPSIDE Foods, announced chicken as its first consumer product, partnered with three-Michelin starred chef Dominique Crenn, developed a cell feed that's completely free of animal components, acquired cultivated seafood company Cultured Decadence, and opened its Engineering, Production and Innovation Center (EPIC)the most advanced production facility and innovation center for cultivated meat in the world. About UPSIDE Foods Based in Berkeley, CA, UPSIDE Foods (formerly known as Memphis Meats) is developing a way to grow real meat, poultry and seafood directly from animal cells, without the need to raise and slaughter animals. These products are not vegetarian, plant-based or meat alternatives -- they are real meat, made without the animal. Founded as the world's first cultivated meat company in 2015, UPSIDE Foods has achieved numerous industry-defining milestones, including being the first company to produce multiple species of meat (beef, chicken and duck). The company believes that people shouldn't have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet, and is working to build a better food system where everybody has access to delicious, humane, and sustainable meat. UPSIDE Foods has won various industry awards, including New York Times' Good Tech Awards, FastCo's Next Big Thing in Tech, and the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation by the National Association for Business Resources. UPSIDE Foods has raised a total of $608 million. For more information, please visit www.upsidefoods.com . Media Contact Brooke Whitney [email protected] SOURCE UPSIDE Foods Visier's people analytics technology will be embedded as the foundation for symplr Talent Analytics VANCOUVER, BC, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Visier , the globally recognized leader in people analytics and on-demand answers for people-powered business, today announced a strategic partnership with symplr, a pioneer in healthcare operations solutions. This partnership will allow Visier's people analytics capabilities to be embedded within symplr Recruiting to create a talent analytics feature set greatly enhancing the product experience. The new offering will provide healthcare providers with insights enabling them to be more agile and make better, data-driven staffing decisions. "I'm thrilled to see this collaboration that combines the best of healthcare operations with the best of people analytics, especially when healthcare organizations really need it," said Dave Weisbeck, Chief Strategy Officer at Visier. "With this partnership, symplr customers will gain insights to improve their ability to attract and hire talent, which has become mission critical data for healthcare organizations." This new talent analytics recruiting data insights will allow healthcare organizations to make more informed decisions to deliver more predictable hiring results. From gaining insight into how you're driving application volumes, reducing time-to-fill, exceeding diversity goals, and much more you can begin understanding and telling your talent data story today. "Staffing shortages have always been an issue in healthcare, but now even more than ever before," said Michael Vipond, SVP & Managing Director at symplr. " Since COVID, the number of applicants per job opening has dropped more than half, which obviously is a critical issue, particularly when it comes to providing adequate care to patients. The analytics this partnership with Visier provides will help organizations make smart strategic business decisions to combat retention of essential workers, ensuring patients can continue to receive critical, high quality care." Beginning June 8, 2022, symplr customers will have the option to choose one of two different talent analytics solutions: Basic Analytics will provide talent insights that fit users and organizations of all types to equip their workforce with answers they need most. Premium Analytics will offer richer insights like supply and demand, diversity and the ability to build out adhoc analysis. To learn more about Visier, visit www.visier.com . About Visier Visier is the recognized global leader in people analytics, providing on-demand answers to people-powered businesses. Behind every great brand, product, or idea is the Human Truth, and the Visier People Cloud reveals the fundamental questions and actionable truths capable of elevating your employeesand your businessto new heights. Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, Visier has 15,000 customers in 75 countries around the world, including enterprises like Adobe, BASF, Bridgestone, Electronic Arts, McKesson, MerckKGaA, Uber, and more. Visier is headquartered in Vancouver, BC with offices and team members worldwide. For more information, visit www.visier.com . About symplr symplr is the leader in enterprise healthcare operations, offering governance, risk and compliance software and services. For more than 30 years and with deployments in 9 out of every 10 U.S. hospitals, symplr has been committed to improving health care operations through its cloud-based solutions, driving better operations for better outcomes. The symplr suite of products includes offerings that support the management of healthcare operations: from the people that work across the care environment to provider data and directories, the supply chain and to compliance, quality, and safety management. symplr solutions improve the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare operations, enabling caregivers to quickly handle administrative tasks so they have more time to do what they do best provide high-quality patient care. Learn how at www.symplr.com . SOURCE Visier LE-CANNET-DES-MAURES, Provence, France, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Provence Rose Group celebrates the upcoming National Rose Day with a contest to win a trip of a lifetime in Provence. The winner will enjoy luxurious accommodations for two people for four days and three nights including breakfast, receive a flight credit of $1,000, along with: Dinner at Michelin Star Restaurant - Jardin de Berne at Chateau de Berne, Dinner at Ultimate Provence, Dinner at Chateau St Roux, and enjoy VIP wine tours at the three Estates. Guests can enter starting on June 11, 2022 (National Rose Day) when the contest opens Register to win by following both @chateaudeberne and @ultimate_provence on Instagram and go on the contest form link https://provencerose.com/pages/winatriptoprovence and simply fill it out. The winner will be announced by on the Estate Instagram pages on September 5, 2022. Chateau de Berne "We look forward to welcoming the winners to our exquisite estates so they can experience first-hand the wonderful lifestyle that Provence has to offer" says Bob Gaudreau, CEO of Provence Rose Group. Chateau de Berne is nestled in the rolling hills of Provence, in the South of France, one hour from Saint-Tropez between the villages of Lorgues and Flayosc. A remote winding road leads to the exquisite estate in its stunning, pristine natural environment. The five-star Relais & Chateau de Berne estate includes a hotel and private villa accommodations, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant "Le Jardin de Berne" which features an eco-conscious approach to fine dining and in 2021 received the new Michelin Green Star distinction, awarded for exemplary sustainable restaurant practices. Completed by the spa, cooking school and various leisure activities, Chateau de Berne offers food and wine lovers, athletes, adventurers, and those simply looking for quiet contemplation, the promise of an unforgettable experience. World-famous for its rose wines, the Cotes-de-Provence appellation alone spans six vast territories, running from East to West, each with its own unique soil type, geography, and climate. Located in the Haut-Pays (Highland) area, Chateau de Berne is characterized by limestone hills and shallow valleys. This little known, secret backcountry of Provence yields structured reds and fruity, delicate whites and roses. The estate combines the best of two worlds in terms of geology and altitude. The heart of Berne's vineyard, where 80% of its vines are rooted, is located on a chalky plateau, at an altitude of 980 ft. Cool nights, combined with a broad daytime temperature range, allow the grapes to mature at a slower pace, thus enhancing the wine's freshness and delicate aromas. Ultimate Provence's sleek modern design features a chic boutique hotel nestled in an oasis of fresh green surroundings, and the estate makes a lasting impression. Tucked away in the hills behind Saint-Tropez, it offers guests an unexpected taste of Provence, in a remarkable atmosphere that awakens the senses and jostles the codes of this terroir's ancestral traditions. Ultimate Provence wines offer an explosion of delightful aromas and bountiful pleasures for the palate. Chef Romain Franceschi's colorfully creative and mouthwatering gourmet cuisine, a true sensorial experience in perfect harmony with the estate's wines. This is a place of epicurean and aesthetic delights, conveying the feeling of a dream-come-true getaway experience. Be it waking up in a stylish and cozy room with breathtaking views of the Notre-Dame-des-Anges Mountain range, learning about the art of wine-tasting with an expert sommelier, or relaxing by the luxurious pool, UP offers a veritable oasis of charm for those seeking to chill out and enjoy life. UP received a 94-point score from Tasting Panel. For those who can't travel to France, we welcome wine lovers to experience the wines firsthand in the United States. Chateau de Berne Romance Rose retails for $15.99, Chateau de Berne Inspiration Rose $21.99 and Ultimate Provence Rose $23.99; available where wine is sold and as trio from wine.com. The Romance bottle features a fun special effect inside the bottle, as a bubble motif appears when the wine is poured, Inspiration is an exclusive square bottle that is a tribute to the Roman architecture and a nod to the estate's long history of winemaking dating back to Roman times. With the new 2021 vintage, all 3 wines have had scores greater than 90 points from Somm Journal. In addition, Inspiration has received a 92-point score from Wine Enthusiast and was named into the exclusive Wine Enthusiast Top 100 wines of the year. Contest details : No purchase necessary. The trip must be redeemed in 2022 or 2023 and be used during the weekdays. July and August are excluded. The winner responsible for their ground transportation and must live in the United States. In order to participate, people need to follow Instagram accounts @chateaudeberne and @ultimate_provence and complete the form: https://provencerose.com/pages/winatriptoprovence About Provence Rose' Group The company, based in White Plains, N.Y. is the exclusive importer for all the rose' wines from MDCV Estates including Chateau de Berne, Ultimate Provence, Chateau Saint Roux and Chateau des Bertrands. The wines are currently distributed nationally and available in most fine wine stores and on www.wine.com. For additional information or interview requests, PRG can be reached at +1 914 705 5500 or at [email protected]. People can keep up with the latest news on https://provencerose.com/ Media Contact: Kristen Green 415-567-2999 [email protected] SOURCE Provence Rose Group CUMMING, Ga., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading national multifamily real estate developer Wood Partners today announced the groundbreaking of its latest high-end residential communityAlta Northless than an hour from downtown Atlanta in Cumming, Georgia. The new community will be developed as a joint venture with CP Capital US, a highly disciplined U.S. real estate manager specializing in multifamily investments. It is scheduled to open in late 2023 with pre-leasing officially starting in Fall 2023. Situated at the intersection of GA 400 and Settingdown Circle in Forsyth County, Alta North will provide future residents with an array of nearby dining and retail options, as well as access to Atlanta's city center less than an hour away. The forthcoming community will be part of a larger planned development, which will bring more than 15,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and a new public road connecting the adjacent residential development to the north to Settingdown Circle. "Atlanta has been one of the country's best performing rental markets since the onset of the pandemic, due to the region's strong economic growth and in-migration," said Kristi Nootens, Vice President of Investments at CP Capital US. "We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Wood Partners to deliver a top-tier multifamily project in the booming market of Forsyth County." Once complete, Alta North will feature 310 one- and two-bedroom apartment homes across a combination of 3-story and 3/4 split buildings. Boasting luxurious, modern finishes, each of Alta North's apartment homes will come outfitted with rich wood-style plank flooring, top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances including microwave hoods, undermounted single bowl sinks, and designer tile backsplashes to offer residents a relaxing and welcoming place to call home. Additional high-end features include full-sized in-home washer and dryers and beautiful granite countertops in both the kitchen and bathrooms. Outside of their homes, residents will be able to take advantage of Alta North's best-in-class community amenities, including a resort-style swimming pool with a tanning ledge, multiple grilling stations and fire pits throughout the property, and an on-site pet park and pet spa. Within the community clubhouse, residents will also have access to a 24/7 state-of-the-art fitness center, lounge and social gathering areas, and rentable office spaces for co-working. "Wood Partners is thrilled to continue its expansion within the Metro Atlanta market with the groundbreaking of our newest communityAlta North," said Bennett Sands, Managing Director. "Alta North presents a prime opportunity for Wood Partners to capitalize on the on-going growth across Georgia, and we look forward to continuing to play a positive role in the area's development by delivering Wood Partners' signature mix of comfort and luxury to future residents." Wood Partners has partnered with CP Capital, formerly known as HQ Capital Real Estate, on 22 development projects in the past, most recently Alta 99th in Phoenix, Arizona. About Wood Partners Wood Partners is a national leader in the development, construction, and management of multifamily communities across the United States. The company has been involved in the acquisition and development of more than 90,000 multifamily homes with a combined capitalization of $17.5 billion. The company currently owns 70 properties across the United States representing more than 20,000 homes. Headquartered in Atlanta, Wood Partners has offices in 22 major markets across 15 states nationwide. The company also operates Wood Residential, an award-winning, full-service property management group that proudly operates both properties developed by Wood Partners and communities owned by third parties. For two years running, Wood Residential has ranked No. 1 nationally for online reputation in the J Turner ORA Power Rankings (Division III). For more information, visit woodpartners.com. About CP Capital US CP Capital, formerly known as HQ Capital Real Estate, is a highly disciplined U.S. real estate investment manager focused on the multifamily sector. Founded in 1989, the firm has invested in more than $15 billion of U.S. real estate through sponsored funds and separate accounts on behalf of global institutions, family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals. These investments total more than 70,000 residential units and 21 million square feet of commercial space. In-house capabilities of CP Capital also include asset and construction management, capital markets, legal, reporting, and tax structuring expertise. Through its consistent participation in the market over the past three decades, the firm has developed deep relationships across the real estate industry. CP Capital's primary investment strategy focuses on opportunistic and value-add rental apartment investments with best-in-class joint venture partners in growth markets throughout the U.S., which has resulted in a strong track record of more than 230 realized multifamily fund investments as of March 31, 2022. Visit cpcapitalus.com for more information. Contact: Nick Fischer, [email protected] SOURCE Wood Partners The CMA CGM Group is continuing with its worldwide Reef Recovery program. Five coral nurseries in Australia , Florida , the Philippines and the Seychelles . CMA CGM, committed to the environment and our oceans. MARSEILLE, France, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, recognizes the global importance and urgency of healthy oceans and is committed to continuing with its efforts to ensure that our oceans are used sustainably, as well as ensuring that shipping services are ever more respectful of the environment. Committed to protecting the oceans This involvement of the CMA CGM Group is reflected in particular by the Reef Recovery program to restore coral reefs. These reefs are home to 25% of marine biodiversity and make up 0.2% of the ocean surface, with 2 to 4 million species including 6,000 species of marine fish. Aware of the importance of these corals' ecosystems, the CMA CGM Group launched this initiative in late 2020, with an initial nursery along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia with ANL, the Group's expert shipping subsidiary in Oceania. The project has been made possible thanks to the work of the Group along with its partner, NGO Reef Restoration Foundation (RRF), which has already allowed for more than 1,000 coral plants to be planted. Five coral nurseries in Australia, Florida, the Philippines and the Seychelles This coral protection program was gradually extended in 2021, mainly to the Philippines and Malaysia, to protect and regenerate 6,000 km2 within the Coral Triangle with non-profit organization Endangered Species International, of which CMA CGM is a partner in this region. Its efforts have also been extended to the Seychelles in partnership with Nature Seychelles, an NGO dedicated to environmental conservation, by taking part in one of the world's most important coral restoration programs, thanks to the introduction of coral nurseries. Very recently, the Group joined forces with Reef Renewal Foundation International (RRFI), an NGO that develops coral restoration projects around the world. Together, CMA CGM and RRFI are continuing with these regeneration projects in the Molasses Reef off Key Largo, the most visited reef in Florida and one of the most famous scuba diving sites in the United States. In Australia, via its subsidiary ANL, the Group is continuing its collaboration with RRF and getting ready to launch a second nursery in Moore Reef thanks to the involvement of five of its clients: Coles Supermarkets, Costa Group, Kalgin Logistics, Gilmac and Gori. CMA CGM, committed to the environment With this worldwide coral reef restoration program, the CMA CGM Group is continuing to support sustainable use of the oceans and respect of ecosystems by means of a number of major projects, in keeping with its sustainable development strategy, and has launched initiatives to help to protect biodiversity and nature: Ending transportation of plastic waste on all the Group's vessels worldwide as of June 1, 2022 : a pioneering decision in the shipping industry to protect the oceans and biodiversity. : a pioneering decision in the shipping industry to protect the oceans and biodiversity. The CMA CGM Group decided in 2019 that none of its ships would use the Northern Sea Route in order to protect the Arctic and its biodiversity. in order to protect the Arctic and its biodiversity. Partnership with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to improve understanding of right whales on the east coast of the United States . Thanks to funding from CMA CGM, WHOI researchers have deployed two passive acoustic monitoring buoys off the coasts of Norfolk ( Virginia ) and Savannah (Georgia) . to improve understanding of right whales on the east coast of . Thanks to funding from CMA CGM, WHOI researchers have deployed two passive acoustic monitoring buoys off the coasts of ( ) and . Limiting vessel speed : within cetacean and marine mammal breeding areas, CMA CGM vessels reduce their speed to 10 knots in order to prevent the risk of collision. : within cetacean and marine mammal breeding areas, CMA CGM vessels reduce their speed to 10 knots in order to prevent the risk of collision. "Green ships" program on board all ships owned by the Group to sort waste on board and then recycle it on land. on board all ships owned by the Group to sort waste on board and then recycle it on land. Inspections of ship hulls using underwater drones lower carbon dioxide emissions by detecting encrustations of shellfish on the hull, which limit hydrodynamic performance. lower carbon dioxide emissions by detecting encrustations of shellfish on the hull, which limit hydrodynamic performance. The CMA CGM Group equips its vessels with an innovative ballast water treatment system using UV light ; this system allows it to eliminate any exogenous living organisms with no major impact on local biodiversity and without any use of chemical products. ; this system allows it to eliminate any exogenous living organisms with no major impact on local biodiversity and without any use of chemical products. CMA CGM is part of the Ocean & Climate Platform , spearheaded by the UN within the framework of the Group's belonging to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The platform helps to promote targets and best practices to support sustainable development of the oceans. , spearheaded by the UN within the framework of the Group's belonging to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The platform helps to promote targets and best practices to support sustainable development of the oceans. The CMA CGM Group has set itself the target of achieving Net Zero Carbon in 2050, primarily by developing the use of fuel alternatives. At present, the CMA CGM Group has 29 e-methane ready vessels currently powered by LNG, which is the best industrial tool for protecting air quality and which eliminates 99% of sulfur oxides, 91% of fine particles and 92% of nitrogen oxide emissions, exceeding existing regulations. Using LNG gets rid of sulfur emissions, which acidify the oceans, affecting coral and marine biodiversity. Claire Martin, Vice President Sustainability at the CMA CGM Group, comments: "The oceans are an essential place for the health and equilibrium of the planet and its inhabitants. The CMA CGM Group and all its crewmembers, operating a fleet of vessels on all of the world's seas, are strongly committed to protecting these valuable marine ecosystems in order to combat climate change and loss of biodiversity. That is why the Group acts daily to measure and limit its impact and works alongside scientists and NGOs to make its contribution to protecting and regenerating our oceans. We will attend the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon at the end of the month to pass on these messages and set out the concrete measures being taken by the CMA CGM Group." About CMA CGM Led by Rodolphe Saade, the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, serves more than 420 ports around the world across 5 continents, with a fleet of 580 vessels. The Group transported 22 million TEU containers (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2021. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a global logistics player which transported 474,000 tons of air cargo and more than 21 million tons of inland freight, and its air cargo division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is constantly innovating to provide customers a comprehensive and increasingly efficient offering, thanks to new shipping, inland, air freight and logistics solutions. Firmly committed to the energy transition in shipping and a pioneer in its use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a Net Zero-Carbon target for 2050. Each year, via the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group supports thousands of children as part of its efforts to promote education for all and equal opportunities. The CMA CGM Foundation also intervenes in humanitarian crises requiring an emergency response by calling on the Group's shipping and logistics expertise to deliver humanitarian supplies around the world. Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs 150,000 people worldwide, including 2,900 in Marseille where its head office is located. cmacgm-group.com SOURCE CMA CGM Under the deal, MONTE will purchase up to 100 ZA600 powertrains to be installed on existing and new Cessna Caravan, DHC-6 Twin Otter, Dornier 228 and HAL-228 aircraft. MONTE and ZeroAvia aim to retrofit the aircraft for clients starting in 2024 and will provide and finance maintenance and hydrogen availability services to support these operations. The deal will make ZeroAvia MONTE's exclusive hydrogen-electric powertrain provider for these aircraft. Timothy Eyre, Investment Director, MONTE said: "We are delighted to have partnered with ZeroAvia who are the market leader in the hydrogen-electric space. Our partnership is an important step in our journey towards becoming one of the world's first zero-emission aircraft lessors and we look forward to working with the ZeroAvia team on offering financing solutions for turboprop operators." James Peck, VP Business Development, ZeroAvia, said: "We're pleased to announce our partnership with MONTE. Together, ZeroAvia and MONTE will provide a compelling proposition to operators of 5-20 seat aircraft. This partnership will offer flexibility to operators to allow them to launch zero-emissions flights on their networks, as well as extending the lifespan of hundreds of in-service airframes." ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric powertrain brings state-of-the-art fuel cell and electric motor technology together to create an unparalleled aircraft engine that will deliver improved operating economics without harming the planet. The ZA600 powertrain - ZeroAvia's market entry, 600kW system, designed to support 5-20 seat airframes by 2024 - uses gaseous hydrogen stored onboard in lightweight tanks. The hydrogen feeds fuel cell stacks that generate power by converting hydrogen into electricity. ZeroAvia will soon flight test the ZA600 powertrain in a retrofitted Dornier 228. In the initial testing configuration, the aircraft testbed will fly with one hydrogen-electric powertrain on one wing, while keeping the stock engine on the other wing to ensure safe testing conditions. The testing program will then sequentially move to full hydrogen-electric flight, ultimately working towards a certifiable hydrogen-electric powertrain as the sole propulsion source for the categories of airframes included in this deal with MONTE. The work to develop ZA600 up to a certifiable configuration is part of the HyFlyer II project, in part supported by the UK Government through the ATI program . About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting a 300-mile range in 5-20 seat aircraft by 2024, and up to 1000-mile range in 40-80 seat aircraft by 2026. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for its two-prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, secured a number of key partnerships with major aircraft OEMs and major global airlines, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Government's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About MONTE MONTE is a pioneer in financing zero-emission technologies in the regional aviation market. MONTE is exclusively focused on supporting the aviation industry's transition to net zero carbon emissions by providing financing and leasing solutions for zero-emission technologies to regional aircraft operators. MONTE has a goal of becoming the first carbon neutral aircraft leasing company in the world by 2027. For more information, please visit montecleantech.com and follow MONTE on LinkedIn. SOURCE ZeroAvia Hartshead Resources NL (ASX:HHR) believes it will benefit materially from the UK Energy Profits Levy, announced by the UK Government on May 26, 2022. HHR will be the beneficiary of tax relief resulting from the New Investment Allowance on its investment in the Phase I development of the Anning and Somerville gas fields in the UK Southern Gas Basin. We are pleased to announce that Hartshead is set to receive incentives under the new UK oil & gas sector windfall tax, further increasing the attractiveness of the project to potential industry partners," Hartshead CEO Chris Lewis said. "The Tax Levy represents a strong commitment from the UK Government and reiterates their commitment to energy security both within the UK, but also within Europe. About the Windfall Tax In its bid to support the UKs oil and gas sector, the UK government introduced the new Windfall Tax, which introduces an additional 25% tax, thereby taking the total combined tax rate to 65%. Prior to this, the UK oil & gas fiscal regime consisted of three elements: Ring-Fenced Corporation Tax (RFCT) 30%; Supplementary Charge Tax (SCT) 10%; and Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) 0% from 2016. The Windfall Tax will end on December 31, 2025, due to a sunset clause but will be phased out earlier if oil and gas prices revert to historically normal levels. The new tax sends a strong message regarding UK energy security and the governments support of those wishing to invest in the UK oil and gas sector by effectively super-charging the tax relief available on capital expenditure. It is highly appealing to companies, such as Hartshead, which is in the development stage, noting that previous losses, decommissioning costs and financing costs are non-deductible for the purposes of the new Windfall Tax. There is considerable relief in the new tax available for oil and gas investments with an additional 80% allowance for investment expenditure, in addition to the existing 100% relief resulting in a total of 180% of capital expenditure being available for tax relief in the year of expenditure. The overall level of tax relief increases from 46.25 pence to 91.25 pence for each 1 of new investment. Final investment decision on horizon Late in May, Hartshead announced it had submitted its Phase I Concept Select Report (CSR) for the Anning and Somerville gas fields to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA). HHR is aiming to take a Final Investment Decision (FID) in 1H 2023 following further work to progress the Phase I development through the Concept Define/FEED stage. Read: Hartshead Resources completes major milestone for UK gas assets with submission of concept select report The company is in strong shape. Following FID, the material capital expenditure that Hartshead, and any potential industry partner will invest in the Phase I development, will benefit directly from the tax relief arising from the new investment allowance. Also of note is that Hartshead will not be subject to the additional 25% Windfall Tax on its Phase I production as due to previous years' losses, it will not start paying tax liabilities until FY2028, which is after the Windfall Tax expiration date of December 31, 2025. Nanoco Group PLC (LSE:NANO) boasted that its fundraising was very significantly over-subscribed after saying yesterday that it was feeling confident about its lawsuit against Samsung. On Monday, the maker of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomaterials, said it was looking to raise 2.25mln from a placing and subscription offer at a price of 37p per share. Today it confirmed that it raised 5.65mln in total, with a maximum of 3.4mln from a 'broker option'. It noted that much progress had been made in growing its order book, momentum on winning new contracts and managing costs, with the board very confident that the outcome of the litigation would be transformational for Nanoco's prospects and shareholder value. It also announced a fifth major work package had been signed with its major European electronics customer. The proceeds of the cash call are designed to extend the cash runway of the business into the 2024 calendar year, giving it leeway to deliver current commercial production orders and finish the Samsung trial in Texas. Confirmation of the final amount raised will be confirmed later on Wednesday, the company said. "The strength of demand in the fundraise is also a very clear message of support for the company in its IP litigation," said chief executive Brian Tenner. "As announced on 7 June 2022, Samsung's attempt to delay the trial for a second time has failed and we welcome the new trial date now set for September 2022, at the earlier end of our expectations. A robust balance sheet in the run up to the trial in Texas significantly strengthens our position opposite Samsung and any efforts to draw out the process through judicial appeals." Intercede Group (AIM:IGP) is in demand despite a fall in revenues and profits as its turnaround plan continues. The cybersecurity firm said a decline in full year revenues from 11mln to 9.9mln was in line with expectations, and came after delays in securing large contract wins due to COVID-19 restrictions. Profits for the year fell from 1.5mln to 0.7mln. Its future strategy includes focusing on consistent revenue growth, along with looking for suitable acquistions. Chairman Chuck Pol said it had been a challenging and uncertain period, but he added: "We enter [the new financial year] with positive momentum and lots of opportunities. When I look at the various elements of this business; particularly the experienced management team, the high growth cybersecurity market, the blue-chip customer base, the pipeline and the resilient response to market conditions in the last two years, I remain confident of thegGroup's future prospects. Significant progress was made in 2022 and I am excited for the year ahead." Analyst Andrew Darley at finnCap put a 125p target price on the shares and said the company's strong balance sheet should allow it to consider M&A. He said; "While the year has been a challenge, the opportunity is undimmed, and a recovery in large orders, whether cloud or licence sales, gives the opportunity for significant upside." In the market its shares have jumped 11.83% to 52p. 2.48pm: Sanderson Design Group signs up TV expert for new ranges Sanderson Design Group PLC (AIM: SDG), the luxury interior design and furnishings group, has signed a three year collaboration deal for its Harlequin brand with designer and broadcaster Sophie Robinson. Robinson, whose TV programmes include Channel 5's Dream Home Makeovers, will design a collection of wallpapers and fabrics for the Harlequin brand, expected to launch in Spring 2023. Lisa Montague, Sanderson Design Group's chief executive officer, said: " Sophie has a huge following among those interested in contemporary interiors and we look forward to the launch early next year of the first collection from this exciting collaboration, which aims to show people how to put colours together to suit individual styles." Its shares are 3.05% better at 152p. 2.32pm: Sound Energy slides as it raises 4mln in share issue Sound Energy PLC (AIM:SOU) is on the slide after it unveiled a 4mln fundraising. It is raising the money with a 2.88mln placing with institutional and other investors at 2p a share and a 1.12mln direct subscription. In the market its shares have lose 20.41% or 0.5p to 1.95p. The funds will be used on a number of projects, principally the pre-development work on the Tendrara Phase 2 pipeline in Morocco as well as corporate new ventures. Executive chairman Graham Lyon said: "Today's fundraise provides Sound Energy with a stronger financial base in order to progress our activities to deliver planned business growth, including enabling pre-development work up to a final investment decision on our Phase 2 gas pipeline development, and complements the project financing that we have secured for our Phase 1 micro LNG development." 11.42am: Serinus Energy says drilling preparations in Romania are ahead of schedule Serinus Energy PLC (AIM:SENX) is moving higher after reporting progress in its drilling programme in Romania. The company said the work to prepare for drilling is ahead of schedule. It plans to drill two wells sequentially into two separate natural gas prospects located near the Moftinu gas field and gas plant. Subject to the results of the first two wells the company anticipates drilling a third well to complete this 2022 drilling programme. The two prospects to be drilled are the Canar prospect in late June or early July and subsequently the Moftinu Nord prospect. It said its recently completed 2D seismic acquisition program has confirmed the attractiveness of these prospects. Serinus said it was fully funded for its 2022 capital programme in Romania and Tunisia. Its shares have jumped 11.11% to 13.5p. 10.26am: CleanTech Lithium lifted after test work produces high quality battery grade sample CleanTech Lithium PLC (AIM:CTL) is in demand after a positive result using direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, The exploration and development company, specialising in sustainable lithium projects in Chile, said DLE test-work had been completed to produce a 1kg sample of lithium carbonate. Brine from CleanTech's Laguna Verde project was processed by its partner, Beyond Lithium, to produce the sample. The benchmark for battery grade Lithium is more than 99.5% Li2CO3, and laboratory testing confirmed the sample had very low impurities with a grade of greater than 99.9% Li2CO3 Chief executive officer Aldo Boitano said: "We are very pleased with the results of the laboratory scale DLE testwork producing a high-quality battery grade sample with a Lithium Carbonate grade exceeding 99.9%. "This is a proprietary process developed for the Laguna Verde brine, which is designed to be scalable, cost effective and to minimise the projects environmental footprint. We look forward to the next stage of advancing to pilot scale work to further optimise and de-risk the process in line with our mission to produce material quantities of battery grade lithium, with near zero carbon emissions and low environmental impact , offering the EU electric vehicle market a green lithium supply solution. " Shares in CleanTech are 10.85% higher at 29.38p. 9.31am: Journeo accelerates after Nottingham council contracts Shares in Journeo PLC (AIM:JNEO) have jumped after new contracts with Nottingham City Council. The firm, which provides information systems and technical services to transport operators and local authorities, has won two deals for software, information systems and 5-year support services totalling 1.7mln. It will upgrade 1,600 existing LED outdoor displays, as well as supplying messaging software to allow the council to integrate travel disruption information with scheduled and real time departure data for over 10,000 bus stops throughout the region. Around 0.5mln of the total value of the agreements will come during this financial year. Journeo is up 10.91% at 122p. 8.40am: Coral Products boosted by positive update Coral Products PLC (AIM:CRU), the plastic products maker, has seen its shares climb after an upbeat trading statement and an increase in its dividend. The company said full year sales were expected to be at least 14.4mln, up from 10.7mln. It also confirmed a previous forecast that pre-tax profits were expected to be "materially above market expectations". It plans a final dividen of 0.2p, taking the total to 1.1p, a 10% increase on the previous year. Joe Grimmond, executive chairman, said: "Since the year end, the group has completed the acquisition on the 4th May 2022 of Film & Foil Solutions Ltd and on 30th May 2022 of Alma Products Ltd and sales from the existing subsidiaries continue to improve. "Whilst it is still early in our current year and despite a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the macroeconomic circumstances, we are confident our current performance; the performance of our new subsidiaries and very strong cash position, even after funding the acquisitions, will see our group continue to further develop." Coral shares are up 10.45% to 18.5p. Elsewhere ECR Minerals PLC (AIM:ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, is in demand after a positive result from drilling at its Bailieston Project. It saw multiple gold intercepts and said there was clearly much more to come. ECR chairman David Tang said: There is a palpable sense of excitement at ECR Minerals as the intensive drilling campaign across our Victoria assets is now, despite the delays in assay processing, yielding consistently high gold grades... this exceptional result today and the continuity of grade between Zone 2 and Zone 3 could well indicate a significant find. We look forward to the remaining assay results from the adjacent holes. ECR is up 19.05% at 1.25p. Avation PLC (LSE:AVAP) finance director Richard Wolanski joins Proactive London to talk about what the recent lease extension deal with easyJet explains about the company and the wider market for aircraft leasing. He says every aircraft is generating rent and thats who we were pre-Covid, though the shares sit at their biggest discount to net asset value in their history. The four-year extension, he says, is evidence of how airlines are choosing to hold onto their older aircraft to help rebuild their capacity, in light of the resurgent demand from travellers and the removal of over 500 aircraft from the global fleet by Russia and the current slower rates of production by Airbus and Boeing. Cineworld Group PLC (LSE:CINE) has cancelled all UK screenings of The Lady of Heaven, a movie about the Prophet Muhammads daughter, after protests and a petition. Over 120,000 people signed a petition for the film to be withdrawn from screens, with The Bolton Council of Mosques labelling it blasphemous. Asif Patel, chairman of the council, said the film was "underpinned with a sectarian ideology" and "misrepresents orthodox historical narratives and disrespects the most esteemed individuals of Islamic history." Around 100 people protested outside the cinema in Bolton, with roughly 200 in Birmingham, according to reports. Cineworld claimed it wanted "to ensure the safety of [its] staff and customers" but there was still some criticism voiced. Baroness Claire Fox commented in a Tweet: Same 'I Find that Offensive' cancel culture arguments now being used far beyond campus activism. Disastrous for the arts, dangerous for free speech, a lesson to those who argue identity politics are no threat to democracy." Vue cinemas continued to air the film, with the movie scheduled to be shown on Wednesday across various parts of the country. Cineworlds share price fell 3.8% to 24.7p on the news. Wincantons CEO James Wroath talks to Proactive about the logistics business, how it is coping with the growth in online shopping and why it is now being viewed as an essential service. We're geared up for bricks and mortar. we have customers with huge retail store estates but also we have a growing interest in e-fulfilment, he says. One differentiator is that Wincanton is solely focused on the UK and Ireland, he adds, and that makes us "both a local hero and a scale player in this market". A spat has broken out between the UK's two largest motoring bodies over the soaring cost of petrol. The AA criticised its rival the RAC for playing a part in soaring fuel prices as average petrol rates climbed more than 2p in a day to over 1.80 a litre the largest daily increase in 17 years on the latters Tuesday warning of further hikes to come. Although the Ukraine war has been by far the biggest driver of unprecedented prices at the pump, the AA also blamed the RACs reckless speculation, that motorists should prepare for 2 a litre prices and for the most significant hike since 2005. Luke Bosdet at the AA said: Reckless speculation is leading to rip-off prices at the pump. Yesterdays more than 2p-a-litre leap in average UK petrol prices is a huge shock and fuels concern that speculation of a 2 litre just gives the fuel trade licence to pile on extra cost and the misery. RAC, one of the two main motoring organisations in the UK along with the AA, brandished the alert in response to Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) forecasting average oil prices to surge to US$135 a barrel for the remainder of 2022. A RAC spokesman hit back, countering the allegation by claiming retailers determined their prices on wholesale costs rather than speculation. Multiverse, the company run by Euan Blair, the son of former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, has been valued at US$1.7bn (1.4bn) in its latest funding round, making it the UK's first 'edtech' unicorn. In just eight months, the apprenticeship business has doubled its valuation and earned a spot among Britain's billion-pound businesses as it secured US$220mln (175mln) in funding. Multiverse was co-founded by Blair junior in 2016 and launched in the US in January 2021. Reports indicate that Blair - who is chief executive of the company and was awarded the MBE for services to education in the recent Queen's birthday honours - owns between 25% and 50% of the business. Since foundation the group has provided apprenticeships to young adults and those seeking retraining, now working with over 500 companies worldwide. Over 8,000 individuals have been placed in apprenticeships worldwide through the programme as an alternative to university. US investment firm StepStone Group contributed the latest funding, along with previous investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. Multiverse plans to use the funds to expand across the US, where the company launched in January of last year. "There has never been a more pressing time to create an alternative to university education that is equitable and inclusive and there is an incredible opportunity before us to change the status quo with apprenticeships," said Blair. "This funding will help us bring more people without degrees or in need of re-skilling into tech careers and ultimately create a more diverse group of future leaders." Multiverse board member Jeremy Duggan added the Multiverse journey so far has been marked not only by rapid growth, but also by developing a real and actionable solution to the challenges of workplace diversity. Choppy pricing among cryptocurrencies does not spell the end of the nascent digital currency market, according to investment bank Citi. Despite recent price volatility, analysts still spy opportunities to invest regardless of the prospect of greater regulatory oversight in the largely unregulated crypto market. Tentative evidence suggests a reduction in trading volumes and futures positions but not wholesale declines in investor interest in the space, Citi said in an analyst note on Wednesday. Due to the nascency of digital assets, the crypto market remains largely unregulated, but regulators in the US and the UK are planning to step in and provide greater protection for investors, which could provide much-needed clarity. In the US, senators have proposed what is expected to be the biggest Bitcoin bill in history. The bill would give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission control to regulate cryptocurrencies, which are currently traded as commodities. Under the policy proposals, the US Securities and Exchange Commission would oversee the regulation of coins deemed as securities, but small transactions of less than $200 would be exempt from tax. The move would require stablecoins to be 100% backed, said Marcus Sotiriou, an analyst at digital asset broker GlobalBlock, who suggests it will provide confidence to many investors. Concerns around stablecoins following TerraUSDs collapse led to outflows from Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin, and most likely exacerbated crypto price declines, Citi said in the analyst note on Wednesday. We find trading volumes and search interest spiking around the peak of stablecoin woes but subsequently mean-reverting. Former Financial Conduct Authority regulator Charles Randell said last month while speaking at the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University in London that stablecoins, only if they are strongly regulated to stay truly stable may have the potential to reduce costs and frictions in certain types of payment transaction, and to challenge the very strong position occupied by a small number of players in the payments market. Investment bank Citi said that cryptocurrencies were below their late 2021 peak and that futures open interest has declined, but that it is recovering. In recent days, Citi said exchange-traded funds have seen new "inflows. The UK government has also recently announced that it will consult on a regulatory regime for the crypto market, which would regulate the trading of tokens like Bitcoin. There are no consumer protections for those who buy any cryptoassets and NFTs, and they are not FSCS protected. As a result, if you buy cryptoassets you should be prepared to lose all the money you invest, the FCA said in a statement last month. UK marketers of crypto assets currently have to stick to guidelines set out by the Advertising Standards Authority and the FCA said the advertising authority has investigated multiple adverts for cryptocurrencies which did not make it clear that the product was not regulated or protected in the UK. However, offering renewed confidence in the emerging asset, hedge fund Citadel Securities is building a new crypto trading system for digital assets, backed by Fidelity, which plans to hire 110 blockchain specialists by the end of the year to expand beyond Bitcoin services. Magmatic Resources Ltd (ASX:MAG) continues a raft of exploration activities at the Wellington North Project, encouraged by its proximity to Alkanes recent 10.1-million-ounce gold equivalent Boda discovery, and at the Myall Project, north of the Northparkes copper-gold mining district. At Wellington North, the company recently began intensive exploration at the Bodangora Goldfield, which produced an estimated 230,000 ounces of gold between 1869 and 1917. Gold production from the Bodangora region came from multiple workings including the Mitchells Creek Mine in the east and the Dicks Reward Mine in the west. Diamond drilling targets extensions Magmatic has drilled five diamond holes across 714 metres at the Dicks Reward historical mine, targeting extensions along strike to the southeast and northwest. The holes were drilled to between 100 and 175 metres depth, with a number of the holes designed to test the potential for gold mineralisation in the footwall and hanging wall of the deposit. Zones of interest have now been logged, cut and submitted for assay for each hole. Quartz veining and alteration were identified in all five holes and assays are expected to confirm this by July. Coincident elevated gold, copper and lead Aircore drilling results are in, as are an additional 160 infill soil samples covering the Bodangora region. These confirm and expand the 1000-metre by 250-metre northeast-southwest trending anomaly between and to the south of historical Mitchells Creek and Dicks Reward workings, with coincident zones of elevated gold, copper and lead. The company is also planning an ongoing high-impact drilling campaign at the Myall Project, targeting a Northparkes-style porphyry-associated copper-gold discovery. Revised permitting has been submitted for the construction of formed, all-weather drill pads and the program is scheduled to start in late June, subject to weather conditions and approvals. Wet weather a dampener Back in March, the company reported the results from an eight-hole diamond program at the Mitchells Creek Mine including 0.57 metres at 14.3 g/t gold, 22 g/t silver and 1.1% copper. Additional holes, planned for deeper in the central portion of the deposit, were not able to be drilled due to the exceptionally wet conditions in the region. The company will look to explore in these areas if conditions improve following planned drilling at its Myall Project. Cookie Policy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping us understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. See our Cookie Policy for more information. South Harz Potash Ltd (ASX:SHP) shares rose more than 5% after receiving strong confirmatory results from the second drill hole within the Ohmgebirge Mining Licence area of its South Harz Potash Project in Germany. Assay results from the second Ohmgebirge confirmatory drill hole (OHM-01) returned a key intercept of 3.75 metres at an average grade of 16.19% K2O (potassium oxide). Results returned to date are summarised in the table below. Assay results from the lower section of the drill hole are still pending. South Harz acting executive chairman Ian Farmer said: We are pleased to announce the assay results returned from the high-grade potash section of our second confirmatory drill hole at Ohmgebirge, OHM-01. Similar to our first confirmatory hole, OHM-02, the results show excellent correlation with the nearby historic drill hole. We have now effectively validated historic results at Ohmgebirge from both the initial drilling campaign conducted in the early 1900s and the extensive drilling campaign carried out by the GDR from the 1960s through to the 1980s." Ohmgebirge Mining Licence area showing the location of historical drill holes and the twin confirmatory holes, OHM-01 and OHM-02. Drillhole OHM-01 was completed to a depth of 807.91 metres to fully penetrate the known Stafurt Potash Horizon (z2KSt). It was designed to twin and validate the results of the historical drill hole, Kal Ktf 5/83, which recorded a potash intercept from 785.2 metres to 788.2 metres (3 metres thickness) with a historically reported grade of 12.4% K2O. OHM-01 was drilled about 100 metres north of the historical drill hole. It intercepted the top of the high-grade potash horizon from 775.05 metres down to a depth of 778.80 metres, a total apparent thickness of 3.75 metres. A comprehensive assay suite comprising wet ICP and XRD analyses has identified a high-grade Anhydritic Hartsalz returning an average intercept grade of 16.9% K2O. A second lower grade potash zone with a higher abundance of kieserite2 (MgSO4H2O) was identified from 787.67 metres to 795.19 metres downhole, with assay results still pending. Resource upgrade Drilling and assay of core from these two confirmatory drill holes are intended to allow South Harz to upgrade a substantial proportion of the current Ohmgebirge JORC 2012 resource to the indicated category. Following receipt of the key assay results from both OHM-02 and OHM-01, work has now commenced on updating the Ohmgebirge resource. South Harz is aiming to release a comprehensive scoping study (a preliminary technical and economic assessment) for Ohmgebirge in early Q3 2022. Farmer added: The results from our two confirmatory drill holes further substantiate our confidence in the accuracy of the 41 drill holes in the Ohmgebirge licence area, and indeed the 300 drill holes which we acquired as part of the suite of mining licences that comprise our world-class South Harz Potash Project. Work has now commenced on updating the Ohmgebirge Mineral Resource model and finalising the Scoping Study, which we look forward to completing early next quarter. Race Oncology Ltd (ASX:RAC) has added five new clinical trial sites in Italy and Spain in an expansion of its BISECT (RAC-006) Phase 1b/2a clinical trial assessing Zantrene in the treatment of extramedullary Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (EMD AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). Extramedullary AML occurs when leukaemia spreads from the bone marrow and forms solid tumours in tissues such as the skin, breast, kidney, brain or other organs. MDS is a group of blood cancers that affects the production of normal blood cells in the bone marrow. These include chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML), atypical chronic myeloid leukaemia (aCML) and myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms unclassifiable (MDS/MPN). RAC signed a clinical support agreement with global clinical research organisation Parexel International to support the additional trial monitoring activities, intending to accelerate patient recruitment and respond to European investigator interest in both Zantrene and EMD AML and MDS. Trial garners interest from European clinicians We are pleased that we have received strong interest in our BISECT (RAC-006) EMD AML and MDS study from experienced European haematologists, Race Oncology chief medical officer Dr David Fuller said. These clinicians identify a significant unmet need for the treatment of EMD AML and MDS and want to be actively involved in EMD clinical research. We look forward to activating these sites once we have cleared the necessary European Regulatory and Ethics approval process. Shares up Shares have been as much as 4.88% higher intraday to A$1.72. BISECT (RAC-006) is an open label Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in patients with EMD AML and MDS. The trials endpoints will be complete response (CR) and complete response with incomplete haematological recovery (CRi), with the clinical aim of bridging the patient to an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (Stratum 1), and safety and tolerability of the decitabine/Zantrene regimen (Stratum 2). Secondary endpoints include safety and tolerability of Zantrene, overall and event-free survival, and the correlation of FTO expression or other biomarkers with response to treatment. This study supports our Pillar 3 FDA registration ambitions and builds on Zantrenes historical safety and efficacy in AML, Race Oncology CEO and managing director Phillip Lynch said. The clinical use of Zantrene using superior drug combinations offers hope to patients with difficult to treat forms of AML and MDS. Savannah Resources PLC (AIM:SAV, ETR:SAV, OTC:SAVNF) said 2022 remains a critical year for the company as it seeks to make progress on the Barroso lithium project in Portugal. Our key goals for the year remain to secure the EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment] approval for the development of the project, and an offtake/investment agreement for our lithium concentrate production, said chairman Matthew King in a statement ahead of the companys annual general meeting. King said the company shares the frustrations of its shareholders regarding the time taken for the EIA review process - it passed the second anniversary of lodging the EIA in May 2022 - and noted it is a political process over which it has little control. An impromptu general election in January further impacted the process as appointments to the relevant cabinet positions were not made until March. We are confident though that the new administration is now in a position to make a decision and remain hopeful of a positive outcome, said King. The company noted a near 800% increase in the price of lithium concentrate over the last 12 months to USD$6,200 per tonne, far exceeding the price it assumed in its scoping study of USD$685 per tonne. As a result of the current macro environment in the European and global lithium markets, and the growing concern around future supply among consumers of lithium feedstock, we find that in 2022 we are in a great position to secure suitable offtakes and/or partnerships, said King. This interest will only increase further assuming a positive decision on the EIA is received." Barroso is Europe's most significant lithium spodumene deposit, containing about 285,900 tonnes of lithium oxide, which the company said it believes is sufficient to supply a material proportion of Europe's lithium demand over the coming decades. We believe the market backdrop is hugely supportive for the development of the project and we remain convinced of our project's excellent potential, King concluded. We are also keenly aware of the need to deliver progress during the second half of this year and we are working relentlessly to unlock the project's value." NEO Battery Materials Ltd has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with established South Korean automotive business Automobile & PCB Inc. The company said the MOU, signed on June 7, 2022, established strategic investment and cooperation between the parties to advance the Korean mass production facility of NEOs silicon anode materials for electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries. Through the partnership, NEO and A&P will pursue cooperation to construct NEOs silicon anode commercial plant in South Korea by attracting strategic investments to NEOs wholly-owned subsidiary NBM Korea Co Ltd, and A&P will actively support NEO in its commercialization efforts. Cloud DX Inc said it has increased the number of contracts it has signed by 142% year-over-year as the company announced a new contract with a fourth paramedic service provider. The company said an Ontario County paramedic service has selected its Connected Health Platform which will introduce remote patient monitoring to the community to improve population health, patient outcomes, and alleviate burdens on its hospital system. Cloud DX has signed 17 contracts or contract extensions so far in 2022, exceeding the total number of contracts signed in 2021, it said. Love Pharma Inc, which has a focus on the global sexual health and wellness markets, revealed that it has completed a first closing of a non-brokered private placement. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company said it accepted subscriptions for 72,971,998 units at a price of $0.011 per unit, for gross proceeds of $802,691.99. Proceeds will be used for working capital and to review possible acquisitions, the company said. Great Panther Mining Limited reported the filing of the technical report on the 2021 Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources of the Tucano Gold Mine, in Amapa State, Brazil. The Vancouver-based precious metals producer focused on the Americas said the technical report has an effective date of July 31, 2021. The company said the technical report has been filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the companys website at www.greatpanther.com. Alkaline Fuel Cell Power Corp (AFCP) has announced the launch of PWWR Flow Streams, a brand of its combined heat and power (CHP) division, following its April 22, 2022, acquisition of the CHP assets of the AI group of companies. The company said PWWR Flows assets target the delivery of improved energy efficiency of more than 20% with lower costs to customers, whether in multi-residential or commercial applications. It has contracted to deploy its existing CHP assets in Toronto and is advancing a robust pipeline of future potential contracts wo=orth over $50 million, Alkaline Fuel Cell Power added. XPhyto Therapeutics Corp has announced that Dr Florian A. Sahr, a German-born and internationally-trained leader in drug formulation, technology transfer and new-product manufacturing, has joined its European operations as head of project management. The company noted that Dr Sahr has a strong track record in drug development, including transdermal (TDS) and oral dissolvable (ODF) delivery systems, as well as the physical and regulatory establishment of GMP and FDA compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Dr Sahr is engaged full-time at Vektor Pharma TF GmbH, XPhyto's wholly-owned German subsidiary, it added. Benchmark Metals Inc has announced new drill results from the middle portion of the Cliff Creek deposit (CC Mid) at its Lawyers gold-silver project in British Columbia, which it described as encouraging. The company noted that the area has historically seen less drilling and more moderate results relative to the Cliff Creek North and Cliff Creek South zones of the deposit. However, it said the results from CC Mid, including several other better than expected intervals in recent drilling, may have the potential to positively impact future resource updates from the flagship Lawyers project. It highlighted drill hole 22CCDD014 which intersected two broad intervals, an upper zone grading 1.98 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 48.77 g/t silver or 2.59 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) over 21.2 metres (m), and a lower zone grading 3.09 g/t gold and 106.50 g/t silver or 4.42 g/t AuEq over 18.81m. Plurilock Security Inc has announced the availability of its Summer 2022 product release to support the growing use of virtual environments as organizations rethink their workforce strategies. In our summer product release, our team has delivered on critical features that support our customers growing use of virtual environments and other customer-driven features that streamline workflows and enhance protection against credential compromise and unauthorized access, said Ian L. Paterson, CEO of Plurilock, in a statement. This continued development of our product portfolio is in alignment with our larger strategy to acquire profitable cybersecurity companies with great customers and provide cutting-edge identity confirmation solutions that protect workforces, he added. Tocvan Ventures Corp revealed that it has discovered, via drilling, a new trend parallel to the Main zone at its Pilar gold-silver project in Mexico. The company reported assays from two holes aimed at testing parallel trends. These holes were part of a Phase III drill program, which saw nine holes sunk in a bid to expand the Main zone through 25, 50 and 100-metre (m) step-outs. One of the two holes was successful in hitting a "significant" zone of broad low-grade gold mineralization, showing 54.9m of 0.3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold starting from just 6.10m depth, including 13.7m of 0.6 g/t gold and 9.2m of 0.6 g/t gold, interpreted to be a new parallel trend. This intersection also included a near-surface quartz vein zone grading a higher 1.6 g/t gold and 29 g/t silver over 4.6m starting from 6.10m depth. Tiidal Gaming Group Corp announced that its wholly-owned technology division Sportsflare has released Esports 3.0, a new end-to-end esports betting solution. The new first-of-its-kind technology offering enables bettors to make flash bets for popular esports titles, including League of Legends and Dota 2, Tiidal said. Through Esports 3.0, bettors will be able to place wagers on in-game outcomes, numerous times within a single game, which will significantly increase the attractiveness of esports betting within a sportsbooks operations. In addition to having the most player markets and highest number of available esports betting markets, we have released Esports 3.0, an improved esports betting product that brings the first flash-betting solution to the esports space, for League of Legends and Dota 2, Max Polaczuk, Tiidals chief technology officer said in a statement. Belmont Resources Inc said it has completed the terms of the option agreement, signed on May 27, 2020, for the acquisition of the Come By Chance (CBC) copper-gold porphyry project. The company now holds a 100% interest in the property, subject to a net smelter return (NSR) of 1.5% which the company can reduce to 0.5% with a payment of C$1,000,000 to the vendors. The claims have been optioned for 100% from a non-related third party for a $7,500 cash payment on the approval date with 100,000 shares to be issued on the approval date, 200,000 shares to be issued on the first anniversary of the agreement and another 200,000 shares to be issued on the second anniversary. Think Research Corporation has announced that its Hubly integration engine has expanded its Ontario eReferral Program, in partnership with Caredove, to increase access to the Ocean eReferral Network in the northeast region of Ontario. The company said the expanded partnership, as part of the Ontario eServices Program, advances the provincial vision of an open, standard approach to eReferral interoperability by connecting clinical users with more than 100 additional home and community support service listings in the northeast region of Ontario available through the Caredove eReferral platform. It explained that this enables primary care providers to easily find the best service option based on eligibility, availability, and proximity to their patient, send a referral, and optionally book available intake appointments with the relevant staff member at each community-based organization. Snowline Gold Corp announced that it has begun 2022 exploration and drilling at its new Forks Camp in Canadas Yukon Territory, built to support its Rogue, Einarson, Ursa and Cynthia projects. The gold exploration company said Phase II diamond drilling is underway at Rogue's Valley zone to test the extent of gold mineralization encountered by drilling in September 2021, which uncovered broad zones of gold mineralization in all four holes, within a soil and talus fine anomaly spanning roughly two kilometers. District Metals Corp said it has intersected strong visual sulphide mineralization at its flagship Tomtebo polymetallic property in the Bergslagen district of Sweden. The Canada-based, Sweden-focused firm said it encountered footwall polymetallic mineralization at the Steffenburgs zone, where one hole intersected intermittent disseminated, stringer, and impregnated with lesser semi-massive to massive mineralization over approximately 61.5 metres. Another hole intersected massive sulphide mineralization over approximately 2.7 metres a 40 metre step-out below a previously drilled hole that returned 14.3 metres at 14.2% zinc equivalent. Aben Resources Ltd has said it expects to start its 2022 exploration program on the Slocan graphite project, 34 kilometres (km) northwest of Castlegar in British Columbia, in late June. In an investor update, the junior resource company said the mineral exploration permit for the project is still under review with the Ministry of Mines, adding that it anticipates the start of ground exploration on the property when weather and ground conditions allow access. The company said it has also received an exemption letter from the Ministry of Mines to conduct an induced polarization (IP) survey before the permit is granted. Furthermore, it said a drill is available for the project in late August depending on the issuance of the permit. Arrow Exploration Corp told investors it has identified two new oil-bearing zones as it reached total depth in drilling on its Rio Cravo Sur-1 (RCS-1) well on the Tapir Block in Colombias Llanos Basin. In an update, the company said RCS-1 was spud on May 23, 2022, and the well was drilled to a true vertical depth of 8,105 feet on June 3, before being successfully cased and cemented on June 6. Arrow said the initial technical evaluation indicates six separate oil-bearing reservoirs, two of which were not evident in the Rio Cravo Este-1 (RCE-1) or Rio Cravo Este-2 (RCE-2) wells. Cumulative net pay in all zones exceeded 55 feet. The six separate reservoirs were found in the C7, the Gacheta and the Ubaque, between 7,077 feet and 8,105 feet, it added. BioVaxys Technology Corp said its France-based bioproduction partner, BioElpida, has completed the creation of multiple OVCAR-3 cell banks as the next step in the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) process development for the company's BVX-0918 vaccine aimed at treating platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The Vancouver-based biotechnology company noted that the OVCAR-3 cell line is mandatory for creating the identity assays that will have to be performed on every batch of ovarian cancer vaccines. The assay is required by regulatory bodies in the European Union and the US. The cell line is derived from a human ovarian adenocarcinoma, established from a patient refractory to cisplatin, a chemotherapeutic agent used in late-stage ovarian cancer. Patients whose tumors are innately cisplatin-resistant at the time of initial treatment generally have poor prognosis, which is the patient population target for BVX-0918. Hillcrest Energy Technologies Inc said it has filed a patent application for a simplified electric vehicle (EV) charging solution that offers improved efficiency and performance. The company said initial proof-of-concept lab testing confirmed the ability of the enhanced powertrain solution to provide universal, backward compatible, bidirectional charging capabilities. With this solution, Hillcrest said EVs would no longer require an onboard charger, which is expected to reduce the cost, complexity, and weight of an EV powertrain and allow an EV to be AC-charged with the maximum power capability of the traction inverter or of the AC charging source regardless of the system voltage. Tiziana Life Sciences PLC said a second patient with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) in an ongoing study has shown clinical improvements following three months of treatment with its intranasal drug foralumab. The patient showed improvements based on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging analysis, a neurologic exam and a timed 25-foot walk test. These findings are consistent with the results obtained from the first patient following three months of treatment, as previously announced in March. The study is part of an expanded access program at the Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) in Boston. Copper Fox Metals Inc has said it is focused this year on advancing its mineral assets for use in the 'green economy' as the company unveiled its second-quarter operating and financial results. In a statement covering the three months to April 30, 2022, CEO Elmer B. Stewart said the company's main focus was copper and this year, it would be investigating project enhancements at its Schaft Creek and Van Dyke projects, as well as drilling to advance its Eaglehead project to a resource estimate and selection of future drill targets at the Mineral Mountain and Sombrero Butte assets. Fabled Copper Corp has announced additional results from its 2021 surface field work on its Muskwa Copper Muskwa Copper project in northern British Columbia, Canada. The Vancouver-based junior miners Muskwa project is made up of the Neil and the Toro properties and it also holds rights to the Bronson property. In a statement, Fabled Copper CEO Peter Hawley said: "To date we have reported on the sampling of 14 copper occurrences, related drone unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) missions and ground geophysics on the Neil property. This completes the 2021 work on the Neil and now we will report on the 2021 work on the Bronson property to the south of the Neil." New Age Metals Inc has announced new assay results for core samples from 2021 drill hole KP21-05 completed at the Dana South Zone at its River Valley palladium project in northern Ontario, which included 1.1 grams per tonne (g/t) palladium + platinum + gold and 0.1% copper over 84 metres (m) from 197m downhole. The mineral exploration and development company said the long, higher-grade intersection of palladium mineralization lying outside the established boundary of Dana South appears to represent an opportunity to expand the zone in a south-southeastwards direction. The exploration upside potential at River Valley continues to surprise, despite historical and recent drilling of 723 holes totalling 156,000m along the 16 km strike length of the deposit, the company's CEO Harry Barr said in a statement. Dalrada Corporation said it has acquired pharmacy Watson Rx Solutions Inc in a move that highlights its aggressive growth plans within the healthcare sector and paves the way for a total end-to-end healthcare solution. The group, whose divisions include Dalrada Health and Dalrada Technologies, said adding the 10-year-old pharmacy to Dalrada Health's comprehensive model expands the subsidiary's synergies with potential opportunities across its products and services portfolio and offers another solution to meet patient requirements. "Watson Rx has a long history of providing excellent pharmacy services, Dalrada CEO and founder Brian Bonar said in a statement. This acquisition allows Dalrada to expand its healthcare footprint and continue to build a total health management solution on an already successful turnkey operation. As a result, the company will be able to successfully address the health needs of even more patients." Belmont Resources Inc said it is pushing towards delivering an updated 43-101 compliant mineral resources estimate for its Lone Star copper-gold project in Washington with the completion of its Phase 1 drill program. The drill program at the project, which is a joint venture with Marquee Resources, was designed to validate the historical drill hole database and resource model, deliver a 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate, and test for extensions to the historical resource. Belmont said it has also received the latest drill results from the project, with highlights including intercepts of 35.1 metres (m) at 1% copper equivalent from 41.2 m, including 4.6 m at 2.8% copper equivalent, and 79.9 m at 0.9% copper equivalent from 97.5 m, including 7.6 m at 3.2% copper equivalent. Ridgeline Minerals Corp said it has gained further insight into its Selena project in Nevada with the acquisition of a historical database of drill results from NevGold Corp, Nevada-focused explorer Ridgeline acquired all the outstanding surface and drill hole data from NevGold, the operators of the adjacent Limousine Butte project just north of Selena. Six holes drilled in 2010 contained shallow, high-grade silver, gold, lead and zinc at the previously identified Juniper target that is around one kilometer south of Ridgelines Chinchilla discovery on the property, the company said. Harvest One Cannabis Inc said its board of directors has authorized a change in the company's name to Delivra Health Brands Inc, marking the completion of its strategic review. In connection with the name change, it is anticipated that trading of the company's common shares will commence under a new ticker symbol. "The last two years have been transformative for the company as we successfully navigated many difficult challenges to reshape the company by focusing on health and wellness solutions, Gord Davey, president and CEO of Harvest One said in a statement. Electra Battery Materials Corporation said it has appointed Craig Cunningham as its chief financial officer effective from June 8, 2022. Before joining Electra, Cunningham was Vice President and Regional Financial Officer at Kinross Gold, overseeing finance, information technology, supply chain and logistics, and administration functions in Russia. Previously, he served in controller, risk management, and audit roles at Kik Custom Products, Loblaw Companies, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the company said. "Craig is a welcome addition to the Electra senior leadership team, bringing executive-level leadership and more than 17 years of accounting, finance, operational, and capital markets experience," Trent Mell, CEO of Electra Battery Materials said in a statement. "We look forward to his many contributions as we execute on our strategy of becoming North America's first integrated battery materials park." Phunware Inc has said that the company and PhunToken (PHTK), its innovative cryptocurrency enabling global brands to digitally engage and reward customers for profitable behavior will co-sponsor Consensus 2022, which will take place in Austin, Texas, from June 9-12, 2022. The company said it will also be launching the PhunToken Consensus Quest on PhunWallet, offering opportunities to win over $100,000 in rewards, plus a Lyte Mining PC. For more information and to download the app to join the quest, interested parties can visit https://www.phunware.com/phuntoken-consensus-quest/. The 2022 Consensus festival is the only event covering all sides of blockchain, crypto, Web 3 and the metaverse. Organized by CoinDesk, the conference will host thousands of the world's brightest minds and impactful voices within the booming digital assets industry. Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC), the leading proprietary investor conference series, in partnership with KCSA Strategic Communications has announced that the presentations from the June 7, 2022, Cannabis Industry Virtual Investor Conference are now available for on-demand viewing via the following link: https://bit.ly/3GTVblN. The company presentations will be available 24/7 for 90 days. Investors, advisors, and analysts may download investor materials from the company's resource section. Companies are accepting 1x1 management meeting requests through June 10, 2022. Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. To view a complete calendar of Virtual Investor Conferences, investors can visit: www.virtualinvestorconferences.com. Wishpond Technologies Ltd said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing of an asset purchase agreement dated April 1, 2022, between the company, the company's subsidiary, Viral Loops Technologies Inc., and Viral Loops Ltd. (the vendor). Under the terms of the agreement, the company has acquired certain assets and specified liabilities of the vendor's referral marketing software platform. By way of consideration, the company made cash payments totalling US$1.38 million at closing. The transaction is also subject to a one-year performance earnout, which is based on a percentage of revenue of the acquired vendor's business, to be paid quarterly, and may be paid in cash, common shares of the company or a combination thereof, at the company's discretion. The earnout consideration payable cannot be lower than US$500,000 and cannot be higher than US$2 million. Any shares that are issued pursuant to the earnout will be subject to a minimum floor price of 84 Canadian cents, being the discounted market price. Lavras Gold Corp said that under a resolution passed by its board of directors on April 21, 2022, the company has consolidated its capital on a one-new-for-10-old basis. The name of the company has not been changed. Effective at the opening, June 9, 2022, the shares will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange on a consolidated basis. Quebec Nickel Corp has invited shareholders to visit it at Booth #3239 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday, June 13, 2022, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Vanstar Mining Resources Inc has said it will be attending the PDAC conference being held June 13-15, 2022. Investors can visit the company at booth #3329 at the Investors Exchange in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre 222 Bremnar Blvd. Valeo Pharma Inc has said it will report its financial results and highlights for the second quarter ended April 30, 2022, on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, after the market close. The company will host a conference call to discuss those results and highlights on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 8.30am ET: Conference ID 49147207; Dial-in numbers 1-888-664-6392 or 416-764-8659; Audio replay numbers 1-888-390-0541 or 416-764-8677; Replay code 147207#. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available via: https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1553257&tp_key=74c181ca17 Mednow Inc has said it will be hosting its quarterly conference call on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 8.30am EST. The conference call will cover its third-quarter 2022 financial results. During the call, the Mednow team will provide an update on Mednow's expansion, recent strategic partnerships, milestones, M&A activities, and third-quarter 2022 financial results. Conference Call details: Canada/USA Toll-free 1-800-319-4610; International Toll 1-604-638-5340. The conference call will be available on our website at: https://investors.mednow.ca/financial-reports/ Water Tower Research said it has published an update note on AEye Inc via the following link: https://www.watertowerresearch.com/content/co-founder-jordan-greene-outlines-how-aeye-will-win-with-its-differentiated-tech-biz-model-and-management-team OTC Markets Group Inc, the operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 US and international securities, has announced that Norsk Titanium AS, a global leader in metal 3D printing, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market and has today upgraded from the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol NORSF. The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused US and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among US investors. "Norsk Titanium is pleased to make this move to the OTCQX market," said Michael Canario, CEO of Norsk Titanium. "As we continue on our growth path, we are excited to partner with OTC Markets Group to serve our investor community." OTC Markets Group Inc, the operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 US and international securities, has announced that Prime Mining Corp, a company focused on the exploration and development of its wholly-owned Los Reyes Gold-Silver Project in Sinaloa State, Mexico, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market and has today upgraded from the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol PRMNF. The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused US and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among US investors. Prime Mining chief executive officer Daniel Kunz commented: "We are pleased to reach the milestone of trading on OTCQX, as this will provide our valued US investors with greater liquidity, execution services and will help us to build our visibility among US investors, an important step in the evolution of the company. With greater visibility afforded to investors through the mandated disclosure requirements of the OTCQX market, we anticipate that this upgrade will strengthen confidence in Prime by retail and institutional investors alike." Benchmark said the results may have the potential to positively impact future resource updates from its flagship Lawyers project Benchmark Metals Inc. (TSX-V:BNCH, OTCQX:BNCHF) has announced new drill results from the middle portion of the Cliff Creek deposit (CC Mid) at its Lawyer's gold-silver project in British Columbia, which it described as encouraging. The company noted that the area has historically seen less drilling and more moderate results relative to the Cliff Creek North and Cliff Creek South zones of the deposit. However, it said the results from CC Mid, including several other better than expected intervals in recent drilling, may have the potential to positively impact future resource updates from the flagship Lawyer's project. It highlighted drill hole 22CCDD014 which intersected two broad intervals, an upper zone grading 1.98 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 48.77 g/t silver or 2.59 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) over 21.2 metres (m), and a lower zone grading 3.09 g/t gold and 106.50 g/t silver or 4.42 g/t AuEq over 18.81m. In a statement, John Williamson, Benchmark CEO, commented: "Continued strong results from the CC Mid zone would have important implications for possible future production scenarios, as historically the bulk of mineralization at Cliff Creek is localized within the northern and southern portions of the deposit area. These results are encouraging, and we are excited to continue to test this prospective zone where it remains open at depth." The company said the two significant zones of broad bulk-tonnage envelop high-grade mineralization, with other zones of important mineralization, intercepted in drill hole 22CCDD014, including: 21.2m of 1.98 g/t gold and 48.77 g/t silver or 2.59 g/t AuEq, including 0.41m of 37.1 g/t gold and 1845 g/t silver or 60.16 g/t AuEq; 8m of 2.42 g/t gold and 90.37 g/t silver or 3.55 g/t AuEq; 18.81m of 3.09 g/t gold and 106.5 g/t silver or 4.42 g/t AuEq, including 3.05m of 14.8 g/t gold and 565.79 g/t silver or 21.87 g/t AuEq. In addition, drill hole 22CCDD007 revealed 5.3m of 25.95 g/t gold and 15.03 g/t silver or 26.13 g/t AuEq Benchmark noted that the CC mid-zone has multiple prominent intercepts below the 2021 $1,600 per ounce gold pit shell, with the broad lower zone in hole 22CCDD014 occurring approximately 100m below the pit shell at 340m vertical depth. Benchmark Metals is a Canadian-based gold and silver company advancing its 100% owned Lawyer's Gold-Silver Project located in the prolific Golden Horseshoe of northern British Columbia, Canada. The project consists of three mineralized deposits that remain open for expansion, in addition to 20-plus new target areas along the 20-kilometre trend. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com In an earlier statement, Blue Sky said it had closed the first tranche of its placement, issuing 5,694,000 units for aggregate gross proceeds of $854,100 Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSX-V:BSK, OTCQB:BKUCF) has announced that due to high investor demand, it has doubled the size of the private placement amount announced on May 24, 2022, from $1,050,000 to $2,100,000 consisting of 14 million at $0.15 per unit. In an earlier statement on Tuesday, Blue Sky said it had closed the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement, issuing 5,694,000 units at a subscription price of $0.15 each, raising aggregate gross proceeds of $854,100. Each unit consists of one common share and one transferrable common share purchase warrant with each warrant entitling the holder to purchase one additional common share for $0.25 each for three years from the date of issue, expiring on June 7, 2025. The proceeds of the financing will be used for exploration programs on the company's projects in Argentina and for general working capital. The company, a leader in uranium discovery in Argentina, said finder's fees of $30,614.50 are payable in cash on a portion of the private placement to parties at arm's length to the company. Additionally, certain insiders of the company participated in the private placement for $10,000 in units. The financing is subject to regulatory approval and all securities to be issued under the financing are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. Blue Sky Uranium has the exclusive right to of properties in two provinces in Argentina. The company's flagship Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine market and a new international market supplier. The company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993. -- Adds statement on placement increase -- Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com The RCS-1 well was spud on May 23, 2022 and was drilled to a true vertical depth of 8,105 feet before being successfully cased and cemented on June 6 Arrow Exploration Corp (TSX-V:AXL, AIM:AXL, OTC:CSTPF) told investors it has identified two new oil-bearing zones as it reached total depth in drilling on its Rio Cravo Sur-1 (RCS-1) well on the Tapir Block in Colombias Llanos Basin. In an update, the company said RCS-1 was spud on May 23, 2022, and the well was drilled to a true vertical depth of 8,105 feet on June 3, before being successfully cased and cemented on June 6. Arrow said the initial technical evaluation indicates six separate oil-bearing reservoirs, two of which were not evident in the Rio Cravo Este-1 (RCE-1) or Rio Cravo Este-2 (RCE-2) wells. Cumulative net pay in all zones exceeded 55 feet. The six separate reservoirs were found in the C7, the Gacheta and the Ubaque, between 7,077 feet and 8,105 feet, it added. Initial evaluation continues to demonstrate the multi-zone potential of this fault-bounded structure, Arrow CEO Marshall Abbott said in a statement. Known zones were penetrated at the highest structural elevations yet. As well, two new oil-bearing zones have been identified which will add materially to the overall field development plan. The company said comprehensive testing of the individual zones will commence in the next few days, with each zone expected to require five days of testing that includes perforating, flowing and shut in for pressure buildup and analysis. The well will be put into production immediately following the testing program, it added. Meanwhile, Arrow said RCE-2 continues to produce at a stabilized rate of 1,000 barrels of oil per day (500 BOPD net) from two separate reservoir units in the Lower Miocene Carbonera Formation. Four additional zones identified in RCE-2 will ultimately be produced from existing and future wells, it said. Arrow Exploration operates in Colombia via a branch of its 100% owned subsidiary Carrao Energy S.A., which has a portfolio of premier Colombian oil assets that are under-exploited, under-explored and offer high potential growth. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com Belmont Resources said it expects the final results from its Phase 1 drill program in about four weeks Belmont Resources Inc (TSX-V:BEA) has said it is pushing towards delivering an updated 43-101 compliant mineral resources estimate for its Lone Star copper-gold project in Washington with the completion of its Phase 1 drill program. The drill program at the project, which is a joint venture with Marquee Resources, was designed to validate the historical drill hole database and resource model, deliver a 43-101 compliant mineral resources estimate, and test for extensions to the historical resource. Belmont said it has also received the latest drill results from the project, with highlights including intercepts of 35.1 metres (m) at 1% copper equivalent from 41.2 m, including 4.6 m at 2.8% copper equivalent, and 79.9 m at 0.9% copper equivalent from 97.5 m, including 7.6 m at 3.2% copper equivalent. Final results from the drill program are expected in about four weeks. Belmont CEO George Sookochoff said in a statement that the company was not disappointed with its decision to expand its drill program from the initial planned 2,500-metre drill program. As drilling progressed and we continued to receive good drill results as we extended the historic resource envelop, we let the drilling go on for an additional 5,388 metres, he said. "With drilling now complete we look forward to delivering an updated and robust 43-101 compliant resources estimate for the Lone Star deposit. Belmont Resources is a junior mining and exploration company engaged in the business of acquiring and re-developing past-producing copper-gold-silver mines in southern British Columbia and northern Washington State. Contact Emily at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie Aben holds the exclusive right to earn a 100% interest, less a 2% net production royalty (NPR) in the road-accessible project Aben Resources (TSX-V:ABN, OTCQB:ABNAF) has said it expects to start its 2022 exploration program on the Slocan graphite project, 34 kilometres (km) northwest of Castlegar in British Columbia, in late June. In an investor update, the junior resource company said the mineral exploration permit for the project is still under review with the Ministry of Mines, adding that it anticipates the start of ground exploration on the property when weather and ground conditions allow access. The company said it has also received an exemption letter from the Ministry of Mines to conduct an induced polarization (IP) survey before the permit is granted. Furthermore, it said a drill is available for the project in late August depending on the issuance of the permit. Aben noted that the project benefits from excellent infrastructure including forestry road access to the property and a high-voltage transmission line within 1.2 km of the property boundaries. Additionally, there is an existing graphite processing plant and facilities within 1.5 km west of the property, owned by Eagle Graphite Corporation and one of only two natural flake graphite production facilities in North America. It said the 2,387-hectare property hosts several large flake graphite-bearing outcrops (high values of 3.36% and 4.43% organic carbon) at the Tedesco Zone, which is coincident with a strong conductive anomaly identified in 2010 that is interpreted to extend up to 2 km from the known surficial occurrences. Aben holds the exclusive right to earn a 100% interest, less a 2% net production royalty (NPR) in the road-accessible project. Aben Resources is a graphite and gold exploration company with projects in southeastern British Columbia, Red Lake Ontario, Golden Triangle British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Managed by a team with long track records of success, Aben is well funded and well-positioned to make a discovery in some of Canadas preeminent mining camps. Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com Through the partnership, NEO Battery Materials and Automobile & PCB will pursue cooperation to construct NEOs silicon anode commercial plant in South Korea NEO Battery Materials Ltd has announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with established South Korean automotive business Automobile & PCB Inc. The company said the MOU, signed on June 7, 2022, established strategic investment and cooperation between the parties to advance the Korean mass production facility of NEOs silicon anode materials for electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries. Through the partnership, NEO and A&P will pursue cooperation to construct NEOs silicon anode commercial plant in South Korea by attracting strategic investments to NEOs wholly-owned subsidiary NBM Korea Co Ltd, and A&P will actively support NEO in its commercialization efforts. Both parties have also agreed to take advantage of the reputable and recognized network of A&Ps related companies, YSP and Yongsan, to strengthen NEOs global business network. Yongsans customers include Hyundai, Kia Motors, Suzuki, Geely Auto, and BYD Auto. NEO CEO Spencer Huh said through the MOU, NEO was closer to completing initial strategic financing through NBM Korea, noting that the company believed it could secure its first and meaningful financing shortly. We are very excited to establish a practical business relationship with A&P in South Korea, he said. A&P has been in the automotive industry for more than 45 years through its direct and related companies. NEO Battery Materials is a Vancouver-based resource company focused on battery metals and technology development. Contact Emily at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie Proceeds will be used for working capital and to review possible acquisitions, the company said Love Pharma (CSE:LUV) Inc, which has a focus on the global sexual health and wellness markets, revealed that it has completed a first closing of a non-brokered private placement. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based company said it accepted subscriptions for 72,971,998 units at a price of $0.011 per unit, for gross proceeds of $802,691.99. Proceeds will be used for working capital and to review possible acquisitions, the company said. READ: Love Pharma completes acquisition of MicroDoz Theraphy Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at $0.05 for a period of two years from the date of closing, subject to the option of the Company to accelerate the expiry date in the event that its shares trade at $0.15 or more for 10 consecutive days. The company paid $25,415.36 in cash and issued 2,310,487 broker warrants on the same terms as noted above, to qualified finders. Securities issued pursuant to this tranche are subject to trading restrictions until October 9, 2022. Love Pharma (CSE:LUV) was founded in 2020, with a mission to bring to market innovative products that enhance sexual health and wellness while providing an improved quality of life. The company holds exclusive licenses to produce market, package, sell, and distribute patent-protected therapeutic and pharmaceutical products in Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive Dharamsala, June 8 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur visited HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, the venue of the proposed All India Chief Secretaries' Conference to be held on June 16-17, and took stock of preparations for the conference. The conference will also be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Minister on Tuesday directed the district administration and the concerned officials to complete all the arrangements in a time bound manner. He also visited the Central University Campus and the 'Paridhi Grih'. Earlier, Thakur during an informal interaction with the media said that it is a matter of pride for the state that President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi are visiting Himachal Pradesh within a week. Along with the Chief Minister, MP and State BJP President Suresh Kashyap, BJP's State Organisation General Secretary Pawan Rana and BJP State General Secretary Trilok Kapoor were also present during visit. Varanasi, June 8 : The Uttar Pradesh government has increased the security of civil judge (senior division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar, who ordered the survey of Gyanvapi mosque, after he received a threat letter from an organisation called 'Islamic Aghaz Movement'. Official sources said on Wednesday that immediately after receiving this letter through a registered post, the civil judge alerted the additional chief secretary (home), director general of police and commissioner of police, Varanasi. Varanasi commissioner of police A. Satish Ganesh said, "After being alerted by the civil judge regarding the letter, which also has many attachments, the deputy commissioner of police (Varuna zone) has been assigned to probe the matter." Security of the civil judge in Varanasi and his mother in Lucknow is also being reviewed, he said. He added that proper security cover has also been provided to the district judge. In the handwritten letter, one Kasif Ahmed Siddiqui who claimed to be the president of 'Islamic Aghaz Movement', said that "judges have also turned saffron amidst a divisive political scenario". The letter also contains derogatory remarks for the Prime Minister and former Chief Justice of India. In one of his orders issued on May 12, the civil judge had earlier stated, "An atmosphere of fear has been created in an ordinary civil case. My family and I are living under fear." New Delhi, June 8 : A fire broke out at the first floor of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in North Block. The fire brigade department received a call about the incident at around 12:20 a.m. on Wednesday, after which seven fire engines were sent to the spot to douse the fire. "Fire was in telephone exchange at upper ground floor room number 82A and 82B of MHA. The room had computer, air conditioner, wires, telephone exchange accessories and other items," said the fire official. The exact reason for the fire was not yet to be ascertained, however, it is being said a short circuit could be the possible cause of the fire. No one was hurt in the incident. The fire was brought under control by 1:15 a.m. Bhopal, June 8 : The death of 25 tourists in a bus accident in Uttarakhand has prompted the Madhya Pradesh government to look into road safety issues in the state. The government has decided to set up a three-member panel to prepare a report on road accidents, especially of the passenger buses. This committee will have three cabinet ministers -- Gopal Bhargava (PWD minister), Govind Singh Rajput (transport minister) and Arvind Singh Bhadoria (cooperative and public service minister), who will be tasked to review the activities conducted for road safety. Besides reviewing the causes of road accidents in the state, the committee will also be looking for necessary measures to be adopted for this purpose. A decision on this was taken during the discussion on Uttarakhand bus accident. At least 25 people from Madhya Pradesh were killed after the bus they were travelling in fell in a deep gorge on Sunday. All those who died in the accident were from Panna-Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh. During a discussion with the cabinet ministers on Tuesday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed his concern over bus mishap in Uttarakhand. He stressed upon the need to examine the cause of accidents and also sought suggestions to rectify. The chief minister also expressed the need to analyse the causes of recent road accidents in different districts -- Betul, Khandwa, Rewa and Panna. Subsequently, he directed to constitute a panel of three ministers to prepare a report on road safety issues in the state. A recent bus mishap incident took place on Tuesday in Rewa district where a bus carrying around 30 passengers overturned, leaving more than 15 people injured. Moscow, June 8 : Following a freeze on activities in Russia earlier this year, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has informed employees that the company is ending all operations in the country and has begun laying off employees. In a letter shared with the employees, Krishna stated that the company's focus for months has been on looking after the safety and security of IBMers and their families in impacted regions. The company suspended operations back in March but kept employees on the payroll. "We chose to suspend operations so that we could evaluate longer-term options while continuing to pay and provide for our employees in Russia," the CEO wrote in the letter. "As the consequences of the war continue to mount and uncertainty about its long-term ramifications grows, we have now made the decision to carry out an orderly wind-down of IBM's business in Russia," he added. He mentioned that the company sees this move as both right and necessary, and a natural next step following business suspension. "This process will commence today and result in the separation of our local workforce. Our colleagues in Russia have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty," Krishna said. "We recognise that this news is difficult, and I want to assure them that IBM will continue to stand by them and take all reasonable steps to provide support and make their transition as orderly as possible," he added. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, June 8 : Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has issued a chilling warning of carrying out 'suicide bombings' in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat in a bid to take avenge of the insult to the Prophet Mohammed. "The saffron terrorists should now await their end in Delhi, Bombay, UP and Gujarat. They should find refuge neither in their homes nor in their fortified army cantonments," a threat letter by the AQIS read. It said that the "hearts of Muslims all over the world are bleeding" and are filled with feelings of revenge and retribution. Former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma had allegedly made controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed following which she was suspended by the party. The controversial statement made by Nupur Sharma set off an international furore. Several Muslim nations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia and Iran, as well as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation have officially protested their statements and demanded an apology. However, the chilling threat issued by AQIS has alerted the security agencies in the country. The letter also mentioned Ghazwa-e-Hind -- the battle for India -- in which they said victory of Muslims in the country. "At the same time, we bring tidings of death and destruction to the rulers of India, of executions and hangings, of imprisonment and being bound with chains," read the letter. Meanwhile, suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma was provided security by the Delhi Police in the wake of death threats she has received over her controversial remarks. She had lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police on May 27 alleging that she has been receiving death threats and target hatred against her. Based on this complaint, an FIR was registered under sections 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code at the Special Cell police station against unidentified people. However, during the probe, Sharma, yet again lodged a complaint against certain persons regarding promoting enmity. "After examining the said complaint, section 153 (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the IPC was added in this case," Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said. Seoul, June 8 : South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Wednesday that a potential pardon for jailed former President Lee Myung-bak "is not an issue to talk about now." Yoon made the remark to reporters upon arrival at the presidential office following news reports that Lee filed for a suspension of his sentence and could be included in beneficiaries of a presidential pardon that could be carried out to mark August 15 Liberation Day, Yonhap news agency reported. "This is not an issue to talk about now," Yoon said when asked to comment on a pardon for Lee. The remarks are seen as the president's intent to distance himself from the increasing discussions on a pardon for Lee within the ruling People Power Party (PPP). PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong said Lee's pardon is needed to promote "national unity." "As I have said multiple times, I believe it is unfair to keep a former president in prison when another has been set free through a pardon," he said, referring to former President Park Geun-hye pardoned in December.' The prosecution is scheduled to begin its deliberation on Lee's application for a suspension of his sentence filed with a district prosecutors office in Anyang, south of Seoul, last week. The 81-year-old Lee, now serving a 17-year prison sentence for corruption, reportedly filed for a suspension of his sentence, citing health issues, last Friday amid speculation he may be granted a special pardon on the occasion of National Liberation Day, which falls on August 15. Lee served as president from 2008 to 2013. New Delhi, June 8 : Continuing its attack on the Ashok Gehlot government a over notice to BJP MLA Chandrakanta Meghwal by state police in a five-year-old assault case, the BJP on Wednesday said that there was no respect for the rule of law in Rajasthan. The BJP also termed the move as an unlawful action against a Dalit women. BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan tweeted, "No respect for Rule of Law in Rajasthan. Unlawful action against a Dalit woman MLA with an intention to influence in RS election is deplorable." The Rajasthan Police issued a notice to Meghwal to appear before the police to cooperate in the investigation in the case registered in 2017. BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh called it the first sign of panic in the Congress camp concerning the Rajya Sabha polls and said this will prove too much for chief minister Gehlot. In a tweet on Tuesday, Santhosh said, "First signs of panic in @INCIndia camp in Rajasthan as far as Rajyasabha elections are concerned. @BJP4Rajasthan MLA summoned by police in a 5 year old case. This will prove too much for CM @ashokgehlot51." Sources said that Meghwal is among the BJP MLAs camping at a resort in the outskirts of Jaipur for a 'training camp' ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls on June 10. Rajasthan BJP president Dr Satish Poonia has warned Chief Minister Gehlot against playing with fire. "Congress has morally lost the Rajya Sabha polls and chief minister of the state Ashok Gehlot is hatching a malicious conspiracy to intimidate BJP MLA in the name of action in cases. Don't play with fire Gehlot Sahab. Elections will conclude on June 10, then?" Poonia tweeted on Tuesday. United Nations, June 8 : The UN is facing a "perfect storm" of crises that tests its credibility, Hungarian diplomat and environmental official Csaba Korosi has said after his unanimous election as the president of the General Assembly's next session. Addressing the Assembly after his election on Tuesday to succeed Abdullah Shahid in September, Korosi said, "We live in times that rock the foundation this Organisation was built upon. With multiple crises looming, nothing less than the credibility of the UN is at stake". The war in Ukraine has combined with the food and energy shortages and the climate emergency to create a "perfect storm", he said. "The only way out of our current predicament is through continued reforms and transformation of this Organisation and strengthening our cooperation," he declared. He said that "Solutions through Solidarity, Sustainability and Science" would be the motto of the 77th Assembly session that starts in September. India's Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti congratulated Korosi on Twitter and said, "We look forward to working closely with you for a fruitful and productive #UNGA77". Sixteen vice presidents were elected unanimously and they include Nepal and Israel. The Assembly presidency rotates among the five regional groups at the UN and it was the East Europeans' turn this time. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, "Korosi brings a broad perspective to his new post -- a familiarity with the United Nations from his time as permanent representative, expertise in environmental sustainability, and steadfast commitment to multilateral action." Korosi, who has over 40 years of experience as a diplomat, is currently the director of Environmental Sustainability in the Hungarian president's office and had served as the deputy state secretary responsible for security policy, multilateral diplomacy and human rights. On the challenges to the Assembly, Guterres said, "We face a world in peril". The months ahead will test the multilateral system and "the world looks to you to debate, to forge consensus, and -- most of all -- to deliver solutions", he told the Assembly. "The General Assembly is central to everything we do," he said. With the Security Council irrevocably deadlocked over the Russian invasion of Ukraine because of Moscow's veto and on North Korea's missile test by China, the Assembly is taking on a more central role, even though it lacks the Council's powers of enforcement. Frustrated by the vetoes, the Assembly adopted a procedure in April to automatically take up within ten days the issue of any veto in the Council. As president, Korosi can be expected to pilot the Assembly through the issue of the Ukraine war and several other issues through a UN that is seeing a degree of polarisation not seen since the Cold War. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Seoul, June 8 : Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan had a meeting here Wednesday to discuss cooperation on regional and global issues amid concerns over the possibility of North Korea's nuclear test. South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong engaged in the trilateral session with his American and Japanese counterparts, Wendy Sherman and Takeo Mori, two weeks after President Joe Biden's alliance-boosting trip to Seoul and Tokyo, Yonhap news agecny reported. The previous day, Cho had one-on-one consultations with Sherman, with North Korea reportedly all set for its first nuclear test in more than four years. The previous tripartite meeting of No. 2 diplomats took place in Washington, D.C., in November last year.' Meanwhile, Sherman had a separate meeting in Seoul with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik. What was discussed was "continued US humanitarian, economic, and security assistance to Ukraine," she said in a Twitter message. Chennai, June 8 : Actress Samyuktha Hegde, who recently watched actor Rakshit Shetty's upcoming film, '777 Charlie', has heaped praises on both the film and its cast and crew. Taking to Instagram to wish the actor a belated birthday, the actress said, "Happy belated birthday to you. Watching '777 Charlie' yesterday made me relive so many of the moments I've had with my dogs over the years. It was such an apt movie with the best kinda execution. You captured all the emotions so well. "You are a freaking star, for doing a whole movie with Charlie. I'm sure it must have been tough considering everything I saw on screen but you have outdone yourself. So freaking real. "The cast, the crew everyone outperformed themselves to deliver an emotional flick like one we haven't seen before. It plays all the strings of your heart and shows how a dog can make your life so much better. "This movie is a must watch, especially for people who DON'T have dogs. PS: Kannada movies taking over the whole country!" The film, which has been directed by Kiranraj K, features Rakshit Shetty and Sangeetha Sringeri in the lead. It is to hit screens on June 10 this year. Seoul, June 8 : South Korea on Wednesday lifted the mandatory seven-day self-isolation period for all international arrivals in the latest move to return to pre-pandemic normalcy amid a downtrend in COVID-19 cases. The country added 13,358 COVID-19 infections, including 59 cases from overseas, bringing the total caseload to 18,188,200, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The daily caseload had stayed below 10,000 from Sunday through Tuesday on fewer tests over the weekend and the Memorial Day holiday that fell on Monday, Yonhap news agency reported. Wednesday's figure is still about 20 per cent fewer than that logged a week earlier amid the continued downward trend after reaching the peak of more than 621,000 on March 17. The country added six COVID-19 deaths, the lowest number in about eight months. The death toll reached 24,305, and the fatality rate stood at 0.13 percent. The number of critically ill patients came to 114, down from 117 the previous day. As of Wednesday, 44.6 million, or 86.9 percent of the population, had completed the full two-dose vaccinations, and 33.32 million, representing 64.9 percent, had received their first booster shots. More than 4.19 million people, or 8.2 percent of the population, had gotten their second booster shots, the KDCA said.' A citizen undergoes a COVID-19 test at a makeshift testing station in Seoul on June 6, 2022. (Yonhap) The decline in the virus curve has given a boost to South Korea's efforts to restore normalcy. On Wednesday, the government lifted the mandatory seven-day self-isolation period for all international arrivals, regardless of their nationalities or vaccination status. Still, international arrivals are required to take a PCR virus test within three days of their entry into South Korea. They also must submit a negative COVID-19 result -- by taking either a PCR test or supervised rapid antigen test -- before boarding flights to South Korea. South Korea increased the number of weekly flights on international routes to 732 in June from 532 in May as it began fully normalizing the operation of Incheon International Airport amid growing air travel demand. "Experts have warned of another virus wave in summer. There are risks that could cause an upturn in infections, such as seasonal festivals, summer vacation and the increased use of air conditioners. We should not let down our guard," Second Health Vice Minister Lee Gi-il said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters. As part of effort to better protect high-risk groups, the government is pushing to approve AstraZeneca's antibody treatment Evusheld for emergency use this month. Separately, South Korea placed monkeypox at the second level of contagious diseases out of a four-tier scheme on Wednesday in the wake of the fast spread of the virus across the globe, which had traditionally been confined to Africa. Latest updates on Monkeypox Virus Outbreak Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, June 8 : The PMK, the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community, has given a protest call for June 10 against online gambling in the state. The protest march will be held at Rajarathinam playground at Egmore at 11 a.m. President of PMK and former Union Health Minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss in a statement said that 22 people had committed suicide in the state after losing money in online gambling in the last 10 months. This, according to the PMK leader, was after the Madras High Court had lifted the ban against online gambling imposed by the state government. Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said that the state government has failed to amend the law even after the court had suggested the government enact a law to regulate online gambling. The PMK leader said that the party has been relentlessly campaigning to enact a law to regulate online gambling and had submitted several memorandums to the government but to no avail. It may be noted that recently a housewife in Tamil Nadu committed suicide after she lost heavily in online gambling. The woman, who was chatting with her family, suddenly went inside her bedroom and hanged herself to death. Chennai, June 8 : Actor Kamal Haasan, who gifted a Lexus car to Lokesh Kanakaraj, the director of his just released action entertainer 'Vikram', has now gifted bikes to all the assistant directors of the film. The actor, who is overwhelmed by the phenomenal response to the film which has set cash registers ringing all over the world, has gifted an Apache RTR 160 bike to each of the film's 13 assistant directors. Industry insiders claim that the film, which continues to do brisk business across the globe, has crossed the $2 million gross mark in the US, something very rare for a Tamil film. In the United Arab Emirates, 'Vikram' has taken the second biggest opening for an Indian movie in 2022 after 'KGF 2'. Meanwhile, congratulatory messages continue to pour in for the film's crew. Actor Sivakarthikeyan was the latest to congratulate the film's cast and crew. Calling 'Vikram' a total blast, the actor showered praises on actor Kamal Haasan for his swag and on director Lokesh for the manner in which he had made the film. He also went on to congratulate the other members of the team on Twitter. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed New Delhi, June 8 : In the long history of the Indian civilization, villages and rural setups have played a vital role and are often synonymous with the culture and the traditions of our communities. Therefore it is understandable why Mahatma Gandhi repeatedly emphasized his desire to identify India with its villages and advocated the concept of Gram Swaraj. In his idea of Gram Swaraj, Mahatma Gandhi underlined rural development and village self-sufficiency inspiring the collective society to pave the way from Gramodaya to Rashtrodaya (Nation-building and development through rise of villages). Throughout the last half a decade, there have been constant endeavors from the government to move towards a more representative setup involving as many stakeholders as possible in the route towards effective governance. To that effect, the government has attempted to involve the grassroots leadership and interact with more than 31 lakh public representatives of 2.5 lakh gram panchayats over the last few years. As part of these interactions, the emphasis has been clear - that representatives of the panchayat (including Pradhan, Mukhiya and other members etc) have adequate authority and are well within their rights to demand certain things of the state representatives, in order to build a model village. Since most of these representatives were unaware of the extent of their authority, it was a welcome change to have the top leadership re-empower them with the same. In the ever-expanding role, panchayat officials have now set about taking decisions and prioritizing their projects for the development of the village. There has been a renewed focus on the Samras Gram Panchayat (Inclusive Village Council) concept that was adopted in Gujarat, wherein maximum strength and growth comes from villages that have been bestowed with utmost importance. Therefore, it becomes important to give these villages some amount of freedom and self-sufficiency in order to carry all developmental works as per their needs. As the nation has been celebrating the 75th anniversary of independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsava), it provides for an opportune moment to bring Gandhi's dream of rural development to fruition. Even though capitalism and liberalization of the economy in the past three decades have moved the nation further away from its villages in search of better opportunities, it is significant to recognise and appreciate the connect and the firm footing that these villages have within our culture. At the forefront of our peoples' progress and culture, the nation can only prosper if the villages are catered to properly. Therefore, it becomes all the more necessary for the panchayats' roles to be expanded to provide for modern villages and efficient setups. Over the last few years, there has been a renewed focus on health services, education, women empowerment, water sanitation facilities, toilets, affordable housing, micro-financing and village as self-reliant unit. In the next few years, the government aims to focus on digitizing land ownership schemes, providing high-speed Internet, building more roads in villages as well as a common service centre in every village. In the last 3 years alone, water has been supplied to nearly twice the number of households compared to the number of tap connections that were installed in the last 70 years. In fact, India has largely become open defecation free with the ODF, ODF+ and ODF++ status being granted to villages, towns and cities as per their performance and stringency with which these activities have been stopped. The aforementioned are merely examples that attest to the fact that the rural areas of India and its population have often received the short end of the stick and been ignored for years, though the same seems to changing for the better now. Additionally, unlike previous years where the discussion revolved around the budget being allocated for the development of the village, the discussion presently has less to do with the amount that is released but how the sanctioned amount would be used for the development of the people. However, plaguing the system is the improper implementation of reservation for women at the panchayat level. Though women make up 49 per cent of the electorate, the representation at village level, street level and the national level is approximately 1/7th of that figure. At the village level, there is the social evil of husbands ruling the roost in the names of their wives (Sarpanch Pati culture). There is an urgent need to eliminate this culture so that women are truly empowered to take decisions on their own and manage villages with their inclusive approach in the direction of Gram Swaraj. Now, it is well conceived that despite multiple challenges, India has done a good job ensuring advancement for the society at the rural level, with numerous social sector schemes and women-centric empowerment as well. The greater the strength of the system, the better it is for democracy, and the benefits of such development would percolate to the people at the rock bottom in the society. Numerous schemes like the e-NAM as well as the Svamitva scheme would help villages attain self-sufficiency at a larger scale with the advent of sufficient employment opportunities at the village-level. These schemes are directly benefiting in ameliorating the condition of the poor, dependents and marginalized sections of village society. They are carried out in several aspects such as community empowerment in strengthening village government institutions, community empowerment in the economic, social, education, health, renewable energy and sustainable development. Public awareness through development participation is the main capital for the success of these schemes. Hence it is necessary to optimize community participation in these emancipatory activities so that the dream project of self-reliant India can be realized through empowered villages and villagers at the core. Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 : A day after naming Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter, the prime accused in gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh on Wednesday again alleged the role of these people and said she has revealed only very little and more will be coming soon. Speaking to media on Wednesday morning, Swapna said she has no political agenda or any personal agenda. "I don't know about politics and I do not care who is ruling the state, then or now. I have given a statement under 164 of CrPC in the past but none came out. Allow me to live, it's difficult for me to live. Those ladies, who are wives and daughters including Kamala Vijayan (wife of Vijayan), Veena (daughter), are leading a luxurious life while I am suffering," said Swapna. Regarding solar scam accused Saritha Nair, Swapna said she has not even said hello to her. "Even though we were both in the same jail at one point of time, I have not even said a hello to her. After she came out from jail, she was speaking to my mom and troubling her. I will say one thing, I am not such a character," she said. Swapna went on to say that she was deeply hurt by the contents of the book written by M. Sivasankar (former principal secretary of Vijayan and top IAS official, who was also in jail for several weeks and is now out on bail). "I will speak again as what I have said now is only very little." When asked why she had not raised this issue before, Swapna said, in the past she had given one statement under Section 164 and then none knew it and so I decided to give it one more time, which I gave (Monday and Tuesday before a magistrate). She dismissed comments that the RSS is behind her revelation and she is doing it because she is now employed with HRDS, an RSS-backed NGO. "I do not even know how to say Sangh Parivar in full. See, I am now employed by them in the women's empowerment division and they have been here for 27 years and they don't need me. "I am now getting a salary of Rs 40,000, while working with the government in the past I got in lakhs. They gave me that salary and used me and was exploiting me and after that they threw me out. I want the truth to come out and the involvement of Vijayan, his wife and daughter will all come out. I have been asked by the court not to speak out, but one day I will reveal everything. I have revealed very little so far," said Swapna. Senior CPI-M leader and Left Democratic Front convener E.P. Jayarajan said this new revelation is the work of the RSS. "This is nothing but a conspiracy hatched by the RSS to defame, but people know who she is. We have told the CM that he should not waste his time in replying to all this, as this is nothing but muck. Right from the time this came out, people who saw have dismissed all this. We want a proper probe to be done, as such things should not happen again, where anyone can come and air anything," said Jayarajan. Reacting to the statement of Swapna, two-time former Chief Minister and Congress veteran Oommen Chandy said, in a democracy, people have the right to know the truth and it should come out. Meanwhile, the top brass of the CPI-M has decided to seek legal advice on how to tackle this. There are reports that the central agencies like the ED and Customs which have already probed the case and yet to submit their report, are expected to apply for a copy of the fresh statement, which she gave under 164 CrPC to the magistrate. The Congress-led opposition has announced that Vijayan should quit and has announced protests on Wednesday and Thursday. The Opposition is also likely to target the Vijayan-led government in Kerala Assembly which is scheduled to begin later this month. Lucknow, June 8 : BJP leader from Maharashtra Kripa Shankar Singh has sent a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to offer Marathi as an optional language in Uttar Pradesh. Kripa Shankar Singh, who belongs to Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, has been tasked with the campaign to woo north Indians in Maharashtra. According to sources, the chief minister has agreed in principle with the suggestion and a pilot project may be rolled out in Varanasi. The developments also come at a time when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has been opposing job opportunities for 'outsiders' in the state. In a letter to the chief minister, Singh had requested the inclusion of Marathi as an optional language for secondary and higher secondary students in Uttar Pradesh. The letter also opines that it might help students in getting better jobs in Maharashtra. "As you know, for the past 50 years I have been staying in Maharashtra and maintaining relationships in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Purvanchal. During this tenure of 50 years, I noticed that when students come to Maharashtra, they face a number of problems due to lack of knowledge of Marathi language. Not only this but there are many vacancies of state government or corporations that require knowledge of Marathi language," he explained. It is noteworthy that in recent weeks, the use of Marathi has also become a bone of contention within Maharashtra. Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, prominent display of Marathi signboards on shops has been a key political issue for parties such as the Shiv Sena and its rival MNS as the parties eye the Marathi voters. In March, the Maharashtra legislature passed a law which made it mandatory for all shops and establishments to display their names in Marathi on signboards. Subsequently, the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA-also comprising the NCP and Congress) administration issued a government resolution to enforce the law. Last week, on June 1, the BMC said that a survey would be conducted to check if shops and establishments in the metropolis were adhering to the rule about displaying signboards in Marathi prominently, as the deadline for its implementation had ended. Srinagar: The annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela is being celebrated on Friday at the Ragnya Devi deity Shrine situated in Tullamulla village of J&Ks Ganderbal district. (Photo: Nissar Malik/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Srinagar, June 8 : Despite the recent killings of Kashmiri Pandits and non-locals by the militants, scores of Kashmiri Pandits kept their tryst with Mata Khir Bhawani on Wednesday at the deity's annual festival in Tulmul village of J&K's Ganderbal district. As peace has a much greater constituency than violence, local Muslims turned out in large numbers to welcome their Pandit brethren. Carrying milk in earthen pots and showering flower petals at the devotees outside the Mata Khir Bhawani shrine, the two communities mingled with each other like the good old days. "Who said violence can change the hearts and minds of the two communities? Hundreds of years have taught us love and co-existence. The bond is so strong that violence will only strengthen it", said Jalal-ud-Din, 52, a resident of Tulmul. Legend has it that Mata Ragnya Devi originally belonged to Sri Lanka. The deity was displeased with the licentious ways of Ravana and she ordered Hanuman to shift her seat to Tulmul. The temple shrine situated inside a spring is the holiest shrine of Kashmiri Pandits. Each year, despite exodus from the Valley, Kashmiri Pandits have come to the shrine on the annual festival. The spring inside the shrine has a history of its own. Each year, the devotees believe, the colour of the spring water foretells the events that will follow during the year. "In 1947 and 1990, the spring water turned black like coal. The invasion of Afridi tribals destroyed Kashmir in 1947 and the insurgent violence set the Valley on fire triggering mass migration of the local Pandits and insurmountable miseries for the Muslims. "The colour of the spring water is rose yellow this year. This foretells a better future for the two communities", said Maharaj Krishen, 45, who comes every year on the festival day to pay obeisance at the shrine. Authorities have made extraordinary arrangements of security this year to ensure that the festival passes off peacefully. The entire 24-Kilometre long road stretch from here to Tulmul is dotted with the security forces patrolling the road. Senior police and paramilitary officers are supervising even the minutest detail of security to and inside the Tulmul shrine. Different government departments, including the local health department, have set up camps at the shrine to attend to any medical emergency. Several senior leaders of the BJP, National Conference, People's Democratic Party, People's Conference and Apni Party visited the shrine to interact with the devotees and offer prayers for peace at the temple. The annual festival at Mata Khir Bhawani shrine in Tulmul has started with faith and confidence that all will be well finally. Notwithstanding the official arrangements, the binding cement of the festival is the love and compassion between the local Muslims and the Pandits. History cannot be undone through the barrel of the gun. Annual festival at Mata Kheer Bhawani temple shrine is a living example of that unconquerable spirit of Kashmiriyat. June 08 : The veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, completes four decades in cinema this year. He has acted in over 500 films in different languages throughout the years. The actor has also made his mark in Hollywood with movies like Bend it Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, The Big Sick, and Silver Linings Playbook. Anupam is now all set to work on his 525th movie. Taking to Instagram, he announced the finalized title of the movie, The Signature. He shared images of himself holding the movies clapboard with the caption, It is THE SIGNATURE! Yes!! The name of my 525th movie is finalized. The film will be directed by Gajendra Ahire and produced by K.C Bokadia. THE SIGNATURE ! Yes!! The name of my 525th movie is finalised. We got your more than 100,000 responses ! The movie is directed by brilliant #GajendraAhire & produced by legendary #KCBokadia ji. Thank you for helping us decide the title of our film!! Jai Ho! #TheSignature pic.twitter.com/Tb8vb5QMmd Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) June 8, 2022 Earlier, the 67-year-old actor had urged his fans to help him finalize a title for his movie. The fans were given four options, among which The Last Signature gained the most votes. After slight modifications the makers opted for the title The Signature. The actor will be next seen in the comedy-drama Shiv Shastri Balboa directed by Ajayan Venugopalan. The film also features Neena Gupta and Nargis Fakhri in the lead roles. Ashwin Shravanans horror film Connect featuring Nayanthara, will mark Anupams return to Tamil cinema. The actor will be featured in 'Uunchai,' helmed by Sooraj Barjatya. The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Parineeti Chopra in the lead. New Delhi, June 8 : With an aim to empower teachers and students, tech giant Google on Wednesday announced that it is sharing new updates to Chromebooks, Google Classroom and Google Meet. For those using the Google Workspace for Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Google said it is adding features focused on increasing interconnectivity, control and efficiency in the classroom to Google Meet. "Now, Meet calls can be auto-transcribed directly into a Google Doc for easy lesson reviews and the ability to search for keywords and concepts," Shantanu Sinha, Director, Google for Education, said in a blogpost. Google said that now users can, with Picture in Picture in Meet, where they can navigate other tabs in Chrome while viewing 4 tiles of students in a Meet call. And to keep the class engaged and regularly check for understanding, teachers can now add polls and Q&A to Live-streams, and live-stream directly to YouTube. The company is also adding new features like the Screencast app, built into Chrome OS in M103, where users can record, trim, share and view transcribed screencasts -- and create a custom library of videos automatically saved in Google Drive. "From sharing devices to 1:1, to teachers using Chromebooks alongside students, we're constantly evolving our features to meet the needs of the classroom," Sinha said. Cast moderator is a new mode coming to select devices with Google TV that enables both educators and students to wirelessly share their Chromebook screen to a class display using an access code so that only folks in the same classroom as the display can cast. Google is also rolling out new integrations and tools to improve teachers' day-to-day tasks and help students grow their skills. "Practice sets lean into adaptive learning by giving students instant feedback on their answers and real-time support if they get stuck -- providing automated insights for teachers to identify potential gaps in students' understanding," Sinha mentioned. Practice sets are now globally available in beta, and in English only, for Google Workspace for Education customers with Education Plus or Teaching and Learning Upgrade. Khandwa : , June 8 (IANS/ 101 Reporters) It was when Dabhia resident Rajnibai's husband Punamchand migrated from their village in Khandwa district to Telangana for work that her 4-year-old daughter Sehanti was diagnosed as malnourished. Since her husband was away, Rajnibai had to spend 14 days at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) in Roshni with her sick child, and the entire responsibility of running the household fell on her adolescent daughter Radha. Rajnibai's is a common plight faced by women-headed households in this region of Madhya Pradesh. They face such hardship in the absence of their husbands who would have normally shared parental responsibilities. But even when women accompany their husbands when they migrate, it is not easy. After a long day of back-breaking work, they have to return home and attend to household chores and cook meals for the family. Too tired for the task, their meals are confined to steamed rice eaten with salt and chillies. Proteins like dal are rarely consumed. This is unlike in the village where they receive dry mixtures of rice and dal from anganwadis for the whole family. When they are at work, children are kept under the supervision of an older child in the group. At times, migrating parents also leave their children behind with their grandparents. For instance, Sushilabai left her 1-year-old with her mother-in-law, Ranaibai Hiralal, when she migrated from Dabhia village with her husband Shyamlal to work in Maharashtra. In fact, children not taken away from the only home they know are a lot safer and secure since employers of migrant labour do not care for either their health or well-being. The bane of malnutrition Dabhia village in Khalwa block has always been plagued by the need for migration. People migrate in groups of at least 40 each and eventually find arduous work. Sushilabai's mother-in-law Ranaibai told 101Reporters of how her son and pregnant daughter-in-law migrated to Maharashtra to work in sugarcane fields. "They had to work for 15 hours a day. At times, the contractor would arrange meals for them, either khichdi or plain rice. They quench their thirst from the borewell in the farm," she said. The contractor would often move them from one village to another for work, so they never get to know their location. All that they knew for certain was that they were somewhere near Pandharpur in Maharashtra. Sushilabai delivered her daughter upon her return to the village after three months of work. The newborn was extremely weak and underwent treatment at the local anganwadi for a long time. According to anganwadi worker Babita Saichar, Sushilabai herself was anaemic and malnourished; her legs were swollen when she returned home. Her daughter had to be hospitalised for a fortnight at Roshni NRC for treatment. "Both mother and daughter were treated for quite long. But on completion of treatment, she migrated again for work," Saichar added. Sunita Kajale too had travelled to Maharashtra to harvest sugarcane with her husband Sonu and their five-month-old baby. Although they were provided food there, her infant daughter had stopped eating. Being very weak, she had to be admitted to the local government hospital. When treatments there failed to produce any results, Kajale rushed back to her village. Her daughter is a year old now, but remains anaemic and severely malnourished. She weighs only 1.8 kg, as against the desired over 2 kg expected of a child her age. She's under treatment now at the local anganwadi for anaemia and severe malnutrition. Migration and Child Health According to Chabutara anganwadi worker Sugana Kasade, there are two waves of migration from Khandwa every year. The worst effects of migration are reflected in the health of children below five years of age. Often, these children need treatment for severe malnutrition on return. Being unaware, parents fail to realise that being malnourished for long periods of time can have serious repercussions in future. At the moment, there are 116 children at the Chabutara anganwadi. Of these, 23 are partially malnourished, while six are severely malnourished. Most malnourished children are those who migrated along with their families, she told 101Reporters. When families migrate, it is difficult for anganwadis or government agencies to keep track of them, since they do not inform the authorities prior to leaving the village. Once out of the village, these children cannot avail of government schemes aimed to benefit them nutritionally and hence, fall off the health radar. This is regretful since the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) found that every third child in Khandwa district is malnourished. Of these, 35 per cent were found mentally deficient, 49 per cent underweight, and 28 per cent suffering from rickets. High prevalence of anaemia among women and children Furthermore, 86.8 per cent of children in the 6-5 months age group were found to be anaemic under NFHS-5, as against 77 per cent under NFHS-4, indicating a 9.8 per cent increase in the intervening period. Among non-pregnant women in the 15-49 age group, 66.9 per cent were found to be anaemic, as against 58.3 per cent under NFHS-4, indicating a rise of 8.6 per cent. Although there's no mention of the prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women in the 15-49 age group in the latest report, 68.9 per cent women in the 15-19 age group were found to be anaemic, as against 63.9 per cent earlier. Physical and sexual exploitation of migrant women Sugandhi Vishwakarma, a social worker associated with Spandan Samajseva Samiti, outlined for 101Reporters how pregnant women are made to work 8 to 10 hours on construction sites, farms and factories, and yet survive on meagre meals of plain rice or rotis, since there's no money for either dal or vegetables. Children, too, are deprived of both education and nutrition. However, more alarming than these direct effects on physical health are the allegations of sexual exploitation of these women that emerged. Babu Mangal, a 50-year old migrant worker from Dabhia, who had migrated to Pandharpur last year for work, recounted how two young women who were part of his labour group were sexually exploited by the owner of the sugarcane farm they were working on. "During the daytime, these young women would be working with us. But at night, the employer would confine them in his room. This went on for a month. One of them was found to be pregnant when she returned home; she later aborted the baby," he told 101Reporters. Although 101Reporters could not trace these women in Dabhia, the allegations and accounts of ill-treatment meted out to these labourers shed light on the plight of the families who are forced to migrate out of Khandwa for work. (The author is a Khandwa-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) Chennai, June 8 : The Tamil Nadu Police is on the lookout for a man who bludgeoned to death a girl for spurning his marriage proposal. Police said that Samidurai(24) hailing from Gangavalli in Salem district was pursuing a degree course in a Chennai college while Roja (18) was a student in a private college at Attur, Salem. Samidurai was a distant relative of Roja and he proposed to her. However her parents and her brothers rejected him. When Roja was alone at her home on Tuesday, Samidurai went there and asked her to marry him which she refused, the police said. An enraged Samidurai picked up a big stone from the compound and bludgeoned her to death. Police said that the girl died immediately and her body is now at Salem district hospital for postmortem. Samidurai is absconding and his mobile phone has been switched off. The Salem police have approached the cyber cell police to trace Samidurai's movements and told reporters that he will be apprehended soon. Lucknow, June 8 : The preference being given to 'outsiders' in the Rajya Sabha polls and now Vidhan Parishad, is leading to increasing dissent in the ranks of the Samajwadi Party. In Rajya Sabha, the party gave two of the three tickets to 'outsiders' -- Kapil Sibal, an independent, and Jayant Chaudhary, RLD. In Vidhan Parishad, Swami Prasad Maurya, who joined SP just before elections, has been nominated for the Vidhan Parishad. Zasmir Ansari, who also came in from BSP, is another candidate named by the SP. The remaining two are Shahnawaz Khan and Mukul Yadav, son of former MLA Sobharan Yadav who had left his Karhal seat for Akhilesh Yadav. Shahnawaz Khan and Zasmir Ansari are known for their proximity to Mohd Azam Khan. A section of the party is upset that veterans like Ram Govind Chaudhary and Arvind Singh Gope who recently lost the assembly elections, should have been sent to the upper house. "These leaders have spent all their years in SP and deserve recognition for their services. It now seems that loyalty in the party has lost its meaning and it is only turncoats who will walk away with the cream," said a party MLA. Reoti Raman Singh, one of the senior-most party leaders and sitting Rajya Sabha MP, has also been denied a Rajya Sabha ticket by Akhilesh Yadav. Singh said, "My performance as an SP MP in Rajya Sabha was commendable and I earned appreciation from the Chair too. I don't understand why I was denied the ticket. This has led to dissatisfaction among the party cadres." He further said, "I am witnessing that over a period of time, SP is not the same party that we built by our hard work. Mulayam was the leader who always took everyone along with him. But things have changed now, and we seniors are being side-lined." Singh's representative and district vice-president Vijay Vaish has already resigned from the party's membership along with the post. He has also left the membership of Lohia Trust. Surendranagar, June 8 : A one-and-a-half-year-old boy was rescued from a borewell in Dudhapur village of Dhrangadhra Taluka in Surendranagar. An Indian Army team rescued Shivam on Tuesday night and rushed him to a Government hospital, where his condition is stated to be stable. Dhrangadhra Military Station had received a call from Assistant Superintendent of Police requesting to rescue an infant who had fallen into a narrow borewell in Dudhapur village. A Quick Reaction Team, on reaching the spot, noticed that in a 300 feet deep borewell, Shivam was stuck at 25 feet. Also, the water had reached upto the child's nose, but still he was able to breath and his screams could be heard, a defence press statement said. The team ingeniously modified a metallic hook and tied it to Manila rope and sent it down the borewell. In a few minutes, the hook got entangled to the T-shirt of the child and the rope was slowly pulled out successfully. The rescued child was rushed to CU Shah hospital in Surendranagar, where his health condition is stable. Islamabad, June 8 : The Pakistan government has banned wedding ceremonies after 10 p.m. in Islamabad, media reported. The ban will be implemented from today. According to sources, the restriction is being implemented on the instructions of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Geo News reported on Wednesday morning. Moreover, permission to serve only one dish to wedding guests will be given, the sources said, adding that a notification will be issued over this new restriction. The Islamabad police and administration have been informed to strictly implement the ban, the sources said. In case of violation, strict action will be taken by the capital city administration. The federal cabinet has given the go ahead to restore weekly offs on Saturdays in government offices, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb announced after a crucial federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The cabinet met under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister Sharif and discussed how the government can deal with the energy crisis at hand due to which the public has had to suffer hours-long loadshedding, Geo News reported. The power division presented an energy conservation plan to tackle the shortage of electricity amid skyrocketing prices of oil and gas in the international market and the finance division an austerity plan, according to Aurangzeb. Although the cabinet approved the resumption of Saturdays as a holiday, no decision could be made over closing markets by 7 p.m. to save power. She said there are suggestions of allowing work-from-home on Fridays and early closure of markets. A cabinet sub-committee has been formed which will now deliberate over the early closure of markets and hold consultations with other traders and business sector stakeholders. Apart from this, a 40 per cent cut in the fuel quota of ministers and government employees was also approved. Gorakhpur : , June 8 (IANS) Gita Press, the largest publishing press of Hindu religion text, is planning to open its outlets in 11 countries, the international convener of the press Jai Kishan Sarda said. Jai Kishan Sarda and his wife Sumitra Sarda, both are of Indian origin and living in Nepal from many generations. They have been managing Gita Press book depot in Nepal at Pashupatinath temple campus since 2016 and Jai Kishan Sarda thought of serving the society after he was saved in the earthquake in Nepal. "We are planning to open Gita Press stores in other countries and we became highly motivated after listening to President Kovind during the Gita Press centenary programme in Gorakhpur last week. President Kovind said that his secretariat will help in reaching the books at the international level. I have many contacts in several countries and we are coordinating with the people of Indian and Nepali origin in 11 countries to open outlets in their respective countries," he said. He further added that he has plans to open outlets in Australia, America, Dubai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, the UK, Ghana, Kenya, Thailand and Myanmar. The Gita Press is located in Gorakhpur and was founded in 1923 by Jaya Dayal Goyanka and Ghanshyam Das Jalan for promoting the principles of Sanatan Dharma. Hanuman Prasad Poddar, popularly known as 'Bhai ji' was the founding and the lifetime editor of its noted magazine who also wrote articles with his pen name 'Shiv Kalyan'. It started publishing in 1927, with a circulation of 1,600 copies and its print order had reached 2,50,000 in 2012. The Gita Press archives contain over 3,500 manuscripts including over 100 interpretations of the Bhagwad Gita. Since its establishment, the Gita Press has published approximately 410 million copies of the Gita (in different editions) and 70.0 million copies of the Ram Charitamanas, at subsidised prices. Islamabad, June 8 : At least 22 passengers were killed when a van fell into a deep ravine on the Quetta-Zhob National Highway in Pakistan's Balochistan province early Wednesday. The van, carrying 23 people, was en route Zhob from Loralai, the Dawn newspaper reported quoting district's deputy commissioner Hafiz Muhammad Qasim. "The vehicle fell from a hilltop near Akhtarzai and 22 travellers aboard were reportedly killed in the accident," he said. A minor boy, who got injured in the accident, has been referred to Quetta for medical treatment. The bodies have been shifted to the Qilla Saifullah District Headquarters Hospital. The deceased included five children, as many women, and 11 men. Pakistan President Arif Alvi and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed grief over the loss of lives in the incident. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged authorities to ensure adequate treatment for the injured. Balochistan province Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo extended his condolences to the bereaved families. Shimla, June 8 : President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive in Shimla on June 11 to visit the Atal Tunnel, which has become an attraction for tourists from around the world. Kullu DC, Ashutosh Garg said that the district administration has started preparing for the arrival of the President and instructions are being issued to the officers of various departments here. "Instructions have also been issued to the police administration to prepare the road map so that the tourists coming here do not have to face any problems," he added. A plan is being devised to improve the traffic system from Manali to Sissu in Lahaul Valley. These days the city of Manali is crowded with tourists. A plan is being prepared on how the presidential convoy should pass through here. The President will reach Manali on June 11 at 11 a.m. Kovind will reach Sissu helipad in Lahaul via helicopter and from there he will travel by vehicle to see the Atal Tunnel. At the entrance, senior BRO officials will brief about the tunnel and after that the President will leave for Delhi. New Delhi, June 8 : Congress workers on Wednesday staged a sit-in protest against the central government after the ED summoned Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in connection with the National Herald case. The workers camped outside the Congress headquarters since morning and expressed their displeasure against the ED. Slogans were also raised against the ED and the central government. Congress leader Jagdish Sharma said, "Sonia Gandhi is talking about saving the country but Modi ji says that ED is calling you. The government is completely misusing the ED." "She lost her husband for this country, India will not bear her insult, I want to ask when the summons will be sent to those who sold the country," Sharma questioned. Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi was summoned by the ED to appear on June 8 in a case related to the National Herald but she has not able to appear because she is suffering from Covid-19. Sonia Gandhi got infected with Covid on June 2. Her son and former party chief Rahul Gandhi has been called to appear before the ED on June 13 as he had sought a relaxation of the earlier date. A case has been registered against various Congress leaders, including the Gandhi family, for allegedly misappropriating the National Herald Fund. The Congress has termed the ED summons as 'politics of revenge'. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala had said it is the politics of vendetta and revenge by the BJP to target the opposition leaders. "The National Herald newspaper was started in 1942. At that time the British tried to stop it, today the Modi government is also doing the same thing that the British did. Now ED is being used for this purpose," he had said. Seoul, June 8 : South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed on Wednesday to bolster their united front against North Korea's threats, as their senior government officials gathered here amid reports that the secretive regime is all set for a nuclear test. It marked the first trilateral meeting of the regional powers' No. 2 diplomats in half a year, coming on the heels of a string of ballistic missile launches by the North, Yonhap news agency reported. In a joint statement, South Korea Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and his American and Japanese counterparts -- Wendy Sherman and Takeo Mori -- "strongly condemned" Pyongyang's behaviour as "unlawful" acts.' They made clear that the three sides remain committed to advancing trilateral security cooperation to counter the North's evolving threats. Sherman reaffirmed Washington's "steadfast commitment" to the defence of its Asian allies, including "extended deterrence." The officials urged Pyongyang to cease destabilizing acts and return to the negotiating table, citing their shared goal for the complete denuclearisation of Korea through diplomacy and dialogue. They expressed hope that the Kim Jong-un regime will respond positively to international offers of help in its fight against Covid-19. During the talks that took place two weeks after President Joe Biden's trip to Seoul and Tokyo, the three sides also discussed ways to enhance cooperation on a range of global issues, including support for Ukraine, economic security and the promotion of "a free and open Indo-Pacific," according to the statement. They decided to hold the next face-to-face three-way session in Tokyo in the fall. The previous day, Cho had bilateral talks with Sherman on the allies' coordinated response to North Korea and follow-up measures to the summit accord between Biden and President Yoon Suk-yeol. The presidents had their first summit in Seoul last month. Later in the day, Cho and Mori held a separate meeting to discuss ways to mend fences between Seoul and Tokyo, as their relations have long been strained due primarily to disputes over shared history. The two sides agreed to maintain "close communication" to resolve pending issues, according to Cho's ministry. Meanwhile, Sherman had a separate meeting with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik, who was also visiting Seoul this week. The deputy secretary "provided an update on US assistance to Ukraine, including security, humanitarian and economic assistance, as well as budgetary support and aid for long-term efforts," the State Department said in a statement. Kolkata, June 8 : Bankim Chandra, who penned the National Song, acts as an inspiration to lead the BJP and its nationalist ideology, said party national president J.P. Nadda on Wednesday here. Nadda began his two- day West Bengal visit by making a trip to Vande Mataram Bhavan at Chinsurah in Hooghly district, where Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay penned the National Song. "The National Song of India, which he penned here, was the inspiration of the freedom movement in India. His life inspires me to work for the nation, lead my party and its nationalistic ideologies," Nadda told newspersons after coming out of the Vande Mataram Bhavan. Nadda is scheduled to attend the state executive council meeting at the National Library in Kolkata. After that he will also attend a closed-door meeting with the elected BJP Lok Sabha members and legislators from the state. There he is expected to address the infighting in the party and the exodus of senior leaders from the BJP. Nadda arrived in Kolkata late Tuesday evening and had a short meeting with senior party leaders from the state like BJP's state president and party MP, Dr Sukanta Majumdar and the leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. In the meeting, Nadda made it clear that the political situation in West Bengal was different from other states. Issues that are working in favour of the BJP in other states are not yielding the same results in Bengal, sources said. Highly placed BJP sources said that Nadda emphasised that the state BJP leadership should go all out in organising movements in the state on the issues of corruption like West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment irregularities scam. He also emphasized that the state BJP leader should have to fight their own battles at the grassroots levels in the state and no one from outside will come and win the battle for them. Mumbai, June 8 : Gearing up for the theatrical release of her film 'Janhit Mein Jaari', actress Nushrratt Bharuccha is thrilled by the positive reviews coming her way following preview shows of the movie. In the movie which releases June 10, she portrays the interesting character of Manokamna, who becomes a condom saleswoman from Chanderi. Nushrratt says, "We have had some screenings for 'Janhit Mein Jaari' already. I have been doing interviews with journalists who are speaking to us after watching the film, and meeting more and more people during promotions and otherwise. Their reactions to the film were so heartwarming. I have not seen the film yet and I have been living vicariously through their reactions, of how they felt when they watched the film." Nushrratt further elaborates, "It is such a rewarding feeling which I can't even put down in words. I think the audiences' reactions is exactly what I as an actor thrive for, to do better and do more. Getting a first hand experience of this is just amazing. It feels like some part of the burden from my shoulders has reduced. I'm in between dancing in joy and keeping my fingers crossed still for the release." Nushrratt will also be next seen in 'Selfiee', 'Ram Setu' and Bellamkonda Srinivas'. Thiruvananthapuram, June 8 : Hours after Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the gold smuggling case, slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family for their role in the entire episode on Wednesday, her close aide and now colleague P.S. Sarith was picked up by the Vigilance wing of the police from their flat at Palakkad. Sarith is also an accused in the gold smuggling case. Hearing about it, Swapna said she has no clue who took Sarith away and this is nothing but retaliation for her revelations. The media and the local police also descended at the flat where Swapna and Sarith live with her children. Even the local police initially had no clue of who took away Sarith in a Swift Car. It was revealed later that it was the Vigilance department sleuths who picked Sarith. Hearing about this, Swapna lost her cool and screamed politics is a dirty game. "The Vigilance has only one case and it pertains to collection of commission in the construction of Life Mission flats. But in the case the 5th accused is M. Sivasankar (former principal secretary of Vijayan and top IAS official, who was also in jail for several weeks and is now out on bail in the gold smuggling case). I am the 6th accused and Sarith is only the 7th accused. They have not served any notice and instead they picked him and it was Sivasankar who should have been picked up first. We are not scared of any investigation as we all were in jail for months," said an angry Swapna Suresh. Meanwhile, in a related development on Wednesday morning Vijayan had a closed door meeting with police chief and his deputy. Soon after that former State Minister and Left supported legislator K.T. Jaleel arrived at the police station next door to the State Secretariat, here and registered a complaint against the baseless allegations levelled against Vijayan, his family and himself. "I have filed a complaint against these baseless allegations levelled by an accused in the gold smuggling case. This is nothing but a conspiracy hatched against the state government and both the Congress and the BJP have joined in this campaign," said Jaleel. "All these allegations which she has raked up again have all been probed by three national agencies and today she has aired the same, but with a lot of spice. We are all supremely confident as all these national agencies probed everything and found nothing. The role of P.C. George and his relation with Swapna is conspiracy," added Jaleel. Meanwhile across the state, angry supporters of the Congress led UDF took to the streets demanding resignation of Vijayan and at several places they burnt the effigy of the Chief Minister. But Vijayan moving around with massive security cover while taking part in a meeting here said, in 2018 the state faced the worst floods in a century. "Later, the state witnessed a never seen before barrage of allegations (gold smuggling case in July 2020) and it went on and on, with various agencies probing it. Finally the people of Kerala gave us a second successive term in office. The people dismissed all the allegations stating that this is their government. The people are with us," said Vijayan, who is yet to interact with the media on this issue. State BJP president K. Surendran asked Vijayan to quit and face the probe as an ordinary citizen. "Swapna Suresh has told the court everything and hence Vijayan should quit and face a probe and come clean," said Surendran. Leader of the opposition V.D. Satheesan, leading the protesters at Kollam, said the probe by various agencies came to a standstill after several Kerala BJP leaders teamed up with the CPI-M to stop this probe then. "But now things have again come out in the open and it's strange that when Oommen Chandy had to face lot of issues, that law seems not applicable to Vijayan. This cannot happen. We are looking into all options on how this new revelation needs to be taken up at all fronts," said Satheesan. Earlier in the day, Swapna said she has no political or any personal agenda. "I don't know about politics and I do not care who is ruling the state, then or now. I have given a statement under 164 of CrPC in the past but none came out. Allow me to live, it's difficult for me to live. Those ladies, who are wives and daughters including Kamala Vijayan (wife of Vijayan), Veena (daughter), are leading a luxurious life while I am suffering," said Swapna. On Tuesday, Swapna first accused Vijayan, his wife and daughter that they had a role in shady things like transferring currency notes to the UAE and also on a few occasions transferred vessels which were used to make biriyani from the residence of the UAE Consul general here to Vijayan's residence and it contained metal objects. Chennai, June 8 : Creating a storm and captivating attention, the trailer of directors Bramma and Anucharan's 'Suzhal - The Vortex', has not just the audience but also the industry gushing over it. Prime Video's first long-form, scripted original Tamil series, that is set to stream in over 30 Indian and foreign languages has become the talk of town since its announcement at IIFA last week. After the splash in Abu Dhabi with Abhishek Bachchan presenting it to the world, the trailer of 'Suzhal - The Vortex' is now being lauded by celebrities and superstars of Indian cinema. From Hrithik Roshan to Dulquer Salmaan to Keerthy Suresh, the trailer has mesmerised everyone. Hrithik Roshan took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the trailer. He said, "Mind blown! That, my friends is Pushkar Gayatri empowered by Prime Video to take stories that they believe in, to audience far & wide! Make way for Amazon's first ever Tamil original 'Suzhal - the Vortex'. To be premiered on June 17!" Keerthy Suresh said, "This amazing trailer had chills run down my spine! I really cannot wait to watch this one! Best of luck!" Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan too spoke highly of the trailer. He tweeted, "WOW, what a trailer! Literally had goosebumps just watching it! Wonder what lies ahead. Cannot wait for this!" The trailer caught the attention of actress Shraddha Srinath as well. She tweeted, "'SuzhalTheVortex' - outstanding trailer. Very gritty, very intriguing. Magnetic visuals. Please tell me they find Nila? Taking Indian content global! We expect nothing less from you, Pushkar and Gayatri. Excellent stuff. My best wishes to the team." The creative brainchild of 'Vikram Vedha' fame maverick duo Pushkar and Gayatri, the investigative drama series stars Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh, Sriya Reddy along with Radhakrishnan Parthiban in pivotal roles. Premiering globally in over 30 languages including Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Turkish, 'Suzhal - The Vortex' will stream on the platform from June 17. London, June 8 : The Earth's magnetic poles are not heading towards a reversal, as speculated, scientists have found. During the past 180 years, Earth's magnetic field strength has decreased by about 10 per cent. Simultaneously, an area with an unusually weak magnetic field has grown in the South Atlantic off the coast of South America. This area, where satellites have malfunctioned several times due to exposure to highly charged particles from the sun, is called the South Atlantic Anomaly. These developments have led to speculation that we may be heading for a polarity reversal. However, the new study, published in the journal PNAS, suggests this may not be the case. Geologists from Lund University in Sweden stitched together evidence stretching back 9,000 years that suggests the current changes aren't unique, and that a reversal may not be in the cards after all. The Earth's magnetic field acts as an invisible shield against the life-threatening environment in space, and solar winds that would otherwise sweep away the atmosphere. But, the magnetic field is not stable, and at irregular intervals at an average of every 200,000 years polarity reversals happen. This means that the magnetic North and South poles swap places. "We have mapped changes in the Earth's magnetic field over the past 9,000 years, and anomalies like the one in the South Atlantic are probably recurring phenomena linked to corresponding variations in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field," said Andreas Nilsson, geologist at Lund University in Sweden. The results are based on analyses of burnt archaeological artefacts, volcanic samples and sediment drill cores, all of which carry information about the Earth's magnetic field. These include clay pots that have been heated up to over 580 degrees Celsius, volcanic lava that has solidified, and sediments that have been deposited in lakes or in the sea. Using sensitive instruments, the researchers have been able to measure these magnetizations and recreate the direction and strength of the magnetic field at specific places and times. By studying how the magnetic field has changed, researchers can learn more about the underlying processes in the Earth's core that generate the field. "Based on similarities with the recreated anomalies, we predict that the South Atlantic Anomaly will probably disappear within the next 300 years, and that Earth is not heading towards a polarity reversal," concludes Andreas Nilsson. Panaji, June 8 : Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has urged the scientists and students of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to suggest how to increase the productivity of fish, which is the staple food of the state, by adopting modern ways, and also to improve the condition of the Arabian sea. The NIO has played a vital role in increasing the production of green mussels in Goa, the training for which was given to stakeholders. "I urge the students and scientists to share their knowledge and research to suggest ways and means to improve conditions of the Arabian Sea. Also how to increase fish productivity and preserving its varieties by adopting modern ways," Sawant said celebrating 'World Ocean Day' in Panaji. Sawant urged Goa farmers to partake in Mussels production training by the NIO. "Within short time and in less area you can take up production of mussels. You can venture into commercial activity through this training," he said. He said that the mankind has been exercising the blue economy and are exploring the new business in sea and oceans. "From the logistic transportation to tourism and the fossil studies, the ocean holds key to our past, present and future. Central government is promoting Sagarmala project to get output from the nature's potential," he said. He said that involving NIO and its skills, also training in Sagarmala project, will be more effective for these types of studies. He said that oceans have major role in our every day life. Oceans are a major source of food, medicines, and are critical part of our biodiversity. We face considerable challenges to maintain healthy oceans. "Ocean provides us food, medicines, nutrients and regulates planet. It helps in tourism, economy, fishing and other marine resources for the income and serves as backbone of international trade," Sawant said. Chennai, June 8 : The Customs wing of the Chennai International Airport foiled a smuggling bid by a passenger who arrived on an Emirates flight in the early morning of Wednesday. The passenger had concealed Gold as foils and bits in four refurbished phones and it was worth Rs 30 lakh, Customs officials told IANS. The passenger Mohammed Kasim of Chepauk, Chennai landed in the early hours of Wednesday from Dubai and was intercepted by the Customs officials. However on frisking him, nothing was found, but the customs officials on close examination of the electronic gadgets in his person found that four phones were refurbished and when it was opened, gold foils and bits of gold were found concealed in the phones. The passenger was also carrying laptops, IPads and Iphones that were brought in without paying duty. These items were seized and he was charged for them also. Mohammed Kasim was arrested under the Customs Act. Chennai, June 8 : Actor Vijay Deverakonda has showered praise on director Sashi Kiran Tikka's 'Major', calling it a film that is "filled with passion, love and sincerity". The Telugu star seems to be thoroughly impressed with the film, which is based on the life of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the hero who laid down his life in the line of duty during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Taking to Twitter, Vijay Deverakonda said, "'Major The Film' -- a film filled with passion, love & sincerity. A man to look upto. A man we can all learn from. A true Idol. "Definitely watch this one to know about our hero. Congratulations to the entire team! And my warmest respect and love to the parents of Major Sandeep!" Already, several top Telugu stars have praised the film for its content. Allu Arjun had tweeted, "Big congratulations to the entire team of 'Major The Film'. A very heart touching film. Man of the show Adivi Sesh does his magic once again. Impactful support by Prakash Raj ji, Revathi, Saiee Manjrekar, Sobhita Dhulipala & all artistes. Mindblowing BSM by Sricharan Pakala." Actor Rana Daggubatti too had tweeted about the film, saying it was "very well done." New Delhi, June 8 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at the BJP for calling their former spokespersons as fringe. Citing examples of past statements of some top BJP leaders, Rahul Gandhi said that "Fringe is BJPs core". Rahul Gandhi's remarks came in the wake of a major global pushback mostly from Gulf countries in protest against comments made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, who were removed from the party later. The Congress has been on attacking mode since the Indian embassy in Doha issued a statement on the row. The Congress alleged that the Indian embassy has been used for the BJP and questioned the silence of the Prime Minister on the issue. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, attacked the government on the whole issue. "This government has failed to win the confidence of every community, thanks to selective silence and selective outrage." He said, "the fact that the embassy attached a mail of the statement of the BJP is unacceptable." Surat, June 8 : The students union of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU) has threatened to launch a protest if voter's identity cards are made mandatory to fill exam forms. The union welcomes the initiative to create awareness among youths about voting rights and duty, but insists that it cannot be enforced. The University's Vice Chancellor Dr Kishorsinh Chavda has announced that from the academic year 2022-23, students will have to upload their voter card along with exam forms. For students below the age of 18, there are alternate plans. "This is done to create awareness among youths about voting, their rights and duty. There is no room for withdrawal of the circular or even toning it down," the Vice Chancellor said very firmly, addressing the press. National Students Union of India leader Bhavesh Desai has strongly opposed the decision. His objection is that "When voting is not mandatory, how can the Vice Chancellor make it mandatory to upload (the voter's card) with exam form?" Desai also fears that students' voter cards can be misused in the coming elections for political purposes. He points from the circular that voter card is to be uploaded from September, "But in this very month of admission, students are not able to upload forms without voter's card. They are paying fine for the delay." "If it is mandatory, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) will oppose and submit a memorandum to the Vice Chancellor requesting him to make it voluntary," said Himalaysinh Zala, Organising Secretary of ABVP, adding that, "To create awareness about voting, the students union will work with the university, but it can't be mandatory." Both union leaders stated that they will try to convince the Vice Chancellor with a memorandum, and if he does not agree, then the union will resort to protests. Patna, June 8 : The authorities at Beur Central Jail in Patna seized a mobile phone from the cell of mafia don Bhawani Tiwari on Wednesday morning. Tiwari is lodged in cell number 2/14 of Godawari block inside the prison premises. The jail administration conducted a surprise raid after receiving inputs from police officials of Kadam Kuan police station. Tiwari recently called a businessman of Kadam Kuan and demanded extortion (Rangdari tax). The businessman lodged an FIR against Bhawani Tiwari in Kadam Kuan police station. The SHO of Kadam Kuan police station confirmed the incident. He said that the mobile phone was recovered from the cell of Bhawani Tiwari. The jail administration has lodged an FIR in Beur police station against him as well. Bhawani is a dreaded gangster of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and is involved in many crimes including murder, kidnapping, loot and extortion. Lodged in prison for several years, he operated his gang from the jail. Earlier on Sunday, the prison department of Bihar shifted 23 hardcore criminals from Patna's Beur jail to the high security Bhagalpur central jail. The prison department took the decision following the recommendation of Patna SSP Manavjeet Singh Dhillon. The SSP said that jail-operated crimes are rising. He said that the hard core gangsters lodged in Beur jail do the planning and then it is executed by their gang members. Patna, June 8 : A day after a minor was allegedly raped in a bus in Bihar's West Champaran, four accused were arrested on Wednesday, police said. In an FIR registered in the women police station of Bettiah in West Champaran, the victim said that she boarded the Patna-Bettiah bus in Motihari and the driver, conductor, and helpers of the bus gang-raped her in the moving bus. She alleged that the accused served her food lashed with sedatives and when she consumed the food, she became unconscious. The accused then gang-raped her. When the bus reached Bettiah bus stand, the driver, conductor and helpers locked the bus and fled from the spot. When the victim gathered some consciousness, she knocked on the door and windows to attract the attention of passers-by. Some of them spotted her, freed her from the vehicle, and also informed local police about the incident. A police team reached the bus stand and took her to the Town police station to register an FIR. The case was then transferred to women police station Bettiah. The SHO of women police station said that an FIR under relevant sections of gang rape was registered and four accused arrested in this connection. Further investigation is on, she added. Colombo, June 8 : Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva over the country's economic crisis, the prime minister's office said in a statement Wednesday. The discussions, held on Tuesday, came as Sri Lanka has decided to seek IMF assistance to face the ongoing crisis and restructure its foreign debts after the government suspended all the external debt repayments on April 12, Xinhua news agency reported. The prime minister's office said the IMF managing director pledged support to Sri Lanka during the difficult times. Sri Lanka is presently facing one of its worst economic crises as the country faces a shortage in foreign currency, leading to a shortage in essential supplies including food, medicines and fuel. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that economic assistance has been sought from friendly nations as well as the IMF to bring the economy back on track. Moscow, June 8 : The Russian Defence Ministry has accused Ukrainian "militants of the nationalist battalions" of deliberately setting fire to a large granary in Mariupol's sea port while fleeing from Russian forces. According to a ministry statement, the alleged act of arson was down to the unwillingness of the "militants" to leave grain supplies to Mariupol's residents. As a result, according to the military, more than 50,000 tonnes of grains were destroyed, RT reported. "This inhuman crime demonstrates to the entire world community the 'true face' of the Kiev regime, which, in fact, uses the methods of food terrorism against its own people," it claimed. The ministry said the destruction was committed as the "so-called civilized West" continues to support Kiev while accusing Russia of stoking a global food crisis, RT reported. The Defense Ministry stressed that Russian forces during their "special military operation" support the civilian population, treat it humanely and "do not strike at the social infrastructure of the country, unlike the Ukrainian armed formations." Since the launch of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Moscow and Kiev have accused each other of various war crimes, while denying their own liability. The Donetsk People's Republic authorities reported earlier that the firefighters failed to save the grain stock despite several days of efforts. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Mumbai, June 8 : Actress Saiyami Kher joined hands with environmental activist Afroz Shah for a beach clean-up activity called 'Run For The Oceans'. The actress took part in an early morning beach clean-up drive at Juhu Beach in Mumbai which was supported by Afroz and several volunteers who joined hands together for this important cause. Saiyami said, "Mumbai has a rich coastline which is a jewel of the city. We as the citizens who make up this city need to do our part to keep the beaches clean not only for its recreational purposes but also for the fact that it's the seas and oceans that are impacted largely by our ignorance when we don't keep our beaches clean." "Plastic, rubbish and more such harmful things are often disposed off affecting the cleanliness and overall health of the ocean and the marine life. I wanted to do my very small effort by joining this amazing cause with Afroz to contribute a small effort that can go a long way". On the work front, Saiyami will be seen in Ashwiny Iyer Tiwary's web series 'Faadu'. It is a love story that also features Pavail Gulati and Abhilash Thapliyal. Apart from this, Saiyami Kher is a part of Tahira Kashyap's upcoming film 'Sharmaji Ki Beti' and R. Balki's 'Ghoomer'. She will also be seen in the new season of 'Breathe: Into The Shadows' and 'Highway', a south film co-starring Anand Deverakonda. Islamabad, June 8 : A few days ago, tweets and videos began circulating on social media about the barbaric practice of animal torture and experimentation currently underway at the Pir Mehr Ali Shah (PMAS) Arid Agriculture University in Rawalpindi, media reports said. It is being reported that scores of healthy stray dogs were picked up from the streets of Rawalpindi to be experimented on by students at the university's Veterinary & Animal Sciences department, Geo News reported. Anila Umair from Critters Ark Welfare Organisation, an animal welfare body in Islamabad, revealed that she found out about the unethical practice taking place at the institution earlier this month. "Since I've been rescuing animals for almost two decades, I'm in constant touch with animal activists in the city. On June 1, I was informed by an animal activist that a stray dog she used to feed was picked up by two men on a motorbike," she said. Through CCTV footage it was soon discovered that the men were from Arid University. Acting swiftly, Umair contacted a friend studying at the university and asked him to visit the university's Veterinary & Animal Sciences laboratory, Geo News reported. "I'd sent him a photo of the stolen dog and when he went to the lab he saw the same dog had been operated upon and was in a terrible state. He told us to come to the campus immediately," the animal activist told Geo.tv. "When we arrived, we noticed the dogs were tied up from their legs, some had their mouths sealed - it was a shocking and gut-wrenching sight," she said. When the students and staff members were questioned about the practice, Umair revealed that they appeared visibly worried after being caught red-handed. Leaving the lab after assurances that the staff would work closely with Umair and her peers, the animal activist stated that when they went back the next morning - to figure out the way forward regarding the release and protection of the dogs - they were barred from entering the campus. In fact, when the Dean of the department, Arfan Yousaf, was contacted by Umair on the issue, she was reprimanded, Geo News reported. Ever since the horrific videos featuring dogs writhing and whimpering in pain went viral on social media, a number of animal activists and animal rescuers, including celebrities like Mishi Khan, have taken to social media to alert the authorities and to put pressure on the university to put an end to the ghastly veterinary 'training'. In fact, Umair, along with other animal activists in the city, even staged a protest at the Islamabad Press Club on June 7. But even though one week has passed since the news began going viral online, Arid University is yet to release an official statement, Geo News reported. Hyderabad, June 8 : The Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to increase the number of Covid-19 tests in view of the surge in the number of daily cases. Amid the growing number of daily count in Telangana and some other parts of the country, the court asked the state health authorities to remain alert. A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, which took up the hearing of matters relating to Covid-19 pandemic, also directed the government to pay within 15 days compensation to the families of those who died of Covid. It asked the authorities to expedite the process of compensation payment. The court directed the state Health Department to submit a report on the action taken and adjourned the hearing to June 22. The Centre has already asked Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu to take the necessary steps in view of the increase in the number of cases. These states have been advised to follow a five-fold strategy i.e test - track - treat - vaccination and also follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, monitoring clusters of new Covid-19 cases and adequate testing as per the guidelines The number of Covid cases in Telangana has increased by 36 per cent during the last one week. On June 7, the health authorities in the state reported 119 new cases against 65 cases reported a day earlier. They tested a total of 13,149 samples. Hyderabad accounted for 79 cases, a big jump from 32 reported a day earlier. The number of active cases stands at 658 on June 7. This number was 481 on June 1. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Jaipur, June 8 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Congress will win all three Rajya Sabha seats in the state despite BJP making all efforts for horse trading. He expressed confidence that all his MLAs and Independents are supporting Congress candidates. "In fact, 126 MLAs are with us. Why did Subhash Chandra deliberately enter the fray here as an Independent candidate backed by the BJP? This is beyond understanding as they do not have the numbers. Despite BJP failing in horse trading, they are busy complaining to the ED and sometimes to the Election Commission," he added. Gehlot said that everyone knows that when the government was in crisis, there were talks of crores of rupees to buy MLAs, but the BJP failed in its attempt to destabilise the government. Taking a dig at the BJP, Gehlot questioned, "how long will the BJP do politics in the name of Hindu-Muslim? It is worrying for the country where there is peace and harmony," he questioned. They should be worried about the future of the nation and see what is being said by America and the Arab nations. We are worried about the honour and respect earned in the last 70 years by our nation which can be destroyed by these leaders, this is our main worry. Berlin, June 8 : One person was killed and more than a dozen injured when a vehicle crashed into pedestrians in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality on Wednesday, media reports said. It remains unclear whether the driver purposely plowed into the crowd, German news agency dpa reported. Local media initially reported 30 injuries, some of them in serious condition, in the incident that took place on Rankestrasse street. Police detained the driver at the scene, Xinhua news agency reported. The local fire brigade confirmed the incident, adding that about 60 emergency personnel are on the scene or on their way. The affected area has been cordoned off. Kolkata, June 8 : West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of disqualifying Mukul Roy as a member of the Assembly representing the Krishnanagar (North) constituency in Nadia district. The Speaker also said that Roy continues to be an elected BJP legislator since enough evidence has not been found to prove that Roy has joined any other political party and hence he cannot be disqualified as an MLA under the existing anti-defection law. Since Roy continues to be an elected BJP legislator, hurdles have been removed for him to continue as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the state Assembly. By convention, the chair of PAC chairman is always offered to an MLA from the principal opposition party in the state. To recall, Roy got elected as a BJP legislator from Krishnanagar (North) in the 2021 Assembly elections. However, days after the results were announced, Roy on June 11, 2021 went to the Trinamool Congress headquarters in Kolkata and re-joined his old party in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool's national general secretary Abhishesk Banerjee and other party leaders. Soon after that the leader of opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, appealed to the Speaker to disqualify Roy as an MLA. However, after some rounds of hearing, the Speaker ruled that Roy will continue as a BJP legislator. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Adhikari approached the Supreme Court. However, the apex court referred the matter to the Calcutta High Court. On April 11, a division bench of Calcutta High Court referred the matter back to the Assembly Speaker with a reconsideration call. On Wednesday, the Speaker upheld his previous decision. Chennai, June 8 : Actor Kamal Haasan's video thanking audiences for the tremendous success of his just released film 'Vikram' seems to have won the hearts of audiences across borders. The actor had thanked audiences of different regions in their different languages. Now, well known Malayalam producer Anto Joseph has penned a heartfelt note in response to Kamal's Malayalam video thanking Malayalam audiences for their acceptance of 'Vikram'. Taking to Twitter, producer Anto posted a note that read, "The video shared by Sri Kamal Hassan on Twitter fills every Malayali's heart with deserved pride. When he says, 'Malayalis wholeheartedly accept good cinema with no heed to barriers of language,' it makes one want to applaud and whistle as we have done so often in the magical atmosphere of a movie theatre! "In reality, we should be thanking Kamal Sir. 'Vikram' marks the re-emergence of the scintillating days of the true-blue Kamal era. "The 'Nayakan' stakes his claim to the Universe - 'Ulakam' - yet again! For once again casting your spell on us, mesmerising us, truly crafting a memorable experience for us - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! "Our happiness spills over to note the array of Malayali stars adding lustre to his shine - Fahadh Faazil, Chemban Vinod, Narrein, Kalidas Jayaram, Girish Gangadharan. As these bright sparks of the Malayalam industry add their might to the huge success 'Vikram' has garnered, the barriers of language crumble and the art form called cinema rises tall and proud above all divisions. "Lokesh Kanakaraj, who earlier enthralled us with 'Kaithi', 'Master' and 'Managaram' entices us again with his mastery in 'Vikram'. A big salute to this directorial genius from across the border. "Vijay Sethupathy, familiar to us all with his inimitable acting style leaves a deep imprint with his presence. As Kamal sir said, the three-minute appearance in the end by Suriya that se(n)t the theatres into a frenzy, leaves us waiting for more with bated breath! "The excitement raised by Kamal sir's words that 'we will be together throughout in our next movie' is beyond containing! May there be more wonderful movies and stupendous successes born of such partnerships...once again our best wishes to Kamal sir and the entire cast and crew of 'Vikram'." New Delhi, June 8 : Attacking the Narendra Modi government, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday alleged that Indian embassies were used to distribute the apology of the BJP and its India, which is paying the price of the mistakes committed by the party. In a series of tweets on the row over the comments on Prophet Mohammad, the said: "India is paying the price for BJP's mistakes over many years. This is unacceptable! "Zara Chronology Samjhiye: 1. BJP spokespersons & Ministers spew venom on minorities and political opponents since 2015. No action. Instead, they are projected, protected and promoted." "2. Two BJP spokespersons cross all limits. Some friendly countries along with others are furious leading to unprecedented diplomatic blowback. BJP Govt calls these spokespersons 'fringe elements' while it continues with many cringe elements." He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the issue. "3. Our embassies abroad distribute BJP's apologies. Government keeps mum. Of course, Vishguru who is the inspiration and driving force behind these actions with a poisonous track record of over 20 years, keeps quiet." The Congress has been on an attacking mode since the issue came to fore and several Gulf nations had raised the issue of the remarks. After the Indian Ambassador to Qatar was summoned by the Foreign Office, the Indian Embassy there issued a statement, saying that the "Ambassador had a meeting in the Foreign Office in which concerns were raised with regard to some offensive tweets by individuals in India denigrating the religious personality. Ambassador conveyed that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements". Moscow, June 8 : Private military companies (PMCs) from the US and Britain are involved in the selection and dispatch of mercenaries to Ukraine. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, RT reported. "For them (mercenaries) shipments are attracted by the PMCs in the USA and Britain, and, of course, there are no sanctions, restrictions against them... there is no question," she said at a briefing. Zakharova added that in the situation with mercenaries, international institutions, including the OSCE, the Council of Europe and NATO, are "joyfully silent", RT reported. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry has accused Ukrainian "militants of the nationalist battalions" of deliberately setting fire to a large granary in Mariupol's sea port while fleeing from Russian forces. According to a ministry statement, the alleged act of arson was down to the unwillingness of the "militants" to leave grain supplies for Mariupol's residents. As a result, according to the military, more than 50,000 tonnes of grain were destroyed, RT reported. "This inhuman crime demonstrates to the entire world community the 'true face' of the Kiev regime, which, in fact, uses the methods of food terrorism against its own people," it claimed. The ministry said the destruction was committed as the "so-called civilised West" continues to support Kiev while accusing Russia of stoking a global food crisis, RT reported. The ministry stressed that Russian forces during their "special military operation" support the civilian population, treat it humanely and "do not strike at the social infrastructure of the country, unlike the Ukrainian armed formations". Since the launch of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Moscow and Kiev have accused each other of various war crimes, while denying their own liability. The Donetsk People's Republic authorities had reported earlier that the firefighters failed to save the grain stock despite several days of efforts. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Rabat, June 8 : The Moroccan navy rescued 385 migrants heading for Spain last week, media reports said on Wednesday. The migrants, including women and minors, are mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, official news agency MAP quoted a military statement as saying. They were traveling in several inflatable boats in the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates the African continent from Europe, Xinhua news agency reported. Some of the migrants were in poor health condition and received first aid from the navy, before being brought back to different Moroccan ports, according to the report. Morocco has become a transit country for African migrants seeking to reach Europe for better living conditions, as the shortest distance from Morocco's Mediterranean coasts to Spain is only 14 km via the Strait of Gibraltar. Sydney, June 8 : US space agency NASA is set to launch three rockets into space from a private space port in Australia for scientific research. The rockets will be launched between June 26 and July 12 from the Arnhem Space Centre, which is owned and run by Equatorial Launch Australia, the Guardian reported. This is going to be the first time that NASA is launching rockets from a commercial facility outside the US, and the first NASA rockets launched from Australia since 1995. The mission aims to investigate heliophysics, astrophysics and planetary science phenomena only observable from the southern hemisphere, the report said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Darwin after a two-day visit to Indonesia on Wednesday night and will make the space announcement with the NT Chief Minister, Natasha Fyles, on Thursday before returning to Sydney. "We can trace Australia's celebrated connection to the space industry back to the 1950s and as a nation we have to build on that legacy," Albanese was quoted as saying. "This project will bring together global and local industry to take Australia's space sector into a new era," he added. According to NASA's Heliophysics Division director Nicky Fox the launches more than 300 kilometres into space would "allow us to explore how a star's light can influence a planet's habitability among other things." "This commercial launch range in Australia opens up new access to the Southern Hemisphere's night sky, expanding the possibilities for future science missions," NASA associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Thomas Zurbuchen said in a statement. New Delhi, June 8 : A Delhi court on Wednesday refused to quash a Lookout Circular (LOC) issued against Himanshu Verma, an accused linked with the 2009 Rs 2,895.63 crore Pilatus aircraft deal case, in which irregularities were found in the procurement of 75 basic trainer aircraft. During the course of the hearing, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said the money involved in the present case is more than Rs 340 crores and the main accused, arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, hiding somewhere in London, is yet to be arrested. Verma argued that he has been granted permission to travel abroad from other courts on April 12. He submitted that he has joined the probe whenever the Investigating Officer asked him and has not been intimated about LOC to date. He came to know about the lookout circular when he was restrained by the Immigration authorities, he submitted. On the other hand, the CBI said that Verma is found to have run various shell companies and facilitated various transactions as well as aided other accused persons in transferring money in various heads. Till now transaction of about Rs 40 crore is stated to have been facilitated by him, it said. Following the submissions, Special Judge Prashant Kumar of Rouse Avenue Court observed that none of the facts alleged by the CBI has been controverted. "Investigation is stated to be pending not only against the accused but against other accused persons as well. It is further reflected from the submissions of the Investigating Officer that all the business of the accused which are outside India and documents pertaining thereto are yet to be verified. Accused is admittedly having his business outside India as well," the court said in the order. A case has been registered in 2019 against Bhandari and Bimal Sarren, both directors of Offset India Solutions Pvt Ltd, as well as officials of Swiss-based plane-maker Pilatus Aircrafts Ltd over alleged irregularities in the procurement of the basic trainer aircraft in 2009. Bhandari's companies Offset India Solutions Private Ltd and Dubai-based Offset India Solutions FZC, as well as his associates including Verma, were named as accused in the case. As per the case, the Indian Air Force on December 16, 2009, issued a request proposal for the procurement of 75 basic trainer aircraft and Pilatus Aircraft Switzerland was one of the bidders. To obtain the contract, Pilatus Aircraft entered into a criminal conspiracy with Sareen and Bhandari by fraudulently signing a Service Provider Agreement with the latter in June 2010 in violation of the Defence Procurement Procedure 2008. Jerusalem, June 8 : Israel on Wednesday decided to beef up protection measures for the elders while avoiding reimposing restrictions on the general public amid a new wave of Covid-19 infections. The announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office came after a consultation meeting with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and senior health officials following an increasing number of new Covid-19 infections were registered since May, Xinhua news agency reported. "At this stage, it was decided to strengthen the protection system for the elderly population and nursing homes," the statement read. "Monitoring and testing of samples from sewer systems (to monitor the virus) will continue, as will the activities of the information collection system," it added. The number of new coronavirus cases in Israel reached 3,731 on Monday, the highest since April 25, prompting the Health Ministry to advise at-risk populations to resume wearing masks. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Kabul, June 8 : Iranian authorities have returned to Afghanistan dozens of vehicles and military equipment which were transported to Iran during the change of regime in Afghanistan last August, the Afghan Ministry of Interior confirmed on Wednesday. Among the items were 32 military vehicles, 17 non-military cars, 57 AK-47 assault rifles, 42 machine guns, 32 rounds of rocket-propelled grenades, along with an amount of ammunition, according to the ministry's statement. The statement said, the items were handed over to the security officials of the Afghan caretaker government in the bordering Afghan town of Islam Qala, in western Herat province on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. The handover of the vehicles and equipment came in the wake of recent bilateral talks between Iranian diplomats and officials of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kolkata, June 8 : Regional parties throughout the country have turned into meagre family outfits for whom politics is not a medium to serve people but self-interests, BJP national president, JP Nadda said here on Wednesday. "Take the example of West Bengal. The ruling party in the state, Trinamool Congress, has become a family outfit of 'aunt and her nephew'. So are the cases in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where first the father, and then his son managed the affairs of the biggest regional political forces in these two states. In Kashmir, it is the affair of the father and daughter. Similar things are happening in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Telangana," Nadda said while addressing the state executive body of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here. "Similarly, the Congress from a family outfit of 'mother and son' has become an outfit of 'sister and brother'. So you should feel lucky that you are associated with BJP where such family affairs do not happen," he added. Speaking on the occasion, he dismissed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims that the Central government is holding back legitimate dues of the state. "The West Bengal government has not sent the details of statements on expenditure or utilization certificates of the central funds that they received. Had the Union government released fresh funds without receiving the statements of expenditures of the previous funds it would have done an unethical thing. The motive of the state government is clear. Give funds but do not demand accounts of expenditure," Nadda said. He also criticised the state government for running the different central government schemes in different names in West Bengal. Addressing the meeting, Nadda told the state BJP leaders to start reaching out to the people highlighting the issues like corruption, misrule, violence and crime against women without remaining frustrated with the series of election debacles in the last couple of years. He even gave an example of his own life to cheer up the state party leaders. "Around 40 years back, my friends in Congress used to tell me that I am the right man in the wrong party. Now I ask them -- who is where today? So, what I mean to say is that nothing is static in politics. Only thing is that you will have to decide whom you have to counter. The grand welcome that I received at Kolkata airport last night ushered hopes of a fresh political wind in the state," Nadda said. The BJP president also spoke on the issues related to crime against women and reported attempts by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to downplay these incidents. "As per records of the National Crime Records Bureau, West Bengal has reported the highest number of rapes and highest number of kidnapping of women. The chief minister is always in a downplaying mood. Even incidents of rapes are minor affairs for her. I ask you all to go to people, update them about such things and ask them whether they want to stay with such misrule or they want a change," Nadda said. Gandhinagar, June 8 : The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has demanded that the state government treat all agriculture electricity consumers equally in terms of charges and not differentiate on the basis of ad hoc connections and metered connections. If the government does not decide before June 15, the BKS will launch an awareness programme followed by a protest in July. BKS state general secretary Ramesh Patel said, "When Minimum Support Price is same for all farmers, how can it (the government) charge different rates from farmers for electricity?" A farmer with one horsepower of ad hoc connection (which is not metered) pays Rs 665 per annum, that is Rs 66,500 for 100 horsepower consumption in a year. Against this, farmers having agriculture electricity connection and meters installed, for the first five years, pay 80 paise per unit plus Rs 20. With such charges, a farmer pays Rs, 1,20,000 annually for consuming 100 horsepower of electricity. It is almost double the charges of a non-metered connection. "This causes unhealthy competition among farmers. Those with power connection are not necessarily rich farmers; there are small farmers who share bills of metered electricity connection in groups, such farmers are burdened and their production costs shoot up," claims Patel. "BKS has given an ultimatum to the state government that it must fix a common rate for all agriculture electricity consumers by June 15, and if it does not, then they will launch an awareness programme at the taluka level and submit a memorandum. If the state still does not decide on tariff, the BKS will launch a protest at district headquarters across the state," said a BKS office bearer. According to him, there are 20 lakh agriculture electricity connections in the state, out of which, 4.5 lakh consumers have meters installed. These farmers are suffering the most. Hyderabad, June 8 : After learning that some residents of Veldanda mandal were planning to bury a live bull as a sacrificial ritual, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India worked with the Nagarkurnool superintendent of police and police inspector of the Veldanda police station to stop this from happening. The animal rights organisation said that the ritual, supposed to take place at 2 a.m. on June 2, was allegedly going to be conducted to bring good luck to the village. PETA India was tipped off by a person whose house help was going to her native place near Nagarkurnool to attend the ritual. "PETA India commends the Nagarkurnool police for taking steps to ensure the illegal sacrifice did not take place," says PETA India Emergency Response Assistant Bhargeswar Doley. "Just as human sacrifice is now treated as murder, at a time when India is moving towards manned space missions, the archaic practice of animal sacrifice must end. Today, many people engage in sacrifice much more productively by distributing wealth, clothing, or fruits and without harming animals." In its complaint, PETA India pointed out that Section 5(b) of the Telangana Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1950, clearly states that no person shall knowingly allow any sacrifice to be performed at any place that is in their possession or under their control. Section 4 prohibits anyone from officiating, performing, or participating in sacrificing an animal in any congregation. Section 8 makes all offences under the Act cognisable. Through orders on two matters regarding the sacrifice and killing of animals for meat, the Supreme Court ruled that animals can be slaughtered only in officially licensed slaughter houses and that municipal authorities must ensure compliance with this ruling. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, and the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, permit the slaughter of animals for food only in licensed slaughter houses equipped with species-specific stunning equipment. Gujarat, Kerala, Puducherry, and Rajasthan already have laws in place prohibiting the religious sacrifice of any animal in any temple or its precinct. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana prohibit it in any place of public religious worship or adoration or its precinct or in any congregation or procession connected with religious worship on a public street, PETA India stated. Chennai, June 8 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday commuted the death sentence imposed by a trial court on one of the 13 convicts in the 2003 Kannagi-Murugesan honour killing case. Justices A.A. Nakkiran and P.N. Prakash commuted the death sentence awarded to D. Maruthupandian, brother of Kannagi while answering a reference from the trial court. The judges also allowed the appeals preferred by 2 of the 12 other convicts and acquitted them of all charges. The appeal of one more convict was partly allowed with respect to certain offences. The conviction and life sentence of nine other convicts including the victim Kannagi's father, C. Duraiswami, were confirmed and their appeals were dismissed. Kannagi of the Vanniyar community, a most backward community in Tamil Nadu, had fallen in love with Murugesan, a Scheduled Caste boy when they were studying at Annamalai university. They got married secretly and registered their marriage in Cuddalore on May 5, 2003. Kannagi's family became violent on hearing about the marriage, and the prosecution said that poison was "forced into the mouth of the couple at a cremation ground after they were forcibly taken there." The incident occurred on July 8, 2003, and their bodies were burnt at the crematorium to make it appear as a case of suicide. The Central Bureau of Investigation took up the case on a complaint filed by Murugesan's father after a botched-up investigation by the local police. A Cuddalore special court had convicted 13 accused and awarded capital punishment to Kannagi's brother, Maruthupandian. The remaining were sentenced to life imprisonment. Dakshina Kannada, June 8 : The hijab row in Karnataka is showing no signs of abating. A section of students continues to wear hijab to classrooms in spite of the action taken by college authorities. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Puttur constituency Sanjeeva Mathandur, who is also the Chairman of the Uppinangady Degree College Development Committee, has warned that action will be initiated against students who insist on wearing the hijab. "In the name of hijab, communal organizations are provoking students. Action will be initiated against those students who violate the High Court Special Bench verdict and the College Development Committee," he stated on Wednesday. "24 students who insisted on the hijab were suspended on Tuesday. If they continue to protest the same action will be taken against them. The girl students must decide on their priority, whether learning is important or following religious practice is important," he stated. He stated that if students think that following religious practices is more important, it is better for them to move out of college. They can get an education where there is provision for practising religion, he said. "I appreciate former minister and Congress MLA U.T. Khader for talking reality about the hijab. At least, the students will have to listen and follow the words of a Muslim leader. We don't tolerate irresponsible behaviour by the students. The government college is an educational institution where education is imparted to students of all faiths. We will make all efforts to strictly implement the order of the High Court," he maintained. "We have not accepted the decision of the District Commissioner to declare a holiday for the college in the backdrop of the hijab crisis. If the holiday is declared, students will lose. The students have to give their semester exams next month. For this reason, a holiday has not been declared and action will be initiated to ensure the smooth running of classes," the MLA said. 24 girls studying in the Uppinangadi Degree College in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district were stopped from attending classes on Tuesday for insisting on wearing the hijab. The hijab crisis started with the protest of 6 students of Udupi Pre-University Girl's College and went on to become an international issue. It also created a law and order situation in the state. The petitioners have now approached the Supreme Court in this regard. New Delhi, June 8: Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in Ankara along with a high-level Russian military delegation, will be meeting his Turkish counterpart M Cavusoglu with not just the situation in Ukraine but also Syria on his mind. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had recently announced the launch of a new military operation in northern Syria, a move which has been opposed by Moscow, Washington and also New Delhi. As reported by IndiaNarrative.com last week, while India has highlighted "acts of external players" contributing to the inability to tackle terrorism in Syria, Russia said that it "received with alarm" reports of Turkey's new military operation in northern Syria which could allow Ankara to take 600 km of the Syrian-Turkish border under its control. "Such a step, in the absence of the consent of the legitimate government of the Syrian Arab Republic, would constitute a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), and would provoke an additional escalation of tension in this country," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova had said on Thursday. Around Ukraine, while Lavrov has said that he would not like to comment on Ankara playing any role in the issue of normalizing the situation, he insisted that his visit would take forward the telephone conversation held between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently. "President Putin outlined in detail how to unblock food supplies from the Black Sea ports mined by Ukrainians, from the ports of the Sea of Azov controlled and cleared by the Russian Federation. Of these, there are reliable routes through the Kerch Strait to the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles," said the Russian foreign minister before leaving for Ankara. Russia has maintained that its military has been declaring humanitarian corridors in the Black and Azov Seas for the exit of foreign ships, which are being "held hostage" by the Ukrainian authorities. "In order for ships to use these corridors, the Ukrainians must clear mines. Our Turkish colleagues declared their readiness to help in this. I think our military will agree on how best to organize this, so that through the minefields that need to be removed, the ships go to the open sea. Further, we guarantee - independently or with Turkish colleagues - their fine-tuning to the straits and further to the Mediterranean Sea," said Lavrov. As Ukraine receives multiple-launch rocket systems and more sophisticated weapons, Moscow has vowed that it will retaliate by pushing its enemies further away. "The more long-range systems are supplied to the Kyiv regime, the further we will move the Nazis away from the line from which the threats to the Russian population of Ukraine and the Russian Federation come from," said Lavrov. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already warned of destroying those military facilities in Ukraine that have not yet been targeted by the Russian forces if Kyiv continues to receive supply of Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) from the West. Lavrov said that the newly supplied weapons to Ukraine are capable of hitting targets not only near the border, but also "more remote regions" of the Russian Federation. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Kolkata, June 8 : A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate retired IPS officer and former West Bengal minister Upendranath Biswas, known for probing the fodder scam in Bihar, in connection with the primary teachers' recruitment irregularities scam. The single-judge bench of Justice Avijit Gangopadhyay also ordered the CBI to trace and question a person named Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan, who was named by Biswas in a recent Facebook Live as one of the key operators in the recruitment irregularities scam. Incidentally, Biswas had retired as the Additional Director of CBI. As the Joint Director (East) of CBI, Biswas had relentlessly pursued the Rs 950 crore fodder scam case involving former Bihar Chief Ministers Jagannath Mishra and Lalu Prasad. He was the one who had arrested Lalu Prasad who was later sent to jail. Biswas joined the Trinamool Congress after retirement and contested the 2011 Assembly elections. He also served as the Backward Class Welfare Minister from 2011 to 2016. However, he resigned from Trinamool Congress in 2021. Recently, in a Facebook Live, Biswas referred to Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan as a key operator in the WBSSC recruitment irregularities scam. In the live video, Biswas named one Chandan Mandal alias Ranjan, a resident of Bagda in North 24 Parganas district, who could give primary teacher's jobs even to those who submitted blank papers in the written entrance test against a payment of Rs 15 lakh. In the video, Biswas satirically termed Mandal as an "honest man" who did not fail to return money to the candidate concerned in case his or her appointment could not be arranged. Patna, June 8 : In a bid to encourage industrialisation, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday released a new textile and leather policy. Kumar said that the initiative was taken to attract investors and investments in Bihar. A large number of industrialists related to textile and leather industries were present in Patna on the occasion. "I used to go to other states to attract investors. Now, the investors are frequently coming to Bihar for investment which is a pleasing sign for us. Such a turnout happened due to our Industry Minister Shahnawaz Hussain. He is doing an excellent job in bringing industries to the state. All credit goes to him," Nitish Kumar said. The Chief Minister also laid down state's ethanol policy. He said that the state government is doing well in the production of ethanol. Soon Bihar reached the top position in the production of ethanol. "I want to assure industrialists that the Bihar government will provide all kinds of help for industrial operation," he said. Bihar has been attracting industries for quite some time now. Apart from an ethanol factory in Purnea, oil refinery, fertilizer factory, Pepsi plant, Jute factory and many others were recently installed during the tenure of Shahnawaz Hussain as Industry Minister. Mogadishu, June 8 : A senior al-Shabab terrorist behind a series of terror attacks in Southwest Somalia has surrendered to government security forces, the military said on Wednesday. The State-owned Radio Mogadishu said Mustaf Ishak Ali, who has conducted terror attacks in the Bay region, surrendered to the 60th Division of the Somali National Army (SNA) in Baidoa town. "Ali was an al-Shabab militant for two years and has fought in several battles in Bay and Galgaduud regions," it said. The security forces displaced the photos of the terrorist who said has abandoned the militant group's ideology of causing horrific acts of atrocities against the Somali people, Xinhua news agency reported. Ali has since appealed to his fellow fighters to abandon the terror group which has engaged the government and African Union forces in near-daily attacks in a bid to topple the internationally-backed government. Several al-Shabab leaders have surrendered to government forces in the recent past amid intensified security operations across the country. Bengaluru, June 8 : A nun on Wednesday claimed she has been sexually harassed at a convent in Karnataka's Mysuru city, and appealed for help, saying she is getting life threats for voicing out her woes. The nun, who works at a convent for specially-abled children, has released a video regarding excesses on her. She also spoke about about two murders, sexual harassment and corruption taking place in the convent. The victim feared that she might be forced to get admitted to a hospital for "mental treatment". Mentioning the name of three of her female colleagues, she has stressed that if her body is found, it has to be treated as a murder case. She had written a letter to the State Human Rights Commission. The victim claimed that after she came out with allegations, four men attacked her and admitted to a mental hospital. However, she managed to escape and lodged a complaint with the police. The school management has denied all allegations, saying the nun is mentally unstable and showing aggressive behaviour since two months. New Delhi, June 8 : A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed a revision petition filed by former Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash challenging the clean chit given to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and nine AAP MLAs, in connection with a 2018 case of alleged assault on him. In the 326-page order, Special Judge Geetanjali Goel said the revision petition is without merits and the same is dismissed. The counsel for Prakash had submitted that he was summoned to Kejriwal's residence on February 19, 2018 to discuss the difficulty in releasing advertisements to mark the AAP's three years in power. He submitted that the assault happened in the presence of the Chief Minister, Sisodia, and MLAs with the intention to criminally intimidate and deter him from discharging his lawful duty. He argued that the Trial Court even while selectively relying on and considering the material available on record, has arrived at divergent findings qua the accused persons, without any basis or justification, by applying different yardstick for different accused persons in relation to their role and involvement in the crime. In the order, court said: "There is no infirmity, illegality or perversity or impropriety in the impugned order passed by the Ld. Trial Court and the same has been passed after considering the material on record including the statements of witnesses. Applying the test for framing of charge laid down in a catena of decisions, no ground has been made out by the petitioner for interfering with the order of the Ld. Trial Court or for directing framing of charge against the accused persons." It also said it is the settled law that at the stage of framing of charge, the court is only to see if there is strong suspicion that the accused had committed an offence and not whether the material on record would lead to conviction or not. On August 11 last year, a Delhi court dropped charges against Kejriwal, Sisodia, and nine other Aam Aadmi Party MLAs -- Rajesh Rishi, Nitin Tyagi, Praveen Kumar, Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Rituraj Govind, Rajesh Gupta, Madan Lal and Dinesh Mohania. New Delhi/Imphal, June 8 : Dinabandhu Sahoo, Director at the Centre for Himalayan Studies under Delhi University, who had earlier discovered a new plant species of 'Cherry Blossom' in Manipur, has been conferred with this year 'Green Globe Award 2022' for his contributions in the field of biodiversity, conservation and Himalayan ecosystem. The Green Globe Award was conferred to Sahoo during a function held at IIT Delhi. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, was the chief guest in the event, while Bollywood actor Darshan Kumar gave away the award to Sahoo. The Confederation of Renewable Energy Services Professionals and Industries in association with IIT Delhi, IIM Lucknow and Hansraj College, University of Delhi, instituted the award. "I feel growing a suitable and appropriate tree species should be made compulsory not only in all educational and scientific institutions, but it should be a public movement in the long run to double our per capita tree availability," Sahoo told IANS. A former Vice-Chancellor of FM University, Odisha, and a botanist at Delhi University, Sahoo has done substantial work in the remote areas of northeastern states. Due to Sahoo's sustained efforts, Cherry Blossom is now available in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Assam and Tripura. The Cherry Blossom or 'Sakura' is the national flower of Japan, which is also a source of inspiration for the Japanese people. India became the 28th country in the world to be included in the Sakura map. Sahoo was instrumental in launching India's first Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong. Also, a new Cherry Blossom plant species -- Prunus Dinabandhuana -- has been named after Sahoo Srinagar, June 8 : Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinah on Wednesday rolled out 'Accidental Insurance Scheme' for employees of the J&K Government. Under the scheme, Jammu and Kashmir Bank will extend free group personal insurance cover of Rs 15 lakh to all the employees. The Lt Governor also launched J&K Bank's 'Phone Pe Loan' facility for the government employees. The Lt Governor said that people-centric initiatives such as 'Phone Pe Loan' and 'Accidental Insurance Cover' will ensure hassle-free credit flow and social security net for employees. J&K Bank, with a strong and diversified banking system and serving all sectors of the economy, is reaching out to all sections of society for financial inclusion and delivering financial services to the last man in the queue, the Lt Governor observed. With consistent reforms in the last two years, J&K Bank has demonstrated resilience in adapting to the challenges, and emerged as one of the most trusted and reliable banks in the UT, said the Lt Governor. The Lt Governor directed the bank to enhance the insurance amount from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh from the next financial year. Highlighting several steps being taken to end the non-transparent credit culture and to bridge the gap in credit availability, the Lt Governor said that the UT government is making dedicated efforts to strengthen the credit flow system. Higher credit flow was witnessed in Agriculture, MUDRA, small scale industries, SHGs & promotion of entrepreneurship, infrastructure related investment, the Lt Governor added. Financial assistance is being extended to the enterprising Youth from panchayats to realize their dreams and transform their entrepreneurial ideas into reality. Last year, 44,403 young boys and girls, Self-Help Groups were provided financial assistance. In the first 4 months of this year, 3,407 youth have been turned into entrepreneurs by this financial assistance, the Lt Governor said. Under Prime Minister's Stand Up India Mission, 1,560 beneficiaries have received the credit of Rs 10 lakh to One crore for starting their business ventures. More than 2.62 lakh accounts have been opened, and Rs 5,696 crore has been disbursed to small and micro-entrepreneurs under the MUDRA Yojana. For the first time, the street vendors of Jammu and Kashmir have been connected with the banking facility and loan has been disbursed to 14,682 beneficiaries till date, added the Lt Governor. Hyderabad, June 8 : Telangana's opposition Congress on Wednesday alleged that Hyderabad police are hiding vital information in the Jubilee Hills gang rape case. State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy wondered why the police have not revealed names of the owners of the Innova and Mercedes cars used by the accused, asking Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand as to why he was trying to shield the owners of the two vehicles. Describing the two vehicles as key evidence in the case, he wondered why the police did not call their owners though it has been established that minors were driving the vehicles. Reddy pointed out that as per Section 133 of the Motor Vehicle Act, when minors found driving the vehicles, notices have to be issued to the owners, they have to be summoned to the police station and cases have to be filed. He pointed out that the Police Commissioner told the media persons that after the Mercedes reached the bakery, the accused with the victim left in the Innova. The Congress leader said the Police Commissioner revealed before the media the sequence of events that happened from May 20 till the incident happened on May 28, but nothing as to what happened after it, where the vehicles were taken, and what was the action taken against the owners. Reddy said there are allegations against the families of the Wakf Board Chairman who is appointed by the Chief Minister and the MLA of MIM whose leader Asaduddin Owaisi reacts to every small incident that happens at national or international level. Claiming that the TRS and the MIM together are running the government, he said: "They are partners in alliance, elections and government and finally they have become partners in rapes and murders." Reddy said the owners of the cars should also be booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He said when the police admitted that the Innova vehicle is a government vehicle and the gang rape happened in this vehicle, why it was not revealing who is its owner. "When the government vehicle was used for anti-social activities, why are the police hiding the information about the vehicle," he asked. He said the police should come out with details like where the Innova was kept for seven days after the gang rape. He alleged that the government sticker was removed from the vehicle and the evidence was tampered with. He said police did not even reveal where the Innova was seized. Meanwhile, women leaders of Congress party staged a silent protest at party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan against the increasing incidents of rapes. Later, a delegation of party leaders ,led by the Mahila Congress acting President Netta D'Souza met Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy, and sought strict action against the accused irrespective of their influential background. The delegation demanded that there should be fair investigation in the case and the police should not come under pressure from any quarters. New Delhi, June 8 : Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Naremdra Modi here on Wednesday. "Was happy to receive Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian for a useful discussion on further development of Centuries-old civilizational links between India and Iran. Our relations have mutually benefited both the countries and have promoted regional security and prosperity," Prime Minister tweeted after the meeting. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who is on an official visit to India, earlier also met Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar. "Wide ranging discussion with FM @Amirabdolahian of Iran. Reviewed our bilateral cooperation, including in trade, connectivity, health and people to people ties. Exchanged views on global and regional issues including JCPOA, Afghanistan and Ukraine," S. Jaishankar tweeted. The Ministry of External Affairs also put out statement after the meeting between the two leaders. "Welcoming the dignitary, Prime Minister warmly recalled the long-standing civilizational and cultural links between India and Iran. The two leaders discussed ongoing bilateral cooperation initiatives. Prime Minister stressed that both countries should work to accelerate exchanges in the post-Covid era," an MEA statement said. "Prime Minister requested the Iran Foreign Minister to also transmit his greetings to His Excellency President Ebrahim Raisi, and looked forward to meeting the President of Iran at an early date," it stated. This is the first visit of a Minister of a Islamic nation since the controversy broke out on Prophet Muhammad. San Francisco, June 8 : After tech billionaire Elon Musk threatened to blow up the $44 billion buyout over the bot issue, a media report has stated that a Twitter shareholder wants a judge to order the microblogging site to turn over internal papers about spam and fake accounts. According to Bloomberg, John Solak, who owns five Twitter shares, sued the company in Delaware Chancery Court for records related to discussions between its directors and executives about problems with so-called bot accounts. This week, the Tesla CEO said that Twitter is violating the terms of his $54.20-per-share offer by refusing to give him more information about how much of the platform's traffic is driven by fake accounts. He threatened to blow up the deal over the issue. "Stockholder's purpose in seeking these books and records is to investigate the possibility of board-level breaches" of legal duties to investors over directors' failure to properly oversee public disclosures of the bot numbers, according to the complaint. Representatives of Twitter did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment on the suit. The report mentioned that Twitter is incorporated in Delaware, home to more than 60 per cent of Fortune 500 companies. Investors often sue in Delaware to gain access to files of companies incorporated in the state to collect information that can be used in lawsuits against firms or directors. They have to show a proper purpose for accessing the files, however. Bhubaneswar, June 8 : The election to the post of Odisha Assembly Speaker will be held on June 13, the Assembly Secretariat has informed all MLAs on Wednesday. Notably, Surya Narayan Patro had resigned from the post of Assembly Speaker recently due to health issues. In his letter to all members, Dasharathi Satapathy, OSD-cum-secretary of Assembly said: "As per provisions contained in Article 178 of the Constitution of India read with Rule 6 (1) and Rule 6 (6) of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Governor has been pleased to fix the June 13, 2022 (Monday) at 10.30 a.m. for election of Speaker." For the purpose a meeting of the Assembly will be held on June 13 at 10.30 a.m. in the Assembly Hall, Bhubaneswar, he said. Satpathy has requested all MLAs to attend the above meeting of the Odisha Legislative Assembly accordingly. Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has revamped his council of ministers. All 20 ministers had resigned from their respective posts on Saturday. Along with them, Patro had also resigned from the post of Speaker. Former minister and senior BJD legislator Bikram Keshari Arukha is likely to be appointed in the post, BJD sources said. The state government has already appointed Jagatsinghpur MLA Prasant Muduli as government chief whip. Muduli has been appointed in place of Pramila Mallick, who has been inducted as a cabinet minister. New Delhi, June 8 : Leaving no stone unturned to win the Rajinder Nagar assembly by-polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has deployed over 250 senior workers from across the national capital in the assembly constituency where the polling is scheduled to be held on June 23. The BJP has fielded its former state unit general secretary Rajesh Bhatia from the Rajinder Nagar assembly constituency. Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta told IANS that the over 250 senior party workers include former MLAs, those who contested assembly election, former councillors, sitting and former state and district office bearers. "As per requirement, senior party workers from across the city have been deployed in Rajinder Nagar. While deploying the senior workers, the party has also taken the social equation into proper consideration," Gupta said. Sharing the details, Gupta said one senior worker has been deployed on each of the 177 polling booths of the constituency. "One senior worker is also deployed at each of the 44 'Shakti Kendra', a cluster of three-four polling booths. About 30 workers are assigned other poll-related works," the Delhi BJP president said. Senior workers deployed at polling booths and Shakti Kendras are outside the constituency, while 30 workers who are assigned other poll-related works are from the Rajinder Nagar constituency. A senior party leader said that the BJP is putting all its effort to win back its stronghold Rajinder Nagar from the AAP. In the 2013 assembly polls, BJP's Sardar R.P. Singh won the seat but in the next two elections in 2015 and 2020 he lost to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate. In the last 2020 Delhi assembly polls, AAP's Raghav Chadha won from Rajinder Nagar. The BJP has made Rajinder Assembly by-polls "a contest between local and outsider". The AAP has fielded Durgesh Pathak, who unsuccessfully contested 2020 assembly polls from Karawal Nagar assembly constituency in North East Delhi, while BJP's Bhatia is former councillor from one of the wards in the assembly constituency. Polling will be held on June 23 and counting of votes will take place on June 26. The by-poll was necessitated after AAP's Chadha resigned from the Delhi Assembly after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. New Delhi, June 8 : A Delhi court on Wednesday allowed the Foreign Investment Promotion Board's (FIPB) former Chairman Ashok Kumar Jha, who is an accused in the Aircel Maxis case, to travel abroad from June 23 to July 14. Jha is one of the 18 accused persons who have been charge-sheeted by the CBI on July 19, 2018. Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, his son Karti Chidamabaram, DMK leader and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others are allegedly involved in the case. Jha was seeking permission to visit his daughter and family who are settled in Singapore for the last many years. As per the CBI, during the time of the alleged offences, he is alleged to have cleared the notings and drafts prepared by his subordinates and had approved the FIBP proposal, which was ultimately approved by P. Chidambaram in his capacity as Finance Minister. The present charge sheet has been filed against the Chidambarams and 16 other co-accused, including the applicant, in connection with the illegal gratification of Rs 26,00,444 and $1,94,831.99 for the illegal FIPB approval granted to Global Communications Services Holdings Ltd for the investment of $800 million. The said approval is stated to have been granted by P. Chidambaram and others in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, stated the order. During the course of the hearing, the CBI opposed his plea citing that being an influential person, and holding a high position, Jha may misuse the above liberty granted to him and may not return back to India to face the trial. However, the court noted that the accused was released on bail by the court on March 23, subject to certain terms and conditions including he will not leave the country without the permission of the court. He was not arrested by the CBI in the present case and the charge sheet against him was filed without arrest. He is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer and was working as FIPB Chairman at the time of commission of alleged offences. The present case is still at the initial stage of compliance of provisions of Section 207 Cr.P.C (recognising an accused's inalienable right at the start of a criminal trial), the court noted. Accordingly, the court allowed the permission on furnishing a security deposit of Rs 10 lakh and directed him to comply other conditions, including maintaining contact with the investigating officer and the court. Islamabad, June 8 : In an attempt to save energy, the Pakistan National Economic Council (NEC) has decided to order the closure of markets across the country at 8:30 pm, Geo News reported. The NEC took the decision on Wednesday during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which was attended by the chief ministers of all the provinces. The NEC met a day after President Ari Alvi approved the reconstitution of the body with Shehbaz Sharif as its chairman. The meeting was attended by the chief ministers of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was represented by its chief secretary Shehzad Khan. According to a statement, the chief ministers appreciated the steps being taken by the federal government to deal with the energy crisis and the four provinces agreed on the proposal to close markets at 8.30 pm. The statement also said that the chief ministers of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan have asked for two days to implement the decision as they wish to consult the traders' associations in their respective provinces, Geo News reported. The chief ministers also backed the decisions of the federal cabinet on nationwide measures to deal with the energy crisis and assured their full cooperation in tackling the crisis. Addressing a press conference, Power Minister Khurrum Dastagir said that the early closure of markets and 'work from home' can save electricity. "The electricity being produced in the country is 22,000 MW and the requirement is 26,000 MW," said the minister, adding that the energy shortfall in the country is 4,000 MW. He also assured the media that the industrial sector in the country is being provided with uninterrupted power supply. He added that 1,100 MW will be added to the national grid once the K-2 Nuclear Power Plant starts production. Islamabad, June 8 : For the first time in history, Pakistan's Haj mission will have no female assistants to help women perform the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, media reports said on Wednesday. Every year, some officials, including women, from the Religious Affairs Ministry, accompany the pilgrims to provide guidance and assistance and respond to emergency situations. This year, more than 80,000 pilgrims, including 8,000 women, from Pakistan would perform Haj. However, Federal Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Minister Maulana Abdul Shakoor has decided not to send women officials with the pilgrims, Samaa TV reported. The women officers, who were stopped from accompanying the pilgrims have written a letter to Federal Ombudsperson for Protection Against Harassment Kashmala Tariq and called the minister's decision "misogynistic" and "discriminatory". In the letter, the women officials claimed they have been subjected to gender discrimination on the directions of the minister who formulated a policy "to ban females from performing Hajj duties". "The illogical ground of this policy is depriving us from our constitutional right of equality, and... resulted in discrimination (and) caused ridicule to all women officers and officials of the ministry," reads the letter bearing the signature of seven officials, Samaa TV reported. The officials said Article 7(A)(ii) of Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2022 defines harassment as: "discrimination on basis of gender, which may or may not be sexual in nature, but which may embody discriminatory and prejudicial mind-set or notion, resulting in discriminatory behavior on basis of gender against the complainant". The officials also complained of the "lack of resistance" demonstrated by the Secretary who acts as the administrative head of the ministry. They added that under the ministry's Rule of Business, 1973, the Secretary is usually bound to implement the Minister's decision. However, if they feel the decision could cause "injustice or undue hardship", they may ask the Minister to reconsider it. In case the Minister persists with the decision, the Secretary can request the Minister to refer the case to the Prime Minister, Samaa TV reported. However, in this case, the matter was referred to the Prime Minister's Office which directed the Minister's decision will stand. The women officials said the "competent authorities" in the ministry have surrendered to the "radical mindset" of the Minister. Aurangabad : , June 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photos are plastered on dustbins in some Arab countries and India has been subjected to great humiliation owing to the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'tinpot spokespersons', Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray thundered here on Wednesday. Taking strong umbrage at the discomfiture to the Indian Prime Minister, Thackeray said while the BJP and its spokespersons cannot be said to speak on behalf of India, they ended up bringing disgrace to the country. "Why did they need to make comments on the Prophet Mohammed? Just as our gods are dear to us, they also revere their gods.... Why should you show hatred towards any other religions.... India is now facing protests in all Muslim countries and the PM's photos are stuck on garbage bins, bringing shame to the country," Thackeray roared. Replying to the state Opposition BJP's barrage of criticism of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, Thackeray said it was 'unfortunate'. "Those whom we trusted and made them sit in our laps for 25-30 years are now our enemies.... Those against whom we fought for so many years are today our friends, they respect us and have joined hands strongly for the state's progress," Thackeray said, indirectly expressing his gratitude to the MVA allies. Rebuffing the BJP's questions on his 'Hindutva', he countered by asking "who are they to question our Hindutva credentials?" at a mammoth rally in this tourism hub. "Our Hindutva does not teach hatred for any religion.... Our Hindutva is like Ram in the heart and work in the hands.... Don't teach us Hindutva," Thackeray shot back. Referring to the recent 'Jan Aakrosh rally' organised by the BJP in Aurangabad to highlight the water problems in this Marathwada hub, Thackeray said that "angst was not for water" but for losing power and directed at him personally. "They have been deadlines after deadlines for the MVA government to collapse, but in the past two-and-half years it has not happened, nor will it happen. That 'aakrosh' (anger) is directed against me and my government which is working successfully on the path of development," said Thackeray. It was because of this frustration at losing power in 2019 that the centre is targetting MVA leaders with central agencies like ED or CBI and dared the BJP to deploy these investigation arms in Jammu & Kashmir where the Kashmiri Pandits are being forced to leave their home again. He also dared those wanting to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside his home to go to Kashmir and chant the Hindu prayers there. On the much-anticipated issue of rechristening Aurangabad as 'Sambhajinagar', Thacekray said it was his father -- the late Balasaheb Thackeray who had made the promise, and vowed to honour it soon. "We are committed to change the name of Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar, but that will not solve the water problems or the bad roads here. It will be renamed when it befits the city and even Chhatrapati Sambhaji would find it ideal," Thackeray assured. The Chief Minister touched on a variety of other issues including pooh-poohing the claims by Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis that he was present during the razing of the Babri Mosque when no Shiv Sainiks were present, on the need for all to keep their religious beliefs within their homes and not insulting other religions, the fast paced development and huge investments the state is attracting from India and abroad, which is giving sleepless nights to the BJP. Guwahati, June 8 : The Assam Police on Wednesday set up Special Cells in 10 of the 34 districts to create the space for the troubled women to receive emotional and social support through quality psychological, social and legal services from professional full-time social workers, within the criminal justice system (CJS) framework. Director General of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta launched the "Special Cells for Women and Community Approach" in Assam for 10 police stations in Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Kamrup (Rural), Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) signed a MoU with Assam government's Home Department and Department of Social Welfare, who would man these special cells through social workers, counsellors and state coordinators. Experienced and trained councillors have been selected and specialised training has been imparted to them, an Assam police spokesman said. He said that the violence survivor's needs and concerns are addressed within a facilitative environment and these Special Cells would operate from Sadar Police stations of the 10 districts. The TISS has further collaborated with US Agency for International Development's MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership: India-Yash led by Jhpiego and Child in Need Institute (CINI) to operate these special cells for a period of two years. The Assam police chief said that the state police is determined to deal with the crime against women and children and effectively combat gender-based violence. He also stressed the need for a multidisciplinary approach to tackle this menace; police, NGOs, Social Welfare Department and Home Department and other stakeholders need to work together to address the issue. Shimla, June 8 : Two independent legislators on Wednesday joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held by the end of this year. Hoshiyar Singh from Dehra, and Prakash Rana from Jogindernagar assembly constituency joined the saffron party here in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP chief Suresh Kashyap. Kashyap said both Singh and Rana have been lending support to the BJP in the Assembly since a long time. Thakur said they have been taken into the party fold after a thorough discussion with all the leaders. "This step would boost the party as well as the government in the coming times," the Chief Minister said. Chennai, June 8 : Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union minister Subramanian Swamy has urged the Election Commission to initiate action against Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK after some of its leaders called for "genocide" of Brahmins in the state. He demanded that the registration of the DMK must be cancelled for such "atrocious" statements by its leaders. He also urged the Election Commission to cancel DMK's election symbol and requested the poll panel to allow him to argue his case before it. He said that being a registered as a political party, such statements by DMK were against the Representation of Peoples Act. DMK spokesman R. Rajiv Gandhi had claimed that Tamil Brahmins should have been killed as per the "directions" of Dravidian icon, Periyar. In a tweet a couple of days earlier, the DMK leader had said: "If we Shudras had done what Periyar told us back then, we wouldn't have had to struggle with Brahmins for justice, rights, education and equality. 3% of you Brahmins are still dominating some areas." His tweet came after political commentator Sumanth Raman had shared a snippet of Periyar's speech of 1973 in Tamil Nadu's Karaikudi, in which he had purportedly called for the annihilation of the Tamil Brahmins. Patna, June 8 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday ruled out any attempt of religious conversion in the state. Reacting to rumours of religious conversion taking place in Saran district, Kumar said that the administration is on high alert to check any kind of conversion in the state. "There is no truth in the reports of religious conversion in Bihar. The administrations of all the districts are on high alert, keeping a close tab on any unusual development," Kumar said. "There is no communal tension in the peaceful state of Bihar where people of every religion are united," he said. New Delhi, June 9 : After his term as the Prasar Bharati CEO ended, Shashi Shekhar Vempati has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him an opportunity to contribute to the country. Sources in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that Vempati's term as the Prasar Bharati CEO ended on June 8 and the Union government has not given him an extension. With the end of his tenure as Prasar Bharati CEO, Vempati on Wednesday said, "Thankful to Prime Minister @narendramodi for the incredible opportunity to contribute to the nation over the past five years as the CEO of Prasar Bharati. It has been a great learning experience and I am happy to have made a difference to Doordarshan and All India Radio." "Thankful to past and current fellow Board Members of @prasarbharati who have been fantastic partners in this transformational journey and have supported the many change initiatives over the years." He added: "Words fall short in praise of every member of the Prasar Bharati -- the innumerable officers and staff of DD AIR across cadres and streams, who have helped me at every step despite the many challenges, constraints and uncertain times." "Doordarshan and All India Radio have been intrinsic elements of my formative years. I feel blessed to have given back to these two vital organisations to the best of my abilities. My sincere wishes to all those who have made them the most trusted media brands in India," Vempati said. Brussels, June 9 : In 2021, a total of 527.4 million euros ($564 million) in European Union (EU) funds were used fraudulently, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) said in its annual report. OLAF recommends the recovery of this sum. In its report published on Wednesday, the office unveils emerging fraud trends on a wide range of issues and provides details on investigations on fraud schemes damaging the environment, Xinhua news agency reported. In 2021, OLAF concluded 212 investigations and issued 294 recommendations to the relevant national and EU authorities. It also opened 234 new investigations. The office noted that fraudsters continued to profiteer from the Covid-19 pandemic and became even more sophisticated and adaptable, taking full advantage of the opportunities available by working across borders and jurisdictions, exploiting digital tools and professionalising their illicit business activities. It said fraudsters continued to try to take advantage of Covid-19 at a time when all eyes were focused on the vaccine rollout. It exposed the fraudsters' scam attempts as they tried to approach national authorities with bogus offers of nearly 1.2 billion vaccine doses worth more than 16 billion euros. OLAF said it had detected and investigated cases that showed how fraudsters also targeted funding for green and digitalisation projects, including cases of fraud in software development projects, in customs operations that involved counterfeit pesticides, or in EU funding for the development and delivery of environmentally friendly aircraft. The report details how OLAF's investigators uncovered the potential misuse of 330 million euros for a social assistance scheme for low-income pensioners in a region of Italy and recommended the project's termination. In 2021, OLAF and its partners prevented 437 million illicit cigarettes from entering the EU market and helped national authorities confiscate 372 tonnes of raw tobacco that were destined for the illicit production of cigarettes. These seizures are estimated to have saved the EU member states 90 million euros in lost revenue. (1 euro = $1.07) Lagos, June 9 : The number of people killed in an attack on a church in southwestern Nigeria has risen to 40, Ondo state governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu said. The incident took place on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. Sixty-one others wounded in the brutal attack are being treated in local hospitals, the Governor told the media in Owo, the town where the St. Francis Catholic Church is located, on Wednesday. Akeredolu added that 26 have been discharged from hospitals after treatment. "Those are the figures we have now," the Governor said, adding that a memorial park will be built to bury those died in the attack. The state government also set up a bank account for donations to help the families of the victims and the survivors, he said. On Monday, Akeredolu declared a seven-day mourning and ordered that flags be flown at half-mast in all public buildings in honour of the victims. In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the heinous killing of worshippers. Don Riling, President of Olympic Hot Tub, had the great pleasure of presenting a check for $34,700 to Liliya Kovalenko from the Ukrainian Association of Washington State (UAWS). Olympic donated funds from the sale of every Hot Spring Spa, Freeflow Spa, Vita Swim Spa and Covana Automated Gazebo from our 6th Honoring Heroes Event held in April. Liliya is a true hero! said Riling, We feel blessed to have been able to support the very important work being done by her organization to help Ukrainians during the crisis in their war-torn country. Olympic Hot Tubs donation will go toward the purchase of Newborn Intensive Care Units, so desperately needed in Ukraine. During our campaign another idea arose: give the kids of Ukraine a little something, as most of them had to flee their homes and don't have anything left, including any toys. This turned into Warm 106.9 FMs Operation: Teddy Bear Lift. Donations are being taken to buy as many teddy bears as possible to load onto the plane that will carry the medical equipment, supplies, and body armor. Donations can help provide a bit of comfort to displaced children in Ukraine through a new fluffy friend. To learn more visit: https://warm1069.com/operation-teddy-bear-lift/ About the Ukrainian Association of Washington State Founded in 1971, The Ukrainian Association of Washington State has worked to preserve Ukrainian heritage and is the link that unites Ukrainian-American people. From cultural events to supporting the Fund to Endow a Chair of Ukrainian Studies at U.W., their focus is to bring out what is the best in the Ukrainian community. Today their homeland is under attack. And UAWS has these top support priorities: Deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Ukraine (in partnership with Medical Teams International and nonprofits in Oregon and California). Provide civilian territorial defense units defending their neighborhoods with body armor Support civilians in life-saving tactical medicine Help internally displaced families and orphans About Olympic Hot Tub Olympic Hot Tub, founded in 1977, pioneered hot tubbing in the Pacific Northwest. The company has six retail locations, including Seattle, Everett, Issaquah, Woodinville, Lacey, and Auburn. They have a warehouse and Service Center in Auburn. A seventh location is scheduled to open on the Olympic Peninsula, in Sequim, in late June. Olympic Hot Tub is dedicated to educating the public about the health and wellness benefits of frequent hot tub and swim spa use. They support their local community with consistent fundraising efforts Both hotels are game-changers as they have been beautifully developed and will be category killers in their markets. We look forward to making the most of a great situation for all involved. - Sandpiper Hospitality President & CEO Jim Darter Sandpiper Hospitality a Virginia-based hotel management company with vast expertise in the extended-stay segment - has added two newly developed Wyndham Hotels & Resorts properties in Texas to its managed portfolio, a first-of its kind dual-branded La Quinta Inn / Hawthorn Suites in Pflugerville, TX and an AmericInn in San Angelo, TX. The hotels are the first Wyndham Hotels & Resorts brands under management by Sandpiper Hospitality and the burgeoning relationship is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The hotels opened to rave reviews in May, followed by rousing Grand Opening celebrations with live music and local dignitaries in attendance. The two hotels are the first of four properties being developed in Texas by Mike Forrest and Brett Emerson of Odessa. Two additional dual-branded La Quinta Inn & Suites / Hawthorn Suites properties will be also managed by Sandpiper Hospitality one opening in Del Rio later this year and another in Austin in 2023. According to Mike Forrest, The combination of Wyndhams design and brand concepting, Sandpiper Hospitalitys ability to provide superior management and to breathe life into these hotels will create very special projects that will generate significant return-on-investment. We love developing in the great state of Texas and we feel our partners here are ideal." Located just off I-35, 24 miles from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and close to the Typhoon Texas Waterpark and Stone Hill Town Center, the La Quinta Inn / Hawthorn Suites in Pflugerville is the first ever purpose-built dual brand hotel of its kind for Wyndham. The hotel features 103 beautifully appointed rooms and suites with rates starting at $109 per night. Hotel amenities include free breakfast, a fitness center, an amazing Lobby Market featuring many Texas brands, meeting space, and a unique outdoor pool with a giant Texas Star at the bottom, along with a fire pit. Located off US-67, eight miles from San Angelo Regional Airport and close to Goodfellow Air Force Base and Angelo State University, the AmericInn has 84 rooms with rates starting at $99 per night. Amenities include free breakfast, a fitness center, an extensive Lobby Market featuring many Texas brands a business center and an outdoor pool with a fire pit. First, and most importantly, we want to congratulate our new clients, Mike Forrest and Brett Emerson, on these openings. We are very excited to now be managing these two amazing new properties in Texas for Mike and Brett and under the Wyndham flags, said Sandpiper Hospitality President & CEO Jim Darter. Both hotels are game-changers as they have been beautifully developed and will be category killers in their markets. We look forward to making the most of a great situation for all involved. Sandpiper Hospitality is approved by Marriott International, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels International, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Extended Stay America to manage their select-service and extended stay brands and now manages over 10 different brands in its growing portfolio. About Sandpiper Hospitality Sandpiper Hospitality is a high-performance hotel management firm recognized as experts in the extended stay hotel space. With 56 hotels open or under management for a diverse group of clients across the country, Sandpiper Hospitality is on the leading edge of the hottest segment in hospitality. Hotel Business ranked Sandpiper Hospitality as a Top 50 Management Company in its 2022 Green Book and for the second year in a row, ranked it as one of the fastest growing companies in hospitality management. The firm has earned its position as the leading operator in the extended stay hotel segment of hospitality by virtue of superior returns on investment for its investors and clients. Sandpiper Hospitality - where expertise grounds us and flexibility elevates us. http://www.sandpiperhospitality.com "The Afero Platform creates a VPN-like tunnel securing the most complex and the simplest of things, even lightbulbs. Afero, a leading provider of secure Internet of Things (IoT) platform-as-a-service solutions, will be exhibiting at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, June 7-9, 2022. In conjunction with demonstrating the latest in IoT security, Afero is releasing a whitepaper entitled Born Secure: reputation-proof IoT innovation from product conception to market penetration. In the white paper, Afero puts the massive business potential and equally massive security threat of pursuing an IoT product line into perspective and explores the security roadmap that will propel the next generation of truly secure IoT devices into the market. Without proper safeguards in place, factories producing IoT devices can inadvertently offer an efficient path to compromising entire populations of products. "Many companies prioritize being cost-competitive over security-competitive a decision based on consumer price elasticity, and speeding time to market without taking security risks into account." said Joe Britt, Afero co-founder and CEO. We believe that even elementary IoT-enabled products need to be developed with the utmost security stewardship and hygiene if they want to fend off attacks. The Afero Platform creates a VPN-like tunnel securing the most complex and the simplest of things, even lightbulbs. Aferos end-to-end secure IoT platform goes beyond any other provider in addressing the supply chain security challenge, and is operating at high-volume scale today for all Afero-enabled products. The Afero IoT PaaS is a dynamic solution with incredible value which encompasses not only the connected home but also industries like Smart Health, Smart Infrastructure, and Smart Logistics. This wide range of use cases is possible because the Afero PaaS prioritizes incredible user experiences with zero-compromise for user privacy and security. To view the whitepaper, visit http://www.afero.io/bornsecure To learn more about Afero, please visit them at the RSA Conference ESE South Level 2, Booth ESE 33 or at http://www.afero.io. About Afero The Afero IoT PaaS solution accelerates time to market, providing hardened security for devices, products, and objects to the cloud, from factories to customers. Afero simplifies onboarding to help maximize customer connections, and uses semantic data relationships to streamline machine learning. The Platform is supported by adaptive multi-cloud services that deliver reliability and responsiveness, and a new multi-discipline software engineering model that unifies embedded, mobile, and cloud development. Afero has assembled world-class mobile, hardware, security, and cloud veterans from Google, Apple, Nest, Danger, Microsoft, Amazon, Logitech, Twitter, and Netflix. We couldnt be more excited about our growth, and we see no signs of this momentum slowing, said Darrin Lipscomb, Founder, and CEO of Ferretly. Ferretly International, a global leader in AI-Powered social media screening software, today announced record growth in the past 12 months, achieving a 230 percent increase in new customers and a 300 percent increase in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) revenue compared to the same period last year. Ferretly also continued its global expansion in response to increased demand for its products and services. In the past twelve months, the company moved into new markets including the UK, EMEA, and APAC. Demand for social media screening worldwide has accelerated as more companies moved to remote and gig work and reputational risk has moved front and center for most executives. This growth was seen in the channel, including demand increases for most of our existing partners, as well as an increase from end customers across multiple industry segments. Companies are realizing that their workplace culture is critical for their long-term success, and they need technology that allows them to make smarter decisions about the candidates they choose to employ. We couldnt be more excited about our growth, and we see no signs of this momentum slowing, said Darrin Lipscomb, Founder, and CEO of Ferretly. We are seeing significant expansion in the types of businesses seeking our social media screening services and this is happening across all industries and geographies. Our platform, which is powered by Artificial Intelligence, gives employers insight into candidate character and helps them to make more informed decisions about those employees that will ultimately represent their brand. Veremark, a Ferretly partner based in the United Kingdom with offices in Singapore, New York, and Manila, has experienced similar growth for social media screening across the regions they serve. "We continue to see our clients get real value from including social media screening as part of their overall package. With Ferretly as our partner in delivering these, Veremark has been able to offer thorough, clear, and insightful reports to our clients. We expect to see this demand in the market to grow globally, said Daniel Callaghan, Veremark CEO. Additional key company milestones achieved in the past twelve (12) months include: Welcomed more than 94 new partners, many of which are leveraging our Application Programming Interface (API) to create a seamless end-user experience. Introduced new features and product innovations such as identification document upload, support for Reddit and TikTok, and word cloud. Extended AI capabilities by including new risk classifications for Terrorism/Extremism and Sexual Impropriety and improved overall accuracy. About Ferretly Ferretly International, LLC, founded in 2019, provides forward-thinking technologies that help organizations better manage risk. By incorporating machine learning and a modern cloud-based architecture, we are at the cutting edge of applying big data solutions and artificial intelligence to improve overall workplace culture and risk intelligence for the customers we serve. For additional information or to request a demo, visit http://www.ferretly.com or partnerships@ferretly.com. About Veremark Veremark has pioneered an entirely digital, cost-effective global solution that improves the quality of hiring while providing a superior candidate experience. Our ground-breaking approach to background checking and screening ensures accuracy and efficiency at every step while acknowledging the challenges and risks present in all industries and sectors across the current global employment environment. For additional information, visit http://www.veremark.com. Cybrhawks mission now extends to building Cyber Remediation plans that identifies and enhances IT systems. CybrHawk , operators of the world's most advanced enterprise cybersecurity threat intelligence tools and security-driven risk intelligence solutions, announced today a new product line of Cyber Remediation services with elevated cyber threat visibility to customers globally. Staying at the forefront of cyber threats is important for businesses, organizations, and governments. Our new cyber remediation services support our mission of not only securing, but creating solutions that improve their network infrastructure, said Jacob Thankachen, CEO & Co-Founder at CybrHawk. Cyber threats are increasing, but most businesses dont know how to remediate those threats. Research done by Thoughtlab in 2022 found that, the pandemic has brought cybersecurity to a critical inflection point, with the number of breaches rising by 20% from 2020 to 2021. The research also found that 29% of CEOs and CISOs admit their organizations are unprepared for rapidly changing cyber threats. Cybrhawks mission now extends to building Cyber Remediation plans that identifies and enhances IT systems. What is remediation in cyber security? Cyber Remediation detects, contains, and eliminates cyber threats towards your business before it spreads. Through continuous monitoring and visibility we can identify network IT gaps, target, and eliminate threats before they happen. Cybrhawks Cyber Remediation includes: SWAT Team of Network, Systems, and Infrastructure Engineers Risk Assessment & Planning Continuous Monitoring & Visibility Locate & Remediate Cyber Threats Rebuild Damaged IT Environments To learn more about CybrHawks Cyber Remediation services and how to secure your business, organization, or government IT network infrastructure, please visit https://www.cybrhawk.com/detect-respond-prevent-recover/ Connect with us online: Facebook/Meta: https://www.facebook.com/CybrHawk-109084851593421 Twitter: https://twitter.com/cybrhawk_ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/64855665 About CybrHawk CybrHawk is a leading provider of information, security-driven risk intelligence solutions focused solely on protecting clients from cyberattacks. We also pioneered an integrated approach that provides a wide range of cybersecurity solutions for organizations of varying size and complexity. Our solutions enable organizations to define their cyber defenses to prevent security breaches, detect real-time malicious activity, prioritize and respond quickly to security breaches, and predict emerging threats. About UBX Cloud UBX Cloud is a Michigan-based cloud service provider with data centers in the United States, South America and India. Our services include Managed IT-as-a-Service, Private/Hybrid Cloud, Disaster Recovery, Cloud Workspaces, Veeam Cloud Backup, and a variety of custom IT consulting services. Our team of IT Engineers helps organizations of all kinds maintain uptime and ensure business continuity. For more information, please visit us at https://www.ubxcloud.com or call 1-888-509-2568. Watergate Chief Counsel Sam Dash Addressing Committee Staff. Photo courtesy of Gordon Freedman. As we reflect on the lessons of Watergate 50 years later, we hope to call attention to the urgent need for respectful bipartisanship, independent institutions of government, and a societal commitment to the truth. On Friday, June 17th, from 5:00 to 7:30pm, the historic Watergate Senate Select Committee, House Judiciary Committee, Special Prosecutors staff, and other notable attendees from the press, political offices and the judiciary will gather for a reunion to mark the 50th anniversary of the break-in of the Watergate Hotel. The event will be held in the Kennedy Caucus Room, the site of the original Senate Select Committee hearings in 1973. This has been an alarming year for democracy, characterized by Russian aggression abroad and the further erosion of democratic norms here at home, said reunion host Rufus L. Edmisten, Deputy Chief Counsel for the Watergate Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities and former Attorney General and Secretary of State for North Carolina. As we reflect on the lessons of Watergate 50 years later, we hope to call attention to the urgent need for respectful bipartisanship, independent institutions of government, and a societal commitment to the truth. The reunion will bring together legal counsel, staff, and members of Congress representing the late Senator Sam Ervins Watergate Committee, the Special Prosecutors Office, the House Impeachment Committee, the FBI, and Judge John Siricas office. In attendance will also be members of the press who, along with the investigators and litigators, helped hold the Nixon Administration to account. Current political leaders and experts will participate in a series of discussions about how historys most famous investigation in U.S. politics is still influencing current events in D.C. events including the House investigation of the January 6 insurrection and other recent efforts to safeguard democracy. It has been said that our democracy is fragile and its preservation demands constant vigilance. Just as Congress was left picking up the pieces and investigating in the aftermath of Watergate, our House Select Committee is now uncovering the truth behind the lead up to and events on January 6, in an effort to create recommendations so that this never happens again. The parallels between these historic events are fascinating and Im looking forward to joining the discussion, said Congresswoman Deborah Ross, who will speak with former Congresswoman and Watergate era House Judiciary Committee member Elizabeth Holtzman in a panel session about January 6, current events and lessons learned from Watergate. Jill Wine-Banks, author, MSNBC analyst and assistant special prosecutor during Watergate will moderate the opening panel at the event. She said in advance, The relevance of Watergate to the ongoing January 6 Committee hearings is obvious, but so is its irrelevance. Civil dialogue has been replaced by bitter polarization and propaganda. I hope we can reflect on how we can all play our part to ensure that facts still matter and pay tribute to a time when bipartisan acceptance of them saved our democracy. Richard Ben-Veniste, special prosecutor, who will participate in the opening panel discussion said, In Watergate, all three branches of government and an implacable free press played essential roles in the exposure of corruption at the highest levels. Our democracy requires now more than ever that our citizens understand and vigilantly safeguard the rule of law. Jim Hamilton, assistant chief counsel to the Senate Select Committee, who will also participate in the opening panel, added, The Senate Watergate Committee investigationperhaps the most successful Congressional investigation in our history demonstrates the good that can come when members of Congress diligently search for truth and partisanship is secondary. Consider these facts: The Senate vote to establish the Committee was 77 to 0. The Committees votes to subpoena President Nixon for the White House tapes and then to sue him when he failed to comply were unanimous. The testimony revealing the existence of those tapes was elicited by Republican staffers. The Committees lengthy report condemning the Nixon Administration was unanimously adopted. Would that such nonpartisan dedication to fact-finding and the common good existed in Congress today. Mark Feldstein, renowned Watergate scholar and professor at the University of Maryland, who will lead a discussion on media accountability for the event, said, Watergate was a seminal moment in journalism history and a singular demonstration of why a free press is essential in a democracy. Although the news media's role in uncovering the crimes of the Nixon White House can be overstated, the heroic mythology continues to inspire new generations of investigative reporters to hold powerful individuals and institutions to account on behalf of the public. Today, as journalists are attacked as enemies of the people and the very notion of truth itself is under assault, Watergate is a crucial reminder that courageous and independent journalism is critical to a free and open society. James Jay Hamilton, author and director of the Stanford Journalism Program, reflected on Watergates legacy ahead of the event too, saying, Accountability reporting, though often hard to support via the marketplace, can change lives and laws when wrongdoing is revealed. For five decades Watergate has inspired reporters to probe how public and private institutions operate, to pierce the veil of hidden actions and hidden information, and expose what happens when delegated powers are abused. Revisiting the Watergate era is a chance to remember how reporters willing to make calls, knock on doors, and track down documents can hold even the highest officials accountable. Connie Chung, renowned journalist during the Watergate years and beyond, commented on Watergate ahead of the event too, saying, Truth. Democracy. Integrity. They triumphed during Watergate. I look at it as a time of glory for our great country and our precious freedom of the press. What has become of those pillars? It is challenging for those of us who want to remain observers and only report. But we are at a critical moment. The lesson of Watergate is we cannot stand back and watch from the sidelines. Today, together, we must urge our citizens to restore all we have lost. Gordon Freedman, an education leader and former staffer who organized a 45th reunion to coincide with the early days of the Russia investigations of President Trump, said, Five years later, Watergate is being rewritten all over again, but now at a much deeper, more significant level that is challenging the very roots of the U.S. democratic system. A fuse was lit by the Nixon Administration a half-century ago that leads directly to the politics of today. Its more urgent than ever that we explore both the historic and ongoing Watergate. Formal agenda is as follows: 5:00-5:45pm Reunion Reception 5:45-5:50pm Opening Remarks, Rufus L. Edmisten (Deputy Chief Counsel for the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities and former Attorney General and Secretary of State for North Carolina) 5:50-6:00pm Gene Boyce (Lead Investigator and Associate Counsel for the Select Committee), reflections on discovering the Nixon tapes 6:05-6:30pm Jill Wine-Banks (Assistant Special Prosecutor), Richard Ben-Veniste (Special Prosecutor), Francis OBrien (Chief of Staff to House Judiciary Committee Chair Peter Rodino), and Jim Hamilton (Assistant Chief Counsel to the Senate Select Committee) to discuss safeguards against presidential abuses of power and other lessons learned from Watergate 6:35-6:55pm Mark Feldstein (Richard Eaton Chair on Broadcast Journalism at the University of Maryland) and Lawrence Meyer (former reporter and editor at the Washington Post) to analyze journalism's role in Watergate and discuss the changing watchdog role of the news media then and now 7:00-7:25pm Elizabeth Holtzman (former U.S. Congresswoman and House Judiciary Committee member) and Congresswoman Deborah Ross (North Carolina, 2nd Congressional District) to discuss Watergates implications for the January 6 Committee Investigation and other recent events including impeachments Editors Note: Never-released photos from an extensive archive of Senate Watergate Committee life behind the scenes are available to select media for approved editorial use. Please contact to see images. Associated and Stoffel Equipment Company Donate Pallet Jacks to Archdiocese of Milwaukee Associated and Stoffel Equipment Company, providers of integrated supply chain solutions, have donated 16 Pallet Jacks to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, a non-for-profit organization. The pallet jacks will be distributed to parishes throughout the archdiocese to replace or augment old equipment, enabling the schools and parishes to perform their ministries more effectively. Lydia LoCoco, Director of Community Relations for The Archdiocese of Milwaukee said This generous donation allows us to provide charitable service in response to the needs of some of our most underserved populations. Associated and Stoffel Equipment Company are a community leader and collaborative partner in this service, and Archbishop Jerome Listecki, along with the Catholics of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, sincerely thank you for this generous donation." Associated and Stoffel strongly believe in their responsibility to give back to the community that has supported them over their 60 years in business. This donation was given as part of their overall corporate social responsibility initiative that aims to support local organizations that make their communities a better place. About Associated and Stoffel Equipment Company: Celebrating over 60 years of providing their customers with innovative solutions that optimize space and order fulfillment operations within their supply chain, Associated understands that handling materials in the supply chain should be more than material handling. By utilizing their unparalleled experience and industry best practices they are able to evaluate current methods and processes for storage, order fulfillment, labor and equipment utilization and recommend practical strategies to enhance their effectiveness and reduce overall cost. Featuring leading-edge engineering, fleet optimization and labor management solutions to complement industry-leading sales, service, rentals and parts, Associated has been the recipient of multiple awards in recognition of being a premier organization in the supply chain industry. Stoffel Equipment Company is the Sister Company of Associated. Both Associated and Stoffel are Authorized Raymond Solutions and Support Centers. For more information visit http://www.associated-solutions.com About Archdiocese of Milwaukee: The Archdiocese of Milwaukee covers 4,758 square miles in southeast Wisconsin and includes the following counties: Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. They operate parishes, schools, and community outreach programs supporting the community. More than 500,000 people every year have their lives impacted by the Archdiocese in some waythrough a parish, school, or ministries like Catholic Charities which supports the poor, sick, and vulnerable. For more information visit http://www.archmil.org #### Publisher note - Send reader responses to: Associated Attn: Debbie Tworek 133 North Swift Road, Addison, IL 60101 Phone: 630-588-3572 dtworek@associated-solutions.com Candelis, Inc., a leading provider of innovative and cost-effective data management and PACS solutions for hospitals and imaging centers, today announced the release of ImageGrid VM, an enhancement of the ImageGrid DICOM router for virtualized environments. In addition, Candelis will exhibit ImageGrid VM at the at the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) annual meeting in Kissimmee, Florida, from June 9-11,2022 in the Candelis exhibition booth (#519). The recently launched ImageGrid VM will allow customers greater flexibility in how they deploy ImageGrid. The best-in-class functionality of ImageGrid will now be available within customers existing virtual environments providing benefits to many larger, high-volume healthcare facilities, says Robert Van Uitert, Vice President of Marketing. The ImageGrid VM includes the following exciting features: Increases the speed of existing PACS systems Centrally manage image workflow and modalities from a single location Advanced routing from multiple sources to multiple destinations Rule-based DICOM tag morphing Enhanced prefetch of studies HL7 integration with existing RIS, EMR, and PACS Fast delivery of large studies across entire health systems Handles a massive number of concurrent requests Improves uptime of facilities Reduces hours needed to manage modalities and protocols Candelis will also demonstrate the ImageGrid Plus product at SIIM 2022. ImageGrid Plus is an ultra-high-performance platform that has been optimized through several years of collaboration with multiple large healthcare facilities. ImageGrid Plus can support high volume healthcare environments of 1,000+ modalities and is tailored for facilities with an overtaxed central system in the radiology department, and where complex routing rules and DICOM tag morphing are necessary to support the radiology work environment. Our partnership with Candelis has enabled us to vastly improve our workflow at an enterprise level by using the ImageGrid Plus. There is a significant reduction in hours needed to manage the modalities now that all the protocols can be managed remotely and centrally for all of our devices. As a result, we have optimized patient care by improving response time and allowing continuity of service, while lowering the cost of operations. We could not have moved forward without Candelis modernizing the traffic on our heavy volume equipment, explained Grant Smith, CRES Director, Duke University Health System. For more information, visit http://www.candelis.com or call (949) 798-8105 or email sales@candelis.com to schedule a demo appointment. About Candelis, Inc. Candelis, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and cost-effective medical data management and PACS solutions for hospitals, imaging centers and top tier healthcare equipment providers. With over 4,000 installations globally, these solutions optimize medical image reading and data storage workflows, significantly increase practice efficiencies, and improve the quality of services for radiologists, referring physicians and specialists. Candelis' products provide enterprise-class image management and storage solutions, full-featured workstation viewers, seamlessly integrated workflow products, and ASTRA Cloud services. The Candelis products are distributed by GE, Siemens, FujiFilm and Hologic. Media Inquiries: Tricia Buenvenida, +1 (949) 416-0057 tricia.buenvenida@candelis.com We are excited to pursue the European marketplace for both our radial and brachial devices, so we can move forward in the CE marking process. EnsiteVascular announced that its SiteSeal Femoral Compression Device received patent approval in the European Union (EU) as a vascular closure device (VCD). SiteSeal is a next-generation VCD that simulates manual compression while significantly reducing patient and user variability and unnecessary complications. The device is targeting fast-growing and unmet demand for large-bore closure systems in TAVR/EVAR procedures. Uniquely, the device can be used as a standalone in these procedures to close arteriotomy sites whereas leading competitors require multiple applications and/or adjunctive manual compression. Taken together, SiteSeal is positioned for rapid market uptake due to safe and reliable closure at reduced costs. The patent allowance in the EU follows the companys FDA approval in the U.S. for their small bore/peripheral closure system, SiteSeal SV. We are excited to pursue the European marketplace for both our radial and brachial devices, so we can move forward in the CE marking process. SiteSeal is unlike any VCD available on the market, and yet its the one that physicians have been asking for. The simple-to-use, atraumatic, single device can ambulate patients in approximately one hour after diagnostic procedures and approximately two hours after interventional procedures. Patients can lie more comfortably with their heads at a 30-degree angle and are allowed free leg movement. This is remarkable and requires just a Z-stitch, yet solves a number of challenges, such as immediate re-access; risks of vessel wall injury; infection; embolization; patient size; anti-coagulation; and calcification limits, says Tom Reidy, EnsiteVasculars CEO and president. Moreover, SiteSeal closes the artery without leaving a foreign body behind or vascular alteration to the femoral artery. SiteSeal represents a new approach to vascular closure as post-endovascular procedure hemostasis from manual compression takes up a third of a professionals time and other types of VCDs introduce significant variability. Dr. Rex Teeslink, a vascular and interventional radiologist and EnsiteVasculars co-inventor and medical director comments, Since beginning my practice, I have been actively involved in cutting edge medical technology. Over the years, Ive assisted in designing, developing and implementing many medical devices and interventional procedures. I look forward to increasing awareness about our new technologies among endovascular physicians around the world who are frustrated with inherent complications and limitations with existing VCDs. About EnsiteVascular EnsiteVascular is a clinical stage medical technology company that was founded to improve vascular closure outcomes for physicians and their increasing number of patients with peripheral arterial disease and structural heart diseases. The companys unique technologies replace the need for manual compression, as well as removing the variables and complication risks associated with other VCDs while leaving nothing behind to further assist the endovascular physicians procedures and improve patient outcomes. Visit http://www.ensitevascular.com for more information. The Email Marketing Conference with an anticipated attendance of more than 200, Inbox Expo has become an industry reference among the top international events for the email marketing industry. In 2021 Apple co-Founder Steve Wozniak stating that he was happy to endorse Inbox Expo in Valencia and talked about email being important in his life. Attendees join in person from across North America, the United Kingdom and Europe whilst online delegates join from across the globe as much of the event is streamed live. Attendees can expect more than 30 speakers, each offering their own take on the future of email marketing. With more than 15 years of experience working with the email community and delivering industry-leading email marketing education to marketers and agencies, Emailexpert has cultivated deep connections among an elite network of strategic experts and decision-makers across various industries. This exclusive group of attendees includes senior marketing executives, heads of CRM, agency principals, business development professionals, marketing and sales experts, deliverability experts, product managers, service providers and technology providers. Marketers will get the latest industry insights, actionable strategies and proven techniques that you can use to maximise profit potential through customer email acquisition, engagement and retention strategies. Product owners can learn how to build and run mission-critical email servers and networks while discovering innovative ways to build stronger relationships with their customers by delivering consistent information and value-added services across all channels. The conference agenda will feature keynote addresses by industry experts who will discuss best practices and demonstrate cutting-edge technology; sessions on interactive email design, copywriting, deliverability, email marketing strategy, acquisition and compliance; and practical workshops designed to engage attendees and show them how to immediately apply what they learn back to their own environments. Seeking a title sponsor, the event has had an incredible list of past headline sponsors including Mapp Digital, Netcore Cloud and SparkPost a MessageBird Company. Platinum Sponsors this year include Mailkit and Email Industries with the event welcoming new sponsors and exhibitors Abusix, Red Sift, Spamhaus and KickBox. Meet repeat exhibitors from Inbox Expo 2021 like Halon MTA, Omnivery, Alfred Knows and Email Consul and new including Holistic Email. "We are happy to bring back Inbox Expo to Valencia, Spain, last year was success but many people couldn't attend due to restrictions, we wanted to bring the event back in summer and make it bigger and better, comments Nely Bonar, MD Emailexpert and organiser of Inbox Expo. The Inbox Expo is unlike other industry events. Attendees enjoy highly interactive networking events where they get a chance to speak directly with industry-leading experts and leave with meaningful connections, new ideas and contacts they can immediately put to use. Set on a 5 Star Resort on Valencia's Beach at the height of summer. Enjoy the Mediterranean sun whilst making meaningful lifelong connections, learning about the tools and skills needed to up your email game in 2022/2023. Purchase tickets at early bird rates on the email marketing conference website: https://inboxexpo.com Rainer Hughes - Highest Donating Firm Its nice to go home with a smile on your face having made a contribution to such a great cause London and Essex based law firm; Rainer Hughes has raised thousands to support charities operating in the UK and around the world, including those aiding vulnerable children. Donations raised by participating firms during Will Aid month are shared between the campaigns nine partner charities, one of which being Save the Children. Rainer Hughes raised a total of 4,930 for charity will writing campaign Will Aid last November, after its staff volunteered their time and expertise in return for a voluntary donation. The charity is currently one of many ramping up support for people affected by the war in Ukraine, which has seen millions flee their home to escape the conflict. Its vital role includes providing children and their families with winter clothing, medicines and mental health support. As well as supporting victims of the war, the charity is also aiding children in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen and is helping the 30% of UK children living in poverty through access to education, food and medicine. Michael Casson, solicitor at Rainer Hughes, said:This has been a turbulent 12 months around the world, with the pandemic being just one of the crises we continue to face. Will Aid provides firms like ours the opportunity to reach more people in our community yet to write a will, both helping protect their loved ones futures while providing vital support to charities like Save the Children. Michael Casson from Rainer Hughes added Its nice to go home with a smile on your face having made a contribution to such a great cause. The suggested voluntary donation for a single will at a participating firm is 100 and 180 for a pair of mirror wills. These vital donations can provide families with hygiene kits and essential school supplies to help ensure children do not miss out on their education. They could also provide emergency shelter, warm clothes, blankets and heaters to those displaced by conflict. Margaret Berrill, Ambassador at Save the Children, said: Every child should live in a world where they are fed, learning and treated fairly and have the chance of the future they deserve. The vital funding raised through initiatives like Will Aid help us on our mission to make that a reality, enabling us to support children both here in the UK and around the world. We are incredibly grateful to Rainer Hughes for their support. Peter de Vena Franks, Will Aid campaign director, added: 2021 was another extremely challenging year. But thanks to the commitment of local solicitors who took taking part in last years campaign, our partner charities can continue to provide the support vulnerable people rightly deserve, such as those affected by conflict and disaster. I would like to pass on my heartfelt gratitude to Rainer Hughes for their incredible work in the face of what was another year disrupted heavily by the pandemic. Running since 1988, Will Aid has raised more than 22million in donations and many millions more in pledged legacies. This years campaign will begin in November, with those looking for more information encouraged to visit the Will Aid website directly. If you are an LGBTQ traveler itching to head North, you can blend feasting on top queer cinema, then step outside the theatre to get swept up into the cool cafes, shops, patios, and bars of downtown Sudbury. Summer weekends in downtown Sudbury, Northern Ontario are usually quiet and lazy. This is the kind of place where folks skip off work Friday after lunch to go to camp (not the cottage!): only a short drive away at one of 300 nearby lakes. This won't be the case on the weekend of June 16-19 when Queer North Film Festival creates a funky mix of queer cinema and urban culture, with outdoor adventure at your doorstep. Pack your suitcases, adventurous queerios: when Queer North Film Festival meets Pride month, Sudbury is the place to be. If you are an LGBTQ traveler itching to head North, you can blend feasting on top queer cinema, then step outside the theatre to get swept up into the cool cafes, shops, patios, and bars of downtown Sudbury. This weekend is also the ideal double header for those who yearn to paddle, fish, hike or mountain bike as lakes, trails and bush are easy to access from this rugged patch of ancient boreal forest. Launched in 2016, Queer North remains Northern Ontarios only 2SLGBTQ+ themed film festival, bringing the best in queer cinema to the big screen for their Northern Ontario premieres. While Sudburys 2SLGBTQ+ communities are small, the festival attracts queers and cinephiles from across the region, as well as the USA and larger cities like Toronto and Ottawa- a mere half day drive from the Nickel City. Queer North screenings run all from one venue, a 170-seat movie house, with breaks to grab a bite and check out the action downtown. While the programming is edgy, the event is friendly and personable. The festival organizers even plan eating places for Queer North attendees to head to together en masse! This years features include Sundance darling, FRAMING AGNES, Berlinales Teddy Award winner NELLY ET NADINE, New York Times Critics Pick NEPTUNE FROST, and a WATCH PARTY for Amazon Original comedy series THE LAKE, shot in nearby North Bay. The shorts programmes always offer provocative delights and sexy surprises with an eclectic blend of trans, nonbinary and queer stories from up-and-coming filmmakers from across the globe. Outside the cinema, theres plenty to keep you busy. The coolest thing about this gritty Northern mining town is that it punches above its weight. With lots of cool patios offering food and drink, Sudburys walkable downtown streets keep buzzing under the stars. Check out the Laughing Buddhas oasis courtyard for a quiet lunch, the Cedar Nest for people watching, or the Alibi Room for sinfully delicious handcrafted cocktails. Across the street, wine lovers will appreciate the Wander Wine Bar with its changing small plate pairings. Respect is Burning is the granddaddy of downtown dining, with superb country Italian cuisine on a bustling dining deck that literally takes over the street. Next door, Oscars Grill is a favourite Queer North patio eatery with gourmet burgers and fancy fries. Everybody knows about the Big Nickel - a selfie must for any self-respecting road-tripper. But did you also know that, we have the world's largest mural, by world-famous urban muralist, RISK? You wont want to miss a photo opp at this controversial five-storey-high make-over of an old hospital overlooking Ramsey Lake. With its unabashedly rainbow-themed riot of colour and giant butterflies, any keen observer has to ask if he intended it to be the queerest urban artifact in Canada! To rev up the next day, choose between some local coffee shops all with their own special vibes: Knowhere Public House, Old Rock, or Kuppajoe then head out for some forest bathing at one of the many wilderness parks within the city limits. Kivi Park, within the city, features stunning trails and vistas for hikers or mountain bikers: you can even rent a kayak to paddle out onto a quiet lake for quiet contemplation. Lake Laurentian Conservation Area offers 40km of rough terrain, lakes and vistas for the more adventurous hiker, while the Bell Park boardwalk appeals to the urban stroller who want to stay close the downtown at Ramsey Lake. A not-to-be-missed daytrip is Onaping Falls and the AY Jackson Lookout, named after the Group of Seven painter who captured it on canvas. Sunday brunch for the festival crowd will be at the superb brunch spot Knowhere Public House, but be sure to slide back into your seat at Sudbury Indie Cinema for The Best of Queer Shorts Programme by 12pm which will feature an eclectic mix of films. Last but not least, your weird, wonderful and queer Sudbury getaway should be easy on the wallet. Queer North all-access festival passes (10 screenings + party) are a mere $60. Queer North festival goers can book discounted hotel rates at the Clarion Hotel, a 5 min. walk from the cinema and downtown action. When your friends ask why the hell youre going to Sudbury, just tell them youre going to camp! Crown Point Systems, Inc. (http://www.crownpointsystems.com), a leader in providing Secure C5ISR (Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Solutions to federal agencies for nearly 15 years, today announced that the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) awarded the company a $33.3M contract to procure and deploy multiple Vanguard LED video displays. The firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract has a period of performance of three years and will be performed in San Diego, California. The engagement supports the Integrated Command, Control, and Intel Systems Divisions integration of networked AV systems for intelligence agencies and the C5ISR missions of Joint Staff and combatant commanders, Department of Defense agencies, and Department of Homeland Security operations. Crown Point Systems will provide market-leading Vanguard LED Video Displays solutions and expertise to support NAVAIR/NAWCAD and the increased demand of this technology to the U.S. Navy, DoD, and civilian federal agencies. Crown Point Systems is honored to have earned this opportunity from NAWCAD, commented Ryan Marovish, CEO at Crown Point Systems. We are laser-focused on providing NAWCAD the level of detail necessary to deliver this sophisticated technology in a timely manner. Related, we look forward to working with Vanguard LED Displays dedicated Federal Team to provide the US Navy and their customers a TAA Compliant, best of breed solution in Direct LED technology. Vanguard LED Displays is very proud that the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) chose Vanguard to procure and deploy TAA compliant LED video displays, stated Michael Wiener, Vanguards Founder and C.E.O. of Vanguard LED Displays. We are also very excited to partner with such an accomplished company as Crown Point Systems, on this $ 33.3 million IDIQ contract. About Crown Point Systems Crown Point Systems is a leader in providing Secure C5ISR (Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Solutions to federal agencies for nearly 15 years. With global capability, Crown Point Systems designs, builds, supports, and modernizes mission-critical IT and A/V infrastructure including control rooms, operations centers, auditoriums, courtrooms, training rooms, digital signage, as well as data architecture and platforms. Related, Crown Point Systems provides accelerated procurement as an authorized reseller of over 1,000 hardware and software manufacturers and developers. Crown Point Systems is headquartered in San Diego, California. More information on the company can be found at http://www.crownpointsystems.com. About Vanguard LED Vanguard LED is an American owned company headquartered in Lakeland, Florida that manufactures leading edge TAA compliant LED video displays and support services to defense, aerospace, simulation, and federal agencies. Vanguard LED Displays TAA compliance is published in the Federal Register. Vanguard invented the 16:9 aspect ratio cabinet. Our Axion Series features hot-swappable modules, an epoxy resin finish that renders the display impact and moisture resistant. We have won numerous Best In Show awards. Our leading-edge products include Axion very fine pixel pitches as low as P0.7, heading towards P0.5, Chip On Board, Epoxy Resin, XR studio displays. and Chipflip with an incredibly low failure rate of 1/ppm. Vanguard will unveil at InfoComm its groundbreaking Virtual Pixel, at an incredible pixel pitch P0.48. More information on the company can be found at http://www.vanguardled.com. Pet Sitters Internationals 24th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day With research showing what a positive impact dogs had on their owners during the pandemic, celebrating that special human-animal bond seems even more important this year, said PSI President Beth Stultz-Hairston. Companies across the globe will put the spotlight on employees dogs on Friday, June 24, hosting in-person and virtual celebrations in observance of Pet Sitters Internationals 24th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day (TYDTWDay). Pet Sitters International (PSI), the worlds leading educational organization for professional pet sitters, established TYDTWDay in 1999 to give back to the pet community from which their members earn their living. The event was created to be a unique way to celebrate the great companions dogs make and encourage their adoptions from local shelters, rescue groups and humane societies. Take Your Dog To Work Day has grown into a global phenomenon, with adorable pups bringing joy to officesand social-media timelinesacross the world one fun summer Friday each year, all for a good cause, said PSI Founder and CEO Patti Moran. We cant wait to see the creative ways that companies will celebrate pets and promote their adoption this Take Your Dog To Work Day. PSI encourages businesses and pet parents to visit http://www.petsit.com/toolkit to download a free 2022 TYDTWDay Event Toolkit that includes a variety of celebration tips and ideasas well as a sample "dogs at work" policy, employee participation form templates and more. While TYDTWDay was initially created with in-person celebrations in mind, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted PSI to highlight virtual celebration options as well. Now, more than ever, employers are looking for ways to boost employee morale, said PSI President Beth Stultz-Hairston. Whether employees are working virtually or have returned to the office, Take Your Dog To Work Day provides a fun opportunity for companies to celebrate their employees pets while also supporting local pet adoption efforts. With research showing what a positive impact dogs had on their owners during the pandemic, celebrating that special human-animal bond seems even more important this year, Stultz-Hairston added. PSI provides several in-person celebration ideas: Host a pet-care lunch and learn by inviting a professional pet sitter or other pet professional to present a presentation on an important pet topic during lunch. Plan a Fido fundraiser such as a silent auction or pet photo contest and donate the proceeds to a local shelter or rescue group of your choice. Hold a canine contest such as best trick, best outfit, or pet and owner look-alike to add fun and increase participation on the day. There are a variety of virtual celebration options as well: Invite employees dogs to a virtual staff meeting so workers can meet one anothers dogs virtually. Share photos of employees dogs on your company blog or social-media sites to celebrate the important role dogs (or other pets) play in the lives of employees. Invite a local animal shelter or pet rescue to virtually introduce adoptable pets to staff, whether its through a Zoom meeting or photos included in a company email. Host a virtual lunch and learn with a pet-care expert, highlighting important pet-care topics such as pet first aid or helping pets deal with separation anxiety post-pandemic. For businesses closed on Friday or those with cat lovers who want equal time, Take Your Pet To Work Week (TYPTWW) takes place the week leading up to TYDTWDay, June 20-24, 2022, and Take Your Cat To Work Day (TYCTWDay) takes place on Monday, June 20, 2022. To learn more, visit http://www.takeyourdog.com or the Take Your Dog To Work Day Facebook page. Pet parents who need a professional pet sitter or dog walker to assist them during their eventor any day of the yearcan search for a PSI member pet sitter at http://www.petsit.com/locate. ### Take Your Dog To Work Day, Take Your Cat To Work Day, and Take Your Pet To Work Week are registered trademarks of Pet Sitters International. Click to view the 2022 Take Your Dog To Work Day Media Kit. About Pet Sitters International Founded in 1994 by Patti J. Moran, author of Pet Sitting for Profit, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the worlds largest educational association for professional pet sitters, with member pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and more than 15 other countries. PSI members have access to the widest array of business services and educational resources available in the professional pet-sitting industry. PSIs Pet Sitter Locator is the largest online directory of professional pet sitters, and pet owners can visit http://www.petsit.com/locate to find local professional pet sitters. ZincFive BC Series UPS Battery Cabinets For Corscale, circularity and sustainability are core to our development philosophy, said Nic Bustamante, SVP Data Center Development at Corscale. Corscale, the exclusive data center platform of the Patrinely Group, has announced that it will be deploying Nickel-Zinc (NiZn) battery technology from ZincFive, the world leader in nickel-zinc battery-based solutions for UPS applications. Unlike traditional Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) or volatile Lithium-Ion battery based Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS) solutions, ZincFives NiZn is a technology that offers a host of benefits to data center operators including higher power densities, greater reliability, enhanced safety, and a lower carbon footprint. For Corscale, circularity and sustainability are core to our development philosophy, said Nic Bustamante, SVP Data Center Development at Corscale. ZincFives nickel-zinc battery energy storage solution provides us with a better form factor, minimizes our maintenance schedule, allows us to deploy pre-commissioned capacity faster, offers a lower total cost of ownership, eliminates thermal runway concerns, and is fully recyclable something VRLA and Lithium-ion cannot match. When you look at the detrimental impact on the environment that lead, lithium, and cobalt pose end of life, you realize that nickel-zinc recyclability provides long-term benefits beyond the data center. Nickel-zinc battery systems have been around for more than 100 years. Thomas Edison received a patent for a rechargeable nickel-zinc battery system in 1901. The NiZn chemistry performs well in high-drain applications because of the higher energy-to-mass and power-to-mass ratios and are ideal for Megawatt (MW) class UPS inverters found in todays hyperscale data center environments. And because nickel and zinc are abundant globally, the risks of reliance on conflict minerals are minimized. Corscale has integrated sustainability into their data center development philosophy, said ZincFive CEO and Co-Founder Tim Hysell. We have been working with Nic and the team at Corscale to deploy our BC Series UPS battery cabinets at their Gainesville Crossing data center, which will provide them with the industrys most powerful, safe, reliable, and sustainable battery technology available. We look forward to helping Corscale standardize this technology across their data center portfolio, advancing our shared commitment to reducing carbon footprint and operating costs without sacrificing safety or performance. Corscale recently announced a partnership with nZero to reduce the companys Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Corscale will use the platform to track emissions data from across its supply chain to better understand the benefits of working with ZincFives lighter weight nickel-zinc technology on transportation fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. About Corscale Corscale Data Centers is focused on delivering sustainability at scale. As the exclusive data center platform of the Patrinely Group, Corscale, together with its capital partner USAA Real Estate is delivering tomorrows data center, today. The company has assembled a top-tier team of industry professionals who bring decades of experience designing, building, and operating sustainable, high-density data centers for some of the largest and most sophisticated hyperscale operators and enterprises. Corscale delivers highly scalable, secure, and energy-efficient build-to-suit powered shells as well as flexible modular deployments. To learn more, please visit https://www.corscale.com About ZincFive ZincFive is the world leader in innovation and delivery of nickel-zinc batteries and power solutions. With more than 90 patents awarded, ZincFive technology harnesses The Power of Good Chemistry to propel the world forward. ZincFive technology leverages the safety and sustainability of nickel-zinc chemistry to provide high power density and performance to mission critical applications. ZincFive is a privately held company based in Tualatin, Oregon. For more information, visit http://www.zincfive.com. ZincFive is a registered trademark and the ZincFive logo and The Power of Good Chemistry are trademarks of ZincFive, Inc. Media Contact: mailto:media@zincfive.com [media@zincfive.com __title__ ] Maffia for NYS Assembly Quality of life and crime is out of hand; we need to revitalize the Times Square area. As Broadway goes, so does New York. Broadway brings 100,000 jobs and $15 Billion of economic activity. Arts & Culture is key to the revitalization. Joseph A. Maffia, candidate for the office of Member of the Assembly in the 75th Assembly District in the City of New York, received notification from the Board of Elections that he will also be a candidate for the Arts & Culture Party for the November 8th, 2022 election. Arts, Culture, and tourism are essential to NYC and NYS, and Maffia sees the Arts & Culture party line to revitalize the 75th district and other communities around the state. Many volunteers worked alongside Joe Maffia to collect over 1,500 signatures of New Yorkers voicing their support for Arts & Culture as an independent Party line on the November Ballot. ARTS & CULTURE BILL: Maffia vows to make an Arts & Culture Bill one of the first bills he will sponsor in Albany. Arts benefit both those who admire and those who create. They inspire, stimulate, boost self-esteem, and offer life alternatives to disadvantaged youth. Establishing Arts & Culture Districts will improve quality of life issues and, in the long run, will help prevent crime. This bill will support local non-profits, provide tax and investment incentives, eliminate commercial rent tax on Broadway billboards, and offer tax credits to commercial tenants and landlords with excess space when used for galleries and artist studios or rehearsal space. The Chelsea Arts Gallery district, Times Square, and some of the nations most substantial Arts & Cultural institutions. BROADWAY and TIMES SQUARE: With the quality of life and crime out of hand, we need to revitalize the Times Square area. As Broadway goes, so does New York. Broadway alone brings nearly 100,000 jobs and $15 Billion of economic activity to the region. Times Square and Broadway are in a crisis with excess office space and an inability to convert to much-needed residential housing. Arts & Culture is key to the revitalization of this district. More information about Joseph A. Maffia and his campaign can be found on his website, http://www.MaffiaforNY.com. This site includes biographical information about Joseph, a calendar of upcoming events, and his position on many critical issues affecting the 75th Assembly District. Pacvue is a marketplace advertising platform We are thrilled to partner with Albertsons Media Collective and expand the availability of retail media on this high-demand channel to our clients, said Melissa Burdick, President of Pacvue. Pacvue, a marketplace advertising platform, today announced that it has partnered with Albertsons Media Collective, the retail media arm for Albertsons Companies, to expand access to on-site advertising. Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) advertisers and their agencies can now leverage Pacvue to create, execute and manage sponsored product advertising campaigns on Albertsons Cos. Retail Media Network, powered by the CitrusAd open API which connects Pacvue to the Albertsons Cos. eCommerce sites. Pacvue clients can now expand their advertising to this new retail media network while continuing to rely on Pacvue to holistically manage their campaigns across all retail media networks with consistent performance data, flexible reporting, and smart optimizations. We are thrilled to partner with Albertsons Media Collective and expand the availability of retail media on this high-demand channel to our clients, said Melissa Burdick, President of Pacvue. Together with CitrusAd, were offering the scale, coverage, and unified technology that advertisers need to compete in omnichannel retail. With over 100 million shoppers across the country, including more than 2,200 store locations and approximately 30 million members of Albertsons for U loyalty program, media placements on Albertsons Cos. owned properties allow advertisers to reach more consumers through omnichannel retail. Now, advertisers can access the same inventory with the software provider of their choice. We are continuously looking for ways to grow and enhance our media network so our customers can engage with the food and brands they love. Through this new partnership with Pacvue, we are giving even more brands the opportunity to connect with more customers with relevant and inspiring content, said Kristi Argyilan, SVP of Retail Media at Albertsons Cos. Built by eCommerce veterans and supported by an expert team of practitioners dedicated to guiding eCommerce advertisers through new ad strategies, Pacvue is uniquely positioned to help brands leverage the opportunities of Albertsons Cos. online media. The Pacvue Advertising platform includes AI-powered automation tools, fully customized reporting, and competitive intelligence to help brands compete and win. About Pacvue: Headquartered in Seattle, Pacvue is the enterprise software suite for eCommerce advertising, sales, and intelligence. Combining end-to-end retail data with the tools needed to take recommended actions, brands and sellers use Pacvue to grow their business across Albertsons, Amazon, Walmart, and other marketplaces, in order to optimize the digital shelf, increase sales and grow market share. Supported by the expertise of eCommerce veterans, Pacvue empowers teams to win in the future of eCommerce. For more information, visit http://www.Pacvue.com. About Albertsons Media Collective: Albertsons Media Collective is a next-generation retail media network rooted in connections, technology and innovation. As the retail media arm for Albertsons Companies, the second-largest grocery chain in the United States, we connect with consumers in more than 2,278 locations across 35 states. We partner with leading brands to help them engage shoppers when and where it matters most, through the power of sophisticated first-party data. From innovative delivery platforms to highly targeted marketing solutions, we offer our clients a variety of programs designed to drive retail sales and maximize brand impact to best serve our customers. About Albertsons Companies: Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. As of February 26, 2022, the Company operated 2,276 retail stores with 1,722 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. The Company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with 24 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2021, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company contributed nearly $200 million in food and financial support, including approximately $40 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities have enough to eat. Mel McDaniel & Marvin Marvin's Home is making an impact on these young people, giving them not only solid, gently-used furniture and furnishings, but a sense of belonging, safety and comfort in their own home and hopefully, a sense that the community cares about them. Mel McDaniel, the social-worker turned successful Philadelphia interior designer, has recently launched Marvins Home, a novel non-profit that is literally furnishing the futures of young adults aging - and moving - out of foster homes and into their first independent residences. For Mel, the Montgomery County-based, all-volunteer organization is the result of a deep, personal identification with chronic housing instability. Raised by parents in a now-defunct religious order that arbitrarily uprooted and relocated (sometimes several times in the same year) its members and their children, she was voiceless, powerless and yearned for a real home. I know what it means to grow up deprived of a stable home, without the sense of security, safety and belonging that home should provide, she explained. My background in social work, along with interior design, gave me the idea to form Marvins Home (thats Marvin with me in our yard). We are a federally-registered charitable organization, with a spacious, new 'On Main' Lansdale showroom, directly confronting one enormous challenge young people face when transitioning from foster housing, she added. Proceeds from showroom (the 1920s-era building originally housed a car dealership) sales help cover program expenses. Marvins Home often partners with Valley Youth House, a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that provides critical services such as housing, counseling, skills training and more to vulnerable and homeless youth, including those leaving foster care. Collaborating with Marvins Home, they refer clients that are working towards independent living. Volunteers collect and transport furniture and furnishings (often donated by Mels interior design clients) to help turn an empty apartment into a home. Many of these young adults have never owned anything, much less furniture. Witnessing reactions at the time of the reveal has been extraordinary. Weve seen how Marvins Home growing to meet the pressing needs of those it serves - is making an impact on these young people, giving them not only solid, gently-used furniture and furnishings, but a sense of belonging, safety and comfort in their own home and hopefully, a sense that the community cares about them. Kristin Hayes, a former Federal prosecutor who now teaches at a Pennsylvania law school, first met Mel as a design client, and is among those who are impressed with her motivation and mission. Shes truly a force of nature, said Prof. Hayes. While running a full-time business, shes been able to launch a non-profit that is helping to fill that void when teenagers make the difficult transition from foster care into independent living. She and Marvins Home are often the reason these young people are able to have anything beyond a mattress on the floor, and enjoy warm and welcoming furnishings in their homes. Mel, a native Canadian, holds an undergraduate degree in social welfare from the University of Kansas and a masters in education from Arcadia University. Donations to Marvins Home can be made through http://www.marvinshome.org ACLS has a long and successful history of championing early career scholars and publicly engaged humanities." The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) today announced the 2022 awardees of The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars. This new initiative is made possible by the Foundations generous renewal of financial support to ACLS for its Program in Buddhist Studies. The four 2022 Buddhism Public Scholars will be placed for up to two years in professional positions with leading museums and publishers that study the traditions of Buddhism. The scholars will bolster the capacity of museums and publications in Buddhist art and thought across all traditions and regions in which Buddhism is practiced. ACLS has a long and successful history of championing early career scholars and publicly engaged humanities, said ACLS President Joy Connolly. Since 2020, we have approached this commitment with more urgency due to the damage the COVID-19 pandemic did to the job market, which disproportionately affected recent PhD recipients. We are thrilled to partner with The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global, esteemed host institutions, and the new Buddhism Public Scholars to increase public understanding of Buddhist art and ideas in the world. The 2022 Buddhism Public Scholars and their host institutions are: The National Museum of Asian Art is pleased to participate in the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars program, which will advance the interpretation of Buddhist art through research, workshops, public programming, and digital humanities projects, said Chase F. Robinson, Director of the National Museum of Asian Art. In celebration of the museums centennial in 2023, Dr. Langbergs research on our collection will help us design programs and digital experiences that inspire connections between historic and contemporary religious practices. The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Buddhism Public Scholars joins a host of ACLS programs that place early career scholars in professional positions outside the academy, starting with the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellowship over a decade ago, and most recently the ACLS Leading Edge Fellowship. Inspired and informed by the concept of interconnectedness, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global vitalizes the areas of arts and culture and Buddhism, and funds initiatives that enhance the wellbeing of humanity and the environment. Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 79 scholarly organizations. As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences, ACLS upholds the core principle that knowledge is a public good. In supporting its member organizations, ACLS utilizes its $179 million endowment and $34 million annual operating budget to expand the forms, content, and flow of scholarly knowledge, reflecting our commitment to diversity of identity and experience. ACLS collaborates with institutions, associations, and individuals to strengthen the evolving infrastructure for scholarship. In all aspects of our work, ACLS is committed to principles and practices in support of racial and social justice. In our community, theres a lack of available swimming lessons. Were hoping to relieve the pent-up demand because no one should ever be turned away when it comes to water safety for their kids or loved ones." - Ashley Yates, co-owner of British Swim School of Cypress British Swim School, the nations leading learn to swim franchise company, continues its nationwide expansion with the grand opening of its first franchise location in Cypress, Texas. The newest location can be found inside LA Fitness-Langham Creek, with lessons available starting June 1st and additional locations to open in the coming months. For more than 40 years, British Swim School has been dedicated to teaching water survival skills by offering a three-part curriculum, teaching infants, children and adults of all ages the skills needed for water acclimation, water survival and stroke development. Its mission ensure that every person, regardless of age or ability, has the opportunity to become a safe and happy swimmer. This mission aligns swimmingly with the new franchisees husband-and-wife team Dustin and Ashley Yates. While Dustin will be heavily involved in the business, Ashley will run the day-to-day operations. As a former elementary school teacher for more than a decade, Ashley has always been passionate about working with children. When she began her quest to branch out and build a legacy for her family, franchising appealed to her as an ideal option for the first-time business owner. Additionally, Ashley wanted to find a family-oriented opportunity that was also beneficial for the community, so when she discovered British Swim School, she knew it was the perfect fit. The biggest element that attracted me to British Swim School was how seamlessly it aligned with my passions and skillset, said Ashley. Im a former elementary school teacher and have always worked with children, so that aspect of the business, coupled with the ability to impact families across my community, appealed to me. I also appreciated the leadership; they offer a great support system. Its the perfect opportunity for a first-time business owner like myself. I know if I ever have any questions, theres a whole team available to help guide me through any problems that arise. The need for this service is high: each year, nearly 4,000 people across the nation die from drowning. While parental supervision is always the number one safety measure, research shows that participation in formal swim programs, such as those offered by British Swim School, can reduce the risk of drowning by 88% among children who are most at risk for deaths caused by drowning. Ashley grew up in the community where she and her husband are now offering swim lessons and understands the importance of water survival skills, which is why their number one goal is to prevent tragedies and drownings. Ashley is determined to increase awareness surrounding this topic and provide the proper training needed to avoid deadly encounters. In Cypress, she explains, there are many children, so the easy access many of them have to water like residential swimming pools increases the need for water safety. Her family has experienced both ends of the spectrum when it comes to water safety and can relate to other families going through a similar situation: as the mother of two young children herself, Ashley knows what its like to have one child love the water and enjoy every aspect of swimming while the other child is fearful. In our community, theres a lack of available swimming lessons, said Ashley. Were hoping to relieve the pent-up demand because no one should ever be turned away when it comes to water safety for their kids or loved ones. Were beyond excited to be able to provide another option for those in our area and provide a little peace of mind for families in the event of a water emergency, as we can equip children with the skills needed to effectively save themselves if they were to fall into a body of water. We teach them to roll over, float on their back and call for help, and teach older children how to get to the side of the pool if no one is around. To ensure her childrens safety in and around water, Ashley enrolled her two sons in the proprietary programs they now offer. And they arent the only ones wanting to sign up for lessons: the Cypress location already has a waiting list, with an increasing interest from adults requesting swimming lessons as well. Ashley intends to always keep up with the community demand - when they reach capacity, she plans to open additional locations to ensure there are always enough classes for those interested in learning water survival skills. Dustin and Ashley Yates have demonstrated their sincere dedication to water safety, said Ashley Gundlach, British Swim School President. They are a great example of the passionate, informed, and determined franchisees we seek to bring on our team at British Swim School. As we continue to expand, the Cypress location will play a crucial role in executing brand growth across Texas. We are eager to see the beneficial impact this facility and the lessons it provides will have on the community. The Yates family joins the rapidly expanding team of franchise owners operating more than 215 British Swim Schools across the United States and Canada. For more information about British Swim School, visit http://www.britishswimschool.com. To learn more about the benefits of British Swim Schools franchising opportunities, visit http://www.britishswimschoolfranchise.com. ### About British Swim School British Swim School, the nations most established swim school franchise with over 40 years in business believes that every individual, regardless of age or ability, should have the opportunity to become a safe and happy swimmer. Offering lessons for babies, children, and adults, the brand is dedicated to its mantra, Survival of the Littlest, focusing first on the survival skills needed to survive a water accident, then moving on to stroke development and more advanced skills. Not only does British Swim School give peace of mind to countless families who seek the essential life skill the brand offers their children, but the purpose-driven franchise offers an exceptional opportunity for entrepreneurs who seek a fulfilling business venture with a sound foundation, low investment, and easily scalable model. Part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family, British Swim School currently operates over 215 schools across the United States and Canada. For more information about British Swim School, visit http://www.britishswimschool.com. To learn more about the benefits of British Swim Schools franchising opportunities, visit http://www.britishswimschoolfranchise.com. Candid CEO Ann Mei Chang said, Were honored to have Angela F. Williams and Esther Benjamin join our board. Along with their leadership in the social sector, they bring a wealth of expertise and experience from the private and public sectors, and well greatly benefit from their perspectives. Candid announced the appointment of Angela F. Williams, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide, and Esther Benjamin, CEO and executive director of World Education Services. Following the new appointment, the board comprises 20 trustees. More than half are women or people of color. Candid CEO Ann Mei Chang said, Were honored to have Angela F. Williams and Esther Benjamin join our board. Along with their leadership in the social sector, they bring a wealth of expertise and experience from the private and public sectors, and well greatly benefit from their perspectives. We look forward to working closely with them for years to come. Angela F. Williams is President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. With more than 30 years of leadership in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, Angela brings a long history of purpose-driven work to her role at United Way. Before joining United Way, Angela served as president and CEO of Easterseals. Previously, she was executive vice president, general counsel, and chief administration officer at YMCA of the USA. Angela was vice president and deputy general counsel for Sears Holdings Corp; chief compliance and ethics officer after working at Bryan Cave law firm; and interfaith liaison for the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund. She also served on Senator Ted Kennedys Senate Judiciary Committee staff as special counsel on criminal law; prosecutor on the DOJ Civil Rights Divisions National Church Arson Task Force; and an Assistant U.S. Attorney. She is a U.S. Air Force JAG veteran and a volunteer pastor at Chicago Apostolic Center. Angela was named to Forbes 50 Over 50 2021 list of women creating social change at scale. Twitter: @AngelaFWilliams Esther Benjamin has been a global leader in business, government, and nonprofit organizations for more than 25 years, working in more than 100 countries. She is currently CEO and executive director of World Education Services. She is also a visiting fellow with the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Said Business School, University of Oxford. Previously, Esther worked with Laureate Education as CEO for Africa Operations and then as SVP for Global Public Affairs. Esther served in President Obamas administration as Peace Corps associate director for Global Operations. Earlier in her career, Esther was CFO and then VP for Business Development at the International Youth Foundation. In 1999, President Clinton appointed Esther a White House Fellow. She was also a United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Officer in Somalia. Dickinson College awarded Esther an honorary doctorate in International Education. She serves on the Board of Directors of Echoing Green and B Lab Global. She received the 2021 Fulbright Award for Global Leadership from One to World. Twitter: @EstherTBenjamin Candids chair, Katherina M. Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvanias School of Social Policy & Practice said, We are thrilled to welcome Angela F. Williams and Esther Benjamin to our board. Their perspectives will help Candid further its mission to get people the information they need to do good. Full bios for Angela F. Williams and Esther Benjamin are on Candids board of trustees webpage. About Candid Candid is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides the most comprehensive data and insights about the social sector. Every year, millions of nonprofits spend trillions of dollars around the world. Candid finds out where that money comes from, where it goes, and why it matters. Candid was formed in 2019 when GuideStar and Foundation Center merged. Candid combined GuideStars tools on nonprofits and Foundation Centers tools on foundations with new resources to offer more comprehensive, real-time information about the social sector. Find out more at candid.org and on Twitter @CandidDotOrg. David Faye, CEO at Faye: This award showcases our commitment to nurturing our channel relationships and highlights our dedication to helping our clients improve their sales, service, and marketing processes through world-class software and solutions. CRNs annual Solution Provider 500 ranks North Americas largest solution providers by revenue and serves as the gold standard for recognizing some of the channels most successful companies. With a combined revenue of more than $434 billion, this years list represents an impressive amount of influence and impact wielded by these companies on todays IT industry and the technology suppliers they partner with. Faye is a top software and solution provider in the CRM and customer experience space. Their partnerships with SugarCRM, Zendesk, Salesforce, Asana, and more have enabled them to be recognized as a member on this years Solution Provider 500 list. We are honored to have earned a place alongside the industrys top-performing technology solution providers on the CRN SP 500 list, said David Faye, CEO at Faye. This award showcases our commitment to nurturing our channel relationships and highlights our dedication to helping our clients improve their sales, service, and marketing processes through world-class software and solutions. CRN and the SP500 are well known as industry standards for showcasing top technology organizations and were proud to be among the competitive group on this year's list, and this ranking recognizes their support in addition to the hard work of the Carahsoft Team to better serve the Public Sector and drive value for all our customers. The Solution Provider 500 list from CRN serves as the benchmark for the top technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consulting firms, making it an invaluable resource for technology vendors seeking to partner with todays top-performing IT solution providers, said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. My congratulations go out to each of these companies for their extraordinary contributions to the continued growth and success of the IT channel. CRNs 2022 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at http://www.CRN.com/SP-500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine. About Faye Faye is a global leader in software strategy, deployment, integrations, and ongoing management for mid-market companies through to enterprise. An Inc. 5000 award winner eight years in a row, Fayes team works with brands in more than 25 countries to optimize and integrate CRM, CX, marketing automation and ERP platforms into complex tech stacks. Headquartered in California and with teams across four continents, Faye makes the best software in the world even better by supporting Zendesk, SugarCRM, Salesforce, HubSpot, Asana, and more. As the SugarCRM Partner of the Year and the Zendesk Sell Partner of the Year, Fayes depth of CRM and CX expertise is showcased through a library of custom-built software enhancements, tools and integrations used by thousands of users every day. For more information, please visit https://fayedigital.com/. Follow Faye: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 2022 The Channel Company, LLC. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company jhogan@thechannelcompany.com Our engineers lead the industry in successful data recovery. Thats why we guarantee our results. If we cant recover your lost data, you will never pay any data recovery fee. Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industrys leading news source for information security and IT security professionals, named Secure Data Recovery Services the best data recovery company during its 10th annual Global Infosec Awards ceremony in San Francisco. Secure Data Recovery Services received the Market Leader in Data Recovery award at the RSA Conference 2022 in San Francisco, where winners were chosen by a panel of judges selected by CDM. This marks the second year in a row that CDM has honored Secure Data Recovery Services with the award for Market Leader in Data Recovery. Secure Data Recovery Services began in 2007 in Los Angeles and has since become the top-rated company in North America for hard drive recovery and RAID data recovery. It owns and operates three world-class facilities staffed by the best-credentialed data recovery engineers in the industry. The companys data recovery labs all feature certified Class 10 ISO 4 cleanrooms for maximum protection of sensitive electronics during invasive hard drive recovery operations. All facilities are also SSAE 18 SOC 1, 2, and 3 audited to ensure the integrity of more than 80 separate cybersecurity management control systems. In addition to state-of-the-art in-lab data recovery services, Secure Data Recovery Services also provides 24-hour emergency onsite and remote data recovery options for cases that require special security or confidentiality considerations. Secure Data Recovery Services maintains partnerships with every leading hard drive, SSD, and RAID manufacturer to ensure that data recovery procedures never threaten existing device warranties. This commitment to industry best practices and the specific expertise of its dedicated engineers are critical to the companys success, says Ken Higgins, Vice President of Business Development for Secure Data Recovery Services. We exhaust every option technologically possible to give our customers the best chance of a successful hard drive recovery and RAID data recovery, Higgins said. Secure Data Recovery Services invests heavily in R&D to make sure that no matter how you lose your data, we have a solutionor we have the proprietary tools to create one. Higgins added that the companys industry-leading 96 percent success rate and its commitment to providing guaranteed results are just a few of the things that set the company apart from other data recovery competitors. Our engineers lead the industry in successful data recovery. Thats why we guarantee our results. If we cant recover your lost data, you will never pay any data recovery fee. About Secure Data Recovery Services: Secure Data Recovery Services provides professional data recovery and digital forensic services to customers worldwide on a wide range of storage media, including laptop and desktop computers, HDD, SSD, RAID arrays, mobile devices, and all other data storage types. Our secure labs in the United States and Canada are audited to meet SSAE 18 SOC 1, 2 & 3 standards and operate out of certified Class 10 ISO 4 cleanrooms. Secure Data Recovery Services has a proven track record of success with a documented recovery rate of 96% to give data the best chance for recovery. Our data recovery services are approved by all leading storage manufacturers and offer free professional diagnostics and a no data, no recovery fee policy. Please visit https://www.securedatarecovery.com for more information. About Cyber Defense magazine: With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online InfoSec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Please visit https://cyberdefenseawards.com/ Please visit https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com for more information. Secure Data Recovery Services Media Inquiries: pr@securedata.com Divi Resorts Summer Getaway Sale If youre daydreaming of dipping your toes in the ocean and lounging by the pool with a cold drink, its time to book your next Caribbean vacation. Theres a price point for every budget and our new ways to pay allow even more flexibility. The temperatures are heating up and so are the savings at Divi Resorts sizzling Caribbean destinations. From now until August 31, 2022, travelers can take advantage of a special 30% discount at all of Divis Caribbean resorts on Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten for travel through December 20, 2022. Plus, travelers can save even more when they bundle their stay with flights. If youre daydreaming of dipping your toes in the ocean and lounging by the pool with a cold drink, its time to book your next Caribbean vacation, said Marco Galaverna, President & COO of Divi Resorts. Our summer sale offers travelers discounted last-minute getaways or vacation-seekers can plan, book, and save on fall and early winter travel. Theres a price point for every budget and our new ways to pay allow even more flexibility. With room-only, bed & breakfast, and all-inclusive offerings, theres something for everyone! Exclusive rates are as follows: To check availability, travelers can visit http://www.diviresorts.com/specials or use promo code 30OFF or 30OFFAI. 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 purchasers. For more information on these new options, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/terms-transient.htm. 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 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 destinations on Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten feature 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. Plus, Divi offers convenient on-site return testing at all resorts, except for Divi Carina Bay and Oceans at Divi Carina Bay on St. Croix. 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. Im Coming Back: a powerful story of a mothers love. Im Coming Back is the creation of published author Donna Foster Zahid. Zahid shares, Donna Foster Zahid was a young mother looking forward to a bright future with her husband and young son. One day, that bright future turned into a dark nightmare when her husband whisked their son off to his native country, Pakistan, and announced that the young boy would remain there. Effectively kidnapped, the boy had no idea where his parents were nor the anguish his mother was going through. We are all led to believe that our government is there for us. Donna immediately went through the system of government help and found stone wall after stone wall. With no other choice, she took matters into her own hands. Donna tells a stirring and compelling story of clandestine meetings, tense moments with gun-toting Pakistani officials, and a lot of prayer. The happy ending reunites Donna with her son. Seeing my God part the sea, knowing faith opened every door along the way! Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Donna Foster Zahids new book will pull at the heartstrings as readers witness the raw determination that was required to reunite a young child with the mother who never gave up. Zahid presents a compelling story of hope, faith, and determination that explores the worst nightmare of parents of any background. Consumers can purchase Im Coming Back at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Im Coming Back, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. I am honored to receive this prestigious award from the American Marketing Association, an esteemed organization in Arizona. The AMA has been a constant staple in the marketing industry in Arizona, with outstanding events and content to continue to educate and empower marketers across the state. Prism Global Marketing Solutions is honored to share that Elyse Flynn Meyer, Owner & Founder of the agency, has been named the Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter in their annual Spectrum Awards. This award is given to one individual per year who has displayed significant achievements in marketing. Some of the highlights of Elyse Flynn Meyers career that were considered in this award included: Launch of her newest book, Mastering Inbound Marketing: Your Complete Guide to - Building a Results-Driven Inbound Strategy Featured in 13 Forbes articles on topics related to digital marketing Featured in 35 other media outlets on topics related to digital marketing, leadership, and women in business Other awards: Most Trusted HubSpot Partners: Enterprise World Magazine Integrated Business Campaign: AZIMA TIM Awards KNOW Phoenix - Women to Know and Do Business With in Phoenix Innovate Phoenix Book of Local Business Leaders Community involvement: Advisory Board: The University of Arizona Eller College of Management Marketing Department Board: The University of Arizona Eller College of Management Alumni Advisory Board: Arizona Animal Welfare League Guest Lecturer: The University of Arizona Eller College of Management What are the AMA Spectrum Awards? The Spectrum Awards have honored excellence in marketing since 2002. These awards are sponsored by the American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter and are the Valley of the Suns only award ceremony dedicated to recognizing both the art and science of marketing in Arizona. "I am honored to receive this prestigious award from the American Marketing Association, an esteemed marketing organization in Arizona. The AMA has been a constant staple in the marketing industry in Arizona, with outstanding events and content to continue to educate and empower marketers across the state. I would also like to congratulate all of the other finalists in this category for this years Spectrum Awards." - Elyse Flynn Meyer, Owner and Founder of Prism Global Marketing Solutions. About Elyse Flynn Meyer: Elyse Flynn Meyer is the President & Founder of Prism Global Marketing Solutions, an award-winning inbound marketing agency and HubSpot Diamond Partner. Elyse is also the author of Mastering Inbound Marketing: Your Complete Guide to Building a Results-Driven Inbound Strategy. Elyse has extensive experience in marketing and sales management, specifically in inbound marketing, lead generation, marketing operations, and sales alignment. Before founding Prism Global Marketing Solutions, Elyse worked in marketing and sales for start-ups to Fortune 500 organizations. Elyse obtained her Bachelor of Science in Marketing with an emphasis in International Business from The University of Arizona. Elyse has also received Executive Certificates from Thunderbird School of Global Management, Cornell, Northwestern & Pepperdine. God Turned Lolas Bad Day into a Beautiful Blessing: a delightful message of hope during uncertain times. God Turned Lolas Bad Day into a Beautiful Blessing is the creation of published author Gerry Griffith, who was born in Illinois and moved to Florida with her family as a teenager. She received a degree in early childhood education and, in 1981, opened a preschool and learning center. Griffith also worked for the Council for Early Childhood Education out of Washington, DC, as a CDA representative facilitating the process for preschool teachers to earn a teaching credential. She has two grown daughters and eight grandchildren and is now retired and lives in Florida with her husband of forty-seven years. Griffith shares, God Turned Lolas Bad Day into a Beautiful Blessing is based on a true story that begins in March 2020 with a sweet eighty-six-year-old grandma named Lola. She finds out about the dangerous and deadly COVID-19 virus, which is killing older people like her. After listening to the news, she decides she better stay at home, away from everybody, even though she loves to travel and visit her family. She is scared, lonely, and unsure of everything she has always known to be true. On a walk in her yard, she discovers a little tomato plant that is growing in the middle of her grass in her yard. She is so surprised and excited. She digs up the plant, plants it in a pot, and places it on her porch. She fusses over the plant like its the most important thing in her life. If anyone comes by or calls, she tells them about her plant. This plant becomes a tiny miracle in a dark and depressing world. It gives Lola something to look forward to each day and keeps her thrilled all summer as she watches her plant grow and tomatoes form on it. It adds hope and a small ray of sunshine in a gloomy world. She discovers good things can happen even when circumstances look hopeless, and God is taking care of us even when we think Hes not paying attention. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Gerry Griffiths new book will charm and encourage young readers to have faith during the difficult times. Griffith offers readers a unique and enjoyable tale of Gods love paired with vibrant imagery for the delight of the imagination. Consumers can purchase God Turned Lolas Bad Day into a Beautiful Blessing at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about God Turned Lolas Bad Day into a Beautiful Blessing, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. We started Hart Dairy with a goal of treating cows humanely, making highly nutritious milk accessible for more people in the United States and building an environmentally sustainable dairy - Tim Connell, CEO of Hart Dairy. The 2022 Mindful Awards Program, an independent recognition platform highlighting conscious companies and products that mindfully make waves in the ever-expanding world of consumer-packaged goods, today announced that Hart Dairy, the ethically driven, largest single-source producer of Pasture Raised, Grass Fed 365 days per year milk in North America, has been selected as Milk Product of the Year. Hart Dairy is the only national brand to sell milk from cows that are pasture raised and grass fed 365 days a year. Additionally, its the first pasteurized dairy cow milk sold in the US with the Certified Humane designation. This rigorous process checks that all dairy cows have the proper conditions to optimize cow health and well-being. Hart Dairy is also Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World. This certifies that the cows are raised in accordance with the highest animal welfare standards in the U.S. and Canada, using sustainable agriculture methods on an independent farm. One of approximately 50 farms in the world to be selected to A Greener Worlds Certified Regenerative Pilot Program, this holistic approach includes developing a five-year plan annually audited around the whole-farm assurance of sustainability, measuring benefits for soil, water, air, biodiversity, infrastructure, animal welfare and social responsibility. Hart Dairys regenerative agriculture practices help address climate change by rebuilding soil matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity, which results in carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle. Meanwhile, rotational grazing promotes recovery and growth of the fields, all while the cows are never confined. What an honor it is to receive this Mindful award for Milk Product of the Year. Its time to care about your milk. We started Hart Dairy with a goal of treating cows humanely, making highly nutritious milk accessible for more people in the United States and building an environmentally sustainable dairy, said Tim Connell, CEO of Hart Dairy. Were doing that now and proud to bring this product to the tables of American families. The mission of the Mindful Awards program is to honor conscious companies and products that do whats right for people and the planet. Recognizing the best in transparent, fair, natural, organic, sustainable, healthy and delicious products. This years program attracted more than 1650 nominations from companies all over the world. All nominations are evaluated by an independent panel of experts within the consumer-packaged goods industry, with the winning products and companies selected based on a variety of criteria, ranging from brand principles, environmental impact, health, taste and transparency. Brands can claim to be pasture raised or grass fed, but nebulous standards allow them to be on pasture for just 120 - 150 days a year. Thats misleading to consumers, said Travis Grant, Managing Director, Mindful Awards. Hart Dairy cows are never confined, so they're always grazing on fresh grass. The result is a highly nutritious option at an affordable price point as well as preserving the land through their commitment to regenerative agriculture. Hart Dairy milk is also NON-GMO Project Verified and their recyclable cartons are made from 100% US-sourced wood. Hart Dairy milk is better for you, the cows, and the planet. Congratulations on being our choice for Milk Product of the Year. #### About Mindful Awards The Mindful Awards organization is devoted to honoring mindful companies in the consumer-packaged goods industry that are setting the foundation for our future. The Mindful Awards are devoted to providing a forum for public recognition around the achievements in categories Food, Beverage and Snacks, Supplements, and Leadership. Mindful Awards goal is to further expand recognition of mindful companies. For more information visit MindfulAwards.com. About Hart Dairy Hart Dairy has redefined the grass-fed dairy standard through its production of premium Pasture Raised, Grass Fed 365 days per year milk products. Located in Waynesboro, Georgia, Hart Dairy sits on 2,000 acres of pristine farmland and is the largest single-source producer of pasture-raised and grass-fed milk in North America. The farm boasts happy cows that roam free, are never confined and are grass-fed 365 days a year in a Certified Humane, non-GMO environment. Under the guidance of Dr. Richard Watson, a pioneer in world-class grazing and pasture-based techniques, Hart Dairy passionately combines animal welfare and better-for-you dairy products with truly on-pasture, grass-fed cows. For more information, visit http://www.hartdairy.com. Heidi and Dino Wilson, Founders of Hideaway Properties Our alliance with Side also empowers us to identify and grow our brand how we see fit Hideaway Properties today announced its partnership with Side, the only real estate technology company that exclusively partners with high-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to transform them into market-leading boutique brands and businesses. The alliance will ensure that Hideaway Properties, a company that always goes the extra mile to advocate for its clients, is powered by the industrys most advanced platform. Hideaway Properties was founded by Dino and Heidi Wilson, a husband-and-wife team. A real estate professional since 2004, Dino Wilson brings a design and entrepreneurial background to his career and has been a consistent top producer and a member of the prestigious Top Agent Network. Heidi Wilson was inspired to join her husband in real estate after summiting the insurance and financial industries during a decades-long career. She has since built a reputation for her business and design savvy. With complementary strengths and an unwavering commitment to ethics, the energetic pair serves residential and commercial buyers and sellers, homebuilders, and developers from the country to the coastline in Sonoma and Marin counties. Partnering with Side will ensure Hideaway Properties remains on the cutting edge of the evolving real estate market while continuing to deliver premium services to its clients. Side works behind the scenes, supporting Hideaway Properties with a one-of-a-kind brokerage platform that includes proprietary technology, transaction management, branding and marketing services, public relations, legal support, lead generation, vendor management, infrastructure solutions, and more. Additionally, Hideaway Properties will join an exclusive group of Side partners, tapping into an expansive network from coast to coast. We look forward to maximizing our teams success with Sides game-changing marketing, technology, administrative, and support services, Dino Wilson said. Heidi Wilson added: Our alliance with Side also empowers us to identify and grow our brand how we see fit. About Hideaway Properties Hideaway Properties goes above and beyond to bring clients home and to make them into friends along the way. Professional and flexible, the team collaborates at every stage to ensure clients are fully prepared to buy or well positioned to sell for top dollar. Longtime residents of the markets they serve, Hideaway Property agents keep things simple by accentuating only the positive aspects of any transaction. Hideaway Properties specializes in serving residential and commercial buyers and sellers, homebuilders, and developers in Sonoma and Marin counties. For more information, visit http://www.hideawayre.com. About Side Side is a behind-the-scenes brokerage platform that exclusively partners with top-performing agents, teams, and independent brokerages to create and grow their own boutique brands without the cost, time, or risk of operating a brokerage. Sides proprietary technology platform and premier support solutions empower its agent partners to be more productive, grow their business, and focus on serving their clients. Side is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://www.sideinc.com. Dusty Goes on a Picnic: a lighthearted tale for young readers. Dusty Goes on a Picnic is the creation of published author Janice Baldridge. Baldridge shares, Janice Baldridge continues with another book about Dusty. Previously, Dusty was kidnapped and ended up in Alaska. This book is about Dusty going on his first picnic. Dusty isnt really sure what a picnic is, but he is excited to find out. Dusty and the family load up and head for the Colorado mountains, where every minute is an adventure. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Janice Baldridges new book offers readers a message of appreciation for the outdoors, as well as a few laughs as Dusty gets himself into more trouble. Baldridge continues to entertain with a fresh tale of the exploits of a beloved dog known as Dusty. Consumers can purchase Dusty Goes on a Picnic at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Dusty Goes on a Picnic, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. "The evolution to Main St. Media offers my clients a unique opportunity to continue the same quality marketing and communications initiatives they have become accustomed to with the added benefit of an enhanced video and digital media strategy." JH Communications, LLC, has officially rebranded the company name and identity to Main St. Media: Where Madison Avenue Meets Main St. Founded in 2002 by John Houle, JH Communications was created with the goal of providing higher level marketing and communications for local businesses. The newly refocused Main St. Media remains true to its founding mission and reflects how the company has evolved and responded to an ever-changing digital world. Effective June 1, 2022, Main St. Media will officially commemorate its rebranding with the roll-out of a new, interactive website. Clients also received a personal video message from John Houle, explaining first-hand the mission and values of Main St. Media. The office of Main St. Media will remain at its current location at 111 Wayland Avenue on Providences East Side and will continue to partner with clients throughout New England. The company has proudly established decades-long relationships with many clients and will continue to deliver high-quality marketing and communications, staffed by the same experienced, dedicated team. The evolution to Main St. Media will build upon the award-winning work of JH Communications, with an enhanced focus on media production. When I started this company twenty years ago, I did it with a strong desire to support small business, said John Houle, president of Main St. Media. As a small business owner myself, I understand the unique challenges small businesses face and I appreciate that they are the backbone of what makes a community prosper. The evolution to Main St. Media offers my clients a unique opportunity to continue the same quality marketing and communications initiatives they have become accustomed to with the added benefit of an enhanced video and digital media strategy. The full suite of professional marketing services offered by Main St. Media include video production, website design, digital media, email marketing, social media management, graphic design, and traditional public relations. The agency specializes in customized communications catered to medical practices, independent insurance agencies and companies, retirement communities, and other Main St. businesses that require a dedicated marketing team. Main St. Media will continue to adapt as the marketing landscape changes and will remain committed to providing creative and cost-effective media advertising that grows clients' core businesses. For more information please contact Main St. Media President, John Houle at john@jhcom.net Juwai IQI Launches IQI Qatar, Enters 22nd Country Qatar is the worlds fourth wealthiest nation with great opportunities for investment." Through a partnership with Qatars Bin Ajlan Real Estate group, Juwai IQI can assist local buyers and international investors with cross-border property transactions and provide them with the best services. Juwai IQI Group Co-Founder and CEO Kashif Ansari welcomed the whole team at IQI Qatar into Juwai IQI. Qatar is the worlds fourth wealthiest nation with great opportunities for investment. We hope to provide the Qatari real estate market with technology, support, and services that surpass the highest possible standards to take the market to the next level. IQI Qatar will assist local buyers and both inbound and outbound investors with their cross-border property transactions. Expats make up approximately 75% of Qatars population. This market is a haven for relocation, and with top rental property management and international investment advisory services, it has the potential to rank even higher. Together with our new team at IQI Qatar, we pledge to succeed in bringing the best service to customers and investors in and outside of Qatar. Let us thrive together in this incredible new partnership. Ali Saleh Ajlan, the President of Bin Ajlan Real Estate Group also expressed his enthusiasm to become a part of the global IQI agent network. Our team will receive the best technology, marketing tools, training, and cross-border opportunities available anywhere. I am confident that our agents will be more productive and have more opportunities as IQI Qatar. Now, our team can help Qataris who want to invest overseas and local Qatari real estate developers who want to reach global investors. With the launch of IQI Qatar, Juwai IQI has now expanded its global network over 10 years to a total of 22 countries, including Dubai, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Pakistan. Ken Rosenfeld, California Criminal Defense Attorney We are extremely pleased to have gotten all the felony charges dismissed and to see our client avoid jail time The Rosenfeld Law Firm announces that all felony charges against a construction company owner accused of allegedly scamming Santa Rosa wildfire victims have been dismissed, thanks to the efforts of California criminal defense attorney Ken Rosenfeld. According to Sonoma County Superior Court records (Case #2020 SCR739708-2), Pamela Chiaramonte, co-owner of Chiaramonte Construction & Plumbing, was accused of 32 felony charges, including alleged grand theft of personal property, related to the rebuilding of homes following the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Santa Rosa. In the plea agreement negotiated by Rosenfeld, Chiaramonte pled no contest to one misdemeanor count of diversion of funds in Sonoma County Superior Court on April 29. Originally facing more than 20 years in prison, Chiaramonte has instead been sentenced to community service. This is a huge win and a great relief for Pam, said Rosenfeld of his client. We are extremely pleased to have gotten all the felony charges dismissed and to see our client avoid jail time. About The Rosenfeld Law Firm With offices in Sacramento, San Jose, and Palm Springs, The Rosenfeld Law Firm provides aggressive defense of a wide range of high-profile criminal defense cases. California criminal defense attorney Ken Rosenfeld defends such cases as first-degree murder and sex offense cases, and also provides DUI defense. In addition to mental health criminal defense, The Rosenfeld Law Firm also practices federal criminal defense and juvenile defense, as well as appellate law and prison law. As a skilled criminal law commentator, Rosenfeld makes regular appearances on KTXL TV and FOX40's Ask An Attorney. Rosenfeld was named 2020 Litigator of the Year by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers. For more information, please contact Ken Rosenfeld directly at (916) 447-2070, or visit http://www.therosenfeldlawfirm.com. ********************************* Press release writing by WebSiteText and Proofreading Services by The Proofreaders. The Rosenfeld Law Firm recommends Brian P. Murphy for nursing home abuse litigation. Knoldus Partners with EPFL - Scala Center Knoldus is now an official member of the Scala Center's advisory board. With a decade of building high performance systems with Scala, Knoldus hopes to contribute immensely in growing the ecosystem together. Knoldus is honoured to be named to the Scala Center's official advisory board. Knoldus is the world's largest Fast Data Intelligence with Functional Programming organization. At Knoldus, our mission is "Helping Businesses Succeed with Technology." We empower global enterprises and SMEs by leveraging emerging future-ready technologies, bringing them a quantifiable competitive advantage. Recently, we announced Affiliate Partnership with EPFL Switzerland. How Knoldus uses Scala Knoldus started with Scala more than a decade ago. When we saw the potential of Scala technology for our clients and prospects, we moved quickly to start using it in all our engagements and reaped the benefits early enough to demonstrate the power of Scala in any technology development. Scala is explicitly designed to express the most common programming patterns clearly, elegantly, concisely, and in a type-safe manner. It is a perfect combination of object-oriented and functional language concepts with rich syntax and type systems. Knoldus has been regular at conferences and meetups as a presenter, sponsor, and participant. Our Scala-focused meetup groups have more than 500+ members in Toronto, 250+ members in the Netherlands, 300+ members in Singapore, and another 4,000+ members spread globally. As a high-end service and consulting organization focused on emerging tech, we would like to continue our association with Scala, its development, and evangelization of the language. Our partnership with the Scala Center The Scala Center, founded in 2016, is an open-source Scala foundation that aims to assist the space's long-term development. EPFL is a world-class research university in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a unit dedicated to it. The Scala Center is a language foundation dedicated to fostering long-term growth in the Scala open source community. Knoldus is now an official member of the Scala Center's advisory board. The Advisory Board is made up of companies that want to help the open-source community and support their strategic commitment in Scala and associated technology. As an affiliate partner, Knoldus is benefited with the capacity to vote in elections for the Scala Center's Advisory Board, the capacity to advise and vote on guidelines for Scala Center initiatives, recruitment possibilities at EPFL, get right of entry to the Scala Center's transparency reports, and the possibility to take part in the Scala Center's annual event. If you would like to understand how the Fast Data Intelligence and Functional Programming paradigm can help your organization, then don't hesitate to get in touch with us at https://www.knoldus.com/contact-us/ If you have a strong interest in Scala or Functional Programming and want to work with the world's largest team of Functional Programming and Fast Data Intelligence engineers, see Knoldus' current job openings at https://www.knoldus.com/careers/ Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against Point Pick-Up Technologies, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. The San Francisco employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP filed a class action complaint alleging that Point Pick-Up Technologies, Inc. violated the California Labor Code. The Point Pick-Up Technologies, Inc. class action lawsuit, Case No. SCV-270882, is currently pending in the Sonoma County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here. The lawsuit filed against Point Pick-Up Technologies alleges Plaintiff and other California Class Members should have been properly classified as non-exempt employees entitled to overtime compensation. Allegedly, DEFENDANT misclassified employees as "independent contractors." As a result of this, employees allegedly were paying Defendant's share of payroll taxes and mandatory insurance premiums, in addition to missing out on overtime wages. Additionally, Point Pick-Up Technologies, Inc. allegedly failed to fully relieve Plaintiff and other California Class Members for their legally required thirty (30) minute meal 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. For more information about the class action lawsuit against Point Pick-Up Technologies, Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** Ohio Connections Academy celebrates the Class if 2022 These students came to our school in search of a learning environment that met their individual needs. This ceremony is not only a celebration of their achievement, but their determination to find an academic setting that enabled them to thrive. Nearly 450 graduating seniors from more than 50 counties across the state recently received their high school diplomas as members of Ohio Connections Academys (OCA) Class of 2022. More than 200 of those students travelled to Columbus on June 4th to participate in the online public charter schools commencement ceremony. While we are a non-traditional school, each year we look forward to the opportunity to celebrate our graduates and this academic milestone with a very traditional ceremony, said Ohio Connections Academy Superintendent Marie Hanna. These students came to our school in search of a learning environment that met their individual needs. This ceremony is not only a celebration of their achievement, but their determination to find an academic setting that enabled them to thrive. Among the Ohio Connections Academy 2022 graduates honored during the ceremony were Valedictorian Yasmeen Fleifil of West Chester (Butler County) and Salutatorian Alexis Nelan of Olmsted Township (Cuyahoga County). According to Yasmeen, she came to Ohio Connections Academy in 2017 because she needed a more flexible schedule that enabled her to also take college courses. Ohio Connections Academy allowed me to complete my lessons on my own time and the structure of my lessons worked well for me, she said. I really liked my monthly homeroom calls as it really gave me a chance to get to know my teachers more. They were always motivating and willing to help. I hope to continue to put my best effort forward and be grateful for what I have received. Robert Decauter, Director of the Morrill Scholarship Program at The Ohio State University was the featured commencement speaker and spoke to the achievements of the students and their commitment to leadership, scholarship, diversity and community service. He urged the students to never underestimate themselves and suggested that theyll be surprised how resilient they are and how much they can accomplish. Success isnt defined by how much money youve amassed, how many shiny cars you possess, or how many houses you own, Decauter said. Success should be based on making a positive, indelible mark on society that is, making the world a better place to live for our children and the yet unborn. The Class of 2022 is the schools 14th graduating class for the provider of high-quality, tuition-free virtual education for students in grades K12. More than a third of the 2022 graduates indicated they plan to attend a two or four-year college/university including Miami of Ohio, Kent State University, University of Cincinnati, Mount Vernon Nazarene, Bowling Green State University and The Ohio State University. Other graduates plan to attend vocational/trade schools, enter the workforce or join the military. Twenty-five of this years graduates are members of the National Honor Society while more than 100 graduated with honors (3.5 GPA or better). Twenty of the graduates received an Academic Honors Diploma from the State of Ohio in recognition of high-level coursework completion, college and career readiness tests and real-world experiences. Overall, the Class of 2022 has received more than $3.1 million dollars in college scholarships and awards. Enrollment for Ohio Connections Academy for the 2022-2023 school year is currently open and the school is hosting online information sessions for families interested in learning more about virtual education. More information about Ohio Connections Academy is available at http://www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com or by calling 1-(800) 382-6010. ### About Ohio Connections Academy Ohio Connections Academy is a unique, tuition-free, online public school for K-12 students. Every day, we create a high-quality educational experience that keeps students motivated and engaged in a safe, virtual learning environment. In addition to academics, teachers focus on emotional well-being and social development, working closely with families to help students learn how they learn best. Here, students gain the skills and confidence they need to direct their own educational journey, learning to thrive in the real world by first learning how to be resourceful and resilient. For more information, call 8003826010 or visit http://www.OhioConnectionsAcademy.com. Morphisec Knight Logo "Morphisec Knight for Linux proactively prevents advanced evasive attacks that bypass traditional security and hardening techniques. It deploys in minutes and provides deterministic prevention with little to no false-positive alerts." Morphisec, the worlds leading provider of breach prevention solutions for midsize to large enterprises, today announced the launch of Morphisec Knight for Linux at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Morphisec Knight is a standalone security solution purpose-built for Linux servers to stop supply chain, data theft, ransomware, and other advanced attacks. It provides lightweight cloud and server workload protection across bare metal, virtualized servers, and CWPP with almost no performance impact or false positive alerts. Knight uses Morphisecs revolutionary, patented, Moving Target Defense (MTD) technology to proactively prevent advanced attacks. Knight is low-friction, cost-efficient, and highly effective. We live in an era of digital transformation and cloud migration, and the cloud creates a vastly increased attack surface. With Linux running 90 percent of the public cloud and 70 percent of web application servers, it has become a significant target for threat actors. Last year alone, malware targeting Linux distributions jumped by 35 percent. Security teams are trying to confront this reality armed with server security solutions that are often adapted from Windows and desktop environments, with well-known limitations and limited attack surface hardening. They are less effective against advanced attacks, which are specifically designed to evade signature-based and known behavior/TTPoriented solutions such as NGAV, EDR, and XDR. Morphisec Knight for Linux effectively protects against todays advanced cyberattacks. These threats typically use in-memory, fileless, living off the land (LotL), man-in-the-machine (MiTM), and code execution tactics and techniques. Many rely on remote code execution (RCE) and privilege escalations (PE) for data exfiltration and extortion, with or without long-lasting persistence to evade detection. Linux is the primary operating system for the cloud and a significant portion of on-premise servers, said Morphisec Chief Technology Officer Michael Gorelik. And with cloud computing and on-premise attacks now becoming more sophisticated and rapidly escalating, you need dedicated, robust Linux server protection. Morphisec Knight for Linux proactively prevents advanced evasive attacks that bypass traditional security and hardening techniques. It deploys in minutes and provides deterministic prevention with little to no false-positive alerts. Knight can augment and enhance detection and response solutions with advanced protection that isnt reliant on behavior analysis or signatures for attack prevention. Morphisec Knight for Linux is highly effective and comprehensive," said the independent security consulting experts at MDSec, who authored the highly regarded Web and Mobile Application Hackers Handbook series. MDSec tested Knights effectiveness against typical MITRE ATT&CK tactics and techniques, and found Knight for Linux was seen to offer a high level of protection against memory corruption, shellcode injection, and similar attacks when used for initial access or privilege escalation. Morphisec Knight for Linux creates a dynamic, unpredictable attack surface that protects vulnerabilities and critical assets/services from threat actors. Knight also employs modifications in memory that prevent cybercriminals from reusing attacks. And it creates a skeleton or false front to trap evasive malware while enabling legitimate applications to run unimpeded. Morphisec Knight can work in information technology and operational technology networks, and supervisory control and data acquisition systems, whether connected or disconnected from backend systems. Knight deploys in minutes, doesnt impact server performance, and requires no updates. Want to learn more about Morphisec Knight for Linux? Visit Morphisec at the RSA Conference in San Francisco this week at booth #5351, or reach out online at: https://engage.morphisec.com/schedule Support across Linux distributions: Available for Amazon Linux 2, AlmaLinux 8 / 9, CentOS 7 / 8, Debian 9 / 10 / 11, Oracle 7 / 8, RedHat 7 / 8/ 9, Rocky 8, SUSE 12 / 15, Ubuntu 14 / 16 / 18 / 20 / 21 / 22 About Morphisec Morphisec is breach prevention made easy. We are a leader in providing prevention-first software that STOPS ransomware, supply chain, data theft and other advanced attacks from endpoint to the cloudaugmenting next generation antivirus (NGAV) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. This defense-in-depth capability is powered by Morphisecs revolutionary Moving Target Defense technology that delivers automated, proactive, operationally simple, highly effective protection against advanced attacks. Morphisec secures almost nine million endpoints worldwide from ransomware, zero-day, fileless attacks, and other evasive threats at companies such as Motorola, Maersk, Citizens Medical Center, Yaskawa, and many more. Damien Davila taking photos in Mexico. (Photo Courtesy of Johnny Gonzales). PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern Californias flagship PBS organizations for new PBS program premieres as well as award-winning, original content, announced their July debut as presenting stations of a new surf documentary called IN THE WATER; BEHIND THE LENS that examines the world of surf photography. Shooting from the water, photographers face many dangers, ranging from being hit by a surfboard, drowning, or being attacked by sharks. This film tells the story of these passionate water photographers, located all over the world, and all in pursuit of the perfect shot. Features interviews with industry leaders including Jeff Divine, Mike Lacey, Damien Davila, Brian Bielmann, Jim Russi and more. IN THE WATER: BEHIND THE LENS premieres Wed., July 13 at 8 p.m. on KCET and Mon., July 18 at 11 p.m. on PBS SoCal. IN THE WATER; BEHIND THE LENS is slated to air on PBS stations across the country beginning Sat., July 16 (check local listings). The program will also be available to stream online at pbssocal.org/inthewater and kcet.org/inthewater. Join the conversation on social media: #InTheWater @PBSSoCal @KCET About PBS SOCAL and KCET PBS SoCal and KCET are both part of the donor-supported community institution, the Public Media Group of Southern California. PBS SoCal is the flagship PBS station for diverse people across California and delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and educate. PBS SoCal offers the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, and a broad library of documentary films with works from Ken Burns; as well as educational content including PBS KIDS programs like DANIEL TIGERS NEIGHBORHOOD and CURIOUS GEORGE. KCET showcases the best of PBS and is a leading source for arts, culture, and news in Southern California. Through innovative storytelling, KCET explores and expresses our dynamic local communities helping residents understand and connect with the region's diverse communities and ideas. For additional information about both KCET and PBS SoCal productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org and pbssocal.org KCET Originals and PBS programming are available to stream on the FREE PBS App on iOS and Android devices, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and Chromecast. KCET is also available to watch live on YouTube TV. Nine community development entities (CDEs) that made qualified low-income community investments (QLICIs) in four businesses have been named winners of the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits QLICIs of the Year awards. The awards go to new markets tax credit (NMTC) stakeholders who strive for excellence in community development. This years winning CDEs earned the awards for the following investments: Destination Crenshaw in Los Angeles as the Metro QLICI of the Year. Ogaakaaning Wild Rice in Bemidji, Minnesota, as the Nonmetro QLICI of the Year. Coffee Cafe Bakery in Atlanta as the Operating Business QLICI of the Year. Ivy Tech Automotive Technology Center in Indianapolis as the Real Estate QLICI of the Year. The winners will be honored at the Novogradac Spring New Markets Tax Credit Conference this week in Washington, D.C., and online. These investments really display the variety of ways that new markets tax credit investment can make a difference, said Gregory Clements, chair of this weeks conference. The winners are a wide range of properties and businesses, all in different parts of the country. These are great examples of the good that the NMTC does for all types of low-income communities. Destination Crenshaw covers a 1.3-mile stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles that will provide economic development, job creation and environmental healing while celebrating Black art and culture. Destination Crenshaw will help sustain 30 local Black- and minority-owned businesses and nonprofits and create 60 permanent jobs. CDEs US Bancorp Community Development Entity (USBCDE), Lendistry, Building America CDE, Inc. and New Markets Support Co. (LISC LA) provided a combined $30 million in QLICIs. Ogaakaaning Wild Rice will have its operation strengthened with additional equipment and inventory, as well as seeing financing increased to multiple qualified low-income community businesses owned or led by Native American individuals or tribes. Ogaakaaning Wild Rice is the first business owned by the Red Lake Nation of Chippewa located off the Red Lake Nation Reservation. USBCDE provided $3.3 million in QLICI. Coffee Cafe Bakery will create more than 100 jobs98% of them for low-income persons or residents of low-income communities. Four minority business owners will combine to renovate and fully equip an existing warehouse in Atlanta into a small central backing facility that will create an estimated 31 million baked goods annually. The Rose Urban Green Fund and DV Community Investment combined on $14.4 million in QLICIs for Coffee Cafe Bakery. Ivy Tech Automotive Technology Center is 59,000-square-foot facility at Ivy Tech Community College, allowing the program to double the annual number of students from 300 to 600 and include a paid cooperative education opportunity with 100% job placement at Toyota and General Motors for qualifying candidates. CDEs Cinnaire, Indianapolis Redevelopment CDE and PNC Community Partners, Inc. combined to close the propertys funding gap. Additional details about the awards winners and information on how to nominate a development for the next round of awards can be found at http://www.novoco.com/events/awards. About Novogradac Novogradac, which has been in business for more than 30 years, has grown to more than 650 employees and partners with offices in more than 25 cities. Tax, audit and consulting specialty practice areas for Novogradac include affordable housing, community development, historic rehabilitation and renewable energy. Panitch Schwarze is an excellent IP firm, and I am excited to be part of the team, said Wieland. I look forward to working with my Panitch colleagues to deliver effective strategies to protect clients intellectual property. IP law firm Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is pleased to announce that Charles (Chad) F. Wieland III has joined the firm as a partner. Associate Sean M. Douglass and patent agent Jennifer A. Wilson will also join the firm to expand its patent practice. Wieland focuses his practice on patent law. He counsels clients varying from startups to Fortune 500 companies. With more than three decades of experience in private practice and four years as an examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Wieland seeks out cost effective ways to acquire and develop meaningful universal IP rights of clients, as well as defending those right in post-grant proceedings. Panitch Schwarze is an excellent IP firm, and I am excited to be part of the team, said Wieland. I look forward to working with my Panitch colleagues to deliver effective strategies to protect clients intellectual property. Wieland has experience in monetizing IP rights through licensing, assignment, and, when necessary, litigation. He helps clients avoid conflict with the IP rights of others using design-around recommendations and validity, infringement, and clearance/freedom-to-operate studies, both formal and informal. He designs IP portfolios to protect his clients market share through combinations of patents, trademarks, trade secrets, trade dress, and private contracts. He also negotiates and drafts software licenses and other technology transaction agreements. He earned his bachelors degree from Grove City College and received his law degree from George Mason University School of Law. Douglass is an experienced IP attorney counseling clients on the preparation and prosecution of patent and trademark applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and abroad. Douglass has extensive experience with intellectual property matters directed to blockchain technology, machine learning, financial technology, software, communications, medical devices, and semiconductors. Prior to joint Panitch Schwarze, Douglass was an associate in the Alexandria, VA office of a Pittsburgh-based law firm, where he drafted and prosecuted patent applications for foreign and domestic clients. Prior to his law firm experience, Douglass was an IP attorney for a Fortune 100 Global Technology Company where he drafted and prosecuted patent applications before the USPTO based on invention disclosures and inventor consultations. Douglass earned his bachelors degree in Biology from Boston University and a Masters Degree in Clinical Forensic Medicine from Drexel University. Douglass received his law degree with a concentration in Intellectual Property from Quinnipiac University School of Law. Wilson is an experienced patent agent who focuses on representing high technology clients in connection with patent prosecution in the electric and mechanical fields. She prosecutes domestic and international patent applications in a range of technologies including computer/business methods, semiconductors, computer architecture, and wireless technologies. She has been recognized as a female patent prosecutor with an exceptional record in overcoming 101 (patent in-eligibility) rejections having, at that time, successfully prosecuted over seventy applications facing subject matter eligibility rejections by IP Toolworks in April 2021. Prior to joining Panitch Schwarze, Wilson was a patent agent at two large law firms where she drafted and prosecuted domestic and international patent applications involving electrical, electromechanical, biomedical engineering, automotive, and medical device technologies. She earned a bachelors degree in Theoretical Physics from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. We are pleased to welcome Chad, Sean, Jennifer, and their team to the firm, said Panitch Schwarze partner Martin Belisario. Their experience and expertise complement our team members experience and skills to expand the firms ability to sustain our clients growing needs. About Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP is an intellectual property law firm with offices in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. The firms IP law practitioners provide strategic litigation, licensing and counseling service relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, domain names and internet issues domestically and internationally. The firms long-standing relationships with a network of associates worldwide enable its attorneys and advisors to provide clients with global intellectual property advice and protection. Paul Kechnie of Performance Brokerage Services was instrumental in getting the deal to the finish line. Performance Brokerage Services, North Americas highest volume dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the sale of Hummels Nissan of Des Moines, Iowa from Mark Hummel to Willis Automotive. Hummels Nissan proudly claims the title of Iowas #1 Nissan dealer. Established in 1929 by Henry Hummel, the dealership remained family-owned and operated for more than 90 years while serving central Iowa. In 2021, Hummels Nissan was the recipient of the Award of Excellence, awarded each year to the top 10 percent of Nissan dealerships for customer satisfaction and sales volume. Third-generation owner, Mark Hummel, shared, Paul Kechnie of Performance Brokerage Services was instrumental in getting the deal to the finish line. He was able to provide detailed insight as to what would be expected. Through the selling process, he was attentive, responsive, and always available. I am very happy with the transaction and services provided by Paul and Performance Brokerage Services. Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of over 250 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. In 2021, the company consummated 72 transactions, marking a record-breaking year. Paul Kechnie, the exclusive agent for this transaction and the Midwest Partner for Performance Brokerage Services commented, Having done business with the Willis family in the past, I was very pleased when they approached me to help facilitate another transaction. After getting to know Mark Hummel, it was very clear that these two families would align; they both place a strong emphasis on ethical and moral standards. Due to the nature of both parties, this became one of the easiest transactions Ive had the pleasure to be involved with. I am very excited for the Willis family and their new venture, and would like to congratulate the Hummel family on their well-deserved retirement. Celebrating their 75th Year Anniversary, Willis Automotive is a family-owned and locally operated dealership group that centers their business around faith, family, and community. Willis Automotive operates 6 franchise dealerships, a pre-owned dealership, a collision center, and three Big O Tires locations in Iowa. This acquisition adds Nissan to their lineup of brands which include Cadillac, INFINITI, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, MINI, Chevrolet, and Volvo. Jason Willis, CEO of Willis Automotive, commented, This is the second acquisition that Paul Kechnie of Performance Brokerage Services assisted us with, and he helped make the process as smooth as possible both times. As challenges came up, he helped both sides work through them. Paul is honest, has a great deal of knowledge, and responds quickly. Paul knows how important our culture is to us and made sure that the opportunity fit our core values. The dealership will remain at its current location at 4770 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines, Iowa and has been renamed Willis Nissan. The dealership welcomes the 104 Nissan employees. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is North Americas highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in buy-sell activity for automotive, RV, commercial truck, powersports, and equipment dealerships. With over 25 years of experience, 700 dealerships sold, and a 90% closing rate, the companys reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct and integrity. The company offers a unique approach by providing complimentary estimates of value with no upfront fees or retainer, no reimbursement of costs, and paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Headquartered in Irvine, California, and supported by 7 regional offices in Utah, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, and Canada, clients benefit from national exposure with local representation. As trusted and respected experts in the field, the company utilizes an extensive network of industry related attorneys, accountants, hundreds of registered buyers, and longstanding relationships with various vehicle manufacturers. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. Its encouraging to see more companies adopting diversity, equity and inclusion policies to create workforces reflective of our society. - Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller Efforts to establish a company diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy have steadily increased over the last two years, but 21% of U.S. companies say translating this effort to hiring is one of the biggest hiring challenges their company will face over the next year. This is according to a recent survey from The Harris Poll commissioned by Express Employment Professionals. Fifty-four percent of businesses report having a DEI policy in place compared to 52% in the first half of 2021 and 46% in the second half of 2020. Looking to the future, nearly a fifth of hiring decision-makers (18%) say their company plans to implement such a policy. Of those planning to do so, 11% say they plan to implement one by the end of 2022. Given companies establishment of DEI policies, the likely next step is to actively recruit candidates outside of the companies traditional demographic (e.g., have unique backgrounds, racially/ethnically diverse). Around half (49%), say their company is planning to take such action in 2022in line with 2021 (51%). To this point, a fifth of U.S. hiring decision-makers (21%) say reaching these diverse candidates is one of the biggest hiring challenges their company will face over the next year. This is particularly a struggle in manufacturing industries (39%). DEI is not going away, and companies need to recognize this, said Yvonne Rockwell, Express franchise owner in California. In order to stay relevant and an employer of choice, having a DEI policy and embracing DEI is not only the right thing to do but will assist companies in attracting and retaining the employees necessary to maintain their competitive edge. Michigan Express franchise owner Reggie Kaji agrees that companies with DEI strategies can use them as tools for recruiting purposes. I see a lot of candidates asking if the companies we work with have these policies in place, he added. For Rockwell, including DEI efforts is foundational to companies in their ability to attract a diverse and talented workforce. Its important for employees to feel comfortable and have a sense of belonging in the workforce, she said. Its hard to be the unicorn! While Kaji hasnt seen much increase in DEI policies in his market, Rockwell said the opposite is true in her region, even including the establishment of DEI committees. I think its a topic of conversation for many companies and is starting to be looked at as a need to have rather than a nice to have, Rockwell said. However, some companies are still slow to understand the importance or need. To ensure the workforce is more diverse and inclusive, Rockwell says managers should simply take a look at their current teams and be more open-minded about the people they hire. Be more intentional with recruiting efforts to attract more diverse candidates. Its encouraging to see more companies adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion policies to create workforces reflective of our society, Express Employment International CEO Bill Stoller said. Everyone deserves to feel heard and represented in their career as part of collaborative company cultures. Survey Methodology The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Nov. 10 and Dec. 2, 2021, among 1,009 U.S. hiring decision-makers (defined as adults ages 18+ in the U.S. who are employed full-time or self-employed, work at companies with more than one employee, and have full/significant involvement in hiring decisions at their company). Data were weighted where necessary by company size to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. *** If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Hollander, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. About Express Employment Professionals At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 586,000 people globally in 2021 and 10 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com. Fusion Resort The maneuverability of this web-based solution is making it so easy for us to generate a full set of financials, from income statements to supporting schedules and more. Not every hotel has a full-service accounting department; some outsource financial services to a third-party to streamline processes and keep overhead to a minimum. Such is the case at Fusion Resort in Treasure Island, Fla. Operated by First Choice Hotel Management (FCHM), the company partnered with Grachan & Company, Certified Public Accountants, to oversee the propertys financials. With the accounting firm located in Lynchburg, Va., and the all-suite vacation destination located on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, FCHM needed a robust cloud solution to capture and digitally share relevant data. Already working with Aptech, the industry standard for hospitality financial management, FCHM migrated to the companys next generation enterprise accounting solution, PVNG. PVNG is a game-changer in the world of hotel accounting. It features the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger, Statistics, Financials, and Bank Reconciliation modules that both FCHM and Grachan & Co. require, along with much-needed web browser navigation to upload the hotel data remotely. PVNG also contains OCR invoice processing, a myriad of payment options, drill-down capabilities in financial statements and reports, and the ability to handle single or multi-property accounting. It can also be deployed as a hosted service. Managing accounting processes remotely can be challenging if you dont have the right technology, said William Grachan, principal of the accounting firm. When Aptech replaced its first generation accounting system with PVNG, we were thrilled. The maneuverability of this web-based solution is making it so easy for us to generate a full set of financials, from income statements to supporting schedules and more. Everything we need is readily accessible in PVNG. For more than 50 years Aptech has been creating solutions that increase its customers performance and profitability. The company takes great pride in offering the best back office, budgeting/forecasting, and business intelligence solutions in hospitality. The company attributes its success and longevity to its client/employee relationships, with each hotel proud to become a long-term partner. Aptech has been tremendous to work with over the years, Grachan said. We are familiar with the company and how they do business. PVNG does everything that todays accounting software needs to do it enables us to modify reports quickly and tweak standardized forms to meet Fusion Resorts specific needs. Remote access to hotel data, coupled with Aptechs tremendously responsive support, makes PVNG irreplaceable. There is nothing I would change with the software or our relationship with Aptech. They are in a word terrific! Cam Troutman, Aptech Vice President, had this to say: Time and again our customers say PVNG is one of the best hospitality financial systems on the market. It is very user friendly, flexible, and easy to navigate, and it makes hotel accounting whether onsite or outsourced more efficient. We are delighted that this cloud platform is enabling Grachan & Company to manage and review Fusion Resort financials from anywhere. With PVNG, William and his team can quickly generate financial statements and reports that First Choice Hotel Management can access as soon as they are completed. For more information on PVNG by Aptech, click here. # # # About Aptech Computer Systems Inc. Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only provider of a fully integrated enterprise accounting, business intelligence and planning ecosystem to the hospitality industry. All clients are companies like yours, which own or manage hotels. Its solutions help customers at both the corporate and property levels understand their financial and operational data for faster goal achievement. The company is renowned for introducing business intelligence into the hotel industry and offers a solid resource of hospitality professionals. Aptech is an IBM Software Value Plus partner and Premier Solution Provider, as well as a Prophix Premier Business Partner. Incorporated in 1970, Aptechs state-of-the-art back office, true business intelligence, and enterprise planning solutions are 100% hotel specific. Solutions include PVNG, Execuvue and Targetvue. Clients comprise over 3,500 properties including large chains, multiple-property management companies, and single-site hotels. Execuvue is registered to Aptech Computer Systems Inc. All other trademarks are owned by their respective holders. For more information, please visit http://www.aptech-inc.com. Rethink Creativity by Monica H. Kang Wins Four Best Business Book Finalist Awards in 2022 "Im honored and humbled. These awards and recognitions celebrate why and how important the work of creativity in the workplace and life is." Rethink Creativity: How to Innovate, Inspire, and Thrive at Work by Monica H. Kang was selected to receive four finalist awards for being one of the best business books in 2022. Kang is the Founder & CEO of InnovatorsBox, where her mission is to rethink how we thrive at work through creativity and leadership skills to build an inclusive workplace for all. Rethink Creativity's second edition written by Kang was published by Publish Your Purpose Press in October 2021 and has received numerous recognitions for its intentional storytelling and impactful advice on how to rethink creativity in the workplace. Im honored and humbled, said Kang, author of Rethink Creativity. These awards and recognitions celebrate how important the work of creativity in the workplace and life is. Im humbled by sharing my story, journey, and insights. And I am driven by the opportunity to help one more reader out there who is looking to get unstuck and help them be better leaders as they build better workplaces, cultures, and teams around the world. On June 7, 2022, Rethink Creativity was selected as a finalist at the 16th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards as the best Business: Motivational book published in 2021. The NIEA contest has recognized numerous best independently published books since 2007. On June 3, 2022, out of thousands of entries from authors and publishers around the world, Rethink Creativity was selected as a finalist at The 2022 International Book Awards (IBA) for having the Best Interior Design and Best Business: Management & Leadership book of 2022. This is the 13th Annual International Book Awards by American Book Fest. The 2022 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the world," said Jeffrey Keen, President & CEO of American Book Fest. On May 14, 2022, Rethink Creativity was also selected as a finalist in the Best Nonfiction - Education/Learning category of the Midwest Book Awards, a long-running regional awards program first established in 1989. Finalists for the 32nd annual Midwest Book Awards include nearly 100 titles from 51 independent publishers from a 12-state region, competing for gold medals in 35 fiction and non-fiction categories. The final winners will be announced during a YouTube premiere on June 25 at 7 p.m. central time. On March 1, 2022, Rethink Creativity was selected as a finalist at the 2021 The Wishing Shelf Book Awards for Best Books for Adults (non-fiction) after being evaluated by over 150 readers in London and Stockholm. The books were marked according to editing, theme, style, cover, and in the case of many childrens books, illustrations, according to the Wishing Shelf Awards website. I couldnt be more proud of Monicas accomplishments with this book. Shes really walking the walk and talking the talk with her message around Rethink Creativity. It brings our team at Publish Your Purpose such joy knowing that others believe in her the way we do, said Jenn T. Grace, Founder & CEO of Publish Your Purpose. Kang is also the author of the childrens book Have You Seen My Friends?: The Adventures of Creativity which won the Gold Award for being one of the best childrens books in 2021 by Moms Choice in December 2021. Rethink Creativity: How to Innovate, Inspire and Thrive at Work book and audiobook is available worldwide. Find Rethink Creativity in English or Korean at your local bookstore. Learn more about the book and the author Kang at https://rethinkcreativity.co. If interested in inviting Kang to speak or share her story about the book, reach out to info@innovatorsbox.com. Ristorante Casanova Entrance A place like Casanova could easily be found in New York, Chicago, Boston or LA, but were glad to make El Paso its home. We are proud to bring a little taste of Italy to our hometown, says owner and local entrepreneur, Elma Carreto. Step down into the cozy dining room located at 600 El Paso Street, and find Ristorante Casanova. Recently opened by El Paso business owner and entrepreneur, Elma Carreto and Chef Jesus Martinez, Casanova celebrates a new spin on Italian classics inspired by legendary Italian-American restaurants where service is swift and dishes exquisitely prepared. Casanova's menu features classic cocktails, fresh salads, scratch-made pastas, authentic pizza, and savory entrees by Chef Jesus Martinez. Martinez studied at top-rated restaurants in San Franciscos Little Italy bringing fine Italian food to his home in El Paso. The pasta is made from scratch each day with local ingredients and following generational Italian family recipes. Casanovas signature dishes include veal and beef filled ravioli with green peas, olives and prosciutto; Brasato Al Vino, braised beef short rib with Italian red wine and truffle butter; The Casanova pizza is handcrafted with fresh mozzarella, full circle mushrooms, baked to perfection and drizzled with truffle oil. All of my dishes are made right here in-house even the pasta is made fresh daily. Weve really taken our time to source both the best local and authentic Italian ingredients. Our guests immediately taste the difference in the cuisine, explains Chef Martinez. The vibe of Casanova is Italian loud. It is lively and spirited and reminiscent of big family dinners. Servers work together acting more like cousins helping with Sunday dinner than co-workers waiting tables. The unique service by committee is not only efficient, it also adds to Casanovas charm. The tasteful decor acts as the perfect backdrop allowing the rich, red and white table coverings to serve as a nod to old-school, Italian traditions. A place like Casanova could easily be found in New York, Chicago, Boston or LA, but were glad to make El Paso its home. We are proud to bring a little taste of Italy to our hometown, says owner and local entrepreneur, Elma Carreto. Ristorante Casanova serves dinner seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. It features live music Wednesday through Friday and a sister rooftop bar, Terrazzo. For more information, call 915-532-8733 or visit links to Facebook and Instagram. RIT Professor Barbara Lohse provides free resources on healthy nutrition and well-being through the Nutrition Education and Engineering Designs (NEEDS) Center. Credit: A. Sue Weisler/RIT A Rochester Institute of Technology nutrition researcher hopes to reach 10,000 New Yorkers with free resources promoting healthy nutrition and lifestyle tools that have been tested and shown to be effective. Barbara Lohse, head of RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, designed the About Eating program for people with limited resources and made it available on the Nutrition Education Engineering and Designs (NEEDS) Center website. Now, through a $194,000 grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Lohse is able to disseminate her nutrition education and healthy lifestyle tools across the state and target underserved communities, including Spanish-speaking New Yorkers. Mother Cabrini is one of the largest foundations in New York that provides funding for health care and training and resources for people living on a low income. Lohse will use the funding to make About Eating available to New York states 10 fiscal regions and the people they serve. We are going to do a marketing stratification in whatever way works for each fiscal regionsocial media, email, newsletter, listening sessions, or brochures, Lohse said. Our hope is that we will get a 1,000 people in each fiscal region to at least click on the link to start the website. Our goal is to reach 10,000 people. About Eating covers topics including cooking, weight acceptance, hunger and satiety, exercise, and healthy lifestyle with lessons that can be completed in any order and multiple times. Participants can choose when to take questionnaires embedded within each module to measure learning success. One persons experience with the program can be very different than another persons based on their interests, Lohse said. The healthy lifestyle information will be translated into Spanish by the Ibero American Action League. We will do qualitative interviews with Spanish-speaking New Yorkers to see what they think about the program and the translation, Lohse said. About Eating is available to anyone on the NEEDS Center website, a free community resource offered by RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, and was developed and tested with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. The digital program grew from a multi-state study that focused on promoting healthy eating to college students. Lohse, a researcher on the grant, revised the website content for the underserved population she worked with in Pennsylvania through SNAP-Ed, the educational arm of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called Food Stamps, and added a module on exercise. A randomized controlled study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior in 2015 found that participants improved in their ability to make food budgets, use nutrition labels, and plan healthy meals. Building on the program, Lohse added a sixth section on body weight and size called About My Size. Now, About Eating is included in introductory nutrition classes in RITs Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition. Lohse teaches a graduate class called Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health and Well-being, Dissemination science, she said, refers to the timely connection of programs that are backed by science with organizations and people that need them. Her work in disseminating About Eating to New Yorkers will enrich her class discussions. Its real-life material that Ill be able to bring back to the classroom, Lohse said. The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation is not only helping New Yorkers, its helping in the way RIT can educate students, who may ultimately end up helping New Yorkers when they enter the workforce. Our familys mission aligns with Whole Foods vision to offer customers healthy, wholesome products. - Tony Brusco, Co-Owner, CEO, South Mountain Creamery South Mountain Creamerys certified-organic product line, Trickling Springs Organic, is now available at Whole Foods stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Customers will be able to purchase Trickling Springs Organic milk, heavy cream, and half and half. Its so exciting to see our products on the shelves at Whole Foods, said Tony Brusco, Co-Owner, CEO, South Mountain Creamery. Our familys mission aligns with Whole Foods vision to offer customers healthy, wholesome products. Trickling Springs Organic works in partnership with Pennsylvania organic, family-owned farms to create their fresh milk line. Each farmer is carefully selected based on their commitment to high-quality organic standards, as well as their passion and knowledge for sustainable farming. In addition, all Trickling Springs Organic milk products come from grass-fed cows and are certified non-GMO. The close relationships with partner farmers also allows Trickling Springs to maintain a short and reliable supply chain, even in times of social or economic uncertainty. Trickling Springs Organic milk is bottled in reusable glass packaging. When customers have finished their milk, they can return the emptied, cleaned bottles to Whole Foods for a refund of a bottle deposit. Glass bottles are not only sustainable, but preserve the freshness of the milk without additives. Whole Foods is a nation-wide grocery store that, seek[s] out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture. Trickling Springs Organic shares these same values, putting quality, the environment, and their farm animals first. For more information about South Mountain Creamery and Trickling Springs Organic, visit https://southmountaincreamery.com/products/organic-milk/. South Mountain Creamery is Marylands first on-the-farm dairy processing plant starting operation in 2001. They own and farm roughly 3,000 acres in Frederick County where they milk around 600 dairy cows including Holstein and Jersey breeds. The main farm milks the cows 50 feet from the processing plant where the milk is minimally processed and bottled or made into ice cream, yogurt, and butter. Milk can be in glass bottles ready for customers 12 hours after coming from the milking parlor. South Mountain Creamery welcomes the public to see their operation first hand with an open milking parlor and tours around the farm. This is an exciting time for the local dairy as it comes alongside more new ventures. South Mountain Creamery, though expanding, remains loyal to its mission of providing locally and sustainably sourced food to the community. The second generation, Tony & Abby (Sowers) Brusco and Ben & Kate Sowers, now own and run the operation, although you can often find three generations at work on the farm. Ben and Kate Sowers were also one of four couples in the country to be named National Outstanding Young Farmers for 2019. South Mountain Creamery provides a home delivery service consisting of an online farmers market that delivers to nearly 10,000 customers in a 35,000 square mile area stretching most of Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia, and parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. You can also find South Mountain Creamery products in over 800 stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Growing Up Where the Ways Crossed: a grateful and humorous reflection on life. Growing Up Where the Ways Crossed is the creation of published author William L. Bullard, a loving husband, father, and grandfather who received a Bachelor of Science degree in pastoral theology from a midwestern Bible college. He has been active in ministry-related endeavors for forty-five years, serving as youth director, youth conference speaker, assistant pastor, Christian college vice president, as well as senior pastor. Bullard shares, Growing Up Where the Ways Crossed is about a boy and his unique childhood in Waycross, Georgia. William (Larry) Bullard relates how it was in the day, with humor and honesty. Living in ten houses in twelve years gave him an uncommon view of life in the small Southern city, complete with experiences on both sides of the tracks! Larry celebrates the simple life given to him in Waycross during the fifties, sixties, and early seventies. He delights in detailing his memories of grade school adventures, high school exploits, and the life lessons he gained from each. He shares the challenges he faced, the mistakes he made, and the regrets he has while honoring those many people who lent a hand in helping to shape his future. As he investigated the origins of his hometown, Waycross, he was gratified to realize that one of its early travelers so named it because of the many churches established there, thus proclaiming the way of the cross! In Growing Up Where the Ways Crossed, Larry relates how the cross has had an impact upon his life and the many journeys he has had the opportunity to take as a result. This book is a collection of memoires of a boy living in simple, uncomplicated timestimes many of us often wish we could revisit! Published by Christian Faith Publishing, William L. Bullards new book will entertain as readers experience the exploits of a young mans journey to adulthood. Bullards story takes readers back to simpler days of faith, family, and the growing pains of young adulthood. Consumers can purchaseGrowing Up Where the Ways Crossed at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Growing Up Where the Ways Crossed, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Starting next April 1, Penguin Random House Publisher Services will take over sales and distribution of the adult and childrens print books published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. PRHPS will handle distribution to all mass, trade and independent bookselling channels. The agreement also will see PRHPS take on distribution of the Disney-owned Marvel Publishings collected editions and graphic novels to trade bookstores and wholesalers. Previously, PRH had assumed distribution for Marvels titles to comic shops. Disney is the largest publisher not to have its own distribution operation. According to NPD BookScan, the companys share of unit sales of print books was 1.7% through May 28, placing Disney only behind the Big 5 and Scholastic in terms of market share. Disney and Marvel are currently distributed by Hachette Book Group, and have helped drive sales for HBGs distribution business. In describing HBGs first quarter sales increase, CEO Michael Pietsch said one reason for the gain was its thriving third-party distribution business. Disney Publishing publishes books for core Disney franchises, including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, 20th Century Studios, Andscape, and National Geographic, and publishes original books from a range of authors. Tonya Agurto, Disney Publishing Worldwides senior v-p and publisher, said the move to PRHPS will help grow its publishing business, taking it to new heights. PRH has continued to aggressively grow its distribution operation, and currently has more than 50 clients. According to parent company Bertelsmann, distribution accounted for 3.2% of PRHs worldwide revenue of 4.0 billion in sales (roughly 125 million) in 2021. The Hebrew Bibles Book of Proverbs, sandwiched between the Psalms and Job, elucidates moral values and proper conduct for a life of wisdom and justice. Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, author of The Book of Proverbs: A Social Justice Commentary (CCAR Press, June), says this ancient bookwritten by multiple authors with scant mention of God, philosophy, theology, miracles, or revelationsis actually a guidebook for righteous living now. True wisdom is timeless and, he writes, Jewish wisdom instructs that the path to the Divine is through ethics, through human relationships, through a dialogue with the world. Yanklowitz has written more than 20 books on Jewish ethics in society, medicine (including his experience donating a kidney), family life, adoption and foster care, and animal welfare. In this book, the rabbi writes, "our sense of justice is a gift from God" and that social justice requires each person to choose, as it says in proverb 2:9-10, "what is right, just and equitable." Rafael Chaiken, director of the Reform Jewish publishing house, said it was extraordinary for them to publish an Orthodox rabbi such as Yanklowitz. But, Chaiken tells PW, We felt that a new look at Proverbs with a progressive approach was long overdue. PW talks with Yanklowitz about the purpose of proverbs in our time. Why is reading Proverbs so urgent today that you include the full Torah text in Hebrew and English along with your commentary? I want people to find the nuances in the language. Our two greatest dangers today are fundamentalism on the one hand, where some feel they have absolute truth, and relativism on the other, where people think there is no absolute truth. My hope is that this book can push us toward moral wisdom that precludes polarization and that reminds us that the most sustainable change we can make in the world is to be spiritually rooted in ourselves. You write that the original Proverbs is spiritual but not religious. How so? Some people are compelled by the ethical dimension of Judaism but not by the religious dimension. For others, its the opposite. Whats so remarkable about Proverbs is that really the entire book avoids the questions of ritual and of piety, favoring wisdom and favoring moral wisdom as the highest of all. It is a remarkable book for those who want to feel deeply connected to Jewish ethics but feel a barrier with religion. In the books dedication, you urge your four children to follow Proverb 31:9 Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy. Why this proverb? I believe the goal of religious life is to move us towards a life of commitment and service to those most marginalized and suffering. A measure of success in our holy days, our rituals, and our prayer experiences is whether they are morally transformative. For example, we should consider whether Passover (celebrating freedom from bondage) propels us to work for liberation for all. Whats the most challenging proverb? Proverb 9:8 (Reprove the wise, and they will love you.), is the hardest proverb to tackle because it calls on us to rebuke and to be rebuked, to point out hard truths in each other. Thats very difficult because the modern person has relatively low self-esteem and needs constant reinforcement. They feel powerless and valueless in a broad world. So, this conceptthat we should want to be challenged and broken down is really a countercultural challenge. Do you have a favorite proverb? Yes, the last one, about a woman of valor (31:10), celebrating a virtuous woman who can do it all. It says, Her mouth opens with wisdom and the Torah (teaching) of kindness is on her tongue. In an era when speech is so undervalued and used to tear down others, we have to think of our writing and speaking as ways to rebuild the world. Our words are the greatest power we have in the world. You wrote, The way we walk in the world is as important as the direction in which we are walking. You conclude by prompting us to write our own proverbs. Whats your goal? We should think about the moral legacy we wish to leave in the world. More importantly, the proverb we write should be a guide light on a daily level, so we remind ourselves to live by these values and embrace spiritual practices that commit us to these values. We should choose something that might be kind of uncomfortable because it will push us beyond where we are now. The number of books about the End Timesthe rapture, Armageddon, and other doomsday events foretold in the biblical books of Revelation, Ezekiel, and Danielare on the rise. Following the pandemic and amid escalating global tensions as well as environmental concerns, Christian publishers say they are acquiring more books now than in years past on how to live faithfully in the present and properly prepare for End Times events. We are looking for books that not only try to decipher what the Bible is describing, but also how we live now, says Kim Bangs, editorial director at Chosen Books, an imprint of Baker Publishing. Bangs attributes a greater interest in the End Times to social media, where crises happening around the world are shared. When you see in real time what the Bible says will happen in the End Times, you start to pay attention and ask questions, she says. We seem to be closer to the end than ever before. Chosens recent release, Prophetic Forecast by Joshua Giles, a popular conference speaker and lead pastor of Kingdom Embassy Worship Center in Minneapolis, Minn., talks about life events and what to do about them, and includes a message of hope, according to Bangs. Titles in the Christian prophecy category often top bestsellers lists. For example, Harvest Prophecys Revealing Revelation: How Gods Plans for the Future Can Change Your Life Now by Amir Tsarfati debuted at #2 on PWs Trade Paper list for May. (The accompanying workbook debuted at #7 on the same list.) An imprint of Harvest House launched in April 2021, Harvest Prophecy aims to publish nine books a year. Speaking to PW as group, the Harvest Prophecy team of three editors say they have seen a strong surge of interest because there is so much happening in todays world that parallels End-Times signs given in the Bible. The imprint also launched a website, harvestprophecyhq, less than a year ago to meet a growing demand for content related to biblical prophecy. One of our goals for the website is to demystify Bible prophecy and make it accessible, the team says. To do that, we post blogs weekly on a variety of topics related to Bible prophecy, provide answers to frequently asked questions, and promote biblically-sound resources. Harvest Prophecys Prophecy Pros podcast was launched two years ago and now has over 430,000 downloads. The team sees End Times books meeting Christian readers need for assurance that Gods plans for the future remain on track. We can be filled with hope because Gods promises about Christs return, heaven and eternity will come to pass, they say. Bible prophecy proclaims that a glorious future lies ahead. Forthcoming titles from Harvest Prophecy include The Chronological Guide to Bible Prophecy: An Illustrated Panorama from Genesis to Revelation by animation producer and prophecy expert Todd Hampson (Oct.) and an updated edition of 2014s As it Was in the Days of Noah: Warnings from Bible Prophecy About the Coming Global Storm by Jeff Kinley (Nov.), speaker and founder of Main Thing Ministries and The Vintage Truth podcaster. At W Publishing, We are purposeful about publishing timely releases which raise awareness of what the Bible says about the End Times so believers will have hope and guidance during what can feel like tumultuous times, says Damon Reiss, v-p and publisher. He points to Ws long-time relationship with Dr. David Jeremiah and his Turning Point ministry as a valuable asset in the prophecy genre. W is publishing two new books by the prolific author this year: After the Rapture: An End Times Guide to Survival (released on June 7), and The World of the End: Jesus Final Warnings about Earths Final Days, slated for publication in October. Additional End Times books from W Publishing include The 50 Final Events in World History: The Bibles Last Words on Earths Final Days by Robert J. Morgan (out now), an overview of the book of Revelation and guide to interpreting current events, and Global Reset: Do Current Events Point to the Antichrist and His Worldwide Empire? by Mark Hitchcock and Jeff Kinley, which offers "answers to the questions everyone should be asking about current world events and how they may be ushering in Christs return," according to the publisher. Books on the End Times from other publishers include: Armed for Victory: Prayer Strategies That Unlock the End-Time Armory of God by Alan DiDio (Destiny Image, July 19). Pastor and podcaster Didio offers spiritual warfare tactics to equip End-Time believers for victory to come. Bible Prophecy Handbook: A 90-Day Guide to the End Times by Carol Smith (Barbour, Aug. 1). A reissue of Smiths review of passages from Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation that unveils what the Bible says about the future. Upside-Down Apocalypse: Grounding Revelation in the Gospel of Peace by Jeremy Duncan (Herald, July 5). Duncan draws on nonviolent theology to guide readers through the book of Revelation to a nonviolent triumph in the End Times. Empty Nesters Take Heart Tom Dean of A Drop of Ink sold world rights to Rob Teigen, v-p of publishing at Christian Art Gifts, for the tentatively titled 366 Devotions for the Empty Nester by Terri DeBoer, a television meteorologist in West Michigan and the author of Brighter Skies Ahead (Morgan James). The devotional offers a years worth of readings that feature Bible wisdom and personal stories intended to encourage those facing an empty nest. The book is slated for publication in fall 2023. Broadleafs Just Investment Broadleafs senior editor Adrienne Ingrum bought world rights from Regina Brooks at Serendipity Literary Agency to Social Justice Investing: Making Your Finances Match Your Personal Values by Andrea Longton. The author is a CFA and senior v-p at Opportunity Finance Network, where she leads efforts to in direct investments toward social justice objectives. Written for readers who want to use their investment resourcesincluding IRAs, Roths, SEPs, 401k and 403b accountsfor social justice, Social Justice Investing explains how to apply a social justice lens to personal finance decisions, including purchasing stocks. Doing so, Longton writes, can promote economic inclusion. The book is scheduled for publication in spring 2024. We are grateful to our public agencies and community partners who are providing resources, relief and hope in times of disaster, stated Riverside County 4th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez on June 7. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/07/2022 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. couple Loren Goldstone and Alexei Brovarnik have revealed they are "done" with babies once they welcome their third child.Loren, who is currently pregnant with Baby No. 3 due in Fall 2022, admitted she and Alexei won't be expanding their family any further."We don't know the gender. We're not finding out. Because this is the last one. We're done. I'm done," Loren, 33, recently told In Touch Weekly.Loren and Alexei both said they're feeling "scared" about having three children all under the age of three. They are already parents of son Shai, 2, and son Asher, 22 months.Alexei said he and his wife "definitely" plan to move "out of Miami" and they have "a few" potential locations in mind."We'll review soon," Alexei said, before teasing Season 2 of Loren and Alexei: After the 90 Days.Loren revealed she's expecting her third child in early May, just nine months after she welcomed Asher into the world."Happy Early Mother's Day. We are so excited to finally say that baby #3 is on its way," Loren captioned two photos on Instagram at the time.One of the photos featured Loren, Alexei and their two toddlers, and the other image was a standalone of Loren showing off her growing baby bump in a green crop top and blue unbuttoned jeans."We are going to wait to see if it's a girl or a boy, either way we are so overjoyed!" Loren revealed in the post."Life will be crazy with 3 under 3, but we can't wait to meet you this fall, BabyB! #teambrovarnik #babyb #boyorgirl #lorenandalexeiafterthe90days."Loren gave birth to her first child , Shai, on April 14, 2020, just five months before their five-year wedding anniversary.And Loren, who announced she was expecting her second baby in March 2021, gave birth to her second son on August 16, 2021.The pair therefore had back-to-back kids amid the coronavirus pandemic, and Loren previously acknowledged she was already thinking about having a third child shortly after bring Asher home from the hospital.Loren told Us in January 2022 that she hoped to have another baby and then focus on herself and undergo a "head to toe" transformation after that."I want to have a mommy makeover done within the next few years," Loren said at the time. "So time's ticking [on having another baby]."When asked what her makeover will consist of, Loren shared, "We're going to tuck [my chin] in and get [my breasts] out and we're going to tighten [my stomach and waist]. A little bit [of work on my arms].""I think it's crazy!" Alexei chimed in with a smile."Everything!" Loren insisted. "Nothing crazy. If I'm under [anesthesia], I'm under, so just do it!"But Alexei asked his wife to leave her face, including her nose and mouth, alone. Loren agreed and said she isn't interested in a facelift or anything like that.Loren admitted she "one million percent" feels pressure to bounce back, physically, after having children."I will say that's the downfall about sharing your postpartum journey on social media," Loren said. "But there's also a positive to it because not everybody bounces back like some people and that's okay.""I want to show people that women go through these life changes," Loren continued, "and you grow a human inside of you, so it takes time to let your body heal. And I actually loved sharing that journey with people."Alexei shared in January how Loren has always wanted a girl and they'd like to try for a girl. But Loren apparently changed her mind and came around to the idea of having three boys.Loren therefore joked they'll probably end up with twin girls, "knowing [her] luck."Season 1 of Loren & Alexei: After the 90 Days premiered in January on TLC, and the show's second season will air later this year The series featured a pregnant Loren expecting the couple's second child.She and Alexei took a last-minute trip to Israel for Alexei, attended mommy-and-me classes, and enjoyed babymoons. And viewers also witnessed a scary trip to the NICU.After Asher was born, he spent a little time in the NICU before Loren and Alexei were able to take him home.The show then documented the couple bringing their newborn home and embarking on a life of raising two children under the age of two.Loren from Hollywood Beach, FL, and Alexei from Nazareth Illit, Israel, initially appeared on Season 3 of followed by the first two seasons of : Happily Ever After?.After meeting on Loren's birthright trip to Israel, she visited Alexei five times in one year before he popped the question.Alexei said he applied for a Tourist Visa twice but got denied and so the couple decided to apply for a K-1 visa instead.Once Alexei got approved for the K-1 visa and traveled to America, the couple had to overcome some challenges, such as Loren having strippers at her bachelorette party, but they still got married during his 90-day visit in September 2015.Alexei and Loren, who took Alexei's last name of Brovarnik, also subsequently had a second ceremony in Israel in July 2016 so both of their families could celebrate and witness their union.It didn't take long for Loren to get baby fever after getting married.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Foo Fighters will honor late bandmate Taylor Hawkins with a pair of tribute concerts. ADVERTISEMENT The rock band will pay tribute to Hawkins, who died at age 50 in March, at the shows in September. Foo Fighters will perform Sept. 3 at Wembley Stadium in London and Sept. 27 at Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale June 17. "For our dear friend, our badass bandmate, our beloved brother... Foo Fighters and The Hawkins family bring you the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts," the band wrote on Instagram. The concerts will celebrate "the life, music and love" of Hawkins, who died March 25 while the Foo Fighters were on tour in Columbia. Hawkins' cause of death has not been announced. The Foo Fighters and a lineup of yet-to-be announced artists will perform the songs Hawkins "fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life," according to a press release. Foo Fighters canceled the remainder of their tour following Hawkins' death. The band most recently released the album Medicine at Midnight in February 2021. Reality television stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty Tuesday in Atlanta on federal charges including bank fraud and tax evasion. ADVERTISEMENT The celebrity couple was initially indicted in August 2019, and a new indictment was filed in February. Their trial started three weeks ago, and a federal jury found them guilty of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. The Chrisleys also were convicted of conspiring to defraud the IRS and tax evasion, and Julie Chrisley was found guilty of wire fraud and obstruction of justice. In addition, the pair's former attorney, Peter Tarantino, was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and willfully filing false tax returns. "As today's outcome shows, when you lie, cheat and steal, justice is blind as to your fame, your fortune, and your position," Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. "In the end, when driven by greed, the verdict of guilty on all counts for these three defendants proves once again that financial crimes do not pay." Federal prosecutors accused the Chrisleys -- who found fame in 2013 when USA Network picked up their reality series Chrisley Knows Best -- of manipulating financial records to make it appear as if they were wealthier when applying for more than $30 million in loans from 2007-12. Todd Chrisley then filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and walked away from $20 million in debt. Shortly after, the Chrisleys, with the help of Tarantino, used a production company they controlled to hide money they made from the reality show, according to prosecutors, keeping the IRS from collecting unpaid taxes. Prosecutors said Julie Chrisley also submitted a falsified credit report and fraudulent bank statements when attempting to rent a house in California. 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! Sentencing for all three is set for Oct. 6. The Chrisleys face up to 30 years in prison. BRATTLEBORO Plans are being explored to recognize people of color and others who served in the Civil War and are not counted on a monument on the Common. "I hope it becomes an opportunity Students at NewBrook Elementary School, in Newfane, Vt., learn about where their food comes from during their Community Farm and Field Day on Friday, June 10, 2022. The award winners: Kaiya Kirk was presented with the "Young Woman in Leadership" award, Carolyn Blitz won a "Lifetime Achievement Award," and Susan Plaisance, of the Bennington Banner and Manchester Journal, was named "Woman of the Year" at the summit. "I've been noticing the town is in steep decline for at least five years and in the last year, it's gotten much worse." Evan James, owner of Evan James Ltd. Diamond Jewelers & Goldsmiths Quote Vermont has a record-high number of jobs that are vacant, thousands of more jobs than can be filled. In fact, there are more than 26,000 avail This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) As he prepares for a daunting reelection fight in the sprawling New Jersey suburbs, Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski points to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and argues that Republican control of Congress could fuel further extremism in politics. In Malinowski's telling, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., his GOP opponent, is a coward for declining to say publicly whether he agrees with the Republican National Committee's description of the violence at the Capitol as legitimate political discourse. That will certainly be a theme, he said of the campaign. Two hundred miles to the south, another endangered Democrat, Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, says voters regularly approach her about the Capitol violence. But she isn't sure that it will be a major theme in her campaign ads this fall. Who knows? At this point is it in the plan? No, Spanberger said, adding that she's focusing on the economy. With Democrats defending narrow majorities in Congress, the divergent paths reflect a challenge facing the party as the House committee investigating the insurrection begins prime-time public hearings on Thursday. Some lawmakers and fresh candidates view this as an invaluable moment to refocus the public's attention on the violence that day and what they consider persistent threats to democracy. But polling shows U.S. adults are more interested in personal issues like surging grocery and gas prices. Last year's governor's race in Virginia could serve as a warning sign for Democrats eager to tie their Republican opponents to the attack on the Capitol. Democrat Terry McAuliffe's messages to voters often incorporated former President Donald Trump and his role in sparking the insurrection. He ran television ads featuring grainy images of the Capitol assault accompanied by video of Virginia Republicans pledging allegiance to a flag carried at the attack. Yet in a state that President Joe Biden carried by 10 percentage points, McAuliffe lost by 2 points. Former McAuliffe campaign aide Christina Freundlich insists the Jan. 6 focus was an important piece of the Trump puzzle that helped energize Democrats, particularly in a state just across the Potomac River from the Capitol. But she questioned whether Democrats in other states should rely on the strategy. Frankly, I dont know how effective thats going to be somewhere else, Freundlich said. Despite such concerns, some Democrats and their allies plan to go forward with an election-year message highlighting the insurrection. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is considering spending money on advertising this fall specifically targeting Republicans who participated in the siege, declined to condemn it or promoted Trump's lies about widespread voter fraud costing him the election. Guy Cecil, chair of Priorities USA, a Democratic super PAC that has committed over $50 million, including digital ads in battleground states focused on Jan. 6, said it was a false choice to suggest the party had to pick between addressing economic concerns and highlighting what happened that day as part of a broader threat to democracy. It's useful in terms of raising the stakes of the election and it's also important for us to do it because this is the current and future Republican Party," he said when asked about the hearings during a briefing call with reporters Tuesday. What happened on Jan. 6 and the ongoing efforts to minimize it to in some cases defend it is part of, I think an extreme agenda on the part of the party." More than two dozen Republicans now running for state or federal office took part in Washington protests that day as Trumps supporters violently stormed the Capitol, trying to halt the transition of power. Some have faced charges. More assisted in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election at home. Still others, such as the top Republicans in the June 21 primary in Spanberger's district, have declared the violent episode was not an insurrection, though the event met the definition of that term. Federal and state election officials and Trumps own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election results were tainted. The former presidents allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed. Still, some Republicans who are tied to such efforts are winning major statewide Republican primaries. They include Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvanias GOP nominee for governor, who was seen outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, spent thousands of dollars of campaign cash on charter buses ahead of the event, and was in regular communication with Trump as the then-president sought to deny Biden's victory. If Mastriano wins in November, he would be in position to name the official who would oversee elections in the critical swing state. For their part, Republicans say they are skeptical that the insurrection or the TV hearings will alter the political dynamics. Despite some concern that Mastriano may be too far outside the party's mainstream, there's been no sustained GOP effort to distance from him after his primary victory last month. In New Jersey, Kean's campaign manager, Dan Scharfenberger, said Malinowski's coward comment distracts from day-to-day economic concerns, including that gas prices have doubled and seniors can't afford their groceries. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who chairs the House Republican campaign committee, dismissed the Jan. 6 panel as a partisan witch hunt orchestrated by Nancy Pelosi. And Calvin Moore, the communications director for the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC dedicated to electing Republicans in the House, said, Theres way less awareness and concern among voters than there is inside the Beltway. Sarah Longwell, a Republican strategist who has conducted dozens of focus groups since the attack, agreed that Jan. 6 is currently a low salience issue. It's not the thing people bring up when you ask open-ended questions about how things are going in the country." But she also said the hearings offer Democrats an opportunity to change that if they can paint a broader picture of Republicans as too extreme on issues ranging from guns to abortion rights. That could be particularly helpful in states such as Arizona, where leading Republican candidates played key roles in trying to overturn Biden's victory. She pointed to 2010, when Republicans like Delaware Senate candidate Christine ODonnell lost general elections in what was otherwise a banner year for the GOP. Will Democrats figure out how to prosecute a case against Republicans on extremism and will these hearing raise the salience as a reminder of that extremism?" she said. I do think the hearings have the potential to shift the conversation, but it has to be part of a broader effort to define the Republican Party as extremists." She added: "Jan. 6 can be part of a case you prosecute against Republicans, but you have to choose to prosecute it. It can't prosecute itself." ___ Associated Press writer Steve Peoples contributed to this report. __ For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) In a year when Democrats across the country have been bracing for a mid-term backlash at the polls, voters in California delivered decisive victories for the party during Tuesdays primary, led by Gov. Gavin Newsom crushing a field of 25 other candidates less than a year after voters tried to recall him from office. Newsom got about 59% of the votes and has more than $23 million in the bank for a November general election against Brian Dahle, a largely anonymous state senator from the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state. Dahle, best known for his quest to get a giant new reservoir built in Northern California, had about 15% of the votes and finished second. In California's primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election. Dahle now has five months and just $400,000 in campaign funds to introduce himself to voters in some of the most expensive media markets in the country. His first task will be to raise the money necessary to compete with Newsom statewide. It won't be easy. Many Republican donors will be loathe to back a longshot candidate when they instead might invest in a handful of congressional races in the state that could determine control of the U.S. House. Jessica Levinson, a political commentator and election law professor at Loyola Marymount University, was blunt in her assessment of Dahle's chances: The proverbial snowball has a better chance in hell, she said. There is basically nothing to do to change the dynamics of this race, Levinson said. Dahle doesnt see it that way, telling The Associated Press: I believe I can win this race. One of his primary issues will be Californias nation-leading gas prices, which hit a record $6.37 per gallon on Tuesday. Dahle has demanded Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders temporarily suspend the states gas tax, which at 51.1 cents per gallon is the second-highest in the country. Newsom has rejected the idea. Hes an elitist Democrat who doesnt live in the same world everybody else does, Dahle said of Newsom. Hes just not focused on the pain I hear form my constituents every day. Newsom has proposed using a portion of the states nearly $100 billion budget surplus to send checks of up to $800 to people who own cars, plus another $750 million to give people free rides on public transit for three months. Newsom will run on a progressive agenda that includes stricter gun laws and enhanced abortion services. With the U.S. Supreme Court likely to overturn Roe v. Wade, Newsom has vowed to make California a sanctuary for women seeking abortions from other states where the procedure could be outlawed or severely restricted. Hes also pushed for a new law that would let people sue gun makers and sellers to enforce a ban on some assault weapons much like Texas does to enforce its ban on most abortions. Across the country Republicans are attacking our fundamental rights as Americans. Destroying democracy, stripping a woman of the right to choose, and standing idly by as gun violence claims too many lives, Newsom said in a statement released after his primary victory. California is the antidote to their cynicism -- leading with compassion, common-sense and science. Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1 in California and hold every statewide office and have huge majorities in the Legislature and congressional delegation. California hasnt had a Republican U.S. senator since 1992 a trend that will likely continue as Democratic incumbent Alex Padilla finished far ahead of his Republican primary challengers. Padilla was appointed to the Senate by Newsom last year after Kamala Harris resigned her seat to become vice president. Padilla was on the primary ballot twice once to complete the final few months of Harris term and another in a race for a full six-year term that begins in January. Padilla had about 55% of the votes in each race, far outpacing the second-place finisher, Republican attorney Mark Meuser, an attorney whose work with the right-leaning Dhillon Law Group has included 22 lawsuits against Newsom claiming he overstepped his authority in imposing coronavirus restrictions. Dahle blames many of the states problems on decades of Democratic dominance in state government. Dahle has served in the Legislature for a decade and also still operates a family farm in Bieber, a community of 145 people about an hours drive from Lassen Volcanic National Park. A signature issue for him in the Legislature has been trying to build a new reservoir in Colusa County a project he said would help the state survive droughts but has drawn the ire of environmental groups who say the project would pull too much water out of the states rivers and streams. Were going to be focused on (Newsoms) record, Dahle said. We have the highest gas prices, we have the highest electricity prices, we have water infrastructure that hasnt been built just tell me one thing thats working in California. Just one year ago, it looked as if Newsom could be on his way out as more than 1.7 million voters signed a petition to recall him from office. Dozens lined up to challenge him in the 2021 recall election, eager to take down the Democratic governor of the nations most populous state ahead of the 2022 midterms. Instead, Newsom defeated the recall in such a decisive way that none of the major contenders from last year filed to challenge him for reelection this year. I think this allows Newsom to run a national campaign in California knowing hes going to win, Levinson said. While claiming the thought has never entered his mind to run for the presidency, he can basically run a national campaign talking about the big issues and try it on for size. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Rare normalcy returned to jury selection for Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz's penalty trial Tuesday, one day after his public defenders threatened to withdraw over the judge's insistence that they proceed without a key member who had COVID-19. Potential jurors were asked their thoughts about the death penalty and whether they could be fair to Cruz and the prosecution, exactly as planned frequently not the case so far in this trial. All five members of his defense team were present, including Casey Secor, a South Carolina death penalty specialist whose absence Monday because of illness set off long and heated arguments between Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer and Melisa McNeill, his lead attorney. Those included a threat by McNeill that her team would not participate if Scherer proceeded without Secor present, a warning by Scherer for McNeill to consult the Florida Bar about what sanctions she would face if that happened and a motion by McNeill for Scherer to remove herself from the case, saying the judge is biased against Cruz. Scherer rejected that motion. Still undecided is a motion by the defense to delay the trial because of the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 21 dead. McNeill's team argues that the shooting has again raised emotions in Broward County and makes it impossible for him to get a fair trial currently. Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to murdering 17 at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018. The 12 jurors and eight alternates eventually selected will decide whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole. Monday's fighting was just the latest in a series of conflicts and oddities that have plagued jury selection and turned it into a slog since it began two months ago. One day, the sheriff's deputies who guard the courtroom thought some potential jurors were about to attack Cruz and pulled him to safety as they quickly removed the threatening panelists. On another, Scherer had to dismiss a group of potential jurors because one wore a T-shirt referencing the shooting that supported the victims and survivors. Selection was also delayed two weeks when McNeill contracted COVID-19. When jury selection began April 4, it was expected to take about a month but it is now apparent it won't be completed before early July, at best. It is being conducted in three phases. In Phase 1, 1,800 potential jurors were simply asked if they could serve for a four-month trial. That pared the pool to 400. Now in Phase 2, the potential jurors are being brought back in groups of about 10, two to four per day, to be asked if they could vote for either possible verdict, death or life, based solely on the evidence presented. Those who say they have already decided Cruz should die or are opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances are dismissed. Of about 165 screened so far, 50 have been moved to Phase 3. Scherer wants a pool of 150 for that process. Whenever that phase starts, the jurors will be asked more specific and personal questions. Each side can then try to convince Scherer that certain candidates are biased against their side and ask her to dismiss them. They will each also have at least 10 peremptory challenges where they can dismiss a potential juror for any reason except race or gender. When a jury is finally seated, they will have to decide whether the aggravating factors such as Cruz's multiple victims, his planning, the terror he created and the cruelty he showed outweigh such mitigating circumstances as his long history of mental and emotional problems, his possible sexual abuse and the death of his parents. For him to get death, the jurors must unanimously agree. If one or more vote for life, that will be his sentence. Two minor political parties are potential kingmakers in the 2022 race for governor. Thats why Republican Bob Stefanowski invited a few dozen members of the Independent Party of Connecticut to a downtown Hartford restaurant for a meet-and-greet lunch last weekend. John Fahan, treasurer of the party, and Robert Hotaling, a candidate for the Independent nomination for governor, crashed the event for the same reason. And the Griebel-Frank for CT Party, put together in 2018 for Oz Griebels unaffiliated run for governor, which collected 54,741 votes for the former banker and business leader who died after being hit by a car while jogging in 2020 will interview hopefuls for either cross-endorsements or direct candidacy as the spring turns into summer and the fall election gets closer. Stefanowski, the former corporate executive from Madison seeking his first elective office, won the Independent cross-endorsement in the party caucus of 2018, with 43 of 64 votes cast. The extra ballot line was worth 25,388 votes to him on election day. At the time, the party was torn between two factions, one based in Danbury and another in Waterbury whose chairman, Michael Telesca, remains in that position. In early 2019, shortly after Gov. Ned Lamont took office following his 44,372-vote victory over Stefanowski including 17,861 votes from the Working Families Party ballot line, the state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Waterbury group. After hearing about the upcoming by-invitation lunch for about 30 Independent members, Fahan and Hotaling told Stefanowski their intentions to attend what turned out to be a cordial affair. I made it very clear to Bob Stefanowski and his campaign that I do not support him, Fahan said in a phone interview. I support Rob Hotaling. Its a free country and anyone can go for the nomination. But Im working to get Rob the nomination. This is about offering the public a choice, having three candidates, not just two. Hotaling said that a miscue in scheduling a public notice of an Independent Party caucus on bylaws has pushed back the selection of a candidate for later in the summer, but Stefanowski had scheduled his event for around that time. Although he hadt been directly invited, Stefanowski agreed to include him and Fahan on the guest list of about 30 people. Either way hell be on-stage in the fall, Hotaling, a 44-year-old Cheshire banker, said in an interview. We are the two leading candidates for the nomination. What is good for democracy is civil engagement, transparency and integrity. My understanding is the Independent nomination is very critical for him to compete with Ned in the fall. I get it, but one of the problems in Connecticut politics is the two-party system. Theres not really much choice for voters. Hotaling said that Stefanowski, who was gracious in greeting he and Fahan at the Peppercorns Grill event, seemed amenable to appearing together in future forum-style gatherings to offer their visions to party members, who Fahan said number around 30,000 statewide. I represent a set of principles including transparency, good government and ranked voting, Hotaling said. Separately, the one item Bob and I agree on is the issue of affordability that, clearly, Ned Lamont is not addressing. I am all for clean energy balanced with nuclear, while Bob doesnt. On abortion, I stand with women, and Bob has some problems there. Stefanowski, in an emailed statement from his campaign Monday night, acknowledged the importance of the possible cross-endorsement. I was happy to have the Independent Party endorsement last election and Im looking forward to participating in the same open process we had last time, Stefanowski said. I have really enjoyed talking with Independent party voters, and we had a great event over the weekend. Its important to continue to provide a forum to talk with voters about whats important to them and work across party lines to get things done. Over at the Griebel-Frank for CT Party, an effort this year to change the name of the organization to the Serve America Movement alliance was rejected by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, but leaders of the party including the 2018 candidate for lieutenant governor, Monte Frank, said Monday that with the high-profile third line on the ballot, the party will also be interviewing candidates for possible cross endorsement, or outright candidacy. In January, before the secretary of the state ruling, Frank and party member stressed they wanted to support candidates up and down the ballot in November. Frank said that he and Griebel-Frank leaders are contemplating a potential lawsuit over the rejection of the proposed name change and affiliation with SAM, the five-year-old bipartisan group of former Democrats and Republican tired of partisan gridlock. But such a challenge would take years to settle in court. Although such a merger is perfectly permissible, the political party resulting from the merger would not carry minor party status for any office in Connecticut and therefore would not be entitled to automatic ballot access for any office, Merrill ruled. We still have the Griebel-Frank for CT line and we intend to use it, and well talk to the major-party candidates for governor as well as potential third-party candidates, Frank said, stressing that Hotaling is one of the candidates being interviewed. Frank wants to use the endorsement as a jumping-off spot to push SAMs agenda of problem solving, verifiable standards of transparency and accountability, as well as collaboration. At this point in the development of the third-party space in Connecticut and nationally, I can accomplish a lot more in building SAM in Connecticut, Frank said. Between the people who are out there in the third-party space who are interested in running and the two major candidates, shared values can improve our election. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT New London Police / Contributed / NEW LONDON Police arrested a Groton man Tuesday after he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at a New London home and set a car on fire last month, according to the New London Police Department. New London police arrested Ture Champion, 25, around 11:50 a.m. He was charged with two counts of manufacturing bombs, first-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree criminal mischief, third-degree arson, first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree criminal mischief, according to police. This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Beijings first naval facility in mainland Southeast Asia could allow it to expand patrols in the South China Sea. Cambodia's Defence Minister Tea Banh (R) and China's Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian take part in a groundbreaking ceremony at the Ream naval base in Preah Sihanouk province, June 8, 2022. Latest developments at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia, where China is building a facility that its military can use, have raised quiet concerns in neighboring Vietnam, where military strategists have been closely following events across the border. Diplomatic sources say the base and Chinas involvement in strategic projects in Cambodia are likely to be on the agenda of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Shermans meetings when she visits Vietnam at the weekend. Sherman is scheduled to visit Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi from June 10-13 and meet with Vietnamese officials including Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Vice Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc. The U.S. deputy secretary is not meeting Vietnamese defense officials because of conflicting schedules but on a similar trip in 2014 Sherman met with then Lt. General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Vice-Minister of National Defense and Vietnams chief strategist on Cambodia. She was Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at that time. Cambodian Navy personnel are seen walking along a jetty during a government-organized media tour to the Ream naval base in Preah Sihanouk province, July 26, 2019. Credit: AFP Historical ties Vietnam is not only a neighbor but also Cambodias historical brother from Indochina and traditional ally. The current government in Phnom Penh was installed in power by Hanoi after Vietnamese troops defeated the Khmer Rouge in 1979. Prime Minister Hun Sen, a fluent Vietnamese speaker, used to be called by critics a Vietnams puppet at the beginning of his political career. The news about the Chinese-assisted development project, under which China will help Cambodia to renovate and upgrade naval facilities at Ream, reveals how much leverage Vietnam has lost in Cambodia in recent years. Vietnam is of course worried because Ream is extremely close to Vietnams own naval base in Phu Quoc island, said a Vietnamese analyst who doesnt want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. The Ream Naval Base is situated in Preah Sihanouk province in southwest Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand, less than 30 km (18 miles) from Phu Quoc, known as Koh Tral in Khmer. It was the Vietnamese Navy who in January 1979 seized the base from Pol Pot troops and transferred it from the Khmer Rouge regime to the new Cambodian government. But the Vietnamese Navy was invited to visit the Ream Naval Base only a couple times and recently the Joint Vietnamese Friendship building, a facility built by the Vietnamese, was relocated from the base, reportedly to avoid conflicts with Chinese personnel. There is also a sense of great disappointment, said the Vietnamese analyst. However I dont think the Chinese involvement here is targeting Vietnam but more for the Cambodian government to give a message of defiance and a warning signal to the U.S., he added. In July 1982, Hanoi and Phnom Penh signed an agreement on historical waters between the two countries to define the sea border and the legal sovereignty of the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, in order to minimize misunderstanding and prevent potential conflicts. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen (C) cuts a ceremonial ribbon as Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian (3rd R) looks on during the opening ceremony of the Morodok Techo National Stadium, funded by China's grant aid under its Belt and Road Initiative, in Phnom Penh, Dec. 18, 2021. Credit: AFP Security dilemma Beijings involvement in Ream has nevertheless sparked controversy in the West as the U.S. sees the danger of China gaining its first naval staging facility in mainland Southeast Asia that could allow it to significantly expand patrols across the South China Sea. Concerns about Ream go back as far as 2019, when the Wall Street Journal reported a secret deal allowing China to post army personnel, store weapons and dock warships there. Cambodia and China have repeatedly denied the information, saying the renovation of the base serves solely to strengthen the Cambodian naval capacities to protect its maritime integrity and combat maritime crimes. Washington has complained about the lack of transparency on the intent, the nature, the scope of this project, as well as the role that the PRC military is playing in its construction and in its post-construction use of the facility. The latest news report about the Ream Naval Base is a further indication that the U.S. has not accepted the fact that Cambodia and China have already been close partners in Southeast Asia, said Sovinda Po, a research fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace. The main reason behind the U.S.'s constant accusations is to warn the Cambodian government against aligning so closely with China, Po said. "Vietnam is also not happy to see China moving closer towards its own territory as it and China have ongoing sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea and the overall trust between the two countries is low, the Cambodian analyst said. The naval base and its development therefore have become a major security dilemma for Cambodia, Vietnam, the U.S. and China, according to Sovinda Po. Cambodian Minister of Defense Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian are seen swimming following Ream Base groundbreaking ceremony in Sihanoukville. Credit: Tea Banhs Facebook page. The new normal China already has the biggest maritime force in the world, with 355 ships and is projected to have 460 by 2030, according to the latest U.S. Defense Department report on Chinese military. The U.S. has 297 battle-force ships but operates more than 800 military bases overseas. This is our normal now, China will seek overseas bases, just like we do, said Blake Herzinger, a Singapore-based defense policy specialist and U.S. Navy Reserve officer. If we think freezing out countries that do elect to cooperate with the Chinese does anything other than make us look like them, we are sorely mistaken, Herzinger wrote on Twitter. U.S.-Cambodia relations have been strained over recent years due to many factors including differences in geopolitical and strategic interests, human rights, democracy and Chinas role in the region. In contrast, during the last decade under the so-called Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has been pumping investment into important infrastructure projects in Cambodia including the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the new Siem Reap International Airport, roads, bridges and hydropower plants. "If I don't rely on China, who will I rely on? If I don't ask China, who am I to ask?" Hun Sen famously said at a regional forum in 2021. Its time to recognize that U.S. leverage is extremely limited in a competitive region where the opposite number is the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), said Herzinger, suggesting that public bullying isnt going to win Cambodia over. Cambodia has denied the Chinese military will exclusively use part of Ream Naval Base Cambodia's Defence Minister Tea Banh (L) and China's Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian (C) take part in a groundbreaking ceremony at the Ream naval base. UPDATED at 1:15 p.m. EDT on 2022-06-08 A ground-breaking ceremony got underway on Wednesday morning at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia for a Chinese-assisted development project that is causing serious concerns to the U.S. and allies. Pro-government site Fresh News, which broadcast the event live, said Cambodian defense minister Tea Banh and Chinese ambassador Wang Wentian presided over the ceremony. They later went swimming together at a nearby beach, Tea Banh's Facebook page showed. "Cambodia wants to enhance its defense capacity for self-defense to secure peace, security and propensity and to be able to contribute building regional peace and the world, Tea Banh said. According to the publicly announced plan, China will help Cambodia to renovate and upgrade some facilities at Ream, including constructing two new piers, a dry dock and a slipway, a hospital and several other buildings. China will also assist the Cambodian Royal Navy to repair some of its old ships and dredge navigation lanes to allow medium-sized vessels to access the base. It is unclear how much the project will cost but it is understood that the Chinese government will foot the whole bill. Ream Naval Base is located in Sihanoukville province on the Gulf of Thailand. Dredging work being carried out at the Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville province. CREDIT: Fresh News Not a secret base The project has attracted much attention from Western governments after the Wall Street Journal reported in 2019 that Phnom Penh and Beijing had signed a secret deal to allow the Chinese military to use part of the base for 30 yearswith automatic renewals every 10 years after thatand to post army personnel, store weapons and berth warships. The reported deal would provide China with its first naval staging facility in Southeast Asia, the second in the world after a base in Djibouti, and allow it to significantly expand patrols across the South China Sea. Cambodia has repeatedly denied the information, saying permitting a foreign military base on Cambodias soil would be in contradiction to the countrys constitution. There is nothing like the allegations that claimed that modernizing the Ream Naval base will be for China's exclusive usage. It cant be done because of Cambodias sovereignty," Tea Banh said Tuesday. Phnom Penh argued that it had organized several visits for foreign diplomats to Ream, proving it was not a secret base. Chinese government officials also denied a later report that said the Chinese military will have exclusive use of parts of the base. "The project respects Cambodian and Chinese law and international standards," said Chinese Ambassador Wang. "The project will benefit both countries, but some countries defamed the project with groundless allegations," he added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday that the renovation of the base serves solely to strengthen the Cambodian naval capacities to protect its maritime integrity and combat maritime crimes. Minister of Defense Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian went swimming following Ream Base groundbreaking ceremony in Sihanoukville. Credit: Tea Banhs Facebook page. Cambodian and Chinese official statements however did little to calm international concerns. On Tuesday, during a courtesy call with Cambodias Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhon, the new Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong pressed the Cambodian official about the base. Earlier, the new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was concerned about the implications of a Chinese naval base being built in Cambodia. We've been aware of Beijing's activity at Ream for some time and we encourage Beijing to be transparent about its intent and to ensure its activities support regional security and stability, Albanese was quoted by news agencies as saying. With additional reporting by RFA Khmer. Despite the government's claims that a two-month lockdown in Shanghai has been relaxed, residents of some districts of the city said they have yet to regain their freedom, amid ongoing shortages of food and other daily necessities. A resident of Shanghai's Jing'an district surnamed Feng said some residential areas of her district, as well as some of Xuhui and Huangpu districts, remain under "closed-loop" management, while the lockdown in Yangpu district has yet to ease at all. "We are still locked down due to the pandemic," Feng said. "Anywhere that somebody tests positive is still being locked down." "The lockdown never ended in Yangpu district, where they were still installing barriers on ," she said. Shanghai resident Wang Ning many factories are now unable to operate due to shortages of supplies and road closures, while many restaurants are still only offering takeout. "Some people are back at work one day, then take three days off," Wang said. "We are doing PCR tests nearly every day." "There are rumors that there will be another lockdown from , so we laid in a lot of supplies , so as to be prepared if that happens," Wang said. A worker padlocks fencing securing a residential area under Covid-19 lockdown in the Xuhui district of Shanghai on June 8, 2022. Credit: AFP PCR tests But any trip outside one's home, even in districts where this is now allowed, must be preceded by hours of lining up to get a PCR test, Wang said. "There are PCR testing booths at the entrance of our community, saying that we need to show a negative test from the past 48 hours to leave," Wang said. "I did one , so I can go run a few errands ." A resident surnamed Ma said that standing in line for PCR tests is the bane of people's existence now in Shanghai. "It's a constant sword hanging over people's heads ... because you can't go anywhere without a negative PCR test from the past 48 or 72 hours," she said. "The fact that the results don't usually come out till the next day is very troublesome for people, and creates anxiety," Ma said. "We are constantly lining up to do PCR tests," she said. "Anyone who tests positive will be put in isolation or lockdown at home." "All of this is a disaster for ordinary people ... these tests cost 20 yuan a time, and they have to do one every couple of days, so how will they afford it?" Residents line up for COVID-19 tests outside the Sihang Warehouse War Memorial Hall in Shanghai, June 7, 2022. Credit: Reuter Limits in Beijing A Shanghai resident surnamed Chang said the city isn't back to normal yet. "You can only say that the lockdown has been partially lifted," Chang said. "Some places haven't gotten back to normal yet." While authorities in Beijing also announced the easing of weeks of restrictions in the early hours of , public transportation in the city remains suspended, and people are being told to work from home. A resident of Beijing's Fangshan district surnamed Guo said people without private cars can't easily get around. "We can only walk around the Fangshan area, as we don't have a car," Guo said. "There are parts of the subway where the trains aren't stopping, and Fengtai district is still under lockdown." Guo said people are being asked to pay high fees for documentation allowing them to leave their residential compounds. "It costs 240 yuan to get an exit pass in our compound now," she said. A man surnamed Guo from Haidian district said parts of the district remain under tight restrictions, with several PCR tests required from residents ever week. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. China's State Council has issued a ban on tattoos for minors, banning any business, individual or organization from providing such services or encouraging young people to get tattoos. "No enterprise, organization or individual shall provide tattoo services to minors, and shall not coerce, induce or instigate minors to tattoo," the directive, which takes immediate legal effect, said. "For immature minors, tattoos may be just a whim, something they do in pursuit of individuality, but the harm done is enormous and long-lasting," the document said. It said that while similar bans already exist in some parts of China, including Shanghai and Jiangsu, different local authorities have different attitudes when it comes to regulating the behavior of children and teenagers. The directive overrules local law-making, requiring judicial and law enforcement agencies to comply with its provisions without exception. "Families and schools must actively guide minors to increase their awareness of tattoos and their adverse effects, so that minors can consciously and rationally refuse tattoos," the directive said. "Service providers must improve their sense of responsibility and resolutely refrain from offering tattoo services to minors," it said. Taiwanese youth worker Yeh Ta-hwa said teenagers typically get tattoos as a form of self-expression, and the new rules are a bid to exert greater control over young people's freedom of expression in China. "Xi Jinping has been curbing people's freedom of expression since he took office," Yeh told RFA. "He has done so much to restrict the freedom of young people, including banning them from any form of religion under the age of 18, limiting their online gaming time and what content they can view." "[All of this] shows that China's control and monitoring of its citizens' free will is getting tighter and tighter." In some other countries, including the U.S., some European countries and democratic Taiwan, tattoo parlors are allowed to tattoo minors with parental consent. Paternalistic overreach? Yeh said tattoos were previously stigmatized in Taiwan, where they are closely linked in people's minds with organized crime, but under the influence of indigenous peoples' culture, they are now increasingly seen as an expression of culture, art and personal freedom. U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao said the law is highly paternalistic, putting the state in loco parentis. "This is an overreach, a paternalistic approach in which the government takes the place of the parents," Teng said. "Tattoos aren't particularly harmful, so the government is going too far, trying to control them." "It would be better coming from the parents, through education and persuasion." Taiwan-based dissident Zhou Shuguang said the Chinese government could fear that people will use tattoos to show allegiance to something other than the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), or use it as a form of political protest. "They probably fear that minors' bodies will become taken over by various cultural symbols, making it harder for the CCP to brainwash them," Zhou told RFA. "Cultural icons, cartoon characters and writing are all carriers of culture." "Minors could be branded for life, with the symbols hard to erase," he said. "The other thing they could be worried about is that people will use tattoos as tokens of recognition when forming groups, the thing that the CCP fears most, and has to break up." Teng agreed. "For example, if someone gets the numbers 8964 tattooed on their body [a covert reference to the 1989 Tiananmen massacre], just putting those numbers together is going to be trouble," he said. "China won't allow those numbers to be posted online." He said the move was part and parcel of China's "patriotic education" program in schools. "Chinese education is actually a form of brainwashing, and these controls on minors' freedom of speech by the entire education system is doing great harm to their minds," Teng said. "There may be no bloodshed involved, but a lifetime of [psychological] harm instead." Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The suspects said they were paid U.S. $70,000 to transport the drugs, a police source said. Police in Bokeo province in northern Laos are shown with two suspects in a drug trafficking case, June 4, 2022. Police in northern Laos have seized 12 million methamphetamine pills and arrested two suspects in the fourth major drug haul in the region this year, Lao sources say. The June 4 operation in Bokeo provinces Huayxi district blocked delivery of the drugs to the Lao capital Vientiane, with police also seizing guns and cell phones from the suspects, police sources told RFA on Tuesday. Arrested were a member of the Lao Hmong ethnic group, age 30 and a resident of Bokeo, and a 29-year-old Lao resident of the northern province of Luang Namtha, one source told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Both are citizens of Laos and told police they had been hired by a dealer in Bokeos Tonpheung district to move the drugs for around $70,000 U.S. dollars in cash, RFAs source said. Everything is now being handled by officials, and we are carrying out an investigation to find out where these drugs came from. Nothing is clear at the moment, he said. Also declining to be named, a second police official in Bokeo said the suspects attempt to take the drugs to Vientiane in pickup trucks had failed because of the many police checkpoints set up along the road. Most of the drugs we seize come from the northern part of Laos, but we cant say for sure yet whether these drugs also came from the north. This is still under investigation, he said. The suspects are Lao citizens and will be punished according to the law. Methamphetamine pills seized in Bokeo province in northern Laos are shown in a June 4, 2022 photo. Photo: Lao Security News A villager in Bokeos Tonpheung district told RFA on Tuesday that police have been unable to end the drug trade in the area, where many young people become addicted and then turn to selling drugs themselves, he said. If the police let things go on like this, our own children and grandchildren will also become bad people someday. I want the authorities to crack down on this problem, he said. Police involvement with drugs has also slowed efforts to control the trade, another Tonpheung villager said, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons. If the police were really serious about solving this problem, all of it would be gone, he said. The problem still exists because sometimes the police will get drugs from the dealers and then sell them themselves. The June 4 seizure of drugs in Bokeo was the fourth major haul reported in the province this year, with large quantities of amphetamine pills also seized in January and March, according to Lao media sources. On May 30, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that the trade in synthetic drugs continues to expand in East and Southeast Asia, with production and trafficking hitting record levels in 2021. Drug labs in the Golden Triangle area of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar are the major sources of production, and the supply continues to surge, the UNODC said. Translated by Phouvong for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. The owners are accused of connections to the shadow government and the deposed NLD party. Junta authorities seize the home of an NLD lawmaker in the Magway region city of Pakokku, Nov. 11, 2021. Myanmars junta has confiscated nearly 600 homes and other buildings owned by people it claims are members or supporters of the armed resistance, according to a report by independent research group the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP Myanmar). The report found that, between the militarys Feb. 1, 2021, coup and May 20 this year, authorities seized 586 properties, mostly from people who have alleged ties to the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Committee of Representatives (CRPH), and anti-junta Peoples Defense Force (PDF) paramilitary group all of which the regime considers terrorist organizations. Several other confiscated properties belonged to people the military regime said had a role in bombings of junta targets, anti-coup protests, and the nationwide anti-junta Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). Among the seizures were the homes of NUG acting President Duwa Lashi La and Prime Minister Mahn Winn Khaing Thann, the report said. The largest number of properties, 159, were confiscated from owners in embattled Sagaing region, where the military has faced some of the strongest resistance to date. Myint Htwe, a former lawmaker for the deposed National League for Democracy (NLD) party representing Ye-U township in the Sagaing Regional Parliament, called the militarys seizures arbitrary and illegal. These confiscations are entirely arbitrary, according to the law, the former MP, whose home was among those confiscated, told RFAs Burmese Service. The junta is a terrorist organization that has violated all the ethics of how soldiers should act and how civilians should be treated. I know they will never abide by the laws, and I dont expect anything different. According to ISP Myanmars findings, 373 properties, or nearly two-thirds of those seized, belonged to civilians. Another 147 properties belonged to lawmakers, while 66 were owned by the NLD or its members. Kyaw Htet Aung, senior researcher at ISP Myanmar, said the confiscations had taken an emotional, social and economic toll on the victims. Especially, the family members and victims of home confiscations have had their lives disrupted and ruined, he said. When someone loses their home, they can live with relatives or shelter at a camp for internally displaced people, he added. But often it becomes difficult to maintain ones regular social, economic, educational and medical activities after a home is lost. Owning a home is central part of ones life. Attempts by RFA to contact junta deputy information minister, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, for comment on the confiscations went unanswered Wednesday. A photo shows the exterior of the home of Moe Ma Kha, a former NLD lawmaker for the Bago Regional Parliament, which was sealed off by junta authorities in Taungoo city on Feb. 12, 2022. Credit: Citizen journalist Targeting the NLD NLD Central Committee member Kyaw Htwe said the junta is illegally targeting members of his party. The military regime is jealous of the NLD party for achieving landslide victories in every free and fair election. They know they cannot achieve a monopoly on power while the NLD is around, and thats why they are targeting the party, he said. They destroyed the party headquarters, sealed party members homes, and arrested the party members. They even arrest and intimidate the family members of NLD members and supporters. They are taking away the rights of the people. The junta says voter fraud led to the NLDs landslide victory in the countrys November 2020 election but has yet to provide evidence for its claims. It has instead violently suppressed nationwide protests calling for a return to civilian rule, killing 1,909 people and arresting 14,046 in the 16 months since, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Most detainees from the NLD were charged for alleged crimes that carry heavy sentences, including rebellion, corruption, unlawful association and incitement. The NLD said in January that more than three-quarters of its members arrested by the junta remained in detention more than 11 months after the military seized power. Since the Feb. 1 coup, junta security forces have arrested hundreds of NLD members, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint. Political Analyst Than Soe Naing said the junta is using every means at its disposal to crush the resistance movement and drive away its supporters. They intend to make NLD supporters and proponents of the NUG suffer and become homeless, he said. There are no laws or constitutional provisions that support such actions. The junta is now using unprecedented and inhumane tactics to suppress the resistance and its supporters. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. A file photo shows a Rohingya man displaying an identification card belonging to his late son whom he said was slain by members of Myanmar's armed forces in Rakhine state, during an interview at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh. Myanmars junta is using identity documents to carry out a genocide of the ethnic Rohingya community, much like the perpetrators of the Holocaust and Rwandan genocide, according to a new report, which calls on the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The 63-page report entitled Genocide by Attrition: The Role of Identity Documents in the Holocaust and the Genocides of Rwanda and Myanmar and published Tuesday by the Southeast Asian rights group Fortify Rights, details how the junta is forcing Rohingya to obtain National Verification Cards (NVCs) that its authors say effectively strip them of access to full citizenship rights and protections. It also draws on case studies from the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides to demonstrate how authoritarian regimes use such documents to systematically identify, persecute, and kill targeted populations on a widespread and massive scale. Perpetrators have long used identification documents in the commission of genocide, said Ken MacLean, co-author of the report, senior advisor to Fortify Rights, and Clark University Professor at the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, in a statement accompanying the release of the report. Evidence from the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides show striking similarities with the ongoing erasure of the Rohingya identity in Myanmar by the junta. The report found that identification cards such as those used during the Holocaust and Rwandan genocides contributed to genocide by attrition, which it defined as the gradual destruction of a protected group by reducing their strength through sustained, indirect methods of destruction. Such policies have long been in use in Myanmar and continue to play a role in the ongoing genocide of the Rohingyas, the report said, citing interviews with more than 20 Rohingya-genocide survivors, leaked junta documents, and a media analysis of junta-backed news outlets since the militarys Feb. 1, 2021 coup. It said that Rohingya in Western Myanmars Rakhine state described how the junta forces them to carry NVCs to prevent them from identifying as Rohingya, restrict their movement, and curtail their ability to earn a living, creating conditions of life designed to be destructive. Instead, they are made to identify as Bengali immigrants from Bangladesh in what the report said is a bid by authorities to exclude them from citizenship and ethnicity within Myanmar. The report cited the United Nations Office on Genocide Preventions findings that increased politicization of identity and discriminatory measures targeting protected groups are indicators in creating an environment conducive to the commission of atrocity crimes, noting that similar legal and administrative tools were used to facilitate the destruction of the Jewish and Tutsi populations, and are now being used against the Rohingya. Rohingya continue to face existential threats under the military junta, an illegitimate regime responsible for far-reaching atrocities, said John Quinley, senior human rights specialist at Fortify Rights and co-author of the report. The ongoing denial of Rohingya ethnicity and citizenship are indicators of genocide. The [shadow] National Unity Government has committed to ensuring Rohingya citizenship and inclusion. The junta, however, is still using coercive measures to force Rohingya to identify as foreigners, erasing records of their existence. Myanmar immigration officials hand over an identification document to a Rohingya woman at the Taungpyoletwei town repatriation camp in Rakhine state's Maungdaw township, near the Bangladesh border, in a file photo. Credit: AFP Holding the junta accountable Fortify Rights said that while the connection between identification documents and international crimes is well-recognized, some U.N. officials, embassies, and others in Myanmar have failed to condemn the use of NVCs in targeting Rohingya. In some cases, the group said, they have even endorsed the documents as a solution to the groups statelessness. The reports findings demonstrate links between the NVC process and acts of genocide and should be a focus of investigations and legal proceedings, Fortify Rights said. The violations documented in Genocide by Attrition demonstrate links between the NVC process and genocidal acts and should be a focus of ongoing investigations and legal proceedings, said Fortify Rights. It called on U.N. member states to cut Myanmars junta off from access to arms, finances, and political legitimacy, and urged the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Myanmar military junta poses an undeniable threat to international peace and security, said Fortifys Quinley. U.N. member states must wake up and act now to deny the junta the resources it craves and to hold it accountable for all of its crimes including genocide. In 2016, a military crackdown forced some 90,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state and cross into neighboring Bangladesh, while a larger one in 2017 in response to insurgent attacks, killed thousands of members of the ethnic minority and led to an exodus of more than 740,000 across the border. Human rights groups have produced a trove of credible reports based on commercial satellite imagery and extensive interviews with Rohingya about the operations in Rakhine state in 2017, including arbitrary killings, torture, and mass rape. Gambia has accused Myanmars military leadership of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention in Rohingya areas in a case it brought to the Hague-based International Court of Justice. The court is holding hearings to determine whether it has jurisdiction to judge if atrocities committed there constituted a genocide. An official says no pardons will be granted, despite widespread condemnation over the sentences. Activist Ko Jimmy (L), a leader of the 88 Generation Student group, and Phyo Zeyar Thaw (R), a lawmaker with the deposed National League for Democracy party, were both sentenced to death for violating the Myanmar's Anti-Terrorism Law. The court-ordered executions of four Burmese prisoners, including a deposed lawmaker and a prominent former activist sentenced to death for terrorism, will be carried out despite widespread international criticism, a junta official said Tuesday. Junta deputy information minister, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, rejected the possibility for pardons in the four cases, which are part of a surge in death sentences under martial law in Myanmar. Since taking over in a coup last year, the military has transferred the authority to try cases of civilians to special or existing military tribunals, resulting in what rights groups say are summary proceedings with no chance of appeal. Former National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker Phyo Zeyar Thaw and 88 Generation leader Ko Jimmy were sentenced to death for violating the countrys Anti-Terrorism Law. Two other men Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw were sentenced to death in Yangon regions Hlaing Tharyar township on charges of murder. All four lost appeals of their cases last week. The death penalty will be implemented, Zaw Min Tun told RFAs Burmese Service. They will not be pardoned. We have finished the process all the way up through the appeals, he added, when asked whether junta chief, Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, would consider staying their executions. Zaw Min Tun said the four men had been transferred to the custody of the juntas Prison Department, which is now responsible for their cases. According to the junta, Phyo Zeyar Thaw and Ko Jimmy maintained contact with Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG), the Committee Representing the Peoples Parliament (CRPP), and other organizations labeled terrorist groups by the military regime and had carried out acts of violence. The two men were sentenced to death by a military tribunal on Jan. 21. The four death sentences, as well 111 others that have been handed down by junta courts between the militarys Feb. 1, 2021, coup, and May 19 this year, have drawn criticism from legal experts and rights groups, who say the regime is threatening the public with unfair executions. The United Nations, Washington, Ottawa, and Paris have issued statements strongly condemning the decisions in the cases now proceeding to execution, although the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) of which Myanmar is a member state has yet to respond. Thailand-based rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), which claims junta security forces have arrested 14,032 people between the start of the coup and June 7 this year 10,976 of whom it says remain in detention issued a statement Monday calling on the U.N., ASEAN, and the rest of the international community to intervene in the cases. The juntas Foreign Affairs Ministry recently responded to the statements by the U.N. and Western governments, accusing their authors of condoning acts of terrorism. Waging psychological warfare Kyaw Htwe, a member of the NLDs Central Executive Committee, echoed concerns that the junta is using the sentences as a warning to its opponents in an interview with RFA on Tuesday. But he said proceeding with the executions could ultimately harm the regime itself. I think the junta is using the [threat of the] death penalty of the four men, including Ko Jimmy and Ko Phyo Zeyar Thaw, to wage psychological warfare against the armed resistance and the people, he said. They are testing the limits. They have crossed the line and made an irrational decision, which required presidential orders and involved several steps of appeal. If they stupidly implement this decision, they will face a strong response from the domestic and international communities. Kyaw Htwe said the juntas administrative, legislative and judicial decisions are all illegal, because it is an illegitimate government that seized power through force. However, he didnt provide clarification on how the NLD intends to respond to the death sentences. NUG Human Rights Minister Aung Myo Min said the junta lacks the judicial authority to issue execution orders, which require an in-depth and transparent process to avoid wrongful convictions. We cannot trust the juntas tribunal, courts, and sentencing. They are murdering innocent civilians and view all democracy activists as the enemy, he said. [Proceeding with execution] is the wrong decision, both in terms of human rights and rule of law. High-stakes bluff A Yangon-based attorney, who spoke to RFA on condition of anonymity, said he believes the execution orders are a bluff by the military regime as part of a bid to extract some sort of concession from the international community. After reviewing all factors, I conclude that it is very unlikely they will carry out the execution order, he said, adding that it is likely the junta wants to use the cases as a bargaining chip for political reasons. Given the fact that the world is protesting these orders, and that the decisions are in violation of international and domestic laws, they will face severe consequences if they proceed. However, political analyst Than Soe Naing told RFA that the junta, which the AAPP says has killed more than 1,900 civilians since the coup, has demonstrated over the past 16 months that it has little regard for the sanctity of human life. They might reconsider if the international community appeals to them courteously, he said. Otherwise, I think they would actually hang Ko Jimmy and Phyo Zeyar Thaw, as they are little more than a group of thugs. In its latest annual report covering the judicial use of the death penalty for the period January to December 2021, London-based rights group Amnesty International found that dozens of people were arbitrarily sentenced to death by Myanmars military tribunals, several without the defendants being present, in what was widely perceived as a way to target political opponents and protestors. The group said that prior to February 2021, Myanmars known death sentences were sporadically imposed for murder and usually commuted through mass pardons. However, the yearly average for the years 2017-2020 had remained lower than 10. The last execution in Myanmar that of student leader Salai Tin Maung Oo was known to take place in 1988, during the time of the late Gen. Ne Win. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. At least 60 inmates of Hpa-An Prison, in Kayin State, have been injured in a series of violent incidents involving authorities after two political prisoners escaped over a wall on June 4, sources close to the prison told RFA on Wednesday. A source close to the prison, who declined to be named for security reasons, said young inmates were attacked from outside the cells. All the children were stabbed with long bamboo sticks from outside the cells at 10 a.m. today. There were a lot of injuries and a lot of blood. And food for the prisoners has not been provided for a whole day, no food at all, the source said. Last night at about 8:30 p.m., while they were sleeping, the prison authorities got into the cell through the window and beat the inmates with electric sticks and shot them with iron nuts using slingshots. They also pointed guns from outside the cell. On June 4, two of the more-than-200 political prisoners in the Gyo Gyar barracks at the prison escaped at noon by climbing a wall with a rope. A prison guard who witnessed the incident ordered the security guard in the tower to shoot, but no bullets were fired and the men escaped. Hla Shwe, the new head of Hpa-an Prison, arrived after the incident and told political prisoners to calm down. However, on Monday authorities threatened to move political prisoners from Gyo Gyar barracks to other barracks on orders from the military junta. The prisoners refused, which led to growing tension, which escalated according to sources close to the prison. Political prisoners do not want to move elsewhere in the prison because there have been problems between the political prisoners and prisoners jailed for drug use, said another source close to the prison who also declined to be named. The drug offenders threaten the political prisoners, saying We all have weapons and you all can be stabbed at any time. We will open your abdomens The political prisoners were moved to Gyo Gyar barracks by former prison authorities. The source said soldiers arrived on Tuesday accompanied by prison authorities and forcibly dragged the political prisoners to an old barracks inside the prison where they had previously lived. At least 60 prisoners suffered broken arms and injuries to their foreheads and mouths. They were denied medical treatment and visits were banned on Wednesday according to sources close to the prison. Prison Department spokesman Khin Shwe denied the allegations and told RFA that prison conditions are normal. There is no commotion in Hpa-an Prison, he said. Security, administration and discipline are normal. A source close to lawyers who were allowed to visit the prison said some prison staff had been detained and are being investigated over the prison break. The day after the riot, officials came to check the prison and some prison staff were arrested. Action was taken at the prison. Court hearings were delayed yesterday and the police were in charge during the hearings. The situation in Hpan-an has now calmed down. On May 8, more than 60 political prisoners in Hpan-an Prison were beaten by junta soldiers for singing the anti-regime song Tway Thit Sar and banging metal cups and pans, according to another source close to the prison who spoke on condition of anonymity. He told RFA four inmates were injured and 17 were confined to their cells following the incident. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners a total of 10,962 people were arrested in Myanmar between Feb.1, 2021 and June 6, 2022, of which 1,117 were imprisoned. Le Anh Tu could have evaded arrest if he had returned to the Czech Republic after the warrant expired Vietnamese former state oil executive Trinh Xuan Thanh (front 2nd R) and other defendants listen to the verdict in his trial at Hanoi's People's Court on January 22, 2018. A suspect in the kidnapping of Vietnamese oil executive Trinh Xuan Thanh returned to Vietnam to evade a European Union arrest warrant, according to a Berlin-based journalist covering the case, while another reporter claimed he could have avoided arrest if he had stayed away from Europe for a few more months. The German Federal Prosecutor's Office said last week that a Vietnamese national, identified as Anh T.L., was arrested in Prague and handed over to German authorities on June 1. He is accused of "spying and assisting in deprivation of liberty," in connection with the abduction of Thanh in a Berlin park in 2017. Journalist Le Trung Khoa told RFA the suspect is Le Anh Tu, a Vietnamese resident of the Czech Republic. Khoa said the German prosecutors office issued an indictment against him during the trial of another suspect, Nguyen Hai Long, in 2018. The indictment said that Le Anh Tu drove the minibus used to kidnap Thanh on July 23, 2017 and then sought refuge at the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin: Clearly, he was directly involved in the kidnapping because he was the driver of the car that was used during the illegal detention of Trinh Xuan Thanh. He witnessed the entire process from the time the kidnapping team picked up Lieutenant General Duong Minh Hung and other Vietnamese officers at a nearby hotel, said Khoa. German journalist Marina Mai, who has also been covering the case, told RFA that Le Anh Tu would not have been arrested if he had arrived in Europe more than four months later: Secret operations in Germany have a five-year statute of limitations, she said. Because the arrest warrant for Mr. Anh was effective from August 10, 2017, as far as I know, it would expire on August 10, 2022. So if Mr. Anh came to Europe four months later, he may not have been arrested. Now it has happened, I think there will be a second trial related to Trinh Xuan Thanh's abduction to try him." Meetings at the Borik Hotel It is claimed that Le Anh Tu drove another vehicle from the Czech Republic to the Borik Hotel in the Slovakian capital Bratislava where he met with Vietnams Minister of Public Security, To Lam. Khoa said that because Le Anh Tu was involved in almost the entire process of abducting and taking Trinh Xuan Thanh from Germany to the Czech Republic a trial will help clarify To Lam's role and reveal whether or not former Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak was also involved in the kidnapping. In [Nguyen Hai Long's] sentencing they clearly stated that To Lam was the one who organized this kidnap in Europe. However, at present, there is not enough real evidence to prosecute To Lam so I think they will do it step by step. Le Anh Tus arrest and extradition to Germany was a very important step because he [took part in] the meeting of the former Slovak Minister of Interior and To Lam at the Borik Hotel in Slovakia. Vietnams Minister of Public Security met with then-Slovak Republic Interior Minister Robert Kalinak at the hotel on July 26, 2017. The government then lent a plane to the Vietnamese to fly to Moscow from Bratislava. Some German and Slovakian media outlets speculated that Vietnam might have used the plane to take Thanh back to Vietnam. Robert Kalinak denies being involved in the kidnapping plan. In December 2018, Slovakia decided to suspend an investigation of officials suspected of aiding Thanh's return to Vietnam. At the time of the kidnapping the German foreign ministry condemned Vietnam's abduction on German soil as "a flagrant violation of German law and international law, which we will never tolerate." It imposed sanctions, including the suspension of its strategic partnership with Vietnam and expelled four Vietnamese Embassy employees and their families. German economic groups who want to do business with Vietnam have criticized the sanctions, according to Mai. She said their pressure persuaded the government to begin normalizing relations with Vietnam at the end of 2018. This does not mean that Germany is no longer interested in the Trinh Xuan Thanh case, Mai said. Germany has recognized Vietnam's release of Nguyen Van Dai to Germany, and also acknowledged that Vietnam did not execute Trinh Xuan Thanh. But the German government is still demanding the release of Trinh Xuan Thanh and his return to Germany. Vietnamese diplomatic passport holders are still not allowed to travel to Germany without a visa and Germany has not allowed Vietnam to appoint a liaison officer with the police and secret service in the Vietnamese embassy in Berlin since the kidnapping happened," she added. Trinh Xuan Thanh is led by policemen to the courtroom at Hanoi People's Courthouse on January 8, 2018. CREDIT: AFP Germany will pursue it to the end According to Le Trung Khoa, Germanys independent judiciary means it will investigate this case to the end, as evidenced by the fact that Le Anh Tu was arrested as soon as he returned to Europe: "Germany must, and will, pursue it to the end according to the independent judiciary, no matter what they ignore or like in Vietnam or say it will take a long time to pass." In 2017, the German side made three requests to Vietnam in order to re-establish diplomatic relations between the two countries. The first was to ask Vietnam to return the status quo by returning Trinh Xuan Thanh to Germany. The second was to apologize for violating the law and sovereignty of Germany. The third was to promise not to repeat the crime. However, Vietnam has not complied with these requests. Marina Mai said the likelihood of Thanh being returned to Germany depends on whether the Hanoi government wants to stop violating international law. That can only happen if Trinh Xuan Thanh is returned to Germany, she said. Germany is ready to issue a passport to Trinh Xuan Thanh. His family is living here. Vietnam unlikely to return Thanh any time soon According to Le Trung Khoa, it is unlikely that Thanh will be returned to Germany in the near future, at least when Nguyen Phu Trong is still General Secretary and To Lam is Minister of Public Security. If its the case that Trinh Xuan Thanh is allowed to return to Germany, he will be required to honestly declare the entire process of his abduction, he said. It would then pose a great danger to the Communist Party of Vietnam and in particular to Nguyen Phu Trong and To Lam who may have been very closely involved in this kidnapping. Therefore, it is very difficult for Trinh Xuan Thanh to return to Germany in the near future." Trinh Xuan Thanh was a Vice Chairman of Hau Giang provinces Peoples Committee before being investigated for the crime of "deliberately violating State regulations, causing serious consequences," in 2016. At that time he fled and applied for asylum in Germany. A month after his kidnapping by the Vietnamese secret service in Berlin in July 2017 Thanh appeared on Vietnams national television channel VTV saying he had returned to Vietnam to turn himself in to "accept his shortcomings and apologize," in the hope of "enjoying the leniency of the Party and the State." A Hanoi court charged Thanh with causing loss of state assets and mismanagement at PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation. He was sentenced to two life terms on corruption charges. Neither Thanh nor the Vietnamese authorities have explained how he returned to Vietnam from Germany to give himself up. Kyiv has defied a Moscow ultimatum to surrender Syevyerodonetsk despite the Russians controlling most of the key eastern city as Western defense ministers gather in Brussels to decide on sending more heavy weapons to the outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian forces. Russia has told Ukrainian defenders holed up in the Azot chemical plant in the city to give up their "senseless resistance and lay down arms" early on June 15, promising a "humanitarian corridor" for the civilians sheltering in the plant along with the fighters. The Russians had planned to take the civilians to territory under the control of Moscow-backed separatists in eastern 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. British military intelligence said in its daily bulletin on June 15 that several hundred civilians were currently in underground bunkers in the Azot plant together with Ukrainian fighters. The mayor of Syevyerodonetsk, Oleksandr Stryuk, said after the early morning deadline passed that Russian forces attempted to storm the city from several directions but were held back by Ukrainian forces. "We are trying to push the enemy towards the city center," Stryuk said on television. "This is an ongoing situation with partial successes and tactical retreats." Stryuk said Ukrainian forces were not completely cut off. "The escape routes are dangerous, but there are some," he said. Serhiy Hayday, the head of the Luhansk region containing Syevyerodonetsk, said the army was defending the city and keeping Russian forces from Lysychansk, the twin city on the opposite bank of the Siverskiy Donets River. "Nevertheless, the Russians are close and the population is suffering and homes are being destroyed," he posted online. The bulletin issued by Britain's Defense Ministry said that it was "highly unlikely" Moscow had anticipated such stubborn opposition from the Ukrainians during its original planning for the invasion. It added that in the face of the determined Ukrainian response, Russia has resorted to urban-warfare tactics that rely on the heavy use of artillery, causing extensive collateral damage throughout the city. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called both for more heavy weapons and for more EU sanctions against Russia. In an address via video link to Czech lawmakers on June 15, Zelenskiy urged the European Union to adopt a seventh package of punitive measures against Moscow for its unprovoked invasion after the one agreed last month that will halt the majority of imports of Russian oil. Earlier, Zelenskiy said late on June 14 that Ukraine needed modern anti-missile weapons now, adding there could be no justification for partner countries to delay delivery. "We keep telling our partners that Ukraine needs modern anti-missile weapons," Zelenskiy said. "Our country does not have them yet at a sufficient level, but it is in Ukraine and right now that there is the greatest need for such weapons. Procrastination in providing them cannot be justified." Zelenskiy said Ukraine was also seeing "painful losses" in the Kharkiv region to the east of Kyiv, where Russia is trying to strengthen its position after being pushed back. Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said earlier that Ukraine had received just 10 percent of the weapons it has requested from the West to help fight the Russian invasion. "No matter how hard Ukraine tries, no matter how professional our army is, without the help of Western partners we will not be able to win this war," Malyar said in a televised briefing, saying the West should speed up the delivery of the arms. Western countries have promised to send sophisticated weapons, including advanced rockets, but deploying them is taking time. Malyar said there should be "a clear time frame" for the deliveries "because every day there's a delay, we're talking about the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians." Speaking ahead of a June 15 gathering of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said there was an "urgent need" to send Kyiv more advanced weaponry, but cautioned that familiarizing the Ukrainian military with such weapons systems takes time. "Ukraine is really in a very critical situation and therefore, there's an urgent need to step up," Stoltenberg told journalists. Ahead of the two-day NATO meeting in Brussels, dozens of defense ministers from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group are expected to discuss more weapons deliveries to Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is poised to lead the discussions of the group of nearly 50 countries, officials said. NATO is not officially participating in the talks, to avoid being militarily involved in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and as nonaligned countries are also part of the group chaired by the United States. With the Luhansk region with its key city of Syevyerodonetsk almost completely in Russian hands, a senior NATO official told CNN that the war in Ukraine had reached a critical point. "I think that you're about to get to the point where one side or the other will be successful," said the official. "Either the Russians will reach Slovyansk and Kramatorsk [in the Donetsk region adjacent to Luhansk] or the Ukrainians will stop them here. And if the Ukrainians are able to hold the line here, in the face of this number of forces, that will matter." With reporting by Reuters, AP, BBC, CNN, and AFP BUDAPEST -- A few months after leaked documents first showed the Hungarian government's plans to use an estimated $1.8 billion in taxpayer funds to build a satellite campus for a Chinese university, more than 10,000 people took to the streets in Budapest to protest the controversial project. The June 5, 2021, protests signaled a mounting public backlash against plans to host Shanghai's prestigious Fudan University in the capital and represented a high-water mark for Hungary's disparate opposition as it targeted Prime Minister Viktor Orban's warm ties with Beijing. In the wake of the protests, the government sought to distance itself from the project and other Chinese investment projects in the country that have drawn accusations of corruption and misuse of state funds, with Orban saying the future of the campus would be put to a referendum -- which was a demand of the protesters. But a year later, the government is backtracking on that pledge, with the Constitutional Court ruling on May 18 that the referendum on the Fudan University campus in Budapest -- which reached the court after opposition activists gathered more than 200,000 signatures -- was unconstitutional, as it concerns an international agreement between Hungary and China. The decision is part of a wider set of moves by the nationalist Orban following his April 3 landslide victory that analysts say is designed to consolidate his hold on power and use the court to sideline the political opposition while clearing the way for the Chinese project. "The court's ruling on the referendum was a political decision," Andras Jambor, an activist who helped organize the June 2021 protests and was elected to parliament in April for the left-wing Spark Movement, told RFE/RL. The ruling Fidesz party has been accused by activists and watchdog groups of stacking Hungary's top court with its own candidates in order to further support its agenda and remove obstacles to the democratic backsliding that the country has undergone in the last decade. Jambor says that while the decision to block the referendum is another step forward for the Fudan campus, the ruling should be seen primarily as part of Fidesz's postelection strategy of preventing the opposition from having "any or even partial successes" to point to. The Hungarian prime minister's office did not respond to RFE/RL's requests for comment. Pushing Forward Since the election, the government has also returned to more explicitly endorsing and defending its plans for the Chinese campus. "If we do not build Fudan University [it] would be like voluntarily cutting off one of our arms," Culture and Innovation Minister Janos Csak said at a May 18 parliamentary hearing. "We in Hungary have to look both to the East and to the West, just as Western countries do. We need to understand both worlds -- not for political reasons -- but because this kind of knowledge is also needed for innovation in Hungary." The deal would make Fudan the first Chinese university in the European Union and the first foreign outpost for the Shanghai-based school, which the Hungarian government has argued will raise higher-education standards in the country. Csak continued with this justification in a June 1 interview with the pro-government outlet Mandiner, where he called Fudan "one of the best universities in the world" and said Hungary "needs to understand China on a level that we understand Western civilization," and that a Chinese university would be a great tool for this. Hungary remains China's closest ally in the EU and Orban has capitalized on the bloc's requirement for unanimity in crafting foreign policy to block numerous resolutions targeting Beijing and Hong Kong and gain political room to maneuver with Brussels amid rule-of-law violations by Budapest that could block billions of euros in funding to Hungary. But despite the high-level endorsement from Beijing and Budapest, plans for the university will need to overcome several obstacles. Jambor says that the Fudan campus still faces economic and political problems. The total price tag for the campus is $1.8 billion, with $1.5 billion paid for with a Chinese loan. Concerns around funding and debt could be an issue, especially as the university is not a standalone construction project but rather bundled with a wider development venture for an entire neighborhood that will require navigating local politics in Budapest. He also warns that the campus could find itself targeted by the EU as it becomes stricter about monitoring Chinese investment within the bloc that could create further headaches for Orban. Similarly, Jambor says that concerns are currently being raised about whether Hungary will want to use taxpayer money for the costly project amid a gloomy global economic picture for the coming years. "I've met government officials who have knowledge on this investment, and they've subtly hinted that the investment is not on solid ground at all," Jambor said. Too Big To Fail? Despite these obstacles, analysts believe that the project is too important for Hungary's relations with China for it to not come to fruition. Charles Dunst, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL that the project could pave the way to further Chinese investment inside Hungary, "which could benefit Orban politically depending on how he plays it." Strengthening ties with Beijing by building the campus despite opposition could be valuable for Orban as his warm relationship with Moscow and resistance to sanctions against Russia comes under further scrutiny amid the Ukraine war. "Orban could wield stronger ties with China to extract more benefits from the EU," Dunst said. "Just as Budapest blocked the EU's proposed Russian oil embargo until Brussels gave Hungary some special carve-outs, Orban could...use his Chinese ties to demand more from the EU." Tamas Matura, an assistant professor at Corvinus University in Budapest and the founder of the Central and Eastern European Center for Asian Studies, told RFE/RL that given the high-level endorsement from both Orban and Chinese President Xi Jinping that the university has received, neither party is likely to walk away from the agreement. "Based on what we know about the financial agreement, Beijing does not have anything to lose if the project gets implemented, while abandoning it may be perceived as a loss of face," Matura said. Domestic pushback to the project is not gone, however. Opposition politicians and activists against the project are currently exploring new avenues following the court ruling, with Krisztina Baranyi, the mayor of Budapest's ninth district, where the campus would be located, telling the Hungarian outlet ATV on June 1 that preparations were already under way to organize a local referendum as opposed to the nationwide vote that was struck down in May. Opposition lawmaker Jambor says a local referendum could be a valuable political tool in resisting the campus and that he and other politicians are currently exploring any other legal tools available for stopping the investment moving forward. But he adds that Hungary's opposition parties are deflated and regrouping after their decisive loss in April. "This means the opposition is not ready to organize any counteraction or larger demonstration at least in the next few months," Jambor said. Written and reported by Reid Standish in Prague with reporting by Akos Keller-Alant in Budapest Human Rights Watch (HRW) says overwhelming evidence shows that the Iranian authorities' mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 amounts to crimes against humanity. The rights group said in a report published on June 8 that Iranian authorities, acting on the orders of then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, "summarily and extrajudicially" executed thousands of political prisoners across the country, yet "there has been no accountability for these crimes in Iran." Given the lack of action inside the country, HRW said foreign courts should take up the cause and prosecute Iranian officials implicated in the killings, just as Sweden is doing with former Iranian official Hamid Nouri, who is on trial in Stockholm over the 1988 mass executions. "For decades the families of the 1988 mass execution victims have relentlessly pursued truth and justice for their loved ones without success," said Tara Sepehri Far, senior Iran researcher at HRW. "Now that a trial in Sweden has put a renewed spotlight on one of the darkest chapters of Irans modern history, it is critical for prosecutors in other countries to pursue justice for these heinous crimes," she added. The Iranian government has never acknowledged the mass executions, nor provided any information about the number of prisoners killed. Instead, HRW says, the authorities have sought to silence those seeking truth and justice for these alleged crimes. "Available evidence shows that Iranian authorities from July to September 1988 executed thousands of prisoners in violation of their fundamental right to a fair judicial process," HRW said. "Under international law, extrajudicial killings and other abuses committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population are crimes against humanity. 'Widespread' refers to the scale of the acts or number of victims. 'Systematic' indicates a pattern or methodical plan. The mass executions in Iran were both widespread and systematic," it added. Nouri is charged with international war crimes and human rights abuses in connection with the murders of more than 100 people at a prison in Karaj. Swedish prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment for Nouri, who has been held in custody in Sweden since his arrest in Stockholm in November 2019. The Stockholm District Court has said that a verdict in the case is expected on July 14. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights watchdog says it has found evidence that 12 people convicted of murder or drug-related charges had their punishments meted out in a mass execution on June 6 in the southeast city Zahedan. In a statement dated June 7, the group said 11 men and one woman were hanged en masse a day earlier in the main prison in Zahedan. Halush, a local source covering Sunni and ethnic minorities in the Sistan-Baluchistan Province where Zahedan is located, said six of the executed prisoners were charged with drug-related offenses. All were from Zahedan. According to Halush, the other six were executed on "murder" charges, but no details are available on their cases. "All twelve prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions on June 4," Iran Human Rights said in a report. "At the time of writing [June 7], none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran," it added. Human rights activists have repeatedly expressed concern about the high rate of executions among Iran's ethnic and religious minorities, especially Kurds, Arabs, and Baluchis. They believe executions disproportionately target such minorities in Iran. "Data gathered by Iran Human Rights shows that Baluch prisoners accounted for 21 percent of all executions in 2021, while only representing 26 percent of Iran's population," the group said. Some human rights sources, including the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), have previously stated that more than 85 percent of executions in Iran are carried out "in secret and without official and public information." Iran has had the highest number of executions in the world since 2017. According to Amnesty International, more than half of the world's recorded executions take place in the country. Writing and reporting by Ardeshir Tayebi Iran turned off cameras used by UN inspectors to monitor uranium enrichment hours before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution criticizing the Islamic republic for failing to cooperate. The move by Iran's atomic agency came in anticipation of ratification of the censure on June 8 at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna. The resolution criticizing Iran for failing to explain uranium traces found at three undeclared sites was approved by 30 members of the IAEA board, with only Russia and China voting against it, according to news agency reports quoting unidentified diplomats. France, Britain, Germany, and the United States called on Iran to comply with the IAEA without further delay to avoid any future action after the resolution passed. "We urge Iran to heed the call of the international community to fulfill its legal obligations, and cooperate with the IAEA to fully clarify and resolve issues without further delay," a joint statement said. "If Iran does this and the Director General is able to report that the unresolved safeguards issues are no longer outstanding, we would see no need for further Board consideration and action on these issues," it said. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Twitter that his country's response to the IAEA's resolution is "firm & proportionate and "the initiators are responsible for the consequences. Khatibzadeh said the United States and its three European allies "put their shortsighted agenda ahead of IAEA's credibility by pushing a miscalculated & ill-advised [resolution] against a country [with] the world's most transparent peaceful nuclear program." The disabling of the cameras was announced earlier in a statement from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the countrys civilian nuclear arm. "As of today, the relevant authorities have been instructed to cut off the On-Line Enrichment Monitor and the flow meter cameras of the agency," the organization said. The statement added that Iran's agreement to allow the cameras to run was not "appreciated" by the UN agency but considered an "obligation." It did not specify how many cameras had been turned off but said "more than 80 percent of the agency's existing cameras are operating according to the safeguard agreement and will continue to operate just as before." Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Iranian atomic energy organization, also accused the IAEA of "noncooperation" and "malice. "Given the extensive cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, unfortunately, the IAEA's conduct has not been appropriate," he said. The resolution, formally submitted by the United States, Britain, Germany, and France, expressed concern about Iran's "three undeclared locations" and cited Iran's refusal to "cooperate sufficiently" with the IAEA over the sites. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi has criticized Iran for failing to provide credible information about the unexplained nuclear material discovered at the three sites, which has long been a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. U.S. Ambassador Laura S.H. Holgate identified the sites in comments on June 8 to the IAEA's board as Marivan, Turquzabad, and Varamin. Iran has denied carrying out nuclear work at these locations. Holgate urged Iran to cooperate with UN inspectors and said that moving forward with the censure would hold Iran accountable. Iran's nuclear organization's chief, Mohammad Eslami, said earlier on June 8 that "Iran has no hidden or undocumented nuclear activities or undisclosed sites," state news agency IRNA reported. Senior Iranian nuclear officials have previously warned that passing the resolution could seriously damage attempts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. The sanctions returned after then-President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the United States from the accord. Talks to restore it have been stalled since April. Tehran, which denies that its nuclear program seeks to build a bomb, has backed away from some of its commitments since 2019, and European powers have been expressing concerns over how far Iran's nuclear activities have gone. With reporting by AP and Reuters The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Water shortages in the Iranian province of Isfahan led to mass protests in November 2021 and a brutal government response. Farmers in the province say the situation still has not improved and accuse officials of gross mismanagement. The director of a Russian college in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk has quit after saying he would not punish or exclude students fined by the authorities for publicly objecting to the war in Ukraine. In a Facebook post, Sergei Chernyshov said he had resigned as director of Novosibirsk City Open College on June 7 and is starting up a new "autonomous" college. Speaking to Current Time before he announced his resignation, Chernyshov said he would not be leaving Russia, because he felt "responsible" for his students. Ukraine tried to push back Russian troops in the east and south on June 10 as France offered to help ensure access to the port of Odesa to ease fears of a global grain crisis. Fierce fighting continued in the eastern Donbas region, where President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Ukrainian forces were "holding on" despite Moscow concentrating its firepower there. 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. The fiercest fighting remains around the eastern industrial city of Syevyerodonetsk, a battle that Zelenskiy has said is pivotal for the fate of the Donbas region. Ukrainian forces now control roughly one-third of the key city despite Russia throwing overwhelming numbers of troops and equipment into the battle, officials said. Pro-Russian rebels said they had surrounded the Azot chemical plant in Syevyerodonetsk, trapping a small group of Ukrainian forces there. Rodion Miroshnik, an official in what the separatists call the Luhansk People's Republic, said on Telegram that all escape routes had been cut off. Miroshnik acknowledged the possibility that civilians might still be sheltering at the besieged site. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said Russia is looking for weak points in Ukrainian defenses near the Siverskiy Donets river. He told national television on June 10 that Russian forces had not abandoned attempts to launch storming operations in the area. Some areas of the Zaporizhzhya region have been placed under an extended curfew due to active hostilities in the region and the real threat to life and security, authorities said. The curfew will run from 10 p.m. on June 11 to 5 a.m. on June 13 in the Vasylivka, Berdyansk, Melitopol, and Pologi districts. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in its evening report on June 10 that Russian troops launched air strikes on several towns in the Donetsk region using Su-25 aircraft, Ka-52 helicopters, and Mi-8 helicopters. The General Staff said Russian units were preparing to resume an offensive on the eastern city of Slovyansk, firing artillery at several towns. None of the reports on fighting could be independently verified. Zelenskiy's senior aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said that, because of Russia's lopsided advantage in heavy artillery, Ukraine was losing between 100 and 200 soldiers daily on the front line. The figure advanced by Podolyak was higher than a previous estimate by Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, who on June 9 said Ukraine was losing 100 soldiers a day, and 500 more were wounded. The discrepancy in figures appears to indicate the difficulty of obtaining accurate battlefield information. Podolyak told the BBC that Ukraine needed hundreds of Western artillery systems to level the playing field with Russia in the Donbas. Ukraine also asked for humanitarian support to combat an outbreak of dysentery and cholera in the port city of Mariupol, which has been reduced to ruins. Mayor Vadym Boychenko told national television that sanitation systems were broken and corpses were rotting in the streets. "Unfortunately...these infection outbreaks will claim thousands more Mariupolites," Boychenko said. He called on the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to work on setting up a humanitarian corridor to allow remaining residents to leave the city, which is now under Russian control. Britain's Ministry of Defense said earlier on June 10 in its daily intelligence bulletin that there was a risk of a major cholera outbreak in Mariupol. The bulletin said isolated cases of cholera have been reported in Mariupol since last month. British intelligence also assessed that Russia was struggling to provide basic public services to the inhabitants of the territories that it has occupied in Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia have conducted another prisoner swap, Mykolayiv regional governor Vitaliy Kim said on Telegram. The exchange involved four Russian captives for five Ukrainians, including a village head who was "kidnapped" by Russian forces on March 10, he said. With concern over Ukrainian grain deliveries growing by the day, an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron said France was ready to assist in an operation to allow safe access to Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa. The port has been subject to a de facto blockade by Russia, and grain is waiting to be exported amid mounting fears of global food shortages, especially in developing countries. "We are at the disposal of the parties to put in place an operation which would allow access in complete safety to the port of Odesa, in other words for boats to pass through despite the fact that the sea is mined," said an adviser to Macron, who asked not to be named. Macrons office announced that the French president will travel to Moldova and Romania next week to express France's solidarity with the two allies. Macron will visit French troops in Romania on June 14, and go to Moldova the next day. With reporting by AFP, BBC, Reuters, dpa, and AP Russia's economy will be hit hard by Western sanctions, but President Vladimir Putin faces no immediate political risk and his government will likely weather the economic fallout, a prominent Russian economist and banker said. In an interview with RFE/RLs Russian Service, Andrei Movchan said the war in Ukraine -- now in its fourth month -- was a powerful drain on the Russian government coffers, as were the punitive sanctions imposed by the West in response. But he said that high global oil prices would buttress the governments finances, and that even though the wider Russian economy -- and average Russians, in particular -- will suffer, that was unlikely to pose a threat to Putins rule. Predictions about the imminent death of the regime have been made largely by the same people who have been making them for the past 20 years, and these predictions have not changed in any way, Movchan said in the June 7 interview, speaking from London. Petrocratic regimes are generally stable. Sanctions pressure rarely changes regimes. Sanctions pressure consolidates regimes, makes them more stable, self-contained, and reactionary, he said. The war has indeed now become the means for maintaining hydrocarbon prices. The budget, of course, will suffer, and the Russian economy will have even greater problems in the coming years, comparable to those of the 1990s. An economist by training, Movchan was a top executive at two of Russia's leading independent investment banks during the 1990s and 2000s before launching his own asset management firm. Russias economy is forecast to shrink drastically this year, as Western sanctions cripple the countrys GDP. The World Bank predicts output will shrink 11.2 percent this year, while Russias own Central Bank forecasts a drop of 7.5 percent. The Bank of Finland forecasts a 10 percent decline in GDP, while the Washington-based Institute of International Finance has a dramatically darker forecast, predicting a drop of 15 percent. Such a decrease would be the sharpest since the early 1990s, when Russia was struggling to make the difficult transition from a state-controlled economy to a free market. Russia remains heavily reliant on the export of oil and gas, revenues from which have bolstered its finances and stymied Western efforts to restrain Moscow economically. The European Union foreign affairs chief has estimated that oil exports alone yield $1 billion a day for Russia. Movchan said that whatever economic pain Russia feels is likely to be felt most acutely by average citizens. Of course, the losers from this war, despite these [high oil] prices, are the ordinary people of Russia who had little access to the export of hydrocarbons before -- and now it will be much less. For the elites, the balance of the current account of foreign exchange transactions is really important, and it will be maintained quite stably, he said of an important indicator of economic health. That will allow the elites to rule, satisfy their needs, and control the power bloc -- a reference to the security, law enforcement, and military agencies that hold oversized influence on government policy. Stability of the type seen in Iran, Venezuela, North Korea: that's what Russia is now entering into, he said. Asked about the likelihood of substantive political change as a result of the sanctions, Movchan predicted there would be little. Sanctions certainly have an economic effect, but they really do not lead to a serious change in foreign and domestic policy and to a change in power, he said. Written by Mike Eckel based on reporting by Sergei Medvedev Letters of Hope Author Cara Wilson-Granat reflects on the correspondence of Otto Frank In June 1968, shortly after the assassination of Robert Kennedy, UCLA undergrad Cara Wilson-Granat wrote a letter to Otto Frank, father of Anne Frank. It wasnt the first time the young college student had reached out to the man responsible for shepherding The Diary of a Young Girl to publication. The two had been corresponding for close to a decade by that point and would continue to write until Franks death in 1980. But among the more than 100 missives the two exchanged, that particular letter is among the most meaningful to Wilson-Granat. Donor Cara Wilson-Granat corresponded with Otto Frank for more than two decades. In June 2022, she donated the collected letters to the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina. A cri de coeur that also touched on the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers, its a snapshot of a tumultuous time and riddled with urgent questions about fixing a broken a world. It could have been written by any number of disillusioned young people at that point in history, but its audience and circumstances lend it a powerful and distinct aura. That was a pivotal point for me, says the Colorado-based author, who had initially written to Frank in 1959 after auditioning for the Anne Frank role in the Hollywood adaptation of the diary. I've always been an optimist, but I also fight hopelessness. And that's what I wrote to Otto. I said, You know, I don't know why you have so much hope for the world, because I have none. I will never bring a child into a world this cruel. And I meant it so strongly. How could I? Franks hopeful response Life goes on and perhaps your child will bring the world one step further, he advises is now part of a trove of correspondence that Wilson-Granat recently donated to the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina. We're now in a world of so much animosity and hate and antisemitism, says Wilson-Granat, whose long relationship with Frank is detailed in her 2021 memoir Tree of Hope. If this collection could be a forum for opening up discussions rather than just being put away somewhere, it lives on. Comprising more than 100 missives written by Frank between 1959 and 1980, the collection offers the renowned humanitarians reflections on history and insights into a range of subjects, from love and marriage to the power of hope in the face of despair. The letters also provide a window on Frank himself, who was well known for responding thoughtfully to young correspondents from around the world. What shook me to the core when I finally met him which was so emotional was when he opened up this huge cupboard door, from the ceiling to the floor, and I saw boxes and boxes and boxes of letters, notebooks from children all over the world, says Wilson-Granat, whose own collection is now the basis for the new Anne Frank Center Archive, a collaborative effort between University Libraries and the Anne Frank Center. Were now in a world of so much animosity and hate and antisemitism. If this collection could be a forum for opening up discussions rather than just being put away somewhere, it lives on. Cara Wilson-Granat And there is certainly a lot of other Anne Frank-related correspondence still out in the world. Otto Frank received more than 10,000 letters from children around the world, and Anne Frank Center Executive Director Doyle Stevick hopes Wilson-Granats gift will inspire others. "Anne's legacy was guided and shaped for more than 35 years by Otto Frank. These letters reveal the personal side of a private man who always wanted his daughter's words and spirit to be front and center, says Stevick. His heartfelt responses to Cara help us understand how he saw Anne's continuing relevance in turbulent times." But Wilson-Granats experience seeing her own correspondence with Frank amassed as a single collection more than 40 years ago in Basel, Switzerland, was also about how he saw the other children who looked to him for sage wisdom and even fatherly advice. It was overwhelming, totally overwhelming, she says. Especially when he sat me down and put this huge box in front of me and said, These are your letters. I get moved by it every time I think of it. I mattered to him. We all mattered to him. Share this Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about MISSOULA Return to Big Skies: Miss Montana to Normandy documentary film includes a bit of Seeley Lake history. The film directed and photographed by E. W. Ristau and produced by Geneva Ristau and Jenny Rohrer is now available on Amazon Prime for viewing. The filming project started in late 2018 with a goal to chronicle the grassroots efforts of an aviation community comprised of mechanics, pilots, smokejumpers and everyday Montanans. The group worked in a hangar at the Museum of Mountain Flying to restore a World War II era C-47 and fly it to Europe in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France in June 2019, E.W. Ristau said. "Initially, we had been in talks with the museum about me flying with them over to Europe. We wanted to hire a crew to be on the ground in Europe and for me to be in the airplane with those guys," Ristau said. "The trip being a lot of the narrative of the film, due to insurance purposes and a number of other issues, it just didn't happen. Our filming ended when they left for Europe." Ristau said the film sat on the shelf for a while after the aircraft left for Europe. "I was not sure there was a story," Ristau said. "But when we started to look through the material and saw there was a story of a grassroots effort of average everyday citizens coming in and working on this immense project in a short time frame." Filming was conducted in late 2018 into spring 2019 before the aircraft headed to Normandy, France. Over 200 volunteers worked day and night over the 10-month period to restore the aircraft, Ristau said. Crews had just six short hours of flight time before heading to Europe in 2019. The narrative changed a bit to honor smokejumpers, veterans and Montana aviation history. "We really started to see looking through all these interviews we conducted there was a great story," Ristau said. "We did shoot some follow up interviews, not really very many but essentially crafted the film out of what we had on hand." The epilogue to the film includes footage shot by the crew who went to Europe, some footage from a high budget film crew that went over and some from people on the ground in Europe, Ristau said. Poster provided "It's a nice combination of history of aviation in western Montana," Rohrer said. "And, then the immediate story of all these hundreds of people coming together in the cold in this hangar that only got rudimentary heat later in the process to do all this work together." Miss Montana C-47 was part of the Johnson Flying Service fleet. It was the plane that dropped the smokejumpers killed in the Mann Gulch tragedy. "It was great to get John Maclean to tell the Mann Gulch story," Ristau said. "There couldn't have been a better person on earth to tell that chapter of the story." The film was funded in part by a grant from the Montana History Foundation and fiscal sponsorship from the Big Sky Film institute. It was a selection of the 2022 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVentures screening series. A link to the film on Amazon Prime Video is available at MissMontanaMovie.com. MISSOULA About 12.5 million nonresidents visited Montana in 2021 and spent around $5.15 billion in the Treasure State, according to estimates by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana. The number of travelers visiting the state in 2021 increased 12.5% from 2020, bringing the number nearly back to the pre-pandemic visitation levels. This recovery performance far exceeded most of the nation. Those 12.5 million travelers made up 5.6 million travel groups in Montana during the year. Nearly half of those travelers were here during the third quarter from July through September. Overall for 2021, slightly larger group sizes, longer lengths of stay and higher daily average spending per group resulted in the significant increase in spending compared to previous years, said Jeremy Sage, ITRR interim director. As is generally the case, money spent on fuel is the highest category, accounting for nearly a quarter of average daily spending for travel groups. Restaurant and bar spending and accommodations make up another third of the average daily travel budget for nonresidents. Visitor spending during 2021 supported an estimated 47,800 jobs directly. Associated with those jobs is $1.3 billion of labor income directly supported by nonresident spending. An additional $734 million of labor income is indirectly supported by nonresident travel spending. These travelers contributed more than $387 million in state and local taxes in 2021. All information and reports published by ITRR are available online at http://www.itrr.umt.edu. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Police arrested an armed Southern California man early Wednesday who was making threats outside the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, court officials said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the suspect in a criminal complaint as Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley. According to the complaint, Roske told detectives after his arrest that he was distraught over the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers. Roske said he thought Kavanaugh would back Second Amendment decisions loosening gun laws, and said he believed killing Kavanaugh would give his life a purpose, according to the complaint. FBI officials said in the complaint that the incident began around 1 a.m. when U.S. deputy marshals noticed a person dressed in black and carrying a backpack and a suitcase get out of a taxi in front of Kavanaughs house in Chevy Chase, Md. The person looked at the marshals, standing outside their vehicle, then turned to walk down the street, the complaint said. Shortly after that, Roske called the Montgomergy County Emergency Communications Center, identified himself and said he was suicidal and had a firearm in his suitcase, according to the complaint. He also told the call taker that he came from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice, the complaint said. Officers arrived at Kavanaughs home at about 1:50 a.m. and apprehended the man, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police Department told The Chronicle. When officers arrived, Roske was still on the phone with the emergency center, the complaint said. Officials searched Roskes suitcase and backpack and found several weapons, including a Glock 17 pistol with two magazines and ammunition, a tactical knife and pepper spray, as well as zip ties and duct tape. 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. Roske was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on a charge of attempted murder of a federal judge. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Editors note: An earlier version of this story misstated where the man arrested at Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavauagh's home traveled from. He told police he came from California, according to court documents. Rachel Swan, Danielle Echeverria and Tal Kopan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. California can deduct union dues from Medi-Cal payments to a caretaker who provides in-home care to an elderly or disabled person, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. A state law authorizing the deductions was challenged by anti-union groups representing eight providers of In-Home Supportive Services. The eight automatically became public employees when they began caring for their patients, with standard payroll deductions, including dues for the unions that represented the employees. They quickly resigned from the unions but, under the law, were required to continue paying dues until a specified withdrawal date that occurs once each year. Their lawsuit argued that the continued payments violated the workers free-speech rights and a provision of the federal Medicaid law, known as Medi-Cal in California, that requires all payments under the program to be made to the patients or their providers and says they cannot be reassigned to others. But the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said constitutional rights of free speech can be enforced only against the government and not against private parties such as unions. The court also said the anti-reassignment provision was intended to prevent payments to others unconnected with the program and did not give providers of health care any right to control the funds or limit payroll deductions. The provision, the court said, was aimed at ending a practice known as factoring, in which contractors bought Medicaid providers accounts at discount rates, then collected the payments from the states. A 1972 congressional report found that factoring had led to inflated claims and fraudulent practices, the court said. The anti-reassignment rule reflects Congresss goal of ensuring that state Medicaid payments are not lost to fraud and abuse, Judge Jacqueline Nguyen said in a 3-0 ruling upholding decisions by federal judges in San Diego and Sacramento. She cited an opinion last month by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services saying employment-type deductions did not violate the law, reversing a contrary decision by the agency under President Donald Trump in 2019. 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 eight providers were represented by the National Right-to-Work Legal Defense Foundation and the Freedom Foundation. Rebekah Millard, a lawyer for the Freedom Foundation, said the organization was weighing its options, which could include an appeal to the full Ninth Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court. The states defense of the law was joined by units of the Service Employees International Union and United Domestic Workers of America. Stacey Leyton, a lawyer for the unions, said the court had correctly interpreted the law. This is yet another one of the many unsuccessful cases filed by the Freedom Foundation in an effort to use the courts to drain union resources by forcing the unions to defend against meritless claims, Leyton said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The former First Lady of San Francisco, Gina Moscone, the widow of George Moscone who was assassinated in 1978, has died, according to the governors office. Gina Moscone died of cancer. She was 91. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced her death in a statement and said he and his wife were saddened of her death. San Francisco will long remember her as a charming, gracious First Lady and a Trustee on the War Memorial Board, a person who gave so much to the City she grew up in and loved so much, Newsom said. Those who knew her will also remember her as a loving mother who doted on her children, all while remaining a fixture in civic life in San Francisco even after the passing of her beloved husband, George. Our hearts are with the Moscone family today as they grieve their mother. Bill Young / The Chronicle Gina Moscone was married to George Moscone, whose assassination in November 1978 was one of San Franciscos darkest eras. Former Supervisor Dan White shot and killed Moscone and Harvey Milk, the citys first gay supervisor and civil rights icon, in City Hall. White was later convicted of voluntary manslaughter. Moscones son, Jonathan, said in a rare interview in 1998 that his mother, Gina, learned about the assassination on the car radio returning from a funeral. At the time, he said his mother rarely talked about her grief. She's alone, she doesnt have her partner, and nothing can replace that, he said. In a statement to The Chronicle, Jonathan Moscone said, Our family could not have had a better mom. She devoted her life to us and to her grandchildren, and was probably the most loyal person this city has ever seen. We are going to miss her terribly. In a statement, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown spoke of Gina Moscones love of San Francisco. Gina Moscone worked from 1980 to 1995 as a staff member for Brown when he was speaker of the assembly. Gina Moscone was the First Lady of San Francisco at a time when being a pleasant host was all that was expected, Brown said in a statement to The Chronicle. She rose above those limited expectations from the start, and then, in the face of unimaginable tragedy, she responded with tremendous grace, humanity and tenacity. She helped all of us get through those brutal times, and later, she helped my office serve the people of San Francisco in very practical ways. Throughout the decades, she maintained her deep concern for others, her love of San Francisco, and her irrepressible sense of humor. She will be forever missed. Rep. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto also spoke of Gina Moscones elegance and contributions to San Francisco. 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. Gina Moscones elegance came from her soul, Eshoo said. She dealt with life with grace and dignity and she will forever be the First Lady of San Francisco. Gina Moscone was born and raised in San Francisco. She graduated from St. Brigids High School and married George Moscone in 1954. She was a member of the San Francisco War Memorial Board of Trustees from 1980 to 2021. Gina Moscone is survived by her four children, five grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Services will be held in July. A representative for Gina Moscone said in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Owen Moscone Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Sarah Ravani (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani Tuesdays successful recall of San Franciscos district attorney ends a turbulent two-year campaign against Chesa Boudin. Yet in the final hours leading up to the vote, prominent members of Boudins staff were thinking less about what they accomplished since January 2020 and more about with whom they accomplished it. Hands down, the people (Boudin) brought into this office are some of the most brilliant legal minds Ive ever worked with, Kasie Lee, a former prosecutor and head of the district attorneys juvenile unit, told me. Boudin was elected in 2019 behind a progressive platform that was both embraced and derided in San Francisco, which meant his margin for error as district attorney was nonexistent from the beginning. So, he systematically surrounded himself with bright public defenders, veteran prosecutors, academics and policy experts to steer his reform-focused agenda. San Francisco voters didnt just oust Boudin on Tuesday; they also set in motion a potential dismantling of one of the countrys most progressive district attorneys offices. Some, like Lee one of the states few certified criminal law specialists, as recognized by the California State Bars Legal Specialization Program gave up other career opportunities to join Boudins office. I had a thriving private practice for eight years as the only Cantonese-speaking criminal-law specialist in the city, Lee said, adding she closed the practice to work with Boudin. I was comfortable doing what I was doing, but I was really motivated by this opportunity to create real change. A notable portion of this change, largely aimed at reducing racial disparities in the criminal justice system, started taking shape during Boudins first 60 days in office. Between January and February 2020, Boudin launched a handful of policy directives, including declining to file contraband possession charges stemming from the dubious police practice of stopping motorists for minor traffic infractions just to search them; ending the use of Californias harsh three strikes law; and ending the use of gang-affiliation charges that can substantially lengthen felony sentences. Working behind the scenes to ensure directives of this type would be effective has been Kate Chatfield, the chief of staff in Boudins office. Chatfield was a lead writer on a landmark 2019 criminal justice reform bill, Senate Bill 1437, that amended the states felony murder statute to limit the liability of accomplices who didnt actually kill anyone. I like to say good people attract good people, Chatfield told me, adding it was she who connected Lee with Boudin. We pulled together a tremendous amount of experience, intellect and mission-driven people. ... We all push each other. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle The team also had to rely on each other for moral support during a 2020 that brought unprecedented difficulties: a global pandemic that led to a shift in national and local crime trends; right-wing disinformation about crime that preyed on the publics anxieties during COVID lockdowns; and amplified criticisms of criminal justice reform agendas. This is our lives, said Rachel Marshall, a policy adviser and communications director for Boudins office who has been working on criminal justice issues since the late 2000s. It has taken our time, energy and heart trying to advance justice in this context. 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. On the eve of the recall, Marshall who followed Boudins campaign toward the end of 2019 and joined his office in 2020 and other staff members were struggling to grasp how their journey would be ending two years after it began. I realized then there are prosecutors who dedicated their careers to really struggling with issues of how to address public safety and criminal justice in real ways rather than just replicating the failed strategies of the past, Marshall said. For me, it felt like a unique moment to play a real role in shaping the future of criminal justice reform and what a fair and just system could look like. The movement that pulled Marshall into Boudins office is reaching young attorneys and victim advocates across the country, even in the face of what appears to be a national backlash against progressive district attorneys. Last month, Boudins office issued a news release saying it had received a historic number of applicants seeking to participate in the District Attorneys internship program and volunteer with the office in 2022. San Francisco recall supporters disagreed with the public safety path taken by Boudin and his staff, but no one can deny that minorities in the city are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, criminality and incarceration that needs to be disrupted. Making the criminal justice system fairer requires thought leaders, like the ones Boudin collected to run his office. Tuesdays recall results showed liberal San Francisco is not willing to embrace them. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan led the field in the District Three seat for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors heading to a presumed runoff against Lena Tam and leaving the prospect of an opening for her prominent at-large position on the Oakland City Council. Kaplan, a progressive who has served as Oaklands at-large member since 2008, had 39% of the vote, to 30% for Tam, Alamedas former vice mayor and chair of the countys planning board, in results posted as of Wednesday by Alameda County elections officials. If no candidate reaches a vote threshhold of 50%, election rules say the top two go to a runoff contest in November. Kaplans election would leave open the powerful at-large council seat that represents the entire city, enabling Oakland residents to elect someone new to the position. Election of another progressive would maintain the councils progressive majority. The District Three seat was left open when former Supervisor Wilma Chan was struck and killed by a motorist last year. After Chans death, her seat was held by her chief of staff, Dave Brown. Brown could not run to keep the position because he recently moved out of the district. Kaplan ran against three other candidates for the seat, which represents Alameda, San Leandro, parts of Oakland and some unincorporated parts of the county. In addition to Tam, the candidates included Surlene Grant, San Leandros former vice mayor and chair of the Alameda County Housing Authority, and David Kakishiba, the executive director of of the East Bay Asian Youth Center. Kaplan secured a number of endorsements from major labor unions and the Alameda County Democractic Party, as well as council members from Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and other East Bay cities. Kaplan has at times sparred with Mayor Libby Schaaf, and previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Oakland. Prior to her term on the City Council, she served as the at-large director on the AC Transit Board of Directors from 2002 to 2008. She was the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Oakland City Council. 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. During her time on City Council, Kaplan secured $10 million in the state budget to finance the citys police alternative the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland which involves counselors and paramedics responding to some mental health calls. That program launched this spring. She was also a key member in selecting a Black developer group to redevelop the Coliseum area. Kaplan said that as supervisor she would tackle homelessness by looking at county-owned properties to expand housing options. Sarah Ravani (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani San Francicans ousted Chesa Boudin on Tuesday, voting to recall the controversial District Attorney by a significant margin. While he didnt serve out his full term, Boudin swiftly implemented several bold policy changes, some of which were more popular than he was as an official. Here are five big policies that shaped Boudins time in office. Whoever replaces him may look to the same areas to set the tone for their administration. 1. Ending cash bail Boudin announced in January 2020 that his office would stop using money bail, in which an arrested person is released before trial after posting a specific sum meant to ensure they will appear in court when ordered to do so. The system has increasingly come under fire for favoring wealthier defendants. This policy change appears to be fairly popular: A poll of likely voters commissioned by the anti-recall effort in May found that 39% of respondents were in favor of ending the use of cash bail, with 30% opposed and 31% unsure. (Polls funded by proponents of a position or candidate often find higher rates of approval for policies that the group supports, so these support numbers may be inflated.) Boudins office now relies exclusively on a risk-based detention system. People who are deemed to pose a serious public safety risk after a review of their background and case will remain in jail while people who are not are generally let out, sometimes with ankle monitors or other supervision tools. San Francisco had already scaled back its use of cash bail before Boudin took office. In 2016, his predecessor George Gascon introduced an algorithmic risk assessment tool to help prosecutors predict whether a person might re-offend or flee the city if released pre-trial; prosecutors could then use those predictions to make release recommendations to judges, though they didnt have to. Then, in 2018, the city began factoring in peoples ability to pay when deciding whether or not to set money bail; the city made this change to adhere to the findings of a California appeals court ruling, known as the Humphrey decision, that ruled courts must consider an individuals ability to pay before setting bail. Last March, Californias Supreme Court upheld this ruling, mandating judges throughout the state adhere to it. But the Supreme Courts decision doesnt require district attorneys abolish cash bail the way Boudins office has; it just means that trial courts now have to consider defendants ability to pay, and in most cases cant set bail at an amount the arrested person cant afford. A new D.A. will have to adhere to this new ruling, even if they reinstate some form of cash bail. Jorja Leap, an adjunct professor of social welfare at UCLA, said that those in favor of cash bail believe it provides an incentive for people to return to court, so they dont forfeit what they paid. But she said theres little research to back this up. Washington D.C. ended cash bail in the 1990s; as of 2017, 88% of people released pre-trial made every court appearance, according to NPR. 2. Charging minors as adults Boudin has vowed never to charge a person under 18 as an adult; hes one of a number of progressive prosecutors nationwide who have ended the practice following research showing that young people tried as adults are more likely to be re-arrested than those tried in juvenile court. His decision polls well. The anti-recall-commissioned poll from May found that 46% of respondents said they were in favor of not prosecuting children as adults, while 30% opposed this policy change. Boudins predecessor, George Gascon, prosecuted some minors as adults, though only in rare cases. A previous Chronicle review found that more than 11,500 youths ages 14 to 17 were moved into adult courts across California from 2003 to 2018. But the practice has become less prevalent since legislators rolled back earlier tough-on-crime laws. The state has barred the prosecution of children under 16 as adults since 2019, though it continues to allow prosecutors to charge 16- and 17-year-olds in adult court with a judges consent. People incarcerated through the juvenile system must be let go after age 25, though if there are concerns the person will hurt themselves or others, a judge can remand them to a medical facility. Gascon, who halted the practice of charging minors as adults after becoming DA in Los Angeles, has since expressed some second thoughts. He walked back the total ban and said hed consider prosecuting children as adults if theyre accused of severe violence, LAist reported. We now have a year under our belt. We have seen the things that are not necessarily working as well as I would prefer, Gascon said in February. Eric Siddall, vice president of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys in Los Angeles County, took issue with Boudins total ban on the practice. It doesnt matter, for example, if the juvenile has committed three murders, he said. Certain juveniles are no longer acting like children when they commit certain kinds of crime. 3. Sending a greater share of people through diversion programs Boudins office has been sending a significantly greater share of people charged with crimes through diversion than Gascon did, a Chronicle data analysis found. Diversion removes people from the regular court process to rehabilitative programs, with a goal of addressing the causes of their behavior and, in many cases, enabling them to avoid a conviction on their record. If a person fails to abide by the often stringent guidelines, their case can be transferred back to traditional court. San Francisco has long been unusual in how many and what types of criminal cases it diverts, and statewide laws have made it much easier for courts and prosecutors to send cases through diversion programs. A recent study from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab found that, among people in San Francisco charged with felony crimes over a nine-year period, those sent through diversion programs were less likely to be re-arrested and convicted than those sent through the traditional court process. While most criminal justice researchers agree that diversion programs for lower-level offenses are positive, some prosecutors, including former employees of the San Francisco District Attorneys Office, are more skeptical of diversions impact on people charged with felony crimes, particularly serious crimes like assaults. Diversion has historically, under both Kamala Harris and George Gascon, been reserved for lower-level-type felonies: Property crimes, drug possession crimes, that sort of thing, Don Du Bain, a former prosecutor under Gascon, previously told The Chronicle. Robbery and felony assaults have not typically been diverted. 4. Not following Californias three strikes law Boudin announced his office would not follow Californias three strikes law in February 2020. The law passed in 1994, at the height of the tough-on-crime era, and required a sentence of 25 years to life for people convicted of three strikes, or qualifying felonies. While the law was amended in 2012, requiring the third strike to be a serious or violent felony, critics of the law argue it is too severe and disproportionately applied to lower-income people of color, many of whom accept strikes for relatively non-serious crimes like shoplifting as part of plea deals. You may have someone who accumulates strikes, not because of the severity of their crimes or even if theyre guilty or innocent, (but) because they take a plea deal, Leap of UCLA told The Chronicle. Theres not a lot of rich white people in prison because of three strikes. Siddall is no fan of Boudins policy. Boudin and Gascon dont seem to understand (that) we dont live in an authoritarian regime where the prosecutor gets to decide what the law is, Siddall said. A state appellate court took Siddalls view on June 2, mandating that local prosecutors follow three strikes and seek additional time for repeat offenders. However, the court also ruled that prosecutors could seek dismissal of strikes in the interest of justice. Siddall said prosecutors believe three strikes to be effective at reducing rearrest rates for second-strikers. Many proponents of the law also point to the fact that violent crime has fallen dramatically in California since the law was enacted. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of the law is mixed, and few recent studies have been published. A 2007 study from Harvard University researcher Radha Iyengar found that three strikes laws reduced participation in all types of crime by 28% among people eligible for a third strike. But the study also found that this groups probability of committing a violent crime increased by 9%. A 2011 study by UC Riverside sociologist Robert Nash Parker, meanwhile, found that violent crime fell across all states at similar rates from the 1990s to the early 2010s, regardless of whether they had a three strikes policy or not. 5. Not seeking gang enhancements Boudin announced in February 2020 that he would rarely use gang enhancements, charges that can add time to peoples sentences if they are proven to have been motivated by gang ties. Leap, a gang law expert, said that theres no research showing gang enhancements are effective. She said they do nothing to address the causes of crime, and allow prosecutors to add additional time onto peoples sentences because of who they associate with and how they dress. We have no accountability for how this is done no research studies, no nothing, Leap said. Siddall disputed that prosecutors regularly tack on gang enhancements without any accountability or intentionality. The judge has to approve our allegations and then the jury has to convict and a court of appeal has to agree with what we argue, he said. Theres lots of checks within the system to make sure the allegation is used correctly. Susie Neilson and Joshua Sharpe are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Emails: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com, joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson, @joshuawsharpe This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The election for California attorney general is poised to be a contest of stark contrasts, between a reform-minded liberal incumbent and a staunchly conservative challenger whos looking to seize on public fears about crime. Democrat Rob Bonta, who was appointed attorney general last year, had nearly 55% support in Tuesdays primary election, according to returns posted Wednesday. Republicans Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, and Eric Early, an attorney from Los Angeles, were locked in a tight battle for second place. Hochman had over 18% support, followed by Early with 16.8% support. Bonta said in an election night statement that either of his potential opponents would be dangerously far right, suggesting that they stand with Trump and against our California values. Bonta and one of his GOP challengers will advance to the top-two November general election. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, a Republican turned independent, was in third place with less than 8%, and Green Party candidate Dan Kapelovitz, a criminal defense attorney, trailed far behind. The attorney generals race is expected to dominate the statewide contests in California this fall because there has been little fanfare over the races for governor and U.S. Senate. Bonta, a progressive former state legislator from Alameda, faces a sharp foil in either Hochman or Early, who have accused Democrats of failing to stop a spike in violent crime and even enabling through criminal justice reforms, such as efforts to reduce minimum sentences or release some offenders early. Republicans have not held the state attorney generals office since 1999, and the GOP has not won any statewide elections since 2006. Republican Lanhee Chen was the top vote-getter in the state controllers race, but his total was less than the four other Democrats in the race combined. But Democrats arent taking their advantage for granted as Bonta faces his first statewide campaign. Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Bonta attorney general last year, after former Attorney General Xavier Becerra stepped down to become President Bidens secretary of health and human services. Similar to the primary, the general election is likely to be dominated by rhetoric and perceptions about rising crime in California, as well as the worsening housing crisis. Recall efforts targeting progressive District Attorneys Chesa Boudin in San Francisco and George Gascon in Los Angeles have helped to put the debate over criminal justice reforms at the forefront of California politics. Boudin was recalled by a wide margin in Tuesdays election. A second effort to recall Gascon has not yet qualified for a future ballot. Californians are fed up with rampant crime and ZERO accountability from our elected officials (like @RobBonta) whose job it is to protect public safety, Hochman tweeted in April, after he won the California Republican Party endorsement. All three of Bontas conservative primary challengers Early, Hochman and Schubert vowed to pursue a more tough-on-crime approach. Early told The Chronicle that Republicans are now prepared to seize on what he described as momentum from the Boudin recall as they attempt to frame Bonta as a Gascon-Boudin clone in the general election. Early said hes still optimistic that he can overtake Hochman, though he said both GOP candidates are prepared to unite against Bonta. Crime rates across California remain near the historic lows of the last decade, in many respects. But large cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles saw major spikes in certain types of crimes, such as homicide and auto burglary, during the pandemic. Nonetheless, Republicans have been bullish that those trends, compounded by viral videos of blatant theft in blue cities, could make the attorney generals race more competitive. Schubert was often seen as Bontas perhaps most formidable challenger; she is best known for leading the effort to identify and successfully prosecute Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo, a serial killer. On the campaign trail, Schubert often compared Bontas views to those of Boudin and used caustic language to describe crime in San Francisco. We must fix the mistakes of the woke and reckless reforms that are now wreaking havoc on all Californians, Schubert said earlier this year, while accepting the endorsements of law enforcement unions. But Schuberts lack of a party label appears to have hurt her statewide. Hochman secured the state GOP endorsement and was frequently the second-place candidate in earlier polling. He cast himself as a more moderate Republican, saying he was running to the hard middle on criminal justice. Early, meanwhile, has made little attempt to appeal to Democrats or centrist voters and has instead framed the fight over crime policies as an existential threat to conservatives. He has vowed to stop what he describes as communists trying to indoctrinate students in school and the state trying to force experimental vaccines on children. This is our destiny as Republicans, to fight the evil woke, Early said at the state Republican Party convention in Anaheim this spring. Were in a battle of good versus evil. He was previously lead legal counsel for the unsuccessful effort to recall Newsom last year and is the attorney for the Trump-friendly One America News Network. Early also finished last in a four-way primary election for attorney general in 2018. Bontas supporters also made it clear that Early was the challenger they hoped to face in November. An independent expenditure group supporting Bonta even shrewdly tried to boost Early by paying for radio ads promoting him as pro-Trump, pro-life and pro-guns on conservative talk radio stations across California. Those efforts appear to have boosted Early, particularly as he and Hochman battle it out for the second-place spot. Bonta, the states first Filipino American attorney general, was among the most progressive Democrats in Sacramento during his eight years in the Assembly. He has often attributed his liberal views to growing up with activist parents who, for a time, raised him in a trailer among farm workers. Heading into the general election, Bonta has a formidable fundraising advantage. He has raked in more than $5.2 million, compared with about $595,000 for Early. Bonta hasnt shied away from his progressive credentials in the campaign, calling himself the peoples attorney. He warned voters that electing a Republican like Hochman or Early could jeopardize the states ability to defend its policies on a host of progressive issues. On election night, he said that either GOP candidate would fail to defend the states strict gun laws, a warning that came in the wake of a series of mass shootings across the country. Bonta also warned that his challengers could hamper Californias efforts to be a pro-choice refuge for women seeking abortions. Both of these Republicans have dodged basic questions about how they would handle these constitutional and legal issues if they are elected attorney general, Bonta said in a statement. With the Supreme Court on the verge of invalidating Roe and potentially overturning gun safety laws, there is far too much at stake. Dustin Gardiner (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Francisco voters overwhelmingly voted to remove District Attorney Chesa Boudin from office on Tuesday, favoring a recall effort that argued his progressive reforms were too lenient and made the city less safe. Boudin trailed by about 20 percentage points Tuesday evening, according to the latest figures from city elections officials. Around 60% of San Franciscans who cast ballots voted to recall him. Boudin will be removed from office 10 days after the Board of Supervisors formally accepts the election results. The citys more moderate mayor, London Breed, will choose his immediate replacement, and voters will elect a new district attorney in November. Recall Results: Boudin recall margins narrow, with voters split 55% to 45% in support The result comes as little surprise to residents following numerous polls, almost all of which predicted a decisive defeat for Boudin. The results capped off a furious debate over crime and criminal justice in San Francisco, with the two sides fighting over Boudins approach to incarceration and rehabilitation and his leadership. As his supporters lauded his efforts to find alternatives to jails and prisons which he said had failed the public for decades his detractors slammed him as too permissive. Boudin will depart the office after serving two and a half years of his four-year term. Supporters of recalling Boudin erupted in cheers and chants of Recall Chesa as they toasted drinks after first results showed Boudins ouster. People embraced and said they were going to cry, overcome with emotion. Boudin arrived at his watch party after the measure had already been called, making his entrance to chants of Chesa! This is a movement not a moment, he said, standing on top of a keg to be seen and heard. Our cause is righteous, he said. And we have already won! And we have already won! We are part of a national movement that understands we can never incarcerate our way out of poverty. Recall campaign chair Mary Jung, who described herself as a lifelong Democrat, said she started the campaign 14 months ago because she believed San Francisco was in trouble, needed change and would support a Democratic-led campaign for a safer San Francisco. San Franciscans from every neighborhood and background sent a clear message today, she said. Voters said loud and clear that they want a district attorney who prioritizes public safety for every community. Two women whose names have arisen as potential replacements were at the recall party. Brooke Jenkins, a former prosecutor who resigned from Boudins office and became a campaign spokesperson demurred when asked whether she would put her name forward or run. My goal was to help this campaign and Im content, Jenkins said. Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who endorsed the recall, also declined to comment on whether she was interested or would ask the mayor to consider her. Before polls closed Tuesday, Christina Harsanyi, a Russian Hill resident who dropped off her ballot in Chinatown during her lunch break, said she supported the recall and wanted a more aggressive prosecutor. I dont feel particularly safe in my neighborhood due to an increase in crime, she said, citing needles, fires set on the street and break-ins around her home. But Andrew Wu, an Outer Sunset voter, said he believed city police officers had at times declined to intervene in crime and solve cases, hindering what Boudin as district attorney could do. The onus is on both groups to enforce the law, said Wu, who voted no on the recall. Some voters on Tuesday expressed unease about recalls. Mike Rosene, an Outer Sunset resident, voted no, and said recalls were a waste of taxpayer dollars. You have to give them a chance to finish the term, he said, and if youre unhappy, you can vote your guy in at the next election. The election was closely-watched across the nation. While San Francisco has elected a series of left-leaning district attorneys in recent decades, Boudin was part of a wave of progressive prosecutors who took power in American cities, channelling the energy of the Black Lives Matter movement. Boudin eliminated cash bail, which favors wealthier defendants; helped divert more defendants to treatment instead of trials; and pursued criminal prosecutions against nine police officers. Boudin blamed the recall on conservative forces, pointing to the fundraising against him, but only 7% of voters register as Republican in San Francisco. Rather, he split Democrats in a city where many residents are frustrated with chronic problems, including high rates of burglary and drug overdoses. Some of the recall teams most vocal advocates were Democrats, who said they believed in Boudins overarching goals but said his leadership had created an office in disarray and a system that let offenders off without meaningful consequences. One spark for the recall was a tragic car crash on Dec. 31, 2020, that happened when police said an armed and intoxicated man barreled a stolen car into two pedestrians, Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt, in the South of Market area, killing both. The alleged driver, Troy McAlister, 45, had been arrested several times in the months leading up to the wreck, but his state parole was never revoked and the District Attorneys Office did not file any new charges. Boudin, a former public defender, was elected by a razor-thin margin in 2019, following a ranked-choice contest that pit him against Suzy Loftus, who had been appointed interim district attorney by Mayor Breed, and a pair of more conservative candidates. Among other changes, he stopped charging juveniles as adults and declined to take advantage of the three strikes law, which was designed to drastically increase punishments for repeat offenders. He contended that lowering incarceration actually made the city safer, because rehabilitating offenders was more effective. Boudin ignited strong feelings from the beginning, and he and his supporters soon warned of what they described as a move from a right-wing playbook ratcheting up fear of crime and placing blame on his reforms. Yet overall reported crime has fallen during Boudins tenure, according to police figures. By the middle of last year, two groups were gunning to recall him from office. The first, led by former San Francisco Republican mayoral candidate Richie Greenberg, fell short of collecting the 51,325 signatures to qualify for a special recall election. The second effort, spearheaded by Democrats, immediately generated more contributions and widespread support, submitting 83,000 signatures in October to the Department of Elections. Meanwhile, the reformist movement that fueled Boudins 2019 victory began to wane during the pandemic, when a national surge in homicides and widespread fear of rising crime often overshadowed calls for decarceration. Mayor Breed, while announcing a state of emergency in December in the long-neglected Tenderloin neighborhood, pledged to beef up policing and be less tolerant of all the bulls that has destroyed our city. By June, the groups seeking to recall Boudin together raised $7.2 million to oust him, while the district attorneys backers gathered about $3.3 million. Chronicle staff writers Danielle Echeverria and Roland Li contributed to this report. Megan Cassidy, Mallory Moench and Joshua Sharpe are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com joshua.sharpe@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy @mallorymoench @joshuawsharpe The implosion of two high-profile independents in Tuesdays election illustrates a piece of conventional California political wisdom: Its all but impossible for independent candidates to win on a statewide ballot. Two prominent candidates with no party label activist and author Michael Shellenberger, who ran for governor, and Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who ran for state attorney general stumbled in epic fashion in their respective primary contests. Both were trailing little-known Republicans who scooped up the second-place slots to advance to the top-two general election in November. The outcome came as little surprise to political observers, who said that while Shellenberger and Schubert made strategic flubs, the scope of their defeats is emblematic of the uphill slog independents face competing against the partisan grain. Thats especially true in a state of 39.5 million people where voters are sharply divided along partisan lines. Shellenberger and Schubert were both earlier seen as perhaps the most viable challengers to go up against Democratic heavyweights Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta in the November general election due to their more centrist appeal. Both had also dropped their party labels in recent years, in an apparent attempt to appeal to moderates. Shellenberger switched from Democrat to independent, and Schubert from Republican to independent. Both also tried to seize on their identities as outsider candidates: Shellenberger vowed to confront Californias homelessness crisis as governor while Schubert vowed a tough-on-crime approach as the states top law enforcement official. But their gamble fizzled in the weeks leading up to the election, as voters retreated to partisan corners. David McCuan, a political scientist at Sonoma State University, said the central challenge they faced, like many independent candidates before them, was clearly name recognition. Because many voters cast a ballot strictly along party lines, independents must be broadly recognized to combat that tribal inclination. A candidate, to break through, is going to have to be famous, or rich, or have a reality show or all of those things, McCuan said. The notoriety barrier is, in part, a numbers game: Nearly 47% of California voters are Democrats, 24% are Republicans and 23% are independents, officially known as no party preference voters, according to registration data from the state. Because many voters dont know candidates by name, they often end up voting based on party label. The number of registered no party preference or declined to state voters has surged in California over the last decade, largely at the expense of Republicans. No independent has won a statewide office in modern times. The last to come even close was Steve Poizner in 2018, when the Republican-turned-independent tried to reclaim his old job as state insurance commissioner. Poizner finished in first place in the primary, but lost to Democrat Ricardo Lara in the general election. Assembly Member Chad Mayes, I-Rancho Mirage (Riverside County), is the sole independent in the California Legislature. He left the Republican Party in 2019 after venting his frustration with the partys Trump-led move to the right. Mayes said the headwinds independents face go much deeper. He said growing political polarization has caused many voters to see party labels as a reflection of where they stand in a visceral culture war at the center of a clash between right- and left-wing forces, rather than an expression of ones beliefs about public policy. The first thing voters look for when theyre going to vote is what party. Its their team, Mayes said. Independents dont have a jersey, theyre free agents. You have no identity. Mayes said he decided not to run for another term this year in part because he said he was frustrated by how the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature makes it hard for centrists to have an impact. He said he also wants to spend more time with his newborn daughter. While hes hopeful that an independent will eventually be elected statewide, Mayes said structural barriers that promote a two-party system also need to be removed. For instance, political parties can spend unlimited funds to back a candidate, but independents have no comparable option. Its structured that way because the two major parties do not want competition with anybody else, Mayes said. There have been several major national efforts in recent years to create a third political party to appeal to centrist voters. For example, the Serve America Movement is led by moderates whove fled both parties, and similar efforts to create a more moderate brand of politics have percolated on both ends of the aisle. Mayes was previously part of the New Way California movement, an effort to unite moderate Republicans and centrists that touted former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger among its backers. The effort appears to have fizzled, and its website is deactivated. There is, however, evidence that independents might not be as ideologically centrist as their party registration suggests. A 2019 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 81% of self-identified independents continue to lean either Democrat or Republican. Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University Los Angeles, said the notion that theres a sizable population of moderate independent voters is more mythology than anything. Moreover, he said, many independents are low-participation voters who skip primaries. Theres no evidence that independent voters are in the middle. Theyre all over the place, he said. (And) theyre certainly less engaged than the mythology would lead us to believe. Meanwhile, political analysts say that the failed Shellenberger and Schubert campaigns could stand to benefit one key group: the Democratic incumbents they were hoping to oust. Given Democrats 2-1 voter-registration advantage, Newsom and Bonta are likely to have an easier path against their respective GOP challengers. Newsom is set to face Brian Dahle, a state senator from Lassen County. But it was unclear on election night who Bonta might face given his Republican challengers Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, and Eric Early, an attorney from Los Angeles were locked in a tight battle for second place. Dustin Gardiner (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner WASHINGTON In the Bay Areas only open congressional race, Assembly Member Kevin Mullin and San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa, both Democrats, were leading the race to advance to Novembers election in early returns. Mullins total was 40% as of Wednesday morning, with Canepa at 24.6%. A Republican, self-described businessman and educator Gus Mattammal, was in third place at roughly 18%. Mullin, who currently represents much of the Peninsula congressional district that San Mateo Rep. Jackie Speier is retiring from, had all the momentum heading into this weeks primary, including leading in fundraising and pulling a key endorsement from Speier. Speier endorsed Mullin, a former staffer of hers, early in the race. In a statement declaring himself the winner, Mullin thanked Speier for her support and said he looked forward to an honest and spirited dialogue with Canepa in the general election campaign. The voters of this district have spoken loud and clear, Mullin said. Our first-place finish proves that voters want an experienced leader to succeed Congresswoman Jackie Speier and a proven legislator with the skills and track record to deliver on the toughest issues of the day, like protecting our democracy, codifying a womans right to choose, building an economy that works for all Americans, and safeguarding our planet for the next generation. Bay Area congressional seats are coveted spots that Democrats can often hold comfortably for decades. The most junior member of the House from the Bay Area is Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, who upset an incumbent in 2016. The last time a seat was open was when former Rep. George Miller retired in 2014; Concord Rep. Mark DeSaulnier won that election. Heading into November, money was Mullins advantage. According to pre-primary filings with the Federal Election Commission, Mullin had nearly twice the cash on hand of his rivals, with more than $316,000 in the bank. Canepa had more than $173,00 and Burlingame City Council Member Emily Beach, who was running in fourth place at 13.5%, had more than $115,000. While Canepa had the strongest first fundraising operation in the quarter after Speier announced her retirement, his base of support seemed to dry up and he was in the back of the pack of the three Democrats for the second quarter and partial quarter reported in May. Mullin raised more than $187,000 in April and the first part of May, Beach raised over $101,000 in that period, and Canepa raised over $95,000. While the race is the only competitive congressional seat in the Bay Area, it has been somewhat sleepy so far. Fundraising among the candidates has lagged behind races in less wealthy area, and the candidates in the safely Democratic seat have attracted little outside attention. Many potential candidates in the area could be waiting for an opportunity to run for Congress in nearby seats held by other longtime Bay Area Democrats. In Silicon Valley and nearby are seats held by Reps. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto, Zoe Lofgren of San Jose, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, all of whom are in their 70s or 80s and expected to retire in the next few years, though none has outright confirmed a planned departure. Tal Kopan (she/her) is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan Chesa Boudin won his 2019 election by the skin of his teeth, beating out challenger Suzy Loftus by less than 2%. On Tuesday, San Francisco rejected Boudin by a much larger margin: Initial results indicate that around 60% of voters voted to recall the controversial district attorney. This is partly because of who showed up to vote this time around, a Chronicle analysis of preliminary neighborhood-level data shows. While turnout for Tuesdays election will likely be similar to that of Boudins initial election, areas where Boudin had lower support in 2019 turned out in higher numbers relative to neighborhoods that supported him. The Chronicle examined neighborhoods share of the electorate in the 2019 election and compared it with their share of the electorate on Tuesday. Neighborhoods that voted for one of Boudins challengers in 2019, including the Sunset, the Marina and Pacific Heights, made up a larger share of the electorate in the 2022 election than they did in 2019. West Twin Peaks and the Sunset saw the greatest increase in turnout, going from a combined 16.7% of the electorate in 2019 to 18.7% in 2022. Both of these neighborhoods voted strongly in favor of the recall: 67% of West Twin Peaks voters chose Yes on Measure H, as did 70% of Sunset voters. Meanwhile, neighborhoods seen as Boudin strongholds the Mission, the Haight and northern Bernal Heights, for example all saw their share of the electorate decline in 2022. The Mission, which is the largest pro-Boudin neighborhood in the city, saw the largest decrease in turnout share, going from 6.3% of voters to 5.1%. This data is still preliminary: It includes only votes from mail-in ballots cast before election day and those cast in person on election day, which likely add up to almost 60% of the expected vote total, according to the Department of Elections. Another 40% or more remains to be counted from vote-by-mail ballots received by the Department of Elections on election day or in the coming days. To make our analysis as close to apples to apples as possible, we examined turnout numbers from the last data reported on the nights of the 2019 and 2022 elections. Its difficult to directly compare these two elections in terms of what they measure about public sentiment around Boudin, or overall public safety in the city. Unlike Tuesdays election, which ended up being largely about a single candidate, the 2019 election asked voters to cast their ballots for the mayor, D.A., city attorney, public defender, sheriff and several other races in the year before a presidential election. While turnout for this election was initially expected to be very low based on early return rates, which measure how many people returned mail-in ballots before election day, the Department of Elections is now anticipating turnout among registered voters to hit 46% higher than the 42% rate seen in the 2019 election, and a lot higher than the 36% rate for the February school board recall. Just like in 2019, Boudins support on Tuesday came primarily from precincts that score high on the Chronicles Progressive Voter Index, which uses each precincts voting history on different ballot measures to give it a score from most to least progressive. The PVI index shows that neighborhoods in the citys core the Haight, the Mission and Bernal Heights tend to vote more progressively than those on its outer rim, like Lake Merced, Visitacion Valley and the Marina. These outer-core neighborhoods, which voted against Boudin in 2019, also voted against him on Tuesday. But this time, they were joined by several neighborhoods that voted for Boudin in 2019, including the Bayview, the Tenderloin and the Richmond. Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, and Nami Sumida is a Chronicle data visualization developer. Email: susan.neilson@sfchronicle.com, nami.sumida@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson, @namisumida Napa Cabernet winery Stewart Cellars has acquired the esteemed Montecillo Vineyard in Sonomas Moon Mountain region. The site of some of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in California, this vineyard has supplied grapes to notable wineries like Bedrock, DuMol, Turley and Arnot-Roberts. The 57-acre mountain vineyard which has long challenged the perception that Cabernet cant thrive in Sonoma was purchased from Kaarin Lee. Her late husband Mike Lee, the co-founder and former winemaker of pioneering Sonoma County winery Kenwood Vineyards, acquired the property in 2001. Stewart Cellars co-owner and winemaker Blair Guthrie did not disclose the purchase price, but noted that Lee wanted to sell to another family winery, not a corporation. That automatically knocked 90% of the competition out, said Guthrie. Otherwise, we probably wouldnt have gotten it. It would have gotten snapped up by one of the big guys. Montecillo is the first estate vineyard for Stewart, which is best known as a premium Napa Cabernet house. Stewart is one of the few wineries that sources Cabernet from all six of grower Andy Beckstoffers lauded Napa vineyards, including the famed To Kalon. The winery was founded in 2000 and the Stewart family opened a tasting room in Yountville in 2018. Ramin Rahimian /Special to The Chronicle The desire to own their own vineyard came partly out of a need to secure the winerys future. Theres definitely that concern where you feel like the grape prices and land prices just keep going, going, going and you might get left behind if you dont act now, Guthrie said. Theres also always that fear when sourcing from growers that youre going to lose that vineyard because theyre going to sell it, or youre going to get priced out at some point. But the purchase is also about control. For the first time, Stewart will be able to fully control how its grapes are farmed, not only for quality but for a hotter, drier future. The vineyard is already organic and dry farmed which means they dont use irrigation but the winery plans to take things a step further. Planting permanent cover crops and building up organic matter and biodiversity in the soils, for example, will enable the vines to hold onto water throughout the growing season. Itll really help hedge our bets for climate change so we can maintain a dry-grown vineyard, said Guthrie, who believes dry farming yields higher quality wines. Napa Valley has been Stewarts bread and butter, but Guthrie argued the Moon Mountain wine region can easily compete with its neighbor especially considering that Montecillo is situated just over the border of the Napa County line in the Mayacamas Mountains. If the vineyard was 1,500 feet to the east, it would be in (Napas) Mount Veeder region, said Morgan Twain-Peterson, owner and winemaker of Bedrock Wine Co. The difference is so negligible. Ramin Rahimian/Special to The Chronicle The combination of high elevation Montecillo peaks at 1,800 feet and the red volcanic soils produce what both Guthrie and Twain-Peterson referred to as old school Cabernet. The wines from the Moon Mountain region are evocative of the elegant wines of the 1970s and 80s, they said. These wines were more restrained, not so fruit-forward, lower in alcohol, easier to pair with food and often made with minimal intervention techniques. Several wineries, like Kenwood, Kamen and Repris, have already built up the reputation for Moon Mountain as one of the best spots in Sonoma County to grow Napas signature grape. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. The crown jewel of Montecillos 51 acres of vines is the 11-acre old vine Cabernet block that was planted in 1964. In California, older vines are typically Zinfandel or varieties like Carignan and Charbono that fell out of fashion as others like Cabernet Sauvignon rose to dominance. Old vine Cabernet is extremely rare, Guthrie said, calling this block the holy grail for winemakers. At one point, Lee was going to replant the block because it wasnt economically viable, but a group of winemakers, including Twain-Peterson, stepped in, offering to pay whatever necessary to preserve it. The sale of Montecillo could have been a threat to the precious block once again, but Stewart not only plans to keep it, the winery is also allowing the current roster of wineries to continue to source from the site. If we can collectively continue to make better wines from the vineyard, itll establish the idea of the vineyard in peoples heads that much more, said Twain-Peterson, who admitted he also considered bidding on the property. When we heard it was on the market, we feared the worst, and this is the best outcome we could have hoped for. Jess Lander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jess.lander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesslander This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Welcome to Eataly, where gold-gleaming pizza ovens burn at 900 degrees, cheese is made fresh daily in a mozzarella lab and an entire floor is devoted to Italian wines. In other words, its Italian food heaven, and its finally here. The epic, three-story Italian food halls first Bay Area location opens at the Westfield Valley Fair mall in San Jose at 5 p.m. on June 16. If the yearslong anticipation is any indication, there will likely be throngs of people waiting in line. With two restaurants, a cafe, gelato shop, bakery, butcher, seafood counter and market stocked with thousands of imported Italian goods, there is no other food hall like it in Northern California. This marks the eighth U.S. location and 41st location worldwide for Eataly. Its first store opened in Torino, Italy, in 2007. The Chronicle got a first look inside the Bay Area Eataly. Heres everything you need to know to navigate the vast temple to Italian cuisine. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle There are seven places to grab a meal or a snack. The top floor is home to two of Eatalys standard restaurants. Head to La Pizza & La Pasta for Neopolitan pizza that cooks in 90 seconds in those massive wood-burning ovens as well as fresh pasta. The menu hasnt been finalized, but it will be similar to other locations. Expect snacks like arancini and roasted peppers with house-made burrata; and pizzas topped with buffalo mozzarella, 18-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto. Many kinds of pasta are made fresh at Eataly, but the kitchen also uses dried pasta from Gragnano, a small coastal town in the Campania region known as Italys dried pasta capital. The 210-seat modern restaurant has its own outdoor terrace. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle On the other side is Terra, where everything is cooked on a wood-burning grill: tomatoes, steak, broccolini, bigeye tuna. Dont miss the grilled Pugliese-style skewers, like a meaty combination of pork, mortadella and provolone. The 180-seat restaurant has an indoor-outdoor feel thanks to hanging plants and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto a rooftop terrace. (Theres also an outdoor lounge here with its own menu, geared toward grabbing a casual drink and snack.) Down on the first floor are Eatalys more casual food options. Dino Borri, Eatalys global vice president of brand partnerships, said the company wants this area to evoke the feel of an Italian piazza. Grab an espresso from the coffee bar (Eataly uses Italian Lavazza beans) and a cannoli thats filled to order. A gelato counter will eventually boast as many as 20 flavors, made fresh daily with Straus Family Creamery milk, Italian pistachios and local produce like strawberries from Watsonvilles Tomatero Farm. Or sip on a glass of Italian wine with slices of Roman-style pizza dolloped with burrata. Theres indoor and outdoor seating. A market is stocked with thousands of specialty Italian products, many hard to find in the U.S. For food obsessives, Eatalys third-floor market might be the most exciting draw. Shelves are packed with everything you need to make an Italian feast at home: regional dried pastas, tinned fish, sauces, an entire wall of olive oil, amaretti cookies. Many of the products used in the restaurant kitchens are sold here, from the prized Gragnano pasta to jarred tomatoes grown on a farm in southern Italy. (You can re-create a La Pizza & La Pasta pasta dish at home thanks to the same fresh pasta and pints of sauces sold here.) A bakery churns out loaves nearly 24 hours a day using a 50-year-old mother yeast from Italy and stone-ground flour. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle Fridges are stocked with an astounding variety of imported cheeses and cured meats. Youll find 10 kinds of Parmigiano-Reggiano, more than 40 kinds of Italian salumi and prosciutto from all five DOPs (Denominazione dOrigine Protetta, or protected designation of origin). Peek into the glass-walled cheese lab to watch employees make mozzarella, burrata and stracciatella (the gooey soft insides of burrata) for the market and restaurants. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle Good news for people who live farther away or dont want to wait in line: Eataly will offer grocery delivery as far north as South San Francisco. Representatives said they hope to see robust delivery business at this location in particular. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. For the first time at Eataly, an entire floor is devoted to wine. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle Shelves stocked with over 1,200 wine labels stretch to the ceiling inside Eatalys wine shop on the second floor. Everything is imported from Italy, from small-production sparkling wine to Lambrusco and a wide selection of Barolo. Bottles range from $20 all the way up to $1,000 for rare wines stored in a temperature-controlled room. Theres also a small selection of liquors grappa, amaro, limoncello and local beers. Eataly will offer daily wine tastings. Best of all, customers can order a glass of wine and bring it upstairs to sip while they grocery shop. While this is an Italian food mecca, theres also an emphasis on Bay Area products. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle Borri said Eataly was drawn to the Bay Area in particular because of its wealth of food biodiversity. When the company cant import something from Italy, it will fill the gaps with local goods. The meat counter is stocked by Oaklands Cream Co. Meats expect everything from marinated, spatchcocked chickens to pricey A5 Wagyu beef and a seafood counter will sell local spot prawns and Dungeness crab. Cheeses from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Cowgirl Creamery and Laura Chenel share space in the fridges with Italian options. A small produce section will sell vegetables from Bay Area farms like Spade & Plow in Gilroy. Eataly. Opening 5 p.m. June 16. See website for hours for each section. Westfield Valley Fair, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose. eataly.com/us_en/stores/silicon-valley Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany Oaklands Friends & Family is the 33rd best bar on this continent, according to a new ranking published this week. The list, North Americas 50 Best Bars, also recognized San Franciscos ABV as the 39th best. This list is an offshoot of a publication called the Worlds 50 Best Bars, itself an offshoot of the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants, which the publisher William Reed launched in 2002. Although the company has published continent-specific lists for bars in Asia for the last six years, 2022 is the first time it has ranked North America on its own. The Bay Area has fallen somewhat out of favor with the worldwide bar ranking in recent years. Bay Area bars like Trick Dog and Tommys Mexican used to make frequent appearances on the Worlds 50 Best Bars list; the 2021 edition did not include any Northern California bars. ABV has ranked in the past, but this is the first appearance on any 50 Best list for Friends & Family. The Oakland bar has enjoyed wide acclaim (including from The Chronicle) since opening in 2020. It was a semifinalist in the Outstanding Bar Program category of the 2022 James Beard Awards. Its a stylish spot, with an earthy, minimalist design and a secluded backyard with tall hedgerows between tables. The menu is heavy on vermouth- and Sherry-based cocktails, with a focus on natural wines. Blake Cole, one of the owners of Friends & Family, has also been outspoken about her desire to foster an inclusive, queer-friendly culture at the bar. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle 2021 ABV, meanwhile, is a mainstay of San Franciscos Mission District, known for its extensive cocktail menu organized by spirit type and its selection of finger foods. (All dishes are served with wet wipes, not silverware.) Agave-spirit enthusiasts flock to the bar for its deep mezcal selection. The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants has come under scrutiny in recent years as some critics complained that the so-called global list favored Europe disproportionately. Though the Perrier-sponsored program doesnt have quite as much cachet as the Michelin Guide, which awards stars to restaurants around the world, it has nevertheless been influential, helping to buoy the reputations of restaurants like Copenhagens Noma and Italys Osteria Francescana. Patricia Chang/Special to The Chronicle 2019 An opposition group formed in 2015 called Occupy 50 Best, objecting to the lists apparent preference for very expensive restaurants, its lack of racial diversity and perceived bias on the part of judges. The Worlds 50 Best Bars, however, has not generated the controversy of its restaurant-list counterpart. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. To determine the North America list, the organization polled 220 judges. All were bar industry experts, according to a statement, including bartenders, bar owners, drinks media and well-traveled cocktail connoisseurs from the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The lists No. 1 bar is Attaboy in New York, a speakeasy-style bar that never gives customers a physical cocktail menu. New York notched a total of 11 slots on the list, while Los Angeles has three. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations vaccine advisory committee on Tuesday recommended the agency grant emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine made by Novavax. If approved, it would become the fourth coronavirus vaccine available in the U.S., along with the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson versions. Californias chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, has tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms, court officials say. Here are the latest updates: S.F.s COVID positive test rate hits second-highest level ever The coronavirus test positivity rate in San Francisco, which tracks the percentage of tests coming back positive for COVID-19, topped 14% on Wednesday, according to city data analyzed by The Chronicle. That is the second-highest rate the city has reached to date. The seven-day average climbed up to 18.9% this January during the winter surge before dropping to 2.4% in mid-March. It has been rising steadily since and is now far higher than the statewide average of 8.9%. A rule of thumb among infectious disease experts is that 5% is considered too high, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Read the full story. Novavaxs COVID vaccine would be a different type of option in U.S. A fourth COVID-19 vaccine option could soon be available in the U.S., after the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations advisory panel on Tuesday recommended emergency use authorization for the shot made by Novavax. The vaccine from the Maryland-based drugmaker is used overseas but is a latecomer to the U.S. field occupied for more than a year by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson and it differs in several ways from those three now-familiar brands. Art Reingold, a UC Berkeley epidemiologist and member of the FDA committee that gave Novavax the thumbs up, provided insights about Novavax to The Chronicle. Here are some of his comments, and other key details to know about the new vaccine. CDC forecasts up to 4,200 additional COVID-19 deaths by end of June There will be up to 4,200 new COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. in the week ending July 2, based on forecast models used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California could add nearly 700 deaths to its total, based on the models, moving closer to 95,000 cumulative pandemic casualties The national ensemble predicts that the number of new daily confirmed COVID-19 hospital admissions will remain stable, with up to 11,100 new confirmed COVID-19 hospital admissions likely reported on July 1. The U.S. is now averaging about 291 COVID deaths a day. Nearly 4,069 Americans are being hospitalized daily with COVID-19, a 16% increase from the prior seven-day average. The country is averaging 104,511 new cases a day, up from an average of 94,260 new cases a day last week. S.F. to cut funding for community test sites in vulnerable neighborhoods San Francisco's new budget eliminates funding for multiple community coronavirus test sites in some of the city's hardest-hit neighborhoods, the Mission and Bayview districts. "Our health programs would close in the next 30 days," Ivan Corado-Vega, manager for the Latino Task Force, told ABC. Community leaders say with the city experiencing another surge of cases and hospitalizations, the results of the cuts could be devastating. "At our testing sites, we are seeing double-digit positive rates. At both of our sites here in the Mission. For the Excelsior site, we are seeing positive rates in the 20s, so COVID is here," said Corado-Vega. San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton said shutting down the testing sites is "devastating to our communities of need." Mayor London Breed's office blamed state and federal officials for the lack of resources: "There will be less funding overall for our COVID response in our upcoming budget. But the mayor's budget still includes $57 million for San Francisco's ongoing COVID response in the upcoming budget, including $3 million for community hubs." ESPN's Mike Breen to return for Game 3 of NBA finals ESPN's full crew of announcers will return Wednesday to call Game 3 of the NBA finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics, following a COVID-19 outbreak among the networks on-air talent. Mike Breen will return to play-by-play duties after missing the first two games of the Finals, as well as Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, according to media reports. NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, missed the first two games, will also be back in the booth, along with commentator Jeff Van Gundy, who missed Game 1 and returned in time for Game 2. People will keep getting reinfected with COVID-19 as new variants emerge, data show A growing number of people are experiencing reinfection with COVID-19, according to an ABC analysis of health department data from all 50 states. More than 1.6 million cases of reinfection have been reported across 24 states since data collection began, data show, with New York, Maine and California, reporting over 200,000 reinfection cases each. There are also an increasing proportion of people who have been reinfected two times and more some in rare instances even five times. Health officials said the true tally of reinfections is likely significantly higher due to lack of reporting and home testing. Studies suggest that reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 with the same virus variant as the initial infection or reinfection with a different variant are both possible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged in its updated COVID guidance last month. Health officials added that there is growing concern that newer variants such as BA.4 and BA.5 may be better to escape immunity. Each new variant and subvariant and sub-subvariant is going to have different ability to break through prior immunity, and prior immunity from vaccination and infection is so variable between individuals, Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News. U.S. diverts COVID-19 funds to secure vaccines amid stalemate The Biden administration said Wednesday that it plans to divert more than $10 billion in coronavirus relief from test procurement and other efforts as it tries to come up with money to secure the next generation of vaccines and treatments for some high-risk Americans, the Associated Press reports. The White House said it has been left with no choice but to cut back on orders of at-home rapid tests that have supported a domestic manufacturing base for the easy diagnostic tests. It also is scaling back funding for research and development of new COVID-19 vaccines and limiting orders of personal protective equipment in an effort to maintain some stockpiles of vaccines and treatments for Americans heading into the winter. The administration has to act because Congress wont, the White House said in a statement. These trade-offs we are being forced to make because of Congress will have serious consequences on the development of next-generation vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, domestic vaccine production capacity, stockpiling of PPE and the procurement of tests and testing supplies for federally qualified and community health centers. COVID receding nearly everywhere, WHO says The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally fell everywhere last week except the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organization. "This is clearly a very encouraging trend increasing vaccination rates are saving lives but WHO continues to urge caution," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the U.N. health agency, in its latest weekly update on the pandemic. "There is not enough testing, and not enough vaccination" As of Wednesday, confirmed cases dropped 12% to more than 3 million and reported deaths declined 22% to about 7,600. The report noted that new weekly cases rose 19% in the Middle East and inched up 1% in Southeast Asia, while the number of deaths increased 7% in the Western Pacific and dropped elsewhere in the world last week. Few children who got COVID early have antibodies that work against omicron, study finds A new study from Harvard Medical School, Boston Childrens Hospital and the Food and Drug Administration found that of children who got infected with the coronavirus in 2020 or early 2021, less than 10% retained antibodies that could fend off the omicron variant. Vaccination offers more effective protection than prior infection, according to Adrienne Randolph, a professor of anesthesia and pediatrics at Boston Childrens Hospital. CDC removes mask recommendation for monkeypox Not long after recommending that travelers wear masks to protect themselves against monkeypox, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deleted it, according to the New York Times, which cited a statement from the agency: "C.D.C. removed the mask recommendation from the monkeypox travel health notice because it caused confusion." Nonetheless, masks are worth considering for close contacts and health care workers in areas where there is an outbreak, the agency continues to say. 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. Moderna says its new booster works better against omicron variant A new COVID-19 vaccine booster shot developed by Moderna that adds greater protection against the now-dominant omicron variant to the original shot appears successful, the company said in an announcement Wednesday. A preliminary study involving the bivalent booster which targets two viral strains showed that after one month, it provided higher levels of antibodies that can fight the omicron variant, as well as cross-protection against earlier variants, the drugmaker said. It was not yet clear how long that protection would last. Moderna said the new combo shot is its top candidate for a fall 2022 booster, and the company is submitting its data to regulators with the aim of making it available in late summer Pfizer, Moderna vaccines for children under 5 could come as soon as June 21 COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months to 4 years old could be available as soon as June 21, Dr. Ahmad Kamal, director of Santa Clara Countys health care system preparedness, told supervisors Tuesday. That tracks with the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations vaccine advisory committee meeting scheduled for June 15 to review vaccine safety and efficacy data from Pfizer and Moderna for children in this age group. Once that committee recommends authorizing a vaccine, it typically takes a few days for the full FDA to adopt the recommendation and then for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to review and formally recommend the shots to certain age groups. Kamal said he anticipates the federal agencies will authorize the Pfizer and Moderna shots simultaneously for children under 5, the last remaining age group in the U.S. that cannot yet get vaccinated. The county has been allocated about 15,000 doses of pediatric vaccines which is one-tenth the adult dose for the first shipment. There are about 100,000 children in this age group in the county. How to minimize COVID risks while traveling As people in the Bay Area ramp up plans for summer travel, COVID continues to pose a threat. While most people dont need to scratch travel dates off their calendars, experts say, its wise to keep COVID-19 risks in mind and plan accordingly to make trips as smooth and safe as possible. People can travel now people should consider traveling now but I think that they have to understand they are increasing their risk of exposure and have to be really well versed in doing everything that they can to mitigate risk, said John Swartzberg, a professor emeritus of vaccinology and infectious diseases at UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Heres a look at the risks and experts advice on how to protect yourself both during travel and while staying at your destination. FDA vaccine advisers recommend authorizing Novavax vaccine The vaccine advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended the FDA grant emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine made by Novavax. The two-dose vaccine, for people 18 and older, is 90% effective at preventing any infection and 100% effective at preventing severe illness, according to clinical data Novavax submitted to the FDA. However, the company did not present data on the vaccines effectiveness against the omicron variant, the ancestor of the subvariants that are currently driving new cases in the U.S. The trials were completed last fall, when earlier variants were circulating. The FDA typically adopts the committees recommendations, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention usually then recommends the shots for specific groups within a few days. If authorized, the Novavax vaccine would be the fourth brand available in the U.S., joining the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots. One in 4 symptomatic kids will get long COVID, a large study suggests Over 25% of children who are diagnosed with COVID-19 may develop symptoms associated with long COVID, according to an analysis of 21 studies on the subject conducted across four continents. Researchers looked at cases of 80,071 children with coronavirus for the study and determined that a quarter of them developed symptoms that lasted between four to 12 weeks after initial infection or developed new persistent symptoms within 12 weeks, according to the study published Monday in medRxiv. The most prevalent clinical manifestations observed were mood symptoms, fatigue and sleep disorders, according to the authors. Bay Area cases still dropping as spring surge levels off State data released Tuesday shows coronavirus cases are continuing to fall slightly in the Bay Area. The region is reporting about 3,900 cases a day on average, down about 8% from two weeks ago, when the spring surge appears to have started to level off. Health officials have said they remain wary of a possible uptick in cases again due to seasonal gatherings like graduations or the penetration of more infectious or immune-evasive variants. Is criminal justice reform dead in California? One certainly gets that impression from the national coverage of our June 7 election. California sends Democrats and the nation a message on crime read the online New York Times headline Wednesday morning. California did send a message to the nation Tuesday. But it has little to do with prevailing national narratives on San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudins recall and the strong showing of tough-on-crime mayoral candidate Rick Caruso in Los Angeles. Voter turnout was 28% as of Friday in San Francisco but it could rise to 45% after all mail-in ballots are counted. But the story will stay the same. Voters werent desperate for change, as one Los Angeles Times website headline put it. Most couldnt be bothered. Its been evident for some time that turnout would be dismal. On June 1, only 15% of registered San Francisco voters had turned in their ballots, fewer than in the February or April elections this year. By Monday, that percentage had only risen to around 20%. The trend was similar across California, where only 15% of registered voters had submitted ballots the day before the election. Last September, when a single major item was on the ballot whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom 68% of San Francisco voters turned out. Tuesdays primary could hardly be called a boring election in San Francisco. The recall of Boudin was many things, but it wasnt disinteresting. And despite mountains of political flyers filling mailboxes, picketers on seemingly every corner and a cacophony of election takes on Twitter, Boudins fate was decided by an energized but comparatively modest fraction of the citys populace. At a time when the nation was watching the San Francisco election, the majority of city voters sat this one out. And so did the rest of California. As for the so-called ascendency of crime and punishment in California, there are no definitive conclusions to be drawn. Boudin may have lost, but in Alameda County, reformers had a tremendous showing. Progressive Pamela Price leads in the district attorney race, guaranteeing a fierce run-off in November, and Yesenia Sanchez is in a runoff with incumbent Gregory Ahern for sheriff. In Contra Costa County, incumbent progressive District Attorney Diana Becton is winning over her more conservative opponent, Mary Knox. At the state level, reform-minded Attorney General Rob Bonta sailed to victory over a Cerberus of tough-on-crime opponents. The election results were similarly incongruous in other ways. It appears San Francisco voters approved a slate of good governance ballot measures designed to tamp corruption. But they also selected Ricardo Lara for state insurance commissioner after a first term packed with ethics scandals. Just two weeks ago, the California Fair Political Practices Commission opened an investigation into Laras campaign allegedly diverting insurance industry donations away from the state LGBTQ Caucus Leadership Fund. Didnt matter. Lara overwhelmingly won in San Francisco. California is in crisis. So is San Francisco. Our housing costs are more than twice the national average. Thousands of unhoused people sleep outside every night. Elected officials and department heads are under investigation by the FBI. Thousands are injured and dozens die in traffic fatalities on city streets each year. And, yes, we face significant criminal justice challenges that demand but have yet to receive a unified response. At the same time, nationally, we are struggling with another COVID surge, never-ending mass shootings and a federal government that appears marching toward authoritarianism in 2024. Humans are not built to internalize this much trauma on a daily basis. But those crises and traumas make voting more important, not less. Yes, silence speaks volumes, too. And you will get no argument from us that Boudin is a popular figure with a broad but disengaged base in San Francisco. But it was apathy and resignation, not overt anger or a definitive vision, that ruled the day in San Francisco and across California in Tuesdays election. And thats simply unacceptable. Not voting because youre tired of the state of things or because you dont believe it will make a difference are self-fulfilling prophecies. There is no winning when the overwhelming majority of us disengage from our collective future. 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. Editors note: This editorial has been revised with updated voter turnout data. The recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin should mark a turning point for San Francisco. Not from progressive to carceral public-safety strategies, but from dyspeptic recalls to more productive engagement with the source of the citys dysfunction: its charter. Shortly before the recall, one of Boudins former colleagues in the Public Defenders Office lamented that theres little coordination of policy in San Francisco. By contrast, in cities that have had success fighting drug addiction, the courts, the police, defense attorneys, politicians and business leaders got on the same page. Our leaders dont coordinate because the political institutions weve chartered dont reward them for it. Mayor London Breed didnt want to be held responsible for the chaos and immiseration on our streets, so she took potshots at Boudin. He blamed the police; the police reciprocated. As for the Board of Supervisors, it couldnt even agree on a plan to make a citywide plan to shelter the homeless. But supervisors had no trouble shooting down housing for the homeless in their districts. The disarray peaked with the school board, which should have been laser-focused on preparing youngsters for peaceful participation in civic and economic life. But ours in the middle of pandemic obsessed over symbols instead. A mural. School names. Admissions to Lowell High, a legacy school that enrolls only 5% of the districts students. In this environment, Boudins vision his rejection of the notion that to be free, we must cage others didnt have a chance. On Boudins telling, social welfare programs are the fulcrum of public safety, yet his office has no say over tax rates and spending priorities, no power to audit social service providers, no authority to shut down ineffective social programs or fire incompetent administrators. For Boudins or any other forward-looking vision to have a fair shot in this city, two things are crucial: First, all the major administrators the mayor, the district attorney, the police chief and school leadership need to be on the same team. Second, ordinary voters need to understand which team is in charge, so they can hold it accountable. These rudimentary insights point toward major reforms. The city charter should authorize the mayor, our most publicly visible local official, to appoint and remove the district attorney and the school board, just like she selects the police chief. This would ensure that the public-safety players work together. If the team stinks, voters would know whom to blame: The mayor, who called the shots. Even more important is bringing meaningful, visible, party-like competition to city elections. Nearly all of us are Democrats in San Francisco, but local politicians disagree vehemently on issues ranging from policing to housing to homelessness to education. Yet these disagreements are visible only to the most hyper-attentive city voters because the ballot doesnt label candidates with their team. Instead, the ballot provides a three-word, nearly useless description of each candidates occupation. Knowing that a candidate is a teacher may trigger vaguely positive associations, but it doesnt help voters figure out whether the candidate will, for example, line up in land-use fights with YIMBY Mayor Breed or NIMBY supervisors like Dean Preston. Labeling candidates as Democrats or Republicans wouldnt help much, either again, since every candidate with a shot is a Democrat. To make our governing teams more visible, the city charter could let any local group that gathers a certain number of voter signatures become a ballot-qualified endorser essentially a local political party that provides information by making endorsements on the ballot. Local candidates could have one of these endorsements printed by their name on the ballot, much as candidates for statewide office designate a party preference. If local, competing Democratic factions could make ballot-printed endorsements in their own name, wed be on our way to a better politics. As voters see the endorsing groups and candidates associated year after year, theyll gradually develop a sense of what the local endorsers stand for, just as voters know that Democrats nationally are the party of abortion rights and that Republicans want less immigration. The last piece of the charter-reform puzzle is changing the structure and remit of the Board of Supervisors. The supes make major policy decisions so they ought to spend their energies gathering information about policy alternatives and figuring out what the city could do differently and better. Instead, they fritter away time reviewing individual housing development applications and brokering project deals with neighborhood groups for community benefits that are significantly more marginal than could be achieved by deep policy work. This is the inevitable byproduct of city charter that both requires the Board of Supervisors to be elected from single-member territorial districts and makes every development proposal subject to discretionary review by the board. The usual governing convention in such regimes, in San Francisco and elsewhere, is called member deference. Supes defer to one another on projects in their districts, little housing gets built and no one save the mayor attends to citywide interests. The solution is to elect the board at-large with vote-aggregation rules designed to represent local factions in proportion to their support in the electorate.. Years ago, San Francisco abandoned a type of at-large elections that allowed bare voting majorities to control every seat. That disproportional system didnt suit a city as diverse as ours. But its become equally clear that a city legislature comprising 11 supposedly nonpartisan representatives, each ruling a small territorial fiefdom, is no better. At-large proportional representation, alongside rank-choice voting, is the way to go. We need our political leaders to work together on behalf of a citywide vision. This they will do if we structure their elections, and their responsibilities, accordingly. Enough with the recalls. Lets fix our charter instead. Chris Elmendorf is a professor of law at UC Davis. Hes lived in San Francisco since 2005. San Francisco voters have their electoral head on a spike. District Attorney Chesa Boudin is out. Boudin-bouncers will celebrate. But San Francisco voters should prepare for a possible recall hangover in the days ahead and some elected officials may soon be feeling a sympathy headache, too. Crime isnt going to evaporate after Boudin leaves. And it may not even get much better for a while. He may be a convenient dartboard for all that ails San Francisco, but Boudin for all his flaws isnt the only elected official responsible for the citys condition over the past two years. San Franciscans will wake up Wednesday with the same police department, the same prosecutors (for now), the same massive gap in income equality, the same housing affordability crisis, the same root causes of crime, and most importantly, the same mayor. San Francisco Mayor London Breed is next up on the hot seat. All of the attention that has been aimed at Boudin over the citys crime issues real and over-magnified will refocus squarely on her. She will choose his replacement to join her handpicked criminal justice team, joining previous appointees David Chiu as city attorney and former Police Department spokesman Matt Dorsey to the Board of Supervisors. San Franciscans will expect Breeds handpicked team to produce results. She has no place to hide, politically. Her human political shield Boudin is gone. Though she hasnt tipped her hand on her choice to replace him, the short list of replacements includes several former prosecutors who would reverse some of his reforms. Last month she called for adding more officers to the police force, the latest in a series of pro-law enforcement moves. She will be given the opportunity to appoint someone that reflects the kind of politics and law enforcement she wants to project to voters, especially the opposition to Boudin, said James Taylor, a professor of politics and African American studies. But does Boudins departure mean that the criminal justice reforms he started are a political nonstarter? Not necessarily. While Taylor said that Boudins personality and the way he ran his office may have contributed to his downfall, he also might have been the wrong messenger at the wrong time. Taylor said Boudin was hurt by the unfortunate timing of rising rates of certain crimes as Boudin and his supporters were trying to respond to decades of people demanding that we pull back the carceral state. A Chronicle analysis of crime trends found that while homicides spiked during the pandemic, San Franciscos murder increase was much less dramatic than other cities its size. Overall, violent crimes fell in the city during the past few years. Property crimes, which dropped during 2020, are returning to their pre-pandemic levels. Burglaries, which rose during 2020, have declined nearly the same amount since then, while motor vehicle thefts and shoplifting have spiked. Here are some things that we learned from this election and what may happen next: New wave of reform: With Breed in charge, San Francisco may be on the leading edge of a modified era of police reform. Ideally, its supporters envision it as one that will hold cops accountable and emphasize diversion programs and alternatives to incarceration but have more police on the street. Breed is already moving in that direction. She wants to expand the police budget by $50 million to $708 million over the next year with the goal of helping the city hire 220 officers to fill vacant positions over the next two years. She is not alone. That is in line with other Democrat-run cities, according to a study to be released Wednesday by the center-left think tank Third Way. Its study found that the 25 largest Democrat-run cities employ 75% more police officers than the 25 largest GOP-run cities, on a per capita basis and spend 38% more on policing. Among those Democrat-run cities is San Francisco. It is an example, the studys author says, that belies the Republican talking point that Democrats all support defunding the police, an overblown charge that hurt Democrats in the 2020 elections nationally. While deep-pocketed Republicans put the recall question on the ballot, Republican voters did not determine Tuesdays result. They couldnt have only 7% of San Franciscans are registered with the GOP. Boudins opponents raised $7.2 million in support of the recall, but the $3.3 million rallied in opposition was more than enough for Boudin to get his message out. It was Democratic voters who sent a message with Tuesdays vote. People who live in cities see the crime issue in very nuanced and personal ways, said Jim Kessler, who wrote the study for Third Way. They want a police force that is not doing stop-and-frisk and is abusive. But they want crime to be far less of the parts of their lives. The model here for Democrats, Kessler said, is New York City, which elected a progressive (or moderate for New York) former police officer, Eric Adams, as its mayor last year. He sees San Franciscos recall of Boudin as the bookend to that. Jane Kim, a former member of the Board of Supervisors and a Boudin supporter, said, San Francisco probably aligns with a lot of other liberal cities where they want us to reform the police. They dont necessarily want there to be fewer officers, but they do want consequences to look different (for people in the criminal justice system.) Reform isnt more cops: Asked if there could be any type of criminal justice reform that involved more officers on the street, Ashley Morris, organizing director for the ACLU of Northern California, said, No. What we know from literally thousands of conversations that weve had with voters and ACLU members in the city over the past few months, Morris said, is that San Francisco residents still overwhelmingly support these criminal justice reform policies (that Boudin championed) and they really want them to remain in practice. She fears that the recall proponents next step will be to try to undermine the policy progress thats come really from decades of advocacy, decades of reform-minded prosecutors in San Francisco. So whats important for us to stay focused on is not letting them do that ... chip away at that progress and those reforms, Morris said. Reformers continue elsewhere: Just because San Francisco booted Boudin in a high profile race doesnt mean the movement is dead elsewhere, said Ludovic Blain, executive director of the California Donor Table, a progressive funder. Even if a small set of San Francisco voters decide to recall Boudin, millions more voters will be voting for reformers not just in similarly liberal (counties) like Alameda, but decidedly not liberal places like Contra Costa, Sacramento, Orange County and Riverside, Blain said. While the San Francisco district attorneys race is getting the preponderance of media attention, its just one of seven contested D.A. races with reformers as viable candidates, Blain said, referring to candidates on Tuesdays ballot in the aforementioned counties plus Santa Clara. Plus, Blain said, there is a criminal justice reformer near the top of the ballot Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat who easily won the most votes Tuesday against two Republicans and a Republican-turned-independent, rivals who support tough-on-crime policies. Does reforming mean teaching, too? In the days before the election, Boudin told The Chronicle that Ive certainly made mistakes. Its been a steep learning curve since Day 1 for me. Ive never been in elected office before. Id never been a prosecutor before, Boudin said, conceding that he realized that coming in and talked about it very openly. What I never predicted or anticipated was a COVID pandemic and two separate recall attempts in my first two years in office. And so those obstacles, those challenges were unanticipated and have made the job a lot harder. Boudin told me on the recall campaign trail that there should be some sort of public education campaign to explain what the job of the district attorney is. While Boudin was campaigning, voters would frequently ask him what he was doing about conservatorships for people who cant take care of themselves (thats the city attorneys purview) or the homeless (overseen by myriad agencies). A public education campaign would be a good idea. But the death throes of a recall campaign is not the time to start educating people about what the district attorney does. That will be the charge for the next reform-minded district attorney: Explain what reform means in a way that voters understand what youre trying to accomplish. Maybe they might have more patience for what it is youre trying to accomplish. Its always about implementation, Kim said. Are you an effective executive? Because the D.A.s Office is a little more like the mayors office in the sense that youre an executive. Youre not a policymaker. And now what? While Boudins ouster may be falsely interpreted as some kind of trend by national observers, back home its just another San Francisco political brawl. I just think people spit it out and move on, Taylor said, because its just more San Francisco politics. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com San Francisco will create a plan to provide enough shelter and permanent supportive housing to meet the needs of all homeless people who currently live on the citys streets. But it wont be clear for at least several months how much the ambitious proposal could cost or what its implementation would actually look like. Some city leaders are skeptical that the plan will accomplish much, if anything. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously in favor of an ordinance that makes it San Franciscos official policy to offer all unhoused people a safe place to sleep. The legislation further directs city homelessness officials to draft a plan that would spell out how San Francisco could set up a sufficient amount of shelter, supportive housing and safe parking sites to serve its entire homeless population. Supervisors did not approve any new spending and would have to appropriate money to implement the plan at a later date. The ordinance is an attempt by city leaders to specify the exact amount of resources they would need to serve the thousands of people who sleep on city sidewalks every night. It also represents a compromise: The legislation originally was focused exclusively on providing shelter to all homeless people but, after objections from homeless advocates, supervisors amended it to include an emphasis on supportive housing as well. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced the ordinance this year after a similar proposal he sponsored in 2020, to make the city expand its shelter offerings, failed. The fact that it has taken two years for this to make it to the board for a vote indicates that theres something going on here, and that there actually is an underlying tension between housing everyone as the solution to our homelessness crisis in San Francisco and recognizing that we have an unsheltered homelessness crisis that is among the worst in the country, Mandelman said Tuesday. San Franciscos latest official tally of its unhoused residents counted 7,754 people, of which 4,397 were living on the streets. The preliminary figures represented a 15% decline in unsheltered homelessness, a category that includes people who live in tents and vehicles. Mandelmans original focus on the shelter system stemmed from his belief that San Francisco is beset by a severe shortage of shelter beds that forces too many people to languish in tent encampments. He called the final legislation a modest step in moving the city toward providing shelter for all unhoused people. Supervisor Hillary Ronen was more critical, saying she supported the ordinance despite believing that it will do nothing. She said the city would never be able to provide enough permanent homes for all unless the federal government makes a much more aggressive investment in public housing. And she said Mayor London Breeds latest $14 billion budget proposal would barely grow the citys shelter system though it would allocate $7 million to set up a 70-cabin village of tiny homes in the Mission, which Ronen represents. We can have a report that were all gonna shove onto our walls saying we need 10,000 shelter beds or 5,000 ... if were literally only funding 70 a year, its useless, Ronen said. Its gonna mean nothing. Breed spokesperson Jeff Cretan told The Chronicle that the city was committed to investing in shelter. He said the mayors budget plan would maintain funds for 410 new shelter beds that the city acquired this fiscal year and would also allow three shelter-in-place hotels that were supposed to close to stay open, preserving 295 shelter units. Breed has proposed a $679 million budget for the homeless department next fiscal year, which would mark a year-over-year increase of about $8.2 million, partly due to more funding for supportive housing. 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. Supervisors amended Mandelmans legislation to widen its scope beyond shelter after advocates for the unhoused spoke out against the original proposal. The Coalition on Homelessness and its allies feared that the shelter-focused ordinance could give the city cause to forcibly clear tent encampments, regardless of whether enough housing was available. Supervisor Myrna Melgar, who proposed the amendments, defended the final ordinance to her colleagues on Tuesday. Its a pretty significant shift in policy, Melgar said. We are asking for a plan to expand the entire continuum, and I think that is not something that weve done before ... We need a plan that acknowledges the realities on our streets and quantifies how much were gonna need to invest to address these needs. Under the final version of the ordinance, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing must submit a plan to supervisors and Breed by Dec. 31 that would detail a 36-month strategy to implement the necessary expansion of shelter and supportive housing units. The plan must include a cost estimate and a projection of how many unsheltered people need to be referred to shelter or housing. It also needs to estimate how many housing units and rental subsidies the city would need to make sure that everyone in its shelters can transition to housing. The plan must further analyze the cost effectiveness of different approaches to resolving or preventing homelessness. At least half of the new shelter capacity would have to come through facilities with private rooms, and a maximum 10% could be safe-sleep sites where people are allowed to pitch tents. The ordinance also requires the city homelessness department to implement a system for unhoused people to register for shelter over the phone. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris San Francisco voters appeared to back most measures on the citys ballot Tuesday, including multiple anti-corruption efforts and a proposition to mandate public health leave for large employers. One of the most closely watched after the successful recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was a ballot measure to reform the citys relationship with the local trash-hauling giant Recology after the company was linked to a wide-ranging corruption scandal at City Hall. Proposition F won with 67.4% of the vote in totals released Tuesday, paving the way for the city to shake up the way it approves Recologys rates and giving officials the power to more easily end the garbage companys decades-old monopoly in the future. Elections officials still have tens of thousands of ballots left to count. San Franciscans arent likely to notice any immediate changes as a result of the measures passage. But behind the scenes, the city controller will now be in charge of proposing rates to the three-member panel that decides how much money Recology is allowed to collect from city customers. Previously, the citys Public Works director proposed rates, but disgraced former Public Works leader Mohammed Nuru is alleged to have abused his relationship with Recology. City lawyers alleged that Nuru took bribes from the company and recommended a 14% rate increase that should have been 7%. They said Recology had underreported its revenue expectations when it sought a rate increase and the city allowed overcharges to continue for two years even after the company disclosed an error to Nurus department. Recology paid San Franciscans nearly $95 million to reimburse them for the overcharges. A recent report from the controller found that the company also pulled in $23.4 million more in profits than it was allowed to over a four-year period an amount that will be used to offset future rate increases the company could have otherwise received. Going forward, city officials believe that having the controller in charge of proposing rates will keep them as low as possible. Prop. F also empowers the rate-making board to obtain regular audits of Recologys finances, another move that city leaders sought to try to keep trash rates low. If the city is sufficiently dissatisfied with Recology at some point in the future, it can invite other companies to apply for trash-collecting permits without going back to voters. Supervisor Aaron Peskin and Mayor London Breed spearheaded the measure. Recology considered putting its own measure before voters but ultimately chose not to and came out in support of Prop. F. It wasnt the only ballot measure on its way to passage. Voters were also in favor of Proposition H, which would recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Here is a breakdown of what was on the ballot this election. Proposition A: A $400 million bond for Muni was drawing 63.3% of votes but needs approval from two-thirds of voters, or 66.66% to pass. The measure would fund transportation improvements including upgrades to bus yards, smart traffic signals, wider sidewalks at bus stops, faster and more reliable Muni trains, countdown signals for pedestrians to use crosswalks, new bicycle infrastructure and more. Proposition B: This measure to reform the citys Department of Building Inspection, was leading with 58.9% of the early return votes. Currently, each of the seven seats on the commission that oversees the department must come from a certain background or profession or be affiliated with a specified industry. Prop. B would mandate that two people appointed to the commission be an engineer, architect or home builder, while one person appointed by the Board of Supervisors president would be required to be a tenant or an employee of a housing-focused nonprofit. The mayor would be responsible for appointing the head of the building department instead of the commission. 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. Prop. B came after the department was involved in multiple scandals, including the federal grand jury indictment of former building commissioner Rodrigo Santos. He was charged with bank fraud, identity theft and obstruction of justice. It needs a simple majority to pass. Proposition C: Another measure that would reform the recall process itself was defeated, with no votes ahead at 60.3% of the early returns. Proposition C would have prevented any recall vote from occurring within one year of the regularly scheduled election for the job, and it would have barred the initiation of recall petitions in the first year of an elected official taking office. When the mayor appointed someone to fill a vacancy created by a recall, that person would have been prohibited from running for election to the job the next time it was on the ballot. It needed a simple majority to pass. Proposition D: The measure, which creates a new city Office of Victim and Witness Rights, won with 60.6% of early vote returns. The office would be in charge of marshaling services for victims and witnesses of all types of crime and it would set up a pilot program to provide free representation for domestic violence victims. It needed a simple majority to pass. Proposition E: Another anti-corruption measure won with 66.8% of early votes. It adds new city restrictions surrounding behested payments, which are donations that public officials solicit to benefit a government agency or private group. San Francisco government officials would be barred under Prop. E from getting behested payments from contractors with business at City Hall. The law could be changed only by the city ethics commission and two-thirds of the Board of Supervisors. It needed a simple majority to pass. Proposition G: A public health emergency leave measure won with 60.6% of early votes. Prop. G mandates that companies with more than 100 employees worldwide provide up to 80 hours of paid time off for workers to use if they cant work because of a public health crisis, including a pandemic or a wildfire if the employee works outside. It needed a simple majority to pass. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris San Francisco voters who ousted District Attorney Chesa Boudin from office on Tuesday share a common trait. No, theyre not all closet conservatives conned by rich people into thwarting national criminal justice reform despite what Boudins supporters have said ad nauseam, like that old Chatty Cathy doll that repeats the same phrase every time you pull her string. Theyre simply angry. Steamed. Pissed off. Tired of ideology taking precedence over real nuts-and-bolts progress. Fed up that nothing related to city government seems to be working. Frustrated that this city with so much potential isnt remotely living up to it. Irate that a city with so many built-in advantages wealth, beauty, diversity, creativity, smarts is so much less than the sum of its parts. Recall Results: Boudin recall margins narrow, with voters split 55% to 45% in support Boudins supporters are right that not all of this can or should be placed on the shoulders of any one person. A lot of what people are mad about wasnt even part of his job description. And whether through laziness or vindictiveness, the San Francisco Police Department seems to have sometimes decided to stop making the arrests that would enable Boudin to do his job of prosecuting crime. But despite the vast majority of newspaper editorials, elected officials and political clubs telling voters to keep Boudin in office, San Franciscans werent having it. They saw a dysfunctional city, an elected official unwilling to acknowledge he was at least partly responsible for it, and they cast their votes and cast him out. Recall supporters could never stomach the case of Troy McAlister, who was allegedly driving high on meth and alcohol when he plowed a stolen car into two pedestrians, killing them on Dec. 31, 2020. Boudins office hadnt filed charges against McAlister despite several arrests in the months leading up to the collision McAlister appeared to have been on a crime spree and afterward the district attorney tried to shift blame to other agencies. Boudin angered voters, particularly residents of the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, for doing little about open-air fentanyl markets that have contributed to the overdose deaths of more than 1,500 people in San Francisco since he took office in January 2020. He said during his campaign that he would form a special court to help pull dealers trafficked from Honduras out from under the control of cartels, but never did. Boudin sought to minimize the departures of scores of lawyers and victim advocates from his office, an exodus that led critics to say the office was mismanaged and fumbling cases. Judge Bruce Chan said in open court last fall, I cannot express in any more certain terms my disapproval of the manner in which the Office of the District Attorney is being managed. Voters ouster of Boudin comes on the heels of the landslide February recall of three school board members who prioritized renaming schools over actually opening them during the pandemic. And follows the April election in which Matt Haney shifted to the pro-housing camp to trounce the more left-leaning, development-averse David Campos for a State Assembly seat as the city grapples with a major housing shortage. Taken together, the three elections show voters want a city government that works, not one that offers platitudes and posturing. The voters have risen up and expressed tremendous frustration with the state of the city and a feeling that leaders are not taking us in the direction the people want to go, said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who voted to recall Boudin. San Franciscans are fed up. They want change. And they want us to forthrightly and honestly respond to the daily grind of life in San Francisco in 2022, he said. That means getting a handle on street conditions, addressing property crime and dealing with the needs of very sick people who are not getting the care they need. Those who opposed the recall people who seemed far more likely to say so publicly agreed voters are angry. Id say anybody whos not exhausted, frustrated and wanting better from government after these two-plus years of pandemic pandemonium probably isnt paying attention. Curtis Bradford, co-chair of the Tenderloin Peoples Congress, opposed the recall and considers it a political hatchet job on one person who cant be blamed for all the citys crises, which include homelessness, stark income inequality and untreated mental illness. He said the pandemic induced fear and chaos and shined a bright light on where government isnt working, prompting people to be understandably upset. Generally, we all want the same things clean, safe neighborhoods, access to food and health care and housing. We want people to be taken care of and crime to be low and our children to be safe, Bradford said. Theres a sense that our needs arent being met whether youre living in the Tenderloin or youre living in Pacific Heights. Haney, who also opposed the recall, said voters are tired of broken, nasty San Francisco politics and are desperate for solutions to their day-to-day problems. Residents of San Francisco want their leaders to get the basics right, he said. While Haney said Boudin was blamed for many things he wasnt responsible for, he said the District Attorneys Office does play a central role in combating the open-air fentanyl markets that are killing scores of people in San Francisco each month. If somebody is selling fentanyl that is killing somebody and doing it with impunity every day, that absolutely has to be stopped, and law enforcement and the district attorney have a central role in that, Haney said. The status quo of drug use and drug dealing in our city cannot be accepted. 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. Police data shows people arrested repeatedly for dealing fentanyl since January 2020, when Boudin took office, spent an average of just five days in jail, enabling them to return to the same street corners. Its this kind of lack of progress that frustrates Rene Colorado, executive director of the Tenderloin Merchants Association. He wants criminal justice reform to succeed but also wants the streets of San Francisco to be safe and passable. He wouldnt say how he voted on the recall, but did say he resented Boudin and his supporters touting that crime was down. San Francisco has in recent years suffered through some of the nations highest per capita rates of property crimes and fatal drug overdoses. Ive talked to the D.A. in passing several times. The only things he says is, Youre safe. The numbers show, the data shows, studies show. Thats all he says, Colorado said. I question my intelligence when an elected official talks down to me. Honey Mahogany, whos running to replace her former boss, Haney, as supervisor in November, opposed the school board and Boudin recalls, but seems to have grasped voters crushing frustration well. Her campaign slogan is, Safe streets, Honey, and shes calling herself a pragmatic progressive. People in San Francisco want to be progressive, but they also want stuff to work, said the former social worker. San Francisco needs a social worker right now. Someone who can bring folks together, hear both sides and agree on a way to move forward. That surely sounds good to Alex Wong, a Sunset resident and father of two children. On Monday, he called himself the last Asian person in San Francisco whos genuinely undecided on the recall. He said it wasnt fair to blame Boudin for all crime in San Francisco, but said he also didnt like Boudin supporters brushing off anyone who has concerns about public safety as Republicans. Hes on the board of the United Democratic Club, which endorsed the recall, but wasnt involved in that decision. Your political identity isnt a shield from criticism, Wong said. You still have to answer to the average San Franciscan who just wants to have their kids to go a good school, wants to feel safe in their city and wants to build more housing so we can do something about the homelessness crisis. Sounds pretty basic to me. San Francisco politicians would be wise to listen. Heather Knight is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Most everyone in Tahoe appears to agree: the region is at a crossroads. The pandemic sent remote workers and streams of tourists to the mountains, adding new pressure to Tahoes lean infrastructure and sparking conversations about how communities there will manage going forward. Workforce housing is in short supply, the affordability gap is growing, roads and trails are jam-packed, and tensions between newcomers and established locals routinely make headlines. Compounding the challenges, Tahoe residents have struggled with wildfires, smoke and periodic pandemic lockdowns that drove tourists away at key times. The problems were collated in a recent, extensive community survey in which a majority of respondents said they believed that Tahoe is on the wrong track. Following that survey is a new white paper, published Wednesday, that outlines proposals for economic resilience, investment and community inclusion across the sprawling region of 57,000 residents. Called the Prosperity Playbook, the 80-page document insists that Tahoe must grow beyond its reliance on tourism and cultivate a more robust community capable of supporting seasonal workers, high-earning residents and everyone in between. Tahoe is more than a place to come visit, said Bill Mueller, lead author on the playbook and a partner with Integrated Communications Strategies, an economic development firm in Sacramento. Its also a place to raise a family, to start a business, to have a great quality of life. That other part of the story doesnt always break through. The playbook was prepared by the Tahoe Prosperity Center, an economic development nonprofit in Incline Village, Nev., which also produced the recent community survey. It is cosigned by Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson and South Lake business owner Chris McNamara. Below is a breakdown of four key objectives outlined in the playbook, designed to improve Tahoes future outlook. Diversifying Tahoes economic base While Tahoe has been a resort destination for 70 years, community leaders worry that the region has become dependent on tourism. In 2020, the tourism industry was responsible for 62% of Tahoes economic output, according to the center. But wildfire, smoke and pandemic lockdown protocols all cratered visitation to Tahoe for extended periods in the past few years, and more climate-fueled setbacks are expected in the future. To guard against such unpredictable events, the playbook recommends growing local businesses outside of the tourism sector. But that requires a change in mindset, in strategy, and in choice-making, it reads. A strategy the playbook lays out involves supporting anchor institutions in the healthcare sector a key industry behind tourism by promoting Tahoe as a destination for medical procedures, recovery, therapy and healing. Health and wellness has one of the highest potentials for economic expansion with its high-wage jobs, said Heidi Hill Drum, Tahoe Prosperity Center CEO. Creating affordable workforce housing Tahoes housing affordability woes, particularly for thousands of seasonal workers in the basin, have been well documented. But a real estate boom that has sent home prices soaring upwards of 200% since the onset of the pandemic has placed the issue front and center. Some believe the popularization of vacation-rental platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo are a primary culprit in that they may provide incentives to homeowners to pull properties off the long-term rental market and rent them to weekend visitors instead. The playbook, however, emphasizes a need for inclusionary zoning to mix affordable housing units with new commercial developments and allow accessory dwelling units on single-family lots a foundational concept behind Californias SB9, a controversial housing bill that Gov. Newsom signed last fall. Thats probably the easiest and quickest way we can access local workforce housing, Drum said. We in Tahoe have incentivized large, luxury second homes and vacation rentals. But if we really want smaller, more affordable workforce housing units, our governments need to prioritize them. Cultivating startup culture As scores of Silicon Valley tech workers relocate to Tahoe, community leaders hope to channel that influx of brainpower to create new, lasting job opportunities for locals. Theres a growing base of talent here, but its disconnected, Mueller said. We want to be able to create a place that allows new businesses to grow and scale. Without a large stock of available office space for rent, many remote workers have turned to shared workspaces, which have flourished around the Tahoe-Truckee area in the past few years, Mueller said. He believes those places can serve as a launchpad for a network of digital entrepreneurs, who might then attract capital and talent to the basin. Part of that equation also means leaning into the trend and promoting Tahoe as a desirable base of operation for startups. Fostering accountability Tahoe is not short of improvement plans. But Gustafson, the Placer County supervisor who oversees Tahoes West Shore, believes the new playbook offers a fresh perspective and flexibility to address the regions needs in part, by fostering a widespread sense of accountability. Obviously, local government has to be held accountable, Gustafson said. But our business community, our retirees, our second homeowners all have to be accountable to keep Tahoe special. One way the playbook suggests is by tracking key progress indicators like per capita income, income levels above the cost of living, growth in non-tourism sectors, changing demographics and more. The Tahoe Prosperity Center is committed to creating a new website that monitors those by quarter in an effort to bring transparency to the changes occurring in Tahoe. Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @GregRThomas Mike Colter and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown in a scene from "I'm Charlie Walker." (Shout! Studios and FAMM) Films San Francisco voters head to the polls with Chesa Boudin's fate in their hands Susan Johnson casts her California primary ballot at a drop-off box outside the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters office in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin greets supporters after partial election returns showed him being recalled by voters on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in San Francisco. Recall proponents say Boudin's policies have made San Francisco less safe. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Howard Dean is the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and former governor of Vermont. The story of Eva a Belgian shepherd who protected her owner from a mountain lion attack last month drew attention from media outlets across the nation and prompted an outpouring of emotional and financial support from readers. Unfortunately, those who donated to help save the dog were in for a heartbreaking update this morning. Over the last several days, Evas condition deteriorated, and yesterday she slipped into a coma. We said goodbye, owner Erin Wilson wrote on the GoFundMe page this morning announcing her passing. We love you Eva. Courtesy of Erin Wilson Wilson, 24, an avid outdoorsman, had been on a short walk with Eva in mid-May off Highway 299 in Trinity County, some 300 miles north of San Francisco, when the mountain lion attacked Wilson. Responding to Wilsons call for help, Eva had turned the predators attention on herself, and the cat locked its jaws over the 2-year-old dogs head, refusing to let go. The woman attempted to throw rocks, tug, pull, and even attempted to gouge the eyes out of the lion, to no avail, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Capt. Patrick Foy wrote in an email. Desperate to free her dog, Wilson flagged down passing motorist Sharon Houston, and using pepper spray and a piece of a PVC pipe, the two women managed to fight off the mountain lion. Wilson rushed Eva to the hospital, where the dog received care for her grave injuries, including two skull fractures, a punctured sinus cavity and severe damage to her left eye. Readers moved by Evas story donated more than $30,000 to help with the dogs treatment. Courtesy of Connor Kenny Over the last several weeks, Eva appeared to be recovering. According to a GoFundMe post on May 18, she was walking and climbing into her humans laps, playing outside and eating soft foods. There was pep in her step, Wilson wrote. But on June 5, the dog began having seizures and experiencing inflammation in her brain, and yesterday while being treated at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, she slipped into a coma. If the inflammation had come down, the dog could have been operated on, Wilson wrote. But a CT scan revealed that the situation was grim, and ultimately the dog succumbed to her injuries. Goodbye my beautiful sweet girl, Wilson posted on Evas Instagram page. You are my world, my light, my best friend. The world is a much darker place. CDFW searched for the mountain lion for a week, but came up empty, Foy wrote in an email. It has not been seen since the attack. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIRUT (AP) Lebanon will soon launch an international tender for the construction of a new terminal at the countrys only international airport in Beirut, a caretaker Cabinet minister said Wednesday, with hopes of accommodating a projected rise in visitors. The airport had a major facelift after the countrys 1975-90 civil war, and has been working at full capacity for years as the government's expansion plans have been repeatedly delayed. Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamie told reporters at the airport that a tender for the $70 million project to build a second terminal at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport is being prepared. He said Terminal 2 will be for chartered and low-cost flights, as well those carrying Muslim pilgrims. Hamie said the project will be carried out by the private sector and will create hundreds of jobs at a time when Lebanon is in the grips of its worst economic crisis in its modern history. The airport currently handles 8 million passengers a year, and the plans are to reach 20 million in 2030, according to the website of national carrier Middle East Airlines. The announcement was made during a visit to the airport by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati as Lebanon prepares to receive large numbers of travelers in the coming months, after a drop in traffic due to coronavirus pandemic. Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar said Lebanon will be receiving between 10,000 and 12,000 passengers a day, or about 1 million passengers over the next three months, when hundreds of thousands of Lebanese expatriates and tourists are expected to visit Lebanon. Occupancy rates are full at airlines and hotels, Nassar said, referring to the summer season. Lebanese expatriates and foreigners who love Lebanon will come to Lebanon and it will be a promising summer. Lebanons economic crisis that began in October 2019 is rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the countrys ruling class. The crisis has left three quarters of the countrys 6 million people, including 1 million Syrian refugees, in poverty. Business owners are hoping that large numbers of expatriates and tourists during the summer season will help boost their fortunes, which have been hit hard by the crisis and exacerbated by coronavirus and a massive blast at Beiruts port in August 2020. As tensions rise between Starbucks and baristas who want to unionize, the imminent closure of a store in Ithaca, New York, is taking on outsized significance. Starbucks told workers last Friday it plans to permanently close their store one of three in Ithaca on June 10. Starbucks cited facilities issues and staffing problems that have plagued the store. But Workers United, the union that represents Starbucks workers nationwide, says the coffee giant is retaliating against the store for its labor activism. Workers at the Ithaca store on College Avenue near Cornell University voted 19-1 to unionize on April 8. It's one of a growing number of Starbucks stores voting to unionize across the country. At least 280 Starbucks stores have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to hold union votes since late last year, and at least 122 stores have voted to unionize. On April 16, workers at the College Avenue store went on strike, saying an overflowing grease trap was causing unsafe working conditions. Employees say Starbucks cited the grease trap among the reasons for the stores closure. Starbucks, which operates 9,000 stores across the U.S., said it opens and closes stores regularly. The company said it will bargain with the stores employees as labor law requires to determine what will happen to them and said it has immediate job openings in the Ithaca area. With deep care and urgency we continuously work to create the kind of store environment that partners and customers expect of Starbucks, company said in a statement. But this week, Workers United filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, alleging that Starbucks closed the store to retaliate against the union and send a message to other stores seeking to unionize. On Wednesday, several dozen people protested outside the store and called for a city-wide boycott of Starbucks. The store currently has nine employees during the slow summer season, but can have as many as 30 during the academic year, workers say. We cant let Starbucks decide to close a union store two months after we won a vote, said Benjamin Smith, who has worked at the College Avenue store for more than three years. We have the power of the community and we have the power of the union and they have to listen to us. Risa Lieberwitz, an employment law professor and academic director of The Worker Institute at Cornells School of Industrial and Labor Relations, said U.S. labor law doesnt prevent Starbucks from closing the store for business reasons. But Starbucks cant close a store whether its unionized or not in order to retaliate against labor organizers or discourage unionization at other stores. If the NLRB finds Starbucks closed the store unlawfully, she said, it could require Starbucks to reopen the store or provide back pay to employees. The NLRB may also find that Starbucks plan to close the store should have been a subject of bargaining. This situation really reads like a large employer trying to stop the momentum of labor organizing across its stores, Lieberwitz said. After clearing California's primary election alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Sen. Brian Dahle is now the latest Republican being sent to the figurative sacrificial alter a statewide general election contest in deep-blue California against a Democratic incumbent. Unofficial primary results show that Newsom and Dahle earned more votes than any of the other 24 candidates for governor in Tuesdays election, which means theyll compete head-to-head in November. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday night, Newsom had 61% of the vote, while Dahle had 15%. Tuesdays results mean Newsom is all-but-assured to win re-election in November. It's true that 2022 is expected to be a watershed year for Republicans, but this is still California a liberal stronghold where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Besides, there's precedent for California Democrats prevailing in statewide races even while national political winds favor Republicans. In 2010, Democratic candidate Jerry Brown more than survived that years national red wave," defeating Republican Meg Whitman by nearly 13 percentage points. California has only become more blue in the 12 years since then. The only thing that seems like it could put Newsoms re-election chances in danger would be a scandal (or scandals) in the coming months. And were not talking about a French Laundry-type scandal were talking about an earth-shattering, that-man-should-never-hold-public-office-again-in-his-life-type scandal. That's how safe Newsom is against a Republican. Things possibly could have been different had independent candidate Michael Shellenberger cleared the primary. Some analysts thought the popular author from Berkeley had at least some semblance of a chance at unseating Newsom in November, but he finished had just 3% of the vote on Tuesday night. Newsom and his team clearly thought that a primary victory by Dahle a farmer and small-business owner from Bieber would give the governor the best chance at securing a second term. In an ad released last month, which premiered two days after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion showed the body plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, Newsom took aim at Dahle for his stance on abortion. With reproductive freedom under attack, who can California women count on to defend our rights? the ads narrator says. GOP-endorsed Sen. Brian Dahle stands with Donald Trump. Dahle wants to roll back abortion rights, punishing women and doctors. The ad was a clear attempt by Newsom to boost Dahles name recognition with voters in an attempt to help him clear the crowded primary field. A group supporting Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta in his statewide race did something similar. At the time, it was unclear whether Newsoms ploy would help him get the result he wanted, but Tuesdays results show that it probably did. Regardless of how Dahle ended up coming in second in this year's primary, Newsom gets to coast to re-election in November now. After a bitter, monthslong campaign, District Attorney Chesa Boudin has been recalled by San Francisco voters. As of 11 p.m. Tuesday night, yes on the recall is leading no 60% to 40% The results, though disappointing for supporters, were hardly a surprise to those who have been following the race carefully. In the months leading up to the election, polls consistently showed Boudins ouster was likely, and that generally, San Franciscans are concerned about crime and public safety. The question of what happens now can be answered three different ways: procedurally (when will a new DA take office?), politically (what does the recall mean for the local and national political landscapes?) and practically (will removing Boudin actually improve San Franciscos crime rates?). The procedural answer is the most straightforward. Boudin must vacate the office no later than 10 days after the Board of Supervisors certifies the election results, likely sometime in late June or early July. At that point, a successor chosen by Mayor London Breed will assume office. There will be no special election for the office; San Francisco voters would next weigh in during the regularly scheduled election on Nov. 7, 2023. Breeds choice to replace Boudin is harder to predict, largely because of Proposition C, a ballot measure seeking to change the recall process itself. Prop. C. failed, with "no" leading "yes" 60% to 40% as of late Tuesday night. It's a margin very similar to the Boudin recall. One major provision of Prop. C would have prevented anyone appointed by the mayor to replace a recalled official from running for the position in the next election. The fate of the proposition has a significant effect on the mayors list of possible replacements, according to an official familiar with discussions but not authorized to speak publicly. Even though the mayors office has not begun its search in earnest, it is already considering three candidates in particular, according to the official: District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani; Nancy Tung, a former prosecutor who ran against Boudin in 2019; and Brooke Jenkins, another former prosecutor who emerged as a leading Boudin recall supporter. All three have expressed interest in the job and present themselves as more tough on crime than Boudin. Other candidates will also emerge during the process as Breed speaks to members of the community and legal experts, the official said. The choices make sense, given Breeds recent embrace of tough-on-crime rhetoric. At a December press conference, she said, Its time that the reign of criminals who are destroying our city, it is time for it to come to an end, and, It comes to an end when we take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement and less tolerant of all the bullst that has destroyed our city. She also recently announced plans to increase the San Francisco Police Departments budget, a striking reversal from her earlier support for slashing the police budget and using that money for social programs, a response to the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Each of the three candidates mentioned by the official would provide unique political advantages for Breed. If the mayor picks Stefani, Breed would then get to appoint her replacement on the Board of Supervisors. Tung, on the other hand, could help Breed make inroads with Asian American voters, who helped fuel both this recall and the recent school board recall. And Jenkins, who has characterized herself as a progressive prosecutor, could signal that Breed isnt completely abandoning criminal justice reform although criminal justice reform advocates dispute Jenkins record on the issue. Hearst News via Getty University of San Francisco professor of political science James Taylor believes that a return to tough-on-crime policy more police, more incarceration, stronger charges and less reliance on diversion programs is on San Franciscos horizon. Oh its inevitable, Taylor told SFGATE. I sense it. I had a conservative friend who told me, You know its coming. I said, Oh Ive known for some time. Not everyone agrees. Cristine Soto DeBerry, a former chief of staff to Boudin and the executive director of the progressive Prosecutors' Alliance of California, believes that Boudins replacement will likely maintain at least some reformist policies. DeBerry cited the fact that many high-profile recall proponents went out of their way to say they support criminal justice reform, but oppose Boudins methods. They wouldnt be saying that if voters werent telling them they support reform, DeBerry said. You can be sure the recall campaign spent some of their millions on polling to see which messages resonate. You can tell what theyre seeing is voters in California and San Francisco may have anxieties about crime but they support better solutions than what weve had in the past. Nationally, conservatives are already celebrating Boudins demise. Headlines on Fox News and Breitbart read "Progressive San Francisco DA recalled by voters in one of nation's most liberal cities" and "San Francisco Voters Recall Radical D.A. Chesa Boudin: Warning to Left-wing Prosecutors Nationwide." Conservative pundit Ann Coulter tweeted, "The good news for Chesa Boudin is that he will still be prosecuting the same number of criminals." Given these attacks from the right, Taylor points to a regression to the mean among Democratic politicians nationwide, who, after embracing reformist rhetoric in the wake of George Floyds murder, are largely returning to tough on crime policies and public statements. (Even Boudin explicitly disavowed defunding the police in an SFGATE Q&A before the recall.) When Joe Biden learns Boudin lost, I dont think hell be upset at all, Taylor said. It will be exciting to him to have a more moderate, acceptable Democrat in office. What youre going to see with Democrats is attempting to slowly acclimate people to accept a law and order backlash to reform. You see this from the top down from Biden to the mayor of San Francisco. Regardless of the political machinations, what the recall means for the daily lives of San Franciscans is perhaps the hardest question to answer. California jurisdictions with tough-on-crime prosecutors have some of the highest crime rates in the state, so a move toward incarcerating more individuals is not likely to be a cure-all for problems voters are most concerned about. While there's evidence that pursuing stronger charges for fentanyl dealers could lead to fewer repeat offenses within a short period of time, its less clear that changing any of Boudins current policies will have a dramatic impact on property crime or violent crime. The sad news is if the DA is recalled, San Franciscans will not see a change in their experience, DeBerry said. Recalling the DA will not change the homeless crisis. It will not solve the drug use crisis, and its not going to solve the lack of response from SFPD. Those things will look exactly the same unless other leaders in the city step forward and take their obligations seriously. Perhaps the biggest impact from the Boudin recall both politically and practically is the loss of the most popular scapegoat for frustrations over crime in San Francisco. Removing an easy target of blame could lead to more scrutiny of the San Francisco Police Department, which solves fewer crimes despite larger staffing per city resident and costs per area patrolled compared with other California jurisdictions, according to a March report from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice. Boudin repeatedly argued during the campaign that district attorneys can only bring charges when police make arrests. The San Francisco Police Departments arrest rates have been decreasing for years. The DAs office is at the end of the system, DeBerry said. At the front end, the police department has the biggest impact on reducing crime. Prosecution is a reaction after something has already happened. San Francisco voters ousted District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Tuesday night in a race that pitted Democrats against one another and drew national attention. Sixty percent of voters supported the recall by 11 p.m. Tuesday, the San Francisco Department of Elections said. The preliminary votes made up about one-quarter of registered voters in the city; the department said Wednesday morning it still needs to review and process nearly 100,000 ballots. Which San Francisco neighborhood had the highest share of votes in favor of removing the progressive prosecutor in the early results? Lake Merced, with 73.91% of voters checking "yes" on Proposition H. The neighborhood most against the recall was North Bernal Heights, where only 34.78% voted "yes" on Prop. H. The San Francisco Department of Elections breaks down data on how residents voted in 26 distinct neighborhoods. Among those, here are the five neighborhoods with the highest percentage of votes to recall Boudin: 1. Lake Merced, 73.91% were in favor of recalling Boudin 2. Pacific Heights/Marina, 72.01% 3. Visitacion Valley, 71.41% 4. Portola, 70.30% 5. Sunset, 70.23% These are the five neighborhoods that saw the lowest percentage of votes to recall Boudin: 1. North Bernal Heights, 34.78% were in favor of recalling Boudin 2. Mission, 42.26% 3. Haight-Ashbury, 43.32% 4. South Bernal Heights, 43.82% 5. Inner Sunset, 45.89% To see the vote count in your neighborhood, visit the San Francisco Department of Elections website. Since November 2020, every San Francisco voter has been mailed a ballot for elections. In all of those elections the November 2020 general election, the Gavin Newsom recall in 2021, and two special elections in February and April 2022 that first batch of results has contained about 70% of the number of total votes cast. Because such a large proportion of the total vote comes in that first dump, the final results have been at most 2 to 3 percentage points different from results following the first batch. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images House Speaker Nancy Pelosi advanced to the November general election in California's 11th Congressional District Tuesday night, with San Franciscans voting overwhelmingly in favor of the Democrat who has served in Congress since 1987. As of 11 p.m. on Election Day, the Department of Elections reported that Pelosi got 71% of the vote, San Francisco businessman and Republican John Dennis received 12% and progressive community activist Shahid Buttar got 8%. The department said Wednesday morning it still needs to review and process nearly 100,000 ballots. Currently Reading Alert: UK prosecutors: Harvey Weinstein to be charged with 2 counts of indecent assault against woman in UK This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) Judy Huth recalled being distraught while describing an allegation that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her near a game room at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. While shedding tears, Huth testified in a civil trial against Cosby on Tuesday that he molested her when she was 16. She claims Cosby tried to put his hand down her tight pants, exposed himself before he forced Huth to touch him sexually on a bed in a blue room, which she says was adjacent to the game room. He forced himself on me, recalled Huth, whose testimony came in the Los Angeles County trial over a lawsuit she filed. Cosby denies her allegations. I was shocked to say the least, she said. Huth, 64, said the incident happened after she and her high school friend, Donna Samuelson, accompanied Cosby on a visit to the mansion. She said he gave them a tour of the mansion and game room before they played some games including Donkey Kong, and she went to the restroom. She then said Cosby forced her to perform a sex act in the bedroom. The trial represents one of the last remaining legal claims against Cosby after his Pennsylvania criminal conviction was thrown out by an appeals court last year, and his insurer settled many other lawsuits against his will. He is not attending the trial, and will not testify, but parts of a video deposition he gave shortly after the 2014 lawsuit was filed will be played. During Huths testimony, she said Cosby kept pursuing her after she told him that she was 15 or 16 years old. She claims to have told Cosby that she was on her menstrual cycle even though she was not in hopes that he would stop. I was trying to deflect, she said. But he didnt stop. I just closed my eyes. It was so fast. Maybe five minutes. Quick. Afterwards, Huth said Cosby walked out the room before she ultimately followed him to the grotto area of the mansion, where both took a photo which was shown in court. As Huth looked at the photo, she said felt mad, duped and foolish. I felt let down. I was hurt, she said. The photo - which has been shown to jurors several times - has Cosby wearing a red beanie and smiling next to the teenage Huth. During cross examination, Cosbys attorney Jennifer Bonjean accused Huth of being a liar several times for delivering two versions of her story. The initial lawsuit filed in 2014 alleged that the incident took place in late 1973 or 1974, when Huth was 15 and Samuelson 16. A few weeks before the trial began, Huth and her attorneys said that further investigation of the evidence allowed them to determine that it actually happened in the spring of 1975, when Huth was 16 and Samuelson 17. Bonjean accused Huth of comparing stories with Samuelson before she spoke with the Los Angeles Police Department in 2016. Huth refuted Bonjeans claim. You lied about the date, the year this happened and your age, Bonjean said. Huth said she wanted to leave the mansion. However, she said she elected to stay because there was no other transportation out of Samuelson, who drove and wasn't ready to leave. Huth said the alleged incident with Cosby was still on her mind. But since Cosby left for an event and both stayed, they changed into their swimsuits and took a swim before playing backgammon with a couple women. She says one of the women wearing a purple robe was accompanied by actor Peter Lawford. Bonjean said thats when Huth lied about her age to the women, telling them she was 19. You misrepresented your age, Cosbys attorney said. Bonjean said Huth is now telling her side of the story because of monetary reasons. But Huth refuted that theory, saying she didn't tell anyone - including her father - about the alleged sexual abuse for years until she saw other women step forward with their story and her son's 15th birthday, which she says triggered her. I went back to being irritable, she said. I went back to blaming myself. I became a loner. The Associated Press does not normally name people who say they have been sexually abused, unless they come forward publicly, as Huth has. HONG KONG (AP) An online snafu involving Chinas most popular e-commerce livestreamer and a cake decorated to look like a tank has raised questions among some Chinese over the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989. The order to the People's Liberation Army soldiers to fire on unarmed civilians is a sensitive subject that has long been heavily censored by the ruling Communist Party. Li Jiaqi, Chinas most popular e-commerce livestreamer, is known for hawking everything from lipsticks to frying pans on his online show, where watchers can buy items directly at a discount. He rose to popularity in 2018, gaining the nickname Lipstick King after he one tried on 380 lipsticks during a seven-hour stream, and for selling 15,000 lipsticks in just five minutes during an online shopping festival. But last Friday, Lis online show, which draws tens of thousands of viewers, was cut short after a woman appeared on camera holding what appears to be a small white cake decorated with wafers and cookies to look like a military tank, according to screenshots posted on social media platforms. The abrupt end left thousands of his fans confused. Li briefly became a trending search term in Chinese social media. The show was on June 3, the eve of the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, crackdown on thousands of students gathered in the vast plaza at the heart of Beijing to demand greater democracy. Hundreds if not thousands of protesters are believed to have died. One of the most famous photographs of the military crackdown, commonly referred to as Tank Man, shows a man holding plastic bags standing in front of a line of tanks, appearing to block their approach up Beijing's main east-west thoroughfare, the Avenue of Eternal Peace, or Chang'an Avenue. All such pictures are censored in China. Shortly after his stream was terminated Friday, Li posted on his Weibo platform, similar to Twitter, saying the stream ended early due to a technical error. A replay of the stream was also not uploaded. Neither Alibaba nor Li's agency, MeiOne, has responded to requests for comment. His absence has sparked a flurry of speculation among Chinese online, many of whom were born after 1989 and because nearly all mention of the crackdown is censored inside China, don't know much about what happened then. Keywords and phrases linked to the incident are censored. Searches for Tiananmen June 4 or Tiananmen 1989 turn up no results on search engines and social media platforms in China. Who can tell me what happened to Li Jiaqi? said one user on Weibo. I cant seem to find any information. By Monday, Chinese censors had wiped all photos of the tank-shaped cake and any clip of the live-stream from the Chinese internet. Li hasnt appeared on another livestream session since. Those aware of the Tiananmen Square massacre questioned, using cryptic allusions to June 4 to evade censors, if Li was aware of the sensitivity of showing a tank on a show like his. It has become Li Jiaqis fault for not knowing about an incident that he is not allowed to know, and now he must prove that he really did not know about an incident that he is unaware of, commented a Weibo user with the handle MaxWell_2000, pointing out the Catch-22 nature of the situation. The apparent effort to prevent people from seeing the show prompted some people to say they were learning for the first the first time about the Tiananmen crackdown. I didnt know before, but now I think I know, said one user on Weibo, where self-censoring posts using vague language to refer to sensitive topics are commonplace to evade censors and prevent account suspensions. The apparent censoring of Li's show has had the contrary effect of drawing more attention to it and to what happened in Tiananmen Square in 1989, said Shaun Rein, founder and managing director of China Market Research Group in Shanghai. For many Chinese users, taking Li offline at this time could have the opposite effect of bringing attention to an incident that nobody in China usually talks about, said Rein. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A woman has given the University of South Carolina 100 cards and letters she received as a girl and young woman from Anne Franks father, Otto Frank. Cara Wilson-Granat first wrote to Otto Frank in 1957, when she was 12 and had just auditioned for a movie based on the diary that Anne Frank wrote while in hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam. Last year, Wilson-Granat published a memoir about her life and their correspondence, which lasted until Franks death in 1980. Wilson-Granat wrote on her website that he became her mentor and wise grandfather, as he was for many, many others worldwide. She has now given Franks letters to the university's Anne Frank Center, which opened in September as a partner to the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, The Post and Courier reported. The letters are going to have a life where theres discussion, Wilson-Granat said during a news conference Wednesday. We already have had the students sitting down and theyre talking about antisemitism and racism and bullying and theres so much that I believe that we can grow from these letters. The donation establishes the Anne Frank Archive in the worlds fourth Anne Frank Center. Its director, Doyle Stevick, said he hopes others will be inspired to send it letters from Otto Frank. There may be thousands of undocumented letters from him, Stevick said. I pray that those letters can be retrieved and we read them, Wilson-Granat told The Post and Courier. Youre reading about people who have given up hope, and he helped them. She heard about the center from a friend who also had corresponded with Frank. They and a third correspondent visited the center before Wilson-Granat decided to donate her letters. A senior researcher from the Anne Frank House, Gertjan Broek, said the letters cover topics such as the JFK assassination, antisemitism and racism in the United States, the civil rights movement and conflict in the Middle East. The Anne Frank Center, located in the Barringer House on USCs Columbia campus, details the life of Anne Frank and her family, who entered what Anne Frank called The Secret Annex in 1942. They were discovered two years later and sent to concentration camps, where all but Otto Frank died. A new restaurant and entertainment venue is set to replace the recently closed Lupulandia Brewery in San Francisco's Mission District. Marco Senghor, the former owner of iconic nightclub Bissap Baobab and current owner of nearby restaurant Little Baobab, is opening a new spot called Big Baobab at 2243 Mission St., according to What Now San Francisco. Lupulandia Brewery closed recently after three years in the Mission due to the economic challenges of the pandemic. I was initially hoping that it might be temporary ... but December just killed us, co-owner Anthony LaVia told SFGATE in April. At that point, we looked through our bills and bank account and, by the end of January, we realized this isn't going to work. San Franciscos list of registered businesses confirms a new business called Big Baobab registering at the Mission Street address on May 23 this year. SFGATE could not reach Senghor for comment by time of publication. While Big Baobab shares the same owner as its predecessor, don't expect a complete Bissap Baobab revival. Big Baobab will offer something different, unlike anything in the past, Senghor told What Now San Francisco. Bissap Baobab, known for its Senegalese food and for hosting one of San Francisco's liveliest dance parties, closed in 2019 after 20 years in business. Owner Senghor decided to close the club and keep its smaller sibling Little Baobab open as a means to cover his legal bills in an immigration lawsuit. The upcoming new restaurant, Big Baobab, will still feature Senegalese food, but Senghor told What Now San Francisco he also plans to expand the menu to the Ivory Coast to Cameroon and Nigeria. It is expected to open in August. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HALEIWA, Hawaii (AP) Hawaii photographer Clark Little is known for his stunning images from inside the barrels of some of the most powerful and dangerous waves on Earth. The native of Oahu's North Shore has spent the last 15 years documenting shorebreak waves, the monster swells that roll in from the Pacific and crash directly onto the sand, unobstructed by reefs or shallow water. Little just released a book, The Art of Waves, that chronicles his adventures in the ocean. It contains more than 150 of his favorite images. Shorebreak is so beautiful and scary at the same time, Little said. I used to surf the shorebreak, so ... its my comfort zone. I like sand bottom. I think it has more aqua beautiful colors. Surfing great Kelly Slater affectionately calls Little Turbo he was known for driving fast and taking chances when the two got to know each other decades ago, well before Slater became one of surfing's most decorated athletes. Clark is so connected with what hes looking at. It seems so natural to him," said Slater, who wrote the forward to the new book. It just struck him one day to start capturing it. Big wave surfer Laird Hamilton said Little's photography gives him the chance to examine the beauty and complexity of the ocean in a way that's impossible when surfing in the chaotic and big seas he likes to be in. "His books capture the things about the ocean that make us believe in higher powers, Hamilton said. When he was younger, Little would surf the shorebreak waves, something few people dare to do. But Little said even he gets into trouble in these conditions. On a big day and Im trying to swim out to get the shot ... then theres one wave, two waves, three waves," Little said. Then Im out of breath and then theres another five more waves. I cant swim in. I cant get out because its pulling. Its huge. And its just, its chaos. People around the globe were showing respect for waves Wednesday in honor of World Oceans Day, an annual event aimed at promoting conservation and raising awareness of the human impact on oceans. After watching the streets and sidewalks around their condos slowly separate and sink into the bay mud, residents of one building in San Francisco's Mission Bay are now suing the city for a problem they say poses "life-safety risks to pedestrians." Once upon a time, the neighborhood around the Chase Center east of Interstate 280 was part of the bay. As industry swept through the city in the late 1800s, the area was filled with dirt and rock and further filled with rubble after the 1906 earthquake. Through most of the 20th century, Mission Bay was a railyard and industrial corner of the city. Then, in 1998, the board of supervisors marked the area for major development. And while all new occupied buildings in Mission Bay, such as the UCSF campus, the Chase Center and the 6,000 residential units there, are anchored into the bedrock, the sidewalks, streets and parks are not, and that's a problem. The complaint, filed by residents of The Radiance, a 99-unit condo building at 330 Mission Bay Blvd., alleges that the sinking has caused "improper slopes at ADA ramps and sidewalks, cracks in sidewalks with associated tripping hazards." The suit, first shared by the San Francisco Chronicle, states that "there are unsightly gaps around public utility poles and fire-hydrants, together with unsafe street curb dimensions that impose life-safety risks to pedestrians." (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.) Those unsightly gaps are documented in photos taken of cracked curbs and lopsided lamp posts in the document. Earlier this year, an employee at Cafe Reveille on Long Bridge Street told the Potrero View that passersby "fall a lot" on the sidewalk there that is now marked with a yellow hazard warning line. The outlet also reported that a luxury residence building at 1201 Fourth St. separated so much from its sidewalk that the entryway was closed for almost a year for repairs. The rubble-filled history of the 303-acre neighborhood means the buildings there sit in a liquefaction zone, and the area is still the largest bay outlet for water from San Francisco's underground streams. Beyond the tripping hazard and and unsightliness of the cracks, there is concern about how the infrastructure there would fare in an earthquake, where ground in liquefaction zones behave like a liquid under conditions of extreme stress. In 2020, San Francisco's Public Works Department put the responsibility, and the bill, back onto the property owners to fix the sidewalks that are reportedly sinking at a rate of a quarter inch a year. The solution itself is also not clear, as any fixes to the surface only serve to increase the weight of the pavement, speeding its descent into the landfill. The new complaint, brought by law firm Berding & Weil, seeks class-action status for all residents of the neighborhood who have paid for repair work through taxes or fees since October 2020, plus compensation for lost property value caused by the damage. A spokesperson for City Attorney David Chiu told the San Francisco Chronicle his office was reviewing the suit and will respond in court. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) A Connecticut man was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison Wednesday for his role in violent gang activity in Bridgeport, including a brazen midday shooting in front of a state courthouse that wounded four people in 2020, federal prosecutors said. Authorities said Asante Gaines, 25, was the eighth and final person convicted in the case to be sentenced. Like Gaines, the seven others all pleaded guilty in connection with the courthouse shooting and other gang activities and are serving prison sentences ranging from eight to 40 years. KETCHIKAN, Alaska (AP) The governing body of an Alaska borough has overwhelmingly reversed the mayors veto of grant funding to a group that provides support to the LGBTQ+ community. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly voted 6-1 Monday to override Mayor Rodney Dials veto of $1,638 in grant funding to the Ketchikan Pride Alliance, the Ketchikan Daily News reported. Dial defended his veto during a presentation in attempts to persuade the assembly to let the veto stand. He said the group was an advocacy organization promoting activism. Assembly Member Judith McQuerry interrupted to say his presentation was full of inaccuracies. Dial then said an upcoming Drag Queen Storytime at the public library which the pride organization is not involved with was characteristic of the groups harmful impact. This group and others like it nationwide are making a deliberate effort to reach small children in an attempt to change them, Dial said. The goal is to expose small children to sexualized conduct and to normalize it, and instill their values and beliefs in the next generation. It is not healthy to expose young children to this. This is depriving them of their innocence. Angela Salazar, a citizen member of the committee tasked with reviewing grant applications and making recommendations to the assembly, submitted a letter rejecting one of Dials reasons for vetoing the funding, that funding the group would cause division in the community and is unjust because it is for a specific population. Quite the contrary in my opinion. If you are going to approve a veto for funding a specific population or segment in our community then you would need to veto most all of the applications. We could separate out the felons, the homeless, arts community, the disabled, the abused ... the list goes on and on. All of these populations are marginalized groups in our community and the nonprofits that serve them need our support. One is not any less or more important than the other and it is not our job to judge who is acceptable and who is not based on lifestyle, Salazar wrote. Assembly Member David Landis, who serves on the grant committee, said the committee had done what it was created to do. This is actually a pretty simple exercise for what the grant committee dealt with, and it goes straight to what theyre charged with, which was to judge and rank the applications fairly dispassionately, using the criteria that was set before them, and made the recommendation, Landis said. The committee made a fair judgment that was not based on a polarized viewpoint, it was based on what was before us. Assembly member Jeremy Bynum, who cast the lone vote to uphold the veto, said he intended to have a discussion item on a future agenda to look more carefully at what rules and criteria the borough should use to decide which organizations should receive grant funds. Amazon, which has been under increasing pressure to tackle counterfeit products, said in its second-annual report that it prevented 4 billion bad listings from making it onto its site and got rid of more than 3 million phony products last year. The results, released Wednesday, were mixed compared with 2020, when Amazon blocked 10 billion listings and got rid of 2 million phony products. The Seattle-based e-commerce juggernaut also saw a decrease in complaints of intellectual property infringement in 2021 while growing the number of active brands on its site. According to the report, Amazon stopped more than 2.5 million attempts to create fake accounts on its third-party marketplace, where sellers can list their products directly to consumers. That number is about a 58% decline from the attempts it said it stopped in 2020, which the company credits to its vetting process and other efforts to deter bad actors. But Juozas Kaziukenas, the founder of e-commerce research firm Marketplace Pulse, said it can be hard to independently know what actually caused those declines whether it's Amazon's policies or other factors. Counterfeit sellers have long plagued Amazon and other e-commerce retailers, including eBay. And Amazon has stepped up efforts to fight it in recent years amid heightened scrutiny from brands and lawmakers pushing for anti-counterfeit legislation. Amazon backs a House version of an online retail bill, known as the INFORM Act, which would require online marketplaces to collect contact and financial information from high-volume sellers and disclose some of the information to consumers. Amazon had opposed an earlier Senate version of the bill, which would require online retailers to gather information from a larger group of third-party merchants. Meanwhile, TechNet, a lobbying group that counts Amazon and eBay as some of its members, is pushing back against another bill that would make the e-commerce platforms liable for counterfeit goods sold on their site. An Amazon spokesperson said in an emailed statement the company recognizes the intent of the legislation is to stop counterfeits and looks forward to working with Congress to achieve that goal. In its report, Amazon said it implemented a program last year that made it harder for bad actors to register for selling accounts by requiring one-on-one conversations with a company team member to verify their identity. It says its also verifying the sellers physical location and payment instruments and leveraging machine learning to detect risks about potential accounts. Last year, the company said it spent more than $900 million to push back against fraud, and sued or referred more than 600 sellers for investigation in the U.S. and other places like China. Amazon did not reveal in the report the source of most counterfeit products, but China has been a sore spot. And the company wont share data that helps it detect and prevent phony products from showing up on its site, said Mary Beth Westmoreland, Amazons vice president of brand protection. According to Marketplace Pulse, the share of top China-based merchants has steadily been declining on Amazons third-party marketplace since late 2020, a trend some experts believe may be caused by pandemic-induced supply chain snafus and the companys recent efforts to crack down on prohibited activity, including fake reviews. Last year, the company suspended several prominent China-based sellers and reportedly kicked off 50,000 merchants for violating its rules. Marketplace Pulse's data shows 55% of the top sellers on Amazons U.S. marketplace are domestic businesses, a jump from 48% in November 2020. Sunday, June 12 On this date in 1888, an Apache Indian who had fired one shot that killed two men was tried for murder in one of the deaths and acquitted. He later was tried again for the murder of the second man and convicted on precisely the same set of facts. On this date in 1904, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported noteworthy success with cotton planted in the Yuma valley as an experiment. On this date in 1930, Tucson celebrated the opening of its greatly enlarged municipal airport. On this date in 1936, fire destroyed a service station, cafe and several tourist cabins at Salome. Exploding gasoline tanks from the burning service station threatened to spread the blaze over the entire town. Monday, June 13 On this date in 1862, Sylvester Mowrys silver mine at Patagonia was confiscated and Mowry was arrested on charges of being a Confederate sympathizer. On this date in 1901, the first commencement exercises were held at Northern Arizona Normal School with class of four graduates. On this date in 1908, 2,000 residents of the Salt River Valley watched as Gov. Joseph H. Kibbey pulled the lever which raised gates on the newly completed Granite Reef Dam. On this date in 1913, Thomas E. Farish, author and mining engineer, was appointed state historian. Tuesday, June 14 On this date in 1879, an executive order set aside the Salt River Indian Reservation for Pima and Maricopa Indians. On this date in 1909, artist Ettore Ted DeGrazia was born in Morenci. On this date in 1928, two sections of the west end of the new Blythe-Ehrenberg bridge over the Colorado River were washed out by high water. On this date in 1929, 6,000 people gathered for the formal dedication of the Marble Canyon Bridge across the Colorado River. Wednesday, June 15 On this date in 1869, the Phoenix Post Office was established. On this date in 1899, John B. Pie Allen died in Tucson. Allen was elected to three terms in the Arizona Legislature and served as Territorial Treasurer from 1867 to 1872. On this date in 1965, James Mitchell Barney, Arizona historian and nephew of Col. James Barney who owned the Silver King Mine, died. Thursday, June 16 On this date in 1888, the entire downtown section of Holbrook was destroyed by a fire that originated in a wool warehouse. The town was quickly rebuilt, however, with even larger and more substantial buildings. On this date in 1896, the new electric plant at the Yuma Territorial Prison was destroyed by fire. On this date in 1910, the Tucson Fire Departments horse drawn wagons raced through city streets at 9 p.m. in response to an alarm. Suddenly a man appeared in the middle of the street waving a red lantern. The drivers veered to one side, and learned later they had barely avoided plunging into a 6-foot ditch which had been dug across the street for a sewer line. On this date in 1913, the establishment of an aviation school in Phoenix, the first in the Southwest, was announced. The schools instructor, Jacques Neyvatte, guaranteed to make students expert fliers in six weeks. On this date in 1988, Gov. Evan Mecham and his brother, Willard, were acquitted of criminal charges of concealing a $350,000 campaign loan. The acquittal came two months after Mecham was removed from office by a State senate conviction in an impeachment trial on charges of obstruction of justice and misuse of state funds. Friday, June 17 On this date in 1913, farmers in the Upper Gila Valley went to the Supreme Court to prevent copper mines from polluting streams in the area. They won their case. On this date in 1917, the Rev. John H. Clifford in a sermon delivered at the First Baptist Church in Tucson, charged that the Pima County Jail was a seminary of vice and corruption, a hotbed of brutality, a breeder of disease in fact, a very inferno of all that is horrible and revolting. Sunday, June 18 On this date in 1868, the Navajos left their exile at Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and began their return journey to Arizona. On this date in 1879, the first ice plant in Arizona went into production. S.D. Lount established his factory in Phoenix with a five-horsepower engine capable of producing 1,000 pounds of ice per day. He made his deliveries on a homemade wheelbarrow. On this date in 1882, the Rev. Endicott Peabody held the first service in St. Pauls Episcopal Church, the first Episcopal church in the territory. On this date in 1913, the temperature hit 100 degrees for the first time that year, marking the latest day to ever hit 100 degrees. On this date in 1986, a twin-engine aircraft and a helicopter on sightseeing tours of the Grand Canyon collided, killing all 25 people on both aircrafts. SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (AP) A Sierra Vista police officer accused of computer tampering has resigned his job, according to authorities. Raymond Pyle was suspected of accessing information in the police department and state database for personal reasons. Police said Pyle resigned Tuesday after being indicted last Thursday and told that the department was beginning procedures to fire him. Pyle was hired in January 2021. Police said they were notified three months ago about the alleged unauthorized database access by Pyle in August 2021 during another investigation. The department requested the Cochise County Sheriffs Office conduct a criminal investigation into the matter. Police said the case will be forwarded to the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board for its review and action. Officer Pyles violation of the publics trust by using departmental resources to acquire information for personal use cannot be tolerated, Sierra Vista Police Chief Adam Thrasher said in a statement. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australias highest court on Wednesday found a Cabinet minister illegally canceled a suspected Islamic State group fighters citizenship in a landmark ruling that curtails how governments can deal with extremists. The High Court, in a 6-to-1 judgment, restored Delil Alexanders Australian citizenship that was removed in July last year by the then-Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews. The 35-year-old Alexander, who was born in Australia and has Turkish citizenship by descent, is in a Syrian prison on terrorism convictions. He left Australia for Turkey in 2013 and crossed the Syrian border before he was arrested by a Kurdish militia in 2017. Andrews canceled Alexander's citizenship based on an Australian intelligence report that he had joined the group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and had likely engaged in fighting and recruiting for the extremist group. But the court ruled that the power she used section 36B of the Australian Citizenship Act was unconstitutional because it gave the minister the power of a court to determine criminal guilt. A minister would still be able to revoke an Australians citizenship under a separate section in cases where an individual had been sentenced to at least three years in prison for a crime that demonstrates the person has repudiated their allegiance to Australia. Rayner Thwaites, a Sydney University constitutional law academic, said the ruling meant a government could no longer cancel Australian citizenship without involving a court. "The orders in the case are that section 36B is invalid, so that would have reasonably direct ramifications for others, Thwaites said. The case has ramifications for anyone whose citizenship has been revoked under section 36B, Thwaites added. Its unclear how many people could have their citizenships returned due to the ruling. The previous conservative coalition changed the law in 2015 to enable dual nationals to lose their citizenship rights for actions contrary to their allegiance to Australia. The first target was Sydney-born convicted terrorist Khaled Sharrouf who was also Lebanese by descent. He lost his Australian citizenship in 2017 while he was fighting alongside the Islamic State group in Syria and has since died in combat. Peter Dutton, the first Home Affairs minister to use the power, reported in 2018 that another five dual-nationals had been stripped of Australian citizenship because of their involvement overseas with the Islamic State group. Australia was widely criticized for expecting other countries to take responsibility for extremists who often had little connection to their second nationality. A center-left Labor Party government came to power for the first time in almost a decade at elections on May 21. The new Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said his government would examine the judgment ands its implications in detail. Dreyfus said the government had a range of measures to protect Australia from offshore threats including so-called temporary exclusion orders that can prevent Australians from returning home for up to two years. It is important to note that there is not threat to Australia as a result of todays decision, Dreyfus said in a statement. Alexanders case was brought to court by his sister. The familys lawyer Osman Samin said Alexanders 15-year sentence had been reduced to five years. Alexander would have been eligible for release last year if his Australian citizenship hadnt been canceled, Samin said. Hes remained in custody ever since because the Syrian authorities wont release him into the Syrian community, Samin told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Alexander denied involvement with the Islamic State group and told his sister he made confessions under torture, the lawyer said. LOS ANGELES (AP) A little more than two years ago, Juan Guaido was showered with bipartisan applause when President Donald Trump during his State of the Union speech praised the Venezuelan opposition leader as a very brave man" who carries on his shoulders the democratic hopes of an entire nation. But in a sign of how far his political fate has fallen, and how quickly U.S. geopolitical calculations can shift, the 38-year-old wasn't even invited to this week's Summit of the Americas despite the Biden administration's persistent promotion of democracy and insistence it recognizes Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. Meanwhile, the man Guaido has been trying to unseat, Nicolas Maduro, is taking something of a victory lap. On a rare foreign trip to Turkey this week, Maduro, who is the target of U.S. sanctions and a federal narcotics indictment, denounced the decision to exclude him and leftist allies from Cuba and Nicaragua from the gathering as a stab in the back of regional cooperation. This is a clear win for Maduro, Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of Americas, said from Los Angeles, where he was attending the summit. Hes seen allies take up his cause at the summit while preventing his primary rival, whom Washington recognizes as president, from attending. In what may be an attempt at damage control, Biden on Wednesday spoke with Guaido. It was the first time the two leaders have spoken and during the call, which lasted around 17 minutes, Biden reiterated his support for Guaido, whose claim to the presidency stems from his role as head of the National Assembly elected in 2015. President Biden expressed his support for Venezuelan-led negotiations as the best path toward a peaceful restoration of democratic institutions, free and fair elections, and respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans, according to a White House readout of the call. They discussed the role the United States and other international partners can play to support a negotiated solution to Venezuelas crisis. President Biden reaffirmed the United States is willing to calibrate sanctions policy as informed by the outcomes of negotiations that empower the Venezuelan people to determine the future of their country. But coming on the heels of weeks of silence from the White House about whether Guaido would be invited or not, the call provided little comfort to Venezuela's pro-democracy movement. We don't want to be seen as party crashers going where we aren't wanted, said one Guaido envoy on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomatic dealings. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan downplayed suggestions the U.S. was snubbing a staunch ally. Speaking aboard Air Force One on its way to Los Angeles, Sullivan insisted the decision to not invite anyone from the Guaido camp, and instead involve civil society activists from Venezuela, was a tactical one to encourage negotiations between Maduro and his opponents that leads to "ultimately a better future for the Venezuelan people. Guaido's possible presence at the summit also appears to have irritated many of the Venezuelan government's allies, including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who decided to skip the summit over the exclusion of Maduro and the leaders of Cuba and Nicaragua. A Mexican official confirmed that his government asked the U.S. to exclude Guaido as part of its back-and-forth with the Biden administration on the guest list, an effort that ultimately failed to persuade Lopez Obrador to partake in the summit. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss diplomatic dealings, said that other countries had done the same. Joining the Mexican leader's boycott were fellow leftist leaders of Bolivia, Grenada, Honduras, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Also staying home in protest, although not in solidarity with Maduro, were the leaders of El Salvador and Guatemala, as well as the president Uruguay, who was exposed to COVID. But it's not just foreign pressure that has Biden wary of inviting Guaido. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a spike in energy prices, the U.S. has started to re-evaluate its policy on Venezuela, a country that sits atop the world's largest petroleum reserves but whose decades-long decline in oil production has been made worse by U.S. sanctions. In March, U.S. officials led by Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council's senior director for the western hemisphere, traveled to Caracas to meet with Maduro. Then, as now, Guaido was kept on the sidelines, with U.S. officials not meeting with him during the several day trip. The goal of the talks was to dangle before Maduro the possibility of sanctions relief in exchange for a return to negotiations in Mexico with his opponents, something that so far hasn't happened. Meanwhile, Guaido continues to fight for change, although his street appearances are less frequent, and crowds greatly diminished from when he launched his challenge to Maduro in 2019. On Saturday, his supporters were met in the western city of Maracaibo, a short distance from Colombia and a flight onward to the U.S., with a barrage of flying plastic chairs and fisticuffs from allies of Maduro. The violent ones were left empty handed, Guaido told a small group of supporters to shouts of Freedom, Freedom, Freedom after the raucous brawl. Let's be clear: we are not going to take a single step backward. Goodman reported from Miami. AP Writer Claudia Torrens from New York and Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela contributed to this report. BOULDER, Colo. (AP) Boulder passed a package of gun control laws on Tuesday, including a ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons similar to one that was overturned shortly before 10 people were killed in a shooting at a supermarket. Boulder originally passed an assault weapons ban in 2018 in response to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. However, a judge declared it invalid in March 2021, ruling that only state or federal laws can limit the possession, sale and transfer of assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, the Daily Camera reported. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATALAIA DO NORTE, Brazil (AP) Brazilian authorities began using helicopters Wednesday to search a remote area of the Amazon rainforest for a British journalist and Indigenous official missing more than three days. Civil police in Amazonas state also said they had identified a suspect, who was arrested for allegedly carrying a firearm without a permit, which is common practice in the region. But Gen. Carlos Alberto Mansur, the state's public security secretary, said later that officials did not have any concrete evidence to tie the man to the disappearances. "Were looking for a possible link, but for now, we have nothing, Mansur said at a news conference. The suspect, Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, also known as Pelado, remained in custody, he said. Police have questioned five others since the investigation started, but no arrest related to the disappearances has been made, authorities said in their first joint public address. Journalist Dom Phillips, who has been a regular contributor to newspaper The Guardian, and Bruno Araujo Pereira, an employee of the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency with extensive experience in the region, were last seen early Sunday in the Sao Rafael community, in the Javari Valley Indigenous territory. The two had been threatened Saturday when a small group of men traveled by river to the Indigenous territorys boundary and brandished firearms at a patrol run by Univaja, which is a local association of Indigenous people. The association's president, Paulo Marubo, previously told the Associated Press that Phillips photographed the men at the time and Pelado was one of them. Phillips and Pereira were returning by boat to the nearby city of Atalaia do Norte, but never arrived. Indigenous leaders on the ground, family members and peers of Pereira and Phillips have expressed concern that authorities' search efforts were slow to start and remain insufficient. A Brazilian federal court issued an order Wednesday telling authorities to provide helicopters and more boats, after Univaja and the federal public defenders office filed a request. At an evening news conference, federal police showed multiple images and videos of the area taken earlier that day from a helicopter. In her decision, Judge Jaiza Maria Pinto noted that she had ordered the Indigenous affairs agency to maintain protections in the region after a 2019 case filed by Univaja reported multiple attacks by criminals. Despite that order, she said, the territory has been maintained in a situation of low protection and supervision. The Indigenous affairs agency dismissed one of its three top directors Wednesday. The agency said the decision had been taken in May and was not linked to the case. Meanwhile, an employee of the Indigenous affairs agency, Gustavo da Cruz, announced in Congress a 24-hour strike for June 13. If public servant was a secure career, today it is a career of fear, death, violence and threats, da Cruz told lawmakers. There have been repeated shootouts between hunters, fishermen and official security agents in the area, which has the worlds largest concentration of uncontacted Indigenous people. It is also a major route for cocaine produced on the Peruvian side of the border, then smuggled into Brazil to supply local cities or to be shipped to Europe. Federal police said Wednesday that 250 people from the army, navy, police and firefighters had joined the search. Phillips, 57, has reported from Brazil for more than a decade and has been working on a book about preservation of the Amazon with support from the Alicia Patterson Foundation. His wife, Alessandra Sampaio, recorded a video pleading with the government and authorities to intensify search efforts. We still have some hope of finding them. Even if I dont find the love of my life alive, they must be found, she said in the video posted on Twitter. Scientists, artists, journalists and soccer stars including the legendary Pele joined her call, posting messages on social media calling for authorities to bolster the search efforts. Pereira has long operated in Javari Valley for the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency. He oversaw their regional office and the coordination of isolated Indigenous groups before going on leave. For years, he received threats from illegal fishermen and poachers. On Tuesday, President Jair Bolsonaro drew criticism when describing the two men's work as an adventure. Really, just two people in a boat in a completely wild region like that is not a recommended adventure. Anything could happen. It could be an accident, it could be that they have been killed, he said in an interview with television network SBT. We hope and ask God that theyre found soon. The armed forces are working hard. ___ Jeantet reported from Rio de Janeiro. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The British Virgin Islands announced Wednesday that it has avoided direct rule by the United Kingdom for now after its premier was recently arrested on cocaine charges and an unrelated report found widespread corruption in the overseas territory. Gov. John Rankin said the agreement to retain local governance was reached with U.K. officials who traveled to the Caribbean territory last month to talk about the report's findings and the arrest of Premier Andrew Fahie in Florida in late April. The corruption inquiry that began in January 2021 and whose results were released a day after Fahie was arrested recommended that officials suspend the British territorys constitution and locally elected parliamentary government for at least two years, but Rankin said that will not happen as long as the local government meets several conditions. He said locally elected officials will implement dozens of other recommendations in the report, adding that government agencies will be required to provide monthly updates and that he will offer quarterly updates to U.K. officials for the next two years. If that fails to happen, the local Parliament could be suspended and direct U.K. rule implemented, among other things, he said. Many more difficult decisions will be required to achieve the deep and systematic changes necessary to improve governance in the BVI, and much hard work will be required ahead, Rankin said. The inquiry "identified significant failure of governments, including evidence of corruption, abuse of office and serious impropriety. Premier Natalio Wheatley said the government is still trying to determine how much the reforms will cost and that the territorys budget will be adjusted accordingly. Some in the British Virgin Islands ave demanded that officials move up the date of the general elections, which are scheduled to be held next year. Wheatley said elections will likely be held in May and that there are no plans to change that date. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Miami last month ordered that Fahie, the former premier, be released on $500,000 corporate surety bond. A criminal complaint stated that Fahie and the former ports director for the British Virgin Islands had been at a Miami-area airport to meet purported Mexican drug traffickers who were actually undercover agents for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. They showed him what appeared to be $700,000 in cash actually fake bills that British territory officials expected to receive to help smuggle cocaine from Colombia to Miami and New York through a port in Tortola, according to the complaint. A day after Fahie was arrested, local officials released the report on unrelated allegations of corruption in the British territory. At the time, Rankin said the report found that millions of dollars were spent on projects that were abandoned or had no public benefit, and that various contracts worth almost $1 million were awarded to a former Fahie adviser but never completed. If anybody is found guilty of wrongdoing, they will be held accountable, Rankin said Wednesday. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is hiring a Fulton County prosecutor to lead the state's new gang prosecution unit. Carr announced Wednesday that Fulton County Deputy District Attorney Cara Convery will run the unit when it starts operating July 1. She'll lead 11 attorneys and paralegals. Under the new law signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, the attorney generals office will have concurrent authority with local prosecutors to bring gang cases. The state plans to spend $1.6 million on the unit in the budget beginning July 1 Carr said the law will help his office work with law enforcement, district attorneys and federal agencies. Carr, a Republican, faces Democratic state Sen. Jen Jordan and Libertarian Martin Cowen in November as he seeks reelection. Supporters of the law say local prosecutors sometimes have trouble pursuing gangs that commit crimes across multiple of Georgia's 50 judicial circuits. The attorney generals office will also target gang activity in prisons. Cara Convery has established herself as a force in the field of criminal gang prosecution and is a proven leader in Georgias legal community, Carr said in a statement. Convery has prosecuted a number of high-profile murder cases and has prosecuted gang members using the state's racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations law. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) A prosecutor said he will announce Thursday whether charges will be filed in the death of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man who was on the ground when he was shot in the back of the head by a Michigan police officer. Kent County prosecutor Chris Becker gave no hints Wednesday, saying only that he would disclose his charging decision at an afternoon news conference in Grand Rapids. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) Chinese and Cambodian officials broke ground Wednesday on a contentious naval port expansion project, dismissing American concerns it could provide Beijing with a strategically important military outpost on the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and other officials donned white gloves before turning over shovels full of dirt to launch the official modernization of the Ream Naval Base, which will include a dry dock for ship repairs, an extended pier, a hospital, a workshop and a reception building. Longtime authoritarian leader Hun Sen in 2019 reportedly granted China the right to set up a military base at Ream, but has long denied that, saying Cambodia's Constitution prohibits foreign military facilities. Dredging is already underway to allow larger ships to use the port. Tea Banh told guests, including the U.S. defense attache, that it would still only be able to accommodate ships of up to 5,000 tons displacement an improvement from the current 1,000 tons but too shallow for all but the smallest of naval ships. Please dont be too worried about this Ream base," Tea Banh said, speaking in front of a sign proclaiming the project is being funded by grant aid from the People's Republic of China. This port is too small and even after upgrading it cant be a port that would threaten any countries, he said. Tea Banh said he invited the U.S. and other foreign representatives to the base so they could see for themselves there is nothing here, though he added that once construction is complete the facility will become a restricted military zone with no access for foreign nations. Following the ceremony, the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh reiterated American concerns that a Chinese military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodia's autonomy and undermine regional security. The U.S. and countries in the region have expressed concern about the lack of transparency on the intent, nature, and scope of this project as well as the role the PRC military is playing in its construction and in post-construction use of the facility, embassy spokesperson Stephanie Arzate said in an email to The Associated Press. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea, where China has aggressively asserted its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway. The U.S. has refused to recognize Chinas sweeping claim and routinely conducts military maneuvers there to reinforce that they are international waters. Tea Banh said the port project is expected to take two years to complete. He did not say how much it would cost, but China has given Cambodia hundreds of millions of dollars in grants in recent years for infrastructure projects. Chinese Ambassador Wang said the construction will follow a plan agreed upon by Hun Sen and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year to further promote the building of a community with a shared future with strategic significance. China and Cambodia have become ironclad brothers, economical with words but generous in action, treating each other with all sincerity and standing side by side at challenging times, he said, according to an English translation of his remarks provided by the Chinese delegation. The U.S. in November sanctioned two senior Cambodian defense officials over allegations of graft connected to construction financing at the Ream base, and Wang lashed out at the move, without mentioning the United States by name. Some countries keep smearing legitimate exchanges and cooperation between China and Cambodia and arbitrarily impose unilateral sanctions on Cambodia under the false subterfuge of democracy and human rights, blatantly interfering in Cambodias internal affairs through long-arm jurisdiction," he said. We firmly oppose all these misbehaviors." He said when completed, the base will be a monument to the ironclad friendship and cooperation between the two militaries of China and Cambodia. China only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, in the impoverished but strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, but many believe that its Peoples Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if it doesn't use the term base. Beijing recently signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that has raised fears of a possible Chinese outpost in the Pacific, and it has reached out to multiple other island nations in the region. The U.S. has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok. PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Philadelphia district attorney's office says an arrest warrant has been approved in the shooting death of one of the three people killed when gunfire broke out in an entertainment district in the city over the weekend. Prosecutors said Wednesday that no information would be released until the individual was in custody in connection with the homicide of one of the two people believed to have been innocent bystanders hit by gunfire during Saturday night's shooting on South Street that also wounded 11 other people. Officials lauded cooperation from residents and local businesses and said they hoped to have a legal and factual basis to issue an arrest warrant for the second homicide in the next several days. Police on Tuesday released a photo of a person wanted in connection with the shooting who should be considered armed and dangerous. Authorities have said the gunfire started with a fight between two people who then began firing a total of 17 shots at each other. One man, 34-year-old Gregory Jackson, was killed, and the other wounded; no charges are planned in that case since both had permits to carry and that shooting is considered self-defense, authorities said. Authorities have said that the other two people killed, 27-year-old Alexis Quinn and an unidentified 22-year-old man, as well as many of the other people wounded by gunfire who ranged in age from 17 to 69 are believed to have been innocent bystanders. Authorities earlier announced two arrests not connected with any of the deaths. Quran Garner, 18, is charged with aggravated assault, assault of a law enforcement officer and weapons counts. Authorities allege that he was the person seen firing at others until an officer shot at him, wounding him in the hand, and he dropped his weapon and fled. Rashaan Vereen, 34, faces charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault and conspiracy. The Defender Association of Philadelphia, representing Garner, declined comment; no attorney is listed for Vereen and a message couldn't be left at a number listed for him. Officials have said another person who may have fired shots that night is also being sought but have released no information about who that might be or what charges that person might face. DOVER, Del. (AP) Bills banning the sale or possession of a wide variety of semiautomatic firearms in Delaware and prohibiting anyone under age 21 from buying a firearm are headed to the House floor after clearing a Democrat-led committee Wednesday. The bills are part of a package of gun restrictions Gov. John Carney and fellow Democrats are pushing to pass by the end of this month in the wake of recent mass shootings in other states. The ban on what lawmakers described as assault weapons targets more than 60 specific models of semiautomatic rifles, pistols and shotguns, as well as copycat weapons. That term applies to any semiautomatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has two additional features, such as a folding stock or pistol grip, and to any semiautomatic shotgun with a folding stock. The legislation, sponsored by House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst and scheduled for a floor vote Thursday, is similar to other bills Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to pass in recent years. During a public hearing Wednesday, Longhurst rejected the notion that her bill bans any weapons, suggesting it simply bans future sales. This isnt a ban. Its a discontinuation, Longhurst said. You will not be allowed to purchase going forward. Longhurst said the intent of the legislation to make sure the next mass shooting does not happen in Delaware. This is a weapon of war. Its not a weapon to have on the streets, said Longhurst, who claimed assault rifles were responsible for 85% of fatalities in shootings involving four or more deaths. The bill would not prohibit the possession, or the transport or transfer to a family member, of a targeted firearm that was lawfully possessed or bought before the laws effective date. It would, however, restrict possession to the gun owners property, other private property with that property owners consent, and to shooting ranges. It also includes an exception for attendance at any exhibition, display, or educational project sponsored or authorized by a law enforcement agency or recognized entity that promotes education about firearms. Its unclear whether that exception would allow the display of legally owned firearms at gun rights rallies or other public venues. The bill also includes exemptions for law enforcement, federal government and military personnel acting within the scope of official business, as well as retired police officers and armored car guards. Opponents argued the bill violates gun ownership rights enshrined in the state constitution and will do little to stem gun violence in Delaware, where almost all shootings involve handguns. Ask any police officer, its not the rifles, said Jeff Hague, president of the Delaware State Sportsmens Association, a gun rights advocacy group and Delawares official NRA state affiliate. Hague accused gun control advocates of alienating too many people instead of working with gun rights advocates on solutions to gun violence and of trying to take advantage of recent tragedies to make a political statement. One things lawmakers from both parties seem to agree on is that the fight over gun control will wind up in the courts. Thats probably where its going to end up, Longhurst acknowledged, a sentiment echoed by House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf. Maybe its time we have a court decision, a ruling on the assault weapons bill, and this bill, said Schwartzkopf, chief sponsor of the age-restriction bill. Instead of all of us wannabe lawyers, including me, sitting around saying, Its unconstitutional, its not unconstitutional. ... There are two sides to this argument, and neither one of us knows which one is right. Schwartzkopfs bill raises the minimum age at which a person can legally possess or purchase any rifle, or firearm ammunition, from 18 to 21, the same age requirement for handguns. The bill does not apply to shotguns or muzzleloaders and allows possession of a firearm by a person under 21 for hunting or other recreational activity while under the direct supervision of a person 21 or older. It also exempts police officers, active members of the military, and holders of concealed-carry permits. That means, for example, that a 19-year-old airman stationed at Dover Air Force Base could go to a Delaware gun shop and buy a rifle, but a 19-year-old working at a local business could not. Supporters of the bill note that 21 is also the minimum age to buy cigarettes or alcohol, or to place a bet at a casino. Opponents argued that if teenagers cant be trusted with firearms because their brains are not fully developed, as the legislation suggests, perhaps they should also be prohibited from voting, serving in the military or getting married. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Democrats on Wednesday braced for renewed Republican attacks on their management of crime across the U.S. after residents in San Francisco voted overwhelmingly to recall the city's progressive district attorney, suggesting that even the party's most loyal supporters are frustrated with the way in which violence and social problems are being addressed. Chesa Boudin was swept into the district attorney's office pledging to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs and hold police officers to account. But the citys longstanding problems with vandalism, open drug use and robberies proved too much for voters, who blamed him for making the situation worse. While a single city race is hardly a barometer of the national mood, the rejection of Boudin by residents in the nation's progressive epicenter carried symbolic significance for members of both parties. Republicans were emboldened by the vote, planning to highlight crime in several critical Senate races. At the White House, meanwhile, President Joe Biden acknowledged that the vote sent a clear message about public safety. Both parties have to step up and do something about crime as well as gun violence, Biden said ahead of a trip to California, noting he sent billions of dollars and encouraged them to use it to hire police officers and reforming police departments. Its time to move, Biden continued. Its time that states and the localities spend the money they have to deal with crime as well as retrain police officers. The Democratic president's tough-on-crime comments come as his party continues to face pointed attacks from Republicans about its commitment to public safety two years after progressive activists responded to the police murder of George Floyd by championing calls to defund the police." Biden has rejected such calls, as have the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress, yet polling suggests that voters have become increasingly likely to trust Republicans more than Democrats on public safety. Republicans, pointing to the San Francisco election, signaled that they would continue to hammer vulnerable Democratic candidates in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin for their record on crime or associations with the Black Lives Matter movement. While the economy is widely considered the central issue of this midterm season, Republicans believe a focus on crime will help them this fall, especially among suburban voters. The very first thing that I talk about everywhere we go is ending the war on our police, ending the war on cops, said Andrew Giuliani, a Republican candidate for New York governor. Public safety remains a potent political issue, even as the numbers suggest a more complicated reality. Crime statistics for the first quarter of 2022, released by the FBI on Monday, suggest that a rise in violent crime is not the fault of either party's criminal justice policies. Democratic-led cities such as Detroit, Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana, as well as Wichita, Kansas and Portland, Ore., listed fewer murders for the first quarter of 2022 than 2021. The same could be said for several cities with Republican mayors at the helm. The reverse also was true in a number of Democratic and Republican-led cities with several showing rises in violent crime rates and murders. Still, Republicans have effectively convinced voters, in some cases, that Democrats are more to blame. In June 2021, a Washington Post-ABC News poll showed that roughly the same number of U.S. adults trusted Democrats and Republicans to handle crime. But in April 2022, the same poll found that 47% trusted the Republican Party to do a better job handling crime, compared with 35% preferring the Democratic Party. Republican pollster Gene Ulm said the perception that Democrats are weak on crime is pushing swing suburban voters toward the GOP in midterm elections across the country, even if crime is not a defining issue in the campaign. The Democrats have basically tattooed themselves with defund the police, Ulm said. It's too late to change it. Republicans point to key Senate races in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, where they have already begun to attack Democrats on crime, sometimes relying on false charges. In North Carolina, the Senate Republican campaign arm already launched two ads against Democratic nominee Cheri Beasley, a former state Supreme Court justice, for failing to protect victims of violent crime. The ads were removed by some local television stations for being inaccurate. Sheriffs from across North Carolina condemned these dishonest and despicable attacks because they know Cheris record: as a judge and chief justice, she partnered with law enforcement to keep North Carolina communities safe and hold violent offenders accountable, campaign spokesperson Dory MacMillan said. Washington Republicans are lying. Still, the GOP rhetoric is likely to persist. Republicans are also telegraphing weak-on-crime attacks against Wisconsin Democrat Mandela Barnes, a Senate candidate photographed holding a shirt critical of immigration officers; and Pennsylvania Senate nominee John Fetterman, who used his powers as lieutenant governor to help increase the number of pardons. Campaign spokesman Joe Calvello noted that Fetterman has a history of confronting crime as the chief law enforcement officer of Braddock, Pa., where he served as mayor. Under Johns leadership, Braddock went five and a half years without a gun death," Calvello said. "John not only has worked hand-in-hand with the police, but he knows what challenges our police force face and how to support them. Back in San Francisco, Boudin blamed his loss on right-wing billionaires who exploited understandable frustration over a pandemic and city government that has failed to deliver on basics. Former Mayor Willie Brown also warned against reading too much into the recall, given that Boudin won election in 2019 with 36% of first-place votes in San Franciscos ranked-choice system. On the same night as the recall, voters statewide overwhelmingly supported progressive state Attorney General Rob Bonta, who earned more than 50% of the vote and now advances to a runoff in November under Californias top-two primary system. No candidate Republican or Democrat -- can ignore the publics need to feel safe, Brown said. There is an absolute need for people to feel safer, and if they, the public, voter interprets your advocacy as not being sensitive to that component they will probably not vote for you, Brown said. They will vote for somebody that does give them some level of comfort, that safety is as important as all the other factors. Beyond San Francisco on Tuesday night, a reform-minded progressive in Contra Costa County was keeping her seat while in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, the progressive favorite heads to a runoff against a long-time prosecutor in November for an open seat being vacated by a more traditional law-and-order district attorney. Ludovic Blain, executive director of the California Donor Table, which seeks to elect progressive candidates, pointed out that the population of Contra Costa and Alameda counties dwarfs the size of San Francisco, which is under 900,000. If we were to look at one election to decide whether Democrats are vulnerable or not, it wouldnt be the San Francisco one, he said. ___ Peoples reported from New York. AP writers Hannah Fingerhut and Gary Fields in Washington contributed. CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) A sheriff's deputy in South Carolina has been charged with three counts of reckless homicide after she ran a stop sign and crashed into a car while going 73 mph (117 kph), killing a mother and her two adult daughters, investigators said. Charleston County Deputy Emily Pelletier was heading to check on a stopped car and didn't have her emergency lights or siren on as she turned on to U.S. Highway 17 south of Charleston on May 8 around 11 p.m., Sheriff Kristen Graziano said. DAVIS, Calif. (AP) A dog credited with defending her owner from a mountain lion attack in Northern California last month died unexpectedly on Wednesday. The 2-year-old Belgian Malinois named Eva started having seizures last weekend at home in Trinity County, her owner, Erin Wilson told The Sacramento Bee. Eva was taken to the animal hospital at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, but her condition deteriorated. She just never woke up, Wilson told the newspaper. Wilson in mid-May was walking along the Trinity River with Eva a few yards ahead when a mountain lion lunged and scratched Wilson. I yelled Eva! and she came running, Wilson said in a subsequent interview. And she hit that cat really hard. Eva and the mountain lion fought briefly until the cougar clamped its jaws on Eva's head. Wilson and another woman beat the lion and finally forced it to flee by using pepper spray. Eva suffered skull fractures and other injuries. She was released from a veterinary clinic several days later. Wilson on Wednesday updated a GoFundMe page she had started to raise money for veterinary bills. We said goodbye, she wrote. We love you Eva. Youre my whole world. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Ducks Unlimited and federal officials are teaming up to restore native vegetation in eastern South Dakota. The Argus Leader reported Tuesday that Ducks Unlimited will work with the U.S. Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service on a five-year project to improve soil health, restore grasslands and improve grazing. The work calls for planting cover crops and grains and providing assistance for fencing and water development. Ducks Unlimited will offer financial and technical assistance to agriculture producers. The program is part of a larger partnership between 20 conservation groups in South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana. EVART The city of Evart, with the help of volunteers from Lume Cannabis Company in Evart, planted 30 trees at the Evart Housing Commission on May 25, transforming the grounds. Oaks, maples, river birches, dogwoods and tulip trees were scattered around the property, planted watered, mulched and staked, said city clerk Kathy Fiebig. The city of Evart is very grateful for Lumes assistance, as the city does not have the manpower to do this. The last crew finished up in the pouring rain, but got the job done." In 2020, the city of Evart received a USDA tree grant administered by the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly and has now planted roughly 200 native Michigan trees throughout the city, Fiebig said. The intention of the grant is to protect the Muskegon River watershed as the trees will help filter out impurities in the water table before they reach the river. Its been a challenge due to the pandemic, she said. The first year of the grant was basically lost and the deadline for completion has been extended to this fall. The trees, typically 25-gallon pots, with 2 to 3 feet caliper (trunk dimension) and 10 to 15 feet in height, have already made an immediate and positive impact on the citys curb appeal, as well as increasing the diversity of the canopy cover, she said. Most of the trees have been planted on city property, such as rights-of-way, in Riverside West Park and the well field, she added. A number of them, however, have been planted on private property, as well. Evart has partnered with Lume to plant most of the trees. It takes an army due to the size of the trees, Fiebig said. Although the city typically rents a 36-inch auger to expedite digging the holes, many holes have to be dug by hand due to the proximity of underground utilities. MRWA provides the trees, stakes and mulch. The city provides supervision and equipment, and Lume provides the labor. Three local volunteers bring their lawn tractors and dump wagons to haul mulch, Fiebig said. Lume has sent out 60 plus employees on four separate occasions to assist with planting, she said. Another planting is scheduled for June 8. The city of Evart will look very different 50 years from now, thanks to these efforts, she added. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) A former church treasurer in North Carolina has been charged with embezzling more than $150,000 from a church over seven years, police said Tuesday. Jane Carol Davis, 72, has been charged with eight counts of felony embezzlement, the Winston-Salem Journal reported. ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (AP) A former North Carolina middle school band teacher has been sentenced to up to 60 years in prison after his conviction for sex crimes with children. Peter Frank. who taught at Roland-Grise Middle School in New Hanover County, was sentenced on Tuesday, news outlets reported. He was convicted on May 17 of multiple charges, including statutory sex offense with a person 13, 14 or 15 years old. It took the Bladen County jury less than 30 minutes to return a verdict. ATALAIA DO NORTE, Brazil (AP) The Amazon regions Javari Valley, where a British journalist and an Indigenous affairs official are missing, is Brazils second-largest Indigenous territory and sits in an isolated area bordering Peru and Colombia. Crime there is rife and government oversight scant, adding to fears about the duos whereabouts and condition. Reporter Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira disappeared in an area that has seen violent conflicts between fisherman, poachers and government agents. Violence has grown as drug trafficking gangs battle for control of waterways to ship cocaine. HISTORIC TENSIONS The Javari Valley has been the stage for decades-long tension between Indigenous tribes and descendants of rubber tappers who live in dozens of communities along the region's riverbanks. Despite fierce resistance from the local non-Indigenous population, the federal government in 2001 created the Javari Valley Indigenous Territory, aiming to protect an area about the size of Portugal. Non-Indigenous communities just outside the newly established protected land had historically fished within it, and were no longer allowed. Since then, tensions have only grown. The government's Indigenous agency, known as FUNAI, established a permanent base at the strategic point where the Itui and the Itaquai rivers meet. There have been shootouts in recent years between officials and invaders, mostly fishermen. Pereira was previously the head of FUNAI's bureau there. To this day, the locals don't accept that they can't fish, hunt or cut wood there, Armando Soares Filho, a retired FUNAI official who was in charge of monitoring the area's uncontacted tribes between 2003 and 2005, told The Associated Press. Colombians and Peruvians also considered the area as a reserve for them to take whatever they want. Demand for fish in the region has increased as populations grow in Brazilian city of Tabatinga and Colombia's Leticia. And as fish stocks became scarce in the Amazon River, the Javari Valley has become an even more coveted resource. Foreign tourists to Leticia are likely to eat fish caught illegally. DRUG TRAFFICKING The past decade has seen a surge of coca crops planted in Peru, where law enforcement is even scarcer than on the Brazilian side of the border. Traffickers process coca to make cocaine in Peru then send it through Brazil's sparsely populated Javari Valley and Amazon River. It is then distributed among major cities of the region, and from there to other Brazilian cities or to Europe. For years, the local Family of the North gang, the Sao Paulo-based First Command of the Capital and Rio de Janeiro-based Red Command fought for control of Amazonas. Since 2020, the latter has become dominant. Amazonas is now Brazil's most violent state per capita, after a 54% increase in the number of murders last year, according to a study by news website G1, the nonprofit Brazilian Forum of Public Security and the University of Sao Paulo. UNCONTACTED INDIGENOUS Eleven Indigenous groups live in voluntary isolation within the Javari Valley, the country's biggest concentration of them about 6,000 people in all. FUNAI is legally obliged to protect them. Brazilian law says contact with isolated tribes is only permitted as a last resort to preserve their lives. Many members of these tribes or their ancestors have been traumatized by contact with outsiders, who spread disease or sowed violence. Pereira led one of these rare missions to reach an uncontacted Indigenous population there in March 2019 shortly after President Jair Bolsonaro took office and weeks before he went on leave from FUNAI. Pereira and another 22 men were sent in to find a group of the Korubo Indigenous community and reunite them with relatives, arguing at the time it was necessary to prevent confrontation with another Indigenous group in the region. The efforts were successful. FUNAI and the army are the only government authorities present in the Javari area. Almost two years ago, a FUNAI employee was shot dead in Tabatinga, the regions largest city. The crime was never solved, which locals say has contributed to a growing sense of impunity. BOLSONARO'S INFLUENCE Environmental and Indigenous rights groups have argued that Bolsonaros public stance regarding Indigenous territories has helped embolden some to engage in illicit activity without fear of reprisals. Bolsonaro took office in January 2019 while pledging to bring development to the Amazon, much to the alarm of environmentalists and Indigenous rights groups. He quickly changed much of FUNAI's leadership, swapping out career Indigenous affairs officials for military officers. He also appointed an Evangelical pastor who had been a missionary in Javari Valley to lead the agency's isolated tribes sector. Bolsonaro has often advocated for tapping Indigenous territories resources, particularly minerals, by non-Indigenous and companies. He has openly rejected demarcating new lands for native peoples, and on April 25 promised he wouldn't do so even if ordered by Brazil's Supreme Court. He says his opponents don't have the national interest at heart and at times has alleged they are agents for foreign meddlers. He criticizes journalists, like Phillips, for what he claims to be misleading coverage of deforestation that has surged on his watch to the the worst in 15 years. And he openly rejects the views of those, like Pereira, who say Indigenous people should be protected, saying instead they should be integrated and that they desire economic development. FATE OF PHILLIPS, PEREIRA It remains unclear what became of Phillips and Pereira, and authorities have begun investigating. Pereira is an ally to Indigenous movements but divisive among others in the area, as he had often led operations to seize fish, turtles, turtle eggs and other illegally extracted animal products. Since taking leave from FUNAI, Pereira has been helping Javaris local Indigenous association, comprised of several ethnicities, organize an independent surveillance network to locate and expel invaders be they illegal fishermen, loggers, traffickers or religious missionaries. Pereira had received a steady stream of threats for his work, and traveled with a gun. Phillips joined him on the most recent trip as part of research for a book on Amazon conservation. The pair was traveling the Itaquai River, which is the primary access route to the Javari Valley and whose banks are home to dozens of non-Indigenous families. Boat traffic is light but regular, with at least several craft passing each day, primarily small canoes powered by low-power outboard motors. So it is unlikely Pereira, who had vast experience in the region, would have become lost or that a mechanical problem would have forced the pair to seek overland passage. Locals have speculated that they may have been ambushed. ____ Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) A grand jury has indicted a federal inmate in the 2019 stabbing death of an inmate at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute. The federal indictment returned Tuesday charges Lawrence Taylor, 41, with first-degree murder, the U.S. Attorneys office in Indianapolis said. Court documents allege Taylor was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute when he killed Jan Stevens in January 2019 by stabbing him multiple times in the neck, face, chest and elsewhere with a metal weapon. According to court records, Taylor's trial is scheduled for Aug. 8 in federal court in Terre Haute. A message seeking comment from one of Taylors attorneys was left Wednesday by The Associated Press. Taylor was convicted in Ohio in 2010 of armed bank robbery and other federal charges. He received an aggregate sentence of 284 months, a U.S. Attorney's office spokesman said. The Tribune-Star reported shortly after Stevens' death that he was 36 when he was found unresponsive in his assigned cell on Jan. 12, 2019, and that prison officials declined at the time to release his cause or manner of death, citing an ongoing FBI investigation. Stevens was serving a 30-year sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery and other charges. He was one of six men from Philadelphia convicted of conspiring to conduct an armed home invasion robbery of a drug stash house in 2010, according to the Tribune-Star. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The owner of a commercial nursery has won a $1.2 million judgment against the Florida Department of Agriculture in the latest verdict against the state agency for destroying citrus trees in the 2000s during an attempt to stop the spread of costly tree diseases. A jury in Orlando last week determined the state agency had destroyed more than 160,000 citrus plants in an effort to stop citrus greening and Gary Mahon deserved the $1.2 million as compensation at fair market value. Mahon's company, Pokeys Lake Gem Citrus Nursery, cultivates fruit trees in Zellwood, Florida. The Department of Agriculture had argued Mahon did not deserve compensation since he could have avoided his losses by moving his citrus plants into greenhouses. Mahon's attorneys disputed that interpretation of the law. In 2008, Florida lawmakers passed legislation requiring citrus plant growers to sell or destroy plants not grown in greenhouses to protect the states citrus industry from citrus greening. Citrus greening is among the biggest threats to the U.S. citrus industry since infected trees produce fruits that are green, misshapen and bitter. The disease can eventually kill infected trees, though it is harmless to humans. While the Florida Legislature and Department of Agriculture meant well by passing and enforcing this law, it had a catastrophic impact on citrus nursery growers," said Alexander Clem, Mahon's attorney. Our client fought for years to get justice for the thousands-upon-thousands of plants he was forced to destroy, and we are thrilled he will be compensated and can move on with his life. In a statement, the Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that it would appeal the case. This case has been long fought by our department, and our position has not changed: the damage to Mr. Mahons citrus crop was a direct result of his failure to come into compliance with state regulations," the statement said. In the past two decades, Florida's citrus industry has been threatened with greening and another disease called citrus canker. Citrus canker can cause the leaves and fruit on citrus trees to drop prematurely and create unappealing lesions on the fruit. The lesions leak bacterial cells that can spread to other trees by wind, rain or contaminated equipment, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With both diseases, state agriculture workers destroyed citrus trees in an effort to stop their destructive spread. Earlier this year, about 18,000 homeowners in Orange County, home to Orlando, won a judgement of $42 million against the state for destroying their citrus trees. Tens of thousands of homeowners in Broward, Lee and Palm Beach counties also have won class action lawsuits against the state over their destroyed trees, and compensations varied by county. A case in Miami-Dade County is still pending. Amy Harris/Amy Harris/Invision/AP NEW YORK (AP) Foo Fighters will honor the rock band's late drummer Taylor Hawkins with a pair of tribute concerts in September one in London and the other in Los Angeles. The twin shows will take place Sept. 3 at Londons Wembley Stadium and Sept. 27 at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, featuring his bandmates and his inspirations playing the songs that he fell in love with, and the ones he brought to life, the band said in a statement. Lineups for each show will be announced at a later date. AP INDIANAPOLIS (AP) A former eastern Indiana mayor has been released from a federal prison with more than six months remaining on his one-year term after pleading guilty to taking a bribe. Dennis Tyler, Muncies mayor from 2012 through 2019, was released Thursday from the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, West Virginia. He began serving a one-year sentence there last December. MONROE, La. (AP) Former U.S. Rep. John Cooksey, who served three terms representing Louisiana in the House and treated thousands as an eye surgeon, has died at the age of 80. Cooksey, a Republican who served the 5th District from 1997 to 2003, died Saturday. A cause of death has not been released. Louisiana has lost a selfless and dedicated public servant, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, a Republican from Start, said in a statement. During his three terms representing the 5th District in Congress, John Cooksey was a tireless advocate for our region, communities, and people." Letlow's late husband, Luke, worked for Cooksey as his driver while he attended Louisiana Tech University. Ill always be grateful to John Cooksey for giving my late husband Luke his start in politics, instilling a love for the work of Congress in an eager young country boy from Start. For me, he was more than a predecessor; he was a trusted mentor, confidant and friend, the congresswoman said. Gov. John Bel Edwards said he will order flags to fly at half-staff the day of Cookseys funeral, plans for which were pending, The News-Star reported. He said Cooksey leaves behind a long legacy of service to our state and nation that will not soon be forgotten. He has helped and inspired countless young people and worked hard to improve life for others. He served his country and his community in every way he could, from the Air Force to Congress to his medical practice as an ophthalmologist, Edwards said. Cooksey, whose medical practice was based in Monroe, was born in Alexandria and graduated from LaSalle High School in Olla, where his father operated a sawmill, according to his biography. He earned his ophthalmology degree from the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans and earned his MBA from the University of Texas. Cooksey served in the U.S. Air Force, where he was stationed in Texas and Thailand. He also volunteered in the mission field in East Africa, where he provided health care for six years and helped found an eye clinic in Kenya. His race for Congress in 1996 was his first run for public office. He beat Democratic state Rep. Francis Thompson of Delhi in a runoff for the seat. Doc was always looking for ways to help folks with their challenges whether he knew them or not, Camp Kaufman, who helped run Cookseys first two congressional campaigns and served as his communications director, told the newspaper. He wasnt that way just when he was a member of Congress, he was also that way as a member of the community. Theres a hole in a lot of peoples hearts. ATLANTA (AP) A financial adviser who's been on the run for nearly two years has been ordered to pay $12 million to his victims in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. The default judgment was recently entered in a lawsuit brought by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission against Christopher Burns and his companies: Investus Advisers LLC, which did business as Dynamic Money; Investus Financial LLC and Peer Connect LLC. And Burns, if he is ever found, is also liable for a civil penalty of $652,629. Its unclear, though, how much, if anything, Burns victims will ever see, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The once-prominent investment adviser is on the FBIs Most Wanted list, accused of bilking his clients out of millions of dollars. The day he vanished Sept. 25, 2020 was the day he was supposed to turn over documents about his dealings to SEC regulators. Federal court documents indicate there was some money in various bank accounts for his businesses, frozen by court order after his disappearance. And Burns ex-wife agreed to return $320,000 in funds he had transferred to her. But federal officials say most of the investors money was spent to finance Burns lifestyle, cover business expenses and repay earlier investors, to create the appearance that investments he sold were profitable. Burns had a high profile in the Atlanta metro area. He had a weekly radio program, the Chris Burns Show, and appeared on TV offering financial advice. But the SECs suit said for years Burns sold fraudulent promissory notes to more than 90 investors in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. The notes, he claimed, were for a peer to peer lending program, where businesses in need of capital would borrow money. In return, Burns told investors that businesses would repay the principal, plus interest as high as 20%. He also told clients the investment had little or no risk because the loans were collateralized dollar for dollar by investment securities put up by the businesses. Federal officials said the lending program was a scam. Still pending against Burns is a federal criminal complaint, charging him with mail fraud. Theres been no action in that case since Oct. 23, 2020, when it was filed. The SEC declined a request for comment from the newspaper. Attorneys representing investors in a separate lawsuit did not respond to a request for comment, the newspaper said. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia is still in the money, with tax collections on track to deliver another big surplus in its state budget. The state has already collected roughly $2 billion more in general tax revenue than it's on track to spend in the budget year that ends June 30, according to figures released Wednesday. Plus, Georgia will bank another month of tax collections before it closes the books on the 2022 budget year, which could add another $2.5 billion to the surplus. The bulging bank account could make it possible for the state to further cut taxes or expand services. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has already extended a temporary waiver on gas taxes through the middle of July, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Tuesday called on Kemp to extend the gas tax holiday through the end of the year. Kemp can make that move without legislative approval as long as lawmakers later ratify it. That would require the state to transfer roughly $150 million a month from its saving to maintain roadbuilding efforts. Georgia ran a $3.7 billion surplus in the 2021 budget year, filling its rainy day fund to the legal limit and leaving $2.3 billion in additional undesignated surplus Kemp has used to give income tax refunds worth $1.1 billion, in addition to paying for the gas tax holiday. Abrams has made expanding the Medicaid health insurance program to uninsured adults a top priority. But lawmakers could be cautious because they have set a big income tax cut to begin on Jan. 1, 2024. Changing Georgia's income tax from a system with a top rate of 5.75% with lower brackets below there to a flat tax of 5.49% could forgo $450 million in tax revenue. After that, the measure calls for the tax rate to fall one-tenth of 1% each year, reaching 4.99% by as early as 2029, unless overall revenue stalls. Revenue figures have been hard to follow during the spring because Georgia delayed the deadline to file income taxes in 2021 into May because of the pandemic. But that smoke cleared with the May revenue report, showing tax collections running 24% ahead of this time last year and more than 10% ahead of what's needed for a 2022 budget. That's even after Kemp and lawmakers added nearly $3 billion in spending, mainly by paying more to employees and K-12 teachers and increasing other spending on education. Georgias budget pays to educate 1.7 million K-12 students and 435,000 college students, house 47,000 state prisoners, pave 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) of highways and care for more than 200,000 people who are mentally ill, developmentally disabled or addicted to drugs or alcohol. A few hundred million of the extra money will go into the state rainy day fund, which by law contains 15% of tax collections from the previous year. But most of it will end up as undesignated surplus, basically cash Kemp and lawmakers can spend as they please. BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that his government remains committed to phasing out nuclear power despite concerns about rising energy prices and possible future shortages due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Germany shut down half of its six nuclear plants in December and the remaining three are due to cease production at the end of this year as part of the country's long-running plan to phase out conventional power plants in favor of renewable energy. But the war in Ukraine has renewed fears that Germany's power-hungry economy might be badly battered if Russia decides to suddenly cut natural gas supplies. Opposition parties have called for the lifetimes of Germany's nuclear plants to be extended, a proposal that Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the pro-businesses Free Democrats has said should be discussed in a non-ideological way. Scholz, who leads a three-party coalition, dismissed the idea, saying a decision had been made to end the use of nuclear power. We also know that building new nuclear power plants makes little sense, he said at a news conference with foreign correspondents in Berlin. If someone decides to do so now they would have to spend 12-18 billion euros on each nuclear power plants and it wouldn't open until 2037 or 2038, said Scholz. And besides, the fuel rods are generally imported from Russia. As such one should think about what one does." That's why the government, all the governing parties unanimously, are counting on (...) the massive expansion of renewable energy, he added. According to Germany's Economy Ministry, nuclear power currently provides only 5% of the country's electricity. Still, in an effort to stave off possible electricity shortages, the German government announced measures Wednesday to temporarily keep additional coal-fired power plants on stand-by for almost two years. A draft law agreed upon by Cabinet would ensure that coal-fired plants in Germany previously scheduled for closure remain in functional condition. Germany already has several other coal and oil-fired plants on stand-by that can be activated in an emergency. Government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said the decision was important in light of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the tense situation on the energy markets. But she insisted that won't affect Germany's long-term energy plans. The goal of completing the phaseout of coal in Germany ideally by 2030, and the climate targets, remain in place, Hoffmann said. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. MANISTEE COUNTY The official start to summer is right around the corner, and the Manistee County Library wants to help get ready for the season. Starting the second week in June, the library is kicking off its countywide summer program series. On June 11, the main Manistee library branch is set to host its summer reading program kick-off party. This beach-themed event is scheduled to run from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the green space outside the library. Families can register their children for the summer reading program at the party and enjoy free food and planned activities. Angela Fischer, Library Youth coordinator, said in a news release about the kickoff that There are a plethora of amazing, free activities you simply wont want to miss what were doing this summer." Kids are invited to explore the depths of this years Oceans of Possibilities youth summer reading program. Fischer designed a simplified program that will allow readers of all ages and comfort levels to enjoy the many benefits of a library summer program, reads part of the release. Registration for the youth summer reading program is scheduled to begin at all Manistee County Library branches starting June 13 and includes activities for ages up to age 18. An adult summer reading program is also set to begin June 13. Participants can fill out an entry form for every book they read for a chance to win one of several prizes that include a book lovers treasury, a fishing kit and gift cards to local businesses. Books, audiobooks, eBooks and eAudiobooks all count towards entry in the drawing. The Manistee County Library Talks series continues on June 14 with Michigan Road Trips: Nature Getaways. Author and podcaster Ron Rademacher will share some easy walking trails, little known preserves and some forgotten history, according to the release. This event is set to take place starting at 6 p.m. at the Wagoner Community Center. No registration is required. Rademacher is the author of "Trails & Treasures," "Oddities & Rarities" and "3 Day Getaways." Rademacher documents his travels at michiganbackroads.com. He also hosts the podcast, Michigan Back Roads. Michigan is a fascinating state with incredible diversity, Rademacher stated in the release. We travel long distances and often drive right by the coolest places in our own neighborhood. Julie Cirone, Manistee County Library assistant director, notes increased attendance at programs featuring the states natural wonders. We are excited to offer the Nature Getaways program because we are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area, Cirone said. There are so many hidden gems that are only a short drive away. Cirone said the Nature Getaways program can give residents ideas for affordable places to relax this summer. For details on these and other Manistee County Library events, visit its website at manisteelibrary.org or call 231-723-2519. MILWAUKEE (AP) The two frontrunners for the Republican attorney general nomination say they want to expand gun rights for nonviolent felons. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that former state Rep. Adam Jarchow and Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney both said during a debate in Milwaukee on Tuesday night that gun rights should be restored for people convicted of nonviolent felonies when they re-join society. Jarchow said hes heard from nonviolent felons who are frustrated they cant use guns to hunt with their grandchildren. WASHINGTON (AP) New White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was delivering her third on-camera goodbye to a departing staffer in less than 24 hours when she quipped to reporters, I promise we will have a press shop. She added, Not everyone is leaving. Its a dynamic playing out across the White House complex this month and more evidence that not even the White House is immune from what has been called "the great resignation as employers struggle to fill vacancies and workers jump to new jobs at record rates. The administration is undergoing a period of unusually high staff turnover as President Joe Biden nears 18 months in office. Long hours, low morale and relatively low pay are taking a toll on both the ranks of the senior staff and the more numerous junior aides who keep the White House functioning. Its not unusual for staff to turn over at this point in a presidency, but the swiftness of the change has been stark at times: Two-thirds of the White House press shop, much of the COVID-19 response team, two of the deputy counsels to the president, even the staffer who manages the White House Twitter account are all leaving within a few weeks of each other. Some of it is by design. As is customary, White House staff were told to leave by July or to wait to depart until after the November elections, according to current and former officials. Still, the turnover, particularly within senior ranks, pales in comparison to the turbulent first year of President Donald Trump, who hired and dismissed staff at a record pace. Also, the Biden White House staffing was more stable than many predecessors in its earliest days, making the recent and upcoming exits more noticeable. The full scale of the Biden turnover will not be clear until the end of the month, when the White House is required to submit its annual salary report to Congress. Biden aides insist the departures are not tied to the presidents low poll numbers, but instead reflect a natural transition for staffers some of whom also toiled long hours on the campaign looking to improve their quality of life. The aides emphasized that replacements have been secured for most of the departing staff and that no critical roles are going unfilled. Its a normal time for this level of turnover in any administration, said White House spokesperson Emilie Simons. Government service involves sacrifice, and staff often have young children or promising careers in the private sector they put on hold, or opportunities for advancement within the administration or through graduate school. Many of the departing aides are heading to federal agencies, which have far deeper pockets than the smaller Executive Office of the President. They can often double their salary and substantially reduce their workload. In many ways the departures echo a broader trend in the economy which the Biden White House has championed where a historically tight labor market has given workers abnormal leverage to seek stronger-paying jobs that are more compatible with their post-pandemic lifestyles. Weve seen these historic levels of quitting, said Nick Bunker, director of economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab. Weve also seen really rapid employment growth so that its people sort of taking advantage of the situation, getting new jobs, getting higher wages. So I think it is from a worker point of view, pretty much broadly a positive story. More than 4 million workers have been quitting their jobs each month over the past year, according to Labor Department data, accounting for almost 3% of all workers leaving jobs each month most for other work opportunities. Its a workers market right now," then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last year, months before leaving herself for a role at the news outlet MSNBC. We know that. People are looking for more dependable benefits. Theyre looking for wages that are higher." The White House has bristled at the term great resignation" and has tried to reframe it as what Bharat Ramamurti, the deputy director of the National Economic Council, calls the great upgrade. Congress sets the budget for the Executive Office of the President, and that budget has remained largely flat even as costs have gone up, including some driven by the coronavirus response. Biden also expanded the staff when he entered the White House, owing in large part to the centralization of the federal COVID-19 response and climate policy within the West Wing. The 2021 report showed an average salary of about $94,000. That's 40% higher than the country's median household income, but still less than what the well-credentialed staff could earn in the private sector. White House salaries tend to be well below the salaries that people have before they come into the White House, said Kevin Hassett, former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers during the Trump administration. This follows naturally from the fact that a president can choose people who are at the top of their professions. So when people return to their outside profession, the salary likely increases for almost everybody. Veterans of previous West Wings who serve in or are in contact with Biden administration officials say there is a notable lack of joy across the White House complex. The pandemic has diminished some of the benefits of the job that typically make the demands of the work more bearable, they said. These arent perks in the superficial sense, but theyre moments that build your team, sharpen focus on the mission, and recharge your batteries, said Eric Schultz, principal deputy White House press secretary at the end of the Obama administration. Nobody goes to the White House to coast, but the jobs are draining, so inspiration along the way can mean a lot. The pandemic meant few birthday parties in the bowling alley in the bowels of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and curtailed the opportunity to give loved ones a tour of the historic workplace. In December, the White House was unable to hold staff holiday parties because of COVID-19, and travel is only just returning to pre-pandemic norms. For Bidens first year in office, most staff could not even stand on the South Lawn driveway to view the president arrive or depart on Marine One. The COVID precautions around Biden himself, including testing for those who might encounter him daily, mean many staff members have few personal interactions with their boss. For some departing staff, a highlight of their time in the White House came when former President Barack Obama visited the White House and talked with staff on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Aides said he spent almost five hours in the building and made a point of mingling with staff in many cases spending more time with them than Biden has been able to. Biden, aides said, has restarted one pre-pandemic tradition: accommodating departure photos for staffers and their families who are leaving the administration. ___ Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) The nine members of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection are on diverging political paths as they prepare for public hearings that could become a defining moment in their careers. Working in private rooms in a Capitol office building, the seven Democrats and two Republicans have participated in hours of interviews, hearing testimony from members of former President Donald Trump's family, former Justice Department officials and Trump White House aides. They've issued dozens of subpoenas, interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and gathered tens of thousands of pages of documents in an effort to piece together the worst attack on the Capitol in two centuries. But as the lawmakers wrap up their investigation, many are at a personal crossroads. Two members have decided to leave Congress after this year. Others are facing difficult reelections. A few are eyeing leadership posts, and one lawmaker is even pondering a potential 2024 presidential run. A look at the nine lawmakers who soon will be in the limelight: REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, D-MISS. As the committee's chairman, Thompson sees his career-long struggle for civil rights as the foundation of his work in leading the investigation. Domestic extremism and its links to white supremacy are a familiar subject for Thompson, not only from his time on the Homeland Security Committee but also from his early involvement in the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The 74-year-old lawmaker was sitting in the upper House gallery on Jan. 6, watching rioters' attempts to break through the doors. For him, the experience recalled the unpleasant experiences from his early days as a Black politician in the South. Republicans and Democrats alike last summer pushed Thompson as the right choice to lead the investigation, seeing his understated style as the right fit for an investigation that was certain to be partisan and fraught. In the months that have followed, even as some of his more outspoken counterparts have appeared on television to repeatedly criticize Trump, Thompson has mostly steered clear of the spectacle. Instead, he has made his voice heard in poignant opening remarks at hearings and in language in subpoenas, emphasizing the responsibility of the legislative branch to probe the violent attack on the seat of our democracy. ___ REP. LIZ CHENEY, R-WYO. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is vice chair of the panel and has emerged as its most outspoken member. She broke with most other Republicans after the insurrection, voting for Trump's impeachment and declaring that he lit the flame that ignited the attack. The stance led to Cheneys ouster from GOP leadership and censure from the national party. And while the party that made her familys legacy pushed her away, House Democrats have embraced her as a beacon of courage. Speaker Nancy Pelosi recruited her and fellow censured Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger to be the sole GOP members of the panel. In the span of the inquiry, Cheney has become an even more fervent critic of the Republican former president. Trump, in turn, is trying to drive her out of politics by denying her another term in office. Cheney now faces a Trump-backed challenge in Wyoming, which will hold its primary in August. She has set personal fundraising records ahead of the race, in part thanks to her role on the committee, but political strategists have said she'll likely need some votes from Democrats and independents to win. Much of the party is now against her reelection, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who drove her out of leadership. There's also been chatter in Washington about Cheney parlaying her political standing to mount a 2024 presidential run against Trump. ___ REP. STEPHANIE MURPHY, D-FLA. Murphy is one of two lame-duck members seated on the select committee. The 43-year-old joined Kinzinger in announcing this year she would not seek another term. Both lawmakers cited a desire to spend more time with their families after facing an onslaught of threats since the committee was formed. Public service is not without personal sacrifice, Murphy said in a statement announcing her decision. And as a mom of two young children, my time away from them has been hard. This was not an easy decision, but it was the right decision, she added. The Florida Democrat, who unseated a 12-term Republican incumbent in 2016 and helped her party flip back the House in 2018, has also been an outspoken critic of the growing partisan nature of Capitol Hill and the rift between moderates like herself and the more left-leaning members of her party. Murphy, who in her nearly four years in Congress was often seen as a bipartisan dealmaker, has also taken a less Trump-focused approach in her role as a member of the committee, instead zeroing in on the impact the former president's efforts could have on future election integrity and voter enfranchisement. Murphy said she is not done with public service and will continue her work as chair of the Florida Democratic Partys Democracy and Voter Protection Program. ___ REP. PETE AGUILAR, D-CALIF. Aguilar is the only member of the committee currently serving in House leadership. The 42-year-old lawmaker representing California's Inland Empire is also likely to move up from the No. 6 spot in the Democratic caucus when leadership vacancies arise in the next year. Before coming to Congress in 2014, he was the mayor of Redlands, California. When the district became more favorable to Democrats after a round of redistricting, Aguilar ran again and again until he flipped the Republican-held seat. He is currently the highest-ranking Latino in Congress. On the select committee, Aguilar has been able to leverage his spot in leadership as the vice chair of the Democratic caucus to communicate the panel's goals and objectives as lawmakers face an onslaught of criticism from Republicans that the investigation is partisan and an abuse of Congress' investigatory powers. ___ REP. ADAM KINZINGER, R-ILL. Kinzinger is one of two Republicans serving on the Jan. 6 panel. His willingness to criticize Trump, GOP leadership and lawmakers on the far right has left him with few allies in his party. He opted last fall to not seek reelection rather than run in a primary later this month that would have had him facing off against GOP Rep. Darin LaHood in a newly redrawn congressional district that tilts strongly to the right. Kinzinger was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on a charge of inciting the insurrection at the Capitol. Trump celebrated Kinzinger's decision to retire after serving out his sixth term, crowing 2 down, 8 to go! But Kinzinger isn't going away quietly. He appears to relish taking digs at the former president and at McCarthy, who has worked strenuously to stay in the former president's good graces. Kinzinger, 44, is a combat veteran who flew missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. He continues to serve as a pilot in the Air National Guard with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He has hinted at other political plans, saying upon his retirement that this isnt the end of my political future but the beginning. ___ REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF. Schiff is serving his 11th term in Congress and has parlayed that experience into a role as chairman of the House's intelligence committee. But he is perhaps best known as the lead impeachment manager in Trump's first Senate trial, where he warned senators weighing the charges that they knew they couldn't trust the president to do what's right for the country. You can trust he will do whats right for Donald Trump. Hell do it now. Hes done it before. Hell do it for the next several months. Hell do it in the election if hes allowed to," Schiff warned. Schiff often drew the ire of Trump, who mocked him at his campaign rallies and at White House events. McCarthy has suggested that Schiff will lose his intelligence panel seat if Republicans win the majority in November, a retaliatory move that would follow the Democrats stripping Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar of their committee assignments for their inflammatory rhetoric. Schiff's experience as a federal prosecutor shows in his ability to frame issues and go toe-to-toe with the Republicans rhetorically. He is a confidant of Pelosi and is sometimes mentioned as her possible replacement should she step down. He could also someday run for a statewide office such as governor or senator. ___ REP. ELAINE LURIA, D-VA. Luria is serving her second term in office and faces stiff competition for a third in a district that leans Republican. She announced her reelection bid on the first anniversary of the insurrection, 1:46 p.m. to be exact, timed to match when she was being evacuated from her office. She said that the nation was at a crossroads and that Americans must defend our democracy against forces that seek its destruction." Luria is a 20-year Navy veteran whose district is home to a huge number of military personnel and veterans. She has not shied from her work on the Jan. 6 panel but also doesn't brandish it. Her press releases, tweets and floor statements emphasize efforts to boost defense spending and her support for a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. She also highlights efforts to work across party lines and touted coming in at No. 26 on one scorekeeper's rankings of bipartisanship in the House. The top Republican challengers hoping to win the right to face her in November are also emphasizing issues other than her work on the Jan. 6 investigations, so it doesn't appear to be a front-burner issue in the race for now. - REP. JAMIE RASKIN, D-MD. Raskin has emerged as one of the panel's leading voices after serving as the lead House manager in Trump's second Senate impeachment trial. He has promised startling revelations in the upcoming hearings. People need to understand how close we came to losing everything on Jan. 6 with both an inside effort at a political coup and an outside effort to violently overthrow the peaceful transfer of power, he said. Raskin served as a constitutional law professor at American Universitys Washington College of Law for more than 25 years. He is a prolific writer who published a memoir about the insurrection, the subsequent impeachment trial and dealing with his son's death. The siege of the Capitol came just days after Raskins 25-year-old son, Tommy, took his own life. The Maryland Democrat is just in his third term in office and has already assured himself a leading role on legal issues before the House Judiciary Committee in the years ahead. - REP. ZOE LOFGREN, D-CALIF. Lofgren is chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration, which has oversight of the U.S. Capitol Police. She has been a member of the House since 1995 and is an immigration attorney and immigration law professor who participated in the impeachment process for three presidents Trump, Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon, the latter as a congressional staffer. She said making the Capitol safer is not a substitute for determining what led to the attack on Jan. 6, 2021. She said: Who paid for it? How was it organized? We need to find that out to keep the country safe. ___ For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege. AKRON, Ohio (AP) A federal judge on Wednesday reduced the sentence of a disgraced Cleveland-area politician from 28 to 23 years because of a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision clarifying the definition of bribery. Jimmy Dimora, 66, a former Cuyahoga County Commissioner, was found guilty in 2012 of 32 counts for arranging contracts and jobs in return for bribes. He is now scheduled to be released from prison in 2031. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by an Italian American group that wants New Haven to bring back a Christopher Columbus statue that was removed from a city park in 2020. American Italian Women for Greater New Haven argued that the statues removal was discriminatory, reflecting what the group called a pro-African American/anti-Italian American policy in the city. In a decision issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Janet Hall wrote that the organization hadnt brought forward any facts to make this conclusory allegation even remotely plausible, and that the group's other legal claims also failed. The ruling leaves a door open for American Italian Women for Greater New Haven to refile the suit. Attorney Patricia Cofrancesco told the Hartford Courant that the group will move forward with this and doesn't want to discuss an ongoing case. New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker has called the suit meritless. The city asked the judge to dismiss it. Many Columbus statues across country were removed amid widespread racial injustice protests that followed the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in 2020. The New Haven Parks Commission decided to take down the 1892 statue after it was vandalized. Many residents demanded its removal. Those who wanted the statue gone condemned the 15th-century Italian explorer as a white supremacist who touched off centuries of European oppression and the decimation of Indigenous peoples. Columbus supporters, meanwhile, called the statue an important symbol of Italian American heritage. Demonstrators from both sides shouted at, shoved and briefly skirmished with each other when the statue was taken down. The city has been discussing what to put in the statue's place. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department has named a team of nine people, including an FBI official and former police chiefs, to aid in a review of the law enforcement response to the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the team during a meeting in his office in Washington on Wednesday. The critical incident review is being led by the Justice Departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The review will include an examination of police policies, training and communication, along with the deployment of officers and tactics, the Justice Department said. It will also examine who was in command of the incident and how police prepared for potential active-shooter incidents. The team gathered for its first meeting Wednesday around a conference table in Garland's office, with a few of the members appearing virtually on a large television screen. Garland said the review would be comprehensive, transparent and independent. We will be assessing what happened that day," he said. We will be doing site visits to the school, we will be conducting interviews of an extremely wide variety of stakeholders, witnesses, families, law enforcement, government officials, school officials, and we will be reviewing the resources that were made available in the aftermath. The findings and recommendations will be detailed in a report, which will be made public, he said. Garland said the team has already begun its work, though the department didnt provide specific information on whether any members of the team have been to Uvalde, a town of about 15,000 residents. The Justice Department said it would move as expeditiously as possible in developing the report. The review was requested by Uvaldes mayor. Such a review is somewhat rare, and most after-action reports that come after a mass shooting are generally compiled by local law enforcement agencies or outside groups. The Justice Department conducted similar reviews after 14 people were killed in a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, in 2015 and after the mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history, which left 49 people dead and 53 people wounded in 2016. The Justice Department said the nine officials on the team in the Uvalde case had been selected for their expertise in law enforcement, emergency management, active shooter response, school safety and other areas. The team includes the former chief of the Sacramento, California, police department, a deputy chief who worked at Virginia Tech, the sheriff in Orange County, Florida, an FBI unit chief and other officials. Two weeks ago, the 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School. Law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details, and they have stopped releasing information about the police response. The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside Robb Elementary, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building to when he was killed, according to an official timeline. In the meantime, parents outside begged police to rush in, and panicked children called 911 from inside. The review comes as state officials have already been examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety has said the school district police chief who served as on-site commander and who officials have said made the decision not to breach a classroom sooner, believing it had shifted from an active shooting to a hostage situation had stopped speaking with state investigators. But the chief, Pete Arredondo, later told CNN that he was speaking regularly with Texas Department of Public Safety investigators. Texas officials have stopped answering questions about the response and haven't said whether Arredondo is now cooperating with them. When asked what the Justice Department would do if someone refused to cooperate in the federal review, Garland said Justice officials expect voluntary cooperation from everybody at every level, and we have been promised that cooperation. Uvaldes mayor, Don McLaughlin, praised Garland for the swift action beginning the review and vowed the city would fully cooperate. This assessment and the findings are of the utmost importance to the victims and their families, the community of Uvalde, and the Country, McLaughlin said in a statement. The city will fully cooperate with the Department of Justice and will assist with coordinating as necessary with other local entities as needed for this review. The team includes: Rick Braziel, the former police chief in Sacramento; Gene Deisinger, who was a deputy chief at Virginia Tech; Frank Fernandez, who served as the director of public safety in Coral Gables, Florida; Albert Guarnieri, a unit chief at the FBI; Mark Lomax, who worked as a major with the Pennsylvania State Police; Laura McElroy, the CEO of McElroy Media Group; John Mina, the sheriff in Orange County, Florida; April Naturale, an assistant vice president at Vibrant Emotional Health; and Kristen Ziman, the former police chief in Aurora, Illinois. ___ Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg in Uvalde, Texas, contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) A former governor of Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, has been nominated to be the ruling party's presidential candidate in next year's presidential election. Bola Tinubu, widely referred to as the godfather of Lagos because of his influence in the southwestern state which he governed from 1999 to 2007, polled a majority of the votes on Wednesday at the convention of the All Progressives Congress party. More than 2,300 delegates voted in the convention held in Abuja, the nation's capital. I have the experience. I led the transformation of Lagos from a dangerous, unwelcoming place in 1999 to a clean, safe and vibrant place and the fifth largest economy in Africa today, the 70-year-old Tinubu told delegates before voting started. I vow to do everything possible to ensure justice and forever erase terror from our land, he said, days after an attack on a church in southwestern Nigeria killed more than 20 people. The only female candidate among the 23 aspirants withdrew before the vote. Nigeria's political world remains male-dominated and women rarely make it to top positions. The Nigerian presidential election being held in February 2023 may be a two-horse race between Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, who again clinched the nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party. Abubakar, a 75-year-old former vice president, received 41% of the votes in the 2019 election that he lost to current President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari will leave office next year after finishing his second term. Attending the convention Wednesday, Buhari asked delegates to vote for the aspirant "with the best chances of securing victory for the party. Buhari and Nigeria's ruling party have been accused by critics of failing in their promises to end the country's prolonged security crisis and to improve its economic performance. Nigeria Africas most populous country with 206 million people and its largest economy is grappling with an unprecedented 33% unemployment rate and a 40% poverty rate, according to the latest government statistics. For more than 10 years it has battled an insurgency in the northeast by Islamic extremist rebels in which an estimated 35,000 people have died and millions have been displaced. Violent instability has spread to the northwest in a conflict between herders and farmers and to the south where there is a separatist movement. Next years election promises to be the battle for the soul of the country, said Idayat Hassan, who leads the West Africa-focused Center for Democracy and Development. It is different from all (previous) elections considering the challenges confronting the country, added Hassan. As Tinubu is a Muslim from Nigeria's south, he is expected to choose a running mate who is a Christian from the north, maintaining a long-established political strategy in Nigeria, which is divided along religious and ethnic lines. Tuesday, June 7, is the busiest day of the 2022 primary season, as seven states headed to the polls. Voters in California, New Jersey, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Dakota, Montana and Iowa decided which candidates will face off in November's general election. Here are updates of results, breaking news and emerging storylines from races in all seven states: 2:30 a.m. ET Democratic U.S. Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso breezed past a large field of rivals looking to be the next mayor of Los Angeles and advanced Tuesday to a runoff election in November. 2:00 a.m. ET Democrat Rudy Salas advances to November general election in California's 22nd Congressional District. 1:30 a.m. ET San Francisco residents voted Tuesday to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin following a heated campaign that captivated the country and bitterly divided Democrats over crime, policing and public safety reform in the famously liberal city. 1:15 a.m. ET Democrat Jay Chen advances to November general election in California's 45th Congressional District. 12:45 a.m. ET Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi was forced into a runoff Tuesday after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending and he faced his largest-ever field of primary challengers. 12:10 a.m. ET In a highly-anticipated vote, San Francisco has ousted progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin in a heated recall that divided Democrats over crime. 12:00 a.m. ET The AP is reporting that Republican Brian Dahle will advance to November's general election for California governor to face Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Video below: CA Secretary of State explains why some races wont be called Tuesday night 11:50 p.m. ET Bob Healey has been declared the winner of the Republican primary for U.S. House in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. In California's 8th Congressional District, Democrat John Garamendi will advance to November's general election. 11:40 p.m. ET Democratic Rep. Scott Peters will advance to November's general election in California's 50th Congressional District, according to the AP. As will Republican Rep. Darrell Issa in California's 48th Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs in the 51st Congressional District and Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley in the 26th Congressional District. Tim Alexander has also won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. 11:15 p.m. ET The AP has officially called two of the more expected results of the night. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has secured a spot on the ballot in November's general election. The embattled Democratic politician, who fought off a recall attempt in 2021, does not know his opponent yet, but early results indicate it could be Republican Brian Dahle, though it's too early to call. Video below: California Voters talk about what issues matter to them Additionally, Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla has also advanced to November. Padilla, who was appointed by Newsom to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris, is still awaiting his opponent as well. Early returns point to Republican Mark Meuser snagging that second spot. 11:00 p.m. ET Polls have closed in the final state of the night: California. 10:45 p.m. ET The AP has called a slew of House races across the country. Thomas Kean Jr. has won the Republican nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, setting up a November match-up with vulnerable Rep. Tom Malinowski, who is seen as a top target by the GOP in 2022. Also, Zach Nunn has secured the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, Susan Kiley won the Republican nomination in New Jersey's 6th Congressional District, Rep. Matt Rosendale won the Republican primary in Montana's newly created 2nd Congressional District and Rep. Dusty Johnson will once again be the Republican nominee for U.S. House in South Dakota. Video below: Zach Nunn 'honored' to win GOP primary 10:35 p.m. ET Incumbent GOP Rep. Steve Palazzo is headed to a primary runoff in Mississippi's 4th Congressional District. Recently, Palazzo has been in hot water after the Office of Congressional Ethics reported in 2020 that there was substantial reason to believe the six-term congressman had misused campaign funds for personal expenses. Right now, Palazzo's runoff opponent which will take place on June 28 is unknown. Only a few hundred votes currently separate challengers Mike Ezell and Clay Wagner. 10:15 p.m. ET The AP is reporting that Michael Franken has won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Iowa, nabbing the opportunity to face Sen. Chuck Grassley. Video below: Franken wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate Franken defeated former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer, who earlier in the race was seen as the frontrunner for the nomination. Now, Franken is hoping to convince Iowans it is time to move on from the 88-year-old Grassley and tap into the state's moderate reputation. 10:00 p.m. ET Polls have closed in Montana. A flurry of races were also called at 10 p.m., including David Pinckney for Republican nominee in New Jersey's 10th Congressional District, Gabriel Vasquez for Democratic nominee in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, Johnny DuPree for Democratic nominee in Mississippi's 4th Congressional District and Rep. Jeff Van Drew for Republican nominee in New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District. Additionally, Robert Menendez is the winner of the Democratic primary for the U.S. House in New Jersey's 8th Congressional District. Menendez is the son of current U.S. Sen. Robert Menedez. 9:40 p.m. ET Mark Ronchetti, a former television meteorologist, has secured the Republican nomination for governor of New Mexico, according to the AP. Ronchetti, a former candidate for Senate who lost to Sen. Ben Ray Lujan in 2020, will face Democratic incumbent Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who ran unopposed in her party's primary. Video player above: Mark Ronchetti declared winner of Republican governor's race Plus, two more races have been called in New Jersey Claire Gustafson and Christopher Smith will be the Republican nominees for the state's 1st and 4th districts, respectively. Gustafson will face and look to unseat Rep. Donald Norcross, who won the Democratic nomination earlier in the night. 9:30 p.m. ET Facing his first primary challenge since 1980, Sen. Chuck Grassley has won the Republican nomination, staving off state Sen. Jim Carlin. The 88-year-old Grassley is looking to lock up his eighth term as senator in Iowa. Video below: Grassley defeats Jim Carlin for shot at 8th Senate term Also, Donald Payne Jr. is the winner of the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 10th Congressional District, according to the AP. 9:20 p.m. ET Two GOP heavyweights in South Dakota have been declared early primary winners by the AP: Sen. John Thune and Gov. Kristi Noem. Both incumbents had to stave off challenges from opponents on their political right, highlighting the emerging energy of the far-right activist wing of the Republican party. Also, in Mississippi, House stalwart and Jan. 6 committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson has won the Democratic nomination in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Thompson's seat is believed to be safe in November's general election. 9:10 p.m. ET Rep. Trent Kelly is the winner of the Republican primary for the U.S. House in Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, according to the AP. Kelly defeated Mark Strauss, a former Libertarian candidate in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Additionally, the AP is reporting that Dianne Black has won the Democratic nomination in Mississippi's 1st Congressional District. Kelly and Black will face in November's general election. 9:00 p.m. ET The polls have closed in Iowa, New Mexico and South Dakota. 8:55 p.m. ET The AP is reporting that Rep. Andy Kim has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. The two-term congressman's district stretches from the suburbs right outside Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore, and, according to Politico, is likely to lean Democratic in the general election. 8:45 p.m. ET The second race of the night to be called by AP is the Democratic primary in New Jersey's 1st Congressional District, which goes to incumbent Rep. Donald Norcross. Norcross has held the seat since 2014. 8:30 p.m. ET Tom Malinowski wins the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. Malinowski's seat is being heavily targeted by the GOP in November. The two-term congressman won by less than a point in 2020, and with redistricting, the district has become redder in 2022. The favorite to be his opponent in the general election is Thomas Kean Jr., the former minority leader of the state senate, who is backed by GOP stalwarts like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. 8:00 p.m. ET The first polls of the night have closed in New Jersey and Mississippi. All four of Mississippi's House seats were on the ballot Tuesday night, while New Jersey voters were picking candidates for 12 seats. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Maine will invest $230 million in statewide suicide prevention and mental health services after a report found that more than 85% of gun deaths in 2020 were suicides. The state report released this week concluded that 132 of the 154 people killed by guns in 2020 died by suicide. According to the report, 118 of the suicides affected men, The Portland Press Herald reported Wednesday. The research conducted by the state's Center for Disease Control and Department of Human Services coincides with the gun control debate that has reignited across the U.S. after 19 children and two teachers were killed in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and 10 Black people were killed in a racist shooting in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Many states have adopted so-called red flag laws, which take firearms away from people who may do harm to themselves or others. Florida passed a law after the Parkland high school shooting in 2018. In Maine, a yellow flag law requires a medical professional to sign off before guns would be removed. Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins has pushed for something similar at the federal level. State lawmakers and advocates have also called for an overhaul of Maine's mental health system and further limiting access to gun ownership for people in crisis, the Press Herald reported. Rep. Lori Gramlich, a Democrat who sponsored the bill that led to the report, said the most alarming data point in this report is regarding suicides and thats a mental health issue. Greg Marley, director of suicide prevention at the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Maine, said he was not surprised by the data but he hopes the report will increase awareness around the role of guns in suicide and creating preventive measures. Maine is below the national average when it comes to gun violence, but has a much higher rate of suicide and suicide attempts using guns, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit which tracks gun deaths across the country. ___ This story was first published on June 8, 2022. It was updated on June 9, 2022, to correct the headline to say the state is investing money in behavioral health, not just suicide prevention; and the story to say money is being invested in suicide prevention and mental health services, not suicide prevention and mental health awareness. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A Maine official who is responsible for representing the interests of utility consumers has voiced concerns that an offshore wind electricity supply contract could add to residents' power bills. The developers of the offshore wind research array want Maine to approve a 20-year electricity supply contract. Backers of the proposal have described it as integral to Maine's renewable energy goals. RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) The Washington state Department of Health has ordered the owner of a former medical research company not to practice medicine in the state. Sami Anwar, 43, is now serving a 28-year sentence in federal prison after faking medical drug trials, The Tri-City Herald reported. He has been jailed since November 2018 when a federal grand jury returned indictments that led to conviction on 47 felony counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, fraudulently obtaining controlled substances and furnishing materially false information to the Drug Enforcement Administration. In July 2019, the Washington Department of Healths Unlicensed Practice Program told Anwar it planned to issue a cease-and-desist order because he had no physicians license. The final order announced this month completes the Department of Health case and includes a $1,000 fine. His federal court sentence included an order to pay $1.9 million in restitution to fraud victims, and federal officials have tried to recover $5.6 million from his assets. Anwar operated Mid-Columbia Research and Zain Research in Richland. He trained as a medical doctor in Pakistan before moving to the United States in 2008. A naturalized citizen, he was unable to get his medical license in the U.S. so he turned to research. For six years he collected millions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies and sponsors while claiming to be testing medicine for various studies. Instead, he dumped some medications, told his employees to falsify records and kept incomplete records when study participants were given experimental drugs. In one case, a man died while serving as a test subject in two different clinical trials at the same time. Federal prosecutors said his actions placed millions of citizens in real danger through his intentional submission of fraudulent and corrupt medical data into a public health system that Americans rely on every day. BOSTON (AP) Mail-in ballots and early voting popular options used to cast ballots in Massachusetts during the 2020 pandemic-era election would become permanent features of the states political landscape under a compromise version of a voting overhaul bill unveiled Wednesday at the Statehouse. The bill would also increase ballot access for voters with disabilities and service members overseas; make sure eligible voters who are incarcerated are able to request a mail ballot and vote; and takes steps to modernize the states election administration process, according to lawmakers. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Someone out there has handed Minnesota Public Radio a $56 million cash donation. The Star Tribune reported Wednesday that the anonymous gift is the largest in MPR has ever received in its 55-year history. The money is slated to go toward YourClassical, MPRs classical music network. According to MPR, almost 2.75 million people engage with YourClassical weekly. The money also will go toward advancing new technologies. BRAWLEY, Calif. (AP) A Marine Corps Osprey aircraft carrying five Marines crashed Wednesday in the Southern California desert and civilian and military emergency crews were responding, but there were no immediate details about any injuries or fatalities, the military said. The MV-22B Osprey belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Camp Pendleton and went down at 12:25 p.m. during training, said Maj. Mason Englehart, spokesman for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, an aviation unit headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in San Diego, about 115 miles (185 kilometers) west of the crash site near the community of Glamis in Imperial County. ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) The Algerian presidents office announced Wednesday that the North African nation was immediately suspending a two-decade-old friendship treaty with Spain. It was the latest blow to increasingly wobbly relations between Algiers and Madrid, which depends on Algeria for a large part of its natural gas supply. Tensions have soared in a complex three-way dispute after Spain gave its backing to Moroccos position over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Algeria backs the Polisario independence movement in the region, which rejects Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara. The Polisario are encamped in southern Algeria. The statement from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's office cited what it said was the unjustifiable turnaround in March on Spains position, amounting to a fait accompli using fallacious arguments. It said Spain has since campaigned to justify its position. The statement said Spain was abusing its role as an administrating power in the Western Sahara until the United Nations sorts out the status of the vast, mineral-rich territory. It is, therefore, contributing directly to the degradation of the situation in the Western Sahara and the region, the Algerian president's office said. In consequence, Algeria has decided to proceed immediately with the suspension of the treaty, which has served as the framework in the two countries ties, the statement said. The treaty dates to 2002. Spains government said it regretted Algerias decision and reaffirmed its commitment to the friendship treaty. The Spanish government regards Algeria as a friendly neighbor country and restates its complete readiness to keep and develop the special cooperation relationship between our two countries, to the benefit of the people of both, a Spanish Foreign Ministry statement said. Spain was the former colonial power in Western Sahara until it was annexed by Morocco in 1975. Since then, Algeria and neighboring Morocco have had tense ties over the fate of the Western Sahara, at one point fighting a desert war. Morocco wants some autonomy for the region with Moroccan oversight over what it calls its southern provinces. The two African countries broke diplomatic relations in August in the standoff. The Western Sahara issue has combined with turbulence over energy supplies from gas-rich Algeria. The Algerian press regularly refers to Spains backing for Morocco as a form of treason. Algeria's diplomatic slap at Spain came hours after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke at length in Spain's Parliament on his decision to side with Morocco over the future of Western Sahara. Sanchez said having Western Sahara operate autonomously under Moroccan rule is the most serious, realistic and credible initiative for resolving the long dispute over the territory. While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still needs to import natural gas to meet its energy needs. In 2021, Algerias Sonatrach furnished Spain with more than 40% of its imported natural gas, most brought in via the underwater Medgaz pipeline. Another supply route to Spain was via the Maghreb Europe pipeline that passes through Morocco but that was shut off after the August break in diplomatic ties between Algeria and Morocco. In recent months the United States has taken over as Spain's top natural gas supplier. So far there is no indication that Algeria plans to not uphold its current contract to send gas to Spain via pipeline and tankers. But it has recently announced that Italy, with which it has a separate pipeline, will be a preferred customer as European countries scramble to find alternatives to Russian energy to punish it for its invasion of Ukraine. Algeria is well known for being a trustworthy supplier (of gas) and has given guarantees from the highest level of its government that the gas will keep flowing, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Albares said. Three Texas families sued the state Wednesday seeking to halt investigations of them over gender-confirming medical treatments their transgender children received, in a renewed challenge to the state looking into such treatments as child abuse. The lawsuit also asks a Texas judge to block the state from opening any similar investigations against any Texas members of LGBTQ advocacy group PFLAG Inc. The lawsuit comes about a month after the Texas Supreme Court allowed the state to investigate parents of transgender youth for child abuse while also ruling in favor of one family that was among the first contacted by child welfare officials following order by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The latest challenge, brought by Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union, seeks a new broad order against the investigations. If it takes a court ruling to ensure that the law protects families who lead with love in support of transgender Texans, so be it. Brian K. Bond, executive director of PFLAG National, said in a statement. Spokespeople for Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton did not immediately return messages late Wednesday afternoon. Texas went farther than any state in February when Abbott issued an order instructing child welfare officials to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for kids as abuse. A judge in March put that order on hold after a lawsuit brought on behalf of a 16-year-old girl whose family said it was under investigation. The Texas Supreme Court in May ruled that the lower court overstepped its authority by blocking all investigations going forward. The lawsuit marked the first report of parents being investigated following Abbotts directive and an earlier nonbinding legal opinion by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton labeling certain gender-confirming treatments as child abuse. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Service has said it opened nine investigations following the directive and opinion. Abbotts directive and the attorney generals opinion go against the nations largest medical groups, including the American Medical Association, which have opposed Republican-backed restrictions filed in statehouses nationwide. Wednesday's lawsuit in Texas was filed on behalf of families of three boys two 16-year-olds and a 14-year-old who have received gender confirming care. The two 16-year-olds in the case have received hormone therapy, according to court filings. The families talked in the filings about the anxiety theyve faced because of Texas investigations. The mother of one of the teens said her son attempted suicide and was hospitalized the day Abbott issued his directive. The outpatient psychiatric facility where the teen was referred reported the family for child abuse after learning he had been prescribed hormone therapy, she said in a court filing. I am offended and hurt that my state government wants to make it unlawful for trans youth like me to be ourselves, and that DFPS, the governor and the attorney general are willing to persecute families like mine simply for loving and supporting their trans children," another teens said in the court filing. Arkansas last year became the first state to pass a law prohibiting gender-confirming treatments for minors, and Tennessee approved a similar measure. A judge blocked Arkansas law, and the state is appealing. ___ Associated Press writer Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas contributed to this report ___ This story was first published on June 8, 2022. It was updated on June 9, 2022 to correct that court filings say only two of the three children in the lawsuit have received hormone therapy. QUINTANA, Texas (AP) No injuries were reported Wednesday after what police initially described as an explosion at a liquefied natural gas terminal in Southeast Texas. Freeport LNG reported that an incident" occurred around 11:40 a.m. at its facility in Quintana along the Texas Gulf Coast, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Houston. STANFIELD, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina couple is facing several charges following an investigation into allegations of child abduction and sexual battery, authorities said. The Stanly County Sheriffs Office said in a news release that an investigation focused on multiple allegations of illegal activity at a home in Stanfield. After several search warrants were executed, the sheriff's office filed eight charges against Marissa Grace Bolton, 34, including misdemeanor child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and sexual battery. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his conviction on charges of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said Edward Shaquille Alford, 29, of Lumberton was indicted last July on two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On March 9, Alford entered a guilty plea to a single count, Easley said in a news release. TROY, N.Y. (AP) An upstate New York Republican is being forced out of her city council post after pleading guilty to three federal counts of voter fraud and amid unfounded assertions across the country mostly by some in the GOP of widespread elections tampering. The case involving Troy City Councilmember Kimberly McPherson, who represents a community northeast of Albany, the state capital, is one just few instances of documented voter fraud. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) No mother should have to lose her child. Owliyo Hassan Salaad has watched four die this year. A drought in the Horn of Africa has taken them, one by one. Now she cradles her frail and squalling 3-year-old, Ali Osman, whom she carried on a 90-kilometer (55-mile) walk from her village to Somalias capital, desperate not to lose him too. Sitting on the floor of a malnutrition treatment center filled with anxious mothers, she can barely speak about the small bodies buried back home in soil too dry for planting. Deaths have begun in the regions most parched drought in four decades. Previously unreported data shared with The Associated Press show at least 448 deaths this year at malnutrition treatment centers in Somalia alone. Authorities in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are now shifting to the grim task of trying to prevent famine. Many more people are dying beyond the notice of authorities, like Salaads four children, all younger than 10. Some die in remote pastoral communities. Some die on treks in search of help. Some die even after reaching displacement camps, malnourished beyond aid. Definitely thousands have died, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, told reporters on Tuesday, though the data to support that is yet to come. Salaad left behind another four children with her husband. They were too weak to make the journey to Mogadishu, she said. Drought comes and goes in the Horn of Africa, but this is one like no other. Humanitarian assistance has been sapped by global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and now Russia's war in Ukraine. Prices for staples like wheat and cooking oil are rising quickly, in some places by more than 100%. Millions of the livestock that provide families with milk, meat and wealth have died. Even the therapeutic food to treat hungry people like Salaads son is becoming more expensive and, in some places, might run out. And for the first time, a fifth straight rainy season might fail. An "explosion of child deaths is coming to the Horn of Africa if the world focuses only on the war in Ukraine and doesn't act now, UNICEF said Tuesday. Famine even threatens Somalias capital as displacement camps on Mogadishu's outskirts swell with exhausted new arrivals. Salaad and her son were turned away from a crowded hospital after arriving a week ago. They were sent instead to the treatment center for the extremely malnourished where rooms are full, extra beds have been put out and yet some people must sleep on the floor. Mothers wince, and babies wail, as tiny bodies with sores and protruding ribs are gently checked for signs of recovery. The center is overwhelmed, said Dr. Mustaf Yusuf, a physician there. Admissions more than doubled in May to 122 patients. At least 30 people have died this year through April at the center and six other facilities run by Action Against Hunger, the humanitarian group said. It is seeing the highest admission rates to its hunger treatment centers since it began working in Somalia in 1992, with the number of severely malnourished children up 55% from last year. More broadly, at least 448 people died this year at outpatient and in-patient malnutrition treatment centers across Somalia through April, according to data compiled by humanitarian groups and local authorities. Aid workers warn the data is incomplete and the overall death toll from the drought remains elusive. We know from experience that mortality rises suddenly when all the conditions are in place displacement, disease outbreaks, malnutrition all of which we are currently seeing in Somalia, said Biram Ndiaye, UNICEF Somalias chief of nutrition. Mortality surveys conducted in parts of Somalia in December and again in April and May by the U.N.s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit showed a severe and rapid deterioration within a very short time frame. Most alarming was the Bay region in the south, where adult mortality nearly tripled, child mortality more than doubled and the rate of the most severe malnutrition tripled. Deaths and acute malnutrition have reached atypically high levels in much of southern and central Somalia, and admissions of acutely malnourished children under 5 have risen by over 40% compared to the same period last year, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network. One notable complication in counting deaths is the extremist group al-Shabab, whose control over large parts of southern and central Somalia is a barrier to aid. Its harsh response to Somalias drought-driven famine from 2010-12 was a factor in more than a quarter-million deaths, half of them children. Another factor was the international communitys slow response. A drama without witnesses, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia said at the time. Now the alarms are sounding again. More than 200,000 people in Somalia face catastrophic hunger and starvation, a drastic increase from the 81,000 forecast in April, a joint statement by U.N. agencies said Monday, noting that a humanitarian response plan for this year is just 18% funded. Somalia isn't alone. In Ethiopias drought-affected regions, the number of children treated for the most severe malnutrition a tip of the crisis" jumped 27% in the first quarter of this year compared to last year, according to UNICEF. The increase was 71% in Kenya, where Doctors Without Borders reported at least 11 deaths in a single countys malnutrition treatment program earlier this year. At one of the overflowing displacement camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu, recent arrivals were anguished as they described watching family members die. I left some of my children behind to care for those suffering, said Amina Abdi Hassan, who came from a village in southern Somalia with her malnourished baby. They're still hungry as aid runs dry, even in the capital. Many others are on the way, she said. Hawa Abdi Osman said she lost children to the drought. Emaciated, and weakened by another pregnancy, she walked five days to Mogadishu. We had to leave some of our relatives behind, and others perished as we watched, said her cousin, Halima Ali Dhubow. More people come to the camp every day, using the last wisps of energy to set up makeshift shelters in the dust, lashing together branches with fabric and plastic. Some walked up to 19 days to reach the capital, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Last night alone 120 families came in, camp manager Nadifa Hussein said. We are giving them all the little supplies we have, like bread. The number of people is so overwhelming that helping them is beyond our capacity. In the past aid agencies helped, but now aid is very scarce. Only God can help them," she said. ___ Cara Anna reported from Nairobi, Kenya. Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) A recently hired Oregon hospital chief operations officer no longer holds the job after hospital officials say they learned he had been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of wire fraud and false representation of a Social Security number. Larry Butler Jr., who most recently held the COO position at Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay, had been convicted for defrauding the Louisiana Health Cooperative Inc. and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Louisiana, The World reported. PITTSBURGH (AP) A man accused of having set a Pittsburgh blaze that killed three firefighters more than a quarter of a century ago has entered a plea that carries a conviction but spares him further jail time while allowing him to continue to maintain his innocence. Forty-four-year-old Gregory Brown Jr., who served 20 years of a life sentence before winning a new trial in the 1995 Valentine's Day blaze, appeared in federal court Wednesday to enter an Alford plea, which allows a defendant to plead guilty while maintaining innocence, acknowledging that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that U.S. District Judge David Cercone, who had presided over the state court trial 25 years ago, said it was a just and reasonable end to the case, which he said deserves closure. He told the packed courtroom that Its time to move on. Brown was originally convicted in Allegheny County and sentenced to life but won a new trial after arguing that prosecutors and a federal agent failed to turn over evidence that witnesses were offered money in exchange for their testimonies. The case was later turned over to federal prosecutors, who obtained an indictment on a charge of malicious destruction of property by fire resulting in death, a charge that could result in a life term. Prosecutors had accused Brown, then 17, of pouring a half-gallon of gasoline on some clothes in the basement of the four-story home and starting the blaze in hopes of collecting $20,000 in insurance money for a down payment on a new home. Pittsburgh fire Capt. Thomas Brooks, 42, and firefighters Marc Kolenda, 27, and Patricia Conroy, 43, suffocated when their air tanks ran out as they tried to escape from the rapidly burning home, authorities said. Brown was originally convicted of three counts of second-degree murder, arson and related charges and sentenced to three life terms. His mother was convicted of insurance fraud and was placed on probation. Defense attorney Michael Novara argued that his client had been wrongly convicted in the original trial but chose to enter the plea rather than go to trial and risk a life term. After spending 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and having finally won his freedom, Mr. Brown is unwilling to take the chance that he might again be wrongfully convicted and sent back to prison for the rest of his life, he said. After the hearing, Brown expressed anger over the 20 years he had spent in prison for nothing. For lies." The whole case was a lie, Brown said. They destroyed my whole family. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shaun Sweeney told the court that the evidence of the defendants guilt was as strong today as it was in 1997 but cited the time Brown had spent behind bars in concluding that the plea would satisfy the interests of justice. FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) Three people were found fatally shot behind a barricaded bedroom door at a Virginia apartment on Tuesday, police said. Fairfax County Police said a relative of one of the people found dead asked police to check the apartment on Mazarin Place in Fairfax, WTOP-FM reported. When officers arrived, they found the door to the rear bedroom barricaded, but when they looked into the window, they saw three bodies, police said. Officers forced their way inside and found two women and one man dead from apparent gunshot wounds, police said. MADRID (AP) Spanish authorities have dismantled two major drug trafficking networks that used corrupt police officers as part of operations to ship tons of cocaine and hashish into Western Europe, the European Unions law enforcement agency said Wednesday. Europol said in a statement that 61 people were arrested, including five Spanish Civil Guard officers, one National Police officer and a customs employee. The operation busted two Spanish gangs the Tangier Clan and the Sur Clan believed responsible for smuggling more than 16 long tons (18 short tons) of cocaine and 150 long tons (168 short tons) of hashish across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain for distribution in Europe. The drugs were hidden in shipments of tomatoes, watermelons and melons. The agency said the gangs paid off the police and customs officers arrested so the drugs weren't intercepted on entering Spain. The operation was the result of 18 months of investigations by the Spanish forces in collaboration with Europols financial and economic crime group, which sent two teams to Spain on May 11. Detail on when the arrests took place, or the identity of the detainees, weren't provided. In more than 34 raids, the agency said police seized properties, vehicles, cash and 83 long tons (nearly 93 short tons) of hashish and nine long tons (10 shorts tons) of cocaine. The agency estimates that more than 60% of criminal groups in the European Union rely on corrupt officials to facilitate their activities. An Ohio police officer is out of a job after tattooing the words "pure" and "evil" on his hands. Eric Weyda was fired from the Cincinnati Police Department after getting "pure" tattooed on his right knuckles and "evil" on his left knuckles. Now he is trying to get his job back. Weyda appealed the decision to dismiss him and filed a grievance through the Fraternal Order of Police. Through public records requests, sister station WLWT learned Weyda was dismissed from the department for insubordination and failure of good behavior in late April, four months after his superiors noticed his new hand tattoo. Department policy prohibits tattoos on the face, neck, head and hands. CPD internal records show after getting the tattoo, Weyda was reassigned to the impound lot "to limit his public exposure." Cincinnati police leadership wrote, "Officer Weyda's tattoos are a violation that is ongoing and permanent. Additionally, Officer Weyda's tattoos do not promote the professional and neutral image of the Cincinnati Police Department and are injurious to the public trust." In a summary of Weyda's disciplinary hearing, a CPD captain wrote, "Weyda showed remorsefulness for obtaining the tattoo and acknowledged a lack of discretion since he obtained the tattoo in December 2021. Furthermore, Officer Weyda stated, like all of his tattoos, his hand tattoo has a personal message to him, and the words 'pure evil' should not be observed as one message. Officer Weyda explained the words 'pure' and 'evil' are separate from each other and the words themselves have separate meanings." The summary goes on to say Weyda explained to the Internal Investigations Section the tattoo is meant to represent a "struggle between good and evil." The police captain also wrote that "Officer Weyda's message also has the very real possibility to cause extraordinary damage to police-community relations both locally and nationally." During his disciplinary hearing, police records show Weyda said he would not have the tattoos removed due to the cost of cosmetic surgery. FOP President Dan Hils released the following statement: "The FOP represents all Cincinnati police officers when they participate in the grievance process outlined in our collective bargaining agreement. Every officer is entitled to a fair hearing and that's what will take place here." A month before Weyda was reassigned for his tattoo, he was "counseled" for doing a burnout in his personal vehicle in the district 3 parking lot. Over his 16-year career with the department, he was disciplined for other reasons including absenteeism and using coarse language on calls. He received commendations in 2012 and in 2013 for investigative skills and apprehending a suspect with a gun. Weyda's annual reviews declined in 2018, which is the same year he started receiving "needs improvement" ratings, the second-lowest rating on the scale. The low marks continued in 2019, 2020 and 2021. His most troubling year was 2020 when his attendance was marked "unacceptable" for the year and he received a "needs improvement" rating for community partnerships, complying with policies and procedures, customer service, grooming and dress, teamwork, work product and patrol practices. A man died early Wednesday in a shootout with a police officer outside a convenience store in the eastern Iowa city of Davenport, police said. The shooting happened around 1 a.m. when an officer responded to a call from the store reporting that someone appeared to be tampering with its air conditioning unit outside, Davenport police said in a written statement. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) A Republican candidate for the South Dakota House announced Wednesday he is withdrawing his candidacy amid a challenge from his Democratic rival over his eligibility for the race. Logan Manhart, who was running as a Republican for a District 1 House seat, said in a statement released on Twitter that he had received legal advice and at the end of the day I must abide by all rules and laws that have been set forth for this position. Visitors to the Lake Michigan shoreline might see, and smell, something that has been absent in recent history, dead alewives piling up. Mark Tonello, fisheries management biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said he couldnt recall the last time there was a die-off of the magnitude seen recently in costal towns like Manistee and Frankfort. Its not something we measure, and a lot of what is reported is anecdotal, Tonello said. However, it has been a number of years, at least since around 2012-2013, since weve seen a die off like this. Tonello said the die off was the sign of a good year class of alewife, and that dead fish washing up on shore meant there were plenty of live ones spawning in harbors. Weve heard there is good salmon fishing up and down the coast over the past few weeks, he said. A lot of king (chinook) salmon have been caught with a lot of alewives in their stomachs. Tonello said not only do the alewives provide food for salmon, but they also provide cover for the juvenile fish stocked by the DNR and hatching naturally in the wild. A lot of predators would rather eat alewives rather than feed on smolt, he said. If there arent any alewives around, they key in on smolt. We want the stocked fish to survive. Smolt is young salmon that are about two years old. What causes alewife die off Since alewives were introduced to the Great Lakes, visitors to the shoreline have seen the piles of dead, silvery fish accumulating along the shore. What causes these alewife die off events is still something of a mystery, according to Ben Turschak, fisheries research biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. "Nobody really knows why it happens," Turschak said. "There are a lot of theories on why it happens; like spawning stress or temperature changes, but there is no evidence on those theories being true." Turschak said alewives frequent river mouths like Betsie Lake frequently, but don't die because of the temperature changes. "The temperature change from Lake Michigan to a drowned river mouth area like Betsie Lake is far greater than the changes that occur in Lake Michigan alone, but it doesn't result in a die off every year when they make the transition. There is only a big die off on certain years," he said. Turschak said spawning stress was another popular theory, but said many of the fish seen in a die off are year-one fish, juveniles that weren't mature enough to spawn. "The bottom line is, we don't know," he said. "I suspect it is likely a combination of environmental factors, including how much food they have available in the winter they have to subsist on coming into the spring." See More Collapse Tonello said the alewife population has been dwindling over the past 20 years. Not only have the salmon been eating their fill, but new invasive species like the quagga and zebra mussels have filtered out much of the food young alewives need to grow. Sustainable fisheries In April 1966, the first salmon were stocked in the Platte River from the Platte River State Fish hatchery, according to previous reports. Howard Tanner, the man credited with starting the salmon stocking program, thought Pacific salmon could help reduce the population of alewife, which were outcompeting the young of native fish species that were already dwindling in number due to overfishing and the introduction of the lamprey eel, another invasive species which followed the St. Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes. However, Tonello said Tanner never intended to eliminate alewife altogether. It gave him the excuse to bring in the salmon, but there was no doubt he wanted to go beyond just alleviating the pressure on native fish from the alewife; he wanted to create a fishery, Tonello said. Ben Turschak, fisheries research biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said if the idea was to eliminate alewife, it could have been accomplished. Theres a misconception around the idea that were out to get rid of the alewives in Lake Michigan, Turschak said. We want to see the fishery started here succeed. If we wanted to get rid of the alewife by overstocking salmon, we could have easily done that. The DNR has been keeping a watchful eye on the alewife population since the introduction of Pacific salmon, Turschak said. When the program started, you saw an increased biomass of salmon in the lake, but by 1986, the bottom fell out and biomass and catch rates fell, he said. There was a big disparity between what was being stocked and the catch rates. Turschak said the stocked salmon were suffering from a bacterial kidney disease associated with the stresses of a high density of fish, which led to a poor survival rate. One of the things affecting the salmon negatively was lack of food; there were not enough alewives to sustain the stocking rates at the time. Over the next decade, there were some fluctuations in the stocking rates between the states bordering the lake and the indigenous tribes, but it wasnt until 1997 that there was a strategic approach and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission collectively decided to reduce stocking, Turschak said. Since then, the DNR has continued to reduce the number of salmon stocked in Lake Michigan, though the population of alewife continued to decline, requiring even more reductions in stocking. Turschak said those decisions are what has led to an increase in alewife today. The population is largely driven by reduction in stocking of the salmon, he said. There is less consumption and that allows for the population of forage species to recover to this extent. We were at record lows in 2014, and since then, weve made tough decisions and reducing stocking even more despite pushback from the angling public. Turschak said not only is the alewife population increasing, but the salmon are getting bigger as a result of it. Were seeing king salmon pushing 30 pounds, he said. WARREN, Maine (AP) The state is paying $395,000 to a former corrections officer to settle her claims of harassment and discrimination. Autumn Dinsmore resigned as a corrections officer this month as part of the settlement of her lawsuit filed last year. There was no admission of wrongdoing by the Maine Department of Corrections. Mass shootings in the United States are on the increase, and many of them have occurred in schools, including the one that took the lives of 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. Preventing such tragedies while increasing school security was the focus of the Safe Schools Summit held Tuesday at the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville. The meeting, hosted by the Madison County Regional Office of Education, was followed by a press conference. Speakers at the press conference included Madison County Regional Superintendent Rob Werden, Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine, Madison County Health Board Director Deborah Humphrey and Major Jeff Connor, the Madison County Deputy Sheriff. Werden and the other speakers were flanked by posters for Safe2Help Illinois, which is a 24/7 program for students to share school safety issues, find resources to get help and find encouragement to help others, and the Madison County Health Department resource page. We need the publics help in this matter. I know it sounds cliche, but we need to repeat the phrase if you see something, say something, Werden said. Our conversation today will lead to more conversations in the future, and my office is organizing semi-annual meetings with educators, law enforcement and mental officials to assist our schools in being proactive in relation to school safety. Were doing everything in our power to ensure that our schools are doing everything required by law and more. Werden also discussed the changes in society that have led to an increase in incidents such as the Uvalde killings, and what can be done to keep them from happening. Times change, people change, and technology changes and we must stay current and up to date on everything in order to protect those students, Werden said. Ive seen things change for the better, but Ive also seen society move away from having a moral compass. I dont care what your religious beliefs or non-religious beliefs are, but everybody needs to have a sense of right and wrong, and everyone needs to be loved. We need to be a more loving and caring society and that starts in the hearts of each and every one of us. Please think about that every day and focus on trying to improve and making yourself a better person. Humphrey, meanwhile, noted that school shooters and other people that commit mass shootings tend to have some common traits extending beyond whatever mental health issues they now have. She emphasized the need to identify those individuals and help them long before they commit such crimes. Three-quarters of youths involved in school shootings have been bullied, harassed or socially rejected, and we need loving individuals in our community to support these youths, Humphrey said. Most of these kids are marginalized, and they dont have positive parenting or positive adult connection. We all can see how social media plays out, and youths that have committed acts of violence are usually saying it on social media. School shooters have experienced stressful lives and they dont have the coping mechanisms to manage their emotions. Haine felt that Tuesdays summit was a productive first step in preventing school violence on the local level. Its a whole county approach that were attempting here, Haine said. We want to make sure that we do whatever we can to ensure that in Madison County, we dont make avoidable mistakes in the protection of our most valuable asset, which is our children. School violence lies at the intersection of mental health and law enforcement and schools, and from my offices perspective, violent juvenile issues in our county and our society have increased. Were working together to do what we can to keep our children safer in our schools. Haine said the conversation at the summit centered on three general areas, the first of which was coordination and preparation. Were working continuously to strengthen our coordination across offices, throughout law enforcement and across the county and throughout all of our schooling communities, public and private, Haine said. We want to communicate better every day. Were working together to come up with a proactive plan that accounts for new technologies and new improvements to encourage better preparedness in Madison County. The second area, Haine added, was public involvement. When you see or hear something disturbing, say something, Haine said. People that do violent things in our schools almost always make their intentions toward violence known in some format. Were relying on you, the members of the public, to report dangerous and disturbing comments. If we dont know about them, we cannot take action. Finally, Haines said that his office is committed to swift action when a threat to a school is made. A threat to a school is a crime and if its substantiated, police will make an arrest. We check whether those individuals have access to firearms, Haine said. The vast majority of these cases are juveniles, and they are determined to be attention seekers rather than actual threats. But from the initial report, we take them all seriously, and we encourage you to know that your report will be taken seriously and handled aggressively. My office takes a zero-tolerance approach to threatening a school and those people will be prosecuted. We encourage the involvement of parents, the public, school officials and law enforcement as we continue to make our community safer every day, especially our schools. Social media monitoring was among the other topics at the summit. We talked about training a panel of law enforcement experts to monitor social media, and we would share that with every school in the county, Werden said. Were also looking into more training for students as well as training for staff. The training for students and staff would be in addition to the training that is already required by state law, which includes one annual active shooter training session within the first 90 days of the school year. One thing that we talked about today was that were required to have three fire safety (evacuation) drills each school year and weve discussed having three active shooter drills each year, Werden said. Were not policy makers (on the state level), but its something we would like the people in Springfield to consider. Werden added that school board meetings remain the best way for parents to make their concerns and suggestions known to school officials. Personal involvement is a key, and we want the public to be involved, Werden said. We want to ensure parents that were working actively and not sitting back and waiting for something to happen. Madison County is among the leaders in the state of Illinois in a lot of areas and I feel positive that we can be a leader in the area of school safety as well. An increase in school resource officers through Madison County is another consideration. Right now, there is not a school resource officer in every school, Werden said. In a perfect world, there would be, but there are budget considerations as well. Its something that is under discussion. Humphrey, likewise, feels that positive steps were taken at the summit, especially in terms of monitoring the mental health of students. Not all of our schools but a majority of them have mental health counselors and they primarily talk about drug abuse, but were going to be expanding it (to other mental health issues), Humphrey said. It was mentioned today that they dont always interact with the other staff members, so thats something were looking into as well. Another suggestion was to talk more with the youths themselves. They can identify other kids who are struggling. Humphrey said that overcoming the stigma of seeking mental health assistance is vital in helping students who could otherwise become potential school shooters. The biggest detriment to mental health is dealing with stigma and were trying to educate the public, Humphrey said. We want to let people know as a society how we deal with mental health issues, and having more people seek help is the primary goal of what we do. Awareness and acceptance are importance because a lot of people are marginalized and discriminated against because of mental health issues. People dont want to seek treatment because of that and that furthers the problems for a child in that school setting. Its time to make it more acceptable that its OK to seek help. Werden noted that there are plans to host safe school summits at least twice each year. I meet with the superintendents (in Madison County) four times a year and I try to make sure they are actively engaged, Werden said. I dont think that adding another two meetings to their plate would be an issue. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CAIRO (AP) Talks aiming at ending Sudans ongoing political deadlock began Wednesday, the United Nations said, although the country's main pro-democracy alliance is boycotting them over a continued police crackdown on those protesting last October's military coup. The joint peace effort is brokered by the U.N. political mission in Sudan, the African Union, and the eight-nation east African regional group Intergovernmental Authority in Development. The effort aims to bring the generals and an array of political and protest groups to the negotiating table. The militarys takeover has upended Sudans short-lived fragile democratic transition and plunged the East African nation into turmoil. Sudan had been transiting to democracy after nearly three decades of repression and international isolation under Islamist-backed strongman Omar al-Bashir. A popular uprising pushed the military to remove al-Bashir in April 2019. Wednesday's talks began with a technical meeting in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, involving the military and civilians. It came after months of separate discussions with an array of groups, including the military and the pro-democracy movement. The U.N. envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, said the process would discuss a transitional program, including the appointment of a civilian prime minister and arrangements for drafting a permeant constitution and elections at the end of the transition. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the leader of the coup who also heads the ruling sovereign council, welcomed the talks as a historic opportunity to complete the transitional phase. In a speech to the nation late Tuesday, he urged all factions to take part in the talks, vowing that the military will implement their outcome. We are fully committed to work with everybody to end the transitional period as soon as possible with fair and transparent elections, he said. Ahead of the talks, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee visited Sudan earlier this week and met with military and civilian leaders in Khartoum to support the negotiating process. She urged all parties to join the talks to achieve a civilian-led path towards democracy for Sudan. However, the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change an alliance of political parties and protest groups is boycotting the meeting, in a blow to the process. The alliance says the talks should lead to a civilian democratic authority" and criticized the participation of pro-military groups and Islamists who had been allied with al-Bashir's government. It also seeks the the release of coup-related detainees, and the ending of violence against protesters. Two activists said the U.N., the United States and other Western governments were pressuring the pro-democracy alliance to send representatives to the talks. Some factions within the alliance favor participation as the best possible option, given the international support for the talks, they said, but hard-liners, including the influential Communist Party, reject the entire process and demand immediate handover of power to civilians. The activists spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The talks come as the violent crackdown on anti-coup protests continued in Khartoum. A 5-year-old girl was killed Tuesday, when a police vehicle ran her over while chasing protesters. That brought the total deaths among protesters since October to at least 101, according to a medical group tracking the casualties. The coup has triggered near-daily street protests, which authorities have met with a deadly crackdown. Hundreds of people, including prominent politicians and activists, have been detained, although many have been released recently as part of trust-building measures. Under concerted international pressure, Sudan's military leaders late last month lifted the state of emergency they had declared following the coup. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Most every Republican lawmaker expressed outrage in the days after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Some even blamed then-President Donald Trump. But the larger GOP narrative shifted in the weeks and months that followed. Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, who had said in the hours after the attack that it had been the saddest day I have ever had serving as a member of this institution, went on to visit Trump at his Florida home only weeks after the riot. Others went further, with some Republican lawmakers defending the rioters or playing down the violence of the mob that beat police officers and smashed its way into the Capitol. The rioters, echoing Trumps falsehoods about widespread fraud in the election, temporarily stopped the certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. A few Republicans have consistently criticized Trump, putting their own political future in peril. A look at comments from key Republicans in the year-and-a half since the attack as the House committee investigating the riot prepares to begin public hearings Thursday night. HOUSE GOP LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY, R-CALIF. On Jan. 13, 2021, just before the Democratic-led House voted to impeach Trump over the insurrection, McCarthy said that the president bears responsibility for Wednesdays attack on Congress by mob rioters." McCarthy said Trump should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw the violence unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump: accept his share of responsibility, quell the brewing unrest, and ensure President-elect Biden is able to successfully begin his term, McCarthy said. And the presidents immediate action also deserves congressional action, which is why I think a fact finding commission and a censure resolution would be prudent. Just a week later, McCarthy told reporters, "I dont believe he provoked it, if you listen to what he said at the rally, referring to Trumps speech to his supporters in front of the White House shortly before the assault on the Capitol. Trump had said to march peacefully to the Capitol, but he also told people in the crowd to fight like hell or youre not going to have a country anymore. McCarthy later voted against forming a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack and has called the Democratic-led Jan. 6 committee a partisan sham. He is now appearing with Trump and praising the former president at fundraisers. Trump never accepted responsibility for the insurrection and has defended the rioters. ___ SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY. McConnell spoke of the failed insurrection the night of the attack and said Congress will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. He voted weeks later to acquit Trump for inciting the insurrection. But he delivered a scorching rebuke of Trump after that vote, saying that there is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day. The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. McConnell continued: Their having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth. That same month, McConnell said he would absolutely vote for Trump if he were the GOP nominee in 2024. ___ FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE Pence was under more pressure than any other Republican on Jan. 6, 2021 because Trump was calling on him to object to Biden's certification even though the vice president had no legal authority to do so in his ceremonial role presiding over the count. Pence refused Trump's entreaties. As he hid in the Capitol during the insurrection, rioters breaking in were chanting hang Mike Pence. Bringing the Senate back to session in the hours after the insurrection, Pence said he condemned the violence in the strongest possible terms. To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win, Pence said. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the Peoples House. Two weeks later, Pence attended Bidens inauguration. Trump refused to go. Since then, Pence has repeatedly defended his decision to abide by his constitutional role. He has called for the GOP to move on from 2020 as he lays the groundwork for a potential presidential run that could put him in direct competition with his former boss. He reinforced his stance in a speech this year, saying that President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election. Still, he has walked a careful line, praising the Trump-Pence administrations policy accomplishments as he courts support from the party's base. ___ SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. Graham spoke emotionally and forcefully the night of the insurrection, suggesting that he would permanently break ties with Trump after the two had forged a close relationship during Trump's presidency. Trump and I have had a hell of a journey, Graham said on the Senate floor in the hours after the attack. I hate it being this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he has been a consequential president. But today, the first thing you will see, all I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough. I tried to be helpful. Graham voted to certify Bidens victory and praised Pence for resisting the pressure to object. In the months afterward, Graham softened his stance, and he and the former president continued to talk. Can we move forward without President Trump? The answer is no, Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity in the spring of 2021. Ive determined we cant grow without him. ___ REP. MO BROOKS, R-ALA. Brooks is the rare House Republican to have stepped up his criticism of Trump since the insurrection. The Alabama Republican was one of Trumps most forceful allies on Jan. 6, 2021, telling the crowd at the rally near the White House before the riot, Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass. Brooks was one of several GOP lawmakers who tried to help Trump overturn his election defeat. Brooks said on the House floor after the violence that in his judgment, if only lawful votes cast by eligible American citizens are counted, Joe Biden lost and President Trump won the Electoral College. In August, though, as he was running in a GOP primary for the Senate, Brooks told a crowd that it was time to move on from the 2020 election. Trump didnt like that and withdrew his Senate endorsement. Brooks claimed that Trump rescinded his support after the two had a conversation in which he told Trump there was no legal way to rescind the results or hold a do-over of the 2020 election. Brooks is now in a runoff for the GOP Senate nomination, having risen in the polls after Trump dropped him. And Brooks is asking the former president to back him again. ___ REP. LIZ CHENEY, R-WYO. Cheney has been the most prominent and consistent GOP critic of Trump and shes staked her political career on it. A week after the attack, Cheney was one of only 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. In a statement, Cheney said that the president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. She said Trump should have intervened, but did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution, Cheney said. I will vote to impeach the president. Cheney, who was then a member of House leadership, faced immediate backlash from her party for the impeachment vote and for her forceful remarks. But she has not wavered in the year since, and accepted an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to sit on the committee that is investigating the insurrection. House Republicans booted Cheney from leadership and the party censured her and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the only other Republican on the Jan. 6 committee. And she faces a strong challenge in the Wyoming primary from a Trump-backed candidate. When I know something is wrong, I will say so, Cheney said in a campaign video announcing that she had filed for reelection. I wont waver or back down. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. - For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ISTANBUL (AP) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was welcomed in the Turkish capital on Wednesday just as the foreign minister of Russia, a key ally of the ostracized Latin American regime, was also visiting the city. Maduro is on a Eurasian tour after being rebuffed by Washington, which decided not to invite him to the Summit of the Americas. Turkey is one of a handful of places around the world Russia and Iran are other friendly states where Maduro is welcome amid U.S. sanctions on his country. Similarly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also faces travel restrictions due to his countrys war on Ukraine. Lavrov arrived in Turkey, which like Russia borders the Black Sea, two days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. His official duties in Ankara a meeting with his Turkish counterpart took place at President Recep Tayyip Erdogans palace just hours before Maduro arrived at the same venue. There was no official word on whether the two men met. Turkey and Venezuela have deepened their ties in recent years, with trade rising to nearly $850 million, according to Erdogan. Venezuelas gold trade with Turkey has risen as U.S. sanctions have cut off other sources of income for Caracas. Erdogan told a news conference with Maduro that Turkey was against the one-sided sanctions on Venezuela. We will always stand with the friendly and brotherly people of Venezuela, he said, adding that he hoped to visit Caracas next month. Manduro thanked Turkey for its support during the COVID-19 pandemic and said the two countries had signed three agreements on banking, agriculture and tourism. Earlier, Maduro laid a wreath at the tomb of Turkeys founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk before traveling to the palace, arriving in a limousine escorted by ceremonial cavalry. Erdogan was the first Turkish president to visit Venezuela in 2018 while Maduro has traveled to Turkey on several occasions. During one such stopover Maduro and his wife were criticized for dining in the expensive Salt Bae steak restaurant while many Venezuelans were struggling with poverty. The Summit of the Americas meeting of regional leaders in Los Angeles is taking place June 7-to-10. The governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua have been excluded from it by the United States. MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) A federally threatened species of orchid that hasnt been confirmed in Vermont since 1902 has been found, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife said. Department botanists confirmed that a population of small whorled pogonia has been documented on Winooski Valley Park District conservation land in Chittenden County. To protect them, officials wont say exactly where the orchids were found. Discovering a viable population of a federally threatened species unknown in our state for over a century is astounding, said Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Botanist Bob Popp. The small whorled pogonia is a globally rare orchid historically found across the eastern states and Ontario. Populations in Maine and New Hampshire are found in areas of partial sun, including forest edges and openings. Previous searches for the species in Vermont have been unsuccessful. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Assistant Botanist Aaron Marcus said the department was first notified of a possible small whorled pogonia population in Vermont thanks to the observations from last summer of two community scientists: John Gange of Shelburne and Tom Doubleday of Colchester. Popp, Marcus, Doubleday, and Gange returned to the site together this spring and confirmed the presence of small whorled pogonia, which was in bloom at the time. The departments next steps will be to work with the Winooski Valley Park District to look for the small whorled pogonia on nearby conservation land and monitor the population to make sure this species has the best possible opportunity to flourish in Vermonts portion of its native range. Hau Dinh HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Vietnams health minister and the mayor of the capital Hanoi have been arrested as part of an expanding investigation into massive price gouging of COVID-19 tests, state media reported. Nguyen Thanh Long was dismissed from his ministry post and Chu Ngoc Anh, who previously was the science minister, was fired as Hanoi mayor, Tuoi Tre online news outlet reported Tuesday. They are being investigated for abuse of power, according to the Ministry of Public Security, and have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party. GENEVA (AP) The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally fell everywhere last week except the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organization. In its latest weekly update on the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said Wednesday that confirmed cases dropped 12% to more than 3 million and reported deaths declined 22% to about 7,600. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the continuing decline of COVID-19, which peaked in January, as a very encouraging trend. Still, he warned that the pandemic was not yet over and urged caution, even as many countries have dropped their coronavirus protocols and shifted into trying to live with the virus. Tedros noted that 18 months after the first mass coronavirus immunization programs began in rich countries, 68 countries around the world have yet to protect 40% of their people. While enough vaccines are now available, demand has fallen, he said. The perception that the pandemic is over is understandable, but misguided, the WHO chief said. A new and even more dangerous variant could emerge at any time, and vast numbers of people remain unprotected. WHO's pandemic report noted that new weekly cases rose 19% in the Middle East and inched up 1% in Southeast Asia, while falling everywhere else. The number of deaths increased 7% in the Western Pacific and dropped elsewhere in the world last week. WHO has previously noted that the numbers are likely to be an underestimate and are dependent on countries' testing and reporting strategies. Last week, WHO's emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea was getting worse, not better. Despite multiple offers of help, including vaccines, North Korea has not accepted any offers of aid from WHO and has yet to share more detailed information about how the outbreak is evolving there. ___ Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic PHOENIX (AP) A woman was shot and wounded Tuesday after two men got into an altercation inside a Walmart in north Phoenix, police said. They said two men who know each other argued and the shooter stepped out of the store and then fired rounds back into the Walmart at the other man. By Tony Hicks Bay City News Foundation Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston won re-election Tuesday, defeating Richmond Police Officer Benjamin Therriault with a little more than 61 percent of the vote in the race, according to unofficial county election results. Livingston, who has held the post since 2010, won fairly easily despite publicly feuding with Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, who also won re-election Tuesday. Livingston called Becton's decision to charge sheriff's Deputy Andrew Hall in the 2018 killing of motorist Laudemer Arboleda "abhorrent," after Hall was convicted in October of assault with a firearm. The Prosecutors Alliance of California -- of which Becton is a member -- responded with a letter to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, asking for more oversight and an audit of disciplinary actions in the Sheriff's Office. Therriault, a Richmond officer since 2009, is also the head of the Richmond Police Officers Association. Before that, he was a military policeman in the U.S. Air Force and fought in Iraq. He grew up on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. Copyright 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area. Copyright 2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. UPDATE: June 8, 1:25 p.m. CT An American Airlines representative on Wednesday offered an updated statement regarding Michael Lowes' lawsuit against the carrier. "As required by law, American cooperates with and responds to court orders for information related to possible criminal activity, and thats what we did in this instance when we were presented with a search warrant," the representative stated in an email. --- End of Update --- Arizona resident Michael Lowe filed a lawsuit against American Airlines on Monday stating his life and wellbeing have been irrevocably damaged by the carrier following a series of events that saw him wrongfully incarcerated for 17 days in a New Mexico jail. First reported by the Fort Worth Telegram's Kaley Johnson, Lowe's suit outlines a case of mistaken identity perpetrated by American Airlines that began in 2020 during a layover at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The filing claims a man unknown to Lowe was caught by surveillance cameras shoplifting merchandise from a store inside DFW Airport before boarding a flight Lowe was taking to Reno, Nevada. The legal filing states that American Airlines reported the shoplifting incident to DFW Airport police, who requested a manifest of all passengers aboard the suspect's flight. At this point, the lawsuit alleges, the air carrier "departed from its established procedures" by prodiving officers with the identity of a single passenger, Lowe, instead of a full manifest of all passengers. Lowe's suit includes screenshots of surveillance footage from the day showing the alleged shoplifter was a man with a short "military-style" buzzcut who was not wearing a mask inside the airport. On the day in question, Lowe had two-inch-long gray hair and wore a mask during his layover at DFW Airport. American Airlines' identification of Lowe prompted law enforcement to issue two warrants for his arrest in Tarrant Countywarrants he remained unaware of for more than a year until an encounter with police while vacationing in Tucumcari, New Mexico. The suit alleges Lowe was at a Fourth of July party and provided his information to officers responding to a disturbance call unrelated to himself, at which point he was arrested for the outstanding warrants and transported to Quay County Jail. There, Lowe's suit claims he was held for 17 days in squalid conditions without explanation of the crimes he was accused him of committing. During his time in jail, Lowe was subjected to a cavity search and placed in a "general population quarantine pod" housing people accused of violent crimes. There he witnessed bloody beatings, slept on concrete floors and lived in a "constant state of fear of confrontation, physical abuse or sexual victimization." On his 17th day in jail officers released Lowe, offering no explanation as to why he was imprisoned, according to legal documents. He eventually made it home to Flagstaff, Arizona after a fraught, two-day bus ride punctuated by mechanical breakdowns. After returning to Arizona, Lowe retained an attorney and all charges against him were ultimately dropped following a review of surveillance footage by DFW Airport police. Attorney Scott Palmer says his client is seeking redress for emotional and financial damages incurred as a result of a "negligent investigation" by American Airlines that led to his incarceration. "I blame American [Airlines], Palmer told Johnson. "Without American doing what they did, [law enforcement] never would have issued a warrant. It all starts with the disclosure of his name and his name only." On Tuesday an American Airlines representative said the company is reviewing the lawsuit. University of Texas at Austin finance professor Richard Lowery was emailing with a colleague in London last November when he was asked if it was true that the so-called Liberty Institute failed to launch. Six months prior, UT-Austin had received $6 million in the state budget to launch a new think tank dedicated to the study and teaching of individual liberty, limited government, private enterprise and free markets, known as the Liberty Institute. The project had hit some roadblocks after The Texas Tribune reported that the university was working with conservative donors and politicians to launch the center, sparking concerns among some students and faculty that the Legislature was politicizing the university. Lowery replied that the failure-to-launch rumor was 100% accurate. Were in the Weekend-at-Bernies phase of the Liberty Institute life cycle, he wrote, referring to the 1989 movie about two coworkers pretending their murdered boss is still alive to continue their weekend vacation. New emails obtained by the Tribune via open records requests show that multiple faculty members who were heavily involved with the centers genesis are frustrated with the direction it has taken since last fall. Those professors, Lowery and Carlos Carvalho, say they are unhappy with the hiring process and worry about what they view as a lack of independence from the liberal-leaning faculty as a whole. And they accuse UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell and Richard Flores, deputy to the president for academic strategies, of backing off the agreed-upon proposal developed with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and conservative donors. The President of UT, in coordination with one of his chief deputies, Richard Flores, chose to completely default on the plan agreed to for bringing needed intellectual diversity to campus and to push back against the persistent attacks on free inquiry and academic freedom at UT-Austin, Lowery said in an emailed statement. UT-Austin did not respond to requests for comment or to a list of emailed questions Tuesday. Carvalho told the Tribune that he wrote a draft proposal for the center that the Tribune obtained from Patricks office last summer, and said that version was written in cooperation with the presidents office. A growing proportion of our population lacks a basic understanding of the role liberty and private enterprise play in their well-being, that proposal read. Too many Americans, particularly younger students, maintain misconceptions about our political system and lack an even basic understanding of the moral, ethical, philosophical and historical foundations underpinning a free society. In that proposal, the center would be managed by a board of overseers of alumni and friends who would manage donations and help the UT-Austin president approve the centers leadership. A separate board of scholars appointed by that board of overseers would advise on faculty hiring. Some faculty expressed concerns that the university was setting a negative precedent by forming an institute born out of political motivations and legislative connections. For Carvalho, those concerns have negatively changed the original efforts. I believe the current implementation is far from the original plan and from what we presented the [Legislature] as a proposal, Carvalho said to the Tribune in an email answering written questions. The change of direction started after the original Texas Tribune article came out last fall. The frustration appears to be shared by the lieutenant governor. During a speech at a conservative think tanks policy event earlier this year, Patrick said he was supportive of the institute after donors approached him, but said UT-Austin faculty shot it down because they wanted to have control of hiring. Well thats the whole point, Patrick said to the crowd. We dont want to hire you guys. More wealthy conservative donors involved In faculty council meetings and on its website, the university has insisted the center which they originally called The Liberty Institute until they were notified they could not legally call it that name would help support and attract faculty. And university officials have given no public sign that their vision has changed. On a web page about the program last updated in January, the university states that it hopes to support three to five new members of faculty with teaching interests in philosophical bases for decision making and choice, government regulation, legal and policy impacts on economic outcomes and individual choice and freedoms, market design and social welfare, and social prosperity and well-being, including innovation, entrepreneurial activities, company formation and job creation. Faculty and students have criticized the administration for a lack of transparency beyond these details. University leaders have answered very few questions about their vision, repeating that it is still in planning stages and many decisions have not yet been made. On that same website, the university said the new center will be modeled after the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a center at Oxford University. While the Tribune had previously reported that wealthy, conservative UT-Austin donors Bill Holmes, Bob Rowling and Bud Brigham had been involved with the project, emails sent to and from Carvalhos university email account show that GOP megadonor and Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow was also helping Carvalho and others develop the center. In June 2021, Crow reached out to Princeton University professor Robert George, director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, to see if he could advise UT-Austin as it launched the institute, pushing for a center that runs independently of the university, which many donors characterize as a school controlled by liberal academics. Im hoping that Jay [Hartzell] might want Robbie as an adviser in setting this up, Crow wrote to Carvalho and others in July 2021 saying Hartzell and George had a phone call set up to discuss the center. Robbie agrees that this UT program must have a lot of independence from the forces of the left. He believes the left will relentlessly try to emasculate and destroy our effort. According to Crow, George said it would be hard if the center was located in an existing school and to get the best talent UT will need to honestly promise that it would move into an independent unit status. George did not respond to a request for comment. Crow told the Tribune he became involved in the efforts to launch the Liberty Institute because he is a donor to the Salem Center for Policy, which Carvalho runs. He said he was not closely involved in the day-to-day progress of the center and could not comment on its current status. But he said he supported the idea of countering leftist advocacy on the university campus. Anything you can do to restore balance with the university, not a political point of view, but intellectual and moral balance, seems to be a good thing, he said. While private donors repeatedly emphasized the importance of independence, Hartzell said in faculty council meetings during the semester that other centers on campus do not hire independently. This institute or center, or whatever [it] ends up being named, is going to conform with the way we run centers and institutes at the University of Texas at Austin, he said at a March faculty council meeting. Centers and institutes dont, for example, appoint tenured faculty. In an April article in The Texan, Carvalho said independence of hiring is paramount. Theres one thing, one key provision that makes or breaks this institution, he said. The provision is the independence of hiring. Disagreements over hiring In the beginning of the fall semester, Carvalho expressed frustration in emails that the Liberty Institute was facing pushback. At one point in early October, Crow sent him an email telling him he was thinking about him. I completely realize that this has been a roller-coaster year for you, more for you than anybody. I know it has been hard, and I know it is hard right now, Crow said. Of course, I dont know how this Liberty Institute will turn out. I dont even know if it will happen. My main priority is that it will happen. If it happens and if it is possible for you to have a meaningful role in it, that would be terrific. Around that time, Hartzell invited Carvalho to be on a steering committee on a new philosophy, politics and economics program. The committee was asked to help develop the programs vision and create a wish list of faculty to possibly hire. In the email, Hartzell said this new program would be supported by an institute, what you have probably heard of as the Liberty Institute. This institute will provide the resources to attract top scholars, to provide new opportunities for our students, and to offer increased intellectual diversity and breadth to campus, Hartzell wrote. A subset of the committee would focus on launching the institute, including hiring, finding the director and deciding its name. Carvalho agreed to participate. But five months later, he wrote to two UT-Austin professors and said he had withdrawn from the committee because he disagreed with the universitys hiring process for the executive director. I am not at all supportive of the appointment that Jay Hartzell is trying to push, he wrote. When I sat out to write the proposal for the Liberty Institute I was aiming to build a high quality place with Hoover as the inspiration model. He added that he had conversations with professors from the University of Chicago and Columbia University about the effort. What we are getting instead, is a mediocre attempt to appease external pressure, he said. UT-Austin professor John Gerring responded that he share[s] his sentiment. He declined to comment further to the Tribune. In late March, UT-Austin business professor Brian Roberts mentioned in an email to Carvalho that the university was bringing University of Missouri professor Justin Dyer to interview for the position. Dyer, who holds a doctorate from UT-Austin, is a self-described pro-life evangelical. Justin is a good guy, but I dont think he has the needed prominence to make this institution a reality, Carvalho said. I am also very disappointed by the lack of a proper national search for a director. We could have done a lot better!! Jay Hartzell likes people he can control, not top scholars! Roberts responded that he was in agreement about Dyer. His name came up very early, so somebody had their eye on him, Roberts wrote. Dyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In mid-April, Daniel Brinks, chair of the government department, confirmed that the executive committee of the government department voted that Dyer met the requirements for tenure in the department, which is one of multiple steps in the universitys hiring process. Its unclear where Dyer is in the hiring process. The university posted the job description on its website in January. Carvalho told the Tribune a hire of this level would usually involve a search firm and a large group of candidates. Obviously not the case here, he wrote. In addition, the proposal to the [Legislature] called for an external faculty advisory board (again, of leading scholars) to be formed to advise the university on this hire. Yet another item in the proposal the president decided not to pursue. Disclosure: Robert Rowling and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Join us Sept. 22-24 in person in downtown Austin for The Texas Tribune Festival and experience 100+ conversation events featuring big names you know and others you should from the worlds of politics, public policy, the media and tech all curated by The Texas Tribunes award-winning journalists. Buy tickets. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/08/ut-austin-professors-liberty-institute/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. WFO SACRAMENTO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Sacramento CA 210 PM PDT Wed Jun 8 2022 ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 10 PM PDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures 100 to 106 expected. Overnight lows from 65 to 75. * WHERE...The Delta, the Sacramento Valley and the western side of the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the adjacent foothills. * WHEN...From 11 AM to 10 PM PDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Both Thursday and Saturday will also be hot days with moderate heat risk. In addition to hot temperatures during the daytime, there will be little overnight relief from the heat. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 10 PM PDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures 98 to 104 expected. Overnight lows from 65 to 72. * WHERE...The Motherlode and the east side of the northern San Joaquin Valley. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Storm Prediction Ctr, Norman, OK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 326 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 955 PM CDT TUE JUN 7 2022 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 326 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS TX . TEXAS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE HANSFORD HEMPHILL HUTCHINSON LIPSCOMB OCHILTREE ROBERTS The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southwestern Oldham County in the Panhandle of Texas... Western Deaf Smith County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 1100 PM CDT. * At 954 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 4 miles north of Glenrio, or 25 miles south of Nara Visa, moving east at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. * Locations impacted include... Adrian, Simms and Glenrio. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK NOW IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerous rip currents. * WHERE...Matagorda Islands, Brazoria Islands, Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. * WHEN...Through Wednesday evening improving quickly Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water. Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northeastern Wheeler County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hemphill County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 200 AM CDT. * At 1256 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Canadian, moving southeast at 25 mph. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to roofs, siding, and trees is possible. People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. * Locations impacted include... Canadian, Allison and Lake Marvin. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western Lipscomb County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hutchinson County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hansford County in the Panhandle of Texas... Sherman County in the Panhandle of Texas... Roberts County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hemphill County in the Panhandle of Texas... Ochiltree County in the Panhandle of Texas... Moore County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 630 AM CDT. * At 525 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Wolf Creek Park to Spearman to 13 miles northeast of Sunray to 8 miles east of Conlen, moving southeast at 25 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and ping pong ball size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect some tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. * Locations impacted include... Dumas, Borger, Perryton, Spearman, Lipscomb, Canadian, Stratford, Miami, Cactus, Fritch, Sunray, Stinnett, Booker, Gruver, Sanford, Wolf Creek Park, Lake Marvin, Pringle, Four Way and Masterson. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Hutchinson County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southern Hansford County in the Panhandle of Texas... Roberts County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hemphill County in the Panhandle of Texas... Eastern Moore County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 700 AM CDT. * At 626 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 6 miles north of Lake Meredith to 4 miles north of Lora to 6 miles west of Durham, moving east at 40 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect some tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. * Locations impacted include... Borger, Canadian, Miami, Fritch, Sunray, Stinnett, Sanford, Lora, Glazier, Lake Marvin, Lake Meredith and Pringle. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AMARILLO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Amarillo has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Armstrong County in the Panhandle of Texas... Randall County in the Panhandle of Texas... Wheeler County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southern Carson County in the Panhandle of Texas... Gray County in the Panhandle of Texas... Southern Potter County in the Panhandle of Texas... Collingsworth County in the Panhandle of Texas... Donley County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 745 AM CDT. * At 636 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 7 miles north of Sweetwater to 5 miles north of Lefors to 7 miles west of Panhandle to 8 miles northeast of Bushland, moving southeast at 55 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect some tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. * Locations impacted include... Amarillo, Canyon, Panhandle, Wellington, Clarendon, Shamrock, Claude, Wheeler, White Deer, Lake Tanglewood, Mclean, Groom, Lefors, Howardwick, Hedley, Dodson, Bushland, Buffalo Lake, Lelia Lake and Lake Mcclellan. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service El Paso TX 217 PM MDT Wed Jun 8 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Hudspeth County through 245 PM MDT... At 216 PM MDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12 miles west of Salt Flat. This storm was nearly stationary. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Salt Flat and US-62/180 between Cornudas and Salt Flat. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. 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 3155 10535 3175 10546 3193 10514 3163 10501 TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 266DEG 2KT 3169 10528 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH The National Weather Service in Midland has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southern Culberson County in southwestern Texas... * Until 415 PM CDT. * At 320 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 9 miles west of Kent, moving west at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Kent and Plateau. This includes Interstate 10 between mile markers 149 and 177. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in El Paso has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... North central Hudspeth County in western Texas... * Until 345 PM MDT. * At 252 PM MDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 8 miles south of Cornudas, moving northwest at 5 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Cornudas and US Highway 62/180 PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO LUBBOCK Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, June 8, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Lubbock Texas has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Eastern Castro County in the Panhandle of Texas... Hall County in the Panhandle of Texas... Swisher County in the Panhandle of Texas... Briscoe County in the Panhandle of Texas... * Until 815 AM CDT. * At 720 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 8 miles southeast of Buffalo Lake to 8 miles east of Memphis, moving southeast at 55 mph. HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. * Locations impacted include... Tulia, Hart, Silverton, Turkey, Caprock Canyon State Park, Kress, Happy, Quitaque, Vigo Park, Claytonville, Mackenzie Reservoir, Brice, Valley Schools, Nazareth, Lakeview and Plaska Community. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather At the launching ceremony (Photo: VNA) The initiative is intended to help Vietnam develop workforce for this kind of commerce in the next five years, thus raising the capacity of local enterprises and opening up export opportunities for them. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan described digital platforms as an effective solution for businesses to penetrate and expand markets as Vietnam is integrating intensively and extensively into the global economy. E-commerce sales worldwide are expected to amount to US$7.38 trillion by 2025, he said, noting that this form in Vietnam has also made big strides over the past years, significantly contributing to spurring domestic economic development and boosting the digital economy in the post-pandemic recovery. Last year, Vietnam earned US$13.7 billion from online retail sales, up 16 percent, and the value is expected to climb to US$35 billion by 2025, with the annual growth rate of 25 percent between 2022 and 2025. The initiative is expected to support local firms in digital transformation and equip them with knowledge about export-import and market, and gradually build Vietnamese brands in the global market. Gijae Seong, head of Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, said the initiative aims to help 10,000 Vietnamese enterprises with personnel development in e-commerce during the 2022-2025. The Amazon initiative is scheduled to last for five years, with both online and in-person training courses. It will come to HCMC, Da Nang city and some other localities this year. According to a report released by Amazon on this occasion, Vietnams cross-border retail sales increase over 20 percent annually, hitting VND75.4 trillion (US$3.3 trillion) last year, and is projected to reach VND256.1 trillion in 2026. Notably, cross-border e-commerce will grow strongly in the Southeast Asian nation in the next five years. Vietnamplus Page Content A bipartisan bill appears likely to pass in California that would guarantee bereavement leave for workers, making the state only the third to mandate such time off. The proposed law (AB-95) would require employers in California to give eligible employees up to five days of bereavement leave after the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner or parent-in-law. Other family relationships are not included. The bill covers all public employers and private companies that employ five or more individuals in California. The time off must be completed within three months of the date of death, though the days of leave do not need to be consecutive. The bereavement leave can be unpaid; however, the bill would allow employees to use their paid leave, such as accrued vacation days or sick days. To be eligible, an employee must have worked for the employer for more than 30 days prior to the start of the leave. Bill Likely To Pass It's still unclear whether the state legislature will pass the bill in the next few months before it adjourns on Aug. 31. "It has a high likelihood of passage this year," said Michael Kalt, an attorney with Wilson Turner Kosmo, based in San Diego. That's because this year's version improves upon some of the criticisms of earlier versions and has bipartisan support. It also "seems like a humane thing to do, and one that will not unduly complicate for most employers," Kalt added. Millions of employees have lost a family member during the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Similar legislation was proposed in 2020, but never made it to the governor," said Stephanie Kierig, an attorney with Jackson Lewis in San Diego. "Perhaps the COVID-19 pandemic and the unfortunate consequences of the virus will have altered people's perspective on the issue of bereavement leave." Oregon, Maryland and Pittsburgh have mandated bereavement leave in recent years. Ten states and the District of Columbia mandate paid family and medical leave, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia require paid sick leave. Steps For Employers Many employers have policies that allow workers to take a few days off when a family member dies. The bill would formalize this benefit. "As with any kind of leave entitlement, it is always a best practice to have a formalized policy that is applied uniformly," Kierig said. Now would be an opportune time to examine a company's current policy and whether it is being executed properly. "If they don't already have a bereavement-leave policy in place, employers and HR professionals should first consider whether they meet the requirements to be subject to the terms of [the bill]," Kierig advised. "They should also evaluate how a bereavement-leave policy would affect their operations and how such a policy should be implemented. Employers with existing bereavement-leave policies should review those policies to ensure they meet the requirements of [the bill] and be prepared to update or revise them as necessary to ensure compliance with the law." If the bill passes and employers fail to comply, they would have to pay past and future lost income and benefits, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages, Kierig noted. Under the bill, employers cannot discriminate or retaliate against workers who take bereavement leave. Employers may request that employees provide proof of death, such a death certificate, published obituary or written verification of services from a funeral home. Employers usually don't challenge an employee's request for bereavement leave unless there are ongoing attendance problems with that individual, Kalt said. Employers must maintain confidentiality regarding an employee's bereavement leave. The relationships defined in the bill for bereavement leave align with the relationships included in the California Family Rights Act and the state's Family and Medical Leave Act, which provide time off to care for a sick family member. This alignment is designed be helpful to employees who serve as a caregiver for a sick family member and then need time off work after that family member dies. Bereavement leave would be considered separate from time off under the California Family Rights Act. Amazon India today launched the second edition of Machine Learning (ML) Summer School; an immersive program that aims to provide students the opportunity to learn key ML technologies from Scientists at Amazon making them industry ready for careers in science. The course, conducted over four weekends in July, will provide students with an opportunity to gain skills on key ML topics, including: Supervised Learning, Deep Neural Networks, Sequential Models, Dimensionality Reduction, Unsupervised Learning and two new modules, Reinforcement Learning and CausalInference. Participants will also have access to Amazon Research Days (ARD) conference an engagement program held in November every year. ARD connects the scientific community at Amazon, industry leaders, and academic researchers in the field of AI around the world. Amazon will also conduct ML Challenge, its flagship ML competition in August, which is a unique opportunity for students to work on an Amazon dataset, bring in fresh ideas and build innovative solutions for a real-world problem statement. Winning teams will receive pre-placement interviews (PPIs) for ML roles at Amazon along with cash prizes, swag, and certificates. Rajeev Rastogi, Vice President - International Machine Learning at Amazon says, "Amazon ML Summer School aims to provide participating students with best-in-class training on a broad range of topics which are at the core of modern Machine Learning, from fundamentals to state-of-the-art. The tutorial sessions covering the right mix of theoretical and practical knowledge will be delivered by our ML scientists who are experts in their field. This program will be a platform to help foster ML excellence and strive towards developing applied science skills in young talent. Our aim with the ML Summer School is to equip students with necessary practical experience and prepare them for science roles ahead." Debarshi Chanda, IIT Guwahati (one of the winning team members of the challenge), shares, It was a great learning experience for me. Dealing with so much real-world data was unusual for us but we eventually came up with a strategy to make use of the entire training data. Learnt a lot of things, tried a lot of things. It will be a memory to cherish. ML Summer School is open to students in the penultimate or final year of their Bachelors/Masters/Integrated Masters/PhD degree enrolled in any campus in India. Eligible students will be required to take an online assessment focused on basic ML concepts and math fundamentals on topics such as probability, statistics and linear algebra. The top 3000 students are then enrolled to ML Summer School - who attend eight virtual classroom sessions over four weekends, each session followed by live Q&A sessions with scientists at Amazon. ML Summer School participants can also participate in Amazon ML Challenge, to practise hands-on application of skills and learnings acquired via modules to solve a real-world problem statement. State Bank of India (SBI), the countrys largest lender, has doubled down on loans to the infrastructure segment comprising roads, ports and power in FY22, amid renewed demand for credit from private companies. In FY22, about 10% of all new loans from the lender by value were towards the infrastructure segment, as against 3% in the previous financial year, showed Basel III disclosures by the bank. SBIs exposure to all industries increased by ?3.5 trillion in FY22both fund-based and non-fund based of which incremental loans to the infrastructure sector were at ?34,167 crore. In the previous financial year, SBIs exposure to all industries rose ?1.5 trillion from FY20, of which infrastructure loans accounted for ?4,614 crore. The state-owned lender seems to have stepped up its efforts to finance infrastructure at a time the government is aggressively pushing capital expenditure spending to prop up a covid-hit economy. In FY23, the Union government allocated ?7.5 trillion for capex spending, 35% higher than the previous fiscal year. Bank loans to the infrastructure sector grew 10% from a year earlier in April, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed. Experts tracking the banking industry said that infrastructure financing was not happening for the longest time, especially after the stress post the last round of financing, which involved power, coal, and a few other sectors. Banks had become very cautious about infrastructure financing. It was also partly because they lacked adequate capital to finance large infrastructure projects. Fresh projects at initiation are typically risky and not very capital efficient, requiring banks to allocate more capital against such lending. Things have slightly improved, although the recovery is not quite a broad-based one. We believe state banks are still quite cautious and choosy as their capital buffers are still relatively quite weak," said Saswata Guha, senior director (Indian bank ratings), Fitch Ratings. SBI has also seen improved utilization of loans sanctioned earlier but are only now being put to use by companies. As of 31 March, 46% of SBIs working capital limits remained unutilized, compared to 50% at the end of December last year. For term loans, unused credit is about 19% of the sanctioned amount, and the bank believes this points to the potential credit offtake in 2022-23. We have already sanctioned for ports and airports and are going to finance a lot of infrastructure-related activities," SBI chairman Dinesh Khara said after announcing the banks March quarter results on 13 May. Indias largest lender is not alone in its bullishness on infra financing. Large lenders like Bank of Baroda and Canara Bank have also seen growth in such loans in FY22. While Bank of Barodas infrastructure exposure increased 34%, Canara Bank saw infrastructure loans grow 32%. We are very active in hybrid annuity model (HAM) projects, infrastructure projects, steel, even to some extent in power and renewable energy. We are seeing growth, not in one sector, but in various sectors spread over," L.V. Prabhakar, chief executive of Canara Bank, told analysts on 6 May. The state-owned lender, Prabhakar said, expects to grow its loan book by over 8% in FY23, given the kind of loan inquiries and capex demand it is witnessing. That apart, with the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) set up to spearhead financing of infrastructure projects yet to take off, banks, especially state-owned ones, are expected to do the heavy lifting. In March, former ICICI Bank chief and the chairperson of NaBFID K.V. Kamath said it would start operations in the first three months of FY23. Bank loans to corporates revived in FY22, with lenders loosening their purse strings to fund infrastructure projects and catering to increased working capital needs. This surge in demand and willingness of banks to fund infrastructure took corporate credit growth to an eight-year high in 2021-22. As a result, corporate loans grew 7.1% year-on-year in FY22, as against a contraction of 0.4% in the previous financial year, showed data from the RBI. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva over the country's economic crisis, the prime minister's office said in a statement Wednesday. The discussions, held on Tuesday, came as Sri Lanka has decided to seek IMF assistance to face the ongoing crisis and restructure its foreign debts after the government suspended all the external debt repayments on April 12, Xinhua news agency reported. The prime minister's office said the IMF managing director pledged support to Sri Lanka during the difficult times. Sri Lanka is presently facing one of its worst economic crises as the country faces a shortage in foreign currency, leading to a shortage in essential supplies including food, medicines and fuel. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that economic assistance has been sought from friendly nations as well as the IMF to bring the economy back on track. 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! Somebody has got back at Craig Kelly. The United Australia Party leader and former Hughes MP says hes received several penalty notices from Parramatta Council regarding election posters put up in the area. Kelly is furious but, to be fair, hes done quite a bit to irritate much of the population of Australia. This is the man who spent months bombarding the public with annoying unsolicited texts. His face appeared in millions of YouTube ads and billboards across the country, many of which claimed he would be Australias next prime minister. Kelly is, instead, unemployed. Perhaps someone in the council, which didnt respond to CBDs request for a comment, is having a laugh. For its second stab at the official ceremonial uniforms for the Australian Commonwealth Games squad, outback outfitter RM Williams dug in its heels, sticking to the heritage blueprint created for the Gold Coast four years ago with minor adjustments to accommodate the climate of this years English host city. Athletes at the Commonwealth Games uniform unveiling at Admiralty House, Sydney. Top: Ridge Barredo, Weightlifting; Sharni Williams, Rugby 7s; Maurice Longbottom, Rugby 7s; Ellie Cole, Para-swimming. Bottom: Charlotte Caslick, Rugby 7s; Jake Lappin, Para-athletics; Tina Rahimi, Boxing. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone Boat shoes, perfect for traipsing around Palazzo Versace, were replaced by RM Williams signature Craftsman boot at the uniform unveiling, held at Admiralty House on Sydney Harbour. Designers decided boots, with covetable green and gold tugs, were more suitable for the temperature-challenged Birmingham, where the mercury hits 21 degrees on good days in July and August. The last time it was very Gold Coast with shorts and boats shoes, says Scott Faulder, head of product development at RM Williams. Our brief this time was to elevate the uniform for the international stage and create something that will evoke pride in our athletes. The boat shoes have been replaced by our elastic-sided Craftsman boots and the team is pretty excited. For many young athletes, this is their first pair of RM Williams boots. Para-swimmer Ellie Cole, a four-time Commonwealth Games athlete, welcomes the change. These are certainly my first pair of RM Williams boots, Cole says. The boat shoes we were offered in the past werent great for amputees but the heel on these works, which Im pretty grateful for. Its become the talking point with all the athletes pretty excited about getting a pair. They are so iconic within Australia. A lack of coal-fired power generation and the high price of gas have led to the new federal government having to make very difficult choices. Consumers are suffering with worse pain to come. There is no easy way out, government leverage is limited, and none of the options is without serious side effects. Maybe the threat of a least-bad market intervention is where they should land. This could mean revisiting the idea of a windfall profit tax. Gas prices are soaring around the world. Credit:John Woudstra In short, if gas producers are making a windfall profit selling Australian gas overseas while Australians cant afford to heat their homes, they should share the windfall so that those Australians dont freeze this winter. Two-thirds of east coast gas consumption (2000 petajoules per year) is exported from Gladstone, the majority under contracts with Asian buyers. There is some, but limited, physical capacity for the producers to ramp up production to take advantage of the very high overseas prices for on-demand cargoes. This is the gas that the Europeans are seeking from Qatar, the US, and Australia to help their position with Russia. They are paying more than four and up to 10 times the contract prices. This is a huge windfall profit for producers who can take advantage. Such is China's paranoia about all things COVID-19 that authorities have asked residents in Dandong, a border town with North Korea, to close their windows on days with southerly winds, in case the virus transmits through the air across the Yalu River. It highlights China's fanatical obsession with Covid-zero, considering the negligible risk of outdoor transmission even in closer confines, let alone across a river that's almost a kilometre-wide. Meanwhile, Shanghai will lock down a district in the south-west on Saturday morning to conduct a mass COVID-19 testing drive, its first major movement restriction since the financial hub exited a bruising two-month shutdown at the start of June. China reported 164 infections yesterday, including nine cases in Shanghai out of 25 million people. Workers last week removing barriers previously surrounding a neighbourhood placed under lockdown. Credit:Bloomberg The mini-lockdown is raising concerns that the citys reopening is backsliding as officials fear a rebound in cases. While the plan is to seal the Minhang district of 2.65 million people only for the morning, residents face the risk of being confined to their homes for another two weeks if any Covid infections are discovered. Elsewhere in the city, officials appear to be escalating curbs and placing apartment blocks back under lockdown over the slightest hint of infection risk. Some housing compounds in the central Jingan and Xuhui districts were sealed for 14 days from Tuesday, although only close contacts - no confirmed cases - were found among residents. Besides the lockdowns, mass testing is being rolled out at numerous housing compounds around Shanghai, which can surface infections that will lead to wholesale curbs again. Bloomberg Tharnicaa Murugappan will celebrate her first birthday outside detention on Sunday with a pink party. The four-year-old and her family arrived at Perth Airport to board a plane home to Biloela on Wednesday morning, ending a four-year immigration battle. The Tamil family of four, who have been fighting deportation since 2018, are one step closer to becoming Australian residents after the Albanese government intervened two weeks ago and granted them bridging visas to return to the central Queensland town they call home. The Murugappan family and Home to Bilo campaigner Angela Fredericks speak to the media at Perth Airport. Credit:Getty Images Speaking at Perth Airport, an emotional Priya, Tharnicaas mother, thanked the community and her family for the support they received while living in the capital for the past year. Me and my family are very happy to start our journey back to my community in Bilo, she said. Thank you to all in Perth, thanks WA. Her other daughter, Kopika, said she felt happy to be going on a plane. The shy six-year-old told reporters her favourite game was hide-and-seek and she was excited for her sisters pink-themed birthday party as it was her favourite colour, too. George Zivkovic of Northmead presents: Quotes of the week from a delusional Boris Johnson after 148 MPs (41 per cent) voted against him: Im happy with that ... I think its an extremely good, positive, conclusive result. Apparently, the vote was a very good result for politics and for the country. Theres nothing like having confidence in yourself as a leader to sum. Overseas comments about Australia (C8) remind me of an occurrence from my childhood, writes Alison Brooks of Hope Island (Qld). While attending school in New Zealand, I had a penfriend in America. Her uncle commented that he had a friend in New Zealand, so I probably knew him. To my annoyance, I did! Peter Allen of Castle Cove recalls: As a backpacker in 1975, I was asked in an Edinburgh pub whether my accent meant that I was from south of London? I replied, Yes, I come from a place south of London. Many years later when I mentioned the Anzac story while cruising the Caribbean, an elderly American lady asked with amazement, Does Australia have an army?! My wife had to restrain me. A quick FYI from Frans Boot of Gregory Hills: Souvenir shops in Austria sell fridge magnets stating No kangaroos in Austria. James Austin of Wagga Wagga lays it out: Please convey my compliments to whichever editor set Tuesdays headline: Winter blast hits city with snow on alps directly opposite Despair over inaction on ice inquiry. A Sydney boy who went missing on Wednesday has been found after surviving a night of freezing temperatures in The Hills District. But in a twist, his father has been arrested in an unrelated drug matter after police say they found marijuana plants inside the family home during the missing persons investigation. Christopher Wilson, 11, who went missing after he got off a school bus on Annangrove Road, Annangrove, on Wednesday afternoon, has been found by residents. Credit:Nine/Lauren Tomasi Christopher Wilson was reported missing after he failed to return home from school on Wednesday afternoon, which police described as extremely out of character. After an overnight search by police and family, the 11-year-old was seen walking along Annangrove Road towards home. An Eastern Suburbs police officer has been stood down after being charged with sexual assault and stalking offences allegedly committed over a seven-year period. Constable Joshua Wootton, 31, was arrested on Tuesday after a police investigation into a number of alleged offences committed against two 26-year-old women. He has been charged with nine offences including two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, three counts of stalking with intent to cause fear, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, accessing data held in a computer, public office misconduct and malicious damage to property. According to documents before the court, the alleged crimes were committed over a seven-year period and continued until this year. Police allege in the documents Wootton knowingly had sexual intercourse with a woman who did not consent on two occasions, once in 2014 and again in 2017. If youve ever been ordered to sit down while enjoying a drink or snack at one of the citys al fresco dining areas, thats likely to change. The City of Sydney council is reviewing anachronistic rules that prevent patrons standing up at the outdoor drinking and dining spots that have popped up all over central Sydney. People eating and drinking at Bar Tottis on George Street. The ban on standing while drinking outdoors in the City of Sydney Council area is set to end. Credit:Louise Kennerley The 28-page council document Outdoor Dining Guidelines July 2021 stipulates: Outdoor seating areas can only be used by seated patrons consuming food or drink. Patrons are not permitted to eat or drink or whilst standing in the approved outdoor seating area. But there is now a push to get rid of those rules. Liberal councillor Lyndon Gannon a former bar hand who has plans to open his own rooftop venues is proposing to scrap the requirement, and Clover Moores bloc is supportive of the move. Pressure on government to cancel deal between Aussie university and Chinese aviation company Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Two men have been arrested after an overnight siege that forced a Gold Coast neighbourhood into lockdown. The standoff escalated after police on Wednesday attended a residence in Nerang for two men, who were on return-to-prison warrants. One of the men police were negotiating with had removed his GPS ankle monitor in recent days. An exclusion zone declared about 5pm on Wednesday remained through the night, forcing residents who were not home to sleep overnight in their cars or stay elsewhere. The Andrews government is proposing alarming increases to penalties for peaceful protesting and citizen science surveying in Victorias native forests. The Sustainable Forests Timber Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones) Bill 2022 has just been introduced to the Victorian lower house. The bill proposes doubling the penalties for non-violent direct action and citizen science surveying in areas designated for logging, known as coupes, or Timber Harvesting Safety Zones. The proposed changes mean protesters attempting to prevent or disrupt native forest logging in Victoria would face a whopping 12 months jail, or $21,000 in fines. Protesters attempting to prevent or disrupt native forest logging in Victoria would face 12 months jail, or $21,000 in fines. Credit:Louie Douvis Why the need to introduce these changes you may ask? Minister for Regional Development and Agriculture, Mary-Anne Thomas, takes aim at dangerous protesters: We want to make sure workers go home to their families each day. No evidence has been given to support this claim that peaceful protesting poses any physical risk to forestry workers whatsoever. A former British police officer who lied about his qualifications and experience to land two plum government jobs after he moved to Victoria has been spared a prison term. But Peter Ravenscrofts deceptions between 2012 and 2017, when he was paid $456,000 by Frankston City Council and then $197,000 by the Victorian Ombudsman office, raise questions about what level of scrutiny government employers apply in their recruiting process. Ravenscroft was a decorated and distinguished officer with almost 20 years service with the Surrey and Sussex police forces when he moved to Melbourne with his family in 2007 and was hired by the Office of Police Integrity and then worked with Victorias Department of Treasury and Finance. In late 2012, he successfully applied to work at Frankston City Council as a compliance safety manager, embellishing his experience as a police officer in Britain and lying about his educational qualifications, the County Court heard on Wednesday. Judge Angela Ellis said Ravenscroft had lied to the council about being part of Britains national crime squad and falsely claimed he had earned qualifications from Leeds, Aston and Brighton universities. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says there are levers available to the government on the handling of the Bernard Collaery case but remained tight-lipped about any steps the Commonwealth may take in the matter, as advocates renewed calls for Canberra lawyers prosecution to be abandoned. Collaery, a former ACT attorney-general, was charged in 2018 with five counts of leaking classified information for allegedly helping his client, an ex-spy known only as Witness K, reveal information about Australias bugging operation of East Timors government during commercial negotiations in 2004 to carve up the oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea. Lawyer Bernard Collaery is being prosecuted for allegedly helping his then client, Witness K, reveal aspects of an alleged secret bugging operation against East Timor. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Dreyfus, who as shadow attorney-general was critical of the Morrison governments approach to the Collaery case, confirmed he had already received departmental briefings on it since being sworn in as the nations top law officer last week. Im not going to go into any detail at all. Im considering information, which the department is providing to me. Ive sought further details and Im not going to comment further. It would not be appropriate to do so. This is a prosecution process, Dreyfus told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Australias energy ministers have signed off on sweeping reforms to create a national transition plan to phase out fossil fuels, fund projects to bolster the electricity grid through all weather conditions, and empower the market operator to hold emergency stores of natural gas. Federal and state energy ministers held crisis talks in Sydney on Wednesday to respond to the surge in coal, gas and electricity prices gripping households and industry along the eastern seaboard. Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen at the crisis meeting in Sydney on Wednesday. Credit:AAP Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen said state and federal governments had agreed, for the first time, to a national plan that would coordinate the shift from fossil fuel-dominated energy systems to net zero emissions. Bowen said the current crisis was a result of poor planning and a previous government which didnt see the opportunity [in] renewable energy. Los Angeles: When he got down on one knee on a stage in front of Sleeping Beautys castle, he hoped it would be the perfect moment, in the Happiest Place on Earth. Instead, those dreams were dashed by a Disneyland Paris employee wearing a polo shirt and Mickey Mouse ears attached to a headband. My mind was empty, said Ante, who spoke on the condition that he be identified only by his given name to maintain his privacy and that of his now-fiancee. Just moments after Ante had removed the engagement ring from his pocket, the employee darted onto the stage, snatched it and directed the couple down the stairs, where, according to video of the event posted to Reddit last week, he suggested that they could continue their proposal. In a pre-recorded message to a bipartisan committee looking into Americas controversial gun laws, the fourth-grade student at Robb Elementary School explained how she and her classmates hid in terror from 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos, only to watch as he opened fire in a horrific attack that ended up killing 19 children and two teachers. Miah Cerrillo, a survivor of the mass shooting, appears on a screen during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence. Credit:Jason Andrew/The New York Times/AP Now, two weeks after surviving the Uvalde mass shooting , Miah Cerrillo has recounted the terror of that day as the US Congress comes under growing pressure to act on gun violence. Washington: She was the 11-year-old girl who smeared the blood of a dying friend over her own body to stay alive. We went to go hide behind the teachers desk, behind the backpacks, Miah told the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, adding that she no longer felt safe at school. Then he shot a little window and then he went to other classrooms. Theres a door between our classrooms. He went there, followed my teacher and told my teacher goodnight and then shot her in the head. Then he shot some of my classmates and the whiteboard, and then he shot my friend. Loading I thought he was going to come back so I grabbed her blood and put it all over me and stayed quiet. Then I grabbed my teachers phone and called 911. I told them that we need help and to send the police. Miahs harrowing testimony came before the House passed a wide-ranging gun control bill that included raising the minimum age from 18 to 21 on purchases of most semi-automatic rifles; banning high-capacity ammunition magazines; and creating new safe storage requirements for gun owners. ~Latest trends in the post-pandemic era; join us in the innovation and disruption of the health sector~ SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:--- Arium Salud Digital, a digital services firm, geared toward solutions to strengthen and transform the integration and management of processes in the health sector, announced the celebration of the 2nd Latin American Congress of Digital Health, on September 6th and 7th at the InterContinental Real Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The activity is co-organized with AF Comunicacion Estrategica, a corporate event agency. Fedor Vidal, CEO of Arium Salud Digital, reported that during this new edition entitled, "Towards a Comprehensive Digital Transformation," they will present the findings of the first Digital Health Study conducted in the Dominican Republic. This research will yield the results of the diagnosis and analysis of the current situation of national digital health in terms of installed capacity, regulatory framework, and international benchmark. This congress will offer a starting point aligned with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development that encourages synergies aimed at promoting the necessary strategic planning of the sector, under public-private partnerships to improve accessibility, transparency, cost-effectiveness, and quality and safety of health processes and services. Mr. Vidal, an international expert in health technology and business, added that digital health has become an extensive area of knowledge that includes the use of mobile applications, telemedicine, remote monitoring devices, and electronic medical records. In addition, virtual reality applications, augmented reality, and tools with artificial intelligence promote a greater connection between doctors, patients, the pharmaceutical sector, insurance, and other actors in the health ecosystem. "The Latin American Congress on Digital Health is aligned with the 2020-2025 global strategy on digital health and represents a unique setting to share, update and generate knowledge networks and exchange of good practices. This will allow an adequate response to the present and future needs of the sector, promoting the integration and innovation of the health system, said Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Comunicacion Estrategica, the co-organizing company of the event. Ms. Reyes Mora added, "the event is aimed at senior leaders, managers, and representatives of the health sector. This includes technology, clinics and hospitals, health risk managers (HRM), imaging centers, dental centers, pharmaceutical companies, clinical laboratories, telecommunications, local and international insurance, and government." Likewise, she invited those interested in participating to register through the web page Congresosaluddigital.com. The congress will present keynote speeches, panels, and success stories such as Trends of 2022; understanding the post-pandemic digital world; How did Covid-19 accelerate digital health?; Benefits of Big Data for governments and population health; Telemedicine and remote second opinions; Challenges of innovation and digital transformation; Cybersecurity and Digital Health: The challenge of this millennium; Training of Health Professionals and personnel; as well as other topics related to digital health. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday, May 30th, a United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) delegation consisting of the Director of the UNOPS Multi-Country Office for Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean countries, the Head of Programs, and the Principal Technical Advisor for Infrastructure and Project management met with the Council of Ministers (CoM) for the kick-off to the first official work visit by UNOPS to Sint Maarten for the prisons new construction project. On behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten, UNOPS received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Minister of VROMI Egbert J. Doran, and Minister of Finance Ardwell M.R. Irion. During the meeting, Prime Minister Jacobs expressed her delight with the arrival of the delegation to Sint Maarten. Minister Richardson shared the Prime Ministers sentiments and expressed her gratitude to UNOPS and the Dutch Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) for the work visit finally materializing, as it had been part of the technical discussions for quite some time. During the meeting, a presentation was given by UNOPS Director Mr. Alejandro Rossi, introducing the organization and sharing the objectives and goals of the work visit. The main purpose of the work visit was geared toward UNOPS familiarizing itself with Sint Maarten and the various stakeholders in the justice chain that will be involved in the project. In addition, the aim was also to further the discussions on the finalization of the Project Agreement to start phase one of the project which focuses on planning, design, and procurement activities for the new prison. The discussions with UNOPS concerning the prison have predominantly been held on a technical level by representatives of the Ministry of Justice Sint Maarten and BZK, who together with UNOPS representatives, have formed a working group for the new prison project. During the work visit, several working sessions were held to work out further details relating to the project proposal of UNOPS. Following the kick-off meeting with the CoM, an introductory meeting was held with the prison management team, headed by the Prison Director Mr. Steven Carty. He discussed the current challenges experienced in the prison and the improvements being made to address these challenges. An extensive tour was also provided at the Point Blanche Prison and House of Detention where UNOPS received a good first impression of the facility. Thereafter, the working group also toured the Immigration holding cells and KPSM holding cells. During the work visit, courtesy visits were paid to the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) and the Sint Maarten Medical Center for informative discussions as both organizations have experience with current infrastructural projects. The organizations were able to share their knowledge and best practices in the areas of procurement, project management, building material, the labor market, and more. To get a better insight into the crime trends in Sint Maarten, a meeting was held with the Public Prosecutors Office. This discussion provided UNOPS with a deeper understanding of the types of crimes committed in Sint Maarten, which is relevant information when discussing the scope of the prison project. The Mental Health Foundation and Turning Point were also visited to discuss the psychological and psychiatric care for prisoners during incarceration. A meeting was also held with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DBB). On the last day of the work visit, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to His Excellency, Governor Eugene B. Holiday and Parliaments Justice Committee received a presentation on UNOPS as well as a recap of the weeks visit along with the first impressions formed by UNOPS based on the discussions held throughout the week. Minister Richardson stated, Much progress has been made in defining the project proposal to secure and sign the project agreement. As such, I am delighted to know that the representatives of UNOPS and BZK got to meet with critical stakeholders in a bid to understand the realities being faced here on Sint Maarten before the first phase of the project. The working visit was officially closed off with a meeting with the CoM where UNOPS advised that it hopes that in the coming months all parties will be able to successfully take the final steps towards signing the project agreement to officially start the new prison project. Having taken note of articles published in the local media since the conclusion of the UNOPS work visit, where reference is made to the 43rd report published by the Sint Maarten Progress Committee in February 2022, Minister Richardson finds the contents being highlighted, counterproductive to the fruitful work visit that took place and the support rendered by UNOPS and BZK to the Ministry. To my understanding, the Progress Committee was fully aware that the Ministry of Justice would be welcoming the delegation of UNOPS to Sint Maarten for the first official working visit during the past week, as such, the timing of these publications with dated information is highly questionable and quite unfortunate. In fact, the 43rd report of the Progress Committee was published all the way back in February of this year. Since then, essential steps have been taken toward finalizing an agreement with UNOPS. Regardless of the attention being placed on this report, the Ministry of Justice remains committed to working with UNOPS and BZK to realize the finalization of an agreement to start phase one of the new prison project, concluded Minister Richardson. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Committee of Parlatino Matters (CPM), of Parliament will meet on June 8, 2022. The Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda points are: 1. Model laws adopted by the 36th Ordinary Assembly of Parlatino, held on the 11th and 12th of February 2022 in Panama 2. Declarations made by and or on behalf of St. Maarten at the 36th Ordinary Assembly of Parlatino in Panama (IS/643/2021-2022 dated March 9, 2022) This meeting was requested by MP S.A. Wescot-Williams. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules and all health and safety protocols, including the wearing of a mask. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, SXM Bulletin (Cable TV 120), via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and www.pearlfmradio.sx Aztec Minerals Closes its Oversubscribed $3.4 Million Private Placement Financing with Alamos Gold as Strategic Investor Aztec Minerals Corp. (AZT: TSX-V, OTCQB: AZZTF) (aAzteca or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/aztec-minerals-corp/ ) announces that it has closed its oversubscribed CAD$3.4 million non-brokered private placement equity financing. The private placement consisted of 11.4 million units priced at CAD$0.30 per unit for gross proceeds of CAD$3.4 million (the aOfferinga). The Offering was first announced in the Companya?s press release dated May 16, 2022 for gross proceeds of up to CAD$3 million. Each unit consisted of one common share in the capital of the Company and one warrant which is exercisable to purchase an additional common share at an exercise price of CAD$0.40 per common share until June 6, 2024. Alamos Gold Inc. (aAlamosa) (NYSE:A AGI) participated in the Offering with a subscription for 7,926,089 Units, for aggregate consideration of CAD$2,377,826.70.A Prior to the closing of the Offering, Alamos held no common shares or warrants of Aztec.A Following the closing of the Offering, Alamos holds, as of the date hereof, 7,926,089 common shares and 7,926,089 warrants, for a security holding percentage of 9.9% of the Companya?s shares on an undiluted basis and 18.0% on a partially diluted basis assuming the exercise of Alamosa? warrants. Alamos acquired the units for investment purposes, which will be evaluated and may be increased or decreased from time to time at Alamos\- discretion. A copy of Alamosa? early warning report is available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com or can be requested by contacting Scott K. Parsons, Vice-President, Investor Relations, at SParsons@alamosgold.com, 416-368-9932 (ext. 5439) or by mail at Brookfield Place, 181 Bay Street, Suite 3910, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2T3. Aztec intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to conduct exploration work on its Cervantes porphyry gold-copper project in Sonora, Mexico, and its Tombstone epithermal gold-silver & CRD silver-lead-zinc-copper-gold project in Arizona, USA, as well as for general working capital purposes. The securities issued in the Offering are subject to a four-month plus one day hold period ending on October 7, 2022 in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the aExchangea). The Offering is subject to the final acceptance of the Exchange.A Aztec paid cash finder fees totalling CAD$11,160 to arma?s length finders in connection with the Offering. About Aztec Minerals a Aztec is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery of large mineral deposits in the Americas. Our core asset is the prospective Cervantes porphyry gold-copper property in Sonora, Mexico. The historic, district-scale Tombstone property hosts both bulk tonnage epithermal gold-silver as well as CRD massive sulfide silver-lead-zinc-copper mineralization in Cochise County, Arizona. Azteca?s shares trade on the TSX-V stock exchange (symbol AZT) and on the OTCQB (symbol AZZTF). aSimon Dyakowskia Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements under Canadian securities legislation.A Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as aexpectsa or ait is expecteda, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results awilla occur. Forward looking statements in this press release include, but are not restricted to, statements regarding the final approval of the Exchange to the private placement and the Companya?s planned use of the proceeds. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include that the Company does not receive final Exchange acceptance to the private placement. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.A When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Canada Nickel Completes Additional Property Acquisitions Canada Nickel Company Inc. (\Canada Nickel\ or the \Company\) (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQX: CNIKF https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/canada-nickel-company-inc/ ) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Grid Metals Corp. (aGrida) (TSXV: GRDM; OTCQB: MSMGF) on June 6, 2022 to acquire a 100% interest in the Bannockburn Nickel Property located near Matachewan Ontario, and to provide further details on other recently acquired properties.A Mark Selby, Chair and Chief Executive Officer said, aThe acquisition of Bannockburn is highly complementary to our southern cluster of properties at Sothman, Midlothian, and Powell. The Bannockburn aBa zone has already been successfully tested for 600 metres of its total 1.3 kilometre strike length with multiple intervals in excess of 0.3% nickel and has smaller, higher grade potential at other zones on the property. Historical mineral processing work confirmed presence of heazlewoodite, similar to Crawford, and the ability to generate a 35% nickel concentrate.a Mr. Selby continued aThis transaction, in combination with our acquisition of the Newmarket property a another very large ultramafic target adjacent to our Mann properties, conclude our consolidation of large Crawford-type targets in the Timmins region.A We have been very pleased with our ongoing regional drilling program and look forward to sharing results on these regional properties through the year as assays become available.a Bannockburn Property The Bannockburn Property is located 100 kilometres south of Timmins and consists of 125 contiguous unpatented mining claims totaling 2,700 hectares.A Bannockburn is in close proximity to the Companya?s Sothman, Midlothian, and Powell properties.A A The property contains at least two ultramafic units with the larger one representing the aBa Zone, a large, lower-grade mineralized ultramafic measuring 1.3 kilometres along strike by up to 700 metres across strike (based on its magnetic response) that had yielded similar intervals to Canada Nickela?s Crawford Deposit. The aBa Zone was drilled in 2021 by Grid to a depth of 340 metres, with the best hole, GBN21-03, intersecting 342 metres of 0.28% nickel. Previous drilling by Outokumpu Oyj (aOutokumpua) intersected 203 metres of 0.33% nickel in MBB4-09 and 25 metres of 0.46% nickel in BN-19-98. A A Preliminary mineral processing testing in 2005 on the aBa Zone showed that a 0.33% nickel grade sample indicated a recovery of 52% to a 35% nickel concentrate. Previous drilling within the high-grade zones intersected up to 5% nickel in the aCa Zone, which averages 2.5 metres in true thickness, 0.85% nickel over 4.27 metres in the aDa Zone, which remains open and up to 4.54% nickel in the aFa Zone with widths ranging from 0.25 metres to 17.6 metres. Canada Nickel is acquiring a 100% interest in Bannockburn, which is subject to an existing 2.0% net smelter return royalty with Outokumpu, in exchange for two million common shares of the Company. Closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary conditions, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Newmarket Property The Newmarket Property is located 34 kilometres east of Canada Nickela?s Crawford Deposit and consists of 93 contiguous mining claims totaling 1,488 hectares. The property is thought to contain the extension of an ultramafic sill located in Mann Township that Canada Nickel previously optioned from Noble Mineral Exploration. The ultramafic in Newmarket Township measures approximately 8.4 kilometres along strike and up to 600 metres across strike (as estimated from its magnetic footprint). Exploration of the ultramafic within Newmarket dates to 1947 when International Nickel Co. drilled a series of six short holes to a maximum length of 488 feet (149 metres) and intersected serpentinized ultramafic rocks (no assays provided). In 1995, Falconbridge Ltd. conducted ground geophysics and drilling. Hole MAN35-01 drilled just off the edge of Newmarket property intersected serpentinized ultramafic across entire core length to end of hole. Three three-metre assays at 47, 71, and 105 metres yielded nickel intervals in excess of 0.31% nickel. Hole NEW22-01 intersected a coarse-grained peridotite with an assay value of 0.248% nickel over 3 metres reported by the Ontario Geological Survey. Consideration for the acquisition of the Newmarket property was included in the property transactions press released on November 22, 2021. Other Property Acquisitions The Company is also pleased to announce that it has entered into two purchase agreements to acquire certain minor properties located in theA Timmins, OntarioA nickel-sulphide mining district. Under these agreements, Canada Nickel has agreed, subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, to issue a total of 17,000 common shares and has agreed that each of the sellers will retain a net smelter royalty of 2%, with Canada Nickel having the right to re-purchase 50% of the royalty. Canada Nickel also wishes to clarify, further to the acquisition of certain other properties located in the Timmins, Ontario nickel-sulphide mining district described in its April 20, 2022 news release, that in addition to the share consideration described in such prior release, the Company also agreed to pay $75,000 to the seller and grant the seller a 0.5% net smelter royalty on the property, half of which may be bought back for $500,000. In addition, in the event gold mineralization is discovered on the properties, the seller has the right to elect to form a 50% joint venture with the Company to join in the exploration and development of the gold mineralization on the properties. The common shares described in this news release are subject to a four-month hold period from the date of their respective issuances. Statement Regarding TSX Venture 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. The completion of any transactions mentioned in this release is subject to customary closing conditions, including final TSX Venture Exchange approval. The common shares issued pursuant to the above noted acquisitions will be subject to a four month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. Some transactions may have been approved prior to this release. Qualified Person and Data Verification Stephen J. Balch P.Geo. (ON), VP Exploration of Canada Nickel and a \qualified person\ as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of Canada Nickel Company Inc. About Canada Nickel Company Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero NickelTM, NetZero CobaltTM, NetZero IronTM and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Cochrane mining camp. For more information, please visit www.canadanickel.com. Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain information that may constitute \forward-looking information\ under applicable Canadian securities legislation.A Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, drill and exploration results relating to the target properties described herein (the \Properties\), the potential of the Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project and the Properties, timing of economic studies and mineral resource estimates, the ability to sell marketable materials, strategic plans, including future exploration and development results, and corporate and technical objectives.A Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon several 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 information.A Factors that could affect the outcome include, amongA others:A future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raiseA the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilitiesA (knownA andA unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results ofA exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtainA regulatory or shareholder approvals, and the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Company\-sA business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders.A 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 information.A Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.A All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof.A Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. A brave new world thanks to modern technologies Whatever world we want to live in, quality of life and sustainability should be part of it. Cities in particular are dependent on sustainable solutions. CO2 should be reduced, and resources should be saved as much as possible. Especially in cities, people and the environment are under a lot of strain, which can be seen in the air pollution that prevails in many large cities. At the sad top of the list of cities with the highest air pollution are India, China and Pakistan. So, it\-s a good thing that electromobility is booming. In 2021, 681,000 battery-powered passenger cars were registered in Germany. This corresponds to a doubling of the stock. Looking at new registrations worldwide, China is again in first place, but Germany is again in second place (ahead of the USA). If you compare the proportion of electric vehicles with total registrations, the winner is Norway. Around 75 percent of vehicles there are already electric. In Germany, by contrast, the figure is only 26 percent. And the number of electric vehicles is rising rapidly not only in Germany, but also in Denmark and Italy. Tesla is the world\-s leading brand, followed by VW. This positive development is made possible by ever-improving technology applications, including lithium-ion batteries, which are installed in electric cars. The rapid electrification is particularly visible in the transportation sector. High-performance batteries of the next generation are being developed by leveraging know-how in the lithium chemical industry. Li-Metal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHQXwboLOA is active in this field. The expansion of lithium anode and lithium metal production are in focus. The delivery of new generation lithium metal anodes to battery development customers can be considered a success for the company. The ultra-thin lithium anodes result in higher energy density, and they are more cost-effective. The linchpin of electromobility in terms of raw materials is lithium. Lithium companies include Cypress Development https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UyTvZ8scHI -, for example, with its 100 percent owned Clayton Valley Lithium Project in Nevada. The company\-s goal is to become a domestic low-cost lithium producer. In accordance with A34 WpHG I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and thus a possible conflict of interest exists. No guarantee for the translation into English. Only the German version of this news is valid. Disclaimer: The information provided does not represent any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damage arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are always associated with risk. The total loss of the invested capital cannot be excluded. All information and sources are carefully researched. However, no guarantee is given for the correctness of all contents. Despite the greatest care, I expressly reserve the right to make errors, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained herein is taken from sources believed to be reliable, but in no way claims to be accurate or complete. Due to court decisions, the contents of linked external sites are also co-responsible (e.g. Landgericht Hamburg, in the decision of 12.05.1998 312 O 85/98), as long as there is no explicit dissociation from them. Despite careful control of the content, I do not assume liability for the content of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG also applies: https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/disclaimer/ Gold Terra Expands High-Grade MP-Ryan Zone with 31.89 g/t Au over 3 metres including 69.4 g/t Au over 1 metre, Northbelt Mispickel area, Yellowknife, NWT Gold Terra Resource Corp. (TSX-V: YGT; Frankfurt: TX0; OTC QX: YGTFF) (aGold Terraa or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/gold-terra-resource-corp/ ) today announced assay results for three (3) additional drill holes, GTCM22-004, 008 and 014 designed to expand high grade mineralization in the Mispickel area. A Drilling continues to extend gold mineralization in the new high-grade MP-Ryan Zone, a second zone situated west of the main Mispickel area that has the potential to add ounces to the original Mispickel zone, with both zones near surface. To date, the Company has released 8 holes out of the 19-hole winter program which totals 6011 metres. Significant intersections for the three holes in the MP-Ryan Zone include: GTWL22-014- intersected 89 g/t gold (Au) over 3 metres including 69.4 g/t Au over 1 metre GTWL22-004 a intersected 63 g/t gold over 3 meters, including a visible gold-bearing vein which returned 22.5 g/t Au over 1 meter GTWL22-008 intersected 17 g/t Au over 6 meters, including 11.35 g/t Au over 1 meter, and including 11.8 g/t Au over 1 meter Chairman and CEO, Gerald Panneton, commented, aThese high-grade drill results indicate that the MP-Ryan Zone is developing into a new high-grade gold zone approximately 100 to 150m west of the main Mispickel area. This additional high-grade gold zone is a great indication of a larger system than previously thought in this area and opens up the whole area for other significant high-grade discoveries. The Mispickel area will be part of our updated NI 43-101 resource scheduled to be announced in Q4 of this year.A The Mispickel area is situated 20 kilometres north of Yellowknife and complements our flagship Con Mine Property where we are currently drilling at depth along the Campbell Shear south of the Con.a This drilling program of 19 holes totaling 6,011 metres was part of a small winter program in the northern part of the Companya?s Yellowknife City Gold Project. A At least ten (10) holes have intersected visible gold (VG) in a wide sheared vertical structure currently extended over a minimum strike length of at least 450 metres.A Assays are pending for all the remaining 11 holes. The Companya?s 2022 primary drilling program remains focused on testing the continuity of the mineralized zones within the Campbell shear south of the former Con Mine with the objective of adding high-grade ounces to the current 1.2 Moz inferred resources (see March 31, 2021 Technical Report). Following closure of the winter program, the company is continuing its drilling on the Campbell shear structure south of the former Con Mine which produced 6.1 Moz (1938-2003). Drilling Results Hole GTWL22-004 intersected a zone of moderately sheared silty bedding with argillitic intervals hosting increased mineralization and veining. Visible gold is present in a small (4 cm) quartz vein from 57-60 metres returning 7.63 g/t Au over 3 metres, including a visible gold-bearing vein which returned 22.5 g/t Au over 1 metre. A second zone from 84.5-93.5 metres also returned anomalous gold values with 0.96 g/t Au over 9 metres, including 2.47 g/t Au over 1.5 metres, and 4.27 g/t Au over 1 metre. VG in hole GTWL22-004 is shown in the following Figure 2 and all pictures can be found on the Company website at www.goldterracorp.com. GTWL22-008 was drilled on the same northing as hole GTWL22-004 and was designed to intersect the Footwall, Main, and Hanging Wall Zones. Anomalous gold was intersected in all three zones. Footwall zone The hole intersected broad zones of anomalous gold mineralization from 44 to 98 metres containing 17 g/t Au over 6 metres, and including 11.35 g/t Au over 1 metre and 11.8 g/t Au over 1 metre. The Footwall Zone contains sub-centimeter smoky laminated quartz veins with spotty chlorite along vein selvages with a halo of medium grained arsenopyrite in the host rock adjacent to veining. There were three grains of gold in smoky quartz ranging from matchhead to pinhead at 78.3 metres. Main Zone a The hole intersected 0.37 g/t Au over 18 metres from 109-127 metres with similar veining and mineralization to the Footwall Zone. Hanging Wall Zone An interval of pale to smoky grey quartz veining with minor fine and needle to coarse arsenopyrite A pyrrhotite in the pressure shadows was encountered from 324-333 metres. This includes 0.74 g/t Au over 9 metres, including 1.75 g/t Au over 3 metres from 326-329 metres. Figure 3: Visible gold in the Footwall Zone of GTWL22-008 GTWL22-014 The Hole was drilled to expand on the newly discovered zone from hole GTWL22-007 (May 5, 2022 press release). This hole is approximately 30 metres along-strike to the south from hole 007. The hole intersected zones of strong mineralization and quartz veining, similar to what is observed in Mispickel proper. An intersection of smoky veining from 43-46 metres contains a large pale to smoky quartz vein with multiple grains of visible gold along small fractures in the vein. The vein is mineralized with arsenopyrite, pyrite A sphalerite and contains small sections of patchy chlorite. This intersection grades 89 g/t Au over 3 metres, including 69.4 g/t Au over 1 metre. An intersection from 81-89 metres that contains 15% dark smoky grey quartz veining with pyrrhotite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite mineralization grades 1.15 g/t Au over 8 metres, including 2.54 g/t Au over 3 metres. A zone from 138-140 metres with narrow quartz veins and minor arsenopyrite in argillitic rocks grades 1.79 g/t Au over 2 metres. Drilling in the new MP-Ryan Zone is extending the zone along a 500-metre-high grade trend which remains open in all directions.A During the winter 2022 program 6,011 metres have been drilled in 19 holes. A A Logging and sampling are ongoing, with completion of sample shipments expected by the end of June. A A The location of drill holes in the MP-Ryan Zone are shown in the following Figure 5. A Cross-section for holes GTWL22-004 and 008, and 014 is shown in Figure 6 & 7: 2022 Drill Program The Company intends to drill approximately 40,000 metres in 2022 with the objective to delineate aA high-grade gold mineral resource to add to the Companya?s current 1.2 million inferred ounces (See the technical report, titled \Technical Report on the 2021 Updated Mineral Resource Estimates, Northbelt Property, Yellowknife City Gold Project, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada\ with an effective date of March 14, 2021, which can be found on the Company\-s website atA https://www.goldterracorp.comA and on SEDAR atA www.sedar.com) and ultimately advance towards an economic study. The 2022 drill program is well underway with two rigs drilling the Campbell Shear south of the former high-grade Con Mine, with one deep drill rig targeting the Campbell Shear at a depth of approximately 1000 metres below surface and at a 200-metre spacing. A second drill rig is allocated to test the Campbell shear, north of Yellorex zone which was not part of the original agreement with Newmont (September 2020) but is now part of the updated agreement (November 2021) covering all Newmont claims and leases over the former Con Mine area. Technical Appendix This news release reports the assay results from three (3) drill holes totalling 812 metres from which 658 core samples were assayed. Assays results range from non-detectable gold to a highest assay of 69.4 g/t Au. The Company inserts certified standards and blanks into the sample stream as a check on laboratory Quality Control (QC). Drill core samples are cut by diamond saw at Gold Terraa?s core facilities in Yellowknife. A halved core sample is left in the core box. The other half core is sampled and transported by Gold Terra personnel in securely sealed bags to ALS preparation laboratory (aALSa) in Yellowknife or to Actlabs assay lab in Kamloops, BC. Samples prepared by ALS are shipped to ALSa?s Vancouver facility for gold analysis. Gold assays of >3 g/t are re-assayed on a 30 g split by fire assay with gravimetric finish. Samples with visible gold are additionally assayed using a screen metallic method. Both ALS and Actlabs are certified and accredited laboratory services. ALS and Actlabs routinely inserts certified gold standards, blanks and pulp duplicates, and results of all QC samples are reported. Drill holes were drilled at right angles to the structure hosting the mineralization and dip angles of holes were designed to intersect the zones as close to normal as possible. Zones reported here are interpreted to be approximately 90 percent true thickness. The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Joseph Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Gold Terraa?s Yellowknife City Gold Project The YCG project encompasses 800 sq. km of contiguous land immediately north, south and east of the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Through a series of acquisitions, Gold Terra controls one of the six major high-grade gold camps in Canada. Being within 10 kilometres of the City of Yellowknife, the YCG is close to vital infrastructure, including all-season roads, air transportation, service providers, hydro-electric power, and skilled tradespeople. Gold Terra is currently focusing its drilling on the prolific Campbell shear, where 14 Moz of gold has been produced, and most recently on the Con Mine Option claims immediately south of the past producing Con Mine (1938-2003). The YCG lies on the prolific Yellowknife greenstone belt, covering nearly 70 kilometres of strike length along the main mineralized shear system that host the former-producing high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The Company\-s exploration programs have successfully identified significant zones of gold mineralization and multiple targets that remain to be tested which reinforces the Company\-s objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. A Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements made and information contained in this news release constitute \forward-looking information\ within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (\forward-looking information\). Generally, this forward-looking information can, but not always, be identified by use of forward-looking terminology such as \plans\, \expects\ or \does not expect\, \is expected\, \budget\, \scheduled\, \estimates\, \forecasts\, \intends\, \anticipates\ or \does not anticipate\, or \believes\, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events, conditions or results \will\, \may\, \could\, \would\, \might\ or \will be taken\, \occur\ or \be achieved\ or the negative connotations thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information regarding the current drilling on the Campbell Shear on the Newmont Con Mine Option potentially adding high grade ounces to the Companya?s current YCG mineral resource, future planned drilling on the Con Mine Option area and the Company\-s objective of re-establishing Yellowknife as one of the premier gold mining districts in Canada. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as the Company\-s actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of the factors discussed in the \Risk Factors\ section in the Company\-s most recent MD&A and annual information form available under the Company\-s profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that would 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. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on information available to the Company as of the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. All of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Except as required under applicable securities legislation and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information. Markus Schreiber/AP BERLIN (AP) Authorities in Germany should prepare for several possible pandemic scenarios this fall that would likely strain the country's health system and critical infrastructure, an expert panel said Wednesday. The government-appointed panel said the country continues to have immunity gaps in the population, and it recommended promoting vaccines against the coronavirus and making them more easily available. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) In the four years since Republican businessperson Bob Stefanowski first ran for governor, he says he has supported himself with work as a consultant. As he again asks voters to put him in charge of Connecticut, he has yet to disclose his clients or other details of his finances. Stefanowksi first announced his candidacy in January and received the state GOP's endorsement at the convention last month. He said Wednesday that his personal financial information will be forthcoming, including tax returns for him and his wife, but did not provide a time frame. There has long been an expectation that candidates publicly release information about their personal finances, including taxes, said Gary Rose, chair of the department of government at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. As more wealthy candidates with little to no prior elective service run for office in Connecticut, often funding their own campaigns, he said its more important for that information to be released to the voters. Its important to know what their connections have been, he said. It tells a story. As in 2018, when Stefanowski waited until late October to publicly release a summary of his taxes, Democrats have criticized him for not being more forthcoming. When he ran in 2018, Bob refused to share tax records until the last days of the campaign. In 2022, it looks like hes doing the same thing, Whats Bob hiding?" Connecticut Democratic Party Chair Nancy DiNardo said. In his business career, Stefanowski, 60, worked for General Electric and investment bank UBS before becoming CEO of a global payday lending company. Hes also a certified public accountant and financial analyst and author of two books on mergers and acquisitions. According to his Linkedin account, Stefanowski has also served on the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm's mergers & acquisitions advisory board. Stefanowski has provided little information about his work as a consultant. Asked Wednesday what type of businesses he worked with, he said that could be discussed at some future date: We can go through all this. Im going to release what I can. What ethically and legally I can release. He added: In a consulting firm, theres always confidential information." The GOP candidate said Wednesday that he plans to release tax returns for 2019, 2020 and 2021 and will include our family income," including all of his investments. Stefanowski and Gov. Ned Lamont, the Democrat who won in 2018, are each spending large sums of their own money on their campaign this year, forgoing public campaign financing. While Stefanowski has loaned his campaign about $10 million so far, money that could eventually be repaid by the campaign, Lamont is expected to foot most of the bill himself for his race. The former founder of a cable TV company, Lamont does not accept a salary as governor and mostly self-funded his previous campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate. The Lamont campaign in April allowed reporters to review a summary of the governor's adjusted gross income, effective tax rate, total charitable contributions and state and federal taxes for years 2018-2020. Reporters were also allowed to review redacted details of his returns. The governor who files his taxes separately from his wife, Annie, a venture capital consultant did not release his 2021 returns. His campaign said he requested a filing extension from the IRS. Stefanowski said he will ultimately release more financial information than Lamont. Were going to release returns for 2019, 2020, 2021. Its going to include our family income, he said. My disclosure is going to be the most, probably in the history of Connecticut, from a governor, and thats what were going to do. Stefanowski has criticized Lamont for not providing voters with more information about his wife's finances, especially given the ties that Oak HC/FT, the Greenwich venture capital firm cofounded by Annie Lamont, has had with various companies working with the state of Connecticut, including a former vendor contracted by the state to provide COVID-19 testing services. Lamont has said the company, Sema4, has not made a profit. If it did, he said, the money would be donated. I dont think its unreasonable for the taxpayers of Connecticut to ask for the governors family to release those numbers, Stefanowski said. Rose said he also believes Annie Lamont should release tax information. All statewide elected officials, members of the General Assembly and other state officials are required in Connecticut to file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the Office of State Ethics. Ned and Annie Lamont filed a special 16-page plan with state ethics officials that attempts to eliminate the possibility of a substantial conflict of interest or potential conflict involving Annie Lamont. The office concluded in 2019 that the steps taken by the couple to adhere to state ethics rules were adequate to better ensure compliance." They include the couple proactively recusing themselves from taking any action that involves Oak HC/FT portfolio companies. ___ This story has been corrected to show Bob Stefanowski's age is 60, not 59. NEWTOWN From the start, Sandy Hook families who won three defamation cases against Alex Jones in Connecticut and Texas said his effort to seek federal bankruptcy protection was a calculated stunt to avoid jury trials that will decide how much in damages he has to pay them. Now that Jones has been bounced from bankruptcy protection, and three trials to award defamation damages are back on track, families here and in Texas want state judges to make Jones pay their legal costs for the 45 days they had to fight his sham filing in federal court. (Jones) counsel knowingly misled the court and then later embarked on a fraudulent removal for the purpose of disrupting a trial and gaining advantage in litigation through frivolous forum shopping, wrote the Texas attorneys representing the parents of two slain Sandy Hook children who won two defamation cases against Jones last year. (T)he bankruptcy scheme was not a legitimate use of the Subchapter V reorganization process, but a calculated stunt to use the bankruptcy court to deny the (families) their day in court and compel claims liquidation. In Connecticut, where an FBI agent and eight Sandy Hook families who lost loved ones in the 2012 mass shooting won a third defamation case against Jones last year, lawyers agreed that Jones Chapter 11 filing served no valid bankruptcy purpose, filing their own motion this week with state Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis. (N)ot content to waste this courts time and ignore this courts rulings, Jones expanded his bad faith abuse of process to bankruptcy, wrote the Connecticut families attorneys in a motion on Tuesday. The tactical advantage (Jones) sought was disruption and delay of the (families) cases and interference with their rights to proceed to trial through abuse of the judicial process. The families are not asking for specific costs at the moment but are asking judges to rule that Jones acted in bad faith by seeking bankruptcy protection in mid-April for three of his shell companies, without filing for bankruptcy protection himself. The shell companies had a combined monthly income of $38,000, according to Jones representatives in bankruptcy court. In contrast, Jones himself made at least $76 million in 2019 selling merchandise on his conspiracy broadcasting platform, Infowars, his representatives said. Jones didnt file for bankruptcy himself because he feared it would diminish his brand name, which his representative likened to the Coca-Cola of the conspiracy theory community. Should the judges rule Jones filed for bankruptcy in bad faith and consider sanctions, the families attorneys would submit their legal costs to the court. Jones attorneys in Texas and Connecticut had not yet filed replies to the families motions on Wednesday. In Texas, Jones attorney Andino Reynal did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. In Connecticut, Jones legal representation is complicated because his high-profile New Haven attorney, Norm Pattisx, has asked to be dropped from the case. Bellis has said no for now arguing that Pattis and other Jones attorneys have either replaced themselves or have asked to be dropped from Jones case 13 times in the last four years. Bellis plans to hear arguments next week about dropping Pattis from Jones case and about an outstanding matter of $37,000 in legal fees the families want Jones to pay for two days Jones disobeyed court orders and failed to show up for depositions. Jones bankruptcy attorneys insisted that his Chapter 11 filing was a bona-fide attempt to stay in business while paying his creditors equitably, noting that Jones had already spent $10 million in legal fees and lost at least $20 million as a result of the Sandy Hook defamation cases. Jones called the 2012 killing of 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School staged, synthetic, manufactured, a giant hoax, and completely fake with actors. A jury trial to award damages to the parents of a slain Sandy Hook boy that was scheduled to begin in Texas one week before Jones filed for bankruptcy and has yet to be rescheduled. A jury trial to award defamation damages in Connecticut is planned for Sept. 6. Attorneys in Texas and Connecticut said their arguments that Jones filed for bankruptcy in bad faith was supported by a federal official, U.S. Trustee Kevin Epstein, who oversees bankruptcy cases. Alex Jones caused the shell company defendants, which he controls, to file sham reorganization bankruptcies, wrote the Connecticut families attorneys. The U.S. Trustee described the bankruptcy as an abuse of the bankruptcy system and a scheme of avoiding the burdens of the bankruptcy while reaping its benefits. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD The annual Downtown Stamford Farmers Market has found a bigger home. The annual event will move from Prospect Street to Veterans Memorial Park for the Summer 2022 season, according to an announcement from the Downtown Special Services District. The first market of the summer is set for June 11 and will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. This years vendors include Amelias Florist and Farm Market, Merediths Country Bakery, Sunset Farm, The Prospector Theater Gourmet Popcorn, Vegan to Go-Go and Waterview Farm, among others. The farmers market will run every Saturday until Oct. 29. Along with the farmers market, the DSSD will also host the Arts and Crafts on Bedford festival from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. June 11. About four dozen vendors will take over Bedford Street. Stamford Downtown will also hold activities for kids at Latham Park during those same hours. The organization will host a second Arts and Crafts on Bedford Sept. 10. veronica.delvalle@hearstmediact.com There are times when her shift is so busy and the facility is so understaffed that Liz Diaz says it takes her two hours to get a drink for a resident of the West Haven nursing home where she works. There are more falls, said Diaz, a certified nurses assistant at Apple Rehab in West Haven. People arent getting proper care. Everyone is very busy. Were doing one task after another. Its so fast-paced that there is no time to spend with residents and that I really dont like. Diaz was among hundreds of nursing home workers throughout the state and country who picketed outside their place of work Wednesday afternoon to demand raises, better benefits and more protections for residents during a national Day of Action to launch a campaign to demand industry change. The pandemic highlighted the gaps in care that nursing homes have been struggling with for years, according to officials with the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199, SEIU and the parent SEIU union that encompasses organizations throughout the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The status quo in our nursing homes is not working not for workers, residents or for families, SEIU President Mary Kay Henry said in a statement. As the nation looks to move past COVID-19, nursing home workers and residents are facing a system on the brink of collapse. Executives at the Apple Rehab corporate offices did not return phone calls and emails Wednesday. Black and brown women comprise the majority of nursing home staff who have kept caring for residents even as the industry is struggling, Henry said. Thats why workers are taking action now across the country to demand nursing home workers be respected, protected and paid living wages, Henry added. The New England Health Care Employees Union was able to negotiate raises, cheaper health care premiums and pension benefits for employees of about 60 nursing homes throughout Connecticut with the help of state funding, union spokesperson Pedro Zayas said. But the three Apple Rehab nursing homes in West Haven, Rocky Hill and Uncasville, that are represented by the union havent sought state funding, Zayas said. That means health care and pension benefits for workers at those homes werent enacted in the same way as other homes that sought and obtained state funding, Zayas said. We are very happy that Connecticut made some significant steps to improve these jobs, Zayas said. But its unfortunate that we still have operators who refuse to do the right thing for these workers. Diaz and Stephanie Booth, a licensed practical nurse at Apple Rehab in Uncasville, face challenges every day due to a lack of staff at their facilities, both women said. Were doing the work of five people, Booth said. Were looking for increased wages because we have a severe staffing crisis, Booth said. We cant get anyone in the door because of the pay. The pandemic has led to staffing shortages that are impacting the care of residents, Diaz said. Her facility lost a lot of residents to COVID-19, which was heartbreaking, she said. But following months of working through the pandemic, staffing is so critically low its become difficult to properly care for the residents, Diaz said. I didnt get into this business to see this kind of thing, she said. I became an aide to help these people. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Rep. Liz Cheney has been thinking lately about her great-great-grandfather, a man who fought for the Union in the Civil War, as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection prepares to launch a prime-time hearing of its work. The Wyoming congresswoman, a member of one of Americas famous political families, is one of just two Republicans on the 1/6 panel, and its vice chair. Cheney helped drive the committee's investigation into Donald Trumps relentless efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and has become one of the former president's fiercest critics after a mob of his supporters laid siege to the Capitol to try to stop Congress from certifying Joe Bidens victory. Thursdays televised hearing could be a pivotal moment in her political legacy elevating her ambitions as a post-Trump party leader or possibly costing Cheney her job. I have found myself, especially since January 6th, thinking often of my great-great-grandfather and of the Union he fought to defend, Cheney said in a recent speech. The question for every one of us is, in this time of testing, will we do our duty?" she asked after receiving a 2022 Profile In Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston. "Or will we look away from danger, ignore the threat, embrace the lies? Cheney has not shied from tough battles since she was elected to the House in 2016, alongside Trump's own election, a staunch conservative whose family settled in Wyoming generations ago and who easily won the Republican-heavy Western state's lone congressional seat. In one of her first news conferences with party leaders, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney unabashedly backed the enhanced interrogation techniques he helped champion in the post-9/11 era. Many others in Washington had said it was time to end the practice, regarding it as torture. Known as an inside player with a famous family name, she is now thrust onto a national stage at a critical moment. Her singular mission to stop Trump from ever being president again after he spread false claims of voter fraud that spurred the attack on the Capitol may be among her last in Congress. Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman in Virginia, said Cheney grew up steeped in principles and the belief that "this is why youre in public service, to do the right thing." Comstock compared Cheney to Republican Margaret Chase Smith, the U.S. senator from Maine who stood up to Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the GOP over unproven allegations and smears against Americans whose lives were upended after being labeled as communists. History does have a way of sorting this out, and I think Liz understands that, Comstock said. Booted by Republicans from her No. 3 position in House GOP leadership for joining the 1/6 committee, Cheney now faces the full force of the Trump wing of the Republican Party apparatus trying to remove her from office by supporting a primary opponent. Wyoming tilts strongly Republican, almost guaranteeing the winner of the partys August primary will win the general election in November. Trump is campaigning against Cheney, as he has gone after the 10 House Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to impeach him over the insurrection the only president to be twice impeached. The former president recently arrived in Wyoming, filling the Casper event center to rally in support of Harriet Hageman, the fiery attorney and state party leader challenging Cheney. The people of Wyoming are going to vote dump this woman, Liz Cheney," Trump predicted. As Trump ran through a list of grievances about those disloyal to him, he said that worse than his Democratic political opponents are the backstabbing RINO Republicans an acronym for Republicans in Name Only" and cited Cheney as among them. Other Republicans have followed Trump's lead. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is laboring to stay close to Trump as Republicans try to wrest control of the House from Democrats in the midterm elections, has shunned the congressional tradition of backing incumbent colleagues and instead endorsed Hageman and sent campaign cash her way. You have a congresswoman who's obsessed with attacking President Donald J. Trump, said McCarthy, who hopes to become the next House speaker, in a video address to the rally crowd. James King, a political science professor at the University of Wyoming, said has he has never seen a serious challenge to an incumbent member of Congress in the state in his 30 years observing local politics. Its an unusual situation, but then the last year and a half has been an unusual situation, King said. He said hes not sure the televised Jan. 6 hearings will hurt or help Cheneys standing back home. I think most people will have made up their mind they have either decided that Cheney is a traitor to what they voted for in 2020, or they are behind Cheney in searching for the truth behind the Jan. 6 events, he said. Still, other notable Republicans, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, have quietly supported Cheney's campaign. Strategists see a path for Cheney's reelection by drawing a coalition of moderate Republicans and crossover Democrats who are eligible to vote in the GOP primary after the state government bucked Trump's push to tighten the rules. The Republican Party in Wyoming has become more extreme, and its chairman, Frank Eathorne, was spotted in images of those outside the Capitol during the riot. We're fed up with Liz Cheney, Hageman said at the rally. After the long assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, Congress reconvened that night to pick up where it had left off certifying the election results submitted by the states. Cheney said she walked through the building, into Statuary Hall, the historic space filled with law enforcement officers in tactical gear sitting on the floor, leaning up against the statues, exhausted from the brutal hand-to-hand combat in which they had been engaged for hours. She made her way to the next room, the Capitol Rotunda, watched over by statues of Washington and Jefferson, and Lincoln and Grant, and Eisenhower, and Ford and Reagan. Its giant paintings, she noted, included one that depicts George Washington resigning his military commission after the Revolutionary War voluntarily relinquishing his command in a stunning act that set the stage for the future presidential tradition. And this sacred obligation to defend the peaceful transfer of power has been honored by every American president except one, she said. Thinking about her great-great-grandfather Samuel Fletcher Cheney, she said it's time for this generation to set aside partisan battles and stand together to perpetuate and preserve our great republic. ___ For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege As of Monday, June 6, more than 18,000 people have died in the United States from gun violence this year. There have been 246 mass shootings. To date, 555 children ages 12-17 have been killed by a gun. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, guns have replaced motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for American children. Each day, more than 200 people are injured and more than 100 are killed by gun violence. These statistics dont include the societal costs of gun violence and the toll it takes on the people left behind. This carnage continues despite the fact that a majority of Americans Democrats, Republicans, and NRA members support common-sense gun laws, like universal background checks, a national gun sale database, and the banning of assault weapons. These laws, and others, are being held hostage by Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Their failure to act, and their callous disregard for the lives and safety of Americans, contributes to the daily horror of preventable gun violence in our country. Weve had enough. In 2018, almost 3,000 people rallied with us in Stamford to demand an end to gun violence. This Saturday, June 11, we invite you to join us, and thousands of allies across the country in more than 500 March for our Lives events, as we pledge to use our vote to oust lawmakers at all levels of government who block or oppose life-saving gun violence prevention bills. In Connecticut, weve worked tirelessly to pass successful measures to reduce gun deaths and injuries and we know that common sense gun laws work. It is how Connecticut has become one of the safest states in the nation. Our success is made possible by us, the voters, who make it our mission to elect and re-elect a gun-sense majority in the State Assembly, and a governor and Congressional delegation who are champions of gun violence prevention legislation. Our small state has made a big impact on gun laws across the country, and today, Connecticut serves as a role model to other states. It is why our U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal are leading the negotiations in the U.S. Senate toward what we hope will be meaningful legislation in Congress. Connecticut continually steps up to protect its citizens. Since our last rally in 2018, a law banning ghost guns and 3-D printed guns was passed to legally prohibit people from making homemade weapons without traceable serial numbers. We passed safe storage laws for homes and vehicles. Our red flag law was recently updated to allow family members, household members, and medical professionals to petition the court to remove guns from the possession of someone who poses a risk to themselves or others. And this year, we passed landmark mental health funding to support children who are struggling. But even here in Connecticut we recognize there is more work to do. We continue to fight for a much-needed Office of Gun Violence Prevention and sustained funding for intervention programs that actively address the systems which enable street-level gun violence and to support better programs for our youth. Legislation has been proposed to prevent bulk purchases of guns, create a gun tracking task force which would identify the source of illegal guns, and to limit the amount of ammunition one can purchase in the period of a month. We are confident these bills will ultimately pass in Connecticut because we will work tirelessly to elect candidates on Nov. 8 who make gun violence prevention a priority. Let your voice be heard at the March For Our Lives Stamford Rally in Mill River Park at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 11. Join us in amplifying the call for long overdue votes in the U.S. Senate on gun safety legislation. We owe it to survivors. We owe it to our children. We owe it to each other. Rally Saturday The Rally to End Gun Violence will take place Saturday, June 11, at 11 a.m at Mill River Park (Broad Street and Washington Boulevard). See More Collapse Co-organizers of March For Our Lives Stamford Shira Tarantino, Robin Druckman, Stephanie Overstrom and Wilner Joseph. 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"We are addressing everyone, we are also addressing notables. There are other parties where there are more currents or divergences in the leadership, we discuss and negotiate, day by day, with parties or with different wings of parties, including parliamentarians in the current legislature, to have them join this pole as independents. We want everyone with us, we will not have an attitude of superiority and we will even talk to every parliamentarian, every party, every faction, even the civil society, associations, foundations. It's time to close ranks," Simion told a news conference.Asked about the fact that he is trying to recruit parliamentarians, although he spoke out against party switching, Simion said there are AUR initiatives against this political practice in Parliament, adding that everyone is welcome "in the fight against the common enemy PSD - PNL [the Social Democratic Party - the National Liberal Party]", in order to come to power and "reform" the Romanian political life."It is absolutely illogical what is happening at the moment, the local councilors lose their mandate if they leave the party. The same does not happen with the parliamentarians. We oppose this phenomenon that must be changed and can be changed if there were political will, hinge parties were created and they are trying to be against the will of the people. It is very illogical what is happening in the Romanian Parliament," said Simion.He said that "everyone is welcome in the fight against the common enemy PSD - PNL"."After that, we can really reform the Romanian public life, because as long as our initiative to elect mayors in two rounds of elections has been rejected, you cannot have democracy at the level of local communities. That is why we must all shake hands, those of us who are not PNL - PSD, the only party, to take the power and in the first months of government to change, for example, the law related to party switching, the law related to the election of mayors in two rounds, to adopt the confiscation of illicit assets and to reform the Romanian state institutionally, from a administrative-territorial reform to debureaucratization and digitalization, based on a set of common values, concluded Simion. The Romanian Constitutional Court (CCR) discusses on Wednesday the Save Romania Union (USR)'s notification regarding the law that allows the construction of small hydroelectric power plants in protected areas. The Save Romania Union announced that it has notified the Constitutional Court of the law "which leaves room for the completion and operation of illegal hydropower plants in protected natural areas." In the notification submitted to CCR, USR invoked 11 arguments of unconstitutionality, among them being the violation of the bicameralism principle, given that there are major differences in legal content between the form adopted by the Senate, as the first notified Chamber, and the form adopted by the Chamber of Deputies. USR also invoked a violation of the right to a healthy environment. "A law that exempts the 'polluter' from the obligation to conduct impact assessments and proper assessment studies is deeply unconstitutional, affecting the fundamental right to health care. The purpose of the environmental impact assessment is to establish solutions to prevent or limit the above-mentioned ecological impact, as well as to identify the responsible authorities in the event of ecological disasters, on the principle of polluter pays. Given that the law raises the guaranteed protection of protected area for such hydropower projects, granting instead immunity to hydropower projects by simply invoking the major public interest, the risk created for the environment and human health is a major one", shows the USR notification. USR also invoked the violation of Romania's obligations and responsibilities towards the European Union, by failing to comply with the provisions contained in art. 11, 191, 194 and 288 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as well as in Directives no. 60/2000 establishing a framework for Community policy in the field of water, no. 43/92 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of species of wild fauna and flora, no. 60/2007 on the assessment and management of flood risks, no. 147/2009 on the conservation of wild birds and in Directive no. 52/2014 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment. The Plenary Session of the Chamber of Deputies adopted, on March 23, the draft which stipulates that the investment objectives for the realization of hydropower facilities under construction with a percentage of completion higher than 60% are considered projects of major public interest and national security and safety. to be put into operation by 31 December 2025. AGERPRES Minister of National Defence Vasile Dincu met on Wednesday with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Republic of Moldova, Oleg Serebrian, one of the topics addressed being the situation of regional security against the backdrop of the unprovoked and brutal military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. During the talks, the two officials addressed issues related to the priorities and efforts of the Chisinau authorities regarding the European path of the Republic of Moldova, as well as Romania's active involvement in promoting and adopting the European Peace Facility (EPF) aimed at the Moldovan partner, informs a press release of the Ministry of National Defence sent to AGERPRES.At the same time, aspects of the regional security situation were discussed against the backdrop of the unprovoked and brutal military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, and elements of regional geopolitical context were presented, the quoted source said.The issue of the refugee situation, the impact on the two partner states and the importance of humanitarian support granted to Ukraine were also addressed.The two officials stressed the need to maintain a constant dynamic of the political-military dialogue, for a more efficient and coordinated action, as well as to continue the joint efforts dedicated to the consolidation of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu will attend on Thursday the annual Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) taking place in Paris, Agerpres reports. This is Romania's first participation in an OECD Ministerial Meeting as a candidate state following the OECD Council's January 25 decision to grant Romania candidate status, the Foreign Ministry said in a release.In addition to a set of recommendations, decisions and reports on topical issues related to the organization's day-to-day activity, the OECD Ministerial Council is also considering the formal approval of the Accession Roadmaps put out by the OECD Secretariat to guide the accession process of Romania and the other candidate countries (Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia and Peru).The adoption of the Accession Roadmap represents an important step in the process of Romania's accession, with the role of guiding Romania's future efforts in the complex internal preparation process and the effective unfolding of OECD accession negotiations.The Romanian top diplomat will participate in both the opening of the Ministerial Conference and the debates in the session titled "Trade and Environmental Sustainability", emphasizing OECD's major role in shaping a resilient, green, digital and inclusive world economy.Also, ForMin Bogdan Aurescu will highlight in his speech "the need to strengthen the global trade system having the World Trade Organization at its center, as well as Romania's support, as a EU member, for the reform of this organization." On the same occasion, the Romanian top diplomat will reiterate Romania's solid candidacy and the internal preparations for the unfolding of OECD accession talks under the best conditions. Government spokesman Dan Carbunaru discussed on Wednesday with OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro the importance of freedom of expression and the media, Agerpres reports. "It was a dialogue in which we discussed the importance of freedom of expression, freedom of the media and the way the Romanian Government is involved in protecting these fundamental values in any democracy. As you know, the OSCE is one of the most respected organizations at the international level, of which Romania is a part, and this has been a good opportunity to discuss the need to protect these values, based on free speech and the way in which, in collaboration with the media, with civil society, a democratic government must position itself especially in this complicated period at regional level," Carbunaru told a press conference held at Victoria Palace of Government.He noted that after the government meeting on Wednesday, members of the Cabinet had a discussion with representatives of civil society "from the perspective of the need to have the best and most appropriate communication".Teresa Ribeiro, on a working visit to Romania, talked on Tuesday with Secretary of State for Global Affairs and Diplomatic Strategies Cornel Feruta, about the situation in Ukraine, emphasizing the need to protect journalists, media professionals and associated staff in situations of conflict, as well as the offensive of the Russian false narratives and manipulations of information on the media, exacerbated in the context of the unjustified and unprovoked military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. A small twin-engined Beechcraft aircraft, carrying two people, flew over at low altitude the airspace of Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria on Wednesday evening, informs the Ministry of National Defense (MApN), Agerpres reports. "We specify that the aircraft in question, which flew in the Romanian airspace on the Oradea - Caransebes - Drobeta Turnu Severin route, did not show a hostile or dangerous behavior. At no time did the pilot of the aircraft respond to radio interrogations or visual signals transmitted by the intercepting military aircraft, according to international regulations," the cited source shows.According to the data available at the moment, the aircraft took off from Hungary, in the Debretin area, around 17:30, without having an approved flight plan and without the electronic transponder identification means on.The aircraft was intercepted in Hungarian airspace by two Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen military aircraft at 17:38. The aircraft did not respond to radio interrogations or visual signals from the military aircraft.At around 17:49, the aircraft entered the Romanian airspace, in the Oradea area, being accompanied by the two Hungarian military aircraft, based on the cross-border agreement between Romania and Hungary.At 17:58, the Hungarian aircraft returned to base, the target being taken over by two US Air Force F-16 aircraft deployed at the RoAF 86th Air Base Fetesti, that were on a patrol mission in Romanian airspace."The mission of the two US aircraft was similar, of radio interrogation, visual identification and escorting of the target aircraft," the ministry said.At 18:36, the US aircraft requested the return approval to the 86th Air Base, the air policing mission being taken over by two F-16 aircraft of the Romanian Air Force, taking off from the same air base."The Romanian military aircraft intercepted the target aircraft at 18:42 and continued the interrogation and escort mission. The target aircraft, which continued not to respond to radio calls and visual signals, crossed at around 19:00 for about two minutes the Serbian airspace in an area between Drobeta Turnu Severin and Korbovo,", mentions the Ministry of National Defense.At around 19:09, the target aircraft crossed into the Bulgarian airspace.The two Romanian F-16 aircraft completed the air policing mission and landed at Fetesti at around 19:46.The Bulgarian authorities are currently investigating the area of the target's last known position on the ground, in order to identify the aircraft and establish the details, the Ministry of National Defense representatives further show. The Ministry of National Defense extends, until June 24, the recruitment campaign for those who wish to perform military service in reserve as a volunteer reservist in the Romanian Army. At this stage, which began on May 16, 871 positions are available for all categories of personnel - officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers, the Ministry of National Defence said in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday. Further details can be obtained from the zonal, county or sector military centers, and their contact details are available on the MApN websites at: https://www.recrutaremapn.ro/contactbir.php and https: // www.mapn.ro/contact/centre_militare/index.php. Currently, in the structures of the Ministry of National Defense, there are separate promotion, recruitment and selection processes for 2,612 positions put up for competition this year, and until June 3, 9,708 candidates have registered and submitted their files. AGERPRES On Wednesday, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca highlighted the need for institutional coordination among ministries, the government and the Presidential Administration, between Romanian state bodies and European and international bodies, for a coherent approach and coordinated action to combat climate change and its impacts. Ciuca chaired the first meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, the establishment and operation of which is a milestone set out in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). "Institutional coordination is needed among ministries, the government and the Presidential Administration, between Romanian state bodies and European and international bodies, for a coherent and coordinated approach to measures to combat climate change and its impacts. We can secure the integration of the necessary measures in the area of reforms, investment, development, economic balance by working together and taking up courageous decisions for a healthier environment," Ciuca is quoted as saying in a press release. Debates at the Government House meeting focused on Romania's mandate under European Legislative Package "Fit for 55" and its priorities for the COP27 Climate Change Summit. Along with details on the organisation and operation of the committee, the meeting discussed the modeling and analysis of long-term energy and climate policy planning and the allocation of resources. Attending the meeting were Prime Minister Ciuca, Minister of the Environment, Water and Forestry Tanczos Barna, Chief of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister Mircea Abrudean, Secretary General of the Government Marian Neacsu, state adviser with the Presidential Administration Alexandra Bocse and officials of public bodies dealing with climate change. AGERPRES The development of the Romanian irrigation system, agricultural education and the transition to a "greener agriculture" were the main topics of discussion during a meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Adrian Chesnoiu, and a delegation led by David Muniz, the charge d'affaires of the United States Embassy in Bucharest, informs the relevant ministry (MADR), in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday. The Minister of Agriculture stressed the importance of the strong partnership between the two states, especially during this period in which we are facing a significant increase in energy and gas prices domestically, and Russia's military aggression on Ukraine has created an even more difficult context."The development of the irrigation system in Romania has been a priority objective since taking office as a minister. Recently, amendments to the relevant legislation have been approved to allow the introduction of local irrigation systems or microsystems in farms so that more and more farmers have access to irrigation equipment to help them achieve high-level production. We want to increase the irrigable area, and our goal is to exceed 2 million irrigable hectares, compared to the 1.3 million irrigable hectares at present," underlined minister Adrian Chesnoiu.Another topic of discussion was the partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Education regarding the financing of agricultural high schools through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), which will focus, on the one hand, on the practical component and, on the other hand, the didactic one, aimed at adapting of the curriculum to the real needs of the farmers.In reply, David Muniz specified that there are agricultural companies active on the Romanian market, with which a collaboration can be initiated in this direction, expressing his willingness to contribute to this important objective of our country. In this regard, discussions between MADR and the Embassy representatives will continue at expert level.Another aspect discussed during the meeting was the measures for the transition to a "greener agriculture" and their capitalization through investments in solar energy, biomass or biogas. On this subject, the Minister explained that part of the Modernization Fund allocated to Romania will be directed to farmers and the food industry, so as to ensure the energy independence of these sectors.At the end of the meeting, David Muniz expressed his full availability to collaborate for the benefit of farmers, appreciating their efforts to make their farms as competitive as possible on the international market. The National Union of Romanian Hauliers (UNTRR) is calling on the government to speed up the country's Schengen accession process and simplify border crossing administrative procedures in order to cut the very long waiting times that severely disrupt the international operations of Romanian hauliers, Agerpres reports. "On 07.06.2022, lorries were queuing for over 25 kilometres at the western borders of Romania (Nadlac 2, Bors and Petea crossing points). If Romania had been in the Schengen Area today, many of the current problems would have been axed and the border waiting times for Romanian carriers would have been significantly reduced," the industry association said in a release on Wednesday.According to UNTRR, truck queues at Romania's eastern borders with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were even longer, with waiting times exceeding 30 hours."With non-EU countries, border congestion could be largely resolved by authorities simplifying administrative procedures," the statement said.Also, the TIR system enabling the transit of goods across international borders without unloading and reloading, would minimize the hauliers' administrative and financial burdens related to customs clearance operations."Surveys by the International Road Transport Union (IRU) have shown that border crossing infrastructure is necessary but not sufficient for economic development, and delays at border crossing account for 39.7 percent of the total transport time, which is inadmissible in the European Economic Area," UNTRR representatives said.According to the cited source, in absence of sufficient and well-trained personnel, time-consuming border crossing operations due to non-harmonised procedures that also encourage unofficial payments are a major cause of transport delays and the economy has to suffer.Therefore, UNTRR is calling on the government to intensify steps for Romania's Schengen integration as soon as possible and for easing the administrative burden at the border crossing points.The National Union of Romanian Hauliers (UNTRR) is an independent, apolitical, non-governmental professional employer organization founded in 1990 on democratic principles, which domestically and internationally promotes and defends the interests of road hauliers. UNTRR joins under its umbrella over 16,000 registered companies active in the domestic and international transport of goods and people. ISTANBUL (AP) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was welcomed in the Turkish capital on Wednesday just as the foreign minister of Russia, a key ally of the ostracized Latin American regime, was also visiting the city. Maduro is on a Eurasian tour after being rebuffed by Washington, which decided not to invite him to the Summit of the Americas. Turkey is one of a handful of places around the world Russia and Iran are other friendly states where Maduro is welcome amid U.S. sanctions on his country. Similarly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also faces travel restrictions due to his countrys war on Ukraine. Lavrov arrived in Turkey, which like Russia borders the Black Sea, two days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. His official duties in Ankara a meeting with his Turkish counterpart took place at President Recep Tayyip Erdogans palace just hours before Maduro arrived at the same venue. There was no official word on whether the two men met. Turkey and Venezuela have deepened their ties in recent years, with trade rising to nearly $850 million, according to Erdogan. Venezuelas gold trade with Turkey has risen as U.S. sanctions have cut off other sources of income for Caracas. Erdogan told a news conference with Maduro that Turkey was against the one-sided sanctions on Venezuela. We will always stand with the friendly and brotherly people of Venezuela, he said, adding that he hoped to visit Caracas next month. Manduro thanked Turkey for its support during the COVID-19 pandemic and said the two countries had signed three agreements on banking, agriculture and tourism. Earlier, Maduro laid a wreath at the tomb of Turkeys founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk before traveling to the palace, arriving in a limousine escorted by ceremonial cavalry. Erdogan was the first Turkish president to visit Venezuela in 2018 while Maduro has traveled to Turkey on several occasions. During one such stopover Maduro and his wife were criticized for dining in the expensive Salt Bae steak restaurant while many Venezuelans were struggling with poverty. The Summit of the Americas meeting of regional leaders in Los Angeles is taking place June 7-to-10. The governments of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua have been excluded from it by the United States. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. PRAGUE (AP) Czech President Milos Zeman said Tuesday that he is ready to veto, if it's approved by parliament, proposed legislation that would give same-sex couples in the country the right to hold civil weddings. The bill drafted by lawmakers from across the political spectrum was submitted to the Czech Parliament's lower house Tuesday, but no date has been set for the beginning of its debate. It is strongly opposed by the Christian Democrats, a member of the governing five-party coalition, and by the opposition Freedom and Direct Democracy, an anti-migrant and anti-Muslim populist party. I'd like to announce that if I really receive such a law to sign I will veto it, Zeman said Tuesday after meeting his Hungarian counterpart Katalin Novak. Zeman noted that the Czech state already enables civil unions for same-sex couples, But a family is a union between a man and a woman. Full stop. The Czech president is known for derogatory comments about the LGBTQ community. A majority of all lawmakers in the lower house can override the presidential veto. The Czech presidency is a largely ceremonial post. Parliament already started to debate similar legislation in 2018 but didn't take a vote on it before last year's general election and it had to be submitted again. Same-sex marriage is now legal in some 30 countries worldwide, including most of Western Europe. In the Czech Republic, Parliament approved in 2006 a law allowing same-sex partners to live in an officially registered partnership and have rights to inheritance and health care similar to those enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. Such arrangements offer some of the protections of marriage, but many LGBTQ activists consider them a demeaning second-tier status. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Any kind of monthly check you don't have to work for is pretty awesome, but let's be honest: When it comes to Social Security, we all want as much as we can get. Many don't realize it, but there are several easy ways you can beef up your Social Security checks, even if you're not yet eligible to apply. Here are three you can try to lock in larger benefit checks for life. 1. Work at least 35 years The Social Security Administration calculates your benefit amount using data on your average monthly earnings over your 35 highest-earning years. You don't have to work that long to qualify for benefits, but if you exit the workforce before hitting the 35-year mark, you'll have some zero-income years factored into your benefit calculation, permanently reducing how much you'll get from the program. If you're able, try to work at least 35 years before retiring -- and don't feel like you have to stop there. Those who work longer than 35 years often get more out of Social Security. You'll probably earn more money as you approach retirement age than you did as a teenager or young adult just beginning your career. Once you exceed 35 years, these more recent, higher-earning years start to replace your earlier, lower-earning years in your benefit calculation, resulting in larger checks. 2. Choose the right claiming age The other major factor that affects your Social Security checks is your age. Your birth year determines your full retirement age (FRA). This is the age at which you become eligible for your full Social Security benefit, and it's anywhere from 66 to 67 for today's workers. Every month that you claim benefits under your FRA shrinks your checks. So, for example, if you sign up right away at 62, you will only get 70% of your full benefit per check if your FRA is 67 or 75% if your FRA is 66. The longer you wait, the more your checks grow until you reach your maximum benefit at 70. That's 124% of your full benefit per check if your FRA is 67 or 132% if your FRA is 66. It might seem like delaying benefits is the better choice, but this depends on your life expectancy. People who expect to live into their 80s or beyond usually get more money overall by delaying benefits, but those with shorter life expectancies are better off signing up right away so that they can claim checks for as many years as possible. 3. Coordinate with your household members Married people may be eligible for a Social Security benefit even if they themselves never worked. If one person worked enough to qualify for checks, their partner is automatically eligible for a spousal benefit, which is worth up to 50% of the worker's benefit at their FRA. And if both spouses worked, they could each be eligible for their own benefit as well as a spousal benefit. In that case, the Social Security Administration gives each person whichever benefit is higher. However, you can't claim a spousal benefit until your spouse signs up. Couples looking to maximize their benefits should coordinate their claiming strategy. Your approach will depend on each person's income and life expectancy and the household finances. For example, if one person has a terminal illness or the couple is struggling financially, one or both people may want to sign up early. But if both have earned a similar amount over their lifetime and they can afford to pay their bills without Social Security, both partners might choose to delay benefits until they qualify for larger checks. If you have other members of your household, like minor or disabled children, they may qualify for Social Security benefits as well. But you have to sign up before they can claim any benefits on your work record. Ultimately, you have to decide when you want to sign up for Social Security. But it's a good idea to explore a few different scenarios before you make that call. If you haven't already done so, create a my Social Security account so that you can see how much you can expect from the program at various starting ages based on your actual work history. Then, once you've chosen your starting age, check in with yourself annually to ensure that this still makes sense for you. The $18,984 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $18,984 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. WEDNESDAY, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Nightmares can be unsettling for anyone, but new research from Britain suggests that bad dreams may signal the start of Parkinson's disease in some older adults. "Although it can be really beneficial to diagnose Parkinsons disease early, there are very few risk indicators and many of these require expensive hospital tests or are very common and nonspecific, such as diabetes," explained study author Abidemi Otaiku, from the University of Birmingham's Centre for Human Brain Health. "While we need to carry out further research in this area, identifying the significance of bad dreams and nightmares could indicate that individuals who experience changes to their dreams in older age -- without any obvious trigger -- should seek medical advice," Otaiku said in a university news release. In the study, Otaiku's team analyzed data from more than 3,800 older men in the United States who took part in a 12-year study. At the start of that study, the men provided a wide range of information, including details about their sleep. There were 91 cases of Parkinson's disease diagnosed among the men during the study period. Those who reported frequent bad dreams/nightmares at the start of the study were two times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those without disturbing dreams. Most of the Parkinson's diagnoses were made in the first five years of the study, and men with nightmares during this period had a three times higher risk of Parkinson's. The findings suggest that bad dreams/nightmares may occur in older adults a few years before they develop typical symptoms of Parkinson's such as tremors, stiffness and slow movement, according to the authors. The study was published June 7 in the journal eClinicalMedicine. While previous studies have found that people with Parkinson's have more bad dreams/nightmares than those without the disease, using this as a risk indicator for Parkinson's had not previously been considered by experts. The authors said their study also shows that dreams can reveal important information about brain structure and function, and could turn out to be a significant area of neuroscience research. They're considering confirming these findings in larger and more diverse groups of people, and also examining possible connections between dreams and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers. More information For more on Parkinson's disease, see the Parkinson's Foundation. SOURCE: University of Birmingham, news release, June 7, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. WASHINGTON (AP) Wide-ranging bipartisan legislation unveiled Tuesday would regulate cryptocurrencies and other digital assets following a series of high-profile busts and failures. Its unclear, though, whether the bill proposed by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., can clear Congress, especially at a time of heightened partisanship ahead of midterm elections. The bill also comes as advocates for cryptocurrency have become bigger and more free-spending players in Washington. The bill, called the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, proposes legal definitions of digital assets and virtual currencies; would require the IRS to adopt guidance on merchant acceptance of digital assets and charitable contributions; and would make a distinction between digital assets that are commodities or securities, which has not been done. The bill creates regulatory clarity for agencies charged with supervising digital asset markets, provides a strong, tailored regulatory framework for stablecoins, and integrates digital assets into our existing tax and banking laws," Lummis said in an emailed statement. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency pegged to a specific value, usually the U.S. dollar, another currency or gold. Lummis has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency development and has invested between $150,002 and $350,000 in bitcoin, according to her financial disclosure. The legislation imposes disclosure requirements on digital asset firms to ensure that consumers can make informed decisions, delineates agency responsibilities over various digital assets such as Commodity Futures Trading Commission jurisdiction over bitcoin and requires a study on digital asset energy consumption, among many other proposals. The bill comes at a tumultuous time for cryptocurrencies, including the May meltdown of the terraUSD stablecoin and luna, the coin meant to buy and sell assets, which traded at a value of less than one ten-thousandth of 1 cent. Gillibrand said the bill establishes a regulatory framework that spurs innovation, develops clear standards, defines appropriate jurisdictional boundaries and protects consumers." These developments have prompted lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to support legislation that more closely scrutinizes digital assets. And crypto lobbying has followed suit. This year, for the first time, industry executives have flooded money into congressional races, spending $20 million, according to records and interviews. Cryptocurrencies have their supporters in Congress. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said at the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington last month that he is drawn to "the exciting potential democratizing effect that can come from creating wider pathways of opportunity for marginalized communities. Despite the risks, roughly 16% of adult Americans, or 40 million people, have invested in cryptocurrencies, according to a September 2021 Pew Research Center poll. And 43% of men age 18-29 have put money into cryptocurrency. African Americans are also more likely to invest in cryptocurrencies than white consumers. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in March, urging the Federal Reserve to explore whether the central bank should create its own digital currency and directed federal agencies, including the Treasury Department, to study the impact of cryptocurrency on financial stability and national security. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in an April speech at American University that more government regulation is needed to police the proliferation of cryptocurrency and ward off fraudulent or illicit transactions. We have a strong interest in ensuring that innovation does not lead to a fragmentation in international payment architectures, she said, adding that the Treasury Department will work with the White House and other agencies to develop reports and recommendations on digital currencies. Associated Press writer Ken Sweet in New York contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The bullfight in St. Louis is dead. Long rest the bullfight. It went down and out Sunday afternoon in a remarkable series of dramatic and laughable happenings that have not been equaled in some respects since one-half of Rome howled for glee while the other half burned. Eight thousand persons paid $1 each to see the bullfight in a brand new big amphitheater upon the hill between the Stadium and the Epworth Hotel. The authorities stopped the fight even before it began, and the management refused to return the entrance money. This was at ten minutes before 5 o'clock. Twenty minutes later the crowd, now a mob, began wrecking the amusement company's office, and there was a riot in which windows were smashed, in which pistols flashed, and out of which came many a bleeding and broken head. Thirty minutes later the mob had returned to the big amphitheater, had brought in the bulls, taken possession of the bullfighting paraphernalia of the Spanish matadors, and was giving a bullfight of its own, with three bulls in the ring, a dozen American bullfighters badgering them with red serapes and thrusting them with small canes while the mob howled like the bandar-log and pelted the pestered bulls with chairs, bottled soda water. oranges and bananas. An hour and 10 minutes after the refusal to refund the money, the mob freed the seven bulls and the eight horses of the picadors, sent them scurrying across fields out of harms way, and deliberately fired the big amphitheater, compelling the bullfighters, who were eating dinner in rooms under the grandstand, to flee for their lives, giving the World's Fair special fire department the first severe fright it has had, and burning to a black round scar on the ground one of the biggest amphitheaters around St. Louis. BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscow's grinding campaign to capture Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupol's buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldn't do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscow's troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas. This is a very fierce battle, very hard, perhaps one of the most difficult of the entire war, he said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russia's continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may "pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it "off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out." But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. Follow APs 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. 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 Hal Goldsmith has been doing his best Oprah Winfrey impersonation. It is as though the assistant U.S. attorney for Missouris Eastern District is standing on the steps of the federal courthouse before a cheering crowd of St. Louis politicos. You get an indictment, he says to former St. Louis Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, and you get an indictment, he says to former Alderman Jeffrey Boyd, and you get an indictment, Goldsmith says to Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed, who resigned under pressure Tuesday afternoon. Earlier Tuesday, Goldsmith handed out his fourth political corruption indictment in a week, this time to St. Louis County political appointee Anthony Weaver, who was promptly fired by County Executive Sam Page. The Weaver indictment for wire fraud reads similarly to the bribery indictments of the city aldermen, with transcripts of the government employee caught on tape allegedly trying to exchange official public action for cold, hard cash. Two things are clear about both the city and county indictments: First, the people accused of wrongdoing were as hapless as Keystone cops, often failing to provide the promised favors, particularly in Weavers case. At one point while discussing splitting potential proceeds of the government loot with a local businessman who Goldsmith refers to as John Smith, Weaver says: I hope this place is not bugged thats how Stenger got caught. Indeed it is. Steve Stenger, the former county executive, went to federal prison for trying to trade government action for campaign donations. Stenger moved the campaign loot hundreds of thousands of dollars through multiple friendly committees by which he tried to hide his intentions. The latest indictments, on the other hand, seem to suggest that Weaver, Reed, Boyd and Muhammad were just seeking some walking-around cash. And thats the second thing that these indictments, building on the round of Stenger-related indictments a few years back, continue to indicate: Too many people in St. Louis government believe that taxpayer dollars are theirs for the taking. Theres so much damn money around St. Louis County, its crazy, Weaver said, according to the indictment. We need to get some of that, said the man Goldsmith called John Smith, the gas station owner who bears a striking resemblance to John Doe of the city indictments. Uh huh, Weaver responds. Everything theyve got over there we need to get some of thats my attitude. Its a bad attitude for a government employee to have, but apparently, its the sort of attitude that is rampant in our community. Its not like St. Louis is alone in having politicians, in the case of these indictments all Democrats, looking for a handout. But some of this behavior is all too predictable. A state audit later blasted the fire district as being the poster child for bad government, as it handed out lucrative contracts to Walton, Weaver and others. Then-St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge John A. Ross eventually put an end to the mismanagement, freezing funds and forcing the jettisoning of Walton and his cronies. Amid all that, Waltons political power in north St. Louis County was still pervasive enough that when Ross was recommended for a federal judgeship in 2010 by President Barack Obama, his appointment was opposed in a letter written by former Congressman Lacy Clay, a longtime Walton ally. Clay lost that fight. Ross ended up on the bench, and he continues to serve in the very building where in the past two weeks Goldsmith has handed down four federal corruption indictments after what he called a two-and-a-half year undercover investigation. That investigation uncovered the seedy underbelly of St. Louis politics, with too many politicians expecting business owners to throw them some cash for services rendered. How many? Its hard to say. The indictments themselves contain hints that there may be more announcements made by Goldsmith in coming days or weeks. None of us have a crystal ball, and we cannot predict if there are more indictments to come, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said Wednesday morning. I think this is the tip of the iceberg. From City Hall to the Capitol, metro columnist Tony Messenger shines light on what public officials are doing, tells stories of the disaffected, and brings voice to the issues that matter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS The former police chief in a small southeast Missouri town has been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for using excessive force against a woman who was involved in a domestic dispute. Marc Tragesser, 55, former chief in Marble Hill, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in January to a misdemeanor charge of deprivation of rights. On Nov. 25, 2018, Tragesser went to the woman's home with the paternal grandmother of the woman's children. He falsely claimed he had a court order allowing the grandmother to take the children, according to his plea agreement. When the woman asked to see the court order, Tragesser shoved her and handcuffed and also arrested her boyfriend, according to the plea. He detained the woman in his police car for 90 minutes until she agreed to allow her children to go with the grandmother, who had no custody or visitation rights, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a news release. Earlier in the day, Tragesser threatened to arrest the homeowners and allowed the grandmother to take property from the home, including some that did not belong to her son. The woman did not see her children again until March of 2019. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. UPDATED Thursday with additional details ST. LOUIS A man was killed in a shooting Tuesday night involving two McDonald's workers outside the restaurant on Hampton Avenue, police said. St. Louis police Lt. Col. Ronnie Robinson said the shooting happened as part of an altercation between two employees about 8:20 p.m. outside the McDonald's at 1420 Hampton Avenue. The scene was in the city's Cheltenham neighborhood. Kevyn Henderson, 23, was shot in the chest and died at the scene. Police found him lying against a wall to the restaurant. Police arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Detectives planned to seek charges Wednesday. The suspect was holding a gun and standing near the victim when police arrived, authorities said. More than a dozen police vehicles and three ambulances were seen in the parking lot of the McDonald's shortly after the shooting. 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 Tonka, whose caretakers swore under oath that the chimpanzee had died of heart problems last year, is now at a Florida primate sanctuary alive. Last weekend, authorities removed the former movie chimp from a cage in the basement of his caretakers home in Sunrise Beach, Missouri, near Lake of the Ozarks. The revelation that Tonia Haddix, 52, had been secretly hiding Tonka in her basement came from a recorded telephone call on May 22 with a documentary filmmaker, during which she said her veterinarian planned to evaluate the chimps declining health and possibly euthanize him. The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, obtained a recording of the call and then got an emergency court order to halt any euthanasia of Tonka and to remove the chimp from Haddixs home. Its a very happy day for both us and for Tonka, said Jared Goodman, a PETA lawyer. We really never gave up on finding him because we never bought the lies about his death. Nothing ever added up. And so we knew he was very likely out there somewhere. Tonka gained celebrity by appearing with actor Alan Cumming in the 1997 movie Buddy. The legal tussle between PETA and Haddix over Tonka and other chimps has played out in federal court for years. Haddix acknowledged in an interview with the Post-Dispatch this week that she and her husband had faked Tonkas death and lied in court to avoid surrendering him to PETA last summer. Its been nearly a year that he should have been rescued the first time and we are just so lucky that we were still able to rescue him and were able to find out this information before Haddix apparently planned to have him killed, Goodman said. Goodman said PETA was not behind the phone call, but he would not divulge how the group obtained the audio recording. The animal welfare group has long claimed Tonka and other chimps formerly at the now defunct Missouri Primate Foundation facility near Festus were improperly cared for and housed allegations Haddix denies. Haddix signed a 2020 consent decree agreeing to send four chimps to the Center for Great Apes sanctuary in Wauchula, Florida. She was to keep three including Tonka, but failed to comply with the orders requirements to house her three chimps, PETA said. The case began in 2016 when PETA claimed that chimps were being held in inadequate conditions at the Missouri Primate Foundation facility and that their treatment violated the federal Endangered Species Act. Haddix has said she became involved in the care of the chimps, and the lawsuit, when the facilitys founder, Connie Braun Casey, became ill and unable to care for them. The foundation cared for rescued chimps and retired zoo animals. Casey and her then-husband also ran Chimparty, which provided chimps for parties, commercials and other activities. Last summer, when Jefferson County sheriffs deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service oversaw the removal of six chimps from the facility, Haddix claimed Tonka had died of congestive heart failure. Her husband filed an affidavit in court saying he cremated the body. But PETA activists never believed Tonka had died. In February, they offered up to $10,000 for information leading to either the location of Tonka or confirmation of his death. A federal judge declined to hold Haddix in contempt of court for failing to properly document the chimps death but gave PETA the opportunity to offer additional evidence. I lied to them, Haddix said Tuesday. I did it to protect (Tonka) from the evil clutches of PETA. He is like a son to me. I love him as much as I do my own children, maybe more. Haddix told the Post-Dispatch that Tonka had been staying with a friend of hers in Missouri until November, when the chimp came to live with her. Since November, she said, Tonka has stayed in a cage in her finished basement equipped with a 60-inch television and iPad so he could watch YouTube until she and her husband could build an outdoor enclosure in the woods on their property. Several times, Haddix referred to Tonka as her kid, son or humanzee, saying hes half human, half chimpanzee because of his upbringing. I elected to keep Tonka where I know he would die peacefully and with people that loved him, she said. I did it for that chimp. I made that chimp a promise that he would never ever be abandoned, he would never have to work again, that he could retire and be around the people that he loved. She said her vet was planning a checkup Thursday and that she only would have considered euthanasia if he recommended it. Goodman said that based on PETAs initial evaluation of Tonka, Haddixs claim that he was near death is greatly exaggerated. Goodman also disputes Haddixs claim that Tonka is older than 38, saying the chimp is closer to 30. There is no indication that he is nearing the end of his life at all, Goodman said. Next week, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry will hear evidence about Tonkas welfare and decide whether to hold Haddix in contempt for defying court orders. It was not clear whether Haddix could also face perjury charges. But she says shes not terribly worried about legal trouble, because she says she has terminal cancer. I dont have long for this world, she said. I have acute myeloid leukemia. They gave me six months, three months ago, and Im not doing treatment. So if I die in jail, I die in jail. If I die outside, I die outside. I dont care. 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. MARYLAND HEIGHTS Tyler Mooreheads mother and aunt dressed him in a tan peacoat and suit for burial and filled his casket with his favorite toys: cars and dinosaurs. That was in February, nearly two weeks after the 22-month-old boy died after ingesting fentanyl at a Maryland Heights apartment. For months, his mothers family has waited for someone to face charges in Tylers death. This week, prosecutors in St. Louis County charged the boys biological father, Jerry Frederick Moorehead Jr., with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Moorehead, 34, is accused of exposing the toddler to fentanyl, causing his death on Jan. 20. Authorities also said Moorehead exposed a 6-year-old to the drug, as well, but that child survived. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid said to be 100 times stronger than morphine. Relatives said the older child, Tylers 6-year-old sister, may have been exposed to the drug when she tried giving her little brother mouth-to-mouth, at her fathers order. The girl had no apparent ill effects from the contact, said Alisha Williams, the childrens mother. Prosecutor Wesley Bells office said the older child ingested fentanyl and tested positive for the drug. Court records reveal little about Tylers death and prosecutors even refused to identify the boy to the Post-Dispatch. A Maryland Heights police detective who investigated the case did not return a call to a reporter on Wednesday. The boys mother, Williams, said in an interview that she and Moorehead are still married but have lived separately for years. She lives in an apartment in the 100 block of Apple Avenue in Maryland Heights. Williams said she asked Moorehead to watch the children because she had to go to work at a gas station that night and her mother and sister, who normally babysat, were unavailable. Williams, 33, said she didnt know her husband used drugs, or she wouldnt have left the children in his care. He was a fine dad, he played with his children and all of that, but he had a secret life, the drugs, Williams said. Ive asked him numerous times, Do you do drugs? and he said no. He was a good liar and manipulator and all of that. Moorehead lives with his parents in the 3500 block of Nebraska Avenue in St. Louis. Moorehead was not in custody Wednesday, according to a county jail employee. Court records do not list an attorney for him. Part of the delay in filing charges was that authorities had waited weeks for results of toxicology tests. Williams said her son apparently fell unconscious at the Maryland Heights apartment after being exposed to fentanyl and Moorehead, who had no car, called his mother on Nebraska to come pick them up. Williams said Moorehead arrived on Nebraska and asked his father for Narcan, a drug given when an opioid overdose is suspected, but the grandfather instead rushed the boy to Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital. Authorities have not confirmed Mooreheads movements that day, but records show the boy died at the city hospital. The medical examiner ruled Tylers death from fentanyl intoxication a homicide. In Missouri, endangering the welfare of a child that results in the childs death is a highest-class of felony, punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison. Authorities have not said whether the boy was administered an opioid overdose treatment. Williams said she feels guilty for leaving her children with their father. I do blame myself because, if I wouldnt have left them with him, Tyler would still be alive, she said. She described her son an active, typical toddler who loved playing outdoors with a toy motorcycle. We called him Hands because he had big hands for a little guy, Williams said. I used to tell him, Youre gonna be the little big brother. Youre going to protect your big sister. In court papers, police said Moorehead was arrested and investigated for child endangerment in 2017 but did not elaborate. Moorehead has convictions for assault, robbery, drug possession, burglary and armed criminal action. My son was my everything. My everything, Williams said. I still cant believe just in the blink of an eye he is gone. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEFFERSON CITY Starting July 1, vehicles registered in Franklin County will no longer need to pass an emissions test, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources said on Wednesday. The change follows a revision to state regulations in January by the state Air Conservation Commission. Motorists with vehicles registered in other St. Louis-area counties that are part of the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties, as well as St. Louis city will still need to take their vehicles in for an emissions test. The Air Conservation Commission moved in 2019 to end the requirements for Franklin County, sending the plan to the EPA for consideration. The state on Wednesday said that in 2019, it submitted information to the EPA showing the change will not jeopardize air quality and that air pollution from motor vehicles will continue to decline in Franklin County, even in the absence of the emission testing requirements. On Wednesday, the state said, EPA is proceeding with its formal approval. A spokesman for the EPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last year, the EPA threatened financial sanctions against the state if Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation removing Franklin, Jefferson and St. Charles counties from the program. Parson vetoed the bill. Todays announcement provides relief to citizens and working families in Franklin County that will save them time and put money back in their pockets, Parson, a Republican, said Wednesday in a statement. Missouri will continue our balanced approach to protect our environment and natural resources without overburdening our businesses and citizens, he said. Because of high ozone levels, the St. Louis region is the only area in Missouri where emissions testing is required. Automobiles are the largest source of the chemicals that form ozone, but factories, utilities, the petroleum industry and industrial solvents also contribute. Ozone is a respiratory irritant that can cause health problems, especially for children, the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases. Posted at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, June 8. 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. PHOENIX (AP) An Arizona prisoner made a last-minute request to the U.S. Supreme Court to delay his execution scheduled Wednesday for his murder conviction in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl. Frank Atwood made the request Tuesday after a lower court rejected his arguments that the execution should be called off because his degenerative spinal condition would make it excruciatingly painful for him to be strapped on his back to the gurney he will lie on during the lethal injection. Atwoods attorneys also told the Supreme Court in court filings that the aggravating factor that made his crime eligible for the death penalty was invalidly applied. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and convicted of killing Vicki Hoskinson in 1987. Atwood is scheduled to be lethally injected with pentobarbital Wednesday at the state prison in Florence, Arizona, for his conviction in the girl's killing. The execution would be Arizonas second in less than a month, following an eight-year hiatus attributed to both on the difficulty of obtaining needed lethal injection drugs and criticism that a 2014 execution was botched. Death penalty opponents worry that Arizona will now start executing a steady stream of prisoners who have languished on death row, but state officials didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on their future execution schedule and no more are currently scheduled. Arizona has 112 prisoners on death row, including Atwood. Earlier on Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request to delay Atwood's execution. In addition to arguing that Atwood would suffer while strapped to the gurney, his lawyers questioned whether the state had met a requirement that the lethal injection drugs expiration date falls after the execution date. And even though he didnt pick lethal gas as his execution method, his lawyers still challenged the states procedures protocol for gas chamber executions. The appeals court in its ruling said it was deferring to a lower-court judge who concluded that accommodations made by the state allowing a pillow and tilting feature on the gurney to be used to prop up Atwood to alleviate his pain prevented a ruling that the lethal injection protocol creates a risk of severe pain. The appeals court also concluded Atwood lacks legal standing to challenge the lethal gas protocol because he will be executed by lethal injection. Prosecutors have said Atwood is trying to indefinitely postpone his execution through legal maneuvers. Atwood's lawyers said would suffer for an extended amount of time even before the lethal drug is injected. In a statement, Atwood attorney Joseph Perkovich said the lethal injection procedure will intentionally inflict extreme pain for what will likely be an hour before, in the best-case scenario, he succumbs to the execution chemicals. Authorities have said Atwood kidnapped Hoskinson, whose remains were discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Experts could not determine the cause of death from the remains, according to court records. Atwood maintains that he is innocent. Last month, Atwood declined to choose between lethal injection or the gas chamber, leaving him to be put to death by lethal injection, the states default execution method. Even though he didnt pick the gas chamber, Atwood challenged Arizona's lethal gas procedures. His lawyers said Atwood has a right to choose between methods of execution that are constitutional and suggested that the state switch its lethal gas from hydrogen cyanide gas to nitrogen gas because nitrogen would produce painless deaths. Arizona prosecutors say nitrogen executions are untried and untested. Atwood's attorneys said the state's lethal gas protocol calling for the use of hydrogen cyanide gas which was used in some past U.S. executions and by Nazis to kill 865,000 Jews at the Auschwitz concentration camp alone is unconstitutional and would produce agonizing levels of pain in executions. Arizona, California, Missouri and Wyoming are the only states with decades-old lethal-gas execution laws still on the books. Arizona, which carried out the last gas chamber execution in the United States more than two decades ago, is the only state with a working gas chamber. In recent years, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama have passed laws allowing executions with nitrogen gas, at least in some circumstances, though experts say its never been done and no state has established a protocol that would allow it. On May 11, Arizona executed Clarence Dixon for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State University student. It was the first execution carried out in the state since the July 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over nearly two hours. Wood snorted repeatedly and gasped before he died. His attorney said the execution had been botched. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WASHINGTON (AP) Rep. Liz Cheney has been thinking lately about her great-great-grandfather, a man who fought for the Union in the Civil War, as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection prepares to launch a prime-time hearing of its work. The Wyoming congresswoman, a member of one of Americas famous political families, is one of just two Republicans on the 1/6 panel, and its vice chair. Cheney helped drive the committee's investigation into Donald Trumps relentless efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and has become one of the former president's fiercest critics after a mob of his supporters laid siege to the Capitol to try to stop Congress from certifying Joe Bidens victory. Thursdays televised hearing could be a pivotal moment in her political legacy elevating her ambitions as a post-Trump party leader or possibly costing Cheney her job. I have found myself, especially since January 6th, thinking often of my great-great-grandfather and of the Union he fought to defend, Cheney said in a recent speech. The question for every one of us is, in this time of testing, will we do our duty?" she asked after receiving a 2022 Profile In Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston. "Or will we look away from danger, ignore the threat, embrace the lies? Cheney has not shied from tough battles since she was elected to the House in 2016, alongside Trump's own election, a staunch conservative whose family settled in Wyoming generations ago and who easily won the Republican-heavy Western state's lone congressional seat. In one of her first news conferences with party leaders, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney unabashedly backed the enhanced interrogation techniques he helped champion in the post-9/11 era. Many others in Washington had said it was time to end the practice, regarding it as torture. Known as an inside player with a famous family name, she is now thrust onto a national stage at a critical moment. Her singular mission to stop Trump from ever being president again after he spread false claims of voter fraud that spurred the attack on the Capitol may be among her last in Congress. Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman in Virginia, said Cheney grew up steeped in principles and the belief that "this is why youre in public service, to do the right thing." Comstock compared Cheney to Republican Margaret Chase Smith, the U.S. senator from Maine who stood up to Sen. Joseph McCarthy and the GOP over unproven allegations and smears against Americans whose lives were upended after being labeled as communists. History does have a way of sorting this out, and I think Liz understands that, Comstock said. Booted by Republicans from her No. 3 position in House GOP leadership for joining the 1/6 committee, Cheney now faces the full force of the Trump wing of the Republican Party apparatus trying to remove her from office by supporting a primary opponent. Wyoming tilts strongly Republican, almost guaranteeing the winner of the partys August primary will win the general election in November. Trump is campaigning against Cheney, as he has gone after the 10 House Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to impeach him over the insurrection the only president to be twice impeached. The former president recently arrived in Wyoming, filling the Casper event center to rally in support of Harriet Hageman, the fiery attorney and state party leader challenging Cheney. The people of Wyoming are going to vote dump this woman, Liz Cheney," Trump predicted. As Trump ran through a list of grievances about those disloyal to him, he said that worse than his Democratic political opponents are the backstabbing RINO Republicans an acronym for Republicans in Name Only" and cited Cheney as among them. Other Republicans have followed Trump's lead. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, who is laboring to stay close to Trump as Republicans try to wrest control of the House from Democrats in the midterm elections, has shunned the congressional tradition of backing incumbent colleagues and instead endorsed Hageman and sent campaign cash her way. You have a congresswoman who's obsessed with attacking President Donald J. Trump, said McCarthy, who hopes to become the next House speaker, in a video address to the rally crowd. James King, a political science professor at the University of Wyoming, said has he has never seen a serious challenge to an incumbent member of Congress in the state in his 30 years observing local politics. Its an unusual situation, but then the last year and a half has been an unusual situation, King said. He said hes not sure the televised Jan. 6 hearings will hurt or help Cheneys standing back home. I think most people will have made up their mind they have either decided that Cheney is a traitor to what they voted for in 2020, or they are behind Cheney in searching for the truth behind the Jan. 6 events, he said. Still, other notable Republicans, including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, have quietly supported Cheney's campaign. Strategists see a path for Cheney's reelection by drawing a coalition of moderate Republicans and crossover Democrats who are eligible to vote in the GOP primary after the state government bucked Trump's push to tighten the rules. The Republican Party in Wyoming has become more extreme, and its chairman, Frank Eathorne, was spotted in images of those outside the Capitol during the riot. We're fed up with Liz Cheney, Hageman said at the rally. After the long assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, Congress reconvened that night to pick up where it had left off certifying the election results submitted by the states. Cheney said she walked through the building, into Statuary Hall, the historic space filled with law enforcement officers in tactical gear sitting on the floor, leaning up against the statues, exhausted from the brutal hand-to-hand combat in which they had been engaged for hours. She made her way to the next room, the Capitol Rotunda, watched over by statues of Washington and Jefferson, and Lincoln and Grant, and Eisenhower, and Ford and Reagan. Its giant paintings, she noted, included one that depicts George Washington resigning his military commission after the Revolutionary War voluntarily relinquishing his command in a stunning act that set the stage for the future presidential tradition. And this sacred obligation to defend the peaceful transfer of power has been honored by every American president except one, she said. Thinking about her great-great-grandfather Samuel Fletcher Cheney, she said it's time for this generation to set aside partisan battles and stand together to perpetuate and preserve our great republic. For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. ST. LOUIS After a record-setting Midwestern rainstorm that damaged thousands of homes and businesses, Stefanie Johnsons farmhouse in Blandinsville, Illinois, didnt have safe drinking water for nearly two months. Flood water poured into her well, turning the water a muddy brown and forcing Johnson, her husband and their two young children to use store-bought supplies. Even after sediment cleared, testing found bacteria including E. coli, which can cause diarrhea. The family boiled water for drinking and cooking. The YMCA was a refuge for showers. I was pretty strict with the kids, said Johnson, who works with a private well protection program at the local health department. Id pour bottled water on their toothbrushes. Though estimates vary, roughly 53 million U.S. residents about 17% of the population rely on private wells, according to a study conducted in part by Environmental Protection Agency researchers. Most live in rural areas. But others are in subdivisions near fast-growing metro regions or otherwise beyond the reach of public water pipes. While many private wells provide safe water, the absence of regulation and treatment afforded by larger municipal systems may expose some users to health risks, from bacteria and viruses to chemicals and lead, studies have found. Risks are elevated after flooding or heavy rainfall, when animal and human feces, dirt, nutrients such as nitrogen and other contaminants can seep into wells. And experts say the threat is growing as the warming climate fuels more intense rainstorms and stronger and wetter hurricanes. Areas that hadnt been impacted are now. New areas are getting flooded, said Kelsey Pieper, a Northeastern University professor of environmental engineering. We know the environment is shifting and were playing catch-up, trying to increase awareness. Pieper is among scientists conducting well testing and education programs in storm-prone areas. After Hurricane Harvey caused widespread flooding along the Texas coast in 2017, sampling of more than 8,800 wells in 44 counties found average E. coli levels nearly three times higher than normal, she said. Sampling of 108 wells in Mississippi following Hurricane Ida in 2021 produced a similar bump in E. coli readings. Other studies turned up higher levels in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018. The following year, above-average snowfall and a March storm unleashed flooding in Nebraska. Levees and dams were breached. Fremont, a city of more than 25,000, turned into an island when the nearby Platte and Elkhorn rivers overflowed. The municipal system continued to supply drinking water but some nearby private wells were damaged or contaminated. Julie Hindmarshs farm was flooded for three days, and it took months to make the well water drinkable again. At times, the cleanup crew wore protective suits. They didnt know what was in that floodwater, she said. Contamination risk Groundwater is often a cleaner source than surface supplies because soil can provide a protective buffer, said Heather Murphy, an epidemiologist at the University of Guelph in Canada. But she said that can give well owners a false sense of security, leading them to forgo testing, maintenance and treatment. Theres a big misconception that its underground, therefore its safe, said Murphy, who estimates 1.3 million cases of acute gastrointestinal illness in the U.S. are caused annually by drinking untreated water from private wells. Old, poorly maintained wells are especially vulnerable to floodwaters entering through openings at the top. It just runs right in and its full of bacteria, said Steven Wilson, a well expert at the University of Illinois. It doesnt always take a flood or hurricane to pollute wells. Industrial contamination can reach them by seeping into groundwater. Around 1,000 residential wells in Michigans Kent County were tainted for decades with toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in landfill sludge from footwear company Wolverine World Wide. The pollution, discovered in 2017, spurred lawsuits and a $69.5 million settlement with the state that extended city water lines to affected houses. We thought we were getting this pristine, straight-from-nature water and it would be much better for us, said Sandy Wynn-Stelt, who has lived across from one of the dump sites since the early 1990s. She said tests detected high levels of PFAS chemicals in her water and blood, leaving her fearful to drink or even brush her teeth with well water. In a suit later settled, she blamed the contamination for her husbands 2016 death from liver cancer. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer four years later. Little regulation for well owners While many well owners dont have the option of hooking up to a public water system, others are happy with well water. They might favor the taste or want to avoid monthly bills and government regulation. What I hear from people is freedom, said Jesse Campbell, private well coordinator for the Midwest Assistance Program Inc., which addresses rural water needs. Private well owners are responsible for them. While public water systems must meet federal safety standards, those rules dont apply to wells that have fewer than 15 connections or serve fewer than 25 people. State and local standards usually involve only construction and design, although some states set tougher rules. New Jersey requires water quality testing before sales of property with private wells. Rhode Island requires testing when new wells are built and when property with a well is sold. But many states rely on public outreach and voluntary action to protect private well users. Theres an overall lack of education, Campbell said. He meets with well owners from Montana to Missouri, providing free inspections and advice. A lot of harm can be prevented if owners make sure the wells top keeps out debris and that the pump is turned off before a storm to keep out floodwaters. Experts recommend testing after a flood and decontaminating wells with chlorine if a problem is found. People arent regularly testing, said Riley Mulhern, an environmental engineer at the research group RTI International. Indianas health department offers testing for bacteria, lead, copper, fluoride and other contaminants. Some land-grant universities and private labs provide similar services. While many owners know how to maintain their wells, others ignore problems even if the water isnt sanitary. Water that tastes fine can still be contaminated. I wish I had a nickel for everyone whos walked into a workshop and said, Ive been drinking this water forever and its fine, said Jason Barrett, who directs a Mississippi State University program that educates well owners. It provides free testing. But where such assistance isnt available, costs can run to a few hundred dollars, according to experts. Some owners avoid testing because they are concerned it will reveal an expensive problem. Johnson, the Illinois resident whose well was fouled by the 2013 downpour that killed four people and caused $465 million in flood damage, paid about $3,500 for repairs and upgrades. Luckily, none of us became ill, she said. Even ordinary rainstorms can carry diseases into groundwater, said Mark Borchardt, a microbiologist formerly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A lot of times people say, Well, no one got sick, Borchardt said. Its hard to see when people get sick unless it is a huge outbreak." Bea and Neil Jobe live in Primm Springs, Tennessee, an hours drive from Nashville. Several times a year, when there is heavy rain and a nearby creek floods, their well water turns dingy," Bea Jobe said. The discoloration disappears after a few days but Jobe takes precautions such as keeping bottled water available. I guess Im used to it, she said. Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa Democrat Mike Franken, a retired Navy admiral, will challenge Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection this fall after winning his party's nomination Tuesday over two competitors. Franken beat former congresswoman Abby Finkenauer and physician Glenn Hurst to earn the right to run against Grassley, who is seeking an eighth Senate term and beat back a nominal primary challenge of his own. "What must happen is we must defeat Chuck Grassley, Franken told supporters in Des Moines after receiving a call of congratulations from Finkenauer. Were done with this. Were absolutely done. Im not going to be the junior senator from Iowa. Im going to be the leading senator from the state of Iowa. Frankens primary win is something of a surprise, given Finkenauer was better known throughout the state after her 2018 victory over a Republican congressman that made her the second-youngest woman elected to Congress. Finkenauer lost in a reelection bid in 2020 but was a frequent presence on cable television and raised millions of dollars toward her Senate run. But Franken campaigned in more than 50 of Iowa's 99 counties, touting his upbringing in rural, northwest Iowa where Democrats have all but vanished from public office. And yet Franken beat Finkenauer soundly in the state's most populous areas including the Des Moines metro area, as well as in the liberal bastion of Iowa City, next door to Finkenauer's eastern Iowa base. We're going to take this race from a third-tier Senatorial race to a tier one, the most interesting race in nation, Franken added. In his campaign, Franken emphasized a need to dial down the political tension in Washington. He also called for adding a public insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because she was unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. Mahl's top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. Franken will nonetheless face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley, who has served seven terms. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines, said he voted for Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Finkenauer stressed limiting the number of terms a member of the Senate can serve. I do agree with her on term limits, Hollander said. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point. But Finkenauer's campaign faced an unexpected stumble in April when she nearly didn't make the primary ballot. Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. He posted stronger first-quarter fundraising figures than Finkenauer and earned endorsements from some well-known former Finkenauer supporters bothered by her declining to accept responsibility for the filing mistakes. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. LONDON (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have survived a no-confidence vote, but his grip on power is far from secure. Many compare his position to that of his predecessor Theresa May, who won a similar vote by a larger margin than Johnson but was nonetheless ousted six months later. The history for prime ministers who survive confidence votes isnt that great," said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. A look at how previous Conservative prime ministers fared after leadership challenges against them: MARGARET THATCHER Thatcher survived a first leadership challenge in 1989, but a second one the next year spelled her downfall. In 1989, a little-known lawmaker, Anthony Meyer, launched a challenge against Thatcher, who had been reelected as party leader unopposed every year since 1974. Thatcher won comfortably by 314 votes to 33 but, counting deliberately spoiled ballot papers, about 60 had failed to endorse her -- an early indication that her position was shaky. The next year, former defense secretary Michael Heseltine mounted his own bid to wrest leadership from Thatcher amid serious divisions within the Conservatives. Thatcher won 204 votes to Heseltines 152 in the first round of the leadership election, but the margin wasn't enough to defeat him outright, forcing a second round. The Iron Lady resigned two days later, and Conservative lawmakers subsequently elected John Major as her successor in a second ballot. JOHN MAJOR Major took over as Thatchers handpicked successor in December 1990. In June 1995, Major resigned as party leader to force a leadership contest against himself, challenging his party to put up or shut up in a bid to quell a persistent group of critics within the Conservative ranks opposed to Britains closer integration with the EU. Major secured a majority of votes in a Conservative leadership contest against rival John Redwood, but a third of the party either voted against him, spoiled their ballot papers or abstained. Major clung onto power for almost two more years, until the Conservatives lost the 1997 general election in a landslide victory for Labours Tony Blair. THERESA MAY May, who became Britains second female prime minister in July 2016, faced severe pressure throughout her tenure over her repeated but ultimately unsuccessful attempts to take Britain out of the European Union. In December 2018, 48 Conservative lawmakers furious with her Brexit policy triggered a no-confidence vote in her. She won by 200 votes to 117, but the results meant she lost the support of one-third of her lawmakers. Opposition continued to buffet her leadership and May fought in vain to get lawmakers backing to implement the Brexit deal she struck with the EU. Parliament rejected her plan three times, and even previously loyal members of her Cabinet openly criticized her bill. May was forced to step down in May 2019, saying it will always remain a matter of deep regret for me to fail to deliver Brexit. Bale, the politics professor, believes Johnson is different from Thatcher and May and will not resign voluntarily. Many of Boris Johnsons opponents would say that the only interest he has at heart is his own continuation in the job. So he really will have to be kicked out of Downing Street by lawmakers, Bale said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. China and Russia have defended their vetoes of a strongly backed U.S. resolution that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea. The defenses came Wednesday at a first-ever General Assembly meeting under new rules that require an assembly session to examine any veto wielded in the Security Council by a permanent member. The close allies said they oppose more sanctions and blamed the United States for rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, insisting that what is needed now is dialogue between North Korea and the Biden administration. Nearly 70 countries signed up to speak at Wednesday's assembly meeting. Danish Ambassador Martin Bille Hermann said: History is being made today. WASHINGTON Most every Republican lawmaker expressed outrage in the days after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Some even blamed then-President Donald Trump. But the larger GOP narrative shifted in the weeks and months that followed. Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, who had said in the hours after the attack that it had been the saddest day I have ever had serving as a member of this institution, went on to visit Trump at his Florida home only weeks after the riot. Others went further, with some Republican lawmakers defending the rioters or playing down the violence of the mob that beat police officers and smashed its way into the Capitol. The rioters, echoing Trumps falsehoods about widespread fraud in the election, temporarily stopped the certification of Joe Bidens presidential victory. A few Republicans have consistently criticized Trump, putting their own political future in peril. A look at comments from key Republicans in the year-and-a half since the attack as the House committee investigating the riot prepares to begin public hearings Thursday night. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California On Jan. 13, 2021, just before the Democratic-led House voted to impeach Trump over the insurrection, McCarthy said that the president bears responsibility for Wednesdays attack on Congress by mob rioters. McCarthy said Trump should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw the violence unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump: accept his share of responsibility, quell the brewing unrest, and ensure President-elect Biden is able to successfully begin his term, McCarthy said. And the presidents immediate action also deserves congressional action, which is why I think a fact finding commission and a censure resolution would be prudent. Just a week later, McCarthy told reporters, I dont believe he provoked it, if you listen to what he said at the rally, referring to Trumps speech to his supporters in front of the White House shortly before the assault on the Capitol. Trump had said to march peacefully to the Capitol, but he also told people in the crowd to fight like hell or youre not going to have a country anymore. McCarthy later voted against forming a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack and has called the Democratic-led Jan. 6 committee a partisan sham. He is now appearing with Trump and praising the former president at fundraisers. Trump never accepted responsibility for the insurrection and has defended the rioters. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky McConnell spoke of the failed insurrection the night of the attack and said Congress will not be kept out of this chamber by thugs, mobs, or threats. He voted weeks later to acquit Trump for inciting the insurrection. But he delivered a scorching rebuke of Trump after that vote, saying that there is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day. The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. McConnell continued: Their having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth. That same month, McConnell said he would absolutely vote for Trump if he were the GOP nominee in 2024. Former Vice President Mike Pence Pence was under more pressure than any other Republican on Jan. 6, 2021 because Trump was calling on him to object to Bidens certification even though the vice president had no legal authority to do so in his ceremonial role presiding over the count. Pence refused Trumps entreaties. As he hid in the Capitol during the insurrection, rioters breaking in were chanting hang Mike Pence. Bringing the Senate back to session in the hours after the insurrection, Pence said he condemned the violence in the strongest possible terms. To those who wreaked havoc in our Capitol today, you did not win, Pence said. Violence never wins. Freedom wins. And this is still the Peoples House. Two weeks later, Pence attended Bidens inauguration. Trump refused to go. Since then, Pence has repeatedly defended his decision to abide by his constitutional role. He has called for the GOP to move on from 2020 as he lays the groundwork for a potential presidential run that could put him in direct competition with his former boss. He reinforced his stance in a speech this year, saying that President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election. Still, he has walked a careful line, praising the Trump-Pence administrations policy accomplishments as he courts support from the partys base. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina Graham spoke emotionally and forcefully the night of the insurrection, suggesting that he would permanently break ties with Trump after the two had forged a close relationship during Trumps presidency. Trump and I have had a hell of a journey, Graham said on the Senate floor in the hours after the attack. I hate it being this way. Oh my God, I hate it. From my point of view, he has been a consequential president. But today, the first thing you will see, all I can say is, count me out. Enough is enough. I tried to be helpful. Graham voted to certify Bidens victory and praised Pence for resisting the pressure to object. In the months afterward, Graham softened his stance, and he and the former president continued to talk. Can we move forward without President Trump? The answer is no, Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity in the spring of 2021. Ive determined we cant grow without him. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Alabama Brooks is the rare House Republican to have stepped up his criticism of Trump since the insurrection. The Alabama Republican was one of Trumps most forceful allies on Jan. 6, 2021, telling the crowd at the rally near the White House before the riot, Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass. Brooks was one of several GOP lawmakers who tried to help Trump overturn his election defeat. Brooks said on the House floor after the violence that in his judgment, if only lawful votes cast by eligible American citizens are counted, Joe Biden lost and President Trump won the Electoral College. In August, though, as he was running in a GOP primary for the Senate, Brooks told a crowd that it was time to move on from the 2020 election. Trump didnt like that and withdrew his Senate endorsement. Brooks claimed that Trump rescinded his support after the two had a conversation in which he told Trump there was no legal way to rescind the results or hold a do-over of the 2020 election. Brooks is now in a runoff for the GOP Senate nomination, having risen in the polls after Trump dropped him. And Brooks is asking the former president to back him again. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming Cheney has been the most prominent and consistent GOP critic of Trump and shes staked her political career on it. A week after the attack, Cheney was one of only 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump. In a statement, Cheney said that the president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. She said Trump should have intervened, but did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution, Cheney said. I will vote to impeach the president. Cheney, who was then a member of House leadership, faced immediate backlash from her party for the impeachment vote and for her forceful remarks. But she has not wavered in the year since, and accepted an invitation from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to sit on the committee that is investigating the insurrection. House Republicans booted Cheney from leadership and the party censured her and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the only other Republican on the Jan. 6 committee. And she faces a strong challenge in the Wyoming primary from a Trump-backed candidate. When I know something is wrong, I will say so, Cheney said in a campaign video announcing that she had filed for reelection. I wont waver or back down. Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. With protests planned for Saturday after the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Buffalo, New York, gun control advocates hope to intensify pressure on Congress to pass laws and additional funding for research to help curb the growing violence. And they say they're prepared to use philanthropic money and their own fundraising to support their advocacy until public attention forces meaningful changes. Noah Lumbantobing, a spokesman for March for Our Lives, says he's seen the strategy succeed before. After the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018, that killed 17, students formed the anti-gun violence group and led mass protests across the country. In response, former President Donald Trump's administration banned bump stocks, which was the accessory a shooter used to kill scores at a country music festival in Las Vegas the previous year. Trump is not our friend we know that, Lumbantobing said, speaking through the din of protests outside the National Rifle Association convention in Houston last month. Hes not our political ally, but the temperature in the country got so high he couldnt ignore us. This time, March for Our Lives and other gun control groups plan to mobilize supporters to push Congress to require universal background checks, pass red flag laws allowing guns to be confiscated in certain cases and raise the age limit to buy certain guns. All that said, they recognize that political leaders have not delivered meaningful action on gun control in America. If it wasnt for the movement, I would not have any faith in politicians, Lumbantobing, 26, who is based in New York, told The Associated Press. But given that the movement is so strong and its so clear that it is so strong, I think something will happen. In a speech last week, President Joe Biden proposed numerous reforms, including restoring a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as implementing background checks and red flag laws. At the same time, he made clear he recognizes that Republican opposition makes it unlikely that most of those changes will become law. I know how hard it is," he said. "But Ill never give up. And if Congress fails, I believe this time a majority of the American people wont give up either." Surveys show that the Republican resistance to gun control doesn't reflect the views of a majority of Americans. Most U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often if guns were harder to get and believe that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago, polling finds. Nonprofits, community groups and advocacy organizations say they have gained insight into why gun violence occurs and how to reduce it, including interventions that dont require legislation. Increasing funding for research, investing in frontline organizations working to prevent gun violence, donating to advocacy groups and taking part in mass movements, advocates say, can help reduce shooting deaths and injuries. Though gun violence is among the leading causes of death in the U.S., Congress has allocated little funding over the years to study it. Research about gun violence was effectively halted in 1996 by an amendment to a federal spending bill. That suspension was reversed in 2018 after the Parkland shooting. Congress allocated $25 million to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health to fund gun violence research. That 20-year gap in federal funding means that gun violence has received less study than have other major deadly public health issues like car crashes, smoking or HIV, according to Andrew Morral, director of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research. We dont have great data," said Morral, a senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation. We dont have a big cadre of researchers working on this. Last year, Arnold Ventures and The Joyce Foundation commissioned an analysis to find out how much it would cost the government to fund research and collect data about gun violence. Their conclusion: $600 million over five years. Were not talking about $10, and were not talking about $25 billion; this is a solvable issue, said Asheley Van Ness, a director at Arnold Ventures who oversees gun violence research. Other donors besides the federal government could help contribute. Philanthropy plays a unique role in American public policy as catalysts for change, often laying a path forward that government can follow, Van Ness said. Responding to a jump in gun homicides in 2020, the Biden administration allowed municipalities to direct funds from the American Rescue Plan last June toward gun violence reduction strategies, including community violence intervention programs. The administration also partnered with about a dozen foundations to build the capacity of community violence intervention programs in 15 cities, including Los Angeles, Washington and St. Louis. The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention, which supports shooting victims while theyre recovering and encourages them and their relatives not to retaliate, is providing training and technical help to the initiative. Jason Coburn, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has done evaluations for a violence interruption organization, Advance Peace, which started in Richmond, California, and now works in multiple cities across the country. Advance Peace's programs rely on mentors who are knowledgeable about their communities and often have been involved in and imprisoned for gun crimes. Their personal histories give them credibility with the people most likely to be involved in gun violence. But it also means that local governments can be reluctant to fund their employment. Thats where I think philanthropy can step in and provide that kind of support, Coburn said. A decade ago, the Joyce Foundation launched a funding collaborative, the Fund for a Safer Future, which pools resources for reducing gun violence. Scott Moyer, president of the Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation and member of the fund's executive committee, says it allows foundations or large donors who are interested but don't have close connections or a deep understanding of gun violence to make an impact. The fund also donates to organizations that help defend gun regulations and that advocate for policies something Moyer said is permissible despite restrictions that bar nonprofits from participating in political lobbying. The fund also allows donors who wish to be anonymous the chance to participate. Still, he suggested, it's better to speak out against gun violence and visibly support funding solutions. Some people see that gun violence issues are too political," Moyer said. And I would push back on that and just say, People are dying.' Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Late last month, President Joe Biden issued an executive order reforming federal law enforcement policy. One aspect of this new policy reinforcing the Department of Justices new use-of-force policy imposing an affirmative duty on federal officers to intervene in their colleagues misuse of force is a necessary, overdue initiative. But it doesnt go far enough. As I argue in a forthcoming law review article, Congress and all state legislatures should enact such a duty into law. Introducing criminal liability for inaction at the state and federal levels would more strongly prod all officers in the country to stop their peers serious misconduct and promote accountability for those officers who opt to remain as bystanders. That this presidential directive came on the second anniversary of Derek Chauvins murder of George Floyd reflects the significance and impact of that crime and tragedy. Three other officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao who could have intervened stood by. Floyd might still be alive had any one of them tried to stop Chauvins misuse of force. Floyds killing is just one of the most recent cases of police bystanderism. Many other such situations have attracted attention over the past several decades without prompting meaningful reform. Given the life-and-death stakes of police violence, President Joe Bidens executive order is insufficient to add real teeth to an officers duty to intervene. First, because it is issued by the president, the directive applies only to federal officers, not employees of the more than 18,000 police departments across the country. While some states and municipalities have enacted officer duty-to-intervene laws and some police departments do feature such a policy, the responsibility is far from universal or consistent. Second, Bidens order doesnt provide guidance about when or how officers must discharge the duty to intervene or the consequences of noncompliance. The federal law enforcement agencies to which the policy applies could hold contradictory trainings, issue differing instructions on how to operationalize the duty, and vary in whether and to what degree they punish offenders. Such a lack of clarity and consistency could lead to confusion, conflict, and chaos. Third, laws would be more effective than the mere policy contained in Bidens order. The police department in Minneapolis, where Chauvin killed Floyd, did have a duty-to-intervene policy at the time that required sworn employees to protect the public and to stop or attempt to stop another sworn employee when force is being inappropriately applied or is no longer required. Yet Kueng, Lane, and Thao failed to uphold that duty. Given the blue wall of silence, police self-policing is unreliable. An external check on police through criminal prosecution and punishment would better ensure that such a duty is enforceable and enforced. Skeptics of statutes mandating an officer duty to intervene may argue that such laws are unnecessary, as evidenced by indictments and prosecutions stemming from Floyds murder. In February, the three passive policemen were found guilty in federal court of willfully failing to provide Floyd medical aid. Kueng and Thao were also found guilty in federal court of depriving Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure when they willfully failed to intervene. On May 18, Lane pleaded guilty to a state charge of aiding and abetting manslaughter. Kueng and Thao still face similar state charges. But such prosecutions, let alone convictions or guilty pleas, for bystander police are rare, and existing laws dont address the full range of officer nonintervention. The federal law under which Kueng and Thao were convicted, and the accomplice liability with which those two ex-officers are charged, both require proving levels of intent that present substantial hurdles to prosecute violations successfully. These recent and potential convictions may thus simply be aberrations attributable to the high-profile nature of the case. Lane was not even charged with, let alone convicted of, failing to intervene under federal law, likely because he merely asked Chauvin if the officers should reposition Floyd. Lanes meager, ineffective effort to help Floyd sits well below the reasonable intervention that should be required of officers and written into law. Amid their colleagues misuse of force, officers in action must replace officers inaction. Widely enacting an officer duty to intervene would provide prosecutors a tool for holding would-be police bystanders accountable and would alleviate dependence on law enforcement agencies to sanction their own employees. When discharged, the duty would help protect civilians and build trust between the public and police by demonstrating that the latter are not above the law. Given the scourge of police misuse of force in the United States, a legally enforceable officer duty to intervene should be universal. Such laws would help prevent the death of and promote justice for future George Floyds. Zachary D. Kaufman is a visiting associate law professor at Washington University and Co-Director of the Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Houston Law Center. He is writing a book on bystanders and upstanders that will be published by Cambridge University Press. Hong Kong: 558 COVID-19 cases reported The Centre for Health Protection today said it is looking into 558 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 61 are imported and the rest are locally infected. Among the new cases, 257 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests while 301 via rapid antigen tests were verified. The centre also received 94 reports of positive cases from 87 schools, involving 61 students and 33 staff. Meanwhile, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration to cover Tower 1 of Lake Silver in Ma On Shan, requiring people in the restricted area to undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline. As there were positive sewage test results with relatively high viral loads in several areas of Kowloon City and Eastern districts, the Housing Department and respective district offices will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to relevant residents as well as cleaning workers and property management staff working there. For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage. This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. On Thursday, the Jan. 6 committee will make its televised primetime debut, some 519 days after the event that gave the committee its name and purpose. For its ardent supporters, the committees mission is nothing less than an effort to save democracy. For its harshest critics, its both a waste of time and part of that partisan witch hunt against Donald Trump. I see the Jan. 6 committee as being at least as much a symptom of our democracys failure as a mechanism for its salvation. First, because the committee should not be necessary and, second, because the forces that made it necessary threaten to undermine democracy even now. I dont mean the committee shouldnt be necessary simply because the attack shouldnt have happened. Thats obviously true. The storming of the U.S. Capitol was a heinous act, and Trumps role in it, even under the most generous interpretation, was simply villainous. For even if he had no intent to incite a mob, he neglected his constitutional duty to stop one as it was attacking the Capitol on his behalf. The Jan. 6 committee shouldnt be necessary because the proper response and remedy to the attack should have been a rapid impeachment and conviction. The defeated president suborned a mob to hector and harass Congress into invalidating a presidential election. A Congress with an iota of institutional and constitutional sense would have done so within a few days of the attack. All of the vital evidence and testimony sought by the committee should have been sought by a Senate trial. But congressional leaders saw themselves as leaders of their parties first, and their institutions second. Nancy Pelosi rightly wanted to impeach Trump, but she pursued a strategy that made a bipartisan impeachment harder. There was no serious consultation with Republicans about how to craft an article of impeachment or even an effort to write one that would have made it more difficult for some Republicans to vote against it. An article simply laying out that Trump was derelict in his duty on Jan. 6 would have garnered more GOP support. For the benefit of the incoming president and her partys agenda, Pelosi dawdled in sending the article of impeachment to the Senate, letting passions cool and partisanship reassert itself. Pelosi was happy to have Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming denounce Trump in a floor speech, but Cheney, then the third ranking Republican in the House, should have been offered a manager slot in the impeachment trial (I have it on good authority she was not). Meanwhile, even Republicans who wanted Trump gone were happy to let Democrats do the heavy work. As Mitch McConnell reportedly told his advisers: The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us. That strategy didnt work because dodging responsibility allowed Washingtons zero-sum logic to prevail. McConnell, still the Senate majority leader at the time, himself delivered a speech that placed the blame for Jan. 6 squarely at Trumps feet and then he voted to acquit Trump. The logic of his decision seemed to be that a majority leader has to be a majority follower. I didnt get to be leader by voting with five people in the conference, he said. Since then, weve learned that the Jan. 6 attack was itself merely a manifestation of a broader, deeper and more deliberate assault on democracy. It was a last-ditch strategy, literally the bloody climax after numerous other efforts to fraudulently overturn the election failed, including a ferocious pressure campaign on Vice President Mike Pence who, to his eternal credit, put the Constitution above party and personality cult. Im sure the Democrats on the committee believe they are doing something patriotic. But it also seems they are divided on actions to take after the hearings. Some, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., want to use this opportunity to push for a progressive wish list of reforms, including abolishing the Electoral College (as if Cheney would ever support that). Apparently, doing what is necessary and has bipartisan support specifically strengthening the Electoral Count Act to clarify the vice presidents role just isnt exciting enough. Its still unknown whether the committee will present even more shocking revelations that could change minds as if we havent had more than 500 days of such revelations. If the Democrats on the committee seek to leverage the hearings for a partisan agenda, they will undermine all of their work. And thats exactly what many Republicans want Democrats to do. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. On Twitter:@JonahDispatch. The House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection opens televised hearings Thursday night. The prime-time event will either be a partisan spectacle clearly designed to weaken the Republican Party going into the midterms, or an illuminating examination of what exactly happened before, during and after the assault: who played what roles, and what the remaining dangers are going forward. For the sake of the nation, its urgent that it be the latter. It was 18 months ago that thousands of supporters of then-President Donald Trump swarmed the Capitol to interrupt Congress normally routine process of officially confirming the presidential election results of the previous November. Their goal was to prevent certification of Joe Bidens clear victory in that election, so that an incumbent who had been turned out of office by the people could remain in power. It was Trump himself who spurred them to action, demanding from the podium shortly ahead of the attack that the mob march on Congress and fight like hell. What followed was hours of intense violence that cost the lives of police officers and rioters and sent lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence scurrying and hiding for their lives. Nearby at the White House, Trump raptly watched the violence on TV but remained publicly silent through most of it, ignoring for hours the frantic pleas from members of Congress and his own inner circle to call off the mob. In short, this was the closest thing to a literal coup that the American presidency has ever experienced. The above facts and much more have already been thoroughly established, but this reality-affirming narrative is an important starting point for any additional information the committee may bring to light through testimony and previously unreleased video and documents. Americans have a tendency to move on quickly from even the most shocking national events, and to some extent, many have done that regarding Jan. 6, 2021. This is a mistake, one the hearings may be able to rectify. What happened that day wasnt a random event, but the logical culmination of a months-long campaign by an ousted president to stay in power through lies and intimidation. And that ousted president, still slinging his lies, remains a potential 2024 presidential candidate, meaning the danger has not passed. The Democrats who make up most of the committee must resist the usual urge to speechify, grandstand and take potshots at the GOP in general with an eye toward the midterms. This was a crime against America, and the hearings should be conducted with the sober and deliberate goal of presenting the evidence of that crime listening to the witnesses, viewing the documentation, following the facts wherever they go and not treating it as an election-year partisan cudgel. The issue is simply too important for that. Regarding " As US mourns shootings, NRA in turmoil but influence remains" (May 28): I believe the money that lawmakers get from the gun lobby is more important to them than the lives of their children. That is essentially what every member of Congress who accepts support from the gun lobby is saying. Fighting any legislation that restricts gun ownership is absolutely required if lawmakers expect continued support from the gun lobby. Thousands of U.S. citizens have been killed by gun violence in each for the past 20 years, yet Congress has done nothing. As Americans, we need to either accept that these mass shooting at schools, churches and any crowded location are inevitable and cannot be stopped, or we need get vote in better representatives. The U.S. Navy recently released an unclassified version of the investigation report into the 2021 collision of the nuclear submarine Connecticut. This report explains why the navy has already overhauled navigation training of officers and senior NCOs on nuclear subs as well as implementing more intense scrutiny of how well that training is done. This includes more frequent checks on how effective the training is over time. The October 2021 Connecticut incident was the second American SSN (nuclear powered sub) to suffer such an accident (collision with a seamount) in the last fifteen years. The leadership of the Navy SSN force realized they had a serious problem. In mid-November 2021 the commander of subs based in the Pacific agreed that an emergency stand-down (halt in regular operations) to assess the state of navigation training among SSN crews was in order. At that time the Connecticut collision investigation was not yet complete but enough was known to attribute the collision to poor training and supervision of the officers and sailors who handle underwater navigation. When the Connecticut collided with an underwater seamount, the damage was so severe that it had to surface immediately. The ballast tanks were damaged so the sub could not remain underwater. It was also feared that there might have been a radiation leak but none of the radiation monitoring sensors on the sub detected any. The navy has already relieved the captain of the Connecticut along with the executive officer (second in command), and the COB (Chief of the Boat, the senior NCO on the sub). These key personnel were relieved for poor navigation procedures and failure to train the crew to do it right. Now the submarine command wanted to find out the extent of the problem by similarly scrutinizing the status of navigation training and capabilities on all SSNs. The first such collision occurred in 2006 and the reason was a lack of updated charts (nautical maps showing underwater obstacles) on all SSNs in 2006. That was thought to be remedied after the 2006 collision and all ships are supposed to have the electronic charts that are part of the new VMS (Voyage Management System) that not only uses electronic copies of charts, but quickly updates charts when new underwater obstacles are detected. This is done via space satellites or various seagoing data collection systems. In 2016 the navy installed a new VMS system (version 9.3) in American SSNs and it was eventually discovered that this was not an issue with the Connecticut. Crews are given initial training on these new systems before they depart on a cruise. The two senior officers, and especially the COB, are responsible for ensuring that all sailors involved with navigation are properly trained to handle the VMS and the new charts. By the end of 2021 the navy admitted that the damage was extensive and Congress agreed to provide $50 million for replacement components that must be manufactured, a process that could take months or longer. It is still unclear if the damage done is so extensive and expensive to fix that the navy budget might not be able to handle it. That could force the navy to retire the Connecticut. The earlier collision of the USS San Francisco caused similar damage but was cheaper ($80 million) and easier to fix because the San Francisco was a Los Angeles class sub and many of those were being retired because of age. The San Francisco was not due to retire until 2017 because it had recently undergone a $170 million refueling and refurbishment. The navy did the math and realized that another Los Angeles class sub, four years younger than the San Francisco, was about to undergo a similar refurbishment. It was cheaper and faster to remove the forward portion of the younger sub and use it to replace the damaged portion of the San Francisco. This approach would not work with the Connecticut because it is a Seawolf class sub and there are only three of those. The Connecticut entered service in 1998 and was expected to remain in service into the 2030s. The Seawolfs are larger and more capable than the Los Angeles class but too expensive to build in large quantities, so only three were built Many of the innovations found on the Seawolfs were transferred to the smaller, more affordable Virginia class. This was a success and 66 are planned with 22 already in service. The three Seawolfs were kept in service because they were already paid for and turned out to be quite effective. The new tech that made that possible was now tested and it made the smaller Virginias much more effective, and not much more expensive than the Los Angeles class boats the Seawolfs were originally supposed to replace. The Seawolfs themselves were another example of poor navy leadership in the key area of developing and building new ships. The Seawolfs were the first of a series of similar disasters that included the Zumwalt destroyers and the LCS frigates. Spending a lot of money to save the Connecticut is not something the navy can afford anymore. The only exception is the third Seawolf, USS Jimmy Carter, which was heavily modified to become a longer, heavier and unique intelligence collection sub. The Carter, which entered service in 2005, was a success in performing unique intel missions. The other two Seawolfs are not unique and useful, which makes them more likely to be retired early id unexpected and expensive-to-fix problems arise. This is what the navy is doing with many recently built but flawed LCS class ships. The Connecticut now has a very expensive hardware problem and, like the LCS ships. is in danger of just being retired because of cost considerations. Despite the greater capabilities of the Seawolf, the Connecticut collision demonstrated that crew quality is still a major factor. As much as the navy would hate to lose a Seawolf, the demise of the Connecticut makes it clear that crew quality is even more important and is not something you can build into a new ship. Crew quality is easier to misplace than ship quality and cost, because the hardware cost is easier to demonstrate and justify. Let us hope that the loss of the USS Connecticut was not in vain. Iraqi efforts to form a new government after the late 2021 parliamentary elections have been blocked by a coalition of various Shia and Kurdish groups, plus a few Sunni factions that oppose a government dominated by powerful Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al Sadr. The stalemate benefits Iran and hurts Iraq and Sadr has backed a solution that involves new elections. Given current voter attitudes towards Iran, a new election would create an even more anti-Iran parliament. Sadr is also seeking to assure other political parties that he will continue acting in the best interests of Iraq. Since 2003, when American and British troops ended Sunni domination of Iraqi politics, something that had existed since the creation of Iraq in the 1920s, the political situation has been volatile. Sunni Arabs have always been a minority in Iraq, which began and remains a Shia-majority Iraq. Sadr has changed his political positions frequently. Two constants with Sadr are opposition to corruption and foreign interference. These are two things most Iraqis agree on, especially when Iran is the foreign threat. The Americans left after less than a decade in Iraq and that impressed many Iraqis. Because of that most Iraqis wanted to maintain economic and military ties with the United States and Sadr came to agree with that as well. The new elections compromise requires agreement on a temporary government to organize new elections within a stipulated time period. If elections are not held on time, the temporary government would disappear. The current parliamentary deadlock is common in parliamentary governments. Israel often has parliamentary stalemate when forming a new government coalition. Typically, a few small, often radical, Israeli factions make a quorum possible and then force the new government to meet their demands or see the government collapse. Iraq seems headed in the same direction and that is progress for Iraq, one of the few functioning democracies in the Middle East. The 2021 election was won by pro-Sadr parties that regard Iran and Iraqi government corruption as the most serious problem facing Iraq. Most Iraqi voters agreed with Sadr, who demanded that all militias be disarmed and disbanded. This demand was aimed at Iran, which has used the militias to create a legal Iran-backed armed force in Iraq. Calls for disbanding these militias have been gaining a lot more support since 2017. The 2021 elections mean an even more anti-Iran government and, sensing what that would mean for militias in general, most militias have announced plans to disband. Disarming is another matter. Sadrs efforts to clean up some of the corruption has made visible progress. Less corruption is often measured by international organizations. For example. in 2021 Iraq showed continued progress in reducing corruption. Some Iraqi politicians see Sadrs anti-corruption efforts as a personal threat because some politicians are notoriously corrupt and often win elections via corrupt means. On a personal level, this is seen as more of a threat than Iranian influence in Iraq. Sadr and most Iraqis see this as a fundamental problem with Iraq; the tradition of leaders enriching themselves while insisting everything they do is for the good of Iraq and its people. Some Kurdish and Sunni Arab factions openly oppose Sadr because of his past hostility to Kurdish autonomy and Sunni Arab Iraqis in general. The anti-Sadr coalition isnt large enough to form their own government but so far, the anti-Sadr coalition has prevented the formation of a government dominated by Sadr. Iraqi allies like the United States and Gulf Arab countries fear Iran more than Sadr and are trying to come up with a compromise. June 6, 2022: In Baghdad police shot down a quadcopter that appeared to be studying Rusafa prison, where, for over a decade, many Islamic terrorist prisoners were held. There have been several Islamic terrorist plots to carry out jailbreaks and one in 2018 worked. As a result of that, senior security officials in Baghdad were fired and security in the prison upgraded, including physical changes to the prison complex. Police technicians are examining the quadcopter wreckage in an effort to determine who owned it and what it was doing over the prison. In the Kurdish north (Erbil) Akbar Sanjabi, an Iranian Kurd critic of the Iranian government survived an Iranian assassination attempt with a bomb planted under his car. Sanjabi belongs to NCRI (National Council of Resistance of Iran), a very effective organization critical of the Iranian government. NCRI also supports Iranian Kurd autonomy. Thats why many of the key NCR! Members in northern Iraq are Iranian exiles. There are a lot more NCRI members outside the Middle East and they are also threatened by Iranian retaliation. In 2021 Iran quickly protested a NCRI rally in Germany. NCRI began in 1965 as an Iranian secular (Marxist) group that opposed the monarchy and later the religious dictatorship that replaced the monarchy in 1979. NCRI previously called itself the PMOI (People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran) or the Mujahideen Khalq. The PMOI fled to Iraq in 1986 and Saddam Hussein offered sanctuary for over 3,400 Khlaq members and their families who lived at Camp Ashraf, near the Iranian border. The Khalq was disarmed by U.S. forces in 2003. America and Iraq refused Iranian demands to arrest and return most members of the Khalq to Iran for prosecution for attacks Khlaq made in Iran while working from their Iraqi base. After 2003 there were several raids on Camp Ashraf and in 2012 most residents were moved to the more secure Camp Liberty near the Baghdad airport. There have been over a thousand Khalq deaths since 20o3 because of attacks by pro-Iran Iraqi Shia militias. The U.S. and the UN long sought countries willing to take PMOI members as political refugees. PMOI members were dedicated leftist terrorists and no one was eager to accept them. The PMOI reformed itself into the NCRI and did it so convincingly that by 2012 the UN and United States had removed NCRI from their list of international terrorists. The 2021 rally was attended by European and American officials who spoke in support of the NCRI to replace the current Iranian government with a democracy. June 4, 2022: In the northeast (Diyala Province) a roadside bomb went near a civilian vehicle, wounding seven civilians. Gunmen fired on police who came to assist. The police were uninjured and returned fire and the gunmen fled. In the south, near the Iranian and Kuwait borders, border guards acted on a tip that an ultralight aircraft operated by drug smugglers would attempt to cross into Kuwait. The aircraft was flying low and slow when sported and the border guard fired on it, causing the aircraft to crash land near the Kuwait border. The pilot ran off towards the border and border guards found the aircraft was carrying a million captagon (amphetamine) pills. The aircraft and its cargo had come from Iran. Captagon is a stronger and illegal drug that is popular in the Middle East, especially with Islamic terrorists. June 3, 2022: In the west (Anbar province) security forces received information that ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) was using a large truck as a mobile warehouse for weapons and other supplies. An Iraqi F-16 found and attacked the truck, destroying it. Ground forces soon arrived and found the truck and three dead terrorists. A survivor was found nearby and killed by the police. In the north (Erbil province) Iraqi F-16s carried out several attacks on caves in the Qarah Gogh Mountains that were used as ISIL bases. Thinly populated mountain regions are often used as ISIL base areas. Northern Iraq has lots of those, especially near the Turkish and Iranian borders. These mountain bases provide training, storage (weapons, ammo, fuel and other supplies) and production (of bombs, landmines and other improvised weapons) facilities. The airstrike today was one of several that took place in the area since late May. In one of the cave bombings, 13 Islamic terrorists were found dead inside, buried by the partially collapsed cave. Documents recovered from these mountain bases yield information on current ISIL membership and where they are operating. This makes it possible for police, especially at checkpoints, to identify and arrest unarmed ISIL members, especially leaders. The ISIL violence in these cities has killed a lot of civilians, some of them ISIL supporters. Friends and kin of these victims often lose their enthusiasm for the group and some become informants (preferably anonymous) for the security forces. Identifying yourself when calling in a tip means that a corrupt army or police commander can make a lot of money selling your name to ISIL. June 2, 2022: In the north (Nineveh province) six UAVs loaded with explosives were shot down trying to attack a Turkish Army base near Mosul. Turkish bases and military forces have been in northern Iraq since 2016 and are used by troops hunting for Turkish PKK Kurdish separatists who continue to operate in northern Iraq. The Zintan base attacked today is the largest in the area and recently received an air defense system to deal with the UAV attacks. June 1, 2022: In the north (Metina province, near the Turkish border) Turkish troops tracked down and killed fourteen PKK fighters. This clash was part of a sustained campaign that has been underway since mid-April. May 30, 2022: In the west (Anbar province) five rockets were fired at the Assad airbase, the largest airbase in Iraq and long shared with American troops. There was no damage or casualties. The last such attack was on April 30 and the two rockets were also ineffective. The unguided rockets usually land in unoccupied areas of the large base, causing no injuries or damage. It is assumed the targets were the few American troops still based there to support Iraqi forces fighting the remaining ISIL groups in the province. ISIL is more of a threat north of Baghdad but some ISIL remain in Anbar where they try to disrupt use of main roads connecting Iraq to Syria and Jordan. In the Kurdish north (Sulaymaniyah Province) Kurdish security forces found and destroyed two ISIL roadside bombs. May 26, 2022: Parliament approved a law making it a capital (death or life in prison) crime to have any contact with Israel or Israelis. This could be a major win for Iran because 84 percent of parliament voted for it. Iraq never recognized the existence of Israel and a state of war still exists with Israel. The new law causes problems with the West, especially the United States, because Western trade with Iraq often involves Jews with dual (Israeli and their home country) passports. Other Arab oil states have not only recognized the existence of Israel, but established diplomatic, economic and military relationships. One reason for this is Iran, which has been calling for the destruction of Israel since the 1980s. Before that, Iran followed its ancient practice of tolerating all religions. The practice was disrupted 1,500 years ago when Iranians were forced to accept Islam. Like its predecessor Christianity, Islam had an anti-Semitic component that pre-Islam Iran lacked. Since Islam arrived, Iranian rulers kept religious leaders out of politics and anti-Semitism was absent and unpopular. In 1979, when Iranian religious leaders played a major role in overthrowing the monarchy, it became fashionable to oppose everything (including religious tolerance) that the monarchy supported. This was not popular with many Iranians who realized that one reason for Iran being the traditional local superpower was religious tolerance. Islamic conservatives consider that heresy and that was another custom that was not an Iranian tradition. At the same time, anti-Semitism was becoming less of a factor in Christian and Moslem majority countries. The new Iraqi law is seen as a win for Iran and a defeat for Iraq because in practice the new law makes Iraq less able to cooperate with Arab and Western nations it depends on economically, diplomatically and militarily. Many Iraqis, particularly Kurds, openly opposed the new law and still do. Iran may not be very good at creating progress but the religious dictatorship there has been very successful at causing disasters and decline for the Iranian people. The new Iraqi law does not become official until it is ratified by the president of Iraq. Since 2018 that has been Barham Salih, a veteran Kurdish politician. Salih got the job by obtaining the support of most members of parliament. He was seen as a practical choice, someone who would moderate the sometimes-radical laws that get passed mainly for show because parliament knows that Salih will not confirm it and take the heat for members of parliament who silently agree with him. May 23, 2022: In the north (Kirkuk and Diyala provinces) ISIL gunmen used severe sand storms to conceal them as they approached and killed six farmers and then set fire to their wheat fields. This was another intimidation attack against civilians who refused to cooperate with the Islamic terrorists. Attacks like this against civilians and police who come to assist the victims have been common since 2017. May 21, 2022: In the Kurdish north (Sulaymaniyah Province) two armed Turkish UAVs carried out attacks on PKK separatists, killed three of them, as well as three local civilians. May 6, 2022: In the west, just across the border in eastern Syria (Homs province) ISIL and Syrian forces continue fighting near the American controlled crossing at Tanf (or Tanaf) near the Jordan and Iraq borders. The American forces have the support of some Syrian Sunni tribes that are not friendly to the Assads. In addition, the Americans have some allies on the Iraqi (Anbar province) side of the border from other Sunni Arab tribes. Iran assisted (with its mercenaries) Assad forces in trying to eliminate the Tanf base but these efforts have failed. The Americans have too much airpower and too much aerial and ground surveillance around Tanf. The U.S. has declared a free fire zone that means any Assad/Iranian forces getting within 30 kilometers of Tanf are automatically attacked. Iranian and Assad forces rarely test this free fire zone. Most of this border area is now back under Syrian administrative control and Syrian ground forces along with Russian and American air strikes attack ISIL forces operating in the area. Small groups of ISIL gunmen ambush Syrian troops and terrorize local civilians into tolerating the ISIL presence. April 27, 2022: The Turkish military has begun winding down an air and ground offensive against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in Iraqi Kurdistan that began April 18th. Turkey claimed that the KRG (Kurdistan Iraqi Regional Government) supported the operation. However, the Iraqi central governments foreign ministry condemned the operation as illegal. April 26, 2022: Iraq hosted Saudi Arabian and Iranian officials holding their fifth round of negotiations in an effort to resume diplomatic relations. These talks were suspended seven months ago. Iraq along with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf Oil states are angry with the Americans because the U.S. is not only offering Iran a revival of the 2015 sanctions treaty, but also a modification of the terms to make it easier for Iran to develop nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Panopto's Chris Knowlton Talks the Value of VOD Content Searchability Learn more about VOD and searchability at Streaming Media West 2022. Tim Siglin: Welcome back to Streaming Media East 2022 here at the Westin Copley in Boston. I'm Tim Siglin, Founding Executive Director of the not-for-profit Help Me Stream Research Foundation. I know that's a mouthful, but basically we're 501c3 that takes in old first-world gear, repackages it into streaming solutions. And sends it to places in emerging economies. With me. I have Chris Knolton, who is Chief Evangelist now at Panopto [http://panopto.com]. And I didn't know that you moved to Panopto because the last tracking I had of you, after Wowza and BlueFrame was that you'd gone back to Microsoft. I had. And so how long have you been with Panopto now? Chris Knowlton: I think this is week nine. Tim Siglin: Oh, wow. So it is a relatively new thing. Is this your first trade show, or did you go to NAB? Chris Knowlton: Didn't go to NAB. I went to something called ATD, the Association for Talent Development, which is where lots of instructional designers will go and get new information on the latest tech. That was my first time there. That was last week in Orlando. And this is my first Streaming Media show, obviously, since 2019. Tim Siglin: For a number of us, it's our first Streaming Media show in a couple of years. So you had some really fascinating stats that you showed on the keynote presentation you did, one of which caught my attention and that of my wife, Michelle, a high wchool algebra teacher--the one where it said that students remember only 58% of what they learned 30 minutes ago, and a week later it's down to 35%. So therefore repetition makes sense if somebody wants to do it. And part of your premise was the idea that we would record that content and then allow people to come back and rewatch it multiple times. Chris Knowlton: That's correct. I don't know about you, but a lot of times I have gone to trainings and I saw a video, or maybe it was a live training, and that's the only time I had exposure to that content. But if you capture it and then make it very accessible and searchable, you're much more likely to get a lot of value out of that content and help with that repetition, so somebody can have the knowledge they need when they need it. Tim Siglin: As a matter of fact, we did a survey last year for Streaming Media around enterprise. And one of the questions that we asked people was, "During the pandemic, have you gone to more trade show events than you did in person?" And the answer was yes. And then we said, "What do you like about it? What do you dislike?" One of the things people said they really disliked in the live one was not to have a chance to do question and answer. But the other thing they said that they really liked about those trade shows was that the virtual ones were recorded, so they could go back and actually watch them multiple times. And some of the people said, "After the first three or four, I ultimately just stopped attending them live and would go watch the on-demand because I could learn at my own pace through those. And then I could send a question to the presenter with the knowledge of what that presenter had actually said." Chris Knowlton: One of the challenges I always have at a show like this is that there are always multiple tracks going on, and inevitably, I will want to see two things happening at the same time. With on-demand or asynchronous video, you obviously have that opportunity. And to your point about not being able to do it all in one sitting--you can hit pause. Maybe it's helpful for you to have it bigger on the screen. So you do captions or a screen reader. All of these are things that you can't do if it's a live stream, but you can do them if it's on demand. Tim Siglin: Now I've worked with a number of companies who have tried to attack this over the years--one of them being Sonic Foundry--and one of their big claims to fame was the ability to search through content that was on demand. Does Panopto have those kinds of options as well--agenda-based, or text-based? Chris Knowlton: We do both speech-to-text, so we get every spoken word, as well as doing OCR on content. So any words that are shown, I will pick up as well. So if somebody's flipping through their slides fast, they don't say the keyword that you wanna look for later, we've still caught it because of the OCR. And when you search for it, you'll still find it in the right place and it'll take you right to that place. Tim Siglin: And I think that last part is key. It's not just, "Oh, this is in this hour-long video." It's, "Hey, you searched for that particular word. Now, let me take you to the multiple instances where that word either showed up on screen or was said, so allows people to rapidly get back to where they want to learn. Chris Knowlton: Exactly. It's much like a Google search result where you see the key phrase or word in context, so that if you remember what was being said around it, you can pick out the right one from the search results and go right to that spot in the video. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles Companies and Suppliers Mentioned VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 8, 2022 / Fabled Copper Corp. ("Fabled Copper" or the "Company") (CSE:FABL)(FSE:XZ7) announces additional results of 2021 surface field work on its Muskwa Copper Project. See Figure 1 below. Figure 1 - General Property Location The Project is comprised of the Neil, Toro and Bronson Properties in northern British Columbia. See Figure 2 below. Figure 2 - Location Map Peter Hawley, President, CEO reports; "To date we have reported on the sampling of 14 copper occurrences, related drone UAV missions and ground geophysics on the Neil Property. This completes the 2021 work on the Neil and now we will report on the 2021 work on the Bronson property to the south of the Neil." See Figure 3 below. Figure 3 - Bronson Property, Book 6 Location The Bronson property comprises 4 mineral tenures covering approximately 2,524.6 hectares where the key objectives of the 2021 work program were to: i) Carry out a field campaign consisting of reconnaissance prospecting across the Bronson claims. ii) Complete a focused program at the Book 6 vein target consisting of detailed sampling, Very Low Frequency Electromagnetic and ground magnetometer geophysical surveys and a UAV photogrammetry survey. iii) Conduct alteration mineral mapping and targeting using Visible Near Infrared (VNIR), Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) and Thermal Infrared (TIR) Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) multispectral satellite data. A total of 56 person days were spent on the property with 199 rock samples taken on 7 areas prospects which are the; Book 6, Book 9, B00k 10, 428 Central, 428 South, PJ105 and PJ100. See Figure 4 below. Figure 4 - Bronson Property, Area of 2021 Prospecting We will begin our discussion of the Bronson property with the Book 6 property where an unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry survey was conducted over the Book 6 vein target on August 14, 2021. The purpose of the UAV photogrammetry survey was to: (i) Generate high resolution photogrammetry datasets for the vein target to better understand bedrock controls on copper mineralization. (ii) Generate high resolution Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) to assist with 3D modelling of the targets. (iii) Generate baseline imagery to record current state of surface disturbance at sites that will be actively explored in coming years. Equipment used to carry out UAV photogrammetry surveys consisted of a DJI Phantom 4 Pro v2.0 optical 20-megapixel camera drone with both a mechanical shutter and an upgraded rover L1/L2 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. A multi - frequency Sunnav G10 base station was set to allow for PPK corrections of the UAV rover receiver location information. See Figure 5 below. Figure 5 - Bronson Property, Book 6 UAV Drone Survey Equipment A GNSS base station was setup in the center of the mapping area prior to surveying. The area was traversed on foot to conduct line-of-site photogrammetry surveys on August 14, 2021. Ground control point (GCP) data were acquired during surveying. Four terrain-following UAV missions were carried out to survey the Book 6 target. A total of 861 photographs were acquired during surveying and the final GSD`s (resolution) were 3.02 cm for the orthomosaic and 6.04 cm for the digital surface model (DSM). Final spatial resolution of the DSM is dependent on the level of detail in point cloud generation. For the Book 6 survey area, a finer resolution DSM was generated due to the more subdued relief. See Figure 6 below. Figure 6 - Bronson Property, Book 6 UAV Drone Mission Survey Area Data Points Data products generated included 3 cm resolution color orthophoto mosaics, Digital Surface Models (DSM) and Digital Terrain Models (DTM). Hillshade models were also generated for each target area. For the Hillshade model an illumination of 315 degrees was applied with 6 cm resolution. Survey grade accuracy for the final model's horizontal accuracy was 3.02 - 6.02 cm and final model vertical accuracy was 6.04 - 18.12 cm. See Figures 7, 8 below. Figure 7- Bronson Property, Book 6 Color Orthophoto Digital Model, 3 cm Resolution Figure 8- Bronson Property, Book 6 Hill Shade Digital Model, 6 cm Resolution The data generated was used for in-field targeting of visual copper occurrences on the color orthophoto due to the 3 cm resolution which led to field examination of the mineralization and the sampling of the Book 6 vein where a total of 113 samples were collect as a first pass evaluation. Press link here to view Bronson Property Book 6 Vein drone flight mission. Going Forwards Using the results of the data gathered by the UAV drone mission in the 2021 field season the field crew will further evaluate the Book 6 copper occurrence. Additional releases on the Book 6 sampling and ground geophysics. property will be forth coming in the following weeks. QA QC Procedure Analytical results of sampling reported by Fabled Copper Corp represent rock samples submitted by Fabled Copper Corp staff directly to ALS Chemex, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. Samples were crushed, split, and pulverized as per ALS Chemex method PREP-31, then analyzed for ME-ICP61 33 element package by four acid digestion with ICP-AES Finish. ME-GRA21 method for Au and Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish, 30g nominal sample weight. Over Limit Methods For samples triggering precious metal over-limit thresholds of 10 g/t Au or 100 g/t Ag, the following is being used: Au-GRA21 Au by fire assay and gravimetric finish with 30 g sample. Ag-GRA21 Ag by fire assay and gravimetric finish. Fabled Copper Corp. monitors QA/QC using commercially sourced standards and locally sourced blank materials inserted within the sample sequence at regular intervals. About Fabled Copper Corp. Fabled Copper is a junior mining exploration company. Its current focus is to creating value for stakeholders through the exploration and development of its existing copper properties located in northern British Columbia. The Muskwa Project comprises a total of 76 claims in two non-contiguous blocks and totals approximately 8,064.9 hectares, located in the Liard Mining Division in northern British Columbia. Mr. Peter J. Hawley, President and C.E.O. Fabled Copper Corp. Phone: (819) 316-0919 [email protected] For further information please contact: [email protected] The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Peter J. Hawley, P.Geo. President and C.E.O. of Fabled, who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: impacts from the coronavirus or other epidemics, general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and globally; industry conditions, including fluctuations in commodity prices; governmental regulation of the mining industry, including environmental regulation; geological, technical and drilling problems; unanticipated operating events; competition for and/or inability to retain drilling rigs and other services; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; volatility in market prices for commodities; liabilities inherent in mining operations; changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the mining industry; as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law. SOURCE: Fabled Copper Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: BOWLING GREEN, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A-Gas, a world leader in environmentally responsible refrigerant management, announced their expansion in New Orleans, LA. This expansion marks the third expansion of refrigerant services this year. Being able to offer our Rapid Exchange program in New Orleans and the surrounding areas means that we can assist HVACR contractors to optimize their businesses, said Lyle Handeland, Senior Director, Service & Operations. Because this program promotes the reclamation of refrigerant gases, which is much more environmentally friendly than contractors purchasing newly produced refrigerants, were making an impact in this vibrant community we serve a community that has seen the negative impacts of climate change firsthand. As a modern refrigerant reclaimer, A-Gas is focused on environmental stewardship through the lifecycle management of refrigerant gases and contributing to the circular economy. Bradd Mennenga, Territory Account Lead, stated, Every pound of gas A-Gas can recover and reclaim is one less pound of gas that needs to be produced from virgin materials. Our commitment to HVACR contractors enables them to grow their businesses with ease, all while securing the future supply of these critical gases and enabling a more sustainable future. A-Gas manages the full life cycle of refrigerants for its partners around the world and safely reclaims millions of pounds of material each year. About A-Gas A-Gas (U.S.), headquartered in Bowling Green, Ohio, is a trading subsidiary of A-Gas International (headquartered in Bristol, UK) and is the Worlds largest refrigerant recovery and reclamation company. The companys core business offers environmental solutions and lifecycle management services for ozone depleting substances and global warming agents including CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, and Halons in the HVAC/Refrigeration and Fire Suppression Industries. For more information about A-Gas, please visit www.agas.com/us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005262/en/ Jaclyn Schilkey [email protected] 419-704-4737 Source: A-Gas MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior), the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of aa- (Superior) and the Mexico National Scale Rating of aaa.MX (Exceptional) of Berkley International Fianzas Mexico S.A. (BFM) (Mexico City, Mexico). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. BFM is a member of W. R. Berkley Insurance Group (Berkley Group), which on a consolidated basis, has a balance sheet strength that AM Best assesses as strongest, as well as strong operating performance, a favorable business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings reflect BFMs substantial reinsurance support from its group through the Berkley Insurance Company. Additionally, the ratings factor in BFMs integration with its parent company, W. R. Berkley Corporation (W. R. Berkley), in terms of underwriting, ERM and capital commitments. Limiting the ratings is the inherent risk of a startup company implementing its business plan amid the challenges derived from the weakening of Mexicos economy. BFM was formed in November 2016, and is the Mexico surety subsidiary of W. R. Berkley. The company received regulatory approval for operations in June 2017 and issued its first policy that same month. The company plans to develop a regional presence in northwest Mexico, through a predominant mix of administrative surety and a lesser portion of credit and judicial products strongly backed by a comprehensive reinsurance contract with its parent company. BFMs solid risk-adjusted capitalization is derived from its strong capital position in support of its premium growth during its first years of operation, which is strengthened further by the comprehensive reinsurance contract with its parent company. Furthermore, AM Best recognizes W. R. Berkleys commitment to its subsidiaries providing additional capital fungibility to the Mexico operation. BFM has been able to grow it business volume during the past five years. Despite several challenges that the Mexicos surety segment faces due to the economic slowdown that lingers since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, BFM has been able to implement its growth strategy, surpassing during 2021 its 2020 premium growth by focusing on private sector business. BFMs experienced team of underwriters expect their underwriting capabilities to continue providing resources for the company to keep developing its business base. If negative rating actions are taken on the main operating subsidiaries of the Berkley Group for a significant drop in equity, preventing the organization from maintaining the expected risk-adjusted capitalization levels, BFMs ratings likely would move in tandem. Negative rating actions also could occur to the insurance operations as a result of a sustained deterioration in BFMs underwriting or operating results, driven by either current accident year results or adverse development of loss reserves from prior years. If the financial position of the ultimate parent weakens, requiring the withdrawal of capital from the groups various insurance companies or increases financial leverage or leads to a decline in interest coverage at the holding company that is not supportive of the current ratings level, negative rating actions could be taken on the Berkley Group, and BFMs ratings would reflect those actions. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006106/en/ Inger Rodriguez Associate Financial Analyst +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 108 [email protected] Eli Sanchez Associate Director, Analytics +52 55 1102 2720, ext. 122 [email protected] Christopher Sharkey Manager, Public Relations +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159 [email protected] Jeff Mango Managing Director, Strategy & Communications +1 908 439 2200, ext. 5204 [email protected] Source: AM Best INCE, U.K.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CF Fertilisers UK Limited, a subsidiary of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CF), today announced proposals to restructure its operations in the United Kingdom to position the business for long-term profitability and sustainability and enable it to continue to supply fertiliser, carbon dioxide and other industrial products to its domestic customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006350/en/ Aerial view of CF Fertilisers UK's Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, United Kingdom (Photo: Business Wire) Summary: CF Fertilisers UK proposes to focus its manufacturing operations in the UK exclusively at the Billingham manufacturing facility in Teesside Billingham is the largest ammonia, ammonium nitrate (AN) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production facility in the country The Company believes that the facility is better positioned for long-term sustainability as it has sufficient capacity to meet all forecasted domestic demand for AN fertiliser from CF Fertilisers UK, is more efficient than the Ince manufacturing facility, has an installed industrial customer base, and has the ability to import ammonia Aligned with this approach, the Company is proposing to: Permanently close the Ince manufacturing facility near Chester, which could result in up to 283 redundancies at the site; the Ince manufacturing facility has not produced ammonia since September 2021 Adopt CF Industries global operating model for corporate functions, which could result in up to 55 redundancies; this would entail the permanent transfer of select business activities to CF Industries headquarters in the United States, with certain functions continuing to be performed in the UK to support the Billingham manufacturing facility and UK business Optimise Billingham manufacturing operations by closing Billinghams operations centre, which is a legacy of the multiple utilities and chemical businesses across the broader Billingham site, and reorganise the maintenance and support team, which could result in up to 33 redundancies at the facility CF Fertilisers UK anticipates that some of the proposed redundancies might be avoided by redeployment opportunities. The Company will be entering into collective redundancy consultation with its recognised union, Unite, and elected employee representatives regarding its redundancy proposals Additionally, in order to provide greater resilience to operational issues, low-priced imports and macro-economic forces, the Company will: Enter into a separate consultation process under applicable pensions legislation, including with its pension trustees, regarding a proposal to reduce the maximum employer contribution level for the defined contribution (DC) pension scheme; there are no changes proposed for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes Discuss proposed revisions to current pay and conditions arrangements with Unite The people and facilities that make up CF Fertilisers UK are part of a proud, 100-year history of providing customers in the UK with products vital to the countrys food security and industrial activity, said Brett Nightingale, managing director, CF Fertilisers UK. However, as a high-cost producer in an intensely competitive global industry, we see considerable challenges to long-term sustainability from our current operational approach. Following a strategic review of our business, we believe that the best way to continue our legacy of serving customers in the UK is to operate only the Billingham manufacturing facility moving forward while addressing cost pressures throughout our business. We expect to begin collective redundancy consultation with union and other employee representatives shortly. We intend to provide our team with all possible support through what we recognise will be a very challenging time for them. Commercial Environment Overview Global nitrogen industry conditions are expected to remain challenging for nitrogen producers in the UK and Europe. The cost of producing nitrogen fertilisers is highly dependent on the cost of natural gas, which is the principal raw material and primary fuel source used in the ammonia production process for manufacturing facilities in the region. For many producers globally, more than 70% of the total cost to produce ammonia is from the cost of natural gas. Natural gas forward curves suggest that nitrogen facilities in the UK and Europe will be the worlds high-cost marginal producers for the foreseeable future, presenting a constant challenge to the sustainability of current operations. Operations at both the Billingham and Ince manufacturing facilities were halted in September 2021 due to high natural gas prices that made production at the sites unprofitable. The Billingham manufacturing facility was subsequently restarted that month following an interim agreement reached with the UK government to cover the costs associated with restarting the ammonia plant to produce CO2 for the UK market. Since September 2021, no redundancies have been made at the business and all CF Fertilisers UK employees have been paid full salaries and bonuses, with payroll-related expenses totaling approximately 35 million during that time, several times larger than the government support provided. Against this backdrop, a strategic review was recently completed that confirmed additional challenges facing the business. The Companys AN fertiliser sales volumes to domestic customers have fallen by nearly 30 percent since the 2017-18 season due to intense competition from lower-cost imports. As a result, when both plants are producing AN even at minimum levels, the Company has not been able to profitably sell the entire volume domestically over the last four years. This has caused CF Fertilisers UK to increasingly turn to exporting at unsustainably low margins in order to continue to operate both facilities. As carbon costs continue to increase substantially in the UK, the Company expects that its production will be placed at an even larger competitive disadvantage against imports without a carbon border adjustment mechanism to ensure a level playing field. As a result of the strategic review, CF Fertilisers UK believes that only one manufacturing facility is needed to fulfill the domestic demand it has been serving. In this scenario, the Company expects Billingham to be best positioned for the longer-term: Billingham has the capacity to produce enough AN to meet all forecasted domestic customer demand. Billingham has a meaningful volume of ammonia and nitric acid industrial contracts that pass-through the cost of natural gas to customers, providing a foundation for profitable operations. The facility has a lower production cost per tonne as it is 10-20% more efficient than the Ince manufacturing facility and is a less-capital intensive facility than Ince as it has fewer production facilities Billingham has additional operational flexibility from a 40,000-ton ammonia storage tank and the ability to import lower-cost ammonia if necessary. The facility is also able to supply a substantial volume of CO2 to industrial gas customers, though this has become less important to its future as industrial gas customers diversify their CO2 supply away from CF Fertilisers UK. Redundancy Consultation Process Timing CF Fertilisers UK has sent notification to employees of the restructuring proposals and will be holding employee meetings over the next two days. The Company also has shared information about the proposals with Unite, which represents 442 CF Fertilisers UK employees, and with pension trustees. CF Fertilisers UK will be submitting the relevant Form HR1 filings to the UK government today. The redundancy consultation process will formally commence following the election of representatives for employees who are not represented by Unite. None of the proposed redundancies would take effect until at least 45 days following the start of the consultation. At this time, the information detailed in this press release are the Companys proposals and no decisions will be undertaken without engaging in the required consultation processes. Management cannot preempt the outcome of the consultation process. Notes to Editors CF Fertilisers UK Overview CF Fertilisers UK was formed in 2015 following the purchase by CF Industries of the 50 percent equity interest in GrowHow UK Limited that it did not already own. CF Fertilisers UKs current operations include the Billingham and Ince manufacturing facilities, as well as a corporate office located at Ince. Both manufacturing facilities produce ammonia as their base product, which can either be sold as ammonia itself or upgraded to other nitrogen products, including AN and nitric acid. The Company also offers products manufactured at Ince NS and NPKs that have historically made a minimal contribution to gross margin. This is a situation that is not expected to improve due to a significant increase in the price of the raw materials ammonium sulfate, phosphoric acid, potash used to make the products. As of June 1, 2022, CF Fertilisers UK employed 544 individuals 177 at the Billingham manufacturing facility, 283 at the Ince manufacturing facility and 84 in corporate functions. Since 2015, CF Industries has invested nearly 200 million of capital into CF Fertilisers UKs manufacturing facilities. Facilities Overview Billingham Ince First ammonia production 1924 NOTE: The ammonia plant currently in use was built in the 1970s 1965 Facility Footprint 1 ammonia plant, 1 AN plant, 3 nitric acid plants 1 ammonia plant, 1 AN plant, 3 nitric acid plants, 3 NPK plants Average Annual Capacity(1) (short tons) Gross ammonia(2) 595,000 380,000 Net ammonia(3) 230,000 15,000 Ammonium nitrate(4) 625,000 575,000 Nitric acid product tons 410,000 0 NPKs(5) 0 415,000 Storage Capacity (short tons) Ammonia 40,000 11,000 Ammonium Nitrate 128,000 95,000 NPKs 0 40,000 Source: CF Industries 2021 Form 10-K (1) Average annual capacity includes allowances for normal outages and planned maintenance shutdowns (2) Gross ammonia capacity includes ammonia used to produce upgraded products. (3) Net ammonia capacity is gross ammonia capacity less ammonia used to produce upgraded products based on the product mix shown in the table. (4) The production of Nitrogen Sulphur (NS) at Ince is included in the ammonium nitrate production capacity figures for that facility. Global supply chain issues, and the spike in demand and cost for particular raw materials in 2022 suggests that sales of NS are expected to generate significant losses for the foreseeable future. (5) The Ince Complex produces NPKs, which are compound fertilisers that blend nitrogen with other nutrients, including phosphate, potash and sulfur. Global supply chain issues, and the spike in demand and cost for particular raw materials in 2022 suggests that sales of NPKs are expected to generate significant losses for the foreseeable future. About CF Industries At CF Industries, our mission is to provide clean energy to feed and fuel the world sustainably. With our employees focused on safe and reliable operations, environmental stewardship, and disciplined capital and corporate management, we are on a path to decarbonize our ammonia production network the worlds largest to enable green and blue hydrogen and nitrogen products for energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement and other industrial activities. Our nine manufacturing complexes in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, an unparalleled storage, transportation and distribution network in North America, and logistics capabilities enabling a global reach underpin our strategy to leverage our unique capabilities to accelerate the worlds transition to clean energy. CF Industries routinely posts investor announcements and additional information on the Companys website at www.cfindustries.com and encourages those interested in the Company to check there frequently. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006350/en/ Media Chris Close Director, Corporate Communications CF Industries +44 0207 632 5036 [email protected] Investors Martin Jarosick Vice President, Treasury and Investor Relations CF Industries 847-405-2045 [email protected] Source: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. Cyble wins prestigious awards at the 10th Annual Global InfoSec Awards - #RSAC 2022 ALPHARETTA, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cyble, the Y Combinator-backed leader in AI-powered global cyber threat intelligence, is proud to announce that it has been named a winner in 8 categories of the 10th Annual Global InfoSec Awards by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industrys leading electronic information security magazine. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006027/en/ Cyble wins prestigious awards at the 10th Annual Global InfoSec Awards - #RSAC 2022 (Graphic: Business Wire) Editor's Choice Threat Intelligence Most Comprehensive Attack Surface Management Next-Gen Cybersecurity Analytics Most Innovative Cybersecurity Artificial Intelligence Hot Company Digital Executive Protection Next-Gen InfoSec Startup of the Year Publisher's Choice Security Company of the Year Next-Gen Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) The recognition reinforces Cybles position as a pioneer in solving the fundamental question of converting noise into meaningful threat intelligence. Cyble facilitates business continuity by providing relevant and timely intelligence into darkweb, deep web, surface web & cybercrime activities that target organizations and individuals. It provides a converged view of Threat Intelligence, Digital Risk Protection Services, and Darkweb and Cybercrime Monitoring capabilities. The companys SaaS-based enterprise solution, Cyble Vision, alerts its users with sufficient context to understand cyber risk and prioritize them through real-time alerts and actionable threat intelligence. Cybles ultimate objective is to provide organizations with real-time visibility into the vulnerabilities in their digital footprint to empower them in combating cyber threats effectively. Cyble embodies three major features we judges look for to become winners: understanding tomorrows threats, today, providing a cost-effective solution and innovating in unexpected ways that can help mitigate cyber risk and get one step ahead of the next breach, said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. Manish Chachada, COO and Co-founder of Cyble said, We are incredibly humbled and grateful to Cyber Defense Magazine for this recognition. At Cyble, we comprehend the evolving dynamics of the cybersecurity industry and work towards solving modern, complex cybersecurity concerns for our clients. These awards are a mark of the faith our clients have on our services, and as Cyble continues to reach new heights, we will strive to keep true to our goal of democratization of digital risk protection services through automation, human analytics, and innovation. Cybles Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) and defense threat intelligence solution - Cyble Hawk - is aimed at specifically aiding law enforcement and government agencies gather, analyze, and respond to the exposure of extremely sensitive information, enriched with Cybles SIGINT analysis and research, that may have widespread implications. Were delighted to receive one of the most prestigious and coveted cybersecurity awards in the world from Cyber Defense Magazine. We are incredibly pleased to have had the chance to be a part of this event by CDM and would like to congratulate them on their 10th anniversary as an independent cybersecurity news and information provider. We knew that the competition would be tough and with top judges who are leading infosec experts from around the globe, we couldnt be more pleased with the recognition, said Beenu Arora, CEO and Co-founder of Cyble. About Cyble Cyble is a global threat intelligence SaaS provider that helps enterprises protect themselves from cybercrimes and exposure in the surface web, deepweb, and darkweb. Its prime focus is to provide organizations with real-time visibility to their digital risk footprint. Backed by Blackbird Ventures, Xoogler and Y Combinator as part of the 2021 winter cohort, Cyble has also been recognized by Forbes as one of the top 20 Best Cybersecurity Start-ups, along with several other industry recognitions. Headquartered in Georgia, United States and with offices in Dubai, Australia, Singapore, and India, Cyble has a global presence. To learn more about Cyble, visit www.cyble.com. About CDM InfoSec Awards This is Cyber Defense Magazines tenth year of honoring InfoSec innovators from around the Globe. Our submission requirements are for any startup, early stage, later stage, or public companies in the INFORMATION SECURITY (INFOSEC) space who believe they have a unique and compelling value proposition for their product or service. Learn more at www.cyberdefenseawards.com About the Judging The judges are CISSP, FMDHS, CEH, certified security professionals who voted based on their independent review of the company submitted materials on the website of each submission including but not limited to data sheets, white papers, product literature and other market variables. CDM has a flexible philosophy to find more innovative players with new and unique technologies, than the one with the most customers or money in the bank. CDM is always asking Whats Next? so we are looking for best of breed, next generation InfoSec solutions. About Cyber Defense Magazine Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of cyber security news and information for InfoSec professions in business and government. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006027/en/ Cyble Media Inquiries Email: [email protected] Mobile: +1 678 379 3241 CDM Media Inquiries: Contact: Irene Noser, Marketing Executive Email: [email protected] Toll Free (USA): 1-833-844-9468 International: 1-646-586-9545 Website: www.cyberdefensemagazine.com Source: Cyble The new initiative is dedicated to high-growth and leading tech companies PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: ESI Group, Rungis, France, (ISIN Code: FR0004110310, Symbol: ESI), a global simulation and virtual prototyping software partner for the industry, today announced that it will join the Euronext Tech Leaders initiative, a new segment including more than 100 high-growth and leading Tech companies across Europe. Cristel de Rouvray, Chief Executive Officer of ESI Group, comments: ESI Group is very pleased to be one of the 100 European companies included in this new Euronext Tech Leaders segment. Such types of initiatives are critical for companies like ours. Itll help to accelerate the shift of valorization methods of tech companies by the European financial ecosystem. At ESI, we believe that Tech, and software, are key enablers for the creation of a more safe, clean, and more productive industry, by extension, society. Its a new journey that starts for our ecosystem of European Tech Leaders.. Euronexts rich Tech ecosystem brings together 700+ Tech companies listed on Euronext markets with 660+ alumni of its pre-IPO programs and a large international investor base financing all growth profiles of Tech companies. Euronext Tech Leaders is composed of 100+ high-growth and leading companies, each meeting a specific set of criteria to qualify. It complements Euronext's existing Tech offer and aims to strengthen the European Tech sector and be a catalyst for the next generation of Tech leaders. In addition to being recognized for the value it creates for the industrial and tech ecosystems, the company is also part of the, even tighter, segment of women-led Tech leaders (less than 10 over +100 companies). ESI Group's management is composed of 10 people, 4 of whom are women holding key positions as CEO, EVP Operations & CFO, SVP Governance & General Secretary, and Chief of staff. As a Euronext Tech Leader, ESI Group will benefit from the suite of services developed by Euronext and its partners to support participants along their listing journey. Euronext Tech Leaders | euronext.com Upcoming events Annual General meeting June 28, 2022 (1:30 pm CET) Half-year results September 7th, 2022 (5:35 pm CET) Investors conference September 27th, 2022 About ESI Group Founded in 1973, ESI Group envisions a world where Industry commits to bold outcomes, addressing high-stakes concerns - environmental impact, safety & comfort for consumers and workers, adaptable and sustainable business models. ESI provides reliable and customized solutions anchored on predictive physics modeling and virtual prototyping expertise to allow industries to make the right decisions at the right time while managing their complexity. Acting principally in automotive & land transportation, aerospace, defense & naval and heavy industry, ESI is present in more than 20 countries, employs 1200 people around the world, and reported 2021 sales of 136.6 million. ESI is headquartered in France and is listed on compartment B of Euronext Paris. For further information, go to www.esi-group.com. About Euronext Euronext is the leading pan-European market infrastructure, connecting European economies to global capital markets, to accelerate innovation and sustainable growth. It operates regulated exchanges in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. With close to 2,000 listed issuers and around 6.6 trillion in market capitalization as of end March 2022, it has an unmatched blue-chip franchise and a strong diverse domestic and international client base. Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets, one of Europes leading electronic fixed income trading markets and is the largest centre for debt and funds listings in the world. Its total product offering includes Equities, FX, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. The Group provides a multi-asset clearing house through Euronext Clearing, and custody and settlement services through Euronext Securities central securities depositories in Denmark, Italy, Norway and Portugal. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. In addition to its main regulated market, it also operates a number of junior markets, simplifying access to listing for SMEs. For the latest news, go to euronext.com or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/euronext) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/euronext). Disclaimer This press release is for information purposes only: it is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and is provided as is, without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronexts subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext. This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is available at www.euronext.com/terms-use. 2022, Euronext N.V. - All rights reserved. The Euronext Group processes your personal data in order to provide you with information about Euronext (the "Purpose"). With regard to the processing of this personal data, Euronext will comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR), and any applicable national laws, rules and regulations implementing the GDPR, as provided in its privacy statement available at: www.euronext.com/privacy-policy. In accordance with the applicable legislation you have rights with regard to the processing of your personal data: for more information on your rights, please refer to: www.euronext.com/data_subjects_rights_request_information. To make a request regarding the processing of your data or to unsubscribe from this press release service, please use our data subject request form at connect2.euronext.com/form/data-subjects-rights-request or email our Data Protection Officer at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005817/en/ ESI Group Florence Barre [email protected] +33 1 49 78 28 28 Verbatee - Press & Shareholder Relations Jerome Goaer, [email protected], +33 6 61 61 79 34 Aline Besselievre, [email protected], +33 6 61 85 10 05 CONTACTS MEDIA [email protected] Aurelie Cohen (Europe), +33 1 70 48 24 45, [email protected] Marianne Aalders (Amsterdam), +31 20 721 41 33, [email protected] Pascal Brabant (Brussels), +32 2 620 15 50, [email protected] Sandra Machado (Lisbon), +351 917 776 897, [email protected] Andrea Monzani (Europe/Milan/Rome), +39 02 72 42 62 13, [email protected] Cathrine Lorvik Segerlund (Oslo), +47 41 69 59 10, [email protected] Sarah Mound (Paris), +33 1 70 48 24 45, [email protected] Source: ESI Group Beck joins company as president, brings more than 20 years of experience AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ESO, the leading data and software company serving emergency medical services (EMS), fire departments, hospitals, state and federal agencies today announced the addition of Eric Beck to the executive team in the role of president. Beck will play a critical role in accelerating ESOs mission to improve community health and safety through the power of data. Having Eric on our team is a true game changer for us and the industries we serve, said Chris Dillie, CEO of ESO. His passion for and commitment to our company and mission have been demonstrated over his eight years as an ESO board member. This coupled with his public safety, healthcare and business experience make him an incredibly unique fit for ESO. He will be instrumental in helping us more quickly deliver on our vision to provide quality data and meaningful insights across EMS, the fire service and hospitals at the local, regional and national levels. Beck began his career as a firefighter and paramedic in Ohio prior to attending medical school at Ohio University. He previously served as the EMS System Medical Director for the city of Chicago. Most recently Beck, was the president and COO of the University Hospitals Health System in Ohio (UH), where he was instrumental in leading the regional COVID-19 response, refreshing system strategy and maturing the integrated operating model across the 23-hospital health system. Before UH, he was the president of the clinical enterprise at the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center (UNTHSC), as well as president and CEO of Evolution Health. This is a very exciting time to join ESO in this capacity, said Beck. The company is at an important inflection point with significant momentum behind it to drive outcome improvement at scale across public safety and healthcare for communities, responders, clinicians, patients and researchers throughout North America and, eventually, the globe. Ive been privileged to be a part of some tremendous organizations that have helped shape who I am today this is an opportunity for me to give back to the industries I love. About ESO ESO (ESO Solutions, Inc.) is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of todays EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and state EMS offices. ESO currently serves thousands of customers throughout North America with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform; ESO Fire RMS, the modern fire Record Management System; ESO Patient Registry (trauma, burn and stroke registry software); and ESO State Repository. ESO is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.eso.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005854/en/ Andy Prince [email protected] (512)-289-4728 Source: ESO IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that it was awarded a construction contract for the Interstate 35 (I-35) Capital Express South project in Austin, Texas, by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Fluor will book the nearly $548 million contract value in the second quarter of 2022. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006034/en/ Fluor Selected for TxDOT Interstate 35 Capital Express South Project in Austin, Texas (photo credit: TxDOT) This new award is a continuation of Fluors Texas-centric infrastructure focus and reinforces the strength of our relationships with state and local officials across the state, said Thomas Nilsson, president of Fluors Infrastructure business. This is the first in a series of vital infrastructure projects to rebuild the I-35 corridor in Austin in response to business and population expansion in one of the countrys most dynamic regions. The approximately 9-mile project will add two non-tolled high-occupancy vehicle managed lanes in each direction along I-35 from U.S. 290 West/State Highway 71/Ben White Boulevard to State Highway 45 Southeast. Fluors scope includes a combination of at-grade and elevated lanes in the median, reconstruction of bridges and frontage roads, the addition of a shared-use pedestrian and bicycle path, and enhanced safety and mobility improvements. I-35 through Austin is one of the most traveled interstates in Texas and serves as the backbone of the local, regional and national transportation network. This portion of the interstate serves more than 150,000 vehicles per day. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2022 with substantial completion anticipated in late 2027. Fluor has been designing and building infrastructure projects in Texas for nearly 20 years and is currently executing the I-635 LBJ East, Southern Gateway and I-35E projects in Dallas; the Oak Hill Parkway project in Austin; and performing capital maintenance for the Horseshoe project in Dallas. About Fluor Corporation Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) is building a better future by applying world-class expertise to solve its clients greatest challenges. Fluors 41,000 employees provide professional and technical solutions that deliver safe, well-executed, capital-efficient projects to clients around the world. Fluor had revenue of $12.4 billion in 2021 and is ranked 259 among the Fortune 500 companies. With headquarters in Irving, Texas, Fluor has provided engineering, procurement and construction services for more than 110 years. For more information, please visit www.fluor.com or follow Fluor on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. #infra View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006034/en/ Brian Mershon Media Relations 469.398.7621 Jason Landkamer Investor Relations 469.398.7222 Source: Fluor Corporation HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) will host a conference call on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, to discuss its second quarter 2022 financial results. The call will begin at 8:00 AM Central Time (9:00 AM Eastern Time). The Company will issue a press release regarding the second quarter 2022 earnings prior to the conference call. The press release will be posted on the Halliburton website at www.halliburton.com. Please click here to pre-register for the conference call and obtain your dial in number and passcode. You can also visit the Halliburton website to listen to the call via live webcast. A recorded version will be available under the same link immediately following the conclusion of the conference call. About Halliburton Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry. With approximately 40,000 employees, representing 130 nationalities in more than 70 countries, the company helps its customers maximize value throughout the lifecycle of the reservoir from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production throughout the life of the asset. Visit the companys website at www.halliburton.com. Connect with Halliburton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005826/en/ For Investors: David Coleman Investor Relations [email protected] 281-871-2688 For News Media: Emily Mir External Affairs [email protected] 281-871-2601 Source: Halliburton Company Incorporating console-quality controls, an extendable bridge for universal compatibility, an integrated subscription-free Razer Nexus app, and more, the Razer Kishi V2 improves on the award-winning mobile gaming controller. IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the launch of Razer Kishi V2 for Android, with an iPhone release confirmed for later this year. This announcement ushers in the next generation of the innovative and award-winning mobile gaming controller that brings console-quality controls and gameplay to the smartphone. With the explosive growth of cloud-based gaming and casting on mobile platforms, the future of handheld gaming is brighter than ever, and Razer is here to provide gamers the easiest solution to play any game with absolute control and zero compromises. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005310/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) BEST-IN-CLASS UPGRADES Razers new upgrades to Kishi V2 take the companys 16 plus years of product expertise in the PC and Console gaming space and brings those advancements to handheld gamers. Inspired by Razers award-winning Wolverine V2 console controllers, the Kishi V2 features the same high-quality inputs with all-new tactile microswitch controls bringing industry-leading enhancements to handheld gaming hardware. The new Share button allows gamers to quickly capture the perfect still or record video clips to share with followers and friends. The Kishi V2 also introduces dual multifunction buttons and the ability to launch the all-new Razer Nexus app with the push of a button. These improvements ensure the Kishi V2 is optimized for maximum performance while playing the latest streamed-AAA or mobile game releases. The original Razer Kishi blew the doors open for a new category of console-quality controls for the mobile gaming market, and were thrilled that Kishi V2 is pushing that experience forward in every possible way, said Razers Head of Mobile & Console Division, Richard Hashim. With the cutting-edge technology that weve packed into Kishi V2, players can now enjoy the same look and feel of their favorite console and PC games wherever they go without skipping a beat. The Kishi V2s structural design has been reimagined with a simplified bridge providing a stable feel and universal smartphone compatibility. With ergonomics in mind, the Kishi V2 incorporates a comfortable grip in a highly portable form-factor. These design innovations bring greater accessibility and an improved user experience to every mobile gamer. The Kishi V2 has also been designed for maximum compatibility and will work with current and upcoming Samsung and Google Pixel phones that are coming to market this year. Having created content around mobile games for nearly a decade, I can confidently say that the Kishi V2 is the best mobile gaming controller Ive ever used, said Patrick Chief Pat Carney, CEO and Founder of Tribe Gaming. Supporting the same low latency gameplay as its predecessor, the Kishi V2 delivers native and cloud game control through a USB-C connection and pass-through charging ports that allow for device charging without interrupting gameplay. RAZER NEXUS APP (FREE DOWNLOAD) Powered by the brand-new and fully integrated Razer Nexus App, the Kishi V2 is built for maximum versatility and customizability. With the press of a button, Razer Nexus instantly launches, providing quick access to installed games, immediate YouTube or Facebook streaming capabilities, compatible game discovery, and controller settings. The next generation of this feature-packed, industry-leading mobile gaming controller and the accompanying Razer Nexus App is now available for Android. ABOUT RAZER KISHI V2 FOR ANDROID Buttons: Two clickable analog thumbsticks One mechanical D-pad Four face buttons Two triggers (L2/R2) Two bumpers (L1/R1) Two multifunction buttons (M1/M2) Menu and Options buttons Share button (requires Razer Nexus) Razer Nexus app launch button One status indicator light (charging) Dimensions: Height: 47mm, Width: 220mm, Depth: 117mm Weight: 284g Connectivity: USB Type-C Smartphone Charging: pass through via USB Type C port Mobile App: Razer Nexus, replacing the older Razer Kishi app Product Requirements: Android 9.0 Pie or later. Compatible with: Razer Phone and Razer Phone 2, Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+ / S9 / S9+ / S10 / S10+ / S20 Series / S21 Series / Note 8 / Note 9 / Note 10 / Note 10+, Google Pixel 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6, and many other Android devices. PRICE & AVAILABILITY $99.99 USD / 119,99 MSRP Kishi V2 for Android Razer.com & Authorized Retailers June 8th, 2022 Kishi V2 for iOS Razer.com & Authorized Retailers Fall 2022 For more information on the Kishi V2, please visit https://rzr.to/kishi PRODUCT ASSETS Download product assets here. ABOUT RAZER Razer is the worlds leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the worlds largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services. Razers award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops. Razers software platform, with over 175 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system supporting thousands of devices and hundreds of games/apps), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher). Razer also offers payment services for gamers, youth, millennials and Gen Z. Razer Gold is one of the worlds largest game payment services, and Razer Fintech provides fintech services in emerging markets. Founded in 2005, Razer is dual headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, with regional headquarters in Hamburg and Shanghai. Razer has 19 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the US, Europe and China. Razer - For Gamers. By Gamers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005310/en/ PRESS CONTACTS Americas Will Powers [email protected] EMEA Maren Epping [email protected] China Evita Zhang [email protected] Asia Pacific Vanessa Li [email protected] Global Jan Horak [email protected] Source: Razer Presentations to illustrate long-term results from the PROUD/CONTINUATION studies as well as new insights on ropeginterferon alfa-2b in polycythemia vera (PV) patients in Japan TAIPEI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PharmaEssentia Corporation (TPEx: 6446), a global biopharmaceutical innovator based in Taiwan leveraging deep expertise and proven scientific principles to deliver new biologics in hematology and oncology, today announced a series of data presentations will illustrate outcomes with ropeginterferon alfa-2b (marketed as BESREMi) among adults with polycythemia vera (PV) during the European Hematology Associations Hybrid Congress (EHA2022), June 9-17 in Vienna, Austria. Ongoing evaluations of ropeginterferon alfa-2b expand the depth and duration of data on this innovative therapeutic supporting its ability to control the effects of polycythemia vera (PV), said Albert Qin, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, PharmaEssentia. We believe these important new data offer greater clarity and confidence to physicians that this therapeutic tool represents an approach to effectively and durably treat PV. Ropeginterferon alfa-2b presentations during EHA2022 will include: Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b Achieves Patient-Specific Treatment Goals in Polycythemia Vera: Final Results from the PROUD-PV/CONTINUATION-PV Studies (Oral presentation, #S196, presented by Heinz Gisslinger, M.D. of Medical University Vienna) The data presentation regarding the final results of studies leading to marketing authorization of BESREMi in Europe are a result of clinical development work of AOP Health, Vienna. PharmaEssentia has licensed ropeginterferon alfa-2b in Europe to AOP. About Polycythemia Vera Polycythemia Vera (PV) is a cancer originating from a disease-initiating stem cell in the bone marrow resulting in a chronic increase of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. PV may result in cardiovascular complications such as thrombosis and embolism, and often transforms to secondary myelofibrosis or leukemia. While the molecular mechanism underlying PV is still subject of intense research, current results point to a set of acquired mutations, the most important being a mutant form of JAK2.1 About BESREMi (ropeginterferon alfa-2b) BESREMi is an innovative monopegylated, long-acting interferon. With its unique pegylation technology, BESREMi has a long duration of activity in the body and is aimed to be administered once every two weeks (or every four weeks with hematological stability for at least one year), allowing flexible dosing that helps meet the individual needs of patients. BESREMi has orphan drug designation for treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) in adults in the United States. The product was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2019, in the United States in 2021, and has recently received approval in Taiwan and South Korea. The drug candidate was invented by PharmaEssentia and is manufactured in the companys Taichung plant, which was cGMP certified by TFDA in 2017 and by EMA in January 2018. PharmaEssentia retains full global intellectual property rights for the product in all indications. BESREMi was approved with a boxed warning for risk of serious disorders including aggravation of neuropsychiatric, autoimmune, ischemic and infectious disorders. About PharmaEssentia PharmaEssentia Corporation (TPEx: 6446), based in Taipei, Taiwan, is a rapidly growing biopharmaceutical innovator. Leveraging deep expertise and proven scientific principles, the company aims to deliver effective new biologics for challenging diseases in the areas of hematology and oncology, with one approved product and a diversifying pipeline. Founded in 2003 by a team of Taiwanese-American executives and renowned scientists from U.S. biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, today the company is expanding its global presence with operations in the U.S., Japan, China, and Korea, along with a world-class biologics production facility in Taichung. For more information, visit our website. 1 Cerquozzi S, Tefferi A. Blast Transformation and Fibrotic Progression in Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia: A Literature Review of Incidence and Risk Factors. Blood Cancer Journal (2015) 5, e366; doi:10.1038/bcj.2015.95. 2022 PharmaEssentia Corporation. All rights reserved. BESREMi and PharmaEssentia are registered trademarks of PharmaEssentia Corporation, and the PharmaEssentia logo is a trademark of PharmaEssentia Corporation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005857/en/ Kellie Hotz, [email protected] Source: PharmaEssentia Corporation Headquarters will facilitate ongoing growth with double the available floor space to provide unique accommodations for employees OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Omaha National Group, Inc. (Omaha National) a leading tech-enabled provider of workers compensation insurance, today announced the opening of its new headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, at 9110 West Dodge Road. The redesigned building includes design and technology upgrades and more than doubles the square footage to 52,000 square feet, which can accommodate up to 300 employees as Omaha National continues to grow beyond its current count of 200 employees. The facility provides large private workspaces for each employee as well as expanded spaces for collaboration and multi-media/video capabilities. Omaha Nationals headquarters will always be in Omaha, said Omaha National President and CEO Reagan Pufall. This is a great place to build a company and this new space allows us to continue growing while providing amenities and perks for our growing organization. Along with its central location in Omaha, Omaha Nationals new headquarters offers additional perks for staff. The space will have a larger break room and common areas for employees to socialize. The company will continue to provide free snacks and fruit each day and also plans to arrange for regular visits by local food trucks. Our new office will create more open space for collaboration across the company while providing privacy when our employees are handling sensitive calls, said Omaha National Vice President of Company Development, Mary Senff. Each department is in a wing of the building to maximize productivity and, since we frequently hire people without previous experience, we have included expanded training facilities. In September 2021, Omaha National raised $45 million in Series B funding from investors Accomplice, HighSage Ventures and Tull Investments. About Omaha National: Omaha National serves the employers that build America and keep it running; the small to midsize companies where people work with their hands and have a greater risk of being injured. Our proprietary software enhances our operations to better help our customers and their injured workers, while generating consistently favorable loss ratios. Omaha National offers AM Best A (Excellent) rated workers compensation coverage through more than 2,500 agencies. Since launching in 2016, Omaha National has grown to more than 200 employees and over $140 million in program premium. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005878/en/ Jonathan Marino Prosek Partners [email protected] Source: Omaha National Group, Inc. The Gemini High-Volume Scanner Will Be Showcased at AIIM Forum Europe MOORESTOWN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OPEX Corporation, a global leader in Next Generation Automation for almost 50 years, is introducing leading-edge Document and Mail Automation technology on 22 June 2022 to attendees of the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM) Forum Europe in London. OPEXs new Gemini high-volume scanner is Right-Speed, an unrivaled scanning capability that enables different types of documents to be scanned at different speeds without changing equipment to maximize throughput and operational efficiency. Gemini scans the widest range of document types, sizes and conditionsand handles them at the right speed for the job, said Scott Maurer, President, OPEX International. Whether documents need to be scanned at high speed, packet speed or drop feed, Gemini is the most versatile scanner available. With scan speeds of up to 240 pages per minute, the Gemini scanner features a dual-feeder design and the ability for continuous feeding. Its five programmable sort bins enable unique sorting capabilities and easy document handling. Other features include software configurability, scalability for the future, best-in-class service, and an ergonomic, customizable work area designed to enhance operator comfort and productivity. Ideal for service bureaus, BPOs, government institutions, tax entities, medical records companies, insurance agencies, law firms, and a host of other industries, the Gemini scanner with Right-Speed technology was first unveiled in April in the U.S. during the 2022 AIIM Conference in Denver, Colorado. We are excited to showcase the Gemini scanner and Right-Speed technology to customers across Europe who are looking for document automation solutions to solve their most pressing business challenges, said Maurer. We have been expanding our facilities, personnel and infrastructure to meet the growing automation needs of customers in Europe and around the world. An AIIM Forum Europe Partner, OPEX will be the only company demonstrating equipment live at the event. In the coming months, OPEX will be able to demonstrate the Gemini scanner and Right-Speed technology at company facilities in Germany, France and the U.K. Customers who do not wish to travel in person can attend private webinars to learn about the Gemini scanner and the rest of OPEXs existing Document and Mail Automation portfolio, which includes the Falcon Series of high-volume, one-touch scanners that eliminate or significantly reduce prep time. With generations of industry expertise, a proven track record developing first-class automation capabilities and advanced engineering, and a heritage of excellence, OPEX continuously reimagines automation technology to help clients solve their most significant business challenges today and in the future. For nearly five decades, OPEX has served as a trusted partner, collaborating closely with clients to develop customized, scalable solutions. OPEX is vertically integratedinnovating, engineering, manufacturing, selling, and servicing all its automated solutions. This translates to the highest degree of quality equipment, reliable operations, product longevity, and an exceptional client experience. To learn more, please visit OPEX.com. About OPEX OPEX Corporation is a global leader in Next Generation Automation, providing innovative, unique solutions for warehouse, document and mail automation. With headquarters in Moorestown, NJ, USAand facilities in Pennsauken, NJ; Plano, TX; France; Germany; Switzerland; the United Kingdom; and AustraliaOPEX has more than 1,500 employees who are continuously reimagining and delivering customized, scalable technology solutions that solve the business challenges of today and in the future. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005195/en/ For Additional Information Colleen Ciak [email protected] +1 856.727.1100, ext. 5350 +1 856.912.4952 Cell Source: OPEX Corporation Custom-built web-based application integrates best-of-breed content sources into an easy-to-use, modern data source for middle- and back-office wealth management servicing firms JERSEY CITY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- QUODD, a comprehensive market data on demand provider for the global financial services industry and a NewSpring Holdings platform company, today announced the launch of Universe+, an API-based cloud platform that delivers comprehensive security pricing, reference data, and analytics across all asset classes, integrating mutual fund, equities, and fixed income pricing data. Serving as a cornerstone of the QUODD Command Center, Universe+ provides the ability for middle- and back-office employees to monitor ongoing price fluctuations, pull data on demand like corporate actions and for wealth management clients manage price validations and initiated price challenges. Universe+ also features security look-up and query capabilities using pre-defined or custom templates to transform work that previously took hours to complete down to seconds. The data on Universe+ can also be validated or initiated with detailed explanations to reconcile differences between primary and secondary sources. The one-size-fits-all approach to market data simply doesnt work anymore from a practicality standpoint, said Bob Ward, CEO of QUODD. QUODD custom-built Universe+ to address direct feedback from wealth management servicing firms that the functionality and features of the current market data terminals are too broad and not targeted to the workflow needs of the middle- and back-office. While legacy market data providers will always have a place at the table within large firms, its clear that alternative market data providers can step up to fill the void for back and middle-office professionals that need high-quality, customized data available from wherever theyre working. Data consumption patterns have changed in the last few years, driven by a need for data-on-demand without stringent usage restrictions, said David Kirk, CTO of QUODD. Thats why weve custom-built this platform with modern technology and delivery models to fulfill new expectations. The technology powering Universe+ ingests, normalizes, and productizes best-of-breed sources of market data content for consumption with the lowest amount of friction. Our customers consume what they want and when they want it in the delivery output of their choice without requiring technical knowledge or remembering pneumonic codes. The QUODD Universe+ platform was created from feedback by dozens of QUODD customers that cut across the bank trust, broker-dealer, insurance, and retirement segments via workshops conducted over the last 24 months. This feedback along with a consortium of leading banks and service providers helped to direct a curated set of the industrys best-of-breed market data providers into the application. The resulting solution enables on-demand market data solution that cuts across all business lines, functional areas and operational workflows for a fit-for-purpose mid to back-office tool. Our partnership with QUODD aligns with our vision of providing the most innovative, robust and scalable solutions for financial institutions, said Ed Chidsey, SVP and Global Head of Financial Information Services at IHS Markit. We are proud to be QUODDs exclusive fixed income data provider, as our best-in-class pricing and reference data delivers actionable intelligence that can enable a competitive advantage for trust and wealth management firms. As an innovative technology platform for banks and other financial institutions we have partnered with QUODD for over three years, said Kevin Fisher, Senior Managing Director of Fi-Tek. We are happy to have been one of the earliest adopters of the Universe+ platform and pleased to have influenced its product roadmap. About QUODD QUODD delivers reliable and comprehensive market data on demand to the global financial services industry. QUODD fuels wealth servicing users across banks, broker dealers, insurance companies and fin techs the ability to stream, embed, look up, or download pricing data for global equities, fixed income, indices, options, futures, and end-of-day pricing for global mutual funds spanning. Monitoring more than 150 global exchanges and tracking trillions of transactions with a 99.999% up time, QUODD is the modern market data resource you can trust. Learn more at www.quodd.com. About Fi-Tek, LLC Fi-Tek is a leading provider of technology and technology-enabled solutions to financial institutions, including Asset Managers, Trust and Private Banks, Family Offices, Hedge Fund Managers, Fund Administrators, and Broker/Dealers. Servicing over $1.4 trillion dollars of assets, Fi-Tek's suite of Private Wealth Technology Solutions consists of Global WealthES, Rockit Command, and HedgeTek technology platforms. Additional information on Fi-Tek and its solutions may be found at www.fi-tek.com. About NewSpring Holdings NewSpring Holdings, NewSpring's dedicated holding company with a strategy focused on control buyouts and platform builds, brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources to take profitable, growing companies to the next level through acquisitions and proven organic methodologies. Founded in 1999, NewSpring partners with the innovators, makers, and operators of high-performing companies in dynamic industries to catalyze new growth and seize compelling opportunities. The Firm manages over $2.5 billion across five distinct strategies covering the spectrum from growth equity and control buyouts to mezzanine debt. Partnering with management teams to help develop their businesses into market leaders, NewSpring identifies opportunities and builds relationships using its network of industry leaders and influencers across a wide array of operational areas and industries. Visit NewSpring at www.newspringcapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005230/en/ Media Malea Lydon [email protected] Source: QUODD Partnership brings together novel technology and clinical applications expertise to produce automated, multiplexed solutions for advancing autoimmune diagnostics Expands access to $2 billion autoimmune IVD specialty market with MosaiQ Targeted market introduction in the later half of CY2023; Autoimmune IVDs path to market is typically faster and at a lower cost than blood transfusion due to different regulatory requirements CROISSY-BEAUBOURG, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: THERADIAG (ISIN: FR0004197747, Mnemonic: ALTER) (Paris: ALTER), a company specializing in in vitro diagnostics and theranostics, today announced an agreement with Quotient Limited, a commercial-stage diagnostics company, under which the two companies will partner to advance autoimmune diagnostics by leveraging Quotients MosaiQ platform. Under the new agreement, Theradiag will supply Quotient with autoimmune reagents and multi-constituent quality controls, for the development of autoimmune microarrays to be used on the MosaiQ solution. The parties intend the first application covered by their new collaboration will be a solution for Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD). CTD testing involves a complex diagnostic pathway which is based on the screening for Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA) and tiered testing for Extractable Nuclear Antigen Antibodies (ENA), to identify the exact autoimmune disease. Quotient believes that the integration of several autoantibody tests into a single multiplexed assay has the potential to transform autoimmune disease testing and by doing so to accelerate diagnosis and therapy selection. "Our partnership is a key step to introduce our multimodal, multiplexed MosaiQ solution to various clinical diagnostic specialty segments with the aim of enabling clinical labs to simplify diagnostic algorithms and accelerate standards of care. Also, this agreement will save Quotient product development time and related R&D expenses, allowing us to get to market faster and at a lower cost than if we developed the new products on our own" said Manuel O. Mendez, Chief Executive Officer of Quotient. Autoimmune diseases represent one of the leading global causes of morbidity. Connective tissue autoimmune diseases are potentially severe, systemic medical conditions such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Sjogrens Syndrome, Systemic Scleroderma, Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis, and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, often causing inflammation that may affect skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs, with clinical symptoms mimicking many other diseases. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus, with an incidence of approximately 16,000 new cases per year, an annual total diagnosis and treatment cost per patient as high as $50,000, and six years on average to diagnosis. The signs and symptoms of autoimmune diseases can vary depending on the organ system involved and also be generic, such as joint pain, fatigue and fever. Consequently, patients may go undiagnosed or even misdiagnosed unless a complex series of blood tests are performed. The ability of the MosaiQ microarray to integrate several autoantibody tests into a single multiplexed assay, using a single tube of blood, provides clinicians and patients with the diagnostic tools needed to accurately guide therapy and reduce tissue destruction, said Dr. Christine Ginocchio, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of Quotient. Quotient estimates that autoimmune diagnostics would provide an additional $2 billion addressable market opportunity for Quotients MosaiQ platform. Autoimmune IVDs are EU IVD Regulation class B or C and US FDA 510(k) regulated devices and typically provide a faster and lower cost path to market than blood transfusion and other high medical safety risk tests. Bertrand de Castelnau, Chief Executive Officer of Theradiag, commented: Capitalizing on our autoimmunity expertise and competence, we are delighted to partner with Quotient to develop new technology and clinical applications to improve the diagnosis of these diseases that are affecting so many patients worldwide. By improving the MosaiQ multiplexed platform test menu, we will enable clinicians to diagnose more efficiently autoimmune conditions. About Quotient Limited Building on over 30 years of experience in transfusion diagnostics, Quotient is a commercial-stage diagnostics company committed to delivering solutions that it believes reshape the way diagnostics are practiced. MosaiQ, Quotients proprietary multiplex microarray technology, offers the worlds first fully automated, consolidated testing platform, allowing for multiple tests across different modalities. MosaiQ is designed to be a game-changing solution, which Quotient believes will increase efficiencies, improve clinical practice, deliver significant workflow improvements, and create operational cost savings to laboratories around the world. Quotient's operations are based in Switzerland, Scotland, US and the UAE. The Quotient logo, Quotient MosaiQ and MosaiQ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Quotient Limited and its subsidiaries in various jurisdictions. About Theradiag Theradiag is a market leader in autoimmune disease testing and the founder of theranostics. Capitalizing on its expertise in the diagnostics market, the Company has been developing, manufacturing and marketing innovative in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests for over 30 years. Theradiag pioneered theranostics testing (combining therapy with diagnosis), which measures the efficacy of biotherapy in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Going beyond mere diagnosis, Theranostics aims to help clinicians set up customized treatment for each patient. This method favors the individualization of treatment, evaluation of its efficacy and the prevention of drug resistance. In response to this challenge, Theradiag develops and markets the CE-marked TRACKER range, a comprehensive solution of inestimable medical value. The Company is based in Marne-la-Vallee, near Paris, has operations in over 70 countries and employs over 60 people. In 2021, the Company posted revenue of 11.1 million. The Theradiag share is listed on Euronext Growth Paris (ISIN: FR0004197747) and is eligible for the French PEA-PME personal equity plan. For more information about Theradiag, please visit our website: www.theradiag.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding our expectations of continued growth, the development, regulatory approval, commercialization and impact of MosaiQ and other new products (including the potential for using the Companys MosaiQ technology to infectious disease diagnostics), current estimates of upcoming operating results and expectations regarding our future funding sources. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include delays or denials of regulatory approvals or clearances for products or applications; market acceptance of our products; the impact of competition; the impact of facility expansions and expanded product development, clinical, sales and marketing activities on operating expenses; delays or other unforeseen problems with respect to manufacturing, product development or field trial studies; adverse results in connection with any ongoing or future legal proceedings; continued or worsening adverse conditions in the general domestic and global economic markets, including as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic; as well as the other risks set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Quotient disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. The Quotient logo, Quotient MosaiQ and MosaiQ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Quotient Limited and its subsidiaries in various jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005494/en/ Theradiag Source: Theradiag MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rio Tinto has called for proposals to develop large-scale wind and solar power in Central and Southern Queensland to power its aluminium assets, help meet its climate change ambitions and further encourage renewable development and industry in the region. The approach, which is through a formal market Request for Proposals (RFP), is intended to support the development of multiple new wind and solar power projects that can, in parallel with firming solutions, start supplying power to Rio Tintos Gladstone assets through the Queensland grid by 2030. Rio Tinto Aluminium Chief Executive Ivan Vella said As Queenslands largest energy user, we have an important role to play in driving the development of competitive renewable energy sources for our Gladstone assets and supporting the States renewable energy targets. It is early in the process, but this is an important step towards meeting both our Group climate change target of halving our emissions by the end of the decade and our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050. Rio Tinto is seeking proposals that can competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region: the Boyne smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. These assets require 1140MW of reliable power to operate, which equates to at least 4000MW of quality wind or solar power with firming. The RFP follows Rio Tintos October 2021 strengthening of its climate commitments, including a target to halve Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 (from a 2018 baseline) and the pursuit of renewable power options for its Australian aluminium smelters. It also follows the signing of a Statement of Co-operation with the Queensland Government to work towards establishing more renewable energy in Central Queensland. Further announcements on the RFP will be made when appropriate. riotinto.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005475/en/ Please direct all enquiries to [email protected] Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose M +61 447 028 913 Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Rio Tinto plc 6 St Jamess Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 Category: General Source: Rio Tinto NEW BRIGHTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TUV SUD, a trusted global partner offering a comprehensive portfolio of testing, certification, and auditing services, recently announced their Scope of Accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 granted by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), recognizing the completion of the assessment process to perform MRI Safety testing services. MRI Safety Testing is crucial for medical devices used within a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment. By submitting active and passive medical devices and implants to these tests, manufacturers can now receive specific insights on MRI safety and compatibility, as well as associated labeling information for premarket submissions. "With the addition of our MRI Safety Testing laboratory, we continue to expand our state-of-the-art test and certification solution portfolio for the medical device industry to serve our customers better today and for decades to come. Innovation and a customer-centric approach are the key drivers that make us a trusted advisor to some of the country's most innovative medical device companies," said John Tesoro, President and CEO of TUV SUD Americas. The MRI Safety Testing laboratory is an extension to more than 55,000 square feet of facilities in New Brighton, MN, offering end-to-end testing solutions for all medical devices. Krishna Singhal, Ph.D., and Technical Lead for TUV SUD's MRI Safety group explains, "We have established a state-of-the-art laboratory to perform MRI Safety testing for medical devices at both 1.5T and 3T. We can assess for RF-induced heating, magnetically induced force, torque, image artifact and provide labeling for medical devices." "By opening an MRI Safety Testing laboratory, TUV SUD ensures a complete customer experience by offering a set of services that allow our medical device customers to have their needs met with quality and time to market," said Adam Menzies, TUV SUD Director of North American Medical and Health Services. TUV SUD also offers a range of device testing services, including electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and biocompatibility testing solutions. As an accredited NRTL certification provider and an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 certified laboratory, TUV SUD can conduct a variety of conformity assessments to help strengthen a competitive position in the market. For more information regarding MRI testing or any of TUV SUD's other services, visit our website or contact us at [email protected]. About TUV SUD TUV SUD is a premium quality, safety, and sustainability solutions provider that specializes in testing, inspection, auditing, certification, training, and knowledge services. Since 1866, the company has remained committed to its founding principle of protecting people, property, and the environment from technology-related risks. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, TUV SUD is represented in more than 1,000 locations worldwide. TUV SUD operates globally with a team of more than 24,000 multi-disciplinary experts recognized as specialists in their respective fields. By combining impartial expertise with invaluable insights, the company adds tangible value to businesses, consumers, and the environment. The aim of TUV SUD is to support customers with a comprehensive suite of services worldwide to increase efficiency, reduce costs and manage risk. Visit www.tuvsud.com About TUV SUD America TUV SUD America Inc., a subsidiary of TUV SUD AG (Munich, Germany), is a leading globally recognized testing and certification organization. TUV SUD's Business Assurance division provides management system certification services to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS9100, Safe Quality Food (SQF), and more. TUV SUD's Product Service division offers electrical and mechanical product safety, Electromagnetic Compatibility About TUV SUD America TUV SUD America Inc., a subsidiary of TUV SUD AG (Munich, Germany), is a leading globally recognized testing and certification organization. TUV SUD's Business Assurance division provides management system certification services to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS9100, Safe Quality Food (SQF), and more. TUV SUD's Product Service division offers electrical and mechanical product safety, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing, environmental testing, NRTL and SCC certification, CE marking assistance, restricted substance services, international compliance services, and more. TUV SUD America also provides a comprehensive suite of services for the medical device sector as a European Union notified body for the medical device, active implantable medical device and in-vitro diagnostic device directives, and a complete service portfolio including ISO 13485 and MDSAP certification, FDA 510(k) and third-party inspections. The company's Industry Services division offers a full suite of services for pressure equipment manufacturers and materials producers exporting products to the European Community. The Industry Services division also includes TUV SUD Global Risk Consultants, the leading global provider of unbundled property loss control services. Visit www.tuvsud.com/en-us View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005170/en/ Media Relations: Daniella Gomes Demand Generation and Content Manager Healthcare and Medical Devices TUV SUD America Inc. Phone: +1 (347) 263-0746 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.tuvsud.com/en-us Source: TUV SUD America Inc. NEW YORK & BALA CYNWYD, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) and Akur8 are thrilled to announce their new partnership, which amplifies and innovates the insurance pricing capabilities at TMNAS in their key operating markets. By deploying Akur8, TMNAS will be able to convert data into underwriting action by setting up predictive models across all product lines thanks to Akur8's Transparent Machine Learning (ML) technology. This collaboration reinforces Akur8s footprint in North America, a strategic region. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005010/en/ Specifically developed for insurers, Akur8s solution enhances pricing processes by automating risk modeling using proprietary transparent ML technology. Core benefits for insurers include increased efficiency and speed-to-insights for faster data discovery and evaluation, and advanced predictive modeling capabilities with even small, noisy datasets paving the way towards data-driven underwriting, all while maintaining full transparency and control of the models created. Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) is part of the Tokio Marine Group, one of the largest insurance groups in the world, and provides professional services supporting the insurance operations of Tokio Marine Group companies, including Philadelphia Insurance, Tokio Marine America and First Insurance Company of Hawaii. In the United States, Tokio Marine Group is among the top corporate insurance providers, and leads the specialty insurance market. By collaborating with Akur8, TMNAS bolsters their pricing capabilities by quickly building predictive models to extract the best signals from data and identify new insights, and ultimately by delivering transparent outputs to underwriters. We are thrilled to support TMNAS on their digital transformation journey by equipping them with a powerful insurance pricing solution that helps build a true competitive advantage across their lines of business, with predictive models that are intuitive and easily explainable, noted Samuel Falmagne, CEO at Akur8. Akur8 is excited to expand our partnership with Tokio Marine Group through TMNAS and continue to grow our presence in North America, a highly strategic market for us. This partnership is additional proof of Akur8s relevance across lines of business - personal, commercial and specialty lines, says Brune de Linares, Chief Customer Officer at Akur8. Automation, digitalization and simplification of key business and technology processes have become centerpiece approaches for us as we gain operational efficiency and strive for new and innovative solutions. Leveraging new technologies and emerging best-in-class solution providers to accelerate innovation is a key part of our strategy. Akur8 brings both unique technology and deep expertise which together amplify the value delivered in key functions, such as pricing, where we have long been strong. They are making us even better, providing tools to be nimble and timely in a changing market, where speed and quality matter almost in equal parts, stated Robert Pick, EVP & Chief Information Officer at TMNAS. Akur8s insurance pricing solution will enable TMNAS to quickly build intuitive and easily explainable predictive models across all products, providing new insights for underwriters. As a shared services company, it is key for us to be able to translate predictive information into useful measures for our clients. Akur8 will help us fill a missing component to complete the framework for transparent, and data-driven decision-making, stated John Ferraro, SVP & Pricing Actuary at TMNAS. About Akur8 Akur8 is revolutionizing insurance pricing with Transparent Machine Learning, boosting insurers pricing capabilities with unprecedented speed and accuracy across the pricing process without compromising on auditability or control. Our modular pricing platform automates technical and commercial premium modeling. It empowers insurers to compute adjusted and accurate rates in line with their business strategy while materially impacting their business and maintaining absolute control of the models created, as required by state regulators. With Akur8, time spent modeling is reduced by 10x, the models predictive power is increased by 10% and loss ratio improvement potential is boosted by 2-4%. Akur8 already serves 50+ customers across 20+ countries, including AXA, Generali and Munich Re; specialty insurer Canopius and MGA Bass Underwriters; consulting partners Xceedance and Perr & Knight; and insurtechs Bought by Many and wefox. Over 600 actuaries use Akur8 daily to build their pricing models across all lines of business. Akur8s strategic partnerships include Milliman, Duck Creek, Guidewire and Sapiens. Akur8 recently completed a new scientific paper on Credibility and Penalized Regression. Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/Akur8-Credibility-and-Penalized-Regression About Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS). Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) was established in 2012 as the shared services company for Tokio Marine North America. With headquarters located just outside Philadelphia in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, TMNAS provides professional services supporting the insurance operations of Tokio Marine Group companies, including Philadelphia Insurance, Tokio Marine America and First Insurance Company of Hawaii, with innovative and market-leading solutions across service areas supporting more than 4,000 people and $5 billion in annual premium revenue. TMNAS is recognized as a top workplace both regionally and within the insurance industry. TMNAS partners with market-leading service and technology providers in the U.S., Japan, Europe, India, and Central America to operate at the scale, speed, quality, and level of excellence appropriate to the 150-year history of the Tokio Marine Group. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005010/en/ Media For Akur8 Heide Sacher AKUR8 +1 908-977-6526 [email protected] For Tokio Marine North America Services (TMNAS) Bill Procopio Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communication 610.538.2279 [email protected] Source: Akur8 HDLB: linked to the Solactive US High Dividend Low Volatility Index Series B SMHB: linked to the Solactive US Small Cap High Dividend Index Series B PFFL: linked to the Solactive Preferred Stock ETF Index CEFD: linked to the S-Network Composite Closed-End Fund Index MVRL: linked to the Market Vectors Global Mortgage REITs Index NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- UBS Investment Bank today announced coupon payments for 5 ETRACS Exchange Traded Notes (the ETNs), all traded on the NYSE Arca. * The table above provides a hyperlink to the relevant prospectus and supplements thereto for each of our ETRACS ETNs, which are identified by their names. 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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005710/en/ Media: Alison Keunen 1 212 713 2296 [email protected] Institutional Investor contact1 +1-877-387 2275 Source: UBS Agreement, which also includes purchase rights for 25 additional aircraft conversions, places Connect Airlines on trajectory to be the worlds first zero-emission passenger airline BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- We are building Connect Airlines from the ground up as a smarter, more sustainable travel option for North American travelers, said John Thomas, CEO, Connect Airlines. We have committed to being the worlds first true zero-emission airline and the only way to accomplish this in the near term is with hydrogen. Today at the UP.Summit, an annual gathering of leaders in air transport innovation hosted by venture capital firm UP.Partners, Universal Hydrogen Co. and Connect Airlines, a division of Waltzing Matilda Aviation, announced that the airline has placed a firm order to convert 75 ATR 72-600 regional airplanes to hydrogen powertrains, with purchase rights for an additional 25 conversions. Deliveries will start in 2025. The agreement follows an initial letter of intent (LOI) between the companies announced in 2021. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006035/en/ Universal Hydrogen and Connect Airlines Announce Firm Order for Conversion of 75 ATR 72-600 Regional Aircraft to Be Powered by Green Hydrogen Agreement, which also includes purchase rights for 25 additional aircraft conversions, places Connect Airlines on trajectory to be the worlds first zero-emission passenger airline (Photo: Business Wire) This order places Connect firmly in the vanguard of the march to get aviation on a path to meeting Paris Agreement emissions targets, said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. This march will very soon need to turn into a sprint if the industry has any hope of decarbonizing in time without having to curtail the growth in passenger volumes. We will need to convert most of the regional fleet in the 2020s and ensure that the new narrowbody aircraft built in the 2030s are hydrogen-poweredthere is no other way to get there. In addition to a hydrogen conversion kit for the ATR 72-600, the most popular in-production regional turboprop on the market, Universal Hydrogen offers hydrogen fuel services to airports using a modular capsule technology that enables the transport and handling of hydrogen using the existing intermodal freight network and cargo handling equipment. This eliminates the need for costly and lengthy airport infrastructure upgrades and makes nearly every airport in the world hydrogen-ready. As part of todays agreement, Universal Hydrogen will provide fuel services to the Connect fleet enabling operating unit economics that are equivalent or better than those of hydrocarbon-powered ATR 72s from the very first delivery in 2025. We see the partnership with Universal Hydrogen as the fastest path to zero-emission operation because they offer both an affordable retrofit solution for the existing airplane fleet, as well as a pragmatic approach to delivering hydrogen to any airport in our route network, said Thomas. With this technology and its economics, we easily anticipate our appetite growing to over 800 airplanes in this class to support the growth of our route network across North America. About Universal Hydrogen Universal Hydrogen is making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. The company takes a flexible, scalable, and capital-light approach to hydrogen logistics by transporting it in modular capsules over the existing freight network from green production sites directly to the airplane anywhere in the world. The company is targeting regional and narrowbody/single aisle airplanes as the near-term and most impactful decarbonization opportunities. Universal Hydrogen is also working to certify a powertrain conversion kit to retrofit existing regional aircraft to fly on hydrogen. About Waltzing Matilda Aviation / Connect Airlines WMA is a Boston based FAA Part 135 jet charter operator (Certificate number 6WZA614N) in the certification process to add FAA Part 121 scheduled and non-scheduled services to its Air Operators Certificate under the Connect Airlines brand. WMA identified the need for a smarter airline and brought together aviation leaders and enthusiasts with over 150 years experience who share a common passion to work and fly smarter. With the planes we fly, the technology we use, and the operations we run, Connect Airlines will deliver a quieter, cleaner, and healthier travel experience. Connect Airlines, the future of smarter, greener travel. About UP.Summit Hosted by mobility investment firm UP.Partners, the UP.Summit has become known as the Davos of Mobility. UP.Summit is an invitation-only gathering of the worlds most innovative minds working together to Transform the Moving World. Leaders of the most impactful companies moving people and goods gather each year with the goal of accelerating progress toward cleaner, faster, safer, and lower cost mobility solutions on the ground, in the air, over the oceans, and in space. The UP.Summit was founded in 2017 and is jointly organized by UP.Partners, Tom and Steuart Walton, and Ross Perot Jr, rotating between Bentonville, AR and Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX each year. About UP.Partners Transportation is the underlying fabric of society. With a mission of Transforming the Moving World, UP.Partners invests in the pioneering entrepreneurs who are creating technologies that help move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer, and lower cost - on the ground, in the air, over the oceans, and in space. UP.Partners joins some of the world's most innovative investors and companies including Alaska Airlines, ARK Invest, and Woven Capital, the investment arm of Toyota subsidiary Woven Planet Group. UP.Summit convenes the mobility community's brightest minds each year to help humanity go UP. Together, the UP community is transforming the moving world. For more information, visit UP.Partners or follow on Twitter @UpPartnersVC or LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608006035/en/ Universal Hydrogen Kate Gundry [email protected] Connect Airlines Scott Brownrigg [email protected] Source: Universal Hydrogen Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research is funding a nanobody screening project leveraging Carterras platform MANCHESTER, England & SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The University of Manchester, United Kingdom, and Carterra, Inc., the world leader in innovative technologies enabling high-throughput biology, announced today that the University of Manchester has added Carterras LSA instrument to its Biomolecular Analysis Core Facility (BACF) within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH). The BACF was created in 2005 to facilitate the characterization of biomolecules and their molecular interactions. The facility, which comprises a suite of biophysical instruments, supports University research through access to its resident technologies, project-specific advice, sample analysis, instrument training, as well as data interpretation and reporting. The BACF also supports research at other higher education institutions in the UK as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. Our job in the BACF is to provide our universitys scientists with the worlds best and most advanced technologies for molecular interaction analysiswe have certainly fulfilled our remit by adding Carterras LSA to our stable of technologies, says Tony Day, a Professor of Biochemistry within FBMH and Academic Lead for the BACF. The Wellcome Trust, through the Universitys Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, is funding a project to generate nanobodiesantibodies with a single variable domain, also known as VHH antibodies. The aim of this project is to assemble an immunoassay toolbox for the study of matrix biology including the analysis of tissues from fibrotic diseases that will help underpin the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. The high-throughput capabilities of Carterras LSA, measuring hundreds of binding events in parallel and providing high-resolution epitope binning, will remove a bottleneck in the nanobody production process allowing experiments that would previously take many days to be performed in just a few hours. The LSA will allow university researchers to cast a wider net and screen more nanobodies per target, thereby increasing the likelihood of identifying the ideal hit. We cant wait to use the LSA for our development and characterization of nanobodies for which Carterras instrument is perfectly suited, commented Dr. Tom Jowitt, the Manager of the BACF. Carterra launched the LSA antibody discovery and characterization platform in 2018 and has quickly made it the standard in 17 of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, CROs, and government labs. The speed at which antibodies can now be identified and characterized as potential drugs by Carterras LSA has improved on traditional methods by generating results 100 times faster while using 99% less sample. Sensitivity for finding the rarest of antibodies in a complex matrix is also now best-in-class. Other highlights from Carterras success with the LSA platform include the following: The LSA was a primary tool used by Eli Lilly and AbCellera in the discovery of bamlanivimab, the worlds first COVID-19 therapeutic and fastest biologic ever to reach clinical trials: https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/scitranslmed.abf1906 The Gates-funded global COVID-19 Immunotherapy Consortium (CoVIC) used the LSA to help identify the most potent antibody drug candidates from all over the world: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abh2315 In December of 2020, Carterra closed an equity round of financing from industry giant, PerkinElmer who is also now the exclusive distributor of the LSA platform in the Asia-Pacific and Oceania regions. Its incredibly gratifying to see how Carterras LSA has penetrated both industry and academia as the worlds new standard in antibody discovery, says Tim Germann, Chief Commercial Officer at Carterra. To join the University of Manchester in support of their world-class research is both an honor and a privilege for everyone at Carterra. Editors notes About Carterra, Inc. Carterra is privately held and is the leading provider of high throughput technologies designed to accelerate and improve the discovery of novel therapeutic candidates. Carterras LSA instrument, software, and consumables for monoclonal antibody (mAb) characterization deliver up to 100 times the throughput of existing platforms in 10% of the time while using only 1% of the sample required by other systems. The LSA combines patented microfluidics technology with real-time high throughput Surface Plasmon Resonance (HT-SPR) and industry-leading data analysis and visualization software to revolutionize mAb screening. Carterra, Inc. is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has Customer Experience Centers in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Boston, and Munich, Germany. Carterra products are available in Asia-Pacific and Oceania through our exclusive distributor, PerkinElmer. For additional information, please visit www.carterra-bio.com. About the University of Manchesters Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health The University of Manchesters Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has an integrated structure that enables us to deliver a truly translational approach to the life sciences. This helps ensure smooth research pathways - from pure discovery science through to clinical application and patient care. We develop and deliver the highest quality education and training for health professionals and life scientists in partnership with the NHS and industry. We contribute to the University's tradition of innovation and improvements in the health of people around the world. We also conduct outstanding, world-leading research in the biological, medical, and health sciences across eight research themes. We take our social responsibility to make a contribution to the 'greater good' seriously. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006113/en/ Alto Marketing: KELLY BUGGY Senior Account Manager E: [email protected] T: +44(0)1489 557672 Client: CHERI SALAZAR Senior Marketing Manager, Carterra, Inc E: [email protected] T: +1 408-594-9400 JORDAN KENNY University of Manchester E: [email protected] Source: Carterra Stephensons book Snow Crash originally described the Metaverse and gave it its name. Thirty years later, the biggest names in Web 3 are supporting Lamina1s vision for a blockchain protocol equal to the Metaverses original promise. NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For the Metaverse to achieve its promise, it requires a base-level blockchain protocol equal to the technical, economic, and philosophical origins of the Metaverse idea itself an open and expansive virtual universe. To fulfill that promise, cryptocurrency pioneer Peter Vessenes and renowned futurist Neal Stephenson are announcing Lamina1, a new Layer-1 blockchain technology designed for the Metaverse with Web3 principles in mind. Co-founders Vessenes and Stephenson serve as Lamina1s chief executive officer and chairman, respectively. Later this year, the company will launch a testnet and a subsequent betanet. Beyond 2022, the co-founders plan to seed a new immersive environment inspired by Stephenson's million-selling novel Snow Crash, building infrastructure and releasing tools to support the work of third-party creators who want to build Open Metaverse experiences at scale. Lessons Learned from Web 2.0 As titans of the technology industry implement their vision of the Metaverse - a sector projected to grow to $1T in the coming decade - Lamina1 is working to ensure it does not repeat the missteps of the past by continuing to perpetuate existing structures of centralized ownership and inequality. Lamina1 proposes an alternative a more modern and integrated Web3 community and ecosystem as the first building block for a truly Open Metaverse. The provably carbon negative Lamina1 chain will offer high transaction volume and an economic design with new incentive mechanisms to help create thriving, vibrant economies for creators and entrepreneurs. Lamina1 Co-founders Bridge Visionary Science Fiction to Imminent Metaverse Reality The concept of the Metaverse, an immersive version of the internet was first brought to life in 1992 with the publication of Snow Crash. Now, 30 years later, Stephenson is for the first time founding a company to create the digital world he envisioned. The 30th anniversary of Snow Crash, and recent interest in actually building the Metaverse, has got me thinking about how to do it in a way thats true to the original concept, said Stephenson. That means creative ferment rooted in a strong base layer of open source tech that provides key services to creators while making sure that they get paid. The purpose of Lamina1 is to provide that, using the best and most up-to-date ideas from the industry. Well build first-and second-party experiences just to make sure it all works. But well know weve succeeded when Lamina1 is adopted by third-party creators. This vision will be brought to life by the considerable engineering and business acumen of Lamina1s co-founder, Peter Vessenes. Vessenes is known in the cryptocurrency industry for a series of firsts, namely launching the first VC-backed Bitcoin company (2011) and forming the Bitcoin Foundation (2012) - today a blueprint for the way the now $1T+ blockchain industry engages communities and manages and creates cryptocurrencies. Lamina1s Founding Team Brings Together Experts in Virtual Worlds Joining the Lamina1 team is Metaverse pioneer Tony Parisi, former head of AR/VR at Unity. He was also an early leader in Web3D and virtual reality, the inventor of VRML (the original standard for 3D graphics on the web) and co-creator of glTF, the open file format that today powers millions of 3D objects. Rounding out the Lamina1 leadership team is advisor Rony Abovitz, founder of Sun and Thunder, Magic Leap, and MAKO Surgical. I am incredibly excited about Lamina1, said Abovitz. When Neal and Peter told me what they wanted to do (and if I would join their quest), it felt right and good. Neal brings wisdom, empathy, creativity, and a moral framework to his work- attributes deeply needed in creating a good future and a Metaverse that works for humanity. There is no one better to lead the way to build a more Open Metaverse. It is also the right time in human history for there to be a connection between the decentralized open innovations we see in the crypto world and Neal's innate vision and deep insights. I also loved the meshing of Peters genius in crypto with Neals visionary imagination. I dont know how to describe this other than a true meeting of the minds, said Vessenes. "As an active investor and cryptographer, I have a list of the technology, economic and social innovations I'd like to see in a Layer-1 chain, so being able to team up with Neal and his personality, wisdom, and vision was compelling enough that it brought me out of retirement, so to speak. Seeing some of the earliest Bitcoin and Ethereum investors in the world back the project personally feels like a super special moment for all of us. I can think of no better way to honor Snow Crash's 30th anniversary than by co-founding Lamina1 with Neal. Initial Investors in Lamina1 include Rony Abovitz, Geoff Entress, Jeremy Giffon, Bing Gordon, James Haft, Reid Hoffman, David Johnston, Joseph Lubin, Patrick Murck, Matthew Roszak, Tihan Seale, Peter Vessenes and Wu Ying. Lamina1 will be formally introduced at Consensus 2022 presented by CoinDesk. For more information, visit lamina1.com. About Lamina1 The brainchild of Neal Stephenson (Chairman), who first conceptualized the Metaverse in his 1992 million-selling book Snow Crash, and Peter Vessenes (CEO), a foundational leader from the early days of Bitcoin, Lamina1 is a Layer-1 blockchain purpose-built to empower the Open Metaverse. Lamina1s chain technology, cryptographic model and extensive intellectual property partnerships (to be announced throughout 2022) will establish it as the preferred destination for this generations most creative minds those who are crafting the digital societies of the future. It is the first provably carbon-negative blockchain in the world. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005423/en/ KC Maas [email protected] Source: Lamina1 FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks operate at sunset in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford By Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices jumped over 2% to a 13-week high on Wednesday as U.S. demand for gasoline keeps rising despite record pump prices, while expectations that China's oil demand will increase faced growing supply concerns in several countries, including Iran. Iran said it was removing two International Atomic Energy Agency surveillance cameras at a uranium enrichment facility as the board of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog passed a resolution criticizing Iran for failing to fully explain uranium traces at undeclared sites. The move has raised tensions with the United States and other countries negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program, and will likely keep sanctions in place and Iranian oil out of the global market for longer. Analysts have said a nuclear deal with Iran could add about 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude to world supply. Brent futures rose $3.01, or 2.5%, to settle at $123.58 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $2.70, or 2.3%, to end at $122.11. Those were the highest closes for both Brent and WTI since March 8, which were their highest settlements since 2008. U.S. commercial crude oil inventories rose unexpectedly last week, while crude in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) fell by a record amount as refiners' inputs rose to their highest since January 2020, the Energy Information Administration said. U.S. gasoline stocks fell by a surprise 800,000 barrels as demand for the fuel rose despite sky-high pump prices. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected gasoline stocks to rise 1.1 million barrels. [EIA/S] [API/S] "The gasoline draw is a highlight of the report with a tight market place across the U.S.," said Tony Headrick, energy market analyst at CHS Hedging, noting demand remained strong even with pump prices above $5 per gallon in many parts of the country. Auto club AAA said national average retail regular unleaded gasoline prices hit a record $4.955 per gallon on Wednesday. China's major A-share indexes and Hong Kong's Hang Seng finished trade at two-month closing highs. Oil traders expect fuel demand to recover as lockdowns to fight the pandemic are eased in the world's biggest oil importer. "With demand recovering as much as 1.0 million bpd in China and rising seasonally in the U.S., even record SPR withdrawals may prove insufficient to ... balance a significantly undersupplied market," analysts at EBW Analytics said in a note. The International Energy Agency warned that Europe, which has sanctioned Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, could face energy shortages next winter. On the supply side, traders noted several countries could face problems boosting output. In Norway, a number of oil workers plan to strike from June 12 over pay, putting some crude output at risk of shutdown. Efforts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, including Russia, a group known as OPEC+, to boost output are "not encouraging", United Arab Emirates' Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said, noting the group was currently 2.6 million bpd short of its target. (Additional reporting by Laura Sanicola in New York, Ahmad Ghaddar in London and Florence Tan and Muyu Xu in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio) BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. Johnny Chou, Founder, Chairman and CEO of BEST, commented, "Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued to serve our customers with operational resilience. BEST Global continued its strong growth momentum and finished the quarter with 25% year-over-year ("YOY") volume increase in SEA. As we continued with our Strategic Refocusing Program, we are winding down our BEST UCargo and Capital business lines, which gives us a much leaner organization and lower cost structure. At end of the first quarter, we have a net cash position of RMB1.5 billion. "During the quarter, BEST Freight maintained its industry-leading position and achieved notable service quality improvements. Freight's on-time delivery rate has improved by 14% YOY. Supply Chain Management remains our key differentiator as it empowers our customers with digitalized end-to-end logistics solutions. It is also the heart of our cross-segment synergies; significantly benefiting Freight and Global by supporting its customer's transportation and global logistics needs. Among SCM's top customers, more than 20% use our Freight service. "We believe the activities of supply chain and logistics business will pick up quickly in China and SEA as the pandemic eases. Information technology-driven and integrated supply chain and logistics solutions will be in high demand to support such growth. BEST's strengths in technology, domestic and international end-to-end supply chain and logistics capabilities, as well as our broad customer base in China coupled with strong cash position will allow us to capture this growth opportunity and on the path to profitability." concluded Mr. Chou. Gloria Fan, BEST's Chief Financial Officer, added, "Our first quarter revenue, excluding UCargo and Capital, declined by 4.6% YOY. Given the pandemic-related disruptions and other macro environment uncertainties, our performance is a testament to our strong business resilience. Our balance of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments were RMB5.3 billion at the end of the first quarter. Supported by our robust balance sheet, our emphasis on service quality and operational efficiency will strengthen our core competencies in Freight, integrated Supply Chain Management and Global logistics solutions, building a solid foundation for future growth and profitability." FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS(1) For the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022:(2) Revenue was RMB1,802.6 million (US$284.4 million) compared to RMB2,783.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. The revenue decrease was primarily due to the winding-down of the UCargo business line. Revenue generated from UCargo business was approximately RMB19.4 million (US$3.1 million) compared with RMB868.7 million in the same quarter of 2021, a decrease of 97.8%. was RMB1,802.6 million (US$284.4 million) compared to RMB2,783.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. The revenue decrease was primarily due to the winding-down of the UCargo business line. Revenue generated from UCargo business was approximately RMB19.4 million (US$3.1 million) compared with RMB868.7 million in the same quarter of 2021, a decrease of 97.8%. Gross Loss was RMB76.8 million (US$12.1 million), compared to gross profit of RMB51.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to winding down of the Capital business line and increased unit cost of Freight business, mainly resulting from higher fuel cost. Gross Loss Margin was 4.3%, compared to a Gross Profit Margin of 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. was RMB76.8 million (US$12.1 million), compared to gross profit of RMB51.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to winding down of the Capital business line and increased unit cost of Freight business, mainly resulting from higher fuel cost. was 4.3%, compared to a Gross Profit Margin of 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. Net Loss from continuing operations was RMB379.9 million (US$59.9 million), compared to RMB191.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations (3)(4) was RMB359.2 million (US$56.7 million), compared to RMB169.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. was RMB379.9 million (US$59.9 million), compared to RMB191.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. (3)(4) was RMB359.2 million (US$56.7 million), compared to RMB169.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. Diluted loss per ADS ( 5 ) from continuing operations was negative RMB4.60 (US$0.73), compared to negative RMB2.40 in the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS (3)(4) from continuing operations was negative RMB4.33 (US$0.68), compared to negative RMB2.12 in the first quarter of 2021. was negative RMB4.60 (US$0.73), compared to negative RMB2.40 in the first quarter of 2021. (3)(4) was negative RMB4.33 (US$0.68), compared to negative RMB2.12 in the first quarter of 2021. EBITDA(6) from continuing operations was negative RMB315.3 million (US$49.7 million), compared to negative RMB120.0 million in the first quarter of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA(3)(5) from continuing operations was negative RMB294.6 million (US$46.5 million), compared to negative RMB98.5 million in the first quarter of 2021. BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS(7) BEST Freight In the first quarter of 2022, the Company remained focused on developing its e-commerce related business, which contributed 22.2% of total volume during the quarter, up 5.6 ppts YOY. The logistics industry has been significantly affected by the resurgences of the pandemic. Freight's volume decreased by 13.5% YOY, as parts of its operations, particularly some of its transportation fleet, hubs and sortation centers, have been restricted due to the pandemic. Freight continued to implement measures to strengthen its network coverage and service quality including automation in certain major sortation centers and expansion of franchise network. These efforts have delivered immediate results. In the first quarter, Freight's on-time delivery rate improved by 14.0% YOY. BEST UCargo's operations and financial results are now consolidated with BEST Freight. BEST Supply Chain Management During the first quarter of 2022, the Company continued to grow its B2B2C fulfillment network and distribution capabilities ("Cloud OFCs") while prioritizing higher-margin accounts. Due to discontinuation of certain low-margin legacy customers, the total number of orders fulfilled by Cloud OFCs decreased 13.3% YOY to 87.3 million in the first quarter, of which the total number of orders fulfilled by franchised Cloud OFCs increased by 2.4% to 54.1 million. Supply Chain Management's gross margin for the first quarter of 2022 was 4.3%, decreased by 1.1 ppts YOY, primarily due to restrictions on certain warehouses caused by the pandemic. BEST Global Despite the ongoing pandemic and disruption in its supply chains, Global continued to expand its market share in SEA. Its parcel volume reached 38.4 million in the first quarter of 2022, up 24.5% YOY. Parcel volumes in Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore, increased by 67.7%, 67.6% and 72.0%, respectively. In addition to the positive development in SEA, U.S. operations reached breakeven last year and continued to be profitable in the first quarter of 2022. Others As part of its strategic refocusing plan, the Company continued to wind down its Capital business line in the first quarter of 2022. Key Operational Metrics Three Months Ended % Change YOY March 31, 2020 March 31,2021 March 31,2022 2021 vs 2020 2022 vs 2021 Freight Volume (Tonne in '000) 1,074 1,945 1,683 81.0% (13.5%) Supply Chain ManagementOrders Fulfilled (in '000) 83,596 100,784 87,347 20.6% (13.3%) Global Parcel Volume in SEA (in '000) 8,840 30,841 38,390 248.9% 24.5% FINANCIAL RESULTS(8) For the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2022: Revenue The following table sets forth a breakdown of revenue by business segment for the periods indicated. Table 1 Breakdown of Revenue by Business Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 (In '000, except for %) RMB % ofRevenue RMB US$ % of Revenue % Change YOY Total Freight 2,043,186 73.4% 1,092,814 172,387 60.6% (46.5%) -Freight 1,174,493 42.2% 1,073,460 169,334 59.6% (8.6%) -Legacy UCargo 868,693 31.2% 19,354 3,053 1.0% (97.8%) Supply ChainManagement 447,661 16.1% 408,962 64,512 22.7% (8.6%) Global 250,422 9.0% 268,709 42,388 14.9% 7.3% Others(9) 42,290 1.5% 32,100 5,064 1.8% (24.1%) Total Revenue 2,783,559 100.0% 1,802,585 284,351 100.0% (35.2%) Freight Service Revenue was RMB1,092.8 million (US$172.4million) for the first quarter of 2022, compared with RMB2,043.2 million in the same period of last year; of which, RMB19.4 million and RMB868.7 million were from the legacy UCargo business line. Freight service revenue excluding legacy UCargo business decreased by 8.6% YOY resulting from a 13.5% decrease in freight volume, partially offset by a 4.5% increase in ASP per tonne. Supply Chain Management Service Revenue decreased by 8.6% YOY to RMB409.0 million (US$64.5 million) for the first quarter of 2022 from RMB447.7million in the same period of last year, primarily due to discontinuation of certain low-margin legacy accounts. Global Service Revenue increased by 7.3% YOY to RMB268.7 million (US$42.4 million) for the first quarter of 2022 from RMB250.4 million in the same period of last year, primarily due to parcel volume growth in SEA. Cost of Revenue The following table sets forth a breakdown of cost of revenue by business segment for the periods indicated. Table 2 Breakdown of Cost of Revenue by Business Segment Three Months Ended % of RevenueChange YOY March 31, 2021 March 31, 2022 (In '000, except for %) RMB % of Revenue RMB US$ % of Revenue Total Freight (2,029,952) 99.4% (1,170,314) (184,612) 107.1% 7.7ppt -Freight (1,173,930) 100.0% (1,144,613) (180,558) 106.6% 6.6ppt -Legacy UCargo (856,022) 98.5% (25,701) (4,054) 132.8% 34.3ppt Supply ChainManagement (423,506) 94.6% (391,207) (61,711) 95.7% 1.1ppt Global (265,102) 105.9% (285,678) (45,065) 106.3% 0.4ppt Others (13,307) 31.5% (32,225) (5,083) 100.4% 68.9ppt Total Cost of Revenue (2,731,867) 98.1% (1,879,424) (296,471) 104.3% 6.2ppt Cost of Revenue for Freight excluding legacy UCargo business was RMB1,144.6 million or 106.6% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 6.6 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was mainly due to higher fuel cost and additional costs caused by the pandemic. Cost of Revenue for Supply Chain Management was RMB391.2 million or 95.7% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 1.1 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to restrictions on certain warehouses caused by the pandemic. Cost of Revenue for Global was RMB285.7 million or 106.3% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 0.4 ppts increase YOY in cost of revenue as a percentage of revenue was primarily due to additional costs caused by the pandemic and higher fuel cost; partially offset by increased parcel volume. Cost of Revenue for Others was RMB 32.2 million or 100.4% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022. The 68.9 ppts increase YOY in cost revenue as percentage of revenue was primarily due to winding down of BEST Capital business line. Gross Loss was RMB76.8 million (US$12.1 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to gross profit of RMB51.7 million in the first quarter of 2021; Gross Margin was negative 4.3%, compared to positive 1.9% in the first quarter of 2021. Operating Expenses Selling, General and Administrative Expenses were RMB255.0 million (US$40.2 million) or 14.1% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB249.8 million or 9.0% of revenue in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to the expenses associated with winding down the Capital business. Research and Development Expenses were RMB33.2million (US$5.2 million) or 1.8% of revenue in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB40.1 million, or 1.4% of revenue in the first quarter of 2021, primarily due to reduced headcount. Share-based Compensation ("SBC") Expenses included in the cost and expense items above were RMB20.7 million (US$3.3 million) in the first quarter of 2022, compared to RMB27.1 million in the first quarter of 2021. In the first quarter of 2022, RMB0.05 million (US$0.01 million) was allocated to cost of revenue, RMB1.2 million (US$0.2 million) was allocated to selling expenses, RMB18.2 million (US$2.9 million) was allocated to general and administrative expenses, and RMB1.3 million (US$0.2 million) was allocated to research and development expenses. Net Loss and Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations Net Loss from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB379.9 million (US$59.9 million), compared to RMB191.2 million in the first quarter of 2021. Excluding SBC expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and gain from appreciation of investment, Non-GAAP Net Loss from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB359.2 million (US$56.7 million), compared to RMB169.7 million in the first quarter of 2021. Diluted loss per ADS and Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations Diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB4.60 (US$0.73), compared to negative RMB2.4 in the same period of 2021. Excluding SBC expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and gain from appreciation of investment, Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB4.33 (US$0.68), compared to negative RMB2.12 in the first quarter of 2021. A reconciliation of non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS to diluted loss per ADS is included at the end of this results announcement. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin from continuing operations Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative RMB294.6 million (US$46.5million), compared to negative RMB98.5million in the same period of 2021. Adjusted EBITDA Margin from continuing operations in the first quarter of 2022 was negative 16.3%, compared to negative 3.5% in the same period of 2021. Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Short-term Investments As of March 31, 2022, cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments were RMB5,261.1 million (US$829.9 million), compared to RMB3,389.0 million as of March 31, 2021. Net Cash Used In Continuing Operating Activities Net cash used in continuing operating activities in the first quarter of 2022 was RMB304.1 million (US$48.0 million), compared to RMB47.9 million of net cash generated from continuing operating activities in the same period of 2021. The increase in net cash used in operating activities was mainly due to the increased net loss and catch-up payments to vendors in the first quarter of 2022. Capital Expenditures ("CAPEX") CAPEX was RMB49.1 million (US$7.7 million), or 2.7% of total revenue in the first quarter ended March 31, 2022, compared to CAPEX of RMB74.7 million, or 2.7% of total revenue, in the same period of 2021. SHARES OUTSTANDING As of May 31, 2022, the Company had approximately 392.5 million ordinary shares outstanding(10). Each American Depositary Share represents five (5) Class A ordinary shares. As previously announced, effective from May 20, 2022, the Company has changed the ratio of its American Depositary Shares to its Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.01 per share, from the original ADS ratio of one (1) ADS to one (1) Class A ordinary share, to a new ADS ratio of one (1) ADS to five (5) Class A ordinary shares. FINANCIAL GUIDANCE Due to the uncertainties relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company renounces, and does not affirm, its previous financial guidance given in its results announcement dated March 8, 2022. Accordingly, the Company is not providing any financial guidance or revenue outlook at this time. We are driving each of our business units toward a speedy recovery as the COVID-19 pandemic eases. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 pm U.S. Eastern Time on June 8, 2022 (9:00 am Beijing Time on June 9, 2022), to discuss its financial results and operating performance for the first quarter of 2022. Participants may access the call by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-888-317-6003Hong Kong: 800-963976 or +852-5808-1995Mainland China: 4001-206115International: +1-412-317-6061Participant Elite Entry Number: 6408443 A replay of the conference call will be accessible through June 15, 2022 by dialing the following numbers: United States: +1-877-344-7529International: +1-412-317-0088Replay Access Code: 2605618 Please visit the Company's investor relations website to view the earnings release prior to the conference call. A live and archived webcast of the conference call and a corporate presentation will be available at the same site. ABOUT BEST INC. BEST Inc. (NYSE: BEST) is a leading integrated smart supply chain solutions and logistics services provider in China and SEA. Through its proprietary technology platform and extensive networks, BEST offers a comprehensive set of logistics and value-added services, including freight delivery, supply chain management, and global logistics services. BEST's mission is to empower business and enrich life by leveraging technology and business model innovation to create a smarter, more efficient supply chain. For more information, please visit: http://www.best-inc.com/en/. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: BEST Inc.Investor relations team [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc.Yang SongTel: +86-10-6508-0677E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc.Brandi PiacenteTel: +1-212-481-2050E-mail: [email protected] 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. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as BEST's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. BEST may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to 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 BEST'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: BEST's goals and strategies; BEST's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; BEST's ability to maintain and enhance its ecosystem; BEST's ability to compete effectively; BEST's ability to continue to innovate, meet evolving market trends, adapt to changing customer demands and maintain its culture of innovation; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and other countries in which BEST operates, and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in BEST'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 BEST does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES In evaluating its business, BEST considers and uses non-GAAP measures, such as non-GAAP net loss/income, non-GAAP net loss/profit margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, EBITDA, and non-GAAP Diluted earnings/loss per ADS, as supplemental measures in the evaluation of the Company's operating results and in the Company's financial and operational decision-making. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures that help identify underlying trends in the Company's business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of the expenses and gains that the Company includes in loss from operations and net loss. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about its operating results, enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures" in the results announcement. The non-GAAP financial measures are provided as additional information to help investors compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and to enhance investors' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and prospects for the future. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, U.S. GAAP results. In addition, the Company's calculation of the non-GAAP financial measures may be different from the calculation used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited. Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Income Statements (In Thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ Revenue Freight 2,043,186 1,092,814 172,387 -Freight 1,174,493 1,073,460 169,334 -Legacy UCargo 868,693 19,354 3,053 Supply Chain Management 447,661 408,962 64,512 Global 250,422 268,709 42,388 Others 42,290 32,100 5,064 Total Revenue 2,783,559 1,802,585 284,351 Cost of Revenue Freight (2,029,952) (1,170,314) (184,612) Supply Chain Management (423,506) (391,207) (61,711) Global (265,102) (285,678) (45,065) Others (13,307) (32,225) (5,083) Total Cost of Revenue (2,731,867) (1,879,424) (296,471) Gross Profit/(Loss) 51,692 (76,839) (12,120) Selling Expenses (55,081) (54,926) (8,664) General and Administrative Expenses (194,680) (200,054) (11) (31,558) Research and Development Expenses (40,065) (33,175) (5,233) Other operating income/(expense), net 41,718 2,640 416 Loss from Operations (196,416) (362,354) (57,159) Interest Income 11,707 15,618 2,464 Interest Expense (35,512) (26,422) (4,168) Foreign Exchange Gain 800 4,845 764 Other Income 40,735 16,109 2,541 Other Expense (8,242) (27,476) (4,334) Loss before Income Tax and Share of Net Loss of Equity Investees (186,928) (379,680) (59,892) Income Tax Expense (4,290) (219) (35) Loss before Share of Net loss of Equity Investees (191,218) (379,899) (59,927) Share of Net Loss of Equity Investees - - - Net Loss from continuing operations (191,218) (379,899) (59,927) Net loss from discontinued operations (427,087) (284) (45) Net Loss (618,305) (380,183) (59,972) Net loss attributable to non- controlling interests (5,410) (20,878) (3,293) Net Loss attributable to BEST Inc. (612,895) (359,305) (56,679) Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) As of December 31,2021 As of March 31, 2022 RMB RMB US$ Assets Current Assets Cash and Cash Equivalents 3,571,745 2,053,610 323,949 Restricted Cash 675,159 599,920 94,635 Accounts and Notes Receivables 827,631 752,397 118,690 Inventories 25,622 24,295 3,832 Prepayments and Other Current Assets 1,172,472 1,013,868 159,933 Shortterm Investments 147,359 1,297,440 204,666 Amounts Due from Related Parties 125,198 97,585 15,394 Lease Rental Receivables 298,364 223,073 35,189 Total Current Assets 6,843,550 6,062,188 956,288 Noncurrent Assets Property and Equipment, Net 762,642 748,443 118,064 Intangible Assets, Net 55,684 59,273 9,350 Longterm Investments 219,171 189,171 29,841 Goodwill 54,135 54,135 8,540 Noncurrent Deposits 92,866 83,257 13,133 Other Noncurrent Assets 111,640 83,478 13,168 Restricted Cash 1,069,244 1,310,141 206,670 Lease Rental Receivables 235,429 168,478 26,577 Operating Lease Right-of-useAssets 1,899,522 1,785,192 281,607 Total noncurrent Assets 4,500,333 4,481,568 706,950 Total Assets 11,343,883 10,543,756 1,663,238 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities Long-term borrowings-current 287,814 239,382 37,762 Convertible Senior Notes held by related parties 633,475 632,259 99,736 Convertible Senior Notes held by third parties 633,475 632,259 99,736 Shortterm Bank Loans 530,495 410,156 64,701 Accounts and Notes Payable 1,353,150 1,373,396 216,648 Income Tax Payable 587 350 55 Customer Advances and Deposits and Deferred Revenue 298,353 292,141 46,084 Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities 1,591,639 1,387,461 218,867 Financing Lease Liabilities 1,851 1,699 268 Operating Lease Liabilities 518,248 493,438 77,838 Amounts Due to Related Parties 2,763 11,430 1,803 Total Current Liabilities 5,851,850 5,473,971 863,498 Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Cont'd) (In Thousands) As of December 31, 2021 As of March 31, 2022 RMB RMB US$ Non-current Liabilities Convertible senior notes held by related parties 955,097 951,467 150,090 Long-term borrowings 67,080 32,702 5,159 Operating Lease Liabilities 1,456,843 1,374,940 216,891 Financing Lease Liabilities 2,121 2,104 332 Other Noncurrent Liabilities 24,261 25,034 3,949 Long-term Bank Loans 769,767 841,231 132,701 Total Noncurrent Liabilities 3,275,169 3,227,478 509,122 Total Liabilities 9,127,019 8,701,449 1,372,620 Mezzanine Equity: Convertible Non-controlling Interests 191,865 191,865 30,266 Total mezzanine equity 191,865 191,865 30,266 Shareholders' Equity Ordinary Shares 25,988 25,988 4,100 Treasury Shares (113,031) (28,824) (4,547) Additional PaidIn Capital 19,522,173 19,457,107 3,069,284 Statutory reserves 167 - - Accumulated Deficit (17,471,716) (17,843,712) (12) (2,814,776) Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income 107,379 93,050 14,678 BEST Inc. Shareholders' Equity 2,070,960 1,703,609 268,739 Non-controlling Interests (45,961) (53,167) (8,387) Total Shareholders' Equity 2,024,999 1,650,442 260,352 Total Liabilities, Mezzanine Equity and Shareholders' Equity 11,343,883 10,543,756 1,663,238 Summary of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In Thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 2022 RMB RMB US$ Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing operating activities 47,887 (304,096) (47,970) Net cash used in discontinued operating activities (705,838) - - Net cash used in operating activities (657,951) (304,096) (47,970) Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing investing activities 150,074 (879,542) (138,744) Net cash used in discontinued Investing activities (127,278) - - Net cash generated from/(used in) investing activities 22,796 (879,542) (138,744) Net cash generated from/(used in) continuing financing activities 274,100 (145,284) (22,918) Net cash used in discontinued financing activities (172,653) - - Net cash generated from/(used in) financing activities 101,447 (145,284) (22,918) Exchange Rate Effect on Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash 6,716 (23,555) (3,716) Net decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash (526,992) (1,352,477) (213,348) Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period 4,209,121 5,316,148 838,602 Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at End of Period 3,682,129 3,963,671 625,254 Less: Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash held for sales at end of the Period 588,824 - - Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash from continuing operations at End of Period 3,093,305 3,963,671 625,254 RECONCILIATIONS OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE NEAREST COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's net (loss)/income to EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin for the periods indicated: Table 4 Reconciliation of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin Three Months Ended March31, 2022 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(13) Total Net Loss (173,111) (20,768) (70,976) (57,376) (57,668) (379,899) Add Depreciation & Amortization 20,257 10,484 5,110 13,317 4,391 53,559 Interest Expense - - - - 26,422 26,422 Income Tax Expense - 12 18 189 - 219 Subtract Interest Income - - - - (15,618) (15,618) EBITDA (152,854) (10,272) (65,848) (43,870) (42,473) (315,317) Add Share-based 2,953 1,822 2,428 143 13,337 20,683 Compensation Expenses Adjusted EBITDA (149,901) (8,450) (63,420) (43,727) (29,136) (294,634) Adjusted EBITDA Margin (13.7%) (2.1%) 23.6%) (136.2%) - (16.3%) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(14) Total Net (Loss)/Income (57,629) (11,965) (58,244) 5,296 (68,676) (191,218) Add Depreciation & Amortization 21,597 10,227 4,174 343 6,767 43,108 Interest Expense - - - - 35,512 35,512 Income Tax Expense - 9 - 4,281 - 4,290 Subtract Interest Income - - - - (11,707) (11,707) EBITDA (36,032) (1,729) (54,070) 9,920 (38,104) (120,015) Add Share-based 3,162 1,896 2,150 146 19,704 27,058 Compensation Expenses Subtract Gain from appreciation of investments - - - - (5,562) (5,562) Adjusted EBITDA (32,870) 167 (51,920) 10,066 (23,962) (98,519) Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1.6%) 0.0% (20.7%) 23.8% - (3.5%) For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's net (loss)/income to non-GAAP net Income/(loss), non-GAAP net Income/(loss) margin for the periods indicated: Table 5 Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income and Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income Margin Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(15) Total Net Loss (173,111) (20,768) (70,976) (57,376) (57,668) (379,899) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 2,953 1,822 2,428 143 13,337 20,683 Non-GAAP Net Loss (170,158) (18,946) (68,548) (57,233) (44,331) (359,216) Non-GAAP Net Loss Margin (15.6%) (4.6%) (25.5%) (178.3%) - (19.9%) Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 (In RMB'000) Freight Supply Chain Global Others Unallocated(16) Total Net (Loss)/Income (57,629) (11,965) (58,244) 5,296 (68,676) (191,218) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 3,162 1,896 2,150 146 19,704 27,058 Subtract Gain from appreciation of investments - - - - (5,562) (5,562) Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income (54,467) (10,069) (56,094) 5,442 (54,534) (169,722) Non-GAAP Net (Loss)/Income Margin (2.7%) (2.2%) (22.4%) 12.9% - (6.1%) For the Company's continuing operations, the table below sets forth a reconciliation of the Company's diluted loss per ADS to Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS for the periods indicated: Table 6 Reconciliation of diluted loss per ADS and Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS Three Months Ended March 31, 2022 (In '000) RMB US$ Net Loss Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders (359,021) (56,634) Add Share-based Compensation Expenses 20,683 3,263 Non-GAAP Net Loss Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders (338,338) (53,371) Weighted Average Diluted Ordinary Shares Outstanding During the Quarter Diluted 390,274,553 390,274,553 Diluted (Non-GAAP) 390,274,553 390,274,553 Diluted loss per ordinary share (0.92) (0.15) Add Non-GAAP adjustment to net loss per ordinary share 0.05 0.01 Non-GAAP diluted loss per ordinary share (0.87) (0.14) Diluted loss per ADS (4.60) (0.73) Add Non-GAAP adjustment to net loss per ADS 0.27 0.05 Non-GAAP diluted loss per ADS (4.33) (0.68) (1) All numbers presented have been rounded to the nearest integer, tenth, or hundredth, and year-over-year comparisons are based on figures before rounding. (2) In December 2021, BEST sold its China express business, the principal terms of which were previously announced. As a result, China express business has been deconsolidated from the Company and its historical financial results are reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations accordingly. The financial information and non-GAAP financial information disclosed in this press release is presented on a continuing operations basis, unless otherwise specifically stated. (3) Non-GAAP net income/loss represents net income/loss excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, and fair value change of equity investments (if any). (4) See the sections entitled "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures" for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to within this results announcement. (5) Diluted earnings/loss per ADS, is calculated by dividing net income/loss attributable to ordinary shareholders as adjusted for the effect of dilutive ordinary equivalent shares, if any, by the weighted average number of ordinary and dilutive ordinary equivalent shares expressed in ADS outstanding during the period. (6) EBITDA represents net loss excluding depreciation, amortization, interest expense and income tax expense and minus interest income. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA excluding share-based compensation expenses and fair value change of equity investments (if any). (7) All numbers presented have been rounded to the nearest integer, tenth, or hundredth, and year-over-year comparisons are based on figures before rounding. (8) All numbers represented the financial results from continuing operations, unless otherwise stated. (9) "Others" Segment primarily represents Capital business units. Results from UCargo's legacy contracts with external customers are now reported under "Freight" segment and prior period segment information were retrospectively revised to conform to current period presentation. (10) The total number of shares outstanding excludes shares reserved for future issuances upon exercise or vesting of awards granted under the Company's share incentive plans. (11) Including additional expenses associated with winding down the Capital business line of RMB28,005. (12) Including accumulated accretion to redemption value and deemed dividend in relation to redeemable convertible preferred shares of RMB9,493,807, and accumulated loss from operations of RMB8,349,905. (13) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (14) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (15) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. (16) Unallocated expenses are primarily related to corporate administrative expenses and other miscellaneous items that are not allocated to individual segments. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-inc-announces-unaudited-first-quarter-2022-financial-results-301564167.html SOURCE BEST Inc. Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that it was awarded a construction contract for the Interstate 35 (I-35) Capital Express South project in Austin, Texas, by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Fluor will book the nearly $548 million contract value in the second quarter of 2022. This new award is a continuation of Fluors Texas-centric infrastructure focus and reinforces the strength of our relationships with state and local officials across the state, said Thomas Nilsson, president of Fluors Infrastructure business. This is the first in a series of vital infrastructure projects to rebuild the I-35 corridor in Austin in response to business and population expansion in one of the countrys most dynamic regions. The approximately 9-mile project will add two non-tolled high-occupancy vehicle managed lanes in each direction along I-35 from U.S. 290 West/State Highway 71/Ben White Boulevard to State Highway 45 Southeast. Fluors scope includes a combination of at-grade and elevated lanes in the median, reconstruction of bridges and frontage roads, the addition of a shared-use pedestrian and bicycle path, and enhanced safety and mobility improvements. I-35 through Austin is one of the most traveled interstates in Texas and serves as the backbone of the local, regional and national transportation network. This portion of the interstate serves more than 150,000 vehicles per day. Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2022 with substantial completion anticipated in late 2027. Fluor has been designing and building infrastructure projects in Texas for nearly 20 years and is currently executing the I-635 LBJ East, Southern Gateway and I-35E projects in Dallas; the Oak Hill Parkway project in Austin; and performing capital maintenance for the Horseshoe project in Dallas. Granite (NYSE: GVA) announced today that it has been awarded the approximately $15 million contract for restoration work on Calabazas Creek near Cupertino, California. Awarded by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, this project will enhance flood control along the creek. The award is anticipated to be included in Granites second quarter CAP. The purpose of the project is to repair a number of earthen channel failures along 4500 linear feet of streambed that could potentially encroach on residential properties. These repairs entail a combination of channel sidewall repairs using ton rock slope protection and other repairs utilizing heavy steel sheet piling walls to be constructed using the hydraulic press in method. The project will cover 10 separate repair sites and include approximately 7000 cubic yards of channel excavation and backfill with 2300 tons of ton rock slope protection. For the steel piling walls, Granite will use the Gilken Silent Driver for sheet driving, eliminating the impact and vibration usually associated with this type of piling installation and reducing impact to surrounding residences. Were excited to have another unique flood control project with Valley Water, said Brent Fogg, vice president of regional operations. This type of project is important for improving community resilience and aligns with our sustainability goals. Granite has established a great working relationship with Valley Water and we look forward to delivering this important flood control project for the community. The project is anticipated to start in July 2022 and anticipated to complete in December 2023. Scorpio Tankers Inc. (NYSE: STNG) announces an update on Q2 2022 events, including the quarter to date Daily TCE Revenues. Second Quarter of 2022 Daily Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) Revenues Below is a summary of the average daily TCE revenue and duration of contracted voyages and time charters for the Company's vessels (both in the pools and in the spot market) thus far in the second quarter of 2022: Vessel class Average daily TCE revenue (1) % of Days LR2 $35,000 85% MR $34,000 85% Handymax $35,000 78% (1) TCE revenue, a Non-IFRS measure, is vessel revenues less voyage expenses (including bunkers and port charges). TCE revenue is included herein because it is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare period-to-period changes in a shipping companys performance irrespective of changes in the mix of charter types (i.e., spot charters, time charters, and pool charters), and it provides useful information to investors and management. Debt Balance As of June 6, 2022, Scorpio Tankers outstanding principal balance on debt was $2,711.3 million. Since December 31, 2021, the Company has had a net reduction in debt of $452.4 million, which includes the repayment of $69.7 million upon the maturity of the Convertible Notes Due May 2022. Convertible Notes due 2025 The Company has recently repurchased $10.8 million in aggregate principal amount of its Convertible Notes due 2025 in the open market. Status of Vessel Sales As of June 6, 2022, the Company has completed the sale of 12 vessels (10 LR1s and two MRs) and has six vessels held for sale (two LR1s, three LR2s and one MR). The vessels held for sale are scheduled to be sold before the end of the third quarter of 2022. Fully Diluted Share Count for Q2 2022 The Company estimates that the fully diluted weighted average number of shares for the earnings per share calculation under the if-converted method will be approximately 64.5 million shares for the three months ended June 30, 2022. About Scorpio Tankers Inc. Scorpio Tankers Inc. is a provider of marine transportation of petroleum products worldwide. Scorpio Tankers Inc. currently owns, finance leases or bareboat charters-in 119 product tankers (42 LR2 tankers, two LR1 tankers, 61 MR tankers and 14 Handymax tankers) with an average age of 6.4 years. The Company has agreed to sell two LR1 tankers, three LR2 tankers, and one MR tanker. Additional information about the Company is available at the Company's website www.scorpiotankers.com, which is not a part of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forwardlooking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forwardlooking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forwardlooking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, plan, target, project, likely, may, will, would, could and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements. The forwardlooking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although management believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, there can be no assurance that the Company will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The Company undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, except as required by law, to publicly update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forwardlooking statements include unforeseen liabilities, future capital expenditures, revenues, expenses, earnings, synergies, economic performance, indebtedness, financial condition, losses, future prospects, business and management strategies for the management, the length and severity of the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including its effect on demand for petroleum products and the transportation thereof, expansion and growth of the Companys operations, risks relating to the integration of assets or operations of entities that it has or may in the future acquire and the possibility that the anticipated synergies and other benefits of such acquisitions may not be realized within expected timeframes or at all, the failure of counterparties to fully perform their contracts with the Company, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for tanker vessel capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, charter counterparty performance, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in such financing arrangements, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of offhires, and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the SEC for a more complete discussion of certain of these and other risks and uncertainties. Contact Information Scorpio Tankers Inc.James Doyle Head of Corporate Development & Investor RelationsTel: +1 646-432-1678Email: [email protected] Source: Scorpio Tankers Inc. Offices of Deloitte are seen in London, Britain, September 25, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/Files (Reuters) - Deloitte, one of the "Big Four" accounting firms, said late on Wednesday that media reports about the company exploring a plan to split its global audit and consulting practices are "categorically untrue". The news of the split, reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier in the day, came a few weeks after another Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young said it was evaluating strategic options to improve audit quality. "As stated previously, we remain committed to our current business model," a Deloitte spokesperson told Reuters. According to the WSJ report, Deloitte reached out to investment bankers at Goldman Sachs Group Inc and talks are still at a very early stage. Goldman and JPMorgan Chase & Co are advising Ernst & Young on its possible restructuring, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter. KPMG, another Big Four accounting firm, declined to comment on its business plans. PricewaterhouseCoopers is "fully committed to our strategy which we announced last year ... have no plans to change course", a company spokesperson told Reuters. PricewaterhouseCoopers announced a new global strategy last year, which included increased investment to support audit quality. For years, the four accounting giants have been under the regulatory scanner over worries that their advisory service offerings could impair audit quality and potentially create conflicts of interest. Last month, Britain set out reforms of big company audits, in response to recommendations from three government-sponsored reviews on improving auditing in a market dominated by the Big Four. (Reporting by Niket Nishant and Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Uttaresh.V and Shounak Dasgupta) Folsom, California, June 8, 2022, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allworth Financial, the 9th fastest growing RIA in America[1], has acquired UAS Wealth Advisors of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Founded in 1990, UAS specializes in providing comprehensive fiduciary retirement planning and client-focused investment management advice. The firm has grown to over $427 million in assets under management and serves approximately 290 clients throughout New Mexico and the greater Southwestern United States. With over 60 years of combined advisory experience operating UAS, new Allworth partner-advisors Matt Keller, Kirk Hudson, and Austin McDaniel are client-focused professionals with a deep commitment to the well-being of the people they serve, said Allworth Co-CEO and Co-founder, Scott Hanson. Combined with two Phoenix-area locations and an office in Tucson, this is now the fourth office in the Southwest region bringing the total number of Allworth Financial locations to 25 nationwide. Kirk, Austin, and I all wanted more client-facing time and to partner with a firm that cares about their clients the way we and our staff care about ours," said UAS CEO, Matt Keller. "We know that we've achieved this -- and more -- by joining forces with Allworth Financial." RIAs such as UAS that are well-run and good cultural fits are difficult to find, said Allworth Co-CEO and Co-founder, Pat McClain. The fact that the leadership at UAS was seeking to implement a succession plan that allows them to continue to work with fewer of the day-to-day challenges of running a firm, while also providing their loyal team members with the potential for expanded professional opportunities, made partnering with them an easy decision. Allworth Financial, with $15 billion in AUA, clients in all 50 states, and offices in every region of the country, was founded in 1993 in Sacramento, California. The firm once again earned the National Business Research Institutes Circle of Excellence award for client satisfaction in 2021, which ranks it among the most-admired wealth management brands in America. About Allworth Financial With its direct and educational approach to advising, award-winning Allworth Financial is a full-service independent investment financial advisory firm that specializes in retirement planning, investment advising, tax planning & preparation, estate planning, and 401(k) management. Allworth delivers long and short-term investment planning solutions and guidance to help clients achieve their goals and plan strategically for retirement. [1] https://www.riachannel.com/top-wealth-managers-growth-in-assets-Allworth-Financial/ Sean Harvey Allworth Financial 5102921910 [email protected] Source: Allworth Financial WASHINGTON, D.C., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, awarded state service commissions and 342 nonprofit, faith and community-based organizations more than $580 million in AmeriCorps State and National federal funding. One of the largest investments in agency history, this funding allocates more than $139 million of AmeriCorps' historic $1 billion American Rescue Plan investment. Grants totaling more than $431 million will support more than 42,000 AmeriCorps members. In addition, more than $156 million in formula funding is being awarded to governor-appointed state service commissions, which will support additional AmeriCorps member positions as determined by state priorities. At our core, AmeriCorps is committed to ensuring federal investments support the needs of our local communities, said AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith. This new investment, one of the largest ever, will further strengthen our partnerships with state and local governments to meet the most pressing needs of communities nationwide. These grants, made up of AmeriCorps and American Rescue Plan funding, empower a growing network of local, state and national organizations committed to using national service to address critical community needs, said Sonali Nijhawan, director of AmeriCorps State and National programs. Together, we will engage AmeriCorps members who will add vital capacity to communities. Im proud to continue integrating our agencys funding with programs that use evidence-based interventions to support local communities in addressing their most pressing needs. AmeriCorps focuses on evidence-based programs and initiatives in the agency's priority areas: disaster response; economic opportunity; education; environmental stewardship; healthy futures; and veterans and military families. The FY 2022 grant competition awarded funds to state service commissions and nonprofit, faith and community-based organizations that address COVID-19 response and recovery; educational opportunity and economic mobility in communities facing persistent unemployment; social cohesion and civic engagement; quality of life services for veterans and military families; environmental stewardship and climate change, and services for rural communities. View a complete list of awards, including organizations and funding totals. In addition to the grant funding, AmeriCorps is making available up to $173 million in education awards for AmeriCorps members. After a full-service term, members receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of approximately $6,500 toward tuition at eligible schools and at specific GI Bill-approved educational programs for veterans or student loan repayment. The AmeriCorps member positions funded by these grants will prepare students for college, revitalize cities, connect veterans to jobs, fight the opioid epidemic, rebuild communities following disasters, preserve public lands, strengthen education, foster economic opportunity, and more. They will join the more than 1.2 million AmeriCorps members who have served since the program's inception in 1994 and earned more than $4.2 billion in education awards. AmeriCorps regularly grants federal funding to local communities and organizations across the country. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 included unprecedented funding to stop the spread of COVID-19 and respond to the public health, education and economic crises caused by the pandemic. In the last year, $644 million in American Rescue Plan funds were invested in AmeriCorps State and National to increase living allowances for members, distribute formula funding for Governor-appointed state service commissions, expand access to match replacement funds, and expand existing programs to meet increased needs. Additional funds will be awarded throughout the year including funds for legally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native Tribes or tribal organizations. Learn more about these AmeriCorps positions at AmeriCorps.Gov/ASN. ### AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their country domestically, address the nations most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 250,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in intensive service roles; and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn more at AmeriCorps.gov. AmeriCorps offers opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to be a part of the national service community, grow personally and professionally, and receive benefits for their service. Learn how to get involved at AmeriCorps.gov/serve Attachment Natasha Dabrowski AmeriCorps 202-606-6775 [email protected] Source: AmeriCorps CONCORD, Calif., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMK) today announced that the Company will attend the Morgan Stanley US Financials, Payments & CRE Conference on Wednesday, June 15 in New York, NY. The Company will host one-on-one and group meetings. Analysts and portfolio managers that wish to attend this conference or would like to request a meeting should contact Morgan Stanley. Additionally, AssetMark will present at the conference at 4:00pm ET. AssetMark invites shareholders and other interested parties to listen to the presentation live via webcast at ir.assetmark.com. About AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc. AssetMark is a leading provider of extensive wealth management and technology solutions that power independent financial advisors and their clients. Through AssetMark, Inc., its investment adviser subsidiary registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, AssetMark operates a platform that comprises fully integrated technology, personalized and scalable service, and curated investment platform solutions designed to make a difference in the lives of advisors and their clients. Contacts Investors: Taylor J. Hamilton, CFA Head of Investor Relations [email protected] Media: Alaina Kleinman Head of PR & Communications [email protected]com SOURCE: AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc. Los Angeles, CA, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axis Technologies Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: AXTG) ('AXTG' or the 'Company') today announced the appointment of Richard J Casinelli, as chief financial officer (CFO) and principal financial officer, effective June 8, 2022. Richard will added tremendous value to Axis Technologies Group and brings a depth of experience to the role, said William TiEN, president and chief executive officer. Richard is a veteran finance operator who provide traditional business finance experience and shares our values. We are excited to have Richard take this next step with us as we move the company forward in this new decentralized finance era. He will help design and implementation of the company's global financing activities. Axis Technologies Group, Inc.: Axis Technologies Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: AXTG) is a publicly traded holding company focused on the promotion, development, management and marketing of various aspects of businesses surrounding all aspects of decentralized finance (DeFi). Through acquisitions, strategic investments, and its current investment holdings, AXTG seeks to support, develop and take advantage of various fintech, blockchain, DeFi, NFT, carbon offset digitization and metaverse projects, opportunities and initiatives. Please visit our site at www.AXTG.us for more information. About Richard J Casinelli: Richard J Casinelli has over 35 years of US Public Accounting Experience inclusive of Auditing, Tax Compliance, and Planning and Financial Reporting. Managing Director of MHC Advisors PC handles Litigation Support Mergers and Acquisitions. Equity Search , Inc. was started in 2008 as an investment company by Richard Casinelli, CPA, MST. In 2017 The Company invested in Pro-4 Marketing, LLC to import from China, flashlights and lanterns in the USA . He also had a strong background in distribution and marketing/sales displays. He have extensive experience in advisory to public listed companies, finance and business operations. Safe Harbor Statement This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements related to anticipated revenues, expenses, earnings, operating cash flows, the outlook for markets, and the demand for products. Forward-looking statements are no guarantees of future performance and are inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon, among other things, assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management, including management's own knowledge and assessment of the Company's industry and competition. The Company assumes no duty to update its forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Axis Technologies Group, Inc. [email protected] Twitter: @AXTG2021 StockTwits: https://stocktwits.com/symbol/AXTG Source: Axis Technologies Group, Inc. DALLAS, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sage (FTSE: SGE), the leader in accounting, financial, HR, and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) today kicked off Sage Partner Summit 2022 announcing three new strategic partnerships. During his keynote speech to Sage Partners, channel head Aziz Benmalek, announced partnerships with technology and banking leaders Lloyds Bank plc, Satago, and Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP), a provider of HR and Payroll software and services. These new partnerships demonstrate both the scale of Sages ecosystem, and of the investment in developing new and innovative direct and indirect routes to market. What the past two years have taught us is that there is no turning back on digitalization. As part of our digital network, we are uniquely placed to support customers with best-in-class solutions, making it simpler for them to do business, says Aziz Benmalek, President, Sage North America, and EVP, Global Partner Organization. The partnerships we have announced today with Lloyds Bank plc, Satago, and specifically ADP offer our resellers the opportunity to put enterprise-grade solutions into the hands of SMB customers. Partnerships explained: Partnering with Lloyds Bank plc and Satago for simplified access to finance Soon to be launched, this three-way partnership between Sage, Lloyds Bank plc and Satago will offer fast and flexible access to cash from unpaid invoices, helping small businesses better manage cash flow. Powered by Satago, Sage customers will be able to access instant financing from Lloyds Bank, based on the value of unpaid invoices regardless of payment terms. Collaboration with ADP to boost productivity and performance Following the announcement in November of their collaboration with ADP, Sage today shared availability of Sage Intacct Payroll, and Sage People Payroll both powered by ADP. The solutions streamline the flow of information between Sage products and ADPs WorkForce Now (WFN) technology, synchronizing employee data and payroll entries, and improving the quality of reporting, with fewer errors. The annual Sage Partner Summit event, designed exclusively for Sages worldwide partner community, is taking place in Dallas, Texas, from June 7-10, 2022. Editors notes: Solution availabilitySolution financed by Lloyds Bank plc available in the UK from Q4 2022. Sage and Satago will continue to roll out the solution globally, working with local banks in respective countries. ADP US Early Adopter availability from June. General availability from the fall, with partner enablement across 2023. About Sage Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of small- and mid-sized businesses served by us, our partners and accountants. Customers trust our finance, HR and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitising business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology, and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality and the climate crisis. Learn more at www.sage.com/en-us/ and www.sageintacct.com. About Sage Partner SummitSage Partner Summit is the signature annual partner event from Sage. This global event is a pivotal moment in the event calendar for Sage and its partners to connect, driving mutual success with our ecosystem. Sage Partner Summit 2022, is a 4-day, in-person event taking place in Dallas, Texas, from June 7-10. Sage partners are attending to gain insight into Sage's channel strategy and opportunities to build, connect and deliver, together with Sage. Media contact:Peter Olson[email protected]408-878-0951 Source: Sage Milford, NH, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cirtronics is honored to be named a 2022 Top 10 Medical Device Contract Manufacturer by MedTech Outlook magazine. Cirtronics was selected on the basis of how well they tailor their services to the needs of medical device original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). MedTech Outlooks decision to select Cirtronics was based on the importance of Cirtronics culture of service, collaboration, and proactivity in creating positive customer experiences. The article, penned by Alex DSouza, begins, Experience, attention to detail, and a service philosophy make all the difference. A company that checks all the right boxes is Cirtronicsthe leading contract manufacturer for medical devices, lab equipment, and instrumentation. With over four decades of experience in the contract manufacturing space, Cirtronics has established its credibility by addressing customer and product requirements with precision and quality. Medical technology, medical devices, and lab equipment all require high levels of quality, attention, and focus. Cirtronics leverages its extensive experience serving MedTech customers and other quality-intensive and regulated markets. Tailored Solutions DSouza writes, Cirtronics contract manufacturing services are guided by its Precision Engagement approach, which acknowledges that no two customers, products, or programs will require the same set of services applied the same way. Unlike other contract manufacturers, the company doesnt force customers through a generic program but works with them to tailor services and solutions according to their requirements. Proactive Engagement Cirtronics is an employee-owned, certified small business. Since each employee is an owner, they bring their best to every collaboration with customers and every interaction behind the scenes. Employees, DSouza notes, are dedicated to positive outcomes and proactive engagement. But what does that mean? Positive outcomes are customer satisfaction, high-quality products, and long-term relationships. Proactive engagement means sharing information rather than waiting to be asked. Cirtronics relies on its highly-skilled employees to initiate proactive, transparent communication within the company, its suppliers, and each customer. The article concludes, Cirtronics will continue investing in people, training, and equipment to create a constant sense of innovation. And, quoting Cirtronics CRO Tom Ferrin, we ensure our build methods, testing, and quality assurance maximize the quality and functionality of the end product. Our customer focus is not just a buzz phrase; its how we do business. To read the complete article, visit the Cirtronics website. ### About Cirtronics Cirtronics, located in the Greater Boston area, excels at manufacturing complex systems for highly regulated markets. Cirtronics thrives in the exacting standards and details required by demanding and quality-intensive applications, including medical, robotics, security, defense, and industrial. Via Precision Engagement, Cirtronics tailors services to the needs of each customer. Services can include manufacturing readiness, strategic sourcing, full-scale manufacturing, test, and fulfillment of full electromechanical or mechanical systems, sub-assemblies, and boards. Cirtronics is employee-owned, ISO 9001 and 13485 Certified, FDA and ITAR Registered, and a Certified Small Business. For more information, visit www.cirtronics.com. Attachments Meagan Burger Cirtronics 603-249-9190 [email protected] Source: Cirtronics FREMONT, Calif., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI), a Siris portfolio company, today announced that it has acquired Inedit Software S.L., a developer of raster image processors (RIPs) and related software for digital industrial textile printing. The acquisition extends EFIs strategy to accelerate digital transformation in industrial print through investments that advance the companys presence and capabilities in Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor applications. Inedit will be integrated into the Reggiani textile business. Digital represents the biggest transformational opportunity we have ever seen in industrial printing, said EFI CEO and Executive Chairman Jeff Jacobson. We are committed to driving innovation and expanding our offerings through all economic cycles as we address our customers critical need to digitize and automate their workflows. Delivering powerful digital print workflows for textileBased in Barcelona, Inedit will help build on the market leadership of the EFI Reggiani portfolio of digital inkjet printing products for the industrial textile space. We are enthusiastic about the expanded business opportunities this acquisition creates by reinforcing EFI Reggianis strategic role as a trusted advisor for our customers, said EFI Reggiani Senior Vice President and General Manager Adele Genoni. Inedits products and its world-class professional services organization open the door to creating more-complete digital printing workflows that leverage best-in-class digital technologies. Our customers can continue to win new opportunities and grow by establishing higher-volume, higher-quality digital production services in ways that reduce the textile industrys high carbon footprint. Inedits extensive market coverage will be a key point of emphasis to fully leverage the strategic synergies arising from the combination of the EFI Reggiani and Inedit businesses, Genoni continued. It is an acquisition that significantly strengthens our presence in key textile markets. Similar to EFIs Fiery digital front end and RIP technologies for the digital commercial and industrial printing markets, Inedits neoStampa product is a worldwide leader and recognized benchmark solution for RIPs in digital textile printing. The Inedit product portfolio features proven, highly advanced workflow solutions for textile profiling, calibration, design integration and much more. Inedits RIP technology is employed across the worldwide textile industry and is a leading RIP used to drive EFI Reggiani digital printers and other digital industrial textile printer brands. As part of EFI Reggiani, Inedit will continue to support products for a broad range of digital printers. Becoming part of the EFI Reggiani business empowers us to develop and deliver an even greater level of end-to-end textile integrated workflow solutions and Industry 4.0-driven automation enhancements that will further drive customers productivity, printing performance, profitability and sustainability in textile printing, said Jose Antonio Caballero, Co-founder and Sales Manager of Inedit. Our team is excited to join a company that is a leading innovator in digital textile printing. Inedits employees are joining EFI Reggiani but will continue to work from their current offices. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. For more information about EFIs advanced portfolio of innovative digital printing solutions, visit www.efi.com. About EFIEFI is a global technology company, leading the worldwide transformation from analogue to digital imaging. We understand our customers want breakthrough technologies to lead them through their digital journey. Thats why were passionate about driving their business growth with a scalable portfolio of products, solutions, services, support, and world-class partnerships for the manufacturing of signage, packaging, textiles, ceramic tiles, building materials, commercial print, and personalized documents with a wide range of printers, inks, digital front ends, and workflow software. They work together to increase profits, cut costs, improve productivity, and optimize efficiency job after job, year after year. Were committed to our customers success. And we definitely believe we have the right people, technology and experience to help them achieve their business goals. (www.efi.com) NOTE TO EDITORS: The EFI logo and Fiery are registered trademarks of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. EFI is a trademark of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. All other terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, and are hereby acknowledged. Nothing herein should be construed as a warranty in addition to the express warranty statements provided with EFI products and services. Contact:David Lindsay, EFI+1 404 931 7760[email protected] Source: EFI KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FoxPoint Trucks, LLC, a leading technology-enabled logistics platform, announces the hire of Cory Dorzek as President to drive strategic initiatives including joint ventures, acquisitions and new revenue sources. Cory joined the company in April 2022 and will also lead efforts to scale the financing capabilities of the company. A unique differentiator of our company is that we are led by proven business executives with tangible leadership experiences in the industry, said Jeff Dema, Chief Executive Officer at FoxPoint Trucks. We are thrilled to have Cory in this role and know his strong business and financial skills will enable him to collaborate on business development, strategy refinement, and execution to create sustainable value. Prior to FoxPoint Trucks, Cory served as Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Premier Trailer Leasing, a national trailer rental and leasing company. He also has more than 15 years of investment banking industry experience from his roles with Wall Street firms including Wells Fargo Securities, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., and Bear Stearns & Co. Inc. It is an honor for me to join one of the fastest growing tech-enabled Class 8 truck leasing and asset management platforms in the country, said Cory Dorzek, President at FoxPoint Trucks. The companys strategic expansion paired with its proven approach and technology make it a transformational time to help lead the organization. I look forward to leveraging my proven expertise in executing corporate commercial strategy, driving business development, and leading financing capabilities to deliver on short and long-term goals. With relentless focus and accountability on key operational metrics, the company has thrived and achieved or exceeded financial goals. FoxPoint has doubled in size and significantly enhanced portfolio performance resulting in a successful capital raise of $85 million in 2021 to fund the companys next phase of expansion. Its proven tech-enabled systems and proprietary processes are the key to transforming the future of transportation. About FoxPoint Trucks, LLC FoxPoint Trucks, LLC, founded in 2013 and based near Kansas City, Mo., is a leading technology-enabled, specialty finance company that leases Class 8 trucks. The company specializes in truck acquisitions, lease originations, and robust post-origination support and is one of the fastest growing tech-enabled Class 8 truck leasing and asset management platforms in the country. For more information, visit www.foxpointtrucks.com. Media Contact: FoxPoint Trucks, LLC Josh Zolotor [email protected] Source: FoxPoint Trucks, LLC SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GumGum, a contextual-first global digital advertising platform, today announced a partnership with social network Tumblr, owned and operated by Automattic, to introduce GumGums advanced contextual targeting capabilities across the platform. Tumblr now becomes the first social platform to be supported by GumGums proprietary contextual solution, Verity. And Tumblr, which helped establish GIFs as a popular visual message, will now be able to access cutting-edge technologies that can read video, audio, text, and image signals on a frame-by-frame basis, allowing for greatly enhanced contextual and brand safety analysis and targeting. As part of this partnership, GumGum will be the first contextual provider to provide GIF support. GumGum is the first independent ad tech provider to have achieved the Media Rating Councils content-level accreditation for contextual analysis, brand safety and suitability. This recognizes that GumGums contextual solution Verity is able to analyze all of the key data signals within digital environments, including text, image, video and audio. GumGum has always believed that the future of our digital ecosystem will rely on contextual targeting technology because it inherently eliminates the dependence on personal data while leveraging deep learning tools to serve relevant ads in the moments that matter. Were thrilled to offer our proprietary technology to a social platform like Tumblr, making GumGum the first contextual platform to support GIF-based media, said William Merchan, Head of Verity at GumGum. GumGum was the only partner who was capable of image-level contextual analysis that goes beyond metadata, making it the ideal partner for Tumblrs image-centric platform. With Verity, we will be able to support relevant, safe, and non-intrusive ads without sacrificing our users personal data, said Julia Wilson, Vice President of Ad Partnerships at Automattic.In addition to the partnership to enhance Tumblrs brand safety and contextual targeting capabilities, Tumblr will now also be a media partner for GumGum, joining the contextual leaders network of over 30,000 publishers and giving GumGums clients access to Tumblrs unique inventory. Over the coming months, Tumblrs parent company, Automattic, intends to expand the partnership with GumGum by implementing Verity across WordPress.com, reaching hundreds of millions of users globally. For more information, please reach out to [email protected]. About GumGumGumGum is a contextual-first global digital advertising platform that captures peoples attention, without the use of personal data. We believe that an advertising ecosystem based on understanding a consumers active frame of mind rather than behavior builds a more equitable and safer future for consumers, publishers, and advertisers alike. Founded in 2008, GumGum is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and operates in 19 markets worldwide. For more information, please visit www.gumgum.com. About AutomatticAt Automattic, our goal is to make the web a better place. With products like WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, Tumblr, and WordPress VIP, we help support customers through web hosting, eCommerce, security and backups, enterprise infrastructure, and more. Automattic is a distributed company with more than 1,900 employees working from 96 countries speaking 121 different languages. We believe in open source, and the vast majority of our work is available under the GPL. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. For more, visit automattic.com. Source: GumGum Las Vegas, NV , June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All American Gold Corp. (OTC Pink: AAGC) is very excited to announce an agreement that has the ability to change the destiny of Hollywood Star Cuts and the Salon Industry permanently. Hollywood Star Cuts is a chain of full-service Hair Salons that is rapidly growing across the United States by aggressively opening Corporate owned locations as well as entering into multi-million-dollar Franchise agreements in lucrative markets. Hollywood Star Cuts markets to the entire family with an array of outstanding services in a fun and dynamic Hollywood and Movie Star themed setting. On June 6th, 2022, Hollywood Star Cuts entered into an agreement with one of the worlds largest producers and importers of commercial Tanning Booths. Hollywood Star Cuts has agreed to purchase a minimum of 25 tanning booths in a 12-month period with the option of purchasing as many as needed at a vastly discounted price. All tanning booths will be custom designed to fit perfectly withing the space available in the stores. The tanning booths will have custom Hollywood Star Cuts logos. Hollywood Star Cuts has a commitment to treat their customers as if they are a Movie Star getting ready for a movie set. The tag line is Youre the star of the show! In keeping with the Movie Star theme and adding to that Movie Star look, Hollywood Star Cuts will now be offering private tanning rooms at all the Companys locations. Hollywood Star Cuts will be taking delivery of the first shipment of tanning booths in early July. Hollywood Star Cuts will be offering Tanning Services in a multitude of ways. It will be offered as a subscription service where for a set monthly fee, the customer can take advantage of the facilities as often as they like. A pay-as-you-go option will be available also, adding to the revenue generating services already available at the location. Each location will also be using the tanning services as a promotion rewarding loyal customers for their continuing patronage. All options will be constantly adding revenue and profits to the Salons. The tanning booths will be in a separate room within the stores locations. The rooms will be private. They will be soothing and will be decorated with the intention of provoking a calm Southern California Beach ambiance. Adding tanning capabilities to every location will make Hollywood Star Cuts the only National Chain that offers its customers the complete Movie Star treatment. The Hair Salon and Hair Cutter industry is one of the most lucrative service industries in the Country. It is also one of the most competitive. It is the belief that this groundbreaking innovation sets Hollywood Star Cuts apart from all the competition and will propel Hollywood Star Cuts into the desirable realm of the Innovation Leader in the Industry. In 2022 and beyond the customer is expecting more from their experience and Hollywood Star Cuts will be the organization that gives it to them. Each tanning booth costs approximately $7,000.00 UD Dollars. Hollywood Star Cuts expects to have a ROI of 3X per unit in the first year alone. The profit per square foot of retail space will inevitably grow as well benefiting our Corporate Stores and the Franchise stores equally. Adding the tanning option should increase revenue per location by 10-15%. No labor increase will be necessary allowing the increased revenue to be added to the bottom line as profit. As a reminder, All American Gold Corp will be conducting a Shareholder Conference Call on Thursday, June 9th at 7:00PM Eastern Time. This call will be open to the public. Among topics to be discussed will include expansion plans, audit update, as well as other company business. The dial-in number will be (267) 807-9601. The access code will be 526-855-601. Management invites all interested parties to participate in the call. There will be a question-and-answer period after the presentation. Hollywood Star cuts is dedicated to offering the very best in service and experience and is committed to becoming a leader in the multi-billion-dollar Hair-Care industry. Hollywood Star Cuts would like to thank all of their loyal customers, their loyal staff members and all who support the Company. All American Gold Corp. invites the public to follow us on Twitter @HStarcuts as most updates and communication will be conducted there. The public is also invited to follow us on Facebook and on-line at www.hollywoodstarcuts.com. Forward-Looking Statement Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain forward-looking statements; as such term is defined in the Private Security Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement. This press release shall not be deemed a general solicitation. Twitter: @HStarcuts www.hollywoodstarcuts.com (760) 525-7411 Source: All American Gold Corp. SANFORD, Fla., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hoverfly Technologies Inc. announced today another order for 43 LiveSky systems for the US Army, now surpassing over 300 LiveSky tethered drones sold to the U.S. government. LiveSky is a turnkey tethered UAS platform with infinite flight time, offering on-demand persistent ISR capabilities and communications relay solutions. National defense, intelligence, and homeland security customers have all benefited from LiveSky solutions as a force multiplier in mission-critical situations. LiveSky Sentry and LiveSky Defender, often referred to as the Variable Height Antenna (VHA) for network range extension, have been deployed both domestically and internationally in all-weather environments. Hoverfly's new LiveSky HL Spectre caught the eye of DoD and USG agencies in recent months due to its multi-payload capability. LiveSky HL Spectre can carry up to three payloads, offering both persistent ISR and broadband network communications relay solutions at the press of a button. All LiveSky platforms are payload agnostic, allowing integration of a variety of third-party payloads. USG customers employ Silvus, Trellisware, Persistent Systems, and other tactical radios on LiveSky platforms for broadband network range extension, giving our troops unparalleled situational awareness on the battlefield. Equipping LiveSky with ISR payloads provides live full-motion video streams that can be viewed locally, by operators using Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK), and over networks anywhere in the world. LiveSky does not operate using any radio frequency (RF) signals, making it impossible for the data within the system to be jammed, hacked, or intercepted. Additional payloads are available for integration, to include 5G, C-UAS, and EW systems that are more effective at 200'. USG customers have identified the ability to seamlessly integrate into any network as a key differentiator for Hoverfly tethered drone solutions. LiveSky platforms have been an integral part of multiple ground vehicle programs, enhancing both manned and unmanned on-the-move capabilities. Hoverfly President and COO, Steve Walters, explains, "Various surveillance, radio, and network achieve maximum performance at elevation. Hoverfly LiveSky systems continue to prove that seeking the high ground can be achieved in seconds. Hoverfly's culture is entrepreneurial and encourages innovation and disruption to the legacy methods of achieving payload elevation, and we are proud to provide capability to the U.S. government, first responders, and foreign partners. " More and more USG procurement requirements are including tethered UAS, and Hoverfly remains the industry leader with hundreds of units deployed to USG customers. More information on the different LiveSky platforms can be found at hoverflytech.com Press Contact: Tyler Marple [email protected] 407-985-4500 hoverflytech.com Related Images Image 1: LiveSky Spectre with Logos WAMI payload This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment LiveSky Spectre with Logos WAMI payload LiveSky Spectre with Logos WAMI payload Source: Hoverfly Technologies, Inc. TORONTO, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Index Exchange Inc. (Index), one of the worlds largest independent ad exchanges, today announced its first-ever business acquisition of Rivr Technologies GmbH (Rivr), a Berlin-based company specializing in advanced machine learning-based traffic optimization capabilities. The acquisition accelerates Indexs efforts to address one of the industrys biggest technical challenges, optimizing and curating the ever-growing scale of requests sent to DSPs. Index and Rivr will integrate the teams combined talents and technology, operating as a single machine learning and optimization team and platform. Rivrs team of research and development engineers will join Indexs engineering organization under the leadership of Eran Udassin, vice president of machine learning and optimization engineering at Index. Previously, Udassin was head of research and development at Rivr. Udassin will report to Ray Ghanbari, chief technology officer at Index. Commercial members of the team, including Rivr CEO and co-founder, Jeff van Ede, will join Index for an interim period to ensure a seamless transition. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. With the addition of Rivr, we are uniquely positioned to deliver advanced machine learning-enabled optimization to the industry to increase efficiency and drive even better results for our customers, said Ghanbari. Our teams share the same vision and deep passion to build solutions that leverage machine learning to unlock more insights for media owners and buyers, enabling more efficient campaigns. This collaboration is a further testament to our dedication to innovation and commitment to shaping the future of ad tech. Combining Rivrs core traffic shaping solution with Indexs recently rebuilt exchange, which processes over 270 billion slot requests daily and over three million slot requests per second, will further accelerate automation and efficiency across the exchange and drive significant value to the companys customers. Since Ghanbaris appointment in late 2021, Ray has been focused on operationalizing the technical organization and continuing to build out Indexs machine learning capabilities to set the path for a more accountable and efficient ecosystem. Index is a true engineering-first company that is at the forefront of tackling industry challenges at scale, said Udassin. We are thrilled to be a part of a company that strategically aligns with our technical passions, and are looking forward to pushing the programmatic borders from within. Index also announced the hiring of Josh Prismon as chief architect and Brooke Trevino as vice president of quality and delivery, as well as the opening of its first engineering hub outside of North America, in Bengaluru, India. Prismon is based out of Colorado and Trevino out of California; both will report to Ghanbari. The company continues to rapidly expand its technical organization, which currently includes technology centers of excellence across Canada in Toronto, Kitchener, Montreal, the United States, and now, Germany and India. About Index ExchangeIndex Exchange is a global advertising marketplace enabling media owners to grow revenue by helping marketers reach consumers on any screen, through any format. Headquartered in Toronto, Index has nearly 20 years of experience accelerating the evolution of ad technology for the worlds leading experience makers. To learn more, visit www.indexexchange.com or @indexexchange. Contact:Alexandra Hewitt[email protected] Source: Index Exchange For immediate release iSTAR Medical Presents Positive Consistent Results for MINIjectAcross Three International Glaucoma Trials Analysis provides further validation of MINIject s meaningful and sustained efficacy in open angle glaucoma patients s meaningful and sustained efficacy in open angle glaucoma patients No safety concerns with corneal endothelial health reported across all three trials MINIjectdelivers positive, consistent results up to two-year follow-up in patients across Central and South America, Asia and Europe WAVRE, Belgium 8 June 2022: iSTAR Medical, a medtech company delivering breakthrough eye care solutions to patients, presented two-year safety and efficacy results in a meta-analysis of its STAR-I, STAR-II and STAR-III clinical trials for MINIject at the 15thEuropean Glaucoma Society (EGS) Congress in Athens. MINIject is the only commercially available supraciliary minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) device. The two-year results indicated sustained, meaningful efficacy and favourable safety outcomes in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. In all three trials, MINIject met all endpoints, which included a significant reduction in both intraocular pressure (IOP) as well as hypotensive medication-use. Furthermore, no safety concerns regarding corneal endothelial health were raised across all three trials, a pivotal factor in long-term safety. Data from the three completed, prospective, open, international, single-arm trials1 in patients with mild-to-moderate, primary open-angle glaucoma, and whose medication was no longer effective, were pooled in a meta-analysis. MINIject was implanted in a standalone procedure across 11 sites in Central and South America, Asia and Europe. Results from 66 patients implanted with MINIject across the three trials demonstrated a significant and meaningful 39% reduction in IOP from medicated pre-procedure IOP of 23.8mmHg down to 14.4mmHg at two-year follow-up. The IOP level and reduction were similar at all semi-annual follow-up visits until two years, representing a stable result over time. Additionally, 38% of patients were medication-free at two years, and an IOP of 18 mmHg was achieved in 85% of patients. MINIject also showed no safety concerns with corneal endothelial health at two-year follow-up. MINIject is currently being investigated in iSTAR Medicals pivotal US trial, STAR-V, where enrollment continues as planned. Prof. Dr Antonio Fea, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Turin, Italy, and presenter of the data at the 15thEGS Congress, said: It is highly encouraging to see consistent efficacy and safety results for MINIject in different regions and across three trials. The supraciliary space has previously been demonstrated to be one of the most efficacious targets for the reduction of eye pressure, and the potential of a new bleb-free MIGS approach with strong efficacy and good safety data represents a highly compelling treatment option for glaucoma patients. Michel Vanbrabant, CEO of iSTAR Medical, commented: This meta-analysis of our three STAR trials at two years has clearly strengthened the growing evidence for MINIject as a safe, standalone procedure. With all endpoints met, the results demonstrate MINIjects meaningful and stable efficacy over a two-year follow-up period in a sizeable patient population spanning several regions throughout the world, and without compromising patient safety. We look forward to providing further supporting safety and efficacy data from the long-term, follow-up trial, STAR-GLOBAL. - Ends For more information Katherin Awad Head of Marketing, iSTAR Medical [email protected]; +32 10 77 16 54 For media Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Chris Welsh, Kris Lam [email protected] About iSTAR Medical iSTAR Medical is committed to delivering breakthrough eye care solutions. Our most advanced product, MINIject, is approved in Europe for the treatment of open-angle glaucoma the leading cause of irreversible blindness and we are aiming to seek market approval in the US. We believe MINIjects distinctive tissue-integrating capabilities unlock a safer, and more effective option for patients. We are building an exceptional team and pipeline of potentially leading products such as MINIject to establish new treatment paradigms in eye care conditions with the highest patient needs. For more information, please visit: www.istar-medical.com About MINIject MINIject is iSTAR Medicals innovative MIGS device for patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. MINIject combines the distinctive porous structure of its proprietary STAR material with the power offered by the supraciliary space. As a result, it is designed to enhance natural fluid outflow, reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) and the need for medication, while bio-integrating with surrounding tissue, limiting inflammation, fibrosis and subsequent complications. About Glaucoma Glaucoma is a progressive disease affecting over 100 million people globally, of which primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form.1,2 IOP reduction, through medication or surgery, helps delay disease progression.3 Medication is generally the first line treatment, but the progressive addition of multiple drops can burden patients with side effects, compliance challenges and costs.1,3 Invasive surgery can present risks with irreversible complications and often requires long-term patient management.1,3 MIGS is the most promising and fastest-growing glaucoma therapy due to its enhanced safety profile.1 We believe MINIject may become a leading MIGS device with its promising long-term efficacy and safety. 1 STAR-I: NCT03193736, STAR-II: NCT03624361, STAR-III: NCT03996200 on clinicaltrials.gov 1 Market Scope, 2021 Glaucoma Surgical Device Market Report, July 2021. https://www.market-scope.com/pages/reports/267/2021-glaucoma-surgical-device-market-report 2 Jonas JB, Aung T, Bourne RR et al. "Glaucoma". Lancet 2017; 390: 208393 3 European Glaucoma Society Terminology and Guidelines for Glaucoma, 4th Edition: British Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017;101:1-195 https://bjo.bmj.com/content/101/5/73 PALO ALTO, Calif., June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NexTech Batteries, the global leader in proprietary lithium-sulfur battery technology, today named Lucio Lanza, managing partner of Lanza techVentures, to its Board of Directors. In announcing Lanzas appointment, Bill Burger, founder, chairman and CEO of NexTech Batteries, praised him for his technical abilities, business acumen and ability to identify the promise of entrepreneurial ventures. I had the pleasure of working with Lucio at Intel and know the valuable insights he brings to a company he believes in, says Burger. Lucio and I will work closely to meet NexTechs mission to make batteries more affordable, more durable and safer. NexTech is focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship, notes Lanza. It holds the promise of delivering solid-state batteries to revolutionize the automotive industry, renewable energy and grid storage applications and portable electronics while setting a new standard in energy density, safety and cost. With Bill Burgers leadership, extensive experience and well-honed skillset, NexTech is certain to meet its goals to become the leading company in the world for energy storage. Im delighted to be named to NexTechs board.Headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, NexTech batteries develops lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology using processes and earth-friendly materials to produce batteries with energy densities and overall power superior to current lithium-ion batteries. It was founded in 2016 after securing license rights and patents to lithium sulfur battery technology developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, recognizing the promise and scientific superiority of lithium sulfur.About NexTech BatteriesNexTech batteries is a global leader in lithium-sulfur battery science underpinned by patented processes and materials that produce energy density far superior to previous generation batteries. The Carson City, Nevada- based company is positioned to offer lithium-sulfur batteries with unparalleled safety, superior performance, lower weight and lower cost to global vehicle electrification, consumer electronics, renewable energy storage, aircraft and more. Focus on a more ethical supply chain and environmental stewardship is reinforced by the companys push for U.S.-sourced materials and no reliance on expensive or foreign commodities. NexTech batteries was founded in early 2016 and was the result of the exclusive license to the rights and patents to the lithium-sulfur battery technology developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.About Lanza techVenturesLanza techVentures is an early-stage investment firm that transforms innovative startups into high-value companies through unique vision, insight and a profound understanding of technology and its trends. Founded in 2001 by Lucio Lanza, Lanza techVentures acts as a strategic partner and advisor for early- to mid-stage companies in the design software and IP, semiconductor and the open-source silicon movement, healthcare and biotechnology market sectors. Dr. Lanza, who serves as Lanza techVentures managing partner, has been active in the technology sector as an engineer, an executive and an investor for more than 50 years. Computer and chip design done today directly benefits from the critical role that he and Lanza techVentures play in bringing key technologies to market, having invested in more than 50 companies in Silicon Valley and beyond. Many of these companies continue to be growing concerns, while others have reached successful outcomes through an IPO or by merger or acquisition with other companies.Follow Lanza techVentures at:Website: http://lanzatechventures.com/ Twitter: @LTechventures LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3CFKlxn For more information, contact:Nanette CollinsPublic Relations for the Lanza techVentures(617) 437-1822[email protected] Source: Lanza techVentures LLC LOS ANGELES, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission, a managed cloud services provider and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Tier Services Partner, today announced that the company has been named to Inc. magazines annual Best Workplaces list. Featured in the May/June 2022 issue and prominently featured on Inc.com, the list is the result of a comprehensive measurement of American companies that have excelled in creating exceptional workplaces and company culture, whether operating in physical offices or virtual settings. Mission has also been named a winner in the category of Best Medium-Large Size Workplace (encompassing companies with 100-499 employees). Our core values of supporting true work-life balance, being inclusive, and promoting respect and team spirit across our workforce is foundational not only to the success of our employee-centric culture, but to the success of our business as a whole, said Karoline Saffi, SVP, People & Culture, Mission. Its an honor to have our supportive culture and employee experiences celebrated on Inc.s Best Workplaces list, and to be named a winner in the best medium-large size workplace category. Mission proactively adapted to the needs of its workforce at the start of the pandemic and has continued to hone its employee experience ever since. Mission implemented monthly stipends for employees to enhance their work-from-home experiences, enabling employees to purchase home food delivery, wellness app subscriptions, faster internet connections, new home office furniture, and more. Mission operates under its Distributed Team Commitment, defining its remote work culture along six tenets: putting family first, respecting work hours, setting boundaries to prevent virtual meeting fatigue, supporting flexibility around personal needs, prioritizing physical and mental health, and remaining connected to each other. Mission promotes a safe and empathetic workplace aligned with its Be Inclusive cultural principle. The companys town halls host external speakers that address topics from inclusive design to history lessons, and Missions employee resource groups (ERGs) deliver company-wide cultural presentations. Missions ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that aligns with Missions values, goals, business practices, and objectives. The company is also committed to achieving its diversity goals at an accelerated pace, with the objective of 50% female employees, 50% employees from underrepresented groups, and at least 30% executive positions held by women and underrepresented groups in place by the end of 2022. Missions commitment to employee and community education is also crucial to its successful workplace culture. The Mission Evolution training and education program provides current and future employees with tight-knit support across all stages of their careers. Mission Evolution includes outreach to underserved communities that offers education, a cloud literacy program, and internships and associate-level positions through an apprenticeship program. Mission also sponsors AWS certification, covering the costs of study aids and exam fees. Missions emerging leaders program supports internal employees in preparing for careers in management. After collecting data from thousands of submissions, Inc. selected 475 honorees this year. Each company that was nominated took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, which included topics such as management effectiveness, perks, fostering employee growth, and overall company culture. The organizations benefits were also audited to determine the overall score and ranking. Not long ago, the term best workplace would have conjured up images of open-office designs with stocked snack fridges, says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. Yet given the widespread adoption of remote work, the concept of the workplace has shifted. This year, Inc. has recognized the organizations dedicated to redefining and enriching the workplace in the face of the pandemic. Mission is well accustomed to accolades for workplace excellence. The Los Angeles Business Journal named Mission a Best Place to Work in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Mission also received Channel Partner Insights 2021 MSP Innovation Award for Best Employer to Work For among cloud service providers. In 2020 and 2021, Mission was named to Built Ins Best Places to Work in Los Angeles, and named a leader among Midsize Companies and for best Perks & Benefits each year. Comparably has also named Mission a Best Company in its Leadership, Perks & Benefits, and Professional Development categories, and further recognized Mission CEO Simon Anderson with Best CEO overall and Best CEOs for Diversity. For information about current openings at Mission, visit missioncloud.com/careers. About Mission Mission accelerates enterprise cloud transformation by delivering a differentiated suite of agile cloud services and consulting. As an AWS Premier Partner, Missions always-on services enable businesses to scale and outpace competitors by leveraging the most transformative technology platform and enterprise software ecosystem in history. About Inc. MediaThe worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. About Quantum WorkplaceQuantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com. Mission Contact Kyle Peterson [email protected] Source: Mission Cloud Services DALLAS, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optym, the parent company of Axele, LLC, a Transportation Management System (TMS) company, adds experienced executives to the Axele sales and marketing teams to position the company for further growth and expansion. The teams will be responsible for serving core customers, acquiring new clients, building the Axele brand, and growing the Axele TMS footprint in North America. The new team consists of the brightest talents with a deep and broad understanding of the transportation management and technology industries, said Shaman Ahuja, Leader of Axele. Our new team is more customer-centric focused on deepening relationships with existing clients and bringing new customers to adopt the benefits of the Axele TMS. Craig Balzer joins as Senior Vice President of Sales. He will be responsible for developing and building customer relationships at the senior level (typical C-level or direct ownership), resulting in customer closures and seeing the field for potential deeper business revenue expansion opportunities. He will also prepare and present the engineered value proposition for Managed Transportation Services through a solution sales approach to transportation challenges. Craig will use a consultative sales approach with a structured and proven sales methodology and an ability to leverage internal stakeholders to move prospects through highly matrixed buy cycles efficiently. Craig joins Axele from WolfePak Software, where he was VP of Sales and Business Development. Craig also had stints as a National Account Manager at Kenmore, Craftsman and Diehard; RR Donnelley; and Mega Brands. He graduated with a Bachelor of Professional Studies, in Business, from Roosevelt University. Jay Stone joins as Senior Director of Sales, where he will be helping to build and direct a team of sales professionals to drive the growth for Axele TMS. He will also be working to deepen relationships with integration partners to help them understand the value that Axele TMS brings to mutual clients. He will also use his 25 years of transportation and technology experience to help shape future product development to the benefit of Axele Customers. Previously, Jay worked for Dossier Systems, a fleet maintenance software and technologies leader, as the Southeastern Regional Sales Manager. He also worked in sales and new business development for Spireon and McLeod Software. Jay graduated from Auburn University with a BS in Transportation and Logistics. Nicole Cochrane joins as Director of Marketing. She will oversee all internal and external communications, assist with demand gen, manage organic social media accounts, coordinate and execute virtual and in-person events, and oversee content marketing efforts. Previously, Nicole was Director of Marketing at Roadrunner. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Communication and Psychology from the University of Arizona. Brandon Cade joins Axele as the Director of Demand Generation. He will manage email marketing and marketing automation tools, manage all paid media programs, direct the SEO strategy, assist with content marketing efforts, manage the business development team, and coordinate with internal design teams. Previously, Brandon was the Marketing Director at Allegiance Trucks and Marketing Manager at Summit Truck Group. He graduated from West Texas A&M University with a bachelors degree in Agricultural Media & Communications. About OptymFounded in 2000, Optym is making the world more efficient through optimization. The company builds mathematical models for solving complex business problems that enumerate and evaluate millions of feasible solutions to find the optimal solution for various industries, including airlines, railroad, trucking, and automotive. Optyms software divisions, Axele TMS and HaulSuite, determine the best decisions for complex optimization problems encountered in transportation operations. Axele TMS is the first intelligent transportation management system for truckload carriers. HaulSuite is a portfolio of AI-enabled transportation solutions for LTL operations. For more information about Optym, go to www.optym.com. Media Contact for Optym:Becky BoydMediaFirst PR(770) 642-2080 x 214Cell (404) 421-8497[email protected] Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b022502-e888-4198-ad2b-396579c2d77a https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3100fc9a-b916-4481-b7a4-be47add600c7 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ffb57975-104e-433a-a3b8-0da0fc9d7241 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/054fcdc7-b221-417c-97bd-51f821f4d96b Craig Balzer Craig Balzer Jay Stone Jay Stone Nicole Cochrane Nicole Cochrane Brandon Cade Brandon Cade Source: Optym TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orca Energy Group Inc. (Orca or the Company) (TSX-V: ORC.A, ORC.B) is pleased to announce the voting results from its annual meeting of shareholders held on June 8, 2022 (the "Meeting"). The results for each of the resolutions set forth in the Company's management proxy circular dated May 4, 2022 are set forth below: 1. Fixing the Number of Directors By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting was fixed at five members. The results of the ballot were as follows: Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%) Class For Against A 100.00% 0.00% B 99.53% 0.47% 2. Election of Directors By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, all of the nominees proposed as directors were duly elected as directors of Orca to serve until the next annual meeting or until their successors are duly appointed or elected. The results of the ballot were as follows: Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%) Name of Nominee Class For Withheld David Ross AB 100.00%97.10% 0.00%2.90% Jay Lyons AB 99.99%96.71% 0.01%3.29% Linda Beal AB 100.00%99.51% 0.00%0.49% Dr. Frannie Leautier AB 100.00%97.80% 0.00%2.20% Lisa Mitchell AB 99.99%95.44% 0.01%4.56% 3. Appointment of Auditors By ordinary resolution passed via ballot, KPMG LLP, Chartered Accountants, were appointed as auditors of the Company until the next annual meeting or until their successors are duly appointed, and the directors were authorized to fix their remuneration. The results of the ballot were as follows: Percentage of Votes Cast at the Meeting (%) Class For Withheld A 100.00% 0.00% B 99.64% 0.36% About Orca Energy Group Inc. Orca is an international public company engaged in natural gas exploration, development and supply in Tanzania through its subsidiary PanAfrican Energy Tanzania Limited. Orca trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbols ORC.A and ORC.B. 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. For further information please contact: Jay Lyons [email protected] +44-20 8434 2643 Lisa Mitchell [email protected] +44-7808-639958 For media enquiries: Celicourt (PR) Mark Antelme Jimmy Lea [email protected] +44-20 8434 2643 Source: Orca Energy Group Inc. WATERLOO, Ontario, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revolutionary talent assessment platform Plum, the solution that powers more objective talent decisions using the predictive power of psychometric data, today announced that Jenny Cotie Kangas has joined the company as Vice President of Marketing. She joins the Plum leadership team at a pivotal time as the company continues its path as a game-changer for organizations trying to uncover talent potential before the hire and throughout the employee lifecycle. Through a single assessment, Plum delivers objective data that looks beyond the traditional resume and informs where workers will thrive. While many companies have engaged Plum as an integral part of their talent acquisition strategy even to the point of relying on the Plum assessment instead of resumes they quickly realize the power of Plum to support diversity and inclusion, succession planning, leadership development and more. Kangas admits that she was an assessment skeptic before taking the Plum profile, As a neurodiverse head injury survivor, assessments are not usually designed to capture someone like me, which I explained in my first meeting with Plums CEO Caitlin McGregor. Caitlin challenged me by sharing that Plum had been Universally Designed to cover all, not just those who fit the standard box. She continued, When I received my results, I was shocked. I saw all of me, fully represented in the data. Plum is the right thing, built the right way. At a time when the industry is struggling with answering how to get work right, Plum is the answer. I couldnt merely endorse it. I needed to help ensure this story got told. Plum CEO Caitlin MacGregor commented, Our leadership team is made up of individuals from seemingly unconventional career paths. Its that diversity of thought and background that breeds innovation. Were excited to benefit from Jennys guidance as Plum expands into new markets and intensifies existing client and partner relationships. The companys Chief Revenue Officer Jason Putnam added, Its rare for HR tech companies to bring in an outsider to run marketing. Theres a strong reliance on trust and known entities reputation, lingo and understanding of buyer personas. Jenny combines HR tech marketing expertise with HR practitioner experience. Shes a catalyst, and thats what Plum needs to move from being the best-kept secret in HR to the most impactful change agent. Kangas serves as an advisor to HR.com and Paradox. Most recently, she was the director, Digital Experience Talent Acquisition at Regis Corporation. About PlumPlum is a talent assessment platform that strips away bias and reveals human potential to revolutionize how global enterprises hire, grow, and retain talent. With unmatched scalability, Plum powers more objective and equitable talent decisions across the employee lifecycle using the predictive power of psychometric data. In one platform, Plum empowers organizations to quantify job fit, identify potential, provide personalized career insights and create high-performing teams. Visit www.plum.io for details. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88a72bd9-0dfe-4d79-b8f3-671c4c2735af Note to editors: Trademarks and registered trademarks referenced herein remain the property of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Kate Achille The Devon Group for Plum [email protected] Plum Welcomes Jenny Cotie Kangas as Vice President of Marketing HR Industry Expert to Help Expand Plums Brand Visibility Across High-Growth Mid-Market and Global Enterprise Organizations Source: Plum Boulder, CO, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scout Clean Energy announced today that after much collaboration with LIUNA Local 348, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center in Benton County, Washington has been reached between Scout Clean Energy and the local Tri-Cities union crafts responsible for putting people to work through building clean energy projects. Scout Clean Energy is excited to partner with local labor unions to construct the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center, said Michael Rucker, founder and CEO of Scout Clean Energy. This partnership represents Scouts commitment to ensuring good-paying clean energy jobs are available in the Benton County area to help capture the benefits of a growing sector of jobs across the country. The agreement, which ensures the general contractor awarded the construction of the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center signs a project labor agreement, is executed between Scout Clean Energy and the local affiliates of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (Iron Workers), Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). It is vital that our members are part of the equitable energy transition, explained Francisco Elguezabel, Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer with LIUNA Local 348. With this agreement, our members will be able to build something that will benefit our community for many years to come and be a part of the energy future. We appreciate the efforts that Scout Clean Energy has taken to recognize this importance and we look forward to putting our people to work for a multi-year project. The Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center is estimated to create nearly 1,000 jobs for skilled trades workers during construction, according to an economic impact assessment conducted by Tetra Tech. The project will become a substantial source of new revenue for Benton and Franklin County, generating an estimated $260 million in new revenues over the life of the project, helping to fund local schools, roads, hospitals, and emergency services. The project will also help Washington State meet its clean energy transition goals, bring needed power generation, and make the local power infrastructure more resilient -- all of which help the region avoid the growing threat of blackouts or brownouts. Washingtons communities and the overall economy depends on this critical infrastructure, now more than ever, to keep our lights on and our families safe. We are proud that the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center will be built by the hardworking and highly skilled local workforce of the Tri-Cities and Central Washington," said Senior Project Manager Dave Kobus. "We are fortunate to have such great labor partners and look forward to putting a lot of people to work." Todays announcement follows the Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Councils (EFSEC) recent order finding the proposed Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center site consistent with land use regulations. EFSEC is expected to issue a draft environmental impact statement on the project this spring. ### About Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center As the largest renewable energy project proposed in Washington State, the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center represents significant benefits to the local community, economy, and workforce. Learn more at www.HorseHeavenCleanEnergy.com. About Scout Clean Energy Scout Clean Energy is a renewable energy developer, owner-operator headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with over 1,200 MW of operating assets. Scout is actively developing a portfolio of over 15,000 MW of onshore wind, solar PV, and battery storage projects across 24 US states. Scout has expertise in all aspects of renewables project development, permitting, power marketing, finance, construction, 24/7 operations, and asset management. Scout is a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. For more information, please visit www.scoutcleanenergy.com. About Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (http://www.quinbrook.com) is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on renewables, storage and grid support infrastructure and operational asset management in the US, UK, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c.USD 8.2 billion equity in energy infrastructure assets since the early 1990s, representing a total enterprise value of c.USD 28.7 billion or 19.5 GW of power supply capacity. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the US, UK, and Australia. Chad Thompson Scout Clean Energy 901-331-0779 [email protected] Source: Scout Clean Energy SINGAPORE and MELBOURNE, Australia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STACK Infrastructure (STACK), the digital infrastructure partner to the worlds most innovative companies and leading global developer and operator of data centers, today announced a partnership with Hickory, a leading Australian commercial real estate developer specializing in innovative construction projects, to continue its global expansion with the development of an Australian national data center platform initially spanning three markets. As part of this partnership, Hickorys highly experienced data center management team led by Joel OHalloran, Michael Gunton, and James Veness will join the STACK global platform. STACK Australia is currently constructing a 72MW campus in the high growth hyperscale corridor of Truganina in Melbournes western suburbs. The facility is expected to be delivered early in 2023 and will include two 36MW buildings (currently under construction) with separate access points to accommodate multiple users with separation of security and services. In parallel, STACK Australia is expanding into two key emerging hyperscale markets, including a 28MW data center in Hume, Canberra and a 24MW single data center in Wangara, Perth. Both the Canberra and Perth projects have received development approval, and they will each break ground in the third quarter of 2022 with delivery over the second half of 2023. All three developments are strategically located with robust access to power and network offering scalability and reliability for higher rack densities and floor loading specifications. STACK Australias data centers will enable hyperscalers and enterprise clients to address the evolving requirements in Australia and the APAC region more broadly. STACKs expansion into Australia, building on our recent Japan development, exemplifies our focus on establishing a scalable presence in core regional markets that are strategically important to our clients, said Pithambar (Preet) Gona, STACKs Chief Executive Officer - APAC. The partnership with Hickory demonstrates our ability to leverage our partnership model and expertise to the benefit of our customers while attracting leading data center talent regionally to the STACK platform. Hickory is well-positioned to help concurrently develop efficient facilities across three key locations, said Michael Argyrou, CEO of Hickory. Partnering with STACK enables us to leverage an outstanding global operating platform and innovative capital solutions to target hyperscale customer growth in key markets. This milestone follows the recent announcement of STACKs entrance to the APAC market with the opening of its Singapore regional headquarters and announcement of its first 36MW campus in Inzai, Japan. STACK plans to announce investments in other key Asia Pacific markets soon. The transaction is subject to review by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and approval by the Australian Commonwealth Treasurer under Australian foreign investment rules. ABOUT STACK INFRASTRUCTURESTACK provides digital infrastructure to scale the worlds most innovative companies. With a client-first approach, STACK delivers a comprehensive suite of campus, build-to-suit, colocation, and powered shell solutions in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. With robust existing and flexible expansion capacity in the leading availability zones, STACK offers the scale and geographic reach that rapidly growing hyperscale and enterprise companies need. The world runs on data. And data runs on STACK. For more information about STACK, please visit: https://www.stackinfra.com. ABOUT HICKORY Hickory strives to curate and deliver exceptional experiences through sustainable and connected solutions. For over 30 years, Hickory has continually invested in researching and developing digital platforms, people, and products to advance the capabilities of the built world. With expertise in construction, developments, data centres, and manufacturing, Hickory has become one of the most diverse property companies in Australia. Their success is achieved through strong partnerships with clients, exemplary values, and unrivalled excellence in project execution, Hickory, and their associated divisions are at the forefront of innovation and new technologies. For additional information, please visit Hickorys website at https://www.hickory.com.au/. Media ContactsSTACK InfrastructureSammer Khalaf [email protected] HickoryGenevieve Paxinos[email protected]0422 999 568 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2ae1de3d-73b7-4559-8fe9-7869f2ac4959 Australia STACK Announcement Australia STACK Announcement Source: STACK INFRASTRUCTURE Stafford, VA, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stafford County, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and OST celebrated the success of the Virginia Smart Community Testbed today with an anniversary event that gratefully reflected on the support of the Commonwealth, the community, the Federal government through DHS Science & Technology Directorate, and Testbed corporate sponsors Cisco and Verizon. Over the last year, The Testbed, which is the first of its kind in the Commonwealth, became an award-winning Smart Community initiative receiving national recognition. "Innovation is the key to creating new jobs, driving economic growth, and tackling our biggest challenges," said David Ihrie, VIPC CTO and VP of Strategic Initiatives. The Virginia Smart Community Testbed serves as a living laboratory that helps communities like Stafford lead in the development and testing of technologies while proving the value of successful public-private partnerships. As the established leader of Smart Communities initiatives on behalf of the Commonwealth, VIPC partnered with Stafford on the testbed project in 2019 as part of a comprehensive plan to build the new "smart" community. Stafford is now the first Smart City Testbed in Virginia involving an IoT platform, fully integrated with 5G and other new and emerging technologies that are having a national impact. We are delighted to have an opportunity to continue to attract technologists, entrepreneurs and innovators to our community through the Testbed and that our partners from the state and private industry including Cisco and Verizon continue to support us as we grow and expand, said John Holden, director of economic development and tourism for Stafford County. We are excited to see the positive impact that this initiative is having on our community. We are leading the way and being recognized as one of the nation's best Smart City initiatives is truly an honor. The Virginia Smart Community Testbed received the SMART 50 Award in 2022. The award, in partnership with Smart Cities Connect, Smart Cities Connect Foundation, and US Ignite, annually recognizes smart cities projects around the world and only honors the top 50 most innovative and influential work. In only their first full year as a technology testbed, Stafford was honored as a winner. The Testbed serves to accelerate technology solutions for the Commonwealth. It provides a place for companies seeking to provide technology solutions to public infrastructure challenges. It provides a space and place to accelerate the commercialization of new products. The Testbed pilot projects and partnerships in the last year have included more than a dozen technology companies in the development of innovative solutions for public-private, state, and federal opportunities and identified needs. Innovation participants have included: AccessVR, ATA, Breeze Technologies, Express-tek, Helicore, Hire Henry, Intellisense Systems, N5 Sensors, NFF, Onclave, Planet Defense, RIoT, Signify and Traxyl. About the Smart Community Testbed: The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Stafford County are the Testbed's founding partners. OST, Inc. (OST) is the prime systems integrator and a founding partner. This public-private partnership makes up the Testbed Executive Committee. Stafford County focuses on three key areas for smart community solutions: finding technology and innovative ways to enhance the quality of life for its citizens; building an entrepreneurial ecosystem for start-ups and existing businesses; developing pilot projects for innovators and entrepreneurs deploying cutting-edge smart community solutions for their business or products. www.VirginiaSmartCommunityTestbed.com About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Our Business: Connecting innovators with opportunities. The nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed-stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia's innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginias economy. Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners (VVP) | Virginia Founders Fund (VFF) |Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Smart Communities | Unmanned Systems | Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Regional Innovation Fund (RIF) | Federal Funding Assistance Program (FFAP) for SBIR & STTR | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. About Smart Stafford Stafford is a smart place for innovation. Stafford has a rich foundation in cyber technology and intends to enhance that strength with the inclusion of smart-city technology. The vision for Smart Stafford started with the Board's Strategic Plan 2040 to consider opportunities to invest in technologies that will improve the lives of our residents, businesses, and visitors. The Virginia Smart Community Testbed provides the technology that will help us meet that vision. The Testbed in Stafford will unlock critical new resources and foster business investments across Stafford County and the Commonwealth. Learn more about Smart Stafford initiatives. For additional information on Smart Stafford: www.gostaffordva.com | www.VirginiaSmartCommunityTestbed.com About OST Based in McLean, VA, OST, Inc. (OST) is a systems integrator that has delivered innovative technology, project management, and consulting and engineering services for more than 20 years. Specializing in advanced technologies such as smart, cybersecurity, cloud, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), predictive analytics, and data visualization, et al, OST consultants and engineers also optimize business processes and staffing to deliver a total business solution. As a strategic partner, OST provides systems integration services for Virginia Smart City Testbed (VSCT) in Stafford County, manages the Smart Airport Testbed at FAA's Tech Center in Atlantic City, and supports federal, state, and local contracts for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Energy (DOE), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PA), District of Columbia (DC), and others. For additional information about OST: www.ostglobal.com Attachments Angela Costello, VIPC VP of Communications & Marketing Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) 7578706848 [email protected] Source: Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) Over 100 Southern California franchises in a major global convenience chain are now carrying TAAT, following the addition of more than 80 new stores after the product was sold for just eight weeks in an initial group of stores, approximately 35% of which have already placed reorders. The Company intends to focus commercialization efforts that are specific to TAAT Menthol in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, whose City Council recently unanimously voted to ban sales of flavoured tobacco products (e.g., menthol tobacco cigarettes) starting in 2023. As TAAT is a non-tobacco product, the Company anticipates it can capitalize on this upcoming gap in the tobacco category. LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol are now sold in over 100 franchised stores in Southern California belonging to a major global convenience chain, an increase of more than 80 stores in just eight weeks following an initial placement in 23 stores (as announced in the Companys April 22, 2022 press release). TAAT established dialogues with the owners of these franchises through an independent association of franchise owners in Southern California (the FOA), who are part of the convenience chains network of over 9,300 stores in the United States and more than 70,000 stores worldwide. Approximately 35% of the initial group of franchised stores carrying TAAT have already placed reorders. The Company is currently planning to begin initiatives in Southern California to promote TAAT Menthol in light of an upcoming ban of flavoured tobacco products in Los Angeles (population 3.9 million, second-largest city in the United States) set to begin on January 1, 2023. On Wednesday, June 1, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted to ban the sale of flavoured tobacco products, such as menthol tobacco cigarettes1. Menthol tobacco cigarettes have proven to be exceptionally popular in Los Angeles, with 94.5% of tobacco retailers carrying products in this segment, and 31.2% displaying menthol cigarette price promotions2. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/951b11db-d5fc-425e-a3ae-81a47df033d2 The Company continues to place TAAT in additional U.S. stores, with a store count now exceeding 2,700. TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol (pictured above) are now carried in over 100 Southern California locations of a major global convenience chain. 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, The Southern California FOA is a very strong community of franchise owners in this global convenience chain, in which word gets around very quickly about great new products that can be carried. Virtually all convenience stores sell tobacco cigarettes in the standard brand varieties, but outside of non-combustible offerings such as vaping there are very few alternatives to legacy products in this category. TAAT initially performed well in the first 23 stores, and in eight weeks that has led to a 35% reorder rate as well as store count growth of about 400% just within the Southern California FOA alone. We are excited to be growing our footprint in this region, especially as TAAT Menthol can soon become positioned to capture market share in Los Angeles based on the upcoming ban of flavoured tobacco sales, from which our products will be exempt as they do not contain tobacco. Sources 1 - https://abcnews.go.com/Health/la-city-council-votes-unanimously-ban-sale-flavored/story?id=85133858 2 - https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/20_0144.htm In connection with the acquisition of ADCO Distributors, Inc., as previously announced on May 20, 2022, the Company paid a finder's fee of an aggregate total of $36,957 cash and 112,195 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Finder's Fee Shares") at a deemed value of $1.317602 per Finder's Fee Share. The Finder's Fee Shares are subject to a 12-month hold period, with one-third (1/3) of the aggregate number of Finder's Fee Shares being released on the 4th, 8th and 12th month from the issuance date. The finder's fee reported herein was paid by the Company to an arms length third party. 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 Relations1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)[email protected] 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: Potential outcomes from the placement of TAAT in the Southern California franchised convenience stores as detailed in the press release. 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 Disclosures relating to investor relations firms retained by TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. can be found under the Company's profile on http://sedar.com. Picture 1 The Company continues to place TAAT in additional U.S. stores, with a store count now exceeding 2,700. TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol (pictured above) are now carried in over 100 Southern California locations of a major global convenience chain. Source: TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Vancouver, BC, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trillion Energy International Inc. (Trillion, or the Company) (CSE: TCF) (OTCQB: TRLEF) (Frankfurt: Z62) is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated June 3, 2022, it is increasing its best efforts marketed public offering (the Offering) of units (the Units) of the Company at a price of $0.31 per Unit (the Issue Price) from gross proceeds of up to $12,000,000 to gross proceeds of up to $20,000,000. As previously announced, each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each a "Common Share) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share for an exercise price of $0.50 for period of 36 months following the closing date of the Offering. The Offering will be conducted by Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (Echelon) as lead agent and sole bookrunner, along with a syndicate of agents including Research Capital Corporation (and together with Echelon, the Agents), and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the securities regulatory authorities and the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE). The Offering is expected to be completed: (i) by way of a short form prospectus to be filed with the securities regulators in each province of Canada except Quebec; (ii) on a private placement basis in the United States pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act); and (iii) outside Canada and the United States on a basis which does not require the qualification or registration of any of the Companys securities under domestic or foreign securities laws. The Offering is expected to close on or about June 24, 2022, or such other date as the Company and the Agents may agree. The Company has granted the Agents an option to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Units sold under the Offering (the Over-Allotment Option), at the Issue Price. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised in whole or in part to purchase Units as determined by the Agents upon written notice to the Company at any time up to 30 days following the closing date of the Offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund the development of the SASB gas fields, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The preliminary short form prospectus in respect of the Offering is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under 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. About Trillion is an oil and gas producing company with multiple assets throughout Turkey and Bulgaria. The Company is 49% owner of the SASB natural gas field, one of the Black Seas first and largest-scale natural gas development projects; a 19.6% (except three wells with 9.8%) interest in the Cendere oil field; and in Bulgaria, the Vranino 1-11 block, a prospective unconventional natural gas property. More information may be found on www.sedar.com, and our website. Contact Art Halleran: 1-250-996-4211 Corporate offices: 1-778-819-1585 e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.trillionenergy.com Forward-Looking Information This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about the Companys business and prospects, as well as managements beliefs, and certain assumptions made by management. Words such as anticipates, expects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, may, should, will and variations of these words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof and are subject to change. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Companys prospectus listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange, the potential impact on the market for its securities, expansion and business strategies, anticipated growth opportunities, and the amount of fundraising necessary to achieve the foregoing. Such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors include unforeseen securities regulatory challenges, COVID, oil and gas price fluctuations, operational and geological risks, the ability of the Company to raise necessary funds for development; the outcome of commercial negotiations; changes in technical or operating conditions; the cost of extracting gas and oil may be too costly so that it is uneconomic and not profitable to do so and other factors discussed from time to time in the Companys filings on www.sedar.com, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings for the first quarter of 2022. For a full summary of our oil and gas reserves information for Turkey, please refer to our Forms F-1,2,3 51-101 filed on www.sedar.com, and or request a copy of our reserves report effective December 31, 2021 and our Prospective Resource report effective October 31, 2021. Source: Trillion Energy International Inc. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trillium Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV:TGM, OTCQX:TGLDF, FRA: 0702) (Trillium Gold or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has commenced a comprehensive exploration program on the newly-consolidated Confederation Belt Project (the Project). Several separately held properties have now been consolidated into one 54,362-hectare, contiguous land package spanning 72 kilometres east to west (Figure 1). The Confederation Project is now positioned as the most significant exploration project in the Red Lake District with potential to contain further Dixie LP Fault analogues, other Red Lake-style gold mineralization and critical minerals. Work has already begun on the project and other crews are currently mobilizing. Early Exploration permit applications for drilling and trenching have been initiated and are expected to be received in early summer 2022. Trillium has an initial 6,000 metres of drilling planned throughout the Project area on targets that have been systematically researched, prioritized and deemed drill ready. Further drilling may be considered as results from the exploration work are received. Some important attributes of the property include: Over 110 linear kilometres along the eastern extensions of both the major crustal Red Lake and Dixie LP Fault structures. Several high-potential mafic-to-felsic structural contacts on-strike to the east of the Kinross Dixie Project associated with the eastern continuation of the LP fault zone. The Panama Lake portion of the property shows gold potential in three identified zones while further compilation work has identified other structural and lithological dislocations that warrant priority follow-up work. Other high-potential areas to be tested along the northern margin of the Project area, associated with the major structure hosting Evolution Minings Red Lake Operations. Demonstrated gold and historic base-metal deposits; importantly, strategic metal occurrences will be additional target elements for exploration in 2022. Comprehensive data collection, compilation and interpretation have generated many gold and base-metal targets for follow-up in the 2022 exploration program. Russell Starr, President and CEO of Trillium Gold commented, Our strategy to consolidate the Confederation belt properties has positioned Trillium Gold as the dominant exploration company in the Red Lake District today. Many former VMS-rich districts are well endowed with gold, and the Dixie LP Fault deposit, lying on the same stratigraphic trend as Trilliums contiguous claim block, is possibly another example. A large portion of the property is accessible via long-standing logging roads. We believe we are at the nexus of a new era in this rapidly developing gold camp. William Paterson, Trillium Golds Vice President of Exploration added, Our geological team has now begun the exploration work with reconnaissance traverses, drill hole sighting and ground-truthing of work performed by previous operators. We have an unprecedented opportunity to explore for LP Fault-type gold deposits along a structure that is many times larger and equally as prospective as Dixie. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecb7eb64-486b-4305-9487-d09532cbc22b Figure 1: Trillium Golds Confederation Belt Project showing areas of focus for 2022 and planned activities, selected 2021 exploration results, and major structures (some interpreted). Geology from Geological Survey of Canada. Throughout the Confederation Belt property, work will be performed to follow up on the high priority SGH anomalies from 2021. This planned work includes further soil sampling, lithogeochemical sampling and assaying of historical drill holes that were never previously assayed for gold (this is a very cost-effective activity where historical base-metal focused drilling has already been performed in those areas identified as having high gold potential). Systematic prospecting and mapping programs across the Project area are designed to explore for new deposits and further follow up on results from the 2021 field work (Figure 1). Geology & Mineral Potential The geology throughout the Project area shows several features key to gold mineralization: felsic-intermediate volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks, mafic to felsic transitions, iron formations and chemical sediments, unconformities, large regional structures with known association to gold mineralization (e.g. the Dixie Project and Red Lake Mine), and, locally, on lower-order structures, complex structurally prepared ground that focus fluid flows and develop mineral deposits. The Companys exploration work and results from 2021 combined with exhaustive compilation work of historical data recently acquired, have identified several prospective areas hosting a variety of styles of gold targets including elevated gold content coincident with volcanogenic massive sulphide alteration halos. Often these halos are associated with structures and prospective lithology, suggesting the possibility of a later-stage gold enrichment mechanism or hybrid-style signatures. A key area of focus will be the recently acquired Wenasaga Property, spatially associated with a dilation zone identified on the LP Fault extension. This deep-rooted structure would provide a conduit for gold-bearing fluids and the dilation zone creates the conditions for this gold to be deposited, whether rheological or chemically through widespread alteration. Preliminary work has already begun on this portion of the property. Further east, the Panama Property contains two highly prospective gold-mineralized trends that remain largely untested. Major structures that transect the property appear to be splays from or are the eastern extension of the Dixie LP Fault. There are multiple gold and VMS-style mineralization occurrences identified on the property and a field program has been designed to expand on and evaluate the lateral continuity of these mineralized trends. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/368f1f5b-1b8a-41a8-93b8-ffd49308b86a Figure 2: Trillium Golds Confederation Belt, Satterly Lake and Swain Lake Projects with major faults shown (some interpreted). Geology from Geological Survey of Canada. Satterly Lake and Swain Lake These properties, located approximately 20 km and 35 km northeast of the Confederation Project and 90 km east of Red Lake, host structural, lithological and geophysical features important to gold mineralization (Figure 2). Initial field work will be performed on these projects utilizing floatplane-supported remote camps and will consist of prospecting and sampling. Historically, there has been little ground-based work performed on these properties. Trillium flew a high resolution helimagnetic survey over the then-current Satterly Lake property in 2021. The Satterly Lake property is relatively unexplored, but several mineral occurrences are documented in the area. The Hanson (Au) and Loydex (Cu/Zn) occurrences are found on the property, the past producing Sol DOr Mine (ore grading 19.2 g/t Au) lies immediately west and Falcon Golds Springpole West property to the east, with a diamond drill hole intercept of 19.4 g/t Au over 30cm within a property-wide fault zone hosted in a quartz vein-stockwork system. The Swain Lake property encompasses a nine-kilometre stretch of the Swain Lake Deformation Zone (SLDF), over a gentle flexure point where the strike changes from a northeast trend to more easterly. Numerous gold occurrences are documented along the strike of this regional-scale structure. The property is located 8 km northwest of First Minings Springpole Lake property, which is reported as one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Canada (Preliminary Economic Assessment, completed in November 2019, reported an Indicated Resource of 4,670,000 oz of gold and 24,190,000 oz of silver). Within a six-kilometre radius of the Swain Lake property there lies the Argosy Mine (101,875 oz Au produced), the Richardson Lake Mine (1,126 oz of gold produced grading 60.7 g/t Au with an unclassified historical resource of 140,051 oz Au published in the Northern Miner [June 20, 1988]), the MacIntyre Mine reported to have produced 23 oz of gold in 1934-35 and First Minings Horseshoe Island prospect with a historical unclassified resource of 125,093 oz Au (OGS MDI record 52N08NW00020). The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by William Paterson QP, P.Geo, Vice President of Exploration of Trillium Gold Mines, as defined by NI 43-101. On behalf of the Board of Directors,Trillium Gold Mines Inc. Russell StarrInterim Chairman, President & CEO For further information, please contact Donna Yoshimatsu, VP Corporate Development and Investor Relations at [email protected], (416) 722-2456, or [email protected]. Visit our website at www.trilliumgold.com. About Trillium Gold Mines Inc. Trillium Gold Mines Inc. is a growth focused company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario. As part of its regional-scale consolidation strategy, the Company has assembled the largest prospective land package in and around the Red Lake mining district in proximity to major mines and deposits, along the Confederation Lake and Birch-Uchi greenstone belts. Recently, the Company signed a definitive agreement for control over a significant portion of the Confederation Lake greenstone belt to more than 100 km in length. In addition, the Company has interests in highly prospective properties in Larder Lake, Ontario. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Forward-looking information is based on managements reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on managements experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Such factors, among others, include: impacts arising from the global disruption caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Figure 1 Trillium Golds Confederation Belt Project showing areas of focus for 2022 and planned activities, selected 2021 exploration results, and major structures (some interpreted). Geology from Geological Survey of Canada. Figure 2 Trillium Golds Confederation Belt, Satterly Lake and Swain Lake Projects with major faults shown (some interpreted). Geology from Geological Survey of Canada. Source: Trillium Gold Mines Inc. FILE PHOTO: Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president of worldwide operations, speaks during a press conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S., June 27, 2018. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson By Jeffrey Dastin and Akash Sriram (Reuters) - Dave Clark, the Amazon.com Inc executive who built a delivery arm to rival major cargo companies, will join logistics technology startup Flexport as chief executive in September, he said on Wednesday in a LinkedIn post. Amazon announced last week that Clark planned to leave his role as CEO of its worldwide consumer business on July 1. The move will place Clark at the helm of a company vying to become one of the biggest supply-chain and logistics platforms globally, a mantle not unlike the one held by Amazon. Both Flexport and Amazon sell shipping services to e-commerce merchants, although the startup focuses on bringing overseas factory products to closer warehouses, whereas its larger peer coordinates delivery to shoppers' doorsteps. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said Clark simply wanted a new job, when asked about his departure at a Bloomberg technology summit on Wednesday. "I don't begrudge him at all," he said. Marc Wulfraat, president of logistics consultancy MWPVL International Inc, said there did not appear to be significant overlap between the two companies. In his LinkedIn post, Clark said Flexport was "tackling the most complicated piece of the supply chain: the global cross-border movement of goods. It is an area where few technology companies have dared to tread because of the vast array of regulatory rules, intimidating geographical distances, and siloed network of providers." Clark earlier said he left Amazon with a multi-year plan in place to manage inflationary challenges and wanted to get back to building. Amazon has vowed to cut costs after a period of over-expansion, which on Wednesday Jassy defended as having been the right move to help with customer deliveries. Ryan Petersen, Flexport's current chief, said in a Twitter post that he and Clark will be co-CEOs for six months from Sept. 1, after which Petersen will become executive chairman. Clark joins Flexport's board as well, he said. In February, Flexport more than doubled its valuation to $8 billion after a funding round led by venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and MSD Partners. It expects revenue of close to $5 billion this year, Petersen said. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in Palo Alto, Calif.; Editing by Devika Syamnath, David Gregorio and Bill Berkrot) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Bell Copper Corporation (TSXV: BCU) (OTCQB: BCUFF) ("Bell Copper" or the "Company") announces results of the special meeting of its shareholders which was held on May 26, 2022 (the "SGM"). At the SGM, the Company received a 98% majority approval to the shareholder rights plan agreement (the "SRP") with TMX Trust Company as rights agent, dated effective January 27, 2022 (see News Release dated January 27, 2022). A complete copy of the SRP is available for viewing under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The SRP is similar to rights plans adopted by other Canadian public companies and has not been adopted in response to any pending or threatened takeover bid for Bell Copper, nor is the Company aware of any such effort. Rather, the SRP has been adopted with a view to ensuring, to the extent possible, that all shareholders of the Company have an equal opportunity to participate in, and are treated fairly in the event of a "creeping takeover bid" for the Company. Creeping takeover bids, which were not addressed in Canada's takeover bid regime updated in May 2016, occur where acquisition of effective control takes place through a number of share purchases over time. In addition, the Company received a 98% majority approval from its shareholders to a new 2022 Fixed Stock Option Plan (the "2022 Plan") providing for changes to comply with the new Policy 4.4 Security Based Compensation of the TSXV, which became effective on November 24, 2021. The 2022 Plan also includes an increase to the number of shares reserved for issuance under the 2022 Plan from 14,240,323 to 23,809,847 shares. The SOP included in the Company's Information Circular was subsequently amended based on comments received from the TSX Venture Exchange and the amended SOP was approved by shareholders at the SGM. A complete copy of the amended 2022 Plan is available for viewing under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Details of the matters approved at the SGM are set out in the Company's Management Information Circular dated April 18, 2022 which can be found either on the Company's website at www.bellcopper.net or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company also announces the grant of a total of 10,000,000 incentive stock options under the 2022 Plan to directors, officers and consultants of the Company, exercisable at a price of $0.25. The options vest immediately and are exercisable for a period of five years from the date of grant. Such grant of options shall be subject to ratification by shareholders at the Company's next annual general meeting to allow the insider optionees to collectively hold options in excess of 10%, of the Company's current issued share capital. About Bell Copper Bell Copper is a mineral exploration company focused on the identification, exploration and discovery of large copper deposits located in Arizona. Bell Copper is exploring its 100% owned Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project and the Perseverance Porphyry Copper Project which is under a Joint Venture - Earn In. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Bell Copper Corporation "Timothy Marsh" Timothy Marsh, President, CEO & Director For further information please contact the Company Tel: 1 800 418 8250 Email: [email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126957 Chicago, Illinois--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Clean Power Consulting Group, a company that provides consulting services to clean energy companies announces that it is stepping up its efforts through a variety of solar project developments for EDPR. EDPR provides renewable energy solutions across North America helping businesses contribute toward a more sustainable future. Through this work, Clean Power Consulting Group is bolstering the US' energy independence, as well as helping its range of clients reduce their carbon footprint. As the cost of fuel continues to rise, energy independence is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for US policymakers. Generating power on US soil through solar panels, alongside increasing usage of other renewable energy sources is being proposed as the optimum solution to this crisis. Through its solar projects, Clean Power Consulting Group works closely with churches, universities, municipalities, and corporate entities. They help these clients incorporate solar and battery storage projects into their infrastructure. This, in turn, reduces the carbon footprint of these institutions and businesses, enabling them to contribute to the global advance towards decarbonization. The recent Deloitte Global Turning Point Report demonstrates that if climate change is allowed to continue at its current rate, it could cost the global economy $178 trillion by 2070. Similarly, the most recent IPCC report showed that we are fast approaching our climate's 'tipping point.' Clean Power Consulting Group is mobilizing the US' decarbonization efforts through its solar project development. Clean Power Consulting Group's work is at the forefront of a nationwide move towards solar power instead of depending on environmentally destructive fossil fuels. Today, more than 3% of US electricity comes from solar energy, and there is now more than 121 GW of solar capacity installed across the country - enough to power over 23 million homes. Even for businesses and organizations that do not have sustainability targets at the top of their agenda, Clean Power Consulting Group highlights that introducing solar energy makes financial sense, as well as being environmentally beneficial. Since 2014, the average cost of solar PV panels has dropped by 70%, and this has been helped by a number of government initiatives. Solar panels also have a long life span and low maintenance costs; wind and solar power cost around a quarter of what it costs to obtain nuclear energy and around half that of coal. Solar energy has even been deemed the cheapest electricity in history. Clean Power Consulting Group's work is helping businesses and organizations to redirect their resources elsewhere by reducing their energy expenditure. As the Company's founder, Tim Montague, emphasizes: "We are ready for the green revolution, and we have the technology to achieve it, as demonstrated through Clean Power Consulting Group's solar project development for EDPR. We need more to realize the urgency of the global situation - we don't need to increase our renewable usage next year, next month, or next week. We need to increase it today - solar energy will help us accomplish this." Media contact: Name: Tim Montague Email: [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126976 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - E79 Resources Corp. (CSE: ESNR) (OTCQB: ESVNF) ("E79" or the "Company") is pleased to report additional assay results from diamond drilling at its Happy Valley Gold Prospect on its Myrtleford property in Victoria, Australia. HIGHLIGHTS Drill hole HVD010 Hole HVD010 intercepted a broad zone of mineralization at a depth of approximately 400m below surface and 200m below the historical mine workings. This is the deepest intercept at the Happy Valley Prospect to date and demonstrates a significant vertical extent of mineralization. Results include 3m @ 5.8 g/t gold (Au) from 390.0m and 0.6m @ 5.23 g/t Au from 374.4m within a broader zone, including 37.3m @ 0.9 g/t Au from 356.7m downhole. Progress on Nearby Targets Multiple quartz-sulphide-bearing structures have been intersected at the Franklin/Champion Reef Prospect. Assay results are still pending for drill holes HVD017, HVD018 and HVD019, and results will be made available once they are received. Drilling has commenced beneath historical workings at the Manager's Hill Prospect which is located approximately 500m northeast of the Happy Valley Prospect. At Twists Creek, which is approximately 40km north of Happy Valley, drilling is continuing and so far, the Company has completed 11 holes for approximately 2,700m. The Company will announce results from this program once it has received assay results from the lab. Patrick Donnelly, E79's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our ongoing drill program at Happy Valley continues to deliver impressive results and confirms the continuity of the gold system at depth. "Inaugural drill testing of nearby targets is in progress which could potentially identify multiple shoots at the Franklin/Champion Reef and at Manager's Hill, which are in close proximity to the high-grade Happy Valley system. "Drilling is also continuing at Twists Creek, which hosts multiple reef structures, and we expect gold assay results from the area soon." The latest intercepts from drill hole HVD010 represent the remaining assay results for this hole. On February 1, 2022, the Company announced the first set of results for hole HVD010 which included 2.50m @ 12.92 g/t Au, from 306.50m including 0.50m @ 35.50 g/t Au. For more information on these results please visit the Company's website at www.e79resources.com. All drill results have now been received for holes HVD010 to HVD016. The final results from hole HVD010 include 3.0m @ 5.8 g/t Au and 0.6m @ 5.23 g/t Au. True widths for hole HPV010 are estimated to be approximately 15-20% of downhole width. Hole HVD016 intersected the structure with anomalous gold intersections outside the now defined high-grade shoots. Hole HVD010 is the Company's deepest intercept at Happy Valley and extends the gold mineralization almost 400m below surface and remains open at depth (see Figure 1). The Company is now waiting for the results for the remaining three holes (HVD017-019) at the Happy Valley Prospect and detailed 3D geological interpretations are ongoing. The current exploration drilling focus has now shifted to nearby untested targets at the Franklin/Champion and Manager's Hill Prospects (see Figure 2). The latest results from the current exploration program continues to validate the Company's geological model which postulates that high-grade gold mineralization extends to significant depths below historical gold mining areas. A first-pass rock chip sampling (consisting of 71 samples) and mapping program of historical workings along the Happy Valley trend has now been completed with assay results to be released soon. The aim of this program is to identify multiple drill targets within the Happy Valley trend for future drill testing. Figure 1 - Long section of Happy Valley Reef showing the latest intersections To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8350/126861_94465ff304a5e975_001full.jpg Figure 2 - Happy Valley plan map showing multiple lines of workings, nearby trends and drill targets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8350/126861_94465ff304a5e975_002full.jpg Figure 3 - Core from hole HVD010 showing quartz veining from 306.5m to 309.8m To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8350/126861_94465ff304a5e975_003full.jpg HAPPY VALLEY GOLD PROSPECT The Happy Valley Prospect is situated in the southeastern portion of the Company's Exploration Licence EL006724 in Victoria, Australia (see Figure 4). It lies within a 12km-long trend of historical artisanal mines. The Happy Valley Mining Centre has documented historical production of 34,200 ounces of gold predominantly between 1866 - 1875 and produced an average grade of ~31 g/t gold. To date, only limited modern exploration has been conducted at this prospect, with recent drilling by E79 defining bonanza-grade mineralization at depth. Gold mineralization at Happy Valley occurs as quartz veins within carbonate-altered sedimentary units of Lower Ordovician age (448 - 443 MA). Regionally, mineralization appears to be proximal and related to the emplacement of several major regional Devonian-age (420 - 360 MA) granitic plutons. The gold can occur as free particles within the quartz veins and can also be associated with sulphides, including pyrite and to lesser degrees arsenopyrite and galena. Historical mining indicated that the high-grade shoots varied in strike length from 35-70m, plunged steeply towards the southeast and were mined to approximately 180m below surface. For drill hole specifications, please refer to Table 2. All intersections represent downhole lengths and as such do not represent true width intersections. Historical mining operations at Happy Valley were undertaken on subvertical steeply dipping quartz vein structures. Figure 4 - Happy Valley Mining Centre structural trend To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8350/126861_94465ff304a5e975_004full.jpg NEXT STEPS Drilling will continue to test Franklin/Champion and Manager's Hill targets close to Happy Valley. 3D geological interpretation in progress at Happy Valley to potentially delineate plunge and direction of mineralization for further drilling. At Twists Creek, an inaugural drill program continues to test multiple sites beneath historical workings over a 3km strike length. Rock chip assay results from preliminary mapping of historical workings along Happy Valley corridor will be received shortly and will inform the identification of multiple targets for future drilling. At Beaufort, a review of the project including structural mapping has been completed and near surface targets have been identified. Further exploration is being planned. OTHER EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES The Company continues to expand its ground tenure in the Eastern and Central Victorian regions with recent Exploration License (EL) applications having been submitted. TABLE 1. HAPPY VALLEY SIGNIFICANT GOLD INTERCEPTS (HVD011-HVD015) HOLE ID From To Interval Gold (g/t) Comment HVD010 374.40 375.00 0.6 5.23 Happy Valley Reef HVD010 390.00 393.00 3.00 5.8 Happy Valley Reef within 356.7 394.00 37.3 0.90 TABLE 2. DRILL HOLE LOCATIONS Hole ID GDA (Z55) East GDA (Z55) North RL (m) GDA (Z55) Azimuth Dip EOH (m) Status HVD010 494222.1 5945653.3 699.6 214.2 -63 450.3 All assays received HVD016 494243.1 5945699.4 681.8 218 -50 315.3 All assays received * Collar positions surveyed by qualified surveyor using differential GPS QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL All samples are 1/2 HQ diameter (63.5mm) diamond drill core. Where visible gold has been observed in the core, a field duplicate sample has been taken by splitting the 1/2 core in half again ( core) with both samples being independently assayed and the combined weighted average given to the interval. Sampling was conducted to geological contacts. Samples were shipped by E79 contractors to ALS Global in Poorooka, SA, Australia. The samples were crushed to a nominal 85% passing 3.15 mm. A 1 kg split was obtained using a Boyd rotary splitter and pulverized in its entirety to a nominal 85% QUALIFIED PERSON The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Shane Mele, MAIMM (Fellow), Vice President of Exploration for E79 Resources, a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical records were verified by reviewing annual and quarterly reports from government records by the Qualified Person. Information contact Patrick Donnelly President, Chief Executive Officer and Director E79 Resources Corp. Phone: 604.288.8082 Email: [email protected] Website: www.E79resources.com ABOUT E79 RESOURCES CORP E79 Resources is focused on exploring for Fosterville-type mineralization at its Beaufort and Myrtleford properties in the Victorian Goldfields, Australia. At Beaufort, an opportunity exists to explore for a hard rock source of a major alluvial goldfield along a structure that is known to host gold in the region. The Myrtleford property represents the consolidation of an entire historic gold camp with over 70 past producing artisanal gold mines on the property, where the bulk of historic mining stopped at the water table. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicates", "opportunity", "possible" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although E79 believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward, to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to explore and develop its projects, to repay its debt and for general working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations, future prices of gold, copper and other metals, changes in general economic conditions, accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates, the potential for new discoveries, the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for the projects; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126861 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Endurance Gold Corporation (TSXV: EDG) invites you to visit them at Booth #2435 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday, June 13, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. About Endurance Gold Corporation Endurance Gold Corporation is a precious metals exploration and development company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of highly prospective North American mineral properties with the potential to develop world class deposits. Our exploration focus is currently to advance the Reliance Gold Project, located near Gold Bridge B.C. in the historic Bralorne - Pioneer gold camp. Results from the 2022 RC and diamond drilling are currently expanding the discovery of a significant gold system at the Reliance Gold Project. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Endurance Gold Corporation Robert T. Boyd 604-682-2707 [email protected] www.endurancegold.com Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Fathom Nickel Inc. (CSE: FNI) (FSE: 6Q5), (OTCQB: FNICF) (the "Company" or "Fathom") is pleased to announce the commencement of its summer exploration program at the Company's Albert Lake Property. The program will consist of a helicopter electromagnetic and magnetic ("AirTEM") survey and up to 2,500m of diamond drilling. Drilling will focus on further defining the south extension the Bay Area Conductive Corridor (refer to Fathom Press Release of April 28, 2022). The AirTEM survey, of up to 2,500 line-km, will cover the same Bay Area Conductive Corridor utilizing 50m spaced flight lines before moving to a second grid to cover surface geochemistry and gradient magnetic susceptibility ("MAG") features defined in 2021. The company has successfully defined magmatic nickel sulphide mineralization occurring within an interpreted 300m long corridor identified through positive MAG signatures, positive conductivity from the 2008 versatile time domain electromagnetic ("VTEM") survey, positive off-hole conductivity in borehole electromagnetic surveys ("BHEM"), positive surface time-domain electromagnetics ("TDEM") results (2022) and by surface soil geochemistry. The Bay Area Conductive Corridor is situated 400 - 500m west-northwest of the historic high-grade Ni-Cu-Co+PGE Rottenstone Mine and represents the first ever discovery of magmatic nickel mineralization on the Albert Lake property - post production of the Rottenstone Mine (1965 - 1969). Up to 2,500m of drilling is planned to follow-up on the successful intersections in AL22052 and AL22057 drilled during the 2022 winter program and to test very similar BHEM conductive plates/models that occur in the area of drillholes AL21034 and AL21026 (See Figure 1). The AirTEM survey will cover two grid areas. The initial grid is designed to better define what the Company now recognizes as positive 2008 VTEM results occurring in the Bay Area Conductive Corridor (See Figure 1). The 2008 VTEM survey was flown at 100m flight-line spacings whereas the 2022 AirTEM survey will utilize 50m flight-line spacings to provide a more detailed electromagnetic (EM) signature within the corridor and possibly extend the length of the corridor in a north and south direction. From Q1-2022 drill results the Company recognizes the occurrence of magmatic nickel mineralization coincident with defined airborne and surface conductivity, positive MAG, and positive surface geochemistry. There are multiple, very similar, coincident conductivity, MAG and surface geochemistry target areas within the 2008 VTEM survey area that remain untested by drilling. Fathom surface geochemistry and gradient MAG survey performed 2018 - 2021 has defined multiple coincident MAG and geochemistry target areas that require EM surveying. The 2022 AirTEM survey will better refine these priority areas and further support Fathom's successful targeted exploration strategy. Figure - 1: The Bay Area Conductive Corridor To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7843/126922_7aaa2ef624dfbadb_001full.jpg. Brad Van Den Bussche, Fathom's CEO commented, "We are extremely encouraged by the widespread occurrence of magmatic nickel mineralization and Rottenstone-like textures identified along the Bay Area Conductive Corridor. We are excited to further define the Corridor and advance similar, earlier stage targets throughout the property, during the summer 2022 program." Qualified Person and Data Verification Ian Fraser, PGeo., VP Exploration and a Director of the Company and the "qualified person" as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of the Company. About Fathom Nickel Inc. Fathom is a resource exploration and development company that is targeting high-grade nickel sulphide discoveries for use in the rapidly growing global electric vehicle market. The Company is accelerating exploration on its flagship Albert Lake Project, host to the historic Rottenstone mine, which is recognized as one of the highestgrade (Nickel, Copper, Platinum group metals) deposits of its type ever mined in Canada. The Albert Lake Project consists of over 90,000 ha of mineral claims located in the Trans-Hudson Corridor of Saskatchewan, which is home to numerous world-class mining camps. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Brad Van Den Bussche" President and CEO, Director For Further Information Please Contact: Brad Van Den Bussche, President and CEO or Manish Grigo, Director of Corporate Development +1-416-569-3292 Email: [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the enhancement of the Company's geologic model and extending the areas of known mineralization and the Company's work towards defining a resource base. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NOT 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 U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126922 Medford, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Green Light Metals Inc. ("Green Light" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an amending agreement made as of June 7, 2022, in respect of the previously announced amalgamation with Can-America Minerals Inc. ("Can-America") and 1328592 B.C. Ltd. ("Subco"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, to acquire Can-America by way of a three-cornered amalgamation (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Company is also pleased to announce that it closed, on a non-brokered basis, the first tranche of a private placement of 922,588 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.40 per Unit for gross proceeds of approximately $369,035 (the "Offering"). Acquisition of Can-America - Amending Agreement As previously announced on December 16, 2021, the Company, Can-America and Subco entered into an amalgamation agreement on December 14, 2021 contemplating the Proposed Transaction (the "Amalgamation Agreement"). Under the terms of the Amalgamation Agreement, the Proposed Transaction will be completed by way of a three-cornered amalgamation under the laws of British Columbia, whereby Subco and Can-America amalgamate (on a post-continuance basis under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia)), with Subco surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. As a result of the Proposed Transaction, the Company will hold all of Can-America's assets, including ownership or control of its mineral properties in Wisconsin and Nevada. As of June 7, 2022, the parties entered into an amending agreement to the Amalgamation Agreement (the "Amending Agreement") altering certain closing conditions of the Amalgamation Agreement. Pursuant to the Amending Agreement, the parties will seek conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") for the listing of the common shares of the resulting entity of the Proposed Transaction and seek to close a private placement of common shares of the Company or a financing entity for gross proceeds of at least $4 million (the "Private Placement"), following closing of the Proposed Transaction. There can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction or the Private Placement will be completed as proposed or at all. The Company and Can-America are aiming to list the common shares of the Company on the TSXV following the completion of the Proposed Transaction and the completion of the Private Placement. A filing statement will be prepared and filed in accordance with the policies of the TSXV. The Company and Can-America will provide further details upon the closing of each of the Proposed Transaction and the Private Placement and will make available all information, including financial information as required by the TSXV and will provide at a later date, in a press release, the required disclosure. Offering Pursuant to the Offering, each Unit is comprised of one common share (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant exercisable for one additional Common Share at a price of $0.60 for a period of 36 months from the closing of the Offering. Finder's fees consisting of an aggregate cash commission of $14,952.28 and 37,380 warrants to purchase Common Shares ("Finder Warrants") were paid by the Company in connection with the Offering. The finder's fees represent 6.0% of the aggregate proceeds raised and 6.0% of the Units issued to certain subscribers introduced to the Company by finders. Each Finder Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.40 for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering. The securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of completion of each closing date of the Offering, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. In connection with closing of the Offering, 150,000 Units were subscribed for by a related party of the Company (as such term is defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101")). The participation of the related party in the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101. The Company is relying upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 based on a determination that the fair market value of the Offering is not more than $2,500,000 and the fact the Company is not listed on a specified market set out in section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101. The Company intends to close a second tranche of the Offering in the coming weeks. For more information concerning the Company, please refer to the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. ABOUT GREEN LIGHT Green Light's mission is to expand known mineral resources and make new discoveries on one of North America's most prolific yet underexplored volcanogenic massive sulfide ("VMS") greenstone belts - the Penokean Volcanic Belt (the "Belt") in Wisconsin, USA. The Belt's deposits are rich in the clean energy metals copper and zinc, as well as gold, that are required to power the imminent green, low carbon economy. The Company's strategy is to capitalize on its first mover advantage to consolidate, secure, and drill dominant land positions. Green Light is committed to operating in a responsible and sustainable manner that benefits our local communities, bolsters national security, and assists in building and securing crucial US supply chains, all while protecting the environment. The Company has established an ESG Committee and is fully committed to transparency, accountability, environmental stewardship, safety and community engagement. The Company's key assets on the Belt are the Reef gold-copper and Bend copper-gold properties, each of which contains known historical resources with the potential for expansion. In addition, upon consummation of the amalgamation with Can-America, the Company will control two additional prospective properties in Wisconsin - Lobo and Black. Outside of Wisconsin, the Company will control the Kalium Canyon property, an exciting epithermal gold prospect located in the Walker Lane District of Nevada, upon consummation of the amalgamation with Can-America. For further information, please contact: Dan Colton President & CEO, Director (612) 839-8286 [email protected] David Carew CFO & Corporate Secretary (416) 786-4867 [email protected] Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "intend", "aim", "may", "will", "expect", 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 beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to the Proposed Transaction, the Private Placement and associated transactions (the "Transactions"), including statements regarding the terms and conditions of the Transactions, the anticipated timing and completion of the Transactions, the sum of the Private Placement, the listing of the Company's common shares on the TSXV and the timing and requirements of such listing, and the closing of a second tranche of the Offering. Although the Company and Can-America believe in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company and Can-America can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risk that the parties will not proceed with the Transactions, the ultimate terms of the Transactions differing from those that currently are contemplated, and the Transactions not being successfully completed for any reason (including the failure to obtain the required shareholder and regulatory approvals or clearances). The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company and Can-America undertake no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, Can-America, their securities, or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). There can be no assurance that the Transactions or a listing on the TSXV will be completed as proposed or at all. This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and applicable U.S. state securities laws. The Company will not make any public offering of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the polices of the TSX Venture Exchange) has in any way passed upon the merits of the Proposed Transaction and associated transactions and neither of the foregoing entities has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126981 Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (FSE: G6H) (OTCQB: GZDIF) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that crews have mobilized to southern British Columbia (BC) during May and have commenced surface-based fieldwork that will lead eventually to drilling during 2022. The Company is permitted for initial drilling programs at its Motherlode and Dayton Prospects in the Greenwood area of British Columbia and is currently in the process of obtaining the required permits for drilling at the Robocop Project near Grasmere, BC. Grizzly is actively seeking bids for its drilling program which is slated to begin later this summer. The 2022 exploration program for the Greenwood Precious-Battery Metals Project and the Robocop Battery Metals Project will comprise soil and rock sampling, along with ground geophysical surveys followed by drilling at both projects in southern BC. Grizzly will focus efforts at a number of new and existing high-priority battery metals targets at Robocop (copper, cobalt and silver) and precious metals - battery metals targets at Greenwood (gold-silver-copper and other base metals). The ground exploration will be focused on or near prospective targets to be drilled during 2022. Recent geophysical results have outlined large areas with anomalous geological potential for new discoveries at both projects. Brian Testo, President and CEO of Grizzly Discoveries stated "We look forward to the start of the 2022 program after completing a significant financing that will allow us to complete our drill programs at the Robocop Battery Metals Project and at our Greenwood Precious Metals-Battery Metals Project. Grizzly has significant potential for new copper-cobalt and copper-precious metal discoveries during a time when demand for battery metals is surging due to the shift to renewable energy sources and electric vehicles. We are looking forward to commencing an initial Phase 1 program over the next couple of months to isolate drill targets in preparation for a Phase 2 - 2022 drill testing. The geology of the Robocop and Greenwood areas has the potential to yield world-class discoveries." Update on Property Option Agreements In May 2022, Hi-View Resources Inc. commenced ground exploration including soil and rock sampling on the Company's Ket-28 property pursuant to the Ket-28 Option Agreement (see the Company's news release dated August 10, 2021). A ground time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey is being planned for early summer at the project. The intent of the survey will be to confirm and define potential conductivity and resistivity targets identified in airborne surveys leading to the definition of additional drill targets for copper-gold-silver skarns and porphyry's. Effective May 28, 2022, the optionee for the Company's Midway property (see the Company's news release dated March 15, 2021) notified the Company that the optionee would not proceed to the second year of the option agreement, and the option for the Midway property has been terminated. The Company is evaluating next steps for the Midway property. Warrants and Options Exercised Between May 3 and June 7, 2022 the Company issued a total of 1,700,000 common shares upon the exercise of outstanding options and warrants, for gross proceeds of $110,000. As of June 7, 2022, the Company has 133,124,890 common shares issued and outstanding. Options Granted The Board of Directors of the Company have authorized the grant of an aggregate 3,500,000 share purchase options under the Company's Stock Option Plan to Directors, Officers, and Consultants of the Company, including 2,500,000 to Insiders of the Company. The options are exercisable at $0.09 per common share until June 7, 2027, or earlier in accordance with the terms of the Stock Option Plan. These options vested immediately upon issuance and are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange. ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on developing its approximately 66,000 ha (approximately 165,000 acres) of precious and base metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. Grizzly is run by highly experienced junior resource sector management team, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from early exploration stage through to feasibility stage. On behalf of the Board, GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Brian Testo, CEO, President For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact: Chris Beltgens Corporate Development Tel: 604-282-6372 Email: [email protected] 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. Caution concerning forward-looking information This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126956 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 7, 2022) - Harvest One Cannabis Inc. (TSXV: HVT) (OTCQB: HRVOF) ("Harvest One" or the "Company"), a consumer packaged goods ("CPG") leader uniquely positioned in both the OTC non-infused and licensed cannabis-infused segments with a focus on health and wellness products, is pleased to announce that its board of directors has authorized a change in the Company's name from "Harvest One Cannabis Inc." to "Delivra Health Brands Inc." (the "Name Change"), subject to regulatory approval including that of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). In connection with the Name Change, it is anticipated that trading of the Company's common shares will commence under a new ticker symbol. Securityholders of the Company holding securities in the Company's prior name do not need to take any action as a result of the Name Change. Further details regarding the Name Change, including the effective date of the Name Change and the new ticker symbol of the Company, will be announced in due course. "The last two years have been transformative for the Company as we successfully navigated many difficult challenges to reshape the Company by focusing on health and wellness solutions. Effecting the Name Change is a logical next step for us, after completing a successful strategic review, placing the Company in a much stronger position to execute on its strategic priorities and deliver consistent growth for shareholders. The new name will be our flagship to remind us of our commitment to deliver health and wellness solutions, and will be backed by robust product development. While the Name Change undergoes regulatory review, we will be working diligently to share our new corporate values to reflect the new identity of the Company. We are proud of all the changes that we have made over the last 24 months, as the outcome of a unique hybrid business model commercializing both infused and non-infused products through our established consumer brands of Dream WaterTM and LivReliefTM, is relevant for the future of our health and wellness businesses," said Gord Davey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harvest One. About Harvest One Harvest One is a global cannabis-infused and non-infused CPG leader that develops and distributes premium health, wellness and selfcare products with a market focus on solutions for sleeplessness and pain, resulting in the reduction of fatigue and anxiety. Harvest One is a uniquely positioned company in the cannabis space which is commercializing both cannabis-infused and non-infused products. Harvest One has established an impressive track record in product innovation, branding, marketing and distribution through its portfolio of CPG brands. Harvest One owns and operates two subsidiaries;/Dream/Water TM Global and/LivRelief TM. For more information, please visit /www.harvestone.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "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 with respect to the completion of the Name Change, receipt of regulatory approvals for the Name Change, the change of ticker symbol for the Company, updates to the corporate values of the Company, and the future of the Company's health and wellness businesses. 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; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations and 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. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated March 2, 2021, and under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's management's discussion and analysis dated May 30, 2022, for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2022, filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Neither TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investor Relations: Jack Tasse Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 1-877-915-7934 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126824 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 7, 2022) - Latin Metals Inc. (TSXV: LMS) invites you to visit them at Booth #3142 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday June 13 to Wednesday June 15, 2022. About Latin Metals Inc. Latin Metals is a mineral exploration company acquiring a diversified portfolio of assets in South America. The Company operates with a Prospect Generator model focusing on the acquisition of prospective exploration properties at minimum cost, completing initial evaluation through cost-effective exploration to establish drill targets, and ultimately securing joint venture partners to fund drilling and advanced exploration. Shareholders gain exposure to the upside of a significant discovery without the dilution associated with funding the highest-risk drill-based exploration. Latin Metals has recently concluded deals to option out exploration properties to Barrick Gold Corporation, and Libero Copper and Gold. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Latin Metals Inc. Keith Henderson 604-638-3456 [email protected] www.latin-metals.com Senior Graphite and Carbon Executive Joins Management Team Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - The Board of Directors of Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (FSE: 0NG) (XSTU: 0NG) (the "Company" or "Northern") is pleased to announce that Mr. Hugues Jacquemin B.Sc. (hons) Dip. Esp. has been appointed Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") of the Company. Mr. Jacquemin will also be nominated for election to the Company's Board of Directors at the next Annual Meeting. Greg Bowes, the former CEO, has been appointed Executive Chairman and will continue to provide support and assistance to Mr. Jacquemin and the management team during a transition period. Mr. Jacquemin's appointment is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The Board of Directors wishes to thank Greg Bowes for his integrity, leadership and dedication to the Company over the past years which culminated in the financing and acquisition of Imerys' natural graphite division. The Board is extremely pleased to welcome Hugues to the management team where he is tasked with leading the Company through the next phase of its development, specifically, rapidly growing the Company's graphite production and building its capacity to manufacture battery anode material and other value added products. Hugues served as CEO of the Graphite and Carbon Division of Imerys SA and spearheaded its investment program for Li ion battery materials for EV markets. Imerys is a 4 billion company listed on the Paris Exchange and operates approximately 100 industrial mineral mines in over 30 countries. He has over 30 years of senior management experience growing Specialty Materials businesses for listed Fortune 500 companies and Private Equity firms in a broad spectrum of industries including graphite mining and processing, lithium ion battery ("LiB") materials, fuel cells and hydrogen production, graphene and carbon nanotubes, synthetic graphite and carbon materials. Hugues recently acted as an independent advisor to Northern on its acquisition of the Imerys assets. Hugues is a Belgian citizen and is fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Hugues Jacquemin commented: "It has been a pleasure to work with Greg Bowes and the Northern Graphite Board over the last year as we completed the transformational acquisition of the Imerys Natural Graphite mines and processing facilities and developed our strategy to become the worlds' leading graphite producer and processor. I am excited to lead the Company into the next stage of its development and look forward to creating a bright future for our employees, shareholders and all stakeholders. I would like to thank Greg and the Northern Board for the opportunity and look forward to executing our strategy together." About Northern Graphite Northern is a Canadian, TSXV listed company that is focused on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high value products critical to the green economy including anode material for LiBs/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies. Northern is the only significant graphite producing company in North America and will become the third largest outside of China when its Namibian operations come back on line in the first half of 2023. The Company also has two large scale development projects, Bissett Creek in Ontario and Okanjande in Namibia, that will be a source of continued production growth in the future. All projects have "battery quality" graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable countries. Qualified Person Greg Bowes, B.Sc. MBA P.Geo is a "qualified person" as defined under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release. For additional information Please visit the Company's website at http://www.northerngraphite.com/investors/presentation/, the Company's profile on www.sedar.com,our Social Channels listed below or contact the Company at (613) 241-9959. LinkedIn YouTube Twitter Facebook This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding, among others, the Company's intentions with respect to bringing its Namibian operations back on line and to advancing its developments projects to production, and developing the capacity to manufacture value added products. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126945 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) and related subsidiaries ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, has announced the availability of its Summer 2022 product release ("Summer '22"). PlurilockTM product releases provide additional features and enhanced functionality for the Company's zero trust identity solutions, including Plurilock ADAPTTM, a standards-based login multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution and Plurilock DEFENDTM, a continuous identity assurance solution. DEFEND Support for Amazon WorkSpaces Environments As part of the Plurilock Summer '22 release, DEFEND has added support for Amazon WorkSpaces, providing continuous identity confirmation for WorkSpaces virtual sessions. With an increase in remote and hybrid work, organizations are turning to virtual environments to achieve cost savings, to secure BYOD endpoints, and to comply with government and industry regulations. These solutions come with risks of their own, including risks related to credential compromise and unauthorized access. The new DEFEND functionality provides continuous identity assurance through behavioral biometrics, terminating the virtual session whenever the individual using the session is not recognized as the authorized user. New DEFEND Decision API The Plurilock Summer '22 release also enables administrators to use DEFEND as a point-in-time authentication tool through an API endpoint that provides a simple confirmation or rejection for authentication workflows using DEFEND continuous authentication data. By leveraging DEFEND's cutting-edge zero trust identity technology, organizations can use this endpoint to craft authentication workflows that confirm user identity biometrically, as work happens, without pausing for usernames, passwords, or physical scans. Enhanced Group Management The Plurilock Summer '22 release further includes a number of enhancements to DEFEND's group management tools. These enable system administrators to streamline group configuration and management through policy export, import, and cloning operations to reduce the number of clicks required for common group administration tasks. Enhanced Log View Research The Plurilock Summer '22 release expands on and simplifies DEFEND's log investigation and analysis workflows. Introduced with Summer '22 are a new dual-state authentication log view and powerful CSV export tool, enabling administrators to pause the real-time authentication log display for research and to download detailed, real-time log data in CSV format for ad-hoc import into a variety of other tools. Impact and Availability Plurilock's Summer '22 product release focuses on 1) support for virtual environments, 2) enhanced frictionless identity confirmation, training, and workflows, and 3) on providing features and enhancements to increase usability and productivity. "In our summer product release, our team has delivered on critical features that support our customers' growing use of virtual environments and other customer-driven features that streamline workflows and enhance protection against credential compromise and unauthorized access," said Ian L. Paterson, CEO of Plurilock. "This continued development of our product portfolio is in alignment with our larger strategy to acquire profitable cybersecurity companies with great customers and provide cutting-edge identity confirmation solutions that protect workforces." To brief the cybersecurity community about this release, the Company is hosting an overview and live demo event on July 21, 2022, from 2-3 p.m. Eastern Time, featuring Plurilock's Director of Channel Sales, Paul Baker, and Vice President of Product, Dr. Aron Hsiao. Register now. All Plurilock Summer '22 product release features are available prior to general availability as part of Plurilock's early access program for existing customers. About Plurilock Plurilock provides identity-centric cybersecurity for today's workforces. The Plurilock family of companies enables organizations to operate safely and securely while reducing cybersecurity friction. Plurilock offers world-class IT and cybersecurity solutions through its Solutions Division, paired with proprietary, AI-driven and cloud-friendly security through its Technology Division. Together, the Plurilock family of companies delivers persistent identity assurance with unmatched ease of use. For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact: Ian L. Paterson Chief Executive Officer [email protected] 416.800.1566 Roland Sartorius Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Prit Singh Investor Relations [email protected] 905.510.7636 Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126843 Malaga, Spain--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - Stockholm Precision Tools AB invites you to visit them at Booth #905 at The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada Convention (PDAC) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) on Monday, June 13, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022. About Stockholm Precision Tools AB This year, the Swedish company Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT) manufacturer of directional survey solutions, will be exhibiting at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada 2022 (PDAC22) conference. This year, they are presenting an Augmented Reality Experience./Attendees will be able to meet and greet SPT staff at booth #905 and explore in an original and unique way their tools through augmented reality experience. At the booth, the founder and CEO of SPT, Orlando Ramirez will be greeting all visitors, along with Eric Estrada, global marketing manager, Hector Marin, technical manager, and Anthony Seredynski, the head of the SPT Canada offices. ...of course, we are excited to welcome PDAC visitors to our booth; we are more than happy to assist them and answer any questions they may have. Orlando Ramirez said./We aim to bring the public a different and original experience during PDAC while they discover our latest developments./ Eric Estrada said. Anthony Seredynski mentioned: We are excited to be able to present to the public a different way to experience our tools. The extended information regarding the technology and solutions developed by SPT and how it could benefit your mining projects can be found at their website in https://sptab.com. SPT is offering a free on-site demonstration of their tools that both mining and drilling professionals can book a no-obligation trial through their contact form at their website or directly at [email protected]./ About Stockholm Precision Tools (SPT) Since the foundation of the company in 1996, Stockholm Precision Tools (SPTAB) has been a trusted partner and supplier of high quality solid state gyro solutions. They collaborate with the largest oil and gas, mining and civil engineering companies around the world. State-of-the-art technology and high industrial quality standards ensure that all manufactured products meet international quality standards. By keeping design and manufacturing in-house, it is possible to closely monitor every step of the production process to ensure the highest level of quality control. About PDAC The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Convention is the leading convention for people, governments, companies and organizations connected to mineral exploration. In addition to meeting more than 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 23,000 attendees in person in 2020, participants could also attend programming, courses and networking events. The annual convention is held in Toronto, Canada. It has grown in size, stature and influence since it began in 1932 and today is the event of choice for the world's mineral industry. From 2021 it is also offered as an online event. For more information and/or to register for the conference, please visit: https://www.pdac.ca/convention/registration. We look forward to seeing you there. For further information: Stockholm Precision Tools AB Eric Estrada +34617022409 [email protected] https://sptab.com Kellogg Company, Tyson Foods Inc., and Ajinomoto Company, Inc., honored for industry leadership and impact on their trading partner community; and Lou Farina of Colgate-Palmolive Company honored with the 1WorldSync Compass Award CHICAGO, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1WorldSync, the leading provider of omnichannel product content solutions, announced the recipients of the 2022 Power of 1 Awards during their Annual User Group meeting, co-located with GS1 Connect in San Diego. Recipients are recognized for their market leadership, innovation and focus on the quality and completeness of product content. The 1WorldSync Power of 1 Awards are given to organizations that have had a significant impact on their community of trading partners through product information initiatives and global content distribution. Ajinomoto Company, Inc. received the prestigious 1nnovation Award which celebrates a project that focuses on innovative solutions, technologies, and resources to improve the trusted product content exchange that their customers count on. Ajinomoto recently conducted an innovative project in partnership with their agency, Creative Energy, alongside 1WorldSync to leverage their product content within the 1WorldSync platform, and its ContentNow API, to seamlessly power the company's corporate website and enable their omnichannel sales strategy. The Quality1 Award was awarded to Kellogg Company and Tyson Foods, Inc. and acknowledges their companies' commitments to significantly raising the standards in sharing compelling, engaging and consistent product information. They were endorsed for their commitment to exceptional data quality through consistently strong accuracy scores and regular collaboration with their data recipients. Lou Farina, Worldwide Director, Global Data Management of Colgate-Palmolive Company, was honored with the 1WorldSync Compass award for his career-long dedication to advancing the exchange of quality product content, and whose outstanding personal efforts have had a profound and enduring impact in driving next-generation product information initiative practices. "We are honored to recognize these innovative and dedicated organizations with this year's Power of 1 Awards," said Steve Sivitter, Chief Executive Officer, at 1WorldSync. "I would like to personally congratulate each of the recipients for their outstanding efforts in leading the advancement of omnichannel commerce across the globe." For more information on 1WorldSync, visit https://www.1worldsync.com. About 1WorldSync 1WorldSync is the leading provider of omnichannel product content solutions, enabling more than 14,000 companies in over 60 countries to share authentic, trusted content that empowers confident commerce and intelligent consumer purchasing decisions. Through its technology platform and expert services, 1WorldSync solves revenue-impacting product content challenges faced by leading brands and retailers in the CPG/retail, DIY, consumer electronics, healthcare and foodservice industries. 1WorldSync is one of the only product content providers and GDSN Data Pools to achieve ISO Certification 27001. For more information, please visit https://www.1worldsync.com. Media contactMatt Galassini1WorldSync[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1worldsync-recognizes-leaders-in-omnichannel-product-content-through-the-2022-power-of-1-awards-301564071.html SOURCE 1WorldSync Unveiled at Stockholm+50, digital art installation 50-50 marks 50 years of climate action and its significant, unheralded positive impact on key biodiversity areas Installation by experiential and crypto artist John Munro illustrates UN datasets as abstract forms in digital landscapes as UN bids to use creativity to tell climate stories LONDON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 50-50 - a new digital art installation by acclaimed artist John Munro, Founder of Immersive International, unveiled at Stockholm+50 last week, reveals the unheralded positive impact of human climate action on the earth's biomes and key biodiversity areas. 50-50 was created in partnership with the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum (SPBF) and art patron Jonathan Lett to mark fifty years of environmental action. Featuring an audio composition by sound artist Giovanni Agusta, 50-50 uses virtual landscapes and abstracted sculptural forms as a canvas for datasets illustrating the achievements and impact of the UN's Environmental Programme in Key Biodiversity Areas over the past five decades. This digital art commission, the first of its kind for the UN, demonstrates the organisation's commitment to using art, creativity, and technology to bring climate stories to life, inspiring broader engagement with sustainability and conservation projects. The President of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid said: "The 50-50 art piece uses real data to articulate the condition of our changing environment, the hope to conserve and restore our ecosystems and a vision for future action. I congratulate John Munro and Giovanni Agusta for their creativity and the scientists for providing the datasets behind this legacy project that embraces the emerging art forms of the Metaverse. It inspires us to act towards a better future." Key Biodiversity Areas are paramount to global biodiversity. These crucial ecosystems, found in our Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial, and Mountain biomes are constantly gaining protection worldwide. Munro analysed hundreds of datasets to create artwork that uses abstract forms to elucidate the precise impact of climate action and human activity. Over 40% of the world's Key Biodiversity Areas are now protected and celebrated in the work, but that is still less than 10% of our planet's surface area. If we continue to identify and protect Key Biodiversity Areas, we can reverse the impending mass extinction of species. Shereen Zorba, Head of the Global Secretariat of the UN SPBF on the Environment said: "The unveiling of this art installation marked a historic moment: half a century of environmental action. It is art meets science. And a powerful call to action." Munro's installation, produced by Immersive International's Managing Director Tommy Lexen and supported by Jonathan Lett, will be displayed both physically and virtually over the next year. 50 individual NFT artworks derived from it will also be auctioned to raise vital funds supporting climate change and environmental initiatives by the United Nations Environment Programme, in collaboration with UN SPBF. John Munro said: "It's an honour to work on this project and highlight and celebrate the incredibly positive work being done every day to protect our planet's biodiversity. The more we connect to our planet and each other, the more we will work to uplift ourselves out of this global crisis. Digital art sits at the unique intersection of multisensory experiences to inspire and engage people with the vital work to secure our planet's long-term health." "It's hugely heartening that the UN is embracing the power of creativity, and we are inspired and thrilled to work alongside their data scientists to bring this to life." John Munro: https://www.john-munro.com/ Immersive International: https://immersive.international/ 50-50: https://www.50-50.art/ UN SPBF: https://un-spbf.org/ Contact Details:[email protected]+44 (0)203-176-2700 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/50-50-untold-story-of-human-climate-action-progress-revealed-through-digital-artwork-301564227.html SOURCE Immersive International The Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act would ensure federal workers receive prompt access to high-quality health care for work-related injuries. AUSTIN, Texas, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) President April N. Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, issued the following statement applauding the U.S. House of Representatives passage of H.R. 6087, the Improving Access to Workers' Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act. By passing this bill today, the U.S. House has once again acted to reduce unnecessary barriers to timely care "On behalf of AANP and more than 355,000 nurse practitioners (NPs), we thank Representatives Courtney (D-CT) and Walberg (R-MI) and the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor for its bipartisan leadership to pass H.R. 6087. We applaud the U.S. House of Representatives and the 325 Members of Congress who voted in favor of this important legislation, which will help ensure injured federal workers receive prompt access to high-quality health care for their work-related injuries. Today's action in the U.S. House helps move federal employees who can already choose an NP as their health care provider under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program one step closer to utilizing those same providers to certify and oversee the care of their workplace-related injuries. H.R. 6087 is a common-sense, no-cost solution to give federal workers timely access to the care they need, when they need it most. By passing this bill today, the U.S. House has once again acted to reduce unnecessary barriers to timely care, enabling the nation's NPs to provide health care services in accordance with state law. We urge the U.S. Senate to promptly pass H.R. 6087." The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 355,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org. For COVID-19 information from AANP, visit aanp.org/COVID19. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aanp-statement-on-us-house-of-representatives-passage-of-hr-6087-301563566.html SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners AUSTIN, Texas, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aurigo Software, North America's leading capital planning and construction management software provider, announced it has entered into contracts with the cities of Colorado Springs (Colorado), St. Petersburg, (Florida), and Pearland (Texas) to implement Masterworks, the company's flagship cloud platform. The software will help manage the cities' capital improvement programs, which are expected to expand over the next decade with the passing of last year's bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. "The public sector is adopting digital technologies to streamline their operations and provide more reliable outcomes to their constituents," said Josh Moriarty, Aurigo's Vice President of Customer Success. "We're honored to work with some of America's finest public works departments to modernize their process and help them deliver their capital assets faster." Each of the cities sought out a technology provider to support an increased investment in new infrastructure assets, revitalization projects, and repairs. St Petersburg is delivering the largest capital budget in City history that will upgrade water and wastewater systems, improve downtown parking, and help sustain the City's Complete Streets initiative. Colorado Springs, which has seen its population increase by about 15 percent over the last decade, is in the middle of a five-year plan that makes critical roadway improvements, upgrades the City's airport facilities, and expands trails and parkland in the area. Pearland's 20222026 capital improvement budget of approximately $471 million will improve drainage systems, street paving and extensions, and community facilities, including an animal shelter, fire stations, and libraries. Aurigo will work with the three agencies to deliver not only the necessary workflow automation and collaboration tools to support construction activities, but the system will also act as a single repository for capital program data to help officials make quicker decisions based on real time information. The platform can bring together both internal and external stakeholders on projects to ensure that all parties are working off the same dataset, promoting transparency and public accountability. Masterworks also includes key capabilities to manage schedule, budget, and risk across an agency's capital program lifecycle and integrates with existing enterprise systems where needed. Colorado Springs, St. Petersburg, and Pearland join Aurigo's growing list of local and regional government clients in public works, transit, and water and wastewater including the cities of Houston, Seattle, and Las Vegas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and Tampa Bay Water District. Aurigo is one of only a small number of firms on the StateRAMP Authorized Vendor List and the Masterworks product suite has been available on the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) marketplace since late 2020. About Aurigo Software Aurigo builds software that helps build the world. Aurigo provides modern, cloud-based solutions for capital infrastructure and private owners to help them plan with confidence and build with quality. With more than $300b of capital programs under management, Aurigo's solutions are trusted by over 300 customers in transportation, water and utilities, healthcare, higher education, and the government on over 40,000 projects across North America. Aurigo helps capital program executives make better decisions based on proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Aurigo is a privately held U.S. corporation headquartered in Austin, Texas, with global offices in Canada and India. Learn more at www.aurigo.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aurigo-software-partners-with-the-cities-of-colorado-springs-st-petersburg-and-pearland-to-deliver-key-infrastructure-programs-301563034.html SOURCE Aurigo Software Technologies Boomi's worldwide network of 800+ partners, including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, Snowflake, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft, help fuel the category-leading, global SaaS company's rapid customer growth Several Fortune 500 companies and notable brands globally, such as AT&T, Cisco, LinkedIn, Moderna, Novartis, and Sky, leverage the Boomi AtomSphere Platform to drive better business outcomes Boomi's enterprise-grade platform scales to support the largest customer deployments, recently processing more than one trillion documents and 65 billion integrations as demand for intelligent connectivity and automation grows CHESTERBROOK, Pa., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boomi, the intelligent connectivity and automation leader, today announced that it has surpassed 20,000 customers, representing the largest customer base of any cloud integration platform as a service (iPaaS) provider. Fortune 500 companies and notable brands globally, such as AT&T, Cisco, LinkedIn, Moderna, and Novartis, along with leading international companies like Ampol, Australian Red Cross, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Sky, leverage the Boomi AtomSphere Platform to drive better business outcomes. Boomi's customers rely on the category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company's award-winning technology, robust community, and world-class partners to accelerate productivity, drive innovation, and thrive during change. In addition to working with worldwide brands, Boomi also works with leading non-profit organizations that are focused on connecting the world for good, extending Boomi's mission to connect everyone to everything, anywhere. "Our team supports the people and systems that bring researchers together with the ultimate goal of curing cancer," said Craig Eisenberger, director, Enterprise Platform Services and Data Management at the American Association for Cancer Research. "Boomi enables us to create seamless and real-time connections between our systems so we can have a single, shared version of truth across our organization. Through the Boomi platform, we'll produce and distribute more accurate data, and the insights we acquire will enable our stakeholders to spend less time creating reports and more time driving our mission forward." "Today's global organizations need intelligent connectivity and automation like never before," said Chris Port, chief operating officer at Boomi. "Supply chain disruptions have caused a projected $4 trillion in lost revenues. The Great Reshuffle and the need to support a growing hybrid and remote workforce are straining already lean resources. Silos continue to prevent companies from realizing the value of their data," added Port. "Businesses of all sizes, across all geographies and industries, turn to Boomi and our vast ecosystem to successfully solve challenges like these, quickly and easily." Boomi's worldwide network of more than 800 partners, including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake, as well as the three largest cloud providers Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Microsoft have helped fuel the company's rapid customer growth as demand for intelligent connectivity and automation continues to accelerate. Boomi's low-code, cloud-native, enterprise-grade integration platform scales to support the largest customer deployments recently processing more than one trillion documents and 65 billion integrations enabling enterprises to quickly and easily unify their full digital ecosystems. By connecting data and systems across hybrid digital environments, organizations can break down business silos, unlock the power of data, and streamline workflows to better serve customers, employees, and partners. As the pioneer of cloud-based iPaaS, the Boomi AtomSphere Platform serves as the backbone of innovation in organizations, saving thousands of hours in tedious development and accelerating time to value while addressing digital transformation imperatives. Boomi touts a growing user community of over 100,000 members and one of the largest arrays of global system integrators (GSI) in the iPaaS space. Positioned as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for enterprise platform as a service (EiPaaS)2 for eight consecutive years, the company recently received the Gold Globee Award in the Platform as a Service (PaaS) category, and has garnered numerous awards for being an employer of choice, including a recent listing as one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces. Additional Resources Read more about how our customers succeed with Boomi Learn more about the Boomi AtomSphere Platform Explore the Boomiverse Community Follow Boomi on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube Gartner Disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. GARTNER and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Note: Boomi was recognized as Dell Boomi from 2014 to 2019. About Boomi Boomi instantly connects everyone to everything, anywhere with its cloud-native, unified, open, and intelligent platform. Boomi's integration platform as a service (iPaaS) is trusted by more than 20,000 customers globally for its speed, ease-of-use, and lower total cost of ownership. As the pioneer at fueling intelligent use of data, Boomi's vision is to make it quick and easy for customers and partners to discover, manage, and orchestrate data, while connecting applications, processes, and people for better, faster outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.boomi.com. 2022 Boomi, LP. Boomi, the 'B' logo, Boomiverse, and AtomSphere are trademarks of Boomi, LP or its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Other names or marks may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Kristen Walker Global Corporate Communications [email protected] +1-415-613-8320 1 Largest customer base among iPaaS vendors 2 Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Integration Platform as a Service, Eric Thoo, Keith Guttridge, Bindi Bhullar, Shameen Pillai, Abhishek Singh, September 29, 2021 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boomi-surpasses-20-000-customers-sets-industry-record-for-largest-customer-base-301563723.html SOURCE Boomi MIAMI, June 8, 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. On May 27, 2022, the Company also announced 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's management continues to work diligently to complete the Required Documents as soon as practicable. 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 (through its in-market partner) 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 InformationCertain 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) 972-8077investors.getfluent.com Investor Relations Contact Sean Mansouri, CFAElevate IR(720) 330-2829[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cansortium-provides-bi-weekly-mcto-status-update-and-update-regarding-annual-and-interim-financial-statements-301564451.html SOURCE Cansortium Inc ASHEVILLE, N.C., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CooperRiis Healing Community is pleased to announce Ride Above Mental Illness, a peer-to-peer fundraising event. Inspired by Western North Carolina resident Jeremiah Reiner, CooperRiis will be raising awareness of adult mental health challenges and CooperRiis' response to helping adults needing residential mental health healing. CooperRiis Healing Community is pleased to announce Ride Above Mental Illness, a peer-to-peer fundraising event. Jeremiah is riding the 2022 Tour Divide, an "Ultra-Endurance Bike-Packing Event". The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route covers 2,745 miles from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Ride Above Mental Illness was inspired by Jeremiah's own mental health journey since childhood. Individuals across the nation can participate in Ride Above Mental Illness by joining Jeremiah's team or starting their own team. The purpose of this event is to bring awareness to the concept of mental illness and recovery. CooperRiis' Ride Above Mental Illness is an opportunity to engage alumni, their families, and the community at large while celebrating our longstanding involvement in the field of mental health recovery. Individuals and organizations are invited to start a team or simply make an online donation. SPONSORS: ULINE, The Bottle Tryon, First Sun EAP and Open Road Coffee To learn more about the event: https://charity.pledgeit.org/CooperRiisHealingCommunity Contacts: Eric A. Levine, Ed.D., President and CEO Cell: 240-446-1691 Office: 828-899-0089 [email protected] Kim Nelson, Marketing & Outreach DirectorCell: 828-817-3783Office: 828-894-7315[email protected] About CooperRiis Healing Community CooperRiis is a nonprofit 501c3 organization, a member of the American Residential Treatment Association (ARTA), and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accredited residential healing community in Asheville, North Carolina. Since 2003, CooperRiis has been helping adults living with mental health challenges, including anxiety, major depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and co-occurring conditions related to addiction, achieve their highest levels of functioning and fulfillment. CooperRiis offers a full continuum of care (four levels) through a personalized recovery approach that combines clinical therapies, community work & service, education, and integrative wellness practices across three campuses, including a 94-acre working farm. Visit http://www.cooperriis.org or call 828.894.7140 for more about CooperRiis Healing Community and its approach to mental health treatment. For admissions: [email protected] CONTACT: Laurie Rovin, Chief Development Officer 828.899.0730 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cooperriis-announces-ride-above-mental-illness-301564340.html SOURCE CooperRiis A Healing Farm Community The new, free service, supported by Public Interest Registry and CleanDNS, addresses industry-wide need for a simplified, standardized, and streamlined abuse reporting system RESTON, Va., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The DNS Abuse Institute (DNSAI), which was created by Public Interest Registry (PIR) in furtherance of its non-profit mission, today announced the launch of NetBeacon, the first centralized DNS Abuse reporting service. As part of its ongoing mission to combat DNS Abuse and bolster Internet safety, the DNSAI is now launching its largest undertaking to date. The DNSAI is launching NetBeacon in collaboration with CleanDNS, an anti-abuse solution developer, which generously donated the development and technology behind NetBeacon. NetBeacon will be publicly available free of charge for anyone to easily submit or receive reports of DNS Abusewhich includes harmful Internet activities such as malware, botnets, phishing, and spam. Streamlining what has long been a manual, slow, and convoluted investigatory process, NetBeacon will collect standardized reports of DNS Abuse, enrich them with useful information for registrars, and route reports through the appropriate channels. "NetBeacon addresses the yearslong, industry-wide need for a reporting system that can simplify, standardize, and streamline the process for reporting DNS Abuse," said Graeme Bunton, Director of the DNS Abuse Institute. "Historically, the process has been confusing and inconsistentleading to reports that are misdirected or lack the necessary evidence for registrars to take action. NetBeacon not only helps registrar partners effectively address DNS Abuse on the back-end but also provides an opportunity to publicly illustrate a commitment to Internet safety for all users. By working together, we can make real progress towards our shared goal of making the Internet a safer place." NetBeacon's core functions are designed to make it easier for registrars to receive and process abuse claims. By providing a single venue, with standardized fields and evidence requirements, NetBeacon aims to improve the quality of reports. Each report will include fields for the domain in question, the type of abuse, a description of abuse, date of abuse, and any additional evidence. "Netbeacon is the next step forward in combating DNS Abuse; enriched reports will save us time and create a safer DNS environment." said Theo Geurts, Compliance & Policy Officer of Realtime Register. The Institute will accept DNS Abuse reports through three core mechanisms. First, reports can be submitted via NetBeacon's website (www.NetBeacon.org). The DNSAI has also been working with registrars and partners to embed submission forms directly on their websiteswhere people purchase and manage their domains. Additionally, there is an API for report acceptance, allowing approved participants to submit abuse complaints programmatically, and at scale. "While there have been efforts to address DNS Abuse by some leading actors, both within and outside the industry, not all stakeholders have adequate resources to combat the issue on a large scale," said Jon Nevett, President and CEO of PIR. "Through initiatives like NetBeacon, Public Interest Registry and our DNS Abuse Institute are advancing policies, creating partnerships, and developing resources to help all stakeholdersincluding registries, law enforcement agencies, consumer protection entities, and the general publicmore effectively collaborate to tackle DNS Abuse and make the Internet a safer place for all." "CleanDNS is a passion project for me that involves a determined effort to support both the infrastructure and abuse reporting communities to standardize and escalate abuse resolution and mitigation efforts across the internet," said Jeffrey Bedser, CEO of CleanDNS. "We at CleanDNS are proud to work with the DNS Abuse Institute with the donation of the systems and processes behind NetBeacon. The efforts undertaken here coupled with other industry efforts will facilitate ongoing processes to reduce, limit, and mitigate victimization of consumers via varied forms of DNS Abuse." PIR has long been committed to combating DNS Abuse. In 2021, PIR launched the DNS Abuse Institute to support the broader DNS community as part of its non-profit mission. In 2019, the organization helped spearhead the Framework to Address Abuse that sets forth registries' and registrars' responsibilities when it comes to addressing DNS Abuse. About the Domain Name System (DNS) Abuse InstituteThe Domain Name System (DNS) Abuse Institute is tasked with creating outcomes-based initiatives that will create recommended practices, foster collaboration, and develop industry-shared solutions to combat the five areas of DNS Abuse: malware, botnets, phishing, pharming, and related spam. The Institute was created by Public Interest Registry, the registry operator for the .ORG top-level domain. The DNSAI was founded in 2021. About Public Interest RegistryPublic Interest Registry (PIR) is a nonprofit that operates the .ORG top-level domainone of the world's largest generic top-level domains with more than 10.6 million domain names registered worldwide. PIR has been a champion for a free and open Internet for two decades with a clear mission to be an exemplary domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and help educate those who dedicate themselves to improving our world. PIR was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA. About CleanDNSCleanDNS was developed by a team of cyber security and investigative professionals who recognized the critical need for a systemized, standardized and customizable process to rein in domain name abuse and shorten the life cycle of domains used for abuse. The CleanDNS platform utilizes an evidence-based workflow that simplifies and accelerates domain abuse mitigation procedures. By facilitating early detection of abuse, CleanDNS assists with detecting likely sources of abuse with tools and processes to effectively mitigate. Visit www.CleanDNS.com for more information. Contact: [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dns-abuse-institute-launches-netbeacon-first-ever-centralized-dns-abuse-reporting-service-301563197.html SOURCE .ORG, The Public Interest Registry Next Legends Campaign Aims to Educate Native American Youth About Harms of Vaping through Culturally Specific Ads SILVER SPRING, Md., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the launch of the "Next Legends" Youth E-cigarette Prevention Campaign as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to protect youth from the dangers of tobacco use. The campaign will educate American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, ages 12-17, about the harms of vaping through unique branding and tailored messaging created to inspire a new generation to live Native strong and vape-free. There are approximately 400,000 Native teens in the U.S., and more than half of them are at-risk of using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Studies show that Native youth are more susceptible to e-cigarette use than their non-Native peers, and they demonstrate disproportionately high experimentation and current use of e-cigarettes. Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System indicate that: AI/AN youth are more likely to use e-cigarettes and almost twice as likely to be frequent users of e-cigarettes than high school students overall; 47.3% of AI/AN high school students reported past 30-day use of "electronic vapor products" including e-cigarettes compared to 32.7% of high school students overall; and 19.9% of AI/AN high school students reported using electronic vapor products frequently (on 20 or more days in the last 30 days) compared to 10.7% of high school students overall. "The Next Legends campaign is an important and creative way to educate Native youth about the harms of vaping," said Michele Mital, acting director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. "E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among youth, and they pose serious health risks if used during adolescence, when the brain is still developing. Next Legends builds on the success of previous youth e-cigarette prevention campaigns while also addressing health disparities among Native Americans and Alaska Natives associated with tobacco use. Communicating with Native youth through culturally-aligned messages will help these youth make informed decisions about healthy behavior, including being vape-free." The "Next Legends" campaign will reach AI/AN teens where they spend much of their time- online. Digital video advertisements will be placed on social media sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, and streaming and gaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. In addition to the campaign's digital video and social media presence, out-of-home billboards, radio, and TV (in Alaska) will also be used to help spread the public health messages to Native youth. The ads feature members of the AI/AN community and messaging focused on the negative health consequences and addiction risks of using e-cigarettes, the dangerous mix of chemicals and metals found in them, and how vaping can negatively affect aspects of life that are very important to the community. In consultation with AI/AN community members and other experts in Native culture, media, and public health research, the FDA conducted robust research to develop effective messaging to reach Native youth. Strategies included extensive research and analysis to identify messaging needs and unique cultural considerations for commercial tobacco use prevention efforts; focus groups with AI/AN youth from across regions of the U.S.; and testing of video ads through an online survey with a large sample of Native youth. To ensure cultural relevancy for this audience, the FDA's media contractor, Rescue Agency, partnered with G+G Advertising, a native-owned advertising agency with more than 20 years' experience working with AI/AN tribes and communities. The FDA's tobacco prevention campaigns are critical to its public health mission. In addition to public education campaigns, the agency protects youth from the harms of vaping through regulation, scientific review of products, and taking enforcement actions against tobacco manufacturers, retailers, importers and distributors, when needed. The FDA restricts youth access to tobacco products by, for example, requiring retailers to check ID prior to sale and not sell to anyone under the age of 21. Related Information: Media Contact: Courtney Rhodes, (202) 281-5237 Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-launches-campaign-aimed-at-preventing-e-cigarette-use-among-american-indianalaska-native-youth-301564142.html SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration The New Jersey State Bar quoted GrowPath Founder Eric Sanchez, who was directly involved in the Pigford II case. DURHAM, N.C., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GrowPath Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Eric Sanchez was recently featured in an article by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation about the historic 2010 Pigford II case, also known as the Black Farmers case. The article, "Double Burden on Black Farmers in America," discusses the unfair treatment of Black farmers throughout the United States and the legal cases that were brought to rectify some of these wrongs. One of those cases was Pigford v. Glickman, named for Timothy Pigford, a farmer in North Carolina who claimed USDA officials denied his loan application because he was Black. Sanchez, who worked the case in his capacity as the Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, recalled in the article how he personally met with some of the plaintiffs and saw their struggles first-hand, which had a deep impact on him. Thanks in part to his efforts, nearly 18,000 submitted claims by Black farmers were approved. In all, the case settled for $1.25 billion. "The New Jersey State Bar reached out to Eric because he was a pivotal figure in that historic case," said Neal Goffman, GrowPath Chief Executive Officer. "We're proud of the tremendous experience on our executive team. Our leaders our highly respected in the legal field, and we bring that knowledge and experience to GrowPath every day." About GrowPath GrowPath is a cutting-edge legal case management software delivering industry-leading solutions for personal injury law firms. By partnering with GrowPath, in addition to yielding the benefits of using a market-leading platform, firms get access to some of the best and most creative minds in the industry. From leadership to our customer service teams, we have years of real-world expertise building successful plaintiffs' firms. GrowPath is empowering firms to boost revenue by improving the efficiency of the services they deliver. To learn more, visit GrowPath.com. Media Contact: Connie Wong Director of Marketing [email protected] o : 844.520.2893 ext. 12112 d : 919.286.5759 Related links: growpath.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/growpath-founder-featured-in-njsbf-article-on-historic-1-25b-black-farmers-case-301563597.html SOURCE GrowPath Company discloses progress in IP, innovation at themed event SHENZHEN, China, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei announced a batch of key inventions as part of its biennial "Top Ten Inventions" Awards at the "Broadening the Innovation Landscape 2022" forum held at its Shenzhen headquarters. The award is designed to recognize inventions that could create new series of products, become important commercial features of existing products, or that generate considerable value for the company and the industry. The awarded inventions range from an adder neural network that significantly reduces power consumption and circuit area to a game-changing "optical iris" that provides a unique identifier for optical fibers. It is designed to help carriers manage their network resources, cutting time and costs associated with broadband deployment. The announcement came in the context of intellectual property rights, the protection and sharing of which Huawei believes is critical to the tech ecosystem. "Protecting IP is key to protecting innovation," said Huawei's Chief Legal Officer, Song Liuping. "We are eager to license our patents and technologies to share our innovations with the world. This will help broaden the innovation landscape, drive our industry forward, and advance technology for everyone," he added. "Huawei is constantly changing itself, and constantly showcasing to the world the value of IP from China," said Tian Lipu, President of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property's China Chapter. By the end of 2021, Huawei held more than 110,000 active patents across over 45,000 patent families. It has more granted patents than any other Chinese company, has filed the most patent applications with the EU Patent Office, and ranked fifth in terms of new patents granted in the United States. For five straight years, Huawei has ranked No. 1 worldwide in terms of Patent Cooperation Treaty applications. Alan Fan, Head of Huawei's IPR Department, said the value of Huawei patents has seen wide recognition in the industry, especially in mainstream standards such as cellular technology, Wi-Fi, and audio/video codecs. "In the past five years, more than two billion smartphones have been licensed to Huawei's 4G/5G patents. And for cars, about eight million connected vehicles licensed to Huawei patents are being delivered to the consumers every year," Fan said. Huawei is also working actively with patent license administration companies in offering "one-stop" licenses for mainstream standards. "Over 260 companiesaccounting for one billion deviceshave obtained Huawei's HEVC patent licenses through a patent pool," Fan said. He added that the company is in discussions to establish a new patent pool to give the industry "quick access" to Huawei's patents for Wi-Fi devices worldwide. Huawei is also discussing joint licensing programs for 5G patents with licensing experts and other leading industry patentees. Liu Hua, Director of World Intellectual Property Organization Office in China, praised Huawei's sustained focus on innovation, saying: "We look forward to seeing Huawei continue to take part in high-level global competition with innovation at its core." For Manuel Desantes, former Vice President of European Patent Office, given the vast number of changes in the world these days, what matters most is no longer the number of registered patents or inventions. "The IP system should assure that the creations that merit protection are those that bring actual value," he said. This marked the third innovation and IP-themed event Huawei has hosted on its innovation practices. Every year, Huawei invests over 10% of its sales revenue into R&D. In terms of R&D expenditure, Huawei ranked second in the 2021 EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard. In 2021, the company increased its R&D investment to CNY142.7 billion, representing 22.4% of our total revenue. Over the past decade, Huawei's total R&D investment surpassed CNY845 billion. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huawei-announces-new-inventions-that-will-revolutionize-ai-5g-and-user-experience-301563881.html SOURCE Huawei Hands-on training in Knoxville teaches essential machining skills, addresses U.S. machining workforce gap KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer 2022 bootcamps for America's Cutting Edge (ACE) are underway in Knoxville, Tenn. The ACE initiative, led and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), has its roots in Eastern Tennessee and is designed to revitalize the U.S. machine tool industry as a central component of America's global manufacturing competitiveness. The pilot program for the ACE training on Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines was so successful in East Tennessee in 2021 that it is now emerging as a national network of regional machine tools innovation and workforce development centers. Hosted jointly by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and Pellissippi State Community College (PSCC), a total of eight weeklong bootcamps, which started in March and will run through July, will train up to 80 participants in the latest machine tool technologies for metals and composites. Participants come from across the U.S. and have diverse backgrounds, ranging from high school, community college, and university students to professional machinists and manufacturing engineers. "Machine tools are at the very core of advanced manufacturing capabilities," says Joannie Harmon, director of workforce development for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), which is managing the ACE training initiative. "There is an urgent and growing need in the U.S. machining and machine tool industry for skilled individuals operators, engineers, designers and more in the 30,000 machining operations across America." In May, 11 ACE participants got hands-on experience in PSCC's machining lab fabricating four components for an oscillating piston air engine. "All ACE in-person training follows the same curriculum," says Andy Polnicki, the Megalab Director at PSCC. "Though this week's camp served professionals already in manufacturing jobs and looking to expand their skillsets, other PSCC camps will be geared for high school students and will focus more on job opportunities and career pathways." After organizing ACE bootcamps for a year, Polnicki has found it helpful to group similar ages and experiences for each PSCC camp. Students and professionals are covering the same content but are often impacted differently. "Young people are surprised they can create things that they imagine, on equipment they've never heard of before. Machine operators are surprised how easy it is to learn the software, load the program and make something. They realize that next step isn't such a stretch." The ACE bootcamp at UTK this week, is hosted by Dr. Tony Schmitz, a mechanical engineering professor who also developed the ACE curriculum. Since ACE launched in December 2020, ACE online has exceeded 2,400 participants from all 50 states, and 79 have completed in-person training. "I am so pleased with the community's acceptance of the content," Schmitz says, "but we are just getting started. My next target is 10,000 online participants. My goal is no less than eliminating the shortfall of U.S. talent and workforce in the CNC machining ecosystem." To reach that goal, IACMI is leveraging its workforce development expertise to expand ACE in a hub and spoke model across the country. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) in Greensboro, NC is the first hub beyond the initial testbed in East Tennessee. In addition to leading more bootcamps, Schmitz and his team of CNC instructors are giving personalized "train the trainer" guidance to ensure a continuity amongst all machine tool training centers as ACE grows. America's Cutting Edge (ACE) is a national initiative to restore the prominence of the U.S. machine tools sector. Both the 6-hour online course and the 30-hour in-person training require no prior experience and are offered at no cost. ACE is supported by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program from the Office of Industrial Policy. ACE brings together the scientific expertise of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), advanced training tools and techniques developed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), and the workforce development leadership of IACMI The Composites Institute. Machining and machine tools are at the foundation of America's manufacturing capability and its global competitiveness. About IACMI The Composites Institute IACMI The Composites Institute is a 130-plus member community of industry, universities, national laboratories, and federal, state, and local government agencies working together to accelerate advanced composites design, manufacturing, technical innovation, and workforce solutions to enable a cleaner and more sustainable, more secure, and more competitive U.S. economy. IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation (CCS), a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation. A Manufacturing USA institute, IACMI is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office, as well as key state and industry partners. Visit www.iacmi.org. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iacmi-kicks-off-ace-summer-2022-machine-tool-training-bootcamps-aimed-at-revitalizing-american-manufacturing-301563557.html SOURCE IACMI - The Composites Institute Furthering its Mission to Achieve Better Healthcare Outcomes Around the Globe PASADENA, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Innova Medical Group, Inc., a global health screening and diagnostic innovator and world's largest manufacturer and distributor of lateral flow test kits, today announced it successfully earned its CE mark certification (certificate N 39032) of the Innova SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Self-Test through GMED LNE Group, a leading certification organization and a distinguished Notified Body of the European Commission covering a vast range of products covered under both Invitro Diagnostic and Medical Device Regulations. Innova's rapid antigen self tests are the cornerstone of the company's role as a key partner to nations and businesses. A CE mark is an important distinction that allows the company to now sell its products across Europe. This is a significant milestone in the company's global mission to advance and expand access to its antigen rapid self tests to more people worldwide. The European CE mark Conformity Assessment reviewed Innova's clinical support and performance data and evaluated the strength and effectiveness of its Quality Management Systems (QMS). The Innova brand rapid antigen self test has been widely used, studied, tested, scrutinized and analyzed, and has been approved for distribution in markets around the world including United Kingdom, Israel, Malaysia, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar and now the 27 countries of the EU. The company is furthering its mission by applying for authorization and certifications in countries where rapid antigen self tests are needed most. "Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in March 2020, our team has delivered more than 1.5 billion lateral flow tests to customers worldwide, and this new European certification only underscores our ongoing commitment to provide effective, high-quality diagnostic products at reasonable prices to more people around the world," said Robert Kasprzak, CEO of Innova Medical Group. Numerous scientific studies, along with ongoing public health screening of millions of people on a regular basis, have shown rapid antigen self tests are an important tool for identifying infectious people quickly and equitably, even when they may not have symptoms of COVID-19 in ways that simply are not possible with slower, more expensive lab-based tests. While the coronavirus continues to morph its genetic ribonucleic acid ("RNA") to generate new and potentially more contagious or more harmful variants, Innova's rapid antigen self test - which detects multiple proteins in the virus - can provide an at-home, cost-effective way of helping to control the spread and reduce surges. When coupled with Innova's expansive production capacity, the wide-ranging detection capabilities of its rapid antigen self tests underline the company's role as a critical partner to nations and businesses in containing more contagious strains. Since its founding in 2020, Innova has put countless resources towards ensuring that its quality management system is compliant with ISO 13485:2016 Medical Devices Quality Management Systems, Requirements for Regulatory, and US 21 CFR Part 820 Quality System Regulation, Requirements for Medical Devices. The company has built a dedicated Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs team with expertise in quality and regulatory compliance matters, as it continually expands to keep up with global quality and compliance needs. In addition to conducting consistent internal audits to identify process improvements, the company also has electronic Quality Management Systems in place to ensure quality policies are followed, continually monitoring product performance through diligent testing, providing oversight of manufacturing processes and assessing customers' experiences. The company also uses Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to assure it has traceability of its products and that only the products that meet performance requirements are released. About Innova Medical Group, Inc. Innova Medical Group, wholly owned by Pasaca Capital, Inc., is a global health screening and diagnostic innovator driven to dramatically improve health outcomes worldwide with equitable, high-value testing solutions. From delivering more than 2 billion COVID-19 rapid test kits to customers worldwide since the beginning of the pandemic, to providing critical vaccines, including highly sought-after WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines to the world population, Innova is committed to improving the human condition globally. Our strategic and iterative approach enables us to manufacture, distribute, and deploy myriad accessible tests customized to meet and empower the user at their point of need. With a panoramic vision spanning the present to the future, we develop trusted solutions that are both intuitive and secure to use. We quickly and nimbly became the world's largest provider of COVID-19 tests, and we are determined to execute on this model across infectious disease, other chronic conditions and wellness. For more information, please visit: www.innovamedgroup.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innova-medical-group-earns-gmed-ce-mark-to-distribute-its-rapid-antigen-self-test-throughout-europe-301563565.html SOURCE Innova Medical Group, Inc. SAN FRANCISCO and SUZHOU, China, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. (Innovent) (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces that the primary and all key secondary endpoints were met in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study of mazdutide (R&D code: IBI362), a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R)/glucagon receptor (GCGR) dual agonist, in Chinese participants with overweight or obesity. This study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04904913) was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mazdutide in Chinese participants with overweight or obesity. A total of 248 subjects were randomized to receive 1.5-3.0 mg, 1.5-3.0-4.5 mg, or 2.0-4.0-6.0 mg of mazdutide or placebo subcutaneously and once-weekly for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage change from baseline in body weight at week 24. A total of 230 participants (92.7%) completed week 24. Mazdutide demonstrated superior weight loss efficacy in Chinese participants with overweight or obesity compared with placebo in a dose-dependent manner. After 24 weeks of treatment: The least squares (LS) mean percent change (absolute change) from baseline in body weight were 7.21% (6.35 kg on 3.0 mg), 10.56% (9.07 kg on 4.5 mg) and 11.57% (9.85 kg on 6.0 mg) with mazdutide, compared with 1.05% (1.08 kg) with placebo. The treatment difference versus placebo in LS mean percent change from baseline were 8.26% ([95%CI10.12, 6.40] on 3.0 mg), 11.60% ( [13.43, 9.77] on 4.5 mg) and 12.62% ( [14.47, 10.76] on 6.0 mg) (p The proportion of participants with 5% body weight loss from baseline was 58.1% (3.0 mg), 82.5% (4.5 mg), and 80.3% (6.0 mg) with mazdutide, compared with 4.8% with placebo. The proportion of participants with 10% body weight loss from baseline was 19.4% (3.0 mg), 49.2% (4.5 mg), and 50.8% (6.0 mg) with mazdutide, compared with 0% with placebo. Meanwhile, mazdutide markedly reduced body-mass index, waist circumference, liver fat content and blood pressure; lowered lipid, transaminase and serum uric acid levels, and improved insulin sensitivity, delivering comprehensive metabolic benefits for participants with overweight or obesity. In terms of safety, mazdutide was well tolerated. Only one participant discontinued the treatment due to an adverse event, which was not related to mazdutide as judged by the investigator. The overall safety profile was similar to those observed in early phase development and with other GLP-1-based agonists and co-agonists. The most frequently-reported treatment-emergent adverse events were diarrhea, nausea and upper respiratory tract infection, mostly mild or moderate in severity and transient. Professor Linong Ji, the principal investigator of the study, Peking University People's Hospital, stated, " In recent years, the prevalence of obesity in China has increased rapidly and resulted in the increase of the prevalence of diabetes, fatty liver, sleep disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, effective and safe weight-loss drugs are urgently needed. We are pleased to see the exciting results of the phase 2 study of mazdutide in Chinese participants with overweight or obesity, suggesting that mazdutide could potentially be the best-in-class agent. The half-year treatment of mazdutide achieved on average 12.6% weight reduction from baseline compared with placebo, which was comparable to the most cutting-edge weight-loss drugs under development in the world. The excellent efficacy of mazdutide in weight loss and multiple metabolic parameters truly reflects the advantages of weekly formulation based on dual incretin receptor agonists. I am confident and looking forward to the success of mazdutide in the upcoming phase 3 study." Dr. Lei Qian, Vice President of Clinical Development of Innovent, stated, "The Phase 2 study of mazdutide in Chinese participants with overweight or obesity achieved the primary and all key secondary endpoints, while showing improvement on multiple metabolic parameters including blood pressure, lipids, transaminase and serum uric acid. These results demonstrate the great utility value of GLP-1R/GCGR dual agonist, further demonstrating the potential to be the best-in-class agent and paving solid foundation for further clinical development. Of note, the auto-injector has been used in the phase 2 studies, greatly improving the quality of life and compliance of participants, while demonstrating the quality and capability of domestic enterprises in device development and manufacturing; we will actively promote the development of phase 3 clinical study of mazdutide and anticipate more clinical data later this year, striving to provide more convenient, user-friendly, effective and safe drug for overweight and obese population as soon as possible." * Due to the outbreak of Covid-19, the data are being collected and under further analysis. The data disclosed in this press release may have some deviation from the final results. About Obesity China has the largest obese population in the world, with obesity rate likely to increase. Obesity can lead to a range of complications or related diseases that impact life expectancy and lead to a decrease in quality of life. In more severely obese patients, the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain tumors increase significantly. Obesity is a chronic disease that requires long-term management, and there is a lack of long-term effective and safe treatments. Lifestyle intervention is the first choice and basic treatment for patients with overweight or obesity. However, a considerable percentage of patients fail to achieve the desired weight loss goal upon lifestyle intervention due to various reasons and may require pharmacological intervention. Traditional anti-obesity drugs have limited weight-loss effects and are associated with safety issues. About Mazdutide (IBI362) Innovent entered into a licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) for the development and potential commercialization of OXM3 (also known as mazdutide), a GLP-1R and GCGR dual agonist, in China. In parallel, Lilly is developing OXM3 outside China. Mazdutide is a long-acting synthetic peptide related to mammalian oxyntomodulin (OXM), which uses a fatty acid side chain to prolong the duration of action and allow once-weekly administration. Mazdutide is thought to exert its biological effects by activating GLP-1 receptor and glucagon receptor in human beings, which improves glucose tolerance and induces weight loss, mimicking the effects of endogenous oxyntomodulin. In addition to the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on promoting insulin secretion, lowering blood glucose and reducing body weight, mazdutide may also increase energy expenditure and improve hepatic fat metabolism through the activation of glucagon receptor. The treatment of metabolic diseases by activating multiple metabolism-related targets simultaneously is currently the worldwide trend in drug development. About Innovent Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing and commercializing high-quality innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK. Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully integrated multi-functional platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 32 valuable assets in the fields of cancer, autoimmune, metabolic, ophthalmology and other major therapeutic areas, with 7 products approved for marketing in China TYVYT (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO (adalimumab biosimilar injection), HALPRYZA (rituximab biosimilar injection) , Pemazyre (pemigatinib oral inhibitor) and olverembatinib (BCR-ABL TKI) and Cyramza (ramucirumab), 2 asset under NMPA NDA review, 4 assets in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials, and an additional 19 molecules in clinical studies. Innovent has built an international team with advanced talent in high-end biological drug development and commercialization, including many global experts. The company has also entered into strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly and Company, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Hanmi and other international partners. Innovent strives to work with many collaborators to help advance China's biopharmaceutical industry, improve drug availability and enhance the quality of the patients' lives. For more information, please visit: www.innoventbio.com. and www.linkedin.com/company/innovent-biologics/. Note: TYVYT (sintilimab injection) is not an approved product in the United States. BYVASDA (bevacizumab biosimilar injection), SULINNO, and HALPRYZA (rituximab biosimilar injection) are not approved products in the United States. TYVYT (sintilimab injection, Innovent) BYVASDA (bevacizumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)HALPRYZA (rituximab biosimilar injection, Innovent)SULINNO (adalimumab biosimilar injection, Innovent)Pemazyre (pemigatinib oral inhibitor, Incyte Corporation). Pemazyre was discovered by Incyte Corporation and licensed to Innovent for development and commercialization in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.CYRAMZA (ramucirumab, Eli Lilly). Cyramza was discovered by Eli Lilly and licensed to Innovent for commercialization in Mainland China. Disclaimer: 1. This indication is still under clinical study, which hasn't been approved in China.2. Innovent does not recommend any off-label usage. Forward-looking statement 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 Innovent Biologics ("Innovent"), 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. 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 materialise or turn out to be incorrect. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/innovent-announces-phase-2-study-of-mazdutideibi362-in-chinese-participants-with-overweight-or-obesity-met-primary-and-all-key-secondary-endpoints-301562931.html SOURCE Innovent Biologics MONTREAL, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - IOU Financial Inc. ("IOU Financial" or the "Company") (TSXV: IOU), a leading online lender to small businesses (IOUFinancial.com), today reported the results of the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on this date (the "Meeting"). At the Meeting, Robert Gloer, Philippe Marleau, Kathleen Miller, Evan Price, Yves Roy, Lucas Timberlake and Neil Wolfson were re-elected as directors of the Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was reappointed as the Company's auditor for the ensuing year and the Company's rolling Stock Option Plan was reapproved. About IOU Financial Inc. IOU Financial Inc. is a wholesale lender that provides quick and easy access to growth capital to small businesses through a network of preferred brokers across the US and Canada. Built on its proprietary IOU360 technology platform that connects underwriters, merchants and brokers in real time, IOU Financial has become a trusted alternative to banks by originating in excess of US$1 billion in loans to fund small business growth since 2009. IOU trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol IOU (TSXV: IOU), and on the US OTC markets as IOUFF. To learn more about IOU Financial's corporate history, financial products, or to join our broker network please visit www.IOUFinancial.com. 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. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iou-financial-reports-results-of-its-annual-shareholders-meeting-301564394.html SOURCE IOU Financial Inc. JACKSON, Miss., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jackson State University (JSU) College of Business is proud to announce a new supply chain management program will be offered in the 2022 Fall semester. The global supply chain has been a major topic of discussion since the beginning of the pandemic. Business Dean Fidelis Ikem, Ph.D., says the new undergraduate program aligns with the strategic plan to elevate the institution's academic prominence through degree offerings that will meet today's workforce needs. "Business students in the new supply chain management program will learn about inventory, transportation, purchasing and the different challenges of distribution," explains Ikem. "At the beginning of the pandemic, the ports of Los Angeles were overcrowded because there weren't enough truckers to move goods to warehouses where they were needed. That's a supply chain issue and a product demand issue. This will prepare our students to work in that industry that is growing by leaps and bounds." Jackson State's location in the central part of Mississippi and close proximity to the gulf coast will give students a major advantage when it comes to studying distribution. Ikem says with a close proximity to Interstates 20 and 55, a bounty of distribution centers, and large producers moving into the area (such as Continental Tires, Nissan, Amazon, etc.), the demand for this particular skill set is growing here. Ikem has wanted to bring the supply chain management degree program to the college of business since his appointment as dean. It was no easy task, however, through years of collaborative efforts and research, his goal was accomplished with the help of JSU alumnus David Malone, CPSM, who currently works as the director of procurement and supply management for the city of St. Petersburg, Florida. With decades of experience working in the field of supply chain management, Malone noticed a lack of diversity and decided his alma mater could be the resolution. He gladly provided his expertise to help develop the program and recruit leadership for the advisory board. "I am in my 41st year of my supply chain career and one thing that I was always bothered by for years was the lack of African Americans in this field. I was fortunate to get in back in 1981 with a major technology company out of Boston, and it was my only job offer. So, even though my undergraduate degree was in finance, I wanted an opportunity and luckily, I landed in one of the fastest growing and world changing professions there were. It's a career path that gave me an opportunity to travel and do business globally, and I want HBCU students to have access to such a great profession," says Malone. The board consists of supply chain executives from Black & Decker, Microsoft, and The Institute for Supply Management. Malone also garnered participation from the Michigan State University Department of Supply Chain Management, which is rated No. 1 nationally for its program. Dean Ikem recruited an executive from Ingalls Shipbuilding and the JSU School of business leaders to complete the advisory board and begin the work of curriculum development. "Supply chain management provides another avenue for students to develop insight into an industry laden with opportunity," says Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Alisa Mosley, Ph.D. "I appreciate the input from all internal and external stakeholders who created this innovative academic program. The new major aligns with our mission and university strategic plan." Through the JSU supply chain management program, students will learn how the core studies that are normal parts of the business program intersect with the myriad of opportunities and experiences offered in the supply chain profession. They will also learn to understand the underpinnings of the global supply chain and how the linkage of multiple supply chain functions leads to the delivery of goods and services from around the world. The College of Business plans to provide internship opportunities and, through the right corporate partnerships, give students real time exposure to the inner workings of the many aspects of supply chain management. Ikem says he foresees the supply chain management program will be offered as a graduate program in the near future. The Jackson State University College of Business is among the six percent of business schools worldwide that is accredited by the Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB accreditation differentiates business and accounting programs from those at other institutions in terms of quality, rigor, and relevance. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jackson-state-university-announces-new-supply-chain-management-program-301564249.html SOURCE Jackson State University STAMFORD, Conn., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meta Carbon www.meta-carbon.com, a technology company that helps brands engage their audience on the topic of climate change, announced today that it has closed a round of financing from Animoca Brands. Meta Carbon's platforms sell carbon at retail, integrate with business operations, tokenize carbon and make carbon offsetting as transparent as possible. Meta Carbon seeks to help companies reduce both their own and their customers' carbon footprint. By fractionalizing carbon in NFTs, it makes it possible to integrate climate solutions into Web3 based games, loyalty programs, and at point of sale. Animoca Brands is a global leader in gamification and blockchain with a large portfolio of over 170 investments in NFT related companies and decentralized projects that are contributing to building the open metaverse. The new funding announced today will be used to improve the technology behind Meta Carbon's value proposition 'Engagement' to make carbon offsetting fun and 'Transparency' offering proof of impact for every dollar spent. Tom Herman, CEO of Meta Carbon commented, "We believe that every individual, corporation, government, and investor must be involved in combating climate change! Animoca Brands' ability to reach into and across almost all Web3 ecosystems, from gaming to DeFi, makes it a perfect partner for us to extend our fractionalization, transparency, and gamification solutions to more of the world. We're delighted that Animoca Brands is so committed to addressing climate change and has brought into our vision of making it fun and transparent for everyone to become carbon positive. The Animoca Brands family will act as an incredible resource to help us realise our plans." Yat Siu, the executive chairman and co-founder of Animoca Brands, commented: "With its use of blockchain, NFTs and gamification, Meta Carbon perfectly fits our profile for early-stage investment. Additionally, we especially value Meta Carbon's powerful focus on environmental sustainability, which will contribute to our efforts to create a green ecosystem of companies." About Meta Carbon Meta Carbon is a US-based company helping brands engage their audience on the topic of climate change. Meta Carbon's nature-based carbon offsetting partner, Stand for Trees, has been offsetting carbon for 7 years and in the process has saved over 3.5m mature trees. Meta Carbon also operates the Carbon Creatures NFT platform which sold its first Impact NFTs in March 2021 and is dedicated to capturing carbon and protecting the natural habitats of the world's most endangered species. Funds raised from Carbon Creatures NFT sales go to purchasing and retiring carbon offsets as well as supporting local charities and organizations that protect endangered animals and their habitats. For more information visit: www.meta-carbon.comTo buy carbon offsets visit: www.standfortrees.org To buy your first truly, eco-friendly NFT visit: www.carboncreatures.com Media contact: Tom Herman CEO [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meta-carbon-receives-investment-from-animoca-brands-301562681.html SOURCE Meta Carbon Inc MILWAUKEE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Resources Consulting, a Milwaukee-based technology consulting firm, has announced a strategic partnership with veteran-owned talent attraction company Mission Wisconsin to actively recruit military and veteran talent for jobs in the information technology sector. With more than 200,000 service members transitioning from active duty every year, New Resources Consulting will work side-by-side with Mission Wisconsin to market and connect with a highly skilled talent pipeline across the world about career opportunities, building brand awareness and expanding recruitment options to meet workforce needs. New Resources Consulting is a leader in the IT and technology consultation industry and will work with Mission Wisconsin to source candidates, targeting technologies like Oracle and Microsoft and recruiting for careers in everything from software development and infrastructure support to project management and data services. "We believe that veterans constitute an untapped, highly valuable network," said NRC President and CEO Mark Grosskopf of the partnership. "Hard-working and dedicated, veterans possess impressive skillsets, valuable experience, and incredible work ethic that we think would translate well in the IT field." NRC Vice President of Strategic Accounts Don Weber, who is also a former Army Reservist, will be spearheading the initiative. Mission Wisconsin LLC, launched in July of 2020, is a talent attraction company focusing solely on the military/veteran family, offering support through transition for families to meet civilian career goals and lifestyle expectations. Headquartered in Wisconsin, the best state in the nation for veterans, it helps service members navigate the last mile of transition while consulting with employers about Veteran Ready efforts they can adopt to strengthen their visibility among those communities it serves. "Mission Wisconsin is excited to be partnering with NRC to help the military family transition to the great state of Wisconsin," said Steven Janke, Founder & CEO of Mission Wisconsin. "We are looking forward to providing this pathway to the military community into multiple sectors of IT and creating upskilling programs that help those who have served and their families connect with quality employment." The partnership will revolve around identifying and placing veterans in successful positions within the IT sector; it will also include future collaboration on recruitment and training programs, as well as military and veteran program development. Please contact Mission Wisconsin's Steven Janke at [email protected] or NRC's Don Weber at [email protected] with any media inquiries. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-resources-consulting-announces-strategic-partnership-with-mission-wisconsin-301564422.html SOURCE New Resources Consulting Custom software development consulting company, based in Latin America and Appalachia, prepares to accelerate growth with Chief Revenue Officer CHARLESTON, W. Va., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oktana, a custom software development consulting company that specializes in helping High Tech companies integrate Salesforce technologies, announces the appointment of Dennis Picht as Chief Revenue Officer. Dennis Picht is a successful executive having served in multiple leadership positions within the Salesforce ecosystem. He joins Oktana as Chief Revenue Officer with responsibilities across Sales, Marketing and Alliances. Prior to joining Oktana, Dennis served as an executive at PolSource where he helped the company grow from Registered Partner to the top tier in under two years. Dennis played a key role in winning a number of core accounts and contributed to the substantial growth that eventually led to an acquisition by EPAM Systems. Prior to PolSource, Dennis spent time at Salesforce where he helped establish the Service Cloud practice within Salesforce Professional Services. He joined Salesforce with over 10 years of experience within the customer service technology space. "Our goal, as a company, is to provide economic opportunity in growing communities. With our recent hire of Christine Burnham as our Vice President of Sales, formerly at NuAge Partners, and now Dennis Picht as Chief Revenue Officer, we are well-positioned to grow beyond the organic growth that has enabled our current team of 350+ to develop their careers with Salesforce technologies," explains Jaime Solari, Co-Founder & CEO. "We plan to continue to create jobs in our communities and beyond." The team, primarily based in Latin America, represents the diversity of the Americas. By expanding into the U.S. in 2020, Oktana chose to continue its mission to bring economic opportunity to growing communities and invested in building a team in Appalachia, based out of Charleston, West Virginia. In continued support of the company's effort to provide opportunity, Oktana is also a member of the Salesforce Talent Alliance program. Learn more about Oktana's commitment to CSR. Salesforce, AppExchange, Service Cloud, Professional Services and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc. About Oktana Founded in 2014, Oktana specializes in custom development on the Salesforce platform and complex multi-cloud implementations to help customers connect their systems to Salesforce. For more details, please visit Oktana on the Salesforce AppExchange. Media ContactOktana CorporationJulia Barrett415-449-7550[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oktana-appoints-dennis-picht-as-chief-revenue-officer-301563829.html SOURCE Oktana Corporation MIDLAND, Pa., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a time of hope and celebration for nearly 1,100 students at the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) as they prepare for the next phase of their lives following commencement this week. The school will host two in-person commencement ceremonies this week. Ceremonies for the school's 22nd graduating class will be held geographically. Students in the eastern portion of Pennsylvania will attend a ceremony on June 8 at noon at Kutztown University, while those in the western portion of the state will attend their ceremony on June 10 at noon at Robert Morris University. Both ceremonies will stream live at www.pacyber.org/graduation. "Seeing our graduates walk across the stage is a high point of the year for all of us at PA Cyber," said Brian Hayden, the school's CEO. "Our kids have worked so hard to achieve their high school diplomas. I am thankful for their trust, dedication, and commitment to their education at PA Cyber." Kayla Collins will speak at the western ceremony and Elena Lichtenwalner will speak at the eastern ceremony as student representatives. Collins plans to study psychology at Seton Hill University next year, while Lichtenwalner will study English at Batton Honors College. "We don't need to know each other's stories to have faith in each other's strengths," Collins said in her class representative essay. "I'm choosing to trust in both myself and the rest of the graduating class." "Graduation was something I always thought about," Lichtenwalner said in her essay. "It's an important milestone showing the transition from child-like fear and wonder to adult-driven focus and breaking down barriers. This is the true point in our lives where we can look back at how life has changed. We have grown and now look toward our goals and dreams." Following the 2022 commencement, approximately 20,000 students will have graduated from the school since its inception in 2000. PA Cyber alumni have attended some of the top universities and trade schools in the country and have made their mark in a wide range of professions, ranging from attorneys to teachers to engineers. About PA Cyber Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) is one of the largest, most experienced and most successful online public schools in the nation. PA Cyber's online learning environments, personalized instruction methods and choices of curricula connect Pennsylvania students and their families with state-certified and highly qualified teachers and rich academic content that is aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment by any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and does not charge tuition to students or families. www.pacyber.org Media Contact: Jennie Harris[email protected]724-313-5842 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pa-cyber-to-graduate-nearly-1-100-students-301564399.html SOURCE The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) CRACOW, Poland, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The AI-based system developed by Cardiomatics streamlines the work of cardiologists by supporting ECG interpretation. Now, the doctors at PZU Zdrowie (a Polish healthcare provider associated with PZU Group one of the top insurance companies in East-Central Europe) will be able to take advantage of its clinically proven precision. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most commonly used examination in assessing heart health and detecting dangerous and concerning heart rhythms, such as atrial fibrillation (AF) the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia. The prevalence of AF has increased by 33% worldwide over the last 20 years[1], and in Europe, 1-3% of the population suffers from this life-threatening condition. Cardiomatics transforms cardiologists' workflows by automating ECG analysis. The web application certified as a CE Class II medical device applies Artificial Intelligence algorithms to inspect the waves and intervals in ECG recordings to assess heart rate and detect any abnormalities. It then calculates all of the 12-lead ECG values and prepares a user-friendly report that neatly sums up the most important information and can be quickly and easily absorbed by the cardiologist. Increase screening rate to improve prevention and early diagnosis Polish company Cardiomatics has been fine-tuning the technology since 2018 and today is one of the leading suppliers of ECG analysis software. As one of the leading healthcare providers in Poland, PZU Zdrowie recognized the high quality and accuracy of Cardiomatics software and decided to include it in a pilot project at their health facilities located across Poland's capital. "According to the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS), cardiovascular diseases account for almost half of all deaths in Poland[2]. That's why we want to further develop our tools for cardiac diagnostics," says Oliwer Kubicki, a member of PZU Zdrowie's Management Board. Kubicki is convinced that Artificial Intelligence can significantly streamline the work performed by doctors, which, in turn, will bring benefits to their patients. "An accurate analysis facilitates optimal treatment outcomes and shortens the time between the diagnosis and medical intervention if a patient's condition is alarming," emphasizes Kubicki. Algorithms trained for human-level precision So far, Cardiomatics software has examined over 150,000 patients. This is roughly equal to 20 billion heartbeats, much more than any doctor is able to analyze in their lifetime. Such a vast data set has helped Cardiomatics to perfect the precision of the algorithm. Over 1,000 doctors in 15 countries, including Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and Poland, are already relying on the support of Cardiomatics software, which is maybe not surprising given that it is currently the fastest method available on the market. Following the implementation process, where data is gathered, the overall time of ECG examination can be reduced by as much as 30 minutes. Cardiomatics' innovation is compatible with most ECG recorders available on the market. The built-in algorithms comply with the ANSI/AAMI EC57:2012 standard and have been verified based on both MIT-BIH arrhythmia databases and clinical data. "Cardiomatics and PZU Zdrowie share a common goal of using modern technologies to facilitate access to medical care. An equally important objective is to improve the workflow of healthcare professionals," says Rafa Samborski, President of the Cardiomatics Management Board. "We are proud to start collaborating with PZU Zdrowie. This is yet another stepping-stone towards large-scale implementation of trustworthy and precise AI algorithms for the benefit of cardiologists and patients," emphasizes Samborski. PZU (Powszechny Zakad Ubezpieczen S.A.) is Poland's oldest and leading publicly traded insurance company and one of the top insurance companies in Central and Eastern Europe. It is also one of the largest financial institutions in Poland. PZU Zdrowie (Eng. PZU Health), a part of PZU Group, is one of Poland's most prominent healthcare providers, with 130 health facilities and 2,200 partner clinics in 600 cities, as well as its own network of medical imaging clinics and a telemedicine center. Cardiomatics is a breakthrough cloud-based software that automates the analysis of ECG signals. It's a CE Class IIa medical device, and the effectiveness of its AI algorithms has been validated in clinical trials. The solution uses global HIPAA compliant services, which guarantee safety and accessibility from anywhere globally. [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31955707/ [2] https://bdl.stat.gov.pl/BDL/metadane/cechy/3171 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pzu-zdrowie-eng-pzu-health-rolls-out-cardiomatics-solution-for-precise-diagnostics-in-cardiology-across-their-clinics-301561626.html SOURCE Cardiomatics FEMA leader highlights importance of advance planning and rapidly deployed temporary housing HOUMA, La., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Speaking last week at the Texas Emergency Management Conference, Tony Robinson emphasized that advanced preparation often determines the ability of a community to recover from a natural disaster. Robinson, Region 6 Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), cited the success of noncongregate sheltering programs after both Hurricane Ida in Lousiana and the devastating tornadoes in Kentucky. Noncongregate sheltering assures that survivors of a natural disaster have access to safe temporary housing until permanent housing is available in those communities. Damon Donnell, a Conference exhibitor, has led major projects to provide noncongregate housing in both the Lousiana and Kentucky disasters. Donnell, Executive Vice President of Crosby Government Solutions, stated that people who have rapid access to stable temporary housing can quickly return to their normal activities. "I've seen it happen time and again. People sometimes live in their cars or with family members for weeks or months after a major disaster. Once they settle into a more permanent situation, they quickly begin to reconstruct their lives," Donnell said. Crosby Government Solutions is a recognized provider of disaster response and management services. Crosby has a nationwide reach; most recently they have worked with agencies providing disaster recovery services for Hurricane Ida in Louisianaprimarily in LaFourche and Terrebone Parishes--and the catastrophic tornado in Kentucky. Crosby also offers a range of field services in the areas of energy, environmental, infrastructure, program management, security, and UAV services. For more information visit Crosby's website at crosbygov.com. For more information, email: [email protected].Telephone: 985 208-3508.Visit crosbygov.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rapid-access-to-temporary-housing-key-to-community-recovery-in-disaster-301564376.html SOURCE CROSBY GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS, LLC GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- RimRock Oil & Gas, LP ("RimRock"), today announced the sale of its leasehold interest and related assets in the Williston Basin to Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN), for a total cash consideration of $865 million. RimRock is a portfolio company of funds managed by Warburg Pincus LLC, a leading global growth investor. RimRock is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of North American oil and gas assets. Since its founding in 2016, RimRock operates nearly 200 wells, including 64 drilled wells and over 130 acquired operating wells. The company has over 38,000 net acres of total land holdings in the Williston Basin. "RimRock was founded with the mission to apply modern technologies to optimize asset performance as a low-cost operator. The current commodity environment, combined with our high-performing assets and the support of our strong team, resulted in an incredible business that I am proud to have led," said James Fraser, CEO, RimRock. "I would also like to thank Warburg Pincus for their partnership over the past 5 years and believe Devon Energy will benefit greatly from ownership of these assets moving forward." "RimRock successfully acquired and developed large-scale assets with meaningful production in the Williston Basin, leveraging the deep experience and expertise of its management team," said Peter Kagan, Managing Director, Head of Energy, Warburg Pincus. "Over the course of our partnership, RimRock built a strategic acreage position with a sizable inventory of core drilling locations, developing a clearly differentiated asset in the Basin. We would like to thank Jim and the RimRock team for their hard work and dedication to create a strong business of scale and value," added John Rowan, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus. Wells Fargo served as financial advisor to RimRock in connection with the transaction, and Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisor. The transaction is subject to customary terms and conditions and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, with an effective date of April 1, 2022. ABOUT RIMROCK RimRock Oil & Gas, LP is an independent oil and gas company focused on the acquisition and development of North American oil and gas assets. RimRock focuses on the acquisition and development of unconventional oil and gas assets in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States. The Company is led by President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Fraser, who brings decades of significant upstream oil and gas experience in the United States. For more information, please visit www.rimrockoil.com. ABOUT WARBURG PINCUS Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global growth investor. The firm has more than $80 billion in assets under management. The firm's active portfolio of more than 245 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector, and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 21 private equity and 2 real estate funds, which have invested more than $100 billion in over 1,000 companies in more than 40 countries. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information please visit www.warburgpincus.com. Follow us on LinkedIn. CONTACT Sarah Bloom, Warburg Pincus[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rimrock-announces-sale-to-devon-energy-301564049.html SOURCE RimRock Oil & Gas WHIPPANY, N.J., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SPH), a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and investor in low carbon fuel alternatives, partnered with Veterans Bridge Home (VBH), a Charlotte-based nonprofit that connects Veterans and their families in any state of transition, to the community. Through its network of partners, VBH helps Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. Volunteers from Suburban Propane's local Customer Service Center provided lunch for approximately 50 active military and Veterans and discussed career opportunities available with the company throughout the Carolinas. In addition, Suburban Propane will also sponsor a one-week, five class seminar for active military transitioning to civilian life through VBH partner Patriots Path. "Suburban Propane is incredibly proud to partner with Veterans Bridge Home and Patriots Path in their mission to help provide services for area Veterans and transition active military to civilian life and access to employment," said Nandini Sankara, Spokesperson, Suburban Propane. "As a supporter of military and Veteran initiatives and a Veteran employer, we are grateful to play a role in these important initiatives." The partnership is part of the company's SuburbanCares initiative which is dedicated to supporting community efforts across the United States. Recently, SuburbanCares has undertaken charitable endeavors to help children in numerous underserved communities including Lewes, DE; San Diego, CA; Albany, NY; Dayton, OH; Philadelphia, PA; Santa Fe, NM; Santa Rosa, CA; Columbia and Charleston, SC; New Brunswick, NJ; and has fed healthcare professionals in some of the most COVID-19 affected regions in the nation, including Florida, California, Texas, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. "The military provides Veterans with many of the skills to remain successful after they take off their uniforms, but career transition can be a big challenge," said Steven Cole, Vice President of Advancement for Veterans Bridge Home. "That's why partnerships with companies like Suburban Propane that are investing in Veteran job readiness are so important." About Suburban Propane Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded master limited partnership listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SPH. Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, Suburban has been in the customer service business since 1928 and is a nationwide distributor of propane, renewable propane, fuel oil and related products and services, as well as a marketer of natural gas and electricity and an investor in low carbon fuel alternatives. The Partnership serves the energy needs of approximately 1 million residential, commercial, governmental, industrial and agricultural customers through approximately 700 locations across 42 states. The Partnership is supported by three core pillars: (1) Suburban Commitment showcasing the Partnership's 90+ year legacy, and ongoing commitment to the highest standards for dependability, flexibility, and reliability that underscores the Partnership's commitment to excellence in customer service; (2) SuburbanCares highlighting the Partnership's continued dedication to giving back to local communities across the Partnership's national footprint and (3) Go Green with Suburban Propane - promoting the clean burning and versatile nature of propane and renewable propane as a bridge to a green energy future and developing the next generation of renewable energy. For additional information on Suburban Propane, please visit www.suburbanpropane.com. About Veterans Bridge Home: Veterans Bridge Home connects veterans and their families, in any state of transition, to the community. Through its network of partners, they help Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. They look at the whole Veteran and connect them to the resources needed to be successful and thriving leaders in the community. After the regimen and sacrifice of military duty, transition to civilian life can be challenging as Veterans reunite with their families, pursue a new profession, locate services which were all on base, and build a social network. In some cases, they also recover from wounds and also pursue further education. Veterans Bridge Home serves as an entry point for Veterans who don't know where to turn to access support and services. Because Veterans return home to a civilian community and not to federal agencies or bureaucracies, each community must reach out and actively assist in the reintegration process alongside federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration. The Carolinas have the opportunity and privilege to help bring our nation's warriors and their families home with the same energy and commitment that our Veterans have displayed in serving the nation. In so doing, Veterans will serve as leaders to inform other communities that wish to create more welcoming and livable communities for returning Veterans and their families. For more information, please visit: www.veteransbridgehome.org. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suburban-propane-partners-with-veterans-bridge-home-to-provide-veterans-hiring-event-and-networking-lunch-301564321.html SOURCE Suburban Propane Partners, L.P. CARMEL, Ind., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Syra Health, Corp. ("Syra Health" or the "Company"), an emerging health care and life sciences leader, today announced a major expansion due to growth in contracts received. Syra Health supports health and life sciences organizations across the spectrum by providing health equity solutions, healthcare education, medical communication solutions, and value-based care services. The Company has more than doubled the size of its office space and has added nearly 75 employees since 2020. The Company is well on its way to reaching 150 total employees, in Indiana alone, over the next year. This expansion is due to the success of current projects including contracts with the government, pharmaceuticals, academia, and payers. Syra Health is a minority and women-owned scientific and medically oriented professional services company, and the leadership team has significant professional experience with the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare institutions, managed care markets, and government agencies. Syra Health has a growing service line with numerous solutions including population health management, behavioral and mental health, health analytics and quality, medical education and outreach with the goal of improving patient lives and health outcomes. The total addressable market in the next few years for the various US market segments Syra Health targets is approximately $350 billion and is growing rapidly. The fastest growing segments are healthcare educational solutions, 10% CAGR through 2028, and health analytics, 20% CAGR until 2028, and behavioral health, 5.3% CAGR. The company believes it has numerous competitive advantages including offering a full spectrum of services across all customer segments, experienced and dedicated health analytics and client program management teams. The Syra Health technology team also has a robust pipeline of innovative products and applications in development that are catered to patient engagement and education. "Syra Health is in the process of establishing a national footprint by adding additional public and private sector customers, additional employees outside of Indiana, and an enhanced and diverse array of services and solutions. The Company is experiencing sizeable growth and we believe it is poised for larger growth in the future," said Deepika Vuppalanchi, PhD, CEO. About Syra Health Syra Health partners with public and private sector healthcare and life science organizations in addressing the most pressing challenges by providing forward-thinking, innovative, and sustainable solutions. Syra Health is a scientific and medically oriented professional services company that leverages deep healthcare and managed-care industry expertise to create solutions for our clients based on real-world evidence and insights from advanced analytics. The services and solutions include population health management, behavioral and mental health, health education, medical communications, health analytics and quality, and government solutions. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute 'forward-looking statements.' The words 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'continue,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'should,' 'target,' 'will,' 'would' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the uncertainties related to market conditions. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Syra Health specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: Colette HardestyMedia Contact(317) 922-0922[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/syra-health-continues-expansion-301564294.html SOURCE Syra Health WASHINGTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nation faces an ever-worsening child care crisis that has a crippling effect on the economy, the Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC) applauds Congress for its continued focus on the issue. However, immediate additional funding for child care is a must-do priority before families are left without access to care that is essential to their participation in the workforce. Access to child care is critical. It not only affects the families who rely on it to care for and educate their children, but also employers who rely on working parents each day to support their businesses. These investments are more important than ever given the severe workforce shortage facing our country, both in the child care sector and in the labor market more broadly. Without addressing the needs of the child care sector, we cannot address the needs of the economy as a whole. If providers do not have the educators and staff they need to keep classrooms open, they cannot fully serve the children of our nation's workforce. Furthermore, investments in child care not just address a current workforce need, but are also a down payment on our future success as a nation. For years, both Democrats and Republicans have prioritized early care and education by making investments in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). During the pandemic, Congress allocated significant funding to the program in order to prevent the collapse of the already struggling child care industry through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. Democrats built on these two bills by including $39 billion in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds have and continue to serve as a lifeline for the industry. ECEC, our educators and the families we serve are grateful that this funding has enabled children and families to retain access to high-quality care and education. However, the Covid-19 stabilization funding is time-limited and will soon run out. The stabilization dollars are set to expire in September 2023, with temporary CCDBG funding expiring in 2024. Without additional funding, the child care industry and the families it serves will suffer. Families will face a dramatic decrease in child care optionsparticularly in those communities already facing a shortage. Families' inability to access child care will exacerbate employee absence, turnover, reduction of hours, postponement of education or training and working parents leaving the workforce. Without sustained robust investment in CCDBG, child care providers will also be forced to increase tuition to continue the necessary significant investments in the workforce facilitated, in part, by the relief dollars. These investments include providing permanent wage increases rather than one-time bonus payments to ensure sustainable increases in salary and professional development support. Furthermore, states may also be forced to roll back expanded eligibility, which will leave many low-income families without access to high-quality care. Without long-term federal investments, the longstanding systemic instability of the industry will continue to plague our country long after the pandemic has ended, and the existing challenges will only be exacerbated. Over the past several months, members of Congress have taken steps to provide long-term investments to the child care industry. ECEC thanks Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) for their leadership and work to secure long-term funding through budget reconciliation. We believe budget reconciliation is the most immediate way to rebuild the child care industry. A recent plan released by both senators rightly prioritizes a $72 billion investment in CCDBG and a $12 billion investment in the Head Start workforce over six yearstwo critical elements of improving state child care infrastructures. ECEC also thanks Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC) and Tim Scott (R-SC) for their leadership in introducing the CCDBG Reauthorization Act of 2022. Additionally, Republicans and Democrats have both recently called for increased funding for CCDBG. Sens. Burr, Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Todd Young (R-IN) proposed doubling CCDBG over five years, while Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Maria Salazar (R-FL), along with 16 other House Republicans, called for robust funding for the program. On the Democratic side, Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), joined by 41 other Senate Democrats, and Reps. Katherine Clark (D-MA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) and Norma Torres (D-CA), joined by 126 other House Democrats, proposed doubling CCDBG next year with an additional $6.2 billion for FY 2023. Child care investments through reconciliation and appropriations are not mutually exclusivefunding in child care can and should be made immediately through budget reconciliation, and sustained through annual appropriations, with necessary policy reforms to the CCDBG program through a reauthorization bill. In order to address the urgent needs of the industry, we must utilize all available avenues. The child care industry, which has historically been chronically underfunded, needs and deserves robust funding for the sake of our families, educators and economy. ABOUT THE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION CONSORTIUMThe Early Care and Education Consortium is a non-profit alliance of the leading multi-state/multi-site child care providers, key state child care associations, and premier educational service providers, representing over 7,100 programs in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and select international locations. Our members serve as the unified collective voice for providers of high-quality programs and services that support families and children from diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. We are advocates for strong federal and state policies that bring quality to scale. Learn more at https://www.ececonsortium.org/. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-early-care-and-education-consortium-urges-congress-to-pass-child-care-funding-through-reconciliation-301564205.html SOURCE Early Care and Education Consortium (ECEC) AUSTIN, Minn., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, will be participating at the 2022 Deutsche Bank dbAccess Global Consumer Conference in Paris, France. Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, and Swen Neufeldt, group vice president and president of Hormel Foods International Corporation, will discuss the company's long-term strategy, ESG initiatives and plans to aggressively develop its global presence. WHEN: Thursday, June 16, 2022 2:00 p.m. CEST (7:00 a.m. CT) WEBCAST: To listen to the live webcast, go to the company's website, http://www.hormelfoods.com, click on Investors, and you will find a link to the webcast. WEBCAST REPLAY: To listen to a replay of the webcast, go to the company's website http://www.hormelfoods.com, click on Investors, then click on News & Events and you will find a link to the webcast. About Hormel Foods Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus, Jennie-O and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement Inspired People. Inspired Food. to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com. Investor Relations(507) 437-5248 [email protected] Media Contact: (507) 434-6352 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/updated-time-hormel-foods-corporation-to-participate-in-the-deutsche-bank-dbaccess-global-consumer-conference-301564327.html SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Team of Experts Selected to Transform Whittier's Uptown District WHITTIER, Calif., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The members of Uptown Community Partnersconsisting of City Ventures, Thomas Safran & Associates, Gentefy, and SVA Architectsare celebrating their team's selection to enter into an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with the City of Whittier, CA. The agreement will cover eight (8) City-owned properties totaling 6.4 acres north of Philadelphia Street and west of Bright Avenue, including the former Alpha Beta grocery store property. The ENA will be negotiated over a six-month period. Uptown Community Partners' plan will transform the sites into much-needed housing, open space, retail, and replacement parking designed to facilitate human connection and foster a thriving community. Whittier Development Plan Uptown Community Partners' plan for the redeveloped sites in Whittier, CA features 344 new market-rate and affordable homes, including 229 for-sale units and 115 low- and very low-income rental apartments. These multi-family communities will range from three (3) to five (5) stories above ground. The plan also includes 5,000 square feet of commercial development and 251 parking stalls. Enhancements at the pedestrian scale will allow residents and visitors to experience the food, art, and nature woven into the community fabric. For-Sale Housing by City Ventures Building the much-lauded, for-sale housing in Uptown Whittier will be City Ventures. City Ventures is a rapidly growing California homebuilder which repositions underutilized real estate into residential housing. It focuses on the construction of townhomes, condominiums, lofts, mixed-use, live-work and single-family detached homes in the Southern and Northern California coastal urban infill neighborhoods. City Ventures is based in San Francisco and Irvine, and currently owns and controls over 8,000 lots in California. Ryan Aeh, Senior Vice President for City Ventures, states, "City Ventures has a long track record of successful public/private partnerships with local cities, and we're thrilled the City of Whittier has selected us to help revitalize Uptown Whittier and provide much needed new for-sale housing." For more information about City Ventures, visit www.cityventures.com. Affordable Housing by Thomas Safran & Associates Leading Whittier's affordable housing component is Thomas Safran & Associates. Thomas Safran & Associates has developed over 6,000 units of luxury, affordable, and mixed-use rental housing in Southern California. For over 40 years, the company has specialized in developing and managing high-quality properties, many of which have won prestigious awards. Thomas Safran & Associates is committed to providing superior design, maintaining its properties to the highest standards, and enriching the lives of its residents. Jordan Pynes, President of Thomas Safran & Associates, says, "TSA currently owns and operates two affordable housing communities in Whittier. We are delighted to continue this important work with the City and community to provide much needed affordable housing in Whittier." For more information about Thomas Safran & Associates, visit www.tsahousing.com. Innovative Community Space at Uptown Square by Gentefy Uptown Square will consist of seven permanent micro-kitchens for local businesses, a performance stage, a large courtyard, and substantial programming. Similar to Gentefy's highly successful BLVD MRKT development in Montebello, three of the seven restaurants will be allocated for business incubation purposes, and will house underrepresented minorities from the local community who face socio-economic barriers that prevent them from opening a restaurant. Gentefy's mission is to act as a catalyst for community-driven economic development. The company creates products and services that increase entrepreneurial activity and foster economic empowerment within marginalized Hispanic communities. For more information about Gentefy, visit www.linkedin.com/company/gentefy/about/. Design by SVA Architects Overseeing all aspects of the conceptual design is SVA Architects. Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the Country's most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in urban planning, architecture, and interior design of public, private, and mixed-use projects. Among the firm's portfolio are civic, educational, residential, commercial and mixed-use developments. SVA Architects values institutional and public environments as the foundation of a community and the backdrop against which we live, learn, work, worship, and play. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana with offices in Oakland, San Diego, Davis, and Honolulu. Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, CEO of SVA Architects, says, "One of the exciting opportunities for the Whittier developmentwith multiple sites spread throughout the areais the mission to create intentional spaces between buildings. We can create pedestrian corridors and cohesion from the street-level. Wide sidewalks will be activated with public art, landscaping, and gathering spaces, allowing Uptown to become a place of human connection where community is built. We envision the Uptown district becoming the jewel of Whittier." For more information about SVA Architects, visit www.sva-architects.com. Media Contact: Beth BingerBCIMobile: (619) 987-6658[email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uptown-community-partners-selected-for-exclusive-negotiating-agreement-for-6-acres-in-whittier-ca-301563737.html SOURCE Uptown Community Partners AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellantis and Jeep present 2022 Motor City Pride Parade and festival Longtime support of Motor City Pride demonstrates company's commitment to LGBTQ+ employees, customers and communities Company's Pride Month celebration includes sponsorship of New York City Pride later in June Each North American brand will provide pride-branded merchandise Detroit will once again show off the colors of the rainbow June 11 and 12 at Motor City Pride, the annual two-day festival and parade that is the largest LGBTQ+ gathering in Michigan, with Stellantis and the Jeep brand as its presenting sponsor. Now in its 50th year, Motor City Pride celebrates LGBTQ+ culture and aligns with Stellantis' and the Jeep brand's long-standing commitment to LGBTQ+ employees, communities, customers and issues. The parade, which starts at noon at the intersection of Fort and Griswold Streets on June 12 and ends at Hart Plaza, will feature four Jeep vehicles: a Gladiator Rubicon, a Detroit-built Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve and two Wrangler Rubicon 4xe models. "Motor City Pride is an important way to celebrate our diverse and inclusive work culture and to show our commitment to our diverse customers and communities," said Jim Morrison, vice president, Jeep brand North America. "Over its more than 80-year history, the Jeep brand has led the way in freedom and authenticity, and we are proud to lead this year's parade to showcase our outstanding Jeep products and our company's long-standing support for Motor City Pride and the LGBTQ+ community." As part of the company's Pride Month celebration, Stellantis will also sponsor the parade and related events at New York City Pride later in June. In addition, each of the company's North American brands will provide Pride-branded merchandise for customers to purchase and display. The energy behind the company's sponsorship of Motor City Pride comes from its LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group, Prism LGBTQ+ Alliance. Prism LGBTQ+ Alliance, celebrating its 25th year, is one of 11 Business Resource Groups at Stellantis representing a range of affinity communities, including African ancestry, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+, veterans, Middle Eastern, those with disabilities, Native American and women. Stellantis Business Resource Groups, individually and collectively, pursue initiatives that enhance the Stellantis North America work culture by focusing on career development of members, celebrating multicultural differences, and bringing value to the company and external communities through volunteer, charitable and strategic activities. Prism LGBTQ+ Alliance, originally named People of Diversity and then Gay and Lesbian Alliance, was founded and organized by LGBTQ+ employees of the former Chrysler Corporation in 1996 and officially recognized by the company in June 1997. Over the years, the group has provided support and allyship for LGBTQ+ employees, family members and community-based organizations and events, such as Motor City Pride. The company is recognized as a leader among U.S. employers for providing domestic partner benefits to its employees in 2000 and has consistently achieved high scores on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index since the benchmark was established. The company has recently earned meaningful acknowledgement for its diversity leadership by such respected groups as Diversity Inc., Latina Style, Winds of Change (Native American), CADIA (Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion, and Advancement) and The American Association of People with Disabilities. "This remarkable record of accomplishment reflects our team's commitment to advance the conversation on diversity and inclusion beyond aspirational statements to the pursuit of intentional actions and outcomes that have tangible economic impact in diverse communities," said Lottie Holland, director diversity, inclusion, engagement and EEO compliance, Stellantis North America. Show your Pride support year-round with merchandise from some of our brands: Alfa Romeo: https://www.shopalfaromeousa.com/alfa-romeo/collections/pride.html Chrysler: https://www.collection.chrysler.com/chrysler/collections/pride.html Dodge: https://www.life.dodge.com/dodge/collections/pride.html FIAT: https://www.e-store.fiatusa.com/fiat/collections/pride.html Jeep: https://www.gear.jeep.com/jeep/collections/pride.html Mopar: https://www.wearmopar.com/mopar/collections/pride.html Ram: https://www.outfitter.ramtrucks.com/ram/collections/pride.html Motor City PrideMotor City Pride is Michigan's largest pride celebration with more than 40,000 participants in an array of pride events. Motor City Pride is an entirely volunteer-run organization with a mission of spreading awareness through pride. Stellantis North AmericaStellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider. In North America, it's best known for producing and selling vehicles in a portfolio of iconic and award-winning brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Powered by its diversity, Stellantis leads the way the region and the world move aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com. Follow company news and video on:Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.comMedia website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.comCompany website: www.stellantis.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/StellantisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/StellantisNAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellantisnaTwitter: @StellantisNAYouTube: http://youtube.com/StellantisNA View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/when-pride-and-passion-for-a-community-run-deep-301563252.html SOURCE Stellantis ZeroAvia and MONTE will jointly market hydrogen-electric powered aircraft to regional operators HOLLISTER, Calif. and KEMBLE, UK, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeroAvia, the leader in developing zero-emission solutions for commercial aviation, today announced that it has signed an agreement with MONTE Aircraft Leasing (MONTE), the pioneering zero-emissions regional turboprop aircraft lessor. As part of the agreement the partners will offer aircraft leasing and financing solutions that enable operators to run zero-emission flights. Under the deal, MONTE will purchase up to 100 ZA600 powertrains to be installed on existing and new Cessna Caravan, DHC-6 Twin Otter, Dornier 228 and HAL-228 aircraft. MONTE and ZeroAvia aim to retrofit the aircraft for clients starting in 2024 and will provide and finance maintenance and hydrogen availability services to support these operations. The deal will make ZeroAvia MONTE's exclusive hydrogen-electric powertrain provider for these aircraft. Timothy Eyre, Investment Director, MONTE said: "We are delighted to have partnered with ZeroAvia who are the market leader in the hydrogen-electric space. Our partnership is an important step in our journey towards becoming one of the world's first zero-emission aircraft lessors and we look forward to working with the ZeroAvia team on offering financing solutions for turboprop operators." James Peck, VP Business Development, ZeroAvia, said: "We're pleased to announce our partnership with MONTE. Together, ZeroAvia and MONTE will provide a compelling proposition to operators of 5-20 seat aircraft. This partnership will offer flexibility to operators to allow them to launch zero-emissions flights on their networks, as well as extending the lifespan of hundreds of in-service airframes." ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric powertrain brings state-of-the-art fuel cell and electric motor technology together to create an unparalleled aircraft engine that will deliver improved operating economics without harming the planet. The ZA600 powertrain - ZeroAvia's market entry, 600kW system, designed to support 5-20 seat airframes by 2024 - uses gaseous hydrogen stored onboard in lightweight tanks. The hydrogen feeds fuel cell stacks that generate power by converting hydrogen into electricity. ZeroAvia will soon flight test the ZA600 powertrain in a retrofitted Dornier 228. In the initial testing configuration, the aircraft testbed will fly with one hydrogen-electric powertrain on one wing, while keeping the stock engine on the other wing to ensure safe testing conditions. The testing program will then sequentially move to full hydrogen-electric flight, ultimately working towards a certifiable hydrogen-electric powertrain as the sole propulsion source for the categories of airframes included in this deal with MONTE. The work to develop ZA600 up to a certifiable configuration is part of the HyFlyer II project, in part supported by the UK Government through the ATI program. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting a 300-mile range in 5-20 seat aircraft by 2024, and up to 1000-mile range in 40-80 seat aircraft by 2026. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for its two-prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, secured a number of key partnerships with major aircraft OEMs and major global airlines, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Government's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. About MONTE MONTE is a pioneer in financing zero-emission technologies in the regional aviation market. MONTE is exclusively focused on supporting the aviation industry's transition to net zero carbon emissions by providing financing and leasing solutions for zero-emission technologies to regional aircraft operators. MONTE has a goal of becoming the first carbon neutral aircraft leasing company in the world by 2027. For more information, please visit montecleantech.com and follow MONTE on LinkedIn. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeroavia-and-monte-strike-deal-for-100-hydrogen-electric-powertrains-to-enable-zero-emission-aircraft-leasing-301563522.html SOURCE ZeroAvia FILE PHOTO: Model of LNG tanker is seen in front of Qatar's flag in this illustration taken May 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo By Ron Bousso, Sabrina Valle and Marwa Rashad HOUSTON (Reuters) - Italian producer Eni has been picked, along with another four oil majors, by Qatar as partners in the near $30 billion expansion of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, people with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Exxon Mobil Corp, TotalEnergies SE, Shell, ConocoPhillips and Eni will participate in the North Field expansion, which will boost Qatar's position as the world's top LNG exporter and help to guarantee long term supply of gas to Europe as the continent seeks alternatives for Russia's gas. U.S. oil producer Chevron Corp, which has been actively looking to expand its LNG business, has not been awarded a stake in the project, one of the people said. Chevron, Exxon, Total and ConocoPhillips declined to comment. Shell said in a statement it "has bid to participate and would be delighted to be selected." State-owned Qatar Energy (QE) said it will hold a press conference and a signing ceremony on June 12, without specifying the subject. Exxon Chief Executive Darren Woods will attend an energy conference with QE later in June, when a formal announcement could be made. Exxon, Shell and Total are expected to have around 20-25% in total of the offtake of the new project, one of the sources said. A second person said they are likely to get an offtake of one train each, with Conoco and Eni sharing the offtake of the fourth. QE has not ruled out a small stake to a Chinese partner, this source said. The North Field Expansion (NFE) plan includes six LNG trains that will ramp up Qatars liquefaction capacity from 77 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 126 mtpa by 2027. Oil Majors bid for four trains of the North Field East expansion. The other two trains will be part of a second phase, the North Field South. (Reporting by Sabrina Valle) As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 8, 2022 Registration No. 333-222713 _____________________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 _____________________ POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO FORM F-6 REGISTRATION STATEMENT under THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 For American Depositary Shares of BIOFRONTERA AG (Exact name of issuer of deposited securities as specified in its charter) N/A (Translation of issuer's name into English) GERMANY (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of issuer) THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON (Exact name of depositary as specified in its charter) 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286 (212) 495-1784 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of depositary's principal executive offices) _______________________ The Bank of New York Mellon Legal Department 240 Greenwich Street New York, New York 10286 (212) 495-1784 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copies to: Brian D. Obergfell, Esq. Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP 120 Broadway New York, New York 10271 (212) 238-3032 It is proposed that this filing become effective under Rule 466 [X] immediately upon filing [ ] on (Date) at (Time). If a separate registration statement has been filed to register the deposited shares, check the following box. [ ] This Post-Effective Amendment is being filed solely to reflect that Biofrontera AG no longer files periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, but, instead, publishes information in English required to maintain the exemption from registration under Rule 12g3-2(b) under that Act. The prospectus consists of the proposed Form of American Depositary Receipt included as Exhibit A to the Form of Deposit Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 to this Registration Statement which is incorporated herein by reference. PART I INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS Item -1. Description of Securities to be Registered Cross Reference Sheet Item Number and Caption Location in Form of Receipt Filed Herewith as Prospectus 1. Name and address of depositary Introductory Article 2. Title of American Depositary Receipts and identity of deposited securities Face of Receipt, top center Terms of Deposit: (i) The amount of deposited securities represented by one unit of American Depositary Receipts Face of Receipt, upper right corner (ii) The procedure for voting, if any, the deposited securities Articles number 15, 16 and 18 (iii) The collection and distribution of dividends Articles number 4, 12, 13, 15 and 18 (iv) The transmission of notices, reports and proxy soliciting material Articles number 11, 15, 16 and 18 (v) The sale or exercise of rights Articles number 13, 14, 15 and 18 (vi) The deposit or sale of securities resulting from dividends, splits or plans of reorganization Articles number 12, 13, 15, 17 and 18 (vii) Amendment, extension or termination of the deposit agreement Articles number 20 and 21 (viii) Rights of holders of Receipts to inspect the transfer books of the depositary and the list of holders of Receipts Article number 11 (ix) Restrictions upon the right to deposit or withdraw the underlying securities Articles number 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21 and 22 (x) Limitation upon the liability of the depositary Articles number 14, 18, 21 and 22 3. Fees and Charges Articles 7 and 8 Item - 2. Available Information Public reports furnished by issuer Article number 11 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS Item - 3. Exhibits a. Form of Deposit Agreement dated as of February 13, 2018 among Biofrontera AG, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary, and all Owners and Holders from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued thereunder. - Filed herewith as Exhibit 1. b. Any other agreement to which the Depositary is a party relating to the issuance of the Depositary Shares registered hereby or the custody of the deposited securities represented. - Not Applicable. c. Every material contract relating to the deposited securities between the Depositary and the issuer of the deposited securities in effect at any time within the last three years. See (a) above. d. Opinion of Emmet, Marvin & Martin, LLP, counsel for the Depositary, as to legality of the securities to be registered. Filed previously. e. Certification under Rule 466. Filed herewith as Exhibit 5. Item - 4. Undertakings (a) The Depositary hereby undertakes to make available at the principal office of the Depositary in the United States, for inspection by holders of the ADSs, any reports and communications received from the issuer of the deposited securities which are both (1) received by the Depositary as the holder of the deposited securities, and (2) made generally available to the holders of the underlying securities by the issuer. (b) If the amounts of fees charged are not disclosed in the prospectus, the Depositary undertakes to prepare a separate document stating the amount of any fee charged and describing the service for which it is charged and to deliver promptly a copy of such fee schedule without charge to anyone upon request. The Depositary undertakes to notify each registered holder of an ADS thirty days before any change in the fee schedule. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that all the requirements for filing on Form F-6 are met and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on June 8, 2022. Legal entity created by the agreement for the issuance of American Depositary Shares for ordinary shares of Biofrontera AG By: The Bank of New York Mellon As Depositary By: /s/ Lance Miller Name: Lance Miller Title: Vice President Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Biofrontera AG has caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Leverkusen, Germany on June 8, 2022. BIOFRONTERA AG By: /s/ Ludwig Lutter Name: Ludwig Lutter Title: Chief Financial Officer Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Ludwig Lutter his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact with power of substitution and resubstitution to sign in his or her name, place and stead in any and all capacities the Registration Statement and any and all amendments thereto (including post-effective amendments) and any documents in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each of said attorneys full power to act with or without the other, and full power and authority to do and perform, in his or her name and on his behalf, every act whatsoever which such attorneys, or any one of them, may deem necessary or desirable to be done in connection therewith as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact, or any of them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated on June 8, 2022. /s/ Ludwig Lutter Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of Ludwig Lutter Management Board (principal executive, financial, and accounting officer) /s/ William K. T. Zours Chairman of Supervisory Board William K. T. Zours /s/ Dr. Jorgen Tielmann Vice chairman of supervisory board Dr. Jorgen Tielmann /s/ Helge Lubenow Member of supervisory board Helge Lubenow /s/ Heikki Lanckriet Member of supervisory board Heikki Lanckriet /s/ Karlheimz Schmelig Member of supervisory board Karlheimz Schmelig BIOFRONTERA INC. Authorized Representative in the United States By: /s/ Daniel Hakansson Name: Daniel Hakansson Title: Corporate Counsel INDEX TO EXHIBITS Exhibit Number Exhibit 1 Form of Deposit Agreement dated as of February 13, 2018, among Biofrontera AG, The Bank of New York Mellon, as Depositary, and all Owners and Holders from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued thereunder. 5 Certification Under Rule 466. =============================================================== BIOFRONTERA AG AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON As Depositary AND OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES Deposit Agreement Dated as of February 13, 2018 =============================================================== TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS 1 SECTION 1.1. American Depositary Shares. 1 SECTION 1.2. Commission. 2 SECTION 1.3. Company. 2 SECTION 1.4. Custodian. 2 SECTION 1.5. Delisting Event. 2 SECTION 1.6. Deliver; Surrender. 2 SECTION 1.7. Deposit Agreement. 3 SECTION 1.8. Depositary; Depositarys Office. 3 SECTION 1.9. Deposited Securities. 3 SECTION 1.10. Disseminate. 3 SECTION 1.11. Dollars. 4 SECTION 1.12. DTC. 4 SECTION 1.13. Foreign Registrar. 4 SECTION 1.14. Holder. 4 SECTION 1.15. Insolvency Event. 4 SECTION 1.16. Owner. 5 SECTION 1.17. Receipts. 5 SECTION 1.18. Registrar. 5 SECTION 1.19. Replacement. 5 SECTION 1.20. Restricted Securities. 5 SECTION 1.21. Securities Act of 1933. 5 SECTION 1.22. Shares. 5 SECTION 1.23. SWIFT. 6 SECTION 1.24. Termination Option Event. 6 ARTICLE 2. FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES 6 SECTION 2.1. Form of Receipts; Registration and Transferability of American Depositary Shares. 6 SECTION 2.2. Deposit of Shares. 7 SECTION 2.3. Delivery of American Depositary Shares. 8 SECTION 2.4. Registration of Transfer of American Depositary Shares; Combination and Split-up of Receipts; Interchange of Certificated and Uncertificated American Depositary Shares. 8 SECTION 2.5. Surrender of American Depositary Shares and Withdrawal of Deposited Securities. 9 SECTION 2.6. Limitations on Delivery, Transfer and Surrender of American Depositary Shares. 10 SECTION 2.7. Lost Receipts, etc. 11 SECTION 2.8. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts. 11 SECTION 2.9. Pre-Release of American Depositary Shares. 11 SECTION 2.10. DTC Direct Registration System and Profile Modification System. 12 ARTICLE 3. CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES 13 SECTION 3.1. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. 13 SECTION 3.2. Liability of Owner for Taxes. 13 SECTION 3.3. Warranties on Deposit of Shares. 14 SECTION 3.4. Disclosure of Interests. 14 ARTICLE 4. THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES 15 SECTION 4.1. Cash Distributions. 15 SECTION 4.2. Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights. 15 SECTION 4.3. Distributions in Shares. 16 SECTION 4.4. Rights. 17 SECTION 4.5. Conversion of Foreign Currency. 18 SECTION 4.6. Fixing of Record Date. 19 SECTION 4.7. Voting of Deposited Shares. 20 SECTION 4.8. Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities. 21 SECTION 4.9. Reports. 22 SECTION 4.10. Lists of Owners. 23 SECTION 4.11. Withholding. 23 ARTICLE 5. THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY 23 SECTION 5.1. Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Depositary. 23 SECTION 5.2. Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary or the Company. 24 SECTION 5.3. Obligations of the Depositary and the Company. 25 SECTION 5.4. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary. 26 SECTION 5.5. The Custodians. 27 SECTION 5.6. Notices and Reports. 27 SECTION 5.7. Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc. 28 SECTION 5.8. Indemnification. 28 SECTION 5.9. Charges of Depositary. 29 SECTION 5.10. Retention of Depositary Documents. 30 SECTION 5.11. Exclusivity. 30 ARTICLE 6. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION 30 SECTION 6.1. Amendment. 30 SECTION 6.2. Termination. 31 ARTICLE 7. MISCELLANEOUS 32 SECTION 7.1. Counterparts; Signatures. 32 SECTION 7.2. No Third Party Beneficiaries. 32 SECTION 7.3. Severability. 32 SECTION 7.4. Owners and Holders as Parties; Binding Effect. 32 SECTION 7.5. Notices. 33 SECTION 7.6. Appointment of Agent for Service of Process; Submission to Jurisdiction; Jury Trial Waiver. 33 SECTION 7.7. Waiver of Immunities. 34 SECTION 7.8. Governing Law. 35 DEPOSIT AGREEMENT DEPOSIT AGREEMENT dated as of February 13, 2018 among BIOFRONTERA AG, a stock corporation incorporated under the laws of Germany (herein called the Company), THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation (herein called the Depositary), and all Owners and Holders (each as hereinafter defined) from time to time of American Depositary Shares issued hereunder. W I T N E S S E T H: WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide, as set forth in this Deposit Agreement, for the deposit of Shares (as hereinafter defined) of the Company from time to time with the Depositary or with the Custodian (as hereinafter defined) under this Deposit Agreement, for the creation of American Depositary Shares representing the Shares so deposited and for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Receipts evidencing the American Depositary Shares; and WHEREAS, the American Depositary Receipts are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as set forth in this Deposit Agreement; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows: ARTICLE 1. DEFINITIONS The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated, apply to the respective terms used in this Deposit Agreement: SECTION 1.1. American Depositary Shares. The term American Depositary Shares shall mean the securities created under this Deposit Agreement representing rights with respect to the Deposited Securities. American Depositary Shares may be certificated securities evidenced by Receipts or uncertificated securities. The form of Receipt annexed as Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement shall be the prospectus required under the Securities Act of 1933 for sales of both certificated and uncertificated American Depositary Shares. Except for those provisions of this Deposit Agreement that refer specifically to Receipts, all the provisions of this Deposit Agreement shall apply to both certificated and uncertificated American Depositary Shares. Each American Depositary Share shall represent the number of Shares specified in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement, except that , if there is a distribution upon Deposited Securities covered by Section 4.3, a change in Deposited Securities covered by Section 4.8 with respect to which additional American Depositary Shares are not delivered or a sale of Deposited Securities under Section 3.2 or 4.8, each American Depositary Share shall thereafter represent the amount of Shares or other Deposited Securities that are then on deposit per American Depositary Share after giving effect to that distribution, change or sale. SECTION 1.2. Commission. The term Commission shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any successor governmental agency in the United States. SECTION 1.3. Company. The term Company shall mean Biofrontera AG, a stock corporation incorporated under the laws of Germany, and its successors. SECTION 1.4. Custodian. The term Custodian shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon SA/NV, as custodian for the Depositary in Frankfurt for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement, and any other firm or corporation the Depositary appoints under Section 5.5 as a substitute or additional custodian under this Deposit Agreement, and shall also mean all of them collectively. SECTION 1.5. Delisting Event. A Delisting Event occurs if the American Depositary Shares are delisted from a securities exchange on which the American Depositary Shares were listed and the Company has not listed or applied to list the American Depositary Shares on any other securities exchange. SECTION 1.6. Deliver; Surrender. (a) The term deliver , or its noun form, when used with respect to Shares or other Deposited Securities, shall mean (i) book-entry transfer of those Shares or other Deposited Securities to an account maintained by an institution authorized under applicable law to effect transfers of such securities designated by the person entitled to that delivery or (ii) physical transfer of certificates evidencing those Shares or other Deposited Securities registered in the name of, or duly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer to, the person entitled to that delivery. (b) The term deliver , or its noun form, when used with respect to American Depositary Shares, shall mean (i) registration of those American Depositary Shares in the name of DTC or its nominee and book-entry transfer of those American Depositary Shares to an account at DTC designated by the person entitled to that delivery, (ii) registration of those American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt on the books of the Depositary in the name requested by the person entitled to that delivery and mailing to that person of a statement confirming that registration or (iii) if requested by the person entitled to that delivery, execution and delivery at the Depositarys Office to the person entitled to that delivery of one or more Receipts evidencing those American Depositary Shares registered in the name requested by that person. (c) The term surrender , when used with respect to American Depositary Shares, shall mean (i) one or more book-entry transfers of American Depositary Shares to the DTC account of the Depositary, (ii) delivery to the Depositary at its Office of an instruction to surrender American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt or (iii) surrender to the Depositary at its Office of one or more Receipts evidencing American Depositary Shares. SECTION 1.7. Deposit Agreement. The term Deposit Agreement shall mean this Deposit Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement. SECTION 1.8. Depositary; Depositarys Office. The term Depositary shall mean The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, and any successor as depositary under this Deposit Agreement. The term Office , when used with respect to the Depositary, shall mean the office at which its depositary receipts business is administered, which, at the date of this Deposit Agreement, is located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286. SECTION 1.9. Deposited Securities. The term Deposited Securities as of any time shall mean Shares at such time deposited or deemed to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement, including without limitation, Shares that have not been successfully delivered upon surrender of American Depositary Shares, and any and all other securities, property and cash received by the Depositary or the Custodian in respect of Deposited Securities and at that time held under this Deposit Agreement. SECTION 1.10. Disseminate. The term Disseminate , when referring to a notice or other information to be sent by the Depositary to Owners, shall mean (i) sending that information to Owners in paper form by mail or another means or (ii) with the consent of Owners, another procedure that has the effect of making the information available to Owners, which may include (A) sending the information by electronic mail or electronic messaging or (B) sending in paper form or by electronic mail or electronic messaging a statement that the information is available and may be accessed by the Owner on an Internet website and that it will be sent in paper form upon request by the Owner, when that information is so available and is sent in paper form as promptly as practicable upon request. SECTION 1.11. Dollars. The term Dollars shall mean United States dollars. SECTION 1.12. DTC. The term DTC shall mean The Depository Trust Company or its successor. SECTION 1.13. Foreign Registrar. The term Foreign Registrar shall mean the entity that carries out the duties of registrar for the Shares and any other agent of the Company for the transfer and registration of Shares, including, without limitation, any securities depository for the Shares. SECTION 1.14. Holder. The term Holder shall mean any person holding a Receipt or a security entitlement or other interest in American Depositary Shares, whether for its own account or for the account of another person, but that is not the Owner of that Receipt or those American Depositary Shares. SECTION 1.15. Insolvency Event. An Insolvency Event occurs if the Company institutes proceedings to be adjudicated as bankrupt or insolvent, consents to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, files a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable law in respect of bankruptcy or insolvency, consents to the filing of any petition of that kind or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or sequestrator (or other similar official) of it or any substantial part of its property or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or if information becomes publicly available indicating that unsecured claims against the Company are not expected to be paid. SECTION 1.16. Owner. The term Owner shall mean the person in whose name American Depositary Shares are registered on the books of the Depositary maintained for that purpose. SECTION 1.17. Receipts. The term Receipts shall mean the American Depositary Receipts issued under this Deposit Agreement evidencing certificated American Depositary Shares, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement. SECTION 1.18. Registrar. The term Registrar shall mean any corporation or other entity that is appointed by the Depositary to register American Depositary Shares and transfers of American Depositary Shares as provided in this Deposit Agreement. SECTION 1.19. Replacement. The term Replacement shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 4.8(c). SECTION 1.20. Restricted Securities. The term Restricted Securities shall mean Shares that (i) are restricted securities, as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, except for Shares that could be resold in reliance on Rule 144 without any conditions, (ii) are beneficially owned by an officer, director (or person performing similar functions) or other affiliate of the Company, (iii) otherwise would require registration under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the public offer and sale thereof in the United States or (iv) are subject to other restrictions on sale or deposit under the laws of Germany, a shareholder agreement or the articles of association or similar document of the Company. SECTION 1.21. Securities Act of 1933. The term Securities Act of 1933 shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as from time to time amended. SECTION 1.22. Shares. The term Shares shall mean ordinary shares of the Company that are validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable and that were not issued in violation of any pre-emptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company; provided , however , that, if there shall occur any change in nominal or par value, a split-up or consolidation or any other reclassification or, upon the occurrence of an event described in Section 4.8, an exchange or conversion in respect of the Shares of the Company, the term Shares shall thereafter also mean the successor securities resulting from such change in nominal value, split-up or consolidation or such other reclassification or such exchange or conversion. SECTION 1.23. SWIFT. The term SWIFT shall mean the financial messaging network operated by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or its successor. SECTION 1.24. Termination Option Event. The term Termination Option Event shall mean an event of a kind defined as such in Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.8. ARTICLE 2. FORM OF RECEIPTS, DEPOSIT OF SHARES, DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES SECTION 2.1. Form of Receipts; Registration and Transferability of American Depositary Shares. Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as permitted under this Deposit Agreement. No Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless that Receipt has been (i) executed by the Depositary by the manual signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary or (ii) executed by the facsimile signature of a duly authorized officer of the Depositary and countersigned by the manual signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary or the Registrar or a co-registrar. The Depositary shall maintain books on which (x) each Receipt so executed and delivered as provided in this Deposit Agreement and each transfer of that Receipt and (y) all American Depositary Shares delivered as provided in this Deposit Agreement and all registrations of transfer of American Depositary Shares, shall be registered. A Receipt bearing the facsimile signature of a person that was at any time a proper officer of the Depositary shall, subject to the other provisions of this paragraph, bind the Depositary, even if that person was not a proper officer of the Depositary on the date of issuance of that Receipt. The Receipts and statements confirming registration of American Depositary Shares may have incorporated in or attached to them such legends or recitals or modifications not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be required by the Depositary or required to comply with any applicable law or regulations thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which American Depositary Shares may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Receipts and American Depositary Shares are subject by reason of the date of issuance of the underlying Deposited Securities or otherwise. American Depositary Shares evidenced by a Receipt, when the Receipt is properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable as certificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York. American Depositary Shares not evidenced by Receipts shall be transferable as uncertificated registered securities under the laws of the State of New York. The Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may treat the Owner of American Depositary Shares as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes, and neither the Depositary nor the Company shall have any obligation or be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Holder of American Depositary Shares (but only to the Owner of those American Depositary Shares). SECTION 2.2. Deposit of Shares. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, Shares or evidence of rights to receive Shares may be deposited under this Deposit Agreement by delivery thereof to any Custodian, accompanied by any appropriate instruments or instructions for transfer, or endorsement, in form satisfactory to the Custodian. As conditions of accepting Shares for deposit, the Depositary may require (i) any certification required by the Depositary or the Custodian in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, (ii) a written order directing the Depositary to deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in that order American Depositary Shares representing those deposited Shares, (iii) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that those Shares have been re-registered in the books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar in the name of the Depositary, a Custodian or a nominee of the Depositary or a Custodian, (iv) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary that any necessary approval has been granted by any governmental body in each applicable jurisdiction and (v) an agreement or assignment, or other instrument satisfactory to the Depositary, that provides for the prompt transfer to the Custodian of any dividend, or right to subscribe for additional Shares or to receive other property, that any person in whose name those Shares are or have been recorded may thereafter receive upon or in respect of those Shares, or, in lieu thereof, such agreement of indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary. At the request and risk and expense of a person proposing to deposit Shares, and for the account of that person, the Depositary may receive certificates for Shares to be deposited, together with the other instruments specified in this Section, for the purpose of forwarding those Share certificates to the Custodian for deposit under this Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall instruct each Custodian that, upon each delivery to a Custodian of a certificate or certificates for Shares to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement, together with the other documents specified in this Section, that Custodian shall, as soon as transfer and recordation can be accomplished, present that certificate or those certificates to the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, for transfer and recordation of the Shares being deposited in the name of the Depositary or its nominee or that Custodian or its nominee. Deposited Securities shall be held by the Depositary or by a Custodian for the account and to the order of the Depositary or at such other place or places as the Depositary shall determine. SECTION 2.3. Delivery of American Depositary Shares. The Depositary shall instruct each Custodian that, upon receipt by that Custodian of any deposit pursuant to Section 2.2, together with the other documents or evidence required under that Section, that Custodian shall notify the Depositary of that deposit and the person or persons to whom or upon whose written order American Depositary Shares are deliverable in respect thereof. Upon receiving a notice of a deposit from a Custodian, or upon the receipt of Shares or evidence of the right to receive Shares by the Depositary, the Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall deliver, to or upon the order of the person or persons entitled thereto, the number of American Depositary Shares issuable in respect of that deposit, but only upon payment to the Depositary of the fees and expenses of the Depositary for the delivery of those American Depositary Shares as provided in Section 5.9, and of all taxes and governmental charges and fees payable in connection with that deposit and the transfer of the deposited Shares. However , the Depositary shall deliver only whole numbers of American Depositary Shares. SECTION 2.4. Registration of Transfer of American Depositary Shares; Combination and Split-up of Receipts; Interchange of Certificated and Uncertificated American Depositary Shares. The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall register a transfer of American Depositary Shares on its transfer books upon (i) in the case of certificated American Depositary Shares, surrender of the Receipt evidencing those American Depositary Shares, by the Owner or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer or (ii) in the case of uncertificated American Depositary Shares, receipt from the Owner of a proper instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.10), and, in either case, duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America. Upon registration of a transfer, the Depositary shall deliver the transferred American Depositary Shares to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto. The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, shall upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts, execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as the Receipt or Receipts surrendered. The Depositary, upon surrender of certificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for uncertificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel the Receipt evidencing those certificated American Depositary Shares and send the Owner a statement confirming that the Owner is the owner of the same number of uncertificated American Depositary Shares. The Depositary, upon receipt of a proper instruction (including, for the avoidance of doubt, instructions through DRS and Profile as provided in Section 2.10) from the Owner of uncertificated American Depositary Shares for the purpose of exchanging for certificated American Depositary Shares, shall cancel those uncertificated American Depositary Shares and register and deliver to the Owner a Receipt evidencing the same number of certificated American Depositary Shares. The Depositary may appoint one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting registration of transfers of American Depositary Shares and combinations and split-ups of Receipts at designated transfer offices on behalf of the Depositary. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Owners or persons entitled to American Depositary Shares and will be entitled to protection and indemnity to the same extent as the Depositary. SECTION 2.5. Surrender of American Depositary Shares and Withdrawal of Deposited Securities. Upon surrender at the Depositarys Office of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented thereby and payment of the fee of the Depositary for the surrender of American Depositary Shares as provided in Section 5.9 and payment of all taxes and governmental charges payable in connection with that surrender and withdrawal of the Deposited Securities, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Owner of those American Depositary Shares shall be entitled to delivery (to the extent delivery can then be lawfully and practicably made), to or as instructed by that Owner, of the amount of Deposited Securities at the time represented by those American Depositary Shares, but not any money or other property as to which a record date for distribution to Owners has passed (since money or other property of that kind will be delivered or paid on the scheduled payment date to the Owner as of that record date). That delivery shall be made, as provided in this Section, without unreasonable delay. As a condition of accepting a surrender of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of Deposited Securities, the Depositary may require (i) that each surrendered Receipt be properly endorsed in blank or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer in blank and (ii) that the surrendering Owner execute and deliver to the Depositary a written order directing the Depositary to cause the Deposited Securities being withdrawn to be delivered to or upon the written order of a person or persons designated in that order. Thereupon, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to deliver, subject to Sections 2.6, 3.1 and 3.2, the other terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and local market rules and practices, to the surrendering Owner or to or upon the written order of the person or persons designated in the order delivered to the Depositary as above provided, the amount of Deposited Securities represented by the surrendered American Depositary Shares, and the Depositary may charge the surrendering Owner a fee and its expenses for giving that direction. At the request, risk and expense of an Owner surrendering American Depositary Shares for withdrawal of Deposited Securities, and for the account of that Owner, the Depositary shall direct the Custodian to forward any cash or other property comprising, and forward a certificate or certificates, if applicable, and other proper documents of title, if any, for, the Deposited Securities represented by the surrendered American Depositary Shares to the Depositary for delivery at the Depositarys Office or to another address specified in the order received from the surrendering Owner. SECTION 2.6. Limitations on Delivery, Transfer and Surrender of American Depositary Shares. As a condition precedent to the delivery, registration of transfer or surrender of any American Depositary Shares or split-up or combination of any Receipt or withdrawal of any Deposited Securities, the Depositary, Custodian or Registrar may require payment from the depositor of Shares or the presenter of the Receipt or instruction for registration of transfer or surrender of American Depositary Shares not evidenced by a Receipt of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any tax or other governmental charge and any stock transfer or registration fee with respect thereto (including any such tax or charge and fee with respect to Shares being deposited or withdrawn) and payment of any applicable fees as provided in this Deposit Agreement, may require the production of proof satisfactory to it as to the identity and genuineness of any signature and may also require compliance with any regulations the Depositary may establish consistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, including, without limitation, this Section 2.6. The delivery of American Depositary Shares against deposit of Shares generally or against deposit of particular Shares may be suspended, or the registration of transfer of American Depositary Shares in particular instances may be refused, or the registration of transfer of outstanding American Depositary Shares generally may be suspended, during any period when the transfer books of the Depositary are closed, or if any such action is deemed necessary or advisable by the Depositary or the Company at any time or from time to time because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body or commission, or under any provision of this Deposit Agreement, or for any other reason. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Deposit Agreement, the surrender of outstanding American Depositary Shares and withdrawal of Deposited Securities may not be suspended, subject only to (i) temporary delays caused by closing of the transfer books of the Depositary or the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, or the deposit of Shares in connection with voting at a shareholders meeting, or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges, and (iii) compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the American Depositary Shares or to the withdrawal of the Deposited Securities. The Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under this Deposit Agreement any Shares that, at the time of deposit, are Restricted Securities. SECTION 2.7. Lost Receipts, etc. If a Receipt is mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen, the Depositary shall deliver to the Owner the American Depositary Shares evidenced by that Receipt in uncertificated form or, if requested by the Owner, execute and deliver a new Receipt of like tenor in exchange and substitution for such mutilated Receipt, upon surrender and cancellation of that mutilated Receipt, or in lieu of and in substitution for that destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt. However , before the Depositary will deliver American Depositary Shares in uncertificated form or execute and deliver a new Receipt, in substitution for a destroyed, lost or stolen Receipt, the Owner must (a) file with the Depositary (i) a request for that replacement before the Depositary has notice that the Receipt has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser and (ii) a sufficient indemnity bond and (b) satisfy any other reasonable requirements imposed by the Depositary. SECTION 2.8. Cancellation and Destruction of Surrendered Receipts. The Depositary shall cancel all Receipts surrendered to it and is authorized to destroy Receipts so cancelled. SECTION 2.9. Pre-Release of American Depositary Shares. Notwithstanding Section 2.3, the Depositary may deliver American Depositary Shares prior to the receipt of Shares pursuant to Section 2.2 (a Pre-Release). The Depositary may, pursuant to Section 2.5, deliver Shares upon the surrender of American Depositary Shares that have been Pre-Released, whether or not that surrender is prior to the termination of that Pre-Release or the Depositary knows that those American Depositary Shares have been Pre-Released. The Depositary may receive American Depositary Shares in lieu of Shares in satisfaction of a Pre-Release. Each Pre-Release must be (a) preceded or accompanied by a written representation from the person to whom American Depositary Shares or Shares are to be delivered, that such person, or its customer, owns the Shares or American Depositary Shares to be remitted, as the case may be, (b) at all times fully collateralized with cash, U.S. government securities or such other collateral as the Depositary determines, in good faith, will provide substantially similar liquidity and security, (c) terminable by the Depositary on not more than five (5) business days notice, and (d) subject to all indemnities and credit regulations that the Depositary deems appropriate. The number of American Depositary Shares outstanding at any time as a result of Pre-Release will not normally exceed thirty percent (30%) of all American Depositary Shares outstanding; provided , however , that the Depositary reserves the right to change or disregard that limit from time to time as it deems appropriate. The Depositary may retain for its own account any compensation received by it in connection with Pre-Release. SECTION 2.10. DTC Direct Registration System and Profile Modification System. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2.4, the parties acknowledge that DTCs Direct Registration System ( DRS ) and Profile Modification System ( Profile ) apply to the American Depositary Shares upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is the system administered by DTC that facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated securities and holding of security entitlements in those securities through DTC and a DTC participant. Profile is a required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, to direct the Depositary to register a transfer of those American Depositary Shares to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those American Depositary Shares to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the Depositary of prior authorization from the Owner to register that transfer. (b) In connection with DRS/Profile, the parties acknowledge that the Depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an Owner in requesting a registration of transfer and delivery as described in paragraph (a) above has the actual authority to act on behalf of that Owner (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of Sections 5.3 and 5.8 apply to the matters arising from the use of the DRS/Profile. The parties agree that the Depositarys reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the Depositary through the DRS/Profile system and otherwise in accordance with this Deposit Agreement shall not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the Depositary. ARTICLE 3. CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS OF OWNERS AND HOLDERS OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES SECTION 3.1. Filing Proofs, Certificates and Other Information. Any person presenting Shares for deposit or any Owner or Holder may be required from time to time to file with the Depositary or the Custodian such proof of citizenship or residence, exchange control approval, or such information relating to the registration on the books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if applicable, to execute such certificates and to make such representations and warranties, as the Depositary may deem necessary or proper. The Depositary may withhold the delivery or registration of transfer of American Depositary Shares, the distribution of any dividend or other distribution or of the proceeds thereof or the delivery of any Deposited Securities until that proof or other information is filed or those certificates are executed or those representations and warranties are made. If requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary will provide the Company, as promptly as reasonably practicable and at the Company's expense, with copies of any such proofs, certificates or other information that it receives pursuant to this Section 3.1, to the extent that disclosure is permitted under applicable law. SECTION 3.2. Liability of Owner for Taxes. If any tax or other governmental charge shall become payable by the Custodian or the Depositary with respect to or in connection with any American Depositary Shares or any Deposited Securities represented by any American Depositary Shares or in connection with a transaction to which Section 4.8 applies, that tax or other governmental charge shall be payable by the Owner of those American Depositary Shares to the Depositary. The Depositary may refuse to register any transfer of those American Depositary Shares or any withdrawal of Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares until that payment is made, and may withhold any dividends or other distributions or the proceeds thereof, or may sell for the account of the Owner any part or all of the Deposited Securities represented by those American Depositary Shares and apply those dividends or other distributions or the net proceeds of any sale of that kind in payment of that tax or other governmental charge but , even after a sale of that kind, the Owner of those American Depositary Shares shall remain liable for any deficiency. The Depositary shall distribute any net proceeds of a sale made under this Section that are not used to pay taxes or governmental charges to the Owners entitled to them in accordance with Section 4.1. If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a sale of Deposited Securities under this Section, the Depositary may call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them. SECTION 3.3. Warranties on Deposit of Shares. Every person depositing Shares under this Deposit Agreement shall be deemed thereby to represent and warrant that those Shares and each certificate therefor, if applicable, are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and were not issued in violation of any preemptive or similar rights of the holders of outstanding securities of the Company and that the person making that deposit is duly authorized so to do. Every depositing person shall also be deemed to represent that the Shares, at the time of deposit, are not Restricted Securities. All representations and warranties deemed made under this Section shall survive the deposit of Shares and delivery of American Depositary Shares. SECTION 3.4. Disclosure of Interests. When required in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations (including the rules and requirements of any stock exchange on which the American Depositary Shares are, or will be traded or listed or the rules and requirements of any clearing system through which transactions in the American Depositary Shares may be settled) or the articles of association or similar document of the Company, the Company may from time to time request each Owner and Holder to provide to the Depositary information relating to: (a) the capacity in which it holds American Depositary Shares, (b) the identity of any Holders or other persons or entities then or previously interested in those American Depositary Shares and the nature of those interests and (c) any other matter where disclosure of such matter is required for that compliance. Each Owner and Holder agrees to provide all information known to it in response to a request made pursuant to this Section. Each Holder consents to the disclosure by the Owner or any other Holder through which it holds American Depositary Shares, directly or indirectly, of all information responsive to a request made pursuant to this Section relating to that Holder that is known to that Owner or other Holder. The Depositary agrees to use reasonable efforts, at the Company's expense, to comply with written instructions requesting that the Depositary forward any request authorized under this Section to the Owners and to forward to the Company any responses it receives in response to that request. Each Owner and Holder of American Depositary Shares further agrees to comply with the laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Germany (if and to the extent applicable) with respect to the disclosure requirements regarding ownership or potential for ownership of Shares, all as if the American Depositary Shares were the Shares represented thereby, which is deemed to include, inter alia, requirements to make notifications and filings within the required timeframes to the Company and any other authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany. ARTICLE 4. THE DEPOSITED SECURITIES SECTION 4.1. Cash Distributions. Whenever the Depositary receives any cash dividend or other cash distribution on Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall, subject to the provisions of Section 4.5, convert that dividend or other distribution into Dollars and distribute the amount thus received (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9) to the Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities held by them respectively; provided , however , that if the Custodian or the Depositary shall be required to withhold and does withhold from that cash dividend or other cash distribution an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges, the amount distributed to the Owners of the American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities shall be reduced accordingly. However , the Depositary will not pay any Owner a fraction of one cent, but will round each Owners entitlement to the nearest whole cent. The Company or its agent will timely remit to the appropriate governmental authority in each applicable jurisdiction all amounts withheld and owing to such authority. The Depositary will, as promptly as practicable, forward to the Company or its agent such information from its records as the Company may reasonably request to enable the Company or its agent to file necessary reports with governmental agencies. Each Owner and Holder agrees to indemnify the Company, the Depositary, the Custodian and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates for, and hold each of them harmless against, any claim by any governmental authority with respect to taxes, additions to tax, penalties or interest arising out of any refund of taxes, reduced withholding at source or other tax benefit received by it. If a cash distribution would represent a return of all or substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a condition of making that cash distribution. A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event . SECTION 4.2. Distributions Other Than Cash, Shares or Rights. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.11 and 5.9, whenever the Depositary receives any distribution other than a distribution described in Section 4.1, 4.3 or 4.4 on Deposited Securities (but not in exchange for or in conversion or in lieu of Deposited Securities), the Depositary shall cause the securities or property received by it to be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto, after deduction or upon payment of any fees and expenses of the Depositary and any taxes or other governmental charges, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing such Deposited Securities held by them respectively, in any manner that the Depositary deems equitable and practicable for accomplishing that distribution (which may be a distribution of depositary shares representing the securities received); provided , however , that if in the opinion of the Depositary such distribution cannot be made proportionately among the Owners entitled thereto, or if for any other reason (including, but not limited to, any requirement that the Company or the Depositary withhold an amount on account of taxes or other governmental charges or that securities received must be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 in order to be distributed to Owners or Holders) the Depositary deems such distribution not to be lawful and feasible, the Depositary may adopt such other method as it may deem equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including, but not limited to, the public or private sale of the securities or property thus received, or any part thereof, and distribution of the net proceeds of any such sale (net of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9) to the Owners entitled thereto, all in the manner and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.1. The Depositary may withhold any distribution of securities under this Section 4.2 if it has not received reasonably satisfactory assurances from the Company that the distribution does not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933. The Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of securities or other property it would otherwise distribute under this Section 4.2 that is sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution. If a distribution under this Section 4.2 would represent a return of all or substantially all the value of the Deposited Securities underlying American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may require surrender of those American Depositary Shares and may require payment of or deduct the fee for surrender of American Depositary Shares (whether or not it is also requiring surrender of American Depositary Shares) as a condition of making that distribution. A distribution of that kind shall be a Termination Option Event . SECTION 4.3. Distributions in Shares. Whenever the Depositary receives any distribution on Deposited Securities consisting of a dividend in, or free distribution of, Shares, the Depositary may deliver to the Owners entitled thereto, in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares representing those Deposited Securities held by them respectively, an aggregate number of American Depositary Shares representing the amount of Shares received as that dividend or free distribution, subject to the terms and conditions of the Deposit Agreement with respect to the deposit of Shares and issuance of American Depositary Shares, including withholding of any tax or governmental charge as provided in Section 4.11 and payment of the fees and expenses of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 (and the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, an amount of the Shares received (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in respect of that distribution). In lieu of delivering fractional American Depositary Shares, the Depositary may sell the amount of Shares represented by the aggregate of those fractions (or American Depositary Shares representing those Shares) and distribute the net proceeds, all in the manner and subject to the conditions described in Section 4.1. If and to the extent that additional American Depositary Shares are not delivered and Shares or American Depositary Shares are not sold, each American Depositary Share shall thenceforth also represent the additional Shares distributed on the Deposited Securities represented thereby. If the Company declares a distribution in which holders of Deposited Securities have a right to elect whether to receive cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of those things, or a right to elect to have a distribution sold on their behalf, the Depositary may, after consultation with the Company, make that right of election available for exercise by Owners in any manner the Depositary considers to be lawful and practical. As a condition of making a distribution election right available to Owners, the Depositary may require reasonably satisfactory assurances from the Company that doing so does not require registration of any securities under the Securities Act of 1933. SECTION 4.4. Rights. (a) If rights are granted to the Depositary in respect of deposited Shares to purchase additional Shares or other securities, the Company and the Depositary shall endeavor to consult as to the actions, if any, the Depositary should take in connection with that grant of rights. The Depositary may, to the extent deemed by it to be lawful and practical (i) if requested in writing by the Company, grant to all or certain Owners rights to instruct the Depositary to purchase the securities to which the rights relate and deliver those securities or American Depositary Shares representing those securities to Owners, (ii) if requested in writing by the Company, deliver the rights to or to the order of certain Owners, or (iii) sell the rights to the extent practicable and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to Owners entitled to those proceeds. To the extent rights are not exercised, delivered or disposed of under clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, the Depositary shall permit the rights to lapse unexercised. (b) If the Depositary will act under clause (a)(i) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering. Upon instruction from an applicable Owner in the form the Depositary specified and upon payment by that Owner to the Depositary of an amount equal to the purchase price of the securities to be received upon the exercise of the rights, the Depositary shall, on behalf of that Owner, exercise the rights and purchase the securities. The purchased securities shall be delivered to, or as instructed by, the Depositary. The Depositary shall (i) deposit the purchased Shares under this Deposit Agreement and deliver American Depositary Shares representing those Shares to that Owner or (ii) deliver or cause the purchased Shares or other securities to be delivered to or to the order of that Owner. The Depositary will not act under clause (a)(i) above unless the offer and sale of the securities to which the rights relate are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Depositary has received an opinion of United States counsel that is reasonably satisfactory to it to the effect that those securities may be sold and delivered to the applicable Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933. (c) If the Depositary will act under clause (a)(ii) above, the Company and the Depositary will enter into a separate agreement setting forth the conditions and procedures applicable to the particular offering. Upon (i) the request of an applicable Owner to deliver the rights allocable to the American Depositary Shares of that Owner to an account specified by that Owner to which the rights can be delivered and (ii) receipt of such documents as the Company and the Depositary agreed to require to comply with applicable law, the Depositary will deliver those rights as requested by that Owner. (d) If the Depositary will act under clause (a)(iii) above, the Depositary will use reasonable efforts to sell the rights in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by the applicable Owners and pay the net proceeds to the Owners otherwise entitled to the rights that were sold, upon an averaged or other practical basis without regard to any distinctions among such Owners because of exchange restrictions or the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise. (e) Payment or deduction of the fees of the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9 and payment or deduction of the expenses of the Depositary and any applicable taxes or other governmental charges shall be conditions of any delivery of securities or payment of cash proceeds under this Section 4.4. (f) The Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to determine that it may be lawful or feasible to make rights available to or exercise rights on behalf of Owners in general or any Owner in particular, or to sell rights. SECTION 4.5. Conversion of Foreign Currency. Whenever the Depositary or the Custodian receives foreign currency, by way of dividends or other distributions or the net proceeds from the sale of securities, property or rights, and if at the time of the receipt thereof the foreign currency so received can in the judgment of the Depositary be converted on a reasonable basis into Dollars and the resulting Dollars transferred to the United States, the Depositary shall convert or cause to be converted by sale or in any other manner that it may determine that foreign currency into Dollars, and those Dollars shall be distributed to the Owners entitled thereto. A cash distribution may be made upon an averaged or other practicable basis without regard to any distinctions among Owners based on exchange restrictions, the date of delivery of any American Depositary Shares or otherwise and shall be net of any expenses of conversion into Dollars incurred by the Depositary as provided in Section 5.9. If a conversion of foreign currency or the repatriation or distribution of Dollars can be effected only with the approval or license of any government or agency thereof, the Depositary may, but will not be required to, file an application for that approval or license. If the Depositary determines that in its judgment any foreign currency received by the Depositary or the Custodian is not convertible on a reasonable basis into Dollars transferable to the United States, or if any approval or license of any government or agency thereof that is required for such conversion is not filed or sought by the Depositary or is not obtained within a reasonable period as determined by the Depositary, the Depositary may distribute the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or in its discretion may hold such foreign currency uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the respective accounts of, the Owners entitled to receive the same. If any conversion of foreign currency, in whole or in part, cannot be effected for distribution to some of the Owners entitled thereto, the Depositary may in its discretion make that conversion and distribution in Dollars to the extent practicable and permissible to the Owners entitled thereto and may distribute the balance of the foreign currency received by the Depositary to, or hold that balance uninvested and without liability for interest thereon for the account of, the Owners entitled thereto. The Depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under this Deposit Agreement and the rate that the Depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The Depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under this Deposit Agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to Owners, subject to the Depositarys obligations under Section 5.3. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request. SECTION 4.6. Fixing of Record Date. Whenever a cash dividend, cash distribution or any other distribution is made on Deposited Securities or rights to purchase Shares or other securities are issued with respect to Deposited Securities (which rights will be delivered to or exercised or sold on behalf of Owners in accordance with Section 4.4) or the Depositary receives notice that a distribution or issuance of that kind will be made, or whenever the Depositary receives notice that a meeting of holders of Shares will be held in respect of which the Company has requested the Depositary to send a notice under Section 4.7, or whenever the Depositary will assess a fee or charge against the Owners, or whenever the Depositary causes a change in the number of Shares that are represented by each American Depositary Share, or whenever the Depositary otherwise finds it necessary or convenient, the Depositary shall fix a record date, which shall be the same as, or as near as practicable to, any corresponding record date set by the Company with respect to Shares, (a) for the determination of the Owners (i) who shall be entitled to receive the benefit of that dividend or other distribution or those rights, (ii) who shall be entitled to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at that meeting, (iii) who shall be responsible for that fee or charge or (iv) for any other purpose for which the record date was set, or (b) on or after which each American Depositary Share will represent the changed number of Shares. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1 through 4.5 and to the other terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Owners on a record date fixed by the Depositary shall be entitled to receive the amount distributable by the Depositary with respect to that dividend or other distribution or those rights or the net proceeds of sale thereof in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively, to give voting instructions or to act in respect of the other matter for which that record date was fixed, or be responsible for that fee or charge, as the case may be. SECTION 4.7. Voting of Deposited Shares. (a) Upon receipt of notice of any meeting of holders of Shares at which holders of Shares will be entitled to vote, if requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, Disseminate to the Owners a notice, the form of which shall be in the sole discretion of the Depositary, that shall contain (i) the information contained in the notice of meeting received by the Depositary, (ii) a statement that the Owners as of the close of business on a specified record date will be entitled, subject to any applicable provision of German law and of the articles of association or similar documents of the Company, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the amount of Shares represented by their respective American Depositary Shares, (iii) a statement as to the manner in which those instructions may be given and (iv) the last date on which the Depositary will accept instructions (the Instruction Cutoff Date ). (b) Upon the written request of an Owner of American Depositary Shares, as of the date of the request or, if a record date was specified by the Depositary, as of that record date, received on or before any Instruction Cutoff Date established by the Depositary, the Depositary may, and if the Depositary sent a notice under the preceding paragraph shall, endeavor, in so far as practicable, to vote or cause to be voted the amount of deposited Shares represented by those American Depositary Shares in accordance with the instructions set forth in that request. The Depositary shall not vote or attempt to exercise the right to vote that attaches to the deposited Shares other than in accordance with instructions given by Owners and received by the Depositary. (c) There can be no assurance that Owners generally or any Owner in particular will receive the notice described in paragraph (a) above in time to enable Owners to give instructions to the Depositary prior to the Instruction Cutoff Date. (d) If the Company will request the Depositary to Disseminate a notice under paragraph (a) above, the Company shall give the Depositary notice of the meeting, details concerning the matters to be voted upon and copies of materials to be made available to holders of Shares in connection with the meeting as far in advance of the meeting date as practicable. SECTION 4.8. Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities. (a) The Depositary shall not tender any Deposited Securities in response to any voluntary cash tender offer, exchange offer or similar offer made to holders of Deposited Securities (a Voluntary Offer ), except when instructed in writing to do so by an Owner surrendering American Depositary Shares and subject to any conditions or procedures the Depositary may require. (b) If the Depositary receives a written notice that Deposited Securities have been redeemed for cash or otherwise purchased for cash in a transaction that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of those Deposited Securities (a Redemption ), the Depositary, at the expense of the Company, shall (i) if required, surrender Deposited Securities that have been redeemed to the issuer of those securities or its agent on the redemption date, (ii) Disseminate a notice to Owners (A) notifying them of that Redemption, (B) calling for surrender of a corresponding number of American Depositary Shares and (C) notifying them that the called American Depositary Shares have been converted into a right only to receive the money received by the Depositary upon that Redemption and those net proceeds shall be the Deposited Securities to which Owners of those converted American Depositary Shares shall be entitled upon surrenders of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with Section 2.5 or 6.2 and (iii) distribute the money received upon that Redemption to the Owners entitled to it upon surrender by them of called American Depositary Shares in accordance with Section 2.5 (and, for the avoidance of doubt, Owners shall not be entitled to receive that money under Section 4.1). If the Redemption affects less than all the Deposited Securities, the Depositary shall call for surrender a corresponding portion of the outstanding American Depositary Shares and only those American Depositary Shares will automatically be converted into a right to receive the net proceeds of the Redemption. The Depositary shall allocate the American Depositary Shares converted under the preceding sentence among the Owners pro-rata to their respective holdings of American Depositary Shares immediately prior to the Redemption, except that the allocations may be adjusted so that no fraction of a converted American Depositary Share is allocated to any Owner. A Redemption of all or substantially all of the Deposited Securities shall be a Termination Option Event . (c) If the Depositary is notified of or there occurs any change in nominal value or any subdivision, combination or any other reclassification of the Deposited Securities or any recapitalization, reorganization, sale of assets substantially as an entirety, merger or consolidation affecting the issuer of the Deposited Securities or to which it is a party that is mandatory and binding on the Depositary as a holder of Deposited Securities and, as a result, securities or other property have been or will be delivered in exchange, conversion, replacement or in lieu of, Deposited Securities (a Replacement ), the Depositary shall, if required, surrender the old Deposited Securities affected by that Replacement of Shares and hold, as new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement, the new securities or other property delivered to it in that Replacement. However , the Depositary may elect to sell those new Deposited Securities if in the opinion of the Depositary it is not lawful or not practical for it to hold those new Deposited Securities under this Deposit Agreement because those new Deposited Securities may not be distributed to Owners without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 or for any other reason, at public or private sale, at such places and on such terms as it deems proper and proceed as if those new Deposited Securities had been Redeemed under paragraph (b) above. A Replacement shall be a Termination Option Event . (d) In the case of a Replacement where the new Deposited Securities will continue to be held under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may call for the surrender of outstanding Receipts to be exchanged for new Receipts specifically describing the new Deposited Securities and the number of those new Deposited Securities represented by each American Depositary Share. If the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share decreases as a result of a Replacement, the Depositary may call for surrender of the American Depositary Shares to be exchanged on a mandatory basis for a lesser number of American Depositary Shares and may sell American Depositary Shares to the extent necessary to avoid distributing fractions of American Depositary Shares in that exchange and distribute the net proceeds of that sale to the Owners entitled to them. (e) If there are no Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares, including if the Deposited Securities are cancelled, or the Deposited Securities with respect to American Depositary Shares have become apparently worthless, the Depositary may call for surrender of those American Depositary Shares or may cancel those American Depositary Shares, upon notice to Owners, and a Termination Option Event occurs. SECTION 4.9. Reports. The Depositary shall make available for inspection by Owners at its Office any reports and communications, including any proxy solicitation material, received from the Company which are both (a) received by the Depositary as the holder of the Deposited Securities and (b) made generally available to the holders of those Deposited Securities by the Company. The Company shall furnish reports and communications, including any proxy soliciting material to which this Section applies, to the Depositary in English, to the extent those materials are required to be translated into English pursuant to any regulations of the Commission. SECTION 4.10. Lists of Owners. Upon written request by the Company, the Depositary shall, at the expense of the Company, furnish to it a list, as of a recent date, of the names, addresses and American Depositary Share holdings of all Owners. SECTION 4.11. Withholding. If the Depositary determines that any distribution received or to be made by the Depositary (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) is subject to any tax or other governmental charge that the Depositary is obligated to withhold, the Depositary may sell, by public or private sale, all or a portion of the distributed property (including Shares and rights to subscribe therefor) in the amounts and manner the Depositary deems necessary and practicable to pay those taxes or charges, and the Depositary shall distribute the net proceeds of that sale, after deduction of those taxes or charges, to the Owners entitled thereto in proportion to the number of American Depositary Shares held by them respectively. ARTICLE 5. THE DEPOSITARY, THE CUSTODIANS AND THE COMPANY SECTION 5.1. Maintenance of Office and Transfer Books by the Depositary. Until termination of this Deposit Agreement in accordance with its terms, the Depositary shall maintain facilities for the execution and delivery, registration, registration of transfers and surrender of American Depositary Shares in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall keep books for the registration of American Depositary Shares, which shall be open for inspection by the Owners and the Company at the Depositarys Office during regular business hours, provided that such inspection is not for the purpose of communicating with Owners in the interest of a business or object other than the business of the Company or a matter related to this Deposit Agreement or the American Depositary Shares. The Depositary may close the transfer books, at any time or from time to time, when deemed expedient by it in connection with the performance of its duties under this Deposit Agreement. If any American Depositary Shares are listed on one or more stock exchanges, the Depositary shall act as Registrar or appoint a Registrar or one or more co-registrars for registry of those American Depositary Shares in accordance with any requirements of that exchange or those exchanges. SECTION 5.2. Prevention or Delay in Performance by the Depositary or the Company. Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates shall incur any liability to any Owner or Holder: (i) if by reason of (A) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or other act of the government of the United States or the Federal Republic of Germany, any State of the United States or any other state or jurisdiction, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or stock exchange; (B) (in the case of the Depositary only) any provision, present or future, of the articles of association or similar document of the Company, or by reason of any provision of any securities issued or distributed by the Company, or any offering or distribution thereof; or (C) any event or circumstance, whether natural or caused by a person or persons, that is beyond the ability of the Depositary or the Company, as the case may be, to prevent or counteract by reasonable care or effort (including, but not limited to earthquakes, floods, severe storms, fires, explosions, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes or criminal acts; interruptions or malfunctions of utility services, Internet or other communications lines or systems; unauthorized access to or attacks on computer systems or websites; or other failures or malfunctions of computer hardware or software or other systems or equipment), the Depositary or the Company is, directly or indirectly, prevented from, forbidden to or delayed in, or could be subject to any civil or criminal penalty on account of doing or performing and therefore does not do or perform, any act or thing that, by the terms of this Deposit Agreement or the Deposited Securities, it is provided shall be done or performed; (ii) for any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for in this Deposit Agreement (including any determination by the Depositary to take, or not take, any action that this Deposit Agreement provides the Depositary may take); (iii) for the inability of any Owner or Holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or other benefit that is made available to holders of Deposited Securities but is not, under the terms of this Deposit Agreement, made available to Owners or Holders; or (iv) for any special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of this Deposit Agreement. Where, by the terms of a distribution to which Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 applies, or an offering to which Section 4.4 applies, or for any other reason, that distribution or offering may not be made available to Owners, and the Depositary may not dispose of that distribution or offering on behalf of Owners and make the net proceeds available to Owners, then the Depositary shall not make that distribution or offering available to Owners, and shall allow any rights, if applicable, to lapse. SECTION 5.3. Obligations of the Depositary and the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates assume any obligation nor shall any of them be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Owner or Holder, except that the Company agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith. The Depositary assumes no obligation nor shall it be subject to any liability under this Deposit Agreement to any Owner or Holder (including, without limitation, liability with respect to the validity or worth of the Deposited Securities), except that the Depositary agrees to perform its obligations specifically set forth in this Deposit Agreement without negligence or bad faith. Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates shall be under any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any Deposited Securities or in respect of the American Depositary Shares on behalf of any Owner or Holder or any other person. Each of the Depositary and the Company and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates may rely, and shall be protected in relying upon, any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. Neither the Depositary nor the Company nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates shall be liable for any action or non-action by it in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting Shares for deposit, any Owner or any other person believed by it in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information. The Depositary shall not be liable for any acts or omissions made by a successor depositary whether in connection with a previous act or omission of the Depositary or in connection with any matter arising wholly after the removal or resignation of the Depositary, provided that in connection with the issue out of which such potential liability arises the Depositary performed its obligations without negligence or bad faith while it acted as Depositary. The Depositary shall not be liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system in connection with or arising out of book-entry settlement of American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or otherwise. In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Depositary shall not be responsible for any failure to carry out any instructions to vote any of the Deposited Securities, or for the manner in which any such vote is cast or the effect of any such vote. The Depositary shall have no duty to make any determination or provide any information as to the tax status of the Company or any liability for any tax consequences that may be incurred by Owners or Holders as a result of owning or holding American Depositary Shares. No disclaimer of liability under the Securities Act of 1933 is intended by any provision of this Deposit Agreement. SECTION 5.4. Resignation and Removal of the Depositary. The Depositary may at any time resign as Depositary hereunder by written notice of its election so to do delivered to the Company, to become effective upon the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of that appointment as provided in this Section. The effect of resignation if a successor depositary is not appointed is provided for in Section 6.2. The Depositary may at any time be removed by the Company by 90 days prior written notice of that removal, to become effective upon the later of (i) the 90th day after delivery of the notice to the Depositary and (ii) the appointment of a successor depositary and its acceptance of its appointment as provided in this Section. If the Depositary resigns or is removed, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to appoint a successor depositary, which shall be a bank or trust company having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. Every successor depositary shall execute and deliver to the Company an instrument in writing accepting its appointment under this Deposit Agreement. If the Depositary receives notice from the Company that a successor depositary has been appointed following its resignation or removal, the Depositary, upon payment of all sums due it from the Company, shall deliver to its successor a register listing all the Owners and their respective holdings of outstanding American Depositary Shares and shall deliver the Deposited Securities to or to the order of its successor. When the Depositary has taken the actions specified in the preceding sentence (i) the successor shall become the Depositary and shall have all the rights and shall assume all the duties of the Depositary under this Deposit Agreement and (ii) the predecessor depositary shall cease to be the Depositary and shall be discharged and released from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement, except for its duties under Section 5.8 with respect to the time before that discharge. A successor Depositary shall notify the Owners of its appointment as soon as practical after assuming the duties of Depositary. Any corporation or other entity into or with which the Depositary may be merged or consolidated shall be the successor of the Depositary without the execution or filing of any document or any further act. SECTION 5.5. The Custodians. The Custodian shall be subject at all times and in all respects to the directions of the Depositary and shall be responsible solely to it. The Depositary in its discretion may at any time appoint a substitute or additional custodian or custodians, each of which shall thereafter be one of the Custodians under this Deposit Agreement. If the Depositary receives notice that a Custodian is resigning and, upon the effectiveness of that resignation there would be no Custodian acting under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary shall, as promptly as practicable after receiving that notice, appoint a substitute custodian or custodians, each of which shall thereafter be a Custodian under this Deposit Agreement. The Depositary shall require any Custodian that resigns or is removed to deliver all Deposited Securities held by it to another Custodian. SECTION 5.6. Notices and Reports. On or before the first date on which the Company gives notice, by publication or otherwise, of any meeting of holders of Shares, or of any adjourned meeting of those holders, or of the taking of any action in respect of any cash or other distributions or the granting of any rights, the Company agrees to transmit to the Depositary and the Custodian a copy of the notice thereof in English but otherwise in the form given or to be given to holders of Shares. The Company will arrange for the translation into English, if not already in English, to the extent required pursuant to any regulations of the Commission, and the prompt transmittal by the Company to the Depositary and the Custodian of all notices and any other reports and communications which are made generally available by the Company to holders of its Shares. If requested in writing by the Company, the Depositary will Disseminate, at the Companys expense, those notices, reports and communications to all Owners or otherwise make them available to Owners in a manner that the Company specifies as substantially equivalent to the manner in which those communications are made available to holders of Shares and compliant with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the American Depositary Shares are listed. The Company will timely provide the Depositary with the quantity of such notices, reports, and communications, as requested by the Depositary from time to time, in order for the Depositary to effect that Dissemination. The Company represents that as of the date of this Deposit Agreement, the statements in the first paragraph of Article 11 of the Receipt with respect to the Companys obligation to file periodic reports under the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are true and correct. The Company agrees to promptly notify the Depositary upon becoming aware of any change in the truth of any of those statements. SECTION 5.7. Distribution of Additional Shares, Rights, etc. If the Company or any affiliate of the Company determines to make any issuance or distribution of (1) additional Shares, (2) rights to subscribe for Shares, (3) securities convertible into Shares, or (4) rights to subscribe for such securities (each a Distribution ), the Company shall notify the Depositary in writing in English as promptly as practicable and in any event before the Distribution starts and, if requested in writing by the Depositary, the Company shall promptly furnish to the Depositary either (i) evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary that the Distribution is registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or (ii) a written opinion from U.S. counsel for the Company that is reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary, stating that the Distribution does not require, or, if made in the United States, would not require, registration under the Securities Act of 1933. The Company agrees with the Depositary that neither the Company nor any company controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company will at any time deposit any Shares that, at the time of deposit, are Restricted Securities. SECTION 5.8. Indemnification. The Company agrees to indemnify the Depositary, its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates and each Custodian against, and hold each of them harmless from, any liability or expense (including, but not limited to any fees and expenses incurred in seeking, enforcing or collecting such indemnity and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) that may arise out of or in connection with (a) any registration with the Commission of American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or the offer or sale thereof in the United States or (b) acts performed or omitted, pursuant to the provisions of or in connection with this Deposit Agreement and the American Depositary Shares, as the same may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, (i) by either the Depositary or a Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates, except for any liability or expense arising out of the negligence or bad faith of either of them, or (ii) by the Company or any of its directors, employees, agents and affiliates. The Depositary agrees to indemnify the Company, its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates and hold each of them harmless from any liability or expense (including, but not limited to any fees and expenses incurred in seeking, enforcing or collecting such indemnity and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) that may arise out of acts performed or omitted by the Depositary or any Custodian or their respective directors, employees, agents and affiliates due to their negligence or bad faith. SECTION 5.9. Charges of Depositary. The following charges shall be incurred by any party depositing or withdrawing Shares or by any party surrendering American Depositary Shares or to whom American Depositary Shares are issued (including, without limitation, issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split declared by the Company or an exchange of stock regarding the American Depositary Shares or Deposited Securities or a delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 4.3), or by Owners, as applicable: (1) taxes and other governmental charges, (2) such registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of transfers of Shares generally on the Share register of the Company or Foreign Registrar and applicable to transfers of Shares to or from the name of the Depositary or its nominee or the Custodian or its nominee on the making of deposits or withdrawals hereunder, (3) such cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmission fees and expenses as are expressly provided in this Deposit Agreement, (4) such expenses as are incurred by the Depositary in the conversion of foreign currency pursuant to Section 4.5, (5) a fee of $5.00 or less per 100 American Depositary Shares (or portion thereof) for the delivery of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.3, 4.3 or 4.4 and the surrender of American Depositary Shares pursuant to Section 2.5 or 6.2, (6) a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) for any cash distribution made pursuant to this Deposit Agreement, including, but not limited to Sections 4.1 through 4.4 and Section 4.8, (7) a fee for the distribution of securities pursuant to Section 4.2 or of rights pursuant to Section 4.4 (where the Depositary will not exercise or sell those rights on behalf of Owners), such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of American Depositary Shares referred to above which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such securities under this Deposit Agreement (for purposes of this item 7 treating all such securities as if they were Shares) but which securities are instead distributed by the Depositary to Owners, (8) in addition to any fee charged under item 6 above, a fee of $.05 or less per American Depositary Share (or portion thereof) per annum for depositary services, which will be payable as provided in item 9 below, and (9) any other charges payable by the Depositary or the Custodian, any of the Depositary's or Custodians agents or the agents of the Depositary's or Custodians agents, in connection with the servicing of Shares or other Deposited Securities (which charges shall be assessed against Owners as of the date or dates set by the Depositary in accordance with Section 4.6 and shall be payable at the sole discretion of the Depositary by billing those Owners for those charges or by deducting those charges from one or more cash dividends or other cash distributions). The Depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable, or by selling a portion of any securities to be distributed, to Owners that are obligated to pay those fees. In performing its duties under this Deposit Agreement, the Depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the Depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions. The Depositary, subject to Section 2.9, may own and deal in any class of securities of the Company and its affiliates and in American Depositary Shares. SECTION 5.10. Retention of Depositary Documents. The Depositary is authorized to destroy those documents, records, bills and other data compiled during the term of this Deposit Agreement at the times permitted by the laws or regulations governing the Depositary. SECTION 5.11. Exclusivity. Without prejudice to the Companys rights under Section 5.4, the Company agrees not to appoint any other depositary for issuance of depositary shares, depositary receipts or any similar securities or instruments so long as The Bank of New York Mellon is acting as Depositary under this Deposit Agreement. ARTICLE 6. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION SECTION 6.1. Amendment. The form of the Receipts and any provisions of this Deposit Agreement may at any time and from time to time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary without the consent of Owners or Holders in any respect that they may deem necessary or desirable. Any amendment that would impose or increase any fees or charges (other than taxes and other governmental charges, registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile transmission costs, delivery costs or other such expenses), or that would otherwise prejudice any substantial existing right of Owners, shall, however, not become effective as to outstanding American Depositary Shares until the expiration of 30 days after notice of that amendment has been Disseminated to the Owners of outstanding American Depositary Shares. Every Owner and Holder, at the time any amendment so becomes effective, shall be deemed, by continuing to hold American Depositary Shares or any interest therein, to consent and agree to that amendment and to be bound by the Deposit Agreement as amended thereby. Upon the effectiveness of an amendment to the form of Receipt, including a change in the number of Shares represented by each American Depositary Share, the Depositary may call for surrender of Receipts to be replaced with new Receipts in the amended form or call for surrender of American Depositary Shares to effect that change of ratio. In no event shall any amendment impair the right of the Owner to surrender American Depositary Shares and receive delivery of the Deposited Securities represented thereby, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law. SECTION 6.2. Termination. (a) The Company may initiate termination of this Deposit Agreement by notice to the Depositary. The Depositary may initiate termination of this Deposit Agreement if (i) at any time 60 days shall have expired after the Depositary delivered to the Company a written resignation notice and a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment as provided in Section 5.4, (ii) an Insolvency Event or Delisting Event occurs with respect to the Company or (iii) a Termination Option Event has occurred or will occur. If termination of this Deposit Agreement is initiated, the Depositary shall Disseminate a notice of termination to the Owners of all American Depositary Shares then outstanding setting a date for termination (the Termination Date ), which shall be at least 90 days after the date of that notice, and this Deposit Agreement shall terminate on that Termination Date. (b) After the Termination Date, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations under this Deposit Agreement except for its obligations to the Depositary under Sections 5.8 and 5.9. (c) At any time after the Termination Date, the Depositary may sell the Deposited Securities then held under this Deposit Agreement and may thereafter hold uninvested the net proceeds of any such sale, together with any other cash then held by it hereunder, uns Fifty U.S. Air Force special operations airmen based in Japan spent last month in New Zealand brushing up on mountain flying and working with their counterparts airlifters and Special Air Service commandos. Airmen from the 353rd Special Operations Wing out of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, were Down Under from April 29 to May 29, flying three MC-130J Super Hercules aircraft alongside older C-130H Hercules from the Royal New Zealand Air Forces No. 40 Squadron. The planes flew from RNZAF bases Auckland and Woodbourne, undertaking low-level flying by day and night, night-vision training, formation flying, military freefall jumps and air drops of equipment, according to Maj. Hayley Ageton, the U.S. mission commander. The elevation changes in the (New Zealand) mountain ranges are much more dramatic than they are in Japan, she said by phone Wednesday after returning to Okinawa. The exercise focused on the combined tactical airlift abilities of the U.S. and the New Zealand airframes and aircrews military freefall, air drops, low-level formation flights both during the day and at night, and the mission planning for those operations, squadron spokesman Capt. Josh Thompson said in a June 2 email. The exercise included air crew from the 1st Special Operations Squadron and maintainers from the 353rd Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron working with their New Zealand counterparts, he said. The training is supposed to be held annually but has been on hold since 2019, when the coronavirus appeared and New Zealand subsequently shut its doors to most international visitors, Ageton said. In between training, the airmen tasted wine from the Marlborough region and checked out locations where the Lord of the Rings films were shot, she said. The country has gradually relaxed pandemic restrictions and will reopen to all tourists and visa holders starting July 31, the New Zealand government announced last month. The pandemic didnt stop a November port call in New Zealands capital city by the USS Howard, a guided-missile destroyer homeported at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan. The U.S. and New Zealand militaries also cooperated on humanitarian efforts following a volcanic eruption in Tonga in January. Those events were brought up a lot during the day-to-day training (involving the Special Operations airmen), Thompson said. 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. An Army officer convicted and sentenced to no punishment during a court-martial for violating coronavirus prevention protocols said he now faces involuntary separation from service. First Lt. Mark Bashaw, an entomologist with the Army Public Health Center at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., was counseled Monday by his company commander, who placed a flag on Bashaws record due to a referral of involuntary separation and since the command has lost confidence in him, according to a statement from Bashaws attorney David Willson. The restriction on his record blocks a promotion to captain for which Bashaw was previously selected but was held up during court-martial proceedings. They now have egg on their faces and are thoroughly embarrassed that their plan of making an example of 1st Lt. Bashaw has gone awry, Willson said. The 16-year veteran of the Army and Air Force now faces an administrative separation, according to Bashaw, who has taken a strong religious stance against receiving the coronavirus vaccine. The Defense Department has mandated all service members receive the vaccine and has begun separating those who dont. Army Public Health Center declined to confirm or discuss information related to Bashaws separation. Out of respect for our employees' privacy, [Army Public Health Center] does not discuss personnel matters, said Chanel Weaver, spokeswoman for the center. The Army has separated 818 soldiers as of June 2 for refusing the vaccine, according to the service. Those soldiers were separated for refusing a lawful order. More than 4,450 religious exemptions have been requested and only 11 approved, the service said. Bashaw filed his own religious exemption for all vaccines in September, which is among the 1,105 denied by the Army. He said he has filed an appeal. As part of his Christian beliefs, Bashaw said he will rely on my God-given immune system. Bashaw was convicted in a court-martial in April for failing to comply with orders related to coronavirus prevention efforts in his units offices. Col. Robert Cohen, the military judge who presided over the case, declined to punish Bashaw. Cohen also said in court that he would recommend the case against Bashaw be dismissed by the general officer who convened the court-martial, Willson said. However, Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II, senior commander at Aberdeen Proving Ground, approved the conviction on May 26, according to the base. The charges stem from Bashaws actions on Nov. 30 when he failed to obey orders meant to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which violates Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to court documents. He did not comply with orders to submit a negative coronavirus test before reporting to work and did not obey an order to wear a mask indoors. The following month, Bashaw filed a formal complaint, known as an Article 138 in the UCMJ. In the complaint, he said he faced discrimination from his company commander for his religious beliefs as well as for questioning the validity of orders involving products under emergency-use authorization. He lost his security clearance, access to his units facilities, and was singled out because of his beliefs, according to the complaint. Bashaw also wrote he faced retaliation for a previous Article 138 inquiry and other questions that he has raised to Army Public Health Center leadership and a task force stood up in response to the coronavirus pandemic about certain medications, treatments and the side effects and deaths associated with coronavirus vaccines under emergency use. Bashaw transitioned to the Army in 2019 after serving in the Air Force. He enlisted in 2006 as a pest management craftsman, attaining the rank of master sergeant, according to his official service record. Investigators for the Army inspector general will spend the rest of the year reviewing the experience of the services newest recruits and why some want to leave the military before their first enlistment ends. Teams began visiting 38 bases in March to inspect the new soldier experience, from recruits arriving at basic training to troops shipping out to their first duty assignment, Army officials said Monday. The New Soldier Experience Inspection differs from any other inspections conducted because it is a comprehensive look at all the systems that support the civilian to military transition and our first-term soldiers, said Lt. Gen. Donna W. Martin, the Armys inspector general. We really have to get their initial experience in our Army right. Nearly 30% of soldiers leave the Army within their first 36 months, according to a 2020 RAND Corp. report titled Predicting 36-Month Attrition in the U.S. Military. By comparison, the Marines lose about 18.5%, according to the same report. Data analyzed in the report came from fiscal years 2002 through 2013. To prevent soldiers from dropping out of service, the report suggested the services focus on recruits during their times of greatest risk, which for the Army begins to increase and outpace the other services at about the sixth month. The inspection could take up to a year to complete, and it began at Fort Sill, Okla., according to the IG, an office meant to provide oversight and unbiased advice through inspections, assistance and training. Inspectors will interview leaders, trainers, basic-training facilitators, medical personnel and soldiers to review processes and program associated with the new soldier experience. Inspectors will also interview those trainees who leave the Army before completing their initial enlistments. First-term soldiers are the Armys most vulnerable population, and their integration and retention are crucial to the strength of our Army, said Heather Hagan, an Army spokeswoman. New soldiers encounter various Army programs and systems during their transition from civilian volunteers into professional soldiers. The New Soldier Experience Inspection is approaching this as an inspection of a system of systems that, together, define the new soldiers experience. Losing soldiers during their first term of enlistment also costs the Army the money it invested in recruiting and training the soldier about $500 million a year, according to the RAND report. It is, therefore, important to every service to be able to identify and recruit individuals who are most likely to serve the entirety of their first term while also being of sufficiently high quality to ensure the readiness of an all-volunteer force, the report said. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, which began about a year after RAND conducted its research, the Armys basic training attrition rate dropped from 10.8% in fiscal year 2020 to 5.5% in 2021. The Army credited its improved graduation rates to improving the ratio of drill instructors to trainees during basic training. During the inspection, IG teams will examine all aspects of training, mentoring, caring for and integrating first-term soldiers, Hagan said. That will include Military Entrance Processing Stations, in-processing, training, advanced training, sponsorship, transition to permanent duty stations, command climate issues, quality of life, medical care, housing and administrative matters. Since beginning the inspection in March, teams have visited Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Rucker, Ala.; Fort Gordon, Fort Benning and Fort Stewart, Ga.; Joint Base San Antonio and Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and Fort Lee, Va. Three of the remaining stops will be at overseas locations, Hagan said. During the visits, the IG teams observe training events, administer surveys and hold sensing sessions and town hall meetings. They also tour various facilities such as housing, barracks, medical and food service at each visit. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth approved the review in September, the Army said. The inspection will last late into the year, with a final report following within a few months, according to the Army. Wormuth will use the finding to improve new soldiers experiences, the Army said. Stars and Stripes reporter Corey Dickstein contributed to this report. (Tribune News Service) More than 100 people were evacuated from the Spirit of Norfolk as emergency crews worked to control a fire onboard the dinner cruise ship Tuesday. Fire and military emergency crews were dispatched just after 12:05 p.m. for a report of a boat fire at Pier 3 at Naval Station Norfolk. The U.S. Coast Guard also called 911 at 12:10 p.m., indicating that the fire was onboard the Spirit of Norfolk, Kelly Straub, a spokesperson with the city of Norfolk, said. The passengers were evacuated onto the tours boat Victory Rover and brought back to dock at Town Point Park. The crew members remained on the ship until it docked at Pier 3 at the naval base. All 108 passengers and crew members have been accounted for. No injuries were reported. The citys top response priorities are to ensure the safety of residents and the public, as well as the safety of all responders and personnel on the scene, Straub said. The U.S. Coast Guard is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire, which has not yet been determined. Spirit of Norfolk is managed by City Cruises Norfolk, whose parent company is City Experiences. Spirit of Norfolk offers dining cruises and private events on the Elizabeth River. The 187-foot ship can accommodate 480 passengers for dining or 570 for other events, such as cocktail parties. City Experiences did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the extent of the damage to the ship. gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com caitlyn.burchett@virginiamedia.com 2022 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON A Naval Academy midshipman who died while on leave was a 24-year-old Marine Corps veteran, the school said Wednesday. Midshipman 1st Class Taylor Connors of Pleasant View, Utah, died early Tuesday in Philadelphia with family at his bedside, according to an academy statement. The circumstances of his death are under investigation, though foul play is not suspected, the academy said. Connors entered the academy in 2019 after enlisting in the Marine Corps in 2016. Before that, he attended the Utah Military Academy where he attained the rank of group commander, responsible for over 250 cadets, the Naval Academy said. Our Naval Academy community is mourning a tragic loss this week of a life taken far too soon, said Vice Adm. Sean Buck, the superintendent of the academy in Annapolis, Md. Through the grieving process, I encourage members of the brigade, faculty and staff to reach out and offer support to one another from near and far this summer. The Physics major was on the schools jiu-jitsu team and a member of the 23rd, 2nd and 16th companies. He was also a member of the Semper Fi Society and participated in intramural sports. Connors was described as a leader among his peers, serving as the 2nd Company first sergeant last fall, working alongside the company commander and executive officer, responsible for ensuring accountability during day-to-day company operations, according to the statement. Last summer, Connors served as a Plebe Summer squad leader, a fundamental leadership role responsible for transitioning newly reported midshipman candidates from civilians to basically trained midshipmen prepared to join the brigade, the academy said. Marine Corps Maj. David Emison II, the academys training officer and Connors mentor, described him as intensely bright, thoughtful and a man of faith. Taylor Connors was the best of us. He was a true mentor and leader among his peers, but I know he saw himself as a Marine infantryman first and foremost, Emison said. There is something to be said about an ethos like the one he exemplified. During his time in the Marine Corps, Connors served as a rifleman and deployed to Bahrain and Rota, Spain, with the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Company Bravo out of Yorktown, Va. He was noted for volunteer work with a local school in Bahrain and an animal refuge in Rota, and his chain of command described him as intelligent, a critical thinker, very thoughtful, physically tough and honest, the academy said. He was also an honor graduate of the Marine Corps corporals course, awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and authorized to wear the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the Expert Rifle Qualification Badge and the Expert Pistol Qualification Badge, according to the academy. Although I am heartbroken for his family and those of us who were fortunate to have known him, it doesnt make me any less grateful that men like him are still called to serve, Emison said. Men like him make this way of life meaningful I am honored that I had the pleasure to know him and learn from him. Funeral arrangements are pending, according to the academy. The last publicly announced midshipman death happened one year ago in June 2021 when Michael Myles James, 22, also died while on leave. (Tribune News Service) After four whales were struck last year, Navy officials are now asking for some wiggle room in their agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service for training in the Pacific Ocean because it might be hard to guarantee another whale isnt hit before the agreement runs out in December 2025. Officials with the U.S. Pacific Fleet and Navy Systems Command said in their request that recent evaluations and scientific research of activity in the training range determined there could be, though low, a probability that another whale might be injured or killed. The Navy went back and looked at the numbers and looked at the science given what happened last year, said Michael Milstein, a spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Fisheries Service. Now they are asking us to review that to make sure the whales have the protection that they need. NOAA is tasked with addressing the effects of human activities on protected marine species. It issues the Navy permits, typically for five or seven years, that set limits on how many animals can be killed or injured in a specific time period before the Navy is considered in violation. Until last year, only two whales had been killed in ship strikes since 2009, when the Navy started having to secure permits for training. Both occurred that first year south-southwest of San Clemente Island. Under the current seven-year permit, the agreement would be violated after three whales were killed or more than two of a specific species. The Navy would have to ask NOAA to revisit the agreement and the Navy could be exposed to litigation or sanction possibilities. Two whales of unknown species were struck and killed by Navy ships last June and July. And in May 2021, two fin whales, determined to likely have been mother and calf, were struck and killed by a visiting Australian Navy destroyer. The ship sailed into San Diego Bay with the whales hanging off its bow and several days later, one washed up at Bolsa Chica Beach. NOAA officials are still reviewing the incident and the Navys argument is that since the fin whales were struck by a foreign ship, the numbers dont count against their permit. Officials from the Navys Pacific Fleet also said the ship was not training with the U.S. Navy at the time of the strikes. Following the death of the fin whales, the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group, sent a letter to the Navy, the Pentagon and the U.S. Department of Commerce asking the Navy to look at its three ranges between Hawaii and Southern California and examine further how training might be affecting marine mammals and how it can better avoid killing or injuring animals. The centers letter threatened the federal agencies with a lawsuit if corrective action was not taken. The letter also asked the Fisheries Service to re-examine its previous conclusion that the Navys activities have no more than a negligible impact on endangered whales. Kristen Monsell, an attorney for the center, said her group is reviewing the Navys request and will provide comments. While Im glad to see the Navy proposing the use of more observers, its disappointing to see that theyre not proposing more effective mitigation measures, like requiring ships to slow down when traveling through important whale habitats, she said. Whales are often hard to see even under the best weather conditions. Navy training meant to be as realistic as possible can include explosions in the water, torpedo tests, use of sonar and high-energy lasers, underwater vehicles and multiple ships moving around at once. In their request to the Fisheries Service, Navy officials said they reacted as quickly as possible for all ships at sea after last summers whale strikes to underline the importance of marine species awareness and avoidance. Instead of having one lookout that stands at the stern and aft of a ship, they will now post three aboard all ships that will monitor the waters day and night. If an animal is spotted, ships are to immediately reduce power and speed. Sailors also stop active sonar transmissions when marine mammals are within a predetermined safety range and safety zones are established around detonations and maneuvering vessels. The Navy also limits training when it is breeding, migration and feeding times for specific species. The Navy also has new technology integrated into ship navigation simulators which train officers on the bridge and those standing watch on how to spot marine mammals. A large training exercise known as Rim of the Pacific starts later this month nearly 40 surface ships, four submarines and more than 170 aircraft and forces from 25 nations are expected. Navy officials said the additional precautions will be in place. John Calambokidis, a biologist with the nonprofit Cascadia Research Collective which provides data to NOAA, said the Navy is diligent in reporting whale strikes and has taken precautions to reduce injuries. Especially in comparison to other types of ships, such as cargo ships, he said, which represent a much greater source of risk of ship strikes that might not get as well documented. He said one way the Navy could help protect marine mammals would be to be more willing to cooperate with, instead of blocking, initiatives to find routes cargo ships can take, including through Navy ranges that would reduce the overall threat of ship strikes to whales. The Navys request to loosen the limits for this permit period is now open for public input until July 1. After that, NOAA will make a decision. 2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit ocregister.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Arabian Sea, Dec. 1, 2001: A Landing Cushion Air Craft backs out of the USS Bataan, loaded with Marines headed for Afghanistan. Members from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit launched Task Force Sledgehammer that weekend to reinforce Marines from the 15th MEU already on the ground in Afghanistan. BRASILIA, Brazil U.S. President Joe Biden became concerned that his Brazilian counterpart was going to skip this week's summit in Los Angeles, so he dispatched a close adviser to personally deliver the invitation to Jair Bolsonaro. The gesture was met with a demand, according to three of the Brazilian leader's Cabinet ministers. Bolsonaro said he would attend the Summit of the Americas only if Biden granted him a private meeting and also refrained from confronting him over some of the most contentious issues between the two men, the officials told The Associated Press. He didn't want any criticism over deforestation in the Amazon or warnings about his questioning of the Brazilian electoral system's reliability as he prepares to campaign for another term, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department did not address questions about the requested preconditions. Whether or not Biden bites his tongue, the demand is a reminder of the gap between the two leaders as they prepare for their first one-on-one meeting, which two ministers from Bolsonaro's government said was expected to take place Thursday. The White House has not said when the meeting will happen. Bolsonaro's attendance at the summit may help Biden contain embarrassment over some leaders staying away, partly in a dispute over not all the region's nations being invited to the conference, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994. But Bolsonaro's appearance may also be a source of friction. Ignoring Bolsonaro's unrelenting barrage of criticism for Brazil's election system may be untenable for Biden, who has said promoting democratic institutions at home and abroad, is a core part of his administration. "I don't think there's any way around it," said Ted Piccone, a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who works on Latin America issues. "If Biden says nothing about this issue, it will look bad for him and his democracy agenda in the region and at home." As a far-right ally of former President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro was among the world's last heads of state to recognize Biden's election victory. More recently, Bolsonaro accused Biden of snubbing him at a summit of world leaders in Rome last year, saying: "He went by as if I did not exist." While Biden ran for president two years ago, he criticized Brazil for rising deforestation in the Amazon. After Biden took office, Bolsonaro's administration worked to demonstrate commitment to reining in the destruction. Efforts included stepping up its pledges at the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow and regular bilateral meetings with U.S. authorities. But those conversations stalled as data showed continued deforestation. The most recent annual reading was the worst in 15 years. "This is really heading in the wrong direction," Piccone said. "If Biden can get Bolsonaro to stop the damage, that would be a win." Brazil is the hemisphere's second most populous democracy after the U.S., and Bolsonaro's positioning ahead of his reelection campaign has raised alarm at home and in Washington. He will be running against his political nemesis, leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. While Bolsonaro has fervent support among his base, early polls say da Silva is leading handily before October's election. The campaign officially starts in August, though both Bolsonaro and da Silva are already holding rallies. Bolsonaro insists polls don't reflect the true scope of his support, and he has sown doubt about the electronic voting machines employed in every Brazilian election since 1996. He says the electoral authority lacks transparency and accuses some of its members of being biased against him. Analysts and opposition lawmakers say they worry Bolsonaro is laying the groundwork to reject election results should he fail to secure a second term, and follow Trump's example in encouraging supporters to back a tropical version of the U.S. Capitol riot. He has said repeatedly that only God can remove him from the presidency. "Democracy in the country is no longer just a domestic issue," the electoral authority's president, Luiz Edson Fachin, said in an interview with foreign correspondents on Tuesday. "Brazil's democracy is of interest to Brazil but also South America, Latin America and all democractic countries in the world." In a meeting last July at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, CIA Director William Burns told two of Bolsonaro's ministers that the president should stop attacking the electoral system, said two officials who were present at the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity. Brazil's presidential palace did not respond to a request for comment about the tenor of the Burns meeting. The CIA declined to comment. Burns' warning didn't prevent Bolsonaro, just two months later, from pushing Brazil to the brink of an institutional crisis when he rallied supporters to protest against the Supreme Court and told the assembled masses he would no longer heed rulings from one of its justices. Ultimately, he backtracked and said his comments had come in the heat of the moment. Months went by without further attacks. Recently, though, he has returned to his heated rhetoric. "If need be, we will go to war," the president told a crowd Friday during a speech in Parana. "I want the people by my side, conscious of what they are doing and for whom they are fighting." "He keeps preparing a coup," Sen. Renan Calheiros told AP by phone. "The political parties need to remain prepared, support the Supreme Court that is the country's great bulwark, and keep institutions strong, calling the attention of the world." Calheiros is one of eight senators participating in an informal watchdog group that this year has been meeting to discuss Bolsonaro's comments and the traction they receive among civilians, police and military. The group also includes Supreme Court justices and members of the electoral authority, Calheiros said. The U.S. has confidence in Brazil's electoral system, Juan Gonzalez, the National Security Council's senior director for the Western Hemisphere, told reporters Wednesday. But he didn't say if the issue would be raised when Biden and Bolsonaro have their bilateral meeting. He said they would address global topics, citing as possibilities food security, health security and economic actions in response to the pandemic. If Biden doesn't push Bolsonaro to respect election results, he risks legitimizing the Brazilian leader's recent challenging of authorities, Brazilian political analyst Thomas Traumann said. "I only see downside for Biden," Traumann, whose uncle was a top aide for Biden, said by phone. He noted that the Summit of the Americas is supposed to promote democracy, "but Biden is going to be in a photo beside President Bolsonaro, and that doesn't guarantee that he will accept the election results." Bolsonaro, for his part, can use the meeting to head off criticism at home that he is isolated internationally and lacks access to the U.S. president, said Rubens Barbosa, a former Brazilian ambassador to Washington who is president of the Institute of International Relations and Foreign Trade, a Sao Paulo-based think tank. Bolsonaro has not held many bilateral meetings in his three years as president. He met with Trump in 2019 and 2020 during visits to Washington and Mar-a-Lago, and in the weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine, Bolsonaro met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow and later with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban in Budapest. ___ Megerian reported from Washington. AP writer Diane Jeantet contributed from Rio de Janeiro. A 28-year-old Navy petty officer was arrested Tuesday on Guam in connection with the death of her 1-year-old daughter last month. Iehsa Nichelle Copeland is being held at the Department of Corrections Womens Facility on suspicion of aggravated murder, aggravated assault, family violence and child abuse, Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio said Tuesday at the Guam Police Department. The case has been forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General of Guam, Ignacio said at a news conference. An off-island autopsy was performed on Sunday. The death has been ruled as a homicide, and the cause of death was asphyxia due to drowning, Ignacio said. Copeland is the only suspect in the childs death, he said. She has been stationed on Guam since March, Ignacio said. She is an electricians mate 2nd class assigned to the USS Emory S. Land, a submarine tender, Lt. Cmdr. Kelli Roesch, a spokeswoman with Joint Region Marianas, said in a phone interview Tuesday. Copeland was first taken into custody on May 22 after threatening suicide as she stood on a 400-foot seaside cliff with her daughter in a harness strapped to her chest. The toddler appeared unconscious, immobile and lifeless as the police departments crisis negotiation team attempted to coax her from the cliff, known as Two Lovers Point, Ignacio said. Negotiators convinced her to hand over the child, who was taken to Guam Regional Medical City where she was pronounced dead. Several hours later, Copeland was talked off the ledge and taken to Naval Hospital Guam. She was later transferred to the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center for assessment, Ignacio said. Guam police detectives and agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service interviewed Copeland before her arrest, Ignacio said. The investigators concluded that the child died at a private residence off base, and that the Guam police have jurisdiction over the case, he said. A small panel fell off an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon during an air show Sunday in Japan, according to American and Japanese officials. The four-pound panel, measuring approximately 10 inches by 10 inches, fell from a fighter assigned to Misawa Air Base, home of the 35th Fighter Wing in northeast Japan, a Chugoku-Shikoku Defense Bureau spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday. Japanese government officials typically speak to the media on condition of anonymity. The panel was missing during an inspection after the jet, from the 13th Fighter Squadron, made a demonstration flight during an air show at the Japan Air-Self Defense Forces Hofu Kita Air Base in Yamaguchi prefecture, the spokesman said. The Defense Ministry has asked Misawa Air Base to investigate, inform the ministry as new information comes out and take preventative measures, the spokesman said. At this time there have been no reports of injury or property damage, wing spokesman Lt. Col. Cody Chiles said in an email Tuesday. The incident is being examined by Air Force officials, Chiles said. Additional maintenance checks and preventative measures are being implemented to prevent a reoccurrence, he said. Our F-16 demonstration team, along with all of the pilots and maintainers at Misawa Air Base, are dedicated to executing our mission safely. WASHINGTON A Taiwanese F-16 fighter jet made an emergency landing at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Hawaii on Monday afternoon, and the U.S. Air Force pilot who was flying the aircraft was taken to the hospital for treatment, U.S. officials said Tuesday. According to officials, the aircraft appeared to have problems with its landing gear and the pilot declared an in-flight emergency and landed. A netting barrier was used to slow and stop the plane, and the nose gear collapsed after contact with the net, officials said. The pilot was not identified and was not seriously injured, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details prior to the completion of the investigation. The U.S. routinely sells F-16s to Taiwan. Officials said the pilot took off from an Air Force base in the continental U.S., and was scheduled to stop in Hawaii en route to Taiwan. The U.S. has programs to retrofit and upgrade older models of the F-16 for Taiwan, as well as plans to deliver new models of the aircraft. It wasn't clear if the fighter jet was new or an older version. A pair of aircraft carriers off Guam are taking part in one of U.S. Indo-Pacific Commands largest military exercises, Valiant Shield, which began Monday. The latest in a series of biennial drills that started in 2006, this years drills aim to build troops skills in detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and in cyberspace, INDOPACOM said in a news release announcing the start of the drills. Valiant Shield, which runs through June 17, involves the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force and special operations training to quickly respond to a crisis, according to the release. Okinawa-based soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Battalion are expected to shoot down a drone using a Patriot missile system on Palau on June 15, Capt. Nicholas Chopp, a spokesman for the 94th Air and Missile Defense Command at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday. The missile defense unit is participating in Valiant Shield along with the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups, the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship, I and III Marine Expeditionary Force, the 36th Wing, 15 surface ships, more than 200 aircraft and an estimated 13,000 personnel, according to INDOPACOMs statement. Valiant Shield prepares troops to respond to trouble spots ranging from North Korea to the East China Sea, the South China Sea, Taiwan and beyond, Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore said in an email Monday. New Zealand-based U.S. security expert Paul Buchanan, in an email the same day, noted President Joe Bidens pledge to defend Taiwan militarily during a visit to Japan last month. Some analysts suggested Bidens remarks reframed Americas policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwans relationship with China. Others said his remarks constituted only a repeat a pledge made earlier. The exercise demonstrates to [China] the potential costs of engaging in a Russian-style invasion of a neighboring State, Buchanan said. The question is whether China will attempt to seize Taiwan in the face of repeated demonstrative warnings by the U.S., he said. The U.S. foreign policy message on Taiwan at the highest government level is not clear on what the security agreement with Taiwan really means, Buchanan said. Valiant Shield involves only U.S. forces, but on Friday commanders from each branch of the Japan Self-Defense Force visited the Tripoli to discuss F-35B Lightning II operations, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement Sunday. The group included Vice Adm. Hideki Yuasa, commander in chief, Self-Defense Fleet, Lt. Gen. Kizuki Ushijima, chief of staff, Ground Component Command, and Lt. Gen. Takehiro Morita, vice commander of Air Defense Command, according to the statement. The Tripolis commander, Capt. Joel Lang, briefed the Japanese officers on his ships capabilities, including its operations involving the stealth jets and serving as the flagship for an amphibious ready group, the statement said. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Chinese and Cambodian officials broke ground Wednesday on a contentious naval port expansion project, dismissing American concerns it could provide Beijing with a strategically important military outpost on the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and other officials donned white gloves before turning over shovels full of dirt to launch the official "modernization" of the Ream Naval Base, which will include a dry dock for ship repairs, an extended pier, a hospital, a workshop and a "reception building." Longtime authoritarian leader Hun Sen in 2019 reportedly granted China the right to set up a military base at Ream, but has long denied that, saying Cambodia's Constitution prohibits foreign military facilities. Dredging is already underway to allow larger ships to use the port. Tea Banh told guests, including the U.S. defense attache, that it would still only be able to accommodate ships of up to 5,000 tons displacement an improvement from the current 1,000 tons but too shallow for all but the smallest of naval ships. "Please don't be too worried about this Ream base," Tea Banh said, speaking in front of a sign proclaiming the project is being funded by "grant aid from the People's Republic of China." "This port is too small and even after upgrading it can't be a port that would threaten any countries," he said. Tea Banh said he invited the U.S. and other foreign representatives to the base so they could see for themselves "there is nothing here," though he added that once construction is complete the facility will become a restricted military zone with no access for foreign nations. Following the ceremony, the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh reiterated American concerns that a Chinese "military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodia's autonomy and undermine regional security." "The U.S. and countries in the region have expressed concern about the lack of transparency on the intent, nature, and scope of this project as well as the role the PRC military is playing in its construction and in post-construction use of the facility," embassy spokesperson Stephanie Arzate said in an email to The Associated Press. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea, where China has aggressively asserted its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway. The U.S. has refused to recognize China's sweeping claim and routinely conducts military maneuvers there to reinforce that they are international waters. Tea Banh said the port project is expected to take two years to complete. He did not say how much it would cost, but China has given Cambodia hundreds of millions of dollars in grants in recent years for infrastructure projects. Chinese Ambassador Wang said the construction will follow a plan agreed upon by Hun Sen and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year to "further promote the building of a community with a shared future with strategic significance." "China and Cambodia have become ironclad brothers, economical with words but generous in action, treating each other with all sincerity and standing side by side at challenging times," he said, according to an English translation of his remarks provided by the Chinese delegation. The U.S. in November sanctioned two senior Cambodian defense officials over allegations of graft connected to construction financing at the Ream base, and Wang lashed out at the move, without mentioning the United States by name. "Some countries keep smearing legitimate exchanges and cooperation between China and Cambodia and arbitrarily impose unilateral sanctions on Cambodia under the false subterfuge of 'democracy' and 'human rights,' blatantly interfering in Cambodia's internal affairs through 'long-arm jurisdiction,'" he said. "We firmly oppose all these misbehaviors." He said when completed, the base will be a monument to "the ironclad friendship and cooperation between the two militaries" of China and Cambodia. China only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, in the impoverished but strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti, but many believe that its People's Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if it doesn't use the term "base." Beijing recently signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that has raised fears of a possible Chinese outpost in the Pacific, and it has reached out to multiple other island nations in the region. The U.S. has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok. CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea A senior Chinese official dismissed claims that Chinese military aircraft harassed a Canadian surveillance plane flying missions in support of U.N. sanctions on North Korea. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday accused Canada of conducting flat-out irresponsible and provocative reconnaissance operations against China. China firmly rejects all moves that endanger Chinas sovereignty and national security under all pretexts, Zhao said during a press briefing. Canada should respect objective facts, stop spreading disinformation and take real actions for the recovery and normal development of China-Canada relations. A Canadian Defence Department statement on June 1 claimed Chinese military aircraft tried to divert a Canadian patrol plane from its flight path several times between April 26 and May 26. Canadas air force deployed the CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft and crew to Japan to monitor U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea. Other nations have conducted similar operations in the region in recent years, including Germany, France and Australia. The Canadian air crew felt endangered during the encounters and altered course to avoid colliding with the Chinese aircraft, according to the statement. These interactions are well-documented by our aircrew for professional internal analysis, according to the department. Such interactions, which occur in international airspace during U.N.-sanctioned missions, are of concern and of increasing frequency, according to the Canadian statement. These occurrences have also been addressed through diplomatic channels. China voted with the Security Council to tighten sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests as recently as 2017. In May, however, China and Russia used their Security Council vetoes to block additional sanctions. The U.S. has accused China and Russia of thwarting those sanctions. On Monday, Zhao counseled North Korea, the United States and South Korea to remain calm, exercise self-restraint following an unprecedented volley of eight short-range ballistic missiles fired into the East Sea on Sunday by North Korea. The U.S. and South Korea on Monday fired eight missiles of their own in response and sent fighter aircraft over the Yellow Sea in a display of air power. Chinas position is very clear, Zhao told reporters. It is in all sides interest to safeguard peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and advance the political settlement process of the Peninsula issue. ANKARA, Turkey Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for the creation of a safe maritime corridor in the Black Sea so Ukraine can export grain to global markets amid an escalating world food crisis. But Russia demanded that the Black Sea be demined and Turkey said allowing the Ukraine exports should be accompanied by easing Western sanctions against Russia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara for discussions focused on a U.N. proposal to free Ukraine's Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. The two allies appeared eager to dictate the terms of Ukraine's exports which have been strongly affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and cement further control over the Black Sea. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. 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 food supplies to many developing countries. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near the Black Sea port of Odesa to allow safe grain exports. Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed that Russia will not use the demined corridors to launch an attack on the key Ukrainian port of Odesa but Putin also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans of invading Ukraine. Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize that guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Russia would not "abuse" its naval advantage if Ukraine's ports were demined and would "take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely." Moscow also insisted on its right to check the incoming vessels to be loaded with grain to make sure they don't carry weapons into Ukraine. Ukraine, which was not represented at the Ankara meeting, says the Russian promise not to use safe shipping corridors to attack Odesa is not credible. The head of Ukraine's grain traders group has also scoffed at Turkey's effort to negotiate a deal with Russia to allow Ukrainian grain exports to resume, saying that Ankara is not powerful enough to act as a guarantor against Russia. "Turkey doesn't have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports," Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take 3 to 4 months to remove sea mines, and said it was the Russians who have mined the area. Both Russia and Turkey would benefit from the export plan. The same corridor would also allow Russia to safely export its food and fertilizer. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea a move cutting out other possible shippers. "We find this plan reasonable and see it as a feasible one," Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with Lavrov. The scheme, however, would require negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, he added. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine if it participates in the plan, saying that seemed "quite legitimate." "If the whole world is in need of the products to be exported by Ukraine and the Russian Federation, then a method needs to be established," he said, adding that he hoped "technical preparations" could be made "as soon as possible." While grain exports are exempt from Western sanctions, Russia claims that sanctions on its shipping make it impossible to ship its grain to global markets. European Union officials emphasized again that the bloc did not impose sanctions on food. "The Kremlin is weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet style," European Council President Charles Michel told the European Parliament on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said details of the export plan were still being worked out. "Our efforts are continuing concerning the technical planning on such issues as how it will be done, how the mines will be cleared, who will do it, how the corridor will be established and who will escort (ships)," Akar said. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Turkey was "much more optimistic." Turkey hosted previous talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in March but since then little progress has been made. "We see an optimistic atmosphere in terms of going back to the negotiation table," Cavusoglu said, citing recent comments by Zelenskyy. He reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of "changing his position all the time" over conditions for a leaders' summit. Lavrov arrived in Turkey two days after NATO members Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro reportedly refused to allow his plane to fly through their airspace to reach Serbia. Lavrov's plane was able to fly directly to Turkey over the Black Sea. Lavrov's discussions in the Turkish capital also focused on Turkey's plans to launch a new cross-border offensive in northern Syria against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara a security threat. Turkey needs Moscow's approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, despite the two supporting opposite sides in Syria's civil war. In 2020, 37 Turkish soldiers were killed in Russia-backed airstrikes against rebels in Syria. "Turkey really needs Russia's blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation (in Syria.) And so I think they're really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side," said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. Lavrov's meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finland's recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries' candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but hasn't joined international sanctions against Russia. ___ Ayse Wieting and Andrew Wilks in Istanbul and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this story. BAKHMUT, Ukraine Ukrainian forces battling Russian troops in a key eastern city appeared on the cusp of retreat Wednesday, though the regional governor insisted they are still fighting "for every centimeter" of the city. The urban battle for Sievierodonetsk testified to the painstaking, inch-by-inch advance by Russian forces as they close in on control of the entire Luhansk region, one of two that make up the industrial heartland known as the Donbas. After a bungled attempt to overrun Kyiv in the early days of the war, Russia shifted its focus to the region of coal mines and factories. The Donbas has been partly controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014, making supply lines shorter and allowing Moscow to tap those separatist forces in its offensive there. But Russia also faces Ukraine's most battle-hardened troops, who have been fighting the separatists for eight years there. The result is a slog in which both sides exchange artillery barrages that seemingly inflict heavy losses, but neither appears to have the clear momentum. "Ukraine has been pursuing a policy of flexible defense, giving ground where it makes sense to do so instead of holding on to every inch of the territory," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at London think tank Chatham House. But he cautioned against drawing grand conclusions from the daily give and take, since Russian President Vladimir Putin could decide at any time that his objectives have been met and the West could also pressure Ukraine to accept their losses. The grinding war has left thousands dead and driven millions from their homes and its consequences are felt in many countries where it is driving up the price of food since critical shipments of Ukrainian grain are trapped inside the country. After meeting with Russia's foreign minister Wednesday, Turkey's top diplomat said he thought a plan to create a secure shipping corridor to resume exports of that grain was "feasible." Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties in Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday, telling The Associated Press that "maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city." "Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, they're using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely," he said. Earlier, on the Telegram messaging app, he said Ukrainian forces were still fighting "for every centimeter of the city." Haidai indicated they could pull back to positions that are easier to defend. The city across the river, Lysychansk, sits on higher ground. He has previously suggested forces could have to pull back in order to avoid being surrounded. Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000, became the administrative capital of the region after the city of Luhansk was taken by separatists in 2014. Both it and Lysychansk are wedged between Russian forces to the east, north and south in the small portion of the Luhansk region that Russia has not yet claimed control of. Moscow also appears to hold about half of the Donetsk region that rounds out the Donbas. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. "I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder," she said as she received treatment for her wounds this week. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the northern Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 more over the past 24 hours, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said Wednesday. The Russian military said Wednesday that Moscow used "air-launched, high-precision missiles" to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukrainian officials of such a plant being hit. Before Russia's invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7% of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces held 20% of the country. While Russia has superior firepower, the Ukrainian defenders are entrenched and have shown the ability to counterattack. "The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues," Zelenskyy said Tuesday in his nightly video address. Speaking earlier to a Financial Times conference, Zelenskyy insisted on Ukraine's need to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also said he is still open to peace talks with Putin. But a former senior U.S. intelligence officer said the time isn't right. "You're not going to get to the negotiating table until neither side feels they have an advantage that they could push," said Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war but talks it hosted earlier in conflict yielded no progress. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday his country is "much more optimistic" that Russia and Ukraine can be persuaded to return to talks after he met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. But he provided no details why. Cavusoglu is also trying to help negotiate a plan to get Ukrainian agricultural products out of the country and said he thought a plan to create a secure shipping corridor was possible. But it's not clear if any progress was made since there was no Ukrainian representative at the meeting. Russia has said shipping could resume if Ukraine removes mines from the area near its Black Sea port of Odesa. It has pledged not to use the demined corridor to attack Ukraine but Kyiv has voiced doubt about that promise. Moscow also says it wants to check the ships coming into Odesa for weapons. The war has helped fuel a food crisis in developing countries, since Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade. An estimated 22 million tons of grains are sitting in silos in Ukraine. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. BRUSSELS The speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament made a vibrant plea Wednesday for his country to be named a candidate for European Union membership, a move that would bring the war-torn nation closer to the EU without guaranteeing its admittance. Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, told EU lawmakers that failing to give Ukraine a sign of an open door would be a clear signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "he can be totally going forward without any punishment." European heads of state and government are expected to consider Ukraine's bid for EU candidate status at the end of June. The European Parliament already passed a resolution in favor of making Ukraine a membership candidate. "Let's do everything possible that on the 24th of June we'll see a watershed day, an important day for us, and our joint great victory," Stefanchuk said. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, is expected to deliver its opinion next week based on Ukraine's answers to a questionnaire. received in April and early May. Ukraine currently has has an association agreement with the EU, which is aimed at opening Ukraine's markets and bringing it closer to Europe. It includes a far-reaching free trade pact. Roberta Mestola, the president of the EU legislature, said lawmakers will continue supporting Ukraine's effort to obtain candidate status. Metsola said reaching the step in the accession process would benefit Ukraine by furthering its integration into the region. The 27 EU nations have been united in backing Ukraine's resistance to Russia's invasion, adopting unprecedented economic sanctions against Moscow since the start of the war in February. However, leaders are divided on how quickly the EU should move to accept Ukraine as a member. Admitting a new member country requires unanimous agreement from the EU's current members. Before Russia's war in Ukraine, the European Commission repeatedly expressed concern in recent years about corruption in Ukraine and the need for deep political and economic reforms. The French government has made clear it thinks it's unrealistic to expect Ukraine to join the EU any time soon, saying the process would take many years, "in fact probably several decades." The Ukrainian bid has received warm support in Eastern European countries, but EU officials have stressed the process could take years, Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin backed Ukraine's application and said he hoped EU leaders would "send the people of Ukraine a clear and positive message." Martin is among the EU leaders meeting at an June 23-24 summit. But Martin says the EU "should support those looking to join in undertaking the reforms and preparations necessary." He says Ireland's experience is that EU "membership is transformative." ___ Lorne Cook contributed to this story. WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) A year and a half after thousands of Donald Trump diehards overran the U.S. Capitol, prosecutors have scored relatively few felony convictions and face growing pressure to go after targets including the organizers and the former president himself. The Justice Departments massive investigation into the riot and deeper efforts to overturn Joe Bidens election has scored about 50 felony guilty pleas out of more than 800 defendants charged since the mob breached the neoclassical building in January 2021, in the most serious attack on American democracy in the modern era. As the congressional committee looking into the insurrection prepares to hold its first public hearings this week, the only charges brought against Trump aides have been for failing to respond to the panels demands for information. Of those charged for the events of Jan. 6, at least 235 have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor offenses such as illegal parading. About 70 still fewer than 10% of the total have been sentenced to time behind bars for assaulting law enforcement officers and other crimes. Even at that, the Justice Department has had to bring in reinforcements from all over the country to help handle the caseload. It has detailed assistant U.S. attorneys nationwide and sought support from all 56 field offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as it sifts through reams of surveillance footage, social media posts and testimony. In its budget request for 2023, the department is seeking $34 million to hire 131 more lawyers to work on the case. It is the most complex and wide-ranging that Ive seen in the departments history, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said of the investigation, in a recent discussion with Bloomberg about corporate crime. Its a top priority of the department to follow the facts wherever they go, including to hold accountable perpetrators at any level. The probe has made headway. It has led to arrests in almost all 50 states. The guilty pleas include three members of the far-right Oath Keepers, who are cooperating with the inquiry. The U.S. has prevailed at all five jury trials held so far that included felony charges. On Friday it announced the indictment of former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro for defying a subpoena by the House committee, following longtime Trump adviser Steve Bannons indictment in November, and after a recent subpoena seeking communications within Trumps inner circle. And just Monday, amid criticism of the investigations pace, prosecutors added charges of seditious conspiracy to its case against members of the Proud Boys, three days before the congressional committee launches its hearings. The Justice Department is now at a critical point in the case. Although it is traditionally independent of the White House, the attorney general is a presidential appointee, and Bidens Democratic Party could use a boost from high-profile convictions in the case and would be damaged by a flop. It all adds up to a major test of the department and of Attorney General Merrick Garland in particular, who has pledged to defend the rule of law while trying to keep Justice insulated from politics. Garland said at a news conference last month that the department deliberately refrains from talking publicly about ongoing cases and investigations. If we let all possible witnesses know exactly where we are, at exactly what moment, it makes it very difficult for us to do our job of ensuring that the laws are not violated and that those who are accountable are brought to justice, he said. It isnt enough, said Melanie Sloan, senior adviser for the government watchdog American Oversight and a former federal prosecutor. Whatever DOJ is doing, I wish they were taking a more aggressive approach, Sloan said. At the same time, she said, the department faces a quandary. Seditious conspiracy charges are extremely rare, so prosecutors dont have experience trying these sorts of cases, and have their work cut out for them, she said. The U.S. attorneys office for the District of Columbia, which is leading the case, declined to discuss details, as did Monaco. Youll see the results of our investigation when we bring actions in court, said the 54-year-old prosecutor, who has spent 16 years at the Justice Department and once led its national security division. Which is as it should be. One result is the conviction last month of former Army reservist and Navy security guard Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who hoped to foment a civil war when he stormed the Capitol, boasting to a friend afterward that the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants, according to prosecutors. Instead, the New Jersey man, 32, now faces as many as 20 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of felony obstruction of an official proceeding and a slew of misdemeanors. The longest sentence has gone to Florida resident Robert Palmer, 54, who pleaded guilty in October to assaulting and resisting law enforcement officers using a dangerous weapon and got five years and three months in prison. Other significant wins include getting the three Oath Keepers to plead guilty to the most serious felony charge of seditious conspiracy and to cooperate with the government. But so far most of the people arrested and charged in the case have received probation and a fine, according to data from the Justice Department and court documents. Critics say the probe has been plodding when it comes to higher-level acts by Trump and his closest associates. Current and former Justice officials say the magnitude of the case has required a methodical approach. Frustration with the department surfaced publicly during a March 28 hearing when some committee members urged swifter action in charging more of Trumps allies for refusing to comply with their subpoenas. Attorney General Garland, do your job so that we can do ours, said Rep. Elaine Luria, a Virginia Democrat. The investigations current, more aggressive phase includes grand jury subpoenas for information about potential felonies committed by lawyers and organizers ahead of Jan. 6 to stop the votes certification. One focus is on efforts to appoint electors in states Trump lost to reverse the result, according to a subpoena reviewed by Bloomberg. The subpoena seeks documents to, from or including Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and John Eastman. Other subpoenas have sought information about organizers of Trump rallies and any government officials who tried to obstruct the certification of the election, according to two people familiar with the matter, who asked to remain anonymous to speak about grand jury proceedings. In a filing last week before his indictment, Navarro said a subpoena he received calls on him to turn over records tied to any communications with Trump. His case comes as the committee is deciding how to respond to resistance from five House Republicans who have also been subpoenaed to testify, including Republican leader Kevin McCarthy. We know nothing about this, Robert Costello, a lawyer for Giuliani, said in an email, referring to what the subpoena is seeking. Lawyers for Eastman and Trump, and Navarro, who is representing himself, didnt respond to requests for comment. Among the cases well along in the courts, the Justice Departments biggest test will come in August, with the trial of Proud Boys members accused of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, followed in September by a trial of Oath Keepers on charges of seditious conspiracy. Defense attorneys in the case recognize its unusual nature too. Were trying one of the most significant cases in federal history, said James Lee Bright, a lawyer for Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes. Bright said the government has provided about 10 terabytes of information to his legal team in the required exchange of information. I dont think Ive ever had a case, in nearly 27 years in practicing law, that has had this much evidence, he said. With assistance from Billy House. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The FBI has seized the electronic data of a retired four-star general who authorities say made false statements and withheld "incriminating" documents about his role in an illegal foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. New federal court filings obtained Tuesday outlined a potential criminal case against former Marine Gen. John R. Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped in 2017 to lead the influential Brookings Institution. It's part of an expanding investigation that has ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have been interviewed as part of the investigation. The court filings detail Allen's behind-the scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich Persian Gulf monarchy and its neighbors. "There is substantial evidence that these FARA violations were willful," FBI agent Babak Adib wrote in a search warrant application, referring to the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Allen also misrepresented his role in the lobbying campaign to U.S. officials, Adib wrote, and failed to disclose "that he was simultaneously pursuing multimillion-dollar business deals with the government of Qatar." The FBI says Allen gave a "false version of events" about his work for Qatar during a 2020 interview with law enforcement officials and failed to produce relevant email messages in response to an earlier grand jury subpoena, the affidavit says. The 77-page application appears to have been filed in error and was removed from the docket Tuesday after The Associated Press reached out to federal authorities about its contents. Allen declined to comment on the new filings. He has previously denied ever working as a Qatari agent and said his efforts on Qatar in 2017 were motivated to prevent a war from breaking out in the Gulf that would put U.S. troops at risk. Allen spokesperson Beau Phillips told AP last week that Allen "voluntarily cooperated with the government's investigation into this matter." Allen, who was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution prior to becoming president, used his official email account at the think tank for some of his Qatar-related communications, the affidavit says. Brookings did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Qatar has long been one of Brookings' biggest financial backers, though the institution says it has recently stopped taking Qatari funding. Olson was working with Zuberi on another matter involving Qatar when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf countries announced a blockade of the gas-rich monarchy over Qatar's alleged ties to terror groups and other issues in mid-2017. Shortly after the blockade was announced, then-President Donald Trump appeared to side against Qatar. The court papers say Allen played an important role in shifting the U.S.'s response. Specifically, authorities say Allen lobbied then National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to have the Trump administration adopt more Qatar-friendly tone. In an email to McMaster, Allen said the Qataris wanted the White House or State Department to issue a statement with language calling on all sides of the Gulf diplomatic crisis to "act with restraint." Federal law enforcement officials say then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did just that two days later, issuing a statement that called on other Gulf countries to "ease the blockade against Qatar" and asked "that there be no further escalation by the parties in the region." As part of the lobbying campaign, federal law enforcement authorities say, Olson and Allen traveled to Qatar to meet with the country's ruling emir and other top officials. At the meeting, Allen provided advice on how to influence U.S. policy and said the Qataris should "use the full spectrum" of information operations, including "black and white" operations, the affidavit says. "Black" operations are typically covert and sometimes illegal. Qatar has been accused of orchestrating hack-and-leak operations of its critics and rivals during the diplomatic crisis, including one targeting a UAE ambassador. Qatar has denied any wrongdoing. Before they went to Doha, Allen wanted to "have a chat" with Olson and Zuberi about his compensation, the affidavit said. Allen suggested in an email that he be paid a $20,000 "speaker's fee" for the weekend trip even though he wasn't giving a speech and then later "work out a fuller arrangement of a longer-term relationship," the affidavit says. Zuberi paid Allen's first-class airfare to Qatar, the affidavit said, but there's no indication the speaker's fee was paid. Allen's spokesman said previously the general was never paid a fee. It's unclear why. Some of Zuberi's past business associates have accused him of not honoring his financial commitments. Allen also had other financial incentives for helping the Qataris and maintaining strong ties to its top leaders, the FBI said. "At the same time he was lobbying U.S. government officials on behalf of Qatar, Allen pursued at least one multimillion-dollar business deal with the Qatari government on behalf of a company on whose board of directors he served," the affidavit says. After returning from their trip to Qatar, Allen and Olson lobbied members of Congress particularly members of Congress who supported a House resolution linking Qatar to terror financing, the FBI said. Among them was Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, who told law enforcement officials that he didn't recall what Allen said but that his impression was he was there "to support the Qatari officials and their position." __ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian from New Orleans. Actor Matthew McConaughey, a native of Uvalde, Texas, urged lawmakers to act on gun control Tuesday in impassioned remarks delivered in a surprise appearance on the White House briefing room's podium. McConaughey emotionally told the stories of the 19 children and two teachers killed by a shooter at an elementary school in the small South Texas city on May 24. He said he and his wife, Camila Alves, spent most of past week with the victims' families in his hometown. "You know what every one of these parents wanted, what they asked us for? What every parent separately expressed in their own way to Camila and me? That they want their children's dreams to live on," McConaughey said. "They want to make their loss of life matter." The actor then called on lawmakers in Washington to take action on gun control as they try to forge a bipartisan congressional response to recent mass shootings. "Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals," McConaughey said. "These regulations are not a step back. They're a step forward for civil society and the Second Amendment." McConaughey and Alves spent Tuesday morning on Capitol Hill, meeting with Republican and Democratic lawmakers to discuss gun control. He also met with President Joe Biden. Lawmakers, he said, have a window of opportunity now to pass meaningful gun-control measures. The actor called for the creation of a waiting period for purchasing AR-15 rifles, as well as for raising the minimum age for purchasing that type of weapon to 21. He also called for universal background checks and "red flag" laws. Gun responsibility, he said, is something most Americans "agree on more than we don't." "This should be a nonpartisan issue," McConaughey said. "That should not be a partisan issue. There is not a Democratic or Republican value in one single act of these shooters." The actor told reporters that his mother taught kindergarten less than a mile from Robb Elementary School, the scene of the shooting. Uvalde, he said, is the town where he "learned responsible gun ownership." Going back to his hometown in the wake of the shooting, he said, was shocking. "You could feel the pain, the denial, the disillusion, anger, blame, sadness, loss of lives, dreams halted," he said. He said parents of the victims shared stories of their children's dreams. One of the little girls killed, Maite Rodriguez, wanted to be a marine biologist, McConaughey recalled. "Maite cared for the environment so strongly that, when the city asked her mother if they could release some balloons into the sky in her memory, her mother said 'Oh no, Maite wouldn't want to litter,'" he said. Maite, McConaughey said, wore green high-top Converse shoes "with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe, because they represented her love of nature." Alves, sitting nearby McConaughey in the briefing room, showed a pair of the shoes. "These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting," McConaughey said. 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. Nine unvaccinated airmen who were denied exemptions from the federal COVID-19 inoculation mandate are asking a court to prevent the Defense Department from punishing them for their violation of a presidential order. Their class-action lawsuit, filed in the Dallas-based U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, claims that the denial of their exemptions violates their First Amendment right to free exercise of religion. It names Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. The complaint seeks a restraining order and a preliminary injunction barring the Air Force from enforcing penalties against the plaintiffs, who it says lost out on previously announced promotions and were put on no-pay status. They are among the 3% of Air Force members who have not complied with the order, the lawsuit says. Among other contentions, the plaintiffs argue that the vaccine requirement is not the least restrictive means of accomplishing the governments purported interest. They base that argument on the Air Forces 97% vaccination rate and the fact that people inoculated against COVID-19 can still transmit the disease or become infected with it. A spokesperson for Kendalls office said the Air Force doesnt comment on pending litigation. The airmen are represented by the First Liberty Institute in Texas and the Washington, D.C., law firm Schaerr Jaffe. No court date has been set yet for the lawsuit, which was filed May 27. The First Liberty Institute is expecting a hearing or possibly a preliminary order once the Air Force has filed its response, said Mike Berry, the groups director of military affairs. Two of the airmen in the lawsuit also sought exemption from the vaccination order on medical grounds, citing allergies as the reason. The Air Force rejected the allergy tests and told one of the plaintiffs the results were fraudulent because they came from an illegitimate doctor, the suit contends. Six of the nine airmen are fighter pilots or instructors or are in training; the others work outside of aviation. The plaintiffs are 1st Lt. Mitchell Pike, Capt. Alan Sosebee, Maj. Steven Haynes, Lt. Col. Andrew Grieb, Lt. Col. Bryan Spence, Lt. Col. Tyler Stef, Lt. Col. Christopher Wu, Maj. Danielle Runyan and Maj. Ryan Corcoran. According to the lawsuit, Corcoran, a reservist, is assigned to Germanys Ramstein Air Base, but he works remotely from Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where he analyzes classified intelligence reports and other information. Corcorans commander told him the Air Force is preparing an official reprimand that will soon be added to his file, jeopardizing his career and retirement, the suit alleges. President Joe Biden issued the vaccination mandate on July 29, 2021. Active-duty airmen and Space Force guardians had to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 2, 2021. Reservists were given until Dec. 2, 2021, and the deadline for Air Force National Guard members was Dec. 31, 2021. As of June 6, only 86 Air Force members had been granted exemptions, according to the latest statistics provided by the Air Force. WASHINGTON A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. During a court hearing, he consented to remain in federal custody for now. Roske was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and an affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. At his initial appearance in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn't say I'm thinking clearly. Roske said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roske's next court date was tentatively set for June 22. The attempted murder charge carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Earlier Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. ___ Kunzelman reported from Greenbelt, Maryland. The prestigious Brookings Institution placed its president, retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, on administrative leave Wednesday amid a federal investigation into his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. Brookings announcement came a day after The Associated Press reported on new court filings that show the FBI recently seized Allens electronic data as part of the probe and detailed his behind-the scenes efforts to help Qatar influence U.S. policy in 2017 when a diplomatic crisis erupted between the gas-rich monarchy and its neighbors. Allen, who led U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan before being tapped to lead Brookings in late 2017, has not been charged with any crimes. His spokesman, Beau Phillips, said Wednesday that Allen had done nothing improper or unlawful. Through decades of public service in combat and diplomacy, General Allen has earned an unmatched, sterling reputation for honor and integrity, Phillips said in a statement. We look forward to correcting the falsehoods about General Allen that have been improperly publicized in this matter. Brookings told staffers in an email Wednesday that the institute itself is not under investigation and that the think tanks executive vice president, Ted Gayer, will serve as acting president. We have every confidence in the Brookings teams ability to remain focused on delivering quality, independence, and impact," the email said. Brookings pays Allen more than $1 million a year, according to its most recently available tax records. The email to staff did not say whether Allen would continue to be paid while on leave. The federal investigation involving Allen has already ensnared Richard G. Olson, a former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan who pleaded guilty to federal charges last week, and Imaad Zuberi, a prolific political donor now serving a 12-year prison sentence on corruption charges. Several members of Congress have also been interviewed. An FBI agent said in an affidavit in support of a search warrant there was substantial evidence that Allen had knowingly broken a foreign lobbying law, and had made false statements and withheld incriminating documents. Allens behind-the-scenes work involved traveling to Qatar and meeting with the countrys top officials to offer them advice on how to influence U.S. policy, as well as promoting Qatars point of view to top White House officials and Congress, according to the FBI affidavit. The Qatar Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brookings is one of the most influential think thanks in the U.S. and has long had strong ties to Qatar. In 2007, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to fund a Brookings-backed offshoot in Qatar called the Brookings Doha Center. The Qatari government said in a 2012 news release that the centers role included reflecting the bright image of Qatar in the international media, especially the American ones, according to a New York Times report that showed Qatar had given Brookings $14.4 million in donations over a four-year span. As a nonprofit, Brookings does not have to disclose its donations but it voluntarily discloses some data. Its annual reports show Qatar giving at least $2 million a year from 2016 to 2021. Brookings said in a statement that Allen decided in 2019 to stop taking any new donations from Qatar and to close the Brookings Doha Center. Brookings has strong policies in place to prohibit donors from directing research activities, said the email to staffers Wednesday. ____ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia, Mustian from New Orleans. WASHINGTON The Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol played out for the world to see, but the House committee investigating the attack believes a more chilling story has yet to be told about the president and the people whose actions put American democracy at risk. With personal accounts and gruesome videos the 1/6 committee expects Thursdays prime-time hearing to begin to show that Americas tradition of a peaceful transfer of presidential power came close to slipping away. It will reconstruct how the president, Donald Trump, refused to concede the 2020 election, spread false claims of voter fraud and orchestrated an unprecedented public and private campaign to overturn Joe Bidens victory. The result of the coming weeks of public hearings may not change hearts or minds in politically polarized America. But the committees year-long investigation with 1,000 interviews is intended to stand as a public record for history. A final report aims to provide an accounting of the most violent attack on the Capitol since the British set fire in 1814, and ensure it never happens again. This is not a game, said Steven Levitsky, a Harvard professor and co-author of How Democracies Die, who has written extensively on the worlds democratic governments. We suffered an assault on our democracy the likes of which none of us have seen in our lifetime. Emotions are still raw at the Capitol 17 months after Trump sent his supporters to Congress to fight like hell for his presidency. That was on a Wednesday, two months after the election, a traditionally celebratory if ho-hum day when Congress is tasked with certifying the November results. Security will be tight for the hearings. Law enforcement officials are reporting a spike in violent threats against members of Congress. Against this backdrop, the committee will try to speak to a divided America, ahead of the fall midterm elections when voters will decide which party controls the Congress. Most TV networks will carry the hearings live, Fox News will not. Were going to tell the story of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election, says Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the committee. You really have to go back to the Civil War to understand anything like it. First up will be wrenching accounts from police who engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the mob, with testimony from U.S. Capitol Police officer Caroline Edwards, who was seriously injured in the melee. Also appearing Thursday will be documentary maker Nick Quested who filmed the extremist Proud Boys storming the Capitol. Some of that groups members have since been indicted as have some from the Oath Keepers on rare sedition charges over the military-style attack. In the weeks ahead, the panel is expected to detail Trumps public campaign to Stop the Steal and the private pressure he put on the Department of Justice to reverse his election loss despite dozens of failed court cases and his own attorney general attesting there was no fraud on a scale that that could have tipped the results in his favor. Its going to be there for the permanent record, and I think thats important for history, said Barbara Comstock, a former Republican congresswoman from Virginia. The panel, made up of nine lawmakers, faced obstacles from its start. Republicans blocked the formation of an independent body that could have investigated the Jan. 6 assault the way the 9/11 Commission probed the 2001 terror attack. Instead, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ushered the creation of the 1/6 panel through Congress over the objections of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. She rejected Republican-appointed lawmakers who had voted Jan. 6 against certifying the election results, choosing her own preferred members to serve and naming civil rights advocate Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., as chairman. The Jan. 6 committees lopsided composition includes seven Democrats and two Republicans, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, both outspoken Trump critics now risking their political futures on this work. After a year-long investigation, the story the committee aims to tell is still unfolding. By many measures, the attack was set in motion months earlier, soon after Election Day, when Trump falsely claimed the voting was rigged and refused to concede once Biden was declared the winner. The proceedings are expected to introduce Americans to a cast of characters, some well known, others elusive, and to what they said and did as Trump and his allies tried to reverse the election outcome. The public will learn about the actions of Mark Meadows, the presidents chief of staff, whose 2,000-plus text messages provided the committee with a snapshot of the real-time scramble to keep Trump in office. Of John Eastman, the conservative law professor, who was the architect of the unsuccessful scheme to convince Vice President Mike Pence to halt the certification on Jan. 6. Of the Justice Department officials who threatened to resign rather than go along with Trumps startling proposals. Lawmakers have also been caught up in the probe, including House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who defied the committees subpoena requests for testimony. Trumps daughter Ivanka Trump, who urged her father to call off the rioters, appeared privately before the committee. The Justice Department has arrested and charged more than 800 people for the violence that day, the biggest dragnet in its history. Trump has dismissed the entire investigation as illegitimate. The committee cannot charge him or anyone else. Its jurisdiction allows it only to refer its findings to the department, which is investigating. Many Republicans are poised to defend Trump. Rep. Elise Stefanik of N.Y. said at a GOP leadership press conference Wednesday the committees shameless prime-time show is nothing but a smear campaign against the former president, his party and his supporters. As Trump weighs another run for the White House, other Republicans wonder quietly if the committee hearings will have an impact on the public or if Jan. 6 will simply be forgotten. Levitsky, the professor, said Americans have not had much experience watching their democracy at risk. One weakness that Americans have in in defending our democracy, is that we take it for granted, he said. Were not aware of the warning signs, he said. He said the committees report should be taught in U.S. civics and history textbooks for years to come to inform Americans and bring them together. Thats how democracy gets saved, he said. Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Kevin Freking and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. A Kansas-born woman who led an all-female Islamic State battalion and trained others to use assault rifles, grenades and suicide explosives pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to provide material support for terrorism. Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, admitted in federal district court in Alexandria, Va., that she was the leader of the Khatiba Nusaybah, a female battalion that prepared to defend Islamic State-controlled Raqqa, Syria, in 2017. She faces up to 20 years in prison. Researchers who study extremism say that hundreds of Western women have joined or given support to the Islamic State but that Fluke-Ekren is the first U.S. woman to be prosecuted for a leadership role in the Islamist militant group. Some friends and family from Fluke-Ekren's days in Kansas City and Topeka, where she grew up as Allison Elizabeth Brooks, have said they are shocked she turned to extremism. After studying biology at the University of Kansas and pursuing a master's degree in teaching at an Indiana college, Fluke-Ekren moved with her children and second husband to Egypt in 2008 and aided terrorist groups for more than six years while in Iraq, Libya and Syria, according to documents filed with her plea. "Over 100 women and young girls received military training from Fluke-Ekren in Syria on behalf of ISIS," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh of the Eastern District of Virginia wrote in a court filing in January, describing Fluke-Ekren as "a fervent believer in the radical terrorist ideology of ISIS for many years." Federal prosecutors disclosed Tuesday that Fluke-Ekren assisted leaders of Ansar al-Sharia, the terrorist group behind the 2012 attack that killed four Americans in Libya, by providing summaries of documents she said her husband had stolen from a U.S. compound in Benghazi in the aftermath of the strike. Fluke-Ekren was not accused of involvement in the attack itself. By 2016, Fluke-Ekren's husband oversaw Islamic State snipers in Syria, and she was a rare female leader in Islamic State-controlled Raqqa, organizing child care, medical services and education, according to documents filed with her plea. She also trained women and young girls to use AK-47 rifles, grenades and explosive suicide belts to help men defend from enemy attacks, the documents say. In 2017, the Islamic State mayor of Raqqa named Fluke-Ekren the leader of the Khatiba Nusaybah, an all-female brigade that gave medical training and religious classes, as well as martial arts instruction, courses on vehicle bombings and how to pack a "go bag" with rifles and military supplies, she admitted in the plea documents. Fluke-Ekren provided only some of this training herself, the documents say. U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema scheduled Fluke-Ekren's sentencing for Oct. 25 and said the government had gathered "more than enough evidence" to prove her guilt. Fluke-Ekren initially said she didn't purposefully train children, though when pressed by the judge, she agreed with prosecutors that she had given military training to over 100 women and young girls. "We didn't intentionally train any young girls," Fluke-Ekren said at the hearing Tuesday. "They may have been in attendance." Fluke-Ekren was captured in Syria and transferred to U.S. custody in January. She appeared in court Tuesday wearing a black hijab and white face mask, and began to sob near the end of the hearing when Brinkema mentioned her children. Her attorney, Joseph King, said she was not charged with violent offenses. Fluke-Ekren admitted she had ideas for a mass-casualty strike in the United States that were never put in action. Amy Amer, an American writer based in Turkey, said she was close friends with Fluke-Ekren after they met in Kansas City in the 2000s, and kept in touch with her until 2016. "Was she religious? Yes. She was from Middle America. Before she was Muslim, she was like a Bible-beating Christian," Amer said. "However, she was a teen mom, highly intelligent, highly intelligent. We used to talk about parenting, reading novels. She liked reading. She was normal." The U.S. government had lined up witnesses to testify in court who would describe how Fluke-Ekren's involvement with the Islamic State continued after her second, third and fourth husbands were killed while working for the Islamic State, according to documents filed with the plea. A woman with Islamic State ties told investigators that Fluke-Ekren had the idea in 2014 to bomb a U.S. college in the Midwest. One witness who received military training as a girl in Syria said Fluke-Ekren later told her "it was important to kill the kuffar," an Arabic word for disbelievers, according to a nine-page statement of facts signed by Fluke-Ekren and Parekh. Some experts say that the Islamic State uses images of women in combat primarily as a propaganda tool and deploys female fighters only as a last resort. They said Fluke-Ekren stood out among other Western women who joined the Islamic State because she was not coerced into the group and eventually attained a leadership role overseeing other women in Raqqa. "Ideologically, what the Islamic State believes is the idea of personal duty. When the motherland is under attack, it becomes a personal duty of men, women or children to take part in the defense," said Devorah Margolin, who studies the role of women in violent Islamic movements at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. "Women are never used in offensive positions, but what is 'defense' can, of course, be subjective by the group." Elena Pokalova, a professor who studies extremism at the Defense Department's College of International Security Affairs in the National Defense University, noted that Islamic State leaders in the fall of 2017 called on women to support male fighters by preparing to fight and "readying to sacrifice themselves to defend the religion of Allah." The call appeared in a former Islamic State publication, al-Naba, she said. "Jihadist groups usually avoid using women (in combat) because that is perceived to be against the religion they use to pursue their ideology," Pokalova said. "You can see how their roles were getting more and more active as the group itself started losing territory, the territory of the caliphate." Margolin called Fluke-Ekren's turn to extremism the "worst-case scenario we've been talking about since 2011." "It is a woman from a Western country, the United States, becoming part of this. She wasn't brainwashed, she wasn't trafficked. . . . She is someone who absolutely decided to go, and once there, absolutely leaned in," Margolin said. While seeking to evade capture in 2018 by U.S. authorities, Fluke-Ekren said she wanted to die a martyr in Syria and claimed she was dead in a message she arranged to be sent to her family, the plea documents say. Fluke-Ekren said in the plea that "after separating from her fifth husband, she went to the local police station near Qabasin, Syria in the summer of 2021 and attempted to turn herself in." She said she was held for approximately seven months in a Syrian prison, according to the plea documents. Relatives and friends from the United States watched Fluke-Ekren's life in the Islamic State unfold with astonishment. One family member who was with Fluke-Ekren in Iraq and Syria told U.S. investigators how the former Kansas mom "explained that she could go to a shopping mall in the United States, park a vehicle full of explosives in the basement or parking garage level of the structure, and detonate the explosives in the vehicle with a cell phone triggering device," according to court documents. Fluke-Ekren's parents and adult children want no contact with her, Parekh said during a court hearing in January. One family member, Parekh said at the hearing Tuesday, "told me that the defendant has left a 'trail of betrayal.'" Amer, the former friend, said she and Fluke-Ekren moved together from the Midwest to Cairo and applied to become teachers. Years later, when Fluke-Ekren visited Amer in Turkey, something had changed. "She started talking about the Islamic caliphate and how we should help them," Amer said. "And I was like, what? I was confused." WASHINGTON Asymptomatic HIV-positive service members can now remain in the military and deploy on missions if the amount of virus in them is clinically confirmed undetectable, according to an updated Pentagon policy. The decision, implemented Monday, was made in view of significant advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of HIV, according to a Pentagon memo released this week. Personnel will have no restrictions applied to their deployability or to their ability to commission while a service member solely on the basis of their HIV-positive status, the policy states. Nor will such individuals be discharged or separated solely on the basis of their HIV-positive status. Previously, commanders had the authority to involuntarily separate a service member who tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus or prevent them from deploying, which can lead to a discharge. Instead, the new policy calls for HIV-positive military personnel, including military academy cadets and midshipmen, to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a Pentagon working group develop standards for case-by-case determinations for such personnel, according to the memo. Included in such standards will be the period during which, and method by which, covered personnel must exhibit an undetectable viral load and be symptom free, Austin said. The proposed standards are due to Austin in six months, according to the memo. Additionally, the secretaries of the military departments will now be required every six months to report the number of HIV-positive troops separated in their branches and the number of asymptomatic HIV-positive troops who were declined promotion, according to the policy. About 350 service members are diagnosed with HIV annually, according to a 2019 report by the Congressional Research Service. The policy does not change HIV-positive status as a disqualification for new enlistments, however. Diagnosis must occur after a service member is already in the military or enrolled in a commissioning program at a military academy, according to the policy. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said she plans to introduce new legislation to expand health care coverage for military reservists, including some 60,000 National Guard members who lack health insurance when they are not on military duty. The bill would expand free access to TRICARE coverage to all service members in the National Guard and Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine reserves who are now only eligible for free health care while in certain active-duty military statuses typically when they are called to active-duty for more than 30 consecutive days. In addition to the 60,000 National Guard troops who lack private health insurance, another roughly 70,000 reservists lack health coverage, according to members of Baldwins staff. Baldwin called the issue a combat readiness problem during a hearing Tuesday of the Senate Appropriations Committees defense subpanel. She said expanding free health coverage to all military reservists would only incur an about 3% increase in the Pentagons budget for reserve component personnel, citing information provided by the Defense Health Agency. The Defense Health Agency is on record agreeing that health care coverage is really a readiness issue for the total force, Baldwin said during the hearing when she announced her planned legislation. However, the senator did not provide specifics about her plan and timing of the introduction of her bill was yet to be determined, Baldwins staff said Wednesday in an email. Sen. Baldwins legislation will ensure that every service member has health care, including addressing financial barriers to mental health, in turn, helping improve readiness of service members and providing incentives for service and hiring service members, according to Baldwins office. The lack of universal health care coverage for National Guard troops has long been among the top issues for Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau. He said Tuesday that the issue has only grown more important as Guard forces have grown busier than ever during the last two years responding to myriad issues including the coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest across the country, increased natural disasters, and supporting U.S. Border Patrol operations along the U.S. southern border. When I look at what we've asked our Guardsmen and reservists to do over the last two years, you know, we talk about the fight, the force has to be ready to go [at any time], Hokanson told the senators. You look at [the coronavirus] and our requirement to ask Guardsmen ad reservists to come on duty almost immediately one of the key things there is that they have to be medically ready to do that. The general said Congress should take steps to ensure part-time troops have permanent health care options and that they can afford it. It's really important, he said. It'll make a huge impact to our readiness. National Guard members and military reservists receive what is called line of duty coverage any time they are on duty, including drill weekends, which insures them for illnesses or injuries suffered while they are in uniform. But those troops do not have access to the free full medical coverage provided by TRICARE that active-duty troops receive except when they are also on active-duty orders for at least 30 days. Some Guard members and reservists are eligible for military health benefits, but they must pay monthly premiums and co-pays when not on active duty for 30 days, according to TRICARE, the U.S. militarys health care provider. Pentagon officials in the past said most part-time troops would have health care coverage from their non-military employer, but some Guard members and reservists do not receive health insurance from their civilian jobs or do not have another job. Baldwins bill would seek to end any medical fees for American troops, regardless of their duty status, according to her staff. House lawmakers last year introduced similar legislation. Reps. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Trent Kelly, R-Miss., introduced the Healthcare for Our Troops Act in May 2021, which sought to provide TRICARE coverage free of premiums and co-pays to all National Guard members and reservists. Though their bill has yet to receive a vote, members of Kellys staff said Wednesday that it remains a priority for the congressman. Kelly is a major general in the Mississippi Army National Guard who has served 36 years. It also remains a top priority for Kim, the congressmans spokesman Forrest Rilling said Wednesday. Kim hopes the measure will be included in the forthcoming fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, the yearly bill which sets policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon, Rilling said. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Kelly last year during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that he supported lawmakers efforts to expand health coverage for National Guard members and reservists. The health, welfare and safety of our force is of the utmost importance to me, Austin said during the hearing on June 24, 2021. I would welcome any initiatives that enable us to provide better health care, more efficient health care, to all the components of our service." WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed two bills into law that will expand mammogram access for female veterans who served in areas with toxic exposures and improve services for them in rural parts of the country. "It's a sacred obligation because veterans are the backbone, the spine of who we are as a country," Biden said during the signing at the White House. "Less than 1% risks everything to defend our nation and our values and everything we hold dear. The 99% of us who don't, we owe them. We owe them big, and that's what today's all about: It's paying a debt, in my view." The two bills were among nine bills related to veterans that Biden signed into law Tuesday. One of the other bills awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to veterans of the Army Rangers of World War II. The bill signings came two months after the death of Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran who advocated for better health care for veterans exposed to burn pit toxins. The Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act, also known as the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act, extends access to mammograms for all female veterans who served in areas with burn pits or other toxic exposures, regardless of their age, symptoms or family history. A May 2021 study by the National Library of Medicine reported female veterans were nearly three times more likely to develop invasive breast cancer than the rest of the population. The study also reported breast cancer cases had tripled in the Department of Veteran Affairs from 1995 to 2012. Additionally, the study said breast cancer is the leading cancer that affects female veterans, with data that implied increases were based on service-related exposures. At age 25 in 2005, Thomas served in Iraq and was near multiple burn pits in Anbar province. In 2018, when she was 38, Thomas went to a routine health care appointment at her local VA, and her doctor encouraged her to get a mammogram. Following the mammogram, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Thomas had no family history of the disease and believed her diagnosis was related to her burn pit exposure. Thomas fought for years to prove her cancer resulted from her exposure to toxic burn pits before the VA recognized the link. At the same time, she advocated for the process to change so that other veterans didn't face the same challenges. Thomas died in April at the age of 42. "Kate knew this was the right thing to do, and America building on her work and influence has finally done it," said Marine veteran Mindy Beyer, a friend of Thomas. "Today was a huge step forward for veterans' health. We must all keep vigilant and continue to push forward these initiatives to protect those that protect us." Beyer said she, along with Thomas's other friends and family, were present at the signing. Biden also gave Thomas's son, Matthew, the pen that he used to sign the bill into law. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., introduced the Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE ACT in July. "I've been pleased to work in a bipartisan way to get these measures across the finish line so we can save lives through modern approaches to breast cancer screening and treatment as well as increased accountability within the department," Boozman said this week. "Our veterans deserve this progress and now we must ensure these laws are implemented in a timely and effective way." Another bill that Biden signed into law is the Making Advances in Mammography and Medical Options for Veterans Act, introduced by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The new law gives the VA one year to start a pilot program for veterans who live in states where the department doesn't offer in-house mammography services. In addition to extending access to mammograms for veterans in rural areas, the new law changes VA mammography. In part, it will upgrade all the VA's in-house mammography services to use 3D imaging, called digital breast tomosynthesis. Moreover, the law will expand veterans' access to clinical trials through partnerships with the National Cancer Institute. "These new laws will connect veterans and their families with the kind of care they earned and deserve from strengthening oversight for VA and improving veterans' access to high-quality breast cancer screenings and care," Tester said this week. "I'm proud to have worked hand-in-hand with Sen. Boozman, our Senate colleagues, and veteran stakeholders to deliver these wins for the men and women who served and sacrificed." (Tribune News Service) Retired Connecticut Chief Justice William J. Sullivan, a Vietnam veteran whose sense of personal loyalty ignited a scandal that engulfed the Supreme Court, has died. He was 83. Sullivan, a Waterbury native known to friends as Tocco, began his law practice there and was city corporation counsel in the late 1970s before his appointment to the Superior, Appellate and Supreme Courts. Former Gov. Ella T. Grasso appointed him to the Superior Court. He was appointd to the Appellate and Supreme Courts by fellow Waterbury native and former Gov. John G. Rowland. Before practicing law, Sullivan served as a captain in the U.S. Army from 1965-1966, which included a tour in Vietnam. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for merit, the Air Medal and various campaign ribbons. Sullivans career as a judge unraveled as he was preparing to retire in 2006 when, as chief justice, he ordered the Judicial Branch to delay publication of a potentially unpopular Supreme Court decision in a government records case because he thought publication could hurt the chances of a friend, then Associate Justice Peter Zarella, being appointed to succeed him. The decision limited the publics right to view judicial records. Zarella voted with Sullivan in the 4-3 majority, but was unaware that Sullivan had delayed publication for his benefit. Zarella had been nominated as Chief Justice by former Gov. M. Jodi Rell, but later withdrew. Disclosure about the delayed decision led to a constitutional separation-of-powers standoff between the judicial and legislative branches of state government when the General Assemblys Judiciary Committee moved to subpoena Sullivan to testify in its investigation. A Superior Court quashed the subpoena and the issue went to the Supreme Court, where the justices recused themselves and sent the case to the Appellate Court. As it prepared a decision which would have compelled Sullivans testimony, he agreed to appear before the Legislature voluntarily and apologized. Zarella said Sullivan dedicated himself to public service but was devoted above all else to his family. Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson noted his loyalty. Chief Justice William Tocco Sullivan was many things, but what stands out the most about this remarkable man was his dedication to public service, coupled with his very deep devotion and loyalty to his family and friends, Robinson said. If Tocco was your friend, you had a friend for life, through thick and thin. As for family, nothing mattered more to him than his beloved wife, children, grandchildren, and extended family. They were, quite simply, the apex of his life. Throughout his legal career, Chief Justice Sullivan never wavered from his fierce protection of the rule of law, Robnson said. He was a giant who inspired many, and while its often said that no one is irreplaceable, there was only one Tocco Sullivan, Robnson said. On behalf of the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court, and the entire Judicial Branch, I want to express our condolences to his family and friends. Gov. Ned Lamont said, It is without doubt that Chief Justice Sullivan has made a lasting impact in Connecticut, having served as a judge for nearly three decades and authoring hundreds of opinions that continue to impact our legal system today. His service to our nation as a captain in the Army during the Vietnam War is also to be highly commended and respected, Lamont said. My condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues in the judicial branch. Sullivan worked as a civil service commissioner in Waterbury before becoming the citys attorney. He was appointed to the Superior Court in 1978, the Appellate Court in 1997 and to the Supreme Court in 1999. He had an undergraduate degree from Providence College and a law degree from the College of William and Mary. 2022 Hartford Courant. Visit courant.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sullivan, IN (47882) Today Sunny. Record high temperatures expected. High 97F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 77F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. University of Canterbury researchers have published the worlds first study confirming the discovery of microplastics in fresh snow in Antarctica. Most people see Antarctica as a pristine, relatively untouched place, but a new study published today has revealed the presence of microplastics plastic pieces much smaller than a grain of rice in freshly fallen Antarctic snow for the first time. These findings, First evidence of microplastics in Antarctic snow published in the scientific journal The Cryosphere, bring light to a serious threat to the Antarctic. Research has found that microplastics have negative impacts on environmental health (limiting growth, reproduction, and general biological functions in organisms, as well as negative implications for humans). On a wider scale, the presence of microplastic particles in the air has the potential to influence the climate by accelerating melting of snow and ice. University of Canterbury PhD student Alex Aves collected snow samples from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica in late 2019 as part of Gateway Antarcticas Postgraduate Certificate of Antarctic Studies. (Gateway Antarctica is the Centre for Antarctic Studies and Research at the University of Canterbury.) At the time, there had been few studies investigating the presence of microplastics in the air, and it was unknown how widespread this problem was. When Alex travelled to Antarctica in 2019, we were optimistic that she wouldnt find any microplastics in such a pristine and remote location, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics Dr Laura Revell says. In addition to more remote sites, we asked her to collect snow off the Scott Base and McMurdo Station roadways, so shed have at least some microplastics to study. Once back in the lab, it quickly became obvious there were plastic particles in every sample from the remote sites on the Ross Ice Shelf too, and that the findings would be of global significance. Aves, who recently graduated with a Master of Antarctic Studies degree with Distinction, says she was shocked by her findings. Its incredibly sad but finding microplastics in fresh Antarctic snow highlights the extent of plastic pollution into even the most remote regions of the world, she says. We collected snow samples from 19 sites across the Ross Island region of Antarctica and found microplastics in all of these. Looking back now, Im not at all surprised, Associate Professor Revell says. From the studies published in the last few years weve learned that everywhere we look for airborne microplastics, we find them. Snow sample site details being taken in Antarctica during the Postgraduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies course, 2019. Photo credit: Bella Zeldis. Aves analysed snow samples using a chemical analysis technique (micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to identify the type of plastic particles present. The plastic particles were also looked at under a microscope to identify their colour, size and shape all important observational information for future work. The paper found an average of 29 microplastic particles per litre of melted snow, which is higher than marine concentrations reported previously from the surrounding Ross Sea and in Antarctic sea ice. Immediately next to the scientific bases on Ross Island, Scott Base, and McMurdo Station, the largest station in Antarctica, the density of microplastics was nearly 3-times higher, with similar concentrations to those found in Italian glacier debris. There were 13 different types of plastic found, with the most common being PET, commonly used to make soft drink bottles and clothing. The possible sources of microplastics were examined. Atmospheric modelling suggested microplastics may have travelled thousands of kilometres through the air, however it is equally likely the presence of humans in Antarctica has established a microplastic footprint, the researchers say. Antarctica New Zealand environmental advisor Natasha Gardiner has described this UC research as of huge value. Alex and her colleagues research enables Antarctic Treaty Parties to make evidence-based decisions regarding the urgent need to reduce plastic pollution in the future. It improves our understanding of the extent of plastic pollution near to Scott Base and where its coming from. We can use this information to reduce plastic pollution at its source and inform our broader environmental management practices, she says. Importantly, this research project also informs policy at the international level, and we have submitted a paper on the findings to the forthcoming Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. This research was supported by the Royal Society Te Aparangi and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the field work was completed through the University of Canterbury's Postgraduate Certificate of Antarctic Studies course with logistical support from Antarctica New Zealand. Fieldays is encouraging people to apply now to exhibit at the iconic four-day event. On average 130,000 people walk through the gates at Fieldays each year but have had to wait longer than usual this year, because of postponement amongst the complications and uncertainty of the pandemic. Fieldays is now set to run from November 30 to December 3 this year, opening up opportunities for organisations that usually cannot exhibit during the events traditional June period. With 80 per cent of exhibitor sites being retained for this years event, there are limited spaces for those wanting to position themselves as part of Aotearoa New Zealands food and fibre sector. New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says it is a one-off opportunity for organisations to make the most of a summer Fieldays. We understand the frustrations directed at postponement for farmers, growers, and contractors who will be in their busy season. Though on the other hand, postponement creates opportunity for New Zealand businesses who may not usually be able to take part in winter. Were very excited at the prospect of holding a November/December event. This summer Fieldays event is a unique, one-off opportunity for organisations to jump on the chance to boost sales, invest in their brand presence, and connect with their customers face-to-face. Fieldays is not only a platform for primary sector businesses to trade, but also a destination for families, friends, and the primary industries to come together. Having that sense of connection is important for our wellbeing and bolsters our identity as Kiwis - events are in our DNA. Shifting the popular four-day agri event also means that the gates at Mystery Creek will open to international visitors and exhibitors as Aotearoa New Zealands borders are set to open by 31 July. As a world-renowned event, it would be incredible to be able to welcome attendees and organisations from across the globe for the first time since 2019, Nation says. The conversations, connections, and meetings that could potentially take place at Fieldays 2022 would help drive our primary sectors output and reputation worldwide. The timing of Fieldays 2022 will suit many attending from overseas, who may choose to attend Fieldays and then enjoy a long summer holiday with friends and whanau. This within itself will bring an economic boost and much-needed tourism to our regions. About Fieldays Fieldays is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere. Fieldays draws people from around the globe both as exhibitors and visitors. Fieldays Online, launched in 2020 as a world first during COVID-19, attracted 90,455 total visitors and viewership from more than 75 different countries. Fieldays 2021 saw 132,776 people visit the event, becoming the second biggest in the events 53-year history. Fieldays 2022 has been postponed until Wednesday November 30 to Saturday December 3, 2022. Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing the primary industries. The New Zealand National Fieldays Society thanks their key partners Hyundai, Farmlands, and Vodafone for their continued support. For more information head to www.fieldays.co.nz. Home education applications that had a huge increase under the red setting of the Covid Protection framework have dropped with the relaxing of rules. New Zealand Rural School Leadership Association president Andrew King says rural schools saw an increase in applications from three to 20 per cent after the school mask mandates were announced. It was reactionary behaviour from parents thinking that home schooling was their only solution until we educated them that 'no, that doesn't have to be the solution', he says. King says schools worked with parents and caregivers on at-home learning options, which was also supported by the Ministry of Educations Bay of Plenty office. Their position was reemphasising to parents the message that if you're home schooling application is because of the red level alert requirements, we encourage you to go back to your school and engage with them for at-home learning. Under the red setting students from year 4 to 13 were required to wear masks indoors at school. New Zealand moved to the orange setting on April 14, removing that requirement. Principal Andrew King wants schools and the Ministry of Education to work together to prevent reactionary home education applications. Photo: John Borren/SunLive, King, who is also the principal of Oropi School, says there are less home education applications happening now. Tauriko School principal and Western Bay of Plenty Principals Association president Suzanne Billington agreed there was an upsurge in people thinking that they would home school in term one but she wasnt sure how that would look long term. Quite a few parents were teaching their children at home during lockdown, but over that time, schools were supporting them with the learning, she says. As far as home schooling is concerned, they are doing that by themselves without school support, so they may find it's a little bit more tricky than what they thought. Ministry of Education data shows a steady incline in nationwide home education applications from August last year. The applications reached their peak in November 2021 at around 900 applications. National data for November 2020 shows there were around 200 applications and in November 2019 there were around 150 applications. As of May 5, there have been 2328 home education applications nationally, with 1500 approved, compared to 2021 where there were 3834 applications with 3328 approved across the entire year. Localised data for the Bay of Plenty shows there were 31 applications in January this year, 110 in February and 52 in March. Of these applications, 25 were approved as of March 4. April data for the Bay of Plenty was not yet available, and applications take the ministry four to six weeks to process. Nationally there were 781 applications in January, 744 in February, 548 in March and 255 in April. Billington says losing students to home schooling can impact school funding and staffing. The ministry provides operational funding based on the number of students a school has, she says. If you've lost quite a few students, that means that operationally, what you were expecting to have as income from the ministry, won't be the same as what you actually get. Funding for staff is also based on the school roll, with July 1 being an important date that gives an indication of what the roll would be like next year. Tauriko School principal Suzanne Billington says there was an upsurge in people thinking that they would home school in term one. Photo: John Borren/SunLive. If the numbers [of students] haven't improved by July the first or you're down significantly, then that will impact your staffing funding for the following year, she says. Billington says: Rural schools notice that more than others because they too are staffed on the numbers of kids, but five kids can be quite a difference in rural school. Education Ministry Operations and Integration leader Sean Teddy told Local Democracy Reporting home education applicants arent required to provide reasons about why they are applying. Home education is not a short-term solution. To home educate well, parents need to thoroughly research and plan their approach, says Teddy. Parents or legal guardians must still meet the legal requirements that their child will be taught the curriculum as regularly and as well as in a registered school, he says. We know the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of students in school is beneficial so all those students that can attend should. King says schools and the ministry need to have follow up conversations about home schooling applications and the approval process. The ministry asks schools for their perspective on the home schooling application. But that doesn't mean that it would influence whether an application was declined or accepted, he says. Schools should have more influence on the parameters and criteria for approving home schooling applications, because sometimes as the pandemics proven to us, the applications are reactionary rather than genuine. King says there were genuine applications, but schools and the ministry needed to make sure reactionary applications didnt happen again. In response to this, Teddy says: When the Ministry of Education receives an application for home education a letter is sent to the school where the student is enrolled school informing them of this". The ministry requests information regarding the students educational achievements, and other information which may have relevance to our consideration of the application for exemption. The input provided by schools is considered alongside the application to determine whether the student will be taught as regularly and as well as in a registered school. Once a decision was reached the students enrolled school was advised of the outcome, he says. Teddy says the ministry worked to ensure whanau knew about all of the educational options available, to allow them to make informed decisions on their childs education Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. SUU Offers Continuing Education Courses for Utah K-12 Teachers Published: June 07, 2022 | Category: Academics To address a 2021 Utah State Board of Education (USBE) highly supported professional development literacy initiative, Southern Utah Universitys K-12 Programs has been offering 5000-level Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) continuing education university credit to Utah partner districts and schools. This training is beneficial to teachers as it allows them to receive graduate level credit which they can in turn apply for lane changes and pay raises. According to a USBE LETRS Fact Sheet, LETRS helps educators improve literacy in the state and advance their knowledge and skills in the science of reading; due to, data [that] suggests many students [are] not achieving the expected reading skills necessary for future academic success. LETRS training will not only improve literacy in our state, first through learners taking the training, but then through their students learning from them, said Dr. Tony Pellegrini, chair of Teacher Education at SUU. Were excited to be part of the states solution! Additionally, University credit is also an excellent recruiting tool for districts and schools to encourage their teachers to participate in LETRS training. Ashley Peterson, Iron County School Districts Elementary Literacy and Title I Coordinator said, It was great for our teachers to receive 12 SUU credits for their participation in LETRS professional learning. We look forward to our district continuing to benefit from this crucial literacy training not only for our teachers, but our ultimate beneficiaries, students. Districts can partner with SUU for their learners to earn 12 continuing education credits for only $252! More information about the partnership and educational program details is available at https://www.suu.edu/ed/k12/letrs.html. About Southern Utah University Through Southern Utah University, K-12 Programs partners with school districts, charter schools, and other companies to offer University graduate credit at the 5000-level for educators. Our partners create, teach and grade their own tailored courses, while K-12 Programs records the credit and provides a university transcript. In order to better serve our partners, our services come at the very low cost of $21 a credit for General Professional Development, and $23 a credit for Endorsements. Tags: Education Contact Information: David Bishop 435-586-5400 davidbishop@suu.edu Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. 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: IBM has begun the process of laying off all its staff in Russia, three months after it suspended operations in the country following the invasion of Ukraine. The company says the "orderly" wind-down is the next natural step and that it will continue to stand by and support the local workforce. Like many major tech firms, IBM suspended its business operations in Russia soon after the country invaded its neighbor. Since then, the company has been paying its Russia-based employees, but chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna last month warned that tightening sanctions on Russian banks were making it more difficult to keep workers on the payroll. In a post on IBM's newsroom announcing the layoffs, Krishna wrote: "This process will commence today and result in the separation of our local workforce. Our colleagues in Russia have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty." It appears that IBM's Russian website has been removed, too. Russia accounted for only a tiny amount of IBM's overall revenue: around 0.5%, or $300 million, of the company's $57.4 billion total. Rival HP, in contrast, says stopping sales in Russia and Belarus will cost it $1 billion in lost sales annually. Krishna said that IBM would take all reasonable steps to support its Russia-based workers and make the transition as orderly as possible. With IBM, Intel, AMD, and others pulling out of Russia, and Taiwan restricting its exported chips to those under 25 MHz, the country has been pouring money into its own microelectronics industry in the hope of ramping up production using its current 90nm node and manufacturing 28nm chips by 2030. It could turn to China's Zhaoxin x86 chips, but they are of little use beyond office work. What just happened? Alex Kipman, the inventor of Kinect for Xbox and leader of Microsoft's HoloLens mixed reality group, is leaving the company according to an internal email. The development follows multiple reports alleging Kipman of verbal abuse and inappropriate behavior with employees in the mixed reality division. An internal email obtained by GeekWire confirms that Microsoft's HoloLens boss Alex Kipman will soon be parting ways with Redmond. "Over the last several months, Alex Kipman and I have been talking about the team's path going forward," said Scott Guthrie, Microsoft's head of Cloud and AI, in the email, noting it was mutually decided that now was the right time for Kipman to "leave the company to pursue other opportunities." The email also revealed a restructuring of Microsoft's Mixed Reality teams, with the hardware group set to be put into the Windows & Devices org. (under Panos Panay), while the Mixed Reality Presence and Collaboration group will be going into the Microsoft Teams organization. Scott noted that Kipman will help with this transition over the next two months "before pursuing what is next for him." Although the email didn't mention it, the outgoing HoloLens boss had been embroiled in controversy over the past few years, with multiple reports accusing him of inappropriate behavior that made work difficult for colleagues in the mixed reality division. The most recent and scathing example is from Insider (paywalled), which cites the experience of over 25 employees alleging Kipman of misconduct, including inappropriate touching and behavior with female colleagues, and diminishing their contributions. One instance involved him putting on a VR headset connected to a mirrored display, to watch a video of several young women engaging in an 'overtly sexualized pillow fight' in front of employees in the office. This might also have been one of the factors behind an exodus of staff from Microsoft's mixed reality division, which is reportedly struggling to build a metaverse strategy. However, the silver lining in this cloud is that Microsoft's $22.8 billion HoloLens deal with the US Army has been officially approved to enter "the Operational Test (O.T.) stage," according to Scott's email. While this milestone could potentially make HoloLens a part of military gear in the future, Microsoft's restructuring of the mixed reality hardware group under Panos Panay means a Surface-branded goggle for consumers might soon become a possibility as well. WTF?! Dmitry Glukhovsky, the Russian science fiction writer who penned the Metro series and collaborated with 4A Games on the video game versions, has been placed on Russia's wanted list for publicly criticizing the country's war with Ukraine. Glukhovsky's Telegram post revealed he has been accused of discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in one of his Instagram posts. "I am ready to repeat everything said there: 'Stop the war! Admit that this is a war against an entire nation and stop it!'" he wrote. BBC Russia writes that Moscow's Basmanny district court ordered Glukhovsky's arrest in absentia on May 13. Days after the invasion of Ukraine, Russia introduced a law that prohibited the spreading of "fake" news about what it has long claimed is a "special military operation" designed to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine while protecting its Russian speakers. Those convicted of breaking this law face up to 15 years in prison. Reuters reports that Glukhovsky, who also worked as a journalist in Israel and covered the Second Lebanon War in 2006, is the first major cultural figure to be placed on the wanted list. He no longer resides in Russia. Glukhovsky worked closely with studio 4A Games on the development of the Metro franchise. The Ukrainian company, which is currently working on a new Metro game, had already relocated from the country to Malta back in 2014 following Russia's annexation of Crimea. The impact of Russia's invasion has been far-reaching across the technology and gaming industries. From Taiwan restricting chip exports to those under 25 MHz and Google Russia filing for bankruptcy, to Euro Truck Simulator's Heart of Russia DLC being canceled and Sherlock Holmes studio Frogwares relocating out of Kyiv, thanks to a grant from Epic Games. Bringing your office into the digital realm may appear simple at first, but it requires more than just an internet connection and a device. The first step is to improve communication with stakeholders and customers. eSIM platforms are ideal for this purpose. You may enhance and improve customer communications by incorporating advanced communications capabilities into your business applications by using software that works as a communication platform as a service (cPasS). What Is a CPaaS platform? CPaaS, or in other terms, Communications Platform as a Service, offers a cloud-based strategy that focuses on enhancing communication channels. It is a platform that enables businesses to integrate numerous communication elements into their existing business systems. These elements are SMS, videos, voice messages, etc. What Is eSIM, and How Does It Work? eSIM, like regular SIM cards, is embedded in a mobile device to function and perform on newer devices and will only function if connected to an eSIM-enabled carrier. To activate it, simply install a new operator's "eSIM profile." Through an eSIM-compatible device, you can effortlessly purchase an eSIM data plan whenever you need it. Secondly, you may use various operators and subscribe to different data plans simultaneously to meet your demands, whether traveling, working from home, or attending remote classes. To demonstrate what this innovation may do, below are the best communication platform as a service that leverage eSIM technology to simplify connectivity. #1 RingCentral RingCentral is one of the major communication platforms as a service and has created its services in the cloud from the bottom up. Its connect platform already has an API library for customizing and configuring all elements of communications, including integrating existing RingCentral Office services into other apps. While the platform does not strive for simplicity in the same way that some other CPaaS providers do, it does prioritize functionality, resulting in a comprehensive range of services that complement its flagship RingCentral Office offering. You may link and sync contacts and directories from Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 to improve workplace integration. This connectivity is bidirectional, which means that you may add or modify contacts in RingCentral's desktop or mobile apps. Then all changes will synchronize with either cloud platform. Also, RingCentral Video now supports automated closed captioning, which is powered by the company's AI-powered speech transcription engine. Key Features and Benefits Cloud-based cPaaS platform Connects with API library Programmable communication services Lets you customize every element of communication you'll need Integrates existing RingCentral into other services A myriad of functionalities and services #2 Twilio Also known as a paragon and one of the leading cPaaS platforms Twilio provides access to the Twilio Super Network. This includes APIs for phone, messaging, video, email, IoT, chat, and AI. The service offers comprehensive features and serves in at least 100 countries, and even provides omnichannel messaging services for apps such as WhatsApp. The platform's usability index score is mostly related to customer assistance, emphasizing solution fit. The service also has a robust partner ecosystem including IBM Watson, Zendesk, and VoiceBase and enterprise-grade security with ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications and GDPR compliance. Hidden phone numbers are another intriguing solution to safeguard privacy. Twilio CPaaS also includes programmable APIs, alerts at scale, CRM integration, monitoring, chatbots, 2FA and OTP verification, and an easy-to-use visual editor. Key Features and Benefits The market leader in the cPaaS industry Access its Super Network that comprises programmable APIs Available in over 100 countries Provides omnichannel services Deemed as the fittest solution for those who are looking for cPaaS Teams up with other reliable services/applications #3 Vonage Vonage, situated in the United States, entered the CPaaS industry in 2016 with the acquisition of Nexmo. It provides API-based MMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, Video, Webchat, and email services. This cPaaS platform includes 71 countries in its network, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. They also provide developer tools, SDKs, sample code, and an API for ease of usage across various types of corporate clients. The platform is hosted in three clouds for better uptime: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and IBM SoftLayer. This CPaaS provider says that its innovative adaptive routing technique can help you save money by embedding the WebSocket feature. This enables deep integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) like Watson or Google Assistant into communication apps. Vonage's solutions are enhanced by improved assistance, toll-free lines, call recording, and transcripts of voicemail messages. They also provide desktop and mobile apps that can smoothly handle up to 30 participants and up to 100 attendees for training and webinars. Key Features and Benefits API-based communication and email services Has 71 countries in its network Suitable for both personal and corporate clients Can be hosted in three clouds WebSocket feature to cut down your costs #4 MessageBird MessageBird is another CPaaS provider worth your consideration. This communication platform as a service makes the entire process simple and easy to use by giving a visual editor to design your APIs. Plus, it also provides a completely omnichannel experience. It aims to combine a complete range of chat apps and alternatives on top of these fundamental services, whereas other CPaaS providers tend to focus on voice, texts, and emails. MessageBird also has a massive direct-to-carrier network, allowing it to deliver high-quality phone and video communications and do so globally. Whether you are attempting to increase the quality of existing channels such as SMS, Voice, or Email, or you're using WhatsApp, Instagram Direct, or Google Maps to communicate, MessageBird can handle the intricacies for you. Then, regardless of channel, you can consolidate all of your client communications into a single thread. This combination of characteristics truly distinguishes MessageBird as a CPaaS supplier. The easy-to-use dashboard tools it provides can make it appealing to a wide range of organizations because they will not need to engage or divert IT professionals to carry out mere integrations. Key Features and Benefits Global carrier network and works like an eSIM Provides omnichannel APIs Easy to customize Has a comprehensive dashboard and visual editor Manages all channels under one platform Compatible with messaging apps #5 CeliTech CeliTech is the world's first digital-only cellular data eSIM platform that allows travel-related businesses and applications to offer co-branded eSIM service, improve mobile consumer engagement, and generate higher income. The main features to look out for are its eSIM API and Dashboard. Named as the "Overall Wireless Broadband Solution of the Year" for being the most simple to implement, Celitech offers an efficient and affordable eSIM platform that enables mobile apps and websites to offer global wireless service. Such service is relevant to travel-related companies who can help their travelers or traveling employees save over 80% on mobile data roaming while generating new revenues or savings. And the best of all is that the service can be branded to improve your company's mobile engagement and up-sales. Additionally, Celitech obtained the brand of the best eSIM service for three main reasons: 1. It offers the world's most secure eSIM with 20-variable activation codes. 2. It offers top quality service by utilizingTier 1 networks like AT&T, Vodafone, Telefonica, and Orange. 3. Its programmable eSIM allows any online product or service to easily bundle new wireless services. Key Features Easy to setup: CeliTech allows websites and mobile apps to add cellular data eSIMs in days, with no setup expenses or CAPEX. Digital and secured with QR code activation: CeliTech service may be activated via secure QR codes on eSIM-enabled devices (including smartphones, tablets, and computers). Programmable to your use case: CeliTech's patented API enables businesses to customize cellular data e-SIMs for any application and combine the service with other services. You may check our API demo here. Many clients praise its excellent service for easily acquiring mobile data, particularly while traveling with dependable and cost-effective data service compared to standard roaming charges. CeliTech provides its services in the US and globally. Pros Award-winning eSIM platform named as the "Overall Wireless Broadband Solution of the Year" for 2019-2021 World's most secure eSIM with 20 variables in activation codes Programmable cellular data plans that can be branded and bundled with any online product or offering Easily deployable without setup fees, CAPEX, or minimum commitments Offering top quality service using leading wireless networks like AT&T, Vodafone, Telefonica, and Orange Simple to set up; suitable for online newbie businesses looking for a quick eSIM installation Serving leading customers like Expedia, JTB, Kayak, Fareportal, and FlightHub Cons Lacks multiple ecosystems, like offering an app or a consumer service Best cPaaS Platform This 2022 Wherever you go, the first thing that prepares you to interact with new people is connectivity. This is a factor that may make or break your success as a business. After all, acquiring a consumer involves not just communication but also rapport and engagement. With the best communication platform as a service, you can make the most of the digital world and adopt technology for your business advancements in a few simple steps. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The first Australia-based NASA space mission will soon blast off! This major effort of the international space union is expected to change the space industry of the country. (Photo : Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images) The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches into space with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (R) and Doug Hurley aboard the rocket from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The inaugural flight is the first manned mission since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. As of writing, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is still quite busy with its other out-of-this-world activities. These include the new Space Launch System, NASA's new launchpad that was rolled out in Florida for the second time. Now, NASA has another plan that will certainly benefit Australia in the long run. First Australia-based NASA Space Launch To Happen! According to The Sydney Morning Herald's latest report, the new NASA space mission based in Australia is expected to happen this coming June 26. (Photo : Photo by GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images) Painters refurbish the NASA logo on the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in Florida on May 29, 2020. The faded 10-story-tall insignia was last painted 13 years ago. - The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule is rescheduled to launch to the International Space Station on May 30. Also Read: [WATCH] NASA Releases Three Animated Clips for the Upcoming Artemis I Mission The international space union will use three rockets to bring instruments, which will help it conduct space experiments to further study how the light emitted by stars affects planets' ability to sustain life. For the past few years, NASA has been trying to find planets that have characteristics similar to Earth's. If ever stars' light indeed influences a heavenly's body capability to sustain life, the space company can use it to identify more Earth-like exoplanets. NASA Helping Australia's Space Industry Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared his excitement regarding the upcoming NASA space launches in Australia. "This project will bring together the global and local industry to take Australia's space sector into a new era," said Albanese via Bloomberg. On the other hand, NASA Science Mission Directorate's Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbuchen said that the Australia-based launches could lead to further collaborations with the country, especially since the commercial launch range in the country can allow NASA have more access to the Southern Hemisphere's night sky. Meanwhile, NASA's DAVINCI mission will soon dive through Venus' thick toxic atmosphere. Previously, NASA and Space Force ordered some SpaceX and ULA launches to be conducted for national security purposes. For more news updates about NASA and its upcoming space activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: NASA's Next-Gen Artemis Mission Spacesuit Manufacturers To Be Announced; Conference Schedule and Other Details This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple's WWDC 22 is an ongoing event from the company, but users can recap what the company released and shared with the public from earlier today's event. The public may also use these resources to prepare for the upcoming releases of the company, especially with the remaining days that Apple will use to bring more of what they have to offer to everyone. Apple WWDC 2022: How to Watch the Past Events (Photo : Apple) Apple's WWDC 22 began last Monday, June 6, and it brought many releases that the public did not expect the company to see during this event. WWDC is more of a developer's conference and it would focus mostly on the software and systems releases of the company, focusing more on updates and the likes. However, the first Keynote speech saw an unveiling of the MacBook Air 2022 refresh that also brought the M2 chip from the company. Users can recap the event via Apple's dedicated website for the WWDC, and the past showcase events they brought for everyone. Here, they may review what Apple gave the world for everyone to enjoy, as most of the stuff here is for public use and it has stakes for all users. Read Also: Apple iOS, macOS Security Patches No Longer Need Reboots! Here's Why Learn More About Apple's Releases in WWDC 22 Apple also included in this website a way to "Learn More" about the latest releases of the company, and it includes hyperlinks to the latest releases from WWDC 22. Users may find the iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS Ventura, the MacBook Air 2022 with M2, and the watchOS 9 releases on this website as well. Apple WWDC 22: What Arrived So Far WWDC 22 is not what the public expected so far, and it is because what arrived at the event is more than what people should have seen at a developer's conference event from the company. The company saw its first release of hardware here, and it is with the MacBook Air 2022 that brings the M2 chip, which speculators and rumors centered on for the event. On the other hand, most of the new operating systems in the Apple landscape also saw their next-generation versions here, including the iOS 16 for iPhones and the iPadOS 16 for tablets. Additionally, Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP for Software Engineering announced many more of the company's new releases in the Keynote speech that began the event. Apple surely prepared for the WWDC 22 and the company did not have any previous events to showcase more of its devices and technology for all. The WWDC 22 went all out on its first day, and the event is not yet over and expectations are still high for the company. Nevertheless, users that did not have a chance to witness it may still catch up on the releases via Apple. Related Article: Apple WWDC 2022 Day 1 Recap: Everything of Note from Apple's Still-Ongoing Digital Event This article is owned by TechTimes Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. During Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 2022), the company announced that it will introduce passwordless logins across all Apple devices in September. What does this mean to Apple users? What this means is that instead of using passwords, you can log in to apps and websites through 'Passkeys' with iOS 16 and macOS Ventura. (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Apple CEO Tim Cook appears on a video screen as he delivers a keynote address during the WWDC22 at Apple Park on June 06, 2022 in Cupertino, California. Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the annual WWDC22 developer conference. The Apple Passkey is based on the Web Authentication API and is end-to-end encrypted. With that, it's really secure. It uses public-private key authentication for identity verification. However, this isn't really new, because the company already detailed the Passkey at the WWDC 2021 and shortly after that, they started testing it. It is not only Apple that wants to get rid of passwords but other companies as well. FIDO Alliance, a tech industry group, is also working on eliminating passwords for almost ten years now. That seems pretty long. But there is significant progress recently. In March, FIDO announced that it finally figured out a way to store cryptographic keys and was followed in May by Microsoft, Apple, and Google, in which the companies declared they support FIDO standards. With that, when these big tech companies roll out their versions of Passkeys, it will be possible for the system to work across all devices: i.e. Apple to Microsoft. Also Read: WWDC 2022: Confirmed! iOS 16 Brings New Sorting Options For Apple Music How the Passkey Works Passkeys create new digital keys via Touch ID or Face ID, which will replace your old passwords. Therefore, to create a Passkey, users only need to use Touch ID or Face ID to authenticate, and that's it. So, when you log in to a website, the Passkey will let you prove your identity through biometrics instead of typing in a password. A prompt will appear on your Apple device when signing in to a website for identity verification. The Passkey will sync across all the devices connected to the iCloud and it will be stored on these devices instead of servers. A Passwordless Future So, what does it mean to be passwordless? Many people struggle with passwords-they tend to forget them, while others fall victim to hackers. With a passwordless future, could this make things more secure? One thing's for sure-this system is a crucial step towards better online security. It eliminates the use of passwords, especially as they are guessable, which then reduces the chances of phishing attacks. Moreover, if they're not there in the first place, they can't be stolen, right? In fact, there are now many apps and websites that already allow users to log in via biometrics, such as face recognition and fingerprints. However, they require an account with password first before a user can take advantage of the biometrics feature. Related Article: WWDC 2022: Apple Reveals New Updates Include Edit and Undo Features on iMessages This article is owned by TechTimes Written by April Fowell 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Link 16 Tactical Communications antenna for the US Military chose private companies to produce its needs, with Redwire and MDA working together in creating what it needs. The tactical communications antenna will be deployed to space, and it will work in giving the military what it needs to use on its secure connections via the satellite. Link 16 Tactical Communications Satellite for the Military (Photo : Redwire) According to a press release by Redwire, the US Military has provided them a contract, together with MDA, to work on the Link 16 tactical communications antenna that they will use for their contact needs. It will be in the form of a satellite that beams the connection from the Earth's orbit, and it will help provide a global service for them. Satellite communication is something that the military has used for a long time now, and it is to provide communications from far areas and regions that do not have cell towers and connect to its headquarters. The service would expand more of the communication tools that the military has, and it will help in security and its ventures. The new antenna will help expand more of the communication access of the troops globally, also connecting more of the Defense's needs for its tactical situations. Read Also: SpaceX Escorts Third Military Satellite Into Space: Space Force GPS Redwire and MDA to Produce the Link 16 Antenna Redwire and MDA will provide the Link 16 antenna that will go on in space to stay there, and it will connect the communication needs of the soldiers on the ground, to the country or its headquarters near there. According to SpaceNews, the National LEO satellite would receive the antenna that will connect the tools, and expand more of the services that the US Military needs. Military Commissions for the Public The military has massive hands on technology and many partner companies bring its products to use for the many needs of the government agency. However, there are some that get their hands on US military tech and according to reports, there are some that the Taliban got access to regarding their gadgets and devices. The US Military also focuses on modern devices that they use for the current standards in war, and it is with the use of drones that do not require massive human operations. They are advising other nations to use drones for their warfare needs, focusing on wireless and remote-controlled devices to do their bidding in times of conflict. There are several antennas and satellites that the US Military has, and it focuses on providing a communication tool that will help in connecting the military to communicate from far-flung areas. Redwire and MDA will provide the antenna for them, pattered under the Link 16 technology which is what the military is accustomed to. Related Article: UK Wants UN To Create New Space Rules That Could Prevent Military Confrontations Outside Earth This article is owned by TechTimes Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It is confirmed that Lockheed Martin's SR-72 appeared in the opening of the newly-released movie Top Gun: Maverick. Last month, news about a secret experimental spy being in the works at Lockheed Martin resurfaced with speculations about it appearing on the latest Tom Cruise movie. (Photo : Ken Ishii/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures) YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - MAY 24: Actor Tom Cruise attends the red carpet for the Japan Premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick" at Osanbashi Yokohama on May 24, 2022 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The CEO of Lockheed Corporation, James Taiclet, confirmed that Skunk Works advanced projects division worked with Top Gun: Maverick's producers to come up with a fictional spy plane that was revealed in a LinkedIn post. The Darkstar In the movie, Maverick works at the Air Force as a test pilot who wants to drive the latest hypersonic plane, the Darkstar. However, the program's budget was cut but Maveric being himself, disobeyed orders and made an unauthorize dash to the Darkstar and flew it. The Real SR-72 In the real world, the SR-72 hasn't taken its first flight yet, but it is due next year. However, we still haven't seen what's happening behind closed doors in the aerospace industry, and we'll only probably see more when it's time for the testing. What we know so far is that it will feature an advanced propulsion system around a turbine-based combined cycle with a dual-mode ramjet that could fly at 4,600 miles per hour. Luckily, Lockheed Martin worked with the movie Top Gun: Maverick to work on the adaptation of the hypersonic SR-72 plane. Of course, there were a few modifications done to it to make it look cooler on the big screen. You can even see the Lockheed Martin's logon on the pilot's stick. There are differences between the Darkstar and the real SR-72 that are worth noting. For one, the one in the movie features two inward-tilting tail fins instead of just one. Furthermore, the fictional Darkstar has no forward visibility while the real SR-72 will be configured as an unpiloted aircraft. There could be a demo plane with a space for a single pilot, though. So far, the SR-72 is being built as a hypersonic aircraft demonstrator, which means it is open whether it will be greenlighted for full production. Should it be approved for official production, the aircraft will probably be in the Air Force by 2030s. Also Read: NASA Gives Lockheed Martin the Contract to Build MAV and Retrieve Mars' First Samples from Perseverance Don't Get Your Hopes Up Just Yet Could the Darkstar on the Top Gun: Maverick movie really look like the SR-72? Don't get your hopes up just yet. According to Lockheed's Ananda Costa, "It's important to note that Darkstar is a hyper-realistic aircraft concept designed specifically for the movie and is otherwise fictitious. I hope you also spotted the Skunk on the vertical tail of the vehicle." Related Article: Lockheed Martin Spacecraft Set to Go on a 12-Year Journey to Study Trojan Asteroids Near Jupiter This article is owned by TechTimes Written by April Fowell 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Xiaomi's plan to launch the new Poco C40 is set for June 16, but the Vietnam branch went ahead. The Vietnam branch announced that the new Poco will be released a week earlier than its launch date. (Photo : JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)) Visitors look at phones on Xiaomi's stand on the opening day of the MWC (Mobile World Congress) in Barcelona on February 28, 2022. The New Budget Phone Powered by the JLQ Technology, the Poco C40 will be the new budget phone and will come with a JR510 chipset. The chipset is developed on the 11nm process and has an eight-core structure with four-core at 2.0GHz, while the other four work at 1.5GHz. The device is expected to perform like the Snapdragon 450 and Helio G35. The chipset is very interesting because it did not go with the usual Qualcomm, MediaTek or Unisoc chip, and the company decided to go with the Shanghai-based semiconductor manufacturer. It comes with a 6.71 IPS LCD display with HD+ resolution. Moreover, it has a single RAM option-4 GB and a 64 GB internal storage. The connectivity options include a dual SIM card slot, 4G, a dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, GNSS, and a USB Type-C port. It also comes with a MicroSD card slot, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The Poco C40 also comes with a 13 MP main camera with a battery capacity at 6,000 Mah with 18W charging. It is available in three colors, specifically, black, yellow, and green. Those who are planning to get this in Vietnam, keep in mind that retailers are only accepting registrations at this time. Then, the device will go on sale in the country on June 17. Also Read: POCO F4 5G: Leaks to Public for Global Release, Similar Looking to Redmi K Lineup Poco F4 For the first time, Xiaomi has also made a direct reference to their plans to release the Poco F4. Some of the details that were revealed about the Poco F3 successors is that it will come with both immersive display and audio. However, there are still no details yet about the camera performance. Xiaomi 12 Ultra There are also recent leaks about the upcoming Xiaomi 12 Ultra through 4k renders. The renders show the smartphone will be a thick device and will feature a Leica-powered camera at the back. It may possibly feature a 6.6-inch AMOLED panel, along with a 50 MP primary camera, a 48 MP wide-angle lens, and a 48 MP periscope lens. While the front camera will feature a 20MP sensor. Other features include a curved display, a ceramic back, and an aluminum frame. It is also reported that it will weigh around 234 grams, which truly means that it is on the heavier side. However, Xiaomi has not confirmed anything yet. With that, let us wait for news soon. Related Article: 8 Best Smartphones at Pocket-Friendly Prices in India This article is owned by TechTimes Written by April Fowell 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Crypto puts global payment systems at risk, according to Anne Boden, the U.K. digital bank Starling's CEO. She spoke up about her concern on Tuesday, June 7. (Photo : Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) A visual representation of the digital Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin alongside US Dollars on December 07, 2017 in London, England. Cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Lightcoin have seen unprecedented growth in 2017, despite remaining extremely volatile. Ever since digital coins attracted more and more investors, financial regulators and other experts have warned that people may lose a lot of money if they are not careful enough. This is because of the uncertainty of these cryptos. On the other hand, they also attract online attackers and other cybercriminals. "A lot of [crypto] wallets are being connected directly to payment schemes. This is a threat to the safety of our payment schemes around the world," said Boden during the recent Money 20/20 fintech conference, which happened in Amsterdam. Crypto Puts Global Payment Systems at Risk? According to CNBC's latest report, Boden is concerned about the ties of global payment systems to the volatile cryptocurrencies, believing that this situation is very dangerous. (Photo : Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) A visual representation of the digital Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin on October 23, 2017 in London, England. Cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Lightcoin have seen unprecedented growth in 2017, despite remaining extremely volatile. While digital currencies across the board have divided opinion between financial institutions. Also Read: Solana Outage Now Solved After 'Durable Nonce' Bug Hits Blockchain | Here's What Happened Recently, the terraUSD, a popular stablecoin that was supposed to be worth $1 at all times, lost around $400 billion. This just shows that cryptocurrencies can suddenly drop without any warning, leading to huge revenue losses that can drastically affect investors. As of writing, many financial companies are further embracing the rise of digital coins. These include Paypal, which lets users trade Bitcoin, as well as Visa and Mastercard; they have already opened their networks to digital assets. Starling CEO's Previous Crypto Warning Before Starling's CEO shared her latest warning, she already shared the rising crypto space's dangers. She said that as more investors rely on digital coins to gain revenues, the higher the chances of them becoming fraud victims. Boden said that crypto integrations of Starling are unlikely to happen, explaining that the blockchain industry needs to make more efforts to enhance its anti-money laundering controls. If you still haven't invested in any cryptocurrency, check these risks provided by Forbes: Cryptocurrencies are uninsured, intangible, and illiquid. Many malicious actors can easily manipulate digital coin consumers. Issues in care, control, and custody. In May, the Luna crypto was able to bounce back after the $40 billion collapse. On the other hand, China's renewed Bitcoin production was expected to happen as miners skirt the crypto regulations of Beijing. For more news updates about cryptocurrencies and other fintech topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: US Treasury Wants Crypto Companies To Blacklist Blockchain Wallets Used for Illegal Transactions This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. CNIL, a data protection watchdog based in France, has advised users to be careful in using Google analytics. Earlier in 2022, the authorities discovered that this tool had bypassed the law imposed by the European Union. Formal Issues With Google Analytics (Photo : Myriam Jessier from Unsplash) French data protection agency CNIL warns users about the illegal use of Google Analytics. As per Techcrunch's report on Wednesday, June 8, France's data watchdog has warned the users about the use of Google Analytics. Although the issue is not all about France, it extends its effect to the entire Europe. According to CNIL, there's data exportation that takes place when a person uses this tool. This situation puts the user's data in danger since illegal access to information is happening to Europeans. Here, the US intelligence agencies are reportedly accessing confidential data from the tool. To note, CNIL says that the joint statement of the US and U is not considered a "legal" framework. This means that the authorities should not entrust US cloud platforms to collect data coming from European users. As of writing, the actual replacement deal for the issue might not occur until late 2022. Certainly, the authorities are finding some solutions to strengthen their data protection practices in the region. Right now, it's still flawed, and a few changes might be added in the future. Related Article: Google Ads Accidentally Approved Target Gift Card Scam, Phishing Website Caught by Redditor Europe-based Websites Have to Make Changes In a similar report by the same tech source, the EU websites have two options to do upon using Google Analytics. First, they could make some adjustments when it comes to using this tool. The second option is they could risk regulatory enforcement because of the breach of EU law. We could assume that the regulatory guidance is now on the way for the European nations. More importantly, the experts are now addressing how to slap Google Analytics with a fine for not complying with its policies. "All data controllers using Google Analytics in a similar way to [already notified] organizations must now consider this use as illegal under the GDPR. They must therefore turn to a service provider offering sufficient guarantees of conformity," the CNIL said in French. Google Analytics 4 In another article from Martech, Universal Analytics is reportedly going away soon. The service will end on July 1 next year. There's still one year left for the marketing groups to search for another Analytics alternative to use in the next few years. In doing so, Universal Analytics will retire in exchange for Google Analytics 4. The search engine giant says that users can access their old data through UA, which is good for at least half a year. Despite several changes in the cookie industry, it's important to know that the connected TV, digital out-of-home, audio inventory, and in-app inventory will not be affected by the adjustments. Read Also: Lawsuit Accusing Google Of Collecting Data Of Users During Incognito Browsing To Continue This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/Mohammad Rezaie) Microsoft On Wednesday, Jun. 8, Microsoft announced bad news, informing the public it is scaling down its business in Russia. Thus, the move includes laying off 400 employees in the country. The software giant is joining a string of companies that reduce their exposure or pull out of Russia after the war. Microsoft Lays Off Employees in Russia Microsoft first pulled the plug on new sales of products and services in Russia in March, and now the company is laying off 400 employees in the country as it starts to wind down its business there, according to Bloomberg News. However, Microsoft said it would fulfill its contractual obligations with Russian customers first, while the suspension of new sales remains in effect. A Microsoft spokesperson told CNBC that because of the economic outlook and impact of their business in Russia, they had decided to scale down their operations in the country. Also Read: Microsoft Defender vs. Kaspersky: Russia Investigates Microsoft Over Antivirus Anticompetitive Practices The company says that it is working closely with impacted employees. It is now clear how many employees are currently working at Microsoft's office in Russia, but it has reportedly only accounted for less than 1% of Microsoft's revenue. Microsoft is not the first multinational company to suspend its business in Russia. Several Western companies, including Apple, Nike, Dell, and Adidas, have severed ties with the country, closed their stores, or paused their sales. Russia's Cyberattacks In April, Microsoft revealed that Russia had launched several cyberattacks against Ukraine, pointing to a new era of hybrid warfare. According to ZDNET, Microsoft revealed that it saw six Russia-aligned, state-sponsored hacking groups launch more than 237 cyberattacks against Ukraine weeks before Russia's invasion on Feb. 24. The software giant released an in-depth report detailing how Russian cyberattacks against Ukraine were correlated or timed with its military operations in the country. On Mar. 1, several media companies based in Kyiv were struck by destructive malware, which coincided with a missile strike on a Kyiv TV tower on the same day. On Mar. 13, a Russian actor stole data from a nuclear safety organization, aligning with Russian troops seizing the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Microsoft's report also looks at Russia's use of destructive malware during and before the Ukraine invasion, the first of which was discovered by the software giant in mid-January and called WhisperGate. Tom Burt, the Vice President of Customer Security & Trust, said that Russia's use of cyberattacks appears to be correlated and directly timed with its kinetic military operations targeting services and companies that are important for Ukrainians. The report also stated that the day before Russia's military invaded Ukraine, operations connected to the GRU launched destructive wiper attacks on several systems in IT, energy, financial organizations, and the Ukrainian government. Microsoft detected around 37 destructive malware attacks against Ukraine between Feb. 24 and Apr. 8 through eight different destructive malware families, including FoxBlade, which the software giant found in February. It also included FiberLake, IsaacWiper/HermeticWiper/SonicVote, and CaddyWiper. Microsoft also detected Industroyer2, which is aimed at industrial control systems or ICS. In a lot of cases, the malware used the SecureDelete utility to wipe data. Related Article:Microsoft Cyberattack Revelations: Russia Tries to 'Denigrate' Biden, Iran Wants to 'Undermine' US Institutions, China Targets Trump! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. CDC says that the U.S. has a COVID-19 vaccine utilization issue. Although the United States is among the countries that have enough vaccines against the novel coronavirus strains, many Americans still reject getting their medicine jabs. (Photo : Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images) A nurse shows off a vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine outside of the Chatham County Health Department on December 15, 2020 in Savannah, Georgia. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp was on hand to witness initial administering of vaccines in the state. If U.S. residents continue to prefer not having their COVID-19 vaccine, then it will have a long-term impact since the global pandemic is expected to last longer. Top health officials said that the problem with the COVID-19 vaccination uptake in the U.S. is a very serious one. CDC Says US COVID-19 Vaccine Utilization Has a Problem The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that only around 48% of residents below the age of 12 had been fully vaccinated and received at least one shot of COVID-19 booster doses. (Photo : Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) Syringes wand vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are prepared to be administered to front-line health care workers under an emergency use authorization at a drive up vaccination site from Renown Health in Reno, Nevada on December 17, 2020. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) Also Read: Monkeypox Vs. COVID-19: CEPI Shares One Major Difference of the Two Disease-A Different Global Health Threat? This means that more than half of American adults remain unvaccinated, even though health experts continue to identify more contagious COVID-19 variants. "Anything we can do to get people more comfortable to be able to accept these potentially life-saving medical products is something that we feel we are compelled to do," said Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director Dr. Peter Marks via CNN World. On Tuesday, June 7, Dr. Marks was able to speak with FDA (Food and Drug Administration), as well as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, for the approval of the new COVID-19 vaccine created by Novavax. After that, the committee voted in favor of the vaccine's approval, explaining that FDA's emergency authorization would be very beneficial to the U.S. US COVID-19 Funds Now Being Diverted? According to ABC News' latest report, the U.S. government decided to divert its COVID-19 funds; around $10 billion of the budget is now being moved to other health efforts. The Biden Administration explained that they are left with no choice but to reduce the orders of at-home rapid test kits. On the other hand, the budget for new COVID-19 vaccine research and development activities is also being lessened. You can view this link to see more details about the latest health fund diversion of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, the first North Korea COVID-19 lockdown recently happened on May 12. On the other hand, the CanSinoBIO COVID-19 vaccine finally received WHO's authorization. For more news updates about COVID-19 and other health topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: COVID-19 Summer 2022: Experts Say New Variants Will Continue To Circulate; Factors To Consider Before Traveling This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Beijing Chaoyang has determined that 613 people are in close contact with the risk personnel in the investigation and control of the first store of Nanjing Dapai Store Baton Rouge police and Ascension Parish sheriff's detectives are looking for two women accused of beating and carjacking an elderly Jefferson Parish woman and leaving her stranded in Sorrento late at night last week, authorities said Wednesday. Sheriff's deputies have identified one of those women as Tim'ara Courtney, 18, of Baton Rouge. She remains at large, authorities said. Courtney was one of the women who attacked the elderly woman on Friday night while she had been driving the pair from Gretna to Baton Rouge, Ascension Sheriff Bobby Webre said in a statement. The victim later told deputies that the women asked to her to stop in Sorrento along the way to Baton Rouge, Webre added. But when she pulled over near Pond Street a somewhat isolated area southeast of the Airline Highway/La. 22 intersection the women told the victim to get out of her Cadillac, deputies said. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up When she refused, they punched her and dragged her out of her car, deputies said. The two, who were family acquaintances of the victim, then fled in the victim's car some time before 10:51 p.m., deputies said. The woman had minor injuries from the beating and received treatment for them after help arrived. Ascension sheriff's detectives contacted Baton Rouge Police officers. Officers spotted the Cadillac miles to the north along Plank Road in Baton Rouge, got into a brief pursuit but lost the car. Later, officers found the Cadillac again, but it was wrecked and abandoned. Anyone with information that may help in this investigation can call the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office anonymously at (225) 621-4636 or by texting 847411 to the sheriff's anonymous tip line from any cellular device or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867). Tipsters must call Greater Baton Rouge Crime Stoppers to receive a cash reward. Louisiana's rosiest financial outlook in years paved the way for a record-breaking legislative session for education. The Legislature approved an $84 million hike in state aid for early childhood education, which advocates called historic. State aid for colleges and universities rose $159 million, the largest funding increase ever for higher education. A nearly $32 million boost for faculty pay the most in 16 years puts the state on target to reach the regional average next year. "This year's budget for higher education is one for the record books," Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed said when the nearly three-month session ended Monday night. The Legislature also passed seven bills aimed at tackling the state's chronic literacy problems, especially for students from kindergarten through third grade. +2 New report highlights literacy problems in Louisiana: 'It is unfathomable' Less than half of Louisiana public school students in kindergarten, first, second and third grades are reading on grade level, according to ne One of the measures, House Bill 911 by Rep. Jason Hughes, would require K-3 students to undergo two additional literacy screenings, and for parents to be notified if their child is reading below grade level. Intervention plans, including parental involvement, would be launched for children identified with reading problems. "These are proven to be effective with student populations that are most similar to our students in Louisiana," said John Wyble, president and CEO for The Center for Literacy and Learning. Another plan, House Bill 214 by Rep. Richard Nelson, toughens initial teacher certification standards aspiring educators have to meet, including benchmarks that are based on scientific and evidence-based principles. "Literacy attainment begins with a quality educator in every classroom," Wyble said. Some of the gains stemmed from the state's roughly $3 billion surplus, which came about from a gusher of federal aid because of the coronavirus pandemic and better-than-expected state revenue. Teachers landed a $1,500 per year pay raise but it was less than the $2,000 boost that Gov. John Bel Edwards pushed. Teacher leaders criticize plans for $1,500 pay hikes, not hoped for $2,000 Gov. John Bel Edwards and teacher leaders Monday criticized the decision of the Legislature to limit pay raises for teachers to $1,500, not th "We are still below the Southern regional average and there are still special interest groups who are working to undermine the education profession when we should be working together," said Tia Mills, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, one of the state's two teacher unions. Edwards noted that the increase marked the fifth time during his seven years in office that the state boosted teacher pay. 'Yes, I think it should have been a little bit bigger," he told reporters during his end-of-session press conference. 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 Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, said the Senate settled on $1,500 in part because it wants local communities to do more for teachers. Average teacher pay in Louisiana in 2020-21, the latest snapshot available, was $52,472 per year, 43rd in the nation, according to a survey by the National Education Association. The state ranks 12th of 16 states in the region, according to data released in April. The U.S. average is $65,293. The $84 million hike for early childhood education includes $40 million to match local childcare efforts, $25 million to aid low-income families who rely on child care while they work or attend school and another $18 million for LA4, the state's pre-K program for at-risk children. The topic was one of Edwards' legislative priorities. The Council for a Better Louisiana noted that the state's bright financial picture aided education. "But we've seen past legislatures dole that funding out to lower priorities that were soon forgotten," the group said. State aid for need-based assistance, called GO Grants, will rise by $15 million, the most since it began 14 years ago. The Legislature approved another $313 million for capital improvements at college campuses, a 77% hike over last year. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, the state's largest business lobby, praised approval of two bills that would allow some students to leave public schools, then get access to $5,400 in state aid to attend private school or pursue other education options. One of the plans, Senate Bill 203, would apply to second and third graders reading below grade level. Students with reading problems could use state aid for private schools under newly passed bill A bill that would allow second and third graders reading below grade level to leave public schools and take $5,400 in annual state aid with th The other House Bill 194 would benefit students with mental disabilities, hearing loss and other challenges. "These bills are a huge step forward in improving literacy rates and giving teachers the resources they need to help their students succeed," said Lauren Gleason, director of education for LABI. But Edwards stopped just short of saying he would veto the reading bill and possibly both measures. "Generally speaking I do not favor taking public dollars out of public schools and sending them to education that is not public," he said. Teacher and rugby league player Chris Dawson upset his sister-in-law by asking if he could stay over at their place and share a bed with his babysitter JC while still married to his wife Lynette in December 1981. Giving evidence during Dawsons murder trial in Sydney on Wednesday, Marilyn Dawson said she was unhappy about allowing her brother-in-law and JC to stay at their place on Christmas Day but reluctantly gave them permission. Chris Dawson (right) arriving at the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:Louise Kennerley At the time, she said she knew Chris and Lynette Dawsons marriage was on shaky ground, but felt an obligation to help her brother-in-law who had just returned from an aborted trip north with his former high school student JC. I felt torn between helping Chris and trying to help Lyn and Chris family. His parents probably didnt know where he was, and I just felt upset that I was in that situation, she told the NSW Supreme Court. An appeal court has overturned an order requiring 60 Minutes, the Herald and The Age to hand over draft copies of an upcoming investigation to an interested party. However, lawyers for the cosmetic surgeon who brought the case have launched fresh proceedings in an attempt to try again. Gold Walkley Award-winning investigative journalist Adele Ferguson. Credit:Simon Schluter Last month, the NSW Supreme Court ordered the media outlets to provide draft copies of an investigation into the cosmetic surgery industry so they could be inspected by lawyers for Double Bay cosmetic surgeon Joseph Ajaka, who believed they may defame him or constitute an injurious falsehood against his Cosmos Clinic. Ajaka had been asked a number of questions by journalist Adele Ferguson and launched the court action after a promo for a 60 Minutes investigation was broadcast. Finally back in Queensland, Biloelas Murugappan family were all smiles as they were whisked away from Brisbane Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The family waved to waiting media as they were driven from the airport en route to the central Queensland town they still call home, despite being away since an early morning Australian Border Force raid in 2018. Australian-born Tharnicaa and Kopika Murugappan at Perth Airport on their way home to Biloela. Credit:Matt Jelonek/Getty Images After that raid, Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan, who arrived separately by boat as Tamil asylum seekers about a decade ago, and their Australian-born daughters, Kopika and Tharnicaa, were taken to Melbourne before then being detained on Christmas Island in August 2019. After Tharnicaa suffered a blood infection, they were moved to Perth, where they were in community detention. Batavia, NY (14020) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. 2022 Primary: Huntington Beach Poised to Approve Cannabis Sales Tax Although the sale of marijuana is still illegal in Huntington Beach, the city is poised to adopt a ballot measure that would set cannabis tax rates on sales in the city, as early primary election results show. Ballot Measure Awhich needed a two-thirds majority vote to passwould not legalize cannabis sales but would place a 6 percent tax on commercial cannabis sales and a 1 percent tax on non-retail cannabis businesses, including indoor cultivation and distribution, if they ever become legal in the future. As of Wednesday evening, results show 66.4 percent of Huntington Beach voters approved the tax, while 33.6 percent voted no. If passed, the tax is estimated to generate between $300,000 and $600,000 annually for the specific purposes of funding police, homeless services, and behavioral health services, according to the Huntington Beach City Councils resolution. The measure also gives the city the freedom to adjust tax rates based on economic conditions. Most cities in Orange Countysave Costa Mesa and Santa Anaban retail cannabis. However, several cities, including Huntington Beach and Laguna Woods, have placed cannabis sales tax measures on ballots in recent years amid calls and petitions from pro-cannabis groups to get measures such as marijuana legalization, taxation, and regulation on ballots. The Huntington Beach City Council approved the ballot measure back in March with Mayor Pro Tem Mike Posey and Councilman Erik Peterson voting against the measure. Laguna Woods councilors also voted last month to place a cannabis sales tax measure on the November ballot, despite cannabis still being illegal in the city. Huntington Beach City Councilors Dan Kalmick, Erik Peterson, Kim Carr, and Mike Posey, as well as City Clerk Robin Estanislau, were not immediately available for comment. A map photo shows location of Gara Oreshets in northwestern Bulgaria, where a passenger train crashed into a truck at a railway crossing. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) 3 Dead in Bulgaria as Passenger Train Hits Truck at Crossing SOFIA, BulgariaThree people were killed when a passenger train crashed into a truck at an unguarded railway crossing in northwestern Bulgaria Tuesday, authorities said. The accident occurred near Gara Oreshets, at 1:35 p.m. local time (1135 GMT), police said. According to initial data, the three victims were the truck driver and the two train drivers. Several passengers on the train were injured and taken to hospital. The truck was carrying crushed stones for construction works on a high-speed road linking the capital Sofia and the Danube port of Vidin. Police, fire-fighters, and ambulance teams were working at the scene. Prosecutors opened an investigation into the accident, but officials said it was too early to determine how it happened. Heavy smoke from a fire caused by a strike rises in Kobani, Syria as fighting intensified between Syrian Kurds and the ISIS terrorists, as seen from Mursitpinar in the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, Oct. 10, 2014. (Gokhan Sahin/Getty Images) American Mother Pleads Guilty to Leading Battalion for ISIS An American mother from Kansas pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal district court on Tuesday to organizing and leading an all-female military battalion for the ISIS terrorist group in Syria. Allison Fluke-Ekren, a mother of five and former school teacher, admitted to training around 100 women and girls to support ISIS activities. She also plotted to carry out a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced, citing court documents. After spending years abroad supporting the ISIS terrorist group, Fluke-Ekren was transported in custody to the United States after being arrested in Syria on Jan. 28. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema accepted Fluke-Ekrens guilty plea in the Eastern District of Virginia on Tuesday. Fluke-Ekren first fronted a U.S. court on Jan. 31, where she entered no plea and was ordered held without bail until a detention hearing in February. According to the DOJ, the Kansas mom, whose parents and adult children want nothing to do with her, left America for Egypt in 2008 to live with her second husband, a now-deceased former member of the Ansar al-Sharia terrorist group. Allison Fluke-Ekren in a booking photograph. (Alexandria Sheriffs Office via AP) For the eight years starting from approximately September 2011, she spent time in Syria, Libya, and Iraq engaging in terrorism-related activities, ultimately becoming the leader of Khatiba Nusaybah, the all-female ISIS battalion. As its leader and organizer, she trained women and young girlssome as young as 10 or 11in the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts packed with explosives. She also taught religious classes, martial arts, medical training, and courses in driving vehicles used as explosives. In its release, the DOJ announced that Fluke-Akren assisted her husband in reviewing and summarizing the contents of U.S. government documents stolen in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Special Mission and CIA Annex in Benghazi, Libya. Around mid-2014, Fluke-Ekren told a witness in Syria that she desired to carry out an attack in the United States. The eyewitness said the former U.S. school teacher discussed ideas about using explosives to attack a Midwest college. She also plotted to carry out a bombing at a U.S. shopping mall. To conduct the attack, Fluke-Ekren explained that she could go to a shopping mall in the United States, park a vehicle full of explosives in the basement or parking garage level of the structure, and detonate the explosives in the vehicle with a cell phone triggering device, according to the DOJs release. According to the witness, Fluke-Ekren considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources and that she wished attacks taking place outside the United States had occurred on U.S. soil instead. An Inside Look at the Zero-COVID Lockdowns in China The lockdowns serve the CCPs purposes while demoralizing Chinese citizens Commentary State-run Chinese media have been trumpeting the supposedly glorious efforts of Chinese public health officialswith their local security enforcers in the backgroundin containing the spread of COVID-19 in Chinese cities under the umbrella of the Xi Jinpings grand Zero-COVID policy. The continuous agitprop on this subject serves several purposes for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP): (1) convincing the Chinese people and the world that the totalitarian zero-COVID that is ruining Chinese lives actually works; (2) propagating the fear porn message to the world that the pandemic is still ongoing; (3) keeping a lid on any domestic dissent, especially in Shanghai, leading up to the expected approval of Xis continued leadership status at the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CCP; and (4) camouflaging Chinese economic woes through purposeful interruption of global supply chains that adversely affects the world economy. The CCP appears to be playing some high-stakes poker in pursuit of these purposes because, whether intended or not, the zero-COVID lockdowns are also destroying the Chinese economy, as previously reported by Epoch Times here. The eyes gaze at the endless stream of zero-COVID headlines that reinforce the CCP propaganda purposes behind zero COVID. Some recent examples include the following: Experts: Anti-COVID strategy works (China Daily) Dropping dynamic zero-COVID approach in China could cause 1.55 million deaths: study (China Daily) Shanghai records lowest daily tally since March 24, may need fight at community level till June 8 (Global Times) Chinas zero-covid will be proven beneficial for world economy (Global Times) Racing against time and virus, China merits global confidence (Peoples Daily) Dynamic zero-COVID approach, Chinas choice to safeguard lives, underpin economic growth (China Daily) Ad nauseum. Regarding that last item, does the CCP seriously believe that Zero COVID is Chinas choice? Read on. What do lockdowns really mean to average Chinese citizens who have to endure them? As The Wall Street Journal reported on May 10, if a single person in an apartment building tests positive, people in the entire building need to be isolated while the infected person and all occupants of that apartment are moved to centralized quarantine facilities. The Journal further reported on May 15 that mass testing is now the norm, with negative tests required to complete simple daily activities such as buying groceries or riding the subway. Imagine having under that regimen day after day! To summarize what the harsh lockdowns mean for average citizens: lockdowns initiated at any time without advance notice; restriction to ones living quarters (including being physically locked in); being sent to a quarantine facility if testing positive; limited or no access to hospitals for routine medical procedures and urgent care; reduced availability to food supplies (some may be government-provided and some mass-ordered for delivery if fortunate); and escape from home quarantine authorized only for mandatory daily COVID tests. A security worker locks a door with a chain in a neighborhood under a COVID-19 lockdown in the Jingan district of Shanghai on June 2, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) Is the patience of the people wearing thin into the eighth week of the lockdowns in Shanghai and other Chinese cities? A video tweeted on May 16 by Fang Zhouzi (@fangshimin), a Chinese muckraker who is an opponent of pseudoscience and other fraud, provides striking evidence of discord. In it, two groups of people clad in biosafety suits attack each other outside what is probably an apartment building. While the context of the confrontation is unclear, a logical deduction is that the situation had something to do with the zero-COVID lockdown enforcement, given that everyone in the video was clothed in a biosafety suit. Some informed speculation is provided below, courtesy of a friend who is fluent in Chinese and has routine communications with long-time Chinese friends on the mainland. He described the situation as a mess (yi tuan luan). And given that the Chinese population is seething over the continuing lockdowns, the likelihood is high that this sort of incident is probably happening elsewhere. First of all, my friend has frequently referred to Chinese medical personnel wearing biosafety suits by the term big white (dabai ). These people were all health workers at the start of the pandemic in China. Since the brutal Shanghai lockdowns began, many zero-COVID enforcers were dressed in white hazmat suits with blue stripes. As time passed and the lockdowns became institutionalized and the procedures more brutal, a considerable portion of the big white morphed into enforcers, including urban management (chengguan ), the dreaded parapolice who plague Chinese cities. Thats truly disturbing since the latterin years pastwere infamous for beating to death fruit sellers on the streets and people who resisted having their homes demolished (chai ) during forced urban renewal and expansion projects. The incredible video clip from Fang Zhouzi provides a template for whats almost certainly happening in China regularly these days: the police are beating the people, and theres strife between hostile groups of individuals who wantas reflected by their dress, behavior, and equipment/accoutermentsto be viewed as carrying out the wishes of some authority. Heres some speculation from one of his friends in China on the video. He only heard the police hit someone () from spectators (maybe the one taking the video, who was then harshly criticized in the comments for being a coward and not daring to join the fight). Some comments suggest that the people in blue were real guards, whereas those in white were the ones being quarantined. It seems the blues are police as they were beating the white. Next is some speculation from an ardent patriot of the Peoples Republic of China, who views the video as a confrontation between blue-clad community association representatives and white uniformed hospital/health workers who want to enter the community to do their zero-COVID activities. According to this person, the clash took place at the entrance to a community (xiaoqu ). The people in white robes are from the medical system (). They are nurses, doctors, and medical peoplegenerally outsiders to a community but higher in the hierarchical system regarding regulations and commands. The people in blue robes are from the community work system () or street office (). They are usually public servants ( ) who were selected (or volunteered) to serve the community. In normal times, they would mediate quarrels between two families; they would be familiar with everybody who lives in the community, and if you run into them, theyd say hi to you and ask how youre doing, or they would be in charge of all kinds of community/condominium affairs. So, in short, this seems most likely to be a battle at the entrance of a certain community between insiders and outsiders. The insiders wear blue. Their job is to serve the community, and some of the blue robes may be representatives of the residents in the community that they work for. So they speak for the community. The outsiders wear white. They are medicare workers dispatched from hospitals. They dont care about any individual community; they care about the COVID situation in general, and they visit every community. Therefore, the scenario looks like the white-robed medicare outsiders want to come inside a certain communityperhaps to seal peoples doors with quarantine tape, or maybe to keep building a wall, or doing other things. The blue-robed community service insiders want to prevent them from entering, and so they keep pushing them outperhaps theyve already been quarantined too long and just gained their freedom, or they wanted to protect a particular family from being carried away to the square cabin hospital () or a quarantine facility, or for some other reasons. At the end of the video, you can see that two white-robed people were lying on the ground, beaten by the blue-robed ones. Those beaten white robes may also be a reason for swarms of white robes wanting to come inside. Maybe its not so much about the quarantine, but simply they wanted to save their own people. Concluding Comments Most Americans and other Westerners are entirely ignorant of the draconian zero-COVID lockdown measures being implemented in many Chinese cities. All individual liberties and freedoms are sacrificed for what the CCP arbitrarily conveys as the common good of the Chinese people (a typical CCP euphemism). There is complete stratification in Chinese society and an incredible hierarchy of officialdom that reaches down into the very living quarters of average Chinese citizens to take even the most basic of decisions away from the average Chinese. Woe be unto those brave souls who buck the system! The most amazing insight from the above speculation about the blue-versus-white video confrontation was the blithe and unemotional attitude expressed by the supporter of the Chinese regime, who seemed to accept without concern that what transpired was a normal experience to be expected in communist China. Heaven forbid that Americans ever experience similar complacency during future lockdowns in the United States. You just know that day is coming if the Democratic Party has its way. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. CCP head Xi Jinping (C) waves to the attendees with Premier Li Keqiang (R) and members of the CCP's Politburo Standing Committee Li Zhanshu (L) applauding by his side, after being elected for a second five-year term during the 5th plenary session of the first session of the 13th Congress in Beijing, China, on March 17, 2018. (Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images) An Interim Provision Could Stop Xi Jinping From Being Re-elected Chinas rubber-stamp legislature is scheduled to hold its once every five-year meeting this fall. The re-election of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping is the main focus of this years meeting. As the meeting approaches, Chinese social platforms and media have been releasing various signals that show Xis political opponents have continued to challenge the succession of Xi to a third term. For instance, on June 2, Cai Xia, a retired professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CCP, posted on Twitter that an interim provision in 2006 is still in effect today. The interim provision supposedly could challenge Xis ability to remain at the head of the CCP in the next term. The Term Limit of the Party Chairman Cai was referring to a regulation entitled, Interim Provisions on the Term of Office of Leading Party and Government Cadres that went into effect in 2006. According to the interim provision, its applicable to incumbent leading cadres of the CCPs top echelon. It also stated that Party and government leading cadres can only serve in the same position for two consecutive terms or a total of 15 years. Following Cais post on Twitter, Up Mediabased in Taiwanissued an article on June 5 indicating that Xis wish to extend his Party leadership could be hindered by the interim provision. The article commented that Xi has met various substantive obstacles to his re-election since 2017 in the 19th national meeting of its rubber-stamp legislature. Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L), Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L), and Politburo Standing Committee members (L-R) Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, and Wang Huning arrive for a reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Sept. 30, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) A Dictatorship by Spy Feng Chongyi, an associate professor of China studies at the University of Technology, Sydney, told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that Xis opponents are themselves lacking the political will to really have an effective impact on challenging Xis succession. He does not believe anyone would dare to challenge Xi with the interim provision. They would only avoid Xis attack so they can keep their posts, Feng said on June 6. Yuan Hongbing, former head of the School of Criminal Procedural law at Beijing University before he went into exile in Australia, said that none of these so-called rules or regulations mean anything to Xi. He indicated that both the Constitution of the CCP and the Party rules can be changed at the leaders will, which is a long-standing norm for the CCP. Xi has established a dictatorship of his own; Through his secret agents, he controls all the CCP bureaucrats, Yuan said, meaning that even veteran cadres wont be able to refute what he wants to do. Commentator Li Linyi, however, believed that when the interim provision was brought into the spotlight, Xi obviously faced an ever-increasing attack from his opponents, especially his much-criticized strict zero-COVID policy that has brought the entire nation to the brink of economic and systemic collapse. The CCPs only exhausting itself with the fierce infighting, and surely is one of the driving forces for the collapse of the CCP, Li said. Haizhong Ning and Luo Ya contributed to this report. USA's Jordyn Poulter (L) and Andrea Drews pose with their gold medals during the women's volleyball victory ceremony during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on August 8, 2021. (Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images) Anaheim Man Charged With Stealing Olympic Gold Medal SANTA ANA, Calif.A convicted robber pleaded not guilty on June 7 to stealing an Olympic volleyball players gold medalwhich is still missingin Anaheim. Jordan Fernandez, 31, of Anaheim was arraigned in the jail courtroom in Santa Ana on two counts of burglary, two counts of identity theft, and bringing or sending a controlled substance into jail, all felonies. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records. He was ordered to return to court on June 15 for a pretrial hearing in the North Justice Center in Fullerton. Fernandez was arrested on June 3 and was being held without bail, according to jail records. He had previously pleaded guilty on April 17, 2020, to a felony count of robbery and was sentenced to 120 days in jail and placed on three years of probation. He was jailed again in the case for 60 days on Jan. 27 of this year for violating terms of probation. The medal belonging to Jordyn Poulter was stolen on May 25, according to Sgt. Jacob Gallacher of the Anaheim Police Department. The medal is still missing and Poulter was offering a $1,000 reward for its return with no questions asked. Poulter won the medal last year at the Tokyo Olympics originally scheduled for 2020. The setter had parked her vehicle in a garage on East Lincoln Avenue in the city at about 3:15 p.m. on May 25. By the time she returned to her unlocked car at about 6 p.m., several items were missing, Gallacher said. Anyone who might have information about the medals whereabouts was asked to call police at 714-765-1900 or Orange County Crime Stoppers, which accepts anonymous tips, at 855-TIP-OCCS. Arizona Executes Frank Atwood for 1984 Murder of 8-Year-Old Girl FLORENCE, Ariz.An Arizona man convicted of murder in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl was put to death Wednesday in the states second execution since officials resumed carrying out the death penalty in May following a nearly eight-year hiatus. Frank Atwood, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, whose body was found in the desert, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in a statement. Vicki Lynne went missing months earlier after leaving her home in Tucson to drop a birthday card in a nearby mailbox. The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for Atwoods execution Wednesday morning after rejecting a final appeal by his lawyers. He died at 10:16 a.m., Brnovich said, and witnesses reported that the execution went smoothly. Atwood was the second Arizona prisoner to be put to death in less than a month. The execution of Clarence Dixon in May ended Arizonas halt to executions that was blamed on the difficulty of obtaining lethal injection drugs and criticism that a 2014 execution in the state was botched. We will continue to seek justice for every victim, Brnovich said in another statement. He is among the Arizona Republicans campaigning in a crowded field for an Aug. 2 U.S. Senate GOP primary election. Arizona now has 111 prisoners on death row and Brnovichs office said 22 of them have exhausted all of their appeals. Atwood was accompanied through the preparations for the lethal injection by a Greek Orthodox priest, witnesses to the execution said at a news conference after he died. He had claimed innocence, but did not address the killing with his last words. The witnesses said Atwood thanked the priest for coming today and shepherding me into the faith and added: I pray the Lord will have mercy on all of us and that the Lord will have mercy on me. Bud Foster, a journalist for KOLD-TV who witnessed the execution of Atwood and has witnessed other executions, said the process of setting up IVs into Atwood for the lethal injection went smoothly and that it was probably the most peaceful of any of the executions that I witnessed in the past. Medical personnel preparing Atwood for the execution initially could not locate a vein in Atwoods right arm to put in an IV, but inserted it in his right hand at Atwoods suggestion, said Henry Brean, an Arizona Daily Star reporter who was another execution witness. The girls mother, Debbie Carlson, watched the execution and told reporters after Atwood died that today marks final justice for our daughter, Vicki Lynne. Our family has waited for 37 years, eight months and 22 days for this day to come. She said her daughter was a vibrant little girl with an infectious laugh and a smile that would melt your heart. Carlson added: Her royal blue eyes reflected an old soul of wisdom, and her freckled nose was unique and we are blessed to see it in our grandchildren today. Vicki was a feisty little one that always kept you on your toes and will forever be known as Dennis the Menace, giggling all the way. Judges in recent weeks had rebuffed attempts by Atwoods lawyers to have the execution delayed. In the final weeks of Atwoods life, his attorneys tried unsuccessfully to make new arguments in a bid to overturn his death sentence, saying they discovered an FBI memo describing an anonymous caller claiming to have seen the girl in a vehicle not associated with Atwood, but which could be linked to a woman. Joseph Perkovich, one of Atwoods attorneys, said in a statement that his clients execution doesnt resolve what he said were unanswered questions about the case. The state of Arizona executed Frank Atwood despite lingering doubts about his guilt, Perkovich said. The case against Frank was purely circumstantial and significant evidence pointed to another suspect. Atwoods attorneys told the Supreme Court in court filings that the aggravating factor that made his crime eligible for the death penalty was invalidly applied. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and was convicted of Vicki Lynnes killing in 1987. Judges have rejected that legal argument in the past. They also said Atwood would undergo excruciating suffering strapped to the gurney while lying on his back because he has a degenerative spinal condition. Prosecutors claimed that Atwood was trying to indefinitely postpone his execution through legal maneuvers, saying his pain would be be alleviated by propping him with a pillow on the gurney, which has a tilting function. Atwood did not complain about back pain during the process to prepare him for the lethal injection, Brean said. Authorities have said Atwood kidnapped Vicki Lynne, whose remains were discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Experts could not determine the cause of death from the remains, according to court records. Arizona corrections officials have discretion over which reporters can witness executions. Three Tucson-area news organizationsthe Arizona Daily Star, KOLD-TV, and KVOA-TVwere selected to witness Atwoods execution. Dixon was executed on May 11 for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State University student. The execution team first tried and failed to insert an IV into Dixons left arm before they were able to connect it in his right arm. They then made an incision in his groin area for another IV line. Dixons execution was the first to be carried out in the state since the July 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over nearly two hours. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh speaks during his ceremonial public swearing-in, in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Oct. 8, 2018. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Armed Man Arrested Near Home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh An armed man was arrested on June 8 near the Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, according to the nations top court. At approximately 1:50 a.m. today, a man was arrested near Justice Kavanaughs residence. The man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh, Patricia McCabe, a spokeswoman for the court, told The Epoch Times in an email. The man was transported to Montgomery County Police Departments 2nd District Station, which is in Bethesda. Kavanaugh lives in Chevy Chase, a short drive away. McCabe did not answer questions seeking more details, such as whether Kavanaugh was home when the man was arrested. The man was later identified as Nicholas John Roske, of California. A spokeswoman for the Montgomery County police told The Epoch Times that officers took an adult male from California into custody and transported him to the station. The case was then transferred to the FBI, she said, declining to share more details. According to charging documents, Roske was armed with a gun and a knife when he exited a taxi outside Kavanaughs home. He was arrested after calling 911 on himself. Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters in Washington that this kind of behavior is obviously behavior that we will not tolerate, saying threats of violence and actual violence against justices strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. Justices are being protected 24 hours, seven days a week, Garland said in May. That followed a reported spike in violent threats against the justices. A column of 20 protesters marches through the neighborhood of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice John Roberts in Chevy Chase, Md., on May 15, 2022. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times) Police officers stand outside the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in Chevy Chase, Md., on May 18, 2022. (Bonnie Cash/Getty Images) The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. President Joe Biden did not address the matter while speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Maryland, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on the plane that the president condemns the actions of this individual in strong terms and is grateful to law enforcement for quickly taking him into custody. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), have called for Biden to personally condemn what took place. Protesters have regularly gathered outside the homes of Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, and other Republican-appointed justices in recent months, following the leak of a draft opinion that indicates the court is poised to strike down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established access to abortion as a constitutional right. The Department of Justice and authorities in Virginia and Maryland have declined thus far to bring charges against any of the protesters for violation of laws that prohibit attempting to intimidate judges by protesting outside their homes. Ruth Sent Us, an activist group that published the addresses of Kavanaugh and some other justices, said on Wednesday that the group was committed to non-violence. On the Senate floor in Washington, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) decried what happened, saying This is exactly the kind of event that many feared that terrible breach of the courts rules and norms could fuel. It remains unclear when the finalized opinion in the case, which was brought by the state of Mississippi after an appeals court found its ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy was unconstitutional. The court released one opinion Wednesday in an unrelated case. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern meets Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Queenstown, New Zealand on May 30, 2021. (James Allan/Getty Images) Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers to Meet in Sydney New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will arrive in Sydney on Thursday evening to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. It will be the first foreign leader welcomed to Australian soil by the new Labor government. Ardern said it was fitting that she would be the first foreign head of government to meet Albanese since he took office. Both leaders said the relationship between the two nations is uniquely close and resembles that of a family. We are partners and allies, and we share a relationship of family, Albanese said. Through our single economic market, our people-to-people ties and our shared interests in the region and around the world, Australia and New Zealand stand together. During his diplomatic trip to Indonesia, Albanese told reporters he looked forward to Arderns visit. Shes been a friend of mine for some time. I look forward to catching up with her informally on Thursday night and then for us to have a meeting on Friday, he said. The Australian prime minister said the meeting will be an opportunity to build on Trans-Tasman cooperation, including economic recovery, climate change, support for the Pacific, and global trade and security. Ardern has indicated that it was also an opportunity to have new conversations about issues that have been difficult between the two nations, namely the 501 deportations and the rights of New Zealanders in Australia. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a post-cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on May 23, 2022. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Under section 501 of Australias migration act, authorities are able to send people, both visitors and long-term residents, back to their home country if they fail to pass a character test. Having a substantial criminal record, committing an offence while in immigration detention, or reasonable suspicion of membership of a group involved in criminal conduct are among the reasons that would fail a persons character test. According to Newshub, 96 percent of deportations to New Zealand are from Australia and these people continue to commit crimes after they are sent back, contributing to New Zealands gang issues. New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told a parliamentary committee in December that the 501 deportees were a significant reason for the worsening levels public safety. The gang environment has significantly changed as a result of returned offenders. That has led to the seeding of new groups, Coster said. The 501 deportations have been a major source of disagreement between New Zealand and the former Australian government led by the Coalition party. Were clear with the incoming prime minister that these issues remain for us. Regardless of whos in office, we want to make progress, Ardern told reporters. She said she understood that Australia had a deportation policy because New Zealand had its own, but she wanted to make progress on the really difficult examples. Ardern previously described the policy as corrosive to the bilateral relationship when telling former Prime Minister Scott Morrison in 2019 to not deport your people and your problems. Australian Big Business Estranged From Capitalism, Free Market: Kennards CEO Political leaders should be more adventurous in winning over mum and dad businesses Two successful business leaders agree that large Australian corporations have lost touch with their free-market roots and, similar to their U.S. counterparts, have become increasingly preoccupied with progressive agendas. Sam Kennard, CEO of Kennards Storage, one of Australias largest self-storage businesses, says a recent admission by opposition leader Peter Dutton that big business was no longer aligned with the traditionally centre-right Liberal Party was on the money. Many publicly listed businesses have embraced the woke ideas that the left-leaning political agenda promote. As a result, careerist board directors and executives are exposed to activism and will find it safer to acquiesce than to push back, he told The Epoch Times in an email. Sam Kennard of Kennards Storage (Courtesy of Kennards Storage) He said there was less innovation and more compliance in corporate leadership today, noting that some business leaders appeared to be embarrassed about free markets and capitalism. Yet, capitalism has been the best poverty relief program in world history. Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty over recent decades from trade and capitalism, he said. Businesses seem more engaged with symbols of virtue in their public discourse. There seem to be more conferences with significant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics and little advocacy for economic reform. Dutton and the Liberal Party are currently rebuilding following an election loss that saw the party stripped of several inner-city electorates. The party has begun a long-term pivot towards attracting suburban and regional voterstargeting traditionally safe Labor Party seatsas well as small business owners. The new opposition leader conceded that big business had become closer to other parties. Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party Sussan Ley (right) listens to the newly elected Leader of the Liberal Party Peter Dutton speak to the media after a party room meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 30, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) I think many of them are probably scared to step up because they are worried of an onslaught by Twitter, and they are living in that environment, he told reporters on May 30. I hope that we can continue to work with them, but I need them to work to speak up on many policies, not just social policies but economic. The CEO of National Australia Bank, Ross McEwan, was surprised by the comments saying he had maintained a close relationship with previous Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Weve had, I think, a very good relationship with Josh Frydenberg, who was open to taking a telephone call at any time of the day or night, he told The Australian Financial Review Banking Summit. And if he wasnt available, hed always ring you back. So you know weve always had very good relationships from that end. The Business Council of Australia said it had consistently advocated on industrial relations issues. The BCA has worked very closely with the Morrison government, such as the bushfires, COVID and policy settings, according to Danny Gilbert, director at the Council, in comments obtained by the Australian Financial Review on May 31. In the United States, corporate America has been criticised for becoming heavily entangled in ESG causes such as climate change and social justice issues such as abortion and gender equality. For example, investment giants BlackRock and State Street have actively put pressure on company boards to take more evident action on lowering emissions and to ensure more women are promoted to board positions. While employees at Disney forced the company to take on the Florida state government over laws prohibiting educators from teaching anything about sexual orientation or gender identity to primary school children. Protesters rally in opposition to The Walt Disney Companys stance against a recently passed Florida law outside of the companys headquarters in Burbank, Calif., on April 6, 2022. (Jill McLaughlin/The Epoch Times) Further, following revelations that the U.S. Supreme Court could potentially overturn the landmark legal case Roe v. Wadewhich legally enshrined the right for women to have abortionsCitigroup, Apple, Starbucks, and Amazon responded by offering to reimburse staff needing to travel for abortion procedures. But some business leaders have panned ESG, with Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, calling it a hate factory. Its a factory for naming enemies, and we should not be allowing them to do that, he told the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami in April. While less publicised in Australia, former Labor Party National President Warren Mundine, now a board director on several companies, said the shift had been happening for 20 years, with big business shifting left on the political spectrum and small businesses going right. More recently, in Australia, supermarket giant Coles, and one of the Big Four banks, ANZ, have offered extra paid leave to staff needing to affirm their gender. I noticed after the 2001 election that year the shift in voting and how people were thinking. Then in 2004, it was really stark, Mundine told The Epoch Times. At the time, the Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union came forward and said, The polling shows that most of our members are voting Liberal.' He said mum and dad businessesonce staunch Labor Party supportershad become increasingly aligned with the then-Liberal Party because it provided policies to ease the regulatory burden on businesses. Winning the Battlers Vote Upon Duttons accession, the new opposition leader vowed to create policies for small businesses. I do think those people in small business and micro-business feel that the system is against them, and I want to be a voice for them, he added. I want to make sure that we can help themthat we can see their businesses grow into big businesses. However, Kennard said that since the Liberal Party won power in 2013, the party failed to deal with increasing regulation meaningfully. Except for the removal of the carbon tax, mining tax, and some modest income tax bracket re-sets that do little to make Australia competitive, there is little they can say they have achieved, he said, also noting that Australias state governments were responsible for a plethora of aggravating business regulations. Federally, the Liberal Party should reduce the company tax rate, reduce individual tax rates, index the tax brackets in accordance with CPI, and prioritise low-cost, reliable energy. A Chinese J-16 fighter jet performs in the sky in Changchun, China, on Oct. 17, 2019. (AFP via Getty Images) Beijing Says Dangerous Air Maneuvers Against Australian Aircraft Acceptable Beijing has defended a PLA pilots dangerous air maneuvers made against an Australian military plane that was conducting maritime surveillance in international airspace in the South China Sea, stating the actions were reasonable, and legitimate. A spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) Ministry of Defence claimed that the Australian P-8A aircraft entered its sovereign airspace over the internationally contested Paracel Islands, which China calls the Xisha Islands, and accused Australia of seeking to do close-in reconnaissance. The Australian warplane has seriously threatened Chinas sovereignty and security and the countermeasures taken by the Chinese military are professional, safe, reasonable, and legitimate, the spokesperson said. The Paracel Islands are an internationally contested group of islands, atolls, and coral reefs in the South China Sea near Vietnam. Currently, ownership of the archipelago is contested by Taiwan, China, and Vietnam. An aerial view of Qilian Yu islands in the Paracel chain on Aug. 10, 2018. (AFP via Getty Images) Beijing also accused Australia of repeatedly disseminating false information and instigating what the Chinese regime termed hostility and confrontation. China also urged Australia to immediately stop its international maritime surveillance, or it will bear all the serious consequences arising. Meanwhile, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government has raised the issue with Beijing but he wouldnt be making further comment on the matter other than to say that, in the Australian governments view, this was not safe. The comments from the CCP come after Australias Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who is also the Defence Minister, explained on June 5 that a J-16 Chinese military jet had released flares as it flew close to the side of the Australian P-8 aircraft while the P-8 was on its regular maritime surveillance flight in international airspace. The Chinese jet then accelerated and cut across the nose of the Australian plane, before releasing a bundle of chaff containing small aluminum pieces, some of which were ingested into the P-8s engine. Quite obviously, this is very dangerous, Marles said. But he said that the incident will not deter Australia from engaging in surveillance activity that is within our rights in international law. Other countries do the same, Marles said. We are deeply invested in the rights of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea This is a body of water that is deeply connected to Australia because of our trade, which goes through there. A file image of the then deputy leader of the opposition Richard Marles at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Dec. 7, 2020. Marles is now the countrys deputy prime minister and the defense minister. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) The incident continues Beijings increasingly intimidating behavior toward Australia and comes less than a month after it was revealed by then-Defence Minister Peter Dutton on May 19 that a Chinese surveillance ship was tracking along the Australian shoreline off the coast of Western Australia. It also follows three months after a Chinese warship pointed a laser at a Royal Australian military aircraft. On Feb. 17, as an Australian P-8A aircraft was monitoring a Chinese navy vessel in the Arafura Seain international waters but inside Australias exclusive economic zonethe Chinese warship reportedly aimed a military-grade laser at the P-8A. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) said such action could have put the lives of its personnel in danger, while then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned it as an act of intimidation. International security and intelligence expert Prof. John Blaxland from the Australian National University told The Epoch Times that he believed that China is prepared to do everything in its power to put increasing pressure on Australia to become part of Chinas circle of power. I think theyre prepared to go there, Blaxland said. He has previously told The Epoch Times that he believed China was increasing the pressure on Australia as Beijing believed by intimidating and bullying Australia, it would push us away from our ally the United States. And I think theres enough circumstantial evidence to mount a reasonably strong case that they are trying to and have been trying to for a number of years wean us off the United States security lines. And its, to be honest, its in the last few months. Its backfired, Blaxland said. Weve made it very clear that were with the United States, and were doing that for a couple of reasons. One is because of the remarkably adversarial approach of China in recent years under President Xi, and his exercise of sharp power and wolf warrior diplomacy. Nina Nguyen contributed to this article. Prime Minister Boris Johnson departs No 10 Downing Street to attend Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, in London, on June 8, 2022. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) UKs Johnson Vows to Get on With Job After Winning Confidence Vote UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to get on with the job as he faced MPs for the first time after winning a confidence vote within the ruling Conservative Party. Johnson survived a vote of confidence on June 6, with 211 Conservative MPs backing him and 148 wanting him to step down over the partygate scandal. Following the vote, the prime minister called the results convincing and decisive. Speaking to the House of Commons on June 8, he said the government will be expanding homeownership for millions of people and cutting the costs of business. Johnson said his administration will create high-wage, high-skilled jobs for the country. And as for jobs, Im going to get on with mine, he told lawmakers in a rowdy session of Prime Ministers Questions. After Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer questioned the Conservative governments management of the National Health Service (NHS), Johnson defended his record, telling MPs: We are making colossal investments in our NHS. We are cutting waiting times, we are raising standards, we are paying nurses more, we are supporting our fantastic NHS. He highlighted the strength of the UK economy and the fiscal firepower which enabled the money to be spent. We have the lowest unemployment now since 1974, and we are going to continue to grow our economy for the long term. The confidence vote followed the May 25 publication of civil servant Sue Grays report into COVID-19 breaches in Downing Street and the remarks by the prime ministers ethics adviser Lord Christopher Geidt that Johnson may have breached the ministerial code by attending parties during the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The vote in his favour means that Johnson is now immune for a year from any further such vote against him being triggered. However, many commentators from across the political spectrum say he may yet be forced out by other political forces. There were no unfriendly questions from Conservative MPs during the Prime Ministers Questions, but a number of senior Tory politicians have issued warnings to him. In a commentary in The Times of London newspaper, former cabinet minister David Davis said Johnson has let things slide since the 2019 general election, and his victory in the confidence vote provides his last chance to get his act together. Also writing in the newspaper, William Hague, a former leader of the Conservative Party, said Johnson should look for an honourable exit to spare the party and the country further agonies and uncertainties, as his position is no longer sustainable. PA Media contributed to this report. Boudin Recall Tilts California Back Toward Semi-Sanity Commentary Even leftists dont like to get mugged on the way to discovering the Walgreens closed because it was looted. San Franciscos voters just ousted far-left District Attorney Chesa Boudin, son of convicted Weatherman murderer and terrorist Kathy Boudin, with 61 percent favoring getting rid of him. Voters were reacting to the citys soaring crime rate. This also was the second recent recall of radicals in Baghdad on the Bay. In February, voters recalled three leftists from the school board. Showing he was a chip off his mothers block, Chesa Boudin embraced the backing of Angela Davis, the 1960s radical. Davis is so far left that in 1980 and 1984 she ran as the vice-presidential candidate on the Communist Party USA ticket with unreconstructed Stalinist Gus Hall. The party was funded by the Soviet Union. If you listen to Davis rhetoric, its still tinged with the old-style Marxist class warfare rhetoric long ago abandoned by most of the left in favor of the latest Cultural Marxist fads. She also retired from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a fat pension backed by your tax dollars. Boudins loss contrasts with the large re-election victory of District Attorney Todd Spitzer in Orange County. He beat progressive attorney Pete Hardin, 64 percent to 19 percent. Because he got more than 50 percent, Spitzer will not face a runoff. As I wrote in The Epoch Times in February, A race to look out for is Orange Countys district attorney. Spitzer is running for re-election contending he has kept OC safe while crime has soared in Los Angeles and San Francisco under lenient DAs. His opponent is attorney Pete Hardin, a former U.S. Marine and federal prosecutor. Spitzer accuses Hardin of being one of the soft-on-crime types. Its part of an inevitable national backlash against recent left-wing policies that includes the election of Republican Glenn Youngkin as governor in Democrat-dominated Virginia. Next on the chopping block: equally left-wing District Attorney George Gascon in Los Angeles. Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami said on Fox News: what I want to tell everybody and tell George Gascon is, youre next. The people of Los Angeles have had enough. The recall likely will be on the November ballot. The campaign has collected 500,000 signatures and needs another 67,000 more by July 6 to qualify. Gascon, oddly, was San Franciscos DA from 2011-19 and did more than Boudin to destroy that once beautiful and charming city by turning it into a crime-infested hellhole. Police Reform Still Needed Unfortunately, lost in the recall discussion is the continuing need for real police reform. Yes, we need police. And the defund the police movement since the George Floyd riots two years ago has been foolish, leading to record increases in crime. But the opposite reaction also isnt good. At little more than a year ago, the public employee unions, especially the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs twice defeated John Moorlach, first in his state senate re-election; then to reclaim his old seat on the county board of supervisors. His crime: pointing out their pensions were unstable and could go broke without reforms. In the senate, I was his press secretary. He also had demanded reforms of police and sheriff procedures in the wake of two horrific acts of police brutality. One was the beating to death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless man, in Fullerton in 2011. The other was the shooting in 2012 of off-duty U.S. Marine Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr. in San Clemente as his daughters sat in the car. There has to be a balance between, on the one hand, giving the police the authority they need to arrest criminals, with prosecutors doing their jobs of putting the criminals on trialand, on the other hand, making sure the police themselves dont become a lawless mob. For some reason, California never seems to achieve that balance, instead flipping from soft on crime in the 1960s and 1970s, to a crackdown during the crack-epidemic 1980s and 1990s, to todays Boudin-Gascon laxity, to whatever comes next under tougher DAs. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. David Mamet's 'Recessional' comments on higher truths In Recessional: The Death of Free Speech and the Cost of a Free Lunch, playwright David Mamet attacks the virus of conformity that he now sees as rampant in Western culture. As the blurb on the books flyleaf states: Recessional is a vital warning that if we dont confront the cultural thuggery now, the commissars and their dupes will transform the Land of the Free into the dictatorship at which they aim. In one of the books essays, Hamlet and Oedipus Meet the Zombies, Mamet ends with this paragraph: Outreach, education, diversity, and so on are tools of indoctrination. So, for example, are marine boot camp and the Bar Mitzvah. But art is the connection between inspiration and the soul of the observer. This insistence on art as indoctrination is obscenity, denying and indicting the possibility of human connection to truths superior to human understanding, that is, to the divine. Most of this paragraph is straight up in its meaning. In his mention of boot camp and the Jewish coming-of-age rite, for example, Mamet offers examples of reasonable indoctrination, designed in both cases to make men and warriors out of boys. But what did he mean by soul, truths superior to human understanding, and the divine? Here are some thoughts. A Contradiction in Terms Art that is intended to indoctrinate, to act as political propaganda for whatever cause, is simply not great art. It is a tool used to sway masses of people, to convince them of the righteousness of a cause or an ideology. Here we may think of those enormous spectacles of torches and uniforms during the Nazi regime, the dreary proletarian novels produced under Stalin that no one except scholars read anymore, the garish revolutionary paintings under Chinas Chairman Mao. These works may find a place in some museum or with historians interested in totalitarian movements, but none of them have anywhere near the effect of Chartres Cathedral, a Mozart concerto, or Giovanni Strazzas sculpture The Veiled Virgin. Chartres Cathedral, southeast view. (Olvr/CC BY-SA 3.0) While aware of these agitprop artworks, Mamet is much more concerned with the current state of cultural propaganda in the West. Here censorship and the demands for correct thought come less from some strongman than from our culture at large. The woke and cancel culture movements are, according to Mamet, effectively acting like the Red Guard during Chinas Cultural Revolution. Fail to stay within the boundaries set by these self-appointed commissars, and you may well find yourself in exile, invisible, gagged, and voiceless. A Higher Power This latest version of the gulag, Mamet contends, is killing the arts, particularly its transcendental nature and powers, which explains Mamets use of supernatural language. What, for example, is this soul that he mentions? For many, the soul is that entity in us which encompasses both thought and emotion. It is everything we are, every particle of our interior being. We may share thoughts with others or emotions like grief and joy, but our soulour soul is who we are. What does Mamet intend by truths superior to human understanding in regard to the arts? Here, I think, he means those works of beauty and truth that overwhelm our intellect and lift us out of ourselves, carrying us to some inexpressible state of being beyond our normal comprehension. Shakespeares Hamlet is just one such work. Performed over 600 years ago, this play about the Prince of Denmark, his battles with himself and with morality, and the actions of those in his court, continue to this day to excite debate about its meaning. In addition, we who watch the play even in 2022 can identify with several of the characters, especially Hamlet and his moral qualms, hesitations, and frailties. The struggles of Hamlets soul mirror our own. As for the divine, which Mamet defines as truth superior to human understanding, this ineffable quality is a cornerstone of great art. In some cases, the artist even attributes his success directly to God, as did Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach. (Public Domain) Here was a musician and composer who through prayer and reading the Scriptures sought the help of the divine in his music, and he became so successful in this quest that some refer to him as the Fifth Evangelist. Interestingly, this spark of the divine can touch nonbelievers as well. In his book Beauty Will Save the World, Gregory Wolfe writes: It is a curious fact that the artist who produced the most compelling and accessible vision of Christian humanism in the twentieth century was a multiply married, luxury-loving, alcoholic atheist by the name of Robert Bolt. Bolt wrote the play and the film script for A Man for All Seasons, the drama about Thomas More who died a martyr at the hands of King Henry VIII of England and later became a saint. God, as some say, works in mysterious ways. 3 Scenarios On a long-ago trip to Europe, my wife and I visited the Sistine Chapel. Though wed read a little about the chapel ahead of time, that knowledge vanished as we gazed in amazement at the ceiling and those walls, lost in wonder, stunned by Michelangelos muscular, twisted bodies, the re-creation of biblical stories, and the 500-year-old colossus that surrounded us. On that same trip, we visited a small Swiss museum featuring a modern art exhibition. In the corner of one room, a British sculptor had arranged 10 or so paving stones on the floor, with an explanation of his work fixed to a nearby wall. I have no recollection of the words on the wall, but I do remember experiencing no connection to this work, except feeling empty of any sensation whatsoever. Here, of course, there was no sense of Mamets vision of art and a higher truth. A third encounter: Ive twice visited an ENT doctor here in Front Royal, and on the wall of his treatment room is a reproduction of Millets The Angelus. On each visit, while awaiting the doctor, Ive stared at that painting of the two peasants in a French field, their heads bowed in prayer, and in their stillness found my anxieties calmed. Here, as in the Sistine Chapel, was a bridge that allowed me to escape the anxieties of the self. The Angelus, 18571859, by Jean-Francois Millet. Musee dOrsay, Paris. (Public Domain) Reinforcements Over the years, Ive read other writers who emphasized these same ideas. Back in 1977, for instance, novelist John Gardners On Moral Fiction, savaged by so many critics, addressed the role of the transcendent in stories. At one point, he wrote: The traditional view is that true art is moral: it seeks to improve life, not to debase it. It seeks to hold off, at least for a while, the twilight of the gods and us. To return to Beauty Will Save the World, Gregory Wolfe reminds us that art can give us a true image of ourselves. The thrust of his book is that beauty can act as a redemptive power in our lives and is a necessary vehicle to give meaning to truth and goodness. English philosopher and writer Roger Scruton, a professor as well as a lifelong student of aesthetics, also wrote frequently about this idea. He believed, like Wolfe and Gardner, that the artsarchitecture, painting, music, literatureallow us to find consolation in the face of trouble and distress, even peace. In other words, great works of art hook us up with a power that allows us to magnify the self while simultaneously superseding it. Truth, Beauty, Goodness All of these writers, and so many other artists, have recognized that these three classic transcendentalstruth, beauty, goodnessare the key elements found in all great art, music, and literature. They are the flames illuminating Mamets human connection to truths superior to human understanding. When listening to Beethovens fifth symphony, for example, both a mathematics professor and a wheat farmer can find themselves swept up in the music, their souls transported into a realm of being they hardly know existed. The accountant, the nurse, and the high school student who stand before Michelangelos Pieta may discover themselves moved beyond words by this statue of a mother mourning her dead son. In an age that seeks to make all of us walk together in lockstep and docile acquiescence, Recessional reminds readers that we are free: Free will only means the power to choose. This moral choice is a holy act, because it is moralthat is, in accord with divine will. And, as Mamet adds, The repression of this knowledge is an engine of human wickedness. Utter conformity to any ideology makes us slaves. But art, great art, sets our souls free. Recessional: The Death of Free Speech and the Cost of a Free Lunch By David Mamet Broadside Books; 2022 Hardcover: 240 pages A customer checks a gold necklace before buying it at a jewelry showroom on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, a major gold buying festival in Kolkata, India, on May 3, 2022. (Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters) Can India Overtake China and Become Asias Economic Engine? Commentary U.S. President Joe Biden launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on May 23. The pact, were told, seeks to strengthen economic partnership amongst participating countries with the objective of enhancing resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Participating countries include South Korea, Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and, perhaps most importantly, Indiathe worlds fastest growing major economy. Commenting shortly after the launch, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said: As businesses are beginning to increasingly look for alternatives to China, the countries in the Indo-Pacific Framework will be more reliable partners for US businesses. Shes right. Although many of the biggest businesses in the world are based in China, the tide appears to be turning, with more of these businesses looking to jump ship and establish roots elsewhere. Maybe, just maybe, India offers a sustainable, attractive, highly-lucrative alternative to China. If so, then India, which is expected to overtake China as the worlds most populous country by 2027, could become Asias new economic and industrial powerhouse. For far too long, Chinamore specifically, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)has been the dominant voice of Asia. According to a recent article in The Economist, China appears to be losing its pragmatic approach to managing the economy. The CCPs ideologically-rigid pursuits ignore, either consciously or otherwise, the economic and geopolitical realities of the modern world. When it comes to conducting business in China, an increasing number of companies, especially U.S. companies, have realized that the risks far outweigh the rewards. To operate in China, a company must fully submit to the CCP, bending to its every wish and every demand. Compliance is key. Its non-negotiable. As the CCP continues to double down on its zero-COVID policy, essentially placing millions of people in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai under house arrest, those who have the option of leaving the country are availing of it. These include major companies like Apple and Airbnb. Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky speaks during an event in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 22, 2018. Airbnb Inc. announced on May 24, 2022, that it will stop representing short-term rental properties in China and focus its business in the country on serving Chinese tourists looking for lodgings abroad. (Eric Risberg/AP Photo) Hours after the launch of the new international framework, Airbnb, a company headquartered in San Francisco, announced that it will remove all Chinese listings from its popular platform over the next few months. The story, which CNBC first reported, came at the same time as Airbnb continues to invest more money in the Indian market. According to its website, the company recently established a technology hub in Bengaluru, Asias answer to Silicon Valley. The hub was established to create local, skilled jobs, with plans for the center to cater to a few hundred people in the initial phases, followed by an expanded footprint in the future. Another major U.S. company that has decided to cut ties with China is Apple. As Livemint reported, according to sources familiar with the companys manufacturing plans, Apple executives see India as the new China. With its large population and low production costs, India appears to be a highly-attractive, considerably less hostile alternative. According to the piece, Apple recently instructed a number of its contract manufacturers to focus on increasing production outside of the communist nation, citing Beijings strong anti-coronavirus stance among other factors. This is a significant story for many reasons. Over 90 percent of Apple productsincluding the iPhone, iPad, MacBook computers, and, up until very recently, the iPod (R.I.P)are manufactured in China. People wearing masks are pictured at an Apple Store on the day the new Apple iPhone 13 series goes on sale in Beijing, China, on Sept. 24, 2021. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters) Apple, it seems, wants to cut ties with China completely. Better late than never, some might sayand rightly so. The CCP is a direct threat to the United States and its many allies; its in all Western companies, especially American companies, to look elsewhere for a place to call home. Although India appears to be a country more than willing to offer such companies a home, the Indian market is a tough nut to crack, as Business Standards Bhaswar Kumar recently warned. Operating in China is, for lack of a better word, difficult; penetrating the fiercely competitive Indian market requires serious work. In 2020, as Kumar noted, Walmart Inc., the American multinational retail corporation, fired 56 of its executives based in India. The move underscored the challenges Walmart was facing in expanding its wholesale business in India. Six years prior to Walmarts decision, Carrefour, the eighth-largest retail chain in the world by revenue, completely exited the Indian market. It simply couldnt compete in such a crowded, unforgiving environment. Although Carrefour is both a popular and profitable company, its not Airbnb, and its certainly not Apple. Carrefour offers groceries. Airbnb and Apple, on the other hand, offer genuine experiences, lifestyle choices, and unrivaled brand recognition. At the time of writing this piece, I was based in New Delhi for a few days. Poverty is a major problem here. The gap between the haves and have-nots is simply profound. Nevertheless, India is home to a growing middle class, the type of people with considerable amounts of disposable income to spend on expensive accessories and weekend experiences. India may be a tough nut to crack, but the companies that manage to crack this particular nut will make money, lots of money. More importantly, theyll no longer have to acquiesce to the CCP. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich speaks during the Operation Watts public hearing in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 11, 2021. (James Ross - Pool/Getty Images) Changes Needed to Prevent Delays to Corruption Investigations: Victorian Watchdog Commissioner The commissioner of Victorias integrity agency has called for legislative reforms to prevent court actions from hindering the publication of corruption investigation reports. Robert Redlich, the head of the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), has asked the Victorian Labor government and the Opposition to amend current laws to make it harder for people to challenge the agencys draft report findings in court. In a leaked letter, Redlich said that amendments to the IBAC Act would help complete investigations in a more timely manner. While these challenges can be for a variety of different reasons, the speed with which the litigation is determined is largely under the control of the court and dependent upon the priority which individual judges are prepared to give to the particular litigation, Redlich wrote, as reported by The Age. The commissioner has proposed to improve the act by restricting legal challenges on natural justice groundsa process that provides those subject to adverse findings an opportunity to respond before a report is released. In May, the anti-corruption watchdog said that its draft report for Operation Sandon had moved to the natural justice phase. This came following media reports that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was questioned twice in private in relation to the ongoing corruption investigation. Operation Sandon is a long-running inquiry into allegations of favourable planning and property development decisions, which involved property developer John Woodman, Casey councillors and Labor MPs. And public hearings on the issue concluded nearly 18 months ago. The premier has not expressed his governments stance over amending the IBAC Act nor explained how the letter was publicised. Ill leave it to IBAC to investigate how that correspondence made it into the public realm, Andrews told reporters. Theyve expressed some regret about that. Thats really a matter for them. Meanwhile, Shadow Treasurer David Davis said there needed to be an overhaul in Victorias integrity system to prevent legal action from stalling investigations. Those who are subject to negative findings by the IBAC obviously have a right to have their say but equally, IBAC should not be stymied or stalled in tabling important reports in parliament, he said. Chinese J-15 fighter jets are launching from the deck of the Liaoning aircraft carrier during military drills in the Yellow Sea, off China's east coast, on Dec. 23, 2016. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) China Launches Its Third Aircraft Carrier Commentary Later this month, the Peoples Liberation Army Navy is expected to launch its third aircraft carrier, its first flattop capable of conventional takeoff or landing operations. With this new carrier, and the many to follow, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will begin using combined aircraft carrier battle groups and amphibious warfare battle groups to project power in pursuit of its goal of achieving global hegemony. What is ominous is that while the U.S. Navy has been operating aircraft carriers for 100 years, it has taken Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) only some 40 years to develop and build a large flattop carrier with an advanced carrier air wing, which will be almost a capable as modern U.S. nuclear-powered carriers. Component assembly for the latest Type-003 carrier started in May to July 2020 in Jiangnan Shipyard near Shanghai. However, component construction may have started from 2016 to 2017, for a total time of five to six years. This compares to six to eight years for the construction of the first U.S. Navy Gerald Ford class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier or five years for the John F. Kennedy, the second of this class. But the United States only has one shipyard, Newport News Shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, capable of building one carrier at a time. In contrast, Chinas Jiangnan shipyard can quickly build two Type-003 carriers simultaneously, and the Dalian shipyard has built one smaller 65,000-ton Liaoning class carrier. Total displacement for the Type-003 is estimated at 90,000 tons, and it has a length of about 980 feet. It will operate three catapults that may utilize advanced electromagnetic launch (EML), which was rather difficult for the United States to develop for the U.S. Navys new 100,000-ton, 1,092-foot-long Gerald Ford class aircraft carrier. But what is also very significant is that the PLA has developed a balanced 40-plus aircraft air wing for the Type-003 and subsequent carriers that soon will feature the PLANs first carrier-based 5th generation fighter. This will be the Shenyang Aircraft Corporations 5th generation J-35 strike fighter, now in testing, featuring twin engines, stealth shaping, and internal weapons carriage. The J-35 is about the same size as the U.S. Navys 5th generation F-35C, which commenced carrier deployments in 2021. The PLA Naval Air Forces initial carrier strike fighter, the Shenyang J-15B, a much-modified copy of the 1980s Russian Sukhoi Su-33 canard (stabilizer in front of the wing) carrier fighter, will likely feature 4-plus generation capabilities like an active electronically-scanned array (ASEA) radar, 125-mile-range PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and an array of anti-ship/ground attack missiles. A military personnel walks past Shenyang Aircraft Corporations J-16 multirole strike fighter for the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, southern Chinas Guangdong Province, on Sept. 28, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) It is likely that a dedicated electronic warfare (EW) variant of the J-15B will be developed, mirroring the U.S. Navys Boeing F/A-18G Growler EW strike fighter. In addition, the PLAN is testing the Xian Aircraft Corporation KJ-600, a twin-turboprop airborne early warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft with a large radar radome, copying the configuration of the U.S. Northrop-Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. It should be expected that the KJ-600 will form the basis for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and carrier cargo variants. As the PLA has for over 20 years placed great emphasis on the development of unmanned combat platforms, the Type-003 can also be expected to eventually feature large unmanned combat aerial vehicles to help with ASW, surveillance, and strike missions. Over the last decade, Chinese sources have not been clear whether the PLAN will build at least one more non-nuclear powered but likely improved Type-003, or just build one and transition quickly to serial production of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, called the Type-004. Production of a second Type-003 could be completed within five years, more rapidly giving the PLA up to four carrier battle groups that could overwhelm the one U.S. Navy carrier battle group based in Japan, better assuring that the PLA could mount a successful invasion of Taiwan. With four carrier battle groups, the PLA could also more actively support CCP coercive diplomacy in the South Pacific, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and Latin America. However, a more rapid transition to nuclear-powered Type-004 carriers would enable the PLAN to rapidly build the worlds first completely nuclear-powered carrier battle groups, which Chinese sources strongly suggest could include nuclear-powered escort cruisers and nuclear-powered underway replenishment ships. The U.S. Navy has no plans to revive the production of nuclear-powered escort warships or begin producing nuclear-powered underway replenishment ships. A completely nuclear-powered carrier battle group would give the CCP options to very quickly deploy naval power globally for combat or coercive missions. For example, from bases on Hainan Island, it could arrive in waters north of Australia in less than a week. Even if the PLA just used its Jiangnan shipyard to produce four carriers per decade, it could accumulate to 10 PLAN aircraft carriers and deployed battle groups by the early 2040s. Absent increased funding, the U.S. Navy will likely be hard pressed to fulfill plans to build and launch four Ford class carriers this decade to advance the replacement of aging Nimitz class carriers. But having only one shipyard capable of nuclear carrier construction, the U.S. Navy will be hard pressed to maintain a fleet of 10 carriers, which means that due to maintenance cycles, only about five may be available for crisis reaction, not all of which would be in the Pacific. To counter Chinas rapidly deploying nuclear carrier battle groups, the U.S. Navy requires more carriers that are far less expensive to produce, can supplement the $13 billion Ford class, and can also pack impressive firepower. To begin testing the concept of a small carrier, this past April, the U.S. Navy used the $4 billion, 45,000-ton America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli to embark on its largest air wing of 20 5th generation Marine Corp F-35B short takeoff vertical landing (STOVL) strike fighters, which do not require expensive aircraft recovery systems. A slightly larger America-class ship could host a solid 20 5th generation F-35B short takeoff vertical landing (STOVL) fighters, plus another 20 or so manned and unmanned vertical takeoff support aircraft, and 200 anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) based on the SM-6 surface-to-air missile (SAM) with a potential range of 1,200 miles. Within the range of its ASBMs, guided by manned or unmanned support aircraft or even F-35Bs, such a smaller carrier could coordinate with land-based ASBMs or strike aircraft to destroy much larger PLAN carriers and their battle groups. Such smaller carriers could also host several hundred Marines to work with larger Marine amphibious units, and/or Army Airborne forces, to preempt or counter global PLA amphibious and airborne assaults when needed. A force of 10 such smaller carriers armed with a large number of ASBMs would better enable the U.S. Navy to deter Chinese naval-amphibious-airborne aggression that could emerge simultaneously at multiple global strategic locationsa threat that becomes increasingly likely as the PLA builds many more conventional and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The hornless offspring of a gene-modified bull (L), alongside a horned control cow, are seen at the farm, at the University of California-Davis on September 4, 2019, in Davis, California. (Juliette Michel/ AFP via Getty Images) Consumer Confidence Warning Over Frankenscience Gene-Edited Animal Plans in England The British government says its plan to legalise gene-editing in animals and plants for food is following the science and will help ensure food security. But critics say profits are driving what they call frankenscience and warn consumer confidence could be hit. The new Genetic Technology Bill, the government says, will allow the creation of drought- as well as pest-resistant and nutrient-enhanced crops, reducing waste and the use of pesticides. It argues only genetic changes which could have been produced through conventional breeding methods or natural processes will be fast-tracked in the lab for consumption. But the bill, which has been broadly welcomed by the farming community, has provoked protests from advocacy groups and animal welfare organisations opposed to the development and marketing of animals with edited genes. The bill will not apply to Scotland and Wales. Elisa Allen, vice president of programs from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called the proposals bad science. Gene-editing has produced animals with debilitating diseases, enhanced deadly mutations, and decreased the effectiveness of animals immune systems, Allen told The Epoch Times. In its detailed report in response to the public consultation on gene editing last year, the union Unite warned the plans had the potential to damage consumer trust and cause chaos in the UK food and agriculture industry. The unionwhich counts agricultural workers among its membershippointed to the fall-out from crises in the food supply chain it said had been motivated by short-term financial gain including BSE in the 1990s and horse-gate. The first arose after sheep and cattle remains were added to animal feed. In the later scandal, exposed in 2013, horse meat was found masquerading as beef in processed meals from lasagne to sausages in schools, hospitals, and commercial outlets. Commenting on those concerns, David Spencer, professor of economics and political economy at Leeds University Business School, told The Epoch Times he questioned what was driving the proposals. Businesses and the government can pick and choose experts to justify their policies and practices. And that would worry me if policy and practices are driven by short-term gains. Why are firms wanting to adopt this? Because it can reduce cost, improve yields, it can make more profit, and the danger there is that its for the short-term, but then we end up in a BSE-type crisis. In the BSE disaster, eating infected meat was linked to variant CJD, a fatal degenerative brain disease in humans. One hundred and 78 people died, millions of cattle were slaughtered, and British beef was banned in the EU for a decade. Japan only lifted its ban in 2019. For Spencer, the general move away from meat-eating, whether people can make an informed choice, and the price of food amid the cost-of-living crisis, could all influence how people respond to the prospect of eating gene-edited fare. Government Ignores Shoppers, Voters, and Eaters at Its Peril Pat Thomas, director of Beyond GM, heads an advocacy group seeking a wider debate on genetic technology in agriculture. She told The Epoch Times she was concerned members of the public are being excluded. Thomas explained her organisation used Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to find out more about how the government engaged with its own public consultation on gene-editing. The FOI documents that we received indicate to us that the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs [DEFRA] made extensive efforts around the coding of responses from citizens in order to remove as many of these as possible by calling them campaign responses, she said. Thomas claims 52 percent of such responses were removed. To rectify this, Beyond GM has called on the government to involve members of the public in the advisory panels recommended by the bill. The public is fed up with not being involved in decision-making around their food-systems, said Thomas. The government ignores the views of shoppers, voters, and eaters at its peril. With no plans in the bill to label gene-edited foods, Thomas thinks supermarkets, yet to commit publicly to selling them, are waiting to see how consumers react. John Hall, a leading salad grower on the south coast of England who has supplied major supermarket chains including Waitrose and Sainsburys, thinks gene-editing has the potential to do good. What would happen if we could find a gene-editing way of dealing with cancer in humans? The vast majority would say lets do it. But when it comes to using the technology on farm animals and livestock, Hall told The Epoch Times he does not have enough information and thinks many people feel the same. In my mind, the arguments are not as clear as for plants, fruit and vegetable, wheat, grain, and rice, the major food crops that will sustain the world. If you just went down the gene-editing in plants, I think youd get a lot more support. If the politicians try to rush this they could find themselves with a massive backlash. Allen, from PETA, was unequivocal. We dont need frankenscience to stop animals from suffering or to thwart environmental disasterwe need to stop factory farming animals, full stop. DEFRA: No More Risk than Traditional Breeding DEFRA said the technologies it is proposing are safe and it is introducing regulatory measures to safeguard animal welfare. DEFRA also said it conducted a detailed analysis according to established approaches, taking account of all responses, in its consultation with the public. It further said it consulted with independent experts on the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), whose view is that precision-bred organisms do not pose any greater risk than those produced through traditional breeding methods as supported by the Royal Society. ACRE members are appointed by DEFRA together with ministers from the devolved administrations. DEFRA declined to comment when contacted by The Epoch Times. Studies suggest a link between an incurable and fatal prion disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers believe the prion region from the original Wuhan COVID-19 variants spike protein was incorporated into mRNA vaccines and adenovirus vector vaccines given to hundreds of millions of humans and that it can cause a new type of rapidly progressing sporadic CJD. According to Mayo Clinic, CJD is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to dementia and, ultimately, death. Although the Omicron variant does not have a prion region on its spike protein, current COVID-19 vaccines still use the genetic material including the prion region of the parent Wuhan strain. A French pre-print paper published in May on CJD and COVID-19 vaccination identified a new form of sporadic CJD that occurred within days of receiving a first or second dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Researchers analyzed 26 cases of CJD and found the first symptoms appeared on average 11.38 days after injection with a COVID-19 vaccine. Of the 26 cases, 20 had died by the time the study was published and six were still alive. The 20 deaths occurred only 4.76 months after the injection. Among them, 8 of them lead to a sudden death (2.5 months), researchers wrote. This confirms the radically different nature of this new form of CJD, whereas the classic form requires several decades, wrote the researchers. Dr. Jean-Claude Perez, lead author of the French study, on June 6 told The Epoch Times that all 26 cases resulted in death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prion diseases are a family of rare progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect humans and animals. Prion diseases are usually rapidly progressive and always fatal. Although prions occur naturally in the brain and are usually harmless, they can become diseased or misfolded, affecting nearby prions and causing them to become misshapen. The abnormal folding of the prion proteins leads to brain damage and the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease, the CDCs website states. Sporadic CJD occurs when a person becomes infected for no apparent reason. Once a single prion becomes infected, it will progress to other prions, and there is no treatment capable of stopping it. Prion Area of Original Wuhan Strain Spike Protein Present in All COVID Vaccines Can Interact With Human Cells Although the Omicron variant does not have a prion region on its spike protein, French researchers said other COVID-19 variants, including the parent Wuhan strain used in currently administered vaccines, do. We are now studying the very first cases of patients with Omicron, in South Africa, Europe and the USA and Canada in particular, the researchers wrote. In ALL of these cases, the Prion region has disappeared. However, the Wuhan variants spike protein gene information including its prion region was integrated into the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson adenovirus vector vaccines. We have also demonstrated [] that the Spikes of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA injections also contain this same Prion region, the researchers wrote. The same is true of ALL the other SARS-CoV2 vaccines since ALL are made from the Spike sequence of SARS-CoV2 from Wuhan, which we have demonstrated contains the Prion region. With mRNA vaccines, once mRNA is incorporated into the cells, the cell turns mRNA instructions into a COVID-19 spike protein that tricks the cells into believing it has been infected so the body will create an immunological memory against a piece of the virus. With adenovirus vector vaccines, the DNA of the spike protein is carried into the cell through an adenovirus vector and then into the nucleus where all human DNA is stored. Once there, DNA is transcribed into mRNA and made into the spike protein. A U.S. study published in Microorganisms in January 2022 showed the prion area of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein incorporated into COVID-19 vaccines is able to interact with human cells. Although the CDC says COVID-19 vaccines cannot alter your DNA, studies show mRNA can be changed into DNA and incorporated into the human genome. A U.S. study speculated that a misfolded spike protein could create a misfolded prion region that may be able to interact with healthy prions to cause damage, leading to CJD disease. A peer-reviewed case report published in Turkey and the French preprint identified sudden CJD cases appearing following vaccination with the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, suggesting links between getting vaccinated and the disease. A study published last year in Microbiology & Infectious Diseases found a potential link between Pfizers vaccine and prion disease in humans. Despite the existence of new SARS-COV-2 variants, people are still receiving the original COVID-19 vaccines developed with the parent Wuhan variants spike protein. Numerous Cases of CJD Reported in the U.S. A U.S. case report in March highlighted 64-year-old Cheryl Cohens battle with CJD, which developed within days of her second dose of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine. The report stated: Here, we highlight a case of a 64-year-old woman who presents with rapidly declining memory loss, behavior changes, headaches and gait disturbance approximately one week following administration of the second dose of the novel Pfizer-BioNTech messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccine. After extensive investigation, conclusive evidence identified the fatal diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In an exclusive interview with The Defender in Aug. 2021, Cohens daughter, Gianni, said her mothers regression was mind-blowing, confusing and truly heartbreaking. She went from being able to work and do normal everyday activities to being unable to walk, speak or control her bodys movement, Gianni said. Cohen felt as if her head was going to explode and died within three months of receiving her second dose of Pfizer. In a written statement to The Defender, her physician said: This case identifies potential adverse events that could occur with the administration of the novel COVID-19 vaccine. Moreover, clinicians need to consider neurodegenerative diseases such as prion disease (e.g. sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), autoimmune encephalitis, infection, non-epileptic seizure, toxic-metabolic disorders, etc. in their differential diagnoses when a patient presents with rapidly progressive dementia, particularly in the setting of recent vaccination. Although there is currently no cure for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), early diagnosis is crucial to avoid the unnecessary administration of empiric medications for suspected psychological or neurological disorders. Furthermore, tracking adverse events could potentially lead to further characterization and understanding of both the novel COVID-19 messenger ribonucleic nucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine as well as the etiology of sCJD. More importantly, recognizing adverse effects provides individuals with vital information to make a more educated decision regarding their health. In another exclusive interview with The Defender, Jeffrey Beauchine said his mother, Carol, knew her Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease was related to the Moderna shot. Watching her death was like something you see out of a movie, he said. Beauchine said his mother received her first dose of Moderna on Feb. 16, 2021, and didnt report any complaints. After getting the second dose on March 17, Carol immediately said she felt different. Carols symptoms began with numbness that spread from the arm in which she received her injection to the entire left side of her body. She complained that something was wrong with her brain, couldnt put thoughts together or make sense of things, developed double vision and blindness and began to experience hallucinations. Doctors initially thought Carol had suffered a stroke or anxiety. Scans later showed there were abnormalities with her cerebellum. Carols condition progressed rapidly and she was eventually diagnosed with CJD and given days to live. She died within months of receiving her second dose of Moderna. Carols doctors filed a report with the CDCs Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS I.D. 2180699). To date, the CDC has not reached out to the family despite an autopsy confirming her death was caused by CJD a condition she did not have prior to receiving her COVID-19 vaccine. In another exclusive interview with The Defender, Richard Sprague said his wife, Jennifer, developed CJD after the Pfizer COVID-19 shot and died within five months of the second dose. Jennifer received the first dose of Pfizer on Aug. 29, 2021, and her second dose on Sept. 21, 2021. Although her husband remained unvaccinated, Jennifer was required to get vaccinated as part of her employment. Four days after the second dose, Jennifer experienced her first episode of a sudden strange event she couldnt explain. Jennifer started having more episodes and her left hand and side began to tremble. On Oct. 13, 2021, Jennifer went back to the doctor, who prescribed Xanax for anxiety. Jennifers disease progressed rapidly until she was unable to sit up and walk independently. Scans confirmed Jennifer had significant changes on the right side of her brain. A new medical team performed a spinal tab and confirmed Jennifer had CJD. By this time, Jennifer was unable to get out of bed. Your brain is just disappearing. Its crazy, Sprague said. Youre in this perfect healthy body and your brain just dies within the course of a few months. After Jennifer was diagnosed with CJD on Feb. 12, her insurance company said it would no longer pay for her care and Sprague was told his wife would not recover. Jennifer died on Feb. 21 five months after receiving her second dose of Pfizer. According to the latest data from VAERS, 56 cases of rapid-onset CJD have been reported following COVID-19 vaccines since Dec. 14, 2021. Historically, VAERS has been shown to report only 1% of actual vaccine adverse events. 06/07/22 Childrens Health Defense, Inc. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of Childrens Health Defense, Inc. Want to learn more from Childrens Health Defense? Sign up for free news and updates from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the Childrens Health Defense. Your donation will help to support us in our efforts. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (C) visits a Buddhist temple after his swearing in ceremony in Colombo on May 12, 2022. (Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP via Getty Images) Debt-Ridden Sri Lanka Asks China to Revise $1.5 Billion Swap Deal Sri Lanka has requested that China amend the terms of a $1.5 billion yuan-denominated swap facility so that it can be used to fund essential imports, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on June 7. The swap agreement, signed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in March 2021, stipulates that the fund can only be used provided that Sri Lanka has enough foreign reserves to last three months. We have not had foreign exchange reserves for three months since the loan was taken. Our former officials took loans to deceive the country, Wickremesinghe said in a speech in Parliament. We will not be debt-free under that condition. We have requested the Chinese government to consider removing that condition from the agreement that has been signed with them. Sri Lanka is on the verge of bankruptcy, with its foreign exchange reserves plummeting by 70 percent over the past two years, leaving it struggling to pay for essential imports. Wickremesinghe said the country requires at least $6 billion to stay afloat over the next six months. The United Nations has arranged for a worldwide public appeal on June 9 to provide $48 million in aid over a four-month period. The government has also sought help from India and Japan. Wickremesinghe said relations between Sri Lanka and Japan had broken down over the suspension of certain projects, about which Sri Lanka failed to inform Japan. He urged the parliamentary committee on public finance to investigate the suspension of projects granted by Japan and India, claiming that the projects had been put on hold or suspended for no reason. Wickremesinghe also called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to hold a conference to help unite lending partners. Sri Lanka is currently in talks with the IMF for a $3 billion loan package, Reuters reported. Holding such a conference under the leadership of India, China, and Japan will be a great strength to our country. China and Japan have different credit approaches. It is our hope that some consensus on lending approaches can be reached through such a conference, he said. About 10 percent of Sri Lankas $51 billion external debt is owed to China. Sri Lanka had requested help from China to restructure its debt obligations and $2.5 billion in financial support. In May, the Sri Lankan government said Beijing extended a total aid package of 500 million yuan ($76 million). Sri Lanka is also a key part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, which other countries have criticized as a debt trap for smaller nations. Several of its infrastructure projects funded by foreign investments have failed to generate revenue, plunging the country into debt. In December 2017, the Sri Lankan government leased the key port of Hambantota to China for 99 years to convert its owed loans of $1.4 billion into equity, a move that has sparked thousands to rally in protest. Albert Joseph Moore (18411893) was an English painter known for his pictures of classically posed, languid women with harmonies of pattern, color, and tone. In the 1860s, he developed a style that embodied early aestheticismart intended to be celebrated for its inherent beauty alone. Moores pictures were typically composed with one to three female figures with classical proportions, neoclassical drapery, and floral ornamentation. The figures were as rhythmic and reticent as the Japanese prints that he admired. Dreamers, circa 1882, by Albert Joseph Moore. Oil on canvas; 27.5 inches by 47.6 inches. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham. (Public Domain) Many Western European artists, Moore included, came into contact with Japanese art and designs when trade with Japan opened up in 1858. Western artists became intrigued by the original use of color and composition in the Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. As a colorist of great sensitivity, Moore merged the women in his paintings into the decorative pattern of flowers in the background, which was inspired by the designs of ukiyo-e prints. This article was originally published in Radiant Life magazine. An ultrasound machine sits next to an exam table in an examination room at an abortion provider in South Bend, Ind., on June 19, 2019. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Doctors Dont Want to Perform Abortions Commentary For nearly half a centuryever since the Supreme Court decided there was a federal constitutional right to get an abortion in Roe v. Wade in 1973abortion activists have been trying to figure out how to get more physicians to actually perform the procedure. Its been a tough battle. A widely publicized survey of OB-GYNs published in 2011 indicated that although 97 percent of respondents said they had been approached by female patients seeking abortions, only 14 percent of them offered the service. That number has ticked up to 24 percent over the past decade, according to some reports, an indication that the situation hasnt changed much. Perhaps physicianswho tend to work in large corporate-style practices these daysfear the disapproval of their colleagues. Perhaps they dont want to deal with pro-life protesters outside their doors. Or perhaps they just plain have moral qualms. For example, The Washington Post ran a glowing May 10 profile of a doctor, Franz Theard, who runs an abortion clinic in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, just across the Texas line, that helps women skirt a 2021 Texas law banning nearly all abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. But it turns out that Theard doesnt currently perform abortions after all, at least the surgical kind. I mean, imagine crushing something and taking it out. Its heartbreaking to a certain extent. Honestly, I didnt like to do it, he said. He limits his abortion practice these days to handing out pills, which are safe only if administered during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Theres an obvious irony there. The Supreme Court seems to be indicating, via a leaked draft majority opinion, that it will overturn Roe v. Wade before it winds up its term at the end of June, returning the issue of abortions legality to the states. The case before the court, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, involves a Mississippi law barring most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. So even on the off chance that some of the justices who signed the draft opinion change their minds and vote to uphold Roe, it seemingly wont make any difference for cautious or squeamish or conscience-stricken physicians who either limit their abortion practice to the very earliest weeksor shun it altogether. The majority of OB-GYNs, as we have seen, fall into that latter category. Abortion activists solution to this dilemma, at least since the 1990s, has been to force more doctors to perform abortionsor, rather, to make it impossible to be certified as an OB-GYN, or maybe even a physician, periodwithout receiving abortion training, which means participating hands-on in abortions. This drastic inversion of the Hippocratic Oath, in which doctors once pledged never to perform the procedure, would mean that every specialist you consulted about safely delivering your baby would also be willing to cut that baby out of your body if thats what you wanted instead. Its called, in the words of a recent New Yorker article on the subject, a patient-centered approach to health care that makes the individual doctors moral qualms irrelevant. This approach has worked out better in theory than in practiceat least so far. In 1995 the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) started requiring all medical residency programsthe multi-year specialized training at hospitals after graduating from medical schoolin obstetrics and gynecology to learn how to perform induced abortion. After strong protests from Catholic and other religiously affiliated hospitals and medical programs, Congress in 1996 passed a law forbidding discrimination in federal funding to institutions that decline to comply with the ACGME rule. Subsequent federal laws, including, to some extent, Obamacare, have reiterated federal support for conscientious objections. The result has been a surprising variation in ACGME compliance. A 2018 survey reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that 64 percent of residency programs make abortion training a routine part of residents schedules (presumably allowing conscientious objections), 31 percent consider it merely optional, and 5 percent (mostly Catholic hospitals) continue not to offer it all. And even in the most ACGME-compliant programs, relatively few residents learn how to perform the late-term dilation-and-evacuation procedures (crushing something and taking it out) that even abortion-performing physicians like Theard find repugnant. So in order to boost the number of abortion providers, abortion advocates have proposed a range of solutions: letting nonphysicians (nurses, midwives, physician assistants) perform abortions (thats the situation in 18 liberal-leaning states), and expanding abortion-training mandates to family-practice residencies. The current favorite recommendation, however, seems to be simply screening out doctors who might have qualms about abortion in medical school before they even graduate into residencies. Last year, a coalition of abortion advocates asked the American Medical Association (AMA) to support mandated abortion training for medical students. The AMA rejected the proposaland several states have laws or pending bills barring such training at public universities. But expect the pressure to continue. Pro-life anything has NO PLACE in a medical school, The New Yorker reported as a typical Twitter attitude toward aspiring doctors who dont want to perform abortions. With cultural pressure like that, abortion advocates seem to be well along in their goal of assuring that the obstetrician who delivers your baby today spent yesterday terminating the lives of other babies before they could be born. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The J. Edgar Hoover Building of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington on April 3, 2019. (Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images) DOJ Declines to Pursue FBI Whistleblower Allegations The Justice Departments (DOJ) Office of Inspector General has declined to investigate allegations from FBI whistleblower William McGrath, who says the bureau retaliated against him for refusing an order that he says would have compromised the life of a confidential informant. McGrath on June 6 provided The Epoch Times with the letter from DOJ Assistant Inspector General Sean ONeill, who told him no investigation would be conducted into the renewed allegations that McGrath has been pursuing for more than 20 years. Having carefully considered your April 1, 2022, email and the six attachments to it that, according to your email, support your allegations, we are declining to open an investigation, ONeill told McGrath in the letter dated June 6. McGrath, whose story The Epoch Times first reported in May, contends that his allegations have never been properly investigated. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security is currently considering his case, leaving him in waiting mode for now, he said. McGraths roughly 25-year saga began when he was a special agent investigating Russian organized crime in 1997. According to McGrathwho provided records to corroborate his storyhis bosses at the bureau wanted him to use a confidential informant to record a phone call with a prominent New York politician. McGrath, who declined to name the public official, said that person was never charged with a crime and is in a more prominent position today than he was in 1997. McGrath said his informants identity and life could have been jeopardized if he made that recorded phone call sought by his bosses. McGrath also said the top bureau officials were seeking to circumvent the informants handler, who was unaware of the planned phone call. Internal notes from the DOJs Inspector Generals (OIG) office reviewed by The Epoch Times support McGraths claim. The notes say the informant worked on investigations involving Russian organized crime, and was of such importance to the FBI that, in the early 1980s, FBI Headquarters ordered that this informant was not to be put in position to testify, which would then reveal his identity. While the informant had the freedom to refuse to make the callMcGrath referred to the person as a good citizen informant rather than someone working with the federal government to avoid prosecutionhe also may not have known the risks involved, McGrath said. McGrath said the FBI officials in New York were trying to use him to circumvent the informants relationship with the direct handler in Washington. That would violate FBI guidelines, and can erode trust between informants and their handlers, he said. When the New York officials insisted on using the informant against McGraths wishes, he resigned from the FBI on Dec. 5, 1997. Under the impression that he was avoiding a hornets nest by resigning, McGrath was shocked and angered when the FBI said he went AWOL on the day of his departure. He filed an internal whistleblower complaint in 1998, alleging that the FBIs AWOL designation was retaliation for his resignation. The FBI disputed his allegations until McGraths whistleblower complaint was finally successful in 2007, when the DOJs Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM) found that the FBI incorrectly labeled him AWOLordering the bureau to pay him $13,422 in legal costs and four hours of docked pay. However, the administrative process failed to take any action against the FBI officials. OARM dismissed McGraths other allegations, including that FBI officials gave him negative performance reviews and provided false information to other prospective employers. McGrath has been pursuing his case since then via various lawsuits and appeals to the FBI, DOJ, and Congress for investigationsto little success. U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin struck down his whistleblower lawsuit against the FBI in April 2008, ruling that the law doesnt afford the same whistleblower protections to FBI agents as it does to other government employees. Meanwhile, internal FBI and DOJ personnel have declined to pursue his case over multiple administrations; the whistleblower said he renews his allegations when leadership changes in those agencies. However, in February, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security interviewed McGrath, and on April 6, he signed a consent form for the committee to obtain information about his case from the OIG, according to records he provided The Epoch Times. FBI officials havent responded to a request from The Epoch Times for comment. The World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, wherein the worlds elites come together in their private jets in order to mingle, plan out the future, and also (ironically) lay the groundwork for reducing the worlds carbon footprint. Because they meet in the city of Davos, back in the year 2004, this gave rise to a certain termspecifically, the Davos Man. Sam Huntington of the National Interest coined the term Davos Man and described this new cosmopolitan class of elitists. And indeed, for the past 51 years, these global elites, with most of them being non-elected individuals, gather in semi-secrecy in order to decide policies that they want to see implemented on a global level. And given the fact that these global elites are in control of the levers of power in their respective societies, they are in the position to implement what they want. 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 Brookings Institution President John R. Allen waits to speak at a forum during the 2018 IMF/World Bank spring meetings in Washington, on April 20, 2018. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Brookings Institute President Placed on Leave After FBI Affidavit Accidentally Released Retired 4-star general alleged to have urged Qatar to use US Air Force base as leverage to exert influence over the US government, new documents reveal News Analysis A newly released FBI affidavit implicates the president of the Brookings Institution, retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, in an alleged backchannel effort in 2017 to lobby then-Trump administration national security adviser H.R. McMaster, as well as other U.S. government officials, on behalf of the government of Qatar. Allen is alleged to have made false statements and concealed documents from the FBI in connection with his lobbying efforts. He has been put on leave by Brookings, whose website states: As of June 8, 2022, John R. Allen is on leave from the Brookings Institution. The FBI affidavit, which was apparently filed in error, was subsequently removed from the courts docket. A copy was shared online (pdf) on June 9 by The New York Times. The inadvertent disclosure comes as part of a related case brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Richard Olson, a former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates in the Obama administration. Olson was criminally charged in April for his alleged role in the lobbying campaign. Late last month, Olsons lawyers complained to the judge assigned in the case that Allen, who they claimed was part of the same lobbying operation, hadnt been charged with any crime. Olson had been cooperating with the FBI under a limited use immunity agreement since October 2020. The agreement precludes the government from directly using Olsons statements to investigators against him. The newly disclosed affidavit dates to April and is attached to a search warrant application. The warrant sought data stored on Apples iCloud associated with Olson, Allen, and one other alleged partner in their lobbying scheme, Imaad Zuberi, an American businessman. In 2021, Zuberi was sentenced to 12 years in prison in connection with illegally lobbying high-level U.S. government officials in a number of cases dating back to at least 2014. The affidavit sets out a complex scheme that began when the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states cut ties with Qatar on June 5, 2017, citing Qatars alleged support for Iran and terrorism. As part of their efforts, Gulf states also closed sea lanes and air traffic to Qatar. The next day, President Donald Trump posted on Twitter his support for the Gulf states move against Qatar: During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar look! The affidavit alleges that Olson, Allen, Zuberi, and Ahmed Al-Rumaihi, a high-ranking Qatari government official for whom Zuberi worked, set out to convince the United States to intervene, defuse the possibility of sanctions, and negotiate a resolution favorable to Qatar. At first, the lobbying efforts appeared to be above board. On June 6, Zuberi and Olson met with Rumaihi and an attorney at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., to discuss their campaign. According to Martin Van Valkenburg, a Zuberi associate who is now cooperating with the FBI, the plan was for the attorney to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and coordinate the lobbying efforts with Rumaihi. However, Olson and Zuberi had at the same time also allegedly initiated a behind-the-scenes backchannel effort involving Allen. According to the affidavit, on the evening of June 6, Olson introduced Allen to Zuberi via email. They spoke on the phone the next morning and later met for lunch, again at the Willard Hotel. According to Van Valkenburg, Allen suggested writing op-eds in support of Qatar. He offered to find authors and said that he would consider writing op-eds personally. The next day, June 7, Allen allegedly told Olson that he needed to have a chat about numbers in connection with his assistance. Allen suggested traveling to Doha, Qatar, for a speaking engagement that could be used as a pretext for getting paid for his help in the lobbying effort. What we can do is call and treat my visit to Doha over the weekend as a speaking engagement, which Ive done before, for which Id be compensated at my standard rate. Then we can work out the fuller arrangement of a longer-term relationship over the weekend, Allen wrote in an email. Zuberi agreed to pay Allen a speaking engagement fee of $20,000. Notably, Allens email states that he had used the same speaking engagement pretext before. It isnt clear from the affidavit whether the FBI is looking into any previous instances involving Allen being paid for lobbying activities under potentially false pretenses. On June 8, Olson, Allen, Zuberi, and Rumaihi met in Washington. According to Van Valkenburg, it was at this meeting that Rumaihi requested an official statement from the U.S. government asking for de-escalation. The next morning, June 9, Allen emailed McMaster and requested that the White House or State Department issue a statement calling on all sides to seek a peaceful resolution to this crisis [and to act with restraint]. Allen told McMaster that he was close to the Qataris and that he was merely relaying their request. Allen didnt mention the nature of his involvement, the other participants, nor that he was being paid for his efforts. According to the affidavit, McMaster has since given a statement to the FBI confirming that Allen concealed this information. That same afternoon, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a public statement shifting away from Trumps tweet and earlier White House statements. Tillerson not only called for the de-escalation as Rumaihi has requested but also called on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt to ease the blockade against Qatar. On June 10, Olson, Allen, and Zuberi traveled to Qatar where they met the emir, the emirs brother, the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister, and other senior Qatari officials. According to notes which Olson handed to the FBI as part of his immunity agreement, the discussion centered on how to convince the Trump Administration to help Qatar with respect to the diplomatic crisis. According to the affidavit, Allen and Olson also conveyed to the emir that while they were private citizens, they had connections with Trump Administration officials that placed them in a position to help Qatar. They specifically named McMaster, Tillerson, former Defense Secretary James Mathis, and former Secretary for Homeland Security John Kelly. Olsons notes of the meeting also state that Allen and Olson told the emir that they could mold the opinions of U.S. officials, through McMaster. They further allegedly suggested that the Qatari government use the United States Al-Udeid Air Force base in Qatar as leverage to exert influence over the U.S. government. Afterward, Allen and Olson met with the Qatari Minister of Defense, with Allen allegedly advising the minister to use the full spectrum of info ops. black and white to control the narrative. Black ops are covert operations by government operatives carried out in a way that conceals their involvement. On June 11, McMaster replied to Allen by email: We received the message and have sent private communications that calls for restraint and a rapid end to the crisis/relaxation of the blockade. I look forward to hearing your advice. After his return to Washington, Allen spoke to McMaster by phone on June 15; the affidavit doesnt state what was discussed on the call. Later that same day, Olson, Allen, and Zuberi met with the emirs brother at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington. According to Olson, Allen told the emirs brother that he had briefed McMaster and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The next morning Allen emailed McMaster requesting that McMaster meet with the emirs brother and the Foreign Minister of Qatar. In a same-day email, Zuberi complained that the emirs brother had apparently made a similar request through official diplomatic channels. He is stupid to have the Qatari Embassy in Washington make the request when General Allen said he will handle it. At this point, Allen apparently became concerned about using email to communicate and suggested that the group switch to the WhatsApp messaging service. Allen also noted that he wouldnt be able to personally attend any White House meetings but that McMaster would brief him afterward. Having not heard from McMaster, Allen followed up on June 23. McMaster replied on June 25, telling Allen that Tillerson was taking the lead with respect to the Qatar crisis. Allen conveyed the news to Olson and Zuberi: I wish this was better news. On June 27, Tillerson met with the Qatari foreign minister, apparently without McMaster. Allens role wasnt limited to lobbying the Trump administration. According to the affidavit, on June 7 and 13, Zuberi personally conveyed Qatars standpoint to Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), the former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. After the meetings, Zuberi reported back to Allen and Olson. Then, on June 16, Allen met with an unknown member of Congress at the Cosmos Club in Washington, and on June 28, Allen and his group met a number of members of Congress to discuss the situation in Qatar, the USs response, according to the affidavit. Members of Congress who were scheduled to attend included Reps. Royce, Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.), Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), and Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.). Royce, Wilson, and Lieu have since confirmed that they attended the meeting. The FBI affidavit raises many questions pertaining to issues such as McMasters role or why Tillerson suddenly changed course. However, the issue that stands out most prominently is the one that Olsons lawyers raised: Why has Allen not been charged with FARA violations despite the documentary evidence produced in the FBIs affidavit? In a similar case, the DOJ recently declined to prosecute Blue Star Strategies for failing to disclose its work for a foreign principal under FARA. Blue Star had lobbied U.S. government officials (pdf) on behalf of Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company that employed Hunter Biden. Blue Star is run by Bill Clintons former deputy chief of staff Karen Tramontano. The Brookings Institution didnt respond to a request for comment. This picture shows a conveyor bridge dumping soil and sand removed at another area of the mine in the town of Singleton, in Newcastle, Australia, on Nov. 5, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Fearing Looming Bubble, State Treasurers Square Up Against ESGs Invisible Fist Environmental, social, and governance ratings batter states, choke off capital from fossil fuel industry State treasurers spoke out against the imposition of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scoring on public money in a June 8 press conference, with one official comparing it to the social-justice-driven push for universal homeownership that helped trigger the Great Recession. I would be very concerned about investing in green energy right now, Utah State Treasurer Marlo Oaks, said in response to a question from The Epoch Times. He didnt rule out the possibility of an ESG bubble similar to the housing one that burst during the late 2000san event that drove the nations worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. That bubble was inflated, in part, by two government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Beginning in earnest with the Clinton administrations 1995 National Homeownership Strategy, which committed to expanding creative financing for home buyers, the firms continually reduced the requirements for loans. By 2006, 43 percent of first-time homebuyers put down no deposit, according to a study from the National Association of Realtors. In contrast to the invisible handAdam Smiths metaphor for the operation of the free marketOaks sees ESG as an invisible fist. Oaks was one signatory to an April 21 letter from Utahs governor, senators, congressional representatives, and other public officials in response to S&P Globals issuance of ESG ratings for U.S. states and territories. Considering recent global events, the current economic situation in the United States, and the unreliability and inherently political nature of ESG factors in investment decisions, we view this newfound focus on ESG as politicizing the ratings process, the letter reads. It is deeply counterproductive, misleading, potentially damaging to the entities being rated, and possibly illegal. Idaho officials sent a similar letter to S&P Global on May 18. They echoed the Utah letters concerns with the firms scoring of U.S. energy companies relative to some of their foreign counterparts. For example, Chinas state-owned Sinopec earned a 41 from S&P Global. ExxonMobil Corp., by contrast, received a 36, while Chevron Corp. received a 39. Sinopecs sub-scores on both social and governance and economic factors were significantly higher than the industry mean. The results raise questions about the rankings reliability in light of the use of forced labor in China, as well as the Chinese Communist Partys heavy influence over corporate governance in the country. In an analysis of executive-level shake-ups in Chinas oil industry during 2011, experts from the Brookings Institution and Ian Bremmers Eurasia Group stated that the movement of leaders from one company to another is a blatant reminder of the CCPs control over Chinas flagship firms. Another speaker at the June 8 press conference, West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore, made headlines in January when the state divested from Blackrock over its ESG practices. In West Virginia, were an energy state. We produce coal, gas, and oiland this ESG movement in its current form is really an existential threat to our jobs, our economy, and our tax revenue, Moore told reporters. A law passed by the West Virginia Senate on March 12 will exclude financial institutions from competitive bidding with the state if theyre boycotting fossil fuel companies. Financial institutions slated for inclusion on West Virginias contracting blacklist will be sent letters, allowing them to appeal the decision. The full list will be published 30 days later. Moore told reporters that those initial letters would likely be sent out at the end of that week. Six companies received such a letter on June 10, including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, U.S. Bancorp, and Wells Fargo. He also suggested that ESG scoring could soon be incorporated into individuals credit scoresfor example, through favorable mortgage rates for people who put solar panels on their homes. In a follow-up interview with The Epoch Times on June 8, Moore cited a presentation from J. Michael Evans, president of Chinas Alibaba Group, to the World Economic Forum. Evans said his company is developing an individualized carbon footprint tracker, which he claimed would let consumers measure their travel, food consumption, and more. Youre going to come to a very logical conclusion if we continue down this path, Moore told The Epoch Times. He agreed that the economy could be facing an ESG bubble and argued that coal prices could be an indicatorthe international benchmark for a tonne of coal shot up from less than $50 in September 2020 to roughly $400 on June 8. The coal producers are booked out through 2023. They cant produce any more than they are right now, Moore said. Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball also addressed reporters at the June 8 press conference, arguing that the application of ESG could violate her states laws. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron agrees. In a May 26 opinion prompted by an inquiry from Ball, officials from Camerons office concurred that ESG asset management practices run afoul of Kentucky law. This isnt really about profitability. Its not about retirement security. Its not about your investments. Its about political activism. And theyre doing it in a way that they could not do through the democratic process, Ball told reporters. Oaks said, ESG today is misallocating capital, in that its not providing capital where it is desperately needed, in the traditional energy spaceand its leading to higher gas prices. Left-wing activists and financiers have celebrated the movement of investments from the hydrocarbon sector, arguing that pressure in that direction is both ethically and financially sound. Getting lenders to choke off money to fossil fuel companies is the next needed move for the industry to address the material risks that the coal, oil and gas industry faces, said Green Century Capital Managements Leslie Samuelrich, as quoted in a February 2021 CNBC article. In a February 2021 article for Forbes, The Case for Fossil Fuel Divestment, David Carlin wrote, Fossil fuel mining, exploration, and extraction all are capital intensive activities that demand constant access to capital. If capital costs rise or the supply of capital is reduced, projects can become uneconomical and fossil fuel companies can see their valuations fall. He argued that coal, oil, and natural gas companies may face a grim financial future if their reserves remain untapped as a result of political or financial pressure, suggesting that divestment advocates are making a savvy financial decision. While ESG has trended in a leftward direction, at least one fund appears to offer a more conservative alternative. The exchange-traded fund (ETF) Inspire Investing, which claims to offer Biblically responsible investing in the vein of ESG, has bucked ESG trends by investing in the firearms companies Sturm Ruger & Company and Vista Outdoor, as reported by Bloomberg Law and confirmed by Inspires Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Yet speakers at the June 8 press conference told The Epoch Times that they reject the notion of pushing ESG to the right through state power over public pensions. We just want the politics to come back to a neutral base, said Derek Kreifels, of the State Financial Officers Foundation, noting that the use of public pension funds to advance a political agenda was the big offense with ESG. If you want to invest in some Second Amendment ETF, please feel free to do it. We dont want to be forced to invest in that, Moore said. Robert Netzly, president and CEO of Inspire, told The Epoch Times, We believe that the solution to gun violence is not removing firearms from law-abiding citizens, but strong law enforcement removing criminals from our streets. We believe state pensions should not be forced to invest along any particular ESG guidelines, but should have the freedom to do so if they decide that is in the best interest of their constituents. Representatives for S&P Global and Alibaba Group didnt respond to requests for comment by press time. Police cars behind police tape block a road in downtown Jacksonville in Fla., on Aug. 26, 2018. (Gianrigo Marletta/AFP via Getty Images) Florida 10-Year-Old Accused of Fatally Shooting Woman Fighting With Her Mother A 10-year-old Florida girl has been arrested after police say she retrieved a gun from her mothers backpack and fatally shot a woman during a physical altercation between the two women on Memorial Day. The Orlando Police Department detained the unidentified girl and placed her in custody at the juvenile detention center on Tuesday, the department said in a statement. She has yet to be charged while her mother was arrested and charged with multiple offenses. State Attorney Monique Worrell, who prosecutes cases in Orange County, said in a statement that her office was reviewing the case and will consider the age of the child and surrounding circumstances when making a charging decision for her. This is one of the most tragic cases I have seen in my 22-year career, Worrell said. This shooting is an unimaginable tragedy that defies easy solutions. The girls arrest comes after a rash of mass shootings and a weekend of violence that has re-ignited a national debate over tighter restrictions on gun ownership. On the night of May 30, Lashum Rodgers, 41, was cooking out in celebration of Memorial Day with her boyfriend in the rear of her Orlando apartment building, police said. Lakrisha Isaac, 31, soon arrived with her daughter and began arguing with Rodgers over a recent dispute. After the two women began punching each other, Isaacs daughter reached into her mothers backpack and pulled out a gun, according to a police affidavit. She shot twice, striking Rodgers in the head and killing her, police said. While still holding the firearm, the girl yelled, she shouldnt have hit my momma, Rodgers boyfriend told police. Isaac grabbed the gun and pointed it at the boyfriends chest as he raised his hands. She then fled into the apartment with her daughter. Police arrived and arrested Isaac. The mother has been charged with manslaughter, child neglect, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and aggravated assault with a firearm. By Brendan OBrien Former US Congressman Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud A former U.S. congressman from Philadelphia has pleaded guilty to several election fraud charges, including bribery and falsification of voting records, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Former Rep. Michael Myers (D-Pa.), 79, admitted to bribing an election judge in Philadelphia, Domenick J. Demuro, to illegally add votes for certain individuals, including candidates for federal and state offices. Myers and Demuro, both of whom are Democrats, supported fellow Democratic candidates. Myers would receive payments from the candidates by cash or check, and send a portion of the funds to Demuro. Demuro was charged separately and pleaded guilty in May 2020. The judge of elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia would then add fraudulent votes for Myerss clients. At Myerss direction, Demuro would add these fraudulent votes to the totals during Election Day, and then would later falsely certify that the voting machine results were accurate, the DOJ said in a statement. The fraud took place during elections starting in 2014 and going through 2018, authorities said. Myers also admitted to conspiring to commit fraud with Marie Beren, a judge of elections for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in Philadelphia. Myers acknowledged directing Beren to add votes to candidates he supported, including candidates for judicial office who had hired Myers. Demuro pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiring to deprive people of civil rights and using interstate facilities in aid of bribery. Demuro was supposed to be sentenced on June 30, 2020, but sentencing has repeatedly been postponed. Its currently scheduled for June 14. Beren, another Democrat, pleaded guilty in 2021. The charges to which she pleaded guilty werent clear because the details are sealed. Beren was set to be sentenced on Feb. 15 but the hearing was postponed until Aug. 16. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. If even one vote has been illegally cast or if the integrity of just one election official is compromised, it diminishes faith in process, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Jennifer Williams, a Biden appointee, said in a statement. Votes are not things to be purchased and democracy is not for sale. If you are a political consultant, election official, or work with the polling places in any way, I urge you to do your job honestly and faithfully. That is what the public deserves and what the federal government will enforce. One thing you can say about Ozzie Myers: his values have long been out of whack, added Jacqueline Maguire, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Philadelphia Division. Decades ago, he valued a fake sheiks bribes more than the ethical obligations of his elected federal office. This time around, he valued his clients money and his own whims more than the integrity of multiple elections and the will of Philadelphia voters. Free and fair elections are critical to the health of our democracy, which is why protecting the legitimacy of the electoral process at every level is such a priority for the FBI. Myers entered Congress in late 1976, but was expelled in 1980 after being caught taking bribes in the Abscam sting investigation. He was convicted on charges of bribery and conspiracy and spent several years in prison. Myers is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 27. He faces up to 60 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1.25 million. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) speaks during Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to serve as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court at the Capitol in Washington on Sept. 4, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Grassley, Franken, Nunn Win Iowa Primary Races Seven-term Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) easily won in his race against state Sen. Jim Carlin (R) while Republican state Senator and Air Force veteran Zach Nunn defeated two challengers in the newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District in Iowas June 7 primary. With 30 percent of the precincts reporting at 9:46 p.m. ET, Grassley received more than 74 percent of the vote and was projected as the winner by Decision Desk HQ. Grassley will face retired Navy Adm. Michael Franken, who captured the Democratic primary with 58 percent of the vote compared to 36 percent for 33-year-old former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D). Finkenauer is considered one of the most widely known Democrats in Iowa. She defeated a Republican Congressman in 2018 before losing in 2020. Finkenauer raised $3.7 million compared to Frankens $2.8 million. She gained endorsements from EMILYs List, the League of Conservation Voters, and labor groups. Trouble arose in May when a judge discovered mistakes in Finkenauers nominating petitions, which were brought to light by Republican activists. Her presence on the ballot was in question, but the problem disappeared when the Iowa Supreme Court reversed a lower-court decision saying that she did not qualify. The 64-year-old Franken is a progressive on many issues, but he believes he can ease partisan tensions if he is elected. The 88-year-old Grassley is endorsed by former President Donald Trump and heavily favored to secure his eighth term as a U.S. senator in Iowa. He is the oldest Republican serving in the Senate. Grassley was elected to the House of Representatives in 1975 and won his Senate seat in 1980. Carlin, an attorney, was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2017, succeeding the retiring Ron Jorgensen. Later that year, Carlin was elected to the Iowa Senate, a seat he currently holds. All four of Iowas U.S. House of Representative seats were on the ballot this year, but the most compelling race was in the 3rd Congressional District, where Republicans hope to unseat incumbent two-term Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne. The third district features the only race rated as competitive for the general election in November. Nunn won with more than 69 percent of the vote followed by Hasso at 20 percent and Gary Leffler at 10 percent. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Americans for Prosperity Action backed Nunn, who has served in the Iowa House and the Senate. In a recent debate, Nunn touted how he voted for the most expansive tax cut package in Iowa history. Axne was first elected to the U.S. House in 2018. Two years ago, she prevailed by around 6,200 votes, which was less than 1.5 percentage points. The new congressional map has moved the district to a side that is friendlier to Republicans. The redrawn 3rd District gained nine counties that voted for Trump in 2020. Incumbent Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is also heavily favored to win in November. She was unopposed in the June 7 primary. Chinas zero-COVID policy could push citizens toward more discontent and further escalate tensions with the regime. As long as the economics are good, the [Chinese Communist] Party can kind of get away with being really draconian because people can kind of endure it because living a good life is getting better, right? But if the economy starts going down, if theres a recession, if theres a famine, if theres a lot of shutdowns, thats what I think the Party gets into dangerous territory the zero-COVID policy could be something that could push them into that dangerous territory. At the Western Conservative Summit, I spoke with Dr. Gregory Moore, professor of Global Studies and Politics at the Colorado Christian University. We discussed the state of the U.S.-China relationship, his experiences in China, as well as what to watch for in the second half of 2022 regarding the bilateral relationship. Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow David on Twitter: @DavidZhangEET Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV David on Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@DavidZhangEpochTimes Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV A drone photo showing a group of migrants react as they succeeded to get on an inflatable dinghy, to leave the coast of northern France and to cross the English Channel, in Wimereux near Calais, France, on Dec. 16, 2021. (Pascal Rossignol/Reuters) Group Seeks Injunction to Block Migrant Deportations to Rwanda Next Week A coalition comprised of activist human rights organisations and a union has submitted papers at the High Court in London on Wednesday to get an injunction to halt next weeks planned deportation of asylum seekers from Britain to Rwanda. In April this year, fuelled by record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel on small boats, the British government signed a memorandum of understanding with Rwanda to set up a new procedure for transferring asylum seekers to the east African country, where they can be granted asylum or given access to other routes of settling down. The first flight taking the migrants to Rwanda is expected next week. In a statement, Care4Calais, which delivers emergency aid to refugees in Calais and areas affected by the European migrant crisis, wrote that along with the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Detention Action, they have issued judicial review proceedings at the High Court, challenging the Rwanda plan as unlawful. The PCS is the UK trade union for civil and public servants and private sector workers on government contracts, the sixth-largest in the country. Detention Action is an organisation that challenges immigration detention. We are represented by Duncan Lewis Solicitors. said lawyers had now submitted papers seeking a judicial review of the scheme, and an injunction to block the June 14 flight, wrote Care4Calais. The Rwanda removals policy will be challenged over Home Secretary Priti Patels legal authority to carry out the removals as well as the rationality of the Secretary of States conclusion that Rwanda is generally a safe third country. The adequacy of provision for malaria prevention and whether the plan complies with the Human Rights Act will also be challenged. Care4Calais wrote on Twitter that it has heard that a total of 130 people have been issued with Rwanda notices by the government. We are now working with 100 people in detention who have been told they are going to Rwanda. Seven have been told its imminent and 13 have told by June 14, it wrote. A Home Office spokesperson told The Epoch Times by email that the government fully expects the first flight to go ahead. On May 14, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the government was expecting a lot of legal opposition but will dig in for the fight. Our world-leading Partnership with Rwanda is a key part of our strategy to overhaul the broken asylum system. We have been clear from the start that we expected legal challenges however we are determined to deliver this new partnership, he said. We have now issued formal directions to the first group of people due to be relocated to Rwanda later this month. This marks a critical step towards operationalising the policy, which fully complies with international and national law, he added. Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK, told The Epoch Times by email that he believed that challenges were legal chicanery. This is disgraceful. Lets hope the poor old taxpayer is not having to pay through legal aid for what is little more than a blatant attempt to thwart the enforcement of laws only recently passed. The public will be disgusted by such legal chicanery, said Mehmet. Lily Zhou contributed to this report. On June 7, 2022 local time, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with visiting State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nur-Sultan. Wang Yi first conveyed cordial greetings from President Xi Jinping, congratulating Kazakhstan on the successful holding of a nationwide referendum on amendments to its constitution. Wang Yi said, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Kazakhstan, and is of great significance for both sides to pass on the tradition and forge ahead with the ties. Bilateral relations so far have gone through many storms, made hard-won achievements and realized leapfrog development, demonstrating strong vitality. China, as a friendly neighbor and permanent comprehensive strategic partner for Kazakhstan, firmly supports Kazakhstan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and in implementing the "New Kazakhstan" development strategy. He believes that Kazakhstan will realize lasting peace and prosperity and open up bright prospects for national development. Wang Yi said, the strategic guidance of the heads of state is the political strength and distinctive feature of China-Kazakhstan relations. China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to well implement important consensuses reached by the two heads of state, steadfastly guided by the vision of everlasting friendship, take great care of bilateral relations, and promote cooperation in various fields, so as to push the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership to new levels. Tokayev recalled with pleasure his important and successful meeting with President Xi Jinping in February this year, and asked Wang Yi to convey sincere greetings and best wishes to President Xi Jinping, wishing the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a complete success. Tokayev said, since the establishment of Kazakhstan-China diplomatic ties 30 years ago, bilateral relations have maintained positive momentum, and close exchanges have been made between various departments at different levels. China's support and cooperation play a vital role in Kazakhstan's political security, national stability and economic development. Kazakhstan gives priority to its relations with China in its foreign policy and is committed to constantly enriching the dimensions of bilateral relations. Kazakhstan is willing to strengthen the Belt and Road cooperation, push economic and trade investment to a higher level, and expand cooperation in agriculture, transportation, logistics, energy, tourism, people-to-people exchanges and other fields, so as to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. Tokayev said that Kazakhstan and China share the same stance and common language on major international issues. Kazakhstan speaks highly of China's important influence and constructive role in international affairs and fully agrees with and supports the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. These initiatives, which are very important and timely, will be conducive to bridging the deficit in global peace, governance, trust and development. Kazakhstan also appreciates China's initiative to build four partnerships of solidarity, development, security and civilization with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and is willing to take an active part in it. Wang Yi said, China and Kazakhstan take the lead in the Belt and Road cooperation, which has scored fruitful results. China is ready to strengthen strategic synergy with Kazakhstan, expand cooperation areas, establish a new batch of quality cooperation projects that benefit the two peoples, chart the medium and long-term development plan for economic and trade cooperation, negotiate a new version of the investment protection agreement, increase the throughput of goods at ports, diversify transportation routes, speed up the feasibility study of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor and strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges to consolidate public and social support for the friendship between the two countries. The two sides also exchanged views on Central Asia cooperation and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) cooperation. Wang Yi appreciated the important role Kazakhstan has been playing in preparing for the third China+Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers' meeting, adding that China is ready to jointly build an efficient regional cooperation platform and enhance unity and cooperation between China and Central Asian neighbors. China also supports the Kazakh side in playing its role as CICA chair and successfully hosting the sixth summit of the CICA. Both sides expressed deep concerns about the serious spillover impacts of the Ukraine crisis. Wang Yi stressed, China has played a constructive role in promoting peace talks. Under the current circumstances, the region should be on guard against attempts by forces outside the region to draw regional countries into major power conflicts and force them to take sides. China hopes that Central Asian countries will stand firm, eliminate interference, strengthen coordination, cooperate in good faith and safeguard regional peace and stability. China has never sought geopolitical interests in Central Asia, and never allows non-regional forces to stir up trouble in the region. Tokayev appreciated China's just position, and expressed the willingness to maintain close and timely communication and stay committed to the settlement of disputes through peaceful means. On the same day, Wang Yi held talks with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi and jointly met the press. A woman jogs in a park after sunset in Los Angeles on April 6, 2022. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Heat Wave Bakes Southwest, Temperatures Rise Well Above 100 Degrees A scorching heat wave was expected to blanket the U.S. Southwest beginning on Wednesday and push temperatures over 100 degrees F for the rest of week, leading forecasters to warn residents to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activities. Afternoon temperatures are forecast to soar well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit across southern Texas, Arizona, and up through Central California and into Western Nevada until Sunday evening, the National Weather Service (NWS) said in several advisories. On Wednesday morning, it had already reached 100 degrees in Phoenix and was expected to reach 107 in Las Vegas by the afternoon. It was 106 in both Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley, California at noon. It is not terribly unusual to see this in early to mid June, said Morgan Stessman, a NWS meteorologist based in Las Vegas. If you are thinking about doing outdoor activities, its usually best to try to do them early morning or later in the evening. Local residents walk along an empty street as temperatures reach over 95 degrees F (over 35 degrees C) temperatures in downtown Los Angeles on April 7, 2022. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) The weather service said extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for people working or participating in outdoor activities and those consuming alcohol. Health officials in the Las Vegas and Phoenix metro areas opened cooling stations in anticipation of the hot weather. Stay hydrated and NEVER leave children and pets unattended in vehicles, Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, said in a tweet. Huntington Beach City Council to Vote on Changing Elected Seats to Appointed HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.After a heated outcry from the public, the city council withdrew a motion June 7 to appoint an ad hoc committee that would deliberate behind closed doors and write ballot measures on controversial changes to the citys charter or constitutionincluding changing the elected city attorney, clerk, and treasurer to appointed positions. The city council instead opted to directly vote in two weeks on the amendments that will appear on the November ballot. This comes hours after a charter review committee appointed by the Huntington Beach City Council suggested the controversial amendments to the citys charter at the meeting. The committee also suggested if the city attorney is kept as elected, the position at least has the same term limits as a councilor. The Huntington Beach City Council in Huntington Beach, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) Twenty-four public commenters disagreed with the amendments, including Casey McKeon who was appointed by Peterson to sit on the Charter Review Committee. Some of the commenters said there were more pressing matters the council should address, such as crime rates. Dean Mouren-Laurens said during public comment the people want to retain their right to vote on these positions to ensure we have a check on the power held by the city council. If the city attorneys position changes to appointed, the council could remove current City Attorney Michael Gates and replace him with someone else. Many public commenters reported Gates record has been in support financially of residents interests. Regarding term limits, Councilman Erik Peterson protested limits would decrease application numbers because there would be no professional career for the city attorney. The committee shortly responded the decision is for uniformity for the same reasons there are limits on city councilors. Signs show support for Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates in Huntington Beach, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Julianne Foster/The Epoch Times) The ultimate decision of these amendments would be in the voters hands in the general election if the city council approves them. Huntington Beach is the only city in Orange County that keeps its city attorney an elected position. But large cities like Los Angles and San Francisco also have an elected city attorney. The Charter Review Committee is supposed to meet every 10 years, but according to Mayor Barbara Delgleize, it has not convened in 12 years. The citys charter was established in 1909 and has been amended several times since by the council and voters to reflect the priorities of the community and its government. An ICE agent takes part in an operation in Florida on March 21, 2018. (ICE) ICE Announces It Will Consider Military Service in Deportation Decisions The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday announced it will take into account noncitizen persons U.S. military service when determining whether they should be deported. ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson said in a statement that the agency values the incredible contributions of noncitizens who have served in the U.S. military. Through this directive, ICE will consider U.S. military service by a noncitizen or their immediate family members when determining whether to take civil immigration enforcement decisions against a noncitizen, he said, referring to the new policy, ICE Directive 10039.2 (pdf). ICE said that implementing the new directive is a way to formalize its long-standing attitude toward U.S. military servicewhich refers to service in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard, including their reserves. ICE has long recognized U.S. military service as a mitigating factor that is highly relevant in making case-by-case enforcement decisions, the agency stated. The new directive formalizes this practice as an official agency policy. A noncitizens case is considered based on the totality of the circumstances and the review will account for type of discharge, length of service, and other relevant factors in considering U.S. military service. According to ICE, the new policy would also create requirements for ICE to collect and maintain relevant data related to noncitizen current and former U.S. service members, while appropriately respecting civil liberties and privacy interests. The directive is part of the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative, which was launched in July 2021, when the Department of Veterans Affairs partnered with the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal support for noncitizen service members, Veteran, and their families. Between 2013 and 2018, 250 noncitizen veterans were under deportation threat, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report in 2019. Of those, 92 were ultimately deported. Specifically, ICE policies require agents and officers to document the decision to issue a [notice to appear] to a veteran, but do not require agents and officers to identify and document veteran status when interviewing potentially removable individuals, according to the report. The report also said some agents didnt know they were meant to ask people about prior military service. It said, Further, in December 2018 [Homeland Security Investigations] officials told us that HSI has not been adhering to either the 2004 or the 2015 policies because they were unaware of the policies prior to our review, according to the report. Colonel Priyanto, a mid rank army officer (C), walks in a courtroom before his trial at the local military court in Jakarta, Indonesia on June 7, 2022. (Achmad Ibrahim/AP Photo) Indonesian Army Officer Gets Life Sentence for Double Murder JAKARTA, IndonesiaA middle-rank Indonesian army officer is being stripped of his military title after he was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for murder, joint deprivation of the independence of others, and removing the bodies with the intention of concealment in a case that drew public outcry. Priyanto held the title colonel before his sentencing and dismissal from military service. Two of Priyantos subordinates were with him when their car crashed into two teenagers on a motorcycle in December. Handi Saputra, 17, was riding the motorcycle with his girlfriend Salsabila, 14, in West Java province. During the trial in Indonesias capital Jakarta, Priyanto admitted he had the idea of disposing of the two bodies because he thought the teens had died and werent moving or breathing. However, a number of other witnessesincluding a civilian who helped lift the two victims into Priyantos car at the crime scenesaid Handi was still moving and groaning in pain. Instead of taking him to the hospital, Priyanto ordered his men to put the two victims in the car. Despite the subordinates rejection of his plans, Priyanto decided to throw the bodies into the nearest large river so that the two bodies could drift into the sea in the hope they would be lost or eaten by animals and not found. The two bodies were found by local residents three days later in separate rivers in the neighboring Central Java province. The forensic expert serving as a witness said water was found in Handis respiratory system, showing he was still alive when he was thrown in the river. One of the presiding judges said the case is meant to teach soldiers a lesson in respecting human rights even though they are trained to kill. This punishment is also to provide a deterrent effect for other soldiers, Brig. Gen. Faridah Faisal said Tuesday before reading out the verdict. Both of his subordinates are also on trial regarding the case. Relatives of the victims, in a broadcast by TV ONE, said they accepted the verdict on Priyanto and his punishment. Many Indonesians welcomed the armys retreat from politics after Suhartos often brutal 32-year rule was ended by mass protests in 1998. The changes represented a major break with the past and set the stage for civilian-led reforms to enhance the elected governments control over military institutions and defense policy. Despite a reputation for brutality, the image of Indonesias armed forces has improved since Suhartos departure. By Achmad Ibrahim and Edna Tarigan The exact moment Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd fires his Glock 22 pistol at Ashli Babbitt at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. (JaydenX/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Insufficient Evidence of Excessive Force in Shooting Death of Ashli Babbitt, DOJ Report Says Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd produced no reports on his fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt and refused to give an official statement to investigators, but he agreed to a voluntary debriefing in which he stated if the mob of rioters outside the Speakers Lobby at the Capitol gained entry, it wasnt going to go well. Those details emerged on June 7 from more than 100 pages of records released by Judicial Watch from its 2021 Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Records were released on the Judicial Watch website. Some of the assertions in the report drew immediate fire from Ashli Babbitts husband and a witness to the shooting, who said the document gets a number of things wrong. If they can deem it a good shoot, they should be able to make everything public and explain exactly whyby the bookit was justified, Aaron Babbitt told The Epoch Times. They should not have to be forced to produce half-redacted statements full of contradictory statements. Byrd shot Babbitt as she tried to climb through a broken-out window outside the U.S. House of Representatives Speakers Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021. Ashli Babbitt, 35, of San Diego, was one of four supporters of then-president Donald Trump who died that day at the Capitol. Police Staffing Was Half the Normal Level The report contained several major revelations. Due to COVID-19 and other issues, the normal staffing for a joint session was less than half of what Lt. Byrd usually has assigned to the House Chamber, the report said. Byrd was in charge of Capitol Police operations in the House on Jan. 6. There were no closed-circuit television (CCTV) security cameras that covered the hallway outside the Speakers Lobby, according to the report. Such cameras would have provided an elevated view of the chaos in the crowded area. Byrd had one prior use-of-force matter that was sustained by Capitol Police, the report said, but Byrd appealed and prevailed before the agencys Disciplinary Review Board. After a thorough review of the facts and circumstances in this case there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lt. Byrd violated Ms. McEntees (sic) civil rights by willfully using more force than was reasonably necessary, or was not acting in self-defense or the defense of others, read the undated 14-page document. Although Byrd refused to give a formal statement to investigators, the DOJ concluded that his apparent belief that Babbitt posed an imminent, potentially deadly threat was reasonable. Therefore DOJ officials recommended the U.S. Attorney not pursue charges of homicide, second-degree murder, or involuntary manslaughter in the shooting. The DOJ announced its decision not to charge Byrd on April 14, 2021, in a three-sentence letter to the Metropolitan Police Department, which conducted the internal-affairs investigation of the shooting under an agreement with Capitol Police. Byrd was also cleared by Capitol Police and returned to duty. Just prior to 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 6, Ashli Babbitt began climbing through the side window leading into the Speakers Lobby and was shot in the left anterior shoulder by Lt. Byrd. She was pronounced dead a half-hour later at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Ruled a Homicide The DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the bullet traveled left to right, causing injuries to blood vessels, her trachea, and her right lung, before lodging in the right anterior shoulder area, the report said. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. According to videos from the east side of the Speakers Lobby doors, Byrd had his Glock 22 pistol trained on the entrance before a Virginia man bashed out the side window that Babbitt would attempt to climb through moments later. The shooting capped a wild five-minute period as rioters smashed out three of the four tempered-glass windows while a large group behind them chanted, Break it down! Video shows two of the windows were destroyed by Zachary Alam, who used a black riot helmet to pound the glass. The third window fell out after being attacked with a wooden flagpole wielded by a man prosecutors identified as Chad Barrett Jones of Mount Washington, Kentucky. Ashli Babbitt punched rioter Zachary Alam in the face just before she climbed out a broken window leading to the Speakers Lobby at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Sam Montoya/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) At least five men attacked the doors after three Capitol Police officers who had been guarding the entrance abandoned their post. The doors were barricaded on the other side by furniture. Two of those men remain unidentified and have not been arrested. Prosecutors said Christopher Grider of Eddy, Texas, handed the black helmet to Alam and later tried to push the doors open with his shoulder. Because Ms. McEntee (sic) was an active participant in a mob that had just illegally entered the Capitol building and then broke out the glass doors and removed barricades to forcefully gain entry into the Speakers Lobby, there is insufficient evidence to refute Lt. Byrds fear for his life or the life of others at the time he discharged his weapon, read a justification memo prepared by the DOJ. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he willfully deprived Ms. McEntee of a right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, the report said, referring to Ashli Babbitt by her previous married name. She married Aaron Babbitt in 2019. Byrd never prepared a use-of-force report on the shooting and refused to give a statement to internal-affairs detectives from the DC Metropolitan Police Department, the report said. He did agree to a voluntary debrief and walk-through of the scene with his attorney on January 29, 2021, the report said. Byrd did recall writing a few sentences on an evidence bag the evening of Jan. 6, 2021, at the request of a crime scene officer, a footnote in the report said. To date, the bag has not been located by USCP or MPD. Ashli Babbitt pleads with police to call for backup at the Speakers Lobby doors on Jan. 6, 2021. (Tayler Hansen/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Byrd said after he helped barricade the Speakers Lobby doors with furniture, there was a call over the radio for shots fired on the House floor. That report was later determined to be false. Byrd drew his pistol and took a tactical position behind a wall in the Speakers Lobby, and started yelling at the mob of rioters to get back! the report said. Video shot in the hallway did not pick up any such statements. Byrd Saw Babbitt as a Threat Lt. Byrd then saw a rioter with a backpack on start to climb through one of the broken glass doors, the DOJ report said. Lt. Byrd saw the rioter as a threat, so he stepped forward from his tactical position and fired one round at the rioter. Byrd knew that if the mob of rioters got into the Speakers Lobby, it wasnt going to go well, and he knew that he and the other officers had to do everything they could to stop the rioters from entering the Speakers Lobby, the report said. Ashli Babbitt spent the previous five minutes shouting at protesters to stop vandalizing the doors, contradicting earlier media reports that she participated in the attack on the entrance, according to an analysis of videos shot by three men in the hallway. After Alam punched one of the windows, Ashli Babbitt tried to get in between him and Officer Christopher Lanciano. The video shows she said something to Alam, but he brushed her off. Alam then cranked up his right arm and punched the window behind Lancianos left shoulder. Within a few seconds, Ashli Babbitt blew up at Sgt. Timothy Lively, Officer Kyle Yetter, and Lanciano for allowing the violence and vandalism. Call [expletive] help! Ashli Babbitt shouted, jumping up and down in front of the police. Were allowed to be here! She took a couple of steps back. There was no visible reaction from the police, sparking her anger. Youre a fraud! she shouted. Youre a [expletive] fraud! Youre wrong! Ashli Babbitt continued to shout at Alam and others to stop hitting the doors. When Alam knocked out the northernmost window with the helmet, she advanced, grabbed him and punched him in the nose. She then climbed into the window and was shot. Aaron Babbitt with his wife Ashli, who was killed at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Courtesy Aaron Babbitt) Aaron Babbitt said after watching all the available videos, he believes his wife felt trapped in a chaotic, deteriorating situation and decided the open window was her only means of escape. That conclusion seems to be supported by comments in the report by Sgt. Lively, who said he told his officers to abandon the doors or they were going to get trapped here. Some assertions in the documents released by Judicial Watch are at odds with video evidence in the case. Jason Gandolph of the Office of the House Sergeant at Arms said that he observed Ms. McEntee (sic) participate in breaking the glass to the doors, the report said. Videos from independent journalists Tayler Hansen and Sam Montoya, and activist John Sullivan, show Ashli Babbitt never touched the doors before attempting to climb out the window. Theres zero evidence from three different angles that Ashli broke any glass, Aaron Babbitt told The Epoch Times. She was behind the bad actors the whole time. Gandolph said, the demonstrators were unruly, and the USCP officers were unsuccessful in stopping the demonstrators from proceeding to the doorway that led into the Speakers Lobby, according to the report. Cellphone video shot by Hansen shows he and Babbitt were the first people to approach the officers in the hallway. Hansen commented on the heavy coating of fire retardant sprayed on the officers earlier in the day. He then offered them bottled water, the video shows. The officers did not make any move to keep crowds out of the hallway. The report claims Officer Lanciano shoved Babbitt back when she was in the front of the group. None of the three videos reviewed by The Epoch Times shows police contact with Ashli Babbitt. Hansen said the errors in the report brought him to tears. He called the report the definition of a government coverup. She didnt touch a single door once. She didnt touch a single window, Hansen told The Epoch Times. She wasnt violent, except hitting Alam in the face to try and get him to stop breaking the windows, which I will classify as the right thing to do. The thing that choked me up and got me was they lied about the officer immediately rendering aid, when Ashli is clearly lying there choking on her own blood for a minute before anyone is touching her. We were the ones that had to render aid. IRS Warns American Taxpayers to Remain Vigilant to Ongoing COVID-19 Fraud The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) warned American taxpayers on Monday that scammers are still using the COVID-19 pandemic stimulus funds to steal peoples money and identity, and called on taxpayers to stay vigilant to such criminal activities. In a bulletin, the IRS said that criminals are using stimulus payments, or economic impact payments (EIPs), as well as unemployment information and fake job offers to gain access to peoples personal information and then using this to file tax returns, among other things. Scammers continue using the pandemic as a device to scare or confuse potential victims into handing over their hard-earned money or personal information, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a bulletin. I urge everyone to be leery of suspicious calls, texts, and emails promising benefits that dont exist. The IRS said that American taxpayers should treat any type of communicationincluding text messages or phone calls that ask for bank account information or request that the individual click a link or verify dataas suspicious and delete it without opening it. That applies not just to stimulus payments, but to tax refunds and other common issues, the government service said while reminding taxpayers that the IRS does not contact anyone by phone, email, text, or social media asking for social security numbers or other personal or financial information related to stimulus payments. Caution and awareness are our best lines of defense against these criminals, Rettig added. Everyone should verify information on a trusted government website, such as IRS.gov. The warning comes after a watchdog report in March found that the IRS had granted more than 1 million payments to potentially ineligible people, including those who arent U.S. residents, totaling more than $1.8 billion. It also paid roughly $64 million in stimulus checks to deceased individuals, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (pdf). In that same month, the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) said it had uncovered $1.8 billion in fraudulent activity related to COVID stimulus funds. Elsewhere on Monday, the IRS urged Americans to be vigilant to unemployment fraud scams in which criminals are using stolen information to file for jobless benefits in the victims name after stealing their information. Taxpayers should also be on the lookout for a Form 1099-G reporting unemployment compensation they didnt receive. For people in this situation, the IRS urges them to contact their appropriate state agency for a corrected form, the IRS said. The IRS has issued all stimulus payments and most eligible Americans have already received the checks, according to the IRS. Americans who have missed a stimulus payment or got less than the full amount may be eligible to claim a recovery rebate credit on their 2020 or 2021 federal tax return. Officials also warned that fake charities are also an issue and scams using them tend to pose more of a threat during times of a national crisis, like the pandemic. They warned donators to do their research and make sure that the charity is registered and official before giving them money. Is the West Slipping Away From China? COVID, war, abusive policies, and rising costs are pulling the West away Commentary As the old saying has it, nothing lasts forever. This truth is beginning to dawn in China. Rising costs, abusive policies, and, more recently, COVID-19 and war sanctions have prompted Japan and the West to rethink Chinas exposure. Money is flowing elsewhere. Beijing would have to change much to bring back the former flood of money and interest. All the commentary from both American and European sources speaks to an anti-Chinese leaning. In the United States, Congress seems set to pass legislation that would limit investing in China and especially sourcing there. This legislation is probably behind the curve. Long before, businesses almost universally expressed concerns about future relationships in the Middle Kingdom. Joerg Wuttke, president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China, sums up the general attitude of both American and European business when he says, China is losing credibility as a best-source location. All have made clear that former supply chain arrangements must change. Few are ready yet to pull operations out of China. Still, just about everyone seems willing to shift new investment elsewhere, either to other emerging economies in Asia or to bring it home. The most powerful proximate causes of this new approach are the lockdowns and quarantines that grow out of Beijings zero-COVID policies. Beijings rigid insistence has made both production in China difficult and expensive, especially shipping, either within the country or for export. A recent survey conducted by Wuttkes group indicates that some 60 percent of Western interests in China expect a revenue decline this year. About half complain that Beijings policies have severely interrupted shipments of either critical inputs or finished products. Some 77 percent of these businesses have concluded that Beijings behavior on COVID alone has made China either slightly or significantly less attractive as an investment destination. One might think that the war in Ukraine would benefit China by making places like Eastern Europe comparatively less attractive. Some 39 percent of the businesses surveyed agreed that the war and sanctions made China slightly or significantly more attractive as an investment destination. But some 32 percent say just the opposite, noting political uncertainties. On balance, then, it looks as though the war is neither a help nor a hindrance for China, at least in this regard. Nor are headline issues all that lie behind the decision to turn away from China. On top of these more fundamental considerations is Beijings less than an honest approach to patents and copyrights. Foreign business in China, wherever it is headquartered, has long complained about Beijings insistence that foreign firms doing business there have a Chinese partner with whom they must share technologies and trade secrets. These foreign interests have also complained of outright theft by Chinese agents. Most have looked to their governments for remedies. These governments have failed them. Hope on this front rose in January 2020 when Beijing signed the phase one trade agreement with the Trump White House. In that document, Beijing promised to streamline procedures for foreign firms to file complaints against patents and other such abuses. But it has since become clear that Beijing had no intention of living up to that commitment. Indeed, a Chinese court has recently determined that Chinese firms cannot be sued on such matters. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He hold up signed agreements of phase 1 of a trade deal between the United States and China, in the East Room at the White House in Washington on Jan. 15, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Beijing has acted abusively in other ways as well. Most recently, it has threatened to refuse contracted shipments of rare earth elements to the United States and others over relatively minor diplomatic matters. It did the same with Japan some years ago. In the past, Beijing also has abruptly altered trade policies, sometimes in response to only transitory problems. Such arbitrary moves have inflicted considerable harm on trading partners. Beijing, for example, slapped huge tariffs on Australian trade simply because Canberra asked questions about the origin of COVID. Often the imposition of such punitive policies passes quickly but not always. However, even when the pain is short-lived, it dissuades others from continuing relationships with China. At the most fundamental level are wages and costs. One of the great attractions for foreign investing in China has been access to a disciplined and inexpensive workforce. In recent years, however, that picture has begun to change. Chinese wages are outpacing those in most of the rest of the world. Between 2011 and 2021, for example, Chinese wages on average rose about 10.5 percent a year, more than double the rates of wage gains in the United States and Europe and faster than most other Asian countries. To be sure, Western and Japanese labor costs still exceed Chinas, but the gap is no longer as vast as it once was, and it is closing rapidly. Relative to other Asian economies, China has already lost much of its low-cost appeal. Vietnam has long since lured away from China much of the manufacture of inexpensive shoes and clothing for export to Europe and America. COVID has slowed wage growth in China, but that will not last, and, in the meantime, the lockdowns have increased shipping costs. This combination of influences may not yet have reached a point where Western and Japanese business severs existing Chinese arrangements. But as the survey respondents have made clear, these realities have prompted foreign business to shift its new investment efforts elsewhere to less expensive and less troublesome venues. It might seem from this description that China will stabilize its position, something that might give comfort to the countrys leadership in Beijing. Such a conclusion, however, would mistake the nature of business. The focus of any business follows the new investment. Even if there is no pullout from China, the trends described here will tend to reduce that economys footprint in global trade and business. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Italian Police Seek Pakistanis Tied to 2020 Attack in Paris MILANAuthorities in the northwestern Italian port city of Genoa on Tuesday were executing arrest warrants on 14 Pakistani citizens linked to the man who stabbed two people in September 2020 outside the former offices in Paris of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine. The suspects are accused of criminal association with an international terror group, and are suspected of belonging to a terror cell called Gabar Group with direct links to the attacker, Pakistani-born Zaher Hassan Mahmood, anti-terrorism investigators said in a statement. Mahmood, now 27 and in French custody, told investigators that he acted out of anger over caricatures of the founder of Islam that had been recently republished by the weekly paper. Two people were seriously wounded in the stabbing, which took place outside the newspapers former offices where terrorists killed 12 people in January 2015. Visitors, wearing masks following the COVID-19 outbreak, explore the wooden torii gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha shinto shrine in Kyoto, Japan, on March 13, 2020. (Edgard Garrido/Reuters) Japan to Open to Tourists After 2 Years but Only With Masks, Insurance, Guides TOKYOForeign tourists visiting Japan will be required to wear masks, take out private medical insurance and be chaperoned throughout their stay, the government said on Tuesday, as it plans a gradual opening from two years of COVID-19 restrictions. Only visitors on package tours will be allowed in during the first phase of reopening, from June 10, the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) said, adding that travel agency guides accompanying visitors will have to ensure they wear their masks. Tour guides should frequently remind tour participants of necessary infection prevention measures, including wearing and removing masks, at each stage of the tour, the JTA said in its guidelines. Even outdoors, the wearing of masks should continue in situations where people are conversing in close proximity. Japan has imposed some of the strictest border controls in the world over the course of the pandemic, banning the entry of almost all non-residents. As most of the rest of the world opens up from COVID lockdowns, Japan is also relaxing its rules. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has pledged to bring border measures into line with other wealthy nations. The government has recently begun relaxing mask guidance for the general public although the coverings are ubiquitous. Wearing masks to prevent the spread of germs and fend off pollen was common in Japan before the coronavirus pandemic. Japan conducted test tours of groups of about 50 people last month, most of them travel agents, but one of the participants tested positive for COVID. James Jang, a travel agent from Australia who took part in one of the test tours, said the rules would likely put some people off for now. Clients will be OK with wearing a mask indoors but wearing them 24 hours is a hassle, Jang told Reuters. The cost of having a guide at all times may deter clients until later when they have more flexibility. In 2019, Japan hosted 31.9 million foreign visitors, who spent 4.81 trillion yen ($36.28 billion). ($1 = 132.5700 yen) By Maki Shiraki and Rocky Swift (Left) Actress Amber Heard arrives at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 26, 2022. (Michael Reynolds/Pool/AFP via Getty Images); (Right) Actor Johnny Depp leaves the courtroom at the end of the day of his defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 25, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Johnny Depps Lawyers Say Verdict Against Amber Heard Was Never About the Money Lawyers for Johnny Depp signaled that the actor may not collect payment from ex-wife Amber Heard after a jury mostly sided with the Pirates of the Caribbean star in his defamation lawsuit against Heard. You all have said the goal is not to impoverish Ms. Heard. Is it possible we could see a settlement where she forgoes the appeal, in return for Mr. Depp waiving any monetary damages? asked ABC host George Stephanopoulos. We obviously cant disclose attorney-client communications, but as Mr. Depp testified this was never about money for Mr. Depp, one of Depps attorneys, Ben Chew, told Good Morning America in response. This was about restoring his reputationand hes done that, Chew said, without elaborating more. It was a total win for Johnny, he added in the interview, which aired on Wednesday morning. Depp, 58, won all three defamation claims in his case against Heard, 36, and was awarded $15 million by a Virginia jury. Heard was also awarded $2 million in damages against Depp in a countersuit. Heards lawyer Elaine Bredehoft told the Today show last week that her client would absolutely not be able to pay the millions owed to debt. The lawyer also said Heard is planning to appeal the verdict. In response to the appeal, Chew said that it was very disappointing to hear that, and to hear [Bredehoft] impugn the character of the jury the evidence came in that should come in, and the judge was very particular to both sides. A spokesperson for Heard issued a statement before Chew and fellow Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez appeared on the ABC program. It is as unseemly as it is unprofessional that Johnny Depps legal team has chosen to do a victory lap for setting back decades of how women can be treated in the courtroom. Whats next? A movie deal and merchandising? the spokesperson told People magazine Wednesday. After the verdict, Heard claimed that it sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated and allegedly sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously. I believe Johnnys attorneys succeeded in getting the jury to overlook the key issue of Freedom of Speech and ignore evidence that was so conclusive that we won in the U.K., Heard also remarked. In another recent interview, Chew suggested that Depps defamation lawsuit was more about restoring his reputation after Heard made public accusations against him during their divorce in 2016 and alleged that he was abusive during their short marriage. Both Depp and Heard took the stand during the trial, which drew tens of millions of viewers via livestreams. Johnny owned his issues. He was very candid about his alcohol and drug issues. He was candid about some unfortunate texts that he wrote, the attorney told NBC News. And I think it was a sharp contrast to Ms. Heard who didnt take accountability for anything. Douglas K. Uhde in a photo provided by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections on March 17, 2020. (Wisconsin Department of Corrections via AP) Man Accused of Killing Wisconsin Judge Dies in Hospital MADISON, Wis.A man accused of fatally shooting a retired Wisconsin judge and who had a list that included prominent national political figures died in a hospital, a state official said Tuesday. Douglas Uhde, 56, shot former Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer in Roemers home in New Lisbon on Friday before shooting himself, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he had been on life support. Wisconsin Department of Justice spokeswoman Gillian Drummond confirmed Uhdes death. The agency said that Uhde was declared brain-dead on Saturday morning and his body remained on life support until Tuesday morning to allow for organ donation. Uhde had an extensive criminal and prison record dating back at least two decades, including a case when he was sentenced by Roemer to six years in prison on weapons charges. He was released from his last prison stint in April 2020. Uhde had a list of potential targets in his vehicle that included Roemer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Whitmers office, and the law enforcement source said. Its unclear how Uhde obtained a gun. Drummond said the Wiscconsin Justice Department is still investigating that aspect of the case. By Todd Richmond Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the third day of his confirmation hearing to serve as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court at the Capitol on Sept. 6, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Man Arrested Near Home of Supreme Court Justice Had Gun, Wanted to Kill: Officials GREENBELT, Md.The California man accused of attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh made his first court appearance on June 8 in federal court. Nicholas John Roske, 26, appeared in court hours after being arrested with a Glock 17 pistol and a tactical knife in Chevy Chase, Maryland, near where Kavanaugh and his family reside, according to court documents obtained by The Epoch Times. Roske was arraigned inside the federal courthouse in Greenbelt on a charge of attempted murder or threatening to murder a justice, which could land him 20 years in prison. Roske walked in unrestrained and unmasked, wearing a long-sleeve dark shirt and black pants. He was accompanied by four U.S. Marshals. One fetched him a blue surgical mask, which he accepted and donned without protest. Masks are still required in the courthouse. Asked if he understood the charge against him, Roske said: I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldnt say Im thinking clearly. He said he was on medications prescribed by a doctor, without naming them. During the hearing, Roske repeatedly conferred with his lawyer, a public defender, after being asked questions by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan. The hearing ended with Roske remaining in custody, although his lawyer indicated there may be an attempt for pretrial release at a later date. According to charging documents, Roske told law enforcement officers following his arrest that he was upset about the recent leak of a Supreme Court draft decision indicating that the nations top court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, as well as the May 24 shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. ROSKE indicated that he believed the Justice that he intended to kill would side with Second Amendment decisions that would loosen gun control laws, reads an affidavit filed in court by an FBI agent. ROSKE stated that he began thinking about how to give his life a purpose and decided that he would kill the Supreme Court Justice after finding the Justices Montgomery County address on the Internet. Ruth Sent Us, an activist group, published the addresses of Kavanaugh and some other justices online after the draft opinion was leaked in early May. Roske purchased the pistol and other items, including a tactical chest rig, with the intention of breaking into Kavanaughs residence and killing the justice as well as himself, authorities said. Roske was also found to have zip ties, pepper spray, a hammer, a screwdriver, a crow bar, and duct tape with him. U.S. Marshals patrol outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in Chevy Chase, Md., on June 8, 2022. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo) At approximately 1:05 a.m. on June 8, two U.S. deputy marshals spotted a person dressed in black clothing, carrying a backpack and a suitcase, exiting a taxi that had stopped in front of Kavanaughs home. Deputies and other authorities are providing around-the-clock security at the homes of all nine justices following the leak of the draft opinion. Apparently deterred by the visible law enforcement presence, the individual, later identified as Roske, walked away from the home. A short time later, he called 911 and said he was having suicidal thoughts. He also revealed that he had a gun in his suitcase and that he had traveled from California to kill a Supreme Court justice, according to charging documents. Montgomery County police officers were called and rushed to the scene, where they encountered Roske. He was still on the phone. He was arrested without incident. Officers took Roske to the nearby police station in Bethesda, Maryland, a spokesperson for the police told The Epoch Times. The FBI took over the case. A spokesperson for the Supreme Court said a man was arrested near Kavanaughs home and that the man was armed and made threats against Justice Kavanaugh. Roske was charged with a violation of federal law that prohibits assaulting, kidnapping, murdering, or attempting to kidnap, murder, or assault judges or immediate family members of judges. A 26-year-old California man accused of attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh appeared in federal court on June 8. A former Democratic U.S. Congressman has pleaded guilty to several election fraud charges, including bribery and falsification of voting records. * 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 Mask Rules Relaxed in Englands Health Care Settings The national requirement of universal mask-wearing in health care settings has been dropped in England under new official guidance. Hospitals and GPs can now make their own policies, with some having already taken down signs that told patients to wear masks on entry and others calling on patients and staff to continue to wear masks and face coverings on their sites. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ended most of its mask-wearing requirement from Tuesday, with exceptions including in oncology and haematology areas, COVID-19 cohort areas, and any wards with COVID-19 outbreaks. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The rule change came after the UK Health Security Agency published new COVID-19 guidance for health and care professionals on May 27. In a letter (pdf) highlighting the new guidance, NHS England told local health bodies nonpharmaceutical interventions such as mask wearing and enhanced ventilation may be used, depending on local prevalence and risk assessment, in order to reduce CCP virus transmission. Staff are told they should continue to wear masks when working in COVID-19 or other respiratory care pathways, and when clinically caring for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. But when in non-clinical areas such as offices, theyre generally not required to wear masks. According to the letter, inpatients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should wear a mask when they are in multi-bedded bays or communal areas, but only if it can be tolerated by the patient and is deemed safe for the patient. These inpatients are also encouraged to wear a mask when being transferred, along with outpatients with respiratory symptoms if they can tolerate it. Universal masking rules are subject to local risk assessment, and should be considered in settings where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression, NHS England said. In other settings such as the emergency department, patients, families, and other visitors are not routinely required to wear a facemask unless this is a personal preference, although they may be encouraged to do so following a local risk assessment. NHS England said the CCP virus pandemic and the relative infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health care settings continue to have an impact on their capacity and flow, with numbers of COVID-19 patients still elevated and some additional measures still in place. Hospitals are told they should start reverting to their own pre-pandemic IPC policies while acknowledging it may involve a period of transition. McConnell: House Democrats Must Pass Security for Supreme Court Justices After Arrest Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday urged House Democrats to pass a bill to improve the security around U.S. Supreme Court justices after an armed man was arrested outside Justice Brett Kavanaughs home. House Democrats must pass this bill and they need to do it today, McConnell said on the floor of the Senate. Nicholas John Roske was arrested with a pistol, a knife, and other items on Wednesday morning in Montgomery County, Maryland, near where Kavanaugh and his family live, according to court documents obtained by The Epoch Times. According to the documents, he told law enforcement officials that he was angry over last months leak suggesting the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, a landmark case that allowed women to obtain abortions. Roske also said he believed that Kavanaugh would side with other justices on Second Amendment decisions that would loosen gun control laws, the court documents said. A man in his mid-twenties was stopped near the house of a Supreme Court Justice carrying a weapon and burglary tools, said McConnell. He reportedly told police he intended to murder the Justice. Reportedly, he indicated he was angry at the decision he thinks the Court may reach in an upcoming case in light of the unconscionable leak from a few weeks back. This is where we are, McConnell said. This is where we are, Mr. President. If these reports are correct: an assassination attempt against a sitting Justice or something close to it. The Republican Senate leader then turned his attention to House Democrats, who havent yet voted on a measure to bolster security at the homes of Supreme Court justices homes following protests over the Roe v. Wade leak. The Senate had passed the measure, but it has remained stalled in the House. This is exactly, exactly, the kind of event that many feared; that the terrible breach of the Courts rules and norms could fuel, McConnell said, adding that Democrats have blocked the Senate-passed measure. This is exactly the kind of event that many worried the unhinged, reckless, apocalyptic rhetoric from prominent figures toward the Court going back many months and especially in recent weeks could make more likely. McConnell then asserted: This is exactly, exactly why the Senate passed legislation very shortly after the leak to enhance the police protection for Justices and their families. This is common-sense, non-controversial legislation. It passed in this chamber, in this chamber, unanimously. Its not clear if House Democrats will heed McConnells plea to quickly pass the measure, known as the Supreme Court Parity Act, in light of the recent arrest. Actor Jack Wagner attends the Sixth Annual American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2016. (Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images for American Humane Association) Melrose Place Star Jack Wagners 27-Year-Old Son Found Dead in California Harrison Wagner, the son of veteran actor and soap star Jack Wagner, was found dead early on Monday in a parking lot in Los Angeles, California, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. He was 27. The young Wagner was found dead in a parking lot in North Hollywood at 5:14 a.m. local time on June 6, according to a case report released by the coroner. The cause of death is currently being investigated and the office has listed it as deferred. Deferred means that after an autopsy, a cause of death has not been determined and the medical examiner is requesting more investigation into the death, including additional studies, the coroners office told Fox News. Once the tests/studies come back, the doctor evaluates the case again and makes the cause of death determination. Dit bericht op Instagram bekijken Een bericht gedeeld door Harrison Hale Wagner (@harrisonwagner) In July 2016, Wagners 62-year-old father revealed that his son struggled with substance abuse when he went missing for almost one week after a relapse, although it is unclear whether that contributed to his death. Im going to ask those who want to share their fears, addictions & struggles to do so [with] me via Twitter. We can face them [together], Ill start, Jack wrote on Twitter at the time. I fear for my youngest sons safety. Harrison has struggled [with] drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. Hes relapsed & is MIA [for] 5 days, he added. Wagner contacted his family the next day after Jack sent out the messages on Twitter. He thanked fans for the love and prayers, adding that he would like people to continue to share their struggles. About two weeks ago, the mother of Wagner, Kristina Malandro, shared a picture together with her two sons on Instagram after leaving their family vacation home. Actor Jack Wagner and his son, Harrison, arrive at the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on April 28, 2006. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) A bittersweet farewell to the place we called Wagner Ranch for 25 years, Malandro wrote. The prickly beauty of the high desert and a landscape surrounded by national forests always reminded us that there is peace when you are willing to look for it. The 59-year-old actress met Jack while working together on the soap opera General Hospital. They had two children, Harrison and Peter Wagner, 31. The couple married in 1993, but they divorced several years later in 2006. Wagners most recent post on social media was on May 22, when he shared a photo of himself sitting on a bench outside, gazing into the distance. Focus, he wrote in the caption of the photo, You are left with YOU and your thoughts. Authorities responded to the parking lot after a call about a medical emergency and do not suspect foul play at this time, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told E-News. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at 1-800-662-4357 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to reach a 24-hour crisis center. From NTD News Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) talks during a press conference following the Democrats Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC on Oct. 26, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) Michigan Senator Criticized for Touting Electric Car, Dismissing Surging Gas Prices Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is facing backlash this week after she bragged to a Senate panel that gasoline prices dont affect her because she drives an electric vehicle. I just have to say, on the issue of gas prices, after waiting for a long time to have enough chips in this country to get my electric vehicle, I drove it from Michigan to [Washington, D.C.] this last weekend and went by every single gas station and it didnt matter how high it was, Stabenow said at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on June 7. As of June 8, the national average price of regular gasoline inched closer to $5 per gallon and now stands at $4.95, according to data from AAA. In Michigan, gasoline averages $5.21 per gallon, which is about 51 cents higher than the previous week and more than $2 higher than a year ago. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), in response, said that the average cost for a new electric vehicle is $60,000. The Kelley Blue Book puts the new electric vehicle price at about $56,000 on average. Democrats dont understand the problems of everyday Americans, Kelly said on Twitter in response to the video. Conservative commentators also accused Stabenow of being out of touch with working-class people on social media. Stabenow drives a Chevrolet Bolt EUV, which has a starting price of about $28,000 for its 2023 model, Michigan news website MLive reported. The Democratic senator will never apologize for driving the electric vehicle, which is manufactured in Michigan, a spokesperson for Stabenow told that website. Conservatives should apologize to auto workers for disrespecting the products they work hard to make, the spokesperson, Robyn Bryan, added in a statement. Instead of helping the oil companies line their pockets with Michigan drivers hard-earned money, these critics should join the senators fight to end price gouging at the pump, Bryan said. In recent months, the senator has often promoted electric vehicle usage and led congressional efforts to offer consumer tax credits for electric vehicles. Im looking forward to the opportunity for us to move to vehicles that arent going to be dependent on the whims of the oil companies and the international markets, Stabenow said on June 7. A recent report in May suggested that the cost of electric vehicle batteries may increase as much as 15 percent amid supply chain disruptions. China is the worlds largest battery manufacturer in the world, and reports have shown that more than half of the worlds lithium, cobalt, and graphite processing and refining capacity is located in the Communist Party-controlled country. Several White House officials have similarly drawn criticism for promoting electric vehicles amid record-high gas prices. In March, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urged Americans to transition to such vehicles alongside Vice President Kamala Harris in a news conference. Stabenows office didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Michigan Voters Sue Democratic Secretary of State Over Use of $17 Million in Zuckbucks to Tilt Elections Michigan voters are challenging Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for allegedly breaking state laws and corrupting the 2020 elections by allowing left-wing billionaire Mark Zuckerberg to use his social media fortune to dictate how the elections would be administered. In official results, Democrat Joe Biden prevailed over incumbent Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election in Michigan, winning 2,804,040 popular votes compared with Trumps 2,649,852, or 50.6 percent to 47.8 percent, according to Ballotpedia. In 2016 in the state, Trump secured 2,279,543 votes to Democrat Hillary Clintons 2,268,839, or 47.5 percent to 47.3 percent. As Michigan secretary of state, Benson, a Democrat, is responsible for overseeing state elections and making sure theyre carried out in accordance with the constitutions of Michigan and the United States, as well as various state laws. But Facebook founder Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, flooded election offices across the country in the 2020 election cycle with hundreds of millions of dollars in grants in order to influence elections. The couple made $419.5 million in donations to nonprofitsZuckerbucks or Zuckbucks, as some have called the money$350 million of which went to the Safe Elections Project of the left-wing Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL). The other $69.5 million went to the Center for Election Innovation and Research. The CTCL reportedly distributed grants to more than 2,500 election offices. The CTCL distributed grants to local election officials and required they spend the money to boost voting by promoting mail-in voting and depositing ballots at unattended ballot boxes. Of the almost $17 million CTCL spent in Michigan, the vast majority (at least 84 percent, and likely more) was expressly earmarked for urban jurisdictions that historically cast ballots for Democrats by a wide margin over Republicans, the voters state in an appeal (pdf) in Ryan v. Benson that was filed with Michigans Court of Appeals on June 7. A lower court had recently ruled that the voters in the suit lacked standing to sue Benson. The funds were allocated to predominantly Democratic urban jurisdictions including the cities of Detroit and Flint. Zuckerbergs money was also used to buy remote unattended ballot drop-boxes that were used for allegedly illegal ballot harvesting. The voters seek to hold Secretary Benson accountable as the person responsible for safeguarding their constitutional and statutory election rights, because she allowed the Michigan election process to be corrupted by an influx of private money selectively intended to promote voting among urban, Democrat-leaning voters, with a consequent dilution of the votes of rural, Republican-leaning voters, according to the filing. In doing so, she violated the Michigan Constitution and the Michigan Election Code. The voters say evidence establishes that Benson encouraged local election administrators to participate in the scheme and thatcontrary to expectationsonly a small fraction of the grants was spent on COVID-19-related personal protective equipment. COVID was used as pretext to run a Democratic get-out-the-vote campaign funded with tens of millions of dollars of dark money, attorney Thor Hearne, a special counsel for the Thomas More Society, a national public interest law firm representing the voters, said in a statement. This money was not reported to any Michigan or federal campaign reporting authority. Mark Zuckerberg is not stupid. He did not spend more than $400 million nationallyand close to $20 million in Michiganto buy hand sanitizer and face masks. Zuckerberg and those involved in this scheme wanted to influence the outcome of the presidential election in battleground states like Michigan by increasing mail-in voting and ballot harvesting in predominantly urban Democratic jurisdictions to the detriment of Michigan voters who live in suburban and rural jurisdictions. Because these funds were channeled through the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a so-called charity, and characterized as grants, Zuckerbergs donations were not covered by campaign finance laws. Instead, they were unlimited and unregulated dark money. An analysis of data CTCL provided to the IRS and other public records demonstrated that this scheme was designed to favor urban Democratic voters and disadvantage Michigan voters in more politically conservative rural and suburban areas. This case is not about relitigating the 2020 election, said Hearne. Rather, it is about making sure that these unfair and illegal activities cannot happen in any future election in Michigan. Bensons office declined to comment on the appeal. We do not comment on ongoing litigation, Tracy Wimmer, Bensons director of media relations, told The Epoch Times by email. A bill banning pharmacists from querying ivermection and hydroxychloroquine for use against COVID-19 will soon arrive on Missouri Gov. Mike Parson 's desk in Jefferson City, Mo. File photo taken on May 15, 2022. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo) Missouri Law Would Protect Physicians Who Prescribe Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine When Dr. Bradley Jones began treating patients with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine during the height of pandemic, he didnt expect to lose his position at the SSM Lake of the Ozarks walk-in health clinic. Not a single patient went to the hospital after we started treating them with ivermectin [and] hydroxychloroquine, Jones told The Epoch Times. As I got more and more success with it, my partners started using it and then we all had success. Thats why we were growing so fast is because people were wanting treatment and if the treatment wasnt functional, we wouldnt have grown. Despite Jones success, on Dec.31, 2021, SSM Health St. Marys Hospital in Jefferson City closed the clinic where the family practitioner and his four physician associates worked. It was never said on their part but our belief is that the clinic was closed by the main hospital because we were treating patients with ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine and discouraging them from being vaccinated, Jones said. Jones has since landed a family physician position at another clinic where he continues to prescribe ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. The bottom line here is what are your choices? To let someone get sicker and sicker and sicker until they die from COVID, or treat them with a safe drug thats been prescribed forever without any complications, he said. Jones is among the physicians nationwide who experienced first-hand the politicization of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine when Donald Trump was president of the United States. Multiple pharmacies around the lake here refused to fill the prescriptions and when I spoke to the pharmacy board, they said they couldnt do thatand yet they did it, Jones added. If Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs HB 2149 into law, pharmacists will be prohibited from disputing physicians who prescribe ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to their patients. When they would prescribe these drugs, there were pharmacies that would refuse to fill the prescriptions, said Missouri Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville). It turned into a big nightmare situation for the doctors. Sen. Brattin helped craft HB 2149 after he was approached by physicians who were on the verge of losing their licenses. I was on a conference call with several doctors and on that call, they were saying people were turning them in for prescribing these medications and they felt fear that if they did what they thought was right in their professional opinion, they could potentially lose their ability to practice, Brattin said. After being approved by the Missouri Legislature, the proposed law was delivered on May 18 to Gov. Parson who now has 45 days to sign or veto the bill, according to the Missouri Constitution. Our indications are the governor is probably going to sign the bill, said Ron Fitzwater, CEO of the Missouri Pharmacy Association in Jefferson City. We have not lobbied hard against it. There are a lot of other pieces in that bill that we wouldve preferred that none of the language was in there because for most patients everything was going fine. The Missouri Pharmacy Association worked with representatives from the Missouri Board of Pharmacy and Gov. Parsons office on the amendment during the final stages of the bills approval by lawmakers. It goes overboard saying that a pharmacist should not contact the physician in general espousing their frustrations with ivermectin, Fitzwater told The Epoch Times. If they dont want to dispense it to a patient, thats their choice. They should just not stock it. If they have a good patient that comes to them that wants the script, then the pharmacist must decide if they want to risk that patient going somewhere else to get it. The associations membership, which is made up of 1,800 pharmacists, first year practice members, pharmacy students and some technicians, is divided over the approval of HB 2139, according to Fitzwater. Theyve been livid, he said. Weve gotten a lot of nasty comments. Unfortunately, this one was a political issue in addition to being a medical issue and that is always a bad combination. It seems like folks on the far Left are opposed to ivermectin and folks on the far Right are in support of it becoming available and I think a lot of that geared back to the Trump administration versus people that were more supportive of the Biden administration. Although HB 2149 modifies provisions related to professional licensing and prohibits a state licensing board from disciplining physicians who prescribe the drugs, the bill would not prevent pharmacists from discussing potential adverse reactions or mixed effects with other medications. We were not happy with the language, but we all had to live with what seemed to be a speeding train on the tracks, and we werent able to derail it other than we did get some changes in the language that we feel comfortable with, Fitzwater added. More States Report Monkeypox Cases as CDC Raises Alert Federal health officials said that 35 monkeypox cases have been reported across at least 14 U.S. states as of Tuesday, with several states reporting their first cases this week. Cases of the rare virus have been located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Texas, Virginia, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an update on June 7. Outside the United States, more than 900 cases have been found across 29 countries, the agency said. Several days ago, the agency raised its travel alert to Level 2 and asked travelers to practice enhanced precautions because of the spread of monkeypox. It said that the risk to the general public is low, but you should seek medical care immediately if you develop new, unexplained skin rash (lesions on any part of the body), with or without fever and chills. Initially, the CDC recommended that travelers wear masks because of monkeypox. However, as of Wednesday, the references to mask-wearing appear to have been removed from the CDCs website. In its most recent update, the CDC said that 1,088 confirmed monkeypox cases were found across the world. Most of them were found in the United Kingdom, which reported 302; Spain, which reported 198; Portugal, which has 166; Canada, which reported 80; and Germany, also with 80. The World Health Organization (WHO) said the monkeypox global risk level is moderate because the virus is spreading in areas where its normally not found. But nearly all cases have resolved themselves without hospitalization. No deaths have been reported. Monkeypox, a relative of pandemic-causing smallpox, is normally found in Western and Central Africa. It presents milder symptoms than its viral cousin, including swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, and a number of patients develop a rash that spreads all over the body and turns into fluid-filled lesions known as pox. A feature that distinguishes infection with monkeypox from that of smallpox is the development of swollen lymph nodes, the CDC says on its website. Officials with the CDC, WHO, and other health agencies have issued warnings to homosexual males about potentially spreading or contracting the virus. WHO officials said last month that an initial outbreak is suspected to have occurred at two rave-like events in Europe. Countries that normally see monkeypox outbreaks and cases include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote dIvoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. New Jersey Democratic US Rep. Tom Malinowski speaks before a House Committee in March 2021. Malinowski was among 11 New Jersey congressional incumbents, including nine Democrats, to win their June 7 primaries, but he faces a stiff challenge in winning a third term in his November contest against Republican Tom Kean, Jr. (Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images) New Jersey Incumbents Roll, But Two Democrats Face November Tests As expected, all 11 of New Jerseys 12 congressional incumbents seeking reelectionnine Democrats and two Republicanssecured their partys nods during the states June 7 primary to advance to Novembers ballots. But four sitting Democrats now await what are anticipated to be stiff challenges from Republican opponents come this fall with the GOP aiming to claw away at least two of the 10 congressional seats now held by Democrats. Well-known and robustly financed Republican candidates in two New Jersey races could be among the nations most compelling congressional contests of the 2022 midterms. In the states Congressional District 7 (CD 7) election, two-term Democrat Rep. Tom Malinowski will face former Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, Jr., the grandson of former Republican Rep. Robert Kean and son of former GOP Gov. Thomas Kean, Sr., in November. Kean brushed off a RINO label and criticism for not being conservative enough to sweep past six fellow candidates in the CD 7 GOP primary and earn a rematch of his down-to-the-wire 2020 loss by 1 percentage point to Malinowski. With CD 7 becoming a bit redder following redistricting, Republicans like their chances come November against Malinowski, regarded by Cook Political Report as among the nations most vulnerable incumbent congressional Democrats. Malinowski faced only marginal primary opposition in his primary. He was first elected in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Rep. Leonard Lance in a district that Cook Political Report rates as leaning Republican. Plenty of money will be spent in this closely-watched race. Malinowskis campaign had a $3.65 million war chest in May and Keans coffers topped $1.2 million with fund-raising now heating up. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) is expected to face a stiff challenge from Republican Bob Healey in their November CD 3 contest. Healey was up by 28 percent in the Republican primary with 44 percent of the precincts reporting at 10:03 p.m. ET. Kim whisked away progressive Reuven Hendler in his Democratic primary and will be the favorite to win a third term representing the district, which Cook Political Report rates as a leaning Democratic, in his matchup against Healey. But it wont be a slam dunk, as Healey is a well-known local and popular owner of Viking Group, a shipbuilding company that employs at least 1,000 people in the area. Healey faced off against attorney and Realtor Nicholas Ferrara and Ian Smith to earn the nomination. Healey raised more than $1.15 million, including at least $260,000 from his own pocket, to finance his campaign. Kim begins the summer campaign season with nearly $4 million in its war chest. Three other incumbents, including a Republican, are early bets to win, but will be forced to stump for votes against competitive challengers. In CD 2, incumbent Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) defeated two primary opponents and will be favored, but perhaps challenged, in his November match-up with Democrat Tim Alexander, a former prosecutor and detective. Van Drew was elected as a Democrat in 2018 but switched parties in December 2019, winning a second term as a Republican in 2020. He has nearly $1 million in his campaign war chest in a district that Cook Political Report rates as safe Republican after being a toss-up swing district for much of the previous decade. Democratic incumbent Reps. Josh Gottheimer in CD 5 and Mikie Sherrill in CD 11 are also seen as likely winners in November, but face vigorous campaigns against energized Republicans. Gottheimer and his $14 million in campaign funding will be up against either Republican U.S. Marine Corps Iraq-Afghanistan combat veteran Nick De Gregorio or former investment banker Frank Pallotta. The feisty CD 5 Republican primary was too close to call with only 3 percent of the votes reported at 10:07 p.m. ET. Sherrill will be aiming for a third term in a match-up against Republican Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen, who was on pace to defeat former assistant Passaic County Prosecutor Paul DeGroot and three other GOP candidates in their CD 11 GOP contest. Sherrill faced no challengers in the Democratic primary and has more than $5.6 million in her war chest to take on Selen in November. Seven incumbents, including five Democrats, will be very heavy favorites to return to Washington, D.C., in 2023. A newcomer Democrat is also near-certain to win in November in a district that hasnt elected a Republican since 1946. Democratic incumbent Reps. Donald Norcross and Donald Payne breezed to primary wins while sitting Democratic Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr., Bill Pascrell, and Bonnie Watson Coleman did not face primary challengers. All five are projected to defeat their Republican opponents in November. Democrat Robert Menendez is also a heavy favorite to succeed retiring seven-term Democratic Rep. Albio Sires in the states Congressional District 8 race. Menendez, a Port Authority commissioner and the son of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), will face Republican Marcos Arroyo in November. Republican incumbent Rep. Christopher Smith, New Jerseys longest-serving congressional representative in history, dispatched conservative podcaster Mike Crispi and retired FBI agent Steve Gray in their GOP CD 4 primary. He is the overwhelming favorite to defeat Democrat Matthew Jenkins in November to earn a 22nd term in the House. NHS to Have Fewer Diversity Roles in Major Management Overhaul There will be fewer diversity-focused roles in NHS England, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday as he announced a major management shakeup in the public health system. Javid said the government must spend every penny with care when voters are feeling the cost of living pressure, but Labours shadow health secretary Wes Streeting accused the government of throwing red meat to Conservative backbenchers amid Prime Minister Boris Johnsons leadership crisis. Javid was speaking in Parliament about what he called a once in a generation shakeup of management, leadership, and training in the NHS after an independent review found institutional inadequacy in the way that leadership or management is trained, developed, and valued. The review, led by Royal Marines retired general Sir Gordon Messenger and Chair of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Dame Linda Pollard, also found that behaviour such as discrimination, bullying, and responsibility avoidance has become almost normalized in certain parts of the system. One of the seven recommendations of the review was NHS should take action to improve equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), including embedding inclusive leadership practice as the responsibility of all leaders, committing to promoting equal opportunity and fairness standards, more stringently enforcing existing measures to improve equal opportunities and fairness, and enhancing [care watchdog Care Quality Commissions] role in ensuring improvement in EDI outcomes. While accepting the recommendation, Javid told MPs this will not translate into more people working in diversity, but the opposite. In my view, there are already too many of these roles. And at a time when our constituents are facing some real pressures around the cost of living, we must spend every penny with care. The health secretary said it should be everyones responsibility to promote fairness and equal opportunities at work instead of farming out the job to a specific group of managers. Commenting on the point in Javids statement, Streeting said NHS leadership still doesnt represent the diversity of the population it serves. Insinuating Javid was trying to satisfy conservative backbenchers after the prime minister survived a vote of confidence in his leadership where 41 percent voted against him, the shadow health secretary said hed like to hear specific plans to improve equality, diversity, and inclusion instead of throwing red meat to his own back benches, for reasons I think will probably be obvious to everyone. Messenger, former vice chief of the defence staff who led the Royal Marines in the invasion of Iraq, was drafted in October last year to review NHS leadership to ensure the investment in the public care system is well spent. Messengers report also recommended the development of consistent management standards through accredited training and clear routes to progression and promotion to ensure a strong pipeline of future talent. It also calls for support and incentives for the best leaders and managers to take on the most difficult roles so they are seen as the best jobs rather than the most feared jobs. Messenger said he believed the recommendations could transform leadership in the sector. A well-led, motivated, valued, collaborative, inclusive, resilient workforce is the key to better patient and public health outcomes, and must be a priority, he said. This must be the goal and I believe our recommendations have the potential to transform health and social care leadership and management to that end. Javid told Parliament that Messengers recommendations are comprehensive common-sense recommendations which the government will accept in full. Streeting also called the recommendations sensible and said hes pleased that the government has committed to implementing them. PA Media contributed to this report. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Noem Wins Republican South Dakota Gubernatorial Primary SIOUX FALLS, South DakotaGov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) beat out former South Dakota Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard in the Republican gubernatorial primary on June 7, chalking up another win for former President Trump who gave his complete and total endorsement for Noem in February. With 48 percent of the votes reported at 10:39 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Noem received more than 76 percent of the vote, according to Decision Desk HQ. Noem will face state Rep. Jamie Smith (D) in Novembers general election. Recent polling data was on target as it predicted that incumbents would have no problem getting reelected on June 7. Noem has been dominating the polls data since her first of four terms in Congress and has never lost an election. She was elected governor in 2018. Noem did little campaigning and stood on her record of putting South Dakota first and the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. She garnered approximately $15 million in campaign donations with almost $9 million cash on hand. Haugaard reported raising more than $105,000 with $24,000 in cash on hand. In a statement made in April, she said she and Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden are grateful for the support. We will continue to protect our South Dakota way of life, and the priorities that are most important to the people of our great state, she said. We have accomplished a lot together but there is still much more to do. Noems fundraising was anchored by a national profile that emerged because of the way she handled the COVID pandemic and saying no to lockdowns. This appealed to her conservative base who objected to lockdowns and mandates. Noems Democrat opponent, Smith, reported raising more than $137,000 with approximately $110,000 cash on hand. In February, former Trump threw his support behind Noem. Kristi Noem has done a great job as Governor of South Dakota, Trump said in a Feb. 8 statement. She is strong on Borders, the Second Amendment, preserving land and Energy Dominance, Medical Freedom, and kept South Dakota open during COVID. She fully supports our great Law Enforcement, Military, our wonderful Vetsand is a fighter for the incredible people of South Dakota. Kristi has my Complete and Total Endorsement! Along with Trumps endorsement, Noem has engineered a national profile that made it difficult for other candidates to challenge her, University of South Dakota political science professor Michael Card told The Epoch Times. South Dakota is a predominantly conservative state and one where even the Democrats are conservative, he said. Even most Democrats are conservative, largely due to lives in agriculture, he said. Conservative populists have liked Trump and other brash politicians. They have slapped Democrats around in just about every campaign, even running unopposed for a U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and U.S. House seat in 2020, he said. South Dakota hasnt elected a Democrat for governor since 1974its a solidly Republican state. The South Dakota legislature has supermajorities in both chambers, with Republicans holding 94 of 105 seats. It has long been rumored that Noem is a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2024 or on the ticket with Trump of whom she has been an ardent supporter. The Jan. 6 Committee is preparing its public hearings, where it plans to present evidence on the protests at the U.S. Capitol. Yet The New York Times offered a different take, suggesting the hearings are less about justice and more about politics, with a focus on trying to shift votes for the midterm elections. It stated, With their majority at stake, Democrats plan to use the six high-profile hearings to refocus voters attention on Republicans role in the attack. Meanwhile, a criminal case has been reopened involving Clinton adviser Mark Middleton, who killed himself and who had admitted Jeffrey Epstein to the White House seven times. The family of Middleton is attempting to prevent information on his death from being released publicly, since they allege it can lead to conspiracy theories. And in other news, the world is heading into a food crisis, according to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the United Nations World Food Programme. Part of this is causing a rise in food prices, especially of meat. But organizations including the World Economic Forum claim to have a solution to both food shortages and the environmental impact of meat: eating bugs. In this live Q&A with Crossroads host Joshua Philipp, well discuss these stories and others, and answer questions from the audience. Subscribe to the new Crossroads newsletter and stay up-to-date! *Sponsor Special: Up to $2,500 of free silver with American Hartford Gold. Call 877-260-2764, text JOSHUA to 6-5-5-3-2, or visit: https://ept.ms/3rshean * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow Crossroads on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Crossroads.Josh Twitter: https://twitter.com/crossroads_josh Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/Crossroads_JoshuaPhilipp Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@crossroads_josh Gettr: https://www.gettr.com/user/crossroads_josh Gab: https://gab.com/Crossroads_Josh Telegram: https://t.me/Crossroads_josh Director and President of Academy Museum, Bill Kramer speaks during the Official Ribbon Cutting Of The Opening Of The Academy Museum Of Motion Pictures at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Sept. 30, 2021. (JC Olivera/Getty Images) Oscars Film Academy Names Bill Kramer as New CEO LOS ANGELESFollowing three years of sinking Oscar ratings and Will Smiths slap heard around the world, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named its new CEO on June 7. The Academys board of governors selected Bill Kramer to head the organization following the departure of Dawn Hudson, who had been the CEO for 11 years. Kramer is the current director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures where he supervised the opening of the Academys first permanent retail store and raised $388 million for the museum project. Bill Kramer has been a transformational leader in establishing the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures as a beacon for movie lovers and a manifestation of everything the Academy represents and celebrates, said Academy President David Rubin. His vision for the Academys future is likewise bold and inspiring, and our governors have agreed he is the ideal choice to lead at this pivotal moment for the organization. Hudson announced in October she would not seek another term at the helm. Her contract runs through May 2023, according to her statement from last October. CEO of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science Dawn Hudson is awarded a medal during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France on May 21, 2022. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) After more than ten years and the incredibly successful opening of our new museum, Ive decided, when this term concludes, it will be time for me to explore other opportunities and adventures as this can hardly be topped, Hudson said. The Board of Governors and I are mutually committed to a seamless transition to new leadership. Im excited for what the future holds, for both the Academy and for me. Hudson oversaw the creation of Academy Aperture 2025, a set of diversity, inclusion, and equity standards for future films to be considered for awards and for the Academys governance, membership, and workplace culture. This change of leadership comes after best actor winner Will Smiths impromptu onstage slap of Chris Rock at this years Academy Awards in Marchafter the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smiths hair. Smith later apologized and resigned from the Academy and was banned from attending the event for 10 years. The Academys CEO oversees a 450-person staff in Los Angeles, New York, and London; operations and outreach, including awards, membership, marketing, communications, finance, and technology; the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the Academy Foundation. This picture taken shows flags from the Pacific Islands countries being displayed in Yaren on the last day of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) on Sept. 5, 2018. (Mike Leyral/AFP via Getty Images) Pacific Island Leaders Resolve Leadership Dispute Several Pacific Island leaders reached an agreement on Tuesday to prevent the regions major diplomatic group from splintering. This comes as China has been increasing diplomatic efforts in the region. Six Pacific Islands Forum membersSamoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Fiji, Palau, and the Marshall Islandsmet in Fiji on Tuesday to resolve reform issues stemming from a dispute over the forums leadership election last year. Forum chairman and Fijian Prime minister Frank Bainimarama said in a statement that the proposed reform package would deepen trust and political cohesion across the region. Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Frank Bainimarama attends a meeting on day three of COP26 at SECC in Glasgow, Scotland on Nov. 2, 2021. (Phil Noble/Pool/Getty Images) All forum leaders will meet in person in Suva between July 12 and 14 to collectively endorse the reform package. FSM President David Panuelo said they would also seek support from Nauru and Kiribati. Panuelo said that Pacific leaders collectively found a way to make keep our Pacific family unified, to make it stronger against external and internal pressures. He said Micronesias appeals had been respectfully heard and addressed. All of us have won; Micronesians, Polynesians, Melanesians all; because we, the Pacific, have achieved a means of making our Pacific Islands Forum truly represent us all, he said in a statement. The FSM, Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Kiribati initiated the withdrawal process from the IPF in February 2021 over the election of former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna as the forums secretary-general. They accused the IPF of breaking the gentlemens agreement to rotate the secretary-general role among member countries, given that it was Micronesias turn to take the leadership role. The move comes as China has been increasing its diplomatic efforts in the region. Beijing has signed multiple agreements with some Pacific Island nations, such as Samoa and the Solomon Islands, but it has failed to have the regions nations sign a sweeping security and economic deal due to a lack of consensus among Pacific Island leaders. Tuvalu and three nations from the Micronesian bloc: Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru, recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Australias new foreign minister, Penny Wong, also visited Fiji just days after the Labor Party won the Australian federal election last month. Wong pledged a new era in engagement with the region on climate change and also more aid for climate initiatives. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrives at Pacific Island Forum in Suva, Fiji on May 26, 2022. (Pita Simpson/Getty Images) Panuelo told ABCs Pacific Beat that the Australian government provided transportation for three Micronesian leaders to attend the meeting in Suva, and expressed his gratitude for Australias efforts to have the Pacific leaders decide on the proposed reform package without their influence. Under the proposed reform package, the IPF agreed to rotate both the secretary-general and forum chair by sub-region, with Micronesia to hold the next secretary-general position beginning in 2024 for a five-year term. It also includes the appointment of a Pacific Ocean commissioner whose responsibilities are distinct from those of the secretary-general. This position will be for three years, with the office based in Micronesia and reporting directly to the IPF. Daniel Y. Teng contributed to this report. Supreme Court Police officers set up security barricades outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 1, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Police Will Monitor Abortion Protests Near Supreme Court Washington police say theyre aware of proposed protests near the Supreme Court and will plan accordingly. Protest organizing group Shut Down D.C. has said that it will blockade the court on June 13 in response to a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that suggests the justices might overturn Roe v. Wade. In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was a constitutional right and that legislators could only regulate it to a limited extent. But the Supreme Courts leaked Dobbs v. Jackson draft decision would put decisions on abortion into the hands of state and national legislators. In response to this decision, several activist groups plan to block all three vehicle entrances to the Supreme Court on June 13. During an online meeting by the activists, it was suggested that protesters will likely sit in front of the courts entrances, but it remains to be seen whether protesters will settle on this method. June 13 is the first Monday after one of the courts three remaining conference days. Its likely that the court will release decisions then, but no one knows for certain when the Dobbs v. Jackson decision will go public. The Supreme Court traditionally ends its term on July 1, but it might go longer. Washingtons Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) told The Epoch Times that it knew of the planned protest. We are aware of upcoming demonstrations in this area, MPD Public Affairs Specialist Alaina Gertz said in an email. As with any demonstration, MPD will be monitoring and assessing the activities and planning accordingly with our federal law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of all residents and visitors to the District of Columbia, Gertz wrote. The Epoch Times also reached out to the U.S. Supreme Court Police, the House Committee on the Judiciary, and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, but these institutions didnt respond by press time. In an online planning meeting on May 24, activists with Shut Down D.C. said the protest might result in arrests because it would stretch the bounds of constitutionally protected speech. Protesters also said one of the protests goals was to continue to escalate the crisis in democracy by forcing police to intervene. Shut Down D.C. has also planned a legal protest in front of the Supreme Court scheduled for the same day. The Supreme Courts decision will likely have an immediate nationwide impact on abortion laws. About 25 states would ban abortion if given the opportunity, according to an analysis by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a pro-abortion group. If the Supreme Court gives states more leeway to restrict abortion or prohibit it all together, almost half the states would likely enact new laws as restrictive as possible or seek to enforce current, unconstitutional laws prohibiting abortion, the groups website reads. Dr. Lawrence Tabak, acting director of the National Institutes of Health, left, and fellow NIH official Diana Bianchi testify on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 11, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Top People at NIH Getting Big Bucks From Secret Royalty Checks, Probe Reveals Recipients of secret royalty payments who hold key roles at the National Institutes for Health (NIH) have been revealed by nonprofit government watchdog Open the Books. Through the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Open the Books has discovered that payments totaling more than $134 million were paid to more than 1,600 NIH executives, scientists, and researchers by outside firms, thought to be primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, between 2010 and 2014. The matter was first reported by The Epoch Times in May. Based on the numbers for that period, OTB projects that about $350 million in such royalty payments were made by outside payers to NIH employees between 2010 and 2020. One recipient is NIH distinguished investigator Dr. Ira Pastan. Pastan, 91, began his career at the National Institutes for Health (NIH) in 1959 as President Dwight D. Eisenhower was nearing the end of his eight years in the Oval Office. He received 250 royalty payments from firms outside of NIH during the years between 2010 and 2014, according to information obtained recently by Open the Books. Pastan, who works in NIHs National Cancer Institute (NCI) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, was paid $297,435 by NIH last year, according to data compiled by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The NIH only turned over the information sought by OTB via the FOIA request after a federal court suit was filed; the agency still hasnt disclosed the amounts of each individual royalty payment, the identity of the payers, or the nature of the work involved. Acting NIH Director Lawrence Tabak conceded during a recent congressional hearing that such secret royalty payments create the appearance of a conflict of interest, although he insisted that the agency has sufficient internal safeguards to prevent such an occurrence. Given Pastans exceptionally lengthy career in government, it isnt surprising that he received the second-highest number of royalty payments, exceeded only by the NCIs Robert Gallo, who got 271 during the five-year period. While Gallo left the NIH in 1995, he continued to receive royalty payments for work during his time in government. A total of 34 NIH people received 100 or more royalty payments, according to data compiled by OTB and provided to The Epoch Times. Only nine of the 34all between the ages of 68 and 91are still on NIHs payroll. The youngest, Dr. Frank Gonzalez, 68, began working at NIH in 1981; he received 181 royalty payments during the period. Without question, these older scientists had careers of merit and distinction, Adam Andrzejewski, OTBs president, told The Epoch Times on June 8. However, most havent been the primary author of a scientific paper in years. Therefore, its an open question whether or not taxpayers are still receiving the best possible production from NIH and its core of older, royalty-receiving scientists. Andrzejewski also noted that a government bureau engaged in cutting-edge scientific discovery must justify why they employ people in their 80s and 90s. When those employees earn between $230,000 and $330,000 in taxpayer-paid salaries each year and are ranked in the top 20 of 1,800 scientists receiving hidden third-party paid royalties, there are naturally a lot of questions. Its just another reason why NIH needs to come clean with the American people and produce the full recordwhich company is making the payment, how much to each scientist, and for what invention, he said. Currently, NIH is refusing to disclose all that information, making it impossible to follow the money. The highest-paid among the nine is Dr. Steven Rosenberg, 81, a senior investigator who was paid $329,400 in 2021, and who received 136 royalty payments during the period. The third-highest paid is distinguished investigator Dr. Warren Leonard, at $297,000, who got 179 royalty payments during the period, followed by Dr. Bernard Moss, 85, a distinguished investigator who was paid $281,351 in 2021 and received 149 royalty payments during the period. In fifth is Dr. John Schiller, an NIH distinguished investigator who was paid $271,408 in 2019, the most recent year for which data was available. Schiller received 140 royalty payments during the period. Sixth is Dr. Richard Youle, who is an NIH senior investigator who was paid $250,000 in 2021 and received 135 royalty payments during the period. Seventh is Dr. Ethan Shevach, NIH senior investigator, who completed medical school in 1967. He was paid $245,000 last year and received 136 payments during the period. Eighth among the nine is Dr. Jeffrey Scholm, who received 144 royalty payments during the period and was paid $244,984. Gonzalez is the ninth. Royalty payments also went to at least three of the top echelon of NIH leaders, including Dr. Francis Collins, the immediate past director of NIH, who got 14 payments. Dr. Anthony Fauci received 23 payments and his deputy, Clifford Lane, received eight payments. Collins resigned as NIH director in December 2021 after 12 years at the helm of the worlds largest public health agency. Fauci is the longtime head of NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), as well as chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. Lane is the deputy director of NIAID, under Fauci. The royalty payments by outside payers are made possible by the nature of the work conducted by NIH and its divisions. As a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to OTB, the NIH is the largest biomedical research agency in the world. NIH grants over $32 billion in funding to research institutions around the world, and employs thousands of scientists to conduct research in-house. When an NIH employee makes a discovery in their official capacity, the NIH owns the rights to any resulting patent. These patents are then licensed for commercial use to companies that could use them to bring products to market. Employees are listed as inventors on the patents and receive a share of the royalties obtained through any licensing, or technology transfer, of their inventions. Essentially, taxpayer money funding NIH research benefits researchers employed by NIH because they are listed as patent inventors and therefore receive royalty payments from licensees. Shut Down D.C.'s plan to march on the Supreme Court, then blockade its entrances to prevent the justices from entering. Screenshot taken online at June 7, 2022. (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times) Protesters Finalizing Plans for Blockade of Supreme Court on June 13 Protesters planning to blockade the Supreme Court say they expect to be arrested for their actions, but will break the law anyway. In an online meeting organized by Shut Down D.C., several activist groups joined forces to plan how to prevent justices from entering the U.S. Supreme Court on June 13. The protest is a response to a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that shows the high court might be considering overturning Roe v. Wade. In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was a constitutional right and that legislators could only regulate it to a limited extent. But the Supreme Courts leaked Dobbs v. Jackson draft decision would put decisions on abortion into the hands of state and national legislators. June 13 is the first Monday after one of the courts three remaining conference days. However, no one knows when the anticipated decision will go public. According to messages seen by The Epoch Times, protesters currently have only one attempt to blockade the court planned. However, activists said they hope to have more actions in the future. The Supreme Court traditionally ends its term on July 1, but it might go longer this year because of an unusually high number of cases. In an online meeting on June 7, about 60 activists debated how to best block the vehicle entrances to the court. Ideas included using baby strollers, linking arms by the entrances, and using U-locks. One protester rejected the idea of strollers because it would send the wrong message. I just agree that messaging might be confusing and ammunition for pro-lifeI mean, anti-abortion people, one said. Another said, Its a lot easier for them to move strollers than move us. Protesters have planned a June 12 workshop to train people on how to block entrances. People should attend if they want to get good at blockading things with a couple of the best people at blockading things in North America, one said. Protesters said they knew that stopping traffic would break the law. By blocking it, we are breaking a law. Were going to block traffic, which is not very legal, said Cassie, who was with activist group SCOTUS6. Then she said breaking the law in this way was civil disobedience. As far as civil disobedience goes, the intention is to be disruptive and force change, Cassie said. If you want to talk more about the legal aspect of it, I suggest we talk outside of this meeting. Activists noted that protest participants who blocked off the Supreme Courts entrances should expect arrest and fill out a jail support form. However, arrests were unlikely to start until protesters blocked off the courts entrances, according to protester Philip Ateto. Washington law enforcement doesnt usually arrest protesters just for marching. A list of activist groups that have joined together to protest outside the Supreme Court on June 13. Screenshot taken online on June 7, 2022 (Jackson Elliott/The Epoch Times) That is a very low-risk thing in the city, Ateto said. We are highly unlikely to have any problem from any law enforcement agency until we stop. A few activists said they were coming from other cities to protest. I just want people to know that Ill be getting in on a bus from NY at 5:30, said Wendy Brandes in the groups chat. Although the meeting had about 60 attendees, activists there said they expected massive numbers of protesters on June 13. Thousands well, who knows, definitely hundreds, an activist named Nadine said. The people who showed their faces in the Zoom call were usually in well-furnished rooms. The protests leaders announced that they would create a plan based on consensus discussion. We do have, despite all possible indications to the contrary, a little bit of a plan, one activist said. Nobody knows everything, but together we know a lot. Although many people were able to share ideas, the meeting appeared to struggle at times to form a cohesive strategy. We want to make sure we dont have too many people on one blockade and not enough on the other, an activist said. Near the end of the call, one of the activists asked about how the protest march would accommodate people with mobility issues. We want to make sure were being inclusive, an activist said. By the end of the meeting, the protesters had yet to make a final decision on how to blockade the Supreme Courts entrances. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino at a press conference in Ottawa on May 30, 2022, to announce new gun control legislation. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) Public Safety Minister Misunderstood in Saying Emergencies Act Invoked on Advice of Law Enforcement: Deputy Minister Federal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has repeatedly said that invoking the Emergencies Act in February was done based on the advice of law enforcement, but according to a senior public safety official, he has been misunderstood in saying that the act was requested specifically. I believe that the intention that he was trying to express was that law enforcement asked for the tools that were contained in the Emergencies Act, said deputy minister Rob Stewart on June 7 in relation to Mendicinos previous comments. Stewart was testifying before the special joint committee of senators and MPs responsible for looking into the public order emergency declared by the government on Feb. 14 to deal with cross-country protests and blockades held in protest of COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. In recent weeks, that committee and others have sought to find out which law enforcement agency requested or advised invocation of the act. The RCMP commissioner and the current and former Ottawa police chief have all testified that they didnt request the use of the act. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on two occasions in the House of Commons on April 27 that it was only after we got advice from law enforcement that we invoked the Emergencies Act. Mendicino made similar statements a number of times. It was on the advice of law enforcement that we invoked the Emergencies Act, he said in the House of Commons on April 28. We invoked the Emergencies Act on advice from the police, Mendicino said in the House on May 3. Based on these developments, The Epoch Times contacted Public Safety Canada (PSC) to find out which law enforcement agency under its purview requested or advised invoking the act. The decision by the Governor in Council to invoke the Act was based on consultations and advice from law enforcement, wrote PSC spokesperson Magali Deussing in an email. With the RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki saying last month that she didnt advise on or request the act, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is the only other law enforcement agency under PSCs purview that could be considered a stakeholder during the events. The activities of the CBSA were disrupted by the border blockades in Surrey, B.C.; Coutts, Alberta; Emerson, Manitoba; and the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario. The Epoch Times asked CBSA if at any point it advised the government to invoke the Emergencies Act. It didnt confirm nor deny. The decision to declare a public order emergency was made by the Governor in Council, said CBSA spokesperson Rebecca Purdy in a May 12 email. Commissioner Lucki testified before the special joint committee on May 10 that no powers granted by the act were used to deal with the border blockades. The blockades in Windsor were dealt with using regular police enforcement on Feb. 13 and 14 respectively. Protesters in Coutts and Emerson voluntarily dispersed on Feb. 15 and 16 after the act was invoked. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin looks on as he waits to greet potential voters outside of the Castro Street MUNI station on June 07, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) San Francisco Voters Oust Progressive Soros-Backed District Attorney in Recall Election Voters have ousted Chesa Boudin as San Franciscos district attorney. Unlike California Gov. Gavin Newsom in his recent recall election, Boudin, also a Democrat, didnt face any opponents. On June 7, San Francisco voters were simply asked to answer yes or no to the question, Shall Chesa Boudin be recalled (removed) from the Office of District Attorney? With more than 61.3 percent of the voters selecting yes, San Francisco Mayor London Breed must now appoint an interim district attorney until Nov. 8, when a permanent replacement will be elected. The no votes totaled 40,921 (38.7 percent). Boudin, a former public defender backed by left-wing billionaire George Soros, came under fire for failed progressive criminal justice reform policies that have led to a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths, homelessness, and thefts, including smash-and-grab robberies, car burglaries, shoplifting, and other property crimes. Homicide rates and gun crimes have increased since Boudin took office. He has strived to end cash bail, reduce incarceration rates, and scrutinize police misconduct. Boudin fired seven prosecutors on his second day on the job. In mid-December 2021, The Epoch Times reported that more than 50 prosecutors, support, and victim services staff had either been fired or had quit their jobs over Boudins progressive agenda. A former prosecutor who produced a list of those who were fired or quit their jobs said at the time, The office is imploding, and requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. Superior Court Judge Bruce Chan chastised Boudin at a Sept. 24, 2021, court proceeding. Chan cited the constant turnover and expressed his disapproval of the manner in which the Office of the District Attorney is being managed, according to court transcripts. The Recall Effort Several prominent Democrats have opposed Boudin, including Nima Rahimi, an attorney and executive board member of the California Democratic Party. The San Francisco Board of Elections certified a petition on Nov. 9, 2021, to recall Boudin after a group called San Franciscans for Public Safety, led by Mary Jung, a former San Francisco Democratic Party chairwoman, and Andrea Shorter. The two launched the petition on April 28, 2021, and gathered about 83,000 signatures, well surpassing the 51,325 needed to force a recall election. The group alleges in its official recall petition that Boudin failed to keep his promises to deliver criminal justice reform and police accountability. Boudin is not keeping San Francisco safe. He refuses to adequately prosecute criminals and fails to take the drug dealing crisis seriously. He doesnt hold serial offenders accountable, getting them released from custody, and his response to victims is that hopefully home burglaries will go down, according to the petition. Boudin dismissed the recall effort as relying on false and disproven Republican talking points attempting to undo progress and take us backwards in his May 2021 statement of defense. He argued that recalls are not political tools for people who lose elections and that voters thoughtfully and carefully elected him because they support his work to reform an unjust system that too often criminalized poverty, addiction, and mental illness; failed to hold violent police accountable; and targeted people of color. Boudin was elected in 2019 with 50.8 percent of the vote, defeating Suzy Loftus, who received 49.2 percent. He said the the old approaches didnt make the city safer but ignored the root causes of crime and perpetuated mass incarceration. He claimed that in his first year, he fought to expand support for crime victims, hold police accountable when they commit unnecessary violence, create an independent innocence commission, and establish an economic crimes unit to protect workers rights. Boudin argued that exploiting recalls for political purposes is an abuse of the process [that] disrespects the will of the voters, and costs taxpayers millions of dollars. Richie Greenberg, a Republican and former mayoral candidate, launched an earlier but unsuccessful recall petition against Boudin in January 2021. The campaign collected 49,600 signatures, 1,725 shy of the number needed to make the ballot. Progressive Policies Declaring that he didnt want to prosecute minor offenses, Boudin has indicated that he wanted to shift the focus to more serious offenses and take on corporations. He has also suggested hiring public defenders as prosecutors. He has refused to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has threatened to prosecute ICE officers whom he accused of breaking sanctuary city laws. Fentanyl Deaths In San Francisco, fentanyl has claimed the lives of 131 people so far this year, according to data from the citys chief medical examiners office, and nearly 1,100 have died from accidental fentanyl overdoses from January 2020 to April 2022, making up about 71 percent of the 1,544 total overdose deaths in that time period. In 2021, fentanyl deaths in San Francisco surpassed COVID-19 fatalities. The overdose rate is one of the worst in the state, despite the city spending more than $13 million to expand overdose prevention programs last year. The drug epidemic is so rampant that Breed and other civic leaders have tried to skirt federal laws to create supervised facilitiesotherwise known as shooting gallerieswhere intravenous drug addicts can shoot up under the watchful eye of medical professionals. The city approved the purchase of a building to open such a facility but hasnt actually done so. Boudin and Breed have both been blamed for allowing the citys infamous needle-strewn Tenderloin district to infect surrounding neighborhoods with open drug use and dealing. Overdose death rates have surged since fentanyl appeared on the scene several years ago. Because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The drug, called China Girl, China Town, or China White, among other street names, is most often smuggled into the United States from China through Mexico and can be deadly in doses as low as two milligrams, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A year-long national study ending on Jan. 31, 2021, shows that overdose deaths from opioids increased 38.1 percent and deaths from synthetic opioids jumped 55.6 percent. Socialist Ties Boudin once worked as a translator for Venezuelan socialist dictator Hugo Chavez and co-wrote the book Understanding the Venezuelan Revolution: Hugo Chavez Talks to Marta Harnecker, published in 2005. Boudin is credited on the books cover. In 2011, Boudin attained a law degree from Yale Law School and began working for the San Francisco Public Defenders Office the following year. Unlike other Soros-backed candidates, Boudin was a public defender and had never served as a prosecutor prior to being elected as San Franciscos district attorneya position Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon held from 2011 to 2019. Boudin attended Oxfords St. Antonys College in England on a Rhodes Scholarship and earned two masters degrees, one in public policy in Latin America and the other in forced migration. Radical Parents Boudin was 14 months old in 1981 when his parents were arrested and imprisoned for their involvement in a botched attempt to rob an armored delivery truck in Nanuet, New York, about 35 miles north of New York City. They were getaway drivers for and members of the radical Marxist group Weather Underground, which orchestrated a failed heist in which two police officers and a Brinks security guard were killed. His mother, Kathy Boudin, spent more than two decades in prison before she was released on parole in 2003. His father, David Gilbert, was sentenced to 75 years to life in prison but was released on parole in October 2021 after Boudin successfully lobbied disgraced New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to commute his sentence. Cuomo did so on his final day as governor in August 2021. Gilbert, now 76, served more than 40 years in prison. Boudin was adopted and raised by Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, who were also members of Weather Underground, which sought to lead a violent communist revolution in America and bombed government buildings across the country. During the 1970s, the FBI displayed wanted posters with photos of Ayers and other Weather Underground members in every U.S. post office. The FBI listed Dohrn, whom Ayers married in 1982, as one of its 10 most-wanted fugitives. Ayers was a fugitive for years but resurfaced after charges against him were dropped. He taught at the University of IllinoisChicago for more than 20 years and retired in 2010. He has authored several books on education. Marxist Roots Boudin hails from a long line of Marxists. Louis B. Boudin (18741952), Chesas great-grand-uncle, was a Jewish American writer, politician, and lawyer. Born Louis Boudianoff (Leib Budiansky) in Ukrainethen under the rule of Imperialist Russiahe was a Marxist theoretician best known for writing a two-volume history of the Supreme Courts influence on the U.S. government, which was published in 1932. The Boudin family immigrated to the United States in 1891 and settled in New York City. Louis studied law and was admitted to the New York State Bar Association in 1898. He was a member of the Socialist Labor Party of America and the Socialist Trade and Labor Alliance in the late 1800s. He left the Socialist Labor Party in 1899 and joined a dissident faction to help form the Socialist Party of America in 1901. His grandfather Leonard Boudin (19121989) was a known civil rights lawyer, who represented Cubas communist dictator Fidel Castro and Paul Robeson, an American entertainer who was denied a passport over his refusal to disavow membership in the Communist Party. Seeing Light at the End of the Tunnel, Automakers Perceive Easing of Chip Shortages The global semiconductor shortage that has plagued the auto industry for around two years might be easing in the short term. Carmakers like BMW AG, Mercedes Benz AG, and Daimler Truck Holding AG, who have experienced production outages for several months in recent times, are now getting enough semiconductors to manufacture at full capacity, according to Bloomberg. Were still monitoring it week to week, but up to now basically worldwide, we had no issues running production, Joerg Burzer, Mercedess head of production and supply-chain management, told the outlet. Supply issues occur here and there but nothing compared to what it was like last year. According to BMW, all its plants are running and the company is yet to see any production halts due to chip shortages. At present, the situation is a bit more stable, a spokesperson said. The firm is monitoring chip supply on a daily basis and warns about the possibility of new disruptions emerging in the coming weeks or months. Volkswagen is also seeing a steady chip supply at present but is uncertain about it in the near future. Harry Wolters, president of Paccar Inc.s DAF Trucks unit, also told Bloomberg that the supply situation is better than what they had anticipated five or six weeks ago. As a result, they have been able to increase build rates in the United States and Europe. South Koreas top carmaker Hyundai Motor Corp. has raised its production target for June. While in April, the company produced 322,767 units, up from 285,133 units in January, the company is now aiming for 350,000 units in June. Hyundai has a global order backlog of around 1.3 million cars. Hyundai and other automakers apparently see light at the end of the tunnel in this round of the global chip shortage, an industry official said to KED Global. Also, demand is not bad despite the protracted disruptions to car production. Despite reports of an easing semiconductor supply situation among some automakers, a complete recovery in chip supplies might still take several months. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon sees the chip shortage waning by late 2022 to early 2023, according to Fox Business. Some companies might not see supply chain issues from the shortage soften until 2024, he added. Amon also stressed the need to increase U.S. production of semiconductors. The White House had warned about escalating vulnerabilities due to the semiconductor shortage. In 1990, the United States accounted for almost 40 percent of global semiconductor fabrication, which has now fallen to just 12 percent. This is becoming a national security issue, and unless we reverse it now, its only going to become worse, Amon said to Fox Business. China is heavily invested in their production; were in a race. State Farm Remains a Creepy Neighbor After Transgender Book Backlash, Consumer Group Head Says In light of a public backlash, State Farm has swiftly distanced itself from a collaborative book donation program that promotes transgender ideology among young children. The watchdog group that exposed the insurance giants involvement, however, said this is far from over. They continue to not be a good neighbor, but a creepy neighbor, said Will Hild, the executive director of Consumers Research, a nonprofit organization working to expose large companies that put woke politics ahead of their customers. In late May, Consumers Research brought national attention to State Farms partnership with transgender youth advocacy group The GenderCool Project, which sought to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books intended for readers as young as 5 years old. According to an internal email leaked to and publicized by Consumers Research, hundreds of State Farm insurance agents have been encouraged to participate in the program by donating a bundle of three GenderCool books to their local teacher, community center or library of their choice. Hild described these GenderCool titlesA Kids Book About Being Transgender, A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary, and A Kids Book About Being Inclusiveas transgender-in-training books. They explain it in terms that would lead to confusion among your average 5-year-old, Hild told NTD News. For example, its implied that if you are a boy who likes playing with dolls, or playing dress-up, or a girl who likes playing sportsstereotypically something from the other gender, then you might be transgender. It even explicitly says that the doctor may have assigned you the wrong gender at birth, and that you need to question the doctors assessment of your sex, he continued. State Farm was asking their agents to give out these books without parents knowledge. The exposure of the State Farm-GenderCool partnership has thrown the insurance company into full panic, Hild said. According to Hild, just four hours after being called out by Consumers Research on Twitter, State Farm sent out an internal email alleging a misunderstanding about the book donations. This was followed by another email, which announced that the partnership had ended, that the companys top executives were unaware of the partnership, which they found inappropriate, and that they had only donated $40,000 to GenderCool. Even if this is true, it still means that GenderCool books worth a total of $40,000 might have made it into libraries, community centers, and schools across the country. These books could be being read by students to deck in schools and libraries, Hild said. State Farm refuses to lift a finger to undo any of that. In fact, a private school in Washington state received a donation of GenderCool books in April and posted a thank you message to State Farm on Facebook, according to the Washington Examiner, which first reported on the matter. Hild also rejected the claim that the higher-ups at State Farm didnt know about the book donations, noting that he also obtained numerous email complaints that were sent to top executives by concerned employees. There were emails of multiple agents, walking up the chain, complaining to higher-level executives that this is wrong, he said, noting that hes unable to publicize them without compromising the whistleblowers anonymity. Hild said his organization will not end its creepy neighbor ad campaign against State Farm until the company takes action to undo the damage it has caused. Specifically, he demanded that State Farm hire a third-party auditor to examine every program they have that targets children, retrieve every one of these books that have been donated to a school, library, and community center, and have conversations with parents whose children have been exposed to such material. Parents need to know if their kids were exposed to these materials by State Farm agents, and they can have a conversation to walk them out of the bizarre propaganda they were exposed to, Hild said. State Over Federal Power: The 100th Anniversary of the Colorado River Commission Commentary This year is the centennial anniversary of the Colorado River Commission, the convention of states that negotiated the Colorado River Compact. The Colorado River Compact is familiar primarily to those living in the American West. But the Colorado River Commission was a landmark event for all Americans. It was a major triumph of state over federal power. Its negotiations served as a model for later compacts that resolved uncertainties as the states wanted them resolved, rather than how Congress might dictate. The Colorado River Commission (also called the Colorado River Compact Commission) was one of the most successful conventions of states ever held. Its achievement debunks uninformed claims that interstate conventions are unprecedented or cannot follow a preset agenda. The Colorado River and Threat of Federal Intervention Examine a map of the lower 48 states. Bisecting the map from north to south is the 100th meridian of west longitude. East of the 100th meridian, rainfall, snow, and streams supply water for lush woodlands, human consumption, and agriculture. But west of that line (aside from the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest), water is relatively scarce. Huge amounts of snow dump on the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada in winter and early spring, but when warm weather comes, the snowmelt pours down sparsely placed streams to the ocean, bypassing most Western land. Among the most important of the western streams is the Colorado River. Most of its water originates as Rocky Mountain snowmelt within the State of Colorado. Exiting the state from the west, the river flows into Utah and then into northern Arizona. Proceeding southwest through the Grand Canyon, it eventually forms Arizonas border with Nevada and then with California. It then continues into Mexico, eventually reaching the Gulf of California between the Baja peninsula and the rest of Mexico. (U.S. Geological Survey/Public Domain) The Colorado River is of supreme importance to the arid lands of the West. In the 19th century, settlers started to divert its waters for agriculture, ranching, human consumption, and recreation. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the inhabitants of the Colorado River watershed argued about how to allocate the rivers water. Those living in downstream states contended that Colorado must share it with them. Many Coloradans believed that because the river originated in their state, they should be able to use as much as they wished. However, in a 1907 case involving the Arkansas River, the Supreme Court came down on the side of sharing. The next big question was: When it came time to allocate the waters of the Colorado, who would do the allocating? Everyone knew that if the affected states couldnt agree, Congress would step in. Nor would this be a usurpation: At the time, the Constitutions limits on congressional power were still respected, and the document grants Congress power to regulate Commerce among the several States (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). This power always has been understood to include authority over navigable rivers. Delph Carpenter Steps In Delphus E. Carpenter was Colorados foremost water lawyer. He practiced law in Denver, but he had been born in Greeley, a town benefiting from an irrigation system fed by Rocky Mountain snowmelt. He believed western streams should be allocated by westerners. Carpenter pointed out that the Constitution reserved to the states the prerogative, with the consent of Congress, of entering into compacts (contracts) among themselves (Article I, Section 10, Clause 3). In 1920, he began to urge the affected states to negotiate a Colorado River settlement of their own. The affected states were the five already mentioned (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah) and New Mexico and Wyoming, the sources of some of the Colorado Rivers tributary streams. It took time, effort, and patience to convince seven states to meet together at the same time and place to discuss the same topic. One reason was that they had lost the habit: The last convention of states had been held in 1889. Moreover, six of the seven Colorado River states had never attended such a convention, and the other (Colorado) had attended only the 1889 conclave. Yet Carpenter was persuasive, and the threat of federal intervention was even more so. On Jan. 21, 1922, one representative from each of the seven states convened in Washington, D.C., to begin negotiations. Carpenter himself represented Colorado. The Colorado River Convention of States Conventions of states are meetings of delegations of commissioners from participating states, with each state accorded sovereign equality. In American history, there have been more than 40 such conventions, although some have been known by other names. The Colorado River assembly, for example, called itself a commission. Nevertheless, it was a true convention of states and followed traditional convention protocols: Each state, irrespective of size or population, had one vote; the convention adopted its own procedures; it elected its own officers, following the custom of choosing a chairman who was a commissioner and a secretary who was not; after the initial call, the convention controlled its own time and place of meeting; it stayed within its prescribed agenda; and it drafted a nonbinding recommendation for the participating states (the proposed Colorado River Compact). As some other interstate conventions have done, the group decided to add another sovereignty to its deliberations. The commissioners asked the federal government to participate. They did so because they understood that the Constitution required congressional approval of any proposed interstate compact. Herbert Hoover Herbert Hoover is remembered as an unsuccessful president, but his previous career had been outstanding. He was an internationally famous engineer who had become even more famous for his brilliant organization of relief efforts in Europe during and after World War I. When President Warren Harding took office in 1921, he designated Hoover as his secretary of commerceand then named him as the federal governments representative on the Colorado River Commission. In recognition of Hoovers stature, the other commissioners elected him to chair the meetings. The Colorado River Commission thereby became the third convention of states chaired by a future or former president of the United States. (The others were the 1787 Constitutional Convention, presided over by future President George Washington, and the 1861 Washington Conference Convention, chaired by former President John Tyler.) The convention adjourned periodically to allow experts, primarily engineers, to develop proposals for water allocation. After holding seven sessions in Washington, D.C., it moved to Phoenix for the eighth session and to Denver for the ninth. For all the remaining 18 sessions, the convention met near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Several years ago, I posted the unified minutes from all 27 sessions on the internetsomething no one ever had done before. The collection consists of two batches of minutes (first through 18th session and 19th through 27th session), all placed in a single series. The commissioners wrapped up their work on Nov. 24, 1922, after successfully forging a water allocation agreement. All seven states, as well as Congress, eventually approved it. One hundred years later, the Colorado River Compact is still in effect. Following the Colorado River Example For several ensuing decades, states continued to negotiate water compacts through interstate conventions. In late 1928 and early 1929, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas negotiated a temporary compact allocating waters of the Rio Grande River. (Delph Carpenter represented Colorado.) In 1937, the same states met in convention and hammered out the permanent Rio Grande compact. Throughout sessions during 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1949, the states of the Upper Colorado River Basin negotiated a division of the waters allocated to them in 1922. Their proposal became the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact. A Postscript On May 31, I arrived at my Independence Institute office in Denver. I found that an unknown person had left an old law book leaning on my office doorpresumably as a gift. The book, compiled in 1908, was a rules and practice manual for members of Congress. I examined the books spine. At the bottom was the impression, in gold letters, of the lawyer who first owned it. It read: Delph E. Carpenter. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Ex-White House advisor Steve Bannon arrives to turn himself in at the FBI Washington Field Office on Nov. 15, 2021. Bannon was charged with two counts of contempt of Congress after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Steve Bannon Subpoenas Pelosi, Jan. 6 Panel Members in Contempt of Congress Case Steve Bannons legal team has issued subpoenas to top Democrats and members of the controversial Jan. 6 House Committee in a development in Bannons ongoing contempt of Congress case. In October 2021, the Democrat-led House voted to certify a contempt of Congress charge against Bannon, who had refused a subpoena from the Jan. 6 panel, asserting a right to executive privilege as a former White House staff member. Despite legal questions over the validity of the panels subpoenas, the Department of Justice decided to pursue a criminal case against Bannon. Now Bannons lawyers have issued 16 subpoenas to top members of the committee, as well as other Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who chose the panels members; Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the panels chairman; and the only two Republicans on the committee, Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), were among those subpoenaed. The subpoenas, which were obtained by The Epoch Times, demand that the panel members turn over documents touching on an array of issues relevant to the case against Bannon. In one section, Bannons lawyers ask for all documents regarding the establishment of the January 6th Select Committee (Select Committee), its membership, its staffing, its budget, its authority and functioning, and the authority of the Select Committee to issue subpoenas. The circumstances surrounding the establishment of the Jan. 6 Committee, which was created in a mostly party-line vote, have been a rallying point for critics of the panel. Despite a longstanding House tradition of allowing minority leaders to choose their partys members on committees, Pelosi refused efforts by House Minority Leader McCarthy (R-Calif.) to name Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) ranking member of the committee. Instead, Pelosi appointed Kinzinger and Cheney to the commission in an unprecedented breach of House tradition. McCarthy withdrew his picks in protest. The subpoenas also demand all documents regarding President Donald J. Trumps assertion of executive privilege in response to any request of the Select Committee. Since the establishment of the Jan. 6 panel, many former Trump officials have refused to testify or hand over documents, asserting a right to executive privilege. Legal scholars are divided on the validity of these claims. However, some Republican critics of the committee have argued in the past that because the issue is so uncertain, federal courts should be consulted before moving ahead. The subpoenas also request all documents that reference making an example of Mr. Bannon, punishing him, hoping to influence or affect the conduct of other potential witnesses before the Select Committee, or words of similar meaning and effect. Many critics have accused the Jan. 6 panel of partisanship because the Democrat-dominated committee almost exclusively has targeted Republicans. By the same token, another request in the subpoenas suggests that Bannons legal team suspects bias against Bannon by some members of the panel. Specifically, it requests all documents which tend to show the bias of any Select Committee member or staff (including animosity toward Mr. Bannon, or animosity toward a group with which Mr. Bannon is affiliated). The documents were delivered to targeted panel members electronically to avoid the spectacle of approaching individual Representatives and staff members to personally serve them, David Schoen, an attorney for Bannon, wrote in a letter affixed to the subpoenas. It isnt clear whether the subpoenas have yet been accepted. A lawyer for the House didnt respond to a request for comment. Bannon was, for a long time, the only person to face criminal charges for refusing a Jan. 6 committee subpoena. On June 3, former Trump adviser Peter Navarrowho also refused the subpoena on grounds of executive privilegewas indicted by a grand jury for contempt of Congress. The commission hasnt restricted itself to only former Trump officials, going so far as to target sitting members of Congress, such as Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and even McCarthy. McCarthy called the efforts to subpoena sitting members of Congress an abuse of power, and all three House Republicans refused to testify before the committee. The panel also set its sights recently on Ginni Thomas, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomass wife, over claims that she texted Meadows during the Jan. 6, 2021, rally. In view of the partisan nature of the summons and charges advanced by the committee, some Republicans, including Trump, have accused it of a witch hunt exclusively targeting Democrats Republican enemies. Others, such as McCarthy, have been more ambiguous in their critiques of the committee. When the panel sent out its subpoena to Bannon, McCarthy argued that the ongoing legal disputes made the subpoenas legitimacy unknown. Theyre issuing an invalid subpoena, McCarthy said. Issuing an invalid subpoena weakens our power. He has the right to go to the court to see if he has executive privilege or not. I dont know if he does or not, but neither does the committee. So theyre weakening the power of Congress itself by issuing an invalid subpoena. Following the committees recent decision to subpoena several prominent Republicansmarking the first time in U.S. history that sitting members of Congress have been subpoenaed by a congressional bodyMcCarthy further expanded on his argument that the subpoenas are potentially invalid. All valid and lawfully issued subpoenas must be respected and honored, Elliot S. Berke, McCarthys attorney, wrote in a lengthy May 27 letter (pdf). Unfortunately, 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. In fact, the Select Committee is not even operating in compliance with the rules its own members voted to put in place. Regarding that point, Berke cited Pelosis refusal to place minority-selected members on the commission. Jordan, another Republican who received a subpoena from the commission, has also refused to comply with what he called a political vendetta. If convicted of contempt of Congress, Bannon faces a minimum sentence of one month in jail to a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail, as well as a fine ranging from $100 to $100,000. Supervisors to Investigate Risks of Orange County Power Authority The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted June 7 to direct county officials to investigate any legal or financial risks with the countys involvement with the Orange County Power Authority amid several controversies within the agency. The Orange County Power Authority was set up by the county in late 2020 as a local sustainable energy alternative to Southern California Edison; on April 1, it launched its commercial electricity service. In the two months since its launch, however, the agency has faced a series of controversiesincluding higher prices for customers than originally advertised, calls by the agencys board members for CEO Brian Probolsky to resign, and a whistleblower legal complaint filed by Probolsky claiming board members are scheming to remove him as CEO, among other things. Power lines in Fullerton, Calif., on Dec. 22, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Meanwhile, the county Board of Supervisors is seeking to be involved with the Power Authoritys board. In order to pro-actively address any potential risks for the county, however, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Katrina Foleys supplemental motion to direct the countys counsel and CEO to look into any risks it might face in its involvement in the agency. My request today is that both the CEO and county counsel review for this board any potential legal or financial risks so we as a board have the facts in front of us and were on track to be formally to be a full member of the Power Authority by the end of this calendar year, Foley said. As I understand it, we do not have full authority status at this time. Foley said she thinks the Power Authoritys issues stem from mismanagement and could benefit from guidance from the Board of Supervisors. From my perspective, its really a management issue, Foley said ahead of the vote. And we can as a board give direction to the representatives who represent us at the Power Authority, so that we can ensure that its being managed in the way that it was intended. Foley also said she was also concerned because the agency was approved last November as a supplemental item, so it did not go through the traditional review by the county counsel and CEO, as it would have if it were a typical agenda item. To that, Supervisor Don Wagner, who sits on the Power Authority board, replied that due diligence had been done on the formation of the Power Authority, but that he did not oppose the county review. As the member of the Power Authority as appointed by this board we thoroughly vetted the situation. Yes, it came on a supplemental [item], but it was thoroughly vetted, Wagner said. I am certain that whats going to be demonstrated by the review which as I understand from counsel has really already been done theyve looked at these documents, the risk to the county is not there Some of the questions Foley said she would like addressed are finding out what the countys financial obligation would be if the Power Authority fails, what guarantees do ratepayers in the unincorporated communities have if prices go beyond what was promised, and any other risks the county has for being involved in the agency. The county counsel and county CEO are expected to report to the board on their findings on July 7. Last month, the California Public Utilities Commission fined the Orange County Power Authority nearly $2 million for failing to purchase enough electricity to ensure it can provide its customers with uninterrupted electricity service this summer. A spokesperson for the OC Power Authority Board did not reply to a request for comment. Supreme Court Holds Private Citizens Cant Sue Border Patrol for Damages in Excessive Force Claims Decision unanimously overturns a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling A U.S. Border Patrol agent in Washington state cannot be personally sued in the federal court system for damages resulting from a claim of illegal retaliation and excessive force made by a private citizen, the Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous decision on June 8. The Biden administration argued that the threat of liability would interfere with Border Patrol agents doing their jobs. The Supreme Court agreed, overturning a decision of the often-reversed U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that had allowed the lawsuit to move forward. The opinion (pdf) in Egbert v. Boule, court file 21-147, was written by Justice Clarence Thomas. Oral arguments were heard on March 2. The justices ruled 90 that a Border Patrol agent couldnt be sued for a retaliation claim under the First Amendment, and held 63 that the agent couldnt be sued for excessive use of force under the Fourth Amendment. Justice Neil Gorsuch filed a separate opinion concurring with the judgment of the court. The three liberal members of the court dissented on the excessive use of force claim. The case concerns the half-century-old Bivens Doctrine, which shields federal agents from legal liability for actions performed in the course of their work. In Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents (1971), the Supreme Court recognized a cause of action under the U.S. Constitution for damages against Federal Bureau of Narcotics agents for violations of the Fourth Amendment. The bureau, founded in 1930, was a forerunner of todays U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. During a smuggling investigation at the ironically named Smugglers Inn Bed and Breakfast in Blaine, Washington, which sits just feet from the Canadian border, U.S. Border Patrol agent Erik Egbert allegedly injured innkeeper Robert Boule. Boule had previously been a paid government informant whose tips led to multiple arrests of his guests; he had also been charged by Canadian authorities with human trafficking, but the charges were eventually thrown out. In March 2014, Boule tipped off Egbert about a Turkish citizen who would be arriving at his establishment later that day. Egbert suspected the Turkish man might be planning criminal activities and waited for him to arrive. When the man showed up in a car, Boule asked Egbert to leave the property, but the agent refused and stood between the car and the man. Egbert allegedly pushed Boule to the ground and then confirmed the Turkish man was lawfully present in the United States. Boule sought medical treatment for a back injury he claimed Egbert caused him, and complained to Egberts superiors. Boule alleged that Egbert then retaliated by reporting Boule to the IRS, claiming tax evasion by Boule, which led to the agency investigating and auditing Boule. Boule sued Egbert in federal district court in a so-called Bivens action, claiming his constitutional rights were violated. That court ruled in favor of Egbert, but a fractured U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit reversed, finding for Boule. Thomas wrote for the court that there was no need to expand the reach of the Bivens precedent in retaliation claims. Enlarging the Bivens Doctrine could entail substantial social costs, including the risk that fear of personal monetary liability and harassing litigation will unduly inhibit officials in the discharge of their duties, Thomas wrote, citing Anderson v. Creighton (1987). He added such an expansion would pose an acute risk of increasing such costs. A plaintiff can turn practically any adverse action into grounds for a retaliation claim. Even a frivolous retaliation claim threaten[s] to set off broad-ranging discovery in which there is often no clear end to the relevant evidence, Thomas wrote, citing Nieves v. Bartlett (2019). [A] court is not undoubtedly better positioned than Congress to create a damages action, he wrote. Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring with part of the judgment and dissenting with another part, in which Justices Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan joined. Todays decision does not overrule Bivens, Sotomayor wrote. It nevertheless contravenes precedent and will strip many more individuals who suffer injuries at the hands of other federal officers, and whose circumstances are materially indistinguishable from those in Bivens, of an important remedy. Priya, her husband Nades, and their Australian-born children Kopika, 4, and Tharunicaa in an undated photo. (AAP Image/hometobilo.com) Tamil Family Depart Western Australia Bound for Home in Biloela The family of Tamil asylum seekers held in detention for more than four years have finally begun their journey home to the central Queensland town of Biloela. Speaking from Perth Airport on Wednesday, mother Priya Nadesalingam thanked the WA community before the family began their journey east. Me and my family are very happy to start our journey back to my community in Bilo, she said. Ms Nadesalingam also thanked the staff at Perth Childrens Hospital who treated her daughter Tharnicaa for a blood infection after she was medically evacuated from Christmas Island last year. The timing of the journey means Tharnicaa will celebrate her fifth birthday in Biloela on Sunday. She was just nine months old when the family first entered detention. Priya, her husband Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, 6, and Tharnicaa, 4, are expected to arrive in the central Queensland town on Friday afternoon. Biloela will celebrate its Flourish multicultural festival on Saturday, which is likely to double as a welcome home. They were taken from Biloela in March 2018 and put in immigration detention, kicking off a more than 1500-day campaign from locals in Biloela to get the family back to their home. The family has been through protracted legal proceedings in a bid to stay in Australia and were moved from Melbourne to Christmas Island before arriving in Perth. Nearly 600,000 people signed the Home to Bilo campaigner Angela Fredericks Change.org petition in support of the family, and more than 53,000 phone calls and emails were made to Australian politicians from the familys supporters across the country. In 2019, courts blocked a coalition attempt to send the family back to Sri Lanka. They were held at the Christmas Island detention centre for two years until then Immigration Minister Alex Hawke moved them to community detention in Perth in mid-2021. Following the change of government, interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers exercised his power under Section 195A of the Migration Act to allow the familys passage home. 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, he said last month. Tennessee GOP Appeals to Keep Robby Starbuck Off Primary Ballot The Tennessee Republican Party has asked an appeals court to remove a candidate from the ballot in an upcoming primary for a U.S. House of Representatives seat, arguing that a judge incorrectly ruled that the candidate must be on the ballot. Davidson County Chancellor Russell Perkins recently restored Robby Starbuck to the ballot, weeks after the Tennessee GOP removed him and two other candidates for allegedly failing to meet certain requirements. The party made the decision in a closed-door gathering that violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, Perkins ruled. He said Starbuck would suffer irreparable harm if he were to be excluded from the ballot because of the move made during the meeting. The order was incorrect because the state GOP properly determined that Starbuck is not a bona fide Republican for candidacy to public office under its bylaws, the party said in its appeal, alleging the decision directly violates its constitutional rights. The party said that applying the open meetings law to its executive committeewhich decided to kick Starbuck off the ballotwas improper. If this error is not remedied on an expedited basis, Starbuck will appear on the ballot for the Fifth Congressional District as a candidate for the Republican Partys nomination to the United State Congress when the Republican Party absolutely objects to him being its standard-bearer, it said. While appealing to the appeals court, party officials also asked the Tennessee Supreme Court to intervene and rule against Starbuck. In a separate filing, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, a Republican, and state Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins told the appeals court that Perkins doesnt have the authority to order them to restore Starbuck to the ballot. The state officials and the state GOP asked for expedited decisions, because of the June 10 deadline for finalizing who is on the ballot. In counterfilings, Starbucks lawyers said the party clearly failed to follow the Open Meetings Act and that there was no basis for its urgent appeal, adding that if the decision is stayed, it will irreparably harm the public and Mr. Starbuck, and forever taint the election for the open seat for the 5th Congressional District by depriving the voters of a choice for Congress in a state-administered primary election based on unknown actions taken during a secret meeting that violated state law. The lawyers also argued against the Tennessee Supreme Court assuming jurisdiction in the case, saying state law doesnt allow that action in the case. This case does not satisfy the requirements of Tenn. Code Ann. 16-3-201(d), which gives this Court the authority to assume jurisdiction over undecided appeals in certain limited classes of cases. This case does not involve [t]he right to hold or retain public office or issues of constitutional law, the only potentially relevant classes of cases under 16-3-201(d), they said. Instead, this case involves the publics right to transparency which impacts the ability of a single candidate to appear on a primary ballot in a single race for a single congressional district, not the right of an individual to hold or retain any public office. And this case involves a straightforward application of a Tennessee statute, the Tennessee Open Meetings Act, which the Party has not challenged as unconstitutional. The Abandoning of the Word Pupil Commentary Wording is no doubt a small thing by comparison with the horror of a mass shooting such as the one of schoolchildren and teachers at Uvalde, but its nonetheless of some significance. In all the reports, I noticed that 8, 9, and 10-year-old children were referred to as students. They were not students, they were pupils. Does it matter what you call them, you might ask? If words matter, then it does matter (and Confucius thought so more than 2,500 years ago, for he wrote that when words were used wrongly, the state and society could not hold). In fact, nobody believes that words dont matter, least of all at the present time, when bitter disputes break out about nomenclature and by what pronouns people should be addressed. Such disputes are battles for power rather than for improvement or happiness. Since speech is so central to human existence, forcing people to change their language is an exercise in power over them, which isnt to say that in no circumstances whatsoever should such changes be suggested or even mandated. Its true that there are terms that are intrinsically degrading to those whom they designate, but with a few exceptions, struggles over language are not usually concerned with them. To return to the question of student versus pupil: What does the almost total replacement of the second by the first signify? A pupil is a child who is under the authority of a teacher who chooses for him what he should learn. This is because the child isnt capable of choosing or deciding for himself: If the child were so capable, there probably wouldnt be any need for teachers in the first place. When I look back on my own childhood, I think that if I had been left to choose for myself I should have spent my time playing. There may be a few children who, left entirely to themselves, would choose algebra, but in this respect, I was clearly of the majority. A student is a young person old enough to be at least partly self-directed in the choice of what to learn, increasingly so as he progresses. Ah, you might say, at what point, then, does a pupil become a student? And if theres no precise point, whats wrong with calling an 8-year-old a student? Its true that theres no precise moment at which a pupil becomes a student, just as theres no precise height at which a man is tall or, for that matter, short. That, however, doesnt mean that there are no tall or short men in the world, or that theres no difference between them. (The height at which a man is called tall even changes over time: six feet was once regarded as tall, but its now the average height of young men in England, and even more in the Netherlands). To ask for precise demarcations between being still a pupil and having emerged into studenthood is to ask for the dissolution of the very distinction. And this indeed is whats happening. I had a friend who used to teach severely handicapped children. A circular arrived one day from the authorities telling him that from now on he was to refer to those whom he taught as students. The children were 4 years old. And what were they students of? Such skills as doing up their shirt buttons, beyond which it was unlikely that they would ever progress very much. My friend subsequently became a successful art dealer. What does the abandonment of the word pupil signify? In the first place, its unctuous and hypocritical, for in practice adults are still obliged to choose what it is that young children should learn, even if they have changed their opinions as to what it is that should be taught. But theres something deeper than this, a kind of insincere refusal of authority as such. People now refuse to admit that they are exercising authority even as they are doing so, because authority is supposedly so undemocratic or paternalist in nature. Were all autonomous beings who have the right to decide everything for ourselves, and since theres no precise age that autonomy can or should rightfully be exercised, its best at least to pretend that 8-year-olds are students and not pupils. By calling them the former rather than the latter, we are demonstrating our large-mindednessexcept, of course, that its also idiotic and impossible for 8-year-olds to be considered students, so that we have to twist our minds and alter the meanings of words to call them such. This denial of proper distinctions is a characteristic of our age. For example, the distinction between men and women, inscribed in biology, is increasingly being denied because (what is true) there are some marginal cases. Those who wish to eradicate distinctions, however, start by making the marginal central to all considerations. Failing to agree to this sleight of hand is characterized by the eradicators of distinctions as a sign of intolerance or worse, as if everyone who thought that the marginal should not be made central necessarily is in favor of ill treatment of the marginal, which, of course, is true neither empirically nor in logic. Moreover, few people recognize that the virtue of tolerance can be exercised only in the presence of disapproval or distaste, for unless theres one or the other, theres nothing to tolerate. Everyone, surely, tolerates what he likes or approves of. Nor is acceptance of something the same as celebrating it. For example, I accept rock music in the sense that I dont wish to suppress it, but I dont celebrate it and avoid it when I can. No doubt there are some 8-year-olds somewhere who are capable of being students in the sense of choosing what and how to learn, but I think that they must be about as rare as giant pandas, if not rarer. By calling such young children students were suggesting that they have authority, and you cant suggest such a thing without children taking you at your word and coming to think of themselves as authorities. This is abject. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Mother of Fathers Day SPOKANE, Wash. The city of Spokane in Washington state is the birthplace of Fathers Day. It started in the craftsman-style home known as the Fathers Day House, or the Dodd House. In 1909, a Spokane resident named Sonora Louise Smart Dodd was inspired to dedicate a day to fathers while listening to a Mothers Day sermon at a church. Her father, William Smart, was a Civil War veteran who raised Dodd and her five younger brothers after her mother died during childbirth. A sign stating that the Dodd House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) The idea, I think, of having a single father in those years with six small children it was really important to her that he be recognized for all that he did, Kirstin Davis, communications manager for the City of Spokane, told NTD Television. A plaque in front of the house honoring Dodd reads: He felt fatherhood was a lifelong task, Sonora Smart Dodd said, and he never relinquished its duties and responsibilities until his death in 1919. Even after my brothers and I were married, he was mindful of his obligations for he was a golden rule type of father. A plaque honors Sonora Louise Smart Dodd in front of the Dodd House in Spokane, Wash., on April 13, 2022. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) Dodd started a petition to create a day honoring fathers and, with the help of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance and the local YMCA, the Spokane mayor and the Washington governor signed proclamations to celebrate the first Fathers Day in June 1910. After that, Dodd advocated for 60 years for Fathers Day to become a national holiday. She decided to make it a very promotional effort and partnered with businesses that would benefit from selling mens items, Davis said, whether those are ties, or greeting cards, whiskythings that dads might appreciate. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the third Sunday in June to be Fathers Day. President Richard Nixon made the holiday permanent in 1972. Dodd became known as the Mother of Fathers Day. A close-up of the plaque honoring Sonora Louise Smart Dodd in front of the Dodd House in Spokane, Wash., on April 13, 2022. (Ilene Eng/NTD Television) On the 100th anniversary of Fathers Day, the National Register of Historic Places added the Dodd House to its list. Now, Spokane celebrates Fathers Day just like everywhere else. Daviss birthday also falls in the third week of June. Before her father passed away, she used to celebrate it along with Fathers Day. [Fathers Day is] just honoring that relationship, Davis said. Usually theres some really good food involved, and hopefully we get a nice day, and we can be outside and enjoy each others company. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is displayed on the large screen at Piccadilly Circus to mark the start of the Platinum Jubilee in London, England, on Feb. 6, 2022. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images) The Queens Platinum Jubilee and Historical Revisionism Commentary Historical revisionism involves the exploration of new perspectives on past events. Such exploration might find new evidence which adds to humankinds understanding and knowledge of history. The aim is always to find the truth in a past occurrence, complete historical panoramas, and enrich the way we view the events that have shaped our current reality. Provided the objective is to better understand the past, historical revisionism can be a valuable tool. But it can also be used to make unjustified, malicious, and even untrue claims about past events that have shaped history. Hence, depending on the objectives and intentions of the historians, historical revisionism could be an enlightening exercise or an invidious attempt at distorting history. Historical revisionism was on display during the four-day Platinum celebrations of Queen Elizabeth IIs 70-year reign in the United Kingdom from June 2 to June 5, 2022. Ishaan Tharoor of The Washington Post authored an article in which he argued that the Queens jubilee cant shake the ghosts of empire. He referred to critics who accuse the Queen of not showing much awareness of the misdeeds of the empire for which she remains the ceremonial figurehead, including for the violent campaign of repression carried out by British authorities in Kenya in the 1950s during the anti-colonial Mau Mau uprising. Tharoor quoted Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan political commentator, who said that To this day, she has never publicly admitted, let alone apologized, for the oppression, torture, dehumanization and dispossession visited upon people in the colony of Kenya before and after she acceded to the throne. Interestingly, Princess Elizabeth learned about the death of her father, King George VI, while she resided at a wildlife lodge in Kenya in 1952. Gatharas claim represents an excellent example of historical revisionism about the Mau Mau insurrection. Mau Mau suspects were rounded up by police outside a camp in Manyani, Kenya, in 1955. (Authenticated News/Archive Photos/Getty Images) However, as was brilliantly demonstrated in a book authored by Lee Boldeman, Gatharas understanding of Kenyas history in the 1950s is deficient. Boldemans book Mau Mau WhitewashBritain Slandered constitutes a powerful critique of the revisionist account of the Mau Mau Terror and deals objectively and factually with this dreadful part of Kenyas history. The Mau Mau insurrection resulted in at least 30,000 horrific killings, committed mainly by the Kikuyu tribe against other members of this tribe and white settlers. Gatharas claim that the British colonial government committed atrocious crimes misrepresents what happened in Kenya in the 1950s. Nevertheless, in his article, Tharoor dismissively talks about the ruling Windsor family: Elizabeth and her kin now rule mostly over the realms of kitsch and gossip. They live their lives as bearers of centuries of weighty tradition in a far more banal present. To a gawking public, they are objects of curiosity and even pity. Sometimes, they serve as the subjects of excellent prestige television. More often, they are the source of tawdry tabloid intrigues, from the alleged sexual crimes of Prince Andrew to the House of Windsors internal family feuds. Queen Elizabeth II, the reigning Queen of Great Britain and Head of State of 14 overseas countries of the Commonwealth, ascended the throne on Nov. 4, 1952, following the death of King George VI. The Queens coronation took place on June 2, 1953, in Westminster Abbey. At that time, it was unlikely anyone would have predicted that, 70 years later, the world would be celebrating the Queens Platinum Jubilee. At the time of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Her Majestys approval rating was around 90 percent. And a poll for The Sun newspaper, conducted last week, gave the Queen a 91.7 percent approval rating. But Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, only commanded an approval rating of 67.5 percent. The celebrations were majestic and inspiring. The Platinum Concert at the Palace on June 5 featured Sir Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Sir Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, who sang Nessun Dorma, and many other stars in an impressive multiple-stage environment erected in front of Buckingham Palace. A formation of aircraft in the shape of the number 70 flies towards Buckingham Palace during a flypast to celebrate the first day of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, in London, England, on June 2, 2022. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) The festivities, attended by throngs of thousands of people stretching from the Palace to Trafalgar Square, also made for riveting television coverage. There were moving tributes by Prince Charles and Prince William, who both spoke about the need to protect our planet and environment and encouraged the world to take urgent action to halt the planets decline. Their contribution was preceded by an emotional message delivered by Sir David Attenborough who disclosed that he started his career as a nature-loving explorer in the year of the Queens ascension to the throne. Their emotional statements about the need to protect our planet point to the great challenges ahead. They also remind humankind of the apocryphal story attributed to a wise ruler, King Canute the Great, who ruled England from 1016 to 1035, who humbly told his courtiers that it is difficult to gain control over the elements and that time and tide wait for no man. But, predictably, when a celebration like the Queens Platinum Jubilee comes alonga once in a lifetime experienceher opponents will criticise her reign and make malicious claims that aim at undermining the well-deserved tributes to the Monarch. Tharoors and Gatharas statements are examples of her opponents questionable embrace of historical revisionism to rewrite history. To raise their claims at a time of joyous celebration, damping the spirits of an appreciative public, is utterly insensitive as well as a contemptible attempt at representing history fairly and objectively. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. They Use Them to Shoot Prairie Dogs: No. 2 Senate Republican Defends AR-15s The No. 2 Republican in the Senate defended people who want to own an AR-15-style rifle, claiming that the voters he represents use the guns to shoot varmints and prairie dogs. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) noted the gun, which has faced criticism after several high-profile mass shootings in recent weeks, is among the most popular in the United States. Some Democrat lawmakers and pundits have pushed for a full ban on the rifle, while others have said that there should be a federal age restriction on AR-15s. The challenge you have on that is theres 20 million of them in the country already. They are a sporting rifle. And its something that a lot of people [use] for purposes of going out target shooting. In my state, they use them to shoot prairie dogs and, you know, other types of varmints, Thune told CNN on Tuesday. Across the United States, some farmers use AR-15s to kill invasive wild hogs, which, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, do billions of dollars in damage each year. Prairie dogs, which are common across the plains states, also can decimate crops and are considered a nuisance for ranchers and farmers. Thune said that instead of banning AR-15-style rifles, they should be kept away from mentally ill individuals. I think that there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them, the senator continued. So I just think that the issues that they should be focused on is how do you keep those types of weapons out of the hands of these young, in this case male, very deranged young men. Thunes comment to CNN drew backlash from at least one Democrat lawmaker. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said that the weapon has been used in a number of mass shootings. Across the country, they use them to shoot human beings in schools, grocery stores, hospitals, churches, synagogues, malls, bars, and workplaces. If you think shooting varmints is more important than preventing mass shootings of children at elementary schools, youre wrong, he wrote on Twitter. Data shows that mass shootings make up a small fraction of all U.S. gun homicides each year. Meanwhile, handguns account for more than two-thirds of all firearms-related murders as of 2019. Following mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and Tulsa, Oklahoma; several Republicans have reportedly met with Democrats to come to a bipartisan breakthrough. Last month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters that he tapped Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to work with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to create a new bill, including changes to the federal background check system. In the 5050 Senate, Democrats will need to obtain the votes of at least 10 Republican senators to overcome the chambers filibuster. Thune Beats Conservative Challengers in South Dakota Senate Race SIOUX FALLS, South DakotaSen. John Thune (R-S.D.) won the Republican primary on his way to an all-but-assured fourth term in the U.S. Senate on June 7, beating out two ultra-conservative candidates. With 48 percent of the votes reported at 10:42 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thune received more than 73 percent of the vote, according to Decision Desk HQ. Thune, U.S. Senate Minority Whip, edged out two conservative Republican candidates, Bruce Whalen and Mark Mowry. I want to thank Republicans in South Dakota for supporting my Senate candidacy, and I look forward to continue putting South Dakotas interests on the national agenda and stopping Bidens radical, left-wing crusade, Thune said in a prepared victory statement. Going into the June 7 primary, Thune has been a political fixture in South Dakota where he has held office since 1996. He won his first U.S. Senate term in 2004 where he ran unopposed. A poll conducted by South Dakota State Universitys School of American and Global Studies said Thune has solid support heading into the primary election. The survey did not show that any incumbent had anything to worry about, David Wiltse a political scientist at SDSU said in an emailed statement. Their political style reflects that, Wiltse said in the survey. Right now, theres this tension in the Republican Party between the more institutional types and the more populist types. At the moment, populists are edging out the more institutional types in most states. Both Thunes opponents were critical of him because he did not support former president Donald Trumps claims of an unfair election and question the election results. Whalen, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and a former ally of Thune, ran to the right of Thune and once said that Thune was a porker with taxpayer money. He said he parted ways with Thune over his criticisms of Trump. He warns of government handouts that he says, created a culture of dependence and unemployment. If you want to see what failed socialism is, come to an Indian reservation, Whalen told reporters in a May 8 press conference. He continued by telling voters to heed his warnings about where the country is headed. He said that this was his last bid for office. Mowry, touted a conservative pro-Second Amendment, pro-life, and pro-family message, while opposingo bigger government. Mowry was among skeptics who didnt believe former President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election and decided to run against Thune because of his unwillingness to question the validity of the election results. Mowry admitted that he went to Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 to protest President Joe Bidens victory, but he maintained he did not participate in the demonstrations near Capitol Hill or the riots that broke out afterwards. Its not something Id normally do, because I dont consider myself much of a political activist, Mowry told reporters of his decision to head east in January. But I was not in the Capitol. Thats a trespassing issue. And that never should have happened. Thune won his current Senate seat in 2004, when he made history by defeating a sitting Senate party leader for the first time in 52 years. In 2010, he was elected to serve a second term in the Senate in a rare unopposed race. He was elected to a third term in 2016. In November, Thune will face off against Democratic candidate, Brian Bengs and Libertarian Party nominee Tamara Lesnar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C) and Minister of National Defence Anita Anand (2nd R), join US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III, and Gen. Glen VanHerck (2nd L), Commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), take part in a NORAD briefing at North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 7, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Trudeau Meets With Counterparts on Day 1 of Summit of the Americas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several cabinet ministers are in the United States to attend the Summit of the Americas, where they will join other world leaders to discuss upgrading continental defences against threats from China and Russia, among other issues. On June 8, Trudeau will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden in Los Angeles, where Biden will host leaders from across the western hemisphere at the official opening ceremony of the ninth Summit of the Americas. This years summit focuses on Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future for the hemisphere. In particular, Canadian and U.S. leaders are to address their shared challenges, including the much-needed upgrade to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)a joint command system for the two countries to provide aerospace warning and protection for the continent. On June 7, Trudeau and Anand toured the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorados Rocky Mountains, where NORADs command centre is located. Both countries have said that this binational defence system is in dire need of enhancement if it is to counter the increased threats from potential aggressors like China and Russia. Were seeing a time where the world is shifting rapidly, Trudeau said, pointing to Russian President Vladimir Putins aggression in Ukraine, as well as the prospect of hypersonic long-range weapons being developed in China and Russia. Whether its new threats, new technologies, or shifting geopolitical realities, it becomes all the more important for friends and allies like Canada and the United States to continue working so closely together. In response to these threats, Anand pointed to four key principles: situational awareness, command and control, research and development, and an understanding of the potential threats North America could face. Those four principles, she said, will continue to form the foundation of our discussions and plans relating to NORAD modernization. Neither Trudeau nor Anand provided a specific timeline as to when such upgrades will be carried out. We have a number of initiatives on the table right now with the United States and we will be coming forward shortly with a plan to modernize NORAD, Anand said on June 7. I will leave it at that. Issues on the Agenda On June 7, Trudeau, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly arrived in Los Angeles, where they will spend the rest of the week meeting with their counterparts. Trudeau is meeting with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on June 8 to discuss environmental priorities. He will later attend a roundtable with Latin America and Caribbean leaders to talk about defending democratic values, climate change policies, and gender equality issues. Trudeau will also speak with Shilpan Amin, the president of General Motors International, about the role of electric vehicles in the western hemispheres climate policies. Guilbeault is expected to take part in discussions about climate change policies, while Joly meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Mexican counterpart Marcelo Ebrard. One notable aspect of this years summit is President Bidens decision to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba due to their dubious human rights records. The decision drew protests from other Latin American countries, in particular, a boycott from one of the forums most important members: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. On June 6, Trudeau was asked about his view of Bidens decision, to which he answer without passing judgment. Its extremely important that we have an opportunity to engage with our fellow hemispheric partnerssome like-minded, some less like-minded, he said, adding that they all share a number of similar challenges, including migration pressures, climate change, and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemicall three of which are on the agenda at the weeklong summit. The Canadian Press contributed to this article. PG-13 | 6 episodes | Drama, Mystery, Thriller | June 12 2022 (USA) Originally, Tony Hillermans Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee books were separate series, but when he brought the two cops together, his sales really started to take off. Not surprisingly, every dramatic adaptation of his books has featured Leaphorn and Chee as a team. These films have also all been produced by Robert Redford, starting with the one in 1991 directed by Errol Morris. Famous New Mexico resident George R.R. Martin also signed on as a producer of the newest Leaphorn and Chee series, set back in the 1970s, when Hillerman first started writing his award-winning mysteries. Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn in Dark Winds. (AMC Studios) Leaphorn has two major cases on his plate that inevitably turn out to be related, in creator Graham Rolands six-part Dark Winds, which premieres on AMC/AMC+. Leaphorn must navigate the rugged landscape of the Navajo Nation and its thorny legal jurisdictional terrain. As a lieutenant with the tribal police, Leaphorn keeps the peace on Navajo land, but any major crime technically becomes the province of the FBI. Special Agent Whitover is keen for leads on a gang of armored car robbers, suspected to be radical activists, whose getaway helicopter was last seen flying into Navajo territorial airspace. Radical Society The so-called Buffalo Society is brimming with revolutionary rhetoric and criminal know-how, but they seem to be short on actual followers. Regardless, a recent double murder is more personal for Leaphorn, because one of the victims was the former girlfriend of his late son. In addition to the faultlessly professional sergeant Bernadette Manuelito, Leaphorn will also have a new deputy to assist his investigation. Of course, that would be Jim Chee, but his loyalties will be divided. As Leaphorn quickly sleuthes out, Chee is actually an undercover FBI agent, whom Whitover placed with the Navajo police. However, Leaphorn agrees not to expose Chee, as long as he agrees to use Bureau resources to help solve the double homicide. Hard-Nosed Lawmen As a result, the chemistry between Leaphorn and Chee is a little different from the previous Wes Studi-Adam Beach PBS series, but their personas are much the same. Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn (L) and Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee in Dark Winds. (AMC Studios) Most importantly, Zahn McClarnon brings the same steely gravitas to Leaphorn that fans will expect. McClarnon also nicely explores Leaphorns tragic grief as a parent, but first and foremost, he plays him as a hardnosed, no-nonsense lawman. Kiowa Gordon is sufficiently credible as the conflicted Chee, but he is often overshadowed by Jessica Matten, who is terrific as the forceful Manuelito. It sort of makes sense that she would have a more prominent role in the latest series, because she becomes one of the primary characters in Anne Hillermans new mysteries following her fathers popular series of books. Taut Procedural Noah Emmerich generally portrays Agent Whitover as a sleazy caricature, but he develops some unexpected dimensions during the third act. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Society bandits are largely dull stereotypes. Yet, the worst caricature has to be Devoted Dan, a hypocritical Evangelical used car dealer, blackmailed into aiding and abetting the armed robbers (played with maximum cheesiness by Rainn Wilson). Even though the prior PBS series was moodier, Rolands take on Hillerman more fully explores the dark mystical implications of spirit medicine. The procedural stuff still drives the narrative and it all tight and taut. Chris Eyre, who helmed several of the PBS installments, returns as another executive and the director of episodes one, two, five, and six. Technically, Roland and the battery of writers mostly adapted from the solo Leaphorn novel Listening Woman rather than the solo Chee novel Dark Wind, but you can find a few elements of the latter novel repurposed in the new TV adaptation. Regardless, the 1970s setting adds a lot of grit and texture, while also explaining away the absence of cell phones and other modern devices that might have altered the storyline. Southwest Roots It is encouraging to see Hillerman has not yet been canceled by the extremist Own Voices campaign for racially segregated literature. The truth is Hillerman grew up among a Potawatomi community in Oklahoma and was always sympathetic to the native peoples of the Southwest. He was also a decorated member of the Greatest Generation, who was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for his service during World War II. Obviously, Hillerman also has a talent for writing, having received Edgar and Spur Awards for his Leaphorn and Chee mysteries. Roland and company do a good job recreating most of the elements that led to Hillermans success with readers. The setting is evocative and characters like Joe Leaphorn are just as compelling as ever. Recommended for fans of Hillerman and the subgenre of Southwestern mysteries he largely popularized, Dark Winds premieres June 12 on AMC/AMC+. Promotional ad for Dark Winds. (AMC Studios) Dark Winds Directors: Chris Eyre, Sanford Bookstaver Stars: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Rainn Wilson, Noah Emmerich Running Time: 6 episodes MPAA Rating: PG-13 Release Date: June 12, 2022 Rating: 4 out of 5 Grenfell Tower is seen covered and illuminated with green light one year after the tower fire in London on June 13, 2018. (Peter Nicholls/Reuters) UK Councils and Housing Associations Face Unlimited Fines for Failing Tenants Councils and housing associations could get unlimited fines if they are found to have provided damp, cold, and unsafe homes for tenants, under new legislation being laid before Parliament on Wednesday. The legislation is being introduced in the run-up to the fifth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire in Kensington, west London, which killed 72 people. The Social Housing Regulation Bill will give greater powers to the regulator, which will be able to implement emergency repairs where there is a serious risk to tenants, with the tab being picked up by their landlords. In May 2021 the Housing Ombudsman launched an investigation into unlivable housing conditions after ITV News revealed tenants in Croydon, south London, were getting little or no help from their local council over damp and mould in their homes. Last month Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove wrote to Britains biggest social landlord, Clarion, and threatened to intervene after the Housing Ombudsman found two severe cases of maladministration within two weeks. On Wednesday Gove said: In 2022 it is disgraceful that anyone should live in damp, cold, and unsafe homes, waiting months for repairs and being routinely ignored by their landlord. He said the new legislation was the latest step in addressing the systemic issues identified after the Grenfell Tower fire. A public inquiry into the fire has heard allegations that Grenfell Tower tenants were ignored by Kensington and Chelsea Council in the run-up to the blaze, which was caused when fire spread up the side of the building because of unsafe cladding. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities said social housing tenants would have a right to demand information from their landlords and would be able to rate their housing provider. Councils and housing associations will also need to provide a named individual who will be responsible for health and safety requirements. The government has promised a major reset of the relationship between social landlords and tenants. The Chief Executive of Shelter, Polly Neate, welcomed the bill: Social housing tenants have put up with too much for too longtoo many have been ignored and stigmatised because of where they live. Five long years after Grenfell, this bill will tip the scales of power closer in the direction of fairness and accountability. In the UK almost 4 million people live in flats or houses which are owned by a council or housing association. Between 1920 and 1980 millions of properties were built for social housing but in 1979 former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher introduced the Right-to-Buy policy, which allowed tenants to buy their homes from the council at a discount. PA Media contributed to this report. Ukrainian Forces Come Under Renewed Russian Attack in Key Eastern City KYIV/SLOVIANSK, UkraineUkrainian troops holding out in the ruins of Sievierodonetsk came under renewed heavy assault on Wednesday from Russian forces who see the capture of the industrial city as key to control of the surrounding Luhansk region. Turkey hosted Russias foreign minister to discuss a U.N. plan to open a corridor in the Black Sea for Ukrainian grain exports. Russias Sergei Lavrov said Ukraine must first de-mine its portsa move Kyiv fears would make it more vulnerable to attacks from the sea. Russian forces have been focused for weeks now on seizing Sievierodonetsk, which was home to some 106,000 people before Moscow invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The Luhansk regions governor said Ukrainian forces would not surrender the city. Fighting is still raging and no one is going to give up the city, even if our military has to step back to stronger positions. This will not mean someone is giving up the cityno one will give up anything. But (they) may be forced to pull back, Serhiy Gaidai told Ukrainian television. Russian forces will further increase their shelling and bombardment of both Sievierodonetsk and its smaller twin city of Lysychansk on the west bank of the Siverskyi Donets River, he claimed. Luhansk and the adjacent Province of Donetsk form the Donbass, claimed by Moscow for Russian-speaking separatists who have held eastern parts of the region since 2014. The absolutely heroic defence of Donbas is ongoing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement on Tuesday. The occupiers didnt believe the resistance of our military would be so strong and now they are trying to bring in new resources towards the Donbas. Reuters could not independently verify the situation on the ground in Sieverodonetsk. Zelenskyys office said two people were killed and two wounded in the Luhansk region in the past 24 hours, five civilians were wounded in the Donetsk region, and four killed and 11 wounded in the Kharkiv region. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits an area damaged by Russian military strikes, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on May 29, 2022. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters) Zelenskyy said Ukraine would launch next week a Book of Executioners to detail war crimes. Ukraine has opened more than 16,000 investigations into possible war crimes, has filed eight court cases, and identified 104 suspects, its prosecutor general said on Wednesday. Russia denies targeting civilians in Ukraine and rejects accusations that its forces have committed war crimes. The conflict is having a massive impact on the world economy. Ukraine is one of the worlds biggest exporters of grain, and Western countries accuse Russia of creating a risk of global famine by shutting Ukraines Black Sea ports. Moscow denies blame and says Western sanctions are responsible for food shortages. Russias Lavrov, after meeting his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Moscow was ready to guarantee the safety of vessels carrying grain from Ukrainian ports, in cooperation with Turkey. To solve the problem, the only thing needed is for the Ukrainians to let vessels out of their ports, either by demining them or by marking out safe corridors. Nothing more is required. Ukraine says mines are needed to protect its ports from Russian attack. Lavrov said President Vladimir Putin had personally promised not to use the grain shipment issue to benefit Russias military operation. Turkey, a NATO member with good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, has been trying to broker peace negotiations. Cavusoglu said further talks were needed on ways to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports via the Black Sea. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said this week the Russian-controlled Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol were ready to resume grain exports. Ukraine says any such shipments from territory seized by Moscow would amount to illegal looting. By Pavel Polityuk and Abdelaziz Boumzar Flags of Taiwan and the United States are placed for a meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 27, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters) US and Taiwan: Strategic Ambiguity, Increased Trade, and Weapons Sales News Analysis Despite several public slip-ups by the president, the U.S. policy of strategic ambiguity remains in place while the United States increases economic ties and weapons sales to Taiwan. On May 23, President Joe Biden stated publicly that the United States would fight for Taiwan, the third such comment in recent months. In all three instances, Beijing responded condemningly, and the White House walked back the presidents remarks. Still, Washington has issued statements reaffirming that there has been no change in U.S. policy regarding Taiwan. The Biden administration has vowed to increase economic engagement with the island nation and has been stepping up efforts to provide appropriate weapons to the Taiwanese army. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has motivated the U.S. government to encourage Taiwan to rethink its defense plans and purchase U.S. weapons capable of repelling a Chinese sea-born invasion in advance. Ukraines success thus far in making the Russians pay for each inch of territory taken has confirmed that a smaller, nimbler military with the right weapons can hold off or possibly defeat a much larger aggressor. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is determined to orient the nations defenses towards asymmetric warfare, purchasing a large number of mobile lethal weapons, which will be difficult for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to target and counter. As the PLA grows more powerful, it is crucial that Taiwan, along with the United States and Japan, play an active role in defense of the Taiwan Strait. As a result of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) military modernization over decades, the PLA now has the largest navy in the world, and its land-based missile force is believed to have the capability to target specific U.S. ships at sea. Although the United States still has the better jet fighters, it has fewer bases in the region, giving the PLA a home court advantage. In March, a U.S. delegation of five former senior national security officials visited Taiwan to meet with Tsai to discuss the islands defense strategy and weapons purchases. While the Taiwanese defense ministry has accepted many U.S. recommendations regarding appropriate weapons, they are not always in complete agreement. Attempts were made to purchase several weapons, including the Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk helicopter; however, American advisers feel these are ill-suited for the specific mission of defending Taiwan from a CCP invasion. Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said on May 3 that Taiwan and the United States could learn much from Ukraines defense against Russia to determine which weapons and strategies would work best against a PLA invasion. A U.S. Navy MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the Blue Hawks of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 78 fires chaff flares during a training exercise near the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Philippine Sea on April 24, 2017. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sean M. Castellano/Handout via Reuters) The United States maintains an official position of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan. While the U.S. government recognizes only one China, it obligates itself under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to provide Taiwan the means to defend itself from a PLA invasion. The term ambiguity refers to the fact that it is not clear if, in addition to providing Taiwan with weapons and training, the United States would actually fight for Taiwan. As tensions between the United States and the Chinese regime escalate, some U.S. lawmakers have called for an end to strategic ambiguity. Japans former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe published an article in April 2022, which stated that the United States should clarify whether or not it would fight for Taiwan. As Japan views its own defense becoming more closely entwined with that of Taiwan, the Japanese want to know if they can count on the Americans if conflict breaks out. Abe said that doubts about the U.S. willingness to fight might make the situation more dangerous as it would embolden China. Another take on strategic ambiguity is that it may be a greater deterrent than a public commitment to fight. An official commitment would likely instigate a war. Additionally, the Chinese regime might launch an attack on U.S. forces, probably in Japan, if it knew for sure that the United States would fight. However, if the regime thought the United States would not fight, it would invade Taiwan first while being careful not to suck Japan or the United States into the conflict. Consequently, strategic ambiguity may be the best strategy because Beijing is uncertain of what to do. It would not risk a preemptive strike on the United States because this would almost certainly lead to war with Japan, the United States, and Taiwan. The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and India would likely enter the conflict against China as well. Recently, the United States rejected Taiwans bid to join the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) even though Taiwan has the 7th largest economy in Asia and plays a crucial role in global supply chains, particularly for microchips. Taiwan was excluded for fear of scaring off Southeast Asian nations that are heavily dependent on China. On May 27, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with her Taiwanese counterpart, John Deng, to discuss deepening trade relations between the two countries. Formal talks are expected to be held in the coming weeks. Taiwan may also participate in the SelectUSA summit being held in Maryland in June. This summit facilitates foreign investment in the United States. Whether or not the United States intends to defend Taiwan remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the United States is intensifying its economic engagement with the island nation in addition to its commitment to provide Taiwan with the weapons and strategies to defend itself from the Chinese regime. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden, and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity at the Izumi Garden Gallery in Tokyo on May 23, 2022. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) US-led Indo-Pacific Deal Seeks to Challenge Chinas Belt and Road President Joe Biden announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for expanding U.S. economic leadership in the Indo-Pacific on May 23 in Tokyo with a dozen others including the Quad partners, Japan, Australia, and India, that have traditionally kept out of Chinas Belt and Road Initiativethe regimes trillion-dollar infrastructure investment program aimed at bolstering Beijings global economic and political clout. IPEF will strengthen our ties in this critical region to define the coming decades for technological innovation and the global economy, the White House said in a statement on the day of the announcement. The critical Indo-Pacific region comprises 38 countries containing 4.3 billion people or 65 percent of worlds total population, accounts for 63 percent of the worlds GDP, and over 50 percent of the worlds maritime trade happens through the region. The U.S. foreign direct investment in the region totaled more than $969 billion in 2020 with the country emerging as the leading exporter of services to the region, according to the White House. Experts told The Epoch Times that money propels geopolitical assertiveness and IPEF could have greater significance in the region where China has strengthened its economic ties and strategic architecture in the last few decades and has developed partnerships for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The IPEF has been launched by the U.S. with a focus on multipolar politics which is critical to the Asian geopolitical landscape. The inclusion of a diverse group of 12 countries shows that the goal is to promote decoupling from China across the Indo-Pacific region, Jagannath P. Panda, head of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs at the Sweden-based Institute for Security & Development Policy, told The Epoch Times in an email. The Biden administration through the IPEF is thus attempting to build economic clout in the Indo-Pacific along with its military and political presence, according to Panda. Within the Indo-Pacific region, 25 East Asian and Pacific countries, and six Southeast Asian countries have signed for Chinas BRI. CSIS experts, Matthew P. Goodman and William Alan Reinsch, said in a January report that IPEF will allow the United States to operationalize the Build Back Better World (B3W) program in the Indo-Pacific. B3W is the United States alternative to Chinas BRI, and was endorsed by G7 nations in June last year. In light of the massive need for infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific regionas much as $26 trillion between 2016 and 2030, according to the Asian Development Bankand the challenges posed by Chinas Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), the Biden administration is right to make this an element of the IPEF, said Goodman and Reinsch. Grant Newsham, a director at One Korea Network and a senior fellow with the Center for Security Policy, however is critical of the IPEF, saying it means very little for the U.S. foreign policy. At most it shows the Biden administration is paying attention to the Indo-Pacific. But in practical terms it is unclear what the benefits are for anyone who signs up for IPEF, Newsham told The Epoch Times in an email. Maybe theres some benefit to U.S. foreign policy by getting together and talking to other countries about things IPEF related. But thats not much. All in all, it makes the Americans look kind of befuddled, said Newsham. Taiwan was excluded from the IPEF, but Washington and Taipei on June 1 announced a new trade initiative which could pave the way to a future free trade agreement. Newsham described this development as more significant and potentially more beneficial to U.S. foreign policy. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson attend a meeting on Build Back Better World (B3W), as part of the World Leaders Summit, on day three of COP26 on November 02, 2021 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. (Steve Reigate Pool/Getty Images) Will IPEF Counter BRI? Though IPEF has a clear agenda of challenging Chinas ambitions, in its current design its not yet clear if itll be able to practically counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, according to experts. Classifying IPEF as a counter to BRIespecially when it is in its initial stages with unclear funding definitionswould not make sense. Essentially, the venture represents a combination of like-minded countries from both East and West and remains committed to the Quads main goal of maintaining a rules-based liberal order, said Panda. The IPEF is important because the current economic system in the Indo-Pacific is dependent on China and it is money thats enabling Beijings current military assertiveness, according to Satoru Nagao, a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Hudson Institute. Many global companies built their factories in China. Many companies are selling their products within China. Thus, the economic structure itself needs to change. The U.S. and its allies and like-minded countries should relocate their factories and find new markets elsewhere, said Nagao. However, Nagao said that IPEF doesnt exactly counter Chinas BRI; IPEF is more related with trade, while BRI largely deals with infrastructure development projects, he said. Newsham, also a former U.S. diplomat and business executive with years of experience in the Asia-Pacific region, said that if IPEF was designed to counter BRI, itll not be an effective one. He added that IPEF will not deter China from doing what it has been doing in the Indo-Pacific for the past three decades. It may instead help the Chinese to identify and target local politicians who signed for the IPEF with the Americans. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) speaks during a joint press conference with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in Fijis capital city Suva. (LEON LORD/AFP via Getty Images) Rejection of Chinas Regional Security Pact Ten Pacific Island nations (PICs) in late May rejected Chinas proposal for a broad regional security and economic deal as a result of a lack of consensus. Experts said the IPEF may have played some role in dissuading the PICs from the Chinese regimes pact that would have directly countered U.S. security architecture in the region. Fiji, which had been eager to join various China-led projects in the past, joined IPEF. Fiji, including 10 other PICs, have already signed onto BRI. Nagao described Fiji joining IPEC as an interesting move. Fijis move shows that the South Pacific nations are rethinking their cooperation with China now, he said. After the Solomon Islands signed a controversial security pact with China, the United States and allies in the region tried to persuade other South Pacific islands to distance themselves from cooperating on security with the regime, an approach that seems to be showing success, according to Nagao. Newsham however doubted that IPEF had any role to play in PICs decision to not sign for Chinas regional security pact as he believes most of the leaders in these nations understand Beijings agendas in the region except for the very corrupt ones. The leaders who said no dont need IPEF to remind them of the Chinese threat. And IPEF doesnt really help them. Maybe it helps to see the Americans showing interest in the region, and this might have given the leaders some encouragement and a little more confidence to turn down the Chinese offer, said Newsham. Japan's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeo Mori, South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and U.S Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman pose for a photo prior their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, on June 8, 2022. (Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool via Reuters) US, South Korea, Japan Condemn North Korean Missile Tests During Talks Senior officials from South Korea, the United States, and Japan have condemned recent North Korean missile tests and urged Pyongyang to engage in diplomatic dialogue. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman took part in the three-way meeting with the No. 2 diplomats of South Korea and Japan on June 8 in Seoul, South Korea. The trilateral meetings came days after North Korea conducted its latest missile tests and as the authoritarian country appeared to prepare for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017. South Korea Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori, and Sherman called North Koreas recent missile tests serious, unlawful provocations. They urged Pyongyang to abide by international sanctions and immediately cease actions that would escalate tensions or destabilise the region, a joint statement said. The trio also pledged to ramp up trilateral security cooperation to curb North Korean threats, with Sherman reaffirming U.S. defense commitments, including extended deterrence. They also urged the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) to return to negotiations, stressing that a path to serious and sustained dialogue remains open, the statement said, referring to North Korea by its official name. They also renewed offers of international assistance to fight against COVID-19. The three-way meeting of the diplomats was the first of such meetings since South Koreas President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May. It also marks the first time a Japanese vice-minister officially visited South Korea since late 2017, amid strained bilateral ties over issues that include Japans occupation of the Korean peninsula and wartime labor. In addition to the trilateral meeting, Sherman met with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to discuss economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and promoting resilient supply chains in semiconductors and other key products, according to State Department spokesperson Ned Price. They also discussed a joint commitment by the two countries to address global health security and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ensuring our countries are taking concrete steps to meet our commitments to combat climate change. Sherman noted on Twitter that she met with South Korean officials and addressed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and North Koreas unlawful ballistic missile launches and the need for Pyongyang to engage in dialogue. Productive meetings with ROK Unification Minister Kwon and Vice Minister Kim about our shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We discussed the DPRKs unlawful ballistic missile launches and the need for Pyongyang to engage in dialogue. pic.twitter.com/53aWosYU5b Wendy R. Sherman (@DeputySecState) June 8, 2022 A 91-year-old U.S. veteran of the Korean War has been reunited with his first love after spending some 70 years trying to track her down. In a lengthy Facebook post in May, Duane Mann, 91, explained that he met Peggy Yamaguchi while stationed in Japan between 1953 and 1954 and the pair spent their free time dancing together. Sparks soon began to fly. We could dance very well together and entertained a lot [of] people looking on. It didnt take long for both of [us] to fall in love, less than 6 months, Mann wrote. The couple quickly planned to get married as soon as they could arrange the wedding, however Mann was told that he was going to be shipped back to the United States within a week, meaning they would not have enough time to tie the knot. Yamaguchi was also pregnant. When I boarded a plane, I left a very unhappy girl shedding many tears, also pregnant, Mann wrote. I reassured her not to worry as I had saved more than enough money to send for her as soon as I could. I was finally discharged on July 9, 1954, and I returned to my home state of Iowa. However, a series of unfortunate circumstances kept Mann from his love and the couple soon lost touch. Despite no communication between the pair, Mann said he has spent the last 70 years trying to find Yamaguchi and feared that she believed he had abandoned her. Luckily, Manns post garnered international attention, and, along with his local TV station KETV Newswatch 7, he was able to reunite with his long-lost love. The pair enjoyed an emotional reunion in Michigan this week after years spent apart, thanks to the help of a Canadian researcher for the History Channel, 23-year-old Theresa Wong, who found a 1956 article titled Tokyo bride likes life in Escanaba about a new Japanese resident living in the Michigan town. Just a Few States Away That article provided a lead to finding Yamaguchi, who is also now 91, and had been living just a few states away from Mann for years, alongside her Navy husband and three sons. After being informed about the 1956 article, KETV reached out to Yamaguchis son, Rich Sedenquist, who played his mother a video clip of the news story about Manns search for her, and she immediately recognized him. Sedenquist said: She right away [said], I remember him! He really loved me, you know.' Despite years spent apart, the former couple immediately hit it off again when they were reunited, and Mann was finally able to tell Yamaguchi that he did not abandon her all those years ago. Im here to tell you that I didnt abandon you at all. I just couldnt find you, the war veteran told her when they met, before explaining that he has kept photos of her in his wallet ever since they met. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi revealed her son Mikes middle name is Duane. Thank you for remembering and saving all the pictures, you must have loved me, Peggy said and then hugged and kissed Duane. In his Facebook post last month, Mann explained that when he had returned home to the United States all those years ago, he discovered that his father had spent all of his savings and thus he was forced to get a job with a highway construction company so that he could send money back to Yamaguchi. While he and his first love would regularly write to one another at first, Mann said that he failed to receive any letters from her after a month or so until his youngest sister delivered him one letter from Yamaguchi stating that she had lost their baby and married an Air Force man. That is when I found out that my mother had been burning all of Peggys letters because she didnt want me to marry a Japanese girl, he explained. I was devastated and deeply confused, and yet I never had any words with either my father or mother. So, I have spent the last 70 years trying to find Peggy because the most haunting thing of all is that she must have figured that I abandoned her. I have never been able to shed this thought and have lived now to the age of 91 and carry a very heavy heart because of what all happened, he added. Russian billionaire and owner of Chelsea football club Roman Abramovich arrives at a division of the High Court in central London on Oct. 31, 2011. (Andrew Winning/Reuters) US Wins Authority to Seize Russian Oligarchs Planes NEW YORKA U.S. court on Monday issued warrants for the seizure of two luxury planes owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich under U.S. measures imposed after Russias invasion of Ukraine, court records showed. But the U.S. governments likelihood of gaining control of the aircraft worth nearly $400 million was uncertain. A Department of Justice official said the $350 million Boeing 787 Dreamliner and $60 million Gulfstream G650 ER were not in U.S. custody, and the official declined to say if the U.S. government knows their locations. A federal judge in Manhattan issued the warrants on the grounds that recent flights violated U.S. export controls imposed after Russias invasion of Ukraine in February. The U.S. Department of Commerce filed related administrative charges against Abramovich. But the official said the warrants are likely to dissuade companies from helping to move the aircraft. U.S. authorities are seeking to pressure business leaders close to Russian President Vladimir Putin to get him to halt what Kremlin calls its special military operation in Ukraine. A spokesperson for Abramovich did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Abramovich has denied having close ties to Putin. The Commerce Department said that the Gulfstream flew from Istanbul to Moscow on March 12, left the following day for Tel Aviv, and flew from Istanbul to Moscow again on March 15. The Boeing flew from Dubai to Moscow on March 4, the department said. Because the planes were U.S.-made, and the flights took place after export restrictions went into effect, Abramovich, a Russian national, would have needed a license from Commerce to fly them to Russia. No licenses were requested, but an administration official told reporters the departments policy is to deny such requests. The department may seek to fine Abramovich up to $328,121 per unlicensed flight, or nearly $1 million for the three flights, among other penalties. Russian oligarchs such as Abramovich will not be permitted to violate U.S. export regulations without consequence, Commerce official John Sonderman said in a statement. Commerce in March moved to effectively ground Abramovichs Gulfstream, along with 99 other planes it said had recently traveled to Russia, for allegedly violating export controls. Abramovich owns both planes through a series of shell companies registered in Cyprus, Jersey, and the British Virgin Islands, prosecutors said. In February he reorganized the ownership structure to make his children the beneficiaries of a trust that ultimately owns both planes. But he continued effectively to own and control the planes when they flew to Moscow the next month, according to the Commerce Department. Abramovich, who helped mediate talks between Moscow and Kyiv during the early days of the war, has not personally been sanctioned by the United States. He has been sanctioned by the European Union and Britain. By Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld A Florida college valedictorian with nonspeaking autism has given a moving commencement speech to her fellow graduates, urging them to use their voices to serve others. Rollins College student Elizabeth Bonker lost her ability to speak at 15 months of age, and is profoundly affected by autism. For her commencement address that was delivered to her graduating class of 529 students on May 8, she used text-to-speech computer software, typing independently with one finger as a communication partner held a keyboard. Footage of the speech has since gone viral. Rollins College student Elizabeth Bonker gives her commencement address on May 8. (Courtesy of Rollins College) I am one of the lucky few nonspeaking autistics who have been taught to type, Elizabeth, who earned a degree in social innovation, told the gathered crowd. That one critical intervention unlocked my mind from its silent cage, enabling me to communicate and to be educated, like my hero Helen Keller. While Elizabeths neuromotor issues prevent her from tying her shoes or buttoning a shirt without help, technology has allowed her to share her message. God gave you a voice. Use it, she urged the crowd, quipping, and no, the irony of a nonspeaking autistic encouraging you to use your voice is not lost on me. Elizabeth in her childhood. (Courtesy of Rollins College) In her speech, Elizabeth recalled how, during her freshman year, she heard a story about the famous Rollins alum Mister Fred Rogers, and a handwritten note found in his wallet after he died, which read, Life is for Service. She called upon her classmates to write the same message on a corner of their commencement program, take a photo and post it on social media, or tear it off and keep it in a safe place. When we see each other at our reunions, we can talk about how our commencement notes reminded us to serve others, she implored. Elizabeth also mentioned that, despite struggling her whole life with not being heard or accepted, she believes that one of the greatest gifts is having the freedom to choose our own way. Crediting Rollins for fostering a culture of kindness, Elizabeth also thanked the college for taking a chance on her. A story on the front page of our local newspaper reported how the principal at my high school told a staff member, The retard cant be valedictorian,' she shared, adding, Yet today, here I stand. Each day, I choose to celebrate small victories, and today, I am celebrating a big victory with all of you. After graduating, Elizabeth plans to use her experience to help the worlds 31 million nonspeakers with autism locked in their own silent cage. To help her with her mission, she has already set up her own nonprofit, Communication 4 ALL, through which she plans to promote access to communication tools for everyone. She also implored her fellow graduates to identify their own dreams, and use their Rollins education to fulfill those missions. Founded in 1885, Rollins College at Winter Park is one of Floridas oldest colleges. In a press release, college representatives said that Elizabeth was elected to give the 2022 commencement address unanimously, by four additional valedictoriansEmily Curran, Sofia Frasz, Jessika Linnemeyer, and Charles Mellinall of whom achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Elizabeth is also using her voice in many ways to help change the way the world sees nonspeaking autism. She has written a book, I Am in Here: the Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds her Voice, and has produced an album of songs. In her music video, she and 60 nonspeakers declare their anthem, I Am in Here. Guitarist Tom Morello, of Rage Against the Machine fame, guest stars on the albums second song, Silent Cage. This song transports listeners into what it feels like for nonspeakers to suffer in silence. Having found her voice, Elizabeth now wants the worlds voiceless to be able to follow in her footsteps. Watch Elizabeths May 8 commencement address in the video: (Courtesy of Rollins College) Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Deputies attend the opening ceremony of the National Assembly's autumn session in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Oct. 23, 2017. (Kham/Reuters) Vietnam Arrests Health Minister, Hanoi Mayor Over COVID Test Kit Scandal Authorities in Vietnam on Tuesday arrested the countrys health minister and the mayor of Hanoi for their roles in an alleged $170 million COVID-19 testing kit scandal. Vietnams ruling Communist Party expelled the two officials from the regime and they were sacked from their positions after being accused of violating party rules and allegedly causing losses to the state budget, Reuters reported. The countrys legislative body, the National Assembly, and the Peoples Council of Hanoi voted the oust the two officials from their roles before the regimes security ministry issued arrest warrants late Tuesday. The countrys health minister, Nguyen Thanh Long, who assumed the role in 2020, faces accusations of abusing his position as an official to violate the law in regard to COVID-19 test kits, according to a statement by Vietnams Public Security Ministry. He has been accused of mismanagement and facilitating a local firm to overstate the prices of its COVID-19 test kits. Meanwhile, Hanoi officials unanimously voted to dismiss chairman Chu Ngoc Anh, essentially the mayor, after he was accused of violating regulations on management and use of State assets, causing loss and waste. Anh was a minister of science and technology before being appointed as Hanoi chairman in September 2020. After being approved by the Supreme Peoples Procuracy, the Ministry of Public Security has implemented the decisions and orders in accordance with law, the statement added. Their arrests come amid an intensifying anti-corruption drive that was launched in 2016. Police from the Ministry of Public Security have been investigating officials for violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences, abusing their position and power, and bribery. This effort has seen dozens of senior health officials arrested in recent months, accused of wrongdoings in medical equipment procurement, including COVID-19 test kits. Senior finance and diplomatic officials have also been targeted, and many have faced trials and been jailed, Reuters reported. Vietnams communist regime announced Longs and Anhs expulsion from the Communist Party on Monday, according to a government release. The regime said the two officials degraded political ideology, violated the partys regulations and caused losses to the state budget. Walmart shopping carts on the parking lot ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Chicago, on Nov. 27, 2019. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters) Walmart Removes Chaokoh Coconut Milk From Shelves After PETA Says Investigations Found Forced Monkey Labor Retailer Walmart has reportedly pulled Chaokoh coconut milk from its shelves following undercover investigations that allegedly revealed the use of forced monkey labor. The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) confirmed the news in a statement on June 7, stating that Walmart had removed the coconut milk from the Thai-based major producer after it had received over 86,000 emails from PETA supporters. As of June 8, the only Chaokoh product available to purchase on Walmarts website is a can of Banana Blossom in brine. The Epoch Times has contacted Walmart and Chaokoh for comment. The coconut trade uses social monkeys as chained-up coconut-picking machines, depriving them of any opportunity to eat, play, or spend time with their families, PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman said in a statement. With one PETA expose after another confirming cruelty on coconut farms, retailers are dropping Chaokoh left and right. Kudos to Walmart for its kind decision. PETA Asia said it conducted two undercover investigations in 2019 and 2020 in farms and monkey-training facilities and found that monkeys were forced to pick coconuts for Chaokoh coconut milk. The organization said it had documented abuse and exploitation and noted that many monkeys were being illegally abducted from their families when they are just babies and made to wear metal collars and chained up for long periods of time. Denied Freedom Denied the freedom to move around, socialize with others, or do anything else that is important to them, these intelligent animals slowly lose their minds, PETA said. Driven to desperation, they pace and circle endlessly on the barren, trash-strewn patches of dirt where theyre chained. The terrified young monkeys are forced to perform frustrating and difficult tasks, such as twisting heavy coconuts until they fall off the trees from a great height. An investigator learned that if monkeys try to defend themselves, their canine teeth may be pulled. Accompanying video footage documenting their alleged findings is disturbing to watch. The Epoch Times could not verify whether the monkeys in the PETA video were being forced to harvest coconuts. In 2020, a monkey-free due diligence assessment was conducted by Bureau Veritas Certification (Thailand) Ltd., contracted by Theppadungporn Coconut Co., in which investigators randomly visited 64 of its 817 farms and found no monkeys were being used to farm coconuts. PETA said that both Chaokoh and the Thai government have failed to take meaningful action to end the use of forced monkey labor despite being informed of the situation nearly a year ago and were relying on a misleading and inadequate audit system instead of visiting the farms to assess the situation. Walmart is the latest of 45,000 stores to have cut ties with Chaokoh coconut milk, PETA said, including Wegmans, Costco, Food Lion, Stop & Shop, and Target. The organization said they are still pushing for other retailers to pull Chaokoh coconut milk from their shelves, including 99 Ranch Market. Back in 2020, Thai Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit told reporters that the use of monkeys in the coconut industry is almost non-existent and that this had long ago been replaced by human labor. But there may still be the pictures of monkeys collecting coconuts for tourism on video clips, which created a misunderstanding, Jurin said. Welsh Government Announces Plan to Become an Anti-Racist Nation Wales Labour-run government has announced its aim to take action to turn Wales into an equitable anti-racist nation through mandatory anti-racism training and lessons for school children and all public bodies. On Tuesday, the Welsh government announced its Anti-racist Wales Action Plan to eradicate racism from the NHS, hospitals, schools, and more in the country. The plan (pdf) was drawn up by a group co-chaired by Cardiff Universitys Prof Emmanuel Ogbonna and Andrew Goodall, permanent secretary to the Welsh government. Anti-racism Is Marxist Ideology In the introduction to the plan (pdf), the nationalist-Marxist militant organisation the Black Panthers was quoted: If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. It added that it was inspired by George Floyd to take action. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died after a Minneapolis police officer held his knee against Floyds neck and back for approximately nine-and-a-half minutes as Floyd laid handcuffed and face-down on the pavement while another officer restrained his lower body and a third officer knelt on Floyds back. Floyds death prompted mass demonstrations in many countries as protestors called for racial justice. Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt said that the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan for Wales is built on the values of Anti-racism, and calls for actions to be taken in terms of our policies and ways of working rather than putting the burden on ethnic minority people to act. Anti-racism is one teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), which is a Marxist ideology. It defines class struggle between oppressors (white people) and the oppressed (everybody else), as was done with Marxisms reduction of human history to a struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Prof. Emmanuel Ogbonna of Cardiff Business School said in the introduction of the plan that racism is constantly mutating. Racism is constantly mutating. If we fail to eradicate it, it will continue through generations, he said. It becomes a perverse inheritance that expresses itself in different mutations, and that blights the lives of future generations in different ways. Many years ago, racism was overt, with many ethnic minority people told directly that they were not wanted. Today, racism has morphed into subtle everyday behaviours but is no less pernicious in its impacts. We want to eradicate racism and we believe that adopting an anti-racist approach is the key to this. Wales will also become the first in the UK to make it mandatory to teach black, Asian, and minority ethnic histories and experiences in the new Curriculum for Wales. This is being rolled out to primary schools from September 2022. It added that while this work is for the benefit of all children, there is an intersectionality with the experiences and outcomes of children and young people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Other measures include anti-racist culture and practices to be embedded in every further education institution and adult learning provider in Wales. A performance goal linked to anti-racism for leaders and reverse mentoring and anti-racism training will also be introduced. The NHS will also require anti-racist leadership at all levels by direction. All NHS Boards, Trusts, and Special Authorities will need to report demonstrable progress in driving anti-racism at all levels. To counter online racist hateful attitudes, the Welsh said that it is working with Cardiff Universitys HateLab which will build tools to identify and track hate speech online with a particular focus on Wales. The Most Important Thing Is Their Skin Colour Dr. Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, head of education strategy for Dont Divide Us, an organisation set up to take a stand against the UKs divisive obsession with peoples racial identity, told The Epoch Times that Waless critical race theory led policies is detrimental to minorities and also contemptuous of the majority, that the Welsh government is using a minoritarian elitist argument that is really delegitimizing the majority opinion. The subtext of anti-racist training is that unless you have this training, you will be a racist. Thats a horrible message to be sending out to people you are supposed to represent, she said. For children, the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan claimed that developing negative stereotypes about ethnic minority people can start as early as age four. It added that even those who think they are nonracist can have ingrained stereotypes which may, if combined with a position of power, result in negative behaviour towards ethnic minority people. What could be more divisive than telling children how different they are? They are going to be told that the most important thing is their skin colour? said Cuthbert. She also questioned the superficial educational aspect of teaching Asian, black, and minority history, which she claimed would be a performative tactic. Are they going to be teaching the history of Asia ie of Japan, China, or Uzbekistan? Each of these nations has a distinct history and they just lump it under Asian, similar to black. Have they done any work or thought to the enterprise that is going to be needed for each of these histories? Will it be Ibram X., Kendi, or DiAngelos take on Post Colonialism or is it going to be serious work? said Cuthbert. Prominent American CRT advocate Ibram X. Kendi says there is no such thing as being non-racist or race-neutral. In other words, one must support anti-racist policies and actively identify and confront perceived racism in everyday life in order not to be a racist. Babies are taught to be racist or antiracisttheres no neutrality, the Boston University professor wrote in his childrens book Antiracist Baby. Ibram X. Kendi is seen in a New York City studio on March 10, 2020. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) Cuthbert notes that in introducing the plan, the Welsh government highlights an infamous quote attributed to the Black Panther Party, a political organisation that advocated armed struggle: if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Cuthbert said, Kendis idea is part of this reductive, binary thinking that says, If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem and that is replicated everywherethat unless you are actively anti-racist then you are part of the problem. The idea is the same, she said. What we will be doing to a generation is teaching them to be very cynical and or very painfully self-conscious and that their relationships with each other will be quite fraught, she said. Cuthbert said that Britain has become a positive multi-ethnic society, but CRT will take race relationships backward. If this isnt stopped we will go backwards, they are going to make skin colour the most important thing, and thats horrible, she said. Lazy Narratives In an article in January in The Equiano Project, Ben Sears, a former local government policy officer and teacher who lives in South Wales, said that when governments and policy-makers see the world in terms of concepts like CRT and white privilege, we are fed simplistic, lazy narratives about the causes of problems, and in turn, are offered simplistic, lazy solutions. Attempts to deconstruct institutions runs through every level in Wales, Sears told The Epoch Times. What was clear was there wasnt any challenge to all this. There still isntbecause of the fear factor, for fear of being called a racist, he added. He added that long term, he believed that Wales anti-racism plans will backfire spectacularly, noting that explaining white privilege to some people in the Valleys, which are amongst some of the poorest communities in Europe, is not going to be received well. You only have to look at the U.S. for that. You are trying to eradicate something which is as much about human nature as it is about anything. The way it is framed will create more division rather than less, exacerbating the problems that it claims to resolve, said Sears. As of publication, the Welsh government has not replied to The Epoch Times request for comment. Bill Pan and Harry Lee contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FuelCell Energy faces a National Labor Relations Board inquiry, after two workers claimed they were fired on the heels of organizing a labor union drive. The International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478 filed an initial complaint last month with NLRB on behalf of a handful of workers at FuelCells Danbury headquarters who monitor the operation of fuel cells at nearly 100 locations in the United States. IUOE Local 478 filed a follow-up complaint on Monday, in advance of FuelCell CEO Jason Few presiding at the Tuesday opening ceremony for the Nasdaq. As of May, FuelCell reported having about 400 employees total in Danbury, Torrington and other locations, a slight increase from last fall. Fuel cells produce electricity through a chemical process, analogous to a battery but using a continuous supply of hydrogen as a fuel. Connecticut and other states have subsidized the use of fuel cells to chip away at the reliance on natural gas power plants. IUOE Local 478 states a small number of workers began the organization effort in October 2021 after getting small raises the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, against larger raises for Few and other senior executives as reported to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. While Fews FuelCell compensation was ratcheted back in 2021, other executives got big increases a second straight year. This past April, eight workers voted for the union, with four against. IUOE states management fired two workers within a fortnight and pressured another to leave. NLRB had yet to post links to the complaint on its website as of Tuesday afternoon. In a response to a Hearst Connecticut Media query forwarded by an external public relations firm, FuelCell stated it does not comment on employee status for current or former workers. NLRB cases are common in Connecticut, with dozens having been filed to date this year including eight the first week of June. That group included complaints against the Avangrid parent of United Illuminating; the Electric Boat subsidiary of General Dynamics; and Yale-New Haven Hospital. Nationally, less than 500 of the some 14,300 unfair labor practice complaints last year generated an NLRB board order, though more than a third of the rest resulted in settlements. Remaining complaints were either dismissed or withdrawn. FuelCell reached an important settlement late last year on another front a long-running litigation battle with POSCO Energy, a South Korea company that had asserted license rights to FuelCell products. The companies reached a settlement last December that included a stipulation for a Posco subsidiary to purchase 20 to 34 fuel-cell modules at $3 million a pop, but with FuelCell reporting a $24 million payment associated with the settlement that contributed to a $46 million loss for the quarter. Add the new stream of Posco revenue to that derived from operating fuel cells and research contracts, and overall revenue more than doubled to $31.8 million for FuelCells first fiscal quarter ending in January. FuelCell reports second-quarter results on Thursday. We are actively engaged in real conversations about opportunities there, said FuelCell CEO Jason Few, during a March conference call in reference to anticipated fuel cell sales in Asia. They tend to be larger projects. Ken Dixon and Dan Haar contributed to this report. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Theres a new executive at the helm of Orange-based energy company Avangrid. The companys new chief executive officer, Pedro Azagra Blazquez, took control of the company on June 1. He replaced Dennis Arriola, who company officials said in March had decided to leave the business at the end of May after less than two years on the job. Avangrid oversees all of the U.S. companies owned by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola. Those companies include three in Connecticut: The United Illuminating Co. and two natural gas utilities, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas. Azagra Blazquez had served as chief development officer of Iberdrola since 2008. He also has served on the Avangrid board of directors since 2019. Ive had the privilege to be involved with the organization for many years, including leading the company into the offshore wind space, and Im proud of Avangrids leadership in the energy industry, Azagra Blazquez said in a statement. I look forward to taking our company to the next level as we continue to raise the bar, be bold and think innovatively. Ignacio Galan, chairman of Avangrid, said in a written statement that Azagra Blazquezs substantial experience in the Iberdrola Group, globally and in the U.S., as well as the strong relationships he has built in the country over the years, make him a natural choice to lead the company. Pedro knows the U.S. market well, Galan said. Arriolas abrupt departure from the company came against a backdrop of Avangrid getting bogged down with two significant growth initiatives, one in Maine and the other in New Mexico. Efforts to build a transmission line in Maine that would bring hydropower from Quebec into Maine and the New England region are mired in the courts. Last month, the Maine Supreme Court heard arguments from officials with Central Maine Power, an Avangrid subsidiary, seeking to overturn the results of a statewide referendum in November 2021. Voters approved a ban on the construction of the project and work on building the transmission line has been on hold since. A month after the Maine referendum, utility regulators in New Mexico rejected another key Avangrid effort. Members of New Mexicos Public Regulation Commission voted unanimously last December to reject Avangrids proposed $4.3 billion deal to acquire PNM Resources. The deal, if it had been approved, would have allowed Avangrid to generate more wind and solar power that could be exported to larger markets. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com NORWALK Nineteen nonprofits and charitable organizations in the city received between $5,000 and $150,000 as part of an annual state assistance program. Norwalk received 20 applications from 19 nonprofits for the 2022 Neighborhood Assistance Act Program, according to city documents. The citys Redevelopment Agency oversaw receiving, processing and allocating the fund requests, Executive Director Brian Bidolli said. Its a state-sponsored program for tax credits for nonprofits and other eligible entities, where they can raise funding through an allocation of these credits, Bidolli said. Its done at the city level and the agency is responsible for soliciting those requests and allocating them. The 2022 applicants were advanced for final approval to the Common Council during last weeks meeting of the councils Economic and Community Development Committee. The council is set to grant final approval for inclusion in the 2022 Neighborhood Assistance Act during next weeks meeting. The application period for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which begins next month, opened in late April. Applications were to be submitted to Redevelopment Agency Community Engagement Coordinator Katie OLeary by May 6, she said. Eligible groups are tax-exempt organizations that provide community programs in Norwalk and applicants include the citys homeless shelter and various food insecurity nonprofits, according to city documents. Its a tax credit program through the Department of Revenue Services, which is designed to provide funding for municipal and tax-exempt organizations by providing a corporate business tax credit for businesses who make tax contributions to these entities, OLeary said. We received 20 applications for 19 different organizations. Ten of those applied last year as well. The tax credit earned is equal to 60 percent of a business approved contribution to specific programs or 100 percent in the case of certain energy conservation programs, according to the documents. Of the 20 amounts granted for 2022 applicants, six were fully funded, according to the documents. Recipients include $10,000 for Elderhouses meals for seniors program, $22,000 for trail design by the Friends of the Norwalk River Valley Trail and $50,000 for the Malta House residential program, according to the documents. The smallest award was $5,000 for Connecticut Radio Information System to fund audio accessibility for people who are blind or have difficulty reading print. The largest award was to the Maritime Aquarium, which requested $150,000 for repowering the Research Vessel Spirit of the Sound. Last year, the aquarium applied for funds to improve the buildings heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Maritime Aquarium received those funds in April, aquarium spokesperson Dave Sigworth said. The aquarium made significant energy-efficiency upgrades this spring with $141,509.43 from the global insurance provider Chubb, according to an aquarium statement. ConnectiCare Insurance Company, Inc., and RC Bigelow also contributed to the aquariums energy upgrades through the tax credit program. The amount is the value of a credit received by Chubb through the Neighborhood Assistance Act. The funds were used to make improvements to the HVAC system in the aquariums 135,000-square-foot facility. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com PHOENIX (AP) An Arizona prisoner made a last-minute request to the U.S. Supreme Court to delay his execution scheduled Wednesday for his murder conviction in the 1984 killing of an 8-year-old girl. Frank Atwood made the request Tuesday after a lower court rejected his arguments that the execution should be called off because his degenerative spinal condition would make it excruciatingly painful for him to be strapped on his back to the gurney he will lie on during the lethal injection. Atwoods attorneys also told the Supreme Court in court filings that the aggravating factor that made his crime eligible for the death penalty was invalidly applied. He was convicted in 1975 in California for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and convicted of killing Vicki Hoskinson in 1987. Atwood is scheduled to be lethally injected with pentobarbital Wednesday at the state prison in Florence, Arizona, for his conviction in the girl's killing. The execution would be Arizonas second in less than a month, following an eight-year hiatus attributed to both on the difficulty of obtaining needed lethal injection drugs and criticism that a 2014 execution was botched. Death penalty opponents worry that Arizona will now start executing a steady stream of prisoners who have languished on death row, but state officials didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on their future execution schedule and no more are currently scheduled. Arizona has 112 prisoners on death row, including Atwood. Earlier on Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request to delay Atwood's execution. In addition to arguing that Atwood would suffer while strapped to the gurney, his lawyers questioned whether the state had met a requirement that the lethal injection drugs expiration date falls after the execution date. And even though he didnt pick lethal gas as his execution method, his lawyers still challenged the states procedures protocol for gas chamber executions. The appeals court in its ruling said it was deferring to a lower-court judge who concluded that accommodations made by the state allowing a pillow and tilting feature on the gurney to be used to prop up Atwood to alleviate his pain prevented a ruling that the lethal injection protocol creates a risk of severe pain. The appeals court also concluded Atwood lacks legal standing to challenge the lethal gas protocol because he will be executed by lethal injection. Prosecutors have said Atwood is trying to indefinitely postpone his execution through legal maneuvers. Atwood's lawyers said would suffer for an extended amount of time even before the lethal drug is injected. In a statement, Atwood attorney Joseph Perkovich said the lethal injection procedure will intentionally inflict extreme pain for what will likely be an hour before, in the best-case scenario, he succumbs to the execution chemicals. Authorities have said Atwood kidnapped Hoskinson, whose remains were discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Experts could not determine the cause of death from the remains, according to court records. Atwood maintains that he is innocent. Last month, Atwood declined to choose between lethal injection or the gas chamber, leaving him to be put to death by lethal injection, the states default execution method. Even though he didnt pick the gas chamber, Atwood challenged Arizona's lethal gas procedures. His lawyers said Atwood has a right to choose between methods of execution that are constitutional and suggested that the state switch its lethal gas from hydrogen cyanide gas to nitrogen gas because nitrogen would produce painless deaths. Arizona prosecutors say nitrogen executions are untried and untested. Atwood's attorneys said the state's lethal gas protocol calling for the use of hydrogen cyanide gas which was used in some past U.S. executions and by Nazis to kill 865,000 Jews at the Auschwitz concentration camp alone is unconstitutional and would produce agonizing levels of pain in executions. Arizona, California, Missouri and Wyoming are the only states with decades-old lethal-gas execution laws still on the books. Arizona, which carried out the last gas chamber execution in the United States more than two decades ago, is the only state with a working gas chamber. In recent years, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Alabama have passed laws allowing executions with nitrogen gas, at least in some circumstances, though experts say its never been done and no state has established a protocol that would allow it. On May 11, Arizona executed Clarence Dixon for his murder conviction in the 1978 killing of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old Arizona State University student. It was the first execution carried out in the state since the July 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was given 15 doses of a two-drug combination over nearly two hours. Wood snorted repeatedly and gasped before he died. His attorney said the execution had been botched. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa Democrat Mike Franken, a retired Navy admiral, will challenge Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley's reelection this fall after winning his party's nomination Tuesday over two competitors. Franken beat former congresswoman Abby Finkenauer and physician Glenn Hurst to earn the right to run against Grassley, who is seeking an eighth Senate term and beat back a nominal primary challenge of his own. "What must happen is we must defeat Chuck Grassley, Franken told supporters in Des Moines after receiving a call of congratulations from Finkenauer. Were done with this. Were absolutely done. Im not going to be the junior senator from Iowa. Im going to be the leading senator from the state of Iowa. Frankens primary win is something of a surprise, given Finkenauer was better known throughout the state after her 2018 victory over a Republican congressman that made her the second-youngest woman elected to Congress. Finkenauer lost in a reelection bid in 2020 but was a frequent presence on cable television and raised millions of dollars toward her Senate run. But Franken campaigned in more than 50 of Iowa's 99 counties, touting his upbringing in rural, northwest Iowa where Democrats have all but vanished from public office. And yet Franken beat Finkenauer soundly in the state's most populous areas including the Des Moines metro area, as well as in the liberal bastion of Iowa City, next door to Finkenauer's eastern Iowa base. We're going to take this race from a third-tier Senatorial race to a tier one, the most interesting race in nation, Franken added. In his campaign, Franken emphasized a need to dial down the political tension in Washington. He also called for adding a public insurance option to the Affordable Care Act. Joyce Mahl of Council Bluffs in western Iowa said she voted for Franken because she was unsure Iowans would vote for a Democratic woman in the general election, though Iowa has elected Democratic women, including Finkenauer, to Congress. Mahl's top priority is a candidate she views as stronger against Grassley. If you want Grassley out, youve got to vote for the one that you think can beat him, Mahl, 66, said after voting at a downtown Council Bluffs church. Franken will nonetheless face stiff headwinds going into the general election against Grassley, who has served seven terms. A state that Democrat Barack Obama won in two presidential elections has steadily shifted to the right in recent years, part of a broader transformation that has spread through the Northern Plains that has made it increasingly difficult for Democrats to compete statewide. Mark Hollander, 47, a marketing professional from West Des Moines, said he voted for Finkenauer in part because of her background in Congress, but also because she represents a new generation. Finkenauer stressed limiting the number of terms a member of the Senate can serve. I do agree with her on term limits, Hollander said. I feel that Grassley has not been especially effective in the last decade-plus and has turned more obstructionist at this point. But Finkenauer's campaign faced an unexpected stumble in April when she nearly didn't make the primary ballot. Republican activists claimed she hadnt gathered enough signatures from enough counties. A district judge ruled Finkenauer hadnt qualified for the ballot, a ruling she called deeply partisan. The Iowa Supreme Court overruled that decision and allowed her to run. Still, the episode turned off a number of veteran state Democratic activists, former candidates and officeholders, prompting some to give Franken a second look. He posted stronger first-quarter fundraising figures than Finkenauer and earned endorsements from some well-known former Finkenauer supporters bothered by her declining to accept responsibility for the filing mistakes. Grassley, from New Hartford in northern Iowa, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980 after serving three terms in the U.S. House. __ Associated Press writers David Pitt in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Grant Schulte in Council Bluffs, Iowa, contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) Jill Biden urged graduates of a Los Angeles community college on Tuesday to never forget where you came from, saying they can learn from their past without being defined by it. The first lady, a community college English professor, singled out a few Los Angeles City College graduates in her brief remarks, including a 46-year-old woman who realized a childhood dream of becoming a teacher after losing her 25-year career as a graphic designer during the pandemic. She also told the stories of a woman from the Ivory Coast who went into labor with her third child during her final exam, but still completed her test, and of the U.S. Marine diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after a tour in Afghanistan but found treatment and enrolled at LACC. In her first address of the 2022 commencement season, Biden told the more than 1,000 graduates that you astonish me with your grit and your determination and that is why I love teaching community college. As first lady, she continues to teach at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has taught since 2009. My charge to you is this: Never forget your path, the people who brought you here, or the lessons youve realized along the way, she said. Never forget where you came from. It doesnt have to define you, but it will always have something to teach you. Never forget what made you who you are, and then you will be ready for wherever you choose to go next, she said. Biden visited Los Angeles City College in 2016 to announce the start of the Los Angeles College Promise Program, which offers free tuition for all new, full-time students at the Los Angeles Community College District, including LACC, according to the school's website. Biden and her husband, President Joe Biden, pushed last year for a nationwide program that would provide two years of free community college, but Congress rejected the idea. The first lady was in Los Angeles to help host, with President Biden, the Summit of the Americas, a gathering of leaders of democracies in the Western Hemisphere. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) The school district police chief criticized for waiting too long before law enforcement confronted and killed the gunman during a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school did not appear at a City Council meeting in Uvalde on Tuesday, despite being newly elected to the panel. Mayor Don McLaughlin said he was unable to explain why the district police Chief Pete Arredondo wasn't at the brief meeting. Two weeks ago, 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Law enforcement and state officials have struggled to present an accurate timeline and details, and have stopped releasing information about the police response. McLaughlin told reporters at the meeting that he was frustrated with the lack of information. We want facts and answers, just like everybody else, the mayor said. Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, has said Arredondo, who was in charge of the multi-agency response on May 24, made the wrong decision to not order officers to breach the classroom more quickly to confront the gunman. As the mayor spoke in Uvalde on Tuesday, lawmakers in Washington heard testimony from the son of a woman who was killed in a recent mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, as lawmakers work toward a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures. And at a White House press briefing, actor Matthew McConaughey, a Uvalde native, spoke with passion about his conversations with the families of the children who were killed and the need for more stringent gun control. The gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, spent roughly 80 minutes inside Robb Elementary, and more than an hour passed from when the first officers followed him into the building and when he was killed, according to an official timeline. In the meantime, parents outside begged police to rush in and panicked children called 911 from inside. Arredondo has not responded to repeated interview requests and questions from The Associated Press. After the City Council meeting, Alfred Garza III, whose 10-year-old daughter, Amerie Jo, was among the Uvalde students killed, told reporters that he attended the meeting to see what else he could learn about what happened that day. I have so many questions and not every one can be answered. Theyre still collecting data, theyre still collecting information on what happened, Garza said. He said he had been curious as to whether Arredondo would attend the meeting, and said he had mixed feelings about the district police chief's absence. He obviously didnt show up for a reason, Garza said, adding that he assumed Arredondo thought if he did appear he would get a lot of questions. Garza said he doesnt have a lot of ill will toward Arredondo, nor does he blame just one person for what happened, but he does think more could have been done that day. They did take a long time to get in there, Garza said. Since the shooting, there have been tensions between state and local authorities over how police handled the shooting and communicated what happened to the public. The Texas Department of Public Safety has begun referring questions about the investigation to the Uvalde-area district attorney, Christina Mitchell Busbee. She hasn't responded to repeated interview requests and questions from AP. McLaughlin said he has asked officials for a briefing but we're not getting it. He said the city's police chief was on vacation at the time of the shooting and that the acting city police commander was on the scene. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting ___ Stengle reported from Dallas. ___ This story was first published on June 7, 2022. It was updated on June 8, 2022, to remove reference in the 1st paragraph to the school district police chief ordering officers to confront and kill the gunman. It is not yet clear if he made that order. The 1970s was the start of a great migration a corporate exodus from the city to the suburbs. Experts say the vast movement of Fortune 500 companies from Wall Street and midtown Manhattan to greener pastures in the suburbs literally reshaped the landscape of southern Connecticut, transforming rolling woodland and sleepy town centers into gleaming corporate office parks designed by the leading architects of the era. But now, many of those corporate parks are flagging; COVID-19 sent workers home from office buildings, in some cases for years. Some companies folded or closed their offices entirely. At the same time, the need for housing has grown as corporate work shifts to more home offices or hybrid schedules that include work-from-home. In the last two years, landlords have taken a look at their real estate, said James Ritman, managing director of the Stamford office of Newmark. The large commercial real estate company said the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a stress test for many office buildings and office parks in the region. For the office buildings and parks that werent seeing a lot of activity post pandemic, the question is: Whats the next logical or realistic use for this property? Its probably not office any more, he said. Across Fairfield County as a whole, the office vacancy rate stands at about 24 percent as of the first quarter of 2022. In central Fairfield County which includes Darien, Norwalk and Westport the rate runs at 31 percent during that same period, among the highest vacancy rates in the U.S. The term Suburban Office Obsolescence began to trend in commercial real estate reports and MBA circles as early as 2015. A professor and real estate analyst, Randall Zisler, said this year, Real estate always obsolesces, but COVID increased the pace. Once upon a time in the suburbs The corporate building boom of the 1970s and 1980s created huge new edifices for imposing corporate headquarters, clad in smoked glass, marble and steel. Stamford saw more than 1.6 million square feet of office space under construction in 1985 alone. General Electric Co. went to Fairfield. Danbury welcomed Union Carbide Corp. American Can Co. created an artificial dam on a sprawling site in the north end of Greenwich and built an enormous office complex there. The moves to southern Connecticut had a simple logic: Location, location, location, said Robin Stein, a longtime planner for the city of Stamford. The region was and is well-served by its proximity to New York, Stein said. In Stamford and other towns along Long Island Sound, there were large empty tracts of land, friendly local governments and plentiful access to the kinds of amenities that executives and their employees were looking to enjoy. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Show More Show Less 2 of 5 / Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 / H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 In Greenwich, town leaders were more than happy to create a new office-business district for the American Can Company in 1970 at a site formerly zoned residential, a first for the town. A town planner directed company executives to the 181-acre site off King Street when a search team looking to relocate from midtown Manhattan came calling at Town Hall. A 600,000 square-foot complex later rose there, and 2,300 employees worked in offices adorned with rugs imported from Morocco and suede leather chairs. Stein also pointed out that the suburban office park boom put work closer to home for many corporate executives. Especially in the case of re-locations to Stamford and Greenwich, company chairmen enjoyed much shorter commutes post-move. Sociologist William Whyte found that the average commuting distance for a CEO was eight miles during that era. But it was clear even in the 1980s that the huge amount of office space built during the boom years was too much for the market to handle. Stein said Stamfords office-vacancy rate was becoming a problem by the late 1970s. At the American Can Company in Greenwich, the parking lot for 1,700 cars was half empty by the early 80s, according to media reports from the era, and in 1984, the company decided to sell off the property and downsize. A change in focus Ritman, from real estate company Newmark, said public officials and developers had to take a close look at what kind of creative and adaptive use might work best for an old office site that was no longer viable as a workplace. Whats the demand in that market? What will the market allow for? You need to know your audience, and your town, whats needed in Norwalk versus Stamford. Whats lacking? he said. Tishman Speyer / Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission Now, in Greenwich, Stamford, Danbury, Darien, Trumbull and New Haven, those questions are being asked, and new uses for empty office space have been built or are being proposed. The trend has been accelerating in recent months. Given the fact that many people have expressed a desire not to return to the office, or do so on an irregular basis, the people in commercial real estate are now desperate to find revenue generating streams. Everything from apartments to health clubs will give them that opportunity, said David Cadden, professor emeritus of entrepreneurship and strategy at Quinnipiac University. Cadden said it was a classic case of supply and demand: For owners of commercial real estate, its an income generating stream, and given the fact theres a dearth of housing, it will provide housing for people. In Fairfield County, it would seem to be a very viable option. Generating several hundred, or several thousand, units would be very welcome. In the north end of Greenwich, a plan by Tishman Speyer, the current owner and occupant of the old American Can property, would build 465 residential units there. Also in Greenwich, 33 upscale residential units were created out of an old office building built in 1981. The Mill in the Glenville section of town, which opened last year, is just one of a number of proposals or conversions from office to retail around the region. In Stamford, the old General Electric site on High Ridge Road is now the site of of a school and 146 residential units for seniors, Waterstone at High Ridge. The Palmer Hill condominium project on Havemeyer Lane, on the border with Greenwich, replaced the Conair-Cuisinart office park in the 2000s after a lengthy legal battle. Property owners have converted small office buildings near Downtown Stamford into buildings with a handful of studios and one-bedrooms. In Danbury, the old Union Carbide building, which when it opened in 1982 was the largest office building in the state, has been re-purposed as The Summit, with residences, a fitness club and other commercial uses carved out of the old office building, called a city within a city by the development team there. The Summits owner wants to supplement the existing space with about 400 apartments. In Trumbull, 202 apartments were built at a former office site on Oakview Drive. Rivers Edge, an assisted living facility for seniors, was developed at the site of the former United Healthcare building at Route 111 and Old Mine Road. A developer is currently looking to build housing with up to 88 units on Parkland Drive, an old office site in downtown Darien. Beside residential redevelopment, developers and property owners have also prioritized turning office space into school buildings. Danbury officials in March announced that they would turn a former headquarters for the Cartus Corporation into a $164 million career academy that prioritizes science and business instruction. The University of New Haven in 2013 bought the one-time headquarters for electrical equipment company Hubbell to house its Orange campus. The redevelopment trend extends far beyond southern Connecticut. Office complexes around the country are being converted into residences or commercial operations. According to a market report by Rent Cafe, an industry analyst group, 32,000 apartment units in the U.S. were re-developed from existing spaces over the last two years, with 41 percent of that total converted from office space. Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., led the nation with the most office-to-residence conversions. Southern Connecticut would be a natural candidate to follow and expand on that trend, say housing and economic experts. A Darien developer with an extensive background in commercial real estate, Bob Gillon, said some office sites worked better than others for residential conversion. The number one challenge is to find the right place, he said. Its location dependent. The conversion from a 1985 office building in downtown Darien that he called functionally obsolete to a site where housing might be made available to young families or seniors looking to downsize posed a number of difficulties, he conceded. But challenges always breed opportunities, he said. Cameron Martin / Cameron Martin WESTPORT A 39-year-old man was arrested after police say he exposing himself to three minor girls in the downtown area last weekend. Pema Tamang was charged with three counts risk of injury to a child a felony and misdemeanor public indecency, Westport police said Wednesday. He was held on a $10,000 bond and taken to Stamford Superior Court on Monday for his arraignment. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) The air forces of Russia and Syria conducted a joint drill over the war-torn country Tuesday, the first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began more than three months ago, Syria's Defense Ministry said. The ministry said two Russian SU-35 fighter jets and six Syrian MiG-23 and MiG-29 aircraft simulated facing hostile" warplanes and drones. Syrian pilots dealt with them with cover and support from the Russian warplanes, it said. All illusive targets were monitored and completely destroyed while aerial targets were hit at night for the first time, the Syrian Defense Ministry said in a statement. It also released a video of the warplanes that it said took part in the drill. The announcement came hours after Syrian state television reported that Israeli missiles targeted Syrian army positions south of the capital of Damascus, causing material damage but no casualties. State TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Israeli warplanes fired several missiles while flying over Syrias Israeli-occupied Golan Heights before midnight Monday. It added that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles. There was no comment on the strike from Israel. According to Syrian state media, Israeli missiles targeted central Syria on May 13, killing five people including a civilian, and igniting fires on farmland in the area. Russia became involved militarily in Syria in September 2015 helping to tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad's forces in the 11-year conflict that has killed half a million people. The Syrian Defense Ministry said that during Tuesday's drill, the Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out joint patrols along the Golan Heights and other parts of southern Syria. The last such joint drill was conducted a week before Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. In mid-February, the Russian military deployed long-range nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets carrying state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to Syria for massive naval drills in the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. It says it targets bases of Iran-allied militias, such as Lebanons militant Hezbollah group that has fighters deployed in Syria and fighting on the side of Assads government forces, as well as arms shipments believed to be bound for the militias. There is no denying the fact that the massacre that befell a Catholic church in Owo, St. Francis Catholic Church, located within the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area on Sunday has further depicted how human life is becoming so cheap in Nigeria so much that virtually everyone across the country is worried except the committers of the grisly act. The massacre which reportedly left on its trail the death of over 50 persons has been rated to be barbaric and considered to be wickedness of the highest order. Now the question that has continue to beg for answer. Why is human life becoming so cheap in the country since the last few years? Without mincing words, it is expedient to remind killers that are roaring across the length and breadth of the country to understand the words of Napz Cherub Pellazo that says, When a bird is alive, it eats ants, when bird is dead, ants eat the bird. Time and circumstances can change at any time. Dont devalue or hurt anyone in life. You may be powerful today. But remember, time is more powerful than you!!! One tree makes a million match sticks, but only one match stick needed to burn a million Trees. To straightforwardly put it in this context, values explains why diamonds are more precious than coal. Therefore, it is high time human life was valued across the country. Without over flogging the issue, one may not be wrong to say that if there is any evil that has literarily come to stay in Nigeria in the last few years that it is undeniably the unprecedented and heartless routine in which innocent lives of Nigerians are being wasted by killers that have either been dubbed to be bandits or unknown gunmen. It is sad that in a country where many find it difficult to slaughter Chickens that relatively few individuals have resorted to slaughtering their fellow citizens by each passing day without blinking their eyelids. Given the rate at which the lives of Nigerians are been wasted, it is expedient to ask, Is it that because we are so many, therefore, a loss of one or two lives becomes immaterial? While this questions may sound illogical to some misanthropists among us who believe that human life is as cheap as 50 kobo. Besides the massacre that occurred in Owo on Sunday, three recent cases point to the denigration of human lives in Nigeria. The first case is of the grisly murder of a defenseless student, Deborah Samuel of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto by her irate school mates. The killing, unarguably yet another of the barbaric, unlawful and unconstitutional acts committed by some citizens using religion as a cover remain historic in the country. In particular, Deborah is another victim in a long line of religiously motivated mob actions that have led to many deaths in the Northern part of Nigeria. But it is one murder too many. The second relates to the killing of a member of a vigilante group in the Lugbe area of Abuja for allegedly being blasphemous against Islamic religion. It was gathered that the mob killing occurred at the Timber market section of Fruit Market in Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe. Against the foregoing backdrop, there is no denying the fact that there is nothing more important than human life. While the foregoing view is unarguably an embodiment of the dignity of human life, the reality remains that a significant number of the common citizens are denied this very basic dignity of human life. Without doubt, these cases point to a deeper malaise on our part as a society. The first case resonates in the words of Ozzy Osbourne which says, My idea of what God should be is a good guy. I don't think there's any good in killing people in the name of your God. While it also in the same vein brings to mind the words of Jose Saramagothat says, Doesn't anybody understand that killing in the name of God only makes Him a murderer? In fact, manifold security threats across the country leave civilians at looming risk of mass killings, including growing attacks by armed groups commonly referred to as bandits and by the armed extremist groups Boko Haram. It would be recalled that since 2011 that inter-communal violence, rooted in competition over scarce resources, worsened in central and north-west Nigeria. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the deteriorating security situation has resulted in a humanitarian emergency, with more than 8.4 million people requiring urgent assistance. Alongside tenacious ferocity between herding and farming communities, armed banditry has expanded in north-west Nigeria. According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, armed bandit groups killed more than 2,600 civilians in 2021, an increase of over 250 percent compared with 2020. Since January 2022 more than 250 people have been killed in attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara State. On 10 April more than 100 people were killed in attacks on several communities in the KanamLocal Government Area of Plateau State. The violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Responding to the multiple security crises, in September 2021 the Nigerian government launched renewed campaigns in the north-west to curb armed banditry, including deploying large numbers of troops, cutting off communication networks and imposing restrictions on movement. Increased military operations against extremist hideouts have reportedly killed hundreds of fighters. In January 2022, under the Terrorism Prevention Act, the government of Nigeria designated bandit groups as terrorists. While it is expedient to in this context caution those that are not Christians that God abhor killing of anyone in its all ramifications, it is equally pragmatic to let those in the Christendom know that After God made a covenant with Noah never to destroy mankind by a flood, he set up a system to protect human life. Any man who unlawfully took the life of another would have his own life taken, for God made man in his own image (Genesis 9:6). Against the foregoing backdrop, how precious and valuable human life is to God is unarguably crystal clear. To murder another human being is to murder what is most like God in creation. It is tantamount to an attack on the Creator of all life. My colleague, PD Lawton, creator of: africanagenda.net, has authored an excellent article on the energy needs of Africa, and South Africa in particular, published by ESI-Africa-(see above). She makes an excellent case for African nations to utilize all forms of energy as a transition to developing a nuclear powered industrialized economy. As I shall be discussing in future articles, the objective of the dictates of the now all-popular green ideology is to prevent Africa nations from exploiting their natural hydro-carbon resources. The intention is to obstruct the industrialization of African. Without a platform of energy dense manufacturing and agricultural industries, African economies will not grow, thus allowing the conditions for poverty, hunger, and death to continue. As a physical economist, I know that by applying the scientific economic principles of Alexander Hamilton, we can eliminate abject poverty and starvation. This will require abundant supplies of cheap, accessible energy. Western nations grew their economies through the consumption of gas, coal, and oil, much of it extracted from the African continent. Who gave the Western governments and financial institutions the authority, the right to disallow Africans from exploiting their own energy resources for their own people? African nations have the sovereign right and obligation to provide for the general welfare of their citizens, free from external decrees. Excerpts from Lawtonsarticle: Electricity means life is better. And 80% of that better life in South Africa is from coal. So, when Europeans impose green energy policies on Africa, they do it with total ignorance of the Sleeping Giant. And by their total ignorance of condemning coal and nuclear energy, they condemn 1,4 billion people to a future of poverty when the majority of those 1,4 billion people do not use so much as one light bulbs worth of electricity. Every human being wants to breathe clean air and drink pure water. Most human beings want to protect the natural kingdom which is our God-given role. No one wants to live in creativity-crippling, futureless poverty. Only creative human innovation can bring solutions. Nuclear power technology fulfils all the requirements of clean energy. And until nuclear energy can power African cities and industries, let fossil fuels, hydro, gas, solar and wind reduce sub-Saharan Africas energy deficit. Africans are tired of living in the dark and they are tired of Eurocentric energy policies. Read the entire article: op-ed-putting-coal-into-an-african-perspective Lawrence Freeman is a Political-Economic Analyst for Africa, who has been involved in economic development policies for Africa for over 30 years. He is the creator of the 0blog: lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld.com. Mr. Freemans stated personal mission is; to eliminate poverty and hunger in Africa by applying the scientific economic principles of Alexander Hamilton. The Washington-D.C.-based World Justice Project has awarded the World Justice Challenge prize for Anti-Corruption and Open Government to TransparencIT of Nigeria for its project: Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases: creating monitoring systems, an online corruption case database, and special anti-corruption courts The prize was announced at the June 2 closing plenary of the World Justice Forum -- a global gathering of the justice and rule of law movement held in The Hague, Netherlands, and online -- and carries a $20,000 USD award for Transparency Information Technology Initiative (TransparencIT). This award means a lot to us because it is a recognition from the World Justice Forum by world justice leaders, said Abbas Inuwa, director of TransparencIT. It validates our work and gives us a great nudge to continue advancing the rule of law for more just and accountable societies. See Inuwas acceptance speech here. The Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases tracks and evaluates corruption cases in 21 Nigerian states, and has dramatically reduced the duration of corruption trials. Learn more on the World Justice Challenge website. The World Justice Challenge is a global competition to identify, recognize and promote good practices and high-impact projects and policies that protect and advance the rule of law. Selected from a pool of 305 applicants from 118 countries, the winners were among 30 World Justice Challenge finalists invited to showcase their groundbreaking work at the World Justice Forum. Five $20,000 USD prizes were given to best-in-class local initiatives under the themes of Access to Justice, Anti-Corruption and Open Government, and Equal Rights and Non-Discrimination. A fourth, Data for Justice, prize was given to the project that demonstrated the best overall use of data and evidence, and the fifth, Alumni Vote, prize was chosen by winners and finalists of Challenge competitions from past years. Finalists were evaluated by a 10-member judging panel, which included former president of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, General Secretary of International Trade Union, Sharan Burrow, and Indian human rights activist Hina Jilani. "Rule of law is under attack around the world, and people are suffering countless injustices as a result," said Bill Neukom, co-founder and CEO of the World Justice Project. "The World Justice Challenge demonstrates how communities are resisting these attacks, and how their innovations can succeed in delivering justice, opportunity, and peace. We applaud these rule of law champions and look forward to the additional impact they inspire through their exemplary work." The World Justice Challenge 2022 winners are: Anti-Corruption and Open Government Prize: Transparency Information Technology Initiative - TransparencIT (Nigeria) Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases: Creating monitoring systems, an online corruption case database, and special anti-corruption courts. Corruption is Nigerias greatest obstacle to economic development; it also often goes unpunished due to slow dispensation of justice and corruption within the justice system. TranparencITs Trial Monitoring of Corruption Cases project has helped reduce the average duration of corruption trials from 8 years to 3-4 years, successfully advocating for special anti-corruption courts that are even speedier. (Watch Abbas Inuwas project presentation at 05:40 of this video.) Equal Rights and Non-Discrimination Prize: Red Dot Foundation (India) Safecity: A crowdmap for sexual and gender-based violence. Launched in response to the 2012 gang rape of Jyoti Singh on a bus in Delhi, India, Safcity captures anonymous data about community sexual assault incidents. The platform differentiates the type of incidents/assaults, time, date, and location. Red Dot Foundation plans to connect to other local community-based organizations that could implement Safecity, with a goal of reaching 500,000 reports in 15 countries. Access to Justice Prize: Cambodia Bridges to Justice (Cambodia) Championing Access to Justice: Improving Cambodia's Courts of Appeals system Less than 30 years ago, there were fewer than 10 lawyers in Cambodia and only one Appeals Court in the entire country. Cambodia Bridges to Justice provides legal aid representation in 60 priority cases in two of Cambodias appellate courts. Since 2012, they have helped 513 people appeal their cases, with 11% being acquitted and 85% receiving more proportional sentences. Data for Justice Prize: In Reach (Global) In Reach : providing legal aid and support to LGBTQ+ people fleeing persecution. Formerly known as AsylumConnect, InReach is the first web and mobile platform designed to protect LGBTQ+ people, InReach supports those fleeing persecution by matching asylum seekers, refugees and undocumented immigrants with verified legal, medical, mental health, and social service providers in the US, Mexico and Canada. Alumni Vote Prize: POS Foundation (Ghana) Justice for All Amid (JFAP) COVID-19: alleviating prison overcrowding with mobile, in-prison special courts. Their work addresses several challenges in Ghanas criminal justice system: inaccessibility of fair trials, inadequate legal education and representation, and legislative loopholes. By creating mobile, in-prison special courts to adjudicate prisoner cases throughout the country, JFAP has helped reduce Ghana's pre-trial prison population from 33% in 2007 to 12% in January 2022. View photos at the bottom of the online press release. Also on the final day of mainstage events, the World Justice Project released the World Justice Forum final statement, which drew on the impact of the weeks events. It said in part: We are inspired by what we learned this week about the hundreds of concrete projects and proposals underway that tackle these common challenges, starting with the award-winning work we recognized as part of this years World Justice Challenge and WJP Rule of Law Award. We are encouraged by growing momentum at the grassroots and policy-making levels to carry out change. See the full statement. The former director of Somalia's National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) and current Member of Parliament, Yasin Farey, spoke publicly for the first time about the controversial killing of NISA cybersecurity agent Ikran Tahlil. In an interview with SMS Somali TV, Farey reinforced NISA's position that Tahlil was murdered by the militant insurgency group Al-Shabaab. Farey claimed that an "intensive investigation" was conducted by NISA, who many believe to be behind the murder, and that NISA presented their findings to Somalia's judicial service. The report has never been made public. He added that Ikran's case had been politicized and that people who had no involvement in her murder were made the prime suspects. Farey denied that she was kidnapped from her home located in a NISA-controlled neighbourhood despite CCTV footage from June 26 - the day she was abducted - showing her voluntarily entering the back seat of an SUV, which would suggest that she knew the driver. Farey said whoever kidnapped Ikran handed her over to Al-Shabaab, who transported her to their stronghold and subsequently murdered her. Ikran Tahlil's family has maintained that before leaving the house on June 26, she received a call from her superiors to report to the NISA HQ. Ikran Tahlil's murder and the subsequent political fallout created major fissures in Somalia's political scene. After mounting internal pressure, Somalia's intelligence agency announced that she was killed by Al-Shabaab two months after she went missing without providing definitive proof. Al Shabaab, which claimed the assassinations of hundreds of security and government officials during its decade-long insurgency against Somalia's internationally-backed government, denied it was part of the killing. The embarrassing episode forced the ouster of Somalia's intelligence chief - and close ally of the President - by the PM, which sparked a constitutional struggle within Somalia's national executive and created cracks in Somalia's nascent security apparatus. The family of Ikraan Tahlil Farah denounced the findings of a military tribunal report that exonerated top members of Somali's intelligence apparatus in the disappearance and killing of her daughter, describing the report as unfair and a coverup. Abdullahi Ali Sanbalolshe, the two-time director-general of NISA, theorized that Ikran might have been killed because she was in possession of a listthat contained the names of Somali youth who were clandestinely sent to Eritrea for military training. Following his presidential electoral defeat, Farmajo finally confirmed that thousands of recruits were sent to Eritrea by NISA, despite his government officially denying the training programme. Recently, embattled NISA personnel from the previous Farmajo administration have granted interviews to control the narrative and rehabilitate their image. Farey and the other NISA agents elected to Somalia's 11th Parliament enjoy parliamentary immunity from legal prosecution. Hassan Abdulle writes from Bielefeld , Germany Edo State Government under the leadership of Godwin Obaseki, on Wednesday, suspended all activities of academic unions across all state-owned institutions of higher learning. This was a response to the protest by students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The suspension of ASUU and other unions was contained in a statement made by the Special Adviser on Media Projects to the State governor, Crusoe Osagie. According to the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie, he said the affected unions include ASUU, Non-Academic Staff of Universities, Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Non-Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, and all allied unions operating across all state-owned tertiary institutions. Ogie noted, By this notice, academic activities are to resume in all state-owned institutions and all cadre of staff are directed to report to their duty posts immediately. Students across all state-owned tertiary institutions are expected to resume for lectures as necessary measures have been taken to ensure resumption of academic and non-academic activities. He added, Management of the affected institutions have been mandated to pay all outstanding salaries immediately. The management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, is hereby directed to implement a no-work-no-pay policy, declare vacant and advertise the position of any staff that refuses to resume work in line with this directive. Boom time for Thai cannabis BANGKOK: Cannabis is scheduled to be removed from the Category 5 narcotics list tomorrow (June 9), allowing people to grow an unlimited number of plants at home. agriculturenatural-resourcestourism By Bangkok Post Wednesday 8 June 2022, 03:34PM Visitors snap pictures of ganja plants at a Ganja and Hemp Expo. Photo: Bangkok Post However, the delisting of cannabis as a narcotic does not mean people can use it freely, especially for recreation. Homegrown cannabis is allowed only for health and medical purposes, and people have to register the cultivation first with provincial administrative organisations, or via the mobile application Pluk Kan, developed and operated by the Food and Drug Administration, reports the Bangkok Post. Despite the legal easing, extracts containing more than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, will still be recognised as a Category 5 substance and regulated under laws pertaining to narcotics control and suppression. Anyone who intends to grow marijuana plants for commercial purposes will have to seek permission from the responsible authorities. Benefits for all Sittichai Daengprasert, chief executive of JSP Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Thailand), a medicine and nutritional supplements distributor, sees both villagers and businesspeople benefiting from the growth of the cannabis industry, with the potential for further development into various products. Only oil extracted from marijuana with a THC content greater than 0.2% will be categorised as a narcotic, meaning other parts can be legally planted and traded for medical purposes, health promotion and other businesses. Mr Sittichai said the move should kick-start the development of cannabis in a range of industries, from medicine to cosmetics and food, marking a new era for the plant in Thailand. While entrepreneurs will be able to set up new businesses, the public now has new medical treatment options that could help them save money, he said. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil extracted from cannabis can be used for the treatment of many ailments. The CBD oil market has an estimated value of B100 billion, according to JSP. People or companies who want to do business involving marijuana plantation and oil extraction can register online or via mobile app, said Mr Sittichai. This will enable the government to regulate the industry. JSP and representatives of cannabis farmers and factory operators recently met Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss a proposal to reduce the legal procedures required to run cannabis businesses. The easing of these rules should help community enterprises that plant marijuana and supply it to factories, said Mr Sittichai. In the meeting, participants suggested the government allow companies that hold Good Manufacturing Practice and International Organization for Standardization certifications to increase CBD oil content in their medicines and nutritional supplements to more than the legal limit of 75 parts per million for export purposes. Other countries have high CBD oil content in their products. A higher CBD content will allow Thailand to have a competitive advantage because we can grow the raw material [marijuana] and we have plenty of it, he said. JSP is in talks with cannabis and hemp associations on the proposal to set median prices for the plants and their extracted substances to prevent a price war, which will directly affect farmers. Everyone agrees with this proposal and is preparing to discuss further details, said Mr Sittichai. This will ensure fair prices in the market and prevent large wealthy companies from buying plants in huge amounts. Five large SET-listed companies have diversified into the cannabis sector. There is concern their entry into the market may affect small and medium-sized companies, eventually leading to market monopoly. Right move Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said although Thailand is an agricultural country, most farmers own relatively small plots of land. The number of farmers is also diminishing as new generations migrate to cities. In addition, farmers face myriad problems including climate change, unstable crop prices, and a lack of knowledge about farming management and development, he said. Promoting cannabis cultivation in Thailand is the correct move as many countries around the world move to push it as an economic crop, Mr Sanan said. Strong global demand for cannabis will help raise Thai farmers income and narrow inequality in the agricultural sector. However, he warned that attempts to promote cannabis as a cash crop will prove a challenge because of its reputation as a narcotic, possibly causing doubts among the public. Every facet of cannabis applications, including cultivation, extraction, processing into medicine, distribution, and supervisory laws and regulations, need to be clarified to provide better public understanding, said Mr Sanan. All sectors have to discuss creating a supervisory mechanism for self-control of a farmers network and government control measures to ensure rigorous law enforcement, he said. Boonyong Tansakul, chief executive of Zen Corporation Plc, the operator of the Zen Japanese restaurants, said cannabis-related businesses are expected to see enormous growth after the removal of the drug from the Category 5 narcotics list. According to Mr Boonyong, food and beverage operators currently are wary of diversifying by using cannabis as an ingredient because of uncertain supply. Demand for cannabis now far exceeds supply, resulting in hefty prices. I believe more business operators will use cannabis as an ingredient in their food and beverages once cannabis production and supply surges, he said. The removal of cannabis from the Category 5 narcotics list not only helps increase the growth of cannabis-related businesses, but also the overall economy as the weed can provide new careers and income for farmers. Grow with the flow Kattikamas Thanyajaroen, executive officer of Than Global Travel, a wholesale operator that offers cannabis tours, said the delisting of cannabis as a narcotic would help spur international demand in Thailand. However, she said the Public Health Ministry must set out more details to limit the number of cannabis plants people can grow at home because local commodity enterprises and operators who already invested in the cannabis business and received permits will be directly impacted by the relaxation. Ms Kattikamas said prices of fresh cannabis leaves have already dropped to B2,000-3,000 per kilogramme, down from B15,000. Cannabis tour operators will likely have more competitors from new entrants with homegrown cannabis, but are lacking the legal knowledge to guide tourists, she said. The ministry regulated a guarantee stamp to prove CBD products are under the limit of 0.2% THC, as recommended by the World Health Organization, meaning tourists can take products they buy home without facing legal penalties. Ms Kattikamas said 80% of cannabis tour customers are Thai, but operators expect more arrivals from investors, especially from China, the US, Japan and Malaysia, as well as medical tourists after Thailand further relaxed pandemic restrictions on June 1. The Omicron variant hindered the revival of the tour business in the first quarter this year, as people who booked tours had to cancel at the last minute because of infections or being stuck in quarantine, she said. Ms Kattikamas said Than Global Travel plans to introduce full cannabis packages by the end of this month, thanks to the hype generated by the governments legalisation. After the decriminalisation, it is important to attract tourist demand to the country, particularly for recreational purposes, she said. The government may launch cannabis sandboxes in major destinations such as Phuket or Koh Phangan. Ms Kattikamas said tourists are advised to book cannabis tours via group tours to ensure they have the correct information and are supervised by tour experts. DSI chief in Phuket over Layan land grab PHUKET: Traiyarit Temhiwong, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), was in Phuket yesterday (July 7) to explain to Phuket officials nothing more than that the DSI was still investigating specific claims to parcels of land among the 178 rai at Layan Beach that the Supreme Court has already ruled is state land. Wednesday 8 June 2022, 10:57AM Mr Traiyarit brought with him an entourage of DSI officials, including Pol Lt Col Piya Raksakul, Director of the DSIs Banking and Money Laundering Division; DSI Secretary Pol Lt Col Thas Laothawee; Deputy Spokesperson and DSI Director of Public Relations Yaninee Kiatphaiboon; and Supachai Khamkhum, Director of the DSI Special Case Operations Center, Region 8 branch. Joining Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew at the meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall were Phuket Vice Governor Amnuay Phinsuwan and a host of heads of local government offices, including the Thalang District Chief and officers from the Phuket Provincial Land Office. Mr Traiyarit explained that he had requested the meeting following his office receiving a request from the Governor of Phuket, following the governor receiving a letter from the Thalang District Chief. At the meeting it was explained that Phuket Provincial Land Office had set up a special committee to consider the matter according to the details of the relevant court judgments by providing fairness to all parties including stakeholders such as tenants, people who had taken out mortgages, etc, said a DSI report of the meeting. Mr Traiyarit pointed out that the Supreme court had already ruled that the 178 rai, estimated to be worth B50 billion in total, was state land. In the judgment it is clearly stated that the land in that area is the public domain of the land, he said. However, it was not explained why special consideration was being provided by local land officials or the DSI to people involved in the multi-billion-baht land grab over land that has not once, but twice been ruled by the Supreme Court to be state land. Of note, the report marked that Mr Traiyarit added, As for the special case, the lawsuit was brought against the relevant government officials until the court has a final judgment punishing the offender. The DSI report of the meeting and the report of the meeting by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) both did not identify which government officials had been found guilty of any criminal activity involving people laying claims to the land. As for the same case that is prosecuted by the private sector, it is being investigated by the Department of Special Investigation [and] will expedite the procedure and order the case as soon as possible, Mr Traiyarit said, according to the reports. Mr Traiyarit was in Phuket in late April to personally inspect the land in question, which he said was valued at about B300 million a rai, and to be updated on the DSIs investigation into the land claims. At a meeting with Manoch Punchalad, the newly elected Chief of Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), Mr Manoch explained that the government had been fending off claims to the land for 30 years. It has been a struggle, he said. See also: Arrest warrants served for illegally occupying Layan beach state land Layan beachfront squatters given yet another reprieve Legal loophole stalls clearing of illegal land occupiers at Layan Beach Tourist visa extension for Saudi visitors BANGKOK: The Cabinet yesterday (June 7) resolved to allow Saudi Arabian visitors to get an extended 30-day visa on arrival, to help stimulate the economy. tourismCOVID-19immigration By Bangkok Post Wednesday 8 June 2022, 10:47AM Visitors from Saudi Arabia arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport on Feb 28 as direct commercial flights resumed after a 32-year hiatus. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the cabinet meeting at Government House that holders of Saudi Arabian passports could arrive and stay in the country for up to 30 days without having to apply for a visa beforehand. The decision was considered as a further development of successful efforts by the government and the private sector to restore bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia, reports the Bangkok Post. This had already led to bilateral cooperation on food and labour exports and flights between Bangkok and Riyadh, Prayut said. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said Saudi Arabians could previously get a 15-day visa on arrival. The cabinet resolution should increase the number of arrivals from Saudi Arabia to 100,000-150,000 a year. Previously, Riyadh had allowed about 30,000 Saudi visitors to Thailand each year, she said. The government was trying to attract visitors to boost the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Saudi Arabians were quality tourists who spent a lot and usually arrived in big family groups, Ms Traisuree said. It was anticipated they would spend at least B5 billion a year, she said. Saludamos la participacion del Presidente Castillo en la IX @CumbreAmericas, donde diversos lideres de la region discuten sobre la pandemia del #COVID19, la recuperacion integral economica, la crisis climatica, asi como nuestra cooperacion en procesos migratorios mas seguros. https://t.co/tYIJWD2C7P Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. High around 27C. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 19C. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Jerald M c Nair is a school administrator at South Holland, Ill., School District 151. This essay first appeared in The Chicago Tribune. The mayor explained that the purpose of this visit is to supervise the quality of the works, which not only focus on infrastructure, but will also generate cultural, social, and economic development throughout the territory, from Naranjal Station to Chimpu Ocllo in the district of Carabayllo. During a tour organized for the representatives of the World Bank, Romero remarked that the international organization approved a US$93 million loan to make this important project a reality. The mission team is led by Senior Urban Transport Specialist Felipe Targa and consists of Fabian Schvartzer and Lorena Sierra, consultants for the World Bank. Supporting the project The aim of the World Bank mission's visit is to support the project and continue to support the Municipality of Lima in social and environmental aspects related to the realization of this important infrastructure, so that it continues to be carried out in accordance with current international regulations. The project includes the construction of 18 stations, a workshop area for 120 buses, more than 182,000 square meters of green areas, as well as 3,000 trees and palms along the route, in addition to the exclusive 10.2 km corridor. Moreover, it will involve the repowering of a wastewater treatment plant for the development of technified irrigation, as well as lighting, surveillance cameras, traffic lights, signaling, and road maintenance. On the other hand, Romero reported that the Metropolitan Planning Institute is analyzing a project to extend the route from Chimpu Ocllo to Ancon. (END) NDP/SMS/RMB/MVB THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The most senior Dutch police officers vowed Wednesday to crack down on racism in their ranks after a documentary last month exposed a deep-rooted culture of bullying and discrimination. The police top is clear: the organization has to set an example in tackling discrimination and racism, a statement on the police website said. If a police employee crosses the line, they will always be sanctioned, if necessary by being fired, interim national police chief Liesbeth Huyzer said in a statement. The police announcement came after the documentary De Blauwe Familie, or The Blue Family, aired on national television last month around the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police. Floyds death sparked protests against racial injustice around the world, including in the Netherlands, a country often considered a beacon of tolerance, but which has in recent years been confronting entrenched discrimination in society. The documentary triggered a national reckoning with police racism and a parliamentary debate, followed by pledges to do more to deal with the problem Controle Alt Delete, an advocacy organization that pushes for better law enforcement practices, and initiated the documentary welcomed the police statement and a video message accompanying it as a historic moment. Huyzer said police want to address the documentary's core message. That is that discrimination and exclusion happen, also in the police force and that the impact for colleagues is enormous," she said. We must be aware of that and work extremely hard to change it. EDWARDSVILLE A large workload increase is expected in the Madison County Public Defenders Office when certain aspects of the SAFE-T Act dealing with bail go into effect. The elimination of bail will likely lead to an increase perhaps a dramatic one in the number of cases handled her office, according to Madison County Public Defender Mary Copeland. She said her office has started tracking numbers and expect them to rise significantly after that portion of the SAFE-T act goes into effect Jan. 1. When someone posts a cash bond, they are not allowed public defenders because they have enough money to afford private attorneys. The elimination of bail will end that, she said. Were anticipating seeing our caseloads rise, she said. Of 273 cases filed in March, Copeland said her office represented 174 at least initially. In April, that number was 155 of 242 cases. In May it was 197 of 293 in May. Some of these people hire attorneys later, and some private attorneys pull out (of a case), she said. The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act, known as the SAFE-T Act, passed with the backing of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in the early hours of Jan. 13, 2021. The broad-ranging measure abolishes cash bail beginning in January 2023, reforms police training, certification and use-of-force standards, expands detainee rights, and requires body cameras at all departments by 2025. Since its passage, the measure has been amended twice to accommodate concerns of law enforcement groups, pushing back certain effective dates and changing some of the initial use-of-force language. Copeland's figures came at Friday's Madison County Boards Judiciary Committee meeting. At that meeting, the committee also approved a request by the Madison County Circuit Clerk Tom McRae for a data storage system by OCLC Contentdm for its immigration and naturalization slave emancipation register and old probate records. McRae said there are no records of slaves being held in Madison County, but Missouri was a slave state and his office has slave emancipation records. The cost of the contract is $10,538.40. The committee also approved a request for software licenses for the department with Experian Pro Plug and Go totaling $5,427.85. A request from the Circuit Court for $6,377.97 to update legal reference books in the Law Library was also OKd. HARDIN Illinois American Water has completed the acquisition of the Hardin water and wastewater systems. In May 2021 the village approved the sale for $3.3 million, which was recently approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The system adds about 435 water and 405 wastewater customers to Illinois American Water's southern Illinois service area. Our team is excited and ready to serve the Village of Hardin as we expand our footprint across our Southern Illinois service area, said Justin Ladner, President of Illinois American Water. Since 2020 we have had the privilege to add over 26,000 new customer connections and partner with over 10 communities across Illinois through acquisitions," he said. "We are excited to include Village of Hardin to our customer base. Hardin Mayor Dave Hurley said the sale of the water and wastewater systems to Illinois American Water, will relieve the village of the water and wastewater responsibilities. Residents and businesses will benefit from a larger scale, efficiently operated water and wastewater utility that brings expertise to our aging systems," he said. "Illinois American Water has a proven track record of meeting or surpassing water quality standards. Illinois American Water officials said the utility plans to invest about $3 million in the Hardin system in the first five years of ownership to upgrade it. Planned work includes replacing water meters, installing a sanitary pump station and force wastewater main. Generators will be installed for increased resiliency and continued service in the event of a power outage. In addition, safety and security upgrades will be completed, including the implementation of automation for operational efficiency. The Village of Hardin is celebrating their 175-year anniversary and the community continues positive progress," said Ethan Steinacher, operations senior manager for Illinois American Waters Central Division said. "We look forward to serving our new customers and being a good neighbor and responsible corporate citizen. We appreciate the villages trust and confidence in our team. JERUSALEM (AP) Israels justice minister says he will give the government one final chance to approve a contentious bill extending legal protections to West Bank settlers in a last-ditch effort to keep the fractured coalition in power. Justice Minister Gideon Saar said in a series of TV interviews that he will resubmit the bill next Sunday, after the legislation failed to pass earlier this week. Several members of the coalition joined the opposition in defeating the bill. Saar called on his fellow coalition members to get in line or to exit the government a scenario that would likely plunge the country into a fifth election in just three years. As long as they dont make order in their own party, as far as we are concerned, they arent part of the coalition, he told Israel's Kan public broadcaster late Tuesday. The bill was seen as a major test for the coalition, comprised of parties from across the political spectrum, and its defeat has raised questions about the government's long-term viability. Israeli media said that the renegade coalition lawmakers who didn't support the bill are being pressure to change their minds or resign to make way for those who would vote in favor. Emergency regulations in place for decades have created a separate legal system for Jewish settlers in the West Bank. It applies parts of Israeli law to them even though they live in occupied territory and not within sovereign Israeli land while Palestinians live under military rule, now in its sixth decade. If the bill fails to pass again, Jewish settlers living there could see their legal status thrown into question. Critics, including the Palestinians and three prominent human rights groups, have said the situation amounts to apartheid, an allegation Israel rejects as an assault on its legitimacy. The coalition includes nationalistic parties that are strong supporters of the settlements, as well as dovish parties that oppose them. The alliance is the first in Israel's history to include an Arab party, the Islamist Ra'am, whose members abstained or opposed the bill on Monday. Saar, who heads a small pro-settler party, directed much of his criticism at Ra'am. From my perspective, Ra'am has not behaved like a party in the coalition and will pay a price for that, he told Channel 13 TV. There was no indication as to whether Ra'am's members would change how they voted. Another coalition member who voted against the bill, Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, said Wednesday she remained opposed. The coalition was formed a year ago, bringing together eight parties that have little in common beyond their shared animosity to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is now the opposition leader. After a series of coalition defections, parliament is evenly divided 60-60 between the coalition and opposition. In some ways, Monday's vote had less to do with the status of the settlers than with the status of the government. The opposition is dominated by allies of the settlers, yet voted against the legislation and the interests of their constituents in hopes of speeding up the collapse of the government. Dovish members of the government, meanwhile, voted in favor of the bill to shore up the coalition, despite their opposition to the settlements. If the bill fails again next week, the government would not immediately collapse. But the fissures in the coalition will be difficult to mend and its days could be numbered. The government now would find it very difficult to manage the ongoing affairs of state, let alone instigate and initiate major reforms and so on, said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, an Israeli think tank. In this respect, its a missing government, its a very problematic situation for the government. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate EDWARDSVILLE Madison County officials on Tuesday discussed how to prevent school shootings from happening here. On May 24, an attack on the Robb Elementery School in Uvalde, Texas, took the lives of 19 students and two teachers. A Safe Schools Summit was held Tuesday at the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville, hosted by the Madison County Regional Office of Education. Following it, Madison County Regional Superintendent Rob Werden, Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine, Madison County Health Board Director Deborah Humphrey and Maj. Jeff Connor, the Madison County Deputy Sheriff addressed the media. We need the publics help in this matter," said Werden. "I know it sounds cliche, but we need to repeat the phrase, If you see something, say something, Were doing everything in our power to ensure that our schools are doing everything required by law and more. Werden said societal changes have prompted an increase in incidents such as the Uvalde killings. Times change, people change, and technology changes, and we must stay current and up to date on everything in order to protect those students, he said. Ive seen things change for the better. But Ive also seen society move away from having a moral compass. I dont care what your religious beliefs or non-religious beliefs are, but everybody needs to have a sense of right and wrong, and everyone needs to be loved," he said. "We need to be a more loving and caring society and that starts in the hearts of each and every one of us." Humphrey said people who commit mass shootings tend to have common traits beyond the mental health issues they may be facing. She emphasized the need to identify those individuals and help them long before they commit such crimes. Three-quarters of youths involved in school shootings have been bullied, harassed or socially rejected, and we need loving individuals in our community to support these youths, Humphrey said. Most of these kids are marginalized, and they dont have positive parenting or positive adult connection. We all can see how social media plays out, and youths that have committed acts of violence are usually saying it on social media," she said. "School shooters have experienced stressful lives and they dont have the coping mechanisms to manage their emotions. Haine said Tuesdays summit was a productive first step in preventing school violence locally. Its a whole county approach that were attempting here, Haine said. We want to make sure that we do whatever we can to ensure that in Madison County, we dont make avoidable mistakes in the protection of our most valuable asset, which is our children. School violence lies at the intersection of mental health and law enforcement and schools, and from my offices perspective, violent juvenile issues in our county and our society have increased," he said. "Were working together to do what we can to keep our children safer in our schools. Haine said the summit centered on three general areas. The first was coordination and preparation. Were working continuously to strengthen our coordination across offices, throughout law enforcement and across the county and throughout all of our schooling communities, public and private, he said. We want to communicate better every day. Were working together to come up with a proactive plan that accounts for new technologies and new improvements to encourage better preparedness in Madison County. The second area, he said, is public involvement. When you see or hear something disturbing, say something, Haine said. People that do violent things in our schools almost always make their intentions toward violence know in some format. Were relying on you, the members of the public, to report dangerous and disturbing comments. A threat to a school is a crime, and if its substantiated, police will make an arrest," he said. "We check whether those individuals have access to firearms. The vast majority of these cases are juveniles, and they are determined to be attention seekers rather than actual threats. My office takes a zero-tolerance approach to threatening a school and those people will be prosecuted," he said. "We encourage the involvement of parents, the public, school officials and law enforcement as we continue to make our community safer every day, especially our schools. Monitoring social media was part of Tuesday's discussion. We talked about training a panel of law enforcement experts to monitor social media, and we would share that with every school in the county, Werden said. Were also looking into more training for students as well as training for staff. The training would be in addition to what's already required by state law, which includes one annual active shooter training session within the first 90 days of the school year. One thing that we talked about today was that were required to have three fire safety (evacuation) drills each school year, and weve discussed having three active shooter drills each year, Werden said. Were not policy makers (on the state level). But its something we would like the people in Springfield to consider. Werden said school board meetings remain the best way for parents to share their concerns and suggestions. Personal involvement is a key, and we want the public to be involved, Werden said. We want to ensure parents that were working actively and not sitting back and waiting for something to happen. Madison County is among the leaders in the state of Illinois in a lot of areas and I feel positive that we can be a leader in the area of school safety as well. He also said more school resource officers are being considered. Right now, there is not a school resource officer in every school, Werden said. In a perfect world, there would be. But there are budget considerations as well. Its something that is under discussion. Humphrey said she believed positive steps were taken at the summit, especially in terms of monitoring the mental health of students. Not all of our schools but a majority of them have mental health counselors and they primarily talk about drug abuse," she said. "But were going to be expanding it (to other mental health issues). "It was mentioned today that they dont always interact with the other staff members, so thats something were looking into as well," she said. "Another suggestion was to talk more with the youths themselves. They can identify other kids who are struggling. Overcoming the stigma of seeking mental health help is vital in helping students who could become school shooters, she said. We want to let people know as a society how we deal with mental health issues, and having more people seek help is the primary goal of what we do," she said. Awareness and acceptance are importance because a lot of people are marginalized and discriminated against because of mental health issues. "People dont want to seek treatment because of that and that furthers the problems for a child in that school setting," she said. "Its time to make it more acceptable that its OK to seek help. John Badman GODFREY Two buildings on Godfrey Road are set to come down shortly. At the Godfrey Finance Committee meeting Tuesday night, trustees discussed a motion to approve two site readiness grants for Eastland Properties, LLC of St. Louis. The money will help demolish buildings at 5601 Godfrey Road and 5605 Godfrey Road; the grants would be worth $10,000 for each building. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN FRANCISCO (AP) San Francisco residents voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to recall progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin following a heated campaign that captivated the country and bitterly divided Democrats over crime, policing and public safety reform in the famously liberal city. Recall proponents cheered the results at a victory party, with California state leaders of the hotel and retailers associations lauding Boudins removal as a sign that visitors, shoppers and workers will be prioritized again in a city that relies heavily on tourism. They rejected Boudins efforts to paint them as Republicans. This election does not mean that San Francisco has drifted to the far right on our approach to criminal justice, said Mary Jung, a chair of the recall campaign, in a statement. In fact, San Francisco has been a national beacon for progressive criminal justice reform for decades and will continue to do so with new leadership. Boudin, 41, was a first-time political candidate who narrowly won office in November 2019 as part of a national wave of progressive prosecutors who pledged to seek alternatives to incarceration, end the racist war on drugs and hold police officers to account. But his time in office coincided with a frustrating and frightening pandemic in which viral footage of brazen shoplifting and attacks against Asian American people drove some residents to mount a recall campaign of the former public defender and son of left-wing activists. Partial returns Tuesday night showed about 60% of voters supporting the recall, but Boudin remained defiant in a speech to supporters, saying he was outspent by right-wing billionaires. He said voters were understandably frustrated by the pandemic and a city government that has failed to deliver on safety, housing and equity. We have two cities. We have two systems of justice. We have one for the wealthy and the well connected and a different one for everybody else. And thats exactly what we are fighting to change, he said, adding that justice was on their side. It was unclear Tuesday what the resounding recall of Boudin could mean to the progressive prosecutor movement nationally and in California, where reform candidates were competing against more traditional law-and-order candidates in a handful of races, with mixed results. California's progressive attorney general, Rob Bonta, who was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, was leading with 57% of the vote Tuesday night, easily advancing to the November general election. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, a critic of Boudin who ran as an independent, did not advance. In Los Angeles County, the campaign to recall progressive District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement the results showed that Gascon, the former prosecutor of San Francisco, could be next. But Miriam Krinsky, executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, said the movement toward more liberal approaches to criminal justice was growing as more people understand that tough-talking prosecutors do not result in safer communities. If one can read anything into tonights outcome, it should be the distorting impact of a low turnout recall process easily swayed by special interests and coming at a time of deep frustration and trauma, rather than clear and considered opposition to a prosecutor committed to ending failed tough-on-crime policies, she said. Mayor London Breed, who had backed a more moderate Democrat in the 2019 district attorney race, will name Boudins replacement after the results are certified by the elections office and approved by the Board of Supervisors. Boudin could also run in November when the race is back on the ballot. Boudins time in office was marked by a bruising battle with the San Francisco Police Department, which accused his office of withholding evidence in a case against an officer. Boudin shot back that he could not prosecute cases when police failed to bring evidence and made arrests in just 5% of cases. He made headlines when he disclosed that police had used DNA collected from a rape to arrest the victim in an unrelated property crime. San Francisco has long struggled with open drug dealing, vandalism, auto theft and home burglaries. Political experts say the political newcomer who narrowly won in 2019 was in the crosshairs of outside forces that made him an easy target for public frustration. Boudin was a baby when his parents, left-wing Weather Underground radicals, served as drivers in a botched 1981 robbery in New York that left two police officers and a security guard dead. They were sentenced to decades in prison. While campaigning, he spoke of the pain of stepping through metal detectors to hug his parents and vowed to reform a system that tears apart families. Kathy Boudin was released on parole in 2003 and died of cancer in May. David Gilbert was granted parole in October. The recall campaign against Boudin was backed by many of the same people who successfully ousted three liberal members of the San Francisco school board in February. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom, however, easily beat a Republican-led recall last year. WASHINGTON The actor Matthew McConaughey delivered an impassioned speech in the White House briefing room Tuesday, calling for stricter gun laws in the wake of the deadly school shooting last month in his hometown in Texas. After meeting with lawmakers on Capitol and President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, McConaughey stepped to the podium and conveyed a range of emotions: anger, sadness and hope that elected officials might finally act to tighten the nations gun laws. How can we make the loss of those lives matter? he asked at the outset of his remarks, suggesting that change might be possible in the aftermath of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead. We are in a window of opportunity right now that we have not been in before, he said. A window where it seems like real change, real change can happen. McConaughey spoke about how he and his wife, Camilla, drove to Uvalde in the days after the shooting, describing his interactions with the loved ones of several victims. Choking up, he held up a laminated drawing by Alithia Ramirez, whose parents told him she had wanted to be an artist. Flashing anger, McConaughey slammed the podium after showing the green Converse shoes of another victim, Maite Rodriguez, and explaining that the shoes were what allowed her family to identify her body. Every parent separately expressed in their own way that they want their childrens dreams to live on, the actors said. They want their children to continue to accomplish something after they are gone. They want to make their loss of life matter. Clarifying what that meant, he continued: We want gun laws that wont make it so easy for the bad guys to get the damn guns. McConaughey, who recalled learning about firearm safety as a child in Uvalde with an air-pellet rifle, called for responsible gun ownership, suggesting that there is a broad, bipartisan majority supportive of expanding background checks, raising the minimum age for purchasing assault rifles to 21 and enacting red flag laws. These are reasonable, practical regulations, he said. Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individual. Without explicitly calling out Republicans, who for years have blocked Democratic efforts to enact gun restrictions, McConaughey said the issue should not be a partisan one and implored lawmakers in both parties to act. We cant truly be leaders, he said, if were only living for reelection. After McConaughey left the briefing room without taking questions, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House is encouraged with how the talks are progressing, even though its unlikely any agreement would go as far as Biden and now McConaughey called for. Biden met Tuesday with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of the four-person bipartisan group working to hammer out a compromise on gun safety, Jean-Pierre said. Were going to see how those negotiations go, she said, stating that Biden believes any step is a step forward. 2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ??? Compartimos las actividades que cumplira el presidente @PedroCastilloTe en Estados Unidos, como parte de la IX Cumbre de las Americas. #CumbreAmericas #SiempreConElPueblo pic.twitter.com/jBLtPqK0vJ FILE Former Connecticut state Supreme Court Chief Justice William "Tocco" Sullivan testifies before the state legislature's Judicial Review Committee, Sept. 9, 2006, in Hartford, Conn. Sullivan, who plunged the state Supreme Court into a rare constitutional showdown with the legislature in the mid-2000s, has died. He was 83. Westerly, RI (02891) Today Partly cloudy. High around 75F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. You've set up your small business, honed your product or service and are starting to build up a base of loyal customers. But one of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is getting their name in front of a wider audience, in order to build their brand and grow sales. That's where MailOnline's AdManager can help. The self-service advertising platform allows small and medium-sized businesses to create their own targeted ad campaigns, which will appear across the UK's biggest news websites - MailOnline, This is Money, Metro.co.uk and iNews.co.uk. New customers: MailOnline's AdManager helps small businesses reach a wider audience The websites are visited by 33million readers every month, and AdManager can help turn them into your newest customers. You might choose to promote a special deal you are offering for new online customers, or encourage people in your local area to pay you a visit. There is no minimum spend for businesses, and the affordable rates are similar to what they would pay to advertise on social media, online search or in the local press. It is part of Mail Metro Media's efforts to support UK small businesses as they bounce back following the difficult times they faced during the pandemic. Businesses will get access to hyper-local advertising to reach relevant customers who are targeted by post code, interests and life stage. Ads can be purchased and set up in a few easy steps, using your own images and designs, and campaigns are launched within 24 hours. Popular: MailOnline, Metro.co.uk and iNews.co.uk are visited by 33million readers per month Scores of businesses have already benefitted from advertising to our loyal, affluent readership. Milliner Sarah Ross from Surrey got more than 1,000 extra hits to her website in just seven days thanks to her campaign - as well as a rise in enquiries for orders. The ads were viewed by 260,749 of our readers. And Danny Abbott, who runs a barber shop in West London, saw his adverts get more than 1million views, leading to an increase in new customers. There are several options to tailor your advertising campaign, so you can make sure it gets seen by the right people. Tailored: Business owners can use their campaigns to target customers in their local area Businesses can choose to target a specific demographic, which could include those of a certain age or gender, with particular interests or in a specific location. Alternatively they can opt for their ads to appear next to certain types of articles. There are eight segments available: News, Business, Food & Drink, Health, Music & Film, Sport, Travel and TV & Showbiz. After the campaign is live, they will get access to live data meaning they can track how many people are seeing the ads. They can also adjust the messaging and format to further drive engagement. Visit the AdManager website to start creating your campaign today. Ademas, analizaron los avances de los acuerdos del VI Gabinete Binacional que se realizo en enero en Villa de Leyva, Colombia. Este encuentro, en Estados Unidos, es parte de las actividades que desarrolla el presidente @PedroCastilloTe por la IX Cumbre de las Americas. pic.twitter.com/uASGdW1NQA " " The last thylacine was captured in Australia's Florentine Valley in 1933 and transferred to that country's Hobart Zoo. On Sept. 7, 1936, the animal known as Benjamin died in captivity. Dave WATTS/JACANA/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images "De-extinction" is a funny word, but it's one that might be used more and more in the coming decades. The sort of project made to look like far-fetched sci-fi in "Jurassic Park" is happening right now in Australia. Only it's not T-Rex that's being yanked out of extinction, it's the thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), also known as the Tasmanian tiger or Tasmanian wolf. The last confirmed thylacine his given name was Benjamin died in an Australian zoo in 1936, the last wild thylacine having been killed seven years earlier. Thylacines were marsupial (Australia's speciality) apex predators, resembling a striped dog with giant jaws that could open 90 degrees. Before their demise in the 19th century, the Tasmanian tiger had been having a pretty rough couple of thousand years on Earth. Human population growth and climate change probably forced it out of its native range on mainland Australia around 3,000 years ago, although a popular hypothesis has been that the rise in dingo populations made it harder for thylacines to make a living in their ecological niche. Advertisement By the 1930s, the only wild thylacines lived on the island of Tasmania, where they were tenaciously picked off by sheep farmers once Europeans showed up in the 18th century. Benjamin was the last live thylacine anyone ever saw for sure, though hundreds of unconfirmed sightings have been called into government offices in both Australia and Tasmania since their extinction. Maybe it's wishful thinking people just want the thylacine back, and we can't accept that it might just be gone for good. Now one group at the University of Melbourne Thylacine Integrated Genetic Restoration Research (TIGRR) Lab is working to "de-extinct" the thylacine through scientific methods. In order to bring back the Tasmanian tiger, some fancy genetic engineering is required, obviously. Unlike the fictional "Jurassic Park" scenario, no cloning would be used, but, rather, a process called "gene editing." This process would take the stem cells of a close relative of the thylacine a small mouse-like marsupial called a dunnart and combine it with thylacine cells to create an embryo, which would be implanted into a female marsupial of a species closer to the size of a thylacine, such as a quoll. When the baby is old enough to leave the quoll mother, scientists would raise it and release it into the wild. The reason the thylacine is a prime candidate for de-extinction is that its habitat remains mostly unchanged since its extinction which is not the case for most extinct animals, since habitat loss is often the cause of extinction in the first place. "While our ultimate goal is to bring back the thylacine, we will immediately apply our advances to conservation science, particularly our work with stem cells, gene editing and surrogacy, to assist with breeding programs to prevent other marsupials from suffering the same fate as the Tassie tiger," said Andrew Pask, the lead researcher on the TIGRR project, in a press release. Now That's Interesting A few naturalists observing the thylacine noted that they sometimes spent time walking or hopping on their hind legs like kangaroos. The Health and Welfare Committee of the Carter County Commission worked into the night on Tuesday to establish the proposed list of prioritized projects for funding with American Rescue Plan funds. Yulia Wright, standing at left, is shown with her friend Oksana Lypska and Lypskas children, Alisa, 3, and Maksym, 14. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Lypska and her children fled their home in Sumy, Ukraine. With some help from Wright, who purchased their plane tickets, Lypska and her children eventually made their way to Mexico, across the border and to Wrights home in Mount Carmel. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Partly cloudy. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 94F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Arman Dilanyan met today with President of the Council of Europes Venice Commission Claire Bazy Malaurie, who arrived in Armenia on a two-day official visit, Armenpress correspondent reports. Welcoming Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie in Yerevan, Arman Dilanyan thanked her for accepting the invitation to visit Armenia. I want to once again congratulate you on your election as President of the Venice Commission. The continent of Europe is facing quite difficult times, and I hope we will be able to overcome these problems with your support. I want to specifically note that we attach great importance to our cooperation with the Council of Europe, to our partnership with the Venice Commission. We have old traditions of cooperation, they have been for decades. I hope under your presidency these ties will not only strengthen, but also a new impetus will be given to these relations, Arman Dilanyan said in his welcoming remarks. In her turn the President of the Venice Commission said that she is very happy to be in Armenia and highlighted this meeting especially after the coronavirus pandemic and the refreshing of the relations with a CoE member state. Police officers stand together at a memorial dedicated to the 19 children and two adults killed on May 24 during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 31, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images/TNS) Cameroons government said on Tuesday that a group of soldiers killed nine villagers, including an 18-month-old girl, in a manifestly disproportionate and hasty response to a confrontation in the Northwest region last week. The four soldiers were searching for a missing comrade in the village of Missong when they came across a group of angry villagers at night, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.Advertisement Scroll to continue In an inappropriate reaction, unsuited to the circumstances and manifestly disproportionate to the hostile villagers refusal to cooperate the soldiers, in a hasty reaction of self-protection used their weapons, the statement said. The victims were four men, four women and the infant, it said. A one-year-old child was lightly injured and taken to hospital. The statement was an unusual admission of blame by the army, which civilians and rights groups have accused of numerous killings and abuses during an ongoing separatist conflict.Advertisement Scroll to continue Cameroons Northwest Region is one of two English-speaking regions where secessionist fighters protesting about perceived marginalisation by the French-speaking majority have been battling government troops since 2017. Last year a mob lynched a military police officer after he killed a five-year-old girl when he fired on a car at a checkpoint. A month later, a policeman killed an eight-year-old girl in similar circumstances. read moreAdvertisement Scroll to continue The conflict has killed more than 3,000 people and displaced nearly 1 million since it started. The ministry said the four soldiers have been arrested and an investigation opened, and offered its condolences to the families of the victims. SOURCE: REUTERS We asked five Capital Region book lovers to tell us what theyve read lately (and recommend), how books fit into their daily busy lives, and whats on deck for the summer. Q: Between hosting the The Book Show and interviewing authors on The Roundtable you must feature hundreds of books every year so asking what you Whats the Best Book Youve Read Lately seems ludicrous. Whats the best book youve read lately? A: This has been a good year for novels, so far. French Braid by Anne Tyler is one of her best ever, which is saying a lot. I cant get Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart out of my mind. It is a haunting, beautiful novel with lush language and unforgettable characters. And Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel deserves every word of praise it is getting. It is a time-traveling triumph. Q: Im sure you have a tall stack of books in your to read pile. Which are you most excited to get to? A: The two books I cant wait to read are Tracy Flick Cant Win by Tom Perrotta and Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Also, Cormac McCarthy has two books coming in the fall. I have been waiting 16 years for those. And Stephen Kings Fairy Tale is out in September, and I may need to take a personal day to fully enjoy that one. Provided, Penguin Random House Q: Do you read on a Kindle or other electronic device? A: I read on any technology possible. While I prefer reading a traditional book, I read a lot of early releases and they are mostly PDFs for my iPad. Also, I have a long commute and average three audio books a week. I usually have most books in three different formats. (Its an illness.) Q: Favorite reading places at home? A: Because I read for work and pleasure, I read in bed, in my comfy chair, standing up while waiting for the dogs, standing in line at the coffee shop and at my desk at work. I have been known to speed up the settings on audio books so I can get more in while they read at lightning speed. Q: Your personal book collection must be vast. How do you decide what to keep? A: It is a huge collection. Thousands and thousands of volumes mostly signed. The most special ones are in bookcases in the house. The others are cataloged, protected and stored in crates. (It kind of resembles the final scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark.) For everyday books I dont want or need, they go to friends or are donated to the library. Sarah Craig, Executive Director, Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs Provided, Sarah Craig Q: Whats the best book youve read recently? A: I take pleasure in books that improve my vision, sharpen my hearing and make me feel fully awake. My latest eye-opener was My Name Is Chellis and I'm In Recovery from Western Civilization by Chellis Glendinning. She examines the broad consequences of humanity's sudden and severe separation from nature over the last few hundred years. It's radical and fascinating. Q: How about for work? A: Mary Gauthier's memoir, Saved By a Song, shines a light on the personal healing and community bonding that can be sparked by songs. Very powerful. As a nonprofit leader I also read business books. The most fun and illuminating I've read in ages is Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath. Q: What do you hope to get to over the summer? A: The top four books in my pile are Dwellers In the Land by Kirkpatrick Sale, Liberation Theology by Rosemary (Radford) Ruether, In the Absence of the Sacred by Jerry Mander, and Civilized to Death by Christopher Ryan. I read nonfiction in the morning and fiction at night, and that means I'm usually reading fiction when I'm very tired. I often give it low marks. Maybe I should try it in the morning! Provided, Simon & Schuster Q: With shows at Caffe Lena almost every night, when do you find the time to read? A: I do my Caffe work from 1 p.m. to midnight. I try really hard not to let meetings and phone calls creep into my morning because that's my time for reading, writing, running, and reflecting. That daily practice helps me work and learn in the right spirit. Dennis Holzman, rare book dealer and owner of Dennis Holzman Antiques, Cohoes Provided, Dennis Holzman Q: As a rare and out-of-print book dealer, do you read new and popular stuff, too? A: Since what I do to earn a living is also my passion, what I read for pleasure is often intimately tied to what I do on a daily basis. I tend to have a stack of "history light" or narrative nonfiction in my life. Im a fan of Candace Millard and thoroughly recommend The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelts Darkest Journey and Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President. Im also a David Grann groupie; The Lost City of Z and Killers of the Flower Moon are both riveting. And for a kid whose parents took him to the local library every week, The Library Book by Susan Orleans about the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library is an all-time favorite. Not only is it an examination of the devastating fire, but also a book about people, politics, and the awe-inspiring nature of libraries. Q: How about on the scholarly side? A: Anything written by Simon Winchester starting with The Professor and the Madman: Murder, Mayhem, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. Ill also read any book by David McCullough, with The Path between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal as my favorite. Q: Whats required reading in your business? Provided, Penguin Random House A: The world of autographs is rife with forgeries, minor and spectacular. I am drawn to books which help me avoid falling prey to the forgers. A book I have all my employees read is Simon Worralls The Poet and the Murder: A True Story of Literary Crime and the Art of Forgery. It checks a lot of boxes for me: the escapades of one of the countrys most infamous forgers (Mark Hofmann), the world of one of the more mysterious poets (Emily Dickinson), and the manipulations of the marketplace by major auction houses. Q: Whats on your nightstand right now? A: The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray. Historical fiction of J.P. Morgan's personal librarian who hid her racial identity. Anita Jack-Davies, Ph.D, Deputy Chief Diversity Officer, Wyckoff Center, Skidmore College Provided, Anita Jack-Davies Q: Hands down, whats the best book youve read this year? A: Actually, its a reread, of Audre Lordes Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. I read it first when I was a doctoral student at Queens University in Canada, and I came back to it this year for inspiration as I was finishing my own memoir (which comes out this fall). Lorde is one of the best writers of the last century on issues of race, intersectionality, identity and what it means to live as a Black person in America. Her writing is poetic, unforgiving, complex and simple at the same time. Provided, Penguin Random House Q: As an academic do you find the summers to be a time when you can get more reading done? A: Are you kidding me? I have a 13 year old, so summers are a mixed bag. As a university administrator I do not get summers off, however, things do slow down. Can we talk about finishing books? This summer I hope to finish A Place of Yes by Bethenny Frankel and Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Danzy Senna. And start The Cocoa Panyols of Trinidad (by Sylvia Moodie-Kublalsingh) and a volume of Maya Angelou poetry that my mother-in-law gave me last Christmas. Q: Wyckoff Center, the space you run at Skidmore, is devoted to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). What would you say is required or at least recommended reading in this field? A: At Wyckoff, we value DEI, but the space is devoted to scholarship on difference as experienced by faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members and university partners. There are so many facets to it! Ibram X. Kendis How to Be an Antiracist is an excellent starting point. Alexandra Stafford, cookbook author and blogger, Niskayuna Provided, photo by John Dolan Q: Rumor has it your home library contains over 500 cookbooks and continues to grow. What are your three recent favorites? A: Snackable Bakes by Jessie Sheehan, Salad Freak by Jess Damuck, and Gullah Geechee Home Cooking by Emily Meggett, all published this spring. Q: When you want a mind-break from the kitchen, what do you tend to read? A: I love light, funny novels without complicated plots (because I read about one page a night before falling asleep). Loved Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, about a family whose children self-combust when they are upset, Joan is Okay by Weike Wang (an ICU doctors story about motherhood, daughterhood, and belonging), and Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, set in the Catskills. Great beach read. I also listen to audiobooks on long walks with my dog. Penguin Random House Q: Whats do you hope to get to over the summer? A: I'm excited to read I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood by Jessi Klein (recommended by a favorite cookbook author, Jenny Rosenstrach) and The Puzzler, which I bought after listening to a conversation with the author, A.J. Jacobs, on The Armchair Expert Podcast (a great listen!). I also want to get to the food memoir Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, the lead singer and guitarist of the band Japanese Breakfast, which I love. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY The U.S. Supreme Court may decide by the end of the month whether or not to review a request by Albany Nanotech founder Alain Kaloyeros to overturn his 2018 conviction on wire fraud charges. The court revealed Tuesday that it had distributed copies of Kaloyeros's petition, known as a writ of certiorari, to the court's nine justices for discussion at their June 23 conference, which is when the justices meet in private to discuss what cases to consider. Kaloyeros, 66, was arrested in 2016 and charged with wire fraud in a sensational bid-rigging scheme involving two upstate construction firms whose executives were campaign donors to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. At least four justices must agree to take up a case, and typically only 1 percent of all certiorari requests are granted each session, so the chance of such a review being granted is extremely low. The June 23 conference is the last one scheduled for the current session before the summer recess. The court releases its decisions from conferences the Monday following the meetings. That means that Kaloyeros, who is four months into a 42-month prison sentence at a minimum-security prison camp in downstate Otisville, could learn as soon as June 27 whether or not his case will be heard by the nation's highest court. Kaloyeros filed his petition with the Supreme Court in February after previous appeals to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan were unsuccessful. On June 27, the last Monday in June, the court could announce that it has denied or granted the petition or it could say it needs more time to review and discuss the file, in which case it would schedule it again for its next conference. However, because of the court's impending summer recess, the next conference would be in the fall when the court returns to session. At trial at U.S. District Court in Manhattan, prosecutors showed evidence that Kaloyeros worked with two upstate contractors, whose executives were generous campaign donors to Cuomo, to secure $1 billion in high-tech construction contracts from Albany Nanotech. Although federal prosecutors couldn't prove that Kaloyeros profited from the scheme, they were able to convince the jury that Kaloyeros had deceived the board of an Albany Nanotech nonprofit called Fort Schuyler Management Corp. into picking the two companies, LPCiminelli of Buffalo and COR Development of Syracuse. The developers were awarded the exclusive rights to negotiate with the state to build new high-tech manufacturing facilities in Buffalo and suburban Syracuse under a program Cuomo called the "Buffalo Billion." Kaloyeros is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case because he was convicted under a theory of wire fraud known as the "right-to-control" that doesn't involve money or property but the control of economic or financial information. The Second Circuit, where Kaloyeros was tried, is one of the only appeals courts to recognize the "right-to-control" theory, and Kaloyeros is asking the Supreme Court to step in and clarify the issue, hoping the justices rule the theory invalid and reverse his conviction. In responding to the Kaloyeros petition, the Justice Department has tried to convince the court it doesn't need to review the case. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY For generations of Albanians, there were three verities: taxes, death and Bill McVeigh. In that order. The patriarch of the family-run McVeigh Funeral Home, who died at 87 on May 30, assisted thousands of families in their time of grief. He laid to rest the dearly departed with decorum, a quiet grace and a freshly pressed funereal pinstripe suit. For 60 years, he practiced the undertakers alchemy, being at once indispensable and invisible during a funeral service. McVeigh grew up in the North Allen Street home that doubled as the familys place of business. He moved aside their dining room table to position a casket in the parlor for wakes. He never lost sight of the sanctity of ritual when a person shuffles off this mortal coil. And he understood how folks turned to their tribe for funeral arrangements. My father liked to remind us that we buried the shanty Irish because they appreciated the blue-collar work we do, said McVeighs daughter, Kristin McVeigh-Parente, 60, fourth-generation family president of the funeral home. She and her husband cared for her father in their Loudonville home for several years, until a recent illness led to his death. He made families feel like they were the most important people in the world at a funeral, said his daughter, Laurel Gent, 57, of Guilderland. She worked for years in the family business alongside her sister, both licensed funeral directors. A father with two daughters in the trade was unusual. Their dad joked that he was the thorn between two roses. William C. McVeigh, the daughters great-grandfather, went to work in 1901 for John Harrigan, Albanys most prosperous undertaker with a building on the corner of Sheridan Avenue and Chapel Street downtown. When the last of three Harrigan brothers, all bachelors, died in 1936, McVeigh, known as Pa Senior, took over their business and renamed it McVeigh Funeral Home. Two years later, in 1938, he purchased a modest two-story Colonial at 208 N. Allen St., just off Central Avenue, where the McVeigh Funeral Home remains today. William J. McVeigh, known as Pa, followed his father into the funeral business. The founders grandson, William E. McVeigh, whom everyone called Bill, began running the operation in 1958. That was two years after he graduated from Holy Cross College and married Sheila Butler, followed by a Navy stint. McVeigh was indoctrinated as a lad in the early 1940s, when his father handed his son a ten spot and told him to run down to the corner store to purchase a selection of cigars, cigarettes and pipe tobacco. McVeigh delivered the smokes to the basement, where a sign declared it the Mens Lounge. Women remained on the ground floor during wakes, while men moved to the basement amid plumes of gray smoke, likely fortified by the passing of a flask. For decades, McVeigh fueled up for a morning Mass of Christian burial with a large cup of black coffee and a buttered hard roll. He favored funerals at Blessed Sacrament, where he attended grammar school and knew every pastor, mainly because he loved the hard rolls at Ninos Bakery across Central Avenue best. He never forgot his blue-collar roots and drove hand-me-down Cadillac sedans from the business that needed to be retired from service due to advanced age. He liked to eat lunch at the counter at Kesslers Pharmacy on New Scotland Avenue or a late-night blue plate special perched atop a stool at Jacks Diner on Central Avenue. He often brought along a copy of the Times Union and pored over the obituaries the way a handicapper studies the Racing Form. His daughters found stacks of spiral-bound notebooks where their father kept daily jottings deconstructing the obits, delineating branches of family trees and other biographical arcana. He was an Albany boy through and through, said his son-in-law, David Parente, 60, the funeral homes vice president, who met McVeighs daughter, Kristin, in embalming school. When the family moved out of the North Allen Street property, they installed two phones at their North Manning Boulevard residence. They finally had separation between their private and public lives, but a red rotary phone kept them tethered to their work. The red phone rang regularly at 2 or 3 in the morning and dad would wake up, suit up, and go take care of the familys funeral needs, said his son, Brian McVeigh, 63, of Albany, a licensed mental health care provider and former anthropology professor at the University of Arizona. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. The children were inspired by their fathers work ethic and how he considered his funeral directors work an essential public service. When Parente came to work in 1993 at his father-in-laws business after working at a rival funeral home, the contrast was palpable. Mr. McVeigh had such a deep connection to his community to an extent I had never experienced before, Parente said. Bill was a true gentleman and a consummate professional. His leadership and understanding of the funeral industry were exceptional, said Randy McCullough, deputy executive director of the New York State Funeral Directors Association, which represents about 2,300 licensed funeral directors and 750 funeral homes statewide. McVeigh was a former president known for advancing progressive practices, such as requiring continuing education for funeral directors to maintain their licenses and ensuring that pre-paid funeral funds were protected by law. The McVeighs eldest child, Billy, 65, has autism spectrum disorder. His parents helped found Camaray Statewide Services, an agency that provided residential homes for adults with disabilities including their son. That agency merged into Living Resources in the early 1990s and McVeigh served on the board. Bill helped countless families seeking services for family members with autism spectrum disabilities, said Fred Erlich, former longtime CEO of Living Resources and a friend of McVeigh for 45 years. He was gracious, respectful and had a gentle way about him. For two hours, McVeighs family shared warm and funny stories from the more than 200 funerals they handle each year. There was a time their hearse showed up at the church for a funeral, but without a casket in back. Or, when a rookie state trooper pulled a McVeigh funeral procession over on Interstate 90. The charge? Driving too slowly. An elderly monsignor was once very late getting to the cemetery after a funeral for interment of a Devane family member. After a long and awkward delay, McVeigh began to read the last rites. Just then the monsignor appeared, hobbling down a grassy slope. The actor William Devane, an Albany native, without missing a beat, bellowed: Take two! For his own funeral on June 4, McVeigh chose a traditional wooden casket made of mahogany. After our interview Thursday evening, his daughter Kristin went into a back room in the house where she grew up. She prepared her fathers body with the dutifulness he had prepared the bodies of his mother, father and wife. I consider it an honor, his daughter said. I will lay him out with the same care we provide all our families. Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com DELAWARE COUNTY Tuesday morning at Margaretville Central School began in typical fashion. With just three weeks left in the academic year, Principal and Acting Superintendent Laura Norris was focused on ensuring a smooth finish with prom, Regents exams and graduation still to come. But around 10:30 a.m., she got a call from a parent asking if she was aware of a hostage situation nearby: An armed man, the parent said, was being confronted by State Police near Red Kill Road in the Village of Fleischmanns, less than 10 miles from the school. It would turn out that the man posed no threat to students or faculty, but Norris didnt know that at the time which happened to be two weeks almost to the hour since a deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. She quickly instructed staff to bring every child inside from the playground and to lock every door to the building. She notified teachers to call her on her cell phone if they saw any strangers on the premises. And she called the State Police to get an update on the situation. This was done with the notion of being hyper-vigilant, Norris said. Not to disrupt the educational process or scare kids unnecessarily, but to ensure everyone was in a safe area and accounted for. Norris says this drill was a lockout, as opposed to a lockdown, which would have included shelter-in-place procedures such as turning off the lights and students hiding under desks. Once the students were inside and the doors were locked, the school day continued as normal. About 10 minutes later, State Police called Norris back to tell her they had the man in custody. He had been experiencing a mental health episode but had voluntarily surrendered, according to Trooper Aga Dembinska, a public information officer with the New York State Police. He was taken to a nearby hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, but sustained no injuries and faces no charges. The entire standoff lasted approximately between 90 minutes and two hours. Shortly thereafter, school administrators sent out a robocall to parents about the situation. By then, rumors were flying, and some parents had already heard that something was up. Its a small town, so I knew the events were taking place before I got the call, said Karen Fairbairn, a mother of two elementary-age students at the school, which serves students in kindergarten through grade 12. I was mildly worried because you never know what can happen, as we are all too aware of these days. How can you not be concerned? But I also know our staff, which is made up of parents and community members, and trust they would do anything they could to keep our kids safe. Deana Pereira, whose child is a senior at the school, first heard about the standoff over the police scanner, and about the lockout when her child texted her. She was pleased that even though the incident was outside the immediate town, the school acted quickly. We are all related to or know someone in the school, she said. Its borderline personal to keep everyone okay. Ms. Norris has done a great job in creating a safe, educational environment at MCS. Norris says there has never been an occasion requiring a full lockdown during her five years with the district. But in this instance, I felt like it behooved us as a school to take the lowest-level but more proactive move we could, she said. Given what has happened nationwide, I was especially sensitive to the fact that people would be nervous if they heard rumors. Mission accomplished. Except, perhaps, on one count: Rumors have a tricky way of spreading despite best efforts to contain them. By Wednesday, a tipster to the Times Union asked one reporter if theyd heard that Margaretville Central School was closed because someone had brought a gun to the school. To be clear: The school is open, Norris said. A few kids asked me afterward, Is there a problem? No Im just keeping people safe. When you step into Lil Debs Oasis in Hudson, youre welcomed with hues of pinks and reds, art along the walls, and a mix of plants, fruits, and candles along the countertops. The ambiance matches the menu, which serves up tropical comfort food. How can that transcend its four walls? Our restaurant feels immersive, performative and an experience, said chef and owner Carla Kaya Perez-Gallardo. Experiences come and go. The more we did work at the restaurant, the more we wanted to create something people can take home with them. When the pandemic shut restaurants doors everywhere back in 2020, it gave Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black, co-founders of Lil Debs Oasis, an opportunity to shape up a long-gestating idea: a cookbook featuring Lil Debs recipes. Two years later, Please Wait to be Tasted is set to be released on June 21. The cookbook cultivates the same energy as the restaurant even the title is a phrase featured in the restaurants waiting area. (Some of it was silly, some of it was serious, all of it was fun, Perez-Gallardo said.) The recipes are intended to respect cuisines of other cultures: Ceviche Mixto with Popcorn, Charred Octopus in the Ink of Its Cousin, Sweet Plantains with Green Cream and more. Perez-Gallardo, whose family is Ecuadorian and Aregentinean, described it as a welcome packet for learning how to cook in our style. Please Wait to Be Tasted, Princeton Architectural Press The cookbook also celebrates food, love and community. And visually, it is representative of the restaurant. The pages are lined with art, funky fonts, bright colors and chapter titles like Lubrication, Foreplay, Arousal, Climax and Pillow Talk. Were artists first and chefs second, said Perez-Gallardo. They asked themselves: How can we translate the experience of the restaurant into an object? Its about getting intimate with the eating and dining experience, she said. Its formatted around the stages of arousal to take you through a fun adventure with yourself that might be erotic if you let it be. Perez-Gallardo attributes the restaurants philosophy of intimacy with food to the previous owner of the building and former eatery for 26 years, Debbie Fierro. Debbie was flipping pancakes and having people pour their own coffee, Perez-Gallardo told the Times Union last summer for our The faces of a changing Hudson series. There was this super-intimate interplay between who was a customer and who was a community member. Please Wait to Be Tasted, Princeton Architectural Press The dining experience at Lil Debs Oasis prompts folks to reach across the table, share their food and form a sense of community. Perez-Gallardo hopes that can spread into the homes via the cookbook. Lil Debs Oasis has long given back to the community in other ways. Since COVID, the restaurant has added 69 cents to every menu item, which is then donated to various community projects at the end of the month. The restaurant also added a Community Tab credit system, where any customer can add $10 increments to their bill to help others with less money lower their tab. When Please Wait to be Tasted comes out at the end of June, there will be a special event nearby at Rivertown Lodge to celebrate. Perez-Gallardo and Black will also hold other signings, speakings and events on both coasts, and maybe internationally too. For more information, visit Lil Debs Oasis on Instagram at @lildebsoasis. HUDSON Third-year students at Hudson Senior High School were granted "instant admission" to Columbia-Greene Community College in a surprise announcement Tuesday. Juniors and their parents were gathered at the high school auditorium under the pretense of "a symbolic send-off" before the nature of the assembly was revealed. Students were then given QR codes that led them to simple form allowing the high school to transmit student information and transcripts to the college. Hudson Superintendent Lisamarie Spindler said the instant admission was important to "create equality and access." "We prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion, and this is one step in that direction, to be able to close any gaps or any barriers that our students might have to post-secondary experiences," she said. Other community colleges have made similar offers: SUNY Schenectady recently offered instant admission for graduating Schenectady High School students. All students who graduate Hudson High School including those who receive a Career Development Occupational Studies Commencement Credential can attend Columbia-Greene Community College under the initiative, Spinder added. It was important for all students to have "an opportunity regardless of (their) ability," according to college Provost George Timmons, "whether that's a certificate program, an associate degree, a micro-credential or just professional development or enhancement." Though Hudson may be better known for its ritzy Warren Street, 23.4 percent of its residents fall below the poverty line. At Hudson High School, about 68 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, according to the state Education Department. Statewide, the number is 51 percent. Educators at Tuesday's assembly also mentioned the pandemic and the labor market as influences that have been throwing some students off the collegiate path. The pandemic created a great amount of uncertainty in students' minds about their futures, according to college President Carlee Drummer. "We wanted to give them something to hold onto," she said. The college wants the juniors to take advantage of its offerings, though the main focus is not about students attending this local college, but pursuing post-secondary education in general, Drummer said. "We mostly want you to continue your education and not be distracted by some of the things going on with the workforce, where (students) are being offered incredible jobs without a college degree," she said. "We think that's a disrupter the value of a college education can not be matched." The white-hot labor market was leading local businesses to recruit students out of high school, Drummer added. Rocky Payne, one of the high school's guidance counselors, said some of his students looked at how college was conducted during the pandemic, with its remote learning and lack of interaction, and were unsure, at least for the moment, if they wanted to go. The graduation rate at the senior high school has been climbing steadily, reaching 84 percent last year, according to Spinder, However, this has not translated into more students attending college. Forty-seven percent of graduates in 2019 planned to attend a two-year school, according to Hudson High School's school profile, a number that dropped to 43 percent last year, while the percentage of graduates who said they were directly entering the workforce rose from 18 percent to 24 percent. The percentage of students who said they would be attending four-year colleges was about flat. Jalissa Payton, a Hudson junior, said she had many ideas of what to do after graduation, but hadn't landed on a decision. Payton was trying to go to Siena College, she said, but the day's announcement provided her with another option, one she said might be a good back-up. Columbia-Greene and Hudson Senior High School had a close relationship even before Tuesday's announcement high school students can take Columbia-Greene classes at the high school for only $67 a credit, with the fee completely waived for students eligible for free of reduced-prices lunches, according to Payne. Correction: This story was updated on June 9, 2022, to clarify SUNY Schenectadys instant admission for Schenectady High School graduating seniors. Play Pack your bags: Beginning Thursday, international flights will once again take off from New York Stewart International Airport when low-cost Icelandic airline Play begins service. Play will be the first airline to make use of Stewart Airports $37 million international arrivals and customs facility, which has been under construction at the north end of the terminal for a few years. The Reykjavik-based carrier began operating in the United States earlier this year, with flights departing from Baltimore/Washington International Airport in April and Boston Logan International Airport in early May. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A British journalist and an Indigenous affairs official were still missing in a remote part of Brazils Amazon on Tuesday as authorities said they were expanding search efforts in the area, which has seen violent conflicts between fishermen, poachers and government agents. Dom Phillips, who has been a regular contributor to the British newspaper The Guardian, and Bruno Araujo Pereira were last seen early Sunday in the Sao Rafael community, according to the Univaja association of people in the Vale do Javari Indigenous territory, for which Pereira has been an adviser. The pair was returning by boat to the city of Atalaia do Norte, about an hour away, but never showed up. Pereira is one of the Brazilian Indigenous affairs agency's most experienced employees operating in the Vale do Javari area. He oversaw the agency's regional office and the coordination of isolated Indigenous groups before going on leave. He has received a stream of threats from illegal fishermen and poachers, and usually carries a gun. Fabiano Maisonnave/AP Univaja said the two had been threatened during their reporting trip. On Saturday, while they were camped out, a small group of men traveled by river to the Indigenous territorys boundary and brandished firearms at a Unijava patrol, the association's president, Paulo Marubo, told The Associated Press. Phillips photographed the men at the time, Marubo said. Phillips, 57, has reported from Brazil for more than a decade and has been working on a book about preservation of the Amazon with support from the Alicia Patterson Foundation, which gave him a yearlong fellowship for environmental reporting that ran through January. The pair disappeared while returning from a two-day trip to the Jaburu Lake region, where Phillips interviewed local Indigenous people, Univaja said. Only the two were on the boat. The place where they went missing is the primary access route to the Vale do Javari, Brazil's second-largest Indigenous territory, which is bigger than Maine and where several thousand Indigenous people live in dozens of villages. People from the area say that it is highly unlikely the men would have gotten lost in that sector. He is a cautious journalist, with impressive knowledge of the complexities of the Brazilian environmental crisis," Margaret Engel, the Alicia Patterson Foundation's executive director, wrote in an email. "And he is a beautiful writer and a lovely person. The best of our business. Brazils federal public prosecutors said in a statement Monday that they had opened an investigation and that the Federal Police, Amazonas states civil police, the national guard and navy had been mobilized. The navy, which prosecutors described as coordinating the search, said it sent a search-and-rescue team of seven and would deploy a helicopter Tuesday. There were no reports of helicopters being used at any point on Monday, and many of the men's colleagues expressed concern that the government didn't appear to be acting swiftly. We request from the authorities speed, seriousness and all possible resources for that search," Pereira's family wrote in a statement. Every minute counts, every stretch of the river and the forest not yet checked could be the one where they are waiting for rescue. The army's manpower is far greater than the navy's in the region, and there was no indication from officials on why it wasn't included in the initial search efforts. But late Monday, a spokesperson for the army's Amazon division told AP it had since received orders to deploy a search mission. Phillips has also contributed to the Washington Post and New York Times. He currently resides in Salvador, a city in Brazil's Bahia state, with his wife, Alessandra Sampaio, who shared a series of messages posted on Twitter by a journalist helping to advise her. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. I can only pray that Dom and Bruno are well, somewhere, prevented from continuing on for some mechanical reason, and that all of this becomes just one more story in a life replete with them," Sampaio wrote. I know, however, the moment the Amazon is going through and I know the risks that Dom always denounced. The Vale do Javari region has experienced repeated shootouts between hunters, fishermen and official security agents, who have a permanent base in the area, which has the world's largest population of uncontacted Indigenous people. It is also a major route for cocaine produced on the Peruvian side of the border, then smuggled into Brazil to supply local cities or to be shipped to Europe. In September 2019, an employee of the Indigenous affairs agency was shot dead in Tabatinga, the largest city in the region. The crime was never solved. It is extremely important that Brazilian authorities dedicate all available and necessary resources to the immediate realization of searches, in order to guarantee, as soon as possible, the safety of the two men, Maria Laura Canineau, the director of Human Rights Watch in Brazil, said in a statement Monday. Journalists working for regional media outlets in the Amazon have been slain in recent years, though there have been no such cases among journalists from national or foreign media. However, there have been several reports of threats, and the press has limited access to several areas dominated by criminal activity, including illegal mining, land-grabbing and drug trafficking. President Jair Bolsonaro issued a comment Tuesday: Really, just two people in a boat in a completely wild region like that is not a recommended adventure. Anything could happen. It could be an accident, it could be that they have been killed, he said in an interview with television network SBT. We hope and ask God that they're found soon. The armed forces are working hard." Three of Bolsonaros ministers told the AP on Tuesday that the government recognizes the importance of a swift response, and is concerned that apparent failure to do so will cast a shadow over Bolsonaros attendance at the Summit of the Americas this week in Los Angeles. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they arent authorized to speak publicly. ___ AP writers Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo and Debora Alvares in Brasilia contributed to this report. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. Member of the German Bundestag Till Mansmann says it is necessary to find a political solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In an interview to ARMENPRESS, the Bundestag MP said Germany supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship in the negotiations over the NK conflict. As a member of the Minsk Group, Germany supports the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the negotiations for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, taking into account also the military clashes which started between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020 and lasted until November. Germany believes that it is necessary to find a political solution to the conflict. Following the clashes Germany has provided a total of 2 million Euro humanitarian aid at the level of the International Committee of Red Cross, the MP said. Till Mansmann also commented on the ongoing dialogue between Armenia and Turkey aimed at the normalization of the relations, stating that the long-term goal must always be the peaceful coexistence. No matter how hostile the relations between Armenia and Turkey are, we face a reality when both Armenia and Turkey become more interconnected in conditions of globalization. Armenia should remain open for development of peace and trade, he said. WASHINGTON (AP) A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske, 26, of Simi Valley, California, was charged with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. During a court hearing, he consented to remain in federal custody for now. Roske was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaughs home in a Washington suburb. He had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and an affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. At his initial appearance in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, Roske paused several times before responding to routine inquiries from U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan during the 10-minute hearing. Asked if he understood what was happening and whether he was thinking clearly, Roske paused, then said, I think I have a reasonable understanding, but I wouldn't say I'm thinking clearly. Roske said he is taking medication, but did not say what it is or why he is on it. He also said he is a college graduate. Andrew Szekely, a federal public defender who is representing Roske, declined to comment on the case after the hearing. Roske's next court date was tentatively set for June 22. The attempted murder charge carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Earlier Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate. Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable. President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. ___ Kunzelman reported from Greenbelt, Maryland. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY An ex-state Senate employee fired after her arrest Tuesday allegedly created an intentional distraction in City Court to enable pest-possessing activists to release hundreds of cockroaches in the Morton Avenue courthouse, court documents say. The brouhaha led court officials to close down the courthouse for the rest of the day and summon exterminators to vanquish the insects. The courthouse was open again Wednesday morning. In court papers, police alleged that now-former $80,000-a-year Senate staffer Clyanna Lightbourn, 34, of Troy, played an integral role in the incident by causing a fracas that allowed conspirators to unleash the cockroaches. It was apparently part of an unorthodox protest over the State Police arrests of demonstrators who were objecting to rent issues last month at the state Capitol. The bugs, according to a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation who consulted with insect experts, appeared to be Madagascar hissing cockroaches, which he said do not pose an environmental threat. Earlier Tuesday, at about 8:45 a.m., Lightbourn had been among more than two dozen protesters who entered the courtroom of Judge Joshua Farrell during the arraignment of the demonstrators. As the judge presided over the cases, Lightbourn pulled out her phone and started to take photos and shoot video. New York courts prohibit use of cameras and recorders of proceedings without pre-approval from judges. "(Lightbourn) proceeded to stand and walk among the audience while refusing to show officers her phone while talking and disrupting court proceedings," Lightbourn's arrest report stated. It alleged Lightbourn made an "outburst" and resisted arrest. Then, in an attempt to evade officers, she allegedly moved into the center of a pew and tried to hide, surrounded by supporters who made a "human shield" around her. Lightbourn allegedly said she "didn't feel like leaving now" and tried to avoid putting her hands behind her back to be handcuffed. Within moments, the arrest report said, protesters seized on Lightbourn's distraction and released hundreds of cockroaches that had been in plastic containers surrounded by lettuce. "The defendant did show intentional disobedience and resistance to the lawful process of the court while intentionally disrupting court proceedings in a manner to distract the court, allowing other audience members to drop multiple cockroaches in the courtroom," the arrest report stated. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Lightbourn, formerly of Miami, has served as the statewide civil rights organizer for Citizen Action of New York. She has been involved in protesting the police killings of unarmed Black civilians. Lightbourn had since 2021 been employed as the external relations upstate coordinator for the state Senate Majority Conference Services Office earning $3,076 biweekly (which translates to more than $80,000). On Tuesday, Albany police charged her with tampering with physical evidence, a felony carrying up to four years in prison upon conviction, for her alleged effort to hide her phone and delete recordings by resetting the phone to factory settings. "Facebook streaming would have been better," she said in court, according to the arrest report. Lightbourn was also charged with misdemeanor offenses of criminal contempt, obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest. A spokesman for the state Senate Democratic majority told the Times Union on Tuesday that Lightbourn was fired following her arrest. Lightbourn, who has declined to comment, pleaded not guilty during an appearance before City Court Judge Holly Trexler. The next court appearance is scheduled for July 5. The incident, while unusual, is not without precedent in Albany. In the late 1960s, Black civil rights activists who called themselves The Brothers and who published a newspaper, The Liberator, dumped jars of dead cockroaches on a stage while then-Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd was speaking in a protest to highlight unsanitary conditions and slum landlords in poor Black neighborhoods. MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) A Detroit-area county and a health care provider have agreed to a $2.45 million settlement with the family of a man who died while in jail for a minor driving offense. David Stojcevski, 32, suffered serious withdrawals from drug use while serving a 30-day sentence for careless driving at the Macomb County jail in 2014. Stojcevski failed to get proper care, despite evidence that he was hallucinating in his cell and shaking with seizures, his lawyer said. The county agreed to pay $1.15 million, with some covered by insurance, and Correct Care Solutions, now known as Wellpath, paid $1.3 million, the Macomb Daily reported Tuesday. County attorney John Schapka said an insurance company took over defense of the lawsuit in 2018. He said a 2021 court ruling involving a Tennessee jail set a precedent in Michigan's federal courts. It made it far more difficult to defend these types of cases, Schapka said. He said jails can be held liable if they should have known that someone was showing objective signs of medical distress. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. The FBI investigated Stojcevski's death but no charges were filed. The video made it clear as day that people were not paying attention to his care, said Harold Perakis, a lawyer for the family. ALBANY The first case of monkeypox in the state has been detected outside of New York City. The state Health Department said Tuesday that a Sullivan County resident tested at the Wadsworth Center Laboratory in Albany was found to have orthopoxvirus. The Sullivan County Health Department is treating it as a probable monkeypox case, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus family, and is conducting contact tracing efforts. The Sullivan County public health director, Nancy McGraw, said in a news release that the individual had traveled outside the U.S. and was not contagious upon their return to the county. "There is no identified risk to any county residents," she said. "(Should) there be any public health risk, we will promptly make notice to our residents and visitors." So far, nine cases of monkeypox have been detected across the state eight in New York City and one in Sullivan County. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. As the risk for monkeypox remains low, we urge New Yorkers to be alert and seek care if you have symptoms consistent with monkeypox, as we continue to learn more about this virus, state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a news release. Health care providers throughout the state have been notified, our Wadsworth Center public health lab will continue to test for orthopoxvirus, and we will work with local health departments and public health experts to protect New Yorkers." Testing for monkeypox can be performed at the Wadsworth laboratory. While monkeypox is a rare virus that is not usually serious, it could result in hospitalization or death. Symptoms throughout the outbreak have included a rash in the genital and anal areas, fever, swollen lymph nodes and pain when swallowing. The infections usually last two to four weeks. MOBILE, Ala. (AP) A one-time leader in a south Alabama town was sentenced to probation after using his local radio show to threaten a police officer who pulled him over for drunken driving, authorities said Wednesday. Former Evergreen City Council member Luther James Upton, 74, also was ordered to undergo mental health and substance abuse treatment during the three-year period, records show, and he can't drive until federal probation officials say so. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom cruised to an easy victory in Tuesdays primary barely one year after surviving a recall attempt, advancing to the November general election where he will be an overwhelming favorite to defeat a little-known Republican state senator. Early returns Tuesday showed Newsom receiving just over 60% of the votes. He'll face second-place finisher Brian Dahle, a Republican state lawmaker and farmer from the sparsely populated northeast corner of the state. He had about 15% of the votes. In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Alex Padilla had an equally easy time advancing to a November runoff. He was appointed to the seat by Newsom last year after Kamala Harris resigned to become vice president. Padilla was on the ballot twice once to complete the final few months of Harris term and another in a race for a full six-year term that begins in January. Early vote totals showed Padilla with about 58% in each race, far outpacing the second-place finisher, Republican attorney Mark Meuser, Meusers work with the right-leaning Dhillon Law Group has included 22 lawsuits against Newsom claiming he overstepped his authority in imposing coronavirus restrictions. Turnout in the nations most populous state was light despite significant frustration by voters over spiraling inflation, rising crime and a homelessness crisis in cities large and small. Despite those problems Democrats are expected to maintain their tight grip on state offices and in the Legislature. Newsom, who did not campaign much and did not make a public appearance on Tuesday, said in a news release that Republicans are attacking our fundamental rights as Americans by stripping a woman of the right to choose and standing idly by as gun violence claims too many lives." California is the antidote to their cynicism leading with compassion, common-sense and science, he said. Dahle has blamed Newsom for the state's nation-leading gas prices, which hit an all-time high of $6.37 per gallon on Tuesday. He and other lawmakers, including some Democrats, have called on Newsom to temporarily suspend Californias gas tax, which at 51.1 cents per gallon is the second-highest in the nation. Newsom has flatly rejected the idea. It's an issue Dahle believes he can use to get the attention of Democratic voters, who vastly outnumber Republicans in California. People are waking up to the fact that he doesn't care, Dahle said of Newsom. Why would you not reduce the gas tax? He doesn't understand his policies are hurting people. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Instead of suspending the gas tax, Newsom has proposed sending up to $800 to people who own cars, plus spending another $750 million to give people free rides on public transit for three months. Just one year ago, it looked as if Newsom could be on his way out as more than 1.7 million voters signed a petition to recall him from office. Dozens lined up to challenge him in the 2021 recall election, eager to take down the Democratic governor of the nations most populous state ahead of the 2022 midterms. Instead, Newsom defeated the recall in such a decisive way that none of the major contenders from last year filed to challenge him for reelection this year. This is almost the definition of a noncompetitive race," said Jessica Levinson, a political commentator and election law professor at Loyola Marymount University. Freed from the political pressure that typically accompanies governors during an election year, Newsom has sought to further establish California as the anchor of the nations left wing. He has vowed to make California a sanctuary for women seeking abortions should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. And he has pushed for a new law that would let private citizens enforce a ban on some assault weapons similar to how Texas allows the public to sue people to enforce that states ban on most abortions. CARY, N.C. (AP) A woman was killed and two firefighters were treated for injuries after battling a house fire in a North Carolina city, authorities said Tuesday. News outlets reported Cary firefighters responded to a call at approximately 11 p.m. on Monday on the town's south side. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) A court in North Macedonia on Wednesday imposed a new prison sentence on the country's fugitive former prime minister Nikola Gruevski, this time a six-year term for abuse of power over the financing of his party's headquarters in the capital, Skopje. It was the fifth conviction for Gruevski since he left office in 2016 after a decade in power. He has denied any wrongdoing, claiming political persecution. Gruevski fled to Hungary in 2018 before his first sentence could be carried out and was granted asylum there. On Wednesday, the country's Criminal Court also ordered the confiscation of Gruevski's conservative VMRO-DPMNE party's eight-story central Skopje headquarters that were built during his time in office, and of dozens of other party properties. The court ruled that Gruevski and another former VMRO-DPMNE official misused the services of a construction company that had been heavily involved in a separate, big government-run development scheme in central Skopje. It found that the company covered the entire 7-million-euro cost of the party headquarters as a donation to VMRO-DPMNE, in breach of party financing laws. Gruevski was first convicted in 2018, of unlawfully influencing interior ministry officials over the purchase of a luxury armored car, and sentenced to two years in prison. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. In 2020, he got another 1 1/2 years in prison for orchestrating violence against his political opponents in 2013. In April 2022, he was sentenced to 7 years for using party funds to enrich himself. A new, 9-year sentence followed later that month after a court ruled that he ordered the demolition of a multi-million-euro building belonging to a political rival in Skopje in 2011. At least one more case is pending against Gruevski, for alleged corruption, election irregularities and abuse of office. These charges stem from a wiretapping scandal that broke in 2015, when it emerged that the phone conversations of more than 20,000 people had been illegally recorded, including those of politicians, judges, police, journalists and foreign diplomats. The scandal brought down Gruevskis government and he lost the subsequent 2016 election to the Social Democrat opposition party. NEW YORK A New York Republican running to represent a congressional district that includes suburbs of Buffalo, New York, shared and deleted a conspiracy-laden Facebook post suggesting a racist mass shooting in Buffalo and other mass killings were part of a plot to take away people's guns. The lengthy June 1 post shared by Buffalo developer Carl Paladino said in almost every mass shooting, including the shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo last month and a shooting at a Texas elementary school, there are strange occurrences that are never fully explained. Paladino was endorsed last week by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville. The post also included theories about CIA mind-control and the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and John Lennon, and vaccines. Reached on his cellphone Wednesday by The Associated Press, Paladino said Thats all water under the bridge, and I didnt write it, before hanging up. He did not answer a call back. The politician on Tuesday initially told The Buffalo News and WIVB-TV in interviews that he did not personally make the post and it was posted by someone else who had access to his account. But in a follow-up interview with the Buffalo News on Wednesday, he changed his story and said, Yes, I did it. I just didnt remember the fact that I published it; I couldnt remember. It was written by Jeff Briggs, a good friend from Rochester. I published it because he is a friend, he said. Paladino told the newspaper that on Wednesday he recalled that he only scanned the post before sharing it and that he sometimes passes on materials with which he does not agree. He said he does not subscribe to the conspiracy theories in the post but accepted some of its points. It was not clear which points he accepted. Paladino was on the Buffalo School Board in December 2016 when he wrote that he wanted to see President Barack Obama dead of mad cow disease and first lady Michelle Obama return to being a male and let loose in the outback of Zimbabwe where she lives comfortably in a cave with Maxie, the gorilla. Amid an uproar, he said the comments, published in the local Artvoice newspaper, were not meant for publication but he called them inappropriate nevertheless. The state education commissioner removed Paladino from the Buffalo School Board soon after for disclosing confidential school board business. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. During his unsuccessful run for governor in 2010, Paladino apologized for forwarding emails to friends that included racist jokes and pornography. Paladino is now running in a district currently held by Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs, who announced last week he would not seek reelection after facing backlash from his own party for voicing support for new gun control measures. Jacobs, in the wake of recent mass shootings, said he would vote for a federal assault weapons ban and other measures if he had a chance and expressed support for limiting magazine capacity, banning body armor for civilians and raising the age limit to purchase semi-automatic weapons to 21. Jacobs currently represents New Yorks 27th Congressional District, but was running for the newly redrawn 23rd District. Before his comments on gun control, he was considered a favorite in the new district, which includes large swaths of new voters, including rural counties. Shortly after Jacobs announcement last week that he would not run, Paladino was endorsed by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of GOP leadership and rising star in the party. Stefaniks campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Paladino's post. ___ Associated Press writer Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York contributed to this report. MADRID (AP) Spain, one of the world's leading markets for prostitution, is hoping to crack down on the practice by targeting people who financially exploit prostitutes, as well as those who buy their services. On Tuesday, the lower house of parliament took the first step by admitting for debate a governing Socialist party proposal that would bring in fines for those who pay for prostitutes. The bill would not make prostitution illegal but proposes prison terms of between three and six years, as well as fines, for pimps or procurers. It also proposes penalizing those who make money by knowingly providing premises or apartments for the practice of prostitution. In a democracy, women are not for purchase nor for sale, Adriana Lastra, the Socialist partys deputy secretary general told Parliament. Prostitution is legal but greatly unregulated in Spain. Accurate statistics are difficult to come by but a 2011 U.N. report said the country was the third biggest center for prostitution in the world, behind Thailand and Puerto Rico. The Spanish branch of Medecins du Monde (Doctors of the World) estimates there are some 350,000 women in prostitution in Spain and 80% percent of them are foreigners without legal papers. The group says that many prostitution customers come from abroad, either as tourists, business visitors or truck drivers. People who turn to women in a situation of prostitution participate directly in the network that shores up this serious violation of human rights, the Socialist party said on its parliamentary Twitter account. Prostitutes can be seen on certain city-center streets in most of Spain and roadside brothels, some of enormous size, are common throughout the country. Ads for prostitutes on the internet are also common. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. The bill could undergo any number of changes as it passes through parliament and may take many months before it is finally approved. The proposal was backed by the leading opposition conservative Popular Party, which indicates that it could be approved relatively fast. Some political parties and experts have argued that Spain should regulate prostitution to protect sex workers rather than try to eliminate it. The Socialists say the bill is aimed at banning pimping in all its forms. They add that the law does not aim to penalize prostitutes but rather offer them protection as victims of a crime. Several other European countries already have similar legislation. YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Norway exchanged congratulatory messages on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Kingdom of Norway, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said. In his message, Ararat Mirzoyan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia, particularly noted that the mutual respect between the two countries, adherence to democratic values, rule of law and respect for human rights, as well as historically rooted warm ties formed a basis for cooperation over the three decades. Foreign Minister Mirzoyan emphasized that the Armenian people remember with gratitude Fridtjof Nansen, prominent Norwegian humanitarian, faithful and caring friend of Armenians, who epitomizes the collective identity of the Norwegian people for the Armenians. Expressing gratitude for Norway's unprecedented support in the fight against COVID-19, Ararat Mirzoyan expressed his conviction that Armenia and Norway will jointly contribute to the development of cooperation and the expansion of the bilateral agenda. Anniken Huitfeldt, Foreign Minister of Norway, noted that as members of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Armenia and Norway have built bilateral relations on the basis of international commitments, shared values and principles. The Foreign Minister of Norway highlighted the importance of further strengthening relations with Armenia, and reaffirmed the Norwegian Government's readiness to continue cooperation with Armenia based on democratic values and respect for human rights for the benefit of the two nations. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GUILDERLAND Workers at the Stuyvesant Plaza Starbucks voted 15-0 to unionize Tuesday, according to Starbucks Workers United, which is helping organize the rapid unionization effort at the retail coffee giant nationwide. The Guilderland location is the second Starbucks unionization in the Capital Region; Latham Plaza Starbucks workers narrowly approved a union by an 8-6 vote last month. The Stuyvesant Plaza vote was among 12 elections in eight cities and towns Tuesday. Unionization in the U.S. at the global coffee company is accelerating as union victories have more than tripled in the last month nationwide from 40 in mid-May to 135 as of Tuesday. Organizers at Stuyvesant Plaza Starbucks, a location known to draw customers from nearby University at Albany, told the Times Union in May that worker shortages exacerbated by the pandemic have made the work environment chaotic and driven Starbucks employees to seek unionization - a sentiment expressed during other drives nationwide. Starbucks recently offered better pay and benefits at locations not organizing, which Stuyvesant Plaza employees viewed as a union-busting tactic. They are expecting us to operate at a much lower staffing level but with higher numbers of people (customers), Stuyvesant Plaza Starbucks employee Jacob Evans previously told the Times Union. He noted that workers are generally happy with the pay and benefits already offered. Were not able to give customers the experience that we want to. Those voting to unionize then have to dig in and propose a contract to negotiate with the company. On Monday, Starbucks Corp. announced that its founder Howard Schultz, who recently stepped back in to be interim CEO to lead the company, will stay on until the first quarter of 2023 while a new CEO is found. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. "Since returning as interim CEO on April 4, Schultz has engaged deeply with partners (employees) of all levels of the company, working directly with the leadership team to shape a strategic plan for the future of a reimagined Starbucks Coffee Company. The reinvention plan is being designed through co-creation across the organization with a focus on exceeding the expectations of both partners and customers," the company said in a statement. ALBANY Three men have been arrested for allegedly assaulting and robbing two different people in Pine Hills Sunday. Albany police said they responded to Hudson Avenue and Ontario Street around 11 p.m. Sunday, where the 21-year-old male victim said he was approached, punched, kicked and robbed by three men. The men stole the victim's phone and credit cards. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) A man drove a car into a German school group in a popular Berlin shopping district Wednesday, killing a teacher and seriously injuring nine people, authorities said. He was quickly arrested. The man drove into people on a street corner around 10:30 a.m., got the car back on the road and then crashed into a shop window about a block away, police said. The driver was apparently detained by passers-by and then arrested swiftly by a police officer near the scene. Berlin's top security official, Iris Spranger, said the woman killed was a teacher on a trip to the German capital with students from a secondary school in the central German state of Hesse. Authorities spent hours working to determine whether it was a deliberate attack or an accident. On Wednesday evening, Spranger made it clear on Twitter that authorities now believe it was the former, describing it an amok act by a psychologically impaired person. Six people sustained life-threatening injuries and another three were seriously injured, fire service spokesman Adrian Wentzel. Police said 14 students from Hesse were among those who sustained injuries of varying severity, but didn't give a total tally. American-British actor John Barrowman, who was in a nearby store at the time, described the scene as carnage. Police said the driver was a 29-year-old German-Armenian who lived in Berlin. Spranger said posters were found in the man's car in which he expressed views about Turkey." She said there was no claim of responsibility. Spranger told regional public broadcaster RBB that Germany's domestic intelligence agency had no immediate information on the man and authorities were still checking whether he was previously known to police. He was taken to a hospital. Best of the Capital Region 2022 Its the 25th anniversary of our Best of the Capital Region readers survey. Make sure your voice is heard by nominating your favorite people, places and businesses between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey said she was deeply shocked" by the incident, which she said brought back terrible memories of a truck attack more than five years ago at the nearby Breitscheidplatz square. An Islamic extremist drove into a Christmas market in 2016, resulting in 13 deaths. In a 2019 incident in central Berlin, an SUV plowed into a group of pedestrians, killing four people. The driver had suffered an epileptic seizure and veered onto the sidewalk. A memorial service for the people killed or hurt in Wednesday's crash was held in the evening at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church on the Breitscheidplatz, next to the scene of the crash. ___ Jill Lawless in London contributed to this report. Buffalo, Sandy Hook, Uvalde, Parkland, Columbine, Pearl High School. Terrible tragedies and many opinions as to what went wrong. Anguished cries about red flags that were ignored, including mental health issues, early childhood trauma, social media posts, the availability (or straight-up purchase) of high-powered weapons. The list of potential causes and early warning signs of future mass shootings continues to grow. But wait a second. There is one red flag that ties all of these massacres together, and that is a history of animal cruelty. It makes sense doesnt it? Helpless, voiceless creatures with no line of defense become the first victims of these tortured minds. Societys reaction to such acts of violence against animals? Typically its a slap on the wrist, if that. I have spent a good part of my legislative career pointing out this link between animal cruelty and future violent behavior towards people. And I had some success passing legislation in Connecticut that addresses the issue. However, each time I see another massacre where the shooter started with animal cruelty that went completely unaddressed, my heart aches. Children could have been saved by simply recognizing that animal cruelty is an act of violence, before the perpetrators murder children, teachers, grocery store patrons, churchgoers, concert attendees, post office workers. There are many graphic incidences of violent cruelty to animals that preceded acts of violence toward people. In Mississippi in 1997, Luke Woodham beat the family dog a helpless Shih Tzu until she could barely walk, then put her in a bag, set her on fire and threw her in a pond while she was still whimpering. Later in his journal he was pleased at what he had done to his dear...loved family dog. He followed this up by bludgeoning and stabbing his mother to death. From there he went to Pearl High School with a rifle and shot and killed two students and injured seven others. No one thought that his disregard for the suffering and death of the family dog was something to act on. Even though the FBI recognizes animal cruelty as a discrete offense that it now tracks, government and society have been painfully slow in recognizing animal cruelty as a key red flag. New Yorks red flag law (known as extreme risk protection laws) rests on the recognition that a person is a danger to themselves or others and bars them from obtaining a firearm. Nowhere does it mention that a history of egregious animal cruelty should be included in the determination of what constitutes a red flag danger. A person can starve or strangle a dog to death, throw a kitten against a wall, beat a dog on the head until its unrecognizable, and at most might be placed in a meaningless, useless diversionary program, which typically involves periodically calling in to a probation officer. 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. So what was the case with these two recent horrendous massacres in Buffalo and Uvalde? Both of the young men identified as shooters had not only a history of animal abuse but also posted their twisted acts on social media. The accused Buffalo shooter made videos of himself abusing animals, which included cats that he killed. The Uvalde shooter stabbed a cat in the neck until the cat was decapitated. He also posted his kills on social media. There seems to be a political willingness on both sides of the aisle right now both nationally and at the state level to at least consider red flag laws as a way to help prevent mass shootings. If those laws dont prominently include animal cruelty on the list of early warning signs, then its likely that many more children and adults are going to needlessly and tragically die. Diana Urban of Chatham was chair of the Connecticut General Assembly Committee on Children when the Sandy Hook massacre occurred in 2012. She is founder and president of Protecting Kids and Pets Partnership. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Update: Troy councilwoman Kimberly Ashe-McPherson resigned June 9, 2022, a day after pleading guilty to a felony charge. TROY A Troy councilwoman on Wednesday pleaded guilty to a felony criminal charge in U.S. District Court, becoming the first person snared in a federal grand jury investigation examining widespread ballot-fraud allegations in Rensselaer County. Councilwoman Kim Ashe-McPherson, 61, a Republican who chairs the council's public safety committee and has been a councilwoman in North Troy for more than seven years, waived indictment by a grand jury and admitted to fraudulently submitting absentee ballots in last year's primary and general elections as she sought re-election to the City Council. As part of her guilty plea she also agreed to resign from her City Council position within 30 days. "Yes, your honor," Ashe-McPherson told U.S. District Judge Mae A. D'Agostino, when the judge asked the councilwoman if she was guilty. Minutes before the proceeding began, as Ashe-McPherson's attorney and a federal prosecutor were meeting with the judge in her chambers, the councilwoman turned around in her chair at the defense table and waved to two FBI agents seated in the second row of the near-empty courtroom. The agents, who are leading the ongoing investigation, waved back, without speaking. The charges stem from three absentee ballots that Ashe-McPherson admitted submitting last year in the primary and general elections one in the Working Families Party primary in June, which she won, and two more prior to the general election in November, when she was re-elected. According to her plea agreement, Ashe-McPherson had received guidance on how to submit the ballots from an unnamed official at the Rensselaer County Board of Elections. The ballots were submitted in the names of two individuals who were residing outside of the United States but had voting addresses in Ashe-McPherson's district. According to Ashe-McPherson's plea agreement, the unidentified official at the county Board of Elections had requested the absentee ballot for the June primary through a state elections portal, using the voter's name and date of birth. The county Board of Elections subsequently mailed the absentee ballot to Ashe-McPherson's address in Troy. "Neither the defendant nor (the county Board of Elections official) had lawful authority to use (the voter's) name and date of birth in an absentee ballot application," the plea agreement states. It's unclear whether the unidentified Board of Elections official will face charges. Earlier this year, Jason Schofield, the Republican commissioner for the county's Board of Elections, was subpoenaed in connection with the federal investigation. Schofield declined to comment at the time. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Ashe-McPherson, who pleaded guilty to a single count of identity theft, could be sentenced to up to 12 months in jail, although she will receive credit for her "acceptance of responsibility," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett told the court. Ashe-McPherson, who previously served on the Rensselaer County Legislature after being appointed to fill an unexpired term, told the judge she works for the county's Department of Social Services. Her attorney, Matthew J. Chauvin of Halfmoon, declined to comment following the court proceeding. Reaction to the guilty plea was swift in Troy, where Mayor Patrick Madden and other Democrats called for Ashe-McPherson to resign immediately. "These actions intended to change the outcome of local elections damage the institution of the City Council and further erode confidence in the election process and frankly, government in general," Madden said in a statement. "They also call into question the legitimacy of several close Troy City Council elections of recent years." The mayor recommended the City Council appoint Steven Figueroa, a Democrat, to finish the unexpired term of Ashe-McPherson. "Mr. Figueroa ran for this seat in the last election, and one cannot discount the very real possibility that he would have been elected without the involvement of potentially fraudulent ballots," Madden said. Councilwoman Sue Steele, also a Democrat, said Wednesday's guilty plea "raises more questions about the hundreds of absentee ballots collected by Ashe-McPherson and other Republican operatives that helped decide many local elections in Troy and Rensselaer County in 2021, as well as several prior close election cycles." City Council President Carmella R. Mantello, a Republican, said she and two other council members will put forward a resolution to create a "bipartisan" committee to make recommendations to fill Ashe-McPherson's District 2 seat. "Today is a sad day, voting is one of our most sacred rights and it is critical that we preserve its sanctity," Mantello said. Ashe-McPherson pleaded guilty less than a month after her brother, former Hoosick Falls Village police Chief Robert Ashe, pleaded guilty to an unrelated misdemeanor charge of official misconduct for his handling of confiscated fireworks and police employment records. Ashe's plea in Village Court resolved allegations in a State Police investigation that had included felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing and grand larceny. Ashe, who resigned, received an unconditional discharge and was ordered by village Justice Thomas Restino to pay a $205 court surcharge. Ashe-McPherson was first elected to the City Council in 2015 and subsequently ran unsuccessfully for Rensselaer County Legislature for a seat in which she was finishing an unexpired term. Her plea was the result of an FBI-led investigation that's been examining the filing of absentee ballots in multiple elections over the past two years. It's unclear whether additional individuals will face charges in the investigation, which is ongoing. The State Police also have been conducting a separate investigation of alleged ballot fraud in the city of Rensselaer's mayoral race last November though that probe was not being coordinated with the U.S. Justice Department's investigation. In recent months, the federal investigation began to intensify as subpoenas seeking testimony before a federal grand jury were issued to numerous rank-and-file county workers. Their testimony was sought after additional subpoenas requesting documents from the Rensselaer County Board of Elections had been served on the county, according to two people briefed on the matter. Those subpoenas sought absentee ballot documents and communications involving multiple county officials. They were served on the county days after FBI agents seized the mobile phones of county Operations Director Richard W. Crist and Jim Gordon, the county's director of purchasing. Both men are political allies of county Executive Steve McLaughlin. Their phones were seized at their respective residences on the morning of Feb. 3, according to two people briefed on the matter. The seizures took place the same day McLaughlin appeared in Rensselaer County Court for a pre-trial conference in an unrelated criminal case involving the alleged theft and misuse of campaign funds. McLaughlin pleaded not guilty to two felony charges in that case, which is being prosecuted by the state attorney general's office. Earlier this week, Rensselaer County Court Judge Jennifer G. Sober rejected a motion filed by McLaughlin's attorney that sought to dismiss the charges. Sober, in a three-page decision, said the attorney general's office, which is prosecuting McLaughlin, had provided a grand jury with "a legally sufficient quantum of evidence ... to establish each element of the charged crimes." In the State Police investigation, investigators had been reviewing Crist's involvement with absentee ballots in the Rensselaer mayoral race last fall; they seized incumbent Mayor Michael Stammel's mobile phone in mid-December at City Hall, but that investigation appears to have stalled with no charges filed. County Republican leaders previously told the Times Union that they were unaware of any fraudulent activity by the party during the 2021 election, and that they had simply taken advantage of a directive from the state Board of Elections that allowed individuals to use absentee ballots if they did not want to vote in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Last week, amid a flurry of end-of-session negotiations, Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state reached tentative terms on a new contract with the Civil Service Employees Association but offered few details on the agreement. Now, documents released by the governor's office flesh out the deal estimated to cost the state $350 million through this fiscal year, the end of March 2023, covering 63,000 workers. It would be retroactive from April 2021. The deal is broken into two parts: $220 million for 53,000 workers in CSEA's collective bargaining unit and $130 million for 10,000 workers outside of the unit, such as management, according to a legal memo quietly released by the governor's office. Workers in the union are proposed a five-year deal from April 2021 to March 2026. It includes 2 percent raises the first two years and then 3 percent annual raises the final three years of the tentative contract. Employee salaries for 2022 would range from about $27,000 to $111,000 per year, according to the program bill that lays out salaries for the range of steps and tiers. The deal for non-union members is only for one year. The hiring rate for non-union members is between $28,000 and $158,000, but it also includes management. The proposed terms also lay out salary ranges for supervisors of correctional facilities, which are substantially higher at correction facilities with at least 400 inmates, $106,000 versus $136,000, as the base pay. The deal must still be ratified by the union. A spokesman for CSEA, Matthew Cantore, declined to comment ahead of any actions by union members. "This agreement is a win-win for CSEA members and the State of New York," Hochul said in a statement last week. CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan said, in the statement released by the governor's office, that the "tentative agreement recognizes the dedicated CSEA members who kept this state running during the entire COVID pandemic and continue to do so every day." Hochul has pledged support for powerful unions in the state during her campaigning for a full first term as governor. Prior to Attorney General Letitia James dropping out of the race for governor, there was a perceived high-level competition for major union endorsements between Hochul and James. Hochul, in the absence of a James campaign, has picked up an overwhelming majority of influential labor endorsements. She faces moderate U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-Long Island, and progressive New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in a primary in three weeks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Gov. Kathy Hochul stood between U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-Long Island, and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams on Tuesday night in the first debate among the three Democratic gubernatorial candidates, defending her record since taking over the office in August. The hour-long debate, hosted by CBS2/WCBS 880, took place three weeks before the June 28 primary and days after the state's legislative session ended. Hochul has polled as the leading candidate and was endorsed by the state Democratic Party. She has picked up numerous endorsements from top lawmakers and labor leaders and maintains a sizeable campaign fund of about $18 million, far exceeding her challengers. In attempts to critique the incumbent, Suozzi, a moderate, and Williams, a progressive, pointed to her favorable record with the National Rifle Association while in Congress and the deal she negotiated for the state to subsidize a new stadium for Hochul's hometown Buffalo Bills. In response to the NRA comments the governor said she has changed and that she invites other to evolve in their opinions so national gun reforms can be passed. She also defended the deal for taxpayers to foot roughly $1 billion to build and maintain a new stadium in Orchard Park. The next Democratic debate is scheduled for June 16. It is being moderated by the Times Union, NBC 4 New York/WNBC and Telemundo 47/WNJU. Republican gubernatorial candidates U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-Long Island, Andrew Giuliani, Rob Astorino and Harry Wilson are scheduled to debate each other on June 13 on CBS2. The June 28 primary will include state Assembly races. Elections for Congress and state Senate are scheduled for Aug. 23 a date that was moved due to court-ordered changes to political boundaries following a politically charged redistricting process. Here is a rundown of the top debate topics: Public safety Gun violence, surging crime and the state's bail laws dominated major portions of the debate. Voters have consistently told pollsters crime is their top issue. On the state's gun laws, Williams said Hochul's public signing of gun legislation on Monday in response to the Buffalo mass shooting "reminded me of the Cuomo" press events. He noted the event was in the Bronx and not in Buffalo. Suozzi said there is a "crime crisis" in New York. Hochul said she was able to swiftly accomplish implementing new gun policies, like microstamping, that the prior administration, in which she served as lieutenant governor, could not. Hochul added that she's prepared to summon the Legislature back to Albany this summer if the U.S. Supreme Court, as expected, strikes down New York's conceal carry laws. On the state's bail laws, Hochul argued the changes she pushed for in the budget will give judges standards on how to evaluate whether someone is "dangerous." Suozzi maintained his stance to allow judges to consider the potential dangerousness of a defendant when considering whether to set bail. Williams pointed to a lack of more expansive funding for gun violence prevention, saying the money for a new stadium for the Bills should have been used toward those efforts. On Kendra's Law, Hochul supported her administration's stance that if someone has both a mental illness and appears to be a serious harm to themselves or others, they should be removed from a public place, like a subway, and involuntarily committed. Suozzi preferred a slightly more aggressive approach than Hochul. Abortion Hochul defended her administration's push to expand access to abortion services and critiqued Suozzi's prior stance in not supporting a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal funds from being used to pay for an abortion except in limited circumstances. Suozzi touted his 'A' rating with Planned Parenthood, a provider of abortion services, and said Hochul should have "put her weight behind" a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to an abortion. She has continued to campaign on her intent to do so. Williams pointed to both the "Equality Amendment" and the "Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program" as priorities he said Hochul should have pushed through the Legislature. Environment On cryptocurrency, Hochul insisted she supports the concept of a two-year moratorium on new licenses for cryptocurrency proof-of-work mining that involves the use of fossil fuel plants, but declined to commit on whether she would sign the bill recently passed by the Legislature. Suozzi said he supports the moratorium but it should be a shorter window. Williams said he supports the moratorium. On congestion pricing in New York City, Hochul said it will have to be delayed because of federal issues, while Suozzi said it should be put on hold to bolster the economy; Williams said it should be enacted immediately to protect the climate and encourage use of public transportation. Ethics Hochul was critiqued for how she pushed through the deal to help pay for the Bills stadium and for any potential connection with her husband, former federal prosecutor Bill Hochul, who is an attorney for Delaware North, which provides concessions at the current stadium. She emphasized her husband was appointed by former President Barack Obama, that there were no conflicts of interest and that the stadium deal adhered to the highest ethical standards. The governor also acknowledged that the federal indictment and resignation of her first lieutenant governor, Brian A. Benjamin, was a "step back," but said her administration worked with the available information at the time he was appointed. Nursing homes, COVID-19 Williams and Suozzi agreed additional independent reviews, with public input, of the COVID-19 pandemic are needed. Hochul said she met with families who lost loved ones in nursing homes due to the coronavirus and that she is seeking an independent analysis of what went wrong and right during the pandemic. Marijuana Hochul said the state Department of Health is working on a campaign to encourage people to be respectful of others when using marijuana. Suozzi suggested marijuana is a "gateway drug" and it's public use should be limited if not outright banned. Williams said it should be regulated in public spaces similar to alcohol. Quick questions The candidates' "one-word" responses in a lightning round of questions: On top of Central Towers Walmart Police Station The hospital In the middle of the Hydetown gravel pit pond Pitt Titusville I'd give up and be zombie food Vote View Results Tonight there's even more legal drama worth noting regarding politically charged case law debated at the courthouse. Here's the aftermath . . . The jury awarded the plaintiff, identified only by his initials R.M.A., $175,000 in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages. It also awarded him more than $558,000 in legal fees and costs. But in overturning the verdict, Jackson County Circuit Judge Cory L. Atkins ruled last month that R.M.A. had failed to prove an essential element of his case. That element, according to the jury instructions, was that R.M.A.s male sex was a contributing factor in the districts refusal to grant him access to the male bathrooms and locker rooms. Atkins ruled that (t)he sole, uncontradicted evidence at trial was that Plaintiff was excluded from the male facilities because of his female genitalia. As a result, Atkins wrote, Plaintiff failed to establish a submissible case and Defendant is entitled to a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Judge throws out a jury's $4 million verdict in favor of a Blue Springs transgender student A judge has thrown out a $4.2 million jury award in favor of a transgender student who was denied access to the boys' locker rooms and bathrooms in Blue Springs School District schools. The verdict last December against the district was thought to be one of the biggest jury awards in the country in a discrimination case brought by a transgender student. Jackson County judge throws out $4M verdict in Blue Springs transgender lawsuit case KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Jackson County judge has thrown out a $4 million verdict in a case against the Blue Springs R-IV School District. In December 2021, a jury found the district was liable for sex discrimination against a transgender student. Developing . . . YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS. Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ruben Rubinyan, who is also the head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, received today the delegation led by President of the Council of Europes Venice Commission Claire Bazy Malaurie, the Parliaments press service said. During the meeting Ruben Rubinyan highlighted the visit of Ms Claire Bazy Malaurie to Armenia and appreciated the productive cooperation with the Venice Commission. Ruben Rubinyan said that the authorities of Armenia remain committed to the process of democratic reforms that launched after the Velvet Revolution. In this respect the Vice Speaker of Parliament emphasized the necessity for the support of the Commission. The activities of the new Council on constitutional reforms were also touched upon. The President of the Venice Commission highlighted the productive cooperation with Armenia. The meeting was also attended by the member of the delegation of the National Assembly to the PACE Arusyak Julhakyan and the Director/Secretary of the CoE Venice Commission Simona Granata-Menghini. Tonight we notice that the Mayor's gun control rhetoric has becoming increasingly grim and hopeless. A tragic reality . . . For the past two years Kansas City violence has reached record-breaking levels as this cowtown copes with deadly shootings every few days. Now . . . MAYOR Q BLAMES THE NEXT KANSAS CITY MASSACRE ON OPPONENTS OF GUN CONTROL!!! The attempt to convict 2nd Amendment defenders of future crimes is craven and so deeply divisive that it's hard to imagine an elected official using this kind of rhetoric. Again . . . Using cryptic language about the safety of youngsters is a new low for the American discourse but something that has been normalized as midterms elections approach. What's unfortunate is that this kind of talk has marked the upward ascendance of Mayor Q and is celebrated by social media fans & followers . . . Meanwhile, those of us who don't really care about the pointless national gun debate or blood-lust for power merely see the chatter as some guy threatening schools, parents and opponents with fate . . . A tactic that ALWAYS looks horrible in retrospect. In fairness, we've highlighted the baleful passages as we link to more info and resources whilst KC's fading daily newspaper offers Mayor Q their platform this evening . . . For us to just put our heads down and suggest nothing will happen and nothing needs to happen is to, I think, submit to more massacres of the types we saw recently, Lucas told the Star on Tuesday, after a weekend spent talking about gun control on national outlets, like Face The Nation and The New York Times. Lucas said while his powers to control guns on a local level are limited, hes determined to keep the conversation alive on a state and federal level. I will be a very, very angry person if there is a massacre in Kansas City, and a massacre committed by a teenager who got an AR-15 when a very simple solution wouldve been having a longer waiting period or making it so that teenager could not have bought that firearm. If we dont talk about guns, if we dont talk about the threat of guns, if we dont talk about the flood of guns on our streets, were condemning ourselves to continue living like this forever, Lucas said. I dont want to live like this. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . 'I don't want to live like this': Kansas City mayor calls for tighter gun laws after Uvalde "I will be a very, very angry person if there is a massacre in Kansas City," Mayor Quinton Lucas said. He said if he had the power to make one change tomorrow, it would be to require concealed carry permits again. Related reading . . . Where Democrats And Republicans Differ On Gun Control After what feels like a relentless sequence of high-profile mass shootings, Americans are once again debating whether the country needs stronger regulations on guns. Many lawmakers and activists contend that, even in a country as bitterly polarized as the United States, some gun-control measures actually attract wide support - whether Americans actually vote for the measures they say they support is another matter. There will be no gun control: For many white Americans, the idea of the gun is all they have left Guns were a ubiquitous part of my childhood. My grandfather, who had been a master sergeant in the Army, had a small arsenal in his house in Mechanic Falls, Maine. He gave me a bolt-action Springfield rifle when I was 7. By the time I was 10, I had graduated to a Winchester lever-action 30-30. Cornyn says he's "optimistic" there are "60 plus" votes for gun legislation Sen. John Cornyn said Monday he's "optimistic" there will be "60 plus" votes on gun control legislation a bipartisan group of senators has been negotiating. That would be enough to overcome a filibuster and send a bill to the floor. As Lawmakers Debate Gun Control, What Policies Could Actually Help? : Consider This from NPR President Biden urged Congress to act and the House is preparing to pass multiple gun control measures. But the Senate is where a compromise must be made. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is reportedly discussing policies like enhanced background checks and a federal red flag law. There's One Thing Republicans Get Right About Gun Control In the wake of mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, the GOP has doubled down on its often-repeated gun mantras: "guns aren't the problem, people are" and "gun control isn't the answer to gun violence." They're right, albeit not in the way they mean. Matthew McConaughey Calls for Gun Control Reform During Impassioned Speech at White House Briefing Matthew McConaughey, the actor and Uvalde native who has been one of the most outspoken and prominent voices since the mass shooting in his hometown last month, called for "reasonable, practical, tactical" gun regulations during an emotional speech at a White House press briefing Tuesday, June 7. Ben & Jerry's pushes for gun control after mass shootings MoneyWatch Ben & Jerry's is calling on corporate America to stop financing politicians who oppose gun control measures supported by most Americans. "It's time for companies and their trade associations to stop political contributions to elected officials who do the gun lobby's bidding, blocking common sense gun laws that nearly all Americans support," the Vermont ice cream maker said in response to recent mass shootings. Developing . . . Warm weather gunfire is, tragically, a local tradition. And so tonight we share deets on police action, crime reports and ALLEGED misdeeds. As always, we search for a bit of hope at the end of the compilation . . . Check TKC news gathering . . . Shooting Tuesday evening on Kansas City's east side injures 1 SOURCE: KMBC Kansas City police are investigating after a person was shot Tuesday evening near Van Brunt Boulevard and Bonita Street.Police said officers were called about 6:40 p.m. to the area on a reported shooting and police found a male victim in the street suffering from a gunshot wound.Authorities said the victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. KCK police seize more fentanyl-laced pills, total now nearly 15,000 KANSAS CITY, Kan. - As part of an ongoing investigation, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department reports the number of fentanyl-laced pills it's found during an investigation has increased from 6,000 to nearly 15,000. The department said this is a significant bust as the Kansas City area continues to experience record numbers of overdoses involving the highly-potent drug. Local crisis center says 'hundreds' of kids are being sex trafficked around KC region Tonight, 32 people are under arrest as part of a child sex trafficking investigation in Kansas and Missouri. About 15 people came from stings set up in Jackson, Platte and Clay counties. SUV hits Kansas City, Kansas, home, damaging porch KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An SUV hit a Kansas City, Kansas, home late Monday night, damaging its front porch. Emergency crews were called to a home in the 130 block of North 13th Street at about 11:15 p.m. It's unknown how the SUV ended up hitting the home, but a gas meter was also damaged. KC police say stolen World War I airplane engine parts recovered in Lexington Kansas City police said stolen World War I airplane engine parts have been recovered nearly a year after they were stolen.In June 2021, a Texas man traveling to Minnesota with the airplane motors spent the night at a Kansas City-area hotel. New trial begins for ex-Leavenworth police officer accused of involuntary manslaughter LIPOCE A FORMER LEAVENWORTH POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IS BEGIN TRIED AGAIN IN COURT KMBC TONIT'G'S HALEY HARRISON IS FOLLOWING THIS STORYALEY H CHRIS. MATTHEW HARRINGTON IS ACCUSED OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER IN THE DEATH OF 47 YEAR OLD ANTIOON GARCIA JR. 2 hospitalized after weekend shooting near Country Club Plaza hotel KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City police continue to investigate a weekend shooting near the Country Club Plaza. It happened Saturday night around 10:15 p.m. According to police, one of the victims ended up inside the lobby at the Marriott's Country Club Plaza location. Officers located a second victim near 45th Street and Main Street. So here's what Kansas Citians want in a new police chief By John Sharp The 16 community groups including the South Kansas City Alliance and South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce that hosted a series of seven listening sessions throughout the city on what leadership qualities and qualifications KCMO's next police chief should have and what the new chief's top priorities should be presented their findings which appeared to be well received May 24 to the Board of Police Commissioners. Developing . . . Right now hottie diva Doja Cat inspires this quick peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Power Play Underway Evergy working to restore power to thousands of customers KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The storms that pushed through the Kansas City area last night left plenty of damage in their wake. Among the ongoing problems are thousands without power. As of 8 a.m., Evergy, the region's largest utility provider reported more than 48,000 customers without power, according to its . Evening Blast Recap MUST-SEE VIDEO: Overland Park police traffic camera captures powerful storm OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The Overland Park Police Department released video from the traffic camera at 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue as the storms passed through the area. Moments into the video, a flash of lightning affects the stop lights and rain and possibly hail begin to fall heavily. Foodies Request Unleaded Getting venison at the food pantry? Kansas and Missouri won't warn you if it has lead fragments A walk-in freezer about two stories high sits in one corner of a warehouse owned by a food bank called Hawkeye Area Community Action Program Inc. in Hiawatha, Iowa. Chris Ackman, the food bank's communication manager, points to the shelving racks where any donated venison the organization receives is typically stored. Teachable Moment Amid More Money Hickman Mills School District seeks to raise teacher's pay with a no tax increase bond The Hickman Mills Board of Education voted 6-0 on May 18 to put a no tax increase bond issue and an increase in its operating property tax levy to pay for raising the salaries of teachers and other district staff on the August 2 ballot. Tough Life Lesson For Locals Tenants 'exhausted' with poor conditions at Kansas City apartments KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Water problems in the walls and no gas in the ovens: This is life for some tenants at Harvard Court Apartments in Kansas City, Missouri. Some tell FOX4 that the last month has been a nightmare for families who say they are just trying to be comfortable when they get home. Diva Endures Haterz Twitch Viewers Troll Doja Cat Rapper and songwriter Doja Cat returns to Twitch streaming, showing some rust on the platform as her viewers consistently troll her. While it may appear at times that few celebrities are interested in the world of video games, more than a few popular personalities have joined up with Twitch streamers to play some of their favorite games. Border Talk Disputed Biden is hosting the Summit of the Americas, but Mexico's president won't be there subscribe to The NPR Politics Podcast podcast The Summit of the Americas - an event bringing together leaders of countries from Chile to Canada this week - was supposed to be a chance for the White House to demonstrate its leadership on big issues such as migration, climate change and recovering from the pandemic. MAGA Might Cost Votes 'Persuadable' Voters Favor GOP Over Democrats - Until Trump is Mentioned: Poll In the Democrats' uphill struggle to retain control of Congress, Donald Trump and his MAGA movement may be their best friends. Polling by Priorities USA, a Democratic SuperPAC, found that Democrats would lose narrowly to Republicans among targeted voters when people were simply asked if they wanted a Democrat or a Republican in office. Bay Area Progressive FAIL Progressive San Francisco DA recalled by voters in one of nation's most liberal cities Voters in San Francisco have chosen to recall embattled District Attorney Chesa Boudin following a recall effort centered on his handling of rising crime across the city. San Francisco voted to recall Boudin with 61%, compared to 39% who wanted him to stay as the district attorney, according to results at the time the Associated Press called the race. Ukraine Retreats Ukraine might be about to pull back from a key eastern city Ukrainians have, in effect, already lost the critical infrastructure in Sievierodonetsk and could be looking for "a sensible withdrawal" from the city, Michael Clarke, professor of war studies at King's College London, said. The city "is not that important strategically, but it has become symbolically important, like Mariupol, and the Russians are putting a lot of effort into taking it," Clarke added. Gas Pump Showdown Awaits Oil prices could go 'parabolic', putting global economy in 'critical situation,' says Trafigura chief "'We have got a critical situation. I really think we have a problem for the next six months...once it gets to these parabolic states, markets can move and they can spike quite a lot.'" - Jeremy Weir, chief executive, Trafigura That's Jeremy Weir, who heads up Trafigura, one of the world's largest commodity traders, sounding the alarm bell at the FT Global Boardroom conference on Tuesday, according to the Financial Times. Foodies Fueled By Doubt Kansas City-area food trucks feeling pinch at gas pump KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On a typical day, the afternoon rush at Danny's Burger Shack brings drivers to west 79th Street and State Line Road in Kansas City, Missouri. Danny Kidwell, owner of Danny's Burger Shack, says his food truck won't be around this neighborhood much longer. Exit Interviews Takeoff Three airlines launch nonstop flights from KCI Airport KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Midwest travelers will soon have new options to get away. Frontier Airlines plans to begin daily nonstop service from Kansas City International Airport to Las Vegas beginning Aug. 9, 2022. To celebrate the new route, Frontier is offering introductory fares as low as $89 each way. Sunshine Eventually Severe Threat Over, Sunny Afternoon Wednesday Hide Transcript Show Transcript MOVED OVERNIGHT. USING A DAMAGING WIND AT LEAST ONE CONFIRMED TORNADO THAT'S ON THE STHOU SIDE OF KANSAS CITY, YOU KNOW FROM COULD HAVE BEEN NELEXA ALL THE WAY ACROSS STATE LINEN O 95TH STREET. Remi Wolf - Cake is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Sorry, we trust "the science" on that headlines. Still . . . I'm pretty sure a Chinese bot wrote this so I'm quoting it from a social media dump that boots everybody who isn't friends with council dude Eric Bunch . . . Ewwww. Here's the word . . . "If you want the earliest possible and loudest possible warning, plus most reliable, get a weather radio and program it to your county plus the counties to your west and southwest. I have mine programmed for Jackson, Johnson, and Wyandotte. This is because storms most of the time move from west to east or southwest to northeast. "You aren't supposed to rely on sirens for waking you or even alerting you indoors. Sorry that may sound mean but this is repeated often among the more weather-enthusiast crowd but many who aren't as weather-enthusiast may not know. You need a weather radio here in KC. You can put it in the drawer in October and get it back out in February if the weekly tests drive you nuts, but please don't be one of those "It goes off all the time! for nothing!" and end up not using it . . ." That's probably great advice. However . . . There's a case to be made that a life spent dutifully listening to a weather radio isn't worth living. No . . . That's not one of the "reasons why" but merely an observation that a mostly harmless storm is nothing more than an opportunity to romantically annoy a consenting partner OR engage in a bit of timely safe sex with someone you love and enjoy a Menage a moi. You decide . . . Tonight we consider a rock chalk reminder that a great many threats still confront Americans. Forgive our jokey photo reference . . . But nervous laughter might be the best way to cope with some incredibly scary deets . . . Check-it . . . Allison Elizabeth Fluke-Ekren, who studied biology at the University of Kansas, traveled to Syria around 2012 to wage a violent jihad, after living in Libya, Turkey and Egypt, working with another terrorist group, Ansar al-Sharia, according to the plea agreement. She joined ISIS with her second husband, who led a group of ISIS snipers in the country and later died in 2016 from an airstrike. According to her plea agreement with the Justice Department, in 2012 Fluke-Ekren assisted her husband at the time in analyzing US documents he had stolen from the September 11 attacks on a US mission and diplomatic annex in Benghazi, where US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other US nationals were killed. The two provided the terrorist group Ansar al-Sharia with the documents as well as summaries of the information they had prepared. During her time with ISIS, Fluke-Ekren also discussed plans for terrorist attacks on US soil, including parking a van full of explosives under a shopping mall, telling one witness that any attack which didn't kill a large number of people was a waste of resources. She was arrested in Syria and taken into custody in the United States in January where she was charged with providing and conspiring to provide material support or resources to ISIS. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Patios have started springing up along the citys bustling streets since the May long weekend, marking the beginning of the third season of CafeTO, Torontos popular pandemic-inspired outdoor dining program. On a Friday afternoon, Dianna Murphy sat with a folding table, umbrella and her dog by the garden plot she calls "my own little piece of real estate." St. Demetrius Catholic School students will join Gryphon Trio, including cellist Roman Borys (left), for a special Listen Up! concert and fundraiser for Ukraine this Friday, June 10 from 6 to 7:30 p.m at Bluma Appel Theatre in downtown Toronto. The concert is free, but donations for Unite With Ukraine are being accepted. - Listen Up! photo A seven-year-old girl has died after allegedly falling from a moving vehicle at a remote location in Central Australia. Northern Territory Police believe the girl was travelling with her father and several others through a small town in the Northern Territory when she fell and suffered serious head injuries on Sunday afternoon. Police believe the girl fell from a moving car. Source: Google maps The seven-year-old was sent to Royal Adelaide Hospital for Women and Children but later died from her injuries on Monday, police said in a statement on Wednesday. Northern Territory Police are investigating the incident that occurred at around 4pm around 25km east of Harts Range. Major Crash Investigation Unit Detectives looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident. More to come. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Australia has called on the United Nations Security Council to decisively respond to North Korean ballistic missile tests in violation of UN resolutions. North Korea launched eight ballistic missiles on June 5, bringing the total number this year to 31 including six intercontinental weapons. Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the recent test "the latest demonstration of the regime's reckless and destabilising behaviour". "Australia strongly condemns North Korea's launch of eight ballistic missiles this week which ... undermines the global non-proliferation regime," Senator Wong said in a statement on Wednesday. "We further urge Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and return to meaningful dialogue with the United States and the Republic of Korea." Senator Wong said the continued missile tests presented a grave threat to international peace and security. "Permanent peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula can only be achieved through dialogue," the foreign minister said. "Effective sanctions-enforcement requires a global effort. Australia will continue to strictly enforce all UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea and we encourage all countries to do likewise." Autonomous sanctions against North Korea also remain under review. The condemnation comes as the US signalled North Korea could conduct a seventh nuclear test imminently, with Pyongyang showing no interest in returning to the negotiating table. US special representative for North Korea Sung Kim said the rhetoric used by officials signal plans for the use of tactical nuclear weapons. "They've obviously done the preparations ... and my understanding is they could test any time," Mr Kim told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday. "The DPRK has not responded, and continues to show no indication that it is interested in engaging." The previous record for ballistic missiles launched by North Korea in a year was 25 in 2019. Story continues China and Russia have vetoed a UN push for further sanctions against the rogue state. "One of the concerns is ... that when the DPRK sees that the council is unable to respond together it might, in fact, encourage them to take further provocative actions," Mr Kim said, referring to the initials of North Korea's official name. with Reuters Australian carbon credits are not a "fraud", a review of claims made by a whistleblower has found. But former insider Andrew Macintosh and a group of academic colleagues are standing by research that questions three-quarters of the credits issued under the $2.5 billion federal Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF). "Absolutely we do," Professor Macintosh told AAP. The Clean Energy Regulator set in train a review of the claims about the way carbon credits are approved and earned, and released the findings on Wednesday. An independent committee found the claims were "not substantiated" and said "there were serious deficiencies in the analysis". The statement published online also rejected the "extravagant language" used by Prof Macintosh. The academic, who once headed the integrity committee charged with scrutinising methods approved under the fund, has called for the regulator to release data to back up their own emissions reduction claims. "Their defensiveness and obfuscation are deeply concerning," he said. The leading environmental law and policy scholar at the Australian National University also wants a review by a "suitably qualified expert". Industry can buy the credits, earned and issued under federally approved carbon projects, to offset emissions from business activities. Speculators can also buy them as financial products, while farmers can access new revenue from biodiversity and habitat projects. Earlier this year, Prof Macintosh released research saying many credits do not represent new or real emissions cuts, and that major emission reduction methods are flawed in design or the way they are administered. He had said the credits were "a fraud on the environment, a fraud on taxpayers and a fraud on unwitting private buyers". Along with academic colleagues, he rejected the so-called human-induced regeneration method - which stores carbon in regenerated native forests to earn credits - and questioned the integrity of landfill gas projects. Story continues After the claims rocked market confidence, Carbon Market Institute CEO John Connor welcomed the officials' detailed analysis of the criticisms. "Community and investor confidence in both reductions and offsets in our carbon markets can only be sustained by regular review and testing of views," Mr Connor told AAP. The review by the Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee found existing compliance mechanisms are working and that the methods questioned do meet integrity standards set out in Commonwealth legislation. "Claims concerning the human-induced regeneration method failed to present robust evidence of a lack of integrity or over-crediting," the review found. Prof Macintosh said the statement on the method issued by the committee and regulator on Wednesday was "professionally embarrassing" and an "indictment on both bodies". He hopes federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will come good on the pre-election pledge for a review. "The proposed review of the ERF needs to explore the behaviour and culture of both bodies," the academic said. The review found "serious deficiencies" in the research into the emissions benefits of the landfill method. "No basis" was found for the accusation that such projects are profitable without the need for credits, the committee said. But the professor said the regulator had refused to release data used to support the lucrative method. "That's a $500 million decision." Mr Connor also said making data more freely available should be part of federal government review. Checking the integrity of carbon credits issued in Australia will provide further opportunity for public scrutiny. But debate must be "inclusive and transparent", he said. There are allegations, about attempts to undermine the board of directors at Eastern Credit Union. Russian aggressors are currently fighting their fiercest battles in Donetsk and Kherson regions to curb the advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in a video address, Ukrinform reports. "The situation on the front lines in Ukraine hasnt changed significantly over the past day. The absolutely heroic defense of Donbas continues. The hottest spots are the same: first of all, its Siverodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Popasna. There is a sense, absolutely, that the occupiers didnt believe that the resistance put up by our military would be so strong, so now they are trying to attract additional resources in the Donbas direction. As in Kherson, new units are being deployed there to restrain our actions," Zelensky said. At the same time, he noted that most Russian invaders are well aware that they have no prospects in Ukraine, to which the latest phone call intercepts testify. The president recalled that over 31,000 Russian servicemen had already been killed in the senseless war in Ukraine, and that time would come when the death toll, even for Russia, would exceed the permissible limit. Between February 24 and June 7, the enemys death toll amounted to nearly 31,360. Their combat losses also include 1,390 tanks (+4 over the past day), 3,416 armored combat vehicles (+16), 694 artillery systems (+4), 207 multiple launch rocket systems (+0), 96 anti-aircraft systems (+0), 212 warplanes (+1), 177 helicopters (+1), 2,405 trucks, including fuel tankers (+10), 13 warships/boats (+0), 553 unmanned aerial vehicles (+2), 53 special equipment units (+0), and 125 cruise missiles (+0). The Norwegian government has donated 22 M109 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine to help the country repel Russian attacks. The government said this in a press release, according to Ukrinform. The donation also includes gear, spare parts and ammunition. Moreover, Norway has also trained Ukrainian soldiers on how to use the system. "The Ukrainian Armed Forces depend on Western support and are in need of weapons and equipment to withstand Russian attacks. Ukraine has specifically requested this type of weapon. The development in the war in Ukraine now suggests that it is necessary to also donate heavier artillery and weapons systems," said Norwegian Minister of Defence, Bjrn Arild Gram. According to the statement, the artillery pieces have been shipped from Norway. The Norwegian government has waited to publicly announce the donation for security reasons. Future donations may not be announced or commented upon. Photo credit: Government.no https://www.regjeringen.no The signing of a defense contract between Ukraine and Poland will strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian army. According to Ukrinform, the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, Andriy Yermak, said this on Telegram. He also published an image taken by Maxar Technologies, showing fields peppered with artillery craters in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Yermak noted that heavy fighting continues in the Donbas. He clarified that the Russian troops have a lot of equipment and artillery. At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine's goal is the liberation of all territories, which will be a victory for Ukrainians. "We are doing everything to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have more weapons. The signing of a defense contract with Poland will strengthen the capabilities of our army," Yermak said. On June 7, Poland and Ukraine signed an arms deal worth $630 million. The Russian troops fired on seven populated localities of Donetsk region over the past day. "The police recorded 11 enemy strikes. The occupiers fired on seven populated localities and injured civilians. The police officers collected evidence of Russian war crimes," the press service of the National Police of Ukraine reports. In particular, the Russian troops struck Avdiivka, Kurakhove, Slovyansk, Toretsk, Ocheretyne, Lastochkyne, and New York. The enemy opened fire from missiles, artillery, tanks, and Grad multiple rocket launchers. Forty-three civilian objects were destroyed: 31 residential houses, a school, a kindergarten, an enterprise, an administrative building, a dormitory, a power line, etc. The police and the Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings under Article 438 (violation of the laws or customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. As reported, Russian troops try to improve their tactical position in Slovyansk direction by assaulting. ol All foreign nationals fighting against Russian invaders on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are seen as combatants, being entitled to the relevant rights. Thats according to a statement by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the status of foreign citizens and stateless persons taking part in hostilities in the territory of Ukraine. It is noted that all foreign citizens and stateless persons who take part in hostilities in the territory of Ukraine as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shall be admitted to contracted military service voluntarily in accordance with Law of Ukraine "On Military Duty and Military Service" of 1992. Read also: Four volunteer fighters from International Legion killed in action in Ukraine Such persons are servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who, in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of War of 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto, 1977, are granted legal status of combatants. The status, among other things, gives such persons the right to be treated as prisoners of war in the event of being captured by enemy forces. The General Staff recalls that the 1949 Geneva Conventions prohibit any illegal acts, including violence, intimidation, or inaction against prisoners of war, and mandate humane treatment of prisoners of war. Failure to comply with the recognized norms of international humanitarian law is a serious violation of the Convention. As reported, Ukraine has established the International Legion as part of its Territorial Defense Force, consisting of foreigners willing to join the resistance to Russian invaders and protect international security. Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman have discussed Ukrainian grain exports in Seoul (South Korea). That's according to a statement made by State Department spokesperson Ned Price, Ukrinform reports. Deputy Secretary Sherman and Deputy Foreign Minister Senik also discussed the impact of Russias brutal war of aggression on global food security and our commitment to getting Ukraines grain to international markets," Price said. The Deputy Secretary provided an update on U.S. assistance to Ukraine, including security, humanitarian, and economic assistance, as well as budgetary support and aid for long-term efforts. "The Deputy Secretary emphasized the United States robust, continued support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russias unprovoked aggression," Price said. Russia on February 24 launched an unprovoked full-scale war against Ukraine. Because of Russia's aggression and its blockade of Ukrainian seaports, more than 20 million tonnes of grain remain stuck in Ukrainian ports. This caused a threat of global hunger, as Ukrainian grain accounts for almost half of all supplies under the UN World Food Program. On June 8, at 12:30, a briefing will be held on the topic: Russian attack on ports and granaries. Rocket attacks on Kherson and Mykolayiv . Organizers: Media Center Ukraine - Ukrinform. Speaker: Natalia Humeniuk - Head of the Joint Coordination Center of the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine. Event format - online. Journalists will be able to ask questions offline (Hall 1) and chat on YouTube. Journalists are asked to arrive half an hour before the event. Accreditation of media representatives: ukraine.media.centre.kyiv@gmail.com Accreditation will last until 12:00 on June 8, for confirmation you must specify the name, surname, title of the publication. The event will be broadcast on Ukrinform's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/UkrinformTV Ukrinform address: Kyiv, street Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 8/16 Use of any materials from the official YouTube channel Ukrinform is possible only if the copyright established by the channel is respected. Demonstrating the video during the live broadcast, it is necessary to refer to the author - Ukrinform - to show its name on the screen and say it out loud. The new Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada, Yulia Kovaliv, has presented her credentials to Governor-General Mary Simon, thus officially taking the helm of the Embassy. This was reported by an Ukrinform correspondent. The ceremony took place at the Governor-Generals residence in Ottawa. According to the Ukrainian diplomat, after the formal events, she thanked the Governor General of Canada for supporting Ukraine since the first days of Russian invasion, noting how impressed she was by the attention to the country, the encouragement to share with Canada and the Canadians the news of the war challenges, as well as by the active readiness to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. It should be noted that after the previous Ambassador, Andriy Shevchenko, was recalled from Ottawa last year as part of regular diplomatic rotation, the embassy remained without a new head for several months. Photo: MCpl Anis Assari, Rideau Hall OSGG More than 13,000 tickets were issued by the New York State Police during a traffic enforcement campaign over Memorial Day weekend. A total of 13,688 tickets were given out throughout the state during the special enforcement period, state police said in a news release on its website. The campaign, which was partially paid for by the Governors Traffic Safety Committee, was held from 6 p.m. Friday, May 2, through 3 a.m. Tuesday, May 31. Troopers used sobriety checkpoints, additional driving while intoxicated patrols and gave tickets to distracted drivers using handheld electronic devices, the news release said. State police arrested 213 people for driving while intoxicated and investigated 808 crashes, including 142 personal injury crashes and eight fatal crashes, which killed eight people. Total tickets distributed statewide included 3,562 tickets for speeding, 3,179 for seat belt violations and 395 for distracted driving. For the central New York region, violations included 16 people getting arrested for driving while intoxicated charges, 275 speeding tickets, 301 tickets for child restraint/seat belt violations and 26 tickets for distracted driving, according to the news release. Over the course of the 2021 Memorial Day weekend campaign, state police gave out 14,249 total tickets, with 185 people arrested for driving while intoxicated. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he is doing no less than the British government to support Ukraine in the wake of Russian invasion. This was reported by Ukrinform with reference to The Telegraph. Speaking at a press conference with the leaders of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia on Tuesday, Scholz said he supported Ukraine more intensively than almost anyone else. Germany is one of the most important military supporters of Ukraine, Scholz said. Nobody supplies on a similar scale as Germany does. The chancellor also noted that Berlin was sending the Ukrainian Armed Forces state-of-the-art artillery systems and training Ukrainians to use them. At a press conference, the leaders were asked whether talks with Putin and calls to avoid humiliating him would help end the war. We must continue our dialogue and continue to talk to each other, said Scholz, while his Baltic counterparts didnt share his view. "We in Lithuania, however, think that it is impossible to talk to the leader of a state that is trying to redraw the map in Europe in the 21st century, said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. Referring to French President Emmanuel Macron's warning that the west should not "humiliate" Russia, he added that European nations agree on many issues, but there are some on which the agreement is yet to be reached. At the same time, the Baltic leaders thanked Germany for providing economic, diplomatic, and military support to Ukraine, in particular for sending anti-tank missiles and ammunition. Former Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin considers the ban on the overflight of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's plane through the airspace of Serbia's neighboring countries to be the beginning of Europe cleansing itself of Russia. The diplomat expressed the opinion on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. Klimkin said that everyone was happy that Boris Johnson had won the confidence vote, but the question remains whether he will be able to unite the now divided Conservative Party. According to the expert, the news that everyone can clearly rejoice over is Russias humiliation in the Balkans. Read also: Lavrov cancels Serbia visit after three countries close airspace for his plane "Lavrov was banned from their airspace when he wanted to visit Serbia. And it's not just a surprise punch. This is the Balkans, which Russia has long considered its sphere of influence, just like us. Russia has received a signal that it is undesirable" in the Balkans. Europe is gradually being cleansed of Russia here in Ukraine, and now consistently in the Balkans. This process must be completed: less Russia, more Europe," Klimkin said. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Belgrade was canceled on June 6-7 after three Serbian neighbors refused to allow his plane to fly via their airspace. Ukraine requested that Russia be expelled from the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) at a meeting of senior officials in the first days of the full-scale war, but there was no proper reaction. "In the first days of the war, we requested that Russia be expelled from the BSEC for violating all the basic principles of the Organization. On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I made such a request at a meeting of BSEC senior officials. What was the reaction of the BSEC? There was no reaction," Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar told Ukrinform in an interview. In his opinion, this is evidence of a more global problem related to the effectiveness of international organizations. "What, for example, has the UN done to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine? It evacuated some civilians, takes care of refugees a little bit. It is good, but the UN is unable to influence the situation as a whole, take effective preventive actions to thwart aggression, stop aggression," the diplomat said. As reported, the UN previously stated that the organization cannot provide humanitarian assistance to all war-affected Ukrainians at a proper pace due to the brutality and scale of the war, as well as unresolved issues of safety of the representatives of humanitarian organizations. ol Blockading grain exports via Ukrainian ports, Russia is using food as a weapon and disrupting global food security. The relevant statement was made by President of the European Council Charles Michel at a plenary session of the European Parliament, related to the conclusions of the special European Council meeting of May 30-31, 2022, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Russia is using food as a weapon of war, stealing grain, blockading ports and turning farmlands into battlefields. There are over 20 million tons of grain, wheat and corn stuck in Ukraine. This is disrupting global food security, driving up prices, and causing global famine, Michel said. In his words, the EU leaders focused on the logistics solutions to get Ukrainian grain to global markets via alternative routes. According to Michel, global hunger is everyones business, so it requires a coordinated, comprehensive and global approach. The EU is working with the G7, the African Union and other partners to resolve this issue. In New York, a few days ago, I met with Secretary-General Guterres to discuss global food security and our common efforts to get the blocked grain out of Odesa. The Kremlin is weaponising food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. We must join forces to call out these fabrications as pure fiction, particularly for the global South. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain; Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting, Michel stressed. Michel noted that there are no EU sanctions on Russian agricultural products. And I say to all countries affected by this food crisis: dont be fooled by the Kremlins propaganda, dont be instrumentalised by Russia, Michel emphasized. Two days ago, Michel was at the UN Security Council to express European common commitment to condemn Russian atrocities and to reaffirm Europes support for Ukraine. The Russian ambassador did not like what I said, and he walked out because he refused to look the truth in the eye. But we wont stop telling the truth. We wont stop acting to back Ukraine and to confront Russia with the facts, Michel told. A reminder that more than 20 million tonnes of grain intended for exports is now blocked at Ukrainian ports due to the Russian armed aggression. mk Wars end through diplomacy but in the case of Russia's war in Ukraine, such talks will obviously not take place in the near future, so the United States will do everything to further strengthen Ukraine's position. This is how Karen Donfried, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, who responded to an Ukrinform correspondents questions on Wednesday. "I thought his comment (President Joe Bidens comment to the NYT - ed.) about diplomacy that would end the war, which is really important he quoted actually President Zelensky who said ultimately this war will only definitively end through diplomacy," Donfried said when asked to clarify the U.S. position on ways to end the war in Ukraine. She stressed that President Biden has made it clear that the United States is doing everything in its power to strengthen Ukraine's position as much as possible before it gets to the negotiating table. "I think that negotiating table, unfortunately, is not around the corner," said a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department. In this context, she noted that there is no evidence today that Russia wants to engage in good faith negotiations. Donfried also reaffirmed the position on avoiding discussions of the Ukraine issue without Ukraine at the table. We support Ukraines right to be free, democratic, and independent Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. We remain committed to defending Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity, the official stressed. She recalled that since February this year, the United States has provided $6.3 billion to Ukraine in defense, humanitarian, and economic assistance, adding that such assistance will continue to be provided for the sake of Ukraines fight for democracy and freedom. Ukraines fight is our fight. It is the fight of all of us for democracy and freedom. Thus we will stay the course together with the people of Ukraine because we understand that freedom is not free, Donfried noted. As Ukrinform reported earlier, last week CNN said that U.S., British, and European officials were discussing ways to achieve a ceasefire and end Russia's war against Ukraine. It was noted that during these discussions, the issue of talks was on the table. Such meetings are held amid concerns that the war could reach a stalemate and drag on for years. Meanwhile, the U.S. administration continues to assure Ukraine that it will make every effort to help Ukraine achieve a strong position in fighting off Russian armed aggression, as well as at the negotiating table. facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published June 8, 2022 MEDIA CONTACT: Cami Geisman, VP for External Affairs, cami.geisman@ulsystem.edu, 225.219.0270 WHAT The second annual Universities of Louisiana Black Male Summit is bringing together the UL Systems nine member institutions and community partners to discuss solutions for addressing systemic barriers and new opportunities for black male faculty, staff, and students. After two visionary keynote speakers and several breakout sessions, the Summit culminates with Thursday's lunch where we will introduce the second cohort of Reginald F. Lewis Scholars Program with a pinning ceremony. WHEN Wednesday, June 15 1:30 p.m. Welcome and Keynote - Chris Hilliard, Author of Seize the Day: A Memoir 3:20 p.m. Breakout Session Thursday, June 16 9 a.m. Keynote - Captain Lee Jackson 10:20 a.m. Breakout Sessions 11:15 a.m. Breakout Sessions 12:15 p.m. Award Presentation, RFL Scholar Pinning, and Closing Remarks from UL System President and CEO Jim Henderson Click for the full event schedule. WHERE University of Louisiana Monroe, Bayou Pointe Event Center NOTE Media are welcome to any portion of the two-day event. Thursdays awards luncheon and scholar pinning will provide the best opportunity for photos and video. UL System President and CEO Jim Henderson will be available for interviews. ABOUT THE UL SYSTEM The University of Louisiana System is the largest higher education system in Louisiana enrolling more than 91,500 students at Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and the University of New Orleans. | By Laura Lee The iconic bass line from Kool and the Gangs Celebration played from a cellphone as representatives from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #141 signed a new labor contract benefiting the UMB Police Department on June 3. It truly was a celebration at the Pine Street Police Station as pen was put to paper during the official signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the labor union representing UMB police officers and the University. The three-year agreement means UMB officers will soon be bringing home a paycheck in line with officers in other jurisdictions thanks to a contract that was agreed upon in a record-breaking three months. In addition to increasing base salaries, the deal offers UMBPD officers predictable pay with guaranteed step increases in lieu of merit and cost-of-living increases. Juliet Dickerson, MS, director of staffing and career services, UMB Human Resources Information Services and HR Service Center, credits a commitment to UMBs core values to the success of the negotiations. Both sides came to the table with a collaborative approach, she said. Both sides came to the table with mutual dignity and respect. Both sides came to the table fully professional and ready to work, and work we did. Sunday Jones, MBA, SPHR, director of employee and labor Relations, agreed. Many times with unions and employers, it can be a contentious relationship. Here we have developed a relationship thats collaborative. We may not always agree, but we can talk respectfully with one another. This is the first time weve done this to celebrate because it went so well, Jones said with a wave toward a refreshment table and a room filled with smiling UMB officials and police officers. Contract negotiations, which began in January 2022 and resulted in a contract approved by the University System of Maryland Board of Regents in April, came at a time when the agency was losing officers to local municipalities due to a marked pay discrepancy. The starting salary for an entry-level uniformed police officer at UMB is $45,055; by comparison, a Baltimore City officer brings home $55,117 as a recruit. The new pay scale, which kicks in July 1, increases UMBPD entry-level salary by $10,000 with annual step increases. Dawn Rhodes, DBA, MBA, senior vice president and chief business and finance officer, praised the police for their commitment to keeping students, faculty, staff, and the local community safe. Were just indebted to you all, Rhodes told the group of officers gathered for the signing. And we needed to make sure that you had salaries and benefits that were going to make you want to stay. Reflecting on a previous contract negotiation that lasted more than three years, UMB Police Chief Thomas Leone, MSL, admitted he was nervous in January when talks began but was pleasantly surprised. We respected each other. We treated folks with dignity and respect. And we got the same thing back. The agreement is a pleasing result for UMBPD, according to Leone, who added, Were finally recruiting and have applicants coming through. The chief also took the opportunity to thank officers and remind them how valuable they are to UMB and to the nation at large. We have young, brilliant minds coming here to our campus that are going to be future leaders, and they cant reach their full potential unless they feel safe, he said. Thank you for making that possible. Cpl. William Epperson, president of Lodge #141, and Cpl. Tia Taylor, treasurer, represented their colleagues at the negotiating table. Epperson said hes been fielding calls from FOP presidents across the state congratulating him on the successful contract. Once you do something as monumental as this in such a short period of time, that just shows the collaborative effort between the University and FOP, Epperson said. We think we have a bright future here, and were looking forward to an ongoing successful relationship. After the intended next chapter of Lori Mizro's life was essentially put on hold for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she will be heading out overseas as a Peace Corps volunteer. Mizro, who is from Auburn, was originally slated to go to Africa through the organization but those plans stalled once the Peace Corps evacuated almost 7,000 volunteers from over 60 countries in March 2020 because of the outbreak. Having now spent the last two years in Auburn, Mizro is set to go to the West African country of Sierra Leone on June 21. A news release from the Peace Corps, an independent United States governmental agency sending volunteers across the globe, said Mizro is among the first volunteers to be sent back for overseas service since the organization's "unprecedented global evacuation" in 2020. The release noted Mizro will serve as an education volunteer in Sierra Leone and will be cooperating with local community and partner organizations on sustainable development projects. Once Mizro is in the country, the agency said, she will undergo three months of training related to her education volunteering work and the communities she will be working in. "On March 15, the Peace Corps welcomed the first volunteers to service in Zambia. After more than two years of careful monitoring, evaluating, adapting, and planning, the agency is returning volunteers to service on an ongoing basis until all posts have reopened," the news release said. "The Peace Corps will continue to monitor COVID-19 trends in all of its host countries and send volunteers to serve as conditions permit." In an interview with The Citizen Tuesday, Mizro said she is thrilled that she will soon be off with the Peace Corps after applying as a volunteer in 2019. Her last couple years in Auburn represent the first time she has lived in the city since graduating from Auburn High School in 1996, she attended Hofstra University in Hempstead, receiving a bachelors degree in political science. She then lived in New York City for four years and then in Japan for six years, teaching people English. During those six years, Mizro continued, she was also dancing professionally and doing volunteer work in different parts of Asia. She became greatly interested in foreign service over that time. Following an accident at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan, in March 2011, she returned to the U.S. the following month. Back in New York City, she was thinking about where she wanted to pursue her studies, and she wanted to focus on foreign service. Mizro said she applied for the Peace Corps in 2019, went through the interviews and various requirements and was accepted. "In December for Christmas, I came home and told everyone I was going to Africa, and then I was already moved out of my apartment by February, had my stuff shipped back to my mom's house and was staying with some friends down in New York (City,) just to work a little bit more before I left and then the pandemic happened," Mizro said. She went back to Auburn to live with her mother, Lucinda Mizro, due to the Peace Crops evacuation. Lori Mizro said living with her mother again as an adult was an adjustment, and added she tries to create opportunities for herself, yet her life plans were put on hold for two years. Mizro hopes her experience with the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone will help in gathering resources and information to determine what her next steps after that will be, including what her graduate school work will look like. She also mentioned the possibility of starting her own non-governmental organization related to dance and teaching children, for example, noting that dance has long been a driving passion of hers. "I feel like I need more of an extended period of time in a developing country to understand what the needs are out there to try to create something for myself in the future. I have a lot of ideas in my head, but whatever connections I can make and money I can get for grad school and different grants and that kind of thing, that's why I'm looking at the Peace Corps to help me with those types of things," Mizro said. With her goal just a couple weeks away after applying three years ago, Mizro talked about what is running through her head. "Kind of disbelief after all this time, No. 1. I'm not really nervous about much, I'm more excited about living again, and learning a new culture, a new language, just kind of, I don't know, living a life again and being out there," she said. "I don't know if that sounds crazy, but I think the nervousness has turned into excitement at this point. But it's also stressful just getting everything together to make sure that things are OK here." Mizro, who is currently working as a waitress at Balloons Restaurant in Auburn, said she has a strong appreciation for the people she has spent time with over the last couple years, adding she has been able to reconnect with some friends. She also noted that since starting at the restaurant in October, she has talked to patrons about her plans, they are excited for her and have told her they are going to pray for her. "I just feel blessed that there's a lot of support and everyone that works there as well has been super supportive," she said. "I said from the beginning, as long as I have good, positive energy and positive thoughts, I'm going to get through it fine." Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 4 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. New York state's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program website has been launched. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the website's kickoff on June 3, a news release from the governor's office said. The website is meant to give people additional information on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure funding program, and includes a survey intended to collect user feedback to help the state in developing its electric vehicle infrastructure plan "that will advance New York's nation-leading climate agenda," the news release said. Through the website, visitors can sign up for alerts as more information on the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program becomes available. "We cannot sufficiently reduce our carbon footprint unless we keep expanding our electric vehicle infrastructure, but thanks to the efforts of President Biden, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and our Congressional Delegation, who fought for the creation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, we have additional resources to help us reach our climate goals," Hochul said in the news release. "Expanding our electrical vehicle capabilities is a key part of my administration's ongoing efforts to reduce the impact of climate change across New York State. This new online tool will not only help educate the public on the future of electric vehicle charging, but will give us additional data to plan the next phase of New York's transportation electric charging network development." The state's electric vehicle infrastructure program will be developed by the state Department of Transportation, working with the state Energy Research and Development Authority. A public hearing on New York's infrastructure plan development will be announced by the transportation department. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure is a federal fund source created under the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which became law in November 2021, the release said. The program's initial emphasis "is on making available publicly accessible Direct Current Fast Charging for passenger EVs at intervals of no more than 50 miles apart within 1 travel mile of the designated corridors, with an emphasis on locations near Interstate highway exits," the release added. New York state is currently expected to get $175 million over a five-year span. The transportation department has to turn in a electric vehicle infrastructure deployment plan describing how the money will be utilized to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation by August 1 before any of that money can be spent. Hochul announced earlier this year that more than $12 million was added to the state's Drive Clean Rebate program to help people save up to $2,000 when buying an electric vehicle, along with $2.7 million to local governments to buy electric vehicles and install zero-emission charging/fueling stations "for public use to address climate change and build healthier communities," the news release said. "New Yorkers across the State can play an important role in providing input on where EV chargers should be located as we continue building out infrastructure that makes it easier for more clean vehicles to hit the roads in our communities. This new resource will facilitate the flow of information and provide important data for our National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program to ensure we continue to reduce emissions and transition to a healthier, low carbon, clean energy future," Doreen M. Harris, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority president and CEO, said in the news release. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NHAI set the Guinness World Record by successfully constructing the 75 km continuous single bituminous concrete road between Amravati and Akola on NH-53 in a record time of 105 hours and 33 minutes. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. India's top national highway construction agency has laid a 75-km stretch of highway between Amravati and Akola in Maharashtra in just around 105 hours, or less than five days. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highway, announced the achievement through Twitter. He lauded the NHAI for adding a new feather to its cap. Gadkari said that NHAI set the Guinness World Record by successfully constructing the 75 km continuous single bituminous concrete road between Amravati and Akola on NH-53 in a record time of 105 hours and 33 minutes. Gadkari congratulated the national highway agency. He tweeted, Feel very happy to congratulate our exceptional Team NHAI officials, Consultants & Concessionaire, Rajpath Infracon Pvt Ltd & Jagdish Kadam, on achieving the Guinness World Record of laying 75 Km continuous Bituminous Concrete Road in a single lane on NH-53 section between Amravati and Akola. I would specially thank our Engineers & Workers who toiled day & night to achieve this extraordinary feat." A private contractor, called Rajpath Infracon, began the record attempt at 6 am on June 3. The agency had deployed around 800 employees and over 700 workers, including project manager, highway engineer, quality engineer, surveyor and safety engineer to get the job done. The stretch being worked on falls on the National Highway between Amravati and Akola in Maharashtra. This stretch has been particularly in poor condition for more than ten years. Despite several attempts to award the repair work to at least two other contractors, the work never took off. Even Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work between Amravati and Akola. Rajpath Infracon is not new to such world record attempts. The same contractor had earlier constructed a road between Sangli and Satara in 24 hours, creating a world record. it has now bettered the previous record held by Public Works Authority-Ashgul in Doha, capital of Qatar. The agency had built a 25-km stretch on the Al-Khor Expressway in 242 hours. First Published Date: Like all great things, the 2021-22 editorial boards term has come to an end. Read more In the fifth month of 2022, the four major Japanese automakers, namely Toyota Motor, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor, and Mazda Motor all witnessed their monthly sales volume slipping down from a year ago in China. Moreover, May sales of Toyota was the only one whose May sales recovered from April in China. In the Jan.-May period, the cumulative China sales volume of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan all saw downward slope to different degrees, with Nissan reporting the biggest decline of 26.2% year over year. Toyota continued to lead the Japanese enterprises with the most vehicles sold, at 704,200 units in total, slipping 12.3% from a year ago. With its April sales volume under the cover, Mazdas year-to-date sales volume was not made public. In May, the automaker sold 8,280 vehicles, slashing down 43.8% from the previous year, according to data provided by Kyodo, the Japanese media outlet. In May alone, Toyota sold 148,500 vehicles in China, recovering greatly from the low sales in April with a 33.66% jump month over month. The overall number remained lower than a year ago. The automaker explained that aside from the inevitable production adjustment caused by the pandemic, sales of the retail stores are also limited with low consumer desires. In May, its high-end imported brand, Lexus, saw a 29.9% year-on-year sales decline in China, due to the global supply shortage of semiconductors. As to Honda, the company sold 89,083 vehicles in China in the past month, decreasing 6.44% and 30.8% from a month and a year ago, respectively. Specifically, Dongfeng Honda faced a year-on-year slump of 45.1% with 36,440 vehicles sold last month, while GAC Honda saw its May sales shrink 15.6% to 47,124 vehicles. The automaker said that it has been experiencing challenges in purchasing auto parts. The insufficient auto part supply led the two joint ventures to adjust their production schedule accordingly, which affected sales. Honda plans to focus on the sales and marketing of its recently released battery-electric model in the country, in an effort to salvage its performance. With 68,844 vehicles sold in May, Nissan saw a 38% year-over-year decline in its monthly China sales. However, sales of some Nissan and Venucia-branded models surged from the year-ago period. To be specific, Nissan sold 49,875 vehicles last month, with the SLYPHY making up more than half of its sales with 26,592 vehicles sold, edging up 1.8% from April. In the meantime, the Venucia brand sold 5,609 vehicles, adding up to a total of 34,639 vehicles sold in the first five months of this year, increasing 22.7% from the earlier year. Nonetheless, the sales increase contributed by the models did not turn the companys sales performance around. In order to tackle the situation, the Chinese government has issued several plans to boost market morale, including the policy that halved the purchase tax on certain vehicle models, and the new energy vehicle going to the countryside campaign. According to Kyodo, the two Japanese automakers, Toyota and Nissan, both held great hope to the effect of the policies. June 8 2022 Passenger services to Reston, Berwickshire, have resumed for the first time since 1964, with the opening of a new train station. The village has rejoined the rail network thanks to investment from the Scottish Government, providing direct services to Edinburgh and Newcastle via eight trains per day. Designed by IDP Architects with BAM as the principal contractor the 270m long station is capable of accommodating 10-carriage trains and is fully accessible courtesy of an elevated 'ribbon bridge' and lifts. Sam Smith, chief officer for economic development at Scottish Borders Council said, The completion and opening of the new Reston station is a momentous occasion for communities across Berwickshire and I am delighted to welcome a train service to the village again after a gap of almost six decades. Easy access to services on the East coast mainline services opens up a world of opportunity for local people but also provides a platform to attract people to Berwickshire and capitalise on its fantastic leisure and tourism potential." Reston forms part of the rollout of standardised footbridge designs by Network Rail with twin Aerolite stone-clad elevator towers providing direct access from a low-level car park sitting below a high embankment. This prioritises access for passengers irrespective of age, disability and pregnancy as defined by the Equality Act. Over the time, trade and economic relations will further be strengthened between Pakistan and Iran, and cooperation between the business communities of both the neighboring countries needs to be enhanced LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :Over the time, trade and economic relations will further be strengthened between Pakistan and Iran, and cooperation between the business communities of both the neighboring countries needs to be enhanced. Consul General of Iran, Mohammad Reza Nazeri expressed these views in a meeting with Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Chairman Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi and FPCCI members here at FPCCI Regional Office on Wednesday. On this occasion, Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi said that the barter trade between the two countries is essential. He suggested that Pak-Iran business exhibitions should be organized to promote bilateral trade besides taking positive and immediate steps in this direction. Nadeem Qureshi assured that FPCCI would play a vital role in resolving the business community's problems between the two countries. He added that banking channels between the two countries must also be required to promote trade. Riffat Malik, Vice President FPCCI, Muhammad Ali Mian, Coordinator, Pakistan Trade and Investment Counselor in Turkey Nouman Aslam, Trade & Investment Counselor for Iran, Aamir Hussain, Minister of Trade and Investment in Afghanistan Syed Kausar Ali Zaidi, Najamul Hasan Java, Sohail Lashari and other members also made their suggestions for promoting bilateral trade. Madrid, June 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :Spain on Wednesday expressed regret over Algeria's decision to suspend a bilateral cooperation treaty after Madrid reversed its decades-long stance of neutrality on the Western Sahara conflict. "The Spanish government regrets the Algerian decision to suspend the treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation," said a diplomatic source, referring to an agreement signed in 2002. Spain's U-turn came as it sought to end a nearly year-long diplomatic spat with Morocco which was sparked by an incident related to disputed Western Sahara. Spain's move, widely seen as a victory for Morocco, infuriated its regional rival Algeria, which has long backed the Polisario Front, Western Sahara's independence movement, and which also supplies vast quantities of natural gas to Spain. Algiers immediately recalled its ambassador and state-owned energy giant Sonatrach warned it could increase the price of its gas sales to Spain. "The Spanish government considers Algeria to be a friendly neighbouring country and reiterates its full readiness to continue maintaining and developing the special relationship of cooperation between the two countries, for the benefit of both peoples," the source said. PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :The Consul-General of Iran in Peshawar, Hamid Reza Qumi on Wednesday stressed the need for promotion of trade among Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan to make the business of all three states prosperous and strengthen their economies. He expressed these views during a meeting with a delegation consisting of Mayor Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali, Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce former Senator Haji Ghulam Ali, Regional Coordinator FPCCI Sartaj Ahmed Khan and President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here on Wednesday. The delegation called on him at the invitation of the Iranian Consul General. During the meeting, discussions were held on the promotion of Pak-Iran Afghan trade and suggestions were made. It was agreed to work with the business community of the three countries to resolve the issues in this regard. The Iranian Consul General warmly welcomed the delegation and congratulated the newly elected Mayor of Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali on his victory. The Iranian Consul General said that Iran believes in full cooperation with its neighboring Islamic countries in all sectors and the promotion of bilateral trade, which is why we are here today and for the future development of the three countries. He said that for the smooth functioning of the local government system in Peshawar, Iran would be happy to present its local government system structure to the elected representatives here. Elected representatives in Peshawar will be briefed on what Iran has done in local government to benefit from the experience. Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan will have to work together for the development of business. Every effort will be made to bring the business communities of the three countries closer together. Mayor of Peshawar Haji Zubair Ali thanked the Iranian Consul General and his staff and assured that experiences and views would be exchanged with Iran to make the local government system more attractive and effective. He "An agreement has been reached with Iran for setting up a slaughter house with modern equipment in Peshawar, Iranian Consul General assured that it will be implemented soon." Federal Minister Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb Wednesday inaugurated PTV Films Division and PakFlix to promote fresh quality content and to bring 75 years of rich content in the PTV archives to audiences in Pakistan and abroad ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :Federal Minister Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb Wednesday inaugurated ptv Films Division and PakFlix to promote fresh quality content and to bring 75 years of rich content in the PTV archives to audiences in Pakistan and abroad. Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Marriyum said the purpose of launching PTV Films was to engage the creative youth of the country in film making through PTV's own productions and through Joint-Ventures. These films would be televised on PTV Home, she said. The purpose is not just to bring these films to the PTV screen but to generate quality content. In addition to this PTV Film division, another initiative was being launched by the name of PakFlix which would feature the 75 years of rich content in the form of dramas, films and other genres in the archives of PTV, she told. There is an extensive audience and market for this content in Pakistan and especially abroad among Pakistani Diaspora, she pointed out. This project will be a part of the 75 years Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Pakistan. She also said there is no one-window platform for the film industry to communicate with the ministry, which she believed was necessary. Film is an industry and it requires interfacing with other industries like finance, commerce, import etc. To address this problems film directorate was being set up where all stakeholders of film and drama industry will get a one-window access to the ministry. This would take effect right after this year's budget, she said. Marriyum said the role of films in promoting tourism needed to be seriously explored for which the Prime Minister had called for a conference on Film, Tourism and Culture after the budget which would help a lot. She said the intentions of this government and the industry were in the right place and direction which was the key to achieving wonders. She said it was a task that was started in 2017 and then in 2018 during which Pakistan's first Film Policy was approved. During the same time Pakistan's first cultural policy was launched for which she thanked Jamal Shah. These were both landmark achievements because the country did not have film or cultural policy for over 70 years. Due to the absence of the film policy, the Pakistan Film Industry, which was never really given the due attention as other industries, boomed and struggled with unfortunate peaks and troughs. She said this film policy was created through a broad consensus with all stakeholders on board including executives, artists and producers. It provided a foundation for the industry to flourish through tax incentives in both film-making and in development of infrastructure that stages films. The 2018 budget also reflected this initiative, she added. However, after 2018, the enabling environment required to foster this initiative, was not provided. She reminisced that back in the golden days of PTV, the PTV screen was a leading source of social etiquette and narrative for a healthy and vibrant society. But despite the tech-advancement in film-making the quality of content is an area that still could not match up to the past masterpieces through honesty of profession. The cinema industry was like a family, but now divisions have spoiled the element of a collective interest. Providing this platform for collective interest over individual interest is the responsibility of the government, she said. Marriyum said, "PTV made the mistake of trying to join the race with private channels which was neither its domain nor its mandate, which is why it failed. Building a national narrative and facilitating narratives that support that vision, and ensuring that the national narrative is not overshadowed or lost forever is the mandate of PTV. This was the narrative of social values, tolerance, heritage, culture, tourism, fight against terrorism, and countering its effects on generations that lived through". The Information Minister said while long-term reforms were necessary, it was extremely challenging to ensure their effective implementation in a period of one-and-a-half year. However, she said that when she was the Minister Information and Broadcasting in 2018, she took certain steps that immediately boosted progress in certain areas. She talked about how there was a total absence of content for children on state and private broadcast media as well as film and documentary. This was why the entire generation was growing up on foreign content for children. Also she pointed out that content to promote a healthy, non-confrontational discourse was going to be promoted on PTV and the news content was going to be reduced. She thanked the PTV Officials and the participants of the event and hoped that these endeavors would bring back the glory days of PTV in-line with the modern day best technologies and practices. mhn-nvd ISLAMABAD, Jun 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday said the oceans could be protected only by keeping the sea and the beach clean which was the superior system of nature as an incomprehensible amount of plastic and waste was proliferating in the oceans at the moment. In her message on the World Oceans Day, the minister said Pakistan should celebrate World Oceans Day exclusively. Sherry said, "We are one of the lucky countries whose border is with the sea. I specially want to highlight the importance of our oceans, the biological and environmental aspects associated with it". She added that about 70% of the earth's surface was covered with water and around 96. 5% of the water on the planet was seawater. "The oceans produce 50% to 75% of our planet's oxygen. Our earth's weather, environment and rainfall depend on the sea," Sherry Rehman underlined. She regretted that in return, the humans had turned the oceans into piles of waste and plastic. According to studies, there are 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the surface water of oceans alone. Pollution and waste in the oceans is a major concern, she added. The minister underlined that this pollution affected not only marine life but every living thing on land, adding, "Keep the beach and the sea as clean as your home". (@Abdulla99267510) Justice Junaid Ghaffar has announced the reserved verdict and held that the case of Dua Zahra is not that of kidnapping and disposed of the petition seeking her recovery. KARACHI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-June 8th, 2022) The Sindh High Court (SHC) Wednesday ruled that Dua Zahra, the girl who mysteriously went missing and later revealed that she had tied knot with 21-year old Zaheer Ahmed, to decide her fate where she wants to go, with her parents or husband. Justice Junaid Ghaffar announced the reserved verdict after recording testimonies. This is not a case of kidnapping in light of all the evidence, ruled the judge in a three-page verdict. The court ruled, The alleged/minor Dua E Zahra Kazmi, pursuant to her statement on Oath and Age Certificate is set at liberty to decide as to whom she intends to reside and go along,". The court also held that it had decided to dispose of the petition filed by Mehdi Ali Kazmi the father of Dua Zahra, seeking her recovery as the case of his daughter is not of kidnapping. The SHC also held that the Sindh police is free to produce it before the Lahore High Court later this week if needed. The judge observed that after production and statement of the alleged abductee Dua, they are not inclined to issue any directions to that effect. Dua Wants to come home: Earlier, the mother of Dua Zahra, the teenager who had gone missing from Karachi in April and later revealed that she had run away from home to tie knot with 21-year old Zaheer Ahmed, said that her daughter wanted to come home. In a meeting that held at the Judge's chamber, Dua told her mother that she wanted to return home. A ten minutes meeting was held on the permission of the judge. Dua had refused to see her parents on Monday as she was presented before the SHC for the first time since she was recovered by the Punjab police. The mother said, "My daughter said in the meeting that I want to go home. Dua said she will give her statement in court,". Earlier, the court reserved its verdict in the case. The police presented Dua and her husband Zaheer before the court. The SHC had ordered the authorities to conduct an ossification test to determine her age. She had claimed to be 18 years old a legitimate age to marry. The ossification test report, however, suggested Dua's is 16 or 17 years old. The report was also confirmed by a radiologist, Dr Saba Jamil. Dua's father Mehdi Kazmi expressed reservations over the medical report of his daughter and termed it "false". (@ChaudhryMAli88) Algeria said Wednesday it was suspending a decades-old co-operation treaty with Spain, after Madrid backed the position of the North African country's arch-rival Morocco on the disputed Western Sahara Algiers, June 8 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Jun, 2022 ) :Algeria said Wednesday it was suspending a decades-old co-operation treaty with Spain, after Madrid backed the position of the North African country's arch-rival Morocco on the disputed Western Sahara. "Algeria has decided to immediately suspend the treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and co-operation," the Algerian presidency said in a statement. Madrid and Algiers had signed the deal in 2002 to promote dialogue and cooperation on political, economic, financial, education and defence issues. A Spanish diplomatic source told AFP that the government of Pedro Sanchez "regrets the Algerian decision". Algeria's move came in retaliation after Spain in March publicly recognised Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed territory, helping end a year-long diplomatic spat between the two kingdoms. But Algeria said Wednesday that Spain's move had been "in violation of its legal, moral and political obligations" towards the territory, a former Spanish colony. That reflects the complex challenge Madrid faces in balancing its ties with both states, bitter rivals. Algeria, which backs the Polisario movement seeking independence in the Western Sahara, had in August last year broke off diplomatic ties with Rabat over "hostile acts". Morocco controls 80 percent of the Western Sahara. The rest is held by the Polisario, which fought a 15-year war with Morocco after Spanish forces withdrew in 1975 and demands a referendum on independence. - 'Illegitimate formula' - Morocco has offered limited autonomy but insists the phosphate and fisheries-rich enclave must remain under its sovereignty. Spain officially endorsed that position in March to help resolve a year-long diplomatic dispute sparked by a visit by Polisario leader Brahim Ghali to Spain for treatment for Covid-19. Weeks after his hospitalisation, Moroccan border forces looked the other way as more than 10,000 migrants surged into Spain's tiny North African enclave of Ceuta, an incident seen as meant to pressure Madrid. In April Sanchez made an official visit to Morocco to patch up ties after his government backed Rabat's 2007 autonomy plan. Algiers said Wednesday that Madrid had thereby "given its full support to an illegal and illegitimate formula... advocated by the occupying power". Spain's position is complicated because while it shares borders and strong economic ties with Morocco, it also depends partly on Algeria for natural gas. That dependence that has become more acute as energy prices exploded following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also because Algeria in October last year stopped pumping gas to Spain through a pipeline traversing Morocco. 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. HUAWEI inks license agreements with connected vehicle companies On June 8th, the head of HUAWEIs intellectual property department, Fan Zhiyong, said that the companys patents have been broadly appreciated by the market. HUAWEI has signed patent authorization agreements with companies within various industries, including those in the connected vehicle field. Photo credit: HUAWEI CPCA predicts 17% YoY drop in Chinas May PV retail volume According to the preliminary results from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), Chinas monthly retail volume of passenger vehicles (PVs) may amount to 1.354 million units in May, decreasing 17% year over year, but up 30% from the previous month. The PV retail volume from June 1st-June 5th amounted to 168,000 vehicles, edging down 5% year on year, and 47% from the week before. BYD Tang DM-p to start presale on June 9th The BYD Tang DM-p model will officially kick off presale on June 9th. The model inherits the Tang family design language with an oversized front grille and sharp headlights. The model will be powered by BYDs DM-p hybrid system. JIDU unveils concept car of first production robocar, ROBO-01 On June 8th, Baidu and Geelys intelligent auto arm, JIDU, unveiled the concept car of its first production robocar, the ROBO-01, in XiRang, Baidus metaverse. EVE Energy aims to raise 9 billion yuan to expand production capacity Huizhou EVE Energy Co., Ltd. (EVE Energy), a Chinese power battery maker based in Huizhou city, announced on June 7 that its board of directors has approved a proposal to issue A shares to specific objects, aiming to raise 9 billion yuan ($1.349 billion). China-made Mercedes-Benz EQE to be unveiled in mid-June The made-in-China Mercedes-Benz EQE will make its debut on June 16, Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. (BBAC), a joint venture between BAIC Motor and the German premium automaker, recently said. Qualcomm deepens cooperation with PATEO for new smart cabin platform solution On June 7th, Qualcomm deepened the collaboration with PATEO to facilitate the mass production of the next-generation PATEO Qinggan intelligent cockpit platform solution. Lifan Technology scores 8,704.67% YoY hike in Jan.-May NEV sales Chinese automaker Lifan Technology (Group) Co.,Ltd. (Lifan Technology) announced this week that it sold 4,030 vehicles in May 2022, 2,419 units of which were new energy vehicles (NEVs). JAC Group May sales jump about 30% MoM In the fifth month of 2022, JAC Group saw its monthly sales volume recover from April, and its new energy vehicle sales and export volume both posted positive year-on-year growth. BYD to supply Tesla with batteries BYD will supply batteries to Tesla, Lian Yubo, executive vice president of BYD, recently confirmed the information when he received an interview with CGTN anchor Kui Yingchun. Pope Francis, the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, will make a historic ecumenical pilgrimage for peace to South Sudan next month, on 5-7 July. Paul Samasumo Vatican City The joint visit of Pope Francis, the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields, was first suggested during a spiritual retreat of April 2019, held in the Vatican. The retreat preached by Nigerian Jesuit priest Father Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator was hosted by Pope Francis for South Sudans political leaders. At the time, the Vaticans Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said the two and half days of retreat were approved by Pope Francis following a proposal presented by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. Four of South Sudans five vice presidents (then still warring factions) attended the retreat. Riek Machar, James Wani Igga, Taban Deng Gai and Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior participated in the retreat. In attendance were South Sudans senior Christian leaders. Speaking to John Baptiste Tumusiime of Vatican News, Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields -Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, said the visit to South Sudan would be the first of its kind. Below is the discussion with Dr Iain Greenshields. From your perspective, how did the idea for this visit unfold? Going back to 2015, when the Moderator of the Church of Scotland visited South Sudan was the beginning of trying to find some way of working towards reconciliation and peace. This was also being taken up at the same time by the Vatican. A visit by the countrys leaders followed that of the Vatican. Recently, at the beginning of the year, the Vatican invited the Church of Scotland and Lambeth Palace to consider another visit because Pope Francs was going to visit the Congo and wanted to go to South Sudan. The Pope wanted it to be an ecumenical pilgrimage of peace. This (visit) has the full support of the South Sudanese government. Purpose of the visit? The backdrop of this is the main purpose of this visit. The Church of Scotland has been involved in South Sudan -workshops, visits to Scotland and an attempt to train people to be facilitators for peace and reconciliation. What we hope to try and achieve is a positive way forward that will enable the whole Christian community to come together with civil society and the government to try and facilitate some kind of lasting accord in the country. Hopefully, that can stop the violence and address issues of poverty and issues of injustice. Meaning of Ecumenism? The visit is an ecumenical pilgrimage for peace in South Sudan. In simple terms, what does this mean? South Sudan is a country with a very high population of Christians representing the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican community and Presbyterians. There is within South Sudan a history of violence and injustice, and there has been no peace for well over a decade. A large number of lives have also been lost. This visit is an ecumenical one representing all three of these Churches. Our view is that we can offer something to try to find a way forward for peace. Anything else? Speaking as a moderator of the Church of Scotland, I think this is an exciting opportunity for Churches working together to make a difference. This is what we are here to do. We are called to be peacemakers by Jesus, and if there is any way in which we can help facilitate that, then this is the ground upon which we should be standing. Families queue for water at a collection point in the outskirts of Baidoa, Somalia (AFP or licensors) UNICEF urges immediate action from the international community to avert an imminent hunger disaster in Somalia, triggered by several consecutive seasons of failed rains and disruptions to food supply chains due to the war in Ukraine. By Vatican News staff writer The UN childrens agency said Tuesday that the world must widen its gaze from the war in Ukraine and act urgently to prevent Somalia from sliding into famine, as emergency levels of malnutrition in the country and in the wider Horn of Africa are becoming cause for deep concern. The alert from UNICEF comes after four successive failed rainy seasons in the east African region the worst drought spell in four decades and the likelihood of another failed season this year. Children most vulnerable According to the UN agency, the situation has put about 386,000 children in acute need of lifesaving treatment for malnutrition in Somalia alone, a figure worse than in 2011 when famine claimed the lives of 250,000 mainly children in Somalia. Rania Dagash, UNICEF Deputy Director for eastern and southern Africa, pointed at the war in Ukraine as a major factor that puts the lives of children in the Horn of Africa at an increased risk, noting that Somalia alone used to import 92 percent of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine but now supply lines are blocked. More so, the failed rainy seasons and the Ukraine wars impact on global supply chains have impacted on the cost of life-saving therapeutic food that UNICEF uses to treat children with severe acute malnutrition, which is projected to rise by 16 percent globally over the next 6 months. In fact, the number of children facing severe acute malnutrition has increased by more than 15 percent in the space of 5 months, Dagash said, adding that across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, more than 1.7 million children are in urgent need of treatment. Need for funding In the face of the situation, UNICEF is calling on the international community to provide more funding for emergency assistance, noting that donor funding has been generous but falls short of the $250 million needed. Dagash explained that the agency has just a third of what it needs this year, and thus calls on the international community, led by the G7 which will be meeting in Germany in a few weeks, to commit additional funding to save lives. In addition, humanitarians have stressed the need of investment in resilience-building measures to save peoples livelihoods and prevent them from having to leave their homes in search of food, water and healthcare. Etienne Peterschmitt, Representative in Somalia for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), notes that the UN and its partners are assisting rural families to stay where they are by providing lifesaving cash transfers to purchase essentials such as food, water and medicine, as well as livelihood items. According to UNICEF, the number of households without reliable access to clean and safe water almost doubled, from 5.6 million to 10.5 million, between February and May this year. The impact of the drought on livestock has also meant a decline in meat and milk production, further increasing the risk of malnutrition in pastoral areas who are dependent on local supply. Real risk of starvation in Somalia A latest analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) platform shows that 7.1 million people or 45 percent of Somalians are in IPC Phase 3 or crisis with worse food security outcomes. Out of the 7.1 million, about 2.1 million are in IPC 4 or emergency level, marked by very high acute malnutrition and rising levels of death among children and adults. A further 213,000 people are in IPC 5 the catastrophe level where there is a 160 percent increase in the number of people facing extreme lack of food, facing starvation, death and destitution. Peterschmitt stresses that Somalia is on the brink of devastating and widespread hunger, starvation and death, and is "perfect storm for famine if action is not taken now". Cambodia and Beijing on Tuesday denied a report that they are building a secret naval facility for the Chinese fleet, as Australia's new prime minister voiced concern and called for transparency. The Washington Post, citing unnamed Western officials, said a new facility at Cambodia's Ream base -- strategically located on the Gulf of Thailand -- was being built for the "exclusive" use of the Chinese navy. The base has been a running sore spot in US-Cambodian relations for years, with Washington long suspecting it is being converted for use by China as it seeks to buttress its international influence with a network of military outposts. Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn rejected the report as "groundless accusations" in a call with Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong, according to a statement released late Tuesday by Phnom Penh. Earlier a spokesman had said the base's development was "not a secret". "Cambodia won't allow the Chinese military to use it exclusively or to develop the site as its military base," government spokesman Phay Siphan told AFP. The Cambodian defence minister and China's ambassador will be attending a ground-breaking ceremony Wednesday for new facilities at Ream, including a boat repair shop and a pier. But Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in Indonesia for a visit to shore up diplomatic ties to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region, labelled the reports "concerning". "We encourage Beijing to be transparent about its intent and to ensure that its activities support regional security and stability," he told reporters, saying Cambodia had assured Canberra that no foreign military would be given exclusive access to the Ream base. Australia has grown increasingly worried about Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific region. A leaked draft of a Soloman Islands-China pact in April raised concerns that it would allow Chinese naval deployments to the Pacific island nation -- less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Australia. Denials from China, Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly insisted the work is nothing more than modernising the base with a new boat maintenance facility developed with Chinese aid. "Cambodia doesn't need the presence of a foreign military on its territory," he said in a speech last month. China also denied that the base would be solely for their navy's use. "The transformation of Ream Naval Base is only to strengthen Cambodian naval forces' capabilities to uphold maritime territorial sovereignty and crack down on sea crimes," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing Tuesday. He added that Washington's criticisms were "malicious conjectures to attack and smear" Cambodia. Concerns about the base go back as far as 2019, when the Wall Street Journal reported a secret draft deal allowing Beijing to dock warships there. Cambodia has since dismantled facilities at the base that were built partly with American money and played host to US exercises. Cambodia and China on Wednesday broke ground on a Beijing-funded project to revamp a naval base that the U.S. fears is intended for Chinese military use. The Washington Post this week cited unnamed Western officials as saying the new facilities at Cambodia's Ream base strategically located on the Gulf of Thailand were being built for the "exclusive" use of the Chinese navy. Both countries deny the allegation, with Phnom Penh saying the base's development is "not a secret." Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian were on hand Wednesday to see work commence on the new facilities including a boat maintenance workshop, two piers, a dry dock, slipway, and sand dredging for bigger ships to dock. Heavy construction machinery was visible at the site. "It is not targeted at any third party, and will be conducive to even closer practical cooperation between the two militaries, better fulfillment of international obligations and provision of international public goods," Wang said. The project, paid for with a Chinese grant, also includes upgrading and expanding a hospital as well as donations of military equipment and repair of eight Cambodian warships, Tea Banh said. "There are allegations that the modernized Ream base will be used by the Chinese military exclusively. No, it is not like that at all," the minister told several hundred people including foreign diplomats at the ceremony. "Don't worry too much, the Ream base is very small... It won't pose a threat to anyone, anywhere." The revamp will be finished in two years, another Cambodian official said. Wang said it would deepen the iron-clad friendship between the two countries and help modernize the Cambodian navy. The base has been a sore spot in U.S.-Cambodia relations for years, with Washington suspecting it is being converted for use by China as Beijing seeks to buttress its international influence with a network of military outposts. U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Stephanie Arzate said the United States and other countries in the region had "expressed concern about the lack of transparency on the intent, nature, and scope of this project," as well as China's role in its construction. "An exclusive PRC military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodia's autonomy and undermine regional security," Arzate told AFP. Concerns about the base go back as far as 2019, when the Wall Street Journal reported on a secret draft deal allowing Beijing to dock warships there. Cambodia has since dismantled facilities at the base that were built partly with American money and played host to U.S. military exercises. Long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party easily topped the field as expected in local elections, an initial tabulation from the National Election Committee showed Monday. Official final returns from Sunday's polls are due to be released on June 26. However, a statement released Monday by the committee said Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party won 9,338 out of the 11,622 commune council seats that were contested. In the aggregated popular vote, Hun Sens party received 5.3 million votes, the Candlelight Party 1.6 million votes and the royalist Funcinpec Party 900,000 votes, with the remainder scattered among much smaller groups, reported Bayon Radio, which is controlled by Hun Sens daughter. Hun Sen, an authoritarian ruler in a nominally democratic state, has held power for 37 years. He has said he intends to stay in office until 2028 and has endorsed one of his sons to succeed him. Sundays turnout was 80.19% of the countrys 9.2 million registered voters, slightly higher than the initially reported 77%, election committee spokesperson Dim Sovanarum said Monday. The commune elections, held a year ahead of the general election, are regarded as a test of the contending parties strengths. The Cambodia Peoples Party has held an iron grip on power for decades, and has the huge advantage of controlling almost every level of local as well as national government. Its opponents were less organized, with fewer resources and fearful of intimidation. The ruling partys only serious competition and political rival, the Candlelight Party, won 2,119 council seats. It is the unofficial successor to the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which made a much stronger second place challenge to the ruling party in the last communal elections in 2017. In the elections' aftermath, the Cambodian National Rescue Party was dissolved by the Supreme Court ahead of the 2018 general election on the thinly supported ground that it was involved in treasonous activity. The court ruling forced all Cambodian National Rescue Party members from their local and national elected positions, and kept it off the ballot in the 2018 election, paving the way for a clean sweep of all the seats in the National Assembly by Hun Sens party. The royalist Funcinpec Party won 19 seats on Sunday, with the handful of remaining seats shared among six relatively unknown parties. The Candlelight Party issued a statement Monday charging that the polls were neither free nor fair. It said it had been intimidated by the authorities, starting with when the lists of its candidates and election observers were being prepared. It also said the National Election Committee did not act on its complaints of vote-buying and threats, and that some of its observers, as well as those from independent poll watching groups, had been blocked from monitoring the vote counting. The party charged that the election committee was biased in favor of the Cambodian Peoples Party, whose members, it said, filled its ranks at every level. A group of ethnic Rohingya left on a Thai island after a dangerous boat journey from Bangladesh should be given help and the opportunity to determine if they are refugees, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. The mostly Muslim Rohingya have long been persecuted in Myanmar. More than 700,000 fled to neighboring Bangladesh in 2017 to escape a military counterinsurgency campaign that the U.S. and others have called genocide. Since then, Rohingya have attempted to leave both Myanmar and Bangladesh on perilous sea journeys to Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country relatively lenient to arriving migrants. The voyages are often arranged by human trafficking gangs who charge large sums for passage on rickety old boats. Those boats that dont sink can end up elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Thailand, especially, tries to turn them away, usually after supplying fuel and food. Boat passengers who make it ashore in Thailand are detained by authorities or sent by the traffickers to work in slave-like conditions. The Thai navy said the 59 Rohingya left an island in the Andaman Sea had traveled from Bangladesh on large fishing boats. But when they arrived, the ships captain brought these people to the island and said it was Malaysia, the navy's statement said. The 31 men, 23 women, three boys and two girls were detained after being found Saturday on the southern island of Koh Dong. The navy said it will continue to follow Thailand's standard procedures, including providing humanitarian assistance, for people deemed to be immigrating illegally. Human Rights Watch said Thailand was obligated to assess the people's claims for refugee protection before trying to return them. To protect Rohingya asylum seekers, it is crucial for the Thai government to permit the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to conduct refugee status determination interviews, the New York-based group said in a statement. The Thai government should end its policy of summarily locking up rescued Rohingya boat people and throwing away the key, said Elaine Pearson, HRW's acting Asia director. Thailand should permit the United Nations refugee agency to screen all Rohingya arriving in Thailand to identify and assist those seeking refugee status. In late May, at least 16 Rohingya died after a storm capsized a boat off Myanmars southwestern coast. There were 35 survivors. The risk of abuse at the hands of smugglers and the peril of the sea journey itself are both exacerbated during prolonged journeys, when a safe harbor for disembarkation cannot be found, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said after last months sinking. Vietnam's police have arrested the health minister and Hanoi mayor following accusations they were involved in a $170 million coronavirus test-kit scandal, the public security ministry said Tuesday. The arrests come as the Communist nation ramps up an anti-corruption drive in the wake of the Viet A scandal, in which officials were bribed to supply hospitals with vastly overpriced Covid-19 test kits. The Public Security Ministry issued an arrest warrant late Tuesday for health minister Ngoc Anh over accusations of "violating regulations on management and use of State assets, causing loss and waste" during his term as minister of science and technology, according to a statement on the public security ministry website. A warrant has also been issued for Hanoi mayor Nguyen Thanh Long for "abusing positions and powers while performing official duties". "After being approved by the Supreme People's Procuracy, the Ministry of Public Security has implemented the decisions and orders in accordance with law," the statement on the website added. The pair were stripped of their Communist Party membership on Monday, with authorities removing both from their positions earlier today before arresting them. Several other provincial Centres for Disease Control (CDC) officials have been arrested in recent months over their involvement and approval of making, producing and using Viet A's coronavirus test-kits. Viet A's director-general, Phan Quoc Viet, faces charges of bribing health officials to sell the company's kits to hospitals and provincial CDCs at prices significantly higher than the production cost, netting $172 million -- $34 million of which was ploughed back into bribery. Join veteran journalist Hayde Adams on Straight Talk Africa every Wednesday as he and his guests discuss topics of special interest to Africans, including politics, economic development, press freedom, health, social issues and conflict resolution. He was famous among Afghans for his comedy and fashion videos on YouTube and Instagram, appearing with a protege, Ghulam Sakhi. But Tuesday, Ajmal Haqiqi appeared disheveled in two short videos posted to Twitter by the Talibans feared intelligence agency. I apologize to the Afghan people, to esteemed religious scholars and to the government of the Islamic Emirate, Haqiqi said while standing before a row of four men, including Sakhi. All but Sakhi wore brown penal uniforms with triangles on their chests. While Haqiqi does not confess to a crime in the videos, he is understood to be accused of insulting verses of the Quran, Islams holy book, in a recent video that he and Sakhi posted to social media. In that widely circulated video, Haqiqi laughs when Sakhi, who is known to have mental health issues, mimics Arabic scripture recitations in a funny voice. Sakhi is known for his witty and entertaining conversational style. The identities of the two other men silently standing with Haqiqi and Sakhi could not be confirmed. My message to all YouTubers and the youth active in the media is to seriously avoid making any insults to Islamic sacred values, Haqiqi said in the Dari language. Taliban officials were not immediately available to specify if the YouTubers will be tried in a court or given specific penalties. The Taliban, who claim they rule strictly according to Islamic law, consider criticism and anything perceived as disrespectful of Islam a punishable crime. "In the Islamic sovereignty, no one is allowed to insult or make fun of Quranic verses, sayings of the Prophet and the Islamic sacreds," the Taliban's intelligence agency said in a tweet. Media restrictions Created in October 2020, Haqiqis YouTube channel, which boasts more than 16 million views a substantial number for Afghanistan's relatively small YouTube community remains accessible, although the video in question appears to have been removed. In the last video uploaded on June 5, Haqiqi and Sakhi appear side by side in front of a wall as Haqiqi apologizes for the video involving Quranic verses and then tries to make Sakhi utter a few words as an apology. Since the Talibans return to power, Afghanistan has lost much of its once thriving media landscape as hundreds of journalists and free press activists have left the country. The Taliban are widely accused of imposing strict censorship on free media, including the detention and torture of journalists. Last month, the Taliban banned female anchors from appearing on television without a face covering a move widely condemned by media and human rights organizations around the world. Show more Show less Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu Wednesday on efforts to create shipping corridors to allow Ukrainian grain access world markets and alleviate soaring grain prices. Plus a look at why Russias concern about NATO encroachment provides the basis for their artic policies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the work of his troops in the eastern Donbas region and said Russia had not expected to meet much resistance, while Russia claimed to have assumed control of almost all of one of the provinces that makes up the Donbas. After weeks of focusing its attacks on eastern Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday Russian forces now control 97% of Luhansk province. Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Tuesday that the absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues. He added that Russia had made no significant advances in the region during the past day. Britains defense ministry gave a similar assessment Wednesday morning, saying neither side had achieved significant gains over the course of 24 hours with Russia attacking from multiple sides but Ukraines defenses holding. The Donbas region also includes Donetsk province and has been the key objective for Russia since it turned away from efforts to advance on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, two months ago. Fighting has been particularly intense in the key Luhansk city of Sievierodonetsk, where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been engaging in street-to-street battles. Shoigu said Tuesday that Russian forces seized the residential areas of the city, while Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled the industrial outskirts. The battle for Sievierodonetsk is crucial to Moscows attempt to assume full domination over Luhansk province. A week ago, Russian forces had captured 70% of the city, but a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed back Moscows troops before Russia mounted another advance. Both Russia and Ukraine claim to have inflicted huge casualties on each other. Shoigu said Russian troops were also advancing toward the town of Popasna, and he said they have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. He said 6,489 Ukrainian troops have been taken prisoner since the start of the military action in Ukraine on February 24, including 126 over the past five days. A spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said Tuesday the United States had started training Ukrainian soldiers on the use of advanced rocket systems being sent to Ukraine as part of a $700 million aid package approved last week. Marine Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said the training was taking place in Germany and elsewhere in Europe for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The truck-mounted system can carry six rockets with a range of about 70 kilometers. Norway said it trained Ukrainian soldiers in Germany on the use of M109 self-propelled howitzers as part of its shipment of 22 of the weapons to Ukraine. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said the donation, which includes spare parts and ammunition, is a substantial contribution very much in demand by Ukraine. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters Australias state, territory and federal government ministers are meeting Wednesday to discuss a worsening gas crisis. Prices have soared by up to 400%. Analysts have said they would be even higher if the regulator, the Australian Energy Market Operator, had not intervened to impose price caps. Major manufacturers have warned that thousands of jobs were at risk unless supplies of Australian gas earmarked for export were held back for domestic consumption. That would require the government to pull the so-called gas trigger that would divert supplies. However, analysts believe that could damage Australias reputation as one of the worlds leading exporters of natural gas. Various factors have caused gas shortages in Australia, including unprecedented wet weather and a recent cold snap in eastern Australia. Russias invasion of Ukraine in February has prompted a surge in demand for fossil fuels. There have also been outages at ageing local coal-fired power stations. Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers told Australian television there was a perfect storm of conditions. Some of the generators are offline, we have had some flooding, we have got some international difficulties, of course. But sitting over the top of that is the cost and consequences of almost a decade now of energy policy chaos, and what we want to do by implementing our Powering Australia plan is to introduce some certainty and some resilience into the energy markets, he said. Many homeowners are bracing for higher-than-normal winter power bills. Australia is generally a warm to hot country, but last year Canberra, the national capital, shivered through its coldest winter morning of -6.0 Celsius. Analysts have said the gas shortage affects mostly the highly populated east coast, including Sydney, the largest city. In Western Australia, resources companies must reserve 15% of gas supplies for local use. In the longer-term, business and community groups have urged Australias political leaders meeting Wednesday to agree on a speedier move away from natural gas to renewable sources of energy. The family of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Andrey Kuznechyk say the journalist has been sentenced to six years in prison in Belarus on a charge of creating an extremist group. According to the relatives, the Mahilyou regional court in the country's east took only a few hours to hear the case and hand down its verdict and punishment on June 8 in a closed-door trial. The 43-year-old father of an 8-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son was initially sentenced to 10 days in jail on November 26 on hooliganism charges that he rejected. On December 6, when his sentence ended, he was kept in detention and handed another 10-day jail term, also on a hooliganism charge. After serving that jail term, Kuznechyk remained in jail and subsequently was charged with creating an extremist group, a charge that officials withheld from Kuznechyk's relatives and colleagues for months. Kuznechyks relatives told RFE/RL at the time that the journalist continues to maintain his innocence. RFE/RL President Jamie Fly has said Kuznechyks previous sentence was based on "absurdly fabricated charges" and should be considered a crime in itself. Fly has also condemned the Belarusian government's actions against independent media in the country, saying Kuznechyk is among the "hostages taken by this lawless regime, not criminals. Factual reporting is not an extremist activity, and journalism is not a crime. Since a disputed August 2020 presidential election sparked mass protests over authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenkos victory, tens of thousands of Belarusians have been arrested for voicing any dissent against the regime. The crackdown has pushed most opposition politicians, who say the vote was rigged, to leave the country fearing for their safety. Many Western governments have refused to recognize the results of the election and do not consider Lukashenko to be the country's legitimate leader. Many countries have imposed several rounds of sanctions against his regime in response to the suppression of dissent in the country. U.S. President Joe Biden is in Los Angeles Wednesday to host the ninth Summit of the Americas, a gathering of leaders from the countries of North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Our region is large and diverse. We don't always agree on everything, but because we're democracies, we work through our disagreements with mutual respect and dialogue, Biden said during the summits inaugural ceremony. The summit has been overshadowed by the decision of the leaders of Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico not to attend after the U.S. excluded Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela because they did not meet the requirements of the 2001 Inter-American Democratic Charter that enshrines democracy as a core value of the gathering. The president of Uruguay is also skipping the gathering after testing positive for COVID-19. Biden launched what the White House bills as the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity to promote an equitable recovery from the pandemic as well as more than $300 million in food insecurity aid to a region reeling from the economic impacts of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Biden said his regional vision is grounded on the same core values as the U.S. economic recovery and competitiveness. The American Partnership will help economies grow from the bottom up and the middle out, not the top down, he said. Trickle-down economics does not work. A senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday that the administration hopes to present the framework and then discuss it with partners over the next two to three months, aiming to really launch the beginning of formal negotiations. The plan will not include new trade agreements and the administration official did not provide an estimate on how much money Washington might commit to the effort. She said the framework rests on five pillars: strengthening supply chains and helping our hemisphere reduce overdependence and concentrations on certain countries; bolstering and encouraging investment from the Inter-American Development Bank, the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean; boosting investments in public sector areas like education, health, entitlements and child care; promoting clean energy jobs and initiatives to lower carbon footprints and finally, promoting sustainable and inclusive trade. Unlike the IndoPacific Economic Framework (IPEF), the economic vision to counter Chinese clout that Biden launched in Tokyo in May with 13 countries on board, the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity has no country participation attached to it as of yet. Neither framework includes provisions such as tariff cuts and other market-access tools that Washington traditionally uses to incentivize partners. In his remarks during the summits inaugural ceremony, Biden did not contrast his economic vision for the region with Beijings, which is the largest trading partner for many countries in the hemisphere. Many Latin American countries already have free trade agreements with Washington including Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru. Others, including Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and several Caribbean nations, have signed on to less comprehensive Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with the U.S. that facilitate dialogues on trade and investment issues such as labor, environmental and intellectual property protections. With Trump-era protectionist sentiments still running high, the administration and Democrats in Congress appear unenthusiastic about the political cost of opening American market access. Still, with the focus on green investments and economic digitalization, there is tremendous potential to build economic ties between the United States and the region, said P. Michael McKinley, a former U.S. ambassador to Peru, Colombia and Brazil. But it does have to include some hard initiatives, and I believe it has to include significant commitment of resources, he told VOA. On Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a roundtable with business executives as part of her push for investment in the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to help stem the root causes of migration. The White House said the initiative that Harris launched in May 2021 has generated more than $3.2 billion of investments in the region from 40 companies and organizations. Other migration initiatives, including a regional pact to help communities that host migrants, will be the summit's focus later in the week. Health initiatives Biden and leaders are set to adopt an Action Plan on Health and Resilience in the Americas that the administration says will help countries prepare for future pandemic threats. On Wednesday, the administration announced Americas Health Corps, a new initiative aimed at improving the skills of 500,000 health workers across the region. The U.S. will contribute to some of the $100 million cost of the training program and seek to raise funds for the rest, including through the Pan American Health Organization. The administration has donated more than 65 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the region and $94 million in aid to get those shots in arms. The administration's request for $5 billion for global pandemic funding, however, has been stuck in Congress for months, largely because of Republican lawmakers who say they won't pass it unless the administration brings back Title 42. The Trump-era order allows authorities at the Mexican border to turn away migrants during a pandemic emergency. There have been more than 2.7 million COVID-19 related deaths in the Western Hemisphere, approximately 40 percent of the global total. This is the second time that the U.S. is hosting the summit. Former President Bill Clinton convened the first Summit of the Americas in Miami in 1994 to promote economic growth based on shared democratic values and the promise of increased trade and commerce. Former President Donald Trump did not attend the last summit in Lima, Peru, in 2018. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD will supply batteries to Tesla, Lian Yubo, executive vice president of BYD, recently confirmed the information when he received an interview with CGTN anchor Kui Yingchun. The battery supply cooperation between BYD and Tesla has been rumored several times. In February this year, a longtime BYD follower on the Chinese investment community Xueqiu disclosed that Tesla had officially placed orders to BYD's battery arm, FinDreams Battery, for Blade batteries, with a volume enough to manfuacture 204,000 vehicles per year. BYD Blade battery; photo credit: BYD The aforesaid batteries, model C112F, would be put into volume production in March this year, the source said then, adding that the Tesla vehicles equipped with BYD's Blade batteries were expected to hit the market in the second quarter of this year. Nevertheless, BYD did not respond to the rumor. In the domestic market, BYD recorded a power battery installed capacity of 14.48GWh for the first four months of this year, accounting for 22.75% of China's total capacity, according to data by the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance. Notably, its Jan.-Apr. installed capacity of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery stood at 14.25GWh. Tesla last year said in its third-quarter investor deck that it was changing the battery chemistry used in all its standard-range electric vehicles to a version with a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathode. The entry-level Model 3/Model Y produced in China had already been equipped with CATLs LFP cells. In 2021, Tesla for the first time became CATL's biggest client with a confirmed transaction value of 13.039 billion yuan ($1.956 billion), accounting for 10% of CATL's total annual revenue, according to CATL's 2021 financial results. U.S. House battles took shape in heavily Democratic California that could tip the balance of power in Congress, while former Trump administration Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was in a tight match to claim the Republican nomination for a new House seat in Montana. In Mississippi, Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo was forced into a runoff after a congressional ethics watchdog raised questions about his campaign spending and he faced his largest-ever field of primary challengers. Primary elections across seven states Tuesday set up November contests in dozens of races, as Democrats look to protect the party's fragile majority in the House. In a diverse district anchored in California's Orange County, Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steel, a South Korean immigrant, will face Democrat Jay Chen. The district, which includes the nation's largest Vietnamese American community, is widely considered a toss-up. In other districts in the nation's most populous state, two Republican House members were trying to surmount challenges tied to former President Donald Trump: One voted to support Trump's impeachment after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, while the other fought against it. In Iowa, Republican state Sen. Zach Nunn won the GOP spot to take on the state's lone Democratic House member, Rep. Cindy Axne, in a newly drawn district with a stronger GOP tilt. A look at results in key U.S. House races Tuesday: Battleground California: Trump history looms in key districts In 2020, Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia won a narrow victory in a Democratic-leaning district north of Los Angeles. The former Navy fighter pilot was endorsed by Trump that year, then joined House Republicans who rejected electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania and opposed Trump's impeachment after the Capitol insurrection. That record will be a focus for Democrat Christy Smith, who earned a chance for a rematch with Garcia, after losing two years ago. In a Democratic-tilting district in the state's Central Valley farm belt, Republican Rep. David Valadao is highlighting an independent streak while contending with GOP fallout for his vote to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection. Preliminary returns showed him holding an edge over Republican Chris Mathys, who made Valadao's vote a centerpiece in his campaign to oust him. The winner will face Democrat Rudy Salas, a state legislator. California uses a top-two election format in which only the two leading vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. In the Central Valley, Republican Connie Conway won a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Devin Nunes, who resigned to head Trump's media company. Mississippi congressman with ethics trouble to face runoff Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi is headed to a June 28 runoff. The congressman first elected in 2010 failed to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50% of the vote. His opponent will either be Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell, who is also campaigning on border security, or Clay Wagner, a retired banker who says he wants to limit taxation and regulation. A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found "substantial reason to believe'' Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated "false allegations.'' Former Trump Cabinet member seeks return trip to Washington Montana gained a second congressional district this year thanks to its growing population, and Zinke, an Interior Department secretary under Trump, is one of five Republicans on the primary ballot for the open seat. Zinke's rivals have been drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. One investigation determined Zinke lied to an agency ethics official about his continued involvement in a commercial real estate deal in his hometown. He's faced a smear campaign over his military service from the extreme right wing of his party and questions about his residency following revelations that his wife declared a house in California as her primary residence. Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, is widely considered the de facto incumbent, since he twice won elections for the state's other House seat before stepping down in 2017 to join the Trump administration. His primary opponents include former state Sen. Al ``Doc'' Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon and hard-line conservative who has tried to paint Zinke as a ``liberal insider.'' The winner will face Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel, a Democrat, in the general election. Incomplete returns showed Zinke locked in a tight race with Olszewski. Iowa's sole democratic House member faces a tough fight A Republican state senator has captured the slot to take on Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne this fall in a newly drawn district that appears more favorable for the GOP. Axne is the only Democrat in Iowa's House delegation. State Sen. Zach Nunn easily outdistanced rivals Nicole Hasso, a financial services worker, and Gary Leffler, who works in the construction industry, to claim the GOP spot. Nunn, an Air Force pilot who has served in the Legislature since 2014 and has worked to cut taxes, was the best known among the GOP contenders. In previous elections, Axne was elevated by her strong support in the Des Moines area, even as she struggled in rural counties that typically lean Republican. The new district includes several counties in southern Iowa known to turn out strongly for Republicans, increasing the pressure on Axne to drive up her numbers in Democrat-friendly Des Moines and its suburbs. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel promised that Iowa would "send the first congressional delegation to Washington that's fully Republican since 1957.'' Rematch coming in New Jersey house battleground In what could be New Jersey's most closely watched contest in the fall, Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr. won their primaries, setting up a rematch of their closely contested 2020 race. Malinowski, a State Department official in the Obama administration, is seeking a third term as his party faces headwinds heading into the general election. His district added more Republican-leaning towns during redistricting, making his reelection bid potentially more difficult. Another complicating factor is an ethics investigation he's facing over stock transactions in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the pandemic response. A report from the Office of Congressional Ethics said the board found "substantial reason to believe'' he failed to properly disclose or report his stock transactions. Malinowski said his failure to initially disclose the transactions was "a mistake that I own 100%.'' He said he didn't direct or even ask questions about trades made by his brokerage firm. Kean, a former state Senate minority leader and the son of the former two-term Republican governor, said in a tweet that he was humbled by his victory and looks forward to seizing the seat in November. South Dakota Republican beats back challenge from political right U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota won his state's GOP primary contest as he runs for a third term. Johnson defeated state lawmaker Taffy Howard, who tried to run to his right. He is set for reelection in November because no other candidate has entered the race. Howard repeated Trump's lies that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election and attacked Johnson for certifying the electoral college vote. While Johnson touted his conservative voting record during the primary contest, the congressman has also worked with a bipartisan group of lawmakers called the Problem Solvers Caucus. Johnson held a large fundraising advantage in the contest, but also drew attacks from a pro-Trump political action committee called Drain the DC Swamp, which spent $500,000 trying to knock him from the House. Cameroon's military says it has arrested four of its troops for the killing of nine civilians, including four women and a baby. A military spokesman says the troops fired on villagers after not getting any help in their search for a missing colleague in the rebel-prone area. Cameroons military says the troops were deployed in the northwest village of Missong on June 1 to search for their missing colleague. A military statement Tuesday night said villagers were deviant in their behavior toward the troops, who then fired on the unarmed civilians. The rare statement of military wrongdoing said the troops killed four women, four men, and an 18-month-old girl, while a 12-year-old was injured. Relatives of the victims, who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, told VOA the troops got angry when the villagers refused to help them find their missing colleague. They said the troops were demanding villagers show them rebel hideouts, which they were afraid to do for fear of rebel payback. Tamfu Richard is a human rights lawyer and member of the Cameroon Bar Council. He notes it is not the first time the military has arrested troops for atrocities and that victims are still waiting for justice. "We don't have the feeling that the government itself is ready and willing to punish its elements," said Tamfu. "We have witnessed that with the Ngarr-buh case which up till now is still pending before the courts. The government should hold these offices accountable and make sure that they face the law and that severe sanctions should be meted out on them. It is not permitted during war periods that human rights be violated or that you should kill innocent civilians." Cameroons military stormed Ngarr-buh, a northwestern village, in February 2020, killing 21 civilians. Authorities initially denied their troops committed the massacre, calling the accusation separatist propaganda. But after international pressure, Cameroon authorities admitted troops were responsible. Joseph Vincent Ntouda Ebode is a conflict resolution specialist at the University of Yaounde. He says it is surprising that Cameroons military, which prides itself on high quality training and respect for human rights, opened fire on unarmed civilians. Edobe says the abuse has scared many civilians from helping government troops by sharing information on separatist activities. He says if the military does not bring arrested troops to justice immediately, civilians may even begin sympathizing with separatists, who claim they are protecting English-speaking Cameroonians from military brutality. Rights groups have accused both Cameroon's military and anglophone separatists of killing civilians and torching their homes during the five-year conflict. Both sides reject the accusations as intended to tarnish their image. Unrest in Cameroons English-speaking western regions began in 2016 after teachers and lawyers protested the dominance of French-speakers in the officially bilingual country. The military responded with a crackdown and rebels took up arms, saying they had to defend the minority English-speakers. The U.N. says clashes between the two sides have left at least 3,300 people dead and more than 750,000 internally displaced. China and Russia were called to explain to the international community on Wednesday why they vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for new sanctions on North Korea for its recent string of prohibited long-range and ballistic missile tests. Wednesday was the first time the General Assembly implemented its April 25 resolution requiring any of the five permanent members of the powerful Security Council (Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States) to explain their actions to the wider U.N. membership when they exercise their use of the veto. Both countries shifted the blame to the U.S., saying Washington pushed for the May 26 council vote on sanctions, which they did not believe were warranted. "Since the DPRK took denuclearization measures in 2018, the U.S. side has not reciprocated the DPRK's positive initiatives and has not addressed the DPRK's legitimate and reasonable concerns," China's envoy, Zhang Jun, told the assembly, referring to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea by its acronym. "Nor has it demonstrated the necessary sincerity for resolving the issue." He said the council's sanctions were harsh and unprecedented, and in light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea, new measures would be inhumane. "Anyone who is seriously addressing the North Korean problem has long understood that it is futile to expect Pyongyang to unconditionally disarm under the threat of a spiral of sanctions," Russian Deputy Ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said. Both said they would have preferred the council express itself through a formal statement rather than a resolution. For its part, North Korea's envoy, Kim Song, said his country carries out missile tests on a regular basis and it is exercising its legitimate right to self-defense. So far this year, North Korea has carried out more than 30 missile launches, including several intercontinental ballistic missiles. In a 2017 resolution, the Security Council threatened to intensify sanctions if Pyongyang carried out another ICBM launch. "Each and every one of these launches violated multiple Security Council resolutions that were adopted by consensus," U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis said. "In response to these provocations, China and Russia cast vetoes that gave the DPRK an implicit nod of approval." The U.S.-drafted resolution would have tightened some sanctions, but also would have provided COVID-19 humanitarian relief. Since the veto, North Korea carried out eight ballistic missile launches in a single event the most ever. International concerns are also growing that Pyongyang is preparing for a potential nuclear test. "Over the last few years, there have been very high tensions in the Security Council, but China, Russia and the U.S. had always agreed to limit their divisions over Korean affairs, and it's a worrying sign that they have come to this breakdown," Richard Gowan, U.N. director for the International Crisis Group, told VOA of the council's break in unity. The Security Council veto has been cast 296 times since the U.N. was created in 1945. The USSR/Russia has cast the majority of them. Britain and France have used it the least, last in 1989. It has stalled action recently on Ukraine, but also for the last decade on Syria's conflict, as well as crises in other parts of the world. Frequent fires and a ban on construction of new boats to be used as homes or hotels are endangering the heritage houseboat industry in Kashmir. The worried houseboat owners consider the industry to be on the verge of extinction. The elaborately decorated and often luxurious vessels effectively small hotels that line the shores of Dal Lake and the regions other scenic waterways have been a major attraction for generations of foreign tourists and for Indians seeking relief from the summer heat of New Delhi. But the number of boats has fallen from 3,000 in the 1970s to a little more than 850 today with a total capacity of around 2,400 guest rooms, according to Abdul Rasheed Khankashi, 60, who has been associated with the industry all his life. Of those, he said, almost 200 need immediate major repairs if they are to remain in operation. The decline accelerated in 2010 when the Jammu and Kashmir High Court prohibited houseboat owners from engaging in any type of maintenance, citing the need to preserve Dal Lakes fragile ecosystem. In April 2020, the authorities issued new guidelines permitting the owners to make some repairs, but only after an onerous process of obtaining clearances from various government agencies. Abdul Rasheed Kloo, general-secretary of the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association, says the process is still too burdensome. He also referred to a period after August 2019 and then the subsequent shutdown because of COVID-19, which resulted in no business. Is it possible for us to abide by such rules if there is no business? Kloo asked. The current state of affairs is that were unable to cover our basis costs and many among us have not even paid their electric bills for years together. Our future is quite bleak. The history of houseboats in Kashmir dates from the 18th century, when a British army general made the first Doonga (small boat). The placid waters of Dal Lake, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, quickly became a favored summer destination for British colonialists, and the houseboats proliferated. Most of todays boats are built from Indian cedar and have between two and five bedrooms, a sitting and dining room, an attached washroom and pantry. Houseboats can also be found in other parts of India, but tourists are attracted by the unique style and construction of Srinagar's boats, not to mention the stunning mountain views reflected in the lake. But the wooden vessels are highly vulnerable to fires, which have gutted close to 10 boats on Dal and Nigeen lakes in the past year alone. Bilal Badyari, who had five of his houseboats reduced to ashes in April, told VOA that the fire started in the middle of the night. By the time we got to know about it, the fire went wild and destroyed all the houseboats in the row, he said. More than 30 tourists were on board the houseboats at the time but none was hurt. We endangered our lives, but we evacuated and saved all tourists, he said, explaining that the fire had been started by a tourist who was smoking. Two other houseboats on Dal Lake in Srinagar were destroyed by fire in January. Officials were unable to determine the cause of that blaze. Jahangir Badyari, the owner of a houseboat in Nigeen Lake, described several other challenges facing the houseboat community, including the cumbersome bureaucracy. We cant even open the bank account for our business, and to have one we need government registration or renewals, he told VOA. That needs a No Objections Certificate from tens of government departments, which is close to impossible to get. Even if the construction of new boats was permitted, he said, there is a shortage of the special cedar that is traditionally used and few remaining craftsmen with the necessary skills. Kloo said his boat was first commissioned in 1984, and construction took 18 months with the help of 12 types of craftsmen. Despite the problems, tourists who stay on the remaining houseboats rave about the experience, citing the opportunity to experience the local cuisine, learn about local customs and enjoy a unique showcase of natural splendor and cultural diversity. Youll want to return to it even after youve checked it off your bucket list, to rediscover it as if youd discovered it for the first time, said Upendra Sawant, a tourist from Mumbai. Rauf Tramboo, president of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir, said tourists prefer to stay in their boats rather than the three- and five-star hotels that line the shores of Dal Lake. He and other tour operators hope the boats will get a boost from a plan to begin giving them star ratings, much like hotels. There is also a move to review the rules governing the registration, renewal and operation of houseboats on Dal and Nigeen lakes. Arun Kumar Mehta, the chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, presided over a meeting in April where it was resolved that a committee would take charge of inspecting the houseboats to guarantee compliance with all established rules and procedures, such as structural safety, fire hazards, and sewage and waste disposal. The committee will also be tasked with reviewing any houseboat paperwork for registration or renewal of registration. The United States has warned of "a swift and forceful response" if North Korea conducts a nuclear test. Such a reaction, experts say, must include bolstering South Korean defenses while targeting Chinese and Russian entities and individuals supporting Pyongyang's weapons programs. In Seoul on Tuesday, after meeting with South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said, "There would be a swift and forceful response" to a North Korean nuclear test. At a meeting in Vienna on Monday, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said North Korea was gearing up for a possible nuclear test as one of the tunnel entrances had been "reopened" at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. Signs of preparation for a nuclear test have been visible via satellite since March at Punggye-ri, which Pyongyang shut down in 2018 in front of foreign journalists invited to watch its dismantlement. At a press briefing on Monday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. is concerned Pyongyang will conduct a nuclear test "in the coming days." "It is a contingency we have planned for" with allies and partners, Price added. Tensions have been mounting on the Korean Peninsula following Pyongyang's launch of eight short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday. It was Pyongyang's 18th round of weapons tests this year. The U.S. and South Korean militaries responded by firing eight ballistic missiles on Monday and staging a show of force with fighter jet drills over the Yellow Sea, also known as the West Sea, on Tuesday. Counterstrategy A North Korean nuclear test, which would be the country's seventh since 2006 and its first since September 2017, should be met by reinforcing defenses around the Korean Peninsula, experts said. "It is imperative that the U.S. demonstrates strategic reassurance and strategic resolve, which it has been doing during this year of North Korean missile launches," said David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed at their summit on May 21 to deploy strategic U.S. assets "in a timely and coordinated manner as necessary" as well as "to reinforce deterrence in the face of [North Korea's] destabilizing activities," according to a joint statement released by the White House. Strategic assets include aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. The two leaders also agreed to start discussions to expand joint military drills around the Korean Peninsula. Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets entered the Korea air defense identification zone in the Sea of Japan, approaching but coming short of violating South Korea's airspace, when Biden was in Tokyo after visiting Seoul on his Asian tour. China and Russia have also increased their military activities around Japan recently as well. Lawrence Korb, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress think tank and a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, said Washington and Seoul should "hold more military exercises and put a carrier task force and a ballistic missile submarine in the area to send a signal" to North Korea that any use of nuclear weapons will come with a price. South Korea's military said on Saturday it had launched military drills with the U.S. in the waters off Okinawa, Japan, and that for the first time in more than four years, the exercises involved a U.S. aircraft carrier in this case, the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan, according to Reuters. Under Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in, who promoted inter-Korean reconciliation efforts, large-scale joint drills, that Pyongyang sees as invasion exercises, were either scaled down or canceled. Victor Cha, a senior vice president and Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who led negotiations with North Korea under the George W. Bush administration, said that "trilateral exercises" including Japan "would also be useful to deter unilateral actions by China, Russia, or the DPRK" since "the Korean and Japanese security theaters are interlinked." Cha used the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "If Russia and China are making air and sea incursions into South Korea or into Japan, that should be of concern to both countries," Cha said. Sanctions Experts also said the U.S. should respond to any Pyongyang nuclear test by imposing unilateral sanctions on entities and individuals operating in China and Russia in support of North Korea's weapons programs. Joshua Stanton, a Washington-based attorney who helped draft the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2016, said North Korean leader "Kim Jong Un's money-laundering networks have thousands of agents and front companies overseas." He continued, "Many of them are in Russia and China, and most of them are controlled by entities that are already designated by the U.N. They must be blocked" from access to the international financial system. China and Russia, as U.N. Security Council permanent members with veto powers, blocked a new U.S.-led resolution calling for more sanctions on North Korea at the United Nations on May 26. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at a May 31 press briefing that the U.S. would "push for additional sanctions" if North Korea conducts a nuclear test. Beijing and Moscow, however, are unlikely to pass another resolution on North Korea, experts say, even if the regime conducts a nuclear test, unlike in 2016 and 2017 when they voted in favor of U.N. resolutions in response to Pyongyang's fourth, fifth and sixth nuclear tests. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said on Tuesday via teleconference from Jakarta, Indonesia, that the U.S. was preparing for a U.N. General Assembly meeting on Wednesday where Beijing and Moscow will "have an opportunity to explain why they vetoed the resolution" on North Korea. If the Security Council remains stymied on North Korea, said Anthony Ruggiero, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, "U.S. sanctions can be used to implement U.N. sanctions" by targeting North Korean, Chinese and Russian companies, individuals and banks that aid Pyongyang's sanctions evasion. At the briefing on Monday, Price said the U.S. and "our partners and allies have authorities that we can coordinate just as we work on defense and deterrence together with our partners in the region." He was alluding to sanctions the U.S. could impose in coordination with other willing countries. Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, said that other than unilateral sanctions that Washington tends to resort to as "America's first response to North Korean provocations," the Biden administration "has no good options" after a nuclear test. "Sanctions so far have not changed the North's policies and aren't likely to have any greater impact now," he said. Suzanne DiMaggio, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said, "Now it appears we're about to enter a fraught period, and U.S. options are limited at best." A leading human rights organization is calling on the U.N. Human Rights Council to appoint a special rapporteur to investigate and document human rights violations within Russia as the best way to curtail atrocities in Ukraine. Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth is making the appeal in advance of the council's four-week session, which begins next week. He said President Vladimir Putin's harsh crackdown on political dissent, heightened censorship and disinformation within Russia is designed to avert opposition to the war in Ukraine and the atrocities being committed there in the name of the Russian people. The appointment of a special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia would lift this veil of ignorance, Roth said. He added that Putin cares tremendously about the views of the Russian people and his efforts to curtail free speech within the country are all geared toward reducing dissent. "Even though Putin is an autocrat, even though he sits at the end of his COVID-induced isolation table seemingly making decisions on his own, he is attentive to Russian public opinion," Roth said. "And so, therefore, a kind of moral holistic approach to trying to address the atrocities in Ukraine would ensure that the Russian people are able to speak." Turning to another issue, Roth said High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet has missed a great opportunity to hold China to account for its mass incarceration of nearly 2 million Uyghurs in secretive detention camps in Xinjiang. He described the high commissioner's recent visit to China as an unmitigated disaster, saying she was skillfully played by Beijing and completely adopted Beijing's framework. "There was no condemnation from Madame Bachelet, even remotely commensurate with the severity of the atrocities being committed in Xinjiang," Roth said. "She never called them crimes against humanity. She never called them much of anything. She just was there for her discussion." Bachelet had said her trip to China last month was intended as an opportunity to discuss human rights with senior officials and "pave the way" for continued talks. What rights groups call internment camps, China calls educational and vocational centers. It denies that Uyghurs are involuntarily detained and mistreated. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other organizations have raised serious concerns about the treatment of ethnic Uyghurs. Roth urged Bachelet to immediately issue her long-awaited report on China's crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, saying Beijing responds to pressure. He noted the high commissioner has the power to exert public pressure to shame and condemn Beijing for what it is doing in Xinjiang. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced a new team of Justice Department officials and outside experts leading a review of the recent Texas school massacre, saying the inquiry will get to the bottom of what went wrong. "Nothing can undo the pain that has been inflicted on the loved ones of the victims, the survivors, and the entire community of Uvalde," Garland said. "But the Justice Department can and will use its expertise and independence to assess what happened and to provide guidance moving forward." The May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 children and two teachers dead and more than a dozen other people injured. It was the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade. Garland spoke before meeting with members of the team conducting the "critical incident review" of the police response to the mass shooting. The inquiry will look at police actions and responses, identify lessons and best practices, and it will suggest a road map for "community safety and engagement" during such incidents, the Justice Department said in a statement. Garland said, "We will be assessing what happened that day. We will be doing site visits at the school. We will be conducting interviews with an extremely wide variety of stakeholders: witnesses, families, law enforcement, government officials, school officials." The team's findings and recommendations will be published at the end of the review, the attorney general said. Garland said the request to conduct a review came from Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin and that the department has been promised cooperation by local and state law enforcement. In the wake of the shooting, law enforcement has faced criticism for their slow response and for providing contradictory information about the incident. Parents and family members gathered outside the school as the shooting unfolded and implored police officers to storm the school and take down the gunman. But the police waited outside for more than an hour before going in. The decision not to immediately breach the classroom occupied by the gunman was made by school district police chief Pete Arredondo, who led the law enforcement response on the scene, the Texas Department of Public Safety said last week. Arredondo reportedly treated the shooting as a "barricaded suspect" situation rather than an active shooter incident, which would have triggered immediate police action to shoot the gunman. Garland said the Justice Department review, conducted with the support of outside experts, will be "comprehensive, it will be transparent, and it will be independent." The department has previously conducted similar reviews of other mass shootings, including a 2015 shooting in San Bernardino, California, and the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Among the nine outside experts aiding the investigation are several retired police chiefs who led law enforcement agencies during mass shootings. The Uvalde school massacre was the deadliest since December 2012 when a 20-year-old gunman shot and killed 26 people at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The Texas shooting came less than two weeks after an 18-year-old white supremacist shot and killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The FBI is investigating that shooting as an act of racially motivated violent extremism. Garland's announcement came as members of Congress heard testimony from survivors and family members of the victims of the Texas shooting who called for tightening access to guns. Garland said the Justice Department "stands ready to support the bipartisan gun safety negotiations that are going on in Congress." Hong Kong's largest national security law case started on Tuesday, with 47 pro-democracy activists and lawmakers standing trial. The defendants are charged with "conspiracy to subversion" under the city's national security law, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Following the anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong to quell political dissent. The law, which strictly prohibits acts deemed as secession, subversion, foreign collusion and terrorism, has been used by authorities to target the core of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. In February 2021, the 47 activists surrendered to authorities and were charged under the sweeping security law for organizing an unofficial primary election in 2020. Authorities accused them of intending to abuse their powers as lawmakers, had they had been elected and achieved a majority in Hong Kong's Legislature. They also said those accused would have stifled government operations and forced Hong Kong's chief executive to resign. The defendants include democratically elected lawmakers, councilors, academics and pro-democracy advocates. Among them are prominent activist Joshua Wong, veteran activist Leung "Long Hair" Kwok-hung, former professor Benny Tai, former lawmaker Claudia Mo, and former journalist Gwyneth Ho. 'De facto sentences' Since the defendants were charged, court proceedings have been lengthy. Only 13 of the defendants have been granted bail, while the remainder have been in pretrial detention, waiting for court proceedings to reach trial. Michael Mo, a former Hong Kong district councilor who is currently in Britain, criticized the time it has taken for the trial to begin. "The prolonged pretrial proceedings served as de facto sentences to these pro-democracy campaigners and displayed the mockery of the prosecution procedure, which claimed itself to be fair and efficient," he said. The case was first brought to court in March last year, and the hearing lasted for four days. Over the past 15 months, there have been few updates because most of the pretrial hearings have been subject to reporting restrictions. "The court imposes strict restrictions on journalists about what can be reported. The public is in the dark, as what happened at the proceedings remained largely whispered or forbidden. It left a scar on Hong Kong's judiciary, which were once proud to be transparent," Mo said. "The trial and the sentences [charges] reflect how Beijing views the legal system of Hong Kong," he said. "It's their tool to silence the dissidents just like what they did in mainland China." National security law Since the national security law came into effect nearly three years ago, more than 180 people have been arrested and several have been jailed. The legislation has also forced independent media and civil societies in the city to close. In landmark cases under the law, dissidents have faced trial without a jury and before specially enlisted national security judges. The first person sentenced under the law received nine years in prison in July. According to local reports, 46 of the 47 cases are now with Hong Kong's High Court and carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. The stakes have risen for high-profile congressional hearings beginning later this week with the filing of seditious conspiracy charges against leaders of one of the most prominent groups involved in the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. The timing of the indictment is coincidental to the hearings, which will kick off with a prime time nationally televised session Thursday, but the seriousness of the charges drives home the importance of the investigation and is likely to draw more viewers to the broadcast. A federal grand jury on Monday returned the superseding indictment alleging that former Proud Boys national chairman Henry Enrique Tarrio and members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola conspired to use force to prevent members of Congress from certifying the results of the election in which President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump. The indictment includes the text of various messages and voice memoranda that members of the Proud Boys exchanged which suggest there was an extensive planning process in advance of the attack. In the indictment, the Justice Department alleges that an associate of Tarrios provided him with a nine-page document called 1776 Returns that outlined a plan for occupying several federal buildings in Washington. The associate wrote to Tarrio, The revolution is [sic] important than anything," to which Tarrio replied, That's what every waking moment consists of ... I'm not playing games. Hearings planned The groups actions are also expected to figure at some point during half a dozen public hearings being planned to publicize the findings of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The committee, made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans, has conducted more than 1,000 interviews and has obtained more than 100,000 documents in the course of its investigation. However, some of the most high-profile figures from whom it has sought testimony, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have defied subpoenas. Members of the committee have indicated in public statements and in court filings that the hearings will outline ways in which investigators believe members of the Trump administration and others close to the former president planned to overturn the results of the election. They have also indicated that they will try to connect the former presidents false claims that the election was stolen from him to the violent protests on the day of the attack. The hearings, some of which are to be broadcast in the evening, are being designed for maximum public impact, mixing live witness testimony, videotaped depositions and a steady drumbeat of previously unrevealed facts about the run-up to the assault. Up to 20 years in prison The seditious conspiracy charge leveled against Tarrio and his associates carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. According to statute, it requires the government to prove that two or more people conspired to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof. In this case, the government is arguing that the Proud Boys named in the indictment conspired to use force to prevent the counting of electoral votes by then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress on January 6. That count, required by law under the Electoral Count Act of 1887, is the final step in confirming the winner of a presidential election. Mondays indictment is the second time that a group of individuals involved in the storming of the Capitol has been charged with seditious conspiracy. Earlier this year 10 members of the right-wing Oath Keepers group, including its leader, Stewart Rhodes, faced the same allegations. Rare charge The spate of seditious conspiracy charges arising from the attack on the Capitol masks the fact that it is a crime only rarely alleged in the United States. The crime itself is pretty rare, because it is essentially an agreement to obstruct the government in a significant way, and that just doesn't happen that much, Carlton F. W. Larson, a Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at the University of California-Davis School of Law, told VOA. However, he said, the government appears to have a strong case. At this point, these are just allegations, Larson said. But assuming that they are true, I think it states a pretty clear case for a seditious conspiracy charge. He added, This is a pretty cautious Justice Department, so the fact that they thought that this was appropriate does tell us they are taking January 6 very seriously. Not present at Capitol Neither the Proud Boys Tarrio, charged on Monday, nor the Oath Keepers Rhodes actually entered the Capitol on January 6. Tarrio had been arrested in Washington, D.C., several days prior to the attack, on charges related to an earlier Proud Boys event in the city. A judge directed him not to return to the city until those allegations were resolved, and he appears to have complied with that order. Rhodes was in Washington at the time of the attack but did not enter the Capitol. The fact that both are still facing charges highlights the fact that to be successful, a seditious conspiracy charge does not require that the act of sedition was successful, or that it was even carried out at all. The actual offense really is the conspiracy, the prior agreement to do these things, said UC-Davis Larson. An attorney representing Tarrio told the Wall Street Journal that his client looks forward to being vindicated. Rhodes has pleaded not guilty. Both men, along with others charged in their cases, remain in federal custody. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misspelled Carlton F. W. Larson's last name in the first instance. VOA regrets the error. Nearly a year and a half ago, a mob of about 2,000 supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a destructive rampage, trying to block lawmakers from certifying Democrat Joe Bidens decisive victory in the 2020 presidential election. Starting Thursday night, Americans will get a first-hand accounting of how the attack on January 6, 2021, unfolded. Witnesses will testify before a congressional investigative committee about the planning of the insurrection, Trumps role in promoting the mayhem, how he tried to thwart election results to claim another four-year term, and what he was doing at the White House during the rampage that was televised across the globe. It was a seminal moment in America, an attack on the seat of American democracy. The Capitol is often seen around the world as the symbol of a freely elected representative form of government and the place where the power of the presidency is peacefully passed from one president to the next. In the first of at least six days of hearings this month, some of them televised in prime time, witnesses are expected to tell the U.S. House select committee investigating the January 6 attack how Trump acolytes supported the insurrection in a futile attempt to keep him in power. The committee is planning a combination of live testimony from key Trump administration insiders; videotaped interviews with others, including Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner both of whom were White House advisers and previously undisclosed video of the hours of chaos inside the Capitol building. On the first night, the committee says it plans to hear testimony from two witnesses: British filmmaker Nick Quested, who recorded members of the far-right Proud Boys as they stormed into the Capitol, and Caroline Edwards, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who was seriously injured as the rioters barged past police. Edwards sustained a traumatic brain injury battling the rioters. Committee investigators have interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses linked to the riot and Trumps effort to upend the election results. Among them is Cassidy Hutchinson, a top assistant to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who reconstructed details of White House meetings and discussions for the committee. But other possible witnesses, including Meadows, other key Trump aides and five Republican congressmen with links to Trump have all refused to testify. Short of a late-minute change of mind, they are likely to succeed in stonewalling the committees efforts to have them appear. Meadows initially provided House investigators with voluminous records before refusing to testify. Two former Trump advisers, Peter Navarro and Steve Bannon, have been charged with contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the committee, but the Justice Department decided to not bring contempt charges against Meadows and another former Trump aide, Dan Scavino, who also refused to testify. To this day, Trump claims he was cheated out of re-election by fraudulent vote counts in several closely contested states, although recount after recount showed minimal irregularities not enough to upend the national outcome. Trump has lost five dozen court suits contesting the vote. He has derided the congressional investigation. The nine-member committee seven Democrats and two Republicans who turned against the former president is expected to call witnesses to describe Trumps efforts to persuade then-Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the national results, which would have thrown the outcome of the election into legal chaos. But Pence refused Trumps overtures, saying his role as presiding officer over certification of the votes from all 50 states was merely administrative and that he had no power to overturn the official count. As it turned out, the unofficial results ahead of the official certification proved to be the same as when the state counts were tallied in the early hours of January 7, 2021: a 306-232 Biden victory in the Electoral College. U.S. presidents are chosen by the Electoral College, a system of counting states electoral votes based on the popular vote outcome in each state. The number of electoral votes is based on a states population and its total number of senators and representatives in Congress. As the hearings start, one of the Republicans on the committee, Representative Liz Cheney, told CBS News on Sunday, "People must pay attention. People must watch, and they must understand how easily our democratic system can unravel if we don't defend it." Fight like hell Just ahead of the official certification of his electoral loss, Trump staged a rally near the White House, telling thousands of supporters to head to the Capitol to stop the steal and fight like hell to block certification of Bidens win. About 2,000 of his supporters stormed into the U.S. Capitol, smashing windows and doors, ransacking offices and scuffling with police, injuring 140 of them. Five people died that day or in the immediate aftermath. One protester was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer during the riot. To this point, at least 861 people have been charged with criminal offenses committed at the Capitol. Many have faced minor trespassing charges, while others have been charged with assaulting police, damaging parts of the Capitol and ransacking congressional offices. At least 306 of those arrested have pleaded guilty, with many sentenced to a few weeks in jail. Some who faced assault charges have been sentenced to more than four years. The rest of the cases remain unresolved as investigators pore through vast video footage of the mayhem to identify the rioters. Trump says he supports those charged in the attack on the Capitol and has said if he runs for the presidency in 2024 and wins, we will treat those people from January 6 fairly. And if it requires pardons, we will give them pardons, because they are being treated so unfairly." Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese automaker Lifan Technology (Group) Co.,Ltd. (Lifan Technology) announced this week that it sold 4,030 vehicles in May 2022, 2,419 units of which were new energy vehicles (NEVs). In the same month, the automaker recorded a production volume of 3,106 units, which included 948 NEVs. Compared to the previous month, Lifan Technology's auto outputs and sales in May surged 92.44% and 33.58% respectively. For the first five months of this year, the automaker saw its cumulative production volume rocket 4,797.44% year on year to 5,730 units, while its auto sales also shot up 11,030.09% to 12,577 units. Notably, the company's year-to-date NEV outputs and sales zoomed up 1,826.67% and 8,704.67% from a year earlier to 2,023 units and 9,421 units respectively. For clarity, the NEV sales reported by the company consisted of the sales volumes of the vehicles produced and sold by Lifan Technology, Zhejiang Geely Automobile Company Limited, and Zhejiang Haoqing Automobile Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Maple 60S; photo credit: Livan Automotive The robust sales growth was partly thanks to the automaker's efforts to raise its fleet sales by leveraging the battery swap capability and the car-battery seperation purchase policy of its battery swappable vehicle models. Livan Automotive, its subsidiary jointly owned with Geely Auto, has secured mid-/long-term batch vehicle orders by signing strategic agreements with Wuchan Zhongda Yuantong Industrial Corporation and Cao Cao Mobility, the mobility service platform backed by Geely. A new report on Uyghur forced labor in China finds there may be an increase in Beijing's coercive labor campaign targeting the predominantly Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang, expanding a widely condemned program that China has long denied. "Despite the decrease in concrete publicly available evidence, the new developments are increasing both the scale and the scope of coercive labor, expanding it to higher-skilled sectors," stated a report posted this week on the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation's website. The report warned that "sectors requiring higher skills levels will in the future increasingly be at risk of coercive labor as well." For Uyghurs who were forced into work placements in the past, China's current five-year plan that started in 2021 now prevents Uyghurs from leaving their work through "unemployment and poverty prevention" policies and surveillance, according to the report. Since last year, hundreds of thousands of Chinese officials in Xinjiang have been monitoring rural Uyghurs' employment and income, the report said. The current five-year plan comes after five years of what Beijing views as successes in "mobilizational labor placement efforts" in Xinjiang from 2016-2020, according to the Jamestown Foundation report. China's current plan from 2021-2025 is set to focus on consolidation and maintenance of its coercive labor campaign in the region. The Chinese government's coercion of ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs, into labor-intensive manufacturing dates back to 2016 under its "Poverty Alleviation through Labor Transfer" campaign, according to report author Adrian Zenz, senior fellow and director of China studies at the Washington-based Victims of Communism Memorial. "The point at which Xinjiang's labor transfers became highly coercive coincided with the beginning of the mass internment campaign in the first half of 2017," the report stated. There were two types of forced laborers from Xinjiang who went to work in other parts of the country from 2016-2020, according to the report. One was made up of detainees in internment camps or what China called Vocational Skills Education and Training Centers (VSETC), and the other was a group labeled as "rural surplus laborers." "The forced work placement of likely hundreds of thousands VSETC detainees continues to implicate many labor-intensive manufacturing sectors, especially textiles and garments," the report stated. "Rural surplus laborers who refuse state-mandated labor transfer placements remain at risk of penalization through internment in re-education camps," the report found. China has repeatedly denied accusations of forced labor in Xinjiang. China's state news agency Xinhua last year quoted Xu Guixiang, an official of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as saying that residents there "have freedom in employment, and what the government does is to improve employment policies and provide a good employment environment." Last year, Xinhua reported a study by Xinjiang scholars who interviewed 70 migrant workers from Xinjiang who said they chose to work away from home. Some of them said they were able to sightsee on holidays and weekends. The report described an Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report on Uyghur forced labor as "lies." The ASPI report said, based on government documents, workers were under "constant surveillance" and "have limited freedom of movement." US law on Uyghur forced labor Uyghur forced labor has been at the forefront of U.S.-Sino tensions. A bipartisan letter was sent to President Joe Biden on June 6 by four U.S. lawmakers urging his administration to fully implement the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) that was signed into law last December. The U.S. law bans imports made with forced labor in Xinjiang and is set to go into effect on June 21. The United States, along with some other Western governments and rights groups, accuse Beijing of genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region, which China had repeatedly denied. The accusations include forced labor, sterilization, arbitrary detention of over 1 million people in internment camps, and the eradication of language and culture. "As authors of the legislation, we anticipate that full implementation of the law by the administration will demonstrate U.S. global leadership on the issue of modern slavery and accomplish the intent of Congress to prevent anybody from profiting off atrocities and to protect American consumers from having to use and consume goods made from forced labor," the letter stated. In a June 2 press conference, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said "we have rebuked U.S. lies on 'forced labor' in Xinjiang many times." It charged that the UFLPA "maliciously smears the human rights conditions" in Xinjiang. "We urge the U.S. to refrain from enforcing the act, stop using Xinjiang-related issues to interfere in China's internal affairs and contain China's development," Zhao told the press in Beijing. "If the U.S. is bent on doing so, China will take forceful measures to firmly defend its own interests and dignity." U.S. Customs and Border Protection guidance states that the Uyghur Forced Labor Act has a "presumption" that all products from Xinjiang are made with forced labor, and are banned from entering the U.S. unless companies are able to provide "clear and convincing evidence" that forced labor was not involved. Afghanistans ruling Taliban group unveiled a new uniform for its national police force Wednesday, saying the move will lead to improved security in the conflict-torn country. In the first stage, 20,000 uniforms are being distributed [among police forces] in Kabul and Kandahar provinces. The number will reach up to 100,000 in the next two weeks, Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor told a televised news conference in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Since returning to power nearly 10 months ago, the Taliban have relied on their widely feared insurgent-turned-security force to handle law and order across Afghanistan amid persistent criticism that the absence of a police uniform and a lack of police training are encouraging the men to indulge in criminal activities or misuse of power. This special uniform that you are seeing today will help counter security spoilers and provide better safety to our fellow citizens, Deputy Interior Minister Noor Jalal Jalali told reporters, while some police officers wearing new uniforms lined up behind him. The dark green uniform carries the Talibans white flag with black Arabic lettering displaying Islam's main tenet on the sleeves It reads, There is no God but Allah. Mohammad is the messenger of God. The Islamist hardline group used the flag during its previous rule in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, when only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recognized the Taliban government, amid widespread human rights abuses and the exclusion of women from public life. The disbanded U.S.-trained and -funded Afghan police forces were using grey-blue uniform, with the traditional tri-colored republican flag on the sleeves. The Taliban seized power last August as the then-Afghan government and its Western-backed national security forces collapsed in the face of Taliban battlefield advances just days before the final U.S.-led foreign troops withdrew from the country. No country has yet recognized the new Taliban government, known as Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, mainly because of human rights and terrorism concerns. The all-male Taliban cabinet has rolled back many human rights Afghans enjoyed over the past 20 years, particularly those of women. They have abolished the Ministry of Womens Affairs and replaced it with the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, tasked with interpreting and enforcing the groups version of Islam in the country. The Islamist rulers have barred girls from resuming secondary school education across most of Afghanistan and female employees from returning to their jobs in some government departments. Afghan women have been ordered to cover up fully in public, including their faces, and not to travel long distances or leave Afghanistan unless accompanied be a close male relative. Human rights defenders are urging the United States and other Western nations to press the Taliban to reverse their new rules for women if they want legitimacy, respect, financial assistance and relief from international sanctions. Heather Barr with Human Rights Watch emphasized in a statement Tuesday that as long as there are things the Taliban want, there is leverage" the international community can use to press the group to review its human rights-related polices. What is happening right now in Afghanistan is the most serious womens rights crisis in the world today, and the most serious womens rights crisis since 1996, when the Taliban took over the last time. There is no time to lose, Barr said. The Taliban reject the criticism of their governance-related decrees as a disrespect for Afghan religious and cultural values, insisting their actions are strictly in line with Islam. Millions of tons of grain remain trapped in Ukraine as Russia continues its aggression against the country and world wheat prices soar. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Ankara Wednesday with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu for talks focused on creating shipping corridors to allow Ukrainian grain exports to access world markets. But both sides failed to reach any agreements to avert a looming world food crisis. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey was ready to work with the United Nations to create a secure shipping corridor to allow Ukrainian ships to transport wheat to world markets. Cavusoglu said Turkey sees it as a reasonable and implementable plan. But, he said, both Russia and Ukraine must accept the request from the U.N. Cavusoglu said Turkey offered to host a meeting in Istanbul to discuss the details. Turkish and Russian officials have been talking about a plan for both navies to provide passage for Ukrainian cargo ships. But a key issue remains the removal of mines protecting the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Lavrov laid the responsibility on Kyiv. Lavrov said that to solve this problem, the only thing needed, in Russias view, is for the Ukrainians to let vessels out of their ports, either by de-mining them or by marking out safe corridors. Nothing more, the Russian top diplomat said, is required. But before removing the mines, Kyiv is looking for guarantees that Russian forces will not launch an amphibious attack on Odesa. Lavrov pledged Russia would not attack, but Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, dismissed the offer as "empty words." Russian officials say soaring food prices have little to do with the Ukraine conflict. On Wednesday, Cavusoglu backed Moscow's call to lift international sanctions on Russia if a deal was struck to allow Ukrainian grain to reach world markets. But Aaron Stein of the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute said Washington is unlikely to agree. One of the main hindrances of this (grain corridor deal), is that the Russians are demanding an easing of sanctions, he said. It has been their position since this first came up a month or two ago. But the U.S. has no intention of easing sanctions. Despite a lack of progress in Wednesday's talks, Turkish officials say a deal can still be achieved, although they say the current mistrust between Kyiv and Moscow remains a big obstacle. Ukraines fortunes in defending Sievierodonetsk took a turn for the worse Wednesday, with its troops forced to retreat to the outskirts of the eastern industrial city in the face of a fierce Russian attack. Days ago, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive that recaptured nearly half the city, but Luhansk regional Governor Serhiy Haidai told the RBC-Ukraine media outlet that when Russia started flattening the city with shelling and air strikes, it made no sense to stay. "Our [forces] now again control only the outskirts of the city, Haidai said. But the fighting is still going on, our [forces] are defending Sievierodonetsk, it is impossible to say the Russians completely control the city." He acknowledged the difficulties for Kyivs forces, telling The Associated Press, "Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, they're using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely." Haidai indicated that Ukrainian forces could pull back to more defensible positions, such as Lysychansk, a city across the Siverskyi Donets River, which sits on higher ground. He has previously suggested that Kyivs forces would have to pull back to avoid being surrounded. After weeks of focusing its attacks on eastern Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday Russian forces now control 97% of Luhansk province. Sievierodonetsk is the last major city in the region yet to be captured during Moscows 3-month offensive. Shoigu said Russian troops were also advancing toward the town of Popasna, and he said they have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised his troops efforts in the eastern Donbas region and said Russia had not expected to meet much resistance. The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues, he said. Both Russia and Ukraine claim to have inflicted huge casualties on each other. Shoigu said 6,489 Ukrainian troops have been taken prisoner since the start of the military action in Ukraine on February 24, including 126 over the past few days. A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday the United States had started training Ukrainian soldiers on the use of advanced rocket systems being sent to Ukraine as part of a $700 million aid package approved last week. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Anton Semelroth said the training was taking place in Germany and elsewhere in Europe for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The truck-mounted system can carry six rockets with a range of about 70 kilometers. Norway said it trained Ukrainian soldiers in Germany on the use of M109 self-propelled howitzers as part of its shipment of 22 of the weapons to Ukraine. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said the donation, which includes spare parts and ammunition, is a substantial contribution very much in demand by Ukraine. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. The U.N. secretary-general said Wednesday the Russian invasion of Ukraine must end to stem the growing global food, fuel and finance crises, which could push tens of millions more people across the world into hunger and poverty this year. "The death and destruction must stop," Antonio Guterres told reporters. "A political solution must be found in line with international law and the United Nations Charter." But until that happens, he said immediate action is needed to bring stability to global food and energy markets in order to slow rising prices, and resources need to be made available to help the poorest countries and communities withstand the shocks. The secretary-general has been involved behind the scenes in trying to secure a deal that would allow for the safe and secure export of Ukrainian-produced food through the Black Sea, and the unimpeded access to global markets for Russian food and fertilizers. "This deal is essential for hundreds of millions of people in developing countries, including in sub-Saharan Africa," Guterres said. He would not elaborate on whether his team is close to a deal, because he said he did not want to jeopardize the chances of success when the welfare of millions of people could depend on it. Global response group After Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine, the secretary-general quickly established a Global Crisis Response Group to deal with the expected impact of the war's disruption on the Black Sea region, which is one of the world's largest breadbaskets. The group's coordinator, U.N. trade and development chief Rebeca Grynspan, warned that the current food crisis could escalate into a global food catastrophe by next year. "Higher energy costs and trade restrictions on the fertilizer supply from the Black Sea region have resulted in fertilizer prices rising even faster than food prices," Grynspan said. She said if the war drags on and high prices continue for grain and fertilizer into the next planting season, crops such as rice, which feeds billions of people, could be affected next. "This year's food crisis is about lack of access," U.N. chief Guterres said, referring to the impact of Russia's blockade on Ukraine's grain exports. "Next year's could be about lack of food." The Global Crisis Response Group says nearly 100 countries and about 1.6 billion people have found themselves severely exposed to at least one dimension of the food, fuel and finance crisis. About three-quarters of them live in countries that are very vulnerable on all three fronts. Coping mechanisms are strained at both the national level and for families. According to the International Labor Organization, the COVID-19 pandemic had left 60% of workers with a lower real income. "We are on the brink of the most severe global cost-of-living crisis in a generation," Grynspan said. Many debt-laden countries are in "debt distress" or at high risk of it. She said the risk of a major debt crisis is greater now than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She urged the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to release financial support. "Unless there is a strong effort from international financial institutions to increase countries financial resources and fiscal space, countries will continue to struggle to pay their food and energy import bills, service their debt and increase spending in social protection," she said. As to the skyrocketing cost of fuel in many countries, she recommended governments use some of their reserves and strategic stockpiles to ease the crunch. "Let me underline that this is a global crisis, which nobody can escape," she warned. VOAs Eastern Europe bureau chief Myroslava Gongadze discusses the situation in Ukraine with Ambassador Michael Carpenter, U.S. permanent representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The transcript has been edited for clarity: VOA: Thank you so much for this interview on this Russian invasion. The war has tested the international community, international organizations, and their ability to actually withstand and deal with the crisis. How would you assess the effectiveness of the nations of the Security Council, of OSCE, in this particular crisis? Carpenter: Well, first of all, the crisis that we have is one of the biggest challenges to the international order since the Second World War. Every single major principle encoded in the U.N. Charter and the Helsinki Final Act but also let's not forget in the Geneva Conventions of war has been violated. So we're dealing with a complete upending of the established system of rules and norms that we've all grown up assuming are set in stone essentially, with occasional violations here and there, but now it is really a rupture. And so international organizations, you know, they bring people together around the table, but in and of themselves they can achieve very little unless there is consensus among the membership. And so at an organization like the OSCE where I work, we sit around the table with, on any given day, around 45 states that see the world the same way we do in the United States. But then we've also got Russia and Belarus there and then we've got the Central Asian states and a few others that are scared in the current context, but are maybe unwilling to take on Russia directly. So that is not a recipe in which we can achieve a lot of success in terms of implementing new mandates, putting institutions on the ground, but nevertheless the institutions or the organization remains. VOA: What does it say about the ability of international organizations or the West to actually stop the war that they were created to actually intervene in this kind of situation but they're not able to? Carpenter: Well, so, I mean, when you have a member of the Security Council, when you have a major player like Russia that violates all the norms of the given organization, then multilateral diplomacy becomes much less effective. And right now, I have to say multilateral diplomacy is hamstrung as a result of Russia's violation of all these basic norms. So what do we do in this circumstance? Well, we have to rely on what we can do bilaterally to help Ukraine, meaning: I'm the ambassador of the United States, not the ambassador of the OSCE, although I work in the OSCE. But my job is to look for ways for the United States to support Ukraine through the provision of military equipment, imposition of sanctions and export controls on Russia, looking to galvanize support from our allies and partners. And that last piece is probably one of the most important ones. So we are working daily with our allies and partners like, for example, the Germans, who had this internal norm against providing weapons to another country, which they've broken through now. The Swedes have also broken through this sort of notion of military neutrality and are providing weapons to Ukraine. So we are working on the margins at the OSCE to convince our partners that this is what we have to do, not just to support Ukraine, but to support the whole system of rules that frankly the decent civilized world ought to support. VOA: Talking about leadership, specifically here in Europe, we see all the Eastern European countries like Poland, Baltic states and some others are pushing older Europe, specifically Germany and France, to be more active in supporting Ukraine and basically trying to defeat Russia. Does it mean that there are new alliances forming here in Europe? What does this war mean for Europe, per se? Carpenter: Well, I think it's a sea change actually that we're seeing in attitudes towards Russia, and it's to a large degree being driven, as you say, by a lot of those Eastern members of the OSCE or of NATO who have lived their family histories are embedded with stories of Russian imperialism, repression against the languages in the nations of this region so they understand what Ukraine is facing right now and they understand that appeasement is not a solution. And so they are taking a strong stand. The Irish, for example, have taken a very strong stand. Ireland is as far away from Russia on the European continent as you can get. The U.K. has had a fairly strong stance against Russian aggression for some time. The problem has been the influence, especially financially, on the city of London and on British, sort of, vested interests, if you will, but that too is starting to change. I mean, we're 100 days into this tragic war, which is 100 days too much. But we are seeing that those geopolitical trends are really profound, and they're going to shape the future of Europe for decades, I think, to come. VOA: Very soon, the European Commission, European Union, will be deciding to grant or not to grant Ukraine membership status in the European Union. A couple of countries and the leadership of the European Union are saying it's a moral obligation for the European Union to accept Ukraine. Some countries are reluctant. Do you think Ukraine should be granted European Union membership? Carpenter: Our position as the United States obviously, we're not a member of the EU so we can't tell the EU what to do but we strongly support Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration because this is the best way for Ukraine to anchor itself in a set of institutions that preserve its democracy, its sovereignty, its territorial integrity, and all the attributes of independence that we support and have long supported inside Ukraine. And my personal feeling is that once Ukraine emerges from this conflict whenever that time may be that we have a generational opportunity to rebuild Ukraine, also a moral imperative to rebuild Ukraine as a stronger, more vibrant, more resilient country than it already was. And it already was very united and very resilient. But even more so. VOA: Russia was trying to stop expansion of NATO to the east, but they achieved quite the opposite because now a couple of countries that had been neutral are trying to get into NATO. What does this war mean for the NATO alliance? Carpenter: This war is critical to NATO. This is NATO's raison d'etre, that is, as a defensive alliance to protect the members against a considerable threat. And we have now a threat that is larger than any that we've faced since the existence of the Soviet Union. And it is imperative for NATO to adapt to deal with this threat. But the fact that you have countries like Finland and Sweden now vying for membership in the alliance is a perfect illustration of the fact that NATO is not expanding into territory along Russia's borders because somehow it seeks to gain additional territory. Just the opposite: Countries that are for decades neutral, that feel threatened by Russia's aggression, are coming to NATO and seeking the protective security guarantees that come with Article 5. So, it is a demand-driven process and it's, frankly, it's been that way all along from the very start. Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, which initially formed that group of countries from within the Warsaw Pact that wanted to join, they joined because they saw what Russian troops on their territory meant for their freedoms. So this has never been NATO from Brussels pushing itself outwards. It's always been countries on Russia's periphery feeling threatened by Moscow and looking to NATO for that defensive guarantee. VOA: For a long time, the West had this policy of appeasement of Russia or not maybe taking it seriously as a threat and trying to be a partner with Russia. Do you think there were some kinds of mistakes that the West made? Carpenter: Absolutely! VOA: And do you think that the West didn't understand what was going on and didn't basically listen to some of the warnings that were there? Carpenter: I think the primary mistake that the West collectively made in the '90s and 2000s was to assume that through a process of economic interdependence with Russia through trade, through mutual investment, through admitting Russia to various international organizations like the World Trade Organization and many, many others that somehow over the course of time Russia would become a responsible stakeholder in the international community. But a state that is governed by essentially a small group of KGB officers that have a very different view of the world zero sum in terms of their mindset as to their relations with the West that state could never truly become a Western liberal democracy. And in fact it has moved further and further away from Western liberal democracy since the Yeltsin era. So I think the biggest mistake on the part of the West was to assume that somehow, naturally through economic trade the sort of wandel durch handel, to use the German term the change would happen through trade and economic relations. That has proven to be absolutely wrong ... and actually allowed the Kremlin to exploit vulnerabilities in Western societies rather than making Russia a more responsible stakeholder. So now we've learned the lesson. VOA: Talking about this war, President Biden said that the West has to be ready for a long war. The United States took the lead to create this coalition to support Ukraine and is taking the lead in all those processes. However, it's Ukraine's suffering and the people are dying every day. How do you see this war develop and how do you see this war end? Carpenter: Well, we have recognized we meaning the United States that this is likely to be a protracted war. Putin tried to decapitate the leadership in Kyiv and launch a quick, sudden assault that he probably thought would be over in a relatively short period of days. VOA: Do you think he abandoned that plan? Carpenter: He failed in the plan. My personal view is that the Kremlin has likely not abandoned its plan to maintain control over all of Ukraine. Right now, it is focused in the Donbas and this has become a war essentially of rockets, of artillery systems. And that is why you've seen President Biden really take a leadership role, as you said, in the world in providing the most advanced U.S. capabilities the HIMAR system, high mobility artillery system to Ukraine, even though it is NATO equipment. I mean, I as a former Pentagon official, my mandate was in the 2015, 2016, 2017 timeframe to help Ukraine transition to NATO interoperable equipment. We got some of the way. In retrospect we could have moved much more, but that's behind us now. The imperative is to train Ukrainian forces on this modern equipment to enable them to receive additional deliveries because frankly there's not a lot of Soviet-era equipment left so that they can outrange the Russian systems and they can defend what is essentially their homes, their cities, their regions, their neighborhoods from this brutal onslaught. And that's going to take time, our military analysts tell us. But we're there for the long haul. We're there to help Ukraine defend itself. VOA: Putin warned the West and specifically the U.S. to not send equipment and we saw the results of that warning in the bombarding of Kyiv, even a couple of facilities that they destroyed. What is your assessment and what do you think Putin is capable of? And do you have fears about the chemical or nuclear arsenal being used? Carpenter: Well, we've seen that the Putin regime has essentially broken every norm of international behavior, including the Geneva Conventions. I mean, I'm not a lawyer and I'm not ready to pronounce anything specifically, but what we've seen are obviously war crimes on the ground, and so those will have to be adjudicated as war crimes by courts of law either national courts or the International Criminal Court or other jurisdictions. When it comes to what Putin is willing to do next I mean, I think we all have to be cautious, but we can't be blackmailed into not providing Ukraine with the weapons that it needs to defend itself. So it is obvious that Kremlin leaders would say that the United States and other Western countries shouldn't provide well, you know, they shouldn't be invading their neighbor. So let's back up and look at who started this. They don't need an offramp, They can retreat to Russia anytime. They are the ones who are invading another. I hate it when the impetus is always put on us for what might be an escalation; the impetus is on them to leave now from the country that they are invading. VOA: There is a lot of discussion of peace talks and maybe Ukraine giving up some territories and so on, or not humiliating Putin, as some of the leaders of European countries say. How do you see a possibility of this war ending and how do you like the ideal situation and maybe a kind of intermediate option? Carpenter: Well, the only thing that's being humiliated is the composite norms and rules of the international system with rape, torture, summary executions, forced deportations this is humiliating. This is what needs to stop. I think as someone who worked in the Pentagon and who is realistic about the situation, my belief is that the war will end when the situation on the battlefield is clarified. So this will be a war of artillery in the Donbas until the situation is clarified militarily. At some point all wars typically end with a negotiated settlement, a cease-fire of some sort, and so we'll have to see where that ends up. But our prerogative as the United States I'm speaking as the U.S. ambassador to the OSCE is to help Ukraine to position itself to win and to negotiate that resolution from a position of strength. VOA: Ukrainians emerged in this crisis as very strong, resilient people, ready to fight and ready to die for their country. How do you see Ukraine's position in Europe when its over? And how do you see the process of rebuilding the country? And what do you think Western communities should plan for already? Probably at this point? Carpenter: Well, it's going to be a colossal project to rebuild all of the infrastructure in Ukraine. The advantages that we have or that Ukraine has, rather are a highly educated, skilled human workforce human capital, if you will but then also this sense of unity and sense of purpose to defend the nation and then to rebuild the nation. And I think the opportunity that will come at the end of the war is to completely bury the oligarchic structures of the past and to build a democratic society. I mean, Ukraine has always been democratic. The problem is that the oligarchic structures have allowed for corruption to set in over the course of the three decades since independence. There have been moments like the Maidan Revolution of Dignity that sought to overcome some of that with some success, I might add but now really there will be, I think, an impetus to rebuild sort of a Ukraine 2.0 that is stronger, more resilient, and that doesn't have these vulnerabilities of the past. VOA: There is a lot of talk about specific plans with a Marshall Plan, whatever it would be called. Do you think that the West should actually execute something like that? Carpenter: Oh, I think there's no doubt that the Western community is going to have to be prepared to chip in with significant financial resources, but not just in terms of budgetary support, although that may be necessary, too, but in terms of the expertise and the ability to jump-start investments and to rebuild Ukraine where there is you know, the IT sector is once again thriving. It was thriving before the war. So it's a matter of bringing that human capital together and creating enterprises that can really compete in global markets. And if Ukraine has a Euro-Atlantic future ahead of it, as I believe it does, then also shifting its view towards the West, because those are the markets where Ukraine is going to be exporting to. VOA: And probably one more question about Russia. How do you see the future of Russia after this war ends? And how do you see the alliance that is kind of forming between Russia and China at this moment, and does the West worry about the possibility of them building a stronger kind of authoritarian region? Carpenter: Well, one of the tragedies I think, for Russia is that this war but generally speaking the last two decades of President Putin's rule is that it's become more repressive, more corrupt, less open to the outside world, has become a little fortress, but one that now because of sanctions and because of export controls is going to have a very hard time maintaining any sort of forward progress. I mean, there are already estimates that this year alone Russia's GDP is going to go back 15 years in time. And if that trend continues for another year, a lot of the gains of the Putin era could be completely wiped out because of his aggression. Not because of anything else because the Kremlin chose to launch this war against Ukraine, previously Crimea and previously Georgia, and so on and so forth. Aggression is not the answer in international politics; it will not be the answer for Russia, but it will be authoritarian for as long as this regime exists. And so I have no doubt there will be some alignment with China. But I think there's limits to that relationship. I think if you look just at natural resources in terms of the size of their markets, there are two very different countries. VOA: And are you generally optimistic about this? I mean it's a sad situation but generally in the long run, are you optimistic about the future? Carpenter: I think Ukraine will succeed. I am optimistic in the long run. I think it's going to be very tough for the foreseeable future. But ultimately, I may be naive maybe it's because I graduated from high school in 1989, which is the year that the communist system and dictatorship was wiped away and democracy came in place of it. But look at the tremendous success of Poland, of the Baltic states, of the Czech Republic, even of Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria they've come so far. And I think ultimately people get that. I think ultimately they see that repression in the Chinese style or the Russian style is not the solution. They're not going to be the ones that produce a cure for cancer. It's going to come from the West. All the major innovations currently come from the West. So I'm optimistic in the long run. They have tremendous challenges both in Moscow and Beijing. And democracies are just more vibrant, they're more innovative and they will be more successful. U.S. President Joe Bidens nominee to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) pledged Tuesday to advance the agencys mission of objectivity and balanced reporting at a time when disinformation is on the rise globally. Former Voice of America director Amanda Bennett told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee she would be a pragmatic leader willing to adapt news delivery to whatever suits audiences best. During the hourlong hearing, senators questioned Bennett on her record at VOA, how she would handle challenges facing the free press amid a global trend of disinformation, and USAGMs ability to deliver news to audiences under authoritarian regimes. If confirmed, Bennett would lead USAGM, the federal agency with an $840 million annual budget that oversees VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Open Technology Foundation. USAGM is currently led by former VOA director of programming Kelu Chao, who holds the CEO position in an acting capacity. Chao was assigned the position after Michael Pack, the last presidential appointee, resigned at Bidens request. In her opening remarks to the committee, Bennett spoke of the role journalism plays in society. Were at a critical moment in history," she said. Journalism and public diplomacy alike are targeted as never before by authoritarian regimes using myths and disinformation to undermine those seeking credible, fact-based and unbiased coverage of the world around them. Bennett said she would work with all USAGM entities to maintain high journalistic standards and protect the safety and privacy of journalists and audiences. Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, who presided over the hearing and cited Russias crackdown on opposition to its war in Ukraine and the threats to media globally, said, Its clear that [USAGMs] mission of providing balanced and objective media to societies without a free press has never been more important. Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, said Bennetts nomination comes at a time when press freedom and democracy are declining around the world. U.S. international broadcasting has a very important role to play with authoritarian governments [that] shut down the news and censor their people; this agency can give credible and timely and accurate information, he said. Senators also examined Bennetts record while VOA director between 2016 and June 2020, when she resigned before Pack took over. During the Trump administration, the agency came under criticism from the president for using Chinese government data on coronavirus infections and deaths, implying the agency was soft on China, an accusation VOA vigorously disputed at the time. Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, said he backed Bennetts journalistic track record leading the federal agencys news coverage during her VOA tenure. Bennett denied the agency had provided uncritical coverage of China, saying, My entire journalistic career has been devoted to giving truthful news and information and not advocating for any position whatsoever, especially not a repressive regime. Outside view Bennetts nomination is expected to pass the Democratic-controlled committee in the coming weeks before moving to a full floor vote in the U.S. Senate. Her journalism experience and her experience as head of VOA were cited as reasons for her suitability for the role. The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist has a long career in U.S. media, including as executive editor at Bloomberg News and managing editor of The Oregonian newspaper. She was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal for more than two decades, including in Beijing. Ambassador Karen Kornbluh, a former member of the USAGMs governing board, told VOA that Bennetts media background and knowledge of USAGM from her time as VOA director make her a strong candidate. She said Bennett could set the standard for all who follow. Her leadership is essential at a time of resurgent authoritarianism around the world to ensure that people living under repressive regimes not only have access to accurate information but also can see models of excellent journalism in practice. Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee staff, speaking on background, highlighted to VOA key areas they believe the next head of the agency should focus on. As well as closely tracking the increased funding provided under the latest spending bill, priorities include the creation of an advisory board to ensure objective news coverage without bias; ensuring robust coverage in Russia, Ukraine and surrounding countries, including via RFE/RL; and pro-American coverage of Iran and China. Other issues include examining the rehiring of staff who were dismissed under Pack's watch; and details, including the cost, of an investigation into allegations of Pack's wrongdoing at the agency. Critics also question Bennetts decisions to cut a live interview broadcast by the networks Mandarin service with a prominent critic of Beijing, and to dismiss Mandarin Service head Sasha Gong and others over the incident. VOA says no wrongdoing has been proven in that decision. In no instance has any court or other adjudicative or administrative body found that the Agency failed to prove its allegations, VOAs Public Relations said Tuesday. Third-party reviews of this matter concluded that the decision to curtail the live interview was based solely on and consistent with journalistic best practices. Committee hearings for presidential nominees take place after a White House vetting process. Candidates are also investigated by the FBI, IRS and Office of Government Ethics. During nomination hearings, senators question the candidate to determine their suitability for the position and seek evidence of partisanship. The committee members eventually vote on whether to recommend the nominee for consideration by the full Senate. Editor's note: The 19th paragraph of this article has been updated to correct the attribution of background from House Foreign Affairs Committee minority staff. VOA regrets the error. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A U.S. Senate committee considered Tuesday President Joe Bidens pick to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media. Amanda Bennett, a former director of the Voice of America, answered questions about the challenges the press faces. VOA congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson has more. The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday nixed a Washington state bed-and-breakfast owner's lawsuit accusing a Border Patrol agent of civil rights violations during a violent 2014 encounter, as its conservative majority further curtailed the ability to sue federal officials for damages. The court decided in a 6-3 ruling authored by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas that Robert Boule, owner of the Smuggler's Inn in Blaine, along the U.S.-Canadian border, could not sue agent Erik Egbert for using excessive force in violation of the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable searches and seizures. The court's conservative justices were in the majority and its liberal members in dissent. The lawsuit accused Egbert of throwing Boule to the ground after the innkeeper objected to the agent's investigation of the immigration status of a Turkish citizen who was a guest at the bed-and-breakfast. The court also unanimously found that Boule could not pursue a separate claim under the First Amendment's protection of free speech accusing Egbert of unlawfully retaliating against him for complaining about his treatment at the hands of the agent. The court reversed a 2021 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that had sided with Boule, allowing his suit filed in 2017 to proceed. The Supreme Court's decision was the latest in a string of rulings by its conservative majority that limit the scope of a 1971 decision that allows people to sue federal officials individually for civil rights violations. The court has stopped short of overturning that precedent in a case called Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents. Up to Congress Thomas wrote that it is up to Congress, not courts, to decide under what circumstances federal officials can be sued, noting that the 1971 ruling has "no shortage of detractors." Along similar lines, the court in 2020 ruled that a Border Patrol agent could not be sued for fatally shooting a Mexican teenager who was standing on Mexican soil. Boule's bed-and-breakfast was known to federal agents as a place where people seeking to cross the border illegally would stay, according to the ruling. Boule would offer a shuttle service to the border, charge for a night of lodging even if guests did not plan to stay and would often inform agents about people staying with him. He drove a car with a personalized license plate that read: "SMUGLER." In 2021, Boule was convicted in Canada of helping smuggle people into the country. The 2014 incident occurred when Boule told Egbert about a Turkish bed-and-breakfast guest. Egbert arrived at the establishment to check on the guest's immigration status. Boule asked Egbert to leave the property, prompting a physical altercation in which Egbert allegedly shoved Boule against a car and pushed him to the ground, according to court records. The lawsuit accused Egbert of asking various U.S. agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, to investigate Boule, which was the basis of the innkeeper's retaliation claim. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion that the excessive force claim should have been allowed under existing precedent. "The court goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid this result," Sotomayor wrote, adding that Wednesday's ruling prevents civil rights claims filed by "many who will suffer serious constitutional violations at the hands of federal agents." As much of the world is shunning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Zimbabwe this month hosted Russia's third highest ranking official. Analysts say Zimbabwe is looking to Russia for fuel as well as cooking oil and wheat that it used to get from Ukraine, while Russia has its eyes on Zimbabwe's minerals. During a visit to Zimbabwe last week, Valentina Ivanovna Matvienko, chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia, said Moscow would improve trade relations between the two countries given that the West was shunning them. Alexander Rusero, who heads international relations studies at Africa University in Zimbabwe, says the nation's ties with Russia are both ideological and historical. He says the relationship goes back to when Russia supplied arms to the now-ruling ZANU-PF party as it fought for Zimbabwes independence in the late 1970s. Russia later vetoed proposed U.N. sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2008, when President Robert Mugabe won re-election through vote-rigging and heavy-handed intimidation. And given the realities that Zimbabwe is perceived as a pariah state, it is perceived as an outpost of tyranny by the Western international community, by the United States which is currently in an antagonistic relation with Russia, so Zimbabwe historically and ideologically will be leaned more to Russia and China than the Western international community, said Rusero. Harare-based independent political commentator Rejoice Ngwenya says Russia has an interest in Zimbabwes minerals, such as gold and platinum. Not to mention the business arrangements and relations that have been established in the last two decades. So it is not realistic to expect any drastic change of any policy between Zimbabwe and Russia on the basis of the Ukraine war. It is important to condemn invasions of any country, but unfortunately international politics also works in terms of self-interests and self-preservation, said Ngwenya. Zimbabwe depends on Russia and Ukraine for about 65 percent of its imported wheat. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, the price of bread and flour in the country has increased drastically as exports from the war zone have dried up. We have been affected. We are working with the government to bring in more wheat. We need as soon as possible. The commodity prices are going up, some of our wheat products such as bread are going up, said Tafadzwa Musarara, the chairman of Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe, which is in charge of importing grain. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he considered Africa friendly and would make efforts to ensure goods in shortage reach the continent. That would certainly be good news for countries like Zimbabwe, which even in the best of times struggles to feed its population. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Huizhou EVE Energy Co., Ltd. (EVE Energy), a Chinese power battery maker based in Huizhou city, announced on June 7 that its board of directors has approved a proposal to issue A shares to specific objects, aiming to raise 9 billion yuan ($1.349 billion). After deducting the issuance expenditure, the proceeds will be used to build two passenger vehicle (PV) lithium ion battery projects and supplement working capital. Photo credit: EVE Energy The first project is to build automated production lines for the 46 Series power and energy storage lithium ion batteries in Jingmen city, Hubei province, eyeing an annual production capacity of 20GWh. Involving a planned investment of around 4.375 billion yuan ($655.571 million), the project is scheduled to be completed within 3 years. With 4.127 billion yuan ($618.446 million) to be invested, the other project is also located in Jingmen city, planning to build automated manufacturing lines with an annual capacity of 16GWh prismatic LFP batteries. Both two battery projects will be conducted by EVE Power, a subsidiary of EVE Energy. On the same day, EVE Energy claimed that it intends to sign an investment agreement to build a 10GWh power and energy storage battery manufacturing base in Qujing city, Yunnan province. The company plans to pour around 3 billion yuan ($449.58 million) in this project, 2.3 billion yuan ($344.678 million) of which will be invested in fixed assets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the work of his troops in the eastern Donbas region and said Russia had not expected to meet much resistance, while Russia claimed to have assumed control of almost all of one of the provinces that makes up the Donbas. After weeks of focusing its attacks on eastern Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday Russian forces now control 97% of Luhansk province. Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Tuesday that the absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues. He added that Russia had made no significant advances in the region during the past day. Britains defense ministry gave a similar assessment Wednesday morning, saying neither side had achieved significant gains over the course of 24 hours with Russia attacking from multiple sides but Ukraines defenses holding. The Donbas region also includes Donetsk province and has been the key objective for Russia since it turned away from efforts to advance on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, two months ago. Fighting has been particularly intense in the key Luhansk city of Sievierodonetsk, where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been engaging in street-to-street battles. File - Map of Ukraine Shoigu said Tuesday that Russian forces seized the residential areas of the city, while Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said Russia controlled the industrial outskirts. The battle for Sievierodonetsk is crucial to Moscows attempt to assume full domination over Luhansk province. A week ago, Russian forces had captured 70% of the city, but a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed back Moscows troops before Russia mounted another advance. Both Russia and Ukraine claim to have inflicted huge casualties on each other. Shoigu said Russian troops were also advancing toward the town of Popasna, and he said they have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. He said 6,489 Ukrainian troops have been taken prisoner since the start of the military action in Ukraine on February 24, including 126 over the past five days. A spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department said Tuesday the United States had started training Ukrainian soldiers on the use of advanced rocket systems being sent to Ukraine as part of a $700 million aid package approved last week. Marine Lt. Col. Anton Semelroth said the training was taking place in Germany and elsewhere in Europe for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The truck-mounted system can carry six rockets with a range of about 70 kilometers. Norway said it trained Ukrainian soldiers in Germany on the use of M109 self-propelled howitzers as part of its shipment of 22 of the weapons to Ukraine. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said the donation, which includes spare parts and ammunition, is a substantial contribution very much in demand by Ukraine. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters A former Cabinet Minister has been convicted of stealing donated school computers, a few days after another top government official was accused of allegedly converting to his use 700 tonnes of state fertilizer and maize seed destined for peasant farmers. Harare magistrate, Vongai Muchuchuti, convicted former Public Service Minister, Petronella Kakonye, of stealing 20 computers which were donated by the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. Kakonye, who will be sentenced tomorrow, was taken to Chikurubi Remand Prison. She pleaded for leniency saying she was a first offender but Muchuchuthi said there is need for a custodial sentence in order to deter top government officials from pilfering state resources. Public Prosecutor, Zivanai Macharaga, concurred, saying Kakonye was supposed to protect state resources but betrayed her public trust by diverting the computers to her own use. Meanwhile, Deputy Agriculture Minister Douglas Karoro was locked up and charged with stealing fertilizer, maize seed and other items meant for rural farmers. Frank Chikowore contributed to this article 8 Jun 01:01 UTC: First to report: GFZ after 5 minutes. 8 Jun 01:02: Magnitude recalculated from 5.3 to 5.5. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 591.0 to 592.0 km (from 367 to 368 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 9.4 km (5.8 mi) towards ENE. ... [show all] ... 8 Jun 01:10: Magnitude recalculated from 5.5 to 6.0. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 592.0 to 605.0 km (from 368 to 376 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 11 km (7 mi) towards W. 8 Jun 01:17: Now using data updates from USGS 8 Jun 04:20: Hypocenter depth recalculated from 616.2 to 621.9 km (from 383 to 386 mi). Epicenter location corrected by 5 km (3.1 mi) towards W. Update Wed, 8 Jun 2022, 01:06 A very deep magnitude 5.5 earthquake was reported early evening near Tarauaca, Acre, Brazil.According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the quake hit on Tuesday, June 7th, 2022, at 7:55 pm local time at a great depth of 592 km. The strength of the earthquake may have been tempered by its relative great depth below the surface, which makes it feel weaker in absolute terms. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.A second report was later issued by the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, which listed it as a magnitude 5.5 earthquake as well. A third agency, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), reported the same quake at magnitude 5.7.According to preliminary calculations, we do not expect that the quake was felt by many people and did not cause any damage. In Tarauaca (pop. 16,500, 105 km away), and Feijo (pop. 13,000, 127 km away), the quake was probably not felt.VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you're in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app . This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake. Matthew McConaughey speaking at the White House on Tuesday. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images On Tuesday, Matthew McConaughey delivered a stunning 20-minute speech at the White House urging lawmakers to pass gun legislation in the wake of the devastating tragedy that unfolded in Uvalde, Texas, exactly two weeks ago. In an impassioned plea for gun reform, the Uvalde native shared stories about those who died in the shooting at Robb Elementary School and memorialized the lives lost. Im here today in the hopes of applying what energy, reason, and passion that I have into trying to turn this moment into a reality. Because, as I said, this moment is different, he began. In an emotional account, the actor held up artwork from 10-year-old victim Alithia Ramirez and, while choking back tears, told the press about her dreams of going to art school in Paris. He told the story of 10-year-old aspiring marine biologist Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, who wore green high-top Converse with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature. McConaugheys wife, Camila Alves, held those same shoes, which had helped Maites parents identify her body after the shooting. You can watch the entire speech, plus assorted excerpts, below. LOS ANGELES Vibratex, the sole North American importer of the Magic Wand brand, recently designated May 20th as Magic Wand Day. In honor of the "magical day," Vibratex ran a tattoo-themed retail display contest and the winners list has been revealed. Peppers Parties, Too in Hattiesburg, Miss., was named the first-place winner, followed by Adam & Eves St. Augustine, Fla. location in second, and Adult Video Megaplex in San Antonio, Texas sliding into third. The Magic Wand has been a staple at Peppers for over twenty years, so when we heard about the contest, we knew we wanted in, said Lindsey Pepper, Peppers Parties, Toos store manager. And, it gave me a reason to dress up like a Magic Wand and make a Tik Tok! I knew we would be going up against some tough competition, and honestly, I was mentally preparing myself for the loss. When I opened the email and saw that we had actually won, it was an incredible feeling! she continued. I have to thank our amazing staff for going all in and absolutely killing it! The dedication and loyalty our staff has is truly humbling, and Im incredibly grateful to have them on our team! Winners received a set number Magic Wands for resale and a cash price to be shared among store staff. The prizes amounted to 24 Magic Wands (6 of each SKU) and $1,000 for first place, 12 Magic Wands (3 of each SKU) and $750 for second place, and eight Magic Wands (2 of each SKU) and $500 for third. I bought my Original Magic Wand 20-plus years ago, and I really do use it as a back massager. Theres not a single item on the market that has the power and durability of the Original Magic Wand, Kathi Pepper, owner of Peppers Parties, Too, said. I want to thank our staff for their creativity and dedication for making these videos! Great job, ladies! And because the cleverness was just too much to contain, Vibratex gave "highly honorable mentions" to Fantasy Gifts in Turnersville, N.J. and Natural Mystik in Natchitoches, La. for their "amazing adoption" of the brands tattoo theme. "Thank you to everyone who participated, and congrats to all our winners and highly-honorable mentions!" the company said. Retailers with questions and/or interested in offering the all-new Magic Wand Mini should contact Director of Business Development Eddie Romero ([email protected]) for more information. To learn more about Magic Wand, visit magicwandoriginal.com. Join Magic Wand on Instagram at @truemagicwand. Jennifer (Jenni Sechrist) Kennedy passed away on May 28, 2022 from unexpected medical complications. Jenni lived with her husband, Luke, in Iowa City. She was 31 years old. Jenni was born January 29, 1991 in Flagstaff to Katy Sechrist and Chuck Sechrist. She grew up in her home town of Flagstaff and moved on to Valparaiso University where she attained a degree in nursing. After practicing as a nurse for several years, including travel nursing, she continued her studies and received her Doctorate in Nursing (with honors) from Creighton University. Jenni was funny, had a big heart, and an infectious personality. She exuded warmth and kindness to all she met. She lit up every room she walked into! Jenni loved caring for plants, sewing with her sister, Melissa, and bike riding and working out with with her husband, Luke. Jenni was quite the adventurer with a love of travel. Jenni's family includes her beloved husband, Luke; sister Melissa (Jason) Pahl; mother and father, Katy and Chuck, grandparents, Jean and Gilbert Sechrist; mother-in-law, Rebecca Kennedy, father-in-law Larry Kennedy; best friends Jeri Perry and Ted Brown; God children, Emmitt and Nora Brown; and dog Barley. She had a large, extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins. Jenni is preceded in death by her grandparents, Emily and James Blair. Jenni was a treasure and will be missed by everyone that knew her. Her light and memory will be carried through her family, friends, colleagues, and her organ donation recipients. Please continue to keep those who love her in your thoughts during this difficult time. An Iowa memorial was held on Monday, June 6th. An Arizona memorial will follow sometime this fall. In lieu of flowers contributions in Jenni's memory are suggested to the Iowa Donor Network. Footage of Spanish Steps incident surfaces on social media in Rome. A 28-year-old American tourist has caused 25,000 worth of damage to Rome's Spanish Steps after she flung an electric scooter down the marble staircase in the early hours of Friday morning, reports state broadcaster RAI News. The incident, which occurred at around 03.45 on the night between Thursday and Friday, was filmed by a passerby. The footage was published by Italian news sites on Tuesday and quickly went viral. Roma, due turisti americani lanciano un monopattino dalla scalinata in piazza di Spagna: danni per 25 mila euro - Il video - OpenIl tuo browser non supporta il tag iframe Rome police caught up with the woman filmed throwing her scooter - apparently in a rage - along with a 29-year-old American man who wheeled his e-scooter down the 18th-century staircase. The pair were reportedly fined 400 each and received a temporary ban from returning to the Baroque landmark which underwent a 1.5 million restoration by luxury fashion house Bvlgari in 2015. The incident came a few weeks after a Saudi tourist drove a Maserati down the steps, as a full-scale return of tourism in Rome brings with it a flurry of negative headlines about tourists behaving badly. Placeholder while article actions load The six-month long saga over the fate of Kohls Corp. is heading toward a conclusion. The department-store chain has entered into a three-week exclusivity period with Franchise Group Inc. on a potential $60 per share cash offer, valuing the retailer at about $8 billion, the two companies said late Monday. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Kohls shares rose as much as 11% on Tuesday before closing up 8%. But investors shouldnt get carried away just yet. For a start, the $60 per share proposal is no knockout. Its below the price levels mooted earlier in the process, which ranged from the mid to high-$60s. Of course, the world has changed since the retailer first revealed takeover interest in January and even since last month, when Kohls cut its sales and profit outlook. That was hardly the way to encourage a heated auction. Advertisement The $60 proposal represents a 26% premium to the share price on Jan. 14, before activist Macellum Advisors urged the company to alter its board or explore a sale. Using Mondays closing price, the premium is about 42%. Still, Kohls shares reached a 12-month high of $63.71 on Jan. 24. Getting up to this level would be more palatable to shareholders. The hurdle is that Franchise Group, with a market capitalization of just $1.6 billion, is much smaller than the company it is trying to buy. Franchise Group said on Monday that it intended to contribute approximately $1 billion of capital. The majority of the funding would be debt backed by Kohls real estate, possibly through a deal to sell its property and lease it back. The department store had property and equipment on its balance sheet of $7.8 billion at April 30. Advertisement But this is a risky time to be funding a big, leveraged buyout, given concerns about the broader economy. Even if Franchise Group does secure the financing, it will be wary of overpaying. All these factors may make it hard to afford a sweetener. Franchise Group has the advantage of having retail experience, through its brands including The Vitamin Shoppe and Pet Supplies Plus, although as the name suggests, its experience is in franchising. And while Kohls is cash generative, with free cash flow of $1.6 billion in the year to Jan. 29, a new owner would face a higher interest-rate environment. The history of retailers that were taken private and loaded with debt is not encouraging. Rival Neiman Marcuss borrowings, for example, became so overwhelming in the pandemic that it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020. Advertisement Given the darkening consumer backdrop, as well as an industry-wide inventory backlog, Kohls will likely struggle to get to $60 a share on its own. That may make investors more inclined to accept around that level unless another party emerges. Private equity group Sycamore Partners also submitted a proposal for the retailer last week alongside Franchise Group, the Wall Street Journal reported. Without another plot twist, this department-store drama could end in disappointment. More From Bloomberg Opinion: Targets Oversupply Problem Should Scare All Retailers: Andrea Felsted Headwinds for High Earners Are About to Get Worse: Alexis Leondis Apple, JPMorgan Turn to Pay Now Grow Later: Paul J. Davies This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Andrea Felsted is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering consumer goods and the retail industry. Previously, she was a reporter for the Financial Times. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load BEIRUT The Lebanese government invited on Monday a U.S. envoy mediating between Lebanon and Israel over their disputed maritime border to return to Beirut as soon as possible to work out an agreement amid rising tensions along the border. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The invitation for Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser for energy security at the U.S. State Department, came a day after Israel set up a gas rig at its designated location at the Karish field, which Israel says is part of its U.N.-recognized exclusive economic zone. Lebanon insists it is in a disputed area. The U.S.-mediated indirect talks between Lebanon and Israel have been stalled for months amid disagreement within Lebanon over how big the disputed area is. Lebanon is home to the heavily armed militant Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran and has fought several wars with Israel. Hezbollah has also warned it would use its weapons to protect Lebanons economic rights. Advertisement On Sunday, Lebanon warned Israel not to start drilling in the Karish field and President Michel Aoun said maritime border negotiations have not ended, adding that any move by Israel will be considered a provocation and hostile act. Aouns office said Lebanon formally notified the United Nations in February that Karish is part of the disputed area and that the U.N. Security Council should prevent Israel from drilling there in order to avoid steps that could form a threat to international peace and security. The Israeli energy ministry confirmed that the oil rig arrived Sunday, after a five-week sail from Singapore. The ministry said that the Karish field is projected to provide half of Israels demand for natural gas and will allow greater exports to neighboring Egypt and Jordan. Israels Energy Minister Karine Elharrar said in an interview on Monday with Army Radio that the field was entirely in undisputed territory and called on Lebanon to return to indirect negotiations. Advertisement Its not even (above) the southern line that Lebanon submitted to the United Nations. Even according to the United Nations, its not in Lebanon, she said. Elharrar added that the Israeli defense ministry is taking the necessary steps to protect the rig, without elaborating further. Elharrar also told the 103FM radio station that the Lebanese allegations were very far from reality and that all the relevant forces are involved, and I recommend not trying to surprise Israel. But she said the likelihood of conflict was small. Satellite images on Sunday from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press showed the Marshall Islands-flagged Energean Power floating production storage and offloading vessel in the Karish field area of the Mediterranean Sea. Nearby was the Bahamas-flagged platform Arendal Spirit. Ship tracking data from the two vessels analyzed by the AP also confirmed the vessels presence in the area. Advertisement On Monday, the office of Lebanons caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that he has agreed with Aoun to invite Hochstein to return to Beirut for talks on the border dispute and to work on concluding them as soon as possible in order to prevent any escalation that will not serve the stability that the region is currently witnessing. Israel and Lebanon, which have been officially at war since Israels creation in 1948, both claim some 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon hopes to unleash offshore oil and gas production as it grapples with an economic crisis. Last year, the Lebanese delegation a mix of army generals and professionals offered a new map that pushes for an additional 1,430 square kilometers (550 square miles). An official at the office of Israels Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Karish is a natural gas reservoir within Israels U.N.-recognized exclusive economic zone. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said that the Lebanese themselves had recognized it as Israeli waters in the past. Advertisement A Lebanese legal expert said if Israel begins exploration work in Karish, the risk of conflict between the neighboring countries will increase, adding that Hezbollahs precision-guided missiles can easily hit the oil rig. Their missiles are long-range and they are more precise in hitting these targets that are not mobile like ships and fighter jets, said Paul Morcos, founder and owner of Justicia Consulting Law firm in Beirut. The Israeli military and ministry of defense declined to comment on whether they were taking any specific measures to protect Karish. ___ Associated Press writer Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed reporting. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load As always, pride comes before a fall. No sooner had Credit Suisse Group AGs global head of investment banking declared boldly We are back in an interview with Bloomberg News published on Tuesday than the very next day his bosses issued their third profit warning this year. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The chief rainmaker, New York-based David Miller, had talked up his hiring plans and said the troubled bank was in the closing stretches of its turnaround. That sounds a discordant clang next to Wednesdays news that the bank expects a loss in investment banking in the second quarter and that fresh job cuts are likely on the way. This corporate malaise is entertaining for competitors and will feed the habit of market wags who have taken to calling the Swiss bank Debit Suisse for its ability to keep losing money. But for the bank itself, the situation is serious and not getting better. In time, that will give credence to questions about its balance-sheet strength and leadership. Advertisement Credit Suisses depressed financial performance in investment banking contrasts with a relatively positive outlook from peers. Industrywide trading revenue in bonds and currencies is forecast to be up about 6% from the second quarter last year, while in equities it is expected to be flat, according to estimates from Bloomberg Intelligence. Fees for advising on deals and fundraisings, meanwhile, are forecast to be up compared with the first quarter, although down roughly one-third from the second quarter last year. Comments from senior bankers at rivals suggest these estimates are conservative, at least on the trading side. Leaders have said they are enjoying the kind of good market volatility that gets investors and corporations trading, while allowing banks to charge healthy spreads between bid and offer prices and to not get caught in bad positions. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Operating Officer Daniel Pinto told investors last month that its second-quarter markets revenue would be 15%-20% higher than a year before the consensus estimate used by BI is for a 10% rise for the bond-trading business only. Deutsche Bank AG executives have signaled their good performance in the first quarter has continued into the second in bond trading.Goldman Sachs Group Inc. President John Waldron spoke last week about clients trading in healthy volumes. Advertisement Dealmaking and equity and bond issuance isnt as good: Comments range from resilient or holding up to Pintos prediction of a 45% drop in second-quarter revenue year-on-year for JPMorgan. For Credit Suisse, part of the problem is its business focus: It has a big concentration in securitizations and trading mortgages, which was weak in the first quarter and likely remains difficult now. The leveraged-loan market has been a relative bright spot: the bank had roles in big recent deals like Broadcom Inc.s $61 billion deal for VMware Inc. But that kind of junk-rated lending is risky in volatile times and the market has slowed dramatically this year. The really serious problem for Credit Suisse is the uncertainty about where it is in its turnaround and how long it will take. Ive said before it will take longer than many investors seem to expect given the share price performance. While the stock has done much worse than Deutsche Banks so far this year, it still trades at a higher multiple of forecast book value. Advertisement The uncertainty doesnt help with hiring or retention, which will degrade the quality of its staff. It also lends credibility to speculation that the board isnt totally happy with Thomas Gottstein as chief executive and that the bank is going to have to raise fresh equity. It looks too early for either a change in leader or a capital raise. Credit Suisses capital ratio was just ahead of its near-term target at the end of the first quarter at 13.8%, but behind its longer term target of 14%. But keep making losses and that target gets further away. If Credit Suisse hasnt arrested its deterioration by the final months of this year, both the leadership and capital questions will get real. More From Bloomberg Opinion: Amazon of Crypto Is Out There. So Is Pets.com: Jonathan Levin Jamie Dimon Has a Winner Take All Vision: Paul J. Davies Advertisement Robinhood Lost Millions of Merry Memestock Men: Lionel Laurent This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Paul J. Davies is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering banking and finance. Previously, he was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article At the most recent meeting of the Arizona Board of Regentss (ABOR) Academic Affairs and Educational Attainment Committee, Northern Arizona University (NAU) presented five-year plans to expand several of its health programs. The university is in the works to add nine program sites and grow enrollment by more than 1,600 students per year (a total growth of 181%) through 2027, according to a presentation by Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Pugliesi. Over 1,500 additional students have enrolled in NAU health programs since 2012, she said, with the number of bachelor's of nursing graduates from the past five years (2017-21) being 765% more than those awarded between 2002 and '06. Her comparison of those same five-year periods showed an 880% increase in graduate degrees. The Rounds Consulting Group had presented on the states allied health needs at the committees last meeting on March 24. Four program areas were looked at that were underrepresented in Arizona in 2020 when compared to nationwide standards. Of these, physical therapy had the largest Arizona job shortage (1,028), followed by occupational therapy (537), physician assistant (217) and audiology (147). Many of NAUs plans involve expanding programs to new statewide locations as well as enlarging them at existing sites where possible. The largest focus is an expansion of the university's nursing programs. NAU plans to add three new accelerated program sites -- which produce licensure-ready graduates in 12 months -- across the state (north Valley, Tucson and Prescott Valley) and to move the Fort Defiance program to Tuba City. In addition to expanding its accelerated nursing program in Flagstaff, NAU plans to expand the family nurse practitioner program there, and add programs for psychiatric nurse practitioners and a master's in nursing leadership, quality and patient safety. The speech language pathology (SLP) program will expand in Flagstaff and a new site will begin in Yuma this summer, both including culturally relevant practice in the training. It also will expand the online RN to BSN and concurrent enrollment programs, with the overall plan to increase clinical initial licensure eligible graduates by 231% by 2027. According to Pugliesis presentation, NAU is currently the only Arizona public university with a masters program in physician assistant studies. The program will be added to the schools Flagstaff and Yuma locations, growing enrollment capacity by 250% though 2027. She also said NAU is considering adding an online capstone doctoral program in the field. Physician assistants are important in the mix of healthcare professionals and community-based practice, [and they] enhance the impact of primary care doctors, which are in very short supply in Arizona," she said. So, the capstone program "would serve a growing demand for updated credentials for practitioners in this area and help us generate revenue to support clinical program expansion in physician assistant studies." Other masters and doctoral degrees Pugliesi mentioned adding or expanding include clinical psychology, counseling (clinical, clinical mental health and school) and social work. NAU plans to grow occupational therapy enrollment capacity by 167% by adding a hybrid option at the Phoenix Bioscience Core facility. Similarly, it expects to grow enrollments in its physical therapy program 250% by adding a hybrid platform and a new program site at its Yuma campus. NAUs fiscal year 2023 proposal for its New Economy Initiative (NEI) funds includes $10 million for nursing, and $9 million for allied and behavioral health. According to the presentation, some 106,000 jobs and $102.2 billion in economic output is expected out of the move among its impacts. Other considerations toward meeting goals include the specialized accreditation and requirements for adding sites or enrollment each program would need, as well as staffing, facilities and clinical placements. One solution Pugliesi mentioned was the development of simulation facilities -- which would reduce the number of clinical hours needed and pressure on placement capacity while supporting continuing education. Healthcare partnerships are also central to our strategy for expansion, she said. When asked about accreditation, which had been a limiting factor in the past, Pugliesi said the university was using a little bit of strategy and time frame. NAU is choosing to focus on programs at different rates, based on their varying requirements (for example, Pugliesi described nursing program requirements as less restrictive) and adding different program sites, rather than expanding cohorts in existing programs (another area that takes longer, as it has more restrictive requirements). The university is looking into those longer-term accreditation processes as well, she said in response to a question. The lift involved in getting accreditation for a new site is a heavier lift, meaning theres more substantial documentation and process required, but there isnt the same kind of constraint on how frequently you can do that and how long you have to wait after, she said. The items she mentioned as having specific timelines include the SLP program in Yuma (set to begin this summer), the hybrid occupational therapy program (in the next year) and nursing program expansions (assuming hiring goes well over the course of this coming year.. The full committee meeting, including Pugliesis presentation, is available on ABORs YouTube. Love 6 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. Placeholder while article actions load If ever there was a Pyrrhic victory, Boris Johnsons win in this weeks no-confidence vote must qualify. Britains prime minister secured the majority he needed to hang on, if he decides to, but by the surprisingly narrow margin of 211 votes to 148. More than 40% of his own party in Parliament told him to go. In a similar challenge in 2018, his predecessor Theresa May prevailed by a bigger margin and was out in six months. In 1990, Margaret Thatcher was also opposed by roughly 40% of her parliamentary colleagues and promptly resigned. Later this month Johnsons party faces brutal setbacks in two by-elections. Ahead of those votes, the polls could hardly be worse. Johnsons net approval rating, at minus 45%, makes President Joe Bidens minus 13% look golden. The prime ministers threadbare authority within his own party, let alone the country at large, is now completely shot. Theres little mystery about why this is so. In 2019 Johnson, with unstinting help from the shambolic Labour opposition, led his party to a sweeping victory in the general election. Since then, the government has run up a dismaying catalog of broken promises and bungled initiatives. Johnsons erratic mismanagement of the Brexit calamity is the most consequential a mess that continues to go from bad to worse. Having signed and boasted about a deal with the European Union to avoid reimposing trade barriers on the island of Ireland, he now threatens to renege, and blithely contemplates the possibility of trade war with the EU. Advertisement The government has gone to and fro on its economic and political priorities, leaving everybody confused about what it intends. Its response to Covid-19 has been characterized throughout by Johnsons trademark blend of bluster and incompetence one day denouncing measures proposed by critics, the next embracing them as his own. The impression of rudderless incoherence has been unrelenting. On top of all this came proof of arrogance and dishonesty during the so-called Partygate scandal. While the government said it was fighting the pandemic by imposing and strictly enforcing stringent restrictions on social gatherings, the prime minister and his officials were attending events that they themselves had deemed illegal. The most recent revelations about this, in a report by a senior civil servant, make it hard to believe that Johnson didnt simply lie about it. Nearly 80% of voters think he did. Johnsons allies have been putting a brave face on it. His margin of victory was comfortable, said one. The prime minister, they hope, might now draw a line and move on. This is unlikely, but not impossible. Up to now, the prime minister has been tenacious under fire. Lucky, too. If the Tory rebels had called their vote later in the month, after an expected drubbing in the Wakefield and Tiverton by-elections, it might well have gone the other way. In any event, a determination to hang on in the face of such disapproval is unlikely to serve the partys interests, much less the countrys. Advertisement The best case for retaining Johnsons services is that, for the moment, theres no obvious successor. Mondays embarrassment tells the party theyd better find one. More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion: Boris Johnsons Confidence Vote Win Means Tory Civil War: Therese Raphael Tories Underestimate the Threat From Labour: Adrian Wooldridge Voters Must End Boris Johnsons Antics: Pankaj Mishra The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load China suffered a rare diplomatic setback last week when 10 Pacific Island nations deflected its offer of a sweeping trade and security deal. However, the rebuff wont end Chinas efforts to exert influence over these tiny and far-flung countries. The US needs to respond with equal resolve or risk losing ground in a strategically vital region. Though lightly populated, the Pacific Islands are critical to the security interests of the US and its allies. In particular, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau which are bound by so-called Compacts of Free Association that offer the US exclusive military access to their territory serve as a power-projection superhighway linking US forces in Hawaii to forward positions in the theater. Western planners assume Chinas ultimate aim is to counter the US by gaining a military foothold itself in countries such as the Solomon Islands or Kiribati, from where it could extend the reach of its navy and threaten lines of communication to Australia and New Zealand. Given the stakes, US engagement with the region has been mystifyingly inconsistent. Past pledges to deepen economic and security ties dating back 30 years have fizzled out after initial fanfare. Efforts by the previous US and Australian governments to improve relations were undercut by their skepticism about climate change an existential issue for low-lying island nations. US President Joe Bidens administration sent a terrible signal by letting talks to renew economic assistance to the three Compact nations languish until very recently. The US only ranked fifth in direct aid to the region between 2009 and 2019, behind Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan. Advertisement By contrast, China has provided not just aid but extensive trade opportunities: According to one estimate, it absorbed more than half the timber, seafood and minerals exported from the region in 2019. Chinese companies have built lavish infrastructure projects throughout the islands. Chinese diplomats are more visible than their American counterparts, while top Chinese leaders have cultivated Pacific elites assiduously. In a sign of how China can exploit such ties to make strategic inroads, the country recently reached a security deal signed with the Solomon Islands that could open the door to Chinese naval visits. To head off further Chinese expansion, the US will need to demonstrate that it understands the regions long-term priorities and can meet them better than China can. The first step must be to swiftly conclude negotiations over assistance to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. In addition to education grants and eligibility for certain federal programs, the US may face demands for more extensive compensation for survivors of US nuclear tests, as well as greater environmental remediation. Its a price worth paying. Leaving aside Americas moral obligations, these are small investments to make given the islands military value. Just as importantly, the US needs to work with partners such as Australia and Japan to develop a comprehensive strategy for the region as a whole. They should pool resources to develop flagship infrastructure projects, improve digital connectivity, offer trade incentives, and provide development opportunities for Pacific Islanders. They should intensify efforts to address what local leaders say are their main security threats, from illegal fishing to climate change. Advertisement The US, in particular, should expand its diplomatic presence and engage more consistently with regional groupings such as the Pacific Islands Forum. Congress should move forward with proposals that would mandate just such a strategy, then fund it appropriately. A dose of realism would also help. Pacific nations arent naive about Chinese ambitions, and most have little interest in being lectured or becoming pawns in a new Cold War. While drawing the line at a Chinese military presence, the US should accept that these countries will continue to pursue Chinese investment and trade. Building on shared interests, not coercion, is the best way for the US to both promote the welfare of the Pacific Islands and keep a watchful eye on China. More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion: China Is Winning the Battle for the South Pacific: James Stavridis The Islands the West Forgot But China Didnt: Ruth Pollard Joe Bidens Big Asian Trade Deal Is Only a Baby Step: Editorial The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Bolsonaro questions Biden's election win Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday cast doubt on the 2020 election victory of President Biden, just two days before they are due to meet for the first time during the Summit of the Americas. Bolsonaro, an outspoken admirer of former president Donald Trump, said in a TV interview that he still harbors suspicions about Bidens victory, and he again praised Trumps government. In 2020, the Brazilian leader voiced allegations of U.S. election fraud as he backed Trump. He was also one of the last world leaders to recognize Bidens win. The American people are the ones who talk about it [election fraud]. I will not discuss the sovereignty of another country. But Trump was doing really well, Bolsonaro said. We dont want that to happen in Brazil, he added. Advertisement Bolsonaro, who trails former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in opinion polls ahead of an election in October, has frequently questioned the legitimacy of Brazils electronic voting system. The right-wing leader is scheduled to meet Biden on Thursday at the U.S.-hosted summit in Los Angeles. According to the White House, their first formal talks will cover a range of issues, including food insecurity, climate change and pandemic recovery. Bolsonaro said in the interview he does not believe that Biden will try to impose anything on what he should do to reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, which has increased during his tenure. Reuters Greece urged to pull troops from Aegean Turkeys foreign minister called Tuesday on Greece to withdraw its armed forces from islands in the Aegean Sea, warning that his country will challenge the status of the islands if it fails to demilitarize them. Advertisement Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a joint news conference in Ankara with his North Macedonian counterpart that Greece has been building a military presence on the Aegean islands in violation of the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Treaty. He said the islands were ceded to Greece on the condition they be kept demilitarized. Greece argues that Turkey has deliberately misinterpreted the treaties regarding armed forces on its eastern islands and says it has legal grounds to defend itself following hostile actions by Ankara including a long-standing threat of war if it extends its territorial waters. The Turkish ministers comments come amid a new escalation in tensions between the two NATO allies, which have a history of disputes over a range of issues including mineral exploration in the eastern Mediterranean and rival claims in the Aegean. Advertisement Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would stop talking to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, voicing displeasure at comments the Greek leader made during a recent U.S. trip, including suggestions that Congress should block Turkeys acquisition of F-16 fighter jets. Associated Press Cameroon blames soldiers for killings: Cameroon's government said a group of soldiers killed nine villagers, including an 18-month-old girl, in a "manifestly disproportionate" and "hasty" response to a confrontation in the Northwest Region last week. The four soldiers were searching for a missing comrade in the village of Missong when they came across a group of angry villagers at night, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The statement was an unusual admission of blame by the army. Advertisement Japan to allow only chaperoned tourism: Foreign tourists visiting Japan will be required to wear masks, take out private medical insurance and be chaperoned throughout their stay, the government said as it plans a gradual opening from two years of coronavirus restrictions. Only visitors on package tours will be allowed in during the first phase of reopening, starting Friday, the Japan Tourism Agency said. Postwar panel urges Israel to ensure Palestinian rights: An independent commission of inquiry set up by the U.N. Human Rights Council after the 2021 Gaza war said Israel must do more than end the occupation of land Palestinians want for a state, according to a new report. "Ending the occupation alone will not be sufficient," the report says, urging additional action to ensure the equal enjoyment of human rights. Israel boycotted the inquiry and barred entry to its investigators. Its Foreign Ministry called the report "a waste of money and effort" that amounted to a witch hunt. From news services GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Cambodia denied again Tuesday that it will allow any Chinese military presence at a port where it and China are beginning an expansion this week that has prompted concern in the United States and elsewhere that it will be used by Beijing as a naval outpost on the Gulf of Thailand. Chief government spokesman Phay Siphan described the expansion of the Ream Naval Base as cooperation between China and Cambodia and said the Chinese ambassador to Cambodia will preside over the groundbreaking on Wednesday along with Cambodias defense minister and other senior military officials. He denied, however, a report in the Washington Post newspaper citing an anonymous Chinese official that the facility on the northern side of the Cambodian base would be used in part by the Chinese military. Advertisement Siphan said it would be a violation of Cambodias Constitution to host a foreign military power, and that there had been no change in the terms of his countrys agreement with China on constructing the facility. I think thats a strong accusation, he said in a telephone interview. He would not comment on the extent of the Chinese involvement and said the project involved constructing a facility for repairing ships. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday said the work would be a renovation of the base which aims to strengthen the Cambodian navys capability to maintain maritime territorial integrity and combat maritime crime. Ream faces the Gulf of Thailand, adjacent to the South China Sea, where China has aggressively asserted its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway. The U.S. has refused to recognize Chinas sweeping claim and routinely conducts military maneuvers there to reinforce that they are international waters. Advertisement A Chinese base in Cambodia could become a chokepoint in the Gulf of Thailand close to the strategically important Malacca Strait. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday that allegations China intends to establish a military presence at the Ream base are consistent with credible reporting weve seen from the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) that the PRC is engaged in a significant ongoing construction project at Ream Naval Base. As weve said, an exclusive PRC military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodias autonomy and undermine regional security as well, he said. China recently signed a security deal with the Solomon Islands that the U.S. and others worry could lead to a military presence there, and Price noted that Beijing has also reached out to a number of other South Pacific islands. Advertisement We have seen the PRC attempt to put forward a series of shadowy, opaque deals that they would like to see signed in the dead of night with no input or transparency, he said. This has been a pattern on the part of the PRC. The U.S. itself has more foreign military bases than any other country, including multiple facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. At a regular Foreign Ministry briefing, Zhao accused the U.S. of bullying Cambodia and ignoring its denials that Ream would be used for Chinese military purposes, while noting Washingtons own network of bases around the world. China and Cambodia are comprehensive strategic partners, and our cooperation in various fields is open, transparent, reasonable and legitimate, which benefits the two countries, he said. China so far operates just one acknowledged foreign military base, in the impoverished but strategically important Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Many believe that Chinas Peoples Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if they dont use the term base. Advertisement Cambodias authoritarian leader, Hun Sen, has long cultivated relations with China, and reportedly signed a secret agreement in 2019 allowing the Chinese to establish a base at Ream. Though Hun Sen has strongly denied that Cambodia would allow China to set up a military outpost at Ream, China has already been dredging the harbor to allow larger ships to dock, and is building new infrastructure to replace a U.S.-built naval tactical headquarters. Hun Sen suggested last month that the water would still be too shallow for any warships to dock, and reiterated that it would be a violation of Cambodias Constitution to host a Chinese military facility. Why would we need foreign forces, for what? he said. What Cambodia really needs at the moment is foreign investment, not foreign forces. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, established by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, posted satellite images in January of two clamshell dredgers at work in the harbor, and said while the extent of the dredging is unknown, it could mark a significant upgrade to the base. Advertisement The shallow waters around Ream mean it is currently only able to host small patrol vessels, it said. A deep-water port would make it far more useful to both the Cambodian and Chinese navies. Newer images from April analyzed by The Associated Press show the dredgers still on site and at work. ___ Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Matthew Lee in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load ANKARA, Turkey Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Russia also demanded Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea, and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Advertisement Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraines other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. He told reporters Wednesday the package is essential, especially for millions of people in developing countries facing the threat of an unprecedented wave of hunger. Guterres said saying anything more in public about the talks would jeopardize the chances of success. Advertisement Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldnt use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraines ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Advertisement Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation, said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Advertisement Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal, Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. Advertisement The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. Advertisement At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic, and he reiterated Ankaras offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Advertisement Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. ___ Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, Frances DEmilio in Rome, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic The childhood friend accused of fatally shooting the Dominican Republics Minister of Environment and Natural Resources this week allegedly did so because he was denied environmental permits he was seeking on behalf of various companies, according to judicial documents obtained Wednesday. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight One of the permits that slain former minister Orlando Jorge had denied had been submitted by his longtime friend and now suspect, Fausto Miguel de Jesus Cruz de la Mota, who served as intermediary between the companies and the ministry. That particular permit involved a request to export 5,000 tons (4,500 metric tons) of used batteries, according to the documents obtained by The Associated Press. Those permits and others were found inside a briefcase the suspect was carrying when the minister, who is the son of a former president, was shot six times at his office on Monday, the documents state. Advertisement Authorities wrote that the suspect was bothered by that particular permit: It had been denied, but they had resubmitted it. They also described Cruz as a cold and calculating murderer and are seeking one year of preventive prison as the investigation continues. It was not immediately clear if Cruz had an attorney. Shortly after Mondays killing, police arrested Cruz at a church dozens of blocks away after telling a priest he committed a crime and handed over a gun to him. Authorities also state in the documents that Cruz allegedly took advantage of his ties with Jorge to seek environmental permits given his support during the 2020 campaign for the ministers Modern Revolutionary Party. Jorge, who was a founding member of that party, was appointed minister in August 2020. I campaigned, and theyre not helping me, exclaimed Cruz when he arrived at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources before the shooting on the morning of June 6, according to the documents. Advertisement The evidence shows that the accused had been trying to obtain multiple permits but complained angrily that no one was helping him solve anything, the Dominican Republics Department of Justice said in a statement. It also accused Cruz of threatening the legal adviser of the ministry less than a month ago. Authorities stated that after the shooting, they seized Cruzs car and found a 9 mm Uzi with two 30-round magazines each and $2,000 in cash, among other things. Cruz is the son of Maj. General Fausto Miguel Cruz, who served as commander of the Dominican Republics Air Force from 1988 to 1990, a spokeswoman told the AP. He is also a shareholder of a construction company and an armory. Meanwhile, Jorge, the slain minister, comes from a well-known political family. He is the son of former Dominican President Salvador Jorge Blanco and his sister is a vice minister in Abinaders administration. Jorges son is a lawmaker for the Modern Revolutionary Party. Jorges family held a two-day wake for him that drew multiple mourners, including David Ortiz, former Red Sox slugger and a Hall of Famer. He was quoted by newspaper Listin Diario as saying: This is horrible. ... Lets stop all this violence. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load LONDON Portuguese-British artist Paula Rego, who created bold, visceral works inspired by fairy tales, her homeland and her own life, has died at age 87. The Victoria Miro Gallery, which represents Rego, said Wednesday that she died peacefully this morning, after a short illness, at home in north London, surrounded by her family. Regos work spanned styles from naturalism to the abstract, and often included vivid, unnerving depictions of people, animals or both. Among her best-known works are the Dog Woman pastel drawings portraying women in a series of canine poses. Born in Lisbon in 1935, Rego was sent to school in England and went on to study art at the Slade School in London. At the time, Portugal was governed by Antonio Salazars dictatorship and women were second-class citizens without the vote. Advertisement Rego said her father had told her: Leave Portugal. This is no country for a woman. In the 1960s Rego exhibited alongside rising young artists such as David Hockney as part of the London Group collective. One early painting, the semi-abstract Salazar Vomiting the Homeland, excoriated the dictatorship. Producing it in Portugal at the time would have landed her in jail. Though she lived in Britain for decades, Regos work was infused with the colors and stories of her homeland, and drew on her childhood in conservative Portugal under the Salazar regime. Our infancy is always with us, isnt it? Rego told The Associated Press in a 2014 interview. On the Portugal of her childhood, she said: It was a fascist state for everyone, but it was especially hard for women. They got a raw deal. A feminist who helped change the way women are depicted in art, Rego challenged expectations of beauty and explored subtexts of sex and violence in Portuguese folk tales and nursery rhymes. Advertisement A staunch champion of human rights, she memorably produced a series of paintings entitled Abortion, shortly after Portugal had rejected pregnancy termination on demand in a 1998 referendum. In 2008-2009 she created another series, Female Genital Mutilation. After Portugals transition to democracy in the 1970s, Rego became one of the countrys most famous artists. A museum of her work opened in the seaside town of Cascais in 2009. The Portuguese government decreed a day of national mourning, when flags on government buildings will fly at half-mast in the artists honor. Her paintings, drawings and engravings contain powerful images that will stay with us and with generations to come, the government said in a statement. It added that Rego was an artist who was acutely alive to the reality of our society. Advertisement Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Rego was the countrys greatest modern artist of the past three decades. He recalled that on a visit to Regos London studio in 2016 he witnessed the enchanting and disturbing power of her work. Rego also was renowned in Britain, where she was the first artist-in-residence at the National Gallery in London. Tate Britain held a major retrospective of her work last year. Tate director Maria Balshaw called Rego an uncompromising artist of extraordinary imaginative power, who uniquely revolutionized the way in which womens lives and stories are represented. Regos work is in the collections of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale Center for British Art. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II made Rego a dame, the female equivalent of a knight. Rego was married for 29 years to British artist Victor Willing, who died in 1988. She is survived by their children Nick, Caroline and Victoria, and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. ___ Hatton reported from Lisbon. GiftOutline Gift Article Sunday, June 5 On this date in 1871, Armijo, one of the principal chiefs of the Navajo Nation died. On this date in 1928, bids were opened for the construction of the North Rim Road of the Grand Canyon. On this date in 1928, Northern Arizona State Teachers College at Flagstaff graduated the largest class in its history as President Grady Gammage presented 81 certificates. On this date in 1996, Winslows temperature hit 100 degrees, breaking the record of 96 for the day set back in 1957. Monday, June 6 On this date in 1851, Camp Independence was established on the east bank of the Colorado River near its junction with the Gila River under the command of Lt. Thomas W. Sweeny. Camp Independence was replaced by Fort Yuma in December, 1851. On this date in 1903, Gov. Alexander Brodie ordered the Arizona Rangers to Morenci and Clifton where miners were striking. On this date in 1933, the first concrete was poured at Hoover Dam. On this date in 1936, the first barrel of tequila made in the United States was produced at the San Andres distillery in Nogales. Tuesday, June 7 On this date in 1890, the mine fuel tanks at Pearce exploded, destroying the stamp mill and setting part of the town on fire. On this date in 1896, a Congressional Act provided that the portion of the White Mountain Reservation south of the Salt River was to compose the San Carlos Reservation, while the portion north of the Salt was to be know as Fort Apache. On this date in 1928, three men drowned at Lees Ferry when the ferry boat turned over in mid-stream. Wednesday, June 8 On this date in 1874, the Apache chief Cochise died in his stronghold in the Dragoon Mountains. On this date in 1927, State Teachers College at Tempe, now Arizona State University, gave its first Bachelor of Education degrees to 13 graduates. On this date in 1928, the Navajo County sheriff raided the Holbrook City Hall and confiscated 65 gallons (246 litree) of bootleg whiskey in 13 kegs that were hidden under the floor boards. On this date in 1928, Arthur H. Elliott, who staked out a homestead in 1881 on what was to become the town site of Casa Grande and who became the editor and publisher of the first newspaper in Casa Grande, died. On this date in 1928, the city of Flagstaff dedicated its new airfield, Koch Field, with an aerial circus and banquet. Thursday, June 9 On this date in 1894, the town of Globe was destroyed by fire. On this date in 1901, the first spike was driven on the Narrow Gauge Railroad of the Greene Consolidated Copper Co. from Naco to the mines in Cananea. On this date in 1904, a fire of incendiary origin in Nogales destroyed the Southern Pacific Station, U.S. Customs building, Wells Fargo Depot and several freight cars. On this date in 1932, after an absence of 104 years, the Franciscan Order again occupied residence quarters in San Xavier Mission. Friday, June 10 On this date in 1881, James Finely brought a sample of ore to the assay office of the Hermosa Mining Co. at Harshaw which assayed at 823.77 ounces of silver to the ton. On this date in 1903, 11 persons were confirmed drowned and many others were missing after two hours of torrential rain in Clifton. On this date in 1922, Arizonas first woman governor, Rose Mofford, was born in Globe. On this date in 1928, ground was broken for the new $35,000 cotton gin to be erected at Solomonville. On this date in 1928, the Grand Canyon official airport owned and developed by Scenic Airways, Inc., was dedicated. Saturday, June 11 On this date in 1822, Abraham Harlow Peeples, who came to Arizona in 1863 and with Pauline Weaver organized the prospecting expedition which discovered the Rich Hill gold placers, was born. On this date in 1868, philanthropist and civic leader Maie Bartlett Heard was born. She later endowed the Heard Museum in Phoenix, donated land for the Phoenix Civic Center, founded the Welfare League and gave a gymnasium to the Phoenix YMCA. On this date in 1876, the Chiricahua Apaches were moved from their reservation in Cochise County to San Carlos. On this date in 1928, more than 1,000 acres (4 square kilometers) of timberland were destroyed in the Ajo Mountains by a raging forest fire. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size About an hours drive north from Perth is the Julimar State Forest. The 29,000-hectare conservation park was logged until the 1970s but has been left alone since as an important refuge for threatened species like the Carnabys cockatoo and the chuditch otherwise known as the western quoll, Western Australias largest marsupial carnivore. At the northern extremity of WAs jarrah forests, the park finds itself in a unique situation as it faces the risk of ecological collapse from a drying climate, while also being on the front line of the search by miners for the rare metals needed in the global energy transition to renewables. Underneath the forest lies what could be the nations greatest modern mineral discovery of critical materials for defence and new energy technologies. Nickel and cobalt, used in electric vehicle batteries, are among the minerals present in the Julimar complex, a 26 kilometre-long anomaly that runs through the state forest and the Bindoon Training Area military facility. But the big interest comes from the platinum and palladium. The two metals can be used in green hydrogen production, but palladium is in short supply with most of it coming from Russia, currently a global pariah due to its war with Ukraine. Interest in critical minerals and their initial discovery on the doorstep of Perth saw miner Chalices share price rocket up the ASX, from 17c in March 2020 to more than $10 in November last year. Advertisement The southern end of the Julimar complex, covering about 2 kilometres of the find and known as the Gonneville deposit, is on private land snapped up by Chalice as the company splashed more than $35 million on farms bordering the forest. Gonneville itself is a Tier-1 discovery, which means its a company-making mine with a long-term revenue outlook. But just across the border in the state forest, aerial surveys have picked up signs of what could be an even more promising resource. This target area is called Hartog, covering about 2000 hectares with its Baudin target area, but until recently Chalice had limited access for exploration drilling. Chalices drilling targets. Credit:AFR The forest was made an interim conservation park in 1994 and has been earmarked by government ever since to be turned into an A-class reserve, which would mean any mining activity would require parliamentary approval, yet this has never come to fruition. Still, Chalice was limited to drilling along existing service tracks in the forest and saw its share price drop as the overall market fell, finding itself in a lengthy wait as an appeals process against a permit awarded by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety took months to complete. Both DMIRS and the appeals convenor found the proposed exploration to be inconsistent with several clearing principles. The convenor also noted significant concerns with the proposal and a high risk of dieback, a devastating plant disease, being introduced. Advertisement In the end, Chalice was allowed to clear 4.4 hectares of vegetation which is limited to driving vehicles, walking over vegetation or pruning for 70 drill sites as part of its initial exploration program in an area where the forest is considered to be in excellent condition. The Shire of Toodyay was one of the appellants and its president Rosemary Madacsi said the added exploration conditions imposed was a welcome compromise, but further applications in the forest were still a concern. She said the local government still wanted to see the forest become an A-class reserve, which is one step below a national park. The original integrity of the Julimar Forest cannot be restored once lost, Madacsi said. We have a duty to ensure our community is not poorer for our stewardship and believe that contemporary mining technology has the ability to deliver such an outcome. Chalice managing director and chief executive Alex Dorsch told WAtoday the company understood there were sensitivities around mining methods, but it was too early to say what activities might actually occur in Julimar, with no mineral deposits yet found. Advertisement Chalice chief executive Alex Dorsch. Credit:Trevor Collens However, we strongly believe that exploration needs to happen in the small prospective part of the state forest so that then we have all the information to weigh up mining of critical minerals and assess the environmental impacts, he said. WA-based Argonaut analyst Royce Haese said Chalice still had a way to go on getting approvals for any further drilling programs in the forest. It has taken around two years for Chalice to get approvals for this low-impact drilling, the next step is going to be a resource-scale drill-out which will likely require clearing, so another round of approvals, he said. But Dorsch has talked up the willingness of the WA government to allow for mining in state forests in the past, although his examples such as Boddington gold mine, Alcoa and South32s bauxite operations, and the Greenbushes lithium mine were all started or approved decades ago. Chalice has a lot of different community groups and environmentalists to try to win over to get the Julimar project off the ground. The region once roamed by WA bushranger Moondyne Joe is now full of hobby farms and picturesque towns like Toodyay, popular with treechangers for its closeness to the city. Advertisement Gary Edwards, who lives in the broader region, is the acting president of the Avon and Hills Mining Awareness group and does not want to see any open-cut mining, as opposed to underground. He says an open-cut mine in Julimar would be a disaster for conservation areas. The conservation park is one of the last relatively intact forests of its type in WA and is unique in the rare flora and fauna that it hosts; any intrusion such as this drilling program and future mining is a significant threat to that rare habitat, Edwards said. He says remaining landowners near Gonneville are also concerned about dust impacts from any future mining operations. Consider the chuditch The environmental values of Julimar State Forest are considered exceptional. Carnabys cockatoos breed in the forest and it is one of a handful of reserves left where you can find the woylie, a small marsupial that digs for fungi at night. Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Along with Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues), Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), David Chase (The Sopranos), David Simon (The Wire) and Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Taylor Sheridan deserves a place on any list of the leading lights of American TV over the past 50 years. And hes really only just begun. A born-and-bred Texan, the 52-year-old started out as a jobbing actor with noteworthy supporting roles on Veronica Mars (2005-2007, Stan*) and Sons of Anarchy (2008-2010, Disney+, Binge, Foxtel Now). Since then, hes taken on bit parts as cowboys in several of the productions hes written and/or directed: Hell or High Water (2016, Stan), directed by David Mackenzie, Yellowstone (2018-2022, Stan), and 1883 (2021-2022, Paramount+). Now, in addition to owning ranches in Texas (one for horses, the other for cattle), hes become a major player in the business, with his unofficial repertory company pointing to both his commitment to teamwork and his loyalty to those who have collaborated with him over the years. Among them are: producer Art Linson and his producer-writer son, John; cinematographer-directors Ben Richardson and Christina Alexandra Voros; director Stephen Kay; actor-writer Hugh Dillon, and actors Gil Birmingham, Jeremy Renner, Kelsey Asbille, Tokala Black Elk, Martin Sensmeier and Brisbane-born teenager Finn Little. Evident in everything that Sheridan has done all of it currently available through the streaming services is his concern for the circumstances of the disenfranchised, in particular Americas First Nations peoples, his ambivalent embrace of the cowboy code and his love for the land. Also noteworthy is the bleak view of contemporary America that emerges through it. For Sheridan, the United States are anything but. Rather, they make up a divided nation with a present thats just as troubled and lawless as its past. Kevin Costner and Luke Grimes in Yellowstone. Credit:Danno Nell Most of the films and TV series hes worked on have been set more or less in the present. His Yellowstone prequel, the epic 1883 (2021-2022, Paramount+), is his only straight historical piece, a wagon-train western that mourns the displacement of the Indigenous owners of the land even if its also infused with the dreams of white America. But the moral landscapes of everything that hes done have been moulded out of his interactions with the westerns of yore. They are places where the struggle to survive is all and men and women have to decide for themselves whats right and whats not. Advertisement At the same time as 1883s opening sequence provides a tantalising harbinger of whats to come, it also lays the foundations for Sheridans subversion of the kinds of cliches that have afflicted too many of those westerns. In it, white pioneers following the Oregon Trail across the Great Plains theyre mostly emigres from Germany are under attack by a small band of Lakota Braves. Its the kind of violent raid weve seen many times before courtesy of Old Hollywood. In a smoke-shrouded wide shot that maintains a relatively discreet distance but is still shocking, a fleeing, long-haired woman is chased down and, while still alive, scalped by one of the band, who then turns to his comrades proudly holding aloft his prize. Nearby on the brutal battlefield, the films narrator and central character, 18-year-old Elsa Dutton (Isabel May), is fighting for her life. A wagon is ablaze in the background. The white menfolk are elsewhere. And we have to wait until the series second-last episode where the cliche evoked by the attack on the pioneers is brilliantly turned on its head for an explanation of their absence and for the sequences aftermath. Colton (Noah Le Gros), an amiable cowboy hired by the pioneers, is the first of them to arrive back at the scene. He finds the scalped woman still alive, but bleeding, out of her mind, and slowly dying a horrible death. Theyre alone in the middle of nowhere, a beautiful but utterly inhospitable landscape. The land of no mercy is how Elsa describes it. Medical assistance is a lifetime away. Hating what he is about to do, Colton takes out his gun and puts her out of her agony. Tim McGraw as James and Faith Hill as Margaret in a scene from 1883. Credit:Emerson Miller/Paramount+ When Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott), the wagon master, arrives, he finds a despairing Colton tormented by the life-ending decision hes made, unable to reconcile what hes done with any notion of civilisation. A captain in the Union Army during the Civil War which ended on the day Elsa was born Shea has seen it all before. Whats decent out here? Whats the gauge? he asks the desperate Colton, before providing the only possible answer: Youre the gauge. Advertisement In varying degrees of dramatic intensity, that exchange lies at the heart of all of Sheridans work. Its crucial to virtually everything that happens in 1883, which not only builds a poignant family history for the Duttons of Yellowstone but also implicitly identifies whats gone missing between the generations: the decency that Shea was alluding to. In 1883, as the pioneers are confronted by one obstacle after another, theyre constantly forced to ponder impossible options. Whats the right thing to do when, as Elsas mother (Faith Hill) warns her daughter, every choice has fangs? Should her husband (Tim McGraw), a man of principle, put his family first, or the plight of their fellow travellers? In the western, everyone has to fend for themselves, inventing the rules on the run, and the consequences make it difficult to distinguish between whats right and what aint. Benicio Del Toro in Sicario: Day of the Soldado and, Emily Blunt (right) in the original Sicario. Credit:Richard Foreman, Jr./Sony Pictures, Roadshow Films Its the same throughout Sheridans work. In Yellowstone, which is set in present-day Montana, the law is either corrupt or incompetent. This leaves the rival landowners rancher John Dutton (Kevin Costner), Indian reservation boss Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) and the property developers trying to expand their realm to take matters into their own hands. The same goes for the underhand activities of the covert FBI team in the superb Sicario (2015, Stan), directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on Sheridans first-produced screenplay, and its visceral, Sheridan-written sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018, Apple, rental), directed by Stefano Sollima. The law is also an irrelevance in The Mayor of Kingstown (2021-2022, Paramount +, recently renewed for a second season), as Renners self-appointed middle-man, an ex-con, negotiates the terms of the peace between the conflicting gangs making up the inmates of the town prisons, the guards who watch over them and the local police. Jeremy Renner (centre) plays Mike, a self-appointed middle-man and ex-con who negotiates peace between prison inmates and guards in Mayor of Kingstown. Credit:Paramount+ Not everything that bears Sheridans name as a writer or director is likely to stand the test of time. Sicario: Day of the Soldado runs out of puff in the final 30 minutes; Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021, Netflix, Foxtel Now) is an efficient but dramatically slight reworking of aspects of the superior Wind River (2017, Stan, Binge, Foxtel Now); the finally ludicrous Without Remorse (2021, Prime), also directed by Sollima, perfunctorily returns to the high-level treacheries of Sicario; and Yellowstone loses some of its urgency after season two. But Sheridan has crammed a lot of impressive work into the seven years since Sicario. Advertisement A Perth newborn has died after an at-home birth with only a doula to support the mother ended in tragedy. The girl was born Saturday about 3am inside a Wattle Grove home, however she became stuck during labour and wasnt breathing when she arrived. A Perth baby has died after a home birth went tragically wrong. WAtoday understands the father of the child began CPR as the doula did not know how to resuscitate the newborn. St John Ambulance paramedics arrived at the scene 10 minutes after receiving the triple-zero call and rushed the baby to St John of God Midland. Labor will ditch its election promises to communities for new swimming pools or sporting ground upgrades if they do not stack up on a merits-based review, as new Infrastructure Minister Catherine King pledges to bring integrity back to funding. Kings priorities in her new role are to overhaul regional grants programs to eliminate the pork-barrelling seen in the past, and to reshape Infrastructure Australia including finding a new chief executive officer and cleaning out its board. New Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, with Governor-General David Hurley, has already commissioned reviews of Infrastructure Australia and regional grants programs. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew announced in the week before the election she would leave in July to take up a job as the head of Engineers Australia. Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce appointed Tamworth Mayor Col Murray chair of Infrastructure Australia late last year, a move criticised by Labor at the time. Warning: Graphic content Santa Monica, California: Judy Huth recalled being distraught while describing an allegation that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. While shedding tears, Huth testified in a civil trial against Cosby on Tuesday that he molested her when she was 16. She claims Cosby tried to put his hand down her tight pants, exposed himself before he forced her to touch him sexually on a bed in a blue room, which she says was adjacent to the games room. He forced himself on me, recalled Huth, whose testimony came in the Los Angeles County trial over a lawsuit she filed in 2014. Cosby denies her allegations. I was shocked to say the least, she said. The discussion on the essay topics of this year's gaokao, China's national college entrance examinations, has dominated Chinese social media with more than 360 million views and comments on Tuesday, the first day of the exam. The essay topic based on the plot from the famous Chinese classical novel The Dream of the Red Chamber was considered by netizens as one of the most difficult. The essay required gaokao takers to decide the theme on the basis of their understanding of the reading material, a plot from The Dream of the Red Chamber. The plot is about the different names of a pavilion. One person directly quoted the words from the ancient text. Another person made up the name based on the antique prose but added his own idea. A third one created the name completely based on his understanding of the pavilion. Netizens found the essay topic challenging because they need to first understand the meaning of the three names of the pavilion, which were all written in classical Chinese language and involved Chinese aesthetics, and then choose the theme from the reading material which gives no clear preference among the three names. Experts agreed that using the plot of The Dream of the Red Chamber as the reading material of the essay is very creative and makes it difficult for students to find a writing approach. Future Chinese education should encourage students to think about what they read rather than roughly knowing what it is about, said Duan Zengyong, Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of the Academy of Educational Sciences in Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Wang Hongtu, professor of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature in Fudan University, said the reading material did not say which name is the right answer but left different choices, which can inspire students to observe and consider things from different perspectives with an open mind. Yellowstone County voters want to keep their access to local recreational marijuana dispensaries. During Tuesday's election, 25,288 voters opted to keep recreational marijuana sales legal in Yellowstone County compared to 18,302 who voted to ban sales. Voters were asked whether to overturn legalized recreational marijuana sales in Yellowstone County following a move in December by Yellowstone County commissioners to place the question on the June ballot. It's the third time since November 2020 that Billings voters have cast a ballot asking about recreational marijuana. Montana voters in 2020 overwhelmingly approved legalizing recreational marijuana; in Yellowstone County the vote was more narrow, 50.7% to 49.3% in favor, a difference of roughly 1,100 votes. A year later, Billings officials went to voters to ask whether recreational marijuana storefronts should be allowed within city limits. This time voters said no, rejecting storefronts by a healthy margin of 55% to 45%. Last August, county commissioners debated whether to return to voters with the question of allowing recreational marijuana sales within the county. At that meeting, only commissioners John Ostlund and Don Jones were present; Commissioner Denis Pitman was out of town. Jones supported the motion to take the question back to voters, but Ostlund voted against it, saying that while he opposed recreational marijuana, county voters had clearly voted in favor for it. The tie vote killed the motion. But following the vote in November, when Billings voters rejected storefronts in town, commissioners debated whether it was time to go back to voters. In December, they voted unanimously to do it. Recreational marijuana has been on sale in Montana since January and in Yellowstone County it's become a booming business. Statewide through May, Montanans have bought $123 million worth of recreational and medical marijuana, generating $17 million in tax revenue for the state, according to the Department of Revenue. During the same time period, Yellowstone County has led every other county in the state on sales, bringing in a total of $22 million. Love 24 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 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. Matt Rosendale trounced his Republican opponents for Montanas Eastern U.S. House District Tuesday night as two other congressional primaries in the district played out. Rosendale, Montanas at-large representative, lead the GOP field with 67,520 votes, compared to 11,092 votes for Kyle Austin of Billings, 5,326 votes for James Boyette of Bozeman, and 5,496 votes for Charles Walking Child of Helena. The Associated Press called the race for Rosendale about an hour after polls closed. The Congressman spent the days leading up to June 7 touring hydroelectric dams in Idaho and Washington. During the primary season, he didn't participate in any political forums where his opponents were present to answer questions. In February, the Republican National Committee, at the request of the Montana GOP, invoked Rule 11 to endorse Rosendale. The rule prevents the RNC from lending support to a primary candidate unless the candidate is unopposed in most cases. In the Democratic Primary, Penny Ronning, of Billings had 20,017 votes to Billings resident Skylar Williams 6,356. Mark Sweeney, who died unexpectedly at his Philipsburg home May 6, received 7,694 votes. In the event Sweeney wins, the Montana Democratic Party will hold a nominating convention to select a replacement candidate. In the three-way Libertarian primary, Sam Rankin of Billings, had 858 votes. Roger Roots of Livingston, had 476. Samuel Thomas of Missoula, had 505. U.S. House District 2 is anchored by Billings, Great Falls and Helena in the West and stretches east to the North Dakota border. The counties that make up the district have favored Republicans. Election data from 2010 through 2020 shows that in four of the last seven U.S. House races, the margin of victory for GOP candidates over Democrats in the counties that now comprise the Eastern district has been greater than 20%. Only once was the margin closer than 15%. Rosendale won 61% of the vote in the east as a statewide candidate running against Democrat Kathleen Williams in 2020. The only Republican to do better since 2010 was Denny Rehberg, who was an eight-year incumbent in 2010 when he won 62% of the vote in the Eastern district counties. Rosendale has raised more than $1.6 million this campaign cycle, while his combined, the other candidates have amassed less than $200,000. Matt Rosendale trounced is Republican opponents for Montanas eastern U.S. House District as two other congressional primaries in the district played out Tuesday night. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Allentown, PA (18103) Today Mostly sunny and warm but still quite comfortable for mid-June. . Tonight Becoming mostly cloudy and more humid with a shower or thunderstorm possible late, especially from the Lehigh Valley points west. Reading, PA (19601) Today Mostly sunny and warm but still quite comfortable for mid-June. . Tonight Becoming mostly cloudy and more humid with a shower or thunderstorm possible late, especially from the Lehigh Valley points west. Nearly 300,000 Montanans, including 128,000 children, rely on Medicaid for their health care coverage. Nearly 2 in 3 businesses have an employee who is covered by Medicaid, making it a critical support for Montanas small businesses and entrepreneurs who cant afford to compete with big corporations on worker benefits. Medicaid keeps our families healthy and our economy running, so why are we choking it with new red tape? Because thats whats happening right now unnecessary bureaucracy is growing in Medicaid, not shrinking. During the last session of the Legislature, Montana Republicans pushed forward legislation that requires Montanans to continuously prove their eligibility for Medicaid every few months, you must report your income to the state government, despite the fact that you already told them when you signed up for Medicaid and youre already required to reapply every year like everyone else with insurance does. Montana Democrats fought against these new requirements, but the Republicans were dead set on adding additional superfluous red tape to one of the states largest and most critical insurers. Within the next few months the state will kick off this eligibility redetermination for working Montanans covered by Medicaid. This could have serious and far-reaching consequences for the hundreds of thousands of Montanans who are covered by Medicaid. You might rely on Medicaid to cover your insulin or the cost of your kids inhaler, but if you dont jump through a hoop when the government tells you to, you might be out of luck. No matter that youre working two jobs, or picking up extra shifts, or have moved from your old address when your landlord jacked up your rent. If you miss that notification in the mail or dont respond right away, youll lose your familys health care. No matter that you work seasonal jobs where your income fluctuates from month to month. If you dont fit in the governments narrow eligibility box at the random time they decide to force you to prove it, youll lose your familys health care. And lets say you get kicked off your health care even though you still qualify for it. The wait times on the state phone line to fix that problem can take days, so good luck trying to get signed back up again. The state government is currently undertaking a so-called red tape review to supposedly cut down on government bureaucracy, but theyre completely ignoring the source of quality, affordable health care for a third of Montanans. Instead of working to lower the costs of living for working families, they're stringing up more red tape in Medicaid and letting Montanans get clotheslined by it. Its unconscionable and it needs to change. Red tape doesnt belong in Montana and especially not in our health care. For many Montanans, Medicaid is the difference between life and death. Nothing made this more clear to me than my tenure as Director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. I spent hours on the phone with folks across Montana who needed help navigating the eligibility process, who had fallen through the cracks because they missed the deadline; or the paperwork got sent to their old address; or they worked three jobs and didnt have time during working hours to call with questions. One case in particular has stayed with me for years. A working mother received health insurance under Medicaid, and because of her coverage, was able to catch her cancer early. Finding the time to navigate the eligibility paperwork for Medicaid, while balancing working, cancer treatment and taking care of her children, was nearly impossible. I was happy to help her through the process. But not everyone is lucky enough to get that kind of help. The changes the Gianforte administration will implement this summer make an already complex system more burdensome. Adding red tape and redundant eligibility requirements will make it easier for Montanans like the mother juggling work, child care, and cancer treatment to fall through the cracks and lose their health care coverage. If we are serious about removing red tape in state government, the solution is simple. Roll back these cumbersome, ineffective bureaucratic requirements and provide hardworking Montanans with the health care theyre eligible for. Sheila Hogan is the executive director of the Montana Democratic Party and former Director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 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 or offensive posts may be removed by the moderator. Posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language or memes are automatically removed, to the best of its ability, by a pre-programmed algorithm. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. [June 08, 2022] Mendix Appoints New CFO, Completing Transformation of Leadership Team to Drive Next Phase of Hypergrowth Tom Ellison joins industry-leading low-code pioneer bringing two decades of experience in technology companies ? Ellison assumes the CFO role from Tim Srock, who recently moved up to become the Mendix CEO ? With a proven track record in achieving the financial and performance goals for high-growth companies, Ellison joins Mendix's C-suite team to help drive the company's next stage of global hypergrowth ? With Gartner projecting 70% of all software development to take place on low-code or no-code platforms, Mendix is positioned to continue its hyper-growth trajectory, which has seen it post 300% growth in annual recurring revenue (ARR) since it was acquired by Siemens BOSTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mendix, a Siemens business and global leader in modern enterprise application development, today announced the appointment of the company's new CFO, Tom Ellison. Ellison, a former midwesterner now working from the company's Rotterdam headquarters, takes on the role previously held by Tim Srock, who recently took the reins as Mendix's new CEO. Ellison will play a leading role in helping Mendix achieve its ambition for hypergrowth as the company expands operations across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. Mendix is cited as a visionary leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Low-Code Enterprise Application Platforms, and Magic Quadrant for Multiexperience Development . The company is meeting the groundswell of interest in low-code technology from enterprises around the world seeking to accelerate the time-to-impact of digital solutions and transform software development from a cost center to the cornerstone of enterprise innovation. Ellison joins Mendix's senior leadership team in its efforts to center Mendix at the heart of the enterprise software stack. Profiting from a wealth of competitive experience A native of Vincennes, Indiana, with an MBA from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ellison has been based in Europe for the past fifteen years leading financial teams for American and European technology companies. "Coincidentally, my own career journey led me to work for organizations competing with Siemens in three different areas," he said. "As a member of Mendix's senior management team, I may be unique in that regard." Ellison joins Mendix directly from ServiceNow, where he spent four years in Amsterdam as the senior director of finance. Previously, Ellison worked at other high-growth technology companies including Dassault Systemes, Hutchinson 3G, and Nortel. Ellison's experience will be invaluable as the next stage of Mendix's journey unfolds. Its 'ecosystems solutions' strategy includes partnering with integrated software vendors (ISVs) and targeted vertical industries to leverage the Mendix Solutions Platform and Mendix Marketplace to expand into new lines of business and adaptive solutions. According to Gartner analysts, 70% of new applications developed by organizations will use low-code or no-code technologies by 2025. These findings, coupled with his SaaS experience, ignited Ellison's interest in low-code software development. "I was seeing the complexity and challenges in digital business transformation. It was a big eye-opener for me," said Ellison. "Mendix is positioned right in the sweet spot where the future of enterprise software development is playing out. Low-code is an equalizer. As someone who believes in unlocking potential for employees and customers for success, I am excited to join Mendix at such a pivotal point in the company's journey." Ellison added, "In the past, digital transformation sat squarely within the domain of IT departments and every technology advancement created a massive backlog of digitalization projects. But with proper governance, low-code empowers all employees to help drive business-critical software projects in parallel with larger IT-driven transformation projects. The additional capacity and business expertise unlocks new sources of revenue and customer engagement at an accelerated pace. Market pressures are compelling enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation efforts. Mendix delivers the collaboration, agility, speed, integration with emerging technology, and laser focus on employee and customer requirements that enterprises need to succeed." According to Mendix CEO Tim Srock, "We are delighted to add Tom to our leadership team and believe he will be an important part in the next stage of the Mendix journey. We have outlined our strategy for the future, which includes building a comprehensive ecosystem that positions Mendix at the center of enterprise application development. Tom's experience in organizations that have been through this stage of growth will be an asset for our entire team." Connect with Mendix Follow @Mendix on Twitter Connect with Mendix on LinkedIn About Mendix In a digital-first world, customers want their every need anticipated, employees want better tools to do their jobs, and enterprises know that sweeping digital transformation is the key to survival and success. Mendix, a Siemens business, is quickly becoming the engine of the enterprise digital landscape. Its industry-leading low-code platform and comprehensive ecosystem integrates the most advanced technology to support solutions that boost engagement, streamline operations, and relieve IT logjams. Built on the pillars of abstraction, automation, cloud, and collaboration, Mendix dramatically increases developer productivity and empowers a legion of not-so-technical, 'citizen' developers to create apps guided by their particular domain expertise, facilitated by Mendix's engineered-in collaborative capabilities and intuitive visual interface. Recognized as a leader and visionary by leading industry analysts, the platform is cloud-native, open, extensible, agile, and proven. From artificial intelligence and augmented reality to intelligent automation and native mobile, Mendix is the backbone of digital-first enterprises. The Mendix enterprise low-code platform has been adopted by more than 4,000 leading companies in 46 countries. Press Inquiries Sara Black sara@bospar.com (213) 618-1501 Dan Berkowitz Senior Director of Global Communications Dan.Berkowitz@mendix.com (415) 518-7870 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mendix-appoints-new-cfo-completing-transformation-of-leadership-team-to-drive-next-phase-of-hypergrowth-301563578.html SOURCE Mendix [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. (AP) A 57-year-old northwestern Minnesota woman is accused of setting a curtain on fire inside a mosque, authorities said. Police said the incident happened about 4:30 a.m. Sunday at the Islamic Center in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. A bystander quickly put out the fire and the damage was minimal. There were no injuries, police said. The woman, who has not been formally charged, was arrested on two counts of first-degree arson. Police did not forward any other charges to the Polk County states attorney, a spokesman said. Authorities have not released a motive. The suspect, from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, is being held in jail on $5,000 bail, police said. It is not clear whether she has an attorney who could comment on the allegations. 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 recipients of this year's MGCfutures have been revealed. Recognising leading-light artists of all ages who require financial and ongoing mentoring support, this year's winners are writer Isabel Adomakoh Young, designer Shankho Chaudhuri, director Aran Cherkez, theatremaker Sarah Golding, composer Matthew Harvey, choreographer Jennifer Jackson, writer Somebody Jones, director Max Lindsay, producer Alice Rush, theatremaker Sundeep Saini, director Mark Smith, carpenter Sam Stuart and producer Clarissa Widya. This year's bursaries also include new partnerships. As such, cultural entrepeneur Kashish Gaba has received the London Performance Studios Cultural Entrepreneur Bursary, Nadia Sewnauth has recieved the Dance Base Hip-Hop Dance Artist Traineeship, Anushiye Yarnell has received the South House Creative Development Residency, while producer Bethany Cooper was awarded the Nicole Kidman Bursary, and milliner Lauren Martin and costume maker Claire Powell both received the Stephanie Arditti Bursaries. Founded back in 2015, the fund has supported scores of artists who have since gone on to change the way in which theatre is made across the UK. The bursaries are supported by the Theatre Community Fund, spearheaded by Olivia Colman, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Francesca Moody. Founder Michael Grandage said today: "As we continue to emerge from one of the most challenging periods in our history, the theatre industry is back focusing people's minds and helping us look to the future with hope. The recipients of this year's MGCfutures bursaries are at the forefront of that debate, offering imagination, intellect and talent. I'm delighted we are able to award so many individuals the opportunity to hone their craft and develop their career as part of our ongoing bursary scheme which is now in its sixth year." A fired Bismarck police sergeant stands to receive $190,000 in a settlement that would keep her federal gender discrimination lawsuit against the Bismarck Police Department from going to trial. The pending settlement also would remove from Robyn Kriles personnel file two letters of reprimand issued to her while she was employed by the department. The Bismarck City Commission is set to vote Tuesday on whether to approve the settlement. City Attorney Jannelle Combs in a document dated June 6 recommended approval. Krile in January 2019 filed the lawsuit, alleging the department used a systemic ruse of performance/supervisory/misconduct allegations to devalue her and keep her from advancing to the rank of lieutenant. She filed after losing a discrimination case before the state Department of Labor and Human Rights, a finding that was upheld by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Her lawsuit sought more than $100,000 in damages for pain and suffering, lost pay and other reasons. The city would admit no liability under the settlement. The citys insurance company would make the payment. The settlement will avoid very expensive additional attorney fees and costs, as well as staff time from the city, Combs said. The terms of the settlement were reached in late May -- just days before the case was to go to trial -- but the amount was not immediately disclosed. Kriles attorney, Chris Redmann, at that time said the agreement provided Krile with a suitable amount compared to a jury verdict at trial without forcing members of the police department to testify. Combs said the suit was settled in the best interest of all parties. Krile was a sergeant and a 13-year veteran of the Bismarck force when she was fired in March 2017 after then-Assistant Burleigh County States Attorney Julie Lawyer deemed her not to be a credible witness in court. That led Krile to file a defamation case against Lawyer, who is now Burleigh County states attorney. A judge dismissed the case, and the state Supreme Court in February upheld the dismissal. Krile in November 2019 became police chief in Lincoln, just southeast of Bismarck. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 7 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 6 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. North Dakota regulators approved a permit for a landfill north of Williston that aims to become the state's first to accept radioactive oilfield waste. Secure Energy Services, a Calgary, Alberta-based company, still must obtain a $1.125 million bond to dispose of radioactive material at its 13-Mile Landfill, which already accepts other types of waste generated by oil development, said Diana Trussell, who heads the state Department of Environmental Qualitys solid waste program. The agency on Monday renewed the companys permit for its existing landfill and also gave it permission to dispose of up to 25,000 tons of radioactive oilfield waste annually if it can secure the required bonding. Low levels of radiation that naturally occur in soil, water and rocks can become concentrated during oil and gas production, creating a category of waste that no state landfills until now have been allowed to accept. That's despite a 2016 rule modification -- backed by the state's oil industry -- that increased the allowable concentrations of technologically enhanced radioactive material that can be disposed of at approved landfills by tenfold, which state officials say is still safe for humans and the environment. About 100,000 tons of radioactive oilfield waste is produced in the state each year. It typically has been trucked to other states for disposal. In some cases, it has been disposed of illegally. Kurt Rhea, radiation safety officer for Secure Energy, told the Tribune that the company plans to install equipment to continuously monitor the air quality on all four sides of the landfill property before the radioactive waste is accepted. Secure also has installed 12 groundwater monitoring wells, exceeding the two that are required by the state, according to Rhea. They have done everything they can to make sure that everybody is well protected, he said. Critics aren't convinced that placing the oilfield waste in landfills is safe for the environment and water sources. There are no safe radioactive facilities, said Darrell Dorgan, a member of the North Dakota Energy Industry Waste Coalition, a watchdog group critical of oilfield waste dumping. All we are doing now is saving oil companies money by not having to ship it out of state. The closest state that allows such disposal is Montana. If they are dumb enough in Montana to take it, we should keep sending it there," Dorgan said. Landfill staff will receive additional training before the facility begins accepting the new level of waste, Rhea said. We have a very strict waste acceptance protocol. In particular, we see this as an opportunity to show the community that this waste stream can be managed well and safely for everyone involved, Rhea told the Tribune. Waste that exceeds the radioactivity level allowed by the state will continue to be trucked out of state, he said. Residents who live near the landfill have raised concerns about increased truck traffic. Rhea said on average the landfill will receive 2.5 truckloads per day under the limits of the license. The facility is limited to accepting no more than 3,000 tons of radioactive waste each month. The facility would be the second location in North Dakota to accept radioactive oilfield waste, but the first landfill. A slurry well started operating near Watford City last year. It processes the waste with saltwater, another unwanted byproduct of oil and gas production, and the mixture is then injected 7,500 feet deep. Trussell said unlike the landfill, the slurry well is unable to accept equipment contaminated with radioactivity, such as pipe and anything else associated with drilling activity. At the landfill, the radioactive material would be placed at least 10 feet below ground and covered with a 5-foot cover made up of clay and other soils capable of sustaining vegetation. The facility will be inspected monthly, David Stradinger, manager of the state's radiation control program, told the Tribune. The Department of Environmental Quality is still reviewing an application from WISCO to accept radioactive waste at a landfill west of Williston, Stradinger said. (The Bismarck Tribune contributed to this story.) Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 1 A former North Dakota state senator who resigned following a report that he had traded scores of text messages with a man jailed on child pornography charges reluctantly admitted Tuesday that he was unable to return his state-owned laptop and iPad because they had been seized by law enforcement. Ray Holmberg, North Dakotas longest-serving state senator and arguably the state's most powerful lawmaker, resigned June 1, six months before the end of his term. On that day at the state Capitol, Holmburg turned in his parking pass and an electronic key card to enter the building, said John Bjornson, the Legislatures top attorney. Holmberg also turned in a second iPad that had been issued to him in November after the first was seized. Holmberg, 79, bristled at a question by The Associated Press on the location of the electronics. Why do you care? he snapped. The state knows exactly where they are, he said. Everything was seized. They will be returned to the state when they are returned to the state. Bjornson said he could not comment on the whereabouts of the state-owned electronics. I know they are in good hands and will be returned to us eventually, Bjornson said. According to a police report obtained by AP, a police detective and two Homeland Security special agents searched Holmbergs Grand Forks condominium on Nov. 17. The police report said Holmberg was present during the search, which came five days after a special session of the Legislature adjourned in Bismarck. Holmberg played key roles in legislative redistricting and appropriating federal coronavirus aid. In addition to seizing CDRs and DVDRs from a nightstand in a bedroom in Holmbergs condo, multiple other items were seized by officers and placed into evidence, the report said, without identifying the additional items. The police report did not give a reason for the issuance of a search warrant. It came about three months after Holmberg exchanged 72 text messages with Nicholas James Morgan-Derosier, who was being held in the Grand Forks County Jail. Prosecutors allege Morgan-Derosier possessed several thousand images and videos depicting sexually abused children. He also is accused of taking two children under the age of 10 from Minnesota to his Grand Forks home, with the intention of sexually abusing them. The state charges against Morgan-Derosier have been superseded by federal charges that include possession and distribution of child pornography and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Holmberg, a Republican who became one of the states most powerful lawmakers in a career that spanned 46 years, announced in April that he would resign June 1. He had announced in March that his term which had been scheduled to end on Nov. 30 would be his last, citing stress and a weakened ability to concentrate on the matters at hand and effectively recall events. Holmberg has not been charged with a crime. His lawyer, Mark Friese, a prominent North Dakota defense attorney, said in a voicemail message to contact the state regarding its property. I don't have any involvement in that," he said. Friese has said he has struggled to get information from state and federal authorities on why his client is being investigated. Bjornson, the Legislatures top lawyer, said Holmberg requested a second iPad Nov. 29. The iPad was given to Holmberg with no questions asked and before Holmbergs text messages with Morgan-Derosier came to light. (Holmberg) said he didnt have access to his iPad and would be traveling, Bjornson said. Holmberg has made taxpayer-funded trips to four dozen U.S. cities, China, Canada and several countries in Europe, an AP review of travel records showed. He was reimbursed about $126,000 for nearly 70 trips all out of state from 2013 through mid-April of 2022. He ran up travel expenses the past decade that are more than 14 times what lawmakers bill state taxpayers on average. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 LOS ANGELES - The prime minister of Barbados evoked a Jamaican reggae legend Wednesday as she described in stark terms the "triple crisis" in her region that's threatening the health and welfare of the entire Western Hemisphere. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau arrive in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Prime Minister Trudeau will spend the rest of the week in Los Angeles, where President Joe Biden is hosting leaders from across the Western Hemisphere for the Summit of the Americas. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick LOS ANGELES - The prime minister of Barbados evoked a Jamaican reggae legend Wednesday as she described in stark terms the "triple crisis" in her region that's threatening the health and welfare of the entire Western Hemisphere. "Bob Marley would say, 'So much trouble in the world,'" Mia Mottley said at the outset of a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, for him the first of many at this week's Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. The plight Mottley described is hardly unfamiliar: the lasting economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, soaring fuel and food costs exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, and a climate crisis that's being felt most acutely in tiny island nations like Barbados. She also cited the worsening problem of antimicrobial resistance, a particular scourge in her part of the world that's killing more than a million people each year by rendering life-saving medications and treatments ineffective. And she suggested that it's high time the rest of the world or at least the dozens of leaders gathered this week in California take notice. "We don't expect things to change immediately," Mottley said. "But what we expect is fairness, what we expect is transparency, what we expect is that just as we want to see people here, we want people to see, feel and hear us as well." For Trudeau, it was a fitting start to a summit that for Canada is focused on finding lasting solutions to the ever-present economic and social challenges for Latin American and Caribbean countries challenges that pose potentially grave threats to the developed countries that lie further north. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley during the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, Calif., on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Mottley and Trudeau later took part in a roundtable discussion with leaders from Chile, Belize, Ecuador and Jamaica. Trudeau said they heard complaints about large financial institutions failing to provide the support necessary for small and developing countries to help their citizens. Trudeau said it is vital for their democracies to thrive and for their people to share in the rewards and realize the benefits. "We need as like-minded countries, but quite frankly, as a world we need democracies to succeed," he said. "In order for democracies to succeed at a time where they're backsliding, where they're under pressure from all sorts of corners of the world, we need our citizens to feel that success." Fostering economic success and social stability at home is a key part of the strategy for staving off another problem confronting the hemisphere: the constant migratory tide of would-be refugees who are making their way to the Mexico-U.S. border. "Nobody leaves his or her home because they want to, they leave because there are no opportunities because they're facing poverty and an untenable situation," said Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly after the first of her two scheduled meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "We have to look at the question of creating opportunities in our hemisphere. We need to give trust in people that they can be living in their country, having access to services, to good education for their children, and good health care." Canada's goal, she added, is "to make sure that some of the concerns of these countries are addressed by our American friends." U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Los Angeles late Wednesday to kick off the summit but not before he took advantage of being on the West Coast to tape an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Biden is using the opening ceremony to unveil a new hemispheric "partnership" aimed at driving economic growth across the region, which the White House says accounts for 31.9 per cent of global GDP. The new initiative appears to be a continental cousin to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Biden's new partnership with regional powers like Japan, India and South Korea to counter the growing influence of China. And it's a chance for Canada to get serious about partnering with the United States, said Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of the Business Council of Canada. "It's an opportunity for us to not just seem to be, but actually be a reliable partner that the United States can count on to help advance our collective interests," said Hyder, who took part in meetings with other private-sector stakeholders on the margins of the summit. Hyder has assailed the Trudeau government for not being more aggressive in seeking an invitation to the Indo-Pacific party. "You assert yourself into these things, because it is in our national interest," he said. "These frameworks are America's response to wanting to stay away from trade agreements, clearly. So it's best to be in the room than on the outside looking in." The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Canada is using the summit to push for "urgent action" to confront climate change, another key factor in fuelling out-migration, and looking for funding initiatives to help countries in the region. Advancing gender equality and fostering the economic and democratic growth that comes with it is another pillar of Canada's summit strategy. Trudeau also met Wednesday with Shilpan Amin, the president of General Motors International, about electric vehicles, the hemisphere's climate goals and the effort to energize economic growth. Enhancing economic integration and opportunities for export growth in the region will be another key driver of success, Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in Ottawa. "I think that this is an economic zone where Canada can play a leading role with the Caribbean, with Central America, with South America." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Parliament on Wednesday threw its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. European Council President Charles Michel delivers a speech during a debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of May 30-31 2022, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Parliament on Wednesday threw its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France, to require automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100% by the middle of the next decade. The mandate would amount to a prohibition on the sale in the 27-nation bloc of new cars powered by gasoline or diesel. EU lawmakers also endorsed a 55% reduction in CO2 from automobiles in 2030 compared with 2021. The move deepens an existing obligation on the car industry to lower CO2 discharges by 37.5% on average at the end of the decade compared to last year. An abandoned combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Environmentalists hailed the parliament's decisions. Transport & Environment, a Brussels-based alliance, said the vote offered "a fighting chance of averting runaway climate change." But Germanys auto industry lobby group VDA criticized the vote, saying it ignored the lack of charging infrastructure in Europe. The group also said the vote was "a decision against innovation and technology" a reference to demands from the industry that synthetic fuels be exempt from the ban, which European lawmakers rejected. If approved by EU nations, the 2035 deadline will be particularly tough on German automakers, who have focused on powerful and expensive vehicles with combustion engines while falling behind foreign rivals when it comes to electric cars. The 2030 CO2-reduction target and ban on combustion engines in 2035 were proposed last year by the European Commission, the EUs executive arm. Cars account for around 12% of European emissions of greenhouse gases, which are blamed for increasingly frequent and intense heat waves, storms and floods tied to climate change. The motor of a combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The governments of EU member nations need to give their verdicts in the coming weeks or months before a final EU agreement on the tougher car emission requirements is approved. The car law is being scrutinized as part of a package of EU draft climate legislation covering a range of other polluting industries. The EU plans to slash greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 rather than by just a previously agreed 40% over the period. A big portion of the cuts would come from power plants and factories. These two sectors, unlike cars, have their greenhouse gases curbed in the EU by a European emissions-trading system that every year reduces the total supply of required pollution permits. The Free Press | Newsletter Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Earlier Wednesday, the EU parliament failed to advance that part of the climate package because of a split over the pace at which the free allocation of some emission permits as opposed to the auctioning of them should be phased out. The assembly asked its environment committee to reopen deliberations on the matter. As a result, the EU parliament also delayed its decisions on two related initiatives. One is the creation of a Social Climate Fund to help vulnerable households cope with the planned clean-energy revamp an issue that has become more politically sensitive as Russias war in Ukraine has sent fuel prices soaring. The second is an unprecedented import tax known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The planned CBAM is a first-of-its-kind tool that would allow the EU to raise the prices of some imported goods including steel and aluminum that are spared climate-protection costs faced by manufacturers based in the bloc. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. VANCOUVER - The River Forecast Centre is warning residents of northeastern British Columbia that the Liard River could surge to extremely high flows, creating flood conditions similar to last year. B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming views flooding and mudslide repair and clean up progress on the Coquihalla Highway northeast of Hope, B.C., Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. Emergency officials say as many as 20 buildings are flooded in three northwestern British Columbia communities but a break in the weather has slowed rising waterways across the region and evacuation orders are set to be updated. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER - The River Forecast Centre is warning residents of northeastern British Columbia that the Liard River could surge to extremely high flows, creating flood conditions similar to last year. The forecast centre upgraded the river conditions to a flood warning on Tuesday for the area that includes tributaries around Fort Nelson and Highway 97 towards Watson Lake. A flood warning is the most serious in a three-tiered alert system used by the forecast centre and it means flooding is expected. Flood watches remain in effect around the Skeena and Bulkley rivers, while high streamflow advisories cover the province's central Interior and northwest. The forecast centre says flows on the Liard River could exceed 50-year return period levels later this week or early next week. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District in British Columbia's southern Interior also advised residents Tuesday to get ready for rising waters after cool weather delayed snowmelt for many weeks. Kevin Skrepnek, the district's emergency program co-ordinator, says the snowpack remains "extremely high" in certain areas and that has elevated the flood risk, especially on the North and South Thompson rivers. He says smaller tributaries in the same area could also be affected by possible heavy rain events and the regions that were damaged by last year's atmospheric river flooding or wildfires are especially vulnerable. The district has deployed sand and sandbags at several locations in the area where flooding is expected. Evacuation alerts have been posted by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen for 18 properties along a stretch of the Tulameen River as the weather-delayed spring freshet continues. In northwestern B.C., emergency officials say as many as 20 buildings are flooded in three communities. But a break in the weather has slowed rising waterways across the region. The Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine ordered the evacuation of the Terrace-area communities of Old Remo, New Remo and Usk on Sunday. It also declared a local state of emergency as the Skeena River flooded low-lying areas, cutting access to the villages. The Free Press | Newsletter Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Roughly 300 people are affected and regional district officials say the river must recede enough to ensure safe passage before residents are allowed to return. The City of Terrace has said the flood danger is declining and the risk to the city and surrounding communities is now very low, although Environment Canada is forecasting more rain through to next week. The forecast centre is maintaining a flood watch for the Dean River east of Bella Coola. Rain could cause the Skeena and Bulkley rivers to swell further, but the modelling isn't suggesting significant rises, the forecast centre says. High streamflow advisories cover many other northwest B.C. streams and rivers and the central Interior south to the United States border. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2022. REGINA - The Saskatchewan Health Authority says the parking lot at a Regina hospital is being dug up after inconsistencies were found during a ground-penetrating radar search. REGINA - The Saskatchewan Health Authority says the parking lot at a Regina hospital is being dug up after inconsistencies were found during a ground-penetrating radar search. The authority says they could be old foundations, building structures, other excavation activities or, potentially, historical burials. It says it will work with police and other potential partners if human remains are discovered. The Free Press | Newsletter Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The ground search was part of a plan to build a parkade on the grounds of the Regina General Hospital. The project has been put on hold while the parking lot is excavated. The health authority says there are gaps in historical information about the land, but the first cottage hospital was opened there in 1895 and a children's aid home stood nearby. "The Saskatchewan Health Authority and ministries apologize for any inconvenience this poses for visitors to Regina General Hospital," the authority said in a statement Wednesday. "An update on the findings of the exaction and archeological work will be provided at a later date." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. Desserts have not deserted a former St. James bakery location. Desserts have not deserted a former St. James bakery location. The Butter Tart Lady is taking over 1850 Ness Ave., the spot La Belle Baguette vacated late last month. "This is a dream," said Michelle Wierda, a.k.a. the butter-tart lady. "It all happened so fast." The 1,650-square-foot bakery will be filled with, as the name suggests, a wide variety of butter tarts coconut white chocolate, espresso, cookies and cream, and so on. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Michelle Wierda, owner of The Butter Tart Lady Wierda, 47, will also bring her most popular sellers from her other baked goods business, Sugar Me Cookie Boutique. La Belle Baguette, the St. James sites most recent tenant, sold its wares there for five years. Owner Alix Loiselle said hed like to see a new bakery take its place when he spoke to the Free Press in May. He couldnt be reached for comment Tuesday. "(You have) a responsibility to the community to kind of not just drop everything and run," he said May 25. Alix Loiselle who operated La Belle Baguette's former Ness Avenue location said hed like to see a new bakery take its place. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files) He was centralizing operations in La Belle Baguettes St. Boniface location. Before La Belle Baguette, the site was Mr. Ds Tart-N-Pie. For Wierda, the new opening came somewhat unexpectedly a common theme for her business. She started making butter tarts nearly 10 years ago to raise money for a mission trip. Her daughter wanted to go to Ensenada, Mexico, with Youth With a Mission. "I said, Not without me, youre not," Wierda said. However, as a single mother of five, she couldnt afford the trip. Her mom, Nelly Wierda, suggested selling butter tarts. "I guess I just thought it was something that was easy enough to do," Nelly said. "People like butter tarts." Nelly was known for circulating the decadent treats at the resort she owned in Gogama, Ont., Michelle Wierda said. A babysitter of Nellys is to thank. "She used to make the butter tarts for us and they were so good," Nelly said. She asked for the recipe, which she later passed on to her daughter. "I tweaked my process, so even if you try hers and mine, theyre different," Michelle Wierda said. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Butter Tart Ladys Winnipeg location serves up a wide variety of its namesake dessert. Wierda sold the desserts at craft sales and to churchgoers. She baked up to 500 dozen 6,000 tarts and raised roughly $6,000 for the trip. Another $21,000 of donations came as people heard the single mother wanted to take her children on the mission, Wierda said. She later sold butter tarts to fundraise for other mission trips. Her face and products became known at the Interlake markets she frequented. "Id go to the grocery store, Id be walking down the street and have people be like, Hey, butter-tart lady, hows it going?" Wierda said. She originally called her small business Michelles Pasty Pastries. "So many people were just calling me the butter-tart lady," Wierda said. "I figured, Well, theyre not remembering my original name, so I might as well change it." Im just amazed that something that I never planned has a life of its own." Michelle Wierda, owner of The Butter Tart Lady In the early days, Wierda would bake in her Sandy Hook home oven until 3 a.m. to prep for markets. She also worked at a Curves gym during the day which she bought after her first mission trip and raised her five children. "It would take me, like, forever," Wierda said. "I was trying to do 100 dozen at a time, and then my arms felt like they were going to fall off." She and her mother would roll the dough by hand. Eventually, Wierda began renting Gimli Bible Camps kitchen. Fundraising for mission trips stopped, but attending markets and craft sales continued. Staff came on. A sheeter was enlisted for dough. Now, Wierda can bake 14 dozen tarts at a time. "Its really the unexpected business," Wierda said. She sold Curves in Gimli two years ago and took time to grow the Butter Tart Lady brand at Winnipeg markets. "The business exploded again because we had a new clientele," she said. She attended Scattered Seeds, her biggest market, last year. Wierda said she sold around 780 dozen tarts 9,360 pastries in three days. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Michelle Wierda never expected her fundraising venture to turn into a full-time bakery gig. In the meantime, she was keeping busy in Gimli: she opened a new gym and moved beside Sugar Me Cookie Boutique, which she bought. The Butter Tart Lady has space in the complex. "When you have five hyper kids, (youre) used to chaos," Wierda said of the busy lifestyle. April flooding closed her bakery for eight days crucial time to prepare for a busy season, Wierda said. "Thats when it hit me: I need a second kitchen, because I cant be shut down," she said. She mentioned to a friend she was looking for another bakery in May. That friend spoke to another friend, who reached out to Loiselle and learned his Ness Avenue site was up for rent. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Within 10 days, Wierda had the keys. "Im just amazed that something that I never planned has a life of its own," Wierda said. "I feel like were just following where its going." She plans to open shop on June 22. Itll operate seven days a week, she said. There wont be room to dine in. However, take-away meals, such as soups and sandwiches, will be available alongside the baked goods. Family is on staff, but more at least 10 people are needed, Wierda said. gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com OTTAWA - Advertising and public-relations agencies have been banned for working for Russian oil and gas firms as part of a new wave of sanctions designed to increase pressure on the Putin regime. Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly, speaks at a news conference as she meets with her counterparts from the Baltic region on Thursday, June 2, 2022 in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot OTTAWA - Advertising and public-relations agencies have been banned for working for Russian oil and gas firms as part of a new wave of sanctions designed to increase pressure on the Putin regime. The latest round of sanctions following Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine includes a ban on the export of services, including engineering and accounting, to Russia's oil, gas and chemical industry. The new sanctions outlaw 28 types of Canadian consultants, including technical and management consultants and advertising agencies, from working for Russia's oil, gas and chemical sector, which accounts for about 50 per cent of the country's revenues. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said "Canada will do everything in its power to prevent Putin's ability to fuel and finance his war machine." Since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,070 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. They include Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gold-medal gymnast, who is reportedly Putin's girlfriend. Canada has also sanctioned Azatbek Omurbekov, a military commander whom the EU has said is nicknamed the "Butcher of Bucha." When the EU imposed sanctions on him, it said he led Russian troops responsible for killings, rapes and torture in Bucha, a town outside Kyiv. The massacre of civilians in Bucha is being investigated as war crimes, with the help of RCMP investigators from Canada. The Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Gardener What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. A monthly email from the Free Press with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Canada and the EU have also sanctioned Mikhail Mizintsev, a Russian general the EU said is known as the "Butcher of Mariupol." The general was involved in the siege and bombardment of the port city, which was obliterated by Russian artillery, killing civilians as well as Ukrainian troops. Canada has also sanctioned Russian oligarchs and their families and banned the import of Russian caviar, vodka and diamonds. At a G7 meeting earlier this year, Joly advocated for allies to also ban the export of professional services to Russia's oil industry in protest at the invasion of Ukraine. "The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now lasted over 100 days. In that time, Vladimir Putin and his regime have caused untold pain and suffering in Ukraine and across the world," she said. "We will continue to relentlessly pursue accountability for Vladimir Putins senseless war." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Parliament on Wednesday threw its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. European Council President Charles Michel delivers a speech during a debate on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of May 30-31 2022, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias) BRUSSELS (AP) The European Parliament on Wednesday threw its weight behind a proposed ban on selling new cars with combustion engines in 2035, seeking to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles. The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France, to require automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100% by the middle of the next decade. The mandate would amount to a prohibition on the sale in the 27-nation bloc of new cars powered by gasoline or diesel. EU lawmakers also endorsed a 55% reduction in CO2 from automobiles in 2030 compared with 2021. The move deepens an existing obligation on the car industry to lower CO2 discharges by 37.5% on average at the end of the decade compared to last year. An abandoned combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) Environmentalists hailed the parliament's decisions. Transport & Environment, a Brussels-based alliance, said the vote offered "a fighting chance of averting runaway climate change." But Germanys auto industry lobby group VDA criticized the vote, saying it ignored the lack of charging infrastructure in Europe. The group also said the vote was "a decision against innovation and technology" a reference to demands from the industry that synthetic fuels be exempt from the ban, which European lawmakers rejected. If approved by EU nations, the 2035 deadline will be particularly tough on German automakers, who have focused on powerful and expensive vehicles with combustion engines while falling behind foreign rivals when it comes to electric cars. The 2030 CO2-reduction target and ban on combustion engines in 2035 were proposed last year by the European Commission, the EUs executive arm. Cars account for around 12% of European emissions of greenhouse gases, which are blamed for increasingly frequent and intense heat waves, storms and floods tied to climate change. The motor of a combustion engine car is pictured at a garage in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. European Union lawmakers are set to vote on the future of combustion engine vehicles. Wednesday's vote is part of proposed EU legislation to step up the fight against global warming. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) The governments of EU member nations need to give their verdicts in the coming weeks or months before a final EU agreement on the tougher car emission requirements is approved. The car law is being scrutinized as part of a package of EU draft climate legislation covering a range of other polluting industries. The EU plans to slash greenhouse gases by 55% in 2030 compared with 1990 rather than by just a previously agreed 40% over the period. A big portion of the cuts would come from power plants and factories. These two sectors, unlike cars, have their greenhouse gases curbed in the EU by a European emissions-trading system that every year reduces the total supply of required pollution permits. The Free Press | Newsletter Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Earlier Wednesday, the EU parliament failed to advance that part of the climate package because of a split over the pace at which the free allocation of some emission permits as opposed to the auctioning of them should be phased out. The assembly asked its environment committee to reopen deliberations on the matter. As a result, the EU parliament also delayed its decisions on two related initiatives. One is the creation of a Social Climate Fund to help vulnerable households cope with the planned clean-energy revamp an issue that has become more politically sensitive as Russias war in Ukraine has sent fuel prices soaring. The second is an unprecedented import tax known as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The planned CBAM is a first-of-its-kind tool that would allow the EU to raise the prices of some imported goods including steel and aluminum that are spared climate-protection costs faced by manufacturers based in the bloc. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that his government remains committed to phasing out nuclear power despite concerns about rising energy prices and possible future shortages due to Russia's war in Ukraine. FILE - A Uniper coal-fired power plant and a BP refinery steam beside a wind generator in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. The German government wants to temporarily keep additional coal-fired power plants on stand-by for almost two years to stave off a possible electricity shortage in case natural gas supplies from Russia are suddenly reduced, officials said Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File) BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that his government remains committed to phasing out nuclear power despite concerns about rising energy prices and possible future shortages due to Russia's war in Ukraine. Germany shut down half of its six nuclear plants in December and the remaining three are due to cease production at the end of this year as part of the country's long-running plan to phase out conventional power plants in favor of renewable energy. But the war in Ukraine has renewed fears that Germany's power-hungry economy might be badly battered if Russia decides to suddenly cut natural gas supplies. Opposition parties have called for the lifetimes of Germany's nuclear plants to be extended, a proposal that Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the pro-businesses Free Democrats has said should be discussed in a non-ideological way. Scholz, who leads a three-party coalition, dismissed the idea, saying a decision had been made to end the use of nuclear power. We also know that building new nuclear power plants makes little sense, he said at a news conference with foreign correspondents in Berlin. If someone decides to do so now they would have to spend 12-18 billion euros on each nuclear power plants and it wouldn't open until 2037 or 2038, said Scholz. And besides, the fuel rods are generally imported from Russia. As such one should think about what one does." That's why the government, all the governing parties unanimously, are counting on (...) the massive expansion of renewable energy, he added. According to Germany's Economy Ministry, nuclear power currently provides only 5% of the country's electricity. Still, in an effort to stave off possible electricity shortages, the German government announced measures Wednesday to temporarily keep additional coal-fired power plants on stand-by for almost two years. A draft law agreed upon by Cabinet would ensure that coal-fired plants in Germany previously scheduled for closure remain in functional condition. Germany already has several other coal and oil-fired plants on stand-by that can be activated in an emergency. Government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said the decision was important in light of the Russian attack on Ukraine and the tense situation on the energy markets. The Free Press | Newsletter Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But she insisted that won't affect Germany's long-term energy plans. The goal of completing the phaseout of coal in Germany ideally by 2030, and the climate targets, remain in place, Hoffmann said. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. A company from Middlebro, Man. beat out brands from the likes of Walmart Canada and other major companies at a national retail award show. A company from Middlebro, Man. beat out brands from the likes of Walmart Canada and other major companies at a national retail award show. Von Slicks Finishing Touch won two trophies last week at the Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards. The Retail Council of Canada holds the ceremony to recognize products that have come to market in the past year. "It feels kind of crazy, because you look at the size of the national brands that youre up against," said Landon Kroeker, co-founder of Von Slicks. The Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Gardener What you need to know now about gardening in Winnipeg. A monthly email from the Free Press with advice, ideas and tips to keep your outdoor and indoor plants growing. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The finishing butter snagged the award for innovation and originality, which all 121 Grand Prix finalists were eligible for. Walmart, Save-On-Foods and Kelloggs products were among the competitors. Von Slicks also bested Saputo and Boursin, among other companies, in the dairy category. "To make this product in Middlebro and beat them was just, it was crazy," Kroeker said. "It was quite surreal." The 29th annual awards happened in Toronto. Mijune Pak, a judge on both Top Chef Canada and Iron Chef Canada, was the nights host. The Von Slicks crew brought their butter to Dragons Den in spring. The episode should air near the end of 2022, Kroeker said. Until then, he cant talk about the results. - Staff North Dakota regulators approved a permit for a landfill near Williston that aims to become the states first to accept radioactive oilfield waste. Secure Energy Services, a Calgary, Alberta-based company, still must obtain a $1.125 million bond to dispose of radioactive material at its 13-Mile Landfill, which already accepts other types of waste generated by oil development, said Diana Trussell, who heads the state Department of Environmental Qualitys solid waste program. The agency on Monday renewed the companys permit for its existing landfill and also gave it permission to dispose of up to 25,000 tons of radioactive oilfield waste annually if it can secure the bonding. Critics say allowing such waste disposal isn't environmentally safe. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten? FILE - Site Foreman David Smyth at work on the New IKEA store in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007. Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The company's Norway branch wants to use the brand's experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department. Ikea Norway has built a name bank with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture instead of product numbers since 1948. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File) COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten? Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The company's Norway branch wants to use the brand's experience to help parents browsing the baby-naming department. The Free Press | Newsletter Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Ikea Norway has built a name bank with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture instead of product numbers since 1948. After all these years, (Ikea) has built up a large catalog to pick from, Ikea Norway said in a statement. Ikea names its products after Swedish towns, lakes and other geographical features, but also uses names that have traditionally gone to people. The branch noted that while retailers saw both a shortage of raw materials and challenges with delivery times during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is at least no shortage of children in Norway. The Scandinavian country registered the births of 56,060 babies last year, or 3,081 more than in 2020. The increase creates a challenge in finding unique names, Ikea Norway said. Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday. FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2020, file photo, a sign for Moderna, Inc. hangs on its headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday, June 8, 2022. COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall to better protect people against future coronavirus surges.(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) Moderna's experimental COVID-19 vaccine that combines its original shot with protection against the omicron variant appears to work, the company announced Wednesday. COVID-19 vaccine makers are studying updated boosters that might be offered in the fall to better protect people against future coronavirus surges. Moderna's preliminary study results show people given the combination shot experienced a higher boost in omicron-fighting antibodies than if they just got a fourth dose of the original vaccine. We believe strongly that this data supports an update of the vaccine, Dr. Stephen Hoge, Moderna's president, said Wednesday. Todays COVID-19 vaccines all are based on the original version of the coronavirus. Theyre still providing strong protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death even after the appearance of the super-contagious omicron variant -- especially if people have had an initial booster dose. But the virus continues to mutate rapidly in ways that let it evade some of the vaccines protections and cause milder infections. So U.S. regulators, and the World Health Organization, are considering whether to order a change in the vaccine recipe for a new round of booster shots in the fall -- when cold weather and kids returning to school are expected to drive yet another surge. Key questions: How to make that change without losing the continued strong protection against COVID-19s worst outcomes? And whats the right variant to target? After the huge winter omicron surge, that mutant's genetically distinct relatives now are the main threats, including one thats fueling the current U.S. wave of infections. The Free Press | Newsletter Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Food and Drug Administration has set a meeting in late June for its scientific advisers to debate those questions and evaluate data from vaccine makers tests of potential new formulas. Pfizer also is studying a combination shot, what scientists call a bivalent vaccine, with some data expected later this month. Moderna's new study tested people who'd had three prior vaccinations, giving 377 of them a fourth dose of the original vaccine and another 437 the combo shot. The study wasn't designed to track how well the updated booster prevented COVID-19 cases and it was tested only against omicron, not the variants dominant now. But the bivalent vaccine sparked a nearly eight-fold rise in levels of antibodies capable of fighting omicron. Importantly, that was 1.75 times better than the antibody jump from simply giving a fourth dose of the original vaccine, Moderna said. The data hasn't undergone scientific review, and these initial measurements were taken a month after booster shots. Antibodies naturally wane so it's not clear how long that protection could last. Moderna plans to track the levels at three and six months but already is manufacturing doses to be ready if regulators in the U.S. or elsewhere order a change for fall shots. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. CALGARY - Ukraine's new ambassador to Canada issued a call Wednesday to Canadian oil and gas companies to help in the fight against Russia by entering and expanding into the European market. Ukraines Ambassador to Canada Yulia Kovaliv speaks at an event to announce 600 internships for Ukrainian students affected by the Russian invasion in Ottawa on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle CALGARY - Ukraine's new ambassador to Canada issued a call Wednesday to Canadian oil and gas companies to help in the fight against Russia by entering and expanding into the European market. Yulia Kovaliv made the remarks at the Global Energy Show in Calgary, one day after presenting her credentials to Gov. Gen. Mary Simon in Ottawa and formally assuming the ambassadorship. Kovaliv, whose speech was met with a standing ovation, thanked the government of Canada and Canadians for their support of her country since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion on Feb. 24. She said Europe needs Canadian energy to help replace the barrels that will be lost by 2023 when an EU embargo on Russian oil comes into effect. "That is a big move," Kovaliv said of the EU embargo, which was announced June 1. "It will be a significant challenge for the overall European continent." According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Russia was exporting 7.8 million barrels per day of crude oil at the end of last year with 60 per cent of those exports going to Europe. As a result of the war and the EU embargo, Russian oil production is expected to fall around 18 per cent from 11.3 million barrels a day to 9.3 million barrels a day by the end of next year, the EIA says. The European Commission the executive arm of the EU has unveiled a US$315 billion plan to break away from reliance on Russian energy, a plan that includes everything from investments in energy efficiency to the build-out of wind, solar and hydrogen power. The plan also includes securing new sources of fossil fuels in the short and mid-term future. "Canadian companies, we do think, should take the opportunity to enter and expand in the EU market," Kovaliv said. Canada's oil and gas industry has previously said it can hike output by the equivalent of 300,000 barrels per day by the end of the year to help displace Russian fossil fuels in Europe. However, that would help to replace less than five per cent of Europe's gas imports from Russia and less than 10 per cent of its Russian oil imports. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Canadian oil and gas producers are enjoying record profits right now due to skyrocketing commodity prices. But the industry as a whole has so far been reluctant to significantly ramp up capital spending, preferring instead to pay down debt and pay dividends to shareholders. The industry is also struggling with a labour shortage, which is impeding efforts to quickly ramp up capacity. Canada also lacks the infrastructure to ship any oil or gas to Europe directly. Instead Canadian barrels will have to travel through existing pipelines to the United States and then be shipped out through the Gulf of Mexico. Federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has previously said Canada is `"very open to the discussion'' about what else it can do to help, including the possibility of new terminals on the East Coast to export Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said 60 per cent of Russian exports go to Russia. MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) No mother should have to lose her child. Owliyo Hassan Salaad has watched four die this year. A drought in the Horn of Africa has taken them, one by one. Somalis who fled drought-stricken areas walk next to a cluster of makeshift shelters at a camp for the displaced on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Somalia Saturday, June 4, 2022. Deaths have begun in the region's most parched drought in decades and previously unreported data show nearly 450 deaths this year at malnutrition treatment centers in Somalia alone. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh) MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) No mother should have to lose her child. Owliyo Hassan Salaad has watched four die this year. A drought in the Horn of Africa has taken them, one by one. Now she cradles her frail and squalling 3-year-old, Ali Osman, whom she carried on a 90-kilometer (55-mile) walk from her village to Somalias capital, desperate not to lose him too. Sitting on the floor of a malnutrition treatment center filled with anxious mothers, she can barely speak about the small bodies buried back home in soil too dry for planting. Deaths have begun in the regions most parched drought in four decades. Previously unreported data shared with The Associated Press show at least 448 deaths this year at malnutrition treatment centers in Somalia alone. Authorities in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are now shifting to the grim task of trying to prevent famine. Many more people are dying beyond the notice of authorities, like Salaads four children, all younger than 10. Some die in remote pastoral communities. Some die on treks in search of help. Some die even after reaching displacement camps, malnourished beyond aid. Definitely thousands have died, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, told reporters on Tuesday, though the data to support that is yet to come. Salaad left behind another four children with her husband. They were too weak to make the journey to Mogadishu, she said. Drought comes and goes in the Horn of Africa, but this is one like no other. Humanitarian assistance has been sapped by global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and now Russia's war in Ukraine. Prices for staples like wheat and cooking oil are rising quickly, in some places by more than 100%. Millions of the livestock that provide families with milk, meat and wealth have died. Even the therapeutic food to treat hungry people like Salaads son is becoming more expensive and, in some places, might run out. And for the first time, a fifth straight rainy season might fail. An "explosion of child deaths is coming to the Horn of Africa if the world focuses only on the war in Ukraine and doesn't act now, UNICEF said Tuesday. Famine even threatens Somalias capital as displacement camps on Mogadishu's outskirts swell with exhausted new arrivals. Salaad and her son were turned away from a crowded hospital after arriving a week ago. They were sent instead to the treatment center for the extremely malnourished where rooms are full, extra beds have been put out and yet some people must sleep on the floor. Mothers wince, and babies wail, as tiny bodies with sores and protruding ribs are gently checked for signs of recovery. The center is overwhelmed, said Dr. Mustaf Yusuf, a physician there. Admissions more than doubled in May to 122 patients. At least 30 people have died this year through April at the center and six other facilities run by Action Against Hunger, the humanitarian group said. It is seeing the highest admission rates to its hunger treatment centers since it began working in Somalia in 1992, with the number of severely malnourished children up 55% from last year. More broadly, at least 448 people died this year at outpatient and in-patient malnutrition treatment centers across Somalia through April, according to data compiled by humanitarian groups and local authorities. Aid workers warn the data is incomplete and the overall death toll from the drought remains elusive. We know from experience that mortality rises suddenly when all the conditions are in place displacement, disease outbreaks, malnutrition all of which we are currently seeing in Somalia, said Biram Ndiaye, UNICEF Somalias chief of nutrition. Mortality surveys conducted in parts of Somalia in December and again in April and May by the U.N.s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit showed a severe and rapid deterioration within a very short time frame. Most alarming was the Bay region in the south, where adult mortality nearly tripled, child mortality more than doubled and the rate of the most severe malnutrition tripled. Deaths and acute malnutrition have reached atypically high levels in much of southern and central Somalia, and admissions of acutely malnourished children under 5 have risen by over 40% compared to the same period last year, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network. One notable complication in counting deaths is the extremist group al-Shabab, whose control over large parts of southern and central Somalia is a barrier to aid. Its harsh response to Somalias drought-driven famine from 2010-12 was a factor in more than a quarter-million deaths, half of them children. Another factor was the international communitys slow response. A drama without witnesses, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia said at the time. Now the alarms are sounding again. More than 200,000 people in Somalia face catastrophic hunger and starvation, a drastic increase from the 81,000 forecast in April, a joint statement by U.N. agencies said Monday, noting that a humanitarian response plan for this year is just 18% funded. Somalia isn't alone. In Ethiopias drought-affected regions, the number of children treated for the most severe malnutrition a tip of the crisis" jumped 27% in the first quarter of this year compared to last year, according to UNICEF. The increase was 71% in Kenya, where Doctors Without Borders reported at least 11 deaths in a single countys malnutrition treatment program earlier this year. At one of the overflowing displacement camps on the outskirts of Mogadishu, recent arrivals were anguished as they described watching family members die. I left some of my children behind to care for those suffering, said Amina Abdi Hassan, who came from a village in southern Somalia with her malnourished baby. They're still hungry as aid runs dry, even in the capital. Many others are on the way, she said. Hawa Abdi Osman said she lost children to the drought. Emaciated, and weakened by another pregnancy, she walked five days to Mogadishu. The Free Press | Newsletter Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. We had to leave some of our relatives behind, and others perished as we watched, said her cousin, Halima Ali Dhubow. More people come to the camp every day, using the last wisps of energy to set up makeshift shelters in the dust, lashing together branches with fabric and plastic. Some walked up to 19 days to reach the capital, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Last night alone 120 families came in, camp manager Nadifa Hussein said. We are giving them all the little supplies we have, like bread. The number of people is so overwhelming that helping them is beyond our capacity. In the past aid agencies helped, but now aid is very scarce. Only God can help them," she said. ___ Cara Anna reported from Nairobi, Kenya. Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. OTTAWA - An analysis of over six million tweets and retweets and where they originate from has found that Canada is being targeted by Russia to influence public opinion here. A civilian militia man holds a rifle during training at a shooting range in outskirts Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 7, 2022. A University of Calgary analysis of over 6 million tweets and retweets - and where they originate from - has found that Canada is being targeted by foreign powers trying to influence public opinion here. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko OTTAWA - An analysis of over six million tweets and retweets and where they originate from has found that Canada is being targeted by Russia to influence public opinion here. The study by the University of Calgarys School of Public Policy found that huge numbers of tweets and retweets about the war in Ukraine can be traced back to Russia and China, with even more tweets expressing pro-Russian sentiment traced to the United States. Assistant professor Jean-Christophe Boucher said in an interview that the Russian "state apparatus" is associated with many accounts tweeting in Canada, and is influencing posts that are retweeted, liked or repeated by different accounts again and again. The tweets commonly express pro-Russian talking points, including that Ukraine is a fascist state or that NATO wants to expand, posing a threat to Russia. The team of experts at the University of Calgary analyzed 6.2 million tweets from around the world and applied algorithms to trace their origins. It profiled accounts tweeting and retweeting remarks including key terms associated with the war in Ukraine. A location filter was applied narrowing it down to tweets associated with Canadian Twitter profiles. The team then established connections between accounts and mapped out online conversations about the war. Algorithms identified clusters and main influencers in Canada and abroad who were promoting pro-Russian narratives. It found in "the Canadian Twitter ecosystem" discussing the war, around 25 per cent of the accounts were spreading pro-Russian talking points. Boucher warned that some accounts were "Trojan horses," with some Canadians unaware the pro-Putin narratives trace their origins back to Russia, China or right-wing influencers in the U.S. The analysis of the content of the tweets found similar pro-Russian views expressed among right-wing figures and their supporters in the U.S. and Canada, he said. He said supporters of the Freedom Convoy and anti-vaccine movement, some of whom may not realize they have been digesting messaging originating from Russia, were also tweeting messages in support of the invasion of Ukraine. A lot of the tweets in pro-Russian social media conversations also express mistrust of institutions and "a specific mistrust of Canadas Liberal government, and especially of Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau," the report found. Boucher said "foreign interference in the Canadian information space" is now so pervasive it is sowing distrust in Canada's democratic institutions, including the federal government and mainstream media. "Social media has more and more been able to shape people's view. It weakens our democratic resiliency," he said. "It creates dissent and erodes trust in institutions." He said though foreign bots were being used to spread misinformation on social media, their role was often exaggerated. Influencers with millions of followers including in the U.S. had a broader reach on Twitter than bots and "are retweeting and amplifying Russian narratives." The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The academic found U.S. influencers were tweeting pro-Russian remarks. Some of those posts were, in turn, being retweeted by accounts associated with the Russian state. Boucher said since completing the study, his team had gathered an additional four million tweets about the Ukraine war, bringing the total to 10 million tweets, and the number was growing. Boucher said "the path of influence" of many pro-Russian tweets can be traced back to accounts "associated with Russia, including the Russian state apparatus." He said "Russian accounts retweet and amplify" pro-Russian tweets in the US and elsewhere. "We have the state apparatus in Russia and China promoting propaganda." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. OTTAWA - The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning travellers to be extra careful abroad because of the potential threat of catching monkeypox. OTTAWA - The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning travellers to be extra careful abroad because of the potential threat of catching monkeypox. The virus, typically only found in West and Central Africa, has cropped up around the globe with cases in Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and more than two dozen other countries. An electronic microscope image shows the monkeypox virus seen by a team from the Arbovirus Laboratory and the Genomics and Bioinformatics Units of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) in Madrid, Thursday May 26, 2022. The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning travellers to be extra careful abroad because of the potential threat of catching monkeypox. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Unidad de Microscopia Electronica del ISCIII, via AP To see so many cases unrelated to travel from those African regions is very unusual. The government issued a level two travel health notice to encourage people travelling outside the country to take extra precautions. "In the current outbreak, those at risk of infection are those who have had close or intimate contact with a person who has monkeypox," the advisory reads. The agency warned travellers could find themselves subjected to isolation or other measures to limit the spread of the virus. People who leave the country could have limited access to appropriate care if they become ill and could face delays returning home. Monkeypox spreads mainly through close contact with the virus on other humans or objects such as bed linens. While it can be fatal, it is most often not, causing symptoms such as fever, headache and muscle aches, and pox-like lesions on the skin. Canada has confirmed at least 97 cases of people infected with the virus in Canada, with 90 in Quebec, five in Ontario, one in Alberta and one in British Columbia. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The government's travel notice applies to several countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. It recommends Canadians delay travel and isolate if they have any symptoms of monkeypox, or have been diagnosed with monkeypox, to prevent spreading the virus. The notice also recommends Canadian avoid close physical contact, including sexual contact, with people who appear to be sick while travelling and be particularly vigilant when attending a large party of mass gathering. "If you develop symptoms that could be due to monkeypox when you are travelling or after your return, see a health care professional and avoid contact with others," the government advised on its website. Those who develop symptoms while in flight are instructed to tell a flight attendant or border services agent who will notify a quarantine officer. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2022. OTTAWA - Canada's newly appointed interlocutor for unmarked burial sites at residential schools expects that prosecuting crimes against Indigenous children will be the "No. 1 conversation" with survivors and First Nations. Marc Miller, Minister of Crown Indigenous Relations, provides an update on the Government of Canada's actions and investments to support Indigenous communities regarding the ongoing impacts of residential schools during an announcement in Ottawa on Monday, May 16, 2022. Justice Minister David Lametti and Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, alongside chiefs from the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc and Cowessess First Nation, will announce support for Indigenous communities dealing with the legacy of residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Canada's newly appointed interlocutor for unmarked burial sites at residential schools expects that prosecuting crimes against Indigenous children will be the "No. 1 conversation" with survivors and First Nations. Justice Minister David Lametti announced on Wednesday that Kimberly Murray has been appointed as an independent special interlocutor, who will work to connect Indigenous communities searching for, and finding, unmarked graves with the federal government. "I expect when I go to communities and meet with survivors and leadership that I will hear about these conversations, about how they've struggled with what to do, how to have prosecution," said Murray, a former executive director of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The federal government promised to create the interlocutor position last year, after ground-penetrating radar detected hundreds of unmarked graves believed to contain the remains of children on the grounds of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The 2022 budget committed $10 million over two years to fund the role. Kimberly R. Murray, Executive Lead of the Survivors Secretariat, speaks on the site of former Indian Residential School, the Mohawk Institute, as Phase 1 of a ground search begins for unmarked graves on the 500 acres of the lands in Brantford, Ont., Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. The federal government says Murray will serve as an independent special interlocutor related to unmarked graves at residential schools. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn It also included nearly $210 million over five years to help communities with their efforts to find, document and preserve burial sites, as well as a new building for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, which is home to many residential school-related records. Murray, a member of the Kahnesatake Mohawk Nation in Quebec, will work with Indigenous Peoples to recommend ways to strengthen federal laws and practices to protect and preserve such burial sites. She was previously leading a group at the Six Nations of the Grand River overseeing efforts to investigate deaths and unmarked burial sites at the Mohawk Institute, a former residential school near Brantford, Ont. Chief Cadmus Delorme of Cowessess First Nation said communities have struggled with whether to call the police over their findings. The First Nation in southern Saskatchewan announced in June 2021 that it had used ground-penetrating radar to locate as many as 751 graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School. It later announced it had put names to about 300 of those graves. "We can't go to the local RCMP because what are we actually going to show them?" Delorme said, adding that Saskatchewan law prohibits gravesites from being disturbed. Kimberly Murray speaks after being appointed as Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools, at a news conference in Ottawa, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Murray said her role will be to help communities navigate the "conflicting jurisdictional quagmire mess that exists right now," when it comes to the various federal, provincial and territorial laws that govern unmarked graves on First Nations and near former residential schools. "Everyone is going to have their own path forward and I'm not here to tell them what that path is, just to clear the way for them," she said. The interlocutor may also help guide communities and technical teams on how to gather evidence so that justice can be sought once the truth is discovered, said Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc. The B.C. First Nation announced in May 2021 that ground-penetrating radar had detected what are believed to be the remains of some 200 children on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. "It's also about preserving the evidence to ensure rigour in our investigation to ensure that if we find that crimes were committed, the evidence is there to pursue those criminal prosecutions," Casimir said. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller said the government shouldn't investigate itself, but the appointment of the interlocutor is "the next step in the process of accountability." "There have been people in the past that have been prosecuted. There are people still free today that have committed horrific crimes," Miller said. This week as many as 196 potential burial sites were detected in Manitoba on Pine Creek and Sagkeeng First Nations. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Miller said they are expected to be just the "tip of the iceberg." Murray, who spent more than six years as Ontario's first assistant deputy attorney general for Indigenous justice, said it was not an easy decision for her to take on the role. She said she is ready to hear about challenges communities have faced in their tireless efforts to recover, protect and commemorate those buried at former schools. That includes how to dismantle colonial laws that are obstructing them. "Let us discuss how we might dismantle them together," she told Indigenous leaders at Wednesday's announcement. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 8, 2022. A new brand set to help attract visitors to Winnipeg aims to highlight how real the city is, while boosting its COVID-19 recovery. A new brand set to help attract visitors to Winnipeg aims to highlight how "real" the city is, while boosting its COVID-19 recovery. After more than two years of research and consultations, Economic Development Winnipeg and Travel Manitoba unveiled a new slogan for the city on Wednesday, namely "Winnipeg: Made from whats real." Theres also a new abstract logo, which can look like a W and M separated by a line, a snowflake or even a machinery cog. "People told us through our research that Winnipeg is authentic to the core. Genuine experiences, connections and ideas abound here. We dont sugar-coat, we problem solve. Were creative, diverse and world class," said Dayna Spiring, president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg. The brand is paired with the website realwinnipeg.com and will be promoted through a new Far From Ordinary clothing line, a Coal and Canary candle and a Kilter Brewing beer called "Winnipeg: Made From Whats Real Prairie Lager." The campaign will also feature plenty of ads. Spiring said Winnipeg hasnt had this type of brand and the promotions will partly aim to help the city recover from a severe pandemic hit to its ability to retain residents and attract tourists. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dayna Spiring, president & CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg stands with Winnipegs new abstract logo. The new city slogan is: Winnipeg: Made from whats real. "We were doing very well from a tourism perspective pre-COVID and the world fell out from under us in a lot of ways. Thats not different than any other major city across Canada or around the world Were coming back and weve got the excitement and were going to build on that," she said. McKim.Sherpa developed the logo and slogan after researching old local typefaces and documents, deliberately leaving it open to interpretation. "For the logo, we strove for an idea that can represent many facets of possibilities of our community while being open for interpretation. Is it a sun for optimism, a cog to represent manufacturing and our industrious routes? Maybe its a W and an M for Winnipeg and Manitoba. We felt it important that the identity call out our history and the connectivity of this city but still be open for interpretation by each viewer," said Peter George, the companys president and CEO. Spiring said shes not concerned the slogan or symbol could trigger backlash for being too vague or open-ended, like the Manitoba "Spirited Energy" slogan introduced in 2006, which critics deemed vague and meaningless. "We learned from the mistakes of past brands that didnt work and were pretty proud of what weve accomplished," she said. The EDW leader said Spirited Energy was created by an out-of-province firm, while Winnipegs new brand reflects extensive consultation with Winnipeggers themselves. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Peter George, McKim.Sherpas president and CEO, discusses the branding developed with Economic Development Winnipeg. "It allows us to speak to the diversity that is Winnipeg," she said. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The logo and slogan were announced just before Mayor Brian Bowman, who is not seeking re-election in the fall, made his final State of the City address. During his speech, Bowman welcomed the new brand. "Theres nothing more liberating than being authentically ourselves. Economic Development Winnipeg really hit the mark in their Made from whats real branding we just saw roll out a few minutes ago. It captures our pride, our readiness to welcome the world to Winnipeg," he said. The mayor said the slogan and logo will be placed on signs at the edges of the city over the summer to welcome visitors. The signs will include a treaty land acknowledgement. "I think it strikes the right chord. The one thing about Winnipeggers is we are real, for better or for worse. You look at Winnipeggers, were a pretty authentic group," said Bowman. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Winnipeg has seen a dramatic increase in carjackings in recent years, a trend city police are largely tying to drug-induced desperation. Winnipeg has seen a dramatic increase in carjackings in recent years, a trend city police are largely tying to drug-induced desperation. Violence or the threat of violence turns a theft into the more serious offence of robbery. In 2013, the Winnipeg Police Service investigated just 19 reported carjackings. In 2019, the number reached a high of 126. WPS data provided to the Free Press shows the number fell to 113 in 2020 before rising again last year to 125. "These are being stolen out of desperation," police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said. "The economys suffering, the supply chains are low and theres a sense of desperation sometimes for people that are involved with drug habits. "These vehicles, theyre being stolen or carjacked to facilitate additional crimes, namely property crimes where they can do break-ins and then sell more stolen goods, often for nominal amounts of money." Vehicles involved in police pursuits are "very often" stolen vehicles, said McKinnon, who was not able to provide data on the recovery rate of stolen vehicles in the city. Carjackings are crimes of opportunity, police spokesman Const. Claude Chancy said. "It could literally (happen) anywhere," he said, though he noted certain areas of the city have higher crime rates where carjackings are more likely to occur. As of the end of February the most recent statistics available for 2022 41 carjackings had been reported. The data shows October has, historically, been the worst month in Winnipeg, according to the 2013-2021 data. Police released information Monday about a violent incident in which a mother with her infant child was robbed before her vehicle was stolen at gunpoint by two suspects at a city library in St. Johns. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. One suspect, a 16-year-old boy, was charged Saturday with armed robbery with a firearm, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 and driving while prohibited. Police said he jumped out of the slow-moving, stolen vehicle in the area of Salter and Powers streets. The other suspect remains at large. Police said that while vehicles are being stolen for parts in some American cities, that doesnt appear to be the case here. "Sometimes these trends do cross north of the border, but currently, were not seeing evidence to show a trend in vehicles being dismantled and sold," McKinnon said. erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera Scott Gillingham has been endorsed by another council colleague in his bid for mayor. Scott Gillingham has been endorsed by another council colleague in his bid for mayor. At an announcement Tuesday, Waverley West Coun. Janice Lukes said Gillingham has leadership skills and the two have enjoyed a healthy working relationship since both were elected in 2014. She described Gillingham as having a steady hand on the wheel as finance committee chairman. He stepped down once he announced he was running for mayor. She said finances, extreme weather, the opiate crisis and civil unrest are key issues the next mayor will have to confront. At the best of times, running a city is very complex, and we are in very challenging times, she said. Couns. Markus Chambers and Jeff Browaty are also behind Gillingham. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Given that Ive been at city hall now for seven-and-a-half years, Ive been there long enough to know what the city does well, what we need to change, and what we need to do to seize the opportunities that are facing us, Gillingham said. Stabilizing Winnipegs economy, attracting business investors and improving city services are part of his platform, Gillingham said. He also identified city hall reform as one of his chief concerns. Eight others are running for mayor: Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Idris Adelakun, Rana Bokhari, Chris Clacio, Rick Shone, Shaun Loney, Don Woodstock and Jenny Motkaluk. Lukes announced her plan to run for re-election in Waverley West. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca If a small bipartisan group of U.S. senators agree on a proposal to curb gun violence then North Dakotas delegation should give it serious consideration. Lawmakers shouldnt give it knee-jerk rejection. All indications are that the talks being led by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, will at best result in a modest proposal. While many, including President Joe Biden, would like to see aggressive legislation, that wont get 60 votes in the Senate. Biden in a national address last week called for a ban on assault weapons, raising the age for buying a gun from 18 to 21, a ban on high-capacity magazines, broader and stricter background checks, red flag laws, a repeal of gun industry immunity and funding of mental health services. Theres no way Congress, especially the Senate, will pass legislation containing all those proposals. However, theres growing hope that a smaller package will garner enough Republican votes to pass. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he believes a bipartisan bill can pass the Senate. There are signs of growing Republican support for legislation dealing with gun violence. On Sunday, more than 250 prominent Texas conservatives signed a letter in the Dallas Morning News urging action by Congress. The letter endorsed red flag laws and expanded background checks. Red flag laws allow authorities to take guns away from someone deemed a threat to society. The laws are controversial to those who fear government seizing weapons. Indications are the bipartisan panel is discussing a bill to encourage states to adopt red flag warnings, improve school security and fund mental health services. Its also possible it will back raising the age for buying a gun and broaden background checks. About the only thing thats certain is that the senators are being pushed to come up with a proposal quickly. Theres concern that if the talks are prolonged the motivation for action will dwindle. The violent trend across the nation suggests the call for action wont fade. After the mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, there have been shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ames, Iowa, Omaha, Philadelphia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Overall, there have been more than 200 mass shootings this year. If ever there was a need for legislative action, its now. These talks dont involve banning all guns, instead the focus is on prevention and protection. North Dakotas Republican delegation of Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Kevin Cramer and Rep. Kelly Armstrong need to give serious consideration to any proposal advanced by the bipartisan group of senators. The Tribune editorial board believes the states delegation should support a reasonable bill. Its likely not everyone will agree with everything thats in the bill. Compromise becomes critical in approving essential legislation. Those who want a tougher package need to settle for a smaller bill. Recent events have demonstrated that horrific violence can occur anywhere, even in small communities like those that dominate North Dakota. We dont want to turn our schools, hospitals and other public places into prisonlike facilities. We do want to curb senseless violence and doing nothing is no longer acceptable. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 A letter demanding the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs allow victim advocates to co-lead an inquiry into the conduct of its suspended grand chief, Arlen Dumas, has been endorsed by three New Democratic politicians. A letter demanding the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs allow victim advocates to co-lead an inquiry into the conduct of its suspended grand chief, Arlen Dumas, has been endorsed by three New Democratic politicians. Member of Parliament Leah Gazan and Manitoba NDP MLAs Nahanni Fontaine and Bernadette Smith, added their names to an open letter published Monday, that urges chiefs to consider the victims of sexual violence and "engage in a process of discovery that is trauma informed and independently managed." "We are concerned that the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is not proceeding with a trauma-informed process that centres on those who have been adversely affected by the grand chiefs behaviour," the letter states. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The AMC's executive council of chiefs suspended Arlen Dumas in March and launched a workplace investigation after a female staff member accused him of sexual harassment and assault. "The process we are asking for today is an independent commission of inquiry that is trauma-informed, co-developed and co-led by AMC and victim advocates as agreed upon by both parties." Neither Fontaine nor Smith the NDP critics for justice and mental health and addictions, respectively were made available for an interview Tuesday. The partys director of communications Emily Coutts deferred comment to Sandra DeLaronde, the lead signatory to the letter. Fontaine posted the open letter to social media on Monday with the caption "You cant in one breath say, our women are sacred, and in the next speak in support (of) a serial abuser/harasser. Theres no in between." MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Member of Parliament Leah Gazan Gazan was not available to comment due to obligations on Parliament Hill, said Tristan Oliff, press secretary for the federal NDP. In March, the assemblys executive council of chiefs suspended Dumas and launched a workplace investigation after a female staff member accused the grand chief of sexual harassment and assault. The woman sent a letter to the executive council describing an unsafe work environment in which she was subject to gender-based violence. She also filed a complaint with Winnipeg police. No charges have been laid. According to the assembly, it has retained an "impartial, neutral and objective" law firm to conduct the workplace investigation with a final report expected at the end of this month. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine The assembly has been criticized by community leaders, elders, and experts on gender-based violence for its handling of current and past allegations against Dumas. In March, community members protested outside the AMC offices; some shared their experiences of inappropriate behaviour by Dumas. Speakers called on the political advocacy group to include an independent council of elder women in the investigation process and for Dumas to resign. Earlier this year, the assembly rejected a proposal by DeLaronde, the former co-chair of Manitobas MMIWG2S Coalition, and Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, the National Family and Survivors Circle chair, to facilitate a trauma-informed process for women with allegations of harassment against First Nations chiefs. Last week, a draft letter calling on the assembly to strip Dumas of his title was leaked to media amid an APTN report that another woman had come forward, via a third-party reporting process, to allege she had been sexually assaulted by him in 2009. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES NDP MLA Bernadette Smith A request for comment from DeLaronde was not returned by deadline Tuesday. The open letter states signatories twice requested meetings with the acting grand chief Cornell McLeanto find a way to collectively support victims and did not receive a reply. The letter urged member chiefs to "consider the impact of your handling of the matter of the grand chief." "It is a long, painful and often silent journey for individuals who have been subjected to violence, especially by those who wear bonnets of honour and warriorship," the letter stated. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Those that are brave enough to use their voice to speak for themselves are often silenced, rendered without agency and subjected to lateral violence with fear of physical safety and negative impacts to well-being." In a statement, the AMC said it must maintain confidentiality and ensure workplace investigations are undertaken in a procedurally fair and impartial manner, consistent with legislation. "As the independent workplace investigation is currently in progress, the AMC cannot undertake any process that would jeopardize its legal obligations in relation to the investigation," the statement said. "There are several advocates who have kindly offered assistance with this process. The AMC appreciates their well-meaning intentions; however, the AMC is required to maintain the complainants confidentiality." Dumas will face a non-confidence vote after the internal investigation has been completed. danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca The NDP has declared victory in the Thompson byelection. After prominent Indigenous leader Eric Redhead pulled far ahead of Progressive Conservative candidate Charlotte Larocque in the vote-rich city of Thompson and the town of Churchill, the party said he will become the next MLA for the vast northern constituency. SUPPLIED Eric Redhead, NDP candidate in the Thompson byelection. With the final results yet to be released, just before midnight, with 52 of 53 voting areas reporting, Redhead was ahead with 1,469 votes to Larocques 575. Redhead, the former Shamattawa First Nation chief and former Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs acting grand chief, will take the seat formerly held by New Democrat Danielle Adams, who was killed in a highway accident in December. "Im honoured that northerners chose me to carry on the legacy of Danielle Adams," Redhead said Tuesday night. "Like her, Im going to fight for the health care you need, the opportunities you deserve and a life you can afford," said the MLA-elect, who visited every community in the sprawling constituency that covers 134,661 square kilometres. On the campaign trail, the former health-care aide who lives in Thompson with two of his four children, said highway maintenance and the lack of health care services including the closure of Thompsons foot care clinic are just some of the issues that he plans to address. Larocque, a former Thompson chamber of commerce president, told voters it was in their interest to elect a PC candidate who belongs to the party in power and could work for them. Right before calling the byelection, the provincial government joined the federal government and Thompsons civic government to announce $15 million for a new swimming pool complex in the city. In the end, most Thompson voters went for Redhead and the NDP, which now represents every northern seat in Manitoba. "Eric is a leader who cares about this community and its future," said NDP Leader Wab Kinew, who joined Redhead in Thompson. "I know he will be an excellent MLA, who focuses on fixing the damage the PCs caused and making life more affordable for northerners," Kinew said in a prepared statement. The PCs faced a tough opponent in the traditional NDP seat, one pollster said. "I think that the chances going into this byelection were probably pretty slim for the Tories," said Probe Research principal Mary Agnes Welch. "The north has always been reasonably steady NDP territory except for a blip in the 2016 election, and I think they have a fairly strong candidate" in Redhead, said Welch. "I just think the winds would not be in the Tories favour. Theyre not in the Tories favour, provincewide, and certainly not in the north in a riding like Thompson, I think," said Welch. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Thompson, however, is unlike other constituencies in the province and shouldnt be seen as any kind of political bellwether. "We always look at byelections as being harbingers of things to come and I think that was certainly a reasonable thing to do in Fort Whyte but Thompson is a different beast. Its traditionally strong NDP territory, and its got such a vibrant Indigenous community, who might have a bit of of animosity towards the Tories, naturally." In Thompson, nearly 59 per cent of the population identified as Indigenous in a 2018 Manitoba Bureau of Statistics report. The NDP had a well-known Indigenous candidate running for a party with an Indigenous leader. "I think having the opportunity to vote for an Indigenous candidate, plus for a party with an Indigenous leader, probably also factors in," said Welch. "If the Tories really do badly in the north, I dont know if we can automatically say, well, thats because theyre going to do terribly in the next provincial election. I think it doesnt help, but the north is a unique beast, for sure." With the resignation of Scott Fielding, the PC MLA for Kirkfield Park, and Redhead taking the Thompson seat for the New Democrats, there will be 18 NDP MLAs, 35 PCs and three Liberals in the legislature. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Families Minister Rochelle Squires has decided not to run for Winnipeg mayor. Families Minister Rochelle Squires has decided not to run for Winnipeg mayor. The Progressive Conservative member for Riel announced her decision Tuesday on social media. Squires deferred to her Instagram post when asked for comment Tuesday as she left Premier Heather Stefansons office at the Manitoba legislature. On Monday, her cabinet colleague, Scott Fielding, announced on Twitter his resignation as natural resources minister, that he was vacating his Kirkfield Park seat within two weeks and retiring from politics. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Squires spent 45 minutes in Stefansons office Tuesday afternoon, during which time her Instagram message was posted. When she left the premiers office, she was rushed into an elevator by two political staff members. There has been speculation for more than a month that Squires was planning to run for mayor and avoid a general election that polls suggest the Progressive Conservatives will not win. There was also speculation last summer that she was running for the PC leadership, but she did not. Squires social media post was vague about her reasons for not throwing her hat in the civic ring. "Many things have happened in both my personal and political lives this week that have caused me to pause and seriously re-consider if the timing is right for me to launch a bid to become the mayor of Winnipeg," the post said. "Though I will disappoint many who have strongly encouraged and supported me, I have decided to focus on my family and continue in my role helping Manitobans as the minister of families." It did not indicate if shell run again provincially in the next general election, which must be held on or before Oct. 3, 2023. It has been a long time coming that is, the internal review by U.S. President Joe Bidens administration of U.S.-Cuba policy. Quite frankly, much of Bidens approach to Cuba has been a huge disappointment. Opinion It has been a long time coming that is, the internal review by U.S. President Joe Bidens administration of U.S.-Cuba policy. Quite frankly, much of Bidens approach to Cuba has been a huge disappointment. A great deal was promised by the Biden team during the 2020 U.S. presidential election campaign, but precious little was actually done in the early months of the Biden presidency. The reality was that Cuba simply wasnt a top policy priority for a new administration with an already-overflowing domestic policy basket. The extensive July 11, 2021, Cuban crackdown on public discontent and opposition voices effectively placed U.S. Cuba policy into a political deep freeze. But the new policy recommendations, floated in mid-May and clearly intended to roll back much of the Donald Trump hard-line strategy toward Havana, make a lot of sense. In fact, they go a long way toward restoring the improvements of Barack Obamas 2014 U.S.-Cuba normalization entente. To begin, airline flights (both commercial and charter) to Cuban cities other than Havana (including Santiago de Cuba and Holguin), cancelled abruptly under Trumps maximum pressure strategy, will be restored. Similarly, people-to-people interactions or group travel to Cuba involving U.S. educational and professional exchanges will also be permitted. With a nod to Cuban-Americans mostly living in south Florida, the Biden White House is planning to increase visa processing at the U.S. embassy in Havana and to re-establish a family reunification program (the so-called Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program) that would expedite the U.S. visa process for family members living in Cuba. In addition, the Trump-imposed restrictions on U.S. remittances sent to families on the island will be lifted (no more quarterly cap of US$1,000) and Washington will urge electronic payment businesses to operate in Cuba. Arguably, one of the most significant moves took place in early May, when the U.S. Treasury Department for the first time in more than 60 years approved an American company to provide a microloan and capital investment to a small Cuban private operation. Reportedly, John Kavulich, the president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, was granted a license to invest (less than US$25,000) in a private service sector enterprise in Cuba. It remains to be seen, however, whether the Cuban government, often cool to U.S. investment offers, will allow the U.S. direct investment in Cubas growing private sector. As large numbers of struggling Cubans flock to the U.S. border and shores, Biden could ill afford to remain unresponsive. In the words of one senior White House official, Our policy continues to centre on human rights, empowering the Cuban people to determine their own future, and these are practical measures intended to address the humanitarian situation and the migration flows. Crucially, important bilateral work still remains to be done. Nothing was said about removing Cuba from the U.S. State Department list of countries that allegedly support international terrorism. Nor was there any mention of the U.S. government moving to pull financial sanctions against Cuban military and security officials or to rescind the discredited 60-year-old economic blockade of Cuba. Still, get ready for the unrelenting pushback to begin (especially given Cubas tougher new penal code) from members of Congress, angry Republicans, conservative talk radio and representatives of the Cuban exile community in south Florida. They should all get over themselves. As former U.S. Ambassador to Cuba, Jeffrey DeLaurentis, has recently argued, domestic politics has once again, unfortunately, become a central driver of U.S.-Cuba policy. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. It was indeed patently obvious that the long delay in enunciating a new Cuba policy under Biden was severely constrained by domestic political considerations. Given what transpired in the 2020 presidential election, especially in the battleground state of Florida, the Democrats were worried about being perceived as soft on Cuba and beholden to the radical socialists, as Trump likes to bark. That means the Biden Democrats, with an eye to the November midterms and the 2024 presidential election, are now hoping these recent measures dont further dampen their electoral fortunes in the coming months. Of course, much of what Biden is proposing now could easily be scrapped if the Republicans win the 2024 U.S. presidential election. It would simply be a replay of the disastrous Trump years in power. These actions could also be rescinded if the Cuban government engages in another July 11 crackdown on internal dissent. Nonetheless, the Cubans are willing to return to the U.S.-Cuba negotiating table as long as talks proceed without preconditions, are willing to recognize Cuban independence and are conducted in a respectful and equitable manner. What is needed, though, is a means to craft another December 2014-type arrangement that will lock in or insulate the core elements of the bilateral accord. Im not exactly sure how, but both sides need to find a way to ensure that any future agreement is not susceptible to the vicissitudes of U.S. domestic politics. Peter McKenna is professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown. Premier Heather Stefanson should be defending Winnipeg taxpayers against grand-scale corruption in city administration. She should respond to the reasonable request of Mayor Brian Bowman and city council for an inquiry into the costly, corruptly managed project to turn the Graham Avenue post office into a city police headquarters. Premier Heather Stefanson should be defending Winnipeg taxpayers against grand-scale corruption in city administration. She should respond to the reasonable request of Mayor Brian Bowman and city council for an inquiry into the costly, corruptly managed project to turn the Graham Avenue post office into a city police headquarters. The city is doing its best within its limited means to recover the projects excessive costs. City lawyers won from Justice Glenn Joyal, Chief Justice of the Manitoba Court of Queens Bench, a finding that Phil Sheegl, former chief administrative officer of the city, accepted a $327,000 bribe from Caspian Construction. The city awarded to Caspian the contract to renovate the former Canada Post office building and turn it into a police headquarters. The city also accepted massive cost overruns on the project. Justice Joyal ordered Mr. Sheegl to reimburse the city for the bribe and part of the overruns. The project ran nearly $80 million over its original projected cost of $135 million. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Former chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl accepted a $327,000 bribe from Caspian Construction, which received the contract to renovate the former Canada Post office building and turn it into a police headquarters. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the project but did not lay a criminal charge against Mr. Sheegl. A criminal prosecution would have required evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Sheegl was guilty. The citys civil claim against Mr. Sheegl required only a finding that the $327,000 payment from Caspian was probably a bribe. Justice Joyals conclusion was enough to show the public the municipality was not adequately protected against high-level corruption. The publics confidence in the careful management of their tax money has therefore been shaken. The public should not be asked to assume this was the first time a Manitoba building contractor ever offered a bribe to a public official, or that this was the first time a public official ever accepted one. Mr. Sheegl and the managers of Caspian clearly thought they could get away with such a thing. Others in the same line of work may think the same way. A well-structured inquiry should review city contracts made on Mr. Sheegls watch in search of other thinly disguised improprieties. It should find out what builders and public officials believe to be the common practice in the industry. The Quebec government in 2011 appointed Justice France Charbonneau to inquire into the awarding and management of public building contracts. In four years of work, revelations before the inquiry led to resignations of mayors of Montreal and Laval and an interim mayor of Montreal. It uncovered massive corruption in the construction of the McGill University Health Centre. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The police headquarters project ran nearly $80 million over its original projected cost of $135 million. Quebecers discovered corruption in their midst because they went looking for it. In Ms. Stefansons Manitoba, it seems, the government does not go looking for corruption, even when it is blatantly obvious. Sure enough, none is found. The premier reasons that an inquiry should not be held because some of the parties may want to litigate aspects of the case. That is not a sound reason for covering up massive abuse of public funds. Sweeping it under the rug is not good enough. The mound under the rug has grown too big to ignore. Ms. Stefanson should show she is firmly on the side of the taxpayers and not on the side of the crooks and bribe-takers who would inflate the costs of public construction projects and pocket a share of the difference. She should reassure the public that when the City of Winnipeg loses its way, the Manitoba government will step in to uphold careful management of public funds. SHELDON BIRNIE STAFF REPORTER WINDSOR PARK Theres no substitute for hands-on training. Recently, 21 first-year pharmacy technician students from the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology spent time with a state-of-the-art Pyxis MedStation, an experience that will greatly improve their transition to the workforce. To bring a new hire on who already knows how to use the tools,, I can focus on teaching them things they cant learn in school, explained Emelie Gillingham, an industry professional and pharmacy technician instructor at MITT who helped develop the program. This is the machine that our students are most likely to encounter in practice. Its a piece of technology that automates the medications distribution process, reducing the amount of paperwork we need to do, and everything is tracked electronically. On May 26, Rose Marie Sunga, a first-year student, spent three hours on the Pyxis MedStation, an automated medication dispensing system used in hospitals and long-term care facilities across Canada and the U.S., during a lab. Free Press Community Review | Newsletter Community Calendar A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Its very helpful, Sunga, a Windsor Park resident, said. After working as a pharmacist in the Philippines, Sunga moved to Winnipeg in July 2021, beginning her first year in MITTs pharmacy technician program in the fall. Back in the Philippines, Id never used that technology before. So it was kind of amazing. MITTs pharmacy technician program is the only such program in Manitoba, and one of the only health programs that have this machine, the exact same one that students will see in industry. In the diploma at MITT, we are also taught how to enter prescriptions into pharmacy management software, and how to compound different medications, and how the drugs interact with one another, Sunga added. Leading up to that practical lab, Gillingham said students spend time online learning how to use the machine, which safely and efficiently dispense the right medications, for the right patients at the right time. At the end of term, every student completes a nine-hour workplace simulation using the machine, giving them a total of 12 hours of hands-on experience. Thats more than youd get as a new hire, Gillingham said, noting that while 13 new pharmacy technicians will graduate from MITTs two-year program this month, Manitoba has only a little over 200 technicians in the province. We dont have enough technicians to support the pharmacists so they can help the patients. Im looking forward to working after I graduate, Sunga said. I hope to work in a hospital pharmacy. WASHINGTON (AP) An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmates blood to avoid being shot and just stayed quiet. Miguel Cerrillo, father of Miah Cerrillo a fourth grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, wipes his eye as he testifies during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) WASHINGTON (AP) An 11-year-old girl who survived the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, recounted in video testimony to Congress on Wednesday how she covered herself with a dead classmates blood to avoid being shot and "just stayed quiet." Miah Cerrillo, a fourth-grader at Robb Elementary School, told lawmakers in a pre-recorded video that she watched a teacher get shot in the head before looking for a place to hide. "I thought he would come back so I covered myself with blood," Miah told the House panel. "I put it all over me and I just stayed quiet." She called 911 using the deceased teacher's phone and pleaded for help. Nineteen children and two teachers died when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle inside Robb Elementary School on May 24. It was the second day lawmakers heard wrenching testimony on the nations gun violence. On Tuesday, a Senate panel heard from the son of an 86-year-old woman killed when a gunman opened fire in a racist attack on Black shoppers in Buffalo, New York, on May 14. Ten people died. In the video Wednesday, Miah's father, Miguel Cerillo, asked his daughter if she feels safe at school anymore. She shook her head no. Zeneta Everhart, whose son Zaire Goodman, 20, was shot in the neck during the Buffalo Tops supermarket mass shooting and survived, testifies during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) "Why?" he asks. "I don't want it to happen again," she responds. The testimony at the House Oversight Committee came as lawmakers work to strike a bipartisan agreement on gun safety measures in the aftermath of back-to-back mass shootings. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., the panel's chairwoman, called the hearing to focus on the human impact of gun violence and the urgency for gun control legislation. "I am asking every member of this committee to listen with an open heart to the brave witnesses who have come forward to tell their stories about how gun violence has impacted their lives," Maloney said. "Our witnesses today have endured pain and loss. Yet they are displaying incredible courage by coming here to ask us to do our jobs." But even as some lawmakers shed tears alongside the witnesses, the hearing displayed the contentious debate over gun control Congress has faced repeatedly after mass shootings. Several Republicans turned the conversation to the individuals who abuse guns and how "hardening schools" could help protect students. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who owns a gun store, said that one of the things he learned in his military service was that "the harder the target you are, the less likely you will be engaged by the enemy." He called on schools to keep doors locked, provide a single point of entry and "a volunteer force of well-trained and armed staff, in addition to a school resource officer." The parents of victims and survivors implored lawmakers not to let their childrens deaths and pain be in vain. After Miah spoke, her father told lawmakers that he testified because "I could have lost my baby girl." Miah Cerrillo, a fourth grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and survivor of the mass shooting appears on a screen during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool) "But she is not the same little girl that I use to play with," Cerrillo said. "Schools are not safe anymore. Something needs to really change." Also testifying was Zeneta Everhart, whose 20-year-old son Zaire was wounded in the Buffalo mass shooting. Everhart told lawmakers it was their duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and other Americans. She said that if they did not find the testimony moving enough to act on gun laws, they had an invitation to go to her home to help her clean her sons wounds. "My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg," she said, then paused to compose herself. "As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children." The parents of Lexi Rubio, who died in her classroom in Uvalde, also testified. Felix and Kimberly Rubio recounted finding out about their daughter's death hours after leaving Lexi's school awards ceremony on the morning of the shooting. To get to the elementary school, Kimberly Rubio said she ran barefoot for a mile with her sandals in her hand and with her husband by her side. A firefighter eventually gave them a ride back to the civic center. "Soon after we received the news that our daughter was among the 19 students and two teachers that died as a result of gun violence," she said, fighting through tears. She said that Lexi would have made a positive change in the world if she had been given the chance. "Somewhere out there, theres a mom listening to our testimony, thinking I cant even imagine their pain, not knowing that our reality will one day be hers unless we act now," Kimberly Rubio said. The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Dr. Roy Guerrero described in stark terms the carnage he witnessed at the local hospital as he tried to treat the injured. He went to the area of the hospital where two dead children had been taken. The bodies were so pulverized, he said, "that the only clue to their identities was the blood-splattered cartoon clothes still clinging to them, clinging for life and finding none." The Democratic-led House is expected to pass legislation that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and prohibit the sale of ammunition magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. But the legislation has almost no chance of becoming law as the Senate pursues negotiations focused on improving mental health programs, bolstering school security and enhancing background checks. The House bill does allow Democratic lawmakers a chance to frame for voters in November where they stand on policies that polls show appeal to a majority. Majorities of U.S. adults think mass shootings would occur less often if guns were harder to get, and that schools and other public places have become less safe than they were two decades ago. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by U,N, inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. FILE - An inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency sets up surveillance equipment, at the Uranium Conversion Facility of Iran, just outside the city of Isfahan, Iran, Aug. 8, 2005. Iran turned off two surveillance cameras of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog that monitored one of its atomic sites, state television reported Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The report did not identify the site. (AP Photo/Mehdi Ghasemi, ISNA, File ) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran turned off two surveillance devices Wednesday used by U,N, inspectors to monitor the Islamic Republic's uranium enrichment, further escalating the crisis over its atomic program as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters. The move appeared to be a new pressure technique as Western nations seek to censure Iran at a meeting this week in Vienna at the International Atomic Energy Agency. The censure deals with what the watchdog refers to as Iran's failure to provide "credible information" over nuclear material found at undeclared sites across the country. But Iran's latest move, announced by state television, makes it even more difficult for inspectors to monitor Tehran's nuclear program. Nonproliferation experts have warned Iran now has enough uranium enriched close to weapons-grade levels to pursue an atomic bomb if it chooses to do so. The state TV report, later repeated by other Iranian media, said authorities deactivated the "beyond-safeguards cameras of the measuring Online Enrichment Monitor ... and flowmeter." That apparently refers to the IAEAs online monitors that watch the enrichment of uranium gas through piping at enrichment facilities. In 2016, the IAEA said it installed the device for the first time in Iran's underground Natanz nuclear facility, its main enrichment site, located some 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Tehran. The device allowed for "around-the-clock monitoring" of the facility's cascades, a series of centrifuges hooked together to rapidly spin uranium gas to enrich it. "Traditional methods of sampling and analysis can take three weeks or longer, mostly because of the time it takes to ship the sample from Iran to the IAEAs laboratories in Austria," the agency said at the time. Iran is also enriching uranium at its underground Fordo facility, though the IAEA is not known to have installed these devices there. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency," state TV said in its report Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the agency, without considering this cooperation ... not only did not appreciate this cooperation, but also considered it a duty of Iran." Tehran said its civilian nuclear arm, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, monitored the shutdown of the cameras. It said 80% of the existing cameras are IAEA "safeguard" cameras and they will continue to operate as before. Safeguards refer to the IAEAs inspections and monitoring of a countrys nuclear program. However, an Iranian official warned IAEA officials that Tehran was now considering taking "other measures" as well. "We hope that they come to their senses and respond to Irans cooperation with cooperation," said Behrouz Kamalvandi, a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization. "It is not acceptable that they show inappropriate behavior while Iran continues to cooperate." The Vienna-based IAEA declined to immediately comment. However, Iran's move come after IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi criticized Iran for failing to provide "credible information" about unexplained, man-made nuclear material discovered at three undeclared Iranian sites long a point of contention between the agency and Tehran. Iran already has been holding footage from IAEA surveillance cameras since February 2021 as a pressure tactic to restore the atomic accord. Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents. 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 should it decide to do so. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though U.N. 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 Tehrans advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past that it would carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Wednesday and discussed the need to revive the nuclear deal, the Kremlin said. In a statement Tuesday to the IAEA, France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned the moves taken by Tehran are "further reducing the time Iran would take to break out towards a first nuclear weapon and it is fueling distrust as to Irans intentions." The Free Press | Newsletter Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The IAEA has been without crucial access to data on centrifuge and component manufacturing for a year and half now," the statement warned. "This means that neither the agency, nor the international community, know how many centrifuges Iran has in its inventory, how many were built, and where they may be located." The countries urged Iran "to stop escalating its nuclear program and to urgently conclude (the) deal that is on the table." But just before the camera announcement, the head of Iran's nuclear organization insisted the country has no secret nuclear activity and accused the West of making a "political move" by trying to censure Iran. "Iran has had maximum cooperation with the IAEA," said Mohammad Eslami, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I recently took a class at Harvard in (big breath) the International Political Economy of Decarbonization, taught by the fantastic Juergen Braunstein, author of (big breath) Capital Choices: Sectoral Politics and the Variation of Sovereign Wealth. One of the assignments in the class was to write an 800-word op-ed about, well, anything relating to economics, decarbonization, and international politics. I decided to tackle the topic of carbon credits, mostly because the issue was already at the front of my mind. Though my actual, practical approach to the topic is more nuanced, I decided to go all the way with this, just to test my skills. And hey, it worked out: I got an A! So I'm sharing it here now, in hopes that it might spark some discussion, if nothing else. The idea of carbon credits or emissions trading was a novel concept when it first gained popularity in the 1980s. But at the time, so was the concept of manmade climate change. In the intervening decades, one of those things has emerged as such a powerful influence on human life that no one but Exxon could have predicted it. The other has revealed itself to be little more than a Ponzi scheme that somehow still facilitates a billion dollar marketplace through greenwashing while hindering large-scale decarbonization efforts. The only way to ensure that the planet remains habitable for future generations is for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to rescind all flexible mechanisms for Certified Emission Reductions, and close the carbon markets for good. Since 1980, climate change has caused nearly $2 trillion dollars in damage in the United States alone. Of course, borders only exist on maps, so those numbers don't even begin to factor in the total global ecological impact of greenhouse gasses. Carbon offset schemes such as "cap and trade" were allegedly designed to reduce these problems by turning them into commodities. Decades later, whatever wealth was theoretically generated through these carbon credits has yet to trickle down to the people who are actually being impacted by that (increasingly frequent, and thus increasingly costly) ecological devastation. In fact, emissions trading has been largely ineffective at reducing actual emissions. The only thing these markets seem to be good at is encouraging rampant financial fraud through the creation of intangible assets for an increasingly exclusive group of traders. Let's take a moment and imagine a world with an international market for murder (yes, bear with me). Anyone can kill anybody else for any reason, doesn't matter, it's all murder in the end but it's going to cost them, now that UN member-nations have agreed upon a global cap for killing people based on some arbitrarily-determined social cost of murder. In this scenario, you could off an ex-lover, for example, as long as you offset that life with a murder credit, which now has a flexible monetary value attached. You can generate additional murder credits by creating more life on the planet; or, if you're wealthy enough to be the kind of the person who deals seriously in tax credit loopholes, you can just make some vague promises not to kill people whom you could have otherwise killed for profit (even if you weren't actually going to kill them anyway). Then you can turn around and sell those murder credits to a multinational corporation like Villains R' Us. You get a million dollars (or whatever the current market value of murder might be, depending on the whims of supply and demand); they get to "offset" their murderous activity, while enjoying that free pass to kill off a squeaky wheel employee who's been trying to unionize the workers. Do you believe the murder market in this (admittedly ridiculous) scenario would actually be effective at reducing violence overall? Could it successfully end all wars, by making them too costly to engage in, simply by offsetting the act of government-sanctioned slaughter? Even if you lowered the cap on murder limits every year, people could still generate more murder credits. In fact, they would be incentivized to do so, because of the increased demand for murder in relation to the capped supply (it is, after all, a quick and affordably way to boost your bottom line). The lack of secondary markets, and restrictions on who could participate in the murder market would further complicate the matter. In the meantime, people who live in the murder market world would still be getting killed; their murders would just be offset and legitimized. Even in the best case scenario, someone would still eventually have to pay out for those murder credits at a time when supply is lowest, making prices even higher. Carbon credits might not be as immediately devastating as these hypothetical murder credits. But the end result is still the same: a self-perpetuating marketplace that produces no tangible assets, and exists exclusively to create wealth and power for the wealthy and powerful while making things worse for everyone else. Markets in general can certainly have a place in the transition to a decarbonized world but there are plenty of economic opportunities to achieve that goal without further commodifying the precise problem that's causing our climate to change in the first place. In the Irish language, a caidhp bhais is a "death cap" a shroud placed over the face of a corpse, or a term of endearment for the hood worn by the British judges who sentenced so many Irish to death or transportation. This is said to be the source of the modern English slang word "kibosh" to put an end to something. Whatever the true etymology of the word, I'd say it's well past time to put a kibosh on the carbon credit, or a death cap onto cap-and-trade. Because we simply can't decarbonize when carbon is commodified. Image: epSos.de / Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA 2.0) The Great Beaver Paddle Fest returns for its sixth year on Saturday at Waterworks Park, 800 Denning Ave., on Beaver Dam Lake. The event continues to offer free instructional classes at Waterworks Park in Beaver Dam for people using canoes, kayaks or standup paddleboards. The park features a canoe/kayak launch which allows for easy access to Beaver Dam Lake. On-site registration for classes begins at 8:30 a.m. with a canoe class starting at 10 a.m. Other events include a kayak class at 11 a.m., a standup paddleboard class at noon, and a combo class (as demand dictates) at 1 p.m. Space is limited. Festival committee chair Alan Mannel said a limited number of watercrafts will be available at the park from Beaver Dam Community Activities & Services for beginner classes. Its recommended that participants bring their own equipment and life vests. Signed waivers will be required. All day people may enjoy the lake on their own with 3- or 6-mile paddles. There will be a 3-mile paddle from Waterworks to Fish Camp (boat landing) and a 6-mile paddle from Waterworks to Fish Camp and back, said Mannel. Well have a shuttle available between the two points until 3:30 p.m. Prizes will be available for all who attend. Beaver Dam Elks Lodge 1540 will host a food stand with brats, burgers and other concessions. Waterworks Park is also home to a handicap-accessible, ship-themed playground area. Were happy to have the Fox of the River Voyageurs coming back this year, Mannel said. The group will provide giant canoe rides, tell Wisconsin fur trader history stories and lead games for kids. Mannel encourages people to take advantage of the paddling clinics and to utilize Beaver Dams waterways. This is a great opportunity for people to do outdoor, family-friendly activities, said Mannel. They can try a new watersport that they may not have tried before with no financial risk they dont have to go out and buy the equipment and find out they dont enjoy it. We have some very knowledgeable people that are giving instruction. It will be a good day with lots of fun for everyone. The Great Beaver Paddle Festival is organized and supported by the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association and Beaver Dam Community Activities & Services Department and the Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information email info@bdlia.org. 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. Under rainy weather Wednesday, a number of well-wishers and long-time customers stopped by the Dairy Queen on East Wisconsin Street to thank Wendy Mitchell for her work in the community over the last 30 years. Wednesday was a farewell celebration for Mitchell as this week marks her last days working at the store and will be selling it. Her family bought the business in 1992. It was something we wanted to do to say thanks to Portage for supporting us over the years, Mitchell said. Over three decades Dairy Queen participated in countless community events. She said the community repaid her by supporting the business. Mitchell and her family bought the Portage Dairy Queen in 1992 after the family owned a similar store in Sauk City. The Dairy Queen, 929 E. Wisconsin St., had a steady stream of customers ordering their lunch on Wednesday. There were many banana splits being made and there were complimentary cookies for all customers. My mom has been in the business my whole life, Mitchell said in the busy restaurant on Wednesday. I moved back after we bought this location 30 years ago. Mitchell said, The community has been very supportive over the years and I couldnt ask for a better community to run a business in. She explained to one customer that the location will remain a Dairy Queen. Im very glad about that, Mitchell 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. You likely knew that the original Emperor Palpatine in 1980's Empire Strikes Back was performed by Clive Revill, but he in fact provided only the audioas a quick favor for director Irvin Kershner, a friend in need of a cold, unnerving British voice during the movie's edit. What you see is in fact the actress Marjorie Eaton and the superimposed eyes of a chimpanzee. Such an ingenious and elaborate technical presentation was clearly not viable for the Emperor's longer scenes in Return of the Jedi, hence the casting of Ian McDiarmid, to the character as Anthony Hopkins is to Hannibal Lectermagnificent, with a larger serving of ham in each new performance. Revill's brief line, by contrast, suggests a cooly understated Palpatinewould that have worked? McDiarmid was reportedly asked to emulate Revill's voice. He refused and convinced George Lucas and Richard Marquand not to overdub him, writes Chris Agar: After being cast, McDiarmid immediately made his imprint on the role. Originally, the plan for Return of the Jedi was to overdub the Emperor's voice (like what happened in Empire). Marquand actually told McDiarmid that if the actor could get his voice close to Revill's he may be allowed to keep it. This development surprised McDiarmid, who felt the Emperor should sound different than the previous film. He argued to Marquand that at the time, Revill "didn't really know the character he was playing" and completed his work in quick fashion. Upon seeing what the Emperor looked like, McDiarmid was inspired to craft a voice that sounded like "English upper class and trying to sound like a toad." Evidently, Lucas liked the voice (which became a defining characteristic of the Emperor), and McDiarmid was allowed to keep it. You know, if someone wants to do a deepfake for the ages, deepfake Marjorie Eaton with chimp eyes into all of Palpatine's classic scenes and have Revill voice it. He's only 92! MILWAUKEE Giving the Wisconsin Department of Justice original jurisdiction over Milwaukee County. Restoring gun rights to those long-ago convicted of nonviolent felonies. Likening COVID-19 vaccines to the human experiments of the Holocaust. These were some of the policy stances given in the first meeting of all three candidates vying for the Republican nomination for Wisconsin attorney general. Adam Jarchow, Karen Mueller and Eric Toney largely abstained from attacking one another in their first face-to-face debate Tuesday night in downtown Milwaukee. But at the forum hosted by the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, the contenders did outline how a conservative attorney general would be a substantial departure from Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul. We have a cancer in a our criminal justice system, Jarchow, a former state lawmaker, said of prosecutors in the state who continue to send criminals back out on the street. The attorney general has to use the bully pulpit to force these attorneys through transparency and accountability to the counties to make sure that theyre actually putting criminals behind bars, he said. Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney, also blamed prosecutors in Milwaukee for ongoing jumps in violent crime, and lobbied for a longtime campaign proposal of his to give the Department of Justice original jurisdiction over violent crime in the states largest city. Milwaukee County saw 205 homicides last year and 197 homicides in 2020 compared to 106 in 2019, according to Wisconsin Department of Justice data. Violent crime in Milwaukee bleeds across Wisconsin, and we need to be in control of Milwaukee to protect the rest of our state, Toney remarked. The most high-profile candidates in the race, Jarchow and Toney have traded numerous attacks against each other in recent months. Neither criticized each other by name Tuesday night, but both candidates alluded to the criticism they have levied in tweets and press releases. COVID-19 During the COVID shutdown, while others were going along with Tony Evers illegal lockdowns, I was fighting back, Jarchow said, referring to Toneys charging of 10 Fond du Lac residents for violating Evers original stay-at-home order in April 2020. Toney has noted the charges were later dismissed, and stressed Tuesday night that his office never convicted anyone and never shut down a business or a church. Toney did chide Jarchow, a business attorney, for his lack of experience trying criminal cases, saying the Department of Justice was not a place for on-the-job training. We need an attorney general prosecutor, not a politician, that has used these resources, Toney said. Mueller, a conservative lawyer who has not garnered much publicity in the race, used her opening statement Tuesday night to make false claims that hospitals routinely killed COVID-19 patients for profit and that COVID-19 vaccines have killed tens of thousands of people. Not since Nazi Germany have we seen the level of human experimentation that has been going on in this country, Mueller said of her plans to investigate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Research into COVID-19 vaccines has shown that they are safe and effective at preventing hospitalization and death. COVID-19 has killed more than 1 million Americans over the past two years. Generational opportunity When asked by the moderator of his priorities, Jarchow immediately said there was a generational opportunity to use the Justice Department to put cases before the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court and transform case law. We are looking for every opportunity to right the balance of power between federal and state government, to rein in out-of-control bureaucracy and ensure the separation of powers, Jarchow said. On abortion, Jarchow and Toney said they would enforce Wisconsins 1849 law that prohibits all abortion even in cases of rape or incest, stressing that the attorney general has to enforce whatever law is on the books. Kaul has said he wouldnt enforce the 19th-century abortion ban if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Im proud to be endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life, Toney said. I get attacked by the left time after time because I had the audacity to say Im going to enforce the rule of law. The races two frontrunners further agreed that gun rights should be restored for people convicted of nonviolent felonies when they re-enter society. We have to be very careful about restoring those rights, because we continue to see criminals who are habitual offenders, Jarchow said. I hear from people who have committed nonviolent felonies from long long ago ... that would like to go hunting with their grandson, said the former state lawmaker. Is there a narrow way we can restore second amendment rights to folks without giving career criminals guns? Maybe. The GOP primary election for attorney general will be held on Aug. 9. The winner will face Kaul in the general election on Nov. 8. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has picked a Republican Sun Prairie tax attorney and former elections commissioner to fill a recently vacated seat on the Wisconsin Elections Commission and almost certainly become its next chair an appointment that received bipartisan praise. Don Millis, a Sun Prairie tax attorney with Reinhart Law Firm previously served as one of the Wisconsin Elections Commissions first commissioners after being appointed by former Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in 2016, but he resigned from the agency the following year to focus on his law practice. Millis also joins the agency just days before it is slated to vote on the next commission chair, a position that must go to a Republican appointee. Don is a respected attorney whose expertise makes him an excellent addition to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Vos said Wednesday in a statement announcing his decision to appoint Millis. I have no doubt he will apply election laws fairly and ensure current law is being followed. Millis will fill the seat previously held by Republican Commissioner Dean Knudson, who unexpectedly resigned late last month 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. The bipartisan six-member commission includes three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees. Millis appointment comes as the commission prepares to vote Friday 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 Millis 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. Spindell said he looks forward to working with Millis, but said he still plans to seek the chair position on Friday. Im still running for chair and I think Im better qualified than he is, Spindell said, noting his past experience on the state commission and almost two decades on the Milwaukee Election Commission. The commission is also slated to vote Friday to certify candidates for ballot placement in the upcoming primary, as well as nearly a dozen challenges filed against individual candidates, including a complaint lodged against Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels. The state Democratic Party said Sunday that Michels, co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., failed to include his correct mailing address on his nomination forms, making thousands of signatures invalid. Michels campaign has dismissed the complaint as frivolous. Busy season The commissions next chair will hold the position heading into the November election with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on the ballot. They will also be chair in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. The chair by state law approves the vote canvass following elections and certifies results. The chair also sets the agenda for the commission and can influence how questions are framed, an important power on the agency, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Millis did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Positive reviews Millis appointment drew praise from former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who was hired last year by Vos to lead a partisan review of the 2020 election. Don will bring with him both the intellectual firepower and courageous resolve that are both necessary to enable him to help put a stop to the lawless actions of the leftist members of WEC, Gableman said in a statement. Millis previously served as former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompsons appointee on the Tax Appeals Commission and on the old elections board from 1997 to 2001, where he advocated for universal paper ballots and voter ID laws, and opposed touch screen voting, Vos said. He also previously worked for former state Sens. Jim Harsdorf and Mac Davis. Don Millis was an excellent elections commissioner when he originally served on the commission, Jacobs told The Associated Press. And while I am confident he and I will not always agree on the topics we address, I believe his work will be professional and thoughtful as it has been. Millis was appointed by Fitzgerald to join the Wisconsin Elections Commission in 2016, becoming one of the agencys first members when it was created that year to replace the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board. However, Millis submitted his resignation in March 2017, noting that he could no longer serve due to commitments with his Sun Prairie law practice. Under fire Millis rejoins the commission as it faces heightened scrutiny from several state Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered due to unfounded claims of widespread fraud and mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump. GOP gubernatorial candidates Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, have all called for the agencys dismantling. Earlier this year, Gableman listed the elimination and dismantling of the Elections Commission as one of his top recommendations to the Legislature. Vos, who has repeatedly extended Gablemans contract with the state despite no evidence of widespread fraud in the presidential election, has been adamantly opposed to eliminating the commission. In 2016, Millis made the motion to approve guidance allowing election officials to correct errors on absentee ballot certificates. The guidance has since come under fire from Republicans, including Trump, who have alleged that the commission violated state law by allowing clerks to fill in missing information. Court decisions, recounts and multiple reviews have found no evidence of widespread fraud in Wisconsins 2020 election. Funding boost for postgrad research into new-age metals Wits signs research agreement with AfriTin Mining to investigate and optimise tech metals processing. Wits University, through the School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering, has signed a research agreement with AfriTin Mining Limited (UK: ATM) to advance the companys mineral extraction capabilities. The agreement will provide the Minerals and Metals Extraction Research Group in the School with R 7 million in funding over the next five years for postgraduate student research projects. These projects will look at increasing AfriTins recovery and optimising processing of tin, tantalum, lithium and other metals in both virgin ores and tailings. These are considered new-age minerals or tech metals and play a key role in the production of todays technologies. Elaborating on the changes in the minerals sector, the CEO of AfriTin, Anthony Viljoen, says: Tantalum and lithium are tech metals whose extraction and processing techniques are yet to be advanced. Therefore, this partnership will expand our knowledge base to support our growth strategy. As a mining company, we are committed to sustainably mining metals that are important for the transition to greener technologies. The funding will give the School the resources to pursue new fields of mineral research conducted in partnership with masters and PhD students. Postgraduate students are vital to knowledge production and innovation. We welcome this research partnership as it will enable unique postgraduate research projects and will bring students closer to industry expertise that prepare them for the working world, says Prof. Thokozani Majozi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. Manager of the research programme, Professor Herman Potgieter says: The Minerals and Metals Extraction Research Group applies new and novel extraction technologies to the recovery of metals which not only improves yields, but are also more environmentally friendly and sustainable than current hydrometallurgical processes used in industry. While such technologies are very ore specific, the collaboration will focus on establishing their suitability in the AfriTin mining process. The research will involve work across several domains, including alternative leaching technologies, fluidisation and recovery technologies, chemical and compositional measurements, and selected appropriate modelling technologies such as density functional theory (DFT) and Matlab modelling. The initial focus will be in assisting AfriTin in developing a process for the optimal recovery and production of high purity tantalum, a metal used in the production of electronic components and steels that have corrosion resistant properties. Future research will look at applying and developing new recovery processes for tin, and using alternative leachants and ligands to develop marketable recovery/extraction technology for components in the tin ore, such as lithium. Were excited to have entered into this partnership which forms part of AfriTins five year growth strategy, during which we plan to expand our current tin production to include lithium and tantalum, continues Viljoen. By funding this research, we will benefit from Wits Universitys expertise for advice, technical reviews and technical evaluations. The company will also have an exclusive option to commercialise intellectual property developed through the agreement. About tech metals and their uses Tins value lies in its variety of applications, including the alloys it forms with other common metals such as copper. It is used in industrial processes such as glass manufacturing, as well as in chemical processes such as lead-acid batteries, coating metal, and as a reducing agent in fabrics. Tantalum too has varied uses, including its use in capacitors, as an additional alloying element in stainless-steel, as an alternative to platinum in the chemical, electronic and electrical industry, and for alloys used in aerospace applications. Lithium is a new tech metal, seen as crucial for its use in Li-on batteries that are considered necessary to enable the shift to renewable energy. Lithium also has industrial applications such as car manufacturing, and the health industry and pharmaceutical production. About the University of the Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, also known as Wits University, is a research intensive university in Africa, that is celebrating 100 years of academic and research excellence, innovation, and social justice in 2022. The history of the University is inextricably linked to mining. Wits is home to one of the oldest mining schools in the world, established in 1896 during the gold rush. Located in Johannesburg (South Africa), the economic and industrial heartland of Africa, Wits University is committed to furthering its contribution to delivering high-level scarce skills for the global knowledge economy and building partnerships that will have a positive impact on society. The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment conducts large volumes of contract research for local and international companies, as well as works with the public sector to tackle national problems. The metallurgical engineering part of the School was one of the founding departments (together with the Schools of Mining Engineering and Geosciences) of the University when it was first established as the South African School of Mines in 1904. About AfriTin Mining AfriTin Mining Limited is a London-listed tech-metals mining company with a vision to create a portfolio of globally significant, conflict-free, producing assets. The company's flagship asset is the Uis Tin Mine in Namibia, formerly the world's largest hard-rock open cast tin mine. The company strives to capitalise on the solid supply/demand fundamentals of tin and lithium by developing a critical mass of resource inventory, achieving production in the near-term and further scaling production by consolidating assets in Africa. Genetic risk scores could predict disease in Africans Using genetic risk scores to predict which individuals have a higher risk genetically of developing a particular disease is set to revolutionise medicine. The genetic risk scores (GRS) approach to predicting disease risk enables early detection and treatment in a personalised way. GRS has shown significant progress and potential in European populations. However, applying the approaches developed from European data to African populations shows that GRS are 4.5 times less accurate. This is partly due to the fact that people of African ancestry account for only 1.1% of the global participants in genomic studies. A study by scientists at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), with colleagues in Uganda and the UK, set out to understand how compiling genetic information into genetic risk scores from African Americans, Europeans, and multiple ancestries (Asians, Europeans and African Americans) could help identify people who are likely to have high and low lipid levels in African populations. Lipid (fats) levels refer to the amount of cholesterol and fats (called triglycerides) in the blood. These measurements give doctors a snapshot of lipids in a persons blood. Lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood can clog arteries, making a person more likely to develop heart disease. The study, titled Transferability of genetic risk scores in Africa, was published in Nature Medicine on 2 June 2022. This study gives insights into genetic information that can be compiled into genetic risk scores to identify African people with high and low lipid levels. This is essential for the early identification of people who are most likely to have elevated levels of lipids in the future. These individuals can then benefit from early interventions that will reduce their chances of having heart and blood vessel-related diseases in the future. Dr Tinashe Chikowore, a Wellcome Trust Fellow in the SBIMB and in the Wits-South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Developmental Pathways to Health Research Unit (DPHRU) co-authored the paper with Professor Segun Fatumo from the African Computational Genomics Group (TACG), the Uganda Virus Research Institute, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Dr Abram Kamiza, a scientist at the SBIMB and TACG, was first author of the study. Chikowore says, We found that constructing genetic risk scores using information from African Americans led to predictions that were 5.1 times less accurate compared to those from Europeans, and 1.3 times better than combining genetic information from multiple ancestries in Africa for blood cholesterol levels. However, we found that genetic prediction varies in Africa, performing well in urban South African people compared with those in rural Uganda, due to differences in age, lifestyles, environments, and genetics. Genetic risk scores added to conventional risk factors which include age, sex, body mass index and type 2 diabetes improved the ability to identify people with high lipid levels by 48%, according to the study. This means that increasing the proportion of Africans in global genetic studies will ensure that more accurate genetic risk scores can be constructed for disease prediction in Africa. Professor Michele Ramsay, the National Research Foundation South African Research Chairs Initiative Chair of Genomics and Bioinformatics in African populations and Director of the SBIMB, says, The genetic risk prediction for complex diseases and related traits is not yet ready for widespread implementation in a clinical setting. However, significant advances are being made, primarily in studies with people of European ancestry. It is gratifying that this study, spearheaded by young African scientists and published in a high-impact journal, is highlighting transferability of genetic risk algorithms to African populations. We hope that continued investment and support from funders, pharma, and governments will ensure that genetic risk can contribute to early prediction and preventative strategies to address the burden of non-communicable diseases in Africa. Signaling even more trouble for Colorado's GQP Congressperson and reputed long-distance driver Lauren Boebert, the same folks who released tons of awful and career-limiting information about Madison Cawthorn, the Muckrackers PAC, have Bobo in their sights. Colorado's state attorney general has launched an investigation into her pretty unbelievable mileage claims and other financial chicanery, partially from tips supplied by the PAC. NY Times: Campaign finance inquiries can be notoriously slow, and this one is unlikely to yield conclusions before Colorado's primary on June 28. Ms. Boebert, a right-wing freshman known for her performative antics and confrontational outbursts, faces State Senator Don Coram, who is campaigning against "fringe leaders" who "act more like out-of-touch celebrities than members of Congress." The inquiry may not gain much traction before the general election in November. More concerning to Ms. Boebert might be the attention from the Muckrakers PAC, which released a string of sexually explicit videos of Mr. Cawthorn and negative testimonials from the congressman's former aides, which helped lead to his defeat in the Republican primary in North Carolina last month. "Colorado deserves more than an irresponsible, loudmouth member of Congress," said Mr. Wheeler, the PAC's president. "Maybe it's time for Boebert to look for another line of work." Suna Karabay (45) has driven the No. 15 city bus on Denver's Colfax Avenue for almost ten years. Eli Saslow of The Washington Post rode the route with her. Every paragraph of his story has something shocking or mind-boggling in it. Denver (my hometown) is currently suffering from a wave of violent crime, drug abuse, and homelessness, and Karabay has been "spit on, hit with a toolbox, threatened with a knife, pushed in the back while driving and chased into a restroom during her break." Her experiences as a driver remind me of scenes from Children of Men where commuter trains and car drivers were under constant assault: "Her windshield had been shattered with rocks or glass bottles three times." From the article: Two teenagers were burning something that looked like tinfoil in the back of the bus. A woman in a wheelchair was hiding an open 32-ounce can of beer in her purse and drinking from it with a straw. A construction worker holding a large road sign that read "SLOW" sat down in the first row next to a teenage girl, who scooted away toward the window. "This sign isn't meant for me and you," the construction worker told the teenager, as Suna idled at a red light and listened in. "We can take it fast." "I'm 15," the girl said. "I'm in high school." "That's okay." Suna leaned out from her seat and yelled: "Leave her alone!" "All right. All right," the construction worker said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. He waited a moment and turned back to the teenager. "But do you got an older sister?" I recommend reading the article in full, and here are a few random snippets to pique your interest: Tourists pose for photos in Qinghai Lake scenic area in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Sept. 15, 2021. [Xinhua/Zhang Long] XINING, June 7 (Xinhua) China has approved a plan to establish a national park at Qinghai Lake in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local authorities said Tuesday. Gao Jingyu, deputy director of the protection and utilization administration in the Qinghai Lake scenic area, said that the administration will strive to complete the establishment of the Qinghai Lake National Park in 2024. Qinghai Lake, located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the country's largest inland saltwater lake with an area of 4,625.6 square km in 2021. It is an important ecological barrier in northern China and a key stopover site for migrant birds. In recent years, the ecological environment has improved in the area, with biodiversity rapidly restored, according to Gao. The lake is home to over 571,000 water birds of nearly 100 species, making it a major breeding ground for migratory birds in the country, statistics from the administration show. (Source: Xinhua) Bryson City is a small town situated in Swain County in the US State of North Carolina. When Swain County was formed from parts of surrounding counties, Bryson City was selected to serve as the county seat of Swain County. The town eventually grew into an important local rail hub. Today, Bryson City is a popular tourist destination, located just west of the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Geography And Climate Of Bryson City The Tuckasegee River near Bryson City, North Carolina. Bryson City is situated immediately west of the meeting point of the Tuckasegee River and Deep Creek. The Tuckasegee River runs in the westward direction from its source in the mountains, while the Deep Creek flows southwards from its source in Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains. Mountain ranges encircle the town on every side. The Plott Balsams rise to the east, while the Great Smoky Mountains rise to the north. The Nantahala National Forest's boundary runs just south of town, whereas the Great Smoky Mountains National Park's boundary runs north. The eastern area is dominated by the Qualla Boundary, which encompasses most of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reservation. Bryson City covers a total area of 5.7 sq. km, of which 5.4 sq. km is occupied by land, and 0.26 sq. km is covered by water. The climate in Bryson City is described as warm and temperate. In July, the average daily high in the Bryson City area is 84 F, with an average low of 62.4 F. While the weather is cold, it is not unbearable. In January, the average daily high is 47.5 F, and the average low is 26 F. The absence of seasonal extremes allows for regular outdoor activities and comfortable living throughout the year. The cool summer nights that have drawn visitors to the area for generations are among the most prized aspects of Swain County's climate. History Of Bryson City A Presbyterian Church in Bryson City, North Carolina. For nearly 14,000 years, Native Americans have lived and hunted in the vicinity of what is now Bryson City. The Cherokee considered Kituhwa to be their oldest village, and it was located on the Tuckasegee River just upstream from Bryson City. An orata (minor chief) from Kituhwa is thought to have met Spanish explorer Juan Pardo in the French Broad Valley to the north in 1567. Although American soldiers burned Kituhwa in 1776, the Cherokee kept holding yearly ceremonial dances at the site throughout the nineteenth century. Around 1818, Big Bear, a Cherokee chief, received a 2.6 sq. km reservation of land immediately west of the meeting point of Deep Creek and the Tuckasegee River, which included the majority of what is now Bryson City. In 1819, Big Bear sold a portion of his reservation to Darling Belk and another to John B. Love in 1824. Love, in turn, sold a part of the land to James and Diana Shular the following year. Colonel Thaddeus Bryson and merchant Alfred Cline sold portions of their land to the Shulars. A little village known as Bear Springs developed in the center of what was originally Big Bear's reserve. Bryson City was founded as Charleston in 1887. In 1889, the residents of Charleston changed the city's name to Bryson City in honor of Colonel Thaddeus Dillard Bryson. The town square was built on the Tuckaseegee River's south bank, with the main street paralleling the river and extending an equal distance east and west from the square. Everett Street reached the current location of the Shuler Furniture Store by crossing the river, which was spanned by a wooden bridge. For many years, Bryson City had only dirt streets that were frequently muddy, with no sidewalks. The first sidewalks were built with voluntary contributions from property owners. As a result, some areas had sidewalks while others did not. Because of the growing popularity of automobiles, railroad transportation declined, and Southern Railway discontinued passenger service in 1948. The state of North Carolina purchased the tracks after Norfolk Southern discontinued freight service on the railroad in 1985. The Population And Economy Of Bryson City As per the latest US Census, Bryson City has a population of 1,461 inhabitants. The city's population has increased by 2.53 % since the 2010 census, which recorded a population of 1,425 inhabitants. The largest ethnic groups in Bryson City are White at 87.06%, Native Americans at 7.60%, Two or more races at 3.19%, Other races at 1.92%, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander at 0.23%. The city's annual median income is $35,658, which is less than the national annual median income of $65,712. With an unemployment rate of 4.9 %, Bryson City's job market has grown by 0.8 % in the last year. The future job growth is expected to be 35.7 % over the next ten years. Attractions In Bryson City Great Smoky Mountain Railroad The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train in western North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Editorial credit: Bob Pool / Shutterstock.com The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, considered one of the best train rides in the United States, offers impressive, scenic excursions through the natural beauty of the mountains in Western North Carolina. The ride crosses tunnels, rivers, lakes, gorges, and valleys and is available in both a diesel engine train and a restored steam engine. They offer a variety of tours and excursions, and as it is a popular attraction, tourists are advised to book in advance. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad is considered one of the ideal ways to experience both the incredible views and the rich history of North Carolina. Nantahala Outdoor Center Spectators observe Olympic hopefuls practice kayaking on the Nantahala River at the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City, North Carolina. Editorial credit: elvisvaughn / Shutterstock.com Nantahala Outdoor Center has been designated as "One of the Best Outfitters on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure. It is considered the most prominent outdoor recreation company in the United States, offering over 120 different river and land-based activities for everyone from families to adrenaline junkies. Whitewater rafting, world-class paddling lessons, and lake kayaking are all options for visitors. Visitors can also attend their leadership institute for wilderness medicine and river rescue training. Nantahala Outdoor Center provides instruction and equipment to ensure everyone has a fantastic experience. Smoky Mountain Gold and Ruby Mine The Smoky Mountain Gold & Ruby Mine, located 20 minutes from Bryson City and popular with children, allows visitors to take home some valuable souvenirs from North Carolina. With free admission, visitors can search for emeralds, rubies, sapphires, amethysts, garnets, topaz, and other gemstones in various bags and buckets. Smoky Mountain Trains Museum Visiting the Smoky Mountain Trains Museum is a great way to continue the rail adventure. It houses a collection of 7,000 Lionel engines, cars, and accessories that will delight both children and adults. Swain County Heritage Museum Swain County Heritage Museum and visitor's center on a beautiful sunny fall day. Editorial credit: H.J. Herrera / Shutterstock.com The story of Swain County and its people is told through exhibits, photographs, and videos at this museum. The museum is housed on the second floor of the 1908 historic courthouse in downtown Bryson City. Nantahala Brewing Company This microbrewery produces award-winning, unfiltered ales and offers a welcoming atmosphere to unwind after a day of sightseeing, but their most popular option is their beer to go. They offer tours and tastings in their taproom on Fridays, which is a fantastic way to try up to eight different beers. Cooper Creek Trout Farm Cooper Creek Trout Farm raises 750,000 rainbow trout each year and has a public pond where guests can catch their own fish. They provide fishing equipment, picnic areas, and guided tours. They also have access to hiking trails and waterfalls because of their location. Deep Creek Recreation Area Tom Branch Falls in the Deep Creek Area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. Deep Creek is 5 minutes from Bryson City and is one of the most picturesque sites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It has many outdoor activities to enjoy, such as hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. The most popular routes pass by Indian Creek, Tom Branch, and Juney Whank Falls, which are among the most beautiful sights in the park. Great Smoky Mountains National Park At the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, is the country's most visited national park. With 522,419 acres, this breathtaking location is also the largest protected area in the Eastern United States. The park has everything visitors need to ensure they get the most out of North Carolina, including waterfalls, camping areas, and backpacker shelters, as well as black bears, reptiles, other animals, and unique flora. Western North Carolina offers a hidden gem surrounded by mountains that is the ideal place to unwind and appreciate nature. Bryson City has a small-town feel, friendly people, and a peaceful downtown, but it also has a diverse choice of things to keep you busy for weeks. It's an outdoor paradise, with everything from hiking and mountain biking paths to fishing and water sports. Weather Alert ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values of 100 to 106 degrees this afternoon and 102 to 107 degrees Thursday afternoon. * WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, southeast Missouri, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. * WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Overnight lows will only fall into the mid to upper 70s, providing little relief. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. && Weather Alert ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Heat index values of 102 to 106 degrees Wednesday afternoon. * WHERE...Portions of southwest Indiana, southeast Missouri, western Kentucky and southern Illinois. * WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Overnight lows will only fall into the middle 70s to around 80, providing little relief. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... To reduce risk during outdoor work...the occupational safety and health administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency...call 9 1 1. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. This is especially true during warm or hot weather when car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. && At least five developer groups are vying for the right to redevelop the city-owned LaSalle Metro Rail station and seven acres of surrounding property, in what is shaping up to be a competitive bid to remake a prominent corner of Buffalo. Four local real estate sources say teams led by or including Generation Development Group, McGuire Development Co., Uniland Development Co., Ciminelli Real Estate Corp. and Savarino Companies have submitted preliminary bids and other materials to the city's Office of Strategic Planning, in response to a "request-for-qualifications" that City Hall and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority issued in early May. 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 goal is to advance the development activity underway along Main Street, put the acreage to more active use and take advantage of the proximity to public transportation by turning the site into a mix of housing and first-floor retail, with an attractive streetscape. The solicitation asked for developers who would be interested in taking on such a project, and who have the expertise, financial capacity and background to make it happen. The city did not specify any requirements for the exact nature of any project or the type or number of housing units. Instead, it focused on creating "an equitable transit-oriented development" that would include "affordable and/or mixed-income housing units" and "an activated first floor." The Metro Rail station would remain and would be integrated into the project, without the drab beige cement structure that currently exists. The larger LaSalle Station property including the building and the adjacent Park-and-Ride lot covers six parcels at 3000, 3010, 3018, 3030 and 3036 Main, plus 447 Beard Ave. Three are owned by the city and three by the NFTA. The deadline for submissions was June 3. Ciminelli spokesman Andrew Schwartz said he could not comment, but noted that the firm's work has focused on similar transit-oriented development recently, particularly the 201 Ellicott project with over 200 affordable housing units and an urban grocery. Generation officials were not available for comment, while Uniland spokesman Ryan Weisz also declined to comment. When we think there's an opportunity to get involved, we do, he said. But David Von Dereau, president of McGuire, confirmed that his firm put in a "detailed proposal," working with SAA-EVI and Utah-based Blackfish Investment, as well as Elev8 Architecture, Dirtworks Landscape Architecture and Buffalo Construction Consultants. Eric Ekman, vice president of development and acquisitions for McGuire, said the firm's "preliminary vision" called for a multiphase development, with affordable and market-rate apartments, and first-floor retail space. "We feel the site has tremendous potential with its direct access to the Metro Rail and bus lines, as well as the North Buffalo Rails to Trails," Ekman said. "We are also strong proponents for the area." He also noted that McGuire and Blackfish are already teaming up for another transit-oriented development project at 2929 Main, dubbed Rails on Main, which will add 312 apartments, retail space and offices in both new and renovated buildings. Buffalo Construction Consultants will be leading the work, which is expected to start this month and last two years. Additionally, Philadelphia-based Pennrose, a 50-year-old affordable housing developer, and MSquared, a women-owned real estate development and impact investing firm, are working with Savarino and New York City-based architectural firm Marvel. 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. MS: If health board leadership are not up to it they can ship out and go somewhere else, because we dont want them in North Wales A North Wales MS has slammed Welsh Government and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board leadership, saying they have absolutely zero confidence that Welsh Government targeted intervention would make any difference at all, adding We need to kick the current leadership out that has been failing people for so long. The scathing response from Darren Millar MS came as the Minister for Health and Social Services gave an update on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to the Senedd yesterday. In the lengthy speech Minister Eluned Morgan MS said, Further to ongoing concerns at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, many of which have been raised in this Siambr, I asked the chief executive of NHS Wales to hold an extraordinary tripartite meeting on 26 May as part of the NHS Wales escalation framework. The situation in Betsi is unacceptable and it needs serious work and effort to correct. Services are not as good as they should be, and we are determined to improve the situation for the thousands of people in north Wales who rely on these services. Following the tripartite meeting between the Welsh Government, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales and Audit Wales, the NHS chief executive has recommended that the targeted intervention status at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board should be extended beyond mental health and governance issues to incorporate Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, focusing in particular on the vascular service and emergency department in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, and I have accepted that advice. They did not suggest that we put Betsi back into special measures. The Minister added, We will therefore ensure that significant new additional external clinical and practical expertise will be put in place to ensure that we embed sustainable change and improvements in the quality of the service. Detailing a range of effective demands she added, I am asking the health board to do the following things: review current governance, audit and effectiveness capacity and work arrangements with Improvement Cymru to invest in a rapid education and support programme that will be put in place quickly in order to improvement skills. I have also asked the health board to ensure that a senior appointment is made to a director of safety and improvement post. This individual will support the new executive director of nursing to ensure that joint improvements are put in place across the health board. On top of this, the board must do better to connect with and engage with its staff and the public. There have been a series of concerns raised about workforce well-being, cases of harassment, bullying and staff feeling unable to speak out. The board must build on the work it has started in terms of its organisational development, and it must do this quickly. Given the seriousness and exceptional nature of this escalation, these arrangements will be monitored closely and reviewed early to ensure that progress is made. A further tripartite meeting will take place no later than the end of October this year. Darren Millar MS led the Welsh Conservative response, firstly slamming the lack of courtesy of the Health Minster for not circulating a copy of the statement prior to the session. Mr Millar went on, You say that this is targeted intervention, but nothing could be further from the truth. Its a scattergun approach that you are now taking in north Wales. We have targeted intervention already for mental health services, for strategy, planning and performance, for leadership, including governance, transformation and culture, and for engagement because of the poor engagement with patients, public, staff and stakeholders. Yet, today, youve announced even more targeted intervention, this time at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in respect of its leadership, which is already in targeted intervention, we are told, its mental health services, which are already in targeted intervention, or so were told, and, of course, its vascular services now and emergency department. I have to say its long overdue in terms of intervention required for those. Some aspects of these services, which you say you are now putting into targeted intervention, have been in special measures or targeted intervention for seven yearsseven long years. In fact, the seven-year anniversary is this week that mental health services have been in special measures. This week. Its the same with the leadership issues. And yet, time and time again, we have Ministers here, including your predecessors, who come and say, Were determined to get things changed. Were determined to kick things into shape. We need to move things on, with pace. That word, pace, seems to make all the difference in your ministerial statements, doesnt it? Well, the reality is it doesnt. When does targeted intervention on such a wide number of things actually become special measures? Because I dont know, and I dont think its very clear to the public either. You said that if there was not improvement in vascular services within three months, the health board would face consequences. Well, if this is the only consequence they are facing, another targeted intervention label, I dont think theyve got much to be concerned about, frankly, because we know that targeted intervention doesnt work. It hasnt worked for seven years, as Ive already said. If youve got a leadership of a health board that is absolutely incapable of making improvements, why arent you moving that leadership on? Why are you saying that we now need to appoint another executive director, at huge cost to the taxpayer, this time for safety and improvement? Why cant the extremely highly paid executive team already in place at the health board deliver the improvements that they are employed to do? That is their job. And if theyre not up to it, they can ship out and go somewhere else, because we dont want them in north Wales. We want a team that works, that delivers the improvements that weve been promised. Because people are being let down, patients are being let down, the staff are being let down with the appalling working environment that many of them are having to endure, as a result of this dysfunctional health board that you as a Welsh Government have also been incapable of turning around over all this time. Plaid Cymrus Rhun ap Iorwerth MS was equally unimpressed, saying the Ministerial statement demonstrates once again how little understanding and how little appreciation there is within the Welsh Government of the gravity of the situation at Betsi Cadwaladr health board. This is a very weak response to an extremely serious situation, I fearan extension of targeted intervention, rather than a real rolling up of sleeves to deal with a problem that is causing so much anguish to staff and patients across the north. An extension of targeted interventionwhy end here when there are so many problems right across Betsi Cadwaladr? The problems Ive brought to your attention among nurses at Ysbyty Gwynedd and the fears of bullying and intimidation and working conditions that are not up to it in terms of retaining the staff, their knowledge and experiencewhy not include Ysbyty Gwynedd? The Minister replied, I am extremely aware of the seriousness of the situation, and it is clear that the situation in Betsi, in particular in those areas weve highlighted, is unacceptable. This is something that I made very clear to the chief executive and the chair when I met them last week. Welsh Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders MS praised Darren Millar and Rhun ap Iorwerth MSs for actually calling you out on this statement, adding, It is far too inadequate. Ive been here 11 years, and, prior to that, I had dealings, going back over the years, with the Betsi health board, under the late Mary Burrows, when she was the chief executive. And weve had countless numbers of chief executives since, weve had countless numbers of chairs, and weve had several health Ministers, and yet, the fundamental problem we have here is that this health board is going backwards. There are no improvements that I believe that will be forthcoming. Plaid Cymru MS Llyr Gruffydd branded the contents of the Ministers speech as guff, How many times have we been here before on Besti Cadwaladr, Minister? How many times do we have to come here, and, quite frankly, listen to your cut-and-paste statements about more targeted interventions, more new directors, more tripartite meetings? Youre like a broken record. Its a statement that you and your predecessors have made in various forms time after time, month after month, for the best part of the last decade. Front-line workers in north Wales are doing heroic work, but their Government is fiddling whilst Rome burns. Will you accept that the time has now come for a more fundamental consideration of how services are configured across north Wales? And, look, if the conclusion is that this current model is the best that we can be, then so be itIll accept that. But until you as a Government instigate that discussion, then you will have to be dragged back to this Chamber month after month, to give us more of the same excuses and more of the same guff. The Minister replied, I believe that reorganisation at this point would be costly, it would be a distraction from the significant issues in relation to planned care, it would divert resources, and my focus at the moment is on patient care. There is nothing cut and paste about this statement; I can assure you Ive spent a lot of time working on it. I think that I will retain my focus, as Im sure the board will, on ensuring that we are doing the very best for the people of north Wales, and a costly reorganisation is not the answer. No suspicious circumstances as police confirm body found near town centre school UPDATE: Sadly police have issued the following statement, circulated locally by Inspector Luke Hughes, You may be aware that there has been some police activity today in the area of St Marys School / Bellevue park, I can confirm that at around 11:26hrs today (8th June) officers responded to a report of a found body at this location. Initially a police cordon was established but early indications suggest no suspicious circumstances, the body has now been recovered and is pending identification. Original information below Local police have moved to reassure people as they respond to an unspecified incident near a town centre school. Wrexham Town officers have said, Officers are currently responding to an incident in the area of St Marys school in Wrexham. There is no risk or threat to the public or pupils, and our enquires continue. We will provide further details in due course. No further information has been released yet. Old hippodrome site available for booking say Council as long term plans discussed Work is underway to decide on the long term use of the site of a former town centre cinema. Earlier this year Wrexham Council announced it had purchased the former Hippodrome land, located on the South side of Henblas Street. The cinema itself closed in 1997, however the site had sat vacant since 2008 after the building burnt down in a mystery fire. The site had a planning consent granted in 2006 (which has now lapsed) for the demolition of old building and construction of A1 commercial units. Speaking earlier this year Leader of Wrexham Council said the local authority aim to make sure that the spot is put to best use, and benefits town centre trade. Six months later and a long term use for the Hippodrome site has yet to be identified. However to coincide with the recent visit of the City of Culture judges, the land was transformed into a temporary pop-up play area for children and families. Over the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend the area was used to host a series of community events. A spokesperson for Wrexham Council said: Its forming part of our place making strategy in the short term and will be used for events etc. For those interested in using the space the council added, The area is available for booking as with Queens Square through the town centre team until such time as the place making plan identifies a longer term use. Historically such spaces, including Queens Square, would have been bookable via an outsourced company (Pinpoint) with the aim of opening the town out to a wider market for events and promotions with the hope it would mean less staff and therefore cost to the council. It appears that is no longer the case. Welsh Government to temporarily pause new applications for Super Sponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees The Welsh Government has announced a temporary operational pause on new applications for its Super Sponsor for Ukrainian refugees. So far more than 2,000 visas have been issued under the Homes for Ukraine scheme in Wales. As part of the Super Sponsor initiative, the Welsh Government will provide refugees with accomodation, support and care in Wales. So far there have been 5,668 confirmed applications submitted with a sponsor in Wales, of which 2,866 have Welsh Government as a super sponsor. Of those applicants, 4,909 visas have been issued to those with a sponsor in Wales, with 2,453 have Welsh Government as a sponsor. But so far 1,961 people with sponsors in Wales have arrived in the UK, of which 480 have Welsh Government as a sponsor. Today the Welsh Government have announced that there will be a temporary operational pause on new applications during June. This is to ensure people who are arriving, and those already here in Wales, continue to receive an excellent level of care and support, the Welsh Government has said. This temporary pause will start from Friday 10 June. Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt said: From the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, our message has been clear Wales is a Nation of Sanctuary and ready to welcome those fleeing war. Launched at the end of March, we have had a very positive response to our Homes for Ukraine Super Sponsor route. We have seen visas granted well in excess of our initial commitment to welcome people. This temporary pause will give us the opportunity to refine the arrangements we have put in place to support people on arrival and ensure all public services, in particular local authorities, can continue to deliver a high standard of support. To be clear, this operational pause will not affect any current applications and people will continue to arrive in Wales as visas are granted and travel arrangements are confirmed. Praising the Team Wales approach to the crisis, the Minister continued: The level of commitment to the people of Ukraine across all public services and wider society has been wonderful. I want to pay tribute to all those contributing to the Team Wales approach to the crisis in Ukraine. The success of this scheme is due to all those individuals, organisations, businesses, local authorities and third sector partners. We can all be proud of the heroic effort in supporting the people of Ukraine, effectively demonstrating that Wales is truly a Nation of Sanctuary. However todays announcement has been criticised by the Welsh Conservatives, who have described it as a failure. Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies MS, said: I am deeply disappointed that the Labour Government have paused their Super Sponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees. Welsh Conservatives welcomed this scheme when it began, with people in Wales opening their hearts and homes to those fleeing Ukraine. With the situation in parts of Ukraine continuing to deteriorate, it is of the utmost importance that this scheme continues. No matter how they spin it, this is a failure. The scheme was introduced with much fanfare in April, and its only taken 8 weeks for Labour Ministers to backtrack. Ukrainian refugees need support, and Welsh Conservatives want to see the scheme back up and running. Buffalo Niagara is a hot spot for house hunters A new report by an affiliate of online home marketplace Zillow has found that house listings in more than 100 cities across the country are still getting at least 10 showings each, despite a nearly 11% drop in buyer demand in April from a year earlier. And Buffalo is among the top 25 markets in the country for showings, even with an 18% drop from a year ago which means local buyers are still in the thick of heated competition. According to ShowingTime's study of its data, listings in Buffalo averaged 13.32 showings in April. That's down from April 2021 and also down 10% from March 2022. But that still ranks it 20th in the country, and well above the national average of 8.49 showings per listing. Burlington, Vt., was No. 1 in the country, with 20.30 showings for every house on the market, followed by Bloomington-Normal, Ill., with 16.42 showings each. Both were up from a year ago, by 16% and 62%, respectively which means they have gotten even tighter. In all, 103 cities recorded double-digit showings per listing, down from 146 in April 2021 and 121 in March 2022. 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. According to ShowingTime, the unusual slowdown in April activity is partly due to a comparison to a particularly "hectic pace" that was set in April 2021, but also likely reflects a "slight softening of competition" and a "tapering demand." Jonathan D. Epstein Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up: Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com. IN THE 'BURBS A new Taco Bell restaurant is coming to West Seneca, while the Rockin' Buffalo Saloon is hoping to resuscitate its flagging business by adding a covered outdoor patio for open-air dining. The owners of Rockin' Buffalo at 1800 Union Road are asking the West Seneca Planning Board to allow construction of the patio, noting in a letter of intent that "patrons seem to be more comfortable in an open-air space, from what we have seen in neighboring businesses during these Covid times." They said their business has dropped at least 75% in the past two years, and "we are hoping that this new space will bring patrons, who may still feel uncomfortable inside of a building, to our establishment, increasing our bottom line." "I feel that if we do not have this safe place and Covid starts up again, the losses will be unrecoverable," the letter continued. Down the street, Quick Service Realco of Overland Park, Kan., is applying for approval to renovate and convert the existing former KFC restaurant into a Taco Bell, at 1175 Union, at the corner of Ebenezer Drive. And Michelle and Martino Monaco want to renovate a two-story two-family house at 1420 Union into a beauty salon, with expanded onsite parking for 10 vehicles on the half-acre lot. In Orchard Park: West Herr Automotive Group wants to develop a 37,198-square-foot car dealership on vacant land at the northeastern corner of Southwestern Boulevard and South Benzing Road. Octavius Storage proposes to tear down a building at 3678 Southwestern, just west of Route 219, so it can develop an office building and storage units. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ... Then: Laurie Millers Bemus Point Inn Restaurant in Chautauqua County is best known for its takeout jumbo cinnamon rolls, known affectionately or perhaps, confection-ately as Buns on the Run. But like many restaurant operators, the Covid-19 pandemic threatened to put her on the run. So she closed temporarily and began renovations on her restaurant in March to increase its customer capacity and install a drive-thru. Now: She was approved for an emergency loan from the Small Business Administration. But that agency ran out of money. So Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency came to her rescue last month, with a $250,000 Cares Act loan through the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The funds are split between $162,000 for working capital and $88,000 for new equipment. THE LATEST Catch up on news tied to Buffalo Niagara's economy Uniland Development Co. would like to construct a 150,000-square-foot industrial warehouse on Military Road in Niagara County, aimed at bringing in a Canadian firm whose U.S. operation would relocate from nearby Wheatfield. A $12 million project that has already brought six storefronts and 18 apartments to 19 West Main St. in Lancaster, with much more to come as part of a three-phased development, is only part of a revitalization occurring in the Village of Lancaster's central business district. To help upgrade its aging network of power lines and natural gas pipelines across portions of upstate, New York State Electric & Gas has proposed rate hikes that would add about $15 to $18 a month to the average residential customers' bills, starting next year. State officials say the $225 million $185 million from the state, with $41 from philanthropies and $9 million from the City of Buffalo will follow a planned, step-by-step approach that began several years ago for money to spent on the Buffalo's East Side. Leaders of World Central Kitchen are trying to gauge what the community needs from their organization, including how long it should stay, weeks after first coming to Buffalo to assist following the mass shooting at Tops on Jefferson Avenue. Four of the 22 large-scale renewable energy projects across the state will be in Western New York, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who announced plans for powering more than 620,000 homes for at least 20 years. A Cheektowaga-based stainless steel pipe maker wants to expand its Walden Avenue warehouse in Lancaster as part of a $7.65 million project and is asking the town's industrial development agency for tax breaks to help pay for it. Longtime president and CEO of the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County Michael Weiner will retire at the end of 2022, after 13 years in the post and a 48-year career in health and human services in Western New York. After a series of recent mass shootings, including one at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue, a coalition of business groups in the state, including the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, is chiming in on the issue, calling for Congress to reinstate an assault weapons ban. Facing default on the $237 million loan it owes on the Walden Galleria property, mall owner Pyramid Management Group has reached an agreement on a three-year extension with its lenders. The Seventh-Day Adventist Church at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Genesee Street purchased three key parcels of land from the City of Buffalo for $100,000. The land is needed for the building of a sanctuary for the Emmanuel Temple Church. Russell Salvatore Jr., the grandson of one of Buffalo's most prominent restaurateurs, wants to construct a two-story building with 11 apartments and 5,200 square feet of commercial space at the corner of Main Street and Winding Lane in Clarence, as well as a separate farmers market building. A new network of emergency medical physicians, dubbed the Emergency Physician Response Program, will be available to respond to high-severity 911 calls and mass casualty incidents in Erie and Niagara counties. Redevelopment of a derelict and fire-damaged industrial property on the shores of Scajaquada Creek by Savarino Companies hit a snag after neighbors and Buffalo Planning Board members raised concerns about the increased traffic and safety risk that it might cause. In an effort to remain competitive in a growing venture capital landscape, Buffalo startup accelerator 43North will invest $1 million in five companies as part of this year's annual competition. A large grocery store won't be coming to the proposed Elmwood Crossing after Ellicott Development Co. and Sinatra & Co. Real Estate eliminated it from their ambitious $150 million project to convert the former Women's and Children's Hospital of Buffalo into a mixed-use community. Buffalo Next reporters Jonathan D. Epstein, Jon Harris, Natalie Brophy, Matt Glynn, Janet Gramza and Mike Petro contributed to this roundup. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: 1. 43North aiming to attract high-growth companies to the region: Sam Eder moved to Buffalo from Austin, Texas, in January after his company Big Wheelbarrow won the 43North startup contest. Stipulating winning companies set up shop in Buffalo for at least a year is an important aspect of 43North's mission. 2. Mixed-use development coming to Old First Ward: Developers Karl Frizlen and Michael Masters are 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. 3. Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue will reopen, but what that will look like is uncertain: As Tops officials plan for the reopening of its Jefferson Avenue store after a tragic mass shooting, when and how it will do so is still being considered as some community members want a new Tops store at a different location on Buffalo's East Side. 4. Doctor recognized for providing aid in strife-torn regions: Dr. Aaron Epstein has been splitting his life between surgical shifts in Buffalo and leading the humanitarian aid group he founded in 2015. Now, he's in line for one of the nation's top civilian awards. 5. Rachel's Mediterranean grill expands beyond Buffalo home: Rachel's has made it big in Western New York, and the family-owned business is now trying to expand the concept down the Thruway in New York and in larger markets such as Fort Worth, Texas. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Buying a building? Redeveloping a property? Got a tip? Reach Real Estate & Development reporter Jonathan D. Epstein at 716-849-4478 or email him at jepstein@buffnews.com. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get the latest in your inbox five days a week. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com. 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. Less than two weeks since being sworn in as Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese made a three-day trip to neighbouring Indonesia this week, continuing a frenetic series of regional visits by the new Labor government to back the escalating US confrontation with China. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, June 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim) Accompanied by a top-level ministerial delegation and a bevy of Australian big business leaders, Albanese made clear his mission had two major interconnected axes. The first was to step up Australian and US military ties with Indonesia. The second was to try to ramp up trade and investment in order to diversify away from Australian capitalisms ongoing dependence on mining exports to China. At a joint media conference with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Albanese pointedly concluded his remarks by declaring: To finish, may I say, Mr President, that I was pleased we recognised our significant defence and security relationship and all this does to support regional security and stability. Later, at a dinner gathering with the Australian corporate chiefs, Albanese told them that his government was putting trade and investment at the heart of our regional and international agenda. We see Indonesia as central to our trade diversification plan. Indonesia, with a huge population of nearly 280 million and a far-flung archipelago of 17,000 large and small islands across the southern flank of Southeast Asia and key Indo-Pacific shipping lanes, is strategically crucial in the intensifying offensive by the Biden administration against Beijing. But President Joko Widodos government, along with other Southeast Asian regimes, has increased economic links to China, the regions biggest economy, and refused to line up behind the US proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and the accompanying stepped-up US provocations against China. Last September, Widodo and other regional leaders voiced concern about the anti-China AUKUS military pact signed between the US, UK and Australian governments, featuring the supply of long-range nuclear-powered submarines and hypersonic missiles to Australia. Widodo, in particular, warned that the AUKUS alliancewhich the Albanese government fully backscould trigger a regional arms race that militarises the Indo-Pacific. That is why Indonesia was so high on Albaneses priority list. This was his second overseas journey during his first fortnight in office. Albaneses very first act in office had been to fly to Tokyo, just three hours after being sworn in, to join a Biden-led summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), an alliance of the US, Japan, India and Australia directed against China. At that gathering, as is becoming ever clearer, Biden effectively issued the new government with its marching orders: get cracking fast to combat the growing economic, diplomatic and strategic influence in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific of China, which Washington has designated as the chief threat to the hegemony that the US won through World War II. As soon as Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong returned from the Quad summit, Wong was dispatched to Fiji to counter a South Pacific tour by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and thwart a proposed regional economic and security agreement with China. Days later, immediately after Albaneses ministry was appointed, Wong rushed back to the small Pacific island states of Samoa and Tonga to strike back against the bilateral economic and aid deals their governments had signed with China. Last Sunday, Wong was on the plane again, as part of Albaneses delegation to Indonesia, which the Australian Broadcasting Corporation described as a full-court press. It featured Trade Minister Don Farrell, Industry Minister Ed Husic and Luke Gosling, an ex-army officer and Labor MP who holds the parliamentary seat covering Australias strategic northern city of Darwin. They were joined by no less than 11 corporate chiefs, including Bluescope Steel boss Mark Vassella, Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn, Telstra CEO Andrew Penn, Fortescue Metals Group deputy chair Mark Barnaba, Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins and Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott. Also included were Business Council of Australia CEO Jennifer Westacott and chair Warwick Smith, Sun Cable CEO David Griffin, Monash University vice-chancellor Margaret Gardner and Austrade CEO Xavier Simonet. The size and scale of this deputation is another indication of the entirely pro-business character of the Labor government, both domestically in suppressing workers wage demands and externally in delivering whatever is required for Washingtons war preparations against China. The Albanese governments anti-China mission was reflected in the joint communique issued by Widodo and Albanese. It highlighted the significant role of Indonesia and Australias bilateral defence and security relationship including in supporting regional security and stability, as evidenced by the annual Australian and Indonesian Foreign and Defence Ministers Meeting (2+2) and plans to elevate our defence cooperation. Nevertheless, there was no mention of China, or the Ukraine war, and Widodo struck a quite different note in his remarks. Strategic competition in the region must be well managed to avoid open conflict, he warned. The culture of peace and strategic trust needs to be strengthened continuously. In an indication of the continuing tensions over the intensifying US and Australian moves against China, Albanese refused to disclose whether AUKUS was discussed one-on-one with Widodo. An Australian Financial Review editorial noted with chagrin that Indonesia was still seeking good relations with Beijing and keeping its distance from picking sides in a great power conflict. As a result, Indonesias preference for autonomy limits how hard Australia can press on China. In an attempt to placate the Indonesian concerns, at least for now, Albanese said he would attend Novembers G20 summit in Bali, despite opposition raised in Washington, and other threatened boycotts, because of the possible presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Throughout the trip, Albanese also gave expression to the grasping aspirations of the Australian ruling class, which is always anxious to further exploit the natural resources and cheap labour of Indonesian workers, millions of whom live in poverty. My government will work with Australian super funds, among our largest investors, to explore investment opportunities here in Indonesia, Albanese said. And the senior Australian CEOs who are here with me will be at the vanguard of a sustained campaign by Australian government and business to seize these opportunities. In return, Albanese offered only pittances to try to camouflage the predatory nature of Australian and US imperialism. He reaffirmed the delivery of 8.4 million COVID-19 vaccines, unveiled an increase to 5,000 per year, by 2025, of allocated places to Indonesians under Australias Work and Holiday visa, and announced 10 recover together, recover stronger scholarships for Indonesian post-graduate students. None of this will do anything to ease the impoverishment of the Indonesian working class or the ravages produced by the global pandemic. Since the US-orchestrated 196566 military coup in Indonesia, it has become one of the most unequal countries in the world, with 10 percent of the population living below the national poverty line and the richest four oligarchs holding more wealth than the poorest 100 million people. COVID-19 has so far infected more than 6 million people in Indonesia and killed over 157,000, yet these are vast underestimates because of the lack of testing and the frequent turning away of victims from overcrowded hospitals. Greg Sheridan, the foreign editor of the Australian, pointed to the real discussions taking place within ruling circles in Washington and Canberra. The shadow of China looms over the Prime Ministers visit to Indonesia, as it does over all regional diplomacy, he wrote. Sheridan outlined some potential wartime scenarios. Say it [Indonesia] decided to close its archipelagic waters to international trade heading for Australia. Say it decided to fully join Beijing strategically and offer it military bases. Cynically, Sheridan added: Paul Keating was right to say that the securing of peaceful development and political stability in Indonesia was a huge strategic gift for Australia. In 1992, the then Labor Prime Minister Keating openly hailed the 196566 coup that installed General Suhartos junta, which spearheaded the mass murder of up to one million workers, peasants and political activists. The coming to power of the New Order government was arguably the event of single greatest strategic benefit to Australia after the Second World War, Keating declared. The Albanese governments US-backed mission to Indonesia is taking this dirty history of Labor and Australian imperialism to a new level, directly aligning behind Washingtons preparations for a potential nuclear war against China that would have devastating consequences across the region. Last Friday, Deere & Company, the global leader in agriculture machinery production in the world, revealed it will be moving tractor cab production from its Tractor and Cab Assembly Operations (TCAO) in Waterloo, Iowa, to Ramos Component Works in Mexico. Deere is blaming the move on a tight labor market. The decision to move cab production ensures the company can balance workforce needs within the tight labor market, while also ensuring Waterloo can open up floor space to manufacture new products, the company said in a statement on Friday. A worker inside a Deere plant (John Deere) Currently, some 1,100 production workers and 450 salaried workers work at the Waterloo TCAO. Deeres move is projected to affect 250 employees, but such an estimate could fluctuate and possibly be much higher depending on the next two years and how the company responds to market conditions. Deere intends to complete the move during the 2024 fiscal year. While Deere insists new product programs will replace cab production in Waterloo, details of these programs have yet to be publicly released. The announcement by Deere comes two weeks after the company reported its second-quarter profit and revenue, which were well above Wall Streets expectations despite pressures and shortages in the international supply chain. For the second quarter that ended on May 1, Deere reported a net income of some $2.1 billion, up from about $1.8 billion for the second quarter of 2021, with the company seeing a 34 percent increase in net sales. Deeres second-quarter performance reflected a continuation of strong demand even as we face supply chain pressures affecting production levels and delivery schedules, Deere CEO John C. May said in a statement Friday. Workers should reject with contempt any attempt by the United Auto Workers to stoke hostility toward Mexican workers over Deeres move. While Deeres executives and big shareholders live it up off the profits extracted from the companys global workforce, they miss no opportunity to pit workers in various countries against each other, shifting production from one country to another in search of the highest rate of return. Deere CEO May received a total compensation package of $19.9 million in 2021, a $4.3 million raise over his measly $15.6 million in 2020. Deere shareholders, meanwhile, are being paid handsomely, with the company raising its shareholder dividend payment of $0.51 in 2012 to $1.05and then increasing it another 8 percent to $1.13 per share! The new payments will begin on August 8. Deere executives have fattened off their collusion with the UAW, which for decades has worked hand-in-glove with management to strip hard won gains from workers, undermining health care and suppressing wages, all the while scapegoating workers in other countries for the very attacks the union itself helped engineer. Deeres continued rise in earnings confirms once again that the union and Deere management lied through their teeth when they told workers nothing more could be won by continuing the strike last fall. Workers were seeking substantial wage increases, the restoration of retiree health care, and other major improvements in their working conditions to offset decades of concessions engineered by the UAW. Defying both the company and union, Deere workers went on strike October 14, 2021, launching their first strike in 35 years after voting down a tentative agreement endorsed by the UAW by more than 90 percent. Two weeks later, workers voted down a second tentative agreement. The media and the company responded by launching a propaganda campaign to browbeat workers into submission, insisting there was no more money. The UAW broke its silence only to join the company in threatening workers that they might be fired and replaced if they persisted in their strike and that the contract was managements best and final offer, a groundbreaking settlement, to use their own words. Less than two weeks after workers rejected the second contract, the UAW forced workers to vote on a contract that was a mirror image of the previous, but had modest modifications. Under murky conditions, the UAW announced ratification of the contract in November 2021, with the union claiming 61 percent voted in favor. Throughout the strike the UAW worked tirelessly, not to help workers win a better contract, but to intimate and threaten workers to accept the pro-company contract. The unions goons were in full force, with Phil Gonterman, the UAW elections chair at Local 281 in Davenport, threatening workers with retaliation who were planning to vote no. A worker shared with the WSWS comments from a Facebook group in which Gonterman wrote, I hope any welder-machinist that talked big and bad about how they were voting it down based on their stupid hampster [sic] wheel brain understanding, doesnt hate red, Gonterman wrote after the UAWs second agreement with Deere was defeated on November 2. Because Im going to f**k their lights out for every quality issue. Yeah, you all know who you are. UAW Local 281 Elections Chair Phil Gonterman threatening workers with retaliation for opposing the contract Notably, in a reply to a post by Gonterman, Local 281 Vice President Brian Ripple at the Davenport plant suggested that Deere should shift work from its Waterloo, Iowa, operations, where workers had strongly opposed the UAW sellout, to Mexico. Whos coming to visit me in Mexico when Im making Deere equipment in 3 years? Gonterman wrote. Ripple replied, Id say Waterloo might be a better candidate to ship out. UAW Local 281 Vice President Brian Ripple calling for work at Waterloo to be outsourced These filthy statements sought to whip up reactionary nationalist divisions and intimidate workers with threats of outsourcing if the contract was voted down. These are not isolated statements of some loud-mouth individual, but speak directly to the nationalist and chauvinist orientation of the UAW as a whole. The UAW has sought to cover its crimes against workers by placing blame on workers in other countries. But workers in the US have far more in common with workers in Mexico than they do with the fat cats in the UAW bureaucracy, whose incomes are in the six figures. In complete opposition to the UAWs nationalist program of divide and conquer, the Deere Workers Rank-and-File Committee fought for an international strategy of expanding the strike and uniting workers with their brothers and sisters in other countries. Workers won international support from Deere workers during the strike. John Deere workers in Mannheim, Germany showing their support for striking Deere workers. (WSWS Media) In Mannheim, Germany, Deere workers expressed their solidarity and support for the strike in the US, with many German workers claiming they faced similar issues. In Mannheim, workers have been subjected to rounds and rounds of layoffs, with the company ratcheting up its use of contract and temporary workers with virtually no job protections or security. The threat by Deere to move production to Mexico underscores the need for workers to adopt an international strategy. The bitter experience of the UAWs sabotage of the Deere strike must be analyzed and lessons drawn. Currently, some 1,200 agricultural and construction equipment workers at CNH Industrial in Wisconsin and Iowa have been on strike for a month, determined to win significant improvements to wages, benefits and working conditions. Similar to the Deere strike, the UAW is meeting behind closed doors with management to negotiate a deal that meets none of workers demands. However, like the Deere strike, CNH workers have established the CNH Workers Rank-and-File Committee to develop a broader strategy to expand and win the struggle. Workers at CNH have cited the Deere strike as a source of immense inspiration. Speaking on the Deere strike, a CNH worker said, It showed the rest of us people, the low-class workers, that its time to reach for the sky. John Deere is just about the mirror image, in terms of management and other things, of CNH and Caterpillar. For workers to fight and win they must take the initiative through the formation of rank-and-file strike committees at every plant and warehouse. Deere workers should join forces with workers at CNH, Volvo and Mack Trucks, Dana and the Detroit auto companies, as well as transport and logistics workers such as car haulers and rail workers at BNSF and CSX. Only the development of such a mass movement can secure workers rights and interests. To learn more about starting a John Deere Workers Rank-and-File Committee at your workplace, Deere workers can email deerewrfc@gmail.com or text (484) 514-9797. Caterpillar workers: We want to hear from you. Fill out the form at the end of this report to share your experience with any workplace or safety issues at your facility. All comments will be kept anonymous. Workers have responded with an outpouring of sympathy, horror and growing indignation to the horrific workplace death last week of Steven Dierkes at Caterpillars Mapleton foundry in central Illinois. On June 2, Steven, 39, was working near a crucible with molten metal when he fell in, instantly killing him, the Peoria County coroner reported. Steven Dierkes, who died at Caterpillars Mapleton, Illinois, foundry on June 2, 2022 (Photo: Family obituary) An obituary for Steven was published in the Peoria Journal Star on Monday with the following moving tribute: Steven loved the outdoors and all animals. He was a loving person who enjoyed laughter from any source he could find. He was a hard-working teddy bear of a man with calloused hands and a tender heart. He would have done anything for anyone with no expectation of anything in return. He would have given a stranger the shirt from his back even though that may have been his last shirt. Most of all, he was a wonderful loving father to his daughters that he absolutely adored. He will be greatly missed. The obituary noted that Steven is survived by his best friend and life partner Jessica Sutter and daughters Rilie Myrl (12), Remie Jo (5) and Tamzlinn Jean (TJ) (4), as well as his parents, Ron and Tori Dierkes of Bloomington, Illinois; a sister, Trina, and two brothers, Darren and Kyle. Services are to be held in Bloomington on Thursday, June 9. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that contributions be made toward a memorial fund for his and Jessicas children. Workers at Caterpillar, Deere, the Big Three automakers, and other manufacturing companies have widely shared news reports on Stevens tragic death on social media. A number contacted the WSWS to express their deep sadness over the event. Others denounced the dangerous conditions at Caterpillar, the hostility of management to those who speak out on workplace safety issues, and the indifference of the United Auto Workers. Steven Dierkes death is the second at the Mapleton foundry in just six months. In December, a 50-year-old electrical contractor, Scott Adams, fell to his death through a hole in the floor that reportedly was not properly covered. The foundry has accumulated numerous violations from OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). As is typical for the agency, which functions largely to whitewash corporate negligence, the violations have resulted in wrist-slap fines of only a few thousand dollars each. All comments workers had about safety issues were ignored and responded to with excuses One worker at the Mapleton facility told the WSWS Tuesday, The first night back at the foundry (Sunday night), higher level management was on the shop floor patrolling and asking questions about how employees felt about safety. All comments workers had about safety issues were ignored and responded to with excuses. Another Caterpillar worker described numerous safety problems at their facility, writing: I was supplemental from January of 2022 to May 2022. On line 5 there is a railing of sorts that holds 18-22,000-pound engine molds. You dont get respirators and breathe in the chemicals coming out of the molds. Silica is all around the plant and is damaging to the lungs. Instead of respirators, in certain parts of the facility you get to go once a year to see how the damage is to your lungs caused by silica. I also had a drive shaft from a crane go out and drop one of these molds, and if it was up higher off the ground then what it was, three of us would have been killed. Didnt get any safety talk about it either. On one of the railings the weld is busted off, and you can bounce on the metal. This was told to the supervisor and to the safety coordinator, along with maintenance, in March to get it fixed. As of May it wasnt fixed. We had a major water leak that came down onto electrical outlets and into molds that would be a major safety issue. Team lead was told about it and instead of being professional was told to get the f... out of the way. You dont get proper training. Instead, you get newly hired workers who barely know what they are doing. They get to train you, and in the process youre told to do this way or dont do it this way. In my time of being there, just line 5 alone, we had over 55 incidents: smashed fingers and hands, near misses of falling molds, wires snapping on cranes. Along with electrical issues on certain cranes that move several hundred pound mold pieces that would either cause it to lock up or would cause it to release the mold while suspended in the air. Also have employees who leave said mold pieces on the air and walk away from being too impatient, which is a major safety violation. No action is taken, just told dont do that, but then it continues to happen. We were told that no one dies on Caterpillar property A Caterpillar worker in East Peoria, Illinois, wrote, I worked security at the East Peoria facility. We were told that no one dies on Caterpillar property. I watched Cat firefighters perform CPR on a man we all could clearly see was deceased. His head was smashed by a hydraulic press. There was a vertical opening from the top of his head to the back of his neck. Brain matter was mixed in a puddle of blood on the floor. CPR continued on his lifeless body until his corpse crossed the property line. This is a regular practice for the company in an attempt to lessen liability and claim the death didnt occur on property. The UAW is just as worthless as Caterpillar Other Caterpillar workers spoke about the role of the UAW. Among the most bitter experiences by workers in the 1990s were a series of strikes at Caterpillar betrayed by the UAW, in 1991-92 and 1994-95, which left feelings of profound anger among workers and resulted in a historic regression in pay and benefits for new hires. More recently, in 2017, the UAW pushed through a brutal six-year concessions contract which maintained the tier system and gave Caterpillar a free hand to close its Aurora, Illinois factory. Workers arriving in Peoria, Illinois, to vote on the 2017 Caterpillar-UAW contract [Photo: WSWS] I am one of the last union employees of a dozen that was on the liner line when Caterpillar outsourced it in July 2013, another CAT worker told the WSWS. The UAW did nothing to help us. We were called into a meeting and told that was our last week and we were laid off indefinitely. I was called in November 2013 for a job at Caterpillar in East Peoria for almost $4 less an hour. The UAW is just as worthless as Caterpillar. They really do force you into what feels like slavery Caterpillar workers beyond Illinois, including those at nonunion facilities, also spoke out on unsafe working conditions. A worker at CATs North Carolina plant said: I currently work for CAT in Sanford, North Carolina. Similar work conditions, working with broken tools. This company is very good at retaliation and keeping it quiet, but they also know how to cover their tracks to make sure when something goes wrong it doesnt come back to them but the employee. They really use a good ole boy system, not what you know but who you know! They really have no regards for their employees. They say that safety is their main concern. However its not, they really could care less about safety as long as the production numbers are met. They really do force you into what feels like slavery because they wont let you use your own PTO [paid time off], and if you do they retaliate by giving you positions that you arent trained for, treated differently and alienated. They will ignore all of your concerns. They dont take action against sexual harassment. I myself have seen my current section manager sexually harass former colleagues. Ive watched them use people like a dog and expect them to be okay with that. Caterpillar workers: Wed like to hear from you. Fill out the form below to share your experience about any workplace or safety issues at your facility. All comments will be published anonymously. Recent testimony at a hearing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, revealed that Gina Haspel, the director of the CIA during the Trump administration who retired in 2021, observed the torture of detainee Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri at a US black site in Thailand in 2002. According to a report in the New York Times on Friday, James E. Mitchell, a psychologist who developed the enhanced interrogation techniques implemented by the CIA during the Bush administration, testified that Haspel watched while he and another interrogator tortured Nashiri on multiple occasions. Mitchell said the coercive techniques used on Nashiri at the Cats Eye prison in Thailand by him and another CIA psychologist John Bruce Jessen, included waterboarding, forcing the detainee into a small confinement box, slapping him and slamming his head against a wall. Mitchell testified that these techniques were used while Nashiri was naked and sometimes hooded. Although it has been known for years, although never acknowledged by the US government, that Haspel was the top CIA officer in charge of the Thailand black site and that she wrote reports on the interrogation of Nashiri, this is the first time it has been disclosed that she observed the torture sessions. CIA Director Gina Haspel arrives to conduct briefings for members of Congress on last week's assassination of Iran's senior military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) The May hearing at which Mitchell testified was part of the pretrial phase of the death penalty tribunal against Nashiri. The military judge in the Guantanamo Bay case, Colonel Lanny J. Acosta Jr., agreed with Nashiris defense team that, since the CIA had destroyed the tapes of the two psychologists torturing detainees at the Thailand black site, Mitchell should testify on what was done to their client. The New York Times report says Guantanamo Bay defense lawyers have been asking military judges to exclude certain evidence from the war crimes trials of accused Qaeda operatives as tainted by not just torture but also cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Although Mitchell said that he had only a general memory of what was done and could not provide a blow-by-blow recollection of any of that stuff, he did describe three sessions where he and Jessen waterboarded Nashiri. The Times report says, Dr. Mitchell held a cloth over the mans face and adjusted it to direct the water as Dr. Jessen poured, during these sessions. He further testified that Mr. Nashiri was so small that they thought he might slide out of his Velcro restraints during portions of the waterboarding. To let Mr. Nashiri breathe between pours, interrogators pivoted him 90 degrees, from lying on his back to a standing position, still strapped to a gurney. Mitchell then went on to say that Haspel was an observer of these torture sessions, although she did not directly participate in them. Mitchell also never mentioned Haspel by name and only referred to her in the Orwellian language of the CIA as chief of the base Z9A. The use of codes to refer to people such as Haspel, who were serving in secret roles in Thailand and elsewhere, is part of the choreography of the hearings at Guantanamo Bay designed to keep official secrets out of the public record, according to the Times. The fate of Nashiri, who has been in illegal US detention for nearly two decades without a trial, is a horrific example of the criminality of American imperialism and its repeated flaunting of international law since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The ongoing violations of basic human rights of those detained at Guantanamo Bay have been overseen by both Democratic and Republican Party occupants of the White House: George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and now Joseph Biden. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who is of Saudi Arabian origin, was abducted in Dubai at the age of 36 in November 2002 by the CIAs Special Activities Division and accused of orchestrating the suicide bombing of the Navy destroyer USS Cole in Yemens Aden harbor in October 2000 that killed 17 US sailors. He was repeatedly interrogated by the CIA at black sites in Afghanistan, Thailand, Poland, Morocco and Romania for an unknown duration before being transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. In addition to the recent testimony by Mitchell, previous reports have exposed that Nashiri was stripped naked and hooded and threatened with a gun and a power drill to force him to talk while being tortured. Although Nashiri was accused of being the al-Qaeda mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing, who allegedly reported directly to Osama bin Laden, when he was finally permitted to speak in a 2007 military hearing, he enumerated seven false confessions that were extracted from him during torture sessions. These details were only revealed publicly in 2009, after the ACLU obtained transcripts of Nashiris Combatant Status Review Tribunal through a Freedom of Information Act request. On February 5, 2009, the charges against him were dropped without prejudice but he was not released. However, the charges were then reinstated in 2011 and the US military prosecution said it planned to seek the death penalty against him. In May 2011, Nashiris legal team filed a case against Poland with the European Court of Human Rights, saying said he was held and allegedly tortured in a secret CIA prison north of Warsaw from December 2002 to June 2003 with the collaboration or consent of the Polish government. The high court ruled that Poland had violated the European Convention on Human Rights when it cooperated with the US and allowed the CIA to detain and torture Nashiri. The European high court also ordered monetary compensation to Nashiri and that the Polish government release details of his detention and that it seek diplomatic assurances from the US that he would not be executed. A similar ruling in the court of human rights was obtained against Romania in May 2018. Also in May 2018, prior to the congressional confirmation of Haspel as CIA director, American doctor Sondra Crosby, a professor of public health at Boston University, conducted a medical evaluation of Nashiri and sent her findings to Senator Mark Warner (Democrat of Virginia). She wrote that Nashiri is irreversibly damaged by torture that was unusually cruel and designed to break him. In my over 20 years of experience treating torture victims from around the world, including Syria, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mr. al-Nashiri presents as one of the most severely traumatized individuals I have ever seen. This incriminating information about the role of Haspel, who was known at the time to have overseen the torture of Nashiri, did not stop Warner and five other Democratic Party senators from endorsing her as CIA director. During her confirmation hearing Haspel concealed her direct involvement in the torture of Nashiri and numerous others and hid behind the official we cannot confirm or deny responses of the CIA about what went on in the black sites it operated around the world. Haspel is also known to have been involved in the 2005 destruction of the videotapes of the torture of Nashiri and others, such as Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee seized by the CIA and tortured following 9/11. Haspel even defended the torture program during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, saying, Im not going to sit here, with the benefit of hindsight, and judge the very good people who made hard decisions, who were running the agency in very extraordinary circumstances. Meanwhile, she was permitted to give her personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, C.I.A. will not restart such a detention and interrogation program. Such assurances are worthless. That people such as Haspel, who is today employed as a consultant for the Atlanta-based international law firm King & Spalding, as well as the psychiatrists Mitchell and Jessen are walking around free and not behind bars is proof that the US government is capable of the most unspeakable crimes now and in the future. While Nashiri and nearly 40 other prisoners remain illegally detained at Guantanamo Bay, there is every reason to believe CIA torture is continuing as part of the geostrategic military operations of US imperialism. The House Select Committee charged with investigating the January 6, 2021 coup attempt by former President Donald Trump will begin holding a series of six public hearings starting Thursday. The hearings are being conducted 17 months after Trump and his Republican allies led a fascistic assault on Congress aimed at blocking certification of the 2020 election results and overturning the Constitution. Last week, the Justice Department announced that it would not seek charges against Mark Meadows, Trumps former chief of staff and a leading architect of the coup plot, as well as Dan Scavino, Trumps former deputy chief of staff. Then on Monday, Enrique Tarrio, the former chairman of the Proud Boys, and four other members of the far-right group were indicted on charges of seditious conspiracy. This is how the Democrats hope the hearings will proceed: While a handful of fascist foot soldiers, small fry in the coup, will be charged, leading figures in the Republican Party who organized and led the conspiracy are to go free. Trump supporters at the US Capital Building on January 6, 2021. (Image Credit: Flickr?blinkofanaye) The Democratic Partys main political objective in the January 6 hearings is to uphold the Republican Party as a legitimate instrument of class rule by presenting a narrative that omits the role of virtually the entire GOP, along with significant sections of the police, military and intelligence apparatus in facilitating the attack on Congress. The aim, as both President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have repeatedly insisted, is to maintain a strong Republican Party. Both Meadows and Scavino have for months refused to comply with the committees subpoenas and were deeply involved in Trumps coup. They now join Trump and his Republican co-conspirators in escaping any accountability, over a year and a half after the fact, for attempting to overthrow the government. While Meadows briefly cooperated with the committee last year, including turning over thousands of incriminating text messages revealing that Trumps plot extended into Congress, the Supreme Court and major news networks such as Fox News, committee members such as Illinois Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger have publicly stated that there are huge gaps in the text messages. Some of these gaps include messages exchanged between Meadows and lifelong Republican operative Virginia Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The fact that Ginni Thomas has not been subpoenaed by the committee demolishes any claim that its findings will represent a complete accounting of events. The only high-level Trump aides to be charged by the Justice Department so far are former Trump advisers Steve Bannon and the recently indicted Peter Navarro. Like Meadows and Scavino, both have refused to comply with subpoenas issued by the January 6 Select Committee. While the Democratic Party and sections of the Republican Party opposed to Trump have presented the hearings as a chance to expose the full extent of the attack, in reality their response to January 6 has been aimed at covering up the social and political roots of the coup and the complicity of large sections of the state apparatus. In one form or another, the committee will seek to perpetuate this cover-up. In advance of the hearings, further details have emerged documenting the role of Georgia Republicans in supporting the coup. On Monday, the Washington Post revealed the existence of an email sent on December 13, 2020 by Robert Sinners, a Trump campaign staffer, to Georgia Republicans who were planning on meeting at the state Capitol the next day to submit a fraudulent slate of electors. In the email, Sinners told the 16 Republicans that they should conduct their business in secret and exercise complete discretion in this process. Sinners said that at no point should you mention anything to do with Presidential Electors or speak to the media, the Post reported. Georgia was one of seven states won by Biden in which Republican electors gathered on December 14, 2020 to sign certificates claiming Trump was the rightful winner, despite the actual vote count and the fact that election officials had already certified the election results for Biden. That Sinners was suggesting the Republicans not alert anyone to their activity speaks to the illegality of what was being carried out. The existence of these bogus electors, in the minds of Trump and his Republican accomplices, was a sufficient pretext for then-Vice President Mike Pence to unilaterally and unconstitutionally reject Biden electors from those states. After the rejection of the electors had prevented Biden from gaining the necessary 270 Electoral Votes, the election would have been thrown into the House of Representatives, where Trump would have eventually been declared the winner. In order to give Pence the courage to overturn the election, Trump and his Republican co-conspirators rallied far-right supporters to come to the Capitol for the Stop the Steal demonstration on January 6. A separate article published Tuesday by the Post reported that the Secret Service had rebuffed... nearly two weeks of persistent pressure from Trump... to devise a plan for him to join his supporters on a march to the Capitol. While the Secret Service had apparently not yet devised a plan, once Trump declared his intention to join the crowd, the agency sought to accommodate the president. The fact that Trump was badgering the Secret Service for at least two weeks to provide him a security plan that would allow him to march on the Capitol to help block the certification of the election is the latest exposure of the intelligence agencies lies that Trumps coup was unforeseen. The central theme of Biden and the Democrats since the events of January 6 has been the call for unity, by which they mean unity within the ruling class on the basis of war abroad and an assault on the working class at home. They continue to seek this unity even though the Republican Party voted against impeaching Trump and more recently voted to call the attack on the Capitol legitimate political discourse. The refusal of the Biden government and the Justice Department to hold Trump and his accomplices accountable is rooted in their shared class interests. Both parties are beholden to Wall Street and the military industrial complex. A central preoccupation of the Democratic Party is the prosecution of war. As Biden proclaimed in his State of the Union address in March, Last year, COVID-19 kept us apart. This year, we are finally together again in escalating the conflict with Russia over Ukraine. While many American workers and youth voted for Biden due to their well-founded hatred of Trump and on the basis of Bidens pledges to end the pandemic, since assuming office, Biden, a servant of the banks of Wall Street for his entire political career, has reneged on virtually all of his campaign promises. Biden and the Democrats have adopted Trumps herd immunity policies and ended all COVID-19 mitigation measures and pandemic-related unemployment programs. While there is supposedly no money for fighting the pandemic, Biden and the Democrats in bipartisan fashion with their ruling class partners-in-crime have appropriated billions this year to the police and military, including some $59 billion as part of the US/NATO-instigated war against Russia. Since January 6, 2021, Biden and the Democratic Party have sought to whitewash the role of the entire Republican Party and large sections of the US government in Trumps coup. The Democratic Partys inability to defend democratic rights against the increasingly fascistic Republican Party underscores that the only social force capable of stopping the danger of dictatorship is the working class, mobilized independently of the two parties of capital and armed with a socialist perspective. Richard E. Neals recent visit to Ireland was a debacle. Last month, Neal, Democrat chair of the powerful US Congress House Committee of Ways and Means, led a nine-strong team of both Democrats and Republicans hoping to press the British government into finding an agreement acceptable to the European Union (EU) and the Irish government over the Northern Ireland protocol. Neal was met with extraordinary hostility from Northern Irelands unionist parties, even to the point of threatening the delegations securitya stand given tacit support by the Johnson government in Westminster. US Congressman Richard Neal, center, speaks to the media at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Thursday May, 26, 2022. The US Delegation led by Congressman Richard Neal met with with political leaders to discuss the row around the Northern Ireland Protocol related to Brexit. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) The Northern Ireland protocol component of Britains Withdrawal Agreement from the EU has effectively instituted EU checks on commerce across the Irish Sea. The Johnson government agreed it as a compromise intended to avoid the return of a hard trade border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. It is viewed by unionists as an existential threat to their position within the UK, with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) suspending participation in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive and demanding the protocol is dropped before either institution can re-open. Prime Minister Boris Johnsons beleaguered premiership increasingly depends on the support of the partys most fervent Brexiteers. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss therefore announced, shortly before Neals visit, her intention to legislate in the coming weeks for changes to the protocol without any agreement from the EU. The position was reiterated yesterday by Johnson, after he narrowly defeated a vote of no confidence on Monday evening. He calculates that the protocol issue will keep his loyalists on board, while dividing his opponents. Those who voted against his premiership represent an uneasy coalition between a section of the partys hard right and what remains of its anti-Brexit wing who are desperate to avoid trade war with the European Union and the wrath of Washington this brings with it. Trusss proposed solutions to the protocol involve setting up two channels for goods, with green goods destined only for Northern Ireland not checked. It is a measure of the crisis that former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, who boasts of being the architect of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA) ending Northern Irelands three decades of civil war, has issued his own proposals to obviate the vast majority of checks on goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland, provide a compromise on the involvement of the Court of Justice of the EU, and give greater opportunities for consultation on draft EU laws affecting Northern Ireland to representatives from all sides of the community. This would give Johnson and the unionists much of what they want, while hopefully keeping the lid on tensions with the EU. The Biden administration views the UK/EU falling out with alarm. As well as threatening its vast Ireland-based financial interests by destabilising the GFA, the row sets its British and European allies against each other. The NATO-Russia war in Ukraine has dramatically intensified concerns, prompting the dispatch of Neals delegation. Neal told the Financial Times May 20, prior to his visit, that the onus and spotlight was on Britain, warning that the UK was taking the GFA for granted. He opposed unilateral UK legislation warning, We dont believe that Ireland should be held hostage to turbulence in the UK political structure. Neal, head of the Friends of Ireland in the US Congress, would have expected at least a polite reception in line with the United States overwhelming influence in the South, its strategic alliance with the UK and role in orchestrating the GFA. In 1995, the US appointed Democrat George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. The GFA he helped negotiate laid the basis for Sinn Fein to participate in power sharing in the North, along with the unionists. It is a mark of the collapse in transatlantic relations over the protocol that, from the first, Neal was denounced from all quarters of unionism, while the Johnson government said nothing. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson took calculated offense at Neals statement that the GFA was based on accepting the notion that we could make space for the Planter [Protestant settlers from England and Scotland] and the Gael to live together. He responded by accusing Neal of the most undiplomatic visit I have ever seen to these shores. Former Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster, writing in the Express May 25, denounced the Biden administration for claiming to be protecting the Belfast Agreement [GFA] when it is clear for all to see that they are only interested in looking after those who would seek to wipe Northern Ireland from the map. Days later, Foster was awarded with a Damehood by the queen. On June 1, Conor Burns, a Northern Ireland minister and close ally of Johnson, visited Washington where he asked, How is the Good Friday Agreement protected if the institutions born of the Good Friday Agreement dont exist? Other events point to an extraordinary breakdown in security cooperation and implicit threats of loyalist violence against Neal and his entourage. On May 24, the Belfast Telegraph was alerted to a barely reported security breach, with precise venues, travel times and details of private meetings being held by Neal and his delegation having somehow fallen into the hands of loyalist paramilitaries. Details of Neals itinerary had only been released to senior Northern Ireland Office officials, the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Neals own delegation. The British state has a long history of infiltrating loyalist paramilitary groups and colluding with their activities. The threat to Neal came only weeks after Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney was forced to suddenly abandon a speech he had been making at a peace and reconciliation event in North Belfast. The loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) was thought to be behind an incident in which a van driver was forced at gunpoint to drive his vehicle, containing what he thought was a bomb, towards where Coveney was speaking. The device turned out to be a fake. The Sunday Independent quoted a UVF member threatening to escalate threats against all politicians and officials visiting from Dublin. A senior Ulster Defence Association (UDA) member told the newspaper of a two stage strategy against the protocol: One is politics, the other is political violence. The fact that loyalist paramilitary groups, tied to the top echelons of unionism and the British state, are making such threats is a serious warning that sectarian conflict could re-erupt amid the desperate crisis of unionism, British imperialism and the Johnson government. Neals trip was followed by one of the largest Orange Order demonstrations in years. On May 28, up to 20,000 loyalist band members and supporters of the sectarian organisation, watched by up to 100,000 flag-waving spectators, including the entire unionist political hierarchy and at least one former UDA assassin, marched from Stormont to Belfast city centre to mark the centenary of Northern Irelands bloody founding amid the pogroms of the 1921 partition crisis. Mervyn Gibson, Grand Secretary of the Orange Order and former detective sergeant of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Special Branch, attacked the protocol, declaring, Let us make it very simple for our European neighbours, not least those on the other side of the border in the Republic of Ireland... We will not tolerate any system, process or structure that will allow checks on any goods trading within the UK for use within the UK. He concluded, And the cry to those who seek to persuade us, protocol or push us into a united Ireland, is still the same: no surrender. Gibson was given an MBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the queen. On May 16, Richard St. Onge, a patient at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) in Florida, committed suicide sometime between 7:00 and 11:00 pm. St. Onge had recently undergone surgery, and the hospital had reportedly changed his psychiatric medication. That night, with no sitter to watch over him, he used a bedside table to break the window of his 8th floor room and plunged to the grass below. While it is still unclear whether anyone witnessed his fall late that night, he was eventually found and taken to the emergency room. On the eighth floor, badly understaffed nurses in the Progressive Care Unit had been assigned heavy patient loads in the double digits, and they did not discover his absence for a considerable amount of time. Richard Allen St. Onge was born in Michigan on June 1, 1978. He died just a few weeks before his 44th birthday. He is survived by three children; three half-siblings, including his half-sister, Brittany; his father, Richard St. Onge; and his mother, Hope. The family wants to know the truth about the circumstances surrounding Richards death. After reading social media comments from ORMC nurses, 31-year-old Brittany told the World Socialist Web Site, What I have been told by the hospital is vastly different than what other nurses on social media are reporting. Orlando Regional Medical Center, in Orlando, Florida [Photo by Orlando Regional Medical Center] Despite the attempt to silence ORMC nurses and health care workers, hundreds have spoken through prominent nurse advocates on social media. The WSWS has received many reports from nurses on the case. According to anonymous health care workers who have reportedly been forced to sign non-disclosure forms regarding the incident, Richard responded negatively to the change in his psychiatric medication, and the staff begged ORMC administration not to take his sitter away. This tragic turn of events could not have come as a greater shock to his sister, who noted that Richard was in good spirits, sober and sounded well just the previous day. The day before the incident was the last time I talked to him. He was in the hospital and going to have surgery the next day. He seemed to be in good spirits. He was a little nervous about surgery and going under as he had never done that before, so he made jokes about it. I remember he was really excited because he was able to order whatever food he wanted. He said, Brittany you wouldnt believe it, I had four dinners today! That was the last time we talked. The next day I received a voicemail at 1:43 p.m. from a nurse who said they were calling on behalf of my brother. My phone was off, so I didnt get the voicemail until the day after. When I called the hospital back, I kept getting transferred around, and nobody would tell me anything. I called seven times and gave my number to at least four people. It took nine hours before finally anyone called me back. It was the president and who I assume was a lawyer called me back. They said there were people there, staff on the ground talking to him before it happened. I asked them, So, he didnt die alone, and they said, No he didnt die alone. The exact words from the hospital were, He fell from the eighth floor, that there were staff on the ground talking to him before he fell, and that immediately after he fell, there were staff on the ground helping to try to save his life. But, from every other account, that is a lie. They said they would send me a text and an email and I never heard from them again. At the time I was so emotional and in grief that I took it. But the more I thought about it, what the hospital told me doesnt make any sense. What does makes sense is what other nurses on social media have reported, such as Nurse Nander. The hospital was just calling to smooth it over. What really kills me is that I fully believe they thought they could get away with it because he was homeless in the area. They didnt think he had family who would fight for him. Talking to his kids, we are in agreement. We want the hospital and the system to be held responsible. We want this to come to light because of how they treated their nurses, how they treated their staff, and now they want to push this under the rug. This is not okay, and its not the first time someone has died at the hospital because of how they treated staff. This is not any of the staffs fault, its the hospital. They made decisions that led to this. Its enough. Whats awful is that the staff feels guilt over it, because they are people who genuinely care and want to help and they are being taken advantage of. The hospital is the winner and everyone else loses. Its just awful and disgusting that hospitals can try to say, Well, this is the reason, or this is the reason. But no, the reason is that you are greedy and selfish and you dont care about the people you should be taking care of, or the people you employ who are taking care of people. Orlando Health trauma nurses (Orlando Health) Brittany has a message for health care workers at ORMC: First and foremost, thank you and Im sorry you had to experience this in the flesh. Its hard for me to even hear about it. Im sorry you feel like if you do the right thing you are going to lose your livelihood. I would appreciate anything from anyone who wants to come forward. I will keep your identity private as best I can. I want the hospital to be held accountable. Any help we can get from the people who know anything I would be sincerely grateful if they came forward, but I completely understand if they cant. Brittany went on to describe Richards life. My brother had a very rough life. He struggled a lot and he wasnt a perfect person but he always took care of me and protected me when he was around. Since he left when I was young I always thought of him as a superhero. He called me his baby sister, and I always looked up to him. Among Richards other qualities, Brittany added, He had an ear for music and could play anything he heard. When I was younger he taught me how to play one of Beethovens symphonies on a piano. She also described him as goofy, funny, and always wanting to make people laugh. He could be reserved about serious or emotional topics. He was intense with the people that he loved. Anytime he thought I was upset or sad, he would stop and look me in the eyes, ask me what was going on. He was kind to me and always made me feel safe and protected. She added that what she wants everyone to know is just how much was lost, that her brother was on a good path and had made significant strides despite the obstacles he faced. The last I talked to him he was sober and wanted to be better, was talking about feeling better and turning his life around. Brittany is currently searching for a beloved picture of the two of them together from when she was a toddler. Its a great picture. I was two or three years old. We were in a living room fort he made, and it was just him hugging me. In discussing the difficulties faced by nurses everywhere who are being placed in impossible positions with superhuman workloads, Brittany said, I love my brother and Im very upset about what happened to him, but what happened to him was the result of the incompetency and neglect of the hospital, and that comes from greed and the whole system of health care. Nurses across the world are working to build rank-and-file committees to fight against the for-profit health care system which places profits over patients. Visit wsws.org/nurses for more information. The artist Paula Rego, Portuguese-born but long resident in Britain, has died today, June 8, aged 87. Her work, often informed by folk tales, frequently had a nightmarish quality but remained solidly grounded in the realities of the world around her, with a clear sympathy for the oppressed. That she never lost sight of these realities stemmed from her childhood. Born in 1935 under the fascist dictatorship of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, she grew up in a comfortable middle-class household, but remained clear about class realities around her. Her father, a liberal anti-fascist, was protected to some extent by his job, but Paula understood the violent repression of workers and impoverishment across the country. She also saw the devastating impact of the social structure on women like her mother. She was often hailed as a feminist artist, but her work shows a much more comprehensive understanding of the broader social effects of repression. It is to her great credit that she was able to retain this insight throughout her life. She insisted always on the need for her work to tell a story, and that story always reflected brutal and oppressive realities. Her works responding to Portugals failure to legalise abortion in 1998 were informed by her own experiences, but never lost sight of the fact that this was a social question. The honesty of her approach was not dissipated by her relocation from Portugal. She came to Britain in the early 1950s, studying at the Slade under Lucian Freud. Pregnant by fellow student Victor Willing, who was married, she returned reluctantly to the bourgeois Portuguese life she had rejected. In 1959 she and Willing married, living thereafter between London and Portugal. There was a period of disorientation, driven by Willings ill-health and a financial crisis that saw them move to London in 1976, but Regos steeliness in refocusing her work through folk art prevented some of her most personal and individual works of this period from slipping into self-indulgent individualisation. She emerged from the crisis of Willings decline and death, and the difficult relationship with her long-time lover Rudi Nassauer, with a series of mature and brilliant works, informed by eighteenth-century satirists among others, that showed her unrelenting social criticism. We are reposting here a review of last years major retrospective of Regos work at Tate Britain and Kunstmuseum Den Haag. *** Tate Britain has mounted the largest ever retrospective of the 86-year-old artist Paula Rego, who was born in Portugal but has lived in London for the last half century. The exhibitions curators say Rego has played a key role in redefining figurative art in the UK and internationally, describing her as an uncompromising artist of extraordinary imaginative power. The exhibition, they explain, will tell the story of this artists extraordinary life, highlighting the personal nature of much of her work and the socio-political context in which it is rooted. It will also reveal the artists broad range of references, from comic strips to history painting. Over 100 of Regos works are exhibited, ranging from her early oil paintings through collage and acrylic to what she calls pastel paintings and her drawings either from real people or the life-sized dolls which fill her studio. Paula Regos studio in 2007 (Credit: Dinkydarcey / Wikimedia Commons) My paintings tell stories; they do not illustrate stories I always want to turn things on their heads, to upset the established order, Rego told the Guardian in 2004. She draws on her social commentating forebearsGoya, Hogarth, Courbetand gruesome Portuguese folk tales to explore the contradictions of human existence. She evokes an atmosphere of suppressed violence and subversive humour, with love and sympathy for the underdog. Rego was born in 1935 in Lisbon under the brutal dictatorship of Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, with its right-wing creed of God, Homeland and Family. The regimes most important function for Portugals ruling elite was to suppress the struggles of the working class that erupted following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and prevent opposition developing in the colonies. Rego had a comfortable middle-class childhood, living between the family home near Lisbon and her grandparents farm in Ericeira. Her father, a wealthy factory owner supplying the former British telecommunications company Marconi, was a liberal, anti-clerical, anti-fascist opponent of the regime. To a great extent, I was protected because my father had an engineering company and we werent poor. The poor starved, particularly in the countryside. There were political prisoners who were tortured and imprisoned. You had to be careful what you said, Rego explained in an interview with Juliet Rix in 2019. Portugal was a fascist society. No freedom of speech. An immensely repressive society. There were rebellions but most were put down ruthlessly, Rego recalled in Secrets & Stories, a film by her son, Nick Willing, in 2017. She describes how civil guards shot 300 dockworkers during a strike with no word in the papers. Rego is clearly aware of the class issues involved in the position of women in society. Smart ladies in Estoril would play canasta and have cocktails. All this was going on with misery and unbelievable poverty, she told interviewer Catherine Lampert in 2008. My mother is really a casualty of the society she lived in. A deadly killer society for women. I despised it. They encouraged women to do nothing. The less they did the more they were admired for it. That is women of a certain class. The poor women had to do bloody everything, she says in Secrets & Stories. Rego has always valued the co-operation of men. Her father was an immensely kind and liberal man who tried to give me my freedom, she told the Guardian. He sent her to a specialist English school near Lisbon between 1945 and 1951, where she produced the first painting in the exhibition, Interrogation (1950). Interrogation (1950), Private Collection, London, Paula Rego It is a remarkably sophisticated image for a 15-year-old, depicting a distraught seated woman, flanked by two ghostly goons. Already, a brooding atmosphere is apparent. Between 1952 and 1956 Rego studied at Londons Slade School of Art and won the coveted Summer Composition prize, an honour she still calls her proudest moment. In her painting Under Milk Wood she transposes Dylan Thomass fictitious village Llareggub to Portugal. Rego, supported by her father, returned to Portugal after becoming pregnant and being jilted by Victor Willing, the Slades star pupil who was already married. Going back was like going back to prison, to a bourgeois life I detested; I felt I was never going to escape. I wasnt angry with Vic; I needed him, she says. The couple married in 1959, living between Ericeira and London, and went on to have two more children. The exhibition has several examples of Regos intensely political and social surrealist-style 1960s works including Salazar Vomiting the Homeland (1960), which portrays the dictator as a bloated sac destroying Portugal. It was not exhibited in Portugal until 1972. Regos 1961 painting, When we had a house in the country wed throw marvellous parties and then wed go out and shoot black people, lampoons the imperialist mentality of the ruling elite in Portugals African colonies and was also censored. The last nine words of the title were omitted when it was first exhibited. Also on display are Regos dramatic collages of a Portuguese working class suffering from repression and poverty, including Julieta (1964), a reference to the wife of a technician who witnesses his electrocution while working unprotected on an electricity pylon, and The Firemen of Alijo (1966), so poor they had to stuff their clothes with straw in the winter. Rego also produced a collage, her only self-portrait, in the same style. Self-portrait in Red (1966), Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporanea - Museu do Chiado, Lisbon Paula Rego 1966 was a dreadful year for Rego and Willing; both of their fathers died, and Willing was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. To keep the Rego family business, Willing stepped back from his own art career to manage it. But the company collapsed in 1974, the year that saw the Carnation Revolution and what Rego later described to The Times as a welcome release from that dreadful fascist dictatorship symbolised by her painting, Military Manoeuvres (1975). The farmhouse was sold to pay the debts, forcing the family to return penniless to London in 1976. Rego says that a general decline set in for years between 1966 and 1979, exacerbated by bouts of depression and excessive drinking. As she sought a stimulus for her art, she rejected suggestions she abandon her figurative work and take up abstraction. She recalls how one art critic came to her studio and declared, This is a load of junk. Why do you say you need a story? ... you dont need a story for anything. She replied, Well what am I going to do then if I dont have a story? What am I going to paint? You paint a picture. You know what a picture is, he said. You get a long canvas and you get five colours. You get one brush and you dip it and you drive it across the canvas from the left hand side and then you get another colour and you drive it across the canvas from the right hand side and when youve got the canvas full of lines of paint thats a picture. And I thought, Oh, is it? And I went to Portugal and I tried it. Of course, it wasnt anything. It wasnt a picture at all. It wasnt about anything. He was wrong. (Interview with Ben Eastham and Helen Graham, The White Review, January 2011). Eventually Rego rekindled her interest in folk art and began using cartoonish animal characters as human surrogates. You can get away with so much more truth and cruelty if you dress people up as animals, but theyre acting parts, she explained in the Guardian. In the early 1980s, Rego explored the feelings of love, bitterness and frustration arising from Willings degenerative illness and a tense relationship with her long-time lover, the author Rudi Nassauer. In one, a monkey (Willing) holds out a poisoned dove to a bear (Nassauer). In another, an unfaithful wife cuts off the tail of her vomiting monkey husband in front of the bear. The cartoonish character of her compositions had virtually disappeared by the time Rego produced a series of extremely moving paintings as Willing approached death. Her figures became fuller and more naturalistic and are set in an atmosphere of mystery and foreboding. The Dance (1988) has several characters dancing in the moonlight, a single woman (Rego), two identical men (Willing) with two different women and three other womena grandmother, her daughter and granddaughter, symbols of the past, present and future. I was not a good nurse, Rego says in her interview with the White Review. I'm not good with illness. I dont like to think of him badly crippled, I like to think of him dancing. And talking about art. He was the best talker Ive ever met. Wed talk about art together all the time. The Dance (1988), Tate Collection Paula Rego In 1988 Willing died of his illness aged 60. In Secrets & Stories, Rego reveals the enduring love the couple experienced and the way they encouraged each other by reading from a letter he had written her, headed Adieu, whilst he was dying: Paula, Im uncomfortable now all the time. Most of me is gone already. It only remains for me to dispose of the other little bit while I still can. I dont want to know what the bitter end is. This will be a lonely moment, I imagine. Sell my things slowly and wisely. I know you will paint even better. Trust yourself and you will be your own best friend. As well as sadness, you may also feel relief. Dont feel badly about that. Enjoy life, its all there is. The kids are great. All my love, Vic. The Betrothal: Lessons: The Shipwreck, after Marriage a la Mode by Hogarth (1999), Tate Collection Paula Rego In the same year, Rego had her first major retrospective in Lisbon and London and, in 1990, became the first artist in residence at the National Gallery where she created a series of paintings and prints based on nursery rhymes and satirical works of artists like the satirist William Hogarth. She transposed Hogarths series of six paintings Marriage A-la-Mode (1743)a morality tale of marrying for moneyinto a triptych about contemporary Portugal. A full explanation of their meaning can be found here. The Tate exhibition also displays the huge and stunning 1993 watercolour inspired by Thomas Hardys The Return of the Native, a rural love story which explores themes of forbidden sex, frustrated desire and the struggle between man and nature. The Return of the Native (1993), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal Paula Rego In 1998 Rego painted her uncompromising series of Abortion pictures after the failure of a referendum to legalise it in Portugal. She counts them among her best work, because they are true, and they were effective in helping to change the law in Portugal [in 2007]. More recently Rego has produced work on female genital mutilation, sex trafficking and war. In War (2003), Rego, moved by a news photograph of Iraqi refugees in Basra, depicted a blood-splattered rabbit holding its offspring, in the manner of Goya, to condemn the US-led invasion. The Tate exhibition also displays several of Regos series Possession (2004) in which her leading model since 1985, Lila Nunes, lies sprawled in various poses across a psychiatrists couch, expressing Regos lifelong struggle with depression and 40 years of therapy. In numerous interviews Rego is asked the inevitable question (which itself straitjackets women), Are you a feminist? Her replies include: In the sense that I have defended womens right to safe abortions and made work about female genital mutilation. I make work from a womans perspective, but that is because I am a woman. It would be hard to make work from a mans perspective. And: It is hard for me to tell I was certainly aware that you had to be a man to be [considered] a proper artist, but I felt like a man when I was working painting pictures is the part of you thats a man. It has the push, the thrust. She explained, The women are not always heroines. They are very often awkward and human, like everyone else. Regos measured replies form a stark contrast to the exhibition catalogue and its six essays, all written from a feminist perspective. We are told that Rego takes us on a journey of revenge and self-empowerment against the patriarchy, the gender identity that men have forged for women and the male gaze. Curator Elena Crippa declares that Rego is part of the collective female experience, one of connectedness across generations through everyday life objects and acts, the experience of acting as carers and the shared endurance of subordination across history. In 33 pages of catalogue text there is virtually no discussion of the nature of the Portuguese dictatorship or the class differences that Rego identifies in the different lives and concerns of bourgeois and working class women. There is barely a word about the series of paintings that included The Firemen of Alijo. The contention that women of all social classes should unite out of fear of male domination and subordinate themselves to bourgeois feminist politics arises at a time when class antagonisms among women are at their starkest in history. The basic issue is the not the oppression of women by men, but the exploitation of workers, male and female, by the corporate and financial elite. The fight to defend the social rights of working class men and women, the right to a job, to health care, to a pension, to an education, is inseparable from a fight against social inequality, war and the capitalist system. The particular issues facing working class women, including the right to an abortion and opposition to all forms of discrimination, can be addressed only through the mobilization of the entire working class and the fight for socialism. Regos work, because it grapples so forcefully with the social reality of class oppression, points in this direction. As the war in Ukraine continues into its fourth month the Ukrainian parliament is set to enact a major revision of the countrys labor code that will severely undermine workers rights. The Ukrainian parliament is threatening to set workers back to the tsarist era by tearing up existing minimal labor protections and giving companies a blank check to fire workers and impose substandard working conditions. 2019 march in Kiev against anti-labor laws (Source: European Trade Union Committee for Education) Under the terms of Bill 5371, workers at companies employing 250 workers or less would be removed from the protection of existing labor laws, placed under individual contracts with management and be subject to termination for any reason. The changes would affect about 70 percent of the countrys workers. Supporters of the legislation justify it under the banner of de-sovietization, that is, the elimination of any residual protections carried over from the old USSR. The existing labor code dates back to 1971 when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, which remained a workers state despite its extreme bureaucratic degeneration under Stalinism. The Ukrainian oligarchs, which like their counterparts in Russia, arose from the privatization of state property after the Stalinist liquidation of the USSR in 1991, are determined to dispense with the slightest protections for workers. The perilous state of workers rights in Ukraine further exposes the democratic pretenses used by the United States and other NATO powers to justify the proxy war they are waging against Russia in Ukraine. Through the relentless eastward expansion of NATO and the massive arming of Ukraine, the US and European imperialist powers goaded Putin into the reactionary invasion, which has created millions of refugees and devastated wide areas of a country which was the poorest in Europe before the war. In March, shortly after Russia began its invasion, the Ukrainian parliament passed a suspension of employment order under the current state of martial law where workers are not technically fired but they do not work or get paid. It also permitted companies to suspend collective bargaining agreements. Strikes were banned, and street demonstrations can be prohibited without a court ruling. Under the martial law decree, the standard working hours can be raised to 60 hours per week instead of 40 hours and raised to 50 hours per week for special categories of employees for whom reduced working hours can be applied. Weekends can be cut to 24 hours off work. In addition, the number of categories of workers barred from night work was reduced, and the list of employees who can be involved in heavy work, overtime work, etc. was expanded. Among the employers that have suspended collective bargaining agreements are Nova Poshta (New Post), a private mail carrier, and the global steel giant ArcelorMittal. At Nova Poshta, management has revoked 30 provisions of the collective bargaining agreement covering some 11,500 workers. The changes involved working conditions and social benefits, such as the provision of uniforms, safety kits and working hours. Some 1,500 workers had their employment suspended, i.e., they were laid off. In early May, the Trade Union of Metallurgists and Miners contacted management at the ArcelorMittal plant in Kryvyi Rih to complain that the company had suspended parts of the collective bargaining agreement, including the provision of social welfare benefits to workers. The proposed changes to Ukraines labor code were first introduced in April 2021that is, 10 months before the war startedbut stalled in parliament. However, Ukrainian officials have used the war to move Bill 5371 forward. On May 12, 246 deputies voted in favor of the legislation, opening the way to enactment. It could still theoretically face a veto by President Zelensky. The legislation was initially filed by Halyna Tretyakova, head of the parliamentary committee on social policy, and several members of Zelenskys ruling Servant of the People party. According to openDemocracy, The bill was developed by a Ukrainian NGO, the Office of Simple Solutions and Results, which was set up by former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, together with Ukrainian employers associations and a USAID programme. Those calling for a veto by Zelensky argue that the legislation would violate European labor standards and the International Labor Organization conventions and thus could hold up Ukraines integration into the European Union. One expert cited by openDemocracy said, This is a rollback to the 19th century. By introducing civil law into labour relations, we can open Pandoras box. In November 2021, openDemocracy had reported that the British Foreign Office had advised the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy on how to push through anti-worker changes to labor law. It stated, A 2021 communication plan prepared by an international development consultancy and marked with the logo of the British Embassy in Kyiv recommends that the Ukrainian ministry should stress that liberalising labour laws will bring positive results for Ukrainian workers. A statement by the European Public Service Union on Bill 5371 remarked on Ukraines push to desovietize labor law. But modernising the legislation by proposing to repeal the ILO Recommendations and Conventions, to violate the articles of the European Social Charter and the Association Agreements with the EU, looks more like the authors of the bill prefer the tsarist era. Until May there had not been enough parliamentary support to advance the bill, but that changed when supporting votes were provided by the Trust political party, as well as by former members of the pro-Russian party, Opposition Platform/For Life. The latter had been banned by parliament last month along with a threat to take away the mandates of its parliamentary representatives, perhaps intimidating them to switch their votes in favor of the legislation. The parliament is preparing for a second reading of the bill under an accelerated procedure. In a post on the blog Cross Border Talks author Magorzata Kulbaczewska-Figat notes that even under the existing labor code, the conditions of workers in Ukraine were atrocious. Before the Russian invasion, millions of Ukrainian workers migrated to EU countries (and not only), knowing well that even the poorest of themBulgaria and Romaniaoffered significantly better earnings to an average worker than their homeland. Low wages are virtually strangling our economy, she continued. In addition, some 20-30 percent of Ukrainian workers are employed unofficially. Even working in a state-owned enterprise, in a critical economy sector, does not guarantee a stable salary, allowing for a decent living. Miners, for example, faced delays in payment of wages. The miners were regularly organizing spontaneous protest actions, including the most desperate movean underground protest. Another huge underground protest action took place in 2020 in Kryvy Rih, the center of iron mining of transnational importance. A group of workers of KZRK, a formerly state-owned plant consisting of four iron mines and more associated factories, spent more than a month inside mines, demanding a pay rise. She cited an expert on labor law who warned that big companies may artificially split into smaller 250-people entities so that maximum flexibility can be used even by the biggest and strongest employers. The fact that the war in Ukraine is being used to impose a brutal increase in exploitation on the already impoverished working class in the country is a further indication of the reactionary character of the conflict. Workers in Ukraine, as well as their brother workers in Russia and the NATO countries, have nothing to gain from this war, which contains the seeds of a world conflagration. Workers in all lands must unite in opposition to the war in Ukraine, which was instigated by US imperialism and its allies as part their drive for world hegemony. The Buffalo Common Council has put delis, food stores, corner stores, bodegas and the like on notice: Dont sell for profit donated goods intended to be distributed free of charge to people in need. The warning follows reports from constituents about merchants exploiting various programs by receiving free food and supplies meant for residents and then selling them in their stores, members said. I think it is absolutely disgusting," said Masten Council Member Ulysees O. Wingo Sr. "I think it is an atrocity that people are literally exploiting our grief and our pain. Many of us have been called about the stores allegedly selling items that were given to them to help people after the massacre, said Council President Darius G. Pridgen. It is definitely immoral. It is definitely reprehensible. Individuals, organizations, businesses and churches from across the county have donated loads of food as well as personal care and cleaning items after 10 people all Black were gunned down May 14 at the Tops grocery store on Jefferson Avenue by a self-described racist. Officials said the accused shooter chose the street, the community and its 14208 ZIP code for the murderous rampage because the area is home to so many Black people. A couple of the stores singled out for criticism have denied the allegations. Adam Hassan, an employee of Langfield Food and Meat Market on Weston Avenue, said he is aware of the allegations made on Facebook against the store. But the claims are untrue, he said Tuesday. I heard a couple of customers tell me that. We would never sell any donated food, Hassan said. It never happened. Cold Spring Market and Deli on Jefferson Avenue, across the street from the Tops, was also accused of selling donated goods. Two workers at the Cold Spring Market called the rumors false. They did not want to give their names because of threats made on their lives because of the allegations, but they said there is no proof to the claims, which they believe were started by people who were kicked out of the store previously. All lies. Weve been bashed on the internet as far as social media. None of it is true," said one of the employees. "Its just all assumptions and just hearsay. He said, she said. Word travels, but its false. Not true at all 100%, said the other, adding the store owner held two cookouts and provided free food to the community after the incident and also gave away bottled water and ice. Pridgen sponsored a resolution last week seeking an opinion from the city's corporation counsel on whether it is illegal for businesses to sell donated items. If it is not already illegal, the Council wants to draft legislation to make it so. A resolution from Wingo directs the citys Permits and Inspections Department to conduct regular inspections of all food stores within a reasonable radius of the Jefferson Avenue Tops and to suspend the food store license, pending a hearing, of any business found to be selling donated products that were intended to be free of charge. This was written in direct response to the myriad of phone calls we received in the Masten District office, Wingo said. What we have come to realize and what folks have said that they have eyewitnessed is that folks are going and taking advantage of the free food thats being given away, the free food that was given and intended to be consumed for free, the free food that was intended to try and make a broken community whole again by showing up where there was a gap or need, which was food, and there are folks who are exploiting the pain of our community. There are folks who are exploiting the massacre that occurred on the 14th and because of this it has caused an outcry in our community from eyewitnesses. University Council Member Rasheed N.C. Wyatt cautioned about taking hearsay as fact. We have to be careful in giving people information, he said. I do know that there was someone that lives in my district that saw a particular store doing the selling. When you have the eyewitness, thats one thing. But then there are people saying other things, so its something we have to be careful about. Im glad to see that were getting the information, the right facts so people understand the facts. If its something thats illegal, then we have to make sure that people are aware of it. People are taking ownership of their communities, Pridgen added. And theyre angry when they see or even think that somebody is taking advantage of situations that should benefit people who are struggling and in trauma. 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. The plans of Spains ruling Podemos party to participate in the June 28-30 NATO summit in Madrid irrefutably expose this reactionary pseudo-left party of Spanish imperialism. In Madrid, this worlds largest military organizationresponsible for the deaths of millions and the devastation of countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Libya, and now waging war against Russia in Ukrainewill lay out plans for war with Russia and China. Japan, a non-NATO member state at the centre of Washingtons plans against China in the Asia-Pacific, will also attend. At the conference, Spains Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government is to announce a doubling of its military budget to 24 billion, the largest military spending increase in Spains history. The PSOE-Podemos government intends to use the summit to call for a military escalation targeting Africa, the source of much Spains oil and gas. Already at the Davos summit, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared: For Spain it is very important that the NATO summit in Madrid sends a strong message about its southern flank. We have to deal with the security challenge on the eastern flank, but also the security concerns on the southern flank. The middle class operatives who run Podemos are now trying to square the circle, trying to present it as both a party of the left and of opposition to NATO, and of support for NATOs war. At the same time, they are spending tens of millions of euros to deploy 25,000 police officers to downtown Madrid, which is to be turned into a fortress to insulate NATO delegates from social protest. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz, the likely candidate of Podemos in next years general elections, skipped the conference on the 40th anniversary of Spains entry into NATO. At the conference, Sanchez reaffirmed Spains loyalty to NATO and discussed military spending increases to 300 army officials, ambassadors, big businessmen and politicians. Diaz claimed she missed the conference due to a medical appointment. Soon after, Podemos co-spokesperson Javier Sanchez Serna stated: No Podemos minister has gone to that event today, because we are in defence of peace and we defend a conception of security that is not only based on military means, but comprehensive, which also involves providing social rights to all European societies. Diaz responded by immediately contradicting Serna, however, saying she has not ruled out attending the NATO summit, and that she will decide when the agenda is known. Podemos general secretary and Minister for Social Rights Ione Belarra then intervened, stating: Im not going to attend, but that seems the least important issue to me. What matters most is whether we are going to bow as a country to external impositions that do not correspond to the interests of the people of our country or whether we are going to be able to prioritise social spending, which is what the people of our country need, instead of an increase in military spending. This was a cynical anti-American appeal, designed to cover up the fact that not only Washington, but also the PSOE-Podemos government is waging war on Russia in Ukraine. It has sent over 800 troops to Eastern Europe, together with a detachment of Eurofighter jets and three warships to patrol the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea; supported crippling economic sanctions against Russia; and sent hundreds of millions of euros in weaponry to Ukrainian forces. This includes weapons sent by the PSOE-Podemos government now being used by the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. Madrid is now reportedly finalising plans to deliver Shorad Aspide anti-aircraft missiles and Leopard combat tanks, and to train Ukrainian troops on the use of these tanks in Latvia or Spain. Yesterday, Spains Ministry of Defence requested a 3 billion loan for its budget to meet Spains commitments at the NATO summit. After Belarra, Podemos parliamentary spokesperson Jaume Asens, intervened to stress that Podemos could participate in the NATO summit. He told Spains public television TVE: Our critical position [on NATO] is not incompatible with institutional attendance at these events. Asens claimed that a critical attitude at a given moment can be compatible with an institutional representation. We are very critical of the monarchy, he added, though this does not prevent Podemos from serving in Spanish King Felipe VIs government. It is apparent that the empty criticisms Podemos makes of monarchy and war are only political cover for their slavish support for capitalism and imperialist war. What proves that this is not a tactical error or passing mistake is that an entire international layer of similar parties of the affluent middle class, rooted in postmodernist academia and the trade union bureaucracies, are all rushing to support war with Russia, a major nuclear-armed power. In the US, the Democratic Socialists of Americas (DSA) four elected legislators all voted for Washingtons $40 billion arms package to fight Russia. At a recent panel, DSA officials claimed that war creates the possibility for a push of socialist ideas in Ukraine. The German Green Party is part of a coalition government carrying out the 100 billion rearmament of German imperialism. Pabloite and Morenoite groups like the International Socialist League are urging the imperialist powers to send more weapons to neo-Nazi Ukrainian militias. In the case of Podemos, its support for imperialist war is directly bound up with its rejection of Trotskyism and embrace of the traditions of Stalinism. After the fall in 1978 of the fascist regime that emerged from General Francisco Francos victory in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1938, the Spanish Communist Party (PCE) backed the emerging capitalist parliamentary regime against working class protests, based on the PCEs explicit support for NATO. The first general secretary of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, met in 2012 with the PCEs general secretary during the 1970s, Santiago Carrillowho had played a leading role in murdering Trotskyists and left-wing figures during the Civil Warand hailed Carrillo. To those in the political establishment who knew the history of the PCE, this was an unmistakable statement of the support of Podemos for NATO and its bloody opposition to revolution. Indeed, Carrillo stressed that the PCE would back Spains participation in NATO. In August 1976, the New York Timescovered a news conference by Carrillo announcing the programme of the then recently legalised PCE, and wrote: Referring to American military bases in Spain, Mr. Carrillo asserted that the Spanish party is against all foreign bases, both American ones in capitalist countries and Russian ones in socialist countries. His party, he said, supports a policy of elimination of military blocs. But for now, he said, the Spanish Communist Party would accept the American bases in Spain. Podemos was founded in 2014 by Stalinist professors around Iglesias in alliance with Pabloite Anticapitalistasthe descendants of the forces led by Michel Pablo who in 1953 rejected Trotskyism and split with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), arguing that Stalinism and bourgeois nationalism would offer revolutionary leadership to the working class. It supported the NATO wars in both Libya and in Syria. Podemos recruited Chief of the Defence Staff Julio Rodriguez, who led Spanish involvement in wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, to make this clear. In 2012, after Podemos formed a government in alliance with the big-business Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), then-Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias cynically boasted to Italys Corriere della Sera: Not even the leader of the largest communist party in the West, Enrico Berlinguer, had managed to get where I have: a Marxist in a government of NATO. The very occasional claims of Podemos to be Marxist are monumental political lies. Its record in government shows that it is a tool of the banks and big business. It implemented trillion-euro EU bank and corporate bailouts, social austerity, and showered the Spanish army and industry with billions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it consistently prioritised profits over lives, leading to over 162,000 excess deaths in the country during the pandemic, according to The Lancet. In government with the PSOE, Podemos has covered for threats by Spanish officers to launch a coup, while mobilizing tens of thousands riot police to crack down on striking truckers and metal workers. As the PSOE-Podemos government joins NATOs war against Russia and war threats against China, the decisive issue is building an international anti-war movement in the working class. It can only be built in irreconcilable struggle against the pseudo-left parties like Podemos. The example of Spain, whose principal trade unions are affiliated either to Podemos or to the PSOE, underscores a further point: it can only be built in a break with national trade union bureaucracies, and building the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees. A Buffalo Public Schools teacher who managed dozens of Buffalo rental houses cited for lead paint hazards was fined $15,000 and put on probation for a year by a federal judge Wednesday. Paul R. Heil, a 52-year-old Williamsville resident, previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of aiding and abetting the failure to provide a lead paint hazard warning notice for a property on two occasions. The plea settled the felony criminal charges he initially faced. For more than a decade, Heil was the manager for Angel Elliot Dalfins property holdings, mostly on the city's East Side. At the height of his operation, Dalfin owned or controlled more than 150 single- and two-family homes, rented mostly to low-income people of color. At least 63 of the houses were cited for lead paint hazards, and 29 children living in 22 of the homes suffered lead poisoning, according to the New York State Attorney General's Office. Those involved in the state's civil case against Dalfin consider him to have been among the worst if not the worst rental housing operators in Buffalo, where the poisoning of children from lead paint in aging rental housing remains an ongoing public health crisis. Dalfin, who has sold most of his properties and abandoned several others, never appeared at a civil hearing in state court. Dalfin, whose last known address is in Baltimore, is a fugitive and subject to an arrest warrant stemming from a federal criminal case over alleged lead paint violations. He has not been located despite "diligent efforts," Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango said in court. Heil has cooperated with investigators. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy noted Heil's remorse and cooperation but felt his crime warranted a higher fine than what the sentencing guidelines called for. "What you did here, sir, and you did knowingly, is you put young children at risk of lead paint exposure," McCarthy said. "Paul Heil is ultimately a good man who was stretched too thin by his boss," defense attorney Parker R. MacKay said in court papers. "He was never fully given the resources to do his job by a greedy boss who reaped profits from afar and he admittedly cut corners to make things work as best he could." The state Attorney General's Office served Heil with a subpoena in 2018. Heil cooperated with the state's investigation by sitting for multiple depositions and producing thousands of documents, MacKay said. He also identified other landlords in the Buffalo area who were engaged in similar practices as Dalfin. He pleaded guilty without benefit of a cooperation agreement, MacKay said. AG: Buffalo landlord knowingly allowed dozens of kids to be lead poisoned Since 2013, at least 63 of Angel Elliot Dalfin's properties have been cited for lead hazards, and nearly two dozen Dalfin properties have been associated with lead poisoned children, the attorney general's office said. In court, MacKay said Heil was "hung out to dry while Mr. Dalfin's on the run." Given Heil's lack of criminal history and acceptance of responsibility, he faced a sentencing range of imprisonment of up to six months and a fine between $1,000 and $9,500. "I'm very sorry this happened. I feel horrible about it," Heil told the judge. Heil teaches social studies at at Public School 37, Futures Academy, in the city's Fruit Belt neighborhood. Heil's arrest marked his first brush with the law, MacKay said. "He is not a grifter making his way from one fraudulent scheme to another," MacKay said in court papers. Federal court records outline what happened at the Wick Street property involved in Heil's guilty plea. From December 2015 to May 2018, Heil was aware of lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards at 96 Wick St., a two-family house in the Genesee-Moselle neighborhood that was built in 1905, according to the records. In April 2018 and June 2020, Heil and Williamsville Properties rented the residence and provided a lead disclosure statement to the tenant falsely affirming the landlord "has no knowledge of lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards in the housing," and "has no reports or records pertaining to lead-based paint and/ or lead-based paint hazards in the housing," the records stated. But in November 2015, the Erie County Department of Health received a report of a 2-year-old child with an elevated blood lead level residing at the property. After testing the surfaces throughout the property for lead, the department verified 10 lead paint hazards in multiple locations. Federal law requires sellers and landlords to disclose reports concerning lead-based paint to purchasers and tenants upon the sale 3or lease or lease renewal, even if the hazard has been mitigated. Less than a year later, the department received a report that the child was still residing at the property and had an elevated blood lead level. Testing confirmed the presence of lead on surfaces in multiple locations. In May 2018, the department received another report that the same child, then 5 years old, was still residing at the property and still had an elevated blood lead level. The family vacated the house shortly afterward. In April 2018, a new family with five children moved into the house at 96 Wick, using Section 8 rental assistance. Heil provided a lead disclosure statement to the tenant falsely affirming the landlord had no knowledge or reports of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the house, according to court records. In June 2020, the property was rented to another family, and Heil provided a similar false disclosure statement. "This is not a case where Paul is alleged to have fraudulently performed work to remediate a contaminated residence or covered up a fraudulent remediation," MacKay said. "Rather, what this case concerns is the provision of lead paint hazard warning notices to tenants during the rental process." Heil was responsible for placing and screening tenants in the Dalfin properties, his lawyer said. Upward to half of Dalfin's properties were occupied by Section 8 tenants, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, and their rental payments were coordinated by one of several entities: the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority, Belmont Housing Resources of Western New York or the Rental Assistance Corp. of Buffalo. As Heil understood it, each of those organizations used their own in-house forms to facilitate the rental process, and each of those forms separately informed tenants of lead paint hazards, MacKay said. "Paul also understood that during the Section 8 move-in process, rental units were tested for lead paint hazards and he would be informed if any unit did not pass inspection." MacKay said. So if a Section 8 inspection did not raise concerns, Heil reasoned, there were no lead paint hazard concerns to pass along to the tenants, MacKay said. "To that end, Paul did not follow up in providing the tenants with separate lead paint hazard warning notices as required by federal law," he said. "As Paul explains it, he was 'pulled in a lot of directions' because he was never given adequate resources by Elliot to maintain the properties. It became a cat-and-mouse game in his mind trying to appease all the different oversight inspections with the limited resources he had, the constant push to fill the properties with tenants, and the need to ensure things were up to code. And that meant that skipping one step of the process when able." From 2010 until 2018 or later, the only tenants in Dalfin's properties who received lead disclosures were the tenants with Section 8 funding, who received them through the housing agencies that worked directly with the low-income tenants and their landlords, according the federal complaint. The 50% to 60% of tenants who were not part of the Section 8 program did not receive any lead disclosures until 2018 or later, if at all, according to authorities. But even when tenants were provided the lead disclosure forms, the disclosures repeatedly contained false statements that concealed the hazardous conditions, according to the federal complaint against Dalfin and Heil. 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. For the first time, June 20 will be a paid holiday for all Erie County government employees in recognition of Juneteenth. That's a good thing, says Erie County Legislature Chairwoman April Baskin. But she said it could have been a good thing a lot sooner. "We should have done this a year ago," she said. Juneteenth is commemorated annually on June 19 and will be observed as a government holiday this year on Monday, June 20. It commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Though President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves free in January 1863, it took time for word to travel. The farthest state to receive word was Texas on June 19, 1865. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced last week that Juneteenth will officially be a paid holiday for all county employees and that government offices will be closed. County Parks and other essential services will remain open. "Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States at the end of the Civil War, marking the moment in history the word spread across America that all men were free," Poloncarz said in a statement. "This celebration is also an opportunity to recommit ourselves to protecting that freedom, guarding it and teaching upcoming generations to do the same." Following his announcement, Baskin said she and Legislator Howard Johnson, who represent Buffalo districts with a large African American population, had been pushing for Juneteenth to be recognized as a county holiday for the past two years. The Legislature passed a unanimous resolution regarding the holiday's observance last year. Baskin also noted that it was recognized as a paid holiday by both the federal government and the City of Buffalo last year. But the administration said these paid holidays needed to be negotiated with the individual county unions. Administrators also noted that the expense would cost the county millions of dollars. She said the new declaration of Juneteenth as a county holiday seems tied to the intense focus the city's African American community is getting in the wake of the Tops shooting tragedy on May 14, when authorities say a white supremacist gunned down 10 people at a grocery store located in a predominantly Black neighborhood. "May 14th has shed more light on the fact that Black and African American residents need local government to act with urgency when it comes to protecting Black residents and preserving Black culture," she said, noting that county union leaders signed a statement urging the county to adopt the holiday in October 2020. "I believe that Erie County should have taken this step back in 2020 via executive powers." Observing Juneteenth and valuing marginalized communities shouldn't be tied to particular event, she said; it should be part of an ongoing mindset. "Let's keep this the norm," she said. Poloncarz said he's making Juneteenth a countywide holiday this year because the county has already negotiated to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for the majority of county employees. Though not all negotiations are complete, he said, "With all that is going on recently we thought following our contract negotiations that it was proper to declare June 20 as a paid holiday. I thank Chairwoman April Baskin and Legislator Howard Johnson for their leadership and advocacy in helping to make this become a reality for our county employees." 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. A center in Eggertsville operated by an anti-abortion group was "firebombed" early Tuesday in an apparent act of political violence, officials with the organization said. CompassCare said graffiti scrawled on the building ties the attack to the "abortion terrorist group" Jane's Revenge. "Jane was here," was written on the side of the building at 1230 Eggert Road, off Main Street, where several windows were shattered and offices were extensively damaged by flames and smoke. Jane's Revenge claimed to be behind a fire set last month at an anti-abortion office in Madison, Wis., but the group has not formally claimed credit for this latest apparent arson. "This is the face of abortion," CompassCare CEO Jim Harden said at an early afternoon news conference, gesturing at the vandalism behind him. "They're revealing it to us right now. We're all about life. We want to save every single human life we possibly can. And they're looking to destroy our ability to do that. But they did not succeed." Harden said the culprit or culprits smashed windows and set fires in two different locations in the building. Eggertsville Hose Company was assisted by several other volunteer companies in tackling the blaze that was reported at 2:30 a.m. Amherst police, town fire investigators and an Erie County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit also responded to the fire that authorities say caused $150,000 damage to the structure and its contents. Amherst Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa said it is his understanding that an incendiary device of some kind was used to light the fire, which town police are investigating as an arson. Kulpa said there was no justification for setting the fire and he wants to see whomever committed this crime prosecuted. Even though it appears no one was inside the building at the time, the fire forced emergency responders to risk their own safety, Kulpa said. He noted two volunteer firefighters were treated for minor injuries, though they have since been released from the hospital. "No matter who you are or what your political opinion is, you know, there's no given right to express your opinion through violent actions," Kulpa said. Anti-abortion group to open expanded crisis pregnancy center in Amherst CompassCare has a goal of reducing the number of abortions performed in the Buffalo area by 50% over the next five Rochester-based CompassCare acquired the former medical office on Eggert Road and opened the crisis pregnancy center in late 2019. The Christian organization's expansion into the Buffalo area followed a merger with three previously independent crisis pregnancy centers here. CompassCare is an anti-abortion organization that provides free basic medical care and counseling to pregnant women to encourage them to seek other options beside abortion. "So if we can give her a vision, or a future after having a child, saying, 'I can do this, I see now it's possible,' she's truly empowered," Harden said Tuesday. Harden said CompassCare serves about 20 women per week at its Eggertsville clinic. CompassCare in a blog post said organizations that oppose abortion have been targets of violence, online and off, for months. The organization pointed to the vow from Jane's Revenge to undertake a "Night of Rage" in response to the decision from the Supreme Court expected later this month that will overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in this country. The federal government is preparing for a potential rise in political violence, according to a memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security obtained by the Axios news site. Threats targeting justices and other public officials, along with health care providers, "are likely to persist and may increase leading up to and following the issuing of the courts official ruling," the memo stated. CompassCare said it had retained security consultants and was in the process of installing armored glass at the Eggertsville office. The organization complained that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, in contrast, earmarked $35 million to boost clinics that provide abortions, including $10 million to ramp up security at the clinics. He wondered whether Hochul or New York Attorney General Letitia James would speak out to condemn the attack. "Well, you know what? It's shameful what these abortion activists have done. But it's even more shameful that you don't hear a denunciation of this violence of pro-life pregnancy centers from the sources of power," Harden said. James' office did not respond to a request for comment, but Hochul's office did release a statement to The Buffalo News. "Governor Hochul condemns violence of any kind, and the State Police stand ready to assist local authorities with the investigation," a spokesman said in an email. Noting today's fire and related incidents, Harden in a statement compared them to "the pro-abortion 'Kristallnacht.' " That's a reference to "the Night of Broken Glass," a series of organized riots carried out over two days in 1938 by Nazi paramilitary forces and German civilians that led to widespread vandalism and destruction of thousands of Jewish businesses, synagogues and homes, along with the mass arrests of 30,000 Jewish men and the murders of 100 people, records show. Asked about the appropriateness of the comparison, Harden stood by his comments. But local Jewish organizations rejected this linkage. "It is inappropriate, insensitive, and unnecessary to make the comparison of the CompassCare fire to the events of Kristallnacht. As weve stated before, modern issues do not need to be compared to events of the Holocaust to be considered negative or important," the Buffalo Jewish Federation and Holocaust Resource Center said in a joint statement. Harden said CompassCare will find temporary office space to begin providing services as soon as Wednesday at the new, undisclosed site. It will take months before the Eggert Road center is ready to reopen, he said. Harden said he's received calls offering support from around the country in the hours since the apparent arson occurred. The building did have security cameras in place and authorities are reviewing the data recorded by the system, he said. Speaking of the arsonists, Harden said, "We pray that justice is done upon them." 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. When Associate Superintendent Fatima Morrell was named Wednesday by Time magazine and Verizon one of 10 innovative educators who are changing the landscape of education in America, it validated her efforts to combat implicit bias in Buffalos schools. The honor recognized the importance of making the Buffalo Public Schools curriculum more accurate by including the histories and contributions of people of color and other marginalized groups long left out of textbooks and lesson plans. Of course, its not the first national notice the head of the districts Office of Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Initiatives has received. Morrell has become a favorite target of the radical right, including Fox News demagogue Tucker Carlson, who accused the Buffalo schools of teaching bad history and advancing the agenda of Black Lives Matter. Yet nothing better illustrates how critical the BPS effort is than the May 14 massacre at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue, when 10 Black people lost their lives simply because of the color of their skin. It was a racist rampage fueled in large part by ignorance of who Black people really are. Combating that ignorance always has been critical. But Morrell is right that given the recent white supremacist, racist attack on the Buffalo Black community, its even more essential now that students understand where it comes from, including the legacy of enslavement and how impactful it is today. Why is that so important? Because the sad and often fatal reality is that without that understanding, it is all too easy to look at todays data and conclude that the victims of history are indeed less than and therefore expendable. For instance, the typical Black family in the United States has accumulated only about one-tenth the wealth of white families. The Black median household income is only 61% that of whites. And the Black poverty and unemployment rates are more than twice those of whites. Someone like the Buffalo gunman can look at such figures and think there surely must be something lacking in those people if they are so far behind. But those disparities did not occur by accident or because of Black shortcomings. They are the result of deliberate social policy, starting of course with enslavement. But it hardly ended there. Generations still alive today benefited from or were held back by policies like redlining and the discriminatory enactment of programs like Social Security and New Deal labor law protections that excluded the occupations in which Blacks were most heavily concentrated. For the first quarter century of its existence, Social Security was characterized by a form of policy apartheid is how Ira Katznelson put it in his book When Affirmative Action was White. The leg up such policies gave whites plays out today in what might be called before-death inheritance. Its the financial advantage older whites have over Blacks in providing assistance to their children and grandchildren in buying a home, starting a business or funding a college education. These transfers are not inheritances in the traditional sense of the word, but they have critical short- and long-term impacts, Thomas Shapiro explained in The Hidden Cost of Being African-American: How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality. Given such obstacles, the amazing thing is that Blacks as a whole have achieved as much as they have. Yet without that historical context, it is easy for those like the Buffalo shooter to buy into crackpot IQ theories about Black inferiority. Educational efforts like Buffalos CLRI initiative provide that needed context. And while it is important that Black, Hispanic and Native American kids and students from other marginalized groups see themselves validated in the curriculum and know that they can achieve, its just as important that white students learn that about their classmates. The goal is not to make white kids feel bad though anyone with a moral grounding should feel bad about how this country has treated some of its most loyal citizens. Rather, the goal is to use education and an accurate recounting of history to preempt bigotry because we dont want to create more Derek Chauvins and George Zimmermans, Morrell said, recalling an interview she gave to a national newspaper only a week or so before the Tops shooting. If white kids never learn about Blacks like inventor Garrett Morgan or 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, who desegregated New Orleans schools under federal marshals protection, it becomes easier to stigmatize, using the economic statistics as justification. If they never learn of the efforts of a Black man, James Benjamin Parker, to stop President William McKinleys assassin in Buffalo, its easier to diminish their standing as Americans. Thats when you can say, I can put my knee on their neck for nine minutes, I can shoot them for wearing a hoodie, Morrell said, referring to the former cop who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis and the self-styled neighborhood watchman who killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida. The BPS effort to foster that kind of inclusion and accuracy in education stands in contrast to efforts like Floridas dont say gay law. Its a feather in Buffalos cap to have such efforts nationally recognized by Time and Verizon, which lists $1 billion in contributions over the past decade to support digital equity and inclusion with its Verizon Innovative Learning project at some of the nations poorest schools. But while the honor is nice, Morrell, who grew up blocks from the Tops market, seems more gratified by the impact Buffalos effort is having on students and the buy-in from teachers she credits with wanting to teach how to be anti-racist. Theyre trying to move our district forward in a progressive way for the children of Buffalo, she said of teachers who email her every day about book lists and other materials that might be appropriate for classroom use in the quest for a more comprehensive and inclusive education. Granted, that might be grist for hate mills like Tucker Carlson Tonight, but its also the best prophylactic for the racist ignorance that fuels people like the Buffalo gunman. 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 Seated before a panel of senators, with a crowd of others who lost loved ones in the Tops Market massacre at his back, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield on Tuesday implored senators to act to prevent white supremacy from claiming more American lives. "I ask every one of you to imagine the faces of your mothers as you look at mine, and ask yourself: Is there nothing that we can do?" an emotional Whitfield told the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Is there nothing that you personally are willing to do to stop the cancer of white supremacy and the domestic terrorism it inspires? Because if there is nothing, then respectfully, senators, you should yield your positions of authority and influence to others that are willing to lead on this issue." 'Ruth did not die in vain': Shooting victim's memorial urges change, shares memories "We're not going quietly into the night," Garnell Whitfield Jr. said to a packed Mt. Olive Baptist Church Saturday. "My mother deserves more than that." The service for Ruth Whitfield was the final funeral of the 10 victims of the May 14 massacre. Whitfield whose 86-year-old mother, Ruth Whitfield, was the oldest victim of the May 14 mass shooting spoke to reporters after the hearing and detailed what he hopes to see out of Congress: tougher regulations on guns and legislation cracking down on white supremacy. His comments came as a bipartisan group of senators try to come up with a gun safety bill acceptable to at least 10 Republican senators and a week after Senate Republicans unanimously rejected a domestic terrorism bill aimed in part at curbing white supremacy. Whitfield's testimony kicked off two days of hearings in which witnesses from Buffalo will detail the impact of the Tops massacre, which claimed 10 lives. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia and Zeneta Everhart, whose son Zaire Goodman was wounded, will testify at a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Wednesday. Whitfield testified at a hearing on domestic terrorism in the wake of the Buffalo attack, and he delivered a passionate call for action. The gun problem didn't start May 14. Law enforcement has spent years trying to solve it With the Tops mass shooting and one the following week in Texas fresh in the public consciousness, Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia is preparing to testify before Congress about the toll that guns have taken on Buffalo. "We are people of decency," he said. "We are taught to love even our enemies. But our enemies dont love us. So what are we supposed to do with all of our anger and pain? You expect us to forgive and forget. Again? And what are you doing? You were elected to protect us." Whitfield said the man accused of murdering the 10 shooting victims "was radicalized by white supremacists." The shooter, Whitfield said, didn't really act entirely on his own volition. "His anger and hatred were metastasized like a cancer by people with big microphones screaming that Black people were going to take away their jobs and opportunities," he said. Whitfield's comments found a sympathetic ear in Sen. Richard Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee. Durbin opened the hearing with a video of Fox News host Tucker Carlson discussing "great replacement theory," which alleges that leftists want to flood the nation with immigrants to dilute the political power of the white majority. After the hearing, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer praised Whitfield and the other Buffalo residents who came to Washington to press the Senate. Moreover, Schumer, a New York Democrat, promised to try to enact the kind of legislation Whitfield wants. "We need action to stop this despicable bigotry," Schumer said. "We are going to vote on gun legislation in the future. And we are going to bring this (domestic terrorism) act up again and again and again in every way we can to make sure that America knows that there are enough people who want to see righteousness done." The domestic terrorism bill that Senate Republicans unanimously voted to kill would have set up new units at the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to track domestic terror threats. It also called for biennial reports on the threats posed by white supremacists and other potential terror groups. The bill was designed in part to counter a Trump administration move that eliminated white supremacy as a domestic terrorism category that the FBI reports to the states. But Republicans criticized the bill, saying it put too much focus on white supremacy while ignoring crimes committed by people on the left. "When it comes to violence, the Department of Justice should not treat it as an excuse simply to target the political opponents of whatever administration is in power, Republican or Democrat," said Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican. "But instead, violent crime should be prosecuted vigorously across the board to keep people safe." After Tuesday's hearing, several others who lost loved ones in the Buffalo attack stressed that action is needed to protect Black residents. "We are demanding that an anti-Black hate crime bill be passed not later, but now," said Michelle Spight, who lost two family members in the shooting: her aunt, Pearl Young, and her cousin Margus D. Morrison. Meanwhile, Young's daughter, Pamela Pritchett, said the families of the shooting victims are intent on forcing Congress to act. "Every tear I cry is going to be a fuel for action," Pritchett said. 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. Zach Nunn, a state senator and U.S. Air Force veteran, has won the Republican nomination in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District. He will run against U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne in November. The Associated Press declared Nunn the winner Tuesday night, easily besting his two Republican competitors in the primary election. "Tonight, we thank our volunteers. We thank our team. Most importantly, we express our gratitude and appreciation to the voters of Iowa," Nunn said Tuesday night. "Tomorrow, all hellfire will break loose." Nunn is a squadron commander in the Iowa Air National Guard. He served two combat tours in Afghanistan and another in Iraq. He's also a small business owner, and he has served in the state Senate since 2019. Unofficial results from the Secretary of State's office on Wednesday show Nunn won the primary by a significant margin, collecting nearly 66% of Republican votes in the district. Financial services professional Nicole Hasso won 19% of the vote, and Republican activist Gary Leffler 15%. Even so, Nunn said he's approaching the general election as the "underdog." "We know immediately we're going to be in a challenger status," Nunn said. "But as a military guy, we have fought tougher missions than this. But maybe no more important mission than this: to serve our fellow Iowans and be their voice in Washington." The newly redrawn 3rd District encompasses Polk, Dallas and other central Iowa counties, plus the bottom two tiers of counties along much of the state's southern border. Nunn campaigns on Statehouse record, military service Nunn was elected to represent Bondurant in the Iowa House of Representatives in 2014, then to the state Senate in 2018. He centered his primary campaign on both his military service and his service in state government, highlighting tax cuts, firearms legislation and "Back the Blue" bills passed during his tenure. Story continues Election results: See Iowa primary election results across the state Nunn was the only contender in the race with political experience. Hasso entered politics in 2021, spurred by debates over parental oversight of public schools she described herself as "a mom who's fired up and fed up." Longtime activist Leffler is a familiar face at party events, best known for his red, white and blue tractor. He has never held elected office. But Nunn did not immediately pull away as the front-runner: Early fundraising reports showed him neck and neck with Hasso, who had the backing of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Axiom Strategies, a high-powered consulting firm. Over the course of the primary, Nunn eventually outraised and outspent Hasso. Leffler never filed financial reports with the Federal Election Commission. Leffler congratulated Nunn on a "good, competitive, fun race" on Tuesday night. As Leffler drives his patriotically themed tractor to events this summer, he plans to promote Nunn's campaign. "If he doesn't have some signage for me to put on that trailer, I'm going to be extremely disappointed," Leffler said. Hasso did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Her campaign Twitter account was deleted Wednesday afternoon. Nunn's candidacy shifts race to favor Republicans Tuesday's primary election sets the stage for what is expected to be a competitive race in November. Democrats hold the majority in the U.S. House by just five seats, and Iowa's 3rd District is likely to be a top target for Republican spending against Axne, a two-term incumbent. Even before Tuesday's primary, Axne was rallying Democrats in the district, emphasizing the national stakes of the race. This one's going to be our toughest election yet," Axne told a crowd at an Ottumwa brewery earlier this year. "They're gunning for me. According to election forecasters, the race just got even tougher for Axne. The Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball, two nonpartisan election forecasters, ranked the race as a "toss-up" between the major parties before Tuesday's election. After Nunn won the primary, both groups changed their predictions from "toss-up" to "leans R" suggesting a Republican win is now more likely in the district. "Nunn is most proven of potential R challengers and Axne holds a very narrow Trump district," Crystal Ball editor Kyle Kondik tweeted. Nunn said the change represents "a seismic shift nationally" in favor of Republicans. "We're going to run like we're 10 points down at all times. We're going to take nothing for chance," Nunn said. "But national headwinds are reflective in Iowa that people are ready for change, and we hope to be a champion for them going forward." Axne said Wednesday that she was "not that surprised" by the change in forecast. Axne was reelected to her seat by less than 2 percentage points in 2020. She faces an even more challenging race this year, as Iowa lawmakers approved new district maps in the fall of 2021, and the 3rd District has several new, Republican-heavy counties. "I'm surprised they didn't have it leaning Republican before that, since it truly is a Republican seat," Axne said. The midterm election is traditionally tough on the incumbent party. A March Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found a dire situation for Democrats: President Joe Biden received a 59% disapproval rating among Iowa voters. Axne acknowledged the "stressed out public" is dealing with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and supply chain issues problems for the incumbent party, even "if it wasn't something created by me or the administration." "I'm just going to get out there and talk to folks about what I'm doing to at least be their voice in this and to make sure that we're moving agendas forward to get back to a place in this country where people are feeling a little bit more sense of relief," Axne said. "I just got to get out there and articulate this message." Brianne Pfannenstiel contributed reporting. Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 410-340-3440. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa primary results: Zach Nunn wins 3rd District GOP nomination Kansas native Allison Fluke-Ekren pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization after heading an ISIS military battalion made up of more than 100 girls and women. The battalion, called the Khatiba Nusaybah, is accused of perpetrating multiple terrorist acts in Syria after being launched by Fluke-Ekren with the intention of providing women with terrorist training and Islamic religious classes. Officials say girls as young as 10 were involved with the battalion, where they were given weapons such as AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and explosive suicide belts. The Khatiba Nusaybah was formed out of a womens center in Raqqa, Syria, allegedly established by Fluke-Ekren in 2016. The center offered medical services and child care along with religious classes and terrorist training before the battalion officially arose in 2019 as an all-female arm of the Islamic State. Witnesses testified that, before the creation of the Khatiba Nusaybah, Fluke-Ekren shared plans to attack a shopping mall and a college campus in the U.S. Fluke-Ekren allegedly told a witness in 2014 that she planned to park a vehicle full of explosives in the basement of a U.S. mall. She discussed plans with another associate to bomb a college campus in the Midwest. Fluke-Ekren expressed regret that attacks occurring across the world were not taking place in the U.S. and said that she considered any attack that did not kill a large number of individuals to be a waste of resources. She also shared that she considered it important to die as a martyr for ISIS and massacre non-Muslims. A now-deceased member of terrorist group Ansar al-Sharia married Fluke-Ekren in the U.S. before her involvement with ISIS, and the couple moved to Egypt in 2008 to begin years of terrorist activity in the Middle East, including in Syria, Libya and Iraq, authorities say. Fluke-Ekren allegedly aided her husband in reviewing stolen U.S. government documents and a stolen electronic device in Benghazi, Libya, in 2011, after which Fluke-Ekrens summaries were shared with the Ansar al-Sharia leadership. Story continues After moving to Syria, Fluke-Ekrens husband became the leader of ISIS snipers in the country, while Fluke-Ekren trained girls and women in terrorist activity. An initial complaint against Fluke-Ekren was filed to the U.S. government confidentially in 2019 and has been backed by information given by six witnesses, some of whom have been charged with terrorist offenses. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh claimed in January that Fluke-Ekren trained her children in using assault rifles and that one was witnessed carrying a machine gun at 5 or 6 years old. Fluke-Ekren has been a fervent believer in the radical terrorist ideology of ISIS for many years, having traveled to Syria to commit or support violent jihad. Fluke-Ekren translated her extremist beliefs into action by serving as the appointed leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, directly training women and children in the use of AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts to support the Islamic States murderous aims, Parekh wrote at the time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. [Editors Note: This is the first of two parts analyzing the sci-fi craft contenders, beginning with two outliers, Severance and Outer Range.] IndieWire The Craft Top of the Line In a season marked by outstanding science fiction, nothing stands out more than the two genre-benders: Sci-fi thriller Severance and sci-fi Western Outer Range. That says a lot considering the rest of the field: A Marvel team-up between the mind-bending Moon Knight and time-jumping Loki, an ambitious adaptation of Isaac Asimovs legendary Foundation, a daring sequel to The Man Who Fell to Earth, the latest spin-offs in the Star Trek and Star Wars universes, and the return of the Netflix blockbuster Stranger Things. More from IndieWire Severance and Outer Range are very dark and unconventional. The critically acclaimed Severance is arguably the best new drama among Emmy-eligible series, thanks to its ingenious premise involving a surgical procedure that splits its characters workplace and personal memories and its minimalist aesthetic. Showrunner Dan Erickson and directors Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle have created an Orwellian nightmare for Adam Scotts office worker, Mark Scout, who attempts to investigate what he and his severed colleagues are actually doing in the subterranean corridors of Lumon Industries. Meanwhile, Outer Range is like Yellowstone meets The Twilight Zone, in which stoic and ruthless Wyoming rancher Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin) time-jumps back and forth through a mysterious black void, confusing any sense of time and space. Like Severance, Outer Range taps an existential dread and feeling of powerlessness. Severance has been submitted in 15 Creative Arts Emmy categories, and Outer Range in 14. But heres the interesting part: both shows are downplaying their sci-fi aspects in these submissions, bypassing Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program and Outstanding Fantasy Sci-fi Costumes. Thus, Severance and Outer Range, like the dystopian survival thriller Squid Game, will avoid going up against the splashier competition in period, fantasy, and sci-fi programming. Story continues Outer Range - Credit: Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video Is this a stretch? In the case of Severance, its debatable, considering the ambiguousness of when the show takes place and the late-20th-century influences in both production design and costumes. In the case of Outer Range, its less of an issue, since the show takes place in the present and the only fantastical craft on display is VFX (though the minimalist score leans toward trippy sci-fi). According to the current Emmy rules and regulations, [P]eriod refers to any program whose setting is 25 years prior to January 1 of the current awards eligibility year. Additionally, 51 percent of the running time must be period or fantasy scenery to be eligible. Fantasy/sci-fi costumes, meanwhile, are defined as those designed for imagined characters existing in unknown, or non-existent environments, mythical and/or invented and alternate realities. Splitting categories is another option Severance and Outer Range wont be taking: For instance, The Man Who Fell to Earth and Moon Knight are submitted in contemporary production design and fantasy/sci-fi costumes. Thats a bifurcation of identity worthy of the Macrodata Refinement team, but its not uncommon: The Handmaids Tale has done this same production design/costumes split; last year, WandaVision took home the Emmy for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes while also besting all comers, regardless of genre, in Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour). Then theres Netflixs Russian Doll, which is submitted in the period makeup category this season because of its Season 2 time-hopping. How Severance and Outer Range Stack Up Lets take a closer look at what Severance and Outer Range have to offer in the craft races with an eye toward potential success and where theyre likely to face some hurdles. Severance Severance - Credit: AppleTV+ AppleTV+ Where its competing: casting, cinematography, editing, costumes, main title design, main title music, music supervision, choreography for scripted program, hairstyling, makeup, production design, original score, sound editing, sound mixing, and special visual effects Where it can gain or lose: Severance has a definite advantage with its unsettling throwback minimalism. Whats more, its literally two shows in one, with the innie world of Lumon Industries versus the outtie world of personal life. The crafts are just offbeat enough to get noticed by voters and stick out above the competition. Best bet: Production designer Jeremy Hindle created the maze-like office set for Lumon, keying on the colors green, blue, and gray, and seemingly endless white walls. It was inspired by John Deere headquarters in Chicago along with professional offices from the 60s and 70s. In keeping with the period, desks, supplies, computers, and other tech are very anachronistic. For the Lumon exterior, they used the iconic Bell Labs. The outtie environment was influenced by ordinary 70s architecture and a mix of cars from different decades. Cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagne differentiated the look with very wide lensing, cold lighting, and lots of closeups for the innie environment, which she describes as destabilizing imagery. The most innovative example of that was the zolly effect of mental transition during the eerie elevator ride down to the severed floor. This visual look was in contrast to the longer lensing, warmer lighting, and more open compositions of the outtie environment. Costume designer Sarah Edwards differentiated the retro-looking wardrobes by making the office dress code very simple and tight fitting, while the outside world displayed more colorful, comfortable, and eclectic clothing, yet still not tied to the present. Other possibilities: For his original score, composer Theodore Shapiro took an appropriately minimal approach by confining himself to four chords. He also experimented with piano notes by reversing, glitching, and making them fall apart. However, the main theme, which is also a contender, has a wonderful melancholy quality that recalls David Shires The Conversation. The main title sequence, created by Berlin artist Oliver Latta (aka Extraweg), is extraordinary, like Saul Bass on acid. The way it fixates on Mark Scout as an animated figure, struggling to move like a rat in a maze, or escape, split into multiple versions, is the perfect metaphor for the show. As IndieWires Ben Travers and Steve Greene noted, Hes running through doors to nowhere, taking giant leaps that land him right back in the same cubicle, and pulling desperately on dark threads that release him into a familiar, unnerving cycle. The rest of the field: Aside from Outer Range, heres what Severance goes up against in terms of its best bets: For cinematography, previous nominees Euphoria (HBO), Bridgerton (Netflix), Ozark (Netflix), Stranger Things, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video), along with newcomers Pachinko (Apple TV+), Squid Game (Netflix), Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO). For contemporary production design, previous nominees Succession (HBO), Euphoria, Ozark, Russian Doll, and newcomers Squid Game, and Emily in Paris (Netflix). For contemporary costumes, previous winners Russian Doll, previous nominees Euphoria, Hacks (HBO Max), Black-ish (ABC), and This Is Us (NBC), and this years CDGA winner, Emily in Paris. Outer Range Outer Range - Credit: Richard Foreman/Amazon Prime Video Richard Foreman/Amazon Prime Video Where it can gain or lose: The challenge for showrunner Brian Watkins was finding a tricky balance between reality and the supernatural without going completely off the rails. This is hard when a stampede of a thousand buffalo pop up out of the black void into the present. Thus, Royals struggle to protect his family and save his ranch becomes an existential crisis of chaos and confusion. Best bet: Production designer Tommaso Ortino effectively straddles the line of his world building between realism and heightened reality with a black void (a sink hole enhanced by VFX) in the middle of a ranch. He contrasts the personalities of Royal and eccentric rival Tillerson (Will Patton) through their different family ranches. The modest Abbott ranch house was completely built from scratch on location in New Mexico, including the barn and farmhouse. An exact replica was built on a sound stage. Tillersons house set is large and Twin Peaks strange, decorated with expensive wood and filled with lots of taxidermy and exotic artwork. Hes both materialistic and spiritual. Costume designer Rachel Dainer researched the lives of Montana ranchers in crafting the clothes of her cast, but also made use of the fact that they shot in New Mexico doubling as Wyoming. In particular, she found a custom hat shop in Santa Fe for a variety of hats. The versatile cinematography of Drew Daniels suffuses the Wyoming vastness with beauty and unease. But then there are the dark and moody moments, such as the scene where Royal plays poker in a saloon with the enigmatic backpacker Autumn (Imogen Poots) and a buffalo suddenly appears. Other possibilities: VFX is another possibility, with VFX supervisor Jason Piccioni creating the otherworldly void and the mythological stampede of CG buffalo. For the void, they built a sink hole and made it look infinitely deep with the help of New York boutique studio, Break + Enter, which created a lot of CG negative space combined with otherworldly dirt particles. The score by composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans eschewed more familiar Western styles and instrumentation in favor of minimalism more associated with sci-fi. They experimented with four notes as a question and answer that flows throughout the show in different forms. They utilized strings, voices, and synths. The result captured an ethereal intimacy built around the supernatural black void. This was complemented by the soundscape led by supervising sound editor Andrea Bella and sound designer Kevin Peters, which was a combination of sounds and activities linking nature with the supernatural and which co-existed with the score. The rest of the field: Aside from the head to head competition with Severance, which has the advantage being critically acclaimed and awards buzzy, Outer Range also goes up against the same best bets in contemporary production design and costumes, and cinematography. When you get into the areas of VFX and sound, though, the competition from the sci-fi heavy-hitters becomes fierce for both Severance and Outer Range. However, the biggest obstacle for Outer Range is avoiding the same snubbing that Yellowstone has experienced in its four seasons as an underrated contemporary Western. Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. A Lafayette man accused of killing his father in 2019 was found to be incompetent to stand trial and ordered to a mental health facility in hopes his competency will be restored. Willie Thomas Jr. is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his father, Willie James Earl Thomas Sr. The 59-year-old died after trauma to his head, Lafayette Police said at the time. Thomas Jr. has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Fifteenth Judicial District Judge Michelle Billeaud ruled in April that Thomas lacked the mental capacity to understand the proceedings against him and was unable to assist in his own defense. She ordered Thomas be transferred to the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in East Feliciana Parish where his competency can hopefully be restored, according to court documents. Billeaud ordered the staff to alert the court when he is able to comprehend the proceedings against him and to assist in his own defense. The decision is similar to an incompetency ruling from 15th Judicial District Judge Valerie Gotch Garrett who ruled Ian Howard, who is accused of fatally shooting a police officer, shooting at another and shooting and injuring two other people. Unlike Billeaud, Garrett ordered Howard be transferred for 90 days. But Howard is on a waiting list to get into the East Feliciana facility, which his lawyers said in a hearing last month is hindering his ability to get treatment. Howard is scheduled for a status update later this month. Background: Judge declares Ian Howard, accused of killing Lafayette cop, not competent to stand trial What did Thomas' evaluations show? Thomas was evaluated by two mental health professionals, a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Thomas told both doctors he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but grew up in the Lafayette area. He also told them he was physically abused as a child and picked on at school, according to court documents. He told one of the doctors home was a "difficult place." Story continues At the time of his arrest, Thomas was living with his father. He told Dr. Warren Lowe that he was hit in the face by his father before the man's death. Thomas told the doctors he takes antipsychotic medication but could not recall what he was being treated for or what his mental health diagnosis was, according to court documents. During his evaluation with Dr. Sarah DeLand, he said he sometimes heard voices and during the interview would engage in "inappropriate giggling" that suggested he was "responding to internal stimuli," she wrote. Thomas told her the voices tell him to harm himself, say derogatory things about him and tell him things about his court case. Both doctors wrote that Thomas had a hard time explaining the role of various court personnel. CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING TODAY: Help support local journalists like Ashley White He initially told DeLand he did not know the role of the district attorney or prosecutor but later said the district attorney's job was to "help" him. He was not able to describe the role of the jury or witnesses to DeLand. "He could not grasp the concept of a trial but he did know that if somebody were found not guilty, they would be free to go," DeLand wrote. "Similarly, he knew that if someone were found guilty, they would go to prison." He told Lowe that he couldn't remember his attorney's name but they had meetings. After that point in the evaluation, Thomas answered most of the questions with "don't know" or "I forgot." Thomas also was unable to answer simple questions that "even people with psychiatric illnesses are usually able to answer correctly," Lowe wrote in his report. During a follow-up evaluation, Thomas responded to simple questions with "don't know" or "forgot," but when asked about sports, he was able to name his favorite players. Because of his unwillingness to fully participate in the evaluation, Lowe said he was unable to determine Thomas' capacity and recommended Thomas be transferred to the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health Systems. Lowe also said malingering, which is an exaggeration of an illness, should be ruled out. DeLand also said Thomas should be transferred to the East Feliciana facility for evaluation, treatment and competency restoration. "Mr. Thomas has significant intellectual limitations and these are impairing both his ability to understand the process and his ability to formulate enough abstract thought to really be of true assistance to his attorney," she wrote. "Due to his psychotic symptoms, Mr. Thomas has significant difficulty with thought organization, distraction and very poor concentration and attention." Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Lafayette man found incompetent to stand trial in 2019 death of father Sen. John Thune this week said AR-15s are necessary in his home state to hunt prairie dogs. Alex Wong/Getty Images South Dakota Sen. John Thune was asked why people need AR-15s. In response, he argued that they are still necessary for hunting animals such as prairie dogs. Sen. Bill Cassidy recently also claimed people need AR-15s to defend themselves against feral pigs. A Republican senator this week said that people require AR-15-style weapons because they need to "shoot prairie dogs," a herbivorous burrowing rodent. South Dakota Sen. John Thune was asked to comment on why people would need an AR-15 the weapon used by the gunman in the mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. "They are a sporting rifle. And it's something that a lot of people for purposes of going out target shooting in my state they use them to shoot prairie dogs and, you know, other types of varmints," Thune told CNN this week. And so I think there are legitimate reasons why people would want to have them." AR-15-style rifles are semi-automatic rifles originally designed for military use that are now marketed primarily as sporting rifles. Thune's comments on AR-15s being needed for prairie dog hunting come weeks after Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy claimed people need the weapons to defend themselves from "feral pigs." In an interview published on May 26, Vice News asked Cassidy whether he believed there was any room to ban assault weapons in the country, and why anyone would need an AR-15-style weapon. "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. Cassidy's remarks inadvertently referenced a meme from 2019 involving a hypothetical argument on Twitter where someone argued that they needed the firearms to "kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play." In the meantime, President Joe Biden has called for renewed restrictions on assault weapons following the Texas school massacre, which left at least 21 people including 19 children dead. Read the original article on Business Insider In the cool grass of Telegraph Hill on Tuesday, the voters of San Francisco teed up their district attorney and drove him 500 yards into the Pacific Ocean. Their club of choice was a wooden driver called Proposition H, the recall of Chesa Boudin, and they swung it to maximum effect, sending him into the surf by a 20-plus point margin. As Washington, D.C., Democrats prepare their hyper-partisan, primetime show-trial on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, real people like the Asian Americans of San Francisco were up before sunrise on Tuesday preparing to get out the vote in their beleaguered city. By days end they were victors, swatting away extremism in the same way Georgia Republicans had done two weeks earlier when they teed up Donald Trumps signature candidates and drove them into the Atlantic. Why San Francisco rejected Chesa Boudin District Attorney Chesa Boudin hands out fliers in the Mission ahead of the recall on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in San Francisco. Average Americans are doing the necessary work of removing the extremists from our political culture, restoring some sanity that existed before radical national populism and radical social justice began to eat the country alive. San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities in America, made the mistake of electing an extremist such as Chesa Boudin. The son of left-wing militants who were part of the Weather Underground, he was separated from his parents when they were convicted in the felony murders of two police officers and a security guard. Other members of that domestic terrorist organization took over the job of raising him. They made sure he got a good education, but he would take his Yale degree and Rhode scholarship and become a translator for Venezuelan strongman and communist Hugo Chavez. When he became the San Francisco district attorney in 2020, he set out to decriminalize crime, refusing to prosecute many serious offenders. He abolished the cash-bail system, let criminals walk. And, as one would expect, the bad guys who should have been behind bars were back robbing, assaulting and even killing San Francisco citizens. Story continues Crime was rampant; Asian Americans were hard hit Many of those being battered were Asian Americans at a time when Asian Americans were under assault in urban areas across the country. Consequently, polling revealed that Asian Americans along with Pacific Islanders were most likely to support the recall, some 67% of them in favor. By spring of 2021, more than 30 prosecutors had grown frustrated and quit the San Francisco D.A.s office, reported National Review. Already Boudin had fired seven veteran prosecutors who were not on board with his radical views. Smash-and-grab theft grew so commonplace in San Francisco that retail stores reduced their hours of operation and eventually their number of outlets. All across the urban center car windows were smashed out. One San Franciscan was so exasperated, he merely duct taped a piece of cardboard over his smashed-out hatchback window with the scrawled words, Recall Boudin. Save S.F.! Broadcast newsman Luke Russert came upon this and tweeted out, Saw this a few months back. Knew #ChesaBoudin was done. San Franciscan Richie Greenberg witnessed this same intensity last year when he set up a petition table at the Clement Street Farmers Market with the banner Recall Chesa Boudin. People werent just meandering their way to the table, he told the New Yorker at the time. They come over with purpose. They come over angry. They say their words Give me the f---ing pen. Voters are sick of extremism on both sides The breakdown of law and order was wearing on everyone. And the mood had swept up Michelle Tandler, who tweeted out: One of my best friends in SF was burglarized and robbed last week while sleeping. Two days later she saw three men peering into her backyard. She called SFPD sobbing. They did not come. I've never lived someplace where the government just doesnt care about you, she said. All over the city people sounded like these two: Im sick of Boudins disingenuous campaign. I believe recalling Boudin will save lives. ...People have died and will continue to die as a result of his choices. - A male voter to the San Francisco Chronicle. I enthusiastically voted for his recall. ...He was a complete failure. - A 62-year-old woman to the Wall Street Journal. Those were the Democrats. Imagine what the Republicans were saying. If youre an Arizona conservative or a Beltway progressive or a Georgia Republican who has taken the bit too hard, you might want to wake up. Americans are sick of the pandemic, sick of the crime, sick of the guns, sick of the social upheaval and sick of your wild-eyed zeal to defund the police or stop the steal. Two weeks after Georgia, the people of San Francisco have spoken. Just give me the blanking pen. Of such things national movements are born. Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: San Francisco voters just said 'to hell with the extremists' Simone Biles is one of the dozens of women who have taken legal action against the FBI over the Larry Nassar case. The Associated Press reports Biles and approximately 90 claimants are seeking more than $1 billion in damages. The group alleges the FBI failed to stop Nassar when the first allegations were made against him. It is time for the FBI to be held accountable, said Maggie Nichols, a national champion gymnast at Oklahoma in 2017-2019. More from VIBE.com If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls, including me, added former University of Michigan gymnast Samantha Roy. U.S. Olympic gymnasts Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and NCAA and world champion gymnast Maggie Nichols leave after testifying during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the Inspector Generals report on the FBI handling of the Larry Nassar investigation of sexual abuse of U.S. gymnasts, on Capitol Hill, September 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. - Credit: Saul Loeb - Pool/Getty Images Saul Loeb - Pool/Getty Images I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse, Biles said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in September 2021. She claimed the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as well as USA Gymnastics, knew that I was abused by their official team doctor long before I was ever made aware of their knowledge. In 2015, USA Gymnastics informed the FBI that three gymnasts had claimed to have been assaulted by Nassar, however, the agency did not open a formal investigation nor inform federal or state authorities in Michigan of the allegations. He was eventually arrested in 2016 after an investigation by Michigan State University police. NBC News reported in December 2017, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to possessing and receiving child sex abuse images. In January 2018, Nassar was back in court and was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison after more than 150 women and girls made public statements that he sexually abused them over the past two decades. Nassar had pleaded guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in Ingham County in Michigan and admitted to using his trusted medical position to assault and molest girls under the guise of medical treatment. Click here to read the full article. When Alabama approved an abortion ban in 2019 without exceptions for victims of rape and incest, it wasnt just some prominent Republicans who disagreed with those exclusions. Televangelist Pat Robertson called the law too extreme. But since then, rape and incest exceptions once an accepted part of proposed abortion restrictions and supported by a series of Republican presidents, including Donald Trump have been increasingly rejected by conservative state legislatures. Rape and incest exceptions were excluded in 24 of 30 abortion bans and restrictions enacted by states including Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas, Arizona, Florida and Missouri in the past few years, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks abortion laws. Among 92 proposals for abortion restrictions pending in states this year alone, only a handful contained those exceptions, said Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst for Guttmacher, which supports abortion rights. The shift has been quite dramatic. Even five years ago, we would not have seen anti-abortion legislation that would not have exceptions for rape and incest, said Michele Bratcher Goodwin, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine who heads the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy. IF ROE IS OVERTURNED: What happens in these states could be pivotal for abortion access The exceptions once were often included as a way to gain legislative and public support for proposed restrictions, experts say. They say the shift is the result of the ascendant influence of lawmakers and groups who oppose exceptions, including for pregnancies conceived in violence. Students for Life of America is one of the groups that has worked to exclude exemptions by arguing that every human being has is worthy of love and worthy of life, no matter the circumstances of their conception," said Kristan Hawkins, the group's president. Abortion opponents rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the March for Life in Washington on Jan. 21, 2022. Nash said many abortion opponents no longer see such exclusions as necessary to win passage of bans and restrictions, many of which are expected to take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Story continues That would further heighten existing barriers for women seeking abortion in circumstances of rape and incest, experts say, even though such exemptions are often difficult to utilize. Were talking about women forced to carry pregnancies to term that they don't want, said Goodwin, who noted that pregnancies caused by incest or rape can bring health and psychological harms. ABORTION RIGHTS: Some Gen Z girls are worried about losing their abortion rights Exceptions are difficult to use Abortion rights advocates argue such exemptions don't mean that victims of violence have easy access to abortion. In some cases, the victims are children whose abuser is their parent or guardian. And some exemptions require victims to make a police report before doctors would be allowed to perform an abortion. "While an exception may not always require a formal police report, too many of our legal systems are weighted against supporting victims. Mandates to report, document, or otherwise prove ones circumstances of becoming pregnant can be a trauma or a risk in and of itself," Nash said in a tweet thread. Further, the debate over such exemptions "also pits good' and 'bad reasons for abortions against one another while distracting from a law or proposals larger effect on restricting access, Nash argued on Twitter. Survivors of rape and incest deserve to have every option available to them. They deserve compassion and support and access to abortion care that's affordable and timely, and doesnt require police, legal paperwork, suspicion or interrogation, she tweeted. A Guttmacher study in 2004 found that about 1% of women surveyed who reported getting an abortion did so because of rape. Less than 0.5% did so because of incest. Those would number more than 8,600 abortions each year after cases of rape and 4,300 after cases of incest, based on Guttmachers estimate of 862,320 abortions nationwide in 2017, its latest figures available. But that's probably an undercount. Less than one-third of an estimated 433,648 rapes and sexual assaults each year are reported to police, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Last year, Missouri Democratic Rep. Cori Bush shared her experience with assault and abortion during a House Oversight Committee hearing. Bush testified that in 1994, when she was 17, she was raped on a church trip to Mississippi. She soon learned she was pregnant and undertook the hardest decision I had ever made. She said she was glad she had options. I knew it was the right decision for me, she said. Anti-abortion signs are held by supporters during a Kansans for Life march through downtown Topeka, Kansas on Jan. 25, 2022. Abortion opponents push for an end to exceptions For years, rape and incest exceptions have been part of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for abortions. That meant they were part of Medicaid coverage decisions in states, Nash said. But today there is less daylight between the anti-abortion movement and the Republican Party, said Mary Ziegler, a Florida State University College of Law professor who studies the history of Americas abortion debates. Hawkins, of Students for Life of America, said there has been a generational shift in the anti-abortion movement from viewing such exceptions as necessary to get bills passed. We don't have to give this concession away, which can undermine our entire belief (about abortion)," she said. "Either children in the womb are valuable or they're not." 'PILL ABORTION': Abortion by pill figures to rise if Supreme Court overturns Roe In 2019, after the Alabama law sparked a backlash, Hawkins group and others wrote a letter to Republican officials asking them to reconsider decades-old talking points regarding exceptions for rape and incest. The shift is showing up in some races in the midterm elections. Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker of Georgia said he opposed exemptions, The Hill reported. J.D. Vance, the Republican Senate candidate in Ohio, said that two wrongs dont make a right. Ohio Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt sparked outrage during a hearing on an abortion bill earlier this year when she said a hypothetical teenager traumatized by rape would have the "opportunity" to help that child become a "productive human being." Republican strategist and pollster Neil Newhouse, who expected both parties to paint each other as extreme on abortion in midterm elections, said abortion views havent changed greatly over the years among the public. I think the legislation has gotten ahead of where the voters are, even Republicans, he said. A Pew Research Center survey in May found 69% of Americans surveyed said abortion should be legal in the case of rape; that view was supported by 56% of Republican and Republican-leaning voters. Last fall, after Texas passed its ban with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, a Quinnipiac University poll found 77% of registered voters in Texas said abortion should be legal when a pregnancy is caused by rape or incest including 92% or Democrats and 66% of Republicans. POLL: Most Americans identify as pro-choice and believe abortion is 'morally acceptable' Exceptions in a post-Roe world Some key Republican legislators still support such exceptions, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a spokesman said. Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson said last month that the state's abortion law could be "revisited" to add rape and incest as exceptions if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. "While it's still life in the womb, life of the unborn, the conception was under criminal circumstances, either incest or rape, and so those are two exceptions I have to recognize I believe are very appropriate," he said recently on CNN. Arkansas governor: Abortion law 'could be revisited' for rape and incest exceptions How exceptions might play out if the Supreme Court strikes down Roe is complicated in part because some states have passed several bans of different types, often blocked by courts, with varying exceptions. Conservative states that do retain rape and incest exemptions but adopt criminal penalties or Texas-style legal enforcement allowing people to sue anyone abetting an abortion may make women reluctant to seek care and doctors reluctant to provide it. Idaho Gov. Brad Little wrote in a letter to the states Senate president after signing the bill that requirements to file a police report may render the exception meaningless for many." The Republican governor also said family members of a rapist could sue abortion providers. I am particularly concerned for those vulnerable women and children who lack the capacity or familial support to report incest and sexual assault. Ultimately, this legislation risks retraumatizing victims by affording monetary incentives to wrongdoers and family members of rapists, he wrote. If the Supreme Court strikes down Roe, challenges for victims of rape and incest are likely to multiply as access is restricted particularly in the Midwest and South, said Carole Joffe, a professor and sociologist at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies abortion policy. The post-Dobbs environment for rape and incest victims and the health professionals who care for them is going to be extraordinarily difficult, she said. Chris Kenning is a national news writer on Twitter @chris_kenning EXPERTS: Pregnancy-related deaths could rise 20% or more in states that outlaw abortion This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Abortion foes less accepting of rape and incest as 'exceptions' Photo credit: GeorgePeters / Getty Images Dogs from the countries of Ukraine, Romania, Belarus and Poland have been banned from entering the United Kingdom by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs. Despite being fully vaccinated, sometimes more so than in the UK, and equipped with all the necessary documentation, dogs, cats and ferrets from these countries will be stuck in their local shelters until at least the 9th of July. The ban, which was meant to end on the 14th of May, has been extended by another two months. This is despite the fact that the import of animals from all other countries remains unaffected. Already affecting thousands of rescue dogs, the ban has meant that the situation is critical for shelters and charities who are struggling to provide the basic needs required for these animals. We urgently need things to change to prevent more animals from dying," says Estelle Wilkinson, founder of Luckys Legacy Rescue, a registered UK charity. This ban, which is affecting hundreds of reputable, hard-working charities will only increase the demand for purebred puppies born in the UK and from overseas. This often inhumane market, which includes puppy farming, sees many dogs harmed from forced and abusive mating over years and puppies are then sold at very high prices. Photo credit: davit85 / Getty Images The process of adopting animals from these countries previously flowed well due to the transparency and gravity of these associations and charities, including a strict vetting process made up of several interviews and home visits. Because of the ban many adopters have been forced to stop the process due to the uncertainty. This means that certain puppies have made the 3-day journey from Romania to Calais and back several times. Shelters are only getting more crowded and as the puppies grow older there also tends to be less of a desire to adopt them. Elisa Dumitrescu, founder of Do Good Rescue, a shelter in Romania, says, "dogs don't see price tags, or countries - they just see loving homes. They deserve to grow up in a safe and comfortable place. We call to DEFRA for a response to our petition and to allow the same opportunity for a happy and safe life in the UK as rescue dogs from other countries. Story continues How can you help? Sign the petition to change the ban here. You Might Also Like Runners prepare to compete in the Beach to Bay Relay Marathon at sunrise on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The race, which made its return after being cancelled the last two years due to COVID-19, began at JP Luby Beach and ended at McCaughn Park in Corpus Christi. Ohio reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 17,530 new cases. That's down 10.3% from the previous week's tally of 19,546 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. Ohio ranked 33rd among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 10.9% from the week before, with 770,895 cases reported. With 3.51% of the country's population, Ohio had 2.27% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 22 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before. Crawford County reported 46 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 66 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 11,435 cases and 215 deaths. Across Ohio, cases fell in 50 counties, with the best declines in Cuyahoga County, with 2,015 cases from 2,559 a week earlier; in Summit County, with 825 cases from 1,278; and in Lucas County, with 603 cases from 890. >> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases Within Ohio, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Gallia County with 395 cases per 100,000 per week; Lawrence County with 203; and Union County with 197. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week. Adding the most new cases overall were Franklin County, with 2,409 cases; Cuyahoga County, with 2,015 cases; and Hamilton County, with 1,454. Weekly case counts rose in 37 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Butler, Montgomery and Gallia counties. In Ohio, zero people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, zero people were reported dead. A total of 2,780,653 people in Ohio have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 38,657 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 84,762,022 people have tested positive and 1,008,585 people have died. Story continues >> Track coronavirus cases across the United States Ohio's COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, June 5. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state: Last week: 1,623 The week before that: 1,608 Four weeks ago: 1,199 Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation: Last week: 58,022 The week before that: 55,117 Four weeks ago: 44,923 Hospitals in 35 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 32 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows. The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Crawford County reported 46 new COVID-19 cases State Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, a Republican candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania, speaks at a primary night election gathering in Chambersburg, Pa., Tuesday, May 17, 2022. Mastriano, Pennsylvanias Republican nominee for governor, offered to sit for a voluntary interview with the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and already spoke to the FBI last year about what he knew about it, his lawyer said Thursday, June 2. Doug Mastriano, Republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor and leader of Stop the Steal campaign, is urging everyone in the state to reregister to vote, according to Yahoo! News. He claims this is the only way to gain Americas trust in voting and that there is a large amount of phantom voters who may jeopardize the validity of the election. Mastrianos concern over valid votes stems from the 2020 election, of course. However, a Pennsylvania judge ruled in 2020 that no evidence could confirm that phantom voters or deceased voters affected the outcome of the election, per Yahoo!. Others see the re-registration scheme as a barrier for voters of color. Read more [Mastrianos] stated desire to have voters reregister is a dog whistle designed to reinforce the racist belief that Black and other BIPOC voters are not, in fact, fully enfranchised citizens guaranteed the same rights as white voters, said Cynthia Ann Young, professor of African American Studies and English at Pennsylvania State University, via Yahoo!. Legal experts told AP News reregistering could violate state laws, federal laws and constitutional protections. More from Yahoo! News: Pennsylvania remains one of the few states where the governor appoints a Secretary of State who oversees statewide elections. This means a Mastriano win in November could test whether laws on the books could be overturned. I get to appoint the secretary of state, whos delegated from me the power to make the corrections to elections, the voting logs and everything, Mastriano said back in March during WPICs Eric Bombeck radio show. I could decertify every machine in the state with the stroke of a pen via my secretary of state. Mastriano fails to acknowledge that reregistration was one of the main tactics to keep Black voters from casting their ballot. Like many of todays new voting laws, it seems some states are reverting back to the very restrictions practiced before the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Without constant vigilance and organized struggle against such racism, Black people can easily lose what we have fought and died to secure, said Young. Photo credit: Author photo: Adrianne Mathiowetz Marie Myung-Ok Lees The Evening Hero is a universe of trap doors. What begins as the narrative of an immigrant doctors forced retirementsetting in motion a stream of memoriesbecomes instead a story of adventure through a war-torn, and also farcical, world. Yungman Kwak, MD, ob-gyn, wakes up one day to find Horses Breath General Hospital, where hes worked for decades, shuttered. SANUS, its new parent company, is embracing retail medicine, filling the Mall of America with outlets like Speedee Dialysis, Vaccines R US, and At Your Cervix. As Yungman tells his Korean-ish son, Einstein, You can hardly call it medicine. Its actually kind of sordid. Set in the year 20XXa not quite parallel but not quite future timeYungmans Minnesotan life is portrayed with a hard satirical edge. Einstein lives in an estate called King Arthurs Court, complete with moat and drawbridge, in a development named Custom History Valley. A doctorpreneur and shareholder of SANUS, he secures Yungman a job in the Mall of America. At Depilation Nation, where unwanted hair comes to die, a nameless, undocumented worker shows Yungman how to operate the Defolliculator II, which interfaces with Yungmans SANUSwatch. Should he exceed maximum care time with any client, he is fined for wage theft. Clients barely register his presence, since theyre hooked up to virtual reality headgear, with one woman reduced to pawing the air like a kitten. Chapter by chapter, sometimes even line by line, the absurd and tragic mesh. At Thanksgiving dinner, while Einstein and his wife bask in their seeming wealth, Yungman is preoccupied by letters hes been receiving from Seoul, and hiding, unread, in a copy of Shogun. Unbeknownst to Einstein, or to Yungmans wife, Young-ae, he has been keeping a lifetimes worth of secrets. The novel leaps back in time, and we see Yungmans childhood in Water Project Village, a remote hamlet in the high mountains. Though the village has only a single, precious well for its 20 families, it becomes famous in Korea for selling its waterrumored to have healing propertiesto pay for a local school. Story continues In 1949, Yungman and his brother, Yung-sik, are still children. Over three decades of brutal Japanese occupation have come to an end, but Korea is now the battlefield of the Cold War. Their father, a respected agronomist, was working to create drought-resistant seeds. Accused of Communist sympathies, he was imprisoned without charge, and has not been seen in two years. Yungmans grandfather and mother are struggling to keep the family afloat. What happens to them as the Cold War explodes into the Korean War is catastrophic. Dean Rusk, former Secretary of State, famously said that the U.S. bombed everything that moved in North Korea, every brick standing on top of another. In 1953, Water Project Village is pushed above the demarcation line, into North Korea, in an instant creating a shattered and divided place, no longer a home. Amid loss, a fairy tale element surfaces: Yungman courts the girl who once lived in the wealthy house atop the village hill; against all odds he obtains a prized visa to study in the United States; he lands the job that no one wants but that allows him to build a new life in rural America. The cost of this is high. Yungman rushes into his new future, papering over his guilt with a pile of twenty-dollar bills sent back each year to Seoul. He forgets his mother tongue, and by the time hes an elderly man, he speaks Korean as a stranger would. The Evening Hero invokes a hall-of-mirrors strategy. Readers in America will know the United States is a multifaceted, profoundly complex place. Meanwhile, they may imagine North Korea as it is so often portrayed: an impenetrable, alien nation with a buffoonish leadership. The Evening Hero walks the inverse path. The America of the novel is a tragicomically superficial, and even buffoonish, place, where money is the measure of value. Meanwhile the Korea of the novel is a place of complicated lives, a country that withstands brutal Japanese colonization, only to be carpet-bombed by American planes. The United States dropped 32,000 tons of napalm on targets that were not just military but civilian. Nearly every city was leveled by 635,000 tons of U.S. bombs, and some five million were killed. These facts have been excised from collective memory, not just in America but in most of the world. The reality of life for Yungman, and for his wife, Young-aewho floats at the edges of the novelis that they must live with the consequences of their choices. They have experienced the bounty that America offers. They are fragmented selves who have managed to succeed, at least on their new countrys terms, while simultaneously losing their way. Culpability waits like a dagger behind every moment. Yungman manages to obtain care for one of his patients via blackmail. He calls the neighboring hospital and suggests they are covering up war crimes: One of their celebrity doctors fought to grant amnesty to Japanese war criminals who experimented with bioweapons on living prisonersin exchange for research data obtained through torture. Yungman thinks, Unlike Koreans, for whom history clawed at every day, Americans had the luxury to ignore theirs. How wonderful to be always striding forward, behemoth country that they were. Yungman is sometimes knowing in his forgetting, and sometimes truly forgetful. There are moments when the messaging of the novel seems to conduct the plot of The Evening Hero, creating a novel to fit its needs. The sardonic humor can seem a bit scattershot, and events too convenient. But at other times, The Evening Hero evokes a bittersweet lightness. We feel the watery, hard-to-articulate inner life of Yungman Kwaksomeone who betrayed his family for love, who accepts the wages of guilt, whose losses cannot, ultimately, be accounted for. Going home, and making amends, even telling the truth, cant remake his life. In the novel, as in Yungmans existence, the past is most alive. The condition of being scattered-and-divided remains, even as everything appears livable, even satirical, on the surface. Madeleine Thiens most recent novel, Do Not Say We Have Nothing, about art, music, and revolution in China, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Womens Prize for Fiction. She is a professor of English at Brooklyn College. You Might Also Like Four years after Where the Crawdads Sing first took the world by storm, author Delia Owens is counting down the days until the movie adaptation reaches theaters on July 15. Speaking with Southern Living Tuesday, the Georgia native describes the film as "stunning" and "100-percent faithful" to the book. "Readers will be so happy," she promises. Like the book, the movie is told via two storylines set in different time periods. The first follows a misunderstood young girl named Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) as she comes of age in the marshes of coastal North Carolina. The second takes place in the same marsh several years later, after her unlikely romance with the town's "golden boy" Chase (Harris Dickinson) ends with her going on trial for his murder. It's been a wild ride for Owens, who says she never expected to get to this pointand certainly not with her first novel. "I really never thought about it [becoming a movie]. I was just hoping someone would read it," she said of the best-selling book. "I never thought the book would do as well as it did." "Where The Crawdads Sing" Photo Call Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Surprised though she might be, Owens has some theories as to why Kya's story has resonated with such a large audience. "Kya teaches us that we can get back up on our feet again, time after time when life takes us down," she explained. "All of us end up in a swamp now and then. Life is hard, and Kya goes from one thing to another and just picks herself up and keeps going." Owens admits to having been nervous about the adaptation at the beginning, but those fears were assuaged after meeting producer Reese Witherspoon and director Olivia Newman. They made it clear that they would be respectful to the readers. From the production team to the cast, Owens says she "couldn't have chosen any better." The 73-year-old author was involved in nearly every aspect of the production. She read every draft of the script, watched auditions, and visited the set in Louisiana twice. Meeting the cast was especially surreal. "It was very emotional," Owens says. "Especially with Kya and Tate and Jumpin' and Mable. To actually see and meet them was very moving. I'd known them in my heart for so long. I felt connected with them immediately. Everyone did. I nearly cried when I met Daisy." Get ready Where the Crawdads Sing premieres nationwide on July 15. News brief logo US 20 ramps closed, US 6 has lane restrictions BOWLING GREEN The Ohio Department of Transportation announced that the Eastbound U.S. 20 ramp to U.S. 6 westbound and southbound will be closed starting this week through mid August. The detour will be State Street to Oak Harbor Road to westbound U.S. 6/20 to southbound Ohio 53. The Westbound/southbound U.S. 6 from U.S. 20 to Muskellunge Creek Road will be closed now through Thursday, June 9. the detour will be continue west on U.S. 20 to Ohio 590 to U.S. 6. U.S. 6 between CR 128 and Brush Street will experience lane restrictions for U.S. 6/20/State Street interchange configurations. Lane width will be reduced to 11 feet at various locations in each direction. Ohio 19 to be closed until August BOWLING GREEN The Ohio Department of Transportation, District II, reported Ohio 19 between TR 127 and TR 83 in Fremont will be closed for two culvert replacements now through early August. The detour is U.S. 20 to Ohio 590 to Ohio 105. Clyde eyes sewer plant, Main Street improvements CLYDE Clyde City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday June 7 in the council chambers of the municipal building. On the agenda is a first reading ordinance to allow the city manager to advertise for bids for a screw pump for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project and declaring an emergency. There is also a resolution for the city manager to contract with Great Lakes Demolition Company, Vickery, for the demolition and reconstruction of the north approach at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Ohio 510 (Main Street). Ottawa County elections board continues audit OAK HARBOR The Ottawa County Board of Elections is meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday to continue conducting the postelection audit of the 2022 Primary Election. The meeting will be held at the Board of Elections office located at 8444 W. Ohio 163 in the Veterans Memorial Building. BCS board to meet, break ground on middle school OAK HARBOR The Benton-Carroll-Salem School District will hold its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 28. The meeting will be held in the Board of Education Office, at 11685 W. Ohio 163. Prior to the Board Meeting the district will have the Ground Breaking for the new Oak Harbor Intermediate School at 5 p.m. behind R.C. Waters Elementary School. This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: News Briefs: ODOT to close US 20 ramps for construction OKLAHOMA CITY Estelle Czech still has the picture Texas icon Cat Osterman autographed for her back in the seventh grade. Its still there on Czechs bedroom mirror, and I havent moved it since. One left-hander idolizing another. One Longhorn inspiring the future. Its just really funny how everything worked out, Czech said Tuesday. Time for some new history, new heroes. A Texas team thats been unseeded, unloved and stunningly underestimated is now barreling straight into the Womens College World Series championship series. Its a best-of-three affair at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Game 1 is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. More: OU softball 'not caught up in Red River Rivalry' for WCWS finals, but Texas is hot ticket More: How to watch, listen to Texas softball in the 2022 WCWS title series vs. OU More: No matter who starts, Texas pitchers have more to worry about than OUs Jocelyn Alo at WCWS More: 'To meet them here is insane': How Hope Trautwein went from Texas fan to OU softball ace? Standing in Texas way? Its none other than No. 1 Oklahoma, widely considered the best team in college softball featuring the games best home-run masher, Jocelyn Alo. And yes, those in burnt orange welcome the Horns Down shenanigans. I dont think everybody understands, UT centerfielder Bella Dayton said. They do it. They do it consistently. But they don't understand that actually makes us play better. That puts an even bigger fire in us to prove them wrong. Texas outfielder Bella Dayton screams after scoring on a wild play featuring two Oklahoma State errors on Monday that helped the Longhorns advance to the Women's College World Series finals. Texas will face No. 1 Oklahoma in a best-of-three series starting Wednesday. These Longhorns encourage all doubters to watch while they turn yet another double play 10 total since the NCAA Tournament began. Marvel how Courtney Day blasted a home run in three straight WCWS games. The Horns have seven home runs at this WCWS, equaling the same total they managed in five previous trips combined. Wonder at the spectacle of Czech throwing a complete-game shutout against No. 6 Oklahoma State on Monday. And soak in the sensation of Hailey Dolcini shutting down the Cowgirls over the last five innings in a winner-take-all semifinal matchup. Story continues More: Texas softball advances to WCWS final series behind slugging, Oklahoma State errors The Horns are now 6-0 in elimination games this postseason and the first unseeded team to ever make the WCWS finals. But go on, doubt Texas if you must. Thank you to everyone that supported us when we went 0-5 in Clearwater (in February) and was down bad, veteran catcher Mary Iakopo said. Thank you to everyone that said we would go 0-2 in the World Series. That kind of fired us up in the best way possible. Texas is now 47-20-1 this season, but that doesnt matter anymore. Its all about stopping OU. Janae Jefferson, right, gestures "safe" after sliding into second base before Arizona infielder Sophia Carroll could make a tag during the Longhorns' win in a Women's College World Series elimination game Sunday. Texas won three consecutive elimination games to reach the WCWS final series. It doesnt matter the Horns were a good-but-not-great 12-6 in Big 12 play during the regular season. That included going 1-2 against the Sooners, a victory that snapped OUs 40-game winning streak dating back to last season. It doesnt matter that they got bounced by Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Tournament. Well, that particular 6-1 loss doesnt matter, per se. What happened between the first and second innings may resonate forever. Texas coach Mike White possibly the most mild-mannered head coach at UT, according to school officials argued a call and shot umpires the bird. White was ejected, he apologized and later had a mostly one-sided discussion with athletic director Chris Del Conte. White did the listening. More: Texas coach Mike White apologizes for 'uncharacteristic indiscretion' at Big 12 tournament But he has our back, Iakopo said. Thats what that meant to us. When the NCAA bracket was unveiled, Texas didnt get regional hosting duties. Whites bunch won the Seattle Regional anyway. With no top-16 national seed, the Horns wouldnt get to host a super regional. They went to Fayetteville and stunned Arkansas in a best-of-three series. Big crowds? Big deal. I feel like that was a lot of people out there, second baseman Janae Jefferson said. They were yelling, Lets go Hogs. We were saying, Lets go Horns in our heads. Texas softball coach Mike White motions to fans after being ejected during the Big 12 semifinals against OSU on May 13. White was tossed from the game after arguing an umpire's call and flashing an obscene hand gesture. FedEx somehow got its wires crossed and a box full of WCWS celebratory shirts and hats got stuck in a warehouse in Memphis, Tenn. At least, thats what NCAA officials told Del Conte, he said. Every other team that punched a ticket to Oklahoma City got some swag, but not Texas. The athletic department chalked it up to human error and moved on. I think we were pretty upset about it, Jefferson said. Iakopo was diplomatic but noted, We smelled a hint of disrespect. More: Texas royalty Janae Jefferson ready for her debut on college softball's biggest stage Texas just waylaid its WCWS opponents. UCLA couldnt stop UT. Nor could Arizona. Oklahoma State had two cracks at it along with home-field advantage and couldnt get the job done, either. Miranda Elish, the former UT pitcher who transferred to OSU, will watch the rest of the College World Series on TV. As Del Conte joked on Tuesday, I said he was giving em the ol Mikey White. Said White, a little embarrassed: Hes killing me with that! Just then, Whites cellphone rang. It was Texas track coach Edrick Floreal. He calls me Finger Man now, White said. In retrospect, White was just pointing the way. Texas was headed up. Way up. Its worth noting that with two more victories, Texas would indeed be No. 1. White told his players the Horns were playing with house money. OK, so some of them didnt even know what that meant. Well, when I go to Vegas, Im a donator, not a gambler, White said. They sure now understand the concept. Weve been playing really free, White said. You know, were not supposed to be here. We play best when were relaxed and were carefree. And thats what we've been doing. Contact Brian Davis by phone or text at 512-445-3957. Email bdavis@statesman.com or follow on Twitter via @BDavisAAS. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas softball ready for WCWS title clash with No. 1 Oklahoma Jasmie Cooper and her children, Takayla, Amya and Dayven, pose for a photo outside their new Habitat for Humanity home in Gainesville on May 18. A ceremony was held to dedicate the new home and give the keys to the home over to the Cooper family. [Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun] Since its inception in 1986, Alachua Habitat for Humanity has partnered with donors, volunteers, material suppliers, contractors, local, state and federal governments, and most importantly Habitat Family Partners to build energy-efficient and affordable homes in Alachua County. Using these multi-pronged resources that only a not-for-profit builder like Habitat can access, they are able to consistently build homes whose mortgages are 30% to 40% below median rental rates. Why is this work so important? Alachua Habitat believes that everyone deserves a safe, decent and affordable place to live. But for many Alachua County residents, safe and affordable housing is financially unattainable. According to data from UFs Shimberg Center for Affordable Housing Studies, when student households are removed from consideration, one in three Alachua County households are cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income for housing. One out of every seven are severely cost-burdened, paying more than 50%. This forces families to make impossible choices between a healthy place to live, nutritious food, reliable transportation or even proper medical care. People tour Jasmie Cooper's new Habitat for Humanity home during a ceremony at the new home in Gainesville on May 18. How does Habitat manage to build affordable units? On the one hand, they appeal to the community we live in seeking financial donations, grants, and in-kind or discounted materials and services. Most of their work is carried out using volunteers supervised by construction professionals. People respond because they want to help; they want to see their community thrive. Community members also contribute to the Habitat ReStore, which sells donated household and building materials, which in turn funds their construction program. Habitat is also able to build affordable units through the numerous mortgage discounts, first-time homebuyer assistance packages and other grants that lower base mortgages to levels that families can afford. Habitats professional staff have careers invested in locating and applying for numerous forms of assistance, such as: Story continues Florida Housing Coalition HOP loans City of Gainesville My Neighborhood Program mortgage buy-downs U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department grants, such as SHOP for infrastructure and property purchase, HOME for affordable housing construction, CDBG funds to cover the costs of site supervisors State of Florida SHIP funds for further down payment assistance, closing costs and critical home repairs Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Affordable Housing program mortgage grants U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Assistance Program Numerous private grantors wanting to see a stronger more vibrant community, such as Publix Charities Financial institutions that participate in Habitat mortgages in exchange for capital to build more homes Jasmie Cooper, right, accepts the keys to her new Habitat for Humanity home from Saeed Khan, left, a board member of Habitat for Humanity, during a ceremony at the new home in Gainesville on May 18. Despite Habitats ability to secure such a varied array of mortgage assistance, they firmly believe that their program is a hand-up and not a handout. Habitat families take on the responsibility of making timely mortgage payments, which in turn fund the construction of more houses in the Alachua community. In addition, they perform sweat equity, working alongside volunteers to build homes. They also take homeownership workshops that provide training on how to be successful homeowners. Alachua Habitat aims to support the Alachua County community by empowering their homeowners to achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families. For further information about their program, visit www.alachuahabitat.org. Scott Winzeler is the chief outreach and development officer for Alachua Habitat for Humanity. Join the conversation Share your opinion by sending a letter to the editor (up to 200 words) to letters@gainesville.com. Letters must include the writer's full name and city of residence. Additional guidelines for submitting letters and longer guest columns can be found at bit.ly/sunopinionguidelines. Journalism matters. Your support matters. Get a digital subscription to the Gainesville Sun. Includes must-see content on Gainesville.com and Gatorsports.com, breaking news and updates on all your devices, and access to the eEdition. Visit www.gainesville.com/subscribenow to sign up. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Scott Winzeler: Alachua Habitat for Humanity empowers homeowners The following is a quote from the governor of Oklahoma after he signed a recent law that nearly banned all abortions in his state. I promised Oklahomans that as governor that I would sign every piece of pro-life legislation that came across my desk and I am proud to keep that promise today. From the moment life begins at conception is when we have a responsibility as human begins to do everything we can to protect that babys life and the life of the mother." Robert F. Kraunz, MD Sadly this viewpoint is illustrative of the Republican Partys erosive obsession with abortion and legislative attempts to prevent a woman from choosing. But what happens after a child is born? Then it is evident that Republicans have little interest in protecting that child or the adult that child becomes from our omnipresent epidemic of gun violence. Pro-life indeed! Only if you are a zygote or fetus. After birth, youre on your own. Dont the rest of us deserve a right to life in schoolrooms, in churches, in synagogues, in supermarkets, in nightclubs, at rock concerts? The sheer hypocrisy of the Republican position raises my anger, dismay, and pessimism to new levels. Nor am I alone in noting this incongruity. In a recent PBS discussion Jonathan Capehart, an editorialist for the Washington Post , expressed his frustration that conservative politicians had done nothing in the nearly 10 years following the deadly slaughter of 20 children in Newtown, Connecticut. His comments followed the similar assault rifle killing of 19 young children in Uvalde, Texas in late May of this year. He expressed dismay over the existence of politicians who care more about life for the unborn than for their well-being after birth. Republican members of statehouses and Congress are on the wrong side of public opinion. Over 70% of the United States population believe that abortions in some capacity should be legal. And a similar percentage believe that our states and federal government should enact sensible and common-sense gun legislation that would provide universal background checks, red flag laws, appropriate waiting periods, an age of 21 for purchases, and outlawing of assault weapons. Recent events draw attention to the seriousness of our gun problem. The United States is the only country on the entire planet with more guns (at least 400 million) than people (335 million). No other country has even half as many guns per capita as we do. Our annual mortality from firearms is 45,000. We endure more mass murders than all other developed countries combined. Just this year alone we have had over 200 mass shootings. Firearm death has become the highest cause of death in children and adolescents. School shootings are increasingly more common often by teenagers, who can still buy assault weapons even at the tender age of 18 an age when full brain maturity has not yet occurred. The three deadliest years for school shootings in the past half-century are 2018, 2021, and 2022. And are Republican lawmakers rushing to join their Democratic colleagues to do anything about this ever-present danger? NO! There has been initiation for bipartisan action, which I doubt will materialize similar to the inaction following Newtown, Parkland, and other sites of carnage. Republican states continue to enact anti-abortion legislation to appease their base, but on the gun front those same states are passing laws that negate the loose gun control that they already have so that there will be less background checks and a greater right to carry concealed weapons without permits. Our own governor, Chris Sununu has vetoed four moderate gun violence prevention measures passed by the New Hampshire legislature. We are going the wrong way on this deadly issue. Can we explain the cold-blooded, unconscionable inaction of our conservative leaders? They invoke mental illness and the inviolability of the Second Amendment. But every sensate human knows that these explanations are fallacious. The Second Amendment is not absolute, and persons with mental illness cannot commit mass murder without the easy availability of rapid-fire weapons and high capacity magazines as is demonstrated by the low gun mortality rate in peer countries with tight firearm restriction. It seems to me that getting re-elected is the preponderant motivation. They refuse to consider even the most moderate measures to stem the present tide of gun violence such as universal background checks. Banning military-style assault weapons is already off the table. These leaders are capitulating to the political strength and financial power of the gun lobby and the NRA. They simply do not have the courage to do the right thing. Our job is to promote legislators who care more about the lives of this countrys citizens and less about remaining in power for power's sake alone. Robert F. Kraunz, MD, FACC (Fellow of the College of Cardiology), of Dover, New Hampshire, is a retired cardiologist and formerly president of the Strafford County Medical Society. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dr. Kraunz: Don't the rest of us deserve a right to life? Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa speaks with reporters in the Senate subway in Washington, DC, on April 9, 2019. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Insider brought real-time election results on June 7, 2022, for more than 50 House primaries in California, the highly-watched Los Angeles mayoral race, and the recall of a progressive district attorney in San Francisco. We're also tracking primaries in six other states. Here's how it happened. Live election results start streaming in at 8 p.m. ET. Here's where to find the results. Susan Johnson casts her California primary ballot at a drop-off box outside the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters office in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, June 7, 2022 AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli We're covering dozens of primary races up and down the ticket in seven states click on the links below to see live results for each race. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET in Mississippi, New Jersey, and South Dakota, at 9 p.m. ET in Iowa and New Mexico, at 10 p.m. ET in Montana, and at 11 p.m. ET in California, which holds its elections almost entirely by mail. Grace Panetta Does Zinke have the golden ticket to Congress? Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke testifies on Capitol Hill in 2018. Jacquelyn Martin/AP When he's not running for Congress in Montana, Ryan Zinke is a board member and technical committee chair for the US Gold Corp., a publicly-traded gold and precious minerals mining company in which he's also heavily invested. According to his most recent candidate financial disclosure report, he and his wife own up to $250,000 in stock in the company. While some of his opponents are trying to label him as "too Liberal," Zinke received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump back in July 2021 Zinke was Trump's interior secretary until 2018, when he stepped down amid a series of ethics probes into some questionable expenditures of his in office. Madison Hall LA's mayoral election could be decided outright tonight Rick Caruso in November 2018 in Pacific Palisades, California. Donato Sardella/Getty Images for Rachel Zoe Billionaire mall magnate Rick Caruso is running for the Democratic nomination to become Los Angeles' next mayor against progressive Karen Bass. Caruso's spent nearly $34 million so far in the race, according to the Los Angeles Times, with $24 million of that going toward digital, radio, and television advertising. Story continues Caruso or Bass could outright become next mayor of Los Angeles tonight if a single candidate in an LA county or city race receives more than 50% of the primary vote, they skip the general election and outright become the next mayor. Madison Hall A Republican who voted to impeach Trump faces reelection US House of Representatives California's 22nd Congressional District is currently represented by Rep. David Valadao, a dairy farmer, who was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach President Donald Trump in relation to the January 6, 2021 attempted insurrection. Despite Valadao's attempt to oust the president and the district becoming increasingly purple, Trump never endorsed any of his challengers like he did for the other Republicans who voted for impeachment. Madison Hall Are California politics static? Ha! Just watch this. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference at Manny's in San Francisco on August 13, 2021. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to breeze into his state's general election en route to likely re-election, having survived a recall election just last year. How much have politics changed for Newsom and the nation during the past 18 years? This time capsule of a TV interview from 2004 provides a compelling answer. It features Newsom with then-wife Kimberly Guilfoyle yes, that Kimberly Guilfoyle talking about their marriage and political views on Charlie Rose's interview program. Yes, that Charlie Rose. Asked to describe his then-wife's politics, the decidedly liberal Newsom said of Guilfoyle that "she's probably a little more conservative than I am" and is "tough, she's tenacious, but she's fair, and she has remarkable compassion." Guilfoyle, for her part, expressed her admiration for California's municipal bastion of liberalism "I love San Francisco," she said and made a few comments that might seem out of place for someone who today is a Donald Trump acolyte. "Discrimination is never all right, under any circumstance," Guilfoyle declared during the interview. Most people today likely know Guilfoyle for going full MAGA, speaking at the 2020 Republican National Convention and getting engaged to Donald Trump Jr. something the couple confirmed in February. Newsom and Guilfoyle divorced in 2005, with Newsom later acknowledging he had an affair. Newsom later remarried. The Charlie Rose interview tackles a variety of hot topics from the day, including the death penalty and same-sex marriage. Then-San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris also gets name-dropped more than once during the conversation. Dave Levinthal Despite primary win, ethics cloud hangs over Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski, a Democrat from New Jersey, arrives to the US Capitol for a House vote on March 18, 2022. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Rep. Tom Malinowski had only token opposition in his Democratic primary for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, which he won tonight in a landslide. But the 2-term congressman enters the general election season having sustained self-inflicted political damage. Malinowski failed to report dozens of stock trades in violation of the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act's disclosure provisions until Insider revealed in March 2021 that he hadn't been following the law. In October 2021, the House Committee on Ethics acknowledged it was investigating Malinowsk for his stock trades. The independent Office of Congressional Ethics, in a recommendation to the House Committee on Ethics, concluded in a 5-1 vote that there is "substantial reason to believe" Malinowski broke the law. The House Committee on Ethics has a range of options. It could do nothing the most common outcome in cases before this committee tasked with policing its own. It also has the power to recommend to the full House a fine, reprimand, censure, or expulsion of a member. Through his lawyers, Malinowski has asked for leniency. But the committee, which has 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans, is taking its sweet time: It's issued no ruling in the more than 10 months that the Malinowski matter has been in its purview. Meanwhile, expect Republicans to pounce on Malinowski's ethical troubles in earnest, as the national GOP sees this race as a prime pick-up. Malinowski won his 2020 general election race by about 1 percentage point. He'll now face a 2022 re-match with the man he then vanquished, Republican Thomas Kean Jr., who also won his primary Tuesday night. Dave Levinthal A potential Republican 2024 hopeful coasts to an easy primary win South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks as she campaigns for U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) on January 3, 2021. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who is up for re-election this year, won her primary on Tuesday night. She's considered a possible contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination if Donald Trump does not decide to run. As governor, Noem has staked out hardline conservative stances on a host of culture war issues. She was an early opponent of masking mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, she signed a law banning transgender athletes from playing on teams that match their gender identities. Kayla Epstein Sen. John Thune marches on to November Sen. John Thune alongside Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at a news conference. Alex Wong/Getty Images Incumbent South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a Republican, handily won his primary. Thune is seeking a 4th term in the Senate. He will face Brian Bengs, a Democrat, in November. This US Senate seat is considered a safe one for Republicans. Kayla Epstein GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, prolific runner and tweeter, wins his primary Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa speaks with reporters in the Senate subway in Washington, DC, on April 9, 2019. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Grassley, the oldest Republican member of Congress, will be 89 by Election Day. If he wins reelection, as he's widely expected to do after winning tonight's primary in Iowa, then he'll be heading into his eighth term in office. Grassley is big on jogging, reporting that he runs on most days, and often challenges others to a push-up contest. When Donald Trump was president, Grassley was third in line to the White House as the Senate's pro tempore. Grassley's Twitter account often garners a great deal of attention for its authenticity. He shares when he dusts off his old vacuum, "Beth," to clean his home. He also turned to his Twitter followers in September 2020 when he found a dead pigeon in front of his house, clarifying later that it had "no life whatsoever." As it turns out, the pigeon wasn't a pet, he told his followers after he solved the mystery. "It was a racing pidgin (sic)." Kimberly Leonard Two Mississippi Republicans are headed for trouble Michael Guest US House of Representatives Reps. Michael Guest and Steve Palazzo, who both represent deep-red congressional districts in Mississippi, are on the brink of being forced into runoff elections against their primary challengers. Guest drew opposition from the right for his vote to create a bipartisan commission to investigate January 6. He narrowly trails primary opponent Michael Cassidy in Mississippi's 3rd District at 10:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Palazzo, who is under ethics investigations for misuse of campaign donor funds, is facing four Republican primary challengers and narrowly leads the split field with less than 35% of the vote. If one or both congressmen fails to earn 50% of the vote on Tuesday night, they'll go to a June 28 runoff election. -Grace Panetta Rep. Dusty Johnson wins South Dakota primary US House of Representatives Results are in for South Dakota's lone US House seat. Incumbent Rep. Dusty Johnson won his primary against state Rep. Taffy Howard. There are no Democrats running for the seat, so Johnson should coast to a general election victory in November. -Kayla Epstein Polls close in California Rep. Katie Porter of California. Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Polls just closed in California. Voters had until 8 p.m. Pacific Time to submit their mail-in ballots or cast a vote in person. It could take several days to finalize results in every race, due to California's heavy reliance on vote by mail. Political pundits are intensely watching the Los Angeles mayor's race, which features a showdown between frontrunners Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire Rick Caruso, both running as Democrats. If neither candidate gets over 50% of the vote to win the election outright, then the top two vote-getters will advance to November. Several US House districts throughout the state are also worth watching, especially in the purple districts of Southern California's Orange County. Kayla Epstein San Francisco voters give a progressive prosecutor the boot. District Attorney Chesa Boudin lost his recall campaign in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images San Francisco voters decisively recalled incumbent District Attorney Chesa Boudin, a major blow to the progressive prosecutor movement nationwide. Boudin, a former public defender, was elected in 2019 on a reform-minded agenda of reducing incarceration. But both intensifying local frustration over the state of crime and public safety in San Francisco, which has seen a rise in retail and auto break-ins during the pandemic, and an influx of outside money, led to Boduin's overwhelming ouster from office. -Grace Panetta Read the original article on Business Insider Crime scene tape surrounds a Sunoco station at 2280 Steltzer Road at Agler Road in Mifflin Township Tuesday night after Franklin County Sheriff's SWAT deputies fatally shot an armed suspect under surveillance for a double homicide May 31 in Prairie Township resulting from a drive-by shooting and crash. The cousin of a double-homicide suspect who was fatally shot by Franklin County SWAT deputies outside a Mifflin Township gas station Tuesday evening said he didn't know the suspect had a gun and didn't see one before the shooting. DeAngelo Franks, 20, told The Dispatch that he and his 20-year-old cousin Pozz Striblin, a female cousin and a family friend had left a family birthday party for two other relatives to head to the Sunoco station, located at 2280 Stelzer Road at Agler Road around 6:40 p.m. to get drinks and cigarettes. Franks said he didn't know Striblin was armed, or that he was involved in the May 31 fatal shooting of 35-year-old DeMarco Dubose as they were driving east on West Broad Street around 11 p.m. The shooting ultimately also caused the death of Dubose's girlfriend and passenger, 35-year-old Roline Williams, after the white Ford Crown Victoria Dubose they were in crashed into a bridge abutment for I-270. Double homicide: Victims in Prairie Township shooting and crash identified Franks also said he didn't know that Striblin had a warrant out for his arrest for failing to register as a sex offender from an offense as a teenager involving an assault on a young child. That warrant had been filed on May 11. Striblin had recently gotten over a bout with COVID, Franks said, and was wearing a ski mask as a precaution when he went into the convenience store at the Sunoco station. Meade confronted over Goodson shooting: Video shows dispute between Jason Meade, neighbor over Casey Goodson Jr. shooting Striblin "just came out of the store and we went to leave and (plainclothes Franklin County SWAT deputies) got right behind us and blocked us in," Franks said. Franks said all four occupants were ordered out at gunpoint. Striblin tried to run away, Franks said. He said he heard what he believed to be 14 shots and did not see Striblin fire any shots. He said the deputies administered first aid to Striblin after the shooting. Story continues Chief Deputy Rick Minerd said the deputies were in plainclothes and in unmarked vehicles while conducting surveillance on Striblin, but were wearing ballistic vests that identified them as law enforcement officers, as well as badges. No deputy involved in the shooting has been identified by the sheriff's office. Brian Steel, executive vice president of Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9, said Tuesday night at the scene that deputies saw Striblin was armed and wearing a ski mask, and believed he intended to rob the gas station before he was confronted. "We don't know any details, if the suspect pointed the gun or fired," Steel said. "But we do know there was a gun in his hand." A firearm was recovered at the scene, according to a release from the sheriff's office. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is conducting the investigation into the shooting. An employee at the Sunoco station told The Dispatch on Wednesday that the station turned over to investigators all of their video, which a law enforcement source said did capture the shooting and what occurred prior. Minerd said the deputies who confronted Striblin were part of the Franklin County SWAT team. The agency no longer works with the U.S. Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Team (SOFAST). The sheriff's office severed that partnership following the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Casey Goodson Jr. on Dec. 4, 2020. Former Franklin County SWAT deputy Jason Meade, a 17-year veteran who had been working on the task force, has been charged with murder and reckless homicide in connection with Goodson's death. Striblin was family-oriented, cousin says Striblin, Franks and Williams are all related, Franks confirmed. He said Striblin had a twin sister, as well as an older sister and two younger brothers. He had one child and another is on the way, according to Franks. "I never thought he'd had bad energy around him or anything," Franks said. "He's well-loved and he's gonna be missed." Franks and the two teenaged females that were with him were detained for five to six hours while waiting to speak with Ohio BCI investigators before being released. Investigation into shooting in early stages A statement from the sheriff's office said SWAT deputies were performing surveillance on Striblin on Tuesday evening prior to the shooting. The sheriff's office said the deputies aired a distress signal, which drew a number of officers from Columbus and suburban agencies to the scene. A large group of relatives of Striblin, who had been at the party less than a mile away, arrived at the scene on Tuesday evening. The family members were demanding answers from law enforcement on the scene and were upset by the media's presence. According to records from the sheriff's office, Striblin had been found delinquent of a count of gross sexual imposition for a sexual assault for a child under the age of 10. He was required to register annually for 10 years and was scheduled to register in April, Minerd said. When Striblin failed to show up for his appointment to register, a letter was sent to his last known address ordering him to come into the sheriff's office and register. With no response to that letter, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Minerd said the decision was made not to file charges against Striblin in the double homicide before investigators could speak with him. "He already had an active felony arrest warrant," Minerd said. "SWAT knew why we had urgency to get him into custody." Family still reeling after two deaths in close proximity On Tuesday, sitting outside Striblin's mother's home, Franks said he hoped the deputy involved in the shooting goes to jail and that he wants to file a lawsuit. "It's not even about me as much as the girls didn't need to see that," Franks said. He said the family was still reeling from Williams' death, which was the result of injuries from the crash after Dubose was shot. Williams was critically injured in the crash and died at OhioHealth Doctors West Hospital a short time later. "We're trying to keep our heads afloat," Franks said. "It's hard, but we'll most likely get through it. It just takes time to grieve." Steel expressed condolences to Striblin's family on Tuesday night, but emphasized Striblin was armed and dangerous and was a suspect in a double homicide. "I'm sure he (the suspect) has a family, and I pray for that family," Steel said. "Our deputies are going home, and that's number one for us." None of the deputies involved were wearing body cameras in the incident. The sheriff's office is set to begin implementation of the body cameras this summer, beginning with uniformed patrol deputies. The lack of a body camera on Meade during the Goodson shooting resulted in heavy public criticism as there were no other witnesses, racial justice protests and pushed Franklin County commissioners to purchase the body cameras. Editor's Note: An original version of this story incorrectly listed the last name of the cousin. Cole Behrens is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety and breaking news. You can reach him at CBehrens@dispatch.com or find him on Twitter at @Colebehr_report. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Suspect in double homicide killed by Franklin County SWAT deputies Nicole Jackson-Maldonado, the 15-year-old girl facing up to life in prison on a charge of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer in a shootout with deputies, told a judge on Wednesday that she wants to go to trial. Jackson-Maldonado declined a plea offer by prosecutors that would send her to state prison for 20 years followed by 40 years of probation. It is a starkly different plea offer than the one accepted by her co-defendant in the case, a 13-year-old boy who faced the same charges and could be released from a juvenile facility in less than three years. Since the boy was charged as a juvenile, The News-Journal is not naming him. Jackson-Maldonado was charged as an adult. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn asked Jackson whether she wanted to speak about the choice facing her. Yes, hmm, I think taking it to trial is, like, kind of better than just taking a plea deal, Jackson-Maldonado said. So, I kind of think its my choice to do that. The judge scheduled a hearing for July 6 at which time a trial date may be set. Nicole Jackson hearing at the Justice Center in Daytona Beach, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 A 'stupid mistake': Calling from Volusia jail, girl accused of firing at deputies says it was a 'stupid mistake' Boy found guilty: Boy in shootout with deputies found guilty, committed to juvenile facility, then probation Ruled competent: 14-year-old girl accused of trying to kill Volusia deputies in shootout ruled competent All for not shooting kids: Examining the runaways gunfight: 'I'm all for not killing kids but ... we need to do something' Jackson-Maldonado was 14 and the boy was 12 on June 1, 2021, when they ran away from the Florida United Methodist Childrens Home in Enterprise, broke into a house where they found some guns and then both shot at responding deputies, according to charging affidavits. No deputy was hit, but Jackson-Maldonado was shot by deputies when she walked out of the house with a gun, affidavits stated. The boy was prosecuted in juvenile court on the same charges and was sentenced in March to a maximum risk commitment program. Once released, the boy, who was slight and not much taller than the podium in the courtroom, will be on conditional release, a juvenile-version of probation. Story continues In contrast to the boy, Jackson-Maldonado is taller than some adults. She stood in adult felony court in an orange jumpsuit with her hands in handcuffs attached to a belt, like all inmates appearing before a judge at the S. James Foxman Justice Center in Daytona Beach. Nicole Jackson hearing at the Justice Center in Daytona Beach, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Both the boy and Jackson-Maldonado have been previously detained under the state's Baker Act, which allows for the involuntary commitment of someone considered a danger to him or herself or others. Jackson-Maldonado was also accused last year of setting fires to vacant lots in Palm Coast. Jackson-Maldonado, who has been held in the Volusia County Branch jail since her release from a hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds, was charged with attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer (firearm), burglary of a dwelling while armed, and criminal mischief causing damage of $1,000 or more. Those are the same charges the boy pled to. Assistant State Attorney Mark Interlicchio on Wednesday described the plea deal offered to the girl. Interlicchio said the plea offer would amend the charge of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer to attempted first-degree murder. On that charge, Jackson-Maldonado would be sentenced to 20 years in state prison followed by 10 years probation. She would serve a total of 40 years probation on all three charges. Jackson-Maldonado would be adjudicated guilty and must pay restitution, which is the same outcome as for the boy. Blackburn asked Jackson-Maldonado whether she had discussed the plea offer with her attorney, Assistant Public Defender Larry Avallone. I did your honor, Jackson-Maldonado said. The judge asked Avallone whether he had explained to her that she faced up to life in prison. Avallone said he had. Ms. Jackson, you understand that? Blackburn asked. Yes, I do, Jackson-Maldonado said. And you understand that if you were to be convicted as charged, you have a possible life exposure, which would mean the rest of your natural life would be served in prison, Blackburn asked. You understand that? Yes, your honor, she said. The judge told her to continue speaking to her attorneys who were experienced and could give her good guidance about her chances at trial and what the state could prove or not prove. I'm going to encourage you to continue to have some very serious discussions with your lawyer, Blackburn said. But you need to really listen to what they're saying, Blackburn said. This is a huge decision for you that, frankly, children of your age, rarely have to face. And that is not something that should be taken lightly. It's not something that should be done without really careful, cautious considerations. 'Dangerous young woman' Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood, who after the shooting compared Jackson-Maldonado and the boy's actions to "Bonnie and Clyde," repeated in a text on Wednesday that he supported the State Attorney's decision in the plea offer of 20 years in prison. When asked if he thought it was fair to treat the boy and the girl so differently, Chitwood repeated he supported prosecutors. "What is so hard to understand, plea deals are the purview of the State Attorney. I support the State Attorney 1,000% in what he's doing, as do all my deputies," Chitwood texted. In a previous story, Chitwood stated that Jackson-Maldonado needed to be held accountable and said she was a "dangerous young woman who needs a lot of help." Volusia County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Don Maxwell attended the boys sentencing. During the shooting, Maxwell had taken cover as the boy and the girl shot at deputies, bullets striking the tree Maxwell stood behind, according to reports. Maxwell told the boy during the hearing in March that he forgave him and that he would pray for him. On Wednesday the Sheriff's Office said Maxwell would have no comment on the girl's case. State Attorney R.J. Larizza's Office did not respond to questions emailed by The News-Journal, but has in the past declined to comment on open cases. Craig J. Trocino, director of the Miami Law Innocence Clinic at the University of Miami Law School, said previously that Jackson-Maldonado's case belonged in the juvenile system. Trocino said: We have a child in need of services who has a history of needing the services and needing them quite severely who presumably isn't getting them and now when it all goes really bad, we say Oh, they're an adult. She has the ability to formulate mental criminal intent, the same way a 30-year-old woman does.' And that's just absurd to me. The shootout with deputies On June 1, 2021, Jackson-Maldonado and the boy ran away from the Florida United Methodist Children's Home in Enterprise where they were living. Jackson-Maldonado, then 14, and the boy, then 12, ended up breaking into a house and arming themselves with an AK-47, a 12-gauge shotgun and a pistol they found inside, according to reports. The boy later told investigators that once they found the firearms and the deputies arrived, the girl said she was going to take them on like in the video game "Grand Theft Auto." When Volusia County Sheriff's Office deputies surrounded the house, Jackson-Maldonado and the boy started shooting at the deputies, reports stated. Deputies initially held their fire. But in the end, deputies shot Jackson-Maldonado after they said she pointed a shotgun or rifle at them, according to reports. At least one deputy said he believed she fired the weapon. The boy surrendered and was not shot. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Nicole Jackson-Maldonado, teen accused in shootout, wants to go to trial Unacceptable doesnt begin to cover it. A police shooting, under any circumstances, demands maximum transparency, not obsessive secrecy. Yet, in Niagara Falls, Mayor Robert Restaino kept his constituents in the dark for more than a day and, even then, was parsimonious with information that was due to residents. On Tuesday, nearly 96 hours after the shooting, police and the mayor finally filled in more of the gaps. The information they shared makes the delay all the more puzzling. Body camera video shows police shooting a suspect who charged them with a knife in his hand. A similar situation in Buffalo earlier this year was promptly made public and showed police acting not only professionally, but compassionately to a suspect in the midst of a mental health crisis. So why the mayors secrecy, which could do nothing but make people wonder if there was something to hide? Indeed, Restaino belatedly acknowledged that the process was not ideal, but insisted on Monday three days after the shooting that because some facts were not connecting, it was better to say little. Thats wrong. It wasnt an all-or-nothing situation not when a public employee shoots someone. Transparency builds and protects trust. From the start, police should have been telling the public as much as it could including names and the fundamental fact of a shooting involving a police officer while acknowledging any continuing uncertainties. Its the minimum city residents had a right to expect. But until Restaino finally opened up Tuesday, even the names of those involved had been closely guarded secrets. There was no word on whether the individual who was shot had been charged with a crime or even the street where the confrontation occurred. The two officers involved, identified Tuesday as Lt. Joseph Scibilia and Officer Greg Paul, were placed on administrative leave. No charges had been filed against the suspect as of Tuesday afternoon. Even at the news conference, though, city officials remained oddly closed-mouthed about some of the details, declining to reveal how many shots were fired, how many times the suspect was shot or where on his body he was shot. That man was identified Tuesday as Reginald D. Barnes, 29. He remained in critical condition in a Buffalo hospital. One of the policeman suffered what police described as minor injuries. It took the city 29 hours even to acknowledge that a police officer had shot someone. The first news release offered disturbingly little information about a domestic call near Niagara Falls Boulevard and 80th Street. The statement offered no indication that an officer had shot anyone or why the person needed to be taken to a hospital. On Saturday, police did finally acknolwledge that an officer had shot a man, but Police Superintendent John Faso said that all press inquiries must go through Mayor Restainos public information officer. Until Tuesday, no further information was forthcoming. This was Restainos first such high-profile event, so perhaps its fair to cut him some slack. Heres hoping, then, that there isnt another one and, second, if there is, that the mayor has the lessons of this mishandled episode. 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. Smith Collection/Gado/Getty As the number of monkeypox cases rises around the world, the Biden administration is ramping up its ability to dispatch thousandsor potentially millionsof vaccine doses to fight what has quickly become the largest outbreak of the virus in history. But troubling early indicators of groups that may be at high risk for contracting could mean that the guidelines dictating who is eligible for those vaccines may need to shift. On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services instructed the manufacturer of the latest vaccine for the virus to deliver 36,000 doses from an American stockpile in Europe. Once delivered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be able to distribute them to a dozen states where cases of the rare illness have been confirmed since mid-May. The swift request of tens of thousands of vaccine doses comes as the number of known domestic cases reached 31 on Monday, according to the CDC, part of a pair of outbreaks that have seen more than a thousand cases across nearly three dozen countries. The request, as well as the swift creation of guidelines for who will receive doses of the vaccines, public health experts said, showcases that some of the lessons learned from early missteps in the COVID-19 pandemic response have been put into practice. But with several superspreader events related to LGBT venues and events in Europe, some public health experts are hoping for a more aggressive posture on who will be able to receive a vaccineeven though no public health experts are calling for a COVID-esque mass vaccination strategy. I applaud the Biden administration in securing additional doses of the vaccine, but it needs a more coherent strategy for identification of cases and close contacts, and for determining which individuals or populations should be offered the vaccine, said Lawrence Gostin, director of the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown Law Center. I worry greatly that we will see an escalation of cases, especially in high risk groups such as men who have sex with men. I also worry that we are repeating the errors of the AIDS epidemic by stigmatizing these communities and driving them underground. Story continues Sex at European Raves Could Explain Monkeypox Outbreak: WHO Adviser The monkeypox viruswhich, despite its name, primarily affects rodentshas previously been restricted largely to Central and West African communities, although an American outbreak in 2003 infected more than 40 people after the virus found a reservoir in prairie dogs in the American Southwest. But this most recent outbreak is the widest in the known history of the virus, with more than a thousand confirmed cases as of Tuesday, largely in Western Europe and the United States. Monkeypox is not dissimilar from chickenpox and smallpox, with symptoms including fever, headaches and soreness, as well as swollen lymph nodes, eventually leading to fluid-filled lesions that can leave permanent scars. All of the people who have contracted the illness in the latest outbreak have recovered, but the long-term side effects of the illness are not well understood. We are prepared, but Ive always learned its wise to face infectious disease threats not with overconfidence, but with humility, Dr. Raj Panjabi, the White Houses senior director for global health security and biodefense, told reporters in a call on Friday. A monkeypox outbreak of this scale and scope across the world, it has not been seen before. Although President Joe Biden called the outbreak something that everybody should be concerned about on May 22, he later sought to dampen concern about the virus, particularly for pandemic-weary Americans concerned about another virus. I just dont think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19, Biden told reporters last month. But I think people should be careful. An HHS spokesperson declined to comment on the record, but noted that the request for increased vaccination doses from the American stockpile is intended to give public health agencies the ability to respond to any future needs, rather than in response to any anticipated increase in case numbers. We will continue to work with jurisdictions to support their response, Dawn OConnell, HHSs assistant secretary for preparedness and response, wrote in a blog post announcing the vaccine instruction on Monday. However, at this time, we do not anticipate the need for widespread, mass deployment of vaccines and treatments. If there were such a need, the U.S. is sitting on an enormous stockpile of the vaccines, currently held in storage in Europe. There are actually about 1.5 million doses that have been produced, Freedman said. Theyre in single vials, FDA approved, ready to go. The 36,000 doses requested by HHS on Monday will come from that repository, and will be distributed to state health authorities by the CDC. Previous outbreaks outside of Central and West Africa have primarily been limited to zoonotic transmissionthat is, direct transmission from an animal to a human. But the current outbreaks appear to have been spread by human-to-human transmission, making the swift implementation of a vaccination strategy of critical importance to prevent the illness from becoming endemic in new human populations. Its unlikely, based on what we've seen so far, that a mass vaccination strategy of the general population is going to be requiredthe thoughts now are to continue with a so-called 'ring vaccination' strategy, said Dr. David Freedman, a professor emeritus of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama and an expert in tropical diseases. You identify a case, and then identify anybody they came into contact with for seven days or 14 days before they actually got sick, and then vaccinate those people. Effectively, Freedman said, youre vaccinating a ring around those people to prevent the virus from spreading. The ring, however, can be quite wide, including not just close physical contacts like family members, roommates and sex partners, but also the medical staff tasked with treating confirmed cases. Monkeypox Is Spreading During Sexand That Is Actually a Relief But while infectious disease experts note that monkeypox is far less contagious than smallpox, the related virus that was once a global scourge but was effectively brought to extinction in the late 1970s by a worldwide vaccination campaign, several apparent superspreader events in Europemost of them popular with transgender people and men who have sex with menhave raised concerns that this outbreak is more effective at human-to-human transmission. The Biden administration told The Daily Beast that the increase in doses requested from the national stockpileroughly 1,200 of which have already been administeredhas nothing to do with an expected strengthening of the outbreak, or the possibility that the guidance on who is eligible for these vaccines will change to include members of high-risk groups. But as Pride Month kicks into gear in the United States, Freedman said, the CDCs current guidance on who is eligible for vaccine doses could be expanded, particularly after apparent amplifying events in Europea sauna in Madrid, a rave in Antwerp, a Pride festival in the Canary Islandwere linked to a high number of monkeypox cases, many of them apparently transmitted through sexual contact. If more events like that come to light, it would make sense to say that if you attended this event, you'd be eligible, Freedman said. The CDC has not gone so far as some other national health organizations in emphasizing the risk that monkeypox presents to men who have sex with men, but a newly published guidance on Social Gatherings, Safer Sex and Monkeypox includes recommendations on safer behavior at raves, parties, clubs, and festivalsas well as ClipArt of people waving rainbow flags at a parade. (Sample guidance: A rave, party, or club where there is minimal clothing and where there is direct, personal, often skin-to-skin contact has some risk.) The World Health Organization is still finalizing full guidance for national authorities on the best approach to vaccination in the management of monkeypox, said Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesperson for the WHO. U.S. guidelines, however, are already in effect. Currently, the CDCs guidance for monkeypox vaccination calls for doses to be distributed to confirmed cases, as well as the ring of people who have had unprotected contact with a known cases skin, mucous membranes, or bodily fluids, as well as close enough physical proximity to risk infection by aerosolized saliva. That strategy is known as post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, perhaps best known as a treatment course following potential exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus. That, so far, is the extent of those eligible for a monkeypox vaccination, said Dave Daigle, an associate communications director with the CDCs Office on Public Health Preparedness and Response We are not currently recommending a second ringwhich is the recommendation of vaccination of contacts-of-contacts, Daigle said. Until we know more, we will be using available vaccine stocks for people whove had close contact with known cases, and people at highest risk for exposure through their jobs, like healthcare workers treating monkeypox patients. Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of epidemiology at UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health and of Medicine, noted that the ring vaccination strategy was a successful tool in the fight against smallpox, strengthening the administrations argument that targeted vaccinations are an effective tactic in combating the outbreak so far. Identifying cases and vaccinating contacts was the approach the WHO used to eradicate smallpox, a more transmissible virus for humans than monkeypox, Brewer said. Given the success with smallpox, limiting vaccination to direct contacts of cases and individuals likely to be exposed to monkeypox because of their jobs is a reasonable initial strategy. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here 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. In a matter of seconds, a police officer in the parking lot outside of Antigo High School rushed toward the sound of gunfire. The noise brought that officer, Andy Hopfensperger, to the main entrance of the school, where he saw a former student, 18-year-old Jakob Wagner, carrying a rifle. Wagner had already shot and wounded two students. Hopfensperger shouted at Wagner to drop his weapon. He didnt. Instead, Wagner turned and fired at Hopfensperger, who returned fire and fatally shot Wagner. It was shortly after 11 p.m. April 23, 2016. Inside the school, more than a hundred unsuspecting students were attending prom. Hopfensperger had been patrolling the parking lot outside of the school with another officer and a police dog when he heard "loud bangs" and saw sparks fly at the feet of a nearby group of students, according to a report by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The swiftness of Hopfensperger's response to the threat drew praise from the community and earned him the nation's most prestigious honor for police officers. I think that was a key part of our response, Antigo Police Chief Dan Duley said in an interview this week. The officer was able to identify the threat very quickly and stop that threat. RELATED: Wisconsin Republicans Robin Vos and Kevin Nicholson are open to the idea of arming teachers in the face of school shootings RELATED: Wisconsin Democrats call for stricter gun laws, GOP candidate Nicholson seeks more armed security after Texas school shootings That wasn't the case more recently in Uvalde, Texas, where authorities have already acknowledged police were too slow to confront the person responsible for a shooting at an elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead. The officers at several police departments in Wisconsin responsible for training their colleagues how to respond to these types of incidents repeatedly emphasized the need to quickly stop any threat, even if a single officer is put in a position to go alone. Story continues That's what happened in Antigo, where Hopfensperger had, along with the rest of the department, already trained at the high school where the incident took place. The training hasn't changed as a result of the incident, Duley said, but it did reinforce that these scenarios can happen anywhere. "Nobody is really immune to it," he said. "Everyone has the potential for something to happen." 'Time is a priority' Russ Blahnik is one of two instructors at the Grand Chute Police Department who is responsible for teaching other officers how to respond to active shooters. He prepares officers to quickly respond to threats without waiting for help to arrive instead, it's necessary to "move in and eliminate the threat," he said. "If I hear the sound of gunshots or if I hear people yelling, telling me where the shooter is or the threat is, that's our priority," he said. The work doesn't end when the threat is gone, though. The priority shifts to providing help to anyone with injuries, even if paramedics haven't arrived yet. "We have to change our focus from stopping the killing to stopping the dying," he said. The threat isn't always limited to a person with a gun: for example, a vehicle in a crowded setting can be just as deadly, Blahnik said. You have to be willing to adapt, he said. The threat isnt always as clear cut as it would be in a training manual. Blahnik has led training exercises in multiple settings in his community, including the Fox River Mall the same place where, on Jan. 31, 2021, shots rang out in the food court and forced crowds of people to flee or find places to hide as police swarmed the area. Police respond to a shooting Jan. 31, 2021, at the Fox River Mall in Grand Chute. The response was "what we would expect for an active shooter," Blahnik said, even if it was later determined to be a more isolated incident. Jovanni Frausto, a 19-year-old from Neenah, died, while a bystander was wounded. In February, Dezman Ellis, 18, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection with the incident. The incident revealed how important communication becomes when police often from multiple departments respond to a large-scale event, Blahnik said. Many police departments find ways to practice how they would respond to an active shooter: last year in Neenah, it involved an empty Shopko building, where police and paramedics worked together to coordinate how things would go. "That's the biggest thing with critical incidents is getting everyone working together on the same page," said Jeff Bernice, assistant chief at the Neenah Police Department. Bernice explained the priorities for their officers: first, stop the threat; second, treat the injured; and third, clear the building. "When somebody is injured, time is a priority," he said. It isn't easy, but it's important to be prepared "all the time, both physically and mentally, to respond to these situations," Bernice said. Avoid. Deny. Defend. Todd Wrage has taught officers at the Oshkosh Police Department how to respond to active shooters for years. Wrage, though, has also led hundreds of classes for the general public, giving advice on what people should do if they're caught up in a situation with an active shooter. He can summarize his advice in three words: Avoid. Deny. Defend. If it's possible to get away, get away, Wrage said. If not, find a place to hide, preferably somewhere behind a locked door. And as a last resort, fight to survive. Many people feel helpless when they're first asked to talk about how they would respond to an active shooter situation, but it is Wrage's goal to show that isn't actually the case. "They're not hopeless," he said. "They can do something. They just need to know what to do and when to do it." Police respond after a school resource officer shot a student during an altercation Dec. 3, 2019, at Oshkosh West High School. Wrage trains officers too and, as difficult as these situations can seem, their response "is actually very simple," he said. We respond as fast as we can, we find out where the gunfire is coming from, we go to it and we stop it, he said. It doesnt get much easier than that. Wrage was involved when, shortly after 9 a.m. Dec. 3, 2019, Michael Wissink, a school resource officer at Oshkosh West High School, was allegedly stabbed by Grant Fuhrman at the time a 16-year-old student at the school. A struggle ensued, but quickly came to an end when Wissink shot Fuhrman in the chest, according to court documents. The student was charged with attempted homicide in connection with the incident, but has yet to stand trial. "When we find out we've got shots fired in a school, it's going to draw all of us as fast as we can get there," he said. Still, if a small group of officers can respond quickly, that's the expectation, Wrage said. "I think every officer understands if this is what has to be done, it has to be done," he said. "There really isn't any hesitation when it comes to that." 'Not just a school security guard' There is another aspect of preparing for active shooters that goes beyond any training exercise: prevention, said Nathan Cihlar, a detective at the Wausau Police Department who, as part of his role, supervises the department's four school resource officers. Those officers play a critical role in school security, teaching staff and students to always be vigilant for possible threats, Cihlar said, but they've got another role too: building relationships. It's important for school resource officers to "try to find a way to get a foot in the door," especially with students who have had bad experiences with police in the past. "They're not just a school security guard," he said. The department keeps school resource officers in the same school as long as possible in an effort to build long-term relationships with students, hoping they'll be more comfortable approaching a familiar face if they have an issue, Cihlar said. Police respond March 22, 2017, to a series of shootings that left four people dead, including an officer with the Everest Metro Police Department. Cihlar was working when, on March 22, 2017, four people, including an officer with an Everest Metro Police Department, were killed in a shooting spree that happened at multiple locations. "One of the biggest things you learn about is communication," said Cihlar, who explained the response to the incident required coordination across jurisdictions as multiple agencies responded to the series of incidents. The amount of communication was almost overwhelming: multiple calls to dispatchers from people affected, witnesses reaching out to police and officers from different agencies trying to find out where to go, Cihlar said. "If people can't communicate with each other and your neighboring agency doesn't know what's going on, it severely hampers your efforts," he said. The amount of work police do to prepare for these situations helps combat fear in the community, Cihlar said. "We're trying to help our community understand that we're prepared for these things and we're ready to respond," he said. Contact Chris Mueller at 920-996-7267 or cmueller@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AtChrisMueller. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: How police in Neenah, Oshkosh, Wausau train to stop active shooters With L.A. Pride around the corner and Season 7 of RuPauls Drag Race All Stars in full swing, the planets are aligned for a blowout weekend as the yearly event makes its debut in Hollywood, after more than 50 years of taking place in West Hollywood. UPDATED: On June 11, a slew of all-star drag queens will appear in Drag: The Musical Live! at the Bourbon Room Hollywood for three performances. All Stars Season 2 winner Alaska Thunderfuck 5000, All Stars Season 4 winner Monet X Change, Drag Race Season 12 competitor Jackie Cox, New York City-based queen Lagoona Bloo, Fire Island star Nick Adams and more are set to appear. The Friday, June 10 show has been canceled, and instead there will be a guest performance and DJ set from Bob The Drag Queen at 10 p.m. More from Variety Additionally, All Stars Season 3 winner and musician Trixie Mattel will be in the DJ booth the evening of June 11 for her L.A. Pride Pink Party, which will directly follow the 9 p.m. performance of the musical. The show will also appear in the Pride Village Street Festival, a block party in partnership with L.A. Pride, where Alaska and Adams will perform cuts from the soundtrack at 4:30 p.m. on June 12 on the Hollywood Pride Village main stage. Manila Luzon, another season Drag Race alumna, will be hosting festivities that day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. PT at the Bourbon Room on Hollywood Blvd. The soundtrack for Drag: The Musical Live! was released last month, and the performances this weekend will include the option to purchase meet-and-greets with the cast. The show was co-written and conceived by Alaska with collaborators Tomas Costanza and Ashley Gordon, and is directed by Spencer Liff. Drag: The Musical tells the story of two rival drag bars that go head-to-head for survival while facing financial troubles. Story continues The soundtrack of the musical features even more drag and theater royalty, and features appearances from Alaska, Adams, Michelle Visage, Max von Essen, Bob The Drag Queen, Peppermint, Monet X Change, Jujubee, Fortune Feimster, Margaret Cho, Ginger Minj, Divina De Campo, Lagoona Bloo, Jamie Torcellini and Jack Rodman. 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. (reddit) Disneyland Paris came under fire last week after a video surfaced of a theme park employee interrupting a marriage proposal. The worker ushered the couple off a platform where the proposal was taking place, but not without snatching the engagement ring from the guests hands. A spokesperson for Disney has since apologised for the incident. The viral video was initially shared to Reddit on Thursday with the caption: POS [piece of sh*t] destroyed my best friends moment. He asked for permission beforehand. In the 21-second clip, a man is seen bending down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend at the Disneyland attraction in Paris, France. Seconds later, a male employee rushes in between them and grabs the engagement ring box out of his hands. The park employee then guided the couple off the platform which had a perfect view of the Sleeping Beautys castle and towards a metal gate. Both the newly engaged couple and onlookers seemed confused by the Disneyland workers orders. The male partner is seen telling the employee, She said yes, and pointing to the female theme park worker who granted him permission to propose on the platform. The male Disneyland worker replied, Yes, thats great but over here will be even better, followed by boos from the crowd. The Reddit user who posted the video clarified in the comments that their friend asked a female coworker who gave him permission to propose on the platform prior to the viral incident. Now, the German man whose proposal was ruined has spoken up about the shocking moment. In an interview with the New York Times, Ante said he and his fiancee were saddened after the proposal was interrupted by the Disneyland Paris employee. Disneyland stands for dreams, he told the NYTimes. Our moment was destroyed. Ante, 31, explained how the magic of Disney has played an important role in the four years hes been with his now fiancee, 26. He said he had been planning the proposal for five months, ever since his fiancee gifted him Disneyland tickets for Christmas. Story continues Disney has not yet commented on whether the theme park employee faced disciplined action. Disneyland Paris apologizes after employee ruins wedding proposal: We regret how this was handled. We have apologized to the couple involved and offered to make it right. pic.twitter.com/J4hlnieVJ3 Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 4, 2022 We regret how this was handled, a Disney spokesperson told Newsweek. We have apologised to the couple involved and offered to make it right. Ante revealed that Disney reached out by phone and email to offer the couple a free weekend in a Disneyland park and hotel of their choosing, but they refused the offer. I dont want to visit Disneyland any more, he said. They cant give us the moment back and thats the only thing I want to get a second chance. The shocking moment received many comments online from Reddit users who were appalled by the employees interruption. I wanna see the extended version where they all boo him because you can hear the beginning of it, said one person. Their admission pass didnt include the $149 optional Proposal Photograph fee, joked someone else. Hall monitor energy, said another Reddit user. Some people wondered if the Disneyland Paris employee had been fired by the company for disrupting the guests special moment. Disney does not joke around with any employee who ruins a visitors time, said one person, while another user wrote: Theres no way Disney can have a guy working for them who doesnt understand a wedding ring is not something to be snatched away mid-proposal. Others simply couldnt believe that the worker had grabbed the engagement ring from the mans hands in the middle of his proposal. Even if you think youre doing the right thing enforcing some policy or other, you DO NOT snatch an expensive engagement ring out of someones f**king hand, a Reddit user commented. If some stranger ran up and snatched a diamond ring out of my hand, more than the moment would be ruined, another person said. The Independent has contacted Disney for comment. Global arthouse movie streamer, producer and distributor MUBI has acquired all Turkish rights to Iranian director Saeed Roustaees timely Cannes title Leilas Brothers. A female empowerment drama set against the backdrop of a family crushed by debts linked to international economic sanctions, Leilas Brothers won the International Federation of Film Critics (Fipresci) prize for best film in Cannes main competition. More from Variety The film, which is Roustaees third feature, follows from his tense actioner Just 6.5, about a cop trying to pin down a drug lord. This hit film, which exposed Irans heroin addiction plague, made an international splash and this year was nominated for Frances Cesar Award for best foreign film. Leilas Brothers sees the 40-year-old Leila, played by Taraneh Alidoosti (The Salesman), as the titular character who has spent her whole life taking care of her parents and her four brothers. She has a plan to save the debt-crushed family from poverty, but obstacles tied to tradition get in the way. Theres no question that The Salesman alum Taraneh Alidoosti, who plays Leila, towers over this male-dominated ensemble, wrote Variety critic Peter Debruge in his review, in which he also noted that Roustaee represents a new generation of Iranian auteurs. Leilas Brothers looks set to resonate with audiences in Turkey where MUBIs upcoming and past releases comprise Park Chan-wooks Cannes prize-winner Decision To Leave; Celine Sciammas BAFTA-nominated Petite Maman; and Julia Ducournaus 2021 Palme dOr winner Titane. MUBI, which has a unique business model that sometimes involves theatrical distribution prior to platform play, did not specify if it has theatrical plans for Leilas Brothers in Turkey. Story continues The MUBI platform offers a curated lineup of arthouse films from around the world. A new title is added each day as another is removed. Earlier this year, MUBI bought prominent European sales company The Match Factory and its production arm Match Factory Productions. Since then MUBI has also been on a buying spree, taking select territories for another standout Iranian title in Cannes, Danish-Iranian filmmaker Ali Abbasis Holy Spider; Belgian director Lukas Dhonts Cannes competition title Close; and Un Certain Regard film Return to Seoul. The company swoooped for Decision to Leave before the festival kicked off. 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. Four Volusia County police agencies are expected to announce Thursday they are creating a special events zone this weekend as crowds for a truck meet rescheduled to be held in South Florida may still come to the Daytona Beach area. In February, the infamous Daytona Truck Meet was rebranded as the Florida Truck Meet and was officially moved to South Florida for its 2022 edition, slated for June 10-12 in Homestead. In its eight years in Daytona Beach, the gathering of monster trucks and the people who love them had developed a reputation as an unwelcome annual event that turned city neighborhoods into war zones beset by roaring engines, ear-splitting train horns, smoke-belching exhaust systems and objectionable behavior by attendees that treated the city like an open-air toilet and trash can. But even though the event has been moved due to public pressure, local officials believe that some of the truck enthusiasts will still be coming to the Daytona Beach area rather than head south. "While a large percentage of truck enthusiasts will be in South Florida for the three-day event, Daytona Beach police are anticipating some will arrive here," the police department said in a news release. The law enforcement agencies the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Daytona Beach Shores Department of Public Safety are acting on a new Florida law that took effect on May 26. The law gives police the power to designate a special events zone and implement enhanced penalties for non-criminal traffic infractions. According to the law introduced by local legislator, State Rep. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, law enforcement officers also have the authority to impound violators' vehicles, while also providing communities with "enforceable," enhanced penalties for violations of noise and sound ordinances. More: Huge Memorial Day weekend crowds swamp Daytona, shut down bridges Story continues More: Daytona Beach police chief: End truck meet; 300 officers trying to control 50,000 visitors More: So long, Daytona Truck Meet: Event won't return to Volusia in 2022, organizers say Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood will hold a joint press conference on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the Stephen Saboda Training Center at 3901 Tiger Bay Road. He will be joined by Daytona Beach police Chief Jakari Young, Daytona Beach Shores public safety Director Stephan Dembinsky and Volusia County Beach Safety Director Andrew Ethridge. Daytona Beach police officials said truckers are welcome in Daytona Beach but they are also expected to respect the law. Daytona Beach police said they will actively monitor crowds and traffic congestion associated with cruising. "Burnouts, loud horns and music, driving through residential neighborhoods and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated," the department said in its release. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Stricter penalties expected for truck meet crowds expected in Daytona Zach Nunn, a state senator and Air Force veteran, won the June 7 Republican primary election in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District, setting him up to challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, a Democrat, in the fall. Zach Nunn, 43, is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a squadron commander in the Iowa Air National Guard. He served two combat tours in Afghanistan and another in Iraq. In 2021, Nunn helped organize flights to evacuate people from Afghanistan as U.S. troops pulled out of the country. More: Air Force veteran Zach Nunn wins 3rd District Republican primary; will challenge Rep. Cindy Axne Nunn was elected to the Iowa House in 2014, then to the state Senate in 2018. He campaigned on his legislative record, including a sweeping tax cut passed this year. Election Results: See Iowa primary election results across the state Who is Zach Nunn? Answers provided by the candidate. Full candidate Q&A available here. Age: 43 Town of residence: Bondurant Party affiliation: Republican Education: Bachelor's in political science from Drake University; advanced degrees in international security from Cambridge University; cybersecurity from Air Command and Staff College; and strategy and technology innovation from Air War College Occupation: U.S. Air Force, small business owner Previous elected offices held: Iowa House of Representatives, 2014-2018, currently serving in Iowa Senate Major civic activities: Task Force Argo, co-founder; Harkin Institute Scholarship Board; Knights of Columbus, 4th Degree; Veterans of Foreign Wars, Altoona Post founders; American Legion, Bondurant Post; Civil Air Patrol More: Air Force veteran Zach Nunn wins 3rd District Republican primary; will challenge Rep. Cindy Axne Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 410-340-3440. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Republican Zach Nunn to run against Cindy Axne in November election Candidates for Central Washington's District 4 seat in the U.S. House discuss their views on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. District 4 Q&A The Yakima Herald-Republic in early June asked District 4 congressional candidates for their position on a variety of local and national issues. Their responses will be published ahead of the Aug. 2 primary election as part of a weekly series. Look for the next Q&A online and in print on Wednesday, June 15. Loren Culp Name: Loren Culp Age: 61 Community of residence: Moses Lake Occupation: U.S. Army veteran, former Republic police chief, political candidate Education: Unknown Community service: Unknown Previously elected office: None Benancio Garcia Name: Benancio Benny Garcia Age: 50 Community of residence: Sunnyside Occupation: Tanker crewman in the U.S. Army and National Guard, Americorps supervisor at OIC of Washington, loan specialist and community development specialist U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Education: B.A. from Yakima Valley Community College Community service: Americorps, Northwest Harvest, working with at-risk youth, community cleanup Previous elected office: None Anything else of note: Garcia is the plaintiff in one of two lawsuits filed over new voting boundaries in the Yakima Valley. Corey Gibson Name: Corey Gibson Age: 44 Community of residence: Selah Occupation: Owner of marketing company Nexus Creative Studios Education: Some college education Community service: Foster First board member; former creative director for Walt Disney Company's largest employee volunteer project Flashback; winner of the Horatio Alger/Louis Feinstein Humanitarian Award Previous elected office: None Brad Klippert Name: Brad Klippert Age: 64 Community of residence: Kennewick Occupation: Aviator in the U.S. Army, Commander of the Washington State Guard, Benton County Sheriffs Deputy Education: EMT training from Columbia Basin College; paramedic training from Central Washington University; bachelors degree in Behavioral Science and Biblical Studies from Northwest University; masters in teaching from City University Community service: The ARC of Washington state, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Association of Washington Business, the Fraternal Order of Police, Washington Council, the Washington Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, the Washington Food Industry Association Previous elected office: State representative for District 8, 2008-present Jacek Kobiesa Name: Jacek Kobiesa Age: 57 Community of residence: Pasco Occupation: Mechanical engineer Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from WSU Community service: None Previous elected office: None Dan Newhouse Name: Dan Newhouse Age: 66 Community of residence: Sunnyside Occupation: Third generation Yakima Valley farmer operating an 850-acre farm near Sunnyside. Small business owner Education: B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Washington State University; graduate of the Ag Forestry Leadership Program Community service: Past president of Hop Growers of America, Hop Growers of Washington, and Yakima County Farm Bureau; former member of the Columbia River Task Force and Central Washington Fair Board; current NRA member Previous elected office: Central Washingtons Representative in Congress, 2015 - present; Washington State House of Representatives, 2003-2009 Jerrod Sessler Name: Jerrod Sessler Age: 52 Community of residence: Prosser Occupation: Catapult topwatch with the U.S. Navy, former NASCAR driver, entrepreneur, full-time political candidate Education: Engineering and Applied Science degree from Highline Community College; correspondence course in Mechanical Engineering at Kennedy-Western University; certificate in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee Community service: NAVY Veteran, Hope4Youth Foundation Previous elected office: None Doug White Name: Doug White Age: 60 Community of residence: Yakima Occupation: Global project manager Education: Bachelors degree from Western Washington University; masters degree from San Jose State Community service: Digital marketing for the Gay Games Previous elected office: None Funding cant stand alone. In recent years, Buffalo has been on the receiving end of unprecedented infusions of cash from Albany, federal entities and private philanthropy. First there was the Buffalo Billion; now there is more than $200 million for East Side projects, most of it from New York State through Empire State Development, with contributions from the Ralph Wilson Foundation and the City of Buffalo. As strange as it may sound, money doesnt always help not if it is unaccompanied by a plan that emphasizes inclusion and organizational assistance. Too often, grants are awarded and then the funders wait for the required final report, often with no idea of whether the assistance had significant impact on the organization or its community. Happily, that's not the case here. For example, the tiny nonprofits that contribute to the African American Heritage Corridor Nash House, Michigan Street Baptist Church, Colored Musicians Club and the Black History Collective (under the auspices of WUFO) represent a mighty sector of Western New York history and culture, but as individual organizations they have always lacked the staffing and structure to manage the transformation they need to make the exciting and essential history they represent come alive. With the help of East Side Avenues, a subgroup of philanthropies and banks, money was targeted for the costs organizational development and operations that make it possible for new things to happen. Now, these organizations wont have to worry about keeping the lights on as they plan and implement the future of the corridor. Theyre getting help with that planning, too, so that multileveled advice from the community and funding partners can assist in prioritizing the roll-outs of six- and seven-figure projects. No landmark is an island with this strategy. East Side Avenues holistic approach takes in the communities around each of the entities receiving funding. With the Central Terminal and the Broadway Market, that includes the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, which means street repairs, housing infill, and support for surrounding commercial enterprises. The Broadway Market wont just get a facelift, as badly as thats needed; it is getting the organizational help that can help it to stay viable, attracting tenants and customers for decades to come. As for the Northland Corridor one of the most important and successful projects of the Buffalo Billion heres something thats already working. It will do even better with new funds for expansion, along with continued behind-the-scenes assistance that makes it possible for trainees to come onboard. Its the money that pays for things that no one will ever see that stands to make the biggest difference here. 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. A Yakima sailor lost on the USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor is coming home. The Washington state Department of Health has ordered the owner of a former medical research company not to practice medicine in the state WA students can get excused absences for mental health under new law Ever since irrigation began trickling into the arid Yakima Valley shrub-steppe, this has been prime farm country. Now, as the country tries to wean itself off climate-strangling fossil fuels, Central Washington is planting new crops in response. Wind farms started sprouting up more than a decade ago and now, developers are sowing the seeds for acres and acres of solar energy farms in eastern Yakima County. Following last years 625-acre Goose Prairie project eight miles east of Moxee, Yakima County planning officials gave their blessing to the 1,060-acre Black Rock Solar Energy Project last month. BayWa.r.e. Solar Projects of Irvine, Calif., plans 264,000 energy panels that will straddle State Route 24 about 20 miles east of Moxee. And two more farms High Top Solar and Ostrea Solar, each covering about 1,600 acres are in the works. The developer behind them, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Cypress Creek Renewables, wants to put them right next door to the Black Rock farm. Builders figure all three farms can be online by 2024, pumping all the electricity they generate into Washingtons power grid. Black Rock alone expects to produce enough electricity for 20,000 homes. With all electric utilities in Washington required to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2030, these projects should be great news for everybody, right? Well not so fast there. While the farms appear to be in line with state and county planning rules, theyve run into some skepticism from at least two different corners. The first, perhaps somewhat surprisingly, is from environmental and wildlife advocates who fear the farms will wipe out vast swaths of habitat and foraging areas, and block wildlife travel patterns. Speaking at a recent public hearing called by the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, Stan Isley of the Yakima Valley Audubon Society and Michael Tobin, district manager of the North Yakima Conservation District suggested a study to evaluate the farms environmental effects. The second source of skepticism is from Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney, who generally seems to oppose state regulation and guidance. In this case, however, we think she along with Isley and Tobin are absolutely right. These projects, no matter how beneficial they are to their developers or even to Washington electricity customers, will bring stark and permanent changes to the Valleys landscape and many of its life forms. Independent, scientific evaluations of what the farms will mean to our natural lands should be a given in all cases. And as McKinney said last week, This will fundamentally change the way our community looks and feels We deserve an opportunity to consider how many of these solar farms we want to see blanketing Yakima County. Thats not to say that the state should take a back seat in planning decisions. We need all the unbiased expertise we can get when it comes to evaluating energy projects and state agencies generally bring much more of that to the table than county or city officials. While these farms promise to generate plentiful power and new jobs, they come with some potential drawbacks that would be had to undo. As everybody in ag country knows, you reap what you sow. Editor's note: This article has been updated to more accurately reflect the approval process for the solar farms. On Valentines Day in 1929, there was a massacre. Seven people were lined up against a warehouse wall and gunned down with submachine guns and sawed-off shotguns. Similar shootings followed. The public was incensed - something had to be done. The Federal Firearms Law of 1934 was passed to prohibit the possession and manufacture of machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and rifles, along with silencers, through registration and taxation. Courts have always upheld the constitutionality of this ban. What happened in 1929 that was different? The victims were not school children; they were known gangsters. But the public demanded action and they got it, after a few similar shootings. Since the early 1960s, we have seen the development of semi-automatic military rifles with high capacity magazines, which were eventually offered to the general public. An attempt was made to control their sale in 1994, but it was allowed to expire. Today, we see repeated mass shootings of children, religious worshipers, transit passengers, and other groups from all walks of life by individuals armed with semi-automatic weapons, which are more efficient than Tommy guns. The public demands tougher gun control, and lawmakers continuously deny that there is a pattern of abuse with assault rifles, instead placing the blame entirely on mentally ill shooters. They refuse to ban these weapons. The NRA and the firearms industry donate generously to political leaders. It seems that every other month the National Rifle Associations magazine displays a new assault weapon on the cover The next mass shooting is being planned as this is written. I commend my classmate, Chris Jacobs, for his fearless attention to this problem. Denis Uminski Kenmore 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. Hungarian President Katalin Novak held talks with Milos Zeman, her Czech counterpart, in Prague on Tuesday, at her first official visit abroad as president. Their talks focused on bilateral economic cooperation, the war in Ukraine and family policy. Speaking at a joint press conference after their talks, Novak welcomed that the European nations had managed to reach a sound consensus on the sixth package of EU sanctions, one that Hungary could also support. Answering a question, she said that Hungary supports sanctions causing bigger harm to the aggressor than to the European Union. Ones that prevent everyday life in the EU countries are not good sanctions, she said. A land-locked country dependent on Russian energy supplies has a narrower scope of manoeuvring than another one with access to the sea and less dependence on Russian oil and gas, she said, noting that Hungary and the Czech Republic were in the same boots from this aspect. The ongoing war in Ukraine demonstrates the need for all of us to reduce our dependence on Russian gas and oil supplies, she said. Zeman said the Czech Republic continued to support cooperation within the Visegrad Four group which he called beneficial to all participants. We will by no means loosen or destroy our V4 cooperation, he added. Zeman said he highly esteemed Hungarys political leaders who he said respected and protected their nations interests in the context of the Ukraine-Russia war, too. The Czech president said that although the two countries have no common border, the Czech Republic considers Hungary its neighbour of honour. Hungary & Czech Republic confirmed commitment V4 cooperation Hungary and the Czech Republic have confirmed their commitment to the Visegrad Four cooperation, President Katalin Novak said in Prague on Tuesday after talks with Milos Zeman, her Czech counterpart. All the four member states have a vested interest in continuing a close Visegrad cooperation, Novak told a joint press conference. She said the two countries interests coincide in several fields, and there are plenty of similarities between their history. We are more tolerant to different views, can agree on a number of issues and represent together our common position in the European Union, Novak said. The Hungarian president said her talks with Zeman focused on bilateral economic cooperation, the war in Ukraine and family policy. Hungary and the Czech Republic are connected by long-standing friendship, which should be fostered on the highest level, too, Novak said, adding that this was her first official visit abroad as president. Discussing the war in Ukraine, Novak and Zeman condemned Putins aggression and pledged to support their compatriots efforts to help Ukrainian refugees. While speaking of the war, we keep peace in view and will make every possible effort so that peace be restored as soon as possible, Novak said. MTI photo: Noemi Bruzak Hungary and Bangladesh are intensifying nuclear energy cooperation, Peter Szijjarto, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said after meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart in Budapest. At a joint press conference with AK Abdul Momen, Szijjarto noted the new nuclear power plant being built in Bangladesh involves the same type of reactors as those being installed in Hungarys expanded Paks nuclear plant by the same contractor, and given the importance of the investment, developing international nuclear industry cooperation was a top priority. The minister announced the signing of a nuclear training agreement, which provides thirty Hungarian higher-education scholarships to Bangladeshi students per year, initially reserved for burgeoning nuclear professionals. Also, the agreement relates to sharing knowledge and experiences related to nuclear power plant construction with a view to speeding up the Paks investment. The first Bangladeshi reactor will be operational in 2023, while the second will go online in 2024, he noted, adding that sharing of experiences with regard to construction and operations was highly important. Szijjarto said the Paks construction must be completed by 2030. Were striving to ensure the supply of energy in the long term, and the best and most efficient way to achieve that is by boosting our own nuclear capacity, he said. The government has opened a consular office in Dhaka, he noted, adding that trade cooperation was growing fast, with Hungarian-Bangladeshi trade volume increasing by 40% last year. The Bangladeshi minister praised bilateral ties, adding that political stability in both Bangladesh and Hungary had helped to advance economic developments. He also thanked the Budapest government for donating coronavirus vaccines. MTI Photo: Lajos Soos Popular Budapest baths fell victim to false bomb threats again yesterday morning. As a result, all visitors had to leave the facilities during the police investigation. According to telex.hu, Sarolta Rethy, the communications expert of the Budapest Spas cPlc., confirmed the media outlets information about the bomb threat yesterday morning. Later that day, the Lukacs and Szechenyi Baths had to be evacuated. Telex.hu received photos from their readers which show ambulance cars waiting at the Rudas Bath. Therefore, they asked the National Ambulance Service (OMSZ) whether anybody was in need of medical care in the bath. They promised to reply later that day, but telex.hu did not post any updates. It was not the first time that Budapest baths received bomb threats. In mid-May, several baths were subject to such threats. Meanwhile, in April, there were bomb threats in many Budapest malls and even in the Museum of Fine Arts. Furthermore, a fire broke out in the Lukacs Baths sauna a couple of weeks ago. Read also: Budapest receives new bomb threats! Telex updated their article in the afternoon quoting the official reply of the Budapest Police Headquarters. On 7 June, the police reported that several institutions in Budapest received bomb threats. They added that the relevant Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) inspection is in progress, and they will take the necessary measures. Interestingly, neither of the three baths communicated the bomb threats on their official website or Facebook page. However, on Lukacs Baths website, there is a red coloured warning message saying that the facility is unavailable via phone. Of course, it might not have any connection with yesterdays bomb threat. However, some photos on Facebook show guests being evacuated from Szechenyi Bath yesterday. Magyar Nemzet reported that the guests, including many foreigners, waited patiently until the authorities finished their work. They added that Paskal Beach in Budapest had to be evacuated too. In the case of Paskal Beach, a man phoned in saying that a bomb would explode in a short time. The three other baths received threats via email, rtl.hu wrote. The relevant law says that, in such cases, there is no room for hesitation: everybody has to leave the buildings immediately. Jozsef Horvath, the security policy expert of the Alapjogokert Kozpont (Center for Fundamental Rights), said that foreign interests and hybrid warfare are behind the threats. He added that the coordination behind the threats was obvious. The goals of the anonym phone calls are to create disturbance and weaken peoples belief in public safety, Mr Horvath said. Fortunately, police found nothing so the guests were able to return to the buildings and pools later that day. Source: dailynewshungary.com Republished with permission YORK -- How do Nebraskans manage water resources? What are the agricultural and environmental challenges in the state regarding water quality and quantity? And what can key decision makers from other heavily agricultural regions of the world learn from the way things are done here? These questions and others were explored recently as a group from Mato Grosso, Brazil, visited Nebraska for a week of learning and networking. The group of more than 20 state government secretaries and technical staff, farmer association members, university scientists, and others involved in agriculture were hosted by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska. During their visit to the Cornhusker State, the delegation spent a day in the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District, meeting with NRD staff as well as district producers to get a closer look at the realities of water use in the state. Nebraskas NRD system is unique within the United States. The local control of 23 natural resources districts all working in the same 12 areas of responsibility, paired with data-driven leadership from state agencies, makes Nebraska a useful case study for other states and countries. The group from Brazil had many questions about drought and allocation regulations, irrigation efficiency advancements, and water quality concerns including nitrates. Marie Krausnick, assistant general manager of the Upper Big Blue NRD, presented to the highly engaged consortium and answered questions about how decisions are made at the state and local level to address water quality and quantity challenges. Nebraska has about 9 million acres of irrigated cropland; 1.2 million of those irrigated acres are in the Upper Big Blue NRD area, which is the district with the greatest amount of groundwater irrigated acres in the state. Like Nebraska, Mato Grosso producers raise mostly corn and soybeans, with the addition of cotton, dry beans, and pulses. Due to the warmer climate in Brazil, many producers are able to raise two to three harvests per year, as long as there is adequate irrigation. The group from Brazil was interested to learn more about how Nebraska has managed water resources through periods of drought when the needs of irrigators continues to increase. The farm of Jerry and Susan Stahr in York County gave the group a first-hand look at how data, policy, and NRD programs translate into action at the individual field level. Jerry presented to the group on a wide-range of topics, from the added efficiencies provided by chemigation and soil moisture probes, to the on-farm research projects he has participated in for years that have informed his tillage and fertilizer practices. The Stahrs have farmed a section of ground east of York for more than 40 years, including a variety of row crops and livestock. Jerry proudly pointed out the latest addition to their farming operation: a solar panel array that will provide electricity their farmstead. They have sought to create continuous improvement to the land, as Jerry feels deeply that his successful stewardship of natural resources is a gift he is responsible for passing on to the couples 11 (soon to be 12) grandchildren. This is not the first time that Jerry has presented to international delegations with the partnership of DWFI. Over the years, several other groups with the institute have visited his farm to hear about his approach to agriculture and conservation. In 2018 he traveled to Brazil to speak at conference on these topics, as well. Brothers Brandon and Zachary Hunnicutt farm a variety of row crops on more than 2,000 acres in Hamilton County near Giltner. Like the Stahrs, the Hunnicutts are serious about stewardship and excited about the opportunities to improve the sustainability of their farm by implementing conservation practices working closely with Jenny Rees, UNL extension educator. The Hunnicutts have been part of a three-year study with the Upper Big Blue NRD, Nebraska Extension, and the Nature Conservancy to test the viability of seeding cover crops between corn and soybean rows post emergence in the spring, rather than the traditional post-harvest cover crop application in the fall. Brandon told the group from Brazil about the positive impact their farm has witnessed with the addition of cover crops, including the increase in soil organic matter that improves the moisture holding capacity of the soil. Some people think cover crops will take too much moisture from the field and affect the crop, however Brandon says that in his experience, soil moisture readings are consistently higher where there are cover crops. The Hunnicutts also showed the group from Brazil their autonomous center pivots, which are equipped with ground penetrating radar that can calculate soil moisture and determine when irrigation is needed. The delegation from Brazil was very appreciative of their hosts in Nebraska and the willingness of NRD staff as well as local producers to shine a light on the challenges and solutions faced by those who manage water in the state. According to DWFIs website, every day, nearly a billion people in the world are food-insecure, without enough safe and nutritious food to lead healthy and active lives. Many of them are also water-insecure, without reliable access to an adequate amount of clean water to meet their needs. By 2050, the global food demand will double to meet the needs of nearly 10 billion people. To ensure sustainable food and water security in the face of population and income increases, a changing climate, and the growing demand for scarce water resources, it is imperative to improve water management in agricultural and food systems. Dr. Christopher Neale, director of research at DWFI and professor of biological systems engineering at the University of NebraskaLincoln, acted as host and interpreter for the group from Brazil during their visit to Nebraska. In thanking the NRD staff and district producers, Neale expressed the importance of these kinds of learning opportunities. Nebraska has a unique way of managing its water. Sharing what we have learned here in Nebraska helps others around the world increase their agricultural productivity, while still protecting important water resources and the environment. We were pleased to host this group from Mato Grosso and discuss the strategies of Nebraskas NRDs, said David Eigenberg, general manager of the Upper Big Blue NRD. Research partners like UNL Extension, the Nebraska Water Center, and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute are important to the work of the NRDs and to the continued successful management of our states abundant water resources. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari asserted that the road infrastructure of Bihar will be at par with that of the United States by December 2024. The Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the eastern flank of the reconstructed Mahatma Gandhi Setu over River Ganga in Hajipur. He launched and laid the foundation stone of national highway projects worth Rs 13,585 crores in the state. "Roads are linked to the prosperity of a state and a country. There is no doubt that Bihar's road network has seen tremendous improvement in the last few years and I am sure it will improve further. I can say this with confidence that the state's road infrastructure will be at par with that of the US by 2024," Gadkari said. He quoted former US president John F Kennedy who had said, "American roads are not good because America is rich. America is rich because American roads are good." "Several mega projects related to Bihar will be completed soon, and the ministry is also in the process of finalising DPRs (detailed project reports) of some projects such as Buddhist, Jain, and Ram Janaki-Ayodhya circuits," he said. Gadkari also appealed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to set up industrial clusters and smart cities along the expressways in the state. Also read: Citroen C3 SUV to launch in India: Check price, features, engine, design and more The 5,750-metres-long Mahatma Gandhi Setu was inaugurated in 1982 by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi as the country's longest river bridge. It underwent repairs from 1999 to 2016, when the Centre approved its reconstruction plan. Gadkari had on July 31, 2020, flagged off traffic on the western flank of the reconstructed bridge, the lifeline between North and South Bihar. The entire MG Setu reconstruction project was executed at Rs 1,742 crore. Also read: Indian Railways to start Monsoon special trains from June 10, check full list here He also laid the foundation stone for 10 other projects, including the four-lane greenfield 124-km Munger-Bhagalpur-Mirza Chowki highway and the six-lane 70-km Aurangabad-Chordaha highway during the day. Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said, "The Bihar government has already fast-tracked the ongoing construction of all mega road, bridge, and highway projects and officials have been instructed to ensure completion within the specified time frame. The state administration is also very specific about maintenance of roads, bridges, and highways." (With inputs from PTI) Live TV After an Air Arabia flight made an emergency landing at Ahmedabad airport on June 6 and declared Mayday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 7 ordered an investigation into the matter. "The preliminary investigation will be done by DGCA in consultation with Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)," said a senior DGCA official. In a statement, DGCA said that on June 6 Air Arabia A320 Aircraft A6-AOT operating flight 3L-062 (Chittagong-Abu Dhabi) experienced No.1 Engine Stall and Engine Fail ECAM warnings came on. The crew carried out ECAM actions. The flight landed at the Ahmedabad airport at approximately 9:25 pm on Monday (June 6) after one of the engines "stalled" mid-air and the engine failure warning came on, they added. Due to the warning sign, the crew had to make a "MAYDAY" call and the aircraft was allowed to conduct an emergency landing at the airport, the officials noted. Also read: Air Arabia flight makes emergency landing in Ahmedabad due to engine failure None of the passengers or crew members were injured and the aircraft landed safely, they said. "ENG1 was shut down. The crew declared MAY day and diverted to Ahmedabad," reads the statement."Aircraft landed safely at Ahmedabad. A team from DGCA, Mumbai office In consultation with AAIB is being sent to Ahmedabad for preliminary investigation, it further read. (With inputs from ANI) Live TV New Delhi/Mumbai: The State Bank of India has announced that it has appointed Alok Kumar Choudhary as the new Managing Director (MD) of bank. The countrys largest lender said that Choudhary's tenure will be with effect from June 7, 2022. He was previously Deputy Managing Director (Finance) at the bank. As the new MD, he will be handling Retail Business & Operations, SBI said. Choudhary has been associated with SBI for three and a half decades. He started his career with SBI in 1987 as a Probationary Officer. Prior to becoming the DMD (Finance), he has worked as DMD (HR) & Corporate Development Officer at SBI. (Also read: RBI Monetary Policy: Will loan borrowers get respite? Big decision coming today) He also had a stint as the Chief General Manager (CGM) of the SBIs Delhi Circle for three years. His past roles and profiles at SBI include GM, Network I, Ahmedabad, DGM, B&O, Delhi, as well as DGM & CDO, North-East Circle. (Also read: State Bank of India assures financial support to family of bank official shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir) SBI has the largest network of 22,266 branches and 65,030 ATMs / ADWMs in India with 68,016 BC outlets. New Delhi: Better.com and the companys CEO Vishal Garg have been sued by a former employee, Sarah Pierce, for allegedly sharing misleading statements to investors about the firms financial prospects and performance. In her lawsuit, Pierce said that Garg provided misleading statements about the companys performance to make sure the investors go ahead with a merger with a SPAC (special purpose acquisition company). She also alleged that Garg did this to make sure investors dont withdraw from the merger due to the companys financial condition. The SoftBank-backed company has struck a deal to go public with Aurora Acquisition Corp, a SPAC company. The deal valued the digital mortgage firm at 7.7 billion. However, the deal is yet to close. In response to the claims, a Better.com lawyer told Reuters that the allegations were "without merit". At Better.com, Pierce worked as an executive vice-president for sales and operations. In the lawsuit filed on Tuesday (June 7), Pierce claimed that the company fired her in retaliation for raising concerns about the SPAC deal. In the lawsuit filed with a US district court, southern district of New York, she is seeking financial compensation. In December last year, Garg fired ver 900 employees over a Zoom call, a move that faced heavy criticism on social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn. "If you're on this call, you're part of the unfortunate group that is being laid offYour employment here is now terminated," he told the employees. Also Read: Approach local police if RBI clears stance against unregistered digital lending platforms Garg stated on the Zoom call that this is the second time he has made such a decision and that he did not want to do so. He said he cried the last time he did so. Also Read: Sensex drops 215 points, Nifty down by 60 in volatile trade post RBI policy New Delhi: The McDonald's outlet in Ahmedabad's Science City Road has been asked to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), couple of days after a video went viral in the social media showing a dead lizard in a glass of soft drinks. Following completion of incpection, the civic body has imposed penalty on the McDonald's outlet. As per media reports the AMC has said that it will be conducting surprise checks on the outlet for three months. It also added that the McDonald's outlet will be given two -day's time for cleaning once it pays the penalty and the restaurant will be allowed to re-open only after AMC finds it fit following a thorough inspection. (Also read: Woman uses Apple AirTag to track "cheating" boyfriend, kills him) The McDonald's outlet was sealed after a video of a consumer surfaced that showed a dead Lizard in a glass of cold drink ordered by him. (Also read: RBI Monetary Policy: Will loan borrowers get respite? Big decision coming today) A customer named Bhargav Joshi along with his friends had ordered glasses of soft drinks and a couple of burgers at the McDonalds outlet. In the video the people were heard saying that despite complaining and sitting there for over 4 hours, no action was taken by the outlet. The supervisor of the outlet instead offered to pay Rs 300 after they complained of finding a dead lizard in the soft drink. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had sealed the McDonalds outlet. AMC Food Safety Officer Devang Patel had also sent the samples of the cold drink for testing at the public health laboratory in Ahmedabad. The AMC directed the outlet to not open without seeking prior permission from the Corporation. FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: The Airbus logo pictured at the company's headquarters in Blagnac near Toulouse PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus confirmed on Wednesday it delivered 6% fewer airplanes in May, compared to the same month last year, as the aerospace industry wrestles with tight supply chains. It delivered 47 jets, bringing the total for the year so far to 235, up 7% from the first five months of 2021. The announcement confirms a Reuters report last week that Airbus had delivered approximately 47 jets in May. Deliveries included 37 of the A320-family single-aisle aircraft that make up the bulk of the company's income, suggesting that Airbus added to a backlog of undelivered planes based on its latest announced production rate of 50 a month. Airbus gave the estimate in a recent legal filing in a dispute with Qatar Airways, but some suppliers say the Omicron fallout and gaps in supplies have kept a global parts network running closer to the mid-40s per month for the time being. Airbus has said it wants to lift A320 output to 65 a month by the middle of next year, propelled by a brisk recovery in medium-haul travel. Beyond that it aims for 75 a month by 2025. "It is not the breakthrough Airbus would have wanted," one supply chain source said of the May deliveries. Airbus is targeting a total of 720 commercial deliveries this year. Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said on Tuesday that Airbus remains confident in its future output projections. In new business, Airbus reported 13 orders for jets including four more A350s from Turkish Airlines, which announced last month it was ordering six of the planes. So far this year Airbus has sold 364 airplanes or 191 after cancellations. As of the end of April, Boeing had sold 213 jets or 157 after comparable cancellations. (Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) New Delhi: The auspicious festival of Zyeshtha Atham, also known as Zyeshtha Ashtami is majorly celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits. The day also known as Jyeshtha Ashtami happens to be the eighth day of the bright half of Jyeshtha (MayJune) month. In 19 long years, the least number of devotees visited Mata Kheer Bhawani temple this year. Most of the Kashmir Pandits boycotted the festival. After two years, Mela Kheer Bhawani commenced with the lesser ever number of devotees in the last 19 years. The annual religious festival at Tulmula Ganderbal temple known as "Mela Mata Khir Bhawani" has seen an impact spate of Target killings of Kashmiri Pandits and Nonlocals in the recent past. Back in 2019, the number was around 12 thousand devotees who paid obeisance however due to immense fear loaming following back-to-back killings of minorities in the past four weeks, the annual Mela was highly affected and the number at the temple was about 2-3 thousand including tourist. Many Kashmiri Pandits have boycotted the Mela citing the inability of the Government for failure of providing a sense of security. At Vesu Anantnag and Sheikh Pora Budgam, KPs castigated Government by saying that empty Government provided transport was returned back. Sanjay Koul ( PM package employee, resident of Vessu migrant camp ) said, "very less Kashmir pandits had arrived. All Kashmir Pandits have belief in Mata and hope her blessings will always be on us, we seek forgiveness from Mata that we couldnt attend her temple this time, otherwise we have never missed this festival in the last 12 years we used to be there two days before, but this time because of administration all camp residents are not going kheer Bhawani it has many reasons, one big reason is the killings of Kashmir pandits so we are protesting and not going to temple and the second thing is when am not safe in my camp how am safe in Kheer Bhawani, may Mata keep his blessings on all." BJP leader Nanaji Dembi, who is a Kashmiri pandit from Kupwara, agreed that the presence of devotees is less this time because of fear but hoped the brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims will give a befitting reply to the terror elements and he appealed to Muslims to come out to roads and condemn such acts by terrorists. His wife Rajni Dembi, associated with BJP, is the Sarpanch of Tregaam district in Kupwara, North Kashmir. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti made responsible BJP led Center government for this atmosphere she said, "recently Rahul Bhat and other belonging to minorities were targeted and killed, its obvious that the number of devotees in the temple will be less, I hope that things wont remain same, time will change again and Pandits will again celebrate the Mela with full enthusiasm in coming times," she said. Meanwhile, special prayers were offered at the sacred shrine for communal harmony and brotherhood amid fear and chaos. A sign of communal harmony is always revisited at this temple during the historical festival which provides an opportunity to local Muslims who wait eagerly to re-unite with the Pandit community who migrated from Kashmir in the early 1990s. New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday, June 8, approved the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2022-23, informed the officials on Wednesday. With an aim to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce, the Central government increased the MSP of Kharif crops for the marketing season of 2022-2023. The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for sesamum (Rs.523 per quintal) followed by Moong (Rs 480/quintal), and Sunflower seed (Rs 385/quintal). Addressing a press conference Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Anurag Thakur highlighted that the dependence on imports has decreased. Also Read: Nothing Phone 1 to launch on THIS date, check smartphones specs, features "Dependence on imports has reduced. Farmers` income has increased. Approved rates are in line with the principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times," said I&B Minister Anurag Thakur. Also Read: Microsoft cuts operations in Russia due to Ukraine invasion, 400 employees to be affected: Report Chennai: Giving a sneak peek into a potential nerve-wracking mystery, Prime Video on Tuesday unveiled the trailer of its first long-form scripted original series in Tamil, a thriller titled 'Suzhal: The Vortex'. Written and created by Pushkar and Gayatri, and directed by Bramma and Anucharan M, the eight-episode investigative drama promises to be an intriguing and thrilling ride through events that wreak havoc in a small industrial town following the disappearance of a schoolgirl. Bramma, who has directed the first four episodes of the series, said "What we have here are some superlative performances and a gripping narrative that will keep everyone guessing through every episode. 'Suzhal: The Vortex' is an effort in differentiated storytelling that's sure to strike a chord on various levels. With one dark mystery lying at core, the series manoeuvres through a rollercoaster of situations, beliefs and secrets that makes the characters, and the viewers constantly oscillate between what's true and what's not." 'Suzhal: The Vortex' begins with the disappearance of a young girl from a small town in Tamil Nadu. What begins as a mere missing-person investigative drama, soon spirals into a heart-thumping thriller with a twist at every turn and a secret tumbling out of every corner of the story, threatening to tear apart the town and its delicate social fabric. Set against the backdrop of an annual cultural festival, the series spins a masterful web of lies, deceit and suspicious characters with hidden agendas and a rollercoaster of emotions which will keep viewers at the edge of their seats. Replete with a fast-paced screenplay and some stupendous performances, the series promises to immerse audiences into a rabbit hole of mysteries and leave them eager for more. Anucharan, who has directed episodes 5-8 of the series said "When I was approached with Suzhal - The Vortex, I was instantly taken in by the pace and complexity of the narrative. The sequence of events has been created in a way that will leave the audience glued onto their screens, leaving them intrigued at every instance. "I am thankful for the faith Pushkar and Gayatri had in me in helming this cracker of a thriller and the entire team has put in humongous efforts to bring to life this story that's a standout in the thriller genre." Headlined by an ensemble cast of actors like Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh, Sriya Reddy along with Radhakrishnan Parthiban, the Tamil original series 'Suzhal: The Vortex' will premiere across multiple languages including Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, and English, as well as foreign languages like French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, Latin Spanish, Arabic, and Turkish. Kathir, who plays sub-inspector Sakkarai in the series said "It feels incredible to be a part of Suzhal - The Vortex and bring to you all a spectacular story that is sure to keep you entertained and at the edge of your seats throughout. As a team, we have put in a lot of effort in bringing to life this authentic, riveting story. I am looking forward to the global premiere of Suzhal - The Vortex on Prime Video across 240 countries and territories." Aishwarya Rajesh who is also making her digital debut said, "As an actor, there are stories you aspire to and feel humbled to be a part of. Suzhal - The Vortex was one such experience for me. It has been truly enriching to work with such a talented team and an amazing ensemble of actors. "While the series reflects on a small-town case, the story is peppered with elements that shall appeal to an audience worldwide and keep them glued to their screens. This has been one exciting journey and I am delighted that we have been able to deliver a story that is raw, credible, and differentiated. "Suzhal - The Vortex will always be special to me not only because it's an incredible show but also because it's the first time I'm featuring in a digital series!" Sriya Reddy who essays the character of Inspector Regina said "Suzhal is refreshing and unique in its intent to go beyond the cliches and formulaic storytelling in the thriller genre. I am thankful to the creators and directors for reposing faith in me to be a part of such a spectacular series and I hope the audience has as much fun watching it as we had while filming this one. "One thing I can absolutely promise is that this series will keep everyone guessing till the very last moment. So, get ready for some really good nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat drama!" Radhakrishnan Parthiban, who plays a pivotal character in the series said, "We have lived and breathed with this story for a long time, and it really feels great to finally let the audiences be a part of a remarkable experience. Pushkar and Gayatri along with the directors Bramma and Anucharan M have done a tremendous job of delivering a story that will remain etched in the viewers' minds long after the credits roll. "After having spent 40 years in the industry, making my digital debut with a series such as this, with such an incredible set of co-stars and creators is absolutely invigorating." The series will also be available with subtitles in a number of foreign languages including Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Filipino, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokm, Romanian, Russian, Swedish, Thai, Ukranian and Vietnamese. Prime members in India and across 240 countries and territories worldwide will be able to watch 'Suzhal: The Vortex' starting June 17. New Delhi: With eyes on the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday (June 8) dissolved its state unit to restructure the party in order to trounce the ruling BJP in the elections. "Except for the AAP Gujarat president's post, all other party positions have been dissolved, and a larger and more powerful structure will soon be announced in its place as part of the poll strategy," AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia was quoted as saying by PTI. The Gujarat AAP president said that all party positions at the state, district, taluka levels, frontal organisations have been dissolved. AAP Gujarat in-charge Sandeep Pathak wrote in Hindi on Twitter, "The AAP Gujarat's organisation is dissolved. The post of state president will continue. The AAP is taking its organisation to the booth level. An active, strong organisation to be announced soon. "The Aam Aadmi's organisation will end the misrule of BJP ruling for 27 years. The INC is wiped out. Now, the only hope is Kejriwal," he added. Meanwhile, Italia told reporters in Ahmedabad that the AAP plans to win the state Assembly polls and defeat the BJP under the leadership of the AAP's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. "The party has put in place a powerful strategy, to be implemented in the months ahead of the polls," he added. The Gujarat AAP chief also claimed that the party has presented itself as a strong alternative to the opposition Congress in the state. AAP has set its eyes on Gujarat that goes to polls later this year with Kejriwal having visited the state four times in the last three months. The party has allied with the Bharatiya Tribal Party to sway votes in tribal-dominated seats in Gujarat. Last week, Delhi Deputy CM and senior party leader Manish Sisodia announced that AAP will contest the Gujarat polls from all 182 seats. "We will contest all the seats in Gujarat. Now, the people of Gujarat have to decide. Till now people of Gujarat did not have an option but, now they have an option," he had said. (With agency inputs) Mumbai: Ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls slated to be held on June 10, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray exuded confidence in all the four candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi of winning the upcoming Upper House elections. The ruling Shiv Sena has already shifted its MLAs to Trident Hotel in Malad on Tuesday, according to reports. In the hotel, the three alliance partners of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP held a meeting here on Tuesday and discussed the strategy for the upcoming RS polls. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, NCP`s Sharad Pawar, and Congress` Mallikarjun Kharge among others were present at Trident. "No matter how hard anyone tries, MVA`s all 4 candidates will go to Delhi as Rajya Sabha MPs. Maharashtra has a tradition of decency, and the same should be maintained by Opposition too," ANI quoted CM Thackeray as saying. Earlier in the day, Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan expressed confidence in the party candidates registering a win in the June 10 elections, adding "Congress candidate will certainly be elected. We have no threat, have formed our strategy." Notably, the Congress party has fielded Imran Pratapgarhi for the polls while Praful Patel has been fielded from the NCP, while Shiv Sena`s Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar have been given a run in the polls. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole also exuded confidence that all four candidates nominated by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be elected in the Rajya Sabha elections on June 10. He said that all MLAs of the ruling alliance are together and they are also taking independent leaders with them. "All our MLAs are together and we are taking independent leaders with us too. All four candidates from Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will be elected in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election on June 10," ANI quoted Patole as saying. The Congress leader said that the alliance leaders will talk to Samajwadi Party and request them to vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi. The BJP has fielded three candidates in Maharashtra and there is a contest for the Rajya Sabha seats. There are also contests in Rajasthan, Karnataka and Haryana. Forty-one candidates have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha during the biennial elections. A total of seven candidates -- three candidates of the BJP, two of the Shiv Sena and one each of NCP and Congress -- are in the fray for six seats, which necessitated election for Rajya Sabha after more than two decades in Maharashtra. The contest for the sixth seat will be between the BJP's Dhananjay Mahadik and Sena's Sanjay Pawar. The BJP has asked its MLAs to come to Mumbai in the next two days. In the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly (which forms the electorate for the Rajya Sabha polls), smaller parties have 16 MLAs, while the number of Independents is 13. With one Assembly seat lying vacant and two NCP MLAs (Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik) in jail, the quota of votes per winning candidate is 41. (With ANI/PTI Inputs) New Delhi: Amid controversy over suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Muhammad, terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (AQIS) has threatened suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to "fight for the dignity of Prophet". In a statement dated June 6, 2022, the terror outfit has said that the "saffron terrorists should now await their end in Delhi and Bombay and in UP and Gujarat". "The offenders of the Prophet Muhammad, the pride of humanity, shall find no amnesty or clemency, no peace and security will save them and this matter will not close with any words of condemnation of sorrow," the threat letter read. ALSO READ | PM Modi didn't listen to Indian Muslims, acted only when foreign nations reacted: Asaduddin Owaisi "They shall find refuge neither in their homes nor in their fortified army cantonments. May our mothers be bereaved of us if we do not avenge our beloved Prophet," it added. "We shall kill those who affront our Prophet and we shall bind explosives with our bodies and the bodies of our children to blow away the ranks of those who dare to dishonor our Prophet," the Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent said. The statement comes amid widespread anger in West Asian countries over controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by two former BJP functionaries. Several gulf nations have also summoned the Indian ambassadors over the remarks against Prophet Muhammad. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has provided security to Nupur Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on the Prophet. She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving. "Sharma and her family have been provided police security after she alleged that she has been receiving threats and was being harassed over her remarks," an official said. The BJP, notably, on Sunday had suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad escalated with protests from several Muslim countries. After the action, Sharma unconditionally withdrew her controversial statement and claimed that her comments were a reaction to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva)", referring to the Gyanvap mosque row. Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality. Sharma's comments, made during a TV debate a few days back, and Jindal's now-deleted tweets, have also sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries. (With agency inputs) ALSO READ | 'Unlike Pakistan, where fanatics...': India hits out at Shehbaz Sharif amid row over Nupur Sharma's comment Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead the International Yoga Day celebrations from Mysuru on June 21. He would perform Yoga at the Mysuru Palace premises as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, where as many as 15,000 Yoga enthusiasts are scheduled to join the Prime Minister. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reviewed the preparations for the mega event on Tuesday. He instructed the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) to finalise the participants by June 13. He also asked the DC to ensure that the selection comprises people from all sections of the society as instructed by the Prime Minister`s office. The Chief Minister wanted the officials to make arrangements for transport, snacks, drinking water and other facilities for the participants in "perfect" coordination with the Union government. "Extend all the cooperation to the Union AYUSH Ministry, which is keen to organise an exhibition on Yoga on the occasion," Bommai instructed. The state government has constituted 14 committees including a Core Committee headed by the District in-charge minister for the smooth and successful conduct of the event. Bommai also told officials of the Police department to ensure foolproof security during the Prime Minister`s visit. The International Yoga Day celebrations are being held in a big way at 75 prominent Heritage spots in the country. In Karnataka it has been organised at Mysuru, Halebeedu, Hampi, Pattadakal and Vijayapura (Golgumbaz). Prime Minister Modi would inaugurate the event in Mysuru, while Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje would participate in the event at Halebeedu. Union Minister for Coal Prahlad Joshi would join the event at Hampi, Union Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrashekar at Pattadakal and Union Minister of State Energy Bhagwant Khuba at Vijayapura. Apart from this, Yoga Day celebrations have been organised at 75 places in the state, Bommai said. Ministers Dr K Sudhakar, ST Somashekar, Narayana Gowda, Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma and other senior officers were present during the review meeting. Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday asserted that there was "no need" for an anti-conversion law in the state where the government was "alert" and members of different religious communities lived in peace. He gave the statement when asked by journalists about the need for such a law in the wake of reports appearing in the press, sporadically, about Hindus allegedly changing their faith following enticements offered by proselytizers. "The government has always been alert here. And all people, be they from any religious group, live in peace. Hence such a move is not required here," the chief minister said emphatically. The averment by Kumar, who controls the JD(U) and owes his rise in politics to the socialist movement, could also be seen as a strong message to his ally BJP. BJP hardliners such as Union minister Giriraj Singh have been stressing on the need for an anti-conversion law. Ideological divide between Kumar and BJP has also come to the fore on the issue of caste census. BJP leaders, including some ministers in the cabinet, have been alleging that many "Rohingyas" and "Bangladeshis" have sneaked into Bihar and care must be taken not to legitimise their stay by including them in the state-level headcount of castes. Notwithstanding their political collaboration that goes back to the 1990s, Kumar has not been on the same page with the BJP on issues such as Ayodhya, Article 370, Uniform Civil Code, triple talaq, NRC and legislative measures for population control. Live TV Bettiah: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped on a moving bus in Bihar, police said on Wednesday. Four people were arrested in connection with the incident that happened on Tuesday, they said. "The girl was waiting at the Motihari bus stand in East Champaran district for a bus to Bettiah in West Champaran. The bus driver told her that it was going to Bettiah and she hopped on it," sub-divisional police officer (Bettiah-Sadar) Mukul Pandey said. "She was given a spiked drink on the bus, following which she fell unconscious. She told police that she was gang-raped after that," he said. ALSO READ: NCW takes cognizance of Hyderabad gang-rape case, BJP MLA booked for revealing victim's identity The girl told the police that when she regained consciousness she found herself on the bus with its doors locked. "The accused had locked her inside the bus and fled. People who were passing by opened the door and informed the police," another police officer said. Four people, including the driver, conductor and helper of the bus, were arrested in connection with the incident, police said. The medical examination of the girl was conducted at the government hospital in Bettiah, they said. "Now, forensic experts have been called for the analysis of the evidence gathered. The bus has already been seized," Pandey said. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC, besides the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said. Live TV Kolkata: BJP national president J P Nadda arrived here on a two-day visit to West Bengal during which he will hold organisational meetings. Nadda visited Vande Mataram Bhavan in Chinsura-Hooghly district, where novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay had penned the National Song. Addressing the media, the BJP national president said, "'Vande Mataram' which became the mantra during India's freedom struggle was written here by Bankim Chandra Ji. I feel proud to visit this place today." "A visit to this place has filled me with new vigour and determination to take forward our work for the country," ANI quoted JP Nadda as saying. The BJP chief will visit Rashbehari Bose Research Institute at Chandannagore in the district. Senior BJP leaders including state president Sukanta Majumdar received the party chief at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Dumdum on Tuesday evening. He will also attend the state executive body meeting at National Library in South Kolkata later in the afternoon. On Thursday, the BJP national president will hold a meeting with public representatives of the party and mandal (local unit) presidents. Nadda's West Bengal visit takes place at a time when the BJP looks forward to rejuvenating its organisational machinery, which has witnessed internal squabbling and defections since the 2021 assembly polls. The visit also assumes significance as the party's central leadership plans to strengthen the state unit by addressing the shortcomings ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, ANI report said. The state BJP has been plagued by infighting and exodus, with former Union minister Babul Supriyo, Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh, and five MLAs including national vice-president Mukul Roy, joining the TMC in the past one-year after the assembly polls. Earlier in May this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited West Bengal and advised the state unit of the BJP to strengthen the organisation to fight the ruling Trinamool Congress. Time has come for Jagan govt to go: Nadda Earlier on Tuesday, BJP President JP Nadda slammed the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh for `lawlessness, corruption and massive debts`. He said the time has come for this government to go, while addressing a public meeting on the second day of his two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh. Alleging that corruption is at an all-time high in Andhra Pradesh, Nadda said "Today Andhra Pradesh is known for land mafia, sand mafia and liquor mafia. They have become synonyms of Andhra Pradesh," accusing the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of diverting funds released by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Stating that Andhra Pradesh needs double-engine growth, Nadda urged people to vote for the BJP whenever the elections are held, adding "I want to tell Jagan Mohan Reddy that nothing is going to stop lotus from blooming in the state." The BJP chief also slammed the YSRCP government for `discouraging` Telugu language, though the new National Education Policy talks about encouraging regional languages. (With ANI/IANS Inputs) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 08, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BBX Capital Real Estate, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BBX Capital, Inc. (OTCQX: BBXIA) (PINK: BBXIB), today announced that its Altis Little Havana joint venture had completed the previously announced sale of Altis Little Havana, a 224-unit multifamily apartment community located in Miami, Florida. As a result of the transaction, BBX Capital Real Estate expects to receive a net cash distribution of approximately $9.5 million from the joint venture and recognize equity earnings from its investment in the venture of approximately $8.4 million during the quarter ended June 30, 2022. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006368/en/ The Altis Little Havana joint venture was sponsored and formed by The Altman Companies in 2019 to develop Altis Little Havana. Construction of Altis Little Havana commenced in 2019 and was substantially completed in 2022. About BBX Capital Real Estate: BBX Capital Real Estate, a principal holding of BBX Capital, Inc., is engaged in the acquisition, development, construction, ownership, financing, and management of real estate and investments in real estate joint ventures, including investments in multifamily rental apartment communities, single-family master-planned for sale housing communities, and commercial properties located primarily in Florida. In addition, BBX Capital Real Estate owns a 50% equity interest in The Altman Companies, a developer and manager of multifamily rental apartment communities, and anticipates acquiring an additional 40% of The Altman Companies in 2023. BBX Capital Real Estate also manages the legacy assets acquired in connection with the companys sale of BankAtlantic in 2012, including portfolios of loans receivable, real estate properties, and judgments against past borrowers. In an effort to diversify its portfolio of real estate developments, BBX Capital Real Estate recently expanded its operating platform to include BBX Logistics Properties, which is currently pursuing investment opportunities in the development of warehouse and logistics facilities. For more information, please visit www.BBXCapitalRealEstate.com. Story continues About The Altman Companies: The Altman Companies, a joint venture between BBX Capital Real Estate and Joel Altman, is engaged in the development, construction, and management of multifamily apartment communities. Since 1968, The Altman Companies and its predecessors have developed, constructed, and managed over 26,000 multifamily units through the United States, including communities in Florida, Michigan, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.altmancos.com. About BBX Capital, Inc.: BBX Capital, Inc. (OTCQX: BBXIA) (PINK: BBXIB) is a Florida-based diversified holding company whose principal holdings include BBX Capital Real Estate, BBX Sweet Holdings, and Renin. For additional information, please visit www.BBXCapital.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006368/en/ Contacts BBX Capital, Inc. Contact Info: Investor Relations Contact: Leo Hinkley, Managing Director, Investor Relations Officer 954-940-5300, Email: LHinkley@BBXCapital.com Media Relations Contact: Kip Hunter, Kip Hunter Marketing 954-303-5551, Email: kip@kiphuntermarketing.com New Delhi: A top US General on Wednesday said some of the defence infrastructure that is being created by China near its border with India in Ladakh is "alarming", calling the Chinese activity in that region as "eye-opening". Flagging concerns over the Chinese infra build-up, the US Army's Pacific Commanding General Charles A. Flynn, who is on a visit to India, also said the "destabilising and corrosive" behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful. "I think it is worthy of us working together as a counterweight to some of those corrosive and corruptive behaviours that the Chinese do," he told reporters here. The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5, 2020, when a violent clash between the two sides erupted in the Pangong lake area. Last month, it emerged that China is constructing a second bridge in an area held by it around the strategically key Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and this could help its military to quickly mobilise its troops in the region. China has also been establishing other infrastructure such as roads and residential units in the border areas with India. It also has maritime border disputes with various countries in the Indo-Pacific region such as Vietnam and Japan. "I believe that the activity level is eye-opening and I think some of the infrastructure that is being created in the (Chinese Army's) western theatre command is alarming." Flynn said when asked about his assessment of the prolonged India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh. The western theatre command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) oversees the India-China border. Flynn said when one sees China's military arsenal in all domains, one must ask the question 'why is it needed'. "So, I do not have a crystal ball to tell you how it (India-China border standoff) is going to end or where we will be at. I will express to you that it is worthy of asking this question and try to get their response as to what are their intentions," he noted. The visiting US General said the talks that are going on between India and China are helpful. "However, behaviour matters here as well. So, understanding what they are saying is one thing but the way they are acting and behaving by the way of build-up is concerning. It should be concerning to every one of us," he noted. Flynn also talked about how the behaviour of China has changed between 2014 and 2022. He said when he looks back on what the CCP and the PRC (People's Republic of China) were doing then to what they are doing today, it can be said that they have taken an "incremental and insidious path". The destabilising and corrosive behaviour that they project into the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful, he added. "Our ability to strengthen the relationships in the region as a counterweight to those destabilising activities and to strengthen the network of allies and partners and like-minded countries that care about the protection of their people, national sovereignty, land, resources, free and open Pacific Ocean and society." Army Chief General Manoj Pande had on May 9 said China's intention has been to keep alive the boundary question with India though it remains the basic issue between the two countries. India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks so far to resolve the Ladakh standoff. As a result of the talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. However, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector. Flynn said the armies of India and the US did a joint military exercise in Alaska last year and stressed such engagement increases readiness to respond to any crisis and has a deterrent effect in the region. "I am really excited about the future of 'yudhabhyas' (combat exercise) this year in India where General Pande and Lieutenant General Raju have agreed to do the exercise at 9,000-10,000 feet above sea level," he added. An exercise at such a high altitude increases the readiness, joint inter-operability and coalition inter-operability of the armies of both the countries, he said. "At the end of the day, this sharing of soldier, tactical and operational practices increases everybody's readiness to respond to whatever crisis may occur. This has a deterrent effect in the region," Flynn noted. New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued directions to ban the use of coal in industrial, domestic and other miscellaneous applications in the entire Delhi-NCR region from January 1, 2023. However, the use of low-sulphur coal in thermal power plants has been exempted from the ban. In an order issued on June 3, the CAQM said the ban on the use of coal will come in force with effect from October 1 in areas having PNG infrastructure and supply and from January 1, 2023 in areas where the PNG supply is still not available. In full effect, the use of coal as fuel shall be banned across NCR with effect from January 1, 2023, the panel said. Terror organisation Al-Qaeda, in a threat letter dated June 6, warned of suicide attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to "fight for the dignity of Prophet" after BJP leader Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Muhammad. This comes amid the protests of Islamic nations against India for Sharma's controversial remarks. Amidst all these developments, on Wednesday (June 8) the Foreign Minister of Iran Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Delhi for a three-day visit and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Apart from this, External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval also met the Foreign Minister of Iran. The Foreign Minister of Iran has visited India at a time when Muslim countries are standing against India on the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad. Iran is also included in these countries. This makes the Foreign Minister of Iran's visit to India very critical. However, he has not given a statement on the issue since his arrival. Along with diplomatic tensions, India may also be looking at security threat after Al-Qaeda announced their suicide attack threat on the nation. There has been a lot of discussion on the same. In today's DNA, Zee News Editor In Chief Sudhir Chaudhary exposes the terror group Al-Qaeda and asks the question if the Muslim nations that questioned India will question and criticize Al-Qaeda as well. Along with issuing the warning of the suicide attacks, Al-Qaeda also announced to the Muslims of India that 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' would happen and Muslims would win it. Ghazwa refers to war in Islam and Hind means Hindustan. So the term implies 'war against Hindustan'. Many Islamic fundamentalist forces believe that Islam will spread all over the world only when there is Ghazwa-e-Hind. That is, the day when all Hindus will be eliminated from India and India will become an Islamic nation. Amid the row on Nupur Sharma's remarks on Prophet Muhummad, Muslim countries were advising India about democracy and secularism. But the reality is that many Muslim nations reportedly often provide refuge to terror organizations such as Al-Qaeda. For example, there have been reports of many terror camps running in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. With keeping all this in mind, will prominent Muslim nations raise their voice against Al-Qaeda's terror threat like they did against India's BJP leader Nupur Sharma? Watch DNA with Sudhir Chaudhary to understand the issue in depth. Live TV Kochi: Kerala gold smuggling case took a new twist on Tuesday when prime accused Swapna Suresh revealed that she has declared in court about the involvement of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his wife and daughter in the matter. She claimed that baggage containing currency was sent to Vijayan when he was in Dubai in 2016, but the Chief Minister sharply reacted and termed Swapna Suresh`s allegations a "part of the political agenda". "I have already given 164 statements in court about a threat to my life. I have declared in court about all the people involved in this case. I have also filed a petition seeking protection in court. They are considering it. I have declared in the court about what is the involvement of M Sivasankar (then principal secretary to Kerala CMO), the Chief Minister, CM`s wife Kamala, CM`s daughter Veena, his secretary CM Raveendran, then Chief Secretary Nalini Netto IAS, then minister KT Jaleel," ANI quoted Swapna Suresh as saying. "Way back in 2016, Sivasankar contacted me while the Chief Minister was in Dubai. At that time, I was the secretary at the consulate. Sivasankar told me that the CM had forgotten a bag which should be delivered to Dubai immediately. As per the instruction of the consulate general, the bag was handed over to a diplomat at the consulate. When the bag was brought in by the consulate official, we realised that it contained currency. We have a scanning machine in the consulate. Then we have to scan whatever parcel arrives there. That`s how it all started," she was further quoted. She said that she only followed the instructions of Sivasankar and did what he said to her, adding "Surprisingly, we have delivered biriyani vessels with huge weight from the Consul General`s house to Cliff House (CM`s official house) in the vehicle of the consulate. This was according to the instructions of Sivasankar. It was not just biryani, it had metal objects. There have been many incidents like this. When taken to Cliff House I think it`s common sense (on asking about whether CM is aware or not)." Urging the court and the probe agencies to conduct proper investigation, Swapna said, "Everything else has been said in court. There is a case going on and the investigation should be proper. If everyone is involved, according to the decree of involvement, the court and the investigation agencies should listen to an accused and understand what is their involvement." 'Political agenda', Kerala CM rebuts Swapna Suresh's allegations Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sharply reacted to prime accused Swapna Suresh's allegations in the Kerala Gold smuggling case, and termed it a "part of the political agenda". CM Vijayan said that the same statement are being repeated by the accused. "These comments by the accused are part of the political agenda. The public had already dismissed this agenda. After an interval, they are making the accused repeat the same statement. There is not even an iota of facts in this allegation. If you think that by spreading these lies, you can destroy the determination of the government and political leadership, I am reminding you that this is a futile exercise," ANI quoted CM Vijayan as saying. "I strongly believe that society will give an apt reply to those who think that they can benefit from this," the Chief Minister said, adding that the public will dismiss the "fake allegations" aimed at tarnishing his government. The Kerala gold smuggling case pertains to the smuggling of gold in the state through diplomatic channels. It had come to light after 30 kg gold worth Rs 14.82 crore smuggled in a consignment camouflaged as diplomatic baggage was busted by the customs department in Thiruvananthapuram on July 5, 2019. Prime accused Swapna, who spent 16 months behind bars, was released from jail in November last year. Earlier this year, Swapna Suresh had alleged that she was exploited and manipulated by M Sivasankar, principal secretary of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The statements came after Sivasankar in his upcoming autobiography "Aswathamavu: Verum Oru Aana" alleged that Swapna had trapped him by gifting him an iPhone. Sivasankar was arrested on October 28, 2020, after the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail petition. In his upcoming book, Sivasankar alleged that Swapna had deceived him and that she was the mastermind of the gold smuggling racket, according to vernacular media reports. Sivasankar was released on bail on February 4, last year. The Enforcement Directorate, National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the customs department probed the case. (With ANI Inputs) New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said it is a law-abiding party and its leaders have nothing to hide from the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing a money laundering case against Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul in connection with the National Herald-AJL deal. The Congress party said that its leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul will appear before the ED as they have nothing to hide from the central probe agency and that the BJP should learn lessons from it. The reaction from Congress came after Sonia Gandhi was asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to the National Herald-AJL deal. However, she had sought time from the agency as she is recovering from coronavirus. The Congress president, who tested positive on Thursday, is yet to recover and her latest report is not Covid-negative. Rahul Gandhi has been asked to appear before the ED on June 13 and he is likely to appear before it. He was earlier summoned on June 2 but had sought time as he was abroad at the time. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters, "We are a law-abiding party. We follow rules. So, if they have been summoned, of course, they will go. We have nothing to hide". "We are not like them. We remember when Amit Shah was running around from 2002 to 2013," he said. "They will learn some lessons from us on what kind of people who adhere to the path of truth are. They should learn from us," Khera said. The Congress is likely to make it a big event on Monday when Rahul Gandhi appears before the probe agency's headquarters in central Delhi. The case pertains to the probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the party-promoted Young Indian that owns the National Herald newspaper. The paper is published by Associated Journals Limited (AJL) and owned by Young Indian Pvt Limited. Officials said the agency wants to record the statements of Rahul and Sonia Gandhi under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Hyderabad: Six accused have been arrested in the rape case involving a 17-year-old minor that took place on May 28 in the Jubilee Hills area in Telangana's Hyderabad, as per a police official on Tuesday (June 7). "All 5 juveniles along with 1 major have been arrested. Saduddin Malik is the only major. Of the accused, 4 have already been produced before Juvenile Home, the remaining 2 will be produced today," said CV Anand CP, Hyderabad City. "We have conducted a detailed investigation in this case. In this case, there are 5 minors and 1 major in this case. On March 28, one person from Banglore asked his three friends to look for a pub for celebrating a party. Three members pitched Amnesia pub. Osman and one more person booked the Amnesia pub. More than 150 paid to come to the pub. Later they have also paid an advance of one lakh," said CV Anand, Commissioner of Police Hyderabad while addressing a press conference here. The accused are from influential political families, according to reports. One of those arrested is the son of an MLA of AIMIM. While four accused were already arrested, the police, on Tuesday night, announced the arrest of two others, including the MLA's son. While five accused, including a major, were involved in penetrative sex with the victim, the sixth, a juvenile and son of an MLA, has been booked for molestation, reported IANS. Four juveniles involved in gang rape include the son of a leader of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), who heads a government body, and a relative of the MIM MLA. Police found the crime was also committed in an Innova vehicle hired for government duty. The vehicle was later seized from the farmhouse of the TRS leader. Elaborating further, the Commissioner said that the incident took place on May 28 when the minor had reached the pub at noon. However, she did not reveal about the incident to her parents until May 31."The victim didn't reveal anything to parents till May 31. Later parents approached the police on May 31, and lodged a complaint. The next day the victim was sent to Bharosa centre, after she became comfortable, she revealed about the incident. After that, the case was altered to gang-rape and POCSO sections were added. Later on June 3, major Saduddin was arrested, on June 4 two CCL (Child in Conflict with Law) 2, on 5th CCL 3. We have verified all the CCTVs," he said. "They went to Concu bakery which we have also seized. The victim has given her statement under 164 CrPC statement," the Commissioner added. The evening of horror Detailing the incident, Anand said that the victim had gone to the pub along with her pub in the noon and stayed there till 1.50 pm."At 3.15 pm one CCL approached the victim girl, then Saduddin also approached the girl and they misbehaved with the girl. At 5.40 pm, the victim and her friend came out of the pub. Later the other girl booked the cab and left the spot. Other CCLs trapped the victim. Four CCLs took the victim girl in Mercedes Benz to the bakery and the other four went to the bakery in Innova car. These four CCLs in Mercedes car forcibly snogged the victim. At 5.54 pm victim got down from the Mercedes car and boarded Innova. At 6.15 pm, Saduddin along with five other CCLs and the victim, a total of 7 members went in the Innova car," he said while explaining the horrific incident." In Innova car at road no. 44, the accused stopped the vehicle. At that spot first, CCL raped her and then four others raped her. During this time she also received severe injuries. Then they brought back her to the pub and they dropped her here. Then she called her father who picked her up from the pub," the Commissioner added. (With Agency inputs) Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday, visited the residence of slain school teacher Rajni Bala in Samba district and assured every possible assistance and support to her family. Bala was shot dead by terrorists at her school in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on May 31. "Met the family members of Smt. Rajni Bala at their residence in Samba. She was one of the most loved & admired teachers in the valley. J&K administration will provide every possible assistance and support to the family," Sinha tweeted. J&K | LG Manoj Sinha visits the residence of Rajni Bala, a teacher who was killed by terrorists in Gopalpora area of Kulgam on May 31, in Jammu's Samba pic.twitter.com/QW5WGUXI25 ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2022 Bala's husband Raj Kumar, also a teacher serving in Kashmir, said the family handed over a memorandum of demands to Lt Governor Sinha during their meeting with him. The memorandum, signed by Kumar's father Ram Lal Atri, sought justice for the slain teacher, who served in Kashmir along with her husband for the past 13 years, and martyr's status to her. ALSO READ: King is busy in celebrations: Shiv Sena takes dig at PM Narendra Modi over targeted killings in Kashmir The memorandum also demanded immediate transfer of Kumar to his home town, citing the 'security situation' in the valley and the 'horrific tragedy'. It also sought release of full salary till the date of retirement of the slain teacher and pensionary benefits to her minor daughter, responsibility for her complete education and a government job thereafter. Live TV Mumbai: Ahead of civic elections, including in Mumbai, Maharashtra BJP leader Kripashankar Singh has written to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath demanding the introduction of Marathi as an optional language in schools in the northern state. In a letter dated June 4, Singh said learning Marathi will improve the job prospects of UP students in Maharashtra, including in the state government. "If Marathi is made an optional language in secondary and higher secondary schools then that may help students in getting better jobs in Maharashtra. I request you to include Marathi as an optional language in Uttar Pradesh schools," Singh, who is vice president of Maharashtra BJP, stated. Singh had served as a cabinet minister in the erstwhile Congress government in Maharashtra in 2004. "I have been living in Maharashtra for the last 50 years. During my tenure, I noticed that when students (from UP) come to Maharashtra, they face several problems due to the lack of knowledge of the Marathi language. Also, there are many vacancies in the state government or corporations that require the knowledge of the Marathi language," he said. Singh also maintained that he has been maintaining a good relationship with Uttar Pradesh, especially with the Poorvanchal region. "Many students after completing their higher secondary examinations migrate to Maharashtra in search of jobs, hence the request (to teach Marathi) is made to the UP chief minister," he added. Elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies in Maharashtra are due in the next few months. A bulk of voters in Mumbai and the metropolitan region have roots in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Mukul Roy's MLA post is not being dismissed. West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee dismissed BJP's objections. He had given the same verdict in the past in the case. The Calcutta High Court later moved a petition seeking review of the verdict. In view of this, the verdict was announced again on Wednesday, but Biman maintained his old position. Also Read: 'Mamata Banerjee, dare not set foot here, otherwise...', threats ahead of Chief Minister's North Bengal visit On February 11, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Biman gave the verdict in the case regarding dismissal of Mukul Roy's MLA post. He dismissed Suvendu Adhikari's (The leader of the opposition in the state) petition, and said Mukul was in the BJP. So his krishnanagar north MLA post is not being dismissed. After that, the BJP legislature party approached the Calcutta High Court over the issue. During the hearing of the case, the Calcutta High Court on April 11 asked the Assembly Speaker to reconsider the decision. In accordance with this order, the hearing was held under the supervision of the Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly. However, Biman announced the re-decided verdict on Wednesday after the hearing. The BJP has been demanding the dismissal of Mukul's MLA post for a long time. Mukul had won the 2021 assembly elections from Krishnanagar North constituency on a BJP ticket. However, on June 11, he went to Trinamool Bhawan and left the BJP and joined the ruling party TMC. Since then, the BJP legislature party has approached the court, sometimes the speaker, demanding the dismissal of his MLA post. But according to the Speaker, Mukul is still in the BJP. So he is a BJP MLA. There is no evidence of him joining the Trinamool. New Delhi: A newly married man in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj had to undergo surgery after he overdosed on viagra, a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. According to media reports, the man, who recently got hitched, started taking the pills on the advice of his friends. The 28-year-old, however, landed in the hospital after he began consuming the drug more than the recommended quantity. He reportedly went on to consume as much as 200 mg of the drug daily, nearly four times the prescribed amount, and developed a condition called priapism. Priapism, notably, is a prolonged erection of the penis, during which, the full or partial erection continues hours beyond or isn't caused by sexual stimulation. As per reports, doctors at the hospital had to perform a penile prosthesis surgery on the man. Now, even after two successful surgeries, the man will have to forever wear a tight cloth to hide the bulge and the tension in his private part may never subside, reports claimed. A long exposure shows the light trail of a re-entry capsule, carrying samples collected from a distant asteroid after being released by Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2. (AFP via Getty Images) Multiple amino acids known as the building blocks of life have been detected in dust brought back from an asteroid by Japans Hayabusa2 space probe. Japanese researchers say the finding could even mean that there is life beyond Earth. Amino acids are not evidence of life, but are essential for living things to make proteins. The Hayabusa2 space probe delivered 5.4 grams of surface material from the Ryugu asteroid to Earth, according to Kyodo News. The 186-million-mile journey took the probe six years. Previous analysis of the material suggested the presence of water and organic chemicals, the researchers say. Read more: What are fast radio bursts, and why do they look like aliens? Asteroids (and the meteors and meteorites that sometimes come from them) are leftovers from the formation of our solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. Most reside in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Yuichi Tsuda (second right), Hayabusa-2 project manager speaks after a capsule containing samples taken from a distant asteroid arrived on Earth on 6 December 2020. (STR/JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images) Japans Aerospace Exploration Agency partnered with universities such as the University of Tokyo to investigate the sample. Some researchers believe that amino acids may have arrived on ancient Earth on meteorites. Meteors found on Earth are often contaminated by microorganisms from Earth - so Hayabusa2 collected subsurface materials from the asteroid and delivered them to Earth without contact with air. Read more: Telescope detects 100 mysterious radio signals from billions of light years away Kensei Kobayashi, professor emeritus of astrobiology at Yokohama National University, said: "Proving amino acids exist in the subsurface of asteroids increases the likelihood that the compounds arrived on Earth from space. The professor also said that the finding suggested that life could have been born in more places in the universe than previously thought". The spacecraft, launched in 2014 from Japans Tanegashima space centre, journeyed for four years to the asteroid Ryugu, where it gathered a sample and headed home in November 2019. Story continues Japans craft, named for the peregrine falcon, a bird of prey, orbited above the asteroid for a few months to map its surface before landing. It used small explosives to blast a crater and collected the resulting debris. After Hayabusa2 dropped off the capsule in 2020, it changed course and headed back into space. Watch: Discovery of amino acids in asteroid could hint at extraterrestrial life Bjp leader Nupur Sharma's remarks have been criticised by several countries across the world. The BJP has also faced strong protests within the country. But on the opposite side, a politician from abroad supported the BJP leader's statement. The Dutch politician and member of the Legislature of the Netherlands, Geert Wilders, posted a series of tweets in support of the statement. The Arab countries have also come under severe criticism from Geert. In a tweet, he claimed that Nupur Sharma gave the right information. India should stand in her support. He said there was no question of India apologising. He also feels that Indians need to stand by Nupur Sharma. Appeasement never works. Itll only make things worse. So my dear friends from India, dont be intimidated by islamic countries. Stand up for freedom and be proud and steadfast in defending your politician #NupurSharma @NupurSharmaBJP who spoke the truth about Muhammad. Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) June 6, 2022 The Arab country has expressed dissatisfaction with Nupur Sharma's statement. The Dutch politician has also spoken out against them. He said in a tweet that there is no democracy in Muslim countries. There the way minorities are tortured, disrespected, it doesn't happen anywhere else. That's his accusation. He said, they should be criticized. Several countries in the Muslim world have criticized the incident. Indian products have already been boycotted at a shopping mall in Kuwait. The same picture of discontent is in some other countries also. A statement has also been issued by the government. Kuwait( Kuwait), Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, The Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Libya, Bahrain, Maldives, Afghanistan, Indonesia have strongly criticized the comments. An apology has also been sought from the Government of India. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly criticized the comments and called for action from the United Nations. It has been requested to see to it that the rights of minorities in India are protected. However, The Modi Government has already said that this comment is not supported by the Government of India. This statement is contrary to the thinking of the Government of India. By Akshat Jain New Delhi: In January 2010, Boa Sr, the last speaker of the Bo language, passed away. A song from Boa Srs opus lyrically conveys how the world feels like after getting robbed of ones language: a dure kaiyo laruka, dure kaiyo laruka, dure kaiyo laruka This place is not good for living. The Great Andamaneses tragic loss of languages resonates with other Indigenous peoples across the world, which Yasnaya Elena Aguilar, a linguist and Indigenous rights activist, succinctly argues thus, Our languages are not dying, they are being killed. Today, there are over 6,000 languages spoken worldwide. According to the University of Hawaii's Catalog of Threatened Languages in the United States, a language dies on average once every three months throughout the globe on a global scale. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), half of the world's languages will go extinct within the next century. Governments, academic institutions, and civil society groups have all taken part in a variety of events to mark the International Year of Indigenous Languages, which began on January Yasnaya Aguilar, a Mixe linguists activists, presented a lecture in the Mixe (or Ayuujk) language before Mexico's Congress on February 26 on the importance of languages and the factors that influence their survival or extinction at the Legislative Palace of San Lazaro. This speech changes the course of history by bringing to light the wounds, injustices, plundering, and bigotry that have occurred in the name of Mexico in the past. This is the first time something like this has happened in history. There has never been a time in human history when so many languages have perished in such large numbers. What is the present reason for the extinction of languages? Around 300 years ago, the world began to separate and develop internal borders: it remained divided, and traveling to different parts of the world without papers became impossible. The world was still divided into over 200 countries, each with its own government, flag, and preferred mindset and each state had its own vernacular to accomplish this internal consistency. Different languages were frequently subjected to discrimination and hostility. Mexico, as we know it now, is a 200-year-old country. About 300 years after the Spanish conquest, 65% of the population spoke an indigenous language in 1862. Spanish, it appears, was a minority language at the time. About 6.5% of the population speaks an ethnic language. Spanish has now surpassed English as the world's most widely spoken language. Nahuatl, Maya, Mayo, Tepehua, Tepehuano, Mixe, and other indigenous languages were formerly common, but are now rare. What occurred to make them the minority? Did we decide to abandon our languages all of a sudden? This is not the case in the least. It was due to a dynamic exacerbated by policy acts that limited individuals to exclusively speaking Spanish. Our forefathers were subjected to blows, punishments, and prejudice as a result of speaking their mother tongues. The long-term existence of our languages is dependent on soil, water, and trees. How will our vernacular be revitalized in the face of constant challenges to our homeland? Rather than dying, our languages are being eradicated. Many of the most important international disputes and challenges are everyday primary examples for many people. Unfairness, poverty, inequality, prejudice, racism, and other complicated issues can all be explored via literature. It is because fiction allows participants to deal with the difficulties that businesses and individuals confront every day. (This article has been written by Akshat Jain, Research Scholar, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. The scholar is a graduate of BITS Pilani, and is pursuing his research studies in the field of Psychology and Neuroscience) Live TV Aurangabad (Maharashtra): The Nupur Sharma-Naveen Kumar Jindal controversy show no signs of abating with AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday (June 7) demanding that an offence be registered against the duo for their controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad. Owiasi also said that both should be arrested. The BJP suspended Sharma, a former spokesperson, and expelled Jindal from the party only when there was outrage in foreign countries due to their statements, he told reporters at Latur in central Maharashtra. "We are angry that the prime minister (Narendra Modi) did not pay heed to the Muslims who are residents of this country. But when the anger of people in foreign countries came out on social media, action was taken," he said. The BJP took action ten days after the alleged remarks, Owaisi pointed out, without naming either Sharma or Jindal. "If you think that those tweets and the language used was wrong, it is the government's responsibility that a case is registered against them and they are arrested, then it will be justice," the AIMIM chief added. The two leaders should not be "rehabilitated after six or eight months," he said. Talking about the threats received by Nupur Sharma, Owaisi claimed that it was the BJP which published her address in the suspension letter issued to her. "No one should break the law," he further said. He also said that when an actor (apparently referring to Ketaki Chitale) spoke against NCP chief Sharad Pawar, she was promptly arrested, so the Maharashtra government should similarly bring Nupur Sharma to the state and take action against her too. India imports oil from the Gulf countries coordinates action against terrorism with them, and recently signed a trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Owaisi said. "The prime minister has put all this on the line," he said, alleging that the BJP has played a role in creating an "ecosystem of hate". Many Muslim countries including those in the Gulf region have lodged protests and issued statements criticising the alleged derogatory remarks made by Sharma and Jindal. New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday said it has the numbers in Rajasthan and Haryana and is confident of the victory of its candidates from the two states in the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused the BJP of trying to subvert mandates and displace governments where it has lost the electoral contest and said the country has seen such examples in Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand in the past and even during previous Rajya Sabha elections. Khera said the priority of the ruling party should be governance and not displacing governments where it is not in power. He also raised objections over the claim of Subhash Chandra, an Independent candidate from Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha polls, that he has the support of six Congress MLAs. The Congress leader said this confidence in claiming the support of other party's MLAs comes from the BJP and its central leadership. "We are confident. We are more than confident. We have our numbers in Rajasthan and Haryana. We have no doubt whatsoever," Khera said in response to a question on the upcoming election to the Upper House of Parliament. Taking on the BJP, he said it has a strange hobby of displacing governments and trying to subvert mandates, adding that one has seen what has happened in Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand, "where we win the elections and they try to form the governments". The Congress leader alleged that there are several examples of the BJP doing this, including during late Ahmed Patel's election to the Rajya Sabha. "So if they don't have the numbers, why don't they wait for their turn the next time if they get the numbers. Why do they indulge in horse-trading and create an atmosphere where everybody then has to try and protect their turf?" "This should not be the priority of a party which is in power, its priority should be governance," he said. The Congress is pitted in a close contest for the fourth seat in the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan and one seat from Haryana where the entry of two independents -- media barons Chandra and Kartikeya Sharma -- has made the battle interesting. Chandra and Sharma are supported by the BJP and claim that they also have the support of Independent MLAs. Fearing poaching of its MLAs and cross-voting in Rajasthan and Haryana, the Congress has holed up its legislators from the two states in Udaipur and Raipur respectively. The Rajya Sabha election will be held on June 10 and cross-voting is likely to take place for the two seats from Rajasthan and Haryana. On the orders of the Calcutta High Court, the CBI is investigating a total of eight cases of corruption in the West Bengal SSC Recruitment Scam. From the former education minister to the current minister of state for education, the central intelligence agency has questioned round the clock. In the same atmosphere, this time in the 2014 primary TET, a case of corruption was also filed in the court. The plaintiffs alleged that in the 2014 TET exam for the recruitment of primary teachers, 86 candidates were working as primary teachers without passing. The plaintiff's lawyer feared that if time is wasted, the documents related to the case may be destroyed. Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay then ordered permission and hearing of the case on an urgent basis on Tuesday. However, at 2.30 pm, when the hearing began, the litigant said that some procedural work was still pending in the filing of the case. After this, the judge said that the case will be heard at 2 pm on Wednesday. Trinamool's All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee had recently questioned the role of the court in one case after another. On this day, when the 2014 primary TET case reached the court, the party (TMC) did not respond much. Earlier, the party's state secretary-cum-spokesperson Kunal Ghosh was seen blaming former education minister Partha Chatterjee in the SSC case. On this day, however, he said, "What is wrong is wrong, what is right is right, I will not comment on judicial matters." Ankita Adhikari, daughter of Minister of State for Education Paresh Adhikari, has already been dismissed from her job as a teacher on the orders of the court in the SSC recruitment corruption case. The minister's daughter has also been ordered to refund the money she received for 41 months as salary. It was in this context that Justice Rajshekhar Mantha on Monday ordered the termination of the job of another teacher, Siddique Gazi. The man has been working as a mathematics teacher at Saluadanga High School in Murshidabad since February 2021. Last year, SSC job seeker Anup Gupta filed a case in the Calcutta High Court. He said in the complaint that though he was ranked 200 in the merit list, he did not get a job. However, Siddique Ghazi, who was ranked 275th in the merit list, got a job. It was in this case that Justice Rajshekhar Mantha on Monday directed the Board of Secondary Education to cancel the job. New Delhi: Amid the controversy over Nupur Sharma's statement on Prophet Muhammad, actor Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday (June 7, 2022) extended support to the suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and said that she was "entitled to her opinions". Taking to her official Instagram account, Ranaut condemned death threats against Nupur Sharma and urged people to take the legal route if they wanted her to be held responsible for the comments she made against the Prophet during a TV debate a few days ago. "Nupur is entitled to her opinions, I see all kinds of threats targeted at her, when Hindu Gods are insulted which they are almost every day we go to court, pls do that no need to play dons yourself...(sic)," she wrote in her Instagram story. "...this is not Afghanistan, we have a proper functioning government which is chosen with a process called democracy... Just a reminder for those who keep forgetting," the Bollywood actress added. Kangana Ranaut's statement came amid widespread anger in West Asian countries over controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by two former BJP functionaries. Several gulf nations have also summoned the Indian ambassadors over the remarks against Prophet Muhammad. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has provided security to Nupur Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on the Prophet. She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving. The BJP, notably, on Sunday had suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad escalated with protests from several Muslim countries. After the action, Sharma unconditionally withdrew her controversial statement and claimed that her comments were a reaction to "continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva)", referring to the Gyanvap mosque row. Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality. Sharma's comments, made during a TV debate a few days back, and Jindal's now-deleted tweets, have also sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries. (With agency inputs) Trinamool Congress's (TMC) All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee again raised his voice against the Modi government over the role of the central agency. He dragged the names of Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya on Twitter. Abhishek Banerjee is currently in Dubai for eye treatment. On Tuesday, he questioned the role of the ED and the CBI. In fact on Monday night, the top leader of the 'Bangla Pakshyo' Garg Chattopadhyay tweeted, "The ED, the probe agency of the Modi government, is keeping an eye on Bengal MP Abhishek Banerjee in Dubai. They have also requested the UAE government to appoint a spy in this regard. Keeping an eye on an MP in this way amounts to surrendering the sovereignty of the country." Also Read: 'Closely monitor Abhishek Banerjee's foreign trips', ED appeals to Dubai government through Ministry Referring to Garg's tweet, Abhishek Banerjee wrote, "The dedication and enthusiasm with which the central agency of the Narendra Modi government is keeping an eye on me, had it been keeping an eye on Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi with the same enthusiasm, the people of the country would have saved Rs 30,000 crore." Abhishek then added, "The Centre is forgetting, they are keeping an eye on me. But now the whole country is keeping an eye on them (central government)." I wish the Central Agencies under @narendramodi had shown similar PERSEVERANCE & ENTHUSIASM to monitor the likes of Nirav Modi and Mallya, helping save more thn 30,000 Crs of peoples money. In thr quest to KEEP A TAB ON ME theyre forgetting INDIA IS NOW KEEPING A TAB ON THEM. https://t.co/XySe3eHjCG Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) June 7, 2022 The Enforcement Directorate had summoned Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee to Delhi several times in connection with the coal smuggling case. Against which Abhishek had approached the Supreme Court. He said he was willing to cooperate fully with the investigation. But let's question him in Kolkata. In that case, the supreme court's verdict went to Abhishek's favour. The Supreme Court had said that Abhishek and Rujira may be called by the ED in connection with the investigation. But not in Delhi, in Kolkata. Abhishek then wrote a letter to the ED saying that he will have to go to Dubai for treatment. However, he was banned to travel outside India by the central agency. The Diamond Harbour MP then moved the Calcutta High Court challenging the decision. The court allowed him to go to Dubai. This time Garg Chattopadhyay was furious to tweet about the issue of surveillance on abhishek in Dubai. Mumbai: Equity benchmark indices extended their decline for the third day running on Tuesday, with the BSE Sensex tumbling over 559 points in early trade, as foreign funds outflow and elevated crude oil prices continued to play spoilsport ahead of the RBI's policy decision on Wednesday. The 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 559.46 points lower at 55,115.86. The broader NSE Nifty fell by 161.05 points to 16,408.50. (Also read: Foreign investors pull out nearly Rs 40,000 crore from equities in May) From the Sensex pack, Titan, Dr Reddy's, HUL, Asian Paints, Nestle, Sun Pharma, Maruti and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the biggest laggards. (Also read: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala portfolio stock jumps 5%, should you buy, sell or hold? ) In contrast, NTPC and Reliance Industries were the gainers. Elsewhere in Asia, markets in Tokyo and Shanghai were trading in the green, while Hong Kong and Seoul were quoting lower. Stock markets in the US had ended with gains on Monday. "Two crucial numbers coming this week are significant - RBI's rate hike tomorrow and inflation rate in the US expected on Friday. The market direction is likely to be influenced more by inflation in the US, which, in turn, will decide how far the Fed will go in raising rates. "This will be the key determinant of possible 'risk on' or 'risk off' in equity markets globally," said V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. The Sensex declined 93.91 points or 0.17 per cent to end at 55,675.32 on Monday.The Nifty fell 14.75 points or 0.09 per cent to finish at 16,569.55. Meanwhile, international oil benchmark Brent crude jumped 0.69 per cent to USD 120.33 per barrel. Foreign institutional investors offloaded shares worth a net Rs 2,397.65 crore on Monday, according to stock exchange data. Washington: Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has accused his ex-wife, actor Angelina Jolie of damaging the reputation of the Miraval wine business, which they co-owned previously by selling her part of the share to a `stranger`. Earlier, Brad had filed a lawsuit against Angelina for selling her share of the Miraval vineyard even though both had agreed that they would not be selling their individual interests without the consent of any one part, reported People magazine. Brad accused his ex-wife of deliberately trying to "inflict harm on" him, by selling her stakes. Brad further claimed that Angelina had "contributed nothing" to the success of the Miraval business. According to Brad`s lawyers, Angelina had already planned on selling her shares to a French group Tenute del Mondo, which had always wanted to take control over Miraval, reported People magazine. "Jolie pursued and then consummated the purported sale in secret, purposely keeping Pitt in the dark, and knowingly violating Pitt`s contractual rights," read the statement from Brad`s team. In addition, the lawyers of Brad Pitt claim that Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler, who controls the Stoli Group, a company of vertically-integrated vodka producers has been seeking to get a hold of "confidential and proprietary information for the benefit of his competing enterprise." Shefler is also accused of engaging in "cutthroat business tactics and dubious professional associations," which run the risk of jeopardizing Brad Pitt`s "carefully built" Miraval wine business, harming his reputation. Presently, Brad is seeking damages "in an amount to be proven at trial". The `Troy` actor has also urged that the sale made by Angelina should be declared "null and void." Brad has asked for a trial by jury as well. New Delhi: The much-in-love Bigg Boss OTT couple, actress Shamita Shetty and Raqesh Bapat have reportedly called it quits and decided to part ways. As soon as the news surfaced online, fans of the stars were left heartbroken. Although, nothing has been officially conveyed by the couple as yet. SHAMITA SHETTY AND RAQESH BAPAT BREAK-UP? According to a Filmfare report, unconfirmed sources revealed that Shamita and Raqesh have decided to amicably part ways. They will however continue to remain friends. Also, the couple shot for a music video recently which will be announced soon. Soon social media pages were abuzz with the reports of Shamita and Raqesh breaking up. HOW FANS REACTED TO SHaRa SPLIT NEWS: The ShaRa fans (as the couple was fondly called) expressed shock and disappointment at the news while others felt this was bound to happen. Check out netizens' reactions here: Sometime back, reports of ShaRa breaking up surfaced on social media but the couple rubbished the rumours by appearing together at multiple events in the city and happily posing for the shutterbugs. Shamita Shetty and Raqesh Bapat met on the sets of Bigg Boss OTT season 1, hosted by Karan Johar. The two back then openly expressed their feelings for each other and fans loved their chemistry. Ecuador's ex-vice president arrested, headed back to prison FILE PHOTO: Ecuadorean Vice President Jorge Glas attends a trial for alleged corruption by case Odebrecht at the National Court of Justice in Quito By Alexandra Valencia QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuador's former vice-president Jorge Glas, who served 4-1/2 years in prison on a bribery conviction before being released last month, was arrested on Friday by police under a court order to return him to jail. Earlier in the day a tribunal annulled the decision that freed him in April and ordered him back into custody. "With an end to executing the resolution of the Santa Elena tribunal, (the police) have physical control over prisoner Jorge G., while (the prisons agency) is carrying out the procedure for his jailing and transport in police helicopter," the Interior Ministry said on Twitter. Glas was sentenced to jail in 2017 after a court found him guilty of receiving bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in return for giving the firm state contracts. He was also convicted in 2020 of using money from contractors to fund campaigns for the political movement of former President Rafael Correa. Glas was released after a court in coastal Santa Elena backed a habeas corpus petition saying his well-being was at risk. But a higher court in the same province annulled that decision after a petition from the SNAI prison agency, which argued procedural errors mean Glas must serve the rest of his sentences. "The immediate locating, capture and transfer of citizen Jorge David Glas Espinel to the social-regional rehabilitation center Sierra Centro Norte Cotopaxi is decreed," the Santa Elena Justice Court said in a statement. Glas' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Glas' first conviction carries a 6-year sentence. His conviction in the second case - where Correa was also sentenced - carries an 8-year term. Correa has called the convictions political persecution and is fighting extradition from Belgium, where he has lived since he left office. "Evil has once again triumphed, but the definitive victory will be ours. Never doubt it," Correa wrote on Twitter earlier on Friday. "Jorge, please, resist." (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Bill Berkrot and David Gregorio) New Delhi: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das, on Wednesday (June 8), urged customers to approach local police if they have taken loans from unregistered digital lending apps and are facing any issue. He also made it clear that the RBI will only act in cases against entities registered with the central bank. He also highlighted that most of the digital lending apps are not registered with the central bank and operate by themselves. His remarks have come in the wake of a spate of alleged suicides abetted by harassment by agents or officials of lending apps, most of which are not registered with the RBI. The RBI Governor said that whenever the central bank receives a complaint from any customer, it directs customers of such unregistered apps to approach the local police. He said that the police will conduct an investigation and take necessary action on the issue, adding that the police have already acted against the wrongdoers as per the provisions of the law. He also noted that the official RBI website has the list of apps that are registered with the central bank. Borrowers can visit the portal to ensure that they take loans from lenders registered with the central bank. "It's my humble request to all those using such apps to first check if the app is RBI registered or not. If the app is RBI registered, the central bank will act immediately in case of any misdoing, I assure you," Das said in the customary post-policy press interaction. The RBI governor also told customers on how they can remain safe from financial frauds involving SMSes or calls in the name of banks. He requested borrowers to not share personal details like one time passwords or CVV numbers with any such agents who can misuse the same for fraudulent activities. Also Read: Sensex drops 215 points, Nifty down by 60 in volatile trade post RBI policy If a customer wants, she or he can check with their bank branch to ascertain the veracity before proceeding ahead, he added. Also Read: Oppo launches Oppo K10 5G with 8GB RAM: Price, features, specs, introductory offers With PTI inputs. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank has cancelled the licence of The Mudhol Co-operative Bank Limited, Bagalkot (Karnataka), thus restricting it from repayment of deposits and acceptance of fresh funds. The bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Wednesday while announcing the cancellation of licence. "Consequent to the cancellation of its licence, The Mudhol Co-operative Bank Limited ... Is prohibited from conducting the business of 'banking' which includes, among other things, acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits," it said. RBI also said that bank with its present financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in full. The cancellation of licence comes into effect from Wednesday. As per the data submitted by the bank, RBI said more than 99 per cent of the depositors are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). On liquidation, every depositor would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount up to Rs 5 lakh from the DICGC. Also Read: Airtel outage: #Airteldown trends on Twitter as users face issues with internet, mobile signals DICGC has already paid Rs 16.69 crore of the total insured deposits based on the willingness received from the concerned depositors of the bank, the RBI added. Also Read: Nothing Phone 1 to launch on THIS date, check smartphones specs, features New Delhi: Garena Free Fire releases redeem codes on everyday basis. The 12-digit redeem code consists of alphabets and numbers. Players can get rewards such as skins for in-game weapons and characters to improve their gaming experience. Garena Free fire is banned in India. However, if you are located outside India, you can access the reward codes and redeem them. For that you will be required to visit official Garena Free Fire reward site and log in to your Facebook, Google, Twitter IDs to access the Free Fire redemption page. (Also read: Gold prices today: Gold rates jump, check prices of yellow metal in your city) Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for June 7, 2022 B6IYCTNH4PV3 B3G7A22TWDR7X FF9MJ31CXKRG FF9MJ31CXKRG FFCO8BS5JW2D FFAC2YXE6RF2 FFICJGW9NKYT FV5BNJ45IT8U F4N5K6LYOU9I FH2GYFDHE34G F7YGT1BE456Y FJBHVFS4TY23 J3ZKQ57Z2P2P PCNF5CQBAJLK WEYVGQC3CT8Q ZRJAPH294KV5 3IBBMSL7AK8G Also read: Apple WWDC 2022: MacBook Air, M2 chip, iOS 16 and more, heres everything Apple announced How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, 7 June 2022 Step 1: Go to the official Garena Free Fire redemption portal Step 2: Log in on the portal with either your Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, VK, or Huawei ID. Step 3: Enter a redeem code in the designated text box. Step 4: Click on the Ok button to get free rewards in your game account. Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules Kanpur: The Uttar Pradesh police on Wednesday arrested three people associated with the Popular Front of India in connection with the Kanpur violence, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 54. A senior official said that the activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) had allegedly mobilised rioters and were in contact with Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the key conspirator of the violence. "The trio, with affiliation to PFI, was identified in 2019. They had also been arrested during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019," Kanpur Police Commissioner, Vijay Singh Meena said. They have been identified as Saifullah, Mohammad Naseem and Mohammad Umar, he said. Violence had erupted in parts of Kanpur after Friday prayers as members of two communities indulged in brick-batting and hurled bombs over attempts to shut shops in protest against "insulting" comments on Prophet Mohammed by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma during a TV debate. Around a dozen more suspects are still in police detention and being interrogated over their alleged role in the violence. Meanwhile, Abdul Quddus Hadi (city Qazi) condemned the police's remarks that they would seize and demolish the properties of those found involved in the violence. Agar bulldozer chala... Hum kafan bandh kar sadak par utrenge (if bulldozer is used to demolish properties, we will come on the street and fight till our death), he said. Soon after the violence, senior officials, including Additional DG (law and order) Prashant Kumar and commissioner Meena, had asked their subordinates either to seize the accused's properties or run bulldozers. Police said those arrested on Tuesday in connection with the violent incident have been identified as Matiullah alias Matti, Azizur-rahman, Mohammad Amir, Sarfraz, Mohammad Farhad, Arshad alias Bablu, Shahenshah alias Nayyar, Saklain, Sunny, Shamim, Mohammad Sartaj and Khaleel. BJP Yuva Morcha's former district unit secretary Harshit Srivastava was also arrested on Tuesday. Expressing concern over the probe into the incident, Maulana Hakimuddin Kasmi, national general secretary, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said the police was taking "one-sided" action in the matter. Alipurduar: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made a scathing attack against the BJP saying that the saffron party makes tall claims before elections that fizzle out the moment polls are over. The Trinamool Congress chief said this while addressing a gathering in Alipurduar. She added that BJP promises separate state, welfare schemes ahead of polls to befool people. The West Bengal CM had on Tuesday alleged that the saffron party had been indirectly patronizing separatist group, Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), to create tension in north Bengal and separate the region from the state. Mamata Banerjees attack came just a day after a message from KLO was released asking the Chief Minister not to dare to step into the territories of the proposed Kamtapur state. "Some leaders are threatening to kill me if I resist attempts to separate north Bengal from the state. If you have the courage, point your guns towards me. I know how to blunt your weapons," the Chief Minister said while addressing a public rally in Alipurduar district in north Bengal on Tuesday afternoon. The Chief Minister also alleged that there is a direct connection between BJP and the separatist groups in North Bengal. "Some BJP leaders, like the separatist groups, often speak of separating North Bengal from the state. I am ready to sacrifice my blood and resist such separatist attempts," she said. Incidentally, Alipurdar and its adjacent Jalpaiguri district had been a weak point of Trinamool Congress since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when BJP candidates emerged victorious from both the constituencies in these two districts. In the 2021 West Bengal assembly polls too, despite bagging a landslide victory, Trinamool Congress performed poorly in both these districts by winning in only three out of 12 assembly constituencies in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. For quite some time several BJP elected representatives from North Bengal, including the party Lok Sabha member from Alipurduar, John Barla, had called for the separation of north Bengal from the state for better development in the region. In the meantime, Jeevan Singh-led KLO too has started a movement to demand separate Kamtapur out of Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur districts in the northern part of West Bengal, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Goalpara districts in Assam, Kishanganj district in Bihar and Jhapa district in Nepal. Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Wednesday attacked the Congress party over "dynasty politics'' and said that the country is now 'Congress lupt' and not just 'Congress mukt'. In an apparent dig at top Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Nadda said that the grand old party, too, has become an organisation run by ''a brother and a sister.'' Nadda, who is in Bengal on a two-day visit, also claimed that almost all regional outfits in the country, including the "aunt-nephew party" of the TMC, have become family-run organisations. Attacking Congress again, Nadda said, "Indian National Congress is neither Indian nor national.'' ''Its leaders talk to the workers from London. It has become a party of brother-sister," he said in a direct attack on the Congress party. "40 years ago, my friends from Congress would say, Nadda ji, you do not understand politics. It is a matter of opportunity; you are the right person in the wrong party. Today, I want to ask them - who is in the right party?" Nadda said. "Nobody thought that Mulayam Singh's (former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav) rule will go, nobody thought we will be Congress Mukt. In fact, we're now Congress lupt (disappear), let alone be Congress mukt (free). we'll form government in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh too," Nadda told the BJP workers in West Bengal. Nobody thought that Mulayam's (former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav)rule will go,nobody thought we will be Congress Mukt. In fact, we're now Congress lupt(disappear),let alone be Congress Mukt (free) ...we'll form govt in Telangana,Andhra Pradesh too: BJP chief JP Nadda in Kolkata,WB pic.twitter.com/qm0KEcg3Ks June 8, 2022 Addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Kolkata, Nadda also alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has no principles or policies, but only syndicates. He stressed that very soon, the BJP will form a government in West Bengal through 'democratic means'. The BJP chief made these remarks while addressing the state executive committee meeting in the state. "It is only BJP, where there are leaders, workers, will, and willingness to work together. Some parties have workers but no leaders. Where there are leaders, there is no intent... Only Bharatiya Janata Party has a leader, policy, intention, workers, and the environment under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he further added. Exuding confidence that the "future belongs to the BJP", he vowed to defeat the TMC in the next elections, "just as we won against the Congress". "In politics, there is nothing static, things change. The future belongs to the BJP. The TMC has no principles or policies, it has only syndicates," Nadda said. TMC has often been accused of backing organised extortion rackets, often referred to as syndicates, mainly in the construction and manufacturing segments. The top BJP leader also said that the Banerjee-led govt in Bengal has not given the details of the MNREGA fund expenditure for the last three years. Islamabad: Former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday challenged Shehbaz Sharif-led government to stop him from leading the Azadi March movement. The PTI chief warned the government that whether it puts his party members in jail or employs other tactics, PTI`s movement against the government would not stop, reported Geo News."The way they tortured us was not even witnessed during the martial law eras," Khan, who was ousted from the prime minister`s office in April, told a gathering of lawyers at Bani Gala. ALSO READ: Troika of Imran Khan, wife Bushra Bibi, her friend Farah Gogi made 'billions' during PTI tenure, claims PML-N govt The ex-prime minister was talking about the events leading up to May 26 -- when Khan had announced to call off his "Azadi March" as he feared further bloodshed. Three people were killed the day before he arrived in Islamabad's D-Chowk: a police constable and two PTI workers. "The government is trying to throw me in jail to stop our movement [...] but I am telling you, whether you put us in jails or resort to other measures, this movement will not stop," the former prime minister said. Imran Khan further stated that plans were being made to put him behind bars, however, he added that the movement will continue till election dates are announced, reported Geo News. The incumbent government, on the other hand, has ruled out hasty elections and stated that it will serve out its tenure. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah revealed that the decision to deploy security officials at Bani Gala to guard the PTI chairman was made as per the law, however, the "same security" officials will arrest him once his bail expires. The PTI chairman claimed that his party was protesting because the "current administration was imposed on us through a conspiracy" and thats why his party was protesting. He told the gathering that this was a "decisive" time for the Pakistani nation."This government has put the country`s future at stake," said. He informed the audience that the Pakistani nation was at a "decisive" crossroads. "This government has jeopardised the country's future," stated. The ex-prime minister said as soon as the incumbent government officials go out to meet the masses, they start chanting slogans of "traitors" to insult them. Khan blamed the Shehbaz government for the country's economic woes, claiming that GDP was 5.6 percent in the third year and 6% in the fourth year during the PTI's tenure. He stated that international credit rating agency Moody's has revised Pakistan's economic outlook to negative, as a result of which Pakistan will not be able to obtain loans from money lenders, reported Geo News. Live TV KYIV: Ukrainian forces were successfully holding out against the assault in Sievierodonetsk, the general staff said on Wednesday, while Russian troops were bringing in new resources towards Donbas in an intense battle for control of the eastern region. The days-long battle for the industrial city has emerged as pivotal, with Russia focusing its offensive might in the hope of achieving one of its stated aims - to fully capture surrounding Luhansk province on behalf of Russian-speaking separatists. "The absolutely heroic defence of Donbas is ongoing," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video statement on Tuesday. Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Popasna, remain the most difficult places, he added. "It is absolutely felt that the occupiers didn`t believe the resistance of our military would be so strong and now they are trying to bring in new resources towards the Donbas," he said. Since being pushed back from Kyiv and Kharkiv, Russia has focused on the region known as the Donbas, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, and closest to the Russian border. Moscow says it is engaged in a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" its neighbour. Ukraine and allies call this a baseless pretext for a war that has killed thousands, flattened cities and forced millions of people to flee. Zelenskiy said Ukraine would launch next week a "Book of Executioners" to detail war crimes. "These are concrete facts about concrete individuals guilty of concrete cruel crimes against Ukrainians," he said. Russia says it has gone out of its way to avoid targeting civilians in its operation in Ukraine. SEOUL: Senior officials from South Korea, the United States, and Japan said on Wednesday that North Korea's recent missile tests were "serious, unlawful" provocations, urging Pyongyang to return to dialogue and accept offers of COVID-19 aid. South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori made the comments as they gathered in Seoul, three days after North Korea conducted the latest in a series of missile tests. The three-way meeting of the countries` No. 2 diplomats, the first such gathering since November and the first since South Korea`s President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May, highlighted the urgency and gravity of North Korea`s intensifying weapons tests. Moris' visit was also the first by a Japanese vice foreign minister since late 2017, when bilateral ties were strained over issues such as Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula and wartime labor. Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Cho, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori, and I held a very productive trilateral meeting in Seoul. We discussed regional and global security and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/G9PgMGxfkW Wendy R. Sherman (@DeputySecState) June 8, 2022 Seoul and Washington's officials have said North Korea is ready for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017, which Sherman has said would trigger a strong and clear response. The trio urged Pyongyang to abide by international sanctions and immediately cease actions that "escalate tensions or destabilize the region," a joint statement said. They also agreed to increase trilateral security cooperation to counter North Korean threats, with Sherman reiterating the United States' defense commitments, including extended deterrence. "They stressed that a path to serious and sustained dialogue remains open and urged the DPRK to return to negotiations, while also expressing their hope that the DPRK will respond positively to international offers of assistance to fight against COVID-19," the statement said, referring to North Korea by its the initials of its official name, the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea. New Delhi: Films are the quintessence of culture in the modern world. It is impossible to escape the fact that every video and every film has an impact on how we perceive our world and the way we arrange our lives. With a 30-to-90-second time frame that is all creators get to create a funny or at least amusing story for audiences, ads have a single overarching aim: to get the audiences to remember the product. L.A-based Indian editor Kartikye Gupta is setting up a great example by using the medium to especially create memorable pieces of art that also create a resounding brand impact. Times Square is a cultural hotspot visited by more than a 100 million people each year. Gupta edited the renowned Black Friday and Christmas AT&T commercials starring the famous Lily or Milana Vayntrub for the New York Times Square screens and used visual effects and graphic design to bring even more energy into the AT&T brand. Gupta is also known for working with brands like Nike, Facebook and Charlotte FC. Gupta had put together the BTS of Reebok's sophomore New York City collection titled Let Me Be In My World Nighttime, in collaboration with iconic Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B. Similarly, he created and cut together the visual effects of the famous Metaverse film that was brought by Facebook at the Connect for the first time to the world. The film, watched by the 15M people streaming the event, gave a glimpse of the next evolution of social connection the company is bringing, and the collective project on which everyone will be able to socialize, learn, collaborate and play in ways that go beyond whats possible today. Guptas ads have a remarkable impact, both on the brands he works with as well as on the visual experience of his audiences. Live TV Sweden's ambassador to Singapore, Kent Harstedt (right) and Swedish soldiers taking part in a military exercise in Poland on 19 May 2022 (left). (PHOTOS: Embassy of Sweden in Singapore and AFP via Getty Images) SINGAPORE Sweden has been enjoying peace for over 200 years but the war in Ukraine has shocked the Nordic country into reassessing its long-term security, said the Swedish ambassador to Singapore, Kent Harstedt. In a recent interview with Yahoo News Singapore, Harstedt said that the Ukraine conflict has rattled the confidence of Swedes in Europes geopolitical future. Consequently, the overwhelming majority of Swedes support their countrys application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), according to Harstedt. People were worried about safety, their well-being, so I think that (the Ukraine conflict) has changed the people's mindset and made them concerned about war and peace, the 57-year-old diplomat added. The last time that Sweden fought a war was in 1814 after neighbouring Norway declared its independence. The two countries subsequently fought a brief war and signed a ceasefire agreement on 14 August 1814, ushering in the unprecedented long period of peace for Sweden. The developments in Ukraine since 24 February the start of Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbour were received with shock and great regret and galvanised Swedish political parties due to the long-term deterioration of the security environment in Europe, said Harstedt, who had previously served as a Swedish Member of Parliament and on the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees for about two decades. Six out of eight political parties in Sweden have expressed support for NATO membership while a Swedish parliamentary committee has presented a report on how the Nordic country should respond to the Ukraine war, according to the ambassador. One other thing that is important for us is the Finnish decision to apply for membership in NATO. That also has an impact on us, Harstedt said. The applications by Finland and Sweden on 18 May to join NATO are awaiting approval, and must be unanimously approved by all 30 NATO members before the Nordic countries can join the alliance. Story continues In a separate interview with Yahoo News Singapore, Finlands ambassador to Singapore Antti Vanska also said Russias blatant invasion of Ukraine had caused a very profound change in his countrys security assessment and fuelled its desire to join NATO. When asked what Sweden would bring to the alliance, Harstedt pointed out that the country is modern and democratic, and has a technologically driven conscription system that deploys fewer military personnel than in the past. Sweden had military conscription for over 100 years until it abolished the system in 2010. It reactivated conscription in 2017 in response to emerging threats to national security. In a parallel development in recent years, Sweden moved away from a policy of neutrality that was in effect from 1814 until 2009, and has signed various defence treaties with a number of European Union and other Nordic countries. Swedish ambassador to Singapore, Kent Harstedt presented his credentials to Singapore President Halimah Yacob on 15 February 2022. (PHOTO: Embassy of Sweden in Singapore) The applications by Sweden and Finland to join NATO are objected by Turkey, who accuses them of harbouring individuals whom it claims to be terrorists, including those from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Harstedt said Stockholm and Ankara are having a dialogue about the issue and declined to reveal further details, but he hoped that the situation would be resolved soon. Meanwhile, Russia has been sending mixed signals about the possible inclusion of Sweden and Finland in NATO. Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to have softened his opposition on the issue but warned last month that "expansion of military infrastructure into this territory will certainly cause our response. When asked about Russias ambivalent stance, Harstedt said, We are an independent country, and we make choices that are best for our country. Collective security guarantee is something that would serve us well in this situation. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore A House committee will hear testimony on gun violence at a hearing on Wednesday, including from a fourth-grade student who survived the horrific mass shooting last month at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that shocked the nation. Eleven-year-old Miah Cerrillo spoke with CNN recently about her experience and described in chilling detail how she had been afraid the gunman would kill her so she had smeared herself with a friend's blood and played dead. Wednesday's hearing will provide a high-profile platform for Cerrillo and others directly impacted by gun violence to tell their harrowing stories to the American public. It is rare for Congress to hear testimony from someone as young as Cerrillo on a subject as sensitive and disturbing as gun violence. The hearing will also feature testimony from the parents of one of the victims at the Texas elementary school massacre and the mother of a victim of a recent mass shooting at a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 EAU CLAIRE Mark Oldenberg, president and CEO of Security Financial Bank, announced that 12 area recent high school graduates each have been awarded a $500 scholarship to be used to further their education. Each year, SFB awards up to two $500 scholarships in each of its markets to graduating high school seniors. Recipients are chosen based on involvement in school, youth organizations, and community events with particular preference given to students pursuing a career in finance, accounting, or business administration. South Africa: SARS, dtic donate seized clothing to flood victims The South African Revenue Services (SARS) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) have joined forces to donate tonnes of seized clothing, blankets and footwear to flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, North West, and the Free State. The initiative, named Project Sizani (We all Help), took shape after the declaration of a State of Disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa in response to the recent heavy rains that battered the provinces. SARS conceived of the idea of making seized clothing, blankets and footwear available, which are strictly regulated by the Customs Act, Act 91 of 1964, administered by SARS, and the Counterfeit Goods Act, administered by the dtic, as well as a 2009 and 2020 NEDLAC agreement. These stipulate that seized goods must be destroyed so as to avoid disruption to the South African market. It is important to note that SARS, by itself, is not in a position to conduct an operation of this magnitude from a legislative or operational perspective. A raft of engagements and approvals by various key government and other external stakeholders, as well as their direct involvement, were required to make it happen, said SARS in a statement on Tuesday. This included a once-off deviation from the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) agreement, as agreed upon during a meeting with key stakeholders in the Clothing Textile Footwear and Leather Industry (CTFL) to enable the donation of specific CTFL goods that have been seized and forfeited to SARS to the victims of the severe weather events of April 2022. The execution of the operation is led by a Governance Task Team (GTT), established for this purpose. This team works in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Committee to obtain information and direction on matters of common interest, as well as to align the efforts of the donations of the goods with the bigger government led project. The GTT is responsible for overseeing the process flow and to ensure that the donated goods are duly accounted for. The distribution is strictly monitored through the close working relationship at ground level with the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the current shelters that are housing people. Inputs from the KZN Premiers Office were used to develop the donations operational plan, which sets out the principles governing the process of donations such as quantities proportionate to the confirmed numbers of the people in need, as well as governance processes to protect the entire donations value chain. In addition, the provincial department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through its disaster management structures, played a leading role in preparations for the donations process. The involvement of organised labour and the CTFL industry, as key stakeholders, are deemed necessary in every step of the project to monitor the processes and ensure that any risks that may harm the local business are mitigated. The South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA) assisted with the transport of the containers to the warehouse in Durban, from where distribution takes place. Due to the critical need for blankets in eThekwini, the rollout of a pilot programme for the donations started in KZN last week. During the seven-day pilot approximately 1 612 blankets are being donated to specific flood victims at shelters in eThekwini, as identified by the KZN Premiers Office. In total 35 806 seized blankets/duvets are earmarked for distribution across the affected disaster areas in the country. The process of engagement with the Eastern Cape and North West have started and is intended to be a replica of the KZN operations. SARS Commissioner Mr Edward Kieswetter thanked all government departments that have collaborated to deliver such a sizeable contribution to assist the victims of floods. We hope and trust that this gesture of goodwill will go a long in mitigating suffering that was brought about by this natural calamity. The blankets, especially now during winter, will make a difference to all, he said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Calling the effort procedurally improper, a federal judge rejected a lawsuit Friday seeking to block U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and two Republican U.S. House members from being on the ballot for supporting efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Instead, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman said in a June 3 order that the plaintiffs claim, if it exists at all, would best be resolved before the Wisconsin Elections Commission. If a voter believes that a candidate is ineligible for office, he or she may seek legal redress from election administrators, Adelman said. However, a voter may not seek legal relief relating to the candidates eligibility for office against the candidate directly. The decision came after Wisconsin liberals in March filed a lawsuit alleging Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, were insurrectionists in violation of the U.S. Constitution for their words and actions in support of Donald Trump leading up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Because the action will be dismissed on procedural grounds, I express no view on the merits of the plaintiffs allegations that the defendants engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the United States, Adelman said. The lawsuit was filed by 10 Wisconsin citizens and funded by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC. Specifically, they alleged the three Republicans violated a 14th Amendment clause stating, in part, no person can serve in Congress after taking an oath to protect the U.S. Constitution and then engaging in insurrection. The senator was never concerned about this frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement. The dismissal is a rebuke of the radical lefts attempt to lie about Senator Johnsons record and distract from the disaster of Democrat governance. Recounts, court decisions and multiple reviews affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Tiffany and Fitzgerald were among 121 House Republicans who voted to object to counting Bidens presidential electors from Arizona on Jan. 6, 2021. Tiffany and Fitzgerald also were among 138 Republicans who voted to object to Bidens Pennsylvania electors. Johnson was one of eight U.S. senators who signed an objection to counting Arizonas electors, but he ultimately voted to accept them after the Capitol riot. He later told a liberal activist theres nothing obviously skewed about the results of the 2020 presidential election. Since that comment, though, Johnson has consistently supported former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gablemans effort to review the 2020 election. On the insurrection, Johnson read a Federalist article at a 2021 congressional hearing stating that fake Trump protesters were among those committing the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, adding, I think these are the people that probably planned this. There is no evidence that people pretending to be supporters of Trump planned the insurrection. In fact, hundreds of those charged with crimes from trespassing to sedition are known, vocal supporters of the former president. Johnson later walked back his speculative statement, telling The New York Times, It might be a flawed part of the evidence, but why exclude it? The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A Wisconsin judge has extended a hold on a ruling that could limit the states ability to enforce pollution laws. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren granted a request Tuesday from the Department of Natural Resources to extend the stay while an appeals court reviews his April ruling that the DNR cannot require cleanup of toxic PFAS compounds without first going through a process to define them as hazardous substances. The ruling was issued in a case brought by the states largest business lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, and an Oconomowoc dry cleaner, which sought to block the DNR from requiring cleanup of the chemicals that have polluted groundwater in sites across the state, including Madison, Marinette and La Crosse. The plaintiffs claim the DNR is subverting the law by requiring polluters to clean up spills without first defining what substances are hazardous. Bohren agreed but put his ruling on hold so the parties could sort out the implications. While conceding that extending the stay would harm the plaintiff, he concluded that did not outweigh other concerns in a case likely to end up before the state Supreme Court. Im satisfied it protects everyones interests, Bohren said. Assistant Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Carp argued that Bohrens order would upend more than 40 years of the status quo, creating regulatory uncertainty, economic losses and harming families with contaminated wells. Halting cleanups could also jeopardize about $90 million a year in tax revenue generated by the redevelopment of cleaned-up brownfields. If the states authority were suspended, Johnson-Carp said the federal government could assert its jurisdiction, resulting in slower, more costly cleanups. Midwest Environmental Advocates argued that lifting the stay would cause irreparable harm to some 1,300 Wisconsin households with polluted wells who would no longer receive bottled water from the DNR. Those who cant afford to buy their own would be forced to drink contaminated water or consider moving, the group argued. The group said Bohrens order could also stall cleanup efforts, allowing PFAS contamination to spread even further. WMC attorney Lucas Vebber argued nothing in the order would stop the DNR from carrying out its remediation program or providing bottled water as long as the agency first drafts rules, a 2-year process subject to approval by the Legislature. Environmental advocates say that would hamstring the DNRs authority to stop pollution. State law requires anyone responsible for spilling a hazardous substance to clean it up under the oversight of the DNR. But there is no definitive list of hazardous substances, which can include toxic chemicals as well manure, corn, or even milk spilled in a creek anything that can cause harm to human health and safety, or the environment, because of where it is spilled, the amount spilled, its toxicity or its concentration. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The La Crosse Police Department reported a $1 million drug bust Wednesday. Police arrested 26-year-old Jade Deeny of La Crosse, as part of an ongoing drug investigation. He was referred to the La Crosse County District Attorney on 18 different charges, including maintaining a drug trafficking site, possession of drugs with intent to deliver and felon in possession of a firearm. Police obtained a search warrant for Deeny's 627 Powell St. residence and found a lease for a storage unit in his name. Police obtained a search warrant for the storage unit and allegedly found: 135.13 pounds of pressed counterfeit Xanax in three different colors One pound of fentanyl (located next to the Xanax station and most likely used in pills) One pound counterfeit Adderall that tested positive for methamphetamine 25.3 grams methamphetamine pills 77 narcotic pills 250.7 grams of cocaine 524 grams THC wax Four pounds THC candies 212 grams psilocybin-infused chocolate Four handguns (two different high-capacity magazines and 1 drum magazine with 51 rounds loaded in it) One rifle (603 rounds of .223 ammunition) 186 rounds 9mm, 198 rounds 45 caliber $5,953 in cash Automated pill press with professional mixer 385 pounds of inert materials needed to make counterfeit Xanax Thousands of USPS boxes ready to mail the product. While searching the storage unit, investigators determined it was used as a pill press laboratory. Police estimate the street value of the drugs at $1,027,000. Deeny is a convicted felon who spent time in prison in North Carolina for drugs and guns, according to police. During a bond hearing Wednesday, assistant La Crosse County District Attorney Danielle Kranz described Feeny as a flight risk. She said Feeny is a "convicted felon multiple times over" and "has access to incredibly large amounts of cash." Judge Todd Bjerke agreed to Kranz's request for a $1 million cash bond. Kranz said the fentanyl recovered represents 225,000 fatal doses "The sheer scope of Mr. Deeny's operation is mind-boggling," Kranz said. She said the District Attorney's office expects to have a criminal complaint ready by Friday. Bjerke said federal charges are also likely due to the weapons recovered. Deeny faces up to 177 years in prison if convicted of every charge. La Crosse Tribune reporter Steve Rundio can be reached at steve.rundio@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Singapore Blockchain Fest Gets 100% Completion in 2022 Disclaimer: The text below is a press release that was not written by Cryptonews.com. After a successful edition in Limassol, the Singapore Blockchain Fest has led to a real awakening of Asian and European leaders from DeFi, mining, payment systems, crypto exchanges for 2 rush days. It was one of the most anticipated crypto events in Singapore set to take place from June 2nd to June 3rd 2022 at Marina Bay Sands. Attendees faced a unique earn-and-learn platform for the Asian crypto community to exchange insights and experiences and pick up firsthand skills from the market leaders with options for P2P communication. One of the most vital aspects of the Singapore Blockchain Fest 2022 was tremendous networking opportunities that arose from everywhere due to the favorable casual environment. Participants got a chance to use networking lounges, expo spaces, conferences, and workshop halls to represent themselves and get to know each other in a pleasant and comfortable format. Producers of Blockchain Fest Singapore formed an exceptional agenda with renowned and respected speakers lined up for the event to bring up the hottest matters of the year: DeFi, future of digital money and assets, governance & law, decentralized blockchain protocols and smart contracts, NFTs and Meta. Here are just some of the topics and associated names: NFTs Alvin Leong, Bybit NFT Ambassador Arvin Khamseh, NFT Marketing Expert Bobby Bhatia, COO of Fellaz Terence Ting, NEX10 LABS, Founder & Managing Director Adrian Jones, Founder of Yorze Group Kishor M, Founder of Crowd Fund Junction, CEO at Mad for NFTs James Park, Revolve Games, Co-Founder & COO Future of Blockchain Zennon Kapron Director at Kapronasia Jack O'Connor, Sales Director - ASEAN at Snowflake Mike Chiam, Founding Board Member - Asia Blockchain Association, Lawyer - PDLegal LLC Advocates & Solicitors Dr. Julian Hosp, CEO of Cake DeFi Governance & Law Ronald JJ Wong, Director at Covenant Chambers LLC Andy Meehan, Chief Compliance Officer Gemini APAC Shaun Tham, Legal Director at ChainUp Collin Cheong, Director of Corporate Development at Coinhako Women in Blockchain Belinda Lim, Co-founder of Avarta Soh Wan Wei, Founder of Ikiguide Metaverse Collective Megan Lee, Founder & CEO, Regtank Technology Pte Ltd Ida Mok, Founding President, WIBA Shu Hui Choo, Founder and CEO of Bedrock The conference served as a platform for the discussion of the newest issues within the crypto house that made up the modern dialogue between regulation authorities, businesses, developers and even start ups. The event was powered by cryptocurrency exchange ByBit, an online streaming and gala dinner sponsor. The Grand sponsor of Blockchain Fest 2022 was Fireblocks. Web3 NFT platform Fellaz, blockchain all-in-one solution suite ChainUp and digital asset bank JPEX performed as the Platinum sponsors. Some companies such as global digital asset platform Amber, crypto platform Coinstore, decentralized exchange AnchorSwap and CR Square Guardian Platform joined as Gold sponsors. Welcome Party Venue sponsor title went to the restaurant Maison Ikkoku. For more information and latest updates, join the event social media: Facebook LinkedIn Telegram Twitter #BFSG #BFSG2022 *Produced and brought to you by FINEXPO, organizer of financial conferences, forums, summits, exhibitions, shows, festivals, fairs and awards since 2002, with a community of over 100,000 crypto & financial participants. Contact Blockchain Fest at [email protected] +357 95536475 Laura Mirnaya PR Celebratory and festive are two words Joe Shane used to describe the atmosphere of the upcoming Carlisle Pride Week. Carlisle Pride Week was organized by the Carlisle Pride committee, of which Shane is a member. The boroughs first official Pride Week was held in 2019. As a mental health professional and owner of Miss Ruths Time Bomb, I saw how Carlisles first Pride Week created events where my LGBTQ+ clients and customers felt seen, valued, accepted and loved, committee member Sarah Taby said. It was an empowering and beautiful experience for many, and I knew that I wanted to work to help ensure that Carlisle Pride Week became an annual event that fostered pride all yearlong. Shane said after the event in 2019 the committee began planning and organizing events for the following year. Obviously none of those came to pass with the pandemic, so we kept all of our notes from three years ago and came back and revisited those, then we had new people on the committee from the YWCA and from local businesses that had new ideas, Shane said. We were able to, if you will, combine the old and the new. Old events from the previous Carlisle Pride Week that will return include the Carlisle Pride Proclamation at Borough Hall and Rainbow Happy Hour at Market Cross Pub. The proclamation will commence the week of celebration. Speakers include Carlisle Mayor Sean Shultz, Carlisle Pride Week Founder Chris Kapp, YWCA Carlisle Representative Benji Abel and Cumberland County Commissioner Jean Foschi. The event will be followed by a walk to Biddle Mission Park at 311 E. North St. for a free picnic and resource fair. The kickoff at the borough hall is always outstanding, because the local support for this is tremendous, Shane said. The week also will include a slew of new events, such as the Rainbow Run and Fun Walk hosted by Appalachian Running Company, a showing of the movie Pride at the YWCA, a Safety Skills for LGBTQ+ Folks workshop, and a Carlisle Pride Drag Queen Show with Ariel Versace of RuPauls Drag Race. Shane said he helped organize another event that will debut this year: Family Storytime with Drag Royalty at the Bosler Memorial Library. The events of Carlisle Pride Week come as a part of Pride Month, celebrated throughout June. I think its important for the community to understand that this is a monthlong international celebration and this is Carlisle partaking in something that is done across the globe, Shane said. The YWCA said that events like those scheduled for Carlisle Pride Week allow LGBTQ+ people who are often pushed to the margins of society to be visible, as well as to give community allies an opportunity to show support and learn more about the impacts of social injustice and discrimination. My hope is that it will build solidarity within our community, Abel said. The events of the past years have shown all of us how impactful it is to connect with others, to come together to show support. My hope is that Pride Week can serve as a wonderful reminder that LGBTQ+ people are heard here in Carlisle. To all the young queer folks especially we see you and you are not alone. More information about Carlisle Pride Week and a full schedule of events are available online at carlislepride.com or on Facebook at Carlisle Pride. 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 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 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. Generations of local residents have been drawn over the years to the cool water and scenic mountain backdrop of the lakes at Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Cook Township. While very different in size and scope, both bodies of water share a common history tied to the old iron industry that once flourished in that part of Cumberland County. Local historian Andre Weltman is chair of the Friends of the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. A frequent tour guide, he wrote a history of Fuller and Laurel lakes that is posted on the tourism promotion website www.visitcumberlandvalley.com. There is also an official history on the park website maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. At 25 acres, Laurel Lake is older and much larger than Fuller Lake. It was created in 1830 to provide water power to Laurel Forge built by Ironmaster Peter Ege to increase his profits. The forge heated and hammered pig iron ingots into wrought iron bars, which sold for much higher prices because the bendable metal could be formed into many shapes. The forge operation ended in 1895 or early 1896, not long after the furnace stopped making pig iron, Weltman wrote. Unfortunately, the remnants of the forge were lost in forest fires in 1900 and 1915. The forge was located at whats today a gravel parking lot near the bottom of the dam. Workers houses once lined Pine Grove Road east from there; they burned in the forest fires, too. After 1895, the dam that created the Laurel Forge Pond was maintained for recreation and to support a commercial ice operation that continued into the 1920s. Built of timber, stone and dirt, the dam failed three times, in 1847, 1889 and 1919, but was rebuilt each time using the same timber crib design, Weltman wrote. In 1968 the old dam was finally replaced with a solid concrete structure you see today. Fuller Lake is the flooded remnant of the primary iron ore quarry or pit used by the Iron Works during much of the 19th century. A 60-foot-long, 18-inch-wide plunger pump struggled to keep the deep hole in the ground empty, Weltman wrote. Even so, major flooding occurred several times. When ore was no longer being mined in the mid-1890s, the pit by then 90 feet deep was allowed to fill with water for the final time. The lake was named for Jackson Fuller, a final co-owner of Pine Grove Furnace when iron making stopped in 1895, Weltman wrote. In a real sense, he was the last ironmaster at Pine Grove Furnace through that term was not in use at the end of the 19th century. Fuller Lake is known today because of its association with the Legend of the Hairy Hand, an event for children that is held during the annual Fall Furnace Festival at the park. Dont tell the children! Weltman wrote. Although industrial accidents did occur, including at least two deaths at this quarry, its not true that a big hairy man drowned while rescuing a slice of pumpkin pie from rapidly rising floodwaters in the pit. Iron making on South Mountain dates to 1764, when partners George Stevenson, Robert Thornbaugh and John Arthur built a furnace along Mountain Creek. Their enterprise, the Pine Grove Iron Works, made stoves, fireplace backs, iron kettles and possibly munitions during the Revolutionary War. About 131 years later, in 1895, new technologies quickly put smaller producers out of business. The 17,000-acre Pine Grove Ironworks was sold in 1913 to Pennsylvania to be part of the new forest reserve system. While a portion of the land became Michaux State Forest, another part became Pine Grove Furnace State Park, a destination for fishing, boating, hiking and swimming. In the early 1980s, about 40,000 people visited Fuller Lake each summer while another 60,000 visited Laurel Lake. Each beach was manmade, requiring 100 to 150 tons of sand to be spread out every three years, according to a past article published in The Sentinel. Few people realize that Pine Grove once sported an amusement park between Fuller and Laurel lakes that included a carousel, bicycle races and a shooting gallery. Joseph Cress is a reporter for The Sentinel covering education and history. You can reach him at jcress@cumberlink.com or by calling 717-218-0022. 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 Army War College at Carlisle Barracks needs about 20 volunteers from the community to sponsor members of the upcoming class of International Fellows. Every year, senior military officers from other countries attend the War College to participate in the resident program of strategic studies with their American counterparts. Each sponsor is assigned to an officer to help that person settle in and adjust to life in the Carlisle area and the U.S., said Army Col. Brian Henderson, International Fellows director. Sponsors may be called upon to answer questions, offer suggestions and help the student navigate the paperwork and process involved with obtaining a cellphone, a vehicle and/or an apartment. Theyre not living with you, Henderson said. They have their own funds. You would be a resource to them. To be a sponsor, you need time. The biggest piece is welcoming them when they first arrive. International Fellows tend to arrive in the Carlisle area in two waves every spring and summer. The first group consists of military officers who are enrolled in a preparatory course to work on their English language skills so they can be successful in a masters-level program. Almost all the International Fellows can speak English, Henderson said. They are highly educated the best from their military hand-selected to be able to come to this school. This year, that first wave arrived in April. A few of these officers have a sponsor team and could use a designated sponsor individual, Henderson said. The next group of International Fellows is expected in late June. Volunteers are needed to help officers in this group. An information session for new sponsors is being organized for on or about June 21. Volunteers interested in serving as sponsors can contact Henderson by phone at 717-245-3427 or by email at brian.j.henderson.mil@army.mil. Each volunteer will be asked to fill out a short questionnaire, Henderson said. This information will be used by program organizers to match sponsors to International Fellows who have similar interests and family demographics. Aside from helping with logistics, each sponsor is encouraged to be a goodwill ambassador to their assigned International Fellow and his or her family, Henderson said. As they go forward, they build a relationship with the American way of life. It is not unusual for a sponsor to accompany an International Fellow to a local venue like the farmers market in downtown Carlisle or to invite the officer over for such American traditions as Thanksgiving dinner. International Fellows often reciprocate by inviting sponsors over to dinner or an outing. The sponsor program allows these students to come here, have peace of mind and a good year to focus on their studies at the War College, Henderson said. This is a strategically important program. International Fellows provide the American students with the perspective of the military of a partner nation. This allows the American students to benefit from an international context in pursuit of their masters degree in strategic studies. Joseph Cress is a reporter for The Sentinel covering education and history. You can reach him at jcress@cumberlink.com or by calling 717-218-0022. 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 Louisa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Monday to oppose the potential name change of Jefferson-Madison Regional Library because of the slave-holding legacy of the namesakes. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Librarys board of trustees decided at their meeting last month to add discussion of a potential name change for the library to the June meeting agenda. The decision came after local descendants of enslaved laborers group asked the board to change the name because of Thomas Jefferson and James Madisons legacies as slaveholders. The institution of slavery was evil, it was awful, it was despicable, and I dont think anyone would ever try to justify it. But I think its foolish to take todays moral standards and try to apply them to people who lived 300 years ago, said Louisa supervisor Duane Adams, who spearheaded the resolution. The resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors cites library history as part of its justification for opposing a name change. Public libraries in Central Virginia have a rich heritage derived from the private libraries of leading forefathers. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe, who each had extensive personal libraries, the resolution states. The Louisa County Board of Supervisors are opposed to any proposed name changes of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library. Adams said he sees changing the name as divisive. He compared the library bearing the names of slaveholders Jefferson and Madison to tobacco being depicted on the county seal. I think we are too divisive, I think we are too petty, I think were looking to have a fight, Adams said. Gesturing to the county seal on the wall behind the supervisors, he said, We all know the evils of nicotine, but I do not see anyone here whos so offended that they cant sit in the room with a picture of tobacco leaves. Adams said if the library board of trustees were to decide to change the name, he would want the Board of Supervisors to consider leaving the library system, or withdrawing its funding contribution. Louisa County currently gives $392,000 to the library per year. However, the resolution passed Monday does not withdraw funding. While the resolution formalizes the Board of Supervisors opposition to a name change, the board has no vote in the final decision. That will lie in the hands of the library board of trustees. No formal vote is yet planned, however. The board of trustees wants more information and will then begin discussing whether a name change is necessary, how it could happen and what the procedure would look like. At the library board of trustees meeting last month, members of Reclaimed Roots Descendants Alliance, a Charlottesville-based group of descendants of enslaved laborers, asked the board to change the name. For a number of years now our community has been undergoing a racial reckoning. The efforts have resulted in schools and organizations changing their names and statues being removed, Reclaimed Roots director Myra Anderson said at the board of trustees meeting. Our library has remained silent and continued to bear the name of two slave owners. We believe the library is long overdue for a name change, and that maintaining a bad name of a white supremacist is maintaining white supremacy in a space that is supposed to feel inclusive and equitable. Anderson also said she personally knows people who will not walk into the library because of the name. Thomas Unsworth, president of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Board of Trustees, told The Daily Progress last month that hearing that the name discourages people from visiting is heartbreaking. The library is supposed to be a place that is open, welcoming. Our fundamental purpose is supporting ongoing education, ongoing learning, providing people with safe places to grow and explore. Hearing something like that breaks my heart, he said. After hearing from the descendants group, the trustees decided they were interested in exploring the possibility of a name change, and asked library director David Plunkett to look into the procedure. Plunkett said the next steps are for him to figure out whether there are any restrictions in the librarys bylaws that would restrict or make it difficult for the library to change the name. Plunkett will present this information, as well as information about the name and its history, to the board of trustees at the June 27 meeting, which will be held at the Northside Library with a Zoom option. 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 Montgomery County man who battled child sex abuse accusations for years was vindicated this week by the Virginia Court of Appeals. David Wayne Kingrea, 48, of Pilot, was cleared of an indecent liberties conviction from 2014 in an appeals court order dated June 6. The unusual exoneration will not take effect until the Virginia Attorney Generals office, which opposed Kingreas appeal, decides whether to ask the Virginia Supreme Court to review the case. Accused of molesting his former girlfriends son in 2008, Kingrea served 12 months in jail and was labeled a sex offender, a stigma that he said cost him job opportunities. And the sex offender designation barred Kingrea from schools and other childrens facilities, which hampered his ability to care for his own son, who is profoundly disabled. But in 2020, the boy by then a grown man that had accused Kingrea filed an affidavit saying that he had lied and that Kingrea did not sexually abuse him. Kingrea and his attorney launched a legal process that resulted in the appeals court ruling this week. On Tuesday, Kingrea called the appeals courts decision very beautiful and said it lifted a lot of heartbreak from his family. We won. Truth won. Good beat evil, Kingrea said. He said that he hoped that he and his wife would now be better able to seek various avenues of assistance for their son, who is 7. Attorney Fred Kellerman of Christiansburg, who represented Kingrea at his 2014 trial and in his appeal, said he was tickled to death by the ruling. Im just happy for David and his family. I just want closure for them to undo whats been done to them, Kellerman said. Kingreas case started with a turbulent relationship that he had with a woman who for a time moved into his home with her two young sons. Drugs and violence were part of their time together, according to an account that was part of the appeals courts ruling. But it was not until several years after the relationship ended that Shawn Douglas Smith, a son of Kingreas former girlfriend, told a counselor that when Smith was 10, Kingrea groped him and also made him touch Kingreas genitals. That led to a jury trial where most of the charges against Kingrea were thrown out, but he was found guilty of taking indecent liberties with a minor. In 2018, Smith, by then an adult, was accused of harming his own daughter. In 2020, he was sentenced to serve four years in prison. Behind bars, Smith underwent a religious awakening and began to think about what his false testimony against Kingrea had done, he said during a court hearing in March. I now understand what I put Mr. Kingrea through, Smith said in the affidavit he filed from prison. In the affidavit, Smith recanted his testimony about the sexual abuse. The appeals court noted that Smith said he originally made up the sexual accusations because he wanted revenge for the whippings that Kingrea gave him. In the March court hearing, Smith said that Kingrea was too rough with him, but that there was nothing sexual in their interactions. Kellerman filed a writ of actual innocence with the appeals court asking that Kingreas conviction be thrown out. One of the unusual facets of a writ of actual innocence case is that the defendant is presumed guilty, the opposite of a regular criminal proceeding. But Smiths testimony was the only evidence against Kingrea, the appeals court noted. Without it, the record is entirely devoid of any evidence that incriminates, the appeals court ruling said. On Tuesday, Kellerman called Smiths decision to recant which exposed Smith to possible charges of perjury amazing in and of itself. He certainly tried to undo what hed done, Kellerman said. Better late than never. Kingreas case was governed by a law that Virginia General Assembly passed in 2004. Before then, Virginia barred any newly discovered evidence of innocence unless it came to light within three weeks of sentencing, with the exception of DNA testing. The so-called 21-day rule was widely regarded as the strictest in the nation. Although recantations and other non-biological evidence are generally viewed as less reliable than DNA-based proof, the law allows some relief if petitioners can establish that no rational trier of fact would have found them guilty had the new information been known at the time of their trial. But the legal burden remains high. Shawn Armbrust, executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project, said she was aware of only about a half dozen writs of actual innocence granted by the Virginia Court of Appeals since the law was passed. One of the first inmates to invoke the law was Aleck J. Carpitcher of Roanoke County, who in 1999 was sentenced to 38 years in prison for molesting a young girl who later said she made up the allegations. She then recanted her recantation, and the courts held there was no way to find the truth among varying versions of events that she had given. She was the prosecutions only witness. Carpitchers petition was denied and he remained in prison. The Virginia Parole Board granted him geriatric release in 2020, according to Steve Northup, a Richmond attorney who represented him. By then, Carpitcher had been transferred to a prison in Oklahoma, close to family members and the American Indian reservation where he grew up. In poor health at the time of his release, Carpitcher struggled at first with life on the outside, his nephew, Joshua Carpitcher, said Tuesday. Eventually, Carpitcher wound up living in a recreational vehicle in Konawa and was able to get out and enjoy life, his nephew said. Although he didnt talk much about his conviction in Virginia, Carpitcher always maintained his innocence and was constantly looking for a way to completely clear himself of that, Joshua Carpitcher said. On May 14, Carpitcher died in an Oklahoma City hospital of causes that have yet to be fully determined. He was 65. Staff writer Laurence Hammack contributed to this article. The city-owned Majestic Theatre, whose supporters have been rallying Corvallis leaders for more money in the coming year's budget for more full-time staff, may be able to make at least one of those hires after all but at a cost. The City Council unanimously approved the $241 million overall budget at its meeting Monday, June 6, the theater's share taking center stage again. There was no new money identified for the Majestic. Councilors decided that if officials in the Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department, who oversee the theater, want to hire an extra full-timer, they will have to come up with the funds from the existing budget as proposed. The theater faces reduced productions and programs in the new budget, and concerns have been raised about burnout and turnover among part-timer employees without more full-timers. A request to fund two more full-time staff positions for the theater didnt make it into the city's 2022-2023 fiscal year budget, sparking a passionate public campaign in support for additional workers. Intended to be a self-sustaining operation, the Majestic has been relying on city subsidies to stay in the black. City staff strongly recommended against adding full-time staff at the Majestic, citing the need for consistency with policy direction, according to a city document, as well as campaign messaging regarding the 2019 tax levy, from which the theater receives a portion. I would be happy to vote on a motion that authorizes staff to fund an additional (full-time employee) as they see fit, Councilor Gabe Shepherd said in response to a motion by Councilor Charlyn Ellis to fund a theater technical coordinator position. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. But, I dont want to move funding from a different department; I dont want to go seeking funding in the general fund, Shepherd said. The general fund covers the cost of many of the city's day-to-day operations. As it is, the Majestic Theatre is not meeting its financial goals this year, partly because of the pandemic, Parks and Recreation Director Meredith Petit said. She told the council it was expected to bring in $650,000 in revenues but is now projected to come in at around $400,000. Majestic revenue failed to meet projections in four of the past six years of operations under the city, according to a city document, which states there is a significant reliance on a small group of donors who close the revenue gap at the end of each year. One of the ideas floated to get more Majestic staff has been taking money from the supply budget to fund personnel. Petit pointed out the non-personnel aspect of the budget is already quite lean, and has been reduced significantly in a shift to fund part-time wages. In the proposed 23 budget, the non-personnel services total is just shy of $170,000, Petit said. Thats not a lot of money when youre talking about 130-140 shows per year and all of the activity in and out of the theater. These "non-personnel" line items have already taken a hit, reduced from $276,000 in fiscal year 2020, Petit added. She said that represents a change to favor a community-centric approach rather than contracting regional and touring productions. So, its very heavy on our part-time staff to produce the shows that are put on by our community members, she said. City Manager Mark Shepard said moving money from supplies to personnel from one pocket to another isnt a sustainable solution because at some point, supplies must be bought or replaced, which was echoed by some councilors during deliberations. Petit said there are currently four part-time employees classified as theater technicians. A new full-time position would replace one of those, she said, noting the part-time positions pay around $34,000 a year, and full-time would be around $87,000, for a difference of around $53,000. Shepard said generally staff doesnt propose new full-time positions without long-term funding plans, putting the Majestic request outside of the norm. A city document states 7.2 full-time employee requests from across various city departments were denied based on inadequate current and future resources. The initial amendment proposed Monday to fund a technical coordinator failed, but Shepherd offered a more defined motion, authorizing up to a full-time position but requiring the funding come from the Majestics approved, unchanged budget. The council will review and consider the staffing change by its first regular session in September. The more specific amendment passed 8-1, with Councilor Jan Napack opposing. She had raised questions about whether future costs were fully considered. The Majestics not only important to the community as a whole, its extremely important to downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, Councilor Charles Maughan said. Its a sense of community there, and it really supports the businesses in the downtown area. Contacted after the meeting, Petit said by email theres work to do in determining what further service and program impacts may result from continuing to shift existing resources to personnel. There may come a tipping point where funds supporting programs and facility operations costumes, sets and props, equipment, music rights and performance licenses are depleted to the point that the need for more staff no longer exists. We will need to get creative to solve this challenge and find that balance, and look forward to future discussions with staff and stakeholders to develop options moving forward, Petit wrote. In other areas of the budget, the council voted unanimously on amending it to include $275,000 received by the Economic Development Office from Benton Countys American Rescue Plan Act funds for a revolving loan program supporting businesses impacted by the pandemic. Also in the amendment was $500,000 loaned from the street fund for the South Corvallis Urban Renewal Agency to buy a property, making way for a road to access future development in the area. And $15,000 in unspent mayor and council discretionary funds will be used to fund green grants for climate and sustainability projects. The council also unanimously approved accepting state revenue sharing of $7.9 million for the fiscal year. Cody Mann covers Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_. Love 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. For Lebanon High senior Faith Hodge, the commencement ceremony was a long time coming. Originally with the class of 2020, Hodge was expelled as a freshman, returned to school but dropped out as a junior. She came back for her senior year but didnt have the credits to finish. Despite being tagged a super senior, one who doesnt graduate and repeats senior year, Hodge kept chasing her diploma for another two years. Without the money for further education, shes hoping for scholarships and grants to reach her next goal enrolling at Phagans Beauty College in Corvallis. With her peers long gone, Hodge said the teachers and administrators became her friends and biggest supporters. They kept her on track, checked on her daily, gave her rides to school and to check out colleges, even bought her shoes and phone cards. I barely scraped by, but I did it, Hodge said. Im 100% ecstatic; Im going to be crying all day. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Lebanon Express. Home of the Warriors, Lebanon High School graduated more than 200 students Tuesday, June 7. Samara Brown was taking a family legacy on stage. The soon-to-be graduate queued with friends before the start of their class graduation ceremony, standing in contrasting red and white pumps she'd picked to match a string of pearls that had belonged to her great-grandma. The woman was with Brown through seventh grade, she said, before she died. "We called her Grandma Great," Brown said. "That's how I remember her." High school is a challenging enough time, but when you add in the chaos of a pandemic, focusing on education takes on a new level of difficulty. Principal Craig Swanson highlighted the dedication of his staff and students and their determination to succeed. He listed numerous student accomplishments over the school year. I could not thank our staff more for going above and beyond this year and helping each student attain graduation tonight, Swanson said. We started this year in masks, mandatory distancing, classroom capacity limits, and although there were lots of opinions shared, we all agreed that graduating as a Lebanon Warrior was the top priority. Making it to the stage for graduation and giving a speech was a surreal feeling for Payton Drummond, student body president and a valedictorian, who said she decided in sixth grade she would be straight-A student and later set a goal to be a high school valedictorian. I took it day-by-day, semester-by-semester, and year-by-year, and before I knew it I was writing this speech, Drummond told the crowd. This journey has helped me realize that even if the dream I set for myself is absolutely impossible, if I work hard I can do it. Dreams do come true if you want them badly enough. Questioning the definition of success, valedictorian Jacob Greve used his speech to tell his fellow students what success is not: It's not about making the most money or validation from others. Nothing can replace the people and passions in your life, Greve said. He spoke of the value of friendship and looking back from the future with no regrets. Reflecting on how graduation day marks the end of what some call the best years of their lives, valedictorian Laurel McGuigan argued that the class of 2022 has barely scratched the surface of what life has to offer them. Dont let yourselves get stuck in the notion that the best parts of our lives are over now, McGuigan said. As eager as they are to close this special chapter of their lives and move ahead, Faith Roos, valedictorian and student body secretary, urged the graduates to hold onto their shared memories of Lebanon High. What seemed like a long haul at first turned out to be the fastest four years, she said. Emerging from high school on the other end of a pandemic, valedictorian Mark Workman congratulated the graduating class for facing down their challenges successfully, as Warriors do. He thanked teachers for educating the next leaders and members of society, for caring, and for teaching the students to think for themselves. Weve taken our first step in a great journey, Workman said. Reporter Alex Powers contributed to this article. Cody Mann covers Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter via @News_Mann_. Love 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. Gov. Jared Polis said he fears the bill would result in higher housing costs at a time when Coloradans are struggling to afford them. Insisting on local control, three cities in Boulder County voted to adopt their own gun-control ordinances Tuesday night in response to 2021 legislation that gives local governments power to enact gun regulations stricter than state laws. Before the 2021 law, Colorado statutes preempted cities and counties from passing any regulation that prohibits the sale, purchase or possession of a firearm. Senate Bill 21-256 was among several bills introduced in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a King Soopers in Boulder. With the ordinances passage, Boulder, Superior and Louisville now have stronger gun laws on their books ranging from banning assault weapons and large-capacity magazines to prohibiting open carry in public places to requiring a waiting period before the sale of a firearm. The local governments actions follow mass shootings in the past few weeks, notably in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school, the deadliest shooting in a school setting since Sandy Hook Elementary a decade ago. The city of Lafayette is considering similar gun regulations. Edgewater, a city in Jefferson County that sits between Lakewood and Denver, also is considering gun ordinances. Denver was the first to use the 2021 law when it banned "ghost guns" this past January, and then last month prohibited concealed carry in city buildings and parks with exemptions for law enforcement personnel. Residents on both sides of the gun debate turned out on Zoom and in person throughout Boulder County to voice their opinions during Tuesdays multiple public hearings. Supporters of Boulder's six ordinances, many of whom said they are parents who believe more gun regulation will keep their kids safer, became emotional at times. The gun violence happening across our country is preventable if legislatures take action, said Christina Gardner, a Boulder mother of three. But critics of the measures said more gun laws, like longer wait periods for customers who want to buy firearms for protection, keep people from defending themselves when they are most vulnerable. Fred Barton, a Boulder gun shop owner, said the issue is too important to be decided by a group of politicians. This is a very decisive issue for our community. I would highly suggest and recommend putting the issue to a ballot measure so that the entire community can have a voice. Just over the border from Boulder to the east, women wearing red Moms Demand Action T-shirts and touting gun control squared off against gun responsibility advocates during Louisvilles city council meeting, which lasted just over two hours. I understand the outrage and I feel the pain; however, I feel the measures being considered here are dealing with the symptom and not the root cause, said Aaron Davenport. An inanimate object does not hurt anyone. Though Louisville residents were affected by the King Soopers shooting, Mayor Ashley Stoltzman told The Gazette the impetus for the city councils unanimous vote on gun measures was SB 256, which repealed a 2003 law commonly known as preemption. We started talking about this when the state law lifted the preemption, Stoltzman said. About an hour and a half into the Louisville meeting, Stolzman teared up and accepted a tissue from a colleague when she revealed that she went to high school in Jefferson County and played softball with Columbine students the year of the Littleton mass shooting. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East June 11 Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 373 June 2022 Meeting will be held at 0930 June 11 at the Friends of Army Aviation Hangar in Ozark, 189 Heritage Way, Ozark, AL 36360, in the conference room. The meeting is open to members and future members. If you qualify as a veteran that served in the country or as a Vietnam-era veteran interested in veterans issues, we would like to invite you to attend and join our chapter. Please plan to attend and bring a new member. The Coffee County Republican Club will meet this Saturday, June 11, 8:30 am, at the Enterprise Country Club, 3000 Ozark Highway, Enterprise. Republican Primary Senate Run-Off candidates Katie Britt and Mo Brooks have been invited to speak. So far, Congressman Mo Brooks has confirmed that he will participate. Ms. Britt is unable to attend due to a previous engagement. If other run-off candidates are present, they will be given time to speak as well. June 12 A Walk Down Broadway, sponsored by the Republican Women of Coffee County, Roy Hoobler and the Masterworks Choir of Enterprise, will be June 12 from 24 p.m. at the Enterprise County Club. This musical event will feature selections from West Side Story, Into the Woods and other works. It is free and open to the public. Donations will collected for Caring for America, which which supports local outreach in our community. June 15 The Republican Women of Coffee County will meet June 15 at the Enterprise Country Club, 3000 Ozark Highway. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. The luncheon will start at 10:45. You can make reservations by contact Shannon Smith @ 334-494-2753or rwccreservations@gmail.com. She will need to know how many in your party and whether you will be eating. The run off candidates for Senate, Public Service Commission Place 1 & 2, and State Auditor have been invited to speak. June 18 Pastor Willie White, Jr. and members of Johns Chapel AME Church, 605 Geneva Highway in Enterprise, invite the public to join in as we host a Juneteenth Celebration Weekend on June 18 and 19 under the leadership of Nichole Nichols, Chairperson. The public is invited to join all events and services, including the historic 1st annual Juneteenth Parade in downtown Enterprise, starting at 12 p.m. There is no charge to enter. Absolutely free! An application to participate in the parade is provided at this link: https://www.facebook.com/2176600665919571/posts/3134599793452982/?sfnsn=mo Reverend Eddie Thomas, pastor of Mt Sinai Baptist Church in Newville, and Mary Magdalene Baptist Church in Abbeville will be the guest speaker at the service at Johns Chapel following the parade. Vendors, food trucks and bounce houses will be available. Sunday morning Juneteenth worship service will be held at 10:45 a.m. on June 19. For more information, please contact Nichole Nichole, chairperson at 334-375-5003 or Pastor White at 334-701-5853. For vendor information, please contact Nikki Mills at 334-389-6427. June 16 Coffee County Conservation District will hold their monthly board meeting on June 16, 2022 at the Coffee County Extension Office, 1055 E. McKinnon Street, New Brockton, AL 36351. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. We are limited to the number of people that we can have in the room so if you plan to attend, please call 334-894-5581X3. June 18 Military Appreciation Day, hosted by Main Street Enterprise, will be held in Downtown Enterprise on Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will begin with its newest addition: the Patriot Parade in which participants will decorate their bikes, strollers, wagons, scooters and trikes and proudly parade down College Street. The event will also have shopping specials, music, and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Various military and veterans service organizations will also be set up on College Street to share information about their organizations and provide activities and static displays. June 20 Pastor Willie White, Jr. and members of Johns Chapel invite the public to Vacation Bible School 5 -7:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, June 20-24. The theme is Sowing Seeds for Christ with Luke 8:11 as scripture reference. Classes will be available for toddlers through adults. Please register soon via QR code at the churchs website johnschapelamec.org or the Johns Chapel AME Church Facebook page; or by using this link: https://forms.gle/jojSaRJjaeLwbwP57 For more information, please contact LauReen McDaniel, VBS director, at 334-470-1816 or Pastor White at 334-701-5853. June 21 The Alabama Cooperative Extension System will be hosting a ServSafe training program on June 21-22 at the Coffee County Extension office in New Brockton. This is a required food safety course for food permit holders. It is a 2 day in-person course with a written exam. The cost of the course is $140 and you must register online. This course may be needed for restaurant managers and cafeteria managers and food vendors. It is a nationally accredited program through the Restaurant Association. For more information, contact Food Safety Regional Extension Agent Bridgette Brannon at 334-714-1248 June 30 The German Coffee Club will meet on June 30 at the Landing on Fort Rucker at 9:30 a.m. We are having schnitzel for lunch. Please make your reservations by Monday, the 27th. We would like to thank our hostesses: Karin Ramirez, Brigitte Harper, Marianne Owens, Gudrun Ambrose and Caroline Gebhardt. Congratulations to Anita Ferry for being our 4 time Bingo winner. For information, call Chris at 475-6388 or Marianne at 389-1607. Ongoing COVID-19 tests will be given at the Coffee County Health Department on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. To schedule an appointment, call 334-347-9574. The DAV van service for local veterans will make runs to Montgomery and Tuskegee on Mondays and Fridays. The van will leave from the Hardees restaurant on Rucker Boulevard in Enterprise at 5 a.m. and from the Dothan Civic Center at 5:30 a.m. Due to COVID restrictions, there is only space for four riders each trip. Veterans who need rides to VA hospitals in Montgomery or Tuskegee can call 334-308-2480 to reserve a seat on the Enterprise van or 334-446-0866 for the Dothan van. The Enterprise YMCA will hold square dancing classes every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the main building located on Highway 27 across from Hobby Lobby in Enterprise. Singles and couples are welcome, dancing experience not required! For more information, call 334-237-0466 or 334-347-4513. Enterprise Parks and Recreation is hosting senior aerobics at the Civic Center Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Make new friends, enjoy fun music and get moving! St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church will host a program for anyone interested in learning the teachings of the church Christ founded, the Catholic Church. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is held each Wednesday at 123 Heath Street in Enterprise. For more information, call 334-347-6751 or 334-464-1930. To submit an announcement or event, email news@eprisenow.com To submit an announcement or event, email news@eprisenow.com Following his prison sentence, Caylor will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system. According to Caylors plea agreement and other court records, in early 2019, Postal Inspectors noticed that Caylor was receiving suspicious packages through the mail. Further investigation revealed that Caylor was ordering controlled substances on the dark web and paying for them using Bitcoin. During Caylors plea hearing in February of 2022, he specifically admitted that, on May 2, 2019, he attempted to possess a package that he knew contained methamphetamine. Caylor also admitted to previously receiving packages containing controlled substances and sharing or trading the drugs with others. I clutched my ponys lead rope and watched the farrier cradle her cracked, overgrown hoof in his callused hand. The scraping sound of the rasp lulled me into a kind of dreamy spell, and it occurred to me that its hard to find skilled craftsmen these days. I thought about the Agricultural Age. Now it seems generations of Americans have passed through the Industrial Age and the Age of Technology and crossed into the Digital Age. And, woe unto those who arent proficient in computer skills. It makes me wonder if there will be a place for artisans in the years to come. Seems we have turned college degrees into status symbols, so that most of us push our children into college whether they want more education or not. As a result, we have too many with degrees and not enough skilled craftsmen. I can picture the earliest artisans in the country Native Americans crafting simple tools from stone and bone, weaving grass baskets, turning riverbank clay into fired pots, and birch bark logs into canoes. In those days, everything was made by hand, and that tradition carried over into the pioneer days. There are still some artisans around, but skilled craftsmen are becoming a special group of people, an endangered species. Now that our affluent society can afford the best, its hard to find individuals with the skills and pride to provide it for us. In the coming years, will all of our goods be punched out by mechanized, computerized robots? As a little girl growing up in Auburn, I took many pairs of worn-out clodhoppers to Youngbloods Shoe Shop on North College Street to be miraculously refurbished. While I waited, I watched Mr. Youngblood hammer on new heels and work neatsfoot oil into dry leather, making it soft again. My daydreaming was interrupted when the farrier moved toward Snickers rear, changing to her back hooves. He paused by the tool bag, rummaged around in it, and pulled out a double-edged hoof knife. Picking up Snickers hind foot, he began to work effortlessly with the knife. Im a cowboy poet, he told me. Im performing some of my poetry at a national rodeo in Texas next month. I tried to think of something to say, but I just watched until he said, Mind if I say some of my poems to you? See how you like em? Sure, I told him, prepared for some bad rhyming verse. But, while he finished trimming and rasping the hind feet, he entertained me with his clever and funny poems. When he stopped, I glanced down and saw that he had transformed Snickers too-long, badly chipped hooves into smooth, perfectly rounded pony feet. He pushed his black, wide-brimmed felt hat down on his head and handed me his business card. It read, Bill R. Bailey: Horseshoer, Cowboy Poet, Custom Chap Maker. Nice card, I said. You like it? He grinned. I made it on my computer. Mary Belk lives in Auburn. The University of Alabama has started a new summer program for pre-medical students focused on rural health care. The Tuscaloosa Rural Pre-Medical Internship is a seven-week program that gives students opportunities to learn about the health needs of rural Alabama residents. The program will focus on the fields of family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. The program is part of the colleges Rural Programs along with its Rural Health Leaders Pipeline. I hope the students learn that they are an invaluable resource to their communities and understand the impact primary care physicians can have on rural areas in the state, said LaKeshia Whigham, the program coordinator of CCHS Rural Programs. We want these students to know our programs can be an avenue in their journey to serve rural Alabama. Students will spend five weeks at CCHS and two weeks with a family medicine physician near their hometown. To be eligible for the internship program, students must have completed four semesters of undergraduate coursework, achieve and maintain an overall grade point average of a B range or higher, and have scored at least a 22 on the ACT or a 1200 on the SAT. Only residents of rural Alabama are accepted into the program. The inaugural class of the Tuscaloosa Rural Pre-Medical Internship includes Sydney Ratliff of Cullman, Fredashia Foy of Dadeville, Ariana Ramos of Enterprise, Cage Cochran of Fyffe, Savannah Cook of Meridianville, Alia Malone of Odenville, Benjamin Mathis of Pelham, John Ellis Kuykendall of Samantha, Maycie Edmondson of Slocomb, and Gabby Murphy of Wicksburg. The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum in Leadville, Colorado has two new exhibits this year one featuring influential women in mining, and the other focusing on mine site reclamation. Pioneering the Field: Women in Mining is a temporary exhibit which highlights women in the mining industry and the contributions they have made to mining over the years. Women are strong forces in the mining industry, and theyre not given enough credit, said NMHFM curator Jordan Bennett. This exhibit is trying to change some of that. This exhibit was originally going to be a smaller scope, and was just going to talk about historical women, Bennett said. But after talking with my director and then the board, we came up with the idea of expanding that scope to include contemporary women. They decided to include contemporary women as an important part of the story because that makes the exhibit more relatable to people visiting the museum. The contemporary women miners might even motivate some of the girls and women who see the exhibit to consider a career in mining. Most of the women featured in the exhibit are contemporary. Thats partly because there are a lot more women in mining today than in years past even though in 2019 women still made up less than 16% of the workforce in mining in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the 1800s women had a range of roles in mining there were women who were prospectors, ore processors, miners, managers, and mine ownersbut as mining became industrialized there were very few women involved in mining until the 1960s and 1970s. A federal executive order in 1965 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 helped reduce the amount of discrimination against women in mining. After Bennett started working on plans for the Women in Mining exhibit last fall, she started hearing suggestions about people to include. She put together a nomination application, with questions covering the individuals notable contributions, how they would like to be remembered, and why they should be included in the exhibit. Some women nominated themselves, some people selected others to nominate, and in some cases several people worked on an application, with all of them sharing their thoughts on why the woman they selected should be included in the Women in Mining tribute. That was especially the case for Cindy Moore, who passed away in 2015 from ALS, Bennett said. The people who nominated her, it was the most comprehensive application I saw throughout this entire process. The Mining Hall of Fame and Museum received more than 50 nomination applications. To fit the Women in Mining tribute into the space available, a museum committee went through the nominations and selected 15 women to be featured in the exhibit. The selections were made primarily to ensure that a variety of women with different backgrounds and in different fields of the mining industry are included in the featured displays. People who visit the Women in Mining exhibit can read about all of the 50 women who were nominated, since there is a touch screen with information about all of the women not in the featured displays. So a museum visitor can, for example, select Colorado on the screen and see that there are nine women included from this state, and they can then read about any of these women. Most of the women nominated for the Women in Mining exhibit are from the United States, but a few are from Canada and Australia. Some of the womens biographies include some of the challenges they faced as women in the mining industry. Several of them allude to the sexism they experienced, Bennett said. That it was common for miners to believe that women shouldnt be underground because it was bad luckwe touch on the superstition of women being in the mines, the societal constraints of them breaking through that gender barrier to support their families, or to be in this field which has traditionally been male dominated. The contemporary women featured with displays in the exhibit include Barb Filas, Brenda Miller, Kim Morrison and Beatrice Opoku-Asare of Colorado; Dana Bennett, Amanda Hilton and Debra Struhsacker of Nevada; Cindy Moore and Kim Richardson of Idaho; Fiorella Giana and Mary Poulton of Arizona; Anita Cecil-McBride of West Virginia; and Laura Skaer of Missouri. Two historical women who made contributions to the early mining industry, Lou Hoover and Ferminia Sarras, are also included in the exhibits featured displays. Lou Hoover was the wife of President Herbert Hoover. Lou and Herbert both had degrees in geology, and they received a gold medal for lifetime achievement from the International Mining and Metallurgical Society for their translation of a 1565 mining encyclopedia, De Re Metallica. Fermina Sarras, who passed away in 1915, was known as Nevadas Copper Queen. She owned several large mine claims, and she was known for being an extremely generous woman who would help destitute miners, but then also she knew how to celebrate her earnings very lavishly, as well, Bennett said. I was able to speak to Ferminias great great granddaughter about this exhibit, too, and she was really excited that her great great grandmother was going to be part of this space. One of the women selected for the featured displays is Brenda Miller, who happens to be an employee of the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum who leads tours of the historic Matchless Mine in Leadville. She worked at the only active mine that we still have in town, Bennett said. Her career at Climax is significant because she was one of the first 60 women hired underground. She gives fantastic tours that share her history of working at Climax, and she knows a lot about the Tabor family that made millions of dollars in Leadville while mining silver during the late 1800s and early 1900s. When I finally got to tell Brenda that she was chosen, she wasnt expecting that, Bennett said. She didnt think she would be chosen because she just assumed that only women with PhDs, or who were mining engineers would be chosen. And thats one of the reasons why I liked Brenda for this exhibit so much is because she is extremely relatable. She moved to Leadville to help support her family. We wanted to ensure that a wide variety of women were represented. Many of the women selected for the featured displays provided personal mementoes from their mining careers for exhibit. Items in the Women in Mining exhibit include books the women have written, awards they received, safety certificates, pictures from when they were working in various locations around the world, and hardhats covered with mining company stickers. The Women in Mining exhibit also includes an interactive component which gives visitors some additional food for thought after they have read about the accomplishments of some of the women who have been involved in the mining industry. There is a mirror and a dry erase board on which people can write an answer to the question, How do you want to make an impact on your world? So you can look in the mirror, and its almost like you are the 16th featured person in this exhibit, Bennett said. We want to give the guest the opportunity to interact with the space, and hopefully this leaves a little bit of a lasting impact from the exhibit, Bennett said. We recognize that people go to museums and sometimes when they exit those doors they just never think about it again. If theres any way that we can get the public involved in some small manner that makes them think about it even if its just 15 minutes later while theyre getting coffee after they leave the space To me, thats an accomplishment. A celebration of the opening of the Women in Mining exhibit was held at the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum on May 21. Some of the women included in the exhibit traveled to Leadville for the celebration. Pioneering the Field: Women in Mining is a temporary exhibit which will be at the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum until February 2023. It will then be moved to the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Explorations annual MineXchange Conference and Expo which will be held Feb. 26 to March 1 in Denver. SME was a major donor in helping to fund the development of the Women in Mining exhibit. After the SME conference, the Women in Mining exhibit may be moved to a temporary gallery in another Colorado museum. New reclamation exhibit All kinds of people spend some time looking through the exhibits at the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum during their visit to Leadville. Some are long-term miners, but some may be tourists who know almost nothing about mining and they may have negative views about what mining does to the environment. Thats why the museums newest permanent exhibit will play an important role in educating visitors about mining by showing them the reclamation work thats done by modern mines. Mine Site Reclamation: Mining and the Environment has been open to the public since Jan. 14 of this year. Mining during the gold rush period was very different than it is in modern times, Bennett said. Back during the gold rush, anybody could be claim to be a miner and start digging and then, if they had enough money, dig underground tunnels and add shafts and everything. But there was no environmental regulation behind any of this. And then they started realizing in the 20th century the adverse effects that this type mining without regulation can have on the environment. So this exhibit shows that the regulations involved in the mining industry today are very strict, and that in order for a mine to even get approved for first permits, and before they put that first shovel in the ground to start mining, they have to have their entire reclamation plan in place to show that theyre going to take care of the environment after they take what they need. Bennett said lots of the exhibits at the museum teach people that almost everything that everyone uses every day is a result of mining. We wanted to show the public that, yes, mining is essential to the way we live our lives, but now mining companies are responsible for their actions, and making the areas where they have mined beneficial for animals and humans once the mining is complete. The exhibit includes series of photos of various mine sites, all taken from the same vantage point, showing the active mine, the reclamation process, and then what the area looks like once the reclamation is complete. Its a good way to see how the environments can change in just a few years, Bennett said. Some of the sites have been reclaimed for human use, and are now a park or a recreation area, and some of the sites are now wildlife areas with grasses and flowers. Mining is important and essential, but reclamation is necessary, and it is being utilized by literally every modern mining company, Bennett said. Freeport-McMoRan and the Climax molybdenum mine in Leadville, the donors who contributed funds for the reclamation exhibit, have both received awards for their reclamation processes, and the exhibit highlights some of their efforts in reclamation. The exhibit includes some of the tools used in reclamation work. Bennetts favorite artifact in the exhibit is a historic school bell from the old mining town of Gilman, Colorado. People who visit the reclamation exhibit can take a seed packet with them to plant once they get home, to help remind them of what they have learned about the reclamation work done by mining companies. 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. ELKO A Spring Creek man who served time in prison and was ordered to pay more than $700,000 restitution following a DUI crash was arrested over the weekend on charges of stealing credit cards and using them to shop at Home Depot. Dominick J. Palmer, 34, is suspected of breaking into two vehicles at a northside Elko residence and removing wallets containing several credit and debit cards. The victims told police the cards were being used to make purchases at Home Depot. According to a police statement, the store manager tracked down two transactions totaling nearly $1,800. Both were done online; one was for a delivery and another for curbside pickup. Both Palmers name and another name were on the orders, so they were canceled due to suspected fraudulent activity. A third transaction was for a $2,000 e-gift card. That afternoon, the manager was informed that a customer was attempting to purchase paint with a $2,000 e-gift card. Police arrived and arrested Palmer. Police said they search the suspect and found heroin and numerous syringes, as well as 11 stolen credit and debit cards. He was also in possession of keys to a vehicle that police said had been stolen but was recovered. Palmer was booked into Elko County Jail on 15 counts of obtaining or possessing a credit or debit card without the owners consent; buying, possessing, receiving or withholding stolen property; felony possession of a controlled substance; two counts of possession of a hypodermic device; and failure to appear after bail on a felony crime. His bail was listed at $148,420. According to jail and court records, Palmer was accused of a drunken driving crash that resulted in substantial bodily harm. He pleaded no contest in 2016 and was sentenced to 3.5 to 10 years in prison with credit for 274 days served. He was also ordered to pay $706,546 restitution to the victim. Nevada Department of Corrections records indicate his second parole hearing was scheduled for June 2020, but according to Elko County Jail records he was arrested again in February 2020 at an Elko casino for violating probation. He was also arrested in March 2020 on a parole and probation hold and for possession of a controlled substance, using or possessing drug paraphernalia, and driving with a suspended drivers license. He pleaded guilty to attempted possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced in June 2020 by District Judge Nancy Porter to one year in jail. Palmer was arrested again in January 2022 on Lamoille Highway for felony possession of a controlled substance, driving with a drivers license revoked for DUI, possession of a hypodermic device, operating an unregistered vehicle, no proof of insurance, tampering with a breath interlock device, and drug paraphernalia. Felony and gross misdemeanor arrests: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRING CREEK Sage Elementary students and faculty celebrated the Spring Creek High School Class of 2022 with their annual Grad Walk. Spartan graduates carrying hand-made pennants decorated with their college and career plans were greeted with cheers from children and teachers as they marched down the halls. The tradition, initiated in 2016, was created to inspire elementary students to envision the end result of graduating from high school. Seniors who attended Sage or Spring Creek Elementary are invited to return to their school and reunite with former teachers and staff. Students who did not attend either school may choose where to participate. After the students completed their walk, they gathered around The Rock near the schools front entrance for a group photo, said art teacher Heather Wines. Also recognized after the Grad Walk were the recipients of the Sage Scholarship, including Kristyna Testerman, Shannon Watkins and Janeigha Stutesman. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ELKO Two 19-year-olds from surrounding states remain missing in separate cases being investigated by the Elko County Sheriffs Office. Dylan Rounds, 19, was reported missing from Lucin, Utah, on May 25. Aidan Clune of Sonoma County, California has been missing since April 27. The sheriffs office posted an update Wednesday on the Rounds case, expressing appreciation for the outreach from the community with tips and questions. The men and women of the Elko County Sheriffs Office are parents as well, and we understand the passion of Dylans family in wanting this case solved as soon as possible. Rounds was last seen at a bar in Montello, a remote Elko County community about 30 miles west of Lucin in Box Elder County, Utah, according to Fox 13 News in Salt Lake City. The station reported that his boots were found five miles west of his camper, and both the Box Elder County Sheriffs Department and Weber County Search and Rescue searched the area last week. Family members in Idaho have offered a $20,000 reward in the case, Fox 13 reported. Rounds is described as 5-foot-10 and weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The Elko sheriffs office advises the public to contact the Box Elder sheriffs office if they have any information about Rounds whereabouts. We are in direct communication with Box Elder County and are diligently working for a resolution on this case, the statement said. Their investigation began while another missing person case remained unsolved. Aidan Clune traveled from California to Utah on April 26, then drove back to Nevada and drove south on U.S. Highway 93 the following day. He parked his pickup truck on the shoulder and wandered into the remote area about 10 miles north of Currie. Searchers from multiple agencies and volunteers combed a wide area of southern Elko County for more than three weeks before suspending the effort. We will continue the investigation into his disappearance until the case is solved, the sheriffs office said on May 24. Clunes mother has been raising money for a reward, according to the Sonoma Index-Tribune. The fund had topped $8,000 as of Wednesday, according to the Bring Aidan Clune Home page on gofundme.com. Clune has brown hair and brown eyes, is 5-foot, 8-inches tall and weighs about 125 pounds. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 26 Angry 2 ELKO Ken Waldman will be debuting his book, Now Entering Alaska Time, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, at the Western Folklife Center. Its part of a spring and summer tour for Waldman that has included six recent weeks in Alaska, and now events in Elko; Moab, Utah; and Salida, Colorado before appearances in Texas, Louisiana and Florida. The new novel is set in Fairbanks, Juneau, and Nome in the late 1980s into the 1990s, and follows several years of a man in Fairbanks, several hours of a woman in Juneau, and their first winter together in Nome. Waldman moved to Alaska in 1985 to attend the Creative Writing MFA program at University of Alaska Fairbanks, and has since lived in Juneau, Sitka, Nome and Anchorage. In 2001, on the strength of his first two CDs and first poetry collection, he drove out of Anchorage for a series of gigs. More than 20 years later, still officially an Anchorage resident but now with 20 books and nine CDs, hes still driving around, and has appeared at leading concert series, performing arts centers and festivals on this continent and beyond, often with accompanists who in other settings are headliners themselves. Some venues include The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Dodge Poetry Festival, and the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, Australia. This will be his second Elko appearance following his June 2017 show at the Western Folklife Center. Like five years ago, guitarist Ken Harriman will join Ken, but this time Ken Waldman expects Ken Harriman will bring band mates from the popular Elko string-band, Southwind. Alaskan author Don Rearden wrote about the new book: Ken Waldmans Now Entering Alaska Time offers a glimpse of an Alaska you wont find anywhere else. Those who have lived here will recognize these characters and want to experience this world for themselves. Waldmans debut novel lingers in your mind like a good folk song, and leaves you humming. A unique blend of heartbreak and tragedy, comedy and drama, Waldman delivers an unforgettable and fun read. The 49th State changes people, and after reading Now Entering Alaska Time you will understand why time here is unlike any other place on the planet. Like a Ken Burns movie, always recommended, wrote the Austin Chronicle about Ken Waldmans shows. I always strive for events that are fun, inspirational, surprising, wrote Waldman. Its been years since Ive done an event in Elko, and this will be an opportunity to share music and stories I wouldnt do elsewhere but which Im confident will resonate in a community that supports The Western Folklife Center and hosts The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Surprises? Yes, and special guests. The show may feel like taking an Alaska cruise, but you wont have to leave Elko County! Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for members, seniors, and students, and $5 for children under 12. The show is also available to be seen as a livestream. 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. [June 07, 2022] TransPerfect Announces New Contact Center in El Paso, Texas TransPerfect, the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business, today announced the grand opening of a new contact center in El Paso, Texas. The center will be a primary hub for the company's TransPerfect Connect division, which specializes in bridging communication gaps through services that include over-the-phone interpretation, business process outsourcing (BPO), and remote customer support including email and chat. El Paso is part of a region known as "The Borderplex," which also includes Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Jon Barela, CEO of The Borderplex Alliance, the region's economic development organization, remarked, "We're excited to welcome TransPerfect to our region! This company and our educated bilingual workforce complement each other nicely. We're looking forward to watching TransPerfect grow and succeed here in the Borderplex." Commenting on the announcement, El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said, "We're grateful to TransPerfect for selecting El Paso as the home of their latest operations. Together with our partners at The Borderplex Alliance, we are making the most of our talented workforce and bringing great jobs to our region." County Judge Ricardo A. Samaniego added, "We're proud to welcome TransPerfect to the Borderplex region. These are the types of high skill, quality jobs our region can excel at attracting. My thanks to our partners at the Borderplex Alliance and the City of El Paso for continued partnership in economic development." TransPerfect's El Paso facility builds on the company's existing Texas presence, joining its Austin and Dallas offices in serving the region, as well as extending contact center support to clients and customers across America. The contact center will be the third major hub, joining a 900-seat Phoenix contact center as well as a Costa Rica center opened earlier in 2017. The growth in demand for outsourced customer service is the primary motivation for this expansion. TransPerfect has created hundreds of jobs in remote customer support and plans to onboard more than 400 agents in El Paso by 2023. To view available positions, visit the careers page. TransPerfect Connect 1015 Belvidere Street El Paso, TX 79912 Email: info@transperfectconnect.com "Our growth plans in El Paso and for TransPerfect Connect as a whole are ambitious," said Steven Cheeseman, the company's Vice President of Contact Center Operations. "With the increasing need for customer support in both Spanish and English, as well as our significant investment in the center's infrastructure and amenities, we are confident that our team members will appreciate being in a high-demand industry and in a workplace focused on their wellness and enjoyment." TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe stated, "El Paso's talented workforce made the region an attractive choice for our newest contact center. We look forward to growing with the vibrant business community in the Borderplex region." The 485-seat facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and is designed with employee productivity and workplace enjoyment as its top two priorities. Featured amenities include a large on-site cafeteria, game room, mothers' room, and quiet/relaxation room, as well as both free parking and easy access to public transportation. About TransPerfect Connect TransPerfect Connect is a leading provider of global call center services, business process outsourcing (BPO), and remote interpreting solutions including over-the-phone interpretation (OPI), video remote interpretation, and multilingual email and chat support. With services in over 170 languages and industry-specialized interpreters screened for subject expertise, TransPerfect Connect enables businesses to bridge communication gaps in seconds. TransPerfect Connect is a division of TransPerfect, the world's leading provider of language and technology solutions for global business. Founded in 1992, TransPerfect has over 6,000 employees and maintains offices in more than 100 cities worldwide. www.transperfectconnect.com About TransPerfect TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business. From offices in over 100 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 170+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 6,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink technology to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220607006306/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] Comoros President Azali Assoumani said his country has benefited from the use of artemisinin-based treatment programs to fight malaria in recent years. Assoumani thanked Chinese researchers for their foresight and generous help with regards to the treatment, making the remarks at the International Forum on the 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of Artemisinin and on Building a Global Community of Health for All, in late April. With help from China, Comoros has become one of the countries with the lowest incidences of malaria in East Africa, and from 2012 to 2020, the rate dropped from 9 per 1,000 to less than 5 per 1,000, according to Assoumani. Comoros is also one of the countries that has successfully blocked the local transmission chain of malaria, he said. South China's Guangdong province has spearheaded six campaigns aimed at the swift eradication of malaria in Southeast Asia, Africa and the South Pacific region since 2003, with remarkable results having been achieved, according to government officials. Guangdong, the birthplace of using artemisinin to fight malaria, has sent more than 260 technical experts abroad and helped train more than 10,000 local medical workers. The province has set up six overseas anti-malaria centers, said Xu Qingfeng, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Health Commission, who also heads the province's traditional Chinese medicine bureau. The overseas centers include the Sino-Africa Malaria Prevention and Treatment Center, the Sino-Comoros Malaria Prevention and Treatment Center, the Sino-Papua New Guinea Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, the Sino-Togo Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, the Sino-Malawi Traditional Chinese Medicine Center and the Sino-Malawi Artemisinin Research Center. "The centers have played an important role in the fight against malaria worldwide in previous decades," Xu said at a recent briefing on the fight against malaria with artemisinin, held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong. With the help of Chinese doctors and the treatment of artemisinin, Cambodia has now been listed as a country at the pre-elimination of malaria stage recognized by the World Health Organization, Xu said. The national malaria incidence rate in Comoros has dropped by more than 98 percent, with a zero death rate from malaria having been achieved, he said. The first pilot area in Sao Tome and Principe has reported zero cases of malaria for eight consecutive months for the first time, while the malaria infection rate among the 45,000 people on the Kirivina Islands, the pilot area in Papua New Guinea, has decreased by more than 95 percent, with a zero malaria death rate having been achieved, according to Xu. According to official statistics, since the implementation of the artemisinin malaria elimination projects, more than 20 million people from malaria-hit nations and regions around the world have directly benefited from the diagnosis and treatment from doctors and medical experts, and the usage of artemisinin medicines from Guangdong, Xu said. Artemisinin, a drug that helped China eliminate malaria, is a gift of traditional Chinese medicine to people all over the world and Guangdong is not only the birthplace of using Artemisia annua, also known as sweet wormwood, the plant used to cure malaria patients, but also the pioneer of making an industry around Artemisia annua go international, said Xu. He said Guangdong has made remarkable achievements in promoting the cultivation and breeding of high-quality Artemisia annua varieties. The artemisinin content found in the province's Artemisia annua has increased from 0.5 percent to 2.97 percent, due to extensive research and development. An average of five kilograms of artemisinin can be extracted from a metric ton of Artemisia annua globally, but the figure reaches 12 kilograms from a ton of Artemisia annua planted in Fengshun county of Meizhou city in the eastern part of Guangdong, Xu said. "The fourth generation of combination artemisinin-piperaquine tablets (ArtequickO), jointly developed and produced by Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and a local company, has obtained international patent protection in 40 countries, completed trademark registration in 36 countries, and has been listed and sold in 26 malaria endemic countries around the world." It's an innovative drug with completely independent intellectual property rights, and has many advantages, including high efficiency, quick effect, few side effects and simple application, he said. "The tablets have now become the main antimalarial drugs in the free market of malaria highly endemic countries, including Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya," he added. Song Jianping, director of the artemisinin research center at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, said a representative of the WHO has also affirmed China's contribution to the fight against malaria. "The successful implementation of the artemisinin compound malaria elimination demonstration project in the Sao Tome and Principe malaria demonstration area has opened up a new path for Sao Tome and Principe to eliminate malaria," he said. Malaria is a major infectious disease threatening the health of all mankind. According to the WHO's World Malaria Report 2021, more than 140 million malaria cases were reported worldwide in 2020, with 470,000 people dying of the disease, indicating malaria has become an important factor hindering the social and economic development of the world, especially in Africa. Professor Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh (Photo: UCL) Thanh, currently working at the University College London (UCL), won the prize for her important contributions to research related to Plasmonic nanoparticles and their magnetism for biomedical applications. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Thanh expressed her honour to have interdisciplinary research works with her collaborators recognised, saying that she is happy when her research can help prolong the life of cancer patients. Professor Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh (Source: nld.com.vn) The Interdisciplinary Prizes are awarded for work at the interface between chemistry and other disciplines. The spirit of the prize is to recognise research involving both the broad and evolving subject of chemistry and another discipline. Vietnam nominated in 10 categories at World Travel Awards 2022 Vietnam has made the shortlist in 10 categories at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA) 2022, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said on June 6. Illustrative image (Source: VNA) It was nominated for awards in the Asian region for Leading Destination, Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, Leading Heritage Destination, Leading Cultural Destination, Leading Nature Destination, Leading Youth Travel Destination and Leading Beach Destination. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is running for the Asia's Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination award. The capital city of Hanoi was shortlisted as Asias Leading City Break Destination and Asias Leading Cultural City Destination. To cast votes for Vietnam, please visit https://www.worldtravelawards.com. Voting will close on August 31. The WTA was launched in 1993 to acknowledge excellence in the travel and tourism industry. Heralded as the travel industrys equivalent of the Oscars by the Wall Street Journal, the awards are based on votes from the public and travel professionals across the globe. Vietnam won the title of Asias Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards 2021. The WTA also honoured Vietnam as Asias Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism as Asias Leading Tourist Board 2021. US exempts tariffs on solar panels imported from Vietnam According to the Voice of Vietnam, US President Joe Biden on June 6 announced a 24-month tax exemption for solar panels imported from four Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, to promote clean energy production in the country. Installing solar panels in Vietnam. (Photo: congthuong.vn) In a statement, the White House said the tax exemption applies to solar panels imported from Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand. With this decision, the US is able to ensure a sufficient supply of parts to meet power generation needs while domestic solar power production increases. President Biden also activated the Defense Production Act (DPA) to boost solar panel production in the US. The White House emphasized that clean energy technologies now play an important part in reducing energy costs for homes, thus minimizing risks to the electricity supply in the country. The US aims to triple the amount of solar electricity produced by 2024, from 7.5 gigawatts to 22.5 gigawatts, that is enough to power 3.3 million households in the country each year. Market requirements for rice exports to Nordic market Local businesses have been recommended to focus on niche markets, rice products with organic standards, and abide by market requirements in order to enter the Nordic market in the future, the Voice of Vietnam reported details given by Vietnamese Trade Office in Sweden. The trade office assessed that Sweden's rice imports from the Vietnamese market have increased significantly over recent years following the enforcement of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Most notably, Vietnamese rice products enjoys competitive advantages over regional rivals such as India and Thailand, largely thanks to tariff incentives under the terms of the EVFTA. Local businesses have therefore been advised to explore the niche markets and pay close attention to rice varieties which have less competition, such as Japonica rice, due to the Nordic rice market being relatively small. Recently, the Vietnamese Trade Office has been successful in bringing an initial batch of Japonica rice to the Swedish market. Furthermore, local businesses can introduce other types of Vietnamese rice such ST24 and ST25 which have won awards as the worlds best in order to make further inroads into the demanding market. Moreover, Vietnamese enterprises are required to study the mandatory market requirements set on official EU portals such as the Trade Help Desk and CBI to gain greater insights into rice-related procedures, as well as legal documents. Vietnamese firms need to check the Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides and rice-related active substances by referring to the EU MRL database, while simultaneously focusing on products that are capable of meeting the standards of sustainability initiatives. Domestic businesses seeking to expand into this market have also been urged to keep up to date with rice trading developments through news sites such as Rice News Today and World-grain.com, as well as attending trade fairs in Europe like SIAL, Anuga, or Biofach to seek potential customers./. At a welcome ceremony for Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) On the foundation of the Vietnam-India Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and People released in December 2020, the two sides concurred to strengthen collaboration to fully and effectively implement signed agreements, focusing on increasing contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially high ones. They will maintain and enhance the efficiency of dialogue and consultation mechanisms, especially the defence policy consultation at the deputy defence minister level, while fostering partnership in personnel training and cooperation among armed forces as well as coordination in participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations. They also agreed to strengthen coordination and consultations at multilateral forums. General Giang underlined the significance of the visit as Vietnam and India are celebrating the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, expressing his belief that it will contribute to promoting the friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and the two ministries in particular. He thanked the Indian side for supporting Vietnam, especially in personnel training and providing credit packages and assistance to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence. For his part, Singh affirmed India considers Vietnam as a key partner in its Act East Policy, underlining that he hopes the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries will continue to thrive and expand to all fields such as politics, defence, security, trade, culture and people-to-people exchange. Regarding regional and global issues of shared concern, both sides held that peace, cooperation and development remain the major trend in the world. However, they showed concern at the complicated developments in the world and regional political and security situation with both traditional and non-traditional security challenges, along with impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. Risks of instability are still latent in the security environment in the world and the Asia-Pacific region, they added. The two sides shared their views on the significance of maintaining peace, stability, maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea, as well as the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), along with the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the reaching of an efficient and substantial Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is suitable to international law. On the occasion, General Giang invited leaders of the Ministry of Defence of India and Indian military industrial firms to attend the International Defence Exhibition that is slated for late 2022. Concluding the talks, the two ministers signed a statement on Vietnam-India defence partnership joint vision towards 2030 and a memorandum of understanding on mutual support in logistics between the two ministries./. Ambassador Tredene Dobson visits the Binh Dinh General Hospital. (Photo: VNA) Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Tuan Thanh highly appreciated the cooperation between the province and New Zealand for many years in the fields of agriculture, health, trade, education and training. Prominent is the success of the Binh Dinh Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Project which connects farmers to the market; the Binh Dinh Safe Vegetables Project which creates sustainable rural livelihoods, bringing health benefits and environment, a premise for the province to continue to expand production of safe vegetables in particular and clean agricultural products in general. The province is also supported by the New Zealand Government to well implement the Project on Improving the Quality and Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Care Services. In addition, the New Zealand - Vietnam Health Trust has sponsored medical equipment, professional and technical training for Provincial General Hospital and Bong Son Regional General Hospital. The Vice Chairman shared about the potential, strengths and efforts to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic for socio-economic development of the province. He expressed his hope that Ambassador Tredene Dobson will be interested in acting as a bridge so that New Zealand can continue to support the province in areas where New Zealand has strengths and the province has needs, such as agriculture and rural development, education, tourism and healthcare, while supporting to connect and introduce New Zealand businesses to explore cooperation and investment opportunities in the province. Ms. Tredene Dobson shared, after more than a year as New Zealand Ambassador to Vietnam, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, Binh Dinh is now the second locality in the country that she has visited after Ho Chi Minh City. She expressed her impression of the traffic infrastructure, new constructions, beautiful scenery of Binh Dinh in general and the coastal city of Quy Nhon in particular, which have similar features to a port city in New Zealand. Ambassador Tredene Dobson thanked the provincial authorities for their attention , and departments and sectors for their support and good coordination to successfully implement projects on agriculture and rural development. She will connect and propose to New Zealand to continue to have projects, programs and support activities as desired by the province. In the near future, Binh Dinh province will be invited to participate in the dike safety project in the field of disaster risk management, which has been supported and implemented effectively in Vietnam by New Zealand. Recognizing that Binh Dinh province's tourism has a lot of potential and will thrive, she said she will return for a summer vacation and contribute to the promotion with the desire that more and more New Zealanders know and come to Quy Nhon./. Continental Europe transmission system operators (TSOs) have decided to address positively Ukrenergo's request to re-launch electricity export from Ukraine, the company has said. "Today, Ukraine's power system operates in a trial emergency synchronisation mode, which means there are no export-import transactions conducted with European counterparties. However, both Ukrainian and European sides are considering the possibility of a stepwise increase in the volumes of export, which would be mutually beneficial in view of the following," Ukrenergo said on its website on Wednesday. Ukrenergo considers the possibility of starting electricity exports to European countries to be an opportunity to provide additional liquidity in the electricity market and generate additional income. "Under the conditions of martial law and active hostilities, the Ukrainian energy sector is struggling to maintain its pre-war financial indicators. Taking this into account, the start of electricity export could become an economically substantiated alternative to new borrowings and loans," the company said. At the same time, low-carbon electricity supplies from Ukraine will significantly strengthen energy security in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, electricity supplies from Ukraine could cover some share of electricity consumption in these countries and reduce their dependence on Russia. The company said to start a stepwise increase in the Net Transfer Capacity of the export direction, the six technical prerequisites had to be fulfilled before the RGCE approval. "Such measures are necessary to ensure stability of the interconnected grid and increase capacity of damping low-frequency oscillations," Ukrenergo said. The company said that as a transmission system operator, Ukrenergo is actively working and will continue to work on the implementation of these technical measures. As part of the Agreements on the Synchronisation of the Ukraine/Moldova Power System with the Continental Europe Power system Ukrenergo is committed to continue working on ensuring compliance with all requirements to transit to full synchronisation, while undoubtedly maintaining the highest level of operational security. The Russian occupation forces, which have occupied Europe's largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, are attempting to disconnect it from the Ukrainian power system and connect it to the Russian one, this is very dangerous, CEO of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, ex-Minister of Energy Yuriy Vitrenko has said. "We have specific concern for our biggest nuclear power plant currently occupied by Russians. We know that they are trying... to disconnect from the Ukrainian grid and connect it to the Russian grid," he said, speaking at a meeting of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) in Washington on Tuesday evening. Vitrenko said that no one can guarantee that such attempts will not lead to some catastrophic consequences. "We've already witnessed barbaric, I cannot call it in any other way, attitude of Russian forces in respect of this nuclear power plant. They shot from tanks at the administrative buildings with all the critical IT systems Nobody could imagine that nowadays we can have something like that happening, when the whole Europe was on the brink of catastrophe," Vitrenko said. He also called for facilitating exports to the European market from the Ukrainian energy system, which is in surplus during the war. For example, Germany can start importing Ukrainian electricity produced at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, even if it does not want to develop its own nuclear power plants. Now Ukraine has a surplus of electricity produced by its nuclear power plants. It can replace 10 billion cubic meters of Russian gas if Ukraine is allowed to export our electricity to Europe, and that also gives money to the Ukrainian state basically to finance our resilience, Vitrenko said. [June 08, 2022] MyHouseDeals to Launch New Fast-Turnaround Home Inspections Service HOUSTON, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MyHouseDeals ( www.myhousedeals.com ), a leading digital platform for real estate investors, announced the launch of a new home inspections service. "Now you can feel like you have eyes on a house anywhere in the country, even if you've never set foot in that area." MyHouseDeals just introduced this new feature this month to users of the popular platform, fulfilling the growing demand for a one-stop shop for dealmaking. Inspections are a useful tool in the dealmaking process because they allow investors to assess the condition of a property, inside and out. If any hidden issues are present that could impact property value and whether or not an offer should be made, the inspection will bring all of this to light. For any property on the platform, members can select from one of three inspection packages (based on the level of thoroughness desired). After providing some information about the property, and scheduling a convenient date and time, the member will be matched with a vetted inspector that serves their area and delivers a completed inspection report within five business days. "We wanted to make this nationwide inspection service available to our investors as part of our mission to empower them to get more deals done, faster. With so many of our investors transacting virtually, buying houses in different parts of the country sight unseen, we wanted a quick, reliable way for them to assess the conditions of a property," said Alex Soares, President of the platform. "So now, whether they order a drive-by inspection with photos of the outside and surroundings of a house for sale, or a thorough photographic inspection documenting interior conditions and repairs needed, our investor buyers will now have tools to feel more confident closing deals and negotiating offers. This is also a useful tool for landlords who want to perform property condition checks and verify any issues reported by tenants." The service employs a nationwide network of inspectors to perform the inspections and promises a quick turnaround for completed reports. "Real estate is all about timing, so it was important to us that this service was fast. Now you can feel like you have eyes on a house anywhere in the country, even if you've never set foot in that area," said Soares. MyHouseDeals is thrilled to offer this new capability so that investors nationwide can feel more confident branching out to buy houses beyond their immediate market. About MyHouseDeals Founded in 2005, MyHouseDeals is the premier online community for residential real estate investors, providing networking tools, on-demand training, and property lead generation, including access to wholesale real estate deals, motivated seller leads, and investor-ready foreclosures nationwide. Contact: Vlad Vidaeff REI Network, L.P. 713.701.5540 vlad@reinetworklp.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/myhousedeals-to-launch-new-fast-turnaround-home-inspections-service-301563457.html SOURCE MyHouseDeals [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] The likelihood that Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine will continue beyond 2022 is now increasing, says Arup Banerjee, Regional Director for Eastern Europe at the World Bank (WB). "Unfortunately, the likelihood that the war could continue beyond 2022 is currently growing," Banerjee said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency. He noted that the World Bank did not change the forecast for the decline in Ukraine's GDP in 2022 and believes that the country's economy will shrink by 44%. "However, due to the long war, with active fighting still ongoing in some regions of Ukraine, we cannot be sure of our preliminary projections for a recovery in the medium term. As GDP is being affected by active fighting continuing for quite a large area of the country, and the rest of Ukraine is suffering from shelling, which causes corresponding losses to infrastructure, property and, therefore, livelihoods and jobs," the WB regional director said. Ukrainian households to lose quarter of budget due to higher living costs, poverty may rise to 58% in 2023 - World Bank Ukrainian households will lose a quarter of the budget due to higher living costs, World Bank Regional Country Director for Eastern Europe Arup Banerji has said. "Our own estimates show that the household losses from the income shock and higher cost-of-living will be around 25% of the household budget. Poverty, under the worst-case scenario, may reach as high as 58% in 2023," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. This will encourage millions more people (in Ukraine) to receive social assistance, Banerji added. Despite the significant financial burden on the state budget, Ukraine should avoid drastic cuts in social spending, as this would be disastrous for the beneficiaries of these social protection programs, the World Bank believes. "This is why the Bank has been supporting, and will continue to support, the Guaranteed Minimum Income program [including through a new $50 million disbursement]," the World Bank regional director said. He also recalled that the World Bank is preparing to provide Ukraine with a loan of almost $100 million as part of the redistribution of loan funds to support the IDP assistance program for the period of martial law. Ukraine may receive up to EUR1.5 bln in revenue from electricity exports in 2022 - Zerkal Ukraine can receive up to EUR1.5 billion in revenue from electricity exports in 2022, Lana Zerkal, the advisor to the Energy Minister of Ukraine, said. "We can say that by the end of the year, under all normal circumstances, we will be able to earn somewhere around EUR1.5 billion," she told Suspilne on Wednesday. Zerkal noted that amid the military aggression of the Russian Federation, the demand for electricity within Ukraine has significantly decreased, and the country has a surplus of generating capacities, which makes it possible to increase exports to Europe. As reported, since March 16, 2022, the Ukrainian energy system has been operating synchronously with the European continental network ENTSO-E. Transmission system operators of Continental Europe in early June gave a positive response to the request of Ukrenergo to resume commercial electricity exports from Ukraine. Ukraine in January-April 2022 increased its revenue from electricity exports by 2.6 times (by $87.11 million) compared to the same period in 2021 - up to $141.05 million. In the four months, electricity was supplied to Slovakia for $48.968 million, Hungary - for $40.408 million, Romania - for $29.274 million, other countries - for $22.4 million. Some 210 bodies of killed defenders of Mariupol returned to Ukraine, most of them are defenders of Azovstal As of June 7, some 210 dead Ukrainian military killed in Mariupol have been returned to Ukraine, most of whom are defenders of Azovstal, the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense reported. "Through the efforts of the Coordination Headquarters on the treatment of prisoners of War, the process of returning the bodies of the fallen defenders of Mariupol is underway. To date, 210 of our military have already been returned. Most of them are heroic defenders of Azovstal," the Agency said on the Telegram channel on Tuesday evening. The Agency stressed that "all the dead should return to the territory controlled by Ukraine," adding that each of them will be carried out on their final journey with honors befitting heroes. "The Coordination Headquarters, on behalf of the President of Ukraine the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is working to return every fallen. Work continues on the return home of all captured Ukrainian defenders," the Agency noted. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the launch of the "Book of Torturers" next week. "Next week, a special 'Book of Torturers' is planned to be launched - an information system that collects confirmed data on war criminals and criminals from the Russian army," he said in his video address on Tuesday night. "I have repeatedly stressed that they will all be held accountable. And we are approaching this step by step. These are specific facts about specific people who are guilty of specific violent crimes against Ukrainians," he noted. According to the president, "such a 'Book of Torturers' is one of the foundations of the responsibility of not only the direct perpetrators of war crimes - soldiers of the occupying army, but also their commanders. Those who gave orders. Those who made possible everything they did in Ukraine. In Bucha, in Mariupol, in all our cities, in all the communities they have reached. Everyone will be brought to justice," he said. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, at a meeting with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik in Seoul, discussed issues of U.S. support to Kyiv including "long-term efforts", the U.S, Department of State reported. "The Deputy Secretary provided an update on U.S. assistance to Ukraine, including security, humanitarian, and economic assistance, as well as budgetary support and aid for long-term efforts," the message reads. The parties also discussed the impact of Russias brutal war of aggression "on global food security and our commitment to getting Ukraines grain to international markets," the Department said. Sherman also announced "continued support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russias unprovoked aggression." Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk has expressed hope that under the French presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ukraine will receive the status of an EU candidate country on June 24. "Ukraine writes the text of history with the blood of its best sons and daughters and is waiting for the registration of Europe with the word "candidate" in ink. I spoke about this with President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher. I hope that on June 24, under the presidency of France, this great historic decision will be made. I extend my hand friendship with a request to lend a helping hand," Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. According to the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Gerard Larcher assured that Ukraine can count on the support of France in its European integration aspirations. He also said that the President of the French Senate accepted the invitation to visit Ukraine and promised to do so as soon as possible. "When I go to Kyiv, it will be to be useful to Ukraine," Stefanchuk quoted Larcher as saying. As reported, Stefanchuk was on a visit to France. Norway has donated 20 155mm M109 self-propelled howitzers with ammo, gear and spare parts to Ukraine, NRK reported on Wednesday. "The Ukrainian forces are dependent on Western support in the form of military equipment and weapons. So that they can withstand the Russian attacks," Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said. The development of the war in Ukraine indicates that it is now necessary to donate heavier materiel and weapons systems as well, he said. Norwegian M109 155 mm can hit targets 30 km away. NRK said that for reasons of security, the ministry has not commented on the contribution until now. The country did so only after Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Zaluzhny thanked Norway in a Facebook post on Saturday evening and wrote that the self-propelled howitzers delivered from Norway was already in use. Norway has also trained Ukranian soldiers on how to use the system in Germany. NRK said that in February, the government decided to donate up to 2,000 M72 anti-tank weapons to the war in Ukraine. The M109 wagons are an extension of the arms support to the country. Ukraine expects a miracle from the NATO summit in Madrid, but there are no prerequisites for this, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. "My realistic expectation from the NATO summit is that a miracle will happen. If it happens, I will be happy. So far, I don't see any prerequisites for this. I mean precisely on the position of NATO regarding Ukraine," Kuleba said at a briefing on Wednesday. The Foreign Minister added that he does not yet see any powerful decisions that NATO is preparing for adoption at its summit regarding Ukraine or Black Sea security. According to him, Ukraine is discussing with Spain the format of participation in the NATO summit. "Regarding the format of Ukraine's participation in the summit, we are currently working with Spain, the host state, and are determining the optimal format, because we have certain restrictions related to travel, they have certain restrictions related to Hungary's position. We will come up with some format, something will definitely happen," Kuleba stressed. The government of Ukraine does not participate in the talks in Istanbul, where representatives of Turkey and the Russian Federation are discussing the issue of creating a "grain corridor" for the export of grain crops from seaports blocked by the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian side also did not consider the issue of discounts for the Turkish side in exchange for its mediation. In addition, the participation of Turkey alone in the resumption of grain exports in the Black Sea is not enough to guarantee the security of Ukrainian exports, acting Executive Director of the Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA) Serhiy Ivaschenko said at the ProAgro Forum Elevator online meeting "Strategies for development of grain storage industry in war and post-war period" on Wednesday. "Our government has not raised such issues, it does not take part in such negotiations, there is no talk of any discounts on the cost of grain. This is just the desire of individuals, which they submit to the media ... Moreover, Turkey, as a guarantor, is insufficient power in the Black Sea to guarantee the safety of cargo and Ukrainian ports," Ivaschenko commented on the statements of Turkish politicians made in the media on June 7. Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, Vahit Kirisci, told the Turkish publication Yeni Safak that his country was ready to act as an arbiter in organizing the export of grain from Ukrainian seaports, and Ukraine agreed to provide Turkey with a 25% discount on the purchase of agricultural products in exchange for mediation in the restoration of maritime trade. In turn, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar told the Turkish Anadolu newspaper that Turkey was negotiating with Ukraine, the UN and the Russian Federation on the formation of a "grain corridor" from Ukraine and noted progress in the process of unblocking Ukrainian agricultural exports. Ivaschenko also noted that even if the possibility of immediate entry into the Black Sea waters of the ships of the grain corridor guarantor countries from NATO and the EU is allowed, they will need at least 3-4 months to clear the area near Ukrainian ports. This is due to the fact that the Russian troops mined the sea area with mobile floating mines, the quick search and disposal of which is impossible. "However, [Ukraine] should understand that such escort or deblockade will indeed be carried out by guarantor countries that are ready and able to guarantee the security of both our ports and transportation in the Black Sea," the UGA representative specified. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic has said that her country intends to buy up to 40 percent of the necessary gas from Azerbaijan in 2023, Azernews reports. She noted that Russia annually supplies 2.2 billion cubic meters of gas to Serbia, while the country's gas consumption is about 3 billion cubic meters per year. "The difference will be provided partly from the gas storage in Hungary, partly from the Banat Yard gas storage, and next year, we will have the possibility to receive about 40 percent of the needed gas through the pipeline Nis-Dimitrovgrad. We expect that this will be primarily gas from Azerbaijan, and negotiations are already underway to reserve capacities for the time when the construction of that pipeline is completed," she elaborated. Earlier this month, Azerbaijan and Serbia signed an agreement on cooperation in the energy and mining sectors. The agreement was signed between Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Mining and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic during the meeting on the fringes of the Baku Energy Week. The agreement aims to rationally use the potential of both countries' energy and natural resources and provides for cooperation in the energy sector, especially natural gas and renewable energy sources, as well as the promotion of the mutual investments in mineral exploration, regulation, energy efficiency, and establishment of joint ventures. The document also reflects the continuation of cooperation to support the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor. In this regard, it should be noted that the Serbia-Bulgaria (Nis-Dimitrovgrad) gas pipeline, will allow Serbia's integration into the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan and Serbia collaborate in a variety of economic sectors. The Azerbaijan-Serbia Declaration on Strategic Partnership, signed in 2013, and the Joint Action Plan on Strategic Partnership, signed in 2018, laid the groundwork for the development of relations. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Serbia amounted to $9.2 million in 2021. During the Conference of Presidents due on June 23-24 in Brussels, the leaders of the European Parliament (EP) are planning to approve a statement calling on the presidents and heads of governments of EU member states to grant Ukraine the status of EU candidate. This is stipulated in a draft joint statement, the text of which has been passed to an Interfax-Ukraine reporter. "On behalf of the Conference of Presidents, the leaders of the Political Groups in the European Parliament, appeal to the heads of state and government of the Member States meeting in two weeks in Brussels to decide on the applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to join the European Union. We must show courage, resolve and vision in the face of a deteriorating international environment. The shifting geopolitical plates requires action on our part. By doing so we will be true to our principles and values. Ukrainians whose motherland is under a brutal attack, but also Moldovans and Georgians, who seek a brighter future, await a signal that their place is in the European family. That is why this House strongly appeals to you to grant Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia the EU candidate status, in line with article 49 of the Treaty of the European Union and on the basis of merit," reads the document. It is expected that the document would be approved during the Conference of President on Thursday. In addition, slight changes regarding Georgia might be added to the statement, a source involved in the preparation of the document told Interfax-Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called on western investors for long-term cooperation with Ukraine. In his speech at Dragon Capital's Ukraine Virtual Investor Conference, the head of state invited foreign investors to consider two horizons of cooperation with Ukraine short-term and long-term. "These are very simple and transparent tools. The first tool is our platform UNITED24. A special fundraising platform, which helps us to accumulate funds for restoring life after military operations. These are mine clearing operations, purchase of equipment for hospitals, humanitarian aid. Each donation gives us an opportunity to see that Ukraine has one or another specific and real friend. We can see whom we should be grateful to," Zelensky said. The second tool is war bonds of Ukraine, the president said. "Even now, during the full-scale war, we show absolutely conscious attitude to our debt. War bonds are a tool to support us in our fight for freedom and earn. An earning opportunity for you," he said. Zelensky also said that long-term cooperation includes five main components and opportunities. "Europe, IT, agriculture, green energy, production localization," he said. The head of state also said that Ukraine offers access to the entire European market, qualified specialists, agricultural sector, which still remains the key one for dozens of countries in the world even during the war, rich natural resources and green energy, digitalization, which ensures simple and transparent relations between a person or a company and the government, and IT sector boasting of one of the most favorable legislations in the world. "I propose IT companies to move their head offices to Ukraine, set up shared services centers," Zelensky said. He also stressed that even amid Russia's full-scale invasion all systems of Ukraine were demonstrating their strength. "Our banking system, finance, government structures remain stable," the president said. In addition, an ambitious program of post-war reconstruction of Ukraine will become the largest economic project in Europe, he said. Zelensky said he believed that cooperation of western investors with Ukraine would help to finish the war even sooner. "There is one war next to everything I am saying 'the war'. It continues. But we have withstood a super heavy attack, we are defending our territory and moving to one of the biggest military successes in the history. We will win this war. And, if we cooperate, we will do this even faster. We offer you success where business moves beside political history. I am inviting you for cooperation," the president said. KYIV. June 8 (Interfax-Ukraine) The blocking of funds of JSC Ukrainian Energy Machines (UEM, Kharkiv) in the settlement accounts of Megabank, declared insolvent by the National Bank, jeopardizes the fulfillment of the company's contracts with JSC Ukrhydroenergo for the modernization of hydroelectric power plants (HPP) of the Dnipro cascade, CEO of Ukrainian Energy Machines Viktor Subotin has said. "Ukrainian Energy Machines, formed from Turboatom and Electrotyazhmash, has been fulfilling a contract for Ukrhydroenergo for more than five years to modernize the hydroelectric power station of the Dnipro cascade at the expense of the EBRD. Megabank served enterprises under these contracts all these years. In particular, in recent months, about UAH 480 million went into the accounts, which we planned to use for the implementation of contracts, but now this money has actually been stolen from us," CEO of Ukrainian Energy Machines and main shareholder of Megabank Subotin said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday. He recalled that Turboatom and Electrotyazhmash won a number of international tenders for the modernization of the Dnipro cascade HPPs more than five years ago, ahead of many competitors (Alstom, Andritz, Chinese companies), but the main requirement of the contracts concluded then was a bank guarantee for an advance payment, which was then issued to these two companies (now one) by Megabank. Subotin explained that this was also the decision of the bank's supervisory board, in which the EBRD representatives worked as shareholders all these years, and they accepted the bank guarantee as security, and all accounts under these contracts were also opened with Megabank. He added that in total, about UAH 1.5 billion of Ukrainian Energy Machines' funds were blocked in Megabank's accounts, including about UAH 500 million in the company's settlement accounts, under which payments for raw materials, materials, components, salaries for the fulfillment of contracts were planned, and about UAH 1 billion security under guarantees. "And now we cannot allocate funds for the modernization of hydroelectric power plants, which, in my opinion, will hit the scale of modernization of the energy equipment of our state very much, because all the turbines and generators at the electric, hydro, thermal, nuclear power plants of Ukraine are ours. And if, God forbid, we allow a technological failure in the maintenance of these facilities, it will be a big disaster for the state," Subotin said. He added that the current situation was repeatedly brought to the attention of the National Bank, and expressed the hope that a common language with the regulator would still be found. "Because we are very surprised that during such a disaster and devastation, one cannot take into account the state interests and the interests of state-owned enterprises that support the economy," the head of Ukrainian Energy Machines concluded. According to head of the management and supervisory board of Megabank (2015-2021) Oleksiy Yatsenko, if in 2015 and early 2016 the share of Turboatom's funds in the bank's liabilities was 25%, now it is less than 10%. As reported, the National Bank of Ukraine decided to declare Megabank insolvent on June 2. Chernovetskyi Investment Group is resuming search for and funding of the projects From the first day of wartime, Chernovetskyi Investment Group focused on the safety for its employees and assistance to Ukraine. We managed to resume business in a short time. Also, we started raising funds to support Ukraine as promptly as we could. We believe in the better future for Ukraine and we are sure that our joint efforts will make it happen soon. We are pleased to announce that CIG is resuming active search for and funding of the projects. Every day our team communicates with the people of various sectors from around the world. At the same time, our main mission is to support the economy of Ukraine in these difficult times. Currently, we are looking for the operating/profitable Ukrainian projects that require funding for development. Priority is IT projects. Today, our average check is US$300,000 - US$3,000,000. You are welcome to submit a brief presentation of the project to our e-mail info@cig.vc or through the form on the website. The cover email should briefly describe the essence of the project, set out its key financial indicators and the amount of required investments (with an indication of a plan to use the funds). About CIG Chernovetskyi Investment Group (CIG) is one of the largest investment companies in Eastern Europe, founded in 2013. It has the investment potential of more than $100M and, while having investments internationally, focuses on the Ukrainian IT sector. CIG is a founder of CIG R&D LAB an IT-development project in Ukraine, which unites three tech universities in Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa. More details at: http://cig.vc/ Israel has sent to OHMATDYT 15 tons of medicines and equipment, - The Embassy The next humanitarian aid to Israel to Ukraine in the form of 15 tons of medical equipment and medicines for OHMATDYT was sent on Tuesday, June 7. The Embassy of Ukraine in Israel reported this at Facebook. On June 7, 2022, 15 tons of medical equipment and medicines were shipped from Israel through Hungary to Ukraine for the needs of the National Children's Specialized Hospital OHMATDYT of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, - the statement said. The Embassy is grateful to the Israeli side, including the Ministry of Health of the State of Israel and MASHAV, the Israeli Agency for International Development and Cooperation, for providing another cargo of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to the interior minister asking for a permit to hold a protest gathering in Tehran. The letter published on Mr. Ahmadinejads Telegram channel says the gathering will be in protest to Policies and performance of officials and the way the country is managed by different branches of the state. In his letter, Ahmadinejad asks the interior minister Andolreza Rahmani Fazli, not to look for excuses to refuse the permit", for the protest, which is an inalienable right. It seems the former president expects his request to be rejected and attacks the minister before even having an answer to his letter. The Islamic Republic rarely issues a permit for non-regime gatherings and if a protest starts, authorities can always clamp down by arguing that it was an illegal action. Ahmadinejad further argued that if a permit is not granted it would be an obvious crime and loss of legitimacy for the interior minister. Ahmadinejad has requested a permit for January 20, for the gathering to take place at Enghelab (Revolution) Square. Since leaving office in 2013, Ahmadinejad has turned into an opposition activist, even criticizing the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and periodically attacking the performance of top officials. His relations with the country's Larijani brothers who head both the parliament and the Judiciary is particularly tense. Former Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad looks unstoppable. He tweets, while Twitter is banned. He circulates videos on social media showering top officials in Iran with criticism showing little consideration for the existing "red lines". In his latest video circulated on social media, the hard-line former president condemned the verdicts issued against his media adviser and former chief of staff, describing them as brutal. He also warned that whoever issued the verdicts and executed them, as well as those who have ordered them, will soon be prosecuted. Hiding behind the excuse that the verdicts were issued according to orders received from higher authorities is not acceptable, Ahmadinejad said. Soon the repentant and those hidden behind excuses will line up and soon popular trials will be held," he warned. Ahmadinejads right-hand man, Esfandyar Rahim Mashaei, was sentenced on September 12 to five years in prison for assembly and collusion against Irans security, one year for propaganda against the ruling establishment, and six months for insulting persons vested with the authority of the states judiciary. That comes to a total of six and a half years in jail. On the same day, it was also announced that Ahmadinejads former media adviser, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, was sentenced to four years for assembly and collusion against the countrys security. The defendant has the right to appeal, it was declared. Earlier, the deputy president for executive affairs during Ahmadinejads second term, Hamid Baghaei, was sentenced to an unappealable 15 years. Ahmadinejads latest video was circulated on his official Telegram Channel, a day after the verdicts against his closest allies were announced. However, the video was originally taped on August 16 at Ahmadinejads meeting with cyberspace and virtual reality activists. The set is clear; its a frame-up. Its a political confrontation disguised as a security-related case," Ahmadinejad insists at the meeting. Ahmadinejad goes further by maintaining that if his close allies belonged to the gangs of money-syphoning individuals, nobody would have dared to prosecute them. Calling upon the judiciary authorities, Ahmadinejad said, If you are really a man, [come forward] have a debate with Mr. Mashaei on TV. If you are man, come and compete among the people. If you are man, compete with us in management. Mashaei was arrested after he burned the verdict against Baghaei on March 15 outside the British Embassy in Tehran. By doing so, Mashaei, whose daughter is married to Ahmadinejads oldest son, implied that Baghaei was sentenced by British order and the Iranian judiciary dominated by London. Referring to the incident, Ahmadinejad told his audience, Had Mr. Mashaei not burned the verdict, I would have done it, adding, You [judiciary] detain innocent people and, disregarding all citizens rights, sentence them to five month---punishing them further behind bars. Ironically, during eight years of Ahmadinejads presidency, the judiciary was repeatedly accused of suppressing the opposition and dissident groups, through imprisonment and even death in custody. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has dismissed critics' claims about his administration's inefficiency as "unfair." Speaking in the northern Khorasan Province town of Shirvan on July 14, Rouhani said that "any claim about Iran's Islamic system and the current administration being inefficient would be both incorrect and unfair." Rouhani did not mention any particular person who had said so, but many Iranian and foreign critics have accused his administration of being responsible for a large part of Iran's economic and political problems. Rouhani himself has always ruled out criticism and blamed U.S. sanctions for Iran's problems, but Iran faced problems even between 2015 and 2018, when sanctions were lifted and the administration received billions of dollars in previously frozen assets. Critics blame the administration for wasting resources, but most of the wastage was made without the administration's intervention, as it did not have any say in spending billions of dollars on the wars in Syria and Yemen. Khamenei and his favorite IRGC commanders spent the nation's wealth on proxy wars. They have also given millions of dollars to organizations such as Lebanese Hezballah and Hamas in the Palestinian territories. Most countries have designated these entities as terrorists. Nevertheless, almost every analysis of Iran's numerous economic problems also mentions mismanagement and corruption in the Rouhani administration. As an example, when foreign economic pressures affected the forex market, the Rouhani administration gave dollars at preferential rates up to four times cheaper than market rates to insiders to import essential commodities. According to critics, many of the insiders who received the cheap dollars never returned the profits or even the original sums. When the Iranian Parliament disclosed that Rouhani's industry minister, Mohammad Shariatmadari, was involved in illicit deals that gave state money to profiteers, Rouhani removed Shariatmadari from his post but immediately appointed him labor minister days before the parliament was going to impeach him. A close relative of Shariatmadari is still on trial for pocketing billions of dollars, but there is no mention of Shariatmadari or the futile move by the parliament. In another development, the mishandling of funds was at the heart of a major corruption case involving petrochemical companies linked to regime insiders. Rouhani admitted part of the problem on July 14 by saying, "We have problems in this country and are living under difficult conditions, but we shall overcome the problems." However, he did not elaborate on the nature of those problems. Rouhani claimed that after the intensification of U.S. economic pressure on Iran some 14 months ago, Iran has paid some of its foreign debts and in the meantime unemployment figures have not increased. Previously, even some government officials had talked about the administration's inefficiency. Even Khamenei, when talking about Iran's economic problems, also mentioned corruption and mismanagement by government officials as part of the reasons for the problems. In May, when Rouhani demanded more executive power, numerous articles in Iran's newspapers reminded him that he already had the power but was not using it efficiently. Meanwhile, last February, on the 40th anniversary of the 1979 revolution in Iran, the U.S. State Department reminded in a series of tweets with the hashtag "40 years of defeat" that the Iranian government was corrupt in the absence of free media and journalists are in jail and access to the internet is limited as a result of the government's suppressive policies. Disillusionment about the administration's efficiency is so widespread that it has even reached Rouhani's supporters. On July 14, Iranian commentator Sadeq Zibakalam, who supported Rouhani in his election campaigns, asked the country's boastful Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to mention just one positive change that has taken place in Iran as a result of the 24 million votes Iranians cast for Rouhani. A defiant Rouhani said, "Those who in the White House claim they can defeat the Iranian economy should know that what they say is not right." Although there is no doubt that U.S. sanctions have led to the devaluation of the Iranian currency and made it difficult for Iran to export oil and repatriate oil revenues, even insiders as well as people on the street know that the Rouhani administration is either unwilling or unable to make life easier for ordinary Iranians. Meanwhile, many protesters during the massive demonstrations in early 2018 have also blamed the government's inefficiency and its officials' corruption for the country's economic woes. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says world leaders have contacted him 13 times since March 2017 to encourage him to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during his visit to Iran's Gilan Province in the Caspian region, Rouhani said he has told the world leaders that the U.S. must return to the nuclear deal with Iran and make up for the past before he could sit down at a table with Trump, Entekhab news website, close to the Iranian administration, reported on Thursday March 7. Rouhani reiterated: "We have shown that we are ready for negotiations, while we are not afraid of going to war." Speaking in a defiant tone, Rouhani told local officials that in spite of hardships imposed by sanctions he has been opening various development and industrial projects all over Iran including the railways project in Gilan, which he opened during his visit. Meanwhile, he said once again that only a few countries support U.S. sanctions against Iran, while the United States' allies in Europe and elsewhere oppose the policy. He said polls conducted in America show that 60 percent of Americans believe Trump's sanctions against Iran are wrong, however, he did not give further information about the poll and the number of people who took part in it. The Iranian president has faced increasing pressure by hardliners who accuse his administration of being unable to ease the country's economic crisis. He is also being blamed for advocating negotiations with the U.S. on the nuclear issue, which they sat has brought no benefits. In several speeches to government officials and gatherings in provincial cities Rouhani touched upon various domestic and international issues including Iran's relations with its neighbors. Speaking about Iran's contribution to the region's security, Rouhani said, "We cannot be indifferent to what happens in our neighborhood. Without the Islamic Republic's support, Baghdad and the Iraqi Kurdistan would have fallen into the clutches of ISIS." Rouhani also expressed appreciation for "Iran's role in Syria's security," without mentioning the cost of intervention in Syria for the Iranian people. Thousands of Iranians have expressed their opposition to wasting Iranian resources in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere during massive protest demonstrations in Iran since December 2017. Rouhani started his comments about the situation in Iran by acknowledging that "We have tough days ahead for this country, but resisting is all we can do." "However, we are experts in negotiations," he said, adding, "We are not afraid of negotiating. We have a strong case to make. We have won cases against the U.S. at international tribunals, and we do not fear war, although in our struggle we sometimes win and sometimes don't win." In the area of domestic politics, Rouhani summarized Iran's problems in two matters, a political and an economic problem: The absence of powerful political parties and the lack of a strong private sector. Rouhani said that furthering democracy without political parties is extremely difficult and Iran needs at least two or three powerful political parties. Yet, he took pride in running a non-partisan administration, saying that people see the administration's successes as their own. He also criticized the existing political parties for being "seasonal entities" that are active only when there is an election. Elsewhere, he said sanctions would have not been as effective as they are if Iran had a strong private sector that could handle the country's economy. "Iran's private sector is not strong enough to compete in the world market. And if we had a few private banks, we would have less worries in dealing with economic problems." During the last year, several semi-private financial institutions failed toprotect or repay people's investment. Their failure led to protest demonstrations in various cities on a daily basis causing serious trouble for the government. In his speeches in Gilan, Rouhani accused the financial institutions of engineering the mobs in order to further milk the government. Prominent human rights lawyer Khaled Ali announced on Tuesday the release of 10 pre-trial detainees who had been imprisoned on charges of joining a terrorist group, publishing and spreading false news and statements. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad It is planned to build a logistics center for storing agricultural products from Azerbaijan in Russia's Perm region, Azernews reports. The building of a logistics center will make it possible to supply agricultural products not only to the residents of the Perm region but also to neighboring regions. Currently, fruit and vegetable products are delivered to Perm region by transit via other regions, which makes them more expensive. Direct deliveries will help save on transportation costs and reduce prices for the end consumers, Perm regions governor Dmitry Makhonin said. He made the remarks during the meeting with Azerbaijans Deputy Agriculture Minister Elchin Zeynalov. Makhonin added that it is planned to increase the volume of deliveries of livestock products, such as milk, products of its processing, cattle meat, as well as confectionery products to Azerbaijan. In turn, Elchin Zeynalov underlined that it is important to consider all conditions for farmers supplying products for export, stressing that in particular, it is necessary to determine supply routes, their distance, transportation, and storage costs, since vegetables, fruits, milk, meat are perishable products and businessmen should not bear losses. The parties emphasized that one of the options for organizing trade turnover is container transportation, including within the Agroexpress projects, which will allow not only to establish mutual supplies under simplified customs and phytosanitary procedures, but also organize the transit of goods through both countries. Moreover, they noted the necessity to provide entrepreneurs with tools for organizing foreign deliveries. As a result of the meeting, it was proposed to organize a working group on export and import, which should work on the conditions of mutual supplies, customs payments, taxes, transportation costs, and other areas of cooperation. To recall, Agroexpress is a specialized service intended for the delivery of goods using high-speed trains between the two countries. It is being implemented by Alliance Logistics LLC and a subsidiary of Russian Railways CJSC - RZD Logistics JSC through the support of the Azerbaijani-Russian Business Council, Russian Export Center JSC, Eximbank of Russia, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Russian Railways JSC. Azerbaijans participation in the project was announced by the countrys Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev on December 16 last year, at the conference on "the current state and prospects of the Russian-Azerbaijani economic relations in the context of integration processes". This project not only reduces the delivery time of goods and transportation costs thanks to the efficiently-built export-import logistics but also contributes to the development of business. Russia has disproved the G7 joint statement of halting wheat exports, including to Egypt, saying that it is committed to continue delivering its wheat supplies to Egypt without interruption, the Russian ambassador to Egypt said in a statement on Wednesday. Russia said Wednesday its forces destroyed a depot containing NATO-supplied arms in western Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies to speed up arms deliveries to his country. Cinema Palace and the Italian Cultural Institute signed a cooperation protocol of cultural exchange on Tuesday, scheduled to launch on 1 September. The protocol focuses on the cinematic level and comes within the framework of the cultural cooperation between Italy and Egypt. The cooperation protocol was signed under the auspices of Culture Minister Ines Abdel-Dayem, Director of the General Administration of Cinematic Culture and Cinema Palace (GACCCP) Tamer Abdel-Moneim and Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo Davide. It includes holding a monthly Italian cinema club at the Cinema Palace and a monthly Egyptian cinema club at the headquarters of the Italian Cultural Institute of Cairo, located in Zamalek. It also includes hosting Italian filmmakers to give specialised lectures at the Cinema Palace for cultural exchange and widening horizons for cinema lovers in Egypt. Furthermore, the two parties agreed to publish Italian cinematic studies in a white and black magazine issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and translated into Arabic. Scalmani stated that it was also decided that Cinema Al Shaab (the people's cinema) project would show in some venues, modern Italian films in parallel with their screenings in Italy and the United States. On the other hand, Abdel-Moneim expressed that the Italian and Egyptian cinemas are of the most important and oldest cinemas in the world, and the exchange between the two will be very welcomed by Egyptian and Italian audiences. He also pointed out that screening modern Italian films in Egypt at the peoples cinema project is an important step, adding that a committee will watch the movies and show them to the Censorship on Artistic Works for approval. Abdel-Moneim explained that Italian films may be screened in the mornings alongside the Egyptian films, and throughout the day at Cinema Al Shaab in Sharm El-Sheikh and Alexandria. He also stated that "The protocol may include screening films of the famous Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini all over Egypt after El Gouna Film Festival in October," said Abdel-Moneim. Search Keywords: Short link: This week Egypt hosted the first Africa Health ExCon, a major medical event on the continent. Held under the theme Your Gate to Innovation and Trade, the conference and exhibition hosted more than 350 companies from 102 countries. Nearly 2,000 delegates representing government health entities from Africa and the Middle East participated in the event to exchange views and expertise and work out solutions to health problems facing the continent. During the conference, organised by the Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement (UPA), attendants discussed means of increasing cooperation among African countries in healthcare as well as transferring Egyptian scientific expertise in managing and equipping hospitals, providing nursing services, and displaying the capabilities of Egyptian medical companies, from advanced devices to equipping hospitals and their analysis and radiology centres. Egypt said it could receive African patients in Egyptian hospitals and set up one-day surgery hospitals with an initial target of seven to eight African countries. During the conference, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi announced that Egypt will donate 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to African countries in coordination with the African Union (AU). Lwazi Manzi, head of the Secretariat of the AU Commission on Africas COVID-19 response, said the coronavirus drove African countries to jointly take robust steps to overcome the pandemic. It became a necessity to reorder priorities to meet the challenges of the pandemic outbreaks, Manzi said, adding that the AUs commission on Africas Covid-19 response is keenly communicating with the presidents of African countries to jointly cooperate in handling such crises. Deputy Director at Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Ahmed Ouma affirmed that African countries need to reach joint healthcare agreements, as global measures did not ensure adequate protection for all Africans against the pandemic. It is about time for African countries to start discussions to reach a binding agreement to ensure better pandemic preparedness, stressed Ouma. In his remarks, Al-Sisi encouraged medical cooperation among African countries, including pharmaceutical production, and invited international pharmaceutical firms to invest in Africa. Africa is a promising market, the president said, stressing that Africas youth represent 60-65 per cent of its population if not more, so the future is in Africa. Only two per cent of pharmaceuticals are produced in Africa while more than 98 per cent are imported, Egypts Minister of Higher Education and Acting Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said. He noted that health services were not merely about hospitals and health staff, but an integrated mechanism involving education, roads, investment and political and economic stability. Strategic Advisor at the Saudi Ministry of Health Abdel-Aziz Abdel-Baqi also referred to the importance of education and training, highlighting Saudi Arabias efforts in planning, assessing demand, ensuring full preparation for supplying drugs, and injecting investments for medical supplies, as well as focusing on the importance of the pharmaceutical sector. During the second day of the conference a cooperation protocol was signed between the General Authority for Healthcare Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR) and the Arab Hospitals Federation (AHF) to promote the accreditation process for healthcare facilities. The protocol aims to draw up a cooperation framework between GAHAR and AHF to unify their efforts towards promoting the quality of healthcare services in Arab and African regions through developing a mutual hospital performance assessment model, and launching an awareness campaign for promoting the importance of green hospitals as well as eco-friendly healthcare practices. The protocol will also contribute to raising the efficiency of medical personnel to ensure the safety of patients, enhancing infection control in hospitals and medical centers, and promoting the digital transition of the health sector in the Arab region. It will deliver specialised training for hospitals on the fulfillment of accreditation conditions, as well as professional training on adopting a quality system for healthcare services. Egypts advances in its medical sector under President Al-Sisi were reviewed during the conference, including the adoption of a universal health insurance system and the elimination of Hepatitis C as well as other illnesses such as cancer and liver and kidney failure. The conference also displayed the infrastructure upgrades of various government and private hospitals that helped them fight the coronavirus pandemic. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian satellite company Nilesat announced that its new satellite, Nilesat 301 is scheduled to be launched by the Space X Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday 8 June at 11:03 pm Cairo Local Time. Nilesat CEO Ahmed Anis has stated that the geostationary communications satellite Nilesat 301 will be launched from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in the United States. United Media Services (UMS) channels will broadcast the liftoff live for all Egyptians to watch, Anis announced. Furthermore, SpaceX announced webcasting the mission live on its official website 10 minutes before liftoff. Nilesate 301, with a projected lifespan of at least 15 years, will replace Nilesat 201, which will expire in 2028. The new satellite will provide an expanded broadband internet services to cover Egypt, including remote areas, new projects, infrastructure projects, and new urban communities, as well as gas and oil fields in the eastern Mediterranean, Anis said. According to Anis, it will also cover southern African and Nile River Basin countries, aiming to achieve greater communication with the peoples of the African continent, in line with the directions of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in deepening Egyptian-African relations. Nilesat 301 is able to maneuver antennas to adjust coverage areas in accordance with the needs of African countries, which are considered new markets for Nilesat, Anis said. According to SpaceX, a backup launch opportunity for Nilesat 301 is available on Thursday 9 June. Egyptian satellites - A brief history In 1998, Egypt became the first Arab country to launch a telecommunications satellite into space with NileSat 101. It was followed by Nilesat 102 in 2000, which distributed hundreds of satellite TV channels. In 2007, Egypt launched EgyptSat 1, which became the first Egyptian remote-sensing satellite and was manufactured in cooperation between Egypts National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS) and Ukraines Yuzhnoye State Design Office. Egypts second remote-sensing satellite EgyptSat2 was launched in April 2014, but was lost in space in February 2015. Four years later, Egypt replaced it with EgyptSat A after launching it from the Russian Baikonur Cosmodrome, a spaceport in Kazakhstan leased to Russia. In August 2019, Egypt established a new space agency, The Egyptian Space Agency, as a public economic authority with a legal standing under the direction of the president of the republic. The agency aims to create, transfer space technology development, localisation and own self-capabilities to build & launch satellites from Egyptian territory. By 2019, Egypt had successfully launched the telecommunications satellite, Tiba- 1, into space after postponing the launch twice due to technical difficulties. Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar stated in mid-2021 that Egypt is scheduled to launch two remote sensing satellites in 2022, asserting that the country will spare no effort to promote multilateral cooperation in the space field. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkey's foreign minister on Wednesday called Russian demands for an end to sanctions to help grain onto the world market "legitimate". "If we need to open up the international market to Ukrainian grain, we see the removal of obstacles standing in the way of Russia's exports as a legitimate demand," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Ankara. Sanctions imposed on Moscow's financial system have impeded the export of Russian grain and fertiliser. Lavrov arrived in Ankara on Tuesday amid stark warnings of global food shortages partly blamed on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered its services to escort maritime convoys from Ukrainian ports, despite the presence of mines -- some of which have been detected near the Turkish coast. Cavusoglu welcomed the UN plan as "reasonable" and "implementable", while offering to host a meeting in Istanbul to discuss the details of the scheme. Search Keywords: Short link: Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned Wednesday that millions of people could die of hunger unless Russia unblocked Ukraine's ports, as he hosted talks among Mediterranean ministers on the food crisis. "The next few weeks will be crucial to resolving the situation," Di Maio said after a virtual meeting involving Turkey and Lebanon among other countries, as well as G7 president Germany and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. "I want to say clearly, we expect clear and concrete signals from Russia, because blocking grain exports means holding hostage and condemning to death millions of children, women and men." Ships loaded with grain remain blocked in Ukraine, which before Russia's February invasion was considered a global breadbasket as a leading exporter of corn, wheat and sunflower seeds. Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told the meeting that rises in the price of fuel and other basics were exacerbating the crisis in his country. "The war in Ukraine must stop at any cost," he said, adding that if it could not, "concerned parties... must be pressured to allow the safe export of grains and other commodities without any delay. "The world cannot continue to be at the mercy of military crises in Europe or other regions of the world." Search Keywords: Short link: The higher education and emigration and expatriates affairs ministries have announced the results of evaluation exams for Egyptian students returning from Ukraine. Egyptian students of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering colleges in Ukraine took the exams on May 24-25 to be able to enroll in private or community universities in Egypt. The Ministry of Emigration and Expatriates Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday that the exams were conducted in coordination with the higher education ministry and in implementation of directives by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. El-Sisis directives aim to help Egyptians studying at Ukrainian universities complete their education in Egypt in the wake of the conflict in the European country. Minister of Higher Education Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said students who pass the evaluation test will be able to enroll in private and community universities. Meanwhile, Nabila Makram, the emigration and expatriates affairs minister, said Egypt is keen on protecting the interests of nationals studying abroad. Makram added that she greatly appreciates the efforts exerted by the higher education ministry to help students returning from Ukraine. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February, Egyptian students who studied at Ukrainian universities were allowed to enroll in Egyptian universities after undergoing examinations. Before the Russian invasion, around 6,000 Egyptians lived in Ukraine, including about 3,000 students, according to officials. In mid-March, Makram said that about 2,179 Egyptian students filled out government forms to transfer to Egyptian Universities. In late March, the emigration ministry announced that 1,270 began their exams to enroll in Egyptian universities. Search Keywords: Short link: A former US school teacher who became a high-ranking Islamic State official and organized an all-female IS military battalion, pleaded guilty Tuesday to supporting a foreign terrorist group, the Justice Department said. Kansas-born Allison Fluke-Ekren, 42, admitted to engaging in "terrorism-related activities" in Syria, Libya, and Iraq between 2011 and 2019. "Fluke-Ekren ultimately served as the leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, known as the Khatiba Nusaybah, where she trained women on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and suicide belts," the department said. "Over 100 women and young girls, including as young as 10 or 11-years-old, received military training from Fluke-Ekren in Syria on behalf of ISIS (Islamic State)." Her husband was a member of the extremist Ansar al-Sharia group which attacked the US mission in Benghazi, Libya in 2012, and then became a leader of an Islamic State sniper group in Syria. The department said the two were involved in extremist activities across the Middle East after they left the United States in 2011. While in Syria, the department said, she spoke of desires to bomb a US shopping mall or university. In 2016-17 she became leader of the all-woman Khatiba Nusaybah battalion, which undertook physical, medical and weapons training to support Islamic state. Fluke-Ekren was apprehended in Syria sometime after the early-2019 territorial defeat of Islamic State, and flown to the United States on January 28. The court record indicates that her attorneys and the Justice Department spent months negotiating her guilty plea on a single count, supporting a foreign terrorist organization, a charge which brings up to 20 years in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced on October 25. Search Keywords: Short link: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reviewed in a meeting on Tuesday evening Egypts available investment opportunities with a group of representatives of major global investment funds, noting that the government is currently adopting new policies focusing on increasing the private sector's contribution to the national economy. Madbouly said that now is a critical stage for the whole world, especially for emerging markets, after the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis created obstacles to the global business community and the investment climate. He stressed that the Egyptian government has taken a number of steps, measures and policies to confront these difficult challenges and enhance the economys resilience. The PM explained Egypt recently set up a unit to solve investors problems, which reports directly to the prime minister. Madbouly stressed that the government is currently adopting new policies based on enhancing the participation of the private sector in the Egyptian economy and increasing its contribution from 30 to 65 percent of total investments in Egypt during the next three years. The state will also offer state-owned assets to the private sector worth $40 billion over four years, in addition implementing measures to revitalise the trading process in the Egyptian stock exchange. Egypt has announced its intention to issue the State Ownership Policy Document soon, which aims to delineate the state's presence in the economic sectors and activities to increase participation of the private sector. The document will outline the sectors from which the state plans to exit, and those in which it will continue in light of its plan to raise the participation of private sector companies in the country's investment over the next three years. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said in a speech in December that the state seeks to encourage non-state-run companies to participate further in housing, agricultural, energy, transport, and road projects. During the meeting, the prime minister referred to the great importance the government attaches to increasing investments in renewable energy, green hydrogen and green ammonia. We expect that the current fiscal year will end with a growth rate of more than 6 percent, which is a good rate in light of the current global conditions and compared to the growth rates of emerging markets. On Tuesday, the World Bank (WB) said it expects the Egyptian economy will grow from 5.9 percent to 6.1 percent in the fiscal year (FY) 2021/22. El-Sisi, who has repeatedly invited the private sector to participate in new projects with the public sector, has said that Egypt is implementing in partnership with private sector development projects worth EGP 1.1 trillion, and these projects have created jobs for more than 3 million families. In a briefing held in mid-May to explain the country's plan to handle the repercussions of the global crises on the Egyptian economy, Madbouly said a four-year programme with a total value of EGP 40 billion for the private sector partnership would be declared soon. The country aims to attract $10 billion in new investments over each of the next four years by offering stakes in state-owned assets in renewable energy projects, real estate in new cities, desalination, and telecommunications projects and projects in the education sector. Additionally, Egypt will offer 12 companies under the governments initial offering programme (IPO) on the EGX by the end of 2022, including two Armed Forces-run companies and other firms that are under the umbrella of the public business sector. Search Keywords: Short link: By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan intend to increase cooperation in the energy sector, Turkmen Ambassador Mekan Ishanguliyev said during a roundtable dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Azernews reports. He noted that the agreements on the Dostlug field will serve to further develop and strengthen cooperation between the two countries. We expect that perhaps this project will give a strong impetus to the implementation of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline project, he said. The ambassador added that by doing so Turkmen gas can reach the European market, which will be of great importance for the development of the countrys energy sector. Moreover, Ishanguliyev stated that Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are enhancing collaboration in various areas, particularly in transport and energy. Meanwhile, the transport interaction between the two countries is intensifying as well. Thus, the priority of the countries is to establish direct flights, which is likely to yield positive results in the near future, he said. To recall, on January 21, 2021, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan signed a memorandum of understanding over the joint exploration of the Dostlug gas field. According to experts' estimates, the Dostlug gas field contains natural gas and 60-70 million tons of oil. The deal will enable future transport of Turkmen hydrocarbons to Europe via Azerbaijan, thereby bolstering Azerbaijans position as a regional energy hub and Europes energy provider. Cooperation with SOCAR Azerbaijan's State Oil Company Vice President for Investment and Marketing Elshad Nasirov said that the company plans to develop energy cooperation with Turkmenistan and hopes to open an office of the company there. He noted that the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the two countries on the joint exploration, development, and exploitation of hydrocarbon resources of the Dostlug field has brought relations between the two countries to a new level. Moreover, Nasirov mentioned that the two countries are increasing bilateral trade and transportation of Turkmen goods to Europe and back via Azerbaijan. He added that the contract for Turkmen gas delivery to Azerbaijan via Iran had been concluded earlier. "Our oil company is a transnational company, which operates in the oil and gas sector. And I hope that we will be able to open an office of our company in Ashgabat," he opined. Additionally, he highlighted that the solution of the legal status of the sea, as all five countries of the region are major producers of hydrocarbons in the world, creates great opportunities for the Caspian countries. Cargo turnover increase Speaking at the roundtable, Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC General Director Taleh Ziyadov stated that it is planned to increase the cargo turnover of the Baku and Turkmenbashi ports. He emphasized that with the construction of the new terminal of the Baku Sea Port, the reception of cargo may increase up to 3 million tons per year. Noting the importance of digitalization in this sphere, Ziyadov mentioned that currently, there are discussions with the Turkmen side on the introduction of new digital technologies in the transport field. "In 2019, the Baku Port received a green port certificate. We hope that in the near future the ports of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan will receive similar certificates and a green corridor will be created in our region," he said. Egypt will hold its first sessions of the national political dialogue during the first week of July, as all preparations required for holding the dialogue have been completed, according to a statement by the dialogues administration announced on Wednesday. The administration announced that Journalists Syndicate head Diaa Rashwan has been selected as the general coordinator of the dialogue called for by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in last April. Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation Mahmoud Fawzy has also been selected as the head of the technical secretariat of the dialogue. As general coordinator, Rashwan will be responsible for facilitating with political and union forces to form a board of trustees for the dialogue, the statement said. The board of trustees should comprise 15 members and include representatives of participating groups, public figures, and experts, the administration said. This should ensure effective participation and outcomes that are in line with the various national visions and interests of the Egyptian people, the statement said. Furthermore, more participants are expected, as the administration announced inviting the largest possible number of representatives of the Egyptian social classes and institutions to conduct an effective national dialogue. This aims to make sure that all the categories are represented in the societal dialogue and to ensure access to all regions of the republic in coordination with all partisan and youth political currents, the statement said. Those willing to participate in the dialogue or submit proposals and visions can still submit their requests at the National Youth Conferences website. The dialogues administration is also receiving proposals and inquiries via WhatsApp at 01025521555 - 0109388883. During the annual Egyptian Family Iftar banquet on 26 April, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi assigned the National Youth Conference, which is organised by the National Training Academy (NTA), to conduct a political dialogue on the current national issues and deliver the outcomes to him. El-Sisi promised during the banquet to attend the final stages of the dialogue, which is set to include all political parties without any exceptions or discrimination. The NTAs role is limited to organisational and logistical tasks for the dialogue, the statement affirmed. It noted that the academy will not interfere in the content of the effective dialogue, which is held under the umbrella of the new republic. A technical secretariat from the NTA has been formed and is headed by Fawzy to assist the board of trustees in the logistical and organisational process and to provide the information required for managing the dialogue. The technical secretariat has submitted all participation requests and proposals to Rashwan prior to the start of the sessions, and details of all proposals will be announced during the coming days, the statement said. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian foreign minister and president-designate of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) Sameh Shoukry held a series of meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday with various world officials on the sidelines of the Bonn UN Climate Conference in Germany. Shoukry is scheduled to sign the agreement for Egypt to host COP27 on the sidelines of the 56th session of the subsidiary bodies Bonn UN Climate Conference that is taking place from 6 to 16 June. The 56th session of subsidiary bodies aims to lay the groundwork for success at COP27, according to the UN, as governments in Bonn will focus on work in the key areas of mitigation, adaptation, and supporting developing countries, particularly financially. The top Egyptian diplomat met on Tuesday with the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Patricia Espinosa, where they discussed how the 56th session of the subsidiary bodies for Implementation (SBI56) can contribute to the progress required and expected in the upcoming COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh. During the meeting with Espinosa, the importance of the SBI56 was emphasised in terms of enhancing global climate action, especially providing scientific and technological advice as well as the effective implementation of climate pledges and related agreements, particularly the Paris Agreement on climate change. Shoukry also met with the Climate Action Network (CAN), which is the largest group of civil society organisations working in the field of climate change. The CAN includes over 1,300 environmental non-governmental organisations in over 130 countries. The Egyptian FM met on Wednesday with the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change on the sidelines of the SBI meetings, where Shoukry stated that Egypt is keen to put the African concerns on climate change at the forefront of the topics and issues to be at address at COP27. Shoukry said that Africa is most affected by the negative repercussions of climate change despite being the smallest contributor to emissions, and that African countries are facing difficulty in obtaining the needed climate funding to deal with these repercussions. Shoukry emphasised the priority the Egyptian presidency of COP27 gives to implementing climate pledges and turning them into reality. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) Sameh Shoukry said on Wednesday that Egypt, in its upcoming presidency of the COP27, is keen to distance the climate negotiations from the latest geopolitical developments in order to enhance confidence between all parties and ensure a smooth negotiation process. Shoukrys remarks came during two meetings with members of the Group of 77 and China, in addition to heads of geographical and political groups during the 56th session of the UN climate change subsidiary bodies taking place between 6 and 16 June at the World Convention Center in Bonn, Germany. Shoukry praised the role played by Group of 77 and China, of which Egypt is a member, in supporting the interests and concerns of developing countries in climate change negotiations and supporting Egypts efforts in COP27, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Hafez said in a statement. In the meeting with heads of the different geographic and political groups participating in the climate change negotiations, Shoukry was keen to listen to their visions, priorities, and concerns on various topics related to international climate action, the statement said. The meetings tackled the Egyptians presidencys priorities for COP27, primarily the implementation of climate pledges and getting balanced recommendations that address various priority issues, especially emission reduction, adaptation to climate change, addressing losses and damages, and provision of climate finance. Shoukry is scheduled to sign the agreement for Egypt to host COP27 during his visit. Earlier on Wednesday, Shoukry met with the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, where he stated that Egypt is keen to prioritise African concerns on climate change at COP27. Shoukry said that Africa is the continent most affected by the negative repercussions of climate change, despite contributing the least to emissions, and that African countries are facing difficulties in obtaining needed climate funding to deal with these repercussions. Shoukry emphasised that the Egyptian presidency prioritises implementing climate pledges and turning them into reality at COP27. On Tuesday, the top Egyptian diplomat discussed with the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Patricia Espinosa the contribution of the 56th session of the subsidiary bodies for implementation (SBI56) to the required and expected progress during the upcoming COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh. The meeting emphasised the importance of the SBI56 in terms of enhancing global climate action, especially providing scientific and technological advice as well as the effective implementation of climate pledges and related agreements, particularly the Paris Agreement on climate change. Shoukry also met with the Climate Action Network (CAN), which is the largest group of civil society organisations working on climate change. The CAN includes over 1,300 environmental non-governmental organisations in over 130 countries. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Patricia Espinosa officially signed on Wednesday the Host Country Agreement for the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27), which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6-18 November. The COP27 agreement was signed in the German city of Bonn during Shoukrys participation in the Bonn Climate Change Conference (56th session of the Subsidiary Bodies) at the World Convention Centre Bonn in Germany, taking place from 6 to 16 June. According to the UN, the 56th session of Subsidiary Bodies aims to lay the groundwork for success of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, as governments in Bonn focus on the key issues of mitigation, adaptation, and supporting developing countries, particularly financially. On the sidelines of the conference, Shoukry the President-designate of the COP27 met the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change on Wednesday. He stated that Egypt is keen to prioritise African concerns on climate change at COP27. On Tuesday, Shoukry met with the Climate Action Network (CAN), the largest group of civil society organisations working on climate change. CAN comprises over 1,300 environmental and non-environmental organizations from over 130 countries. At the opening of the Bonn sessions on Tuesday, Espinosa claimed that the world is going to have one question in Sharm El-Sheikh: what progress have you made since Glasgow? We urgently require political intervention and decisions in order to achieve a balanced package. Doing so will send a clear message to the world that we are headed in the right direction, Espinosa said. The UNs top climate change official warned that climate change is exponentially in progress. Espinosa claimed that by the end of the century, the world will reach more than double the 1.5-degree Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement. Immediate and urgent action and progress in Bonn is needed to avoid the worst impact of climate change. Egypt has repeatedly highlighted ambitions to build on the Glasgow COP26 outcomes and support global efforts in mitigation and adapting to climate change during COP27. Egypt has reiterated the need to maintain current momentum in climate action to keep global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach, with COP27 set to primarily focus on urging countries to abide by the Paris Agreement. In May, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly launched the National Strategy for Climate Change 2050, which is based on five main pillars to preserve the environment and aims to enhance Egypts climate change leadership internationally Madbouly said that Egypt will spare no effort through its presidency of COP27 to relentlessly seek to move from the stage of commitments and pledges declared by the states to the stage of actual implementation of quick and tangible measures. Egypt also launched in late May the official website of COP27, and revealed its official logo that is uniquely designed to represent the cultural identity of Egypt and Africa, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry. Search Keywords: Short link: A fossil of a predatory dinosaur that lived 98 million years ago has been found in Al-Bahariya Oasis in Egypts Western desert, the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced on Wednesday. An Egyptian-led team of vertebrate paleontologists in association with the Mansoura University Vertebrate Paleontology Center (MUVP) has discovered a fossil of the large carnivorous dinosaur Abelisaurius (meaning Abel lizards, or Abel dinosaurs), a statement by the ministry said. The fossil is from the tenth cervical vertebra of the neck of a huge carnivorous dinosaur, according to a report received by Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar from Mansoura University. The University said that the research findings were published in a paper led by researcher Belal Salem and others at the Royal Society Journal. This is the first time that Abelisaurus fossils have been found in Egypt. They are also the oldest to be found in North Africa. The Abelisauridae lived during the Cretaceous period (145 to 66 million years ago). Abelisaurus, or commonly known as Abel, is named after Argentinian Paleontologist Roberto Abel, who uncovered the first Abelisaurus in Argentina in 1985. A predator in nature, Abel was six metres tall and had a similar look to the famous T-Rex, as both had tiny arms, deep skulls, and huge jaws, in addition to being fierce. This is not the first time MUVP has announced the discovery of dinosaur fossils in Egypt. In 2018, a team of researchers led by Professor Hesham Sallam drew international attention when they uncovered the plant-eating Cretaceous Period dinosaur named Mansourasaurus shahinae. Furthermore, in 2021, the team announced the discovery of a 43-million-year-old semiaquatic whale. Search Keywords: Short link: Sayed Abdel-Aal, chairman of Egypt's leftist Tagammu Party, stressed on Wednesday that the National Academy for Training (NAT), which is tasked with organising the national dialogue proposed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi last April, should be neutral and deal with all participants on equal footing. "We stress that the president's invitation for the proposed dialogue should not deviate from its true objectives and correct path," said Abdel-Aal. Abdel-Aal's statement said that El-Tagammu's criticism of NAT comes after the academy's executive director Rasha Ragheb organised a big reception for a delegation from the parliamentary majority party Mostaqbal Watan this week. "Azab's discussion with Mosqabal Watan on the proposed dialogue, its agenda and how it should be organised sends a warning signal that the NAT will not stand neutral and that it will not deal with all participants on equal footing," said the statement. "El-Tagammu also voices concern that NATs executive director Rasha Ragheb's meeting with the Mostaqbal Watan delegation went so far as to probe the possibility of Mostaqbal Watan providing organisational and logistical support for the dialogue, a development which means discrimination against other political parties." The statement added that "El-Tagammu now has real fears that the proposed dialogue will turn out not to be a national dialogue, but rather a dialogue between political parties, syndicates, trade unions, civil society organisations and public figures on one hand and the party of Mostaqbal Watan on the other hand." "This represents a clear deviation and could lead the president's proposed national dialogue to fail before it begins," said the statement. El-Tagammu's statement urged NAT's executive director Ragheb to exercise greater political responsibility and neutrality. "We believe that Ragheb should issue an urgent statement that will reveal the real intentions behind her grand reception of the Mostaqbal Watan delegation," the statement said, adding that "as far as we understand, the invitation for the national dialogue requested political parties to just send written documents on their proposed agenda for this dialogue within one week and propose how it should be organised." "The invitation said nothing about political parties visiting the headquarters of the NAT or that NAT's executive director organises a grand reception for a certain political party and asks for logistical support from this party, a development which raises doubts that NAT, which is affiliated with the presidency, does not have the required capacity to organise such a proposed national dialogue," said El-Tagammu's statement. The statement concluded that "out of its national and historical responsibility, El-Tagammu Party promises that it will do its best to guarantee the success of the proposed dialogue, but at the same time it warns that the irresponsible practices of some elements might push this dialogue into failure." "This will be a very bad development for Egypt's political future, and so all elements should exercise responsibility and seriousness and stand together to help confront the difficulties standing in the way of Egypt at this critical period of its long history," the statement concluded. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts government has approved a presidential draft decree on Wednesday to redraw Cairos eastern border to include the New Administrative Capital (NAC) and its extensions, a Cabinet statement read. In February, Egypt had announced redrawing Cairo's administrative borders to include 46,000 feddans of the 184,000-feddan NAC, in which the new headquarters of the House of Representatives and Senate are located. This came in accordance with the Egypt's constitution, which requires both bodies to be located in the capital. In a statement, the Egyptian National Center for Planning State Land Uses (NCPSLU) said that the new space includes the 40,000-feddan first phase of the NAC, in addition to 6,000 feddans designated for the transport linkage grid with other cities. Government institutions, ministries, and tens of thousands of their employees are set to relocate to new administration buildings at the new capital over the coming months. As per presidential directives, the government and public employees are already moving to the NAC's governmental district for a six-month test run, and the Cabinet held its first meeting at its new headquarters last December. Last year, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said that the inauguration of the new capital and the relocation of the governments headquarters to the mega-city will be a declaration of a new republic. The construction of the NAC on 700-square kilometres, which is nearly twice the area of Cairo governorate prior to redrawing its administrative borders, started in 2015 and is set to house 6.5 million people when completed. The NAC is located 60km from Cairo in between Cairo-Suez and Cairo-Ain Sokhna roads. The NAC includes a governmental district with 10 ministerial complexes that will house 34 ministries, in addition to the headquarters of the cabinet and the House of Representatives. The new capital will be connected to Greater Cairo via various transport networks that include the country's first monorail. Short link: Iran insisted Wednesday it had declared all sites which hosted past nuclear activities after Western governments submitted a motion to the UN atomic energy watchdog to censure it for non-cooperation. "Iran has no hidden or undocumented nuclear activities or undisclosed sites," the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, told the official IRNA news agency. "These fake documents seek to maintain maximum pressure" on Iran, he added, referring to the crippling economic sanctions reimposed by Washington when then president Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear deal between Iran and major powers in 2018. The resolution submitted to the International Atomic Energy Agency by the United States, Britain, France and Germany is the first since June 2020 when a similar motion censuring Iran was adopted. In a joint statement to the IAEA's Board of Governors, Britain, France and Germany said they "strongly urge Iran to stop escalating its nuclear programme and to urgently conclude (the) deal that is on the table." The motion is seen as a sign of growing Western impatience with Iran after talks on reviving the 2015 deal stalled in March. "This recent move by three European countries and the US by presenting a draft resolution against Iran is a political one," Eslami said, adding that "Iran has had maximum cooperation with the IAEA." The trigger for the latest Western condemnation was a report issued by the IAEA late last month in which it said it still has questions about traces of enriched uranium previously found at three sites, which Iran had not declared as having hosted nuclear activities. The watchdog said those questions were "not clarified" in its meetings with Iranian authorities. The IAEA Board of Governors is expected to vote on the motion later on Wednesday or on Thursday, diplomats said. European governments have expressed mounting concern over how far Iran has gone since the US reimposed sanctions in resuming nuclear activities it had halted under the 2015 deal. Iran has built up large stockpiles of enriched uranium, some of it enriched to levels far higher than those needed for nuclear power generation. "Its nuclear programme is now more advanced than at any point in the past," the governments said in their joint statement, adding Iran's accumulation of enriched uranium has no "credible civilian justification". Talks to revive the nuclear accord started in April last year with the aim of bringing the United States back in, lifting sanctions and getting Iran to return to the limits it agreed to on its nuclear activities. But negotiations have stalled in recent months and the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell warned in a tweet last weekend that the possibility of returning to the accord was "shrinking". IAEA head Rafael Grossi told reporters on Monday that it would be "a matter of just a few weeks" before Iran could get sufficient material needed for a nuclear weapon if they continued to develop their programme. Search Keywords: Short link: Talks aiming at ending Sudan's ongoing political deadlock began Wednesday, the United Nations said, although the country's main pro-democracy alliance is boycotting them over a continued police crackdown on those protesting last October's military take over. The joint peace effort is brokered by the UN political mission in Sudan, the African Union, and the eight-nation east African regional group Intergovernmental Authority in Development. The effort aims to bring the generals and an array of political and protest groups to the negotiating table. The military's takeover has upended Sudan's short-lived fragile democratic transition and plunged the East African nation into turmoil. Sudan had been transiting to democracy after nearly three decades of repression and international isolation under Islamist-backed strongman Omar al-Bashir. A popular uprising pushed the military to remove al-Bashir in April 2019. Wednesday's talks began with a technical meeting in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, involving the military and civilians. It came after months of separate discussions with an array of groups, including the military and the pro-democracy movement. The UN envoy for Sudan, Volker Perthes, said the process would discuss a ``transitional program,'' including the appointment of a civilian prime minister and arrangements for drafting a permeant constitution and elections at the end of the transition. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the leader of the military take over who also heads the ruling sovereign council, welcomed the talks as a ``historic opportunity to complete the transitional phase.'' In a speech to the nation late Tuesday, he urged all factions to take part in the talks, vowing that the military will implement their outcome. ``We are fully committed to work with everybody to end the transitional period as soon as possible with fair and transparent elections,'' he said. Ahead of the talks, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee visited Sudan earlier this week and met with military and civilian leaders in Khartoum to support the negotiating process. She urged all parties to join the talks to ``achieve a civilian-led path towards democracy for Sudan.'' However, the Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, an alliance of political parties and protest groups, is boycotting the meeting, in a blow to the process. The alliance says the talks should lead to ``a civilian democratic authority`` and criticized the participation of pro-military groups and Islamists who had been allied with al-Bashir's government. It also seeks the release of military take over-related detainees, and the ending of violence against protesters. Two activists said the UN, the United States and other Western governments were pressuring the pro-democracy alliance to send representatives to the talks. Some factions within the alliance favor participation as ``the best possible option,'' given the international support for the talks, they said, but hard-liners, including the influential Communist Party, reject the entire process and demand immediate handover of power to civilians. The activists spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The talks come as the violent crackdown on anti-military take over protests continued in Khartoum. A 5-year-old girl was killed Tuesday, when a police vehicle ran her over while chasing protesters. That brought the total deaths among protesters since October to at least 101, according to a medical group tracking the casualties. The military take over has triggered near-daily street protests, which authorities have met with a deadly crackdown. Hundreds of people, including prominent politicians and activists, have been detained, although many have been released recently as part of trust-building measures. Under concerted international pressure, Sudan's military leaders late last month lifted the state of emergency they had declared following the military take over. Search Keywords: Short link: Dozens of rights groups called Wednesday for the resignation of UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, charging that she "whitewashed" Beijing's "atrocities" during her trip to China last month. More than 230 groups, advocating for the rights of Uyghurs, Tibetans, and South Mongolians, as well as Hong Kong, Chinese and international democracy advocates, signed a joint statement calling for "the immediate resignation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights". They also urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to refrain from proposing a second term when her mandate expires at the end of August. Bachelet has faced widespread criticism for not speaking out more forcefully against Chinese abuses during the long-planned trip, which took her to the far-western Xinjiang region, where China is alleged to have detained over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, as well as carried out forced sterilisation of women and coerced labour. The United States has labelled China's actions in Xinjiang a "genocide" and "crimes against humanity", allegations vehemently denied by Beijing which says its security crackdown in the region was a necessary response to extremism. The signatories of Wednesday's statement, which included a number of national and local chapters of the same groups, decried that Bachelet had "squandered a rare opportunity to promote accountability by failing to address the litany of systematic human rights violations committed by the Chinese authorities". 'Whitewashed' Instead, they said, "She whitewashed the Chinese government's human rights atrocities," and "legitimised Beijing's attempt to cover up its crimes by using the Chinese government's false 'counter-terrorism' framing". They also decried that she had repeatedly referred to the detention camps in Xinjiang by the Chinese government's preferred term: "vocational education and training centres". And they criticised the UN rights chief for failing to speak out about the leaked Xinjiang police files, which the media revealed as her trip began, showing top leaders in Beijing including President Xi Jinping calling for a forceful crackdown. In particular, they lamented that she has so far failed to release a report on the rights situation in China, completed last year, despite mounting demands for it to be made public. "The repeated, open-ended, and unexplained delays call into serious question the credibility of her office to fulfil its mandate," the statement said. The signatories said Bachelet had been "entirely silent on the human rights crisis enveloping Tibet" during her four years in office, and had "grossly underplayed the crackdown" in Hong Kong. "The failed visit by the high commissioner has not only worsened the human rights crisis of those living under the Chinese government's rule, but also severely compromised the integrity of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in promoting and protecting human rights globally," the statement said. Bachelet is expected to face significant scrutiny from states over her China trip during the next week's session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Search Keywords: Short link: By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and Pakistan have discussed extensive opportunities for cooperation between the business communities of the two countries, Azernews reports. The discussion took place during the Azerbaijani-Pakistani business conference, organized jointly by Azerbaijans Export and Investment Promotion Foundation and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry held on June 7 in Baku. Speaking at the conference, Azerbaijans Small and Medium-sized Business Development Agency Chairman Orkhan Mammadov briefed on his agencys activities. He emphasized that the agency can provide support to foreign entrepreneurs wishing to establish a business in Azerbaijan, in interaction with the relevant agencies, finding local partners, and implementing joint projects between SMBs and other areas. He noted that measures are being taken to establish cooperation between the agency and Pakistan's SMBs development organization. Mammadov added that the exchange of experience between businessmen and the implementation of joint initiatives is planned. Azerbaijans Deputy Economy Minister Sahib Mammadov, Export and Investment Promotion Foundations Head Yusif Abdullayev, Pakistani Ambassador Bilal Hayee, Pakistan-Azerbaijan Economic Cooperation Chamber President Khurram Bhatti, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Muhammad Shakeel Munir also spoke at the conference. The event was attended by officials from both countries and more than 50 businessmen. Azerbaijan and Pakistan cooperate in various sectors of the economy. The relations between the two countries date back to 1991. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence. The trade turnover between the two countries totaled $11.7 million in 2021. China and Russia took aim at the United States during a landmark UN General Assembly session on Wednesday, accusing Washington of stoking tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The session was held for Beijing and Moscow to explain their decisions last month to veto a US draft resolution in the Security Council that would have imposed new sanctions on North Korea. China's ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, hit out at Washington's approach to Pyongyang, saying tension on the peninsula has "developed to what it is today, primarily due to the flip flop of US policies," before making a plea for easing sanctions against North Korea. Moscow's deputy ambassador to the UN, Anna Evstigneeva, also called for the sanctions to be lifted. North Korea needs more humanitarian aid and the West should stop blaming Pyongyang for tensions, she said. Speaking for the United States, deputy ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis dismissed the accusations, saying the current sanctions and proposals to add more are in direct response to North Korea's actions. "We seek a dialogue with Pyongyang without preconditions. We have passed this message on through private channels as well, including high level personal messages from senior US officials to senior DPRK officials," he said, using an acronym for North Korea. Washington believes North Korea, which has carried out a blitz of sanctions-busting weapons tests this year, is poised to test a new nuclear weapon. Pyongyang's ambassador, Kim Song, justified his country's military tests by stressing that articles of the UN Charter "clearly stipulate that every state has inherent rights of individual or collective self defense." The European Union, along with South Korea and Japan, see the tests as showing a flagrant disregard for UN resolutions and the international community. The sanctions are an "essential tool" for the Security Council during crises, argued the EU representative, Swedish ambassador Olof Skoog. The Wednesday session was the first at which permanent members of the Security Council had to explain their use of the veto, a step required under a resolution adopted by the 193-member General Assembly on April 26. Since the first veto ever used, by the Soviet Union in 1946, Russia has used it 144 times, far ahead of the United States at 86 times. The United Kingdom has used its veto 30 times, while China has done so 19 times and France 18. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian political forces preparing themselves for the national dialogue proposed by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi on 26 April reject any participation by Islamists, particularly the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The rejection followed a series of statements issued in recent days by a number of Islamists and Muslim Brotherhood officials living in Turkey and some European capitals. The first statement came from Youssef Nada, a Muslim Brotherhood millionaire living in Switzerland. Nada said the door of the Muslim Brotherhood group is open for dialogue with the regime in Egypt We are ready for the possibility of dialogue with the Egyptian presidency and to forgive injustice without pre-conditions. Nada is a loyalist to the Muslim Brotherhoods wing in London, led by the groups de-facto supreme leader Ibrahim Mounir. In October 2021, the Muslim Brotherhood leadership split into two factions, one based in London and led by Mounir, the second based in Istanbul and led by the groups secretary-general Mahmoud Hussein. Political analyst Abdallah Al-Sennawi said in a recent TV interview that the Brotherhoods London-based factions approval of the national dialogue shows that its leaders recognised the group has lost enormous amounts of ground and sees the dialogue as a way of regaining the spotlight. He argued that Nadas statement was intended to test the waters and determined whether dialogue presents an opportunity for the Brotherhood to regain a toehold in Egypt political life. Al-Sennawi concluded that any invitation to Brotherhood representatives to participate in the dialogue was at best improbable, and any hopes the Brotherhood has of reaching some kind of deal hopelessly misplaced. Fattouh Heikal, a political consultant with the London-based Trend Centre for Research and Consultations, pointed out that this is not the first time the Brotherhoods London-based faction directs a message of reconciliation to the ruling regime in Egypt. The Istanbul-based faction issued its own statement welcoming the dialogue as a good political tool while noting confidence-building measures are a pre-condition for the success of the dialogue. Heikal views both factions responses as symptomatic of the severe crisis affecting the Brotherhood. Not only have they split into two warring factions, but they have been facing intense financial pressure over the last two years. Some of their leaders have been expelled from Turkey and their Istanbul-based TV channels have been closed, while Qatar, which used to be a safe haven for the Brotherhood in the past, has chosen to mend fences with Egypt, says Heikal. A third statement, from the Islamist party Building and Development, the political arm of Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya, saw the partys former chairman Tarek Al-Zomor say he welcomed participation in the proposed dialogue with the stipulation it should be serious and leads to tangible political reforms. Al-Zomor was a member of Islamic Jihad which carried out the assassination of president Anwar Al-Sadat in October 1981. Al-Zomor and his brother Abboud were sentenced to life in prison following the assassination of president Sadat only to be released after the 2011 January Revolution. In July 2013, when millions took to the streets to protest against the Brotherhood rule of Mohamed Morsi, he fled to Qatar. A fourth statement came from secular politician and manager of the Istanbul-based Al-Sharq TV channel Ayman Nour. The 58-year-old, who has been living in Istanbul since 2013, said all politicians should welcome the idea of a national dialogue but as chairman of the Union of Egyptian National Forces I should stipulate that pre-conditions are needed for the dialogue to be a success. Al-Sennawi revealed in his interview that Ayman Nour has sent a secret message to officials in Egypt asking them to allow him to return from Turkey and participate in the dialogue and that Nour is a sympathiser and confidante of the Muslim Brotherhood and wants to act as the groups front man for them in the dialogue. Nour dismissed any suggestion that he had engaged in secret contacts with Egyptian officials, though he added that he was a friend of the Muslim Brotherhood and the elected chairman of the Egyptian National Forces which includes the Brotherhood as a major member. Groups across the political spectrum in Egypt have voiced their rejection of any participation in the dialogue by Islamist figures. Farid Zahran, chairman of the Egyptian Socialist Democratic Party and an appointed senator, said that when President Al-Sisi issued his call for the national dialogue and said that political forces would attend he meant civilian and secular opposition forces based in Egypt which have never been involved in violence or have blood on their hands. Tarek Radwan, chairman of parliaments Human Rights Committee, agrees that President Al-Sisis call for dialogue was directed to political forces representing the left, the right, and the centre, but not to groups which have been designated as terrorist or involved in violence. When you call for dialogue, you are addressing forces which want to build the country, not those who want to disrupt it, he said. Sayed Abdel-Aal, chairman of the Tagammu Party, told Al-Ahram Weekly that he had been taken aback by Muslim Brotherhood leaders living in Istanbul and London issuing statements. How can they square their descriptions of President Al-Sisis regime as dictatorial and the result of a military coup and at the same time welcome the dialogue, he asked. Abdel-Aal also argued secular figures like Nour who have chosen to live outside the country and obtain money from hostile forces in return for attacking the regime should be excluded. Mohamed Abul-Ela, chairman of the Arab Nasserist Party, told the Weekly that the call for national dialogue should be limited to civilian forces that participated in the anti-Muslim Brotherhood 30 June Revolution in 2013. These forces revolted against political Islam in general and rejected any attempts to turn Egypt into a religious state, he said. Khaled Okasha, head of the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies, told Abu Dhabi-based Al-Ain website that the Muslim Brotherhood has been heavily involved in terrorist activities via military offshoots like Hasm and Lewaa Al-Thawra, and is responsible for the murder of many soldiers and police personnel since 2013, a fact that precludes the opening of political channels to the outlawed group. Okasha attributed the groups welcoming of the dialogue to internal crises and strife and the desire of its leaders to show Western media that it is a political force that rejects violence. At an event held to mark Eid Al-Fitr on 2 May, President Al-Sisi said that the Muslim Brotherhood had repeatedly threatened to target the army and sow chaos across Egypt. He mentioned that the Brotherhoods deputy supreme guide Khairat Al-Shater had threatened him personally when the group ruled the country. Al-Shater is currently in prison after having been found guilty in several cases, including on charges of spying for foreign parties. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Multiple crises are increasing the tensions between Iran and the West and making a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal increasingly unlikely, writes Manal Lotfy Tensions are running high between Iran and the West after Greece warned its oil tankers and other vessels flying the countrys flag to avoid sea waters under Irans jurisdiction following the seizure of two Greek-flagged oil tankers by Iranian forces in an action called piracy by Athens. The incident comes after the US confiscated Iranian oil held on a Russian-operated ship near Greece. The cargo has been transferred to another ship and will be sent to the US, according to Greek officials. The growing tension with Greece and the US seizure of Iranian oil shipments reinforce the pessimism about the prospect of a nuclear deal between Tehran and the West anytime soon. This pessimism was reinforced on Tuesday after Iran described a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on undeclared nuclear material found at three sites in Iran as not fair. Unfortunately, this report does not reflect the reality of the negotiations between Iran and the IAEA, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters. It is feared that the pressure exerted by the Zionist regime and some other actors has caused the normal path of agency reports to change from technical to political, Khatibzadeh said. The IAEA said it had questions that were not clarified regarding undeclared nuclear material previously found at three sites in Iran Marivan, Varamin, and Turquzabad. It said long-running efforts to get Iranian officials to explain the presence of nuclear material there had failed to provide the answers it sought. The UN nuclear watchdog also said that it estimated Irans stockpile of enriched uranium had grown to more than 18 times the limit laid down in Tehrans 2015 deal with the West. A European diplomat familiar with the nuclear negotiations with Iran told Al-Ahram Weekly that no one is holding his breath expecting an agreement soon. Compared to where we were last March, we are moving backwards, not forwards. The blame game will not help anyone, but there is no progress in the negotiations, he added. Tensions have also risen between Iran and Israel, amid Israeli warnings of an Iranian response to the assassination of Hassan Sayed Khodayari, a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in Tehran last week, which Iran attributed to Israel. The Israeli authorities have warned their citizens to avoid travelling to Turkey for fear of possible Iranian reprisals abroad. In recent days, the US and Israel have intensified contacts to discuss security and to arrange for US President Joe Bidens visit to the region in June. With the faltering of the nuclear negotiations, Bidens position on Iran has hardened, and the administration is keeping the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Al-Quds Force on the US list of terrorist organisations, an indication of the failure of efforts to find a compromise. Washington has also begun to tighten the noose around Iran with a view to preventing the circumvention of the sanctions against it. The US seizure of the Iranian oil shipment last week is a secondary confrontation that indicates a deterioration in the level of trust between Tehran and the Biden administration. Tehran has indicated that its seizure of the Greek tankers was designed to discourage other countries from helping the US to seize its oil, under sanction by Washington since the US left the nuclear deal with Iran in 2018. Our ties [with Greece] must not be hampered by deeply short-sighted miscalculations, including highway robbery on the command of a third party, said Khatibzadeh in a post on Twitter. The statement came after Irans Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that 17 other Greek tankers were in Gulf waters and that these could be seized by the elite force if Greece continues its games. The latest guidance from Greece, a shipping powerhouse, to avoid Iranian waters could further destabilise already unstable markets at a time when oil prices are at their highest level in a decade. Greeces Foreign Ministry complained to the Iranian ambassador in Athens over the violent taking over of two Greek-flagged ships in the Gulf. It called for the immediate release of the vessels and their crews and warned that the seizures would have particularly negative consequences on bilateral relations between Greece and Iran and on Tehrans relations with the European Union. Meanwhile, Israeli security officials warned more than 100 Israeli citizens in Turkey that they are in Irans crosshairs and asked them to return to Israel, according to local media. The report came after Israels National Security Council issued a travel warning for Turkey, saying that there was a concrete threat to Israelis from Iranian terrorist operatives there and in nearby countries. For several weeks now, and even more so since Iran blames Israel for the death of the Revolutionary Guards officer last week, there has been growing concern in the defence establishment about Iranian attempts to harm Israeli targets around the world, a statement from the Israeli Council said on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Iran of targeting Israeli interests and warned that Iranian immunity was over. Tehran would not go unpunished for instigating attacks through its proxies, he said. Bennetts office, which oversees the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, has declined to comment on Khodayaris assassination. The escalation comes amid intense diplomatic coordination between the US and Israel. Earlier in the week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid discussed security challenges ahead of an anticipated visit to Washington this week by Israeli national security advisor Eyal Hulata. The two men spoke of common efforts to confront global challenges, including those posed by Iran and its proxies, the US State Department said. Blinken and Lapid also spoke of Bidens upcoming trip to Israel and possibly other countries in the region. Lapid tweeted after the call that we discussed @POTUSs expected visit to Israel, and the possibilities for regional progress the presidents visit could bring in the fields of security, the economy, and ties between the people of the Middle East. No date has been set for Bidens visit, but it is widely believed that it will take place at the end of June. Biden has yet to visit the Middle East since taking office in January 2021. Two top US envoys, Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk, visited Saudi Arabia last week, a week after Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Khaled bin Salman was in Washington to meet US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, McGurk, and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz was in Washington at the same time, where he also met with Austin. Hulata is expected to arrive in Washington this week with a delegation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Mossad, and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) for a meeting of a joint working group on Iran known as the Leshem Forum. The visit comes on the heels of Bidens decision to retain Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on its foreign terror list, a move understood to be a stumbling block in reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. In a message to its local audience and external foes that Irans military capabilities are being strengthened despite recent setbacks, Iran has shown off an underground drone base, though not its location, state media reported. Iranian state TV said 100 drones were being kept in the heart of the Zagros Mountains, including Ababil-5 drones that it said were fitted with Qaem-9 missiles, an Iranian-made version of the US Hellfire missiles. No doubt the drones of the Islamic Republic of Irans armed forces are the regions most powerful, army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi said. Our capability to upgrade drones is unstoppable. The Iranian state TV correspondent said he had made the 45-minute helicopter flight on Thursday from Kermanshah in western Iran to a secret underground drone site. He was allowed to take off his blindfold only upon arrival at the base, he said. TV footage showed rows of drones fitted with missiles in a tunnel that it said was several hundred metres underground. The latest crises on multiple fronts will only strengthen the conviction that the chances of successful nuclear talks with Iran are diminishing. This is reinforced by regional and international dynamics that are leading to a reconsideration of the costs and benefits of reviving the nuclear deal with Iran, especially with both Washington and Tehran dragging their feet in making the concessions required. *A version of this article appears in print in the 2 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: The effects of the failure of the Iran-US nuclear talks may go far beyond the waves of conflicts currently reverberating across the region. Talks on the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal may be stumbling after several weeks hiatus, threatening the collapse of an agreement that could restrain the Islamic Republic from advances in its nuclear programme. The talks seem to have become a casualty of the war in Ukraine, which is forcing the administration of US President Joe Biden to review its Middle East policies to meet challenges from Russia and China to US leadership in the region. Speculation over the closure of the negotiations has come on the heel of reports of the honeymoon that the Biden administration has started to enjoy with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and other key Arab countries following a hiccup in the relationship over a variety of disputes. The complete collapse of the Iran nuclear talks, however, could potentially trigger cascading risks across the region. Talks on Irans nuclear programme have been swinging back and forth for more than a year, haunting international efforts to revive a deal that would prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and softening the sanctions on Tehran. The nuclear accord, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), limited Irans nuclear programme while granting the country billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed biting sanctions on Iran. The talks to revive the deal under Biden broke off in March with no agreement over the terms of a new deal and both parties putting the onus on the other to take the decision to finalise an agreement. While Tehran has set conditions that include no new sanctions, guarantees by the US Congress not to quit any new deal, and the sanctions lifted under the reinstated deal not being reimposed, Washington has balked at these requests, leading to an impasse in the negotiations. The talks have also stalled over a number of issues including a US terror designation against Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and illicit demands from Israel and some Arab Gulf countries to include Irans missile and drone programmes in the deal. The question now is whether the high-water mark of a nuclear deal has been reached, or if all this is part of a real-world negotiation strategy to outwit and outmanoeuvre Iran in order to get a better one. Several signs have emerged that suggest the negotiations have reached a critical moment and hopes for salvaging the 2015 deal may be fading. One sign is that the Biden administration, under pressure from Republicans in the US Congress as well as Israel and its regional allies, has become tougher on Iran by refusing to make concessions rejected by Irans regional opponents. Beyond the nuclear deal, Biden is also recalibrating Washingtons role in the Middle East, including by reestablishing closer ties with Israel and other regional allies and abandoning his previous intention to downsize the US footprint in the region. Biden will reportedly visit Riyadh next month and meet Saudi Crown-Prince Mohamed bin Salman, abandoning a campaign pledge to make Saudi Arabia a pariah in the wake of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashogji. The trip has prioritised Bidens need to bring oil prices down by securing a Saudi pledge to pump more oil and thereby punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine over his stand on human rights. A meeting with the leaders of nine Arab countries which was also reported to take place during the tour will underscore a more anti-Iran stance by Biden. A second indicator that the negotiations with Iran have reached a critical point are the closer ties being built between the UAE and Israel, the latest effort by the two countries to use their historic normalisation deal in 2020 to reorient the regional geopolitical landscape. The UAE last week penned a multi-billion-dollar free-trade agreement with Israel with a declared target of increasing annual bilateral trade to more than $10 billion over the next five years. The agreement, the largest ever between Israel and any Arab country, comes a few days after the UAE signed a $10 billion investment partnership with Egypt and Jordan that will focus on food security and industrial integration in the region. A third signal of the fragility of the negotiations with Iran came in the shape of the massive military drills that the Israeli army conducted in Cyprus last month. The exercise, bringing thousands of troops by air and sea to the Mediterranean island, was designed to simulate a military ground offensive deep inside Lebanon in a potential war against the Lebanese Shia group Hizbullah, Irans main regional ally. A fourth sign is Israels proposal to the Biden administration and the E3 group of Britain, France, and Germany to offer Tehran a new deal in which economic sanctions would be lifted, but not the restrictions on its nuclear programme. The proposal is aimed at tightly restricting Irans nuclear activities to prevent it from benefiting from the so-called sunset clauses in the JCPOA, which from 2025 onwards would free the Iranians of most of the constraints on their nuclear programme. Meanwhile, the deadlock in the talks in Vienna over the deal has raised concerns that the failure to revive the Iran nuclear accord could pose much greater danger amid an already turbulent backdrop of regional conflicts and exacerbated global tensions over Ukraine. This conclusion is shared by members of the Israeli intelligence community, who told the Jerusalem Post last week that not reviving the Iran nuclear deal could result in more imminent nuclear danger for Israel and its allies. Yet, the anti-Iran camp seems to be betting on keeping the sanctions against Iran in place in order to force the Islamic Republic to make concessions. This line of thinking assumes that continuing with Trumps maximum pressure on Iran, which has been triggering economic protests across the country, will eventually bring Iran to its knees. But so far Irans leaders seem to be unwavering, at least in public. They have warned that they will resist efforts by the US and the E3 group to condemn Iran at this weeks board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The nuclear watchdog has said that Iran has not clarified questions about the presence of nuclear material found at three undeclared sites. At any rate, a failure to revive the Iran nuclear deal could result in more imminent nuclear danger to US allies in the region, with Iran said to be only weeks away from being able to enrich uranium to levels of around 90 per cent, which is what is required to build a nuclear weapon. On the ground, Iran has stockpiled a large quantity of enriched uranium and nearly 20,000 centrifuges that the IAEA has estimated to be more than 18 times the limit laid down in Tehrans 2015 deal with the world powers. Western intelligence sources say that this is enough to create eight to 10 bombs if Iran decided to rush to make a bomb without a deal in place. It would need two to three months before it had enough weapon-ready uranium to build its first nuclear weapon. Many analysts doubt that a new deal could reverse Irans advances in uranium enrichment, a process that could produce fuel for bombs, while others question if the countrys enemies are capable of delivering lasting damage to Tehrans nuclear facilities. Irans reaction to the failure to conclude a new deal could also include more interventions in the region, either directly or through proxies it is already using to boost its regional influence and power, with potential scenarios emerging in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. By all accounts, the whole thing about Irans nuclear programme seems to be messy and the collapse of the talks on a new deal would herald a new era in the Middle East that would be fraught with uncertainty and possibly chaos. This scenario is plausible enough that should make policymakers worry about its consequences. For any mistake made by the enemy, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground by the order of the supreme leader, warned Irans army ground forces commander Kiumars Heydari on Tuesday. This could be dismissed as usual Iranian bombast, but escalation scenarios are plausible enough that should make policymakers worry about its consequences. *A version of this article appears in print in the 9 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Ukrainian troops may have to retreat from the eastern city of Severodonetsk which is being shelled by Russian troops "24 hours a day", the regional governor said on Wednesday. "It is possible that we will have to retreat" to better fortified positions, Lugansk governor Sergiy Gaiday said in an interview on the TV channel 1+1. "No one is going to surrender Severodonetsk even if our forces have to fall back to better fortified positions," Gaiday added. The strategically important city is the focus of Russia's offensive after their forces were repelled from other parts of Ukraine following the February invasion. Its capture would allow Russia troops to push deeper into the eastern Donbas region and Ukraine's de facto administrative centre there, Kramatorsk. Gaiday said that fierce fighting was ongoing in Severodonetsk, an industrial city with a pre-war population of around 100,000 people. "Our forces are fighting for every inch of the city," he said. The Ukrainian presidency said in a briefing Wednesday morning that two civilians had been killed and two more injured in the broader Lugansk region. Search Keywords: Short link: Ukraine's military intelligence agency says Russia has so far turned over the bodies of 210 Ukrainian fighters killed in the battle for Mariupol. It says most of them were among the last holdouts in Azovstal steel plant. The agency did not specify Tuesday how many more bodies are believed to remain in the rubble of the plant. Russia now controls the destroyed port city. It began turning over bodies last week. Ukraine said Saturday that the two sides had exchanged 320 bodies, with each getting back 160. It is unclear whether any more bodies have been given to Russia. The Ukrainian fighters defended the steelworks for nearly three months before surrendering in May under relentless Russian attacks from the ground, sea and air. Search Keywords: Short link: In Monday night's ballot, 211 MPs voted in favor of Johnson, with some 148 voting against him -- meaning over 40 percent of his own MPs wanted to oust him as party leader and prime minister. As the result was announced by Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, Boris Johnson's supporters erupted in cheers. The prime minister held a meeting of his Cabinet Tuesday, where ministers expressed their support and claimed he had a "fresh mandate" to govern. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday his Conservative Party should "draw a line under our issues" after he survived a no-confidence vote by his own Members of Parliament Monday evening, following months of speculation over the future of his leadership. 'Move On' The prime minister put a positive spin on the outcome. "I think it's an extremely good, positive, conclusive, decisive result, which enables us to move on, to unite and to focus on delivery," he told reporters. Education Secretary Nadim Zahawi, a long-time supporter of Johnson, agreed it was time to move on -- and praised the prime minister for the military support he had given to Ukraine. "We've got to deal with the backlog of the NHS (National Health Service), safer streets and of course war in Europe. What do you think (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy will be thinking tonight? He'll be punching the air because he knows his great ally, Boris Johnson, will be prime minister tomorrow morning. That's what we've got to focus on," Zahawi told Sky News Monday evening. Politically Wounded However, the prime minister has been politically wounded by the vote, according to Anand Menon, a professor of European politics at Kings College London. "This really is a pretty bad result for the prime minister and what it means going forward I think is that prime ministerial survival will be the foundation stone of this government," Menon told VOA. Boris Johnson delivered the Conservative Party a thumping 80-seat majority at the December 2019 election by promising to "get Brexit done." His predecessor, Theresa May, was forced to resign after repeatedly failing to get a Brexit agreement through parliament. Britain finally left the European Union weeks later, just as the coronavirus pandemic was hitting the continent. Johnson's popularity peaked around May 2020, after he survived several days in intensive care having contracted the virus. Plummeting Popularity So what went wrong? The latest polls show his popularity has plummeted, with some 68 percent of voters saying he is doing a bad job, versus 26 percent who approve. He and his wife, Carrie, were booed Friday by sections of the crowd at Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee service at London's St. Paul's Cathedral. "Boris Johnson being booed at St. Paul's was quite a moment, actually," says Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. "One would expect most of the people who attend events like that as members of the public to be pretty traditional conservatives and for them actually to make their displeasure so obvious in public, I think is quite significant moment," Bale told the Associated Press. Partygate Johnson is the first British prime minister to be convicted of breaking the law while in office, after police investigations into parties held at his Downing Street residence during COVID-19 lockdowns -- so-called partygate. A parliamentary investigation into the parties is still ongoing. Johnson had previously told MPs that no such events were held. "A number of his own MPs cited the fact that he had clearly lied to parliament as a reason for voting against him," said analyst Anand Menon. "And secondly, those same MPs have seen the prime minister's popularity ratings with the British public tank." Divisions The prime minister denies that he lied to parliament. But his problems run deeper, according to Menon. "Whether it be partygate, whether it be a sense amongst his own backbenchers that there is no coherent plan for government, or whether it be the fact that actually the Conservative Party is divided." Historically, British prime ministers who suffered significant rebellions haven't survived long in the job -- including Margaret Thatcher, John Major and Theresa May. "Boris Johnson is slightly strengthened by the fact that there is no obvious successor," Menon said. Johnson's supporters say he got the big calls right: giving military support to Ukraine; delivering on the Brexit referendum; a fast COVID-19 vaccine rollout. But his critics say he is now a political liability and their calls for him to resign are unlikely to die down. Russia claimed Tuesday it has assumed control over almost all of Luhansk province in eastern Ukraine, but Ukrainian officials said their troops are standing their ground in fierce fighting with Moscow's forces in the streets of the regions key industrial city of Sievierodonetsk. After weeks of attacks on eastern Ukraine, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow's forces now control 97 percent of Luhansk province, part of the Donbas region it hopes to claim after failing during three-plus months of fighting to topple Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or capture the capital, Kyiv. Zelenskyy, in his nightly video address Monday, said, "Our heroes are not giving up positions in Sievierodonetsk." The city's mayor, Oleksandr Stryuk, told Ukrainian television on Tuesday, "Our armed forces have strengthened their positions and are holding the line." The battle for Sievierodonetsk is crucial to Moscow's attempt to assume full domination over Luhansk province. A week ago, Russian forces had captured 70 percent of the city, but a Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed back Moscow's troops, leaving control of the city in doubt. Both Russia and Ukraine claim to have inflicted huge casualties on each other. Shoigu said Russian troops were also advancing toward the town of Popasna, and he said they have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. He said 6,489 Ukrainian troops have been taken prisoner since the start of the military action in Ukraine on February 24, including 126 over the past five days. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak urged his people not to be dismayed by battlefield reverses. "Don't let the news that we've ceded something scare you," he said in a video address. "It is clear that tactical maneuvers are ongoing. We cede something, we take something back." Twenty South Korean and U.S. fighter jets staged a show of force over the West Sea on Tuesday against North Korea's firing of eight ballistic missiles last Sunday. The maneuver came only a day after the two allies fired eight surface-to-surface missiles into the East Sea the previous day. "We conducted an air show of force with the U.S. in the open airspace over the West Sea in response to North Korea's continued ballistic missile provocations," the Joint Chiefs of Staff here said Tuesday. Sixteen South Korean F-35A stealth fighters armed with precision-guided munitions, F-15Ks and KF-16s as well as four U.S. F-16 fighters took part. After a meeting with her South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun-dong on Tuesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said, "Any nuclear test would be in complete violation of UN Security Council resolutions. There would be a swift and forceful response to such a test." "We continue to urge Pyongyang to cease its destabilizing and provocative activities and choose the path of diplomacy," she added. The U.S. on Tuesday warned of a "swift and forceful response" if North Korea conducts another nuclear test, as seems increasingly likely. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad The Azerbaijani Agency for Small and Medium-sized Business Development and the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham Azerbaijan) have discussed steps to be taken within the framework of joint cooperation, Azernews reports. The discussion took place during a meeting between the agency's board chairman Orkhan Mammadov and AmCham's president of the board of directors Nargiz Nasrullayeva. During the meeting, the parties discussed joint support for the development of projects and startups based on innovative initiatives, and the implementation of joint measures to promote business ethics, corporate governance, and social responsibility. They also discussed the promotion of corporate standards among SMBs, as well as the organization of green energy events with corresponding unions. Azerbaijan's Small and Medium Business Development Agency continues to hold meetings with local and foreign entrepreneurs in order to expand relations and implement new business initiatives. The American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan is a leading private, non-profit business association supporting and promoting the interests of foreign and local businesses in Azerbaijan. Established in 1996, AmCham is composed of over 260 Regular and Associate Member Companies active in every sector of the Azerbaijani economy. AmCham Azerbaijan represents nearly 80 percent of all foreign investment, as well as a significant portion of local investment in Azerbaijan. In Seoul, a group of 50 Vietnamese tourists who work for a medical equipment maker had already visited the Shinsegae Duty Free shop in Myeong-dong last month. Asian tourists are good news for duty-free shops. Early this week, the Shilla Duty Free shop in Jeju welcomed the first group of 170 tourists from Thailand since the pandemic started. They stocked up on Korean cosmetics, accessories and food. Asian tourists are returning to Korea as the country opens its skies to air travel again. Since June 1 foreigners have been able to visit Jeju Island and Yangyang, Gangwon Province visa-free for a month, and hotels and casinos are experiencing a slow recovery. Foreigner-only casinos are also benefiting. According to the Financial Supervisory Service, Grand Korea Leisure, the casino affiliate of Korea Tourism Organization, saw the amount of money customers exchange into chips surge 66 percent on-year last month to W138.6 billion (US$1=W1,256). Sales jumped 79 percent to W18.2 billion. VIP tourists who spend more than US$10,000 each are also returning. Recently, around 60 dentists from the Middle East visited Korea on business. An official at the Jeju Tourism Association said, "To attract more package tourists, we are providing W50,000 or half the cost of a coronavirus test per visitor." More and more travelers are expected to return as the country is working to bring things back to pre-pandemic levels. At Incheon International Airport, the hourly limit on flights has been increased from 20 to 40 and the nocturnal flight curfew from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. is being lifted. "Flights have grown only by 100 a week for now, but that's going to get better very soon," an aviation industry insider said. KYODO NEWS - Jun 7, 2022 - 13:37 | World, All The United States and its allies will carry out a "swift and forceful response" against North Korea if it conducts a nuclear test, a senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday. The warning from U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman came as Washington braces for North Korea's first nuclear test since 2017. "What I think is most important is how completely aligned we are between our two countries and trilaterally with Japan," Sherman told reporters in Seoul after a meeting with South Korea's first Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Dong. Sherman also said the United States harbors no hostile intent toward North Korea and continues to urge Pyongyang to stop its "destabilizing and provocative activities" and return to the "path of diplomacy." The meeting took place a day after U.S. and South Korean forces fired eight surface-to-surface missiles in the Sea of Japan following North Korea's test-firings of short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Monday in Washington, "We remain concerned that the DPRK could seek a seventh nuclear test in the coming days," referring to North Korea by the acronym for its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Sherman is scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting with Cho and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori in Seoul on Wednesday. Related coverage: South Korea, U.S. fire 8 missiles in response to North Korea launches North Korea fires 8 short-range ballistic missiles: South Korean military S. Korea, Japan, U.S. to bolster deterrence against N. Korea KYODO NEWS - Jun 7, 2022 - 23:00 | All, Japan Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda made a rare apology Tuesday for saying at an event the previous day that consumers have become more "tolerant" of price hikes, following criticism that the remark was inappropriate. "I did not mean that consumers are voluntarily accepting the price increases. I apologize if my words led to a misunderstanding," he told reporters at the prime minister's office. Kuroda clarified that he made the comments in the context of the "growing need for wage increases" and that he rather felt consumers are "being forced to accept the price hikes as a painful choice." The original remark was made at an event organized by Kyodo News on Monday in reference to a survey conducted by University of Tokyo professor Tsutomu Watanabe, in which more than half of the respondents said a 10 percent price hike on a product they frequently bought would not deter them from buying it from the same store. "One hypothesis is that being 'forced to save' during behavioral restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic may have led to improvements in consumers' tolerance for price increases," Kuroda had said. The remark in question was included in notes that the BOJ chief mostly read from during his speech, and the notes were believed to have been prepared in advance by him and his staff. At a House of Councillors panel meeting on finance and monetary affairs on Tuesday, Kuroda also clarified that his comments were made in the context of emphasizing the importance of wage increases. "I accept the criticism about whether it was appropriate to phrase it as tolerance of price hikes," he said. Related coverage: Monetary tightening not "suitable" at all: Bank of Japan chief Kuroda KYODO NEWS - Jun 8, 2022 - 21:10 | World, All, Japan Senior diplomats from Japan and South Korea agreed Wednesday that improving frayed bilateral ties is an "urgent task" for the two neighbors amid increasing speculation that North Korea may carry out a nuclear test anytime soon. In a meeting in Seoul, the officials confirmed that the two governments should keep discussing matters of concern, such as issues related to wartime labor and so-called comfort women, in a timely fashion so they will be resolved as soon as possible, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The meeting involved Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Dong. The talks came as the two governments are preparing for a possible meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office on May 10, on the sidelines of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Spain late this month. Mori raised "former civilian workers from the Korean Peninsula," or wartime laborers, as one of the issues to be resolved and lodged a fresh protest with Cho over the South's marine survey last month off a pair of Seoul-controlled, Tokyo-claimed islets known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea, the ministry said. Alluding to China's assertive acts in the East and South China seas and North Korea's missile and nuclear developments, Mori and Cho affirmed that trilateral strategic cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States has never been important at a time when the rules-based international order is being threatened. There is no time to waste to repair Tokyo-Seoul relations, according to the ministry. Earlier Wednesday, Mori and Cho had a trilateral vice foreign ministerial meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in the South Korean capital. KYODO NEWS - Jun 8, 2022 - 20:27 | World A 47-year-old Japanese man wanted by Tokyo police on suspicion of fraudulently receiving government COVID-19 subsidies along with his family members has been arrested in Indonesia, immigration authorities said Wednesday. Mitsuhiro Taniguchi is suspected of defrauding the government of more than 960 million yen ($7.22 million) using a subsidy program for smaller firms reeling from the pandemic. Taniguchi's whereabouts were unknown after leaving Japan for Indonesia in October 2020. He was arrested Tuesday night in the village of Sri Dadi in Lampung Province after Japan revoked his passport, according to I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram, a senior official at the Directorate General of Immigration. Taniguchi is believed to have led a group involving at least 10 people, including his former wife and two sons. The group is suspected of submitting about 1,780 false subsidy applications from May 2020 to September of the year, according to Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department. The amount of public money involved is the most illicitly received by a single group in connection with the subsidy program, according to the department, which arrested Taniguchi's former wife and two sons in late May on suspicion of fraud. The Tokyo police department said it is coordinating with Indonesian authorities to bring Taniguchi back to Japan. Sri Dadi village head Suroso Adi Saputro said Taniguchi was chatting at the house of Masduki, a villager, when immigration officials and police came to arrest the Japanese national. According to Suroso, Taniguchi invested in Masduki's gourami fish farm. Lampung is famous for its gourami, a freshwater fish commodity popular among Indonesians. "He (Masduki) was shocked to find out that the good Japanese man he had been dealing with so far was actually wanted by the Japanese police for a criminal case," Suroso, 43, told Kyodo News in an interview. The group collected fake applicants for the subsidies via social networks or by holding seminars. It then took care of the relevant paperwork to earn up to hundreds of thousands of yen in rewards in each case, according to investigators. In a press conference in Jakarta, also attended by Taniguchi, Mataram said a few months after entering Indonesia, the Japanese man obtained a limited stay permit that would expire next year. But he said the permit became automatically invalid after Japanese authorities revoked his passport. "After receiving the request to search for MT, we coordinated with police to find his whereabouts and received information that he had been seen around Lampung," Mataram said. A senior official at the Lampung immigration office also said during the press conference that Taniguchi was in Lampung as a "foreign investor" who wanted to invest in fish and shrimp businesses. Related coverage: Japan town recovers most of 46.3 mil. yen mistakenly sent to resident KYODO NEWS - Jun 8, 2022 - 20:20 | All, Japan The family of a Sri Lankan woman who died while in custody at an immigration center in central Japan last year demanded an apology from the government on Wednesday in a damages suit against the state. The family of Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali, who alleges she was illegally detained and died due to a lack of necessary medical care, filed the lawsuit in March, seeking 156 million yen ($1.17 million) in damages. "We want the Japanese government to apologize and admit its responsibility" for her death, Wishma's sister Wayomi said in the first hearing at the Nagoya District Court. "I want an overhaul of Japan's immigration system. I believe that Japan will change into a country that values human beings," she added. Wishma died at the age of 33 on March 6 last year at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau after complaining of stomach pain and other symptoms from mid-January. The family's legal team has demanded the government release all security camera footage of Wishma's time in detention, saying, "The bereaved family has the right to know the truth, and the judge has the duty to know." "We want to know why she was left to die," said Poornima, another sister. The Japanese government has already indicated it will fight the lawsuit, which will focus on whether the immigration authorities' response led to Wishma's death. Her family claims that the government refused to grant her provisional release despite her deteriorating health to pressure her to return to Sri Lanka, resulting in her death. They allege that immigration authorities did not provide Wishma with appropriate medical care despite a urine test showing she was starving, and that on the day of her death, emergency services were not requested until a pulse could no longer be detected. They also take issue with the fact that the emaciated Wishma was taken to the psychiatric department of a hospital. The family will demand the release of Wishma's autopsy results and is also considering requesting the examination of witnesses, including the director of the immigration bureau at the time and the doctor who examined Wishma just before her death. Wishma arrived in Japan on a student visa in 2017 to study the Japanese language but overstayed her visa, with her asylum application denied by immigration authorities. Her illegal immigration status was found out after she sought police protection in Shizuoka Prefecture for domestic abuse in August 2020. She was subsequently sent to the Nagoya immigration center to await deportation. An investigation by the Immigration Services Agency of Japan found that the immigration center staff "lacked awareness" on handling emergencies, although it could not determine the exact cause of her death. Her family also filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors against the immigration center's senior officials in November last year, saying they failed to provide appropriate medical care. Related coverage: Japan gov't to fight damages suit filed by kin of dead Sri Lankan FOCUS: Sri Lankan's dying agony disregarded in Japan immigration center Memorial service held for Sri Lankan 1 year after death in detention KYODO NEWS - Jun 8, 2022 - 16:00 | All, World, Japan Japan has lodged a protest against Russia for suspending a safe fishing agreement to prevent Japanese fishing vessels from being seized by Russian authorities in seas near disputed islands off Hokkaido, a government official said Wednesday. Russia on Tuesday announced the suspension of the 1998 agreement, citing Japan's freezing of payments for a development project in Sakhalin. The move comes amid frictions between the two countries after Japan joined U.S.-led sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. "We regret that Russia unilaterally announced the suspension of the agreement," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno at a news conference. The top government spokesman admitted that Japan had not made the latest payment for the project in the Russian Far East. But he also said the project is not a condition for continuing the agreement. The agreement, which covers waters around the Russian-controlled, Japan-claimed islands, was concluded following a series of captures and shootings on fishing vessels by Russian authorities. It is designed to allow Japan to fish Atka mackerel and octopus, among others, in exchange for paying "cooperation money" to the Russian side. Catch and operating conditions are determined by annual negotiations. Following Japan's punitive measures against Russia over Ukraine, Moscow has announced it would halt decades-old negotiations on a postwar peace treaty with Japan. Japan claims the Soviet Union illegally seized the islands soon after Japan's surrender in World War II in August 1945, while Moscow argues the move was legitimate. Guests attend an official groundbreaking ceremony of a China-aided project in Windhoek, Namibia, on May 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) China-aided projects continue to support infrastructure development in Namibia with the latest project being the upgrading of Phase 2B of the Windhoek to Hosea Kutako International Airport road. WINDHOEK, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China-aided projects continue to support infrastructure development in Namibia with the latest project being the upgrading of Phase 2B of the Windhoek to Hosea Kutako International Airport road. The project, for which an official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday, forms part of Namibia's regional trunk routes and includes the construction of a 21.3 km dual-carriage freeway, three interchanges, two river bridges, and drainage structures, Namibia's Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa said during the ceremony held in Windhoek. Photo taken on May 9, 2022 shows the construction site of a China-aided project in Windhoek, Namibia. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) "Namibia is positioned as a gateway for imports and exports to and from landlocked neighbors in the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region and China is assisting us with strides in expanding our road network in efforts to achieve the sub-vision and goals for transport as set out in Vision 2030," he said. The Phase 2B project funded by the Chinese government is expected to take 36 months to complete, he said while commending China for its immense support. Speaking on the same occasion, charge d'affaires at the Chinese embassy in Namibia, Yang Jun, said the Phase 2B project was proposed by the Namibian government and was supported by the Chinese embassy in an effort to help Namibia become a logistics hub in southern Africa. Yang Jun, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Namibia, speaks during an official groundbreaking ceremony of a China-aided project in Windhoek, Namibia, on May 9, 2022. (Photo by Musa C Kaseke/Xinhua) "The project was officially confirmed and signed between our governments in Beijing on March 29, 2018," he said, adding that upon completion, the project will improve transport and contribute to the development of Namibia at large. The project being undertaken by Namibian-registered Chinese firm, Zhong Mei Engineering Group, together with local subcontractors, will create more than 300 jobs and provide technological advancements through skills transfer. What did ancient China's luxury carriages look like over 2,000 years ago? Join Xinhua correspondent to find out the answer at Majiayuan ancient ruins in northwest China's Gansu Province. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is not holding talks with third parties over a peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrinform news agency reported on Monday. "I do not have any negotiations about any plans. Such negotiations are at zero level today," Zelensky told reporters on Monday during a press conference, while commenting on media reports that the EU, the United States and Britain allegedly discussed a peace plan for Ukraine. The international community is having growing fatigue with the conflict, Zelensky said, adding that some countries are trying to convince Ukraine to make unfavorable concessions. "Everyone surely wants to push us, step by step, towards some result that is for sure unprofitable for us, but beneficial for certain parties that have their interests," he said. Meanwhile, he stressed that Ukraine must continue its partnership "with all European countries and the world powers." Turkey can become a mediator in the talks on unblocking Ukrainian ports for grain exports, Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine did not participate in the Turkey-Russia negotiations on the issue. "I have not been invited. The minister of foreign affairs has not been invited, as of today," he said. Zelensky said that Kiev is not considering any alternative to the EU membership, and that its possible agreement with Britain on a defense union is part of Ukraine's security guarantees. The situation in Ukraine remains unpredictable, and hostilities may erupt anywhere if Ukrainian forces lose ground in Donbass, Zelensky said. He added that more than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant were captured by Russia following the end of the battle in Mariupol in May. Produced by Xinhua Global Service RTHK: Russia rejects role of Ukraine war in food crisis Russia on Wednesday rejected suggestions that grain stuck in Ukrainian ports was fuelling a global food crisis as Moscow pressed ahead with its military offensive. Moscow's campaign in the pro-Western country has not only devastated crops and farming, but also disrupted crucial deliveries from Ukraine one of the world's main grain producers fuelling concern about hunger and food prices worldwide. "As far as we know, there is much less grain than the Ukrainians say. There is no need to exaggerate the importance of these grain reserves," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "This is too small a percentage to have an impact on the development of the food crisis that has already begun. It was not the Ukrainian crisis that caused or sped up the food crisis in the world," he said. "The Ukrainian side must say what they need, whether they want to send this grain somewhere at all," Peskov added. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Ankara for talks to create a security corridor to ship grain from Ukraine, struck a similar note. "The current situation with Ukrainian grain has nothing to do with the food crisis," Lavrov added. Russia and Ukraine produce 30 percent of the global wheat supply. Russia has repeatedly denied blocking the passage of cargo ships loaded with Ukrainian grain, instead blaming Western sanctions against Moscow for contributing to the food crisis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that about 20-25 million tonnes of grain were currently blocked in Ukrainian ports and that could grow to 70-75 million tonnes in the autumn. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Azerbaijani servicemen are attending the Efes-2022 multinational drills in the Turkish city of Izmir, Azernews reports, citing the Turkish Ministry of National Defense. In an embedded video clip, Azerbaijani and North Macedonian service members are shown speaking about the military drills underway. The U.S. government should face up to the serious gun violence problems at home, rather than interfere in other countries' domestic affairs in the name of human rights, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday. Produced by Xinhua Global Service WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A group of student activists gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday afternoon, calling for actions from U.S. politicians in the wake of mass shootings over the past few weeks. Members of Students Demand Action, an advocacy group committed to ending gun violence in American communities, held a rally near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. With dozens of teenagers wearing bulletproof vests standing on the stage, speakers took the podium one by one to discuss the issue of gun violence. Manny Macedo, leader of the Los Angeles affiliate of Students Demand Action, said "how many more of us have to die to get the attention of those in office? How many more funerals do we have to attend?" The protesters chanted at one point, "Senators, please act. Don't look away. Don't look away. Don't look away." On the north lawn overlooked by the Washington Monument at the National Mall was the Gun Violence Memorial made up of rows of white vases with white and orange flowers. Organizers said the memorial remembers victims of gun violence across the United States, urging the Congress to find the courage to act. A national debate on gun control has been renewed following a spate of recent mass shootings, including a carnage at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead last month. Senate Democrats and Republicans have engaged in gun talks but a comprehensive reform is an uphill battle given the political and ideological divides on Capitol Hill. The demonstration in the U.S. capital on Monday came on the heels of another deadly weekend riddled with gun violence. At least 17 people were killed and 62 others injured in 11 mass shootings across the United States over the past weekend. Early Sunday morning, a shooting outside a nightclub in Chattanooga, Tennessee, led to three deaths and 14 injuries. Hours earlier in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, several shooters opened fire at a crowd in a popular nightlife area, killing three while wounding 11 others. The United States has suffered 247 mass shootings over the past five months or so, with more than 18,700 lives lost to gun violence, according to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Afghan security force members stand guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. Quoting the official, the local Tolo television channel reported that the weapon cache was discovered in a house in the provincial capital Charikar city on Monday and police have taken into custody three persons, including a woman, in this connection. Police have discovered a huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including two suicide vests, from the weapon cache and dynamited the house, which damaged several houses nearby, the media outlet reported. The hardliner IS, which has claimed responsibility for a series of blasts over the past few months in Afghanistan, is not posing a serious threat and the security forces would continue to diminish the armed group, according to officials with the Taliban-run administration. An Afghan security force member stands guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member stands guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member stands guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) An Afghan security force member stands guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) Afghan security force members stand guard at a destroyed weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Parwan province, Afghanistan, June 8, 2022. Security forces have found and destroyed a weapon cache of the Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan's eastern Parwan province, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Kamran Habibi said on Tuesday. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) MEXICO CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The state leaders of some countries in the Americas have publicly voiced a boycott of the Summit of the Americas in response to the exclusion of some countries by the U.S. government. The 9th Summit of the Americas is slated to be held in Los Angeles from June 6 to 10. The U.S. government, abusing its privilege of being the host country, decided at a very early stage to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the summit. Produced by Xinhua Global Service BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The third Multinationals Qingdao Summit will be held from June 20 to 21 in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, as part of the country's efforts to press ahead with high-level opening-up and promote global economic recovery. The summit will focus on six topics, including global industrial and supply chains, the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, and green and low-carbon transformation, Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming told a press conference on Wednesday. A report to elaborate on the role of multinationals in China and the global supply chain layout will also be published during the summit by the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Commerce Ministry. To date, 313 overseas multinational companies from 31 countries and regions have signed up for offline events, with over 3,000 guests from multinational companies registered for online activities. Against the backdrop of global economic uncertainty, China has remained a popular destination for foreign capital, with foreign investment up 20.5 percent year on year from January to April. The first Qingdao Multinationals Summit was held in October 2019 in Qingdao, with a total of 115 Fortune 500 companies and 284 industry leaders attending the event. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Uzbek acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov on the sidelines of the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiye) NUR-SULTAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan will continue to boost cooperation in various areas in the future, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Tuesday while meeting with Uzbek Acting Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have established a high-level mutual trust and a profound friendship, providing important strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations, Wang said. China is ready to take the opportunity of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership with Uzbekistan to strengthen the alignment of development strategies, increase mutual understanding and support, deepen exchanges on governance experience, and jointly push bilateral relations to higher levels, he said. China-Uzbekistan cooperation in various fields is progressing smoothly, and in the first quarter of this year, bilateral trade volume has grown substantially, showing a broad potential, Wang said, adding China welcomes more marketable Uzbek products to enter the Chinese market and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Uzbekistan, so as to help Uzbekistan accelerate industrialization and enhance its capacity for independent development. The two sides should well implement the five-year plan for inter-governmental economic, trade and investment cooperation, give full play to the role of the investment cooperation working group, and select a number of major cooperation projects of strategic significance, Wang said, noting that both sides should strengthen cooperation in traditional energy, jointly ensure the safe and stable operation of the China-Central Asia Gas Pipeline, and expand cooperation in civilian nuclear, solar, wind and other new energy sources. For his part, Norov said that this year is of great significance for Uzbekistan-China relations, and that thanks to the profound friendship and guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented high level. Uzbekistan cherishes the friendship between the two countries, and will firmly adhere to the one-China policy, strengthen the Belt and Road cooperation, advance win-win cooperation in such areas as economy, trade and investment, energy production capacity and green agriculture, and set a good example for state-to-state relations, he said. The two sides agreed to improve connectivity, facilitate customs clearance, strengthen cooperation on road-rail combined transport, and explore ways to speed up the diversified construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and other transport corridors. Both sides agreed to implement the memorandum of cooperation on poverty reduction and share development experience, and to promote all-round vaccine cooperation, support the establishment of a regional vaccine research and development center in Uzbekistan, and deepen cooperation on traditional Chinese medicine and telemedicine. The two sides also agreed to strengthen cultural, tourism and local-level cooperation, to step up the joint construction of the China-Central Asia Agricultural Cooperation Center, and to deepen cooperation in such areas as combating the "three evil forces," counter-terrorism, defense and cybersecurity. Both sides highly evaluated the role of China + Central Asia (C+C5) cooperation mechanism. Norov said he appreciates China's important and constructive role in regional cooperation, adding that the development and revitalization of Central Asia is closely related to China, and that Uzbekistan will actively participate in and push for positive outcomes of the third foreign ministers' meeting. The two sides agreed to strengthen communication and coordination within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Wang expressed support for Uzbekistan in successfully hosting the SCO summit in the city of Samarkand. Both sides also exchanged views on the Afghan issue. Norov spoke highly of China's important role in Afghanistan's reconstruction, and expressed willingness to work with China to promote peace, stability and peaceful development in Afghanistan. Photo taken on Sept. 6, 2021 shows a view of the Lahore Converter Station of the 660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the outskirts of Lahore, in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. (State Grid Corporation of China/Handout via Xinhua) NANJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Before coming to China, Shabir Mohsin Hashmi knew little about the country. Now, the 47-year-old Pakistani not only has a family here but has also become an ambassador for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In 2006, Hashmi got a chance to study abroad. There were five countries to choose from. "I knew China and Pakistan are in a good relationship, so I put China as my first choice." Eventually, he came to Shanghai University of Finance and Economics to pursue a doctorate. Hashmi still remembers vividly the day he arrived in Shanghai. "I was wearing a T-shirt because it was hot in Pakistan. But it was windy in Shanghai and quite chilly." Settling into a new place is not always pleasant but Hashmi has found his own fun. With the help of his Chinese teachers, Hashmi improved his understanding of the global economy and progressed in his academic study. Later, he earned his doctoral degree and applied to continue his postdoctoral research in China. In 2013, Hashmi joined Jinan University in south China's Guangdong Province. It was in the same year that China put forward the Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, the BRI has gradually become an important direction of Hashmi's academic research. In 2018, Hashmi started to work at the School of Economics and Management, Yancheng Institute of Technology as a professor. He now also serves as director of the BRI research center under the institute. Hashmi considered the BRI as a project of global significance. Noting that the BRI not only benefits China but also extends to the entire world, he believes the BRI is instrumental in helping improve infrastructure, particularly for the developing countries. "It can also help alleviate poverty and create millions of jobs in those areas." Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the BRI, China is assisting Pakistan with a number of projects including energy, transportation, communication, and other infrastructure construction. "The CPEC is a manifestation of the good relationship between China and Pakistan," Hashmi said. As an academic, Hashmi has always been concerned about students and teachers in China and Pakistan. In 2019, during a visit to his family in Pakistan, he invited some Chinese students to dinner, and helped them solve problems they were facing. "China is my second home and I love China, its people, and its culture," Hashmi said. File photo taken on July 20, 2021 shows Penjig checking saplings at his nursery in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje) Aerial photo taken on May 26, 2022 shows the afforestation area by the Yarlung Zangbo River in Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Aerial photo taken on May 27, 2022 shows the Yarlung Zangbo River flowing past Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Retired Li Chunlu views old photos at home in Chengdu City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 3, 2022. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao) Penjig checks the growth of a sapling at the afforestation area by the Yarlung Zangbo River in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 26, 2022. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Penjig (R) plants trees with his old partner Toinzhub Cering (C) at the afforestation area by the Yarlung Zangbo River in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 26, 2022. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Aerial photo taken on May 27, 2022 shows the riverside of the Yarlung Zangbo River lush with green trees in Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Penjig checks the growth of saplings at the afforestation area by the Yarlung Zangbo River in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 26, 2022. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Aerial photo taken on May 27, 2022 shows the nursery run by Penjig in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) Penjig (front) instructs workers in planting trees at the afforestation area by the Yarlung Zangbo River in Zhanang County, Shannan City of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, May 26, 2022. The middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, once stretches of barren land with sandstorms raging in spring and winter, now see a sea of green trees all over the place. With unwavering endeavors of sand control and ecology restoration, more than 45 million trees have been planted over the past four decades in Shannan, an area the Yarlung Zangbo River runs through. In 1967, Li Chunlu, an agricultural school graduate from northwest China's Gansu Province, was assigned to work in Shannan. On his way to work, the 24-year-old was inundated by the yellow dust in the air. Li thought, at the time, how good it would be if trees could be planted here. An ambition of planting trees was bred in Li Chunlu as a boy named Penjig from a village by the Yarlung Zangbo River planted a few willow branches on the hillside where he grazed his sheep. The willow branches survived and then grew into willow trees. In 1982, Li Chunlu shifted his work to the forestry section of the local agriculture and animal husbandry bureau. He tried to start planting trees along the river. However, it was too difficult for the trees to survive due to the drought in spring and winter and the flood during summer and autumn. In 1984, Li Chunlu and his colleagues finally worked out tree-planting techniques along the riverside, which led to their success of growing about 800 mu (53.3 hectares) of experimental forest. In the 1990s, the afforestation project was further expanded. Li Chunlu, who was responsible for the forestation work, selected Penjig, who had already grown up as an adult, as one of the team leaders to oversee a tree-planting project because of his relevant experience. Together with 12 villagers, the team was jointly engaged in the restoration project along the river. Local villagers joined the forestation work as their side business to increase their income at first. Later, they were a lot more motivated to grow trees as they witnessed less sand and agricultural disasters thanks to the afforestation effort. Crop yield has thus been boosted, while pasture has been gradually expanded with more cattle and sheep raised. In 2004, with the support of the local government, Penjig, who had more than 10 years of experience in tree planting, built his own nursery. Today, more and more people are taking part in this campaign, and the riverside of the middle reaches of Yarlung ZangBo River has been lush and green. (Xinhua/Sun Fei) HONG KONG, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Wednesday that it will distribute around 190,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits as part of a follow-up on the recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples. The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in estates in Eastern District and Kowloon City District with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons. The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform. In an effort to combat COVID-19, the HKSAR government's Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing. On Wednesday, Hong Kong registered 257 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 301 additional cases through self-reported RAT, official data showed. NANJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Before coming to China, Shabir Mohsin Hashmi knew little about the country. Now, the 47-year-old Pakistani not only has a family here but has also become an ambassador for the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In 2006, Hashmi got a chance to study abroad. There were five countries to choose from. "I knew China and Pakistan are in a good relationship, so I put China as my first choice." Eventually, he came to Shanghai University of Finance and Economics to pursue a doctorate. Hashmi still remembers vividly the day he arrived in Shanghai. "I was wearing a T-shirt because it was hot in Pakistan. But it was windy in Shanghai and quite chilly." Settling into a new place is not always pleasant but Hashmi has found his own fun. With the help of his Chinese teachers, Hashmi improved his understanding of the global economy and progressed in his academic study. Later, he earned his doctoral degree and applied to continue his postdoctoral research in China. In 2013, Hashmi joined Jinan University in south China's Guangdong Province. It was in the same year that China put forward the Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, the BRI has gradually become an important direction of Hashmi's academic research. In 2018, Hashmi started to work at the School of Economics and Management, Yancheng Institute of Technology as a professor. He now also serves as director of the BRI research center under the institute. Hashmi considered the BRI as a project of global significance. Noting that the BRI not only benefits China but also extends to the entire world, he believes the BRI is instrumental in helping improve infrastructure, particularly for the developing countries. "It can also help alleviate poverty and create millions of jobs in those areas." Under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the BRI, China is assisting Pakistan with a number of projects including energy, transportation, communication, and other infrastructure construction. "The CPEC is a manifestation of the good relationship between China and Pakistan," Hashmi said. As an academic, Hashmi has always been concerned about students and teachers in China and Pakistan. In 2019, during a visit to his family in Pakistan, he invited some Chinese students to dinner, and helped them solve problems they were facing. "China is my second home and I love China, its people, and its culture," Hashmi said. By Azernews Acting Rector of the Azerbaijani National Defense University, Professor Lt.-Gen Heydar Piriyev and his Pakistani colleagues discussed in Baku prospects for expanding cooperation in military education, Azernews reports per the Defense Ministry. The participants in the National Security and War Course also attended a meeting, the report adds. The meeting highlighted the two nations' improving ties, and potential for strengthening cooperation in the sphere of military education, as well as other matters of mutual interest. Moreover, the delegation and course participants were given a thorough explanation of Azerbaijan's military school system. Another unrelated report quoted the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry as saying that in line with safety procedures, the relevant units of the Azerbaijani army continue to dispose of outdated and useless munitions. According to the ministry, the procedure will take place at the Seyfali training range from 08.06.2022 to 11.06.2022. Cui Yujun (1st L), a cherry farmer from Shache County, introduces his cherries to visitors at a trade fair in Xamalbag in Mixa Township of Shache County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Fang Junwei) URUMQI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Diverse varieties of cherries embellishing an orchard in Xamalbag have become a source of vitality for this small village in Mixa Township of Shache County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Located on the southwestern edge of China's largest desert, the Taklamakan, Shache County has built a burgeoning cherry industry from root to fruit. Thanks to the flourishing cherry industry, local farmers have seen increasing annual incomes and improved living standards. Cui Yujun, a cherry farmer from Shache, is busy introducing his cherries to visitors at a trade fair in Xamalbag that has attracted some 40 cherry product processing and sales enterprises from across the country. "The cherries from Shache are really sweet," said Yin Zhichao after tasting Cui's cherries. Yin is a fruit wholesaler from Guangdong Province, thousands of kilometers away from Xinjiang. "We have planted 200 mu (about 13.3 hectares) of cherry trees outdoors and built 128 greenhouses for indoor plantation, producing 16 varieties of cherries," said Cui, who is also manager of an agricultural cooperative in Shache. Shache, located in the region's southern part, offers a favorable climate for cherry plantation due to its latitude and relatively high level of annual accumulated temperature, said Gong Peng, a researcher with the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. "Since the introduction of the first sweet cherry variety in Shache in 2003, the plantation area of this variety in the county has reached 48,000 mu," Gong said, adding that Mixa has an outstanding cherry harvest in the county, with maximum yield per mu reaching 800 kg. "We have sold 400 tonnes of cherries so far this year, earning nearly 20,000 yuan (about 3,000 U.S. dollars) per mu," said Turgun Ahmat, head of a cherry farmers' cooperative in Xamalbag, adding that the cooperative's plantation area increased from 7 mu in 2010 to 1200 mu today. The expansion also brought new opportunities as Xamalbag gained popularity among tourists, thanks to its agritourism sector, especially cherry-plucking. "In 2021 the village received more than 700,000 visitors, and this year the number is expected to surpass 900,000," said Turgun Ahmat, adding that the villagers also run homestays to boost their incomes. According to local authorities, the cherry industry has helped increase the income of 22,000 cherry growers and created 30,000 job opportunities in the county. With Xamalbag as its hub, the cherry industry now covers seven adjacent towns and 33 villages, and an industrial chain for cherry production has been established in Shache. "By planting cherries, my husband and I earn over 200,000 yuan annually," said Zur Tohti from Togaqi Village in Mixa. Cherries are displayed at a trade fair in Xamalbag in Mixa Township of Shache County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Fang Junwei) Aerial photo taken on May 17, 2021 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows tourists visiting a park dedicated to Zhu Xi, a renowned Chinese philosopher in the 12th century, in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Nov. 19, 2021 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows ancient stone inscriptions of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the gate to a scenic area of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Macaques are seen in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province, May 16, 2021. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows tourists visiting Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows tourists visiting Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on Jan. 8, 2021 shows the snowy scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Tourists visit a park dedicated to Zhu Xi, a renowned Chinese philosopher in the 12th century, in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province, June 6, 2022. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the ancient relic of a rock shelter with wooden boat coffins of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows ancient stone inscriptions of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Tourists visit Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province, June 6, 2022. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Tourists visit the ancient relic of rock shelters with wooden boat coffins of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province, June 6, 2022. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on May 16, 2022 shows the museum of a protection area for the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) to the southeast of Mount Wuyi, in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the Nine-Bend River of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the interior view of a park dedicated to Zhu Xi, a renowned Chinese philosopher in the 12th century, in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the ancient relic of rock shelters with wooden boat coffins of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows a statue dedicated to Zhu Xi, a renowned Chinese philosopher in the 12th century, in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of a park dedicated to Zhu Xi, a renowned Chinese philosopher in the 12th century, in Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the scenery of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on June 6, 2022 shows the ancient relic of rock shelters with wooden boat coffins of Mount Wuyi in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Photo taken on May 16, 2022 shows a piece of brick carving at Chengcun ancient town site to the southeast of Mount Wuyi, southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Aerial photo taken on April 18, 2022 shows the archaeological site of a protection area for the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) to the southeast of Mount Wuyi, in southeast China's Fujian Province. Mount Wuyi, located in China's southeast province of Fujian, is a landscape of great beauty, in which the peaks and rocks of grotesque shapes are girded by clear streams and embraced by green trees and bamboo plants. Acting as a habitat for a large number of wildlife, it is of enormous importance for biodiversity conservation. There are a series of exceptional archaeological sites at Mount Wuyi, including the remains of ancient Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) and a number of temples and ancient Confucian academies. With its natural and cultural values well interconnected, Mount Wuyi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1999. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov on the sidelines of the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiye) NUR-SULTAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov agreed here on Tuesday on a wide range of areas where the two countries will deepen cooperation. Under the guidance of the two heads of state, China-Turkmenistan strategic partnership has shown new momentum, achieved new breakthroughs, and yielded new results, Wang said when meeting with Meredov on the sidelines of the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting. Since Turkmenistan's successful presidential election, bilateral relations have experienced a smooth transition, standing at a new starting point and facing broad prospects for development, Wang noted. The two countries should seize the opportunity, build on the momentum, fully implement the important consensuses reached by the two heads of state, and push for more substantial results of China-Turkmenistan cooperation in various fields, he said. Noting that cooperation in the energy sector is an important part of the China-Turkmenistan strategic cooperation, Wang said no matter how the international landscape may change, China remains committed to expanding energy cooperation with Turkmenistan, and stands firm in viewing Turkmenistan as an important strategic energy partner. China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Turkmenistan across the whole industrial chain, expand the scale of cooperation, and create new prospects for all-round progress, he said. For his part, Meredov said Turkmenistan and China are close strategic partners with frequent high-level exchanges, which fully demonstrates the high level of bilateral relations. He recalled that in February, the two heads of state met successfully and reached important consensuses, which has laid a solid political foundation for and injected strong impetus into bilateral cooperation. Turkmenistan-China cooperation is future-oriented and will not be interfered by external political factors, Meredov said, adding Turkmenistan is ready to work with China to implement the important consensuses reached by the two heads of state, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and open up a better future for bilateral relations. The two sides agreed on the priorities for the next step of cooperation, and agreed to speed up the alignment between the Belt and Road cooperation and Turkmenistan's development strategy to revive the Great Silk Road, so as to build an efficient platform for connectivity. They agreed to boost long-term and stable development of energy cooperation, and deepen cooperation in non-resource areas, so that Turkmenistan can achieve sustainable and diversified development. Both sides agreed to push forward the establishment of traditional medical centers and Luban Workshops in Turkmenistan, and of cultural centers in both countries. The two sides spoke highly of the effective communication and coordination between the two countries in multilateral affairs, and vowed to continue to support each other in the United Nations and other organizations. Meredov said Turkmenistan actively supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and is ready to discuss with China concrete measures to participate in the initiative so as to form international synergy. The two sides agreed to beef up cooperation on cybersecurity and biosecurity, and improve global governance. They pledged to jointly make the third foreign ministers' meeting a successful one, strengthen the "C+C5" cooperation mechanism, and inject strong momentum into bilateral cooperation. Both sides exchanged views on the current international and regional situations, and decided to strengthen solidarity and coordination to safeguard regional peace and stability. Meredov said Turkmenistan will adhere to its policy of permanent neutrality, and stand for the political settlement of disputes through peaceful and diplomatic means. Aerial photo taken on Dec. 17, 2020 shows a panoramic view of the headquarters building of BRICS New Development Bank in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Business representatives from the BRICS countries pledged Wednesday to enhance multilateral cooperation to safeguard the common interests of emerging markets and developing countries. The 2022 annual meeting of the BRICS Business Council was held in Beijing, with about 150 representatives from the council's working groups attending online. A joint statement on building high-quality partnerships among BRICS countries was published at the meeting, calling for efforts to deepen dialogue and enhance cooperation. China has cooperated with all parties to leverage professional and resource advantages and promote economic recovery, said Chen Siqing, chairman of the Chinese chapter of the BRICS Business Council. China will work with business communities among the BRICS countries and adhere to innovation-driven development to enhance growth momentum, Chen added. The BRICS Business Council was established during the fifth BRICS Summit held in 2013 in Durban, South Africa, with the aim of promoting and strengthening business, trade and investment ties among the business communities of the five BRICS countries. Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at a UN General Assembly debate on the Korean Peninsula issue at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 8, 2022. The Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the United States to take meaningful, concrete actions to relieve tensions on the Korean Peninsula. (Xinhua/Xie E) UNITED NATIONS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the United States to take meaningful, concrete actions to relieve tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The current situation on the Korean Peninsula has become tense. It must be pointed out that the situation has developed to what it is today primarily due to the flip-flop of U.S. policies, its failure to uphold the results of previous dialogue, and its disregard for the reasonable concerns of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). This is an undeniable fact, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. "Where the situation goes from here will depend, to a large extent, on the actions of the United States, and the key lies in whether the United States can face up to the crux of the problem, demonstrate a responsible attitude, and take meaningful, concrete actions," he told a UN General Assembly debate on the Korean Peninsula issue. Under the current circumstances, all parties should remain calm, exercise restraint, and avoid any action that could escalate tensions and lead to miscalculation, he said. To fundamentally resolve the Korean Peninsula issue requires following the general direction of political settlement, dialogue, and consultation, he said. Historical experience shows that dialogue and consultation are the only viable way to resolve the issue. When dialogue advanced smoothly, positive progress was made; when dialogue was stalled or even backtracked, tensions on the peninsula escalated. Since the DPRK took denuclearization measures in 2018, the U.S. side did not reciprocate, did not address the DPRK's legitimate and reasonable concerns, nor did it demonstrate the necessary sincerity for resolving the issue, said Zhang. There are many things the United States can do, such as easing sanctions on the DPRK in certain areas and ending joint military exercises. The key is action, not just talk about readiness for dialogue with no preconditions, he said. Wednesday's debate was the first of its kind since the General Assembly adopted a resolution on April 26 that allows it to convene automatically when a veto is cast in the Security Council. On May 26, China and Russia vetoed a Security Council draft resolution aimed to impose new sanctions on the DPRK, triggering the General Assembly meeting. To fundamentally resolve the Korean Peninsula issue requires abandoning the old approach of imposing sanctions and exerting pressure, said Zhang. Sanctions are a means, not an end. The Security Council's harsh sanctions against the DPRK are unprecedented and cover far beyond its nuclear and missile programs, having huge negative impacts on the livelihood of the DPRK people. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in the DPRK, additional sanctions are neither right nor humane, and will only add to the suffering of the DPRK population, he explained. The Security Council's DPRK-related resolutions are an integral whole and should be implemented in a comprehensive, complete, and accurate manner. Relevant countries should not place one-sided emphasis on the implementation of sanctions. They should also make active efforts to promote a political solution and ease sanctions in due course, he said. To fundamentally resolve the Korean Peninsula issue requires the Security Council to play a constructive role, said Zhang. Under the current situation, the words and actions of the Security Council and its members should help maintain stability and prevent chaos on the peninsula, restart dialogue and negotiations, and resolve the real humanitarian and livelihood difficulties faced by the DPRK, rather than creating obstacles to this end, he said. In the past, the Security Council had been able to adopt DPRK-related resolutions because all members fully communicated with one another and could ultimately reach consensus. In response to the draft resolution on the DPRK tabled by the United States, China had put forward many reasonable proposals. China hoped the U.S. side would consider seeking a presidential statement rather than a resolution - in a way that could best garner the consensus of Security Council members. This approach was recognized and endorsed by the overwhelming majority of council members. However, the United States, which was the only opponent to the proposal, insisted on pushing for a vote, deliberately creating confrontation and triggering a showdown in the council. Looking at the consensus-lacking U.S. draft, China had no choice but to vote against it. The United States should take responsibility for this result, he said. China always engages in the work of the Security Council in a responsible manner and makes active efforts to maintain unity among council members and promote stronger cooperation among all parties, with a view to fulfilling the duties mandated by the UN Charter, said Zhang. "It must be noted that China takes an extremely cautious and responsible approach to every vote in the Security Council, and bases its judgment on the merits of the matter itself," he said. "What kind of vote China will cast is essentially about whether such a voting will be conducive to solving the problem, maintaining international peace and security, and avoiding greater tensions and disasters." It will be precisely irresponsible and derelict of duty for the Security Council to adopt a resolution without principle, which could result in serious consequences and plunge the countries or regions concerned into a catastrophe, he said. To fundamentally resolve the Korean Peninsula issue requires upholding the security interests of regional countries, said Zhang. The security of all countries is indivisible, and the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula is closely related to the external strategic environment, he said. The United States has recently been making provocations in the Asia-Pacific region, and has been carrying out nuclear submarine cooperation with relevant countries in the region, developing hypersonic weapons, and selling cruise missiles that can carry nuclear warheads, he said. "These moves have completely revealed its double standards and hypocrisy on the issue of nuclear non-proliferation." The United States has been vigorously implementing its Indo-Pacific strategy and strengthening military alliances with relevant regional countries, which aggravates the risks of military confrontation in the region. A certain politician of an individual regional country was clamoring for so-called nuclear sharing with the United States, intentionally reversing the wheels of history on the issue of nuclear weapons, seriously impacting the process of resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and poisoning the regional security environment, said Zhang. "It is not in the interests of any country to stoke bloc confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region. We urge the countries concerned to put regional peace and security first, stop political maneuvering, change course immediately, and create a good environment toward peace and stability on the peninsula," he said. A peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula is the shared expectation of regional countries and the international community. As a close neighbor, China has been closely following developments on the peninsula and has always insisted on maintaining peace and stability there, achieving denuclearization, and resolving the issue through dialogue and consultations. For a long time now, China has been making unremitting efforts to resolve the issue. China's important and constructive role is clear to the entire international community, said Zhang. Under the current circumstances, China hopes that all parties will continue to focus on the big picture, pursue dialogue and consultations, meet each other halfway, explore effective ways to resolve the reasonable concerns of all parties in a balanced manner, and create favorable conditions for the early resumption of meaningful dialogue. Together with the wide UN membership, China is ready to play a constructive role toward this goal, he said. Zhang Jun (at the podium and on the screens), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks at a UN General Assembly debate on the Korean Peninsula issue at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 8, 2022. The Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the United States to take meaningful, concrete actions to relieve tensions on the Korean Peninsula. (Xinhua/Xie E) CARACAS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelans on Wednesday spoke out at "anti-imperialist forums" to voice their opposition to select countries being excluded from this week's Summit of the Americas in the U.S. city of Los Angeles. "It's everyone or it's not of the Americas," a legislator from the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Pedro Infante, said at a forum held in the capital Caracas. Washington's decision to exclude Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua from the regional gathering was opposed by other countries on the continent, noted Infante, adding that several presidents of regional countries declined to attend "to protest the discrimination" by Washington. Carlos Casanueva of the Bolivarian Continental Movement, a civic organization, told Xinhua the forums have been organized since Monday at public plazas around the country, "mainly in repudiation" of the exclusion. Carleslia Ascanio, who attended the forum in Caracas, told Xinhua the anti-imperialist forums offered the public a space for debate and "battle of ideas." Given the U.S. decision to exclude the three countries, Ascanio said there was support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's proposal to convene a Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, to which the United States government would be invited. NAIROBI, June 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations children's fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday appealed for urgent funding to help avert an "explosion of child deaths" which it said is looming in East Africa if the world does not act immediately. UNICEF's Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Rania Dagash said more than 1.7 million children across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, are in urgent need of treatment for severe acute malnutrition. "All three countries have recorded a significantly higher number of severely malnourished children admitted for treatment in the first quarter of 2022 compared to the first quarter of 2021," Dagash said in a statement. She said the cost of the life-saving therapeutic food the UN agency uses to treat children with severe acute malnutrition is projected to rise by 16 percent globally over the next six months, meaning UNICEF will require an estimated additional 12 million U.S. dollars in East Africa alone. "If the world does not widen its gaze from the war in Ukraine, and act immediately, an explosion of child deaths is about to happen in the Horn of Africa," Dagash said. She said UNICEF and other agencies have been repeatedly sounding the alarm bell on this crisis and lauded the donors who have made contributions that have enabled the UN agencies to respond to the crisis. Dagash said the international community - led by the G7 who will meet in Germany in June - needs to commit new, additional funding now to save lives. "Focus on Ukraine cannot lead to neglect of other crises and ultimately more loss of life. We also want to see G7 leaders commit to acting early in future emergencies and investing in long-term resilience work - like nutrition, water, education, and cash transfer programmes," Dagash said. UNICEF, which has just concluded a visit to Somalia, said Somali children are living on the frontlines of the climate crisis now. "We need to see significant step-change from the donor community to adequately support families to weather these cyclical climatic shocks," she said. An estimated 386,000 children in Somalia are now in desperate need of treatment for life-threatening severe acute malnutrition - exceeding the 340,000 children who required treatment at the time of the 2011 famine, according to UNICEF. It said the number of children facing this most deadly form of malnutrition has increased by more than 15 percent in the space of five months. Four rainy seasons have failed in the space of two years - killing crops and livestock and drying up water sources, the UN said, noting that forecasts suggest the next October to December rains are likely to fail too. This year, Dagash said, in some of the worst affected areas in the Horn of Africa, three times as many children have already died from severe acute malnutrition with medical complications in in-patient treatment centers compared to the whole of the previous year. "Between February and May, the number of households without reliable access to clean and safe water almost doubled from 5.6 million to 10.5 million," she said. Dagash said the lives of children in the Horn of Africa are also at increased risk because of the war in Ukraine, noting that Somalia alone used to import 92 percent of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine but supply lines are now blocked. "The war is exacerbating spiraling global food and fuel prices, meaning many people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia can no longer afford the basic foodstuffs they need to survive," Dagash said. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Milan Sedla?ek has been appointed as the new Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. Sedla?ek will replace the outgoing Ambassador Milan Eckert, who has led the Czech diplomatic mission in Baku since October 2018. In Prague, Sedla?ek had a meeting with the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Adysh Mammadov. The parties discussed issues on the bilateral agenda, as well as prospects for further development of cooperation between the two countries. Frank and friendly discussion took place between Ambassador A. Mammadov and the newly appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Milan Sedla?ek. The two men had a substantive exchange on the issues of bilateral agenda as well as perspectives for further development of strategic partnership relations, the Azerbaijani embassy wrote on its Facebook account. Meanwhile, outgoing Czech Ambassador Milan Ekert and Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov have discussed the energy cooperation issues between the two countries. Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic cooperate in different spheres of the economy. Around 30 companies with the Czech capital are operating in Azerbaijan. The Czech Republic had invested $37.2 million in Azerbaijan, while Azerbaijans investment in the Czech Republic amounted to $48.2 million during the period from 1995 to 2021. Incidentally, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic amounted to $307.4 million in 2021. FARAH, Afghanistan, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A bus collided head-on with a truck in Afghanistan's western province of Farah, injuring 10 people, a provincial police spokesman said on Wednesday. "The incident occurred in Shiwan locality of Bala Buluk district on Tuesday evening. The injured, including four children, were rushed to a district hospital," spokesman Harif Adil told Xinhua. The provincial traffic police have launched an investigation into the incident, according to the source. Road accidents are frequent in the Asian country mainly due to poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving. Police officers work near the site where a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) BERLIN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- A car crashed into a crowd in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality on Wednesday morning, killing one person and leaving at least a dozen injured, local police said. Four of the injured in serious conditions were sent to hospital, said Thilo Cablitz, spokesperson for the Berlin police. Local media initially reported some 30 injuries. After hitting pedestrians, the car crashed into a shop, said Cablitz. Police have detained the driver, a man, at the scene and are still investigating whether it was a crime or an accident, according to the spokesperson. The local fire brigade said they received the report at around 10:30 a.m. The affected area has been cordoned off. Shortly before Christmas 2016, a truck attack killed 12 people near the site of Wednesday's accident. Police officers work at the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) Rescuers work at the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) Rescuers work at the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) A police car stops near the site where a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) Police officers work at the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) A vehicle rams into a shop window after running into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Huang Yan) Police stand guard at the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in Berlin, Germany, June 8, 2022. A vehicle crashed into a crowd of people in Berlin's Charlottenburg locality, leaving one person killed and more than a dozen injured, German news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei) PARIS, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Workers of two airports in Paris, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly, are going on strike Wednesday and Thursday to demand higher wages, the airport authority Paris Airports announced. Paris Airports Wednesday suggests passengers to be at airport at least three hours before an international flight and two hours before a domestic or medium-haul flight, since there will be a longer queue waiting time. Passengers may anticipate flight delays on Wednesday, the airport authority said. The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has requested airlines to reduce their flight program on Thursday to and from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time. Paris Airports also announced that one quarter of flights will be canceled on Thursday. Passengers are asked to check with their airline for the flight schedule. People attend the award ceremony of the "One Step" Chinese-Hungarian Drawing Competition in central China's Hubei Province, June 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Yue Wenwan) WUHAN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The award ceremony of the "One Step" Chinese-Hungarian Drawing Competition was held both offline and online simultaneously in central China's Hubei and Henan provinces and Hungary's Gyor-Moson-Sopron County on Tuesday. The event, which attracted nearly 100 participants including students, teachers and government representatives, was jointly held by the respective local governments. It was aimed at deepening the friendship between China and Hungary through friendly exchanges between teenagers, according to the organizing committee in Hubei. From March to May 2022, students from middle schools in China's Hubei and Henan provinces and Gyor-Moson-Sopron County of Hungary submitted more than 120 creative works themed on bilateral friendship, inventions of the two countries and environmental protection. Huang Shihui from Xianning Xiangcheng Middle School in Hubei Province won the first prize for her painting "China in the Rubik's cube." Her work features a huge Rubik's cube occupying a tableau, with things that embody Chinese history and contemporary development, such as a compass, traditional Chinese medicine book, the Great Wall, FAST telescope and Shenzhou spaceship, painted in each square of the cube. "The Rubik's cube was invented in Hungary. I want to introduce China to Hungarian friends through their familiar piece of invention," Huang said, adding that she hopes her painting can help deepen the friendship between the two peoples. Fanni Kotrics-Szabo also won the first prize. Speaking at the award ceremony in Gyor-Moson-Sopron, she said she likes Chinese culture, so she decided to take part in this competition. "I'm so proud of my work and I will continue to create more paintings." Hubei and Gyor-Moson-Sopron forged "sisterhood ties" in 2014, and various bilateral exchanges and cooperation initiatives, including the building of a section of the Hungry-Serbia Railway and student exchange programs, have been carried out. "The painting competition has built a bridge for communication between young people in China and Hungary," said Zhao Haishan, vice governor of Hubei, at the awarding ceremony, vowing to carry out more exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. BERLIN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed on Wednesday that efforts must be made to enable grain exports from Ukraine, the German government said. In a conversation on the phone Wednesday morning, the two leaders exchanged views on the current military and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and agreed that efforts must be made to enable grain exports from Ukraine, especially by sea, said a statement issued by the German government. Scholz also briefed Zelensky on his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron on May 28, according to the statement. CAIRO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States has been shaken in recent weeks by a series of mass shootings that killed 10 African American residents in a supermarket in New York, 19 children and two teachers in Texas, and four people in a medical center in Oklahoma. The unchecked gun violence is the result of racial injustice and the self-interest of political parties and powerful gun lobbying groups in the country, said experts in the Middle East. RACIAL INJUSTICE "Most of the violence victims are not white people," said Ezzat Saad, director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, referring to the recent mass shootings in the United States. He said the rampant gun violence in the United States is a result of the racism of the far-right extremists, who believe that "the white people are superior to other colors." "The problem is that such extremist ideas have reached the political parties and started to find their road inside the ruling institutions," Saad added. Saad's viewpoint was shared by Suzan Ismail, a Lebanese lawyer, who said that although U.S. laws forbid racial discrimination, such practices are still widely spread in the country. "Despite the fact that the U.S. government carries the slogan of human rights, we notice that such laws are regularly violated in the United States, especially when it comes to dealing with people with colored skin," said the lawyer. "They are judged even if they were not proved guilty. They are also deprived of job opportunities just because they have colored skin." She added that the spread of drugs and violence in the areas inhabited by colored people in the United States and the inability of the police also expose those people to gun violence. SELF-INTERESTED PARTIES, GUN LOBBIES In the past five years, gun violence in the United States has recorded an upward trend despite the call for imposing stricter gun control. According to a recent report released by U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were 61 "active shooter incidents" in 2021, up by 52.5 percent from 2020 and by 96.8 percent from 2017. Ismail attributed the increase in gun violence in the United States to the absence of proper laws to prevent common people from access to guns. "The easy access to weapons, and the affordable prices of weapons enable even students to buy them and use them in wrong places," said the lawyer. Many people in the United States, she added, especially the gun lobby groups and gun manufacturers, consider the weapons as an economic resource, so they create barriers to gun-control laws in the Congress, arguing that they would impact the economy. Similarly, Ismail Hakki Pekin, a Turkish security expert and retired lieutenant general, said no matter what the U.S. president says, the status quo of gun violence in the country can hardly be changed. Powerful U.S. gun lobbies, he said, have been active in protecting their own interests through making "very large donations" in election campaigns. The National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest organization of U.S. gun owners which claims to have about 5 million members, has been actively lobbying against passing any gun-control laws in the Congress through spending millions of dollars on political lobbying annually. Worse still, both Republicans and Democrats, who need funds for campaigning to get the necessary votes, are wary of offending the gun lobbies led by the NRA. MEXICO CITY, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Mexico will press for an end to the "inhumane" decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba during the week-long Summit of the Americas being held in Los Angeles, Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday. At a press conference prior to his departure for Los Angeles to participate in the June 6-10 summit, Ebrard said lifting the web of sanctions, which Cuba describes as a financial, economic and trade blockade, stands to be the central theme of the summit. "We will insist that the blockade is inhumane ... ineffective and has been condemned by all the countries that are going to be at the summit," Ebrard said. "No country has the right to tell another how to govern itself. The foundation for a new stage in the Americas is mutual respect. It is what we are championing and will champion," he added. Mexico's position in that regard is consistent with its foreign policy, which calls for non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and respect for self-determination, said Ebrard. Mexico "has never agreed" with the blockade or the U.S. policy towards the Caribbean island following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, he said. Ebrard heads Mexico's delegation to the summit as Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador declined to attend after Washington excluded Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the regional gathering. Lopez Obrador wanted the summit to usher in a "new era" in hemispheric relations marked by mutual respect between the United States and Latin American nations. WASHINGTON, June 7 (Xinhua) -- A temporary memorial dedicated to gun violence victims across the United States was unveiled at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Rows of white and orange flowers representing the number of victims of gun violence in the United States each year were placed on the lawn near the Washington Monument. "Now is the time to come together," former U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords from Arizona said. "Be responsible: Democrats, Republicans -- everyone." Giffords, a survivor of gun violence, was joined by a group of incumbent U.S. lawmakers and gun safety activists, as the nation is still reeling from an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead last month. "What we are calling for is gun safety. When we called for airline safety, when we called for motor vehicle safety ... everyone came on board," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "Why can't we have safety when it comes to guns? Why can't people's lives be more important?" Weingarten asked. Senators from both sides of the aisle have engaged in gun legislation talks but it's unclear if their negotiations will bear fruit given the political and ideological divides on Capitol Hill. U.S. actor Matthew McConaughey made an emotional plea at the White House briefing room on Tuesday for "real change" on gun violence. "People in power have failed to act," McConaughey said. "Let's admit it: We can't truly be leaders if we're only living for re-election." "So we're asking you and I'm asking you, will you please ask yourselves: Can both sides rise above? Can both sides see beyond the political problem at hand and admit that we have a life preservation problem on our hands?" the Uvalde native continued. Gun violence is "a uniquely American problem" and "happens on a daily basis" in some U.S. cities, according to Joseph Sakran, a prominent trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The United States has suffered 247 mass shootings over the past five months or so, with more than 18,800 lives lost to gun violence, according to the latest data from Gun Violence Archive. SAN FRANCISCO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced the city's Street Resurfacing Program involving 77.2 million U.S. dollars for the coming year, which targets paving 500 blocks in neighborhoods citywide, making travel safer, smoother, and more accessible. San Francisco will receive 28.8 million dollars of that funding for the new fiscal year that starts July, an amount that accounts for more than one third of the budget for the city's Street Resurfacing Program managed by San Francisco Public Works, the announcement said. Currently, nearly two-thirds of San Francisco blocks are rated at good or excellent by the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC) independent pavement condition rating system. The city's overall Pavement Condition Index score is 74 out of 100, which exceeds the Bay Area average of 67, according to the announcement. "The continued investment in our roads to keep them in good repair is paying off," said Breed. "We have seen a steady improvement in street conditions over the past decade, and that helps everyone in our city... This kind of investment is an essential responsibility of government while also generating jobs that benefit workers and the local economy." By Trend Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture is planning to extend the quota for the export of wheat and flour until September 1, 2022, Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Yerbol Karashukeev told reporters, Trend reports with reference to Kazakh media. He noted that the currently set quota of one million tons for the export of wheat and 300,000 tons of flour expires on June 15, 2022. "We are working on the issue of extending the quota for wheat and flour. It is assumed that the extension will be carried out before September 1. It is expected that 40 percent of the quota will fall on wheat and 70 percent on flour," the minister said. TEHRAN: Iran has urged the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refrain from "politicising" issues related to the country's nuclear programme. Iran's deputy chief of the judiciary and a former envoy to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, was quoted by Iran's Press TV as saying that Iran has cooperated with the agency "in good faith and transparency" and has provided "adequate explanations" to the IAEA's questions, as per Xinhua reports. He was responding to a report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week that said "undeclared" nuclear materials found in three Iranian facilities remained unresolved. The "continuous political pressure that the United States and several Western countries have been placing on the agency," according to Gharibabadi, is one reason why the IAEA emphasised the issue and put it high on its agenda. At the upcoming IAEA Board of Governors meeting, he emphasised Iran's opposition to any anti-Iran resolution. "I hope that Western countries and the United States come to their senses and decide not to officially submit the resolution because they recognise that doing so will exacerbate the issue," he added. For the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, the US, UK, France, and Germany are said to be preparing a draught resolution on Iran's nuclear programme. N. Korea to face 'swift, forceful' response in nuke test: Wendy Sherman N.Korea appears to be carrying out operations at Yongbyon nuclear complex Mali: President sings decree to extend political transition New Delhi: Minorities in the Gulf country of Qatar, which has expressed displeasure over a statement by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, face gross human rights violations. Qatar is among the countries that interfere in the internal affairs of a large country like India on propaganda, but is also dependent on India and Indians for everything from the economy to grains and fruits. Now India has asked the Qatari government to provide land for the place of worship for Hindus living there and cremation ground for the last rites. Let us know that in many Gulf countries, including Qatar, the people of the Hindu community live in millions, who are contributing significantly to the development there. When a family member of these Hindus living in Qatar dies, they either have to be buried or the body has to be brought to India for the last rites. Qatar is an Islamic country and it is not allowed to cremate Hindus after their deaths. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has recently returned to India after an eight-day visit to Qatar, Gabon and Senegal. BJP leader Sushil Modi, who is a member of the delegation, said qatar is satisfied with the action taken after the controversial statements made by some BJP leaders. At present, more than 76 million Indians are working in the Gulf countries. These Indians are cooperating in increasing the economy there. Not only this, during the Corona epidemic, India had supplied grains and fruits to the Arab countries. According to the external affairs ministry data, uae had purchased 21 per cent of its total import of cashew nuts and 15 per cent of its total import of dairy products from India in the year 2020. At the same time, Iran imported 24 per cent of its tea from India. BRICS countries vow to strengthen cooperation on intelligent customs The new act of thieves... The holy box disappeared from the church! No one was aware of it VIDEO! The bridge broke during the inauguration itself, 'Netaji' fell in the drain with his wife New Delhi: The matter of controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad is continuously gaining momentum. Now the statement of a big leader of Bangladesh Awami League, the ruling party of neighboring Bangladesh, has come to the fore on this matter. Bangladesh Awami League veteran Khandakar Ghulam Moula Naqshbandi has said that the Indian government under pressure from the Gulf countries has taken action against the BJP leaders who made indecent remarks on Prophet Mohammad. He has said that the Indian government acted late under pressure from the Gulf countries, while his PM Sheikh Hasina has acted immediately to deal with such incidents in recent days. Talking to a delegation of journalists in Dhaka, he said that PM Sheikh Hasina has a policy of zero tolerance towards religious fundamentalists. Naqshbandi, a member of the Bangladesh Awami League's advisory committee, said the Indian government waited for several days at first. He did not take any action against those who made controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad. The government swung into action when the Gulf countries protested and took immediate action. He removed the spokespersons who made controversial statements. Naqshbandi, one of the keynote speakers of the Sheikh Hasina government, has said that Bangladesh has shown vigilance in matters related to religious sentiments. He said that, last year when there was communal violence in Kumila. Our government took immediate action and arrested the culprits. Along with this, the damage was also controlled. He further said that the communal condition of India and Bangladesh are linked to each other. Violent elements may try to take advantage of the urgent matters in Bangladesh if they are not resolved immediately. Lawrence gang now threatens Congress minister Govind Ram, Rajasthan police engaged in investigation Ahead of Gujarat elections, AAP dissolved its Gujarat unit, what does Kejriwal want? BJP announces candidates in these 3 states for MLC elections, see list Moscow: The level of political communication between Russia and the United States has reached an all-time low and is now limited to the discussion of technical issues, the Russian envoy to the US Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday. "The level of political dialogue between Russia and the United States is at an unprecedented low level. Even on topics of evident mutual interest, trust is being undermined, cooperation is deteriorating and, communication between the parties is limited today," Antonov stated on Channel One's Bolshaya Igra ("Big Game") show, adding that the interaction is "limited to technical issues." Antonov stated on Channel One's Bolshaya Igra ("Big Game") show. The envoy also stated that the two sides do not currently engage in strategic discussion, describing the situation as "wrong" because the "world expects real steps" from the US and Russia. Antonov also stated that he is "unaware" of any unofficial Moscow-Washington talks. "We don't see any signs of it right now," US State Secretary John Kerry said, reiterating his country's position that the crisis could be resolved quickly if Russia ended its military operation in Ukraine. Blinken emphasised that the US will continue to support Ukraine throughout the crisis, ensuring that the country has all it needs to defend itself against Russia. Philippines evacuates residents after a volcano erupted, spewing ash, steam N. Korea to face 'swift, forceful' response in nuke test: Wendy Sherman Putin plans to expand Russia's economic sovereignty in the 2020s German ex-chancellor Merkel says she doesnt think her government didnt do enough to stop Russian aggression 8 June, 11:28 AM Angela Merkel (Photo:REUTERS/Annegret Hilse) The former chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, commented that she doesnt blame herself for doing too little to help prevent Russian aggression against Ukraine, in an interview cited by Reuters on June 7. Read also: Zelensky addresses the nation following Russia abandoning Minsk peace process "It's a great sadness that (Minsk agreements) didn't work out, but I don't blame myself for not trying," said Merkel, talking about the 2014 Minsk agreement that were supposed to contribute to a sustainable ceasefire in the Donbas and further de-escalation of tensions in that area. Merkel added, theres could be no excuse for the brutal disregard of international law by Russia in Ukraine. She mentioned that she was against pursuing a plan of Ukraine to join NATO, because she thought this would deescalate tension in relations with Russia, while, on the other hand, Ukraine wasnt prepared enough to become a NATO member. Merkel has mostly kept silent since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, and has not commented publicly on the situation, despite the fact that her government was closely involved in mediating tensions via the Minsk Agreements and the Normandy format summits between Germany, France, Ukraine, and Russia. During her term in office, Germany had many business connections to Russia. Merkels government welcomed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, while Deutsche Bank, one of Germanys largest banks, had a significant presence Russia. Since the start of the invasion, the bank has had to relocate a large number of staff from Russia to Berlin to ensure that the banks operations continued smoothly. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News UWC chief on how Ukrainian diaspora around the world helps their motherland in wartime 8 June, 10:44 AM Exclusive Pavlo Grod, President of the World Congress of Ukrainians (Photo:Oleksandr Medvedev / NV) The Ukrainian diaspora is helping speed up Ukraine's accession to the EU, organizes protests, raises funds for the army, and is taking care of refugees almost everywhere except Russia. Russia's full-scale war has mobilized another Ukrainian front, this one spread across the world a 20 million strong diaspora. One of the driving forces behind this process is the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), which unites the diaspora in over 60 countries. In early June, Paul Grod, a Canadian businessman and the UWC president, arrived in Kyiv to hold a series of meetings with government and military officials. The New Voice of Ukraine had the chance to speak to Grod about his visit, and the diasporas help for the motherland. NV: Paul, today [June 3] you are in Kyiv with a delegation of the Ukrainian World Congress. What is the purpose of your visit and who are you meeting with? Grod: My first goal is to come to thank and bow before the Ukrainian people all of those who are very skillfully and thoughtfully defending the country during this unprecedented Russian aggression. The second is to show that today Ukrainians globally and the world stand behind Ukraine. The third is to understand what are the important issues that we can most influence, and thus help the country. Today is the 100th day of war, and it is important that we understand and hear directly from Ukrainians in Ukraine what their greatest needs are, so that our diaspora can help most effectively. We have heard that military assistance remains a priority. And we cannot speak in general sense, but we must convey in our capitals specifically what is needed. Economic assistance is also needed there is a major deficit in Ukraine and a financial downturn. And it is important that the states in which we [the diaspora] live, hear and understand this. The third is boycotts and sanctions. We must stifle the Russian economy so that we do not continue to finance the war against Ukraine. And fourth, we work with refugees so that they have a safe roof over their heads and can contribute to the life of the Ukrainian diaspora. The UWC President is convinced that Ukrainians should take part in political rallies in countries where local governments do not support Ukraine's accession to the EU / : Reuters / Imago Pictures NV: You are advocating for granting Ukraine EU candidate status. How close is the prospect of obtaining this status? Grod: It is close. I predict that we will get a positive result in June [at the summit of EU leaders], because all the arguments are on our side. We all met for three days in Brussels with leadership of the European Council, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. Obviously, this will not be easy. But we can't give up. Our communities in Europe will play a crucial role, which is why we have developed a strategy for advocating for Ukraine in each country. This will not happen automatically, because it is politics. That is why Ukrainians in those countries have to engage in political activities. It's at the street level, but it's just the beginning. The main thing is that they are able to enter the offices of decision-makers with the right arguments whether thats in Portugal, or in Germany, or in France, or in the Netherlands. We work as one global team to put pressure on local politicians, to prove to them that public opinion in their countries prevails in favor of Ukraine. NV: There is no unanimity among EU countries to grant Ukraine candidate status. How do you convince those who are against it? Grod: There are a lot of arguments, but not all of them need to be voiced. We need to look at the arguments from the perspective of the country to which we provide them. Each country looks at Ukraine's accession to the EU through its own prism. For example, the Netherlands has nothing against Ukraine, but they are against EU enlargement. That is, they need to be given arguments as to why this is important. Others look at it purely economically. There are three powerful arguments. The first is that Europe needs Ukraine, which is a superpower in the agro-industry. From the point of view of food security, Ukraine is very important for Europe. This also applies to reconstruction. If the country is part of the EU, it is obvious that contracts with European countries will be preferred. And they will rebuild a new, technological, innovative, and green country. And it is important for them that Ukraine be part of Europe, because they will have access to one of the largest European countries. The second argument is that if they do not grant candidate status, it will inspire Putin to continue fighting against Ukraine. He sees that Europe is weakening, and this puts it at great security risk. The third argument is that it costs Europe nothing. Candidate status does not entail any obligations, but initiates a process that can take 5-10 years. And it is important that Ukraine attains this (I think it can be fast-tracked). That is, it is a political decision: there are no legal or financial obligations. We presented those three main arguments when we were in Brussels. And I would say that they were quite powerful and everyone took them on board. But this is the decision of every capital. And we have to work in every capital. NV: How does the diaspora work in Germany and Hungary, where the fifth column of the Kremlin is quite strong? Grod: The community in Hungary has existed for a very long time. They are so-called autochthonous - [indigenous] Ukrainians who have lived here for many years and are even elected to the Hungarian parliament as a minority. We just consulted with community leaders in Hungary a few days ago: they assert that the public supports Ukraine, but the government does not. Therefore, it is necessary to exert the greatest possible pressure on the government through the public. On the other hand, Hungary will sway in the direction that Germany tells it. The latter has a great influence on both Austria and Hungary. I was very surprised to hear that Portugal is now hesitant to support Ukraine. And when the leaders of our communities there heard about it, they began to return to Portugal en masse to start promoting this issue. But Germany and France are key countries that we will work hard on. There are older and newer Ukrainian communities in Germany. They cooperate with us, and we work with them to knock on the right doors. Through our global network, we can help the young community in Germany reach the highest levels of government. We do this through civil society, our partners, and other ethnic groups like Jews. We are also working with think tanks, looking for different levers to persuade the German government. NV: Do you feel that you are heard? Grod: Yes, they do hear us. Even during the last two days, there have been speeches by [German] Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who have grown more positive [of Ukraine] with every passing day. And Ukraine does have great allies: the President of the European Council Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. All of them strongly support Ukraine. This is largely due to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, both of whom are very adept at building strong bridges of friendship with those leaders. They have all been to Ukraine and seen atrocities in Bucha, and they are all lobbying hard for Ukraine. We are a little disappointed with the sixth package of sanctions, because this is not what everyone wanted. But it is also important. When we were in Brussels, many people thought that would not even happen. And it got passed, and although we did not get 100% of what we wanted, we still got 70-75%. We must all be positive. Because very often we get frustrated and give up because we hear that there is no chance. But the truth will always win. NV: Is the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia manifesting itself in any way? Read also: Guntram Wolff Ukraine needs external financial assistance now Grod: They are in hiding. I know the Ukrainian community in Russia very well. The UWC had two vice presidents from Russia, and they were outright persecuted. Criminal proceedings were instituted against them because the UWC was declared an undesirable organization. I myself have been a persona non grata in Russia since 2014. Over the past two years, all Ukrainian organizations have been liquidated there, and Ukrainian life no longer exists in Russia. Putin is very afraid of Ukrainians, and all Ukrainians are afraid of Putin. And that's why they are just now trying to survive so that they are not completely broken down. This genocide against Ukrainians in the country may also take place in Russia. It has already happened: the cultural genocide against Ukrainians in Russia has been going on for a long time, it continues and now it is more intense. We should try to give them political backing, but this is very difficult in modern Russia. We tried to support and strengthen them until last year, but this is almost impossible in the current conditions. NV: How and where did you learn about the beginning of the full-scale war? How was it perceived? Grod: With great shock. I remember very well when we heard about it. One of the UWC workers acquired emeritus status at the time, and we had just gotten together for a farewell party. It was a big shock for us when we heard about it. We went back and started planning what to do next. Before that, we predicted and understood that something would happen we listened to the intelligence of the United States and United Kingdom. But we never thought that it could be of such a large-scale nature that tanks would go straight to Kyiv, that there would be shelling of the capital and even Yavoriv. I was in Przemysl just at the border when rockets hit Yavoriv, 20 km from the border. I was there with four American senators we couldn't believe it was possible. This shows that Putin is preparing to [attack] not only Ukraine but also Europe. I remember from a meeting at the Ministry of Defense that Russia is preparing a springboard in Ukraine today for the further invasion of Europe. They do not destroy infrastructure, tracks and roads, but simply ruin human lives and try to either exterminate everyone or expel Ukrainians from their country. And Europe itself is not aware of this. The Belgians, French or Germans think that [further attack on Europe] is impossible and unrealistic. But this is very much comprehended by our neighbors the Poles, Slovaks, Romanians, Moldovans and the Baltic [people]. The most difficult thing for us will be for Putin's plan to be understood by the central and western countries of Europe. NV: For all these years, the Ukrainian diaspora has rallied around the challenges facing Ukraine and helped out. To what extent has this full-scale Russian invasion reignited the movement today? Grod: It has become very active. And this is an indicator of how institutions the youth, students, political and professional organizations, which we have been building in some countries for 130 years were able to become more active immediately. There are activists this is very important and powerful, but when there are already formed communities, they can approach their governments in an organized manner, because they have connections because they are active within their political parties. This is very effective. And our communities immediately responded and demanded aid, and worked through the media in their countries, and worked with political parties to garner as much support as possible. And we see that the whole democratic world is behind Ukraine. And this is largely due to our diaspora. I will also say that in a short time, the diaspora has raised almost half a billion dollars and delivered humanitarian aid to Ukraine. When communities gather, they do not keep the money, but immediately buy what they need and hand it over. And there are many such examples. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress raised more than $40 million. And this is just one organization in one country. It brings together many other organizations, each of which collected [money] on top. The Ukrainian World Congress raised $23 million for body armor and protective equipment [for Ukrainian defenders]. And we have already passed it all on. Today was one of the last transfers 2,000 bulletproof vests, helmets and [individual first aid kits] IFAKs for defenders. That is, it is large-scale, active, and efficient. Refugees are the third topic that our communities have strongly contributed to. We all see those big international organizations, but our communities have done more. For example, I was at the Ukrainian House in Warsaw. Within a few days of the war, they had a database of 10,000 refugees seeking housing and 10,000 [households] willing to accept them. Also, our communities help a lot financially, set up mini-stores for refugees, which give them the opportunity to come and take things for free. They are asking their governments to provide refugees with safety, medicine, accommodation, equipment, housing and education. This is quite a large scale. NV: Did you buy the bulletproof vests you mentioned thanks to the UWC's UniteWithUkraine initiative? Grod: Yes. And this is just the beginning. We hope to attract even more funding. Today, there are large fundraisers in Los Angeles, and we are also planning campaigns around the world. We have met with several donors in Brussels and Davos this is an ongoing process. So far, we have raised $23 million and continue to focus on transferring protective equipment to our defenders. I met with many refugees on the Polish border and asked how we could best help them they asked for help to protect their sons, husbands, brothers, and parents who remain in Ukraine, because they are at the forefront of the conflict and have nothing to defend themselves with. We heard this and responded with a massive effort to get them protected. We created a logistics hub in Poland, where the necessary items are purchased and immediately transferred directly. They do not fall into the hands of middlemen but are passed directly to those territorial defense units that need it most. NV: What did the diaspora have to learn from scratch today that they have not encountered before? Grod: We need to reorient many of our structures to be more flexible, because in the new reality there are a lot of new Ukrainians who need to be involved in our communities as soon as possible. The UWC brings together organizations from 65 countries, and when I travel the world to our communities, I feel at home in each. And it is important that our newcomers feel the same way. That they come to any country where there are Ukrainians, and know that there is a small Ukraine. They must unite, nurture their Ukrainian identity, and ensure that their children are brought up in the Ukrainian spirit. And the best way to do it is schools, youth and student organizations. It is a great challenge for us to ensure that NGOs are ready to accept as many refugees as possible. And it's difficult. We have summer camps, but they are designed for several hundred children, not several thousand. And we must learn to work in these new realities. But I am convinced that our diaspora is quite innovative and will handle this challenge. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News Home Technology Gadget Tecno Pova 3 in Nepal: New design, faster and reverse charging and better cameras might fare well here Tecno Pova 3 is the latest release from Tecno Mobile. This is the successor of last years Tecno Pova 2 which was one of the smartphones to watch for less than Rs 25,000 as the phone offered a mammoth 7,000 mAh battery, a huge 6.9-inch display and a 48MP quad-camera setup. The newly launched Tecno Pova 3 offers similar specifications but in a better way. In particular, it has a new design, a faster-charging feature, better camera performance and also has a reverse charging mode too that might fare well in the Nepali market once the phone arrives here. Lets get into the details to know more about the phone: Specifications Dimensions Height: 173.1 mm Width: 78.46 mm Thickness: 9.44 mm Display 6.9-inch FHD+ Dot-in Display, 90Hz Sim Dual sims Resolution 1,080*2,460 pixels, 389 PPI density OS Android 11, HIOS Chipset MediaTek Helio G88 (12nm)) GPU Mali-G52 MC2 Storage 64GB/128GB SD card slot Dedicated slot RAM 4GB/ 6GB Camera Front: 8 MP, f/2.0 Rear: 50 MP 2 MP, depth sensor AI lens Sound Loudspeakers with stereo speakers 3.5mm headphone jack Battery 7,000 mAh, li-po, non-removable 35W fast charging 10W reverse charging Sensors G-sensor, ambient light sensor, proximity sensor, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, electronic compass Colours Electric blue, tech silver, eco black Price (expected) Rs 25,000 Design and display Photo: Tecno Mobile Tecno Pova 3 has a glass front with a plastic back and a plastic frame build. The phone gets a new design compared to its predecessor. The back panel houses a camera module and an LED flash. There is also a strip coming from the top to the bottom of the phone with panther engine branding on it which gives the phone a cool look. On the electric blue variant, the strip also has a stunning power light, which gets lit in the notification, incoming calls charging, games and other interactive scenarios. Tecno Pova branding is also done on the bottom left of the back panel. The phone is 9.44 mm thick and is available in electric blue, tech silver and eco black colours. Furthermore, the phone has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that also works as a power button. Photo: Tecno Mobile On the front, Tecno Pova 3 features a massive 6.9-inch FHD+ Dot-in display with a resolution of 1,080*2,460 pixels and 389 PPI density. The display also supports a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate for smoother scrolling and faster screen response. Furthermore, it can achieve a peak brightness of up to 500 nits. Cameras Photo: Tecno Mobile Tecno Pova 3 features 50MP triple AI camera. The main 50MP main camera on the back is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor and an AI lens. There is also a quad flash that resides at the side of the vertical camera module. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie shooter. Some photography and videography features include portrait mode, HDR mode and 4K time-lapse photography. The main camera on the back of the phone can record videos in 1440p resolution at 30 fps while the front camera can record videos in 1080p resolution. Performance and storage Photo: Tecno Mobile Tecno Pova 3 runs on HIOS based on Android 11. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 chipset with an octa-core CPU with 2GHz of peak frequency and the graphics are handled by Mali-G52 MC2. This is a budget gaming chipset. To boost the gaming experience on the phone, it features 4D vibrations that allow the user to find exclusive immersion in different game scenes. Photo: Tecno Mobile The phone also features panther engine 2.0 with hyper engine 2.0 Lite game engine. This feature increases the performance of the phone while consuming low power allowing one to enjoy smooth and lag-free mobile games. There is also a graphite cooling feature on the phone. For the storage, Tecno Pova 3 comes with either 4GB or 6GB of RAM coupled with 64GB and 128GB of internal storage respectively. The storage of the phone can be expanded with the help of a micro SD card and the phone has a dedicated slot for it. The phone also offers a RAM expansion option. The RAM on the 4GB variant and 6GB variant can be expanded up to 7GB and 11GB respectively. Battery life, connectivity and others Photo: Tecno Mobile Tecno Pova 3 features a massive 7,000mAh battery. The company claims this power is enough for the user to get 50 hours of music, eight hours of gameplay and 20 hours of youtube video play. This massive battery gets charged through a 33W flash charger. The battery backup offered by this phone is a great feature and the users can enjoy the use of their phones without worrying about the battery. Tecno Pova 3 supports dual sims for cellular network connectivity while supports dual-band Wifi as well. The phone is also NFC enabled and supports Bluetooth connectivity for wireless pairing with other devices. For charging and wired connectivity, it uses USB Type-C 2.0 cable. There are dual speakers on the phone with DTS Stereo Sound effects. The speakers are said to provide super sensational sound effects, giving users a more immersive gaming experience. The phone also features a 3.5mm headphone jack. Photo: Tecno Mobile Notable features on Tecno Pova 3 are: Large 6.9-inch IPS LCD display 90Hz refresh rate 180Hz touch sampling rate 50MP triple AI camera set up 7,000mAh battery backup 33W flash charging Extended RAM features Powerful graphite cooling Dual stereo speakers Stunning power light Tecno Pova 3 has not been officially launched in Nepal. When the phone will be released in Nepal, one can expect a starting price range of Rs 25,000. Crop insurance has evolved with the goal of insuring a large share of acres to reduce demand for ad hoc disaster assistance. One of the primary goals of crop insurance is to help farmers manage risks and cover losses in the crop year, thereby eliminating the need for either standing or ad hoc disaster programs. Despite widespread use of crop insurance on many crops, and efforts by the United States Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency (RMA) to expand crops and livestock covered by Federal crop insurance, ad hoc disaster assistance programs have been available for all crop years from 2017 to 2021 to support farmers suffering crop losses due to natural disasters. Yesterday we presented disaster assistance background for commodity program crops and information on the new Emergency Relief Program (see farmdoc daily, June 6, 2022). In this article we discuss two key issues relative to disaster assistance programs and crop insurance: 1) crop insurance already covers natural disasters and 2) standing disaster assistance program programs may discourage crop insurance use. Crop Insurance Coverage in Natural Disaster Situations Federal crop insurance, part of the existing farm safety net, has a policy objective of providing assistance for declines in yield or price over a crops production period. For many crops, farmers have a choice of whether they insure with yield or revenue insurance. Farmers who purchase crop insurance receive an indemnity payment when crop yields or revenues decline beyond the coverage level, including disaster related loss situations. The RMA has tracked cause of loss for crop insurance claims since 1991, publicly available in the Summary of Business Cause of Loss Historical Data Files. In addition to natural disaster causes of loss, there are other causes that can mostly be classified as various biological detriments, other adverse occurrences, and price declines. In most years since 1991, drought and excess moisture alone have accounted for about two-thirds of the total causes of loss, by both the number of policies indemnified and the distribution of indemnity dollars (See Figure 1). Although the past five years have been among the wettest and driest years in history in specific regions of the country, related claims have not been out of the historical norm in that time. Note that crop insurance already provides coverage for any natural disaster that causes yield or revenue losses. By design, WHIP+ and ERP simply add to that revenue or yield coverage. Legislative action to provide disaster assistance and the design of the programs to expand coverage levels for insured crops and include uninsured crops in disaster areas raises questions about is covered under farm bill commodity programs and crop insurance, what is lacking, and what changes may be made in the next farm bill. For crops that are already part of the crop insurance program, providing a higher coverage level could be accomplished as opposed to a separate disaster assistance program. For crops not included in the current crop insurance program, their inclusion in Wildfires and Hurricanes Protection Plus (WHIP+) program and Emergency Relief Program (ERP) could be a signal for desire to include additional crops as traditional program commodities. Crop Insurance Coverage Options & Interactions Disaster assistance programs that build on crop insurance obviously have linkages to crop insurance. Those linkages could, in fact, discourage crop insurance use. Farmers already may have a coverage level in mind when they make decisions. If a disaster assistance program provides a coverage level above that desired level, farmers may in fact cut their insurance coverage when making future crop insurance decisions. In addition, the disaster program should be designed in a way that does not negate the coverage level offered by crop insurance. A prime example of this issue relates to both WHIP+ and ERP and coverage factors for crop insurance policies with 80% or higher coverage levels. The ERP (and WHIP+) have a 95% coverage factor for both 80% and 85% crop insurance coverage levels. Therefore, a farmer with a qualifying natural disaster loss will receive the same net benefit (crop insurance payments + ERP payments premium cost) regardless of if 80% or 85% coverage level was purchased initially with the crop insurance policy (see appendix). This reality would likely influence farmers to purchase the lower cost 80% coverage level when making future crop insurance decisions. The same would be true if an individual purchased SCO and ECO. Summary Disaster assistance programs will have inter-relationships with crop insurance. Specifically, disaster assistance programs will cover the same causes of loss as those covered by crop insurance, and the presence of disaster assistance programs could reduce purchases of crop insurance. Improper design of a permanent disaster assistance program could offset coverage offered by crop insurance. Although effort has been made to reduce interactions and overlap with crop insurance through subtraction of indemnity payments and consideration of policy costs in ERP payments, complications in program design and interactions that could disincentivize use of higher coverage crop insurance policies still exist. Although producers may still consider purchasing higher coverage policies, the growing prevalence of natural disaster conditions and expansion of qualifying natural disaster coverages in ERP, make it more likely that lower cost policy options could result in equivalent net benefit. This sets the stage for a relevant policy discussion that will be presented in the farmdoc daily article next Tuesday. Former University of Missouri Fiji pledge Daniel Santulli is back in the care of his parents, but his condition hasn't improved, the family's attorney said Monday. Danny Santulli is back in his parents' home in Minnesota after several months in a rehabilitation hospital in Colorado, said attorney David Bianchi. Santulli is in the care of his parents, but his condition hasn't changed, Bianchi said. "He has massive brain damage," Bianchi said. "He's blind. He's unable to walk or communicate." The brain damage resulted from alcohol poisoning Santulli experienced at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house on the University of Missouri campus in October. He was a freshman pledge at the frat, known commonly as Fiji. The university has ousted the fraternity from campus for repeated violations. MU also has sanctioned 13 fraternity members, though it hasn't revealed the sanctions. Bianchi, representing Santulli's parents, settled a lawsuit he had filed against the fraternity and 22 other defendants. More: Former Missouri student in Colorado rehab hospital after alcohol poisoning: 'Life as he knew it is gone' In a hearing Monday, Bianchi sought in a motion to add fraternity brothers Samuel Gandhi and Alec Wetzler to the lawsuit in an amended petition. "We didn't know about them when we filed the original lawsuit," Bianchi said. Judge Joshua Devine approved Bianchi's motion. The petition alleges negligence against the two. It alleges Wetzler coerced Santulli to drink excessive amounts of alcohol by putting a tube into Santulli's mouth and pouring beer down his throat. The lawsuit alleges Gandhi walked away from Santulli after starting to assist him when it was obvious Santulli was dangerously intoxicated. Gandhi walked back into the room where Santulli was at 12:17 a.m. Oct. 20 and saw that Santulli had not moved from where he had left him, the lawsuit states. "At 12:28 a.m., Danny slid partly off of the couch and ended up with his face on the floor but he had no voluntary control of his arms or legs and remained there until someone passing through the room saw him and put him back on the couch. His skin was pale and his lips were blue, yet no one called 911," the amended petition states. More: All 23 defendants in Missouri's Fiji hazing lawsuit settle with family of former pledge Danny Santulli Santulli was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at MU Hospital after being driven there in one of the fraternity brother's cars. Hospital personnel performed CPR and restarted Santulli's heart. The first criminal charges related to the incident have been filed against Wetzler, who is charged with misdemeanor counts of supplying alcohol to a minor and possession of alcohol by a minor. The probable cause statement describes a text message from fraternity member Ryan Delanty to a friend at 10:57 p.m. on Oct. 19 saying "my son is dead." The friend texted back asking what Delanty did to him, with Delanty texting, "I left him." Delanty had been designated as Santulli's mentor, or "pledge dad," with the event called "Pledge Dad Reveal Night." More: Family of hospitalized University of Missouri student sues Fiji fraternity over alcohol poisoning The probable cause alleges Wetzler was an organizer of the event and supplied alcohol to Santulli and others. The statement claims Santulli drank three-fourths of the bottle of vodka he was given and directed to drink. The fraternity members should be charged under Missouri's hazing statute, which has never been used, Bianchi said. "Missouri's got a good anti-hazing statute," Bianchi said. In fact, the probable cause statement recommended a felony charge of hazing against Wetzler, alleging Santulli's life was endangered. Wetzler's initial court appearance on the criminal charges is scheduled for July 5. More: Family of former Mizzou student agrees to five more settlements in Fiji hazing lawsuit Devine, before approving the amended lawsuit, first approved dismissal of several defendants sought by Bianchi because of the settlements. Bianchi, appearing by video, said he would seek dismissal for the remaining defendants, except the new ones, throughout this week. An attorney for one of the dismissed defendants told the judge he was concerned because his client remained named in the amended lawsuit. The defense attorney was reassured by Devine and Bianchi. "We weren't trying to sneak people back into the case," Bianchi said. Bianchi said he would delete the names of dismissed defendants in the lawsuit. Roger McKinney is the education reporter for the Tribune. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Attorney: Ex-Mizzou Fiji pledge is home but 'blind,' 'unable to walk' Brad Pitt's latest court filing in his ongoing legal battle with Angelina Jolie over the sale of Chateau Miraval is sending out a "false narrative," a source close to the situation tells PEOPLE. In February, the 58-year-old actor sued Jolie, 47, alleging she unlawfully sold her interests in a winery they purchased together in 2008. Back then, the now-exes, who share six kids, bought a controlling stake in the South of France vineyard and home Chateau Miraval, where they later got married in 2014 and spent several family holidays together throughout their relationship. Pitt filed new court documents Friday at Los Angeles County Superior Court and claimed Jolie intentionally "sought to inflict harm on" him by selling her interests in the wine company. Pitt says they had agreed to never sell their respective shares without the other's permission. He also asked for a trial by jury in the papers obtained by PEOPLE. RELATED: Brad Pitt Sues Ex Angelina Jolie for Selling Her Stake in French Winery They Purchased Together "Mr. Pitt's lawsuit against Ms. Jolie is an extension of a false narrative, and the truth of the situation has still not been made public," an insider now tells PEOPLE. "After the events that led to Ms. Jolie filing for divorce and her years devoted to caring for their children, Ms. Jolie and the children have not been able to return to the property, and she made the difficult decision to sell her stake in the business. After making multiple offers to her ex-husband, and knowing the business will be inherited by their children, she found a business partner with experience in the alcohol industry." The source adds, "It's unfortunate that after she properly and legally exited the business, Mr. Pitt is entangling her in multiple lawsuits." angelina jolie and brad pitt Amy Sussman/WireImage; Steve Granitz/WireImage Angelina Jolie (L); Brad Pitt Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. However, a source close to Pitt says, "This makes no sense. The best way to retain value for the family would have been for one of their parents to retain ownership of an increasingly valuable asset. He could have bought her out. There's a lot more value in a family owning 100 percent than 40 to 50 percent." Story continues In his new filing, Pitt's lawyers state that the winery became his "passion" project, expanding "into a multimillion-dollar global business and one of the world's most highly regarded producers of rose wine" because of his efforts. The actor accuses Jolie of contributing "nothing to Miraval's success." His legal team also alleges she intentionally violated their agreement in October when she allegedly hid the sale of her shares to Tenute del Mondo, which is "bent on taking control of Miraval" and is "indirectly owned and controlled by Yuri Shefler, the Russian billionaire who controls the Stoli Group." Pitt's lawsuit claims that Jolie's business Nouvel owed his company Mondo Bongo the right of first refusal, and the sale infringed on that right. Jolie, who filed for divorce in 2016, was previously cleared to sell her share of the estate in September. RELATED: Angelina Jolie Sells Her Stake in $164 Million Wine Label She Shared with Brad Pitt Pitt is suing for breach of implied-in-fact contract; breach of quasi-contract, pleaded in the alternative; breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; abuse of rights under Article 6-1 of the Luxembourg Civil Code; tortious interference with contractual relations; tortious interference with prospective business relations; and constructive trust. He is seeking damages "in an amount to be proven at trial" plus the purported sale made by Jolie to be declared "null and void." By Trend There are several plans between Romania and Georgia in 2022, regarding the expansion of cooperation in areas of common interest, as well as bilateral political contacts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania told Trend. "Given the potential offered by the economies of Romania and Georgia, we intend to intensify contacts with the Georgian authorities and to take steps for resuming the works of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Scientific Cooperation. This should help identify new opportunities for cooperation in areas of common interest," the source said. Regarding transport connectivity with Georgia, Romania will continue building links through the Black Sea, the Caucasus and Central Asia - regions along the Middle Corridor important in connecting Europe to Asia. "Through their geographic position, the ports of Constanta and Batumi/Poti also play an important role in terms of regional connectivity, especially in the field of transportation and energy, as well as in promoting trade exchanges between the two riparian states," the ministry noted. In terms of energy cooperation, Romanias MFA underlines the significance of a new fiber-optic cable project connecting Romania and the countries of the South Caucasus. "Once realized, this interconnection will have a positive impact on the development of energy and data exchanges between Romania and the South Caucasus," the ministry noted. Romania believes that connectivity should be the backbone of economic and trade exchanges between the countries of the Black Sea region. We support the initiatives designed to advance prosperity, sustainable development and a better quality of life for the peoples of our countries, the source said. "We are convinced that increased trade exchanges, mobility and people-to-people contacts will promote regional economic stability, social well-being and open up real business opportunities," the ministry concluded. Industry Research Pune, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Final Report will add the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on this industry." Global Metamaterials Market Research Report 2022-2028 is a historical overview and in-depth study on the current & future market of the Metamaterials industry. The report represents a basic overview of the Metamaterials market share, competitor segment with a basic introduction of key vendors, top regions, product types, and end industries. This report gives a historical overview of the Metamaterials market trends, growth, revenue, capacity, cost structure, and key drivers analysis. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Metamaterials manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications, and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, and market shares for each company. Get a Sample PDF of report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/20987961 Scope of the Metamaterials Market Report: Metamaterials are artificially crafted composite materials that derive their properties from internal microstructure, rather than chemical composition found in natural materials. This report focuses on global and United States Metamaterials market, also covers the segmentation data of other regions in regional level and county level. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the global Metamaterials market size is estimated to be worth US$ 1515.3 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of US$ 22950 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 57.3% during the review period. Global key players of metamaterials include Kuangchi Science, MetaShield LLC., Kymeta, Metaboards Limited and Xi'an Tianhe, etc. Top 1 player occupy for a share about 10%. North America is the largest market, with a share about 50%, followed by China and Europe. Story continues TO UNDERSTAND HOW COVID-19 IMPACT IS COVERED IN THIS REPORT The Major Players in the Metamaterials Market include: The research covers the current Metamaterials market size and its growth rates based on 5-year records with company outline of key players/manufacturers: Applied Metamaterials Kymeta Metamagnetics Metamaterial Inc. Kuangchi Science Xi'an Tianhe MetaShield LLC. Metaboards Limited Sonobex Evolv Technology Metasonixx Ltd. (Metasonics) Echodyne Pivotal Commware Get a Sample Copy of the Metamaterials Market Report 2022-2028 On the basis of product type, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share, and growth rate of each type, primarily split into: Electromagnetic Metamaterial Optical Metamaterial Acoustic Metamaterials Others (Mechanical Metamaterials) On the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share, and growth rate for each application, including: Military and Defense Communication Antenna Thermal Imaging Others Enquire before purchasing this report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/20987961 The Metamaterials Market competitive landscape provides details and data information by players. The report offers a comprehensive analysis and accurate statistics on revenue by the player for the period 2017-2022. It also offers detailed analysis supported by reliable statistics on revenue (global and regional level) by players for the period 2017-2022. Details included are company description, major business, company total revenue and the sales, revenue generated in Metamaterials business, the date to enter into the Metamaterials market, Metamaterials product introduction, recent developments, etc. Some of the key questions answered in this report: What is the global ( North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa ) sales value, production value, consumption value, import and export of Metamaterials? Who are the global key manufacturers of the Metamaterials Industry? How is their operating situation (capacity, production, sales, price, cost, gross, and revenue)? What are the Metamaterials market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Metamaterials Industry? Which application/end-user or product type may seek incremental growth prospects? What is the market share of each type and application? What focused approach and constraints are holding the Metamaterials market? What are the different sales, marketing, and distribution channels in the global industry? Purchase this report (Price 4350 USD for a single-user license) - https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/20987961 Years considered for this report: Historical Years: 2017-2021 Base Year: 2021 Estimated Year: 2022 Metamaterials Market Forecast Period: 2022-2028 With tables and figures helping analyse worldwide Global Metamaterials market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Some Points from TOC: 1 Study Coverage 1.1 Metamaterials Product Introduction 1.2 Global Metamaterials Outlook 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 1.2.1 Global Metamaterials Sales in US$ Million for the Year 2017-2028 1.2.2 Global Metamaterials Sales in Volume for the Year 2017-2028 1.3 United States Metamaterials Outlook 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 1.4 Metamaterials Market Size, United States VS Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 1.4.1 The Market Share of United States Metamaterials in Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 1.4.2 The Growth Rate of Metamaterials Market Size, United States VS Global, 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 1.5 Metamaterials Market Dynamics 1.5.1 Metamaterials Industry Trends 1.5.2 Metamaterials Market Drivers 1.5.3 Metamaterials Market Challenges 1.5.4 Metamaterials Market Restraints 1.6 Study Objectives 1.7 Years Considered 2 Market by Type 2.1 Metamaterials Market Segment by Type 2.2 Global Metamaterials Market Size by Type 2.2.1 Global Metamaterials Sales in Value, by Type (2017, 2022 & 2028) 2.2.2 Global Metamaterials Sales in Volume, by Type (2017, 2022 & 2028) 2.2.3 Global Metamaterials Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2017, 2022 & 2028) 3 Market by Application 3.1 Metamaterials Market Segment by Application 3.2 Global Metamaterials Market Size by Application 3.3 United States Metamaterials Market Size by Application 4 Global Metamaterials Competitor Landscape by Company 4.1 Global Metamaterials Market Size by Company 4.1.1 Top Global Metamaterials Manufacturers Ranked by Revenue (2021) 4.1.2 Global Metamaterials Revenue by Manufacturer (2017-2022) 4.1.3 Global Metamaterials Sales by Manufacturer (2017-2022) 4.1.4 Global Metamaterials Price by Manufacturer (2017-2022) 4.2 Global Metamaterials Concentration Ratio (CR) 4.2.1 Metamaterials Market Concentration Ratio (CR) (2017-2022) 4.2.2 Global Top 5 and Top 10 Largest Manufacturers of Metamaterials in 2021 4.2.3 Global Metamaterials Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3) 4.3 Global Metamaterials Manufacturing Base Distribution, Product Type 4.3.1 Global Metamaterials Manufacturers, Headquarters and Distribution of Producing Region 4.3.2 Manufacturers Metamaterials Product Type 4.3.3 Date of International Manufacturers Enter into Metamaterials Market 4.4 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4.5 United States Metamaterials Market Size by Company 5 Global Metamaterials Market Size by Region 5.1 Global Metamaterials Market Size by Region: 2017 VS 2022 VS 2028 5.2 Global Metamaterials Market Size in Volume by Region (2017-2028) 5.2.1 Global Metamaterials Sales in Volume by Region: 2017-2022 5.2.2 Global Metamaterials Sales in Volume Forecast by Region (2023-2028) 5.3 Global Metamaterials Market Size in Value by Region (2017-2028) 5.3.1 Global Metamaterials Sales in Value by Region: 2017-2022 5.3.2 Global Metamaterials Sales in Value by Region: 2023-2028 6 Segment in Region Level & Country Level 6.1 North America 6.1.1 North America Metamaterials Market Size YoY Growth 2017-2028 6.1.2 North America Metamaterials Market Facts & Figures by Country (2017, 2022 & 2028) 6.1.3 United States 6.1.4 Canada 6.2 Asia-Pacific 6.2.1 Asia-Pacific Metamaterials Market Size YoY Growth 2017-2028 6.2.2 Asia-Pacific Metamaterials Market Facts & Figures by Region (2017, 2022 & 2028) 6.2.3 China 6.2.4 Japan 6.2.5 South Korea 6.2.6 India 6.2.7 Australia 6.2.8 China Taiwan 6.2.9 Indonesia 6.2.10 Thailand 6.2.11 Malaysia 6.3 Europe 6.3.1 Europe Metamaterials Market Size YoY Growth 2017-2028 6.3.2 Europe Metamaterials Market Facts & Figures by Country (2017, 2022 & 2028) 6.3.3 Germany 6.3.4 France 6.3.5 U.K. 6.3.6 Italy 6.3.7 Russia 6.4 Latin America 6.4.1 Latin America Metamaterials Market Size YoY Growth 2017-2028 6.4.2 Latin America Metamaterials Market Facts & Figures by Country (2017, 2022 & 2028) 6.4.3 Mexico 6.4.4 Brazil 6.4.5 Argentina 6.5 Middle East and Africa 6.5.1 Middle East and Africa Metamaterials Market Size YoY Growth 2017-2028 6.5.2 Middle East and Africa Metamaterials Market Facts & Figures by Country (2017, 2022 & 2028) 6.5.3 Turkey 6.5.4 Saudi Arabia 6.5.5 UAE 7 Company Profiles 8 Industry Chain and Sales Channels Analysis 8.1 Metamaterials Industry Chain Analysis 8.2 Metamaterials Key Raw Materials 8.2.1 Key Raw Materials 8.2.2 Metamaterials Distributors 8.3 Metamaterials Production Mode & Process 8.4 Metamaterials Sales and Marketing 8.4.1 Metamaterials Sales Channels 8.4.2 Metamaterials Distributors 8.5 Metamaterials Customers 9 Research Findings and Conclusion 10 Appendix 10.1 Research Methodology 10.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach 10.1.2 Data Source 10.2 Author Details 10.3 Disclaimer Detailed TOC of Global Metamaterials Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/20987961 About Us: Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Industry Research is a credible source for gaining market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs. CONTACT: Industry Research Biz Phone: US +1 424 253 0807 / UK +44 203 239 8187 Email:sales@industryresearch.biz Web:https://www.industryresearch.biz SYDNEY, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparked by the global pandemic, the Great Resignation has been happening in Australia for the past two years and will only intensify in 2022. There has been a wave of resignations observed with almost half (42%) of employees who have been at their current jobs for not more than two years and 56% of employees looking for new career prospects over the next six months. Sharmini Wainwright, Senior Managing Director of Michael Page Australia Professional recruitment services firm, Michael Page Australia, launched the 'Talent Trends 2022 Report', titled 'The Great X' that features insights and market sentiment drawn from a survey of 3,715 employers and employees in Australia. While salaries, bonuses, and rewards are still top motivators for candidates, the survey shows a big swing towards non-monetary benefits. A significant 66% of respondents are willing to forgo pay rise and/or promotion for better work-life balance, overall well-being, and happiness. Sharmini Wainwright, Senior Managing Director of Michael Page Australia, says, "When it comes to attracting talent, demand is outstripping supply. Candidates are placing an increased importance on company culture, sense of purpose and leadership ahead of company brands and promotions. Technology continues to see tremendous demand for talent with COVID-19, in some cases, being an enabler of innovative ideas for start-ups and traditional players alike." As economies improve, companies cannot underestimate the psychological effect merging "work" and "personal" life has over the past two years. 82% of respondents want a hybrid work arrangement between working from home and the office. In addition, 55% of professionals have asked or will consider asking about a company's DE&I policy and 33% say the lack of clear DE&I commitment would stop them from actively pursuing a job opportunity. The pandemic has also shifted priorities, with 57% of candidates stating that they believe mental health and well-being should play a part in employee performance. Companies must create positive workplace cultures or risk losing high-performing talent to competitors. Story continues A significant number of employees has been found to not feel supported by their employers. 49% of respondents say that their workload has increased compared to before COVID-19. 84% believe that their company does not take active steps to ensure work-life balance. Companies need to change things and help employees work more efficiently. SOURCE Michael Page SINGAPORE, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparked by the global pandemic, the Great Resignation has been happening in Singapore for the past two years and will only intensify in 2022. There has been a wave of resignations in Singapore with almost half (47%) of employees who have been at their current jobs for not more than two years and a significant 73% of employees looking for new career prospects over the next six months. Nilay Khandelwal, Managing Director of Michael Page Singapore Professional recruitment services firm, Michael Page Singapore, launched the 'Talent Trends 2022 Report', titled 'The Great X' that features insights and market sentiment drawn from a survey of 1,400 employers and employees in Singapore. While salaries, bonuses, and rewards are still top motivators for candidates, the survey shows a big swing towards non-monetary benefits. A significant 65% of respondents in Singapore are willing to forgo pay rise and/or promotion for better work-life balance, overall well-being, and happiness. Nilay Khandelwal, Managing Director of Michael Page Singapore, says, "With its stable geopolitical environment and continued ease of doing business, Singapore continues to be an attractive global investment hub. The country's importance as a gateway to Asia continues to flourish as companies look at Singapore as a starting point to enter Asia or a base to expand their operations. With the high vaccination rate and the recent announcement of border restrictions easing, we anticipate an optimistic outlook, even as the pandemic evolves." As economies improve, companies cannot underestimate the psychological effect that merging "work" and "personal" life has had over the past two years. 62% of respondents want a hybrid work arrangement between working from home and the office. In addition, 59% of Singaporeans have asked or will consider asking about a company's DE&I policy at interviews and 32% say the lack of clear DE&I commitment would stop them from actively pursuing a job opportunity. Story continues The pandemic has also shifted priorities, with 69% of candidates stating that they believe mental health and well-being should play a part in employee performance, measurement and appraisals. Companies must create positive workplace cultures in which employees at all levels feel appreciated, or risk losing high performing talent to their competitors. A significant number of employees has been found to not feel supported by their employers. 52% of respondents say that their workload has increased compared to before COVID-19. 82% believe that their company does not take active steps to ensure work-life balance. Companies need to change things and help employees work more efficiently. SOURCE Michael Page HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparked by the global pandemic, the Great Resignation has been happening in Vietnam for the past two years and will only intensify in 2022. There has been a wave of resignations in Vietnam with almost half (42%) of employees who have been at their current jobs for not more than two years and a significant 79% of employees looking for new career prospects over the next six months. Mark Donnelly, Country Head of Michael Page Vietnam Professional recruitment services firm, Michael Page Vietnam, launched the 'Talent Trends 2022 Report', titled 'The Great X' that features new insights and market sentiment on prominent employment topics. While salaries, bonuses, and rewards are still top motivators for candidates, the survey shows a big swing towards non-monetary benefits. A significant 68% of respondents in Vietnam are willing to forgo pay rise and/or promotion for better work-life balance, overall well-being, and happiness. Mark Donnelly, Country Head of Michael Page Vietnam, says, "Investing in employees is a key retention strategy. Adopting technology means employees need to fill in skills gaps. And with small talent pools in a highly competitive environment, upskilling and reskilling the employees you already know is critical. Those who are ill-equipped may feel unmotivated and could consider leaving the company." As economies improve, these trends are likely to continue: We cannot underestimate the psychological effect that merging "work" and "personal" life has had over the past two years. 66% of respondents want a hybrid work arrangement between working from home and the office. 68% of Vietnamese will consider asking about a company's DE&I policy at interviews and 32% say the lack of clear DE&I commitment would stop them from actively pursuing a job opportunity. The pandemic has shifted priorities, with 68% of candidates value well-being over money. Companies must create positive workplace cultures in which employees at all levels feel appreciated, or risk losing high performing talent to their competitors. A significant number of employees do not feel supported by their employers. 50% of respondents say that their workload has increased compared to before COVID-19. 85% believe that their company does not take active steps to ensure work-life balance. Companies need to change things and help employees work more efficiently. SOURCE Michael Page Vietnam SUZHOU, China, and ROCKVILLE, MD, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and age-related diseases, today announced that it has released the results from its Phase I first-in-human (FIH) study of the company's novel FAK inhibitor and third-generation ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) APG-2449 in patients with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1+ non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma in a Poster Presentation at the 58th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. APG-2449 is the first China-developed third-generation ALK inhibitor entering clinical studies. Ascentage Pharma Logo (PRNewsfoto/Ascentage Pharma) Entering the fifth consecutive year in which its abstracts were selected for presentations by the ASCO Annual Meeting, Ascentage Pharma showcased results from multiple clinical trials of its five drug candidates, including the first-time results of APG-2449 highlighting the company's promising pipeline in solid tumors. APG-2449 demonstrated preliminary efficacy in TKI-naive patients or those whose disease was resistant to second-generation TKIs, with 4 partial responses (PRs) observed in the 14 patients with second-generation-TKI resistant and ALK-positive NSCLC. In the 10 TKI-naive ALK/ROS1+ patients, the objective response rate (ORR) was 80%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 100%. Discovered and developed by Ascentage Pharma, APG-2449 is a novel, orally-available FAK/ALK/ROS1 inhibitor and the first China-developed third-generation ALK inhibitor entering clinical studies. Prof. Hongyun Zhao of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, who is the principal investigator of this study, said, "APG-2449 is a potent FAK/ALK/ROS1 inhibitor that can address drug resistance to second-generation ALK TKIs. In this FIH study, APG-2449 demonstrated favorable safety and antitumor activity in patients with advanced NSCLC, and showed on-target pharmacodynamic effects. Building on results from this Phase I study, we look forward to further evaluate APG-2449's efficacy in advanced NSCLC patients resistant to second-generation ALK inhibitor. Story continues Dr. Yifan Zhai, Chief Medical Officer of Ascentage Pharma, commented, "APG-2449 is one of our key drug candidates, outside our pipeline of apoptosis-targeting assets. The data presented at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting demonstrated APG-2449's therapeutic potential in patients with advanced NSCLC and are indicative of our progress in the field of solid tumors. We will continue to take firm steps to advance this clinical development program. Furthermore, we are proud to be able to present clinical development progress for a number of Ascentage Pharma's drug candidates at this year's ASCO Annual Meeting, which highlight our capabilities in global innovation. Honoring our mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world, we are now accelerating our clinical programs to bring more safe and effective therapeutics to patients in need." The highlights of this abstract on APG-2449 are as follows: First-in-human phase I results of APG-2449, a novel FAK and third-generation ALK/ ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), in patients (pts) with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma. Abstract: #9071 This dose-escalation and dose-expansion study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, recommended Phase II dose (RP2D), pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and efficacy of APG-2449 in patients with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1+ NSCLC or mesothelioma. As of December 30, 2021, 84 Chinese patients with NSCLC or mesothelioma enrolled were treated with APG-2449 at doses ranging from 150 to 1,500 mg. APG-2449 was administered orally once daily on a 28-day cycle using a "3+3" dose escalation design. 4 PRs were observed in 14 ALK+ patients resistant to second-generation TKIs treated at the RP2D. Among 8 patients with brain metastases, 1 complete response (CR) and 3 PRs were observed intracranially. In 10 TKI-naive patients, the ORR was 80% (ALK+, 6/8; ROS1+, 2/2) and the DCR was 100%. In addition, AGP-2449 demonstrated a favorable safety profile. The preliminary biomarker data showed decreased FAK phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and increased IFN- levels in serum after multiple doses of APG-2449. Conclusions: APG-2449 has a favorable safety and PK profile. Preliminary efficacy was observed in patients whose disease was resistant to second-generation or TKI-naive. Biomarker data indicated potential target engagement on FAK and the immunomodulatory effects of APG-2449. Appendix: A list of Ascentage Pharma's abstracts selected by this year's ASCO Annual Meeting Drug Candidate Abstract Title Abstract # Format Olverembatinib (HQP1351) Promising antitumor activity of olverembatinib (HQP1351) in patients (pts) with tyrosine kinase inhibitor- (TKI-) resistant succinate dehydrogenase- (SDH-) deficient gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). #11513 Poster discussion Lisaftoclax (APG-2575) A phase Ib/II study of lisaftoclax (APG-2575), a novel BCL-2 inhibitor (BCL-2i), in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (R/R CLL/SLL). #7543 Poster presentation Phase Ib/II study of BCL-2 inhibitor lisaftoclax (APG-2575) safety and tolerability when administered alone or combined with a cyclin- dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor in patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER) breast cancer or advanced solid tumors. #TPS1122 Poster presentation Alrizomadlin (APG-115) Newly updated activity results of alrizomadlin (APG-115), a novel MDM2/p53 inhibitor, plus pembrolizumab: Phase 2 study in adults and children with various solid tumors. #9517 Poster discussion APG-2449 First-in-human phase I results of APG-2449, a novel FAK and third-generation ALK/ ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), in patients (pts) with second-generation TKI-resistant ALK/ROS1 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or mesothelioma. #9071 Poster presentation Pelcitoclax (APG-1252) Updated study results of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with osimertinib in patients (pts) with EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). #9116 Poster presentation First-in-human study of pelcitoclax (APG-1252) in combination with paclitaxel in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory small-cell lung cancer (R/R SCLC). e20612 Publication- Only About Ascentage Pharma Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK) is a globally focused biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing novel therapies for cancers, chronic hepatitis B, and age-related diseases. On October 28, 2019, Ascentage Pharma was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code 6855.HK. Ascentage Pharma focuses on developing therapeutics that inhibit protein-protein interactions to restore apoptosis, or programmed cell death. The company has built a pipeline of eight clinical drug candidates, including novel, highly potent Bcl-2, and dual Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitors, as well as candidates aimed at IAP and MDM2-p53 pathways, and next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Ascentage Pharma is also the only company in the world with active clinical programs targeting all three known classes of key apoptosis regulators. The company is conducting more than 50 Phase I/II clinical trials in the US, Australia, Europe, and China. Olverembatinib, the company's core drug candidate developed for the treatment of drug-resistant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), was granted Priority Review status and a Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and is already approved for the indication. In addition, olverembatinib was also granted an Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and a Fast Track Designation (FTD) by the US FDA, and an Orphan Designation by the EU. To date, Ascentage Pharma has obtained a total of 15 ODDs, 2 FTDs, and 2 Rare Pediatric Disease (RPD) designations from the FDA and 1 ODD from the EU for four of the company's investigational drug candidates. Ascentage Pharma has been designated for multiple Major National R&D Projects, including 5 National Major New Drug Discovery and Manufacturing projects, 1 New Drug Incubator status, 4 Innovative Drug Programs, and 1 Major Project for the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases. Leveraging its robust R&D capabilities, Ascentage Pharma has built a portfolio of global intellectual property rights and entered into global partnerships with numerous renowned biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and research institutes such as UNITY Biotechnology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Merck, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer. The company has built a talented team with global experience in discovering, developing, launching, and commercializing innovative drugs and is setting up world-class commercial manufacturing and Sales & Marketing teams. One pivotal aim of Ascentage Pharma is to continuously strengthen its R&D capabilities and accelerate its clinical development programs, in order to fulfil its mission of addressing unmet clinical needs in China and around the world for the benefit of more patients. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements made in this article relate only to the events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this article. Except as required by law, Ascentage Pharma undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this article completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may be materially different from what we expect. In this article, statements of, or references to, our intentions or those of any of our Directors or our Company are made as of the date of this article. Any of these intentions may alter in light of future development. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asco-2022--ascentage-pharma-releases-for-the-first-time-results-of-its-fakalkros1-inhibitor-apg-2449-demonstrating-safety-and-efficacy-in-patients-with-advanced-nsclc-301563283.html SOURCE Ascentage Pharma President Biden is looking to visit the Middle East in July, a spokesperson for the National Security Council told The Hill on Wednesday. The White House has yet to publicly announce the trip. The spokesperson said that the administration had considered adding the Middle East visit onto the presidents trip to Europe in June, but ultimately, we concluded its best to do a standalone trip to the region. It wasnt moved or postponed, the spokesperson said. We concluded its best to do a standalone trip to the Middle East. Were looking at dates in July. The president is traveling in June to Germany and Spain to attend the Group of 7 (G7) meeting and the NATO summit in Madrid. A source familiar with the planning of Bidens travel earlier confirmed to The Hill that the administration was in the planning stages of organizing a meeting between the president and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre did not confirm a meeting between Biden and Mohammed, in response to a reporters question on Tuesday, but called Saudi Arabia a strategic and important partner. the President will meet with any leader if it serves the interests of the American people. Thats what he puts first, Jean-Pierre said. He believes engagement with Saudi leaders clearly meets that test, as has every president before him. While 86-year-old Saudi King Salman is the official leader of Saudi Arabia, the crown prince is considered the heir apparent and serves as the day-to-day leader with immense authority in the Kingdom. The expected meeting between Biden and Mohammed is drawing muted criticism from lawmakers, who call the Kingdom an important U.S. partner but that its leadership is acting in ways at odds with U.S. policy and values. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the Hill on Wednesday that the presidents likely meeting with Mohammed sends an unfortunate message. She called for the crown prince to face accountability his role in the death of U.S.-based opinion journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi consulate in October 2018. Story continues U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that the crown prince approved a plot to capture or kill Khashoggi. Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, said Bidens likely meeting with the crown prince allows the administration to turn the page on the Saudi affair and push for relief on high gas prices in the U.S. by asking the Saudis to release more oil on the market. Bidens likely trip to Israel will also give the administration an opportunity to eke out a concrete policy win between Israel and its neighbors, Sachs said. Axios reported last month that the president is looking to ink an agreement to transfer two islands in the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and with the discussions involving Israel. This trip is a vehicle for the Biden administration to put its own stamp on the Israeli-Arab rapprochement, Sachs said. So making the Abraham Accords not only a [Jared] Kushner affair, but also a Biden one, to a limited degree, he said, referring to the normalization agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain under the former Trump administration. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's BYD is preparing to supply Tesla Inc with batteries "very soon", a senior company executive told a state media anchor in a video released early on Wednesday. "We are now good friends with Elon Musk because we are preparing to supply batteries to Tesla very soon," said Lian Yubo, BYD's executive vice president in an interview with Kui Yingchun, an anchor with China's state-owned broadcaster CGTN. BYD and Tesla did not immediately reply to requests for comment. BYD, the world's biggest manufacturer of the fleet including electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, has been working on to supply batteries to other automakers including Toyota. In 2020, BYD officially launched its Blade battery, a less bulky lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery that its Chairman Wang Chuanfu believed to be safer than other alternatives in the market and would not catch fire. Chinese battery giant CATL is currently the sole supplier of LFP batteries to Tesla, which has been installing such batteries in cars manufactured in the Shanghai plant since 2020. Tesla disclosed that nearly half of the vehicles it produced in the first quarter were equipped with LFP batteries - a cheaper rival to the nickel-and-cobalt based cells that dominate in the West. Panasonic and LG Energy Solutions are the main suppliers of nickel-and-cobalt based cells to Tesla. (Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Editing by Tom Hogue and Stephen Coates) Government of Canada Logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) Government of Saskatchewan Logo (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) PRINCE ALBERT, SK, June 8, 2022 /CNW/ - Everyone in Canada deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, along with George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, and Alana Ross, MLA for Prince Albert Northcote, on behalf of the Honourable Gene Makowsky, Social Services Minister and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), and representatives from River Bank Development Corporation (River Bank) marked the completion of Phases IV and V of the Homes of Hope project. Through the Canada-Saskatchewan agreement under the National Housing Strategy, a more than $1 million investment has been provided for the Homes of Hope project. Through Homes of Hope, River Bank renovates existing affordable houses to add an additional two to three bedrooms, for a total of four or five bedrooms per house. The houses are located in various neighbourhoods in Prince Albert and support large families with low incomes. River Bank also partnered with KidsFirst Prince Albert, Native Co-ordinating Council and Family Futures to connect families to a number of supports, including counselling, child development, early learning literacy, nutrition, home visits, mental health and addictions support and crisis intervention. Quotes: "Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our government will continue to help create jobs and improve the quality of life for those families who need it most. That is why we have created new affordable homes in Prince Albert to accommodate larger families and this will go a long way in ensuring that parents and their children have the required space to grow and thrive. This is the National Housing Strategy at work." The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion "Safe and affordable housing is key to healthy and thriving families. With the help of our partners, eight new families here in Prince Albert now have a place to call their very own. The Government of Canada supports creating more affordable housing options for all Canadians and I'm proud to see important projects like Homes of Hope come to life. I am glad these families now have access to these safe and secure homes." George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview Story continues "Through our partnership with River Bank Development Corporation and CMHC, eight Prince Albert families now have the space they need to raise their families, plan for the future and build a life in our community. I thank River Bank for their hard work and leadership that has made an incredible difference in the lives of families in our community. I look forward to partnering again in the future as we work towards our shared goal of all residents having a safe and affordable place to call home." The Honourable Gene Makowsky, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for SHC "River Bank is pleased to work with the Government of Saskatchewan, the Government of Canada and the City of Prince Albert to develop affordable housing for families in Prince Albert. We noticed several years ago that many of our families required larger homes because of the number of children they have and received funding from the Rental Development Program to buy and renovate four units, increasing the number of bedrooms to four or five. We have continued with this theme for several years and when our final project, Homes of Home VI, is completed later this year, we will have 26 units committed to families. It has been one of our most successful projects and we look forward to our continuing partnerships with the three levels of government to provide decent, safe housing for our tenants." Brian Howell, Manager, Riverbank Development Corporation Quick facts: Through the fourth and fifth phases of the Homes of Hope project, eight homes were renovated to support eight large families with low incomes. Pursuant to the National Housing Strategy (NHS), the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement will invest $449.9 million over the next 10 years, cost matched by the federal and provincial governments, in housing across the province. The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have reached agreement on the first three-year action plan. Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home. Related links: As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC's aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, please visit cmhc.ca or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. To find out more about the National Housing Strategy, visit: www.placetocallhome.ca. Under the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilateral Agreement, housing is a key priority in providing a better quality of life for Saskatchewan families and communities. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan, through SHC, has invested $786 million to develop more than 12,000 housing units and repair nearly 5,500 homes. SHC has also invested more than $61 million to build nearly 300 units in residential care homes, and $430 million to improve provincially-owned housing. To learn more, visit www.saskatchewan.ca. SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/08/c4388.html Future Market Insights Global and Consulting Pvt. Ltd. The candle boxes market's mass boxes segment is predicted to develop at a CAGR of 3.3% through 2032, with North America leading the way and accounting for more than 30% global revenue till 2032 NEWARK, Del, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The candle boxes market is estimated to be worth USD 3.3 billion in 2022, with a projected value of USD 5.5 billion by 2032. Over the forecast period, the candle boxes market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% through 2032. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered people's daily lives all over the world for candle boxes market also. As part of the new norm, new protocols were established to ensure public health and safety. Businesses in the candle boxes market have been heavily impacted by these changes for several months, as prolonged lockdowns and social distancing rules pushed the economy into an alarming recession affecting the candle boxes market opportunities. In terms of sustainable packaging for candle boxes market, government agencies continue to seek solutions to packaging waste and recyclability issues. Many countries are attempting to control this by changing manufacturing regulations and tax laws. Request a Sample Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14921 Due to the increasing applications of candles, the candle boxes market, as well as the candle boxes market future trends, is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. Candles are also used to decorate homes and offices, as well as to celebrate festivals such as Diwali and Christmas, which is another major factor driving the candle boxes market. Furthermore, consumers' increasing disposable incomes and changing lifestyles have enabled them to spend more money on candles with better shapes and exotic aromas, which is a good thing escalating the candle boxes market key trends and opportunities. Furthermore, rising disposable incomes and changing consumer lifestyles have enabled them to spend more money on candles with unique shapes and exotic aromas, boosting candle boxes market. However, the presence of a large number of unorganised candle manufacturers may pose a global challenge to the candle boxes market and candle boxes market adoption trend on the whole. Story continues KEY TAKEAWAYS: The candle boxes market's mass boxes segment form the type category is predicted to develop at a CAGR of 3.3% through 2032. Through 2032, square sector in the candle boxes market's shape category will grow. The candle boxes market's lock bottom box segment form the product type category is predicted to develop through 2032. Ask an Analyst@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-14921 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: New market research report on candle boxes says that McKenzieCrest Inc., ICM Custom Packaging, Craft candles Manufacturer, BlueBox Packaging, ClipnBox, Elite Custom Boxes, Pak Factory, RSF Packaging are among the legacy players vendors. The research offers a comprehensive competition analysis of these top competitors in the candle boxes market, including candle boxes market growth, candle boxes market share, candle boxes market adoption trends and important market strategies. Recent Development in the Candle Boxes Market: March 2021 Supplies for Candles LTD, based in Yorkshire, has paid 2.5 million for Glassprint Ltd. Glassprint Ltd was established in 2002 and specialises in printing on glass items such as candle glasses and perfume bottles. 2021 February Yankee Candle, the world's largest home fragrance company, has introduced its new Signature Collection. The new collection revitalises Yankee Candle's design with reimagined tumbler candles and hand-illustrated labels depicting the fragrance notes within each scent. Buy Now@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/14921 Key Segments By Product Type: Lock Bottom Box Crash Bottom Box Two-Piece Box Straight & Reverse Tuck Box Others By Type: Mass Box Premium Box By Shape: Square Round Rectangle Box For critical insights, request for PDF Brochure@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/brochure/rep-gb-14921 Table of Content Executive Summary Global Market Outlook Demand-side Trends Supply-side Trends Technology Roadmap Analysis Analysis and Recommendations Market Overview Market Coverage / Taxonomy Market Definition / Scope / Limitations Market Background Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints Opportunity Trends Scenario Forecast Demand in Optimistic Scenario Demand in Likely Scenario Demand in Conservative Scenario Opportunity Map Analysis Supply Chain Analysis Value Chain Analysis Profit Margin Analysis Wholesalers and Distributors Retailers PESTLE and Porters Analysis Global Candle Box Market Analysis 2017-2021 and Forecast, 2022-2032 Historical Market Size Value (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) Analysis, 2017-2021 Current and Future Market Size Value (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) Projections, 2022-2032 Y-o-Y Growth Trend Analysis Absolute $ Opportunity Analysis Global Candle Box Market Analysis 2017-2021 and Forecast 2022-2032, By Product Type Introduction / Key Findings Historical Market Size Value (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) Analysis By Product Type, 2017-2021 Current and Future Market Size Value (US$ Mn) & Volume (Units) Analysis and Forecast By Product Type, 2022-2032 Lock Bottom Box Crash Bottom Box Two Piece Box Straight & Reverse Truck Box Others Y-o-Y Growth Trend Analysis By Product Type, 2017-2021 Absolute $ Opportunity Analysis By Product Type, 2022-2032 TOC Continued! Get detailed TOC@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-14921 Have a Look at Related Research Reports of Packaging Soap Boxes Market Size is predicted to grow from US$ 38.1 Bn in 2022 to US$ 64.5 Billion in 2032 Plastic Vials Market Share is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period (2022-2032) Packing Boxes Market Trends: The packing boxes market is anticipated to have a steady CAGR of 5% during the period 2022-2032 Splicing Tapes Market Demand is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% between 2022 and 2032. The market is projected to increase from US$ 603 Mn in 2022 to US$ 968 Mn by 2032 Packaging Supplies Market is likely to expand its roots in the global market at an average CAGR of 4.9% between 2022 and 2032 Moving Supplies Market is anticipated to have an effective CAGR of 4.4% during the period of 2022-2032 Custom Boxes Market was valued at around US$ 46.3 Billion in 2022 and is predicted to create revenue of about US$ 71.0 Billion by the end of 2032, rising at a CAGR of nearly 4.4% between 2022 and 2032 Packing Tape Market is anticipated to have a significant CAGR of 4.8% during the period of 2022-2032. According to FMI, the packaging tape market will expand from US$ 21.8 billion in 2022 to US$ 34.9 billion in 2032 Metal Packaging Market is slated to increase with compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.6% to reach a valuation of US$ 178 Bn by 2032 Burger Boxes Market is likely to grow with an estimated CAGR of 5.7% from 2022 to 2032. The burger boxes market share was worth US$ 3.5 Bn in 2022 About Us 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 Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/candle-box-market For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Browse latest Market Reports: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports LinkedIn | Twitter | Blogs By Trend Kyrgyzstan has introduced a temporary restriction on truck traffic during the summer period of 2022, Trend reports with the reference to the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan. The ban on the movement of trucks over 18 tons will be in force from June 2 to September 1, 2022, from 10:00 to 20:00, when the daily air temperature hits 28Celsius and above. The order does not apply to trucks that are: - transporting passengers; - delivery of humanitarian aid; - transporting perishable foodstuffs and dangerous goods; - carrying heavy cargo with special permission; - road authorities and contractors involved in building and reconstruction by Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Transport and Communications. This decision will ensure the safety of Kyrgyz public roads, as well as increase their terms of operation. Caredove, Think Research, and CognisantMD integrate their technologies to improve patient care in Ontario's North East Region. TORONTO, June 8, 2022 /CNW/ - Think Research Corporation (TSXV: THNK) (OTCQB: THKKF) ("Think" or the "Company"), a company focused on transforming healthcare through integrated digital health software solutions, today announced its Hubly integration engine has expanded the Ontario eReferral Program, in partnership with Caredove , to increase access to the Ocean eReferral Network in the northeast region of Ontario. TRC logo (CNW Group/Think Research Corporation) The expanded partnership, as part of the Ontario eServices Program, advances the provincial vision of an open, standard approach to eReferral interoperability by connecting clinical users with more than 100 additional home and community support service listings in the northeast region of Ontario available through the Caredove eReferral platform. This enables primary care providers to easily find the best service option based on eligibility, availability, and proximity to their patient, send a referral, and optionally book available intake appointments with the relevant staff member at each community-based organization. With Think's Hubly integrating Caredove service listings within CognisantMD's Ocean eReferral Network, clinicians can refer patients to relevant, local community organizations directly from their EMR. This saves clinicians time and allows them to use patient data more efficiently, instead of manually entering it for each referral. Clinicians can also easily track referral status within the system, access reporting and analytics throughout the referral lifecycle, and be assured that their patients are aware of the next steps of their healthcare journey. Think CEO Sachin Aggarwal said, "Think's mission is to use technology to improve access to healthcare and provide clinicians with the tools they need to improve efficiencies, and this expansion delivers on that. We are proud to partner with companies like Caredove to improve healthcare equity in Ontario and across Canada." Story continues Caredove CEO Jeff Doleweerd said, "Caredove makes it easy for community based organizations to receive all their referrals, from the public, other community agencies, and primary care clinicians in one inbox. This integration enhances the ease with which primary care clinicians using Ocean can make referrals and send and receive patient information, improving the process for everyone." About Think Research Think is an industry leader in delivering knowledge-based digital healthcare software solutions. The Company's focused mission is to organize the world's health knowledge so everyone gets the best care. Its evidence-based healthcare technology solutions support the clinical decision-making process, standardize care, and improve patient outcomes. For over a decade, Think's cloud-based, EMR-agnostic digital tools have empowered clinicians around the world and positively impacted millions of patients across the continuum of care including primary physician care, acute care hospitals and surgical suites as well as community and seniors' care. Think is proud to serve as a trusted health system partner to a rapidly growing, global client base that spans five continents across more than 13,000 healthcare facilities, with a clinical audience of over 300,000 doctors, nurses and pharmacists. Visit: www.thinkresearch.com About the Ontario eServices Program The Ontario eServices Program delivers digital services (eConsult and eReferral are the first initiatives in the scope of the program) that support clinical workflows and facilitate smoother transitions in care and an improved patient experience. The Ontario eServices Program is co-led by the Ontario eConsult Centre of Excellence (eConsult COE) and the eHealth Centre of Excellence (eCE) and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (MOH). For more information, visit eServicesProgramOntario.ca . Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For more information: https://www.thinkresearch.com/ca/investors/ SOURCE Think Research Corporation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2022/08/c6101.html VIENNA, Va., June 08, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM), a Phase 3 cancer immunotherapy company, today announced that Geert Kersten, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present at the LD Micro Invitational XII Conference today, June 8, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. EDT. The Conference is taking place in-person at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village, CA from June 7 - 9, 2022. The presentation will be broadcast live at https://ldinv12.mysequire.com/ or on the Investor Relations section of CEL-SCIs website at cel-sci.com/new-investor-information/. About LD Micro Invitational XII The Invitational was created many moons ago to showcase the "newcomers" in the micro cap world and highlight those companies that are flying under the radar of investors. Since its inception in 2010, the event has been the launchpad for many of the successful names that you find in small cap today. This event is the perfect opportunity for investors to get a glimpse of the "future" and get a feel for the next generation of up-and-comers. 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. Story continues 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 study results announced in June 2021 showed excellent survival benefit for those patients who received Multikine treatment regimen plus surgery and radiation. When chemotherapy was added to radiotherapy following surgery the survival benefit was negated. 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/20220608005406/en/ Contacts Gavin de Windt CEL-SCI Corporation (703) 506-9460 www.cel-sci.com In early June a few selected US media representatives will explore two of the most beautiful and enchanting agricultural jewels of Europe NEW YORK, June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- "The Charming Taste of Europe" is pleased to announce that it will host an exclusive press trip to discover the delicious kiwis from Kavala and cherries from Rachi Pieria in Greece in early June. When it comes to cherries throughout Greece, they are ranked 10th in the world for production, with most of the production coming out of Northern Greece. In particular the regions of Pella, Imathia and Pieria are the most important fruit-producing regions in the country. Founded in 1978, The Agricultural Cooperative of Rachi Pierias, "AGIOS LOUKAS" now has 250 members and its cherry grove has expanded to 200 hectares. Throughout the visit, participants will speak with the producing organization "O AGIOS LOUKAS" about the cherries, the production method, the market and will also have the opportunity to visit the cherry fields. The kiwi, originally from China, arrived in Europe during the 19th century and cultivated itself in Greece in the early 1980s. Over the past twenty years the kiwi has grown exponentially and has in fact become a national product, specifically in Kavala, positioned on the coast of Northern Greece. Here the production of the Kiwi fruit is approximately 50,000 tons, 10,000 of which are produced by KAVALA COOP. Throughout the trip, participants will visit "Kavala COOP" Cooperative where they will speak with the producing organization, see the kiwi fields and facilities as well as speak about the product. Following, participants will be able to explore the city of Kavala as a whole. Started in 2021, The Charming Taste of Europe is a three-year campaign promoted by the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Kavala (Kavala COOP), the Agricultural Cooperative of Rachi Pieria ("Agios Loukas") the Vini d' Abruzzo consortium and the Union of Sweet Bordeaux Wines, co-financed by the European Union. This campaign focuses on raising awareness of these high-quality products in the American and Canadian market. Story continues The Charming Taste of Europe aims to educate participants on the beautiful and enchanting jewels of Europe through a hands-on experience of two of the exceptional agricultural products of the country. About the Charming Taste of Europe: Europe, a place with timeless charm, is the birthplace of some of the highest-quality products in the world. The Charming Taste of Europe is a special project that introduces exquisite specialties to the United States and Canada, such as Italian and French wines, and fresh fruits from Greece, that showcase Europe's charm, beauty, culture, history, art, heritage and unmistakable tastes. The mission of the Charming Taste of Europe, co-funded by the European Union, is to increase awareness of the merits and quality standards of select European wines and fresh fruits with promotional activities in the competitive markets of the U.S. and Canada. The Charming Taste of Europe is promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of Wines of Abruzzo, the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Kavala (Kavala COOP), the Agricultural Cooperative of Rachi Pieria "Agios Loukas" and the Union of Sweet Bordeaux Wines. These European agricultural products, famous around the world for their outstanding qualities, will continue to be promoted with initiatives and events for consumers, journalists and trade professionals. For more information visit charmingtasteofeurope.eu To Follow The Charming Taste of Europe Campaign: Website: charmingtasteofeurope.eu Facebook: @CharmingTasteofEU Instagram: @charmeu_usa YouTube: The Charming Taste of Europe Hashtags: #thecharmingtasteofeu and #charmeu The content of this promotion campaign represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission and the European Research Executive Agency (REA) do not accept any responsibility for any use that may be made of the information it contains Media Contact Cristina Coari, Colangelo & Partners, 646 624-2885, ccoari@colangelopr.com SOURCE The Charming Taste of Europe Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty After the execution of 10 Black Americans in Buffalo and 19 school children in Texas, this time felt different. The country is rightly outraged, demanding action. Instead of promoting their game, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays used their accounts to promote gun violence prevention, celebrity 2nd Amendment boosters like Jon Voight began speaking out, and an NRA A-rated conservative Congressman committed to voting for an assault weapons ban. Winston Churchill said never waste a crisis. Chuck Schumer gaveled out for Memorial Day. President Biden addressed the nation emphatically, proclaiming enough in one breath and blaming Republicans for Washington Democrats inevitable failure to deliver in the next: We have to take the time to do something. And this time, its time for the Senate to do something. But, as we know, in order to get anything done in the Senate, we need a minimum of 10 Republican senators. Talking about reforms that are going nowhere has become the Democratic version of thoughts and prayers. Democrats Are Crashing in Slow Motion Even Before the Final Roe Ruling Hits Yes, Republicans are an intractable problem. Gone are the days when a conservative legend Ronald Reagan would throw his full support behind the Brady Law and the Assault Weapons Ban. Todays Republican party is not cowed by images of dead children, grieving parents or statistics. For evidence, look no further than Buffalo where just last week Chris Jacobs a Republican Congressman whose district is adjacent to where the race-motivated mass shooting occurred days earlier was swiftly black-listed by his own party and forced to drop his previously secure bid for reelection days after voicing support for an assault weapons ban. But like magicians, Washington politicians including the Democrats who control the White House and both branches of Congress and who say they support comprehensive gun reform are masters of the art of misdirection. Republican opposition isnt the only thing standing between gun violence prevention laws and the majority of Americans who support them. Story continues The Senates 60-vote cloture rule did not appear out of thin air it has been in place since 1975. Since then, Democrats have held a 60+ person majority a total of 4 1/2 years; Republicans have never held it. Bills still passed. President Clinton did not have 60 Democratic votes in the Senate when he enacted the original assault weapon and high-capacity magazine ban in 1994. And if the filibuster alone is the obstacle, why cant Democrats be creative and consider reconciliation to bypass the 60 vote rule? It would take a well-skilled parliamentarian but is it really impossible to circumvent the Byrd amendment and identify a budgetary nexus on gun violence? In an average year, not only do guns in America kill nearly 40,000 people, and injure more than twice as many, it costs our nation $280 billion annually. Isnt it worth exhausting the option? Where is our cunning? Why are Washington Democrats slow walking this moment? The dirty little secret is that Democrats dont have the simple majority in the Senate necessary to enact meaningful gun safety reform. Democrats had 60 votes in the Senate for a brief stint in 2009 and failed to take up any gun safety legislation. After Sandy Hook four years later, a new assault weapon ban was put on the floor. President Obama made it a priority. Nonetheless, it went down in flames 40-60, with 15 Democrats voting against it. Six of those DemocratsManchin, Michael Bennet, Martin Heinrich, Angus King, Jon Tester and Mark Warnerstill serve in the Senate majority today. At this point it appears the likely scenario is that last months mass shootings will yield only expanded background checks and incentives for states to implement Red Flag Laws in other words, Mr. Churchill, weve wasted the crisis. If for no other reason than to hold all of our elected officials in both parties accountable, the public should demand a vote on a meaningful gun violence prevention package including an assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban to know where every single member stands. Republicans didnt block Schumers ill-fated abortion vote they might be thrilled to tout their their unadulterated support for the 2nd Amendment and vote against an assault weapons ban. Its past time to make members of both parties put their cards on the table. In the meantime, state governments continue to be held hostage by federal inaction as even the strongest local laws are by definition only marginally impactful in a country where guns easily cross state borders. So the real question is, how does Americas chronic gun violence problem unique on the globe finally end? There is actually hope, but it requires adopting an entirely different strategy that doesnt rely solely on federal action. Large industry change occurs when their economic calculus changes. For decades Congress coddled Big Tobacco and Pharma. We should learn from that and approach gun and ammunition manufacturers the same way we did then by using the legal system to hold them accountable, and in the process force them to change their bad practices or suffer crippling economic liability. This strategy was on the verge of success 20 years ago when dozens of lawsuits were pending against gun manufacturers for negligence and product liability. States, cities, and plaintiff firms had effectively pursued litigation that could have bankrupted the gun industry for their negligence and its foreseeable consequences. The gun manufacturers themselves were ready to settle these lawsuits, making major reforms that dwarf any of the current proposals. Smith and Wesson, the largest handgun manufacturer in the country, had already accepted a groundbreaking global settlement that was announced by President Clinton. What happened? George Bush was elected and successfully moved to make gun manufacturers essentially immune from civil litigation, making it the only private industry in the country to have such protection. However, state governments are not powerless. In 2021 New York enacted first-of-its-kind in the nation legislation making it easier to bring civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers and dealers, bypassing the blanket immunity provided under federal law. The statute which last month withstood a federal legal challenge holds sellers, manufacturers, importers, or marketers of guns liable for a public nuisance, defined as actions that harm the public. Blue and purple states should follow New Yorks lead and enact similar legislation. Used judiciously, gun and ammunition dealers and manufacturers can finally be held financially accountable for the consequences of their products and distribution the same way Tobacco and Pharma were. At the same time, union members and public employees should demand that all public pension and retirement funds nationwide divest from companies associated with manufacturing and distribution of guns or ammunition. Change will come from economic pressure on the gun manufacturers, and we can direct our energy into building up that pressure. In the meantime, keep pushing our elected officials to at least be honest if not courageous politicians follow when people lead, and its not too late to demand more. 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. ReportLinker Cybersecurity Market Research Report by Product Type (DDoS Mitigation, Email Security, and Endpoint Security), Componenet, End-user Industry, Deployment, Region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cybersecurity Market Research Report by Product Type, Componenet, End-user Industry, Deployment, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06259357/?utm_source=GNW The Global Cybersecurity Market size was estimated at USD 186.61 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 206.80 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 10.99% to reach USD 348.91 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 Cybersecurity to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product Type, the market was studied across DDoS Mitigation, Email Security, Endpoint Security, Identity and Access Management, IDS/IPS, IoT Security, Next Generation Firewall, Security and Vulnerability Management, Security Information and Event Management, and Threat Detection and Prevention. Based on Componenet, the market was studied across Service and Solution. Based on End-user Industry, the market was studied across Aerospace, Defense, and Intelligence, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance, Healthcare, IT and Telecommunication, Manufacturing, Public Utility, and Retail. Based on Deployment, the market was studied across On-Cloud and On-Premise. 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 Cybersecurity 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 Cybersecurity 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 Cybersecurity Market, including AVG Technologies NV, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd, Cisco Systems Inc., Cyber Ark Software Ltd, Dell Technologies Inc., FireEye Inc., Fortinet Inc., IBM Corporation, Imperva Inc., Intel Security (Intel Corporation), Palo Alto Networks Inc., ProofPoint Inc., Rapid7 Inc., and Trend Micro Inc.. 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 Cybersecurity Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Cybersecurity Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Cybersecurity Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Cybersecurity Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Cybersecurity Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Cybersecurity Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Cybersecurity Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06259357/?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 BEAVERTON, Ore., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digimarc Corporation (Nasdaq: DMRC), creator of Digimarc watermarks that are driving the next generation of digital identification and detection-based solutions, announced the launch of its Digimarc Brand Integrity digital solution, which gives brands and their customers more sophisticated and flexible ways to verify the authenticity of products. Digimarc The Barcode of Everything(TM) (PRNewsfoto/Digimarc Corporation) Digimarc's unique data-driven approach involves assigning each product unit a serialized digital identity that can be tracked in the cloud and accessed through a variety of on-package digital triggers, including the industry's most secure and covert: the Digimarc digital watermark. The powerful combination of digitized products and cloud-based data makes the process of authenticating items more accurate and scalable than traditional physical authentication measures. "As counterfeiters have become more sophisticated and supply chains more diffuse, companies are recognizing that traditional brand protection approaches that are largely reactive and reliant on trained inspectors and specialized equipment are both ineffective and inefficient," said Ken Sickles, Chief Product Officer at Digimarc. "Digimarc has created a uniquely digital solution that leverages the ubiquity of smart phones and other digital devices to make product authentication much more streamlined and less prone to human error." Moreover, Digimarc's support of dual-factor authentication, such as scanning both QR codes and digital watermarks on a single package, provides a strong defense against bad actors accustomed to easily circumventing lesser brand protection measures. "Digitizing products with QR codes is a great starting point," he continues. "But, when coupled with a robust product cloud and covert digital watermarks, brands can gain even greater visibility into their products and offer their consumers the chance to do the same." Without a singular source for product data, companies lack actionable intelligence about several product attributes. The Digimarc Brand Integrity solution helps brands to protect their reputations by giving every product a digital presence connected to a cloud-based record of its journey and interactions. This can prove a products' authenticity, uncovering counterfeits and their origin, and provide insight into a products' supply chain so that brands can anticipate issues and act fast. Story continues About Digimarc Digimarc is a global leader in product digitization, delivering business value across industries through unique identifiers and cloud-based solutions. A trusted partner in deterring digital counterfeiting of global currency for more than 20 years, Digimarc illuminates a product's journey to provide intelligence and promote a prosperous, safer, and more sustainable world. With Digimarc, you can finally see everything. And when you see everything, you can achieve anything. For more information, visit us at digimarc.com. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digimarc-launches-brand-integrity-solution-to-help-brands-combat-costly-counterfeiting-and-product-diversion-301563930.html SOURCE Digimarc Corporation Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 8, 2022) - District Metals Corp. (TSXV: DMX) (FSE: DFPP); ("District" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on core drilling at its high grade polymetallic Tomtebo Property located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden. District commenced drilling the Tomtebo Property in mid-April where 750 m in two holes (TOM22-037B and -038) have been completed. Drill core samples from these two holes have recently been sent to ALS Geochemistry in Mala, Sweden for assay preparation and then to ALS Geochemistry in Loughrea, Ireland for analysis. Assay results are expected by late-July or early-August. Highlights Footwall polymetallic mineralization encountered at Steffenburgs zone: Hole TOM22-038 intersected intermittent disseminated, stringer, and impregnated with lesser semi-massive to massive mineralization over approximately 61.5 m (210.0 to 271.5 m). The significance of this footwall mineralization will be determined by geochemical assay results and with continued step out drilling at depth (Figures 1 and 2). Polymetallic sulphide lens extended 40 m below hole TOM21-025 at the Steffenburgs zone: Hole TOM22-038 intersected massive sulphide mineralization over approximately 2.7 m (271.5 to 274.2 m). This was an approximate 40 m step out below hole TOM21-025 which returned 14.3 m at 14.2% ZnEq1 from 210.0 to 224.3 m (Figures 1 and 2). Drill rig has been moved to the Gruvberget Property: drilling at the Tomtebo Property has been paused until whole rock geochemistry and borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) survey results are utilized to better target the mineralization beneath hole TOM22-038. Rodney Allen, Technical Advisor for District, commented: "Hole TOM22-038 at Tomtebo successfully intersected the Steffenburgs massive sulphide lens down-plunge below the previous good intersections in holes 25 and 28. Hole TOM22-038 also provides important geological information that extends our interpretation of the structure and pattern of mineralization in the Steffenburgs area. The thick mineralized interval from 210-271.5 m is interpreted to represent an intensely altered and sulphide-veined part of the footwall stringer (feeder) zone to the massive sulphide lens that occurs further down-hole. In some VMS deposits, parts of the footwall stringer-vein zone have high metal grades and can be mined along with the overlying massive sulphide lenses. There is potential for this favourable situation at Tomtebo. The intersection in TOM22-038 suggests that the mineralization defined previously as the "A-lens" at Steffenburgs is part of this irregular zone of intense stringer sulphide veins and semi-massive sulphide impregnation that underlies the main massive sulphide lens ("B-lens") that formed at the sea floor 1.9 billion years ago. Story continues "The base of the sea-floor massive sulphide lens was intersected at about 271.5 m in TOM22-038. There is only 2-3 m of the massive sulphide lens in this hole. However, the down-hole contact is a distinct fault marked by intense foliation, a mafic dyke and pyrrhotite veins. This means that the middle to upper part of the original VMS lens has been faulted off. Furthermore, the 2-3 m of massive sulphide that remains, contains relics of the volcanic host rocks, which indicates that the part of the massive sulphide lens preserved is only the very basal part where the mineralization has intensely replaced the volcanic rocks directly below the sea floor. The major part of the massive sulphide body above this basal zone is not present in this drill hole. Importantly, these geological relationships indicate that originally at this location the massive sulphide lens was significantly thicker and the relatively thin intersection is caused by truncation by a fault. We have intersected this same fault in several other drill holes and will now be able to improve our interpretation of the 3D geometry of the fault so that we can better target the extension of the massive sulphide lens. At present we are uncertain in which direction the fault has displaced the massive sulphide body. However, we can be certain that the fault has not removed part of the massive sulphide body; it has displaced it some 10s to 100s m and to find this displaced part of the body will be one new target for future drilling." Garrett Ainsworth, CEO of District, commented: "Hole TOM22-38 has intersected varying strengths of visual sulphide mineralization over approximately 64.2 m (210.0 to 274.2 m) that includes 5.0 m of barren rock (242.8 to 247.8 m). The upper portion of this mineralization is a thick sequence of dominantly footwall vein and impregnation sulphides, and the lower portion comprises the stronger massive sulphide lens at the Steffenburgs zone. We are very pleased to have extended the high grade mineralization from hole TOM21-025 by approximately 40 m down dip, which also remains open at depth. "Hole TOM21-037B was drilled as an aggressive 665 m step out northeast from the historic Tomtebo Mine at a virgin regional target to test a magnetic high anomaly along the Tomtebo Mine Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) mineralized horizon. Strong skarn alteration without any polymetallic sulphides was observed, and the magnetic high anomalies are likely explained by magnetite stringers within the skarn alteration and several mafic dykes that contain magnetite. Whole rock geochemistry will confirm that we tested the Tomtebo Mine VMS horizon and provide vectors for possible follow up drill holes. "Lastly, we have moved the drill rig from our Tomtebo Property to our Gruvberget Property where drilling has recently begun. This move was earlier than originally planned due to time and budget constraints, however, this will allow us to carry out whole rock geochemistry and BHEM survey to better guide us beneath the polymetallic sulphide lenses at the Steffenburgs zone." Figure 1: Plan Map of Drilling at Tomtebo To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7971/126820_94e08a602401aa20_002full.jpg Figure 2: Cross Section Looking Northwest at Steffenburgs Zone To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7971/126820_94e08a602401aa20_003full.jpg Drill Hole Summaries TOM22-037B (665 m step out northeast from Tomtebo Mine): Hole TOM21-037B was drilled at an angled orientation (-50 dip) to the south (180 azimuth). It was designed to test a blind magnetic high anomaly along the interpreted VMS mineralized horizon located 665 northeast along trend from the historic Tomtebo Mine. Hole TOM22-037A was lost at a depth of 86.1 m, and TOM22-037B was the re-start hole. After 18.5 m of overburden, the hole intersected weakly to moderately altered (silicification) felsic volcanic rocks with no sulphides that were intercalated with narrow mafic dykes from 18.5 to 87.7 m. Interbeds of pyroxene skarn replacing a former limestone with trace to 5% magnetite within moderately to strongly altered felsic volcanic rocks were encountered from 87.7 to 101.0 m, 226.1 to 229.6 m, and 345.0 to the end of hole depth at 357.9 m. The magnetic high anomaly may be explained by the magnetite mineralization associated with the skarn alteration and several mafic dykes that contain magnetite. Whether the VMS horizon was intersected will be determined through whole rock geochemistry. TOM22-038 (Steffenburgs zone): Hole TOM22-038 was drilled at an angled orientation (-56 dip) to the northeast (35 azimuth). It was designed to step out 80 m down dip from massive sulphides encountered in hole TOM21-025, which returned 14.3 m at 14.2% ZnEq1 (210.0 to 224.3 m). During drilling of hole TOM22-038 there was substantial deviation in the up-dip direction, so that the resulting step out beneath hole TOM21-025 was approximately 40 m. After 15.0 m of overburden, the hole intersected weakly to strongly altered felsic volcanic rocks with pyrite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 10%) and pyrrhotite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 10%) from 15.0 to 213.5 m with occasional meter-scale mafic dykes. Within this section chalcopyrite (0.1 to 1.0%) was observed from 15.0 to 20.0 m, 99.5 to 105.0 m, 113.0 to 114.0 m, 163.5 to 169.0 m, and 201.0 to 212.0 m. Alteration and sulphide content increased to strongly altered felsic volcanic rocks with disseminated, stringer, and impregnated with lesser semi-massive and massive polymetallic sulphide mineralization (sphalerite, galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite) from 213.5 to 242.8 m. A weakly to moderately altered and mostly barren felsic volcanic unit with disseminated pyrite (0.1%) and pyrrhotite (0.1%) was encountered from 242.8 to 247.8 m. The main target zone was encountered from 247.8 to 274.2 m where strongly altered and mineralized felsic volcanic rocks with disseminated to massive polymetallic sulphide mineralization was observed. This strongly mineralized intercept is underlain by moderately altered felsic volcanic rocks with disseminated pyrite (0.1 to 1.0%) and pyrrhotite (0.1 to 1.0%) from 274.2 to 284.1 m. Weakly to moderately altered felsic volcanic rocks alternating with mafic dykes continue from 284.1 m to the end of hole depth at 391.7 m. References 1 Metal prices used in USD for the ZnEq calculation were based on Ag $15.00/oz, Au $1650/oz, Cu $2.15/lb, Zn $0.85/lb, and Pb $0.75/lb. ZnEq equals = Zn% + (Ag g/t 0.0257) + (Au g/t x 2.831) + (Cu% 2.529) + (Pb% 0.882). The use of ZnEq is to calculate cut-off grades for exploration purposes, and no adjustments were made for metal recovery. Technical Information All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The drill core reported in this news release was logged and prepared at the District Metals AB core facility in Sater, Sweden before submittal to ALS Geochemistry in Mala, Sweden where the drill core is cut, bagged, and prepared for analysis. Sample pulps were sent to ALS Geochemistry in Ireland (an accredited mineral analysis laboratory) for analysis. Samples were analyzed using a multi-element ultra trace method combining a four-acid digestion with ICP-MS analytical package ("ME-MS61"). Over limit sample values were re-assayed for: (1) values of copper >1%; (2) values of zinc >1%; (3) values of lead >1%; and (4) values of silver >100 g/t using the high-grade material ICP-AES analytical package ("ME-OG62"). Additional over limit sample values were re-assayed for: (1) values of zinc >30%; (2) values of lead >20% using the high precision analysis of base metal ores AAS analytical package ("Zn, Pb-AAORE"). Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed using the 30 g lead fire assay with ICP-AES finish analytical package ("PGM-ICP23"). Certified standards, blanks, and duplicates were inserted into the sample shipment to ensure integrity of the assay process. Selected samples were chosen for duplicate assay from the coarse reject and pulps of the original sample. No QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported. Some of the data disclosed in this news release is related to historical drilling results. District has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. District considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. The Company's current and future exploration work includes verification of the historical data through drilling. Mr. Ainsworth has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than the Tomtebo Property. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Tomtebo Property. About District Metals Corp. District Metals Corp. is led by industry professionals with a track record of success in the mining industry. The Company's mandate is to seek out, explore, and develop prospective mineral properties through a disciplined science-based approach to create shareholder value and benefit other stakeholders. The advanced exploration stage Tomtebo Property is located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden is the Company's main focus. Tomtebo comprises 5,144 ha and is situated between the historic Falun Mine and Boliden's Garpenberg Mine that are located 25 km to the northwest and southeast, respectively. Two historic polymetallic mines and numerous polymetallic showings are located on the Tomtebo Property along an approximate 17 km trend that exhibits similar geology, structure, alteration and VMS/SedEx style mineralization as other significant mines within the district. Mineralization that is open at depth and along strike at the historic mines on the Tomtebo Property has not been followed up on, and modern systematic exploration has never been conducted on the Property. For further information on the Tomtebo Property, please see the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Update Technical Report on the Tomtebo Project, Bergslagen Region of Sweden" dated effective October 15, 2020 and amended and restated on February 26, 2021, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Garrett Ainsworth" President and Chief Executive Officer (604) 288-4430 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. Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information. This news release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and any similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, predictions, indications, 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. Forward-looking statements in this news release relating to the Company include, among other things, statements relating to the Company's planned exploration activities, including its drill target strategy and next steps for the Tomtebo Property; the company's interpretations and expectations about the mineralization of the Tomtebo Mine; the Company's belief that the numerous gravity high anomalies identified at the historic Tomtebo Mine provide immense expansion potential; the Company's belief that the modeled gravity high anomalies at the historic Tomtebo Mine could correspond with polymetallic and/or iron sulphide mineralization, or a mafic unit; and the Company's belief that the gravity high anomaly located one kilometer to the northeast of the Tomtebo Mine represents a potential grassroots discovery opportunity with a modeled tonnage that compares with the historic production tonnage from the historic Falun Mine. These statements and other forward-looking information are based on opinions, assumptions and estimates made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, assumptions about the reliability of historical data and the accuracy of publicly reported information regarding past and historic mines in the Bergslagen district; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund planned exploration activities, maintain corporate capacity and satisfy the exploration expenditure requirements required by the definitive purchase agreement between the Company and the vendor of the Tomtebo Property (the "Tomtebo Purchase Agreement") by the times specified therein; and stability in financial and capital markets. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks associated with the following: the reliability of historic data regarding the Tomtebo Property; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to finance planned exploration (including incurring prescribed exploration expenditures required by the Tomtebo Purchase Agreement, failing which the Tomtebo Property will be forfeited without any repayment of the purchase price); the Company's limited operating history; the Company's negative operating cash flow and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; the uncertainties associated with early stage exploration activities including general economic, market and business conditions, the regulatory process, failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals, technical issues, potential delays, unexpected events and management's capacity to execute and implement its future plans; the Company's ability to identify any mineral resources and mineral reserves; the substantial expenditures required to establish mineral reserves through drilling and the estimation of mineral reserves or mineral resources; the Company's dependence on one material project, the Tomtebo Property; the uncertainty of estimates used to calculated mineralization figures; changes in governmental regulations; compliance with applicable laws and regulations; competition for future resource acquisitions and skilled industry personnel; reliance on key personnel; title matters; conflicts of interest; environmental laws and regulations and associated risks, including climate change legislation; land reclamation requirements; changes in government policies; volatility of the Company's share price; the unlikelihood that shareholders will receive dividends from the Company; potential future acquisitions and joint ventures; infrastructure risks; fluctuations in demand for, and prices of gold, silver and copper; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; legal proceedings and the enforceability of judgments; going concern risk; risks related to the Company's information technology systems and cyber-security risks; and risk related to the outbreak of epidemics or pandemics or other health crises, including the recent outbreak of COVID-19. For additional information regarding these risks, please see the Company's Annual Information Form, under the heading "Risk Factors", which is available at www.sedar.com. These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company. These factors and assumptions, however, should be considered carefully. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of such factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. All scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared by or reviewed and approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/126820 ReportLinker The e-cigarette market valued USD 23. 6 billion in 2021, and is projected to record a CAGR of 13. 39% during the forecast period (2022-2027). Regular smoking is linked to a number of severe diseases. New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "E-cigarette Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06155627/?utm_source=GNW The World Health Organization stated that smokers were more likely to get affected by COVID-19 than non-smokers. Additionally, in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic had far-reaching consequences on the consumption of e-cigarettes. A study conducted by the Gaiha University showed that nearly 56.4% of the young American population reported change in their e-cigarette use since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, one-third of youth quit vaping, and another one-third reduced their use of e-cigarettes, with the remaining youth either increasing their use or switching to other nicotine or cannabis products. Thus, the study depicts that higher nicotine dependence, e-cigarette use frequency, poor online age verification, and several other factors were associated with sustained use of e-cigarette products. Over the medium term, there has been rising awareness regarding the health hazards associated with smoking. This resulted in high demand for alternatives to traditional cigarettes, such as e-cigarettes. ?Furthermore, rechargeable e-cigarettes have been well received by consumers, aided by their higher levels of flexibility as compared to their single-use counterparts. As disposable e-cigarettes offer cost-effective solutions to the new range of consumers who are looking to test e-cigarettes, the rechargeable e-cigarettes heavily outweigh the cost difference in the long term. ? The growth opportunity for the sales of e-cigarettes through online channels made online vendors improve purchase processes in terms of security and reliability, which, in turn, propelled the demand for these products. ?With the growing popularity of vaping devices, flavor and fragrance vendors are introducing a wide variety of e-liquids to attract consumers. Different flavors, such as menthol, mint, chocolate, cola, bubble gum, and fusions of other fruits and flavoring substances are luring a large number of consumers to adopt these e-cigarette devices. Key Market Trends Cost-effective Solution than Traditional Tobacco A major portion of the world population is considering e-cigarettes or vapes as a healthier option as compared to regular cigarettes. Alongside, the added cost-effective nature of e-cigarettes in comparison to traditional ones drives the growth of the market. For instance, the cost of a single-use, disposable e-cigarette is around USD 1 to USD 15 per product or more. The rechargeable starter kits having multiple pods cost around USD 25 to USD 150 or more, whereas the liquid refill kits cost around USD 50 to USD 75 monthly. The median price of a Marlboro Reds pack is around USD 13 to USD 15, along with having nicotine content as high as 1.9 milligrams in each cigarette. The affordable cost of e-cigarettes, paired with the price-based marketing strategy of the vendors, encourages consumers to buy e-cigarettes. The affordability of the disposable models of e-cigarettes attracts consumers, making them economical for use. Moreover, the reusability of e-cigarettes by refilling adds more value to the cost-effective aspect of the product, providing a cheaper solution to the individuals. North America Holds the Largest Market Share North America holds the largest share in the e-cigarettes market. The involvement of youth in using these products has led to a rise in demand. For instance, youth in the United States are the major consumers of e-cigarettes. In 2020, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 3.6 million US middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the study period of 30 days, including 4.7% of middle school students and 19.6% of high school students. E-cigarettes hold the major share of tobacco products, and currently, more than 3,000 e-cigarette flavors are available in the US market, and a number of flavors are being introduced into the market every year. Nicotine-free e-liquids generate smoother vapes than other variants. Additionally, professional vapers, who perform at several events and involve in chain vaping for practice, consider nicotine-free vaping as the best alternative to traditional vaping in the regional market. The association of vaping/e-cigarettes with fashion appeal drives the demand for e-cigarettes in the North American market. Competitive Landscape The global e-cigarette market facilitates its operation in a highly competitive market. This is due to the presence of several local, domestic, and international players in this segment. Due to several players in the e-cigarette market, the rivalry among the competitors is also intense. Product innovation and development are the most adopted strategies by the players operating in the market studied. With the increasing number of health-conscious consumers worldwide, major players are adopting various strategies to draw consumers attention by introducing various products with new technological advancements. Increasing firm concentration ratio and advertising expenses by companies are also heightening the competition. Key players in the market studied include British American Tobacco PLC, JUUL Labs Inc., Imperial Brands PLC, Philip Morris International Inc., and Japan Tobacco Inc., among others. Additional Benefits: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06155627/?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 Global Helium Corporation Calgary, ALBERTA, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Helium Corp. (CSE: HECO) (OTC: HECOF) (the Company or Global), one of Canadas largest helium exploration and development companies, is pleased to announce it has acquired over 15 contiguous sections of previously tested and proven helium property in the Rudyard area of Montana. This second US acquisition (see Global news release dated May 18, 2022) is on a well-known, helium-proven structure, which has previously produced and tested 1.3% helium at significant flow rates. Through an option agreement, the Company can elect to increase its landholdings by over 60% to over 24 sections. The option agreement has been signed with a private company and can be exercised at the Companys election, if results meet expectations. There are two pre-existing wells on the property, both of which tested extremely favorably for both helium content and overall flow rates. The first well, drilled by Texaco in 1960, flowed at 4.3 mmcf/day with 1.3% of that gas stream being helium, which calculates to over 55 mcf/day of helium. The most recently drilled well was completed by a private company in 2012, which tested 0.9% helium with a flow rate of 2.5 mmcf/d and 545 psi of tubing pressure, indicating a strong reservoir and the potential for higher absolute overall rates. With improved drilling techniques, and updated completion and testing methodologies, the Global team expects to materially improve upon these results. The combined helium rates equate to over 78 mcf/day (28,530 mcf/year). High purity helium has reportedly sold on the spot market at rates well in excess of US$1,200/mcf. Using existing cash on hand, the recently drilled well can be immediately recompleted and a production facility can be purchased off the shelf given that there was no material CO 2 or methane in the gas streams, meaning extraction and purification would be technically simple and low cost. To this end, the Company has already engaged global industrial gas suppliers and off-takers, specifically to commence production at Rudyard. Story continues With thoughts of expansion and capturing additional value during this robust helium market boom, the Company has identified multiple additional drilling locations on this large structure, which could be drilled and tied into the Companys Rudyard production facility. Infrastructure in the area is plentiful, in part, thanks to extensive historical oil and gas development nearby. Roads, welcoming landowners, readily available services and other general infrastructure are all easily accessible in the area. Jesse Griffith, President of Global Helium, commented, The Rudyard acquisition is a monumental step forward for our shareholders, as it provides an immediate pathway to thrust Global into a helium producing, cash-flowing company. The acquisition also brings an additional core area into the Global portfolio that has been substantially de-risked and is already set for expansion through the option agreement. We now have multiple assets with proven helium production and, when we combine those with the scale and potential of our Saskatchewan land base, the future cash flow and massive expandability continues to excite our team and shareholders. Griffith added, I am very happy to see the Global team continuing to meet or exceed the corporate development plans that were communicated previously. Communicating our plans, setting expectations and exceeding those expectations is a core focus for the Global team and is something we will continue to do going forward. High purity helium is used for manufacturing of semiconductor chips, chromatography and semiconductor processing, lab research, MRIs, a shielding gas in welding, a cooling gas for fiber optics, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Demand for helium continues to increase, driven by semi-conductor manufacturing and MRI growth, while security of supply is increasingly under pressure. Supply and demand conditions are expected to continue to worsen, such that demand is expected to (i) continue its aggressive growth curve and (ii) continue to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future. Driven by multiple technical and geopolitical factors, the extreme supply shock is driven by: A total of six helium plants have experienced shutdowns since the beginning of 2022; a fire and an explosion at facilities under development in Russia has delayed potential production by years a fire at the Haven Midstream Gas Plant in Kansas taking a significant volume of US production off-line for the foreseeable future, if not permanently a drastic reduction in helium production in Arzew, Algeria to better meet natural gas shortages being experienced in Europe implementation of sanctions against Russian suppliers, namely, Gazprom; and the Federal In-Kind helium program ending in September 2022, at which point all federal purchasers, including NASA and all government labs, will be forced to buy helium on the open market. Global Helium is expected to form part of the long-term supply solution that has plagued the industry for decades. The helium that Global is pursuing is defined as Green Helium, that is, it is produced not as a by-product of natural gas production. Global Helium is one of the earliest movers to pursue helium in its purest form, as a standalone business, without requiring hydrocarbon production as the primary pursuit and product. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF GLOBAL HELIUM CORPORATION Jesse Griffith Jesse Griffith President For more information: Walter Spagnuolo, Investor Relations Tel: +1 (877) 816 8163 relations@globalhelium.com About Global Helium (CSE: HECO) (OTC: HECOF) Global Helium one of Canadas largest helium exploration and development companies, focused on the exploration, acquisition, development, and production of helium to meet the needs of increasing helium demand and shrinking helium supply in North America and around the world. The Company has a seasoned team of industry professionals and technical experts and has established connections with North American and international helium buyers. Together, the team has captured 100%-owned permits encompassing over 1.5 million acres prospective for helium in Saskatchewans well-established helium fairway and has recently acquired a significant, proven asset in the State of Montana. Find out more at: https://globalhelium.com/. Forward-Looking Statements No securities regulatory authority has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This 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", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this internal announcement are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other 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 internal announcement are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this internal announcement are made as of the date of this internal announcement and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. As part of its global expansion plan, the brand looks to Hong Kong for an important milestone in its Asian development HONG KONG, June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluebell Group announces today its partnership with K-Way French outwear brand. Following the brand's in-market digital launch in June, the new mono-brand physical store opening is planned for October 2022 at Pacific Place under the Swire Group, one of Hong Kong's most premium shopping malls. Le Vrai Windbreaker The iconic French brand known for its windbreaker, lifestyle fashion and sportswear is today part of BasicNet, an Italian company that also owns Kappa, Superga, Briko and Sebago, and on track to rapidly expand beyond its homebase. Bluebell Group, a pioneer in Asia in brand and retail development, operating over 150 brands across the region, will manage the brand's overall presence including an online e-commerce shop, local marketing activation, and overall retail operations. K-Way will be introduced to Hong Kong consumers first through its online k-way.com.hk and a planned physical store in October. Targeting the active young local audience, offering a mix of technical meets fashion apparel, the brand's footprint is expected to grow further in Hong Kong and into Mainland China later this year. "We are very proud to open the first K-Way mono-brand store in Hong Kong and happy to embark on a path to a long presence in the city for the brand and for a long partnership between BasicNet and Bluebell." Lorenzo Boglione, BasicNet Executive Vice Chairman. "We have no doubt K-Way will become an anchor brand for us in Hong Kong, where retail today is geared solely on local consumption. The brand offers a desirable and accessible lifestyle unisex fashion and kids wear, which is one of our core focus for the development of this market. BasicNet has some very exciting global growth plans and hype collaborations for K-Way and we are pleased to play a role in bringing something fresh and playful to our Asian consumers." Samy Redjeb, Bluebell Group Managing Director for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Story continues ABOUT BLUEBELL GROUP Bluebell Group has pioneered building successful brands in Asia since 1954. As Asia's partner of choice, Bluebell Group is present in Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Macau SAR, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Australia. The Group's distribution network includes flagship stores, shop-in-shops, counters, its own multi-brand concepts, as well as a highly selective wholesale network, together with both direct e-commerce and marketplaces, covering both domestic and Travel Retail. The Group operates across multiple product categories: Accessories, Footwear, Apparel, Fragrance, Beauty, Gourmet, Jewellery, Watches, and Tobacco. Bluebell Hong Kong, established in 1967, has 220 employees, 25 retail doors, and operates 5+ leading luxury, fashion, lifestyle and tobacco brands to date. Bluebell Hong Kong is a joint-venture partner of Owndays Japan, a brand under L Catterton Asia portfolio. A family-owned group, Bluebell Group today has over 3,800 staff, 650 points-of-sale, US$2b in turnover. www.bluebellgroup.com ABOUT BASICNET / K-WAY K-Way was born in Paris in 1965, on a rainy day. Clothes retailer Leon-Claude Duhamel observed people rushed by in soaking wet clothes, with uncomfortable umbrellas. He had an idea: creating the first windproof and waterproof packable jacket in history. Classic, modern, hi-tech, functional, and colored, with its iconic 3-colors zipper, K-Way is a registered trademark in the Italian and French dictionaries. K-Way is a brand of BasicNet SpA, the Company also owner of Kappa, Robe di Kappa, Jesus Jeans, Superga, Sabelt, Briko and Sebago. BasicNet operates worldwide through an international network of entrepreneurs, licensees of the brands, which produce or distribute the products. BasicNet offers to its network services of research, development, industrialization of the products, and global marketing. All the company processes occur only through the Web, making BasicNet a "fully web integrated company". BasicNet, with headquarters in Turin, Italy, is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 1999. PRESS CONTACTS Bluebell Group Anne Geronimi ageronimi@bluebellgroup.com Outdoor Billboard Venice Shop interior SOURCE Bluebell Group By Trend Changes and additions to the constitution of Kazakhstan, adopted at the referendum held on June 5, entered into force after the publication of the voting results in the local newspapers, Trend reports citing Kazakh media. Previously, at a meeting of the Central Referendum Commission (CRC), its chairman Nurlan Abdirov said that the amendments, supported by the majority of citizens of Kazakhstan, will come into effect from the day the official report on the results of the referendum is published. In turn, the deputy head of the CRC, Konstantin Petrov, explained that such a message from the commission would be published in the following republican newspapers: "Yegemen Kazakhstan" (Independent Kazakhstan) and "Kazakhstanskaya Pravda". Newcore Gold Ltd. Drilling at Tokosea, a New Discovery at Enchi, Intersects Additional Mineralization VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newcore Gold Ltd. ("Newcore" or the "Company") (TSX-V: NCAU, OTCQX: NCAUF) is pleased to announce drill results from the 90,000 metre drill program underway at the Companys 100% owned Enchi Gold Project ("Enchi" or the "Project") in Ghana. First pass Reverse Circulation ("RC") drilling at the Tokosea Gold Target ("Tokosea"), completed as part of the inaugural drill program on the grassroot target at Enchi, intersected 1.29 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 13.0 metres ("m") from 42 m in the oxides, with an additional zone in the upper sulphides intersecting 0.48 g/t Au over 32.0 m from 106 m, including 1.06 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 108 m. Tokosea is a new greenfield discovery at Enchi where first pass drilling has highlighted the strong potential to delineate additional resources across the 216 km2 land package at Enchi. Highlights from Drilling at Tokosea Drilling on the southern end of the Tokosea trend intersected multiple structures and has extended the drill tested gold mineralization 100 metres to the south: Hole TORC057 intersected mineralization in both the near surface oxides and upper portions of the sulphides. Near surface the hole intersected 1.29 g/t Au over 13.0 m from 42 m. Within the upper sulphides the hole intersected 0.48 g/t Au over 32.0 m from 106 m, including 1.06 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 108 m. Drilling on the central portion of the main trend at Tokosea extended the zone to depth, as well as up- and down- dip from prior drill tested mineralization: Hole TORC081 intersected 1.64 g/t Au over 10.0 m from 158 m. Hole TORC077 intersected 2.11 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 71 m. Hole TORC070 intersected 1.73 g/t Au over 8.0 m from 28 m and 1.62 g/t Au over 2.0 m from 78 m. Drilling on a sub-parallel structure at Tokosea intersected gold mineralization within the near-surface oxidized zone, including: Hole TORC063 intersected 1.34 g/t Au over 8.0 m from 10 m. Story continues Strong results from drilling at Tokosea, a new greenfield discovery at Enchi, continue to highlight the potential for mineral resource growth at Enchi: This drilling was completed as part of the first pass discovery drilling completed at Tokosea in 2022, with prior results announced March 7, 2022 and April 20, 2022. Tokosea is outlined on surface by a six-kilometre-long and two-to-three-kilometre-wide gold-in-soil anomaly. Previous drill intercepts at Tokosea include: 1.80 g/t Au over 27.0 m from 30 m including 4.13 g/t Au over 3.0 m from 31 m in TORC045, and 1.67 g/t Au over 17.0 m from 131 m including 18.17 g/t Au over 1.0 m from 131 m in TORC032 (see Newcores April 20, 2022 news release). Greg Smith, VP Exploration of Newcore stated, "We are excited by the results we have achieved from our inaugural drill program at Tokosea. Only 82 holes have been drilled on the target, with drilling testing mineralization to an average vertical depth of only 75 metres. First pass drilling at Tokosea focused on testing shallow gold mineralization within the oxides and upper portion of the sulphides, with the target remaining open along strike and at depth and only a small portion of the anomaly tested to date. These results expand this new discovery at Enchi and confirm the potential for resource growth across the Project, a district scale property located on a prolific gold belt that hosts a number of multi-million-ounce gold mines." This news release reports results for 26 RC holes totalling 3,501 m (TORC057 to TORC082) targeting the Tokosea Gold Target. 20 of the 26 holes intersected gold mineralization. Select assay results from the 26 holes of the drill program reported in this release are below: Table 1 - Enchi Gold Project Drill Highlights Hole ID Zone/Deposit From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) TORC057 Tokosea 42.0 55.0 13.0 1.29 and 106.0 138.0 32.0 0.48 including 108.0 115.0 7.0 1.06 TORC081 Tokosea 158.0 168.0 10.0 1.64 TORC077 Tokosea 71.0 78.0 7.0 2.11 TORC070 Tokosea 28.0 36.0 8.0 1.73 and 78.0 80.0 2.0 1.62 TORC063 Tokosea 10.0 18.0 8.0 1.34 TORC080 Tokosea 84.0 113.0 29.0 0.35 including 85.0 91.0 6.0 0.53 Notes: 1. See detailed table for complete results 2. Intervals reported are hole lengths with true width estimated to be 75 - 85% 3. Length-weighted averages from uncut assays A plan map showing the drill hole locations can be viewed at: https://newcoregold.com/site/assets/files/5772/2022_06-ncau-nr-enchi-plan-map-tokosea-l.pdf A cross section showing drill results and highlights for hole TORC057 can be viewed at: https://newcoregold.com/site/assets/files/5772/2022_06-ncau-crosssection-torc057-l.pdf A complete list of the 2020 2022 drill results released to date, including hole details, can be viewed at: https://newcoregold.com/site/assets/files/5772/2022_06-ncau-enchi-2020-2022-drill-results-l.pdf Drilling at Tokosea Tokosea is a large, previously undrilled gold target at Enchi, located in the central portion of the property to the north of the Sewum Gold Deposit. Tokosea is outlined on surface by a six-kilometre-long and two-to-three-kilometre-wide gold-in-soil anomaly. Drilling on the southern end of the Tokosea trend has now expanded the gold mineralization defined on the main structure, intersecting multiple zones in the oxides and upper portion of the sulphides. Hole TORC057 intersected a near surface structure with 1.29 g/t Au over 13.0 m from 42 m in the oxides, and a deeper structure in the sulphides with 0.48 g/t Au over 32.0 m from 106 m, including 1.06 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 108 m extending the drill tested gold mineralization 100 metres to the south. Drilling on the central portion of the main structure at Tokosea, 1.5 kilometres northeast of hole TORC057, extended the main mineralized zone up- and down- dip from the previously drill tested zone. Hole TORC081 extended mineralization on the central portion of the main structure by 100 metres to the south, intersecting 1.64 g/t Au over 10.0 m from 158 m. Hole TORC070, collared 400 metres north of TORC081, intersected an upper mineralized zone in the oxides with 1.73 g/t Au over 8.0 m from 28 m, and 1.62 g/t Au over 2.0 m from 78 m in the sulphides. Hole TORC077, 100 metres north of TORC081, intersected 2.11 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 71 m. A series of holes at Tokosea also tested a sub-parallel zone located approximately 350 metres west of the main structure. Drilling intersected additional gold mineralization within the near-surface oxidized zone and upper portion of the sulphide zone. Hole TORC063 tested the central portion of the sub-parallel structure and intersected 1.34 g/t Au over 8.0 m from 10 m within the oxides. Hole TORC080 intersected a broad zone of gold mineralization in the sulphides with 0.35 g/t Au over 29.0 m from 84 m, including 0.53 g/t Au over 6.0 m from 85 m. Hole TORC065 intersected two gold zones in the oxides with an upper mineralized zone of 0.31 g/t Au over 19.0 m from 24 m, and a second zone with 0.81 g/t Au over 4.0 m from 57 m. First pass drilling at Tokosea now consists of 82 RC holes totalling 10,238 m (TORC001 to TORC082) designed to test gold-in-soil and trench anomalies. The wide spaced and shallow drilling tested several targets within a four-kilometre-by-two-kilometre area, with 68 of the 82 holes intersecting gold mineralization. Enchi Gold Project Mineral Resource Estimate The Enchi Gold Project hosts a pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource of 70.4 million tonnes grading 0.62 g/t Au containing 1.41 million ounces gold (see Newcore news release dated June 8, 2021). Mineral resource estimation practices are in accordance with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Best Practice Guidelines (November 29, 2019) and follow CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 10, 2014), that are incorporated by reference into National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"). The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by independent qualified person Todd McCracken, P. Geo. of BBA E&C Inc. The technical report, titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Enchi Gold Project, Enchi, Ghana" has an effective date of June 8, 2021, and is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 2020 - 2022 Enchi Drilling Program A 90,000 metre discovery and resource expansion drilling program is underway at Enchi (anticipated completion in Q2 2022). The program includes both RC and diamond drilling and includes the first deeper drilling on the Project. Newcores multi-pronged exploration approach has delivered on the goals set out at the start of drilling: (i) successfully outlined potential resource growth along strike at all four existing deposits (Sewum, Boin, Nyam, Kwakyekrom); (ii) encountered strong results at previously drilled zones that are outside of the resource area (Kojina Hill and Eradi); (iii) drilling intersected high-grade at depth which has outlined the potential for underground resources; and (iv) identified new discoveries from successful first pass drilling on early stage kilometre-scale gold-in-soil anomalous targets (Sewum South, Tokosea). For the total planned 90,000 metre drill program, assay results have now been received and released for 549 holes representing 86,565 metres. Tokosea Gold Target The Tokosea Target is located in the central portion of the Enchi Gold Project and is one of the largest anomalous areas with gold-in-soil and associated geophysical anomalies. Tokosea is located 15 kilometres southeast of the town of Enchi, with nearby roads and power and further access provided by a series of drill roads. Tokosea is outlined on surface by a six-kilometre-long and two-to-three-kilometre-wide gold-in-soil anomaly. An airborne geophysical anomaly coincident with the area defines a series of sub-parallel and intersecting structures. Historic artisanal small scale open pit and underground mining has occurred on individual structures dating as far back as the early 20th century. The area was untested by drilling prior to the current drill program. 82 RC holes totalling 10,238 metres were completed and released as part of the current drill program. Drill Hole Locations Table 2 - Enchi Gold Project Drill Hole Location Details Hole ID UTM East UTM North Elevation Azimuth Dip Length (m) TORC057 629167 522608 130 120 -50 150 TORC058 629278 522608 136 120 -50 114 TORC059 629325 522691 135 120 -50 156 TORC060 630004 522974 137 120 -50 150 TORC061 630092 523016 140 120 -50 150 TORC062 630143 523088 137 120 -50 150 TORC063 630275 523132 122 120 -50 123 TORC064 630395 523112 121 120 -50 174 TORC065 630458 523197 114 120 -50 150 TORC066 630324 523852 132 120 -50 132 TORC067 630374 523781 108 120 -50 156 TORC068 630263 523800 121 120 -50 132 TORC069 630285 523722 116 120 -57 207 TORC070 630530 523911 138 120 -50 132 TORC071 630592 523798 122 120 -50 150 TORC072A 630428 523681 121 120 -50 162 TORC073 630713 523823 135 120 -55 96 TORC074 630648 523929 136 120 -50 150 TORC075 630615 523999 150 120 -50 78 TORC076 630575 524062 172 300 -50 150 TORC077 630236 523812 118 300 -50 102 TORC078 630351 523177 130 300 -55 48 TORC079 630360 523153 116 120 -70 54 TORC080 630324 523225 136 300 -50 120 TORC081 630190 523670 131 120 -50 171 TORC082 630107 523757 118 300 -70 144 Newcore Gold Best Practice Newcore is committed to best practice standards for all exploration, sampling and drilling activities. Drilling was completed by an independent drilling firm using industry standard RC and Diamond Drill equipment. Analytical quality assurance and quality control procedures include the systematic insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates into the sample strings. Samples are placed in sealed bags and shipped directly to Intertek Labs located in Tarkwa, Ghana for 50 gram gold fire assay. Qualified Person Mr. Gregory Smith, P. Geo, Vice President of Exploration at Newcore, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the technical data and information contained in this news release. Mr. Smith has verified the technical and scientific data disclosed herein and has conducted appropriate verification on the underlying data including confirmation of the drillhole data files against the original drillhole logs and assay certificates. About Newcore Gold Ltd. Newcore Gold is advancing its Enchi Gold Project located in Ghana, Africas largest gold producer (1). The Project currently hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.41 million ounces of gold at 0.62 g/t (2). Newcore Gold offers investors a unique combination of top-tier leadership, who are aligned with shareholders through their 27% equity ownership, and prime district scale exploration opportunities. Enchis 216 km2 land package covers 40 kilometres of Ghanas prolific Bibiani Shear Zone, a gold belt which hosts several 5 million-ounce gold deposits, including Kinross Chirano mine 50 kilometers to the north. Newcores vision is to build a responsive, creative and powerful gold enterprise that maximizes returns for shareholders. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Newcore Gold Ltd. Luke Alexander President, CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Mal Karwowska | Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1 604 484 4399 info@newcoregold.com www.newcoregold.com (1) Source: Production volumes for 2020 as sourced from the World Gold Council (2) Notes for Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate: 1. CIM definition standards were followed for the resource estimate. 2. The 2021 resource models used ordinary kriging (OK) grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids and constrained by pits shell for Sewum, Boin and Nyam. Kwakyekrom used Inverse Distance squared (ID2). 3. A base cut-off grade of 0.2 g/t Au was used with a capping of gold grades varied by deposit and zone. 4. A US$1,650/ounce gold price, open pit with heap leach operation was used to determine the cut-off grade of 0.2 g/t Au. Mining costs of US$1.40 for oxides, US$2.10 for transition, and US$2.60 for fresh rock per mined tonne and G&A and milling costs of US$6.83/milled tonne. The Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is pit constrained. 5. Metallurgical recoveries have been applied to four individual deposits and in each case three material types (oxide, transition, and fresh rock) with average recoveries of 77% for Sewum, 79% for Boin, 60% for Nyam and 72% for Kwakyekrom. 6. A density of 2.20 g/cm3 for oxide, 2.45 g/cm3 for transition, and 2.70 g/cm3 for fresh rock was applied. 7. Optimization pit slope angles varied based on the rock types. 8. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. Numbers may not add due to rounding. 9. These numbers are from the technical report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Enchi Gold Project, Enchi, Ghana", with an effective date of June 8, 2021, prepared for Newcore Gold by BBA E&C Inc. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and is available under Newcores SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes statements that contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). 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 discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: statements about the estimation of mineral resources; results of our ongoing drill campaign, magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; and future exploration prospects. These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. The assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Newcore. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Newcore believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Newcore cannot assure its 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. Forward-looking information also involves 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 the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: risks related to the speculative nature of the Companys business; the Companys formative stage of development; the Companys financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold and other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, unusual or unexpected geological formations); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE/ June 8, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of a new interview with Euro Asia Pay Holdings on their latest news. The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives. Euro Asia Pay Holdings Inc (CSE:EAP) announces name change to Hero Innovation Group The Market Herald, Wednesday, June 8, 2022, Press release picture Euro Asia Pay Holdings (EAP) has changed its corporate name to "Hero Innovation Group Inc." As a result of this, the company's trading symbol on the Canadian Securities Exchange will change from "EAP" to "HRO". Peter MacKay, CEO of Hero Innovation Group sat down with Coreena Robertson to discuss the news. For the full interview with Peter MacKay and to learn more about Hero Innovation Group, click here Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald. About The Market Herald The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets. DISCLAIMER: Report Card Canada Media Ltd. ("Report Card") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market Herald Limited, an Australian company ("Market Herald"). Report Card is not an advisory service, and does not offer, buy, sell, or provide any other rating, analysis or opinion on the securities we discuss. We are retained and compensated by the companies that we provide information on to assist them with making information available to the public. All information available on themarketherald.ca and/or this press release should be considered as commercial advertisement and not an endorsement, offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities. 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Story continues CONTACT: The Market Herald Charity Robertson charity.robertson@themarketherald.ca themarketherald.ca SOURCE: The Market Herald View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/704378/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-New-Interview-with-Euro-Asia-Pay-Holdings MELBOURNE, Australia, June 08, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rio Tinto has called for proposals to develop large-scale wind and solar power in Central and Southern Queensland to power its aluminium assets, help meet its climate change ambitions and further encourage renewable development and industry in the region. The approach, which is through a formal market Request for Proposals (RFP), is intended to support the development of multiple new wind and solar power projects that can, in parallel with firming solutions, start supplying power to Rio Tintos Gladstone assets through the Queensland grid by 2030. Rio Tinto Aluminium Chief Executive Ivan Vella said "As Queenslands largest energy user, we have an important role to play in driving the development of competitive renewable energy sources for our Gladstone assets and supporting the States renewable energy targets. "It is early in the process, but this is an important step towards meeting both our Group climate change target of halving our emissions by the end of the decade and our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050." Rio Tinto is seeking proposals that can competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region: the Boyne smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. These assets require 1140MW of reliable power to operate, which equates to at least 4000MW of quality wind or solar power with firming. The RFP follows Rio Tintos October 2021 strengthening of its climate commitments, including a target to halve Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 2030 (from a 2018 baseline) and the pursuit of renewable power options for its Australian aluminium smelters. It also follows the signing of a Statement of Co-operation with the Queensland Government to work towards establishing more renewable energy in Central Queensland. Further announcements on the RFP will be made when appropriate. riotinto.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005475/en/ Story continues Contacts Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose M +61 447 028 913 Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Rio Tinto plc 6 St Jamess Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 Category: General Deep Network Analytics and Applied Machine Learning Provides Intelligence Related to Network for Improving Customer Experience CUPERTINO, Calif., June 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobileum Inc. ("Mobileum"), a leading global provider of analytics solutions for roaming and network services, security, risk management, testing, and monitoring, today announced it has entered into a multi-year partnership with PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk ("Smartfren"), a leading progressive mobile operator in Indonesia. The new contract delivers Mobileum's digital insights and network analytics which will allow Smartfren to strengthen and enhance Customer experience and personalized product development as well as improve service quality and performance for its over 33 million subscribers in Indonesia. Smartfren will leverage Mobileum's recently acquired Niometrics' Deep Network Analytics (DNA) software to derive insights from the volumes of user data traversing its network. Integrating with Smarfren's existing data core network and its data-warehouse the solution identifies multi-dimensional data attributes, uncovering how the network responds to specific usage demands, providing Smartfren with trends into the application experience and overall device performance in the network. To cater to growing demand for video streaming in Indonesia, Smartfren will also use Mobileum's Video Streaming Analytics (VSA) solution to deliver high quality online video experiences to its customers. VSA uses advanced machine learning algorithms to determine performance and experience metrics, such as poor resolution or high buffering times, and gives Smartfren the capability to quantify, assess, and improve the quality of video streams delivered throughout its network. This partnership reaffirms Smartfren's commitment as Indonesia's leading telecoms provider to continuously invest in emerging technologies and offer an exceptional quality of service to its customers. Commenting on the partnership between Smartfren and Mobileum, Sandeep Mishra, CEO of Sinarmas Cognitive and Big Data, said: "Smartfren is excited to leverage Mobileum's deep network analytics towards better product offerings and improved experience to our customers. The insights from the solution will help us drive both performance and experience improvements across all customer segments. Story continues Commenting on the partnership, Sam Lau, Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Analytics and Engagement of Mobileum, said: "We are very pleased with the opportunity to collaborate with Smartfren in its pursuit of excellence for complex digital networks. Being the leading progressive mobile operator in Indonesia, the company gives Mobileum the privilege to stretch our network analytics technology into the territory of ground-breaking scalability. We are confident that our analytics solutions will serve Smartfren well in its pursuit of service excellence." About Smartfren PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk (IDX: FREN) is one of the telecommunications service providers in Indonesia. In 2015, Smartfren innovated by launching the first commercial 4G LTE Advanced service in Indonesia, and in early 2016, Smartfren again made history as a telecommunications company in Indonesia that provides Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services commercially. In 2017, Smartfren confirmed its position as a leading telecommunications operator service provider in providing 4G-based telecommunications services and made Smartfren the only operator operating on a fully 4G network. In 2019, Smartfren successfully carried out a 5G trial which was carried out in Jakarta and this year, Smartfren became the first operator in Indonesia to present eSIM innovation. With the eSIM innovation, Smartfren gives its customers the advantage to access the Smartfren network to their communication devices without using a physical SIM card. eSIM stores phone numbers, subscription packages, network configurations that allow your device to connect to Smartfren. Now, with a wide network coverage area, through around 42,000 4G BTS spread across 220 cities throughout Indonesia, Smartfren has been asked to become the official telco partner for well-known global smartphone brands, such as Samsung. For internet service packages, Smartfren is currently establishing itself as a telecommunications operator that provides a variety of starter packs and internet package services. Smartfren has a Starter Card and Smartfren GOKIL MAX, Unlimited, Quota Nonstop, and 1ON+ internet packages. In addition to offering a variety of data and voice products and services, Smartfren also provides corporate business solutions, for business solutions for institutions and corporations in Indonesia. For more information, please visit www.smartfren.com About Mobileum Inc. Mobileum is a leading provider of Telecom analytics solutions for roaming, core network, security, risk management, domestic and international connectivity testing, and customer intelligence. More than 1,000 customers rely on its Active Intelligence platform, which provides advanced analytics solutions, allowing customers to connect deep network and operational intelligence with real-time actions that increase revenue, improve customer experience, and reduce costs. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Mobileum has global offices in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Portugal, Singapore, and UK. Learn more in https://www.mobileum.com/ and follow @MobileumInc on Twitter Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1431792/Mobileum_Logo.jpg Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smartfren-and-mobileum-sign-multi-year-agreement-to-enhance-customer-experience-and-personalized-product-development-301562240.html SOURCE Mobileum The union representing Starbucks workers faced unusual losses in Chicago union elections Tuesday with baristas at two out of three stores voting against unionization. All three elections, conducted by the National Labor Relations Board over Zoom, were tight. Baristas at the Starbucks at 155 N. Wabash Ave. in the Loop voted 7-6 against unionizing with Starbucks Workers United, the Service Employees International Union affiliate representing Starbucks employees, and baristas at 2543 N. California Ave. in Palmer Square voted 10-8 against unionizing. Workers at a Hyde Park store at 1174 E. 55th St. voted in favor of the union 5-3, bringing the number of unionized Starbucks stores in Chicago up to three. The Hyde Park store is the first on the South Side to unionize. Tuesdays losses in Chicago were atypical, particularly in a city often referred to as a union town. As of last week, Starbucks baristas had won 100 out of 121 union elections that had been held nationwide. In Chicago, two stores in Edgewater voted to unionize about two weeks ago. The first Illinois stores to unionize, located in Cary and Peoria, voted to do so in April. Baristas at a store in La Grange voted against the union in May. The unions Chicago-area record now stands at three losses and two wins. The Starbucks campaign is one example of a recent upsurge in labor organizing. Union filings with the NLRB were up 57% in the first half of this fiscal year when compared to the same time period in fiscal year 2021. Nationally, workers at more than 270 Starbucks in 34 states have filed for union elections, according to late-May data from the National Labor Relations Board. The company is facing numerous complaints from the agency alleging a range of illegal behavior, including surveillance and the firing of baristas seeking to organize. Jasper Booth-Hodges, who works at the Hyde Park store that voted in favor of the union, said he felt relieved. Im really proud of my team for coming through, he said. I work my first shift at a union Starbucks tomorrow. Story continues In a statement, Starbucks called the Palmer Square and Loop votes a resounding vote of confidence in moving forward and continuing to partner directly with Starbucks. The company said it will respect the process and will bargain in good faith with workers in Hyde Park. We respect the right of the partners to decide for themselves, said Kathy Hanshew, international vice president of Workers United, in a statement. Organized labor was founded on the principle of empowering workers to have a say in their work lives and future and that is what these partners did. Hanshew called into question the length of time between the stores filing and election dates. The amount of time that it is taking the Board here to get these locations to a vote allowed a tremendous amount of time for management to hold captive audience meetings, coerce and intimidate the partners, she said. The three stores for which votes were counted Tuesday were the first in Chicago to file for union elections; all did so in January. The two Edgewater stores that voted to unionize two weeks ago filed for elections significantly later, in March and April. Booth-Hodges said it was challenging to keep morale up while waiting for the election. It really put a lot of us in a really tough spot, he said. Booth-Hodges also pointed to interim CEO Howard Schultzs announcement in May of new pay raises and benefits that he said would not apply to unionized stores as a challenge for organizers. Robert Bruno, director of the labor studies program at the University of Illinois, said the gap of time between filing for an election and the vote count can be a challenge for unions, which find themselves needing to create a kind of antidote to the anti-labor messages and practices that are going to come from the employer. Bruno argued Schultzs benefits plan would likely be illegal. Nonetheless, he made that claim, and it gives the employer an opportunity to begin to pick off workers, he said. In a statement, Starbucks reiterated earlier comments that new pay and benefits changes will apply to stores where Starbucks has the right to unilaterally make these changes, arguing that it lacked the right to do so in stores that have unions or that are organizing. Bruno cautioned against attempting to extrapolate larger patterns from the two losses in Chicago Tuesday, saying the result of any individual union election comes down to what workers are experiencing on the ground and what tactics are employed by companies and unions attempting to win them over. Still, he said, it seemed as if Starbucks Workers United was entering another phase in its union push now that Starbucks has realized the national scope of its campaign and may be taking it more seriously. Theyre a big wealthy company, and theyre going to use the tools legal and maybe kind-of-sort-of legal the tools they can use to try to stop this wildfire from spreading, he said. In response, Bruno said, organizers will likely ramp up their campaigning and worker education to keep winning elections. You cant take it for granted, Bruno said. These folks are getting wins in right-to-work states with low union density. And yet, they lost two out of three in Chicago. So it really requires, I think, people to look carefully at each individual case. In total, 10 Chicago-area stores have filed for union elections since January, most recently in Edgewater and West Rogers Park. Votes will be counted June 14 for an election at the Starbucks located at 2101 W. Armitage Ave. in Bucktown. By Sarah Wu and Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) said on Wednesday it has no concrete plans for factories in Europe - remarks that come amid efforts by the European Union to encourage Taiwanese firms to manufacture chips there. With many industries suffering from a global shortage of semiconductors, Taiwan and the EU held high level trade talks last week with chip cooperation at the top of the agenda. In February, the EU unveiled the European Chips Act, with the bloc mentioning Taiwan as one of the "like-minded partners" Europe would like to work with. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and Asia's most valuable listed company, flagged a year ago that it was in the early stages of reviewing a potential expansion into Germany but there appears to have been no substantive progress since then. "In Europe, we have relatively fewer customers, but we are still assessing and still do not have any concrete plans," Chairman Mark Liu told an annual shareholders' meeting. TSMC is spending $12 billion on chip factories in the United States and is building a factory with Sony Group in Japan to help alleviate the global chip shortage. Liu said the company was seeing higher costs for its U.S. expansion than estimated. "But we can handle it," he added. TSMC also said it expects revenue growth of around 30% this year, at the upper end of an earlier forecast, as the chip shortage keeps order books full and prices high. (Reporting by Sarah Wu and Yimou Lee; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Edwina Gibbs) TECUMSEH The struggles, advancements and significant milestones in the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community will be explored through a Michigan perspective during a virtual presentation with the Tecumseh District Library Thursday, June 9. Shock Waves from Stonewall: LGBT Liberation in Michigan will be presented from 7 to 8 p.m. While there is no cost to view the presentation, registration is required so the library can email viewers the program link. To register, call 517-423-2238. The Tecumseh District Librarys Facebook page will also be streaming the presentation. There is no cost to view the program on Facebook, and registering with the library is not required when watching the presentation on Facebook. Tim Retzloff of Michigan State Universitys Center for Gender in Global Context will host a virtual presentation with the Tecumseh District Library from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 9. The presentation will discuss the struggles, advancements and significant milestones of the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community. In 1969, the release said, the Stonewall Uprising in New York City a series of spontaneous protests by members of the gay community in response to police raids that began in the morning hours of June 28, at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City catapulted the issues of gay rights to Americas center stage. In Michigan meanwhile, the LGBTQ community responded with its own movement, the release said, which led to even more significant milestones and changes. Tim Retzloff of Michigan State Universitys Center for Gender in Global Context will lead the presentation. An advocate for the LGBT+ community, Retzloff, the release said, recently wrote a full-color, nonfiction comic book titled Come Out! In Detroit, which tells the history of the 1972 Christopher Street Detroit March, which had an estimated attendance of 200 to 400 participants and was the first LGBTQ Pride march in Michigan. Isabel Clare Paul, an Ypsilanti artist and graduate of the Center for Creative studies in Detroit, created the illustrations for the comic, which hit store shelves June 2. Retzloff is also the former editor of Between the Lines, Michigans LGBTQ newspaper. The program, a news release from the library said, is sponsored by Edward Jones financial adviser Frank J. Zanger, Old National Bank and The Tecumseh Herald. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Tecumseh District Library program looks at LGBTQ history in Michigan Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks at a demonstration calling on Congress to pass gun safety laws near the Capitol in Washington, June 8, 2022. (Shuran Huang/The New York Times) For more than a decade, as mass shooting has followed mass shooting in the United States, Democrats in Congress have proposed gun restrictions to try to prevent the next tragedy, hoping that the fresh outrage and anguish of another massacre would finally yield some consensus. Each time after gun massacres at concerts, grocery stores, a Bible study and, most wrenchingly, elementary schools they have failed amid Republican opposition. We have these truly horrific moments, and then it seems like very little happens because of Republicans in Congress doing the gun lobbys bidding, said Robin Lloyd, managing director of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times We have had the biggest challenges in getting something done at the federal level, she added, noting that there has been more action in the states, with more than 450 pieces of legislation signed into law since the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Here is a look at a decades worth of failed efforts in Congress to address gun violence after mass shootings. SANDY HOOK, 2012: 26 DEAD, INCLUDING 20 CHILDREN On Dec. 14, 2012, a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 6- and 7-year-old children. It was the deadliest shooting at an elementary, middle or high school in the countrys history. What was proposed: A bill by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., to strengthen criminal background checks on gun buyers. What happened: After the massacre, President Barack Obama made an urgent call for gun safety measures and deputized his vice president, Joe Biden, to lay the groundwork for the effort. Democrats drafted legislation to expand background checks, as well as an assault weapons ban and a measure to limit the size of gun magazines. The background-check proposal appeared to have the best chance of bipartisan buy-in, but talks stretched on for months with no deal. The one that was finally struck lost support as the vote neared, amid an intense lobbying effort by the National Rifle Association, which claimed that it would create a national gun registry even though the bill explicitly outlawed the creation of one. Story continues Obama said that the day of the failed vote was a shameful day in Washington. How they voted: On a 54-46 vote in the Senate, the measure fell short of the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster. Five Democrats joined a majority of Republicans in opposing it. CHARLESTON, 2015: NINE DEAD On June 17, 2015, a white gunman shot and killed nine Black people attending a Bible study at an African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. What was proposed: Democrats proposed closing the Charleston loophole, which allows dealers to complete gun sales if a criminal background check takes longer than three business days. What happened: With Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress, no hearing or vote was held. How they voted: Did not receive a floor vote in the House or Senate. SAN BERNARDINO, 2015: 14 DEAD A married couple, described by federal officials as supporters of the Islamic State group, fired automatic weapons at community members at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people. What was proposed: A clone of the Manchin-Toomey bill to extend criminal background checks to guns purchased online and another bill, by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to bar individuals on the terrorism watchlist from buying firearms. What happened: Days after the shooting, Democrats proposed the legislation. Republicans countered with their own alternatives, one that would have given the attorney general the power to impose a 72-hour delay for individuals on the watchlist seeking to purchase a gun, and another to outlaw so-called straw gun purchases and gun trafficking, and to create incentives for states to provide mental health records to a national database. How they voted: The Senate rejected Manchins measure on a 50-48 vote. Feinsteins failed 54-45, with one Democrat joining Republicans in opposition. Both Republican measures also failed. PULSE NIGHTCLUB, 2016: 49 DEAD Nearly 50 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group. What was proposed: Four competing proposals, mirroring those considered after the San Bernardino shooting. What happened: Eight days after the shooting, the Senate deadlocked, largely along party lines, on amendments to block people on the federal terrorism watchlist from buying guns and to close loopholes in background check laws. How they voted: All four measures failed to gain 60 votes, the threshold for advancing most legislation in the Senate, mostly along party lines. LAS VEGAS SHOOTING, 2017: 60 DEAD A lone gunman perched on the 32nd floor of a high-rise hotel suite opened fire at a concert on the Las Vegas Strip in the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. What was proposed: A bipartisan ban on bump stocks, which allow a semi-automatic rifle to fire hundreds of rounds per minute. What happened: When it was revealed the gunman outfitted his firearms with bump stocks, members of both parties moved to ban the devices. But the efforts in Congress stalled. The Trump administration eventually enacted a ban through regulations. How they voted: Did not receive a floor vote. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, 2017: 26 DEAD During a 2017 shooting in Texas, a gunman opened fire at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, killing 26 people. The gunman was able to purchase his weapons despite a domestic violence conviction. What was proposed: The Fix NICS Act, the rare bipartisan piece of gun legislation backed by the NRA, made modest improvements to the background checks system, requiring states and federal agencies to do a better job reporting legal and mental health records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. What happened: The measure, which gun control advocates describe as important but extremely modest, passed as part of a giant 2018 catchall spending bill. President Donald Trump signed it into law. How they voted: The measure passed the House by a 256-167 vote and the Senate 65-32. PARKLAND, 2018: 17 DEAD, INCLUDING 14 STUDENTS On Feb. 14, 2018, a former student slaughtered 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, including 14 students. What was proposed: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a red flag bill, seeking to give law enforcement the ability to restrict gun access for unstable and potentially violent people. The Trump administration also issued a new rule banning bump stocks, the attachments that enable semi-automatic rifles to fire in sustained, rapid bursts and that the gunman in the Las Vegas massacre used. What happened: Students took the lead pushing for action after the tragedy. But they made little headway in Congress, with Republicans in control of the Senate. The only significant federal change was a ban on bump stocks that had already been under review at the Justice Department. (The gunman in the Parkland massacre did not use a bump stock.) How they voted: Rubios bill, which he has reintroduced twice, never received a floor vote. EL PASO AND DAYTON, 2019: 32 DEAD A man wearing body armor shot and killed nine people, including his sister, in Dayton, Ohio, hours after a gunman with a rifle entered a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, and killed 23 people in August 2019. What was proposed: Democrats and a handful of Republicans proposed taking up House-passed legislation to expand criminal background checks of gun purchasers to gun shows and online sales, and to extend the time the FBI has to complete background checks. What happened: Immediately after the shootings, Trump opened the door to expanded background checks and other proposals to keep guns away from unstable people. The Justice Department also began circulating a proposal that would expand background checks to include all sales at gun shows, but the key Republicans on Capitol Hill viewed the idea with skepticism. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the Senate majority leader at the time, insisted that he would not take up any legislation unless Trump agreed to sign it into law. Trump backed away from his position, saying that sufficient background checks were in place and the focus should instead be on mental health. How they voted: No floor vote on any legislation took place. 2022 The New York Times Company (Getty) When the House 6 January select committee convenes its first hearing to examine the worst attack on the US Capitol since 1814, the nine-member panel and the two witnesses who will testify Thursday will be the highest-profile occupants of the ornate Cannon House Office Building Caucus Room since the infamous House Un-American Activities Committee used it for hearings in the mid-20th century. Seventy-four years after Hollywood luminaries like acclaimed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo were blacklisted after failing to answer that committees questions about whether they had now or ever been members of the Communist Party, one of the film industrys finest will once again be a star witness in the exact same room. The select committee on Tuesday announced that one of the first two witnesses to testify in what is expected to be a series of at least eight hearings will be Nick Quested, the award-winning documentarian who earned an Oscar nomination for his film Restrepo in 2010. The other will be Caroline Edwards, a US Capitol Police officer who was one of the first to be on the receiving end of blows delivered by the pro-Trump mob who stormed the Capitol in hopes of preventing Congress from certifying Joe Bidens 2020 election victory. Both witnesses will testify during the second hour of the two-hour hearing, following opening presentations by the select committees chairman Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, the panels vice-chair. The Independent has learned that the panels aim in putting Ms Edwards and Mr Quested in the spotlight for the first prime time hearing on the 6 January insurrection is to highlight the role played by the pro-Trump extremist groups in starting and escalating the violence. Mr Quested, who spent the days leading up to the riot embedded with leaders of the Proud Boys gang as part of a documentary project, has already provided US authorities with footage of a 5 January 2021 meeting between then-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Elmer Stewart Rhodes, founder and leader of the Oath Keepers. Story continues The footage of Mr Tarrio and Mr Rhodes meeting on the eve of the insurrection appears to have figured prominently in grand jury proceedings which led to last weeks unsealing of an indictment against Mr Tarrio and four other Proud Boys members for seditious conspiracy. Caught on film: Enrique Tarrio (AP Photo/Allison Dinner) Mr Rhodes, a Yale-educated attorney, was himself indicted on charges of seditious conspiracy in January by a District of Columbia grand jury. According to his attorney, Mr Rhodes has also met with members of the select committee, and has reportedly told them he still considers the 2020 election to have been illegitimate. Both pro-Trump extremist groups are understood to have played major roles in the initial attacks on the Capitol. Members of the Proud Boys gang were among the first to assault police officers and breach outer barriers before ascending the Capitol steps and breaking windows. One Proud Boys member who also faces seditious conspiracy charges, Dominic Pezzola, was allegedly one of the first to enter the Capitol itself after using a stolen police shield to smash a window. Meanwhile, another group of Oath Keepers made their way through the melee on the Capitols West Front by moving up the steps in a stack formation before fighting their way past police into the building. Sources familiar with the panels investigation who have spoken to The Independent have said the hearings will reveal that many of the events that transpired that day events which have heretofore appeared spontaneous were in fact part of a multi-pronged, multi-faceted effort by former president Donald Trump and his supporters to overturn results of the 2020 election, and to knowingly do so with the aid of a violent mob. Specifically, the panel intends to use the hearings to make clear that it has not found any evidence to support Republican claims that what happened on 6 January 2021 was a peaceful protest gone bad or that other occurrences of violence that day were spontaneous or accidental. The committee will also use evidence it has gathered, including witness testimony and unreleased documents, to show connections between a violent extremist core group of Mr Trumps supporters who responded to his call for a wild protest that day and Mr Trumps expansive coterie of outside confidantes, sounding boards, and allies in the right-wing political and media ecosystems. And unlike in previous congressional inquiries into Mr Trumps conduct, committee members will not have to contend with grandstanding, filibustering, showboating, or interruptions from Mr Trumps allies in Congress. Thats because House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has refused to allow the members he put forth to participate after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two of his picks Representatives Jim Jordan and Jim Banks on grounds that they might end up being called as witnesses. Allies of Mr Trump whove questioned the panels legitimacy in lawsuits seeking to block the committee from obtaining documents have pointed to the lack of GOP members when arguing that the panel is improperly constituted, but multiple federal courts have rejected such arguments. Insurrection day: pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol on 6 January 2021 (Getty Images) Kurt Bardella, a former adviser to ex-GOP House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa, and who now advises the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The Independent that Mr McCarthys decision to withdraw all his picks in a fit of pique was a massive strategic error that has left the former president without anyone to defend or run interference for him. He also predicted the former president would lose his mind when he watches the select committees hearings and realises no one is there to interject with talking points representing his side of the argument. For the most part, committee members have kept mum about what exactly viewers will see when they tune in Thursday night. It has been reported that the programme is being produced with the aid of a former top ABC News executive James Goldston, and will rely heavily on video evidence, including video taken during interviews of Mr Trumps top advisers. One of the seven Democrats on the panel, Representative Elaine Luria of Virginia, declined to answer questions from The Independent as she left the House floor late Wednesday, but told MSNBC host Ali Velshi the ultimate work product of the panel will not be the programming produced during the hearings, but the written report it will release later this year. The report from this committee, that information that we put out within hearings, I think will paint a very clear picture from beginning to end, to the present day, of all the things that happened that led up to this, [and] the dangers that still exist, she said. Some of that information will clearly be new to the public, and perhaps new to others who are also looking carefully at these events. Rep Jamie Raskin expressed hope people would learn the truth (Getty Images) Another select committee member, Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin, told reporters the committee has obtained an abundance of evidence that it is ready to present. When asked what he hoped people would learn from the hearings, he replied: The truth. But its unclear whether the viewers who need the most convincing will even tune in to Thursdays hearing or any of the subsequent ones. Because the most-watched cable news channel in the US, Fox News, is declining to air the hearings live on its flagship network, the 3 million viewers who rely on the channels right-wing opinion programming for news will have no exposure to what is revealed on Thursday. Fox will stream the hearings online without authentication and will provide coverage on Fox Business Network. The Committee needs to make the case to the American people that what happened on January 6th was the culmination of a scheme that was in the works for months, choreographed by those closest to the President, Mr Bardella said. Mr Bardella also told The Independent that the panel must use the hearings to underscore the ongoing threat posed by those same forces at this very moment. These hearings need to be a call to action, not just a detailed recap of how we got here, he said. Another prominent Republican turned critic of the GOP, ex-Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele, told The Independent the panel needs to captivate their audience on Thursday for the good of the country. This is one of those moments in our history, where everything needs to stop. Everything needs to take a pause. And people need to just sit down where they are. Turn on the television. And listen, because this is not partisan, he said, adding later that in his opinion, the Democrats should not do much to coordinate messaging around the hearings and instead let the evidence speak for itself. Rep Adam Kinzinger: optimistic about changing minds (Getty Images) The members of the committee are going to have to carve out this moment for the American people in a way that grabs their attention and walks them through everything that led up to what occurred on January 6th and what came after that, he said. One of the panels two Republican members, Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, appeared confident that the select committees presentation will have an impact when he spoke to reporters late Tuesday. Asked whether he hoped the series of hearings will change anyone's minds, he said he hope[d] they would before offering an even bolder prediction. It'll change history, he said. By Trend Turkiye has seen significant progress in negotiations and is coordinating closely with Russia and Ukraine to agree on a plan that would restart grain exports from Ukrainian ports, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, even as conflict rages elsewhere in the country, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah. Turkiye is involved in efforts by the United Nations to reach an agreement on a plan that would open a safe shipping corridor to address a global food crisis brought on by Russias invasion in February which halted Ukraines Black Sea grain exports. Akars remarks came a day after reports suggested Ankara and Moscow had reached a tentative deal to restart shipments of Ukraines agricultural products, but Ukraine has yet to endorse the plan. The issue of blocked grain will be on the agenda on Wednesday during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovs visit to Turkiye . Turkiye is said to have offered military help to clear mines off the key Black Sea port of Odessa and escort grain ships. Akar said the four sides are working out how mines floating off the port of Odessa and elsewhere along Ukraines coast will be cleared and who will do it, and who would safeguard the corridor. We are making efforts to conclude this as soon as possible, he told reporters in embargoed remarks after a Cabinet meeting late on Monday. The parties are willing to resolve the issue, but mutual trust remains a sticking point, Akar said. Everybody wants to be sure of certain things. We are working to establish such trust. A lot of progress has been made on this issue and technical planning continues, the minister said. LOUISVILLE, KY., June 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Paula Lambert, founder of the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas, and Bev Shaffer, a Cleveland-based chef, recipe developer, author and culinary instructor, will be recognized with the Grande Dame Lifetime Achievement Award by Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI). Les Dames d'Escoffier International Logo (PRNewsfoto/Les Dames dEscoffier International (LDEI)) Paula Lambert & Bev Shaffer will be recognized with the Grande Dame Lifetime Achievement Award The Grande Dame award recognizes extraordinary lifetime contributions within the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Every other year, recipients are determined by nominations and votes from LDEI's 2,400 members in 43 chapters around the world. "LDEI's Grande Dame Award is one of the highest honors for a woman in food, beverage and hospitality," said LDEI President Deborah Mintcheff. "We are extremely proud to celebrate these two successful, inspirational women with the 2022 Grande Dame Award. Their accomplishments are nothing short of phenomenal." Paula Lambert (Dallas Chapter) founded the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, Texas in 1982. She is an internationally renowned, award-winning artisanal cheesemaker, teacher, philanthropist and cookbook author. Among her many honors, Lambert was named one of the Top 50 Cheesemakers in America in 2021 by "Food & Wine" magazine, and is included in the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America." Lambert is a sought-after cheese expert and speaker, having been featured on Food Network and multiple other media outlets. She is the author of two books on cheese: "The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide" and "Cheese, Glorious Cheese." Bev Shaffer (Cleveland Chapter) is a chef, instructor, recipe developer, author and entrepreneur. She opened "What's Cooking?," a kitchen store, cooking school and catering company in Cleveland in 1984. Subsequently, Shaffer led the Cooking School and Market Kitchen and Bakery at the Mustard Seed Market & Cafe, Ohio's largest retailer of natural and organic products. There, she authored the first of six cookbooks under her name. With her weekly food columns in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Bev brought her expertise and inspiration to home cooks throughout the region. Bev also served as Corporate Chef and Manager of Recipe Development at Vitamix World Headquarters from 2011 2016. Bev also is known for her tireless support to find a cure for Alzheimer's Disease, to which her husband succumbed in 2021. Story continues Both women will be honored on Oct. 22 at the LDEI Annual Conference in New York City. Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) is an international organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the fields of food, beverage and hospitality. The organization's 2,400 members in 43 chapters in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and France provide leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropy. LDEI chapters raised and donated more than $525,000 to community non-profits and philanthropic organizations in 2021. For more information, visit www.ldei.org and follow LDEI on Instagram and Twitter @lesdamesintl and Facebook Les Dames d'Escoffier Int'l. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/two-female-icons-of-the-food-world-to-receive-grande-dame-award-from-les-dames-descoffier-international-301563285.html SOURCE Les Dames dEscoffier International (LDEI) The United Nations Secretary-General, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, sustainability advocate Amber Valletta, oceanographer Sylvia Earle, economist Ralph Chami, World Champion sailor Lisa Blair, and others will speak at the event produced with the contribution of Oceanic Global and made possible by La Mer United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 Theme Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 is hosted by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, with the generous contribution of Oceanic Global, which is made possible by La Mer New York, New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Wednesday 8 June, the United Nations will host its annual World Oceans Day celebration with the 2022 theme Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. Produced by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs with the contribution of non-profit organization Oceanic Global, and made possible by La Mer, United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 (UNWOD) will feature keynote speeches, panels, presentations, and performances kicked off by the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. The days programming will also include leading voices such as sustainability advocate Amber Valletta, International Monetary Fund economist Ralph Chami, World Champion sailor Lisa Blair, deep sea explorer Sheena Talma, and Michelin-star chef Shinobu Namae to name a few. While United Nations World Oceans Day has been fully virtual since 2020, this years celebration will once again bring together UN delegates and thought leaders from around the world for an in-person gathering at UN Headquarters in New York. The event will also be open to the public by live stream from 10am -13:30pm (EDT) on the United Nations World Oceans Day website (www.unworldoceansday.org) with the content reshared on the social channels @unworldoceansday. The ocean connects, sustains, and supports all life on earth, but its health is at a tipping point. And, as the past few years of the pandemic have shown us, we need to work together when addressing issues that impact us all. The UNWOD 2022 theme of Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean encourages collaboration towards a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty, but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life. The days programming will call attention to the communities, ideas, and solutions that are working to revitalize the ocean and our blue planet as a whole. It will convene thought-leaders, celebrities, institutional partners, community voices, entrepreneurs, and cross-industry experts to shine a new and hopeful light on humanitys relationship to the ocean, bring fresh energy and ideas to how were addressing key issues, and inspire as well as ignite collective action towards positive change. Story continues UNWOD 2022 will open with remarks by the United Nations Secretary-General, followed by messages from the President of the General Assembly. Keynote remarks will be provided by sustainability advocate Amber Valletta, President and Co-Chair of Mission Blue, Sylvia Earle, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Joao Gomes Cravinho, the International Monetary Funds Ralph Chami and Senior Vice President of La Mer, Lesley Crowther. Additional sessions throughout the day include a series of Spotlight Solutions featuring Relais & Chateaux Chef Shinobu Namae, leading landscape architect Kate Orff, and World Champion sailor Lisa Blair, a panel on the Revitalized Ocean Economy featuring the Economists Martin Koehring and Director of Ocean Sustainability at Salesforce, Whitney Johnston, video messages from actress Nathalie Kelley, aquanot Fabien Cousteau, and a performance by youth environmental action organizer and poet Jade Lozada. The days programming will be closed with a musical performance by singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy and guitarist Julian Lage. The winners of the Ninth Annual United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition will also be announced by its 2022 Curator, Ellen Cuylaerts. The annual United Nations World Oceans Day event marks the kick-off World Ocean Week during which subsequent events hosted by members of the Friends of UN World Oceans Day platform and other ocean enthusiasts from around the world will continue the conversation surrounding the official theme of UN World Oceans Day 2022 - Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. www.unworldoceansday.org @unworldoceansday Attachment CONTACT: Rizzi Stigliano Oceanic Global 631-241-0398 press@oceanic.global ReportLinker TE Connectivity Ltd, Honeywell International Inc, Emerson Electric Co, Robert Bosch GmbH, Dytran Instruments, Inc, Fluke Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N. V. , FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. , Hansford Sensors Ltd. New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Vibration Sensor Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06284258/?utm_source=GNW , Keyence Corporation, Colibrys Ltd., DIS Sensors, SKF GmbH, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Omron Corp, and PCB Piezotronics are major market players in vibration sensors market. The global vibration sensors market is expected to grow from $3.37 billion in 2021 to $3.63 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.52%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $4.87 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 7.61%. The vibration sensor market consists of the sale of vibration sensor devices or related products by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to measure the frequency of vibration in a given system, machine, or equipment.Vibration sensors are devices that convert vibrations into electrical output and measure the levels of vibration in machines, devices, and equipment. These sensors are also used for measuring fluctuating accelerations or speeds or for normal vibration measurement. The main product types of vibration sensors are velocity transducers, electrodynamics, accelerometers, and non-contact displacement transducers.Velocity transducers are used to detect high-frequency vibration signals related to casing and foundation resonances, bearing supports, and others. The velocity transducers are used in gas turbines, axial compressors, and small and mid-size pumps.The different vibration sensor materials include doped silicon, quartz, and piezoelectric ceramics. The different vibration sensor technologies include piezoresistive, strain gauge, variable capacitance, and optical, which are used by end-users such as aerospace, coal and quarry, oil and gas, medical and pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and consumer electronics. In 2021, North America will be the largest region in the vibration sensor market.Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. The growing airline industry is expected to propel the growth of the vibration sensor market.In aircraft, vibration analysis is carried out on engines to check vibration levels and ensure no cracking, functioning avionics, and engine performance. According to Boeings 20202039 commercial market outlook, Indias domestic air passenger market is expected to double its size by 2030, from pre-pandemic levels, creating demand for an additional 2,200 new commercial aircraft in the next 20 years in India. Hence, the growing airline industry is expected to contribute to the demand for vibration sensors, thus driving the market during the forecast period. Technological advancements are a key trend gaining popularity in the vibration sensors market.Technological advancement is the discovery of knowledge that advances technology. For instance, in March 2020, SKF, a Sweden-based manufacturer of industrial products, launched a compact and cost-effective vibration and temperature sensor for monitoring the condition of rotating parts on heavy industrial machinery.The sensor, named SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1, enables customers to reduce both expensive unplanned downtime and their maintenance costs. It can be used to automate the gathering of data regarding the health of machinery. In December 2020, Japan-based machine manufacturing company, NSK Ltd., acquired B&K Vibro for an undisclosed amount. The deal further strengthens NSKs ability to cater to the growing needs of automation, labour savings, smart technology, and environmental measures. The acquisition strengthens NSKs condition monitoring system (CMS) business platform and enhances its position in the condition monitoring market. B&K Vibro is a Germany-based condition monitoring systems company offering products and services such as vibration sensors, vibration monitors, online-integrated plant-wide monitoring solutions and others. The countries covered in the vibration sensor market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06284258/?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 Wisk expands global presence with the addition of Australia-based personnel Memorandum of Understanding with the Council of Mayors South East Queensland will see the two organizations working in partnership to support the rollout of accessible, autonomous, and sustainable flight in the region. After New Zealand, South East Queensland is the next step for the introduction of autonomous air taxi services and the further expansion of Wisk into Australia and the Asia Pacific region. NEW ZEALAND & BRISBANE, Australia, June 08, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S., is bringing the future of flight to Australia through a new partnership with the Council of Mayors South East Queensland ("Council of Mayors"). In addition to this new partnership, the company will also be expanding its physical presence in the country, with the addition of Australia-based personnel. Wisks entry into Australia is driven by a Memorandum of Understanding with the Council of Mayors, which will see the two organizations working together to introduce safe, sustainable, and scalable, autonomous air taxi service to South East Queensland. Gary Gysin, Chief Executive Officer of Wisk, said: "We are proud to engage with forward-thinking local leaders, like the Council of Mayors, to advance the introduction of AAM and benefit not only Wisk, but local communities and the industry as a whole. This is an exciting time for us, as we continue our momentum and expand our global presence. We look forward to building on the strong relationships we have in Australia to make safe, all-electric, autonomous flight a reality." The Council of Mayors Chair, Brisbane Lord Mayor Cr Adrian Schrinner, said the MOU would support engagement with the regions Councils on the introduction of the Autonomous Air Mobility industry, including operators like Wisk, into South East Queensland. He said South East Queensland offered a mix of rural, beach, and city landscapes making it the perfect location to trial and launch new and innovative industries. Story continues Wisk intends for its presence in Queensland to be long-term, and will be working with local government toward providing the city with green tourism and transport options. The company will also be displaying its 5th generation aircraft in Brisbane in July. Lord Mayor Cr Adrian Schrinner, said: "Strong collaboration between our Councils is critical to ensure the industry understands the needs of our communities. It also enables our Councils to support, wherever possible, a consistent and collaborative approach to things like planning and regulation that will be critical to investment and rollout across our region. Council of Mayors kickstarted our Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games journey because we knew it would attract global businesses and innovative industries to our region, bringing with it new jobs and new economic opportunities. On the back of the Brisbane 2032 Games, were delighted to be working with Wisk to look at how South East Queensland can capitalise off the new jobs and economic opportunities associated with this new and exciting industry. We expect to see the emergence of advanced air technology in places like Paris and Los Angeles, and by 2032 Id love to see it supporting new and innovative experiences for tourism and travel in South East Queensland." Wisks Asia Pacific Regional Director, Catherine MacGowan, said: "This new partnership is a great starting point for our expansion across Australasia. Our work has the potential to accelerate the introduction of emissions-free aviation, help reduce transport-driven carbon emissions, and realize the benefits of AAM for the Queensland state economy and the wellbeing of its citizens." About Wisk Wisk is an advanced air mobility (AAM) company dedicated to delivering safe, everyday flight for everyone. Wisks self-flying, eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxi, will make it possible for passengers to skip the traffic and get to their destination faster. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and New Zealand, Wisk is an independent company backed by The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation. With over a decade of experience and over 1550 test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Wisk is on a journey to deliver safe, autonomous, all-electric, everyday flight, join us and learn more here. About the South East Queensland Council of Mayors The Council of Mayors (SEQ) was established in 2005 to represent the interests of the fastest growing region in Australia. Representing residents across South East Queensland (SEQ), member Councils work together to tackle the regions biggest challenges and leverage opportunities to ensure the region is the best possible place to live, work and play. Over the past two decades they have built a reputation of being an action-based organisation, delivering innovative and strategic outcomes for the region. As at 31 December 2021, member Councils included Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Logan City Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council, Noosa Council, Redlands City Council, Scenic Rim Regional Council, Somerset Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Council and Toowoomba Regional Council. Learn more here. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220608005366/en/ Contacts For Wisk: Chris Brown (US) Nicole Skews-Poole (APAC) Child molestation charges that were dropped 13 years ago have been reinstated against the same man, according to court records. Alexander James Brodeur, 35, was investigated in 2009 for acts against a juvenile girl that the child claimed had taken place in 2008. The girl, who was 14 at the time, said she had been sexually assaulted by Brodeur at a home in Stafford County and had been provided a chemical to huff that made her vomit. An affidavit for a search warrant filed in Stafford Circuit Court states that after Brodeur was interviewed by Detective John Hughes in 2009, the investigation concluded with insufficient evidence to support criminal charges against Brodeur. Detective Alex Sanchez Jr. resurrected the investigation in April after the Sheriffs Office was contacted and told that Brodeur wanted to revisit the prior investigation. Sanchez wrote that Brodeur told him that he lied during the earlier investigation and now wanted to admit that he committed the acts the girl had accused him of 13 years ago. Sanchez charged Brodeur with aggravated sexual battery and child cruelty for alleged offenses that took place in 2008. Brodeur has since additionally been charged with indecent liberties in connection with an alleged July 2013 incident involving another child in Stafford. The affidavit states that Brodeur also admitted to crimes against children in other localities. The status of those investigations is unclear. The search warrant allowed police to search Brodeurs phone as part of the ongoing investigation. Brodeur is being held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail. His case is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next week in Stafford Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. 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. Lawyer Fazal Khan says he feels furious following Pakistan's ongoing peace negotiations with the hard-line militant group Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). His eldest son, eighth-grader Sahibzada Omar Khan, was killed in the TTP's most horrific attack. On December 16, 2014, a group of TTP militants stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. They massacred Sahibzada and 131 other students. Fifteen teachers and staff were also killed in the attack, remembered as the worst terrorist atrocity in Pakistan's 74-year history. This is like rubbing salt into our wounds, he told RFE/RL. This is like laughing at the sacrifices and martyrdom of innocent victims [of terrorist] attacks. Khan is not alone in questioning the mostly opaque talks, which senior Pakistani officials say are aimed at ending the TTPs 14-year insurgency. A deal between Islamabad and the TTP now appears to be in sight after the group declared an indefinite cease-fire this month following months of parleys brokered by the Afghan Taliban. Imminent Deal Reports in the Pakistani media indicate that Islamabad has already agreed to release hundreds of detained and convicted TTP members and withdraw court cases against them. Additionally, a large portion of the tens of thousands of Pakistani troops stationed in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) -- where the TTP first emerged as an umbrella organization of small Taliban factions in 2007 -- will be withdrawn. Islamabad has also agreed to implement Islamic Shari'a law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Malakand region. The two sides have yet to agree on retracting democratic reforms and the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and whether thousands of TTP militants can return with their arms and keep their organization intact. But opposition to the imminent agreement is growing as victims of TTP violence question its logic. Others see it linked to the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, which Islamabad helped by hosting the insurgency for nearly two decades. Pakistan's several failed agreements with the TTP motivates some to warn of its potential negative fallout. Yet senior officials are adamant that the TTPs ongoing talks with a tribal council handpicked by the government will result in an agreement acceptable to both sides. Pakistani Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb says the civilian administration and military support the talks. Whatever decision the negotiating committee will make will be eventually made with the approval of the government and the parliament, she told journalists on June 4. Many politicians, however, do not share her optimism. "After imposing the Taliban on Afghanistan, the Pakistani security state wants to hand over the former tribal areas to force Pashtuns to live under neocolonial conditions, former Senator Afrasiab Khattak told RFE/RL, referring to Pakistans alleged support for the Afghan Taliban, which allowed it to endure the U.S.-led war on terrorism and return to power last August, a little more than a year after it signed a peace deal with Washington. Khattak sees Islamabads support for the Islamist Taliban as part of its strategy to shape Afghanistans politics and control the once-porous Pashtun borderlands straddling the two neighbors. The Pashtuns are the largest ethnic minority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has a population of some 40 million people. Khattak survived a Taliban suicide bombing in 2008. Later that year and the next, he negotiated with the Pakistani Taliban -- sometimes with their suicide bombers present in the room -- as a senior adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. But the TTP did not adhere to agreements made in 2008 and 2009, which paved the way for one of the most extensive military operations against the group in Swat Valley, one of the seven districts in Malakand. Rah-e Rast, as the military operation was formally known, displaced more than 3 million civilians. Overall, more than 70,000 civilians and soldiers were killed and some 6 million displaced in Pakistans domestic war on terrorism that climaxed with operation Zarb-e Azb in the North Waziristan tribal district in 2014. Pashtuns are worried about a new terrorist onslaught leading to a second so-called war on terror leading to more killings and destruction, Khattak said. Other Taliban Factions Zarb-e Azb drove the TTP into Afghanistan, where the group eventually regrouped by reintegrating splinter factions. After the Taliban seized power in August, the TTP launched a new offensive, mainly targeting Pakistani troops in the tribal areas. Islamabad attempted to respond to the violence by targeting TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan. A recent UN report said some 4,000 of its members might be sheltering there. Islamabad also won respite from TTP attacks as Pakistani officials pushed to reconcile the group through talks, which resulted in a monthlong cease-fire in November last year. "They will only gain strength and will be able to run their militant campaign more effectively," Mohsin Dawar, a young lawmaker who represents North Waziristan in the Pakistani parliament, said of the possible fallout from a peace deal. Dawar told RFE/RL that an agreement with the TTP is unlikely to end all Taliban violence in Pakistan. A rival faction headed by Hafiz Gul Bahadur in North Waziristan has reportedly stepped up its attacks against Pakistani troops in the area. The Pakistani military claims to have killed several rebels in North Waziristan this month following attacks on security forces during the previous weeks. "If the TTP foot soldiers won't benefit from the impending deal, they are likely to switch over to Bahadur's group or move on to join Daesh," he said, referring to Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) by its Arabic acronym. "These talks will have far-reaching and very dangerous results because violence will continue." In 2015, IS-K emerged from within the TTP, whose leaders and foot soldiers had forged close ties with Arab and Central Asian Islamist militants. But most of the group's members have largely been loyal to the Afghan Taliban due to ideological, personal, and organizational ties. Khan, now living in exile in Europe after surviving an assassination attempt in July 2020, is adamant about campaigning against what he says is the military's shadowy dealing with the militants. After years leading Army Public School parents in a campaign for justice for their slain children, he joined the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a civil rights campaign, in 2018. Over the years he has lodged several high-profile cases against powerful military and civilian officials for failing to provide security for people from terrorist violence. If the government goes ahead with this agreement, we will hasten our resistance," he said. A passenger bus veered off a narrow mountain road and plummeted into a ravine in a remote area of southwest Pakistan on June 8, killing at least 22 people, including women and children. The vehicle plunged into the ravine when the driver apparently failed to negotiate a sharp bend in the road in the mountainous area of Akhtarzai near Killa Saifullah in the province of Balochistan. The head of the civil hospital in the Qala Saifullah district, Akhtar Mandokhail, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that 22 dead bodies -- five women, five children, and 12 men -- had been transferred to the hospital. An injured child who survived the crash was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, he added. Pakistans President Arif Alvi and other government officials expressed sorrow over the tragic accident. Balochistan is the most impoverished province of Pakistan, where reports suggest that hundreds of people die every year in traffic accidents due to bad roads and poorly maintained vehicles. In July, a jam-packed bus rammed into a container truck on a busy highway in central Pakistan, killing at least 33 people. With reporting by AP By Trend Turkish and Russian top diplomats, Mevlut Cavushoglu and Sergey Lavrov will discuss the modalities of a secure corridor to be established through the Black Sea for the shipment of nearly 20 million tons of grain to world markets to avoid a major global food crisis, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily News. Lavrov and Cavushoglu will first hold a bilateral meeting and then chair their delegations before a joint press conference on June 8 in the Turkish capital. The Russian foreign minister is expected to be accompanied by a military delegation. One of the most important issues to be discussed between the two ministers will be ways to overcome an impending global food crisis due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine which has blocked the transfer of the latters millions of tons of grains in the silos of Odessa Port. The process requires detailed work and the consent of both Russia and Ukraine. Talks to be held in Ankara between Turkish and Russian authorities are expected to be followed with more technical meetings with the participation of the UN and Ukraine. De-mining of the Odessa Port and creating necessary conditions for safe navigation of the vessels through the Black Sea are the most important parts of the project. Talks between the parties are seeking ways to fulfill these conditions. Canadas affable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rubbed elbows with top military brass at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs Tuesday and got down to business when the entourage traveled to Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station in the late afternoon. At NORAD, the joint United States and Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command buried deep in the mountainside, the table was laden with talk of modernizing the centers military warning and control systems. Were seeing a time where the world is shifting rapidly, whether its new threats or new technology, and its important to work closely together, Trudeau said to media after he toured the Cheyenne Mountain operation, built to withstand invasive attacks. Canada and the U.S. struck an agreement to establish NORAD in 1958 and in 2006 renewed the deal, adding maritime warning to its mission of aerospace warning and control. NORAD is now headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, along with U.S. Northern Command, which was established in 2002 to focus on homeland defense following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. As part of its function, NORAD tracks any missile launches around the globe, including in the Russian war in Ukraine, which began Feb. 24 and has no imminent end in sight. NORAD provides warning of ballistic missiles that threaten North America, and Northern Command can intercept such weapons, a senior NORAD defense official said. NORAD remains unique in the world and vitally necessary to protect Canada and the U.S., Trudeau said. Its the only place where two countries come together under a joint committee to protect our territories, he said, after meeting with NORAD and U.S. Northern Command officials. The last Canadian prime minister to visit NORAD was Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeaus father, who came in 1977, according to the Canadian government. Canadas Minister of Defense, Anita Anand, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of NORAD and Northern Command, joined Trudeau in military briefings, tours of facilities and meet-and-greets. Since taking over in August 2020 as NORADs top leader, VanHerck has emphasized enhancing domain awareness and developing software sharing and other joint efforts to deter threats, the senior NORAD defense official said. Discussions at NORAD focused on shared priorities for continental defense and modernizing systems, Anand said in addressing media at the entrance to the Cheyenne station on the westside of Colorado Springs. Under a 2021 agreement between the U.S. and Canada, issues that are being studied and improved include surveillance, domain, situational awareness, threats, command and control, and research and development, she said. The role of NORAD and our role in defense is to ensure the safety and security of our citizens, Anand said. That includes a new generation of hypersonic missiles being developed that pose a more challenging threat because they travel at high speeds and low altitude, can maneuver throughout flight and potentially can carry nuclear warheads. Canada plans to build a new over-the-horizon radar system in the Arctic for long-range aerospace surveillance to detect such threats, which would become operational in 2028, government leaders have said. We have a number of initiatives on the table right now with the United States, Anand said, and will come out shortly with a plan to modernize. The trip is a big deal, said Ann-Clara Vaillancourt, lead spokesperson for the prime ministers office. Weve had a very friendly and strong relationship with NORAD since the alliance started, she said. In the past two years, its been important to strengthen the relationship with the innovations and the equipment to carry us forward. Canada earmarked an additional $8 billion in Canadian dollars in its last budget for defense spending, Vaillancourt noted. Analysts have said that is short of its NATO commitment. The amount represents 1.5% of the countrys gross domestic product, while the agreement calls for spending 2% of GDP. Pomp and circumstance of Trudeaus stopover included an Honors Ceremony at the headquarters of NORAD and Northern Command at Peterson Space Force Base, in which soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen lined up to greet the Canadian dignitaries with music and a formal welcome. Defense Secretary Austin met with groups of local service members at Peterson, NORAD and Northern Command, telling them not everyone can do their job and commending their sacrifice, energy and commitment they exhibit. When you deploy to Romania, Georgia or Poland, you are the example of what were all about, he said at Peterson Space Force Base. Trudeau is en route to Los Angeles to participate in the ninth Summit of the Americas, which President Joe Biden is hosting to discuss priorities such as climate change, gender equality, Indigenous rights and the war in Ukraine. Colorado Springs Fire Department crews were working on Wednesday to rescue an individual who apparently fell into a 12-foot trench, according to a tweet from the department. After assessing the scene at 5206 Kissing Camels Drive and shoring up the trench to ensure safe entry, crews were able to enter the crevasse and begin treating the patient, who was injured but stable, officials said. Residents and motorists are advised to continue avoiding the area as multiple fire apparatus are at the scene. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details become available. Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday signed a bill into law that provides nearly $9 million in funding for Front Range Passenger Rail planning and development. The plan calls for a rail system along the Interstate 25 corridor from Trinidad to Fort Collins that would connect with Amtraks Southwest Chief cross-country rail line. It may, in the future, be extended into Wyoming and New Mexico. The state legislature created the Front Range Passenger Rail Commission in 2017 to study the idea. Last year, Polis signed Senate Bill 21-238, creating the Front Range Passenger Rail District, which is tasked with building and running an interconnected passenger rail system along the Front Range. We are saving Coloradans money, fighting for clean air, and reducing drive time for Coloradans, which is why I am thrilled to make passenger rail for the Front Range of Colorado one step closer to becoming a reality today, Polis said in a statement. The district is an independent political subdivision of the state is not subject to administrative direction by any state agency. It can levy taxes, subject to voter approval under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and can exercise eminent domain to take private property for the project. It can create station area improvement districts within a two-mile radius of a station that can be taxed at a higher rate because they will be especially benefited by the train station. The district is also exempt from all state and local taxes. The Front Range Passenger Rail project is not without its detractors. I hear projections that it would be maybe six to twelve billion dollars, a huge amount of time, and then it would lose money every single year, El Paso County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf said in an interview in May 2021. So, we have a huge initial investment, and then we would have taxpayer investment yearly to keep it functioning. It really doesnt make any sense when you can take advantage of other forms of transportation that use the highways. The commissions 2020 Service Development Plan estimates the capital costs for a full build out of the railroad at $7.8 billion to $14.2 billion, with annual operating costs estimated at $120 million to $188 million. The system would serve an estimated 4,800 to 8,900 weekday riders. By comparison, the average weekday commuter traffic on I-25 between Colorado Springs and Denver, measured north of Larkspur, averages 66,000 vehicles per day and rises to 160,000 vehicles per day at Castle Pines, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. According to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, of the 3 million workers in the Denver metro area, only 3.2% used any form of public transit while 74.2% of workers drove their own cars. The bill includes funding for development planning, conceptual design work, analysis of impacts to surrounding communities and stakeholder engagement related to moving the existing rail line, rail district operations and development of the existing Union Pacific Burnham railroad yard south of I-70 and north of the RiNo Art District between Brighton Boulevard and York Street in Denver. Its unclear what might happen if taxpayers in Denver and Broomfield, Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Douglas, Huerfano, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas, Pueblo and Weld counties refuse to approve the taxes the district proposes. A Boulder County sheriff's deputy shot and killed an aggressive cow moose near Nederland Wednesday morning. According to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the cow moose charged two people and a dog near Nederland's West Magnolia Trailhead, resulting in a 31-year-old male sustaining "serious bodily injury." After a deputy arrived on scene to locate the victims of the attack, he was pursuing their yells when he was also approached by the moose. He fired bean bag rounds at the animal, which were initially effective at scaring the moose off. The deputy was then able to locate the injured group. In addition to the man's more serious injuries, the woman involved had sustained minor injuries. The dog was also injured, though details about the extent of those injuries were not released. As the deputy offered assistance, the moose approached again and the deputy fired a warning shot near the animal. This resulted in the moose leaving the scene for a second time. As the injured male was being evacuated to the trailhead by the deputy and medics, the moose showed up again. It continued to charge at people, creating a dangerous situation and forcing the deputy to shoot and kill the animal. This is the third moose attack in two weeks in Colorado and while this attack remains under investigation, attacks on May 26 and May 31 were attributed to a cow exhibiting defensive behavior over nearby offspring. During this time of the year, birthing is common, making dangerous defense responses more likely. The man accused of having killed someone by stabbing them 19 times, assaulting a police officer, and stealing a police car was in court Tuesday to have a competency evaluation ordered for his case. Osemeke Uwadibie, who is accused of having killed Charles Slabaugh last month, appeared in person in Colorado's 4th Judicial District Court for the competency evaluation order, but it wasn't given without a brief interjection from the defendant. "I took a competency evaluation twice and passed it," Uwadibie told Judge Jessica Curtis. "It's really not necessary." Curtis then told Uwadibie that because this is a new case, and those evaluations took place in past cases, a new evaluation needed to be done. After a brief discussion with his defense attorneys, Uwadibie agreed to have the evaluation done. Just getting Uwadibie in court proved to be a difficult task for the court. Last week, Uwadibie was scheduled to appear regarding the competency evaluation, but refused to come to the courthouse. Uwadibie was then scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning, but had to be pushed the afternoon, as the court hadn't submitted a warrant to have Uwadibie appear in court by any means necessary. According to previous reporting from The Gazette, Uwadibie was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the May 13 killing of Slabaugh, 59. On the date of Slabaugh's death, police were called to the 200 block of East Arvada Street when, according to police statements, Uwadibie approached a man in a parking lot and brandished a knife after he refused to give him a ride. When officers arrived on scene, Uwadibie went inside an apartment unit near the parking lot where he allegedly killed Slabaugh by means of "multiple sharp force injuries," according to the affidavit. According to police, Uwadibie then left the apartments, assaulted a police officer, and stole his vehicle. Eventually, Uwadibie was apprehended and arrested after causing a four-vehicle collision in the stolen police car on Interstate 25, police said. Four people suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash, and Uwadibie was taken to the hospital with one gunshot wound in his arm from police. Uwadibie is now facing 14 charges for the May 13 incident including first-degree murder, assaulting a police officer, first-degree burglary and several other charges. If convicted of the first-degree murder charge, Uwadibie would be sentenced to life in prison. Uwadibie is scheduled to appear in court next on July 20, at 8:30 a.m. for a review. Curtis stated that she is hoping Uwadibie's competency evaluation will be complete by then. Officials with Colorado Parks and Wildlife found a second body in Lake Pueblo in as many days, officials with the department announced Tuesday. Officials with Parks and Wildlife received a call on a missing swimmer just before 4:40 p.m. Tuesday. Officials say a man was in an inflatable device, swimming 300 feet from shore when he jumped off fearing for his daughter. He disappeared in the water. Officials recovered his body at 6:01 p.m. in 25 feet of water. At 6:31 p.m., the man's body was handed over to the Pueblo County Coroner's office to be identified. The daughter was unharmed, officials said. According to the Parks and Wildlife northeast region, the state has had double digit drowning so far this year, putting 2022 on pace to beat a record of 34 deaths set in 2020. By Trend Sharg Bazari is a modern complex, which will become a favorite place for residents of Baku and tourists, the manager of Shag Bazari complex Fuad Ibrahimov told Trend. Special attention was paid to a number of nuances during the restoration and reconstruction of the complex. Thereby, the main tasks, during the restoration, were to preserve the original concept and special elements. Building materials of local producers were used as much as possible and special attention was paid to the introduction of modern technologies and equipment, during the reconstruction of the complex. According to Ibrahimov, the original inscription on the Cyrillic script at the entrance to the Sharg Bazari complex was replaced and executed in Latin with preservation of calligraphy, and other similar details inside the object were newly developed in accordance with its design. "Products of local production, in 78 stores of Sharg Bazari, will be sold only. I believe that complex will become one of the favorite places of tourists in the shortest time, Ibrahimov said. The market will be operated by 78 tenants, which means the opening of 300 new workplaces. The initial design of Sharg Bazari complex was carried out by famous architects of the 1980s Uruzmak Revazov, Pavel Yarinovski and Anatoly Bessonov. The complex consists of 3 large and 13 small domes. FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the monthly U.S. jobs report, at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, U.S., June 3, 2022. REUTERS/Tom Brenner Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. FILE PHOTO: A vial and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed Moderna logo, in this illustration taken, November 27, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration RTHK: Texas schoolgirl played dead to survive massacre An 11-year-old girl told horrified lawmakers on Wednesday of smearing herself in her murdered classmate's blood to play dead during the most chilling in a spate of gun massacres that have convulsed the United States. Miah Cerrillo, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, recounted for a House of Representatives committee the moments when 19 of her fellow students and two teachers were killed by a teen gunman last month. She recalled how her class had been watching a movie and scrambled behind their teacher's desk and their backpacks when the shooter burst in. "He... told my teacher 'goodnight' and then shot her in the head. And then he shot some of my classmates and the white board," Miah said in a brief but gut-wrenching pre-recorded interview. "When I went to the backpacks, he shot my friend who was next to me and I thought he was going to come back into the room so I grabbed a little blood and put it all over me." Miah recalled how she kept completely silent, before grabbing her dead teacher's cell phone when the moment came and dialing 911. "I told her that we need help and to see the police in our classroom," she said. Police in Uvalde have come under intense scrutiny after it emerged that more than a dozen officers waited outside the door of Miah's class and did nothing as the children lay dead or dying. Miah was asked what she wanted to see happen in the wake of the attack. "To have security," she said, confirming that she feared a mass shooter could target her school again. "I don't want it to happen again," she said. Miah is experiencing nightmares and still healing from bullet fragments in her back as she wrestles with trauma, her father, Miguel Cerrillo, told USA Today. "She's not the same little girl I used to play with," he told the committee. Miah's testimony comes with Congress facing mounting pressure to respond to out-of-control gun violence and particularly mass shootings across the country. Massacres at Miah's school and days earlier at a supermarket in Buffalo, in upstate New York, have convulsed the nation, reigniting urgent calls for gun safety reforms. The House Oversight and Reform Committee also heard from relatives of victims in recent mass shootings, including Zeneta Everhart, the mother of a 21-year-old survivor of the racist killing spree that left 10 black people dead in Buffalo. "My son Zaire has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back and another on his left leg, caused by an exploding bullet from an AR-15," Everhart told lawmakers. "As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back. Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children." Roy Guerrero, a pediatrician who attended to several victims in Uvalde, spoke of encountering "two children whose bodies had been pulverised by bullets fired at them, decapitated, whose flesh had been ripped apart." A cross-party group of senators is working on a narrow collection of controls that could develop into their first serious attempt at gun regulation reform in decades. The package would boost funding for mental health services and school security, narrowly expand background checks, and incentivise states to institute so-called "red flag laws" enabling authorities to confiscate weapons from individuals considered a threat. Crucially, the package does not include an assault weapons ban or universal background checks, meaning it will fall short of the expectations of President Joe Biden, progressive Democrats, and anti-gun violence activists. But even this compromise deal has to run the gauntlet of an evenly divided Senate and earn the votes of at least 10 Republicans, most of whom are against significant regulatory reform. On the other side of the Capitol, House Democrats are set to pass the much broader package of proposals later on Wednesday that includes raising the purchasing age for semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. The proposals are going nowhere they do not have the 60 votes they would need to advance in the Senate but the Democratic leadership has been keen to act after the spate of recent mass shootings. Garnell Whitfield Jr, the son of Buffalo massacre victim Ruth Whitfield, who was 86, testified on Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee on white supremacist violence. "You expect us to continue to forgive and forget over and over again? And what are you doing? You were elected to protect us and protect our way of life," the retired fire commissioner said in an emotional appeal to senators. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-06-08. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has stressed the vital role the government plays in the economys recovery phase while ensuring financial sustainability. Attending the Economic Recovery Forum NBB Chairman, Farouk Yousif Khalil Al-Moayyed, said NBB believed in the importance of the ongoing joint work between the legislative, the executive and the private sector. The forum was initiated and organised by the Shura Council in coordination with the Bahrain Institute for Banking and Finance (BIBF) and supported by NBB. Developing the economy In line with the vision of His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and announced by His Royal Highness, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the forum discussed the launch of the Economic Recovery Plan and the subsequent launch of a number of initiatives aimed at developing the economy and creating jobs within the kingdom. The forum discussed various topics based on the priorities identified for the countrys economic recovery, which included developing the Kingdoms human wealth, in addition to facilitating procedures, developing legislation, developing promising sectors and strategic projects, as well as financial and economic stability. The forum was attended by a number of Ministers, joined by officials from various governmental and private entities. Hisham Abu Alfateh, Head of Corporate Communications at NBB, acted as master of ceremony of the forum, while a number of NBB staff members attended the event to represent NBB.-- TradeArabia News Service Perhaps nothing signifies the approach of summer in Colorado more than when winter road closures around the state start getting lifted. Allowing hikers easier access to the backcountry and shaving hours off of travel across the state, the opening of these high elevation mountain passes is reason to celebrate among those who love summer outdoor recreation. Lawyers for Faith Bible did not rule out an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and called the legal protections for the church's decision to terminate Tucker "very strong." A recent poll of likely voters in El Paso County and Colorado Springs found nearly all who rent think local housing costs are a significant problem, and nearly half of all homeowners surveyed agreed, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC told county commissioners Tuesday. In December, the chamber commissioned a poll of likely voters in the county and city to find out what local issues deeply concerned them, its president and CEO Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer said. Housing was a top answer, she said. It was unclear how many people were surveyed. Poll results presented Tuesday show residents with household incomes of $100,000 a year or less were more likely to find it difficult to find affordable housing in Colorado Springs. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed with an income of $50,000 or less a year said housing costs created a "big problem" in finding affordable housing, while 71% of residents earning between $50,000 and $100,000 annually agreed. Only slightly less than half 49% of those surveyed with a household income of $100,000 or more a year said they thought it was a problem. "I don't know about you, but that blows my mind," Reeder Kleymeyer said. "Thats our new employee. Thats our recent college (graduates). Thats our nurses. Thats our teachers. Thats our military families." They are what she and other affordable housing advocates called "missing middle" earners. They're people who make between 60% and 150% of the area's median income in this case, residents with household incomes of between $50,000 and $100,000 a year. "Missing middle" earners increasingly struggle to afford satisfactory housing within the region's existing housing inventory, said Andrea Barlow, a member of the Colorado Springs Housing & Building Association's Executive Committee. And the housing market in the Colorado Springs area has reached record-breaking numbers. A report from the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors released last week showed the median price of single-family homes that sold in May climbed to a record-high $487,000, The Gazette previously reported. That's more than the $484,450 mark set in April, the report said. And it's over $160,000 more than what would be considered an affordable purchase price for buyers earning 100% of the area median income, or those earning around $64,712 a year, according to the data presented by housing advocates. An affordable home purchase price for those households is about $325,000 and affordable rent is about $1,618 per month, Barlow said. For those earning 80% of the area median income, or $51,769, an affordable home purchase price is about $256,000 and rent around $1,294 a month. For those in the 60% range, earning $38,377 a year, an affordable home is around $191,000 and rent about $970 a month. Limited housing stock, rising costs of business, more remote workers, an influx of new residents and people opposed to building more multi-family housing in their neighborhoods are some contributing factors to the crunch, housing advocates said. Ann Kidd, broker and owner of True North Realty and chairwoman of the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors, highlighted the housing stock shortage. She told commissioners a client of hers searching for a $250,000 home in El Paso County this week found only two on the market that fit their criteria. After raising the purchase price to $350,000, only 11 homes in all El Paso County were available. "We are in crisis mode here. I have nothing to show buyers that are coming to the door," Kidd said. Laura Nelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado, said rental units are a "very important part of this 'missing middle,'" yet rents are high and supply is low. In the second quarter of 2022 there is only a 5% vacancy rate in rental units, or roughly 2,000 units in all of Colorado Springs, she said. The average rent is $1,500 a month. "That was with adding 228 units in the first quarter of 2022," she said. "We added 2,000 units last year. The demand just keeps coming." Millennials (between 26 and 41 years old) and older members of Generation Z are driving demand, Nelson said, because they're less likely to want to buy a home since they change jobs more frequently than older earners. Baby boomers who are retiring and choosing to live in rental properties and remote workers who moved to Colorado Springs from more expensive cities like Denver are also driving up demand. Fewer multihousing options are on the market, as well, because people are generally disapproving of building new multifamily housing units near their neighborhoods, Nelson said. "A rental housing unit doesn't necessarily drive down the rate of their homes," she said. "We haven't seen home prices drop with any addition of apartments in any area." Some developers, like Darsey Nicklasson and her company DHN Development, are working to increase the availability of affordable market-rate multifamily housing in the area. When she found her own employees were having trouble paying their rents or finding affordable places to live, Nicklasson wanted to build more multifamily housing units and charge the lowest amount possible for them, she said. Her company bought two pieces of land in southeast Colorado Springs, where they plan to build two multifamily housing units with 373 total for rent apartments, she said. The apartments will offer one to four bedrooms to better accommodate "middle earner" families who are being priced out of the market. The company will own the units for 10 years to control rents, she said. The units will cost $339,000 each to build. Expected rents are $1,600 a month between the 100% to 120% of area median income range. The cost is higher than what might be expected because of a 30% increase in construction labor and materials, and set development and general contractor fees. "Constant regulatory increases, constant price increases ... there's nothing I can do about that," she said. "What I can do is set those rents and do our best to maintain those rents by minimizing operating costs and yet still provide a good place to live." But the county can build itself out of this crisis, said Kevin Walker, a volunteer with the Housing and Building Association. "There is no other solution but to build our way out of this," he said. "... If we want to make an impact on housing affordability ... weve got to be able to build more houses and moderate that price issue." Other ideas for solutions include lobbying for a 40-year mortgage and working on lumber and other tariffs at the federal level, among others; at the state level, making the best use of available federal American Rescue Plan Act funds dedicated to housing and increasing tax credits, among others; and at the local level, revising the county's master development plan to allow for more density and flexibility, support annexations of especially enclaves and near-enclaves, and encouraging and empowering more infill and high-density projects, mostly in Colorado Springs, among others, Walker said. Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has prequalified 19 developers, including 10 Saudi groups, for the development of the small sewage treatment plant (SSTP) and collection network (CN) for Jazan Cluster with a total capacity of 104,500 cu m per day. The Jazan Cluster comprises 17 small plants with sizes ranging from 1,000 cu m/day to 15,000 cu m/day, together with associated collection networks of 1,500 km (with lengths ranging from 7 km to 415 km). The scope of work includes the influent connections, tanker discharge points, by-passes, inlet works and primary, secondary and tertiary treatment, pumping facilities including all associated buildings, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical supply, control and instrumentation infrastructure, said the statement from SWPC. The list of the bidders (lead and/or technical) for the Jazan project include French water expert Saur Group; Italian EPC major Ercole Marelli Impianti Tecnologici and California-based Merit Technologies; in addition to Chinese heavyweights - Harbour Engineering Company, China Railway Construction Company, CITIC Construction and China State Construction Engineering Corporation; as well as Hong Kong's Bio Treat International; and UAE's Metito Utilities Limited. The SWPC had indicated in July last year that a total of 46 companies, including 27 Saudi firms, as part of 38 consortia, had expressed their interests in the Jazan SSTP project. The big Saudi players in the race are Ajlan & Bros Energy Company; Tawzea; AlFanar; Al Khorayef Water; Mowah; Al Yamama Company; Al-Jazea; Civil Works Company; Miahona Company and SARH Attaqnia Construction Company, said the statement from SWPC. The Saudi utility developer said the winning bidder, through a project company to be incorporated, would develop the SSTP project on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) model under a 25-year Sewage Treatment and Collection Network Implementation Agreement with SWPC, while for the collection network, it will be on a design, build, finance and transfer (DBFT). KPMG Al Fozan & Partners is the lead and financial advisor for the project, while Jacobs Engineering Group (CH2M Saudi Limited) is responsible for providing technical advisory services and Amer Al Amr Law Firm the legal advisory services.-TradeArabia News Service Hive Furniture Show, the GCCs only dedicated event focusing on big-box retailers and wholesale traders, is preparing to roll up its sleeves for a second edition that is twice as big as last years. The 2022 edition will be taking place at Expo Centre Sharjah from June 13 to 16. Showcasing exquisitely curated furniture from around the world, Hive Furniture Show will grant visitors the opportunity to explore the latest furniture trends and network with manufacturers from across the globe under one roof. The show will host over 100 global exhibitors which will showcase their collections, spanning furniture pieces for offices, living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and outdoor furniture. Gautam Mulani, the co-founder of Hive Furniture Show, said: "We were pleased with the great response we received during last years event and anticipate the huge regional potential that the furniture sector has over the coming years." "The UAE has shown its resilience and recovery from the repercussions that were posed by the pandemic, and exhibitors are looking forward to launching new collections to big-box retailers through this years event," stated Mulani. According to him, the furniture business in the UAE is one of the major businesses uplifted by the real estate sector. Increased construction activity - both in residential and commercial properties - rising urbanisation, and the increase in disposable income are some of the major factors attributing to the growth of the GCC furniture market, he noted. In the UAE specifically, people are continuously increasing their spending on home renovation, such as living rooms and kitchens, and are investing in higher-quality furniture products, he added. The 2022 Hive Furniture Show will be twice the size of last years edition and is anticipating more than 2,000 visitors from 25 countries. In attendance will be visitors and brand representatives from Mozzi Concept (Turkey), Bassam Brasil (Brazil), Furniture Palace (Kenya), Distinctive Fine Furniture (Malaysia), as well as a number of UAE-based brands, including Danube, Homes R Us, and Home Box, remarked Manish Bhatia, the co-founder of Hive Furniture Show. "We are happy to be hosting this years Hive Furniture Show at Expo Centre Sharjah and are confident that this event will further grow over the coming years to cater to the growing regional demand for quality furniture," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Until recently, the generation and tabulation of toxicological and environmental data in the United States has been carried out in an unsystematic fashion by several federal and state government agencies, industry, and the medical profession. Generally, chemicals were considered to be harmless unless proven otherwise. It was not until the 1960s that Americans began to believe that systematic investigation and regulation of the toxicological and environmental impact of chemicals was necessary. By this time, however, DuPont had been doing research on the toxic effects of chemicals for thirty years at its Haskell Laboratory for Toxicology. DuPont encountered its first toxicological problems when it began to manufacture dynamite in the 1880s. Nitric acid fumes destroyed lung tissue and caused numerous fatalities. Benzene caused immediate problems for DuPont. Because it was a cheap and effective solvent for rubber, DuPont used benzene to make coated fabrics. In the spring of 1920, two workers in the plant died from benzene poisoning, prompting an investigation by the company's safety division. Dr. A. K. Smith discovered that all the workers had cotton plugs in their noses to stop chronic nosebleeds caused by benzene fumes. At this time, the proportion of benzene in the solvent was cut from 60% to 45% percent and the ventilation improved. Two years later, however, another worker died, and DuPont abandoned the use of benzene. Not long after the benzene crisis, DuPont experienced the tetraethyl lead (TEL) poisonings. The episode received nationwide attention because of the wild behavior of the victims. Although not required to by any regulatory or legislative body, DuPont designed and installed a completely closed process to protect the lives of its employees. In the 1920s, DuPont's need for toxicological data increased, in part to ensure that the company's products posed no risks for consumers. Before introducing moisture-proof cellophane for food packaging, in 1927, DuPont commissioned Henry Field Smith to carry out guinea pig feeding studies in his private laboratory. Smith concluded that the cellophane coating was 'absolutely harmless.' However, a few years later, one of the principal ingredients, tricresyl phosphate (TCP), was implicated in a major public health disaster. An alcoholic drink called 'ginger jake,' which had been laced with TCP, caused thousands of cases of paralysis and numerous deaths in 1930. After learning that moisture-proof cellophane contained TCP, the National Institute of Health undertook experiments with chickens and discovered that the birds developed paralysis at a dosage of 10 milligrams of TCP per day. DuPont replaced TCP in the coating after learning of these results. 1. Based on the passage, how accurate were guinea pigs for determining danger of chemicals? A. Used by government officials to determine cancer risks B. Guinea pigs bear no resemblance to the human body and therefore have no value. C. If guinea pigs determined safety, it was the final word and no further studies were needed. D. Guinea pigs failed to detect the TCP risk. E. Guinea pig use for testing is unethical and shouldnt be 2. In the examples in the passage, DuPont acted to protect workers and consumers A. under public pressure B. when confronted by the lawsuits of victims C. when required by regulatory agency or legislative body D. at the discretion of its executives E. in response to practical experience and research evidence 3. Against a background of unsystematic gathering of data on toxicity of chemicals by federal and state agencies, industry, and the medical profession, DuPont.. A. took the initiative and started testing. B. adhered to slowly evolving government regulation. C. followed the dictum that chemicals were harmless unless proven otherwise. D. dealt slowly and reluctantly with the threat of toxicity to employees. E. moved only in order to ensure favorable consumer relations. A. Used by government officials to determine cancer risksB. Guinea pigs bear no resemblance to the human body and therefore have no value.C. If guinea pigs determined safety, it was the final word and no further studies were needed.D. Guinea pigs failed to detect the TCP risk.E. Guinea pig use for testing is unethical and shouldnt beA. under public pressureB. when confronted by the lawsuits of victimsC. when required by regulatory agency or legislative bodyD. at the discretion of its executivesE. in response to practical experience and research evidenceA. took the initiative and started testing.B. adhered to slowly evolving government regulation.C. followed the dictum that chemicals were harmless unless proven otherwise.D. dealt slowly and reluctantly with the threat of toxicity to employees.E. moved only in order to ensure favorable consumer relations. The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 Leadership Southside program. Leadership Southside develops participants leadership skills to strengthen their role as an individual, professional and community members. Participants will explore their personal leadership style, and learn how their own behaviors, motivations and tendencies influence their interaction with others. During this program, participants also will have the opportunity to build strong connections with their classmates, in addition to networking with each sessions presenters, who are established leaders from across the Dan River Region and Virginia. Session topics include leading a team, conflict resolution, communication skills, crisis leadership, equitable leadership, presentation skills and transformational leadership. In January, participants will travel to Richmond for Chamber Day at the Capitol to hear from and engage with members of the General Assembly. In its 28th year, Leadership Southside boasts 500 alumni, many of whom still contribute in a number of ways to the vitality of the region. Leadership Southside is a nine-month program, meeting one day each month from August through April. Participants will graduate in May. To apply, visit www.dpchamber.org/leadershipsouthside. Applications are due by 5 p.m. July 7. Only complete applications will be considered. The chamber has contracted with Rachel Covington to lead and facilitate the 2022-23 program. Covington previously served as the senior director of member services for the chamber, and led Leadership Southside as part of her role. For more information about how to apply, contact Covington at rcovington@dpchamber.org. A suspect wanted in a 2019 deadly shooting in Danville was arrested last month in North Carolina, authorities said. Domonic Fitzgerald, 32, has been wanted for three years on charges of first-degree murder and robbery in the death of 25-year-old Caleb Henry Morris. The United States Marshals Service, in conjunction with the Greensboro, North Carolina, Police Department, arrested the suspect on May 3, according to Danville Police Department Sgt. Chris Morris. When police moved in for the arrest, the suspect ran off, but was apprehended following a short foot pursuit, Morris said. K-9 units also helped in the capture. He signed a waiver of extradition and was brought back to Danville on May 25. A hearing is set Friday morning in Danville Circuit Court to advise about attorney arrangements, online records show. Last August, Guren L. Clemons, 27, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder and accessory after the fact to robbery. He was initially indicted on first-degree murder, robbery and firearms-related charges. There is a plea agreement, Danville Commonwealths Attorney Michael Newman told the Danville Register & Bee on Aug. 9. It is sealed because there is an outstanding co-defendant. Early in the afternoon on May 25, 2019, Danville police responded to a shots fired call on Lanier Avenue. They found Morris, of Danville, suffering from a gunshot wound inside a home. He was pronounced dead a few minutes later, police reported at the time. Before Morris died of a gunshot, there was a fracas in the house at 1019 Lanier Ave., according to a search warrant filed in Danville Circuit Court. While inside the residence it appears that a struggle ensued and a gunshot went off, the warrant states. A white male that was inside the residence suffered a Gunshot wound to the upper torso area. According to the warrant, police searched the house and found shell casings, a gun, two cellphones and something listed simply as a projectile. Officers also took DNA evidence from the scene. The warrant states that unknown individual(s) entered the property before the fracas began, the Register & Bee reported in 2019. It is unclear if one or multiple people entered the residence. Neighbors who spoke to the Register & Bee in 2019 said they heard neither gunshots nor any commotion from the home and didnt know something happened there until a fleet of police cruisers descended on the street. Shootings are uncommon in the area, they said. Sovah Health the umbrella organization with hospitals in Danville and Martinsville will pay the United States government $4.36 million in a settlement over claims it violated the Controlled Substances Act, the U.S. Department of Justice reported Wednesday morning. The settlement is the third-largest civil penalty in history from a hospital system under the act and the largest ever in the Fourth Circuit, a news release reported. The claims surround the health system's "failure to have effective controls in place to prevent the diversion of powerful painkilling prescription opioids," the release stated. Specifically, from 2017 to 2019, a Sovah Health worker diverted more than 11,000 Schedule II controlled substances from the system. Paulette G. Toller, 60, of Chatham, was sentenced 13 months in federal prison in 2020 following a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Jackson L. Kiser, court records show. Toller pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing a controlled substance, acquiring and obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery or deception. According to court documents, Toller, who worked as a pharmacy technician at Sovah Health-Danville since 2001, admitted to finding a loophole in the hospitals automated dispensing system that allowed her to withdraw controlled substances under codes that were no longer valid. Toller admitted to getting the substances, which included hydrocodone, oxycodone and other controlled substances, for her own personal use. In all, more than 13,000 controlled substance pills disappeared from Sovah Health-Danville over two years beginning in 2017, show documents from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Also, a second employee from January to May 2020 tampered with Fentanyl vials and hydromorphone injectables by replacing the controlled substance with saline and diverting the controlled substance, the release stated. That second employee, Emilee Kathryn Poteat, is serving three years in federal prison. Poteat, formerly employed as a Sovah Health-Danville registered nurse pleaded guilty last year to a count of tampering with consumer products (fentanyl and hydromorphone) that affect interstate commerce, a count of reckless disregard for the risk that another person be placed in danger of death or bodily injury and a count of making false statements, a news release reported. Starting in January 2020, Poteat diverted and tampered with fentanyl vials and hydromorphone that were intended for patients at Sovah Health-Danville, court documents revealed. The tampering discovery was made on May 19, 2020. Out of 20 vials of fentanyl, 14 had tops popped off, the news release reported. The remaining tops fell off when touched, In addition, a dry white film suspected to be superglue was around one of the vials. Poteat also was sentenced last week to four more years in federal prison in North Carolina for a similar offense at a hospital there. The U.S. government claims Sovah Health "failed to provide effective controls and procedures to guard against the diversion of controlled substances, filled orders for controlled substances without a system in place to disclose suspicious orders of controlled substances, and failed to maintain readily retrievable records of controlled substances," the release stated. As opioid overdose deaths skyrocket, it is critical that health care companies are held accountable when they fail to effectively safeguard these powerful prescriptions within their facilities, U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh for the Western District of Virginia, said in a statement. The oversight provided by this resolution will ensure future compliance involving these important but potentially deadly substances, and the United States Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia will continue to vigorously pursue these cases with our federal and local partners in order to protect Virginias communities. The agreement resolves Sovah Healths potential civil and criminal liability based on the investigation, the release stated. This story will be updated. Virginia Department of the Treasury staff helped Danville residents find a record total of $351,000 during an unclaimed property virtual call event that was held last week. The previous high during a Danville event was $103,230 found a year ago during a two-day call center in June. Last week, Treasury workers looked up 678 names during two days. Residents with money owned to them were sent a claim form. The event was held in partnership with the city of Danvilles Treasurers Office. Last weeks event was the fifth event for Danville residents since 2019. To date, the events have recovered $635,978. The city of Danville Treasurers Office has already saved the date for Dec. 1-2 to hold this event again. Virginias consumer protection law requires businesses to escheat/report unclaimed property over to the state, relieving the business of the financial liability. Virginia holds the property as the custodian until the rightful owner, or heir, files a claim. More than $1 billion has been paid out to Virginians since this program was started in 1961. Unclaimed property comprises abandoned assets or accounts considered dormant because of inactivity and can include utility deposits, customer refunds, unpaid wages, money from insurance policies, securities and investments, bank accounts, and tangible property. Property becomes unclaimed when the holder company has not had contact with the owner of the property for a specified period of time. These call events are held to aid citizens in searching and starting the claim process. Virginians can also easily search the commonwealths unclaimed property database by visiting VaMoneySearch.org. This free website allows individuals to search the commonwealths unclaimed property database and download a claim form. Alfanar Construction, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) division of Saudi group Alfanar, has announced that it has been awarded a SR109 million ($29.7 million) contract by the Ministry of Health to replace and develop the infrastructure for Ohud General Hospital in the city of Madinah. The 24-month project is aimed at revamping infrastructure for the 300-bed hospital, said a statement from Alfanar. This project is part of the health ministrys plan to renew and upgrade its hospitals across the kingdom. Engineer Amer Al Ajmi, Executive Vice President at Alfanar Construction, said: "It is our pleasure to work as success partners with a prestigious entity such as the Ministry of Health. Alfanar Construction has strong credentials in infrastructure projects execution, and the Ohud General Hospital contract further strengthens our dominance in this area." "This latest success consolidates Alfanar Constructions position in the region as a leading EPC contractor for social infrastructure projects," he stated. According to him, Alfanar Construction has gained a growing regional and international reputation by diversifying its portfolio of products and services globally. Today, the company serves businesses across the digital solutions, energy, water, oil and gas, social infrastructure and healthcare sectors through its various business divisions and sub-brands, he added.-TradeArabia News Service DANVILLE, Va. The public health emergency that has expanded eligibility for Medicaid for more than two years will be extended past the middle of July and likely into October. It has also allowed increased benefits for recipients under SNAP, or the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that provides food assistance for families in need who qualify. About 6,800 people in Danville receive SNAP benefits, and 13,395 residents benefit from Medicaid, said Tess Moss, benefits manager with the Danville Division of Social Services. But Danville Social Services could not provide numbers for how many current Medicaid recipients are only eligible due to the public health emergency. They will not know until Medicaid eligibility reviews are done after the public health emergency ends, Moss said Monday. Expanded Medicaid and enhanced SNAP benefits have helped out those affected by the COVID pandemic, Moss said. Its been beneficial because of the loss of income and jobs when there were layoffs, Moss said. Those who got sick from COVID-19 but had Medicaid in place have not had to worry about whether to go to the hospital or their doctor due to the expense, she said. Workers laid off or whose hours were cut could still feed themselves and their families with increased SNAP benefits, she added. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has renewed the public health emergency several times since first declaring it in January 2020. Under the declaration, the U.S. can give emergency authorization of drugs, vaccines and other countermeasures, and administer them at no out-of-pocket cost. The department extended the emergency on April 16 for another 90 days, continuing it through mid-July. it will likely be extended again to October, Moss said. States will receive a 60-day notice in the event of termination of the public health emergency. As for reviews of Virginia Medicaid beneficiaries eligibility, the federal government in March 2020 offered states extra funding if they halted them. Virginia agreed and received more than $1 billion in additional federal money and added 500,000 people to its Medicaid program, VPM/NPR reported May 18. There are more than 1 million Medicaid cases to review in the state, Moss said. Danville residents may apply for benefits by completing an application and leaving it at 510 Patton St., or by mailing it to: Danville Social Services, PO Box 3300, Danville, Virginia 24543. Applications are available at the Danville Social Services office during regular office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Applications can also be downloaded from the Virginia Department of Social Services. As the federal crackdown on the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers roles in the Capitol riot continued to deepen this week, two North Carolina members of the targeted extremist groups loom as key witnesses in the prosecution. Proud Boys member Charles Yut Yut Donohoe of Kernersville and William Todd Wilson, an Oath Keeper from Newton Grove, have already pleaded guilty to related offenses and agreed to cooperate with the government. Both, according to court documents, were high-ranking members of their respective groups and privy to the planning and events of Jan. 6, 2021, when hundreds of supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol to protest his election loss to Joe Biden. On Monday, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and four of his top lieutenants were indicted and charged with seditious conspiracy and other crimes tied to the attack. The sedition charges, the most serious filed so far in the sprawling criminal investigation that has led to almost 850 arrests, carry a maximum 20-year sentence. Some legal experts say the new filing against the Proud Boys indicates a broadening effort by the Justice Department to explore possible ties between Trump and the White House to the planning and execution of the riot. They were announced before the start of this weeks televised hearings of a special Jan. 6 House committee, which has been investigating the insurrection for the past 11 months. Trumps role in spurring the attack is expected to be the centerpiece of the televised hearings by the House committee. The indictment alleges that Proud Boys leaders conspired to overturn the government by stopping congressional certification of Bidens win in the 2020 presidential election. Fueled by Trumps unfounded claims of vote fraud, hundreds of his supporters mobbed the Capitol, smashing windows, breaking down doors, overwhelming police and sending members of Congress fleeing for safety. Five deaths have been linked to the violence. Some 140 police offers were injured. About $1.5 million in damages to the Capitol occurred. At least 23 North Carolinians have been arrested in connection to the violence. They range in age from 19 to 64 and include an avowed white supremacist, a Pilot Mountain couple who took their 14-year-old son inside the Capitol during the riot and a Sylva tea shop owner, among others. Other defendants with North Carolina ties include: Billy Knutson, a former North Carolina rapper now living in South Dakota, who prosecutors say wrote lyrics based on the Capitol violence and used video he shot inside the building on Jan. 6 in his music videos. Cleveland Meredith of Hayesville, who prosecutors said drove to Washington heavily armed but arrived too late to take part in the Jan. 6 rallies supporting Trump. He was later arrested and charged with sending a text on Jan. 7 to a Georgia family member in which Meredith said he was thinking about heading over to Pelosi (expletives) speech and putting a bullet in her noggin on live TV. Meredith pleaded guilty in September to interstate communication of threats and was sentenced to 28 months in prison. Donohoe, a former Marine, was charged with Tarrio and the others in an earlier indictment but accepted a plea deal in April. According to documents in his case, Donohoe was a member of an inner circle of Proud Boys members who planned and directed the groups effort to oppose the lawful transfer of presidential power by force on Jan. 6. Mondays indictment against the Proud Boys is only the second time sedition charges have been lodged by the U.S. Justice Department in its prosecution of the Capitol attackers, the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history. In January, prosecutors also handed down a seditious-conspiracy indictment against 10 members of the the Oath Keepers, a right-wing group whose members include current and former military and law enforcement officers. Another group of Oath Keepers, including former High Point police Officer Laura Steele, has been charged in a separate indictment. Wilson, who lives in the small Sampson County town of Newton Grove, pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy in May. On Jan. 6, he was the first of the Oath Keeper conspirators to breach the Capitol. He then joined other members of the mob to pry open the Rotunda doors from the inside to allow more rioters inside, prosecutors say. Afterward, according to court documents, Wilson was in a private suite at a Washington hotel with other Oath Keepers when the groups founder, Stewart Rhodes, made a phone call and repeatedly urged the unidentified person who picked up to tell Trump to issue a call for the Oath Keepers and similar groups to forcibly resist the defeated presidents ouster. The individual refused to let Rhodes talk to Trump directly, documents show. After the call ended, Rhodes told the group: I just want to fight. An Associated Press account of Hong Kong residents being forcibly kept from their annual Tiananmen Square commemorative vigil in Sundays News & Record shows how China, in spite of its size and economic power, has chosen to suppress, rather than profit from, the creativity of a free people. America grows stronger when Chinese refugees find freedom here, and bless us with their intelligence and hard work. But another story in the same edition (To ban it or not? Ideas) revealed forces in our own community that would, if they could, impose authoritarian controls on Americans. A Northern Guilford High School teacher, Holly Weaver, told her story of defending her right to teach, and more importantly, her students right to learn, from an attempt to ban a book she used in her English class. Ms. Weavers efforts prevailed, and thanks to her, our freedoms are a little more secure. In 1838, a young Abraham Lincoln noted the extent of Americas territory, and the liberty of her people, to argue that our freedom could never be threatened by outside forces. Rather, for any threat to our liberty to ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. ... As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide. In present-day America, threats to our freedom seem to spring up daily. We can only protect ourselves by recognizing that attempts to muzzle teachers, or weaponize homophobia through legislation, or curtail the freedom of women through the courts, or terrorize African Americans with racist murders, are all threats to the liberty of each of us. Thank you to Ms. Weaver, and to all who champion American freedom. The writer lives in Greensboro. General election races for Helena-area legislative seats are taking shape as primary election results continue to come in from the Montana Secretary of State's Office. In the House District 70 race, Republican incumbent Julie Dooling was unopposed. Democrat Jon Jackson (54%) won, with seven of eight precincts reporting, over fellow Democrat Jeremiah Dawson (45%) 276-231. In the House District 75 race between two Republicans, incumbent Marta Bertoglio won over Timothy McKenrick with all nine precincts reporting. She had 1,700 votes (75%) to McKenrick's 631 votes (27%). There are no candidates from opposing parties beyond the primary. In House District 81, the seat currently held by Democrat Rep. Mary Caferro, Democrat Melissa Romano won with all five precincts reporting over challengers Jacob Torgerson and Jake Troyer. Romano, an educator, had 1,102 votes (66%) according to results posted on the Montana Secretary of State website, compared to 310 votes (18%) for Troyer, owner of a consulting company, and 263 for Torgerson (16%), a community organizer. Romano will face GOP candidate Jill Sark, a bureau chief in the senior longtime care division for the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. Sark won with 57% of the vote over Charlie Hull, who got 43%. Even though his name appeared on the ballot, Hull had withdrawn from the race. Democrat Mary Caferro is now running for House District 82, which was held by fellow Democrat Moffie Funk, who is termed out of office. Fellow Democrat Craig Sundberg also filed. Caferro received 1,377 votes from all five precincts for 88% of the vote. Sundberg got 178 votes for 11%. The winner is running against Republican Alden Tonkay, communications director with the Montana Republican Party. The House District 84 race had five candidates -- two Democrats and three Republicans -- seeking the seat now held by Democrat Mary Ann Dunwell. Republican Kaitlyn Ruch won with 508 votes (40%). GOP challengers Keith Pigman got 404 votes (32%) and Kurt J. Aughney got 360 votes for 28%. Democrat Jill Cohenour tentatively won the primary with 1,328 votes (92%) over fellow Democrat Noah Horan, who had 112 votes (8%). Several area races were uncontested, with the candidates moving on to the Nov. 8 general election. House District 79 had Republican Dennison Rivera, a marketing entrepreneur and state chair of the Montana Young Republicans, and Democrat Laura Smith, an attorney and former deputy director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. In House District 80, Republican incumbent Becky Beard was the lone candidate. Democrat incumbent Kim Abbott is running for House District 83 against Republican Bob Leach. GOP Sen. Bruce Butch Gillespie ran unopposed for Senate District 9. He will assume office in the next legislative session. In the Senate District 41 race, incumbent Democrat Janet Ellis, who retired from Montana Audubon, will run against Republican Dave Galt, a self-employed consultant, on Nov. 8. Democrat Mary Ann Dunwell, retired public information officer with the state, and Republican Matt Olson, former owner and operator of the Dairy Queen on Prospect Avenue, are running for the Senate District 42 race. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. On Tuesday, voters in Montana had their say in the states midterm primary election. While the primaries for the new western congressional seat drew most of the attention, voters also weighed in on state Supreme Court positions, seats on the Public Service Commission, legislative races and more. On this episode Montana State News Bureau reporters who give us a run down on who won, who lost and where votes are still being counted. A baker's dozen counties, both urban and rural, approved local-option taxes on recreational cannabis sales in Tuesday's primary election. Twelve counties had the local-option tax on the ballot, and all approved the measures by wide margins. The lowest tally in favor of the tax was 73% in Ravalli County. Since the Legislature last year gave local jurisdictions the option to add the local 3% tax on recreational cannabis sales, every county to vote on the measure has approved the tax. The Montana Department of Revenue last week reported the latest monthly cannabis sales figures. The recreational market saw its highest-grossing month yet at $16.6 million in sales. The medical market saw $8.2 million in sales, the lowest in monthly sales reported since the new recreational market opened Jan. 1. Through the 20% tax on recreational cannabis sales and separate 4% tax on medical marijuana sales, the state of Montana has collected more than $17 million in new tax revenues through the first five months of the year. Roosevelt County, a rural county on the Hi-Line, approved its tax on recreational sales with 76% percent of the vote, while 62% of voters also approved a tax on medical marijuana sales. According to reporting by the state revenue department, Roosevelt County would have taken in more than $9,500 in tax revenues on May's sales alone. County Commissioner Gary Macdonald said Wednesday the new tax revenues have been earmarked for law enforcement. "Theyre going to be the most-affected department we have, because theyll be dealing with the people that use too much of it," Macdonald said in a phone interview. Several other counties that have approved the new tax have done so by the same reasoning: the growing availability of what remains a federally illegal drug may bring new issues with it. While dispensaries have been slow to crop up in Roosevelt County, especially considering the legal gray areas related to the county's overlap with the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Macdonald knows law enforcement in a rural county could use the additional support. "I think it's one of our most important departments but also one of our most expensive," he said. On Tuesday, Deer Lodge, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Blaine, Ravalli, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Butte-Silver Bow, Carbon, Big Horn, Richland, Gallatin and Powell counties each approved the local tax on recreational cannabis. All but Ravalli County also approved a 3% tax on medical marijuana sales. Ravalli County joins Missoula County as the only jurisdiction to vote against taxing medical marijuana sales. Of the taxes counties collect on cannabis sales, 50% of those revenues go to the county and 45% of the revenues must be appropriated to municipalities based on the ratio of the population of the city or town to the county population. The remaining 5% is retained by the revenue department to defray the costs of administering the local option cannabis tax. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The construction sector is moving ahead in a big way driven by modern building technologies such as BIM, 3D Modelling and artificial intelligence (AI). But what the industry needs to consider is how to connect these solutions to improve holistically, according to construction technology leader Trimble. In short, connectivity is the key to a successful project, stated Trimble during its participation in the BIM Saudi Arabia Conference and Expo 2022 held recently in Riyadh. The conference was conducted to promote the benefits of BIM technology among construction professionals in Saudi Arabia, owing to the rapid increase in the building activities. Trimble said it has been serving the market for over 18 years to date and has worked on major projects in the country such as the Riyadh Metro, The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). Its participation in BIM Saudi Arabia Conference and Expo 2022 was in line with its vision to encourage the construction sectors across the Middle East by driving technology deployment. The objective was to educate construction professionals on the importance of constructible BIM and its effects on cost reduction, improving complex projects, and handling tasks more efficiently, remarked Paul Wallett, Regional Director of Trimble Solutions, Middle East and India. A prominent speaker at the event, Wallett enlightened delegates representing government, municipalities, infrastructure developers, contractors, civil engineers, and other major sectors, with his talk on Constructible BIM, in addition to serving on a panel discussion titled, Future Trends in Adoption of Digital Technology and Innovation and What it Means for the Industry. In his session amongst industry professionals, Wallett highlighted that the core problem in construction sector was productivity. The construction industry lacks productivity and having a well- connected construction solution in place is essential, he noted. He pointed out that the industry was moving ahead and there were many different solutions every day and also abundant information available in the market today. "Added to this were the numerous modern construction technologies such as BIM, 3D Modeling and AI available in the market. But what the industry needs to consider is how to connect all these solutions to improve holistically -since connectivity plays a vital role in delivering these projects on time efficiently and hence the key to a successful project," he added. That comes after the state refused to allow people to make updates to their birth certificates using a form, as was the process before the new law. The state health department then issued an emergency rule that actually went further than the new law by blocking people from changing their birth certificates in all cases except if there was a data entry error. When I saw the temporary emergency rule, my heart dropped, Amelia Marquez, a Billings resident who is one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement. As a soon-to-be social studies educator, I explain to the students that we live in a society of checks and balances. To see a state agency disregard another branch of government's legal order felt disappointing to say the least. I would like to see our state do better and protect me and other Montanans rights rather than continuing to fight to trample on them. Republicans passed Senate Bill 280 last year to require surgery and petitioning a court to update a birth certificate, citing frustration with an administrative rule from a previous Democratic administration that allowed people to update their birth certificates using a form through the state health department. A year ago, ACLU of Montana sued the state on behalf of two transgender Montanans over the new law. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Marquez and a trans man identified as John Doe in court proceedings. It is against the state of Montana; Gov. Greg Gianforte; the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, which handles birth certificates; and department Director Adam Meier. The plaintiffs in the case said the law puts them at risk of violence and harassment if they have documents that could force them to reveal they are transgender in a dangerous situation. In 2021, the Human Rights Campaign said there were 50 fatal attacks on transgender people in the U.S., a record high. The organization reported so far this year there have already been 14 fatal attacks. Plaintiffs also said that not all transgender Montanans undergo surgery and that the law meant theyd have to disclose private medical information in court. In April, Billings Judge Michael Moses halted enforcement of the law through a preliminary injunction. "Living ones life consistently with ones gender identity includes using identity documents that accurately reflect ones gender identity," Moses wrote in his order. "Gender-affirming surgery, even for those transgender people who have a medical need for it, does not 'change' their sex, but rather affirms it." In their Tuesday motion, plaintiffs asked Moses to clarify his initial order requires the state to go back to using the 2017 form, compel the state to use that form and hold them in contempt if they don't and order the emergency rule unlawful. While the ACLU said Moses order meant the state should return to the status-quo from before the law was passed and allow updates through a form, the state Department of Public Health and Human Services disagreed. "The Department of Public Health and Human Services believes that all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect, and that they should be provided all of the rights and protections to which they are entitled under the Constitutions and laws of the State of Montana and of the United States," department spokesperson Jon Ebelt said in an emailed statement in May. "The rule obeys the court's order, addresses a critical regulatory gap, and remains consistent with current law, as well as the science." The emergency rule said Moses decision left the department in an ambiguous and uncertain situation. The department needs, immediately, to correct this confusion and clearly set forth the standards under which such applications will be processed. Montanans deserve to know how such applications will be handled in this period, the rule read. Moses wrote in his injunction order, "Gender-affirming surgery, even for those transgender people who have a medical need for it, does not 'change' their sex, but rather affirms it." The department's rule said Moses' ruling is at odds with the National Institutes of Health and other sources cited in the emergency rule. The sources cited by DPHHS in its emergency rule include a letter to the editor in the Irish Journal of Medical Science that argues sex is genetic, binary and immutable. "The department agrees," the rule states. But the ACLU said Wednesday the state was actively seeking ways to circumvent returning to the 2017 rules which are uncomplicated, according to staff attorney Akilah Lane. From 2017 until last year, the state provided a process for individuals to correct the sex designation on their birth certificates. The states willful refusal to comply with the Order only serves to hurt transgender Montanans, Lane said in an emailed statement. And it demonstrates that in fact the purpose of the law all along was to hurt transgender Montanans. Enough is enough. The court order could not be any clearer and the state should be held accountable for its refusal to comply. The health department did not immediately return an email seeking comment Wednesday. Montana Democratic state lawmakers on an interim committee with oversight over the health department have also raised concerns over the rule, calling it unlawful, though it's unclear if they could gain support from any Republicans on the committee to take action. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LIBBY A quarter-inch error by the printer supplying ballots in Lincoln County is keeping in limbo a tight GOP primary for Montanas new western congressional district, the top elections official there said Wednesday. With a narrow 1,181-vote lead for Republican Ryan Zinke, the former Interior secretary thought to be the favored candidate in a five-way GOP primary for Montana's western U.S. House seat, campaigns are anxiously awaiting the results. It's the only county in the race not yet reporting results. With at least 4,084 absentee ballots returned there and 14,802 registered voters, the race hinges on those results. Those numbers come from the Secretary of State's Office. Zinke held 41% of the vote in the western district Wednesday evening, with 33,203 ballots cast for him. Former state Sen. Al Olszewski, an orthopedic surgeon from Kalispell, had 40%, or 32,022 votes. Lincoln County Election Administrator Paula Buff said Wednesday she expects the resulting hand-count of thousands of ballots to take at least until Thursday and possibly longer. Because the ballots arent the right size, the tabulators the county uses are unable to process them. Buff said the problem didnt come to light until shortly before the Memorial Day weekend. The issue only affected absentee ballots. But after reaching out to county and state officials, Buff said the Secretary of States office advised her against attempting to run in-person ballots from Tuesday through the tabulators while hand-counting the rest. They told us at the end of the day its your call, you guys can do whatever you want but the reality is you should probably stick with one option or the other, Buff said. She said the county considered but ultimately rejected several possible last-minute fixes including taping pieces of paper to the ballots to make them the right size, and duplicating them on the correct paper stock by using machines that generate ballots for voters with disabilities. We decided after weighing all the options that a hand-count would be our best possible option, Buff said. So by Wednesday afternoon, six groups of three election judges huddled over tables in the basement of the Lincoln County Annex Building, slowly working through more than 4,300 absentee ballots cast in the county. A gaggle of reporters and observers for Zinke's campaign looked on from a roped-off area in the corner. Each group included one person calling out each vote in each race, with the other two volunteers marking down the results. After every five ballots, the two counters compare notes. If theyre off, they go back and count the last five ballots again. As of early afternoon Wednesday, absentee ballots for four of the countys 14 precincts had been counted. Buff estimated they could wrap up absentee ballots by the end of the day Wednesday, but had yet to begin processing any ballots cast on Election Day. There were about 6,300 voters eligible to vote at the polls Tuesday, Buff said, but expected only a fraction of those were cast. Following a marathon Election Day counting process that wrapped up shortly before midnight, Buff said volunteer election judges were in for another long day and some will need to finally return home after staying in hotels or with local friends. Lincoln County sprawls along Montanas northwestern border, with the second-largest town, Eureka, a 90-minute drive from the county seat of Libby. I dont anticipate those who showed up first thing in the morning are going to want to stay until midnight, and frankly I wouldnt want them to anyway, Buff said. This is a very tedious, monotonous process, it takes a lot of concentration and focus, and I would rather take it slow and steady and be accurate 100% of the time rather than trying to push it and stretch it out until 6 in the morning and end up with shoddy results. Because the machine could not be used for all ballots, Montana law requires that all ballots be counted by hand, according to the Montana Secretary of State's office. "The law requires the county to tabulate all ballots by machine or to tabulate all ballots by manual count," spokesperson Richie Melby said in an email Wednesday. "Because the county performed a manual count, all ballots must be counted manually. Again, some ballots could not be counted by a machine, thus all ballots will be uniformly hand-counted." The other candidates in the race trailed significantly, with Kalispell church leader Mary Todd at 10%; Matt Jette, a school teacher from Missoula, at 6%; and Mitch Heuer, a home builder from Whitefish; at 2%. Wednesday afternoon Zinkes campaign sent out a fundraising email, saying in part that he is winning, but requesting contributions to afford the expensive legal recount if it comes to that. Zinke campaign manager Heather Swift said in a text message they feel confident, and at the same time (are) taking prudent steps to prepare for a recount should Als team try to challenge the election results. When asked about a potential recount Wednesday, Olszewski campaign spokesperson Drew Zinecker replied, We are awaiting the final results in this very close election. On the Democratic side, Missoula lawyer Monica Tranel defeated Bozeman nonprofit executive Cora Neumann and former Missoula state lawmaker Tom Winter. Tranel got 65% of the votes reported so far to 27% for Neumann and 8% for Winter. Both of Tranel's opponents conceded the race Tuesday night and threw their support behind her. In a statement Wednesday, Tranel said she's ready for the November election and indicated she's expecting to run against Zinke. "Montanans Democrats and Republicans made it clear in yesterdays primary that they want a representative in Congress to represent them, rather than the corporations that exploit them. Someone who will protect their freedoms and privacy, rather than taking them away. And someone who will uphold and secure our democracy," Tranel said. "Montanans are seeking a leader who will show up to every town and every county ready to listen to real-life concerns and experiences, and who will work together for common-sense solutions. Ryan Zinke had multiple chances to show up for Montanans, but instead of serving Montana, he served himself. Zinkes record of corruption has contributed to a primary result that shows his own party does not trust him." Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. His coverage focuses on outdoors, recreation and natural resources. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tom Kuglin State Reporter/Outdoors Reporter Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. His coverage focuses on outdoors, recreation and natural resources. Follow Tom Kuglin 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 Sam Wilson State Bureau Reporter Follow Sam Wilson Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today In the hotly contested race for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court, results posted Wednesday showed incumbent Justice Ingrid Gustafson with a strong lead and challenger James Brown also set to advance to the general election. The top two vote-getters in the primary go on to the November vote. Initial results Tuesday showed Gustafson holding 48% of the vote, with more than 123,794 ballots cast for the incumbent by late Wednesday, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Republican Public Service Commission chair Brown had 36% of the tally, with 92,799 votes. Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike McMahon was in a distant third place with 39,653 votes, or 15%. Gustafson said in a phone interview late Tuesday she was feeling positive about the preliminary results. "I have nearly 20 years of judicial experience and I've been doing this a long time and I work very hard and have a passion for the law," she said. "I think voters in Montana appreciate that and I think having the experience that I have helped a great deal today." Brown's campaign said he was "humbled" by the statewide support he received in the primary. Brown was first elected to public office in 2020. Montanans have made it overwhelmingly clear that they want a justice that will protect our constitutional rights and our way of life, and thats exactly what I will accomplish as your next justice, Brown said in an emailed statement. While the race is nonpartisan, politics found a way into the campaigns this year. Supreme Court candidates are bound by the Judicial Code of Conduct from seeking, accepting or using partisan endorsements, but those rules haven't stopped Republicans from going all in on Brown's campaign. Brown has been endorsed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, attended a fundraiser for his campaign at Gianforte's home and told a crowd gathered at a Republican forum in Butte that he was pleased the governor called and urged him to run for the Supreme Court. Only in separate remarks to the press did Brown say many people called to nudge him toward a bid for the high court. Brown has vowed to be a constitutional conservative on the court if elected. His candidacy arrives as Republicans in the state have openly alleged the courts to be an instrument of liberals to undo legislative enactments. Brown himself has told supporters the Supreme Court is "well known across the country for being one of the most liberal" state Supreme Courts in the country. The state's high court is likely to play an increasing role in the battle over priority legislation passed by a Republican Legislature and signed by a Republican governor after 16 years of a Democratic veto pen. Several high-profile new laws are already making their way through the lower courts, and the high court has before it a major challenge over access to pre-viability abortions in Montana. In May, the Montana Republican State Central Committee reported to the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices more than $58,000 in independent spending to support Brown's candidacy, following another $27,700 in April. When Democrats called foul on high-profile Republicans endorsing Brown's campaign, Republicans labeled the outrage a "hypocrisy," given the Montana Democratic Party spent $60,000 to support Justice Dirk Sandefur's candidacy in 2016. They've also criticized Gustafson for inviting former Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock to a fundraising event in Helena. The state Democratic Party has not reported any spending on Gustafson's behalf this cycle. The Montanans for Liberty and Justice political action committee, a fundraising arm of the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, reported nearly $132,000 in independent spending support of Gustafson in May, according to campaign finance records. Gustafson has made the rejection of politics a focus of her campaign messaging, stating a partisan effort is afoot to weaken the judicial branch and remove it as a check and balance to the other branches of government. "I've talked to a lot of voters in the last few months and I think Montana voters at least are telling me that they're not interested in partisan elections for judicial positions," Gustafson said Tuesday. Gustafson was unopposed in her last reelection bid in 2018. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by Bullock in 2017, 13 years after she was appointed to the district court bench in Yellowstone County by Republican Gov. Judy Martz. Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike McMahon generated a lot less visibility in a race where one candidate is the incumbent and the other was backed by the state's dominant political party. Republicans painted McMahon as anti-Second Amendment after he ruled a Republican-passed bill to prohibit gun restrictions on campus was unconstitutional. McMahon's ruling found the state constitution gave that authority to the state Board of Regents, not the state Legislature, to dictate rules about firearms on campus. In a phone interview late Tuesday, McMahon thanked his supporters and said the election showed him the partisanship that's found its way into the nonpartisan race appeared important to voters this cycle. "The voters have spoken," McMahon said. "My campaign was run on the independence of the judiciary. I learned early on and continue to throughout tonight that partisanship and special interest groups and political agendas, they're important." There are two seats on the state's high court up for election this year, though in the race for Supreme Court justice seat No. 1 both candidates incumbent Jim Rice and challenger Bill D'Alton will advance to the general election in November. Rice had 76% of the vote to 24% for D'Alton, a Billings personal injury attorney. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 3 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 The Decatur Police Department is looking to the public for help in solving a shooting last month, this weeks crime of the week. On May 30, at approximately 6:10 p.m., Decatur police responded to the 2400 block of Country Trail in reference to the shooting. According to the press release, officers arrived at the scene and found evidence of a shooting that occurred in a parking lot near the apartment buildings. "A victim would later arrive at Decatur Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries," the report stated. "The victim had no information for police." Police interviewed individuals who were on scene and heard the shooting; however, no information was available on a suspect. Anyone with information on the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 217-423-TIPS. Callers do not have to give their names and cash rewards of $500 or more are paid for information that leads to an arrest. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR 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. WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin announced several Illinois airports will be receiving federal support to improve transit, keep travelers and employees safe, and create jobs in their respective regions. Resources from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program will help each hub conduct needed infrastructure projects, according to a news release. "Illinois' airports are important economic engines for our state and the source of jobs for so many working families," Duckworth stated in the release. "I'm proud to join Senator Durbin in announcing this infusion of federal funding that will help ensure these airports can improve their infrastructure, create good-paying local jobs and make our aviation system safer and more reliable." A total of $14,912,204 in funds will be distributed. Airports receiving funds include Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, $5,686,869 for construction of an apron, taxi lane and taxiway, and runway rehabilitation; Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, $7,081,047 for runway removal and taxiway lighting reconstruction; Quad City International Airport in Moline, $1,262,970 for snow removal, aircraft rescue and firefighting safety equipment; Scott Air Force Base/Mid America in Belleville, $678,127 for an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle; and Decatur Airport, $203,191 for runway rehabilitation, runway and lighting reconstruction, and airfield guidance signs. "The FAA's investment in our state's regional airports will ensure that travelers arrive safely, securely, and efficiently in addition to supporting the local economy," Durbin stated. "Our airports are a critical part of Illinois' economic success. Senator Duckworth and I will continue to support this important regional airport funding for our state." Contact Olivia Jacobs at 309-820-3240. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @olivia___jacobs 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. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Hot and humid. High 99F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low around 75F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. WISE, Va. When Clintwood native Carson Fuller was a high school student, he knew he wanted to go to college but wasnt quite sure how to go about it. A friends older sister told Fuller about the Upward Bound program at the University of Virginias College at Wise. The former Ridgeview High School student applied and spent three years in the program. When he joined UVa-Wise, he had already earned enough college credits to start his undergraduate career as a sophomore. Now, Fuller is a rising junior and communications major, and he plays the bass drum for the UVa-Wise Highland Cavalier Marching Band. Fuller works at the colleges post office and was recently elected president of Lambda Pi Eta, the communications honor society. Without the program, I dont know if I would have actually gone to college. If I had, I would probably be in debt right now. Together UVa-Wise and Upward Bound helped me with scholarships and financial assistance. Not only did they help me come here, theyre helping me stay here, said Fuller, who works with the Upward Bound program and expects to graduate in 2024. For 56 years, the Upward Bound program at UVa-Wise has been providing skills and support to help students successfully complete high school and achieve their dream of a higher education. To date, nearly 3,000 students like Fuller have participated in the program here in Southwest Virginia. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education awarded UVa-Wise with a new $2.1 million grant to continue the Upward Bound program for the next five years. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their pre-college performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. The Upward Bound program is an example, among many, of how we support the high school students in our region, said UVa-Wise Chancellor Donna Henry. This program offers students opportunities they might never experience otherwise, and these opportunities result in their successful graduation from high school and acceptance to the college of their choice, and, of course, UVa-Wise is the best choice. To qualify, high school students must come from families in which neither parent holds a bachelors degree, or they also must meet income eligibility requirements. This year, students will be selected for the program from Central High School, Eastside High School, Ridgeview High School and Union High School. The program serves 80 students. We are excited to have received the renewal for the Upward Bound grant and to be working with our partners in the local high schools, said UVa-Wise Upward Bound Program Director Shelby Roberts. The program will provide needed resources and support for many first-generation students to pursue postsecondary education. The biggest thing for me was how personal the program is, Fuller said. If you have a question, you ask them, and they will help you. If they dont know the answer, they will find someone who can answer it. The program provides participants with high school and college academic advising, workshops on study and test-taking and life skills, as well as SAT and ACT preparation. They also receive assistance with college applications and financial aid. Upward Bound students also receive tutoring and academic instruction in core subjects including mathematics, foreign language, literature, composition and laboratory sciences. They go on college tours, local and out-of-state cultural field trips and social events, and take summer classes for college credit. Fuller fondly remembers his first big out-of-state trip to Chicago, where he rode his first rollercoaster. It was mind-blowing! That was the biggest trip I had taken up until that point. Chicago is a lot bigger than Clintwood, and seeing how many different people and all of the different cultures there were was an experience I would have never had otherwise. It changed my worldview, Fuller said. The best moment of the trip, he said, was going to the top of the legendary 108-story skyscraper, the Willis Tower, formerly Sears Tower. Being up that high and seeing the whole city at night with all the lights on in the city was awesome, he said. More Information For information about the Upward Bound program at UVa-Wise, contact upwardbound@uvawise.edu or call 276-328-0175. BRISTOL, Va. The Bristol Virginia City Council met privately again Tuesday to discuss a pending lawsuit with its sister city. This marked the second time in the past four days the council has met behind closed doors to review details of a complaint filed by the city of Bristol, Tennessee regarding the Virginia landfill and its potential response. The council met in a called session Tuesday after meeting for an hour and 40 minutes this past Saturday. All discussions were held outside the presence of the public and news media, citing an exception in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act that allows public bodies to enter closed sessions to discuss litigation and strategy with counsel in this case, City Manager/City Attorney Randy Eads. Last month, Bristol, Tennessee filed a complaint and a motion for an injunction in U.S. District Court in Abingdon. Bristol, Virginia has 21 days to formally respond to the court, and Senior Judge James P. Jones has scheduled a hearing June 21 regarding the motion for a preliminary injunction. Concerns over landfill emissions including odors and benzene emissions in wastewater have raged in the Twin City for about a year and a half. Bristol, Tennessee officials are asking the court to require Bristol, Virginia to begin work immediately to rectify a series of problems at its landfill based on recommendations made by an expert panel convened by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and contained in an April 25 report. In the meantime, Bristol, Virginia issued a response offering to settle the complaint, agreeing with much of what Bristol, Tennessee asserted in its filing, taking many of the steps suggested by an independent expert panel and offering to provide $250,000 for legal expenses. Bristol, Tennessee has yet to publicly respond to Bristol, Virginias offer. Bristol, Virginia also has a July 6 deadline to submit a plan of action to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. BRISTOL, Va. In addition to issues with its Bristol, Virginia campus, owners of the embattled Virginia Business College now owe the city nearly $159,000 in taxes. Monday was the deadline for taxpayers to pay their 2022 tax bills, and U.S. Magis International Education Center, the owners of the former Virginia Intermont College on Moore Street, failed to make a $71,364 payment, city Treasurer Angel Britt confirmed via email. This is in addition to their 2021 tax bill of $87,434 that was due last Dec. 5, Britt said. The China-based ownership now has an unpaid total tax bill of $158,798. Magis, which is owned by Chinese businessman Zhiting Zhang, acquired the former VI campus at auction in December 2016, with plans to establish a business school. The college appeared poised to begin classes in August 2020, but in June of that year, its board voted to pause opening due to impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. College officials subsequently announced plans to begin in early 2021 but then failed to do so. Although it has never opened, the college remains certified to operate by the State Commission on Higher Education in Virginia. That certification expires Sept. 30, and they must reapply to retain that status. However, VBC currently has no faculty and staff, and the campus is vacant and unkempt, with tall grass mowed just this week after months of growth, broken windows in some buildings and indications that homeless individuals occupy space in at least two buildings. Responding to complaints, the city codes department recently posted some campus buildings as unsafe for human occupation. The city also recently notified college officials that issues with its campus needed to be addressed soon. The city has requested a plan of action for how they intend to secure the campus, which is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood, about a mile from downtown. Last week, college President Gene Couch said via email that VBC remains in a period of uncertainty and Zhang, the principal owner of the property, will have to decide if he wants to invest more money into the campus. 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. ABINGDON, Va. Members of the Washington County, Virginia community gathered at the parking lot of the Washington County Administration Building Friday for the rededication ceremony of the Confederate statues, previously located on the lawn of the Abingdon, Virginia courthouse. Derrick McReynolds, who served as the master of ceremonies at the rededication, explained what the two statues are meant to represent. "Welcome to the Confederate statue dedication. This is the day to honor the Confederate statues, which represent the men of Washington County who fought in the American Civil War in the War Between the States," McReynolds said. During his opening remarks, McReynolds highlighted the statue is not only dedicated to the common soldier but also to the wives, daughters, and families of those who fought. "This is dedicated to the wives, the daughters, and the families. They supported the men in fields," McReynolds said. "It's all about the family." For Ruth Anne Holley, a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the statues are a reminder of what her family fought to defend, from their land to their faith and their state's rights. "They fought to protect their families. That's what they fought for. They fought for their farms, land. They fought for their families, blood. And they fought for the Christian faith. This was a Christian culture. It wasn't multi-cultural. It was a Christian culture, predominantly protestant," Holley said. "The Confederate soldier fought for his land for his people in his country. His country was his state." The Confederate statue of the "common soldier" was moved from its original location on the lawn of the Washington County Courthouse in November of last year to make way for courthouse renovations and an expansion project. Charlie Hargis, a member of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, spoke about the effort to find a new home for the statues after the town of Abingdon, Virginia, made it clear they did not want the Confederate statues relocated within the city limits. "We did receive word in November that the (Abingdon) Town Council didn't want the statue on any town property," Hargis said. "Se we quickly found this place for it, I think it's an excellent location, and at a December (2021) meeting, the (Washington County) board of supervisors voted unanimously to move it here." Hargis went on to extend an invitation to other veterans groups to become involved in what they have named Common Soldier Park, the creation of which has been funded by $140,000 donated by members of the Washington County, Virginia community. "We would welcome any veterans group that would like to be involved in our Common Soldier Park, Hargis said. The Confederate statue is the focal point, but it is also the beginning." 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. BTS Biogas, a leading Italian technological leader in the development and construction of biogas and biomethane plants, aims to enter the French market in a big way with the construction of two biogas plants in the country - one in Brittany and the other in Upper France. The top European group has signed an agreement with Oudon Biogaz, a company comprising 72 farms in the Mayenne Department, for the development of a project for the production of agricultural biogas in the Loire Region. In April this year, Oudon Biogas had laid the first brick of the plant - which is being built with BTS Biogas anaerobic digestion technologies, in the municipality of Livre La Touche, near Craon - and is set to become operational in 2023. Oudon Biogaz's goal is to sustainably recover the more than 140,000 tonnes of manure produced on its 72 farms, 85% of which is agricultural by-products such as slurry, manure and straw, to generate 55GWh of biomethane per year, equivalent to the consumption of 9,000 families in the Craon area. BTS Biogas has also signed an agreement with the farmers of the Lisieres de l'Oise, for the development of the Biomethane du Vandy project, at Saint Etienne Roilaye, in Upper France. A world-renowned technological innovator in the renewable energy market, BTS Biogas is responsible for the development, engineering, construction and maintenance of over 250 biogas and biomethane plants across Europe, North America and East Asia. The biogas plant, which is expected to become operational in 2023, will be powered mainly by corn silage, CIVE and beet pulp which will generate about 250 Nm3/h. The plant will make it possible to produce green energy for 3,000 families in the area, create 4 direct jobs, offer a new outlet for co-products and make digestate available to farms, a natural fertilizer with agronomic characteristics capable of replacing chemical fertilizers. "The construction of two new plants in France consolidates the position of BTS Biogas on the transalpine market, in a sector that has been growing rapidly in recent years," stated Franco Lusuriello, CEO of BTS Biogas. "Our company, which has been operating on the French market since 2014 with 11 plants in production mode, 9 under construction and a pipeline of 10 orders, is contributing significantly to the development of this sector. In addition to the Biomethane du Vandy project, we are also working on the Oudon Biogaz site, the largest French biogas plant for volumes handled powered by over 1400,000 t/y of livestock manure," he added.-TradeArabia News Service The author is a graduate student at West Texas A&M University who grew up on a New York dairy farm. In a not so far-off future, the most profitable dairies in the country may not be milking for money. Dairy farms will be milking cows for credit. Not credit scores, credit cards, or even credit banks. This type of credit has to do with carbon, and some dairies are already cashing in. Every year, there is a massive push for businesses to lower their greenhouse gas emissions. Many large organizations and businesses are promising to have lowered their emissions to zero by a certain date. These initiatives are typically followed by media coverage about how the company is switching over to all electric delivery vehicles, replanting forests, or creating a wind farm. However, that is not the whole story. Its a growing market The carbon credit system is designed so businesses can subtract the number of emissions by the ton that they have contained from the number of emissions they have already released. Carbon crediting is a pathway that businesses can use to lower their total emissions through preventative management by capturing emissions. The carbon crediting market is presently run on an honor system that is based on energy costs. There is no governing body to regulate how the carbon is measured, how it is converted and released, or how much the carbon is worth. Often, large businesses do not have the resources to contain their own types of emissions. This is when they turn to dairy farmers for help. Dairies have been introduced to the idea of capturing their by-products to be sold or reused for some time. In fact, manure is one of the biggest by-products a dairy has to deal with. Manure is also one of the better producers of biogas energy, which is considered renewable, when placed in conversion technology. Anaerobic digestion is something most farms have seen or studied. Some farmers may know another dairy that received grant money to build a digester that turned out to not be profitable to operate and run daily. Methane digesters do require specific maintenance, but the ability to turn agricultural waste into biogas is modern on a large scale. Biogas can be considered a renewable resource. There is a certain niche area that can greatly benefit from the installation of a digester. Texas is currently home to approximately a little over half a million dairy cows. There are around 380 dairy farms that contribute to the Texas milk supply, earning the state bragging rights for being ranked fifth in the nation for total milk production. In the past 20 years, there has been a 65% increase in the total number of milking cattle in Texas, and they have climbed from the seventh state ranked in milk production to fifth. The success lies within the panhandle region of Texas, which produces about 80% of the states milk. Pipelines are plentiful The panhandle of Texas prides itself in another important commodity oil and gas. There are underground gas pipelines covering an astonishing amount of land in the region. Pipelines are not exclusively owned by energy and oil companies. Some are owned by software, delivery, or even grocery companies. The closer a dairy is to a natural gas pipeline, the easier it is to transfer biogas produced in a methane digester into the pipeline. The carbon credit market might become available and even profitable for dairy farms to join if they are close to a natural gas pipeline. If a dairy is not happy with their milk check, a check written for carbon credits will certainly bolster the farms revenue stream. Dairy farmers who enter the market will have to be proactive in developing a contract with the benefactor company. There are many business models between the dairy and benefactor company that may be discussed for a best fit scenario. Some companies will pay and own the methane digester and will essentially be buying the manure from the dairy, so the carbon credits are owned directly by the benefactor. Others may fund the methane digester but develop a partnership with the dairy so the dairy business can claim part of the carbon credits benefits. Further down the road, dairies need to be aware of how the carbon credit market will establish itself as it gains popularity. The trend of every industry is to become closely regulated by the government. It is likely there will be an emissions tax in the future. There is belief that one day there will be a limit on how much carbon a company can produce, and any emissions produced over the allotted amount will be taxed heavily. A large driver against the regulation of emissions on dairies is that within property law, with certain exclusions, one can do what they want on their privately owned land. This includes ownership of the air straight up into the atmosphere within property lines. It is only when something privately produced is proven to negatively affect the surrounding public that laws need to be established to regulate emissions. It is difficult to accurately measure carbon produced by a dairy, and this is one of the strongest reasons that the government cannot compare agricultural emissions to factory emissions. Although both can be done at a point source, measuring carbon in a pipeline will be far easier as it is a closed source. However, there is need to look back into how the controlling of emissions on dairies has already happened. In California, dairies had to be compliant with nitrogen emissions to continue operation. Feedlots across the country already have reporting requirements for nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide. Establishing regulations will be as simple as establishing an accurate emissions model to place limits on emissions, and yes, it has already been built in some places. The dairy industry has been keeping up with other sectors to stay competitive when it comes to alleviating environmental concerns. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has taken forward-thinking steps to establish that dairy farms will be an environmental solution. The industry has made its own promise to be carbon neutral or better by 2050. Participation in the FARM Environmental Stewardship program also is an effort designed to bring evaluations onto dairy farms and propose new practices and technologies that can take a dairy one step closer to becoming a better steward of the land. This includes carbon neutrality. Carbon credit marketing is likely to establish itself and be available to dairy farmers for a long time. Large companies with no products to feed into an anaerobic methane digester will continue to investigate other options on how to become and stay carbon neutral. Thats positive news, for dairy farms will always have manure available. Plus, most people are going to buy dairy products no matter who the dairy industry is creating business with. To be fair, not every dairy farm is going to be able to sustain a monetarily beneficial relationship with pipeline owners. There could be groups of smaller dairies working together to share a digester and carbon credit benefits in parts of the country. Some dairies will never have the option to run biogas from a digester into a pipeline because there are none nearby . . . unless that methane gets transformed into compressed renewable natural gas (RNG). The latter has real potential as RNG can be transported by truck. The selling of carbon credits to other companies does raise the question of whether those carbon credits are lost in the count for the dairy industry to become carbon neutral. It is important for the dairy industry to share their experiences about the availability of profit from a digester with one another. The dairy community needs to stay transparent and progressive to remain a top competitor of environmental sustainability. Will you be milking cows for a milk check or for credits? Vacation Bible School Franklin Heights Baptist Church is having Vacation Bible School June 12-15 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for ages 4 years through sixth grade. Dinner will be served nightly. The church is at 526 Wright Ave. ,Kannapolis. This year the theme is Kookaburra Coast Awesome Adventures in Gods Glory. Free lunch for children As part of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction Summer Nutrition Program, free lunches will be served to all school-aged children at Second Presbyterian Church on Dale Earnhardt Blvd. Serving will be in the fellowship hall from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. each Monday through Thursday from June 20 through Aug. 4. Children should be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is able to remain with the child while they eat lunch. The church looks forward to meeting and serving all children in the area. 120th Anniversary celebration McGill Baptist Church is celebrating its 120th anniversary on Sunday, June 19. Worship service will be at 10 a.m. Lunch will at 11 a.m. The church is at 5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord. Vacation Bible School Harrisburg Baptist Church will hold Vacation Bible School on Monday, June 27 through Friday, July 1 from 6:30 8:30 p.m. All are welcome. Supper provided. The church is at 6525 Morehead Road in Harrisburg. Ann Street United Methodist Church335 Ann St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Randy L. Wall. In-person and Facebook Live worship 11 a.m. at Ann Street Church. Sermon: Famous Words. Scripture: Genesis 1:1-5. Bethpage United Methodist Church109 Fellowship Ave. at West C St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Gary MacDonald. Christian Education at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. As an act of caring for yourselves and others, you may choose to wear a mask during indoor worship. However, at this time, mask wearing is not required. Bogers Chapel United Methodist Church1775 Flowes Store Road E., Concord. Pastor: Pastor Eric Shaver. Worship service is at 10 a.m. in-person or Facebook. Masks are optional. Opening Scripture: Psalm 8, Childrens Reading: I love God by unknown author. Sermon: How do you experience God? Scripture: Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31. Calvary Lutheran Church950 Bradley St., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Debbie Frye. In-person worship at 8:30 a.m. (casual worship) and 11 a.m. (traditional worship). Masking optional. Childrens area and nursery available. All services live-streamed and available anytime on the Calvary Lutheran YouTube channel access easily through our website http://www.clconcord.org. Also on Sundays, 10 a.m. Sunday school. All are welcome. Sermon Theme: Pentecost. Center United Methodist Church1119 Union St. S, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Tony Allen. Sunday School for In Betweens and young adults at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. Nursery is provided during the worship service. Masks are optional. Website is www.centerumcconcord.org. Sermon: Spirit Life. Scripture: John 16:12-15. Looking forward to you joining us for our service! Crossroads Church220 George W. Liles Parkway, Concord. Pastor: Lowell McNaney. Live worship streamed on Facebook, Crossroads Concord Church app or mycrossroads.co website at 9:30 a.m. and 11:11 a.m. Crown Pointe Baptist Church703 Tennessee St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Doug Crawley. Sunday School at 9 a.m. Worship at 10 a.m. in the sanctuary, or view online at our Facebook page. Series: God Stories. Sermon: Jonah: Reluctant Obedience But a Whale of a Story! Scripture: Jonah. Eastside Missionary Baptist Church199 Elgin Drive, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Stephen Burrow. In person services: Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship services 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Recorded worship services and other information at EastsideMissionaryBaptist.org. You will be welcomed. Practice social distancing. Epworth United Methodist Church1030 Burrage Road N.E., Concord. Pastor: Rev. Bill Roberts. Church has reopened its 10 a.m. worship service for attendance. Epworth UMC continues to follow the appropriate COVID-19 social distancing guidelines as outlined by the N.C. Governor and the CDC. We welcome you to join us in worship! Sermon: Our Hope. Scripture: Romans 5:1-5. Forest Hill United Methodist Church265 Union St. N., Concord. Senior Pastor: Rev. Mandy Jones. Associate Pastor: Rev. Wes Judy. We are open for in-person worship. Contemporary worship, 9 a.m. Sunday School/small groups10 a.m. Traditional worship11 a.m. Both the contemporary and the traditional worship services will also be live-streamed at foresthillumc.org or facebook.com/foresthillumc, in case you dont feel like being here in person. Harmony United Methodist Church101 White St., NW, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Thad Brown. Please join us for Sunday School at 10 a.m. followed by our worship service in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. Bringing the message today will be Rosemary Winecoff, a member of our congregation. Message: Blessings. Scripture: Matthew 6:30-34; Philippians 4:7; Malachi 3:10. We welcome all to join us in worship! Service is live on Facebook.com/HarmonyUnitedMethodistChurch. We welcome all who are unable to join us in person to worship with us online. For more information, you can call the Pastors phone 704-791-2883 or the churchs phone 704-782-8237. Jackson Park United Methodist Church715 Mable Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor Laurie Knoespel. Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m. In-person worship service 10:30 a.m. Nursery will be provided during worship service. Sermon: Old Parables in a New Light. Scripture: Luke 18:9-14. Kirkwood Presbyterian Church900 Klondale Ave., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Dennis B. Craft. Worship at 11 a.m. in church sanctuary on Sundays. No mask restrictions. Sermon: Faith Loves. McGill Baptist Church5300 Poplar Tent Road, Concord, in-person services. Pastor: Rev. Steve Ayers. If you have not taken the COVID-19 vaccine, please wear a mask. McGill will stream a worship service Sunday at 10 a.m. on www.facebook.com/mcgillbaptistchurch/ and on YouTube. The services will be live and also available on recording afterwards. Trinity Sunday. Sermon: Podgaiskeys. Scripture: Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15. Midway United Methodist Church108 Bethpage Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Craig Allen. Come join us on Sunday morning at 9 a.m. for Sunday School and 10:30 a.m. for worship. Our service is also livestreamed on the web at midwayunitedmethodistchurch.org or facebook.com/midwayUMC. Sermon: It Aint Bragging if Its True. Scripture: Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-11. Suggested Hymns: UMH 400, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing; UMH 365, Grace Greater than Our Sin. Mt. Mitchell United Methodist Church6001 Old Salisbury-Concord Road, Kannapolis. Pastor: Joel Locklear. Sunday School at 10 a.m. (Adult and Children classes.) Worship at 11 a.m. in person or Facebook. Masks are optional and social distance. If you have not taken the Covid vaccine, wear a mask. Sermon: Hope in a World of Despair. Scripture: Romans 5:1-5. Multiply Church Concord150 Warren C. Coleman Blvd. N, Concord. Pastor: Rev. Douglas Witherup. 8:30 a.m. service held at 280 Concord Parkway S, Suite 15, Concord. Services at 150 Warren C Coleman Blvd N, are Worship and Sermon at 9:30 a.m. and Worship and Sermon at 11:15 a.m. New Gilead Reformed Church2400 Old Salisbury-Concord Road. 9:40 a.m. Bible Study. Childrens Bible School at 10 a.m. 11 a.m. Inside worship, Facebook worship, drive-in worship at 1600 AM radio. Oak Grove Baptist Church200 Sims Parkway, Harrisburg. Pastor: Rev. Franklin D. Watkins. 10 a.m. In-Person Worship Service and Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Sermon: Your Words Have Creative Power. Scripture: Proverb 18:21. Second Presbyterian Church1578 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis. Pastor: Pastor Sue Black. Assistant Minister: Rev. Aaron Price. Worship 11 a.m. in Sanctuary and on Facebook live. Sermon: Resting in the Redeemer. Scripture: Ruth 3. St. Johns Reformed Church901 N. Main St., Kannapolis. Pastor: Rev. Chris King. 9:30 a.m.Sunday school for all ages. 10:30 a.m.Worship Service (in-person or online at www.ourstjohns.org). 4 p.m.Adult Bible Study. Sermon: Real Righteousness vs. Ritual Emptiness. Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18. Information for Sermon topics must be submitted by 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Email your topic to jstamey@independenttribune.com NAPERVILLE Coroners on Tuesday identified a suburban Chicago man who was fatally shot after the man charged a police officer with a hatchet during a traffic stop. The DuPage County Coroner's Office identified him as Edward C. Samaan, 28, of Naperville. The coroner's office has performed x-rays and an autopsy. The cause and manner of Samaan's death is still under investigation pending toxicology results, it said. Samaan was shot Friday. The officer was conducting a traffic stop at 11 a.m. when an unrelated vehicle pulled up next to the vehicle the officer had pulled over, the Naperville Police Department said. A man exited the second vehicle and charged the officer with a hatchet in his hand, it said. The officer fired their gun, striking the man, police said. The man, a white male in his 20s, was transported to an hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The officer, a 22-year-veteran of the Naperville Police Department, was not injured. Police say the DuPage County Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team and the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office are conducting an independent investigation into the incident. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Amaria Osbys friends and family were to gather Tuesday, not to celebrate her eighth birthday, but to attend her funeral. Andrea Hagler, Amarias mother, wont be there. She is charged with the first-degree murder of her daughter. Amarias death once again drew scrutiny of Illinois child protection agency, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, for failing to protect the states most vulnerable children. A timeline provided by DCFS showed that a DCFS investigator failed to contact Amarias parents for two months after receiving a hotline call that the girl was being neglected. Under state law, the department has 60 days to complete a child abuse and neglect investigation, although most child abuse and neglect investigations are completed within 30 days. As a result, a DCFS worker and a supervisor have been removed from child protection duties, according to DCFS spokesman Bill McCaffrey. DCFS has been involved with the family since Amaria was 3, according to a DCFS timeline released last week. On Sept. 8, 2017, a report to the child abuse hotline came in alleging neglect after Hagler was arrested for driving under the influence and child endangerment. An investigator visited the family the next day, but found no signs of physical abuse or neglect. DCFS provided a safety plan for Amaria. The agency found there was evidence Hagler neglected her daughter, stemming from the DUI arrest. DCFS initiated an intact family case to provide services to the family. Hagler participated in substance abuse treatment and community services from Nov. 7, 2017, to March 21, 2018. The child protection worker noted that there were no concerns of abuse or neglect during the home visits and the case was closed. For three years, DCFS had no involvement with the family. But on March 23, 2022, the DCFS hotline received a call reporting that Amaria was being neglected. The call came after a domestic violence incident between Amarias parents at a Chicago restaurant. Police were called but no arrests were made. According to DCFSs timeline, an investigator tried to find the family the next day, but was unsuccessful. The timeline does not show any additional attempts by that investigator to check on Amaria. For the next 60 days, the agency did not have contact with the family. On the 61st day, a second investigator visited Amaria and Hagler. They noted no concerns for physical abuse or neglect. The day after that visit, on Wednesday, May 25, the child abuse hotline received another call regarding Amaria. She was dead. A relative had found Hagler and Amaria in bed. Amaria had a plastic bag over her head. Another relative called 911. An autopsy found the second-grader suffered injuries during an assault and died as a result of asphyxiation. The first investigator and a supervisor were subsequently relieved of their duties, McCaffrey said. Amarias death is the latest high-profile death of a child who died after DCFS had contact with their families since December 2021. The other children who died recently while under DCFS care were: Damari Perry, 6, who was found dead in an alley in Gary, Indiana. DCFS took Damari into care in 2015, but returned him to his mother along with his siblings two years later. There were two more allegations of abuse reported to DCFS, but he remained in his mothers care until Dec. 29, 2021, when he was beaten and thrown into a cold shower. His mother and two older siblings are charged with his death. Sophia Faye Davis, 1, of Dawson, died Feb. 8 during a visitation with her father. Her fathers girlfriend Cierra Coker faces charges of aggravated battery of a child and first-degree murder. Sophia was taken to the hospital a month earlier after her mother found Sophia sustained facial injuries and a broken arm after a visit with her father and Coker. DCFS did not suspend visitations and found there was not enough evidence to conclude the injuries were the result of abuse. Zaraz Walker, 7 months, of Bloomington, was reported missing on Feb. 12. Kimberlee Burton, the babys mother, told relatives the child died in her sleep and she left the body in a Bloomington cemetery. Zarazs body has not been found. At the time Zaraz went missing, DCFS had an open case, but could not find the family. Tamsin Miracle Sauer, 3, of Nelson, died from a stroke brought on by malnutrition and dehydration and a mass of undigested hair in her stomach on March 26. Over the course of four years, Sauers family had been visited by DCFS investigators more than two dozen times on abuse and neglect allegations. Six different investigators failed to substantiate those claims. Frank and Dana Sauer, Tamsins parents, face charges of child endangerment. Navin Jones, 8, of Washington, died on March 29. Navin was involved with DCFS from birth after he tested positive for narcotics. DCFS investigated his parents for taking him from his legal guardian, as well as allegations the couple beat, berated and starved the boy. When he was found unresponsive in the home, he weighed 30 pounds. In addition to the deaths, Cook County Judge Patrick Murphy has found DCFS Director Marc Smith in contempt of court 11 times. Four of those cases have been purged after the children were moved to their department recommended settings. Smith still faces seven contempt citations in Cook County for failing to abide by court order to move children in their care to appropriate placements. Several contempt cases have been consolidated with arguments to be made to the First District Court of Appeals in Chicago. No dates have been set. As of Tuesday, a 13-year-old girl in a Chicago hospital whose case was the subject of the 10th contempt citation filed against Smith, remains in that locked psychiatric ward. Smith was found in contempt for failing to move her. Doctors discharged her on March 21, 2022. On April 14, 2022, the court ordered Smith to move her out of the psychiatric hospital. Smith was found in contempt on May 12. Smith faces a $1,000 daily fine for every day those 11 children remained in those settings. In Leahs case, those fines totaled $26,000 as of Tuesday. Those fines have been stayed by an appellate court. Smith has said there is a shortage of specialized placements for foster children and DCFS is trying to convince private agencies who provide services to families and children in state care to reinstate services that were folded during the budget crisis during the previous administration. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Raytheon Technologies Corp. said Tuesday it is establishing a global headquarters in Arlington, Va., to be closer to both a major aerotropolis and its four divisional units. In a brief statement, the company did not say when it plans to complete the move from the Boston suburb of Waltham, Mass. The new global headquarters office will be in Arlingtons Rosslyn neighborhood, alongside the Raytheon Intelligence & Space business. The location increases agility in supporting U.S. government and commercial aerospace customers, and serves to reinforce partnerships that will progress innovative technologies to advance the industry, Raytheon said. Washington, D.C. serves as a convenient travel hub for the companys global customers and employees. When the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic began to be experienced in mid-March 2020, Raytheon division Collins Aerospace had about 1,500 employees in Forsyth County. The company has declined since to provide a local workforce update. It is likely there have been significant job cuts over the past 19 months, considering there have been at least 16,500 Collins jobs eliminated companywide in that time. The relocation decision comes almost three years to the day when United Technologies Corp. confirmed plans on June 9, 2019, that it planned to acquire Raytheon in a game-changing megadeal for the aerospace and defense industries. In that deal, which closed April 3, 2020, United Technologies chose to keep the Raytheon corporate name and brand, and agreed to move its headquarters from Farmington, Ct., to Waltham. UTC retained Collins Aerospace Inc. and Pratt & Whitney business units, while spinning off the Carrier and Otis business units. Raytheon kept its Intelligence & Space and its Missiles & Defense business units. Raytheon said it has more than 600 operational facilities in the U.S. across 44 states and territories. Each business unit has operations in Virginia. Raytheon said it has not accepted or sought any financial incentives from any state or municipality to support the establishment of the global headquarters office in Virginia. Its the second major aerospace headquarters migration to the Arlington metro when including Boeing Co.s announcement in May of moving from Chicago. In a separate development, Raytheons board of directors declared Monday a quarterly cash dividend of 55 cents per outstanding share of its common stock. The dividend is payable Sept. 8 to shareowners registered as of Aug. 19. 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. Kalvin Michael Smiths appeal of his conviction in the 1995 assault on Jill Marker at the former Silk Plant Forest store may move forward now that a judge on Tuesday ruled that the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office has a conflict of interest. The appeal, filed in November 2021, had been in limbo because Forsyth County prosecutors had previously declared a conflict and the N.C. Attorney Generals Office said it could no longer represent the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office, citing budget cuts and a lack of resources. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill had tried, without success, to seek outside counsel through the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys. All that meant that Smiths appeal was in limbo. On Tuesday, Judge Michael A. Stone, a superior court judge from Hoke and Moore counties, ruled that the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office has a conflict and ordered the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys to assign new counsel to handle the appeal. A hearing has been scheduled for the week of Aug. 1 to see if new counsel for the state has been assigned and, if so, when they could file a written response to Smiths appeal. In November, Smith filed his third appeal known as a motion for appropriate relief in Forsyth Superior Court, asking a judge to vacate his conviction based on newly discovered evidence of his innocence. That evidence includes a new witness who told the host of a 2016 MTV documentary that he and a friend saw a white man matching the description of Kenneth Lamoureux, a prime suspect in Markers attack for the first six months of the police investigation, carrying a Maglite flashlight and walking to the back of the store. Several other witnesses told police that they saw a white man matching Lamoureuxs description in the Silk Plant Forest store or in the shopping center where the store was located on the day of the attack. Lamoureux had a history of violence and had been known to harass and stalk Marker in the months before the attack. Smiths appeal represents the most prominent allegation of wrongful conviction in Winston-Salem since the late Darryl Hunt was exonerated in 2004 of raping and murdering Deborah Sykes, a copy editor at the now-closed afternoon newspaper, The Sentinel. Hunt killed himself in 2016, the same year that Smith, who has never been exonerated, was released from prison on a technicality. He is now in the Forsyth County Jail on a number of larceny charges. Jill Marker, an assistant manager, was brutally beaten on Dec. 9, 1995, resulting in severe brain injuries that put her in a coma for a period of time. She lives in Ohio, where she is under 24-hour care. The Winston-Salem Journal published a series in 2004 that raised questions about the police investigation into Markers assault. Since then, the Silk Plant Forest Citizens Review Committee concluded that there was no evidence that Smith was at the scene of the crime. The Silk Plant Truth Committee enlisted Chris Swecker, a former assistant FBI director, to conduct an independent review of the case. Swecker released a report in which he concluded that there were serious flaws in the police investigation and that those flaws undermined faith that Smiths conviction was just. There was never any physical evidence that tied Smith to the crime scene, and he was only identified as a suspect after two ex-girlfriends, seven months apart, falsely told Winston-Salem police that Smith was involved in the assault, according to his latest appeal. The Journal series raised questions about lead Winston-Salem police detective Don Williams role in Markers alleged identification of Smith as her attacker. Eugene Littlejohn testified that Smith was at the store, but he made initial statements indicating that he was unfamiliar with any of the basic facts and later recanted his testimony, according to Smiths appeal. The Journal series also raised questions about why police abruptly dropped the prime suspect, Kenneth Lamoureux, after six months, once Lamoureux moved to Charlotte. In a statement late Tuesday, ONeill defended Smiths conviction. Previously, the N.C. Attorney Generals Office has defended Smiths conviction and denied allegations of misconduct on the part of Forsyth County prosecutors. On Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Penn Broyhill told Stone that after consulting with the N.C. State Bar, ONeill believed that there was no longer any conflict of interest. Broyhill said ONeill had simply honored the position of the previous elected district attorney, Tom Keith, who retired in 2009. Broyhill said he and Assistant District Attorney Jane Garrity, who is the daughter of City Manager Lee Garrity, oversee motions for appropriate relief that are filed. He said neither he nor Garrity have had any previous involvement with Smiths case. ONeill was told that there should not be any problems with the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office representing itself in Smiths appeal. Jim Coleman, Smiths attorney and co-director of the Wrongful Convictions Unit at Duke University School of Law, said in court that ONeill declared a permanent conflict of interest in 2016. Broyhill said ONeill told him that he doesnt remember making that comment. Either way, Coleman said, he doesnt believe the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office can be free from bias in the case because of misconduct he alleges that ONeill and other prosecutors in his office engaged in. Im very surprised that Mr. ONeill says he does not have a conflict, Coleman told Stone. Coleman gave a detailed outline dealing with a 2008 affidavit from former Winston-Salem police officer Arnita Miles, who has since become an outspoken critic of law-enforcement. The affidavit was obtained in March 2008, two months after Miles contacted Theresa Newman, a co-director of Dukes Wrongful Convictions Clinic and at the time one of Smiths attorneys. She told Newman in a Jan. 22, 2008 email that Marker had identified her attacker as a Black man, that the case had haunted her and that Marker had asked her to write a letter to her husband, Aaron Marker. Those statements later made their way into an affidavit that Miles signed. But police reports that Miles wrote at the time of the attack said that Marker did not identify her attacker in any way and was incoherent. Based on Miles police report, the earliest that Marker would have identified her attacker as a Black man would have been Oct. 31, 1996. Coleman said in court that he wasnt even made aware of the affidavit until 2012, when ONeill sent an email to Mark Rabil, director of Wake Forest Law Schools Innocence and Justice Clinic, and Swecker, after Swecker released his report. In the letter, ONeill castigated the Duke Innocence Projet for not being interested in what Miles had to say. Despite this evidence, the Duke Innocent (sic) Project continued to parade the name of Kenneth Lamoureux (sic) as the person who likely committed this crime, knowing full well that Jill Marker said her attacker was a Black male, ONeill said in the email, according to a motion that Smiths attorneys filed the following year. Coleman said Tuesday that what ONeill said in that letter was patently false. Furthermore, Coleman said, the statement is a prime example of why ONeills office cannot be trusted to handle Smiths appeal. Coleman said he filed a complaint against ONeill with the State Bar, which he said refused to investigate his claims. ONeill denied Colemans allegations and defended Smiths conviction in a statement issued late Tuesday: Despite the North Carolina State Bar firmly and unequivocally rejecting Colemans baseless allegations of wrongdoing by myself and other members of this office back in 2015, Coleman knowingly repeats the same baseless and intentionally disparaging accusations that have no founding in truth, fact or reality. He continued: As my professional record as a lawyer remains unblemished, I can only surmise that Colemans continued desperate personal attacks are designed to deflect attention away from the fact that the defendant was convicted by a jury of his peers for the brutal attack against a pregnant woman, who continues to suffer this very day; a conviction that has withstood the test of time and been upheld by the highest appellate courts in North Carolina. Stone said that all of Forsyth Countys resident superior court judges have recused themselves from the case. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Todd Burke assigned the case to Stone. Stone said Tuesday after hearing the arguments that Forsyth County District Attorneys Office has a conflict and that the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys should assign outside prosecutors to represent Forsyth County. Smith told a Winston-Salem Journal reporter in an interview on June 1 that he is frustrated and feels stuck. Smith has been accused of stealing liquor and other items from various stores. Coleman has said in court documents that those actions result from Smiths alleged wrongful conviction and his substance abuse problems. Ive made some bad decisions, Smith said June 1. I take full responsibility for my actions. But he said Forsyth County prosecutors are trying to punish him. He said he feels as if he has been kidnapped. This is not about what Ive done, he said. This is about who I am. 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 Winston-Salem man was shot Tuesday on a trail in the 3200 block of New Greensboro Road, authorities said. Winston-Salem police were dispatched to that location at 4:04 p.m. When officers arrived at the scene, they found Tomanche Mysheme Jackson, 24, of Chestnut Plains Court with an apparent gunshot wound. Jackson was taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition Tuesday, police said. His injury is considered non-life-threatening. Investigators determined that Jackson was shot while he was on a trail leading from New Walkertown Road to the Salem Lake Trail. Jackson is known to the shooter, and this wasn't an random act of violence, police said. The public was never believed to be in danger from this incident. The trail leading from New Greensboro Road to the Salem Lake walking trail was temporarily closed Tuesday as investigators searched for evidence, police said. The Winston-Salem Police Department's gun-crime reduction unit is investigating the incident. Anyone with information regarding this shooting can call Winston-Salem police at 336-727-7299 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800 or its Spanish line at 336-728-3904. Crime Stoppers of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County is on Facebook. The Text-A-Tip program at 336-276-1717 allows people to text tips, photos and videos to the police. 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 Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and the Scottish University of Strathclyde have signed a memorandum of understanding, providing for joint cooperation, support and experience-sharing. The MoU provides for skills assessment and building practical cognitive abilities based on the trending future needs, followed by making recommendations that help TDRA achieve its goals and strategic objectives. TDRA and the University will collaborate in designing appropriate training solutions and devising development plans for the various job levels, provided that such solutions are to be practical, experimental and in line with global regulations and best practices. Collaboration vital Commenting, Eng Mohammad Al-Zarooni, Deputy Director General of the Information & Digital Government Sector at TDRA, said: As digital transformation accelerates, and radical technologies emerge, creating new features for an unprecedented world all around us, collaboration between government, private and academic sectors is vital. Today we are on the cusp of an era of which skills, techniques and tools will be different from what we have ever known. This collaboration with Strathclyde comes under the context of working together to explore prospects for cooperation in skills development and innovation promotion. He added: "TDRA's vision is reflected in its endeavour to make the UAE a world leader in the ICT sector by regulating the telecommunications sector and enabling digital transformation by relying on national competencies to apply best global standards and practices in supervising the sector and encouraging relevant innovation and investment. In achieving this vision, TDRA is keen to extend coordination and cooperation with key global institutions, with the aim of sharing experiences and knowledge, which positively impact the industry and service provision to the UAE community. Raising awareness The MoU stipulates the importance of strengthening cooperation between both sides to raise awareness within the UAE community through training courses, in-person seminars and webinars that equally combine the academic expertise of the university and the working practices of TDRA. It allows TDRA's employees to attend and benefit from the universitys keynote lectures given regularly online. The university, represented by its professors and experts, is responsible for directing the employees to pursue the most sought-after topics in the labour market.-- TradeArabia News Service A plan for statewide foster care services, preferred by state health regulators, has advanced to the Senate floor. The plan is opposed by the states six behavioral health managed care organizations and at least 30 counties, including Forsyth, all of which say they want to keep foster care services as close to local as possible. House Bill 144, now titled the Medicaid Children and Families Specialty Plan, has been recommended by the Senate Finance and Rules and Operations committees, the latter coming Tuesday. However, the bill was withdrawn from a potential Senate floor vote Wednesday. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has proposed handling foster care services through the revamped HB144, with the plan to debut by Dec. 1, 2023. Dave Richard, the states deputy Medicaid secretary, has said the plan is expected to cover about 31,000 young people statewide through providers already participating in the states Medicaid program. About 218 young people in Forsyth have received foster care services from its managed care organization, Partners Health Management, since Forsyth joined on Nov. 1. We want to create a consistency of what (services) would be available for foster children everywhere in the state, Richard said in April. There has been a broad array of support for us to do something different in this plan. The six managed care organizations have argued that establishing a new, redundant statewide plan will cost North Carolina millions of unnecessary dollars and create significant administrative burdens for providers. NCDHHS said in a statement Tuesday that we hope that all parties can work together to resolve differences so that we can move forward with this plan to meet the specific needs of foster children. HB144 details The latest version of HB144 would require the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to seek proposals to procure a single statewide children and families specialty plan. Proposals would be sought from prepaid health plans operated by health insurers who already have contracts with DHHS. DHHS would be responsible for determining which services would be offered in the plan and which Medicaid and N.C. Health Choice beneficiaries are eligible to enroll. The bill says those services are to include: intensive in-home services; multi-systemic therapy; residential treatment; and services in private residential treatment facilities. The goal is to support family preservation, advance the unification of families, support the permanency goals of children, and support the health of former foster youth. Key elements of HB144 would require the states six behavioral health organizations to cease managing Medicaid services for most foster care children. The bill also would require area authorities to operate the plan under a contract with DHHS. Opposing stance The primary purpose of the states six behavioral health organizations is to oversee providers of mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual/developmental disability and traumatic brain injury services. They also play a role in ensuring that children in foster care are connected to proper health and medical care, along with other services. The managed care organizations are: Vaya Health (representing 31 counties); Trillium Health Resources (28 counties); Partners (14 counties); Sandhills (11 counties); Eastpointe (10 counties); and Alliance Health (six counties). Also among Partners counties are Davie, Surry and Yadkin. Forsyth has the largest population of any county served by Partners. Among Vayas counties are Alamance, Alleghany, Ashe, Stokes, Watauga and Wilkes. Among Sandhills counties are Davidson, Guilford, Randolph and Rockingham. At least 28 counties, including Forsyth and most counties within the Partners network, have sent letters to state Health Secretary Kody Kinsley outlining their concerns about the proposed state plan. Forsyth response On April 7, Forsyth commissioners submitted a letter to Kinsley and Richard requesting permission to opt out of the states proposed plan, as permitted under state law. HB144, however, would prohibit counties from opting out. Richard said in April that legislators across the state have received similar letters from other county boards of commissioners. The current proposal would transition many of the youth in Department of Social Services custody outside of Partners management, which would create another change too soon in an already complex system, wrote David Plyler, chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. Forsyth commissioners and DSS staff have expressed satisfaction with Partners handling of foster care services. The proposed single statewide plan will jeopardize, rather than support, the progress we are making and targeted infrastructure we are building with Partners, Plyler said. On Tuesday, Forsyth officials said in a statement that HB144 will no longer allow the county to opt out all foster youth from the statewide foster care plan. Counties are legally responsible for the youth in their custody, and we respectfully request that the county be provided with the ability to choose what is in the best interest of our youth. We believe the statewide foster care bill will jeopardize, rather than support, the progress we are making with Partners. MCO statewide proposal In May, the six managed care organizations unveiled the first glimpse of their statewide foster-care alternative, known as the N.C. Child and Family Improvement Initiative. Although the organizations have provided few details about their initiative, they expect the immediate improvements resulting from this partnership will be fully functional before the Dec. 1 launch of the N.C. Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities tailored plans. Those counties have said that children in their guardianship would be best served and supported by their current MCO at the local level, the groups said. One key component is that the organizations would coordinate foster care so that children do not slip through the cracks if they are moved to another county or another part of the state. Partners chief executive Rhett Melton said Tuesday that building on our long-standing, deep relationships, collaboration and partnership with local DSS teams, county leadership, and other local resources is the best policy solution to meet the needs of children and families engaged in North Carolinas child welfare system. Whats next? If the state Senate were to pass the current version of HB144, the House would have to agree to the changes or reject them. The MCOs have asked for a delay (on HB114), allowing them time to address the issues, said Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth and a lead healthcare officer in the House. We are very interested in addressing some of the issues related to foster families. So, yes, we look forward to working with the Senate on this bill. Lambeth cautioned that time is running short to negotiate HB144 in the short session. Our short session is focused on updating the (2022-23) budget, and that has gone well and will go to staff next week and floor votes week of June 20, Lambeth said. So, we have to determine how to handle bills vs budget. But we will move as fast as we can. 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. After a brief one-week reprieve, local COVID-19 cases increased nearly 30% last week to their highest level in almost four months. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department reported 533 cases for the week that ended Saturday. That was up 28% from the 417 cases reported the previous week and the highest weekly total since the week ending Feb. 12. The 417 cases had represented a slight decrease over the previous week, the first week-to-week decrease in nearly two months, although health officials said testing declines because of the Memorial Day holiday had likely played a role in the decline. The increase in cases this week led the Health Department to raise its COVID-19 risk dial to the elevated-yellow range, the highest it's been since late February. Hospitalizations, which have not risen at nearly the same rate as cases, have ticked up in the past few days. The seven-day average of daily hospitalizations now tops 29, up from less than 22 at the start of the month. There were 31 COVID-19 patients in Lincoln hospitals Tuesday. Health Director Pat Lopez said case numbers rose across age groups last week, and she encouraged people to get vaccinated if they haven't yet and to get booster shots if they are eligible. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting booster doses when eligible, helps protect you from severe illness and being hospitalized," Lopez said. "If youre eligible for a booster or havent yet received the primary series, we strongly encourage you to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Other COVID-19 indicators were mixed. Lopez said the amount of virus particles found in wastewater sampling was up 17% last week, but the county's test positivity rate dropped from 16.1% to 14.4%. The numbers in Lancaster County mirror conditions statewide. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reported 2,496 COVID-19 cases for the week ending Saturday, which was nearly 20% higher than the previous week. DHHS no longer reports total hospitalizations in its weekly updates, but its data show that statewide emergency room visits for COVID-19 symptoms jumped from 419 the week ending May 28 to 505 last week. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 were up 20% in Nebraska last week, hitting a daily average of 106. The 130 Nebraskans hospitalized as of Friday was the highest figure since late March. CDC data also showed that Nebraska recorded 10 additional deaths last week and has seen nearly 100 since the beginning of May. By contrast, Lancaster County has had only one COVID-19 death since May 1 and only two since the beginning of April. The Omaha World-Herald contributed to this report. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A 32-year-old man was arrested early Sunday morning after a Lincoln Police officer found him underneath a vehicle, sawing off a catalytic converter in an O Street bakery parking lot, according to the Lincoln Police Department. Police Capt. Todd Kocian said the officer encountered Sergey Stoyan at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday while on routine patrol near 70th and O streets, where he noticed Stoyan underneath a car and a detached converter on the ground. Kocian said Stoyan fled on foot, carrying a saw, but was taken into custody after a short foot pursuit. Police found three more catalytic converters in Stoyan's car, Kocian said, along with a pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue. Stoyan was arrested on suspicion of theft by unlawful taking, possessing burglar's tools, possession of a controlled substance, criminal mischief and obstructing a police officer. He was taken to the Lancaster County Jail. Love 0 Funny 3 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 32-year-old Lincoln man is in jail for the second time in two months after police again caught him stealing a catalytic converter, according to authorities. Lincoln Police responded at about 6 a.m. Tuesday to Le Auto Center, near 22nd and Fairfield streets, where officers found Sergey Stoyan underneath a 2008 sedan after a passerby reported a theft-in-progress at the business, Capt. Todd Kocian said. Stoyan, who was arrested in April under the same circumstances in east Lincoln, fled on foot Tuesday morning, Kocian said, ignoring commands to stop. Kocian said officers shocked Stoyan with a Taser after he rummaged in his waistband. He was taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation before being transported to the Lancaster County Jail. He was not found to have a weapon. Police arrested Stoyan on suspicion of possessing burglar's tools and possession of a controlled substance after officers found him in possession of a saw and saw blades, along with a pipe containing suspected methamphetamine residue, Kocian said. Stoyan was also arrested and charged last week after a Lancaster County Sheriff's deputy found him removing copper pipes from the recently demolished Shakers Gentleman's Club site in Waverly, Capt. John Vik said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley 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. Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird joined more than 200 mayors as she did in 2019 encouraging U.S. senators to take action on two gun safety bills passed by the House. Words are not enough, she said on a Facebook post with a link to the letter. We have been going around in circles about guns for decades. There are commonsense gun safety measures we can take at the state and federal levels that repeatedly go nowhere as we offer condolences and condolences and condolences rather than solutions. The letter from the U.S. Conference of Mayors reissued the 2019 letter to then-Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer in response to the mass shootings at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and grocery store in Buffalo, New York. Today, the same two bills passed by the House before the mayors first letter are still pending in the Senate. The bills are the Bipartisan Background Check Act, which the mayors said would close serious loopholes in the background check system; and the Enhanced Background Checks Act, which would extend the background check review period from three to 10 business days. The first bill, H.R. 8, passed the House on a bipartisan vote of 240-190; the second, H.R. 1112, passed on a bipartisan vote of 228-198. The first letter from the mayors came in response to a shooting outside a bar in Dayton, Ohio, that killed nine people and wounded 17 others; and one at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, that killed 23 people and injured 23 others. The letter says the two bills are sensible gun safety bills that would make cities and people safer without compromising gun owners rights. Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist Love 0 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 Nebraska Bankers Association is offering a reward up to $20,000 for information that may lead to the arrest of anyone involved in recent bank robberies in York and Geneva. The bank robbery in York occurred May 20, right before 5 p.m., when a man entered the north branch of Cornerstone Bank and left with an undisclosed amount of money. He was described as tall with a slender build. Then June 3, at about 1 p.m., Fillmore County Sheriffs deputies were called to Heartland Bank in Geneva. Investigators say a masked man with short, dark hair, who was more than 6 feet tall with a thin build, entered the bank and handed a note to a teller. He left with an unknown amount of money. No one was hurt in either robbery. The FBI is working with both law enforcement agencies in these investigations. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 OMAHA Iowa investigators want to interview anyone who may have seen a boat that sank in the Missouri River on May 29 in which an Omaha woman drowned. Emma Olsen, 20, drowned the night of May 29 when a 30-foot boat she was aboard sank in the river near Tyson Bend Wildlife Area about 5 miles west of Modale, Iowa. The boat was recovered May 31 and Olsen's body was found June 2. Olsen's funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Stonebridge Christian Church, 15801 Butler Ave., in Omaha. Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Humane Society. A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Wednesday that Olsen had been a passenger on the red-and-white Scarab with an Oklahoma registration. Investigators are trying to interview anyone who saw the boat on the river May 29 between Cottonwood Marina just north of Blair and Pop-n-Doc's Marina at Decatur. Witnesses should contact Aaron Johnson, a state conservation officer, at 712-249-2015, or aaron.johnson@dnr.iowa.gov. The witnesses can remain anonymous, the spokesman said. The DNR spokesman said investigators have been interviewing witnesses and examining the craft. "Because this is an active investigation, we are not releasing any information," Mick Klemesrud of the DNR said. "Once concluded, we will issue a news release on (the investigation's) findings including what, if any, charges are filed." The Harrison County (Iowa) Sheriff's Office said it was contacted about 11:55 p.m. about a boat that had sunk. Several people who were on the boat had to be rescued by another craft. Some of the passengers were taken to Cottonwood Marina. There, they told deputies from the Washington County Sheriff's Office that Olsen had been sleeping in a small cabin when the boat began taking on water. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Don Hutchens is a farmer, just like his father and his father's father. He wears an "I stand with Ukraine" button on his chest and a red University of Nebraska ring on his finger. Twenty-eight years as executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board sent him around the world representing the state's farmers and agricultural interests. And for two weeks, he was one of many Lincoln volunteers who spent time in a hotel in Warsaw, Poland, with Operation Safe Harbor Ukraine a Nebraska-led effort to help feed, clothe and shelter Ukrainian families fleeing the ongoing war at home. Now, he's back home in Lincoln, hoping to spread his message to farmers in the United States: We have a moral and humanitarian responsibility to support the refugees and Ukraine," Hutchens said. We're not being bombed. We're not having our fields decimated by tanks. We're not having to get off our equipment to go fight a war. With dark, fertile soil, Ukraine is one of the world's top exporters of sunflower oil, corn and wheat. The breadbasket of Europe, the country produces one-tenth of the worlds wheat. Russia's invasion interrupted, and maybe catastrophically disrupted, Ukrainian farmers harvest and planting. Blocked ports and destroyed railways cut off typical export routes, trapping crops in a country that normally exported up to 6.6 million tons of grain and oil seed each month before the war. The month after Russia attacked, that dropped to 330,000 tons, Ukrainian farming officials said. The result could mean a hurricane of hunger for the European, Asian and African countries that rely on Ukrainian wheat, United Nations officials have said. Countries such as Egypt, Lebanon and Pakistan get most of their wheat from Ukraine. The countrys harvest ships to the Middle East to be turned into bread, and Chinese farms to be fed to livestock. Now, that supply of grain is trapped in the country the ports and railways are blocked. Early on in the war, Ukraine placed restrictions on agricultural exports to avoid a hunger crisis in the country. The squeeze on food supplies and soaring prices are making an already existing global hunger crisis even worse, according to the United Nations. Because of the sudden absence of Ukrainian grain on the world market, prices of crops such as corn, wheat and soybeans have skyrocketed in a way Hutchens has rarely seen in his decades of farming. "Ukraine's loss has been some of our gain in agriculture," he said. In agriculture, you dont set the price of what you sell. You take what the market dictates. The numbers get texted to Hutchens phone daily wheat prices at times doubling what they were since the days before the war began. Corn prices have risen about 15% over that time, he said. For Nebraska farmers, this year has brought weather challenges and higher prices on expenses such as fertilizer and fuel. But, overall, farmers have been able to take advantage of the significant price increases of crops, he said. Im feeling guilty about the profit farmers are making, Hutchens said. I really believe agriculture and all of us need to share in donations. Growing up on the family farm outside Geneva, Hutchens watched farmers help their neighbors, regardless of wealth or size. If theres ever a tornado or snowstorm, his fellow Nebraska farmers are quick to head to the neighboring county to help, even if it goes against the competitive nature of business. In agriculture, youre competing with your neighbor for the same marketplace for a piece of ground that might come up for sale, Hutchens said. But at the same time, were always supportive of each other. His hope is that Nebraska farmers will see their Ukrainian counterparts as neighbors, even though theyre halfway across the world. Even though, in normal years, they are competitors. To friends who ask, he suggests donating through their church, or other refugee aid organizations such as Operation Safe Harbor. Or he suggests donating their time, like he did in Warsaw. Hutchens isnt the only one working on getting aid to Ukrainian farmers and their families. Ukrainian native Roman Grynyshyn started the project World to Rebuild Rural Ukraine to raise money to help small farmers replace what theyve lost. For the past month, Grynyshyn and his family have traveled the United States including Nebraska spreading their message to help Ukrainian farmers. Before the war, Grynyshyn led agricultural tours where Ukrainian farmers would travel to the United States to learn from American farmers. When the war broke out, those trips halted. His farming contacts throughout Ukraine passed along stories from the countryside: Russian soldiers are setting fire to warehouses full of seed and fertilizer, they said. Theyre stealing tools and farm animals. Fields are dotted with mines. The burned-out hulls of tractors and mangled equipment line roadsides. "They are targeting agriculture as well as the military," Grynyshyn said during a May presentation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "This is the second battlefield." Using donations, Grynyshyns organization is buying replacement supplies, equipment and even animals for small Ukrainian farmers. Despite the ongoing war, Ukrainian farmers are continuing to farm any way they can, with an emphasis on feeding the families and soldiers who have remained in the country. "It's not a gift, it's just a helping hand, Grynyshyn said. Its also "a project that will unfortunately last years beyond the war's end." Hutchens expected some pushback from his fellow farmers while crop prices went up, so did expenses. One asked him: Would Ukrainian farmers help us in a drought? Probably not, but this isnt a drought. This is a war. This is a genocide, Hutchens said. Wouldnt you want somebody to help your wife, your daughter, your grandchildren if they had to flee and find shelter and food? He has mostly heard from people asking how they can help. Before boarding his flight in Warsaw, Hutchens snapped a selfie with a newfound friend. The pair were brought together after recognizing their matching Ukraine T-shirts across the Chicago OHare airport terminal the blue-and-yellow flag representing the wide blue sky over the fields of wheat that cover the country. Both were headed on the long international flight to Poland the man, to transport armored chest plates into his homeland, Hutchens to start his two weeks helping Ukrainian families in the hotel. Ten hours later at the Warsaw baggage claim carousel, the pair once again crossed paths. Hutchens helped the Ukrainian native unload 100 20-pound armored chest plates that came down the conveyor belt. He helped, because thats what farmers do. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BURLINGTON A Burlington woman has filed a complaint alleging that the Burlington Area School District board violated Wisconsins open meetings law in August. The complaint, which was filed with Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson, alleges that the BASD board acted improperly in two ways during an Aug. 9, 2021, meeting that ended in chaos. By moving its meeting to an undisclosed location that it did not provide advance notice of, and By having that portion of the meeting unavailable to the public. The Wisconsin Transparency Project law firm filed the complaint June 2 on behalf of Burlington parent Adrianne Melby, whose husband, Aaron Melby, unsuccessfully ran for BASD School Board in April. Hanson confirmed that her office received the complaint. She declined to comment further. The Racine County District Attorneys Office has 20 days to investigate the civil complaint and potentially bring charges. If it is determined that the Burlington Area School Board violated the law, each of the seven board members could be fined up to $300. If charges are brought, they would not affect any action the board took during last Augusts meeting. Tom Kamenick, president and founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project, filed the complaint. He told The Journal Times that Adrianne Melby hopes BASD board members are fined and that more people become aware of the importance of following open meetings laws. The more attention people pay, the more we expect that government officials will pay better attention to their legal duties, Kamenick said. Burlington school officials could not be reached for comment. Peter Turke, BASD Board President, said he was not aware of the complaint when contacted Monday by The Journal Times. I dont have any knowledge of that complaint, so its news to me, Turke said. Turke said the Racine County District Attorneys Office had not contacted him about the complaint. If he was contacted, Turke said he would consult with an attorney and then cooperate with Hansons office. Turke said he believes that the boards actions on Aug. 9, 2021, were lawful. Contentious meeting The Aug. 9, 2021 meeting began in the Burlington High School auditorium. For about an hour, the board heard public comments related to a potential face mask requirement to start the 2021-22 school year. All public commenters voiced opposition to a mask requirement. During public comments, Turke on several occasions asked public attendees to quiet down so the board could hear speakers and so the meeting could proceed from one speaker to the next. Eventually, the board passed a motion to suspend public comments as attendees continued to yell. The board was unable to regain control. When he was briefly able to be heard speaking, in an effort to resume the meetings regularly scheduled business, Turke said, We cannot do so if we have chaos. This is not working for us. A man in the audience grabbed a standing microphone and yelled while pointing at Turke, We are going to take over this board right now! While the board attempted to ask for the meeting to be recessed, many attendees refused to leave and continued to shout at the board members. The board then adjourned to a different, undisclosed meeting location within the building. Board members initially said they were moving to the school library, but parents found the library empty a few minutes later. Police officers prevented members of the public from attending the meeting in-person at the new location. The Board misled the public into believing the meeting would continue in the library, the complaint reads. The Board posted police officers between members of the public and the location where they were meeting and instructed the police officers to prevent the public from attending its meeting. It was the second time in just nine months that police were called to intervene in a BASD board meeting, following a similar situation in which demonstrators demanding more anti-racism curriculum in Burlington schools shut down a meeting on Nov. 9, 2020. Both meetings shut down by protesters were tense but ended without violence. The Journal Times is unaware of any open meetings complaints being filed related to the November 2020 meeting. On Aug. 9, 2021, the school board met in the undisclosed room for about six minutes. That portion of the board meeting was livestreamed online before the board adjourned. The undisclosed classroom was not reasonably accessible to the public, the complaint reads. The undisclosed classroom was not open to all citizens at all times None of the audience members without immediate access to a good internet signal would have been able to watch the online stream. By intentionally excluding the public from attending the meeting in the undisclosed classroom, the Board did not hold that portion of its meeting in open session and therefore violated (state law). After the Aug. 9 meeting, the Melbys and about a dozen others formed an alternative school board in the cafeteria, electing Aaron Melby as chairman before fading in the following weeks. Increased scrutiny In a release from the Wisconsin Transparency Project, Adrianne Melby said she filed the complaint because parents and community members have been demonized for attending a school board meeting on August 9th, 2021 with the gravest of concerns for their children and grandchildren The only ones who broke the law on August 9th were the school board members. Kamenick told The Journal Times he has filed three or four similar complaints against Wisconsin school districts this year. He said school board meetings have become more scrutinized in recent years by sometimes unruly audiences, but that does not make it OK for school boards to break open meetings laws. I do not condone disruptions of meetings, Kamenick said. Theres no excuse to violate the law, though. If people are being disruptive, a meeting can be canceled or postponed, but when (school boards) re-adjourn, they have to do it with proper notice. If civil charges are not brought by Hanson against the Burlington school board, Melby has the right to bring that action on behalf of the state, which could also make the (Burlington school) district liable for her attorney fees and costs, according to the Wisconsin Transparency Project news release. Kamenick said attorney costs in these types of cases often run between $10,000 and $20,000. He declined to say how much Adrianne Melby has paid him in legal fees so far and declined to say when Melby approached him about filing the complaint. 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. RACINE The Community Development Authority is looking to the Environmental Protection Agency for assistance in cleaning up the old United Product & Engineering Corporation (UPEC) site at 1500 N. Memorial Drive, immediately south of Historic Horlick Field. The EPAs Targeted Brownfields Assessment (TBA) program assists municipalities in assessing contaminated sites. Services provided by the program include: site assessments (including sampling) cleanup options and cost estimates. TBAs are conducted by environmental consultants already contracted with the EPA and assessments average $50,000 to $100,000. The 3-acre lot runs the entire length of the block between Kewaunee and St. Patrick streets. At one time the property was the location of metal fabricator UPEC & Associates, but has been vacant since 1997. The city acquired the property seven years ago, after an 18-month battle with the property owners over a blight complaint and a raze order for the existing structures on the property. Plans to demolish the building have been swirling since 2015, but wrecking crews still have not moved in. In 2019, the CDA acquired the property for the purpose of redevelopment. There are about 110 acres in the city that have been identified as potential brownfields. Since the early 1920s, the property has been used for various industrial purposes including iron foundry operations and light industrial/medical fabrication. The contamination in the soil as a result of industrial must be mitigated before redevelopment occurs. According to documents provided by CDA, the site is contaminated with both hazardous substances and petroleum. Should the property be chosen for a TBA, the assessment work will determine the extent of the contamination, the contents of the underground storage tank, and options for cleaning up the property. 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. Dubai's Burj Khalifa is the most visited iconic landmark on Street View on Google Maps across the Middle East and North Africa. Today, Google announced the top 10 most visited locations on Street View in the region over the past year. They are: 1. Burj Khalifa - UAE 2. The Kaaba - Saudi Arabia 3. Giza Necropolis - Egypt 4. Masjid Al-Haram - Saudi Arabia 5. The Great Pyramid of Giza - Egypt 6. Al Masjid an Nabawi - Saudi Arabia 7. Burj Al Arab - UAE 8. The Sphinx of Giza - Egypt 9. The Dubai Fountain - UAE 10. Dubai International Airport - UAE Street View offers panoramic, street level imagery of the world, allowing people to experience places, right from their computer or phone. Google uses Street View imagery to capture 360 images of places around the world to help people keep discovering, including the Middle East & North Africas diverse landmarks. Street View was first launched in MENA in 2013 in the UAE, and has since helped people explore the region virtually including in Jordan, Tunisia, the UAE and more. The Pyramids of Meroe is one the most recent Street View projects. Globally, over the last 15 years, Street View cars have travelled over 10 million miles a distance that circles the entire globe more than 400 times - and have collected more than 220 billion images. On Google Maps Street View, you can also look into historical images for some of these locations to see how theyve changed over time. - TradeArabia News Service RACINE A Racine man has been accused of breaking a woman's wrist at a bridal shower. Paul J. Burdick, 37, of the 2000 block of Green Street, was charged with a felony count of substantial battery and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. According to a criminal complaint: At 12:53 p.m. on May 28, a deputy with the Racine County Sheriff's Office was sent to Pritchard Park at 2800 Ohio Street for an assault. It was advised a man pushed down a woman and possibly broke her wrist. Upon arrival, the deputy spoke to a man who said that he and his family had rented a pavilion at the park for a bridal shower. While setting up, he approached a man, later identified as Burdick, who was sitting on one of the tables in the pavilion and asked him to move to another table. Burdick then stood up, jumped over the table and pushed a woman to the ground before leaving in his vehicle. The deputy spoke to the woman who was being treated in an ambulance. She had a splint on her left wrist and a small cut on top of her head. She said she believed her wrist was broken. She said Burdick used profane language toward her before the assault. It was confirmed at the hospital that her wrist was broken. Burdick was given a $500 cash bond and a $500 signature bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is on June 15 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 BURLINGTON Public support for removing Burlingtons beloved but troubled Echo Lake is growing more visible, as city leaders near a decision on the emotionally charged issue. Yard signs are popping up around town declaring Restore the River, which reflects public sentiment for draining the manmade lake and allowing the White River to resume flowing naturally in its place. A website also has been created at restoretheriver.com, and a Facebook group likewise advocating removal of the lake has grown to more than 200 followers. Others in the community have formed a Save Echo Lake group, and have been outspoken for months about their hopes for maintaining the lake, with their own yard signs, Facebook debates and lobbying efforts. The Save Echo Lake crowd has been louder and more visible thus far. The Save Echo Lake & Dam Facebook group has more than 1,700 members. But Paul Haynes, a former Burlington Park Board chairman who supports removing the lake, said he senses growing interest in the community in the idea of bringing back the White River to replace the beleaguered Echo Lake. Haynes, who serves on a city task force studying the issue, said he was surprised recently when a stranger knocked on his door to request a Restore the River yard sign. Theres something out there, Haynes said. Mike Weidert, who created the Facebook page urging removal of the lake, calls his group Echo Park because of the potential for creating an improved public park if the lake is removed. Weidert said that he thinks the 70-acre impoundment is not even really a lake any longer, but rather what he described as a neglected and polluted mess, with an average water depth of only about two feet. It smells and its dirty, he said. Its time for it to go. Members of the Save Echo Lake group, who could not be reached for comment, have called the lake an important civic landmark and a place where public recreation and other events could be resurrected. On its Facebook page, there are commonly photos of the setting sun over the lake and families fishing. Those hoping to maintain the lake have found support from Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. The Burlington Park Board, however, has called for draining the lake and restoring the river. The Burlington City Council is moving toward a decision on the lakes future possibly later this year amid projections that the project could end up costing $5 million or more. City officials also have discussed holding a citywide referendum on the issue in November. Collection: Burlington charts a path toward tough decisions on its beloved Echo Lake Follow along as we chronicle the steps that Burlington has taken so far while confronting the dilemma of either investing millions to save Ech Echo Lake was created in the 1800s when a dam was built along the White River to power a mill. The mill is long gone, and state regulators have determined that the city-owned dam no longer meets Wisconsin safety standards. If the dam is removed, the lake will drain back into the river, which will resume flowing naturally through a park adjacent to the Veterans Terrace event center, 589 Milwaukee Ave. City engineers have calculated that saving the lake would cost more than $5 million to rebuild the dam and then dredge the polluted lake. Removing the dam and draining the lake would cost $1.1 million to $2 million. Without outside funding, saving the lake could increase property taxes for the average homeowner by $68 a year over 20 years, or a total of $1,368. Removing the lake would cost the same homeowner $20 a year, or a total of $409. Adding boardwalks, fishing docks or other new amenities to the park area would be optional considerations later, with added costs. Lance Koll, a Burlington homeowner with Restore the River yard signs outside his house, said he favors removing the lake because he believes a river would provide better flood protection and would offer a return to natural beauty. Koll said the issue has become too political among those pushing to maintain the manmade lake. It goes with the conservative mindset: I dont want change in my life. I cant handle change, he said. Another resident speaking out for removing Echo Lake, Katie Simenson, said she looks forward to kayaking on the restored White River without the disruption of Burlingtons manmade dam and lake. Trying to maintain the lake, Simenson said, would cost taxpayers millions of dollars now, and even more later if pollution and sediment return, requiring additional dredging and upkeep. I think its just throwing good money after bad, she said. A city-appointed task force is working with city consultants to devise conceptual plans showing the sort of park amenities that would be possible both if the lake was maintained and if the river was restored. Weidert, who grew up in Burlington in the 1950s and 60s and now lives elsewhere in Wisconsin, said he visits the city frequently and he wants to help people make educated decisions about the lake. He said he created the Echo Park Facebook group after seeing misinformation posted elsewhere and personal attacks directed at those who disagreed with wanting to keep the lake. Weidert said the idea of taking down the dam is growing in popularity among people, once they realize the potential for replacing the polluted lake with a new riverfront attraction. They understand how much better it can be, he said. It could be very beautiful. 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. An attempt to boot Donald Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels from the Aug. 9 primary ballot over address inconsistencies in his nominating forms wont succeed if the Wisconsin Elections Commission follows what it did in two similar 2018 cases, though a split decision could send the matter to the courts, which blocked two candidates in 2020. The state Democratic Party said Sunday that Michels, co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., failed to include his correct mailing address on his nomination forms, making thousands of signatures invalid. Michels campaign has dismissed the complaint as frivolous. The complaint bears striking resemblance to discussions held by the commission four years ago on nomination papers filed by two judicial candidates. In those cases, the commission voted unanimously to approve ballot access for the two candidates. However, increased partisan division on the commission, which is split evenly between three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees, could result in a deadlock that ultimately sends the matter to the courts. Given its a high-profile race, its probably going to be a very political decision in the sense that you could see a 3-3 split, said Kevin Kennedy, the states former top elections official who retired when the current Elections Commission was created in 2016. The commission has to approve ballot access, Kennedy added. Im sure there will be all kinds of posturing and fighting on that because the statute does say the commission shall submit a certified list, so that could be the nature of the fight and that could end up in court as a result. The complaint against Michels, filed by a Madison voter supported by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, alleges the gubernatorial candidate did not include the municipality of his mailing address on many of his nomination papers. The majority of those papers list the village of Chenequa, but not Michels mailing address in Hartford, which is less than 15 miles to the north. Candidates must list their residential address and their municipality of residence for voting purposes, according to the commissions 2020 ballot access procedures document. If the candidate has a mailing address that is different than their residential address, this needs to be added as well. Michels claims to care about election integrity, even while courting Donald Trump and the extreme fringes of the Republican base by spreading lies about the 2020 election results, Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler said in a statement. Election integrity means following the law and Tim Michels did not follow the laws laid out in Wisconsin statutes to file enough valid signatures to make the ballot for the August primary. Michels noted his campaign submitted 4,000 signatures, 3,861 of which have already been validated by commission staff. A total of 2,000 valid signatures are needed. Democrats have challenged all but 345 of Michels signatures. Tim Michels home, legal residence, voting address, acceptable mailing address and the address displayed in all online navigational maps, has been the same house in Waukesha County since 2008, despite any petty insider political mudslinging attempting to say otherwise, Michels campaign manager Patrick McNulty said in a statement. Kennedy said address discrepancies are relatively common during ballot access discussions but added that, in the absence of evidence of fraud, the agency may not necessarily apply the statute strictly as written. Past practice across prior agencies, administrative rules and court cases favor ballot access, especially when looking at how forms are prepared versus circulation, filing and signing issues, he added. I dont think you can argue theres any fraud here, he said. Itll be a balance of what are the important factors in terms of ballot access and deception to the electorate, or is this just a partisan-based decision? Then it may break down on the technicalities of do you need four votes to certify, or was the staffs actions enough. And thats always a new fight. Staff recommendations likely wont be made available until Thursday, WEC spokesperson Riley Vetterkind said. Previous decisions In January 2018, the commission took up a similar discussion for two circuit court judges, though formal complaints were not filed against the individual candidates signature papers. William Kussel, a candidate for Menominee and Shawano County Circuit Court judge, listed the town of Wescott as his voting residence, while his mailing address listed the city of Shawano. In another, Price County Circuit Court judge candidate Mark Fuhr listed his voting address in the town of Worcester, while his mailing address listed the municipality of Phillips. In both cases, the United States Post Office website ZIP code finder indicates mail will be delivered if either municipality is listed on an envelope, according to commission materials for the 2018 meeting. The commission unanimously approved ballot access for Kussel and Fuhr. For Michels, the Postal Service website automatically replaces the village of Chenequa with Hartland. Other cases Democratic Assembly candidate Patty Schachtner, who lost her reelection bid for the state Senate in 2020, said over the weekend she faces a complaint similar to the one against Michels. The Elections Commission has set out clear guidance to help candidates meet those requirements, Schachtner said Sunday. Mr. Michels has failed to follow those rules. I know because my campaign has unfortunately made the same mistake. The WEC should follow the rules. A copy of the complaint filed against Schachtner was not immediately available. If the commission denies ballot access for Michels or fails to reach a decision, the matter could end up in the courts, though a decision would need to occur quickly as ballots for the Aug. 9 primary will begin going out in the mail in a matter of weeks. In August 2020, the commission deadlocked on whether to allow Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins and vice presidential candidate Angela Walker on the November ballot, leaving the matter up to the courts. The issue stemmed from a complaint alleging Walker listed an incorrect address on thousands of her nominating papers, bringing her number of valid signatures below the required threshold to secure a spot on the ballot. Candidates are required to list their current address on nominating petitions. Elections Commission guidance states that if any information is incorrect, the signatures must be rejected. Commission staff recommended that ballot access for Hawkins and Walker be denied after rejecting the signatures on the flawed nomination papers. The commission held several votes on the matter but could not overcome a 3-3 deadlock between the GOP and Democratic appointees. Hawkins and Walker were left off the ballot as a result. In a split decision that September, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said it was too late into the election season to grant relief to Hawkins and Walker and left them off the ballot. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 One of the looming victims of climate change is Wisconsins longtime reputation as a haven for walleye fishing and brown trout and brook trout as well. Warming waters across the state, along with habitat degradation and overfishing, have made the state less hospitable to the cold-water favoring fish and several disturbing reports in the past weeks hint that the heyday of Wisconsin walleye fishing may be pushed out the door within the next 40 years or so. Thats lamentable, of course. Despite years of intensive stocking and harvest restrictions like catch-and-release on some state lake chains the walleye population in the northern third of the state declined by a third between 1990 and 2017 and the reproductive rates have slowed as well. Zach Feiner, the lead author of a report by the UW-Madisons Center for Limnology, said those efforts have shown to be ineffective. In many lakes it doesnt seem to be working very well. What were doing now is maybe stocking lakes that are becoming too warm to really be able to sustain walleye populations into the future. A Lee Newspapers report last week said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources estimates the state has 420 lakes with the dark cool waters walleye favor. But a report last year by the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Impact said that will decline to just four lakes by 2089. Similarly, a DNR report on trout habitat estimates that within 43 years, Wisconsin will lose 70 percent of its native brook trout habitat and almost a third of the streams that host brown trout. As always, in nature, when one species slides away another pushes to the forefront. In Wisconsins case, the projected decline of the walleye over the next several decades will likely mean a rise in smallmouth bass and bluegill populations fish that tolerate warmer waters. The DNR, UW experts and groups like Walleyes for Tomorrow, are looking hard to find ways to resist the change or find other ways to maintain the fishing resource, which is a valuable one to the state supporting 14,000 jobs and generating $1.9 billion in economic activity in the state. Kurt Justice, a fishing guide on the Minocqua Chain of Lakes, and a member of Walleyes for Tomorrow, is hoping to reverse the walleye decline. But, hes also learning to adapt. His fishing supply shop now stocks bass-fishing gear. If youre worried about losing those tasty walleyes from the Friday night fish fry menu, you can relax a bit. Commercial walleye come mostly from the cold waters of Canada, Lake Winnipeg, Lake of the Woods and other large Canadian lakes along with Lake Erie at least for now. But you might want to test your tastes for bluegill and bass so you are ready to adapt. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 1. Yes. Tying up the courts and filling jails over small amounts of pot is unacceptable. 2. Yes. As long as there are exceptions for connection to felony charges, its a good idea. 3. No. Taking away law enforcements options is wrong. Police should have some discretion. 4. No. An ordinance that conflicts with state law is wrong and shouldnt be adopted. 5. Unsure. It seems to make sense in some ways, but it could prove problematic. Vote View Results Brands for Less (BFL) Group, one of the leading off-price and multi-brand retailers, has debuted its first store in Saudi Arabia, officially marking its entry into one of the Menas biggest markets with a fast-growing retail industry. Located near Exit 6 Road, the new Saudi Arabia store is BFLs first step towards building a strong presence in the kingdom. It will also sustain the momentum of BFLs rapid expansion in the region. This latest development comes amid immense developments in the Saudi Arabian retail market. The sectors continuous growth is attributed to the countrys young population and increasing broadband and smartphone penetration rate. Retail to expand Euromonitor forecasts that Saudi Arabias retail industry will expand by about 20% this year, while the value of e-commerce is seen to more than double. To date, Saudi Arabias e-commerce segment accounts for 3.8% of the total local retail business. BFL, which aims to meet the domestic demand for unique but affordable fashion, also targets to create a robust presence in the local e-commerce industry. BFL opened its easy-to-navigate e-commerce platform to maximise the growth prospects in the industry. Toufic Kreidieh, Co-Founder and CEO of the Brands For Less Group, said: Opening a store in Saudi Arabia, one of the regions major markets, is an incredible achievement for our brand. It is in line with our expansion plan covering key markets across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia promises significant growth opportunities and joining the Saudi retail market is a strategic move, as it takes place amid the rising demand for branded clothes offered at discounted prices. The demand is influenced by the changing lifestyle of customers in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, we also take note of Saudi Arabias booming e-commerce industry. It gives us a venue to strengthen further our e-commerce business. BFL is a retail brand that provides an exciting treasure hunt experience and exclusive prices on apparels from more than 3,000 brands. It keeps its customers in the loop about the newest fashion trends and the latest offerings of its stores. Customers in Saudi Arabia will now get to experience BFLs creative concepts, with its newly opened outlet. The companys Mena expansion strategy is in keeping with its goal this year to widen its market reach and address modern customer needs.-- TradeArabia News Service The European Union (EU) said a decision will be taken, within two weeks, for Oman's entry into the course of negotiations pertaining to the Schengen visa waiver for Omani citizens. Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary-General and Political Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS) of the EU stressed the "historic role" of Oman and its efforts in resolving many regional and international issues, particularly the Iranian nuclear file, reported Oman News Agency (ONA). He said We look forward to support peace efforts together. He added that there are ongoing negotiations with the GCC countries related to free trade. He furthered that the EU is looking forward to augmenting cooperation with the countries of the region in several areas, including maritime security, training, energy and technology. Mora described Oman Vision 2040 as "ambitious" as it focuses on several themes and covers different aspects. He pointed out that his current visit to the Sultanate of Oman represents an opportunity to review the bilateral relations between the EU and Oman, as well as ways to promote them and discuss foreign policies between the two sides. Mora explained that the EU is striving to look for alternatives to provide liquefied gas, and on the long-term, the EU is exploring prospects for cooperation in the field of green energy. He added that the European partnership strategy with the GCC states focuses on cooperation in several spheres, including energy and security. On his part, Sheikh Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs, said: "A representation office of the European Union will be opened in the Sultanate of Oman soon." Al Harthy added that Oman welcomes the European partnership strategy with the GCC countries and looks forward to strengthening these relations in various fields. Al Harthy pointed out that the third round of talks between the Sultanate and the EU, which was held at the Foreign Ministry, affirm that the relations between the two sides scale new heights. He added that the EU is interested in green energy and hydrogen, and that Oman is working to diversify sources of income through renewable energy. He also said that Oman seeks to benefit from the EU experience in diversifying sources of income. Oman, Schengen visa waiver, European Union, EU WASHINGTON (AP) A man carrying a gun, a knife and zip ties was arrested Wednesday near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's house in Maryland after threatening to kill the justice. Nicholas John Roske of Simi Valley, California, who was identified in a criminal complaint charging him with the attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice, was dressed in black when he arrived by taxi just after 1 a.m. outside Kavanaugh's home in a Washington suburb. Roske, 26, had a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a knife, zip ties, pepper spray, duct tape and other items that he told police he would use to break into Kavanaugh's house and kill him, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in federal court in Maryland. Roske said he purchased the gun to kill Kavanaugh and that he also would kill himself, the affidavit said. Roske told police he was upset by a leaked draft opinion suggesting the Supreme Court is about to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion case. He also said he was upset over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Kavanaugh would vote to loosen gun control laws, the affidavit said. The court currently is weighing a challenge to New York's requirements for getting a permit to carry a gun in public, a case that could make it easier to be armed on the streets of New York and other large cities. When he got out of the taxi, Roske was spotted by two U.S. Marshals who are part of round-the-clock security provided to the justices following the leak of the draft opinion last month. But Roske was only apprehended after he called 911 in Montgomery County, Maryland, and said he was having suicidal thoughts and planned to kill Kavanaugh, having found the justice's address online. Roske was still on the phone when Montgomery County police arrived on the scene, according to the affidavit. "This kind of behavior is obviously behavior we will not tolerate," Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters Wednesday. "Threats of violence and actual violence against the justices of course strike at the heart of our democracy and we will do everything we can to prevent them and to hold people who do them accountable." President Joe Biden praised authorities for quickly apprehending the man, deputy White House press secretary Andrew Bates said in an email. There have been protests at the homes of Kavanaugh and other justices, as well as demonstrations at the court, where a security fence rings the building and nearby streets have been closed. A Homeland Security Department report said the draft opinion, leaked in early May, has unleashed a wave of threats against officials and others and increased the likelihood of extremist violence. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia on Tuesday claimed to have taken control of 97% of one of the two provinces that make up Ukraine's Donbas, bringing the Kremlin closer to its goal of fully capturing the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscows forces hold nearly all of Luhansk province. And it appears that Russia now occupies roughly half of Donetsk province, according to Ukrainian officials and military analysts. After abandoning its bungled attempt to storm Kyiv two months ago, Russia declared that taking the entire Donbas is its main objective. Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian government forces in the Donbas since 2014, and the region has borne the brunt of the Russian onslaught in recent weeks. Early in the war, Russian troops also took control of the entire Kherson region and a large part of the Zaporizhzhia region, both in the south. Russian officials and their local appointees have talked about plans for those regions to either declare their independence or be folded into Russia. But in what may be the latest instance of anti-Russian sabotage inside Ukraine, Russian state media said Tuesday that an explosion at a cafe in the city of Kherson wounded four people. Tass called the apparent bombing in the Russian-occupied city a terror act. Before the Feb. 24 invasion, Ukrainian officials said Russia controlled some 7% of the country, including the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, and areas held by the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces hold 20% of the country. While Russia has superior firepower, the Ukrainian defenders are entrenched and have shown the ability to counterattack. Zelenskyy said Russian forces made no significant advances in the eastern Donbas region over the past day. The absolutely heroic defense of the Donbas continues, he said late Tuesday in his nightly video address. Zelenskyy said the Russians clearly did not expect to meet so much resistance and are now trying to bring in additional troops and equipment. He said the same was true in the Kherson region. Speaking earlier to a Financial Times conference, Zelenskyy insisted on Ukraines need to defeat Russia on the battlefield but also said he is still open to peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But a former senior U.S. intelligence officer said the time isnt right. Youre not going to get to the negotiating table until neither side feels they have an advantage that they could push, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. The Russians think they will be able to take the whole of the Donbas and then might use that as the opportunity to call for negotiations, Kendall-Taylor said at an online seminar organized by Columbia and New York universities. Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, said Moscow's forces have seized the residential quarters of Sievierodonetsk and are fighting to take control of an industrial zone on the city's outskirts and nearby towns. Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk have seen heavy fighting in recent weeks. They are among a few cities and towns in the Luhansk region still holding out against the Russian invasion, which is being helped by local pro-Kremlin forces. Shoigu added that Russian troops were pressing their offensive toward the town of Popasna and have taken control of Lyman and Sviatohirsk and 15 other towns in the region. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak urged his people not to be downhearted about the battlefield reverses. Dont let the news that weve ceded something scare you, he said in a video address. It is clear that tactical maneuvers are ongoing. We cede something, we take something back." Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai conceded that Russian forces control the industrial outskirts of Sievierodonetsk. The toughest street battles continue, with varying degrees of success, Haidai said. The situation constantly changes, but the Ukrainians are repelling attacks. Moscows forces also kept up their artillery barrage of Lysychansk. Haidai said Russian troops shelled a market, a school and a college building, destroying the latter. At least three people were wounded, he said. A total destruction of the city is under way. Russian shelling has intensified significantly over the past 24 hours. Russians are using scorched-earth tactics, Haidai said. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has begun training Ukrainian forces on the sophisticated multiple rocket launchers that the Biden administration agreed last week to provide. The Pentagon said the training is going on at a base in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, is mounted on a truck and can carry a container with six rockets, which can travel about 45 miles (70 kilometers). Officials said it would take about three weeks of training before they could go to the battlefront. In other developments, Zelenskyy said Ukraine planned to publish a special Book of Executioners next week with information about war crimes committed by the Russian army. These are specific facts about specific people who are guilty of specific cruel crimes against Ukrainians, he said. Those named would include not only people who carried out the crimes but their commanders, he said. The war also brought a standoff Tuesday between the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency and Ukrainian authorities over the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe. The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, wants to visit the Zaporizhzhia plant to help maintain its safety after it was taken by Russian troops in March. But Energoatom, the Ukrainian state company overseeing the countrys nuclear plants, said in a blunt statement that Grossi isnt welcome. It said his planned tour is yet another attempt to legitimize the occupiers presence there. Amid fears of a global food crisis because of the war, the Kremlin said Ukraine needs to remove sea mines near its Black Sea port of Odesa to allow essential grain exports to resume from there. Ukrainian officials have expressed concern that removing the mines could enable Moscows forces to attack. Associated Press journalists David Keyton and Oleksandr Stashevskyi in Kyiv; Yuras Karmanau in Lviv; Andrew Katell in New York; and Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed to this story. Follow APs 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When retired Army Sgt. Maj. Kenneth E. Stumpf passed away at his home in Tomah, on April 23, his daughter Jobi (Stumpf) Spolum didnt think about how the world lost a military hero a Medal of Honor recipient. To her, she lost her dad. Over his 77 years of life, Stumpf was best known to most for his actions on April 25, 1967, in Vietnam, where at that time as a squad leader, Staff Sgt. Stumpf earned the U.S. militarys highest honor the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Spolum is the second of Stumpfs three children. She has an older brother, Scott, and a younger brother, Adrian. She said growing up she didnt realize just how important the Medal of Honor was until she got older. To be honest, when I was a kid, it was about him being so good at racquetball, Spolum said. He had been on the all-Army team for racquetball. So it was always about what a good athlete he was. And then it was when I got older when I learned just how significant the Medal of Honor was, Spolum said. When we started going to conventions for Medal of Honor recipients and related events is when it really started to click. But at home, Stumpf was dad. He and I had a special relationship, Spolum said. Stumpf was drafted into the Army in 1965 and served two years with one of those years in Vietnam where he earned the Medal of Honor. He then left the Army and was discharged in 1967 and moved back to his home town of Menasha, Wis. Then he went back to work in a paper mill hed worked in before the Army. Not long after, in 1968, Stumpf rejoined the Army on Dec. 16, 1968, but right before that he married his life partner, Dorothy Guralski, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Menasha on Dec. 7, 1968. He was always proud of that day, Spolum said. Hed always say he got married on Pearl Harbor Day in 1968. Pearl Harbor Day, of course, is the remembrance of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941, that propelled the United States into World War II. Now married and back in the Army, Stumpf embarked on another 27 years of military service where he retired from Fort McCoy on Sept. 30, 1994. He and Dorothy had children Scott in 1969, Jobi in 1972, and Adrian in 1976. Kens strength came from being married (for 46 years) to Dorothy, his family obituary states. She was the glue that kept their family close. And after getting married, Stumpf completed two more tours in Vietnam between 1969 and 1971. He then served in Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind.; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Fort Ord, Calif.; Fort Carson, Colo.; several locations in Germany; Fort Sheridan, Ill.; and finally Fort McCoy. In 2000, Stumpf was interviewed by James McIntosh for an item now stored in the data collection of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison. Stumpf recalled his time in Vietnam, learning about the Medal of Honor, and more. The transcript of the interview can be found by searching Stumpf at https://wisvetsmuseum.catalogaccess.com. When I had left Vietnam, I knew I was recommended for the Medal of Honor, Stumpf said in the interview six years after he retired from the Army. But when I left Vietnam, I left Vietnam. I gained a hell of a lot of experience over there. I think I became a better person. I became more dedicated to mission. I just did what I felt was the right thing to do, and I did my duty, Stumpf said. One day in my life of the first two years (in the Army) I was probably the best Soldier that I could possibly be. I was the best person I could possibly be. You know, go in there and get those guys out and the best warrior I could possibly be. That one five-, six-, seven-hour period, I was a good Soldier and the best I could be. Spolum said she thinks her dad always tried to be the best Soldier he could be and in turn the best husband and father he could be. He always believed in mentoring others, Spolum said. When he retired from the Army, he went to work for the county helping inmates complete community service. And then later he worked with a program that helped incarcerated youth. He was kind of like a drill sergeant for them. I remember the graduations where the cadets would come up to him and tell him what an inspiration he was. Thats the kind of man he was. Throughout his Army career, besides being a Soldier first, Stumpf worked much of his career in the administrative career field in various functions. Spolum recalls also when her dad served as a first sergeant. I remember when my dad was first sergeant for the postal detachment in Germany, Spolum said. We had a lot of single Soldiers who lived there, and they would come over to visit and have dinner with us. They were like aunts and uncles to me. My dad loved helping and taking care of people. In a retirement story written by former Fort McCoy Public Affairs Specialist Rob Shuette in the Oct. 7, 1994, edition of the Triad newspaper, Stumpf said himself that taking care of Soldiers was something he took very seriously. I have deep respect for enlisted Soldiers; thats what soldiering is all about, he said. My main mission was to take care of the Soldiers. Caring and compassion are two key words. And Soldiers responded to Stumpf not just for his accomplishments but also because he was a Soldiers Soldier. I had the honor to meet Sgt. Maj. Stumpf a couple times, said retired Sgt. 1st Class Jaime Herrera, who now serves in an Army civilian position with the Army Reserve Equal Opportunity Office at Fort McCoy. I had lunch with him and some other noncommissioned officers a few years back. As we sipped beer and told stories, he asked me if Ive ever seen combat. I said, Yes, Ive been deployed several times. He looked me dead in the eyes and said, I asked if youve ever seen combat, Herrera said. I replied, Yes sergeant major a lot, and I was wounded once. I was given the Purple Heart, but Im not a fan. It just means they almost got me. He takes a sip and puts his hand on my shoulder and says, No son. It means they tried their fing hardest and failed. Then he gave me his coin, and Ill never forget that. Spolum also said her dad appreciated everyone who served. She said it isnt just military members but everyone, including government civilian service, and more. Its his inspiration in part that encouraged her to serve the last 22 years as an award-winning Army government civilian employee at Fort McCoy. I find to be an honor to serve the people who have served my family my entire life, Spolum said. Thats what my dad believed, and thats something our family will carry on with in his memory. The National Medal of Honor Museum paid a special tribute to Stumpf. In the story about him at https://mohmuseum.org/medal_of_honor/kenneth-stumpf, it shows some words by Stumpf that might best have exemplified his character. I stayed in the military for 29 years and I never forgot where I came from and thats why I took care of those people underneath me, Stumpf said in the museum article honoring him. Because if I dont, who will? Throughout his life, Ken Stumpf remained dedicated to his fellow Vietnam veterans, hearkening back to the time he had spent with them in action. Vietnam made me strong, he said in the article. I mean, for the guys that got killed, Im strong for them. And just as he had in Vietnam, where, I laughed a lot, I laughed a lot to keep people cool, Stumpf or Stumpy, as his men called him always displayed his great sense of humor as he shared stories about his time in the service. Stumpf will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery alongside his wife Dorothy at a date yet to be determined. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The first sentence has been handed down in a West Allis homicide that left an Onalaska man dead. Angel Monge-Mathuzima, 32, Milwaukee, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Tuesday for the death of Ryan Sorenson. The sentence was imposed by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner and includes nine years of extended supervision upon Monge-Mathuzimas release. Monge-Mathuzima was convicted of a single felony count of second-degree reckless homicide. He is accused of stabbing Sorenson to death after a Sept. 15, 2019, altercation on South 71st St. in Milwaukee. Monge-Mathuizima remained at large for nearly a year before his arrest Aug. 1, 2020. A second defendant, Shirley Louise Monge, 32, Milwaukee, pleaded guilty last year to felony battery/party to a crime. She was arrested the same day as Monge-Mathuzima and was released from jail Sept. 14, 2020, after posting $5,000 cash bail. Monge, who is Monge-Mathuizimas wife, was also scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday, but the sentencing was delayed after her attorney contracted COVID-19. The sentencing has been rescheduled for July 11. 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. A European trip to celebrate a 10th wedding anniversary sparked the dream of a Fulbright scholarship which will soon become a reality. UW-La Crosse Associate Professor Dawn Norris and her husband visited Prague, Czech Republic, in 2019 upon the recommendation of a student in one of her courses. They loved the culture, architecture and history. The trip left Norris, a Sociology and Criminal Justice Department faculty member, hungry to learn more about the central European country. She had many questions about how Czechs, who only exited a communist economy and entered a market economy about 30 years ago, might think about work today. A great deal of my existing research has focused on how job loss affects identity and mental health in the U.S., Norris notes. So, I became curious about whether it would have the same effects in the Czech Republic, given their very different economic history and their fairly recent economic transition. That excitement propelled Norris to apply through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program from the U.S. Department of State. In May, she learned her proposal was accepted, and she will travel overseas during the spring 2023 semester. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for future partnerships. Upon returning to their institutions, labs and classrooms, they share stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad. While her students wont directly be involved while she is overseas, Norris has already been incorporating her firsthand experience of the Czech Republic into some of her sociology courses. That, in turn, has sparked students to brainstorm questions Norris can ask Czechs when she interviews them during her research. Students are especially interested in Norris asking Czech students about what its like to be a college student there. When she returns, Norris plans to engage students and colleagues on the importance and excitement of cross-cultural learning by presenting her research at an open forum. She also plans to integrate what she learns into her courses. I hope to directly connect Czech and U.S. students in virtual and in-person formats, Norris explains. For example, I am considering leading a study abroad tour in the Czech Republic for UWL undergraduates. There is so much for students to learn about how the way society is set up influences our opportunities, choices and ever our identities and mental health. Norris is also prepping for the Fulbright visit by studying the Czech language something shes done for almost two years. It is a beautiful language, she notes. Although Im far from fluent, I can make myself understood in most common situations. Norris admits shes only at the beginner/intermediate level, studying with an instructor who conducts the entire lesson in Czech. Its very exciting to be able to communicate in another language, she notes. It really opens up new worlds and I highly recommend that all undergraduates take at least one foreign language course. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. governments flagship international educational exchange program and is supported by the people of the United States and partner countries around the world. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. More than 800 U.S. citizens will conduct research and teach abroad for the 2022-23 academic year. Norris is the 12th UWL faculty member to earn a Fulbright scholarship since 1999. See the others at: https://www.uwlax.edu/international-education/community-and-global-partners/fulbright/#tab-fulbright-scholar-program-facultystaff Additionally, UWL May 2021 graduate Ally Hetto was recently selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. Hetto will teach English as a Second Language to students in South Africa. Dawn Norris Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Years at UWL: 9 Current courses: Sociological Aspects of Work and Life, Sociology of Mental Illness, Generations and Age, Introduction to Sociology, Sociological Theory and First-Year Seminar on Freedom vs. Security. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Calling the effort procedurally improper, a federal judge rejected a lawsuit Friday seeking to block U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and two Republican U.S. House members from being on the ballot for supporting efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Instead, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman said in a June 3 order that the plaintiffs claim, if it exists at all, would best be resolved before the Wisconsin Elections Commission. If a voter believes that a candidate is ineligible for office, he or she may seek legal redress from election administrators, Adelman said. However, a voter may not seek legal relief relating to the candidates eligibility for office against the candidate directly. The decision came after Wisconsin liberals in March filed a lawsuit alleging Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, were insurrectionists in violation of the U.S. Constitution for their words and actions in support of Donald Trump leading up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Because the action will be dismissed on procedural grounds, I express no view on the merits of the plaintiffs allegations that the defendants engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the United States, Adelman said. The lawsuit was filed by 10 Wisconsin citizens and funded by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC. Specifically, they alleged the three Republicans violated a 14th Amendment clause stating, in part, no person can serve in Congress after taking an oath to protect the U.S. Constitution and then engaging in insurrection. The senator was never concerned about this frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement. The dismissal is a rebuke of the radical lefts attempt to lie about Senator Johnsons record and distract from the disaster of Democrat governance. Recounts, court decisions and multiple reviews affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Tiffany and Fitzgerald were among 121 House Republicans who voted to object to counting Bidens presidential electors from Arizona on Jan. 6, 2021. Tiffany and Fitzgerald also were among 138 Republicans who voted to object to Bidens Pennsylvania electors. Johnson was one of eight U.S. senators who signed an objection to counting Arizonas electors, but he ultimately voted to accept them after the Capitol riot. He later told a liberal activist theres nothing obviously skewed about the results of the 2020 presidential election. Since that comment, though, Johnson has consistently supported former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gablemans effort to review the 2020 election. On the insurrection, Johnson read a Federalist article at a 2021 congressional hearing stating that fake Trump protesters were among those committing the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, adding, I think these are the people that probably planned this. There is no evidence that people pretending to be supporters of Trump planned the insurrection. In fact, hundreds of those charged with crimes from trespassing to sedition are known, vocal supporters of the former president. Johnson later walked back his speculative statement, telling The New York Times, It might be a flawed part of the evidence, but why exclude it? The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has picked a Republican Sun Prairie tax attorney and former elections commissioner to fill a recently vacated seat on the Wisconsin Elections Commission and almost certainly become its next chair an appointment that received bipartisan praise. Don Millis, a Sun Prairie tax attorney with Reinhart Law Firm previously served as one of the Wisconsin Elections Commissions first commissioners after being appointed by former Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in 2016, but he resigned from the agency the following year to focus on his law practice. Millis also joins the agency just days before it is slated to vote on the next commission chair, a position that must go to a Republican appointee. Don is a respected attorney whose expertise makes him an excellent addition to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Vos said Wednesday in a statement announcing his decision to appoint Millis. I have no doubt he will apply election laws fairly and ensure current law is being followed. Millis will fill the seat previously held by Republican Commissioner Dean Knudson, who unexpectedly resigned late last month 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. The bipartisan six-member commission includes three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees. Millis appointment comes as the commission prepares to vote Friday 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 Millis 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. Spindell said he looks forward to working with Millis, but said he still plans to seek the chair position on Friday. Im still running for chair and I think Im better qualified than he is, Spindell said, noting his past experience on the state commission and almost two decades on the Milwaukee Election Commission. The commission is also slated to vote Friday to certify candidates for ballot placement in the upcoming primary, as well as nearly a dozen challenges filed against individual candidates, including a complaint lodged against Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels. The state Democratic Party said Sunday that Michels, co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., failed to include his correct mailing address on his nomination forms, making thousands of signatures invalid. Michels campaign has dismissed the complaint as frivolous. Busy season The commissions next chair will hold the position heading into the November election with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on the ballot. They will also be chair in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. The chair by state law approves the vote canvass following elections and certifies results. The chair also sets the agenda for the commission and can influence how questions are framed, an important power on the agency, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Millis did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Positive reviews Millis appointment drew praise from former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who was hired last year by Vos to lead a partisan review of the 2020 election. Don will bring with him both the intellectual firepower and courageous resolve that are both necessary to enable him to help put a stop to the lawless actions of the leftist members of WEC, Gableman said in a statement. Millis previously served as former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompsons appointee on the Tax Appeals Commission and on the old elections board from 1997 to 2001, where he advocated for universal paper ballots and voter ID laws, and opposed touch screen voting, Vos said. He also previously worked for former state Sens. Jim Harsdorf and Mac Davis. Don Millis was an excellent elections commissioner when he originally served on the commission, Jacobs told The Associated Press. And while I am confident he and I will not always agree on the topics we address, I believe his work will be professional and thoughtful as it has been. Millis was appointed by Fitzgerald to join the Wisconsin Elections Commission in 2016, becoming one of the agencys first members when it was created that year to replace the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board. However, Millis submitted his resignation in March 2017, noting that he could no longer serve due to commitments with his Sun Prairie law practice. Under fire Millis rejoins the commission as it faces heightened scrutiny from several state Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered due to unfounded claims of widespread fraud and mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump. GOP gubernatorial candidates Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, have all called for the agencys dismantling. Earlier this year, Gableman listed the elimination and dismantling of the Elections Commission as one of his top recommendations to the Legislature. Vos, who has repeatedly extended Gablemans contract with the state despite no evidence of widespread fraud in the presidential election, has been adamantly opposed to eliminating the commission. In 2016, Millis made the motion to approve guidance allowing election officials to correct errors on absentee ballot certificates. The guidance has since come under fire from Republicans, including Trump, who have alleged that the commission violated state law by allowing clerks to fill in missing information. Court decisions, recounts and multiple reviews have found no evidence of widespread fraud in Wisconsins 2020 election. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A man accused of fatally shooting a retired Wisconsin judge before turning the gun on himself died in a hospital, a state official said Tuesday. Douglas Uhde, 56, shot former Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer in Roemers home in the town of Lisbon on Friday before shooting himself, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he had been on life support. Wisconsin Department of Justice spokesperson Gillian Drummond confirmed Uhdes death. The agency said that Uhde was declared brain-dead on Saturday morning and his body remained on life support until Tuesday morning to allow for organ donation. Uhde had an extensive criminal and prison record dating back at least two decades, including a case in which he was sentenced by Roemer to six years in prison on burglary and weapons charges. He was released from his last prison stint in April 2020. Police found the 68-year-old Roemer zip-tied to a chair, an official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Uhde had a list of potential targets in his vehicle that included Roemer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Whitmers office and the law enforcement source said. Its unclear how Uhde obtained a gun. Drummond said the Wisconsin Justice Department is still investigating that aspect of the case. Associated Press reporter Mike Balsamo contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Pro-Life Leaders Respond to Firebombing and Vandalism of Pregnancy Centers Nationwide NEWS PROVIDED BY Expectant Mother Care June 8, 2022 NEW YORK, June 8, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Group to hold news conference on Thursday, June 9 at 12:15 pm outside New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's office, located at 633 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017. They will address the recent Buffalo arson attack and call for specific responses from state and federal authorities. Chris Slattery, Founder and President of Expectant Mother Care, an organization which operates pregnancy resource centers in New York City, states: "We are very concerned about the uptick in violent attacks on pregnancy centers in New York State and across the nation. We call upon law enforcement and government officials to ensure every pregnancy resource center and pregnancy medical clinic is adequately protected against these acts of domestic terrorism. "It is unconscionable that the state of New York is actively working against pregnancy resource centers, which help women in times of crisis, instead of protecting the centers against vandalism, firebombing, and other acts of arson. Our centers provide crucial care to underserved women at critical moments in their pregnancies and beyond, and we should have the full protection of local, state and federal authorities." Brandi Swindell, Founder and CEO of Stanton Public Policy Center, states: "It is deeply troubling that life-affirming pregnancy resource centers are being fire bombed and attacked all across America by domestic terrorists. The recent firebombing of a pregnancy resource center in Buffalo, New York, highlights the growing trend of violence against the pro-life community. "Violence has no place in political discourse and must be universally condemned without equivocation. "Stanton Public Policy Center calls upon New York officials to release public funds to protect pro-life centers statewide and for law enforcement to use every resource available to bring these domestic terrorists to justice. We also call upon the state legislature to call off the 'political witch hunt' they have launched against pregnancy resource centers which is promoting an atmosphere of violence. "Finally, Stanton calls upon the Department of Justice and FBI to get involved in this growing national threat of violence against the pro-life movement." Stanton Public Policy Center is a women's advocacy and educational group that works on issues of human rights and justice which empower and inspire women. It is affiliated with Stanton Healthcare which has life-affirming women's health clinics in America and internationally. UPDATE: Armed man who made threats against Justice Kavanaugh arrested early this morning near the justice's home, raising additional concerns within the pro-life community. SOURCE Expectant Mother Care CONTACT: Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741; Chris Slattery, 718-401-9400 Share Tweet Saudi Arabias Ministry of Tourism has launched a new programme to equip 100,000 young Saudis with the key hospitality skills needed to pursue careers in the kingdoms flourishing tourism industry. The Tourism Trailblazers programme, with an investment of $100 milllion, will be supported by top global tourism schools. Launched by Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, at the 116th session of the World Tourism Organizations Executive Council in Jeddah, the programme will provide in-depth global experience to the tourism industrys future leaders. ... The programme aims to train 100,000 Saudis during 2022. The campaign kicked off in late 2020 with the launch of a new human capital development strategy in the kingdoms burgeoning tourism industry, which aims to attract more Saudi nationals to the sector. Al Khateeb said: It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising Vision 2030. This programme demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry. The programme has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The programme will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom, a statement said. The minister further stressed that this and other initiatives are geared towards delivering on the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 targets, including the creation of one million new jobs in tourism by 2030. Mohammed Bushnag, Deputy Minister, Human Capital, said: A financial investment of this size shows our determination to equip our youth with the tools they need to suceed. Three quarters of Saudi nationals now consider the tourism industry as a viable career option. Supporting the dreams of our Tourism Trailblazers and enabling their continued education at the best global schools, is vital as we continue to emerge as a global player in the sector. Participants in the programme are set to benefit from training scholarships at leading global institutions in France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Australia, and Italy. Applications will be accepted not only from fresh graduates, but also from Saudis who already work within the industry and those who aspire to start a career in the tourism, hospitality, culinary, service, and sales fields. The highly specialised programmes will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labour market. - TradeArabia News Service Our loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and friend to many, left us to be with his creator on June 2, 2022. Although we will miss him tremendously, we know his pain is a million miles away and the fish are aplenty. The Executive Council of UNWTO, during its 116th session being held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, stressed looking ahead to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for tourism as the world learns from the lessons of the pandemic. Held for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the largest meeting of the Executive Council since the start of the pandemic, hosted more than 200 participants with 32 countries represented. Members noted that the meeting came at a pivotal point for the sector as it while at the same time Advancing priorities in challenging times We have faced up to a triple crisis: an ongoing pandemic, a climate emergency and now the return of war in Europe, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. He stressed that tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work. In his report to Members on achievements since the previous Council meeting six months ago, the Secretary-General illustrated how UNWTO is seizing tourisms unprecedented relevance, including within the United Nations, in national recovery and growth plans and within the wider public and media conversation. Tourisms restart UNWTO laid out its plans to keep advancing the priorities around fostering sustainability, promoting tourism jobs and education, growing tourism investments and accelerating its digital transformation. The Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and host of the Executive Council, Ahmed Al Khateeb, said: Tourisms restart in many countries around the world offers a unique chance to rethink tourism governance, communications and beyond. We have an incredible opportunity to set a new way forward, to create a strong future for the global tourism sector, and we must embrace it. The recognition of tourisms importance was further echoed by the Minister of Tourism and Leisure of Cote dIvoire, also serving as Executive Council Chair, Siandou Fofana, who noted that tourism is united to face future challenges, while stressing the importance of cohesion in planning and policymaking as the sector recovers to drive wider social and economic recovery. Members agreed to hold the 117th session of the UNWTO Executive Council in Morocco, in the second half of this year. With two countries offering to host the 118th session, Members voted in favour of the Dominican Republic holding the first Council of 2023. Onto Riyadh, emerging tourism hub Members of the Executive Council were provided with an update on the work of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in the capital of Saudi Arabia in May 2021. The office in Riyadh is set to emerge as both a regional and global hub for the sector, with a special focus on tourism education and tourism and rural development, exemplified by the first major project to come out of the office, Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO. From Jeddah, the UNWTO leadership will visit Riyadh to formally welcome personnel. TradeArabia News Service The first transgender state legislator elected in Kansas is not seeking reelection. Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Byers, of Wichita, said Friday that she is moving to Texas so that she and her wife can take care of her wifes aging parents. Byers was elected in 2020 and quickly became a leading legislative opponent of unsuccessful Republican proposals to ban transgender athletes from girls and womens school and college sports. Byers also found herself in a media spotlight in April when a Republican Wichita-area lawmaker complained in an email about the transgender female who is now in our restrooms in the Capitol. Byers said those comments did not influence her decision. LEXINGTON The Dawson County Childrens Museum held an open house on Friday, June 3 to celebrate their move into the former Pizza Hut location in Lexington. Pat and James Longly, along with family help, have renovated the former Pizza Hut facility into the new location for the Dawson County Childrens Museum. Pat said they had over 106 people attend the open house on Friday night so the community could get a look at their new facility. She said she was, very excited, to have the renovations complete and for the doors to be open. There was much positive feedback from the people who visited, Pat said parents especially like the openness of the facility, as they can watch all of their children with the low walls around the different centers. She said she was happy that they could accommodate all of their centers from their former location on Washington St., they also plan to rotate their centers throughout the year. Their hours in June will be Friday and Saturdays, 10 a.m. 1 p.m.; Sundays 2-5 p.m. and Tuesdays 4-5 p.m. When asked in February why they were moving to a new location, Pat said mainly for the heightened visibility the building provides, being situated along Plum Creek Parkway, one of the busiest streets in Lexington. A Nebraska Department of Transportation average annual daily traffic count showed 11,860 vehicles traveled up and down the parkway in 2019. Demolition and construction work on the site took place throughout 2022 leading up to June. James said extensive water damage in the building occurred after it closed its doors and that necessitated gutting the interior of the structure. Walls were built to create stations for the various centers. The bathrooms were remodeled to ensure that they are handicap accessible. A sink and counter space were also added for anyone hosting events, such as, birthday parties to use. Pat Longly started the Childrens Museum organization in 2011 after she retired from teaching. The organization originally operated out of the Lexington Public Library, hosting events on Saturdays. In 2019, the museum found its first space to call its own on N. Washington St. and has operated there since; they did have to close their doors for a brief period in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened with safety measures in place. As an all-volunteer organization, the museum welcomes the help of interested community members in staffing shifts. If interested in this opportunity, contact museum director Pat Longly. The mission of the Dawson County Childrens Museum, according to their website, is to offer children and adults the opportunity to explore areas of science, math, social studies and fine arts through free play, exploration and demonstration." The Lexington Pizza Hut location closed its doors in early 2021. Joseph Unger, a spokesman for Pizza Hut, said the lease was set to expire at the time. Information from the Dawson County Assessor indicates the recognizable Pizza Hut building was constructed in 1974. The Lincoln Police Department on Tuesday announced that it has arrested an 18-year-old Omaha man in connection to a fatal crash on O Street that killed two women over Memorial Day weekend. Kyvell Stark turned himself into police Tuesday morning and Police Chief Teresa Ewins said he would be charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol causing serious bodily injury, all felonies. Stark had not been formally charged in Lancaster County Court as of 10 a.m. Ewins said the crash investigation revealed Stark was driving a Ford Taurus "close to 90 mph" moments before colliding with a Toyota Corolla at 52nd and O streets at about 10:45 p.m. May 29. Ewins said investigators used "black box" data to determine the Ford's speed. It's unclear what speed Stark was driving at the time of impact, the chief said. Two Cozad women, Emily Siebenhor, 20, and her passenger, Edith Hermosillo, 22, died in the crash. "The Lincoln Police Department continues to extend its condolences to the families and friends of the two young lives taken from this community," Ewins said. Police said in the crash report that results of a breathalyzer test of Stark were negative. Ewins on Tuesday said testing at the scene helped police determine Stark was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash, which she indicated contributed to his reaction time as Siebenhor turned in front of his fast-approaching vehicle. "I don't know if he was braking at the time," the police chief said. "Again, that's part of the investigation. But no matter what, when you're impaired, your reflexes and taking action to stop is slowed." It's unclear if Siebenhor was under the influence of drugs or alcohol when she turned in front of Stark's Ford. Ewins said that detail is "part of the investigation" and will be released later. Twenty others all there watching the annual unsanctioned cruise night festivities were injured when both vehicles jumped the curb following the crash. Ewins said two people remained hospitalized as of Tuesday morning. Stark could face additional charges if either patient ultimately dies, Ewins said. Ewins maintained Tuesday that Stark was not involved in the cruise event taking place over the Memorial Day weekend, but also said investigators aren't yet sure what Stark had been doing before barreling down O Street on that Sunday night. According to the crash report, Stark was headed west as Siebenhor attempted to turn from eastbound O Street onto northbound 52nd Street as the light for O Street traffic turned yellow. The department is still seeking additional video or witnesses of the crash, Ewins said. "There were a lot of people that were out that day," she said. "And we really wanna make sure that people come forward and tell us what they saw. It's all part of this. It is a long investigation." Siebenhor's and Hermosillo's families were notified of Stark's arrest before Tuesday morning's news conference, Ewins said, adding that the crash was a tragic loss of life. The incident was also difficult for first responders and witnesses, Ewins added, noting chronic staffing shortages at the police department have added to the burden on officers who responded to the chaotic crash scene. "There's a lot of people that saw things that night that they'll never un-see," Ewins said, urging anyone who was there to seek mental health care, which the department is providing to responders. "When incidents like this happen, there's a cost to them," she said. "And this is part of it." This is a developing story. Stay with JournalStar.com for updates. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley Kazakhstan-based Air Astana, which operates in over 40 domestic and international routes, has appointed technology firm TripAdmit to provide tours and activities content as the airline unveils its latest service for web-customers. Air Astana will be using TripAdmits white label solution, enabling passengers to select and book from a range of experiences, tours and activities that are available in their chosen destination. This new service is the latest initiative by Air Astana as the airline explores opportunities to maximise ancillary revenue and improve the customer booking experience. TripAdmits powerful booking software and AI technology for personalised segmentation will provide customers with a range of experiences available in Central Asia and globally. Air Astana is the latest carrier to join TripAdmits extensive global airline partnership programme . Adel Dauletbek - VP Marketing & Sales Air Astana, said: We are focused on improving the customer experience from the point of booking a flight to their final destination and beyond. TripAdmit helps Air Astana to do that. The booking solution will enable us to extend our ancillary services by providing an exciting range of tours and activities. I am confident our customers will enjoy the new functionality and be inspired by the content that the TripAdmit partnership programme can provide. At the point of booking their flight, customers will be sent a link to the Air Astana tours and experiences page showing whats available for their destination. They will be able to search for further information and make a booking. Carl Cromie - Director of Travel Partnerships TripAdmit, said: Air Astana provides customers with an extraordinary product at very competitive fares. By providing tours and activities they will enhance the customer experience by increasing their services, while generating higher unit revenues per passenger. As people start travelling once again, the demand for tours and experiences is growing. Air Astana is now very well positioned to explore the opportunities provided by this sector and we are excited to be working with them. TradeArabia News Service Ruth Mason (University of Virginia School of Law) has posted Does the Prohibition of State Aid Limit Tax Competition? on SSRN. Here is the abstract: At the inception of a new and potentially transformative type of tax enforcement, this Article reviews the goals underlying the prohibition on state aid and whether they properly encompass limitations on tax competition. To explore this question, this Article examines treaty text and structure, doctrine, and policy arguments for and against using state aid to curb tax competition. It concludes that the Commissions expansion of state-aid doctrine to limit tax competition improperly constrains Member State tax autonomy, arrogates tax policy power to the unelected Commission, and increases legal uncertainty. This Article urges the Court of Justice to clarify that preventing tax competition is not an independent goal of state-aid enforcement, although limits on tax competition may arise instrumentally via a free-trade interpretation of the prohibition of state aid. Unlike the anti-tax-competition interpretation, the free-trade interpretation of the prohibition of state aid is well grounded in history, text, and regulatory guidance. This Article does not argue that tax rulings cannot convey state aid. Nor does it argue that the Commission should abandon state-aid review of tax rulings. On contrary, states are capable of using rulings to impose different, and more favorable, tax rules than those available under domestic law. When states do so, they violate the long-standing free-trade conception of state aid. But it is crucial for legal certainty and the rule of law for the Commission and EU courts to propound clear and objective state-aid standards. Thus, it is important for the Commission to avoid substituting its own tax policy judgments for those of the Member States. The best way for the Commission to avoid overstepping its authority would be for it to return to domestic-law reference benchmarking in every case. While such a move would disable the Commission from preventing certain competitive tax practices (like that at issue in Gibraltar), this Article has argued that preventing tax competition is not a first-order goal of state-aid control. That the Commissions approach to tax state-aid enforcement has shifted from a nondiscrimination approachdo onto others as you do onto your own taxpayersto a harmonization approachdo as the Commission prescribesshould be a cause for concern for all EU Member States, not merely the small ones often referred to as tax havens. Such an approach strips tax powers from the Member States. Future cases provide an important opportunity for the CJEU to limit the Commissions discretion. In the pending appeals involving U.S. multinationals, especially Apple, the Court should reject the Commissions proffered sui-generis arms-length standard for determining the income of multinationals. Instead, the Court should defer to the Member States own domestic law for calculating companies tax burdens. Second, and more generally, the CJEU should reject the Commissions attempts to impose its normative views of the proper tax base on the Member States. Instead, the Court reaffirm the importance of traditional selectivity analysis with its domestic-law reference base. The state-aid prohibition does not aim for equal treatment of all enterprises no matter what. Nor does it aim to ensure that Member State policies adhere to particular tax policies. Instead, the state-aid rules prevent states from deviating from their own law to confer benefits on select enterprises. The EU courts therefore should reject the Commissions attempt to redefine selectivity as deviation from an external reference base. Recommended. EDITORIAL: Happy Campers: We welcome the thousands of guests from around the state making Lufkin their home this week during the annual Pentecostal camp meeting In Waterville, Maine, Maya visits Venus Day Spa & Bistro to have a spa facial. She brings "tropical brown skin to the table" and also a "bliss-resistant body." Suzanne, the salon's owner, puts her at ease, first by massaging away nerves and then by sharing confidences about her mother who abandoned her as a child. Such candid revelations prompt Maya to trace parallels with her own hardscrabble childhood in a foreign land. Soon she is looking back and opening up, telling Suzanne how she coped when her mother left her behind in their hut on a muddy riverbank to earn money as a housemaid elsewhere. As Maya talks, she throws light on the girl she was and the woman she became. "Beauty Treatments" is one of 11 tales that make up "Sleeping Alone," Ru Freeman's first short story collection. Though unnamed, Maya's "island home" is presumably Freeman's native land, Sri Lanka. It provided the setting for her two novels. However, it serves as the backdrop for only a couple of stories here. Freeman bases her miniature dramas in several locations and homes in on a variety of sharply drawn characters, many of them outside their comfort zones and trying to adapt and connect. In "The Irish Girl," we meet another character who has left "the island." Don arrives in Dublin from Sri Lanka in 1969 to start work at a cheese company. He lodges with Madailein, her feckless husband, and their daughters. As he spends time in his landlady's company, enjoying her songs and sherry-fueled conversations, he gradually experiences "the full-bellied solace of desire." Freeman's longest and most inventive story, "The Wake," plays out in New York City and follows a girl called Sylvia who endures considerable upheaval when her mother becomes a devotee of a cult that meets in their family apartment the only place in the city in which Agapito, the cult's leader, can feel "divine vibrancies." But when Agapito dies, his miraculous resurrection doesn't go quite to plan. A handful of stories deal with reactions to lives cut tragically short. "Kobe Loves Me" unites a teacher and student in their grief for a "Black king who turned Black boys into princes." "Retaining Walls" centers on a contractor who forges a strong bond with his latest clients and learns of the suicide of a much-missed brother and son. But while he earns trust and builds intimacy, his marriage starts to unravel. One or two stories peter out without having amounted to much. The rest of them are deftly constructed and vividly realized. The eponymous tale about a Middle Eastern immigrant intent on wreaking havoc ("I am the slim, slivered bone that buries itself in an unreachable part of your throat, just when you thought the chowder tasted good") shows that Freeman is capable of producing darker hues, and of disturbing and delighting in equal measure. ____ Sleeping Alone: Stories By: Ru Freeman. Publisher: Graywolf Press, 216 pages, $16. ____ The experts said that targeting Prophet Muhammad, the most revered figure in Islam is a red line for Muslims across the world. Zafar Aafaq | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles NEW DELHI The diplomatic backlash from Muslim majority countries against India over derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad by two members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal is seen as unprecedented with many calling it a rare instance of such widespread condemnation by Gulf countries against Islamophobia in India. Prime Time debates in India have become a platform to encourage hate mongers to speak ill about other religions. @TimesNow's Anchor @navikakumar is encouraging a rabid communal hatemonger & a BJP Spokesperson to speak rubbish which can incite riots. Shame on you @vineetjaintimes pic.twitter.com/lrUlkHEJp5 Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 27, 2022 The governments of 18 Muslim majority countries have issued statements condemning the insulting comments made by BJP leaders. With Qatar taking the lead, these countries summoned Indian diplomats to foreign offices to register their official protests and also press for a public apology. Prior to these official protests, there was widespread public outrage against India across the Arab world with social media hashtags condemning the insults against the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Videos surfaced on social media showing Indian products being pulled down from shelves in stores in Kuwait. #WATCH: Superstores in Kuwait remove Indian products after derogatory comments passed against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) by members of India's ruling BJP party. https://t.co/xJGXlRxaiP pic.twitter.com/YgTDOG8qgN Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) June 7, 2022 These insulting remarks would lead to incitement of religious hatred, and offend more than two billion Muslims around the world, Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi said in a media statement. In response, the BJP took action. Arun Singh, the party general secretary said in a statement that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality. This was followed by the suspension of Sharma from membership and the sacking of Jindal. BJP asserts that it is strongly against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion. In a statement, Party General Secretary Arun Singh says the BJP respects all religions and strongly denounces insult of any religious personality. pic.twitter.com/PHHNLHxdtE DD News (@DDNewslive) June 5, 2022 So what explains this public outrage in the Muslim world and the strong reactions from the governments who are typically considered allies of India. The experts are unanimous in their answer: targeting Prophet Muhammad is a red line for 1.8 billion Muslims across the world. Gulf nations largely avoid commenting on domestic issues in other countries and thats why you see silence over rising communal discord in India, said Talmiz Ahmad, a former diplomat who has served India in the Middle East. But this time with insulting comments relating to the Prophet and his family, a red line has been crossed, Talmiz told TwoCircles.net. Talmiz said he was not surprised by this strong reaction in Muslim countries and linked it to growing concerns over burgeoning Islamophobia across the world. According to Shaheen Nazar, a former editor at Saudi Gazette, the reactions of the governments in Gulf countries was in response to assuaging the domestic pressure that was visible on social media. People were hurt because the insults were blatant and that too by a member of a ruling party against the most revered figure for Muslims, Nazar told TwoCircles.net. Officials had no option but to act. But was the public outburst a sudden reaction? Mohamed Zeeshan, who frequently writes on Indias foreign policy matters for international media, says Arab countries are non-interventionist by nature towards countries outside the Middle East but increasingly, they are becoming wary of Hindu nationalist sentiments spreading among the Indian diaspora in their countries. In early 2020, at least a dozen Indian ex-pats in the United Arab Emirates were fired from their jobs over their Islamophobic remarks on social media. This had prompted the Indian Ambassador Pavan Kapoor to issue a warning to his compatriots from posting hate comments. At the same time, experts say, the economic interests of both India and the Gulf countries have a role in determining the present crisis including the Indian governments response and the future course. The Modi government is wary of making enemies out of the Arab world in particular, given the outsized influence that the Arab world plays in the Indian economy through remittances and fuel exports, Zeeshan told TwoCircles.net. According to a report in the Economic Times on June 7: 8.9 million Indians work in Gulf nations. 60% of Indias crude oil comes from the Middle East. UAE is Indias third-largest trade partner. Half of the remittances to India ($ 40 billion) are sent from 5 gulf countries. Michael Kugelman, the Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, said the ongoing crises will not hamper Indias relations with the Muslim world, especially the Gulf states. While its true that the Gulf region is critical to Indias interests, as a critical source of energy imports and remittances, India is also a critical country for the Gulf regions economic interests. So I dont think, no matter how egregious these comments were by the two BJP leaders, that these Muslim-majority states will do anything that could imperil their relations with New Delhi, he told TwoCirlces.net. Indian Muslims on social media and community leaders have welcomed the reactions from Gulf countries and even raised questions over their silence on past atrocities. Experts say that present crises may set in new precedence for Muslim nations to be more vocal against rising Islamophobia in India and thus force the Indian government to go against hate elements. We are going to see them become increasingly outspoken from here on, said Zeeshan. Ambassador Talmiz also held a similar view saying that domestic issues have a bearing on foreign policy. We cannot continue to have good relations with other countries by abusing and violating a large section of a community within our borders. Zafar Aafaq is a journalist based in New Delhi covering politics and human rights. He tweets @zafaraafaq Dirty Dog Taphaus, the areas first self-serve taproom, opened in April in New Glarus. To start, it has been open Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays. Were still new, but having a lot of fun, learning a lot. Its just been a great experience, said Leah Hanson, who owns the business with her husband, Keith Kube. The taproom, at 101 Sixth Ave., has 30 beverages available for people to pour themselves. Customers wear a wristband that activates the taps and keeps track of their tab. Beverages are priced by the ounce and customers have the option of just pouring an ounce or two if they want, Hanson said. For instance, she said, someone who normally drinks light beer, or someone who favors cider, might be curious to try a porter. And if its 35 cents an ounce, youre literally in for a 35- or 70-cent investment to see if you like it before you commit yourself to a half glass, whole glass, whatever you might pour yourself, she said. It also allows customers to create their own flights, she added. Hanson and Kube, both 56, discovered the self-pour technology at First Draft Taproom & Kitchen in Denver, where Hansons son lives. Neither have owned a bar or restaurant before. She sells medical devices during the week and Kube owns a fabrication and welding business. The technology comes from iPourIt, which has installed about 8,800 taps in 300 places in North America. According to the company, its systems have accounted for 270 million ounces poured. Amber Costa, a spokesperson for iPourIt, said three other businesses in Wisconsin use the companys system: Double Barrel Bar at the Holiday Lodge Resort in Tomah, Geneva Tap House in Lake Geneva, and The Tap on Tower in Superior. Costa said Dirty Dogs is the closest to Madison. There are a few other self-pour providers who may have locations in the state. The tap wall at Dirty Dog features a rotating selection of local and regional craft beers, ciders and seltzers. The five taps in the center are reserved for beers from nearby New Glarus Brewing. The remaining taps have local and regional beers and other beverages, including 1919 Draft Root Beer for do-it-yourself root beer floats. A food menu features traditional pub fare such as cheese curds, warm pretzels, brats and pizza. Customers can also bring in food from nearby establishments like Puempels Olde Tavern, Sportsmans Bar & Grill and Glarner Stube. Hanson, who has lived in New Glarus for 25 years, raised two children there, and after getting divorced reconnected with Kube, with whom she went to high school in Goose Lake, Iowa. She said they had envisioned opening the taproom five or 10 years from now, but when the location, a former jewelry shop, became available, they moved up their timeline. Hanson said she and Kube arent big beer drinkers, but they like a little bit of this and a little bit of that, so when they discovered the pour-what-you-want model, they were thrilled. We could just taste test little bits here and there of all kinds of wonderful things, she said. My son, whos a big beer guy, he could pick his favorite and pour himself a whole 16-ounce glass and we could all just sit and enjoy the same atmosphere together. The couples two Labrador retrievers were the inspiration for the name Dirty Dog. Everyone in her family has dogs and when they get together, they laugh about how there are always more dogs in the room than people, Hanson said. We were staring at our two dogs literally as we were trying to figure out names, she said. Over a weekend or a week, our dogs get dirty from their noses to their toes in the summer. And I think it was Keith that just popped up and said Dirty Dog. The taproom, 25 miles southwest of Madison, has a dog-friendly patio and when customers bring their dogs, Hanson said she tries to take a picture of each one to put on Instagram. They plan to keep their weekend schedule for now and if all goes well, eventually expand their hours. Hanson said she enjoys the social atmosphere. I always joke its like hosting a party for everybody that you know, or dont know, for two-and-a-half days on the weekend. She said they plan to have live music on weekends in the coming months. Dirty Dog is open Friday from 6 to 11 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. Read more restaurant news at go.madison.com/restaurants. 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. On Thursday, the team of Jane Reynolds and Steve Braunginn will sign off the air one last time on WORT 89.9 FM. But first, there will be a party. The celebration Wednesday of their long-running jazz show, Strictly Jazz Sounds, is expected to attract a whos-who of the Madison jazz scene to Cafe CODA, 1224 Williamson St. Starting at 7 p.m., the gathering will be filled with performances by names such as Hanah Jon Taylor, Johannes Wallmann, Darren Sterud, Nick Moran and others. Jane and Steves show has been indispensable for the Madison jazz scene, said Wallmann, who is facilitating Wednesdays show and promises a thrilling mosaic of jazz styles on the Cafe CODA stage. Over its 17 years, Strictly Jazz Sounds has attracted a loyal local radio audience, as well as online listeners from as far away as Australia, Europe and South America. And along with other shows on WORT, its helped to fill a jazz void on the local public radio spectrum, said Wallmann, the John and Carolyn Peterson Professor of Jazz Studies at UW-Madisons Mead Witter School of Music, who calls Strictly Jazz Sounds exemplary. Among the performers in the show Wednesday will be Reynolds, a jazz pianist herself, who is also marking 37 years as a volunteer show host on community radio station WORT. In 1985, Reynolds had been studying with Madison jazz greats Joan Wildman and Richard Davis and wanted to shine a brighter light on the talent that was right here at home. With her new solo show on WORT called Jazz Sounds, I had a lot of local musicians coming into the studio, not only for interviews but to perform live on the air, said Reynolds, who turns 73 in July. I wanted to give exposure to local musicians. That same year she helped found the Madison Music Collective and created a weekly community jazz calendar. Reynolds was 20 years into doing her weekly radio show when the work of researching and programming Jazz Sounds on her own started to feel overwhelming and she began to think about leaving. New partner Thats when Braunginn, who many years earlier hosted a show on WORT called Strictly Jazz, came to the station and volunteered to work as an on-air sub. As Reynolds was training him in the studio, the lightbulb went off: Why not join forces and share the work of a jazz show as co-hosts? They combined the names of their solo shows Jazz Sounds and Strictly Jazz into Strictly Jazz Sounds or SJS, which is also Steve and Janes Show, Reynolds said with a laugh. We were such a good team. Im a musician, and he has a journalism background. Over the years, Strictly Jazz Sounds grew to be one of our most popular jazz shows and is among the most respected programs on WORT, said Sybil Augustine, the community radio stations music director. The two hosts have a special synergy that endears them to performers and listeners alike, Augustine wrote in an email. Weve heard from many, many listeners and supporters about how much theyre going to miss them both. A life of jazz A lifelong activist, Braunginn, who earned his masters degree in the field of broadcast journalism and communications, spent a long and varied career in Madison starting as WORTs news director in the 1980s. (His first major interview for his solo show Strictly Jazz was with a young Branford Marsalis.) He went on to work as a Madison schoolteacher, served on the Dane County Board for six years in the 1990s and from 1998 to 2004 was president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison. Braunginn, now 67, grew up with jazz on the radio, and bought his first jazz album when he was about 15. Despite health challenges through the years he first went on the air with Strictly Jazz Sounds while he was still on oxygen what really kept me alive was jazz, he said. I live with jazz, said Braunginn, who on June 18 will conduct a free live interview at Memorial Union with Grammy-winning drummer and composer Brian Blade as part of the Madison Jazz Festival. I listen to it every day. It helps me thrive. Even as a teen, I couldnt get enough of it, Braunginn said. I loved the way it felt. Jazz is about how it feels, how it moves you. New horizons Later this month, Braunginn and his wife will be moving to Columbus, Ohio, to be closer to their 5-year-old granddaughter. Once settled in their new home, Braunginn expects to start a jazz podcast focused on up-and-coming musicians, also called Strictly Jazz Sounds. Reynolds, who will remain in Madison, wants more time to teach and perform. And shes confident that jazz will continue to thrive in Madison, thanks to solid institutions such as Cafe CODA and active jazz presenters such as Bluestem Jazz. The 2 to 5 p.m. time slot at WORT on Thursdays will be taken over by a new jazz show hosted by Theresa Cuccia and Matt Marcus, Reynolds said. Both Reynolds and Braunginn will host the last broadcast of Strictly Jazz Sounds, at 2 p.m. Thursday. Braunginn programmed the penultimate edition of the show on June 2 (available for streaming at wortfm.org until June 16) with a special salute to John Coltrane. Reynolds will program the June 9 edition (available for streaming until June 23), most likely featuring the music of Charles Mingus. Simply Jazz Sounds was shaped by a love not only for the music, but for the people who wrote that music and those who played it. Interviews were marked by the deep research the hosts did, said Braunginn, adding, We have had a journey that has been a hell of a ride. 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. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) Belgium's King Philippe expressed his deepest regrets for his nation's abuses in its former colony Congo, telling lawmakers Wednesday on his first official trip to the country that Belgian colonial rule was unjustifiable and racist. Although many Belgians were sincerely committed to loving the Congo and its people deeply, the colonial regime, as such, was based on exploitation and domination, the king told the national legislature in Kinshasa. This regime was that of an unequal relationship, in itself unjustifiable, marked by paternalism, discrimination and racism, he said. On the occasion of my first trip to the Congo, right here in front of the Congolese people ... I wish to reaffirm my deepest regrets for these past wounds, Philippe said, emphasizing the theme of his six-day visit to the country. His speech comes two years after the king made similar comments on the 60th anniversary of Congos independence when he went further than any of his predecessors in condemning acts of violence and cruelty during Belgian colonial rule. While some Congolese praised the Belgian king's remarks as brave, others said the apology must come with financial reparations. Belgium must ask for forgiveness from the Congolese people but also compensate them, said Francis Kambale, a 26-year-old student living in Goma in the countrys east. Our grandparents were beaten like animals, others were killed. But also many minerals and cultural goods were stolen by Belgium. This visit by the Belgian king is a distraction. Congo does not benefit in any way nor does it improve the economic conditions of the Congolese. Belgium has faced a reckoning over its colonial past in recent years, particularly around the commemoration of Congo's 60th anniversary of independence in 2020. That year Belgium took down a statue in Ghent of King Leopold II, who had plundered Congo during his 1865-1909 reign and forced many of its people into slavery to extract resources for his own profit. The early years after Leopold laid claim to the African country are especially infamous for killings, forced labor and other forms of brutality that some experts estimate left as many as 10 million Congolese dead, according to historians. After Leopolds claimed ownership of Congo ended in 1908, he handed it over to the Belgian state, which continued to rule the colony until the African nation became independent in 1960. On Wednesday, Philippe also bestowed a top honor on the last known surviving Congolese veteran of World War II. Former Corporal Albert Kunyuku, now 100, was decorated Commander of the Order of the Crown. Enlisted at 18, Kunyuku had fought in then-Burma on behalf of Belgium. Associated Press writer Al-Hadji Kudra Maliro in Goma, Congo contributed. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A man accused of fatally shooting a retired Wisconsin judge before turning the gun on himself died in a hospital, a state official said Tuesday. Douglas Uhde, 56, shot former Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer in Roemers home in the town of Lisbon on Friday before shooting himself, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital where he had been on life support. Wisconsin Department of Justice spokesperson Gillian Drummond confirmed Uhdes death. The agency said that Uhde was declared brain-dead on Saturday morning and his body remained on life support until Tuesday morning to allow for organ donation. Uhde had an extensive criminal and prison record dating back at least two decades, including a case in which he was sentenced by Roemer to six years in prison on burglary and weapons charges. He was released from his last prison stint in April 2020. Police found the 68-year-old Roemer zip-tied to a chair, an official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Uhde had a list of potential targets in his vehicle that included Roemer, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Whitmers office and the law enforcement source said. Its unclear how Uhde obtained a gun. Drummond said the Wisconsin Justice Department is still investigating that aspect of the case. Associated Press reporter Mike Balsamo contributed to this report from Washington, D.C. A Wisconsin judge has extended a hold on a ruling that could limit the states ability to enforce pollution laws. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren granted a request Tuesday from the Department of Natural Resources to extend the stay while an appeals court reviews his April ruling that the DNR cannot require cleanup of toxic PFAS compounds without first going through a process to define them as hazardous substances. The ruling was issued in a case brought by the states largest business lobby, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, and an Oconomowoc dry cleaner, which sought to block the DNR from requiring cleanup of the chemicals that have polluted groundwater in sites across the state, including Madison, Marinette and La Crosse. The plaintiffs claim the DNR is subverting the law by requiring polluters to clean up spills without first defining what substances are hazardous. Bohren agreed but put his ruling on hold so the parties could sort out the implications. While conceding that extending the stay would harm the plaintiff, he concluded that did not outweigh other concerns in a case likely to end up before the state Supreme Court. Im satisfied it protects everyones interests, Bohren said. Assistant Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Carp argued that Bohrens order would upend more than 40 years of the status quo, creating regulatory uncertainty, economic losses and harming families with contaminated wells. Halting cleanups could also jeopardize about $90 million a year in tax revenue generated by the redevelopment of cleaned-up brownfields. If the states authority were suspended, Johnson-Carp said the federal government could assert its jurisdiction, resulting in slower, more costly cleanups. Where have all the walleye gone? Before long, anglers may have to make do with bluegills The DNR estimates Wisconsin has more than 420 lakes with the cool, dark waters where walleye thrive. By 2089, may be just four. Midwest Environmental Advocates argued that lifting the stay would cause irreparable harm to some 1,300 Wisconsin households with polluted wells who would no longer receive bottled water from the DNR. Those who cant afford to buy their own would be forced to drink contaminated water or consider moving, the group argued. The group said Bohrens order could also stall cleanup efforts, allowing PFAS contamination to spread even further. WMC attorney Lucas Vebber argued nothing in the order would stop the DNR from carrying out its remediation program or providing bottled water as long as the agency first drafts rules, a 2-year process subject to approval by the Legislature. Environmental advocates say that would hamstring the DNRs authority to stop pollution. Homeowners associations hinder solar deployment, despite Wisconsin law Wisconsin law says homeowner associations cant restrict peoples rights to install solar panels on their property. Many do it anyway. State law requires anyone responsible for spilling a hazardous substance to clean it up under the oversight of the DNR. But there is no definitive list of hazardous substances, which can include toxic chemicals as well manure, corn, or even milk spilled in a creek anything that can cause harm to human health and safety, or the environment, because of where it is spilled, the amount spilled, its toxicity or its concentration. 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. MILWAUKEE Giving the Wisconsin Department of Justice original jurisdiction over Milwaukee County. Restoring gun rights to those long-ago convicted of nonviolent felonies. Likening COVID-19 vaccines to the human experiments of the Holocaust. These were some of the policy stances given in the first meeting of all three candidates vying for the Republican nomination for Wisconsin attorney general. Adam Jarchow, Karen Mueller and Eric Toney largely abstained from attacking one another in their first face-to-face debate Tuesday night in downtown Milwaukee. But at the forum hosted by the conservative legal group The Federalist Society, the contenders did outline how a conservative attorney general would be a substantial departure from Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul. We have a cancer in a our criminal justice system, Jarchow, a former state lawmaker, said of prosecutors in the state who continue to send criminals back out on the street. The attorney general has to use the bully pulpit to force these attorneys through transparency and accountability to the counties to make sure that theyre actually putting criminals behind bars, he said. Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney, also blamed prosecutors in Milwaukee for ongoing jumps in violent crime, and lobbied for a longtime campaign proposal of his to give the Department of Justice original jurisdiction over violent crime in the states largest city. Milwaukee County saw 205 homicides last year and 197 homicides in 2020 compared to 106 in 2019, according to Wisconsin Department of Justice data. Violent crime in Milwaukee bleeds across Wisconsin, and we need to be in control of Milwaukee to protect the rest of our state, Toney remarked. The most high-profile candidates in the race, Jarchow and Toney have traded numerous attacks against each other in recent months. Neither criticized each other by name Tuesday night, but both candidates alluded to the criticism they have levied in tweets and press releases. COVID-19 During the COVID shutdown, while others were going along with Tony Evers illegal lockdowns, I was fighting back, Jarchow said, referring to Toneys charging of 10 Fond du Lac residents for violating Evers original stay-at-home order in April 2020. Toney has noted the charges were later dismissed, and stressed Tuesday night that his office never convicted anyone and never shut down a business or a church. Toney did chide Jarchow, a business attorney, for his lack of experience trying criminal cases, saying the Department of Justice was not a place for on-the-job training. We need an attorney general prosecutor, not a politician, that has used these resources, Toney said. Mueller, a conservative lawyer who has not garnered much publicity in the race, used her opening statement Tuesday night to make false claims that hospitals routinely killed COVID-19 patients for profit and that COVID-19 vaccines have killed tens of thousands of people. Not since Nazi Germany have we seen the level of human experimentation that has been going on in this country, Mueller said of her plans to investigate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Research into COVID-19 vaccines has shown that they are safe and effective at preventing hospitalization and death. COVID-19 has killed more than 1 million Americans over the past two years. Generational opportunity When asked by the moderator of his priorities, Jarchow immediately said there was a generational opportunity to use the Justice Department to put cases before the conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court and transform case law. We are looking for every opportunity to right the balance of power between federal and state government, to rein in out-of-control bureaucracy and ensure the separation of powers, Jarchow said. On abortion, Jarchow and Toney said they would enforce Wisconsins 1849 law that prohibits all abortion even in cases of rape or incest, stressing that the attorney general has to enforce whatever law is on the books. Kaul has said he wouldnt enforce the 19th-century abortion ban if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Im proud to be endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life, Toney said. I get attacked by the left time after time because I had the audacity to say Im going to enforce the rule of law. The races two frontrunners further agreed that gun rights should be restored for people convicted of nonviolent felonies when they re-enter society. We have to be very careful about restoring those rights, because we continue to see criminals who are habitual offenders, Jarchow said. I hear from people who have committed nonviolent felonies from long long ago ... that would like to go hunting with their grandson, said the former state lawmaker. Is there a narrow way we can restore second amendment rights to folks without giving career criminals guns? Maybe. The GOP primary election for attorney general will be held on Aug. 9. The winner will face Kaul in the general election on Nov. 8. 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. Calling the effort procedurally improper, a federal judge rejected a lawsuit Friday seeking to block U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and two Republican U.S. House members from being on the ballot for supporting efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Instead, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman said in a June 3 order that the plaintiffs claim, if it exists at all, would best be resolved before the Wisconsin Elections Commission. If a voter believes that a candidate is ineligible for office, he or she may seek legal redress from election administrators, Adelman said. However, a voter may not seek legal relief relating to the candidates eligibility for office against the candidate directly. The decision came after Wisconsin liberals in March filed a lawsuit alleging Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, were insurrectionists in violation of the U.S. Constitution for their words and actions in support of Donald Trump leading up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Because the action will be dismissed on procedural grounds, I express no view on the merits of the plaintiffs allegations that the defendants engaged in an insurrection or rebellion against the United States, Adelman said. The lawsuit was filed by 10 Wisconsin citizens and funded by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC. Specifically, they alleged the three Republicans violated a 14th Amendment clause stating, in part, no person can serve in Congress after taking an oath to protect the U.S. Constitution and then engaging in insurrection. The senator was never concerned about this frivolous and politically motivated lawsuit, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said in a statement. The dismissal is a rebuke of the radical lefts attempt to lie about Senator Johnsons record and distract from the disaster of Democrat governance. Recounts, court decisions and multiple reviews affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Tiffany and Fitzgerald were among 121 House Republicans who voted to object to counting Bidens presidential electors from Arizona on Jan. 6, 2021. Tiffany and Fitzgerald also were among 138 Republicans who voted to object to Bidens Pennsylvania electors. Johnson was one of eight U.S. senators who signed an objection to counting Arizonas electors, but he ultimately voted to accept them after the Capitol riot. He later told a liberal activist theres nothing obviously skewed about the results of the 2020 presidential election. Since that comment, though, Johnson has consistently supported former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gablemans effort to review the 2020 election. On the insurrection, Johnson read a Federalist article at a 2021 congressional hearing stating that fake Trump protesters were among those committing the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, adding, I think these are the people that probably planned this. There is no evidence that people pretending to be supporters of Trump planned the insurrection. In fact, hundreds of those charged with crimes from trespassing to sedition are known, vocal supporters of the former president. Johnson later walked back his speculative statement, telling The New York Times, It might be a flawed part of the evidence, but why exclude it? The Associated Press 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. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has picked a Republican Sun Prairie tax attorney and former elections commissioner to fill a recently vacated seat on the Wisconsin Elections Commission and almost certainly become its next chair an appointment that received bipartisan praise. Don Millis, a Sun Prairie tax attorney with Reinhart Law Firm previously served as one of the Wisconsin Elections Commissions first commissioners after being appointed by former Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in 2016, but he resigned from the agency the following year to focus on his law practice. Millis also joins the agency just days before it is slated to vote on the next commission chair, a position that must go to a Republican appointee. Don is a respected attorney whose expertise makes him an excellent addition to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Vos said Wednesday in a statement announcing his decision to appoint Millis. I have no doubt he will apply election laws fairly and ensure current law is being followed. Millis will fill the seat previously held by Republican Commissioner Dean Knudson, who unexpectedly resigned late last month 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. The bipartisan six-member commission includes three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees. Millis appointment comes as the commission prepares to vote Friday 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 Millis 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. Spindell said he looks forward to working with Millis, but said he still plans to seek the chair position on Friday. Im still running for chair and I think Im better qualified than he is, Spindell said, noting his past experience on the state commission and almost two decades on the Milwaukee Election Commission. The commission is also slated to vote Friday to certify candidates for ballot placement in the upcoming primary, as well as nearly a dozen challenges filed against individual candidates, including a complaint lodged against Trump-backed GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels. The state Democratic Party said Sunday that Michels, co-owner of Brownsville-based construction company Michels Corp., failed to include his correct mailing address on his nomination forms, making thousands of signatures invalid. Michels campaign has dismissed the complaint as frivolous. Busy season The commissions next chair will hold the position heading into the November election with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on the ballot. They will also be chair in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. The chair by state law approves the vote canvass following elections and certifies results. The chair also sets the agenda for the commission and can influence how questions are framed, an important power on the agency, which is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Millis did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. Positive reviews Millis appointment drew praise from former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who was hired last year by Vos to lead a partisan review of the 2020 election. Don will bring with him both the intellectual firepower and courageous resolve that are both necessary to enable him to help put a stop to the lawless actions of the leftist members of WEC, Gableman said in a statement. Millis previously served as former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompsons appointee on the Tax Appeals Commission and on the old elections board from 1997 to 2001, where he advocated for universal paper ballots and voter ID laws, and opposed touch screen voting, Vos said. He also previously worked for former state Sens. Jim Harsdorf and Mac Davis. Don Millis was an excellent elections commissioner when he originally served on the commission, Jacobs told The Associated Press. And while I am confident he and I will not always agree on the topics we address, I believe his work will be professional and thoughtful as it has been. Millis was appointed by Fitzgerald to join the Wisconsin Elections Commission in 2016, becoming one of the agencys first members when it was created that year to replace the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board. However, Millis submitted his resignation in March 2017, noting that he could no longer serve due to commitments with his Sun Prairie law practice. Under fire Millis rejoins the commission as it faces heightened scrutiny from several state Republicans for how the 2020 election was administered due to unfounded claims of widespread fraud and mounting pressure from former President Donald Trump. GOP gubernatorial candidates Michels, Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, have all called for the agencys dismantling. Earlier this year, Gableman listed the elimination and dismantling of the Elections Commission as one of his top recommendations to the Legislature. Vos, who has repeatedly extended Gablemans contract with the state despite no evidence of widespread fraud in the presidential election, has been adamantly opposed to eliminating the commission. In 2016, Millis made the motion to approve guidance allowing election officials to correct errors on absentee ballot certificates. The guidance has since come under fire from Republicans, including Trump, who have alleged that the commission violated state law by allowing clerks to fill in missing information. Court decisions, recounts and multiple reviews have found no evidence of widespread fraud in Wisconsins 2020 election. 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 former state Supreme Court Justice leading the GOP-ordered review into the 2020 election must testify in Dane County Circuit Court on Friday to answer questions about how his office handled requested documents pertaining to his ongoing probe, a Dane County judge ordered Wednesday. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington denied a motion by Michael Gablemans attorneys seeking to quash a subpoena issued by American Oversight as part of the liberal watchdog groups lawsuit seeking public records related to the review, which was launched last year by Republicans at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers. The request for Mr. Gableman to testify is not like adding a surprise witness, a third party that no one has ever heard of, Remington said. Indeed, Mr. Gableman is a party to this action. He has participated in this action. Michael Dean, an attorney for Gableman, argued in a Monday court filing that Gablemans staffer Zakory Niemierowicz is the legal custodian responsible to American Oversights request and had already been designated to testify. Dean noted on Wednesday that Gableman was planning to attend an out-of-state convention this Friday. Mr. Niemierowicz was responsible for the searches and production of the documents in response to the requests at issue, Dean wrote in the motion to quash the subpoena. He is the person most knowledgeable of the requests, searches, production and office procedures regarding records requests. As a result, Gablemans testimony is both unnecessary and irrelevant for resolving the underling issues, Dean wrote. It is undisputed that Mr. Gableman is the custodian of the Office of Special Counsel records, Remington said Wednesday after ordering the former justices testimony. Remington said he plans to rule Friday on whether or not Gablemans failure to release records in a timely manner constitutes contempt of court. Remington also cautioned that Niemierowicz, who accompanied Dean in Wednesdays hearing, may want to seek legal counsel if in fact the strategy of the Office of Special Counsel is to place the failure to comply with the courts order squarely upon his shoulders. I do think that a discussion may be warranted because Mr. Niemierowiczs personal interest might be to escape the scrutiny of the court for the deficiencies, that appear now to be undisputed, that he was acting at the direction of Mike Gableman and Mike Gableman told him what to do, how to do it and when to do it. Dean responded to Remingtons comments that incarceration for contempt is a possibility based on the record before the court, saying that would be incomprehensibly disproportionate. The case is one of three filed by American Oversight against Gableman, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and the Assembly seeking public records related to Gablemans review of the 2020 election. Both Gableman and American Oversight have posted hundreds of pages of records online, but American Oversight attorneys have contended that more records likely exist and have not been provided. Primarily, the organization has sought any documents between Gableman and his staff, which American Oversight attorneys say constitute contractor records that are subject to the states open records law. Previous orders Remingtons order for testimony follows two previous orders one made in April by Remington and another the following month by Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn directing Gableman to stop deleting public records that may be responsive to American Oversights original requests. Attorneys for Gableman have said the former justice is exempt from retaining records and his office regularly destroys documents deemed irrelevant or useless. An analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Council back in October found that deleting such records, even by a state contractor like Gableman, violates state law. Dean said on Wednesday that, other than some email attachments and preliminary drafts of Gablemans interim reports to the state Assembly, all other documents responsive to American Overights requests have been recovered and produced. Literally every single document that was responsive to those requests has been produced, Dean said. False narrative From the start, Michael Gableman has cloaked his investigation in secrecy so that he could shape a false narrative about the 2020 election, Melanie Sloan, senior adviser at American Oversight, said in a statement. On Friday, American Oversight will have the chance to question Gableman under oath about how and why the (Office of Special Council) has deleted records related to this inquiry. The people of Wisconsin deserve the truth, not the fable Gableman has been serving up. Vos, who had previously indicated plans to begin wrapping up Gablemans review by the time his previous contract expired at the end of April, has again extended the former justices contract after former President Donald Trump, who continues to push unfounded claims of widespread election fraud, pressured Republicans to continue with the effort. Vos has since paused Gablemans probe to allow time for five pending lawsuits related to the review to play out in court. A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. Only 24 people out of nearly 3.3 million who cast ballots have been charged with election fraud in Wisconsin. 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. Several calls for the boycott of Indian products flooded social media with several hashtags critical of the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi topping the trends across many countries. Muhammad Nihad | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles NEW DELHI The sale of Indian products in several Gulf countries took a hit amid the diplomatic row between the Gulf and Indian government after derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad were made by two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. Following strong reactions, the ruling BJP removed the leaders from the party. Several calls for the boycott of Indian products flooded social media with several hashtags critical of the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi topping the trends across many countries. The boycott call triggered several symbolic protests in the region. Workers of Al Ardiya Co-operative Society, a superstore in Kuwait city, were seen in a video posted by Arab News removing Indian products from their shelves and decrying the remarks as Islamophobic. Because of the insults to the Prophet, we boycotted Indian items. We, as Kuwaiti Muslims, will not tolerate insulting the Prophet, stated Nasser Al-Mutairi, the superstores CEO. https://twitter.com/arabnewspk/status/1534059236681990144?s=20&t=dnPUyxFQqQicYImJx1bcHA Shanis Usman, an Indian businessman based in Qatar told TwoCircles.net that the repercussions will be more prevalent this time as the issue is related to the Prophet. Earlier, there have been strong responses from several diplomats and industrialists in the Gulf when Indian Muslims were targeted with violence orchestrated by Hindu right-wing in India but this time it was different, he said. The move to boycott Indian products came after Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran three Gulf countries with whom India has enjoyed close connections for decades summoned Indian envoys to express their displeasure. . Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also issued comments condemning the remarks. Pakistan was the next to join the front, followed by Bahrain. Gulf accounts for majority of foreign remittances to India The ties between India and the Gulf are built not just on trade and economics, but also on history and culture. Millions of Indians reside and work in the Gulf, which accounts for the majority of remittances to India. UAE alone hosts 89 lakh Indian citizens, which constitutes almost one-third of the total population. With time, the trade relations with these countries have only gotten stronger. Moreover, India relies heavily on the region for its oil needs. India imports a substantial amount of crude oil from Gulf countries. The country consumes 5 million barrels of oil per day, 60% of which comes from the Gulf. On the other hand, food and grain imports are very important in the Gulf region, with over 85 percent of food and 93 percent of cereals coming from abroad. Indias main exports are rice, buffalo meat, spices, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and sugar. Gulf countries rely heavily on AAE Indian flyers in their aviation industries. The emergence of global transit hubs in the Gulf, serviced by local airlines like Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, has eroded the lucrative international travel market held by the US and India-based carriers. Asheem PK, a UAE based journalist from India said that Gulf countries are known for their cosmopolitan principles and hospitality to people from all walks of life. They never discriminate against residents based on their religious beliefs, colour, or other factors. Such remarks from BJP leaders have the potential to disrupt the Indian communitys peaceful living here. Its natural for an Arab, or any believer, to become enraged when someone makes inappropriate statements about the prophet whom they hold dearer than their lives. Now it is the government of Indias moral responsibility to prevent the situation from getting worse, he told TwoCircles.net. Muhammad Nihad PV is a sociology student at the University of Hyderabad. He tweets at @nihadbinnisar Wisconsin's 1849 abortion law 940.04 Abortion (1) Any person, other than the mother, who intentionally destroys the life of an unborn child is guilty of a Class H felony. (2) Any person, other than the mother, who does either of the following is guilty of a Class E felony: (a) Intentionally destroys the life of an unborn quick child; or (b) Causes the death of the mother by an act done with intent to destroy the life of an unborn child. It is unnecessary to prove that the fetus was alive when the act so causing the mother's death was committed. (5) This section does not apply to a therapeutic abortion which: (a) Is performed by a physician; and (b) Is necessary, or is advised by 2 other physicians as necessary, to save the life of the mother; and (c) Unless an emergency prevents, is performed in a licensed maternity hospital. (6) In this section unborn child" means a human being from the time of conception until it is born alive. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Russia also demanded that Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraine's other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. But Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldn't use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraine's ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation," said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. "I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal," Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. "Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of "weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic," and he reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Frances D'Emilio in Rome 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) Vice President Kamala Harris said Tuesday that the Biden administration's work to attract investment to Central America, part of the U.S. effort to reduce migration, has generated $3.2 billion in private-sector commitments. We know the American people will benefit from stable and prosperous neighbors," she said during remarks on the second day of the Summit of the Americas, which brings together countries from across the hemisphere. "And when we provide economic opportunity for people in Central America, we address an important driver of migration. President Joe Biden, who arrives at the summit on Wednesday, tasked Harris last year with addressing the root causes of migration, which routinely strains U.S. resources at the border with Mexico. Progress has been slow, a reflection of the region's intractable problems and what some critics describe as U.S. neglect. Harris said she would focus on empowering women who face poverty and violence in their home countries. The effort is known as In Her Hands, and it aims to connect more women to the banking system, help them participate in agriculture and provide them with training in coding and cybersecurity. When you lift up the economic status of women, you lift up the economic status of families, of her community and of our entire hemisphere," Harris said. Her speech followed a roundtable with women leaders, including entrepreneurs, from Central America. This week's summit, which is being hosted by the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 1994, is an opportunity for Harris to connect with leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean as she welcomes them to her home state. With her focus on the region, Harris is following in the footsteps of Biden himself, who worked on migration issues when he served as vice president to President Barack Obama. However, Harris has taken just two trips to the region since taking office. In recent days, she and the president have been working the phones to shore up attendance among leftist leaders who have been critical of the U.S. decision to exclude the authoritarian governments of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the Los Angeles summit. But the effort yielded few results. Among those staying home are the presidents of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras the only three leaders Harris has met in her two quick trips to the region. Brian Winter, vice president of the Council of the Americas, said Harris got off on the wrong foot as Biden's point person assigned to address the root social and economic causes driving migrants to the U.S. In a May 2021 policy speech delivered to Winter's international business group from Washington, Harris, a former California prosecutor, mentioned corruption no fewer than 10 times, stirring resentment in a region where leaders are sensitive to taking lectures from U.S. policymakers. Corruption is a huge problem, but clearly there are more delicate ways to handle this, said Winter. A lot of doors closed even before she got on the ground. Harris reiterated her anti-corruption goals we must promote the rule of law in her remarks Tuesday. The announcement that private-sector commitments have reached $3.2 billion includes $1.2 billion that was announced in December and another $1.9 billion being detailed this week. New initiatives being announced include a $700 million expansion of cellular networks in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador by Miami-based Millicom; a $270 million commitment by Visa to promote digital payments; and a $150 million nearshoring investment by the Gap Inc. that could see as many as 5,000 jobs created closer to the U.S. But the Biden administration's biggest policy proposal in the region a $4 billion aid package for Central America has stalled in Congress with little apparent effort to revive it. Meanwhile, the number of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico has surged to its highest levels in decades, even as the Biden administration has little to show for the Democratic president's promise as a candidate to introduce a humane asylum system that would break with Trump-era restrictions. One challenge is finding partners in a region where institutions are weak, gang violence is prolific and corruption is rampant. None of the countries Harris is to work with will be represented at the summit by its president, according to the list of delegations the White House released Tuesday. All three nations are sending their foreign ministers instead. And in recent months, the U.S. has taken a strident tone against El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, whom it accuses of using his popularity to amass power and ride roughshod over democratic checks and balances. Meanwhile, Guatemala President Alejandro Giammettei said last month that he would not attend after the U.S. criticized his decision to reappoint an attorney general it alleged was involved in corruption. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Honduras' President Xiomara Castro, who has won praise from U.S. officials for her decision to extradite her predecessor, Juan Orlando Hernandez, to the U.S. to face federal drug charges. Harris, who attended Castro's inauguration in January, spoke in recent days with Honduras' first female president in a last-ditch effort to persuade her to travel to Los Angeles. But in the end Castro sided with fellow leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico in boycotting the summit. Surely weighing on her decision was the United States' quick recognition of a new government after Honduras military removed her husband, President Manuel Zelaya, from office in 2009. Its a far tougher set of actors that the U.S. has to deal with even compared to what the Obama administration faced, said Rebecca Bill Chavez, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. Chavez, who advised Harris on foreign policy during her brief presidential run, welcomed the vice president's focus on gender-based violence and female migrants, something that was missing from past administrations. She's also hopeful that Harris' familial ties to Jamaica her immigrant father's birthplace could help her connect to leaders in the Caribbean who are overlooked even in Latin America policy circles. But Biden's record is tough to top. As vice president he made 16 trips to Latin America and his presence in the region has loomed large since his days as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when he helped craft Plan Colombia, by far the biggest U.S. military and economic aid package in the region. Chavez said that on issues of climate change, migration and inclusive economic growth, the Biden administration has the opportunity to lay out a vision with appeal to all countries no matter their ideological bent or bilateral agenda with the U.S. To succeed she and the Biden administration really needs to broaden their scope, said Chavez. Los Angeles is the perfect opportunity for them to show they are so. But it can't be a one and done event. It requires follow-through to become reality. Goodman reported from Miami, and Megerian reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Christopher Sherman in Mexico City and Elliot Spagat in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A pair of otters temporarily escaped the Ochsner Park Zoo on Tuesday while two great horned owls remain missing after staff arrived in the morning to find the gates to the zoo cut and a number of animal enclosures open. Baraboo police officers are investigating the break-in at the zoo, which was discovered around 6 a.m., as an attempt to release animals. Luckily, said Mike Hardy, director of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, most of the animals decided to stay in their spaces rather than wander outside of the zoo. A couple of the gates were cut and the gates to the exhibits were just open, Hardy said. They did that to a couple of other exhibits as well, but the animals chose not to leave. I think their goal was to let the animals out. Just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, Interim Baraboo Police Chief Rob Sinden said the otters were found playing near the Baraboo River at Mary Roundtree Park. Kayakers saw them and reported it. They were brought safely back to their enclosure. Two great horned owls are still missing. This was an intentional attempt at releasing animals, Sinden said. We dont believe there was any attempt at theft or to take the animals, it was simply just to release them. For instance, the monkey exhibit was open, but none of the monkeys left the enclosure. There were no other signs of vandalism and none of the donation boxes were disturbed, prompting zoo staff to assume the break-in was not motivated by money, Hardy said. Investigators believe the break-in was committed by a group of people, Sinden said, and officers are reviewing security footage from the area to identify the suspects. Most of the animals kept at the Ochsner Park Zoo were either rescued from humans looking to raise exotic pets or rehabilitated from the wild and would have died without human intervention. Like Taglu, an Alaskan bear cub who was orphaned from his mother before becoming a year old and would have died without her guidance. The owls are the few birds at the zoo capable of flight and have clear eyesight, Hardy said, so they would know how to find food despite being raised around humans. The hope is that they would find refuge in the nearby wooded area of the park. Still, they were not raised to understand how to hunt for themselves or avoid altercations with other animals, Sinden said. After talking to zoo staff, most of these animals are either rehabilitative or unable to live on their own out in the wild, Sinden said. They would likely be some animals prey, and they also dont know how to feed themselves out in the wild. The otters were hand-raised, one from a Montana zoo and the other born in the wild but was brought up by a rehabilitator. The owls were brought to the zoo from a local rehabilitation facility. Theyre not used to fending for themselves so they would have to learn that, Hardy said. Its hard to say if they would stick around or not. The otters would most likely seek out the river, given their natural habitat, Hardy said, which is where they were eventually found Tuesday afternoon. The owls are nocturnal animals, so they will be more active during the night hours. Zoo staff are searching the area and making an attempt to lure the animals back. If a member of the public sees one of the missing zoo animals, Hardy said they should not approach them, but call the Baraboo Police Department at 608-356-4895. Ochsner Park Zoo will be closed throughout Tuesday. Staff are looking to reopen Wednesday, but could potentially be closed for another day depending on whether they feel the facility is fully secured again. The animals that are there are all safe now, theyre all healthy, Hardy said. There was no physical damage other than the locks that were cut and a door that was kicked in. Police are investigating the break-in and reviewing surveillance footage from the night and early morning hours. Sinden said if anyone has additional video footage from the area, the department would welcome the chance to view it. Follow Bridget on Twitter @cookebridget or contact her at 608-745-3513. The single largest initial economic announcement in the history of Henry County just got larger and the company hasnt even opened yet. On Wednesday, Crown Holdings Inc. announced that it would be adding 168,000 square feet to the 355,000-square-foot aluminum beverage can production facility now under construction at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre. The expansion will add $20 million to an already committed $145 million investment by the company. The decision to add the additional space was the result of of an increased demand for its products in several segments of the aluminum beverage can industry, a release from the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) stated. Crown officials had previously stated the new facility in Henry County will be capable of producing an average of 5,600 cans a minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is beyond exciting that Crown has chosen to expand its facility before construction has even been completed, County Administrator Tim Hall told the Bulletin shortly after the announcement. I think this decision speaks volumes about the companys commitment to Henry County and the value it sees in our community and workforce. Crown anticipates the aluminum can market to continue growing and decided the new Henry County facility was best suited to be the location of a warehouse that will put a total of 523,000 square feet under roof, the release stated. Seeing a company expand even before it opens its original facility isnt the norm, but Crown isnt the normal company either, said Henry County Board Chair Jim Adams in the release. We are thrilled with this news and we are more confident than ever that Crown will be a jewel for this community. The company initially planned to open in April, but delays in securing materials has pushed that opening to August. The delay has not slowed the companys efforts to employ 126 people with new hires being trained at the Commonwealth Centre for Advanced Training (CCAT) and other Crown facilities. Crown employees will average $49,000 annually, which is substantially higher than the areas average per-capita wage of roughly $24,000, EDC President Mark Heath told the Bulletin in February. This is tremendous news from Crown Holdings and confirms their decision to locate a new beverage can facility in Henry County. We are most appreciative of Crowns continued faith in our community, said EDC Board Chair Larry Ryder in the release. Founded in 1892 and headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania, Crown Holdings Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment, and services to a broad range of end markets. Ranked #286 on the Forbes Fortune 500, Crown Holdings has operations in 47 countries employing over 33,000 people. Operating in Virginia for more than 60 years, the company has facilities in Frederick County and Suffolk as well as subsidiary operations in Henry County and Pittsylvania County, employing more than 200 total employees. Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt. 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 four-mile paddle on Philpott Lake has been scheduled by the Dan River Basin Associations (DRBA) First Saturday Outing on July 2. The event, open to the public without charge, will begin at 9 a.m. at the Ryans Branch launch on Fairy Stone Park Road. From Ryans Branch Recreation Area, paddlers will head out on the lake to Calico Rock, described by the DRBA as a blue gem, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounded by forested shores. The Virginia Department of Tourism says Calico Rock is located on the northern tip of Philpott Lake and is a 200 foot cliff that towers along the shoreline not far from Runnett Bag. The rocks colors give this site its name and are best viewed from the water. DRBA board member and avid kayaker Wayne Kirkpatrick is the coordinator of the event. The lake is always beautiful with deep, clear water. After launching at Ryans Branch, we will turn north under Union Bridge and follow the shoreline on the right. After paddling the first mile, leaving the main channel of the lake, the right shoreline gets steeper and paddlers are rewarded with an enormous rock wall rising some 200 feet from the lake, said Kirkpatrick. The unique outcropping of the rock face is made up of a mixture of minerals ranging form light to dark in color and results in a spotted or mottled appearance that resembles calico cloth, hence its name, a release from the DRBA states. To reach the Ryans Branch Recreational Area launch from U.S. 220, exit onto VA 57A West toward Fieldale and Bassett, continue on VA 57 (Fairystone Park Highway) for 13 miles, turn left onto VA 346 (Fairystone Lake Drive) for 0.5 mile, turn left onto Fairystone Farm Lane for 0.1 mile, continue onto State Route 623 (Union Bridge Road) for five miles, after State Route 623 crosses Union Bridge it becomes Fairy Stone Park Road and the destination is on the right (GPS 36.850780, -80.100160). If you plan to participate in this outing, you are asked to dress in layers of quick-drying fabric and expect to get wet. Youll also need to provide your own boat, paddles, a life jacket for each boater, lunch and drinking water and be willing to sign a waiver. Guidelines and weather may change, so be sure to visit www.danriver.org by Friday, July 1 to determine whether the outing will be held and for more information, contact Wayne Kirkpatrick at wynbtyk@embarqmail.com or call 540-570-3511. Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt. 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 Richmond woman will spend one year in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of an Axton woman. Jennifer Taylor Jefferson, 40, was sentenced May 4 in Henry County Circuit Court to 10 years with nine years suspended. She was also ordered to be on supervised probation for three years upon her release and ordered to pay $488 in court costs. On Aug. 17, Jefferson, represented by Martinsville Attorney Roscoe Reynolds, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and a charge of reckless driving was dismissed. Billie B. Nuckles, 68, of Axton, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash that occurred on Dec. 17 on U.S. Route 57 (Chatham Road), one mile east of State Route 619 (Max Kendall Road), a release from the Virginia State Police stated. The VSP responded at 3:03 p.m. and determined that Nuckles was driving a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am west on Chatham Road when she attempted to make a left turn, the report said. While Nuckles was making the turn, Jefferson was attempted to pass her in a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier and struck the Pontiac on the drivers side of the vehicle. A 16-year-old male passenger in Nuckles vehicle was seriously injured and a 16-year-old female passenger had minor injuries. Both were transported from the scene by ambulance. Jefferson was seriously injured and also transported from the scene by ambulance, and two passengers in her vehiclea six-year-old male and an eight-year-old of undisclosed genderwere taken to the hospital with minor injuries, the release stated. The names were withheld because the injured were all minors and neither the nature of their injuries, the facility where they were taken, nor the status of their condition was included in the VSPs report. Jefferson was indicted by a Henry County grand jury on March 15, 2021 for involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving on Dec. 17, 2020 when she unlawfully and feloniously, but not intentionally, caused the death of Billie B. Nuckles, by conduct so reckless, gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a callous disregard for human life, the indictment stated. Involuntary manslaughter is a Class 5 felony in Virginia and carries a criminal penalty of 1 to 10 years in prison and up to a $2,500 fine. Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sarah Washburn is a perfect example of someone who said, Yes, to the chance for a career restart. She started her academic career at McDowell Tech preparing to be a nurse, but when her career in nursing began taking its toll on her mentally, Sarah seized an opportunity to begin on a new career pathway. Last year, she re-enrolled at McDowell Tech to enhance her job skills and increase her promotion potential with her employer. Today she is Regional Banking Branch Manager at Wells Fargo Bank in Marion, and next spring she will complete her Associates degree in Business Administration at the college. She is already dreaming and planning for a bachelors degree in the field after graduation. Sarah had always had a strong work ethic. As a teenager, she worked all through her high school years as a waitress at Western Sizzlin Steak House on the five lane in Marion North Main Street, for those unfamiliar with the local moniker. After high school, she started her nursing education, first obtaining her CNA I and CNA II certifications and then enrolling in McDowell Techs Associate Degree Nursing Program through Foothills Nursing Consortium. True to form, Sarah used her CNA certifications as a springboard to working at Grace Hospital in Morganton while she was still enrolled in nursing school. It was a good plan, and she was quickly given increasing responsibilities. As part of the hospitals code team the team that responds when a patients heart or breathing stops she was the person designated to do chest compressions during CPR on patients who had coded. I wasnt mentally prepared to lose patients, she said, and I started carrying that burden home with me. Realizing that nursing might not be a good fit for her, she switched jobs and began working part-time as a teller at the Wells Fargo branch in Marion. When I interviewed, she said, I told them I would be fine as long as they didnt make me do CPR. I genuinely love people and care about them thats what pushed me into nursing but I quickly realized that I could help people in a different way in my new job, and I loved it. She had found her passion and has no regrets about her decision to not complete nursing school and switch careers. Granted, it wasnt the easiest of decisions. Nursing, science and technology run in her family. Her mom, Rebecca Rector, is a registered nurse who had been Case Director, RN at the North Carolina State Veterans Home in Black Mountain, and her dad, Charles Rector, recently retired as a lab technician after 37 years at Coats North America in Marion. But ultimately, she loved her new job and it brought her great joy and peace. Sarah speaks highly of McDowell Tech and the flexibility that it offered her as a working adult to come back to school to further her education and improve her job skills. She and her husband, Travis Washburn, a N.C. State Trooper who is also a McDowell Tech graduate, both work 40+ hours per week, and they have a young daughter who is in kindergarten this year at Nebo Crossing Academy. Being a working mom, I really like the variety of online classes that McDowell Tech has been able to offer me. And the instructors Ive had have been so gracious and have encouraged me in so many ways. I know that I can contact them whenever I need to, and I have. Despite the fact that I love online classes, I really learn better with real physical books, rather than online books that some of my classes have offered. Real books fit my learning style better, and my instructors have helped me find those books when Ive reached out to them, said Sarah. She particularly praised Claudia Ward, her instructor in Public Speaking. She has been really helpful. Shes wonderful and has offered unique opportunities that have helped me in my job, such as posting to YouTube or Zoom meetings. Im a people person, but this is a digital world, and what Ive learned in her class has helped me acclimate better to the digital world, she said. McDowell Techs Learn and Grow Scholarship Program, which started last year, has paid for all of her recent classes, and she is grateful for that. It has made her decision to go back to school an even better one. I really didnt think I would get it, but Im grateful that I did. If I could talk to people out there sitting on the fence thinking about returning to school, Id tell them to go for it, and dont underestimate the value of a community college education. The individualized learning and personal relationships that youre able to build with your instructors at a community college is fantastic. The instructors really care about you, and as you take more classes with instructors in your program area, it is clear just how much they care and how much they are supporting you through your whole degree. Id also tell folks not to be afraid to reach out to those instructors when they need help or when something doesnt seem right. I got to retake an exam one time when I pointed out that the online instructional material had been linked to the wrong videos, and I had prepared for the wrong test. Another time, I got extra credit for being the first to point out that an online glitch had led to multiple answers on a quiz, when it shouldnt have, Sarah concluded. Sarahs decision to return to MTCC for a career restart epitomizes why we do what we do. We aim to help students and their families gain economic mobility for themselves and their families, said Dr. Brian S. Merritt, MTCC President. Since its independence, successive governments in Algeria have adopted policies and speech that is downright hateful towards Israel and Jews, deeply rooting anti-Semitism in the very foundations of the country. Lela Gilbert, a Fellow at Hudson Institutes Center for Religious Freedom, has analyzed this situation as well as Irans plans to export a newly energized and militant form of Shiite Islam and to destabilize Sunni regimes in the Middle East and North Africa. In an article published recently by Fathom Journal, the author recalled that Algeria once had 140,000 Jews. But today only an estimated 200 Jews remain in the North African country. They are marginalized by the Islamist state which also discriminates against its Christians particularly those who are converts from Islam. Today about .04 per cent of Algerians identify as Christians; Jews represent less than .01 per cent. Lela Gilbert imputes the rise of anti-Semitism across the Middle East and North Africa to the changes occurred after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when the new Islamist regime strove to export a newly energized and militant form of Shiite Islam. Although Sunni Islam remains numerically dominant in Algeria, in recent years the country has come under the shadow of Irans dogma, she recalls, noting that Algeria has been an instrument of power for Iranian campaigns to export destruction and instability to North Africa, as it did in Yemen and Syria. She argues that Algerian intelligences close coordination with Iranian and Hezbollah officers represents a present danger to Arab and American interests. Algeria has long been complicit in the Iranian governments grand plan to destabilize Sunni regimes. It has chosen to remain silent on Tehrans atrocious record of violence and mayhem in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. Now, Algeria is using the banner of the Arab League to attack other Arab nations and support the Mullahs incursion in the Maghreb and the African Sahel. The author of the paper mentions as an instance of Irans plans in the region, the role played by Iranian diplomat Amir Mousavi while he was serving as Irans Cultural Attache in Algiers, a period during which things went from bad to worse. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) reported in 2018, when Amir Mousavi announced he would leave his position [as cultural attache] after almost four years in Algeria, that The announcement followed accusations by Algerian activists and former officials against the Iranian diplomat over his alleged role in recruiting thousands of Shiite Muslims in Algeria on behalf of Iran. FDD added: Mousavis departure highlights Irans persistent and unwelcome attempts to expand its influence in North Africa. Before his 2014 appointment, Mousavi was reportedly an Iranian intelligence agent as well as a brigadier general affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He also previously served as an Iranian cultural representative in Brussels and Sudan, and is known as a defender of pro-Iran Shiite militias such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq. Although Amir Mousavi himself is no longer present in Algeria, Irans ideology remains a force to be reckoned with in the country, the writer states, recalling that for a time Algeria quietly retained the services of Hezbollah to train the Polisario militia. In dramatic contrast, several other largely Sunni states and notably Algerias neighbor Morocco have moved in the opposite direction, away from radical Islamist ideology. In 2020, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan normalized relations with Israel, making a powerful break and a clearly defensive move away from Irans aggressive triumphalism, and Death to Israel mentality, she recalls. Unsurprisingly, across Algeria, this normalization is widely viewed as abhorrent, and those who applaud the Abraham Accords as treacherous, she comments, before recalling that in April this year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called for Algeria to be placed on the U.S. State Departments Special Watch List (SWL) as a country where the government engages in or tolerates severe violations of religious freedom. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said on Wednesday that it regrets that the Malian military authorities signed a decree introducing a two-year transition period, delaying the return to civilian rule amid ongoing negotiations. ECOWAS takes note of the signing into decree of a 24 months extension of the transition by the Malian Authorities on Monday, 6 June 2022. ECOWAS regrets that while negotiations are still on-going to reach a consensus, the Malian Authorities took this decision on the transition, the statement read . The ECOWAS mediator will continue to engage the Malian authorities on the transitional period in order to find a mutually agreed timeline, according to the statement. In May of last year, the Malian armed forces led by then-Vice President Assimi Goita removed interim President Bah Ndaw and acting Prime Minister Moctar Ouane from office after accusing them of breaking transition rules. A military council took control of the country and announced its intention to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in 2022. In June 2021, the Constitutional Court of Mali declared Goita the interim president. Atlantic Africa has almost all it takes to be a zone of peace, stability and shared prosperity, said Wednesday in Rabat, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita. Atlantic Africa has almost all it takes to be a zone of peace, stability and shared prosperity. At least, it has the potential, said Bourita at the opening of the 1st ministerial meeting of the African Atlantic States, which is held with the participation of 21 countries of the Atlantic coast, including fifteen represented at ministerial level. Bourita recalled that since 2013, King Mohammed VI called for reviving the activities of the Conference of African Atlantic States and allowing it to play fully the role it deserves. The process born in Rabat in 2009 is reborn today under a new light, but with the same horizon that we share, from Cape Spartel to the Cape of Good Hope, said Bourita, emphasizing the strategic importance of this space that is no longer to prove. With 23 African Atlantic countries representing 46% of the African population, this space concentrates 55% of African GDP and its economies achieve 57% of continental trade, he said, considering this space as an area of mobility and a place of cultural and ethnic mixing. Our maritime spaces contain enormous biological and non-biological resources, he said. The minister said that Atlantic Africa is a space of covetousness and competition, facing unprecedented security challenges, with the rise of asymmetric threats, transnational crime, maritime insecurity, piracy, terrorism and organized crime. In this sense, the minister noted that nearly 90% of maritime incidents, including piracy, were recorded along the continental Atlantic coastline, estimating that our continent which suffers 48% of victims of terrorism in the world sees the terrorist threat is established along the Atlantic coast. Bourita also said that transnational crime is both a cause and a consequence of the weak security network, the weakness of the state presence, the porous border and political and institutional instability. Atlantic Africa is breaking records in terms of climate vulnerability, noted Bourita, adding that the coastalization of our activities exacerbates environmental issues, with major consequences on food security and displacement with nearly 1.4 million internally displaced persons recorded for the West African region alone. Global warming is leading to an annual rise in African Atlantic waters of nearly 3.6 millimeters, directly impacting economic activities and coastal life, said Bourita, recalling that the development of a climate early warning system would, according to the International Monetary Fund, reduce the risk of food by 30% on the continent, including the Atlantic coast. In addition, there are the challenges of human development, economic development, sustainable development and development in general, added the minister, noting that the African Atlantic countries receive only 4% of FDI flows to the Atlantic area against 74% for the countries of the northern shore and this, despite the growing economic potential of Atlantic Africa. We condemn ourselves to not reap the potential of our space, if we do not mobilize its potential for cooperation. For it is not enough to share the Atlantic. It is also to share a perspective, a vision and actions, said the minister, insisting that this space is geopolitical, have a strategic identity and act collectively, to meet the imperatives of security, sustainable development and prosperity in this area. GABAergic synapse properties are modulated by GABA A R activity. a Experimental strategy for panels bf; NV57 neurons were incubated with synaptic inhibitors, half-exchanged media every other day from post-induction day 45 to day 5660, and analyzed afterwards as indicated (arrow). b, c Sample images (left) and normalized density or size (right) of vGAT b and Gephyrin c clusters formed on MAP2-positive dendrites, when treated with DMSO-only (control), 100 M PTX, or 10 M CGP55845. d Representative mIPSC waveforms (top) and event frequency or amplitude (bottom) plotted as cumulative distribution (left) with summary graphs (right), for control vs. PTX-treated (long-term) neurons. Cultures were washed thoroughly with bath-solution before electrophysiological recordings; CNQX was used to stop EPSCs. e Example traces (top) of GABA A R currents produced by 1 mM GABA-puff, and total charge-transfer (bottom). f Sample images (left) of control vs. PTX-treated neurons (arrowheads), as immunostained for extracellular epitopes of surface GABA A Rs and dendritic MAP2. Boxed regions are magnified (cropped insets, top right), normalized density and sizes of GABA A R clusters are plotted (bottom right), for control vs. PTX-treatment. All summary data are means SEM, with total number of cells recorded (electrophysiology) or field-of-views analyzed (imaging) / independent batches, and individual data-points were included as open circles. A near-normal distribution was predicted for most datasets, based on Skewness or Kurtosis values (-2 > and < 2). Hence, statistical significance was primarily assessed by two-tailed, unpaired, Students t-test, with ***P 0.05. Multiple groups (b and c) were compared by Kruskal-Wallis test paired with post-hoc nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test, and corresponding P-values were reported. Credit: Nature Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30756-z As you're reading this sentence, the cells in your brain, called neurons, are sending rapid-fire electrical signals between each other, transmitting information. They're doing so via tiny, specialized junctions between them called synapses. There are many different types of synapses that form between neurons, including "excitatory" or "inhibitory," and the exact mechanisms by which these structures are generated remain unclear to scientists. A Colorado State University biochemistry lab has uncovered a major insight into this question by showing that the types of chemicals released from synapses ultimately guide which kinds of synapses form between neurons. Soham Chanda, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, led the study published in Nature Communications that demonstrates the possibility of changing the identity of synapses between neurons, both in vitro and in vivo, through enzymatic means. The other senior scientists who contributed to the project were Thomas Sudhof of Stanford University and Matthew Xu-Friedman of the University at Buffalo. In the lab, Chanda and colleagues were able to make synapses changes between excitatory and inhibitory types, using only enzymes, by making the neurons express just a few genes that induced a cascade of changes in the synapses' machinery. Such a breakthrough could have major implications for treating brain diseases that are caused by malfunctions in synaptic information processing and exchange. "We know very little about how the human brain functions, and at the center of it, we need to understand how neurons communicate with each other," Chanda said. "Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of synapse formation and maintenance has tremendous implications in understanding brain disorders." Their results show that the cell-adhesion proteins expressed in the synaptic junction area are not the only purveyors of the synapses' function, as some have thought; rather, chemicals called neurotransmitters that are released from the presynaptic site (where the information is coming from) also seem to play a major role in controlling which types of synapses form, and where. The CSU team used stem cell-derived human neurons to demonstrate their ability to produce certain types of synaptic connections by controlled release of specific neurotransmitters. Collaborators at the University at Buffalo showed the same phenomenon in live mouse brains. "Synapses need lots of other machinery; the neurons took care of all that and turned excitatory synapses into inhibitory onesa fundamental change in their identity," Xu-Friedman said. Chanda is fascinated by neurons, "because no other cell type in the human body has the same level of functional complexity that is tied so closely to their shape and structure." Explore further Team shows that electrical synapses occur throughout brain, can influence individual nerve cells More information: Scott R. Burlingham et al, Induction of synapse formation by de novo neurotransmitter synthesis, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Scott R. Burlingham et al, Induction of synapse formation by de novo neurotransmitter synthesis,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30756-z Reported county-level distribution of bacterial pathogens (A) Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. and B. mayonii, (B) B. miyamotoi, and (C) Anaplasma phagocytophilum, in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis (eastern United States) or Ixodes pacificus (western United States), relative to the previously reported distribution of these vector species. Ticks were considered present in a county if at least one tick was recorded. Counties where ticks have been reported without records of infection may be reported as such either if ticks were not tested or if the pathogen was not detected in tested samples. Credit: Journal of Medical Entomology/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention As surveillance for ticks and the disease-causing germs they spread improves, so does Americans' access to knowledge about where the risk of tickborne disease is greatest. "The more we look for ticks and tickborne pathogens, the more we findand the more information we have to help protect people from the diseases ticks spread." says Erik Foster, MS, BCE., medical entomologist in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. Foster and CDC colleagues have assembled that surveillance data into a new report, published May 18 in the Entomological Society of America's Journal of Medical Entomology. The report offers up-to-date county-level maps of both where blacklegged ticks are prevalent and where they've been found infected with any of seven different disease-causing germs, or pathogens. Of all diseases transmitted to humans by insects and related arthropods, those spread by ticks account for more than 75% of infections reported every year. The maps provided in the new CDC study are important for raising awareness both among the public and healthcare providers about the tickborne diseases present in their communities and the signs and symptoms to look for in patients. Making that possible is CDC's growing national tick and tickborne pathogen surveillance program, launched in 2018. Previously, knowledge of the distribution of ticks and tickborne human pathogens was limited to data shared by local public health agencies or in academic research. "Collection efforts were not standardized, and data were often lost because there was no national repository for such information," Foster says. Since 2018, CDC has established a nationwide program that guides local agencies and academic partners on tick surveillance and pathogen testing and gathers all that data in one place. "This effort is filling gaps in our knowledge by highlighting the presence of ticks and tickborne pathogens where they were previously under-reported or where they are emerging," says Foster. Reported county-level distribution of (A) Ehrlichia muris eauclairensis, (B) Babesia microti, and (C) Powassan virus in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis (eastern United States) or Ixodes pacificus (western United States), relative to the previously reported distribution of these vector species. Ticks were considered present in a county if at least one tick was recorded. Counties where ticks have been reported without records of infection may be reported as such either if ticks were not tested or if the pathogen was not detected in tested samples. Credit: Journal of Medical Entomology/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention For their new study, CDC researchers combined nationwide tick surveillance records from 2004 through 2021 with additional data on pathogen testing in blacklegged ticks from published research studies and from archives on public health department websites. The results offer the most current picture of the geographic range of seven significant human disease-causing pathogens known to be transmitted by blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and western blacklegged ticks (Ixodes pacificus). Most widely reported is the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, found in 476 counties across 29 states and the District of Columbia. In all cases, the reported distribution of pathogens is significantly narrower than the known range of the blacklegged ticks that spread them. But Foster and colleagues caution, however, that the true presence of the pathogens is likely much wider than detected. "These maps display county-level records of host-seeking ticks found infected with tickborne pathogens using rigorous laboratory standards," Foster says. In areas where pathogens aren't detected, "this does not mean that tickborne pathogens are not present, just that records meeting collection and laboratory standards have not been published or documented by CDC in host-seeking ticks." The national tick surveillance program is an ongoing effort and CDC hopes to continue to update the maps to provide current and accurate information to the public and to healthcare providers. Thus, while surveillance and detection of tickborne disease pathogens continues to improve, this new CDC research also indicates where further progress should be made. And, wherever ticks are present, public awareness is critical. "It's important for the public to understand that any exposure to ticks may pose a risk and that tick bite prevention is the best way to lower that risk," says Foster. "Anyone who has symptoms of illness after a tick bite should see their healthcare provider and report tick exposure promptly." Explore further Ticks that transmit Lyme disease reported in nearly half of all US counties More information: Amy C Fleshman et al, Reported County-Level Distribution of Seven Human Pathogens Detected in Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Contiguous United States, Journal of Medical Entomology (2022). Journal information: Journal of Medical Entomology Amy C Fleshman et al, Reported County-Level Distribution of Seven Human Pathogens Detected in Host-Seeking Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Contiguous United States,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac049 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Zoom fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with depression, loneliness, and food insecurity. Higher levels of Zoom fatigue correlated with higher levels of loneliness, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. Zoom fatigue is a term used to describe overuse of videoconferencing for work. It describes feeling anxious, socially isolated, or emotionally exhausted due to lack of social connection Eric Elbogen, Ph.D., from Duke University School of Medicine, and co-authors found that higher scores on a Zoom Fatigue Scale, which measured perceived stress, isolation, and depression associated with videoconferencing at work, were related to greater loneliness, lower social support, more weekly videoconference calls, and lacking money for food. Depressive symptoms demonstrated a significant association with Zoom fatigue. The investigators concluded that "employers and employees should consider a complex array of individual-level and environment-level factors when assessing the degree to which videoconferencing at work may engender stress, social isolation, and emotional exhaustion, which could adversely impact mental health, work productivity, and quality of life." "As the pandemic subsides and many of us make our way back to the office, it is predicted that videoconferencing use will remain high, replacing previous business travel. Research into how more immersive technologies, such as virtual reality, can supplement virtual meetings to mitigate fatigue and depression is vital," says Editor-in-Chief Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., MBA, BCB, BCN, Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, California and Virtual Reality Medical Center, La Jolla, California. Explore further Using virtual reality for anger control More information: Eric B. Elbogen et al, A National Study of Zoom Fatigue and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Future Remote Work, Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (2022). Journal information: Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking Eric B. Elbogen et al, A National Study of Zoom Fatigue and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Future Remote Work,(2022). DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2021.0257 Credit: CC0 Public Domain In some countries, including the United States, socioeconomic factors such as higher income and education correlate with less exposure to outdoor air pollution. But this isn't the case in China. In fact, it's the exact opposite. For the first time, a University of Washington led team has uncovered that people living in China who have a higher socioeconomic status are actually more exposed to outdoor air pollution, also known as ambient air pollution. This finding runs contrary to existing studies conducted throughout North America, which have shown that higher pollution levels tend to be experienced among people with lower socioeconomic status. The findings were published June 8 in Environmental Health Perspectives. "Environmental disparities reflect a location's history, culture, economics and power dynamics," said co-author Julian Marshall, UW professor of civil and environmental engineering. "Those factors differ between the U.S. and China, so we see different patterns in environmental inequalities." While disparities in ambient air pollution are well-studied between different countries, variations within-country have been poorly studied except for in a few high-income countries. China accounts for one-fourth of the total 4 million worldwide deaths per year attributed to ambient air pollution, which is associated with stroke, chronic respiratory diseases and lung cancer. The researchers investigated ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) concentrations. The team selected these pollutants because they are widely tracked and have health effects associated with exposures. Also, estimates of pollution levels are newly available at small-scale spatial resolution (1 kilometer). The researchers combined estimated annual average ambient levels of these pollutants for the year 2015 with national demographic information, which included socioeconomic status factors, such as income and education levels. The team also considered factors such as rural-to-urban migration and minority status. The researchers compared their results using multiple approaches to measuring socioeconomic status, including individual and community-averaged scores. To their surprise, the researchers found that ambient NO 2 and PM 2.5 levels were greater for higher-socioeconomic-status populations. They also found higher socioeconomic status for long-standing urban residents compared to rural-to-urban migrant populations, as well as higher socioeconomic status for the majority ethnic group than for the average across nine minority groups. The team speculates that the varying correlations between socioeconomic status and ambient air pollution may be due to a variety of factors, including unique economic, urbanization and industrialization characteristics in the countries. As the world's largest developing economy, China has, in recent decades, experienced rapid urbanization with widespread rural-to-urban migration. In China, many people have relocated to cities in recent years to work in the manufacturing industry, which makes up a significant portion of China's gross domestic product. These jobs tend to be higher-paying on average, which has increased income disparities. With people inclined to live closer to their workplace, they are exposed to higher air pollution levels associated with the manufacturing industry. In comparison, environmental inequity patterns in the United States are generally explained in part by past and present racial discrimination. Low-socioeconomic-status communities in the United States often lack the financial means and political power to prevent sources of pollution, like highways and other undesirable land uses. These findings may apply to other countries, the researchers said, particularly low- and middle-income countries that have seen economic development in recent decades. "The patterns in China reflect that China's economic development is positively related with both socioeconomic status and air pollution," said lead author Yuzhou Wang, a UW doctoral student in the civil and environmental engineering department. "However, with further urbanization and economic reforms in China, the positive relationship between socioeconomic status and air pollution exposure may weaken or shift in the future." More information: Ambient Air Pollution and Socioeconomic Status in China, Environmental Health Perspectives (2022). ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP9872 Journal information: Environmental Health Perspectives Ambient Air Pollution and Socioeconomic Status in China,(2022). DOI: 10.1289/EHP9872 Scripps Research scientists find the immune protein CSF1 may contribute to anxiety during alcohol withdrawal. Some nuclei (blue) have the corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 crhr1 gene (red), as well as the glutamate transporter gene slc17a7 (green), but not the glutamate decarboxylase gene gad2 (yellow), suggesting that they predominantly comprise an excitatory population in the medial prefrontal cortex. Alcohol withdrawal results in increased CSF1 in these neurons, mimicking synaptic changes in glutamate transmission seen following alcohol withdrawal, and leading to heightened anxiety. Credit: Scripps Research The anxiety that occurs during withdrawal from excessive alcohol use, and contributes to relapse, may be driven in part by the release of an immune protein in the brain, according to a new study from scientists at Scripps Research. The discovery, reported online June 6, 2022, in Molecular Psychiatry, illuminates the molecular details of the brain's response to alcohol withdrawal, and suggests that the immune protein, colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), could be a target of future treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD). "Alcohol withdrawal activates the stress system in the brain, which contributes to relapse, and in this study, we linked this stress response to CSF1, a neuroimmune mediator, opening up new opportunities for therapeutic intervention," says study senior author Marisa Roberto, Ph.D., professor and Schimmel Family Chair in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research. The study's first author, who performed many of the experiments, is Reesha R. Patel, Ph.D., a former postdoctoral researcher in the Roberto lab. Alcohol is by far the most used and abused recreational drug. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nine million men and more than five million women in the United States have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which is defined as an inability to control alcohol use despite its negative impact on the user's health, social life and/or employment. Drug treatments, talk-therapy and support group-based treatments are available, but relapse is common, mainly due to the limited understanding of the brain-circuit dysfunctions underlying AUD. Scientists know that relapse-promoting alcohol withdrawal symptoms include rising feelings of anxiety, caused at least in part by the release of stress molecules such as corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) within the brain. CRF stimulates receptors on neurons in the prefrontal cortex, and in the limbic system, a set of more primitive brain structures that process emotions. If scientists could fully identify and characterize these CRF-sensitive neuronal populations, they could understand better how anxiety occurs during withdrawal and potentially devise effective treatments to block it. Toward that end, Roberto and her team, in the new study, identified a population of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice that are sensitive to CRF because they express a CRF receptor called CRF1. The scientists showed that these neurons are involved in altering mood and behavior during alcohol exposure and withdrawal. The team's initial experiments revealed that deletion of these CRF-sensitive neurons makes the mice less anxious, suggesting that the neurons normally mediate anxiety-like behaviors. The researchers subsequently found that these CRF-sensitive mPFC neurons become less excitableless likely to fire signals to other neurons when stimulatedin alcohol-dependent mice that experience alcohol withdrawal. In contrast, nearby mPFC neurons lacking CRF receptors become more excitable. "These CRF-sensitive mPFC neurons appear to constitute a unique neuronal population that undergoes profound neuroadaptations with chronic alcohol exposure," says study co-author Pauravi Gandhi, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research associate in the Roberto lab. Intriguingly, the researchers found that alcohol withdrawal, even as it dialed down the excitability of the CRF-sensitive neurons, also induced large increases in CSF1 gene expression within these neurons. CSF1 is an immune protein best known for its role in stimulating stem cells to mature into large white blood cells called macrophages. In the brain, CSF1 is thought to have a similar role in sustaining brain-resident immune cells called microglia. Moreover, prior research in mice has suggested that under conditions of chronic stress, CSF1 production rises in the mPFC, driving microglia to prune connections between neurons, which in turn causes signs of anxiety and depression. Looking more closely at CSF1's role in alcohol withdrawal, Roberto and colleagues artificially increased CSF1 production in CRF-sensitive mPFC neurons in mice, and observed that the animals exhibited many of the same neuronal and behavioral changes seen in alcohol withdrawalsuggesting that elevated CSF1 levels in mPFC may be a key driver of alcohol-withdrawal signs and symptoms. "Targeting CSF1 therefore may be a good strategy for treating AUD, and we're now eager to test that in our preclinical models," Patel says. "Ethanol withdrawal-induced adaptations in prefrontal corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-expressing neurons regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol" was co-authored by Reesha Patel, Sarah Wolfe, Vittoria Borgonetti, Pauravi Gandhi, Larry Rodriguez, Angela Snyder, Shannon D'Ambrosio, Michal Bajo, Alain Domissy, Steven Head, Candice Contet, R. Dayne Mayfield, Amanda Roberts and Marisa Roberto. Explore further Scientists hunt for neurons responsible for alcohol withdrawal More information: Reesha R. Patel et al, Ethanol withdrawal-induced adaptations in prefrontal corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-expressing neurons regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol, Molecular Psychiatry (2022). Journal information: Molecular Psychiatry Reesha R. Patel et al, Ethanol withdrawal-induced adaptations in prefrontal corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-expressing neurons regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01642-3 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A new study investigating if mental health helps shape satisfaction with partners has revealed there are differences between females and maleswith men having the potential to experience a vicious circle. Led by Loughborough University's Professor Paul Downward, professor of economics in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, the analysis used data on 42,464 couples gathered through the British Household Panel Survey (19912008) to test aspects of the marital adjustment model, which assesses dyadic partner satisfaction. The findings, which have been published in the journal BMC Psychology, suggest for females, relationship satisfaction is more likely to influence mental health. For males, however, there is a potential "vicious circle of decline" between satisfaction with partners and mental health. For example, a male strategy for coping with depressive symptoms can involve men engaging more in an activity that takes them further from their partners both behaviorally and emotionally. The paper is part of a broader project that suggests health should be seen as an assetsomething that is worth investing in to allow individuals and society to flourish and prosper, rather than viewing health as a remedial intervention. Investment in mental health support would therefore benefit the well-being of individuals and their partners. Of the importance of the study, Professor Downward said: "This paper highlights support for current U.K. health policy that increasingly seeks to identify health as an asset, playing a role in an integrated care system seeking to promote a more inclusive and productive society, with a focus on the general flourishing of individuals. The results, which have consistency with the literature, suggest that satisfaction with partners is a key conduit with which mental health states can become shared by couples. The topic is important because satisfaction with partners is an important feature of the overall quality of life and the well-being of individuals." Professor Downward is hoping to build on this research and further explore how health inequalities become shared across peer groups. The paper, titled "Mental health and satisfaction with partners: a longitudinal analysis in the UK," is published in BMC Psychology. Explore further Relationship quality affects depressive symptoms in African American couples More information: Paul Downward et al, Mental health and satisfaction with partners: a longitudinal analysis in the UK, BMC Psychology (2022). Journal information: BMC Psychology Paul Downward et al, Mental health and satisfaction with partners: a longitudinal analysis in the UK,(2022). DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00723-w Credit: CC0 Public Domain A molecule in mosquito spit has been identified as a potential new target for vaccination against a range of diseases for which there is no protection or medicine. University of Leeds Virus Host Interaction Team researchers have discovered that the molecule, called sialokinin, makes it easier for a number of viruses to pass from mosquitoes to human, where they can then take holdleading to unpleasant and potentially deadly diseases. These viruses include yellow fever, which causes serious illness in around 15% of people infected; dengue, which can develop into the potentially fatal disease dengue fever, and Zika, which caused a global medical emergency in 2016. Previous research determined that sialokinin was able to alter the function of blood vessel cells grown in a lab, allowing increased blood flow and more effective feeding for the mosquito. But experts did not know what role it played in helping the virus to infect the body. Inspecting the behavior of sialokinin on skin cells from mice, the team discovered that the molecule causes blood vessels to become permeable, allowing contents to leak out into the skin, which inadvertently helps viruses to infect the host. Research supervisor Dr. Clive McKimmie, Associate Professor in the University of Leeds School of Medicine, said, "We have identified sialokinin as a key component within mosquito saliva that worsens infection in the mammalian host. "Our research suggests that blocking sialokinin, for example through a vaccine or a topical treatment, may be an exciting new approach that prevents severe disease following infection with numerous distinct viruses." The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Lead author Dr. Daniella Lefteri worked on the study as a Ph.D. researcher in Leeds School of Medicine. She is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Glasgow. She said, "Our findings may also explain why some mosquitoes can spread infection to humans, while some cannot. Anopheles mosquitoes cannot spread most viruses. Crucially, we show that their saliva, which cannot cause leaky blood vessels, and cannot enhance infection of virus in mammalian host, does not contain sialokinin. "Our work has increased our understanding of the way mosquito-derived factors influence infection in a host's body." Mosquito-borne viruses Viruses spread by mosquitoes are known as arboviruses. They can affect humans and other mammals, such as cattle. In humans, symptoms generally occur three to 15 days after exposure, and can last three to four days. The most common symptoms are a debilitating fever and headache, but more serious disease can occur and some infections prove fatal. The Aedes mosquito, which is found on all continents except Antarctica, spreads arboviruses. Species include the Asian tiger mosquito and the yellow fever mosquito. Yellow fever infects people living in and visiting parts of South America and Africa. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, backache, and muscle aches. About 15% of cases develop into serious illness that can be fatal. Dengue is contracted by people visiting or living in Asia, the Americas or the Caribbean. According to the World Health Organization, 5.2 million people contracted the disease in 2019. Half of the world's population is now at risk of infection. Zika virus is found in parts of South and Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific islands, Africa and Asia. It can harm a developing baby. In 2016, thousands of babies were born brain-damaged after their mothers became infected while pregnant. There are currently no specific treatments or vaccines for dengue, Zika, and other potentially serious mosquito-borne viruses including Chikungunya, West Nile Virus, Semliki Forest virus and Rift Valley Fever virus. The research team says future work should focus on identifying the other factors in mosquito saliva that help viruses infect hosts, and developing therapeutics to target and block them. Dr. McKimmie said, "One way to do this would be to develop a vaccine that generates neutralizing antibodies that bind to these factors, and thereby stop them from working and helping the virus." Explore further Can mosquitoes spread coronavirus? More information: Daniella A. Lefteri et al, Mosquito saliva enhances virus infection through sialokinin-dependent vascular leakage, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Daniella A. Lefteri et al, Mosquito saliva enhances virus infection through sialokinin-dependent vascular leakage,(2022). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114309119 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. In a study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, women with PCOS were more likely than other women to also be diagnosed with migraine, hypertension, tendinitis, osteoarthritis, and endometriosis. Affected women were also using medications more often and reported their own health to be poorer than women without PCOS. The study included 246 women with PCOS symptoms or diagnoses and 1,573 controls who were surveyed during their late reproductive years at age 46. "PCOS is often labeled as a reproductive concern; however, in most cases this is well managed with fertility treatments. Our study underscores the need for health professionals to acknowledge the risk for several comorbidities and increased health burden related to this common syndrome," said senior author professor Terhi T. Piltonen, MD, Ph.D., of the University of Oulu, in Finland. "Women should also be aware of this risk, and they should be supported by early diagnosis and treatment." Explore further Women with PCOS experience poor health and quality of life beyond reproductive years More information: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are burdened with multimorbidity and medication use independent of body mass index at late fertile age, Acta Obstetricia Et Gynecologica Scandinavica (2022). Journal information: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are burdened with multimorbidity and medication use independent of body mass index at late fertile age,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14382 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Omicron was first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24, 2021, and within mere days it was already making the rounds in the United States, spiking SARS-CoV-2 case numbers as it infiltrated every school, restaurant, and family gathering. But when exactly did omicron unseat the delta variant to become dominant? And how quickly did it actually take over? These are the questions that a team led by researchers at Harvard Medical School set out to study in real time using a new, faster, variant-determining technique to analyze SARS-CoV-2 samples from screening programs across area universities. Their analysis, published May 25 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, shows that omicron arrived in Massachusetts earlier than experts predicted, and took over in a matter of daysinformation that the study authors immediately presented to local hospitals and public health departments to inform preparations for a surge of COVID-19 cases. "Omicron's rise to global dominance was extremely rapid, and so was its emergence here in Boston. It moved so fast that we'd have missed a lot of cases if it weren't for these screening programs run by colleges, but with them we were able to document the takeover," said Bill Hanage, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an author on the paper Researchers from Boston University, Harvard University, and Northeastern University collaborated to analyze SARS-CoV-2 samples from their asymptomatic screening programs. They found that omicron accounted for over 90 percent of SARS-CoV-2 infections as early as nine days after it arrived in a community. Moreover, 10 percent of cases in university communities were from omicron up to 10 days before omicron hit the 10 percent mark in Massachusetts. Omicron outcompeted the delta variant at universities one to two weeks earlier than it did in the state as a whole. Additionally, patients infected with omicron had a lower viral load than those infected with deltaindicating that increased transmission of omicron was due to characteristics of the variant itself, rather than the presence of more virus. The research not only helped sound the alarm about omicron, but suggests that university campuses may offer valuable monitoring hubs to set up surveillance programs for the early detection of incipient infectious disease outbreaks. "Universities are a bit of a melting pot that reflects the surrounding community, so they can be a good spot to pick up things as they arrive," said senior author Michael Springer, associate professor of systems biology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS. A rapid takeover In early December, the researchers began to see an increase in COVID-19 cases in screening programs at Boston-area universities that coincided with an uptick in cases in Massachusetts as a wholeand by mid-December, universities were inundated with positive cases. "We had all been seeing that omicron was spreading around the world and was going to be coming to Massachusetts," Springer recalled, adding that at the same time "the number of positive cases we had in the testing lab was pretty shocking," as it jumped exponentially from what it had been only a few weeks earlier. The standard technique for determining whether a SARS-CoV-2 sample is one variant or another involves sequencing the entire viral genomea process that often takes seven to 10 days to complete. In fact, when omicron arrived in Massachusetts, many labs that conduct genetic sequencing for SARS-CoV-2 had a backlog of samples, putting them a week or two behind in understanding the true prevalence of omicron. With the clock ticking and COVID-19 cases rising, the researchers knew they needed a more efficient way of distinguishing omicron from delta, which up to that point had accounted for over 99 percent of cases. They employed a variant-determining technique recently developed by Nicole Welch, a Ph.D. candidate at HMS and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and an author on the paper. The technique combined PCR gene amplification and CRISPR gene editing technologies to home in on the specific genetic mutations that differentiate delta from omicron. "Rather than sequence the whole virus, we asked if there are defining mutations at particular locations that collectively served as markers of the viral variants," said first author Brittany Petros, an MD-Ph.D. candidate at HMS and the Broad Institute. The team found that omicron can be distinguished from delta in a matter of hours based on as few as three nucleic acid differences between the variants. Moreover, the researchers used GISAID, a database of SARS-CoV-2 sequences from all over the world, to confirm that these three nucleotide changes differentiated omicron from delta over 99 percent of the time. "That really allowed us to say yes, the shortcut method is sensitive and specific for the variants we want to differentiate," Petros said. Using this technique, the researchers determined that omicron completely overtook delta within a nine- to 12-day period in university communities. They also figured out that omicron was present and became dominant on local university campuses about one to two weeks earlier than in Massachusetts as a wholeand it was spreading quickly despite patients with omicron having a lower viral load than those with delta. "Studying these things is really important to understand how transmissible new variants are, and how much of that is down to an ability to sidestep immunity that might mean we need to update vaccines," Hanage said. Spreading the word The researchers shared their data with hospitals and public health departments in real time, which prompted some hospitals to pause elective surgeries in anticipation of more people being hospitalized with COVID-19. "We realized omicron was not coming; omicron was already here, and we needed to let everyone know," Springer said. "Showing our data to people at hospitals and in public health departments as we were generating it allowed for a rapid public health response," Petros added. Public health departments in Massachusetts also began implementing this variant-determining technique to more rapidly analyze SARS-CoV-2 samples. "The state took over the pipeline of processing samples, working at amazing speed to bring this to public benefit," Springer said. Petros noted that the same platform can easily be adapted to differentiate between new SARS-CoV-2 variants, which will be important as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and the virus continues to evolve. Springer and Petros say several factors made universities the ideal place to profile the dynamics of omicron. The schools had comprehensive screening programs where everyone was tested once or twice a week, rather than only when they had symptoms and sought clinical care. Additionally, university communities tend to include many people from the surrounding area. Thus, all those tests from all those different people resulted in a large, varied dataset that could be easily studied. People are often not hospitalized for COVID-19 until days or even weeks after they are infected with SARS-CoV-2, but university samples, which are based on testing everyone regularly regardless of symptoms, captured omicron as soon as it arrived. "We're talking about omicron having completely outcompeted delta in nine daysat the turnaround of less than one person's full cycle of getting infected and being hospitalized for COVID-19," Petros said. Springer added, "There's actually quite a big delay between when something hits and is spreading and problematic, and when it gets to the hospitals." On the logistical side, universities had plenty of SARS-CoV-2 samples, and plenty of researchers and technology. "Universities are centers of innovation. We have new and useful technologies and everyone is open to collaboration, so it was down to how we could help figure out what was going on," Springer said. Many universities are now halting their SARS-CoV-2 screening programs, but Springer and Petros agree that similar programs could be a valuable tool in the future. "Moving forward, we need to think about how we stop future pandemics, and how we better mitigate standard, endemic communicable diseases. Surveilling certain communities might be useful for this because they give us early response," Springer said. "This points towards universities as the place to do surveillance for emerging infectious diseases and future outbreaks," Petros added. Such surveillance, she said, could shed light on how an emerging disease is spreading and how different pathogen lineages might be competing with each other. Now, Springer's lab is working on developing large-scale diagnostic panels that will make it cheaper and easier to analyze SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens. Petros is exploring whether it is possible to alter technologies like those used in the study to sequence SARS-CoV-2 samples taken with at-home rapid antigen tests. Such testing is likely to become even more essential for understanding the circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains or lineages, she noted, as asymptomatic screening programs shut down. Springer and Petros both emphasized that the research could not have been accomplished without substantial collaboration and rapid data sharing between researchers and institutionssomething that they hope continues in the future. "Any one of these schools' studies alone wouldn't have been as strong as having data from multiple different schools together, where you can see the same reactions and the same trajectories," Springer said. "We're trying to solve a real-world problem, so we're going to have to work together." Explore further Study finds patients hospitalized with omicron face similar risks to those with delta More information: Brittany A. Petros et al, Early introduction and rise of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in highly vaccinated university populations, Clinical Infectious Diseases (2022). Brittany A. Petros et al, Early introduction and rise of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant in highly vaccinated university populations,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac413 An upcoming Government conference will inform and advance Irelands next National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP). The National Biodiversity Conference will take place from June 8th 9th both in person at Dublin Castle and virtually. Over 400 stakeholders from NGOs, academia, Government Departments and members of the public, will hear from international and Irish experts on diverse topics affecting biodiversity, such as forestry and agriculture, along with sessions on community action for biodiversity, and the role of media and businesses in addressing the biodiversity crisis. The conference will be opened by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OBrien and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD and will feature a keynote address from Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Discussions at this conference will feed into the next National Biodiversity Action Plan, a roadmap for an all-of-Government, all-of-society approach to the global biodiversity crisis, due to be published in 2023. The NBAP is led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, a division of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. National biodiversity strategies and action plans are the main national planning instrument for the protection of biodiversity containing national targets and actions aligned with regional and global biodiversity targets. The post-2020 global biodiversity framework will be adopted at COP 15 in Kunming, China later this year. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary from the United Nations Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity will deliver opening remarks at the conference and will tell the audience that: Now is the time for all countries to scale up ambition and actions to halt biodiversity loss and to be thinking forward to the implementation of the 2050 vision ofliving in harmony with nature. She will also point to the need for an ambitious and transformative post-2020 global biodiversity framework, supported with adequate means of implementation. Stefan Leiner, head of Biodiversity from the EU Commission will provide an overview of the ambitious EU Biodiversity Strategy under the EU Green Deal. Actions taken to support this Strategy will contribute to the global vision. Also addressing the conference will be Ana Maria Hernandez Salgar, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, an independent intergovernmental body established to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity. She will point to the planned negotiations in Kunming as a generational window of opportunity that we cannot let pass. Among those presenting over the two days will be Ella McSweeney, Professor Tasman Crowe, Cara Augustenborg and Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett. Irelands National Biodiversity Plan will improve the governance of biodiversity in Ireland so that we can better respond to the biodiversity crisis. This means ensuring a whole of Government and a whole of society approach to this crisis, and properly recognising biodiversitys contributions to people, the economy and society. The Plan will also address the connections between biodiversity and climate change, and the need to enhance the evidence base for biodiversity conservation policy and practice. The final version of the Plan will be published in early 2023, to allow the recommendations of the ongoing Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity to also be incorporated. The development of the plan follows increased resourcing to the National Parks and Wildlife Services with a 64% budget increase since 2020 and an independent review of the NPWS published in May 2022, leading to a fully-funded strategic action plan to transform the organisation and better enable it to deliver positive outcomes for nature. Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD commented: This conference marks three years since the Dail declared a biodiversity emergency. We know its time to act now for nature, both at home and around the globe. The natural world is in crisis and its because of our decisions - we need to make better ones that are based on science, informed by local knowledge, delivered by the communities that know the landscape best, and funded and supported by Government and society as a whole. We all value nature, now more than ever. Its time to put it at the heart of our decision-making and ensure that the web of life that we all depend on can be restored, protected and made resilient for the future. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OBrien TD said The diversity of groups and disciplines signed up to attend the National Biodiversity Conference really reflects the reality: that biodiversity is an all-of-Government, all-of-society issue, and that we all have a role to play in addressing it. This is something I am keenly aware of as we continue our work across Government to develop Irelands fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan. I want to see an ambitious Plan that reflects the scale and urgency of Irelands biodiversity emergency, embraces the restoration and protection targets outlined in the EUs Biodiversity Strategy, and embeds the commitment needed to ensure its actions are delivered. The full conference programme and list of speakers can be found at https://www.biodiversityconference.ie/programme The conference organisation and event management has been led by Natural Capital Ireland, a group of organisations and individuals from academia and public, private and NGO sectors interested in the development and application of the natural capital agenda in Ireland. https://www.naturalcapitalireland.com/ ENDS Notes to the editor The draft objectives of the NBAP are: Objective 1: Foster a Whole of Government, Whole of Society Approach to Biodiversity Proposed actions include capacity and resource reviews across Government; determining responsibilities for the expanding biodiversity agenda; providing support for communities, citizen scientists and business; and mechanisms for the governance and review of the NBAP. Objective 2: Meet Urgent Conservation and Restoration Needs Supporting actions will build on existing conservation measures. The protected area network will be expanded to include the Marine Protected Areas. The drafting of Site-Specific Conservation Objectives will be continued. Efforts to tackle Invasive Alien Species will be elevated. The ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy will be considered as part of an evolving work programme across Government. Objective 3: Recognise Natures Contribution to People Objective 3 will introduce actions that highlight the relationship between nature and people in Ireland. This includes recognising the tangible and intangible values of biodiversity, promoting natures importance to our culture and heritage and recognising how biodiversity supports our society and our economy. Objective 4: Embed biodiversity at the heart of climate action Supporting actions recognise that achieving climate and biodiversity objectives should be mutually supportive and that nature-based solutions are a fundamental part of action for climate and biodiversity. Objective 5: Enhance the Evidence Base for Action on Biodiversity Objective 5 focuses on biodiversity research needs, as well as the development and strengthening of long-term monitoring programmes that will underpin and strengthen future decision making. Objective 6: Strengthen Irelands contribution to international biodiversity initiatives WEDNESDAY, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The sharp political divide in the United States may also be creating a widening gap in death rates between those on opposing sides, new research suggests. For the study, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston analyzed death rates and federal and state election data for all U.S. counties from 2001 to 2019. During that time, deaths rates in Democratic counties fell 22% (from 850 deaths to 664 deaths per 100,000 people), compared with an 11% decline (from 867 to 771 deaths per 100,000) in Republican counties. Democratic counties had greater reductions in death rates for most common causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory tract diseases, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, and kidney disease. When the research team focused on race, they found similar declines in death rates among Black and Hispanic people in both Democratic and Republican counties, but white people in Republican counties had much smaller decreases than those in Democratic counties. That resulted in a nearly fourfold increase in the "mortality gap" between white people in Republican versus Democratic counties during the study period, according to the report published June 7 in the BMJ. "In an ideal world, politics and health would be independent of each other and it wouldn't matter whether one lives in an area that voted for one party or another," said study corresponding author Dr. Haider Warraich, from the hospital's division of cardiovascular medicine. "But that is no longer the case. From our data, we can see that the risk of premature death is higher for people living in a county that voted Republican," Warraich added in a BWH news release. The widening gap in death rates may reflect the influence of politics on health policies, the researchers suggested. More Democratic states than Republican states adopted Medicaid expansion, which expanded health insurance coverage to low-income people, the study authors noted. The investigators also pointed out that the study period ended in 2019, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have had an even more profound impact on the mortality gap between Republican and Democratic counties. "Our study suggests that the mortality gap is a modern phenomenon, not an inevitability," Warraich said. "At the start of our study, we saw little difference in mortality rates in Democratic and Republican counties. We hope that our findings will open people's eyes and show the real effect that politics and health policy can have on people's lives." More information You can find healthy living advice at the American Academy of Family Physicians. SOURCE: Brigham and Women's Hospital, news release, June 7, 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. WEDNESDAY, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Moderna announced Wednesday that its updated COVID-19 booster shot does a better job at thwarting the Omicron variant than the original version does. "We are thrilled to share the preliminary data analysis on mRNA-1273.214, which is the second demonstration of superiority of our bivalent booster platform against variants of concern and represents an innovation in the fight against COVID," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a company news release. "Looking at these data alongside the durability we saw with our first bivalent booster candidate, mRNA-1273.211, we anticipate more durable protection against variants of concern with mRNA-1273.214, making it our lead candidate for a Fall 2022 booster. We are submitting our preliminary data and analysis to regulators with the hope that the Omicron-containing bivalent booster will be available in the late summer," Bancel added. The results on the updated vaccine were impressive: A booster dose combining the original vaccine with the one specifically aimed at Omicron led to 1.75 times more neutralizing antibodies against Omicron a month after the shot. It's not clear if the updated vaccine will provide more lasting protection than the current one. Moderna did not release any data from the clinical trial, which included 437 volunteers, on the updated vaccine's effectiveness against the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, which now account for 13% of new cases in the United States and are spreading quickly. Some estimates suggest that within a month, they could outcompete the two other Omicron subvariants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 that are dominant at the moment, The New York Times reported. The BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are now widespread in South Africa, which "has seen a slight uptick in hospitalizations, but ICU utilization and deaths are really staying stably low," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical adviser to the White House, told the Times. Moderna is still gathering evidence on how the updated vaccine works against BA.4 or BA.5, but Dr. Paul Burton, the firm's chief medical officer, said he doesn't expect a major difference from the Omicron results. "Omicron subvariants seem to behave pretty similarly," Burton told the Times. "We really feel like this is a sort of a fundamental turning point in our fight against this virus that we can adapt to a variant," Burton said. "It works." Pfizer and BioNTech are also testing Omicron-specific vaccines and their results are expected soon, according to the Times. The Biden administration would like to be able to offer an updated vaccine this fall to counter an expected winter surge of COVID-19. Outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are scheduled to meet June 28 to discuss the options. More information Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the latest on COVID vaccines. SOURCES: The New York Times; Moderna, news release, June 8, 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. WEDNESDAY, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- After adding, and then deleting, a recommendation that U.S. travelers wear masks to protect themselves from monkeypox, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still says that those traveling to countries where the disease is spreading and other people who may be in close contact with a person who has been confirmed with monkeypox" should consider wearing masks. Why the new guidance? The advice comes as experts say the monkeypox virus can sometimes spread through the air, at least over short distances, but it's not clear exactly how much that contributes to the spread of the disease. When it updated its guidance last week for travelers, the CDC advised: Wear a mask. Wearing a mask can help protect you from many diseases, including monkeypox. But in a statement released Tuesday, the agency said it "removed the mask recommendation from the monkeypox travel health notice because it caused confusion," The New York Times reported. The CDC still advises monkeypox patients to wear a surgical mask, especially those who have respiratory symptoms, and also asks other household members to consider wearing a surgical mask when in the presence of the person with monkeypox. As of Wednesday, the United States had confirmed 35 cases of monkeypox in 12 states and the District of Columbia. Worldwide, more than a thousand people have been diagnosed with the disease since the first case in the outbreak was reported on May 13, and at least another thousand cases are under investigation, the Times reported. In previous monkeypox outbreaks, most cases occurred among people who had close contact with an infected person or animal, but airborne transmission was still the only explanation for some cases. But in media and public briefings, health officials have not specifically discussed the possibility of airborne transmission of the monkeypox virus or the use of masks for protection, according to the Times. Still, monkeypox does not spread easily, unlike pathogens such as coronavirus or flu virus. Monkeypox infection requires really close sustained contact, Andrea McCollum, the CDCs leading expert on the virus, told the Times. This is not a virus that was transmitted over several meters, she explained. Thats why we have to be really careful how to frame this. When the Times asked McCollum whether health officials should make the possibility of airborne transmission more widely known, she replied, Its a fair point to make, and its something we certainly should consider moving forward. Planning for potential airborne transmission of monkeypox is particularly important in hospitals, Dr. Donald Milton, an expert on viruses at the University of Maryland, told the Times. The many unknowns of monkeypox -- including the primary method of transmission -- were discussed at a conference last week organized by the World Health Organization. Its very ambiguous what the true or dominant route of transmission is, and some of that can be addressed in animal models, Nancy Sullivan, a researcher at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at the conference, the Times reported. Probably that needs to take a front seat for some of the laboratory research. More information Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on monkeypox. SOURCE: The New York Times 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. WEDNESDAY, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The mental health equivalent of 911 is about to launch across the United States, but a new study finds that many communities may not be prepared for it. Beginning July 16, a new 988 number will be available 24/7 for Americans dealing with a mental health crisis. It's akin to 911, long used to get help for medical emergencies. The new code will replace the 10-digit number currently used to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which was established in 2005. Health officials expect the easy-to-remember 988 to spur a surge in calls. The trouble is, few jurisdictions are ready for that, according to the new study, by the nonprofit research organization RAND Corp. "At the service level, the 988 transition is a simple number change," said Ryan McBain, a RAND policy researcher who co-led the study. But on the ground, McBain said, it's a different story. For one, local crisis centers need enough counselors to handle any influx of calls. Beyond that, some callers will need additional in-person help. Yet, the study found, many jurisdictions lack such resources. It surveyed 180 state, regional and county health officials, and found that only half said their jurisdiction had short-term "crisis stabilization" services to which callers could be directed. Even fewer -- 28% -- had urgent care units that could be dispatched to people in urgent need. Meanwhile, only 22% had call centers that could schedule mental health appointments on behalf of people who wanted them. On top of those shortfalls, most local hotlines did not offer text or online chat options. That's a key gap, McBain said, since teenagers and young adults often prefer those modes of communication. Overall, McBain said, the findings confirm the concerns of many mental health experts: Jurisdictions have not had the time or resources to prepare for the 988 rollout. The 988 code was authorized by Congress in 2020, with the intent of giving Americans an easier way to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The Lifeline is a network of almost 200 crisis centers throughout the United States. When people call the national number, they are connected with the center closest to them to speak with a trained counselor and, if needed, get help finding local resources. The intent of the Lifeline, and 988, goes beyond suicide prevention, McBain noted. It offers help to people in mental health distress, including problems related to substance abuse. Studies have shown that the existing Lifeline network helps most people who call. "For many callers, the issue will be resolved just by having that contact with a counselor," said Dr. Robert Trestman, chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing. "It's when it comes to referral to local services that things will get more complicated," said Trestman, who was not involved in the study. And that issue is nothing new. The new findings, Trestman said, merely highlight the nation's under-resourced, fragmented mental health care system. The 988 designation, he noted, came amid a pandemic that has only worsened the situation -- taking a huge toll on Americans' mental health and straining existing mental health services. Trestman put it bluntly: "We have a mental health care system that was designed to fail." The looming 988 launch is only the beginning of efforts to shore up that system, said Dr. John Palmieri, acting director of the 988 coordination office at the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). "The Biden/Harris Administration has made significant strides in strengthening and expanding the existing Lifeline, and we expect 988 will continue to grow and evolve in the coming months, as more states start to step up," Palmieri said in a statement. He added that the Lifeline network "has been massively underfunded and under-resourced since it began in 2005." The Biden Administration has invested $282 million in the 988 transition -- but, Palmieri added, states also need to "rev up investments." Despite the challenges, all agreed that Americans should use 988 when it becomes available. (According to SAMHSA, if a caller's local crisis center is unable to answer, the caller will be automatically routed to a national "backup" center.) "Already, the Lifeline is an incredible service," McBain said. "Studies show that." Trestman agreed, saying that the 988 transition "will go through growing pains," but it is ultimately a "good thing." It's part of a broad effort, Trestman added, to lift the stigma around mental health care. Still, McBain said, there is a long way to go before the system is the equivalent of 911 -- where callers know, wherever they live, there will be local services available for their physical health emergency. "To not have an equivalent for mental health is inexcusable," McBain said. More information The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has more on 988. SOURCES: Ryan McBain, PhD, MPH, policy researcher, RAND Corp., Santa Monica, Calif.; John Palmieri, MD, MHA, acting director, 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Coordination Office, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, Md.; Robert Trestman, MD, PhD, chair, Council on Healthcare Systems and Financing, American Psychiatric Association, Washington, D.C.; RAND Corp. working paper, June 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. There were few contested primaries for the Montana Legislature in southcentral and Eastern Montana, but many of those races finalized selections for state House or Senate. These are the final numbers for is where the region's contested legislative primaries. In Billings, returns for the House District 50 Democratic primary show that James Reavis won with 452 votes to Erin Tates 421. The central Billings district is mostly sandwiched between Central and Broadwater avenues and terminates at to the west 28th Street West and to the east at South 32 Street. Reavis will face Republican Mallerie Stromswold in November. Stromswold was unopposed in the primary. In Laurel, returns for House District 55 show Lee Deming won with 1,428 votes to Curtis Schomers 548. The district includes Laurel and trails southward through the Cottonwood Creek Road area to Pryor Road. Democrats didnt field a candidate in HD 55. The winner of Tuesdays election advances to the Legislature. The big Senate primary was Barry Usher, of Billings against Geraldine Custer, of Forsyth, in Senate District 20, which sprawls from Roundup to Colstrip and includes he Huntley Project area. Returns show Usher won with 3,398 votes to Custer's 2,164. For lack of a general election opponent, the winner of this Republican primary advances to the Legislature. Also in southcentral Montana, returns in the four-way Republican race for House District 40, which includes Broadview, Melstone, Roundup, and Shepherd show Greg Oblander won with 1,096 votes. Oblander lives in Shepherd, while the other three candidates are from Roundup. For lack of a general election opponent, Oblander advances to the Legislature. Former Musselshell County Commissioner Bob Goffena received 597 votes, Bruce Hoiland received 364, John Nickelson received 600. In Miles City, a three-way Republican primary for House District 38 show Greg Kmetz won with 1,200 votes, to Mike Willems 556, and Wyatt Winchester Englishs 85. This is one of the few districts in Eastern Montana mostly comprised of a single city. The winner will face Democrat Steve Muggli in the November election. Muggli was unopposed in the primary. In central Montana, returns for the House District 30 Republican primary showed James Bergstrom, of Buffalo, won with 1,503 votes to Randyn Gregg's 1,311. Gregg is from White Sulphur Springs. House District 30 includes Denton, Lavina, Moore, and White Sulphur Springs. The winner faces Wendy Palmer, of Raynesford, who didn't have a primary opponent. On the Hi-Line, Eastern Montana Democrat Frank Smith, of Poplar, won with 360 votes to challenger Kaci Wallettes 273, in the race for House District 31. Wallette is from Wolf Point. The district, sandwiched between the Milk River and Fort Peck Reservoir, includes Fort Peck, Wolf Point, Poplar and Brockton. The winner faces Republican Arlie Gordon in the November election. Gordon was unopposed in the primary. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. 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. Missoula voters overwhelmingly supported an Aging Services levy at the polls Tuesday. As of 9:53 p.m., votes were 16,259 for the levy and 6,570 against. I think we need to support Missoula Aging Services as much as we possibly can, said voter Emma Young. Its a really important service. Just over 24,000 votes had been counted by 10 p.m. on Election Day. Unlike previous in-person elections, ballots were only collected at polling places without being run through counting machines on site. All ballots had to be transported to the Missoula County election center for tabulating. In the race for Montana's new western congressional district, former Rep. Ryan Zinke was leading the Republican primary both regionally and in Missoula County by 4,166 votes to challenger Al Olszewski at 3,047 and Mary Todd at 1,013. Matt Jette had 516 votes and Mitch Heuer received 192 to round out the GOP field. On the Democratic side, congressional candidate Monica Tranel had a wide lead in Missoula County over Cora Neumann, 10,687 -2,899, with Tom Winter trailing at 1,276. Neuman conceded to Tranel shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday. The Aging Services ballot measure replaces the current annual flat funding of Missoula Aging Services with a permanent levy of four mills to fund services for the county elderly population. The increased revenue would be used to avoid a reduction of local services to older adults in the county provided by Missoula Aging Services. The fiscal impact of the levy on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 is estimated at $3.69 each year of the levy and $7.38 on a home with a taxable value of $200,000. Voter Melissa Bancroft said shes supporting the levy because its (Missoula Aging Services) drastically underfunded. Oh my God, they need the help, Bancroft stressed on Tuesday. On Monday, the Missoula County Elections Office reported an issue with ballots printed for voters in the Lewis and Clark 90 West precinct, where the Republican committeeman race between Nick Taber and Mike Hopkins was left off the ballot. In the nonpartisan race for Justice of the Peace Department 1, early results appeared to eliminate Daniel Chris Kaneff. Bill Burt and Alex Beal were the early leaders in the judges race. Early results also indicated primary winners in a number of contested legislative races: House District 50 (D) Andrea Olsen 1,086 Tom Steenberg 1,064 State Representative District 98 (D) Bob Carter - 774 Andy Nelson - 558 State Representative District 100 (D) Dave Severson - 650 Zooey Zephyr - 834 State Representative District 96 (D) Johnathan Karlen 838 Linda Swanson - 409 State Senator District 49 (R) Nancy Burgoyne - 526 Brad Tschida 1,649 State Rep District 14 (R) Denley Lodge - 92 Randy Mitchell - 26 State Rep District 97 (R) Michael Burks - 603 Lyn Hellegaard - 640 This story will be updated with final results when available. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Missoula County Public Schools administration is recommending to significantly scale back the Spanish dual-language immersion (DLI) program at Paxson Elementary School next school year. Many parents challenged the decision, and an online petition was signed by over 200 people. The district also held a community meeting at the Paxson gym on June 1 about the program. The district recommends moving away from the current immersion model where various subjects like science and social studies are taught in Spanish and offering Spanish as a separate subject focusing on vocabulary and conversation in a 45-minute class each day. The recommendation came after staff at Paxson requested that the MCPS administration review the DLI program. The district opened a committee process only to Paxson staff to discuss the benefits and challenges of the program between February and May, according to the district. The committee represented 75% of the classroom teaching staff and 96% voted in favor of scaling back Spanish instruction. During the committee process, Paxson teachers identified issues surrounding staffing, curriculum and overall relationships among staff members, according to a document from a March meeting. A majority of the parents expressed that learning in Spanish is the highlight of their childs school day, which was confirmed by several students who offered their comments in Spanish and then translated English. About 160 parents participated in a survey recently about the program. 78% of those who responded strongly agreed that their child benefited from the DLI program. About 12% disagreed that all students benefit from having half of their instruction be in Spanish. Some parents became emotional and spoke through tears while offering their comments. But not all students are mastering the language, teachers said. If the kids dont understand Spanish theyre not getting core content, so its inequitable, said Autumn Johnstone, a second-grade teacher at Paxson. Hannah Shepard said that her second-grade student, who has autism, has not had a positive experience with the DLI program at Paxson so far. She came home miserable a lot of the time and did not want to come to school and we pulled her out of school a lot just more for mental health days than anything else, Shepard said through tears. Recently, a family made the decision to transfer their children with Down syndrome to a different school to receive the services they needed to succeed, according to a para-educator from Paxson. Petey Torma, a fourth-grade teacher at Paxson with two children attending the school, said that teachers needed to speak among themselves before involving parents because some of their concerns involve details that they cannot legally talk about in a public forum regarding individual students. Torma also has a unique perspective because her oldest child is thriving in the immersion setting, while her younger child struggles to the point where Torma considered enrolling her in a different school when she begins kindergarten. I had to pull her out of preschool to be home with me because her needs were not being met and her needs would not be met here and that breaks my heart because it is my school that I went to as a child and the school that I teach at, Torma said. Other parents and Paxson community members feel that the decision to scale back Spanish instruction was predetermined and that the district did not seek parent input before coming to that conclusion. Others noted that they felt that the teachers did not trust parents enough to be included in conversations regarding frustrations with the DLI program. It was a partnership and we find that it has been great for him," said Joe Eaton, a parent of a Paxson fourth grader. "But my question for you all is, if this was a partnership, why were we not included in the decision-making process? Superintendent Rob Watson reiterated that staff requested that the discussions around the DLI program begin among Paxson teachers near the beginning of 2022. The committee of administrators and staff did not reach a solid decision until late April, he said. There was nothing specifically why we decided not to involve parents, Watson said. I did tell the team when we first started that eventually were going to have to talk to parents about these decisions and they understood that, but they wanted that time together and I honored their request. A final decision regarding the DLI program will be made at a board meeting on June 14. Public comment can be submitted for the boards consideration by emailing publiccomment@mcpsmt.org. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 2 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. BAKHMUT, Ukraine (AP) Workers pulled scores of bodies from smashed buildings in an endless caravan of death inside the devastated city of Mariupol, authorities said Wednesday, while fears of a global food crisis escalated over Ukraines inability to export millions of tons of grain through its blockaded ports. At the same time, Ukrainian and Russian forces battled fiercely for control of Sievierodonestk, a city that has emerged as central to Moscow's grinding campaign to capture Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. As the fighting dragged on, the human cost of the war continued to mount. In many of Mariupol's buildings, workers are finding 50 to 100 bodies each, according to a mayoral aide in the Russian-held port city in the south. Petro Andryushchenko said on the Telegram app that the bodies are being taken in an endless caravan of death to a morgue, landfills and other places. At least 21,000 Mariupol civilians were killed during the weeks-long Russian siege, Ukrainian authorities have estimated. The consequences of the war are being felt far beyond Eastern Europe because shipments of Ukrainian grain are bottled up inside the country, driving up the price of food. Ukraine, long known as the bread basket of Europe, is one of the worlds biggest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but much of that flow has been halted by the war and a Russian blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. An estimated 22 million tons of grain remains in Ukraine. The failure to ship it out is endangering the food supply in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Russia expressed support Wednesday for a U.N. plan to create a safe corridor at sea that would allow Ukraine to resume grain shipments. The plan, among other things, calls for Ukraine to remove mines from the waters near the Black Sea port of Odesa. But Russia is insisting that it be allowed to check incoming vessels for weapons. And Ukraine has expressed fear that clearing the mines could enable Russia to attack the coast. Ukrainian officials said the Kremlins assurances that it wouldn't do that cannot be trusted. European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday accused the Kremlin of weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. While Russia, which is also a major supplier of grain to the rest of the world, has blamed the looming food crisis on Western sanctions against Moscow, the European Union heatedly denied that and said the blame rests with Russia itself for waging war against Ukraine. These are Russian ships and Russian missiles that are blocking the export of crops and grain, Michel said. Russian tanks, bombs and mines are preventing Ukraine from planting and harvesting. The West has exempted grain and other food from its sanctions against Russia, but the U.S. and the EU have imposed sweeping punitive measures against Russian ships. Moscow argues that those restrictions make it impossible to use its ships to export grain, and also make other shipping companies reluctant to carry its product. Turkey has sought to play a role in negotiating an end to the war and in brokering the resumption of grain shipments. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. Meanwhile, Moscow's troops continued their painstaking, inch-by-inch campaign for the Donbas region with heavy fighting in and around Sievierodonetsk, which had a prewar population of 100,000. It is one of the last cities yet to be taken by the Russians in Luhansk, one of the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Sievierodonetsk the epicenter of the battle for the Donbas. This is a very fierce battle, very hard, perhaps one of the most difficult of the entire war, he said in his nightly video address, which was recorded in the street outside his office in Kyiv. He said the Ukrainian army is defending its positions and inflicting real losses on the Russian forces. In many ways, it is there that the fate of our Donbas is being decided, Zelenskyy said. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai acknowledged the difficulties of battling Russian forces, saying, Maybe we will have to retreat, but right now battles are ongoing in the city. Everything the Russian army has artillery, mortars, tanks, aviation all of that, theyre using in Sievierodonetsk in order to wipe the city off the face of the Earth and capture it completely, he said. The city of Lysychansk, like Sievierodonetsk, is also wedged between Russian forces in Luhansk province. Valentyna Tsonkan, an elderly resident of Lysychansk, described the moment when her house came under attack. I was lying on my bed. The shrapnel hit the wall and went through my shoulder, she said as she received treatment for her wounds. Russia's continuing encroachment could open up the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the two nations more than three months into the war, analysts said. Russian President Vladimir Putin "has the option of declaring his objectives met at more or less any time in order to consolidate Russias territorial gains," said Keir Giles, a Russia expert at the London think tank Chatham House. At that point, Giles said, Western leaders may "pressure Ukraine to accept their losses in order to bring an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy said Russia is unwilling to negotiate because it still feels strong. Speaking by video link to U.S. corporate leaders, he called for even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically, including getting it "off the global financial system completely. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is willing to negotiate to find a way out." But a settlement cannot come at the expense of our independence. Meanwhile, to the north, Russian shelling of the Kharkiv region killed five people and wounded 12 over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian authorities said. The Russian military said it used high-precision missiles to hit an armor repair plant near Kharkiv. There was no confirmation from Ukraine of such a plant being hit. Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Associated Press journalists Oleksandr Stashevskyi, John Leicester and David Keyton in Kyiv, Ukraine; Andrew Katell in New York; and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report. Follow APs 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. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) In the four years since Republican businessperson Bob Stefanowski first ran for governor, he says he has supported himself with work as a consultant. As he again asks voters to put him in charge of Connecticut, he has yet to disclose his clients or other details of his finances. Stefanowksi first announced his candidacy in January and received the state GOP's endorsement at the convention last month. He said Wednesday that his personal financial information will be forthcoming, including tax returns for him and his wife, but did not provide a time frame. There has long been an expectation that candidates publicly release information about their personal finances, including taxes, said Gary Rose, chair of the department of government at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. As more wealthy candidates with little to no prior elective service run for office in Connecticut, often funding their own campaigns, he said its more important for that information to be released to the voters. Its important to know what their connections have been, he said. It tells a story. As in 2018, when Stefanowski waited until late October to publicly release a summary of his taxes, Democrats have criticized him for not being more forthcoming. When he ran in 2018, Bob refused to share tax records until the last days of the campaign. In 2022, it looks like hes doing the same thing, Whats Bob hiding?" Connecticut Democratic Party Chair Nancy DiNardo said. In his business career, Stefanowski, 60, worked for General Electric and investment bank UBS before becoming CEO of a global payday lending company. Hes also a certified public accountant and financial analyst and author of two books on mergers and acquisitions. According to his Linkedin account, Stefanowski has also served on the McKinsey & Co. consulting firm's mergers & acquisitions advisory board. Stefanowski has provided little information about his work as a consultant. Asked Wednesday what type of businesses he worked with, he said that could be discussed at some future date: We can go through all this. Im going to release what I can. What ethically and legally I can release. He added: In a consulting firm, theres always confidential information." The GOP candidate said Wednesday that he plans to release tax returns for 2019, 2020 and 2021 and will include our family income," including all of his investments. Stefanowski and Gov. Ned Lamont, the Democrat who won in 2018, are each spending large sums of their own money on their campaign this year, forgoing public campaign financing. While Stefanowski has loaned his campaign about $10 million so far, money that could eventually be repaid by the campaign, Lamont is expected to foot most of the bill himself for his race. The former founder of a cable TV company, Lamont does not accept a salary as governor and mostly self-funded his previous campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate. The Lamont campaign in April allowed reporters to review a summary of the governor's adjusted gross income, effective tax rate, total charitable contributions and state and federal taxes for years 2018-2020. Reporters were also allowed to review redacted details of his returns. The governor who files his taxes separately from his wife, Annie, a venture capital consultant did not release his 2021 returns. His campaign said he requested a filing extension from the IRS. Stefanowski said he will ultimately release more financial information than Lamont. Were going to release returns for 2019, 2020, 2021. Its going to include our family income, he said. My disclosure is going to be the most, probably in the history of Connecticut, from a governor, and thats what were going to do. Stefanowski has criticized Lamont for not providing voters with more information about his wife's finances, especially given the ties that Oak HC/FT, the Greenwich venture capital firm cofounded by Annie Lamont, has had with various companies working with the state of Connecticut, including a former vendor contracted by the state to provide COVID-19 testing services. Lamont has said the company, Sema4, has not made a profit. If it did, he said, the money would be donated. I dont think its unreasonable for the taxpayers of Connecticut to ask for the governors family to release those numbers, Stefanowski said. Rose said he also believes Annie Lamont should release tax information. All statewide elected officials, members of the General Assembly and other state officials are required in Connecticut to file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the Office of State Ethics. Ned and Annie Lamont filed a special 16-page plan with state ethics officials that attempts to eliminate the possibility of a substantial conflict of interest or potential conflict involving Annie Lamont. The office concluded in 2019 that the steps taken by the couple to adhere to state ethics rules were adequate to better ensure compliance." They include the couple proactively recusing themselves from taking any action that involves Oak HC/FT portfolio companies. This story has been corrected to show Bob Stefanowski's age is 60, not 59. 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 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Passing legislation to require North Carolina hospitals to provide minimum levels of free or discounted care to low- and middle-income residents not covered by insurance and offer generous repayment options is the moral thing to do, State Treasurer Dale Folwell said Tuesday. A bipartisan measure, which was discussed but not voted on by the House Banking Committee, is in part a response to a 2021 study for the state employee health plan that Folwells agency oversees on charity care. This is a pro-consumer, anti-poverty piece of legislation, and its time that we meet and exceed on behalf of the invisible people, not the million-dollar (hospital) executives, Folwell, a Republican, told the panel. Chances for the bill to get approved during this year's session appear small given the dwindling number of weeks left in Raleigh and the complexity of the measure. The 2021 report, assembled with Johns Hopkins University, found that a majority of the states largest nonprofit hospital systems are not providing charity care to the uninsured or underinsured that comes close to the federal, state and local tax breaks they receive. The result is patients who cant afford the expensive services they have received, leading to cycles of medical debt that weaponize their credit scores and ability to succeed, said Folwell, a former House member and treasurer since 2017. The measure would require hospitals, clinics and other certain health-care providers to adopt medical debt mitigation policies and screen patients before demanding payment to help them locate insurance options or assistance. Free and discounted care for amounts not covered by insurance would be on a sliding scale of up to 600% of federal poverty levels. If debt is incurred, the hospital cant charge interest and must cap monthly payments. The legislation also requires disclosure of health care services charges and Medicare reimbursement rates. The State Employees Association of North Carolina and North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault spoke for the bill, which also would allow the state attorney general and citizens to sue for damages if requirements are not followed. The North Carolina Healthcare Association, which represents for-profit and nonprofit hospitals, has not taken a position on the bill, spokesperson Cynthia Charles said in an emailed statement. Charles said federal law already addresses several bill requirements and 2013 General Assembly legislation addresses many billing and collection practice issues. She explained the numerous ways hospitals and health systems help consumers with their financial obligations. To suggest that hospitals weaponize medical debt is nothing but political grandstanding, she wrote. Hospitals do more than any other part of the health care field to assist vulnerable patients. The association said last year that nonprofit health systems and hospitals also provide billions of dollars in community benefits annually that go beyond charity care. The measures legislative sponsors appear to have a tough row to hoe before the legislation could advance this session, which is already expected to end around July 1. Right now this bill, in my humble opinion, is not ready for prime time, said Rep. John Szoka, a Cumberland County Republican and committee member, adding that he had several concerns. Szoka said he was willing to work with sponsors and Folwells office to rework it. 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 ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Russia and Turkey voiced support Wednesday for a safe corridor in the Black Sea to allow Ukrainian grain exports, but Kyiv rejected the proposal, saying it was not credible. The European Union accused Moscow of weaponizing food supplies to gain an advantage in the war. Russia also demanded that Ukraine remove mines from the Black Sea and both Moscow and Ankara said the West should ease sanctions on Moscow to allow the export of Russian grains amid an escalating world food crisis. While food exports are technically exempt from the sanctions, Russia claims that restrictions on its ships and banks make it impossible to deliver its grain to global markets. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia's invasion and a blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara on Wednesday for discussions focused on a United Nations proposal to free Odesa and Ukraine's other Black Sea ports and allow 22 million tons of grain sitting in silos to be shipped out. Ukraine was not invited to the talks. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working on a package for weeks that would allow Ukraine to export wheat and other commodities from Odesa and enable Russia to export grain and fertilizer to global markets. But Russia and Turkey appear eager to dictate the terms and cement further control over the Black Sea. Turkey has maintained its close ties to both Ukraine and Russia. It has criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine, but hasnt joined the international sanctions against Russia. Russia has urged Ukraine to remove mines from the area near Odesa to allow safe grain exports, and Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged that Moscow wouldn't use the corridors to launch an attack. Both Ukrainian and EU officials cast doubt on the pledge; it was Putin who also insisted earlier this year that he had no plans to invade Ukraine. But Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia is ready to formalize the guarantee for Odesa. The Russian envoy promised that Moscow would not abuse its naval advantage if the mines were removed from Ukraine's ports and would take all necessary steps to ensure that the ships can leave there freely. Turkey says it would facilitate and protect the transport of the grain in the Black Sea. The Greek government has also offered the countrys powerful shipping fleet for the task, but Ankara has not made any mention about Athens being part of the possible deal. The Turkish government has recently ramped up rhetoric against neighbors including Greece and Cyprus over historical disputes. Turkey has other vested interests in helping to secure a deal: Ankara needs Moscows approval to continue its presence in northern Syria, where it plans to launch a new cross-border offensive against Syrian Kurdish militia that Ankara views as a security threat. Turkey really needs Russias blessing in order to be able to carry on this operation," said Merve Tahiroglu, Turkey program coordinator at Project on Middle East Democracy. "I think theyre really going to try to get that kind of a concession out of the Russian side. Turkey also depends heavily on Russian and Ukrainian wheat imports for its own food supplies and is eager to burnish its reputation in Africa, which has been severely affected by the food crisis, said Eleonora Tafuro Ambrosetti, a Milan-based research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies. Ankara has been investing quite a lot in its image in Africa as a benevolent country, she said. Russia, meanwhile, is trying to portray itself as a country willing to compromise, to reach a deal," Tafuro Ambrosetti added. Lavrovs meeting came as Turkey a NATO member has voiced strong opposition to Sweden and Finlands recent bids to join the alliance. Moscow has also objected to the Nordic countries candidacy which analyst say may play a role in discussions concerning Syria. The head of Ukraines grain traders group scoffed at Turkeys effort to negotiate a deal. Turkey doesnt have enough power in the Black Sea to guarantee security of cargo and Ukrainian ports, Ukrainian Grain Union chief Serhiy Ivashchenko said Wednesday. He said it would take three to four months to remove sea mines, and also alleged that it was Russia that mined the area. At a joint news conference with Lavrov, Cavusoglu said Turkey considers the plan to be a reasonable and feasible one, although he acknowledged that it would require negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish minister also backed easing Western sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. European Union officials emphatically pushed back Wednesday. Lets be very clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. "Our sanctions do not touch basic food commodities. They do not affect the trading of grain or other food between Russia and third countries. And the port embargo specifically has full exemption on agricultural goods. So lets stick to the truth. Its Putins war of aggression that fuels the food crisis and nothing else. At the European Parliament on Wednesday, European Council President Charles Michel accused the Kremlin of "weaponizing food supplies and surrounding their actions with a web of lies, Soviet-style. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the creation of a safe sea corridor last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry also called for security guarantees, such as a supply of weapons to defend against maritime threats and the participation of NATO ships in the Black Sea. Addressing the possibility of resumed peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow, Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey was much more optimistic," and he reiterated Ankara's offer to oversee a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin. Lavrov said Russia was willing to hold further talks but accused Zelenskyy of changing his position all the time over conditions for a leaders summit. Wieting reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writers Andrew Wilks in Istanbul; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Frances D'Emilio in Rome 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. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin judge on Tuesday agreed to keep on hold his ruling from April that prevented state regulators from requiring businesses and others responsible for pollution by PFAS chemicals to investigate and clean up the contamination. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren said because of the importance and impact of his ruling, it made sense to keep it on hold while the state Department of Natural Resources appeals. In April, Bohren ruled that state regulators must go through Wisconsin's rule-making process to establish guidelines for dealing with the PFAS toxins known as forever chemicals. The ruling was a win for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the states largest business and manufacturing lobbying group, and Oconomowoc-based dry cleaner Leather Rich, which brought the lawsuit last year. Bohren said he expects the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take the case directly, skipping the state appeals court, to expedite a resolution. Assistant Wisconsin Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Karp, arguing for the DNR, said Tuesday that allowing the ruling to take effect immediately could prevent the agency from continuing to provide bottled water to 1,300 households affected by PFAS contamination. Lucas Vebber, attorney for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, said the state has other options, including creating a rule to regulate PFAS chemicals. Under the judge's earlier ruling, the Department of Natural Resources must wait for legislators to define the chemicals to be regulated and impose limits in state law or through an administrative rule. That process can take years. The Republican-controlled Legislature has been working to weaken state agency authority under Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, making it all the more unlikely that meaningful regulations would be approved. Attorneys for the DNR argue that existing law gives the agency broad discretion over how to handle contaminants, and theres no need to go through the rule-making process to regulate PFAS. The DNR's ability to protect public health and the environment will be neutered under the judge's ruling, environmentalists and residents in communities dealing with PFAS pollution have said. According to the lawsuit, Leather Rich entered a DNR program designed to help businesses that voluntarily report pollution with clean up in 2019. The following year, DNR officials declared that businesses in the program need to test for emerging contaminants, including PFAS, without explaining which of the more than 4,000 PFAS compounds to look for or what levels would be considered too high. The agency lacked any basis in state law to make such a move, which was done without legislative oversight or opportunity for public comment, the lawsuit alleged. PFAS is an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances human-made chemicals used in nonstick cookware and firefighting foam. Multiple studies have shown they can cause health problems in humans, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased risk of some cancers and a weakened immune system, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The DNR currently lists nearly 90 sites across Wisconsin with PFAS contamination, which has affected both private and public drinking water. A number of municipalities are dealing with PFAS-contaminated groundwater, including Madison, Marinette, Campbel, Peshtigo and Wausau. 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 LOS ANGELES (AP) Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a man with attempted murder after they say he stabbed a doctor and two nurses inside a Southern California hospital emergency ward last week. Ashkan Amirsoleymani, 35, remained inside a storage room at the Encino Hospital Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley for hours on Friday before police arrested him, authorities said. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday. He is being held on $3 million bail on three counts of attempted murder with allegations of causing great bodily injury. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. The criminal complaint against Amirsoleymani lists five previous convictions, including assault with a deadly weapon in 2008 and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in 2018. Police previously said Amirsoleymani had parked his car in the middle of a street and went to the emergency room, where he asked for treatment for anxiety. Prosecutors say he first stabbed the doctor and then the two nurses. A witness described the chaotic scene as a bloodbath to the Los Angeles Times. There was no evidence that he knew the victims, Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said at a news conference Friday. He remained inside a room in the hospital for about four hours as SWAT team members tried to to negotiate with him before he was finally arrested. Friday's attack came only two days after a gunman killed four people and then himself at a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The assailant got inside a building on the Saint Francis Hospital campus with little trouble, just hours after buying an AR-style rifle, authorities said. The man killed his surgeon and three other people at a medical office. He blamed the doctor for his continuing pain after a recent back operation. 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 John E. Porter, who represented Chicago's northern suburbs for two decades in Congress and helped increase funding for biomedical research has died, his family announced. He was 87. In a statement, the Porter family said the former congressman died Friday after a recent hospitalization. The statement did not specify a cause of death. Porter, a Republican, represented Illinois 10th District in Congress from 1980 to 2001. A staunch fiscal conservative, Porter also held moderate social views, backing abortion rights and gun control positions that are almost unheard of in todays Republican Party. Among other things, he helped lead the successful effort that created the 1994 assault weapons ban, which has since expired. He also was a supporter of international human rights and helped increase funding for scientific and biomedical research. The whole rough-and-tumble of classless politics was anathema to his character, Mark Kirk, who succeeded Porter in the U.S. House before being elected U.S. senator in 2010, told the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald. The district wanted an independent leader, and he was that independent leader. Kirk, who started as an intern in Porter's office becoming its chief of staff, said Porter's main legacy was "in doubling funding for the National Institutes of Health and funding the unlocking of the human genome. When he retired, Port said he was most proud of that work and helping to create the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, a voluntary group that worked to identify, track and end human rights violations all over the world. We have probably offended every single government on earth, he said, according to the Daily Herald. But they deserved to be offended. Eight years ago, the National Institutes of Health dedicated the John Edward Porter Neuroscience Research Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Porter is survived by his spouse, Amy, children and stepchildren, John, David, Annie, Robyn, Donna, McKay and Michelle, and 14 grandchildren. In its statement, Porter's family said services will be held this month in Virginia and that another service will be held in Illinois over the summer. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The top official in the Montana Office of the State Public Defender will retire at the of the June, as the legal fight over the agency's recent delays in assigning counsel to defendants continues in the state Supreme Court. Rhonda Lindquist will retire June 30 after four years with the agency, according to press release issued Tuesday. Development and operations bureau chief Brett Schandelson will take the lead as the acting director of OPD during the search for Lindquist's replacement. Rhonda has dedicated her life to public service, and I appreciate all she has done to modernize OPD, resolve challenges the office has faced, and ensure all Montanans constitutional right to counsel is protected, Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles said in the release. As the state recruits and hires a new OPD director, Brett will oversee the offices operations. The Department of Administration, under which the public defenders office is housed, will hire Lindquist's replacement. Belinda Adams, spokesperson for the department, said in an email Tuesday the transition will not affect the agency's Supreme Court case, and the department will begin recruiting for Lindquist's position within the next week. OPD represents individuals most in need of help and provides critically needed accountability to the justice system, Lindquist said in the release. "Im humbled to have been a part of this amazing agency, and I will miss it. But after a long career in public service, its time for me to step back, and I know the agency is in great hands moving forward. Lindquist was named director of the state public defenders office in 2018, a position created in a package of reform bills passed by the state Legislature a year earlier. That legislation replaced a commission atop the agency with a director to oversee the four divisions within OPD. The shake-up followed the work of a task force in 2015 intended to address existing budgetary and operational problems. Before that 2017 session, the department's chairman and chief administrator had resigned following a financial audit that found the agency was $3.5 million over budget. In recent months, Lindquist helped secure higher pay for public defenders and contract attorneys. While OPD's turbulence largely continued, the 2021 Legislature was the first time in 15 years the agency came to the session without having to ask for supplemental funding, typically done when an agency overspends its budget set by lawmakers two years earlier. However, by the end of the 2021 session, OPD returned to the legislative budget committee asking for an additional $850,000 to help squash the growing caseload pileup largely bottlenecked by the COVID-19 pandemic's slowdown in the court system. Lawmakers declined the funding request. While the agency reported being hamstrung with its existing budget, a Yellowstone County District Court judge held the agency and Lindquist in contempt in September after learning more than 650 defendants had not been assigned public defense. The agency paid $15,500 in fines imposed by the court, but later failed to meet Judge Donald Harris' order to assign attorneys to indigent defendants within three days, and in November the judge held Lindquist and the agency in contempt again. The agency challenged Harris' second contempt order in court, arguing the judge cannot sanction an underfunded agency into compliance. Harris has stood by his order in the case before the Supreme Court, which remains ongoing. The agency finally moved the needle on its wages for attorneys after a group of contract attorneys announced in April they would no longer take cases on behalf of OPD due to a higher pay rate afforded to contract attorneys in Yellowstone County, where the agency's needs are highest. In late April, OPD announced contract attorneys would receive a statewide bump from $56 per hour to $71 per hour. The next day, OPD and the public defenders' union agreed to an $11,000 pay hike for new employees, perhaps the largest investment in the agency's history. "Making prudent, responsible investments in public defense is an investment in our justice system and in ensuring our constitutionally guaranteed rights are upheld," Lindquist said at the time. Prior to her being named director at OPD, Lindquist, a Helena native, was the centralized services administrator for the Governor's Office in the Bullock administration, where she was involved in policy, communications, financial management and strategic planning. Schandelson, who will begin serving as OPD's acting director on July 1, spent a decade in litigation practice before joining the agency in 2018. He graduated from the University of Montana School of Law in 2008. OPD is in a great spot, with a solid structure and foundation, said Schandelson. Weve got more work to do, but weve got a plan, a great team, and the most compassionate, hardest-working employees and contractors in the state. -This article will be updated. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bitterroot native Lara Weatherly Tomov already knew there was nothing simple about the challenges people face in her home state. What she learned over the last year is there are folks from all walks of life willing to set their differences aside and try to find common ground thats both good for the landscape and their communities. Earlier this week, the Missoula filmmaker put the finishing touches on the last two of 19 podcasts of the "Life in the Land" project that documents those efforts. The projects four 35-minute films that focus on four different regions of the state are already receiving acclaim from viewers. The overarching theme in all of them is this concept of holistic approaches and community-driven initiatives that benefit both the health of the landscape and to communities, Tomov said. This first round of the series includes films and podcasts about ongoing collaborative work happening in the central Montana plains, Seeley-Swan Valley, Big Hole Valley and the Blackfeet Nation, which was co-produced by Lailani Upham of Iron Shield Creative. The project traces its beginnings to a 2020 meeting in Colorado of the Western Collaborative Conservation Network. A group of Montanans came home inspired to find a way to feature the success stories of diverse groups coming together to make a difference in their own state. In that same year, Tomov started the website Stories for Action, which featured both original and curated content about people working together to find solutions to environmental and social issues. 'Life in the Land' turned into a much larger project than what the group and I originally thought, Tomov said. I think thats probably because of me. I didnt realize how complex all of these concepts were going into this. Initially, the idea was to focus on the concept of collaborative conservation. But it didnt take long for everyone to realize that for that to happen, healthy relationships have to develop between diverse groups of people and the land where they live. Thats often not a simple task. People all have different values and priorities that become apparent as soon as they sit down around the table, Tomov said. Having grown up in the Bitterroot Valley, Tomov thought she knew the concepts and pressures Montana was experiencing and the different dynamics of the state. I learned that everything is far more complex when you get down on the ground level, she said. Issues like landscape health, water and social challenges are often painted as very black-and-white and polarizing. Hopefully, this project will create a kind of antidote to that division and idea that these issues are black and white by showing the nuances and importance of speaking to people at the ground level who are dealing with these specific issues, she said. Whether its the way of stewarding the land or challenges dealing with social-economic pressures or drought, we hope our project will help humanize these concepts instead of slapping generalized labels on communities or sectors. It just taps into that need to communicate with each other, especially people with different ideas and lives, Tomov said. Even within a community, one neighbor to the next will have very different experiences that need to be considered. There have been two screenings of the films so far. On was at a Watershed of the West workshop hosted by MSU at the Museum of the Rockies. The second was in Dillon last week. Both were met with good reviews. Its Tomovs hope the films and podcasts will be used to help generate interest in groups working together in support of the landscape and their communities. The films can be used as a tool to kick off workshops, events, or gatherings, she said. They hopefully will offer insights for community conversations on how community-driven approaches can be applied. The project could also fit as a curriculum for colleges and universities or for governmental agencies looking for ways to create trusting relationships between themselves and the communities they serve. I think they serve as a way to show the importance of the need to understand each other and challenges and pressures that we face, Tomov said. We need to seek each other out, have conversations with each other and really listen to what others are saying. The project has been partially funded for a second season and donations are currently be accepted. Tomov said the second season will be somewhat scaled down to two 15-minute films and four podcasts. One will likely focus on community development work occurring in Wyola on the Crow Reservation. The second will probably focus on the impacts of growing recreational use on Montanas rivers. Last year was our pilot year, Tomov said. We had the opportunity to see what we could do on a limited budget. Its been nice to see the project is already getting a good reception and that folks feel the need for this kind of narrative to continue. The films and podcasts dont offer solutions and definitely are not trying to tell the whole story because the story is endless with these concepts, she said. I hope that it will help people further the dialogue in their own circles and their own work. "The Life in the Land" project can be found at LifeintheLand.org You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. 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. In April, the United Property Owners of Montana (UPOM) filed suit against the Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks and state Wildlife Commission claiming (correctly) that elk are over population in some hunting districts, that excess elk are a hardship for farmers and ranchers, and that defendants have an obligation to reduce elk numbers in specific ways. There is little argument on the first two points. There are a lot of elk in parts of the state, and their numbers are impacting some farms and ranches. The third is more problematic because of multiple complicating factors and lack of agreement about how to address the problem. Plaintiffs protest defendants consideration of social factors in management decisions, although they lie at the heart of the matter. It is impossible to manage wildlife populations occupying a patchwork of public and private land with conflicting interests. When some landowners refuse to allow public hunting and mange elk herds to produce trophy bulls, those properties become havens for elk. Inevitably, some jump the fence and consume their neighbors crops. Plaintiffs allege that policies favoring landowners who do allow public hunting violate private property rights by forcing others to allow public access. No FWP policy has ever forced landowners to grant access to private property. Actions have consequences, and if some landowners refuse to do their part in reducing elk numbers, it is unreasonable to expect the state to (somehow) do this for them. Plaintiffs contend that defendants have exceeded their authority and that only the Legislature is authorized to determine hunting regulations, defying both precedent and common sense. Virtually every state in the country delegates wildlife management to an appropriate department including professional biologists. Legislators, most of whom have no training in wildlife biology, are (or should be) too occupied with more important matters to be distracted by the details of wildlife management. Plaintiffs allege that defendants are violating their statutory obligation to manage elk, despite lack of agreement about what management means. No policy requires FWP to eliminate elk from properties that dont want them, or to make more tags available to private interests so they can benefit from what is a public resource according to the Montana constitution. One must wade through 30 pages of innuendo to find the real purpose of this action eliminating limited drawing tag requirements in areas with elk populations above arbitrary objectives, providing more tags for outfitted hunters. This action would also increase the number of all hunters in areas where tags are now limited. More hunters with less private land to hunt will mean more hunters on public land, displacing elk onto the ranches now experiencing depredation. Elk numbers are reduced by harvesting cows, not trophy bulls. The best approach to overpopulation is for more landowners to voluntarily allow more hunters to harvest more elk, including cows, which are of no interest to outfitted trophy hunters. The matter is now before the court, but all Montanans should pay attention whether or not they hunt elk. Don Thomas of Lewistown writes about the outdoors for numerous national publications. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sheesh. Our Superintendent of Public Instruction is impossible to follow. The current hullaballoo over minimum school standards illustrates the ways. First, Elsie Arntzen has trouble making sense. Consider her position on school counselors, for instance. The states current standard is one counselor for every 400 students. Its clearly not enough. The task force Arntzen convened to review the standards unanimously recommended a 1:300 ratiostill not enough, but better. Elsies response? Eliminate the ratio entirely. Counselors are alarmed. With six school shooting incidents in America last month alone, hypervigilance is high. Montanas child suicide rates are twice the national average. And attending to students mental health is only a fraction of what counselors do! Hundreds of Montanans have pleaded with Arntzen not to worsen the situation by eliminating a minimum expectation for caseloads. Arntzen expresses sympathy for all that counselors have on their paper plate. But eliminating the requirement, she insists, will free up schools to do more. Thats nonsensical. Schools are already free to do more and many do. Not to set a minimum expectation for access to counselors jeopardizes kids and denies some the equal educational opportunity our constitution guarantees. Second, the superintendent prefers fanning flames or inflaming fans to addressing issues. Defending her recommendations, she bounces from wedge issue to wedge issue like a child at a trampoline park. Local control gives her the biggest bounce. The state has no business telling local schools what to do, she preaches. But by her deeds shall ye know her. When the issue is masks or overruling a school districts enrollment policy or adding graduation requirements, shes had no problem with the state trumping local druthers. Another good bounce? Concerned parents. Youre being silenced, Arntzen continually tells parents, pointing to such weighty grievances as the 3-minute limitation on public comment imposed by this school board or that. But she knows full well that imposing time limits is typical at public meetings. She served without objection for 12 years on legislative committees that sometimes limit comment to merely introducing yourself and saying Me too. Just last month, her own Negotiated Rule-Making Committee accorded the public only 30 seconds to persuade them the superintendents recommendations would weaken important school programs. Finally, the superintendent dis-serves the very people shes asked to serve her. Folks on her School Quality Task Force dedicated long hours to making the initial recommendations on minimum standards. Arntzen didnt even extend them the courtesy of prior review of her contrary recommendations. After the fact, she had the awkwardacity to assure them, plain facts notwithstanding, her recommendations were in alignment with theirs. It gets worse. Her recommendations now go to her Negotiated Rule-Making Committee. Its members too, have expressed concern about the negative impacts eliminating minimum expectations for counselors, library media professionals, and middle school electives will have on quality and equality of opportunity in Montanas schools. Unfortunately, as Elsie well knows, the committee operates on the consensus model. All members must agree on alternative recommendations or only her recommendations will go to the Board of Public Education. Elsie has placed two of her employees on the committee as voting members. Not surprisingly, their positions are not in alignment with the majority of other members. Sheesh. The changes Arntzen is advancing are neither trivial nor temporary. These new rules will likely be in effect for at least a decade. Arntzen recommends eliminating any staffing ratio for school counselors and library/media specialists one of each per district will suffice! and eliminating the requirement for music, art, world languages and career/technical education as discrete electives at the middle school level. The need for counselors is a no-brainer. In todays multi-media tsunami, so is the need for professionals trained to help kids access and evaluate information. And without professionally taught middle school programs in the arts, languages, and workforce disciplines, sparks that light life-changing passions never ignite. I hate to be so critical of someone who could be living the dream and instead chose public service. But minimal expectations for Montanas public schools ensure that all Montana children have the basics they need to thrive. Being hard to follow is Elsies challenge. Staying afloat in her wake will be theirs. Mary Sheehy Moe retired as Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education in 2010. Since then she has been a school board trustee, a state senator, and a city commissioner in Great Falls. She writes from Missoula. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Voters cast their ballots Tuesday at the Brown County Courthouse in Aberdeen. Roberts County voters approved a resolution Tuesday declaring the county a Second Amendment sanctuary county. The measure passed with 60% support on a final vote of 844-544. Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions essentially declare that unconstitutional gun laws will not be enforced within the jurisdiction. Charles Gary Sheldon, known in the area as Gary Sheldon, circulated the petition twice to take the issue to a vote in Roberts County. Sheldon said the first petition, which had 416 signatures, was rejected by county commissioners because it didn't say it was an initiative petition. So he circulated a second petition, got 440 signatures and timed the filing of the petition so it could be placed on the primary ballot. He needed 326 valid signatures from registered voters in the county. Sheldon said he circulated the petition after going to the Roberts County Commission and asking that the county be declared a Second Amendment sanctuary county. His request was denied. He said he decided to make the request after residents in Traverse County in Minnesota did the same. Brown County voter turnout With something on the ballot for any registered voter, Brown County saw a higher-than-usual voter turnout Tuesday for a primary election. According to data from the South Dakota Secretary of State's Office, 7,711 voters, or 31.79% of Brown County voters, cast ballots. That includes the 2,432 people who voted absentee. Brown County Auditor Cathy McNickle said typical voter turnout for a primary is around 20%. For example, 2020 voter turnout was 26.57%. With an estimated 15% voter turnout by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, McNickle said she was expecting potentially record turnout for a primary in excess of 30%. On the ballot were contested political, county commission and legislative races and Constitutional Amendment C. Voters in Aberdeen also cast ballots for city council and school board, which are both nonpartisan positions. Story continues The abundance of races meant Brown County voters received one of 32 different ballots, depending on where they live and the races they could vote on. McNickle said that's the highest number of ballots poll workers have had to contend with since Brown County started using vote centers. Codington County voter turnout Codington County voter turnout also exceeded 30%, with 5,266 ballots cast. Voter turnout was 30.32%, which is up from 2020's 25.75%. Codington County Auditor Cindy Brugman said a 25% to 30% turnout is typical for a primary. In the days leading up to Tuesday's vote, she said she expected turnout to be about 30%. About 1,500 people voted absentee, she said, which is comparable to the primary four years ago when about 1,700 people voted absentee. That year there were also Republican races and a nonpartisan contest. Brugman said voting went smoothly Tuesday, with the biggest influx of voters after 4 p.m. until the polls closed three hours later. "From 4 to 7 our central location in Codington County was hopping," she said. Brugman said it was a typical primary with several questions from voters who thought they were registered Republicans, but learned they were registered under a different party. Others, she said, discovered their voter registration wasn't updated to their current address. Those items, she said, can't be addressed on the day of the election. All voter information must be updated 15 days prior to the election. Statewide and regional turnout Voter turnout statewide was 32.09%, according to the secretary of state's website. That was the highest level since the 2010 primary, when 34.5% of voters cast a ballot. That election saw several Republicans fighting for the nomination for governor, which Dennis Daugaard won, and for Congress. That nomination was won by Kristi Noem. While Brown and Codington counties had similar turnouts, it was better in some other counties across the region. Campbell County : 488 ballots cast, 44.16% voter turnout. Clark County : 822 ballots cast, 32.67% voter turnout. Day County : 1,240 ballots cast, 31.77% voter turnout. Edmunds County : 1,104 ballots cast, 41.71% voter turnout. Faulk County : 607 ballots cast, 40.01% voter turnout. Grant County : 1,629 ballots cast, 34.52% voter turnout. Hamlin County : 1,553 ballots cast, 38.69% voter turnout. Kingsbury County : 1,696 ballots cast, 47.47% voter turnout. Marshall County : 955 ballots cast, 34.48% voter turnout. McPherson County : 761 ballots cast, 44.12% voter turnout. Potter County : 943 ballots cast, 55.34% voter turnout. Roberts County : 1,484 ballots cast, 24.04% voter turnout. Spink County : 1,712 ballots cast, 41.52% voter turnout. Walworth County: 1,491 ballots cast, 42.39% voter turnout. Precinct committeeman, committeewoman races Republicans across the region also voted to elect precinct committeemen and precinct committeewomen and GOP state convention delegates. Results follow. Brown County State convention delegates *Drew Dennert: 2,691 (31%) *Jack Hieb: 1,688 (19%) *Ashton Dennert: 1,399 (16%) Charlene Cornelius: 1,192 (14%) Ron Cornelius: 962 (11%) Tabor Schabot: 798 (9%) Precinct 3 committeeman *Daniel Kaiser: 145 (43%) Dave Lunzman: 123 (36%) Heath Johnson: 70 (21%) Precinct 6 committeeman *George Paul Dennert: 262 (71%) Douglas Roggow: 108 (29%) Precinct 7 committeeman *Steven Lust: 362 (63%) Kyler Dinger: 211 (37%) Precinct 8 committeeman *Brandon Black: 81 (52%) Gregory Brooks: 74 (48%) Precinct 9 committeeman *Andrew Bergan: 124 (75%) Rickey L. Hansen: 42 (25%) Precinct 10 committeeman *Daniel Richardt: 21 (44%) Timothy Prater: 14 (29%) Justin Rezatto: 13 (27%) Precinct 12 committeeman *Darren Engelhart: 92 (56%) Jeffrey T. Sveen: 73 (44%) Precinct 13 committeeman *Jeffrey Kippley: 62 (68%) Patrick G. Rohl: 29 (32%) Precinct 15 committeeman *Michael Rohl: 228 (75%) Ken Bjur: 74 (25%) Precinct 16 committeeman *Kaleb Weis: 65 (61%) Michael Evans: 42 (39%) Precinct 17 committeeman *Keith Miller: 55 (64%) Kevin G. Weig: 31 (36%) Precinct 19 committeeman *Jesse Zak: 125 (67%) Brandon Bible: 62 (32%) Precinct 3 committeewoman *Laura Zylstra Kaiser: 117 (40%) Mary Jane "MJ" Lunzman: 108 (37%) Joni Hansen: 67 (23%) Precinct 7 committeewoman *Lia Dinger: 241 (55%) Sophie Doeden: 194 (45%) Precinct 12 committeewoman *Heidi Engelhart: 95 (59%) Mary Jorgensen: 66 (41%) Precinct 15 committeewoman *Monica Meyer: 180 (78%) Jan Bjur: 52 (22%) Precinct 16 committeewoman *Kayla Weis: 53 (56%) Barbara Evans: 30 (32%) Debora J. Ross: 11 (12%) Precinct 17 committeewoman *Shannon Broderson: 57 (58%) Anne Miller: 41 (42%) Precinct 19 committeewoman *Glenna M. Remington: 119 (59%) Krissi Zak: 84 (41%) Codington County State convention delegates *Hugh Bartels: 2,361 (35%) *Jeanne Horning: 1,807 (27%) *Donna Schoenbeck: 1,644 (25%) Daro Crandall: 888 (13%) Hamlin County Precinct 21 committeeman *Victor Carter: 217 (84%) Kirk James Hauck: 41 (16%) Roberts County Precinct 11 committeewoman *Tamara St. John: 70 (61%) Joann C. Sheldon: 44 (44%) Walworth County Precinct 1 committeeman *Dana Randall: 64 (78%) Lyle Perman: 18 (22%) Precinct 3 committeewoman *Vivian Witlock: 194 (71%) Kathy K. Walker: 80 (29%) This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: Voters in Roberts County approved 2nd Amendment sanctuary resolution The Butte-Silver Bow Board of Health authorized contracts and updated the COVID-19 fatality count at its monthly meeting Wednesday. The health board also authorized an annual contract between the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to help ensure the oversight and provision of immunization services for children, adolescents and adults. Butte-Silver Bow Health Officer Karen Maloughney said the budget for the contract was higher during COVID-19, but is now back to pre-pandemic levels. She said the money will be used for regular outreach. Were really trying to get back to encouraging people to get vaccinated [against] all those vaccine-preventable illnesses, Maloughney said. So we dont have other things crop up. She also said since COVID, DPHHS is finding people are more hesitant to get vaccinated, not just from COVID, but from other diseases. Theyre seeing a lot more people needing a lot of encouragement to get vaccines, Maloughney said. A lot more time is being spent with them. She also said theyre noticing many adults dont realize people need to get vaccinated throughout their lives, not just during school. She said COVID immunizations for Butte-Silver Bow were up to 66%, but theyre expecting these numbers to go down once vaccinations are released for babies six months and older, which the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is projected to approve at the end of this month. She said the health department pre-ordered these vaccines. Maloughney also said the COVID fatality count is now at 134, but is expected to go up after reconciliation, which happens when the county is alerted after someone is found who didnt die in a hospital or wasnt initially known to die of complications from COVID. In addition to the vaccine contract, the board of health authorized a contract between the health department and DPHHS for HIV medical case management. This money provides us with the opportunity to provide case management to HIV positive individuals that qualify for the program and it also provides us with the ability to provide emergency assistance if needed to our case management, said the health departments community health division director Tina Randall. She said emergency financial assistance includes things like gas cards, food cards and emergency help with a utility bill, given certain requirements are met. Of the allocated money, there is a maximum that can be spent on clients, and the rest goes to administrative expenses, Randall said. The board also authorized a contract between the health department and DPHHS to provide home visiting and family support services under the Nurse-Family Partnership evidence-based home visiting model in Butte-Silver Bow. Lastly, it moved to authorize a language change to the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program to designate the health department as a family planning clinic so it can hold a limited pharmacy license and so its nurses can continue to dispense standing-order medications once the health department terminates its family planning contract with DPHHS and starts its contract with Bridgercare, a non-profit clinic in Bozeman. The contract with Bridgercare is set to start July 1, and is happening due to a Title X funding change announced earlier this year. The board of health will take a hiatus from meeting in July, but plans to meet again at 7 p.m. on Aug. 10. 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. Authorities allege that Brice Allen Boyd and Katheryn Florence Schimming of Anaconda collaborated last year to repeatedly poison the food and drink of Schimmings ex-husband with antifreeze. The alleged poisonings occurred during the summer of 2021. Boyd, 37, and Schimming, 38, allegedly targeted her ex-husband, Jeffery Shuck. Boyd allegedly poured antifreeze into soft drinks or used a syringe to inject antifreeze into food, such as a McDonalds hamburger, prosecutors allege in charging documents. Schimming allegedly drove Boyd to McDonalds to buy food for Shuck that Boyd would then add antifreeze to, records show. Schimming told investigators that she had known Boyd was feeding Shuck antifreeze, according to court records. A woman who lived with Schimming told police she had witnessed the doctoring of Shucks food by Boyd on several occasions, records show. She said she also had observed Shucks reaction becoming ill and vomiting after unknowingly ingesting the antifreeze, according to court documents. Schimming also allegedly gave Shuck excessive doses of prescription medicines, records show. Shuck is described in court documents as suffering from schizophrenia. Court records reported that witnesses said Schimming wanted to get rid of Shuck and that Boyd was jealous of the relationship Schimming had with Shuck. Last month, Boyd pleaded not guilty to attempted deliberate homicide in connection with the case and remains jailed in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, where he also faces multiple charges of child sex abuse for allegedly abusing three children. Schimming was charged initially with conspiracy to commit the offense of deliberate homicide. As the case moved toward trial, Boyd began writing letters to Schimmings attorney, Kathleen Foley, according to charging documents. In at least one of these letters he disclosed his involvement in attempting to poison Shuck with antifreeze during June and July. He described in detail putting the antifreeze on nachos, drinks, and in other fast food that was purchased for Shuck, court records show. On May 11, in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County District Court, Schimming agreed to enter an Alford plea to a charge of accountability for attempted deliberate homicide. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges the state likely has enough evidence for a conviction. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss four felony counts of intimidation and to recommend a prison sentence of 10 years at the Montana Womens Prison. District Court Judge Ray Dayton ordered a presentence investigation and Schimming remains jailed in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol. According to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ethylene glycol ingestion can cause serious or fatal toxicity. It can affect neurological function, respiration, cardiovascular performance and more, including liver and kidney function. Court documents report that Shucks medical records showed a marked decrease in kidney function during the time in which Schimming was driving Boyd and the food laced with antifreeze to be fed to Jeffery Shuck. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 9 Angry 19 Butte-Silver Bows top official praised voters on Wednesday for supporting local taxes on marijuana sales and a property tax levy that will steer money to the 15-90 Search and Rescue team. Measures to tax recreational and medical marijuana sales at 3% and the one-mill levy proposal passed by wide margins in Tuesdays primary election. Voters in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County and Powell County also supported local marijuana taxes. But in Granite County, voters approved a prohibition on legalized recreational sales Tuesday even though a majority backed them in 2020. There is one dispensary in the county of 3,300 people that sells recreational cannabis. There were two area legislative primaries in play Tuesday and the primary either decided or affected a number of local races and ballot measures in southwest Montana counties. The marijuana taxes might generate about $200,000 a year in Butte-Silver Bow based on estimates Missoula County made for its marijuana taxes. Thats not huge revenue for a county with a $142 million budget but Chief Executive J.P. Gallagher says it will help offset societal costs that come with legalized pot. I will work with our B-SB commissioners to use the funds raised by this tax to address the needs of our community based around addiction, mental health and homelessness, Gallagher said Wednesday morning. Bill Everett, chief executive in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, backed 3% taxes on both recreational and medical marijuana sales and voters in that county passed them both, according to unofficial returns. With the increase in marijuana sales, we will likely see an increase in the need for awareness, regulation and possibly demands on our public health department, Everett said Tuesday night. This new tax will hopefully offset any of these issues if they arise. In the only local race with primary implications in Butte-Silver Bow, incumbent Commissioner Bill Andersen got the most votes in a five-person field for the District 10 seat he has held for 12 years. Of 286 votes cast, Andersen had 32% of them to 26% for Brian McGregor. Maisie Sulser had 19%, Brody Shields 13% and Trenin Bayless 9%. Only Andersen and McGregor advance to the November election. In Council District 11, Tommy Walker finished with two votes more than Nate Watson 225 to 223 but both candidates advance to November with a clean slate. Cindi Shaw has held the seat since 2007 but is not seeking a fifth four-year term. Incumbent Commissioners Michele Shea, Josh ONeill, Eric Mankins and Shawn Fredrickson were not challenged in re-election bids this year and the other six council seats wont be on the ballot again until 2024. There is only one county-wide office on the ballot in Butte-Silver Bow this year, for Justice of the Peace, and incumbent Ben Pezdark was not challenged. Of 8,772 votes cast, the measure to impose a 3% local tax on recreational marijuana sales in Butte-Silver Bow had 78% yes votes to 22% against. Voters favored the tax on medical sales by a 59% to 41% margin. A one-mill levy that will raise about $75,000 annually for the 15-90 Search and Rescue was supported by 75% of 8,820 voters who cast ballots. Of about 2,670 votes cast, 77% of voters in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County favored a 3% tax on recreational marijuana sales. The tax on medical sales got 55% yes votes to 45% no votes. In a close three-way contest for District 4 commissioner in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, Tom Gallagher received 35% of the vote, Paul Smith 33% and Melissa Riley 31%. If the results hold, Gallagher and Smith will face off in November. In Powell County, 82% of voters favored a single measure to tax all marijuana sales. Ralph Mannix Jr. won a GOP primary for Powell County commissioner in District 2 by getting 60% of the vote to 40% for Justin Williams. In Granite County, 55% of voters supported legalized recreational marijuana sales in 2020. But citizens gathered enough signatures to get a prohibition on Tuesdays primary ballot and of 1,355 votes cast, it was approved 53% to 47%. Two GOP legislative primaries in southwest Montana were decided Tuesday and because no Democrats filed for those seats, Republican Reps. Marta Bertoglio of Clancy and Gregory Frazer of Deer Lodge will likely win re-election in November. Only write-in candidates can get in now and they face obstacles that make it very difficult to win. In House District 75, which covers most of Jefferson County, Bertoglio got 73% of the vote to 27% for Timothy McKendrick of Boulder. In House District 78, Frazer got 57% in defeating GOP challenger Steven Grant of Deer Lodge. In Jefferson County, a measure to increase property taxes by $292,000 to establish and fund a nonprofit animal shelter was defeated 56% to 44%. But 67% of voters favored continued funding for weed control and a measure raising taxes by $92,500 a year to fund expanded library hours and programs narrowly passed with 52% in favor. In a four-person race for District 1 commissioner in Jefferson County, Dan Hagerty got 45% of the vote, Mary Jancaro Hensleigh got 27% and both will advance to November. Jim Buterbaugh got 21% and Jon Stone Goff received 7% and neither moves on. In Granite County, Blaine Cooper Bradshaw won 78% percent of the vote to defeat Lawrence Henke in the Republican primary for county attorney. No Democrat filed. Scott Adler captured 57% of the vote to win a GOP primary over John Kendall for Granite County commissioner in District 2. In Beaverhead County, Robert Mike Miller received 56% of the vote to win a GOP primary for county school superintendent over Michelle Nelon. No Democrat filed. In a non-partisan contest for Madison County commissioner in District 3, Brian Conklin got 37%, Bill Todd got 31% and Kristy Wright Ranson received 28%. Conklin and Todd advance to November. In a nonpartisan contest for Justice of the Peace in Madison County, Jordan Allhands and Marc Glines got 53% and 34% of the vote, respectively, and will be on the November ballot. Wes Collette received 13%. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 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. Prosecutors have charged a man from Opportunity with two felonies for allegedly kissing an 11-year-old girl on the mouth and having nude photos of a developmentally delayed teenage girl on his cellphone. They charged 48-year-old Christopher Michael Gursky with one count of sexual assault and one count of sexual abuse of children. He was arrested on a warrant and booked into the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County jail on Thursday, and was still there as of Monday. The assault charge carries a maximum 100-year prison term and the abuse charge is punishable by up to 10 years and fine up to $10,000. He is set for an initial appearance on the charges on June 15. A message was left Tuesday afternoon with the public defenders office to see if Gursky had been assigned an attorney and if so, to seek comment from him or her. The charges were filed on June 1 by Ben Krakowka, the county attorney and chief prosecutor in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County. They allege that on a day in early February, the 11-year-old girl was with some of her moms friends children when Gursky asked her to help him put some chickens away. She told her mom what happened the next day and later gave a forensic interview. While in the chicken coop, Gursky had asked if he could kiss her cheek and she told him sure, the charging document states. Gursky had then asked if he could kiss her on the lips and she told him no, but he did anyway. He told her she was getting older and she could do more stuff and it was weird, and while they were walking back inside, told her to remember that this was her little secret, the charging document says. While giving her a ride home, prosecutors allege, he was touching her leg, told her how pretty she was and said they could be girlfriend and boyfriend and be married. The girl talked to a school counselor and her mom the next day and the mother went to police. Gursky agreed to speak with police but asked that his wife be allowed in the interview also, the document states. He said he tried to kiss the girl on the cheek but their lips accidentally met. Gurskys wife indicated that this was not the first time something like this had happened and said he had used his phone to text a young female in the past and asked her to take a hot tub with him. Gursky gave police his cell phone and after getting a search warrant, a computer analyst with the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation determined it had images of a teenage girl naked in a bathroom. An officer recognized the girl as a local resident and she told police she had sent Gursky multiple nude images of herself when she was 16, prosecutors say. The officer was aware that the teen was developmentally delayed. She worked at a local restaurant and said during a forensic interview that Gursky would come meet her during breaks. He eventually asked her for sexy pictures and told her he wanted to kiss her, according to the charging documents. At one point, her manager had spoken to Gursky because he was concerned about the interaction between the two and thought it was 'creepy,' the charging document says. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 20 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Wednesday, June 8 BUTTE ARCHIVES BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives will continue its Brown Bag Lunch series at noon and run about an hour at 17 W Quartz St. Mary McMahon will reprise her talk about her research into a Walkathon that offered a $,1000 purse to the winner in 1931. Guests may bring a sack lunch and the archives will provide coffee and water. For details, call 406-782-3280. TRIVIA NIGHT Butte Public Library is partnering with The Elks Lodge for Trivia Night. Things begin at 6:30 p.m. at The Elks Lodge. The Library supplies the questions. Entry fee for teams is $10 and $5 for individuals. Food and drinks are available from The Elks. For details, please call the library at 406-723-3361. UNITED VETERANS COUNCIL United Veterans Council will be meeting at 7 p.m. at the American Legion Hall located at 3502 Wynne Ave in Butte. CLUBS AND MEETINGS The Living Word Prayer Group meets at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at Holy Spirit Parish, 4400 Continental Drive. All are welcome. Wii games are played from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Butte Public Library's Teen Zone. Open line dancing is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday above the Scandia Bar, 537 S Main St. For details, call 415-601-9436. Fine Line Dancers beginner line dance classes are at 6 p.m. Wednesdays at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 224 W. Park St. The cost is $5 per class. For details, call 406-498-3903. The Butte Chess Club meets from 5 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the Butte Public Library on the first floor, 226 W. Broadway St. All ages and abilities are welcome. The Butte Library has several chess boards or you can bring your own. For details, call the library at 723-3361. Line dancing classes with Colleen Klobucar are from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the YMCA. Members can dance for free. The cost is $5 for non-members. For details, call Colleen at 406-490-6935 or 406-782-1266. Butte sunrise Kiwanis Clubs weekly meeting 7 a.m. Wednesdays at Perkins Restaurant. This Wednesday, June 8, Guest speaker will be Connie Ternes-Daniel from Action Inc. to talk about their Summer Lunches program. The Butte Public Library partners with The Elks Lodge for a twice monthly trivia night. We meet the second and fourth Wednesday at 6:30. Food and drink is available for purchase from the Elks. They ask $5 for individuals and $10 for teams. For details call the library at 406-723-3361. Adult ukulele jam sessions are offered from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the ballroom at the Clark Chateau, 321 W. Broadway St. Some ukuleles are provided; other accompanying instruments are welcome. There is a suggested donation of $5 to help support the program. For details, contact Cari Coe, program director at ccoe@bsb.mt.gov or 406-565-5600. The Butte Public Library offers after-school clubs from 4 to 5 p.m. in the teen zone at the Library weekdays for teens and tweens. Wednesdays there are Wii and other games. Snacks and materials are provided. For details call the Library at 406-723-3361. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montana voters are casting ballots Tuesday in the first primary election in three decades with two seats in the U.S. House at stake. Ryan Zinke, who served as a Cabinet member under then-President Donald Trump, is running for the seat to represent the western part of the state after Montana was granted a second seat due to population growth documented in the 2020 census. It's technically an open seat, but the former Navy SEAL is widely considered the de facto incumbent since he twice won elections for the states then-only U.S. House seat before stepping down in 2017 to join the Trump administration as Interior secretary. Zinkes opponents are drawing attention to his troubled tenure at the agency, which was marked by multiple ethics investigations. On the GOP side, the field includes former state Sen. Al Doc Olszewski, who has tried to paint Zinke as a liberal insider." Meanwhile, three Democrats are vying for their partys nomination: public health advocate Cora Neumann, Olympic rower and attorney Monica Tranel and former state Rep. Tom Winter. In the states other district, first-term U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, who has Trumps endorsement, will look to fend off three Republican primary challengers. On the Democratic side, the contenders include Billings councilmember Penny Ronning and a candidate who unexpectedly died after the ballots were printed, state Sen. Mark Sweeney. If voters choose Sweeney, the Democratic Party will hold a nominating convention to select a replacement. In one Supreme Court race, Montana voters will advance two of three candidates to the general election. Incumbent Ingrid Gustafson faces challenges from James Brown, an attorney and member of the Public Service Commission, and District Court Judge Mike McMahon of Helena. In the other Supreme Court race on the ballot this year, incumbent Jim Rice and his challenger, Billings attorney Bill D'Alton, will both advance to the general election. The polls close at 8 p.m. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. James Madison Anarchism has a long history stretching back to ancient Greece. Anarchists believe that the primary political value is freedom and that because all institutions by their nature limit individual freedom, all institutions are bad. Literally anarchists are those who believe we do not need government and can meet our social needs through voluntary cooperation. America faces an existential crisis from within because the basic values upon which our system are based are subverted and our long-established institutions have lost their legitimacy. Those who undermine our institutions substitute nothing in their place and suggest nothing to improve them. This positions intellectual grounding is anarchism in that these people argue that the individual is everything, we should be free to do whatever we want and any attempts to limit people is morally wrong because it abridges freedom. Dont wear masks, buy the biggest gun you can, do away with taxes, eliminate regulations and so on. The litany is familiar. (Of course, these same people see no inconsistency with government limiting the individual freedom of women, the LGTBQ community, etc.) What is wrong with this anarchist position? To answer this question, we need to examine the ideational grounding of the extremists position and some societal basics. Whenever basic and needed societal functions become regularly performed, they become institutionalized. If institutions dont operate properly, basic societal functions are not well performed. Institutions are defined by their procedural rules, goal and values. Political institutions are necessary to provide for social order by bonding people together, by promoting cooperation, by controlling antisocial behavior, by implementing collective decisions and providing a method of collective decision making. Political institutions are the foundation of our political culture, values, goals, policies and laws. Without political institutions we would have chaos; weakening political institutions contributes to the dientergration of society. What are the rules/values that hold American political institutions together? 1. Majority rule and minority rights. 2. Freedom consistent with the common good 3. Participation in politics 4. Equality and equity 5. Human dignity 6. Tolerance of opposing views 7. Transparency 8. Accepting election results 9. Rule of law These are under attack. Too many today say without proof that elections are unfair; too many espouse an unrestrained and immoderate freedom; too many eschew the basic, fundamental principles of American political institutions: equality, human dignity, the rule of law, toleration of opposing views, and the right of all to vote. These all represent an attack on the core rules and values of American democracy. Add to the above a good dose of racism, ethnocentrism, misogyny, homophobia and nativism and you can see why American politics faces an existential crisis. If the institutional rules are diminished or destroyed, the institutions are diminished or destroyed. Which American political institutions are expendable? Which American political values are inoperative? What new institutions and values would these people substitute for the old? Even if we do not agree on policy, we ought to be able to support the centuries old rules and values of American democracy. Without effective political institutions, people would be free to pursue anything they want to pursue. The result would be what Hobbes described as the war of all against all. Since each person would be judge is his/her own case, there would be countless quarrels. Since people would be unrestrained, conflict would become the norm. Is this what we want? While the necessity of strong democratic political institutions does not obviate the necessity of constant vigilance in that institutions can be unrepresentative, unaccountable or oppressive, our political system cannot exist without them. If one would look at the common denominator of all of these right-wing subversives of democratic political institutions, one would find that it is a distrust and hatred of government and the purposes of government, rampant selfish individualism, excessive valuation of unlimited freedom, i.e., Anarchism. Is anarchism desirable? Is anarchism feasible? Philosopher John Rawls remarked: The good of political life is the good of free and equal citizens recognizing the duty of civility to one another and supporting the institutions of a constitutional regime. Dr. John W. Ray teaches classes in political theory and political science at Montana Tech. He is currently writing a paper on institutions, democracy and the threats from the far-right for presentation at Oxford University, England. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Montana Tech. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The federal district court in Montana halted a large-scale industrial logging project in endangered grizzly bear habitat in northwestern Montana on May 25. The Alliance for the Wild Rockies requested the preliminary injunction to protect the small, isolated, and imperiled Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bear population from further harm. The Ripley logging project authorized almost 17 square miles of commercial logging (10,854 acres) on publicly-owned National Forest lands, including roughly five square miles of clearcuts (3,223 acres). The project also authorized the construction of 30 miles of new logging roads, as well as reconstruction of 93 miles of logging roads. By the U.S. Forest Services own estimate, the project would cost federal taxpayers $643,000 to implement because the receipts from the commercial timber sales do not cover the cost of the ecological remediation necessary after the project. The federal court found that the project is most likely illegal because the government did not analyze the cumulative impacts on grizzly bears from logging on public lands, state lands, and private lands all at the same time. Roads pose the biggest threat to grizzly bears, followed by logging and habitat removal. And the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly population in particular is in bad shape. The most recent actual count of grizzlies (published in 2021 for the 2020 monitoring year) for this population is 45 bears. The prior year counted 50 bears, and the year before that counted 54 bears. However, the governments own Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan requires 100 bears for the minimum viable population. The Cabinet-Yaak grizzly population is also failing every recovery target and goal: it is failing the target for females with cubs; it is failing the target for distribution of females with cubs; it is failing the female mortality limit (which is 0 mortalities until a minimum of 100 bears is reached); and it is failing the mortality limit for all bears (also 0 mortalities until a minimum of 100 bears is reached). A peer-reviewed, published scientific research paper, Kendall et al. 2016, analyzed the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly population in detail based on extensive and systematic DNA collection in the region and found: In the small Cabinet and Yaak populations, the difference between growth and decline is 1 or 2 adult females being killed annually or not. Humans killed two female Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bears in 2020. Kendall et al. 2016 further found: the small size, isolation, and inbreeding documented by this study demonstrate the need for comprehensive management designed to support [Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem] population growth and increased connectivity and gene flow with other populations. Consistent with these serious concerns about the potential extirpation of the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly, the court held: "the [Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem] population of grizzly bears is especially vulnerable." The court further explained that the government had relied on "knowingly false assumptions," had "grossly misstate[d] the applicable law," and had engaged in "evidentiary sandbagging" in the case. The court ultimately held: Plaintiff is likely to succeed in proving that [the governments] decision to not attempt to obtain and disclose data concerning reasonably certain State and private activities, and the agencies decision to rely on a factual assumption they know to be incorrect in assessing the Projects cumulative effects on the grizzly bear, violated the ESA and were arbitrary and capricious. This win is a great victory for the Cabinet-Yaak grizzlies. But this case is not over. It will take a lot of hard work and money to protect this victory. Please consider donating to support our decades-long commitment to saving the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bear. Mike Garrity is the executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The Mediterranean exception: southern Spain braces for first heatwave of the year Temperatures of up to 40C are forecast for areas of the Mediterranean coast in Spain in the coming days If the predictions pan out, its entirely possible that southern Spain will experience its first real heatwave of the year, although Aemet spokesperson Ruben del Campo has cautioned that it is still a bit early to affirm it outright. If the mercury rises to these lofty heights, it would be one of the earliest heatwaves on record, the last reported on June 11 1981. We have an intense episode of high temperatures ahead of us, according to Aemet, and from Thursday June 9 the rise will be widespread and may last at least until next Monday or Tuesday, with the mercury expected to top off at a blistering 40C in the valleys of Guadalquivir, Guadiana and the Ebro, while most of the country wont dip below 35C. If it does arrive, Mr del Campo expects the heatwave to begin in earnest on Saturday June 11 or Sunday June 12, although a number of meteorological factors must occur in tandem for this to happen: a high-pressure system would trap air over Spain, allowing it to reach unusually high temperatures due to the amount of sunlight. The high pressure also causes a downward movement, which compresses the air and heats it even further. So far this month, Spain has experienced abundant sunshine and the sun remains very high above the horizon; the stability means that there is not a lot of wind so the surface is being heated very efficiently and quickly, resulting in the skyrocketing temperatures. Image: Archive (CNN) -- Kohl's may soon have a new owner. Kohl's said late Monday that it had entered into a three-week exclusive negotiation period for a potential sale with Franchise Group, a holding company which owns The Vitamin Shoppe and other retail brands. Franchise Group has proposed to buy Kohl's for $60 a share. Kohl's stock closed at $42.12 on Monday and rose 10% during early trading Tuesday on the news. The deal would value Kohl's at around $8 billion, The Wall Street Journal reported, about 5 times more than it was worth last week. Kohl's said that during the negotiation period there were no assurances a deal would be reached. The department store has drawn the attention of an activist investor and an array of bidders. A sale would end a grinding, year-long saga between Kohl's and some Wall Street investors over the company's future. What's going on at Kohl's? With more than 1,100 US stores and around $19 billion in annual sales, Kohl's is the largest department store chain in the United States. But the entire department store sector has been in structural decline for years against pressure from Amazon, growing big-box chains that include Walmart and Target and discount clothing stores like TJMaxx. Companies such as Sears, JCPenney, Neiman Marcus, Barney's and others have filed for bankruptcy in recent years. Department stores including Kohl's have been undercut on prices by discount players from the bottom, and prestige by luxury stores at the top. The company has attempted a handful of approaches to draw in customers and stave off competitors, but the strategies have not led to major improvements at Kohl's. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MUSCATINE The trial being presented today is a criminal case brought by the State of Iowa and the Muscatine County Attorneys Office. The defendant is Zachary Wolf, AKA the Big Bad Wolf, who has entered a plea of not guilty. The defendant is charged with one count of criminal mischief in the 1st degree and one count of attempted murder. The familiar childrens story about a wolf and three little pigs took on new life Wednesday as a legitimate criminal case presented to this years Junior Police Academy as an example of the justice system in action. The Junior Police Academy, which consists of 20 students ranging in ages from 15 to 18, began its third day of the course with a visit to the Muscatine County Courthouse. There, they listened to Judge Thomas Reidel, who explained more about the justice system and the part officers play in getting alleged criminals to court. Along with learning about judges, prosecutors, defense attorney and juries, the students got a first-hand look at how a courtroom scenario might go using the story of the Three Little Pigs, where each student played a role in the proceedings. Seeing what courtroom proceedings are like gives the students an overview of how the criminal justice system comes to a completion, Sgt. Joe Bryant, one of the instructors for the academy, added. (A trial) is the culmination of an officers investigation. Once the mock trial was over, the students took a tour of the Muscatine County Jail and met two of the citys K-9 officers. Earlier in the week, students learned about traffic enforcement, evidence collection and processing. Students also trained with the Muscatine Special Operations Response Team and learn about the teams equipment. Mia Berry, who plans to pursue a job in the criminal justice field, said she had a very positive experience and would recommend it to other students who are interested in Criminal Justice. Im really into fitness, so I really liked the physical training," she said. "I also liked hearing about the different jobs that police officers do that I didnt already know about. Aiden Mohagen, another student in the class, shared similar sentiments. He's wanted to be in law enforcement since he was young. I really liked hearing about the Street Crime unit, he said. Thats kind of what I want to go into specifically. Going through this course, you learn a lot more than you come in with initially. When asked what made her interested in the course, student Alivia Bigil said she was just curious about it. I got interested in it because I know somebody who is also interested, so Im just experimenting, she said. Having experienced it first-hand, Bigil said she felt that the course has been a lot of fun. I feel like Ive learned a lot through these last few days," she said. "I now know what (the police) really deal with and how they enforce laws and stuff. Everybodys been very receptive and learning a lot, Bryant said. Our first Junior Academy class was in 2019, then we had a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so were sort of starting from scratch this year. Thankfully we had a lot of students sign up, and we even have some students who are still on the waiting list, so we look forward to doing this academy again in the years to come. The Junior Police Academy will hold its final session Thursday, and the students will learn about medical emergencies from the Muscatine Fire Department before graduating from the academy. Once the academy has completed, the two students chosen as this years top performers will earn a $500 scholarship that can be put toward any major. 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. MUSCATINE According to national research, every 30 seconds someone becomes a victim of human trafficking. The West Liberty Rotary Club made a donation Tuesday to help combat what has become the fastest growing crime in the world. Tom Barr and Gretchen Nollman of the West Liberty Rotary Club met with two members of Braking Traffik, a group that fights against human trafficking specifically within Iowa and Illinois, at the Merrill Hotel to deliver a donation of $1,000. (Braking Traffik) have been fantastic in supporting us for the last five years, Barr said. In addition to fighting against world-wide polio and funding orphanages, all Rotary Club chapters including West Libertys are focused on fighting all types of human trafficking. The group wanted to thank Braking Traffik for the support and educational presentations on human trafficking provided to West Liberty over the past five years. We couldnt make any headway or success against human trafficking on our own. The people at Braking Traffik are professional in helping victims of human trafficking, and were just so grateful for all their help and support, Barr said. Braking Traffik Supervisor Gretchen, who declined to share her last name due to the nature of her work, thanked the West Liberty Rotary Club for its support. Its awesome (to receive this donation), and were really excited about being able to help more survivors, she said. (This money) will definitely help someone, for sure. She said the money will help with survivor assistance costs, like crisis intervention, rent deposits, food, clothing, counseling, means of travel and more. Braking Traffik tries to get survivors out of their situation safely, and also provides community outreach and education and legislative advocacy related to human trafficking. Braking Traffik helps an average of 100-200 clients per year within Scott, Jackson, Clinton, Muscatine and Louisa Counties in Iowa and Rock Island County in Illinois, and since its merger with Family Resources of Davenport, it has served over 600 clients. Later this year, Braking Traffik plans to establish a relationship with the Rotary Club of Muscatine to further expand its reach. Although a majority of its focus is on helping the survivors of human trafficking, M. emphasized the importance of prevention, encouraging residents to keep an eye out and to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. If you see something suspicious and you know in your gut that it could be trafficking, then you should call, she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Rain customers have challenged the companys recent statement that its 5G routers sold through second-hand goods stores are stolen property. This comes after MyBroadband found Rain 5G routers listed at Cash Converters, and the network operator said such sales were not legitimate. Rain 5G customers get a free-to-use 5G router that must be returned if you cancel your service. However, there could be isolated cases where customers did buy a router when the operator offered them for sale years ago. Rain even offered a Black Friday special in 2019 where qualifying customers could keep the device free of charge once their two-year contract had concluded. Regarding our 2019 Black Friday offer this is correct. This was a limited offer where a small number of customers could purchase the device upfront, Rain confirmed. Fortunately, every router has a unique identifier, and as such, we know if they were part of the Black Friday special. Rain said that many of the devices being sold second-hand are free-to-use routers that customers should have returned. In some cases, this is due to ignorance, but unfortunately, there are also cases of deliberate theft, the company told MyBroadband. Rain said it wanted to warn the public of the risks involved in buying one particularly that the routers wont work on any other operators network. We would like to reinforce that it is unfortunate that some people attempting to sell the free-to-use routers, Rain stated. [Rains] 5G routers are optimised specifically for [our] network and will therefore not work if purchased through unauthorised, second-hand retailers, it said. We would like to warn customers against falling into such scams as they will not be able to use the routers purchased via these channels. Rain previously explained that online retailers who sell their free-to-use routers risk prosecution for trading in stolen goods. The network operator said it places buyers and sellers at risk of prosecution. While the small number of these instances remain, our legal and fraud departments are engaging with SAPS and are dealing with it on a case-by-case basis, it said. We are also engaging with the Cash Converters head office as well as owners of franchises where our devices are being sold to advise them on the situation and the legal implications, it added. Several 5G routers were listed on Cash Converters online store on Thursday, 2 June 2022. Within a day after asking Rain and Cash Converters about the issue, only one listing remained active. It now appears that all listings have been removed. Rain urged members of the public who are aware of the illegal trading of Rains CPEs to report it to their fraud department at [email protected]. Now read: These are the two 5G routers you can buy in South Africa MTN customers looking to terminate their device contracts early pay a modest termination fee compared to other mobile networks. South African consumers who sign up for long-term contracts are not forced to stay with a network until that agreements expiry. According to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), any mobile subscriber is allowed to end their cellular contract prematurely under certain conditions. Firstly, they need to provide 20 business days notice in writing or recorded form, such as via an email or call to a cancellations department. Secondly, they should be aware that the mobile network would be entitled to charge a reasonable penalty fee for the cancellation. The parameters for calculating such a fee are fairly broad, with the CPA stating operators should take the following elements into account: How much the consumer is indebted to the service provider on the date of cancellation. The value of the transaction on the date of cancellation. The value of any goods that will remain in possession of the consumer on the date of cancellation. The duration of the agreement as initially concluded between the consumer and the service provider. The losses suffered or benefits accrued by the consumer from the agreement. The nature of the goods or services reserved or booked by the consumer. The length of the notice or cancellation period provided by the consumer in relation to the initial expiry date of the agreement. The reasonable potential for the service provider, acting diligently, to find an alternative consumer between the time of receiving the cancellation notice and the time of the cancelled reservation. The general practice of the relevant industry. MTN explains its cancellation procedure in detail on its website. Per the CPA, it requires 20 business days notice to process a contract cancellation. Customers must call 135 from an MTN number to go through the process or can send an email to [email protected] with their cancellation request. For the cancellation of an MTN contract, the following charges will apply: The outstanding cost of a device 1-months subscription Any remaining usage charges The big benefit of MTNs approach is that it exempts customers from paying a cancellation fee relating to the subscription fee itself. Vodacom and Cell C charge a cancellation fee as a portion of the total outstanding subscription value, while Telkom charges the full remaining value of the entire subscription in addition to an administration fee. Example MTN contract cancellation We used the example of a 24-month Mega XS Gigs package with a Samsung Galaxy A53 5G for R429 per month to illustrate the cost of cancelling a contract compared to sticking it out. On this package, the device fee on its own makes up R294 of the price, while the plan contributes R135 per month. We considered four scenarios for when a subscriber might want to cancel their contract 18 months, 12 months, six months, and three months before expiry. For the first three options, the settlement amount on a cancellation worked out to be cheaper than continuing with the contract. The table below shows what you can expect to pay when you cancel your MTN contract at various points before expiry. South Africa has asked the Brazilian government to extradite former Mirror Trading International CEO Johann Steynberg for various financial crimes, according to a court order published on Monday. Steynberg had applied to the court to be released from precautionary custody, arguing that he was not a flight risk. According to the order, Steynberg said he had been held for over 60 days, was not being investigated for violent or other serious crimes, and had started a family in Brazil. Steynberg left a wife and child behind in Polokwane when he disappeared in December 2020. He also argued that there wasnt sufficient justification to show that his case meets the requirements for extradition. Brazilian supreme court justice Andre Mendonca was unmoved by Steynbergs request and ordered that he remain under precautionary arrest pending his extradition hearing. Mirror Trading International (MTI) was a bitcoin-based network marketing scam that imploded in 2020 when Steynberg vanished while travelling in Brazil. A group calling itself Anonymous ZA had exploited vulnerabilities in MTIs poorly-coded website and exposed the inner workings of the scheme in September 2020. After the scheme failed, Chainalysis named MTI the biggest cryptocurrency scam of 2020. A source with knowledge of the case told MyBroadband that investigators estimate more than 46,000 bitcoin (over R22 billion) flowed through the scheme. MTIs liquidators asserted that there were supposed to be 22,222.548 bitcoin in the companys accounts around R10.8 billion at R487,000 per bitcoin. Law enforcement arrested Steynberg on 29 December 2021 during a joint operation between the Brazilian Federal Police and Interpol. He allegedly presented a fake ID when officers approached him in the city of Goiania, the capital of the Brazilian state of Goias. The Brazilian court order has clarified that the South African government had obtained an Interpol Red Diffusion (A488/12022) on Steynberg, resulting in him being identified. Red Diffusions are distinct from Red Notices, in that they are less formal and are circulated directly by Interpol National Central Bureaus. Mendonca stated that South Africas request to Interpol includes the following charges: Conducting financial services without a licence Conducting a derivatives business unlicensed Trading in financial products without a license Fraud Theft Money laundering Steynbergs appeal for release on the grounds that he has started a family in Brazil is reminiscent of famous train robber Ronald Biggs. The United Kingdom failed to extradite Biggs from Brazil in 1974 because his girlfriend was pregnant with their son. At the time, Brazilian law did not allow a parent of a Brazilian child to be extradited. When Steynberg was arrested, it emerged that he had been providing a luxurious lifestyle for his new Brazilian girlfriend. It is not clear whether she is pregnant. Regardless, Mendonca ruled that taking up residence and starting a family in Brazil does not prevent precautionary arrest, nor does it protect Steynberg from extradition anymore. He noted that Steynberg is under arrest in South Africa and emphasised that he was jailed in Brazil for allegedly using false documents. [That] he chose to leave South Africa and the fact that he was caught in Brazil with false documents suggest the intention to evade possible criminal liability and contraindicate house arrest, stated Mendonca. As for the excess period of imprisonment without the extradition request having been made, I note that South Africa has already formalised the claim, and there is already an extradition process in progress. Mendonca said South Africas embassy was informed of the arrest on 18 February, and it submitted a verbal note formalising the extradition request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 14 April. Therefore, the deadline has not been exceeded, he ruled, adding that there is also legal precedent allowing extended detainment in extradition proceedings. Based on these findings, Mendonca ordered Steynberg be remanded to custody. Steynberg could not be reached for comment.